Paperback, 384 pages
Published June 16th 2020 by St. Martin's Griffin
At the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair, two ambitious young women—a down-on-her-luck actress and an aspiring journalist—form an unlikely friendship as they navigate a world of possibility and find out what they are truly made of during a glorious summer of spectacle and potential…
Gorgeous Vivi is about to begin filming her first starring role in a Hollywood picture when the studio head ships her off to New York as a favor to a friend. She’s assigned the leading role in the heralded Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular at the World’s Fair, a fate she believes will destroy her film career. If she performs well, she’ll have another chance at stardom, but with everything working against her, will her summer lead to opportunity or failure?
Plucky Max dreams of becoming a serious journalist, but when her job at the New York Times doesn’t pan out, she finds herself begrudgingly working for the daily paper of the World’s Fair. As her ideas are continually overlooked by her male counterparts and her career prospects are put in jeopardy, Max must risk everything to change the course of her life.
When Max and Vivi’s worlds collide, they forge an enduring friendship. One that teaches them to go after what matters most during the most meaningful summer of their lives.
My thoughts about We Came Here to Shine ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)
First line—"Amid dark clouds and heavy rain, hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic visitors turned out to watch as President Roosevelt officially opened the 1939 World's Fair yesterday with a rousing speech promoting 'peace and good-will among all nations.'"
What a wonderful look back at a time that probably most of us don't think about when we think of 'historical fiction'. We Came Here to Shine is set in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. Life for both Vivi and Max take unexpected turns when they find themselves dropped into job opportunities that neither of them want.
Told in alternating chapters of the two women's points of view, we learn a lot about the women—their pasts, their dreams, their loves, and their disappointments. The summer of 1939 might break the two women, or it just might make them stronger. I enjoyed watching the characters grow but it was hard watching them struggle. But remember the times, it wasn't always easy for women back then.
This was also a wonderful look at a World's Fair, an event I've never had a chance to attend. It would have been amazing to experience something of that magnitude. Having the World's Fair as the backdrop to the story of these two women made the experience of reading this book just that more interesting.
We Came Here to Shine is a wonderful escape read when most of us are stuck at home. Give it a try!
What a wonderful look back at a time that probably most of us don't think about when we think of 'historical fiction'. We Came Here to Shine is set in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. Life for both Vivi and Max take unexpected turns when they find themselves dropped into job opportunities that neither of them want.
Told in alternating chapters of the two women's points of view, we learn a lot about the women—their pasts, their dreams, their loves, and their disappointments. The summer of 1939 might break the two women, or it just might make them stronger. I enjoyed watching the characters grow but it was hard watching them struggle. But remember the times, it wasn't always easy for women back then.
This was also a wonderful look at a World's Fair, an event I've never had a chance to attend. It would have been amazing to experience something of that magnitude. Having the World's Fair as the backdrop to the story of these two women made the experience of reading this book just that more interesting.
We Came Here to Shine is a wonderful escape read when most of us are stuck at home. Give it a try!
I received a copy of We Came Here to Shine from Goodreads and this is my honest opinion.
About the author
I am the author of two works of historical fiction: We Came Here to Shine and The Subway Girls along with two earlier works of contemporary fiction: The Balance Front and On Grace. I grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.
My writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Huffington Post, POPSUGAR, Writer’s Digest, and Glamour. In addition, I have spoken extensively on work-life balance and I'm the founder of The Balance Project interview series.
I live in Purchase, NY, with my husband and our three sons. I love to read, hike, see movies, and make elaborate cheese plates for Friday night happy hour at my house. I'm learning how to watercolor and trying to figure out how to knit. ~ Goodreads
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