It Girl

“As stunning as the incomparable leading lady who inspired it, It Girl is a captivating story of resilience, splendor, and strength, at times dark, at times deliciously dishy. Allison Pataki pulls back the curtain on a real-life Cinderella story, bringing Evelyn’s glamour and grit vividly to life. It’s unputdownable, with a twist that will leave you breathless.”—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Pact

“Captivating . . . Pataki expertly captures turn-of-the-twentieth-century New York City, where anything is possible, especially for the newly minted Gibson girl. Pataki has fashioned a soaring new tale—I adored it.”—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Personal Librarian

“A scintillating, fictionalized tale of one of America’s first models and superstars. Readers will cheer for Evelyn as she navigates the path from childhood hardship through rising stardom and the sexism and misogyny of the entertainment industry to standing on her own two feet. Inspired by true stories, It Girl is a powerful tale of female empowerment and friendship, immaculately researched and beautifully told. In crafting it, Pataki shines brighter than ever!”—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of Last Twilight in Paris

“It Girl is a rapid-fire and deliciously innovative period piece that shatters the mold and grabs our attention as we sit up and cheer for its indomitable heroine. I loved it!”—Deborah Goodrich Royce, nationally bestselling author of Reef Road

“Pataki [keeps] the reader intrigued by Evelyn’s slow awakening to reality and the enduring value of female friendship in a male-dominated world. Fans of Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age will enjoy another dip into that world of moneyed elegance.”—Historical Novel Society

“Unforgettable characters and a page-turning story come to life in Allison Pataki’s latest historical fiction novel.”—Woman’s World

“[An] irresistible rags-to-riches-to-trauma tale . . . [Pataki] riffs on the real-life Evelyn Nesbit and the notorious 1906 murder of architect Stanford White by her railroad magnate husband, Harry Kendall Thaw. . . . Beneath her woes and hard-earned glamour in an era when women had no rights and few options, Evelyn is strong, courageous, and determined. Scintillating with pinpoint period details and told from Evelyn’s perspective, Pataki’s eventful, suspenseful, turn-of-the-twentieth-century novel is an entrancing progression of shocks and adaptations, suffering and liberation.”—Booklist, starred review

“A somewhat fictionalized account of ‘Gibson Girl’ Evelyn Nesbit’s tumultuous fortunes, with a wholly invented ending worthy of the protagonist’s talents . . . Evelyn’s alternate fate might be a feminist sleight of hand, yet as an author’s note explains, ‘What if I give Evelyn the opportunity to reclaim her own agency, even to rewrite her own ending?’ It’s a worthy goal for a novel, and ultimately a very satisfying one. . . . Each character comes alive in this rich, dynamic novel.”—Kirkus Reviews