Climbing in Heels

Goldsmith-Thomas brings her own experience in Hollywood in this debut novel that has a bold premise as it explores complex friendships, rivalries and the discrepancy in how women and men were/are treated in 1980's Hollywood. The book initially focuses on a trio of new-to-Hollywood young women - Beanie, Mercedes and Ella, but soon the story centres mainly around Beanie. 

If you know me, you know that a quarter of my brain is dedicated to random Hollywood facts. This book is FILLED with a Hollywood name dropping, from real-life actors/directors and Hollywood acronyms, there are a lot of Tinseltown's who's who mentioned in its pages. 

If I step back from the story, I liked it - the coming-into-herself focus about women's experiences in Hollywood. But I wanted more - more growth and better connection between trio and a stronger plot that really pulled me in. What I wanted less of were the numerous tertiary characters who bogged down the pace of the story and were hard to keep track of. 

In the end, I liked this book, and it will do well, but it wasn't a 'wow' read for me. It felt much longer than its 380 pages and unfortunately it struggled to hold my attention, taking me almost two weeks to finish it. I enjoyed the premise and Girl Power vibe but think this book would be better as a TV limited series.

Disclaimer: Thanks to St Martin's Press for the advanced digital and paperback copies of this book which were given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas

Genre: Historical Fiction

Type and Source: ebook and Trade Paperback from publisher

Publisher: St Martin's Press

First Published: April 29. 2025

Read: March 28 - April 10, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: Climbing in Heels, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas's debut novel, is a fictional tale of the rise of three secretaries at the hottest agency in 1980's Hollywood, giving you a glimpse into the boys-will-be-boys club and the women who wanted a seat at a table where they were expected to serve. It's the story of friendship, betrayal, survival, standing up when they pass you by, and saying I won't go when they want you gone. And it's also a story about how some of those women became very much like the monsters who trained them.

Meet Beanie Rosen, the fast-talking and even faster-thinking Valley girl who knows where she wants to go, and doesn’t care if she doesn’t look the part.

Mercedes Baxter, who learned early on how to leverage the monied friends of her monied friends' parents until she found a foothold in Hollywood.

And Ella Gaddy, a sexy free-spirit anti-debutante from a white-glove Kentucky home who shakes up any room she walks into.

Read Climbing in Heels and watch these women meet, meld, fight, strategize and climb their way into your heart.

A rollicking tale of sex, drugs, and power – in heels.