Thanks for the replies - I'm definitely going to check out these books.
I recently read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and liked that the two leading female characters, one of whom we don't meet, were strong and new their own mind.
There also book series, such as Patricia Cornwell's and Karen Rose's crime fighter women, who are strong women but I'm really interested in finding books based on real life or a good fiction with a women I can look to for inspiration.
For UK people, you might be interested to know that Coco Before Chanel is on E4 at 9pm on Sunday 25th March.