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This is a very accomplished first novel about a rich American woman who goes to England to find a titled husband. It is the perfect book for those in withdrawal from Downton Abby (indeed the main character’s name is Cora). Great for a plane ride or train ride read.
This was a very interesting book. I loved the story and all of the description of the Gilded Age. I would recommend this book for sure.
Audiobook: this book was half historical fiction, half chick lit. The narrator was fantastic with well placed accents and voices but the plot was kind of dull and unsurprising. Still an enjoyable listen.
Heir to an unparalleled fortune, American heiress Cora Cash is everything you'd expect her to be: spoiled, pampered, and unable to imagine life outside of her bubble. Her mother wants only one thing for her: to marry a rich English nobleman and become royalty. But when Cora meets and marries the handsome Duke that rescues her from an accident, she begins to wonder if she's really cut out for this life.
Gripping, well-illustrated, and incredibly reminiscent of Downtown Abbey, this is a must-read for anyone wooed by the the golden age of England.
Gripping, well-illustrated, and incredibly reminiscent of Downtown Abbey, this is a must-read for anyone wooed by the the golden age of England.
I loved Victoria, so I tried this book. It was good, and if I could I would give it a 3.5. It’s hard to put into words why I wasn’t as in love with this book as I was with Victoria. It somehow felt as if the story never quite came together the way it was meant to. I still loved the writing and the characters, but something was missing in the end.
I really enjoyed The American Heiress even though the main character, Cora Cash, constantly got on my nerves with her naivety. I do wish the ending had been resolved before the last five pages. There was not much in the resolution that I had not already figured out but I was not looking for any great mystery in this story. So 4/5 stars it receives!
I can't decide how I feel about this book. The characters were challenging to like, but people who like the genre will like the book. I feel like the novel is well researched, but reading was like twisting the knife. Another thing that bugged me was that there was no character development. The teaser suggests that Cora turns into a magnificent woman, but alas it seems she just gives into life's expectations.
3.5 stars
Cora Cash has known nothing but the kind of privilege that the 1890s has to offer - as the only daughter and heiress of a ridiculously rich New York family, her life has been one long experience in excess and wealth. When it's time to find a husband, a rich American is not enough. Cora's family needs her to get a title - not a particularly hard task, when there are virtually penniless British aristocrats crawling out of the woodwork. But Cora's reception in England isn't all that warm and the man that catches her eye seems to have a depth that he isn't willing to share. Once she makes her choice, it seems as though happiness and a title may not be things she can have at the same time.
This was a little slow going for me. Cora is SO naive sometimes that I just wanted to shake her, it almost feels unrealistic that she'll make such disastrous choices and in one situation, TWICE, the same stupid choice. I think I wasn't anticipating this to be a story of a marriage - the "romance" was so short that it caught me super off-guard and so the rest of the story I was trying to feel deeply about their relationship but it was hard. Once I finally got into the groove I started caring but even in the end I felt sort of blah about all of them. The wicked people feel so wicked and it ends without everything being resolved. What I do like is the time period and the whole "British-American-Heiress" is very intriguing to me. The writing is solid and the pacing is fine I just wasn't in love with it.
Cora Cash has known nothing but the kind of privilege that the 1890s has to offer - as the only daughter and heiress of a ridiculously rich New York family, her life has been one long experience in excess and wealth. When it's time to find a husband, a rich American is not enough. Cora's family needs her to get a title - not a particularly hard task, when there are virtually penniless British aristocrats crawling out of the woodwork. But Cora's reception in England isn't all that warm and the man that catches her eye seems to have a depth that he isn't willing to share. Once she makes her choice, it seems as though happiness and a title may not be things she can have at the same time.
This was a little slow going for me. Cora is SO naive sometimes that I just wanted to shake her, it almost feels unrealistic that she'll make such disastrous choices and in one situation, TWICE, the same stupid choice. I think I wasn't anticipating this to be a story of a marriage - the "romance" was so short that it caught me super off-guard and so the rest of the story I was trying to feel deeply about their relationship but it was hard. Once I finally got into the groove I started caring but even in the end I felt sort of blah about all of them. The wicked people feel so wicked and it ends without everything being resolved. What I do like is the time period and the whole "British-American-Heiress" is very intriguing to me. The writing is solid and the pacing is fine I just wasn't in love with it.
I like that its not an overly sappy romance. It's much more realistic to the time period. I also really enjoyed the history she included, it was very well researched and I felt like I learned something.
After finishing this, I looked at other reviews and am glad to find that I'm not the only one who feels "meh" about this book. I picked it up because of the 'if you're having Downton withdrawals' thing and while there is some upstairs/downstairs stuff, it's not nearly as interesting or intriguing as Downton. I'm not going into specifics, but it didn't feel "wrapped up". It felt more like a TV show that has 8 episodes and only 7 are shown. I'm not asking for "happily ever after", but this just drops off at the end.
Ultimately, 2.5 stars.
Ultimately, 2.5 stars.