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3.31 AVERAGE
3.31 AVERAGE
CWs: mentions of suicide, racism
Described as an antidote for those “suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal symptoms,” this book is a sweeping, character driven novel that really launches you back to the era. Oddly enough, it has some gothic notes reminiscent of “Rebecca,” minus the mastery of course: crumbling estates, grumpy husbands with secrets, and a young wife just trying to fit in.
I really liked how it wasn’t afraid to be a darker read in some spots. The characters were mostly miserable and *heavily* flawed, and the ending was far from rainbows and butterflies. Despite being close to 500 pages long, I didn’t want it to be shorter. I got pleasantly lost in the gossip and wrapped up into the massive digressions about the characters’ pasts.
I really, really liked it. That being said, if you aren’t having Downton Abbey withdrawal, you might find this verbose read to be a tad.....verbose.
I recommend this to fans of historical romance who might want a little bit of a darker journey than what they’re used to.
Described as an antidote for those “suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal symptoms,” this book is a sweeping, character driven novel that really launches you back to the era. Oddly enough, it has some gothic notes reminiscent of “Rebecca,” minus the mastery of course: crumbling estates, grumpy husbands with secrets, and a young wife just trying to fit in.
I really liked how it wasn’t afraid to be a darker read in some spots. The characters were mostly miserable and *heavily* flawed, and the ending was far from rainbows and butterflies. Despite being close to 500 pages long, I didn’t want it to be shorter. I got pleasantly lost in the gossip and wrapped up into the massive digressions about the characters’ pasts.
I really, really liked it. That being said, if you aren’t having Downton Abbey withdrawal, you might find this verbose read to be a tad.....verbose.
I recommend this to fans of historical romance who might want a little bit of a darker journey than what they’re used to.
As somebody who doesn't read a lot, or really any, period fiction I wasn't expecting to like this much as book as I did. It was really a wonderful read, and written in a way that made it a very easy read as opposed to the heavy going, typical period stuff I was expecting. It's a brilliant novel to lose yourself in, transporting you to a different time so effortlessly and with lovely desription and attention to detail to make that world complete. The characters were juicy and drew you in, leaving you attatched to the relationships they formed with each other. I'd highly recommend this book to people wanting to try something new, in a non-intimidating way.
What. Did I just read? Why did I have no one to root for except Bertha for most of the novel?
I wanted to love this book, really, I did. I'm fascinated with the American girls who went over to Europe for titles and wonder if any actually ever were in love. However, wanting to love the book doesn't necessarily translate into love. I found the book slow-moving through the first half, and the protagonist, Cora, insufferable - until the last half of the book, where she was finally written in a way to make me feel for her and her situation. Her family is awful and you could see where some of the "plot twists" were coming from a mile off. I completely guessed the ending 2/3rds of the way through.
All that said, the writing was well researched and pleasant. I think that she gives a little too much information at times, which bogs down the narrative. There were characters who were simply superfluous, who had lovely (and unnecessary) backgrounds given, while other characters who were more integral to the plot were given none.
If I could have given a 2.5 or 2.75 star rating, I would have. I ultimately ended up liking the book, despite its predictability, but I didn't love it. It's better than OK, but... yeah. I will definitely give another of her books a try - I liked the preview given at the end of this one. Perhaps it will help me like this one more.
All that said, the writing was well researched and pleasant. I think that she gives a little too much information at times, which bogs down the narrative. There were characters who were simply superfluous, who had lovely (and unnecessary) backgrounds given, while other characters who were more integral to the plot were given none.
If I could have given a 2.5 or 2.75 star rating, I would have. I ultimately ended up liking the book, despite its predictability, but I didn't love it. It's better than OK, but... yeah. I will definitely give another of her books a try - I liked the preview given at the end of this one. Perhaps it will help me like this one more.
Set in the late 1800's, The American Heiress follows beautiful & wealthy Cora Cash from Newport to England in search of a titled husband. When Cora marries the most eligible duke around, she finds herself navigating a secretive social scene designed to put outsiders at a disadvantage & realizes that money can't buy everything. Most of the British historical fiction that I’ve read focuses on the Tudor period, so it was fun to see things from a later perspective. This book did a great job of showing the glamour & wealth of high society during the time period. My favorite part was the contrast between the American way of doing things & the more traditional British society. Cora was a fascinating character & I enjoyed seeing her development, especially in how she learned to interact with her mysterious husband & his titled friends.
A very enjoyable read. The pace was well done and the characters well written. Looking forward to reading more books from Goodwin.
I absolutely hated the first half of this book. Hated it. I hated Cora, I hated the Duke, I hated Mrs. Cash, etc. However, once I got to the second half, I started to (thankfully) see some character development in Cora. The story turned into something a bit more political, and we saw more of an insight into what.at the ins and outs of high society was like in late 1800's England. I still hated the Duke so much by the end. I was a little more understanding of his situation, but I could not stand staying with someone who has mood swings like that all the time. Also, I love Bertha. She was probably the most redeeming character in the entire book, in my opinion. Overall, 3 out of 5 stars.
The American Heiress is a cross between Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind and some of Edith Wharton and Jane Austen's works. Cora Cash (not sure if I like or dislike her name... it seems too easy but also perfectly fitting) is the heiress to a large fortune made in the flour industry in America. Her mother knows that Cora is pretty and rich, meaning all that she needs to have the perfect life is a title.
Cora's mother envisions her daughter in the English aristocracy, regardless of Cora's desires. Therefore, they set off to England. Along the way Cora meets a secretive and, dare I say it, sexy English Duke, which sets off their romance.
I include Gone with the Wind as an inspiration to this novel because I found a lot of similarities between Cora Cash and Scarlett O'Hara, they are both from well to-do families but still need to confront the realities of life as they grow up. They are both spoiled but also determined so that no matter what life hands them, they persevere. I found both characters annoying, especially in the beginning, and I enjoyed their maturation over time.
Cora's English Duke, Ivo, is an interesting characters. He tends to drop out and fall back into the story so that the reader, like Cora, has trouble figuring him out. We don't know what he may be hiding or what he is feeling. This was very frustrating for me to read.
There were some slow points in the novel and some extra, very small, subplots that weren't at all necessary to the story. However, I did like the overall flow of the novel and the growth, or lack thereof, of the characters.
Cora's mother envisions her daughter in the English aristocracy, regardless of Cora's desires. Therefore, they set off to England. Along the way Cora meets a secretive and, dare I say it, sexy English Duke, which sets off their romance.
I include Gone with the Wind as an inspiration to this novel because I found a lot of similarities between Cora Cash and Scarlett O'Hara, they are both from well to-do families but still need to confront the realities of life as they grow up. They are both spoiled but also determined so that no matter what life hands them, they persevere. I found both characters annoying, especially in the beginning, and I enjoyed their maturation over time.
Cora's English Duke, Ivo, is an interesting characters. He tends to drop out and fall back into the story so that the reader, like Cora, has trouble figuring him out. We don't know what he may be hiding or what he is feeling. This was very frustrating for me to read.
There were some slow points in the novel and some extra, very small, subplots that weren't at all necessary to the story. However, I did like the overall flow of the novel and the growth, or lack thereof, of the characters.