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rachels_booknook's review against another edition
5.0
Advanced Book Review! Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooksuk for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I loved this book. I had read Renée Rosen’s Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, about Estée Lauder, earlier this year, which included a little but about the rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. When I saw A Beautiful Rival was about these two beauty industry titans, I knew I wanted to learn more.
Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein were “two self-made businesswomen who became bitter rivals in the early twentieth century.” I love how Gill Paul tells their stories through their rivalry with each other, spanning decades, and examines how their lives differed and paralleled. When I read historical fiction, I always wonder which details are true and I am so appreciative that Gill Paul not only includes an author’s note, but even more factual details on her website.
I identified with both women in that Elizabeth Arden was Canadian and Helena Rubinstein was Jewish. In fact, Gill Paul states that she knew antisemtism needed to be a theme of this book because not only was Helena Rubinstein breaking barriers as woman in business, but as a Jewish women specifically.
I found it interesting how often both women travelled. Travel was not easy at that time and it took days. They must have been gone for long periods of time, making it more difficult to have a family, as we saw in Helena’s relationship with her sons and the fact that Elizabeth never had children. Elizabeth actually seemed quite childish herself.
I also loved seeing how the author imagined they would have reacted to other actual people, such as Eleanor Roosevelt. And I loved Helena and her husband sending cables back and forth, just like today’s texting.
micasreads's review against another edition
4.0
Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein are two of the most successful skincare company owners of their time…and absolutely hate each other. Each woman does all she can to be on top and lets nothing get in their way of success. While each live lives of luxury they fall in and out of love, recover from the Great Depression and ultimately see those they love deal with World War II and the ramifications. As they continue to strive for the top, the women must decide if the fight is worth it.
This was a well-told story where research into the subject is very clear. You can feel the animosity between these two women throughout the story. It was very much a tit-for-tat relationship. For two women who barely said a handful of words to each other their hate for each other was palpable and changed their lives forever. This was a fantastic story and I enjoyed every moment.
karajay's review
3.0
Gill Paul tells us a story of two women who have an intense and heated rivalry. The rivalry begins where all the best rivalries do, something shared. In this case, business. Elizabeth Arden and Helen Rubinstein compete to be the top woman in the cosmetics game through the 20s and 30s. The success in the women's personal lives pale in comparison to their success in business, but still provide plenty of entertainment and emotion for the reader. As historic events begin to unfold we start to see the effects they had on the business world.
I enjoyed this historical fiction novel and look forward to reading more from Gill Paul.
Look for this book in September 2023.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I enjoyed this historical fiction novel and look forward to reading more from Gill Paul.
Look for this book in September 2023.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
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