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bennett_book_lover's review
4.0
Based off other reviews, I knew I was either going to love or hate this book. Maybe it’s because I had to force myself through my last book but The American Heiress was a breath of fresh air. When I’m reading a Daisy Goodwin book, I end up savoring the pages instead of counting down the pages until it ends. This book did remind me of Gone With the Wind a little. Basically, the perception of how someone acts and what they are actually thinking can be misconstrued, which is basically the reason why Scarlett and Rhett don’t make it. In this book, Cora loves Ivo and the whole time you are fearful that Ivo isn’t seeing what he has and is still hung up on his ex (sound familiar GWTW fans?). At the end, you get his side of the story, which yeah- there were gaps... a couple of situations or moments in the book were left unexplained. Ivo was also frustrating throughout the book because you never knew what he was thinking and he was constantly having really bad mood swings but you knew things were going to get revealed and explained in the end and that’s why you keep reading. Cora wasn’t perfect but I respected her for her efforts to fit into a society that was practically deceitful at every turn. It was all about how you were portrayed by others, rather than how you were in real life. A lot of other reviews said they hated Cora but Cora, at least, stayed loyal. Cora challenges the status quo so that she could be herself but still found a way to be respected in society. Although, this was one of the reasons Ivo and Cora clashes, it was also one of the reasons he loved her. Thought it was an enjoyable read!
nlmeyer033's review
2.0
The book was slow moving at first, but it got interesting at the end. It was alright, but if you are debating between reading this book and another book I would choose another.
mtngirl4's review
2.0
Evidently I enjoy watching period pieces rather than reading them. I was a bit bored with this book and the very little that happened in it. Lots of beautiful money, clothes, jewelry and pictures painted with words; however, I just can't relate to the Victorian/Edwardian times. I am always more interested in the downstairs staff, but their storyline was not really developed. I'm sure some will love this book, as there is nothing terribly wrong with it, just not my cup of tea!
solilokey's review against another edition
4.0
I love period pieces and this was a pretty decent book. It wasn't too predictable.
cmcleister's review
3.0
There is a upstairs-downstairs kind of Downton Abbey feel to this novel set in 1890s American and England. I thought it was interesting that the author included Cora's maid, Bertha's (Black but free) experience and how it may have differed in England as well as her observations of the family for whom she works. The plot was a bit predictable but the characters kept my interest and was worth reading once.
glaseramy's review
3.0
This is a tale of a rich American gal who hops the pond and marries an English Duke who has a fancy estate but needs a rich wife to keep it running. This happened a lot in the late 1800s, and the majority of this book is Cora (rich American gal) adjusting to life as a Duchess. It was an interesting book, and I read a nonfiction book detailing all the true stories of this, and of course there is Downton. I liked the book, but it was a bit predictable, and the ending was a bit too idyllic. Not a bad read, though, especially if you like Downton and English fancy life.
elizriley16's review
3.0
Definitely a guilty pleasure...I was not a huge fan of the ending, but I enjoyed the story.