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It's time for the two daughters of a Gilded Age newspaper magnate to make suitable society matches to secure their family's future. But as both daughters desire to marry for love, it may cost them more than they imagined in Heiress by author Susan May Warren.

I picked up this ChristFic novel in hopes of satisfying my mood for lush historical entertainment dripping with diamonds, even if the novel could possibly turn out to be a proverbial "lifestyles of the rich and miserable" tale.

Granted, as I read the first few chapters, it was almost like the characters were checking off prescribed boxes, thinking thoughts and making the expected comments for "character types" in period dramas like this. I found the emotional development to be bumpy early on as the key players would jump from one sudden feeling or pivotal decision to the next. Also, throughout the book, sometimes the odd placing or omission of dialogue tags and action beats would make it tricky to tell which character had said what.

Still, I remained interested during every scene, which isn't that common when I read longer novels these days.

Then, the read eventually took a more substantive hold on me as it addressed social issues of the shifting period. Immigrants. Poverty. Racism. Endangered buffalo. Laborers. Labor unions. Labor strikes. Robber barons. Corrupt politicians controlling corrupt lawmen. Women's suffrage. World war. And the growth and grit of a particular character moved me from only being interested in the plot to being invested in it.

Now, considering the way that natural senses work, one huge "whoopsie" that involves two of the characters is an unconvincing twist from the start. Also, what was seemingly supposed to be a major surprise late in the story wasn't a surprise to me, due to an earlier lack of fundamental evidence that would have made the late twist a surprising one.

More on that topic, if you've already read the book or otherwise don't mind big spoilers: I didn't think Oliver was dead inside of that burning building simply because Colleen told Esme so—as the two women stood there outside of the building with no concrete knowledge or proof of Oliver's whereabouts. In any story where disaster strikes, if an important character doesn't die there before the reader's eyes or there isn't an official announcement from someone like a police officer, a firefighter, or a doctor confirming the character's off-page death, and without any show or mention of that character's recovered body or remains, I don't assume the character is dead just because other characters assume it, especially if the disaster scene cuts off before the disaster is over. After Esme's husband Daughtry died so soon after she married him, it further convinced me that Oliver hadn't died in that fire years earlier and that Esme would likely go back and reunite with him.

Yet, one aspect I appreciate most about this story is that the faith thread doesn't follow a stereotypical pattern that some ChristFic does—the pattern that makes the Sinner Characters' lives all bad and nothing but sad because the whole point is to make them get saved (so then good and happy things can finally happen to them).

The novel's rising conflict and critical climax had an unrelenting grip on me. I was emotionally floored and hungry for more by the end, and I'm so looking forward to continuing the Daughters of Fortune series. ( )

I gave up on this book a little more than halfway through - too much heartache. ( )

HEIRESS: DAUGHTERS OF FORTUNE by Susan May Warren is an exciting historical romance set during the Gilded Age of 1896 New York City to the untamed frontier.This is book #1 in the "Daughters of Fortune" series. It is the story of two daughters of newspaper magnate August Price,their wealth,power,and their deep longings of the heart.One daughter, longs for a desirable marriage, as nd the duties of privelege or does she?The other daughter wants independence,and desires to build a life in the untamed frontier or does she? For sisters,Jinx and Esme,who was raised with the life of wealth,and privelege,they find a life of searching for love, betrayal,adultery,murde for,embezzlement and unrest. "Heiress" patterened after the biblical characters of Jacob and Esau. This is the story of a thirst more out of life and searching for love. A great read for any who enjoy inspirational historical fiction,the Gilded Age of America,the wealthy,fame,power,beauty and loyalty.Received for review from the publisher. Details can be found at Summerside Press,and My Book Addiction Reviews. ( )

Ever since Gossip Girl came to life on television, I have been hooked on all things New York and its ritzy upper-crust families. Glamour, scandals, glitter and gold – when I heard Susan May Warren was tackling this world with a historical twist, call me hopelessly hooked but I was more than ready to jump into this adventure.

THE GOOD BITS
{The difference of chasing dreams versus living them.} Heiress takes place in a world where women did not have a lot of options – their main objective is to secure the right sort of marriage. Some women live for this, but others dream bigger for independence and perhaps a career. Esme dreams to be a journalist instead of marrying the man that her parents picked out, but is she prepared to leave the glittery world behind and get her hands dirty in the real world? That is the real trial by fire, and Susan May Warren allows this character to both fail and succeed.

{Jinx’s knotty romance.} Granted I wouldn’t wish anyone to go through what Jinx went through in the romance department, but it was so deliciously twisted that I flew through the pages to find out how it would all unravel. A heartbreaking nightmare of a love triangle, but when things were good, they were happy-good. The beauty of this particular storyline is how tragic and real it felt – how many women have been trapped like Jinx? How many had to let go of an impossible love to survive? It was riveting. It was raw. It was real – and I ate up every word of it!

THE BAD BITS
{Combination of 2 storylines.} It works for certain books. I don’t think it was a major issue for Heiress, but when I got invested in one sister, I wanted to see her story through to the very end without any interruptions from the other sister. Susan May Warren gives us nice chunks of time with each sister, but I wished the story did not have to alternate – and perhaps each sister would get their own individual book.

{Just a smidge of Christian fiction?} I expected a more obvious Christian message somewhere within these pages, but I could not put a finger to it for the life of me. Granted, a good way to describe Heiress is a more wholesome Gossip Girl. Scandal and unfaithful husbands are still running around, but how does a Christian woman survive in such a society? Can she hold onto her faith when society kicks her to the curb? The problem that I have is that I did not really see Esme or Jinx struggling with their faith as much as the simple fact that life is unfair to women.

THE OVERALL
I think Susan May Warren is onto something with this latest series, and I admit some curiosity as to how the sisters will fare in the future after the ending. Heiress is quite enjoyable – not too historical, not too scandalous – just the right amount of both. More of a quiet and thoughtful piece on the trials for women living on the cusp of independence. ( )