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An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age Inspired by the True Story of Arabella Huntington Who Became the Richest Woman in the Country (editie 2023)

door Shana Abe (Auteur)

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1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis's help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis's seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune. Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife's death. But "The Four Hundred"-the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts-have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society-not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat-an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart . . .… (meer)

▾Boekgegevens

Lid:	onenita
Titel:	An American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age Inspired by the True Story of Arabella Huntington Who Became the Richest Woman in the Country
Auteurs:	Shana Abe (Auteur)
Info:	Kensington (2023), 384 pages
Verzamelingen:	Gelezen, maar niet in bezit
Waardering:
Trefwoorden:	Geen

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An American Beauty door Shana Abé

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Gingersnap000, JannaAZ, TanetteFillmore, funfactsabound, CVOCLibrary, LisaOswald, spelldavid, Poppies, onenita

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1-5 van 9 worden getoond (volgende | toon alle)

As I had never heard of Arabella Huntington, I found it extremely difficult to believe this story of a struggling young woman saved by a wealthy gentleman. The book does not say Collis Huntington moved her and family from Richmond, Virginia to New York City and set them up in the lap of luxury.

Arabella lived as her former boss's wife but tongues still wanted about her friendship with Mr. Huntington. Bell was never accepted into New York society but that did not stop.her for becoming the richest woman in America. (

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Gingersnap000 | May 7, 2024 |

"An American Beauty" is the story of Arabella Huntington, from her impoverished beginnings thru to her arrival on the scene of New York's Gilded Age. While this is historical fiction, I became enthralled with Arabella's tale and how she navigated the circumstances of her life. The author writes so beautifully and descriptively. Her atmospheric writings puts you right in the center of a glittering gathering hosted by Mrs. Astor at Delmonico's, the ancient Aztec pyramids in Mexico, the rough and tumble wildness of Texas, and the grace and beauty of Europe. The story keeps surprising, and I found myself doing parallel research as I read.

A wonderful way to wile away the hours. (

)

briandrewz | Mar 27, 2024 |

Collis Huntington is a multimillionaire, railroad baron. When he encounters young Arabella, he is immediately smitten. Collis is married but that does not stop him from moving Arabella and her whole family to New York. Arabella is a shrewd young lady. She begins to buy property and eventually amasses her own fortune.

Well, I put this book WAY on the back burner. I was given a preview copy and, yes, I started it. But I swear…I could not get into it. And it just sat there and sat there. I finally started it back up after months of it staring at me on my must read list. And y’all, it is a pretty dad blame good read. I am so glad I picked it back up! (I almost didn’t!). I would have missed a true gem!

I really enjoyed Arabella. She is smart, unique and tough. She does what she has to do to insure her family will be safe and never be hungry again. She was raised very poor. So when she saw a chance to escape, she took it. And this did not come without trials and tribulations, especially in this time period.

The narrator, Gail Shalan, is a wonderful asset. I am not sure if I have ever listened to a book narrated by her. I will be on the lookout for more.

Need a very good historical fiction about a woman who does not stop…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. (

)

fredreeca | Nov 8, 2023 |

First, I want to say I loved how the last chapter in An American Beauty brought the story full circle to the scene in its prologue. When I reread the beginning I saw the main character, Arabella Huntington, in a wholly new light. What unfolded between the first and last pages was a lushly rendered account of one resourceful woman’s rise from rags to riches during the Gilded Age. Believe me, this girl worked hard for the money. The fact that the book was based on a true-life character wasn't the only reason I found it so interesting; the main thing was that it's one of the most story-rich works of biographical fiction I’ve come across. My thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and the publisher for a copy to review. (

)

wandaly | Aug 7, 2023 |

I thoroughly enjoyed The Second Mrs. Astor, so I was excited to read the latest historical novel by Ms. Abe. This was interesting and well written too, though it had a different feel than the previous novel.

For one thing, I would not call this a romance or a love story. Although Belle's relationship with Collis was certainly a predominant element here, it was not the primary focus. First and foremost, this was the story of how Belle pulled herself and her family out of a life of poverty (and, yes, Collis played a major role in that).

Second, while The Second Mrs. Astor had a heartbreaking ending, this one had a sad feel all the way through. While still a teenager, Belle was chosen by her mother to be the provider for and savior of her family. Belle seems to have taken this responsibility very seriously without becoming resentful about it. She did end up living a life of luxury, but that life was not without its sacrifices.

The author's note makes mention of Belle's philanthropy. I would have been interested to read more about that, but I can see how it didn't fit more into the narrative here.

This would be a good read for anyone interested in the Gilded Age or in historical fiction featuring determined women. (

)

ang709 | Jun 20, 2023 |

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1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis's help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis's seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune. Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife's death. But "The Four Hundred"-the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts-have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society-not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat-an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart . . .

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