An American Beauty
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4.5 • 4 Ratings
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- $23.99
Publisher Description
The New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mrs. Astor returns with a spellbinding new book perfect for fans of HBO's The Gilded Age and readers of Marie Benedict, Karen Harper, and Fiona Davis. This sweeping novel of historical fiction is inspired by the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington—a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America.
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 . . .
An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history—and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules.
"This story of one woman's ascent offers a fascinating look at the choices she made to become a Gilded Age titan." —Kirkus Reviews
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Shana Abé takes us back to the late 19th century in this captivating Gilded Age historical novel that’s based on a true story. At 17, brilliant, beautiful Arabella Yarrington meets Collis Huntington, a married multimillionaire 30 years her senior. As the pair’s connection grows into a fiery affair, Collis moves Arabella and her family from Richmond, Virginia, to New York with him, where they’re repeatedly snubbed and ridiculed by the city’s ruthless high society. The spirited, highly intelligent Arabella is a fantastic heroine, and Abé paints a dramatic, tender portrait of all the fascinating characters who surround her, while narrator Gail Shalan does a great job giving each persona a distinctive personality. An American Beauty is an inspiring story of a brilliant woman playing the hand she was dealt—and winning.
