The American Heiress

As a Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age fan, this book hit all the right notes. I couldn't put it down! Plenty of bread crumbs and red herrings were sprinkled throughout great world and character-building. The author struck a satisfying balance between sumptuous settings and drama. The ending left me a little cold but it felt true to the characters. This was one of my most fun reads this year.

Cora Cash is the catch of her day. She is wealthy, beautiful and intelligent. Her mother wants her to gain a title, something Cora really cares nothing about, but her mother dictates her life, so off to England they go in search of a husband for Cora.

As Cora gets drawn deeper into the English aristocracy, she finds that not is all what it appears. She has to struggle to keep her head above water, and not sink to the level which those around her are trying to draw her into. When Cora meets her duke, she falls in love with him, but she is not sure if he really loves her, or her money. The story here is a great one, as Goodwin weaves through the names and families with an intimate knowledge of both, even though most of the characters are fictional, they are given life on these pages.

Interesting look into the lives of the rich as they struggle to find what they consider suitable partners for their children, as well as the story of the coming of age of Cora, the main character, as she struggles for what she wants, what her mother wants, and what the world expects of her. It follows her from a selfish brat to the thoughtful wife and mother.