Greetings my darling readers, I know I’ve been
remiss in providing you reviews of good reads this past year and I apologize.
Life has a hold on me which does not allow me much reading time. I have tried
to make up for that in publishing my own good reads for you and I hope you’ve
given them a try. So to make up for my neglect, I will be offering up guest
reviews for you enjoy. I hope to be back reviewing for you soon but in the
meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy my dear friend, Connie Fischer’s reviews to guide
you to good reads. Enjoy and Happy Reading!
I present to
you a guest review of AMERICAN DUCHESS: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Karen
Harper, published February 26, 2019.
Blurb for American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo
Vanderbilt:
Before
Meghan and Harry, another American ‘princess’ captured the hand of an English
aristocrat. Now, Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her “The
Wedding of the Century” to the Duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find
meaning behind “the glitter and the gold.”
On
a cold November day in 1895, a carriage approaches St Thomas Episcopal Church
on New York City’s Fifth Avenue. Massive crowds surge forward, awaiting their
glimpse of heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt. Just 18, the beautiful bride has not
only arrived late, but in tears, yet her marriage to the aloof Duke of
Marlborough proceeds. Bullied into the wedding by her indomitable mother, Alva,
Consuelo loves another. But a deal was made, trading some of the vast
Vanderbilt wealth for a title and prestige, and Consuelo, bred to obey,
realizes she must make the best of things.
At
Blenheim Palace, Consuelo is confronted with an overwhelming list of duties,
including producing an “heir and a spare,” but her relationship with the duke
quickly disintegrates. Consuelo finds an inner strength, charming everyone from
debutantes to diplomats including Winston Churchill, as she fights for women’s
suffrage. And when she takes a scandalous leap, can she hope to attain love at
last…?
From
the dawning of the opulent Gilded Age, to the battles of the Second World War,
American Duchess is a riveting tale of one woman’s quest to attain
independence—at any price.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Connie’s
Review:
The Wedding
of the Century - November 6, 1895
Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt, age 18, is miserable as she prepares for her wedding day to marry Sunderland (Sunny), the ninth Duke of Marlborough, age 24, of Blenheim Palace. Consuelo’s mother, Alva Vanderbilt, is currently divorcing her father and is insisting that she marry a titled man, thus providing him with money he desperately needs. As much as she does not want to go through with the wedding, she has no other choice.
Two Years Earlier
At age 16, Consuelo adores Winthrop (Win) Rutherford, age 29. She, her parents and brothers are sailing to Europe from New York to present her to European society. Winthrop is traveling with them along with Oliver Belmont, a friend of her parents. Her mother is a force to be reckoned with. After a short time in Paris where she receives several proposals they head to London. There, her mother, Alva, zeroes in on the Duke of Marlborough whose family is in need of money to keep Blenheim Palace going.
After the wedding, Consuelo works hard as she takes on her new role. Sunny is a tyrant of sorts, but she tries to work with him. After the birth of two sons, she feels like she has done her duty. Years ago, she had met Frenchman, Jacques Balsan. They are in love but apart from one another. Since Consuelo and Sunny have grown apart, she plans to live in London. Their separation is quickly accepted and Consuelo becomes quite involved with helping people who need it. This is a passion of her that she will follow the rest of her life.
I’ve read quite a few novels about members of the Vanderbilt family and loved each and every one of them. I was impressed with Consuelo’s strength through all of the trials she faced and her love and devotion to Jacques, her sons, and grandchildren. This is a delightful book that I know readers of this time period are going to love. Enjoy!
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Miss Consuelo Vanderbilt, age 18, is miserable as she prepares for her wedding day to marry Sunderland (Sunny), the ninth Duke of Marlborough, age 24, of Blenheim Palace. Consuelo’s mother, Alva Vanderbilt, is currently divorcing her father and is insisting that she marry a titled man, thus providing him with money he desperately needs. As much as she does not want to go through with the wedding, she has no other choice.
Two Years Earlier
At age 16, Consuelo adores Winthrop (Win) Rutherford, age 29. She, her parents and brothers are sailing to Europe from New York to present her to European society. Winthrop is traveling with them along with Oliver Belmont, a friend of her parents. Her mother is a force to be reckoned with. After a short time in Paris where she receives several proposals they head to London. There, her mother, Alva, zeroes in on the Duke of Marlborough whose family is in need of money to keep Blenheim Palace going.
After the wedding, Consuelo works hard as she takes on her new role. Sunny is a tyrant of sorts, but she tries to work with him. After the birth of two sons, she feels like she has done her duty. Years ago, she had met Frenchman, Jacques Balsan. They are in love but apart from one another. Since Consuelo and Sunny have grown apart, she plans to live in London. Their separation is quickly accepted and Consuelo becomes quite involved with helping people who need it. This is a passion of her that she will follow the rest of her life.
I’ve read quite a few novels about members of the Vanderbilt family and loved each and every one of them. I was impressed with Consuelo’s strength through all of the trials she faced and her love and devotion to Jacques, her sons, and grandchildren. This is a delightful book that I know readers of this time period are going to love. Enjoy!
Copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
AMERICAN DUCHESS: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Karen
Harper, William Morrow, available now in ebook, print, and audio at Amazon, Barnes
& Noble, and Kobobooks.
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