Audiobook11 hours
An American Beauty
Written by Shana Abé
Narrated by Gail Shalan
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
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
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
Author
Shana Abé
Shana Abé is the award-winning, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of sixteen novels, including the Sweetest Dark Series and the Drákon Series. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California, and currently lives in the mountains of Colorado. Visit her online at ShanaAbe.com
More audiobooks from Shana Abé
The Second Mrs. Astor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sweetest Dark Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Deepest Night Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Mermaid Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for An American Beauty
Rating: 4.371428571428571 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
35 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A must read. Could not put it down .
Looking forward reading more from this author