Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansio...
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reviews
Sep 28, 2011
Sian
rated it: 
I haven't really fully made my mind up about this book.
It wasn't a Mills and Boon type of book, it was more filled out than that and was over 400 pages. However if you were to ask me how it was filled out more, I am at a slight loss how to answer. To be honest, a lot of stuff probably could have been cut out of this and if wanted, could have easily have been made into a M & B...without the sex and loving hero that is.
The Duke Ivo - well he was pretty much a useless male More...
It wasn't a Mills and Boon type of book, it was more filled out than that and was over 400 pages. However if you were to ask me how it was filled out more, I am at a slight loss how to answer. To be honest, a lot of stuff probably could have been cut out of this and if wanted, could have easily have been made into a M & B...without the sex and loving hero that is.
The Duke Ivo - well he was pretty much a useless male More...
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Feb 20, 2012
benebean
rated it: 
I really really hate Ivo and Jim. How dare Ivo be so angry when he caused his wife to run into social problems by witholding information that would have made her more cautious. He keeps claiming to love her but then not only doesn't help her when she becomes hurt by his effort to hide his own indiscretions, but becomes angry with her. He never actually does anything for her when she gets hurt, and only admits what he's done when it becomes possible that he might lose something he wants. In o
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Dec 18, 2011
ηicolε
rated it:
To begin this critique, I would like to give great thanks to St. Martin’s Press for sending me an Advanced Reader’s Edition of this novel. I felt thrilled to read a piece of literature that hadn’t even been published yet.
This review contains quite a lot of plot detail, so if you plan to read it... well, reader’s discretion and all that.
The American Heiress is the debut novel of author Daisy Goodwin that deals with the hardships and trials of a young bachelorette of gross More...
This review contains quite a lot of plot detail, so if you plan to read it... well, reader’s discretion and all that.
The American Heiress is the debut novel of author Daisy Goodwin that deals with the hardships and trials of a young bachelorette of gross More...
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Feb 05, 2011
Pat
rated it:
Slightly tepid period yarn that falls between the two stools of Romantic and 'Literary' fiction. Clearly inspired by the likes of Wharton, Waugh and Austen (indeed, in thrall to them), the novel simply warms over themes and story lines that were looking decidedly over-used two generations ago. People like Wharton were writing about their own time, of course, so the social critique had some point to it. Here there is none at all, unless we are being asked to believe that nothing has changed. The
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Jan 24, 2012
Amanda
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I liked this book but it was a conundrum. I was constantly left wanting but not so much that I wanted to stop reading. Things that came to mind while reading; show me, don't tell me. Too much description, not enough dialogue. I was constantly waiting for something to happen, even when something finally happened. It wasn't until the end that I felt truely engaged in the story. The storyline was a more realistic representation of what outsiders would face with the British aristocracy than the
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Nov 28, 2011
Sarah-Greenbeanteenqueen
rated it: 
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Rating: 3.75/5
I listened to this book for a couple of reasons. 1) It was compared to Downton Abbey, which I loved, and 2) because it's narrated by one of my all time favorite narrators, Katherine Kellgren. Kellgren's narration is wonderful as always and she gives a nice range of characters which I enjoyed. She really makes books to come life! The story itself was good but I also felt it was missing something. At first Cora is difficult t More...
Rating: 3.75/5
I listened to this book for a couple of reasons. 1) It was compared to Downton Abbey, which I loved, and 2) because it's narrated by one of my all time favorite narrators, Katherine Kellgren. Kellgren's narration is wonderful as always and she gives a nice range of characters which I enjoyed. She really makes books to come life! The story itself was good but I also felt it was missing something. At first Cora is difficult t More...
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Oct 28, 2011
Buffy
rated it:
Yet another book I read because it had a pretty cover.
This is a well written romance book, but that is really all it is. I enjoyed reading about the time period, the author seemed to have done her research and the nuances of the wealthy and privileged life of the early 20th Century US was a fascinating read. I enjoyed the book more until the ending which was too Rebeccaesque and then once I compared it to Rebecca, all was lost, because nobody does a Rebecca climax like Rebecca. Th More...
This is a well written romance book, but that is really all it is. I enjoyed reading about the time period, the author seemed to have done her research and the nuances of the wealthy and privileged life of the early 20th Century US was a fascinating read. I enjoyed the book more until the ending which was too Rebeccaesque and then once I compared it to Rebecca, all was lost, because nobody does a Rebecca climax like Rebecca. Th More...
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Sep 28, 2011
Luanne
rated it:
When I saw the cover of American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin, my first thought was of Grace Kelly. But Goodwin's novel takes place before that time period, set in the Gilded Age. I found Goodwin's inspiration behind the writing of American Heiress quite fascinating.
"Daisy has long been fascinated with the Gilded Age, and she decided to write about it when she was visiting Blenheim Palace and saw a portrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt looking absolutely miserable. Consuelo is the inspirat More...
"Daisy has long been fascinated with the Gilded Age, and she decided to write about it when she was visiting Blenheim Palace and saw a portrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt looking absolutely miserable. Consuelo is the inspirat More...
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Sep 25, 2011
Amelie
rated it:
As Daisy Goodwin's first novel it is not a bad one, although it does seem a little lackluster and I felt that it took her until towards the end of the 2nd chapter to find her flow and rhythm to her writing. It has a few humorous moments and a couple which may bring a tear to your eye.
In places it seems that part of the story is missing, just as you think it could get interesting we're jumped forward in time. For example: at the end of part one, it seems we will be seeing the meddling mothe More...
In places it seems that part of the story is missing, just as you think it could get interesting we're jumped forward in time. For example: at the end of part one, it seems we will be seeing the meddling mothe More...
Sep 13, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
This was a good read, it picked up pretty quick and I really enjoyed it- I didn't know what it was about before I read it and I was surprised by how it ended- I thought it was going to go a different way but I liked the ending. The main character of Cora was well-developed and I found the the other, minor characters interesting and fun, but I thought some of the other main characters, Ivo and Bertha, really didn't develop much- especially Bertha, it seemed the author was trying to explore this
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Sep 05, 2011
RNOCEAN
rated it:
"Anyone suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal symptoms (who isn't?) will find an instant tonic in Daisy Goodwin’s The American Heiress. The story of Cora Cash, an American heiress in the 1890s who bags an English duke, this is a deliciously evocative first novel that lingers in the mind." —Allison Pearson, New York Times bestselling author of I Don’t Know How She Does It and I Think I Love You
Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of More...
Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of More...
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Sep 04, 2011
Goodwin brings us a character that we follow on a long journey. American Heiress is set in the Gilded Age of the late 1800′s and Goodwin clearly takes you there with her words and skills in writing.Cora, a beautiful young woman that has everything, but is stuck in a cage that she needs freedom from. The cage really being her domineering mother, but also Cora has not found love. A long book standing at a 468 pages, I found that at first I didn’t connect with our heroine Cora. If you give it time
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Sep 04, 2011
Deborah
rated it:
Actually gave this a 3+ star rating!
I have mixed feelings about "The American Heiress." It's a wonderful weekend read, which I enjoyed and really had difficulty putting down. I love big sagas: love stories from this 1890's, Gilded Age time period, when the transitions from the restrictions of the Victorians were just beginning to loosen enough to herald the new age of the flappers. I'm a sucker for descriptions of the clothing, the interiors, the aristocratic food preparations More...
I have mixed feelings about "The American Heiress." It's a wonderful weekend read, which I enjoyed and really had difficulty putting down. I love big sagas: love stories from this 1890's, Gilded Age time period, when the transitions from the restrictions of the Victorians were just beginning to loosen enough to herald the new age of the flappers. I'm a sucker for descriptions of the clothing, the interiors, the aristocratic food preparations More...
Aug 15, 2011
Shannon
rated it:
I listened to this book on CD and, while it made my commute pass more quickly, my overall impression is ho-hum. None of the characters, save Cora Cash's maid, Bertha Jackson, were very likable. And the story was too-often bogged down in details that were unnecessary. I believe that Daisy Goodwin is a wonderful writer - her descriptive language is remarkable - but this book needed some serious editing. There's an incident at the beginning of the book, for example, in which Cora's mother is di
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Jun 17, 2011
I have to admit that at first I really didn't like this book. I was excited to receive it for free from Goodreads, especially because it had some relation towards England and British literature (both of which I love), but the first few chapters were sorely disappointing. I found Cora Cash to be vain, and petty. I couldn't relate to her at all, so I found it hard to sink my teeth into the book.
I put it down for a few days and then came back to it a few days later when I had nothin More...
I put it down for a few days and then came back to it a few days later when I had nothin More...
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May 30, 2011
Jaylia3
rated it:
In this story set in the Gilded Age of the late 1800's, American Heiress Cora Cash has almost everything: loads of money, near universal admiration and stunning beauty. What Cora lacks is love, life purpose and freedom--her ever-present, controlling mother has a master plan for her life that involves marrying into a British title. Cora gets her title early on in the book by wedding an impoverished but handsome duke, but has she found freedom away from her mother or is she just as trapped in a ne
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Apr 23, 2011
Freida
rated it:
Cora Cash is a sheltered, wealthy, American heiress and her mother is determined to marry her off to someone, anyone in Europe with a title. Cora sees marriage as her means of escape. The Duke of Wareham seemed to be the perfect answer. The story is one that is told over and over. The historical time period is researched and brilliantly brought to life in the story. The many secrets that are teased out from all the characters come together in one final climax that will make any romance re
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Apr 22, 2011
Lily
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The American Heiress by Dasiy Goodwin
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and be More...
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and be More...
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Oct 09, 2011
Jane
rated it:
A debut novel from Daisy Goodwin. A showy story set in the world of diamonds, pearls and tiaras but also showing the real world of the 19th century aristocracy on both sides of the Atlantic. You would think that being rich would be a dream come true but to the New York wealthy it is not as simple. Cora's family had 'new' wealth made from the flour mills that Cora's grandfather had so successfully built up. However, Mrs Cash's ambitions to be accepted by 'older' members of the aristocracy lik
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Sep 27, 2011
Rhonda
rated it:
I thought there was a good deal to like about this book. The author has clearly did her homework in getting the historical details correct (especially as it relates to gowns, English customs, etc.) The narrator of the book (I listened to the audiobook) was especially good recreating the characters. However, my biggest issue is that I had a hard time pinning down the plot. So many characters drifted in and out of the novel (up until the very end) and that bothered me. What purpose do they se
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Jul 05, 2011
Jess
rated it:
I found the story engrossing - mostly because I was trying to figure out if it would end up as a tragedy or a romance, but also because many of the period details tied in with other things I've been reading and *cough* Masterpiece Theatre productions. There were plenty of similarities to The Buccaneers, which I must confess to watching, not reading. Other things tied in with details of Victorian life from At Home: A Short History of Private Life, which I'm currently listening to.
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Nov 03, 2011
L-J
rated it:
Goodwin unabashedly borrows from famous romances (P & P, Rebecca) in this remarkably fun, sparkling book with a little more heft and edge than you would expect. Cora Cash is just about the Richest Young Woman in the World, so her revolting social climber of a nouveau riche mother pushes her toward that thing all Americans at the turn of the century hoped to marry into - an ancient European title. Cora is spoiled, clever, beautiful, infuriating at times, caring and compassionate at others, and
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Jul 19, 2011
Maggie
rated it:
This is the kind of book I love, but I don’t want to love; it was recommended to me by Amazon and I had my reservations, but then I saw all the good reviews so I decided to give it a try. The premise is that Cora Cash is a very, very wealthy American heiress at the end of the 19th-century and her social climbing mother wants her to marry a member of the British aristocracy so that their family can have a title in addition to money (apparently this was a common thing at that time). The story is t
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Jun 05, 2011
Angt27
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 28, 2011
Samantha
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The American Heiress was an interesting debut novel by Daisy Goodwin. It is the story of Cora Cash, the fictional heiress to an American flour fortune. At eighteen, Cora is taken by her domineering mother to England in search of a a titled husband. Cora quickly meets Ivo-the handsome, brooding Duke of Wareham-after her entree into British society. Before she knows it she's taken part in a whirlwind wedding and is married to a man she hardly knows.
This novel was entertaining, with its More...
This novel was entertaining, with its More...
Sep 20, 2011
Lawrencia
rated it:
Goodwin brings us a character that we follow on a long journey. American Heiress is set in the Gilded Age of the late 1800′s and Goodwin clearly takes you there with her words and skills in writing.Cora, a beautiful young woman that has everything, but is stuck in a cage that she needs freedom from. The cage really being her domineering mother, but also Cora has not found love. A long book standing at a 468 pages, I found that at first I didn’t connect with our heroine Cora. If you give it time
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Jul 09, 2011
Lauren
rated it: 
The reviews I read for this book were wishy-washy and didn’t really give me a reason to not read the book, but it only took one to convince me to definitely read it…“Anyone suffering Downton Abbey withdrawal symptoms (who isn’t?) will find an instant tonic in Daisy Goodwin’s The American Heiress. The story of Cora Cash, an American heiress in the 1890s who bags an English duke, this is a deliciously evocative first novel that lingers in the mind.” –Allison Pearson. Um, yes please. Downton Abbe
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May 08, 2011
Karen
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The Cash family has made their money the American way – with hard work and some good luck. Mrs. Cash has more money than she can ever spend but she only wants one thing – to be part of “society”. She throws the most lavish balls in Newport and lives the Gilded Age lifestyle to the hilt; however she wants to be completely accepted by the most significant people in Newport. Mrs. Astor doesn’t deem her parties important enough to attend. Mrs. Cash thinks she can buy her way into polite society by m
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Aug 24, 2011
Donna
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I was hoping for Downton Abbey. Not so much. What I got was a better-than-usual romance novel. of which I'm typically not a fan, with new world money and society versus old English upper class and tradition. A beautiful American heiress, Cora Cash, goes to England to find a title and manor house and comes up with a darkly brooding Duke (of course!) with lots of secrets. Goodwin is a very good writer, but perhaps a better effort with the editing would have eliminated some of the over-abundance
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Aug 03, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
As a fan of Downton Abbey, I couldn't wait to read this book. I really enjoyed the details that Daisy Goodwin incorporated into this rather long novel, the extravagance of the parties, the crazy dresses, the impossible society standards. As other reviewers have said, Pride and Prejudice plus Wuthering Heights (right down to the name Catherine) have obviously been huge influences. Maybe, as well, Gone with the Wind.
My only nitpicking was that I'm not sure the African American maid worked. I More...
My only nitpicking was that I'm not sure the African American maid worked. I More...
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