The American Heiress

Daisy Goodwin

Synopsis: (1893) Cora Cash is as beautiful as she is rich. She is American society’s “princess”. But her status seeking mother wants more. She takes Cora to England in search of the one thing she can’t get in America: A title. When Cora meets the mysterious Duke of Wareham, completely by chance, it seems that fate has intervened to grant the family’s wish. But all may not be as picture perfect as it seems. Can Cora transform from a carefree socialite into the role of a Duchess?

I genuinely enjoyed reading The American Heiress. I haven’t read many books like this one. I’ve read historical fiction in this era, and I’ve read historical romance, but I haven’t read many books that were historical romance in this particular setting. So I was rather curious as to where this book was going to take me.

I was intrigued from the very beginning. From the moment I met Cora, I was rooting for her. I think 18 year old me would have related to her in some ways (provided I was a rich socialite…). But in so many ways, at the beginning she is just a typical girl. A girl who enjoys getting dolled up for big parties, and flirting with boys. A girl who wants some freedom.

About halfway through the book, I started to try and pinpoint exactly what I found so compelling about the book. I’m still struggling to explain it. I was totally invested in the book, and anxious to see what happened next, but in a different way. It’s not an intense book, it’s not a book that has you on the edge of your seat. It’s a very laid back read, if you will. There’s not a big mystery, there’s not a lot of action, but it’s by no means boring. In fact, just the opposite! The main thing that I can attribute it to is Cora. She is so utterly human. She is unbelievably beautiful, she has more money than she could spend in a lifetime, but under all of the fancy dresses and jewels is a girl trying to find her way. A girl who is simply trying her best. She is in a new world, really on her own, trying to navigate by herself what society expects of her, what her new husband expects of her, and learning how to stand on her own two feet. I have certainly never been an heiress and Dutchess in the late 1800’s, but Cora may be one of the most relatable characters I have ever encountered. I think that is what keeps you reading.

One of the things I found particularly interesting is that Cora’s maid, Bertha, was given her own story line in the book. I felt like that was somewhat unusual. I’ve read other novels where the maids played a large part in the story, but I don’t know that I’ve read one done quite the same way. She truly has her own plot, apart from her service to Cora. Her relationship with Cora was also very interesting. Cora clearly sees her as a maid first, but there is no doubt how much she depends on Bertha for her companionship. There are moments when their relationship is almost sisterly.

I also really appreciated the way Ms. Goodwin builds her characters. There’s a long list of characters in this book, but she does a great job of painting each of them individually. They all have very different personalities, and each bring a different dynamic to the book. She does a fantastic job with character development!

The American Heiress is a wonderful, easy read. If you’re looking for a book to help you tune out the rest of the world, check this one out!