| Title | : | American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0062748343 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780062748348 |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 368 |
| Publication | : | First published February 26, 2019 |
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.
American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt Reviews
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A biographical fiction look into the adult life of American heiress, Consuelo Vanderbilt, who was forced into a loveless marriage with Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, from 1895 to 1921.
My rewards for reading this book:
1. I learned about a person who I never heard of before, although I think she's briefly mentioned in the book
The Fabergé Secret;
2. I learned about "Dollar Brides": - wealthy American heiresses who married titled British aristocracy;
3. some parts reminded me of Downton Abbey (which I loved to watch!);
4. a black-and-white photo of Consuelo, and an informative section titled "Behind the Book" are included;
5. I enjoyed reading about her close friendship to Winston Churchill, a cousin of the Duke's; and,
6. I'm now intrigued to read about Gladys Deacon, the Duke's mistress and second wife, who has a most interesting story of her own!
My wishes for this book:
1. the characters felt flat - too much "tell" and not enough "show". I get that Consuelo didn't love the Duke, but what made him so unbearable for her to eventually divorce him?;
2. more description would have been nice! I wanted to feel like I was walking through her homes and gardens, to see the sumptuousness of her fashionable clothing, and to feel her extreme joys, fears and heartaches;
3. I think too much information was taken from Consuelo's autobiography to sound objective - did this woman ever make mistakes? Her "angelic" persona was starting to grate on my nerves!; and,
4. the second half of this book came off sounding like a romance novel, and the plot felt rushed.
Interesting fact: Consuelo first coined the phrase "... an heir and a spare"!
Fans of the Gilded Age and Downton Abbey may enjoy this story! -
This author apparently has a wide following, and if you like fluffed up historical fiction, you'll probably be a fan.
If on the other hand you like a little more than cardboard characters and weak dialogue--if you like books that are based on REAL people that make you feel as if you'd met them, and want to read more about them, just leave this one alone and move on.
P.S. Edith Wharton makes a cameo appearance here, and talks about writing a book she will call "The Buccaneers." She never finished it, but it was published as it was in 1938. Later Marian Mainwaring completed the book, and there was a splendid TV miniseries based on it, which you can find on YouTube .One of the characters is Consuelo, based not on Consuelo Vanderbilt, but on her godmother Consuelo Yznaga. Highly recommended. -
AMERICAN DUCHESS tales the fictional story of Consuelo Vanderbilt. In 1895 Consuelo wed the Duke of Marlborough. This was not a love match; she was already in love with another man. She only went to the altar after being bullied relentlessly by her mother, Alva. The marriage was a business deal— the Vanderbilt money for a title and the prestige that comes with the title. And, it could have all ended there. She could have stayed subdued like many other women in her class. However, Consuelo finds her inner strength, fights for the things she believes in and perhaps she will even find true love?
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT
FRESH FICTION! -
Her story was interesting but I felt like there was something missing. I still advise reading it if you love history novels. (Listened via Scribd)
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4.5 stars
This novel I happened to see on one of my friend’s Instagram and had immediate book envy! I absolutely love the cover and the novel itself sounded so intriguing!
Let me just rave about this cover art for just a moment. The orange hues are incredible and if I was walking thru a bookstore and saw this book, I would instantly grab it. The cover art is elegant and appealing, especially to a reader who loves this era (like me).
So, as it happened, I shamelessly begged for a copy of this book because I couldn’t stand the thought of missing out on it. I only have basic knowledge of Consuelo Vanderbilt and was eager to learn more about one of America’s icons.
Like many other readers, I think this book fit perfectly in with the most recent royal wedding of Meghan Markel and Prince Harry. I was primed to read something like this book not just because I loved the royal wedding, but I loved the idea of an American marry into British royalty. Plus the turn of the century is one of my favorite periods to read about so this was a book I was primed to love from the start.
For me, this was a little more on the fluffy side of historical fiction. There was of course historical facts and references woven into the narrative but the bulk of the story focuses on Consuelo as a person rather than her historical impact which was perfectly fine with me. Because of this, her triumphs and struggles all felt a little more personal to me.
I often found myself Googling little events and facts about Consuelo, she led a fascinating life and I couldn’t get enough of her the more that I read this book. I absolutely detested the Duke of Marlborough, or Sunny as many called him. I felt so bad for her and was astonished that she persevered in a less than ideal situation.
I read this book much faster than I anticipated because I was completely taken in by the glitz and glamor of the heiress and the Duke. I couldn’t help but stay up reading late into the night. The first person narrative was very fitting for this book and made it enjoyable to read and was fast paced. Like some other reviewers, I wish I had known how many years separated some events in the overall timeline, but in general I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction and all things royal!
See my full review here -
American Duchess brings a story of a remarkable woman, Consuelo Vanderbilt, who came from a privileged life but inspired to find meaning behind “the glitter and the gold.”
1893. While vacationing in Europe, Alva Vanderbilt uses her time wisely in Europe by hatching a plan to marry her daughter, Consuelo, to the Duke of Marlborough. While Consuelo dreams of marrying in America to an American, her mother dreams of titles, to be linked with someone serene and high.
As a newlywed, Consuelo’s life in England is filled with rules and restrictions, which some are quite new to her, including domestic status among household which was her biggest surprise. She longs for her husband’s sentiment or emotion; instead she is expected to care for his people when she is yet get to know him. And it’s not any easier when her husband is not helpful in this transition, rather judgmental.
She finds consolation and meaning in her life by spending time with the villagers and helping those in need. For the first time, she sees that she could make a difference as duchess. With time, she gets truly involved in philanthropy and charity, not simply dispensing funds. She dares to bring in the old ladies to tell their own tales at her social events filled with aristocracy for listeners.
I enjoyed the character of Consuelo very much. She was pushed to marry title over love against her wishes. She had her struggles with her mother, but she also appreciated what her mother has done for her and others. She finds love in her second marriage, but it comes with some family challenges. She is a divorcee and a Protestant and he comes from a family of Catholics with strong convictions.
I wished the story involved more of Consuelo’s charity work and bringing more dimensions to her character. Nevertheless, it is written engagingly and I enjoyed it in its entirety. -
Historical fiction is my favorite genre, especially when it contains The Gilded Age, family money, and England. American Duchess is the story of Consuelo Vanderbilt, who was forced (literally) by her mother Alva to marry the Duke of Marlborough. It was the "in" thing during this time for American Heiresses to jump the pond to find husbands with titles. I found the book interesting, but it went so fast, barely delving into the characters and their lives. It read a bit like a romance that had some historical fiction components to it.
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“The beauty here was luring but deceptive.”
Consuelo Vanderbilt is a beautiful bride. She is marrying Charles (Sunny) Spencer Churchill, the ninth Duke of Malborough. Their wedding is the event of the year. Behind her veil, Consuelo is shedding tears, but they are not tears of happiness. This is a marriage of convenience, not love: Consuelo will gain the title of Duchess while her new husband will earn the money he needs to fix his indebted Blenheim Palace. With no other choice, Consuelo becomes the Duchess of Malborough and makes up her mind to make the best of her situation. As her marriage is but a shadow of a real marriage, Consuelo focuses on her children and charities. Its not an easy task but the outcome of the journey is worth all the pain.
Before Meghan Markle (although that narrative has since taken an interesting but oh-so-incredible turn, at least I think so), there was Consuelo Vanderbilt. Consuelo, at the behest of her mother, marries Sunny and leaves America for England. She is a Duchess now, living in a palace with every comfort and yet that palace and this marriage are her gilded cage. Consuelo never wanted this, her mother did. As she navigates life as a royal, Consuelo learns that not everything that glitters is gold. Still, she manages to make this place home and with the arrival of her children, she learns to fight for what she truly loves. While this book is a slow read, its one that has an incredible story. The pace could have been speed up a bit but I enjoyed the way in which the plot unfolded. Characterization was well done as characters I initially disliked, I could fell sympathy for at the end. Consuelo's development, in particular, I enjoyed. Her process of taking back her life, her journey of empowerment, is truly a testament of strong will. I also quite liked how thw relationship between her and her mother shifted and changed. As I knew nothing about her prior to reading this book, I loved learning about Consuelo. In all honesty, I can not say that I had a hard time putting this book down (that is largely due to the current situation) but its a book that I quite enjoyed.
Consuelo was the eldest and only daughter of William Kissam Vanderbilt and Alva Erskine Smith. At the time of her (forced) marriage to Sunny, Consuelo was the richest American heiress to marry into British aristocracy. She was beautiful, charming and well mannered but her biggest allure was the fact that she was worth about $4 billion dollars (in today's currency). Sunny earned 2.5 million dollars by marrying her (about 72.5 million in todays currency). Consuelo was a "Dollar Bride": when an moneyed American married a British aristocrat; an exchange of money for a title. Amidst all this chaos, Consuelo found her voice and used her status to help others. She formed a great friendship with her husband's first cousin, Winston Churchill (even when her marriage was a disaster). Churchill was a frequent visitor at her house. Its widely believed that Consuelo coined the term 'an heir and a spare' after she had her two boys. In the end, she was able to live a life of her choosing.
Side note: Oddly enough I already own a copy of A Well Behaved Woman by Therese Fowler, a novel about Consuelo's mother Alva. I am really looking forward to reading that now more as she was a complex character in this book, to say the least. -
I really wanted to like this book as this time period fascinates me, and I have loved touring Blenheim and the Newport cottages. But I just couldn’t. There was so much left unexplained and presumably pivotal years jumped over. We all know the basic story of Consuelo Vanderbilt; one of the first of the American heiresses married into British aristocracy. We know the marriage was one she didn’t want and was forced on her by her ambitious mother. One of my main frustrations with the book is that it glosses over the disintegration of the marriage. Arranged marriages were common on both sides of the Atlantic at that time, and often the parties managed to rub along well enough. So what happened with the Marlboroughs? One doesn’t need the sordid details but there must have been something significant for not only the Duke’s mother and sisters but Winston Churchill and Queen Alexandra to sympathize and support Consuelo. Separation and divorce were not condoned at that time, yet Consuelo suffered very little censure over it at a time when most would have lost their social standing completely. There were other things that didn’t wow me such as dialogue that tended to be trite. I’m sorry because this book had such great promise and it just didn’t deliver for me
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What kinds of troubles can a young rich American beauty have? Well, young Consuelo Vanderbilt did not want to marry the English Duke her mother handpicked for her. Oh, the horror! She was rich and he had the title, so in the end, she was bullied into it even though she loved another man. Oh boy, the problems the rich have dont seem to be too awful to me but I guess everything is relative. In the end, as the feminist movement gained steamed, Consuelo asserted herself and lived the life she wanted. I enjoyed reading this historical fiction lite. It was easy and entertaining.
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I wanted to like it. I really did. It was rather predictable for the era and unfortunately read like a boring tabloid or Page 6. I did, however, learn some interesting tidbits about the Vanderbilts. 3 stars may be a bit harsh ... 3 3/4 seems more realistic.
There was one character who only played a minor role in the story but nevertheless has piqued my interest: the all too real Gladys Deacon. Thanks to this book, I do intend to look further into her long, convoluted story. -
I finished this book much faster than I anticipated because I was completely taken in by the glitz and glamor of the heiress and the Duke. I couldn’t help but stay up listening late into the night. The first person narrative was very fitting for this book and was fast paced. Like some other reviewers, I wish I had known how many years separated some events in the overall timeline, but in general I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction and all things royal -
"American Duchess" is the fascinating story of Consuelo Vanderbilt of the American Vanderbilts (yes, those ones!) who already lives a fairy tale life in the United States as part of one of the storied families of the Gilded Age. When she marries the Duke of Marlborough, her star rises even higher on both sides of the Atlantic. But this rise also feels more like a gilded cage than a gilded opportunity and Consuelo will have to work hard to cut out the life that she desires for herself.
Consuelo is a great character and I love that the story was told from her perspective. This really brought me into the story and made me care for Consuelo as a person. I had heard a little bit about her before reading this book but it was great to get more detail about her life. I thought the author did a really good job of balancing detail in the book but I wanted more.
I really enjoyed this book. The writing was good but there were definitely places where I wish there would have been some greater detail. It felt like we were only getting a taste of some of the subjects that could have used a little more investigation. This book was still satisfying but I definitely would love to read more about Consuelo in the future! -
Harper’s sweeping and engaging story of the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt will draw you in with the first lines. Consuela is forced by her mother, the ambitious Alva Vanderbilt, into a loveless marriage with Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill (known as Sunny to all), this biographical novel spans the dawn of the Gilded-Age to World War II. One of the so-called “Dollar Princesses”, Consuela’s marriage brings a fortune to Sunny for his beloved Blenheim and a title for Consuela to please her social climbing mother. After producing the “heir and a spare” required of her, Consuela turns her attention and fortune to the plight of the poor and especially women and children. Eventually, she leaves her husband and establishes herself as an independently strong woman, first in London and later in France.
American Duchess is a well-researched and immersive novel that will appeal to fans of historical and biographical fiction as well as fans of Downton Abbey and the royal family. I highly recommend this enchanting novel!
Thank you to edelweiss.plus for the advanced reader’s galley. -
Seems like every book I've tried to read this past week has not been very good. I'm a sucker for historical fiction, but this was too fluffy for me. The characters were weakly written and fairly flat, and the plot skimmed along without much substance to it.
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An enjoyable fictionalized account of the life of Consuelo Vanderbilt
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I am an Anglophile and love historical fiction, so this book description is right up my alley. Consuelo Vanderbilt was someone I had never read about and the "dollar brides" era is interesting as American heiresses went over to Europe to acquire the sheen of royalty. It was an okay read but after a while, the author's style of "telling" and not "showing" wore on me. Consuelo is in a loveless marriage, so show me how bad her husband was. Beauty surrounded her, but it was not vividly painted with words. How long into the twenties did she wait to bob her hair? When did she shed her corset? Did she have close female friends? Why not? Did this make her feel lonely? Is this why she latches onto philanthropy? The other thing that was off is that Consuelo's good is shown off, but she is never in the wrong. I will book talk this one to my older patrons who love the cozier stories.
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I enjoyed this historical fiction story of Consuelo Vanderbilt and we walk in her shoes as she journeys her life, and although being born with the preverbal silver spoon, we see her trials and accomplishments up close through the eyes of the author.
Now I’ll admit I did Google Consuelo, and the story follows the time line, only we are with her and her thoughts.
What a life this woman lived, and loved how she was able to forgive those who had hurt her, and was always giving to those less fortunate.
A don’t miss book for the new year, and your enjoyment!
I received this book through Edelweiss and the Publisher William Morrow, and was not required to give a positive review -
RATING: 2 STARS
2019; William Morrow Paperbacks/HarperCollins Canada
After the recent whirlwind romance of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the TV series, The Crown this novel seems to be published at the right time. The gorgeous cover drew me to this one, and I figured a Vanderbilt marrying a British royalty would at least be fun! I tried reading this one last month (eBook) and I didn't get beyond page 25. I then turned to audio and it helped me finish the novel.
One of my biggest concerns with the novel was that I felt no connection to any of the characters. The author tells us about them rather than show who the characters are. After reading the book, I went on Wikipedia, and realized that this is was almost how the novel was written. Not feeling invested in what happened to the characters, it was really difficult to continue the book. I was distracted with setting up my new phone so I was able to finish the book. It's been less than a few hours and I could not pass a simple quiz on this book. I would recommend
The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding instead, if you are looking for a royal theme historical fiction.
***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.*** -
Recently I read a novel about Alva Vanderbilt Belmont and I was excited to learn about this novel about Alva's daughter Consuelo who married a British duke and eventually divorced him. Consuelo was one of several wealthy American heiress to marry into the British aristocracy. However, her marriage was hardly a fairy tale, as Consuelo and her husband initially separated, then divorced after several years of marriage. She did remarry - to a pioneering French pilot - and this novel traces the ups and downs of her life through two world wars, a depression, and numerous family upheavals. She was a fascinating woman and many historical figures make their appearances in this novel. Highly recommended for those interested in Consuelo and this era.
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Earlier this year I took my dream trip with my father to England and Scotland. We visited Blenheim Palace and I learned of Consuelo Vanderbilt and her life there. We also visited many sites telling of Winston Churchill's life. He too had ties to Blenheim Palace. So, reading this book was very fun as it is all about Consuelo's life and her accomplishments and of course her relationship with Winston is in here too! I enjoyed the book immensely and highly recommend it!
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I love learning something new when I read historical fiction which I did here. I didn't know anything about Consuelo Vanderbilt before although I did know that many American heiresses married into British aristocracy to bring their fortunes. It was interesting to learn about her life. What was disappointing was that I don't think I learned much about her. Divorce was so rare in this time period and especially for a Duke & Duchess. They also managed to divorce without disinheriting their son which seems crazy to me - how can their marriage be seen as not a true marriage but their son remain legitimate? The problem is that we do not get the why at all. Sure Consuelo was forced into marriage and really wanted to be with another. That would be pretty typical for her time and class. Her husband did not show his love to her or treat her as a true partner but again this may have been typical for the time and class. She would have been a trend setter but this read as more of a history text than historical fiction.
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Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. It leads to learning more about the subject matter and characters after a fictional introduction. This books offers some interesting information about the practice of arranging marriages between British royalty and American wealth, in this case Consuelo Vanderbilt and the Duke of Marlborough. Blenheim Palace is often in the current news, and the descriptions of its interior were fascinating. I found the characters, however, to be one-dimensional and uninteresting with the exception of Winston Churchill's witticisms. Consuelo's infatuations, particularly with Jacques Balsan, read like a romance novel.
My thanks to Library Thing and the publisher for this ARC. -
With a modern American Duchess awaiting the arrival of an heir, I waited patiently for my local library to advise me that this novel was ready for me to borrow. As with previous novels I have read by Karen Harper it took me no time at all to finish this one. From beginning to end I really enjoyed this fictional visit into the life of an interesting woman.
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I kept having to remind myself that this was a novel. It really reads more like a brisk biography of Consuelo. There weren't a lot of insights that you couldn't have gotten from a biographical sketch, it hits the highlights of her life, and I couldn't really pinpoint anything that was fictional. I kept looking up pictures of people and places, because things would be just sort of tossed out there like, I met this Frenchman, We all know about Winston and Clemmie, My parents favorite residence was . . . And there was a photograph of her at the front as well, which, again, made me question how much was novelized. As a novel, I feel like this was too dry, it really does work better as a biography, in which case it takes some liberties with POV and conversations, of course.
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A fascinating fictionalized biography / memoir of Consuelo Vanderbilt, one of many American heiresses who were married to British (and European) aristocrats who slowly, or quickly, going broke in the late nineteenth century.
Karen Harper brings to life this charming and strong-willed woman, a woman of money and substance. She makes readers fall in love with Consuelo Vanderbilt through her passion for life and for others. Told in the first person, the reader feels as though Consuelo Vanderbilt is sitting in her parlor telling of her life, her loves, and her desires. Throughout, readers learn about Britain and the lives of the aristocracy from the end of the Victorian era through WWII, particularly the relationship between the land owners and their tenants.
There's never a dull moment, never a doubt that Consuelo will fight for what she wants using her money and her wits to do so.
This is the perfect book for a grey winter day, for Anglophiles, and for lovers of historical fiction.
Another engaging hit for Karen Harper who continues to write history, mystery, and thrillers in Columbus, OH.
Here's a short synopsis of the book. Consuelo Vanderbilt was married to the Duke of Marlborough in 1895. She brought a huge dowry, a yearly stipend for herself, and a lifetime stipend for the duke. While the alliance was a financial success, it was not a happy marriage. Consuelo gave this cold, unemotional duke an "heir and a spare" but their relationship didn't warm much. Consuelo's passion for charity, for making the world better for others clashed with the Duke's resulting in more than a decade of separation before a painful divorce. Throughout out it all, Winston Churchill, the Duke's cousin, was Conseulo's friend, a friendship that lasted their entire lives.
After the divorce, Consuelo married Jacques Balsan, head of a French Woolen Franchise, a balloon pilot then fighter pilot in WWI and aeronautical-military attache in WWII. They were madly in love and had been since her debut in 1893. He flew while she gave unstintingly to charity and the welfare of children. The love match worth waiting for. -
Booooooorrrrriiiinnnngggg!
Guess my desire to have scads of wealth is over.
So sorry Consuelo Vanderbilt that your mother attempted to keep you in high society circles by purchasing a title for you via an unhappy marriage, and that your husband received an annual stipend for marrying you.
I am glad that your marriage of 15(?) years ended as an annulment so you could marry someone else -- good thing you had 2 children/heirs from that first marriage because but that doesn't matter when an annulment i$ concerned.
Oh Consuelo... I am so glad that you could raise money for charity causes...wait, remind me why you didn't just fund it yourself?
It doesn't really matter because in the eyes of the little people you were an angel, sent from the heavens above and everyone adored you! -
I really wanted to like this book, as I don't know too much about the Vanderbit's, but I couldn't connect whatsoever with Consuelo as the character nor her story.
It just seemed liked she never did anything wrong, and a lot of pieces of the story and time period seemed to be missing.
All of a sudden she has bobbed hair or this event or that situation happened without the how and why?
Her story read more like a "fluffed up" historical fiction.
With all these great reviews I had such high hopes..alas it didn't work for me. :(
