The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin captured my imagination, especially regarding English protocol. A historical romance, this novel begins in 1893 America with a coming-out party for a rich American girl, Cora Cash. Cora’s ambitious mother wants nothing less than to have her daughter titled, but to do that one must go abroad.
They journey to England and are much sought after. As the result of a horseback riding accident, Cora is rescued by a Duke, Ivo Maltravers, the Ninth Duke of Wareham.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s smooth sailing for the Duke and Duchess. Although they live in a castle with 81 servants, the castle is cold, inconvenient and without bathrooms. Comfort is not the natural order of things here. Besides the immediate chilly atmosphere, what one might expect from marriage isn’t always the norm among royalty.
The American Heiress delves into wealthy lives on both sides of the Atlantic, to issues most of us can’t imagine. What appears to be sheer comfort and opulence has its cold, harsh side. English rules of society can be different than American, and failure to pay heed can be catastrophic.
This novel is steeped in tradition. Daisy Goodwin describes in exquisite detail the fashion of the day—and the discomforts that go with it. The author has a gift for character development and although I was often put off by some of the characters, I felt they were no doubt true to the period.
Mary: So many things we take for granted—like indoor bathrooms. I will have to put this on my growing list of “must reads.” You certainly do know how to tweak a reader’s interest.
Thank you, Judith. Our homes, though modest, always had indoor bathrooms. But when we lived in Michigan, one of my older sister’s best friends had an outhouse. I was enthralled, but then I was only seven years old….
This looks like a great read. Thank you for your wonderful review, Mary.
It’s interesting that royalty is so glorified, Carmen. Many aspects of it sounds downright uncomfortable.