Review for The Social Graces by Renee Rosen

 

The Social Graces by  Renee Rosen 

 

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: April 20th 2021 by Berkley

Genre:  Historical Fiction, New York, American

From Goodreads:  The author of Park Avenue Summer throws back the curtain on one of the most remarkable feuds in history: Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mrs. Astor's notorious battle for control of New York society during the Gilded Age.

In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, where wives turn a blind eye to husbands' infidelities, and women have few rights and even less independence, society is everything. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor—the Mrs. Astor.

But times are changing.

Alva Vanderbilt has recently married into one of America's richest families. But what good is money when society refuses to acknowledge you? Alva, who knows what it is to have nothing, will do whatever it takes to have everything.

Sweeping three decades and based on true events, this is a gripping novel about two fascinating, complicated women going head to head, behaving badly, and discovering what’s truly at stake. 

My Thoughts…I have not read many books set in the Gilded Age or about the Vanderbilts and Astors so I went into this book without knowing any of the history.    That makes me sad to say but I can say now that I have read every single word of The Social Graces and now have knowledge and history of a time in American were New York Society was in a fight for their Queen. 

Both families were rich, very rich, yet they could not accept each other.   I was intrigued at how much pressure the families were under just to stay within the society of New York.   They had to do everything right knowing that one misstep could push them out of society.    It seemed that everything they did had an ulterior motive.

Alva Vanderbilt wanted in so badly and Caroline Astor wanted her to stay out just as badly.  I enjoyed watching them both make their plans, set up their parties, and take the steps needed to live the lives that they felt they deserved.  I found it interesting that there were many times that they questioned what they were doing but felt that they had no choice because it was what was expected of them. 

Renee Rosen is a go-to historical fiction author for me.  I always recommend her to other readers.

**Thank you Berkley for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

 

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Meet Renee Rosen… Renee Rosen is the bestselling author of historical fiction. Her novels include Park Avenue Summer,Windy City Blues, White Collar Girl, What the Lady Wants and Dollface as well as the young adult novel, Every Crooked Pot. Her new novel, The Social Graces, a story about Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Vanderbilt vying for control of New York society during the Gilded Age, will be out April 20, 2021 from Penguin Random House/Berkley).

Renee is a native of Akron, Ohio and a graduate of The American University in Washington DC.  She now lives in Chicago where she is at work on a new novel.