This is a well done emotional novel about two women from different circumstances. The characters are believable and the storytelling pulls you in. A good read.

The characters were realistic and complex and pulled me into their world as though I always belonged there. Finishing was like saying goodbye to friends you know you won't see again for a long while.

Overall I liked this book. The historical details were fascinating, the story was interesting & the characters entertaining. I think the book just needed a bit more editing.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This book is crazy great! One of the best I have read in a while. I love literary fiction and this one is exceptional. The characters are believable and the author has written in such a descriptive way that you can almost feel the cold of winter and the heat of summer. The story is about two girls of completely different backgrounds who because of extraordinary circumstances grow up together. They are very close for a number of years but there is also jealousy between them. When they both fall in love with the same man their relationship changes. However this is not your typical love story and the ending is a surprise that you will not see coming. This is a wonderful book and I would definitly like to read more from this author. I gave this a strong five star rating.

Well. This was one interesting book. LOTS of information in this one and it makes for a very interesting and compelling story.

It is the story of two girls [Faith and Hope] who come from completely different places in life and end up having their lives intersect almost all the time. From the time they are teens until they are grown women, Faith and Hope are in and out of each others lives. How they act and interact with each other and those around them is what makes the story.

I will say that I did not like Faith at all; I think that you are supposed to feel sorry for her, but that is not an emotion I ever felt when reading about her. I felt she was a jealous and envious girl that think that everyone hates her [and is shocked when she realizes how wrong she has been and that it could have been overcome by her having a freaking backbone] and creates many of the problems that she encounters during this story; she cannot let things go and it makes her both ruthless and selfish.

While I had issues at times with Hope's character, she never incited the indifference and dislike that I felt for Faith's character; perhaps it is because that Hope always did what she needed to to survive and worked hard to make something out of herself. There were moments when some of her decisions baffled me, but I may have made those same decisions had I been in her shoes.

Overall, I think that this was a pretty good read; I would recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction and who enjoys a good story. I felt it was well-written and I truly enjoyed reading it [and the book went fast; when I was not distracted, I would just get lost in it].

Faith Simpson was born in 1898 to Asa and Alice Simpson at their Long Island, New York estate called Seawater. They also have a 4-year-old son, Billy. Asa has worked himself up to become the ninth richest man in the country. He loves working during the day with stocks in the city and loves spending lots of time with Billy. Unfortunately, he was away from home the day Faith was born and feeling bad about it, he starts putting money in a trust for her that grew significantly.

Agatha Murphy came from Ireland with her mother. When her mother dies, Agatha has nowhere to live. When she meets Sen, a Chinese man who is also poor but has a small job, they team up to work together. They are soon married and become the parents of a daughter named Hope. Sen starts hanging around Wall Street learning the gestures of the stock traders. Hope learns right along with him. But some bad luck gets Sen in trouble and he flees to China. Agatha is beaten up in retaliation for his wrongs. After healing, she gets a job that leads to working in a factory. She dies in a fire that kills many like her. Hope is left on her own in the streets until she is sent to live on a farm. The farm is near the Simpson’s home, Seawater and it is agreed that Hope will live with them and take classes with and be a companion to Faith.

As the years pass, Faith and Hope become friends and Asa begins to tutor Hope in stock trading which she already has a knack for. There are friends of the family that all grow up together. But then comes the war which brings sad consequences. From there, the lives of each of the characters grow apart somewhat but always cross paths. Friendship does not always count when love comes into play.

This is a beautifully written saga that delves into the lives of the people who are wealthy and those who are desperately poor. But it also proves that in the end, love is most important.

Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Press and Consuelo Saah Baehr for the ARC of "Fortune's Daughters" by Consuelo Saah Baehr for my honest review.
The genres of this book are Women's Fiction, Fiction, and Historical Fiction with some liberties taken by the author.
The timeline of this story starts at the turn of the twentieth century, World War One, Union fights, Women's Rights and the fall of Wall Street.
I find that the author describes are characters as complex and complicated. The backgrounds and diversity of two of the characters are apparent. Faith Simpson is born to an affluent family, enjoying many materialistic things, but not getting the attention from her parents. Hope Lee is born to parents that live in poverty, and struggle to survive.
After a major tragedy, an orphaned Hope finds herself in Faith's home, where she lives for quite a while.
The author describes, betrayal, jealousy, loyalty, integrity, love and hope. In addition, the author shows the importance of family value, family love and friendship. What exactly does having a fortune mean?
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Happy Reading!

Wow! What an incredible book! Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the early edition of Fortune's Daughters by Consuelo Saah Baehr. This story takes place in the early 1900 through the 1930's. In the back drop of early Long Island, very wealthy residences, on the "Gold Coast", mostly trading in the stock business on Wall Street. A princess and a pauper tale, of very different circumstances, coming together as well as falling apart. A fast and interesting read. I highly recommend.

I have to say, I was drawn in by this beautiful cover, but I am happy to report, the book lived up to my expectations, as well! The historical details and setting are wonderfully illustrated, and I easily got swept up in Faith and Hope's stories. Definitely and author I will keep my eye on!