A leader of the woman's suffrage movement, Alva Vanderbilt (nee Smith) rejected much about the social convention of her time, and yet arguably also beat them at their own game. If you can't join them, beat them.

The first half of this was a little boring. I know it was setting the scene for Alva coming into her own later on, and we did get to see sparks of the woman she would become, but much of it was just inane snobbish chatter. I suppose it's fitting because that's probably exactly how Alva felt about it too, but it didn't make for the best reading. If we'd gotten to see a bit more of that sarcastic wit that occasionally flared up in Alva, even just internally, it probably would have been a lot more entertaining.

Additionally, I kept waiting for this to turn more political and see how Alva became so important to the suffrage movement, but we actually see very little of that, and only at the very end. It's definitely more about her earlier private life, which could have been more interesting if her characterization was fuller.

Still, watching Alva go from dutiful daughter, sister, wife, and mother to taking her fate and future into her own hands was very fulfilling and I was cheering her on the whole time. About the last third of the book is when it gets most interesting.

Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

If you love the Gilded Age in NYC, social struggles, rags to riches, architectural history, women power, plus a little adultury....you will love this book.
Fighting her way to the “top” of New York Society, Alva Smith is like no other in her era. Nearly destitute with an ailing father, Alva and her dear friend Conzuela concoct the perfect way to save Alva and her family from utter poverty via a match with William K. Vanderbilt. The author takes you down the bumpy road of Alva’s life from social scorn by the Astors, an imperfect marriage, betrayal by a dear friend, throwing the perfect ball, to finding the perfect match for her daughter and later in life true love. A truly fascinating read from page one!
A huge fan of Fowler’s first book, I was thrilled to get this advanced copy of A Well Behaved Woman from Net Galley!

I love Therese Anne Fowler and the women she writes about. This book is great! I highly recommend this book.

I recently read a book about the rise and fall of the Vanderbilt family and was immediately interested in this book. One of the reasons why....women were down played. The was an interesting time in history...fortunes were made and women started to find there way in life.

While Alva originally appeared to marry for money and to save her family. This book shows a lot how she also gave back to society and folks around her. Interesting ending...I knew little about her role in women's suffrage and the other causes she helped.

Very interesting read about women in history.

I loved Therese Anne Fower’s novel Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald so I already knew I was going to read a fantastic story when I started reading A Well-Behaved Woman. And I wasn’t disappointed.

When Alva Smith married William Vanderbilt, in desperation for money to support her family, she did bring something important to the table—her family name and influence. Under her careful leadership, Alva raised up the name of Vanderbilt above the “old money” families and in doing so, made a place for herself in the top echelons of society. But Alva was more than just a society woman. She showed from the beginning that she could make a difference and change social beliefs and opinions, as well as help those most in need.

A Well-Behaved Woman is a powerful story of those at the top, of how women can make a difference, and how making the right choices can lead to the sweetest outcome. I highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical biographical fiction.

The wealth of the Vanderbilt family was astounding both in their day and by today’s standards, even if one never takes inflation into account. Back in the late 1800s, that should have meant something. However, all it meant was that they had mounds of money, because their family hadn’t lived in America enough generations for them to be accepted into New York’s high society. Alva Smith, on the other hand, had the appropriate lineage and standing, but her family’s fortune was ravaged by the Civil War and were on the brink of starvation. Although the subtitle of this book is “A Novel of the Vanderbilts” Fowler’s latest novel is really more Alva’s story than that of a whole family.

I must state that the first thing I liked about this book is how Fowler paced this novel. Fowler starts out by describing how Alva succeeded in getting a marriage proposal out of William K. Vanderbilt (which felt a bit unlikely, but not impossible). Afterwards, she goes into their marriage and how Alva succeeded in wrangling the much-needed recognition of New York’s #1 socialite, Caroline Astor. That event – a costume ball – happens smack dab in the middle of this novel. This allowed Fowler to use the rest of the book to delve onto a large chunk of Alva’s life, which continues through to the early part of the 20th century.

The way Fowler portrays Alva is very special indeed. On the one hand, as the story begins, we almost feel that Fowler feels sorry for Alva. As the years go by, we notice that there are many conflicting things about Alva, so that sometimes we believe that Fowler wasn’t all that pleased with the woman she was writing about. Fowler draws us a woman of great intelligence and inner strength, who also has a level of generosity, warmth and grace, making Alva into a force to be reckoned with. Fowler also allows us to see a side of Alva’s personality that is less than demure, who can also be self-centered, if not sometimes spoiled. With this, Fowler was able to assume certain things about Alva that history would never record, such as the passionate side of her personality (both physical and emotional), which she would have needed to keep repressed. Of course, this makes the title of the book a bit ironic, seeing as she didn’t always behave the way her world would have preferred.

This means that by the time we get to the end of the book, we can see just how much Fowler fell in love with Alva, while allowing her readers to come to their own conclusions regarding her strengths and flaws. Fowler also imbues Alva with good measures of wit and cynicism, resulting in several instances of dialogue that made me laugh! Add to all of this a very honest, open and absorbing writing style, which despite the length of this work, grabbed me so fully that I can easily call this a real “page turner,” which is usually reserved for adventure and crime novels.

That said, there were a few scenes that I would have cut out, or at least pared down, which might have added a touch more consistency and cohesion to this work, but I understand why they were left in, and they didn't disturb the flow of the narrative. In addition, there were times when I wondered if Fowler slightly misrepresented William Vanderbilt in her portrayal. It seemed to me that there was the potential for him to have been more loving of Alva, if she had just given him a chance. While this could have been on purpose (or historically accurate), it did make me think that Alva might have had a hand in her own unhappiness, and perhaps also in William’s infidelity. Finally, had hoped that Fowler would give us more of Alva’s later life, where her efforts to obtain women’s suffrage would be detailed, but the afterward and author’s notes made up for that in spades (and I request, nay demand, that you read every last well written word).

I cannot add anything more to this review except my kudos to Fowler for painting such a three-dimensional portrait of Alva, who is ultimately human and truly realistic and whose many flaws did nothing to diminish her many admirable qualities. If this is the kind of women’s historical fiction you generally enjoy, I’m thinking that there are few, if any, better examples than this novel. This is why I’m wholeheartedly recommending this and giving it a full five out of five stars, since I honestly enjoyed every minute of reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with an ARC of A Well Behaved Woman.

I really enjoyed this story of Alva Smith Vanderbilt, a fascinating and most interesting individual. Set during the Gilded Age of NYC this book traces Alva’s marriage to William Vanderbilt and her rise in New York Society. Therese Anna Fowler has once again breathed fresh life into an already iconic woman. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

The Gilded Age, New York City, and the Vanderbilt's.....what's not to like?

Alva Vanderbilt married for money. She had large houses, beautiful gowns and anything she could ever want at her fingertips. She worked hard to get what she wanted...and she made sure that those less fortunate were helped as well.

This historical fiction reads so easily and captures Alva Vanderbilt and her lift.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Alva Smith Vanderbilt married a man to better her life. In many ways it did, and in many other ways it changed the way women vote in America. She was of a family whose fortunes had fallen, but to prevent poverty for all of them, Alva was able to secure a match with William Vanderbilt. Therese Anne Fowler presents the dilemma of a woman who is competent and bright, but needs money to avoid the poor house. Through the slower paced fictional history, Fowler focuses on Alva's sensual needs and growing awareness, so much so that it becomes quite the focus to the detriment of the quality. The architectural and social climbing would sustain the storyline enough without the sexuality. That aside, the book comes alive about a third of the way in because the situations change focus. Alva eventually and scandalously divorced and then remarried, quite happily the man whom she loved all along. The history is available elsewhere, but this book does put the thoughts together with the suffrage movement in America. The storied wealth and political maneuvering drive the actions of Alva as she navigated the role of women in turn of the nineteenth century America. Fowler has captured the times and dazzles when she stays out of the bedrooms.

During the late nineteenth century, the Vanderbilts were like royalty in the northeast United States. This is the story of Alva Vanderbilt, her accomplishments in high society, architecture, and women’s suffrage. It’s about her family and heartache. While I learned a few things of historical significance, it’s very slow-moving and, at times, tedious.

In the Author’s Note, Fowler mentions that she wrote this in the form of a nineteenth-century novel with characters and narrative style appropriate to the Gilded Age. Keep this in mind.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!

The name Vanderbilt is so well-known that I am almost ashamed to say I knew next to nothing about Alva Vanderbilt. Therese Ann Fowler writes of Alva’s life just prior to her marriage to William Vanderbilt, up until her death.

Alva’s family had a respectable name in society, but had lost their wealth during the Civil War, so it was with some desperation that Alva entered into the marriage with William. Combining his wealth and her family name would help to elevate them both in society.

I must admit, I was put off by Alva’s fixation with her social standing. Not just Alva, but her entire circle of friends and acquaintances. However, Fowler is kinder to Alva than wikipedia. Since we are told the story from Alva’s viewpoint, naturally she is presented in a better light than others might have given.

The story lost some momentum after the marriage, but I thought it picked up again as William and Alva’s marriage disintegrated. Alva remarried, but unfortunately that marriage ended too soon due to the death of her husband, Oliver Belmont.

As a widow, Alva became involved in the women’s suffrage movement by giving large sums of money to the cause and becoming active in organizations to grant women the right to vote. Thankfully, women were granted the right to vote several years before her death, so she was able to see the benefits her efforts produced.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

A Well Behaved Woman explores the life of Alva Vanderbilt, giving the reader a slice of life and society from the late 1800's to early 1900's. It is easy to fall into the pages and read about the excess, the politics of "good" marriages and how the relationships progress and/or dissolve.

The high society that is examined is the same as that written about by Edith Wharton. The amount of money that is thrown about is astounding, but Fowler is able to create a relatable character in Alva. The book is both entertaining and well-written, and is a treat for someone who loves history but prefers a novel.

The Gilded Era at it’s best. Who hasn’t heard of the Vanderbilt’s? I have, but was not familiar with Alva. I loved learning about her. The struggles and all her accomplishments. This is a history lesson, a story of love, story of betrayal and a story of triumph. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read for an honest review.

The title of this novel is a little bewildering: Alva Smith Vanderbilt was certainly not a well-behaved as the title would have you believe. Alva's southern family was bankrupt by the time she received "marriageable" age--she and her sisters were rationing food while they waited and hoped that Alva would make an advantageous marriage. With the help of her friend the Brazilian heiress Consuelo Yznaga, Alva marries William Vanderbilt, the younger son. The Smiths may be broke, but they are an old established family while the Vanderbilts are new money.

Alva understands the expectations. Her sisters have been saved from becoming ladies' companions or governesses and her role is to elevate the Vanderbilts in society.. She is creative and uses their money in ways that make old-money New York grind its teeth with envy. William is a pleasant guy and gives her free rein to do what she needs to do to raise the Vanderbilts in society's eye.

Alva plays the long game, and she understands that the marriage her daughter Consuelo makes will be the most important piece of her strategy. Consuelo must marry the most eligible bachelor in the world, the Duke of Marlborough.

Then, Alva divorces William and marries a family friend. She tries to mend her relationship with her daughter who is miserable in her marriage. Consuelo will ultimately achieve the kind of independence that eluded her mother although Alva does pretty darn well for a woman of her era. Not so well-behaved after all.

It's hard to imagine the Vanderbilts as strivers, but here they are. "A Well-Behaved Woman" is an inside look at America's Golden Age from the most privileged position.

I give A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler 3 stars. The fact that it is a historical fiction about the Vanderbilt family made it very interesting to me. The story follows Alva Smith as she changes circumstances in life, through marriage, wealth and up the rungs of the ladder of society through cunning and planning. And begs the question, can money buy happiness? It seems as if the author did quite a bit of research, and developed the characters quite well, and writes with rich, descriptive language. Unfortunately, there were quite a few instances of sex that I skipped over, due to them being too graphic for my taste and making me uncomfortable. I know sex sells, but with how skillfully she writes, the detail could’ve been left out and still gotten the point across.

This is the fascinating story of Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, socialite, suffragette, and one of the wealthiest women of the robber baron era. Descending from socially acceptable lineage, but having no money, her first marriage to William Vanderbilt was one of convenience. Her second, to Oliver Belmont, supposedly one of love.

A unique woman for her times, she displayed great interest in philanthropy, architecture, and women’s rights.

I don’t know how sanitized this historical fictional account is, but it was a well written, engaging read. The arbitrary but strict “rules” of late nineteenth century New York society were interesting, as was the ostentatious avarice of that era.

Wellcrafted story of Alva Vanderbilt.'s life. Her life is slowly revealed in layers which is both fascinating and shocking. Amazing insight about women, love, and family loyalty

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read A Well-Behaved Woman, a story of hope, perseverance, class systems, and history. In an era when people with new money were shunned by people with old money, Alva Smith rewrote history and social standards. Alva married a Vanderbilt and was shunned by the Astors, but never sat still feeling sorry for herself. She was interested in architecture and designed 9 mansions, hosted many elegant social balls, lived on equal footing with her husband, and is known for her work as a women’s suffragette. The Astors were involved with the Academy of Music, which shunned new money, so Alva founded the Metropolitan Opera House. In an unheard of move for that time period, she divorced her unfaithful husband and later married a Belmont, continuing her good works. This book is full of history of the Gilded Age and an insightful look into the class struggles of that time. Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont is an extraordinary woman.

For years, I thought Gilded Age New York socialite Alva Vanderbilt's ferocious ambition was only rivaled by Jane Austen's Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice as the most grasping, husband hunting mother imaginable, however author Therese Anne Fowler has proved my assumptions totally unfounded.

Through in-depth historical research and a thought provoking fictional characterization, we discover the back story of Alva's privileged but impoverished childhood, her desire to marry into wealth to save her starving family, her drive to raise the Vanderbilt's social standing, all culminating in her obsession of her daughter Consuelo's marriage to an English lord. History has not been kind to Alva on that front preferring to only remember the scandalous divorce that ensued, but there is much of her life that warrants the well-behaved woman that the title of this book teasingly professes.

Awash in the decadence of an era in American history that created industrial tycoons and the women behind them, a Well-Behaved Woman is a well-deserved rediscovery of the life of a fascinating woman retold with sensitivity and spirit. Brava!

A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese-Anne Fowler is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Alva Vanderbilt.  Vanderbilt had a fascinating life and I am glad I learned more about her in this fictionalized version of her life.  Alva was a strong woman who did what she needed to do in order to stay relevant.

I enjoy Fowler’s style of writing and have read books by her before so going into this novel I already knew the style to expect.  I really enjoyed learning more about the era as it was a time of rapid growth. Reading this novel felt like seeing everything through Alva’s eyes.  She was uniquely positioned to allow the reader to see details of her privileged life but also details of those existing in poverty, industry and growth in New York, high society, and those shunned by high society.  Later in life, she became involved in the suffragette movement to gain the vote for women. A lot was fit into one life.

I would divide her life in the book into two uneven sections.  My only complaint about this novel is that the latter part of her life did not get quite the attention that the earlier part did.  Perhaps some could have been cut from the middle in order to beef up the end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel.