Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was a hard one to rate because I read the first 75% in one sitting and was hooked. I loved the premise, the strong female lead and the historical fiction aspect. But, there were some glaring problems that brought down the rating for me. To be honest, it really felt like there were some editing issues. The language in the first chapter was stilted and each sentence seemed to start with the name of the character. There were also some repetition issues and one major inconsistency where the MC asked why she was never told something in the end, when it was very clearly said in an earlier chapter. I don't want to spoil it, but it is very important to the story. The end was also very rushed and I wished it had been paced better.

All that being said, I am very glad I read it and would still recommend reading it. I know the 3 star rating could be a deterrent, but it is a quick and entertaining read.

This book is set in the 1920s with the company of the Winthrops, Vanderbilts, & other luxurious company. Pandora is no damsel in distress and is such a strong female character. Her growth throughout the book really surprised me. Thanks Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Though not born into privilege, Pandora lives at the edge of the glamour and flash of New York in the 1920s. Her friend Virginia takes her to upper crust parties, introducing her to wealthy, affluent figures. When she meets a student from Princeton, Harley Enright, she believes her dreams have come true. Marriage will give her the life she has always wanted, or will it? When scandal and the Great Depression hit Pandora’s life is shattered and she is left to find a way forward, to forge a new life from the ashes.
The premise of this story is a good one, I love books about strong, ambitious women. The thing that held me back with Pandora’s story was the lack of substance to the characters. There wasn’t any depth, no personality that shone through for the reader to grab hold of and say, “yes I know this person” , to relate to them. I need to be able to relate to a character, I need them to speak to me, to touch me, to make me feel as if I know them. There was none of this for me in this book. So even with a good storyline and descriptive passages setting time and place I can only give 3 stars.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

My full review with spoilers has been posted on Goodreads (please see included link). Thank you for the advance copy!

This book has a fascinating plot and explores critical themes like choice feminism and homosexuality. The writing lacks sophistication but might work well for readers preferring a bland narration.

Pandora is an annoying heroine in many ways maybe because I related to her escapist tendencies. Her beauty and privilege are the only reasons she makes it in life, not a great lesson despite the author's attempt to portray her as more. I understand her choices though.

The side characters were far more interesting than the heroine.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book.

At a bit under 300 pages, this was a relatively quick read, and I would recommend it for historical fiction fans. Pandora leaps off the pages as the reader roots for her passion, her dreams of becoming a fashion designer, and her search for love. The friendships are dynamic and loyalty runs throughout. I enjoyed the progression of Pandora growing into her confidence and finding her own voice. She dreams big dreams. The setting were fun, spanning New York City, the French Riviera, the Hudson Valley, and Paris and sweeping up the reader in the glamor, excitement, and difficulties of the 1920s.

Pandora, in her wish to marry into ‘high society’ to fulfil all her dreams and hopes, learns several harsh life lessons to finally find some independence and love. The story is easy to read there are some attempts made to highlight the restrictions and expectations women at that time faced. The story holds no real surprises and is a light read.

An interesting and well written book with a compelling storyline and well developed characters who were all beliveable and relatable to the time that they lived in. I found Pandora to be a hard character to gel with but she was written perfectly.

The Life She Wanted by Anita Abriel was about a girl named Pandora who just wanted to be loved. She wanted it all she wanted family, love, to own her own fashion shop and a place in society. There were a couple of secrets kept in the story that she didn’t want to come out because is would cause scandals among the people she loved.

I liked Pandora, but didn't love her. I didn't think she came across as a strong female character, but rather more spoiled and entitled. As an educator from the Hudson Valley, I LOVED all the references. I can tell the author put a lot of work into this, but it felt like a chore to read after the first few chapters didn't pick up, especially with the repetitive language.

I enjoyed this novel. The time and the setting were interesting, as was Pandora’s life on the edge of the wealthy set of New York. Her quest to be a fashion designer laudable. My only criticism was that the novel touched on some good subjects, like poverty, class, homosexuality, family expectations and the Depression, but tended to skate over them, when more could have been made of these. Pandora seemed to have amazing luck and things happened for her quite easily, which although entertaining, were maybe not that plausible. However, if you were looking for nice escapist read, this is certainly recommended.

This novel is about a strong female protagonist, Pandora Carmichael. It takes place mainly in New York in the late 1920s thru early 1930s. This novel gave me all the feels!!! Frustration and anger at how working women were paid less than men in that time period, how women were viewed that their place was only in the home, and other injustices that took place in that time period. Pandora dreams of one day owning a clothing boutique with her own designed clothes. To get there though, she needs a rich husband. She struggles thru lost love, finding love again only to lose it again. But then maybe there lies one more chance at an old love that remained hidden. I cried a few times while reading this novel. I felt what Pandora felt! The heartache, ups and down, joyful moments. Definitely recommend this novel!!! I was able to read an ARC of this book. Thank you for this opportunity!
It will be available May 2, 2023!!!

I really enjoyed the many characters in this book.
It’s a very well written story that’s very easy to immerse yourself in. I expected this to be a bit of a romance and was happily surprised that it wasn’t. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading more.

This was just ok for me. I felt it was a little slow in the beginning but it did pick up fast. I didn't feel very connected to the characters and it was predictable. I would have liked a lot more details about the "seedy underground" . I didn't feel like she went through much trials. married a rich man to get herself farther despite the secrets, knew the right people, fled with money during scandal. didn't really struggle at all through the depression, easily found someone to carry her dresses after and then married another rich man.

The book's description of a young woman's ambition to become a famous dressmaker drew me to this book. I am very familiar with the setting in the Hudson Valley as I have visited there many times. The book is fairly predictable; the main character marries for all the wrong reasons. Through difficult setbacks and experiences, she becomes the woman that she aspired to be. A quick read for a cold wintery day.

Pandora Carmichael lives on the dazzling edge of glamour and fortune in New York during the 1920s. She wasn’t born into privilege, but her best friends, Virginia and Archie, take her to sensational parties and introduce her to wealthy friends and figures that make her long for an affluent life…one that would give her the resources to support her aging father and open a dress boutique without immense struggle.

Her dreams come true when she meets Harley Enright, a handsome Princeton student. Marriage gives her everything she wants…well, almost everything. On her daughter’s first birthday, a scandal uproots Pandora’s entire life. As the Great Depression looms, she’s left to pick up the pieces and pave her own path forward.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story. Pandora was a strong, driven female lead, and I admired her motivation to achieve her dreams. The plot had a lot of twists and turns that I didn’t expect, which made the story fun to read. I do wish the side characters had more depth — I would’ve loved to learn more about Willie, Virginia, Archie, Adele, and Maurice. I also think the author explored some really important themes and issues in this book (and had a great opportunity to examine them in a poignant, profound way), but glossed over them and barely scratched the surface.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. If you’re looking for an easy historical fiction read with a strong female character, check this one out!

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review!*

This book was charming, if a little predictable. I enjoyed Pandora’a journey through a troubled marriage and her finding of some independence. It did feel at times as though Pandora never faced much real challenge and was relatively easily accepted into the upper echelons of society despite her background.

I am writing this review for Net Galley.

In this story we follow a woman named Pandora. We first start off with her being in love with a man named Owen. She was hoping to marry Owen in hopes her dreams would come true that she could someday open her own boutique and be able to design her own clothes. When her plans failed as Owen married someone else Pandora had to figure out something else to help her out with her situation. One night at a party she meets handsome rich Harley. Little did she know what awaited on the other side of this man that will change her life forever.

I enjoyed the story for the most part. There were some things in the story that I did not like which is why I rated it a 3. The style of the writing was very well written and had me keep going until the end. The timeline is in the 1920's which intrigued me to want to pick up the story. If you are looking for an easy read for entertainment than this one is for you.

I cannot praise this book enough! The female lead is so magnetic and her story is as well. Aurora did not let anything stand in the way of her dreams. The story focuses more on her and not just romance. It was a nice change of pace.

Pandora was such a riveting, passionate main character, and I found it so easy to root for her in this book. I really appreciated the message of being a strong independent woman, and how this book really focused more on the characters then on the possible romance. i feel like so many books are so romance driven nowadays that it was nice to see something where, like the title, it really was about Pandora as a person and not as a love interest.

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and is craving a new badass female protagonist to fall in love with!

thank you a TON to Net Galley for the advanced reader copy, and I sincerely hope this book gets the hype it deserves