3.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for acces to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A young woman rises from a life of desitution in Virginia to one day become one of the richest women on 5th Avenue. But who was Arabella (Belle) Huntington?
Loyal daughter? Prostitute? Bigamist?Mistress? Wife? Widow? This historical novelsets out to answers these questions and covers the time period between 1867 to the early 1900s.

I liked this novel but not as much as The Second Mrs Astor Perhaps because this one wasn't quite as gossipy and soapy. I didn't quite feel connected to any of the characters though and for that I feel it waffles half way between a 3 and 4 star.



Expected Publication Date. 25/04/23
Goodreads Review Published. 26/03/23

I absolutely adored this book. The story was well written and obviously well researched. I am so glad there are authors documenting the lives of people who were just out of the spotlight or overshadowed by their partners/spouses.

Arabella Yarrington was a young dance hall girl in Richmond after the Civil War. Her wages were what kept her family from starvation. Collis P. Huntington was a railway tycoon in Richmond on business and met Bella in the Saloon. The attraction was immediate. The drive and ability that Bella exuded impressed Collis and soon he had moved her to New York City. But she wouldn't go without her family.. Here is where the saga of the smart, manipulative, beautiful, and quick witted young woman begins.

I knew about C.P. Huntington and the other men who started the trans-continental railroad before I read this book. They were Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Mark Hopkins, and Huntington. Being a Northern Californian, these are very familiar names here. They all made millions when the railroad was completed! I was constantly going to Google or Wikipedia to see if the story of Arabella and Collis was true. Much of the book was historically accurate. Brava Ms. Abe!

Fleshing out the book using historical fact and the brilliant use of some historical fiction, made this book very readable. The Gilded Age made some people rich beyond their wildest dreams. Arabella Huntington was able to use her husband's wealth to make personal wealth for herself. She cared not if the aristocrats in NYC liked her or invited her to their soirees. She was an absolutely self-made woman. Yes, she had money from Collis, but she also made amazing rea estate deals for herself. For a time, she was the richest woman in America.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history; and the Gilded Age. An amazing time. Get settled in a comfy chair, grab some tea in your best Limoges china cup or pour a bit of Claret from your Tiffany Cut Glass and Silver Claret Jug, or just grab a cup of Joe and a glass of red and enjoy a book taking you back to a time that was a tumultuous 30 years in our country's timeline. It changed the US forever.

A wonderful read.

An American Beauty, by Shana Abe, is an engrossing historical fiction novel that follows the tumultuous life of Arabella Huntington. This one was a must-read for me as I was already familiar with a more current part of this family's history and wanted to see how everything tied together. It's well-researched and very readable, Abe has done it again! Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for providing me with an ARC ebook of An American Beauty in exchange for my honest review.

This beautiful story releases in April and it should be a huge success. The story is a historical fiction tale about the mistress of railroad tycoon Collis Huntington, set during the Gilded Age in the US. At one point in time after, Collis’ death, Arabella Huntington was the richest woman in the US. This was a beautiful story of love and survival.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The “American Dream” is based on the notion that, with hard work and grit, one can succeed. For many years, the success was about men and, of course, there were all of those “robber barons” with names like Carnegie and Morgan. But, what about women? Could they make their way up? Yes, sometimes with the right marriage and maybe sometimes with that same grit. How will Arabella achieve this?

Here is an historical novel about a young woman who was working in a gambling parlor when she caught the eye of a wealthy railroad baron. The two became involved in an affair and Collis Harrington helps Arabella to move to New York and establish a new life there.

What happens to these two forms the basis for this novel that is grounded in some truth historically. Will Arabella achieve all that she wants, especially if this includes wanting social acceptance and not just money? Read this one to find out. An American Beauty may put readers in mind of The Gilded Age mini series but that is no bad thing. It is a book with which to relax and maybe dream.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

Arabella Huntington was the epitome of a wealthy woman in Gilded Age America. She embodied the rags-to-riches American Dream, managing to rise from the ashes and poverty of post-Civil War Virginia to the ostentatious glamour of New York City.

'An American Beauty' is inspired by this incredible woman who, as a teenager, managed to captivate Railway Baron Collis Huntington's heart. Despite already being married, Collis was unprepared to give up his relationship with Belle, keeping her as, 'a shadow wife...just beyond society's golden sun, pinned at the brink of propriety at the whim and courtesy of a generous man.' However, Belle isn't simply content to spend her lover's money, living lavishly and supporting her family, she wants to make something of herself on her own and embarks on property investment and development. What also becomes apparent, is, despite all the monetary and tangible gains she receives, she leads a somewhat lonely and self-sacrificed life supporting others.

Shana Abe tells Belle's story through a few 'voices' as well as a smattering of journal entries, letters, and newspaper articles. Although in some ways this helped give robustness, I found it a bit disjointed and jarring to the overall flow. Ultimately though, I really enjoyed reading 'An American Beauty'. I was beguiled by the extreme lavishness and opulence of the Gilded Age, as well as learning about such a prominent and charitable woman who was sidelined by polite society due to her disregard for social norms. I would happily recommend this to historical fiction aficionados who enjoy full immersion into another era where money is no object.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and to Netgalley for a chance to read and review this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. One of my favorite time periods is the Gilded Age and this novel did not disappoint with the vivid descriptions. Arabella Huntington was a fascinating character who rose to become one of the richest in America, known as a collector of real estate and fine art, as well as a major philanthropist.

"Amidst the opulent glamor and vicious social circles of Gilded Age New York, this stunning biographical historical novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mrs. Astor conjures the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington - a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America.

1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty.

Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis's help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis's seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune.

Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife's death. But "The Four Hundred" - the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts - have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society - not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat - an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart...

An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history - and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules."

I'm a bit Gilded Age obsessed at the moment...

Thank you NetGalley, Shana Abe, and Kensington for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is a really interesting book about someone I previously didn’t know anything about. It was entertaining and I liked how it was set up, showing Arabella Huntington’s life through different POV’s. Her story was fascinating and you can tell that a lot of research went into the story. Despite this, it was a bit slow in places for me, which can happen with historical fiction books. This might be just a personal issue though and I do still recommend the book! I’m glad that I got to learn more about someone new.

Mesmerizing from the very first page. Shana Abe has created and captured the voice of a siren for her main character Arabella Huntington. The story of Arabella's rise from poverty in Richmond, Virginia before and after the Civil War and eventually becoming the richest woman in America is at the center of Abe's latest novel An American Beauty, but this isn't the typical cliched story of a beautiful woman marrying a wealthy man. Based on the true story of Arabella Huntington's life, Abe presents the story of a truly remarkable woman who knew her own mind and was determined to live life according to her own rules in a time when women were confined to very strict social expectations. Arabella flaunted convention and was despised by other women for her choices, but stayed true to herself and to those she loved.

Abe casts a spell that hooks the reader from the very first page. The characters jump off the page fully formed and dynamic creating a thoroughly enjoyable read start to finish.

An American Beauty, by Shana Abe, carries the reader back to the last half of the 19th Century, "The Gilded Age." It tells the fictionalized version of the rags to riches story of Bella Huntington, the second wife of Collis Huntington the railroad magnum. She became the mistress of Collis when she was in her late teens or early twenties and rose from poverty in Richmond, just after the Civil War, to have a lovely home in Manhattan. Bella was like two sides of a coin. She was cold-hearted enough to get what she needed and wanted, but loved her family fiercely.

Even though this is the story of a mistress and her lover, there are no explicit sexual scenes. Bella was a real person who did what she thought she must to survive herself and help her family. It is a story of wealth beyond my imagination. It was an interesting read. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

“An American Beauty” tells the story of Arabella Huntington, the mistress and then wife of Collis Huntington, a wealthy railroad magnate during the Gilded Age. The book begins in Richmond, Virginia in 1867, just two years after the Civil War, when Richmond was still suffering the effects of the devastation wrought during the war. Arabella lives with her widowed mother and her sisters and brothers in a shabby boarding house run by her mother. Arabella’s income as a “Champagne Girl” in a Faro House barely keeps her family from starvation and ruin. While playing the piano at the Faro House, Arabella meets Collis Huntington, who is immediately bewitched by her and soon afterward moves Arabella and her family to New York, where Huntington keeps Arabella as his mistress.

With deftly chosen words, the author manages to paint a vivid picture of place and time, including post war Richmond, and Gilded Age New York. The characters are well-drawn, particularly Arabella, with her unabashed and unrepentant acceptance of her actions, for which most in society judged her harshly. At times the novel did feel somewhat long, however, the many different settings described in the book, including private rail cars, the wilds of Yosemite as well as opulent New York City mansions kept my interest in the story. If the reader approaches the book with the understanding that it is a somewhat detailed accounting of Arabella Huntington’s life, from 1867 to 1902, filled with exquisite prose, one can overlook its somewhat lengthy nature.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A true Cinderella / rags-to-riches story, An American Beauty follows 17-year-old Arabella from post-Civil War Richmond, VA where she is a champagne girl in a faro club (gambling and brothel) to becoming the mistress of Collis Huntington, a self-made railroad tycoon. Filled with detail from three POVs (Arabella, her mother and Collis' daughter), this fascinating historical novel focuses on the true story of a woman who rose to become one of the richest in America, known as a collector of real estate and fine art, as well as a major philanthropist.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of An American Beauty, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Tremendously readable historical fiction! I was pulled into this one immediately and read it over two days.

Reading hangover followed - worth it.

Based on truth as well as rumors, the author wove An American Beauty together beautifully. You know when you’re reading a book that’s super interesting and you keep at it and at it because you need to - that’s how this one was for me. This was my first book by Ms. Abe and that needs to change; I’m really looking forward to reading more of her work.

Recommended!



Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the DRC!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read An American Beauty by Shana Abe. I had not heard of Arabella Huntington before reading to s book, but having loved Ms. Abe's previous work, i had no doubt that it would be meticulously and well-written. I could not put it down, and read it straight to through in one sitting. What a fascinating woman!

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. What a pleasure it was to read this captivating story about a real woman that lived the life she wanted on her own terms. I read this novel in about 24 hours -- extremely enjoyable and the Arabella made for an exceptional protagonist. But the author really grabbed me with Arabella's frankness and absolute bravery in the face of poverty. As someone who has lived a tough life myself, with hard choices no one should be forced to make, I really resonated with this character & the excellent writing. Please read and enjoy it for yourself!!

I absolutely adored this novel and was fully engrossed in the story, the characters and settings, and the lovely descriptions from the first page to the last.

I had greatly enjoyed Ms Abe’s previous historical novel, The Second Mrs Astor, and so jumped at the chance to read and review her upcoming release.

An American Beauty follows the remarkable rags-to-riches life of Arabella Huntington. We meet seventeen-year-old Arabella – Belle – in Richmond, Virginian in 1867 where she works in a less than reputable gambling saloon. But Belle is beautiful, talented, brave, and extremely clever, and if anyone is able to save her large family from starvation and destitution, Belle is the best placed to do so.

At the saloon, she meets the railway magnate and robber baron Collis Huntington, who quickly falls under her spell. Thirty years her senior and already married with a child, Huntington takes her as his mistress and, through Belle’s clever manipulations, moves not only Belle, but also her entire family up to New York and into a life of financial security.

What follows is a spectacular journey into the lives of the robber barons and Gilded Age New York, where the rapidly declining Knickerbocker class refuses to recognize the self-made men or the audacious women like Belle who accompany them on their journey. Belle Huntington would eventually become New York’s wealthiest woman, accumulating property and priceless art, but would never be accepted into “good” society.

This is a beautifully told story, rich in historical detail and larger-than-life characters. But at its heart, it is a tale of a brave and ambitious woman striving for more than the hand life has dealt her. A must-read novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham’s gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. After reading and loving "The Second Mrs. Astor", I was very eager to read this book and it did not disappoint. I was astounded by her unfailing determination not only to improve her own life but also those of her entire family and eventually her son. Rising above the established roles for women in the Gilded Age, Arabella used her shrewd business sense to become one of the most powerful and wealthy figures of her time. My favorite parts were the lovely descriptive passages that set the time and place beautifully, bringing the reader back to a lost, glittering world of the past. An engaging and fascinating read from start to finish!

An excellent historical fiction novel with a winning combination of strong characters set in the gilded age, a time of change in our world and strong women determined to push that change.

This is a great book, especially if you enjoy historical fiction. I read the first book by this author, “The Second Mrs. Astor”, which was also excellent. The story is told from the POV of three main characters, Arabella, Catherine and Clara - all three are strong women who accept the life that has been thrust upon them but refuse to accept that they cannot change that life. So they strive relentlessly to gain the life they want. There is so much to love about this book but the portrait of the “Gilded Age” and the way in which society treated women is truly engaging. I had never heard of Belle Huntington or her husband so felt that I learned a little something along with enjoying a great story. I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher Kensington Books, however; this did not influence by opinion. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book.