I love historical fiction, and this book really grabbed my attention as soon as I read the summary. I am glad to say it lived up to expectations. Immersive and engaging, I'd recommend this one!

Collis Huntington is a multimillionaire, railroad baron. When he encounters young Arabella, he is immediately smitten. Collis is married but that does not stop him from moving Arabella and her whole family to New York. Arabella is a shrewd young lady. She begins to buy property and eventually amasses her own fortune.

Well, I put this book WAY on the back burner. I was given a preview copy and, yes, I started it. But I swear…I could not get into it. And it just sat there and sat there. I finally started it back up after months of it staring at me on my must read list. And y’all, it is a pretty dad blame good read. I am so glad I picked it back up! (I almost didn’t!). I would have missed a true gem!

I really enjoyed Arabella. She is smart, unique and tough. She does what she has to do to insure her family will be safe and never be hungry again. She was raised very poor. So when she saw a chance to escape, she took it. And this did not come without trials and tribulations, especially in this time period.

The narrator, Gail Shalan, is a wonderful asset. I am not sure if I have ever listened to a book narrated by her. I will be on the lookout for more.

Need a very good historical fiction about a woman who does not stop…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Arabella is the mistress of the Huntington dynasty, catching the eye of Collis Huntington in North Carolina and being instilled into his alternative life in New York City. She navigates the ire of the other prominent families, and his wife, for decades, while also giving birth to his son.

After his wife’s death, Arabella marries Collis and agains navigates the ire of his society. This story is complete with a journey to England for his daughter to be one of the US heiresses debuting on the Ton.

Fabulous story; solid characters. Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for this Arc and a chance to review for my honest opinion

I really wanted to like this. The book sounded interesting. Some of it was good but i just didn't like where the story went with this one

4.5/5
This book was a slow start for me, it took me several chapters to get a feeling for Arabella as a character. However, once I did, this book flew by for me. I am relatively familiar with Gilded Age New York and the 400, but much less with those trying to enter it (vs those born into it). This was an engaging look at an extremely stratified society that still allowed for social mobility, and Abe really gives that a human face.

I also think that Abe set herself a gargantuan task as an author to feature the “other woman” as her protagonist, a task that most authors struggle with. However, I think that pairing the “other woman” with the legitimate daughter as contrasting viewpoints only further helped to bring this story to life. Yes, it made it a little difficult to listen to/read at some points because it is hard not to get emotional, but I think that that is the sign of a wonderful book.
Gail Shalan's narration brought a lot more warmth and emotion to this story than I expected, in a wonderful way!

I received An American Beauty by Shana Abe in audiobook form through Netgalley. This beautifully written book is a story about Arabella Huntington and her journey from rags to riches in 1800s Virginia. I loved this story! I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but this was my first Shana Abe book. I will definitely look for more books by this author. The narrator was very enjoyable! 5 stars for the book and 5 stars for the narrator!
Thank you, #netgalley and #tantoraudio for this advanced copy!
#historicalfiction #shanaabe

I love historical fiction, and I love reading about the Gilded Age, especially in New York. So, I really liked a lot about this book. However, for me, the main problem was that I really didn't like the protagonist, so it's hard to like a story that is all about her life. Unfortunately, the novel is based on a real person, so there's not much the author can do with some of the basic facts. The story fits the poor girl/bad decisions/bad parent-leads to tragic life until finding "love" with a rich man trope. But, Arabella Huntington comes across as manipulative and selfish, rather than a scruffy young woman who turns her life around.

I loved all the historic parts - I knew of, and have been to many of the places mentioned, so that's always fun, but a lot of the story was slow and overly plodding.

I did like the narrator.

Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. First off I really love the narrator she did a very good job.
I was absolutely so excited to receive this book. I was just so disappointed with this novel. I liked how it first started off and then it just started to loose me. I just didn't like the main female character at all and as the story progressed I actually couldn't stand her. I didn't like how she ruined so many peoples lives and she was very selfish. I am just so upset that this book was not my cup of tea.

We start in Richmond, Virginia in 1867 where Arabella Yarington is working at Worsham’s gambling parlor at the ripe age of 17. She works there to bring in money to her family who is only getting by because of her beauty and hard work. It is here that she meets Collis Huntington. Mr. Huntington is a self-made millionaire - making his money from railroads. 30 years older than Arabella and already married, he becomes entranced with Arabella. He has found an equal in intelligence and grit in meeting Arabella - and so starts their affair. Arabella eventually gets Collis to agree to move not only Arabella herself, but their whole family, to Manhatten to live just down the road from Collis’ Park Avenue home he shares with his wife and daughter. Arabella poses as a southern woman, eventually widowed - but lives pretty openly seeing Mr. Huntington as much as she desires. He calls her his demon and feels that he can’t breathe without her love and support. But, she doesn’t just sit around waiting for the next time to see him. She begins to learn to invest in property and art and starts to create a small fortune of her very own. If she has learned anything, it is that she needs to be in charge of her own life.
Eventually, Arabella is able to marry Collis, but it takes a lot for the Elite 400 of the time to accept her into their circles of old money. And, their small family begins creating a stir in new New York - buying up property and building/redoing mansions.
In the end, though, an unexpected, unwanted and impossible romance might break apart everything she has built. But, Arabella is stronger than that. She has been strong since the first day she walked into that gambling parlor.
Some of the things I loved most about the book:
Strength - like her mother, she was strong in her belief that family was the most important thing to fight for. First survival, and then opportunities and a secure future. Over and over through her story, these things were prevalent.
Strength in her love of a man that wasn’t always available. She would have done anything for Collis - to make him happy and allow him to dream and be himself. After he passed - she wore black for years and years. Some say until she died in 1924 (even though she remarried many years later).
Strength for her child - she would give up seeing him for the short term to secure his future.
Strength for herself - she put herself out there, as a southern woman - and asked for what she wanted. She went head to head with some of the Elite 400 and other elite families in auctions to buy art and property and started figuring out (even as a woman in that time period) how to win. Her ability to manage money and make shrewd investments made her the richest woman of the time!
I also really loved how her character never really faltered from who she was. She owned it through EVERY day of her life and found happiness in so many aspects of her life. She did her womanly duties - hosting and raising her family (including, eventually, Collis’s daughter Clara from his first marriage) - but she was a business woman before that was even a thing. This book reminded me a lot of A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler. It was the story of Ava Vanderbuilt and her journey on the outside of the Elite 400.
Lastly, and then I will shut up, I need to address the strength of the writing. Shana Abe (ob-ay) is really exquisite. It is everything “just enough”. The description is just enough and the side characters she decides to bring in is “just enough” and her research was so point on!! I love listening to the author’s notes about why she wrote this and how this was part of her own journey. I listened to it on audio and the voice of Gail Shalan was perfection!
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this and I am so glad that none of you will have to wait long to get it in your hands! Go - run - and be ready to jump back in time with a character that you will never forget. That was An American Beauty by Shana Abe.

An American Beauty was a great read by Shana Abe. This historical fiction was inspired by the true rags to riches story of Arabella Huntington. She was a beautiful woman with exceptional business acumen, grit and an artistic eye. She become the wealthiest self made woman in America at the time. In 1867 Richmond Virginia, Arabella stands apart from the others even though she wears the same uniform as all the workers in the Worsham’s gambling parlor. She is only 17 years old but has the resolve to escape her struggle and poverty. Collins Huntington is a railroad baron and self made multimillionaire. He’s drawn to Arabella from the first time he laid eyes on her. He is not only married, but also thirty years her senior. Their flirtation quickly leads to an affair. He helps her move to New York and uses his seed money to amass her fortune. No one is surprised when his first wife dies and he marries Arabella. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend

Set in Richmond, Virginia after the Civil War and in New York City during the Gilded Age, this book tells the story of Arabella Huntington, a woman who through exceptional business acumen and grit, rises out of poverty and ends up becoming the wealthiest self-made woman in America during her time.

I loved the storytelling, with well developed characters and vividly described locales. The historical figures, including Arabella, herself, along with the events were meticulously researched and add so much to the story.

This book was true historical fiction, which I love, and it had me looking up historical figures and events, a true sign that it peaked my interest. I read it pretty quickly and loved the feminine perspective in a man's world.

The narrator, Gail Shalan, did a good job distinguishing the different characters with accents and the way she used her voice for different characters. I had no trouble understanding who was saying what.

Thank you to Tantor Audio, NetGalley, and author Shana Abe for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. An American Beauty is out April 25, 2023.

An American Beauty is an historical fiction novel about the real life Arabella Huntington. Arabella grew up with very little and her mother essentially sold her to a “nice” brothel. Perhaps what you might call a call girl in today’s society, rather than a straight up prostitute. This profession provides for Arabella and her large family though, giving her plenty of pride for being the major breadwinner.

She meets Collis Huntington and despite his being 30 years her senior, the two fall madly in love. Collis is married though…so, the self-made millionaire sets his love (and her family) up in a nice home and the two continue their sordid affair for years.

Eventually, Collis’ wife passes away and it’s no surprise that he decides to marry his mistress. The real bones of this story is how Arabella works her tail off attempting to be accepted by polite society…I mean, everyone knows about her humble beginnings.

I love historical fiction and stories like this. I will say this book dragged for me in a few spots, but I enjoyed it overall. It is a bit of a mind-bender to want to root for the “other woman” though. 🙃

Thank you to @tantoraudio and @netgalley for the ALC! Go check this one out now!

What a wonderful book! A historical fiction tale based on the very real life of Arabella Huntington. I had never heard of her! Raised in poverty, she did what she could to help keep her family from starving, she catches the eye of Collis Huntington - a railroad tycoon. Not only does she bring her family along with her from rags to riches, she makes sure she is set even if Collis decides he no longer wants her as his mistress.

The story was not full of thrills, but it kept my attention the whole time. I will definitely read more from Shana Abe (and looking at her past work as well).

I did not realized that I needed to download this title before the date it was archived so I missed the deadline.

I ended up purchasing this title on my own because I wanted to listen to the audiobook which was well
narrated by Gail Shalan, a new narrator for me. She portrays both male and female characters will equal skill and sets a comfortable pace which allows listeners to become invested in the settings of Gilded Age New York and post-Civil War Virginia.

It was a fun listen. The story concerns Arabella "Belle" who meets the wealthy Collis Huntington and becomes his mistress, even bearing him a secret son. She is shrewd and starts investing in NYC real estate. When she becomes his wife after the death of Collis' first wife, their immense wealth is no help to their entering snobbish
NY society.

While a familiar story, this was a fun and absorbing listen.

An American Beauty by Shana Abe - Can I just say "WoW", there's nothing I can describe her style and flow of the book. I'm a vivid historical romance set in Britain. I wanted to dip my feet outside my usual style and honestly, I'm a fan!


I just reviewed An American Beauty by Shana Abe. #AnAmericanBeauty #NetGalley
[https://www.netgalley.com/member/book/287553/review]

A sweeping rags to riches historical fiction book set in Gilded age New York that sees a little known figure from the past shine. I didn't know much (if anything) about the Arabella Huntington or the railroad baron she married but her life was truly fascinating! Perfect for fans of authors like Marie Benedict or Renee Rosen and good on audio narrated by Gail Shalan. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

An American Beauty by Shana Abe is the untold story of Belle Huntington, one of the wealthiest women in the history of the US. Raised by her widowed mother in poverty, Belle rose in society through sheer grit and determination, along with the help of a wealthy railroad tycoon. Collis Huntington is married, but the attraction between him and Belle is immediate and life changing. They will spend the rest of their lives intertwined with each other. This is that story.
Very well done by the narrator and very interesting information, I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know anything about the characters before listening and found myself looking up info about them as I read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book was long and meandering. But good and had wonderful parts. It's one of those books where you wait for the big "thing" to happen. But it never happens. It was a good listen though. The Narration was spectacular

"You never forget it, do you? That feeling of hunger. Of desperation, not just for food or shelter, but for the opportunity. The opportunity to climb out of such a life. Let us ensure that as many good people as possible are given that chance." ~ Shana Abe

Arabella Huntington was once the wealthiest woman in America and her gifts of philanthropy still benefit us today, and yet how is it I had never heard of this woman? Though her riches rivaled her contemporaries like the Astors and Vanderbilts, she was shunned by them due to her scandalous beginnings. In her lifetime, Arabella took great pains to cover her early life in Civil War era Virginia, so the author had to do a deep dive of research and paints a very believable fictional account of Arabella's rags to riches story. It's heartbreaking to think that her desperately poor, widowed mother may have pushed Arabella into supporting the family by working at a flop house and then into a relationship with much older Collis Huntington when she caught his eye. Collis, married and a multimillionaire railroad baron, remembered what it's like to be poor, and offered Arabella a way out of poverty for herself and her family.

From reading her previous novel, The Second Mrs. Astor, I knew that this author would handle the nature of Collis and Arabella's relationship in a tactful way, without explicit scenes. At times it was hard to like Arabella, the mistress, but at the same time I cheered for her when she refused to let stuffy New York society crush her. I'd like to think that if Arabella hadn't been pushed by her mother and poverty, she would have taken a different path in life. I found it interesting that the author wrote some chapters from the point of view of Clara, Collis' young daughter. Her perspective of being caught between being loyal to her mother and curious about her father's other life could be heartbreaking. And yet, Clara's forgiveness of Arabella and even her admiration of her, shows how children will adapt to be with their parents, whether it's fair to ask it of them or not. Despite the path Arabella took to rise above poverty, she redeemed herself by becoming a wife and partner to Collis in time, and by generously using her own self-made wealth charitably. I really enjoyed learning about Collis and Arabella both. Fans of the Gilded Age will want to pick this one up and will find themselves doing more reading online afterwards.

Rags to Riches

Based on the true story of Annabelle Huntington this story follows Annabelle through her poverty stricken existence to her guise as a wealthy widow.

Annabelle had the looks and the charm. She stood out amongst others. While working at Worsham's gambling parlor she meets the millionaire railroad baron Collis Huntington. It isn't long before he sets her up on New York with a fancy house and her family as well.

Through her association with Collis and her grit and determination to make something more of her life she uses his money to invest in properties which gain her fortune. Even so she is talked about an the scandal is sometimes hard for her to bear.

When Collin's wife dies she and Collin are married, but the society isn't so soon to forget and the scandal follows her. She still lives a life of luxury and provides for her family, her mother and her sisters and her son by Collin.

I listened to the audio book and it was very good. The narrator did a good job, her voice was pleasant to listen to and easy to understand.

It is the story of one woman who is determined to bring herself and her family out of poverty in the only way she knows. She is determined and she accomplishes what she set out to do.

It was a good story and I enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to Shana Abe for writing a good story, to Gail Shalan for narrating it , to Tartor Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the audio book to listen to and review.