The life Arabella Huntington lead was very intriguing. The novel shows her early life during the civil war, the tribulations she and her family encountered that lead to her life as a mistress. Arabella did not let her circumstances define her life. She prove to be savvy heroine. This novel has several POVs of Arabella throughout her life that include her mother Catherine and her stepdaughter Clara. All three generations of women with different life challenges & restrictions society imposed on women in the gilded age. I was invested in the characters and appreciate how they dealt with their own obstacles. I received this audio novel as an ARC, the narration by Gail Shalan was wonderful. My only confusion was in the beginning when the POVs changed, I didn’t realize it had multiple POVs. However the narrator did mention the character POV at the start of the chapter. I recommend this inspiring delight of a book..

I really enjoyed this one!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for my advanced listeners copy of An American Beauty!

I don't really have much to say.

An American Beauty was narrated by Gail Shalan.
This was my first time hearing her narrate and she did an exceptional job.
The book itself was well written, engaging and had the perfect balance of documented facts and blank spaces filled in by the authors imagination.
I loved reading and learning about Arabella Huntington and her family.

Overall- Recommend. I look forward to reading more books by Shana Abe.

I love historical fiction about especially about the gilded age. This book was really enjoyable. I knew nothing about the Harrington's before reading this book.
The story follows the life of Arabella Huntington. She was the rumored mistress of Collis P. Huntington, a railroad tycoon. The story is a fictionalized version of her life and it is fascinating to read about life during the gilded age in America. I did feel like the book started to drag on towards the end, but I still enjoyed it!
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to read and review.

Arbella (Belle) has to provide for her family in post-Civil War Virginia. She is working in a gambling house when she meets Collis Huntington, a railroad magnate and one of the richest men in America. Belle sees her chance to save her family from ruin and she becomes Collis' kept woman. Moving to New York in the Gilded Age, everyone knows that Belle is Collis' mistress- then even have a son together. She is shunned from polite society, but her family is kept afloat by Collis' money and Belle has wealth and privilege more than she ever could have dreamed up. This is the story about that turns a woman whom history might have branded a harlot into a survivor and heroine.

I listened to this book on audio and at first was put off by the accents voices the narrator chose to use, but then ended up loving it. I have read one previous Shana Abe historical fiction and I would put her up there with other well-known writers as one of the best. I think I would have liked this book in print, but I loved it on audiobook. 4.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance audio version for review.

A historical fiction based on the life of Arabella Huntington, mistress to Collis Huntington and then 2nd wife. As much as I enjoyed this book and this time period especially, I feel like way too much emphasis was put on Belle's looks than her cunning business acumen. I suppose back then you had to use what God gave you, but it just rankled a little. It definitely got a little better after Belle actually married Collis but it stinks that women just weren't recognized for their own intelligence and fortitude and had to rely on men and their position in society. I do love that Belle pulled herself and her family up out of poverty to thrive and flourish and make a difference in society. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tantorfor this audio e-file.*

Based on the true story of one of America’s wealthiest self made women, this fascinating novel takes readers back to post Civil War Virginia, where Belle Yarrington is working at a gambling hall. There she catches the eye of Uber wealthy Collins Huntington, a railway tycoon. He wants Belle as his mistress, but she makes it clear that this will only happen under her terms. Their ensuing story, a child born out of wedlock, a marriage after Huntingtons wife passed away and the reluctance of society to accept Belle, makes for fascinating reading

The cover art of this book has elegant deep purples, and bold cobalt blues against a simplified damask wallpaper like a cloudless cerulean sky. The face of the leading lady ascending a staircase is left to the imagination, but based on the author’s strong characterization of her, the image isn’t necessary. I pictured her in my mind as a true American Beauty.

The author has a flare for sensational fiction with elaborate detail. The settings, gardens, foods, and emotions are described in delicate prose.

The story unfolds through journal entries, letters, flashbacks, and time jumps through the omniscient point of view of various characters. The time narrated in the novel spans from Arabella as a teen through old age but seems to be narrated in real time, sometimes jumping years between chapters. The story starts with her as an elderly woman, so I did have the impression of Arabella reflecting back on the unabashed retelling of her life story.

This novel is based on actual people. Arabella Huntington, the second wife of Collis Huntington, was once recognized as one of the wealthiest women in America. She is known for her philanthropy, including the first fund for cancer research, and her contributions to art museums. The wealthy railroad tycoon that Arabella had an affair with that led to her elevation out of poverty, refers to her as his sweet demon. I initially did not think of this as a term of endearment to be flattered by, but later realized it was a compliment of her tantalizing and clever maneuvers to take care of herself and her family.

The narration contains sophisticated and casual northern and southern American accents, both male and female, so there is apparently no dialect the gifted narrator, Gail Shalan @grshalan has not mastered.

This book was classically beautiful, it will probably become a classic one day. I enjoyed it quite a lot.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor audio for the early listen. Author weaved a wonderful story of the Gilded Age! Another great time period piece. The characters were all likable. Narrator did a great job telling the story and giving each character their own voice. Will recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I love biographical historical fiction. Its probably my favorite genre of all. So I was eager to read this book about someone I had never previously heard of, Arabella Huntington. Arabella was from an impoverished family. Her father was dead and her mother struggled to make ends meet by running their home as a boarding house. She was basically given by her mother to a man who ran a gambling bar where the women were prostituted to clients. One day she meets Collis Huntington, a man much older than her and a self made millionaire who created a railroad empire. He is a married man but is taken with her and makes her his mistress which in turn, helps her entire family out of their poverty. I truly found this novel brilliantly written and the story was interesting. But the book's description implies that Arabella became an important philanthropist but other than seeing her help her family and become interested in collecting art, we don't really get to see that side of her which I found a bit disappointing. I appreciate her journey from a dire position in life to a life of luxury but honestly wasn't sure why she got to this point other than being beautiful and in the right time and place. The book also tells some of the story from Collis's daughter Clara's point of view. I found her story and point of view far more engaging. They were the highlights of this book in my opinion. I did really respect how Arabella built her relationship with Clara. It was an ugly situation and she did a good job of handling all that entailed.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61341955-an-american-beauty

What a fascinating story of Arabella Huntington who back in the gilded age was considered one of the richest women in America at that time! She was an amazing character, one who had a number of mysteries surrounding her early years. It was whispered about that she and her first husband never married although they had a son together. She worked as an aide later in New York to Collis Huntington, a railway magnate who was also rumored to be her lover.

After Collis's wife died, he married Arabella, who now had wealth beyond her dreams. Collis adopted her son, Archer. It was hard for Arabella, because she fought against the New York Knickerbocker society who considered her to be a charlatan. However, Arabella was no fool, and decided to invest her own money in real estate gong up against men like John D. Rockefeller. When Collis passed, Arabella married Collis's widowed nephew, Edward, who was also a railroad magnate. She died in 1924, while her son went on to be a philanthropist like his mother. Edward outlived her by three years.

What an absolutely fascinating woman, and Shana Abe certainly made her into such an intriguing figure. She acted like a Southern lady who had her share of societal pressure, but with the undying love of both of her husbands. She was a Southern beauty, one that attracted men, but kept her eyes focused on her life with Collis. And what a life it was! Inheriting what's to believe to be fifty million dollars (untaxed at that time), she was able to afford her heart's desire. However, Arabella was a philanthropist giving money to Huntington Fund for Cancer Research. The hospital later developed into the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

An amazing life indeed and one that she always was able to hold her head up and ignore the many barbs and arrows that headed her way.

Thank you to Shana Abe, Tantor Audio, (Gail Shalan narrator), and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this story.

The pure research that went in to this book is astonishing. Based on a true story of Arabella Huntington a rather rich woman that fought her way to respectability during the Gilded Age. Arabella Duval Yarrington is only a teenager when the Civil War ends, she lives in a decimated Richmond, Virginia with her mother Catherine and her four siblings. Arabella works nights at a gambling parlor, she wears a low cut purple gown and serves champagne. Arabella is seventeen when she meets Collis Huntington in Richmond, he’s a much older railroad baron and a multimillionaire. They have an affair, Arabella and her family move to New York, Collis buys her a house in Manhattan and he lives not far away on Park Avenue with his wife Elizabeth and daughter Clara. The reader understands the strength and forethought to survive that Arabella portrays even if you don't agree with her approach. Without being present in post Civil War south the reader can't really understand the conditions or what it took to survive. Arabella is the embodiment of survival, strength and compassion. The book is captivating and straightforward with a great development of the characters. I would recommend this book.
Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the audiobook version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story was interesting. It’s good read to pass the time. I liked Arabella and how she did everything for her family and her future.

Thank you, Net Galley, for an audio ARC of An American Beauty by Shana Abe. This is a historical romance that stars at a gambling hall. Collis sees Anabelle, falls in love with her despite being married. This is their story.