Master storyteller Gill Paul is at her dazzling best with her latest enthralling historical novel, A Beautiful Rival.

New York, 1915, Elizabeth Arden is the toast of New York. Against all odds, she has built a beauty empire that has propelled her all the way to the top. Getting there has been anything but easy and Elizabeth has sacrificed a lot in order to make her professional dreams a reality. Nothing and nobody is going to get in the way of her business aspirations – until a new rival enters the ring that changes the rules of the game beyond everyone’s expectations: Helena Rubenstein.

Helena does not suffer fools gladly and she fully intends to topple Elizabeth from her throne as the queen of the beauty industry – even if it means playing dirty. With the stakes having never been higher and both women determined to win this battle for dominance in the cosmetics sphere, the gloves are off and the battle commences. From copying products to poaching employees and hiring ex-husbands, nothing – and nobody – is off limits.

However, Elizabeth and Helena are about to learn that scaling the heights of success comes at a very high cost. Are they ready to pay the price for their ambition? Will it be worth it? Or will this fight end up leaving both of them with nothing?

Gill Paul brilliantly chronicles the lives of some of history’s most indomitable females and she has done it again with A Beautiful Rival. A riveting tale of power, ambition, obsession and power, A Beautiful Rival brings to vivid and colourful life two of the twentieth century’s most fascinating women.

Gill Paul’s research is impeccable, her ability to capture the spirit of the age superb and her ability to write a layered, captivating and complex page-turner second to none. A Beautiful Rival is a wonderful story about powerful women that will keep readers glued to its pages and one that will keep them on the edge of their seat from start to finish.

An unforgettable tale from a hugely gifted writer, A Beautiful Rival by Gill Paul is not to be missed.

I became such a huge fan of Gill Paul's writing after reading her previous novels, The Lost Daughter and The Collector's Daughter. These novels were so amazing so I was really excited to read this one in which Paul depicts the relationship between Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, who were both two leading ladies of the cosmetics and beauty industry. The two of them had a strong rivalry that carried across many years, including the years of World War II and the Great Depression. I found this novel to be very engaging and the writing did not disappoint in terms of keeping me interested in both Helena and Elizabeth's stories, as well as the story about their rivalry with each other. I feel as though the story flowed very easily and I found myself becoming more invested in the stories/lives of both women as I kept reading. I think people who enjoy reading historical fiction novels will really like this one, and even those who are a fan of makeup and beauty in general. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Gill Paul's novels in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

A new Gill Paul book is always an exciting occasion; this novel continued her standard of excellence. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction!

Book Name: A Beautiful Rival
Author: Gill Paul

ARC
Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Stars: 4

- Makeup History
- Complex Women
- Work Vs Love
- The Price of Success
- ruthless rivalry

Brillant storytelling of little known slice of American History and the rise of two of the most iconic makeup brands to this day

I wanted to love this book, but it read almost like a nonfiction book to me. I enjoyed learning about the women in the book, but I think nonfiction lovers would enjoy this book more than juicy historical fiction lovers.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. This wasnt one of my normal genre picks but I am glad I picked this one. I had no idea any of this had happened or that there had even been a rivalry but this was a page turner through and through!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this book in exchange for my honest review. This book was very captivating, and I did enjoy reading it. However, at some points, the story was slightly boring. However, I did enjoy reading about the well-known makeup stylists Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein. With that being said, I think I enjoyed Gill Paul's book about Dorthy Parker a little better than this one. However, I would definitely be open to reading another book by Gill Paul in the future!

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I simply cannot get enough of what Gill Paul writes! I absolutely love her style and topics. Another pair of women I knew nothing about and yet again has left me lingering and wanting to know more. A triumph again!

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

I really enjoyed this story filled with facts about two lovely icons of beauty. Though some was fiction it was nice to be able to read about what could have truly been a "Beautiful Rival" between these two ladies that will always remain a part of history.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC.

What a perfect title considering the plot and the women.

Right from the start I could tell that both Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden were both tough women.

I never went to an Elizabeth Arden salon or used her products but do recall the infamous red front doors that she's known for. As I read further into the book, I realized that I know about Elizabeth's Blue Grass perfume and Helena's Heaven Scent perfume.

As for Helena Rubenstein, I didn't know much about her or Elizabeth Arden for that matter besides the above, which is another reason I wanted to read this book though it is fiction but I do know for a fact that the author did a lot of research by seeing things on her FB page that she posted.

I learned a lot about both women. I need to do research myself sometimes about things like this I guess. I do know that I'm not sure if I liked either one of them. They were mean-spirited sometimes and not sure if I would want to come up against these women.


Reading Progress

I enjoyed this story but felt like it was very repetitive, and neither woman seemed very likable. I understand the time period played a large role in how they acted in business, but I just didn’t care for either of them.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Whenever there is a new book written by Gill Paul I am there. This book showcases the rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein. Set in the 1920's and 1930's they were very successful at a time when women were not in business, but rather at home being wives and mothers. Their feud continued across the globe, through two world wars and the Great Depression. The research and writing were on point and the story was amazing. I don't know when her next book will be out, but I'll be waiting.

Here is the story of the rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, both giants in the women's cosmetic field and pioneers in their own right. Interesting telling of the lives of these dynamic women, as they try to knock each other off the pedestal and prove that they are the queen of women's skin care in a time when women were discovering that it was okay to wear makeup to take care of themselves. However, in their quest to be the best, they both lose sight of what truly makes life fulfilling and lasting, that of having loving relationships with family. Amazing, they were very much alike.Both were from poor backgrounds that drove them to succeed and yet, they tried to erase their past. They often neglected friends and families in their search for greed. I found it rather sad and did not find either women admirable, although they were both successful business women. But it was just okay, I thought it was a bit slow. The characters were hard to care about, only that at the end, they find a truce where they feel they can coexist and realize they made each other better and who they were. I have like other Gill Paul stories much better, this was just okay. Many thanks to #netgalley, #abeautfiulrival #gillpaul for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really wanted to like this book but it was a very slow read for me. I learned a lot about Elizabeth Arden and her rival Helena Rubinstein but couldn’t get into the tale.

I have read many Gill Paul's books and really enjoyed them, however this book seemed more like two women's diaries..... trying to outdo each other, without any interaction between them.

What a beautiful book and one I was entertained by, enjoyed immensely and found to be utterly intriguing.
This is an historical fiction about cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, their rivalry, their lives and their loves. This is a book about strong women, about rising and climbing the career ladders of cosmetics and about how the lives of these two woman evolved.

The research was wonderful and the fictionalisation was a great addition to this book. It was a very entertaining read and so very interesting. I am not a person who has perfumes or cosmetics but this story made me think about all those people out their that do use these products and how they have affected the people who made them possible.

A great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

While I have 3 Elizabeth Arden perfumes, I have not given much thought to the person behind the brand. Helena Rubinstein is an exotic name....but again I know nothing. So it was fascinating to read about the ladies behinds the brands.....both pioneers in the beautiful world of beautiful people....but it wasn't really that beautiful was it?
In "A Beautiful Rival" Gill Paul takes readers behind the glitz, to the reality of hardwork which started during the first world war and continued until these 2 powerful women died.
Not only do we follow the development of each brand, we explore their inter-relationship...dirty tactics such as spying and poaching each others staff, as Elizabeth and Helena strive for the next new product in a market that has taken some cultivating. From a time where women just didn't wear make-up, to selling the concept of loving ones self. The rich could afford the pampering but how could the "common women" market be cornered?
Covering WW1, through the depression, stock market crash and WW2, A Beautiful Rival is also a social commentary. Helena is a Jew and the horror of Hitler's regime hits close to her Polish home. Even Elizabeth's family are dragged into the aftermath of conspiracy. Both women are gritty and feisty but both also have frailties.
Gill Paul has meticulously researched then added a little fictional license, taking us into the world of face cream wars. And a world where women are finding their feet in the world of global business ...sometimes it's your fellow female who is your biggest rival. But rivalry breeds innovation and determination...both Elizabeth and Helena had these innately.
Thank you for a riveting read NetGalley, Gill Paul and Avon Books UK.

I absolutely ate this book up! I loved hearing about The rivalries between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. This lady me reading at night with a flashlight just like I wad a kid again! Beautiful. I loved it. 5 stars!
I just reviewed A Beautiful Rival by Gill Paul. #NetGalley
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Another fascinating book by Gil Paul.The rivalry between Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden was an amazing story full of intrigue and emotion.I enjoyed this book from first to last page.#netgalley avonbooksuk