I’m sure we have all heard of the well known former Queens of Cosmetics Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, and it’s very likely we may have bought some of their products over the years. I know that I certainly have and Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Foundation was the first foundation that I ever used. So when I was invited on the Blog Tour for A Beautiful Rival I jumped at the chance. I’ve read a few of Gill Paul’s previous books and can honestly say I’ve loved them all. So I was excited to start this one.

This book was a complete eye opener for me. I really wasn’t aware that these two well known business women were business ‘rivals’ and in direct competition to each other. It was fascinating reading about their personal lives and how they dealt with that whilst both running businesses . This book brings us through both their lives and also covers their backgrounds before they became well known. I really don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. Each chapter is told from each of their perspectives and I loved alternating between each one. Again Gill Paul has written another excellent book based on the lives of well known women. From the very start to the last page I was completely absorbed in their story. 5⭐️

A Beautiful Rival is a dramatised tale about two iconic women in the beauty world. Both were clever, driven and ruthless in pursuing their business' success, and their apparent rivalry makes an intriguing story. The vibrant characters and vivid historical detail immerse the reader in their lives, and the focus on real historical characters, albeit fictionalised, makes this a fascinating story. What stands out is their ambition and the many obstacles both women overcame to succeed. I like the evocative historical detail, the complex characters and the emotion that runs through this story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A terrific read and a wonderful insight into these two giants of the beauty world. I was transfixed throughout. Highly recommend

This historical fiction novel spans the decades-long feud and acrimonious business practices, as these two women consider themselves rivals in the beauty industry. Elizabeth Arden had been New York’s golden girl since her beauty salon opened its famous red door on Fifth Avenue. Then along came Helena Rubinstein. and Ms. Arden was not about to share the spotlight. Both women were determined to one-up each other, and in doing so, they became more and more ruthless. They planted spies, stole business and advertising ideas, planted negative items against each other in magazine and newspaper articles, started rumors, even went so far as to contact the IRS to have their competitor audited. But as each woman climbed higher, so too does what she stands to lose. Because the greater the height, the harder the fall…

This book was both fascinating and eye-opening. I had no idea about the lengths these two women went to. It definitely made me never want to use any of their products, just because of their lack of a moral code towards each other. The depths they stooped to was shocking, to say the least. if you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will definitely want to check this one out.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I have read Gill Paul’s books before and often found it hard to forget that they are based on fact but are in fact fiction. However this one I found very slow and difficult to read.
I was getting so annoyed with both women and their attitudes- though I can imagine that this is probably how they behaved in those times.
The book wasn’t for me really though I have no particular complaints about it - I just didn’t gel with it.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this eCopy to review

I loved A Beautiful Rival, I thought the characters were well defined and found the rivalry between Elizabeth and Helena fascinating, especially the lengths each would go to to stay on top.

I felt the settings were well described and loved how different each's beauty salons were.

The novel whizzed by and I was sorry when it ended, getting a glimpse into their personal lives really brought the characters alive and I cannot wait to read more by Gill Paul

I always enjoy this authors books and this was no exception. This time we are treated to the fictional, based on fact, story of the rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. I doubt there are many women of a certain age who haven’t heard of these two women, but I for one was unaware that they had such a bitter enmity. The author has obviously done extensive research and it shows. A fascinating ‘almost’ memoir.

Briefly, the book opens in 1915 in New York where Elizabeth Arden, the Canadian daughter of a poor tenant farmer, has been queen of the beauty scene for 5 years. Until Helena Rubinstein, Jewish and born in Poland, arrives in New York determined to take the crown. Told in alternating chapters the book follows the two self made millionaires over the next 40 years and through two world wars.

When these two strong women clash it’s fireworks. Neither seem to have a lot of morals when it comes to their businesses, whether poaching staff, stealing ideas, having spies in the others camp, making up false stories; anything to step over each other to claim the throne. It’s actually sad that two women, so similar in many ways couldn’t be friends rather than the constant need to prove themselves and their company as the best. They relinquished much of their personal lives in pursuing their feud. I hope they both found some happiness in their lives. Well written this is an enthralling read, entertaining and informative. I loved it.

A fascinating look behind the scenes at the lives of two incredible women- women who changed their lives and the lives of others but never really found the happiness they sold. Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden were both immigrants- from Poland and Canada respectively. They took different approaches to skin care and cosmetics but their bottom line was always women and profits. This takes them through the World Wars, when they both struggled to keep their businesses going. Yes they were rivals but they had more in common than either would admit. I liked that this alternated their perspectives and the way that Paul, who is an expert at this genre, keeps them twining around one another, as they did in life. I learned a bit, which is always a plus. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read.

Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein were both pioneers in the beauty industry in the early 19th Century- and bitter rivals. They were most similar than either of them would admit and fiercely competitive. Elizabeth was from a poor tenant farm in Canada, but as her business grew, she passed herself off as upper crust. Helena was Jewish and from Poland and after attending some medical school, she advertised herself as science based. Both women revolutionized the beauty industry.

This book reminded me a lot of a previous Gill Paul book, Jackie and Maria (which is equally engaging.) This book would be perfect for historical fiction lovers of Renee Rosen and Beatriz Williams, or those who liked the tv miniseries Feud from Ryan Murphy.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Not for me - great premise but the book itself was lacking in every way possible. Save your money there are better books out there.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
A Beautiful Rival
by Gill Paul

The knives out jealousy that forged high end glamour.

Two names that I have known about for as long as I have been interested in cosmetics, but hadn't considered in terms of the personalities behind the brands, Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden. These contemporaneous women had so many things in common, both were ambitious, driven women who pioneered the beauty industry, practically single handedly, both had inauspicious starts in life, but with absolute determination and clear eyed belief in themselves, they navigated the male dominated industries of manufacturing and marketing so adroitly, ultimately occupying the same space within their sector, the high end luxury make up industry. Rivals, never friends.

Gill Paul takes the details of their lives as recorded, and the events and occupations of the times and imagines a fictionalised account of how this powerful rivalry plays out over four decades, from the time that Helena Rubenstein arrives in New York and puts Elizabeth Arden's nose out of joint.

This is such compulsive reading, shocking and cheekily funny, as chapters alternate between both Elizabeth and Helena. The spying on practices and aesthetics, the poaching of employees and advisors, the tit for tat copying and meddling in strategies, the upward mobility efforts and petty insecurities.

This is a fantastic character study of two very different goddesses of fashion who would stop at nothing to be the biggest, the richest, the most elite and the ruthlessness required to maintain every win.

From New York to Paris and London, through two World Wars and more marriages, the sense of time and place is immaculate, and for me, the best part was finding that some of the most outlandish aspects of the plot were historically accurate.

This is my second book by this author, and the second time she blew me away with her blend of historically accurate, imaginatively realised and dramatically portrayed narrative. The Manhattan Girls and now this, I can't wait for her next book, she is an auto buy author for me now.

Publication date: 31st August 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #avonbooks for the ARC

I really enjoyed “A Beautiful Rival,” about cosmetic pioneers Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, I was hesitant to choose to read a book based on a rivalry, worried that by focusing on the conflict between the two woman, their individual stories would be reduced to a series of “would haves” and “should haves,” with their lives only being described in relationship to each other. I shouldn’t have worried. Gill Paul’s writing is so clear, direct, and unvarnished that the individuality of each woman shone through. It was more a story of two parallel lives rather than two lives in direct conflict. It somewhat reminded me of the recent novel “First Ladies” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray—a tale of two powerful women and how their lives intersected and even enriched the other.

Although somewhat slow to start, by the end I was rapidly turning the pages. It was an excellent read that I highly recommend to all lovers of historical fiction. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

A well researched, compelling and well written story about Elixabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. I appreciated how the author was able to tell the story of these two women who hated each other but were also able to create industrial empires
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I found this book so interesting and having enjoyed all of Gill Paul's books this, was no hardship to enjoy this one. I found out another about Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden and how they were always trying to outdo each other in the world of beauty. Fascinating. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Elizabeth Arden or Florence Nightingale Graham was born in Canada, her eldest brother encouraged her to move to Manhattan in the late 1880's and she worked as a waitress and at a beauty salon. Elizabeth opened her first Red Door Salon in 1910, by 1915 she expanded her business overseas and in 1934 she opened her day spa in Maine. Elizabeth wanted women to understand that make up was proper and appropriate and not just for floozies. She was the sole owner of her company Elizabeth Arden Inc. and at the time she was one of the wealthiest and most successful women in the world.

Helena Chaja Rubenstein was born in Kraków Poland, her parents were Jewish and she was the eldest of eight daughters. Banished to Australia by her father when she refused an arranged marriage to an older man and she lived with an uncle. Helena Rubenstein opened her first beauty salon in Melbourne in the late 1880's, followed by Sydney, London, Paris and finally in the shadows of The Great War she moved to New York. Helena Rubenstein liked to promote her "scientific" knowledge, her creams were made with “herbs” from the Carpathian Mountains and I guess she needed something to hide the smell of lanolin. Helena was the first in the industry to promote women having different skin types and she employed beauticians and members of her own family to work at her company Helena Rubinstein Inc.

Both ladies were ruthless, competed against each other and tried to get the upper hand in marketing and packaging, having a larger and better range of products, celebrity endorsements, giving out samples and a gift with purchase, planting spies and stealing staff and one employed the others ex-husband. Two women who were pioneer of the beauty industry, both managed to stay in business during two world wars and weathered America’s Great depression.

I received a digital copy of A Beautiful Rival by Gill Paul from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, it was a really fascinating and engrossing narrative and I enjoy reading about ambitious women. Ms. Paul looks at the rivalry between cosmetic queens, each changed the beauty industry in their own way, with their creams and lotions, sold the promise of youthfulness and the subtle use of cosmetics to enhance a ladies best features.

Did they hate each other who really knows, they did see the other as a rival, a competitor in the way of their successes and both altered the truth about some aspects of their childhoods and lives. Gill Paul is one of my favourite historical fiction authors, her research is thorough and she chooses influential women who have paved the way for future generations and five stars from me.

Excellent historical fiction about the famous Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein rivalry. Both women who made it on their own but hated each other with a passion.

This story spans years, from their early beginnings to their success to each of their deaths, Gill Paul covers it all in a well written and engaging writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved this turfwar tale about cosmetic industry titanesses, and all the parallels between their fascinating lives filled with fluctuating romance, pain, and success. The more I read, the more caught up in the story I became. Even though their meeting here towards the end was fictional, I felt that it led to a perfect ending to a wonderful book.

This was my first time reading Gill Paul but it won't be the last! I admire her honesty in admitting having gotten the idea for this book from a PBS documentary called The Powder & The Glory and a Lindy Woodhead book entitled War Paint.

I’ve never been “girly” so I wasn’t to sure about this book. A book about make up? I’ve read other books by Gill Paul and enjoyed them very much, so I gave this one a try. I’m glad I did because it’s about so much more than just make up and creams.
Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein are rivals in the beauty industry who you follow through two wars and a marriages. Women can be fierce when they know what they want! You get to know each woman and how they think and live. I went back and forth on which woman I liked..towards the end I made my decision. You can make your own.
I enjoyed reading all the interesting facts at the end of the book as well. I enjoy this time period and was glad you got to know these women to their ends.
I love Gill Paul’s writing style it flows so well..I look forward to reading more of her novels and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history and a good rivalry!

Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein are two historic characters in the realm of beauty! Each woman developed a very successful line of skin care and makeup, and each woman was driven to grow her beauty empire. Their competitive nature led to many tense moments, but made for a very intriguing novel! I enjoyed hearing more about these women and their strategies, relationships, and struggles!

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It is historical fiction based on the rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubenstein - two giants in the cosmetic/beauty industry. It is rich in history and the details of their lives. I especially enjoyed their marketing strategies and the competition with each other. You will find yourself going back and forth on who to root for in this claim to fame game in a world where women found it hard to dominate in the business world. However, these women did it! A great book!!! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.