When Angela Burdette showed up for the reading of her step grandmother’s will she was expecting a vase or a portrait never in a million years did she think it would make her the second richest woman in England. Due to tradition Angela and the rest of the family thought the bulk of the wealth would go to her oldest brother Dudley, but because he married a Bonaparte he was cut out of the will. Needless to say Angela was in shock and Dudley was incensed and it would affect their close relationship for the rest of their lives. After Angela resigned herself to being so wealthy she then didn’t know what to do with her days although most women in her position would’ve had tea with other ladies of like social standing but Angela wasn’t like them at all. So when her companion and lifelong best friend Hannah told her about European salons that wealthy people gave and attended The more Angela thought about it the more she liked the idea of people from different backgrounds getting together to share ideas and motivations. Initially Angela thought she would go to the bank since she owned the majority of shares and worked there but Mr. Collins told her if she insisted on doing that he would resign as bank manager as would most of the male employees and thinking he was probably right, so she'd focus her attention elsewhere it’s too bad Mr. Collins didn’t know this because he then teamed up with her brother to try and scare her into giving him her wealth. Angela was a feminist long before being won with fashionable she lived the life the way she dictated and not so sued decree and the last thing she was going to let anyone do is take the well that was honestly bestow to her away. She would love who she wanted live the way she water and that included helping the poor people of Britain thanks to Charles dickens high-rise we’re completely open to the strife impoverished people face in her city and although at first she was bewildered she eventually became angry and then became active. She would do many things that garnered her the moniker of queen of the poor and she would also be the topic of conversation went gossipers wanted something to talk about but it would be much later in life that she would do her most scandalous act. This book was so good I absolutely enjoyed it I loved it and highly recommend that it is a total five star read. Although I did find some things historically inaccurate it mainly had to do with conversations and not actual events so I’m still giving it five stars I loved this book so much! I want to thank Ramauce Books Annette Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

When she is bequeathed a large fortune, Angela is more than surprised, and the same can be said for her brother Dudley, who, as the oldest son, feels the assets are his. He tries scheme after scheme against his sister and fails. With friends like Charles Dickens & the Duke of Wellington on her side, she's a force to be reckoned with. Angela Burdett-Coutts was ahead her of time. She questioned the limitations and barriers that women of her time faced. She immerses herself in trying to support the impoverished families and to create opportunities for them to better their lives.

It was a pretty quick read (less than 200 pages), and honestly, I enjoyed learning about Angela & her ventures in a male dominate world. I would have liked more depth or information regarding the changes she invoked by the investments and charities that she supported.

It's a very short book as far as historical fiction goes but I enjoyed it just the same. I knew nothing about Angela Burdett-Coutts so this made it all the more interesting for me. It jumps ahead through time in her life (but from what I've read about Mr. Gold's other novels it seems to be his MO), but this doesn't bother me. Where I think it falls it that it seems to never complete a relationship. Such as her relationship with Charles Dickens - what happened and why? - her brother - again same thing. The book is almost a cliff notes of her life. Overall, I enjoyed it and it won't stop me from reading more of this author's books. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.