The family fortune and reputation of a Main Line Philadelphian family may be at stake in The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel, but the ambitious yet reluctant Helen has a plan to reverse that. Even though Helen possesses beauty and wealth, she has her own ideas for the future, whether she's married or not. But things take a turn, and she realizes that marrying well will help her family rise back to their status and clear up the scandals threatening to take everything away from her and her family. During that time, she meets Edgar who may be the right solution to this temporary problem although he's just as stubbornly independent as Helen. Will this work out in the end for both parties?

I never heard of this author before I noticed this book and was intrigued. Living outside of Philadelphia, I thought this may be an interesting and entertaining book. The cover also drew me in. Upon reading the summary, it made me think of authors like Fiona Davis and Beatriz Williams, so I thought I'd give it a try. If you like both of the aforementioned authors, this book may be one to try because it has shades of both of them.

The story was intriguing, and I always enjoy reading about high society, especially of a long forgotten era. It's depicted well with satisfying descriptions of the trappings of wealth, social mores, and gorgeous estates and resorts. I was swept into this world and found some of the plotlines surprising, especially Helen's own ambitions, which were surprising for the time.

At times, Helen could be frustrating and seemed to be unable to get out of her own way. She could be extremely judgmental, which was considerable for the times but not for Helen. Helen did not always follow what was expected of a woman of her station and age. You would think she would be more understanding of others for going against the grain. She isn't, and I found her hypocritical although aren't most people that way?

I felt the pace of the book was right although it felt somewhat rushed during the last few chapters. Plus, the plots go down a silly direction that I found somewhat implausible. I liked the ending, but it was too quick and too wrapped up considering all that happens in the book. However, I liked the book, felt there were plenty of interesting twists and characters, and would definitely choose this author again. In fact, I have her next book waiting for me, and I'm excited to read it!

This was an enjoyable read set in the 20's. At times, I did find it a little slow. But overall, I did find it worthwhile. If you like historical fiction, you'll enjoy this one!

A compelling and thought provoking novel that offers a fresh perspective on the struggles and triumphs of a young woman in the 1920’s. The writing is rich in detail of the era and the characters are well crafted. I really liked Helen and the dreams she had.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"In pursuit of happiness, a young woman’s dreams extend beyond money and marriage"
The Philadelphia Heiress takes place in the 1920s. It follows Helen Montgomery but also her love for farming, marriage and social life. This was a light historical read that was written well and this was my first time reading anything by this author. I enjoyed the story and characters in the book. Overall this was a decent historical fiction read that I enjoyed. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this read in exchange of my honest review of The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel.

The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel. Pub Date: March 26, 2024. Rating: 3 stars. This novel explores high society of Philadelphia in the 1920s. It is an exploration of how the wealthy lived during this time period and how pretentious and self absorbed they could be. The amount of research the author had to do to develop the landscape of this time period was probably astronomical and it was my favorite part of this novel. Helen, the main character of the novel, was not the norm for this time period as she wanted to make a name for herself and live on her own terms but due to finances she was encouraged to marry for money. This novel explores not only wealth in this time period, but also the expectations of women. I liked this novel, but did not love it. Thanks to #netgalley and #lakeunionpublishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Philadelphia Heiress presents a solid, if unremarkable, narrative set in the 1920s, offering a glimpse into the era through the lens of historical fiction. While it fulfills its role as a period piece, it ultimately leaves something to be desired in terms of depth and engagement.

One of the main issues I encountered was the protagonist, who struggled to garner my sympathy or interest. Her character was portrayed as excessively uptight and prudish, which felt incongruent with her ambitious goal of defying societal norms by starting a dairy business. Her rigidity seemed at odds with the progressive nature of her undertaking, which made it challenging to connect with her journey or root for her success.

Additionally, there were inconsistencies in the financial aspects of the story that were difficult to overlook. The protagonist appeared to have access to considerable funds for lavish dresses and expensive jewelry, yet she still required a loan to invest in her business. This discrepancy raised questions about the financial logistics within the plot and detracted from the story's overall believability.

In contrast, the side characters, particularly April and Daisy, were far more intriguing. Their backgrounds and stories seemed rich with potential, and I found myself wishing the narrative had delved deeper into their lives and experiences. These secondary characters offered a glimpse into more compelling storylines that might have enhanced the novel's overall appeal.

In summary, while the book provides a decent historical fiction experience, it falters in its character development and narrative coherence. The side characters hold promise that might have enriched the story if given more focus.

Thank you to the author, publishing group, netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Whenever I read a novel set in the glorious-because I wasn't there-time period of the golden gilded age of the roaring twenties.
Women were finally realizing they had options outside of the home and their opinion actually mattered-but only in certain circles.
99 percent of the novels set in this time period are set in New York city or England. So, I found it refreshing to read about Philadelphia's Millionaire row.
Stories like Helen and Edgar are wonderful characters I immediately rooted for. Both for their relationships but also loved their individual growth in a time our country was booming. The author blended Helen and Edgar's story into Pennsylvania history and succeeded.

Thank you Lake Union and NetGalley for this ARC of The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel

This story set in the golden Age of the 20's is about a young heiress in Philadelphia and its a coming of age story with a little bit of romance thrown into the mix.

I don't know if the author's intention was to paint a picture of a female character who is a little volatile and one that we are meant to dislike, accidentally or on purpose. I liked the story, even if didn't feel like the story had any really defining plot arch. I just wish I could relate to Helen a bit more. As this was where I struggled. I liked the book , however it was a hard read for me.

A fun read set in the 20s …romance, famiky matters, travel and a lot of famous name dropping. A great easy read .

A book about a strong willed and strongly moraled young debutante who loves nothing more than her horses and cows. I love strong FMC but in the context of 1920s Philadelphia, there's a lot of incongruous feelings with the bullheadedness of the FMC and the place of women of the time. There's also a general bypassing of history while still subtly making very clear the historical landmarks and social structures of Philadelphia.
There are some parts I was so intrigued by and others I wanted to like more than I did.

#arc
#netgalley
#thephiladelphiaheiress

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This book fel flat for me. The story was very bland and nothing really happened. I was excited to read something set in my home town of Philadelphia. Our main character was a total bore.

The Philadelphia Heiress is a fluffy book. There is nothing deep or meaningful about the story. There really isn’t even any conflict. I spent much of the time reading feeling annoyed by Helen’s attitude. Her expectations of others are impossibly high, and she is unforgiving when they fail to be met.
That all being said, I have never before finished a book when I disliked the main character as much as I disliked Helen. The fact that I finished says a lot about Anita Abriel’s writing, because I don’t typically finish fluffy books either. But sometimes a light fluffy book is just what the brain needs, and I guess I needed that when I picked this one up.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All of the opinions are my own. Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley!

I enjoy reading the book, but there are some parts of it that I probably don't like. The ending is not what I expected to come. One thing I like about the book is the setting, which is the 1920s (imagine the fashion). I have mixed feelings about the main character, Helen. She overreacts most of the things. Overall, The Philadelphia Heiress is a decent book.

3.5 stars (round up would be 4 stars)

Thank you Lake Union & NetGalley for access to this title. The Philadelphia Heiress is a historical piece set in the 1920’s. It follows the main character Helen, her love for farming, marriage and social life. I enjoyed this book though at times found Helen unlikeable due to her temper and strong opinions. Overall, it was interesting to learn about the area and time in history. I look forward to reading more titles by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I had high expectations for this book due to its description matching my wants for a book. Sadly the story did not rise to my expectations and I ended up not finishing it. I did love the cover though

This book had all the makings of something I would love, but I am sad to report that it completely missed the mark. I felt as though nothing happened throughout the novel, and it was too much tell rather than show. I wanted more growth from the lead, which didn't happen, and the ending was predictable and rushed.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars

This was a perfectly decent story - that was simply set in the 19020's. An Ok read by historical fiction standards. The main issue I had was the main character was just not likeable - at all - so uptight and prudish for a woman who is trying to break societal norms with starting a dairy. I also questioned how it was she had all this money to spend on fancy dresses and such and her husband could buy her fancy jewelry but she needed a loan to put into her business? IMO the side characters seemed much more interesting and I would have liked to know more about them and their lives - especially April and Daisy.

This was, for me, just really slow. I felt that the writing was alright, the story jumped/was choppy and it kept me from getting fully immersed in the book. I wanted to read this based on the description of the book, but I don't think this one was really for me.

Tons of history and research was put into this book to make it authentic (kudos to the author).

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Glamour, romance and dreams are featured in this unputdownable peek into 1920s Philadelphia high society. Main character Helen tries to standout against society norms and develop her dairy business, but finds herself balancing family scandals, finding love and holding onto her dreams. This is a great book for funs of Gilded Age era novels.

This is a story that is fun to read as Helen gets to go New York with her uncle for her birthday in his beautiful automobile. They had plans to eat at the Plaza, pick up her coming out dress and go to the latest Broadway play. But then, she sees her Dad lunching with another woman and that sets off a series of events that lead Helen to get married to the wrong man - or is he so wrong?

The twists and turns of this novel as well as learning about the Mainline of Philadelphia made this novel a fast, enjoyable read. I am grateful to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to discovering Anita Abriel and I look forward to reading more of her books.

I was drawn to the book for its gorgeous cover and a tale that might go along the lines similar to the movies, The Philadelphia Story or High Society. The story of a young girl in the 1920s whose life was grand - descriptions of the fabulously wealthy in the 1920s - until it wasn’t and in order to secure her family’s financial and social standing has to marry well to make amends.

The author has done her research for the period, including a great amount of detail. Readers are sure to enjoy these descriptions - clothes, houses, holidays and some famous people of the period. However, the story is a bit dry and predictable, especially the ending.




“Is that why you want to spend time with me?” Helen wondered. “Because of my wealth and my mother’s family tree?”