This book was like, the definition of fine, not great. This was obviously exhaustively researched (exhaustingly, at some points) and the storyline was pleasant enough but nothing much happened. The book was so calm, which is great if that’s what you want, but I was hoping for a little more action, some intrigue, some emotion, something to keep me invested. It was okay, I just didn’t love it.

It's difficult to like a novel when the main character is so unlikeable. While I may not have liked Helen, I did like the host of other characters around her; they were all interesting and fun. The setting was fascinating and, at times, the descriptions made it almost feel like I was in 1920s Philadelphia. I just really wish I had connected with Helen more but her inability to enjoy life was difficult to get through.

I love reading about this era but found this a little lacking. There was a lot of detailed description about everything which showed much research had been done but I didn’t particularly warm to any of the characters and found it all a little bit weak, especially the end which was predictable from the beginning.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free e-copy in exchange for a honest review.This is the story of Helen Montgomery a young wealthy young woman who after her father cheats on her mother, is forced to marry well so her father doesn’t lose his fortune.She is a very modern woman in 1927- preferring to work at her her family’s farm, Dumfries, than to attend balls and dances.Edgar , a struggling writer with a rich family, is the man Helen chooses to marriage. Neither of them are ready for marriage and they fight constantly and finally separate .She soon after meets George an up and coming builder who can offer Helen anything she desires but does she love him.? Very informative drama about women’s role and expectations from life in the early 20 th century.

It was the year 1927, where in Philadelphia's high society, young unmarried women were expected to attend debutante balls to meet their future husband. Helen Montgomery was one of those women coming from a wealthy family to carry on the tradition. However, Helen had dreams of her own. She wanted to make a name for herself to own a dairy farm business. In the 1920's, women were not granted bank loans. It was extremely difficult.

A shocking revelation occurred on Helen's birthday and changed the course of her life. In order for her to keep Dumfries Farm, Helen had to look for a wealthy husband because of her family's troubled finances and her father's scandal.

I enjoyed reading about the life and times of 1920's high society. The similarity between the past and the present is that we are reminded that finding love, self esteem and true happiness are timeless regardless of society status.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I enjoyed reading The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel. You will fall in love with all the characters. Happy reading! I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review.

If you love historical fiction, pick this one up! It's set in the 1920's, in Philadelphia. If follows Helen, who was born wealthy, and wants to own her own business. She's forced to marry for money to save her parent's reputation. The story goes through her struggles, romances, betrayals, and regrets. There are so many small details related to the era, Abriel must have done so much research, and I loved it! I felt like this was a quick, enjoyable read that had great character development and really brought the 20s to life! Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I was really looking forward to The Philadelphia Heiress. Historical fiction set in the United States is my one of my favorite genres.
I really enjoyed the challenges with the social aspect of women in the 1920’s, it really showed how different it was back then, all the sacrifices women made for their social circles. I think the story did fall a little flat though. I didn’t care too much for the main characters. I did love Jack and would love his own story. Even Daisy’s story I think I would enjoy more.

Helen has grown up in Philadelphia society but a wrong decision by her father puts his business and their lifestyle in jeopardy and it’s up to her to secure a ‘good’ marriage to save the family.

I found the characters all a bit weak and I’m not really sure what the point of the story was. I had been hoping it would be a story about a young woman standing up against the expectations of society, but it fell short in this area. The relationships between the characters felt a bit superficial and shallow.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

Born & raised in the Philadelphia area, I was excited to read a book set on the Main Line. I give credit to the author for the deep research clearly present within this book. However, the book read more as a historical account vs. work of fiction. I could not identify with the main character, who seemed to only see the world in black and white and was largely unwilling to compromise on her own worldview as the sole "right" perspective. This one just wasn't for me, but may be better suited for someone who appreciates setting-driven, research-forward novels.

The 1920s come to life before your eyes in this book, with a rich setting, and great characters. Helen and Edgar were practically made for each other, but things in life are rarely perfect, and we get to see their journey from single, independent young adults, to a married couple, to dealing with the troubles that eventually arise. I loved both their characters. They're unique but believable. The story moves along fairly smoothly overall, and really is character driven. If you enjoy historical women's fiction, you're sure to enjoy reading this!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this new novel by the talented Anita Abriel.
The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel is another brilliant historical novel.
I loved her previous novel, The Light After the War, and this one didn’t disappoint.
This is very well written, well-researched, flows nicely, and pulls you in with Abril's writing style and story line.
A very fast paced read for me, the descriptions of the 1927s, and Helen’s coming of age story is truly breathtaking.
Unexpected twists and turns in this incredibly exciting historical book kept me glued to the penned word in The Philadelphia Heiress.

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thanks for the ARC! The things I liked: the time period, since I don’t read as much from the 20s. The setting, since most historical books at this time are on true New England or NYC. The reality of relationships and how they are complicated.

What I didn’t like: Helen, which unfortunately killed the vibe of the book for me.

This is a story set in the 1920s in Philadelphia. Though Helen is born into a extremely wealthy family - think railroad tycoons and steel dynasties-she doesn't fit in. She does not care about all the expensive gowns and jewelry most young women in her circumstances do. She loves her family's 'hobby farm', and is very passionate to make her own mark as a dairy producer. Forced to marry for money to save her parents property and reputation, she does her duty. Most men in her circles just want a wife to host their parties and advance their social standing. If she can't find love then she at least needs a husband who will agree to her continuing her work on the farm. There is romance and love, jealousy and betrayals, regrets and despair. I loved Helen and how she refused to give up her dreams just to help a man further his ambitions. Thank you Netgally for the chance to read the ARC. I definitely recommend!

1927. Helen Montgomery’s mother Charlotte is planning her debutante ball, her family are well off and they live at Dumfries on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Helen's father imported Ayrshire cows, she’s interested in making butter and cheese. When her father Robert is caught up in a scandal, his membership is cancelled to his clubs, the family's social status nose dives and financially it has dire consequences. Helen is furious at her father, her mother decides to forgive him and her solution to their problems is for eighteen year old Helen to marry someone wealthy and hopefully this will repair the damage?

Edgar Scott is the son of a railroad magnate, he wants to be an author, and his parents hope by marrying Helen he will settle down. Edgar and Helen are young, not prepared for the challenges being married throws at them and it doesn't take long for the honeymoon bubble to burst.
Edgar gets extremely frustrated and grumpy when he’s writing, the words don't flow and he doesnt take rejection well. Helen is annoyed because she has had to give up her hopes and dreams and she hasn’t married a man and instead he’s an immature sook. The couple think a change of scenery might give Edgar inspiration to write, they meet some interesting people of their travels and they live a very bohemian lifestyle.

I received a copy of The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The narrative looks how rich people in Philadelphia lived, I must say I found the characters in the book rather shallow and self-absorbed, and I guess it represents what they were really like at the time. Helen had issues forgiving her father for his fall from grace and discovering he’s human and made mistakes was a big shock. The main focus on the story is around relationships and marriage, even happily married couples fight and don’t agree on everything. I found Helen to be rather spoilt and unrealistic and the only characters I really liked were her sister Daisy and uncle Jack. Three stars from me, I preferred the author's previous book The Life She Wanted over her latest novel.

I enjoyed Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel. The characters were well defined and Ms Abriel did a nice job of developing the plot. Although this was not my favorite book by Ms Abriel, I would recommend the book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction.

I gave Philadelphia Heiress 4/5 stars.

I just reviewed The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel. And I didn't like it, I think is just not my genre. #ThePhiladelphiaHeiress #NetGalley

Everything about this book should appeal to my reading tastes. Unfortunately, I could not stay focused due to the writing style. For some reason, most explanations and descriptions of setting were either lackluster or unclear, leaving me confused as to where we were or what was happening.

I also found that the story was extremely predictable from the very beginning. At 10% in, I should have still had questions and did not. Overall, not worth my time.

There is just something about the 1920’s that is absolutely captivating. In Philadelphia’s high society where a debutante ball is expected for proper young ladies, Helen wants anything but a formal debut but a shocking and unsettling revelation on her birthday changes the course of her life. The Philadelphia Heiress is a beautiful coming of age story in the roaring 20’s, with a colorful cast of characters. In the center is our beautiful girl , Helen, as we sympathize with her rise to adulthood while contemplating the fulfillment of personal happiness amidst family loyalty in a tumultuous time. And even though the story takes places a century ago, we are reminded that finding love, self-worth, and true happiness are timeless quests.


Review is on Goodreads and will be posted to Instagram 3/21.

The Philadelphia Heiress, by Anita Abriel, is set primarily in the late 1920's, on the Main Line, a Philadelphia suburb that catered to the ultra wealthy. The protagonist is a young woman who appears somewhat out of step with the social mores of the time. She wants to work, build a business based on the dairy products that might be produced on her families' estate. I wanted to cheer her on as she navigated her professional goals in the midst of family and class constraints. But, the story devolved into romance, and extremely detailed descriptions of clothing, furniture and mansions. Even more troubling, the main character quickly became very rigid and dismissive of anyone who failed to meet her standards of social or moral behavior. Her lack of compassion and inability to see others' point of view became tiresome. In what I can only describe as an unexpected plot twist or character reversal, she suddenly becomes far more likable. Unfortunately, this is in the very last chapter. The author did a superb job of capturing and conveying the texture of both the class and the era. It was clearly the result of tireless research. In some ways, this novel reminded me of Downton Abbey...minus the acerbic humor of Maggie Smith's character. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.