A captivating period novel.
I really warmed to the main characters as the book went on. Helen is a product of her time and class, but holds everyone to impossible standards.
As she grows up and comes up against real life, she slowly comes to realise that life is not all black and white.

I found this to be an interesting read. While I loved the the ambience the book emits and wraps you with, which demonstrates an amazing research effort by the author, the only conclusion it led me to was that I hated the main character.
She is stuck in their ways and has no growth at all throughout the book. It really is frustrating how everyone describes her as a humble high society member while she spends the whole book proving the opposite. How she mentions during the book how she hates men thinking they can decide for her but at every turn ends up letting them do so is infuriating. In the end this character is just another eras pick me girl, and thoroughly annoying.

Advanced reader copy provided by #NetGalley #ThePhiladelphiaHeiress

I had high hopes for this book from the description but, alas, those hopes were dashed. I did not finish it because to me it was reminiscent of a series of books that start with the letter H - the trite romance novel. It was definitely not my cup of tea. But, for readers who enjoy this genre, I think they will definitely enjoy this book because it’s quite well written.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel. It’s the Main Line in the 1920s. Helen is a reluctant debutante. She is much more interested in tending to the dairy cows on her family’s estate then husband hunting. She’s trying to develop her own line of cheeses. Suddenly, her father gets caught with a show girl. There’s a scandal and Helen must marry quickly. She must find a suitor from the right family who belongs to the right clubs. There’s a few possible fellows but then she’s swept off her feet by fledgling author, Edgar. They marry but the marriage is rocky. Will Helen and Edgar live happily ever after? Eh. I didn’t really care. Bonus points though for fabulous cover art! #bookstagram #whatiread #anitaabriel #bookgram #netgalley #books #reading #mainline #bookworm #goodreads #libbyapp #arc

The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel is a beautiful historical love story. The story was written during times when women were not given loans. The banks had to look at your husbands finances too. Helen was looking for a husband at her coming out party because her father had an affair with another woman. This book will surprise you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book which had hints of High Society and Philadelphia Story throughout the whole book. The story about Helen and her family’s history in Philadelphia in the 1920’s was a delightful, easy , breezy read, the author was very descriptive about the decor, the clothing, and the way of life for the rich and privileged of society. The story was so- so , but it was an enjoyable weekend read.

While this book's genre is women's fiction, it reads more like a history book. The amount of research Abriel must have done for this story is mind-boggling, with page after page of descriptions of rooms, furniture, cocktails, houses, clothes, car models, family names, and food in a 1920s' setting.
If you love reading books that are almost 100% tell rather than show, you'll love this one. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan. Some examples of the content:
Charlotte didn't approve of the hours Helen spent with the cows. ... Helen loved her mother and didn't want to disappoint her. ... Helen adored horses almost as much as her beloved cows. She had her first pony when she was four and won her first ribbon at the Devon Horse Show at the age of ten. ... ___ slipped the ring on her finger. He kissed her softly on the mouth. She wanted him to kiss her longer.
The story was decent, but it felt devoid of any emotion at all, as if a narrator was in the background reading rather than letting me step into the MC's character to experience any of it. I hope you enjoy it more than I did.

•Plot: 3/5 (A young heiress marries rich to save her family’s fortune after a scandal.)

•Characters: 3/5 (The main character is so rigid. There is growth, but everything is so black and white with her.)

•Writing: 2/5 (A lot of telling, not showing.)

•Ending: 2/5 (Everything is wrapped up perfectly and everybody gets a happy ending.)

2.5 ✨ rounded down

I think my mom would love this book. For me, it was just okay. I enjoyed the overall story and the growth displayed by the main character, but some of the writing was very choppy and the technique distracted me from the story telling. I did enjoy the setting and description of the wealth of the 1920s. Special thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Because my review contains major spoilers, and this is posted on the novel’s main NetGalley page, I am providing the link to my review on Goodreads. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I did enjoy the novel though, and would definitely recommend it to fans of historical romance!

Whisked away to a by gone era I really enjoyed this book … family drama with an insight into the lavious lifestyles of the wealthy. Helen is expected to marry, she has always felt she doesn’t quite conform to the normal debutante preferring working on the farm to the glitz and glamour, she meats and falls in love with Edgar but the path of true love is not smooth . A rollercoaster of a love story with delightful characters and wonderful descriptions of life in the era in which the book is set

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the historical setting of the 20th century Philadelphia Main Line. I loved how the focus was on Helen not giving up on her passion for the farm, but also loving and doing anything she can for her family and those she loves. There is a mix of family and moral obligations, tense and dramatic scenes, and twists in her love story until the very end. Yes it's romance, but there is so much more to this book than just a girl loving a boy. Highly recommend. I actually enjoyed how I could put this book down for a cup of tea or for the night, and come back and not feel like I have to rush through this book, plot was face paced enough to keep me interested but not too fast I couldn't keep up with what was going on.

although i personally didn't love it or didn't hate it, for a historical fiction, it give what needed to be gave. so nonetheless, i'm glad to have picked this up.

thank you to anita abriel and the team for providing this

"The Philadelphia Heiress" is a captivating historical fiction novel that artfully melds themes of wealth, love, ambition, betrayal, and profound transformations of character. This book immerses readers in an era where opulence and ambition collide, and love is a force both beautiful and destructive. The historical backdrop is seamlessly interwoven with the fictional story, providing a rich and authentic atmosphere that enhances the narrative's depth. It is a beautifully written exploration of human nature in the face of ambition, and love.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union foe the opportunity to read The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel. What a joy this book is, with just maybe the best ending ever!

I am writing this review for Net Galley.

Helen love to work with animals and has no intention to marry until one day she is told she has to find a wealthy suitor to marry. She meets who she thinks is Clarence but finds out the next day his name is Edgar and from a wealthy family. Edgar hopes to publish a novel someday.

Edgar and Helen find themselves falling in love with each other leading to marriage. Overtime we watch as they struggle to make their marriage work. Attending dances and spending time with friends only finds them in more strange predicaments that lead to secrets and lies. Until Helen meets Roger and could change things for the better.

I could not put this book down. It is set in the 1920's. I love a good story dated back in the 1900s. I haven't read a good story in that timeline in quite awhile. I basically finished the last half of this book in one setting. It might be my favorite book this year. Highly recommend.

This book is a charming retelling of THE PHILADELPHIA STORY and HIGH SOCIETY. Since they are my favorites, I enjoyed the new, updated, very focused heroine of this book. Helen Montgomery is involved with trying to build her own business and handle family problems. She marries, but quickly becomes disillusioned by the imperfections of those around her.

The similarities to the original play are obvious, so the end is predictable.

Of course I enjoyed this lovely tale about love and change. I had to admire the way the author gave a salute to playwright Philip Barry who gave life to the original story.

Thank you NETGALLEY for allowing me to read this lovely rendering of an endearing romance.

What a joyride! As soon as I picked it up, I couldn’t put down this novel set in high society, Philadelphia’s Main Line, in the late 1920s. Abriel’s descriptions of the era swept me away; I just had to gently close my eyes and I was there. We immediately meet the heroine, Helen Montgomery, who is many things: a daughter, a sister, a niece, a young woman of high society, stubborn, and fiercely independent. When it is time for her to find a husband, she struggles to open her mind and her heart to the possibilities that loving another - and allowing their love in return - could bring her. Enter: Edgar Scott. You just know that Helen has met her match in him, but the secrets and infidelities that swarm around her make her understandably less sure. I thoroughly enjoyed this story — the characters, adventures, and development of relationships were superb!

A wonderful coming of age story. I devoured it. Very well written and despite sometimes feeling frustrated with Helen’s opinions I absolutely loved her. I loved the commentary on the rights of women. Also the ending was exactly what I wanted for the characters.