I really enjoyed "Beauty and Attention" by Liz Rosenberg! A well written novel about a woman, struggling to find her strength to follow the path that feels right, rather than the path that is expected. Set in the 1950's in NY state then in Europe, this creative, lovely young woman goes through much turmoil towards finally finding happiness. Loved her supporting character as well as the manipulative ones. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Libby is on a journey of self discovery. She doesn’t want to fit into a mold. I enjoyed reading of her independence and her journey. The writing was very atmospheric and I liked that. I also liked the era of time that it was set in.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Not usually a historical fiction fan, but enjoyed the twist that enabled the main character to pursue a life unusual for women of the time period.

Beauty and Attention began very slowly and was a bit boring, but it grow with its characters. I loved that it wasn't the typical fairytale, happy ending that the reader expected, but way more realistic where a young girl gets easily swept up by the wrong people.

Great read up to about 60% - I felt like the rest of the book wasn't even written by the same person. Libby's portrayal is weak. The only character I liked was Lazarus. I'll probably not read anything else written by the same author.

Enjoyed this story...very much. looking forward to reading more of Liz Rosenberg's work. Have recommended this novel to all three of my local libraries.

This book took forever to read. I was 60% complete and still waiting for it to capture my attention and draw me in.

Libby had so much potential and it was wasted. I'm not even sure of the genre of this book. It didn't quite stay in any particular type. The story was all over the place. Libby acts like she wants this freedom but she doesn't really do anything except follow everyone else around. She dresses as others tell her, lives where others tell her, she even goes to bed when she's told. She has these guys chasing her around and I don't understand the attraction. This book was kind of hard to follow because nothing is explained. It just happens. It's almost as though you have a handful of puzzle pieces from several different puzzles and you're left with the pieces trying to figure it out.

For a second, at the end, the story got interesting. And then, it was over. Horribly disappointed in the amount of time I put into reading this book.

Started this book awhile ago but just couldn't get into it, so didn't finish. May come back to it at some point.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this title therefore I will not be leaving an online review

In 1954 Rochester, New York, Libby Archer, whose parents have both died, is sorting through items in her home with her friend Henrietta. Most of Libby’s well-meaning friends, and her suitor, Casper, expect she will now marry. Instead, Libby decides to take an extended visit to her wealthy aunt and uncle’s country estate, Gardencourt, in Ireland. There Libby is entertained and charmed by her invalid cousin, Lazarus, as well as his friend Lord Warburton. Although Lord Warburton proposes to Libby, she turns him down, favoring a trip to the Continent with her aunt. In Paris, she meets another socialite, Madame Merle. Libby’s terminally ill uncle dies shortly after but mysteriously bequeaths Libby a large fortune. In Rome, Madame Merle introduces Libby—now a rich lady—to a struggling artist, Gilbert Osmond. He is a widower with a young daughter. Libby’s independence takes a turn, but not in the direction she wishes. She has to struggle out of the devious bonds that entangle her.

As acknowledged in the author’s note, many readers will recognize that this story is based on Henry James’s classic The Portrait of a Lady, from the plot and similarity of characters’ names. Rosenberg has closely followed James’s writing style, including his refined prose and use of ellipses. Although James had captured the norms of 1860s Victorian society, the transporting of some of these to this novel’s setting of the 1950s seems odd, such as when Libby’s aunt doesn’t permit her to socialize in the drawing room in the late evenings with Lord Warburton and even her cousin Lazarus present. Nevertheless, the perils to women are still real today. An enjoyable read even for those unfamiliar with James’s novel.

This review first appeared in the Historical Novels Review Issue 79 (February 2017)

Interesting update on Portrait of a Lady but feel free to read and enjoy this even if you haven't read the James classic-the story doesn't change only the era. I think a good argument could be made that this should have been longer so that Libby and Caspar could have been more fully fleshed out. It's a quick read and definitely worth your time. There are times when you'll have to remind yourself that some of what seems absurd is because the book is set in the 1950s (and some of that will still seem silly.) Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

In "Beauty and Attention," Binghamton University author Liz Rosenberg reimagines Henry James' "The Portrait of a Lady," moving the action to Rome, Paris, Ireland and Rochester, N.Y. and taking the story forward in time to the 1950s. It's interesting to reconsider Isabelle Archer (recast here as Libby Archer) and her choices when one encounters them in a theoretically more modern setting.

I really needed this novel this week. It’s so well written, and so hopeful, but even though the subjects are often serious, it’s not heavy. I love the way books sometimes come into our lives at the perfect time, and that was the case, for me, with Beauty and Attention.

Like the previous novel I reviewed, Madame Presidentess, this is a piece of historical fiction. Unlike that other novel, this one takes place in a period – the 1950s – much closer to our own. I found it particularly interesting to read a story set in the McCarthy era and juxtapose it with the current political climate (and the fears many of us have about the immediate future).

But this is not a political story. Rather it’s an exploration of self-discovery.

I really enjoyed traveling with Libby on her literal journey from the USA to Ireland, and her metaphysical one as she completed her coming-of-age process and figured out her own needs, wants, and goals. I would really enjoy having a coffee with her, and chatting for an hour or two, I think.

I also liked the character of Lazarus a lot more than I thought I would based on his initial description in the early part of this novel. Like Libby, he was interesting, dimensional, and not at all stereotypical.

Overall, this story is well crafted, with some great turns of dialogue that really popped off the page, and I found it to be both refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable. I recommend it to anyone who wants a satisfying read that is compelling but also entertaining.