Mariella Hunt

The American Heiress is reminiscent of Downton Abbey, described as a book for you to read while waiting on the next season. It follows the story of Cora Cash, a wealthy American whose mother is willing to do anything to get to the top of the social ladder.

The thing is, most of what Mrs Cash does to get her daughter a place in society seem to be for Mrs Cash’s own benefit; when readers realize this, we understand Cora even though she’s spoiled and obnoxious. She didn’t have freedom as a girl, and even when she marries a Duke she’s sealed into a different kind of imprisonment.

Caught with the gossiping upper class, Cora’s looked upon as different for being an American in English society. Even though she charms people, there’s something that keeps her inferior. She’s made it to the top, but those born with titles won’t fully accept her as one of them.

After marrying the Duke, Cora starts to break down; without her mother to make decisions, she’s left alone in a world where few respect her and even her husband behaves strangely.

The relationships were compelling; I found the settings engrossed me. Daisy Goodwin’s writing style is musical! It got me through the slower scenes because I wanted to read more of her words.

This book follows an “American princess.” We see her stumble through an enormous lifestyle change and promptly get back to her feet. By the end of The American Heiress we applaud Cora’s strength as she reasserts her dignity.

It’s a book I will read again; I’m won over by lovely writing. I enjoyed watching Cora grow from an obnoxious girl into a woman fighting a battle. I’d recommend it to those who love complicated romance, and those who seek novels in historical settings.