
An American Beauty
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Narrated by:
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Gail Shalan
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By:
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Shana Abe
About this listen
The New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mrs. Astor returns with a spellbinding new book perfect for fans of HBO's The Gilded Age and fans of Marie Benedict, Karen Harper, and Fiona Davis. This sweeping novel of historical fiction is inspired by the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington—a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America.
1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty.
Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis's help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis's seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune.
Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife's death. But "The Four Hundred"—the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts—have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society—not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat—an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart . . .
An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history—and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules.
"This story of one woman's ascent offers a fascinating look at the choices she made to become a Gilded Age titan."—Kirkus Reviews
©2023 Five Rabbits, Inc. (P)2023 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Story
London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.
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The Last Dress from Paris
- By Mona-Alisa on 07-01-22
By: Jade Beer
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The Woman Before Wallis
- A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
- By: Bryn Turnbull
- Narrated by: Mary Jane Wells
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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In the summer of 1925, Thelma Morgan arrives at the Paris Ritz still stinging from the heartache and humiliation of her failed marriage. Her twin sister, Gloria, newly and blissfully wedded to Reginald Vanderbilt and with a baby in tow, has invited her to spend the summer - and though romance is the last thing on Thelma’s mind, she can’t deny that Reggie’s friend Duke Furness is as charming and dapper as he is keen to win her affection.
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Beautifully Written
- By Amazon Customer on 11-29-20
By: Bryn Turnbull
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The Royal Librarian
- By: Daisy Wood
- Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow
- Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Windsor, 1940: War rages, and as bombs rain down across Britain, nowhere is safe: not even a royal palace. Secretly tasked with foiling a suspected plot, Sophie Klein is placed in the Royal Library at Windsor castle, where the princesses reside. But when she learns that Windsor is compromised, Sophie must sacrifice everything she knows to save the future queen of England. Philadelphia, Present day: Digging into her great aunt’s family tree, Lacey Turner comes across a mysterious book bearing the stamp of Windsor Castle’s royal bindery. But how did it come to be in her family’s possession?
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The plot twists....several times!
- By Nerni Miller on 03-11-25
By: Daisy Wood
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Our Kind of People
- By: Carol Wallace
- Narrated by: Suzanne Barbetta
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Helen Wilcox has one desire: to successfully launch her daughters into society. From the upper crust herself, Helen's unconventional--if happy--marriage has made the girls' social position precarious. Then her husband gambles the family fortunes on an elevated railroad that he claims will transform the face of the city and the way the people of New York live, but will it ruin the Wilcoxes first? As daughters Jemima and Alice navigate the rise and fall of their family--each is forced to re-examine who she is, and even who she is meant to love.
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Listened to it three times
- By Antoinette on 09-30-23
By: Carol Wallace
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Curse of Riches
- By: Claire Prentice
- Narrated by: Claire Prentice, Hillary Huber
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
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How did the Wendels, one of New York’s most famous Gilded Age families, disappear from history? The Wendels built a fortune from New York real estate, and rubbed shoulders with the Astors, Vanderbilts, and Stuyvesants. But as the 19th century came to an end, the Wendel family tore itself apart. Following six years of painstaking archival research, Claire Prentice has prised open the door of the Wendels’ Fifth Avenue mansion—dubbed “the house of mystery” by the press—to reveal a fascinating and dysfunctional family imprisoned in a gilded cage.
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Kept Waiting for it to be Interesting
- By Mary on 06-23-23
By: Claire Prentice
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The Women of Chateau Lafayette
- By: Stephanie Dray
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert, Emma Bering, Rachel L. Jacobs
- Length: 23 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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An epic saga from New York Times best-selling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy.
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An absolute masterpiece of a book!
- By Kindle Customer on 05-15-21
By: Stephanie Dray
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The Keeper of Happy Endings
- By: Barbara Davis
- Narrated by: Robin Siegerman, Hope Newhouse
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Soline Roussel is well schooled in the business of happy endings. For generations her family has kept an exclusive bridal salon in Paris, where magic is worked with needle and thread. It’s said that the bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. But devastating losses during World War II leave Soline’s world and heart in ruins and her faith in love shaken. She boxes up her memories, stowing them away, along with her broken dreams, determined to forget.
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French accent
- By Lilya on 10-22-21
By: Barbara Davis
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The American Heiress
- A Novel
- By: Daisy Goodwin
- Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.
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I loved this book!
- By Maria on 06-27-11
By: Daisy Goodwin
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The Nurse’s Secret
- By: Amanda Skenandore
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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In the slums of 1880s New York, Una Kelly has grown up to be a rough-and-tumble grifter, able to filch a pocketbook in five seconds flat. But when another con-woman pins her for a murder she didn't commit, Una is forced to flee. Running from the police, Una lies her way into an unlikely refuge: the nursing school at Bellevue Hospital.
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Predictable
- By Lorraine E. Collins on 07-05-22
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The Royal Nanny
- A Novel
- By: Karen Harper
- Narrated by: Melanie Crawley
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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April 1897: A young nanny arrives at Sandringham, ancestral estate of the Duke and Duchess of York. She is excited, exhausted - and about to meet royalty. So begins the unforgettable story of Charlotte Bill, who would care for a generation of royals as their parents never could. Neither Charlotte - LaLa, as her charges dub her - nor anyone else can predict that eldest sons David and Bertie will each one day be king. LaLa knows only that these children, and the four who swiftly follow, need her steadfast loyalty and unconditional affection.
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Loved it!
- By Jasper Van Wyk on 08-05-20
By: Karen Harper
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The Second Life of Mirielle West
- By: Amanda Skenandore
- Narrated by: Nicole Poole
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Los Angeles, 1920s: Socialite Mirielle West's days are crowded with shopping, luncheons, and prepping for the myriad glittering parties she attends with her actor husband, Charlie. She's been too busy to even notice the small patch of pale skin on the back of her hand. Other than an occasional overindulgence in gin and champagne, which helps to numb the pain of recent tragedy, Mirielle is the picture of health. But her doctor insists on more tests, and Mirielle reluctantly agrees. The diagnosis - leprosy - is devastating and unthinkable.
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Unique historical fiction not often told
- By TCS on 04-21-22
What listeners say about An American Beauty
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- Jodi Ely
- 03-26-24
I’d make one change…
I wished the male voices would have been narrated by a male. Gail Shalan spoke the female character roles beautifully. The male voices were not convincing enough for these men of power.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Meg
- 11-19-23
Well built characters and story
loved loved loved this historic fiction piece! the only dislike I had was the narrator. Her raspy voice sounded like she was whispering through the book. several times I turned the volume up on my headphones, only to become temporary deaf when I forgot and switched to music. despite this, loved the story enough that I'll listen to it again, and probably make myself temporary deaf again, in the distant future.
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3 people found this helpful
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- b mangus roberts
- 06-29-24
Bells determination to become her dream
The blatent adultery and how it effected the 1st wives. The story is written without much regard for them.
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- Anonymous User
- 08-12-24
Belle’s authenticity and her survival skills
Everything seemed to go almost too well for her once she met Huntington. A fairy tale, which is not normal life.
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- unknown
- 10-20-24
Enjoyed every second of this book
This book kept me intrigued throughout every chapter. Very excited and insightful for the time period.
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- Customer
- 12-19-24
I never wanted this to end.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I admire the life of Arabella Huntington and her rebellion. A woman all should aspire to. I learned so much from this book. The history during the mid - late 1800’s through the early 1900’s. I hope this author has more books I can read. Going to look into this now!
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- alice
- 04-20-25
A backstory of the explosion of the railroad industry in the United States at the turn of the century.
Not enthralled with the narrator. Something about the changing voice inflection were a bit annoying, but glad I stuck it out and enjoyed the story to the end.
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- Leigh H.
- 07-10-23
Loved everything about it
Beautifully written loved how each character was developed
I couldn’t stop listening. I had no idea of these historical people. I have a thirst for more- more of the story, more of the narration and more info on the lives of these remarkable characters. I’m in the process of a second listen now Loved it!
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7 people found this helpful
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- Lady Liberty
- 09-23-23
Will recommend
Slow start but really becomes an incredible story. This is the second Shana Abe book I’ve read and loved! Excellent writing!
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1 person found this helpful
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- paula
- 12-07-23
Narration brought historical novel to life
Loved learning about this time in History and the remarkable rise of Arabella Huntington! Fascinating story…The narrator captured the characters with ease and consistency (with their multiple accents from Virginia to Texas, NY and Europe) Very enjoyable listen.
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1 person found this helpful