Heiress (Daughters of Fortune) [Paperback]

Susan May Warren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2011 | Series: Daughters of Fortune (Book 1)

Book One in the Daughters of Fortune series The beautiful heiress daughters of newspaper magnate August Price have been given everything their hearts desire. But what if they want only to be loved--without an enormous price tag attached? When one daughter pursues a desirable marriage, she secures for herself a comfortable and glamorous life. But among the duties of privilege, will she also find the happily-ever-after she seeks? Her sister rejects the trappings of wealth, choosing instead to build a new life on the still-untamed frontier. Will she find happiness in independence or discover that she's left her heart behind in New York's glittering society? Set in the opulent world of the Gilded Age, each woman discovers that being an heiress just might cost her everything--including the chance for true love.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

SUSAN MAY WARREN is the best-selling author of more than thirty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have earned her acclaim from readers and reviewers alike. She is a winner of the ACFW Carol Award, the RITA Award, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award and a nominee for the Christy Award. Former missionaries to Russia, Susan and her husband have four children and live in a small Minnesota town on the shore of beautiful Lake Superior, where they are active in their local church.

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Summerside Press (July 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1609362187
• ISBN-13: 978-1609362188
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (165 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #432,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Growing up in Minneapolis and attending the U of MN, I learned to love city life, although I'm a woodsy girl at heart. Or maybe I'm an adventurer -- having lived and traveled all over the world, including Siberia Russia as a missionary for eight years. Probably that's why my characters can't sit still, and seem to get into one scrape after another -- they're too much like me! I love God, my family, my country, my church, and feel privileged every day to be able to write stories, that I hope inspire and entertain!

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

(What's this?)

#58 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#58 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Realistic and more wholesome Gossip Girl October 28, 2011

By theEPICrat

Format:Paperback

Ever since Gossip Girl came to life on television, I have been hooked on all things New York and its ritzy upper-crust families. Glamour, scandals, glitter and gold - when I heard Susan May Warren was tackling this world with a historical twist, call me hopelessly hooked but I was more than ready to jump into this adventure.

THE GOOD BITS
{The difference of chasing dreams versus living them.} Heiress takes place in a world where women did not have a lot of options - their main objective is to secure the right sort of marriage. Some women live for this, but others dream bigger for independence and perhaps a career. Esme dreams to be a journalist instead of marrying the man that her parents picked out, but is she prepared to leave the glittery world behind and get her hands dirty in the real world? That is the real trial by fire, and Susan May Warren allows this character to both fail and succeed.

{Jinx's knotty romance.} Granted I wouldn't wish anyone to go through what Jinx went through in the romance department, but it was so deliciously twisted that I flew through the pages to find out how it would all unravel. A heartbreaking nightmare of a love triangle, but when things were good, they were happy-good. The beauty of this particular storyline is how tragic and real it felt - how many women have been trapped like Jinx? How many had to let go of an impossible love to survive? It was riveting. It was raw. It was real - and I ate up every word of it!

THE BAD BITS
{Combination of 2 storylines.} It works for certain books. I don't think it was a major issue for Heiress, but when I got invested in one sister, I wanted to see her story through to the very end without any interruptions from the other sister. Susan May Warren gives us nice chunks of time with each sister, but I wished the story did not have to alternate - and perhaps each sister would get their own individual book.

{Just a smidge of Christian fiction?} I expected a more obvious Christian message somewhere within these pages, but I could not put a finger to it for the life of me. Granted, a good way to describe Heiress is a more wholesome Gossip Girl. Scandal and unfaithful husbands are still running around, but how does a Christian woman survive in such a society? Can she hold onto her faith when society kicks her to the curb? The problem that I have is that I did not really see Esme or Jinx struggling with their faith as much as the simple fact that life is unfair to women.

THE OVERALL
I think Susan May Warren is onto something with this latest series, and I admit some curiosity as to how the sisters will fare in the future after the ending. Heiress is quite enjoyable - not too historical, not too scandalous - just the right amount of both. More of a quiet and thoughtful piece on the trials for women living on the cusp of independence.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Susan's best book ever! Fantastic historical romance! October 1, 2011

By Michelle Sutton

Format:Paperback

I love reading stories set during the Gilded Age, and have read a good number of them to date. This novel tops them all as my absolute favorite. In fact, in my opinion this is Susan May Warren's best book ever! I've read ten of her books and have ten more (at least) that I own or have started. Her historical fiction is far superior in quality because it's full of deep, heart-felt insight on a level that her contemporary novels don't quite touch. I used to think Sons of Thunder was her best book because it was so intense and fabulous, but this novel even tops that one.

In my opinion, Susan is clearly gifted when it comes to writing historical romance. She does a great job with deep point of view and insight into human frailty and overwhelming regrets. At many different times while reading this novel I felt like I was living the life of each of the sisters. The author includes so much sensory detail with visceral emotion attached to it...like the scent of city life, the ink from the presses, stark terror from the absence of light deep in the mines, the pain from wearing the corsets, to constriction of society's expectations, the blood from...well I won't say.

Anyway, a few times I was agonizing over the story line. I felt like yelling into the book and saying nooooo! Talk about torturing your reader with the characters' conflicts! I was feeling their regrets and wishing they had made better choices too. My heart hurt for them. I was living this story! That's great writing.

Things I admired most about this novel was it was brave, honest, and well told. How many Christian authors have their characters actually admitting to themselves that something was very wrong that happened, but it led to something that was very right...like understanding true love for the first time in their lives? There were some tender scenes that included passionate gazes and kisses filled with so much longing. The intense emotion in this novel was palpable at times. And the heroes were so lovable.

Many contemporary topics were covered that were relevant back in the Gilded Age just like they are now. Infidelity, spousal abuse, the love of money and position, and pride over appearances to name a few. I loved how the author tied so many truths into each character's struggle with their desire to know true love and with learning to receive forgiveness. The heroes were each, in their own way, models of Christ. They were committed to the heiresses, patient and willing to forgive. But unlike Jesus, the heroes weren't perfect. I loved that too. I didn't find the spiritual thread heavy handed, but it was clearly present. I like how the author showed their spiritual journeys in a way that was culturally relevant to the times. I loved how she referred to D. L. Moody and some of his famous sermons as well.

This was a great book. But I have to warn you that it's addicting. I literally struggled with having to go to work when what I really wanted to do was stay home and read this novel. Excellent fiction. Compelling. Well-plotted. Intelligently written. I was thinking, "Man, I wish I could write like this." Truly superior and emotionally evocative writing. I highly recommend it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Heiress by Susan May Warren September 30, 2011

By Daysong Reflections VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Oh. My. Goodness. I have been a Susan May Warren fan from the very first book that I read of hers but this one is beyond them all. Heiress just confirms to me that Susan may be one of the most versatile authors I've read. From sweet romance to humor to intense suspense to gripping historical novels, everything this author has written has made me want more. I made myself wait to read Heiress until my earlier review obligations were met and can say it was definitely worth the wait.

A story that begins in New York City during what is known as "The Gilded Age", Heiress features sisters Esme and Jinx, daughters of a prominent newspaper publisher. In a world filled with glamorous clothing and fabulous balls, it is their duty to marry well and enhance the family's position in society. Jinx eagerly awaits her chance to participate in the societal rituals involved in finding a husband. Unfortunately she must wait until older sister Esme has married before her father will allow it - and Esme has no desire to marry the man chosen for her. At this juncture, choices are made by both young women that will affect their lives forever.

The story takes the reader from the mansions of New York to a small frontier town in Montana and spans over a decade in time. A dramatic and emotional tale, the plot is filled with unexpected twists. Just when things seem to be the most hopeless, something will happen that brings light. On the other hand, just when you think one of the women will finally find happiness, something else will happen that will set her back. This is one book that will keep the reader in suspense until the very end because there is absolutely NO way to guess how everything will be resolved.

Heiress is a bold story that touches on some ugly facts of life such as rebellion, adultery, domestic abuse, lies, and betrayal. It illustrates how a person without Christ can be held prisoner by success, wealth, and power. It is ultimately a powerful account of the potential high cost one must pay for choices made.

This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.