This was okay. I wanted to love it but it was just..fine. I think I skipped around a lot. But it's inspired me to read more about the Vanderbilts and this particular time in history which is always a plus.

Alva Smith was brought up in the south, after the civil war her family was left with no money. In her younger years her mother had taken her and her sister to Paris where they mixed with the upper class families. Now left pennyless, her father laying ill unable to make enough money to feed his daughters or pay the rent. They still had society friends, and at a party Alva meets William Vanderbilt and plots with her best friend to meet him and get him to propose marriage. Although very wealthy, the family owned the rail roads, the moneyed New York families shunned the Vanderbilt ‘s. Alva plotted to make the family accepted. She arranged charity balls, built beautiful homes in Manhattan and Long Island. After visiting with her daughter in London she became a suffragette. With all the odds against her Alva became a strong, educated and respected, she was aremarkable woman.

This is a fascinating and detailed novel about the life of Alva Vanderbilt, from her husband hunting days until her death.

The historical information in this book was brilliant and very educational, I learnt a lot about the social structure of high society in New York following the divide from Europe. The poor were starving in the streets while the rich had more money than an entire family could hope to spend in their lifetimes.

The author goes into great detail about the architecture and trappings of the time, which feels very well researched but takes the narrative away from the human aspect of the novel - Alva was a influential and determined woman, but the author didn't manage to turn her into a sympathetic main character. I can't tell if this is due to the author's style of writing and not wanting to put unverified emotions to a historical figure, or whether that's genuinely what Alva Vanderbilt was like but I feel like a bit of artistic license would have been welcomed here.

She was, by all appearances, quite a selfish woman (not entirely a derogatory thing - especially at a time when women were supposed to be selfless and sacrifice everything about themselves to their husbands, children and men in general) and her aggressive social climbing to earn some autonomy is a really interesting tale.

I would recommend this book for the taste of history it offers and a peek into the very beginnings of the feminist movement.

A fascinating account of Alva Vanderbilt’s life, thoughts and doings.
The happinesses and sadness, frustration and glories. Such an interesting insight into the lives of the inconceivably wealthy, their families and friends.
I actually noted down quite a few extracts of the clever Alva Vanderbilt’s thoughts of life to reread in the future, many struck home with me so powerfully.
So money may not bring happiness, but it can make for a hugely interesting life!

I really enjoyed this book and found it very easy to settle down and read long into the night. I knew that there was an established history of wealthy American families marrying their daughters to the sons of relatively impoverished aristocratic British families - money in exchange for title - but I was not aware that it equally applied within American society. Through writing about the life of Alva Vanderbilt the author conveys the pressures that came to bare on those intelligent, resourceful women of late 19th/early 20th centuries who were expected to deny their instincts to get involved in, say, architecture, charitable work and politics, whilst ensuring that their daughters made a suitable match thus perpetuating the status quo. One cannot help but cheer on Alva's progress as she moves from respectable though penniless girl, desperate to keep body, soul, and family together, to consummate political mover, shaker and, to society's chagrin, divorcee. Alva Vanderbilt was an inspiring woman and I commend this book.

A Well-Behaved Woman is a fascinating and insightful novel that blends fact and fiction seamlessly. Inspired by what is know about Alva Vanderbilt née Erskine Smith, Therese Anne Fowler takes us back to the gilded age, New York, where a young Alva must marry into money to secure her families future. The language feels effortlessly genuine and of the time, and it’s a joy to read.

Alva Smith might have come from a family with all the right social credentials, but the Civil War left them financially ruined and living hand to mouth, while struggling to keep up appearances. For such an impoverished, gentile family, the fabulously wealthy Vanderbilts offered salvation in the form of William Kissam, their second son. For the Vanderbilts, Alva’s genealogy was expected to bring the outcasts into the social fold. Even so it took every ounce of Alva’s adroit manoeuvring to ensure a successful marriage and then to curry favour for her husband’s family with Caroline Astor, the doyenne of New York society. But, as a woman of great determination and a passion for inclusive suffrage the course of her life was never going to run smoothly.

The narrative is full of wonderful prose and wicked humour, of the kind which exudes the atmosphere of the daintiest of tea dances where the participants are all smiles, but whose practiced feet lash out under their full skirts to trip up those who threaten to unseat them from their rightful place in the delicately balanced societal food chain.

Alva Vanderbilt was a master at avoiding this tactic and giving as good as she got, which was just as well considering she married into a family thought so vulgar by gentile New York society that they were to be shunned at all costs. However, with Alva’s skilful interventions the Vanderbilts became a force to be reckoned with.

But she was a woman ahead of her time and her progressive views did not sit well with her in-laws, forcing her into direct opposition and into conflict with her children.

Yet she was a paradox in that for all her passion for suffrage she manipulated her daughter, Consuela (named after her closest friend), into an advantageous marriage, which was also an emotional disaster for the young woman.

And yet Alva’s own marriage as well as that of her daughter’s merely highlighted the only currency that young women of breeding had at that time to make their way in the world, namely their child producing capabilities, and trading either their family’s money for social connections or vice versa.

This book skilfully charts the intrigues, society’s ruthless ostracism of someone challenging the system through divorce, and how that individual reinvented themselves. The fiction follows the real-life events meticulously. I spent a great deal of time putting down the book to explore online a great deal of the details extending out from Alva’s life into the modern day, before picking it up again and relishing where her actions still rippled out into the world today.

Therese Anne Fowler’s skilful layering of both the detailed descriptions of the surroundings, people and lifestyles read like a modern-day boardroom war, while her handling of what could have resulted in nothing more than a sensationalist blockbuster, really delved into the psychologies of the combatants in a way which both inform and make a compelling story. The result is an immersive read, and one in which no matter how well you know the story of the Vanderbilts forces you to hold your breath in anticipation when a key event unfolds.

Therese Anne Fowler has skilfully blended fact and fiction to create this fictional biography of Alva Vanderbilt set principally during the Gilded Age. My thanks to Two Roads for an eARC via NetGalley. It’s available in the U.K. now as an ebook and will be published in paperback on the 24 January.

“First marry for money, then marry for love.” This quote attributed to Alva is a good snapshot of ‘A Well-Behaved Woman’, which focuses primarily on her 20-year first marriage and also covers her later life.

After her family lost their fortune following the Civil War, Alva Smith was determined to marry a wealthy man. Her best friend, Consuelo Yznaga, ‘selected’ William K. Vanderbilt for her. In due course marriage and children followed.

The Vanderbilts at the time were not considered part of high society. Alva was determined to have the Vanderbilt family not only be recognised but to become leaders of New York society, using her husband’s money and her singular resolve to pave the way.

There’s a telling moment when Alva is talking about her struggle and her maid, Mary, the daughter of a former slave, mentions the abolitionists, which Alva seizes upon. Mary politely responds: “You’ll forgive me saying so, but you getting to the top of society isn’t exactly as important as all people being free.” Yet Alva seems oblivious to the remark, which says a lot about her self-absorption at that point.

Her great ally in this endeavour was Ward McAllister, the self-appointed arbitrator of New York society. Their plotting was very entertaining.

The downfall of Ward McAllister after writing an insider book brought to mind Truman Capote who repeated this error some seventy years later and was subsequently ostracised by the same society. It’s a very telling episode.

Once her goal is attained Alva finds herself powerfully drawn to Oliver Belmont, a friend of her husband. “So wealthy, such a social success, yet so discontent. Married to one man but in love with another.”

While most of the book focuses on the years of her first marriage, Fowler does round it out with Alva’s precious few years with Oliver and following his death her passionate support for the women’s suffrage movement.

Alva and her daughter could have just enjoyed spending their money on frivolities, yet both involved themselves in improving the lives of working class women and other social causes.

I knew nothing about Alva before reading this and found it a remarkable and highly engaging read. I knew from Fowler’s previous fictional biography on Zelda Fitzgerald that her research would be meticulous. In addition it reads so well. The dialogue especially seems very appropriate for the 19th Century. It also is very rich in description and I can imagine would make a splendid television series: an American ‘The Crown’.

Fowler’s end notes give more details of Alva’s work for women’s suffrage beyond the final scene depicted. She also explains why she was drawn to tell this story as Alva’s personality apparently was depicted in a negative way by the media of her day and her subsequent reputation has been often coloured by misogyny. She wanted to put Alva’s life in context. It’s a very passionate statement.

In her acknowledgements she provides some of the biographical sources that she drew upon.

I loved ‘A Well-Behaved Woman’ and wholeheartedly recommend it. It’s certainly one that I plan to urge friends to buy for themselves or indeed buy for them myself.

A Well Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts is a hybrid tale of fact and fiction, truth and embellishment. It explores the life of a strong and remarkable woman, Alva Smith, born into what would become a harsh world of poverty and injustice. Due to this, she sets her sights on William Vanderbilt and eventually, she marries into a life of wealth, prominence and materialism. This is excellent historical fiction that is full of intrigue and details of the elite world Alva finds herself in; a world most of will only ever see from afar.

What is most notable, however, is what Alva decided to do after her rise to prominence. The causes she championed despite them being, in most people's minds and of the time period, out there, for want of better terminology. Alva could put her mind to whatever she thought fit, and one of those schools of thought she had a substantial part in was that of feminism. To say that this type of strong-mindedness and passion by women was frowned upon in The Gilded Age would be an understatement; women were supposed to be seen and not heard, to be the homemaker and to be there to cater to their husbands every whim but stubborn Alva turned this on its head and was determined to do what she could to change the way society worked. Her innate fighting spirit was reawakened by the suffrage movement. This is a tale of a woman who refused to conform to the social norms of the time and made her own way in the world as much as possible.

All in all, this is a beautifully written novel that simply oozes readability and is so compelling that it demands to be devoured in a single sitting. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Two Roads for an ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was captivating and well written. A mix of fact and fiction it was a real insight into the Victorian New York elite and the way they lived their lives and how society reacted to any situation/person who did not conform.
Thanks to NetGalley for my free copy.

This is a great, atmospheric read. If you're into historical fiction, you will absolutely love this!

Historical fiction based in Victorian America New York.
Enjoyableread. Well written.
Thank you to both NetGalley and John Murray Press for my eARC in exchange for my honest unbiased review

Such an incredible read, I was entirely transported to Victorian New York, a world I haven’t read about before. An American-set period drama was so enjoyable, and I loved that the book was based on an was the voice of a real historical woman from one of America’s biggest families. Can not wait for the screen adaptation of this, it has to happen! I loved the journey, the battles, and the dynamic of following and challenging societal expectations of the time. The final chapters made me cry, so important. I loved that this was a novel, not a biography yet I feel like I got so close to the main character. Stayed with me days after.

Although fact dealt with fiction this is an amazing read telling the story of an amazing women who although married into one of the richest families of the gilded age used her position and wealth to further women’s place in society.
Alva Vanderbilt has a loveless marriage to one of America’s wealthiest men who for years was unfaithful to her although she remained true to him even though she had feelings for another man . Out of loyalty to her husband and family she remained faithful until the ultimate betrayal of her best friend and husband when she divorced him.
This book is not only the story of Alva but it is also a social commentary of women’s place in society in the late 19th century.

My thanks to John Murray Press, Therese Anne Fowler and Net Galley for the opportunity to read A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN. I have been a fan of Gloria Vanderbilt perfume for more years than I care to admit, so when I saw this novel about the rise of the Vanderbilts I couldn't resist. Of course the Vanderbilt story began much earlier than Gloria's rise in the fashion world. Her mother was Gertrude, one the cousins mentioned in A Well-Behaved Woman a novel that begins in 1874 and takes us into the twentieth century. This story is about Alva, a women who lived in impoverished gentility, who knew her family would survive only if she married into a family of note. She was pointed to William Vanderbilt by her closest friend, Consuelo, who persuaded her to do whatever she could to be present in his sphere so he would notice her. And notice her he did as they married and had three children. It would be easy to think that the novel is simply about the Gilded Age in which they lived, where social climbing was the order of the day, and certainly Alva was drawn into the complexities of becoming America's top family, but it is more than this. Alva is strong-minded, a woman who abhors the fact that she is expected to tow the line and obey a man's every wish, regardless of the risk to her own happiness. As she matures she finds this expectation less and less attractive, and even when she knows she is about to take a risk that will see her very quickly descend the social spiral she takes it anyway, after cleverly making sure the consequences of her actions are as comfortable for her family as she can make them. I was in no way aware of how wealthy the Vanderbilts were, their wealth at that time (and now) is mind-blowing, but Alva begins to realise that she sold her soul...and her body for the comforts of wealth, but was dangerously close to giving up her independence of mind and her indomitable spirit which is reawakened by the beginnings of the suffragette movement. 5 stars

A riveting read focused on that moneyed era ”The Gilded Age” when connections to those families lucky enough or fortunate enough to have “made it” when others were struggling, lifted you from obscurity. The Vanderbilts were such a family, they had money but not having quite the influence they wanted, were looking for that person who would help their cause.

Alva Vanderbilt was a powerful forward thinking woman of her time, she had creative vision, she saw that a woman’s role was so much more than just a pretty face on the arm of a rich husband, a mother raising children and organising charitable functions.

I was unaware of the colossal fortune the Vanderbilts inherited, I knew about the Biltmore Manor as we had visited the Asheville area, however being from the UK and having many stately homes to visit, it wasn’t high on my list of places to see. This book has changed that for me.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for a pre-release copy of the book.

The well-behaved woman of the title starts life as Alva Smith. We first meet her in 1874 as an impoverished member of the New York elite, who needs to marry into money in order to save her family from the shame and hardship of poverty. With no mother to help her, will she succeed? Her wealthy friend Consuelo is determined to help her, acting as a matchmaker, not unlike Jane Austen's Emma. Alva offers herself as a pawn in the game of matrimony, sacrificing a chance of love by obeying social conventions. In a society where money and prestige is so much more important than love, will she regret her choice or make the most of it? As her story progresses and she marries into the fabulously wealthy Vanderbilt family, we see both to be true.

This novel offers us a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of a woman who is to become one of New York's most famous society hostesses. The book apes the style of 19th century novels, so at times seems slow paced and the heroine rather buttoned-up. Keep with it though. Alva proves herself quite an Austen-esque heroine towards the end: spirited, independent-minded and very modern for her times. The author has clearly researched her subject thoroughly and fleshed out the woman behind the headlines. This makes for an absorbing tale of one woman's battle to protect and promote her family (particularly her daughter) despite her husband's inadequacies.

What a wonderful insight into the rare and privileged upper class Society in New York in the glory days of the Astors and Vanderbilts. Whilst most People were starving, they were running out of ways to spend all their Money. However, for all the luxury, women had no freedom. Alva was a woman of her time, but also a Forward thinker. She was smart, she could manouever her way through the minefield of social politics, she did her best for charities as well as for her Family. The Story is very well written, the characters are well rounded, and the book is very hard to put down.

What a story and what a fascinating woman! I love stories about people we think we know, and who legends have made into something else entierely. This book allows you to see Gilded Age New York through the eyes of one of its own - Alva Smith.  A woman who married into one of the biggest family dynasties in the world.

Given the social mores and expectations of the time, Alva had to marry to bring money into her family. they ahd been wealthy in their own right but had lost everything. Alva was their chance at getting it all back...with interest.  So started a game, not unless chess given the skill and complexity undertaken. She was effectively her family's pawn so this is an apt analogy to make. She was shoved into the path of William Vanderbilt by her best friend Consuela. Alva was to bring them a little respect given tat they were new money (not the done thing at the time) and she in return was to bring wealth and respect to her family.



This is where the dutiful little lady act ends however. Alva was not one to be messed around. She wanted to be something, somebody and so used this position to do just that. She became a major figure in the American women's suffrage movement - something else promient moneyed people were not expected to mingle in. These were affairs of the ' common people'. However, Alva wanted to challenge this and other conventions like them.

She also developed a keen interest in architecture and had several homes and buildings constructed in and around New York. Amongst these were Petit Chateau in New York; the Marble House in Newport, Rhode Island; the Belmont House, also in New York; Brookholt in Long Island; and Beacon Towers in Sands Point, New York. She did what she could for her family, but couldn't bring herself to love her own - William was not the love of her life by any means. He had other woman and would make her life a misery which begs the question - is all the money in the world worth it when you are married to a man you can't even bring yourself to respect?

This is a fascinating insight into one woman, one family whose name dominates so much of New York's history today. It did get a bit bogged down in places in detail and read like a biography at times, but a fascinating one at that.

A BookTrail of the novel would showcase much of the glamour, faded and otherwise. Cocktails and a glam dress would be essential when swanning around the city in your gilded horse and carriage.

Fascinating on so many levels.

This is a book that you want everyone to read. I will buy it for the women I admire and and for anyone who also believes in the importance of taking risks and burning bridges.
I was gripped from the first page in Alva’s story and I defy any other reader not to be the same. As we travel through the 19th and into the 20th century with this indefatigable woman we can only admire her spirit and her bravery. Undoubtedly, not an easy person to live with but someone who would make each day an interesting one and who set challenges for herself and those around her.

I loved Z but this is even better.!!

Thank you to Fowler who is clearly going from strength to strength and whose next book I am already eagerly awaiting. It is obvious she admires Alva and ensures her readers do too though her writing is both balanced and fair. An inspiring read.