This was such a great read. If you liked her first novel, Z, you will love this fictional retelling of the true story of Alva Vanderbilt. Set in the backdrop of the glitz and glamour of Gilded Age NYC, this novel explores the power of money, family ties, reputation, marriage, and at its heart, what it was like to be a woman during this era. I loved it!

Alva Smith is desperate for husband. A filthy rich one, specifically. She and her sisters are destitute, despite their good (aka acceptable to New York high society) name. She needs a husband of means to save them from a life of work (gasp, the horror!). She finds just such a husband in William Vanderbilt, a wealthy railroad heir whose family wants to climb the social ladder of New York City’s Gilded (and very exclusive) Age. Using her name and connections, Alva promises to raise the family’s standing.

This was a very well researched glimpse at the insane world of the Gilded Age. Obscene wealth, completely removed from the hardships of that time. Preoccupation with social standing, and codes of behavior, and constantly one-upping each other. It was, in a word, disgusting. The novel devoted pages and pages to describing outrageously expensive balls, palatial homes the wealthy designed and collected, yachts, and horses, and vacations. Millions upon millions of dollars thrown away all in the pursuit of vanity.

And then there’s Alva. You want to like her, initially. Her drive to look after her sisters, her wiles and determination, and her interest and skill in architecture. She feels nothing for her husband, but she’s very keen on seeing her new family elevated. She’s good at it, too. She’s like a woman obsessed. And that’s when you really stop caring about her. Everything is about showing off, and obtaining more, and being the best and brightest. She controls her daughter with an iron fist, intent on securing her a financially good, but inevitably affectionless, marriage. There’s a bit of a slow-burn romance between Alva and another man, but you can’t even be happy for her when they finally get together because she’s literally just sold her daughter off to man she won’t love (her daughter has a miserable marriage and gets divorced later...thanks, mom).

Overall I found this book fast-paced and interesting, even though I didn’t like the characters. It was historical, very enlightening, and I do recommend it.

Alva Smith’s family finds themselves destitute after the Civil War. Alva has been given the onerous assignment to marry well so the family does not end up living in a dirt-floored hovel. However, Alva lacks the vapidness that most men looked for in potential wives, but when she meets William Vanderbilt, she takes a deep breath and uses what she was taught by her teachers and mother when she interacts with him. She wins the prize when the very wealthy William proposes to her. Alva marries into the fabulously wealthy family, but socially shunned Vanderbilts. She is determined to become a member of Mrs. Astor’s golden circle of 400, but was snubbed. Alva defied social conventions by designing her own mansions, divorcing her cheating husband, and becoming a leader of the suffrage movement.

Fowler has written a dazzling portrait of the gilded world of the enormously wealthy members of high society in New York.

The Gilded Age is not something that I was entirely familiar with before reading this book, but the author brings it to life with her descriptions! Alva Vanderbilt is a remarkable person, and this book sent me through a research rabbit hole because I wanted to know more! Highly enjoyable and very recommended!

“Alva said it all began quite simply: Once there was a desperate young woman whose mother was dead and whose father was dying almost as quickly as his money was running out. It was 1874. Summertime. She was twenty-one years old, ripened unpicked fruit rotting on the branch.”
At the same time, the Vanderbilts had wealth but no standing in New York Society. The Commodore was born poor and had a meagre education. By turning a small ferry service between Staten Island and Manhattan into a vast shipping and railroad empire, he became one of the wealthiest Americans in history. Alva Smith became the Vanderbilt’s ticket into the society that they craved. Her family had the standing but had lost their fortune during the Civil War. Her marriage to William Vanderbilt was one of convenience for both families. Although she produced three heirs and introduced the Vanderbilts into society, hers was a loveless marriage.
Therese Anne Fowler portrays Alva as a smart, determined, caring woman whose motivation was the survival of her family. With pluck she figured out how to gain her husband’s family the social status that their wealth deserved. As her status grew, she built a new estate on Fifth Avenue in the fifties, an area that was previously undeveloped. The Commodore was so impressed with this that he built his own mansion there, and then had homes built for the rest of his children. Thus, Alva’s influence was felt in the physical realm of a developing Manhattan. She was one of the first female members of the American Institute of Architects.
Fowler paints a vivid picture of the Gilded Age, describing everything from clothing to furnishings to homes. Her detailed descriptions give the reader a glimpse into the enormous wealth of these families. Untold in this story is the corruption that ran rampant in that era, as well as the abject poverty that was caused by immigration from impoverished areas of Europe.
Writers are supposed to make us think. Fowler did that in spades. There are areas in Alva’s story that I would have liked to know more about—her life with her second husband and the love of her life, Oliver Belmont. Fowler only touches on Alva’s involvement in the Women’s Suffrage Movement at the end of the book. Obviously, Alva Vanderbilt was a woman of great influence in her time. And then there are the other Vanderbilts: Alice and Cornelius and George and Consuela—all fascinating subjects. Maybe Fowler has another historical novel in her quill.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book!

The turn of the century, a time when the rich were very rich, society had tiers and some women cared only for their family status. Alva escaped her humble up bringing, marrying into the Vanderbilt clan yet remained on the fringes of Mrs. Astor's social register. With fierce determination, she was able to secure her place. Life however, for Alva, was more. Despite the times, Alva was very aware of , and concerned for the rights of women. A Well-Behaved Woman is a brilliantly written story that highlights the ability to balance the pressures of one's peers while maintaining one's own principles.

A childhood visit to The Biltmore Estate will certainly add Vanderbilt intrigue to one’s list of interests, and I lapped up this story of Alva Smith Vanderbilt.

Alva Smith’s family had once known prominence but lost it all; that is, until her best friend orchestrates her union with William Vanderbilt. The latter family is new money, but not well-accepted into society.

Alva works hard for the acceptance in society she receives. If she finds a door closed, she opens a window. She pushes the envelope and puts herself, and her family, out there. She is not constrained by the notion of “goodness” or good behavior.

Alva is a hero is many senses. Because she takes a backseat to no man, certainly not her husband, she finds herself in roles women typically did not fill at the time. She helps design her mansions, she is on the front lines of the charities in which she works (not just handing over the money), and most of all, she does not turn a blind-eye to William’s infidelity. Alva is passionate about suffrage and women’s rights, and I’m grateful to have made her acquaintance through this book.

A Well-Behaved Woman is the story of a strong woman before her time who pushed boundaries and broke through them. Beautifully-written, interesting, and insightful, historical fiction fans will enjoy Alva’s take on living during the Gilded Age as a Vanderbilt.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will say I enjoyed this book given I don’t know very much about the Vanderbilt’s and I respect Alva’s spirit. I did think that at times the book was slow and it was difficult to stay focused on the story but the author did a great job portraying the life of a family from the guilded age.

In the years after the American Civil War, New York's Astors, Roosevelt's, Rothschilds' and Vanderbilts were the cream of high society and advantageous marriages were at the very heart of the papers. Enter Alva Smith, her father ailing, her mother dead, it's up to Alva to elevate her sisters and her husband's family to the stature of leading New York families. But Alva wasn't just a mere trophy wife. She was a woman who wanted the Vanderbilt millions to help the poor, the sick, and the orphans. She was a woman, unlike many in her society that believed in civil rights for both black and white citizens, and she advocated for women's right to vote.

If only the book had shown more about this, instead of the endless parties and other frivolities of that time period, my rating would have been higher. BUT. I loved the author's note and acknowledgements at the end and I felt this was a good introduction to a woman and a family I knew very little about.

Knowing something about the history that inspired a story is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you’re dying for a creative mind to fictionalize the material, but on the other, you want to see it done a certain way and you get intensely frustrated when the author fails to deliver your private expectations. It is, of course, ridiculous to expect anyone to read your mind, but the disappointment exists just the same.

This phenomenon inspired my negative and obscenely biased response to Daisy Goodwin’s The Fortune Hunter and Allison Pataki’s Sisi series, The Accidental Empress and Sisi: Empress on Her Own. It’s the reason I’ve avoided Susan Appleyard’s In a Gilded Cage and Danny Saunder’s Sissi: The Last Empress and it is the root cause of my delay in reviewing Kerri Maher’s The Kennedy Debutante and Therese Anne Fowler’s A Well-Behaved Woman.

I’m sharing this because I want to be very clear that my review of this book is slanted by perspective and hope anyone reading it understands that. If you choose to proceed, please try to keep context in mind and be aware of potential spoilers.

I wanted A Well-Behaved Woman to highlight a figure whose drive pushed her to the very height of society, whose blind ambition required sacrifice, who only realized the collateral damage of her decisions late in life, and in an act of redemption used that revelation to reconnect with her daughter and empower the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

What I got was an endless parade of parties and cotillions, marital infidelities and society gossips, topped off with the frills and fuss of keeping up with Mrs. Astor’s four hundred. Call me crazy but the themes I’d envisioned simply weren’t part of this story. The subject matter had so much potential, but Fowler honed in on emotional and social repression. She wrote a poor little rich girl where there might have been a phoenix rising from the ashes to wage a personal war on the institutions and policies that held her back, a war that in many ways continues through the present day.

Reviews and ratings are subjective and my commentary is no exception. I found no flaw in Fowler’s writing or style, I appreciate the author’s ability to recognize good material, and think a lot of people will really enjoy this piece. It wasn’t a good fit for me, but that doesn’t mean the story put forth is without merit.

Author Therese Anne Fowler introduces us to Alva Vanderbilt before her marriage as a teen struggling to find stability and financial solvency for her sisters, left defenseless after the death of their mother and the despondency of their father. She would find it through the Vanderbilt fortune and a marriage to the second son of the first son of the wealthy original, the Commodore. In turn, she would find a way to bring the Vanderbilts the social standing they desired. This is a good juicy tale, all the more so for being mostly true. The ‘mostly’ stemming from the re-creation of conversations and intimate details that lend immediacy to the tale but cannot be taken for truthful knowledge. In exchange, readers get a stand-up heroine and her personal tale of riches that is exciting, sometimes harrowing and always fascinating. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Excellent description of the age and the trials and tribulations of society at that time.

This book grabbed me and wouldn't let go! If I had not had an appointment early the next morning, I would have pulled an all-nighter and finished it. I had never heard of Alva Vanderbilt, but I definitely have heard of the Vanderbilt's! They built the beautiful, exquisite castle in Biltmore, NC. I was born in Asheville, NC and I'm very familiar with the Biltmore House and the little town of Biltmore. It's truly God's Country in the mountains of Western NC! If you find yourself close to it, don't miss it!!
This book was highly enjoyable to me. Alva's life was amazing! She had a very sad start to her childhood, and a rough first marriage. Her first marriage gave her three children, whom she adored, it also have her lots and lots of money. They were millionaires several times over.
The best thing about Alva, and you don't know this until the end of the book, is the women of the USA and the UK have the right to vote in part to this lady.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you so much, Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.

I was very curious to know more about the Vanderbilt’s, and having been to the houses I Newport I was able to visualize the story. Alva and the history of divorce and how it was received and reading about all the hauty women was fun but the book was a little bit too much “chic lit” and not enough history

Fascinating look into a woman I didn’t know I should want to know more about. Her story was far more layered and compelling than I initially thought it would be. This seems to be a particular talent that the author has though, pulling these women out of the shadows of historical men and illuminating them as they always should have been.

Alright, so, I have to confess. I don’t really *like* historical books. I read them more so to balance out all of the absolute trash I consume far too often. I volunteered to read an advanced copy of A Well-Behaved Woman to justify (in my head, at least) a summer full of ridiculous romance novels. But, to my surprise, this one was GOOD. Like, unputdownable good. Google every name drop good. Fowler did a phenomenal job of making these characters (that existed in a world where electricity felt as scary & new as self-driving cars feel now) feel incredibly current & relatable. The conversations between Alva had with her peers prove that as much as time & technology may change, human nature remains very much the same. And, honey, the shade was *real* in their circle. Our Real Housewives could only dream of reads so flawlessly delivered. Needless to say, I recommend this one. If only all history could be so entertaining.

Social climbing in the Gilded Age. Alva wants more- but mostly she wants acceptance. She's in a passionless marriage to William Vanderbilt and frustrated. This is truly a novel of the one percent (well an even smaller percent during those years!) but it's fascinating for this look at social mores and expectations. You get a very good sense of Alva and of the era, less so of most of the other characters. It's well written and while it flags a bit in the middle, there's enough drama to keep you turning pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

"The riveting novel of iron-willed Alva Vanderbilt and her illustrious family as they rule Gilded-Age New York, from the New York Times bestselling author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.

Alva Smith, her southern family destitute after the Civil War, married into one of America’s great Gilded Age dynasties: the newly wealthy but socially shunned Vanderbilts. Ignored by New York’s old-money circles and determined to win respect, she designed and built 9 mansions, hosted grand balls, and arranged for her daughter to marry a duke. But Alva also defied convention for women of her time, asserting power within her marriage and becoming a leader in the women's suffrage movement.

With a nod to Jane Austen and Edith Wharton, in A Well-Behaved Woman Therese Anne Fowler paints a glittering world of enormous wealth contrasted against desperate poverty, of social ambition and social scorn, of friendship and betrayal, and an unforgettable story of a remarkable woman. Meet Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, living proof that history is made by those who know the rules―and how to break them."

Historical Fiction about real people just has so much more going for it!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this book is so interesting; a look into the Vanderbilt family from the point-of-view of someone that married in poor and jumped the social ladder overnight. I think that Alva is an extremely strong woman that accomplished a lot. She defied social norms and did a lot for herself and other women. I loved how she was a headstrong woman that did what she wanted and didn't let her husband make all the choices for her. I think that the author did a good job at portraying this.

However, I wanted so much more depth throughout this book. I think it was more of a summary and telling than it was actually showing Alva's life. I think the ending, especially, would've benefitted from more depth. I found myself getting bored in places, especially with the descriptions of the things. I wanted more dialogue and less description. I did not walk away from this book feeling like I 'knew' any of the characters.

Did you like Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald? If so, you’re going to love Therese Anne Fowler’s newest historical novel, A Well-Behaved Woman, which offers all of the same historical glitz and glamour, and a strong female protagonist.

Fowler’s heroine is an underdog in high society, a progressive woman from the start, though it is perhaps unintentional at first. Having been born to a family with little wealth, and not being able to rely solely on her looks, Alva Smith used her cleverness to maneuver her way into one of the richest families in the world. Unlike her playboy husband, who is mostly useless and spent his time galavanting around the world, Alva sought meaning in her life, pursuing a life that was deemed inappropriate and positively un-feminine by society. Instead of accepting her role as a housewife, she boldly pursued her passions of architecture and social equality, including being a champion specifically for African Americans. She later goes on to be accused of being an “architect of society’s downfall” for her decision to *gasp* procure a divorce from her husband.

Stories of women’s insubordination and refusal to quietly comply with the “rules” of patriarchal society are always timely, evergreen, but no more so than today. That being said, one of the greatest things about this book is that Fowler allows the feminist angle to emerge organically. Towards the end, it gets a bit heavy-handed, but it’s justified as it reflects the protagonist’s true turn towards the women’s suffrage movement. Throughout most of the novel, we’re invited into an otherwise-exclusive world, but its pitfalls– especially for women– are apparent throughout. Though the environment is glamorous, the unfortunate treatment of women, minorities, and the poor are on full display. In such a seemingly romantic era, all the more so given the grandiose homes and affairs, it’s striking how little love exists. Love, Money, or Titles: ladies, take your pick. While men of status were permitted to sink ships, sleep with whoever they pleased, and generally do as they pleased, a single misstep by one of their wives or daughters could result in a permanent fall from grace. Fowler points out the horrific hypocrisy, as it applied to Alva, that “Society loved her when she was advancing its causes, then castigated her when she was advancing her own. Yet, were not the two ever entwined?”

One of my favorite moments of the book is at the end, when Alva is standing with her husband, her former maid, Mary, and Mary’s husband, the latter two of whom are African American:

“Will you look at us? Four people of exceptional quality and intellect, three of whom began life as the property of wealthy white men. Not to say that our situations were equal. I just mean to demonstrate that all sorts of societal wrongs can be improved.”

How interesting is that observation? As a creative who subscribes to the notion that stories say more about the time in which they are created than they do about the time in which they are set, I think this quote is most emblematic of the connections between societal issues then and now.



Rating: 4/5 stars