Therese Anne Fowler’s novel A Well-Behaved Woman tells the story of Alva Vanderbilt. Daughter of a destitute southern family, Alva sets her sights on the young William Kissam Vanderbilt as her path to saving her family. Marrying for money and security, Alva took the Vanderbilt name from nouveau riche and made them a well-established New York family for generations to come. Then, as a mother of three, she took her life into her own hands and divorced her husband, which was unheard of at the time, eventually remarrying for love. I was excited to receive an EARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Alva is remembered by history as a severe woman, who controlled the world around her with an iron fist. From what even Fowler notes was less than ideal resources, Fowler was able to find the beauty in the life that Alva lived, using familial evidence to take a different perspective from the cruel point of view that newspapers often reported on her. Fowler paints an incredible image of a strong woman, who dug her heels in and did what it took for her family, for herself, and for women everywhere through her work with the suffragette movement.

While referencing Jane Austen and Edith Wharton, A Well-Behaved Woman is much in the style of A Paris Wife and The Aviator’s Wife. If you enjoyed those books, you will certainly enjoy A Well-Behaved Woman. Similar to these novels, there is a certain amount of rose-colored glasses involved, which is, however, tempered by the strength Alva shows. When there are traumas and tragedies, she faces things head on for only a moment, then compartmentalizes like a psychologist's nightmare.

Another aspect I loved about A Well-Behaved Woman was the attention to detail that Fowler included about the world around Alva. You get to know not only the other Vanderbilt family members, but the society in which she was fighting to take her place, as well as the Gilded Age world they were establishing around them. Much as Swans of Fifth Avenue, the strength of A Well-Behaved Woman is not just in the characters but in the full understanding of the world they were part of, so much so that when a character comes back from the beginning of the book, it’s like seeing an old friend, even if they are just part of the periphery.

I absolutely adored A Well-Behaved Woman and cannot wait to see what Fowler write next. As a note, the only reason I did not reference Fowler’s earlier novel Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald is because I have not had the chance to read it yet. Now more than ever, I’m excited to have it on my To Read list and will look to find a way to bump it up to a sooner rather than later read.

This review will be published on my site and goodreads on 17-Oct-2018. I will update my feedback here on NetGalley with the links as soon as that's been done.

I really liked Z, the author's first book. I found it to be a nice blend of history and fiction, an entertaining and informative read that also felt paced as a novel. I had high hopes for this new one as a result - the Vanderbilts are a fascinating family who literally went from rags to riches, and Gilded Age New York is such an intriguing time period... Robber barons, the suffrage movement, the growth of Manhattan - the era,  and this story, offered all that and more.  Yet somehow,  despite my overwhelming interest, my previous experience with the author, and the presence of a powerful female protagonist who isn't very well known, this one just fell flat for me. 

There is a ton of description here, primarily about things: houses, items, property, clothing. I felt a little overwhelmed by the descriptions of stuff and underwhelmed by the descriptions of interpersonal relationships... 

Alva is a complex character, or at least should have been. Yet she felt a little over simplified (or at least under- described) in parts of the story, particularly those that should have been the most interesting like her subtle manipulations of the older Vanderbilts, her relationship with her ridiculous husband, and her later life and involvement in social and political causes. I enjoyed the descriptions of her family, particularly her interactions with her sisters, but even they did not feel as fleshed-out as I would have liked to see them, particularly given the incredible detail given to things like furnishings and clothing. And eek, I must admit I found it a fair bit steamier than the other, and that felt unnecessary somehow... 

Still,  Fowler's writing style is easy to read and the book was interesting (particularly as a historical snapshot). But I must admit it felt like her areas of emphasis were skewed toward the material and away from the interpersonal in this one, and that made it a less engaging read for me overall.

3.5 stars, rounded up

I’ve often thanked my lucky stars I was born when I was. The idea of one’s sole goal in life being to manage a “good” marriage is soul deadening. And when that prospect is hampered by a loss of fortune by one’s father…

Alva Smith is looking for a husband in the years after the Civil War. “The young men, who were outnumbered three to one...watched and smiled and nodded like eager buyers at a thoroughbred market.”

Alva’s straight forward, strong willed for her time. As she thinks to herself “she was never one to wallpaper a water stain.” It doesn’t take her long to start taking her own approach. I thoroughly enjoyed her taking on the old society way of doing things, not to mention the men.

This isn’t the liveliest of stories, but then, a lady’s life wasn’t. In fact, there are parts that dragged as much as a lady’s skirts. Part of the problem is that she is so fixated on being accepted by the Old Guard, specifically Mrs. Astor. A little social climbing goes a long way. And even after she’s gotten what she wanted status wise, history repeats itself as she tries to make a suitable match for her daughter.

Fowler would have us be sympathetic towards Alva. But at times it is a struggle, such as when she calls the poor who write her “begging letters” heartless and presumptuous. But she does things other women won’t even contemplate, such as divorcing her philandering husband even though it temporarily makes her a pariah.

This was an interesting book but not an engrossing one.

My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

A leader of the woman's suffrage movement, Alva Vanderbilt (nee Smith) rejected much about the social convention of her time, and yet arguably also beat them at their own game. If you can't join them, beat them.

The first half of this was a little boring. I know it was setting the scene for Alva coming into her own later on, and we did get to see sparks of the woman she would become, but much of it was just inane snobbish chatter. I suppose it's fitting because that's probably exactly how Alva felt about it too, but it didn't make for the best reading. If we'd gotten to see a bit more of that sarcastic wit that occasionally flared up in Alva, even just internally, it probably would have been a lot more entertaining.

Additionally, I kept waiting for this to turn more political and see how Alva became so important to the suffrage movement, but we actually see very little of that, and only at the very end. It's definitely more about her earlier private life, which could have been more interesting if her characterization was fuller.

Still, watching Alva go from dutiful daughter, sister, wife, and mother to taking her fate and future into her own hands was very fulfilling and I was cheering her on the whole time. About the last third of the book is when it gets most interesting.

Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

If you love the Gilded Age in NYC, social struggles, rags to riches, architectural history, women power, plus a little adultury....you will love this book.
Fighting her way to the “top” of New York Society, Alva Smith is like no other in her era. Nearly destitute with an ailing father, Alva and her dear friend Conzuela concoct the perfect way to save Alva and her family from utter poverty via a match with William K. Vanderbilt. The author takes you down the bumpy road of Alva’s life from social scorn by the Astors, an imperfect marriage, betrayal by a dear friend, throwing the perfect ball, to finding the perfect match for her daughter and later in life true love. A truly fascinating read from page one!
A huge fan of Fowler’s first book, I was thrilled to get this advanced copy of A Well Behaved Woman from Net Galley!

I love Therese Anne Fowler and the women she writes about. This book is great! I highly recommend this book.

I recently read a book about the rise and fall of the Vanderbilt family and was immediately interested in this book. One of the reasons why....women were down played. The was an interesting time in history...fortunes were made and women started to find there way in life.

While Alva originally appeared to marry for money and to save her family. This book shows a lot how she also gave back to society and folks around her. Interesting ending...I knew little about her role in women's suffrage and the other causes she helped.

Very interesting read about women in history.

I loved Therese Anne Fower’s novel Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald so I already knew I was going to read a fantastic story when I started reading A Well-Behaved Woman. And I wasn’t disappointed.

When Alva Smith married William Vanderbilt, in desperation for money to support her family, she did bring something important to the table—her family name and influence. Under her careful leadership, Alva raised up the name of Vanderbilt above the “old money” families and in doing so, made a place for herself in the top echelons of society. But Alva was more than just a society woman. She showed from the beginning that she could make a difference and change social beliefs and opinions, as well as help those most in need.

A Well-Behaved Woman is a powerful story of those at the top, of how women can make a difference, and how making the right choices can lead to the sweetest outcome. I highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical biographical fiction.

The wealth of the Vanderbilt family was astounding both in their day and by today’s standards, even if one never takes inflation into account. Back in the late 1800s, that should have meant something. However, all it meant was that they had mounds of money, because their family hadn’t lived in America enough generations for them to be accepted into New York’s high society. Alva Smith, on the other hand, had the appropriate lineage and standing, but her family’s fortune was ravaged by the Civil War and were on the brink of starvation. Although the subtitle of this book is “A Novel of the Vanderbilts” Fowler’s latest novel is really more Alva’s story than that of a whole family.

I must state that the first thing I liked about this book is how Fowler paced this novel. Fowler starts out by describing how Alva succeeded in getting a marriage proposal out of William K. Vanderbilt (which felt a bit unlikely, but not impossible). Afterwards, she goes into their marriage and how Alva succeeded in wrangling the much-needed recognition of New York’s #1 socialite, Caroline Astor. That event – a costume ball – happens smack dab in the middle of this novel. This allowed Fowler to use the rest of the book to delve onto a large chunk of Alva’s life, which continues through to the early part of the 20th century.

The way Fowler portrays Alva is very special indeed. On the one hand, as the story begins, we almost feel that Fowler feels sorry for Alva. As the years go by, we notice that there are many conflicting things about Alva, so that sometimes we believe that Fowler wasn’t all that pleased with the woman she was writing about. Fowler draws us a woman of great intelligence and inner strength, who also has a level of generosity, warmth and grace, making Alva into a force to be reckoned with. Fowler also allows us to see a side of Alva’s personality that is less than demure, who can also be self-centered, if not sometimes spoiled. With this, Fowler was able to assume certain things about Alva that history would never record, such as the passionate side of her personality (both physical and emotional), which she would have needed to keep repressed. Of course, this makes the title of the book a bit ironic, seeing as she didn’t always behave the way her world would have preferred.

This means that by the time we get to the end of the book, we can see just how much Fowler fell in love with Alva, while allowing her readers to come to their own conclusions regarding her strengths and flaws. Fowler also imbues Alva with good measures of wit and cynicism, resulting in several instances of dialogue that made me laugh! Add to all of this a very honest, open and absorbing writing style, which despite the length of this work, grabbed me so fully that I can easily call this a real “page turner,” which is usually reserved for adventure and crime novels.

That said, there were a few scenes that I would have cut out, or at least pared down, which might have added a touch more consistency and cohesion to this work, but I understand why they were left in, and they didn't disturb the flow of the narrative. In addition, there were times when I wondered if Fowler slightly misrepresented William Vanderbilt in her portrayal. It seemed to me that there was the potential for him to have been more loving of Alva, if she had just given him a chance. While this could have been on purpose (or historically accurate), it did make me think that Alva might have had a hand in her own unhappiness, and perhaps also in William’s infidelity. Finally, had hoped that Fowler would give us more of Alva’s later life, where her efforts to obtain women’s suffrage would be detailed, but the afterward and author’s notes made up for that in spades (and I request, nay demand, that you read every last well written word).

I cannot add anything more to this review except my kudos to Fowler for painting such a three-dimensional portrait of Alva, who is ultimately human and truly realistic and whose many flaws did nothing to diminish her many admirable qualities. If this is the kind of women’s historical fiction you generally enjoy, I’m thinking that there are few, if any, better examples than this novel. This is why I’m wholeheartedly recommending this and giving it a full five out of five stars, since I honestly enjoyed every minute of reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with an ARC of A Well Behaved Woman.

I really enjoyed this story of Alva Smith Vanderbilt, a fascinating and most interesting individual. Set during the Gilded Age of NYC this book traces Alva’s marriage to William Vanderbilt and her rise in New York Society. Therese Anna Fowler has once again breathed fresh life into an already iconic woman. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.

The Gilded Age, New York City, and the Vanderbilt's.....what's not to like?

Alva Vanderbilt married for money. She had large houses, beautiful gowns and anything she could ever want at her fingertips. She worked hard to get what she wanted...and she made sure that those less fortunate were helped as well.

This historical fiction reads so easily and captures Alva Vanderbilt and her lift.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Alva Smith Vanderbilt married a man to better her life. In many ways it did, and in many other ways it changed the way women vote in America. She was of a family whose fortunes had fallen, but to prevent poverty for all of them, Alva was able to secure a match with William Vanderbilt. Therese Anne Fowler presents the dilemma of a woman who is competent and bright, but needs money to avoid the poor house. Through the slower paced fictional history, Fowler focuses on Alva's sensual needs and growing awareness, so much so that it becomes quite the focus to the detriment of the quality. The architectural and social climbing would sustain the storyline enough without the sexuality. That aside, the book comes alive about a third of the way in because the situations change focus. Alva eventually and scandalously divorced and then remarried, quite happily the man whom she loved all along. The history is available elsewhere, but this book does put the thoughts together with the suffrage movement in America. The storied wealth and political maneuvering drive the actions of Alva as she navigated the role of women in turn of the nineteenth century America. Fowler has captured the times and dazzles when she stays out of the bedrooms.

During the late nineteenth century, the Vanderbilts were like royalty in the northeast United States. This is the story of Alva Vanderbilt, her accomplishments in high society, architecture, and women’s suffrage. It’s about her family and heartache. While I learned a few things of historical significance, it’s very slow-moving and, at times, tedious.

In the Author’s Note, Fowler mentions that she wrote this in the form of a nineteenth-century novel with characters and narrative style appropriate to the Gilded Age. Keep this in mind.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!

The name Vanderbilt is so well-known that I am almost ashamed to say I knew next to nothing about Alva Vanderbilt. Therese Ann Fowler writes of Alva’s life just prior to her marriage to William Vanderbilt, up until her death.

Alva’s family had a respectable name in society, but had lost their wealth during the Civil War, so it was with some desperation that Alva entered into the marriage with William. Combining his wealth and her family name would help to elevate them both in society.

I must admit, I was put off by Alva’s fixation with her social standing. Not just Alva, but her entire circle of friends and acquaintances. However, Fowler is kinder to Alva than wikipedia. Since we are told the story from Alva’s viewpoint, naturally she is presented in a better light than others might have given.

The story lost some momentum after the marriage, but I thought it picked up again as William and Alva’s marriage disintegrated. Alva remarried, but unfortunately that marriage ended too soon due to the death of her husband, Oliver Belmont.

As a widow, Alva became involved in the women’s suffrage movement by giving large sums of money to the cause and becoming active in organizations to grant women the right to vote. Thankfully, women were granted the right to vote several years before her death, so she was able to see the benefits her efforts produced.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

A Well Behaved Woman explores the life of Alva Vanderbilt, giving the reader a slice of life and society from the late 1800's to early 1900's. It is easy to fall into the pages and read about the excess, the politics of "good" marriages and how the relationships progress and/or dissolve.

The high society that is examined is the same as that written about by Edith Wharton. The amount of money that is thrown about is astounding, but Fowler is able to create a relatable character in Alva. The book is both entertaining and well-written, and is a treat for someone who loves history but prefers a novel.

The Gilded Era at it’s best. Who hasn’t heard of the Vanderbilt’s? I have, but was not familiar with Alva. I loved learning about her. The struggles and all her accomplishments. This is a history lesson, a story of love, story of betrayal and a story of triumph. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read for an honest review.

The title of this novel is a little bewildering: Alva Smith Vanderbilt was certainly not a well-behaved as the title would have you believe. Alva's southern family was bankrupt by the time she received "marriageable" age--she and her sisters were rationing food while they waited and hoped that Alva would make an advantageous marriage. With the help of her friend the Brazilian heiress Consuelo Yznaga, Alva marries William Vanderbilt, the younger son. The Smiths may be broke, but they are an old established family while the Vanderbilts are new money.

Alva understands the expectations. Her sisters have been saved from becoming ladies' companions or governesses and her role is to elevate the Vanderbilts in society.. She is creative and uses their money in ways that make old-money New York grind its teeth with envy. William is a pleasant guy and gives her free rein to do what she needs to do to raise the Vanderbilts in society's eye.

Alva plays the long game, and she understands that the marriage her daughter Consuelo makes will be the most important piece of her strategy. Consuelo must marry the most eligible bachelor in the world, the Duke of Marlborough.

Then, Alva divorces William and marries a family friend. She tries to mend her relationship with her daughter who is miserable in her marriage. Consuelo will ultimately achieve the kind of independence that eluded her mother although Alva does pretty darn well for a woman of her era. Not so well-behaved after all.

It's hard to imagine the Vanderbilts as strivers, but here they are. "A Well-Behaved Woman" is an inside look at America's Golden Age from the most privileged position.

I give A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler 3 stars. The fact that it is a historical fiction about the Vanderbilt family made it very interesting to me. The story follows Alva Smith as she changes circumstances in life, through marriage, wealth and up the rungs of the ladder of society through cunning and planning. And begs the question, can money buy happiness? It seems as if the author did quite a bit of research, and developed the characters quite well, and writes with rich, descriptive language. Unfortunately, there were quite a few instances of sex that I skipped over, due to them being too graphic for my taste and making me uncomfortable. I know sex sells, but with how skillfully she writes, the detail could’ve been left out and still gotten the point across.

A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler centers around the life story of Alva Smith, a well-connected woman who married (and later divorced) William Vanderbilt.


I really enjoyed this book! It's technically a biographical historical fiction novel, so while the the conversations and meetings are mostly works of fiction, the events and timeline are all biographical. I don't consider myself a history buff, but I do enjoy reading books about women in history, since their stories often go untold.


A Well-Behaved Woman was beautifully written and well-paced. Alva's life was utterly fascinating. It's utterly horrifying to think about how little power women had in the late 1800s. All the power rested with the man, and a woman's role was to marry well, have children, and oversee the household. Alva was no ordinary woman, and she did not marry an ordinary man. She married a powerhouse who in later life was the second richest man in the United States. Her life was servants, balls, and societal niceties. That said, she found happiness in circumventing the norms. She had a knack for architecture and later took up the cause of the suffrage movement.


Alva was no wilting flower. She lived a life that others could only dream of, and she believed she deserved respect and status. When her husband cheated on her, she did not look the other way. She divorced him, which was something practically unheard of at the time. She pursued happiness and equal rights for herself and others. Not only was she an advocate for women, she was an advocate for newly freed slaves. She truly was a really cool woman!


The execution of this novel was spot on. The biographical history was woven neatly into the storyline, and it felt so realistic. In the late 1800s, the Vanderbilts were rich by today's standards, which means they were swimming in money during that time period. Learning about their lives was a fantastic treat.


The book ended as Alva decidedly took up the mantle of women's suffrage. I plan to study her life further, as this book completely endeared me to her.


If you enjoy history or stories about women who were ahead of their times, this book is well-worth the read!


Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fascinating story of Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, socialite, suffragette, and one of the wealthiest women of the robber baron era. Descending from socially acceptable lineage, but having no money, her first marriage to William Vanderbilt was one of convenience. Her second, to Oliver Belmont, supposedly one of love.

A unique woman for her times, she displayed great interest in philanthropy, architecture, and women’s rights.

I don’t know how sanitized this historical fictional account is, but it was a well written, engaging read. The arbitrary but strict “rules” of late nineteenth century New York society were interesting, as was the ostentatious avarice of that era.