The American Heiress

The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

As some books sadly are, this was a complete waste of time. Usually I avoid novels that look like sappy romances, historical or otherwise. But the reviews on this one kept saying "if you love Downton Abbey, you'll love this book". And we all know how soapy Downton Abbey is, and I love it all the same. And I needed something to get me through the next three months...so what the hey, I checked it out.

It was a little humourous how silly the book was. Pretty much the same thing would happen in each chapter, until the end of the novel. First: Cora Cash (the richest heiress in America, whose mother hunted for a title by marriage for her daughter over in England) does something to show her spunk, then something to show her naivety and insecurity (and if you don't catch it, the author then spells it out for you, haha), then her husband does something to show he loves her, but then something to show his involvement with a mystery woman (and I use the word 'mystery' loosely, because the author leaves nothing up to chance when it comes to you predicting the outcome of her book), then Bertha, Cora's beloved maid, does something so the reader questions her loyalty (because if she's loyal, the whole novel ends in the first chapter, instead of 300 some odd pages later). Ugh, this cycle just stays on repeat forever.

It had a smidge of the upstairs downstairs quality I was looking for, AND was set in England, similarities with Downton end there.  Some things I did find mildly entertaining were that fact that there were book chat questions at the end of the novel. I read them for a giggle. Also, on the back jacket flap about the author she name drops everyone in her family with a high-profile job (if I remember correctly it was everyone from parents, to uncle, to brother, to husband...I'm pretty sure, but I already returned it to the library so I can't check), and I just thought, all those important/brilliant people in your life, and no one pointed out to you how predictable your story was?

Ok, so that was harsh. But it makes me mad when I waste time on such a book, when there are oh so many others out there to read! And that's why I reviewed it for you, so now you don't have to!