2024 the best seller book review

Price: $17.95 - $9.72
(as of Dec 16, 2024 10:30:15 UTC - Details)

"Abé is an exquisite storyteller. Rich in detail and deeply moving." –Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

"One of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. A gorgeous, phenomenal novel I won’t soon forget.” —Ellen Marie Wiseman New York Times bestselling Author of The Orphan Collector

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Chiaverini and Marie Benedict, this riveting novel takes you inside the scandalous courtship and catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic of the most famous couple of their time—John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Force. Told in rich detail, this novel of sweeping historical fiction will stay with readers long after turning the last page.

Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob “Jack” Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack’s mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York’s most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious—a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and the scandal of Jack’s recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love—and becomes the press’s favorite target.

On their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time—and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art RMS Titanic seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he’ll see her soon in New York…

Four months later, at the Astors’ Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine’s most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her, or carve out her own remarkable path…

“A touching, compelling, and haunting love story that will delight fans of historical fiction and enthrall those of us for whom the Titanic will always fascinate.” –Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of When We Were Young and Brave

“An engaging novel told with both heartbreaking care and vivid detail. The Second Mrs. Astor is historical fiction at its gripping and irresistible best.” –Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington (August 31, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496732049
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496732040
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.83 x 8.24 inches
Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fascinating, Real and Heart Wrenching
Review: What a fabulous novel to lose yourself in. Haven't found many that keep my interest over the past few years - imagine my delight to finally find one.Characters are crisp, events crystal clear and writing style simplistically beautiful.Well done Shana on a well written book, one that will be enjoyed for many years to come.

Reviewer: E. Piper
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A GOOD READ
Review: This was a well-written story about John Jacob Astor and his child-bride Madeline. It was written from Madeline's POV and was an enjoyable, entertaining, informative read. It, of course, included Mr. Astor's death on the Titanic but that is not the part of the story that most interested me and has been written about by countless other authors. The courtship between Astor and Madeline and her difficult adjustment to being married to the wealthiest man in the world, were much more interesting to me.Ms. Abe is an excellent writer and I have enjoyed both this book and her book "An American Beauty"about Arabella Huntington.

Reviewer: Melissa
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: beautiful
Review: This was an absolutely beautiful read. To hear her describe their last night together made me weep and be so glad for my husband next to me. This love story was amazing

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: 2.5 stars for The Second Mrs. Astor
Review: Although the story sounded like one I could enjoy, it did not hit the mark. It is about a 17 year old girl who marries a man almost 30 years her senior. You have to question why a man close to 50 years of age would marry a teenager, other than the obvious physical angle. A man of his stature in the early 1900's required a wife who could represent him socially as well as support him emotionally, not exactly something a teenage girl would be experienced or qualified to do.John Jacob Astor was one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time of his death on the Titanic. His 5-month pregnant child-bride survived. Outside of being a passenger on the ill-fated journey and that she married into fabulous wealth and luxury, her life was not very interesting. Madeleine and Colonel Astor were together for only a short time, and thus this fictionalized story of her life had little to offer. The author did not show that Madeleine accomplished much of anything, certainly nothing or not enough to base an entire book on.If you are looking for a book about the Titanic, there are enough choices out there to satisfy any interest in the tragedy and the people involved, both real and fictionalized. Do not consider this book if you are making the purchase to learn about the Titanic - or if you are looking to read about an interesting person, for that matter, a person who has accomplished something, anything actually. You will be disappointed.I googled Madeleine Astor after I finished the book, and much of the information Ms. Abe' included was easily and quickly found. So I'm not sure just how much research was required on her part when trying to write about Madeleine. It couldn't have been easy coming up with a story about a person that young who hadn't done much or accomplished much outside of being the wife of one of the wealthiest men in the world and only for a very short period of time. I question why Ms. Abe' chose Madeleine to be the focus of an entire book. Surely the choices the author had were endless. A better subject could have been... almost anybody!Would not recommend.

Reviewer: Binky's Broad
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A devastating story of love & loss
Review: I don’t often find a book that reaches deep inside and grabs hold of my attention the way this one did. The descriptions of love, of what it feels like to dedicate your life to another, were gorgeous & relatable, and the searing pain of loss was palpable. I started reading at around 6 pm, read until midnight, then finished it as soon as I woke today. Most books are easy to move past when finished, but I know this one will linger for a long while.

Reviewer: player just dont like this version.
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: worthy read
Review: I felt as though I was there with Madeline. It was gut wrenching at times. Incredible story and very well written.

Reviewer: Susan C. Norman
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Good read
Review: Love historical novels, draws you in from the first page.

Reviewer: cander
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Excellent historical fiction
Review: This was very enjoyable reading about the Gilded Society.

Reviewer: Ellen
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I don’t know what to say other than that I enjoyed this book very much. I am always interested to read about the Titanic and this gave a slightly different slant to it. I liked the author’s writing style and will look for more of her books.

Reviewer: Baiba
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I have no words that will show how wonderful this book is. Very emotional, i fell in love with the characters, i cried.

Reviewer: Gio
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I Like this book because it was a very deep story and heart breaking and therefore lovely to read. I reccomend it as it gives you many romantic moments and a feeling of deep relationships with different characters.

Reviewer: Beverley Greening
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Fascinating story of the lives of Mrs and Mrs Astor. She was 18 when they married. He was in his 40s and had been married then divorced. Sadly he was drowned when the Titanic sank but his wife was one of the many women and children who were survived in boats lowered to the sea. Four months later she gave birth to a son. Her husband had an older son whom I think inherited most of his father's estate. Mrs Astor married twice after her first husband's death but sadly died in her forties.

Reviewer: L C
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Loved the book, it was written in a compassionate way reflecting on how a young woman was pulled into the ultra rich world of the Astors and the trauma of losing one’s love so tragically.