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American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt Audiobook
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Before there was Meghan Markle, there was Consuelo Vanderbilt, the original American Duchess.
Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her “The Wedding of the Century” to the Duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find meaning behind “the glitter and the gold.”
On a cold November day in 1895, a carriage approaches St Thomas Episcopal Church on New York City’s Fifth Avenue. Massive crowds surge forward, awaiting their glimpse of heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt. Just 18, the beautiful bride has not only arrived late, but in tears, yet her marriage to the aloof Duke of Marlborough proceeds. Bullied into the wedding by her indomitable mother, Alva, Consuelo loves another. But a deal was made, trading some of the vast Vanderbilt wealth for a title and prestige, and Consuelo, bred to obey, realizes she must make the best of things.
At Blenheim Palace, Consuelo is confronted with an overwhelming list of duties, including producing an “heir and a spare,” but her relationship with the duke quickly disintegrates. Consuelo finds an inner strength, charming everyone from debutantes to diplomats including Winston Churchill, as she fights for women’s suffrage. And when she takes a scandalous leap, can she hope to attain love at last…?
From the dawning of the opulent Gilded Age, to the battles of the Second World War, American Duchess is a riveting tale of one woman’s quest to attain independence—at any price.
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“Harper entices readers with this lively novel about wealthy American heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt…Harper’s story highlights how the wealth that prevented Consuelo from making her own decisions also enabled her to better the lives of those less fortunate. This immersive novel believably puts the reader in Consuelo’s shoes.”
— Publishers Weekly
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“A sweeping history of the Gilded Age, this novel is for fans of historical fiction, PBS’ Downton Abbey, and the recent royal wedding.”
— Library Journal -
“This tender, well-researched novel lets readers see the economic, social, and political highlights of the nineteenth-century Gilded Age brought to life through Consuelo Vanderbilt’s eyes.”
— Booklist -
“Harper writes with effortless prose and an expert take on the era.”
— Publishers Weekly on Mistress of Mourning
American Duchess Listener Reviews
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Jackie, 11/9/2023
About Karen Harper
Karen Harper, a New York
Times bestselling author, is a former high school and college English
teacher. Winner of the 2005 Mary Higgins Clark Award for her outstanding novel Dark
Angel, Karen is the author of more than a dozen romantic suspense novels
and six historical novels, as well as a series of historical mysteries. She and
her husband love to travel both in the United States and abroad.
About Ann Marie Gideon
Ann Marie Gideon, an Earphones Award-winning narrator, is a professional actress based in Atlanta. She received a BFA in theater performance from the University of Memphis and trained at the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Throughout her college career, she gained professional experience by performing at Playhouse on the Square. Soon after, she toured across the country with the National Players and then landed in Atlanta, Georgia, with Georgia Shakespeare. She is now expanding her career into voice-over work, film, and television.