Shana Abe

Amidst the opulent glamor and vicious social circles of Gilded Age New York, this stunning biographical historical novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mrs. Astor conjures the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington -- a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America. 1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty. Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis's help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis's seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune. Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife's death. But "The Four Hundred"--the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts--have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society--not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat--an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart . . . An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history--and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules. "This story of one woman's ascent offers a fascinating look at the choices she made to become a Gilded Age titan." --Kirkus Reviews

Inspired by the scandalous real-life love story between America's richest man and teenage beauty Madeleine Force -- and the aftermath of their tragic honeymoon aboard the Titanic. Jack Astor was American royalty, the richest man in the world, and Fifth Avenue scion of the Gilded Age. Madeleine Force was a beautiful teenaged debutante suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into fame simply for falling in love with a famous man nearly three decades her senior. From their scandalous courtship to their catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic--a tragedy that made them the most famous couple of their time--their love story is brought to life in this sweeping work of historical fiction by New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Shana Ab . Perfect for fans of Fiona Davis and Melanie Benjamin. 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 away 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...

In the autumn of 1915, Eleanore Jones is on the verge of becoming who she was always meant to be: a dr kon of stunning beauty and strength. She has discovered she is not the last dragon in the world, as she'd long thought: not one but two dr kon brothers vie for her heart. And just as Lora begins to embrace her destiny, yet another dr kon enters her life-another female who, like her, has disguised herself as a student at the prestigious Iverson School for Girls. It's no coincidence. Secrets come unraveled; time comes undone. Soon all four of the dr kon caught in Iverson's mysterious, enchanted world are going to have to confront a new enemy: an army of dragons, come to steal Lora away-and destroy anyone who attempts to stop them.