Heiress by Sue May Warren

My book review today is on the book Heiress (Daughters of Fortune) by Sue May Warren. It's a historical novel that starts in New York City in 1896. It's about two sister who are going into the world of the rich and famous and the tragedy they make of their lives.

Esme Price is beautiful and is attending all of the social functions of the season. Her mother has arranged for a marriage to take place between Esme and Foster Worth, the most eligible bachelor in New York City. Esme has no desire to marry anyone but especially not Foster. When Foster asks for her hand, her father accepts, now Esme is caught up in an engagement she hates.

Jacqueline, Jinx Price is seventeen and should have already come out as a debutant but is force to wait until her older sister marries. She doesn't understand how Esme would rather read and write than spend time with Foster. He can give Esme all the power she could ever want. The Worth's were powerful people, her social statis would be unequaled. Jinx has fallen in love with her future brother-in-law. He is wonderful. Jinx's mother plots to exchange brides.

Esme's lone desire is to write for her father's news paper. Oliver, the butler's son, works for her father and takes articles to the news paper for her and her father has been publishing them. She goes to her father and tells him that she is the one writing the articles and he blows up. Oliver tells Esme how he has always loved her and asks her to run off with him. She turns him down but changes her mind. Her mother finds out that Esme is running away and givers her the jewels she was to wear for her wedding and sends her off in the family carriage. She arrives in Hell's Kitchen only to see Oliver's apartment go up in smoke. She is told that he was killed trying to save a child. She goes to her father. Her father had been told that she carried Oliver's child so he would give Jinx to Foster to take Esme's place in the wedding. She gives him her article on the fire but he only talks of marrying her to someone else, so she heads to Montana.

Jinx's mother manipulates everyone involved and marries Jinx off to Foster. Foster accepts Jinx but is angry about the change. He is a cruel man who is unfaithful to Jinx from the beginning. Jinx has what she always wanted but is without love.

The story covers a twenty year time period and shows the lives of these two women. The horrors of being married to an abusive husband, loss of love, fighting for what you believe in,  and redemption. It is a story of heartache and struggle, at times very depressing, at times humorous, and at time heart breaking. It was very well written, your heart goes out to these women who can't seem to find happiness.

I was once married to a cruel and abusive man. I felt for Jinx and at times it was hard to read some of her story. Wealth however had no part in my story, but still I could identify with her. I'm sure you will like this story, I purchased it on Amazon.