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The Winthrop Agreement
. #1 BEST SELLER AMAZON- Gilded Age Historical Romance: A captivating historical novel set in Gilded Age New York City about an immigrant daughter’s ascent from a miserable tenement to the heights of haute couture, driven by an insatiable hunger for a place in society and secrets she must not betray.
When Rivkah Milmanovitch arrives at Ellis Island, her husband is not waiting for her as promised. Alone and pregnant, she makes her way to the Lower East Side tenement of an old friend. Lottie Aarons, whose husband went out for a newspaper and never returned, takes Rivkah in and they work side-by-side in dispiriting sweatshops. Rivkah gives birth to a daughter, Mimi, determined that her child will have a better life in America.
Frederick Winthrop, slum landlord, lives in one of Fifth Avenue‘s sumptuous mansions—and preys on young girls. When he serendipitously meets fifteen-year-old Mimi, who dreams of silks, satins and velvets, imagines costumes and ball gowns, she is easily seduced, and her life takes an unexpected turn. To avoid scandal, the Winthrop family offers Mimi a rare opportunity. While Lottie, now a bookkeeper in the employ of the Winthrops, wisely advises her, Mimi knows exactly what she wants. But as she rises to international fame, she must struggle with the secrets of her past and protect those she loves.
Part history, part romance, with a twist of gothic, The Winthrop Agreement, is a spellbinding tale of a determined heroine who will entrance Bridgerton and all historical fiction fans.
When Rivkah Milmanovitch arrives at Ellis Island, her husband is not waiting for her as promised. Alone and pregnant, she makes her way to the Lower East Side tenement of an old friend. Lottie Aarons, whose husband went out for a newspaper and never returned, takes Rivkah in and they work side-by-side in dispiriting sweatshops. Rivkah gives birth to a daughter, Mimi, determined that her child will have a better life in America.
Frederick Winthrop, slum landlord, lives in one of Fifth Avenue‘s sumptuous mansions—and preys on young girls. When he serendipitously meets fifteen-year-old Mimi, who dreams of silks, satins and velvets, imagines costumes and ball gowns, she is easily seduced, and her life takes an unexpected turn. To avoid scandal, the Winthrop family offers Mimi a rare opportunity. While Lottie, now a bookkeeper in the employ of the Winthrops, wisely advises her, Mimi knows exactly what she wants. But as she rises to international fame, she must struggle with the secrets of her past and protect those she loves.
Part history, part romance, with a twist of gothic, The Winthrop Agreement, is a spellbinding tale of a determined heroine who will entrance Bridgerton and all historical fiction fans.
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2023
132 people are currently reading
6898 people want to read
About the author
Alice Sherman Simpson
2 books77 followers#1 AMAZON BEST SELLER: GILDED AGE HISTORICAL ROMANCE—with a wicked twist of Gothic.
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“STEEPED IN VIVID DESCRIPTION OF NEW YORK CITY'S GILDED AGE, Simpson’s fascinating novel creates a richly layered tapestry of the heartbreaking plight of immigrants juxtaposed with the opulent lifestyles of the elite. Mimi’s exciting and mysterious journey is enhanced by a cast of unique, well-developed characters and lively dialogue. Seamlessly threading significant political, social, and historical events into this captivating story, Simpson’s plot is filled with tender, emotional scenes and psychologically twisted moments. A memorable and intriguing read.” -writes HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY
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READ WHAT WRITERS DIGEST HAS TO SAY: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-b...
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“A great historical fiction novel set over many years, in New York City. Fans of character driven stories, will really like this one. It’s one of those books you don’t want to put down.” — writes RED CARPET CRASH
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“RICH IN CHARACTER and awash in period details of Gilded Age New York as well as the sumptuous fashions of the time, this book is a treat for historical-fiction fans.” --writes BOOKLIST
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"This is not a love story, but it's a look into the various strata of New York City society, the many nationalities, the social tiers, the prejudices and peculiarities, even the different foods. What shines through the narrative is Mimi's story, her effervescent personality, her enthusiasm for life and making friends, her devotion to her son, and her talent for conceiving beautiful, unique creations. This engaging novel could just as well have been set in the present day in terms of the immigrant experience and class divisions. It's not only a pleasure to read; it's thoughtful and filled with likable characters." - writes PAMELA KRAMER, BookReporter.com
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“THE AUTHOR SPINS A WONDERFUL STORY of hope, determination, and achievement. It is an exciting story that is well written. Each of the characters are superbly developed. The narrative is such that the reader can picture themselves there watching things as they transpire. Things are not always what they seem. The author has done a masterful job of creating a story that is exciting, mysterious, and entertaining. “ - writes THE NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS
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"THIS COMPELLING TALE will appeal to fans of Julian Fellowes' The Gilded Age series on cable channel Max. Highly recommended for histfic fans and readers drawn to strong female characters faced with incredible obstacles on the road to success." writes CHAR JONES,
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NOVEMBER 21, 2023 - THE WINTHROP AGREEMENT (Harper)
THE WINTHROP AGREEMENT is a historical novel set in Gilded Age New York City about a determined immigrant daughter's ascent from a miserable tenement to the heights of haute couture—driven by an insatiable hunger for a place in society and secrets she must not betray. Part history, part romance—with a twist of gothic!
* * * * *
READ: "ELDRIDGE STREET, 1902" an early chapter from THE WINTHROP AGREEMENT, selected for publication in Persimmon Tree Magazine’s - Fall Issue – 2021:
https://persimmontree.org/fall-2021/e...
*****
READ: "GUY RYAN" - May Issue - 2023
Short-listed for 62nd Short Fiction Award
https://jerryjazzmusician.com/guy-rya...
*****
BIO:
ALICE SHERMAN SIMPSON is the daughter of a legendary eccentric vaudeville dancer, and a family that was born and raised in a Lower East Side tenement much like her protagonist, with the same determination to integrate into the American landscape.
ALICE SHERMAN SIMPSON is an accomplished visual artist who taught drawing and design at F.I.T, NY, The School of Visual Arts, The New School and Otis College of Art & Design. Her unique, handmade arti
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
October 10, 2023
When sixteen year old Rivkah Milmanovitch leaves her village in Lithuania her mother tells her she's making a big mistake, her husband Jacob promises he will be waiting for her in New York and he fails to show up when her ship docks. Alone and pregnant, she makes her way to the Lower East Side tenements and where her childhood friend Lottie Aarons lives.
Lottie and Rivkah work at the sweatshops sewing, Lottie is going to night school and studying shorthand and typing. Rivkah gives birth to a daughter, Miriam, she’s determined her child will have a better life in America, Mimi doesn’t know her mother was once a carefree young girl, all she remembers is an exhausted woman who works six days a week and struggles to make ends meets.
Frederick Winthrop is a wealthy man, he lives on Fifth Avenue in a mansion, the youngest of three brothers there’s something odd and sinister about him and he likes young girls. He meets fifteen-year-old Mimi in a park, she’s easily seduced, to avoid scandal Fredrick’s older brothers Thomas and Jonathan step in and help her and she’s one of the lucky ones.
Her aunt Lottie is a bookkeeper and works for the Winthrop’s, she advises Mimi to take the opportunity she’s given, keep what happened with Fredrick a secret and tell no one. Mimi opens her own couture dress shop, she makes beautiful gowns for New York’s wealthy heiresses and her big break comes when she designs a wedding gown.
But Mimi always has to be on guard, she makes sure she doesn’t go anywhere that Fredrick Winthrop could be, she’s nervous she might bump into him again, she has every reason to fear him and she doesn't have many friends.
I received a digital copy of The Winthrop Agreement by Alice Sherman Simpson from Edelweiss and HarperCollins publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, a story about the struggles of young immigrant women, they work in the shirtwaist factory, with poor ventilation, the windows are locked and they spend hours bent over a sewing machine and in bad lighting.
All come to America for a better life, and it’s very hard for them to break the cycle of poverty and they live in the crowded tenements. Many of the women were abandoned by their husbands, it was very common and you can see how they were easily taken advantage of and were the perfect prey for a monster.
A combination, part historical fiction and thriller, I found it rather far fetched and unbelievable. Three and a half stars from me, I enjoyed reading about Rivkah immigrating to America and passing the medical check at Ellis Island and Mimi mentoring students from the Manhattan Trade School for girls at her boutique, Lottie was my favorite character and most likeable.
Lottie and Rivkah work at the sweatshops sewing, Lottie is going to night school and studying shorthand and typing. Rivkah gives birth to a daughter, Miriam, she’s determined her child will have a better life in America, Mimi doesn’t know her mother was once a carefree young girl, all she remembers is an exhausted woman who works six days a week and struggles to make ends meets.
Frederick Winthrop is a wealthy man, he lives on Fifth Avenue in a mansion, the youngest of three brothers there’s something odd and sinister about him and he likes young girls. He meets fifteen-year-old Mimi in a park, she’s easily seduced, to avoid scandal Fredrick’s older brothers Thomas and Jonathan step in and help her and she’s one of the lucky ones.
Her aunt Lottie is a bookkeeper and works for the Winthrop’s, she advises Mimi to take the opportunity she’s given, keep what happened with Fredrick a secret and tell no one. Mimi opens her own couture dress shop, she makes beautiful gowns for New York’s wealthy heiresses and her big break comes when she designs a wedding gown.
But Mimi always has to be on guard, she makes sure she doesn’t go anywhere that Fredrick Winthrop could be, she’s nervous she might bump into him again, she has every reason to fear him and she doesn't have many friends.
I received a digital copy of The Winthrop Agreement by Alice Sherman Simpson from Edelweiss and HarperCollins publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, a story about the struggles of young immigrant women, they work in the shirtwaist factory, with poor ventilation, the windows are locked and they spend hours bent over a sewing machine and in bad lighting.
All come to America for a better life, and it’s very hard for them to break the cycle of poverty and they live in the crowded tenements. Many of the women were abandoned by their husbands, it was very common and you can see how they were easily taken advantage of and were the perfect prey for a monster.
A combination, part historical fiction and thriller, I found it rather far fetched and unbelievable. Three and a half stars from me, I enjoyed reading about Rivkah immigrating to America and passing the medical check at Ellis Island and Mimi mentoring students from the Manhattan Trade School for girls at her boutique, Lottie was my favorite character and most likeable.
September 29, 2023
This compelling tale will appeal to fans of Julian Fellowes' The Gilded Age series on cable channel Max. I found myself rooting for FMC Mimi, who wants more in life than her immigrant mother's hardscrabble existence. In fact, Mimi longs to design gowns for society's elite.
But she's impregnated in her teens by rich slumlord Frederick Winthrop, known for preying on young girls. To prevent public scandal, the Winthrop family agrees to provide Mimi an incredible opportunity in exchange for her silence. Will she be able to keep the family's secrets as she realizes her dreams?
Highly recommended for histfic fans and readers drawn to strong female characters faced with incredible obstacles on the road to success.
Thanks to @harperperennial, @aliceshermansimpson_booksandclay, and @druckerheather for the gorgeous hard copy ARC. Opinions are mine.
But she's impregnated in her teens by rich slumlord Frederick Winthrop, known for preying on young girls. To prevent public scandal, the Winthrop family agrees to provide Mimi an incredible opportunity in exchange for her silence. Will she be able to keep the family's secrets as she realizes her dreams?
Highly recommended for histfic fans and readers drawn to strong female characters faced with incredible obstacles on the road to success.
Thanks to @harperperennial, @aliceshermansimpson_booksandclay, and @druckerheather for the gorgeous hard copy ARC. Opinions are mine.
May 18, 2023
I'm amazed that so many people—beta readers, editors, agents—read this and thought, Yes, it's worthy of publication. As an outline for a novel, or maybe a first draft, it has potential, but... Major events are glossed over (the protagonist, Mimi, gives birth at age 15 or 16—there seems to be some discrepancy—apparently alone, and then boom! she's happily bouncing a healthy baby boy; a major character dies and after a paragraph of weeping, Mimi goes on her merry way). We're told that Mimi is charming, smart, etc., but given little proof. Things happen, lots of things, but except when necessary for plot purposes, they leave little impact on the characters.
And so many telling details, the sort of details that make a novel come alive, are omitted. How did Mimi happen upon Matthew as the name for her son? It's not one she's likely to have heard down in the Lower East Side at that time. How did she lose her accent so that no one guessed she was from there? Did she light yahrzeit candles for her mother? Did Matthew have a bris? Why did Jonathan take such an interest in Matthew? How did she manage to be completely unaffected by World War I—I don't think the war is mentioned even once. I could go on and on...
Despite my disappointment, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
And so many telling details, the sort of details that make a novel come alive, are omitted. How did Mimi happen upon Matthew as the name for her son? It's not one she's likely to have heard down in the Lower East Side at that time. How did she lose her accent so that no one guessed she was from there? Did she light yahrzeit candles for her mother? Did Matthew have a bris? Why did Jonathan take such an interest in Matthew? How did she manage to be completely unaffected by World War I—I don't think the war is mentioned even once. I could go on and on...
Despite my disappointment, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2024
This historical novel was absolutely enchanting. An immigrant’s daughter learns from her mother, Rivkah Milmanovitch, a teenage girl herself who was abandoned in New York’s tenement slums, how to eke out a living with cloth and thread. But the daughter is keen and innovative, and soon hems and patches turn into upscale dresses, with Mimi vowing to do better for herself.
However, a highbrow slumlord, Frederick Winthrop, preys on young girls, and the naïve Mimi is soon swept into his clutches. Unknown to him, a son evolves from the one-night relationship. Lottie, a family friend from the old world, a woman good with numbers, has already worked her way out of the tenement world and into the role of bookkeeper in the Winthrop household. She becomes Mimi’s advisor, but better yet, she introduces Mimi to Frederick’s well-bred older brothers who recognize what their brother has done. A deal is struck to protect the Winthrop name, reputation, and heritage, and Mimi’s life takes a turn.
Mimi’s talents and her newfound friendship with the Winthrops, throw her into the haute couture world of the Gilded Age of New York. Mimi is driven to be successful but is even more earnest to protect her son. She navigates a most beautiful, scrumptious world of vogue dress while keeping her past a secret, but it’s a constant vigil that makes her and reader catch their breath time and time again as she fights to keep her past from meeting her present.
The story is entertaining, and the writing is quite exquisite as the reader sinks into an era of visual contrasts, making the experience rather magnificent. Kudos to Alice Sherman Simpson.
However, a highbrow slumlord, Frederick Winthrop, preys on young girls, and the naïve Mimi is soon swept into his clutches. Unknown to him, a son evolves from the one-night relationship. Lottie, a family friend from the old world, a woman good with numbers, has already worked her way out of the tenement world and into the role of bookkeeper in the Winthrop household. She becomes Mimi’s advisor, but better yet, she introduces Mimi to Frederick’s well-bred older brothers who recognize what their brother has done. A deal is struck to protect the Winthrop name, reputation, and heritage, and Mimi’s life takes a turn.
Mimi’s talents and her newfound friendship with the Winthrops, throw her into the haute couture world of the Gilded Age of New York. Mimi is driven to be successful but is even more earnest to protect her son. She navigates a most beautiful, scrumptious world of vogue dress while keeping her past a secret, but it’s a constant vigil that makes her and reader catch their breath time and time again as she fights to keep her past from meeting her present.
The story is entertaining, and the writing is quite exquisite as the reader sinks into an era of visual contrasts, making the experience rather magnificent. Kudos to Alice Sherman Simpson.
October 12, 2023
The Winthrop Agreement
The Winthrop Agreement by Alice Sherman Simpson begins with young Jewish immigrant Rivkha Milmanovitch arriving in New York City to begin a new life with her husband Jacob. Only that idea of a fairytale beginning and ending is dashed when Jacob doesn’t show up. Alone and pregnant Alice goes to her family friend Lottie and gives birth to a girl Miriam. Rivkha works in a sweatshop to support her and Miriam. Miriam almost repeats her mother’s mistakes when she meets a rich man whose part of the Winthrop family. He loves her and leaves her alone but Miriam doesn’t fall apart. Miriam has her son and works hard and becomes an international designer, though she has to be careful of the dangerous man who fathered her child who has more secrets of his own.
Character & Storyline
I like Miriam as a main character and the important part of the story is that while life can throw us curveballs and we make mistakes that we choose never to give up on our dreams for a better life. The Winthrop Agreement is definitely for those who enjoy historical fiction books. If you’re a fan of The Gilded Age on HBO you will probably enjoy this book.
Flow of the Writing
The writing was descriptive as I can picture myself being here in the different time periods. I will say the story dragged and sometimes took forever for things to get exciting, and the book seemed too long. The climax wasn’t as exciting as it could have been in my opinion and the ending seemed very rushed. I thought to myself, “What that’s it?” It seemed as though the author was tired of the story and rushed to get it done.
Overall
Overall I think if the ending wasn’t rushed and the book was condensed a bit, I think it would have been better. It wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read but it wasn’t the best either. If you don’t have an early copy of The Winthrop Agreement pre-order it now so you can get it on November 21st. Thank you Heather Drucker for an early copy!
The Winthrop Agreement by Alice Sherman Simpson begins with young Jewish immigrant Rivkha Milmanovitch arriving in New York City to begin a new life with her husband Jacob. Only that idea of a fairytale beginning and ending is dashed when Jacob doesn’t show up. Alone and pregnant Alice goes to her family friend Lottie and gives birth to a girl Miriam. Rivkha works in a sweatshop to support her and Miriam. Miriam almost repeats her mother’s mistakes when she meets a rich man whose part of the Winthrop family. He loves her and leaves her alone but Miriam doesn’t fall apart. Miriam has her son and works hard and becomes an international designer, though she has to be careful of the dangerous man who fathered her child who has more secrets of his own.
Character & Storyline
I like Miriam as a main character and the important part of the story is that while life can throw us curveballs and we make mistakes that we choose never to give up on our dreams for a better life. The Winthrop Agreement is definitely for those who enjoy historical fiction books. If you’re a fan of The Gilded Age on HBO you will probably enjoy this book.
Flow of the Writing
The writing was descriptive as I can picture myself being here in the different time periods. I will say the story dragged and sometimes took forever for things to get exciting, and the book seemed too long. The climax wasn’t as exciting as it could have been in my opinion and the ending seemed very rushed. I thought to myself, “What that’s it?” It seemed as though the author was tired of the story and rushed to get it done.
Overall
Overall I think if the ending wasn’t rushed and the book was condensed a bit, I think it would have been better. It wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read but it wasn’t the best either. If you don’t have an early copy of The Winthrop Agreement pre-order it now so you can get it on November 21st. Thank you Heather Drucker for an early copy!
November 21, 2023
A young Jewish woman is born in poverty but is determined to rise to the heights of society.
In 1893, pregnant bride Rivkah survives the long journey from Lithuania to the United States to start her life with her new husband Jacob who had travelled ahead. When he is not waiting for her at Ellis Island when she arrives, she struggles to make her way to the Lower East SIde and the only other person she knows in America, her girlhood friend Lottie. Lottie, it turns out, has also been abandoned by her husband….he went out one day on an errand and never came back. This is hardly the American life of which they had dreamed, but both work hard and are able to survive and make a life for themselves. Working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory is grueling labor in horrible conditions, and Lottie is determined to escape that life. She studies to be a bookkeeper even as she works at the factory; ultimately she is able to find work in that capacity with the wealthy and socially prominent Winthrop family. Rivkah, whose own dreams were shattered by Jacob’s abandonment of her, is determined that her new baby, Miriam, will have a better life than her own. With Lottie’s encouragement, Rivkah too breaks away from life as a factory worker, using her seamstress skills to start her own alterations business. As Miriam grows up, she exhibits Lottie’s ambitions and Rivkah’s talents with the needle. She is fascinated by fabrics and colors and designs, and dreams of a more glamorous life. Unfortunately for her, she catches the eye of Frederick Winthrop, the youngest son of the family for whom Lottie works, who is a nasty fellow indeed (killing small animals as a child is never a good sign). He uses his charm to pursue the still-underage Miriam, who now calls herself Mimi, ultimately persuading her to come to his rooms where he plies her with liquor and seduces her. His goal accomplished, he moves on to the next beautiful young innocent whom he can corrupt, leaving Miriam confused and, sadly, pregnant. Like her mother before her, Mimi is left alone to bear and raise her child by herself. When Lottie discovers who the man was who put Mimi in this predicament, however, she is able to use her connection to the Winthrop family to appeal to Frederick’s older, and far more honorable, brothers. Aware of their brother’s pattern of despicable behavior and eager to avoid a scandal that would tarnish the family name, the elder Winthrops arrange for Mimi and her son Matthew to have a home in a better neighborhood and the funding necessary to live comfortably and open her own business. The skills she learned from her mother coupled with her own talent and flair for design lead her to success in the world of couture, designing dresses worn by women in high society during the Gilded Age. Can she in fact live the life of which she has dreamed for so long, or will she attract the eye of the evil Frederick for a second time and be ruined yet again?
There is much in this novel to enjoy. The author describes the life of an immigrant on Eldridge Street: the often squalid living conditions, the brutal conditions under which many had to work just to survive, and in particular what women and children struggled with both inside and outside of the home. How did people cope with the harsh realities that awaited them when they arrived, often with no money and not speaking English, to find that the America of their dreams did not exist? Some like Rivkah became bitter and hardened, abandoning their own dreams but working hard to better their children’s lives. Others like Lottie and later Mimi clung fiercely to their ambitious plans and some, with hard work and in some cases luck and quirks of fate, brought them to fruition. The author’s descriptions of the building where Mimi grew up, the sounds and smells of the neighborhood, the colors and textures of the clothes Mimi designs, were incredibly vivid. The contrast of the characters of Lottie and Rivkah was effective in giving Mimi the grounding to pursue her dreams. It did seem to me that the author tried to not only tell the story of a young immigrant’s rise from the tenements of the Lower East Side to the salons of Millionaire’s Row, but also a thriller with a devious and deviant psychopath who targets and stalks vulnerable, naive young women. The denouement of the latter part of the story at the end of the book seemed more rushed than quick paced; I would have preferred perhaps to have the character of Matthew be more developed, or that of Daniel, Mimi’s ultimate love interest. Overall, though, I so thoroughly enjoyed inhabiting the world which the author brought to life that I would still recommend this novel to other readers, particularly to those who enjoy the works of Barbara Taylor Bradford and Barbara Delinsky as well as those who like the Bridgerton/Upstairs Downstairs genre. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The Winthrop Agreement in exchange for my honest review
In 1893, pregnant bride Rivkah survives the long journey from Lithuania to the United States to start her life with her new husband Jacob who had travelled ahead. When he is not waiting for her at Ellis Island when she arrives, she struggles to make her way to the Lower East SIde and the only other person she knows in America, her girlhood friend Lottie. Lottie, it turns out, has also been abandoned by her husband….he went out one day on an errand and never came back. This is hardly the American life of which they had dreamed, but both work hard and are able to survive and make a life for themselves. Working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory is grueling labor in horrible conditions, and Lottie is determined to escape that life. She studies to be a bookkeeper even as she works at the factory; ultimately she is able to find work in that capacity with the wealthy and socially prominent Winthrop family. Rivkah, whose own dreams were shattered by Jacob’s abandonment of her, is determined that her new baby, Miriam, will have a better life than her own. With Lottie’s encouragement, Rivkah too breaks away from life as a factory worker, using her seamstress skills to start her own alterations business. As Miriam grows up, she exhibits Lottie’s ambitions and Rivkah’s talents with the needle. She is fascinated by fabrics and colors and designs, and dreams of a more glamorous life. Unfortunately for her, she catches the eye of Frederick Winthrop, the youngest son of the family for whom Lottie works, who is a nasty fellow indeed (killing small animals as a child is never a good sign). He uses his charm to pursue the still-underage Miriam, who now calls herself Mimi, ultimately persuading her to come to his rooms where he plies her with liquor and seduces her. His goal accomplished, he moves on to the next beautiful young innocent whom he can corrupt, leaving Miriam confused and, sadly, pregnant. Like her mother before her, Mimi is left alone to bear and raise her child by herself. When Lottie discovers who the man was who put Mimi in this predicament, however, she is able to use her connection to the Winthrop family to appeal to Frederick’s older, and far more honorable, brothers. Aware of their brother’s pattern of despicable behavior and eager to avoid a scandal that would tarnish the family name, the elder Winthrops arrange for Mimi and her son Matthew to have a home in a better neighborhood and the funding necessary to live comfortably and open her own business. The skills she learned from her mother coupled with her own talent and flair for design lead her to success in the world of couture, designing dresses worn by women in high society during the Gilded Age. Can she in fact live the life of which she has dreamed for so long, or will she attract the eye of the evil Frederick for a second time and be ruined yet again?
There is much in this novel to enjoy. The author describes the life of an immigrant on Eldridge Street: the often squalid living conditions, the brutal conditions under which many had to work just to survive, and in particular what women and children struggled with both inside and outside of the home. How did people cope with the harsh realities that awaited them when they arrived, often with no money and not speaking English, to find that the America of their dreams did not exist? Some like Rivkah became bitter and hardened, abandoning their own dreams but working hard to better their children’s lives. Others like Lottie and later Mimi clung fiercely to their ambitious plans and some, with hard work and in some cases luck and quirks of fate, brought them to fruition. The author’s descriptions of the building where Mimi grew up, the sounds and smells of the neighborhood, the colors and textures of the clothes Mimi designs, were incredibly vivid. The contrast of the characters of Lottie and Rivkah was effective in giving Mimi the grounding to pursue her dreams. It did seem to me that the author tried to not only tell the story of a young immigrant’s rise from the tenements of the Lower East Side to the salons of Millionaire’s Row, but also a thriller with a devious and deviant psychopath who targets and stalks vulnerable, naive young women. The denouement of the latter part of the story at the end of the book seemed more rushed than quick paced; I would have preferred perhaps to have the character of Matthew be more developed, or that of Daniel, Mimi’s ultimate love interest. Overall, though, I so thoroughly enjoyed inhabiting the world which the author brought to life that I would still recommend this novel to other readers, particularly to those who enjoy the works of Barbara Taylor Bradford and Barbara Delinsky as well as those who like the Bridgerton/Upstairs Downstairs genre. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The Winthrop Agreement in exchange for my honest review
April 15, 2024
2.5 - liked the gilded age glitz but some weird plot turns not as advertised
September 20, 2023
An interesting story of an immigrant's daughter who rises to the middle class through her connection to a wealthy family and talent as a designer. I loved the main character, Mimi, and the descriptions of life of the rich in New York the early 20th Century. Thanks to Harper for an ARC of this book won through a Goodreads giveaway.
May 18, 2023
Thank you HarperCollins Publishing and Netgalley for my ARC of The Winthrop Agreement. This book was like a warm hug. I couldn’t put it down. Mimi felt like a very good friend and I wanted to know how her story turned out. She would stop at nothing to make her dreams come true despite getting entangled with a powerful family. Frederick was truly creepy and I was holding my breath that she would be free of him. The characters, the story, and the setting of early 20th century New York was absolute perfection. 5/5 stars ⭐️.
January 18, 2024
It’s enjoyable to find an author of historical fiction who obviously devotes ample time to researching the era in which the book takes place. That’s what Alice Sherman Simpson has done with “The Winthrop Agreement.”
The novel offers many historical details of the Gilded Age in New York City as well as the plight of immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island during the time. The clash of these two worlds is nicely epitomized in the life of the protagonist Mimi who struggles to emerge from sweat shops to become a well-regarded designer of high fashion clothing. The author offers copious details of the clothing evoking vivid images in the minds of readers.
Of course, the villain, Frederick Winthrop, is portrayed as universally disliked and loathed in the novel. If there are any misgivings with the novel, it is wondering how such an individual could have escaped undetected in his years-long molestation of young girls for as long as Winthrop did before his ultimate demise.
Nevertheless, the novel is well worth the read for those who enjoy historical fiction.
The novel offers many historical details of the Gilded Age in New York City as well as the plight of immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island during the time. The clash of these two worlds is nicely epitomized in the life of the protagonist Mimi who struggles to emerge from sweat shops to become a well-regarded designer of high fashion clothing. The author offers copious details of the clothing evoking vivid images in the minds of readers.
Of course, the villain, Frederick Winthrop, is portrayed as universally disliked and loathed in the novel. If there are any misgivings with the novel, it is wondering how such an individual could have escaped undetected in his years-long molestation of young girls for as long as Winthrop did before his ultimate demise.
Nevertheless, the novel is well worth the read for those who enjoy historical fiction.
Read
October 11, 2023I'm a huge fan of historical fiction (think Kristin Harmel, Martha Hall Kelly, Kristin Hannah) and had high hopes for The Winthrop Agreement. Sadly, those hopes were quickly deflated. The historical aspects were merely blips on the radar.
As another reviewer commented, it read like an outline. The story line often felt disjointed, lacking character development and an overall flow.
I don't want to give away details, but I feel as though there needed to be more character development, especially as it relates to Mimi, the main character. How did she feel when her mom passes? What was it like to give birth at such a young age?
Overall, I didn't think the book flowed well. I made it to the end, but struggled to enjoy the book.
I am, however, grateful for the opportunity to review the ARC and want to thank NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#TheWinthropAgreement #NetGalley
As another reviewer commented, it read like an outline. The story line often felt disjointed, lacking character development and an overall flow.
I don't want to give away details, but I feel as though there needed to be more character development, especially as it relates to Mimi, the main character. How did she feel when her mom passes? What was it like to give birth at such a young age?
Overall, I didn't think the book flowed well. I made it to the end, but struggled to enjoy the book.
I am, however, grateful for the opportunity to review the ARC and want to thank NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
#TheWinthropAgreement #NetGalley
Read
September 1, 2023The Winthrop Agreement is a captivating historical novel that takes place in Gilded Age New York City. The story revolves around a group of realistic characters who, despite their flaws, manage to evoke sympathy from the readers. Simpson's exquisite writing style effortlessly immerses the audience in the vibrant atmosphere of the Gilded Age New York City dance hall, allowing them to experience the sights, sounds, and textures firsthand.
January 8, 2024
A very enjoyable read. I love historical fiction and reading about the Guilded Age in New York and about the immigrants and the Lower East Side. Part of it was far-fetched, but I really enjoyed it none the less
June 18, 2024
This book hooked me from the beginning and had me wishing I could just read it straight through, excitedly coming back to it every time chance I got. It is a fascinating tale that weaves an immigrant story into and over lapping with gilded age society in New York City at the turn of the last century all with a sparkling pop of suspense around the edges. I do think it could have ended better about 2 chapters earlier, but otherwise thoroughly enjoyed this book.
December 1, 2023
3.75 rounded up
August 27, 2023
This book was better than I thought it would be. I found myself invested in the main characters life and wanted her to succeed. Would recommend. #GoodreadsGiveaway
November 17, 2023
Really enjoyed reading this novel. Starting from a bad situation, turning to friends and family, making good out of a bad situation and then achieving success. The two chapters were a bit off to me, like why was this happening and why so soon? Plus what will happen to Matthew, where is Frederick? Overall though, I really enjoyed the book.
December 17, 2023
Simpson has written a revealing look at the Gilded Age from the perspective of the immigrants living in NYC. Her storyline mirrors many of the current attitudes about immigrants which makes it an interesting comparison to present day.
November 25, 2023
Overall I liked this book, but the ending was not what I expected at all. Was very dark at times. Interesting storytelling of the immigrant experience of the late 1800s and early 1900s in during the Gilded Age in NYC.
One glaring error was the changing of name at Ellis Island which is a myth.
One glaring error was the changing of name at Ellis Island which is a myth.
March 24, 2024
Nice enjoyable reading
June 2, 2024
At first, I was quite excited about this book. From the crowded and dirty immigrant tenement housing to "millionaire's row," a young girl works her way out of a factory to be a sought after dress designer. But then...in a strangely weird plot twist...we are introduced to a serial killer...young teenage girls begin disappearing, and it just goes sideways. This was NOT AT ALL what I was expecting or prepared for, and the ending was equally as strange. I felt dirty and disgusted when I finished the book. I am not normally a "needs a happy ending" person, but in this case I definitely did. This was just incredibly strange all the way around and not at all what the summary suggests.
February 22, 2024
I absolutely loved reading this ... until the end. Literally the WORST ending possible for this book. I understand it but I hated it.
February 22, 2024
I wasn't expecting much of this book, but I loved it! There was a bit of everything sadness, love, heartbreaks, suspense... Highly recommend.
May 13, 2024
grim story of a psychopath
Not really recommended. Do we really need these kinds of grotesque, meaningless stories? There has to be a bigger reason for writing a story, IMO.
Not really recommended. Do we really need these kinds of grotesque, meaningless stories? There has to be a bigger reason for writing a story, IMO.
June 30, 2024
Primarily a rags-to-riches tale of historical fiction, but with other elements in the mix.
In 1893, Rikvah Milmanovitch, a young wife of sixteen, follows the husband who left her for America after one week of marriage, leaving her with two things: a pregnancy and a steamship ticket. When Rivkah disembarks in New York, she is overwhelmed by the size of the city and its crowds, but she manages to make her way to the address of her best friend Lottie's Lower East Side tenement apartment. Rivkah expects to find Lottie and her husband, but soon finds out that Lottie has also been abandoned by her husband. Nevertheless, Lottie takes her in and helps her find work at the sweatshop where she has been working.
When Rivkah has the baby, a girl she names Miriam, they struggle on, but Lottie, who has ambitions and an affinity for numbers, takes classes in English and bookkeeping, which eventually allow her to leave the needle trade for a job in the business interests of the Winthrops, a hugely wealthy family living in an Upper East Side mansion. Lottie becomes a trusted and valued employee and with her much better earnings, moves from the Lower East Side to Brooklyn, though she remains close to Rikvah, and is the closest of surrogate aunts to Miriam.
Miriam, nicknamed Mimi, shows an early interest in colors, fabrics and textures, and eventually joins her mother in sewing in the sweatshops, but first going to school and acquiring a basic education. Her interests translate into an artistic talent that she hopes to express in creating fashions that are beyond the cheap garments she works on from early morning until night.
Meanwhile, the Winthrops' youngest son Frederick is already showing sociopathic tendencies. Not only is he a mean-spirited, disobedient boy, but he has developed a sinister interest in trapping and killing small birds and keeping their dead bodies like trophies. As he grows up, this focus extends to larger birds and other animals, and eventually, as a grown man, the pursuit of beautiful, much younger girls. He takes a part of the family business into acquiring slum buildings on the Lower East Side, while he builds an estate for himself in an isolated part of Long Island, a dark Gothic mansion that he calls Raptor. His two older brothers want nothing to do with him, though as yet they don't know the extent of his proclivities.
He encounters the then teenaged, beautiful, and naive Mimi on a bench in a park on the Lower East Side. At twice her age, he gradually cajoles and entices her with lavish dinners and gifts, and eventually drugs and seduces her, though she manages to get away afterwards, humiliated and frightened, and get home. Not much time passes before she realizes she is pregnant.
Rivkah has all along been suffering with a lung ailment, brought on by poor food, the close quarters of the neighborhood where viruses and other diseases flourish, and her punishing work in the sweatshops, where she is also breathing in cloth particles and other irritants. She has resisted medical attention but is now so sick that she must be hospitalized, and dies. Mimi has the baby, a boy she names Matthew.
Lottie learns the whole story, and knowing that Mimi's seducer was Frederick, and that the Winthrops above all want to remain unassociated with scandal, negotiates an agreement that will install Mimi and Matthew in an uptown townhouse, and allow her to develop her alterations and dressmaking skills into a small business, in return for never revealing the name of her child's father. Of course Mimi agrees.
In time Mimi makes acquaintances and friends, in particular Lawrence, an attractive young man who operates an antiques and rare objects business nearby. Mimi, still somewhat unaware of the ways of the world, is clueless to her friend's homosexuality, and it is a shock to her when she finds out about his hidden world.
Mimi's business prospers and she gradually leaves alterations behind, developing into a talented designer and seamstress to the high society women of New York. With Lawrence's tutelage, she also becomes an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, attending the Metropolitan Opera and other events, often with him as her escort.
She is never far, however, in one way or another, from the Winthrops, and her life remains somewhat entwined with them, though her secret (and theirs) remains concealed. In the end, after a number of disturbing events reminiscent of her own original encounter with Frederick, the story reaches its strange and chilling end.
It seems somewhat unbelievable that a patrician family like the Winthrops will hire a female Jewish bookkeeper, especially at that time, and perhaps even more that she will be able to negotiate such a generous agreement for Mimi. Some anachronistic words and phrases creep into the text, though most of the details seem well-researched and many elements are believable, since they are based on actual developments of the time period, and in some ways, as far as they relate to human nature and what we know of certain criminal cases that have been publicized over the years, especially with today's more blatant news coverage, may not be that surprising.
In 1893, Rikvah Milmanovitch, a young wife of sixteen, follows the husband who left her for America after one week of marriage, leaving her with two things: a pregnancy and a steamship ticket. When Rivkah disembarks in New York, she is overwhelmed by the size of the city and its crowds, but she manages to make her way to the address of her best friend Lottie's Lower East Side tenement apartment. Rivkah expects to find Lottie and her husband, but soon finds out that Lottie has also been abandoned by her husband. Nevertheless, Lottie takes her in and helps her find work at the sweatshop where she has been working.
When Rivkah has the baby, a girl she names Miriam, they struggle on, but Lottie, who has ambitions and an affinity for numbers, takes classes in English and bookkeeping, which eventually allow her to leave the needle trade for a job in the business interests of the Winthrops, a hugely wealthy family living in an Upper East Side mansion. Lottie becomes a trusted and valued employee and with her much better earnings, moves from the Lower East Side to Brooklyn, though she remains close to Rikvah, and is the closest of surrogate aunts to Miriam.
Miriam, nicknamed Mimi, shows an early interest in colors, fabrics and textures, and eventually joins her mother in sewing in the sweatshops, but first going to school and acquiring a basic education. Her interests translate into an artistic talent that she hopes to express in creating fashions that are beyond the cheap garments she works on from early morning until night.
Meanwhile, the Winthrops' youngest son Frederick is already showing sociopathic tendencies. Not only is he a mean-spirited, disobedient boy, but he has developed a sinister interest in trapping and killing small birds and keeping their dead bodies like trophies. As he grows up, this focus extends to larger birds and other animals, and eventually, as a grown man, the pursuit of beautiful, much younger girls. He takes a part of the family business into acquiring slum buildings on the Lower East Side, while he builds an estate for himself in an isolated part of Long Island, a dark Gothic mansion that he calls Raptor. His two older brothers want nothing to do with him, though as yet they don't know the extent of his proclivities.
He encounters the then teenaged, beautiful, and naive Mimi on a bench in a park on the Lower East Side. At twice her age, he gradually cajoles and entices her with lavish dinners and gifts, and eventually drugs and seduces her, though she manages to get away afterwards, humiliated and frightened, and get home. Not much time passes before she realizes she is pregnant.
Rivkah has all along been suffering with a lung ailment, brought on by poor food, the close quarters of the neighborhood where viruses and other diseases flourish, and her punishing work in the sweatshops, where she is also breathing in cloth particles and other irritants. She has resisted medical attention but is now so sick that she must be hospitalized, and dies. Mimi has the baby, a boy she names Matthew.
Lottie learns the whole story, and knowing that Mimi's seducer was Frederick, and that the Winthrops above all want to remain unassociated with scandal, negotiates an agreement that will install Mimi and Matthew in an uptown townhouse, and allow her to develop her alterations and dressmaking skills into a small business, in return for never revealing the name of her child's father. Of course Mimi agrees.
In time Mimi makes acquaintances and friends, in particular Lawrence, an attractive young man who operates an antiques and rare objects business nearby. Mimi, still somewhat unaware of the ways of the world, is clueless to her friend's homosexuality, and it is a shock to her when she finds out about his hidden world.
Mimi's business prospers and she gradually leaves alterations behind, developing into a talented designer and seamstress to the high society women of New York. With Lawrence's tutelage, she also becomes an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, attending the Metropolitan Opera and other events, often with him as her escort.
She is never far, however, in one way or another, from the Winthrops, and her life remains somewhat entwined with them, though her secret (and theirs) remains concealed. In the end, after a number of disturbing events reminiscent of her own original encounter with Frederick, the story reaches its strange and chilling end.
It seems somewhat unbelievable that a patrician family like the Winthrops will hire a female Jewish bookkeeper, especially at that time, and perhaps even more that she will be able to negotiate such a generous agreement for Mimi. Some anachronistic words and phrases creep into the text, though most of the details seem well-researched and many elements are believable, since they are based on actual developments of the time period, and in some ways, as far as they relate to human nature and what we know of certain criminal cases that have been publicized over the years, especially with today's more blatant news coverage, may not be that surprising.
November 27, 2023
There's no mystery involved in THE WINTHROP AGREEMENT, and the narrative is fairly straightforward as Alice Sherman Simpson takes us forward and backward in time right around the turn of the 20th century. The only mystery we might consider is how, over the past century, so much has changed in terms of technology and our lifestyles, yet so little has changed when it comes to our class prejudices and the chasm that exists between the ultra-wealthy and the rest of us.
Fifteen-year-old Rivkah Milmanovitch leaves her native Lithuania to meet her new husband in America. What happens when she arrives in New York City, but there's no handsome husband there to greet her? Lottie Aarons, Rivkah’s friend from the Old Country, went to America with her husband. Rivkah finds Lottie only to discover that Lottie's husband also has absconded.
Lottie works as a seamstress in a factory, and Rivkah gets a job there as well. Sadly, the working conditions are cruel (the girls get money withheld from their earnings to pay for "their" sewing machines), the windows are kept shut even on the hottest summer days, and there is no fresh air. They work 12-hour days for a pittance.
Even though Rivkah and her husband were together for only a week before he left for America to "prepare the way for her," she got pregnant. When she has a girl, she moves into a tiny one-room apartment to give Lottie her privacy. Lottie had been studying bookkeeping to get out of the factory and ends up working for the wealthy Winthrop family. At this point, the story turns to Rivkah's daughter, Miriam. Mimi, as her family and friends call her, loves fabrics and gowns. As she grows up, she has dreams of her own.
Unfortunately for Mimi, at 15 she meets the disreputable younger Winthrop brother, Frederick, who seduces her. Simpson clearly shows that Mimi was lucky; with her mother being hospitalized and dying, he was unable to take things further. Through some unsettling recounting of his sick childhood pursuits, we quickly realize that Frederick is a psychopath in the making. He starts with killing small animals but soon progresses to other creatures. He has absolutely no morals and gets much pleasure from stealing from his mother, who has despised him almost since his birth. Perhaps she sensed his depravity even then.
Rivkah has worked nonstop to provide for herself and Mimi, but that has left little time or energy to be a loving mother. Lottie has helped and is there to give Mimi affection. When Rivkah dies, Lottie and Mimi remain close. And when Mimi gets pregnant by Frederick, Lottie is again there to assist, although Lottie isn’t aware at that time who the father is. In fact, Mimi has never known his last name.
But when Mimi is evicted from her apartment, everything comes together. The older, kinder Winthrop brothers recognize her name as the young teenager Frederick had paraded through his hotel (much to the horror of its residents). When Lottie tells them about Mimi's baby, they realize who the seducer was --- their degenerate younger brother. Worried about their reputation, their philanthropy and their good standing in high society, they make Mimi a very generous offer to keep her and the child comfortable. In return, she must never disclose who the father is.
However, the good Winthrop brothers do more than just give Mimi some money. They give her a scholarship to a trade school to learn about sewing and running a business. They also make sure that her son, Matthew, will attend good schools and have an excellent education. Mimi is able to use her talent and training to create a business as a clothing designer, and her connection to the Winthrops gives her access to the wealthiest members of high society.
THE WINTHROP AGREEMENT effectively conveys how difficult it is when those who are brought up struggling to survive eventually experience the ultra-wealthy in their environment. Mimi is clever, but it's easy for her to mistake warmth for friendship. She comes to realize that while those who utilize her couture services will flatter her and profess their esteem, it's not the same as true friendship, and she must "know her place."
This is not a love story, but it's a look into the various strata of New York City society, the many nationalities, the social tiers, the prejudices and peculiarities, even the different foods. What shines through the narrative is Mimi's story, her effervescent personality, her enthusiasm for life and making friends, her devotion to her son, and her talent for conceiving beautiful, unique creations. This engaging novel could just as well have been set in the present day in terms of the immigrant experience and class divisions. It's not only a pleasure to read; it's thoughtful and filled with likable characters.
Reviewed by Pamela Kramer
Fifteen-year-old Rivkah Milmanovitch leaves her native Lithuania to meet her new husband in America. What happens when she arrives in New York City, but there's no handsome husband there to greet her? Lottie Aarons, Rivkah’s friend from the Old Country, went to America with her husband. Rivkah finds Lottie only to discover that Lottie's husband also has absconded.
Lottie works as a seamstress in a factory, and Rivkah gets a job there as well. Sadly, the working conditions are cruel (the girls get money withheld from their earnings to pay for "their" sewing machines), the windows are kept shut even on the hottest summer days, and there is no fresh air. They work 12-hour days for a pittance.
Even though Rivkah and her husband were together for only a week before he left for America to "prepare the way for her," she got pregnant. When she has a girl, she moves into a tiny one-room apartment to give Lottie her privacy. Lottie had been studying bookkeeping to get out of the factory and ends up working for the wealthy Winthrop family. At this point, the story turns to Rivkah's daughter, Miriam. Mimi, as her family and friends call her, loves fabrics and gowns. As she grows up, she has dreams of her own.
Unfortunately for Mimi, at 15 she meets the disreputable younger Winthrop brother, Frederick, who seduces her. Simpson clearly shows that Mimi was lucky; with her mother being hospitalized and dying, he was unable to take things further. Through some unsettling recounting of his sick childhood pursuits, we quickly realize that Frederick is a psychopath in the making. He starts with killing small animals but soon progresses to other creatures. He has absolutely no morals and gets much pleasure from stealing from his mother, who has despised him almost since his birth. Perhaps she sensed his depravity even then.
Rivkah has worked nonstop to provide for herself and Mimi, but that has left little time or energy to be a loving mother. Lottie has helped and is there to give Mimi affection. When Rivkah dies, Lottie and Mimi remain close. And when Mimi gets pregnant by Frederick, Lottie is again there to assist, although Lottie isn’t aware at that time who the father is. In fact, Mimi has never known his last name.
But when Mimi is evicted from her apartment, everything comes together. The older, kinder Winthrop brothers recognize her name as the young teenager Frederick had paraded through his hotel (much to the horror of its residents). When Lottie tells them about Mimi's baby, they realize who the seducer was --- their degenerate younger brother. Worried about their reputation, their philanthropy and their good standing in high society, they make Mimi a very generous offer to keep her and the child comfortable. In return, she must never disclose who the father is.
However, the good Winthrop brothers do more than just give Mimi some money. They give her a scholarship to a trade school to learn about sewing and running a business. They also make sure that her son, Matthew, will attend good schools and have an excellent education. Mimi is able to use her talent and training to create a business as a clothing designer, and her connection to the Winthrops gives her access to the wealthiest members of high society.
THE WINTHROP AGREEMENT effectively conveys how difficult it is when those who are brought up struggling to survive eventually experience the ultra-wealthy in their environment. Mimi is clever, but it's easy for her to mistake warmth for friendship. She comes to realize that while those who utilize her couture services will flatter her and profess their esteem, it's not the same as true friendship, and she must "know her place."
This is not a love story, but it's a look into the various strata of New York City society, the many nationalities, the social tiers, the prejudices and peculiarities, even the different foods. What shines through the narrative is Mimi's story, her effervescent personality, her enthusiasm for life and making friends, her devotion to her son, and her talent for conceiving beautiful, unique creations. This engaging novel could just as well have been set in the present day in terms of the immigrant experience and class divisions. It's not only a pleasure to read; it's thoughtful and filled with likable characters.
Reviewed by Pamela Kramer
February 3, 2025
3.5 stars
This is a story spanning two generations. Rivka, newly pregnant, arrives from a small village in Lithuania and finds her husband has abandoned her. She endures a hard life so that her daughter can possibly hope for more in America. Her daughter does but little does Rivka know just how much Mimi hopes to achieve. A chance encounter one afternoon changes Mimi’s life as she crosses paths with one of the most important families in Manhattan society.
This book is told from multiple points of view and is told over the course of several years as the generations progress.
This book had a lot of interesting parts in it that as a reader I was happy to see highlighted. The epidemic of men abandoning their wives once they came to America is something people know little about and I was happy to see that featured in this book. Also, I liked that the conditions in the sewing factories were highlighted along with the foreshadowing leading to the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. It really put a human face on the tragedy that we think we know about, but can sometimes just see statistics or factoids.
(Very mild spoilers ahead)
But I feel like the author also fell back on some tropes that I didn’t enjoy like the whole “my last name was changed to Ellis Island” myth, and the fact that it ultimately was up to a rich family to lift up the main character. As the descendent of Lithuanian immigrants from around this era myself, I certainly don’t hobnob with the rich and famous, but I feel like I’m doing OK for myself without anyone having a society benefactor to save me (I guess, opinions may vary, lol).
There were also some classic rich versus poor stereotypes that I kind of rolled my eyes at, but what can you do?
But ultimately, this was an interesting foray into the Gilded age of New York City, and it did have some interesting mystery elements with the added storyline of the Winthrop family and its troubles. The final few chapters were quite interesting in regards to this, and I wish there had been a little bit more of this type of writing which was more innovative and smooth in my opinion, rather than the kind of funky previous chapters.
Overall, this book, which was a bookclub pick, wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favorite either. If you like reading about turn-of-the-century society and politics, you will greatly enjoy this book.
This is a story spanning two generations. Rivka, newly pregnant, arrives from a small village in Lithuania and finds her husband has abandoned her. She endures a hard life so that her daughter can possibly hope for more in America. Her daughter does but little does Rivka know just how much Mimi hopes to achieve. A chance encounter one afternoon changes Mimi’s life as she crosses paths with one of the most important families in Manhattan society.
This book is told from multiple points of view and is told over the course of several years as the generations progress.
This book had a lot of interesting parts in it that as a reader I was happy to see highlighted. The epidemic of men abandoning their wives once they came to America is something people know little about and I was happy to see that featured in this book. Also, I liked that the conditions in the sewing factories were highlighted along with the foreshadowing leading to the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire. It really put a human face on the tragedy that we think we know about, but can sometimes just see statistics or factoids.
(Very mild spoilers ahead)
But I feel like the author also fell back on some tropes that I didn’t enjoy like the whole “my last name was changed to Ellis Island” myth, and the fact that it ultimately was up to a rich family to lift up the main character. As the descendent of Lithuanian immigrants from around this era myself, I certainly don’t hobnob with the rich and famous, but I feel like I’m doing OK for myself without anyone having a society benefactor to save me (I guess, opinions may vary, lol).
There were also some classic rich versus poor stereotypes that I kind of rolled my eyes at, but what can you do?
But ultimately, this was an interesting foray into the Gilded age of New York City, and it did have some interesting mystery elements with the added storyline of the Winthrop family and its troubles. The final few chapters were quite interesting in regards to this, and I wish there had been a little bit more of this type of writing which was more innovative and smooth in my opinion, rather than the kind of funky previous chapters.
Overall, this book, which was a bookclub pick, wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favorite either. If you like reading about turn-of-the-century society and politics, you will greatly enjoy this book.
December 2, 2023
So this was just... not my favorite? First off, I'm not sure exactly why I requested this in the first place. I usually try to stick to nonfiction in November and I don't read a lot of historical fiction to begin with so I already wasn't in the mood to read this when the time came. But then this didn't wow me right out of the gate so that didn't help. I think requesting it in the first place was a mistake as I wasn't really the intended audience for this.
But. The actual writing also just wasn't for me. I read a review that said this felt more like an outline than an actual book and I would have to agree with that. The first hundred pages felt wildly unnecessary to the overall story and I had a really hard time getting into this. Once it did actually get to the Winthrops and the ~gilded age story, I did enjoy this more. But it ultimately felt like it tried to do too much and gave a really watered down story because of it.
It also felt like this book was way too long for the story it was telling. I think if the first hundred pages would've been edited, condensed or honestly eliminated entirely, it would've served this story well. This was really the story of Mimi and I think it should've started there. It also felt like the author didn't really know how to end this book and it both petered out and ended so abruptly. So, in my opinion, this book needed A LOT of editing.
I do always enjoy a good immigrant story so the middle of the story was interesting. But, again, this felt more like an outline and I never truly felt connected to the characters. I wish this had picked one track and focused on it instead of going so many different directions. I did really appreciate the inclusion of the Spanish flu though and how much it mirrored our own pandemic. How horrifying!
So. I did finish this even though I almost DNFed it many times. I'm not sure if I'm glad I did though? I do think some parts of this were very good but I've also experienced a few other Gilded Age stories that flowed a lot better than this one. So. Ultimately, I think this should've been a miss for me. If you're a more avid historical fiction reader than I am, though, you might enjoy this more. But, for me, this unfortunately left a lot to be desired.
But. The actual writing also just wasn't for me. I read a review that said this felt more like an outline than an actual book and I would have to agree with that. The first hundred pages felt wildly unnecessary to the overall story and I had a really hard time getting into this. Once it did actually get to the Winthrops and the ~gilded age story, I did enjoy this more. But it ultimately felt like it tried to do too much and gave a really watered down story because of it.
It also felt like this book was way too long for the story it was telling. I think if the first hundred pages would've been edited, condensed or honestly eliminated entirely, it would've served this story well. This was really the story of Mimi and I think it should've started there. It also felt like the author didn't really know how to end this book and it both petered out and ended so abruptly. So, in my opinion, this book needed A LOT of editing.
I do always enjoy a good immigrant story so the middle of the story was interesting. But, again, this felt more like an outline and I never truly felt connected to the characters. I wish this had picked one track and focused on it instead of going so many different directions. I did really appreciate the inclusion of the Spanish flu though and how much it mirrored our own pandemic. How horrifying!
So. I did finish this even though I almost DNFed it many times. I'm not sure if I'm glad I did though? I do think some parts of this were very good but I've also experienced a few other Gilded Age stories that flowed a lot better than this one. So. Ultimately, I think this should've been a miss for me. If you're a more avid historical fiction reader than I am, though, you might enjoy this more. But, for me, this unfortunately left a lot to be desired.
October 10, 2024
I received a copy of the ebook from the publisher via NetGalley in return for my honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.
I feel like more often than not, I am disappointed with the ARC books that I get approved for. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't finish it but I felt like it needed some work. For 384 pages, there was a whole lot of nothing going on. The plot covered roughly 20 years but the execution was not good. It felt chaotic and superficial with an awful lot of plot holes. The plot progression was slow and I often found myself bored and distracted. There are quite a few characters and it took me a minute to get them all straight. I also felt that characters were introduced and detailed but they really didn’t impact the storyline. They were just space fillers. While I initially felt compassion towards Rivka, I quickly grew to dislike her. She was impatient and unkind. I am sure that her situation hardened her but I didn’t care for the way she treated Miriam. And in the end, I am not really sure what the point of her existence in the story was. The story is really about Mimi so I felt like Rivka’s presence could have been explained through Mimi’s memories instead of first hand. By the end, it was hard to remember why the beginning of the story was even important.
The story skips through time quickly and I feel like a lot of events were glossed over making the whole plotline feel very superficial and making it really hard to connect with the characters. Not to mention how unlikeable most of the characters were. I really don’t feel like I got to know the characters well at all. I have read other books that have spanned decades and have still left me with a deep, emotional connection to the characters. I did not get that with this one. This is not a book that left me emotionally affected or emotionally connected so for that reason, I can only give it 2 stars.
I feel like more often than not, I am disappointed with the ARC books that I get approved for. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't finish it but I felt like it needed some work. For 384 pages, there was a whole lot of nothing going on. The plot covered roughly 20 years but the execution was not good. It felt chaotic and superficial with an awful lot of plot holes. The plot progression was slow and I often found myself bored and distracted. There are quite a few characters and it took me a minute to get them all straight. I also felt that characters were introduced and detailed but they really didn’t impact the storyline. They were just space fillers. While I initially felt compassion towards Rivka, I quickly grew to dislike her. She was impatient and unkind. I am sure that her situation hardened her but I didn’t care for the way she treated Miriam. And in the end, I am not really sure what the point of her existence in the story was. The story is really about Mimi so I felt like Rivka’s presence could have been explained through Mimi’s memories instead of first hand. By the end, it was hard to remember why the beginning of the story was even important.
The story skips through time quickly and I feel like a lot of events were glossed over making the whole plotline feel very superficial and making it really hard to connect with the characters. Not to mention how unlikeable most of the characters were. I really don’t feel like I got to know the characters well at all. I have read other books that have spanned decades and have still left me with a deep, emotional connection to the characters. I did not get that with this one. This is not a book that left me emotionally affected or emotionally connected so for that reason, I can only give it 2 stars.
November 23, 2023
1893
Rivkah Mitmanovitch, 15, has sailed to New York harbor to meet Jacob, her husband. She’s pregnant, but he doesn't show up to meet her. So, she goes to find Lottie Aaron whom her mother told her to turn to. Lottie takes her in and finds her a job. She soon gives birth to a baby girl she calls Miriam, but is soon nicknamed Mimi. She finds a room to rent while she does sewing in a factory, in addition to doing sewing and alterations in her home. Mimi takes after her and her seamstress talents soon grow.
One day, Mimi meets Frederick Winthrop who is the younger son of the super wealthy Winthrop family. A naive girl of 15, he seduces her leaving her pregnant. After her mother dies, she continues to sew and gives birth to a baby boy she names Matthew. Soon she is thrown out of her apartment as the owner wants to tear the building down. It turns out the owner is none other than the disgusting Frederick who has some very evil ways. His older brothers try to make him settle down in the family's company but he goes his own ruthless way while his brothers are philanthropists. As it happens, Lottie works as a bookkeeper for the Winthrop family.
When Lottie confides in the older brothers about Mimi and Matthew, they step up to find them a nice home and see that it is furnished and set up for her to open her own couture shop. But, she must sign the Winthrop Agreement promising to never tell the truth about her and Frederick or Matthew’s relationship to the family.
I found this to be a very good story that was well-written with well-created characters. The author’s attention to detail with regard to fashion especially for the time period was excellent. In addition, her descriptions about the hardships that people faced then was well done. Enjoy!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Rivkah Mitmanovitch, 15, has sailed to New York harbor to meet Jacob, her husband. She’s pregnant, but he doesn't show up to meet her. So, she goes to find Lottie Aaron whom her mother told her to turn to. Lottie takes her in and finds her a job. She soon gives birth to a baby girl she calls Miriam, but is soon nicknamed Mimi. She finds a room to rent while she does sewing in a factory, in addition to doing sewing and alterations in her home. Mimi takes after her and her seamstress talents soon grow.
One day, Mimi meets Frederick Winthrop who is the younger son of the super wealthy Winthrop family. A naive girl of 15, he seduces her leaving her pregnant. After her mother dies, she continues to sew and gives birth to a baby boy she names Matthew. Soon she is thrown out of her apartment as the owner wants to tear the building down. It turns out the owner is none other than the disgusting Frederick who has some very evil ways. His older brothers try to make him settle down in the family's company but he goes his own ruthless way while his brothers are philanthropists. As it happens, Lottie works as a bookkeeper for the Winthrop family.
When Lottie confides in the older brothers about Mimi and Matthew, they step up to find them a nice home and see that it is furnished and set up for her to open her own couture shop. But, she must sign the Winthrop Agreement promising to never tell the truth about her and Frederick or Matthew’s relationship to the family.
I found this to be a very good story that was well-written with well-created characters. The author’s attention to detail with regard to fashion especially for the time period was excellent. In addition, her descriptions about the hardships that people faced then was well done. Enjoy!
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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