The Philadelphia Heiress

by Anita Abriel

In pursuit of happiness, a young woman’s dreams extend beyond money and marriage in this aspirational historical novel by the international bestselling author of The Light After the War.

It’s 1927, and Helen Montgomery is coming of age on Philadelphia’s Main Line, where privileged young women are set for life. But Helen has desires of her own. Debutante balls, eligible bachelors, and marriage aren’t among them…until her father is embroiled in a devastating scandal that jeopardizes the family’s financial future and social standing, that is. Then it becomes up to Helen to repair both by marrying a man of wealth and connection.

Edgar Scott is as independent as Helen. The black-sheep scion of a railroad magnate, Edgar’s aspirations of becoming an author go against the grain of his own family’s expectations. For a time, Helen and Edgar’s marriage grows from attraction and convenience to genuine loyalty and respect. But as Edgar’s frustrations and rejections mount and Helen’s personal dreams recede, the cracks in the perfect life Helen wants are beginning to show.

So begins Helen’s journey of forgiveness, redefining the meaning of perfection—for herself and in others—and accepting with all her heart the mistakes humans make in the name of love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Adult Fiction

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2024

About the author

Anita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College. She lives in California with her family and is the author of The Light After the War which was inspired by her mother’s story of survival during WWII.

Reviews

[Constantine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Historical Fiction

The story is set in 1927 in Philadelphia, and it follows Helen Montgomery, a young woman who is seeking more than what women of that era wanted. She has dreams of making a name for herself, but destiny has something else stored for her. She will have to give up all her dreams and aspirations and marry a man for his wealth due to her family’s troubled financial status and her father’s scandal.

Anita Abriel is a new author to me, but her writing style is one that I find engaging and straightforward. Her prose is clear and concise. She creates believable characters and situations that some readers might relate to. I think the writing style suited the theme of the story very well.

The author must’ve done extensive research to include all the fine details of that era. That was a commendable job she did there. The narrative moves at a leisurely pace, which may not be appealing to all readers, and I believe that the characters (especially the secondary ones) could benefit from additional depth. Because of these two elements, the story that was supposed to be exciting and that relied on its characters to drive the narrative was not as attractive as it could have been.

If you are looking for a story that challenges societal norms in some way, as well as one that deals with women's empowerment, self-discovery, dream-fulfilling opportunities, and other similar topics, then this one is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 3 out of 5]

1927. Helen Montgomery’s mother Charlotte is planning her debutante ball, her family are well off and they live at Dumfries on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Helen's father imported Ayrshire cows, she’s interested in making butter and cheese. When her father Robert is caught up in a scandal, his membership is cancelled to his clubs, the family's social status nose dives and financially it has dire consequences. Helen is furious at her father, her mother decides to forgive him and her solution to their problems is for eighteen year old Helen to marry someone wealthy and hopefully this will repair the damage?

Edgar Scott is the son of a railroad magnate, he wants to be an author, and his parents hope by marrying Helen he will settle down. Edgar and Helen are young, not prepared for the challenges being married throws at them and it doesn’t take long for the honeymoon bubble to burst. Edgar gets extremely frustrated and grumpy when he’s writing, the words don't flow and he doesn't take rejection well. Helen is annoyed because she has had to give up her hopes and dreams and she hasn’t married a man and instead he’s an immature sook. The couple think a change of scenery might give Edgar inspiration to write, they meet some interesting people of their travels and they live a very bohemian lifestyle.

I received a copy of The Philadelphia Heiress by Anita Abriel from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The narrative looks how rich people in Philadelphia lived, I must say I found the characters in the book rather shallow and self-absorbed, and I guess it represents what they were really like at the time. Helen had issues forgiving her father for his fall from grace and discovering he’s human and made mistakes was a big shock.

The main focus on the story is around relationships and marriage, even happily married couples fight and don’t agree on everything. I found Helen to be rather spoilt and unrealistic and the only characters I really liked were her sister Daisy and uncle Jack. Three stars from me and I preferred the author's previous book The Life She Wanted over her latest novel.

[Sally Hanan · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book's genre is women's fiction, it reads more like a history book. The amount of research Abriel must have done for this story is mind-boggling, with page after page of descriptions of rooms, furniture, cocktails, houses, clothes, car models, family names, and food in a 1920s' setting.
If you love reading books that are almost 100% tell rather than show, you'll love this one. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan. Some examples of the content:
Charlotte didn't approve of the hours Helen spent with the cows. ... Helen loved her mother and didn't want to disappoint her. ... Helen adored horses almost as much as her beloved cows. She had her first pony when she was four and won her first ribbon at the Devon Horse Show at the age of ten. ... ___ slipped the ring on her finger. He kissed her softly on the mouth. She wanted him to kiss her longer.
The story was decent, but it felt devoid of any emotion at all, as if a narrator was in the background reading rather than letting me step into the MC's character to experience any of it. I hope you enjoy it more than I did.

[Bree · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had all the makings of something I would love, but I am sad to report that it completely missed the mark. I felt as though nothing happened throughout the novel, and it was too much tell rather than show. I wanted more growth from the lead, which didn't happen, and the ending was predictable and rushed.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars

[DeAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think perhaps I'm the wrong audience for this one. I decided to read it because I live in Philadelphia and have never read historical fiction set in my area. While I did enjoy the history and it was fun reading stories with famous musicians, artists, and politicians of the 1920s, I could not empathize with the main character because everything always seemed to work out for her no matter what she did. At first I thought this book was going to focus on the pressures of high society women to get married, but marriage was treated so offhandedly by the main character. I lost track of how many men she was willing to walk down the aisle with over the course of this short novel, whether she loved them or not.

The writing was decent and I liked the details of the setting and the food, but overall I couldn't relate to anyone in the story and was a bit frustrated by some of the characters' decisions. However, the message of the book is clearly that we should follow our hearts, despite what society might think of us, if we want to truly be happy. And that is a nice message that left me with a warm feeling when I finished the book.

This was a digital ARC from NetGalley. Thanks to Lake Union for providing the free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a charming retelling of THE PHILADELPHIA STORY and HIGH SOCIETY. Since they are my favorites, I enjoyed the new, updated, very focused heroine of this book. Helen Montgomery is involved with trying to build her own business and handle family problems. She marries, but quickly becomes disillusioned by the imperfections of those around her.

The similarities to the original play are obvious, so the end is predictable.

Of course I enjoyed this lovely tale about love and change. I had to admire the way the author gave a salute to playwright Philip Barry who gave life to the original story.

Thank you NETGALLEY for allowing me to read this lovely rendering of an endearing romance.

[Carmen Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perfect fluff with no depth.

Hmmm .. I read it in no time at all. So it kept my interest. The author did a terrific job making the main character completely insufferable. Tones of Philadelphia Story starting Katherine Hepburn without the loveliness of Kate.

Though the author does an excellent job in her research, the story is disconnected. The main character is set in living her life her way but quickly caves to her parents request that she marry. She is set in bringing her dream to life, but can't seem to see value in other people's dreams. Her inability to accept responsibility, give forgiveness, or have any depth makes the book right interesting in the 1920s history almost unbearable.

The author did all that work and I just can't understand why she wasted it on Helen's story.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character, Helen, was a very self-righteous, rigid person, completely judgmental, and selfish. Yes, she caught her father in an affair, but she let that cloud her judgment in terms of her entire life. She is unable to believe anyone can forgive. She then comes to her senses five minutes before the book ends. It was too much of a 180 considering how much of a negative Nelly she is during 99.9% of the book.

Honestly, it would have been more interesting for the timeline to shift forward 6 months to the Crash. It ended right before it.

Also, I know this is nit-picky, but if the author researched the 20s as much as she claimed, she’d know that ladies carry handbags, not purses.

Audible

[Katie McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character was so stubborn it was frustrating but I really enjoyed Anita Abriel’s writing, I definitely plan to read more of her books. I am 100% biased as a Philly girly but I loved all the references to historical buildings in the city and life on the Main Line. The only reason I chose to read this was because I saw “Philadelphia” in the title but I ended up really enjoying it! 3 stars because it was difficult for me to really get in to and I would have loved to see more character development for Helen, but I’m glad I stuck with it.

[Karen Glickstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a highly predictable book that I only finished because it was uploaded to my kindle and i had time on an airplane. The story line was unimaginative and I felt, unbelievable, at various times. From the first chapter I found myself thinking "Really, Helen's dad would not know that her uncle was taking her to the restaurant for her birthday?" Definitely not my favorite--or in any of my "top" lists.

[Richard Tolleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a great book, but it's a good book. If one of the purposes of a book is to be a diversion, this one succeeds. For most of the book, it's an entertaining, if overwrought, story of a young woman in 1920s Philadelphia who doesn't want to be like the other rich girls. Turns out, she is (although that may not be what the author wanted the reader to take away). The author's use of historical and pop cultural details lends an air of authenticity to the book and gives it more gravitas than it would otherwise have. There's nothing inherently wrong with this book (well, the ending was a bit too soap-operaesque for me), but it won't be confused with literature. All of this is to say that if you want an entertaining read that won't make you think too hard, you'll enjoy this book.

[Kim Orchowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gifted this book to my friends on a Philly trip. It was giving wannabe Marjorie post vibes which I liked! I love reading about high society from 1920’s time period. But I feel like nothing really happened during the story? I was also hoping to learn a little bit more about Philly but that wasn’t the case. I’m excited to google Helen Montgomery after this

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I love a happy ending especially when karma comes to bite a mean man. Very enjoyable

[LAURA MORRIS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Held on for something to happen in this book - I’m still waiting. Desperately wanted this to be better.

[Ann’s Book Chronicles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA 🇺🇸 Deauville, France 🇫🇷, Portofino, Italy 🇮🇹 & Sussex, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Conclusion: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book feels like a stream rippling gently through the landscape. Somehow not too much is happening aside from Helen finding her way as a wife while still staying independent with her interests in farming while supporting Edgar with his writing career and some other developments that I won’t reveal to not spoil the book. I enjoyed the read, I just would have wished for slightly more excitement in the story, but on the other hand it was a very calming book.

Characters:
- Helen: she is headstrong and has a passion for dairy farming and I enjoyed that about her.
- Edgar: sometimes is quite unlikeable as he is changing his moods quickly and doesn’t think things through. He is very much in love with Helen though.
- George: is considerate, kind, intelligent and almost a bit too good to be true.

What I liked: how calm the book was.

What I disliked: slightly more excitement in the storyline would have been nice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! (AD-PRODUCT)

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Philadelphia Heiress, by Anita Abriel, is set primarily in the late 1920's, on the Main Line, a Philadelphia suburb that catered to the ultra wealthy. The protagonist is a young woman who appears somewhat out of step with the social mores of the time. She wants to work, build a business based on the dairy products that might be produced on her families' estate. I wanted to cheer her on as she navigated her professional goals in the midst of family and class constraints. But, the story devolved into romance, and extremely detailed descriptions of clothing, furniture and mansions. Even more troubling, the main character quickly became very rigid and dismissive of anyone who failed to meet her standards of social or moral behavior. Her lack of compassion and inability to see others' point of view became tiresome. In what I can only describe as an unexpected plot twist or character reversal, she suddenly becomes far more likable. Unfortunately, this is in the very last chapter. The author did a superb job of capturing and conveying the texture of both the class and the era. It was clearly the result of tireless research. In some ways, this novel reminded me of Downton Abbey...minus the acerbic humor of Maggie Smith's character. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

[Ester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be an interesting read. While I loved the the ambience the book emits and wraps you with, which demonstrates an amazing research effort by the author, the only conclusion it led me to was that I hated the main character.
She is stuck in their ways and has no growth at all throughout the book. It really is frustrating how everyone describes her as a humble high society member while she spends the whole book proving the opposite. How she mentions during the book how she hates men thinking they can decide for her but at every turn ends up letting them do so is infuriating. In the end this character is just another eras pick me girl, and thoroughly annoying.

Advanced reader copy provided by #NetGalley #ThePhiladelphiaHeiress

[Denise Forrest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helen has grown up in Philadelphia society but a wrong decision by her father puts his business and their lifestyle in jeopardy and it’s up to her to secure a ‘good’ marriage to save the family.

I found the characters all a bit weak and I’m not really sure what the point of the story was. I had been hoping it would be a story about a young woman standing up against the expectations of society, but it fell short in this area. The relationships between the characters felt a bit superficial and shallow.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lesley Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

poorly written …

By a robot that had read a book on architecture, fashion, house design and theatre shows of the era. Very trite.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to open with a quote that I totally agree with because whatever action happens it always starts within the home.
“Everyone talks about doing things for those who are less fortunate, but charity begins at home. If we don’t strive to do the right thing with the people we love, how can we achieve the really big things: create opportunity
for the poor, give women the same rights and privileges as men.” This is what Edgar and Daisy didn't understand. Inthonk a lot of people don't understand. Its called selfishness.
I feel that Helen is guilty of it as well. No one is perfect.
This book was slow going I'm some places but I liked it for the most part.
I'll be honest, I almost did a DNF because it was slow going but I dud finish and I'm glad I did.
Lots of interesting characters for sure especially Edgar and George. But Edgar was the most interesting. Yes, he had his flaws but then we all do.
I loved that the Aquatania was mentioned because I love ocean liners. I felt like I was on board for that brief moment in time.
I'm giving this novel 5 stars for some of the interesting scenes that took place in this story.
I recommend this novel.
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh, does anyone have any good historical fiction recommendations because I’ve read some really bad ones this year.

Helen is a member of Philadelphia high society in mid-1920s but she doesn’t really want to be a socialite. She wants to open her own dairy farm because she feels the most herself when she’s surrounded by cows. After her father has an affair and squanders some of the family fortune on a mansion for his mistress, Helen is forced to get married to help keep the family afloat financially. She meets Edgar, the third son of a wealthy family, who wants to be a writer. They end up falling for each other and getting married. But things quickly dissolve ……..

Helen was horrific. She was the actual worst. Hot headed, huge temper, conservative to the point of hurting others, etc. She is so mean to other people but the author tells us over and over and over that everyone falls in love with her because of how kind she is. I’m sorry, when was she kind?? She fights with literally every single character in the book! She demeans her father, sister, and husband throughout the entire book. I never believed the love story because it came out of nowhere.

And towards the end of the book, it seemed like the author was almost trying to convince the reader that cheating is a good thing. There was this huge conversation about how her father’s cheating was the best thing to happen to every character because it made them realize what they really wanted. I’m not so naive to assume infidelity can’t lead to something positive in a relationship, but the way the author was talking, it was almost felt like conservative propaganda. Then there’s the whole thing with George. I’m sorry, where did that come from?! The last 10 pages, my jaw was on the floor because it was like a 180 degree turn that would be an even bigger scandal than her father’s affair!! It would have been HUGE societal news but was pitched as a perfect happy ending.

There wasn’t a single thing about this book that I liked, except for maybe Jack.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Philadelphia Heiress

by Anita Abriel

Pub Date: 26 Mar 2024



Last updated on 19 Mar 2024

This is a story set in the 1920s in Philadelphia. Though Helen is born into a extremely wealthy family - think railroad tycoons and steel dynasties-she doesn't fit in. She does not care about all the expensive gowns and jewelry most young women in her circumstances do. She loves her family's 'hobby farm', and is very passionate to make her own mark as a dairy producer. Forced to marry for money to save her parents property and reputation, she does her duty. Most men in her circles just want a wife to host their parties and advance their social standing. If she can't find love then she at least needs a husband who will agree to her continuing her work on the farm. There is romance and love, jealousy and betrayals, regrets and despair. I loved Helen and how she refused to give up her dreams just to help a man further his ambitions. Thank you Netgally for the chance to read the ARC. I definitely recommend!

[Ellie Gamache · Rating 4 out of 5]

After some thrillers I needed a light read like this. Really cute & good! Historical fiction takes place in 1920s Philadelphia. Predictable ending and got irked with the main character but still good!

[Megan Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Lake Union & NetGalley for access to this title. The Philadelphia Heiress is a historical piece set in the 1920’s. It follows the main character Helen, her love for farming, marriage and social life. I enjoyed this book though at times found Helen unlikeable due to her temper and strong opinions. Overall, it was interesting to learn about the area and time in history. I look forward to reading more titles by the author.

[Maria Eisenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I was so invested in the characters.

[Jennine Keleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was the year 1927, where in Philadelphia's high society, young unmarried women were expected to attend debutante balls to meet their future husband. Helen Montgomery was one of those women coming from a wealthy family to carry on the tradition. However, Helen had dreams of her own. She wanted to make a name for herself to own a dairy farm business. In the 1920's, women were not granted bank loans. It was extremely difficult.

A shocking revelation occurred on Helen's birthday and changed the course of her life. In order for her to keep Dumfries Farm, Helen had to look for a wealthy husband because of her family's troubled finances and her father's scandal.

I enjoyed reading about the life and times of 1920's high society. The similarity between the past and the present is that we are reminded that finding love, self esteem and true happiness are timeless regardless of society status.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fell flat for me. With some tweaking, this could be a decent YA novel. I enjoyed getting a bit more history on the Main Line, but that’s about it.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're interested in old money, the attire, decor, tradition, and everything else about the Main Line lifestyle of the 1920s, this book is for you. Abriel's descriptive detail could be off-putting to some, but I loved it as the backdrop to a wonderful story.

[Kalena · Rating 2 out of 5]

•Plot: 3/5 (A young heiress marries rich to save her family’s fortune after a scandal.)

•Characters: 3/5 (The main character is so rigid. There is growth, but everything is so black and white with her.)

•Writing: 2/5 (A lot of telling, not showing.)

•Ending: 2/5 (Everything is wrapped up perfectly and everybody gets a happy ending.)

2.5 ✨ rounded down

I think my mom would love this book. For me, it was just okay. I enjoyed the overall story and the growth displayed by the main character, but some of the writing was very choppy and the technique distracted me from the story telling. I did enjoy the setting and description of the wealth of the 1920s. Special thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

[Ester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be an interesting read. While I loved the the ambience the book emits and wraps you with, which demonstrates an amazing research effort by the author, the only conclusion it led me to was that I hated the main character.
She is stuck in their ways and has no growth at all throughout the book. It really is frustrating how everyone describes her as a humble high society member while she spends the whole book proving the opposite. How she mentions during the book how she hates men thinking they can decide for her but at every turn ends up letting them do so is infuriating. In the end this character is just another eras pick me girl, and thoroughly annoying.

Advanced reader copy provided by #NetGalley #ThePhiladelphiaHeiress