THE LUXE by Anna Godberson

Imagine, if you will, New York City, 1899...
The Luxe tells the story of Society's elite, the parties, the beautiful debutantes, the rich girl, the humble boy, forbidden love, the secrets and scandals ...
Elizabeth Holland is THE debutante of the season, rich, beautiful, and expected by all to snare a proposal of marriage by the richest and most eligible bachelor. But there are many obstacles and pitfalls along the pathway of finding the perfect husband. There is Diana, Elizabeth's younger, rebellious sister, who is not in the least bit interested in doing what is expected of her.
There is Penelope, Elizabeth's best, but rather unsuitable friend, who has her eye on one of the season's most eligible and sought-after bachelors, Henry Schoonmaker, and she will go to any lengths to get him.

There is the secret love of Elizabeth's life, that no one knows about. And then there is the horrifying reality of Elizabeth's father's death and the fact that he left his family less than well-off,
and the security of her mother and sister lies in the success of Elizabeth's marrying a rich man. Her manners and obedience are so firmly bred into her that Elizabeth would never dream of not complying with her mother's wishes. But is she really as obedient as what she appears to be? How determined is she that Manhattan's elite will never discover her secrets: that her family is poor, that she is in love with a servant, that she is a selfish girl likely to ruin her family even more than they were already ruined.

When Henry Schoonmaker, the most eligible bachelor of the year, starts to pay court to her, she knows she should be overwhelmed with gratitude. But when he, rather angrily, proposes to her on his very first visit, she unwillingly accepts, knowing it to be her duty and how happy and relieved her mother will be. She doesn't realise what a tangled web she is involved in, she is in love with Will, her family's groom, Penelope is determined to get Henry back, and Henry, to his own surprise, falls in love with Diana. As the wedding date looms closer, Elizabeth can't help thinking how much simpler everything would be if she could just cease to exist...

This book was a wonderful read, full of hopes and dreams and heartbreaking emotions of falling in love, first love, forbidden love and lost love.

Happy reading!