The Luxe

Reader reviewed by Debbie

First off, I have to say I love the covers of this series and it is
what drew me to read the book.  I found myself surprised that I
actually enjoyed this book and cant wait to read the next one.  I say
surprised because when I was about halfway through I didnt think I
wanted to even finish the book.  The main thing that kept me going was
that I hate not finishing a book so I kept reading.  I am so glad I
did.  The second half of the book kept me hooked and now I cant wait
to read the sequel to find out what happens with Diana, Henry and
Penelope.   I initially thought Diana was a pain in the behind but she
redeems herself in the end in my eyes and I do hope she can find
happiness.  I really hope Penelope gets what is due her and while I can
sort of understand Linas, Elizabeths former ladys maid, jealous
feelings I still dislike her intensely.  Im curious what the future
books hold for them as well.

Reprinted here with author's permission

Reader reviewed by Readergirl

Mystery, Scandal, Romantic Intrigue... just a few words that describe the exciting lives of The Luxe elite.

It's Manhattan, 1899, the year an angelic bride-to be is lost, an event that shatters the delicate balance of her world, and allows havoc to break free in the lives of those closest to her. The girl is Elizabeth Holland, and at this point in time she's alive, but not quite well. She's rich, beautiful, and unbelievably lucky. Everyone loves her and it would seem all she'd have to do to keep her charmed, fabulous life would be to marry the perfect man and bask in the light of her wonderful life. But for Elizabeth, who everyone sees as the poster child of morals, and good conduct, her life is anything but easy, and when her family life takes a turn for the worse, Elizabeth takes the troubles that her mother so willingly puts on her shoulders, and does her best to remain the perfect girl in everyone's eyes by doing exactly as she's told, even if it breaks her heart in the process.

Enter Henry Schoonmaker, the handsome bachelor that any girl would marry in a heartbeat, who by his fathers insistence, courts Elizabeth who is in love with another man. But with Henry being her only considerable proposal, since her family has run into money troubles, she chooses to accept not wanting to see her family end up in ruin because of her.

At the same time, her sister Diana is being charmed by Henry, while he's trying to shake off the love of Elizabeth's "frenemy," Penelope Hayes, who takes Elizabeth's old maid Lina Broud under her wing in hopes of using her for information that could ruin Elizabeth's reputation and knock her off the top of the social ladder, making her the richest girl in Manhattan and bringing Henry back into her arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was a pretty good book, though at the time I was reading it I was reading so many things that I felt like I never really got into it. :P But it was good! And It was exciting so I will definitely be reading the next book! :D

I give it 4 out of 5 stars just because I'm not sure I thought it was great. =/ But it was good!

*reposted with permission*

http://readergirlreviews.blogspot.com/

Reader reviewed by stephanie

I don't really like historic fiction but I decided to try this one out since everyone was gushing about how they liked this series. Unfortunately, I was not in favor of everyone else's opinion on this book. Though the scandal and everything was fairly amusing, the writing really wasn't that interesting. The plot was also pretty dull and there were a lot of times where I thought the matter could be easily solved but the girls obviously could not or did not want to see that way. I thought the book moved too slowly hence the reason why it took me about 3 months to read this. This book reminded me of Gossip Girl because of all the gossip [obviously] and scandal that was happening but it was a poorer version of Gossip Girl. Since I didn't like Gossip Girl a lot, this shows where I stand on this book. I probably would not want to read this book again but since I read Rumors and Envy, sequels of this book, and they are way better, I suggest you guys to read this quickly to move on to the others.

Reader reviewed by Krista

The Luxe tells the story of five teenagers in Manhattan in
1899. Elizabeth Holland and younger sister Diana Holland are completely
different. While Elizabeth is proper, Diana is rebellious. However,
Elizabeth has a dark secret. Henry is the most wanted bachelor of
Manhattan. Elizabeths best friend, Penelope Hayes, is jealous of
Elizabeth. Then there is Lina Broud, Elizabeths servant. Lina dreams
of being a society girl herself. Due to family issues, Elizabeth must
marry the gorgeous Henry Schoonmaker who she has no desire to wed.
Things get more complicated when Elizabeth learns that Penelope is in
love with him. However, Henry is in love with an entirely different
girl&

Honestly, I was not sure if I would enjoy this book. I usually do
not read Gossip Girl-esque books. They just dont seem like something I
would like. I decided to give The Luxe a chance because I
heard so many good things about the series and my friend wanted to see
if it was a book I thought she would like. Most importantly, I
absolutely love the pretty dresses on the cover. heh.

Overall, I liked The Luxe. Hands down, my favorite
characters were Diana Holland and Henry Schoonmaker. Together, they
saved the novel from being unenjoyable. I loved Dianas rebellious
streak. It made her interesting. Lina and Penelope just seemed
desperate to me, and that was a big turn-off. Elizabeth was an okay
character. While I know Godbersen purposely chose not to make Elizabeth
too exciting (that was Dianas part), Elizabeth was just too
boring. Even her secret could not compensate for the rest of her
boringness.

Now let me just talk about the romantic Henry Schoonmaker. I was
definitely head-over-heels for him. I mean, just look at his last name.
Schoonmaker. It almost looks like Swoonmaker. I cant wait to read more
about him in the series.

And is it me, or would this make a great TV show?

Reader reviewed by Natalie

The book starts off with Elizabeth Holland's funeral service. Then it goes back to the weeks before Elizabeth's untimely death.

Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Holland is a rich, beautiful and proper young lady. Elizabeth is the ideal wife for any man. What people don't know is that she is secretly in love, and sleeping with,Will, a member of her staff. Suddenly, her family is in a bad finacial situation so when she is betrothed to the most sought-after bachelor in New York City, a perfect match is creaed.

We then meet Diana, Elizabeth's sixteen year old sister. Diana is the complete opposite of Elizabeth. She has no manners, gets bored easily, is not impressed with wealth and she would rather spend her days reading romance novels, and kissing random boys, than acting proper. Diana has a wild imagination so when she learns of her family's financial situation, she belives it will bring excitement to her boring life. Because of her wild behavior, she ends up falling in love with her sister's betrothed, Henry Shoonmaker.

We also meet Penelope Hayes. She is Elizabeth's "best friend" and she too has ravishing clothes, gorgeous looks,and an estate that turns heads. It looks that Penelope and Elizabeth are best friends but we learn that Penelope hates and is jealous of Elizabeth. She hates her even more when she finds out that Elizabeth is going to marry the man of her dreams. Now she plans on destroying her future, no matter what it takes.

We are then intoduced to Lina Broud Elizabeth's personal maid. She was once friends with Elizabeth but Elizabeth is too busy to be friends with someone beneath her. Lucky for Lina, she knows Elizabeth's secret affair with Will, who Lina happens to be in love with. This secret, or gossip, could finally permit her to enter the glamorous world of high society as well as ruining Elizabeth's life.

Now the question is, who killed Elizabeth? or better yet, is Elizabeth really dead?

Reader reviewed by Vanessa

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn. Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions. White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups. This is Manhattan, 1899. Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattans social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York Citys elite is far from secure, suddenly everyonefrom the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broudthreatens Elizabeths and Dianas golden future. With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the citys gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattans most celebrated daughter disappear& In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent. (From Jacket Flap).

The Luxe was an exceptional book and I am glad I spent my $17 on it because I got my moneys worth and more. My favorite character is Elizabeth, hands-down. Elizabeth has the most heartbreaking dilemma in the book. What comes first? Family or true love? I felt torn and not even I could put myself in Elizabeths shoes to decide what to do. The characters were very different (some high-class and some low) and they were all facing different problems (love, family, and money). It made me think to myself how glad I am that I wasnt born in their time. At first I was really surprised, the vocabulary is certainly something bigger than Ive been challenging myself lately but then I just got used to it. I loved that it was told in third person, because then it was like I was up-above them (in a pretty little blue cloud, also) and hearing their thoughts about everything. Every chapter flowed amazingly, I was never bored. Actually, most times I kept telling myself to stop reading (when it got to really high climaxes) and was supposed to be sleeping. The plot is very unique for I have never read a historical fiction novel& there wasnt many true historical facts but you can still sense you are no where near our time. The ending was magical (and such a cliffhanger!), I need Rumors ASAP. I cant stop writing because I have so much I liked about this book to say& but I would like to speak my mind about the spoilers. So just know YOU HAVE TO GET THIS ONE! (May I add, I shed a tear or two at the end because it was so great?)

Reposted from whatvanessareads.wordpress.com

Reader reviewed by Megan

THE LUXE is set in the glittering and decadent world of turn-of-the-century New York, where romance and intrigue rule the lives of society's elite. Elizabeth and Diana Holland are daughters of one of New York's oldest and most respected families. But when their life of luxury is threatened by the death of their father, Elizabeth must make a marriage of convenience in order to secure her family's financial future.

Her finance is Henry Schoonmaker, a notorious rake, who is also the scion of a rich and respectable family. Little does Elizabeth know that her best friend --- the flashy and provocative Penelope Hayes --- is one of Henry's lovers and had hoped to secure Henry's affection for herself. Elizabeth's engagement is further complicated by her own secret love affair with Will Keller, a family servant who grew up alongside Elizabeth in the Holland household.

Henry --- who is forced into the engagement by his overbearing and ambitious father --- has some secrets of his own, including a growing affection for Elizabeth's sister Diana. Their involvement offers some of the book's sweetest and most romantic moments, untainted by the societal expectations or rivalry that characterizes many of the other relationships.

THE LUXE also offers some glimpses into the serving class of New York's Gilded Age, including Lina, Elizabeth's envious and duplicitous maid. Lina discovers Elizabeth's clandestine romance and decides to use the knowledge for her own social and financial gain. She, in turn, is seduced by a shopboy, Tristan Wrigley, who --- in one of the books many memorable scenes --- takes Lina to a bar in the Bowery, a district infamous for its "groggeries, pawnbrokers, brothels, and dangerous characters."

Author Anna Godbersens excellent historical research makes the Gilded Age more than just a backdrop to the novel. THE LUXE is studded with tidbits of historical trivia and events, while her characters are influenced by the biographies of well-known socialites from the time. Godbersens descriptions of clothing and interiors add vibrancy to a world often pictured in the sepia tones of old photographs. But her plot owes more to the scandalous 19th-century newspaper serials than it does the serious drawing room reflections of Edith Wharton. The fact that THE LUXE begins with the disappearance and assumed death of one of the book's central characters only adds mystery to the authors deliciously dishy melodrama.

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

If you can't get enough of Gossip Girl, here's something perfect for you: Anna Godbersen's new trashy series, THE LUXE, set in turn-of-the-century New York. The world is poised on the break of a modern revolution, but within the old and powerful families of New York, tradition and appearance always come first. Love is thrown aside in favor of money and the security of social status. This is the kind of world that perfect 18-year-old Elizabeth Holland and her peers inhabit.

Elizabeth's family, once a well respected moneyed family, has fallen into debt after the death of her father. Desperate to keep up appearances, Mrs. Holland forces her into a hastily arranged marriage with the equally unwilling Henry Schoonmaker, the troublesome, ever-partying hottest bachelor in New York. However, Henry secretly carries a flame for Elizabeth's younger sister, Diana, the rebel. And even more unknown is that Elizabeth is in love with Will Keller, the Hollands' coachman. Will plans to go West, and urges Elizabeth to abandon her family and the lifestyle she has always known to join him.

Add to that the fact that Lina Broud, Elizabeth's childhood friend turned ladies' maid, is in love with Will herself and therefore hates Elizabeth. Her sentiments are shared by Penelope Hayes, Elizabeth's social-climbing pseudo-best friend, who is beyond furious that Elizabeth seems to have stolen her crush, Henry, from her. With so many people hating her, it should be no surprise that Elizabeth's life is in danger...Yikes!

While I didn't think that THE LUXE was as well written as similar, more popular series, such as Gossip Girl or The A-List, it is perfectly satisfactory as fast, light reading. THE LUXE never pretends to be more than it is--a delicious imitation of Gossip Girl--and you have to admire it for that.

Reader reviewed by Holly

This book is AMAZiNG! It starts out with a Obit of Elizabeth Holland. How could this wonderful, beautiful girl die?

So starts the story and it's a good one! It's set in the 1800's. Elizabeth has everything she could want. She's rich and beautiful. Gets to go to the best parties and has best friends..or so she thinks. She all of a sudden gets sucked into an arranged marrage with a boy that her best friend wants. She's upset and doesn't know what to do, because she's in love with someone else.

The is a wonderful book! I would pick it up! AND there's a sequal coming out in June!!

Reader reviewed by Kristin

Beautiful people wearing beautiful dresses. The wannabes. Twisted love triangles. New York City. Someone following the going-ons of these people.

Sounds exactly like Gossip Girl, right?
Well, it's not. It's actually a new (dare I say, better) series called The Luxe, which is set in Manhattan in 1899.

Although it seems like this book would be outdated and boring (due to its timeperiod), it actually is just as intruiging and interesting if not more because it shows how people, in ANY time period, go through the same things like forced marriage, fitting in, intense love triangles, and money problems.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could NOT put it down! I empathized with many of the characters except Penelope. The extremely tangled up pentagle (maybe even a sextagle which is 6) kept me guessing the ending the entire time. Plus, the boys sounded amazing.

The ending...wow. Did not really expect that. All I can say is I CANNOT wait for the sequel!