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The Second Mrs. Astor - by Shana Abe (Paperback)

The Second Mrs. Astor - by  Shana Abe (Paperback) - 1 of 1
$9.72 sale price when purchased online
$16.95 list price
Target Online store #3991

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Description

"Abé is an exquisite storyteller. Rich in detail and deeply moving." —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace



"One of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. A gorgeous, phenomenal novel I won’t soon forget.” —Ellen Marie Wiseman New York Times bestselling Author of The Orphan Collector



Perfect for fans of Jennifer Chiaverini and Marie Benedict, this riveting novel takes you inside the scandalous courtship and catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic of the most famous couple of their time—John Jacob Astor and Madeleine Force. Told in rich detail, this novel of sweeping historical fiction will stay with readers long after turning the last page.



Madeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob “Jack” Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack’s mother was the Mrs. Astor, American royalty and New York’s most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious—a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference, and the scandal of Jack’s recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love—and becomes the press’s favorite target.



On their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time—and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art RMS Titanic seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he’ll see her soon in New York…



Four months later, at the Astors’ Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine’s most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her, or carve out her own remarkable path…



“A touching, compelling, and haunting love story that will delight fans of historical fiction and enthrall those of us for whom the Titanic will always fascinate.”
—Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of When We Were Young and Brave



“An engaging novel told with both heartbreaking care and vivid detail. The Second Mrs. Astor is historical fiction at its gripping and irresistible best.”
—Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis



Dimensions (Overall): 9 Inches (H) x 1 Inches (W) x 6 Inches (D)
Weight: 1 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Historical
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Format: Paperback
Author: Shana Abe
Book theme: General
Language: English
Street Date: August 31, 2021
TCIN: 82034906
UPC: 9781496732040
Item Number (DPCI): 059-04-7452
Origin: Made in the USA
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.25 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.812 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO

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4.8 out of 5 stars with 5 reviews

Wonderful story

5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Perriknows - 3 years ago
I love everything Titanic. When I saw this book was about the Astor's and the Titanic, I was overjoyed to get this book. I was not disappointed, although this book wasn't exactly what I thought it would be.; It was so much more. A sheltered young woman. A man almost three decades her senior, what do they have in common? In bold strokes across the page, the author gave us a look into the beginning of love with this couple, the best of times for them, then the tragic ending, before they could even explore any depth in their relationship. The book begins as a tale for her son, relating the meeting of his parents, their time together, and her memories of John Jacob Astor. Between the first person story for her son, is the third person tale of their lives as seen by the outside world. The people that don't think Madeline Force is good enough for Mr. Astor. The people who think this man can't possibly love this child. The way the press sees the courtship. Fast forward to their time on honeymoon in Egypt, when you can see the deepening relationship, then their parting on the Titanic. A tragedy that leaves the reader with so many what ifs! This is the first book I've read by this author. The amount of research that went into crafting this tale of a woman who had much, then had more, then lost everything that mattered to her, was brilliant. Her issues with her family, her friends, the press, and the other over the top rich of NYC and environs at that time, is so believable. You can feel the love she holds for Mr. Astor and also her heartache over the people who want to tarnish her relationship with him. After a somewhat slow start, the book just gained steam as it went along. The portions of the book recounting the riches and opulence of the summer homes of the rich and famous was fascinating to read. As I knew the ending of this story, I slowed my reading down. I didn't want to read about Madeline's harrowing time in the lifeboat or on the Carpathia, but I did. Then ending was just that. The End. A short epilogue that was somehow abrupt, but appropriate.
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