Pretty girls, dresses, and a whole lot of drama

Sounds like today’s society right?  In some ways that’s a correct statement but I’m talking about 1899 in New York, the setting of this week’s novel.

This week I re-read The Luxe, the first of the four Luxe novels.  The fourth novel, Splendor, just came out recently so I decided to go back and refresh myself of the characters and what is going on in their lives.

What’s interesting about this book is that there’s a Prologue giving hints to the end of the story, but the rest of the novel starts from the beginning and returns to the events mentioned in the Prologue.  To not completely give away the ending, I’ll start from the 1^st chapter.

Elizabeth and Diana Holland are members of Manhattan’s upper society.  It is a world full of glittering gowns, marvelous parties, and flirtations galore.  Elizabeth is very close to whom she considers her best friend, Penelope Hayes.  Penelope is infatuated with Henry Schoonmaker, who we learn through the novel isn’t exactly in love with Penelope, but likes Diana.  However, due to the Holland’s father wasting away their fortune, Elizabeth is being forced to marry Henry as his father wants Henry to reflect well on him with a good wife since Henry’s dad is running for mayor.  Meanwhile, Elizabeth is in love with one of the coachmen, Will Keller, one of Elizabeth and her maid, Lina’s closest friends as children.  Lina too, is in love with Will but he doesn’t return her feelings either.

The novel focuses mostly on planning the upcoming nuptials between Henry and Elizabeth, and all of society preparing for what has been called the wedding of the century.  Rumors spread from person to person and eventually reach Penelope.  What are these rumors?  I’ll leave that for you to find out.  This is definitely a book you have to read for yourself, but if you can wait a week for my review of Rumors, the second book in the Luxe series, you’ll find out!