A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler

 A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler. St. Martin's Press, 2018. Biographical fiction.

Alva Smith grew up in a wealthy family of sisters who lived in both the United States and abroad. After the Civil War, though, the family is quite poor and adrift after the death of their mother. With a sick father, Alva is well aware that in order to save the family, she must marry well. Championing her good family name, Alva finds William Vanderbilt whose family has money, but is considered "new money" and is shut out of society in New York City. 

This novel tells Alva's story rather sympathetically. It tells how Alva apparently met William. After they married, Alva designs Vanderbilt mansions and stands up to the notorious Mrs. Astor. Her great friend, Consuelo Yznaga, though, in this novel ultimately betrays Alva. Yes, Alva masterminds the wedding of her own daughter, Consuelo, to British nobility, but is not the pushy mother who is described in other books.  She loves her family and wants only the best for them. Alva here well remembers how it felt to be poor.

Later in life, Alva becomes quite the supporter of the rights of women to vote and be independent of their husbands. She has a successful second marriage, here described as a love match. 

Fowler has created a glimpse of life during the Gilded Age with tiny details as well as a sweeping brushstroke. From New York City to Newport to Paris, readers will travel the era and enjoy every moment!