This story takes place in Manhattan of 1800. Elizabeth is dead from falling into the river, but this is her story. Elizabeth is a good girl who has never stepped one toe out of line. Since her father’s death, she has been pushed to get married by her mother. Several boys have proposed but she has not accepted any of them.
Penelope is a happy girl who enjoys partying all the time. She has been secretly dating another partying boy named Henry and hopes to be engaged to him soon.
Diane is the younger sister of Elizabeth. She is glad that she won’t be forced into marriage with anyone, but she wants to find the love of her life. She has kissed several people but every time she does so she feels none of the “electricity” or “tingles” that everyone says that someone in love should feel.
Lina is a maid for Elizabeth who wants to court Will, a stable boy, but something is stopping him from returning her affections. She will stop at nothing to figure out why he isn’t loving her the way that she loves him.
Henry is a partying boy who loves to simply have a good time and has no plans on settling down anytime soon. However, when his father wants to run for government office, he forces his son into quitting his partying ways and settling down in order to improve his public image.
These 4 teens try to navigate their world of high society secrets and lies. Is Elizabeth as innocent as she seems? Does Henry want to be married to anyone at all? Will Lina discover who is stealing her beloved’s attention? Will Diana find her true love?
Although this review is short, this book completely drew me in. In fact, there are so many revealed secrets in this book that if I gave any more information away, I would literally be spoiling parts of the story. I enjoy historical fiction that includes kings and queens. The men and women in this high society area of Manhattan were the kings and queens of their time. Their lives seemed carefree to the public, and they were so famous that all their parties, weddings, and other life events would be posted in the newspapers. However secretly, their families suffered with many of the same problems that affected the poor. I would recommend this book to anyone, it was a suspenseful ride from beginning to end.
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 books
