An American Beauty

This expansive historical fiction book draws inspiration from the real-life tale of Arabella Huntington, the wealthiest self-made woman in America, a woman whose remarkable beauty was matched only by her extraordinary business sense, determination, and artistic vision.

Richmond, Virginia, 1867: Arabella is unique even though she is dressed in the identical low-cut purple gown that all the females who work at Worsham's gambling parlor wear. Not only does Arabella have a statuesque beauty and polished appeal, but even at seventeen, she still has an unwavering fortitude and a will to overcome her difficult upbringing and poverty.

From their first meeting, Arabella captures the attention of railroad mogul and self-made multimillionaire Collis Huntington. Despite being thirty years older and married, Collis and her temperament complement each other well, and their flirtation quickly turns into an affair. Arabella eventually relocates to New York under the guise of a refined, prosperous widow from the South with Collis's assistance. She starts to accumulate a fortune by using Collis's seed money and her own astute investing skills.

They have an open relationship, so when Collis marries Arabella following the death of his wife, no one is shocked. But the Vanderbilts and Astors are part of "The Four Hundred," an exclusive group with their own set of rules. Arabella has to earn her position in society via taste, style, and perfect behavior in addition to her immense riches. Some people will blackmail her since they know the shocking truth, which makes them suspicious. Then there's the other threat: an improbable, unanticipated romance that will put her heart, ambition, and allegiances to the test.