Consuelo Vanderbilt was born into a life a privilege - a vast inheritance, beauty, and a magnetic personality. But when her overbearing mother sets her sights on an English title to bring prestige to the Vanderbilt family, Consuelo feels trapped. Forced to marry the 9th Duke of Marlborough, Consuelo moves to England and into the extravagant Blenheim palace. Marriage to the duke is less than ideal, but they do have two sons. Consuelo spends much of her time among England's aristocracy, including the Prince of Wales and his wife, and the duke's cousin, Winston Churchill.

As her marriage dissolves, Consuelo decides to leave Blenheim, throwing herself into charitable efforts and continuing to entertain the upper crust of European society. It's not until she falls in love with a French colonel and pilot, Jacques Balsan, that she wants to push her powerful husband for a divorce...

Taking place from the Gilded Age and through the World Wars, AMERICAN DUCHESS by Karen Harper is an in-depth look into the life of a vivacious and clever woman. Even with immense wealth, Consuelo is trapped by not being able to do much with it, especially during her disastrous first marriage. Her relationship with her mother begins strained but eventually evolves into a thoughtful and important part of Consuelo's adulthood. Consuelo's philanthropy is admirable but juxtaposed to her ability to buy or build new homes seemingly on a whim was an interesting lifestyle to read about. Her longing for privacy and a sense of normalcy was at times like reading about the current royal family, and it was easy to empathize with her frustrations while she was going through difficult times in the public eye. A well researched novel, AMERICAN DUCHESS will please any historical fiction fans.