"Envy: A Luxe Novel" Review

“Envy” (Sept. 29, 2009) is a Luxe novel from Anna Godbersen. “Envy” is the third book in the series. There are four books in this series. The books are young adult romance fiction in a historical setting.

            “Envy” takes place in early 1900 in Manhattan and follows some of the city’s most enviable residents for their wealth, beauty and gossip-worthiness. There have been falls from wealthy grace and relative newcomers to wealth. There is unintentional betrayal, a dramatic homecoming and plenty of scheming. With all the drama, there is no end to the vicious cycle that constantly feeds the rumor mill.

            Sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland lived a lavish life until the untimely and unexpected death of their father. Left with little of their original wealth, they have perhaps fallen out of favor with others whose circles they previously followed, but they aren’t out of the gossip’s eye. Elizabeth faked her death so she could marry the one she truly loved, although she was engaged to the most eye-catching bachelor in Manhattan. She also has a secret. What is it?

            Younger sister Diana is doing her best to represent the Holland family at social events. She is in love with a young newlywed (and he’s in love with her), but someone else is giving her attention. Is the other young man courting her of his own volition?

            Newlyweds Henry and Penelope (Hayes) Schoonmaker are the city’s most celebrated couple. They’re fabulously wealthy, appealingly young and remarkably attractive. They signify the “perfect” high society couple. Except Henry holds little more than abhorrence for his scheming, deceitful, fake-smiled wife. Penelope wanted Henry and went to great lengths to make him hers. And blackmail was not below her. What will be the outcome of their tenuous nuptials?

            Lina Broud has gone from bottom-of-the-totem-pole housemaid to social climbing society girl Carolina Broad. She presents a remarkable tale of growing up on a ranch out west and moving to Manhattan after her father’s passing. Noting that she worked as a housemaid for the Holland family, she uses the ranch fib to cover her actual personal history. She forced a friendship by dishing information about the Holland girls to devious, conniving Penelope. Once thrown out of the Holland house, she comes under the care of a very affluent man. When he passes suddenly, what happens to Carolina?

            The novel includes a trip to Florida. Originally meant to be a fishing trip for Henry and his best pal, Edward “Teddy” Cutting, it turns into a vacation escapade with Penelope, Carolina, Penelope’s brother Grayson Hayes, Carolina’s crush Leland Bouchard and the Holland sisters. It involves a lengthy train ride in train cars owned by the Schoonmakers. It will be a trip to remember, but in a positive way? Or a negative?

            Despite not reading the first two books in the series, I did not feel lost starting at the third book. Surely, if I’d read the first two, I would’ve gotten more of the back story on the main characters, plus actually read of events leading up to the Schoonmaker wedding and Carolina’s climb from housemaid to socialite. Perhaps I would also know about Elizabeth’s true love, Will Keller, and more detail of their father’s passing. Start at the beginning of the series if you have the chance and interest.

            This will not be a read for everyone. As previously mentioned, it is a young adult romance. It’s also in a historical setting involving many garments and outfit changes (for women, likely into another heavy, too-stuffy dress). However, if you like “Gossip Girl” (the TV series) and soap operas, there’s a good chance this series may interest you. “Envy” reminds me of the beauty, glamour and class in Manhattan like Gossip Girl’s Manhattan, but with the backstabbing, conniving, deliberate drama of a daytime soap opera, and instead set in 1900 and not in the 2000s. Instead of slang you’ll read prim dialect. Tea, anyone?