After reading "The Luxe", I couldn't wait to go out and buy the sequel, "Rumors". I love historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. I found it captivating, and the facts it contained were quite factual.

While I feel very connected to some of the characters, I believe others were not created quite as well. Elizabeth, for example, is the one of the main characters in the previous book. After reading both books, I still feel no connection with her. The other characters are mentioned less, but I can almost understand and relate to them better than Elizabeth! After two books, she still has absolutely no personality! This is very disappointing.

Diana, on the otherhand, is quite a different story. She is by far my favorite character and her carefree and rebellious manner makes her more appealing because not everyone is as 'perfect' as the debutantees in upper class New York. Diana feels no need to go along with the way things are supposed to be and does things her own way.

Overall, the are very elegant, scandalous, and captivating books. Set in one of my favorite time periods, they do not disappoint. Both interesting and factually accurate, "Rumors" is a must read and I would most definately recommend it as well as it's preceeding novel, "The Luxe".

VERY GOOD BOOK AND A FOLLOW-UP OF "THE LUXE" WHICH I READ BEFORE THIS ONE AND I ENJOYED BOTH.

The book Rumors by Anna Godbersen is a great insight into Manhattan's most popular social scene, in 1899, during the turn of the century. Each of the characters Ms. Godbersen writes about has their own unique personality. Elizabeth was always seen as Manhattan's "good girl", but what is she really hiding? Everyone knows Henry and Penelope were going to get engaged, but what happens now that he proposed to Elizabeth? What about Elizabeth's sister, Diana? She has always been rebellious to traditional ways, but how far will she take it? Each of the characters are about to make decisions that will change the rest of their lives.
After the first chapter of Rumors, the reader is swept into all of the drama. Although at times it can be hard to keep up with which character is preparing to back stab her best friend or tell a new lie, the plot is very interesting. The author does an amazing job of setting up the scene and gives a great description of what is happening in the plot.
While the book is obviously a romantic fiction novel, it does contain some historical information about the end of the nineteenth century. Before I read this book, I had no idea what the wealthy people were treated like at the turn of the twentieth century. Even if a young lady was just going on a shopping trip, she was treated like a goddess. Rumors also shows what the poor people used to live like. They had to work as maids or servants to wealthier people and had to wear hand-me-down clothes. Sometimes the poorer people would do anything to get money, like Lina who sold out her old boss who used to be her good friend.
At a time when everyone is changing, how will they survive? All of the characters are keeping their own secrets, but rumor has it that soon these secrets will all come spilling out.

in a sentence or two: the lives of new york's most luscious characters are still as deliciously intriguing as ever. Elizabeth found Will in california on the brink of oil-wealth, Diana and Henry's love is burning hotter than ever, Lina is trying to make a name for herself as a former housemaid turned society girl, and Penelope is still the raging bee-yotch she's always been.

romance and intrigue really do fuel the fires of this book. the elizabeth and will storyline is too sweet to handle (but you do handle it, of course). you can almost forgive the fact that she abandoned her mother and their horrible financial situation by faking her death in order to make her own personal quaint little existence happen. a fact that has almost killed Mrs. Holland (elizabeth's mom) makes you re-think that assessment. when it comes to diana (little sis) and henry (former fiance of elizabeth), his adoration for diana must be kept in check so as not to appear as if he's rushing past the death of elizabeth just to be with her sister - scandalous! and a bit creepy really. lina, the former housemaid of the family, is trying desperately to make a name for herself as a society girl with some help from penelope (former best friend/social rival of elizabeth). penelope is all too consumed with trying to woo henry back, or force him back, or do whatever it takes to get him back.

if it sounds complicated to follow or very much like a soap opera...it is! and that is what makes it so delicious. godbersen is thankfully gratuitous with details such as what their gowns are made of, how the lighting plays on their shoulders, and even down to the subtle public gestures like fluttering eyelashes or restrained smiles that make the society ladies what they are. she is also gratuitous with the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters, being careful to use equally lush phrasing to complete the overall feel of the book.

as others have noted, i had a bit of a hard time feeling like i was going to be interested in the rest of the series. it felt predictable to a point, and while i was loving the richness of detail and scandal that oozed from the pages...i thought i could take or leave it overall. THEN the twist in the last few pages shocked me from placidity and made me yearn for envy!

godbersen carefully weaves the 5 different stories into one complete volume. she takes the time to provide enough character analysis for the major players to keep you in check, while making sure the story moves along. she really is quite crafty! the introduction of new characters is for sure a good sign of more twists and turns to come, and i am all aboard the 1900 turning point - sure to be bursting with even more cattiness, scandal, romance, secrets, girlish squeals (from me), and lush detail - in the series!

this is a great sequal to THE LUXE novel! it makes me want to read the third one right away! it was a quick read even though its 423 pages, when you get into this book you will not be able to put it down!