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A Beautiful Rival

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About this listen

The world is at war, but on the gilded streets of Fifth Avenue, New York, a battle of a different kind is brewing…

New York, 1915.
Elizabeth Arden has been New York’s golden girl since her beauty salon opened its famous red door five years prior. Against all odds, she’s built an empire.

Enter Helena Rubinstein: ruthless, revolutionary – and the rival Elizabeth didn’t bargain for.

With both women determined to succeed – no matter the personal cost – a battle of beauty is born. And as the stakes increase, so do the methods: poaching employees, planting spies, copying products, hiring ex-husbands.

But as each woman climbs higher, so too does what she stands to lose.

Because the greater the height, the harder the fall…

In this stunning new novel, internationally bestselling author Gill Paul reveals the unknown history of cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein and their infamous rivalry that spanned not only decades, but also broken marriages, personal tragedies, and a world that was changing dramatically for women – perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Dinah Jefferies and Karen Swan.

©2023 Gill Paul (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers Limited 20th Century Family Life Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Women's Fiction Marriage War New York
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As usual with Gill Paul’s books, I didn’t want it to end. I love the way she weaves fact and fiction. Perfect escapism.

Perfect

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I must say i have loved all Gill Paul's novels. Some more than others. This was no exception to loved!!. Instead of two time lines, this was two women's lives side by side. I had to pace myself as didn't want the story to end, And the urge to Google both women to find out the outcome was sometimes very hard! I flicked between which woman I preferred as the story went along, But by the end had great respect for them both. Great listen :)

As usual a snippet of history

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Writing not up to par but got better near the end. I felt it was more ‘tell’ not ‘show’ so there was always a barrier between the characters and the reader in spite of the fascinating and gripping story. Could have been so much better.

Fascinating story but not one of her best

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