Happy Release Day!
Congratulations Deanna
on the release today of
The Mrs. Astor!
The Mrs. Astor by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Women's Sagas, 295 pages
Published October 6, 2026 by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Inspired by true events, this richly researched novel offers an intimate portrait of the woman who reigned over America's Gilded Age—and the unforgettable night that tested her power, her convictions, and her heart.
New York City, 1896
On the eve of her annual January ball, Caroline Schermerhorn Astor reflects on her life and all that has led up to this moment. She is about to reintroduce her daughter, Charlotte, into society after a scandalous divorce. Society dictates that divorced women simply disappear, but Caroline refuses to ban her daughter from her rightful place. After all, Caroline is the woman who runs New York City society. If anyone can break the rules, it’s her.
From her privileged childhood among the families of the oldest Dutch settlement in New York to her marriage to William Backhouse Astor, Jr., one of the richest men in the country, Caroline has done everything expected of a proper society wife. With elegance, determination, and an unwavering belief in tradition, she raised the Astor name to even greater heights and created an exclusive world where only the most distinguished families belonged. But now, all that could disappear if New York society rejects her because of her daughter’s scandal.
Whatever the consequences, Caroline will hold her head high, because she is The Mrs. Astor, and no one can take from her what she values the most—her precious family.
My thoughts about The Mrs. Astor ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First lines—"Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor sat in front of her dressing table mirror, contemplating the face that stared back at her, reflecting on her life and the decisions she'd made up until now."
While reading The Mrs. Astor, I was transported to a different time and place. Honesty, I found myself still there long after I finished the book, that's how enthralled I was by this story. I literally was thinking about the people I met and the setting of this book for days after I was done.
Deanna Lynn Sletten has always produced amazing historical fiction stories and this one is another stellar example of her thorough researching skills. I found myself completely swept up in the lifestyles and events of this time period that she wrote about. I admire Mrs. Astor and respect the strength and resilience she had in a time when women didn't have much power in their lives. Thanks to this book, I now have a better understanding of the life that women survived back then.
I loved everything about The Mrs. Astor and highly recommend it. If you read historical fiction, you are going to love it too.
I received an ARC of The Mrs. Astor and this is my honest opinion.
********************
About the author
Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Mrs. Winchester's Biographer, The Ones We Leave Behind, The Women of Great Heron Lake, Maggie's Turn, The Lake Harriet Series, and several other titles. She writes compelling historical fiction, heartwarming women's fiction, romance novels, and murder mysteries. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime
Deanna has recently begun a new murder mystery series, The Rachel Emery Series which includes The Truth About Rachel and Death Becomes You.
Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer. ~ Goodreads
************************
Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!
