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Splendor: A Luxe Novel (The Luxe)

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Author: Anna Godbersen
Publisher: HarperCollins
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$17.99~~
Buy New: $9.71
as of 11/21/2009 01:06 PST details
You Save: $8.28 (46%)

New (23) Used (7) from $9.50

Seller: Amazon.com

Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.5

ISBN: 0061626317
EAN: 9780061626319
ASIN: 0061626317

Publication Date: November 1, 2009 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Features:

•	ISBN13: 9780061626319
•	Condition: NEW
•	Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
•	Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Similar Items:

Envy (Luxe, Book 3)

The Luxe Box Set

Rumors (Luxe, Book 2)

The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, Book 4)

The Season

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description

New beginnings.

Shocking revelations.

Unexpected endings.

A spring turns into summer, Elizabeth relishes her new role as a young wife, while her sister, Diana, searches for adventure abroad. But when a surprising clue about their father's death comes to light, the Holland girls wonder at what cost a life of splendor comes.

Carolina Broad, society's newest darling, fans a flame from her past, oblivious to how it might burn her future. Penelope Schoonmaker is finally Manhattan royalty—but when a real prince visits the city, she covets a title that comes with a crown. Her husband, Henry, bravely went to war, only to discover that his father's rule extends well beyond New York's shores and that fighting for love may prove a losing battle.

In the dramatic conclusion to the bestselling Luxe series, New York's most dazzling socialites chase dreams, cling to promises, and tempt fate. As society watches what will become of the city's oldest families and newest fortunes, one question remains: Will its stars fade away or will they shine ever brighter?

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 1-5 of 15

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Great series, disappointing ending... November 18, 2009
Amanda (Dallas, Texas)
Anna Godberson's Luxe series comes to an end with Splendor, the fourth installment. After coping with their escalating personal issues, Godberson's group of turn-of-the-century New York socialites forges ahead into a new world where old secrets return, new alliances are formed and the gilded age starts to lose its glitter.

Penelope Schoonmaker (nee Hayes) throws herself into the social web of New York and while trying to live down the scandals of her husband Henry's military adventure, starts scandals of her own. She catches the eye of the Prince of Bavaria and realizes that she could reach higher places in life.

Meanwhile, Penelope's reluctant husband, Henry, finds that his career as a U.S. soldier doesn't turn out as he hoped. His father quickly forces him to return to New York, where Henry is faced with making decisions about his future with Penelope...or Diana. Diana, after finding Henry, returns to New York and desperately looks for a way to be with him while her sister Elizabeth faces an unexpected truth about her second husband.

Everything that fans have come to expect from The Luxe series is here -young socialites fighting for reputation, power and happiness while living in splendor. While this novel started out in a good place due to the amazing ending of Envy, it just couldn't stay on the same level as the rest of the series -mostly due to the ending. Near the end it felt like the writer started throwing certain things in (out of nowhere) to keep the expected ending that she had been building up to for so long from happening.

I was really excited to see how this series would end, but the ending was just a huge let down. Part of me even hoped that there would be another book in the series to give The Luxe the "right" ending. Sadly, I won't be getting my wish. Don't get me wrong, Splendor isn't a bad book -Godberson just ruined it on the ending.

5 out of 5 stars

Splendor November 16, 2009
Gift Card
Splendo is the fourth and last book in the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen.

Diana is off to find her Love Henry who has joined the army.

Penelope and a prince get close and she doesnt care who notices

Elizabeth is married to Snowden for her benfit, but it doesnt mean he is all good. Snowden has some shocking secrets (and its the best part of the book!!)

Lina and Leland get closer but her past creeps up with her the more she tries to hide it.

it is such a great ending to the luxe series, my favorite is what happenes with Elizabeth...it has love, mystery, and secrets that are so great to make the ending explosive. you will not see the ending coming!

4 out of 5 stars

Last Book in a Great Series November 16, 2009
Darcy Wishard (Kelso, WA)
I fell in love with this series from the very beginning. Each book cover represents one of the four young ladies whose lives are intertwined among the most of elite of New York high society in the late 1800's. With chapters in each book alternating between each of their perspectives, readers soon find out the secret desires of each of heroines and what lengths they will go to attain what they want.

In order to really enjoy Splendor you will have to have read the three other books which is an excellent idea anyway because they are great books.

Splendor is a wrap up of the entire series with an epilogue at the very end that gives even a little bit more info on the future of Diana, Penelope, Elizabeth and Carolina.

Okay, yes as with three other books in the series I really like this book and basically finished it in one day...but this book is an excellent example of how readers may differ from the author in what they would like to see happen to their favorite characters. I don't want to say too much because I don't like to post spoilers but I'll just say that the ending wasn't what I was really expecting or wanted.

But, that being said I can see that the author did stay true to each character and the conclusion to the series is probably a more realistic ending.

Are you intrigued? Good!

With the setting being in New York during the late 1800's and dealing with city's high society and all the rules and restrictions that go along with it, this book does have a slight and much lighter resemblance to the classic The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

3 out of 5 stars

Started out with splendor, ended with blah. November 9, 2009
Jacqueline M. George (Ellsworth AFB, SD)
Semi Spoilers!!!

I have read and re read the whole Luxe series, waiting anxiously for each and every installment and finishing them within the day. The characters & their drama pulled me in, and I couldn't wait for the conclusion. The book was very well written, with plenty more twists - which i thought couldn't be done at this point. But I'm sorry, I don't get the authors reasoning for ending the book that way. It's not even the "happily ever after" aspect, it's the fact that Diana GOES SEARCHING ALL OVER THE WORLD for Henry, just so in the end she can be like "eh, paris is more important."?? I'm sorry, if their love was what she said it was, she would have done anything to be with him. Not to mention that that just doesn't seem like her character.. the strong willed character she was built up to be wouldn't care what others had to say.

I was also disappointed with not knowing what happened to Henry, Penelope, & Carolina really. You get glipses but it wasn't enough to even draw my own conclusions, which normally i wouldn't have a problem with. The ending was rushed and didn't seem to fit well, and I have to admit i was disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars

Came before I expected it to for cheaper than I could buy it in a store! November 8, 2009
Megan Scott (Portland)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I ordered this a little in advance before it came out and I paid for regular shipping. It arrived on the day that it came out and I was very pleased. I had it on my door before I coould have even gone out to buy it. I love this book series too!

Showing reviews 1-5 of 15

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