{"product_id":"the-second-mrs-astor-a-heartbreaking-historical-novel-of-the-titanic-9781496732040","title":"The Second Mrs. Astor: A Heartbreaking Historical Novel of the Titanic","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbé is an exquisite storyteller....deeply moving. --Fiona Davis, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of\u003ci\u003e The Lions of Fifth Avenue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eInspired by the scandalous real-life love story between America's richest man and teenage beauty Madeleine Force -- and the aftermath of their tragic honeymoon aboard the Titanic.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJack Astor was American royalty, the richest man in the world, and Fifth Avenue scion of the Gilded Age. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMadeleine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e Force was a \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ebeautiful teenaged debutante\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into fame\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003esimply for falling in love with a famous man nearly three decades her senior.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom their scandalous courtship to their catastrophic honeymoon aboard the Titanic--a tragedy that made them the most famous couple of their time--their love story is brought to life in this sweeping work of historical fiction by \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling novelist Shana Abé. Perfect for fans of Fiona Davis and Melanie Benjamin.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMadeleine Talmage Force is just seventeen when she attracts the attention of John Jacob \"Jack\" Astor. Madeleine is beautiful, intelligent, and solidly upper-class, but the Astors are in a league apart. Jack's mother was \u003ci\u003ethe \u003c\/i\u003eMrs. Astor, American royalty and New York's most formidable socialite. Jack is dashing and industrious--a hero of the Spanish-American war, an inventor, and a canny businessman. Despite their twenty-nine-year age difference and the scandal of Jack's recent divorce, Madeleine falls headlong into love--and becomes the press's favorite target.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOn their extended honeymoon in Egypt, the newlyweds finally find a measure of peace away from photographers and journalists. Madeleine feels truly alive for the first time--and is happily pregnant. The couple plans to return home in the spring of 1912, aboard an opulent new ocean liner. When the ship hits an iceberg close to midnight on April 14th, there is no immediate panic. The swift, state-of-the-art \u003ci\u003eRMS Titanic\u003c\/i\u003e seems unsinkable. As Jack helps Madeleine into a lifeboat, he assures her that he'll see her soon in New York...\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eFour months later, at the Astors' Fifth Avenue mansion, a widowed Madeleine gives birth to their son. In the wake of the disaster, the press has elevated her to the status of virtuous, tragic heroine. But Madeleine's most important decision still lies ahead: whether to accept the role assigned to her or carve out her own remarkable path...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Kensington Publishing Corporation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/31\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781496732040\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336","brand":"Shana Abe","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40649329115317,"sku":"9781496732040","price":15.26,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_8cb6123d-3374-4669-a216-ea6ab61be5ce.jpg?v=1627965242","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-second-mrs-astor-a-heartbreaking-historical-novel-of-the-titanic-9781496732040","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}