From M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of Tiffany Blues, “a lush, romantic historical mystery” (Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale), comes a gorgeously wrought novel of ambition and betrayal set in the Gilded Age. New York, 1910: A city of extravagant balls in Fifth Avenue mansions and poor immigrants crammed into crumbling Lower East Side tenements. A city where the suffrage movement is … tenements. A city where the suffrage movement is growing stronger every day, but most women reporters are still delegated to the fashion and lifestyle pages. But Vera Garland is set on making her mark in a man’s world of serious journalism.
Shortly after the world-famous Hope Diamond is acquired for a record sum, Vera begins investigating rumors about schemes by its new owner, jeweler Pierre Cartier, to manipulate its value. Vera is determined to find the truth behind the notorious diamond and its legendary curses–even better when the expose puts her in the same orbit as a magazine publisher whose blackmailing schemes led to the death of her beloved father.
Appealing to a young Russian jeweler for help, Vera is unprepared when she begins falling in love with him…and even more unprepared when she gets caught up in his deceptions and finds herself at risk of losing all she has worked so hard to achieve.
Set against the backdrop of New York’s glitter and grit, of ruthless men and the atrocities they commit in the pursuit of power, this enthralling historical novel explores our very human needs for love, retribution–and to pursue one’s destiny, regardless of the cost.
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M.J. Rose’s Cartier’s Hope blends mystery and history in the glittering Glided Age. Set in 1910 New York, the story is about a plucky woman’s quest to further her career as a journalist and avenge her father’s death.
This well-written mystery is narrated by the main character, Vera Garland. She is a fantastic character! She breaks most, if not all, convention by pursuing a career instead of a husband. She is sometimes impulsive, and always a feminist and suffragette. I loved the lush story background, and the rich details made me feel immersed in the story. The addition of relevant social issues of the era made the story more realistic. I relished the blend of jewelry, legend and lore as well as the background information on the Cartier family and the making of paste copies of gems.
Themes of tolerance of imperfection and the price of revenge are woven into this delicious mystery.
Vera is from a wealthy New York family. But, she does not let this hold her back. She has an alter ego… Vee Swann. Vee is actually a journalist. During this time period of the gilded age, this is a huge, out of the norm, job for a female. When Vera runs across a family secret plus a family “suicide”, she is determined for Vee to get revenge and crack the mystery of the Hope diamond.
This is not my favorite M.J. Rose story. But, that is not to say it is not good. It is delicious! I just actually figured this out. Unusual for me. And let me add…no doubt in my mind…no one does better female characters than this author. And Vera is the best! She does not conform to the women of the day. This stresses her mother beyond belief, which is an added side story. (Had me laughing in places).
There are so many twists and turns in this tale. M. J. does and excellent job with all the unique aspects. I was hooked from the start. The setting, the time period, the mystery and of course…the love interest…you must read this to find out!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I love books that are set in New York, especially those that are historical fiction, and that setting did not disappoint me in Cartier’s Hope by M.J. Rose. I read Tiffany Blues last year and loved it so I knew I had to read this book as well and I am so glad I did.
I listened to the majority of Cartier’s Hope on audio and I have to say I really loved using that medium to devour the book. I am also happy I had a physical copy, but the audio was solid, and I really enjoyed the narrator which is Tavia Gilbert. She did a great job with the accents and I liked listening to her voice as well. There is so much history in this book, and I just loved learning more about the Hope Diamond. I also wasn’t familiar with how much women struggled for equality in 1910 and this book was very eye opening in that respect as well.
Vera was such a wonderful character, and I absolutely loved her. The story of her and her family, as well as the bit of romance and her journalism coverage was so interesting for me, and I enjoyed it all. I am having a hard time expressing my feelings for Cartier’s Hope the way I wish I could, but if you are a lover of historical fiction that has a dash of romance I am going to recommend this to you for sure. Audio or book, both will be a trip back to New York 1910, and an eye opening and educational experience!
Song/s the book brought to mind: This Feeling by The Chainsmokers & Kelsea Bllerini
Final Thought: I didn’t love Cartier’s Hope QUITE as much as I loved Tiffany Blues but that is not because this isn’t a gorgeous book with an interesting plot. Tiffany Blues may have resonated with me a bit more, but Cartier’s Hope is an exquisite novel that I hope many people will read. If you have ever wanted to know more about what New York was like in 1910 for women trying to have a career or wish to know more about the Hope Diamond and Cartier but in a fictional novel, please don’t hesitate to pick this up! M.J. Rose is an autobuy author for me and I love the way she intricately weaves her stories; this was no exception and I can’t wait to read more of her novels.
Thank you to Get Red PR and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Cartier’s Hope by M.J. Rose is an intricate novel that is more then just a fictional story about the Hope Diamond. It is an historical fiction about the turn of the century 1900 in NY and gives us a glimpse of the two extremes that existed at that time. One sees how the majority lived: daily struggles to survive, eat, make a living, keeping safe, and the other half: the ultra-rich, the privileged. It also gives the reader a glimpse of how difficult it was for women at that time. It was near impossible to garner respect, equality, be available to opportunities that were openly given preference to men. Women were seen as objects, lesser beings, not as deserving, and had their “place” in the home and in the bed, not in the workforce. It is difficult to see how many obstacles women had to face on a day to day basis.
But, more then that, this novel is about the universal topics of hope, acceptance, respect, love, and redemption and the fascinating thing is that the author ties to all together to let the reader see that those needs transverse across “classes”. Those needs are just as important for the people living in the tenements and for those living in the gilded mansions.
There is romance, mystery, intrigue, suspense, and finally acceptance and hope. I am glad that Vera was finally able to experience that. A fitting end to an interesting novel.
4/5 stars
I felt like we were right in 1910. So many things have changed and yet so much has remained the same. Vera Garland born into society. She never felt like she belong but was determined to make a difference. She took on a persona of Vee Swann so that she could be a reporter. Only women were not accepted as serious reporters. They were never paid equal to their male counterparts. Not only that, women didn’t have the right to vote. Mr. Cartier was all about salesmanship. His prize was the Hope Diamond. He stirred up all the stories about the Hope Diamond being bad luck if you touched it. The more the stories, the more people wanted it. Jacob Archer, jeweler, and the man behind the scenes. From the moment they meet, sparks fly. They are two of a kind, both working in the shadows. What is all boils down to, was Vera able to reach for love? It seems her father, who was always her biggest supporter, was giving her a push from the grave
I must admit that the beginning is very broody and down, and I almost put it down. But I forged on through and it got better. A fictionalized side tale of the Hope Diamond, Cartier Jewelers, and the plight of female news reporters In early 20th century, it subtly asks the question if revenge is worth what you may gain, or will you lose more in the end. Also, can love trump revenge? A brooding, emotional read but a good story. I received an ARC of this book.
t is a very colorful well written story circa 1910, about the Hope Diamond and it’s curse and events that surround a family. The characters are complex and interesting with a lot of secrets. I love the detail of the surroundings and characters. Vera is a reporter with an alias and is determined to find out the secret of the curse. The book also has a controversial story regarding homosexual intolerance. I found this a wonderful read! I received an arc from netgalley and this is my honest review. I loved this book! This is one I will consider reading again!
The story of the Hope Diamond, women journalists, hidden identities, locked bookcases, and family secrets greet the reader of Cartier’s Hope.
Vera was the daughter of a wealthy businessman, but she needed to hide this fact so she could work at being a journalist for the stories women were assigned, and according to her mother to not disgrace the family’s name because she didn’t comply with social norms of being a married woman and a wealthy woman who didn’t work.
Vera was always looking for a story. The Hope Diamond would be a perfect one. What intrigued Vera was when she heard its background and its supposed curse.
Even more interesting than the Hope Diamond and what peaked her curiosity was when she found locked bookcases in her father’s library and had no idea why her father would have locked books inside.
Mystery about the bookcase and the intrigue about the Hope Diamond kept Vera’s journalistic mind going. Vera had been in a slump and didn’t want to write any more, but after she found out why her father had books hidden behind books, the Hope Diamond story took second place but was going to help her with her father’s secret. This made her realize it was time to get back to her life’s work and find out why and who was behind her father’s story and how to use the Hope Diamond to aid with the search for answers.
Ms. Rose made the reader aware of the challenges female journalists faced and what they had to put up with in the male-dominated profession. The female journalists had to put up with the worst stories, lower pay than their male counterparts, sexual favors if they wanted their name on a story, and not being treated the same or looked at for being as good as a male journalist.
M. J. Rose has a writing style that pulls you in along with her marvelous details and research.
Historical fiction fans will enjoy CARTIER’S HOPE as well as mystery fans and those readers who enjoy strong female characters.
And…there can’t be an absence of some romance with all those gorgeous jewels, right?
ENJOY when you read CARTIER’S HOPE. It is an all-around “gem” of a read. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Cartier’s Hope” by M.J. Rose, Atria, January 28,2020
M.J. Rose, Author of “Cartier’s Hope” has written a captivating, intriguing, intense and romantic, novel. The Genres for this Novel are Historical Fiction, Romance with some Mystery. The timeline for this story is set around 1910 and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The story takes place in New York City. I love the way M.J. Rose vividly describes the diversity in the city, characters, and events. I also appreciate the historical research, and gemological research that M.J. Rose has done. The author describes her dramatic characters as colorful, complex and complicated. There are secrets, twists and turns, and danger. I found it fascinating that gemstones seem to have mystical and other qualities.
Vera Garland is a young woman who is a wealthy socialite, who also assumes the identity of a reporter with a pen name of Vee Swann. She writes a column “Silk, Saturn, and Sandals”, and often will describe what jewelry and accessories the wealthy are wearing. In this time period, women reports are not treated equally as men, and many times the men will get credit for what the women write. Vera is very inquisitive and likes to fight for what she feels is the right thing. When Vera discovers some letters hidden in her recently deceased father’s possessions, she is distraught.
Vera finds herself obsessed with the Hope Diamond which is at Cartier’s in the City, she is determined to unlock the mystery surrounding the gorgeous bluish stone. This investigation may help her in more ways than one. Little does Vera realize what dangers lie ahead, and what secrets may be exposed.
In this well-written story, the author discusses the importance of family, love, support, and acceptance. I would highly recommend this amazing novel to readers who appreciate Historical Fiction.
I enjoyed the portions about the history of the Hope Diamond and the curse associated with it. But the portions dealing with the injustices to women journalists bogged the story down, especially within the first few chapters of the book. I think I needed to be more firmly grounded in the Hope Diamond part of the story before going into the details of why Vera Garland had to disguise herself and be Vee Swan. I could not establish an emotional connection with Vera and ended up skimming much of the book, especially in the first half.
As the protagonist strives to uncover the truth of the Hope Diamond and her investigation of Mr. Cartier for misleading sales techniques, she also must confront her own past. Intrigue and romance thrown in spice up the story. There is also the juxtaposition of the lavish lifestyle of the social elite with the immigrants and the conditions in the immigrant tenements.
Recommended for historical fiction fans, mystery fans, and fans of strong female characters.
Thank you to Atria Books for the advance copy to read and review. Opinions expressed here are my own.
This story is friction but it does give a sense of woman’s roles in the early nineteen hundreds. It also makes you realize that in some areas woman still face many of the same problems.
I loved how M.J Rose describes the smells, the looks of jewels, buildings and other items.
If you are a reader that doesn’t like this kind of detail then this book is not for you, me on the other hand enjoyed it tremendously.
This is the first book that I have read by M.J. Rose but it won’t be the last! What I loved the most was the two differing perspectives and experiences that Vera and Vee give throughout the story! Rose not only opens the art and jewelry world of the Gilded age but also the struggles that many face in a time of inequality.
I had high hopes for this novel. The cover was gorgeous, the description beguiling, the opening pages intriguing. It seemed like I was fated to like this novel. Unfortunately, I didn’t really care for it.
The main issue was Vera, the first person point of view narrator. I really didn’t care for her. While I can handle an unsympathetic protagonist, Rose intends Vera to be sympathetic. Yet I found her self-absorbed, with an over-regard for her own ideas and importance in others’ lives.
She can be manipulative and judgmental toward others, including her own family. Especially her own family. She uses her position as an anonymous society columnist to “embarrass” her mother and sister into leading charities. Cringe.
While I understand her desire to get revenge, I think blaming the blackmailer for her father’s death is a stretch. I feel similarly about how she blames her mother for a certain incident later in the book. She blames her mother for choices she, Vera, a thirty-year-old woman, makes independently and willingly. Without sharing spoilers, I can’t say more. Yes, her mother played a role in the choice she had to make. Yet Vera made multiple decisions of her own free will, too. Saying her mother put her “life in danger” is a bit much.
However, there were enjoyable characters. Jacob Asher, for example, the jeweler Mr. Cartier’s assistant. His motivations made sense. As a Russian-born Jew, prejudice and violence dog his steps. I also liked Stephen, her lawyer cousin, and Pierre Cartier, the jeweler. Jack, her brother-in-law, is also interesting.
The stories surrounding the Hope diamond are fascinating, as are the details about jewels, their history, and jewelry making. Rose has done her research into this. She also researched the historical period. Most of what she shares is interesting and informative. But after a while, the sharing became oversharing. At points, the story slowed to a crawl while I read yet more facts and anecdotes that have little to do with the main narrative.
It also tended to make the story feel scattered. Was this novel about early feminism? Abortion rights? Homosexuality? Females in journalism? At various points, all became a focus. The blurb promises a story about the Hope Diamond. But other stories compete for attention; I struggled to remember which story was the main one. If there was a mystery, it was lost, too.
Rose does have a lovely way with words; she often chose to describe things by their scent. Smell is such a powerful sense and many novelists don’t use it effectively. Honestly, Rose does a great job describing things in this unusual way that I don’t think we need nearly as many of the facts to bring the time period to life.
Overall, this book disappointed me. I wanted the story to be more focused and the protagonist more sympathetic. Obviously, it wasn’t my cup of tea.
Yet there are plenty of rave reviews from people who loved Cartier’s Hope. So if the blurb intrigues you, go ahead and give it a try. Sometimes it’s me and not the book that’s the issue!
3.5 stars
I’ll add that this is the first book by this author that I’ve read. Given that she does have a lovely way with words, I will try reading another of her novels. Maybe it’s just a mismatch between book and reader.
Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced reading copy of Cartier’s Hope in exchange for an honest review.
I know I am not going to be with the majority, but I just didn’t like this book. I thought The Hope Diamond and Cartier would be more of a focus than it was. The story just really drug for me. Plus, I didn’t care for the main character. She just got on my nerves. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone!
I’m a big fan of this author and was excited to get the chance to read an early copy of this book. I enjoyed the story, liked the pluckiness of the main character!
I thought the information about gems interesting.
I was surprised at the little twist at the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
A little masterpiece of mystery! 5 stars plus
M.J. Rose is a very talented storyteller! This time, I’m very pleased with Cartier’s Hope! She never disappoints me! In this story, we follow Vera an audacious and adventurous journalist as she investigates the story behind the Hope Diamond. Set against the backdrop of New York’s glitter and grit, we follow her at a fast pace. You’ll surely love this historical mystery filled with many twists and turns and intrigues! Another fascinating romantic historical mystery to enjoy! Some scenes took my breath away! A real page-turner!
For those of you who enjoy a heroine in a strong role! Cartier’s Hope tells the story of Vera Garland also known as Vee Swann and her family. Vera is a 32 years old journalist surviving among men. In 1910, women had to struggle to be heard among men. So this is the story of a brave and stubborn woman who is also a survivor and a fighter of women’s rights. Her heart belongs to her career! When her beloved father dies, she discovers a well kept secret and decides to avenge him and her dear uncle. While investigating the Hope Diamond, she will find herself in a world of lies, secrets, blackmail and revenge. As a female reporter, will she find her true place in Society? Will she finally find peace?
You can tell this author cares greatly about the plight of women. While so much has changed since 1910, women are still dealing with the very same issues. Rose tackles the suffragette movement, sexual harassment in the workplace, single-minded women, women in journalism, and abortion. Beyond these hot-button issues is the backdrop of bustling New York City, incredible wealth, and the rarest of jewels. Cartier’s Hope is excellent–even better than Tiffany Blues, which was brilliant. It’s meticulously researched and sure to be one of the best books of 2020.
MJ Rose’s Cartier’s Hope did not live up to her previous books. There was a lot of good about the book but it bogged down in places and took a long time to get to the main point. Vera Garland is a wealthy socialite. She has a conscience and fights for many rights for women, welfare reform, and better working conditions. Vera’s uncle and then her father die, and Vera has had an accident and has hurt her back. She hears that Cartier’s Jewelers has just acquired the Hope Diamond. She decides this could be her comeback article. But when she discovers her Uncle was being blackmailed she is out for revenge. Cartier’s Hope is not one of MJ Rose’s best works., but I would still recommend it.