The Last Dollar Princess

A Young Heiress's Quest for Independence in Gilded Age America and George V's Coronation Year England

By: Linda Bennett Pennell

Narrated by: Ally Lane

"The Last Dollar Princess is a skillfully-written and engaging historical novel about a unique young woman struggling against the constraints of society." -Sublime Book Review

It must be said. Scandal follows her family like an ever-faithful hound. No matter how hard they kick it away, it comes slinking around time-after-time. Although her relatives are obsessed with social position and the opinions of others, heiress India Elisabeth Petra De Vries Ledbetter is determined to live life by her own terms, family expectations and society's demands be damned.

Reared away from the social whirl of Gilded Age New York, India would prefer a life of philanthropy in her native Appalachia, but Mother and Grandmama have far grander plans. They believe Mrs. Astor's old 400 are ready to overlook the past and that an advantageous marriage will cement their place in society once more. In fact, they have already selected the prospective bridegroom. The only problem? No one consulted India.

With captivating insights into the human spirit and heart, The Last Dollar Princess leads us on a riveting quest for self-determination through the most elegant and glamorous settings of the early 20th century. Perfect for fans of Marie Benedict, Daisy Goodwin, and Julian Fellows, this sweeping work of historical fiction will stay with listeners long after the end.

©2022 Black Rose Writing (P)2023 Beacon Audiobooks

Historical Part Well Done

I really liked the characters and how many of them grew into deep, meaningful friendships. It’s crazy to think how finances controlled families one minute and status and in the community in the next.

Unfortunately it was not the narrators voice that was the problem. Editing/producers completely missed how awful the most money

Good story

Enjoyed the story. There were several mispronunciations of words, that were a bit distracting, However, still enjoyed it.

Strong woman

Nice light story, enjoyable, didn’t especially enjoy the woman reading the story but I still enjoyed the book

Loved the story

I would really have loved this except for the narrator and production. Production was incredibly sloppy. I heard knocks and bangs, and a few times i heard the beginnings of comments that should have been edited out. In addition, the narrator butchered the pronunciation of so many words I lost count, and it was obvious she was struggling with controlling her, um, mouth moisture level: you could hear every pop and smack of overly dry/wet lips and mouth. Ick. I would have stopped listening pretty early on if I hadn’t been drawn into the characters and story, which I really enjoyed.

Fantastic Audiobook I Highly Recommend It

This is an incredible character based historical novel. The characters were well defined, and the story keeps your attention. Narrated brilliantly. Highly recommend.