This was an excellent read. It is about Archie Astor and Amelie Rives Astor and their tumultuous marriage. But it is more than that-it explores the Astor family and their role in the rise of New York City and their relationships with some of the most famous people of the time. Amelie wrote racy stories and painted herself in the nude, and Archie was a “player” in his day, and their story fed the gossip columns of the times. It reads like a novel but is well researched and the author travelled to their homes and used primary sources along with the newspapers to establish their love affair.