She Walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell is a beautifully written book centered around Clara Carter, a débutante in New York during the Gilded Age of the late 1800’s. In a time where catching the wealthiest man was of the utmost importance, Clara was  put through a strict beauty regimen of stiff corsets, fancy dresses, little food, dancing lessons, and all the etiquette rules of the times.

The motherless Clara was taken in hand by her aunt, whose sole goal was for Clara to marry the wealthy DeVrie heir. The only problem was that her best friend was vying for the same man. Can their friendship survive the race for a husband?

As Clara becomes disillusioned with the opulent life, she begins to question the value of beauty and all it entails. When a young man talks to her of God’s love and His acceptance of her the way she is, she longs for that type of love and that type of acceptance.

Can she find that in the arms of the DeVrie heir? Or is his attention only skin deep? Clara faces hard decisions as she uncovers truths about her family. Her decisions could alter her future. Does she trust in what she knows? Or does she trust in the reality of the Truth?

I loved Clara’s journey. I usually don’t enjoy books in first person, but this book took me deep into Clara’s heart and I ached for her and the struggles she went through. Siri Mitchell did a fabulous job in depicting an age of superficial strictures and excess in all area’s of the times. She gave a very satisfying ending to Clara’s journey and I closed the last page with a smile on my face.

BACKCOVER:
During new York City Gilded Age…
The Game is played amid banquets and balls.
The Prise is a lifetime of wealth and privilege.
The Rules will test friendships and the desires of a young woman’s heart.
Clara Carter is the social season’s brightest star…
but at what cost?

I am giving away a copy of this book to a lucky commenter. Please leave your spam-free email (sherrinda(at)gmail(dot)com) to be entered into the contest. I will draw a name, using a random number generator on Sunday, June 6, 2010.

NOTE: The drawing is open to residents of the U.S. due to various laws. The winner is responsible for eligibility and meeting the rules of their state. No fees were required to enter this drawing, and the blog owner did not receive any compensation for the above recommendation. The book was given to me by the publisher for review.