Peregrine Hill - a Gilded Age tale of secrets and survival.

During the Gilded Age in New York City, Isabelle Bishop’s life is turned upside down. Her husband and three of their children perished in a shipwreck, leaving Isabelle and her surviving daughter Mariah with limited funds. Isabelle sets her sights on marrying the older, twice widowed millionaire John Whitten. However, Whitten surprises Isabelle by expressing his interest in marrying Mariah. Aware that Mariah had a child out of wedlock, who was adopted at birth, Whitten is desperate for an heir and agrees to keep their secret if Mariah becomes his wife. After their marriage, Mariah is living in luxury, which offers little comfort. She forms a close bond with Hetty, her maid, who helps Mariah with her passion for writing. Hetty, longing for more, feels trapped by her social status and her gender.

In Peregrine Hill, Nina de Gramont tells the story of resilient women during a time when women had no real rights. After enduring significant hardships, Mariah and Hatty strive to help each other within their lives of restriction and dependance. Isabelle, who felt as if she had no other choice but to push her daughter into an unfortunate marriage, also fights for a better existence. This engaging book features many strong secondary characters, including Lavinia Van Wye, a widow and Whitten’s more age-appropriate lover, who endures the pain of watching his marriage to Mariah from the sidelines. If you enjoy stories set in the Gilded Age, this book, set in NYC and Newport, will surely satisfy.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advance.

Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: November 10, 2026.

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