Alena Hughes

American Romance Alena Hughes

Publisher Marketing: American Romance is a historical novel based on the life and true love story of the legendary American composer, Irving Berlin (1888-1989), who immigrated from imperial Russia. His childhood in NYC was poor, he couldn't read music, played only on the black keys and was the most prolific composer of the last century. Berlin wrote more than 900 songs, nearly every other one became a hit. His song 'White Christmas' is included in the Guinness Book of Records as most sold - 'God Bless America' is the informal anthem of the United States, Berlin's second homeland. He wrote songs for 19 Broadway musicals and 18 Hollywood movies up until his death. His legacy survives him in the cinema - his songs set the stage in modern cinema hits like 'Titanic' and 'The Great Gatsby'. The epic romance was between the successful Berlin and the most eligible heiress of the New York social scene. Ellin Mackay & Berlin became the target of paparazzi and talk of the tabloids when rumors of a budding romance between her and the Jewish composer surfaced. The shocking possibility of marriage threatened the foundation of high society and the religious precepts of her incredibly wealthy Catholic father. Could true love win out? From the first page, the reader is plunged into "roaring 20s" and the flavor of New York City under prohibition. The life of privilege for Mackay of high society and the rise of the minstrel Berlin from his childhood poverty in New York City provide a contrast in backgrounds which mattered little to the lovers but rattled high society and the yellow press.