The Luxe is a series of teenage books by Anna Godbersen, set in New York in during the social season of 1899-1900, and dealing with the machinations of the rich and famous (plus some of their servants). The books are told from the alternating points of view of socialite Elizabeth Holland, her sister Diana Holland, their sometime maid Lina Broud, bachelor Henry Schoonmaker and Big Bad Friend Penelope Hayes.
The book covers each feature one of the main female characters in a Pimped-Out Dress. The Series is told in four parts.
- Luxe (2007)
- Rumors (2008)
- Envy (2009)
- Splendor (2010)
Provides examples of:
- Alpha Bitch: PenelopeSchoonmaker, née Hayes
- Altar the Speed: Many times, with Elizabeth and Henry's wedding (which does not happen), Penelope and Henry's wedding, Elizabeth and Snowden's wedding and Carolina and Leland's wedding (which also does not happen).
- Ambiguously Gay: Buck
- Ambition Is Evil: Penelope
- And Now You Must Marry Me: Penelope to Henry, which he agrees to in order to save Diana's reputation.
- Arranged Marriage: Elizabeth and Henry. She is engaged to Henry to save her family from poverty whereas he has been pressured to marry her for her spotless reputation and to advance his father's political career.
- At the Opera Tonight
- "Begone" Bribe: Carolina gives one to Tristan.
- Big Applesauce
- Bittersweet Ending
- Blackmail: How Penelope becomes Mrs Schoonmaker
- Brainy Brunette: Diana seems to be the only girl interested in reading in the entire series.
Penelope also earns her status as a Brainy Brunette through all her schemes. - Calling the Old Man Out: Henry does this to the elder Mr. Schoonmaker right before he collapses of a heart attack
- The Clan: The Schoonmakers qualify, and likely the Hollands as well
- Conspicuous Consumption: The Hayes mansion on Fifth Avenue in contrast with the Simple, yet Opulent Holland mansion in Gramercy Pary
- Dances and Balls
- Dark Secret: Elizabeth with Will, Lina and her backstory
- Dead Guy Junior: Keller Cutting, named after his father Will Keller
- Death by Falling Over: Elizabeth pushes Snowden Cairns down a staircase to his death. Henry Schoonmaker contemplates doing this to Penelope.
- Determinator: Lina
- Did Not Get the Girl: Henry
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Will dies in Elizabeth's arms
- Disappeared Dad: Edward Holland
- Drowning My Sorrows: Henry, frequently. This is a trait he inherited from his father.
- The Gay '90s
- Evil All Along: Elizabeth realizes this about Snowden, as he killed both her father and her husband in order to steal the wealth of the Hollands.
- Faking the Dead: Elizabeth while she is in California with Will.
- Follow in My Footsteps: William Schoonmaker wants this for Henry, although he is initially reluctant. He ends up assuming the role in the end, though.
- Generation Xerox: Heavily implied with Henry Schoonmaker being his father's spitting image and being shown to have a head for business as well as being able to shoulder responsibility once he inherits his father's wealth. Also hinted at that the elder Schoonmaker was a suitor of Edith Holland, Diana's aunt, in his youth. He does not marry her. Henry does not marry Diana either.
- Gentlemen Rankers: Teddy Cutting and Henry Schoonmaker become these temporarily. However, while Teddy is stationed in the Philippines and comes back showing signs of being a Shell-Shocked Veteran, Henry is stationed in Cuba due to his father's connections, and ends up spending most of the time racing naval boats as the war there is long over.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Elizabeth, of the type 2 variety.
- Gold Digger: Tristan Wrigley. He befriends wealthy patronesses for this reason, and this is why he helps Carolina.
- Gorgeous Period Dress: Just look at the front covers!
- Go Seduce My Arch Nemesis: Penelope tries this with Grayson in regards to Diana. It doesn't really work
- Grew a Spine: This is Henry's coming of age, first being able to stand up to Penelope and then to his father.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Penelope
- Happily Ever After: Elizabeth and Teddy Cutting
- Happy Marriage Charade: Elizabeth and Snowden for a time...until she realizes he is the Big Bad in regards to what has happened to her family.
- Her Heart Will Go On: Elizabeth
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Elizabeth
- Idle Rich
- Impoverished Patrician: The Holland Family
- The Ingenue: Elizabeth. Or at least, she's supposed to be.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Carolina Broad and Carey Lewis Longhorn
- It's All About Me: Carolina's major weakness as she climbs the social ladder.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: Penelope Hayes. She spends most of the series never facing any serious consequences for her actions and by the end it appears that she will marry into royalty. However, her intuition was right in that the Prince is just like her, as he leaves New York without notifying her and becomes engaged to a member of the French nobility.
- Killed Off for Real:Will Keller
- Lady of Adventure: Diana Holland
- Lady Killer In Love: Henry for Diana
- Light Feminine and Dark Feminine: Elizabeth Holland and Penelope Hayes
- Love Dodecahedron: Oh, where to start.
- Firstly, Teddy is in love with Elizabeth Holland, and has been since childhood. She is engaged to Henry Schoonmaker, who is secretly in love with Diana, Elizabeth's sister. Penelope, Elizabeth's best friend is in love with Henry. Elizabeth is secretly with Will Keller, her stable-boy. Also in love with Will is Lina Broud, Elizabeth's poor servant.
- Love Makes You Crazy: Penelope Hayes in regards to Henry Schoonmaker
- Put on a Bus: Grayson Hayes, who is working on the Hayes' interests in London, is only present in the second and third books before returning there.
- Manipulative Bitch: Penelope
- Massive Numbered Siblings: Leland Bouchard
- May–December Romance: Averted with Carolina Broad and Carey Lewis Longhorn
- Mock Millionaire: Carolina Broad. For a while.
- Most Writers Are Writers: Diana Holland and her talents in composing newspaper articles
- Motor Mouth: Leland
- Multiple Gunshot Death: Will Keller
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Hazmat was the surname of the Hayes family before they changed the name.
- Nobility Marries Money: Averted. The Prince of Bavaria does not marry Penelope.
- Nouveau Riche: The Hayes Family. Carolina Broad also counts.
- Official Couple: Henry and Diana, Elizabeth and Will Although this later becomes Elizabeth and Teddy
- The Patriarch: William Sackhouse Schoonmaker
- Penny Among Diamonds: Carolina Broad and eventually her sister.
- Plucky Girl: Diana
- Pregnant Hostage: Snowden keeps Elizabeth bedridden and sedated with ether.
- Revenge: Elizabeth pushing Snowden down a flight of stairs in retaliation for what he did to her family.
- Rich Bitch: Penelope
- Rich in Dollars, Poor in Sense: Edward Holland
- Subverted in that he is thought to be this, but it turns out he was wiser than most of the Holland family, being able to figure out about Will and Elizabeth's secret romance years before anyone else and bequeathing them both oil lands in his will. His family is thrust into debt because Snowden kills him and steals and lies his way into claiming the Holland wealth. In fact, it was Edward Holland's uncanny ability to make sound, if slightly risky business decisions that resulted in him being killed.
- Riches to Rags: The Holland Family
- Running Gag: Do not call Penelope 'Penny'.
- Sexless Marriage: With one notable exception, played straight with Henry and Penelope.
- Silk Hiding Steel: Elizabeth
- Socialite: The entire main cast.
- Someone to Remember Him By: After Will dies, Elizabeth experiences Morning Sickness and finds out that she is pregnant with his child.
- Shipper on Deck: Isabelle Schoonmaker for Henry and Penelope
- Spoiled Brat: Penelope
- Staircase Tumble:Snowden Cairns
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: Will has shades of this.
- Trophy Wife: Isabelle Schoonmaker is William Schoonmaker's second, much younger wife
- Unexpected Inheritance: Lina, upon the death of Carey Lewis Longhorn
- Unwanted Spouse: Penelope is one to Henry.
- Wealthy Ever After: Carolina and Claire Broad/Broud. The Hollands and their newfound Oil money likely count
