David Graham Phillips 
The Price She Paid [PDF ebook] 

At the death of her father Mildred and her mother find themselves destitute when they learn how far above their means they have lived. Her brother, both unable and unwilling to take them in, leaves them both with no alternative but to marry and marry ‘well’. Her mother does this, but the man she marries is reprehensible and mean spirited. Her mother and step-father all but force Mildred into marriage with a very wealthy man only to have it be an unbearable situation. Mildred leaves her husband and her life begins. She is determined to trade on her looks and ‘nice’ singing voice to become a songtress. Along the way she realizes how much more than what she is she must become to acheive success and independence. We follow Mildred through folly and foolishness, highs and lows. And in the end triumph. But of course at a price.