Tag: Historical Romance (Page 1 of 9)

BOOK REVIEW: The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe

August 26, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author Joanna Shupe comes a spicy Anastasia story full of secrets and betrayal, set among the glittering streets of New York City's Gilded Age.

In 1880 a baby was stolen from the wealthiest family in America. Though no ransom was ever demanded, the Pendelton family never gave up hope . . . and their reward became the stuff of legend.

After being raised in a children’s asylum, Josie Smith ends up on the streets and quickly learns how to take care of herself. Her singing voice draws crowds on every corner, and she’ll stop at nothing to become famous and travel the world, loved and adored by all. Maybe then she won’t think about the family who gave her away as an infant.

Leo Hardy isn’t afraid to use his charm and wits to make a fast buck, especially with a mother and five siblings to support. When he stumbles upon a beautiful young woman singing on the street, Leo notices her striking resemblance to the infamous missing baby’s mother, Mrs. Thomas Pendelton. The Hardys lost everything thanks to the Pendeltons, and once Leo sees Josie, he seizes the opportunity to settle the score. All he needs to do is pull off the biggest swindle of his career.

As the two are catapulted into Knickerbocker High Society, they grow closer to their goal, as well as to each other. But secrets can only stay hidden for so long. Soon the truth unfolds, and both Josie and Leo must separate what’s real from what’s just gilding.

Review:

The Gilded Heiress was an Anastasia retelling that swirled with lies, secrets, lust, and revenge. With a morally grey male and a female whose happily ever after will have you rooting for her, this historical romance was a quick read. The sexual tension and development of trust and friendship made this book so easy to devour! For me, it should have been an instant hit. But it didn’t matter how much I tried, I couldn’t ever connect to Josie and Leo. And for me to truly enjoy and fall for a book, I desperately need that connection. My heart was so sad I wasn’t able to. So while this one didn’t work for me, I have a feeling so many others will fall in love with this story!

He seemed almost magical in that moment, a guardian angel who’d dropped out of the sky to help me achieve my dreams. He leaned closer, still holding on to my hand. “You and me, Josie? I guarantee we’ll make headlines together.”

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: The Heiress Gets a Duke (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1) by Harper St George

April 30, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Heiress Gets a Duke (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1)
by Harper St. George
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Even a fortune forged in railroads and steel can't buy entrance into the upper echelons of Victorian high society--for that you need a marriage of convenience.

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger--it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

Review:

The Heiress Gets the Duke captured my heart in those first few chapters. If you’re looking for a historical romance that’ll have you laughing, sighing, and falling in love then definitely add this one to your tbr. This was my first book by Harper St. George and I plan on bingeing everything she has written!

He wanted to win her on his own merit. He wanted her to choose him. And, more importantly, he did not want to hurt her.

I found this story utterly fascinating! The Crenshaw’s were considered new money in America because of the railroad. Their interactions with those of old money were greatly affected. So marrying one of their daughters to Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild in London, was a way for them to circumvent their problems. The Crenshaws needed his title and clout, and Evan needed their money after inheriting a world of problems. So when the Crenshaw’s offered up their youngest daughter, Violet, Evan set his sight on their oldest August. I loved watching the games begin!

August Crenshaw was so effortless to love. She had aspirations of continuing to work in her family’s business, not be married off. Yet her love for her sister swayed how the story went. I loved how much fire she had in her, and how she refused to back down or be cowed by the men in her life. August was someone a reader can look up to and respect!

His lips crushed down on hers, and she melted into his kiss.

Evan was a man I fell so hard for. His good intentions and interesting background had me swooning for him! He was respectful, kind, and thoughtful. I loved watching as he tried his best to earn August’s trust and respect. And by that fourth chapter I was already screaming and laughing because of how everything was unfolding between them. The banter between Evan and August was fabulous and the tension was intense and addictive! With seductive kisses and steamy moments, this story was so much fun!

If you’re looking for a historical romance that will tug at your heart, definitely pick this one up. This marriage of convenience was delightful and made me so happy! I look forward to reading the rest of Harper St. George’s books and whatever she releases next!

BOOK REVIEW: The Worst Duke in London (Taming of the Dukes #3) by Amalie Howard

October 30, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Worst Duke in London (Taming of the Dukes #3)
by Amalie Howard
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Bridgerton meets 10 Things I Hate About You in this spicy enemies-to-lovers Regency romance from a "must-read author" (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Lady Evangeline Raine prefers animals to people and has no interest in marriage--much to the dismay of her flirty younger sister, Viola. Because their father has one rule: Viola may be courted, only if Effie has a suitor as well.

Saddled with debt, Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, is determined to rebuild his estates. When the owner of his vowels offers him a fortune to charm the impervious Lady Evangeline for the season so Lady Viola can be courted, the game is on, even if it means pretending to seduce an unconventional wallflower.

But Gage gets much more than he bargains for in an adversary who wants to make her own scandalous arrangement. Effie will go to London for the season, but only if Gage agrees to be her lover. Yet when their fake courtship leads to passionate feelings, will their indecent proposal end with the season or be the start of something real?

Review:

The Worst Duke in London was a take on 10 Things I Hate About You and I was here for it! I absolutely adored the characters, and the storyline was a lot of fun! With a wonderful HEA, I’m so happy I read this book!

Viola’s pretty face screwed up, her mouth twisting into a rancid moue. “Why must you be so wretched all the time? Can’t you just be normal for once?”
“Normal is overprized.”
Viola huffed

Lady Evangeline Raine could be as prickly as a porcupine when she wanted to be, but I absolutely adored her! Her lack of filter at times was so refreshing, and I loved how passionate she was about things close to her heart. And how deeply she loved those around her. With the cutest kitten meet cute, I couldn’t wait to see what happened between Evangeline and Gage next.

Something glinted in her eyes as she stared at him, a thawing and a bit of goodwill, perhaps. It wasn’t much, but it was there. Gage nodded back, but for some reason, when he should have felt elated at the victory, he felt guilt instead.

Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, was supposed to get Evangeline to London. His family’s debts would be wiped clean from Huntington, who wanted to court Evangeline’s sister. But from the moment Gage met Evangeline, everything went a little sideways. I loved watching how he was challenged by her. How he had to work to even get time with her. Even if they were both attracted to each other from the start. I was rooting for Gage every step of the way. He had the most beautiful heart, and I loved watching him help her out time and again without a second thought.

She wanted more.
Evangeline fisted her hands in his ruined coat, dragging herself to her knees and straddling his hips as she savaged his mouth, kissing him back as feverishly as he was kissing her. It was hungry. It was raw. It was real.

Watching the friendship blossom between them was heartwarming. Throw in some banter and memorable scenes and I was hooked. And the steam in this book was done fabulously! Each time it seemed to ratchet up! Yet as they grew close, secrets were kept. And I kept waiting for it all to blow up. Because I knew it would.

He wanted her body, her beautiful brain, her smiles, her caustic wit, her generosity of spirit… all of her.
And that terrified him.
Because he had to stay focused on what he was here for: three more weeks to resolve Asher’s debt.

With trust, honor, lies, jealousy, and secrets swirling through this story, it was so much fun to read! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for who the next book is about! I recently watched 10 Things I Hate About You, for the millionth time haha, and loved seeing little moments here or there that reminded me of the movie. So if you adore that movie and like historical romance, you should put this one on your tbr!

He made her feel… like she was the only one he ever saw. Like she was everything.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti

August 28, 2024 / Jen / 1 Comment

Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti by Alexandra Vasti
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In this steamy Regency romp, Lady Selina is determined to find the Duke of Stanhope the perfect wife―the only problem is she's starting to think that might be her.

Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana―must become respectable. Between his radical politics and the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep―not his fault!―he’s developed a scandalous reputation at odds with his goal of becoming guardian to his half siblings. For help, he turns to the cleverest and most managing woman of his acquaintance, Lady Selina Ravenscroft.

Selina is society’s most proper debutante, save one tiny secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. When Peter asks for her help, she suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation. (Which is to say, definitely not herself.)

But matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan. Peter’s siblings run rampant on Bond Street. Selina ends up in the Serpentine. And worst of all, the scorching chemistry between Peter and Selina proves impossible to resist. For the disreputable duke and his unpredictable matchmaker, falling in love just might be the ultimate scandal.

Review:

I absolutely loved Ne’er Duke Well! The storyline was heartwarming and fun, and the characters leapt from the pages! With a friends to lovers mixed with a trope I absolutely love but don’t want to say for spoilers, this book was so easy to love! I found myself laughing, smiling, and even sobbing too. If you’re looking for a historical romance novel to read, definitely let this be the one you pick up!

He wanted her, curse him for a fool. He wanted her so much he could barely stand the heat from her body at his side, the way her fingers held his arm through his jacket sleeve.

Selina was convinced that Peter Kent needed to be married, so he would be able to win custody of his half siblings. Btw, I absolutely adored half siblings, Freddie and Lu! They made me laugh so much! Lu was feisty and hilarious without even trying and I just wanted to scoop Freddie into a ball and give him the biggest hug ever. Peter having his hands full with them is an understatement lol. With Selina overseeing Peter’s prospective options for whom to marry, I couldn’t put this book down!

She swallowed and tried to turn her mind back to his marital endeavors. That was what she needed to think on. His marriage. To someone else.

While the interactions between Peter and Selina had me laughing out loud, Peter couldn’t help but be pulled to Selina. As he went along with her plans, I loved watching that friendship solidify. And Peter realizing that he was slowly falling for her. And while Selina couldn’t help but fall for his siblings, and all of their adorable antics, she couldn’t help but be charmed and fall for Peter too.

Oh God, she was going to hell, wasn’t she? She was here to explain why marrying her would ruin his life and tell him he ought to reconsider.
She was not here to lick him.

Selina was thoughtful, had the most fabulous family ever, but she had a huge secret. One that could ruin Peter’s chances at getting custody of his siblings. Which was why her being a viable option as his wife wasn’t feasible. As the story alternated between the two of them, you couldn’t help but love them both so much. Peter with his considerate, caring and good guy ways, and Selina with her heartfelt nature. Yet they could never be, or could they….

He pressed another kiss to her palm and she squeezed her eyes closed, fighting the urge to weep again.

The story unfolded in the most entertaining and hilarious way. The scandals kept piling up. And with steamy kisses, scorching hot detailed scenes, and confessions, this book pulled us along in the most wonderful journey. The side characters added so much heart. And I loved how this book had little extras, like at the beginning of the chapter the little sentence or two from a letter added so much depth to the story. I’ll be reading whatever this author releases next and that happily ever after was absolutely perfect!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this publisher, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: One More Betrayal (Hidden Secrets Trilogy #2, Carson Brothers #3) by Stina Lindenblatt

February 5, 2024 / Jen / 1 Comment

One More Betrayal (Hidden Secrets Trilogy #2, )
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Jessica and Troy’s exciting story continues in the second book of the HIDDEN SECRETS TRILOGY as passion and danger collide…

Despite Jess’s initial reluctance to get involved with ex-Marine Troy Carson, her friendship with him is growing to be something more. But love cannot exist without trust, and trust is something she can't afford—not when she needs to cling to the secrets of her past.

Not when she’s hoping to be part of her daughter’s life again. Too much is at stake if the truth gets out.

As Jess tries to put the pieces of her life back together after being wrongfully imprisoned for the death of her abusive husband, she recognizes her past life in a new friend. Refusing to let history repeat itself, Jess is determined to get her friend away from the man who is abusing her.

But in doing so, Jess’s past is at risk of being revealed, costing her everything she holds dear: Troy. Her daughter. Her life…

The dual timeline book is the second novel in Hidden Secrets Trilogy. The books in the trilogy have to be read in order. All other books in the Carson Brother series are standalone.

Review:

One More Betrayal was an emotional story that wove together the past and the present. This is the second book in the trilogy, and you definitely have to start with One More Secret. From there you start the journey of Jessica in the present, and Angelique in the past. And getting to see how their stories wove together in this book was beautiful!

Troy continues holding me and doesn’t push for me to tell him what’s wrong. He’s the stalwart against all my storms, supporting me when my base crumbles.
I’m not sure what I would do without him.

Jessica’s story started out with a bang, and kept at an intense pace until that last page. Accidents, near death experiences, and more will leave your head spinning. She had so much going on and it’ll keep you turning those pages to see not only what happens next, but to find out if she was okay too. Yet the whole time, my heart broke for Troy. He just wanted to love and help Jessica. So when Jessica took that scary step and did open up, there were still things she kept in the shadows and hidden from him. I understood her struggle with trust, and was thankful she had therapy, good friends, and Bailey in her life. But when she told others things before him, it hurt. I struggled deeply with that, and that made me lose the precarious connection I had with Jessica.

Johann steps out of the barn, his expression winter-storm dark. The pistol grasped in his hand is pointed at me.
“Where the hell are they?” Johann’s tone isn’t just angry.

We also spent chapters in the past with Angelique and Captain Schmidt, Johann. Angelique was a SOE agent during World War II. And Johann was forced to become a soldier for the Nazi’s, and now lived in the same house as Angelique and her ‘father’. This book made me love their story even more, since we got to completely learn about Johann.

The kind and compassionate man before me is a juxtaposition to what his uniform stands for.
“Thank you.” Johann’s voice is a whisper, the words meant only for me.

I loved watching Angelique realize what a good heart Johann had. Watching their trust, friendship, and more bloom was intoxicating. Their romance story was beautiful while also beyond impossible. Johann and Angelique felt like star-crossed lovers. So I treasured the moments they had together. The ball, the barn, the pond, her room. Each time they were together my heart soared. Yet I was terrified of what their future held too.

I’m still alive, so I’m holding on tight to that.

Sweaty palms were a given during both of the story timelines. When Angelique was on one of her missions, I was sick to my stomach and absolutely terrified she would get found out. It was torture reading through the pages watiting to see if she was safe or not. And then with Jessica, there were things I can’t mention that left me horrified and in terror for her and her safety. Both women had so much at stake and stacked on their shoulders. At least for Jessica, I was grateful for all of the times Troy stepped up and helped with a situation. I loved that he always had her back!

And with each kiss, tiny pieces of me the war has stolen are restored.

One More Betrayal had so many twists and turns within both of the stories. And those last few chapters I didn’t see coming. It’ll leave the reader desperately wanting to grab that next book now! So if you enjoy your romance with suspense, a little bit of steam, and one that will keep you on your toes, then this series may be perfect for you!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*