Category: America’s Gilded Age (1870-1900)

Some Like It Scandalous by Maya Rodale

On By TracyIn America's Gilded Age (1870-1900), American Historical, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Some Like It Scandalous (The Gilded Age Girls Club, #2)Some Like It Scandalous by Maya Rodale

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Gilded Age Girls Club, #2

Release Date: June 18, 2019

I really loved this book – Daisy and Theo are such an amazing couple and I LOVED their banter.
Daisy Swan has never been considered pretty, unlike her gorgeous mother and sister, but she is smart and believes in herself. She has also hated Theodore Prescott the Third since she was 13 years old and he gave her the nickname Ugly Duck Daisy, on that day she decided three things, she will never marry, she will find a way to cut ties with society and she will hate Theo until the day she dies.

12 years later at 25 Daisy is still not pretty, but she is in college and hopes to get a degree in chemistry, be declared a spinster and start a cosmetics company. Her plans are progressing nicely until her mother demands that she marry and not just anyone – Theo the Worst (as Daisy likes to call him) – her mother explains that her father is up to something that is sure to cause a huge scandal and Daisy needs to be married to protect herself. NO – Daisy refuses to even consider the idea and needs to get away – she runs outside and enters the park.

Up the street, Theo has been called into his father’s library, his latest scandal is the final straw for Prescott the Second. He demands that Theo marry Daisy or he will cut him off – NO! He refuses and also ends up in the park – only to find Daisy – they exchange words and when it begins to rain they take shelter in a gazebo – she asks what they will do, she thinks they should get engaged to shut up their parents and then find a way out – he refuses to even consider the idea. That is until he learns that his father has suspended his club membership. Theo decides that he has had enough, he wants to be his own man and will need Daisy to help. They agree to pretend to be agreeable and form a truce to reach their common goal of not marrying each other.

Their first outing together is an eye opener for Theo, he never really considered what his cruel words years ago did to Daisy. He apologizes, but she still doesn’t like him. But when he learns of her dream to start her own company, he offers to help – Theo knows women and has a gift with words, together, they will be successful. Reluctantly, Daisy agrees to a partnership and begins to respect Theo and Lord Forgive her, even like him. Somewhere between bickering and kissing, they fall in love and just when it looks like they might actually marry, her father’s scandal breaks and everything begins to unravel – can Theo forgive her lies by omission? Or will they bend to their parents wishes once more?

What a great book! It is well written (I had an uncorrected arc, that did have some little errors, but I am assuming those will be corrected by publication), the story is unique and fast paced – the banter between them is priceless, there are laugh out loud moments, steamy love scenes, moments of triumph and moments of devastation, but through it all, even when they hated each other, Theo and Daisy stuck together and earned their HEA. This is the second book in the series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone, I loved it and am happy to recommend it!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by the publisher*

The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe

On By TracyIn America's Gilded Age (1870-1900), American Historical, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Rogue of Fifth Avenue (Uptown Girls, #1)The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Uptown Girls #1

Release Date: May 28, 2019

As a fan of the Four Hundred Club, I was excited to learn that this series was going to be about a familiar secondary character from that series, the dashing and brilliant lawyer, Frank Tripp. In the previous series, Frank has been portrayed as a rakish bachelor with a knack for getting the impossible done for his clients. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I am happy to say I was completed blown away – it was way better than I imagined and that is saying a lot as I had very high hopes…

For the past few months, Frank Tripp has been helping Marion “Mamie” Greene out of tight spots, he tells himself it is just because her father is one of his best clients, but the truth is, she intrigues him like no other woman ever has and even though he knows she can never be his, he can’t seem to walk away.

Mamie leads a bit of a double life, society darling by day and a bit of a Robin Hood at night. She gambles and even steals to raise money for the poorest of the poor in NYC – people who have been refused charity because they refuse to convert religion. Mamie has befriended and aided several families and helps support them with her night-time activities. Activities that are being ruined by the too handsome and arrogant Frank Tripp! She doesn’t know exactly why he hasn’t told her father what she has been doing, but she is tired of him getting in her way. When he catches her picking pockets, he wants answers and asks her to dine with him. She agrees to go, but she plans to keep her secrets and instead learn his.

Frank does have secrets, ones that could ruin him if anyone ever found out. He knows his attraction to Mamie is futile, not only is she practically engaged, but if her father ever learned of his past life, his career would be destroyed. The safe thing to do is to walk away from her, but he just can’t seem to make his feet agree. When her father visits him after their dinner and warns him off, Frank vows to walk away. But when Mamie askes for a favor, he can’t say no.

He agrees to represent one of the women Mamie helps, Mrs. Porter, who has been charged with murdering her husband. This means more time with Mamie and he has to fight to resist his growing attraction. Mamie’s father is pressing her to marry his best friend’s son, an agreement that she has long resigned herself to, but the more time she spends with Frank, the more she longs for a different future. When her sister Florence suggests that she seduce Frank, the idea takes hold and will not let go. They embark on an affair, neither believing they have a future. But when Frank finally decides to stop fighting his attraction and give in to her seduction, he knows that he can never let her go. But when the truth comes out, will Mamie be able to forgive his deceptions or will they both be ruined?

This was such a well written, fast-paced amazing story, filled with wonderful characters, secrets, lies, steamy loves scenes, moments of heartbreak, redemption and acceptance. I. LOVED. IT. If I didn’t have a ton of other books to review, I would re-read it right now and savor every single word. I happily recommend this book and can’t wait for the next book in this series!!!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher.**