Top Pick – Highly Recommended – Page 92 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

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.**

A Study in Scandal by Caroline Linden
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Scandals, #3.5

Release Date: February 16, 2016

After 7 years of keeping her secret, Lady Samantha Lennox is finally going to confess to her father that it was her and not Sebastian Vale that stole the money from him. The Earl of Stratford is a cold, ruthless man with an obsession for perfection, his family is terrified of him. But Samantha will not be the reason that Sebastian cannot marry the love of his life. Her father takes the news oddly well and does not rage or punish her, when a few days pass with no repercussions, she thinks that maybe she got lucky. But the morning of the third day she learns that that was wishful thinking, the earl says that he has decided that she should marry and has decided on Lord Phillip, the second son of the Marquess of Dorre – a cruel, debauched and brutal man. Even her mother is horrified and tries to intervene – a rarity – but her father has decided and expects Samantha to obey.

Samantha runs away to London, thinking her brother will help her – but when she arrives, she is almost kidnapped and then pushed into the river – if not for the quick actions of a stranger, she would have died.

Lord George Churchill-Gray, Gray to his friends is a younger son of the Duke of Rowlands and an up and coming artist. He is on his way to buy some pigments, when he sees Samantha – he is drawn to her, but keeps walking, when he turns for one last look, he realizes she is in distress and goes to help. When one of the men drags her away, he acts and gives chase – only to find her in the river. He saves her and she says she can’t remember who she is. He takes her back to his rented rooms and hands her over the care of his landlady. He doesn’t really believe she has amnesia, but still feels protective of her. When he offers help, she says she must go home. He takes her to the coaching inn the next day, but when she sees her father, she runs again. Gray again offers to help and she gives him the barest of details and only tells him her first name. He brings her back to the house and they settle into a routine and form a friendship.

Soon, Samantha wants more and thanks to the maid Jenny, she knows what she wants thanks to the 50 ways to sin pamphlets that Jenny has loaned her. When Gray’s art is selected for the Royal Academy’s exhibit and he takes her to a private viewing, they go to a pub afterwards to celebrate. She dances and drinks and then boldly tells Gray that she wants him. They make love and Gray forms a new plan – a plan to keep Samantha with him always. But when her father finally finds her, will he force her to marry Lord Phillip and ruin Gray or will true love win the day??

This was an absolutely delightful novella, well written and paced perfectly. I loved Samantha and Gray and believed they were in love. The secondary characters are wonderful, the love scenes warm, the interaction between Samantha and Gray is sweet and the ending is perfect. This is part of the Scandals Series, but it could be read as a stand alone title – although, fair warning once you read this, you are going to want to read the other books!!

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