Caffeinated Reviewer

The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe is a spicy Anastasia story that takes place in New York City during the Gilded Age. From Boston to New York, you’ll get to know Leo Hardy and Josie Smith in this slow-burning, steamy-hot historical romance.

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.

I enjoy Joanna Shupe and absolutely love her informative newsletters, so if you aren’t a subscriber, I highly recommend it, especially if you like to see how our history remains relevant to today’s headlines.

Our tale begins in Boston, where we meet Leo Hardy, the son of the former gardener to the wealthiest family in New York City; the Pendeltons. When their baby went missing after an enormous party, Leo’s father was fired without reference and the family moved to Boston. His father drank himself to death, and now Leo looks after his mom and siblings. He’s a hustler, and when he sees a young woman (Josie Smith) singing in the street who has an uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Pendelton, an idea forms in his head to pass her off as the missing heir and collect the reward. The tale that unfolds takes us to New York City, where Leo poses as her manager on Broadway, and plots his revenge. Poor Josie has no idea what he is up to, and nothing goes according to plan…

I loved Josie, who hasn’t had an easy life and has big dreams. Leo is holding a grudge, and rightly so. A dismissal without a reference was a death sentence during this period for those in service, and his family circumstances were forever changed. Aside from that and his hustling, Leo isn’t a bad guy, and as they spend time together, Josie and Leo develop feelings for each other. Unfortunately, Leo’s old associations catch up with him, causing a rift in the new romantic relationship. Their feelings felt genuine, and Leo worked hard to redeem himself even as Josie’s circumstances changed. Shupe had me caught up in the tale from both of their perspectives, and I desperately wanted a happily ever after.

I will tell you I closed the book well satisfied and recommend the story to those who love historical romance and loose retellings. A little mystery and a steamy, heartfelt romance await you in the Gilded Heiress.

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About Joanna Shupe

Joanna Shupe has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. While in college, she read every romance she could get her hands on and soon started crafting her own racy historical novels. In 2013 she won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award for Best Historical.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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