Baron

The Knickerbocker Club #2

by Joanna Shupe

New York City's Gilded Age shines as bright as the power-wielding men of the Knickerbocker Club. And one pragmatic industrialist is about to learn that a man may make his own destiny, but love is a matter of fortune . . .
 
Born into one of New York's most respected families, William Sloane is a railroad baron who has all the right friends in all the right places. But no matter how much success he achieves, he always wants more. Having secured his place atop the city's highest echelons of society, he's now setting his sights on a political run. Nothing can distract him from his next pursuit--except, perhaps, the enchanting con artist he never saw coming . . .
 
Ava Jones has eked out a living the only way she knows how. As "Madam Zolikoff," she hoodwinks gullible audiences into believing she can communicate with the spirit world. But her carefully crafted persona is nearly destroyed when Will Sloane walks into her life--and lays bare her latest scheme. The charlatan is certain she can seduce the handsome millionaire into keeping her secret and using her skills for his campaign--unless he's the one who's already put a spell on her . . .
 
Raves for Magnate
 
"Original and captivating . . . Complex and layered." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
"An engaging romance." -- Library Journal , Starred
 
"A sexually charged, intense, poignant and powerfully written love story." -- RT Book Reviews
 
"A beautiful romance . . . Sexy and clever." -- The Washington Post

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Adult

311 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 25, 2016

About the author

Want a free Gilded Age read? Sign up for Joanna's newsletter and receive a link for The Knickerbocker Bride. You'll also be the first to hear about new books and discounts!
http://www.joannashupe.com/newsletter/

USA Today bestselling author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. Since 2015, her books have appeared on numerous yearly “best of” lists, including Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Kobo, and BookPage.

She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and a dashing husband.

Reviews

[Christine Wallflower & Dark Romance Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

He dipped his head and slid the tip of his nose along the softness of her cheek. Would she be this soft and sweet everywhere? He was suddenly desperate to discover the answer. “I am anything but cold around you.” He brought a hand to her waist, holding her steady as the train suddenly rocked. “You make me burn, Ava.”



I LOVED IT! I absolutely loved this book, and its characters and their relationships and the plot and and and... Will! Delicious torture and angst come to mind when I think of what I experienced while reading Ava and Will's story. They're star-crossed lovers, Will is a blue-blood he comes from old money. He's probably the most eligible bachelor in New York and his prospects are only getting better. Then there's Ava aka Madame Zollikof the infamous medium whose performances have blown society away. But what people don't know is that Ava does everything for her family, her 3 siblings are the most important thing in her life. So when Will comes along threatening to expose her, lightning sparks and the two become instant enemies, until they realise they have an even stronger attraction. It starts of as physical but soon they realise they can't be apart.

Perspiration broke out on the nape of his neck, under his shirt collar. “You are asking dangerous questions, Ava. A woman, alone in a private car with a man, should not encourage him to lose control.”
“Why, because you’ll ravish me?” She laughed, the husky sound like a stroke over his stiff c*#k. “My dear man, I’m having the hardest time preventing myself from ravishing you.”

This book definitely put me throught the ringer. Between Ava's pride and stubborness and Will's pride and stubborness and occasional snobbery, I was constantly shouting at my kindle! It's weird I know but I love it when a book can coax such strong feelings out of me. Will and Ava's relationship was so difficult, they live in a time where appearances are everything (not that they aren't now), when if someone marrys below his station it could very well ruin his reputation. And for someone like Will who values how people think of him next to the fact that he's trying to build a political career, being with Ava could never be an option. It literally killed me to read about his angst about his realionship with Ava.

I can't say even one negative thing about Ava because she was the perfect heroine in that she never settled. She may not have been the most sought after debutante but she never dropped her standards! I just love it when a heroine knows she deserves the best even though the entire world is telling her no.

Heavens, he was beautiful. Men should not be this appealing; it was unfair to the women of New York.

I thoroughly enjoy this book and let me tell you the sex scenes were amazing they left me positively scandalised! Read it!



 

  

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the second book of The Knickerbocker Club series, Ms. Shupe once again brings us back to the glamorous and exciting atmosphere of Gilded Age New York.
This story focuses on William Sloane, the "baron" railroad industrialist of the title and Ava Jones, a con artist impersonating a spiritualist to eke out a living by swindling theatre audiences as much as some high society gullible members. These two couldn't hail from more far removed worlds, but resourceful Ava's masquerades and tricks have unexpectedly got in the way of Will's recent political ambitions, threatening to thwart his plans for the forthcoming elections. Stopping and then exposing the scheming Madame Zolikoff, phony Russian accent and all, is the only solution, though the person behind the disguise is not what Will has anticipated and Ava's passionate nature makes the events take a whole different turn, wreaking havoc on our hero's carefully plotted strategies and on his tightly controlled life and temperament.

Since the first pages, I've noticed an improvement from the first two instalments, the prequel novella Tycoon and book 1 Magnate, where we first meet Will featuring in a secondary role as the heroine's brother, a downright haughty snob, cold and calculating, whose redemption into hero-material in his own story would represent a delicious challenge for any romance author. Ms. Shupe has succeeded, the book appears better focused, and in fact, if the setting was just as evocative, the dialogues and the characterisations felt much more convincing, the relationship between the leads more multifaceted, the chemistry more palpable and Will's transformation in particular was portrayed in a believable and rewarding manner, slowly warming him up to the reader's eyes from unapproachable to a man not afraid to show his feelings.
Ava was his worthy counterpart. Strong and smart, and confrontational enough to make him question many assumptions and many certainties. I especially liked how the conflict was layered and balanced as both internal and external. Of course society (and some people) and class conspire against them, but Will has to work first and foremost on himself and Ava has to learn to trust again before they can hope for a future together. Some parts of Ava's past were left mostly unexplored, never discussed with Will, and sounded as tacked on only to bestow her more depth and the emotional hurdles she keeps throwing started to appear unnecessary towards the end, but as a whole their feelings developed in a nice and consistent way, the banter flowed smoothly and even the sex-scenes were more tastefully written and were able to convey more involvement compared to the ones in Magnate.

A very engaging and well-written series, with an uncommon setting among current Historical Romances, which always make for a refreshing change of scenario. Book 3, Mogul, is going to be about newspapers heavyweight Caleb, and even if second-chances tropes are among my least favourite, this time I'll probably make an exception, that's how much I'm enjoying these stories.

[Bubu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: Wall of text inc. And probably a few minor spoilers.

I really took my time reading this book. I did it deliberately, and not because I was bored or annoyed. No, I decided to read this slowly, reading a few chapters, putting it away, doing some other stuff for a few hours and then coming back to it. There are reasons for it, and I'll get there later.

Let's have a look at Baron.

William Sloane, member of New York's 'aristocracy', is on a mission. He is partner on the ticket for lieutenant governor.

I've read a few reviews before writing my own and some mention William's 'daddy issues'. He certainly has those, but in my opinion, 'daddy issues' misses the point here a little. William grew up with a father who considered him a failure and the things his father said were cruel and bitter. William is only sixteen when his father dies, and not only does he have to take care of his father's business but also his 8-year-old sister Lizzie (heroine of the previous book). For the next thirteen years, William is determined to prove that he not only can carry on where his father left off, but even exceed him in every way. The last thing remaining is a position in political power. Something his father had always wanted but never accomplished. William wants to achieve what his father couldn't, not because he loved him but to spite him, to give his father the finger. To say he has 'daddy issues' makes him sound like a prat. For me, however, he sounds like a man deeply hurt in his formative years, and as this is 1888, we don't have psychotherapy sessions and the vast knowledge available to us nowadays, that could help him overcome the deep seated resentment he still has for his father.

As owner of one the biggest railway companies of the country, his lineage and upbringing, William is a man of his times. Arrogant, controlled, and advice resistent. A man with a grudge, but - to me - an understandable grudge. Now, thirteen years later, he finally has the chance to overcome his father's shadow. But those years have taken their toll. William, after working tirelessly, has constant stomach pain.

His partner on the ticket, John Bennett, uses the services of a medium, Madam Zolikoff; reading tea leaves, giving private scéances and advice. William is worried that John's implication with this Madam Zolikoff may compromise his chances to get elected should John's association with an obvious charlatan be known. The scandal could ruin their campaign.

So he goes after Madam Zolikoff to find a way to get John out of her clutches. What he finds, however, is a young yet strong woman who couldn't care less who and what William is. She calls him 'railroad man'.

While William's background turns into a little bit of info dumping, Ava's circumstances become clear when we meet her three younger siblings. Although, Ava has managed to get them out of the worst part of New York, they're still just scraping by. Tom, the eldest works in a factory and hates the work there and would much rather join a gang. The sister, only thirteen, works as seamstress, whereas her youngest brother is a newsie, selling newspaper on a busy (ergo lucrative) corner, but his health is failing. Ava's biggest wish is to save enough money to buy a farm upstate and get her siblings out of New York. A quieter, less stressful more peaceful life. That life on a farm is anything but peaceful and stress free is something she ignores, and something William later reminds her of.

Joanna Shupe paints a vivid picture of a life of those who were used to working 12-14 hours a day; the health hazards workers had to endure and the living conditions they faced. No wonder Ava wants to escape all this.

The only way to achieve her dream of a farm as quickly as possible is to pretend to be a medium. She knows she's a charlatan. But, as she points so correctly, she gives these people what they want to hear.

Ava has been shaped by her life in New York, just like William has. Just on the wrong side of tracks. Ava is aware of her position and had to learn it the hard way. I won't disclose this here, but my heart broke a little for this woman who once had completely different dreams. Nonetheless, with her parents dead and three younger siblings to take care of, she stepped up; strong and resilient. She isn't easily intimated by someone like William Sloane, however powerful and rich he may be. She's also not afraid to call William out on his own role in manipulating markets and profits. This is industrialisation at its beginnings with almost no rules, after all. She knows that William is not as clean as he might think of himself.

Of course, the first encounters between Ava and William are filled with hostility, and they butt heads. It never feels antagonistic though. This is a clash of worlds and wills, and it's intriguing to watch how they poke holes into each other's façades.

And there is the attraction they feel for each other. Yes, there are clenching jaws, tiny waists, ample bosoms, strong legs, wide shoulders, plump lips and tightening nipples (!), but it's not all lust. One has to read carefully here. In their conversations, William and Ava reveal their lives, wishes and fears and lower their guards, and little by little, both of them take in what the other has to say. They don't necessarily agree but by allowing to let the other see more than the façade, Ms Shupe gives her characters the opportunity to delve into growing feelings both didn't expect to feel in the first place. So the obvious lusting aside, they get emotionally closer.

That said, it takes William quite a while to figure out what he wants. He wants Ava - that's clear - but he has initially no intentions of marrying her. This may irk some readers but it made perfect sense to me. His upbringing, his social position, not to forget his political ambitions forbids him to marry a woman with a dubios background. No, he needs to marry a woman of his social standing. The more he looks for a prospective candidate, however, the clearer it becomes that none other than Ava will do. I appreciated that William didn't immediately throw everything he stands for out of the window.

It's Ava who made me scratch my head a little. She goes from 'I'll never be intimate with you' to 'shag me now' with a speed that gave me a bit of a whiplash. Her reasons for changing her mind weren't fleshed out well enough.

Nonetheless, they start their affair, but the plot twists - mainly blackmail - force their hands, and both have to re-evaluate their relationships. As with her novella Tycoon and her novel Magnate, Ms Shupe captures the atmosphere of the Gilded Age nicely and her writing is as good as ever. The romance in the second part of Baron felt a little awkwardly done due to Ava's behaviour and the blackmail plot line, and William's Grand Gesture was a little over the top...but oh well. The groundwork in the first part had been laid so adequately that I could see William and Ava being happy with each other.

Joanna Shupe is a very talented writer who gets better with every book which is why - as mentioned above - I really took my time reading this book. I thoroughly disliked her first book, and I'm aware that I can't always leave my first impressions behind. I really wanted to give Baron a fair chance and I'm glad I did. Despite the few hiccups, I truly enjoyed this book. It's not quite a 4-stars-read, but it's definitely not 3 stars either.

I'm really looking forward to the next one in the series. Second-chance romance. Catnip!

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The heroes in Joanna Shupe’s Knickerbocker Club series are all rich, influential businessmen, some of them self-made, like Emmett Cavanaugh (hero of the first book, Magnate) and some, like Will Sloane in Baron, born into a wealthy family of New York blue-bloods whose standing in society is not all that different to that of the members of the English nobility on the other side of the Pond.

Will has spent most of his life spitting in the eye – metaphorically, of course – of his late father, a man who constantly belittled his son and believed he would never amount to much. Becoming the man of the family in his late teens, those taunts have driven Will, who has not only ably managed Northeast Railroad, the company built by his father, but greatly expanded it, adding considerably to his own and the family’s wealth and standing in doing so.

Now in his early thirties, Will continues to push himself incredibly hard, working all the hours God sends and then some; even though he knows he needs to slack off a bit. But he has started to feel that perhaps it’s time for him to make a change, and that change looks set to come quite soon, as he has been invited to join the ticket for the upcoming gubernatorial elections in New York, as lieutenant governor for former senator John Bennett.

There’s no question that Will’s desire for political office is partly influenced by the fact that his father had always wanted to wield political influence, but had never accomplished it. Will’s success will be yet another nose-thumbing to his sire, but before he can achieve it, a potential scandal in the form of a Russian spiritualist by the name Madame Zolikoff, needs to be dealt with, and quickly, before her association with Bennett – who sees her regularly for readings and advice – becomes known and makes the candidate into a laughing stock.

Attending one of her performances at a run-down theatre in one of New York’s less than salubrious districts, Will is surprised to find he rather likes what he sees. Zolikoff is a seductively attractive woman, and in spite of the fact that she’s a complete fake and he is determined to expose her as one, Will is strongly attracted to her. He confronts her backstage, equally surprised to discover that his physical size, obvious disapproval and, later, outright threats, don’t intimidate her in the least. She is forthright and defiant, telling him in no uncertain terms that she will not be scared away from her best client.

Ava Jones is not a woman to be intimidated easily – or at all – and certainly not by a pompous, snobbish, high-society railroad baron who has never known a day’s hardship in his life. The fact that’s he’s obscenely handsome is an unwanted distraction perhaps, but Ava has to keep her focus. She has to take care of her younger brothers and sister, aged twelve to fifteen, and her performances and private readings as Madame Zolikoff should mean that she will soon have enough money to be able to get them all out of their cramped lodgings in the city and away into the fresh air of the countryside.

The sparks fly between these two from the get go, and in spite of their obvious differences, there are a lot of similarities between them, too. Both have brought up younger siblings (Will’s younger sister, Lizzie, was the heroine of Magnate), and have suffered painful pasts; they work incredibly hard and are determined to succeed at what they do. Theirs is certainly never going to be one of those peacefully settled relationships because they are too much alike in many ways, but their mutual stubbornness is one of the factors that puts them on more of an equal footing than their respective situations might suggest. Will may be incredibly wealthy, but Ava isn’t interested in his money or what it can do for her; she sees a man in need and deserving of love and affection who needs someone to stand up to him occasionally, and for Will, Ava is the perfect combination of intelligence and determination, a woman who will challenge him and love him in equal measure.

Both Will and Ava are attractive, engaging characters and their romance is well-written, with plenty of sexual tension and nicely steamy love scenes. The strength of the attraction between them is intense, and the author balances that with the other plot elements extremely well, so that the whole story fairly races by, but in a good way; the way that has the reader so eager to find out what happens next that they continue reading until well into the early hours!

With all that said, a couple of bumpy patches towards the end of the book caused me to lower my final grade a little. Firstly Ava, who has been painted as a strong, self-reliant woman who is able to manage her family and her problems herself, is suddenly thrust into situations from which she needs rescuing, not just once, but twice. And while part of the appeal of the story has been in watching Will gradually unbend and shed some of his hauteur to become a man rather than a block of ice, the Big Romantic Gesture he makes feels completely out of character for the man we have come to know over the course of the book.

Otherwise, though, Baron is an engrossing, well-written tale. Ms. Shupe evokes the world and atmosphere of New York’s Gilded Age extremely well, there’s a great cast of secondary characters and I especially liked the passages which gave a glimpse into Ava’s tricks of the trade. The writing is confident and laced with humour and snappy dialogue. All in all, I’m definitely recommending Baron to fans of historical romance, especially those who are looking for something a little bit different.

[-ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

---> $0.99 sale

Medium vs. Politician/Businessman

Will Sloane: ‘I do not play a part to fleece people out of money.’
Ava: ‘Don’t you? Whether you’re a politician spouting what the public wants to hear, or you’re strong-arming business associates to get what you want, you’re playing a part. Everyone performs, if only to show the world what we think they want to see.’

Will’s father: You’ll never accomplish half of what I’ve achieved.

This crazy father was a tyrant of sorts, with no appreciation for his son’s achievements. Those harsh words were the reason Will seeked political power.

Ava didn’t believe in fairytales, a survivor who fought hard for what little she had, and did everything she could to take care of her three younger siblings.

Ava vs. Will’s campaign manager:
“You are under the misguided impression that you have any say over when and with whom I decide to ‘carry on.’ I do not answer to you, Mr. Sloane, or any other man, for that matter.

Baron has an interesting blend of the subjects that deal with political campaigns, class distinctions, gross inequality between men and women during the gilded age, which make this book a better read than Magnate, book 1 in the series. Looking forward to book 3, Mogul.

arc provided by publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like Will and Ava as characters. Ava especially rubs me the wrong way with her mother hen personality and "I am a smart woman don't you dare do whatever that I think is rude to me because you know what I am a strong and independent woman" antics. She got old fast for me. Ava was full of bravado and her negative experience with a man before did not help her case. She seemed like a typical woman scorned and had sworn off men because she "had been hurt before". The victim mentality plus her being the responsible one and babying her siblings were very tiresome for me.

The madame Z thing was also kind of silly. I am not much for women masquerading as someone else as a plot. Ava pretended to be a medium and she claimed that she was not "swindling" people because "that was just a show". Yeah tell that for those who continued to pay you for a false reading and believed that their dead loved ones were communicating with them. A show is when everyone goes in and knows that this is just a show. Even a magic show which aims to deceive is a show. People expect magic but know that a magician is just a master pretender. Ava was delusional for her peace of mind. I get that. She needed to believe that about herself or she would suffer a serious case of cognitive dissonance. But that was it: she lied to herself about what she really was: a swindler and a liar. I mean you did it to survive so own it. Don't give me some crap about how that what you did was "just a show". She depended on people believing that she was the real deal. If that is not deceit I don't know what is. I am like well let's not split hair here but that is one self-serving claim if I ever heard one. Ava just isn't my kind of heroine. I can't warm up to her and the story is therefore shot for me.

I regret to report that my previous sentiment regarding Joanna Shupe still holds true: I like her way of telling a story but her stories lack substance. Will and Ava started a physical relationship out of nowhere. They both wanted sex, that's the impression I got. I can't get this image of out my head that they are animals in heat jumping at each other. The way that they were one minute fighting then the next minute uttering all kinds of sexy talks to each other was absurd. It did not seem very romantic to me. Just 2 adults having consensual sex. Nothing wrong with that. Sex alone is fine. It just isn'T very interesting. I am sad to say that I love the time period of the series and think the series was a fantastic idea. I hope more writers would look to this time period for inspiration. But the series isn't a big hit for me. I have read 3 books from the 4-book-series and only the first book Magnate somehow manage to hold my interest for 50% of the book. And that was because I liked Emmett and Elizabeth, whose story did not do them justice.

[Geo Just Reading My Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

O adaptare modernă a poveștii “Cenușăreasa”.
Un tânăr cu sânge albastru — Will Sloane, o tânără săracă ce se străduiește să le poarte de grijă celor trei frați mai mici — Ava.
Tânăra activează în New York ca mediu. Will ajunge în viața ei atunci când încearcă să o convingă să renunțe la întâlnirile acesteia cu partenerul său politic. Ceea ce fata nu este dispusă să accepte. Iar tânărul ajunge să o șantajeze...
Ei bine, șantajul lui Will are rezultate, deși acestea sunt diferite de ceea ce aștepta el: atracția și emoțiile dintre ei sunt cele care le dau bătăi de cap. Nici unul nu avea în plan așa ceva.
Un tip integru, bine educat, cu principiile celor din înalta societate, Will este conștient că nu se poate căsători cu Ava. El are nevoie de o soție care să îl ajute în cariera politică viitoare. Dar, o dorește ca amantă.
O relație plină de emoție și pasiune, care le scoate în evidență atât calitățile cât și nesiguranțele. Astfel, relația lor ajunge subiect public de discuție, iar Ava se vede pusă în situația ingrată de a lua o decizie definitivă.
Mi-a plăcut această tânără muncitoare, dispusă să lupte din toate puterile pentru cei pe care îi iubește. Și asta fără a cere ajutorul nimănui... de cele mai multe ori.
Will mi-a părut un tânăr atât de prins în regulile și normele sociale încât a fost cât pe ce să lase să treacă iubirea pe lângă el.
“Baronul” a fost o lectură captivantă, incitantă și plină de emoții.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read with the always awesome Ally, Lovely Lauren and Another Andrea (I won't add an adjective because the name alone speaks for itself!)

I really like this series.

I'm really attracted to the time period and setting, gilded age New York City.

I'm fascinated with gilded age "old New York" after reading the Pulitzer Prize winning The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Interestingly enough, Wharton was born into "Old New York" high society.

While Edith Wharton's book is not the light reading that HR is, I'm not comparing her work to it, but I hope other romance authors will write HR with a story (ies) that take place in late 19 C New York City as the author here, Joanna Shupe as done!

I think gilded age Old New York is a gold mine of possibilities!

This book and the other two in the series were not perfect, but if these books were really bad, I wouldn't continue to read them and look forward tho the next title!

Also, I will add, the chemistry between Ava and Will was hawt!

[RachelReadsandSings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO good. Baron sucked me in from the first few pages. I loved seeing Ava, a medium, go toe to toe with Will, a railroad baron. This had a wonderful hate to love vibe that was so addictive to read about. As usual, Shupe serves the angst and the spice 🔥 I also enjoyed seeing Ava living with/taking care of her siblings and how Will got along with them 💜

My only gripe is that it’s revealed that Ava suffered a miscarriage in the past, and we never get to see a scene where she tells Will about it. I would’ve loved to see him help her with her healing in some way.

PS We love a straight laced hero coming undone for a fiery heroine 🥵🥵🥵

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baron is book 2 in Joanna Shupe’s Knickerbocker Club series and I loved this book so much! Gilded Age perfection filled with passion, politics, and seances.

William Sloane is a railroad baron who has all the right friends in all the right places. Having secured his place atop the city’s highest echelons of society, he’s now setting his sights on a political run. But his life gets complicated when he meets Ava Jones, who as “Madame Zolikoff” has hoodwinked gullible audiences into believing she can communicate with the spirit world.

Will has ran Northeast Railroad for the last 13 years and comes from one of the most prominent families in New York. We saw Will as the stuffy older brother in the previous book, Magnate, which was his sister’s book. In this book we really get to see Will melt for Ava. “I am anything but cold around you. You make me burn, Ava.” I loved seeing Will help not only her out, but also her siblings. His rescuing was so fun and sweet to read. Ava was the best heroine and I just loved her so much! She has a lot on her shoulders but her main focus is providing the best life for her 3 younger siblings (15-year-old Tom, 13-year-old Mary, and 12-year-old Sam). Seeing Will interact with her siblings was the best. Everything just worked really well in this book for me and I couldn’t get enough of it.

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Will and Ava!!! I read the entire book last night. I didn't like Will in the prior books so JS did a fantastic job of not only making him human, but also making him a hero!! Don't get me started on the strength of Ava. She was doing everything she could to keep her younger siblings and I so loved her for that. Omgosh I didn't expect that explosive reveal of Caleb!! I can't wait! Keep up the great work Ms. Shupe. PS This book will stand alone fine, you don't have to read the other books to read this one. Although I recommend that you do, as they have all been really good books.

[Sarah Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Clearly, I'm the odd man out as usual. This is definitely a case of it's not you it's me. I really like Shupe, I love reading about the Guilded Age and as a whole I still really like the series, but this one just didn't work for me. The timing of this book probably didn't help. I'm coming off a book I really loved so this, in comparison, was mediocre. From the reviews I've read, I'm one of the few who enjoyed Magnate much more. And this is why..

First, I couldn't connect with the characters for some reason. Will didn't seem genuine. The snobby part didn't bother me because it makes sense, but I didn't quite get why he fell in love with Ava. Their chemistry was lacking for me. I mean, his whole purpose was to get rid of her so she wouldn't affect their campaign and then he proceeds to get involved with her?! I guess he didn't want it that badly. And then there's Ava. Gotta say, not a fan of the whole Madame Zolikoff story line. Just silly and uninteresting to me. I did like Ava in general, but I found her lacking. Her character was so wishy-washy. I dunno, she could have been so much better!

It's sad when my favorite part of the book was reading about Emmett and Lizzie, or feeling more of a connection with Kathleen than Ava. I actually want Shupe to write a book with Kathleen as the lead! The ending was also pretty weak and not entirely believable. It probably would have been better if I felt that Will and Ava were completely meant for each other, but I didn't so it was just cheesy and overdone.

Okay okay, it wasn't all bad. I liked it enough, just took me a while to get through with some skimming here and there. Ready to move on to a new book :)

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Although I didn't like this book quite as much as the first one in the series, (Magnate) it was still an enjoyable read. It did drag a little in the middle and I took a break from reading, but when I came back to finish it I found the pace picked up and I was happy with the ending.

I loved the H, Will, brother of Lizzie from Magnate. He is gorgeous. So hung up on proving himself to his dead father, but under the surface a caring, vulnerable and highly sensuous man. I was a bit less in love with Ava, the h of this one. So much was made of her poor background and her harsh life in the slums. Too much, IMO. Although this aspect of life in the Gilded Age is interesting, it formed too much a part of this book for my interest to be sustained.

I also found the whole business with Madame Zolikoff a bit annoying. Basically Ava was acting as a confidence trickster, and that made me uncomfortable. Yes she was shown to be acting in people's best interests in the fake advice she gave them, but I still didn't like it. A bit too sleazy and shady for me.

I did like the way Will's growth and development as a person was depicted through the book. At the start, there was no way you could see the two of them ending up together, but Will was eventually willing to give up pretty much everything for her. And I did feel satisfied that, yes, the HEA was convincing and made sense. So overall, a very good read.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baron
2.5 Stars

To keep her siblings from the brink of starvation, Ava Jones performs as a psychic medium under the guise of "Madam Zolikoff". Unfortunately, she has caught the eye of railroad baron, William Sloane, who sees her a nothing more than a charlatan threatening his political career. Determined to put a stop to her schemes, Will finds himself ensnared by her charms. Can he put aside his preconceived notions to see the real woman beneath the facade?

In one word - disappointing.

While Shupe's writing is good, the characters are problematic. Neither Ava nor Will is particularly likable, and their relationship is based on little more than lust and sex. Ava is a fraud who swindles gullible audiences, and Will is an arrogant snob. It is difficult to accept that he would put aside his ingrained elitism and fall in love with a woman whom he perceives as socially and morally inferior.

Another problem is the ease with which Will's business and political aspirations are glossed over in order for him to be with Ava. For someone whose entire existence revolves around proving his worth to suddenly relinquish his lifelong goals is not credible.

Overall, Baron lacks the appeal of Emmet and Lizzie's connection in the first book. Calvin Cabot's book is the last in the trilogy, and it will hopefully be better than Will and Ava's story.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddy read with Ally and Another Andrea (borrowing this one from her, 'cause it's adorable ^^)! As always, I loved discovering yet another new author with you guys, so thanks!

This was an interesting experience. I had never read anything set in the Gilded Age, and it was certainly an interesting change of scenery.

Unfortunately, while the hero was swoon-worthy (he's of the stuffy "why is this female whirlwind upsetting my carefully constructed boring life?!?" variety) and the chemistry between those two was off the charts, I didn't really enjoy this in the end. There were too many clichés, too much drama for my tastes (which admittedly happens a LOT...), and not enough open and honest conversations. But still, I enjoyed reading it.

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 e mezzo
Sotto una facciata irreprensibile si nascondeva un uomo del tutto inaspettato.
Selvaggio, appassionato, esigente. In apparenza era spaventosamente autoritario, abituato com’era fin dall’infanzia a ottenere ciò che voleva.
Questo Will Sloane, invece, si prendeva cura di lei, le chiedeva di continuo il permesso e le faceva fremere il corpo senza pretendere nulla in cambio... lui sì che era pericoloso.
C’era davvero il rischio di innamorarsene.

Joanna Shupe è stata una scoperta recente ma più che positiva.
Se nel primo libro di questa serie (molto apprezzato), avevamo già conosciuto William, il primogenito snob ma stakanovista degli Sloane, l'amministratore dell'azienda di famiglia imprigionato tra luci ed ombre, qui lo ritroviamo protagonista e con mire politiche.
Se non fosse che il candidato principale del suo partito pare troppo legato alle suggestioni di una medium, una giovane carismatica che William sospetta essere una ciarlatana o peggio.
In ogni caso un ostacolo scomodo da rimuovere.
E qui scatta il trappolone, perchè la medium non è ciò che sembra...

Non aggiungo altro, ma anche stavolta la Shupe si riconferma abile a presentare personaggi forti e ben calibrati. Non c'è mai il solito maschio predominante (tipo quelli che mi fanno esasperare), ma le ragazze, per quanto schiacciate nel loro ruolo storico o sociale, sono dotate di artigli e si difendono bene, lottando per imporsi.

Quindi sì, William e Ava ne escono più che promossi, la storia d'amore è sufficientemente combattuta, il contorno è interessante e avvincente, e tornano pure Lizzie ed Emmett a stuzzicare.
Da parte mia continuo a consigliare questa serie, ambientata in una caotica e difficile New York di fine '800, tra ricchi emergenti, vecchia "buona società" al tramonto, masse sfruttate e paurose disuguaglianze sociali.

[Titinha Scaeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta autora está a ser uma excelente surpresa... Para mim cria muito bons personagens... :)

[Jultri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5. Solid writing from Shupe. Ava's personality is admirable enough, strong, responsible and determined with her own sense of right and wrong, but still I was not comfortable with the obvious deceptive trickeries she engaged in regularly in her role as a Russian medium. Will Sloane, I can't fault him. Some things were mentioned but not really followed up on, like the poor health of her youngest brother and also the identity of her past love who betrayed her.

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection. My new favorite couple. I ADORED every page.

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I loved the idea of this (& also the setting), but my interest waned as it progressed. The plot momentum is practically nonexistent; it’s slow as molasses yet still confusing, & the characters’ motivations lack any solid foundation. This problem isn’t reserved for the MCs, but also hampers the supporting cast—Ava’s siblings, the villain(s), the brother-in-law. WHY are they doing these things? And WHY should I care?

The hero, for his part, is incredibly snobbish & unappealing. It’s not so much that he’s driven to be rich, or is a robber baron, or even that he’s motivated by hatred for an asswipe father. Given a good character arc, I’m fine with these things. What I disliked was his unrelenting denigration of anyone not of his class—his extreme elitism & holier-than-thou superiority complex. Compare someone saying “I’m driven to succeed because I’m not my waste-of-space father!” with another saying “I am superior because I succeed, therefore those not on my level are inferior!” One is sympathetic; the other is obnoxious.

...Guess which category applies to Will Sloane. 🙄

Add to the hero’s ‘tude a distinct lack of chemistry & clunky, cheesy sex scenes...zzzz. This reminded me of SECRET DESIRES OF A GOVERNESS—great concept in theory, but poorly realized on paper. (And Will’s constant boners re: Ava’s huge boobs, raspy voice, + luscious mouth made me want to hurl. Sorry, but heroes continually battling erections every time the heroine appears is a turn-off—particularly given Will spends 3/4ths of the book deriding Ava’s only source of significant income as useless, stupid, & uncouth opiate of the masses. STFU, asshole.)

[Dorine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5 - BARON by Joanna Shupe is even better than MAGNATE, the first historical romance novel in THE KNICKERBOCKER CLUB series. Although I anticipated book two after reading the first, I was surprised by William “Will” Sloane who had made a memorable first impression as a stuffed shirt in his dealings with his sister, Lizzie. Will’s character transformation is the second-best part of this book. The best part is the heroine who plays a “confidence woman” beautifully.

Ava Jones works as Madame Zolikoff, a medium who some think cons her clients out of money in exchange for her services. Ava is good at her trade, which is necessary for the survival of herself and her three siblings. When Will’s political aspirations force him to confront the con-woman who may be the end of his running mate’s political career, he doesn’t expect to fall for her. Ava’s allure is more than a con, it’s downright dangerous to all their futures.

I was immediately drawn to Ava’s mode of making a living, in addition to her young siblings who also work to support themselves. Having lost their parents, Ava feels responsible for their survival. Although what Ava does is a con, she doesn’t see it that way. She works hard to give her clients what they want or need to help them heal after the death of a loved one.

Ava isn’t in Will’s blueblood circle so it’s easy to suspect that she’ll never amount to anything further than being his mistress. Given his political aspirations, it’s hard to imagine they’ll have more than this moment in time. What transpires is surprising and made me respect Will even more.

BARON is a very sensual novel. A big portion of this couple’s relationship is based on their insatiable desire for one another. Their chemistry is combustible and neither one of them is shy. I loved their verbal sparring which added to their inability to resist each other. Ava doesn’t back down to Will’s obvious power and I laughed when she called him “railroad man” in a teasing manner.

I enjoyed the flow of BARON more than MAGNATE. It seemed smoother. Ava is such an interesting heroine for a historical romance. I liked her spunk. Her honesty and simplicity is exactly what Will needs to force him to be more human. Even though this novel is more sexually charged than I prefer, it didn’t overwhelm the plot or characterization.

The only thing I didn’t care for were two crude words used to describe Ava by the villain in the book. Those words, as well as the context in which they’re used, are disrespectful to women, in general, even though they did their job and made me despise the bad guy even more. I could have disliked him without them, rather than be reminded of words that I hate when they’re directed derogatively against women, no matter the century.

BARON can easily be read as a standalone, but to fully appreciate Will’s character transformation, it’s best to read MAGNATE first. I purchased MAGNATE for a buddy read with some friends so those discussions live on in my memory.

The two novels are similar in their sexually explicit details, but the stories are each intriguing for their individuality. Both feature dominate men and the women who dare to love them. BARON’s conflict is convincing as much as it is surprising in how it’s resolved. I don’t think I’ve read a novel with a similar conclusion. I was most surprised by Will because I didn’t like him in MAGNATE. He redeems himself in BARON. THE KNICKERBOCKER CLUB is proving to be a series to anticipate and recommend.

Joanna Shupe’s talent is evident in her ability to set a believable stage with thought-provoking characters and snappy dialogue that keeps me coming back for more.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies. Print ARC received from the publisher for a honest review.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not disappoint!!!! Once I started reading I could not stop!!!! Will post review soon- but PRE-ORDER this book- SO freaking good!
original review at:http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspo...
“Baron” the second book in the “Knickerbocker Club” series is what romance novel dreams are made of! I’ve just recently started to read Joanna Shupe and have really enjoyed her novels. The first book in the series “Magnate” was so good I have been counting down to Baron. I can honestly say I had so many expectations for this book and Shupe surpassed them all. Set in the Gilded Age in New York City, Shupe really brings the historical time period to life.

William Sloane is such an arrogant snob that it was delicious to see him brought to his knees by Ava. William is the stodgy older brother we meet in “ Magnate.” He was born into a rich family, manages a very profitable railroad, all of New York City societies doors are lined with gold for him. His next step is the political life. He is ready to become a politician and has decided to stop at nothing and definitely doesn’t plan to let a little nobody like Madame Zolikoff get in his way. The opening scene was so good! I loved the tension between William and Ava / Madame Zolikoff even before they met! When they did finally meet, sparks flew. Ava was just the right character to ruffle William’s feathers!

Ava is the exact opposite of Will. She is struggling to keep a roof over her family’s head. She adopted the Madame Zolikoff persona so that she could move her siblings out of the city. When Will’s running mate starts to consult her for fortune telling Will is concerned that if word gets out their campaign will be ruined. Will tries to buy her off, intimidate her and convincer her to leave John Bennett alone. Ava refuses to be managed or bullied by Will and even when he tries to pay her off, she refuses to budge. Ava has encountered a lot of obstacles in her life and she is not about to let “railroad man” William Sloan get the best of her! She refuses to back down and meets his threats head on! The scenes with William and Ava are always filled with passion and humor. I really loved Ava! She is determined to help her siblings make a better life. Although mere children, they are forced to work in factories and under very bad conditions. Ava is a fraud. She is presenting herself as a fortune teller and is very successful. She is also very exposed because her name is very popular and this leads to many difficult predicaments for her. Shupe really brings the time period to life. It was interesting to read about the notorious corruption at Tammy Hall. There were so many scenes I loved in this book. One of my all-time favorites was when William reads Ava’s fortune. This scene was a perfect mixture of their tension and tenderness. There were so many witty lines and sweet moments, I could re-read this book over and over! Definitely one of my favorite reads for this year. Now the countdown continues to “Mogul.” Calvin’s story sounds intriguing and I can’t wait to see how the author brings together him and Lillian.

[Melliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Mon avis en Français

My English review

Ça faisait quelques temps que je n’avais pas lu une romance historique mais c’est toujours un réel plaisir !

J’ai mis un peu de temps à rentrer dans l’histoire au début mais finalement le récit avance rapidement et j’attendais avec curiosité de voir ce qui allait se passer. Nous découvrons ainsi William Sloane, propriétaire des chemins de fer, en passe de devenir maintenant un politique important. Cependant, Madame Zolikoff est sur son chemin. Essayant de faire monter son candidat, il voit très mal le fait qu’il consulte une fausse voyante et est bien déterminé à faire comprendre cette Madame Zolikoff qu’elle doit abandonner son œuvre. Malheureusement la jeune femme ne semble pas être impressionnée. Ava a dû prendre la peau d’une voyante pour pouvoir gagner de l’argent. Il faut dire qu’elle doit économiser pour entretenir ses frères et sœurs, chose qui n’est vraiment pas simple.

La rencontre les deux personnages est épique et dynamique. J’avoue que j’ai adoré voir William et Ava interagir. J’avoue aussi que j’avais parfois envie de secouer William pour qu’il se rende compte qu’il avait une femme parfaite pour lui et qu’il lui offre plus que ça.

C’était une lecture très sympa et j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé suivre Ava. C’est vraiment une jeune femme qui a la main sur le cœur et qui fait tout pour sa famille. De plus, elle n’hésite pas à dire ce qu’elle pense, ce qui est assez agréable pour une femme à cette époque. William par contre est initialement difficile à cerner. Mais on apprendra à le découvrir petit à petit au cours des chapitres en le voyant se dévoiler.

Pour conclure, c’était une lecture agréable et je serai curieuse de lire le premier tome (oui parce que j’ai commencé par ce second roman), ainsi que la suite !

[Sonali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything Joanna Shupe writes. Her writing is clever and well researched and her characters feel like real people. I loved Magnate, the first book in her Gilded Age series and have been looking forward to Baron. And Dear Lord Above, she's outdone herself.
This book is everything a good romance novel should be, with oodles of banter-filled chemistry, an arrogant noble hero who needs to be brought down a notch, a spunky, steel-spined heroine who needs life to give her a break, and seemingly unsurmountable conflict. But the real gold here is what Shupe does with bringing that time in New York's history to life. It's not just in the exacting historical details, but in the essence of the era itself that she captures -- with all of society's seemingly immovable imbalance of power on one hand and each individual's courage to push past it on the other hand. It's the internalized faith in liberty and choice that's essential to being American that she paints with these characters and it's absolutely beautiful.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good stuff. Dynamic leads with sexy and intense romantic chemistry and vivid history combined into one tasty package. This series is on my radar and tbr list.

Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine: http://affairedecoeur.com.

[jakira · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟's!

📝 tropes: class diff, enemies to lovers, protective hero, hero falls first, politician/railroad baron hero x fortune teller/medium heroine, single guardian, gilded age HR
🌶 spice: 3/5
❌ CW: poverty, violence, blackmail, illness

hELLO this hit me right in the face with it's top tier-ness 👏🏽 going into this sequel, i was not expecting to love it as much as i fucking ended up doing. the first book, magnate, was just okay to me.. i did hear about how much ppl LOVEED this second book so i was like ok.. mayhaps i shall continue this series. AND IM SO GLAD I DID OMGGGG. from the very first chapter, i was bloody HOOKED. the no-nonsense, i'm-not-taking-your-pompous-shit heroine, Ava Jones, going head to head with said-pompous-shit hero, Will Sloane, was trULY A GLORIOUS SIGHT TO SEE (or read ig in this case lol). their chemistry and enemies to lovers fiery spark was BLAZINGGG Y'ALL IT WAS SO HAWT AND ENTERTAINING. their animosity towards each other remains a thing for a solid period of the book but i definitely think this book is one of those cases where the hero falls first (unintentionally/unknowingly??) and the reader is able to see those little cracks in the so-called "hate" he has for her; talking about how protective he gets over her during the riot scene like 🥺

when their relationship finally takes the turn to some steam/spice, it TAKES.A.TURN. now lemme say how much i ATE up chapter 12/13 holy shit 🥵😩 we love joanna for giving us the spice we 👏🏽 need👏🏽. their attraction to each other was off the fucking charts the ENTIRETY of this book and i was freaking here for it you guys. not only physically, but the clear growing emotions they begin to have show up and by the end, when he does declare his love for her, it is TRULY, a MOMENT to be screaming into your pillow bc holy crap, s/o to Mr. Sloane for getting up there on my #topromanticgestures list. IF I DONT HAVE A MAN WHO WILL DROP HIS BUSINESS COMPANY TO WIN ME OVER I DONT MF WANT IT✋🏽 im dead

final thing of note that i literally wrote down while reading: IS THIS THEEEEE TEDDY ROOSEVELT OR AM I JUST DUMB (not me being a history minor) ... i aM pretty sure it's like the president teddy roosevelt as i did some googling but someone pls confirm thank u and goodbye.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Knickerbocker Club. The h is Ava Jones aka Madame Zolokoff a medium with three younger siblings to take care of. The H is blue blood Railroad Baron William Sloane sister Lillian married to Magnate Emmett Cavanough (book 2) and my favourite.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Cecily Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW - this is hot stuff. I love the historical aspect and this was a really clever and unique story as well - but WOW. My eyes were rolling back in my head. Not that I'm complaining . . .

[Jeannine · Rating 3 out of 5]

My journey through Joanna Shupe’s backlist continues. My issues with the series continue is this one. The male lead, Will, isn’t quite as despicable as the one in the first book, but he’s definitely a jerk. The female lead, Ava, is supporting three siblings as a medium. The older two siblings are working in factories and the youngest is a newsie.

This is an enemies to lovers story with a class mismatch thrown in. While Ava is in poverty and uneducated, she’s apparently the *perfect* match for Will.

There is a glimmer of the storytelling I love in Shupe’s recent work. I just wish the characters were likable.

[Sonya Heaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted HERE .

I was very, very excited about this book, and was not disappointed. I’ve loved the first book (and introductory novella) in this series, LOVE the era (1880s) and setting (the big money and influential families of New York), and knew it was going to be excellent.

This is a very exciting time period, and one that is almost totally overlooked by historical romance authors. It’s got all the appeal of the contemporary billionaire theme, but set in nineteenth century NYC it also has all the appeal of the duke trope – but with a different set of rules.

New York is very much a character of the series, with all the power and corruption that comes with it. I especially like how the rich (like the hero) experience the city so differently to the poor (like the heroine).

The research is fantastic. I was wary about a medium as a heroine, just as I was worried in the first book that the heroine wanted to work on the stock market – these aren’t things that usually interest me. However, the author takes unusual themes I wouldn’t read in other books, and makes them interesting.

I loved that the stuffy brother of the first book was the love interest here, and I especially loved that his character was so distinct – he certainly didn’t become your standard historical hero. What other book would have a hero stop in the middle of a sex scene with ‘I beg your pardon’?!

That this is in many ways a more progressive time and place than the traditional historical romance setting of the Regency, it makes for interesting characters. I love the late Victorian era, especially because technology was developing so fast, and there’s always something new and exciting to discover.

One little thing I noticed was that the heroine hadn’t shared one of her secrets with the hero by the end of the book. I know she’d have done it eventually, but I wouldn’t have minded reading that scene.

However, I can’t be negative about this book or this series. It’s one that stays with you, and it’s one of those special series that definitely stands out – for about a million reasons.


Review copy provided by NetGalley.