Heels of Steel: A Novel

by Barbara Kavovit

“An empowering novel that features a cast full of strong female characters . . . Any fan of Julie James will enjoy this page-turner.” —BooklistBridget Steele’s father taught her two how to build and how to fight. With those skills, she created her own company and began building for New York City’s elite. Often the only woman in the room, she’s faced sexism, corruption, and harassment—but armed with her designer hard hat and steel-toed stilettos, she’s up for any challenge, knowing she has to be ten times better just to be considered equal.Even with a stellar reputation, this scrappy young woman from the Bronx can’t seem to gain access to the old boys’ club. She doesn’t fit in with the powerful men in commercial real estate and construction. But this single mom has learned how to play the game, and she never gives up. With her quick wit and determination, she won’t let anyone get in the way of her dream—including the irresistible man who is also her biggest competitor. She’s learned the hard way that if she wants the view from the top, she’ll have to build it herself . . .In this compelling novel, the construction industry pioneer and Real Housewives star “writes grippingly about . . . being the only woman in a male-dominated field and the possibility of a second chance at love” (Publishers Weekly).

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit

446 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2019

About the author

Barbara Kavovit, aka Barbara K, New York native, construction trailblazer and women’s tool creator founded one of the first NYC General Contracting and Construction Management firms. Growing up in the Bronx and by the time she was nine years old, Barbara’s father instilled in her a passion for building and encouraged her to hold a hammer, instead of a Barbie doll. He gently insisted that together they build the bunk beds she and her sister Caryn shared as children.

After graduating from SUNY Oswego with a BS degree in Finance she founded and became CEO of Anchor Construction, one of the fastest growing woman-owned Construction Companies in New York City. Being shut out of the old-boys’ network, Barbara realized she had to fight hard to build her own in the testosterone-heavy construction field, quickly becoming Crain’s “100 Most Influential Women In Business” by the time she was 30. Barbara was a rarity and forged ahead, overcoming countless gender biases and shattering many glass ceilings.

This led to her next business and brand, barbara k!, the super successful line of ergonomically designed tools and kits created to empower women. These products were sold in every retailer across America including Bed Bath & Beyond, The Home Depot, Target and Walmart.

Barbara is currently the CEO of Manhattan-based Evergreen Construction, a General Contracting and Construction Management company named after the street her Father grew up on in the Bronx. Evergreen works on high profile and many cutting-edge corporate, retail and infrastructure projects including the Hyatt Corporation, Bandier, Bionic Solution, Exhale Spas, JLL as well as many others.

Barbara has appeared on Good Morning America and The Today Show as well as countless other shows. Formerly a New York Post columnist for six years, she authored two books, “Room For Improvement” and “Invest in Your Nest” (Rodale Press 2005, 2006) and contributor to the Commercial Observer. She has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, US Magazine House Beautiful, USA Today, O-The Oprah Magazine.

Barbara will appear this Spring as a full-time member of the cast in season 11 of Real Housewives of New York airing in March.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've written this review for Really Into This

Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!


Do I want to read a debut novel by the newest member of Bravo’s Real Housewives of New York?

You bet your ass I do!

I stan for my Housewives & I’ve enjoyed getting to know Barbara this season. I love that she rocks a midriff top, wide leg pants & I live for her wrap dresses! She’s a tough, honest, a supportive friend and she runs her own construction business.

Her debut novel, Heels of Steel, doesn’t fall far from her storyline on the show. The book follows a strong female as she builds her construction empire in Manhattan. She runs into obstacles with the male-controlled construction, her love life & personal life. I felt the relationships were honest, authentic & messy. Just like I like them!

THE VERDICT
I am Into This Book! It’s part romance, with a side of female empowerment peppered with relatable & complicated relationships. This is a strong debut & I loved reading it poolside. It’s a great book to stuff in your beach bag this summer.

[Adriana (SaltyBadgerADii) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got about 25% into the book and had to give up on it. It was terrible writing. It read like a run-on sentence. Literally paragraph after paragraph. In a span of 100 pages I had to learn the life story of the MC from the ages 10 to late 20s I believe? It was also super repetitive! Like I sometimes thought that I was accidentally reading the same paragraph again.

The worst part is the synopsis made it sound like she was going to be this total BA lady boss, and she really wasn't. I mean she literally ends up marrying the skeeziest guy out there all because she got pregnant! Like she was literally about to break up with the dude, and married him because he knocked her up. Can we also talk about the fact that in the same 100 pages we saw her company get built up, and all of the sudden she's bankrupt because of her shady AF husband.

I thought this book was going to be like yeah! Girl power! but it wasn't. The worst part is that literally everything happened in 100 pages which means that I would still had to have read another 344 pages to finish the dang book. No thanks.

[Really Into This · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah contributed this review for Really Into This

Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!


Do I want to read a debut novel by the newest member of Bravo’s Real Housewives of New York?

You bet your ass I do!

I stan for my Housewives & I’ve enjoyed getting to know Barbara this season. I love that she rocks a midriff top, wide leg pants & I live for her wrap dresses! She’s a tough, honest, a supportive friend and she runs her own construction business.

Her debut novel, Heels of Steel, doesn’t fall far from her storyline on the show. The book follows a strong female as she builds her construction empire in Manhattan. She runs into obstacles with the male-controlled construction, her love life & personal life. I felt the relationships were honest, authentic & messy. Just like I like them!

THE VERDICT
I am Into This Book! It’s part romance, with a side of female empowerment peppered with relatable & complicated relationships. This is a strong debut & I loved reading it poolside. It’s a great book to stuff in your beach bag this summer.

[Sonica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Harlequin Books for an advanced copy of Heels of Steel, in exchange for my honest review. This title released June 25, 2019.

I love when a celebrity figure can take their own personal life experience and turn it into a remarkable story. Barbara Kavovit is a member of the cast for the popular Bravo show, Real Housewives of New York – I haven’t watched this season but from what I understand her persona on the show is what inspired the female lead in her debut book.

Heels of Steel follows an ambitious and driven young woman as she builds her construction empire in island of Manhattan. Facing many obstacles in a male dominant industry, Bridget Steele was made for kicking ass and taking names.

Guided by her powerful father, she learned how to work a room and show everyone who’s boss despite their skepticism because she’s a woman. Alongside her obstacles in the boardroom are those within her personal life – especially her love life. But neither get in the way of her rise to the top.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and thought the characters were all well-developed and full of SASS! It’s definitely “chick lit” with its components of romance, complicated love and complex friendships but done in a way that isn’t annoying. I truly enjoyed this one especially with the underlying message of female empowerment and rise to success.

It’s a great choice for a beach vacation read, or something to change the pace with if you are in a reading slump.

[Sumedha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reminded me of Evelyn Hugo from The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo a bit! Bridget Steele has the same fierce determination, dedication, and compassion for her craft and for her success as Evelyn does; they might have been friends! This was just a mix of everything: feminism, betrayal, romance, family struggles, divorce and breakups, and success stories with a happy ending.

This was a good read!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara Kavovit offers readers a fun, entertaining, and well written novel. Heels of Steel attracted my attention because of the premise; a woman making her way in a male dominated industry. The fact that the story is attached to a romance is definitely a bonus. Heels of Steel has fully dimensional characters, both primary and secondary, which makes the story more enjoyable. I really found myself caring about the heroine's happily ever after. I was interested in the revelations regarding the construction industry that Barbara Kavovit placed into the plot. The dialogue seemed appropriate to characters and situations. I was thoroughly entertained and would read more from this author.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

[Sonja Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, entertaining read. It doesn’t break new ground, doesn’t really have any surprises, but it’s a good escape. Off to have a good pasta dinner now, because it mentions food a lot!

[currentlyreadingbynat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m honestly surprised that I liked this so much but it was brilliant. For a debut, her writing style was perfect and the emotions this stirred - wow. What a kickass protagonist 💪

[Brandon Ledsome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a fantastic book.

[Kayla Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a very interesting read I stepped out of my comfort with this one and I must say I am pleased with the outcome. The only thing I didn't like was how it left you hanging to see if they'll be another book or if that was the end. I honestly hope this book goes into a series because I would love to read more about it. ♥️

[Elaine Donadio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review: Heels Of Steel by Barbara Kavovit (2019) 3 Stars ***                              

How much is Barbara Kavovit's life and how much belongs to the fictional character Bridget Steele? Growing up in the borough of the Bronx in New York City, our main character Bridget's father teaches her about the construction business and how to pack a solid punch into the noses of any punks or overly aggressive business contacts she might come across. And yes, she does use this super power!

Our author, Barbara Kavovit, is currently appearing on Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York. The back cover of this book reminds us, "Barbara is a construction trailblazer and woman's tool creator who founded one of the first general contracting and construction management firms in New York, becoming one of Crain's 100 Most Influential women in Business by the time she was thirty." Very impressive.

This brings me to the book character Bridget Steele. I hope this book is not biographical because this supposedly tough, smart, ambitious business woman in a man's world, teetering on stiletto heels and wanting to be taken seriously, makes ridiculous decisions whenever she's in the presence of a great set of pecs and abs, endangering and losing business. As much as Bridget vows not to let it happen, she again does the same stupid things.

The book is repetitious to a fault. How many times do men have to point out how gorgeous and sexy her body is, how pretty her face is, how good she smells, how smart she is? It seems like it was every page and even for a woman who possesses all these assets, it's too much. The same goes for the descriptions of the men in her life. Some have more smarts and integrity than others, but for a supposedly tough woman, she's putty in their hands every time she checks out their muscles. Dialogue gives the impression of instant replay, over and over and over and over. You get the picture.

Bridget Steele shows us how corrupt the construction industry is in New York. She learns the game in order to prosper. "Bridget liked to play dirty. It got shit done." No business rival is safe as she pilfers business proposals and steals talented employees from her competitors. In all fairness, these guys do the same kinds of things, so she's not usually preying on the innocent except for one time when she betrayed a good guy who later aggravated her, in a sense getting her revenge ahead of time.

Schmoozing is a full time job in this industry. Dinners, drinks, kick backs, bribes, threats, tickets, parties, attractive and  willing women, favors, sabotage, revenge—the merry-go-round of big business. So happy I don't work there!

Here's an example of how Bridget deals with stress. After she tosses a drink in the face of a powerful Manhattan male industry leader, who has betrayed her in business and has just made a pass at her, Bridget socks this guy in the nose. Big time! She reminds him, "Yeah, "she spat at him as he stayed bent over, his back heaving, dark red blood oozing between his fingers, "you're right, Mark. I'm not from around here." He looked up at her, and she saw fear in his eyes. "And I advise that you never forget that."

Why did this happen? No muscles! That's my guess.

I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a book signing. She's a sweet, warm, friendly person, much prettier and more petite than she appears on TV. By the way, I didn't see any of her Housewife of New York friends there. Maybe she was better off not having to share the spotlight with random hysterics.

This is her first novel. Maybe next time around, she'll take time to learn the craft. Writing appears easy. It's not.

[That1 Creative Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read a book with a prologue that was 7 chapters long, but hey, first time for everything. This woman was so agonizingly stupid and unrealistic when it came to loving men, but that is actually what made her realistic. I mean, who else but a grief-stricken daddy's girl would stay with, marry, and procreate with, a coke-head cheating bastard?

Apparently the author is one of those Housewives of Wherever TV show ladies and a contractor herself, who experienced bankruptcy and probably a few other things mentioned in the book. I kind of figured it had to be written by someone who experienced discrimination in the construction industry and that (based on the lack of proper pacing in the story) that this was a debut novel. It could have been great had it not felt like it took too long to introduce the main character.

I usually dislike books written from more than 2 POVs but this one actually worked. But it just threw me through a loop since the other voices just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the book.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A GOOD SUMMER READ

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this book since my new career in corporate America is somewhat in construction and I curious to see how this book would tackle sexism in construction. At first I was really bored with it and I thought it would take me forever to read, but I ended up really liking it and I couldn't put it down. Ended up finishing it on the third day of reading it...and I was trying to slow my reading down because I am running out of books due to all the COVID-19 closures and stay at home orders! I admit the writing isn't revolutionary and was somewhat boring and cliché at times, but the message of empowerment was there. I appreciated how it switched from Bridget's perspective to the other construction characters in Part 2; it felt more whole and it allowed the book to tackle more issues than just the female perspective.

Side note: I have never heard of Barbara Kavovit beforehand, so I have no idea what her story is, but I wonder how loosely the book reflects her life.

I also LOVE the cover image...one of the reasons I first put this book on my "To-Read" list.

[Peggy Jaeger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book from my Netgalley selections because I thought, from the blurb, it was going to be a woman’s fiction tale about a strong women who is trying to smash the glass ceiling. And it was. The character of Bridget Steele is a strong one and although she makes unwise decisions in her personal life, her professional life is a solid one of determination and end goals.

My only problem with the book is that I thought there was an awful lot of “telling” of the story, especially the first 50 pages as we learn about an inciting incident in 10 year old Bridget’s life and how it leads her to her chosen profession.

Other than that, it’s a solid story with fully developed characters.

[Raquel Cortes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that Bridget isn't afraid of doing hard stuff. She's a determined strong woman who fights to make a name for herself in a wold dominated by men. Not all her decisions were wise though and it was disappointing how she settles for less than she deserves and puts up with a man who does't respect her and cares for her job. The pacing was too fast and there was too much telling and not enough dialogue. I felt lost some times and found myself going back and checking if I skipped pages. On top of this, all of a sudden the book shifts from one POV to mutiple POVs. Unfortunately, Heels of Steel left me a little disappointed and it wasn't this empowering and inspiring story I hoped would be.

[Erica Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book written by one of the Real Housewives of NYC. Overall, it was a solid read but I feel it might be more interesting for a younger audience. I'm curious about how much of the content is taken from the author's real life since the protagonist shares a lot of similarities with her. There were a few parts of the book where I got a little bored, but it picked up once the romance story got going. I did enjoy reading about a strong-willed, determined female in a male dominated-field and feel this could be an inspiring book for young females.

[Rieta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridget rocked as a modern, kick ass woman. I have been to NY and could picture some of the obstacles Bridget faced. I really appreciated that this wasn't just a romance although there was a bit. Bridget epitomized the cool, focused woman that women want to be right now. It was riveting. I was a bit shocked to find a reality star wrote it. I've never seen any of the "Housewives" shows. I can't understand watching people live their lives instead of living my own. It is a great read though.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kavovit has put her deep knowledge of the construction business to good use in this interesting novel about a woman who is determined to succeed. Bridget doesn't take no for an answer, even when it would be the easy way to go. I enjoyed this as a quick read on a summer afternoon. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This would be a good one for the YA crossover audience- it's got a good message wrapped in a well written story.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a funny Rom-Com and this wasn't it. The main character was simply unlikable. I felt like any relationships with people were loosely connected. A lot of time was spent focusing on how to get the construction contract. I know that the author has a background in construction management. I just wish she put a little more soul into the novel. It fell flat for me.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had seen Barbara on the RHONY episodes + my job is communications for the NY building industry, so reading this book was doubly of interest to me. It was much better than I expected, a unique storyline and I thought the main characters were strong. However, at more than 400 pages, I thought this could use a little tightening and editing.

[Jenn (YeahOrNeighReviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridget is a great role model! A self-reliant, single mother who won't back down from what she wants in life. I enjoyed this realistic and modern story. The romance wasn't overdone, and I found that a refreshing change.

[Andrea Stephenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I love RHONY so I thought this would be an instant win. I struggled through several parts of the book — couldn’t follow the story line and didn’t feel roped in. Overall the book was ok with a strong female empowerment lesson.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't like admitting I found this book as entertaining as I did, but I did like it. I liked the strength of the female protagonist, but there was so much immoral behavior and little concern for it which really makes me sad. Entertaining, but didn't make me feel good in the end.

[Me · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rate this a 3.75. you get a introductory insight into the real estate and construction world in NY. There's a backstory of romance as well. I enjoyed the book a lot. The beginning pulls you in but there were parts that distracted.

[Emma Arkstål · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf. Bored

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Contemporary Romance, Contemporary Women's Fiction

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivated me from the very Beginning! Never have I rooted for a character more than i did for Bridget. 100 pages in and I could NOT put it down!

By far my favorite read this year!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go Barbara! That was fun as hell and I was more invested than I thought I'd be, cheering for Bridget every step of the way; I hope we hear more from the real life Queen of NY construction.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a cute story but there is a lot missing, it jumps around alot