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The Gilded Age Girls Club #3
An Heiress to Remember
Can a scandalized heiress…
Beatrice Goodwin left Manhattan a duchess and has returned a divorcée, ready to seize control of her fate and the family business. Goodwin’s Department Store, once the pinnacle of fashion, has fallen from favor thanks to Dalton’s, its glamorous competitor across the street. But this rivalry has a distinctly personal edge…
And a self-made tycoon…
For Wes Dalton, Beatrice has always been the one—the one who broke his young heart by marrying a duke, and now, the one whose cherished store he plans to buy, just so he can destroy it. It’s the perfect revenge against a family who believed he’d never be good enough for their daughter—until Beatrice’s return complicates everything…
Find happily ever after at last?
While Goodwin’s and Dalton’s duel to be the finest store in Gilded Age Manhattan, Beatrice and Wes succumb to a desire that has only deepened with time. Adversaries by day, lovers by night, both will soon have to decide which is sweeter: winning the battle or thoroughly losing their hearts…
Beatrice Goodwin left Manhattan a duchess and has returned a divorcée, ready to seize control of her fate and the family business. Goodwin’s Department Store, once the pinnacle of fashion, has fallen from favor thanks to Dalton’s, its glamorous competitor across the street. But this rivalry has a distinctly personal edge…
And a self-made tycoon…
For Wes Dalton, Beatrice has always been the one—the one who broke his young heart by marrying a duke, and now, the one whose cherished store he plans to buy, just so he can destroy it. It’s the perfect revenge against a family who believed he’d never be good enough for their daughter—until Beatrice’s return complicates everything…
Find happily ever after at last?
While Goodwin’s and Dalton’s duel to be the finest store in Gilded Age Manhattan, Beatrice and Wes succumb to a desire that has only deepened with time. Adversaries by day, lovers by night, both will soon have to decide which is sweeter: winning the battle or thoroughly losing their hearts…
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2020
126 people are currently reading
1077 people want to read
About the author
Maya Rodale
46 books1,621 followersMaya Rodale is the best-selling and award-winning author of funny, feminist fiction including historical romance, YA and historical fiction. A champion of the romance genre and its readers, she is also the author of Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels, Explained. Maya reviews romance for NPR and has appeared in Bustle, Glamour, Shondaland, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post and PBS. She began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence and has never been allowed to forget it.
Sign up for her newsletter at www.mayarodale.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 207 reviews
March 22, 2020
When I learned that Rodale was moving from Regency to the Guilded Age, I was excited as it seemed like a good move. Her Regency stories were by and large enjoyable, but to me, they always felt like they should be set 30 to 50 years later. Many featured an author’s note indicating that an event would occur at some point in the future, so it seemed like the historical events that inspired the author weren’t really set in the Regency. I enjoyed the first two in this series, but I loved this one.
Beatrice and Dalton are a well-matched pair. They had a chance to be together in their youth with impossible odds but the other options were too compelling. Sixteen years later, their paths cross again and puts them against each other running rival department stores. This sets up wonderful anticipation, as they challenge each other and are ultimately drawn to each other. Great chemistry here.
I really enjoyed this latest offering by Rodale. It’s a story where everything came together, great characters and historical context. This story does feature characters from the previous books but I don’t think it necessary to read books 1&2 before this one.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. This is my honest opinion.
Beatrice and Dalton are a well-matched pair. They had a chance to be together in their youth with impossible odds but the other options were too compelling. Sixteen years later, their paths cross again and puts them against each other running rival department stores. This sets up wonderful anticipation, as they challenge each other and are ultimately drawn to each other. Great chemistry here.
I really enjoyed this latest offering by Rodale. It’s a story where everything came together, great characters and historical context. This story does feature characters from the previous books but I don’t think it necessary to read books 1&2 before this one.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. This is my honest opinion.
April 8, 2020
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had a great time with this historical romance! Even though I had a copy of this book for a couple of weeks, I had no idea when I might be able to work it into my reading schedule. I picked it up just a few days ago to give it a closer look and was hooked after just a few pages and ended up reading the whole book in less than twenty-four hours. I found this to be a delightful and very enjoyable read.
This book is the third book in The Gilded Age Girls Club series but I read it as a stand-alone without any difficulty. This was actually the first book by Maya Rodale that I have had a chance to read and I was very impressed and will definitely be reading more of her work in the future. I felt like the way this book was written had a certain charm to it which really appealed to me.
The book opens with Beatrice and Dalton as young adults. They were both attracted to each other and wanted to run away together but Beatrice did what her family wanted her to do and married the Duke who proposed. Fast forward sixteen years and Beatrice is back in New York, divorced, and determined to bring her family's store back to the splendor she remembers from her childhood. There is a new store across the street from her store called Dalton's and things are about to get very interesting.
I really liked Beatrice and Dalton. They were great characters from the beginning but as I learned more about them, I grew to like them more and more. They have both overcome quite a few obstacles in their lives and are stronger as a result. Beatrice had already disregarded society's expectations when she divorced the Duke and wasn't going to worry about what anyone thought of her anymore. Dalton started with nothing and worked his way to the top but he was very lonely. I thought that they had fantastic chemistry with each other and I loved every scene they spent with each other.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This was a fun second chance and enemies to lovers rolled up into one. I loved the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the story from beginning to end. I wouldn't hesitate to read more books in the fun series!
I received a review copy of this book from HarperCollins - Avon Books.
Initial Thoughts
Oh, I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read any of the other books in this series and thought that this book worked perfectly well as a stand-alone. I loved Beatrice and Dalton. Beatrice was such a strong and independent character. She made it past her divorce and was determined to live the rest of her life for herself. Wes Dalton and Beatrice cared about each other all of those years ago but the world seemed to be against them but the attraction has not ended. I loved the way these two competed against each other and I thought that the chemistry between the pair was very well done. I wouldn't hesitate to read more from this author in the future.
I had a great time with this historical romance! Even though I had a copy of this book for a couple of weeks, I had no idea when I might be able to work it into my reading schedule. I picked it up just a few days ago to give it a closer look and was hooked after just a few pages and ended up reading the whole book in less than twenty-four hours. I found this to be a delightful and very enjoyable read.
This book is the third book in The Gilded Age Girls Club series but I read it as a stand-alone without any difficulty. This was actually the first book by Maya Rodale that I have had a chance to read and I was very impressed and will definitely be reading more of her work in the future. I felt like the way this book was written had a certain charm to it which really appealed to me.
The book opens with Beatrice and Dalton as young adults. They were both attracted to each other and wanted to run away together but Beatrice did what her family wanted her to do and married the Duke who proposed. Fast forward sixteen years and Beatrice is back in New York, divorced, and determined to bring her family's store back to the splendor she remembers from her childhood. There is a new store across the street from her store called Dalton's and things are about to get very interesting.
I really liked Beatrice and Dalton. They were great characters from the beginning but as I learned more about them, I grew to like them more and more. They have both overcome quite a few obstacles in their lives and are stronger as a result. Beatrice had already disregarded society's expectations when she divorced the Duke and wasn't going to worry about what anyone thought of her anymore. Dalton started with nothing and worked his way to the top but he was very lonely. I thought that they had fantastic chemistry with each other and I loved every scene they spent with each other.
I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. This was a fun second chance and enemies to lovers rolled up into one. I loved the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the story from beginning to end. I wouldn't hesitate to read more books in the fun series!
I received a review copy of this book from HarperCollins - Avon Books.
Initial Thoughts
Oh, I really enjoyed this book. I haven't read any of the other books in this series and thought that this book worked perfectly well as a stand-alone. I loved Beatrice and Dalton. Beatrice was such a strong and independent character. She made it past her divorce and was determined to live the rest of her life for herself. Wes Dalton and Beatrice cared about each other all of those years ago but the world seemed to be against them but the attraction has not ended. I loved the way these two competed against each other and I thought that the chemistry between the pair was very well done. I wouldn't hesitate to read more from this author in the future.
June 30, 2022
A great little romance I wasn't expecting. I would not call myself a feminist, but I love and appreciate stories that empower women. This showed a different side to the romance genre that was delightfully refreshing. A woman in power in the 1800's struggling to get men to listen to her and so many of them so mad she was trying to break out of the mold. I especially enjoyed the bit at the end in the author's note about what women in real life some of the characters were based off of, all women that made a difference for women everywhere. I do believe that we've had to fight long and hard to get where we are, and in some cases, we're still fighting. I love a fun story with an educational purpose behind it. Overall an enthralling romance with a great protagonist. Quick read.
December 2, 2021
I have absolutely enjoyed this series!!
I usually stay away from historical romances set in the late 1890's and also set in New York. But, Wow! Maya Rodale captured the desire of women to be seen as more than a wife. These women had desires for careers and success. They desired the right to go out to eat at a restaurant without a man present.
Her heroines are strong willed, sassy, and intelligent! My kind of women!
I usually stay away from historical romances set in the late 1890's and also set in New York. But, Wow! Maya Rodale captured the desire of women to be seen as more than a wife. These women had desires for careers and success. They desired the right to go out to eat at a restaurant without a man present.
Her heroines are strong willed, sassy, and intelligent! My kind of women!
April 14, 2020
This book was not a huge hit for me. I’ve been sitting here for a while trying to figure out why and I keep coming back to the heroine.
She’s not a bad person. In fact, if I look at her objectively, I cannot fault the choices that she’s made. When I first started the book, I thought it was going to have one of those big misunderstandings where a young couple was forced apart by their parents, each manipulated, and they work through the story only to find out that they had really both chosen each other after all.
That was not the case. The young Beatrice really did choose to marry the older duke who asked for her hand in marriage and Wes only took the money her family offered after she turned him down. is it fair for me to blame Beatrice for doing what a young woman of her time felt she had to do? i’ll come back to that answer in a minute.
Later, as she comes back a liberated divorcee, all she wants is to live her life on her own terms for the first time. She takes over her family's failing department store and turns it around. Wes has spent the last 16 years trying to build an empire which he thought was all about revenge, but it really ended up being a way to make himself into the kind of man who would not be rejected for his circumstances again. He made his money in crafting a bigger and better store and for much of this book, Wes and Beatrice are in direct competition. It’s lovers to enemies to lovers again.
But when his walls come down and he’s honest with his feelings, she’s not sure. After all, in these times a woman’s wants needs and ventures come second to a man’s. Can I blame her for wanting to stay her own woman?
Is the abject feminism--the driving force of the entire book--a problem?
I want to say no. I am a feminist. I support women who go after what they want and prioritize their own needs. Why is this causing me a problem here? I’ve gone over it for hours and here is what I came up with.
She is contemplating, and in fact does for a time, put her love and the man who clearly loves her, behind her ambition. This is a romance. If the hero did that, I would have a problem with it as well. True, a hero in a historical romance doesn’t necessarily have to choose between himself and the person he loves because he has so much more agency. And that totally sucks. But if he were in a circumstance where he had to choose between his heroine and literally anything else and he picked the other thing, I would not be OK. Especially well into the third act of the book. And that is what Beatrice does here.
I get it. And huzzah for female strength and independence. But in my romances, I want the hero and heroine to always choose each other above all things. And while it is never in doubt that these two loved each other, what was in doubt was whether they would put each other first. It only takes Wes a hot second to get there. But Beatrice? Part of me wonders whether she would have ever chosen Wes had the circumstances not played out the way they did.
So I was dissatisfied by the romance. I didn’t believe that she was as all in as he was and that was kind of a bummer for me.
This whole series has been about female empowerment in some fashion from the beginning, particularly in embracing traditionally feminine things while doing so. And I loved the first book. The message didn’t get in the way of the love story. Here it does.
It's not a bad book. It has its moments. I loved the backdrop of Gilded Age New York. I liked Wes, and there were good moments with them together. The HEA was satisfying. And I, for sure, don't need a baby for that. It's just all felt a little...heavy handed.
Though it wasn't my favorite installment, this is still a series worth checking out. And if my problems aren't likely to be issues for you, maybe this one will be a better fit.
*ARC provided by publisher
She’s not a bad person. In fact, if I look at her objectively, I cannot fault the choices that she’s made. When I first started the book, I thought it was going to have one of those big misunderstandings where a young couple was forced apart by their parents, each manipulated, and they work through the story only to find out that they had really both chosen each other after all.
That was not the case. The young Beatrice really did choose to marry the older duke who asked for her hand in marriage and Wes only took the money her family offered after she turned him down. is it fair for me to blame Beatrice for doing what a young woman of her time felt she had to do? i’ll come back to that answer in a minute.
Later, as she comes back a liberated divorcee, all she wants is to live her life on her own terms for the first time. She takes over her family's failing department store and turns it around. Wes has spent the last 16 years trying to build an empire which he thought was all about revenge, but it really ended up being a way to make himself into the kind of man who would not be rejected for his circumstances again. He made his money in crafting a bigger and better store and for much of this book, Wes and Beatrice are in direct competition. It’s lovers to enemies to lovers again.
But when his walls come down and he’s honest with his feelings, she’s not sure. After all, in these times a woman’s wants needs and ventures come second to a man’s. Can I blame her for wanting to stay her own woman?
Is the abject feminism--the driving force of the entire book--a problem?
I want to say no. I am a feminist. I support women who go after what they want and prioritize their own needs. Why is this causing me a problem here? I’ve gone over it for hours and here is what I came up with.
She is contemplating, and in fact does for a time, put her love and the man who clearly loves her, behind her ambition. This is a romance. If the hero did that, I would have a problem with it as well. True, a hero in a historical romance doesn’t necessarily have to choose between himself and the person he loves because he has so much more agency. And that totally sucks. But if he were in a circumstance where he had to choose between his heroine and literally anything else and he picked the other thing, I would not be OK. Especially well into the third act of the book. And that is what Beatrice does here.
I get it. And huzzah for female strength and independence. But in my romances, I want the hero and heroine to always choose each other above all things. And while it is never in doubt that these two loved each other, what was in doubt was whether they would put each other first. It only takes Wes a hot second to get there. But Beatrice? Part of me wonders whether she would have ever chosen Wes had the circumstances not played out the way they did.
So I was dissatisfied by the romance. I didn’t believe that she was as all in as he was and that was kind of a bummer for me.
This whole series has been about female empowerment in some fashion from the beginning, particularly in embracing traditionally feminine things while doing so. And I loved the first book. The message didn’t get in the way of the love story. Here it does.
It's not a bad book. It has its moments. I loved the backdrop of Gilded Age New York. I liked Wes, and there were good moments with them together. The HEA was satisfying. And I, for sure, don't need a baby for that. It's just all felt a little...heavy handed.
Though it wasn't my favorite installment, this is still a series worth checking out. And if my problems aren't likely to be issues for you, maybe this one will be a better fit.
*ARC provided by publisher
April 26, 2024
This is book 3 in the new gilded age series, and it can absolutely be read as a standalone. I haven't read the others in the series and this was very much about the couple and their interactions. A few previous characters make brief appearances from previous books I think, but nothing major.
So, the title. I think it's so true. This book was just SO different than anything else I've read lately. Looking for something different? This could be it. I also love when the cover actually relates to something in the book and the Wild Rose pink silk she is wearing on the front is a part of the story. Love when that happens!!
I think you try this book if you are into:
-second chance romance
-enemies to lovers
-gilded age time period in New York
-you want an 'older' heroine – she's 36 (I can't remember the hero's age, but it's similar)
-are loving the independent, hard working, and self saving heroines
-want some characters based on real life heroes/heroines of the time – the authors notes themselves were amazing in this book and made me appreciate all the more what takes place in the story
Beatrice and Wes have a history. And when Beatrice returns to America after 16 years abroad, she wants nothing to do with him and he wants nothing to do with her. She decides to try to save her family's department story, Goodwins, which is going bankrupt. He has built his empire from nothing and has become the 3rd richest man of the times. His empire is the competition – Daltons, a store so famous and sought after, it doesn't even need it's name on the store.
This book has revenge and enemies to lovers but it wasn't done in an annoying way. Sometimes I read enemies to lovers and it's just all anger and fighting and arguing and sarcasm and this wasn't like that at all. It was quite enjoyable. It was rather adorable watching Wes attempting to hold onto his revenge, but losing the feeling and the drive and having that replaced by oh so wonderful love.
Beatrice will secure hearts of independent women everywhere. She does the unheard of and gets a divorce from her unhappy marriage. Again, she does the impossible and takes over the family store. Getting people to listen to is another matter. You find yourself rooting for her so much in this 'man is boss' world. And what she creates really is beautiful and has me excited.
I felt like this really was a fun and different story. I gave 4 stars because some things about it just felt so contemporary to me, perhaps it's just that almost turn of the century time period and the speed of New York City. I also wanted the hero and heroine to have a bit more page time together. This story was just as much about the romance as it was about Beatrice really finding herself and her strength to be her own woman. She made me mad a few times with her decisions as they seemed a little selfish and I hurt for Wes, but I also understood her struggle. I just love that part of romance where they NEED each other, and this was more about Beatrice firmly not needing Wes, but still loving him and choosing to be with him. And there is beauty in that too, but it just wasn't what I love.
Thank you netgalley for the complimentary ARC. These thoughts and opinions about the book are completely my own.
Slight spoilers ahead
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So, the title. I think it's so true. This book was just SO different than anything else I've read lately. Looking for something different? This could be it. I also love when the cover actually relates to something in the book and the Wild Rose pink silk she is wearing on the front is a part of the story. Love when that happens!!
I think you try this book if you are into:
-second chance romance
-enemies to lovers
-gilded age time period in New York
-you want an 'older' heroine – she's 36 (I can't remember the hero's age, but it's similar)
-are loving the independent, hard working, and self saving heroines
-want some characters based on real life heroes/heroines of the time – the authors notes themselves were amazing in this book and made me appreciate all the more what takes place in the story
Beatrice and Wes have a history. And when Beatrice returns to America after 16 years abroad, she wants nothing to do with him and he wants nothing to do with her. She decides to try to save her family's department story, Goodwins, which is going bankrupt. He has built his empire from nothing and has become the 3rd richest man of the times. His empire is the competition – Daltons, a store so famous and sought after, it doesn't even need it's name on the store.
This book has revenge and enemies to lovers but it wasn't done in an annoying way. Sometimes I read enemies to lovers and it's just all anger and fighting and arguing and sarcasm and this wasn't like that at all. It was quite enjoyable. It was rather adorable watching Wes attempting to hold onto his revenge, but losing the feeling and the drive and having that replaced by oh so wonderful love.
Beatrice will secure hearts of independent women everywhere. She does the unheard of and gets a divorce from her unhappy marriage. Again, she does the impossible and takes over the family store. Getting people to listen to is another matter. You find yourself rooting for her so much in this 'man is boss' world. And what she creates really is beautiful and has me excited.
I felt like this really was a fun and different story. I gave 4 stars because some things about it just felt so contemporary to me, perhaps it's just that almost turn of the century time period and the speed of New York City. I also wanted the hero and heroine to have a bit more page time together. This story was just as much about the romance as it was about Beatrice really finding herself and her strength to be her own woman. She made me mad a few times with her decisions as they seemed a little selfish and I hurt for Wes, but I also understood her struggle. I just love that part of romance where they NEED each other, and this was more about Beatrice firmly not needing Wes, but still loving him and choosing to be with him. And there is beauty in that too, but it just wasn't what I love.
Thank you netgalley for the complimentary ARC. These thoughts and opinions about the book are completely my own.
Slight spoilers ahead
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April 2, 2020
This was one among my favorites from this month! We've got a
✨ Second chance romance + enemies to lovers set in gilded age NYC
✨ Society heroine and lower class hero who has worked his way up
✨ Departmental store rivals
This made for a refreshing mix and it was quite different from the recent HR releases!
Beatrice is a divorced duchess who has just returned to NYC after so many years, to find that her family business is in shambles and her main competitor is the man she left behind to marry a duke.
Wes Dalton has achieved almost all the goals that he'd set for himself and he's on the verge of ruining Goodwins's when Beatrice comes back!
I loved that Beatrice was much older than the usual HR heroines! The conflict about her leaving him isn't dragged out too much so that was different from what I'd expected. The focus is more on Beatrice overcoming the prejudices that she faces, and her gaining the confidence and independence to change way her departmental store operates!
There's a little added mystery of someone who tries to sabotage Beatrice's hardwork and we get to find the culprit by the end!
But the highlight was watching Beatrice grow as a woman, assert her independence and try to manage that with a relationship! I loved watching Wes and Beatrice rekindle their relationship, and it was really great that he learnt from his mistakes. Initially I felt like he wanted her more than she wanted him, but I could understand why she felt the desire to be seen separately!
The last few chapters were amazing and the HEA was one of the best! No spoilers, but it's different from the typical HR HEA!
If you're looking for a different historical romance with realistic feminism and well developed characters, I'd definitely recommend this one!
*I received an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
✨ Second chance romance + enemies to lovers set in gilded age NYC
✨ Society heroine and lower class hero who has worked his way up
✨ Departmental store rivals
This made for a refreshing mix and it was quite different from the recent HR releases!
Beatrice is a divorced duchess who has just returned to NYC after so many years, to find that her family business is in shambles and her main competitor is the man she left behind to marry a duke.
Wes Dalton has achieved almost all the goals that he'd set for himself and he's on the verge of ruining Goodwins's when Beatrice comes back!
I loved that Beatrice was much older than the usual HR heroines! The conflict about her leaving him isn't dragged out too much so that was different from what I'd expected. The focus is more on Beatrice overcoming the prejudices that she faces, and her gaining the confidence and independence to change way her departmental store operates!
There's a little added mystery of someone who tries to sabotage Beatrice's hardwork and we get to find the culprit by the end!
But the highlight was watching Beatrice grow as a woman, assert her independence and try to manage that with a relationship! I loved watching Wes and Beatrice rekindle their relationship, and it was really great that he learnt from his mistakes. Initially I felt like he wanted her more than she wanted him, but I could understand why she felt the desire to be seen separately!
The last few chapters were amazing and the HEA was one of the best! No spoilers, but it's different from the typical HR HEA!
If you're looking for a different historical romance with realistic feminism and well developed characters, I'd definitely recommend this one!
*I received an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
April 10, 2024
I've given this a B for narration and a C+ for content at AudioGals, which makes it 3.75 stars.
An Heiress to Remember, book three in Maya Rodale’s Gilded Age Girls Club series, is a second-chance, antagonists-to-lovers romance set in vibrant, bustling turn-of-the-century New York City. The story of young lovers torn asunder who reunite later in life is a familiar one, but while it’s fairly well done, the main story here is really that of a woman coming fully into her own, and sometimes the love story feels as though it’s been put into the back seat.
Eighteen-year-old department store heiress Beatrice Goodwin has fallen in love with her father’s protégé, Wes Dalton, son of an Irish immigrant family, but when we first meet them, she’s about to say goodbye. Her family is pressuring her to marry an English duke; Wes urges Beatrice to reject the duke’s offer and run away with him instead – but Beatrice is terribly torn. She loves Wes, but where will she be if she disobeys her parents? How can she refuse to do the thing she’s been brought up to do – make a prestigious marriage and do her duty to her family?
Sixteen years later, Beatrice returns to New York a divorcée, and is determined to live her own life on her own terms, regardless of what anyone thinks or says. Divorcing a duke has put her pretty much beyond the pale socially anyway, and to her mother’s dismay, Beatrice makes it clear she has absolutely no interest in remarrying. She is, however, interested in what is happening with Goodwin’s, New York’s premier department store and the basis of her family’s fortune. To her consternation, it’s been going down the pan since her father’s death thanks to her brother’s mis-management, and its place as THE place to shop has been taken by the impressive store across the street, one so famous that it doesn’t even have its name on a sign outside – because everyone knows Dalton’s.
At first, Beatrice doesn’t connect the name with her old love. At eighteen, Wes had next to nothing, so the thought that he could possibly have become one of the richest men in the city – the country, even – just doesn’t occur to her. Until she storms furiously into a meeting convened by her brother to discuss the sale of Goodwin’s – and comes face-to-face with Wes Dalton for the first time in sixteen years.
Wes has spent those sixteen years working towards getting his revenge on the Goodwins. His mantra is: “My name is Wes Dalton. You stole my love and insulted my honour. I have sworn revenge.”
(Did anyone else hear “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die” at that point?)
He’s poised to get the very thing he’s been working towards – to buy Goodwin’s and run it into the ground as his final revenge – but Beatrice’s return puts a large spoke in the wheel when she announces her plan to take over Goodwin’s and return it to its former glory as the number one shopping destination in New York.
From then on, the gloves are off, as Beatrice and Wes go head-to-head as business rivals. Beatrice has problems initially when many of the men on her staff won’t take instructions from her (grrrr) but comes up with a satisfactory solution to that – and very soon her drive and innovative ideas are pulling in the crowds like never before.
Wes is both irritated and fascinated by Beatrice; he admires the strong independent woman she has become, and is secretly pleased at having such a worthy opponent. He’s also just as strongly attracted to her now as he was all those years before, perhaps even moreso, and as it becomes clear that the same is true for Beatrice, they agree to an affair, to become “rivals by day, lovers by night.”
There’s no Big Mis in this story and no drawn-out angst; there’s nothing really stopping Wes and Beatrice from being together if they want to, but wanting to is the key. Beatrice married to please her parents and spent sixteen years in a loveless marriage, doing as she was told, stifled by convention and the life of an English duchess, and she has no wish to once again put herself under the control of a man. Her divorced status allows her a much larger degree of freedom than she’s ever had before, and it’s something she isn’t ready to give up and possibly won’t ever be. I enjoyed watching Beatrice gain confidence in her abilities as president of the store and also in the rekindling of her romance with Wes; she’s older and wiser and not afraid to ask for what she wants. Wes is a lovely hero – he’s witty and clever and caring, and eventually comes to realise that the last sixteen years haven’t been about revenge at all, and that really he’s been driven by the need to prove he’s good enough – for Beatrice, for society, for anyone who dismissed him before.
On the downside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Wes was more invested in the relationship than Beatrice was (there was one point where I thought she did something really shitty in order to steal a march on him) – he puts himself out there, but she’s not prepared to meet him even half-way, and while I understand why she was wary of committing again, in a romance novel, I like the hero and heroine to choose each other before anything else, and I’m not completely convinced Beatrice would have done that had the story not taken the direction it did. And while I’m on that subject; there’s a sub-plot running through the story about various acts of vandalism visited on Goodwin’s – the mirrors are smashed in the ladies’ room; the reading room is trashed – but the identity of the culprit is little more than an aside. I know this isn’t a mystery, but there was no time at all devoted to that storyline other than “this stuff happened” and then all we got was “this person did it.”
I enjoyed listening to Charlotte North in book one of this series, Duchess by Design, so I knew I’d was in safe hands with this one. Her performance is well paced, her enunciation is clear and her character differentiation is excellent; Beatrice’s friends in the Ladies of Liberty are easy to tell apart so there’s no confusion in their scenes together, and she portrays the male characters equally well, affecting a slight drop in pitch to portray Wes, giving Connor’s dialogue a sharper edge, and oozing condescending pomposity as Goodwin’s store manager, Mr. Stephens. The intensity she gives to Wes’ dialogue is very much in character, as is the way she conveys Beatrice’s backbone of steel and her determination to live life for herself.
An Heiress to Remember boasts a decent, though not especially memorable romance and an engaging, though not especially memorable central couple, hence a middling grade for the story. It’s an ‘okay’ historical, but not one I plan to return to.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals .
An Heiress to Remember, book three in Maya Rodale’s Gilded Age Girls Club series, is a second-chance, antagonists-to-lovers romance set in vibrant, bustling turn-of-the-century New York City. The story of young lovers torn asunder who reunite later in life is a familiar one, but while it’s fairly well done, the main story here is really that of a woman coming fully into her own, and sometimes the love story feels as though it’s been put into the back seat.
Eighteen-year-old department store heiress Beatrice Goodwin has fallen in love with her father’s protégé, Wes Dalton, son of an Irish immigrant family, but when we first meet them, she’s about to say goodbye. Her family is pressuring her to marry an English duke; Wes urges Beatrice to reject the duke’s offer and run away with him instead – but Beatrice is terribly torn. She loves Wes, but where will she be if she disobeys her parents? How can she refuse to do the thing she’s been brought up to do – make a prestigious marriage and do her duty to her family?
Sixteen years later, Beatrice returns to New York a divorcée, and is determined to live her own life on her own terms, regardless of what anyone thinks or says. Divorcing a duke has put her pretty much beyond the pale socially anyway, and to her mother’s dismay, Beatrice makes it clear she has absolutely no interest in remarrying. She is, however, interested in what is happening with Goodwin’s, New York’s premier department store and the basis of her family’s fortune. To her consternation, it’s been going down the pan since her father’s death thanks to her brother’s mis-management, and its place as THE place to shop has been taken by the impressive store across the street, one so famous that it doesn’t even have its name on a sign outside – because everyone knows Dalton’s.
At first, Beatrice doesn’t connect the name with her old love. At eighteen, Wes had next to nothing, so the thought that he could possibly have become one of the richest men in the city – the country, even – just doesn’t occur to her. Until she storms furiously into a meeting convened by her brother to discuss the sale of Goodwin’s – and comes face-to-face with Wes Dalton for the first time in sixteen years.
Wes has spent those sixteen years working towards getting his revenge on the Goodwins. His mantra is: “My name is Wes Dalton. You stole my love and insulted my honour. I have sworn revenge.”
(Did anyone else hear “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die” at that point?)
He’s poised to get the very thing he’s been working towards – to buy Goodwin’s and run it into the ground as his final revenge – but Beatrice’s return puts a large spoke in the wheel when she announces her plan to take over Goodwin’s and return it to its former glory as the number one shopping destination in New York.
From then on, the gloves are off, as Beatrice and Wes go head-to-head as business rivals. Beatrice has problems initially when many of the men on her staff won’t take instructions from her (grrrr) but comes up with a satisfactory solution to that – and very soon her drive and innovative ideas are pulling in the crowds like never before.
Wes is both irritated and fascinated by Beatrice; he admires the strong independent woman she has become, and is secretly pleased at having such a worthy opponent. He’s also just as strongly attracted to her now as he was all those years before, perhaps even moreso, and as it becomes clear that the same is true for Beatrice, they agree to an affair, to become “rivals by day, lovers by night.”
There’s no Big Mis in this story and no drawn-out angst; there’s nothing really stopping Wes and Beatrice from being together if they want to, but wanting to is the key. Beatrice married to please her parents and spent sixteen years in a loveless marriage, doing as she was told, stifled by convention and the life of an English duchess, and she has no wish to once again put herself under the control of a man. Her divorced status allows her a much larger degree of freedom than she’s ever had before, and it’s something she isn’t ready to give up and possibly won’t ever be. I enjoyed watching Beatrice gain confidence in her abilities as president of the store and also in the rekindling of her romance with Wes; she’s older and wiser and not afraid to ask for what she wants. Wes is a lovely hero – he’s witty and clever and caring, and eventually comes to realise that the last sixteen years haven’t been about revenge at all, and that really he’s been driven by the need to prove he’s good enough – for Beatrice, for society, for anyone who dismissed him before.
On the downside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Wes was more invested in the relationship than Beatrice was (there was one point where I thought she did something really shitty in order to steal a march on him) – he puts himself out there, but she’s not prepared to meet him even half-way, and while I understand why she was wary of committing again, in a romance novel, I like the hero and heroine to choose each other before anything else, and I’m not completely convinced Beatrice would have done that had the story not taken the direction it did. And while I’m on that subject; there’s a sub-plot running through the story about various acts of vandalism visited on Goodwin’s – the mirrors are smashed in the ladies’ room; the reading room is trashed – but the identity of the culprit is little more than an aside. I know this isn’t a mystery, but there was no time at all devoted to that storyline other than “this stuff happened” and then all we got was “this person did it.”
I enjoyed listening to Charlotte North in book one of this series, Duchess by Design, so I knew I’d was in safe hands with this one. Her performance is well paced, her enunciation is clear and her character differentiation is excellent; Beatrice’s friends in the Ladies of Liberty are easy to tell apart so there’s no confusion in their scenes together, and she portrays the male characters equally well, affecting a slight drop in pitch to portray Wes, giving Connor’s dialogue a sharper edge, and oozing condescending pomposity as Goodwin’s store manager, Mr. Stephens. The intensity she gives to Wes’ dialogue is very much in character, as is the way she conveys Beatrice’s backbone of steel and her determination to live life for herself.
An Heiress to Remember boasts a decent, though not especially memorable romance and an engaging, though not especially memorable central couple, hence a middling grade for the story. It’s an ‘okay’ historical, but not one I plan to return to.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals .
March 31, 2020
“All that mattered was this moment, here and now, and the promise of forever.”
His kisses were divine. The man of her dreams was holding her in his arms… Beatrice was in love… but there was a Duke waiting for her downstairs in the parlor. Good girls do what they are told. And, what they are told to do is to marry a Duke. They don’t marry the boy from the shop -especially the one owned by one’s father.
After 16 years, Beatrice is back in New York. This time as a divorced Duchess. Nothing she can do anymore is scandalous. Her whole life has been spent doing the right thing no matter the cost to herself. Isn’t it time she finds her own way to happiness?
Wes has found the girl of his dreams. Her kisses are divine. Unfortunately, there is a Duke downstairs. He begs her to run run away with him. But that’s not what good girls do, is it?
After 16 years, Wes has built the most successful department store in New York City. Even more successful than Beatrice’s family’s store. He has only one this on his mind. Revenge. He will buy the store and shut it down. Proving to them that he was worthy of her all those years ago. His plan is going brilliantly… until SHE walks back into his life. Then he must truly decide, does he want revenge or the woman he once knew.
I enjoyed the bits of historical detail sprinkled throughout An Heiress to Remember. The description of the department stores really helped to bring it to life. The late 1800s is such a magical era to read about. There was so much change and modernization going on that it creates a fun juxtaposition between the quaint old and the thrilling new. Carriages and cars. Women newly entering the working world. The opulence of The Gilded Age.
Overall, I really enjoyed An Heiress to Remember. There were a few lines that felt a bit contrived, but I was willing to overlook it for the sake of the story as a whole. I’m giving this book a 3.5/5
A big thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
His kisses were divine. The man of her dreams was holding her in his arms… Beatrice was in love… but there was a Duke waiting for her downstairs in the parlor. Good girls do what they are told. And, what they are told to do is to marry a Duke. They don’t marry the boy from the shop -especially the one owned by one’s father.
After 16 years, Beatrice is back in New York. This time as a divorced Duchess. Nothing she can do anymore is scandalous. Her whole life has been spent doing the right thing no matter the cost to herself. Isn’t it time she finds her own way to happiness?
Wes has found the girl of his dreams. Her kisses are divine. Unfortunately, there is a Duke downstairs. He begs her to run run away with him. But that’s not what good girls do, is it?
After 16 years, Wes has built the most successful department store in New York City. Even more successful than Beatrice’s family’s store. He has only one this on his mind. Revenge. He will buy the store and shut it down. Proving to them that he was worthy of her all those years ago. His plan is going brilliantly… until SHE walks back into his life. Then he must truly decide, does he want revenge or the woman he once knew.
I enjoyed the bits of historical detail sprinkled throughout An Heiress to Remember. The description of the department stores really helped to bring it to life. The late 1800s is such a magical era to read about. There was so much change and modernization going on that it creates a fun juxtaposition between the quaint old and the thrilling new. Carriages and cars. Women newly entering the working world. The opulence of The Gilded Age.
Overall, I really enjoyed An Heiress to Remember. There were a few lines that felt a bit contrived, but I was willing to overlook it for the sake of the story as a whole. I’m giving this book a 3.5/5
A big thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 24, 2020
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Young and in love with Wes Dalton, Beatrice Goodwin makes a decision that changes her life and sets Dalton on a journey to gain revenge. Years have passed since Wes asked her to run away with him and she has barely thought of him in the sixteen years she has been gone – but now she is back in New York, a scandalous divorcee who threw over a duke and dared to be her own woman. She is stunned to learn the poor boy she loved is now one of New York’s richest men and is trying to buy her family’s store – the store she has come back to run – the store that is to be her dream, her mission, her independence! Former love or not, there is no way Beatrice is going to surrender without a fight!
For sixteen long years, Wes Dalton has devoted his entire life to revenge against the woman who broke his heart and her family. He took the payoff her mother offered when she got engaged to the duke and turned it into an empire. He is now the third richest man in New York City and has a department store that is so well known, he doesn’t even have his name on the building. His crowning achievement is at hand – Edward Goodwin (Bea’s brother and current President of Goodwin’s) wants to sell the store and Dalton is going to buy it and destroy it. But his grand plans are thwarted when Bea sweeps in and says that she will not let Edward sell the store – she checked with a lawyer and it was clear in her father’s will that both she and her mother have to agree to a sale. She then takes things further and has her brother committed to get treatment for his drinking and takes over as President in his absence.
Dalton finds himself exhilarated by the prospect of going up against Bea and welcomes the competition. But soon he realizes that revenge was never what he really wanted and he needs to decide what he is willing to pay to get what he really wants. For her part, Bea will find herself and hopefully realize that her dreams and success won’t keep her warm at night or ward off loneliness before it’s too late and she is left with nothing.
I really enjoyed this story, I loved that they didn’t have a misunderstanding in their past – they both made choices and stood by them. I loved catching up with the Ladies of Liberty and I thought some of Bea’s stunts were awesome. I was rooting for her at the beginning and loved that she didn’t give up on her dream. And Wes – OMG – LOVED HIM, he was funny, smart and pretty much perfect. The book has a lot of emotion, a little intrigue, a villain I didn’t see coming, some steamy love scenes, some serious girl power and a very sweet HEA. My only complaint is I felt Bea held onto her past experience a little too long and had an all or nothing attitude – like there is no compromising when you love someone – it made her come off a bit selfish – but it all works out in the end. This is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I am happy to recommend this book and hope there are more installments to come!!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley/Edelweiss and the publisher.*
Young and in love with Wes Dalton, Beatrice Goodwin makes a decision that changes her life and sets Dalton on a journey to gain revenge. Years have passed since Wes asked her to run away with him and she has barely thought of him in the sixteen years she has been gone – but now she is back in New York, a scandalous divorcee who threw over a duke and dared to be her own woman. She is stunned to learn the poor boy she loved is now one of New York’s richest men and is trying to buy her family’s store – the store she has come back to run – the store that is to be her dream, her mission, her independence! Former love or not, there is no way Beatrice is going to surrender without a fight!
For sixteen long years, Wes Dalton has devoted his entire life to revenge against the woman who broke his heart and her family. He took the payoff her mother offered when she got engaged to the duke and turned it into an empire. He is now the third richest man in New York City and has a department store that is so well known, he doesn’t even have his name on the building. His crowning achievement is at hand – Edward Goodwin (Bea’s brother and current President of Goodwin’s) wants to sell the store and Dalton is going to buy it and destroy it. But his grand plans are thwarted when Bea sweeps in and says that she will not let Edward sell the store – she checked with a lawyer and it was clear in her father’s will that both she and her mother have to agree to a sale. She then takes things further and has her brother committed to get treatment for his drinking and takes over as President in his absence.
Dalton finds himself exhilarated by the prospect of going up against Bea and welcomes the competition. But soon he realizes that revenge was never what he really wanted and he needs to decide what he is willing to pay to get what he really wants. For her part, Bea will find herself and hopefully realize that her dreams and success won’t keep her warm at night or ward off loneliness before it’s too late and she is left with nothing.
I really enjoyed this story, I loved that they didn’t have a misunderstanding in their past – they both made choices and stood by them. I loved catching up with the Ladies of Liberty and I thought some of Bea’s stunts were awesome. I was rooting for her at the beginning and loved that she didn’t give up on her dream. And Wes – OMG – LOVED HIM, he was funny, smart and pretty much perfect. The book has a lot of emotion, a little intrigue, a villain I didn’t see coming, some steamy love scenes, some serious girl power and a very sweet HEA. My only complaint is I felt Bea held onto her past experience a little too long and had an all or nothing attitude – like there is no compromising when you love someone – it made her come off a bit selfish – but it all works out in the end. This is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I am happy to recommend this book and hope there are more installments to come!!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley/Edelweiss and the publisher.*
March 14, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up
Beatrice Goodwin did what was expected of a high society debutante: when asked, she married an English duke, forsaking her own young love. Now a scandalous divorcee, she's returned to Manhattan to find that her brother has nearly run their family business into the ground. Beatrice is determined to save Goodwin's Department Store and remake it as a haven for women. She's just as determined never to sell it to Wes Dalton, her former love and now her biggest rival.
Wes Dalton pulled himself up from the city's slums to possess one of the largest fortunes of the age, but he never forgot Beatrice, the girl who got away, whose parents deemed him to not be wealthy or consequential enough for their daughter. He's spent his life seeking his revenge and quietly destroying the Goodwins, but when Beatrice sweeps back into the city like a storm cloud, Wes is left in turmoil and more confused than ever.
Dalton's and Goodwin's become embroiled in a rivalry for most successful department store in the city and Wes relishes the challenge. The old heat that still flares between them won't stop their competition, even if they are lovers after hours, and when feelings grow stronger, they must both decide where their priorities lie.
I enjoyed this book in the long run, but I had several issues and mixed feelings about it. I'm all for girl power and women supporting women, but it got just a bit heavy-handed here and I think the shear emphasis on Beatrice's independence at the expense of everyone else's feelings took away from the romance and made her seem rather selfish, which she unabashedly admitted to being. I understood her motivations to prove herself, but I felt like she was just using Wes and stringing him along without regard for his feelings or his pain and I couldn't get behind that and really didn't care much for Beatrice. It also bothered me that she kept invoking her title as duchess, despite being divorced and despite the fact that she kept talking about how she was distancing herself from the duke. Wes was no peach either and made many mistakes, but I did like his vulnerability. I just wish we'd seen Beatrice show some of that same vulnerability when she was with Wes; I think that would've been more satisfying for me. Ultimately, I felt like Wes was emasculated a bit so that he and Beatrice could be together without her making any sort of compromise and I think that made the romance here feel forced and stilted. I just didn't really feel the love between them and I also think the mystery aspect here deserved more than it got in the end considering the build up.
Overall I would've liked to see more of Wes and Beatrice growing together, since the majority of the book was spent with them firmly at each other's throats. Her relationship with Wes definitely took a backseat to the rivalry and business aspects of the story, but it is very well done on a challenging topic to tackle. Despite my issues with it, this book was well-written and it's always nice to see some girl power in a historical. I'm looking forward to more installments in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
Beatrice Goodwin did what was expected of a high society debutante: when asked, she married an English duke, forsaking her own young love. Now a scandalous divorcee, she's returned to Manhattan to find that her brother has nearly run their family business into the ground. Beatrice is determined to save Goodwin's Department Store and remake it as a haven for women. She's just as determined never to sell it to Wes Dalton, her former love and now her biggest rival.
Wes Dalton pulled himself up from the city's slums to possess one of the largest fortunes of the age, but he never forgot Beatrice, the girl who got away, whose parents deemed him to not be wealthy or consequential enough for their daughter. He's spent his life seeking his revenge and quietly destroying the Goodwins, but when Beatrice sweeps back into the city like a storm cloud, Wes is left in turmoil and more confused than ever.
Dalton's and Goodwin's become embroiled in a rivalry for most successful department store in the city and Wes relishes the challenge. The old heat that still flares between them won't stop their competition, even if they are lovers after hours, and when feelings grow stronger, they must both decide where their priorities lie.
I enjoyed this book in the long run, but I had several issues and mixed feelings about it. I'm all for girl power and women supporting women, but it got just a bit heavy-handed here and I think the shear emphasis on Beatrice's independence at the expense of everyone else's feelings took away from the romance and made her seem rather selfish, which she unabashedly admitted to being. I understood her motivations to prove herself, but I felt like she was just using Wes and stringing him along without regard for his feelings or his pain and I couldn't get behind that and really didn't care much for Beatrice. It also bothered me that she kept invoking her title as duchess, despite being divorced and despite the fact that she kept talking about how she was distancing herself from the duke. Wes was no peach either and made many mistakes, but I did like his vulnerability. I just wish we'd seen Beatrice show some of that same vulnerability when she was with Wes; I think that would've been more satisfying for me. Ultimately, I felt like Wes was emasculated a bit so that he and Beatrice could be together without her making any sort of compromise and I think that made the romance here feel forced and stilted. I just didn't really feel the love between them and I also think the mystery aspect here deserved more than it got in the end considering the build up.
Overall I would've liked to see more of Wes and Beatrice growing together, since the majority of the book was spent with them firmly at each other's throats. Her relationship with Wes definitely took a backseat to the rivalry and business aspects of the story, but it is very well done on a challenging topic to tackle. Despite my issues with it, this book was well-written and it's always nice to see some girl power in a historical. I'm looking forward to more installments in this series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...
March 22, 2020
I had read the previous book in this series and was eager to get to this one.
I loved Beatrice and Dalton. I loved their backstory and how each has thought about the other while they were apart. I loved how dedicated and passionate she was for the store and how steadfast he was for her.
Plot wise it was good. I enjoyed the story of a woman building a store with women for women. There’s a lot of modern thinking and I was here for all of it. I will say that I wanted more of Beatrice and Dalton together and talking. They fell into the “rivals by day, lovers by night” sort of quickly and then it seems the conversation was a bit lacking.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read and if there’s more to the series, I’ll be reading it.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Beatrice and Dalton. I loved their backstory and how each has thought about the other while they were apart. I loved how dedicated and passionate she was for the store and how steadfast he was for her.
Plot wise it was good. I enjoyed the story of a woman building a store with women for women. There’s a lot of modern thinking and I was here for all of it. I will say that I wanted more of Beatrice and Dalton together and talking. They fell into the “rivals by day, lovers by night” sort of quickly and then it seems the conversation was a bit lacking.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read and if there’s more to the series, I’ll be reading it.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
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March 27, 2022Review also available at The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: They may think they’re each meeting fire with fire but really they’re just one big sexy inferno
Character Chemistry: I wanted them to get there so, so badly and audibly said “YES!” when they did.
Plot: Two unstoppable titans of business come head to head across the street from one another -- he, the self-made man determined to destroy her family’s business and she, the wiser, stronger, natural-born leader of her family’s empire.
Overall: If you want to walk away from a steamy romance standing taller and looking deeply satisfied, you should definitely read this.
Stop reorganizing your drawers, my fellow quarantined smut readers. I have your next distraction.
This might not be a surprise for people who have read the rest of the Gilded Age series by Maya Rodale, but I had not. So picture me delightfully bewildered when I found this on my ARC list.
This book is a historical romance, but it’s just incredibly fresh and fun. Essentially, Beatrice Goodwin arrives home after her disastrous marriage and subsequent divorce only to find that her idiot brother has nearly bankrupted their family’s department store. Through a loophole, she manages to stop the sale of the store and take the reins--but in doing so comes face-to-face with her first love and now enemy, Wes Dalton.
Sexy Wes, as I like to call him, was left brokenhearted when Beatrice was pushed to marry. He’s determined to become the man who wasn’t good enough for Beatrice and ruin Goodwin’s Department Store. However, Beatrice turns out to be an absolute badass of business and also, they’re like, right across the street from each other so you tell me how long you think they walk that fine line between hate and you-know-what. (Hint: it’s not very long. You’ll be very grateful for this.)
This book is such an empowering and fun read. I swear, I spent the whole time cheering for Beatrice. She’s just so strong and capable, and she’s clearly grabbed her destiny by the throat and isn’t backing down. I don’t know, I just found it irresistible. Plus, if you like a good “boss babe crew” vibe, this one has it. No spoilers, because I genuinely could not figure out how this mess was going to end up resolved, but I couldn’t believe how beautifully Rodale tied everything up. It’s truly satisfying, and she stayed true to her characters.
I couldn’t pick another book up for a few days after reading this, I loved it so much. Drop your clorox wipes and get to reading!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Heat Factor: They may think they’re each meeting fire with fire but really they’re just one big sexy inferno
Character Chemistry: I wanted them to get there so, so badly and audibly said “YES!” when they did.
Plot: Two unstoppable titans of business come head to head across the street from one another -- he, the self-made man determined to destroy her family’s business and she, the wiser, stronger, natural-born leader of her family’s empire.
Overall: If you want to walk away from a steamy romance standing taller and looking deeply satisfied, you should definitely read this.
Stop reorganizing your drawers, my fellow quarantined smut readers. I have your next distraction.
This might not be a surprise for people who have read the rest of the Gilded Age series by Maya Rodale, but I had not. So picture me delightfully bewildered when I found this on my ARC list.
This book is a historical romance, but it’s just incredibly fresh and fun. Essentially, Beatrice Goodwin arrives home after her disastrous marriage and subsequent divorce only to find that her idiot brother has nearly bankrupted their family’s department store. Through a loophole, she manages to stop the sale of the store and take the reins--but in doing so comes face-to-face with her first love and now enemy, Wes Dalton.
Sexy Wes, as I like to call him, was left brokenhearted when Beatrice was pushed to marry. He’s determined to become the man who wasn’t good enough for Beatrice and ruin Goodwin’s Department Store. However, Beatrice turns out to be an absolute badass of business and also, they’re like, right across the street from each other so you tell me how long you think they walk that fine line between hate and you-know-what. (Hint: it’s not very long. You’ll be very grateful for this.)
This book is such an empowering and fun read. I swear, I spent the whole time cheering for Beatrice. She’s just so strong and capable, and she’s clearly grabbed her destiny by the throat and isn’t backing down. I don’t know, I just found it irresistible. Plus, if you like a good “boss babe crew” vibe, this one has it. No spoilers, because I genuinely could not figure out how this mess was going to end up resolved, but I couldn’t believe how beautifully Rodale tied everything up. It’s truly satisfying, and she stayed true to her characters.
I couldn’t pick another book up for a few days after reading this, I loved it so much. Drop your clorox wipes and get to reading!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
December 16, 2019
I'm a long-time Maya Rodale fan, and this title didn't disappoint. The story takes place during the Golden Age of NYC, and is essentially a love letter to every woman who wants to find the love of her life, and still report in for work on the following Monday.
Beatrice is driven, with nothing left to lose after successfully divorcing an English duke.
Wes is the Irish immigrant who worked his way to success through guts and good instincts.
They work well together in the best ways we should expect from our romances. Neither has to lessen themselves to fit in the relationship. They support and challenge one another to be healthier, wiser, and more honest.
But the best part of this book for me (I'm a history nerd), was the intimate way it highlighted the marketing and sales in department stores during the Golden Age. Simple concepts we take for granted, such as a woman's restroom, were unheard of once upon a time. Rodale puts her heroine at the front line of innovation, building Ladies bathrooms in her store, thus allowing the women of NYC to comfortably leave their homes for long periods of time. All of this is historically accurate, and should shed light upon the conditions our foremothers operated within while they championed for equal rights.
Here we are over 150 years later, still fighting for pockets in our clothes, childcare in our workplaces, and equal pay. So, no--our work isn't done yet. But this book, while being a wonderful love story, also shows us that brilliant women have come before us.
Beatrice is driven, with nothing left to lose after successfully divorcing an English duke.
Wes is the Irish immigrant who worked his way to success through guts and good instincts.
They work well together in the best ways we should expect from our romances. Neither has to lessen themselves to fit in the relationship. They support and challenge one another to be healthier, wiser, and more honest.
But the best part of this book for me (I'm a history nerd), was the intimate way it highlighted the marketing and sales in department stores during the Golden Age. Simple concepts we take for granted, such as a woman's restroom, were unheard of once upon a time. Rodale puts her heroine at the front line of innovation, building Ladies bathrooms in her store, thus allowing the women of NYC to comfortably leave their homes for long periods of time. All of this is historically accurate, and should shed light upon the conditions our foremothers operated within while they championed for equal rights.
Here we are over 150 years later, still fighting for pockets in our clothes, childcare in our workplaces, and equal pay. So, no--our work isn't done yet. But this book, while being a wonderful love story, also shows us that brilliant women have come before us.
March 17, 2020
Technically, it's a historical romance novel but it feels more like modern fiction. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it is being advertised as a historical romance. The writing style is very quirky, but that may be due to the fact that I read an unedited ARC.
Positives:
I really hate to say this, but none. There wasn't a single thing about this book that I liked.
Negatives:
Oh boy. Where do I start?
In chapter 8, the storyline escalates rather quickly. I wish that I could have read it as it happened rather than a summary in a few sentences.
Then there's this gem that's repeated multiple times: "My name is Wes Dalton. You stole my heart and insulted my honor. I have sworn revenge" is oddly similar to Ingo Montoya's line in the Princess Bride. This line is repeated as a mantra just like in the Princess Bride.
The characters as a whole felt flat and one dimensional. No descriptions of any of them outside of hair and eye color for Wes.
Then there's the politics... wow. This book contains A LOT of feminism ideals. The main character is constantly whining and complaining about her station in life. To sum it up: "It's because I'm a woman! Woe is me!". There's just so much constant negativity.
Then there's the all men are bad narrative. According to this author, men are evil and condescending. It's beyond strange that a romance novel lacks one likable male character.
To top that off, there's the rich people are awful and evil narrative. How dare rich people actually be rich? 😓 That is a rather grand stereotype to mark every rich person as evil. It's pretty ironic as well given that the author and publisher will become rich from selling the very book that calls the rich evil.
I understand that some people believe these narratives and have these viewpoints. That is totally fine. My problem with this book is that it's advertised as a historical romance, not as a biased, political nightmare. The publisher should have advertised it correctly.
Honestly, this book had promise but failed short of everything but a new wave feminist manifesto. The most disappointing part was that there wasn't a romance at all. I'm very surprised that I managed to finish it at all.
Positives:
I really hate to say this, but none. There wasn't a single thing about this book that I liked.
Negatives:
Oh boy. Where do I start?
In chapter 8, the storyline escalates rather quickly. I wish that I could have read it as it happened rather than a summary in a few sentences.
Then there's this gem that's repeated multiple times: "My name is Wes Dalton. You stole my heart and insulted my honor. I have sworn revenge" is oddly similar to Ingo Montoya's line in the Princess Bride. This line is repeated as a mantra just like in the Princess Bride.
The characters as a whole felt flat and one dimensional. No descriptions of any of them outside of hair and eye color for Wes.
Then there's the politics... wow. This book contains A LOT of feminism ideals. The main character is constantly whining and complaining about her station in life. To sum it up: "It's because I'm a woman! Woe is me!". There's just so much constant negativity.
Then there's the all men are bad narrative. According to this author, men are evil and condescending. It's beyond strange that a romance novel lacks one likable male character.
To top that off, there's the rich people are awful and evil narrative. How dare rich people actually be rich? 😓 That is a rather grand stereotype to mark every rich person as evil. It's pretty ironic as well given that the author and publisher will become rich from selling the very book that calls the rich evil.
I understand that some people believe these narratives and have these viewpoints. That is totally fine. My problem with this book is that it's advertised as a historical romance, not as a biased, political nightmare. The publisher should have advertised it correctly.
Honestly, this book had promise but failed short of everything but a new wave feminist manifesto. The most disappointing part was that there wasn't a romance at all. I'm very surprised that I managed to finish it at all.
March 26, 2020
This was disappointing after how much I enjoyed Some Like It Scandalous. I was looking for a story where a woman finds her independence and love, in a time period where those things are often opposed. There was so much potential with this plot and characters but just fell flat for me.
Full review: https://leychaton.wordpress.com/2020/...
Full review: https://leychaton.wordpress.com/2020/...
March 9, 2020
An Heiress to Remember
Series: The Gilded Age Girls Club-Book 3
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.
This is a story about a second chance at romance. Wes Dalton and Beatrice Goodwin were in love when they were young, but Beatrice was told by her parents to marry a duke. This broke Wes' heart and decided to accept the money her parents gave him to go away. Sixteen years later and they meet again as department store rivals. He built an empire and she is trying to save her family's legacy. He's determined to have his revenge against her family by buying her struggling store. Beatrice is determined to prevent this from happening, but at the same time old feelings begin to resurface between them.
I liked the story, but I felt that it was missing the romance of them falling in love again or is it for the first time? One of the things that stuck with me was that Beatrice mentions that during those years she barely thought about him. Why? Wasn't he her first love?
For Dalton, those 16 years were full of revenge plans to get back at her family. He was hurt by her leaving to become a duchess and hence his plans to get back at her family. So for Wes, feelings for her were always present. Wes a better character for me than Beatrice. When he realizes that his revenge plans are moot, he does his best to protect and support Beatrice. Sadly she sees this as a weakness if she accepts.
One of the things I liked about the story was Beatrice's ability to re-build her store with the support of so many women. These group of women were so smart and willing to help each other.
Overall I was more of a fan of the history of how women slowly began to build their own empires than the romance between Beatrice and Wes.
Series: The Gilded Age Girls Club-Book 3
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.
This is a story about a second chance at romance. Wes Dalton and Beatrice Goodwin were in love when they were young, but Beatrice was told by her parents to marry a duke. This broke Wes' heart and decided to accept the money her parents gave him to go away. Sixteen years later and they meet again as department store rivals. He built an empire and she is trying to save her family's legacy. He's determined to have his revenge against her family by buying her struggling store. Beatrice is determined to prevent this from happening, but at the same time old feelings begin to resurface between them.
I liked the story, but I felt that it was missing the romance of them falling in love again or is it for the first time? One of the things that stuck with me was that Beatrice mentions that during those years she barely thought about him. Why? Wasn't he her first love?
For Dalton, those 16 years were full of revenge plans to get back at her family. He was hurt by her leaving to become a duchess and hence his plans to get back at her family. So for Wes, feelings for her were always present. Wes a better character for me than Beatrice. When he realizes that his revenge plans are moot, he does his best to protect and support Beatrice. Sadly she sees this as a weakness if she accepts.
One of the things I liked about the story was Beatrice's ability to re-build her store with the support of so many women. These group of women were so smart and willing to help each other.
Overall I was more of a fan of the history of how women slowly began to build their own empires than the romance between Beatrice and Wes.
April 9, 2020
Loved it! A fresh take on the second chance romance. Beatrice is a DIVORCED (!!!) Duchess who returns to New York to find two surprises: her family’s department store is failing, and her former lover, Wes, is operating a super successful store of his own. Beatrice is a whirlwind, turning her family’s business around by creating a place where women feel wanted and supported. At night, she and Wes embark on a sexual relationship, but will their competition get in the way of their romance?
This is definitely not a traditional romance, even though it has an HEA. I really enjoyed the twists that Rodale added, making the story feel modern, especially since the late 1800s was a time of social upheaval, especially for women. Definitely a recommended read.
This is definitely not a traditional romance, even though it has an HEA. I really enjoyed the twists that Rodale added, making the story feel modern, especially since the late 1800s was a time of social upheaval, especially for women. Definitely a recommended read.
November 16, 2019
Beatrice is quite saucy, “well, if you are impressed then I must have done something spectacular,” she quipped.." Dalton is learning to just listen to his woman, “shut up, Dalton. I don’t care about your store. Keep kissing me.” Dalton kissed her." I liked this book, I liked that Beatrice was a spitfire that kept Dalton on his toes.
January 3, 2022
My first read by this author, and I enjoyed it. Clever and cute story.
July 14, 2021
This book bored me. I’m a super staunch feminist but I don’t need it preached to me every other paragraph. The romance reading audience rarely needs to be preached at about feminism.
The book is also rather unimaginative and just plainly doesn’t make sense in some parts. Two examples of this:
- Beatrice chose to marry a duke instead of running away with Dalton, who later accepted money from her parents to stay away from her. When Beatrice learns of this, she immediately thinks he was only ever after her money and hates him for it. Like ???? GIRL WHAT? You’re the one who left. You chose another man over him. And now you heap your insecurities on to a man just trying to make his way in the world without you? Get out.
- Dalton accuses Beatrice of poaching his employees when all she did was put out ads that she was hiring in front of her own store. She offered a higher salary. OF COURSE his employees would leave. That’s not poaching.
In this book, Dalton mentions that his is the first & only revolving door in Manhattan. Adeline basically invents the “fashion show”. I hate when authors make their characters the ‘first’ at something in history. It feels like it takes away from the real human beings who were the actual firsts. At least in Lisa Kleypas’s Hello Stranger she acknowledges England’s first female doctor in her Author’s Note. Maya Rodale does not.
Also, Dalton’s Inigo Montoya-esque line is SO. ANNOYING. Especially on audio. I rolled my eyes so hard throughout the entire book. If I didn't listen to the audiobook at 2.6x speed, this book definitely would've been an even lower starred DNF.
This was my first Maya Rodale and didn’t make the best impression. Maybe I’ll give her regencies a chance but I don’t think I’ll be coming back to this author for a while.
The book is also rather unimaginative and just plainly doesn’t make sense in some parts. Two examples of this:
- Beatrice chose to marry a duke instead of running away with Dalton, who later accepted money from her parents to stay away from her. When Beatrice learns of this, she immediately thinks he was only ever after her money and hates him for it. Like ???? GIRL WHAT? You’re the one who left. You chose another man over him. And now you heap your insecurities on to a man just trying to make his way in the world without you? Get out.
- Dalton accuses Beatrice of poaching his employees when all she did was put out ads that she was hiring in front of her own store. She offered a higher salary. OF COURSE his employees would leave. That’s not poaching.
In this book, Dalton mentions that his is the first & only revolving door in Manhattan. Adeline basically invents the “fashion show”. I hate when authors make their characters the ‘first’ at something in history. It feels like it takes away from the real human beings who were the actual firsts. At least in Lisa Kleypas’s Hello Stranger she acknowledges England’s first female doctor in her Author’s Note. Maya Rodale does not.
Also, Dalton’s Inigo Montoya-esque line is SO. ANNOYING. Especially on audio. I rolled my eyes so hard throughout the entire book. If I didn't listen to the audiobook at 2.6x speed, this book definitely would've been an even lower starred DNF.
This was my first Maya Rodale and didn’t make the best impression. Maybe I’ll give her regencies a chance but I don’t think I’ll be coming back to this author for a while.
July 2, 2020
I voluntary reviewed this ARC after receiving a free gifted copy.
Beatrice and Dalton love and romance story is certainly not your conventional love story in this book. Both characters had a lot of growing up to do in their time apart from one another when they were young. During this separation the writer allowed the reader to view the trials of family and heartache both Dalton and Beatrice experienced. When the two finally did come together, the writer really wanted the readers to see how much Beatrice leaving Dalton made him feel. While Dalton was feeling anger for revenge, Beatrice was in search of the woman of who she knew that she could be. The writer chose the write era to place this story at the time when women started speaking up more and making themselves more visible in the predominantly male world of business. Beatrice had to find a way to succeed and she did. She had to think like the duchess that she is. The details of the story gave good visualization of the stores and what the characters wore. Even how their facial expressions appeared after a comment or a phrase.
Beatrice and Dalton love and romance story is certainly not your conventional love story in this book. Both characters had a lot of growing up to do in their time apart from one another when they were young. During this separation the writer allowed the reader to view the trials of family and heartache both Dalton and Beatrice experienced. When the two finally did come together, the writer really wanted the readers to see how much Beatrice leaving Dalton made him feel. While Dalton was feeling anger for revenge, Beatrice was in search of the woman of who she knew that she could be. The writer chose the write era to place this story at the time when women started speaking up more and making themselves more visible in the predominantly male world of business. Beatrice had to find a way to succeed and she did. She had to think like the duchess that she is. The details of the story gave good visualization of the stores and what the characters wore. Even how their facial expressions appeared after a comment or a phrase.
May 27, 2020
Love was much, much sweeter than revenge.
Beatrice and Dalton are both forces to be reckoned with. This lovely pairing used to be together in hiding in their youth since Beatrice's family was of a high ranking, and Dalton was not. When Dalton suggests for them to escape and start their lives, Beatrice knows she will lose everything so she decides to marry the man her family chose for her. Years later, Beatrice returns to her hometown as a widow to find out that Dalton has built a department story that rivals her family's story and could very well drive their business to the ground.
He didn't want her anymore. He wanted revenge and he wanted it more than anything.
This story was beyond entertaining. I enjoyed Beatrice and Dalton's antics. Both were dead-set on destroying the other, and would try to accomplish it, but sometimes feelings would slowly resurface and would make them question this rivalry.
I loved the female representation. Despite it being the Gilded Age, Beatrice wasn't letting any man look down on her nor on the females in her town. I loved how they all banded together and fought for their rights.
One would be wise to never underestimate two women united in their purpose, especially if it involved thwarting a man.
Overall, An Heiress to Remember is certainly a memorable, entertaining, loving story that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.
Beatrice and Dalton are both forces to be reckoned with. This lovely pairing used to be together in hiding in their youth since Beatrice's family was of a high ranking, and Dalton was not. When Dalton suggests for them to escape and start their lives, Beatrice knows she will lose everything so she decides to marry the man her family chose for her. Years later, Beatrice returns to her hometown as a widow to find out that Dalton has built a department story that rivals her family's story and could very well drive their business to the ground.
He didn't want her anymore. He wanted revenge and he wanted it more than anything.
This story was beyond entertaining. I enjoyed Beatrice and Dalton's antics. Both were dead-set on destroying the other, and would try to accomplish it, but sometimes feelings would slowly resurface and would make them question this rivalry.
I loved the female representation. Despite it being the Gilded Age, Beatrice wasn't letting any man look down on her nor on the females in her town. I loved how they all banded together and fought for their rights.
One would be wise to never underestimate two women united in their purpose, especially if it involved thwarting a man.
Overall, An Heiress to Remember is certainly a memorable, entertaining, loving story that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.
March 13, 2020
I am a big fan of Maya Rodale, who writes sweet and lighthearted historical romance, and it continues in this final Gilded Age Girls novel, An Heiress to Remember. I enjoy the whole New York, hard-working women seeking to change the face of ‘traditional’ female occupations. I love that Maya takes the true history, female empowerment elements, like dresses with pockets or cosmetic development and blends them into her stories.
Beatrice Goodwin is also an interesting character because she is a tad older than the majority of historical romance heroines. At 36 years old, she would be considered ancient compared to most other novel’s heroines. This is an enemy to lovers’ story, with Beatrice’s first teenage love Wes Dalton. A man with no wealth or standing whose heart is broken when Beatrice marries a duke. Over the years his anger drives him to build a shopping empire to rival that of Beatrice’s family until he can bankrupt them into poverty.
Of course, Beatrice is now divorced and not letting her family’s business go down without a fight, all the while rekindling the relationship with Wes, her industry rival.
An Heiress To Remember is cute, fun and peppered with interesting Gilded Age trivia. It is always interesting to see how the work force has changed for women.
I received an ARC to post a review for one of my favourite authors, Maya Rodale!
Beatrice Goodwin is also an interesting character because she is a tad older than the majority of historical romance heroines. At 36 years old, she would be considered ancient compared to most other novel’s heroines. This is an enemy to lovers’ story, with Beatrice’s first teenage love Wes Dalton. A man with no wealth or standing whose heart is broken when Beatrice marries a duke. Over the years his anger drives him to build a shopping empire to rival that of Beatrice’s family until he can bankrupt them into poverty.
Of course, Beatrice is now divorced and not letting her family’s business go down without a fight, all the while rekindling the relationship with Wes, her industry rival.
An Heiress To Remember is cute, fun and peppered with interesting Gilded Age trivia. It is always interesting to see how the work force has changed for women.
I received an ARC to post a review for one of my favourite authors, Maya Rodale!
March 31, 2020
An Heiress To Remember had plenty of food for thought and was an unexpected treasure! Whether it was gaining that much desired second chance to discover one’s self or taking another risk at a thing called love, Wes and Beatrice were characters anyone could relate to, regardless of era and gender, because they struggled with the same issues many of us still struggle with today. Highly recommend this one!
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley and this is my honest review.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley and this is my honest review.
April 11, 2020
Heavy-handed plotting, and plodding story made for a meh read. Little character development and poor style. Really aggravating contemporary writing made. For. Annoying. Sentence. Structure. Also, typos and dropped words and wrong words were distracting. The overall feminism slant seemed to fall flat. This book just tried too hard to make a simple point.
April 24, 2020
Check out our AN HEIRESS TO REMEMBER post on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Spoiler-Free Review
An Heiress to Remember is the third installment of the Gilded Age Girls Club. Can it be read as a standalone or out of series order? Yes, I believe the reader wouldn't be confused. While connected via the setting and a core group of characters, the story itself is self-contained within the novel, featuring our hero and heroine.
After reading so many historical romances set in England, it's been refreshing to read a series of novels set in New York City during the gilded age. The mindsets of the characters, what they found necessary in the era, and the rules of society are vastly different than across the Atlantic. A refreshing change.
I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, made extra tasty when the narrators have a history that shifts the story into second-chance romance. The angst has the pages clicking by at a rapid rate, because I need to know what happens next. The interactions between Beatrice and Wes were intoxicating.
Beatrice is a strong, independent heroine, righting wrongs of the past, that she has surely paid the consequences dearly. Beatrice is one of the strongest, most independent heroines I've read to-date, her actions befitting a more contemporary novel. After sixteen years abroad, after ending a marriage to an English Duke, Beatrice returns to New York City, directly in Wes's path. She is hard pressed to save her family's failing company, attempting to keep it from bankruptcy.
As the third richest man in New York City, Wes wants nothing to do with Beatrice either. He wasn't good enough for Beatrice sixteen years ago, pride bent. He wants nothing to do with someone who only sees him for his monetary worth, especially now that he's a self-made wealthy man.
While Wes and Beatrice dance around their connection to one another, hurts slowly soothing, the enemies-to-lovers premise isn't cruel. There's a slight mischievousness, humorous bent, making their interactions intoxicating instead of frustrating. There's a slow-burn feel to their second-chance romance, as they work through their issues.
There is a perfect balance, where it isn't Wes coming to Beatrice's rescue. The man riding in to save the day, where the woman is beholden to him for life. Beatrice is meant to be an equal to all men, especially Wes.
As a self-professed feminist, even I felt Beatrice's monologues a bit much, how it was almost to a narcissistic degree, where she only thought of her own feelings and no one else. I understand the stubborn need, and the concept of why should the woman put herself last when men always put themselves first, but she gave no quarter ever. I felt this a bit too contemporary of a mindset for the era. Regardless of the gender, it just comes off as selfish and stubborn when that seems to be the only thing the character is mulling over nonstop.
The slight hiccup aside, I highly recommend to fans of Maya Rodale. The author is at the top of my historical favorites list, and I cannot wait to see what more is in store for readers in the future.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
March 22, 2020
I received a free copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
5 Stars
Spoiler-Free Review
An Heiress to Remember is the third installment of the Gilded Age Girls Club. Can it be read as as standalone or out of series order? Yes, I believe the reader wouldn't be confused. While connected via the setting and a core group of characters, the story itself is self-contained within the novel, featuring our hero and heroine.
After reading so many historical romances set in England, it's been refreshing to read a series of novels set in New York City during the gilded age. The mindsets of the characters, what they found necessary in the era, and the rules of society are vastly different than across the Atlantic. A refreshing change.
I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, made extra tasty when the narrators have a history that shifts the story into second-chance romance. The angst has the pages clicking by at a rapid rate, because I need to know what happens next. The interactions between Beatrice and Wes were intoxicating.
Beatrice is a strong, independent heroine, righting wrongs of the past, that she has surely paid the consequences dearly. Beatrice is one of the strongest, most independent heroines I've read to-date, her actions befitting a more contemporary novel. After sixteen years abroad, after ending a marriage to an English Duke, Beatrice returns to NYC, directly in Wes's path. She is hardpressed to save her family's failing company, attempting to keep it from bankruptcy.
As the third richest man in NYC, Wes wants nothing to do with Beatrice either. He wasn't good enough for Beatrice sixteen years ago, pride bent. He wants nothing to do with someone who only sees him for his monetary worth, especially now that he's a self-made wealthy man.
While Wes and Beatrice dance around their connection to one another, hurts slowly soothing, the enemies-to-lovers premise isn't cruel. There's a slight mischievousness, humorous bent, making their interactions intoxicating instead of frustrating. There's a slow-burn feel to their second-chance romance, as they work through their issues.
There is a perfect balance, where it isn't Wes coming to Beatrice's rescue. The man riding in to save the day, where the woman is beholden to him for life. Beatrice is meant to be an equal to all men, especially Wes.
As a self-professed feminist, even I felt Beatrice's monologues a bit much, how it was almost to a narcissistic degree, where she only thought of her own feelings and no one else. I understand the stubborn need, and the concept of why should the woman put herself last when men always put themselves first, but she gave no quarter ever. I felt this a bit too contemporary of a mindset for the era. Regardless of the gender, it just comes off as selfish and stubborn when that seems to be the only thing the character is mulling over nonstop.
The slight hiccup aside, I highly recommend to fans of Maya Rodale. The author is at the top of my historical favorites list, and I cannot wait to see what more is in store for readers in the future.
5 Stars
Spoiler-Free Review
An Heiress to Remember is the third installment of the Gilded Age Girls Club. Can it be read as as standalone or out of series order? Yes, I believe the reader wouldn't be confused. While connected via the setting and a core group of characters, the story itself is self-contained within the novel, featuring our hero and heroine.
After reading so many historical romances set in England, it's been refreshing to read a series of novels set in New York City during the gilded age. The mindsets of the characters, what they found necessary in the era, and the rules of society are vastly different than across the Atlantic. A refreshing change.
I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, made extra tasty when the narrators have a history that shifts the story into second-chance romance. The angst has the pages clicking by at a rapid rate, because I need to know what happens next. The interactions between Beatrice and Wes were intoxicating.
Beatrice is a strong, independent heroine, righting wrongs of the past, that she has surely paid the consequences dearly. Beatrice is one of the strongest, most independent heroines I've read to-date, her actions befitting a more contemporary novel. After sixteen years abroad, after ending a marriage to an English Duke, Beatrice returns to NYC, directly in Wes's path. She is hardpressed to save her family's failing company, attempting to keep it from bankruptcy.
As the third richest man in NYC, Wes wants nothing to do with Beatrice either. He wasn't good enough for Beatrice sixteen years ago, pride bent. He wants nothing to do with someone who only sees him for his monetary worth, especially now that he's a self-made wealthy man.
While Wes and Beatrice dance around their connection to one another, hurts slowly soothing, the enemies-to-lovers premise isn't cruel. There's a slight mischievousness, humorous bent, making their interactions intoxicating instead of frustrating. There's a slow-burn feel to their second-chance romance, as they work through their issues.
There is a perfect balance, where it isn't Wes coming to Beatrice's rescue. The man riding in to save the day, where the woman is beholden to him for life. Beatrice is meant to be an equal to all men, especially Wes.
As a self-professed feminist, even I felt Beatrice's monologues a bit much, how it was almost to a narcissistic degree, where she only thought of her own feelings and no one else. I understand the stubborn need, and the concept of why should the woman put herself last when men always put themselves first, but she gave no quarter ever. I felt this a bit too contemporary of a mindset for the era. Regardless of the gender, it just comes off as selfish and stubborn when that seems to be the only thing the character is mulling over nonstop.
The slight hiccup aside, I highly recommend to fans of Maya Rodale. The author is at the top of my historical favorites list, and I cannot wait to see what more is in store for readers in the future.
April 10, 2020
The story surrounding Wes and Beatrice. while sweet, really seems to lack the emotional grit of its predecessors in the series.
Because while one could sympathize with both the plights of Beatrice and Wes after the most unfortunate ending of their love affair. Due to Beatrice's prescribed marriage to the duke of her family's dreams.
Neither her languishing in an English castle for 16 years. In the loveless marriage that her parents paid for.
Nor his meteoric rise to mercantile superstardom. (A fate also seeded by capital provided by her parents.)
Seems to have either of the two suffering lives all that worse for wear.
Although the point must be conceded that readers are never made fully aware of the goings on between Miss Goodwin and her duke.
But what we are to understand in no uncertain terms about the union is that:
1. It was never a love match.
2. It ended in divorce.
3. For better or worse it was what in so many ways helped to shape both Beatrice and Dalton into the people that they later come to be.
As to Beatrice's fight to best the man that would have bought her family's business.
Well...
Aside from the fact that taking charge of things there was a matter of little more than:
1. Consulting a lawyer to find out about her right to challenge the sale of a business that no one wants.
2. Sending her alcoholic brother to treatment.
3. Firing and rehiring new staff at her the family store.
4. Running the business as a business and not just treating it like some turn key cash cow. That is way past its prime.
But given the fact that she had privilege, money, intelligence, and the support of a society of like minded women.
Her success in the matter becomes little more tan a foregone conclusion.
Lastly...
There is the matter of the second chance, rival to romantic, relationship with Wes.
Which one also comes to realize after the first moment that he sees her across a crowded sales floor, is indeed a foregone conclusion.
The very clandestine tristes that serve to bring Wes and Beatrice together passionately. Occur a bit later than the usual 50% of novels of this genre. But prove nonetheless worth the wait.
Rounding things out splendidly and making up quite nicely for the decided lack of true conflict. The feminist bent that winds its way from beginning to end of the read.
Giving a much deserved pat on the back to the trials and tribulations of working women. Both past and present.
Because while one could sympathize with both the plights of Beatrice and Wes after the most unfortunate ending of their love affair. Due to Beatrice's prescribed marriage to the duke of her family's dreams.
Neither her languishing in an English castle for 16 years. In the loveless marriage that her parents paid for.
Nor his meteoric rise to mercantile superstardom. (A fate also seeded by capital provided by her parents.)
Seems to have either of the two suffering lives all that worse for wear.
Although the point must be conceded that readers are never made fully aware of the goings on between Miss Goodwin and her duke.
But what we are to understand in no uncertain terms about the union is that:
1. It was never a love match.
2. It ended in divorce.
3. For better or worse it was what in so many ways helped to shape both Beatrice and Dalton into the people that they later come to be.
As to Beatrice's fight to best the man that would have bought her family's business.
Well...
Aside from the fact that taking charge of things there was a matter of little more than:
1. Consulting a lawyer to find out about her right to challenge the sale of a business that no one wants.
2. Sending her alcoholic brother to treatment.
3. Firing and rehiring new staff at her the family store.
4. Running the business as a business and not just treating it like some turn key cash cow. That is way past its prime.
But given the fact that she had privilege, money, intelligence, and the support of a society of like minded women.
Her success in the matter becomes little more tan a foregone conclusion.
Lastly...
There is the matter of the second chance, rival to romantic, relationship with Wes.
Which one also comes to realize after the first moment that he sees her across a crowded sales floor, is indeed a foregone conclusion.
The very clandestine tristes that serve to bring Wes and Beatrice together passionately. Occur a bit later than the usual 50% of novels of this genre. But prove nonetheless worth the wait.
Rounding things out splendidly and making up quite nicely for the decided lack of true conflict. The feminist bent that winds its way from beginning to end of the read.
Giving a much deserved pat on the back to the trials and tribulations of working women. Both past and present.
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