Pearls & Steel

Gilded Age Romance #1

by J.B. Wadsworth

Is love really worth any price?

After being driven from his home in Vermont by a mother perched on the edge of insanity and a money-grubbing old woman who won’t let him marry the woman he loves, Sheridan Baird seeks his fortune in the steel mills in Pittsburgh. But when his worst fears come true and his love marries another, he wonders if it wouldn’t have been better to have perished in the Civil War like his brothers. Then, he meets the attractive and sophisticated Elinor Taylor from Manhattan. Encouraged by the death wish of a good friend and in a reckless bid to seize control of his fortunes, Sheridan moves to Brooklyn, New York, to try to win her heart. Things rarely go according to plan, and he ends up fighting, not only for Elinor’s love but also for his very life.

Elinor Taylor, the daughter of a wealthy financier from Manhattan, chafes under the constraints of upper-class society. When her parents take it upon themselves to find her a husband from among the snobby, self-important New York elite, she rebels by providing her own bachelor to court. Things veer off course when he falls in love with her, and Elinor and her parents spend Christmas in Pittsburgh, where she meets Sheridan Baird, a steelworker from Vermont. Now, she must determine if she should settle for a safe marriage to a good man from a Knickerbocker family or chase her dream of marrying a man she can both love and respect.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical Romance, Fiction

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 26, 2021

About the author

J.B. Wadsworth is the author of a young adult historical romance series for the nostalgic reader. Her Gilded Age Romances are centered around the extremes between the "haves" and the "have nots" and echo the existence of gold gilding on the outside of the robber baron society, which hides the rot and corruption within. Her novels explore the social norms and vulgar displays of wealth among the rich as well as the desperate circumstances of the poor in the rise and fall of fortunes in this era.

J.B. Wadsworth also has a children's book, which she wrote and illustrated, called The Shell by the Sea, about a turtle who learns to feel comfortable in his own shell.

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Pearls and Steel” transports the reader to the 1860s way of life. The different social classes, the tension between members of different classes, and their culture come to life through the lives of the different characters.

Read full review in the 2021 May issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[J.W. Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a historian and a writer. Seldom do I find books that manage to recreate the feeling of an era as challenging as the gilded age while leaving us with a positive feeling that despite life's challenges, we can overcome. J.B. Wadsworth does this with finesse and humor. She has well-crafted characters who are plucky and determined. They are also decent, but flawed, people struggling with challenges beyond their control. This NOT a bodice ripper. It is a wholesome romance between good people. I laughed and cried and gained a better understanding of the challenges people faced in the late 19th century. Well done Wadsworth. Keep writing!

[Deidre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fiction post WWI clean romance novel. Really good and even compelling story. Felt like there could have been more depth.

[Raychel Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating is 2.5 stars

It was an okay book, not good but not the worst.

It is interesting the characters bring up reading "David Copperfield" because rather than being a romance book, it reads more like the heroes story, Sheridan, with a love interest thrown in, Elinor.

Sheridan is the character we see grow, pine for the heroine, and has a lot of time dedicated to his point of view.

I just didn't feel like Elinor really had any kind of motivation. Sure, she didn't want to get married to someone she didn't love. Okay fine. But is she meeting suitors?

And what does want after she gets married? To have kids and run a household? To travel? Be an accountant? A jeweler?

I feel like the story had a lot of elements to make this a fun read, but it needs to be reorganized to make the flow better, especially since the couple spends so little time with each other. It's mostly a love at first sight and that's it.

So all I can give this book is an "eh"

[John Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written, historically accurate love story set in the 1860s after the civil war. The social caste system that emerges from the war sharply divides those having wealth, social standing, and power from the working class who struggle daily just to survive. The conflict between the two classes forms the backdrop of an honorable and good man from the lower class in Brooklyn and a young belle from Manhatten's upper class who rebels against her parents who are actively trying to find a suitable man with money and sharing the same social status for an arranged marriage to their daughter. The man and woman fall in love and run into treacherous resistance to their relationship. The plot and characters are wonderfully drawn, and the details of the time are right on target. A YA classic with a very rich and memorable appeal

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank J.B. Wadsworth, author and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of Pearls && Steel ~ Gilded Age Romance ~ Book 1 that I won in the Giveaway.

Sheridan Baird is the third son in the family and too young to go to fight his father in the Civil War like his two older brothers that didn't return. He first goes to Pennsylvania and then to New York City to work in the steel mills. A chance meeting of a spirited young lady from New York City society sets the plot for Elinor Taylor and Sheridan Baird's struggle to become a counting couple. Loved the descriptions of how people of the period after the Civil War lived and how some of it is very different from today and some it is the same problems we face today.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway. I enjoyed this historical fiction romance. I looked forward to reading the story each evening. I found it a quick and easy read that captured my attention. I will read the sequel.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written story with lots of ups and downs that kept me interested in the characters. I enjoyed the history of this time in America and how it influenced the plot. The love story was sweet and I adored the character Mr. Roberts. He brought lots of smiles. Fun and easy read!

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book I just don’t think I’m a huge regency romance fan in general! Maybe I prefer watching them in the screen?