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The Gilded Heiress
From USA Today bestselling author Joanna Shupe comes a spicy Anastasia story full of secrets and betrayal, set among the glittering streets of New York City's Gilded Age.
In 1880 a baby was stolen from the wealthiest family in America. Though no ransom was ever demanded, the Pendelton family never gave up hope . . . and their reward became the stuff of legend.
After being raised in a children’s asylum, Josie Smith ends up on the streets and quickly learns how to take care of herself. Her singing voice draws crowds on every corner, and she’ll stop at nothing to become famous and travel the world, loved and adored by all. Maybe then she won’t think about the family who gave her away as an infant.
Leo Hardy isn’t afraid to use his charm and wits to make a fast buck, especially with a mother and five siblings to support. When he stumbles upon a beautiful young woman singing on the street, Leo notices her striking resemblance to the infamous missing baby’s mother, Mrs. Thomas Pendelton. The Hardys lost everything thanks to the Pendeltons, and once Leo sees Josie, he seizes the opportunity to settle the score. All he needs to do is pull off the biggest swindle of his career.
As the two are catapulted into Knickerbocker High Society, they grow closer to their goal, as well as to each other. But secrets can only stay hidden for so long. Soon the truth unfolds, and both Josie and Leo must separate what’s real from what’s just gilding.
In 1880 a baby was stolen from the wealthiest family in America. Though no ransom was ever demanded, the Pendelton family never gave up hope . . . and their reward became the stuff of legend.
After being raised in a children’s asylum, Josie Smith ends up on the streets and quickly learns how to take care of herself. Her singing voice draws crowds on every corner, and she’ll stop at nothing to become famous and travel the world, loved and adored by all. Maybe then she won’t think about the family who gave her away as an infant.
Leo Hardy isn’t afraid to use his charm and wits to make a fast buck, especially with a mother and five siblings to support. When he stumbles upon a beautiful young woman singing on the street, Leo notices her striking resemblance to the infamous missing baby’s mother, Mrs. Thomas Pendelton. The Hardys lost everything thanks to the Pendeltons, and once Leo sees Josie, he seizes the opportunity to settle the score. All he needs to do is pull off the biggest swindle of his career.
As the two are catapulted into Knickerbocker High Society, they grow closer to their goal, as well as to each other. But secrets can only stay hidden for so long. Soon the truth unfolds, and both Josie and Leo must separate what’s real from what’s just gilding.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2025
167 people are currently reading
24015 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Shupe
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USA Today bestselling author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. Since 2015, her books have appeared on numerous yearly “best of” lists, including Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Kobo, and BookPage.
She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and a dashing husband.
http://www.joannashupe.com/newsletter/
USA Today bestselling author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. Since 2015, her books have appeared on numerous yearly “best of” lists, including Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, Kobo, and BookPage.
She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and a dashing husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 639 reviews
August 3, 2025
3.25 / 5 Stars
This is pitched as a spicy retelling of Anastasia set in New York City’s Gilded Age. Because of this description, I had some high expectations that just were not met. But I also felt that the story telling and world building didn’t hit the nail on the head either.
A quick synopsis of the plot: Leo Hardy is a con man and a hustler (known as confidence men in that day). He sees Josie Smith singing on a street corner and realizes that she resembles his father’s previous employers, the Pendeltons, an exceptionally rich family who unceremoniously fired his father years ago, leading his father to drink excessively and pass away. Now, Leo is the sole provider for his mother and five sisters and he sees a perfect con with Josie: get the Pendeltons to believe Josie is their long, lost daughter, who was stolen from them 18 years ago, so that he will get a hefty reward and revenge on them for what they did to his father. But he doesn’t tell Josie and instead acts as her manager trying to get her on Broadway. As he prepares Josie for a singing career to get her in front of the Pendeltons, Leo and Josie start to fall for each other, complicating his plan and their future.
This plot is truly an Anastasia retelling, but I had expected Anastasia vibes, emotions, and energy. I wanted yearning, slow burn, dislike to like, tension growing as their hands barely touched until we got to those spicy scenes. Instead I got something closer to insta-lust. Maybe it was unfair of me to expect it to be so close to the original emotional core of Anastasia but that is what I wanted and didn’t get.
So okay, fine, we get insta-lust and a fast burn instead, but it was written with childish undertones. For example, every time Leo goes somewhere without Josie, she wonders if she is with another woman. To that I say “ma’am, how are there enough hours in the day for him to be acting as your manager and to be constantly boning other women?” But fine, she is 20 years old, I will let it pass. Leo is 26/27, so he is a grown man who technically has a fully developed brain, so he gets less of a pass for his horny immaturity. There was a scene where Josie is learning to be a “lady” so she is "practicing her serving skills on him” by serving him tea and he thinks “haha - serving” and starts to get hard. Sir, is this one big “that’s what she said joke” to you? And they are constantly talking about how handsome or beautiful the other is which is fine but can’t Leo talk more about how talented he thinks Josie is (we are told she is a very, very good singer) or can’t Josie be impressed by how caring Leo is for his family? We get small hints of that but mostly it just feels like two hot people who were in each other’s vicinity so it was inevitable that they’d have sex.
The story was also written very matter-of-factly, which I really enjoy in other novels, but here, it made it harder to imagine the Gilded Age. For example, we get a passage that reads “I liked her hair, the way it was swept up in a soft bouffant with curls. Gibson Girls, they called the ladies who styled their hair in such a fashion. And her dress was fancy, probably expensive.” Ok, got it, simple enough but tell me more about her dress, please! What does it look like so I can understand what that meant for that time period. And tell me more about the Gibson Girls (which I learned about on my own time thanks to Google). It just felt like a missed opportunity to stick to facts instead of using metaphors, similes, and lush descriptions that could help build the setting and atmosphere so that we could truly understand what the heck the Gilded Age was.
I think there are people who will definitely enough this book and I think there is so much potential with this plot and setting, but it just didn’t hit for me. However, you might like this book if you like:
💰 Anastasia retelling set in the Gilded Age
🎼 Con artist MMC x aspiring singer and performer FMC
💰 Insta-lust
🎼 Revenge, secrets, and lies
💰 “Good girl” and “use me” spice scenes
🎼 Redemption arc for morally grey MMC
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
_________________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: This is being pitched as a spicy version of Anastasia and I loooooove that. Did I have a crush on Dimitri from the Anastasia movie? Of course. Do I still listen to whole soundtrack? Most definitely.
This is pitched as a spicy retelling of Anastasia set in New York City’s Gilded Age. Because of this description, I had some high expectations that just were not met. But I also felt that the story telling and world building didn’t hit the nail on the head either.
A quick synopsis of the plot: Leo Hardy is a con man and a hustler (known as confidence men in that day). He sees Josie Smith singing on a street corner and realizes that she resembles his father’s previous employers, the Pendeltons, an exceptionally rich family who unceremoniously fired his father years ago, leading his father to drink excessively and pass away. Now, Leo is the sole provider for his mother and five sisters and he sees a perfect con with Josie: get the Pendeltons to believe Josie is their long, lost daughter, who was stolen from them 18 years ago, so that he will get a hefty reward and revenge on them for what they did to his father. But he doesn’t tell Josie and instead acts as her manager trying to get her on Broadway. As he prepares Josie for a singing career to get her in front of the Pendeltons, Leo and Josie start to fall for each other, complicating his plan and their future.
This plot is truly an Anastasia retelling, but I had expected Anastasia vibes, emotions, and energy. I wanted yearning, slow burn, dislike to like, tension growing as their hands barely touched until we got to those spicy scenes. Instead I got something closer to insta-lust. Maybe it was unfair of me to expect it to be so close to the original emotional core of Anastasia but that is what I wanted and didn’t get.
So okay, fine, we get insta-lust and a fast burn instead, but it was written with childish undertones. For example, every time Leo goes somewhere without Josie, she wonders if she is with another woman. To that I say “ma’am, how are there enough hours in the day for him to be acting as your manager and to be constantly boning other women?” But fine, she is 20 years old, I will let it pass. Leo is 26/27, so he is a grown man who technically has a fully developed brain, so he gets less of a pass for his horny immaturity. There was a scene where Josie is learning to be a “lady” so she is "practicing her serving skills on him” by serving him tea and he thinks “haha - serving” and starts to get hard. Sir, is this one big “that’s what she said joke” to you? And they are constantly talking about how handsome or beautiful the other is which is fine but can’t Leo talk more about how talented he thinks Josie is (we are told she is a very, very good singer) or can’t Josie be impressed by how caring Leo is for his family? We get small hints of that but mostly it just feels like two hot people who were in each other’s vicinity so it was inevitable that they’d have sex.
The story was also written very matter-of-factly, which I really enjoy in other novels, but here, it made it harder to imagine the Gilded Age. For example, we get a passage that reads “I liked her hair, the way it was swept up in a soft bouffant with curls. Gibson Girls, they called the ladies who styled their hair in such a fashion. And her dress was fancy, probably expensive.” Ok, got it, simple enough but tell me more about her dress, please! What does it look like so I can understand what that meant for that time period. And tell me more about the Gibson Girls (which I learned about on my own time thanks to Google). It just felt like a missed opportunity to stick to facts instead of using metaphors, similes, and lush descriptions that could help build the setting and atmosphere so that we could truly understand what the heck the Gilded Age was.
I think there are people who will definitely enough this book and I think there is so much potential with this plot and setting, but it just didn’t hit for me. However, you might like this book if you like:
💰 Anastasia retelling set in the Gilded Age
🎼 Con artist MMC x aspiring singer and performer FMC
💰 Insta-lust
🎼 Revenge, secrets, and lies
💰 “Good girl” and “use me” spice scenes
🎼 Redemption arc for morally grey MMC
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: August 26, 2025
_________________________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: This is being pitched as a spicy version of Anastasia and I loooooove that. Did I have a crush on Dimitri from the Anastasia movie? Of course. Do I still listen to whole soundtrack? Most definitely.
July 6, 2025
as an anastasia girl how am i not supposed to love this like r u kidding me
April 11, 2025
hate to be the bearer of bad news. Mega DNF
Look you can tell me that the guy is friends with the gals at the brothel but I don't need a detailed threesome in chapter two. I also don't like the age gap- she's 18 and he's 28 (I know, histrom, but we're not dealing in nobility here where I have to get over it). Additionally, I got a really bad vibe from him and the predatory way he interacted with her, emphasized by the way she was so much younger and he used her dream of singing to get her to do whatever he wanted. Maybe you'll feel differently and find this romantic and adventurous, but I found it creepy and uncomfortable.
Look you can tell me that the guy is friends with the gals at the brothel but I don't need a detailed threesome in chapter two. I also don't like the age gap- she's 18 and he's 28 (I know, histrom, but we're not dealing in nobility here where I have to get over it). Additionally, I got a really bad vibe from him and the predatory way he interacted with her, emphasized by the way she was so much younger and he used her dream of singing to get her to do whatever he wanted. Maybe you'll feel differently and find this romantic and adventurous, but I found it creepy and uncomfortable.
August 21, 2025
This book was such a good time! I absolutely ate up the relationship between Leo and Josie: a morally gray, secretive con man and a woman who always speaks her mind because she refuses to lie; it was the perfect pairing. Their chemistry was palpable, but there was also depth to their characters and the connection they shared, which made them complement one another so well. As someone who really enjoys dual POVs, I thought this one was really well done!
Since it’s an Anastasia retelling, the story is fairly predictable, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Since it’s an Anastasia retelling, the story is fairly predictable, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 12, 2026
3.5 stars
I had fun with this one! It did take me a few months to read (but that is my fault, le brain has not been working well). Joanna Shupe is actually a decent writer, so while the story plot points are not the strongest, it had a good pacing/flow to the book.
I thought the Anastasia elements written in were fun, but ultimately led to the downfall of the romance because the way this was written, it's hard to build a foundation of trust with the characters. But I had a good time reading it, that's the most important part.
I had fun with this one! It did take me a few months to read (but that is my fault, le brain has not been working well). Joanna Shupe is actually a decent writer, so while the story plot points are not the strongest, it had a good pacing/flow to the book.
I thought the Anastasia elements written in were fun, but ultimately led to the downfall of the romance because the way this was written, it's hard to build a foundation of trust with the characters. But I had a good time reading it, that's the most important part.
August 29, 2025
A pleasant and enjoyable re-imagining of Anastasia, set in Gilded-Age New York in the 1880's. This is a time period that Joanna Shupe shines. I was hooked right away and I couldn't wait to see how it all unfolded!
However, it did end up unfolding EXACTLY as I thought it would. There wasn't anything surprising or compelling after we got about 40% in. It played out to the letter as you might expect. Which sometimes can work for me, but it led to me just feeling impatient and like it was too drawn out.
I was unsure how I felt about the dual 1st person POVs, as it made this feel more like Shupe's alter ego pen name was writing it. But I did enjoy the narrators, so I eventually settled into it.
Overall, I want Shupe to keep writing Historical Romance SO badly. I think she brings so much to the table. I just don't think this re-imaging worked for me.
3.5 Stars
2 on the spice scale
However, it did end up unfolding EXACTLY as I thought it would. There wasn't anything surprising or compelling after we got about 40% in. It played out to the letter as you might expect. Which sometimes can work for me, but it led to me just feeling impatient and like it was too drawn out.
I was unsure how I felt about the dual 1st person POVs, as it made this feel more like Shupe's alter ego pen name was writing it. But I did enjoy the narrators, so I eventually settled into it.
Overall, I want Shupe to keep writing Historical Romance SO badly. I think she brings so much to the table. I just don't think this re-imaging worked for me.
3.5 Stars
2 on the spice scale
August 17, 2025
⭐️ 3.75 ⭐️ The Gilded Age, marked by industrialization and wealth disparities, is probably one of my favorite time periods of American history. I was instantly interested in Joanna Shupes’ book just because of the time period but even more curious about how the glittering backdrop of wealth, power and socialization would be portrayed. Knowing that romance was a big part of it, I was even more drawn to it. Who doesn’t like a spicy retelling with a touch of history, fiction and fantasy?
Beginning with a bang, we are thrown into an Anastasia retelling where I found myself taken by surprise with how scandalous & salacious it started off. The writing started off choppy but the storytelling improved as the story unfolded. Shupe incorporated a lot of social elements of Gilded Age—such as wealth, power and socialization status. I enjoyed a lot of romance aspects of this book but I felt that it started off very insta-lusty, almost too fixated on the sexualization aspect of the romance and very fast paced. What’s the rush? I wanted for the love story to develop a little more naturally than simply be based on attraction and a need to scratch the itch. I wanted more of a regal take on a historical romance.
I truly enjoyed the characters in The Gilded Heiress. Leo, our conman, had a lot of depth to his character. On one side he was the ultimate Casanova with his perfectly good looks and sweet charm—always scheming, always on the lookout for himself. Underneath the bad boy facade, he’s a family man who deeply cares about his sisters and his mother’s wellbeing. He grows into a likable character and by the end I enjoyed the redemption arc. Josie on the other is a feisty firecracker. She’s incredibly street smart, talented (she’s a singer) and holds good values. She’s quite naïveté but when she meets Leo, she grows more confident, more sharp. He elevated her in all ways possible. I loved them together.
I think with a few touch ups here and there, the story could have been a perfect 4.5-5 star read! Their push and pull was undeniably sexy.
Favorite quotes:
* “Men don’t turn over new leaves, they just find pots with fresh dirt to ruin”
* “You don’t want a man that’s all puddle, shallow and small. You want an ocean, deep and infinite. A man who will love you without limits”
* “He was like an itch under my skin that I couldn’t scratch”
* “My thoughts were a tangled mess when it came to this woman. I wanted to protect her and ravish her and use her all the same time.”
Thanks to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for this early eARC!
Publication date: August 26, 2025
Beginning with a bang, we are thrown into an Anastasia retelling where I found myself taken by surprise with how scandalous & salacious it started off. The writing started off choppy but the storytelling improved as the story unfolded. Shupe incorporated a lot of social elements of Gilded Age—such as wealth, power and socialization status. I enjoyed a lot of romance aspects of this book but I felt that it started off very insta-lusty, almost too fixated on the sexualization aspect of the romance and very fast paced. What’s the rush? I wanted for the love story to develop a little more naturally than simply be based on attraction and a need to scratch the itch. I wanted more of a regal take on a historical romance.
I truly enjoyed the characters in The Gilded Heiress. Leo, our conman, had a lot of depth to his character. On one side he was the ultimate Casanova with his perfectly good looks and sweet charm—always scheming, always on the lookout for himself. Underneath the bad boy facade, he’s a family man who deeply cares about his sisters and his mother’s wellbeing. He grows into a likable character and by the end I enjoyed the redemption arc. Josie on the other is a feisty firecracker. She’s incredibly street smart, talented (she’s a singer) and holds good values. She’s quite naïveté but when she meets Leo, she grows more confident, more sharp. He elevated her in all ways possible. I loved them together.
I think with a few touch ups here and there, the story could have been a perfect 4.5-5 star read! Their push and pull was undeniably sexy.
Favorite quotes:
* “Men don’t turn over new leaves, they just find pots with fresh dirt to ruin”
* “You don’t want a man that’s all puddle, shallow and small. You want an ocean, deep and infinite. A man who will love you without limits”
* “He was like an itch under my skin that I couldn’t scratch”
* “My thoughts were a tangled mess when it came to this woman. I wanted to protect her and ravish her and use her all the same time.”
Thanks to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for this early eARC!
Publication date: August 26, 2025
August 5, 2025
The main action of this book opens with a (literal) bang, as Leo hides in a working girl sandwich from the police after him for a con. That's right, the hero of this book is "a bit gray morally, true, but not a bad person." Leo has been hustling to keep his family together since the death of his father years earlier. One day he comes across Josie busking on the street, and decides based on a passing resemblance to the mother of the kidnapped baby of the family who fired his father unceremoniously, to turn her over and collect the reward, thus getting revenge on the family for past wrongs and getting rich. Flawless plan. This is an Anastasia retelling, with a hefty dollop of The Proposition stirred in.
What Leo didn't count on was Josie. He thought she would be an easily-manipulated mark, instead she's fierce and intelligent and demands parity and honesty from him. And there's also the problem that "she saw every part of me, even the parts I kept hidden just for myself." Josie was reared in an orphanage, and is scraping by with her heart sister Pippa, determined to be a singing star. Leo presents himself as a person who can help, and signs on as her manager.
Of course as her dreams get closer (everyone who hears her sing is flabbergasted, and the producer she signs with in NY is highly effective) so do she and Leo. He is the kind of handsome that makes ladies stare at the tearoom, their kisses are electric in a way neither has ever experienced. She is constantly being warned off him by the people who know best that he can't be trusted. "A man like Leo is not on our side, honey. He's on his side. Never forget it." His attraction is apparent to everyone with eyes to see, that he's "head over heels for her," that he stares at her "like she's your free lunch and ladybird all in one." And character after character warns him, "I will say this: do not [marital congress] her." Oop.
Leo's pov in this book is a delight. The self-justification he employs to stay on the revenge path long after he catches feelings for Josie, the constant calculations of what to say and how to say it, the framing of everything as a con. You could fast forward him 130 years and he would slot in nicely as a Mila Finelli MMC. "Gone was the smooth-talking charmer, the handsome man-about-town. In his place was a dangerous ruffian, a man who wasn't afraid to slice off the tip of an ear here and there."
Josie is an optimist, who has overcome her childhood in the orphanage by refusing to "dwell on the past and prefer to keep moving forward." She's definitely rough around the edges, and also kind and sincere, asking people's names and building relationships (she's constantly making "a new friend," an orphanage trait, no doubt). She is scrupulously truthful herself, and has told Leo she does not tolerate liars. So when his plot gets exposed, she realizes she can't believe the truth of any of it, and it's up to him to make it right.
This book has so many interesting things to say about personas and lies, and where that line is drawn. If "the world is based on deceit" then how does someone who only tells the truth get by? Is every aspect of a relationship built on a lie false? We see characters who do what they need to do to get by, without a wink of moral quandary, and other characters have a moral reckoning on page, or meet kindness with kindness. Some are mired in the past, like Leo and Mrs. Pendleton, who wants to smooth over the missing 18 years as if they never happened, and some roll with whatever the present brings, making adjustments for a new reality.
This has a different feel from other Shupe books, in part because it is first person past, like her recent independently published historical novellas, or the Mila Finelli books. It makes for a fast moving romp, but a different feel from her other historicals for sure. Shupe writes with her usual skill, emotional heft and scalding heat, as well as humor and turns of phrase that make reading a pleasure. We believe in their physical and emotional connections, and that the stakes get raised from untold riches of the reward to love and partnership, even though Leo desperately needs money to keep his family together and his sisters safe.
Is this going to be part of a series? We have Pippa, as well as all of Leo's many sisters as fertile ground. In the meantime we have the dual themes: "Quiet. Women are talking." and "Never leave a friend behind."
What Leo didn't count on was Josie. He thought she would be an easily-manipulated mark, instead she's fierce and intelligent and demands parity and honesty from him. And there's also the problem that "she saw every part of me, even the parts I kept hidden just for myself." Josie was reared in an orphanage, and is scraping by with her heart sister Pippa, determined to be a singing star. Leo presents himself as a person who can help, and signs on as her manager.
Of course as her dreams get closer (everyone who hears her sing is flabbergasted, and the producer she signs with in NY is highly effective) so do she and Leo. He is the kind of handsome that makes ladies stare at the tearoom, their kisses are electric in a way neither has ever experienced. She is constantly being warned off him by the people who know best that he can't be trusted. "A man like Leo is not on our side, honey. He's on his side. Never forget it." His attraction is apparent to everyone with eyes to see, that he's "head over heels for her," that he stares at her "like she's your free lunch and ladybird all in one." And character after character warns him, "I will say this: do not [marital congress] her." Oop.
Leo's pov in this book is a delight. The self-justification he employs to stay on the revenge path long after he catches feelings for Josie, the constant calculations of what to say and how to say it, the framing of everything as a con. You could fast forward him 130 years and he would slot in nicely as a Mila Finelli MMC. "Gone was the smooth-talking charmer, the handsome man-about-town. In his place was a dangerous ruffian, a man who wasn't afraid to slice off the tip of an ear here and there."
Josie is an optimist, who has overcome her childhood in the orphanage by refusing to "dwell on the past and prefer to keep moving forward." She's definitely rough around the edges, and also kind and sincere, asking people's names and building relationships (she's constantly making "a new friend," an orphanage trait, no doubt). She is scrupulously truthful herself, and has told Leo she does not tolerate liars. So when his plot gets exposed, she realizes she can't believe the truth of any of it, and it's up to him to make it right.
This book has so many interesting things to say about personas and lies, and where that line is drawn. If "the world is based on deceit" then how does someone who only tells the truth get by? Is every aspect of a relationship built on a lie false? We see characters who do what they need to do to get by, without a wink of moral quandary, and other characters have a moral reckoning on page, or meet kindness with kindness. Some are mired in the past, like Leo and Mrs. Pendleton, who wants to smooth over the missing 18 years as if they never happened, and some roll with whatever the present brings, making adjustments for a new reality.
This has a different feel from other Shupe books, in part because it is first person past, like her recent independently published historical novellas, or the Mila Finelli books. It makes for a fast moving romp, but a different feel from her other historicals for sure. Shupe writes with her usual skill, emotional heft and scalding heat, as well as humor and turns of phrase that make reading a pleasure. We believe in their physical and emotional connections, and that the stakes get raised from untold riches of the reward to love and partnership, even though Leo desperately needs money to keep his family together and his sisters safe.
Is this going to be part of a series? We have Pippa, as well as all of Leo's many sisters as fertile ground. In the meantime we have the dual themes: "Quiet. Women are talking." and "Never leave a friend behind."
August 9, 2025
4.5/5.
Heat Index: 6.5/5.
—Anastasia (the movie) but make it Gilded Age
—the bright lights of Broadwaaaay
—diamond in the rough/mentor
The Basics:
When con artist Leo Hardy finds orphan Josie singing on the streets, he comes up with his boldest scam yet: He'll pass Josie off as the Pendelton Baby, stolen from a wealthy family years ago and never returned. Not only can he collect the reward money—he'll also get his long-desired revenge against the Pendeltons for ruining his father (and by extension, Leo's own life). But the more time Leo spends with his ingenue, the harder it becomes for him to commit to the bit...
The Review:
Anastasia (1997) is a longtime favorite movie of mine, and in retrospect, Dimitri was for sure an early crush (and Dimitri and Anya were a formative couple). So when one of my favorite authors announced an Anastasia-inspired book, I was thrilled. And to be very clear, this owes MUCH more to the animated movie, and perhaps the Ingrid Bergman movie that in turn inspired aspects of the animated movie, versus the history of Anastasia. To me, that means it has a lot to live up to. Fortunately, Shupe does a great job—not that I ever doubted her.
While I really enjoyed our heroine, Josie, this is a more hero-forward book, and that's not a bad thing. Leo Hardy charmed me from the jump. He's a con artist, he's a smooth talker, he's got a truly tragic past that gives him something of a "secret little boy lost" heart. But it never feels like any of that is used to handwave what he's doing. I'd say this is overall a less angsty book on the Shupe Scale, but she really relishes in the conflict of Leo falling for Josie, feeling so much guilt over the fact that she's a pawn in his game, and building toward the inevitable emotional fallout of her finding out.
Possibly my favorite part of the animated Anastasia is the moment when Anya finds out that Dimitri has been running a con, and he's trying to desperately explain himself, and she's backing him into a corner, all "YOU LIED TO ME!" before backhanding him, essentially. It's very "I was half a virgin when I met you" but an animated children's film, and it is delicious.
All I can say is... this book follows through on the sense of betrayal. The punches? They are not at all pulled. And I! Was! About it!
For all that Leo is who got my heart here, you totally see why he's obsessed with Josie. She's not quite an innocent, but she does have a naivete that comes off as fresh and sweet. I really appreciated, too, that Shupe portrayed an ingenue type in a historical who's not actually a virgin. I feel, often, that romance—maybe especially historical romance—portrays women who aren't virgins as automatically vastly experienced and jaded. That's not Josie. Sure, she's had sex, and she's experienced enough as an orphan to have some degree of street smarts, but she's not a Woman of the World. Which, again, adds to the guilt as Leo leads her into this scheme.
(And does that set you up for a grovel? I mean. You tell me.)
Shupe really dives into the glitz of the Gilded Age stage here, because Josie thinks she's just on her way to be a staaar. You get a bit of real history here, the world feels completely tangible, and there's that sense of being swept away that a really good historical provides. Because Joanna Shupe writes a great historical, dude. She knows what she's doing.
Now, elephant in the room—yes, there's a dual first person POV here. Which is very unusual for historicals. It's not the first time Shupe has done this. She's written a couple of indie historical novellas with this angle, The Gangster's Prize and The Scandal of Rose, both of which I'd highly recommend. She writes fabulous mafia romances under the name Mila Finelli, all with this perspective. Personally? It really worked for me. I think that a lot of this was because Leo in particular thinks in this very slick way that brings the character further to life. I love her third person books, but she's really skillful with first person as well, and here it added a bit of freshness that fit the story.
The Sex:
While very hot, this is a little more of a slow burn than some of Shupe's other books, and as a result, there isn't quite as much sex on the page as her usual. But what we do get is excellent, explicit, and looooong. You don't get a carriagebang, but you might get a sleighbang.
And there's also a lot of humor derived from the fact that Leo is clearly panting after Josie, while she remains blissfully ignorant. Several times throughout this story, people are like "DO. NOT. FUCK. THAT. GIRL." and he's like "oh my god why do people keep telling me that" and it's because he's basically licking his chops whenever they're together. In front of people. I LIVED.
The Conclusion:
So glad to read a new historical from Joanna Shupe, and as per usual, it's great. This is an author who knows her craft, who knows how to knock a historical romance out of the park, and who's also trying new things. Trying new things is what people in this subgenre are going to have to do in an increasingly difficult market. That's just the reality. And I think that if you haven't read a historical romance before? This would be a great starting place.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heat Index: 6.5/5.
—Anastasia (the movie) but make it Gilded Age
—the bright lights of Broadwaaaay
—diamond in the rough/mentor
The Basics:
When con artist Leo Hardy finds orphan Josie singing on the streets, he comes up with his boldest scam yet: He'll pass Josie off as the Pendelton Baby, stolen from a wealthy family years ago and never returned. Not only can he collect the reward money—he'll also get his long-desired revenge against the Pendeltons for ruining his father (and by extension, Leo's own life). But the more time Leo spends with his ingenue, the harder it becomes for him to commit to the bit...
The Review:
Anastasia (1997) is a longtime favorite movie of mine, and in retrospect, Dimitri was for sure an early crush (and Dimitri and Anya were a formative couple). So when one of my favorite authors announced an Anastasia-inspired book, I was thrilled. And to be very clear, this owes MUCH more to the animated movie, and perhaps the Ingrid Bergman movie that in turn inspired aspects of the animated movie, versus the history of Anastasia. To me, that means it has a lot to live up to. Fortunately, Shupe does a great job—not that I ever doubted her.
While I really enjoyed our heroine, Josie, this is a more hero-forward book, and that's not a bad thing. Leo Hardy charmed me from the jump. He's a con artist, he's a smooth talker, he's got a truly tragic past that gives him something of a "secret little boy lost" heart. But it never feels like any of that is used to handwave what he's doing. I'd say this is overall a less angsty book on the Shupe Scale, but she really relishes in the conflict of Leo falling for Josie, feeling so much guilt over the fact that she's a pawn in his game, and building toward the inevitable emotional fallout of her finding out.
Possibly my favorite part of the animated Anastasia is the moment when Anya finds out that Dimitri has been running a con, and he's trying to desperately explain himself, and she's backing him into a corner, all "YOU LIED TO ME!" before backhanding him, essentially. It's very "I was half a virgin when I met you" but an animated children's film, and it is delicious.
All I can say is... this book follows through on the sense of betrayal. The punches? They are not at all pulled. And I! Was! About it!
For all that Leo is who got my heart here, you totally see why he's obsessed with Josie. She's not quite an innocent, but she does have a naivete that comes off as fresh and sweet. I really appreciated, too, that Shupe portrayed an ingenue type in a historical who's not actually a virgin. I feel, often, that romance—maybe especially historical romance—portrays women who aren't virgins as automatically vastly experienced and jaded. That's not Josie. Sure, she's had sex, and she's experienced enough as an orphan to have some degree of street smarts, but she's not a Woman of the World. Which, again, adds to the guilt as Leo leads her into this scheme.
(And does that set you up for a grovel? I mean. You tell me.)
Shupe really dives into the glitz of the Gilded Age stage here, because Josie thinks she's just on her way to be a staaar. You get a bit of real history here, the world feels completely tangible, and there's that sense of being swept away that a really good historical provides. Because Joanna Shupe writes a great historical, dude. She knows what she's doing.
Now, elephant in the room—yes, there's a dual first person POV here. Which is very unusual for historicals. It's not the first time Shupe has done this. She's written a couple of indie historical novellas with this angle, The Gangster's Prize and The Scandal of Rose, both of which I'd highly recommend. She writes fabulous mafia romances under the name Mila Finelli, all with this perspective. Personally? It really worked for me. I think that a lot of this was because Leo in particular thinks in this very slick way that brings the character further to life. I love her third person books, but she's really skillful with first person as well, and here it added a bit of freshness that fit the story.
The Sex:
While very hot, this is a little more of a slow burn than some of Shupe's other books, and as a result, there isn't quite as much sex on the page as her usual. But what we do get is excellent, explicit, and looooong. You don't get a carriagebang, but you might get a sleighbang.
And there's also a lot of humor derived from the fact that Leo is clearly panting after Josie, while she remains blissfully ignorant. Several times throughout this story, people are like "DO. NOT. FUCK. THAT. GIRL." and he's like "oh my god why do people keep telling me that" and it's because he's basically licking his chops whenever they're together. In front of people. I LIVED.
The Conclusion:
So glad to read a new historical from Joanna Shupe, and as per usual, it's great. This is an author who knows her craft, who knows how to knock a historical romance out of the park, and who's also trying new things. Trying new things is what people in this subgenre are going to have to do in an increasingly difficult market. That's just the reality. And I think that if you haven't read a historical romance before? This would be a great starting place.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 26, 2025
I enjoy Joanna Shupe and absolutely love her informative newsletters, so if you aren’t a subscriber, I highly recommend it, especially if you like to see how our history remains relevant to today’s headlines.
Our tale begins in Boston, where we meet Leo Hardy, the son of the former gardener to the wealthiest family in New York City; the Pendeltons. When their baby went missing after an enormous party, Leo’s father was fired without reference and the family moved to Boston. His father drank himself to death, and now Leo looks after his mom and siblings. He’s a hustler, and when he sees a young woman (Josie Smith) singing in the street who has an uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Pendelton, an idea forms in his head to pass her off as the missing heir and collect the reward. The tale that unfolds takes us to New York City, where Leo poses as her manager on Broadway, and plots his revenge. Poor Josie has no idea what he is up to, and nothing goes according to plan…
I loved Josie, who hasn’t had an easy life and has big dreams. Leo is holding a grudge, and rightly so. A dismissal without a reference was a death sentence during this period for those in service, and his family circumstances were forever changed. Aside from that and his hustling, Leo isn’t a bad guy, and as they spend time together, Josie and Leo develop feelings for each other. Unfortunately, Leo’s old associations catch up with him, causing a rift in the new romantic relationship. Their feelings felt genuine, and Leo worked hard to redeem himself even as Josie’s circumstances changed. Shupe had me caught up in the tale from both of their perspectives, and I desperately wanted a happily ever after.
I will tell you I closed the book well satisfied and recommend the story to those who love historical romance and loose retellings. A little mystery and a steamy, heartfelt romance await you in the Gilded Heiress. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Our tale begins in Boston, where we meet Leo Hardy, the son of the former gardener to the wealthiest family in New York City; the Pendeltons. When their baby went missing after an enormous party, Leo’s father was fired without reference and the family moved to Boston. His father drank himself to death, and now Leo looks after his mom and siblings. He’s a hustler, and when he sees a young woman (Josie Smith) singing in the street who has an uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Pendelton, an idea forms in his head to pass her off as the missing heir and collect the reward. The tale that unfolds takes us to New York City, where Leo poses as her manager on Broadway, and plots his revenge. Poor Josie has no idea what he is up to, and nothing goes according to plan…
I loved Josie, who hasn’t had an easy life and has big dreams. Leo is holding a grudge, and rightly so. A dismissal without a reference was a death sentence during this period for those in service, and his family circumstances were forever changed. Aside from that and his hustling, Leo isn’t a bad guy, and as they spend time together, Josie and Leo develop feelings for each other. Unfortunately, Leo’s old associations catch up with him, causing a rift in the new romantic relationship. Their feelings felt genuine, and Leo worked hard to redeem himself even as Josie’s circumstances changed. Shupe had me caught up in the tale from both of their perspectives, and I desperately wanted a happily ever after.
I will tell you I closed the book well satisfied and recommend the story to those who love historical romance and loose retellings. A little mystery and a steamy, heartfelt romance await you in the Gilded Heiress. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
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September 29, 2025The Gilded Heiress is a romance retelling of Anastasia set in Gilded Age New York City. It follows a talented young singer who grew up in an orphan asylum in Boston and a con man who decides to pass her off as the kidnapped heiress of the family that ruined his father to collect the reward money. Along the way feelings develop between them, and what if she truly is the missing heiress after all???
This was fun and I liked the heroine a lot. She's practical but compassionate. I wanted a little more development of the change with the hero and of their romantic relationship beyond being into each other physically, but overall this was a pretty good time. The audio narration is dual and is done well. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This was fun and I liked the heroine a lot. She's practical but compassionate. I wanted a little more development of the change with the hero and of their romantic relationship beyond being into each other physically, but overall this was a pretty good time. The audio narration is dual and is done well. I received an audio review copy via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
September 8, 2025
joanna shupe and her union suits, we love to see it!
Inspired by Anastasia, this gilded age historical sees a plucky orphan with a voice of an angel picked up by a confidence man intent on getting revenge for his father, sacked and ruined by alcohol for maybe helping a baby heiress get kidnapped.
the first point of view went okay for me, as i listened on audio and both narrators were great. i don't know if i would have liked it as much with my eyes, but in audio it def worked.
overall, this was fine. not my favorite Joanna by far, but I had a good time listening. I didn't quite believe the romance or HEA enough, but it was a good passing the time while commuting listen.
Inspired by Anastasia, this gilded age historical sees a plucky orphan with a voice of an angel picked up by a confidence man intent on getting revenge for his father, sacked and ruined by alcohol for maybe helping a baby heiress get kidnapped.
the first point of view went okay for me, as i listened on audio and both narrators were great. i don't know if i would have liked it as much with my eyes, but in audio it def worked.
overall, this was fine. not my favorite Joanna by far, but I had a good time listening. I didn't quite believe the romance or HEA enough, but it was a good passing the time while commuting listen.
July 17, 2025
I enjoyed this spicy retelling of Anastasia, set against the glittering backdrop of the Gilded Age in Boston and New York. The setting was richly drawn adding a layer of charm to the overall story. One thing I especially appreciated was the inclusion of real historical figures. Lotta Crabtree was a standout, and it was cool to see her woven into the narrative.
Josie as the FMC was fantastic with her quirky and determined attitude, and guided by a strong moral compass. She always wanted to do the right thing and that made it easy to root for her. Leo dashes into her life and shakes everything up. The tension and yearning between the two of them was *chef's kiss*!
If you're looking for a historical romance retelling with spice from Chapter 2, a morally gray MMC, and a little bit of mystery, then this might be it for you!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an ARC for my honest review.
Josie as the FMC was fantastic with her quirky and determined attitude, and guided by a strong moral compass. She always wanted to do the right thing and that made it easy to root for her. Leo dashes into her life and shakes everything up. The tension and yearning between the two of them was *chef's kiss*!
If you're looking for a historical romance retelling with spice from Chapter 2, a morally gray MMC, and a little bit of mystery, then this might be it for you!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an ARC for my honest review.
August 1, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 stars)
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️½ (2.5/5 chili peppers)
Huge thanks to Joanna Shupe, the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager), and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Gilded Heiress as an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
Let me start by admitting this: I grew up completely obsessed with the movie Anastasia. I had the songs memorized, crushed hard on animated Dmitri, and wore out my VHS. So when I read that The Gilded Heiress was a spicy adult retelling with nods to Anastasia, I didn’t just want it—I needed it immediately.
Our heroine Josie is an absolute firecracker. Much like Anya, she’s bold, sharp-tongued, and unapologetically herself. A gifted singer with dreams of stardom, she’s determined to make it to the Broadway stage on her own terms. Enter Leo—the charming grifter with a heart of gold (and serious Dmitri energy). He spots Josie as his golden ticket: if he can get her in front of New York’s elite, he might just get his revenge on the powerful men who wronged his family.
Yes, Leo is a liar, a thief, and a bit of a rake—but he’s also deeply loyal, a devoted son and brother, and somehow impossible not to love. His chemistry with Josie absolutely sizzles off the page, and their banter made me grin like a fool.
The entire time I read this, I was squealing with nostalgia. Shupe delivers a delightful blend of heat, heart, and historical flair. While it stands alone beautifully, The Gilded Heiress reads like a love letter to grown-up girls who once dreamed of being Russian princesses. And while Goodreads may have it hovering around 3.6, I’m here to say: this book deserves better.
If you're a fan of strong heroines, reformed rogues, and historical romance with flair (and steam!), you’ll want to move this to the top of your TBR. Joanna Shupe, I’m officially a fan.
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️½ (2.5/5 chili peppers)
Huge thanks to Joanna Shupe, the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager), and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Gilded Heiress as an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
Let me start by admitting this: I grew up completely obsessed with the movie Anastasia. I had the songs memorized, crushed hard on animated Dmitri, and wore out my VHS. So when I read that The Gilded Heiress was a spicy adult retelling with nods to Anastasia, I didn’t just want it—I needed it immediately.
Our heroine Josie is an absolute firecracker. Much like Anya, she’s bold, sharp-tongued, and unapologetically herself. A gifted singer with dreams of stardom, she’s determined to make it to the Broadway stage on her own terms. Enter Leo—the charming grifter with a heart of gold (and serious Dmitri energy). He spots Josie as his golden ticket: if he can get her in front of New York’s elite, he might just get his revenge on the powerful men who wronged his family.
Yes, Leo is a liar, a thief, and a bit of a rake—but he’s also deeply loyal, a devoted son and brother, and somehow impossible not to love. His chemistry with Josie absolutely sizzles off the page, and their banter made me grin like a fool.
The entire time I read this, I was squealing with nostalgia. Shupe delivers a delightful blend of heat, heart, and historical flair. While it stands alone beautifully, The Gilded Heiress reads like a love letter to grown-up girls who once dreamed of being Russian princesses. And while Goodreads may have it hovering around 3.6, I’m here to say: this book deserves better.
If you're a fan of strong heroines, reformed rogues, and historical romance with flair (and steam!), you’ll want to move this to the top of your TBR. Joanna Shupe, I’m officially a fan.
June 4, 2025
This book is not good. It’s an Anastasia retelling which I thought would be fun but I found myself trapped in this particular trope that I just think doesn’t work for me. It’s the Flynn Rider, thief overall bad guy but OH NOW that he’s in love none of those crimes matter and we all good, trope. I don’t like it. Y’all. These bad men are bad men and you can’t sell me on magical love reforming them.
Leo is a confidence man and out for revenge against the Pendleton family after they fired his dad and ruined his life. Josie sings on street corners and can take care of herself and doesn’t need anyone! Josie really wants me to believe that she’s smart and self sufficient and not a moron but falls for Leo so it’s not really checking all the boxes for me. When she and Leo get together I’m more annoyed than anything. WHY JOSIE, WHY! Be smarter than this?! Leo is a legit liar and con artist and is using her.
See? The Flynn Rider thing is an issue and these heroes aren’t very redeemable to me. Cause if you don’t have trust you don’t have anything.
And the HEA here should have Leo go to prison for his crimes.
And I just couldn’t stand the last 30% of the book. It was so rushed and I was rolling my eyes at Leo basically the entire time.
lol.
I’m so angsty about the most random things.
Arc received by the publisher.
Leo is a confidence man and out for revenge against the Pendleton family after they fired his dad and ruined his life. Josie sings on street corners and can take care of herself and doesn’t need anyone! Josie really wants me to believe that she’s smart and self sufficient and not a moron but falls for Leo so it’s not really checking all the boxes for me. When she and Leo get together I’m more annoyed than anything. WHY JOSIE, WHY! Be smarter than this?! Leo is a legit liar and con artist and is using her.
See? The Flynn Rider thing is an issue and these heroes aren’t very redeemable to me. Cause if you don’t have trust you don’t have anything.
And the HEA here should have Leo go to prison for his crimes.
And I just couldn’t stand the last 30% of the book. It was so rushed and I was rolling my eyes at Leo basically the entire time.
lol.
I’m so angsty about the most random things.
Arc received by the publisher.
August 4, 2025
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced, historical fiction romance novel. It has a likable, talented female protagonist, an engaging, morally gray male protagonist who exhibits many admirable traits, a bit of mystery, wit, a touch of humor, a heartwarming, sizzling romance, and a satisfying conclusion. Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley, and Ms. Shupe, from whom I received an advanced reader copy of this delightful novel. This is my honest opinion.
September 17, 2025
Rating: 2★
I am so grateful to have received this ARC from NetGalley and Joanna Shupe.
This book was just so hard to get through, so I ended up DNF'ing at 23%. First of all, I wasn't very happy with what I was reading. As soon as I was 3 pages in, there was a sex scene. Not between the two main leads, but rather the main lead and another woman from a brothel, because he was trying to escape from the police. I just felt like there could have been so many other ways he could have hidden and handled that without having to do the deed.
Overall, the plot wasn't as great either; it felt too rushed, too choppy for my liking. I felt like there could have been so much potential with this book if only I hadn't kept hearing about how much the male lead wants to have the female lead in bed. Like man, you met her less than a day ago, and now you want to have sex with her. And she isn't any better either, she starts to question herself, doubt herself, and keeps thinking about having sex with him.
I couldn't connect to the characters, nor the plot. So, I decided it was best if I DNF'ed it. I just don't think I was the right audience for this book to sum it all up.
I am so grateful to have received this ARC from NetGalley and Joanna Shupe.
This book was just so hard to get through, so I ended up DNF'ing at 23%. First of all, I wasn't very happy with what I was reading. As soon as I was 3 pages in, there was a sex scene. Not between the two main leads, but rather the main lead and another woman from a brothel, because he was trying to escape from the police. I just felt like there could have been so many other ways he could have hidden and handled that without having to do the deed.
Overall, the plot wasn't as great either; it felt too rushed, too choppy for my liking. I felt like there could have been so much potential with this book if only I hadn't kept hearing about how much the male lead wants to have the female lead in bed. Like man, you met her less than a day ago, and now you want to have sex with her. And she isn't any better either, she starts to question herself, doubt herself, and keeps thinking about having sex with him.
I couldn't connect to the characters, nor the plot. So, I decided it was best if I DNF'ed it. I just don't think I was the right audience for this book to sum it all up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 10, 2025👑‧₊˚ pre-read┆tysm to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the chance to read this eARC!
November 23, 2025
joanna i love you but what in the booktok was that
February 12, 2025
Josie Smith has been having to fend for herself since she was an infant. Left at a children's asylum when she was 2, she hasn't known the love of any family in her life. She dreams of making it big as a singer some day and she can count on no one but herself to make it.
Leo Hardy is a confidence man he knows how to get around and make some quick money while he's at it. Being the sole provider for his mother and sisters since his father died young, Leo finds inventive (hint not so legal) ways to make his earning. When he catches sight of Josie Smith he immediately thinks of a scam that will make them both rich. A baby was stolen years ago from the Pendleton's years ago, yet they've never given up trying to find her. Josie looks strikingly like Lady Pendelton and this is where Leo gets creative. He's going to try his best to have them intervene and make it look like Josie is their long lost daughter - in return he collects the reward! Except the more Leo and Josie spend time together the harder it is to separate their feelings from one another. Can Leo still pull of the heist without hurting Josie?
The Gilded Heiress is an Anastasia retelling and I feel like Joanna Shupe did a good job as a retelling with putting her own spin on things. At times Leo was a really difficult character to like, but I think that was the intention - to let us see how he operates and gets by. Both Josie and Leo's lives weren't easy and I like that we are shown the struggles they go through.
I couldn't stop reading the book once I started. I will say the last quarter or so lost me a bit - because there was so much going on. While it is a spicy book - I feel it was tamer than some of Joanna Shupe's other books.
Overall, I enjoyed this spicy Anastasia retelling.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Leo Hardy is a confidence man he knows how to get around and make some quick money while he's at it. Being the sole provider for his mother and sisters since his father died young, Leo finds inventive (hint not so legal) ways to make his earning. When he catches sight of Josie Smith he immediately thinks of a scam that will make them both rich. A baby was stolen years ago from the Pendleton's years ago, yet they've never given up trying to find her. Josie looks strikingly like Lady Pendelton and this is where Leo gets creative. He's going to try his best to have them intervene and make it look like Josie is their long lost daughter - in return he collects the reward! Except the more Leo and Josie spend time together the harder it is to separate their feelings from one another. Can Leo still pull of the heist without hurting Josie?
The Gilded Heiress is an Anastasia retelling and I feel like Joanna Shupe did a good job as a retelling with putting her own spin on things. At times Leo was a really difficult character to like, but I think that was the intention - to let us see how he operates and gets by. Both Josie and Leo's lives weren't easy and I like that we are shown the struggles they go through.
I couldn't stop reading the book once I started. I will say the last quarter or so lost me a bit - because there was so much going on. While it is a spicy book - I feel it was tamer than some of Joanna Shupe's other books.
Overall, I enjoyed this spicy Anastasia retelling.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
September 1, 2025
2.5 Stars
2.5 chili’s
The Gilded Heiress is an Anastasia retelling set in the gilded age of New York.
Josephine was kidnapped from her rich parents, and they never found out what really happened to their daughter. Leo sees her singing on the street and realizes she looks exactly like the mother of the missing daughter. He was forced to be a con man in order to provide for his mother and sisters after his father drank himself to death. He wants revenge for what that family did to his father, plus the reward money so he cons Josie to go to New York with him so he can make her a famous singer. Of course, things get complicated as they start to fall for each other.
I am so very disappointed by this one, and I feel bad rating it so low. I love Joanna Shupe, and this was one of my most anticipated romances of the year. Unfortunately, this book just failed, and it took me forever to get through it. This did not feel like a Joanna Shupe book. I don’t know why Joanna decided to start writing in 1st person POV and changed her whole writing style. It felt too modern and like she was trying to get a different type of reader who may be used to contemporary. This didn’t work for me, and she should have kept with the usual 3rd person POV for historical romance.
My other issue was the romance itself. Leo and Josie had absolutely no chemistry or connection. I could not even get why they wanted to be together. Most of the time, they were just sexualizing each other. I needed more longing, slight touches, and romance.
Josie also annoyed me with how black and white she viewed his past as a thief and conman. Leo did what he had to in order to support his family, and she judged him harshly.
I want Joanna to go back to how she used to write historical romance. This just had a lot of issues.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.
2.5 chili’s
The Gilded Heiress is an Anastasia retelling set in the gilded age of New York.
Josephine was kidnapped from her rich parents, and they never found out what really happened to their daughter. Leo sees her singing on the street and realizes she looks exactly like the mother of the missing daughter. He was forced to be a con man in order to provide for his mother and sisters after his father drank himself to death. He wants revenge for what that family did to his father, plus the reward money so he cons Josie to go to New York with him so he can make her a famous singer. Of course, things get complicated as they start to fall for each other.
I am so very disappointed by this one, and I feel bad rating it so low. I love Joanna Shupe, and this was one of my most anticipated romances of the year. Unfortunately, this book just failed, and it took me forever to get through it. This did not feel like a Joanna Shupe book. I don’t know why Joanna decided to start writing in 1st person POV and changed her whole writing style. It felt too modern and like she was trying to get a different type of reader who may be used to contemporary. This didn’t work for me, and she should have kept with the usual 3rd person POV for historical romance.
My other issue was the romance itself. Leo and Josie had absolutely no chemistry or connection. I could not even get why they wanted to be together. Most of the time, they were just sexualizing each other. I needed more longing, slight touches, and romance.
Josie also annoyed me with how black and white she viewed his past as a thief and conman. Leo did what he had to in order to support his family, and she judged him harshly.
I want Joanna to go back to how she used to write historical romance. This just had a lot of issues.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.
August 10, 2025
Boston, 1896.
Leo is a confidence man, looking for his next mark in order to help his family make ends meet. When he hears Josie Smith singing on a corner in Boston, he's struck by two things: her talent, and how similar she looks to his father's former employer whose daughter went missing two decades ago. An idea pops into his head: maybe he'll pass off Josie as the missing heiress and collect the reward money. Leo convinces Josie that he'll be her manager, and she should give Broadway a shot, so they travel to New York together. There, he'll need to convince her that he isn't in it for just himself, that she has the talent to make it big, and maybe figure out how to convince her she could be the missing heiress.
Historical romance readers beware: this is dual first person perspective. On the one hand, that makes the audiobook (narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Aaron Shedlock) interesting and engaging. On the other hand, it makes it feel more like a contemporary. While this may seem counter-intuitive, being inside of the main characters' heads takes away the emotional punch I know I can get from reading a Shupe. I find this POV challenging and limited, but I know it will appeal to many contemporary/mafia readers.
This is an Anastasia retelling, which works well in the Gilded Age setting. It's easy to imagine a kidnapped heiress, reward money, corrupt police, and a twenty-year unsolved case that crosses New York and Boston. A con-man MMC is also the perfect fit for both the story and the era. To me, the most interesting parts of the story happen in Boston, where we get a glimpse into working class neighborhoods and their saloons and brothels.
I'm disappointed in this only because for me Joanna Shupe is at her best when she's most political, and this shies away from the politics that could drive a story with working class main characters. This book is going to be a big hit for readers who love first person dual perspective and dual narration audiobooks, fans of retellings (Anastasia in particular), and a modern feel to a historical.
Thank you to Avon for an eARC and Harper Audio for an ALC. The Gilded Heiress is out 8/26/25.
Leo is a confidence man, looking for his next mark in order to help his family make ends meet. When he hears Josie Smith singing on a corner in Boston, he's struck by two things: her talent, and how similar she looks to his father's former employer whose daughter went missing two decades ago. An idea pops into his head: maybe he'll pass off Josie as the missing heiress and collect the reward money. Leo convinces Josie that he'll be her manager, and she should give Broadway a shot, so they travel to New York together. There, he'll need to convince her that he isn't in it for just himself, that she has the talent to make it big, and maybe figure out how to convince her she could be the missing heiress.
Historical romance readers beware: this is dual first person perspective. On the one hand, that makes the audiobook (narrated by Eva Kaminsky and Aaron Shedlock) interesting and engaging. On the other hand, it makes it feel more like a contemporary. While this may seem counter-intuitive, being inside of the main characters' heads takes away the emotional punch I know I can get from reading a Shupe. I find this POV challenging and limited, but I know it will appeal to many contemporary/mafia readers.
This is an Anastasia retelling, which works well in the Gilded Age setting. It's easy to imagine a kidnapped heiress, reward money, corrupt police, and a twenty-year unsolved case that crosses New York and Boston. A con-man MMC is also the perfect fit for both the story and the era. To me, the most interesting parts of the story happen in Boston, where we get a glimpse into working class neighborhoods and their saloons and brothels.
I'm disappointed in this only because for me Joanna Shupe is at her best when she's most political, and this shies away from the politics that could drive a story with working class main characters. This book is going to be a big hit for readers who love first person dual perspective and dual narration audiobooks, fans of retellings (Anastasia in particular), and a modern feel to a historical.
Thank you to Avon for an eARC and Harper Audio for an ALC. The Gilded Heiress is out 8/26/25.
December 27, 2025
Leo Hardy, conman, wants revenge against the family that fired his father without reference 18 years ago. When he sees Josie Smith singing on a Boston street corner, he decides she will do nicely as the lost Pendelton baby all grown up. Once they're in New York, however, he discovers that his boner has grown rather attached to the young lady—but before he can come clean, his machinations are betrayed and Josie is betrayed and everyone is betrayed, OK?
1. WHY IS THIS IS IN FIRST PERSON? Oh my GOD I disliked it SO MUCH. The emotional development, sexual escapades, and general plotting all suffered for the LABELED point of view changes (which, sure, the narrative tone DOES NOT CHANGE between these two characters so other than the labels the only other way to tell them apart was Leo's frequent references to his cock. GREAT JOB EVERYONE. YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB.
2. The story itself is not good: it's an Anastasia retelling with a lot of the burgeoning charm and affection removed because the conman character doesn't actually realize that the missing heir is real; the emotional development is quickly sidelined for developing physical attraction; the reveal about what happened to the missing heir is a fucking side-note ("Oh there was a big omnibus accident near there and several bodies weren't identified so yeah the nurse/kidnapper PROBABLY DIED WHO KNOWS ANYWAYS"); the overall vibes are just bad.
3. Leo's change of heart came too late to matter, and:
4. Josie's "stealing is wrong!" was such a stupidly naive thing for a woman who grew up in an ORPHANAGE and was allegedly intimately familiar with POVERTY to say? Just absolutely smacked my gob.
5. I made myself finish it because I like Anastasia retellings and I thought a romance on the non-Gilded side of the American romance frontier would be interesting and GUESS WHAT?
I was wrong.
1. WHY IS THIS IS IN FIRST PERSON? Oh my GOD I disliked it SO MUCH. The emotional development, sexual escapades, and general plotting all suffered for the LABELED point of view changes (which, sure, the narrative tone DOES NOT CHANGE between these two characters so other than the labels the only other way to tell them apart was Leo's frequent references to his cock. GREAT JOB EVERYONE. YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB.
2. The story itself is not good: it's an Anastasia retelling with a lot of the burgeoning charm and affection removed because the conman character doesn't actually realize that the missing heir is real; the emotional development is quickly sidelined for developing physical attraction; the reveal about what happened to the missing heir is a fucking side-note ("Oh there was a big omnibus accident near there and several bodies weren't identified so yeah the nurse/kidnapper PROBABLY DIED WHO KNOWS ANYWAYS"); the overall vibes are just bad.
3. Leo's change of heart came too late to matter, and:
4. Josie's "stealing is wrong!" was such a stupidly naive thing for a woman who grew up in an ORPHANAGE and was allegedly intimately familiar with POVERTY to say? Just absolutely smacked my gob.
5. I made myself finish it because I like Anastasia retellings and I thought a romance on the non-Gilded side of the American romance frontier would be interesting and GUESS WHAT?
I was wrong.
October 6, 2025
This feels like a return to Shupe's earliest series, which aren't my favorites. There's a crassness here that I didn't enjoy. The proposal isn't even a proposal. It was something like "marry me. soon." The romance was lacking.
August 29, 2025
4 stars. A delightful loosely-based Anastasia retelling. It’s fun and steamy with a swoony, redeeming hero. 🎧
September 21, 2025
I really enjoyed moments of this but also struggled with some of the deception and the reveal dragged out a bit
July 18, 2025
There are a couple of things I learned about my reading preferences in the course of reading this book.
First: I do really like romances inspired by Anastasia and I really need to look and see if more exist.
Second: I have no issues with reading 1st person past tense POV in a contemporary romance but I found it really jarring in a historical romance. I am accustomed to 3rd person in a historical romance and weirdly, reading this in a 1st person POV kept taking me out of the story.
While that alone would not make me rate this book 2 stars, there are other things in this book that did not work for me. I thought the character development was really lacking and I couldn't get enough of a sense of either character to really explain to me how or why they fell in love with the other. I do think the MMC had more of a character arc than the FMC who seemed to only exist in service of the MMC.
In true Shupe fashion, the sex scenes were hot (she's one of the rare trad pubbed histrom authors whose sex scenes are always delightfully filthy) but the overall romance felt really shortchanged and lacking to me.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
First: I do really like romances inspired by Anastasia and I really need to look and see if more exist.
Second: I have no issues with reading 1st person past tense POV in a contemporary romance but I found it really jarring in a historical romance. I am accustomed to 3rd person in a historical romance and weirdly, reading this in a 1st person POV kept taking me out of the story.
While that alone would not make me rate this book 2 stars, there are other things in this book that did not work for me. I thought the character development was really lacking and I couldn't get enough of a sense of either character to really explain to me how or why they fell in love with the other. I do think the MMC had more of a character arc than the FMC who seemed to only exist in service of the MMC.
In true Shupe fashion, the sex scenes were hot (she's one of the rare trad pubbed histrom authors whose sex scenes are always delightfully filthy) but the overall romance felt really shortchanged and lacking to me.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
July 9, 2025
Maybe 3.5 stars?
First of all HISTORICAL ROMANCE IN FIRST PERSON POV IS WEIRD AND I DON'T LIKE IT
Once I got past that (I clearly didn't) I enjoyed this one! It's classic Shupe in so many ways and it's a testament to how much I like her ability to create characters and write a story that I was able to enjoy myself.
I will say I read half of this on a plane and the other half later that night when I couldn't sleep which impacted the reading experience (not sure in a positive or negative way yet).
*thanks to the publisher for the gifted eARC; all thoughts are my own*
First of all HISTORICAL ROMANCE IN FIRST PERSON POV IS WEIRD AND I DON'T LIKE IT
Once I got past that (I clearly didn't) I enjoyed this one! It's classic Shupe in so many ways and it's a testament to how much I like her ability to create characters and write a story that I was able to enjoy myself.
I will say I read half of this on a plane and the other half later that night when I couldn't sleep which impacted the reading experience (not sure in a positive or negative way yet).
*thanks to the publisher for the gifted eARC; all thoughts are my own*
August 12, 2025
3.5 stars. The Gilded Heiress is a Gilded Age historical romance from Joanna Shupe with Anastasia retelling vibes. I read every book this author writes and always have a good time with her gilded age romances.
“Some things are worth more than money.”
“Like what?”
“Like you.”
Josephine Pendleton is kidnapped from her wealthy parents when she’s just 2-years old. Now 16-ish years later, conman Leo Hardy finds Josie, a young street singer, who he’s willing to pass off as the lost Pendleton baby! Josie was raised in an orphanage and doesn’t know anything about her past. He’s convinced Josie has enough of a resemblance to the Pendleton family and he could get the reward money from finding her. He decides to help her with her signing career too. The Pendletons are a wealthy family he sees as responsible for his family’s dire situation: his father was their gardener before getting fired years ago, he then turned to drinking and died, and Leo has been responsible for his 5 sisters and mother since, always seeking a chance to get revenge on the Pendletons.
I liked Josie, I liked the Pendletons and their story, I wasn’t as invested in the romance or Leo as a character in the first half. He kinda gave me the ick a few times but I’m glad I kept going because I liked Josie’s character arc and her journey. The last half of the story was a lot stronger than the first half for me and I liked how it all came together. While not a favorite from this author for me, I think this was a solid new release if you’re intrigued by an Anastasia retelling historical romance.
I received an audio ALC and loved the audiobook narrators, they brought the characters to life! All thoughts in this review are my own.
“Some things are worth more than money.”
“Like what?”
“Like you.”
Josephine Pendleton is kidnapped from her wealthy parents when she’s just 2-years old. Now 16-ish years later, conman Leo Hardy finds Josie, a young street singer, who he’s willing to pass off as the lost Pendleton baby! Josie was raised in an orphanage and doesn’t know anything about her past. He’s convinced Josie has enough of a resemblance to the Pendleton family and he could get the reward money from finding her. He decides to help her with her signing career too. The Pendletons are a wealthy family he sees as responsible for his family’s dire situation: his father was their gardener before getting fired years ago, he then turned to drinking and died, and Leo has been responsible for his 5 sisters and mother since, always seeking a chance to get revenge on the Pendletons.
I liked Josie, I liked the Pendletons and their story, I wasn’t as invested in the romance or Leo as a character in the first half. He kinda gave me the ick a few times but I’m glad I kept going because I liked Josie’s character arc and her journey. The last half of the story was a lot stronger than the first half for me and I liked how it all came together. While not a favorite from this author for me, I think this was a solid new release if you’re intrigued by an Anastasia retelling historical romance.
I received an audio ALC and loved the audiobook narrators, they brought the characters to life! All thoughts in this review are my own.
August 10, 2025
Read to 40% and then skipped to 75% and read to the end -- 2.5 stars
I have loved everything that I've read from Joanna, so I didn't even really look into this one. I will start off by saying I am not familiar with the Anastasia story, so maybe that's where it fell for me?
I liked Josie or Leo well enough. They're both ambitious and apparently gorgeous, but I didn't really see the connection between them, especially as the relationship grows.
Plot wise, I was bored. I wasn't invested in Josie's singing or Leo schemes or even the "is she/isn't she" mystery. The first person POV really threw me and I just couldn't settle into either of the character's heads.
Overall, something kept me reading, but I'm not sure what it was.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I have loved everything that I've read from Joanna, so I didn't even really look into this one. I will start off by saying I am not familiar with the Anastasia story, so maybe that's where it fell for me?
I liked Josie or Leo well enough. They're both ambitious and apparently gorgeous, but I didn't really see the connection between them, especially as the relationship grows.
Plot wise, I was bored. I wasn't invested in Josie's singing or Leo schemes or even the "is she/isn't she" mystery. The first person POV really threw me and I just couldn't settle into either of the character's heads.
Overall, something kept me reading, but I'm not sure what it was.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
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