This doesn't come out for months but I couldn't wait to read this second book in Joanna Shupe's Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Cleverly the first half of this book overlaps The Heiress Hunt (first book in the series). In that book there is a large house party in Newport, RI. Both Alice Lusk and Christopher (Kit) Ward are in attendance. Alice is painfully shy with an overbearing mother. She approaches Kit with the idea of teaching her about men. She wants to know how to talk, flirt etc as her greatest desire is to marry for love.

The love lessons trope is familiar and of course there is going to be desire and attraction. But when it is done well, as this one is, you can see the growth in the people. Alice goes from timidness to being able to stand up for herself. She doesn't need Kit to save her. Kit has insecurities and never plans to marry but he never met a girl like Alice before. They are fun and sweet together and steamy and hot too. I also enjoyed Alices love of cooking. An unusual choice for her status.

I imagine Shupe having fun plotting the overlap in storylines. I definitely had fun returning to the first book and seeing where the characters fit into the scenes in both. I love that story being told from both POV's so we are aware of their thoughts and emotions. This can be read as a stand alone but is more enjoyable if read in order. This all takes place in the Gilded Age, 1895 NYC & Newport. It is the USA equivalent to the Victorian/Regency eras. If I had one wish it would be that it was a little more over the top with wealth as in the first book. I missed the mention of Tiffany jewelry and excesses of the day.

I would recommend to any who enjoys historical romances. The beautiful cover alone will grab catch the readers eye and imagination. A grateful thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Soooo I currently have 23 books from NetGalley, 20 of which publish before this book, but I could not resist. I mean, LOOK AT THAT COVER. How was I supposed to hold off reading it until closer October? I remember when I first saw the cover on Twitter or Instagram and my jaw dropping because it is so deliciously hot. This is what I want on my romance novel covers!!

This book starts in the middle of the Newport, RI house party that takes place during the first Fifth Avenue Rebels book and follows Kit, a friend of Maddie and Harrison (main couple from book one), and Alice, one of the debutants at the party. I’m not saying that you have to read the first book in the series to enjoy this one, but I highly recommend doing so as it will make this one more enjoyable. I will say that reading this one first, will likely ruin the drama of the first book, so if you’re planning on reading them both I suggest reading them in order.

Alice enlists Kit’s help in teaching her how to be seductive so she can find her own spouse instead of being trapped with a fortune hunter after her large dowery. As with all educational kissing books the two end up falling for each other and it’s delightful. On top of this being an educational kissing romance, it is also a food romance. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a historical food romance and it was wonderful.

I loved both Alice and Kit. I really liked Kit in the first book and was looking forward to his story. He’s just so fun and still manages to feel like a fully developed real person. Also, I love when book characters are big dummies and don’t realize they’re in love until they’re a jealous wreck (this only applies to book characters). I vaguely remember Alice from the first book, but now want to go back and reread it for glimpses of her. It was very interesting being in her head and seeing her inner-self and outward persona become more aligned throughout the book as she became more self assured. I felt like both characters grew both as individuals and a couple which should happen in all books.

I can’t wait for the next book in the series, which I really hope is Nellie’s story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! I picked it up in the middle of reading A Feast For Crows, so all I wanted was an easy read. This looked like it would be enjoyable, so I picked it up. I ended up binging it in less than 24 hours, it was an addictive read.

My favorite thing about this was definitely our main character, Alice. At the beginning of this, she was painfully naive and shy. I loved watching her accept herself and come out of her shell over the course of the book, and when she finally stood up to her mother, I couldn't have been happier. I loved how she didn't need Kit to be herself, she came into her own, and it was amazing.

I feel like the relationship between Kit and Alice also needs to be addressed, as this is a historical romance after all. I feel like the alternating perspectives really worked for this one, because it allowed us to understand each character and their feelings. I enjoyed both perspectives equally, and I loved how the romance helped each character develop. I had expected more steam based on the cover, but I didn't mind the lack of it.

Although this isn't what I normally read, I really enjoyed it! It was the perfect break from high fantasy, and just what I wanted when I picked it up.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Did. Not. Finish. Blech. Not enjoyable at all. I don't know if it was the writing style or if it was really that bad but I hated it.