The Lady Gets Lucky is the second book in Joanna Shupe’s Fifth Avenue Rebels series. I haven’t read the first book but this one can be read as a standalone with just minor mentions of the protagonists from the previous book. Like most of Ms. Shupes previous novels, this is also set during the Gilded Age in New York City which also signals the beginning of a new century. And like the title of the series these scions of the rich and privilege rebel on their perceived lot in life. The Lady Gets Lucky is the story of Kit, charming happy go lucky scoundrel of the society set and Alice, the very shy and so very much under the rule of her mother heiress who is also looking for a match before she is declared a spinster. Both Kit and Alice play a role in front of the public but their private dreams and vulnerabilities are slowly shown only with each other. They strike a deal with each other, seeming to benefit both their agendas but ends up asking for more. This book is a page turner not only because its written very well with a plot that is well executed but also how Alice and Kit navigate their relationship. How they both grow up asking more from what society expects them to be and ending up going for their dreams and their love for each other.

What an absolutely cracking read! I honestly think I liked this better than the first book in the series. Alice felt like a soul sister and I couldn't help rooting for her every step of the way. I also just wanted to give Kit a big hug and pep talk, poor dear. The chemistry between the two sizzled and kept me turning the page far past my bedtime.

Holy cow, this book was so good!! I went into this book a little cautious after not loving book one in the series, but I was blown away. I could not put it down!

The first half of this book overlaps with the first book in the series. They are at a house party thrown by Maddie (the heroine in book 1) to find Harrison (the hero in book 1) a bride. Alice is there as a potential wife/heiress. Kit is there as a friend of Harrison’s. Alice is in need of a husband. She asks Kit to give her lessons on how to seduce and keep a man. He refuses at first, because Maddie warned him away from any and all of the heiresses at the party. After learning that Alice loves to cook and has been secretly trained by a famous chef, Kit changes his mind. He is opening a supper club and agrees to give Alice lessons in return for some of the famous recipes.

Kit is not the marrying kind, and neither Alice nor Kit planned to develop feelings for each other past friendship. That did not last long, however, as they were both completely entranced by the other. I absolutely loved the chemistry between this couple! Each time they were together, you could feel the tension and love between them.

5 stars!

I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

The Lady Gets Lucky
by Joanna Shupe
• Historical Romance

Rating: 4 stars

Heiress Alice Lusk wants to escape her toxic mother and to do that, she needs to marry….but marry a man that lets her live out her dream life, not control her.
Christopher Ward (Kit), a notorious playboy and ladies man, likes his life just so- uncomplicated. That is until Alice comes to him with a proposal….teach her the art of seduction so she can find a husband.

Kit ALSO needs something….he’s opening up a brand new supper club and in need of some 5 star recipes. Alice has been secretly apprenticing under a renowned chef and in return for her “lessons”, she helps in the kitchen by recreating some of the famous chef’s best dishes.

Thoughts: This was my first Joanna Shupe book and it did not disappoint!!! I also absolutely adore any book where someone is teaching someone how to seduce. Instant hit for me! The tension with these two was outstanding and I love that Kit always made sure Alice was comfortable with their interactions.

Things to Note: this is book 2 in a series and I didn’t read the first. I’m not sure if there are spoilers. It seems to be an independent story with crossover characters and possible storylines.

Interest: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Heat: 3.5/5 (hot scenes, but I just needed 1 or 2 more)
Stand-alone: maybe?
Cliffhanger: no
Would I recommend: YES


*** I was given a copy of this book for an honest review by the author/publisher through Net Galley.

A woman who wants to take control of her destiny. Alice is my sort of woman and honestly that title gives plenty of suggestions what will happen between the pages. It’s marketing genius and hook you in with this story. Alice is a woman who doesn’t want to be on the shelf. She wants to control her future and Kit is the perfect guy for the situation. He doesn’t want to settle down and he knows the secrets she wishes to possess. Kit doesn’t make qualms about himself and honestly he wasn’t the rake he was put out to be.

Both wanted things out of life and it showed quickly. Shupe didn’t waste time with these two even if was just lessons. The reasons soon changed and these two quickly find themselves into a different type of arrangement. This was the perfect return to historical romances for me and I can’t wait to read more from Shupe.

Loved this book Joanna Shupe at her finest, This is a swoon worthy romance with all the feels. Alice and Kit are fantastic characters and came alive on the pages. This book has some feels for me, with Alice being abused by her mother. Alice decided to change her life for the better with the help of Kit. I highly recommend this book.

Joanna Shupe is always a must buy for me, I just love her characters. This is book two in her Fifth Avenue Rebels series and the timeline follows along with book one so definitely read that first.

Alice Lusk is looking for a husband, mostly to escape her overbearing and mean mother. She hears that Kit turns any woman into a vixen so asks him to help her become more outgoing and appealing to men. This is a favorite trope of mine and led to some hilarious and awkward moments that were so sweet.

Kit shows the world a veneer of a fun loving guy, but he wants to prove himself better than his father’s opinion of him. He’s got a business venture in the works, but no time for a bride.

Kit and Alice need each other and the sparks fly. The scenes in the kitchens when Alice is showing what a boss babe she truly is were my favorite. That’s when Kit sees who she could be without others opinions always shutting her true vivacity down. This was a fantastic addition to the series and made me pretty hungry too!

***ARC Provided by the Author***

Kit and Alice were one of those couples you just want to see end up happy. They were so perfect for one another, and what they wanted out of life fit so well with one another that even when there were struggles, you still wanted them to succeed.

I loved the writing of the book and I really enjoy this author's way of telling the story that makes you feel both invested and involved. Adding in the setting of the story, feeling involved with the characters definitely adds a dimension to it.

I also love the time period in which this series is set. It's not a common time for historical romance, and I think it makes them feel a little different as it's not a time period that is expected, if that makes sense.

Overall, I enjoyed and recommend this title.

Shy heiress Alice Lusk is ready to take some drastic measures to attract a husband and get out of her mother's household. She's been secretly spending time in the kitchen to learn from a master chef and can't wait to have her own household so she can spend her days doing what she loves. At a house party in Newport, she meets Kit Ward, the perfect person to teach her how to seduce a man - which he's willing to do, but only in exchange for some recipes for his supper club. Kit has no intention to ever marry, so their arrangement must stay temporary, despite their growing attraction.

When Alice and Kit return to New York after the house party ends in scandal (on the same timeline as The Heiress Hunt), they know it's not prudent to keep seeing eachother. But when Kit needs help for the opening of his Supper Club, Alice takes the opportunity to follow her dreams and run her own kitchen, and Kit realizes maybe Alice is worth changing his mind about marriage.

Alice and Kit had oodles of chemistry together, and were truly adorable. I enjoyed them both as secondary characters in the Heiress Hunt, so it was very satisfying to get to read their story. They both showed so much growth, in particular Alice coming out of her shell, gaining confidence and standing up to her harridan mother (difficult parents seem to be a staple in Shupe's books). I loved how supportive Kit was of her, even if it did take him a little too long to come around to marriage.

Looking forward to the next book in the series, hopefully we'll see Nellie's HEA.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Within minutes of starting Joanna Shupe’s The Lady Gets Lucky I knew this was going to be a good one. For me, this book offers the lush, in your face sensuality & rich, I-know-how-to-wring-out-your-emotions goodness that Shupe brings in her book Devil of Downtown, which is one of my fave historicals.

LADY’s premise is lessons in flirtation between a quiet heiress & a charmer rogue—in this case said heiress Alice wants a husband so she can get freedom from her overbearing mother & pursue her passion for cooking & charmer Kit wants the recipes she can give him for his new supper club.

From the first Kit feels “protective” toward Alice & thinks her face & awkwardness & forthrightness are “adorable”; he watches her when she’s quiet amidst the group, wondering what he can do to make her more comfortable & less embarrassed by her overbearing mother. He listens to her & is honest & open with her—a rarity—& he wants to kiss her, don’t get him wrong, but he will never marry or fall in love (YEAH, OKAY, KIT. We believe you 😉 ).

The magnetic ways Shupe uses these tropes, the romance catnip, the crumbs Shupe lays telling us that these Words-Only lessons will turn to Kissing will turn to Love are all fantastic. The sexual tension is captivating. Watching Kit & Alice discover who they can be now that they’ve learned about themselves through the comfort, acceptance, & care they find in each other is lovely.

This is a 5 ⭐️ read for me & trust me, you want your hands on this one!

5 ⭐️. Release date: 10/26

So much better than book one!
Kit & Alice are electric together. He’s a rake with a heart of gold and she’s a shy wallflower. I really enjoyed their chemistry and their friendship. The lessons portion of the story served as a great build up to their relationship and definitely provide readers with plenty of slow burn and angst.
The pacing was much improved and the plot was too.
A good part of the story takes place during the house party in the first book but I think this can be read as a standalone without any issues.
Can’t wait to see Katherine’s story. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was a great deal of fun! It’s set in the Gilded Age and starts at the house party that took place in The Heiress Hunt so there is some overlap in timelines.

There’s something about a rake and a wallflower falling for each other that pulls my heartstrings every single time. Add in the tropes of sex lessons and food as a love language and I am hooked!

Both Alice and Kit are so darn likeable (which is a welcome contrast to the first book as I struggled with Harrison’s appeal). They were so sweet with each other and I loved how very careful both of them were to check for continuous consent. And the sex scenes were very hot!

CWs: toxic parental relationships; death of a friend; alcoholism; grief

**Received an eARC via NetGalley for Bonkers Book Club**

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! This is Shupe at her FINEST in my opinion. Filled with great characters, swoony romance, breathtaking steam, it was historical romance PERFECTION!

This story follows Kit, a well known ladies man, and Alice, who is a bit of a wallflower intent on securing a husband to give her freedom from her overbearing mother. She approaches Kit to ask for seduction lessons on how to attract and keep a man. He, at first, reluctantly agrees, but soon finds any excuse for just one more lesson. Alice loves to cook and has been secretly trained by a famous chef so her offer is one of the top chef's secret recipes in exchange for one seduction lesson with Kit. Falling in love, however, was not part of the deal.

Honestly I have nothing to critique with this, it was a complete joy to read and this slowly simmering romance was everything I ever wanted. Highly recommend this one, it is my favorite historical romance release of 2021!

Heady chemistry sizzles between a ravishing rogue who teaches a timid lady how to turn temptress in Joanna Shupe's new novel, THE LADY GETS LUCKY. Things must change fast, if bashful, beautiful, heiress Alice Lusk wants to snare a man of her own choosing. Her offensive, dominant mother utters an ultimatum that Alice must make a match soon or else.

Alice wants to marry for love. She meets Christopher Ward, Kit, a dashing scoundrel at a dinner party. Alice flushes with awareness at his intoxicating masculinity. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Alice's plan is to persuade Kit to show her all about the art of feminine wiles. It's a simple plan. What could go wrong?

Kit is stunned when a timid, lovely lady asks for his help in seducing a man. He is opening a supper club and learns Alice is friends with a well-known chef. He strikes a deal with her. He will give her lessons in flirting in exchange for five star recipes he can use at his supper club. Only, Alice blooms under his tutelage. His heart is in danger of falling for dainty, tantalizing Alice. Alice is totally enamored with Kit's whole persona. She definitely wants lessons in romance, but somehow she has fallen for a roving rascal. But is it true love?

THE LADY GETS LUCKY is a captivating blend of suspense, charm and wit. Ms. Shupe 's writing is scrumptious and I was totally obsessed from page one. The plot sparkles between an inconspicuous heiress and a notorious rogue. The story left me sighing, smiling and falling in love with the characters. There are spellbinding dips, spins and twists. Ms. Shupe's tale of the dangers and delights of risky passion will fulfill and enchant hard core historical romance readers. This is a wonderfully rich, romantic story filled with strong characters. This story struck a chord in my heart, as shy Alice grows into a confident woman. I absolutely adored it! THE LADY GETS LUCKY is truly a tender, perfect story. A keeper for sure!

The Lady Gets Lucky is the second book in Joanne Shupe's The Fifth Avenue Rebels series set in Gilded Age New York. I enjoyed the first book (The Heiress Hunt), but I loved this one! This story was a fun blend of wit, steam and tears. The hero and heroine were total opposites, which made the tale even more appealing.

Alice Lusk is a shy heiress who's constantly being overlooked by eligible bachelors. It doesn't help that her mother is a total harridan and seems to be disliked by everyone, and for good cause. She doesn't want to get married to a man who wants her just for her fortune. What can she do? Well, become an irresistible siren, of course, able to draw men to her. But just who should she seek help from? The answer to that question ends up being Christopher “Kit” Ward, a rogue of the highest order and the life of the party. Kit doesn't want to take advantage of a shy virgin, but she tempts him with a chef. Yes, a chef. He is opening up a supper club and needs an excellent chef, and she has an in with one. She will supply Kit with the chef's outstanding recipes for lessons in seduction. Sounds easy enough, right? HA!

Sometimes the "opposites attract" trope seems to get a little stale, but here it is quite refreshing with a wonderful hero and heroine. Kit's outer shell makes people think he's just about parties and women, but underneath he's a lot more. His father always told him he's as shallow as a saucer, and this has hurt him greatly. He wants to make a success of his new supper club to prove him wrong. He's tall, dark and handsome and is adored by women. He also has a potty mouth. Yet the shy heiress chooses him as the perfect "professor" for her lessons. I loved Kit, but I LOVED Alice! She didn't want to marry just to make some man rich. What she really wanted to do was become a chef. The woman could cook! Of course at that time (1895) it wasn't an option for women to have a career. When Kit couldn't find a chef for his supper club, he asked Alice to cook behind the scenes as he wooed important men for memberships to the club. Oh, my, the lessons in seduction Kit gave to Alice will make you seek a cold bath! Let's just say Alice was a good pupil. They knew they had to resist each other and part, but that idea wasn't working very well! The supporting characters were quite interesting as well. I enjoyed Preston Clarke ( Kit's business partner in the supper club venture) and Alice's friend Nellie. Alice's mother was a character you will love to hate. There was also a brief storyline about Forrest, a friend of Preston and Kit, and that interlude will have you in tears. All-in-all, a story that you will find hard to put down!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The Lady Gets Lucky is the second book in The Fifth Avenue Rebels series by Joanna Shupe. A fast-paced emotional read that is sure to tug at your heartstrings. I felt the angst was drawn out a bit too long in the book and I would have preferred Kit have recognized his feelings on his own. The characters are well-written and relatable, with a vivid storyline that is sure to pull you in and hold your attention until the very end, all while leaving you wanting more. While The Lady Gets Lucky is the second book in The Fifth Avenue Rebels series, it can easily be read as a standalone novel.

First, this book has one of the best covers of the year! Second...I love Joanna Shupe! She knows how to write fully fleshed out characters with humor, romance, and perfect HEAs. Alice, is a shy heroine, who wants to take charge of her life, and her marriage prospects. She enlists Kit, our roguish hero, to instruct her in how to become a siren, a woman that all the men of the ton will want. While the lessons work only too well, Kit decides he wants Alice for himself! The rest is a highly enjoyable swoon worthy ride! Joanna Shupe doesn't disappoint and this book is no exception! I highly recommend! 4 1/2 stars

I adored this book. I am instantly looking for more from Joanna Shupe as the story was delightful. I really enjoyed the characterisation of Kit and Alice, they felt real - as did Alice's mother.

While attending a house party hosted by the Websters at their Newport “chapeau”, Boston heiress Alice Lusk makes a decision that will change her life. After years of verbal and emotional abuse at the hands of her mother, Alice is determined to marry – but she wants a man who will love her for herself, not her father’s money. So, she figures her best bet is to seduce a man, but how does a painfully shy, insecure, proper young lady do such a thing? By hiring the man her hostess’ daughter swears can turn even the shyest woman into a vixen – Christopher “Kit” Ward.

Kit is a self-described scoundrel, a playboy with charm, good looks, and money to spare and in no rush to change. So, when the pretty little wallflower asks for help, he is ready to send her on her way, but then he learns she is close friends with the famous Fifth Ave Hotel chef, Angelo Franconi – the very man Kit and his business partner and friend Preston have been trying to hire for their supper club! Alice makes it clear, chef Franconi will never leave the hotel, but she is sure she could persuade him to sell the men some of his famous recipes, as well as the rights to use his name and in exchange, she wants Kit to teach her how to attract a man.

Kit agrees and the two begin, but Kit is unprepared for his reaction to Alice and he aggressively fights his growing attraction. Things heat up between them, but they both know that nothing will ever come from it, and if Alice ever wants to follow her dream of running her own kitchen, she needs to marry, something that Kit has made quite clear he will never do. They return to New York, assuming they will never see each other again. Kit can’t deny he is jealous when he learns that Alice is being courted, but he stubbornly refuses to consider a future with her. But when Kit needs help, Alice offers to step in and cook for his club’s opening night and their passion burns bright and won’t be denied – but even one glorious night is not enough to change Kit’s mind about marriage and once more they part ways. It seems like Kit’s insecurities will cost him the love of a lifetime, but an unexpected tragedy and some no-nonsense advice, make him realize that Alice is exactly what he needs – but is it too late?

This book was fantastic! I loved it so much and am so glad I didn’t pass on it after my disappointment with the previous installment of this series. This book is nearly perfect, it is well-written, perfectly paced, filled with witty banter, extremely likable leads, steamy love scenes, a bit of heartache, insecurities, an overbearing, nasty mother, wonderful secondary characters, and a HEA that is sure to put a smile on your face. This is the second book in the series and part of the book runs concurrently with the first book, but this book can easily be read as a standalone title – however if you don’t want spoilers, read the books in order! I highly recommend this title and cannot wait for the next installment!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

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

CW: emotionally abusive parent, gaslighting, parental abandonment (past), death of a parent (past), grief, death of a friend, brief mentions of alcoholism, food shaming

This is the second book in the series. The events in the first half are concurrent to the first half of the first book so there are mild spoilers, I would recommend reading the first book (which I enjoyed) but you can still enjoy this one as a standalone

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f historical romance
-sex education
-an agreement
-food as a love language
-insta attraction
-a house party

The chemistry in this book was crackling. I really enjoyed this fun read, I'm always down for a romance/sex pact. Kit always understood Alice from the beginning, respecting her, never pushing her beyond what she could give. Their connection over food, their matching ambitions. They were the perfect matches for each other. Both had past issues with their parents and they opened up to each other, all while fulfilling their sides of the agreement. Both fun and intimate at the same time, grab this, I mean look at that cover.

Steam: 3