Another wildly entertaining, historically fascinating, and SMOKING HOT book from Joanna Shupe - this whole series has been wonderful, but this is my favorite book so far. If you like a bad boy hero who's so smitten he doesn't know how to handle his feelings, and a heroine who's taking none of his nonsense, this book is for you.

This is my first Joanna Shupe book, and it will most certainly not be my last. I loved the writing from start to finish— and I love how Shupe made her characters come to life.

This was a delicious romance, led by well-layered protagonists. I enjoyed their individual and interconnecting arcs equally. I also enjoyed the smut— it was well written and further demonstrated the fiery chemistry between our leads, Katherine and Preston.

I really admired Katherine’s strong will and steadfast resolve. She doesn’t bend to anyone’s will but her own, putting herself first. She may be a romantic dreamer, brimming with optimism, but after life deals her a bad hand with a reluctant fiancé in Preston, she demonstrates the courages to break free from any constraints and allow herself to live her own life for the first time. However, life happens to place her in the direction of Preston again and again.

I have decided Preston’s best trait is his groveling— because, trust me, there will be much to grovel on his part. And you will absolutely love it. Seriously though, Preston is one stubborn man, but I appreciated how, in time, Katherine disarmed his defenses. You end up cheering him on and hoping that he’ll be able to open his heart fully to Katherine, just as she deserves.

As much as I liked our main couple, I’ll admit I sometimes zoned out a bit on their back-and-forth of troubles. Instead I found my attention continuously lingering back to Nellie and Lockwood. I desperately need their story! There is some excellent potential there.

I am so glad to have read this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

📚✨Book Review✨📚

The Bride Goes Rogue
Author: Joanna Shupe

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Notes: I received this book via NetGalley to review as an advanced reader, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will be released May 24th.

What I Liked:
👰🏻 You had me at masquerade. That French Ball sounds absolutely like a party that I would like to attend. I just need someone to throw one so if you do….send me an invite!

👰🏻Every heroine in this series has a mind of their own and is determined to find their place in the world that doesn’t necessarily equate to being someone’s wife (although they do find that too!)

👰🏻Oh Preston. I thought for sure Harrison, from The Heiress Hunt would be my fave hero from this series, but Preston easily took his place. I think it’s the combination of sex appeal and vulnerability that drew men in. I love the juxtaposition of the two and honestly…it helps that he’s good at other things too 😏🌶

👰🏻THAT CARRIAGE SCENE!!!! 🥵 damn I should not have read that scene in public. It had me feeling some type of way!!!!

👰🏻Who doesn’t love a good grovel scene? Preston’s grovel was pretty damn good, I’d forgive him! 😉

What I Didn’t Like:
👰🏻Every book in this series is too short! I always find myself wanting at least 50 more pages 😭

👰🏻what is the deal with Nellie and Lockwood??? They’re definitely the next book right….RIGHT??!!!!

Final Thoughts:
👰🏻For many years all the historicals I read were the classic Regency or Victorian era ones. I love that I’ve discovered Joanna’s world. It’s really opened a new world to me. It also helps that I’ve been to Newport in the last few years (those mansions are STUNNING!!!!) and that I’m totally I to the Gilded Age on HBO. Cheers for finding new genres to devour!

I don’t know what it is, but enemies to “friends” to lovers just gets me. And you know I live for a good grovel.

Don’t forget about THAT carriage scene, IYKYK.

Katherine always believed herself to be in a betrothal arrangement with a man her father had set up. And now that she's ready to get married, she finds out that her would be husband, Preston, could not possibly care less for the arrangement. That is, until he sees her at a masquerade ball. But of course, it being a masquerade, they don't realize they are smooching until afterwards and all hell breaks loose, leaving Preston rethinking that betrothal arrangement. Some might think it's a stale premise, but masquerades plots can be super fun and this one definitely is.

I'm a huge Joanna Shupe fan, but this series hasn't been my favorite. It just doesn't sizzle the way her other books do. I did love the Adirondack setting in this one and wish it had taken up even more space. Looking forward to Nellie's story!

I love an arranged engagement! A masquerade, New York, and jealous beau…. What’s not to love? This was a fun, romantic page turner!

Thanks to Avon and the author for allowing me an ARC and the opportunity to provide feedback.

I really wanted to like this book because I have read other works by Joanna Shupe and enjoyed them, but this one left me cold.

The storyline concerns a 21 year old debutante, Katherine, who has been waiting for a year for the man she believes is her betrothed to make his move. A marriage contract was agreed to years before by their fathers. When there is no courtship forthcoming, her father suggests she work it out with the man, Preston, herself. In that time period, what father would send his daughter off, unaccompanied, to arrange the details of her wedding with a man she's met once?

She visits Preston's office, where he tells her in no uncertain terms that he isn't marrying her. Disappointed, she decides that she will go out, grab the world by the horns and be whomever she wants to be. Her first step is to attend basically an orgy in the guise of a masquerade ball. She has a one night stand with a man that she soon discovers to be yep, you guessed it, Preston. The rest of the book revolves around her alternatively hating him and lusting after him and him remaining resolute against marriage, but taking her to bed every chance he gets.

I couldn't like Preston, He was basically a criminal with enough money to pay off city officials, judges, etc. He had no character. He said that he was doing all the work to reclaim his late father's business for his mother, yet he had not seen her in months. Katherine reminded me of a rebellious teenager, silly and over-sexed. The two most important men in her life duped her and used her as a pawn. The depth of their duplicity isn't apparent until the end of the book.

There were some redeeming characters. I quite liked Nellie, who tried to warn Katherine and help her and the duke, a cash-poor British lord on the hunt for a rich American to marry who befriends Katherine in the process.

2 stars is all I can give this book. I'm looking forward to Ms. Shupe's next installment that will be Nellie's story.

The Bride Goes Rogue by Joanna Shupe was the book I was waiting for!!!!!!!!! This is the third novel in the Fifth Avenue Rebel Series. I recommend reading the entire series in order as all the heroes are connected.

Katherine Delafield has been engaged for the last year to a man she barely knows. Katherine has been grieving for her mother and begins to think she should be married by now. Her father encourages her to take matters into her own hands and go see Preston Clarke. What ensues is a ping-pong of witty banter, people at odds with instant sparks. Preston Clarke has refused to acknowledge the engagement his late father set up for him. Clarke has had much on his shoulders since his father died and is also grieving the death of a friend.

I love the elements Shupe brings into this novel. Our heroes are at odds but have a deep and instant kinship for each other. Spicy romantic scenes. An anonymous liaison at a party downtown. For the NYC guided age we get some classes mixes, secret ladies club lifting each other up, the art world and booming business.

I fell madly in love with this book. Katherine is so lovable and I was routing for her the entire book. We've got some Tessa Dare level steam and humor all mixed in. This is Shupe at her BEST in my opinion.

I read an ARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own. #Joanna Shupe #TheBrideGoesRogue #NetGalley

I didn't think Joanna could top The Lady Gets Lucky, but omg THIS BOOK. The chemistry! The tension! The spice!! Katherine has been waiting a year to marry Preston after her father told her that he and Preston's father made a deal for them to marry. When Katherine finally confronts Preston about the betrothal, the arrogant businessman basically laughs in her face and says he could never marry her. Enraged, Katherine decides she's going to stop waiting around for life and go live it. Which means attending scandalous parties and having an affair. This was such a fun hate to love romance and I loved everything about it. Preston is an anti-hero because he's really not a good die and isn't afraid to lie or cheat to get what he wants. Katherine was so fun and I love a heroine who decides to take life by storm. Their chemistry was absolutely amazing and I loved how they couldn't keep their hands off each other, even though they hated each other. And there was some definite groveling at the end and I loved it. Also, as always, the gilded age New York setting was perfect! Seriously, I could not recommend this book enough. You have to pick it up when it releases!

Ohhh my goddddd. This book is everything what is right in the world. Kate and Preston are soooo good. Their chemistry is chef's kiss. BUT the show stealer for me is Nellie. I can't wait to her story!

Absolutely adored! This lived up to how wonderful book two was. Katherine was a great heroine. Preston definitely had some groveling to do in this one, so if you like a hero who makes many mistakes and then has to make some real grand gestures to win the heroines heart, this one is for you. Very romantic and sexy!

✨I am absolutely feral rn✨

Literally blew my expectations out of the water and I swear they were HIGH after book two (one of my favorite reads in 2021). Seriously, this book was disgustingly good. I’m a mess.

From the first chapter I was a goner. I absolutely loved the set-up. Kat went a little bananas and I always ALWAYS love the unhinged journey. Their relationship was dirty and messy and so goddamn adorable. My king?????? My KINGdom for a man like that my god. My kingdom also for a king dom lmao (I do not kid. Preston changed me.)

Katherine was absolutely into him dominating her and lord knows so was I (do not forgive me father for I have sinned and I have zero regrets). It is my greatest honor to be able to inform you that we achieved “good girl” status. That is absolutely correct the good girl kink is strong in this one. Many things are strong in this one (thighs, thrusts, other “th” things I’m sure), but that scene made me scream, cry, throw a party in its honor. I simply cannot believe we were blessed by Ms. Joanna like that.

The last 30% of this book was Pres groveling and I think that was so hot of this book’s journey. I couldn’t even be mad at the pretty idiot because he was put to the TEST. This is one of the best groveling kinks out there.

It actually reminded me of No Strings Attached a LOT especially at the end. That scene where Natalie Portman’s character finally realized she truly ruined her chances with Ashton and she’s just so heart broken? Yeah that’s this. I watched that movie recently for the first time and was like WOW that’s how the redemption/finally-realized-this-jealous-pining-feeling-is-love arc is supposed to go.

Thank god Kat made him work for it. I was so scared that that wouldn’t happened but I literally could not even be annoyed at his tomfoolery. Also I loved his arc with her dad!!

Do not even get me STARTED on the epilogue. I am not strong enough. My sensibilities are FRAGILE. Batten down your unmentionables because my god Lockwood is coming for a Grade A panty raid. He can have whatever he wants from me wherever he wants it. Bold but I have literally never been more serious in my life. I cannot believe I’m expected to wait for their story. This is my Miranda Priestly moment. Get me that manuscript.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶.75/5

If you love HBO's The Gilded Age, this is the PERFECT book to keep you entertained while you wait for season 2. Start with book one and then race through the series to get to the latest perfect installment of The Fifth Avenue Rebels. Joanna Shupe has knocked it out of the park again. Every book in this series just gets better than the next. I'm a sucker for a smart, independent female character and Katherine takes the cake. Add in Preston, our grumpy tortured hero and a very risqué masquerade ball and you have the perfect love story. This is fun, hot, and contains the perfect amount of groveling. Please may this series go on forever & ever. Amen.

Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyage and Netgalley for the ARC.

I love Joanna Shupe books and The Bride Goes Rogue did not disappoint. This book is the 3rd installment in the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. It could easily be read as a standalone, but with the fantastic supporting characters you will want to read the other books in the series if you haven't already.
This is Kat and Preston's book. An arranged marriage gone awry. Two very strong personalities and heavy attraction. I loved the chemistry and conversation between these characters even the arguing. The supporting friendships in this series are integral.
The passion in this book is fire. Steamy love scenes, tender moments, stormy arguments and more make this a wonderful roller coaster of emotions for the reader.
My only critique of the story is the slight dissension between Kat and her father. I dislike the lets not talk about the issue with the person I'm having the issue with in romance novels.
Loyalty, friendship, love, loss it's all part of their story -

I loved this book! It was fun, steamy and cute. It follows Kathrine who has been waiting years to marry Preston after always being told there's a marriage agreement between the families. When she goes to visit Preston in hopes of ironing out wedding details she's surprised to find he never planned on marrying her. Enraged Kat decides that she is going to take her life into her own hands. Her first step is attending a scandalous party in hopes of having an affair. Dressed in a costume and wig she dances, drinks and finds someone to have a steamy hot affair with. They hit it off and plan to meet up again the next day. When they do she is horrified to find out her King Richard is actually the arrogant Preston. After fighting it Preston starts to realize he's jealous and that maybe he made a mistake with her. They start a hot affair where they learn more about themselves. Prestons character development in this book was everything! He went from a business man who only cared about making money to someone who would grovel and give it all up just to have the one he loved. I also adored Katherines character she was a strong women who didn't put up with Prestons bs the way others did. Like I said in my review for the last book I love how the women in these books have aspirations that women of that time period didn't. Her dreams of working with art were so fun to read about! I loved this book and can't wait for the next!

Joanna Shupe is a GENIUS. This book was a masterpiece and there are so many things I’d like to comment, I’m just going to make a list:

- Her writing is so compelling. This series is my first time reading historical romance set outside London, and I think I love it more. The way Joanna writes, she makes me feel like I’m reading a contemporary romance but I never forget it’s set in 1895. Before I stared reading HR, my concern was I wasn’t gonna be into the historical settings, but with books like this series… you won’t have that problem.
- Katherine Delafield. That’s is, that’s the reason. I already liked her in THE LADY GETS LUCKY, but I had no idea I would love her so much. She’s sweet, caring, self-confident and knows her worth. I love that she fights society’s shackles and goes after what she wants. I love how all the girls in this series take control of their bodies and sexualities without a fear of being “ruined”. Chef’s kiss!
- Related to the previous point… this book is HOT. I will never read the words “my king” and not think about Katherine and Preston ever again. Also carriages. Those are ruined for me too. SO. STEAMY.
- The groveling… yes, yes and YES. I’m not usually a fan of this part in any book, but I was dying to reach it in this book. Preston had it rough… but the grand gesture was PERFECT.
- The teaser of book four. I can’t wait. Literally can’t. In Maslow’s pyramid of basic needs, this book occupies the entire base of the pyramid for me.

So good. Simply… perfect. I am in love with this characters, writing, setting and stories.

Rating: 5/5
Steam: 3.5/5

Thanks to Avon for my copy!

The Fifth Avenue Rebels series from beloved Joanna Shupe is not to be missed. I came into this book fresh off of reading the first two books in the series for the first time. If you have not read them, I highly recommend starting there and falling headfirst into this book when you've finished those. This series was highly recommended for fans of Julian Fellows' The Gilded Age and I couldn't agree more.
The heroine, Katherine Delafield, has been betrothed to Preston Clarke since they were young by her father. Upon finding out that Preseton does not intend to honor the bethrothal, Katherine takes her happiness into her own hands and finds herself fallen for a mysterious man who turns out to be none other than Preston. These two cannot deny their mutual attraction for each other and they sets the pages on first with their passion...the carriage ride (IFKYK).
I love the group of characters in this series and the fact that they are a constant in each other's books. Since book one Joanna has hinted heavily with the characters for the next in this series and I loved the teaser chapter for book four. I wait with bated breath for it.
Thank yo uto Avon Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exhange for my honest review. All of the above opinions are of my own.

Charming and sexy story about New York Guilded Age heiress Katherine Delafield and titan of business Preston Clark. Engaged by their father since childhood….Kat thought the engagement was real but Preston was too busy building his business empire to give it a thought other than he preferred mistresses to commitment and making deals most of all. After being thoroughly disabused of any marriage possibly by Preston, Kat vows to make up for all the time she lost when thought she’d been engaged. Time to claim her life and have some daring fun. They meet while at a scandalous masquerade party and their mutual all encompassing lust is sparked. Fun, temporary affair or true feeling? As one of the Rebels of Fifth Avenue, Katherine will forge her own path.

Or, as I like to call it, Mutual Masturbation: A Romance Novel.

This book has everything I want in a Gilded Age historical. Badass heroine, masquerade sex party, contraception, poor sad rich boy hero, REVENGE, meddling fathers, ADORABLE father/daughter relationship, heroine taking a lover, the softest grand gestures.

This book is so good that writing this review is making me want to reread it to regain that absolutely swoony historical romance feeling. I just. I loved it so so much. Katherine is a delightful sexy heroine and I want nothing more than to watch Preston Clarke unravel inch by inch in her presence.

It's steamy, it's sweet, it's scandalous. It's Joanna Shupe.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for this ARC.

CW: death of a parent (past), death of a friend (past)