3.5 rounded up

This is a loose re-telling of Anastasia which I felt worked really well in this time period. We get a charming con-man and a hopeful singer, both looking for their big break. Both characters were endearing in their own way and I enjoyed their banter. I liked seeing Leo's transition from calculating to caring about Josie. I appreciated how Josie remained true to herself and her goals even when her circumstances changed.

It may have been due to the first person POV, but I just didn't feel a strong connection between these two. What started off with a bang just seemed to fizzle out as the story progressed. I kept waiting for a little excitement, a little tension but everything just felt low-stakes which is not what I expected from Joanna Shupe. After saying that, I do appreciate the author taking a chance in writing for a broader audience in a time where historical romance is thought of as dying.

I was fortunate enough to receive both an eARC and ALC which I am grateful for because the fantastic narration by Eva Kaminsky and Aaron Shedlock helped push the story forward in what I'm afraid would have been a hard read. They gave life to the characters that I just wasn't getting by reading with my eyes.

This wasn't a bad story, it just didn't capture my attention as much as I was expecting from the blurb. It read very young to me and I believe it would be a great gateway from YA to historical romance.

I received an eArc and ALC from Avon, Harper Audio and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hmm, unsure of whether this is a borderline B or a firm C rated book.

The storyline was okay. The only redeeming thing was Leo's remorse and Josies firm rejection when she found out his deception. There was no back and forth. Just get out and get lost. The story did seem a little bit too stretched out.

Not one of Joannas' hallmark books. The narration was well done though, so worthwhile listening to.

#netgalley #TheGildedHeiress

I really enjoyed this book. It's full of tension, longing, yearning. As an Anastasia retelling, a few aspects were a little predictable, but I actually liked that. The male narrators voice is *chef's kiss.* Perfect amount of spice and plot. If a spicy, period piece, Anastasia retelling sounds up your alley, pick this one up!

Okay… The Guilded Heiress just became my newest obsession! 💫 If you love Anastasia as much as I do, this retelling is EVERYTHING. We’ve got royalty, secrets, danger, romance, and the kind of twists that keep me HOOKED! The writing felt magical, the vibes were perfection, and honestly? I didn’t want it to end. ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe was such a fun, romantic, and spicy twist on Anastasia set in the glitz and glamour of Gilded Age New York ✨👑🌆.

From the very first pages, Josie and Leo’s chemistry sparkled ✨. Technically yes—Leo is a conman (oops 😏), but honestly?? He’s the most likeable liar ever. He had honorable reasons for what he was doing, and his protectiveness toward Josie from the start made me swoon. Meanwhile, Josie stole the show for me—she’s bold, self-aware, and not your typical helpless heroine 🙌. I loved that she was the initiator in their romance and wasn’t afraid to pursue what (or who) she wanted. 💃🔥🌶️

What I loved most:
💗 Their emotional connection felt authentic and romantic—I believed in them.
🖤 Leo’s mix of charm + danger kept me hooked.
🌍 The Anastasia-inspired plot made for such a unique backdrop, and setting it in Gilded Age NYC gave it fresh sparkle.
🔥🌶️ The tension between Josie and Leo?? DELICIOUS. That slow build was sweet and scorching when it finally paid off.

Yes, since it’s a retelling the plot was a little predictable—but Shupe layered in enough twists, emotion, and character depth that it still felt fresh and engaging. Plus, the audiobook narration was 👏 fantastic 👏—with dual POV and so much emotion woven into both voices. 🎧💖

Overall: A glamorous, spicy Anastasia retelling that will leave you smiling, swooning, and maybe fanning yourself a little 🔥🌶️💋. Definitely worth the read and the listen!

✨ Huge thanks to Joanna Shupe, NetGalley, and HarperAudio Adult for the advanced audiobook!

In 1878 New York, a baby was stolen from the wealthy Pendleton family. Although no note for ransom came, the Pendletons never gave up hope and the reward offered for their baby's return became legendary.

In 1896 Boston, Leo Hardy spends his days trying to make ends meet to support his mother and five sisters - which typically involves some kind of grifting. His family wasn't always in need of money, but after his father was fired without a reference, and later died, Leo has been the main support for the family. When he comes across Josie singing on the streets of Boston, he sees an opportunity not only to help his family, but to dole out some good ol' revenge. You see Leo's father used to work for the Pendletons and his being let go was the downfall of the family.

Josie grew up in the orphanage and has never known family besides those she chose herself. Her passion is singing and she does it very well. She makes decent money from the crowds she attracts singing on the street corners, but Leo offers her the dream of singing on Broadway and no matter that inkling of distrust for him, she can't turn down her dream. Of course she has no idea she's part of Leo's scheme.

Along the way, Leo ends up falling for Josie and she becomes more than just a ploy at revenge. When all the deceptions are out in the open, they'll have to figure out what is real.

Listening to the audiobook was probably the best way to consume this story. First of all, it's a dual narration and I LOVE a dual narration. Props to Josie's narrator. She puts on such a young and hopeful voice for the character, but still imbues her with strength. And honestly, the narrator for Leo does a great job making his charm leap out of the speakers. Really great choices for narrators on this one.

Love a dual narration. I really like the female narrator. She puts on such a young and hopeful voice for the character. Yet still imbues strength.

I think going into this knowing it was a retelling, of sorts, of the Anastasia story gave a good indication of how things were going to play out. I wasn't really surprised by anything that occurred.

I enjoyed learning about the history of the Pendletons and how it correlated with the disappearance of their child and also connected to Leo's family. But being able to spot the various turns a mile away put the book in more of a comfort read territory because the way I'm looking at it, the stakes were very low.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I love Josie's tenacity and her strength. And despite being of questionable morals, Leo was a character you couldn't help but like. His charm oozed off the page. I do wish the relationship between Leo and Josie felt a little less superficial. Of course it starts out with both being attracted to the other's looks and appearance, it just doesn't ever seem to move away from that even as they get to know one another better.

I think the most anticipatory aspect of the book was waiting for all the truths to come out. Readers know what Leo is planning pretty much from the onset, so a lot of it is sitting through the deception and having it build and build. Once everything breaks, the momentum of the story stalled even though it brought up much needed discussion of the after effects. The last about 15 to 20% was a little slow to get through.

Overall a fine read. I think there was a lot going on what with the missing baby, and the taking care of siblings, and plotting a revenge, along with a faux - though not so faux - singing career. Nothing could get the dedication and due process it needed. In the immortal words of Prince Humperdink: "I'm Swamped"

The Gilded Heiress is an Anastasia retelling that follows an aspiring singer (Josie) and a con-artist (Leo) determined to use her to get revenge on a family infamous for their young child going missing.

This was my first book by Joanna Shupe and wow I was not disappointed! She brought me in with the description of an Anastasia retelling but I stayed for the banter between the two main leads, Josie and Leo. Not only are we solving the mystery of the missing Pendelton heir but also seeing two strong (and sometimes opposing) people realize they care for one another. I would highly recommend this book to my fellow Anastasia lovers, as well as those who enjoy historical romance books with a bit of mystery and dual POV. The narrators did such an amazing job with this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this audio ARC.

Josie has had a hard life. Growing up in an asylum until the age of 18, she was then thrown out on the streets to find her own way. Her dream is to make it as a singer. Leo is a conman who’s looking to protect and care for his family. After seeing Josie for the first time, he knows that using her will get him exactly what he wants. Revenge and money.

This story was so good. I loved the Anastasia story growing up and this was such a good retelling. It was quite predictable because of this, but so worth reading it. It’s filled with wit, a sexy romance, and full of heart.

There wasn’t a lot of smut, but the smut that is in this book is divine. Eyes rolling up into your skull good.

I genuinely cannot think of something specific that stood out in the story as it was all so fun. It kept me on my toes and I did not want it to end. This is a must read!

Tropes:
- historical romance
- mystery (not the main component of the story)
- anastasia retelling
- con man x aspiring singer
- morally grey mmc
- instalust
- dirty mouth mmc

Thank you to NetGalley and Joanna Shupe for the ARC of this audiobook/book! I’d give this one 3 stars.

Overall, I enjoyed the storyline. As a retelling of Anastasia, it lined up pretty well with the original tale, and I liked seeing those connections. Josie was written as strong and independent, which I appreciated...she didn’t fall into the “mean for no reason” trope that sometimes happens.

On the downside, the pacing felt a little off, and some of the side characters were introduced quickly and then disappeared without much explanation. I also didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two main characters; it came across as more forced than natural.

For the audiobook, the narration wasn’t my favorite. The inconsistent accents kept throwing me off and made it harder to stay in the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Both Josie and Leo immediately had easy chemistry, and although technically Leo was the conman taking advantage of Josie, I love how Josie was the initiator sexually. Leo was a likeable liar, to say the least. He had his honorable reasons for what he was doing, and he also was protective of Josie from the beginning. Josie and Leo are both very likeable, and I was invested in both of their stories. Their individual stories sit with you as a reader while you get to know them and see their interactions with one another, as you watch them get closer and as they fall for each other. I enjoyed that this was a western version of Anastasia essentially, very well done and draws you in as a reader. I love that Josie knew what she wanted sexually every time, she allowed us as readers to see that she was not this helpless figure, and that she was a woman aware of her needs and ready to fulfill them. I liked that the audiobook was narrated with emotion and that there was a male and female narrator for Leo and Josie's chapters.

A spicy retelling of Anastasia in the gilded age of New York.

This book was good, but had a lot of strange elements that brought it down. The romance in this book was all over the place. Based on who the characters were and what was being said I expected a slow burn, but they liked each other instantly. This isn't a flaw, but it did feel a bit strange. I found the misunderstanding at the end somewhat frustrating, but it was understandable that Josie wouldn't immediately trust Leo after he had been lying to her the entire book. Also Leo's "friend" Andros shows up towards the end and becomes the antagonist, which messes up the pacing.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent narration and story!

I loved the back story of the main characters and the impact of the opening scene to the remained of the story.

The main tropes I gathered were insta-list and fast burn which leads to a promising and entertaining story.

Thank you to the author for the audiobook!

Received the ALC after finishing the eARC, and the narrators brought a freshness to the story that made me enjoy it more the second time. The pacing of the narration combined with the enthusiasm of the narrators had me hooked on the story again, and actually had me picking up on things I hadn't necessarily focused on while reading the eARC.

When listening to the audiobook, I realized how much I would have loved to see more of Leo's family. I think there was a great set up for more on his sisters (Flora in particular), and their family dynamic would have been something I'd like to explore deeper. Still overall I loved the story a second time and would definitely recommend to those who love The Gilded Age and steamy historical romances.

Terrible audio narration. The FMC narrator is better than the MMC narrator. I wish she had done the whole book because her female and male voices were good. It was another male narrator who thinks TALKING IN A HIGH-PITCHED VOICE makes you female. I liked what I heard of the story, but I couldn't do a whole book with that narration. I would read this.

This was an Anastasia retelling, set in the early 1900s America, where an heiress baby is kidnapped, and left at an orphanage. Loved that it stayed true to the Anastasia story I have heard, but was also different and refreshing in the setting and characters!

I listened to “The Gilded Heiress” on audio and immediately fell in love with the dual narration. Eva Kaminsky (as Josie) and Aaron Shedlock (as Leo) bring the story vividly to life, adding depth and emotional nuance to an already engaging read.

Eva’s performance was a standout—she gave Josie a distinct voice, with a light hint of a Boston accent that made her feel so real, bold, and alive. That subtle vocal touch, paired with the expressive delivery, perfectly captured Josie’s sass, strength, and vulnerability. She also handled Leo’s dialogue seamlessly. Aaron nailed Leo’s charm and layered personality and brought him to life—every nuance of emotion was heard and felt. It was a great delivery. When voicing Josie’s dialogue, though, the pitch occasionally slipped into exaggerated territory—think panicked Hey Hey from “Moana”—which pulled me out of the scene (though I’ll admit, it gave me a good little laugh). The dual POV was absolutely the right choice—it added dimension and intimacy to both characters and made the romance feel more immersive.

The story is a character-driven, emotionally satisfying Gilded Age “Anastasia” retelling with a fresh twist. Josie is a bold, direct, and well-rounded heroine: smart, street-savvy, and emotionally grounded. She knows exactly who she wants to be and pushes through fear to get there. She’s not afraid to call out injustice, but she does so with fairness, empathy, and a deep understanding of others. She’s kind without being passive, considerate without compromising her voice, and deeply real. And what makes her even more compelling is that she can also be soft, vulnerable, and even a little innocent—but only with people she truly trusts. That side of her is rare, but when it shows, it’s incredibly powerful. Her mix of fire, compassion, and guarded tenderness made me truly love her.

And Leo? An absolute scamp. He gives perfect Dimitri-from-the-animated-movie vibes: a charming, cunning conman with just enough rough edges to make him intriguing and just enough heart to make him irresistible. But he’s also fully his own character with a deep love for his family, genuine respect for Josie, and a personal journey that feels grounded and earned. He’s mischievous, a little materialistic, driven by revenge, and definitely used to talking his way out of trouble—but he’s also loyal, protective, and unexpectedly tender. His arc delivers everything you’d hope for from a scoundrel-with-a-heart hero.

The chemistry between them is there from the start—the tension, the banter, the spark. The build-up to the romantic scenes was electric, and the emotional pull only deepens as their connection grows. While the spicy scenes didn’t fully land for me in terms of spark—they felt a bit long and could’ve benefited from more visceral, sensory details to heighten the moments—I appreciated that Leo prioritized Josie’s pleasure and helped her experience intimacy in a healthier, more empowering way. That aspect still made it meaningful; the emotional core was still there.

The setting blends a modern tone with Gilded Age flair—not deeply immersive in historical detail, but rich enough to support the story’s atmosphere. A few era-specific expressions caught me off guard, as they felt randomly sprinkled in, but I appreciated the effort to anchor the setting. I did wish we’d seen more of Josie’s singing journey, and at times her loneliness was told more than shown—“I’m on my own, I’ve always been alone” felt like it was stated every five seconds in the beginning, and I didn’t want to be told that. I wanted to feel it. It was clearly a mantra to protect herself, and I wanted to experience the emotional layers beneath that defense. But those were minor notes in a story that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Overall, “The Gilded Heiress” is fun, emotional, a bit suspenseful, romantic, and full of heart. I’d absolutely recommend it to fans of historical romance, dual narration audiobooks, and anyone who grew up loving “Anastasia.” It hits the emotional beats with flair, gives you a heroine worth cheering for, and has a scamp of a hero who quietly, slowly earns your heart—just like he does Josie’s.

**I was given an advance audiobook copy of “The Gilded Heiress” by NetGalley and Avon. Thank you to them! All opinions expressed are fully my own.**

If you liked the show The Gilded Age or the Disney adaptation of Anastasia then you'll like enjoy this! Beware the spice and the adult language! On my spice scale, I would give it three chilis. There are 1-3 detailed scenes that might make you a little flushed and there are explicate details.
The story takes place on the East coast/ New York in the late 1800s. A high class family has a baby stolen, a boy forced into the street wise life to support his mother and five sisters turned adult, and woman who could pass as the missing child in order to get the handsome reward money. Along the way there is plotting, scheming, stealing, lying, gangsters, tension, thrill, up-tight upper class, character growth and a development of denied feelings. While the plot of the story can be considered predictable due to the comparisons, the story was written well as well as the world building.

The book has two narrators and they were exceptional. I did notice that the female narrator's Boston accent was a little thicker at times here and there, but I have a keen ear when it comes to changes to sounds so that might not ring true for everyone. While I am not familiar with the accent in real life, it reminded me of Margot Robbie's accent as Harley Quinn. The emotions were portrayed well from the characters making them sound realistic in their good and bad moments. Their narration skills kept the book well paced and with a steady flow. As an audiobook, this all fit together really well. Thank you NetGalley & Harper Audio.

The narrator was amazing and made me feel swept up on the journey. This book was a marriage of Anastasia meets Bridgerton. I had butterflies over the two MC’s falling for each other and learning to trust when both came from backgrounds where trust was not something they could afford to do. So happy to have a beautiful ending wrapped up in a bow! The Gilded Heiress will make you swoon and root for a happily ever after

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up to 4
2🌶️ - I would not have hated a little more. There were a couple scenes that fade to black and I felt a little disappointed in that because I enjoy Joanna Shupe’s version of it.

This book was so enjoyable! From the juxtaposition of her being so honest and pure and him being a confidence man to the mystery from the beginning and how that was handled. I truly enjoyed the MMC’s growth through the book and he was my favorite character. The concept was fun and different from what is going around as “popular” right now and the story line felt unique because of it.

I’ll be recommending this to my Damp Pages Bookclub and everyone else I know that enjoys a good romance.

I appreciate receiving this audiobook for free from Netgalley and Avon.

The Gilded Heiress is a historical romance that will have you on the edge of your seat for both the romance and the plot!

Leo Hardy grew up in New York as the son of a gardener who worked for one of the city's wealthiest families, the Pendletons. But when the Pendletons' daughter was kidnapped as a toddler and Leo's father was unjustly fired in the aftermath, the Hardys moved to Boston, where Leo's father lost himself and his life to alcohol, leaving behind Leo, his mother, and his many sisters. To support his family, Leo turned to confidence schemes, using his good looks, charm, and desperation to swindle enough money to feed everyone at home.

Leo encounters Josie Smith singing on the street for tips and, noticing her resemblance to Mrs. Pendleton, embarks on his most ambitious scheme yet. He poses as Josie's manager for her singing career and brings her to New York, where he plans to present her as the long-lost Pendleton daughter in exchange for the $100,000 reward and the revenge he has wished for over the last 18 years.

Josie and Leo are excellent characters; they both grew up in tough circumstances and learned to trust in their talents, intuition, and ambitious dreams. Josie dreams of becoming a world-renowned singer, and Leo will do anything for his family. Their attraction develops quickly but still forces each to accept changes and find room in their hearts to trust someone else. Their connection is sexy and free and a delight to read. I found myself glued to the audiobook, eager to find out what would happen next throughout the book, and especially in the second half.

The audiobook is dually narrated, and both narrators are fantastic. It's a great listen and kept me totally engrossed in the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for a free eALC in exchange for an honest review!