Joanna Shupe is a must read for me and I was thrilled to receive and audio book of her latest work. The Gilded Heiress is an American revision of an Anastasia story. Leo Hardy is a confidence man. He has been supporting his mother and sisters but honing his skills and never taking pity on his marks. Living in Boston he hears Josie Smith singing on a street corner. With her looks and talent he has found his next con. He convinces her he will be her agent and he will take her to NYC and make her a star. The bigger con is she a resemblance to the Pendleton’s. Their daughter was kidnapped 18 years early and their hefty reward is still available. Leo has come revenge that is part of his plans as well.

Josie grew up in a Catholic orphanage and now lives with her best friend Pippa. She gets by singing in the street or in the tavern where Pippa works. She is cautious about Leo and his grand plans for her. I love Shupe’s historical romances set in the Gilded Era of NYC. Her mains are usually members of high society so this is a departure. And she intentionally shows some of the grittiness that Josie would have been exposed to. She is not naive nor inexperienced in the ways of the world. I love how everyone tells them not to get involved with one another but of course that won’t stop them.

Truthfully I am not a fan of the Anastasia story so that actually was a negative for me. But this story is engaging even if you know how it is going to come out. Shupe brings in colorful side characters like Pippa and Sticks who I enjoyed. The ending wraps up in a very quick time frame and I’m not sure how realistic that would be. But I got my HEA and that is what I wanted. I don’t know if Shupe is going to do more re-tellings or if this is a stand alone. But I will read it regardless. The story is told from both characters POVs. And on the audio book I liked that there was duel narration.

Eva Kaminsky and Aaron Shedlock give wonderful performances and bring these characters to life. Eva was a perfect match for Josie, I did think Aaron sounded a little young for Leo in my opinion but nevertheless does a fantastic job. Definitely worth purchasing!

Anastasia was one of my favorite movies growing up, so whenever I see a book inspired by the iconic movie I know I have to read it! I was super excited to get my hands on this one.

Josie and Leo were iconic as well. The premise of their love story felt familiar but also a fresh take, which I appreciated. I loved how Leo completely transformed by the end of the book. Josie was headstrong and precocious, which I also loved. Her backstory was tragic and I do wish we had a bit more healing and character development in that area for her.

I loved the way Leo groveled- by actually proving to himself and Josie that he changed.

The drama with her parents and how they immediately started on trying to change her and mold her really put me off tbh. Maybe it was the time, but I feel like wouldn’t her parents who were looking for her for decades to welcome and warm to her rather than starting finishing lessons?

🎧 the audio was super engaging! Both narrators acted their parts and I loved the subtle accents, especially Josie’s light Boston one.

Thank you Avon for the gifted copies!

I really enjoyed this Anastasia retelling set in the Gilded Age. While the story itself is not really anything new (as with most retellings) I still loved Joanna's mastery of drawing you into the time period while giving you an adventurous story that keeps moving. Leo being a charming, tomcat, conman is that type of character that i just love and Josie always challenging his lies was great.

It was fun, hot and I loved the audiobook for this as well. Another solid historical from Joanna Shupe.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley but my joy is my own.

As a huge fan of both Joanna Shupe's historical romances and Anastasia, I was really excited about this premise and felt like it had the potential to really hit for me. However, I am sorry to say that on almost every level, this just did not work for me. The characters did not feel realistic to me , in particular Josie, who comes off as incredibly naive for someone raised on the streets and in an orphanage and both Leo and Josie come off as childish in way that felt incongruous with who we were told they were. I found myself mildly exasperated by the entire plot as well, which lacks emotional weight and purpose. Overall it fell flat for me. The narration however was excellent, and definitely helped me enjoy this more than I might have otherwise.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This was the first book for me by Joanna Shupe. I really enjoyed the plot line of this one but not a huge fan of the romance aspect. I'm not sure if that's just me or how she writes the intimate scenes but I was cringing instead of enjoying them. The story itself is fun though and I liked waiting for what was going to happen.

Probably my favorite Anastasia retelling I have read.
It follows more of the movie's tropes that all of us love ( not really historically accurate to Anastasia at all), but it’s exactly what I wanted for an Anastasia retelling.

Joanna Shupe delivers a steamy, high-stakes romance set against the dazzling backdrop of Gilded Age New York. The Gilded Heiress reimagines Anastasia with a bold twist—when street singer Josie is recruited to pose as a missing heiress, she’s swept into a world of wealth, lies, and forbidden attraction.

The chemistry between Josie and conman Leo sizzles from the start, and Shupe excels at crafting lush settings and sharp class dynamics. While Leo’s manipulations and the power imbalance may raise eyebrows, the emotional growth and slow-burn payoff make it satisfying in the end.

A decadent, dramatic, and addictive historical romance perfect for fans of scandal, second chances, and strong heroines.

*2.5, rounded up*
RECAP: In 1880, the Pendeltons’ baby vanished without ransom, becoming the stuff of legend. Years later, street singer Josie Smith and schemer Leo Hardy team up to con New York’s elite, but as they grow closer, secrets surface that blur the line between deception & truth.

REVIEW: I think I wish I would’ve DNFed this when I was about a third of the way in. I even looked at 1 star reviews and should’ve known then, but alas, I carried on - maybe I was hopeful for the Anastasia retelling aspect, but it really fell flat. Two things from other 1 star reviews that I agree with: age gap between Josie & Leo, as well as the verbiage and colloquialism. Yes, I understand we’re in the very late 1800s, so maybe the age gap was more par for the course - I’m fine with that. My real issue was how borderline predatory and creepy Leo became when I ultimately realized how naive and young Josie was - it gave me major ick, and I didn’t care for it. As far as the words and phrases used, I agree with what other reviewers were saying, that essentially it didn’t line up with the timeframe the story took place in. And I can see that taking a reader out of the story. As for the narrators, I thought they did great, so that’s a plus - one for Josie, one for Leo.

Rating: 4
Spice: 3
The Gilded Heiress is an Anastasia retelling set in the Gilded Age of NYC. It is a dual narration by Eva Kaminsky and Aaron Sherlock. Both narrators do a fantastic job as Josie and Leo. I truly enjoyed the story as it was told by Joanna Shupe. I really loved the character development and felt I could picture each scene as described. This was a fun story and enjoyable to listen to!

I enjoyed the world this book brought to life. It also helped that the narrators put on an amazing performance. It definitely added to the story. I’m generally not one for historical romances but as soon as I read the synopsis about it being an Anastasia retelling I had to give it a shot and I wasn’t disappointed. Joanna Shupe definitely did a terrific job!

I didn't have strong feelings about The Gilded Heiress after finishing it. I like Joanna Shupe, but had a hard time buying the romance given what Leo's original plan was for Josie. I did like both narrators for the audio but I'm not sure I would recommend this.

The Gilded Heiress was an interesting retelling with a fresh premise, and I appreciated the unique angle it brought to the story. That said, the execution felt a little underwhelming overall. While there were moments that caught my attention, the pacing and emotional depth didn’t quite land for me, leaving me wanting more from the characters and their arcs. A creative twist on a classic tale, but not as impactful as I had hoped.

I started this book thinking I knew what it was about - I confused it with a different book that I have on my TBR. I was thinking this was a fantasy, about 20% in I decided to read the Synopsis. Once I did that, I was more into the book.

It is kind of a Little Princess twist. I loved this take on it. Josie was tough, and honest. As her and Lro fell for each other, I could see where the story was going. I did wish there was another scene with the owner in Boston who loaned her dresses and maybe something more with Sticks - the boy who brought her the paper and drank coffee.

The narrator did a fabulous job and look forward to listening to more of her work.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced listener copy.

Wow, the intricacies of this was fantastic. Full of music, love and found family, this novel scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. The plot was very well done, I was thoroughly surprised by the plot twists that happened although I could see the major plot line pretty easy even though this part was also supposed to be a “big reveal”.

The love story between the two main characters was also touching, although I am usually not a fan of the third act breakup but it worked in this novel!

The narrator was perfect for the audiobook. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5⭐️/5

This one is for all the 1990s Anastasia girlies (gender neutral). You know who you are. And if The Gilded Era is your cup of tea, you definitely need to pick this one up.

A street-smart con man finds a young woman singing on the streets of Boston who resembles the Pendletons, a family whose toddler daughter was abducted and never found. He happens to hold a grudge against the family—they fired his dad, their head gardener, and he then drank himself to death. So if Leo can pass Josie off as the missing heiress then run off with the substantial reward? Sweet revenge.

Only problem is he falls for the mark. He genuinely starts to like her and wants her to succeed on Broadway—the pipe dream he fed her in order for her to trust him. (And she doesn’t know anything about his other plan—you know, the heiress plan.)

This has tension and banter. It has only one sled. (IYKYK.) It has the glitter and glitz of early Broadway. There’s even a smidge of mystery. And the narrators are FANTASTIC— Aaron Shedlock and Eva Kaminsky deliver incredible performances as Leo and Josie.

I’ve read and loved all of @joannashupe’s backlist, but this one was especially fun. It made me want to find my old Anastasia VHS and belt “One step at a time…” (Not that I have a way to play VHS anymore.) If you love bantery, steamy hist-roms, this one isn’t just gilded, it’s pure gold.

3.5. The Gilded Heiress is a Gilded Age retelling of Anastasia featuring Leo Hardy, our scrappy con artist MMC and Josie, our talented, self sufficient FMC.

Historical Romance is not dead! This was my first Joanna Shupe novel but it won’t be the last. I had a lot of fun listening to this book. Both narrators were great and I really really appreciate dual narration so that’s a plus. Apart from the romance aspect, there’s a bit of a mystery/suspense aspect to this story since it does begin with the kidnapping of a baby and we technically never stop looking for said baby and wondering what happened. The only slight qualm I had with this story was that Leo just kept dragging out his telling Josie the truth once he had fallen for her. But obviously we need conflict so it’s not that big of a deal, just annoying. If you haven’t delved into the world of historical romance, I think this would be a good book to start with!

Thank you to Harper Audio, Avon and NetGalley!

🎧✨ Audiobook Review: The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe (narrated by Eva Kaminsky & Aaron Shedlock) ✨💎

This one had me hooked right away! Set in Gilded Age New York, it’s got everything—family secrets, high-society drama, romance, and a twisty plot that keeps you guessing 🔑💃.

Josie is such a fierce heroine—ambitious, talented, and determined to rise above her past 🙌. And Leo? Charming, complicated, and impossible not to root for (even when his schemes get messy 👀). Together, they light up every scene with tension and sparks.

The dual narration by Eva Kaminsky & Aaron Shedlock was perfection 🎤🔥. Their voices brought both the glitter of high society and the grit of the streets to life.

If you love romance with scandal, secrets, and Gilded Age glamour, this audiobook delivers. Think Bridgerton but set in New York’s high society ✨🍸. Highly recommend!

Books Reviews to Post

Gilded Heiress

A spicy Anastasia re-telling. I knew I’d heard the male narrator within 3 seconds. (Hello Nocticadia!) This audiobook was a great time. Leo and Josie - the forced proximity, the hidden identity, the secrets. Leo is very morally gray… until he isn’t. He falls first and I will always eat that up.

The dual narration, dual POV, was beautifully done. This is my first Joanna Shupe book. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio!

The secrets, the truths, the uncoverings of hidden truths. I really enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend.

OKay. I missed that this was described as a romance and I have only found a few romance books likable. I think this story will be one a lot of people like. I didn't because everything that happens requires too much suspension of disbelieve, which is funny because others would say that about the mysteries I read. It was fun to read in some ways. I'm not a prude but don't want major sexual interaction in most books as much as the romance of the meeting of minds. That's supposedly here but it isn't. It's very much a matter of lust and then were supposed to believe it's all that. O

A baby gets kidnapped. A young woman with an amazing singing voice looks like the baby's mother. A confidence man sees her and sees an opportunity to get revenge on a wealthy family. Everything that happens is predictable. And, I did finish the book so it gets my minimum 3 stars for a book I finish. The story and characters me engaged despite what I personally hated about it. The narrators, Eva Kaminsky and Aaron Shedlock were good, but neither gave our heroine a Boston accent, which was problematic in my opinion since her accent was referenced. I'm assuming that's because each played both male and female roles but this could have been done better in the planning. and production of this audiobook.