Baron
The Knickerbocker Club #2
By: Joanna Shupe
Releasing October
25, 2016
Zebra
Zebra
Blurb
New York City’s Gilded Age shines as bright as the power-wielding men of the Knickerbocker Club. And one pragmatic industrialist is about to learn that a man may make his own destiny, but love is a matter of fortune . . .
New York City’s Gilded Age shines as bright as the power-wielding men of the Knickerbocker Club. And one pragmatic industrialist is about to learn that a man may make his own destiny, but love is a matter of fortune . . .
Born into one of New York’s most respected
families, William Sloane is a railroad baron who has all the right friends in
all the right places. But no matter how much success he achieves, he always
wants more. Having secured his place atop the city’s highest echelons of
society, he’s now setting his sights on a political run. Nothing can distract
him from his next pursuit—except, perhaps, the enchanting con artist he never
saw coming . . .
Ava Jones has eked out a living the only way
she knows how. As “Madame Zolikoff,” she hoodwinks gullible audiences into
believing she can communicate with the spirit world. But her carefully crafted
persona is nearly destroyed when Will Sloane walks into her life—and lays bare
her latest scheme. The charlatan is certain she can seduce the handsome
millionaire into keeping her secret and using her skills for his
campaign—unless he’s the one who’s already put a spell on her . . .
My Thoughts:
Ever since Joanna made her debut of her Wicked Deception series I have always thought she's an author to be on the look at. With her her Knickerbocker series, she has impress me again. For those who are never heard of Joanna Shupe you definitely want to check her out. She has fascinating heroines and a bit stuff heroes, and she manages to pull out an amazing story. I'm a little behind on her Knickerbocker Club books, but I so need to rectify soon. Yes, I did spend must of the night reading Baron. Definitely worth the lost sleep I faced. Who needs sleep when you have a good book, right?
Anyway, we meet Ava Jones who is struggling to keep her family afloat while pretending to be a medium. Now William Sloane is trying to accomplish everything his father never did and more, now he needs a respectable wife. However, he's challenged by Ava who isn't willing to backdown from her lucrative prospectives. These two are verbally matched. Will is used to having his way, but Ava having survival instincts are not willing to backdown. She's a fighter. I love how she challenges Will at every turn of the story. Honestly, will needed to be knocked down a peg or two.
Joanna brings another fantastic story to life in Baron. Take a ride as a Railroad Baron gets knock down by a street savvy young woman who needs to keep her family alive. You won't be sorry seeing the Gilded Age play out in Baron. Plus, I would recommend other books by Joanna Shupe, seriously they're that good.
Copy provided by Zebra via NetGalley
Excerpt:
Will
dropped his arm, releasing her. “You don’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation. My job is to
make you understand. By whatever means necessary.”
“Whatever
means necessary? Goodness, you are determined. What if I said I’d leave John
alone if you agreed to play a part in my act next Monday?”
“A-a
part . . in your act?” He threw his head back and laughed, the strong cords of
his throat popping and shifting under rough skin. Ava suddenly experienced a
sharp urge to drag her tongue over those ridges, to taste his laugh on her
lips.
Sakes
alive, she had to stop this. She jerked her gaze to the street, mortification
burning through her veins. There could be no thoughts of that nature,
especially around William Sloane. For pity’s sake, he probably demanded proof
of a woman’s
pedigree before he agreed to kiss her. Besides, she’d flirted with her baser nature
years ago, as a young girl, and where had that gotten her? A lump formed in her
throat, and the heavy weight of regret stole her breath.
You
played with fire, girl. Now you’ve gone and gotten yourself burned.
Her
mother’s
shrill voice rang in Ava’s head. Yes, she had been stupid. Not a day went by when she
didn’t
remind herself never to be stupid again.
He
finally stopped laughing, the cad. “I would not lower myself to a part in your
act if it would secure me the presidency.”
“Are
you certain? Because I can easily convince John he needs to see me twice a
week.”
That
drove the amusement from his expression. “You wouldn’t dare. I swear, if you do—”
“Calm
down, railroad man. I do have other clients. Even for John, I’m not certain I
have the time.” She shot him a glare. “But I could make the time if you
don’t
leave me alone.”
“I
cannot leave you alone until you promise to leave John alone. I have too
much to lose if this gets out. Or if you decide to sell his secrets.”
“You
have my word I won’t,”
she snapped. “Why can’t
you accept it and go back to passing out campaign buttons?”
“Forgive
me if I have a problem accepting the word of a woman donning a blond wig and
adopting a Russian accent—which is abysmal, by the way. Have you ever met a
real Russian?”
Mercy,
she was tired of the insults from this man. As if he had to remind everyone he
met how inferior they were to his sublime greatness. “Don’t you have an empire to run? How
is it that a man in charge of so much has this much free time to gad about the
city?”
“I
do not possess any free time,” he said. “Absolutely none. In fact, I left a
very important meeting when I learned you were at Bennett’s. Which means my nine o’clock dinner
reservations will be forfeit for supper at my desk instead.”
She
slid her bottom lip out in a pout. “Oh, you poor, poor millionaire. I’m sure whichever half-witted innocent you were escorting
tonight will understand.”
Funny,
his eyes stayed on her lips. Did railroad man have an affinity for plump lips?
Hers were on the large side, along with her bosom. He’d stared at that a time or two as
well, she’d
noticed. No doubt he was used to the thin, graceful women of the upper Fifth
Avenue set, pale women who remained indoors. Who never had a hair out of place.
Who could afford a decent corset to flatten their breasts. Ava’s curves and
olive skin probably fascinated him, like one of Barnum’s oddities.
Well,
he could stare all he liked. Perhaps she could even use his fascination to her
advantage. Men like Will Sloane would not care for an aggressive, modern woman.
Undoubtedly, he’d
prefer a docile creature who stayed at home, sipping tea, until he returned
from his club. Was that not what every spoiled, rich man desired?
If
such was the case, a little boldness on her part should scare him off for good.
“Do
you ever back down?” he asked her.
She
leaned in, pleased to see his gray eyes flash and darken. He smelled faintly of
expensive soap, like sandalwood and lemons, and she looked at him through her
lashes. “Never,” she whispered. “I never back down, and you would do well to
remember it, Mr. Sloane.”
Raising
a fist, she pounded on the side of the carriage. “Here, if you please!” The
driver pulled to the side of the street and slowed the horse. When they came to
a stop, she opened the door. “Thank you for the ride.” Jumping down to the
sidewalk, she disappeared into the crowd.
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