Baron

In Shupe’s engaging and sexy second romance set in the glittering Gilded Age, sparks fly when a hardworking and enterprising performer crosses paths with one of New York City’s powerful Knickerbocker families. Railroad tycoon William Sloan knows his fledgling gubernatorial campaign needs his sterling reputation and every single one of his connections to take on the corrupt Tammany Hall political machine. His political aspirations cannot afford the romantic distraction of Ava Jones, who supports her three siblings with the money she earns as the medium Madame Zolikoff. Unlike his sister, Lizzie (the heroine of Magnate), who chafed under society’s strictures, Will doesn’t mind the traditions of New York’s moneyed elite, but Ava’s scorn for the wealthy throws him off balance. He’s intrigued that a young woman with no connections, money, or venerable family name still refuses to be awed by his wealth or impressed by his grand plans. The sexual heat between them burns slowly, but when Will finally gives in, he loses control. Will is starch and pomposity personified, but every minute with Ava, in and out of bed, musses him up and makes him more human. They have nothing in common, but their personalities are highly complementary; Ava’s pragmatism and devotion to her siblings draw out Will’s sense of fair play, honesty, and justice, and it’s increasingly difficult for him to remember why they have to stay in their own social spheres. The impoverished, good-hearted woman marrying the stuffy millionaire is what fairy tales are made of, but Shupe keeps the romance grounded with the realistic details of Ava’s hardscrabble life. This tumultuous love affair will charm even the most jaded society matron. (Nov.)