perachdavida's review
3.0
Joanna Shupe’s Uptown Girls trilogy is one of the most brilliant historical series I’ve ever read (and I read A LOT of them). I also adored the four hundred series, and some of the knickerbocker books. So I was really looking forward to The Heiress Hunt. It’s an understatement to say I was disappointed. I really don’t know what happened here. The setting of gilded age NYC/Newport combined with a professional female tennis player should have been a no-brainer home run. Yet the characters were flat and the story all over the place. I’m hoping this was just a one-off dip for Joanna Shupe and the next book in the series will bring me back to the author I love and count on for a phenomenal reading experience.
Rounded up from 2.5 stars
Rounded up from 2.5 stars
nicolesbookreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
beckks's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
To start, as some reviewers have mentioned, the blurb for this book is NOT accurate. Harrison moves back to New York City after being in Paris for 3 years with the purpose of taking his deceased father’s company from his brother. He was making his own money (and a lot of it) after being financially cut off. His mother gave him an ultimatum but Harrison doesn’t need the money. After he finds out his childhood crush Maddie is not married, he tells her to throw a party at her parents mansion with society’s eligible ladies.
The story is a typical friends to lovers trope. Does she or does she not love him? Because it’s so evident he loves her. There were several times I rolled my eyes at the dialect between Harrison and Maddie. It was very unnatural and forced.
To start, as some reviewers have mentioned, the blurb for this book is NOT accurate. Harrison moves back to New York City after being in Paris for 3 years with the purpose of taking his deceased father’s company from his brother. He was making his own money (and a lot of it) after being financially cut off. His mother gave him an ultimatum but Harrison doesn’t need the money. After he finds out his childhood crush Maddie is not married, he tells her to throw a party at her parents mansion with society’s eligible ladies.
The story is a typical friends to lovers trope. Does she or does she not love him? Because it’s so evident he loves her. There were several times I rolled my eyes at the dialect between Harrison and Maddie. It was very unnatural and forced.
lonelyfangirlirl's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
miacat's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rachael_45's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bookswithbeccs's review
4.0
*3.5
I love a good historical romance between two childhood best friends. Joanna Shupe continues to push the boundaries of historical romances with her unique storytelling.
Maddie is a competitive tennis player with an upending marriage to a duke. Harrison Archer, her long-lost best friend, comes back into town after 3 years of essentially ghosting her. Unbeknownst to Maddie, Harrison Archer has been pining after his best friend for years. I LOVED the angst and longing. It was frustratingly beautiful and so satisfying when they finally end up together. I loved the chemistry and passion between Maddie and Archer. Maddie is logical and plans accordingly for her future. So, when Archer shows up, she was unprepared for the intense feelings towards Archer.
I will say that I found Maddie's people-pleasing and image-conscious side to be quite frustrating. She was settling so much in her life because it was what her parents wanted her. She never had any true agency in this book. I found Archer to be a tad annoying with all his hidden secrets and controlling tactics. He never really thought about Maddie's feelings till the end. Plus, the ending felt too rushed. However, I am soo looking forward to reading Kit's story with Alice! Overall, I enjoyed this story and I will be reading more of this series.
*Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I love a good historical romance between two childhood best friends. Joanna Shupe continues to push the boundaries of historical romances with her unique storytelling.
Maddie is a competitive tennis player with an upending marriage to a duke. Harrison Archer, her long-lost best friend, comes back into town after 3 years of essentially ghosting her. Unbeknownst to Maddie, Harrison Archer has been pining after his best friend for years. I LOVED the angst and longing. It was frustratingly beautiful and so satisfying when they finally end up together. I loved the chemistry and passion between Maddie and Archer. Maddie is logical and plans accordingly for her future. So, when Archer shows up, she was unprepared for the intense feelings towards Archer.
I will say that I found Maddie's people-pleasing and image-conscious side to be quite frustrating. She was settling so much in her life because it was what her parents wanted her. She never had any true agency in this book. I found Archer to be a tad annoying with all his hidden secrets and controlling tactics. He never really thought about Maddie's feelings till the end. Plus, the ending felt too rushed. However, I am soo looking forward to reading Kit's story with Alice! Overall, I enjoyed this story and I will be reading more of this series.
*Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
nbvanderhyden's review
3.0
Y'all, "The Heiress Hunt," let me tell you-
I don't read a lot of Joanna Shupe and I don't really know why because I usually enjoy her books when I do read them. I like the freedom from a lot of the rules we see in traditional Regency romance and being set in the Good Ole US of A.
Do you remember back in like March when Joanna Shupe and JQ and a few others were having a big zoom call and your ticket was buying a book? The Heiress Hunt is the book I bought as my ticket. Then I forgot to join the call. It was a bummer but at least my copy is signed.
This story features Harrison and Maddy who were very close friends growing up. Then five years ago, Harrison disappears on Maddy to become a money making playboy in Paris. Aren't they all?
I love how determined Harrison is to woo our Heroine. He is not at all passive in his pursual of her and I love a pining, smitten, yet manly hero. I can even really get behind our Heroine, the aforementioned Maddy, and like her too.
In general, however, I don't like when a H/h are married before the end of the book. I want my angst good till the last drop.
In this book, our couple partakes in a quick trip down the aisle due to a compromising situation in the middle of the book. But once they were together, there was really no conflict anymore. The conflict of Friends to Lovers is moving from being friends to becoming lovers. When this happens at the midpoint, there needs to be a new conflict to focus on.
In the Heiress Hunt, I just lost interest with the remaining conflict of Harrison's acquisition of his families company and a tennis tournament Maddy had been prepping for.
I mean, who cares!
I want sexual tension. Not physical exertion.
I mean physical exertion if it's because of sexual exertion but not like sweaty tennis tournament type of physical exertion.
Alrighty, they have kissed, I'm wondering if anyone else songs "Shupe there it is, Shupe there it is" when they hear Johanna Shupe's name, and I've told you about it!
I don't read a lot of Joanna Shupe and I don't really know why because I usually enjoy her books when I do read them. I like the freedom from a lot of the rules we see in traditional Regency romance and being set in the Good Ole US of A.
Do you remember back in like March when Joanna Shupe and JQ and a few others were having a big zoom call and your ticket was buying a book? The Heiress Hunt is the book I bought as my ticket. Then I forgot to join the call. It was a bummer but at least my copy is signed.
This story features Harrison and Maddy who were very close friends growing up. Then five years ago, Harrison disappears on Maddy to become a money making playboy in Paris. Aren't they all?
I love how determined Harrison is to woo our Heroine. He is not at all passive in his pursual of her and I love a pining, smitten, yet manly hero. I can even really get behind our Heroine, the aforementioned Maddy, and like her too.
In general, however, I don't like when a H/h are married before the end of the book. I want my angst good till the last drop.
In this book, our couple partakes in a quick trip down the aisle due to a compromising situation in the middle of the book. But once they were together, there was really no conflict anymore. The conflict of Friends to Lovers is moving from being friends to becoming lovers. When this happens at the midpoint, there needs to be a new conflict to focus on.
In the Heiress Hunt, I just lost interest with the remaining conflict of Harrison's acquisition of his families company and a tennis tournament Maddy had been prepping for.
I mean, who cares!
I want sexual tension. Not physical exertion.
I mean physical exertion if it's because of sexual exertion but not like sweaty tennis tournament type of physical exertion.
Alrighty, they have kissed, I'm wondering if anyone else songs "Shupe there it is, Shupe there it is" when they hear Johanna Shupe's name, and I've told you about it!