An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale is a romance to remember. This book was filled with spunk, hurt and an unbelievable romance for the age. I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to other romance lovers.

Beatrice has returned to Manhattan after her disastrous marriage and subsequent divorce. She is determined to take over her family's department store and bring it back to its former glory. But she soon learns that it might not be so easy. There is a major competitor across the street and the owner just happens to be her first love.

When Beatrice chose to marry the duke instead of him all those years ago, Wes made it his mission to build a bigger and better department store to outshine the one that Beatrice's family owned. He succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. When he learns that the older department store is for sale, he makes an offer. He never imagined that Beatrice wold be back and determined to bring it back to its former glory.

These two former loves are now competitors. But they soon learn that their love for one another never waned. Can these two find their way back to one another and still continue their dreams for their stores?

I absolutely adored Beatrice and Wes's story!! OMG, the bantering between these two had me laughing out loud, so much so that my husband asked me what was so funny, LOL!! I just loved these two together!! This has to be one of my favorite books ever!!

This is a fantastic book. Beatrice Goodwin is strong, smart, and knows what she wants (for the most part). It starts off years prior in NYC, she’s a wealthy heiress, Wes Dalton is a poor stock boy at her family’s department store. Young love ends badly, as the heroine is a “good girl” and does what her parents want. She marries a Duke instead of following her heart.

Years latter she returns to NYC, divorced; and scandalized. All she wants is something of her own, her family’s store - that her nitwit brother has run into the ground. But will NYC accept a woman as CEO? It’s a nice look inside the feminist leaders of the Gilded Age. The burn/yearn between hero and heroine is off the charts.

All Wes ever wanted was her, when he could no longer have her, he wanted to become rich and powerful so he would be deemed worthy of her and take the store and burn in to the ground getting revenge against her family. He’s accomplished that. Dalton’s is the premiere department store and he’s the third wealthiest man in NYC. He’s about to buy the worthless Goodwin’s from her worthless brother. When Beatrice returns that’s not really what Wes wants. He realizes he still wants only her.

While I got a bit frustrated with her insistence that she didn’t want a relationship and only wanted freedom (why not both?) I really loved his inner monologue. Boy has it bad. I love that. Great HEA at the end.

This is one that put me on the fence for where to rate it. On one hand it was a decent read, but on the other it seemed too modern to be a historical romance story. I was kinda disappointed in that aspect. The rest of the story is light-hearted, sweet, and just all around decent. I just wanted more from this one.

**ARC from NetGalley**

This is a lovely read. Part slow burn: it took the main characters a while to get to the juicy stuff. There was foreplay, anticipation, and character development. Part enemies to lovers: MC's were department store business rivals that began with him offering to buy her family's failing business. Part reuniting love story: They were young lovers, thwarted by her parents insistence that she had to go marry a duke instead of him since he was a "nobody" at the time. 16 years later she got the courage to leave her marriage and return to NYC (late 1800's so that was a BIG DEAL). Loverboy gave off strong Inigo Montoya vibes with his continued mental reminders, "My name is Wes Dalton. I have been wronged in love. I will have revenge." I was glad to see the woman stand her ground for independence, particularly considering the era. Juicy bits weren't too over the top. Overall, enjoyable read.

This is book three in the Gilded Age Girls club series. It is a story based in the Gilded age in Manhattan. Beatrice and Wes are star crossed lovers and meet after almost 16 years as competitors in business. As Beatrice tries to revive her father’s failing department store, she realizes that her main competitor is Wes who owns the biggest and best department store in Manhattan. I loved the sparks that fly as Wes and Beatrice butt heads in business. The author has written beautiful characters and although I thought Beatrice pretty flaky as I read about her history with Wes, I really liked how her character developed through the book. She was strong, brave and willing to work hard for her goals. Wes was amazing through the book. Even as Beatrice goes head to head with him, he is not intimidated by her success and that made me adore him even more. I highly recommend this book.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale is book Three in The Gilded Age Girls Club series. This is the story of Wes Dalton and Beatrice Goodwin. I have read the previous books, but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Wes had been in love with Beatrice when they were younger but her family turned him away because of his poor background. Wes took a lump sum of money from the Goodwin's which helped him advance to one of the riches men around. Beatrice had went on to marry a Duke but now that marriage has ended under scandal. Beatrice has returned home to Manhattan wanting to take over the family department store. But Wes is looking to buy it to finish off his revenge for what he feels was done to him. Beatrice of course wants to stop this at all cost. Enjoyed this second chance at love.

I was very excited for another novel set in the Gilded Age, and I think this captured the dynamics of the era very well. I've enjoyed this whole series very much because the heroines are so independent and don't give that up by the end of the book.

One of my favorite tropes that I always find touching is when former sweethearts reconnect after one has been driven away either by class differences or misunderstanding. The author does a great job in this novel of establishing the chemistry between the two leads at both points in their lives.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An Heiress To Remember, by Maya Rodale, is available at booksellers on 3-31-20. Heiress is book 3 in Ms Rodale's The Gilded Age Girls Club series. The premise is ladies helping each other succeed in their chosen vocation. Woman from all walks of life meet once a week to discuss life, work, and what they can do to help each other and the world around them. I learned a lot about successful women of the 1900's. There were so many more than our history books teach us. I also learned New York had a "ladies mile" for shopping where women could go alone and be acceptable. Quite a change from always having a chaperone, it was liberating.

Wes Dalton & Bea Goodwin had been young sweethearts but life was mapped out for Bea. She was married off to an English duke & was miserable for the next 2 decades. Wes was heartbroken and spent 2 decades making himself a successful businessman and plotting revenge against the Goodwin family. Wes has a mantra he repeats throughout the 1st part of the book. "My name is Wes Dalton. You broke my heart..." It reminds me of the movie The Princess Bride. Remember Inigo Montoya? Hysterical reference by Ms Rodale.. When Bea divorces & moves back to NYC I liked the stand-off between these 2. The middle of their "courtship" dragged on so long I wanted to shake them till their teeth rattled. The ending was good but I just got bogged down for too much of the story. This couple made it hard for me to become invested in their relationship & HEA.

#MayaRodale #AnHeiressToRemember #TheGildedAgeGirlsClub #romance #Netgalley #AvonBooks #HarperCollins

During the Gilded Age of the United States, a divorced duchess rises up to the challenge of running a retail store in competition with her old lover. It is so refreshing to read about a mature, confident heroine and her equally handsome, mature hero. Both changed during the story as they both got closer to each other and learn more about themselves in the process. For the most part, it closed so well, but lost some luster during a section of the story in my eyes. But overall, a wonderful romantic story.

**Thanks to Avon Historical Romance Readers Facebook Group and NetGalley for providing the copy and allowing me to give my honest review of this book.**

I started this book one night when I couldn't sleep. I couldn't put it down. I finished reading this book in 1 sitting.
This is a story of 2nd chance love.
I loved Dalton (Wes) and Beatrice. They fell in love as young adults. But "class" came into play. He was a store clerk. She had an offer of marriage to a Duke. She accepted the Duke's proposal and he accepted the $3000 her parents paid him to leave.
16 years later, she comes back a divorced duchess, her reputation shattered.
Dalton has turned his $3000 into a retail empire.
How the tables have turned. They are now adversaries in the retail world.
But the chemistry between them is still there. Where will they go from here?
The story takes a few twists and turns and keeps you intrigued.
I loved this book and highly recommend it. 5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.

Beatrice choose to marry a Duke over a clerk in her father’s store, Wes. Now she returns a divorcee with big plans for her father’s story. Wes now has a grand store of his own and Beatrice’s brother wants to sell their family store. Can Beatrice save it as well as find a second chance with Wes? Fast-paced historical read with plenty of drama and chemistry. I liked it.

An Heiress To Remember by Maya Rodale is the perfect escapism from this crazy world right now. Our heroine Beatrice is in NYC after a decade in England as a Duchess married to an uncaring Duke who she has since divorced. As the heiress to the city 's largest department store she can't wait to dedicate her life to the family business. However she will first have to get pass her alcoholic brother, get the board of directors to accept a woman can be the CEO, and hardest of all, compete with the new popular department store Dalton's which happens to be owned by Wes Dalton the man she dumped for the Duke ten years ago. Yes you are right he built the store for revenge.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is Beatrice and Wes are not some young innocent would be lovers. She is a 36 year old divorcee brave enough to get divorced when it was not the norm. Wes is a self made man who knows what he wants and how to get it.

I absolutely swooned over the dialogue between Beatrice and Wes. It was like watching an old Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart movie. The sexual tension jumps off the page.

The research the author did about female empowerment during this era is phenomenal. There were women behind the scenes helping one another succeed in business with architectural, construction and accounting prowess. Beatrice, with their help, gives Dalton a run for his money and for his heart.

One more thing, that dress on the cover plays a pivotal role in this engaging story and it's just a perfect moment.

I would have liked there to have been more about Beatrice's life in England and how she went from an obedient teenage daughter marrying who she was told to and then becoming this fierce independent business woman.

This a fun, educating, historical romance about adults for adults.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Beatrice Goodwin a high society debutante married an English duke, forsaking her own young love Wes Dalton. She’s returns to Manhattan a scandalous divorcee to find that her brother has nearly run their family business into the ground and is ready to sale the store. She has plans to save the family business and Dalton wants his final revenge and buy her family store, if only he can forget his feeling for his one and only love. Both have feeling of betrayal and a second chance at love if they can forgive and grab a life full of love and HEA!!! A great story of a second at love, loyalty and betrayal. An excellent story I loved and I voluntarily wrote a review.

New York City - 1879

The Duke of Montrose has journeyed from England to call upon Miss Beatrice Goodwin, age 20. Her parents own Goodwin’s department store and have worked hard with an eye to see Beatrice marry a duke. But she is torn because a clerk at her father’s store wants to marry her too. Life with him would mean they would be poor.

New York City - 1895

Beatrice has returned to Manhattan as a divorced duchess. The duke and his mother tried to make her life a misery, but now, at age 36, she is free of them.

When she visits the family store, Goodwin’s, she is shocked to see that it is not bustling with customers that it had been during her father’s day. Since he passed away, she sees that her brother does not have the enthusiasm that her father did. Across the street, is a grand store called Dalton’s. Could this possibly be owned by the young man she turned down to marry the duke? Now, she learns that her brother wants to sell the store and invest the money in a silver mine. But Beatrice knows she can save the store with the ideas she has to change it.

Wes Dalton was hurt when Beatrice married the duke but was determined to build his beautiful store. He knows that she has returned to New York but says he does not care. He wants to buy Goodwin’s and close it as a last bit of revenge for Beatrice turning her back on him. However, Beatrice is a partner of the store and she has declared there will be no sale. In addition, as her brother has been drinking heavily, he is sent to a sanitarium and she is in charge of Goodwin’s.

We see Beatrice bring the store up-to-date and assert herself against some older employees who think of her as just a child. She is finally free and happy to run Goodwin’s. When she and Dalton see one another, there is animosity between them but there is also an underlying attraction smoldering just below the surface. Will they be able at least be friends?

This is a really well-written book with some beautiful descriptions. The Gilded Age is a favorite time period of mine as so many things were being invented and women were finally earning their “freedom.” Don’t miss this one. Maya Rodale has done it again!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First book by this author for me. I did like it for its uniqueness. Good storyline. Not a cheesy romance but one with the modern idea.
I will read more books by this author, because it was different read, and I do like that.

This is such a deeply uniques series. Based on a changing world and the passion found in the women who sought to make their world better. I love what the author writes about in her notes at the end where she tells the reader to imagine her/his own happy ending for the couple with or without children. It is her ode to the fact that women were to be no longer considered just a vessel for childbearing.

She uses wildly funny conversations to show the different ways men and women operated. One of my favorites was this line as the ladies had a discussion at their meeting. “A man must be fed and watered. And like a horse you must provide for it. They cannot seem to manage it on their own.” It is often thought that women are the weaker ones that need to be protected but she makes light of this fact and alludes to the real thing where it’s the woman running the show.

Wes and Beatrice spend 16 years apart but gets a chance to make it work again. They have a delightful untraditional courtship, but it takes setting aside their expectations to see what they can truly have. You will be pleasantly surprised by some of the things that take place as the story unfolds. In the end it will be a book that you will be happy you have read.

Heat Factor: They may think they’re each meeting fire with fire but really they’re just one big sexy inferno
Character Chemistry: I wanted them to get there so, so badly and audibly said “YES!” when they did.
Plot: Two unstoppable titans of business come head to head across the street from one another -- he, the self-made man determined to destroy her family’s business and she, the wiser, stronger, natural-born leader of her family’s empire.
Overall: If you want to walk away from a steamy romance standing taller and looking deeply satisfied, you should definitely read this.

Stop reorganizing your drawers, my fellow quarantined smut readers. I have your next distraction.

This might not be a surprise for people who have read the rest of the Gilded Age series by Maya Rodale, but I had not. So picture me delightfully bewildered when I found this on my ARC list.

This book is a historical romance, but it’s just incredibly fresh and fun. Essentially, Beatrice Goodwin arrives home after her disastrous marriage and subsequent divorce only to find that her idiot brother has nearly bankrupted their family’s department store. Through a loophole, she manages to stop the sale of the store and take the reins--but in doing so comes face-to-face with her first love and now enemy, Wes Dalton.

Sexy Wes, as I like to call him, was left brokenhearted when Beatrice was pushed to marry. He’s determined to become the man who wasn’t good enough for Beatrice and ruin Goodwin’s Department Store. However, Beatrice turns out to be an absolute badass of business and also, they’re like, right across the street from each other so you tell me how long you think they walk that fine line between hate and you-know-what. (Hint: it’s not very long. You’ll be very grateful for this.)

This book is such an empowering and fun read. I swear, I spent the whole time cheering for Beatrice. She’s just so strong and capable, and she’s clearly grabbed her destiny by the throat and isn’t backing down. I don’t know, I just found it irresistible. Plus, if you like a good “boss babe crew” vibe, this one has it. No spoilers, because I genuinely could not figure out how this mess was going to end up resolved, but I couldn’t believe how beautifully Rodale tied everything up. It’s truly satisfying, and she stayed true to her characters.

I couldn’t pick another book up for a few days after reading this, I loved it so much. Drop your clorox wipes and get to reading!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

This was the first book I’ve read from this author, and I really enjoyed it! This book was most definitely lots of girl power & I’m all for it! I do however wish the romance came first for this story instead of second, however don’t let that deter you! This is all about second chances between life and love. Beatrice is a recently divorced duchess who’s come home back to NYC. She’s ready to take control over her life. Dalton owns the biggest and best women’s shop in NY. These two were in love 16 years previous. Bea’s family shop is across the street from Dalton’s and in need of being brought back to life after her brother didn’t take care of it. Now these two are rivals. It was so great to watch these two try to beat each other in business & than decide to be lovers at night. It took some time but they finally get to their HEA. I do recommend this book if you love this author or are looking for a book with women who are strong & show their minds!

I love this series. This was a three star read for me, but the historical author's notes at the end bumped it up. The relationship was fine - what really shone in this book was the historical detail and the themes of being the "first woman" - how much pressure that is, how independence and relationships can be a tug of war struggle, but it's worth it. I could have done without the hero altogether and been happy to read about the ladies' club and Beatrice's day to day duties at the department store.