A great conclusion to the outstanding The Fifth Avenue Rebels series. I was a little hesitant before starting this book; my view of the Duke of Lockwood was unfavorably colored by his appearances in the previous novels. I had always been a fan of the outspoken Nellie, however. In the end, Lockwood and Nellie’s book was another page-turner, with both characters coming across conflicted and likeable.

Spoiler: what resonated for me about “The Duke Gets Even” is that it had a happily-ever-after-for-now. Lockwood has a heart condition that could very well end his life early. He goes about his life with that knowledge looming over him, and Nellie has to weigh his diagnosis when she makes a decision to be with him. There’s no promise of a cure or a misdiagnosis. I could relate to this storyline in some ways, and I’m glad it wasn’t too maudlin and something that was easily overcome.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Nellie Young has decided that marriage isn't for her and thus she's willing to accept societies label of her as scandalous. She goes where she wants, with whom she wants and she has a loving father who doesn't dictate what she does or doesn't do. So when she happens upon a duke during a midnight swim she doesn't hesitate kissing him and even opening up the option for an affair.

Duke Andrew Lockwood is in the market for a wife. His estate in England is in shambles and the only we way he can right the situation is by marrying a wealthy American heiress. But after his encounter with Nellie during their midnight swim - he can't help but be drawn to her. They come to an agreement - Nellie and Lockwood will continue to have a secret affair while he tries to find his American heiress. Except they both start to feel more for each other than they ever thought - can they find a way to be together when Lockwood must ultimately go to England and Nellie wants to stay right here in America?

I really enjoyed Nellie and Lockwood together. They had great banter and their chemistry together was undeniable. I will say that the past two books in this series - The Lady Gets Lucky and The Bride Goes Rogue were some of my favorite Joanna Shupe romances and The Duke Gets Even fell a little short for me. I didn't feel the same angst and chemistry between Lockwood and Nellie as I wanted to. Overall I would give The Duke Gets Even somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars.

Overall, I have really enjoyed The Fifth Avenue Rebels series. If you are looking for strong, independent women who find their perfect match I would highly suggest this series!

3.5 🌟's!

📝: class diff, enemies to lovers
🌶 spice: 4/5
❌ CW: sexual harassment, domestic abuse, contraception, illness

y'all, i am so conflicted over this book😭 this was definitely a highly anticipated read for me and i am so grateful to have gotten an ARC for it but... i did not vibe with this one as much as i wanted to 🥲 there was more sex than emotion (GASP bc i never thought i'd say that) and i could never really connect with the FMC, Nellie, on an emotional level. her constant pulling away (with valid reasons) was becoming too much for me as it literally took up so much of the plot/book and it just became repetitive and frustrating to read. i felt like in general, not much happened as i would've like it to in this story and it was just... not motivating me to read or form a connection with the story or characters.

i still did enjoy seeing their banter and their steamy scenes + Nellie's badass/independent-ness, love of her plants and advocate for contraception for women.. it was marvelous.. and of course i admired the way she came back in the end.. other than that, i just didn't feel like the book overall stood out to me which is a shame. BUT ALAS. what can ya do :/

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-ARC via Netgalley. Releases January 24, 2023!*

Nellie and the Duke of Lockwood! I've been waiting for this book and it didn't disappoint.

I've been curious forever about the two of them and I loved reading their story! It started out in Newport and then went to its present day. It took a second for me to get into the book's rhythm because they basically just skip their encounters in book 2 and 3, but they obviously didn't need it in there just took a bit to get comfy in it and remember everything since it's been a couple of months for me.

Overall, I really liked the book and I really liked the Duke of Lockwood after reading his story. Overall, a great read and a good finale of the series. I really loved the series and can't wait to reread it back to back at some point.

A gorgeous, delicious cake topper for the Rebels of Fifth Avenue series. Nellie is the daughter of a wealthy Fifth Avenue railroad magnate. The Duke of Lockwood is looking for an heiress to save his estate. One night they accidentally meet and create sparks that rival the stars in the firmament. So, what could go wrong? Well... Nellie is forward thinking and marriage averse; Lockwood insists on a paragon of virtue. Someone's gotta give. And that makes for a passionate, good time.

I loved their chemistry, spicy scenes, and the oh-so-delicate, simmering angst they both secretly dealt with. It was like a twist of lemon in an espresso, and gave the story satisfying depth.

Not to be overlooked are Joanna Shupe's endnotes. She did a splendid job weaving current events with historical facts.

This is one of my favorite books of the year. Looking forward to rereading.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating a 5 on goodreads but a 4 here.
This is a fantastic book—stellar in the HR world. I loved the characters but kept craving more. Especially more Lockwood!
I really, really loved the spice level and could have even used more.
This series is absolutely fantastic. The characters brilliant and nuanced and they are incredibly hot spicy books. I very much enjoyed this read along with the entire series.

I’ve read almost all of Ms Shupe’s 21 books. They always take me through a plethora of emotions——love, hate, jealousy, longing, fear, happiness. The characters are raw underneath their prim façades. That’s what I love.

Railroads and industrialization were prominent during the Gilded Age. Eleanor’s (or Nellie) father was one such tycoon who gave her all that she wished. Her mother was a barmaid who died when Nellie was young. Even as an adult of 22, she still has issues of abandonment and loss. She masks that by being wild and more carefree than other debutantes. She truly believed in helping (lower class) women learn about contraceptives and freedom of choice.

On the UK side of the coin, Lockwood is an impoverished duke who has come to the US to marry an heiress in order to save his estates. He believes any heiress will do who is scandal-free. He hides his true self under his mask of noblesse oblige.

That first scene where Nellie meets Lockwood swimming in the ocean is incredibly sweet and yet hot. I could almost see the fireworks in the sky and wondered why they couldn’t. I wanted to shake them both many times during the book to tell them “go with your heart”.

It was sad that Nellie’s best friends were married or engaged and she didn’t have that support system, but she did have her Aunt Ri and her cousin. I loved her aunt’s advice “What’s worse—-loving him and being deliriously happy together for a short time, or never having that at all?”

Nellie and Lockwood’s love scenes were explosive. It hurt knowing she kept pushing him away because of her fears. This was a book I didn’t put down until I finished reading it. I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could.

I received a copy of the book for my honest opinion.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Notes: This is book four in the series and while you can read them as standalones, characters in this book are also seen in the previous books. I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
🏊‍♂️This story was bursting with feminism and I absolutely loved it. It is sad that we still struggle with many of the same issues today, but I love to see women being strong and taking control!

🏊‍♂️Any book where a MMC does need to FMC to be pure as the driven snow is a win for me. It’s an antiquated ideal and shouldn’t matter when it comes to love. Lockwood couldn’t care less, it’s literally NEVER an issue for him.

🏊‍♂️Lockwood is such a dream. From the swimming to the bar fight, lord I was swooning left and right over that man!

🏊‍♂️Nellie is THE rebel. She is who I would want to be if I was born during this time. She is strong and knows what she wants. She does have insecurities but in the end she doesn’t let them hold her back.

What I Didn’t Like:
🏊‍♂️ It’s always the annoying side characters that get me. Jealous women, sleazy men, and controlling husbands. Ugh

Final Thoughts:
🏊‍♂️ I’m pretty sure this is the last book in the series and honestly that’s pretty depressing. I loved each of the women in this series. I identified with parts of each of them. I also enjoyed learning more about the Gilded Age. It makes me eager to visit Newport again!

I was so looking forward to this book, and I tried holding off reading it since it's the last in the series, but I couldn't help myself! I dove right in as soon as possible and was not disappointed.

I absolutely loved the beginning of the book with a late-night swim. I loved getting a peek at Lockwood's side of his relationship/very short engagement to Maddie. Seeing him through that lens was really fun for me because, during Maddie and Alice's books, I just wanted him out of the way. But now I have a lot more sympathy for him.

Lockwood is a treasure. I love him. He's a duke in the American Gilded Age world looking for a future duchess to help fund his failing estate back in England. But none of the possibilities live up to Nellie, his midnight swim partner with blazing red hair.

Nellie champions women's reproductive rights in a time that feels so like our own. She resists Lockwood for a long time, and I'm just reading and screaming at her to get with him already and follow her heart!!! But her aunt does that job nicely for me.

This Duke got it all. This checked off everything I look for in a book. Was not disappointed. Really enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author. Must read. Historical fiction oh yeah.

4-4.5 Stars! Such a good book! This is the 4th book in the ‘The Fifth Avenue Rebels’ series and can be read as a standalone. I read the book before this one and loved that book too. I’m so happy Nellie gets an HEA ending too! I loved her character, she is such a strong woman. I loved the main male character Andrew/Duke of Lockwood too, he was sweet (and spicy - in the ‘sexy times’ scenes!). The ‘sexy time’ scenes were so hot, I had to turn on my bedside fan! (Not kidding, I really did!) They were both easy to love main characters and I was rooting for them and wanting to slap them at times too. I loved how the book also taught me a bit about how it was for women back in the late 1800’s with the ‘Comstock laws’ and women being jailed because of contraception and how husbands were allowed to beat their wives! That was insane and it really wasn’t that long ago.
I wish the epilogue would’ve been a bit longer, with more information on Nellie and Andrew years and years on. Still, I loved this book start to finish. I’d definitely recommend it!
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

Sometimes Joanna Shupe
Is a hit or miss for me though I do like the books I read so far by her.. The Duke Gets Even was a home-run for my loved Nellie and The Duke Of Lockwood's characters 5 stars for me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review

Happy Reading Lisa 📚

Trite, but spicy.


OK, slightly longer version: I enjoyed this historical romance but much of it felt generic - feisty red-headed heroine from the wrong side of the tracks; the starchy Duke, the fight for women's rights, most of the stereotypically 'Irish' or 'English' characters, a couple best friends who are there for her, etc etc...

I went in thinking it was a stand-alone, not realizing it was the 4th in a series. I think enthusiasts of the series will enjoy this installment, and I may go back & read the earlier ones, but I have read some others by Joanna Shupe that I liked more. I do like her setting of 'gilded age' NYC.

Nellie and Lockwood have all the chemistry and fire you could want!!! I didn't honestly know what to expect from this book as I hadn't read the other books in this series, but I am immediately going back to do so. I adore Joanna Shupe's writing and characters and this one has the added bonus of actively discussing women's reproductive rights! Lockwood is a perfectly English duke and Nellie is a rebellious heiress and they shouldn't work, but they fit so well. I loved their banter, the steaminess was off the chart from page 1, and you root for them every moment along the way. Absolutely adored this book.

Most women her age look forward to the prospect of marriage, but Nellie Young is not one of them. She has purposefully ruined her reputation and would rather spend nights stealing kisses from men in the ocean and living life to the fullest. To save his crumbling estate, the Duke of Lockwood is determined to find an American heiress, preferably one with a spotless reputation. On the outside, he may seem the perfect and proper Duke, but inside, Lockwood hides some dark desires. Nellie and Lockwood have been circling each other for months, both drawn in by the undeniable attraction brimming between them. Nellie sees the true Lockwood beneath his stuffy interior and embraces him fully but is Lockwood willing to sacrifice everything to follow his heart?

I didn't think anything could top the previous book in this series for me, but then along came Lockwood. I've loved every little snipe and interaction between him and Nellie we've gotten so far, so I was beyond excited to see their story unfold, and Shupe more than delivered. The chemistry between them was so palpable that I was surprised the pages weren't smoking. There was so much tension brewing under the surface every time they bickered, and it was explosive once their dynamic switched. I binged this in pretty much one sitting because I was so addicted. I loved how strong and independent Nellie was. She was brash and so unapologetically herself. Lockwood seemed so prim and proper, but in private, he was rough and demanding but still vulnerable and cared so much for Nellie. Everything about this, from the characters to the plot (I loved how passionate Nellie was about reproductive rights), worked so well for me, and it's easily my favorite in the series.

“He didn’t want her quiet. He wanted to hear every outrageous thought in her head, even if it was taking him to task for being inappropriate.”

We finally got Lockwood’s story! This has been such a highly anticipated release for me, and I am so glad to say that it did not disappoint.

After being jilted multiple times, the Duke of Lockwood’s prospects for marriage are dwindling. His funds are nearly depleted, and he needs to marry an American debutante with a hefty dowry – quickly. However, after a chance run in with a fiery redhead, Nellie, he can’t stop thinking about her. She is not duchess material, nor is she interested in marriage, but they can’t deny the undeniable chemistry between themselves.

Nellie is a new favorite heroine of mine. She is such a strong and outspoken character. She’s rebellious and doesn’t care what people think. I loved how she stood up for women’s rights and a woman’s access to safe sex. I adored Nellie’s relationship with her dad and how he just wanted her to be happy, no matter the choices she made. I also loved seeing the friend group again from the previous books. This group of women is so fun, and I love how open and honest they all are with one another. It’s super refreshing to read and I couldn’t get enough of their interactions together.

Lockwood is one of a kind and, honestly, he deserves the world. He was perfect in every way, and he was so sweet and patient with Nellie. He falls fast and he falls hard for her. He knows what he wants, and he goes after it. I was also pleased to discover that the duke is a bit filthy in the bedroom. He and Nellie are literally so perfect for each other, and I was rooting for them the whole time.

In this book, we have a classic strangers-to-enemies-to-lovers trope. These two don’t necessarily like each other in the beginning, but the chemistry between them is palpable. Lockwood and Nellie dance around one another for a bit, but when they finally hook up, it's so HOT! Joanna always delivers on the spice, and I was not disappointed.

I love how Lockwood cares for Nellie because she is so different and outspoken, and he doesn’t want to change a thing about her – he just wants her.

As this is the final book in the series (I think), I’m sad that it’s over. I was so please with this last installment. It was so romantic and funny and spicy and heartfelt. Joanna’s writing is fantastic. Her characters are so relatable, and overall, her stories just have a way of drawing you in. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. She has quickly become an auto-buy author for me, even though I am still slowly catching up on her backlist. I highly recommend you check her books out if you haven’t yet.

“I’m keeping you, Eleanor Young.”

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an advanced reader copy of this delightful book.

The Duke Gets Even is a historical romance that has has a FMC that is a perfect feminist, a MMC that is a stern brunch daddy that sizzles throughout the book, and eventually find their HEA. I loved the secondary characters, and this book is excellent if you are looking for a book with some extra steam in a historical romance. Joanna Shupe is also an excellent writer who has great pacing, the ability to excel at creating scenes with excellent banter, and characters that you root for.

Thank you Avon Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own.

To be completely transparent: Joanna Shupe is easily my favorite historical romance author and perhaps favorite author in general. So I went into this book knowing that I was probably going to love it, and that happened. So this is a biased review in the sense that I’ve loved basically everything she’s written.

This is one of those books where you really need to have read the first ones in the series to get to this one. The Heiress Hunt, The Lady Gets Lucky, and The Bride Goes Rogue would ALL be recommended to read before this one because you will miss key pieces of the plot and characters. If you go forth without reading them there will be missing pieces and some confusion. Rest assured, this series is absolutely excellent and I recommend all of them to read!! And please do read them because you don’t want to miss out on this journey.

Seriously, Shupe has crafted a masterpiece that is incredibly modern, timely, steamy, tender, and angsty that takes you on an unforgettable journey through the tumultuous Gilded Age.

Loves:
-Nellie/Eleanor is the bomb. She knows who she is, what she’s worth, and what she wants. And she doesn’t settle. I love that so much about her. We’ve met her in the earlier books and then relaying this seemingly strong, scandalous woman with the person in this book is perfection. We get to dig deeper into how she came to be the way she is. Peeling back layers and loving every minute of it.

-Lockwood/Andrew is nearing Frank Tripp levels for me. He knows what he wants but has to balance it with his family needs. He grows so much and how he has acted in all of the previous three books makes you already love him. There are some deep layers and lots of angst here with him. It’s stunning. Plus he’s got just the right amount of edge to him that is delicious. Plus the STEAM this man brings to the bedroom. He could get it.

The plot of this novel is perhaps my favorite she’s ever written. The Gilded Age was a really interesting time in the United States, wealth was created on such an enormous scale with enormous disparity between classes. Immigration, Comstock Laws, Racial inequality, political bribery, and the closing of the “wild west” makes it, in my opinion, one of the most interesting times in my country’s history. And the pieces that Shupe pulls to make this book eerily timely to today’s environment and the details she weaves into this novel are top notch. You can’t say you didn’t learn something from a romance novel!

Shupe’s writing is by far one of the most enchanting. From the first scene you’re hooked. Tryst on the beach at midnight--come on!! Plus the push and the pull between the characters with charming banter and immense chemistry. Her writing just sucks you in and whisks you away to this fabulous world in high class New York society. Truly amazing.

Meh:
Spoiler-ish: for all that Lockwood is dominating in the bedroom I think we all deserved at least one “good girl” in the middle of everything. Ok this is more of a personal preference but I feel like I won’t be alone in this thought…

Long Story Short:
If you haven’t caught on by now: READ THIS BOOK. Well, read the first three then this one because it’s sooooooo amazing. Like I won’t forget it for a while. I still feel the book hangover I have from this 4-5? days after finishing it. I’ve reread most of it twice. It’s just so amazing.

If you love any of Joanna Shupe’s other books read this. Or if you’re a fan of Sarah MacLean, I think Shupe is an excellent equivalent just on the states side of the historical romance. Also if you love any of Beverly Jenkin’s historicals because you learn something and still get the swoon with bad*ss women I would recommend this book!

Nellie and Lockwood are such a sexy and compelling couple! I love to read a romance with a heroine who knows what she wants in life and in bed and isn’t stifled by the restrictions of her society. And how hot is it that her duke recognizes her despite the prejudices of his time and loves her *for* her rebellious and forward-thinking behavior values and not despite them? Plus, the swimming pool scenes were too hot to handle!

This is my favorite Joanna Shupe book, by far. Finally, Lockwood and Nellie's story! I loved the build up across the first three books in the series, and how we get to see previous events from Lockwood and Nellie's perspectives. Even though this could technically stand alone, I think readers will be missing part of the tension and build up without reading the first three books.

The characters were fantastic and both have excellent depth. I also loved seeing a female lead who is unapologetic in her sexuality and her support for other women. It was refreshing not see the typical handwringing about her reputation and flip it to be more about his. I loved how Nellie and Lockwood grapple with who they are and what they are willing to give up to be happy. This was not an easy path to a HEA. A lot of historical romances have a sheltered heroine and an experienced hero. But this story took two experience characters and dug into how their perspectives impacted their relationships and priorities. So interesting! I also loved Nellie's family. Her friends, honestly, I could take or leave with the exception of Kat. Although I did love her interaction with Kit. Finally, the steam was some of the best I've read from Shupe.

This series has been a roller coaster and while I haven't loved every book, I am glad I stuck it out to get to this one. I also enjoy the different situations presented, from a tennis expert to a chef to an art curator to an advocate. It's excellent to see dynamic women in historical contexts and imagine how they fought for what they wanted most.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.