Baron is the second book in The Knickerbocker Club series by Joanna Shupe. It can easily be read as a standalone book which, for me, was good because I haven't read the first book yet. Something I intend to remedy as soon as I can!

William Sloane was born into a wealthy family, but his father was horrid. He never made William feel good about himself, he was always running him down and saying he could never make anything out of himself. After his father's death, he was determined to prove his father wrong. Now an extremely wealthy railroad baron he sets his sights on politics. He has a good chance of winning the election too. His campaign manager has advised him that he needs to marry in order to enhance his chances. William has a small list of women he wants to spend some time with in order to decide which of them would be the perfect political wife.

One woman who definitely would not make a good political wife is Ava Jones. She has had to bring up her 3 siblings by herself, keeping food on the table and clothes on their backs. She has managed to afford a reasonable place to live, but her dream is to move away from the city and live a quiet, clean life in the country with her siblings. That's not going to be cheap and with that in mind, she works as well known Russian medium Madame Zolikoff. She puts performances on in theatres, but she also gives private readings. One of the people she gives a regular private reading to is William's political partner, John Bennett. When William finds out he makes it his priority to warn off the charlatan before she damages John's reputation, in turn ruining their political careers before they can get off the ground.

The income Ava makes as a medium is vital if she is to give her family a better life, so despite William's warnings, bribes and threats she refuses to stop working for John. As angry as that makes him, William feels a modicum of respect for Ava because she didn't just bow down to his demands. From there the story unfolds where they end up feeling extremely attracted to each other. Ava has been hurt by a rich man before so isn't willing to have a relationship with William. As for him, well of course if he does see Ava it would have to be a secret with no future for them. Despite that, they can't keep away from each other and the passionate scenes between them were steamy, crazy HOT!

Will can't have a political career AND Ava, and a certain person is determined to make sure that Ava gets out of the picture before it's too late.

This book was amazing, there was so much mystery and intrigue, backstabbing, lies and manipulations. There were light-hearted moments such as when Ava held her seances, dark moments, and then extremely romantic passionate moments. This book really did have it all and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn't see how there could possibly be a happy ending for Will and Ava. They were both so determined to fight for what they wanted for their separate futures, could they be persuaded to fight for one they could spend together? You will have to read to find out.

Gilded Age New York is the setting for BARON. Will Sloane is a railroad baron and Ava Jones makes her living as "Madame Zolikoff" a medium. Sloane puts a wrinkle in Ava's life. Ava is a trusted adviser to Mr. Bennett a candidate for governor. Sloane is his running mates and he doesn't want a phony medium, complete with phony Russian accent to taint the governor's campaign.

Sloane tries to buy off Ava, but she is having non of it. Instead sparks fly.

Gilded Age New York is beautifully described, and the differences between the 1% and the rest of us are explicity laid out.

I really enjoyed William and Ava story!

William has a goal for himself and Ava is standing in his way of achieving that goal, so of course they start their relationship by butting heads. But they also have an instant attraction to each other. William soon learns that Ava is only doing what she needs to make sure her family survives. There is a major class difference between the two, so that also causes conflict between the two. Will they be able to get over their differences to get their HEA?

This was a great addition to the Knickerbocker Club series and I can't wait to read the last book in the series!

Madam Zolikoff AKA Ava Jones is a fraud. She's made up the persona of a Medium and gives the wealthy some peace over the death of a loved one.
The eldest of four siblings she struggles to make ends meet, she has no choice but to be MADAM ZOLIKOFF....it pays well to be a medium!

Will Sloan is an uptight upperclass snob, he's wound up so tight that when he unravels it will be explosive. He's ambitious and plans a career in politics.
He strives for a scandal free reputation but when he meets the outspoken and beautiful Ava Jones his first thought is to expose her for the fraud that she is.
What he didn't count on was the obsessive attraction to her.

One has to marvel as the story unravels , working class young woman falling for handsome as sin political candidate. Their love story was explosive and heart wrenching at times leaving one wondering if he will choose his career over what could be the love of his life. The reader is also given a peek at the gilded era of old money and power. Wonderful story with explosive feelings that jump at you leaving the reader scorched with emotions!!!
Joanna Shupe has done it again, this is one epic romantic series The Knickerbocker Club series is movie material!

Take one fake medium, desperate to claw her family's way out of poverty, one real politician determined to keep his running mate free from scandal, add one powerful attraction neither saw coming, mix, and watch the stakes soar. More than a rich boy, poor girl romance, this addition to Joanna Shupe's Knickerbocker Club takes readers through the extremes of Gilded Age New York, from opulent wealth, to its opposite, and two lovers who are brave enough to see how the other half lives. The love is real and believable, and the period atmosphere unparalleled. Another winner for Shupe, and for her readers.

William/Bill Sloan did not believe in the ability to commune with the spirit world. He didn’t even believe in the spirit world. Yet he was waiting inside a ramshackle theater watching Madame Zolikoff who was suppose to be a medium who could commune with spirits and perform extraordinary feats so she said She was obviously a liar and cheat. Bill planned to shut her down.John Bennett was a former senator who was running for governor and asked will to partner on the ticket as lieutenant governor. But Madame Zolikoff had her hooks in Bennett and Bill was determined not to allow this woman to jeopardize Bennett's political career as well as his own. They could not afford a scandal six months before the election. Bill had run Northeast Railroad for the last thirteen years and came from one of the most prominent families in N. Y.. Madame Zolikoff knew will’s name and why he was there. Ana Jones/ Madame Zolikoff said when Jon no longer requires my gift then I will respectively back off. Then she said the governor as her client could only help Ana. All Ana needed was to save enough money to get her two brothers and one sister out of the factories. By her calculations she only had four more months after adopting the adopting the Madame Zolikoff likeness two years ago and she had enough to keep her family safe. John paid Ana five dollars a week to read the leaves and pass on bits of news from the great beyond. Sloan asked her how much would it take her to walk away and she was so tempted but she couldn’t just because of pride and second she knew better than to accept money as money never came without strings. Ana told Bill that she wasn’t aware that his own business practices were always so scrupulous and added she was sure running a big railroad you never skirt the law or buy political favor. Bill ordered Ana to leave John Bennett alone and she told will to go bully someone else. Ana had let one over privileged handsome man try to wreck her life and she would not repeat the mistake.The Sloans had helped Manhattan grow. Bill had grown up with his father thinking he was a failure. Ana was also saving money for the future. The kids would grow up as kids. Not overworked and underpaid workers no better than the stray dogs wandering the alleys. Her siblings were Tom who was fifteen and worked in a cigar factory and Mary who was thirteen and worked as a finisher in a clothing factory and Sam who was twelve and tended to be sick more that the rest of them and Sam was a Newsie. Tom wanted to get in a gang and become a thief.
I enjoyed this story . my heart went out to Ana to give up her own dreams and take care of her siblings when her parents had died. I loved how Ana was so loyal and loving to her family. I felt her pain and Tom’s anger at their place in life at least thus far. This had a great plot. Bill and Anna are from totally opposite worlds. The author did a great job in describing people who worked twelve to fourteen hour days for very little pay, the health hazards that must be endured to mere survive as well as the living conditions. I liked how Ana and Bill start to listen to each other and reveal their lives, wishes as well as fears to each other. Bill knows he has to marry a woman of his own social standing not Ana but he wants Ana. the only problem I had is Ana switched from no to yes to quickly as far as sleeping with Bill goes and then they start their affair. I liked the characters a lot as well as the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.