Title: The Bride Goes Rogue

Author: Joanna Shupe

Paperback (available in eBook and audio as well)

Pages: 384

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN: 9780063045064

Release Date: 5-24-22

Book Details: Basic paperback book.

Where To Find It: Looks like everywhere! I got my copy from Hamilton Books

Time that the story takes place? 1895 New York

POV? Third person.

What caught your eye? Honestly it was available from Hamilton along with several other of Joanna Shupe’s books, so they all went into the cart. However, the reason I choose this book to read off the pile was something I saw on Twitter the other day and was intrigued by what the author of the Tweet meant. I was not disappointed. I won’t post the Tweet, because I don’t know what the protocols are about such things, but it was a favorable comment. And it turned out to be very true.

Did you enjoy it? Oh, baby did I ever.

Was it predictable? Absolutely not. There was one scene towards the end where I started thinking, “Hey, I bet this is going to happen . . .,” but the interesting thing was, the Leading Lady was figuring out it in real time with us, so it was all good.

Was it sexy? Tame? There was absolutely nothing tame about this book. Nothing. It was sexy to the max. This is one of the few books that actually made me blush. But not in a bad way.

Did you find it funny? Entertaining? It was extremely entertaining. Funny? I would say amusing, there were some very charming and amusing moments between the two leads.

Would you read it again? Hell yes.

Is this part of a series? Of course it is and guess who started on book 3 once again? This girl! This is part of the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. I never felt like I was missing out on anything because I hadn’t read the previous two books.

Holy sweet animal crackers! I don’t even know what to say. Seriously, I’m just at a loss for words. As much as I enjoyed the last book I read by Joanna Shupe, I didn’t think it was possible to enjoy this book even more.

Joanna Shupe just knows how to write. In fact, she doesn’t just write, she paints with words and creates something that you can see perfectly in your head. I know, dramatic much, but gentle reader, this book just works.

Katherine, our charming Leading Lady, has been living under the assumption that she has been betrothed for the last year to Preston Clarke. There’s a contract and everything. This is happening. 

The only problem is, Preston hasn’t been around all year and our girl Katherine has some wedding details and such to get ironed out before the big day. Katherine’s father, encourages his daughter to go see Preston, at his office.

This is where I should tell you that Katherine’s father and Preston’s father used to be in business together, the best of buds and all that jazz. However, something horrible happened, the two men parted ways, Preston’s father was left out to dry and the family was nearly sunk, Preston had to leave college to come save everyone and Preston makes it a point in not trying to hide his hatred for Katherine’s father. And that’s all I’ll say as I fear spoiling things.

Anyway, our Katherine meets with Preston, who is rather confused by why she’s come to see him. He can’t believe that this woman has taken some contract, constructed by their fathers, seriously. And tells her that he has no intention of marrying her. Ever.

Now, any woman would be hurt by this and Katherine is no different and hurries out of his office. Only to come back a bit later to tell him that he made a big mistake, she’s awesome and now he’ll never know and she wouldn’t marry him now if her life depended on it.

Angry and hurt, Katherine turns to her close friend, Nellie, and tells her that she’s tired of waiting for things to happen for her and to her, she wants go out and live. Afterall, Preston has been living this last year, having mistresses, going out and having fun while Katherine was at home . . . waiting.

Nellie suggests they go to the French Ball. Which is basically a more civilized Mardi Gras, meaning that all the sinning is contained within one building and out of view of the decent public. Make no mistake, if you’re going to this ball, you’re going to see some serious action.

Katherine agrees to go, as she’s wanting to reclaim her life, she wants to experience things. She wants to have an affair.

And can you believe it, Preston has decided to go to the French Ball as well! He’s looking to blow of a little steam . . . 

Okay, now in the interest of not spoiling things for you, I’m just going to tell you that the entire French Ball is amazing. I have zero words for you, except, DAMN!

This is a masked ball and upon reading that Katherine goes dressed as Madame Du Pompadour, my first thought was Doctor Who, but not in a bad way. I was just super excited to see the name. Of course, Preston has gone as King Louis XV, and references of these two historical figures come into play throughout the rest of the book.

After sharing a rather passionate and shocking interlude at the Ball, Preston asks to see Katherine again—unaware of who he is speaking to, remember everyone’s masked—and Katherine having enjoyed their time together and eager for more, agrees to meet him the next night at an apartment.

Well, the next night, identities are revealed, words are said and Katherine gets the hell out of there.

Katherine and her father are still recovering from the loss of Katherine’s mother, who was a wicked art collector. Lloyd (Katherine’s father) is removing some of the paintings from their home as he can’t bear to look at them anymore, the grief is too much. He suggests that Katherine, who inherited her mother’s eye for art and possesses an extensive knowledge of said art, open an art museum. 

Lloyd even gives her a piece of land that would be perfect for it.

Only problem is, Preston is currently getting ready to develop that same plot of land for a giant skyscraper. 

And they both arrive on the same day with their respective architects . . . oh no, what’s going to happen now?

Even though these two have already shared a very private moment at the French Ball, this is the point of the story is where the friendship between the two really starts. Even though Preston is annoyed that Katherine is claiming this piece of land is hers, Preston doesn’t hesitate in offering his opinion on matters when Katherine asks his advice. Preston is never once condescending or mocking in her efforts to build and open an art museum. Just not on his land.

This piece of land is one of the conflicts in this story, and the resolution of it all is pretty darn spectacular. It made me grin. 

The rest of the story is so wonderfully layered, that I felt like I was watching a film. The thing that I have enjoyed in both Joanna Shupe books I’ve read, is how she builds real and true characters that are so relatable and believable that you find yourself cheering for them when they win and yelling at them when they do something that will likely damage their relationship with the other.

In so many books, you look at the main characters and kind of wonder why in the world these two are together, why are they even attracted to each other? In this book, you see from the get go why they’ll work and why they need each other. I love how a genuine friendship develops between the two leads, they actually enjoy each other’s company, they find solace in each other, and actions speak louder than words and believe me . . . their actions either towards each other and even times against each other are so perfectly nuanced that you just keep turning the page to find out what happens next.

I’d love to go into more detail about this story, again there are too many wonderful plot points that it’s impossible to cover them all. Just trust me when I tell you, this book is wonderful, you won’t be disappointed. This was one of the most satisfying books I’ve read in a good long while.

I have a feeling that I’m going to need more shelves, because I’m going to collect every single one of her books.