Help A Bitch Out

HaBO: Series Set in Turn of the Century NYC

This HaBO request is from Michelle. She’s after an American historical romance series:

The books were set in New York at the turn of the century. The mansions were just going up on 5th Ave.

The heroine was from a very wealthy, high society family and they built a mansion there. The heroine was always sneaking out of the mansion day and night. Her family had several siblings and the brother had a bad boy vibe also. Automobiles were just starting to come in vogue. There was a love triangle.

The hero I liked was a rich, experienced, slightly older man with a bad reputation. He was slightly accepted due to his wealth and he was hot. His name might have been Hart.

There seemed to be mysteries in the books that the heroine helped in solving. The romance was built up over several books. In one of the books the heroine and Hart got engaged. However, they seemed to go back and forth due to the 3rd person in the love triangle. I believe he was a cop.

There seemed to be 3 or 4 books, spaced apart by 9 months to a year between books. I think the 1st book was about 20 years ago. I bought the books in paperback. The writer wrote other books besides this series and I used to wait and wait for these books to release. I waited for the final book to come out because I don’t know how the series ended and who the heroine picked. I don’t know if the author finished the series. It’s been driving me crazy for freaking ever.

Can we help Michelle out?

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  1. Deborah says:

    Brenda Joyce’s Francesca Cahill series. One leg of the romantic triangle is named Hart, but there are many many more than 3 books in the series.

  2. Lara says:

    Yes! I don’t remember a whole bunch about the series (it’s been years), but I remember the mysteries, and rakish Hart. Definitely Brenda Joyce.

  3. Olivia says:

    Definitely Francesca Cahill series by Brenda Joyce. The author did finish the series.

  4. Chanel says:

    Love this series so much! Yes, definitely Brenda Joyce’s Deadly series. It’s amazing. The last book sort of wrapped things up but there was potential for the story to carry on.

  5. Deborah says:

    Oh, dear. I didn’t want to hear that the series was good. Volumes 7 and 9 appear to be on sale right now at Amazon (99c and 1.99, respectively). And of course my library doesn’t have the rest.

  6. EllenM says:

    this sounds INCREDIBBBBBLE

    but also 9 books AAAAAGH

  7. Violet Bick says:

    I loved those books! That’s where I learned that calling a youngster a “kid” in the early 1900s meant that they were a thief. So it was not synomymous with “child.” I always think about that when I see the word “kid” used (now I know inappropriately) in historical novels. The stuff that stays with you.

  8. No, the Other Anne says:

    @Deborah You can always ask your library to buy them or get them for you through interlibrary loan. My library has been GREAT about this when I ask for books recommended on SBTB, and my book budget thanks them!

  9. Lora says:

    Until we got to their being a brother I was going to say The Luxe by Anna Godberson you should totally read those anyway

  10. I really enjoyed that series and I think the most recent book came out in 2011 or 2012. I don’t know about anyone else, but it felt unfinished to me. I wanted to know everyone’s reactions to the revelations at the end of that book and I never got it. I sometimes go to her website to see if she’s written any more books in the series, but haven’t found any. 🙁

  11. JaniceG says:

    These sounded interesting so I did a quick Google search but I must admit that on reading this “Sneak Peek” excerpt, I am surprised at the positive reaction here: writing seems clunky and overly adjective-d. http://brendajoyce.com/books/the-deadly-series/deadly-love/

    If people are intrigued at notion of turn-of-the-century mysteries with woman with upper-class family investigating crimes, falling in love with cop, I recommend Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight series (first book Murder on Astor Place).

  12. Emily C says:

    @JaniceG- I thought of the Gaslight series when reading the description as well. More mystery than romance but many of the other elements were the same (minus the love triangle, I believe). Heartily recommend them!

  13. Olivia says:

    If I’m remembering correctly, last time I read them was when the last one came out, some of the books do seem better written, or maybe the plot was better so I didn’t notice it at the time (also I didn’t tend to pay attention to quality until I started reading this blog, and well when the book hoarding got out of control). I’ll second feeling like the series wasn’t finished, honestly I remember being annoyed at the last book because it felt very rushed. I’m pretty sure there were a few more years between the second to last and the last book, so possibly the author was writing it more to give the readers some kind of ending than a solid book in the series. On one level it was satisfying but on another extremely frustrating because it definitely could’ve been better and less abrupt.

  14. Gloriamarie says:

    Probably not it, but it reminds me of the series, The Knickerbocker Club bu Joanna Shupe.

  15. denise says:

    Similar idea, but Gilded Age in Boston, is the Nell Sweeney Mysteries series by PB Ryan, aka Patricia Ryan. The first, Still Life with Murder, is frequently offered for free–not right now. 6 books in the series.

  16. JaniceG says:

    @Denise: I’ve read the Nell Sweeney Mysteries also and add my recommendation. They’re a little darker than the Thompson series and do a good job exploring immediately post-Civil War society.

  17. denise says:

    @JaniceG: I think I’ve read one or more of the Gaslight series. Thanks for the reminder.

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