This RITA® Reader Challenge 2017 review was written by Nerdalisque. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Romance Novella category.
The summary:
Sometimes the journey is more pleasurable than the destination . . .
In Gilded Age New York City, the bachelors of the Knickerbocker Club spend their days rubbing elbows with Manhattan’s most elite citizens–and their nights with its most intoxicating women . . .
Standing on the platform at Grand Central Station, Ted Harper is surprised by a fiery kiss from an undeniably gorgeous damsel in distress. He’s certain she’s a swindler who’s only after his money, but he’s never met a woman so passionate and sure of herself. Disarmed, he invites her to spend the journey to St. Louis in his private car–perhaps against his better judgment . . .
Clara Dawson has long known how to take care of herself, but the savvy shop girl is at a loss when she witnesses–and becomes entangled in–a terrible crime. Desperation propels her into a stranger’s arms at the train station, but she hadn’t expected Ted to offer her the protection she so badly needs–nor did she expect their chemistry to develop more steam than the engine of the train. He’s everything she never thought she could have, and she’s everything he didn’t know he wanted. But as her secrets begin to unfurl, their fledgling romance could be in danger of derailing before they arrive at the next station . . .
Here is Nerdalisque's review:
“Tycoon” is a charming story set in the Gilded Age. I’ve not come across many historicals set in this time period, and it’s a welcome change from the ubiquitous London Season.
The novella opens with a “meet cute” – a young woman, Clara, approaches a stranger at a Grand Central Station and addresses him as “husband.” Ted is, needless to say, puzzled, although not so puzzled that he fails to notice how pretty she is. When she suddenly kisses him, he’s even more surprised. But his masculine instincts kick in and he decides (correctly) that Clara must need help.
They board the train – more specifically, his private rail car. Oh, catnip, your name is forced proximity! The rest of the story takes place over three days as Clara and Ted travel west. We learn that Clara sells perfume in a department store, and Ted is . . . well, a tycoon, although he doesn’t tell Clara this. He assumes that she must know who he is, not for egotistical reasons, but because that’s the way of things in New York. When she doesn’t, it raises suspicions – perhaps she’s planning to take advantage of him. Clara’s not – she witnessed a crime and an unsavory policeman pursued her to Grand Central. She doesn’t want to tell Ted what she saw, partially (and adorably) to keep him safe.
Clara is a member of the working class who has aspirations to succeed. She’s smart and funny and confident in herself. Ted asks her to entertain the wife of a prospective client, and Clara uses her successful salesgirl ability to read people to identify the real roadblock to the deal.
Ted has his alpha moments, but they’re not obnoxious. He doesn’t use his social status to intimidate Clara. He’s thoughtful and generous, and also conscious of how his actions, such as an extravagant gift, might be perceived. Of course he has pants feelings for her, but he’s determined to be a gentleman.
The budding relationship between Clara and Ted is lovely. They have conversations. They ask good questions and listen to the answers. When their relationship progresses to sexytimes, Clara has just as much agency as Ted. She’s an equal, consenting party. I loved when Clara says, “You don’t know what I want, so how do you know what I will regret?” (As an aside, there’s a wonderful sequence when Ted undresses Clara, dealing with buttons and laces and layer after layer of clothing.)
The minor shortcomings of “Tycoon” are those common to all novellas, so it almost seems unfair to list them. Love at first sight to HEA in three days, plus solving a crime? Pacing like that requires some suspension of disbelief, at least for me. Watching both Clara’s and Ted’s opinions change and emotions swing back and forth felt a little like watching a tennis match. Settings are painted in broad strokes, so there’s not much sense of place (I really wanted to hear more about the train!). Since there’s not much space for character development, the author can’t show subtle changes; the characters have to tell us outright in their internal monologues. That said, the plot and characters are solid and the love story is sweet.
I’m giving “Tycoon” a solid B. I enjoyed re-reading it for this review, and recommend it for the appealing characters, touches of humor, and Gilded Age setting. I would have enjoyed it even more if I could have spent more time with Clara and Ted.
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Read this one and pre-ordered the rest, but they have fallen prey to the TBR pile. Must move them higher up the list! I agree that it was wonderful to read about a historical time period OTHER than London in the Regency timeframe.
I remember the days when I was desperate to read historicals that weren’t set in Medieval Times! That said, it does feel like the modern historical romance genre is less diverse time setting wise than it used to be. The American Western Frontier was another setting I got sick of, and I barely see it now.
Thanks for the review. If you like this setting, you might like the one based on the 12 Dancing Princesses, too. I think it was reviewed here, but I can’t remember the name!
Hey, I just read Magnate a couple weeks ago! Liked the book, loved the heroine but once I was done, I felt disatisfied. Overall, the heroine was the only one putting efforts into the relationship – her and her brother-in-law – while the hero kept reacting like an arse. Still, enjoyable. I’d read more books by Joanna Shupe.
BTW, Magnate is the first full length novel of the series, it comes right after Tycoon.
Great review!
You sold me. I sort of hate insta-love but eh, it’s a novella.
@QUTU I suspect you’re thinking of The Girls at the Kingfisher Club, which is set in Jazz Age New York.
I would love for her to have written a full book for these two versus a novella! Her follow up books have been just as good if not better
@Francsca, you are correct! Great book, end was a bit deus ex machina (in my memory) but that’s OK for fairy tales
Thanks for the review – this is my favorite of the 3 in the series I’ve read (the last one is on my TBR). Insta-love bugs me, but it didn’t bug me here.
for 99 cents, I’ll take it!
Magnate, the first full-length book of the series is currently on sale for $1.99, while Baron, the second book, is on sale for $0.99. I’ve only read Baron and I enjoyed it. The hero was all stuffy and proper, while the heroine was very strong and independent, and he just didn’t get why she kept refusing to just fall in with what he wanted. There’s a pretty good grovel at the end, so all’s well that ends well.
I read this last night and my only complaint is that I really wish it was novel length, maybe the train trip could have been all the way to California or something.
Great review! The insta-love also bothered me, but I did really enjoy Clara and Ted having dinner with the potential business clients. When Ted is struggling with Clara’s clothes is also a highlight, because I ALWAYS wonder how fiddly those are. I struggle with yoga pants and strappy “athleisure” tops (SO MANY STRAPS, WHERE DOES MY HEAD GO?) so I know I’d be a mess in basically any time period but today.
I have enjoyed this series and the setting. Nice review, Nerdalisque, and spot on with the grade. I also wished we spent more time with Clara and Ted. Should have been a novel!
I’m reading this now while also listening to Magnate on audio. I am a sucker for historical set sometime other than Regency or Victorian England, so these have been fun.
I really liked her Mogul although it really bugs me when the cover models don’t look like they are described in the book. (In Mogul, the heroine is blonde but she is a brunette on the cover. Yeah, I’m one of THOSE types!)