The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Complete honesty,” He said. “Understand that my motives are never pure. I’m as selfish as they come, and if there’s an opportunity to get you into my bed I won’t hesitate to take it.”
.
.
.
“Was there anything else?”

“Yes, actually. I plan to bring about your father’s ruin.”

Florence Greene has plans to open a casino exclusively for women in New York. She knows about gambling but still needs to learn the ins and outs of running of a casino, and she wants to learn from the best. Clayton Madden is the best. Clayton might be planning to ruin her father but she’s not going to let something like a little revenge stop her from taking what she wants from him. That is until what she wants is everything.

Clay doesn’t quite know why he’s agreed to give Florence casino running lessons, he just knows he wants her like he’s never wanted a woman before. Everything about Florence sparks joy in him, and he aches when they’re apart. What does it all mean? Not love…surely.

4.5 Stars! The Prince of Broadway is the kind of revenge plot I can get behind. Clay is honest about his intentions towards Florence’s father – and her – from the start. Does he tell her everything? NO. But to be fair…he tells her that too. I loved Florence’s independence, self-assurance, and ambition. She doesn’t plan to let anyone get in the way of her and her dreams. Plus, Jack Mulligan shows up again, and Florence’s younger sister Justine continues to be her fabulous level-headed self. (The Devil of Downtown is set to release on June 30th and I am STOKED.)

***SPOILERS BELOW!***

Normally in revenge plots I am of the “revenge is dumb – this will do nothing but ruin your relationships – plz stop” school of thought. And don’t get me wrong – I still think that. But in the grand scheme of things I REALLY didn’t think Clay’s revenge was that malicious. Yes, he was planning to purchase Florence’s father’s childhood home and, when offering to purchase the home didn’t work, tried to force her grandmother out of the home. But. As multiple people point out – her grandmother has OTHER HOMES SHE CAN MOVE INTO. Homes – plural. These people are rich. It’s a house. My favorite part was when Justine was essentially like, “Florence, people are DYING.” (“I’m saying I approve of that idea but Granny has enough money to go anywhere she wishes. In fact, she could buy land somewhere else, have the house torn down and rebuilt brick by brick. Being wealthy solves most problems.” PREACH JUSTINE.)

I understand why Florence is upset, especially since the house was supposed to be left to her and she’d fallen in love with Clay. But the fact that she can’t even find it in herself to forgive him after he gives the deed back to her grandmother AND comes to the house to face her and her father and apologize to her in person? Then when he tells her he loves her and would do anything to get her back, apologizing again, she still can’t QUITE forgive him. C’mon Florence.

I mean, I forgive her and still love her because I know she was hurting and doing it to stand her ground, but it also felt like a wee bit of an overreaction.

View all my reviews