I enjoyed this historical fiction book about Harriet and Ava. Harriet Browning is the daughter of a lumber baron who has passed away and is in debt. Harriet has grown up pampered and lived the life of a NYC debutant. Now she is forced to deal with her dwindling finances and get her debts paid off. Ava Clark grew up on farm in Pennsylvania and met Harriet in college. While at university Ava and Harriet met and fell in love. Harriet leaves her to fulfill the role society has set out for her. Ava is crushed and heartbroken.

Fifteen years later they meet again when Ava answers a want add in the newspaper for an assistant. And old feelings are reopened and we end up with a HEA.

I liked this authors writing style and enjoyed the storyline and the character development. But I needed more story, more emotion. The book was too short for me, almost a novella. And questions for me that were never answered and did not make sense were - how was Ava able to afford a university degree in the 1940s coming from a farming family. And after WWII there was a huge home building boom in the US inthe 1950s. Seems that being in the lumber business in America would have been the perfect money making opportunity.

This was my first Ledel book and I would enjoy reading her again.

Arc received for a voluntary and honest review from Bold Stroke Books via NetGalley.

Worth a Fortune is a sweet, sapphic, second-chance historical romance where New York socialite, Harriet, and working woman, Ava, meet again 15 years after their university love affair ended in heartbreak. Harriet has been married and divorced, Ava has lost family in the Second World War, and the world around them has fast become a different place. When their very separate lives begin to change for the worse, Harriet’s need for a secretary and Ava’s need for work bring the two back into each other’s lives.

This was a quick and light read set in a city I’ve thoroughly romanticised in my head already. This isn’t a time period I’ve read about before but is one I’ve seen on screen, so I enjoyed the references to film stars and the details of clothes and hairstyles that I found easy to visualise. I will admit that my knowledge of the kinds of influential families this book mentioned is limited to whichever ones appeared in The Gilded Age, for example, so I found it interesting to consider the culture shift and how some may have lost their prominence or sources of income in this period. The stakes didn’t feel as high as they could perhaps have been given that we know Harriet had other assets and family to fall back on, but it was good to see a person who has been strong and fiercely independent admit when they need help. While there was less to lose in terms of reputation given how distanced she was from the society she grew up in, I appreciated how the book explored her reclusiveness and her anxieties regarding re-entering both the judgemental sphere she was accustomed to and the world at large.

I really enjoyed the glimpses into the past the women shared and would have loved to spend more time there, or see things like Harriet’s art feature more in the present. Perhaps this is a personal thing, but I would find it much harder than Ava to trust or even so completely re-enter the space of someone who had hurt me as Harriet had. It could be that she had many years to process it, or due to her understanding that Harriet was doing what she had been raised to believe was right, but your partner leaving you to marry someone else is so great a pain that I almost can’t imagine how you would get over it. I think Ava was suitably reserved for a while - even though the love was still apparent - and the romance was a slow burn, but I think I had expected an even longer build-up to that or more friction beforehand. Maybe that’s my personal enjoyment of Yearning and Angst speaking, but, equally, if we had gotten more scenes in the past, perhaps the changes in Harriet would have been as apparent to us as they were to Ava. That said, I just love getting to see the domesticity and how quickly you can fall into a routine with someone, how you so easily slot into place around each other - one washing, one drying, an extra chair pulled up to share the same desk, running errands and coming home to somebody.

The supporting characters in this were a lot of fun and I enjoyed the focus on female friendships and support alongside the romance.

Ultimately, this was a sweet read about second chances, moving forward and finding a new start for yourself in a changing world. And it made me want to eat lemon bars. I have never eaten a lemon bar. I do not know what one is. But I want a whole tray.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Harriett who is a socialite and Ava is a working girl who had love affair that ended heartbreak 15 years ago. They have second chance to rekindle their love when Ava sees ad to go work for Harriett this gives them a chance to see who they are now since they both been dealing with loss. I like how the author weave in how the War has taken its toll on them and the world. It’s was short sweet read.

A second chance romance which I enjoy. Harriet Browning, divorced, heiress to a lumber company that is struggling with the times. Harriet is strong and determined but knows something has to change. Ava Clark, heart broken, working poor, trying to make a living in New York, after losing her wartime job. This war time story has sadness because Ava is dealing with the loss of her brothers and lack of communication with her family. Ava and Harriet use to be lovers. Harriet hires Ava to help her deal with her finances.

In general, an interesting read. I like their relationship because of how they interact with each other. I like how the author deals with the aftermath of the war. Not so much of a war story but a second chance relationship story as well as image and perception.

The cover art is top notch! Such a vibrant promise of a cinematic story — yet it really didn’t turn out all too gripping, I’m afraid. I never really warmed up to Harriet, whose privilege and rather passive personality sort of — only barely gets called out. Ava was more interesting and fleshed out, and delightful for having to qualms about who she is and what she likes. However I think the main reason why I didn’t get behind the story is because the story doesn’t do its own heavy lifting: there is a scattering of flashbacks, but much less of a storytelling in the moment, which makes the reconnection feel too superficial and abrupt.

Overall 4.25, round up to balance out the negative rating.
I haven't read Ledel's work before so I didn't know what to expect. And honestly? I love this book. The plot is about an heiress of a fallen empire with the one she left years ago. It's a 2nd chance sapphic romance and I'm all about it. There were some spicy scenes that I should've expected but still surprised by them. I do wish that there was a bit more drama and actions rather than simply a summary of the event. I feel like Harriet's art skills should've been explored more.
Overall a lighter and better read than I expected and I like this quick read.

True rating- 3.5 stars. Thank you Bold Stroke and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Worth A Fortune is a second-chance historical sapphic romance between working-class woman Ava Clark and lumber heiress Harriet Browning set after World War II. The two women had a brief but strong summer romance fifteen years before the events of the book in college, before Harriet married a man. Fifteen years later, Harriet is in desperate financial straits and in need of an assistant. Ava applies to the job, not expecting to actually take it. Over the course of the book we see Ava and Harriet heal and find each other once more.

I enjoyed the romance between Ava and Harriet and the longing that they held for one another, even after fifteen years apart. I also enjoyed the way that Harriet and Ava faced their own traumas both together and on their own. This was not a book where the relationship "saved" each girl, but each girl truly stepped up to face their own ghosts and begin their healing journey. The flashbacks and memories of their college romance were also very well done and truly gave me a sense of their relationship and their whirlwind love.

I do wish that the relationship had developed ab it slower though. It all seemed to happen very quickly with a lot of time skips where we did not see the chemistry reignite and the girls fall back in love with one another. It all happened quite quick and I would have liked to linger in the "will they, won't they" space. I also wish we had learned more of what their "before" romance was like and how it developed. Finally, I do wish the book had focused a bit more on the time period- the outfits, the music, the dancing. I am not upset that the homophobia of the time was not focused on, as it does not always need to be even in historical romance, but I would have liked a greater focus on the setting. Overall, however, I did enjoy this book.

After the death of her father Harriet Browning is on the verge of losing all that she has including her home. Harriet has become so what agoraphobic and this makes things much worse. She places an ad for an assistant to help her plan an auction and that assistant turns out to be a woman she once loved.
Now Ava Clark is looking for a new job and is about to step back into Harriet's life.
The two are going to work together to get Harriet back to a safe place and maybe even find that lost romance they once shared.
This is a quick and delightful read about reconnecting and finding your happy place.

Thank you @NetGalley @BoldStrokesBooks for this ARC

Worth a Fortune by Sam Ledel is a new book about two women falling back in love in the midst of healing.
One of these characters, Harriet Browning, is an heiress to a lumber company which has fallen on hard times. Now she must auction her valuables and lose her home. Ava Clark is a poor woman trying to make a living in New York, after losing her wartime job. Her brothers are dead. The two, who used to be lovers, have to work together. In the process they fall back in love.
I do not think this book is bad. I like their relationship, I like how it deals with the aftermath of the war, instead of during the war. It did not talk that much about the time, like describing clothes and the such, which was strange for a book set in a historical time period. I wish the story had been more slow burn, and that it did not skip over so much time. Several times it skips a week, just saying that they worked for a week.
In conclusion, I would recommend this book to people interested in LGBTQ+ stories, and the post World War 2 setting.

I love f/f historical romance as there is a certain allure to relationships in those times. As same sex romance had to be kept behind closed doors, relationships had to possess grit and courage and be enduring enough to last the distance. Worth a Fortune has two such female leads who, while subjected to the eyes and expectations of society, had a love that withstood time.

A short lived college affair 15 years ago did nothing to douse the flames between timber heiress Harriet Browning and working girl Ava Clark when they met again. Jobless when the war ended, Ava needed a job to remain in the city and answered Harriet’s ad for a personal secretary position. Harriet’s inheritance is dwindling; as her fortune shrank, so did her esteem. When the pair were placed together again within the same space, whatever they thought they lost during those years came back alive.

I love the hunger, affection and tenderness that remained between the pair. Not only did they grab the second chance at love, they became each other’s pillar of strength and support. What would have rounded the story was if more background on their relationship 15 years ago and details on Harriet’s business was given but it was overall a good read.

I just reviewed Worth a Fortune by Sam Ledel. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books for the ARC. What I liked about the premise of the book was of course that it was about a romance between two women but also that it is mostly set in the immediate years after the end of World War II. This historical roman hits all the right spots if you like the exes to lovers trope, as the book followed Harriet Browning, member of the high society in New York City, and Ava Clark, a woman that has just been let go from her job as the men are starting to return to their civil lives after the war. The two women know each other from college and it's clear that while both of them tried to forget the other, neither one of them ever managed to do so.

While I understand that this is clearly more focused on the romance than on the historical aspect of it, sometimes it felt a little bit unrealistic how the relationship between two women was, for the most part, accepted by their closest friends. It would have been great if the author had delved a bit more into how that could affect their relationship and their romance as well. At times, it also read a bit too "fanfiction-y" however, that's not necessarily a bad thing as this style of writing also allowed for the fast-pacing of the book and what kept me engaged throughout. Also, I think that if the author had delved more into the tension between the two women that originated from the fifteen years in which they hadn't seen each other, it would've most definitely added to the romance.

Overall, a solid three stars for this historical romance. Will certainly look out for the author's future books.

Boy do I love a sapphic historical romance and boy do I love a second chance romance and boy do I love a cross-class romance. This was just so much fun to read! It's short, but I really felt like I was able to sink my teeth into the characters, their world, their backstory, their conflict, and their HEA. I was roped in from the beginning and I was not disappointed. And excellent sapphic historical!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this novel, however I have read better lesbian historical fiction prior to this set during WWII. It was definitely fun and sweet and I would recommend it to historical fiction lovers.

A second chance love story set in 1948 NYC. Ava and Harriet met and had a secret relationship in school. Ava is from a farm in Pennsylvania. And Harriet was a wealthy NYC socialite. World War II has changed them both. For me the best part of the book is the setting. Ava came to NY to find success and an exciting life. She was able to get by in the city but with the ending of the war and men returning it displaces woman who went to work. Harriet represents those who lost their wealth as time changed. Her father made poor investments and had money in banks that failed. After his death she finds that his once thriving lumber empire is no longer in demand. Harriet broke Ava’s heart years ago when she couldn’t see a future for herself without getting married as her family and society expected. Ava comes back to Harriet when she applies to be her personal assistant. It is a temporary position while Harriet prepares to sell off her family home and possessions to pay off creditors.

I understood the characters and what the war has cost them. But I wanted something more from the story. These two work daily together but you get very few conversations between them. I wanted to be let into their relationship more so I could connect to them emotionally. There isn’t much angst between the two but it is more their life situations. I didn’t quite understand if Harriet is running the remaining timber company or if she only relies on her fathers advisors. I have a business degree so the vagueness of the financial details bugged me. She auctions everything to cover the mortgages on the apartment but then leaves. She could have let the banks take the apartment and kept her family possessions. It is a minor point but because the liquidation is the main action in the story it needs to make sense.

I loved the time period setting and what I knew of both characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stokes Books, Inc. for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sapphic love story that is 1948 NYC chic? Yes please. I so enjoyed this second chance romance between a fading socialite and a working girl - former lovers from college. This book accurately captures many aspects of the times: the continued decline of robber baron families mid-twentieth century, the difficulty for working women in finding jobs after the war, and the struggles of women trying to succeed without protection of their fathers or husbands. I could just see the upper Manhattan penthouse, down to the caged elevator. Also loved the descriptions of the outfits!

Also enjoyed the fun support characters. I’m kinda hoping Sam Ledel is working on a sequel with Imogene and Scarlett!

this is very sweet story and to be honest I thought it was short thought I'm sure it was not. loved both Ava and Harriet.

3.5

Second chance sapphic romance set in post-WWII NYC, this is the first book I've read by Sam Ledel but I would be interested to read more.

I liked the tidbits we got about the era, like the names and the commentary on how the Depression and the War changed society. I also really liked Ava and Harriet as individual characters as well as the tenderness of their relationship, though it did seem like Ava forgave Harriet a little too quickly. I also loved Ava's friendship with Imogene and Harriet's friendship with Scarlett. For a book that is quite short, I was impressed by the depth of Ledel's characters.

Overall, I had a fun time reading this and would recommend, especially for those like me who are less well read in historical romances.

3.75 stars — In the post-World War II era, an old flame is rekindled when working girl Ava answers New York socialite Harriet's ad for a personal assistant, and they realize that maybe their years apart have only made them stronger. This is an easy, quiet read, full of longing and tenderness, with reflections on familial and romantic love, as well as the ways the Great Depression and WWII changed the lives of millions and altered the fabric of U.S. society. If you want a romance with lots of heart and a tinge of bittersweet, I highly recommend Worth a Fortune.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.