Harper St. GeorgeRecensioni
Autore di The Heiress Gets a Duke
Recensioni
Inspired by the many American heiress who have married into the peerage, Cora, her sisters, and mother travel to England to look for husbands. One of the earlier American brides is willing to help them find men who meet the qualifications they have outlined for a husband.
Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is on the list. He needs money to repair his home and get his younger brother clear of his gambling deaths before he can go back to what he really loves: serving in the House of Lords and passing a Water Quality Bill. The fact that he is handsome is actually a strike against him on the girls' list.
After some negotiations, Cora and Devonworth marry expecting a relatively short term marriage in name only. Cora eventually wants some of her inheritance and her freedom. However, she finds herself falling in love and realizes that they have a lot in common including women's rights. He falls for her too despite having had a bad experience with love in a past romance.
But the two have to face his political rivals and her many secrets before they can have their own 'happily ever after.'
Jacob is surprised at the proposition he receives from Camille. He is ready to deny her request until she offers to help him attain the project he's been working on. She offers him a fake engagement that will enable him to convince the investors he needs for a new club that he is ready to settle down and leave his womanizing ways behind him.
The development of their relationship is a slow burn as Camille has a lot of trauma to overcome. I loved Jacob's patience and understanding as he eased her way into the pleasures of the bedchamber. His sensitivity once he understood everything she'd been through was outstanding. I loved how his support helped her develop the courage to take control of her life. There is a period when Camille and Jacob pull away from each other, disturbed by their growing feelings for each other, but when Camille is in danger, Jacob comes through to rescue her. I liked seeing them embrace a new and exciting future together.
I also enjoyed seeing Camille use her experience to get involved in the Suffrage movement. Her work with them opened her eyes to the abuse she suffered and motivated her to make changes. I loved seeing her wrest control of her finances from her husband's equally obnoxious and controlling heir. I was also moved by how she put her experiences in writing as a release for her and to share with the broader world. I especially liked the effect it had on her mother.
Introduction
The Duchess Takes a Husband is the fourth installment in the "Gilded Age Heiresses" series. I am newer to this series but after the third installment, I was really curious about this and how this author would handle this one. I absolutely adore all the tropes that come into play with this one and I really love the writing style of this author, it just has some a classy feel to it without it being too flowery. One can easily be swept away by the glittering sensuality that Harper St. George delivers in her works.
Summary
This story begins with our heroine Camille, Duchess of Hereford, who is a widow and has never been truly accepted by London Society. She has an interest in the suffrage movement and is associated with strong independent women but Camille has never known true independence until now with her late husband unable to control every aspect of her life. But she has desires and determination to win Jacob Thorne, co owner of the infamous gambling hell and club "Montague". Jacob, needs to appear more legitimate for a business venture in France, and he will need a woman to pose as his fiancee and when Camille comes to him with a daring proposal, they decide to make an arrangement that will satisfy both parties. But this proposal will be easier said than done when the heart gets involved...
My Outlook
The Duchess Takes A Husband is a fascinating installment that I easily gobbled up. I honestly recommend this in both digital or audio, both formats work so well as I did a combination of this one here. I am very new to this author, but every time I pick her up, I end up so impressed. I was so eager for Camille and Jacob's book. I honestly didn't know what to think of them being together, but this author make this relationship work so beautifully. I was on the edge of my seat with these two and how they learn each other. Camille's situation just broke my heart and I wanted so much for her and I truly became so endeared by her story and her road of self discovery but also in paving her own path but also wanting more in her love life as well. Seeing her go on this journey of self care was so inspiring at times and I could easily see parts of myself within her character. Harper St. George has this uncanny ability of crafting such relatable character you can see yourself in. The hero is just the right partner for her. I became so endeared by his unwavering devotion and patience for her especially when panic and fear set in. The way that the author handled these aspects so delicately was awe inspiring and I can't wait to read the earlier books in the series.
Overall View
The Duchess Takes A husband is a superb installment that brings together the sensuality of the gilded age, the romantacism of the era, and the sparkling human nature that endears the reader for the long haul.....A PRICELESS GEM!
Rating Evaluation:
Plot: 4.5
World Building: 5
Cover:5
Hero: 4
Heroine: 4
Steam: 4
Heart & Feels: 3.5
Ending:4
Overall View: 4.25
Thank goodness for the book that wasn’t supposed to be! The series was originally supposed to be three books featuring the Crenshaw siblings, but once we and the author met Camille, Duchess of Hereford, we all knew she just had to have her own book. She endured emotional and physical abuse from the duke before he died and I absolutely loved seeing her find herself, her strength, her determination after he died. Then, there was Jacob, who was the perfect mate for her. His gentle, understanding, considerate, and kind ways were just what she needed to heal from the trauma she suffered. Yes, it is a sensitive subject, but I believe the author dealt with it in a way that makes Camille a heroine rather than a victim. This could have been a really angsty, woe-is-me book, but it wasn’t, and I’m so glad Camille was shown as a woman who was strong and working toward healing herself.
Camille was thoroughly controlled by the Duke of Hereford during their marriage, and now that he is gone, she’s showing a bit of rebellion. Her first rebellion was to join the Montague Club – owned by her best friend’s husband and his half-brother. Her next rebellion, though it won’t be made public, is to seek out Jacob, one of the owners of the club, and make a proposition. She wants to know if it is possible for her to enjoy intimacy – because she never has. He has a counter-proposition for her and they strike a deal. Her third rebellion is to embrace the suffragette movement – and that one almost costs her life.
Jacob very much wants to accomplish something on his own. Yes, he is part owner of the Montague Club, but he did that with the backing of his half-brother and a good friend who both hold lauded titles. He wants to do something on his own – without the backing of those titles. He has a business partner and just needs one more investor and he can get the project rolling. The fly in the ointment? The investor is very hesitant to invest because Jacob isn’t a settled, married man. So, what Jacob needs is a fiancé – or at least a pretend fiancé.
It was wonderful to watch Camille and Jacob find that love isn’t such a bad thing after all – especially when it is with the perfect person. Jacob’s tender care causes Camille to blossom and become who she was truly meant to be and Camille’s loving smiles and caring heart taught Jacob that loving someone doesn’t cause you to lose yourself.
This book was excellently written, and excellently plotted, and, for me, the flow was just perfect. I can definitely recommend it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Caroline is surprised when she meets her saviour again and maybe just maybe he can save her from what her parents want too.
Westerns aren't always my cup of tea but this one was interesting.
Winter’s Widow by Annabelle Anders
Six Perfect Christmas Moments by Deb Marlowe
A Duke in the Dark by Bethany Bennett
Once Upon an Heiress by Harper St. George
A Night to Remember by Laurie Benson
Orchids and Mistletoe by Kate Bateman
A Bluestocking for Christmas by Tabetha Waite
Den of Sins by Tammy Andresen
Say Yule be Mine by Virginia Heath
I love the plot and liked Rurik a lot, especially how sarcastic he was hut I did not like Annis. I kept pronouncing her name as anus because I couldn't think of another way to pronounce it. I think the author was trying to make her seem tough and cared about her people but I just felt like she was covering up her own bad deeds and she came off as callous.
At some point, I did start warming up to Annis and wanted her and Rurik to get together.
The ongoing revenge plot is interesting. You think you know everyone involved just to find out you are wrong. Sigurd had a lot of enemies.
I'm off to read the next book.
And it doesn't carry as much weight as the other things, but the hero seemed *extraordinarily* modern in his views on labor. I don't mind when protagonists see the need for child labor laws, or are anti-slavery, or want schools for the children of their workers or something, there definitely *were* people who held those views, and I'm all for our leads being some of them! But I feel like the hero's views in this book would have been quite forward even just 20 years ago, much less 100! I don't even disagree with them, it just felt almost like a modern person had time travelled to the past, rather than a historic character just being particularly advanced for their time.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
Max and Helena met in The Devil and the Heiress when they joined forces to save his sister Violet from scandal. The sparks between them were intense, but their focus was on Violet. Plus, Max would head back to New York to resume running Crenshaw Ironworks. Helena would continue her work running an orphanage and getting her London Home for Young Women started. But the lovely young widow runs into a snag when her benefactors start pulling out because (gasp!) she is associating with fallen women. It seems that her father has been dropping hints behind her back about the unsuitability of her actions. But if she had a husband who supported her efforts, he would withdraw his objections.
I liked Max and Helena. Unlike their fathers, they are kind-hearted with great empathy for others. Max understands the needs of his company's employees and their families, fighting for fair wages and working conditions. As a woman of her time, Helena understands that women often have no control over their lives and futures and wants to help as many as possible take back some of that control.
After a few encounters with Helena remind Max of how attracted he is to her, he hits on the idea of proposing a mutually beneficial arrangement. He suggests that they enter into a fake courtship and engagement, thereby getting their fathers off their backs. This will give him time to solidify August's project before he returns to New York and give Helena the respectability required to raise the funds she needs.
I enjoyed watching the development of Max and Helena's relationship. Though their courtship is fake, their chemistry is all too real. It manifests early in their ability to push each other's buttons. Helena seems to get an inordinate amount of pleasure from riling up Max. Meanwhile, Max would like to find a way to get that passion into his bed. As they spend time together "courting," Max and Helena discover that they have quite a lot in common, leading to the admission that they like each other. The attraction between them continues to grow until they can no longer resist. And while the explosive passion they experienced convinces Max he'd like to make their engagement real, for Helena, it reminds her that marriage between them is impossible. I ached for Max as Helena put more and more distance between them to protect his legacy and her heart. Her reason was heartbreaking, and I ached for what it meant for her dream of happiness. Max tried to convince her that his love for her was strong enough to withstand the problem, but Helena's past wouldn't let her believe. August and Violet's solution to the issue was unorthodox but gave Helena the courage to go to Max with her heart open at last.
One of my favorite things about this book is the passion Max and Helena exhibit for the things they believe in. This is illustrated when they discover they both want the same property for their projects. Each is passionately eloquent in describing their plans, goals, and what they believe the results will be. For each of them, it's the first time they understand the full scope of what the other does. I liked how the issue was resolved. Helena also opened Max's eyes to the plight of the women she helped and stood up to his patronizing solution. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her convert his point of view. There are several good follow-up scenes also.
There is a teaser for the next book, and I can't wait to read it. My heart ached for Camille at the beginning of the first book. In this book, the twist involving her at the house party opened many possibilities, and I can't wait to see what she does.
#netgalley
Widowed Lady Helena March is a perfect lady, but she is refusing her father’s demand that she should marry again. Helena likes her life as it is and she spends all of her time working for her charity. Unfortunately, that charity has the ability to sully Helena’s pristine reputation because one of the groups they help is unwed mothers. Even a remote association with that group could harm her reputation and Helena is very directly involved. When her father’s insistence she marries again turns to him actually working against her charity if she doesn’t marry, she knows she has to do something or lose the charity.
Helena and Max have met before because she has befriended his sisters and even helped him save Violet from ruin during his last trip. So, it was quite natural for the two of them to team up to thwart their parents. It would strictly be a business arrangement where each obtained their goals and then parted ways. After all, he lives in New York and she lives in London and neither has any desire to relocate. Can they keep it strictly business? There is the problem of that electric tingle they both feel when they are close. But – nothing could come of that with an ocean between them.
There are certainly many ups and downs – including manipulative parents – but Max and Helena still manage to fall in love. But then, there is still that ocean thing. Can they overcome that? You’ll just have to read this lovely book to find out. As always with this author, the story is nicely paced and well-written. The characters are all very likable and well developed – and the best part is seeing the parents being dealt with. I can definitely recommend this read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Several months later, the Crenshaw family is in London, where Mr. Crenshaw plans to expand his railroad and ironworks businesses. August is well aware of the plans as she has been deeply involved in the business for many years, something very unusual for women of their class. August has made it clear that she is not interested in marriage, only in continuing to work for the business. August is brilliant, beautiful, and a supporter of all things progressive. Her outspokenness and bluestocking ways cause her to be unappealing to the aristocrats looking for brides, which is fine with her. That is until she discovers her parents' plans to marry Violet off to an impoverished Duke.
I will say right here and now that I detested Mr. and Mrs. Crenshaw. She is an out-and-out social climber who doesn't care whether her daughters are happy or not, as long as she can lord it over the "old money" people like Mrs. Astor back in New York. Her actions and attitudes throughout the book were appalling. Yes, I know it was typical of the period, but it was still terrible. Meanwhile, Mr. Crenshaw seems happy to have August working with him, her brilliant mind helping to earn more money for the company. I approved of how he involved her in the discussions about expanding to India. But when push came to shove, he was ready to pat the little woman on the head and shove her out the door to be a wife and mother. He was also a coward, leaving it to his wife to break the news of the death of August's dreams.
Evan, Duke of Rothschild, is trapped. He recently inherited the dukedom from his father, only to discover that he has crumbling estates, many bills, and nothing to pay them with. Though he attempts to keep them afloat by bare-knuckle fighting and gambling winnings, it's soon evident that it isn't enough. The only thing he can do is find a wealthy heiress to marry. He hates the idea of marrying one of the dim-witted debutantes, but he doesn't see any choice. But when his mother recommends Violet Crenshaw, Evan quickly realizes that he's much more interested in Violet's sister August.
I loved the first meeting between August and Evan. August, who is somewhere she should not be, encounters Evan in his "The Hellion" guise, an undefeated bare-knuckle fighter. She is horrified and intrigued by what she witnesses and grateful to him when Evan saves her from a nasty fall. He goads her into giving him a kiss that overwhelms them both. August never expects to see him again and is stunned to later recognize him as the man her parents want Violet to marry. A confrontation and another kiss later, and Evan knows that the only woman for him is August. Accustomed to getting what he wants, he doesn't expect any trouble. Meanwhile, August plans to spend time at the ball he's supposed to attend, convincing him to stay away from Violet. I enjoyed that scene as she earnestly steers him away from Violet while he's busy staking his claim on her. She's furious when she learns the truth.
This began a thoroughly enjoyable story of their courtship. August makes it plain that she doesn't want to marry him or anyone else. She likes her life the way it is and has no intention of giving up her freedom to live under any man's thumb. I loved that Evan is quite sympathetic to her plight and more than willing to meet her halfway. A visit to his main estate gives them a chance to get to know each other better and the attraction between them to grow along with it. There are some heartwarming moments between them as they share events that profoundly affected their lives. They make great strides toward a healthy relationship when left to themselves, but outside interference throws everything into turmoil.
Just when everything looks promising for their future together, an unexpected twist changes everything for Evan. His honor and love for August won't allow him to see her forced to marry him. I ached for him because all he wants is for her to want him for himself. Unfortunately, August only sees that she's no longer needed. Rather than talk things out, neither of them is willing to risk putting their feelings out there for fear of being rejected. It doesn't help that when August realizes the truth of her feelings and tries to do something about it, she misinterprets something she sees and runs. The scene at the end as Violet confronts Evan is fantastic, especially when she decides to help him. While Evan could have done a little more groveling once he caught up with August, he wasn't the only one who was in the wrong. August should have done a little of her own.
I liked the foreshadowing of the events of the next book. Evan's friend, the Earl of Leigh, has set his sights on Violet while she wants nothing to do with him. The sparks bode well for another fun story.
Christian, the Earl of Leigh, isn't in debt like so many of his peers, but he doesn't have the funds to refurbish his Scottish property. After being turned down by Violet's father, Christian concocts a scheme to convince Violet to marry him. A few hints dropped, and an "accidental" meeting has Christian escorting Violet on her escape. With luck, he'll have her married and in his bed before anyone catches up to them.
I liked Violet. She's all sweetness and obedience on the surface, but she has sass, determination, and a spine of steel when it comes to going after what she wants. Her disgust for the nobles who only see her fortune makes her unwilling to fall in with her parents' plans. She's a little naïve about her escape plans, which is how Christian manages to insert himself into them.
I like Christian, too. His early life was difficult, with a cold, uncaring father and an absent mother. After inheriting only debts after his father died, Christian made a name for himself through bare-knuckle fighting and starting his own gaming hell. When he sets his sights on Violet and her fortune, nothing will get in his way.
I loved watching the relationship develop between Christian and Violet. Sparks flew between them from the start, even though Violet did not trust him. Christian was the one who warned her about Lord Ware, positioning himself to be her savior. Suspecting her intention to run, Christian took steps to make sure he would be the one to help her with her escape. He intends to hijack her plan and take her to Scotland instead. I loved the "road trip" romance, as forced proximity allowed them to get to know each other. It was fun to see Violet's straightforward American ways open Christian's eyes to the indignities women endure and the privilege that the aristocracy takes for granted.
The more time they spent together, the more Christian came to like Violet as a person, not just the means to an end. Violet's feelings for Christian also began to change. She no longer saw him as just another nobleman but as a man with his own set of problems. That same proximity also amplified the attraction that grew between them. As the days of their journey went on, Christian's conscience began to bother him. When a carriage accident resulted in Violet being injured, his guilty feelings became overwhelming. When attraction and growing feelings overtook common sense, it looked like everything would work out. But Christian still hadn't come clean, and when Violet's brother Max tracked them down, the truth came out.
Devastated and heartbroken, Violet no longer knew what to believe. Was anything that Christian said the truth or just manipulation? To mitigate the scandal, Christian and Violet must marry, but Violet refuses to cave in entirely. I loved watching her stand up for herself and her needs, forcing Christian to keep his distance. I ached for Christian, who fell hard for Violet and knows how badly he messed up. He is down on himself, believing he deserves all the misery he experiences and promises to give Violet the space she needs. I loved the advice he received on how to win her back and what he did with it. Violet's reaction when she learns of his efforts was fantastic. I loved the emotional ending as Christian redeems himself.
#netgalley
We met the Crenshaw family in the first book and found the parents to be very despicable, but the children were delightful. Well, the parents haven’t changed one bit and they are now selling their daughter, Violet, to the nobleman with the most to offer Crenshaw Iron Works. Since they got themselves a Duke the last time, the title isn’t as important this time around – as long as there IS a title. What they need this time are the raw materials that will be needed by Crenshaw Iron Works when they open their London branch. They’ve found the perfect candidate and drawn up the agreements – but they ‘forgot’ to tell Violet she’d been auctioned off to an absolutely odious man.
Violet Crenshaw isn’t exactly who she seems to be. Everyone believes her to be very quiet, pliant, and biddable. What they don’t readily see is the spine of steel. What they don’t expect is for her to object to their marriage choice for her and they certainly don’t expect her to take any actions to thwart them. Violet is definitely more than everyone believes her to be. While everyone is valuing her for her monetary worth, they are missing her real worth.
Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, isn’t exactly who he seems to be either. He is – but it is because he has long ago buried the real Christian deep inside himself, so what we see on display is the cold, calculating, uncaring, and womanizing man he has become. Christian isn’t the typical pockets-to-let aristocrat in search of an heiress. However, since his beloved Scottish estate burned, he doesn’t have the funds to make the repairs. Frankly, he could care less about anything else in his Earldom – he really never plans to marry and have children so the title and everything that goes with it can either go to some distant relative or die out altogether. His vile father was the Earl and he hated Christian – for no good reason. Then, Christian met Violet and she intrigued him – and she was an heiress – what could go wrong there?
I highly recommend this book and this series. The author’s writing style just speaks to me and the characters could easily become my friends if I met them in real life. I loved watching Christian change from trying to manipulate Violet into doing as he wants to only wishing to love her and make her happy – even if it cost him his own happiness. It was also nice to spend some time with Max (Violet’s brother) and to get to know him better as I’m sure his book will be the next one. I hope you’ll choose to read this book and love it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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The marriage of convenience trope takes on new insights here. Cora Dove and her sisters, illegitimate daughters of one of Fifth Avenue’s most prestigious families, have been left a large sum of money by their grandmother. Its conditional upon them marrying someone their father, Mr. Hathaway (who doesn’t acknowledge them) approves of, and they remove themselves from New York.
The girls and their mother sail to London (far enough away?) to join the stream of American heiresses marrying into the cash strapped aristocracy. (Approval guaranteed!)
Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, is a vocal member of parliament supporting a variety of forward thinking causes. He needs to marry an heiress. His brother Harry’s gambling habit is bringing the family coffers to its knees. Their ancestral home, Timberscombe Park, is falling down around his ears. (Why he puts up with Harry’s antics are a mystery to me).
Cora it seems is the answer. Only Cora, a staunch suffragette, makes an unusual request to which Leo agrees.
The path of their romance is somewhat rocky and steamy, but love eventually conquers all.
Interesting premise to the novel but at times becomes tad stilted and cliched.
A Berkeley Group ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.