ARC Review: The Devil and the Heiress (The Gilded Age Heiresses #2) by Harper St. George
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Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses #2
Author: Harper St. George
Published June 29th 2021 by Berkley Books
Goodreads Synopsis
Sparks fly when a runaway heiress bargains with a devilish rogue to escape a marriage of convenience.
No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.
Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side, near his heart, in his bed.
Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true....
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
American heiress, Violet Crenshaw, has seen how marriage to an English noble can be both good, or bad. Originally, it seemed that the Duke of Rothschild wanted to marry her, with her parent's pushing, but once he became enamoured by her elder sister, August, and followed her across the ocean, Violet thought she was home scot-free. However, she'd caught the attention of the Earl of Leigh, who needs an heiress to help rebuild his estate, and Violet fits all the requirements. But, her father has refused him, and hopes Violet will marry another earl, who's proposal they've already accepted on her behalf. Now, Violet wants to run away, to Windermere if possible, and Christian just happens to turn up right when she needs help. Can he convince her to marry on their journey northward, or will the various calamities prove to keep them apart?
As soon as I had finished The Heiress Gets a Duke, I knew I was desperate to get my hands on this book! So, I was a little bit cheeky, and emailed the published, and when the NetGalley widget arrived in my inbox, I could've screamed. Honestly, I think I preferred this book to the first, and that's saying something. For most of the book, there's only really Violet and Christian together, on their travels north, and then a little break in Yorkshire following a carriage issue. Their time together was wonderful, and though they weren't exactly friends at the start of the book, they truly became friends, before the chemistry and romance between them became too much. Yes, okay, Christian was lying to Violet about his intention to help her - rather than take her to Windermere for a writing retreat, he wanted to secrete her across the border and marry in Scotland, before heading on to his own estate. Violet loves to write, and has been creating a series based loosely on her experiences in London, and her feelings for Christian. Her parents don't really know about it, and only really see her as a way for them to marry into the aristocracy again, and gain honour and prestige through a well made match. While Christian and Violet were together, we saw more of them both, as they came out of their shell, and being dual POV, we learnt more about their personal histories too. Honestly, they were the perfect couple, and though I felt that the angst section went on a little longer than needed, their story was beautiful. The banter and interactions of the Crenshaw brother, Maxwell, and Lady Helena makes me hope there's a book three, all about them too, and we may also see more from our previous two couples too!
Dates Read:
Rating
4 Stars
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