Lightning Review

The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George

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The Devil and the Heiress

by Harper St. George

The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George is a tropey historical romance with light conflict. Readers looking for a lot of angst probably won’t enjoy this one, while readers looking for a romance with a lot of action and minimal conflict will be fine. It worked totally for me, but lately I’ve needed less darkness and fewer obstacles for the main characters to overcome in my reading.

American heiress Violet Crenshaw is in London while her parents search out a suitable match for her. Violet doesn’t want to marry; she wants to be a novelist. After discovering a sanctuary for women writers, Violet plans to run away and work on her novel there.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has met Violet at society events and is attracted to her. He approaches her father about a potential match, but her father wants her to marry someone else who will give him mineral rights or something. IDK. Her dad is a dick. Anyway, Christian learns of Violet’s plans and offers to give her a ride to the sanctuary, hoping that along the way he can convince her to elope with him to Gretna Green. He figures if it gets out that she took a multi-day carriage trip with him, she’ll have to marry him anyway. Along the way we get “one bed at the inn,” the hero rescuing and nursing the heroine back to health after a carriage accident, and love on a road trip.

The fact that Violet’s dad and Christian (initially) are both out to force her into a marriage she doesn’t want is gross, and the conflict arrives when Violet learns of Christian’s intentions. By that time she has feelings for him, though, which adds to the internal tension.

Because Violet and Christian spend so much time together alone, we get a lot of time where they can really get to know each other without a lot of distractions. This creates a wonderful sense of intimacy, and part of the joy I felt in reading this book was Christian really getting to know Violet and appreciate her as a person and a writer, not just a means to inheritance. It was that kind of bubbly feeling you get when you meet someone who just “gets” you, except I had it vicariously through these characters.

If you enjoyed St. George’s first book, The Heiress Gets a Duke, you’ll almost certainly enjoy this one, as it’s similar in tone and pacing. If you want a lot of angst, this book doesn’t have it, although the hero does have some groveling to do. Overall it’s tropey and fun, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Elyse

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….

Historical: European, Romance
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