Scan barcode
ristaylor's review against another edition
3.0
Well written with interesting characters. I'm not sure about the whole servant/Earl connection. Would that really be tolerated?
I really enjoyed the Earl of Westhaven as a character, and I particularly liked his relationship with his brothers. It was refreshing to see a large Regency era family of the Ton that not only liked each other but would do anything for each other.
As for Anna Seaton, the heroine, I was intrigued by her and her dilemma. It was well played out throughout the first 3/4 of the book. I think the last 1/4 of the book dragged on and brought out the dreaded "misunderstanding" between the hero and the heroine. I could have really done with out that.
All in all I'm intrigued by Ms.Burrowes' writing and will definitely read the next book in the series. I'm interested in finding out what happens to the rest of the family.
I really enjoyed the Earl of Westhaven as a character, and I particularly liked his relationship with his brothers. It was refreshing to see a large Regency era family of the Ton that not only liked each other but would do anything for each other.
As for Anna Seaton, the heroine, I was intrigued by her and her dilemma. It was well played out throughout the first 3/4 of the book. I think the last 1/4 of the book dragged on and brought out the dreaded "misunderstanding" between the hero and the heroine. I could have really done with out that.
All in all I'm intrigued by Ms.Burrowes' writing and will definitely read the next book in the series. I'm interested in finding out what happens to the rest of the family.
drey72's review against another edition
4.0
If you're in the mood for a romantic read, pick up Grace Burrowes' The Heir to curl up with on a cold night. The Earl of Westhaven, Gayle Windham, is doing anything he can to avoid his father's attempts to get him married off. Then he meets his new housekeeper, and wonders at his feelings for her. After all, heirs to dukedoms aren't supposed to fall in love with the help, are they? But then, the help aren't usually literate, graceful, and opinionated... Hmm...
Anna isn't only the help, though. She's hiding from nefarious deeds, and hoping that this assignment will help her stay hidden until she can figure out what to do. Falling in love with the boss really wasn't in the plan, and actually complicates things when she thinks she has to run again. So. He's hiding his feelings from her, she's hiding her past from him, how on earth are these two going to end up together? I'm not telling--you'll have to read it and find out for yourself. *wink*
Have you read it? What did you think?
Anna isn't only the help, though. She's hiding from nefarious deeds, and hoping that this assignment will help her stay hidden until she can figure out what to do. Falling in love with the boss really wasn't in the plan, and actually complicates things when she thinks she has to run again. So. He's hiding his feelings from her, she's hiding her past from him, how on earth are these two going to end up together? I'm not telling--you'll have to read it and find out for yourself. *wink*
Have you read it? What did you think?
luliriisi's review against another edition
2.0
I really struggled with this. I couldn't connect with either of the main characters. I can't believe I'm saying this, but there was way too much sex in the beginning. It would have been better if I'd seen the romance between Westhaven and Anna grow instead be thrown into lust straight away.
I also would have liked to know more about Anna's past sooner. It probably would've helped me get on board with her motivations for rejecting Westhaven's proposals (yes, plural).
The pacing was off as well. It felt like nothing nothing nothing then boom! Everything happened in the last third of the book.
There would have been more tension if we'd been introduced to Helmsley earlier and seen him plotting.
I also wasn't a fan of how heavily the book was in Westhaven's POV. Either have the whole book like that or have a better distribution of POVs throughout to keep it from getting lopsided.
I did quite like the side plot of Morgan and Val though.
Sooooo based on all of this, I'm probably not going to read anything more by this author unless I'm super stuck for reading material.
I also would have liked to know more about Anna's past sooner. It probably would've helped me get on board with her motivations for rejecting Westhaven's proposals (yes, plural).
The pacing was off as well. It felt like nothing nothing nothing then boom! Everything happened in the last third of the book.
There would have been more tension if we'd been introduced to Helmsley earlier and seen him plotting.
I also wasn't a fan of how heavily the book was in Westhaven's POV. Either have the whole book like that or have a better distribution of POVs throughout to keep it from getting lopsided.
I did quite like the side plot of Morgan and Val though.
Sooooo based on all of this, I'm probably not going to read anything more by this author unless I'm super stuck for reading material.
asomeone's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kettleen's review against another edition
Heroine undergoes radical character shift, without any mitigating reasons given. Just bam one paragraph later acting totally different. I'm not here for that level of inconsistency.
taisie22's review against another edition
5.0
This is the first book in the Windham series. I read it long ago but decided to reread once again. It's a lovely story about a ducal heir, Gayle, and his housekeeper, Anna, who is in hiding from family difficulties.
I love Ms. Burrowes style of writing and I love the Windham family, so it goes without saying I love this book. It's a wonderful romance between two strong-willed people. Anna is able to provide the tenderness and comfort that Gayle needs so badly (though he doesn't know it), and Anna needs the security and strength he gives her.
It's also a story about family; Gayle's brothers and parents are an integral part of the book as well as Anna's family. Like all families, there are some squabbles but there is also the love that binds them together.
The Heir is a wonderful book, and I'm glad to have reread it.
I love Ms. Burrowes style of writing and I love the Windham family, so it goes without saying I love this book. It's a wonderful romance between two strong-willed people. Anna is able to provide the tenderness and comfort that Gayle needs so badly (though he doesn't know it), and Anna needs the security and strength he gives her.
It's also a story about family; Gayle's brothers and parents are an integral part of the book as well as Anna's family. Like all families, there are some squabbles but there is also the love that binds them together.
The Heir is a wonderful book, and I'm glad to have reread it.
thebookishbanker's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.25
Pace of the book is very slow
bananatricky's review against another edition
4.0
The Earl of Wyndham is being hounded by his father who is desperate to secure the succession. In order to avoid his scheming father and matchmaking mamas he decides to stay in his London town house during the summer. An unfortunate misunderstanding involving one of the maids draws his attention to his housekeeper, Anna, and slowly but surely they embark on an affair.
This book was well-written and showed that Ms Burrowes has paid a great deal of attention to the period and getting things accurate. On occasions I felt that she overdid the period vocabulary and made her characters say things which jarred slightly - but there weren't many instances.
Having lately returned to historical romances I note that it appears standard that the H/h engage in pre-marital sex which seems incongruous but I suppose it helps sell the books!
Anyway, this has all the appearances of being a continuation of an existing series although it is book 1 of the Windhams - not sure if there was a previous series that this follows or whether Ms Burrowes has just mapped out a detailed back story.
Anyway, I enjoyed the story and the glimpses of the family, looking forward to reading the next book.
This book was well-written and showed that Ms Burrowes has paid a great deal of attention to the period and getting things accurate. On occasions I felt that she overdid the period vocabulary and made her characters say things which jarred slightly - but there weren't many instances.
Having lately returned to historical romances I note that it appears standard that the H/h engage in pre-marital sex which seems incongruous but I suppose it helps sell the books!
Anyway, this has all the appearances of being a continuation of an existing series although it is book 1 of the Windhams - not sure if there was a previous series that this follows or whether Ms Burrowes has just mapped out a detailed back story.
Anyway, I enjoyed the story and the glimpses of the family, looking forward to reading the next book.
nicolet2018's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up after reading The Courtship and The Duke and His Duchess as I was interested to read about the characters I met in the spin off series book 1: The Trouble with Dukes. When I picked this up at my library, I was surprised at how many pages it had. Over 400!
Which is unusual for a historical romance. I was hoping it would not get too draggy.
The story starts with a misunderstanding. Lord Gayle Westhaven is assisting a mute chambermaid when her clothes get stuck in the fireplace grille and housekeeper, Anna Seaton attacks him with a poker as she thinks he is molesting Morgan. He is hurt so badly that she needs to help him to get up and lie down. He has cuts, bruises and his shirt gets torn. Wow, how hard did she hit him.
This sounds crazy. Then a weird relationship begins where she treats him as a wife would: Tending to his injuries (literally having his head on her shoulder), seeing him half naked and let's not get started on that little hug on the balcony when he tells her about his brothers who passed away.
She certainly does not sound like a housekeeper. Though, she certainly is very competent as one but she does not behave like someone from the working class. Who is she?
So I had expectations going into this book and this felt so sexual. Everything I wrote about happens within 50 pages of the book as does a sex scene with his mistress which is rather explicit compared to some of the author other books.
This book was too long. I felt that some parts were not necessary and it could have been more concise. Gayle makes every effort to care for Anna and she still holds back. I was annoyed with the heroine. Yes she is good at managing the household but so much trouble and angst could have been saved if she had revealed why she was on the run. Not to say Gayle did not make silly assumptions too. It irritated me that he literally cares for her in every way and she still thinks he doesn't love her.
Honey, a man who holds your hand, hugs you, brings you food, spends time with you, protects your sister, let's you furnish a house for his sister (foreshadowing that the house is for her!) and let's you stay at his parents house loves you.
The sex scenes were steamy, oh yes! But it was interesting how they do everything but vaginal sex. That comes much later. Anna is a virgin and Gayle shows her how pleasure can be gained from oral sex on both sides, humping and fingering. If anything, I liked how enthusiastic she was despite her lack of experience. It was interesting that the author mentions pleasuring a man's nipples. Typically it is the other way around.
I did like how the relationship between the brothers was more more lively and I could see them heal from their brothers deaths. Valentine seems to be the friendlier of the trio whilst Devlin is more stoic. That surprised me as Gayle always seemed like the quieter one since reading about him as a young boy in The Duke and His Duchess. In fact, Gayle seems sociable and much more open. But the consumption of marzipan and lemonade sounded diabetes inducing.
This book had ups and downs, it had draggy moments and interesting scenes and relationships. I liked how Gayle and his father argue and come to a point where things are not so tense anymore. He was annoying with his meddling and scheming. Assuming that Percival was in his thirties when he married Esther, I would out his age at sixties?
Also how is Rose Percival's grand daughter when Guinevere "Gwen" and Lord Amery are taking care of her?
It is not explained but I guessed she was the child of either Victor or Bartholomew "Bart" and thus adopted by Lord Amery.
The way the characters speak is hard to understand at times. But I do want to read more of the other stories.
Which is unusual for a historical romance. I was hoping it would not get too draggy.
The story starts with a misunderstanding. Lord Gayle Westhaven is assisting a mute chambermaid when her clothes get stuck in the fireplace grille and housekeeper, Anna Seaton attacks him with a poker as she thinks he is molesting Morgan. He is hurt so badly that she needs to help him to get up and lie down. He has cuts, bruises and his shirt gets torn. Wow, how hard did she hit him.
This sounds crazy. Then a weird relationship begins where she treats him as a wife would: Tending to his injuries (literally having his head on her shoulder), seeing him half naked and let's not get started on that little hug on the balcony when he tells her about his brothers who passed away.
She certainly does not sound like a housekeeper. Though, she certainly is very competent as one but she does not behave like someone from the working class. Who is she?
So I had expectations going into this book and this felt so sexual. Everything I wrote about happens within 50 pages of the book as does a sex scene with his mistress which is rather explicit compared to some of the author other books.
This book was too long. I felt that some parts were not necessary and it could have been more concise. Gayle makes every effort to care for Anna and she still holds back. I was annoyed with the heroine. Yes she is good at managing the household but so much trouble and angst could have been saved if she had revealed why she was on the run. Not to say Gayle did not make silly assumptions too. It irritated me that he literally cares for her in every way and she still thinks he doesn't love her.
Honey, a man who holds your hand, hugs you, brings you food, spends time with you, protects your sister, let's you furnish a house for his sister (foreshadowing that the house is for her!) and let's you stay at his parents house loves you.
The sex scenes were steamy, oh yes! But it was interesting how they do everything but vaginal sex. That comes much later. Anna is a virgin and Gayle shows her how pleasure can be gained from oral sex on both sides, humping and fingering. If anything, I liked how enthusiastic she was despite her lack of experience. It was interesting that the author mentions pleasuring a man's nipples. Typically it is the other way around.
I did like how the relationship between the brothers was more more lively and I could see them heal from their brothers deaths. Valentine seems to be the friendlier of the trio whilst Devlin is more stoic. That surprised me as Gayle always seemed like the quieter one since reading about him as a young boy in The Duke and His Duchess. In fact, Gayle seems sociable and much more open. But the consumption of marzipan and lemonade sounded diabetes inducing.
This book had ups and downs, it had draggy moments and interesting scenes and relationships. I liked how Gayle and his father argue and come to a point where things are not so tense anymore. He was annoying with his meddling and scheming. Assuming that Percival was in his thirties when he married Esther, I would out his age at sixties?
Also how is Rose Percival's grand daughter when Guinevere "Gwen" and Lord Amery are taking care of her?
It is not explained but I guessed she was the child of either Victor or Bartholomew "Bart" and thus adopted by Lord Amery.
The way the characters speak is hard to understand at times. But I do want to read more of the other stories.
leahr711's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75