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rachelfontenot's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jillmlong's review
1.0
Unfortunately, I did not like The Heiress Bride. Actually, I didn't like any of the books in this series. For this one I listened to the audiobook. The book was dull and lifeless.
mmmchelle's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
aldarakamey's review
4.0
I really liked this book, the book did a great job introducing the characters and made me invested on them, like so in them that i wanted more.
andrea_author's review
5.0
Nicholas inherited his uncle's ducal title but not his fortune. Much of that money went to bookseller Iris—although she has no idea why. She's searching for an illuminated manuscript that had once been in the family's possession but has since disappeared. While working together to solve the mystery, will Nicholas and Iris fall in love?
This book blends smart characters, a slow-burn romance, and an intriguing plot that kept me guessing. If you love Regency romance written by a seasoned master of the genre, you won't want to miss this book.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This book blends smart characters, a slow-burn romance, and an intriguing plot that kept me guessing. If you love Regency romance written by a seasoned master of the genre, you won't want to miss this book.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
windywife's review
3.0
I won this book as a giveaway. I like to read an occasional romance book, and I liked the story, but this one had a little more sexuality than I prefer, which demoted it a star in my rating. Otherwise I liked story and it kept me guessing till the very end who was the cause of the multiple mysteries trying to be solved.
Cautionary: Swear words and sexuality
Cautionary: Swear words and sexuality
hookedbythatbook's review
4.0
It’s a delightful, flirty romance between two potential enemies, who never saw each other that way.
Iris’s profession as rare book dealer took her all over the world and introduced her to many different kinds of people. She was worldly and not afraid of that label at all. It allowed her to be bold with Nicholas in a way that he was unused to from the women in his circles. Iris intrigued him. Nicholas was under some pressure to marry for a large dowry to keep his estates and family afloat. His aunt kept throwing a specific debutant his way, but he only had eyes for Iris. I didn’t particularly care for this addition to the story.
I enjoyed the hidden looks, furtive touches, and overt flirting between Nicholas and Iris. All these little gestures accumulated slowly until they couldn’t hold it in anymore. The story moves from London to a house party in the country and back to London, and all the while Nicholas’s fascination keeps growing.
There were two separate mysteries that needed solving and both were skillfully handled. They did not detract from each other, and one was not treated as an afterthought over the other. I was really invested in finding out the truth behind Iris’s claims, and that truth wasn’t anything I had guessed up to that point.
A Duke’s Heiress provides a satisfying conclusion to this series. I can highly recommend it to any reader who likes historical romance with a little bit of mystery. Each book stands well on its own, but I think you will find more value in the series if it is read in order.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
scoutmomskf's review
4.0
This was an enjoyable conclusion to the series. Nicholas, the new Duke of Hollinburgh, is slowly settling into his new role. As the book opens, he contemplates some of his challenges. One is finding the last of the three mysterious heiresses mentioned in his late uncle's will, and another is looking for a suitable bride to bring much-needed cash into the family. The heiress has been challenging to track down, so Nicholas is shocked when she shows up at his estate.
Iris, a rare book dealer, extracted a promise from the late duke that he would look for a missing rare book that she believes is in his possession. That book is at the heart of a scandal that ruined her grandfather's reputation, and she is determined to find it and prove him innocent. She is shocked to discover that the duke left her a substantial inheritance. She understands Nicholas's doubts and agrees to an understanding with him - she will inventory and appraise the books in his library if he agrees to look for the missing book.
I liked both Nicholas and Iris. Nicholas is an honorable man who didn't expect to inherit the title as soon as he did. Now he is land-rich and cash poor with many relatives who are furious at being cut out of his uncle's will, and they are making his life miserable. His best friends are his cousins Chase and Kevin, the heroes from the series' first two books. All three are convinced their uncle's death was not an accident, but their investigation has not revealed any proof.
Iris is a spirited and independent woman. She is a professional woman who makes her living buying and selling rare books all over Europe. She has no trouble going after what she wants, whether clearing her grandfather's name or giving in to the attraction she feels for Nicholas. I loved that she didn't let the relatives' attitudes get to her.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Nicholas and Iris develop. The sparks between them are evident from the start, and it was fun to see the attraction build as they got to know each other. There is some distrust between them, as Nicholas suspects that Iris is hiding something, and Iris isn't sure Nicholas will agree to something that would tarnish his family's reputation. The banter between them was fun, as neither held back when they had something to say. When it came to their attraction, Nicholas had no trouble showing Iris how he felt but left the pace of their relationship up to her.
I liked how they worked together to search for the missing book and how it brought them closer. Nicholas finds himself less interested in the "suitable" bride his aunts push at him and more inclined to make Iris a permanent part of his life. Iris has fallen hard for Nicholas but feels the gap between them is too significant to make anything permanent possible. That feeling intensifies when she makes a devastating discovery. I love that Iris is honest with him about what she found and that Nicholas shows her that it makes no difference to his feelings for her.
Several mysteries kept me guessing throughout the book. First is the mystery that runs through the series - was the previous duke's death an accident or murder? Nicholas, Chase, and Kevin have their suspicions but no proof. Second, is the mystery of the missing book. Nicholas and Iris have questions about the reasons for its disappearance, as nothing about it makes sense. Then there is the mystery of the attacks that happen when Nicholas and Iris are together. Who is the target? Iris, because of the inheritance, or Nicholas, because he is the current duke? The twists and turns of this story kept me guessing to the end, as the interweaving of all three made a surprising conclusion.
The relationships in the book were one of the highlights. In addition to the one between Nicholas and Iris, we see more of the previous couples. Minerva is now expecting, and Chase's overprotectiveness is sweet and irritating. Minerva is so frustrated with him that she finds ways to escape his hovering, creating hilarious situations. Rosamunde is a willing co-conspirator who gets Kevin in hot water with his cousin. The close friendship between the three cousins is heartwarming, though there is also a fair amount of teasing among the three. It is especially amusing to see Nicholas's reactions to Kevin and Chase's propensity to be "distracted" by their wives. I loved how Minerva, Rosamunde, and Iris bonded so quickly. The three get up to some interesting shenanigans, and seeing how the men react is fun.
The other relationships that dominate the book are those of Nicholas's relations. They all feel entitled to anything they want, and Nicholas has his work cut out to keep them in line. I liked watching him grow into his ducal dignity and use it effectively, though there were other times when they seemed to walk all over him. His two aunts were especially good at that, and Iris gets into the act when she uses them to set up Nicholas. I laughed out loud at the drawing-room scene where Nicholas pictured Iris and Minerva as lionesses bringing down a gazelle (Aunt Agnes) who never realized she was being hunted. He was less amused when he started to feel like a gazelle himself.
My only disappointment with the book was the lack of an epilogue. I would like to have seen them two or three years in the future, happy and prospering.
#netgalley
Iris, a rare book dealer, extracted a promise from the late duke that he would look for a missing rare book that she believes is in his possession. That book is at the heart of a scandal that ruined her grandfather's reputation, and she is determined to find it and prove him innocent. She is shocked to discover that the duke left her a substantial inheritance. She understands Nicholas's doubts and agrees to an understanding with him - she will inventory and appraise the books in his library if he agrees to look for the missing book.
I liked both Nicholas and Iris. Nicholas is an honorable man who didn't expect to inherit the title as soon as he did. Now he is land-rich and cash poor with many relatives who are furious at being cut out of his uncle's will, and they are making his life miserable. His best friends are his cousins Chase and Kevin, the heroes from the series' first two books. All three are convinced their uncle's death was not an accident, but their investigation has not revealed any proof.
Iris is a spirited and independent woman. She is a professional woman who makes her living buying and selling rare books all over Europe. She has no trouble going after what she wants, whether clearing her grandfather's name or giving in to the attraction she feels for Nicholas. I loved that she didn't let the relatives' attitudes get to her.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Nicholas and Iris develop. The sparks between them are evident from the start, and it was fun to see the attraction build as they got to know each other. There is some distrust between them, as Nicholas suspects that Iris is hiding something, and Iris isn't sure Nicholas will agree to something that would tarnish his family's reputation. The banter between them was fun, as neither held back when they had something to say. When it came to their attraction, Nicholas had no trouble showing Iris how he felt but left the pace of their relationship up to her.
I liked how they worked together to search for the missing book and how it brought them closer. Nicholas finds himself less interested in the "suitable" bride his aunts push at him and more inclined to make Iris a permanent part of his life. Iris has fallen hard for Nicholas but feels the gap between them is too significant to make anything permanent possible. That feeling intensifies when she makes a devastating discovery. I love that Iris is honest with him about what she found and that Nicholas shows her that it makes no difference to his feelings for her.
Several mysteries kept me guessing throughout the book. First is the mystery that runs through the series - was the previous duke's death an accident or murder? Nicholas, Chase, and Kevin have their suspicions but no proof. Second, is the mystery of the missing book. Nicholas and Iris have questions about the reasons for its disappearance, as nothing about it makes sense. Then there is the mystery of the attacks that happen when Nicholas and Iris are together. Who is the target? Iris, because of the inheritance, or Nicholas, because he is the current duke? The twists and turns of this story kept me guessing to the end, as the interweaving of all three made a surprising conclusion.
The relationships in the book were one of the highlights. In addition to the one between Nicholas and Iris, we see more of the previous couples. Minerva is now expecting, and Chase's overprotectiveness is sweet and irritating. Minerva is so frustrated with him that she finds ways to escape his hovering, creating hilarious situations. Rosamunde is a willing co-conspirator who gets Kevin in hot water with his cousin. The close friendship between the three cousins is heartwarming, though there is also a fair amount of teasing among the three. It is especially amusing to see Nicholas's reactions to Kevin and Chase's propensity to be "distracted" by their wives. I loved how Minerva, Rosamunde, and Iris bonded so quickly. The three get up to some interesting shenanigans, and seeing how the men react is fun.
The other relationships that dominate the book are those of Nicholas's relations. They all feel entitled to anything they want, and Nicholas has his work cut out to keep them in line. I liked watching him grow into his ducal dignity and use it effectively, though there were other times when they seemed to walk all over him. His two aunts were especially good at that, and Iris gets into the act when she uses them to set up Nicholas. I laughed out loud at the drawing-room scene where Nicholas pictured Iris and Minerva as lionesses bringing down a gazelle (Aunt Agnes) who never realized she was being hunted. He was less amused when he started to feel like a gazelle himself.
My only disappointment with the book was the lack of an epilogue. I would like to have seen them two or three years in the future, happy and prospering.
#netgalley