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The Untamed Heiress
Imprisoned as a child by her spiteful father, Helena Lambarth vowed upon his death to never again live under a man’s rule. But to honor her mother’s last wish, she journeys to London to enter society -- and finds herself a reluctant houseguest of the dashing Lord Darnell.
Adam, Lord Darnell, has little time to oversee the bedraggled hoyden he’s agreed to sponsor. Saddled with his father’s debts, he knows his one hope is to win the hand of wealthy Priscilla Standish.
If only she weren’t so ordinary compared to the unconventional Helena—and if only his waif-like ward hadn’t suddenly transformed into a bewitching young woman…
The desire they spark in each other is undeniable. But can the love they try to resist conquer Helena’s demons and free them both?
Adam, Lord Darnell, has little time to oversee the bedraggled hoyden he’s agreed to sponsor. Saddled with his father’s debts, he knows his one hope is to win the hand of wealthy Priscilla Standish.
If only she weren’t so ordinary compared to the unconventional Helena—and if only his waif-like ward hadn’t suddenly transformed into a bewitching young woman…
The desire they spark in each other is undeniable. But can the love they try to resist conquer Helena’s demons and free them both?
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 24, 2006
15 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Julia Justiss
222 books317 followersJulia Justiss grew up breathing the scent of sea air near the colonial town of Annapolis, Maryland, a fact responsible for two of her life-long passions: sailors and history! By age twelve she was a junior tour guide for Historic Annapolis, conducting visitors on walking tours through the city that was a hotbed of revolutionary fervor. (Annapolis hosted its own tea party, dispensing with the cargo aboard the "Peggy Stewart," and was briefly capital of the United States.) She also took tourists through Annapolis's other big attraction, the United States Naval Academy. After so many years of observing future naval officers at P-rade and chapel, it seemed almost inevitable that she eventually married one.
But long before embarking on romantic adventures of her own, she read about them, transporting herself to such favorite venues as ancient Egypt, World War II submarine patrols, the Old South and, of course, Regency England. Soon she was keeping notebooks for jotting down story ideas. From plotting adventures for her first favorite heroine Nancy Drew she went on to write poetry in high school and college, then worked as a business journalist doing speeches, sales promotion material and newsletter articles. After her marriage to a naval lieutenant took her overseas, she wrote the newsletter for the American Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia and traveled extensively throughout Europe. Before leaving Tunis, she fulfilled her first goal: completing a Regency novel.
Children intervened, and not until her husband left the Navy to return to his Texas homeland did she sit down to pen a second novel. The reply to her fan mail letter to a Regency author led her to Romance Writers of America. From the very first meeting, she knew she'd found a home among fellow writers--doubtless the largest group of people outside a mental institution who talk back to the voices in their heads.
Her second goal was achieved the day before her birthday in May, 1998 when Margaret Marbury of Harlequin Historicals offered to buy that second book, the Golden-Heart-Award winning novel that became THE WEDDING GAMBLE. Since then, she has gone on to write fourteen novels, three novellas and an on-line serial, along the way winning or finalling for historical awards from The Golden Quill, the National Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times, and All About Romance’s Favorite Book of the Year.
Julia now inhabits an English Georgian-style house she and her husband built in the East Texas countryside where, if she closes her eyes and ignores the summer thermometer, she can almost imagine she inhabits the landscape of "Pride and Prejudice." In between travelling to visit her three children (a naval officer son stationed in Washington, DC, a textiles and design major daughter who cheers for University of Texas at Austin, and a mechanical engineering major son also at UT Austin) keeping up with her science teacher husband and juggling a part-time day job as a high school French teacher, she pursues her first and dearest love--crafting stories.
To relax, she enjoys watching movies, reading (historical fiction, mystery, suspense) and puttering about in the garden trying to kill off more weeds than flowers.
But long before embarking on romantic adventures of her own, she read about them, transporting herself to such favorite venues as ancient Egypt, World War II submarine patrols, the Old South and, of course, Regency England. Soon she was keeping notebooks for jotting down story ideas. From plotting adventures for her first favorite heroine Nancy Drew she went on to write poetry in high school and college, then worked as a business journalist doing speeches, sales promotion material and newsletter articles. After her marriage to a naval lieutenant took her overseas, she wrote the newsletter for the American Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia and traveled extensively throughout Europe. Before leaving Tunis, she fulfilled her first goal: completing a Regency novel.
Children intervened, and not until her husband left the Navy to return to his Texas homeland did she sit down to pen a second novel. The reply to her fan mail letter to a Regency author led her to Romance Writers of America. From the very first meeting, she knew she'd found a home among fellow writers--doubtless the largest group of people outside a mental institution who talk back to the voices in their heads.
Her second goal was achieved the day before her birthday in May, 1998 when Margaret Marbury of Harlequin Historicals offered to buy that second book, the Golden-Heart-Award winning novel that became THE WEDDING GAMBLE. Since then, she has gone on to write fourteen novels, three novellas and an on-line serial, along the way winning or finalling for historical awards from The Golden Quill, the National Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times, and All About Romance’s Favorite Book of the Year.
Julia now inhabits an English Georgian-style house she and her husband built in the East Texas countryside where, if she closes her eyes and ignores the summer thermometer, she can almost imagine she inhabits the landscape of "Pride and Prejudice." In between travelling to visit her three children (a naval officer son stationed in Washington, DC, a textiles and design major daughter who cheers for University of Texas at Austin, and a mechanical engineering major son also at UT Austin) keeping up with her science teacher husband and juggling a part-time day job as a high school French teacher, she pursues her first and dearest love--crafting stories.
To relax, she enjoys watching movies, reading (historical fiction, mystery, suspense) and puttering about in the garden trying to kill off more weeds than flowers.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 23, 2023
Read this year's ago and forgot it. It is a very good story about second chances and overcoming hardships. I highly recommend!
August 9, 2018
This is love at it finest
I believe the setting wiill be in the early 1900s' or 1800s'
Helena Lambert is a prisoner in her father's house due to her mother's infedility.
when her Father dies, she is overjoyed because she is free and hopes to reunite with her mother. (she has inherited so much fortune on both sides)
Upon hearing of her mother's demise and last wish to stay in London with her mother's cousin Lilan.
Lillian sends her step-son Adam to fetch this orphan
At first, Helena looks beyond ugly, but with tutoring, good feeding and a good heart. She becomes the most sort after heiress in town
I believe the setting wiill be in the early 1900s' or 1800s'
Helena Lambert is a prisoner in her father's house due to her mother's infedility.
when her Father dies, she is overjoyed because she is free and hopes to reunite with her mother. (she has inherited so much fortune on both sides)
Upon hearing of her mother's demise and last wish to stay in London with her mother's cousin Lilan.
Lillian sends her step-son Adam to fetch this orphan
At first, Helena looks beyond ugly, but with tutoring, good feeding and a good heart. She becomes the most sort after heiress in town
April 12, 2016
El personaje femenino salva la historia de principio a fin ... no es tipico personaje ñoño y cursi que vive por su virginidad... toma las riendas de su vida a pesar de ser una mujer en ese tiempo....
July 16, 2017
Entretenido pero hasta ahí... aunque me sorprendió la protagonista, me pareció el mejor personaje!!
October 19, 2008
Liked this book a lot too. It's very different. It opens with the hero being asked by his mother to go fetch a young girl from a solicitor's office. The girl's mother was once a dear friend, and now both the girl's mother and father have died, and the hero's mother has been asked to look after her. Except (of course) the young girl is actually a young, scrawny, disaster of a woman--who is the heroine. Then it turns out that she's essentially raised herself. She's only come to stay with the hero and his mother because Her mother asked her to. She didn't even know her mother was dead until she arrived in London, and her father had apparently mistreated her horribly. The story is very well told, the heroine is definitely untamed, but she has reason. The hero is charming--even if he gets himself engaged at precisely the wrong moment. It's a very good read.
April 5, 2024
Usually, I like this author. However, this novel was not historically accurate--definitely not Regency. Any woman who behaved as this young woman did in that time period--dressing up in boys' clothes and slumming--approaching a courtesan for sex tips--would not only have violated the rules of the ton but would also have been perceived as mad. Her behavior totally outside the mores and customs of her time. Actually she would, perhaps, like George the III, have been a candidate for Bedlam.
August 7, 2021
È sicuramente un romance dai toni drammatici. Sin dalle prima pagine ho avuto la sensazione che il romanzo fosse incentrato più sulla figura di Helena.
Gran cura nel descrivere la psicologia dei personaggi e lo stile narrativo è scorrevole anche se non sempre coinvolgente.
Nonostante tutto l'ho trovato un buon romanzo.
Gran cura nel descrivere la psicologia dei personaggi e lo stile narrativo è scorrevole anche se non sempre coinvolgente.
Nonostante tutto l'ho trovato un buon romanzo.
May 24, 2019
3,5 stars.
This book felt like it was one of a series (somewhere in the middle) but it wasn't.
It totally lacked sensual tension, but the storyline itsself was ok.
This book felt like it was one of a series (somewhere in the middle) but it wasn't.
It totally lacked sensual tension, but the storyline itsself was ok.
September 25, 2021
Once again an unusual story that held my attention. I read it in one sitting - lunch waited until it was finished.
January 7, 2023
Przeczytałam po polsku i cóż...nie wiem czy to wina tłumaczenia ale...boi oh boi
October 11, 2024
A bit predictable with a few hints of scandalous behavior thrown in.
December 23, 2024
Ajaviiteromaan- Helena on kümme aastat pahatahtliku isa poolt vangina hoitud ja tema arvamus meestest on kõike muud kui meeldiv. Vastavalt ema viimasele soovile reisib ta Londonisse ja leiab end lord Darnelli tõrksa hoolealusena.
May 8, 2018
Cinderella with an attitude...
It reminds me of a teenage fantasy: Sweet, predictable and somewhat naive - but great stuff none the less. I loved it!
It reminds me of a teenage fantasy: Sweet, predictable and somewhat naive - but great stuff none the less. I loved it!
June 14, 2007
This book was so much fun. Soooo much fun. The heroine is genuinely interesting, compelling, her "dark secret" is truly dark and really isn't kept a secret at all, from the reader at least, the tension between the two people who are supposed to end up together isn't only frustrating... Really good, for the genre.
Helena had not again ventured out. Though, she concluded as she poured herself a glass of wine, after three weeks of enforced inactivity, she would almost be willing to join the Christians in the ring at the Roman circus just to escape the house.
Helena had not again ventured out. Though, she concluded as she poured herself a glass of wine, after three weeks of enforced inactivity, she would almost be willing to join the Christians in the ring at the Roman circus just to escape the house.
October 4, 2015
Um romance de época ao estilo habitual da Harlequin.
Algumas falhas em termos ortográficos, como repetição da mesma palavra, trocas de masculino pelo feminino ou plural pelo singular.
No geral temos a estória de uma rapariga vitima de maus tratos e que ao ver-se livre não tem grande ideia sobre o comportamento de uma dama em sociedade... Algumas aventuras e romance, servem para passar alguns momentos engraçados.
Algumas falhas em termos ortográficos, como repetição da mesma palavra, trocas de masculino pelo feminino ou plural pelo singular.
No geral temos a estória de uma rapariga vitima de maus tratos e que ao ver-se livre não tem grande ideia sobre o comportamento de uma dama em sociedade... Algumas aventuras e romance, servem para passar alguns momentos engraçados.
November 29, 2011
I actually got through reading it again and it was still as good as i remembered it being. I fell in love with the heroine, i was able to really relate to her. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
March 7, 2014
I absolutely loved this. It grabed me and pulled me in from the beginning and was fast paced,hard to put down. It made me cry, laugh and fall in love with the characters. This historical romance was mainly set in England and believable. I really want to read more of this author.
April 21, 2008
Please visit my BookMooch account (http://bookmooch.com/m/bio/satinchic) if you'd like to mooch this one (I personally didn't like it)
February 4, 2009
this book was amazing I loved it from the very beginning and have read it sever times since then.
March 27, 2013
I loved this book. I totally sympathized with the heroine, and greatly admired her. Everything about the book was so well done. I look forward to reading everything by this author.
November 17, 2009
liked the way that the focus was always on the main character - also the story moved at a good pace with relevant instances from the heiress's past interspersed
November 28, 2010
Julia is my aunt....I've tried to keep up with her writing, but she turns them out too fast for me.
March 9, 2013
Very reminiscent of The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer.
March 23, 2013
Good but the end felt a bit rushed.
November 19, 2013
Inte en av hennes bra.
January 29, 2016
I absolutely love this book its definitely one of my favorites I've read it so many times I'm in need of a new one.
July 15, 2016
"Taltsutamatu pärijanna" eesti keeles
September 14, 2016
Ho trovato il libro interessante sia per stile scrittura che per la trama. Consigliato agli amanti del genere.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews