The Heiresses

The Heiresses #1

by Allison Rushby

In Allison Rushby's Heiresses, three triplets--estranged since birth--are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone--least of all each other.

When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London--a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things--by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother's fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, New Adult, Historical, Romance, Fiction, Historical Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2013

About the author

Allison Rushby adores cities with long, winding histories; wild, overgrown cemeteries; redbrick Victorian museums; foxes; tea; and ivy. She lives in Queensland, Australia.

http://www.allisonrushby.com.

Reviews

[Ade · Rating 2 out of 5]

**ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The Basic Summary: It's 1926, and for three lucky girls, their entire lives are about to change. Mix estranged triplets, and devious half-brother, a fortune, and the excitement of a new city, and you're sure to be in for a wild ride. Join these three sisters as they work to adjust to their new environment, and fight to earn back a fortune that's rightfully theirs. Just so you all know, that's a lie. But you'll see what I mean later.

This book was horrid. Everything was just sooooo boring. Ms Rushby could have cut out 100 pages from the book and you wouldn't have missed a thing. I'm not sure if it's just because this was an ARC, or not, but there were some spelling issues, and there were quite a few phrases in the book that made no fucking sense because some words were missing.

The beginning of the book started off well enough I guess. It was mainly the girls finding out that they're triplets and them being sent off to London to go live with their aunt and try to reclaim the fortune that's rightfully theirs from their douchey half-brother, Charles.

Thalia: Thalia is the oldest of the sisters, and she's just.. A piece of work. The only person Thalia cares about is Thalia, and she doesn't care who she has to step on to get what she wants - this includes betraying the people who trust her in order to get the inheritance that she believes is rightfully hers. Notice how I said hers and not hers and her sisters. Throughout the entire book, Thalia is a scheming, manipulative, bratty, arrogant skag, and she finds nothing wrong with her behavior. She drinks, she does drugs, and at one point she was even hooking up with Vincent (the guy that Ro was in love with). Why would she betray Ro like that? She was "helping" her by proving a point. I know what ya'll are thinking because I thought the same thing. What a Skag. Early on in the story Thalia mysteriously comes into a large amount of sums. How large? Large enough that she could buy a car, new clothes, a dog, drugs, and whatever else she felt like. We later find out that she went to Charles, tricked him into giving her the money by leading him to believe that she and she sisters were going to go to the country side. The money Charles gave her was supposed to be for ALL of the sisters. Do you know how much she spent on the sisters? Enough to buy them each a dress. That's it. Like I said, she's a skag. At the end there's a traumatic not really traumatic. It was a faux-traumatic event that was meant to make you suddenly sympathize with Thalia. event and Thalia does a complete character 180 and all of a sudden we're supposed to like her. No. Fuck no. I refuse to believe that Thalia suddenly started caring about the sisters that she was trying to hurt earlier on in the book. Thalia threw a dinner party and invited her sisters with the intention of making them see that they didn't belong in the society they now lived in. While she just wanted to embarass Ro, she really set out to destroy Clio because Edwin (the guy that Thalia liked) liked Clio instead. This pissed me off because:
1) Clio was my favorite sister
2) Clio was always incredibly nice to Thalia even though Thalia was a raging skag
3) Clio was having a hard enough time adjusting without Thalia trying to destroy her already damaged self-esteem

Eratos (Ro): Ro is the middle triplet. Ro is also the book smart one. Of the three, she's the most sensible one, and she's incredibly science-minded (is that even a real phrase? I just made it up. Whatever, i'm sleep deprived. Don't judge) For her entire life, Ro has wanted a sibling, so when she finds out she has not one, but two siblings? She's ecstatic. When Ro finally meets her sisters, she finds that they're not exactly what she thought, and while she's still excited to have sisters, she's just.. Less excited. Of the three sisters, I liked Ro the second best.

Clio: Clio is the youngest of the sisters, and she's also the sweetest one of the three. When the three sisters finally meet, Clio knows right away that there's something wrong. How? She looks nothing like her 2 sisters. Even knowing that there's something different about her, Clio still makes a point of trying to get to know her sisters. I liked Clio the best because she always puts others first. She's always willing to see the best in people (even when they don't really deserve it. See Thalia), and she goes out of her way to make people feel welcome around her. With all of the craziness going on with Ro and Thalia, it was nice to have one character that had a solid understanding of who she was, and nicer still to see that the privileges that she suddenly had didn't change her as a person. I was really happy to see her get her happy ending. She really deserved it.

Hestia: Hestia is seriously the most irresponsible person in the book. I get it. She's never had to watch over anyone before, but that doesn't excuse her negligence in terms of neglecting her nieces. Hestia has the guardians of each girl send the girls off to live with her, but after the first day, she pretty much forgets that they exist. During the rare occasions that she does remember that she's supposed to be caring for her nieces, she's giving them shoddy advice. At one point, Thalia actually has to go into REHAB because of her drug problem, and Hestia had no fucking idea until one of her friends told her.

The story: Meh. That's really all I have to say about it. The story itself was mostly about Thalia being a skag All she did was drink, do drugs, throw parties, and betray the trust of her sisters. Not what you were expecting, right? That's how I felt. Towards the end the story starts focusing more on what the book was ACTUALLY supposed to be about, but up until then? Nope. Mainly just Thalia and her exploits. The story was just soo boring. At first it was interesting to see them adjust to their new environment, but there are only so many parties and stupid acts of drunken debauchery that a girl can take before she just wants to scream. 100 pages could have been cut out of this book and you wouldn't have missed a thing. In fact, I wish 100 pages had been cut out. I would have rather read a 200 page story about 3 (Okay, 2. Thalia didn't really help) girls trying to get back a fortune that's rightfully theirs, than a 300 page story about the stupid actions of one greedy sister with a little bit of fortune stealing-backing I KNOW IT'S NOT A REAL WORD. LEAVE ME ALONE! thrown in to keep things interesting. Normally I can get through a 300 page book in under 2 days. In fact, I did. I read another book while I was reading this one and it only took me ONE DAY to finish it. This book just dragged on and on and on and on and on and.. okay. I'm sure you all get it. Maybe I'm just being too nitpicky. Either way, I didn't really like this book.

I was going to originally give it one star, but I've decided to bump it up to two because I loved Clio and Ro so much.

My Overall Opinion: I just couldn't get past Thalia. She was just such an obnoxious character, it annoyed me that the book mainly revolved around her and her antics. Aside from Thalia, the book itself wasn't that good. If the summary says that the book is about 3 sisters attempting to take back their fortune, that's what I expect the book to be about. If the summary had said that this book was about 1 sister betraying the people depending on her, I wouldn't have touched this book with a ten foot pole. If Thalia sounds like your kind of character, go ahead and read the book. But if you're like me and you expect the book to be about what the summary says the book is about, this book is not for you.

Find this review and more at: Confessions of a Cover Hoarder

[Nina {ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ} · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars because by the end of it, I was pretty invested in the story. I still have my downs about this book though, mainly to do with the annoying way the narration, if I can even call it that, was writ, and the not-so-subtle hint dropping and the WAY too obvious way Ro and others went on about finding out the truth. It got better halfway through it though. And I'll admit the not-so-subtle hints DID cover the one last final shocking truth at the end that I didn't really see coming. But, on the whole it was a cute little story, with interesting characters (they got WAY more interesting as the story went on). I love Thalia's growth, she was a nasty piece of work, but I managed to feel for her in the end. Ro's growth too, but she's my least favourite character simply because her attitude to reality was so blurred by other factors and in particular one person and I wanted to hit her the most for the whole bloody book for being such a bloody know it all. And Clio was bound to be my favourite because though she was passive to begin with, she actually grew on me, and grew stronger and admittedly, I liked her more when the love interest got involved.

Proper, longer review later.

[Victoria Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant! Allison does an amazing job here in this first installment of this "new adult" historical serial! From the very beginning this book started off with a bang. We see the triplets mother give birth to the girls and from there we fast forward to 1920s London. I could really see and feel the setting as if I were there and the characters fit pristinely into the elaborately built story world. I love how all of the women in this story are so strongly displayed in this time period and I can't wait to see these feisty flapper girls fight for their inheritance from their brother. On to part two!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I've been hearing about this New Adult historical serial novel for a while now, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to give it a try. I guess I haven't had a lot of luck with historical YAs. And some of the descriptions seem to imply backbiting, which really isn't my thing.

BUT! Then today I was reading more about it and I FINALLY REALIZED that I'd read and really enjoyed the author's Shooting Stars. That and my desire for more lighthearted NA made me decide to try it out.

And I'm glad I did! This installment is mostly setup, but I like it. And ALL MY ADORATION for acknowledging what I was terrifyingly afraid was a mistake. That two blue eyed people can't have a brown eyed child.

[storytime-reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thalia, Erato and Clio are such different characters and have very different ways of viewing the world and their place in it – so it was interesting to see how their varying childhood experiences shaped their perspectives. Rushby reveals more about their lives, and their actions and beliefs begin to make more sense, especially because they have their own struggles to deal with.

The Heiresses is full of multiple distinct points of view, which allows for a greater characterisation of the individual characters. Even more so, it ensures that the many plot twists are cleverly concealed and revealed at just the right moments. Out of everything, these secrets are what kept me reading. However, I will admit that some of these plot twists were quite obvious, although the final twist was hidden by all of the others before it. If that was deliberate, hats off to the author to be honest.

Although more learned than her sisters, Ro discovers that she is a little more naive about the ways of the world and men, compared with Thalia who battles with addiction, and Clio who feels so out of her depth in London. Their own family lives are so unique that they colour their interactions with their new friends and Aunt Hestia. But the relationships they develop with each other and some new family and friends begin to change them. Despite this, there were still moments in which I found it hard to connect with them.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this novel as much as I did, and I was quite happy with how it ended, although it is apparently a series so I’ll have to chase up the rest of the books another time.

Warnings: References to eugenics, ableism, alcoholism, references to an abusive marriage, sexual assault & rape, drug use & addiction

[May · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good, but I wasn't prepared for all the feels.

[Heather Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and fun read! I loved the prose and I found myself transported to 1920s England as three long-lost sisters fight for their inheritance.

The Heiresses is being released in six “episodes” before the entire full-length novel comes out in May. When I realized this, I thought it sounded a little too gimmicky for my tastes. However, after finishing the first episode, I like the format. I don’t always have a lot of time to read at night, so this gave me the chance to finish the first episode in about the same time it would take me to watch a TV show.

I never watched Downtown Abbey, but I imagine fans of the show would like this story. It had the same sort of vibe to it. It was gossipy and glamorous while also showing what goes on behind closed doors of the rich and privileged.

The first episode was merely an introduction to how the girls came to be separated and their lives since their mother died in childbirth. Their estranged aunt summons them to plot a way for the girls to get their rightful inheritance back from their half-brother. I was able to connect with Ro and Clio right away, but I found Thalia irritating. I imagine it may take some for her to grow on me.

The historical details were the best part of The Heiresses. Rushby obviously did her homework and 1920s England came to life. I was all set to put on my rouge and have my kids start calling me her ladyship. I loved how we meet the girls during a progressive era.

This was a fun and light read. The first episode ends on a cliffhanger and I’m curious to see how the story progresses.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for review!

[Jennifer Ellision · Rating 3 out of 5]

Posted to Almost Grown-up:

Historical fiction is a genre that I rarely pass up the chance to read, and when Allison Rushby’s New Adult novel The Heiresses was likened to Downton Abbey, I knew it was a book that I’d be reading.

Initially, the book started off strong and the hook will have Downton Abbey fans experiencing sad flashbacks to a depressing point in the series. I was eager to get to know Thalia, Ro, and Clio and see how they bonded together. But that’s where a big part of the book fell flat for me. I’m a person who really needs to like a main character (or main characters) in order to like the book. I didn’t get that in The Heiresses. The sisters are so often out for themselves and make decisions that I rarely respected.

Further, Allison Rushby’s The Heiresses was originally published as an e-serial and sort of suffers from what I’m going to call “Soap Opera Syndrome.” Each “episode” is overly dramatic and the overarching plot suffers as a result.

I did enjoy the history present in The Heiresses. The Roaring Twenties, whether in America or England, are fascinatingly decadent to me and I liked what I saw of that in this one. There was also one character (Clio) that I did care about and I genuinely felt invested in her romance and problems, but unfortunately, she was often overshadowed by her sisters– who I just plain didn’t like.

[Jessica]

THE HEIRESSES combines several of my favorite elements – squabbling sisters (in this case triplets!) and a mysterious inheritance and a fabulous historical setting. Rushby paints a fascinating portrait of high-society London during the Roaring Twenties, as the girls come of age in a new world of lipstick and bobbed hair and motorcars…and costume parties, drug addiction, and sex. It’s an immensely fun, frothy read; I was desperate to find out the mysteries behind the girls’ birth, and even though I pieced together part of it, there were still twists and turns that surprised me. I loved how wildly different the three sisters are – clever schoolgirl Ro, cruel flapper Thalia, and sheltered misfit Clio – and how they’re alternately deeply loyal and at each others’ throats. And their aunt, Lady Hestia, is a wonderful, fierce character in her own right. Recommend – especially if you like DOWNTON ABBEY or GATSBY!

[Steph | bookedinsaigon]

I gave it about 20%, but I had to admit it wasn't my thing. The prose is unsettlingly anachronistic in comparison to the time period that the story is supposed to be set in, and even after 20% of the book I could not distinguish the three main characters' voices from one another because they were essentially all the same. Readers whose favorite genre is juicy and scandalous historical YA might be willing to overlook these flaws, but they ended up distracting me from having an absorbing reading experience.

[Sparklin C Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me. This book had several twist and turns. It is a book that once you start you have to finish to see what happens to the triplets.

[Alexandria Brim · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Heiresses" tells the story of Erato, Clio and Thalia who are brought together by the eccentric and radical Lady Hestia Crowley. She reveals they are triplets and that they have an inheritance from their mother, Hestia's sister, who died giving birth to them. But it is being held by their half-brother who refuses to release the money to them as they are believed dead. The girls must ban together to win what is theirs but it proves to be difficult. Will they succeed?

I really enjoyed this story, which is probably a "duh" given my rating. Of course there are a few hiccups but nothing that detracts too much from the story. But I'll get to those in good time. First, let's start with the characters. In a good writing choice, Rushby has made each triplet represent the three parts of the psyche as set forth by Freud.

I'll start with my favorite sister, Clio--the superego, the morality center. She's probably my favorite because I relate the most with her. Clio was raised by good people, a pastor and his wife who were unable to have a child of their own, in a small little village. When she comes to London, she feels like a fish out of water. Especially in the society her potential wealth places her in. But does her best to stay true to herself and it attracts Edwin to her. Yes, Clio does some underhanded things--namely going to Charles for the money,but she has a good reason. Her mother is sick and needs to go some place warm. The doctor calls it bronchitis, but it sounds more like tuberculosis. Anyway, she feels horrible for betraying her sisters but in the end, her mother was the one who raised her and she is a virtual stranger to her sisters. But she stands the ground and comes out victorious in the end in her own way in the end.

Next is Erato or "Ro" for short. She is the logical one of the three sisters, the ego. She was raised by an aunt and uncle with money and who sent her to a boarding school. She wants to go to university and study science. And she's also the one who has longed for siblings. She is the one who is most focused on solving the mystery of their birth and getting Charles to give them their inheritance. Like the ego, she is often the mediator between Thalia and Clio.

And last is Thalia, the id. I'll be honest, Thalia wasn't my favorite character. And I understand her character motivations--Ms. Rushby does a great job of explaining why Thalia is the way she is and it is realistic--but it doesn't mean I have to like her. She focuses to feel her desires and wants, giving little thought to her sisters or their common plight. She overindulges, especially in drugs. And she is cruel to Clio because they are polar opposites.

Then we have our supporting characters:

First is Lady Hestia. As I said, she's eccentric and progressive. (And there are hints she's a lesbian which seems to be literary code for those very terms. Especially in historical fiction). She campaigns for universal female suffrage in England and is trying to secure her father's old seat in Parliament. But she's also trying to reunite her beloved sister's children and give them the life they deserve. But she isn't much help to them as she has very little information to go on. Mostly because her brother-in-law tricked her family into sending her to a sanitarium. Therefore, she has a distrust of letting too many people know what she and her nieces are doing. And especially as the trail has gone cold. As I said, people believe the triplets dead. Well, actually, they believed Hestia's sister Demeter had died giving birth to twins who had also died. Clio's birth was never recorded; she doesn't exist. And Hestia hides this from the girls, believing it is for their own good. While the reader doesn't question the fact her motives are good, her methods are suspect.

Next is Vincent, the young biology professor Ro befriends in her quest to solve the mystery as to why Clio looks different from her sisters. He is drawn to Ro's own intelligence and interest in science. And for probably the first time in her life, Ro abandons logic and follows her feelings. Things move quickly between them, though there are some warning signs regarding Vincent. Like how he stalked the sisters to a party they attended. Or how he's practically engaged to a silly young woman whose family is newly rich. Ro learns he is going through with the marriage for the money, to help fund his research. Which further causes Ro to override her logical tendencies. She wants the money she's due to win him.

We then have Venetia and Edwin, socialite siblings who befriend Thalia. They represent the bored youth who have everything and so they have no purpose. They spend their days running around London causing trouble and their nights getting drunk, doing drugs and having sex. But there is more to Edwin than meets the eye, which Clio learns. He is attracted to her and shows another side around her. He wants to be a better person for her, to win her affection. It's a struggle because he's still used to being a wild child and he does get a rush from the things he does. And his sister is his partner-in-crime. But he proves his sincerity and earns Clio's love in the end.

Charles and Felix are relatively minor characters even amongst the supporting ones. Charles is just there to be a common enemy for the girls. He's an immature boy who is threatened by the return of his believed dead sisters and what it might mean for his political aspirations--namely that he was conceived while his father was still married to the triplet's mother. He's cruel, playing with his sisters' minds and using the fact they are not a united front against them. But he also throws temper tantrums when things don't go his way, showing he's been appeased his whole life. Felix, meanwhile, is only in the last third of the book but he plays a large role in it.

And that brings us to the plot again. For the most part, it's a compelling one. And one that hinges on a rare condition that may seem familiar to any One Life to Live fan. Clio looks different from Thalia and Ro, who are practically identical. It's revealed that Clio has a different father, Felix, from the other two. Much like how it was revealed that while Viki gave birth to twins Jessica and Natalie, they had two different fathers--Mitch for Jessica, Clint for Natalie. Of course, in the final broadcast episodes, it was revealed that this was a lie--Clint had fathered both girls and recurring villain Allison scoffed at the idea of two girls, two different fathers. Some viewers saw this as correcting a mistake made by the writers and also admitted to having difficulties believing the plot. But the condition is real, if rare. I only have two quibbles with it. One) The example Rushby keeps using is a case of a woman in Jamaica giving birth to one white baby and one black baby. But the details are never explained and so I don't know if it really is a case of two fathers, one mother. Because it's Jamaica, one or both of the parents could've been "passing"--a person who is technically black but has such light skin they can be accepted as white. So I think the explanation's example needed its own explanation. Two) I'm not certain there were two separate fathers. Ro and Thalia are identical twins and the spitting image of their mother. There is not much mentioned in how they look like their supposed father. In my opinion, it's possible for all three to still be full sisters. And so all three could be legitimate and not just Clio.

And now the romance! Thalia is really the only who doesn't have one, though she does have feelings for Edwin. He, though, is attracted to Clio. She resists him at first, believing him to be everything she stands against. But he knows she is exactly what he needs to break free from his life of ennui. To become the man she deserves. Clio is also hesitant because of Thalia's feelings for Edwin. And they drive a wedge between the two sisters, even moreso since Thalia did not like Clio before and was eager to latch onto the idea that Clio was not their sister. But in the end, it brings the sisters closer. Thalia ends up overdosing and waking up with strange men. Edwin and Clio grow concerned for her safety and Edwin convinces Clio to commit Thalia to a rehab facility. At first, Thalia is angry that her sister did such a thing. And so she tells Clio everything that happened to her--besides being raised in a family which neglected her, they covered up the fact she was raped and subjected her to an abortion to do so. Clio is horrified but it helps her to understand her sister better. And it helps Thalia as well. It helps her start to heal.

Clio ultimately gives into her feelings for Edwin. She realizes he loves her and wants to change his life for her. And it's sweet.

Let's move on to Ro's romance. On her quest to figure out why Clio looks so different from her and Thalia, Ro meets a dashing scientist named Vincent. She is attracted to him immediately. He is her equal in many ways: Smart and interested in science. He is attracted to her as well. But there are early warnings he may not be the greatest. For example, he follows her and her sisters to a party despite not having an invitation. How he followed him is not known. And Ro brushes off any concerns that arise from this revelation. It's probably the first time Ro has put aside her logical side and trusted her feelings. This ends up not being for the best as Vincent gets more suspicious as the story progresses. It turns out he's engaged. But he's only in it for the money and clout her family would bring. So Ro ignores the red flag and decides to show Vincent the money and clout her family could bring. She wants him to want her for all the wrong reasons. And it comes back to bite her. Or does it? Because I have a quibble with how Rushby revealed his betrayal. He slept with Thalia, her sister. You know, the one that looks just like her? And it's never made clear if Vincent knew he was sleeping with Thalia rather than Ro. He doesn't really get a chance to say anything. Ro just believes he betrayed her. I feel the Vincent-Ro romance could've been handled a bit better.

Rushby does a wonderful job with the mystery. What happened after the triplets' birth? Who is clio's father? Will they get their money? Will they ever gel as sisters? These questions keep the readers reading.

Another good aspect is the setting. Rushby does a good job creating the feeling of 1920s London. The girls adopt the latest fashions--though Clio is on the reluctant side. She does end up getting a bobbed haircut at one point and she starts to accept the fashions. My one quibble in this department would've been to incorporate more of the popular culture, especially for all the parties the girls go to. A few more references to some music would've been nice.

But otherwise, it is a really good book.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so originally I posted that I was upset cause books 2-6 were e novellas only but I found out from reading someone else's review that parts 2-6 are the sections in the book so now I am happy I didn't have to waste my money for nothing!

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't capture me at all. I think if I had read this in 2014 when I added it to my TBR I would have enjoyed it more.

[MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three young women, triplets separated at birth, are brought together seventeen years later by their estranged aunt against the backdrop of London’s roaring 1920’s.

Thalia, the oldest, is rather worldly-wise and a party girl through and through – if there’s a party going on, she’ll be the first one to know about it! Having been brought up in a family who didn’t have much time for her she was left mostly to her own devices and as a consequence, has always felt somewhat isolated. As a result, she comes across as quite self-absorbed and while her moral choices leave something to be desired, she harbours a terrible secret.

Erato (Ro) is the scholarly one. Brought up in her Uncle Henry’s home, a professor himself, she is quite level-headed and rather learned with aspirations of becoming a doctor. Having led a pretty ordinary life and attended boarding school for most of the time, there’s only one thing that has always eluded her - a sibling. So, it’s not surprising that she takes a bit of a shine to Clio.

Clio, the sweet one, and the youngest, has lived a somewhat poor but happy existence being brought up in a loving home by a Vicar and his wife. With her father having passed, things have become quite difficult financially and, when it comes right down to it, she’s trying desperately to provide for and take care of her mother who’s health is ailing. She’s a gentle soul and has difficulty settling into the glitz and glamour of London, but at least Ro is friendly enough.

Three very different young women shaped by their totally dissimilar upbringings and value systems, they are summoned to London by their estranged aunt, Hestia, after the passing of their biological father and, as if the first shocks of discovering the existence of each other and their aunt is not enough, they are further surprised to learn that they are in fact heiresses to their mother’s fortune.

Hestia, a remarkably independent and wealthy woman feels satisfied that she has finally been able to live up to the promise she made to her dying sister and, having now gathered the girls together under one roof, is able to go ahead with her plans in achieving what turns out to be a seemingly impossible task – securing their inheritance.

However, in doing so there is just one problem – the girls’ half-brother Charles who refuses to acknowledge their existence. Charles, a promising politician isn’t prepared to risk a scandal and have his family’s name dragged through the mud and persistently denies the triplets what is rightfully theirs, unless they all leave town.

Sparks fly as the girls begin to get to know one another and, with the usual family loyalty of siblings having never been ingrained in them, as unspeakable truths come to the fore, their loyalties constantly shift as each of them consider how they are going to utilise an inheritance which is just out of reach.

Charles appears to have the upper hand when he reveals a well-kept secret, and continues to play twisted games with the sisters and the girls, finally forming a united front, are once again thrown into turmoil when Thalia gets herself into a disgraceful pickle and a chance encounter with a friend of the family finally reveals who the rightful beneficiary of the fortune is!

It is apparent that Allison Rushby has done a lot of research in order to recreate the historical authenticity and culture of this era which clearly comes through in her well-rounded characters and atmospheric prose, pulling you in to the colourful people and wild parties, the decorum of the time and the beautiful fashions of the day, remarkably bringing to life 1920’s London in all its splendour and bohemian flamboyance.

Unfortunately it isn't all rosy and, as with all eras, there is a seamier side which Ms Rushby doesn’t shy away from, threading it through the narrative and giving us a glimpse into excessive drinking at parties in which people succumbed to the champagne haze of the period, the illicit drug-taking which went on behind closed doors and some licentious liaisons!

Previously released as a six part e-serial and, along with the controversial concept of Eugenics playing a large role, this novel which has been labelled "New Adult", is a family saga filled with the dramatic highs and lows of greed, scandal, family secrets, betrayal and loyalty which Downton Abbey fans will find enthralling.

I wish to thank the publisher, Pan MacMillan, for providing me with a paperback copy of this glitzy novel.

[Andrea at Reading Lark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Posted on Reading Lark 5/3/13: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2013/...

I have been wanting to read this one for quite some time. The Roaring Twenties is a time period I have always found fascinating. I love watching women shake off the archaic notions and begin to assert themselves. The time period is laced with frivolity and freedom. I also find this time period so intriguing because it is sandwiched between two world wars and a depression. It's a small pocket of prosperity amid a world in chaos. While I have studied a great deal about this decade in the United States, I haven't learned much about how this decade played out in other parts of the world. I loved that this book was set in London and gave me a glimpse into a familiar time period through the lens of something new.

The Heiresses is the story of three girls who have grown up in very different homes. Thalia, is a tempestuous, beautiful girl, who was largely neglected by her adopted family; she never truly felt like she belonged and couldn't wait to break free. Erato (Ro) was raised on logic and academics; she craves siblings and dreams of becoming a doctor. Clio was brought up in a small country village by a vicar and his wife. Each girl is so vastly different, but one thing ties them together - they are sisters. None of the girls knows of the others' existence until the day a mysterious aunt requests their attendance at a lunch in London. Their lives will be forever changed by this one meal. For it is then that they learn that they are not only triplets, but also heiresses.

There is a slight problem that hinders the girls from being able to immediately claim their inheritance - Charles. He is the half brother that stands between them and their mother's legacy. The girls, along with the help of Aunt Hestia and others, must figure out the secrets behind their mother's death and their adoptions. Why would their father claim they did along with the mother? Why would their half brother demand they leave London forever?

I honestly wasn't expecting this novel to have so many dark secrets. I expected it to be a light and fun read, but there is a lot of depth. For one thing, I found that all three of the sisters became a stronger woman throughout the course of the story. Each of them brings their own baggage to the situation, but by the end I found that I admired them all. I was frustrated that Ro made so many bad decisions; I couldn't believe that someone so level headed would be swayed by emotions, but in the end she redeemed herself. I also found it interesting that the one sister I didn't enjoy in the beginning, Clio, had become my favorite by the end.

This entire novel focuses on perceptions and how they often can drive our decisions. Nothing was as it seemed to be and every time things would start to feel predictable, Rushby would throw a twist into the mix. I was completely wrapped up in the triplets and their London adventure. I was shocked by their actions, moved by their emotions, and on the edge of my seat trying to piece together the mysteries surrounding their birth.

All in all, The Heiresses is a fun historical fiction read. It doesn't shy away from the negative trends of the Roaring Twenties, but rather illustrates the time period in an authentic way. Each sister brings a certain personality to the story and I enjoyed watching them navigate the changing currents of their world as the story progressed.

One Last Gripe: Ro's romance irked me. Her actions didn't seem true to her logic driven self. I also was just disappointed with her decisions where the guy was concerned. She deserved better.

My Favorite Thing About The Book: I really enjoyed the growth of Clio and the elements that surrounded her story thread.

First Sentence: The doorbell at the Craven-Towneley home emitted a sharp buzz under Hestia Craven's finger.

Favorite Character: It started out as Ro, but ended up being Clio

Least Favorite Character: Thalia - although she does redeem herself by the end

[Amy (Lost in a Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book when I read a guest post by Rushby on S.I.K Book Reviews and a giveaway was running for her book. I loved how exciting and intriguing this book sounded and so I entered...and I then maybe went blog stalking where others had the giveaway to enter on their blogs as well. Needless to say this blog stalking and persistence paid off because I won myself copy. And I was so glad I did, it was excellent.

Set in 1920s London, The Heiresses follows these three young women who are growing up, discovering their lives are not what they thought them to be, and fighting to claim what is rightfully theirs.

The premise of the story and introduction to the world is done well; within the first few pages you are able to capture a mystery and a great confusion that tells you that there are a lot of answers and things to discover. The prologue sets up the story well, we are shown a snippet of the past, but all of the things that are not said make up for the rest of the novel where you are searching for answers.

The idea of The Heiresses is really good. In an age before DNA, with aristocracy and titles, riches and reputation to consider, making sure the right heirs are given the right privileges is imperative. The process the three girls go through in order to find the truth is very clever but also personal and emotional as well.

The journey the girls have in finding more about this family they knew nothing about and in a new environment of London and society is great. We see how the three react, adjust, and cope in the new life with ties to their former home being severed or being used to pull them back again. There is a lot of history in the book, the suffragettes and the modern age is developing and the social consequences are paramount.

Their aunt, Hestia, is a modern woman with her own ideas and her own home, which helps the girls, but hinders them at the same time. The darker sides of the twenties are also shown but nothing is spelled out exactly which is creative. In a very clever approach Rushby implies a lot, or makes brief references without having to state things outright. This is quite effective because it allows the reader to make connections themselves and gives them credit to read between the lines.

Because of the historical era we are also exposed to the wonderful fashion and technology that 1920s London was experiencing. Rushby uses these things, especially the fashion and the motor cars, as a device to show us not just how London was as a city, but to demonstrate further who these three teenagers are. As a result we get a great sense that these eighteen year olds are starting their adult life and finding their place in this new world.

A lot of the book is the relationship and life the three girls have rather than directly focussing on the Charles issue which was interesting. As the book went on I was unsure where this would lead since there were no dramatic conflicts and strong focus on what I thought was the main reason the girls were brought together for. Of course there are conflicts, and I suppose this reflects the reality aspect a lot, there are times when you cannot go in guns blazing ready to fight. In that regard I think Rushby portrayed it well.

As the pages start to lessen and you start to think that the ending will be rushed or somehow the sequel will have to continue this aspect of the story but no. Rushby manages to wrap up the novel beautifully without rushing. Everything is answered in a satisfactory manner and when it finishes you get a sense of where everyone is going.

We get the sense that these characters will be ok in the lives they have created for themselves and after passing through the mess of jealousy, drama, greed, and secrets, isn't that all you can hope for for them. I look forward to reading the sequels and seeing what else is in store for these siblings.

This review was also posted on my blog http://lostinagoodbk.wordpress.com/20...

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 1926 in London and there are three girls that couldn't be more different except that they are related. They are triplets and were separated at birth. Their Aunt Hestia has contacted them as they are heiresses to their mother's fortune. Their mother died during childbirth and their father, a morally bankrupt man, gave them up. Until now, the girls had no idea they had sisters, let alone an heiress for a mother. The first child,Thalia, is the beautiful sister that is outgoing and spunky to a fault. She often finds herself in precarious situations and lives life on the edge. Then there's Erato, or Ro, who dreams of becoming a doctor and continuing her education, and lastly, Clio. She's the conservative religious sister that simply wants to help her adopted mother get medical treatment. Of course all three girls could really benefit from the money; however, their half brother, Charles, has the money and they must find a way to get it back as it is rightfully theirs. The Heiresses by Allison Rushby is an entertaining read filled with scandal, family secrets, some romance and of course, all the fun that three girls living in the 1920s in London could have. Fans of the Luxe series will enjoy this "new adult" historical read.

The three sisters are all so very different, yet entertaining in their own right. Thalia is a force to be reckoned with and I found myself getting frustrated with her from time to time. Her home life before coming to London wasn't that great, which may explain her behavior. She's rather bossy, unpredictable, and likes to have fun...maybe too much fun. I found myself rooting for Ro as she is more the "middle of the road" sister. She is smart, determined, logical, but still likes to be social and have fun. She's got her eye on a certain professor; I wouldn't expect anything less from a bookworm! On the other hand, there's Clio. She's the adopted daughter of a vicar and religion is important to her. She's rather shy and although she has good intentions, she kind of annoyed me. I wanted her to stand up for herself in The Heiresses, because at times she was perfectly content with being a wallflower. There's definitely more than meets the eye with Clio, though.

Aunt Hestia is definitely an unconventional aunt and let the girls pretty much run wild in London. I thought she was an interesting feminist who is involved in politics; I actually wanted more of her in The Heiresses. She was always off at meetings and when the girls would find themselves in a jam, I often wanted Aunt Hestia to guide them a bit more often even though I feel like she often figured things out late in the game. Be forewarned, The Heiresses is a "new adult" read as the girls are eighteen years old; keep in mind, there's drugs, sex, scandal, and of course, alcohol. This is the 1920s after all.

There's a ton of family drama in The Heiresses. The girls must figure out a way to get the money from their half brother, Charles, who is determined to just get them out of London so he can continue on with his political career. The girls must come together in order to deal with Charles and that wasn't always easy as they are so very different, especially Thalia who does what she wants, when she wants.

What is so cool about The Heiresses is the fact that it is published as an e-serial, which means readers can get the book broken up into six episodes or novellas for $1.99 each. If an e-serial doesn't strike your fancy, this May the whole book will be published as a paperback. I will admit that the e-serial is a really great idea! I thought it was a lot of fun to read The Heiresses in six episodes, much like I would watch my favorite TV show. So, if you are a fan of Downtown Abbey, the Luxe series or juicy historical reads, check out The Heiresses.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Source: Bought

This book attracted me for several (rather shallow) reasons. For starters, the cover is super pretty. I love the color of her dress and her lipstick and it just screams historical elegance to me. Once I read the summary, I was pulled in by the mention of sisters (triplets to be specific) and 1920s London, a time of elegance for those wealthy enough to be a part, which these girls most certainly are. So I bought a copy and then it sat and sat and sat while I worked through review books before finally settling down with it this past weekend.

Well I could just kick myself for waiting so long to pick up this book. Though it had some flaws that nagged at me, I was mostly just swept away and I really enjoyed it. Best of all, I believe it is supposed to be a standalone so each story is pretty much wrapped up. I think this is partly because it seems to have been originally published as six e-books with a cliffhanger to end each section but designed just to be those six parts and nothing more. I appreciate a conclusive ending with the most important plot points addressed but with room for the reader to speculate about the ultimate end for the characters as they age and continue moving through their lives.

However I was nervous at the start because it begins with the birth of the triplets to a dying mother and a cruel father with an indifferent doctor in attendance. Only aunt Hestia's determination and the ministrations of a kind nursemaid aid the girls in their first days. Soon each is farmed out to a different family with their origins concealed until they reach the age of eighteen and their father is dead. Aunt Hestia brings the three girls together to share the news and lets them at London. Eldest Thalia is thrilled to escape her horrible upbringing and eagerly partakes in everything offered: parties, boys, alcohol, drugs, etc. anything to battle her demons. Middle Erato is of a more intellectual bent and is excited for the opportunity to attend university but is derailed by a young man. Youngest Clio had the idyllic pastoral childhood and is concerned with her mother's lungs as she observes her sisters' embrace of decadence. Additionally the girls have to battle their half-brother for their mother's fortune and investigate the mystery of why Clio looks so different.

There is so much packed into this novel so there is really something for everyone. Family drama, romance, childhood traumas galore, class issues, eugenics makes an appearance, religion, contemporary birth control: what have you is probably there (and I'm not even mentioning everything!) Personally I found myself most drawn to Clio, being rather appalled by Thalia's casual disregard for her person and never quite clicking with Erato though I had anticipated being most connected with her. Instead Clio's faith and confidence in herself was what I loved. That's not to say that I didn't like the other characters, just that Clio had that something special that intrigued me.

I also must mention the names. The older generation are sisters Demeter and Hestia with next generation being Thalia, Erato, and Clio. As a lover of Greek mythology, I recognized the source but I do wonder about its likelihood. It just seemed so out-there and I would have expected names more like Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth. I never got used to seeing them in print even with acquaintances like Venetia appearing next to them.

Overall: An enchanting breakneck romp through 1920s London stuffed to the brim with drama that kept me breathlessly flipping through the pages especially as I reached the conclusion.

[Jenea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The twenties is an era that I find completely fascinating, so when I saw that this was set in that time, I knew it would be great. Three sisters brought back together after years of being separated at birth, to gt the inheritance they are entitled to, how could there not being any family drama? And that is just what I got. Family drama…

These are very different young girls, they all have all grown up in such different ways of life too. Eratos is the middle sister, she was, well I guess you could say she was the smart and logical one. Thalia is the oldest of the three, she was a handful to say the least. She wanted the title and the status to go with it. Her methods were a little schemish (that’s a word, right), and she spent most of the time partying in any way she could, even if meant hurting her sisters in the process. Which lead me to the youngest of the three, Clio. I think of all of them, she was my favorite. She was so shy and timid when they all first met, and she didn’t change from that sweet, shy girl even with all the privileges that came with her name. The sisters were definitely entertaining and they all grew as the story continued. There is some romance.

The world building is filled with squabbling, a run kind of wild freedom the girls Aunt Hestia gave them. She was unconventional, leaving the girls basically to fend for themselves most of the time while she off at her meetings. She wan’t a bad person, and I wouldn’t have minded getting to more about her. Charles, their half brother was pretty despicable, and the sisters have to come together and the inheritance that was rightfully theirs. Historical fiction is not something I read all all that much, but there a few eras that I just enjoy, the 20′s is one of them. The music, the clothes and the fight for social status, and this gave it all to me. Rushby did an amazing job capturing the essence of this time period.

The Heiresses was more than I expected, and the journey with these girls was fun and exciting. They were all so different, and that makes for some interesting family drama, and there was certainly no shortage, with dark family secrets to betrayals. Fans of historical fiction will love this one.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thalia, Erato (also known as Ro) and Clio are triplets separated at birth who could not have lived more different lives. Thalia , a lively girl with a party spirit, lived with a busy family but isolated from loved ones. Ro is as scholarly as her adopted uncle and spent her days at boarding school broadening her mind. And then there’s Clio – the youngest – who grew up in meagre surroundings but never lacking for love.

These three girls are strangers in every way but blood and brought together by their Aunt Hestia upon their birth father’s death. A fortune being held from them, family secrets and the complicated business of growing up brings drama to them. Will they stand together or fall divided?

This book started its life as an e-serial – a five-part digital series of novellas. I think that’s such a cool concept. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other historical fiction aimed at the New Adult market. Because of its form there are mini cliff-hangers at the end of each novella which I liked – there is always something happening to keep my attention.

The girls themselves are so much fun to read for different reasons. Thalia is the belle of the upper society social set – giving the party girls of the day a run for their money. Clio is trying to find her feet in a world that is more dream (or nightmare) from her every day reality. And then there’s Ro – my personal favourite – who is so logical and measured but when faced with love, her common sense gets in the way. They are each charming in their own way and the best part of the novel for me as a reader was seeing how they each faced the same situations with such varied backgrounds.

The supporting characters and villains are fantastic at propping up the three sisters in their search for truth and family. Aunt Hestia is very interesting and I’d love to be able to read her back story (Allison – if you ever wrote a novella regarding Hestia I’d devour it in an instant!).

I recommend this book for fans of historical dramas like Downton Abbey. There’s scandal in a way that only books set in a past era can deliver as well as quirky yet charming characters and sinister villains.

[Shy The WidowMaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to start out by saying I don't normally read historical romance type reads but since this one was more young adult geared and had a mystery involved it intrigued me and I had to read it. We start this book out in 1926 with three girls that are all so different but have more in common than they realize. First up let me talk about the girls who are named Thalia,Ro and Clio. These girls grew up so different but yet all share the one factor of being really strong women. The girls meet their aunt Hestia who is another strong women and learn that they had a rich mother who left them with a huge inheritance and they have to fight to get it back. I loved that the girls had this great mystery to unravel and on top of that they have to learn how to get along with each other.

As the story progresses we learn more about why the girls were sent away and there are some interesting revelations I can't get into without spoiling the book. I loved that as the book went on we learned more about what makes the girls tick and that really helped me understand more about them. I loved that to say this was 1926 these girls really stood up for themselves and where women to be reckoned with. They were by no means pushovers or wallflowers and that was so great to see. I think for the girls the greatest lesson they learned in this book was having to become a family and rely on each other and their aunt. I loved that once they got past their differences they really started to become like true sisters and would do anything for each other.

Overall this was a quick light read and one that I enjoyed. I liked that it read more like a tale of mystery than it did a historical romance. I loved reading all about the fashion of the time period and the cool parties the girls went to. I also loved the scientific aspects that came up in parts of the book and the way this story plays out was awesome. I can't to see if this series will be continued as I would love to see more of these sisters. I would recommend this one to readers of book with intrigue and suspense and those that love historical romance reads.

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three sisters, separated at birth, are reunited once again in their teenage years upon learning that they are in line to inherit a fortune. The premise of this book sounded wonderful to me, and I knew that I would love to read it. I was absolutely right. Our setting is 1920’s London, when flappers and women’s rights are all the rage. We have three daring girls, with names from Greek mythology I might add, who have led separate lives but are not joined together on one mission: get back what was rightfully theirs. Allison Rushby first published this book as an e-series, and I am so glad that these stories were put together in one book altogether!

My favorite part of this book was obviously getting to know the girls. Thalia, Erato, and Clio were as different as night and day! Thalia was our flapper wannabe, Erato was the brains behind the entire operation, and Clio was not quite sure about either one of them. Before they met in London, each girl was being raised by different guardians, another story in itself, and each girl was accustomed to a different living style entirely. In this novel we see them share secrets, butt heads, and learn to be a family. I was so impressed with Rushby’s writing style and how she was successfully able to keep each girl, and her thoughts, separate from those of her sisters! I always love that in a story!

I do have to say that Aunt Hestia, the one who reunites the girls in the first place, was my favorite character. She plays a very pivotal part in the story and she is the one whom all the secrets come from. This book is a little like Downton Abbey, as the author compared it to, but has a more modern feel. There are plenty of secrets and even more backstabbing. The girls learn things about themselves that they would have never dreamed to be true. This was an exciting journey and I hope to read more like it for Allison Rushby in the future!

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review***

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Allison Rusby emailed me to tell me about her new novel The Heiresses I was intrigued. I love YA/NA books and I have come to love books set in different time periods, particularly the earlier time periods so I was very intrigued to read The heiresses, and I was delighted to get an early copy from Netgalley.

The Heiresses tells the tale of three girls, Ro, Thalia, and Clio. The girls were brought up separately, though they all knew their adoptive families weren’t their real families. As their 18th birthday approaches the girls are invited to take tea with their Aunt, a real Aunt, where they discover they are in fact triplets and that their mother left them a fortune that they must get back from their step-brother Charles. The girls must work together to get their inheritance but as Thalia says, in the end it’s all about money and when the girls start needing money, they find themselves on opposite sides.

I really quite liked The Heiresses. It wasn’t perhaps as action packed as I suspected it might have been, but it was a great read. I loved the time period it was set in, loved the proper way of speaking, an art form that most definitely does not exist any more, whether for the better or not! I loved how each of the girls stood out, they all had their own personalities, all had their own reasons for needing money, be it selfless like Clio or selfish like Thalia or just plain desperate like Ro.

I really loved Aunt Hestia, I liked that she wanted the girls to all meet, that she wanted to take care of them, that she didn’t just leave them be, especially as Thalia had a rather awful upbringing. It was such a well written novel and I loved how the story of the girls birth slowly unfolded, bit by bit. I really enjoyed The Heiresses, it was a beautiful novel filled with some lovely characters. I particularly liked the Clio and Edwin strand, as I do love a good romance! Yes, if you’re a fan of novels set in the past, this one is definitely for you and I enjoyed it immensely.

[Kacii · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Allison Rushby's Heiresses, three triplets--estranged since birth--are thrust together in glittering 1926 London to fight for their inheritance, only to learn they can’t trust anyone--least of all each other.

When three teenage girls, Thalia, Erato and Clio, are summoned to the excitement of fast-paced London--a frivolous, heady city full of bright young things--by Hestia, an aunt they never knew they had, they are shocked to learn they are triplets and the rightful heiresses to their deceased mother's fortune. All they need to do is find a way to claim the fortune from their greedy half-brother, Charles. But with the odds stacked against them, coming together as sisters may be harder than they think.

Yes, I realize I copied the summary instead of inventing my own. So I'm saying right now as not to plagiarise that the description is the official synopsis off of Goodreads and I have no part of it. I Just don't have that many creative zings running through me at this hour. So I thought it best to borrow the description rather than write a bad summary.

Anyways, excuses aside, time for the review. I'm usually in love with historical fiction, but this book was just hard to get into. I suppose I usually lean towards pirates and slaves and such when I'm looking for historical fiction, so this may just not have been my taste. Nevertheless, I had a hard time getting into the story.

Other than not getting into the story I did like it. The writing was well done and things didn't seem amiss. I liked the names of the characters more than the characters themselves, I think. Thalia, Erato, and Clio are such cool names. Thalia I especially didn't like. She was trying to hurt her sisters and then she suddenly liked them? Eh, I don't think so. Clio is incredibly sweet. And Erato is super smart and really wants to have these sisters she's just found out about. I liked those two okay.

The storyline was okay, but it didn't pull me in. Thalia is mainly to blame for that. So overall, an okay story but I probably wouldn't buy the book.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Heiresses is the story of three girls separated at birth: Thalia, Erato (called Ro), and Clio. They are summoned to glittery 1920s London by their aunt Hestia and are told the truth: they are all triplets and rightful heiresses to their dead mother’s fortune. However, their greedy half-brother, Charles, a young man intent on becoming a powerful politician, is holding on the money, and refuses to give them their rightful share of the money.
The three girls move into their aunt’s house and almost at once make discoveries about themselves that starts their quest to find out the truth about their parents and their inheritance.

This book was very interesting. I loved the general story, and I think this book was placed in the perfect time period; the glitter and glamour of the twenties just makes it for me. Most of the time I enjoyed the story, and I thought the author did a great job of painting a picture of the setting.
One thing I had a problem with was the POV the story was told in. The POV switched from sister to sister, and though this was very useful in the beginning, when the three of them were apart, I found myself wishing that the author had just stuck to Ro (who was pretty much the main character) and included more dialogue to let us know the other two’s thoughts. I also wished that there was a little more chit-chat and relationship building between the sisters. It felt like the only time they talked was when there was a huge fight or a plot twist. I mean, they’re all living in the same house, right? You’d think they’d talk to each other sometimes. I’m giving this 3 stars for a good story and intrigue.

I would recommend this book someone who likes historical fiction, or someone who likes the TV show Downton Abbey. This definitely has Downton-like intrigue, though it’s more ‘big city’ then Downton Abbey. For an age recommendation, I would say 12 and up. There’s a ton of romance and they talk about drugs and alcohol a lot.

You can find reviews like this one on my blog Bookworm Reviews

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** I was provided a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway

While I found The Heiresses to be a likeable and easy read, it really wasn't more than that to me. In fact there were times when I put the book down and wasn't quite sure that I wanted to pick it up again (like after the dramatic birthing scene). But then I did pick it up again. I found that I did after all want to know what happened to the sisters and to uncover the mystery surrounding their heritage.

Unfortunately although I liked two of the sisters, I found the third one to be quite miserable and unlikeable which was frustrating in a book that I hoped would be about the characters finding each other and developing true relationships as sisters. I also always have a hard time with a book when I don't love the main character(s).

The main plot line of the book was the mystery surrounding the triplets' birth and their struggle to regain their inheritance, which was enjoyable enough and had many twists and much drama. However mixed in were the crazy exploits of the elder sister, the struggle for women's lib, love stories that weren't really fleshed out, arguments for science versus religion, the decadence of the young and rich, struggles with alcoholism and drugs, etc. And what ended up happening was that none of these story lines really had enough time devoted to them and they ended up feeling rushed. I actually had several moments where I thought 'Huh? Where did that come from?' This also caused the main plot to become almost forgotten at points in the book.

I do have to say that the story kept me reading. I found the setting of the book to be wonderfully done and very realistic. The mystery surrounding the sisters kept me turning pages wanting to find out the truth, despite it being almost overly dramatic.

Overall it is a fun read and if you enjoy dramatic stories in a period setting this is a likeable and fairly fast read.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three teenage girls with wildly different upbringings are summoned to 1925 London and told that they are sisters -- triplets, in fact. Thalia, the eldest, was placed into a wealthy, but abusive household. Erato (or, Ro, as she is known), the middle triplet, grew up moderately-wealthy, with scientific-minded parents. Then there's Clio, the baby, who had little money, but a loving family. All three are placed under the care of their aunt-by-blood, Hestia, and informed that they must regain their mother's inheritance from the clutches of their half-brother.

Thalia, carrying a load of baggage, takes the opportunity to spend every bit of allowance her aunt gives her -- and then some -- on a car, clothes, lipstick, a dog, and drugs. She spends most of the novel being irresponsible and promiscuous. Logical Ro wants only to unveil the secrets behind the triplets' birth and their dispersal. Clio, who strangely looks nothing like her sisters, only wants to use the money to cure her sick adoptive mother.

Instead of the girls putting their time and energy into getting their rightful inheritence, they spend the majority of the novel going to parties, meeting boys, and feeling sorry for themselves. Their aunt Hestia, who looked for them for seventeen years, puts them up in her townhouse, then leaves them to their own devices while she's off campaigning for women's sufferage. She stuffs money in a drawer for their use and stacks a cabinet full of 1920s birth control implements. Granted, she's not married, nor has she had any contact with the girls before then, but if the goal is to get her sister's inheritance back from her brother-in-law's son, I'd think she'd be right in the thick of it.

Interesting novel, but not spectacular.

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best Bits: I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The setup is great, three girls are brought to London to be reunited with their Aunt who is going to help them regain their rightful fortune. Each girl has a unique personality, and wildly different values. That meant that we got to see some interesting moral dilemmas, and made the plotting and planning rather fun. This book doesn't shy away from the tough subjects. You don't really expect to read about topics like eugenics in a book like this. Rushby did a great job of fitting it in. It's hard now to remember that there was a time that this subject wasn't looked at as unethical, cruel, and illegal. Similar the other book that I reviewed this week, I think that there is some crossover potential for older teens who enjoy historical reads.

Nit Picks: This one had it's ups and downs for me. I think that Rushby could have cut out a chunk of the book just to keep the pace going. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, but about halfway through things began to drag a bit. We got deeper into each character, but it meant we spent an extended amount of time with each girl without much forward movement of the plot. I also thought that the conflict within the sisters (Thalia) didn't hit the right chord for me. In attempting to keep this spoiler free, I think that the revelation that the readers gets at the end of the book came too late. There were a couple of hints at the beginning of the story that something is wrong, but I don't think it's enough to allow the reader to trust her. Her redemption in the story felt like the sisterhood version of insta-love.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review by Beth

This novel had all the characteristics I’d usually love in a plot and characters but it unfortunately fell a little short of my expectations. The edition I read was an advanced copy via Netgalley so I understand that some typos were to be expected as editing had yet to be completed but there we pages missing and it skipped forward and backwards a few times which made it difficult to follow the plot.

The three main characters, the triplets, are fascinating. They could not be more different – mostly due to the fact that they haven’t grown up together I’d imagine and learning more about each of their stories makes them even more intriguing. My favourite was Erato I think although they all had characteristics which I really enjoyed. Rushby is clearly great at creating really strong and believable characters.

The novel is set in 1926 in London, one of my favourite time periods and the girls attitudes and behaviours reflect the time well and is packed with fun, romance and the scandal you’d expect at the time. The novel is based around their family drama and how it affects them all and with their inheritance up in the air and their seemingly dastardly half-brother Charles around every corner the novel has you guessing at the turn of every page.

This novel has been classified as New Adult as well as historical and it’s the first novel I’ve read in this genre. It is part of a larger series so was a short read and despite finding the characters interesting I’m not desperately seeking out the others in the series.