The Devil and the Heiress

The Gilded Age Heiresses #2

by Harper St. George

Sparks fly when a runaway heiress bargains with a devilish rogue to escape a marriage of convenience.

No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side, near his heart, in his bed.

Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true....

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult

275 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 29, 2021

About the author

Harper St. George grew up in rural Alabama and along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, where stories of the past sparked her lifelong love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school she discovered historical romance novels, which brought all of those elements together in one irresistible package. She’s been hooked ever since.

Today, Harper lives in the Atlanta area where she writes historical romance set from the Viking Era to the Gilded Age. Her novels have been translated into ten languages and featured in major publications including Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine, Oprah Daily, Woman’s World, Forbes, PopSugar, and Bustle. She has also received the prestigious honor of having her books selected for Book of the Month Club and BuzzFeed Best Romance of the year. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at harperstgeorge.com

Reviews

[Hannah B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon reread: YUP THIS STILL FUCKS

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️.25/5

______

✨The sexual tension between me and screaming “HE LOOKS UP GRINNING LIKE A DEVIL” whenever Christian is on the page✨

I loved this one just as much as I loved book one! And I really loved book one. The pining and anticipation were through the roof and Christian was so yummy. Violet was such a strong and likable heroine. I knew she was going to go on the run but I still was such a proud mom when it happened. Simply put, The Devil and the Heiress just had so many of my favorite things:

✨Reformed rake
✨Romance writing heroine
✨Only one bed
✨Injury scene (aka precursor to sensual healing)
✨More fireworks of the sexual variety
✨Road trip shenanigans
✨Supreme groveling

I love how Christian was like “yeah I could leave her because she loves me and she shouldn’t but no it turns out I love her too much to hurt her like that so I’ll just be honest and make sweet, sweaty love to her because really that is The Goal.” I was absolutely not expecting him to come to his senses during that scene and then it was seriously so sweet. Karma still came around to grant him a sloppy makeout session but at least he showed some smarts. It was nice to see how his mentality changed and that he was made to reckon with his original beliefs about marriage and women and love.

I still want Camille to have her own book because I think she had a little somethin somethin with her bodyguard-type man. Please let Hereford croak and give Camille her happily ever after. The teaser for book three left me WEAK and I cannot wait to see Max to lose his cool. As for me, my cool was lost around page 175, all the pages before it, and all the pages after it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶🌶/5

P.S. Reading the two in the series and the first chapter of book three alls I gotta say is that father is a tool. And moms not so peachy either.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was excited to read another book by this author and read the sister's story. I loved this book from page one. First, Christian is determined to marry Violet and beat all of the suitors who asked for her hand in marriage. While he may have wanted to do it for business reasons in the beginning, he ends up falling for Violet and wanting her for her. Violet does not want to marry a man she cannot stand, so she wants to run away before she's forced to marry one or unwillingly compromised and then forced to marry one. Christian offers to help her and they go on a road trip together. There are some fun antics as they have to pretend to be brother and sister at one inn and then newly weds at another. I adored how they fell for each other and how Christian was truly smitten with her. Their love was so real and I definitely believed they fell for each other in that short amount of time. I will say I didn't truly love the pacing at the end or what broke them up, but overall I just loved this book! Oh, and Christian is an Earl but he also fights, which is always a fun addition to a hero's character!

[Annika (emotional maximist) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Lies or love ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breaking news! Tension and yearning resuscitated and alive and well❤️

An heiress running from one fate… straight into another far more calculated.🖤

I literally sat on the edge of my seat bracing myself, something was definitely coming, but I didn’t know the destruction it would entail. I just knew it.
It wasn’t obvious, it was never spelled out. Just there, in the subtext, waiting.⭐️

Violet, an American heiress, is being traded, promised against her will to the vile Lord Ware, by her parents who see her as currency, not a daughter.🔪
So she decides to run away to
escape her fate. But it’s not entirely off her own thinking, but with careful manipulation.

So her escape though was never entirely hers.. Because Christian, the Earl of Leigh, has been watching, planning and waiting to ensnare her into marriage.
With manipulation and spies in her household, he carefully laid plans to ensure that when Violet flees… she would run straight into his arms.

He needs her fortune and has decided she will be his.

Violet is however already half in love with Christian, 💔 she is young and innocent and he has her wrapped around his little finger. Planting little seeds in her mind when they have shared fleeting ballroom encounters. When she stubbles upon him during her escape from Lord Ware, she believes it to be a complete coincidence.🖤

Their journey north becomes something neither of them really anticipated. A trap ? Yes, but also they start to really fall in love. What started as a calculated manipulation slowly twists into something real between them, and I ate it up.

When the outside world finally catches up to their little love bubble, and her brother finds them. She finally understands the full extent of Christians deception.. it’s not just betrayal. It’s the realization that their love feel entirely as a lie.❤️‍🩹

The romance was so well written. It lives in the smallest moments, quiet conversations, fleeting touches, things left unsaid. YEARNING.
When he tells her he loves her the first time… I literally had to stop and take it in. Giggling like a schoolgirl.😁

One small moment bothered me (a controlling choice from the FMC), it didn’t take away from the overall experience. I still vehemently disagree with her action. Spoiler: He gives her control of her dowry but she checks if he used “her” money for a donation. Hated it, I also understand it.

Should you read it? Absolutely.
It’s was utterly romantic.

Chance of divorce? 5% Their finances might get in the way.

[Christy Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading The Heiress Gets a Duke, I figured that I would read the next novel in the series. It didn’t disappoint. It was just as charming and fun as the first one.

Violet Crenshaw is known as the biddable and proper American heiress. While her sister made quite a splash in the last book, Violet has been the one who followed the rules. More or less. Underneath her polite veneer, she has the need to be more than a lady who marries. She wants to be a writer. When her parents decide to marry her off to a horrible aristocrat, she plans her escape. Meanwhile, Lord Leigh has had his sights on Violet since before his friend married her sister. After her father turns down his offer of marriage, he decides to take matters into his own hands and use her escape to their mutual advantage.

I did like these characters as much as I thought I might from their appearances in the last one. Maybe they aren’t as spirited as Evan and August but they are sweet and adorable. They are able to build their relationship, albeit in an unconventional way for the Gilded Age. After their courtship comes the expected misunderstanding and loss of trust and faith, but the eventual reconciliation is lovely. I enjoyed the little hints of a brewing relationship between Violet’s brother Max and her friend Lady Helena (they will be in the upcoming novel). I wish I had seen more of August and Max who I really liked. There isn’t a lot of plot going on (in either novel). It’s a straightforward romance so that’s all that matters when reading, which is fine when someone is looking for the basics in entertainment. I did enjoy reading this book and I wish the third one was out already. It will just have to sit on my TBR list until February.

[Mimi Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper St. George’s latest is a sparkling jewel of a love story, full to the brim with Victorian wit, romance, and heart-stopping heat. Road trips in a carriage and four don’t get much sexier than this.

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Summary:
No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw's ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author--if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn't insist on coming with her.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her--by his side, near his heart, in his bed.

Though Christian's burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It's going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter's love is true....

Thoughts:
Wow! This book was a great ride to go on. I loved the chemistry between Violet and Christian. I loved how fierce sand fed up with her parents Violet was, because man, I was too. After the last book and the beginning of this one I was so frustrated with them and how pushy and horrible they were to their daughters. It really was a new low in my opinion. So when Violet takes a stand, I was all for it. Her willingness to buck against convention had a more purposeful feeling than it did for August in the previous novel. She is a romantic at heart and though that does make her ripe for the pickings for Christian, but she is so loveable that her naivete doesn't feel fake.

Christian is a naughty boy and I honestly could have used more of that. He wasn't evil by any means, though he is willing to go to extremes to get what he wants. Violet is what he wants and he does think he has something offer in exchange, not just to take from her. When he starts to fall for her.... the guilt is just eating him alive and the grovel he does at the end of this book was very fitting.

There was just 2 little pieces that bugged me. One had to do with how the 3rd act conflict unfolded, I thought we were going to usurp a trope that annoys me, but we still fell into it. The other has to do with a secret that the heroine keeps near the end of the book and it is something that I don't have much leeway for.

Overall I really loved this book and hope there is another one about their brother Max, who was as wonderful as their parents were awful.

4.5/5 stars

[ChasingLeslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Heiress Violet Crenshaw was nearly pushed into one unwanted marriage, she won't let her parents do it again. Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, asks for Violet's hand (and dowry) but her father has another suitor in mind. Christian isn't above a little scheming: get Violet to run away and be conveniently available to escort her. But along the journey, Christian comes to realize that Violet is exactly what he really needs: by his side, in his bed, and with all his heart. When Violet learns of his ruse, he'll have to convince her of his sincere feelings.

This is the second book in the The Gilded Age Heiresses series. It can stand alone, but I recommend reading the first book. It's excellent, and it describes how Violet's parents tried to arrange her marriage to a duke, who ultimately wanted her sister instead.

Mr. Crenshaw is at it again, trying to arrange a different marriage for Violet...and hero Christian doesn't "bring enough to the table." While he's not in debt yet, a recent fire at his Scottish estate has Christian in need of a plump dowry. He genuinely wants Violet though, even if he has to employ some sneaky means to get her. When a freak accident occurs, Christian realizes the toll of his manipulations.

I really enjoyed these characters and I loved how Christian started as a bit of a villainous hero but evolved as he opened up with Violet. She was desperate to be independent, but still a bit naïve. I appreciated that they eventually had to take time apart, pine for each other, and he tried to make amends. It made their happy ending more meaningful because it wasn't rushed.

Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Road Trip, Nursed to Health, Reform a Rake

Steam: 3

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #TheDevilandtheHeiress #NetGalley

[Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: THE DEVIL AND THE HEIRESS
AUTHOR: Harper St. George
SERIES: A Gilded Age Heiress
RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021
GENRE: Historical Romance
RATING: 4 STARS
CLIFFHANGER: No

READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG





We swoon over romance set in the 18th,19th century and it's easy to forget how life women and especially women who were trying to break out of societal norms life was no joke. Violet and her sister grew up in a young America outside of the firm restrictions of England's Victorian era. Violet wants to be a writer and if that isn't already shockingly modern she also wants to choose who and when to marry. Her parents who proved to be the worst in the first book of this series have no compunctions to sell their daughters off to the aristocrat with the best connections. No matter if the person in question is an awful human being. And that all under the guise of wanting the best for their offspring. I already despised them in August's book, THE HEIRESS GETS A DUKE, but they take it to a whole new level with Violet because the man they have their eyes on is the worst.

Violet was a bit of a surprise. Between the two sisters she seemed to be the one more likely to give into her parents' wishes. Boy, was I wrong. She really fought them. I wish she wouldn't have defended their behavior. Even after her despicable suitor tried to trap her and they were like "meh, it didn't work, did it" she still believed that love was their motivating factor. Ugh.

Nothing in his entire life had prepared him for how she made him feel.

Christian was a rake after my own heart. So deliciously wicked, calculating, admittedly a little bit manipulative but he did make up for that big time. I think Violet's sweetness really took him by surprise and he was so charmed by it that things tumbled out of control from there. He fell head over heels for her, admired her spunk, independence and loved how refreshingly unprejudiced and unselfconscious she was. She awoke an honorable side of him that no one knew he had.

Even now it would be like giving up his right arm to see her go. Yet, not having her would serve as his penance for daring to take her at all.

And if you want a good grovel, the author delivers on that. Christian really regretted his deception and did everything to win Violet back.

“As long as I’m with you, I have everything I need.”

THE DEVIL AND THE HEIRESS is a fabulous installment in this series (although I found it on the slower side in the beginning - that could be just me though). I can see at least two more books in this series and while this book has already some major hints at the next couple's story, the fourth is pure speculation on my part. I think we'll see Christian's half brother win Violet and August's best friend Camille's heart. Fingers crossed!

[Harper George]

I wrote The Devil and the Heiress during the early days of the pandemic. These two characters kept me going when it seemed the world was a dark place. I got to visit with them and forget everything else for a few hours every day. Being with them and experiencing the love they felt for each other, even through the rough times, helped give me hope that even in darkness we can find a little bit of light.

It's no surprise that they hold a special place in my heart and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them ever since. I kept wondering what would happen when Christian goes home with Violet to Belgravia. I wondered how he would react to the changes she made, especially the new location for his father's portrait and what Violet might have put in its place. So I wrote an extra chapter that picks up where the book ends and it's available to newsletter subscribers. I hope you enjoy revisiting their story as much as I did!
Subscribe Here

*Minor spoilers, so you might want to save it until you've read the whole book.*

[Nabilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so much better than the previous installment. The previous one was a bit meh for me as it was too sweet for my taste.
This one was a road trip romance. I loved the fact that Christian and Violet became friends first before they really fell in love with each other. The conflict was that Christian wanted to manipulate things and forced Violet to accept his hand in marriage. Initially, it was her dowry that attracted him more than her, but over time, he realized that he would have her even if she was penniless. After Violet found out about his schemes, she understandably got really angry (who wouldn't?) and was not sure that Christian was merely lying or was any of it true. They did get married because word got out about their road trip.
There wasn't a lot of groveling by Christian. He gave Violet space as requested. However, he made a grand gesture in order to win her back and it worked.
All in all, a really good read with a good balance of angst and romance. I sacrificed my sleep again (I really have to stop doing that and now I have to drink copious amount of coffee to stay awake) so that shows how good this book is.

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violet Crenshaw is an American heiress whose parents are set on marrying off to a titled man in a business savy alliance. Violet however has no intentions to marry and instead plans to run away, support herself, and write and publish her novels. Christian Halston, the Earl of Leigh, encourages her to run off, even going si far as to offer his help, hoping to secure her own hand in marriage and use her fortune to rebuild his Scottish estate. What neither of them intend is to fall deeply and passionately in love along the way.

I really loved this, and honestly I loved it much more than the first in this series. The chemistry between the couple was so delicious and it was drawn out to perfection before they ultimately get together. And this hero was OUT OF HIS MIND in love with the heroine. Which I absolutely adore.

The road trip and traveling to different inns was such a fun change of pace and really set the scene for some steamy moments. I truly can not say enough good things about how perfectly the tension and build up between this couple was. 10/10 for that!

However I was frustrated with the third act conflict which I felt was obviously going to happen, but I would have loved more communication between them! But Christian's grovel was pretty wonderful.

Overall a VERY enjoyable read and I will definitely be checking out the third which hope of all hopes is between Max and Mrs. Harper!

[Amy Imogene Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A man with a lady-killer reputation, a woman with a fortune and a secret desire for autonomy. It's a classic setup, but Harper St. George wasn't satisfied with the normal plot for this type of romance—enter this oddball road trip read with some drama.

Characters: ★★★★
Plot: ★★
Romance itself: ★★★ 1/2

This series continues to be one of the more well written and characterized ones in the historical romance field. Harper St. George's version of Gilded Age heiresses taking England by storm feels fresh and is grounded by a dose of some seriously good writing and characterization.

But... I expected more for this pairing, I’ll be honest.

Violet is the second daughter of the Crenshaw family, a "new money" wealthy American family that is trying to branch out into England to achieve status and success within the upper tier of London Society. Her father is richer than Midas, and frankly the London folks know it. Sharks are in the water for Violet's hand in marriage.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, is a rogue with no interest in the trappings of Society or expectations. He's an earl with no money and a half-brother from his father's mistress, and with enough tarnishes to his reputation from that alone that he's over it all. But Violet's presence won't let him go. The money attached to Violet is a draw, Christian knows it is, but after watching his friend court Violet's older sister, Christian feels like maybe there's something interesting about this romance thing.

But Violet's father refuses to grant Christian permission to court her. So Christian has to get creative.

Now, before you abandon this review by thinking this setup is just like several others, here comes the twist: Violet herself wants to escape the terrible matchmaking of her father, too, so she willingly runs away with Christian's help.

That's right, folks: this is a road trip book!

The Devil and the Heiress was one of my more anticipated reads for new romances in recent years. Based on how Violet and Christian were described in the first book, I was super excited to see their love story play out.

But like I said earlier, I was actually a bit disappointed.

These two had the makings of a high-stakes, high-angst, and high-action affair. I wanted something shocking and memorable and lavish and raunchy.

What I got instead was a lot of innocent girl meets Big Bad Man while on a very sedate road trip... but even then, that trope fell apart as Christian's internal monologue was so incredibly vanilla and utterly romantic in his feelings. The innocent virgin vs. rogue didn't work for me, and it didn't even work with itself in my opinion.

I don't know, folks. I wanted more. It was still enjoyable because Harper St. George is proving herself a talent, but still. Here's to hoping the next book abandons the innocent virgin vibe—I'm tired of it being a crutch even when it's not a natural plot point.

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[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars

Harper St. George’s The Devil and the Heiress is book two in her series of novels about Gilded Age Heiresses , wealthy – or potentially wealthy – young American women who come to England to search for a titled husband. Laura Lee Guhrke’s An American Heiress in London has a similar premise as does Maya Rodale’s Keeping Up With the Cavendishes ; all feature American heiresses and the Transatlantic culture clash as they struggle to adapt to the rigid conventions of English high society in which, despite their enormous wealth, they are looked down upon because their money is “new” and their breeding questionable. I haven’t read the previous book (The Heiress Gets a Duke), which was generally well received, but I read this one easily as a standalone so anyone choosing to jump in here won’t find it difficult to do so.

Dabney Grinnan and I chatted about this one over at All About Romance and both agreed it was a bit... lacklustre, with a bland heroine and an unmemorable romance.

You can read the rest of this review at All About Romance

[Natasha is a Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After adoring The Heiress Gets a Duke, I couldn't wait to read another Harper St. George novel. Once again, class and privilege of the Victorian Era are joined together in transactional matrimony with the excess and opulence of the American Gilded Age in the story of a rebellious heiress who, in order to avoid arranged marriage, finds herself on the run across the British countryside with a wickedly handsome earl in tow. Long travel days and close sleeping arrangements at night create the perfect conditions for two strangers to fall in love, but once the earl's true motives are revealed, everything they've become to one another is suddenly put into question. Featuring another strong-willed heroine who craves independence more than romance in life, and an aristocrat who finally meets his match, this book is pure nirvana for any lover of Historical Romances, and this one just happens to be exquisitely written, too.

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the set up for this one in the previous book, there was no way I was going to miss this story.

I love love loved Violet and Christian. She’s sassy and knows what she wants from life. He’s brooding and really a marshmallow. Together they have instant chemistry and a shy unfurling of a relationship. I truly loved reading them learn about each other.

Plot wise, it was good. The carriage ride was quickly switched for a different setting and that part of the story was delightful. The angsty part did last longer than I expected, but I loved the reunion. If anything, I wanted more from the ending.

Overall, I loved this one more than the previous book and I hope we see more of these two in the next one.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[Dagmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, magical and sizzling!
Loved this passionate, swoonworthy road trip romance. The chemistry, sexual tension and sparks between the feisty and rebellious author heiress Violet and the devilish yet tender Christian, Earl of Leigh, were off the charts. This compulsively readable well-crafted story was so delicious, heartfelt, brilliant, wicked and witty and so unique it was literally unputdownable! Harper St George has become one of my favourite new HR authors. I can't recommend this series highly enough!💗

[Kaylene (No Longer On A Break 😭) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a FIVE star read for me.

I legitimately could not put it down!

Violet is tired of being the biddable daughter, the one who goes along with everything her parents ask of her, especially when they try to marry her off to the despicable Lord Ware.

Enter Christian, he wants Violet for himself, while it's mostly business - he does actually really like her as a person.

When Violet decides to run away to avoid marrying Lord Ware, Christian intercepts her and agrees to help her escape (or so she thinks)

The best part of this is how much spark there is between the two of them and the genuine affection they have for each other. They become friends and so much along the way and it is LOVELY.

I just really loved this, I never know what makes some books magic and others not. But this one is magic!

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses #2
Publication Date: 6/29/21
Period: Victorian – London 1875
Number of Pages: 304
** 5-Stars **

I discovered this new-to-me author with the first book in this series, The Heiress Gets a Duke. I absolutely loved that book and I believe this one is even better. The writing is exceptional – I love the way the author turns a phrase. The plot is well-formed, well delivered, and fast-paced. It was such an engrossing and interesting story I read it from beginning to end in one sitting.

We met the Crenshaw family in the first book and found the parents to be very despicable, but the children were delightful. Well, the parents haven’t changed one bit and they are now selling their daughter, Violet, to the nobleman with the most to offer Crenshaw Iron Works. Since they got themselves a Duke the last time, the title isn’t as important this time around – as long as there IS a title. What they need this time are the raw materials that will be needed by Crenshaw Iron Works when they open their London branch. They’ve found the perfect candidate and drawn up the agreements – but they ‘forgot’ to tell Violet she’d been auctioned off to an absolutely odious man.

Violet Crenshaw isn’t exactly who she seems to be. Everyone believes her to be very quiet, pliant, and biddable. What they don’t readily see is the spine of steel. What they don’t expect is for her to object to their marriage choice for her and they certainly don’t expect her to take any actions to thwart them. Violet is definitely more than everyone believes her to be. While everyone is valuing her for her monetary worth, they are missing her real worth.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, isn’t exactly who he seems to be either. He is – but it is because he has long ago buried the real Christian deep inside himself, so what we see on display is the cold, calculating, uncaring, and womanizing man he has become. Christian isn’t the typical pockets-to-let aristocrat in search of an heiress. However, since his beloved Scottish estate burned, he doesn’t have the funds to make the repairs. Frankly, he could care less about anything else in his Earldom – he really never plans to marry and have children so the title and everything that goes with it can either go to some distant relative or die out altogether. His vile father was the Earl and he hated Christian – for no good reason. Then, Christian met Violet and she intrigued him – and she was an heiress – what could go wrong there?

I highly recommend this book and this series. The author’s writing style just speaks to me and the characters could easily become my friends if I met them in real life. I loved watching Christian change from trying to manipulate Violet into doing as he wants to only wishing to love her and make her happy – even if it cost him his own happiness. It was also nice to spend some time with Max (Violet’s brother) and to get to know him better as I’m sure his book will be the next one. I hope you’ll choose to read this book and love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the first book in the series, The Devil and the Heiress is an exemplary take on the fortune hunter romance. Christian and Violet are appealing, well-suited characters, and their road trip romance is enjoyable to read. The story takes off, however, after a bit of a bump in the road - a small twist that definitely surprised us and added a little fun to the romance.

But of course "the course of true love never did run smooth," so once the wheels come off of the relationship, we needed to see how our characters came back together. We love a little groveling from a hero, and when it's public groveling combined with feminist political action, we really love it - and we get it here.

If you're looking for a basic fortune hunter on a road trip romance with some "pretend to be married" and a dash of hurt/comfort, this is a well-put-together exemplar that will check all your boxes.

49-Word Summaries:

Meg: What’s a budding romance novelist (and new money heiress) to do when her parents want to auction her off to the highest bidder? Why, get a sexy earl who definitely doesn’t want her cash to drop her off at a writer’s colony on his way to Scotland of course! ⁠
⁠
Laine: Violet is committed to her boyfriend but he isn't quite so committed to her so she decides to run off to a NaNoWriMo rather than marry an aristocrat. He's decided to trick her into thinking running off to Scotland to marry was her idea. Sexy time ensue before marriage.⁠

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

[Thushara]

DNF @43%

He would have bet his entire life that her breasts were now a pretty shade of pink.
Maybe it's because she is wearing a corset, lol.

---A Book A Week Challenge, Week 28 of 2022---

All jokes aside, I found the FMC to be naive and MMC to be somewhat manipulative. He needed her money and her being beautiful was just a bonus. Even at the 43% mark, he hasn't entertained the thought that he might be in love with her and not her money.

This book does include on-page descriptions of a toxic marriage (domestic violence implied, not the main couple). The FMC is being forced to marry a douchebag for the sake of her father's mining company.

I hate her toxic parents, especially her mother. Being a desi girl, I have come across parents IRL who would force their daughters into marriages just so that they could keep a good name in society (insert India's obsession with caste and religion here). While reading this book, it reminded me of a friend whom I lost to suicide earlier this year and many more who suffered from DV. Those parts of the story were quite triggering for me to read.

This is not entirely why I have decided to DNF this book.

The FMC hates the 'villain' cuz he's always staring at her boobs. Isn't that what the MMC is also doing?
She felt naive to me. And him? He was carefully inserting himself into her life and not being honest about his true intentions.

The 'villain' planned to trap FMC in a scandal so that she would have no choice but to marry him, while the MMC planned to do the exact same thing.

This is unforgivable in my book and no amount of groveling could earn him my trust back. How is he better than the asshole she was trying to escape from?

I don't think I will be continuing with the series. However, I am open to trying more books from the author.

[Lady Nilambari Reads HR · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

Plot Summary
A devilish Earl. An heiress. A stolen bride. Love can be found when you decide to lose yourself.

My Thoughts
- I was anticipating reading this book since I enjoyed the previous one quite a bit, but thank God I did not build my expectations over much, or it would have been a much bigger disappointment. Not that this story was bad, but it lacked a certain depth that the previous one had displayed.
- So, the things that I enjoyed about this story were the writing, pacing, some degree of humour, the road trip trope, the romance (up until a certain point), and a few aspects of the characters. It does seem like I liked all the things a book has to offer, but here is my problem, all of it felt half-assed to me.
- Starting with the plot, it had promise, yes, but it was not quite the fortune-hunter trope, nor was it particularly insta-love, and the misunderstanding resolutions were poorly handled as well. So what I am trying to say is this - it should have ended 25% sooner.
- The second problem was the main characters. Ms St George had been building and developing them wonderfully until she gave them both a severe setback. What had been budding tenderness and self-assuredness became self-doubt and punishing behaviour.
- The only way the element of mistrust would have worked was if the details of past irritants & the implications to the characters had been further clarified. That was not the case, and hence it did not work.
- Also, how shitty are Mr & Mrs Crenshaw? I thought them bad before, and now I think them to be idiots of the first order. But the other supporting characters were very interesting, especially Max Crenshaw.
- The romance was wonderful. I have come to realise that travel romances have a believability to them as the hero & heroine spend a lot of time getting to know one another truly. The road trip in this story provided exactly that. Violet & Christian developed a great rapport, and their attraction & chemistry was palpable.
- Violet & Christain were both standard example of a typical HR couple. Him affection starved and alone, her struggling to find her worth. They were predictably idiotic but in a warm, affectionate way until the final quarter of the book.
- God, I really cannot express how much I am lamenting the cock-up that was the ending. It was rushed, abrupt, punishing, and questionable. It just brought down the comfort level of this story.

My Recommendation
Not as good as the first one, but not terrible either. Though this review may seem scathing, I did enjoy reading most of this book, and I have rated it accordingly. I am looking forward to Max's story.

[kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, wants to marry Violet Crenshaw, but her dad is holding out for...mineral rights. So when Violet flees London to prevent an unwanted marriage to the gross Lord Ware, Christian is there to offer her a lift—right into his pants, if you know what I'm talking about.

Except you don't know what I'm talking about because he refuses to touch her!!! Instead, they become buds who talk about stuff and like each other while also having raging boners. NERDS. After a bad accident they confess their feelings for one another, sex one another, and have some idyllic days making the eyes at one another. But then Violet's brother shows up and exposes everything, which results in a harried speed-run resolution: marriage, separation, reconciliation.

1. So the thing is: this was perfectly fine!

2. Until the last 25%! And then it was pretty terrible!

Like, the kind of careful, restrained pacing of the first three-fourths of the book sets up this understanding and appreciation for one another. And that seemed to be establishing a pretty nuanced, intentional relationship that would be tested by the revelations of Christian's early machinations but would (obviously) overcome.

But that's not really what we got??

When Max shows up, the whole sordid tale of ALL of Christian's various plots to get Violet for himself are revealed which shakes Violet to her core, I guess, and so the book races through her return to London, the negotiation of the settlements for her marriage to Christian, the very estranged ceremony, a scene where Violet asks for space, a jump ahead "several months", the revelation that Violet is pregnant, the discovery that Christian has sold his familial property and donated the funds to a charity Violet cares about, and the aforementioned reconciliation.

It's... too much.

2.5 An important aside where I acknowledge that the handling of "space" is actually relatively refreshing and important to celebrate, because it is (unfortunately) so weirdly unexpected in a romance: when a heroine requests some space from her hero in order to think and heal and grow that she ACTUALLY FUCKING GETS IT!! Like, nice! Appreciated! Christian literally says "I love you, and I'll be waiting for when you want to see me again byeeeeeeee" (or something close to that lol), and then he GTFOs and STAYS THE FUCK AWAY for "several months"!!! HOW REFRESHING!

3. The problem is that "space" doesn't really make sense as a dramatic resolution / arc closure for this romance. Violet is 110% down to clown with Christian for the rest of forever until his (multiple) betrayals are revealed, and then she demands space in order to "understand herself". And the thing is that Violet spends so much of the first 75% of this book very certain of herself and her desires: she will be a writer; she will not marry Ware; she maintains peace not because she is a doormat but because it's not worth the energy (to her); she loves her sister; she believes in herself.

So the turn at the end comes out of nowhere.

4. And THEN, there is just SO MUCH SHIT crammed into that last quarter of the book. It's too much! After the slow, plodding pacing of the first chunk of the book, it feels rushed and messy and too complicated for the story it's tacked onto.

5. Honestly, the ending bothered me so much that I don't have much else to say about the rest because it was, ultimately, fine. Perfectly serviceable, but fine. Until that ending.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed August and the Duke of Rothschild story in the first book. It seemed like Lord Leigh and Violet had chemistry and was excited when I saw this book was available on Net Galley.

If you loved the first book your will be soooo happy with the second book.

Christian, Lord Leigh thinks he can flash his title and get whatever he wants but doesnt impress Violet's father with his suit. He decides to make other plans. He encourages her to marry who she wants or run away but when she approaches her parents they push some nasty Lord her way.  

Sooo Violet decides to run away but Christian happens to be outside randomly and can give her a ride... Let's start the one carriage, one room fun! All my favorite tropes! 

There was steam!! And some novel writing! Some soul searching and growth (personal growth people).

A great continuation to this story, I hope BOTM picks it up.

Omg thank you! I was thinking at the end how I want a story for Maxwell and I see a blurb for Book #3 and it's for him!!! 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
Steam: 🔥🔥

Thank you berkley romance and net galley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

[Katie’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

"Surly, you realize that my love for you has not been ended by your absence. You must know that I have loved you from our very first meeting, and I will continue to love you long after I cease to draw breath."

A great second book in the Gilded Age Heiresses series! Here we have Violet Crenshaw, younger sister of August from book one and Christian, Earl of Leigh.

Christian needs funds to repair his Scottish estate and decides that Violet is the bride for him. Because he IS a bit of a scoundrel he asks her father for her hand without telling her and when he is turned down, comes up with a plan. That plan involves encouraging her to flee London, her parents and an unwanted marriage and for him to just happen upon her and offer a ride.

I love that Christian is so clearly falling for Violet from the beginning. He might tell himself it's simply because she would make an ideal wife but rally he's obsessed with her. This man was down BAD and when he messed up and it comes time to grovel, he goes out and shows Violet just how much he believes in her and cares for her

[Inna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. The ending (last 20%) was once again overly dramatic and just made me angry. I hate contrived drama that is seemingly added just to increase the word count. There is a forced separation at the end that drags on for so long that it became ridiculous. I hated that the heroine claimed to love him one minute and walked away from him the next because of a few extra details that seemed inconsequential after what he had already told her. The hero literally did NOTHING to try to get her back, it made ZERO SENSE. Then he jumped through a bunch of really stupid hoops, including donating tons of money. Somehow that proves love after being absent from her life for months?!? I was really loving this book until that part came along.

Safe; manwhore hero celibate for 1 year prior to meeting heroine, virgin heroine, no others

[Merry (Life is Busy so I will be in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have discovered I do not enjoy road trip romances. I enjoyed the other parts of the book and the growth of the characters love for each other. I have to admit I am looking forward to the next book in the series about Max the brother. I read this book for RATA and it opens up areas I would not otherwise read such as this months Gilded Age. I rate it 3.5* and rounded up.

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Devil and the Heiress
Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses #2
Author: Harper St. George
Release date: June 29, 2021
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance

Once again, poor Violet Crenshaw is on the marriage mart chopping block. In The Heiress Gets a Duke, her social climbing parents shamelessly dangled her in front of the Duke of Rothschild. Violet's belief that she was in love with her childhood sweetheart didn't affect their plans-their children were nothing more than bartering tools for financial and social gain. They ended up marrying into a noble family, albeit with August instead of Violet. Everyone should have lived happily ever after, right? Wrong. Before the ink is dry on August and Evan's marriage certificate, they immediately start plotting Violet's downfall again. It's enough to make you despise her parents with a passion, though I will admit to some disbelief that her parents could possibly be that greedy. An American family with "New Money" should be satisfied with a Duke to prop them up...right? They could have gotten an invitation into the most discerning snob's home.

Violet is portrayed as the more quiet and obedient sister of the two, however in this installment we get to see a new side of her. We learn that she dreams of becoming a published novelist, and a slightly more rebellious nature starts to shine through. I think witnessing her friend's recent tragic marriage was the main thing to bring about this change. Knowing how miserable her friend's new life was, she was almost desperate to avoid the same fate. Being married to an older man who had little to no respect for her who abused their power over her was not what she wanted out of her life. Her parents are dead set on her accepting Lord Ware, despite the fact that he attempted to take liberties with her. Now she is in even more dire straits than she was with Rothschild. She has no allies around her to help and there are sharks circling from every direction.

The man was willing to ruin her to get what he wanted. The fact that she wanted something else wasn’t even a consideration to him. What made it worse was that her own mother supported him over her. Violet didn’t know what to do with that. She felt lost and alone.

Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh is the definition of a rogue. He needs an heiress and doesn't have much of a conscience when it comes to getting his way. After getting turned down by Violet's father, he decides to take matters into his own hands. I wasn't sure how I felt about him at first because he was just another person who treated Violet like an object rather than a human being worthy of making her own choices. He's kind of a despicable guy, even plotting to sell the home she inherited from a beloved family member if her father cut her off. However, it didn't take long in her company before he started to feel guilt gnawing at him, and fear started to build at the thought of the truth driving her away. Despite his chivalrous knight in shining armor act, he's really the villain in this story. She just doesn't realize it quite yet. I do love a good redemption story when it's done right. The good news is that I truly believed that Christian not only understood his mistakes, but made amends for them by the end.

I enjoyed seeing his wicked, charming personality paired with Violet's sweetness and innocence. I think she really softened him up and helped him to become a less selfish person after he fell so hard for her. There was such a tenderness that developed in him which I don't think he ever felt in his life. His parents had a horrible and toxic marriage, and neither had time to show him the affection he needed. They were also a horrible example of love, which is one of the reasons why he never felt inclined to get truly close to a woman before Violet.

As with any relationship that is rooted in deception, Violet and Christian's is doomed for disaster. It isn't a matter of if, it's when. After the truth bomb drops, and the stars are lifted from Violet's eyes, there is nothing but destruction. There was a point where I wondered if Christian would be able to adequately come back from the betrayal that he delivered. One of the things that I really appreciated was that his actions weren't brushed under the rug after a quick apology, and he didn't use her attraction to him to smooth things over either. He set about winning her heart back with actions rather than words.

All in all, I think this was another win for the Gilded Age Heiresses series. The writing is once again easy to engage with, and very fast paced. I never had any issues with boredom or temptation to skim. Anyone looking for a historical romance with a reformed rake and a sweet heroine will most likely really enjoy this couple! Violet and August's brother Max was much more fleshed out in this book which made me really happy. He finally started to feel more three dimensional as we got into his head a little bit and understood some of his thoughts and feelings. I look forward to reading his full length story in The Lady Tempts an Heir, scheduled for release next February.

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[Cait · Rating 4 out of 5]

God the parents suuuuuuuck, but on the whole I really enjoyed this! Didn't love the lack of communication in the third act, but it felt real & earned, so I'll ignore that.

[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books might just be one of my new favorite historical romance series!

I loved this second installment and absolutely could not get enough of the chemistry and scheming between these characters. And of course, best of all: FORCED PROXIMITY!

This one had a nice, slower burn to it and totally paid off in the end. I cannot recommend these enough and am excited for what’s next!

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and fell in love with The Heiress Gets a Duke at the beginning of this year, so I was so thrilled when I got an e-ARC of book 2 in the series, The Devil and the Heiress. I love Gilded Age reads and am so fascinated with “dollar princess” heroines, the term coined for American heiresses who married into British aristocracy between 1870-1910. This series has been such a delight and I think I even love Violet & Christian’s story more. 🤩

The Crenshaw family made their fortune in the iron and railway business but are still considered new money amongst the old New York families and often not let into established ballrooms on Fifth Avenue. Violet’s parents decided to take their two daughters to London and marry them off to aristocracy to open those New York society doors. With her older sister August set to marry a Duke (book 1 is their romance), now it’s Violet’s turn for an advantageous marriage...if her parents have any say over her life.

Violet is an aspiring writer and has no plans to marry a man she doesn’t love. When she learns her parents are going to push her into a marriage while they are still in London, Violet decides her best plan is to run away. She just conveniently happens to run into Christian, Earl of Leigh, during her getaway and he offers Violet a lift in his carriage as he’s headed out of town as well. Christian is in need of an American heiress, while he doesn’t have any outstanding debts like most of the ton men in need of heiresses...he does have a Scottish estate that recently had a fire and is need of extensive refurbishment. After meeting Violet through his friend Evan, the Duke of Rothschild & hero from book 1, Christian was taken with Violet immediately and his plan is to seduce her to marry him on their shared-carriage journey north.

This book was so much fun, I love a roadtrip-forced proximity romance and this delivered. Violet knows what she wants, and doesn’t want in the case of her parents trying to force her into a marriage, and was such a great heroine. And I really loved Christian, he didn’t have the greatest of upbringings and after his father left him with debts Christian made changes and actually earns a living on his own. He goes after what he wants and when that becomes Violet, he does everything to woo and show her he cares.

Thank you to the publisher (Berkley) for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review. The Devil and the Heiress has a publish date of June 29, 2021.