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Daughters of Fortune #2
To Marry an Heiress
MOST CONVENIENT MARRIAGE
The breathtakingly handsome Earl of Huntdon is determined to take a bride, and equally determined that his marriage to Miss Georgina Pierce will be a business arrangement only--after all, he has been wounded in love before. But there is unexpected passion in his innocent wife, and he soon begins to look forward to many days--and nights--with her ... until he shockingly discovers that her promised fortune has been squandered. Though Georgina rightly protests that she knew nothing of it, Huntingdon is wounded to the core.
Spirited Georgina surprised herself by agreeing to marry the earl--a man she's just met. The handsome nobleman proposes that she exchange her fortune for his title, but from the moment Georgina first waltzes across the ballroom floor in his arms, she realizes she can easily give this handsome, haunted lord her heart.... But first she must teach him that there is one thing far more important than money and position--and that is love.
The breathtakingly handsome Earl of Huntdon is determined to take a bride, and equally determined that his marriage to Miss Georgina Pierce will be a business arrangement only--after all, he has been wounded in love before. But there is unexpected passion in his innocent wife, and he soon begins to look forward to many days--and nights--with her ... until he shockingly discovers that her promised fortune has been squandered. Though Georgina rightly protests that she knew nothing of it, Huntingdon is wounded to the core.
Spirited Georgina surprised herself by agreeing to marry the earl--a man she's just met. The handsome nobleman proposes that she exchange her fortune for his title, but from the moment Georgina first waltzes across the ballroom floor in his arms, she realizes she can easily give this handsome, haunted lord her heart.... But first she must teach him that there is one thing far more important than money and position--and that is love.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
66 people are currently reading
1147 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Heath
90 books4,382 followersAlso writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
October 1, 2021
***4 Stars***
Damn, Lorraine. You got me. You got me good. I read about 80% of this book in one sitting. I couldn't put it down.
There's something about Lorraine Heath's writing that just clicks with me.
The angst hooked me here, folks. Maybe it's a matter of the right book at the right time, but I was invested from the get-go.
Devon follows, and whole-heartedly believes in, the rules of the aristocracy. His first marriage was perfect and proper . . . and a rare love match, or so he thought. Once he inherited the Earldom and realized the estate's financial affairs were in shambles, his marriage quickly crumbled as well. Now a widower, the time has come to find a wealthy wife and return his estate to its former glory.
Georgina Sheridan is a plain gal with simple wants and needs. Love, marriage, children. Growing up she's known both poverty and wealth, and she understands that true fortune comes from love not money. The Sheridans were new money and America's high-brow, old money society never accepted them. Something that broke Georgina's mother's heart. She loved her husband and daughter fiercly, but she also wished to be accepted by the society that shunned her.
Georgina's dad vows to make sure that Georgina never suffers the heartbreak of societal rejection that her mother felt, so after her mother's passing he takes her to England where he'll hitch her wagon to some royal blood and that will be that.
Georgina and Devon agree to the marriage of convenience under a few conditions, but the most important being to never lie to each other. Georgina doesn't want Devon pretending he loves her, pretending he finds her beautiful, or showering her with words he doesn't mean and are meant to manipulate her feelings. Devon finds Georgina's straightforwardness refreshing, if unconventional, and believes the match may end up better than he hoped.
But you know how it goes, pesky feelings start getting in the way, a dead wife's memory hangs over them, and then the dam breaks when Devon realizes that Georgina's dad doesn't have any assets and nowhere near the amount of money he promised Devon. Now he has a wife he doesn't know how he feels about, more financial problems than what he started with, and his stubborn pride which demands he live up to societal expectations.
I really enjoyed the push and pull between Georgina and Devon. She kept pushing him out of his comfort zone. She refused to live by the strict rules and proper etiquette of the English way of life. Her Texas roots was something she refused to cut. And even though he lashed out at her as a way of dealing with the pressure he was under, she was both understanding and strong. Maybe sometimes she should have taken a frying pan to his head, but that's just me.
I liked Devon's journey of self-discovery. He was realizing that respect didn't always come in the form of currency, that rules didn't have to govern every aspect of your life, and that maybe love was the most important thing of all.
The book did have its repetitiveness with how Georgina wasn't a natural beauty, and Devon was constantly comparing her to his first wife, but I just rolled with it. Same goes with the way some things evolved and the bits of plot that were underdeveloped. But you know what?
FAVORITE QUOTES:
Loneliness was watching respectability stripped away bit by agonizing bit. Isolating himself so others would not witness his fall from grace. Projecting a false image to the world so no one would know his true sorrow, his immense fears, his incredible woes. To face everything alone. To desperately want to weep only to discover he no longer possessed the comfort of tears.
****************************************
How easy it was to command when a man stood on top of the mountain, how difficult to regain his footing as he was toppling off.
****************************************
"Consider me plain, my lord. Consider me dull. But never, never consider me stupid."
****************************************
He felt as though he was disappointing those who had come before and failing those who would come after.
****************************************
She hadn't a clue how to flirt, and he found that aspect of her character charming. He had not expected he would actually like her as he came to know her better. But the possibility lingered before him, resembling a beacon at the edge of a storm, drawing him toward a safe harbor.
****************************************
"Are all Americans as curious as you? Or are you the exception?"
"Are all Englishmen as private as you? Or are you the exception?"
He chuckled low. "Although I'm accustomed to dealing with a woman's anger your restrained fury tends to throw me off."
"I'm not furious, Devon. Just frustrated. I'm your wife. I expected to share your life, not be made to feel like a busybody every time I ask a question."
"I expected our lives to run on separate paths."
"I expected them to be joined."
****************************************
Pride could be a man's strength or his weakness. Its perception depended on one's perspective or where a man stood in relation to his place in the world. Pride could keep a man from giving up when surrender was easier course. Or it could cause him to shore up his defenses and act without consideration for the consequences. Pride was an asset that sometimes turned on a man and became a liability, as it had with Devon.
In his thirty-four years of life, he'd discovered he had a great well of pride, which defined who he was, who he perceived himself to be. At times it dictated his actions more than his conscience or his reasoning did.
It was more powerful than lust, desire, or love.
It spoke in moments of anger and trapped him by words that would have been better left unsaid.
*************************************
She sat and primly folded her hands in her lap, giving him her undivided attention, as was her way. While others hurried through life with a passing comment or a brusque nod in acknowledgment, she managed to make a person feel as though no one else existed on the earth, as though at that precise moment, held in her uncompromising gaze, nothing and no one were more important.
**************************************
With her at his side he'd felt wealthy, even though he possessed less than he had when he married her.
***************************************
"I would rather live as a pauper and have your love than live as a king and know your disdain. Your father told me you would make me a wealthy man. I thought he spoke in terms of material things" - he shook his head - "but he spoke in terms of love."
February 14, 2022
Well, this book is for you if you like marriage of convenience, widower, impoverishment, lots of talk about money, American vs English, difference class, prideful hero (I seriously have not read about a more proud hero before) and so on.
If you have ever read a Lorraine Heath book you know that there's always a twist to her plots. And the twist here I kept hoping it was a joke until the very last line. I am not going to say if it was or if it was not, but ugh, what a twist.
I have not read the first book in the series, apparently this one takes place 8 years after the first, but I did not have trouble following it.
It was interesting but the focus on money was very strong and I wish it was a bit less.
3.5 stars.
If you have ever read a Lorraine Heath book you know that there's always a twist to her plots. And the twist here I kept hoping it was a joke until the very last line. I am not going to say if it was or if it was not, but ugh, what a twist.
I have not read the first book in the series, apparently this one takes place 8 years after the first, but I did not have trouble following it.
It was interesting but the focus on money was very strong and I wish it was a bit less.
3.5 stars.
June 24, 2009
(3.5 stars) To Marry an Heiress is a decent read, but the real star of it is the heroine, Georgina (or "Gina"). The first half of this book was great and if it had continued in that vein, I would undoubtedly be giving the book a higher rating. Gina is an honest, straight-forward American, without artifice, vanity, or basically a single mean or selfish bone in her body. She's not placid though and can definitely be a spitfire.
What made the book go downhill for me was the hero, Devon. At the beginning I thought I was going to love him - as I usually do with HR heroes. He was staid, serious, and kind of uptight, which provides many laughable and enjoyable encounters between him and Gina, since they are so different. However around halfway through the book, he started doing/thinking/saying things that really got on my nerves. I found it extremely annoying to always hear about his first wife, Margaret - especially since she seems to have been an extremely selfish woman, who was snobbish, arrogant, and basically all-around unpleasant. I found it disconcerting that even after she shows her true colors when they're in such financial straits, he continues to love her.
Worse than that, though, was Devon's whole view on the situation - his father has squandered their fortune so once he inherits, there's basically nothing to support the estates and the tenants living there. Disaster, of course, so while Margaret elegantly withers away in her despair of not being able to buy more ballgowns, he goes out to work in the field - causing her to disdain him and him to feel shame. I was so sick of him going on and on about how the aristocracy should be doing X and they shouldn't be doing Y and ____ is appropriate of our station while ____ is not. Okay, we got it already! I know the whole "beauty" of the ending is he realizes he shouldn't be ashamed of having to work alongside the tenants and not being able to afford the lifestyle of a nobleman, but it was just waaaaaaaay too long in coming. For the second half of the book I basically wanted to slap him out of his pity party and shake some sense into him - both common sense and a sense of equality, so he would stop going on about his rank and what was or was not appropriate.
Oh, and the ending (not the epilogue, but the declaration-of-love scene) was so corny I could hardly handle it; it was kind of sickly sweet and had me rolling my eyes and wanting to skim over. So basically, I loved his kids and I loved Gina - I just wish Devon in the second half of the book could be improved on.
P.S. Plus, what is up with Devon not even telling Gina before they get married that he already has two children?? In this case it's not a bad thing because Gina loves kids, but, ummmm, I don't know ... offspring might be one of those things that you mention to your betrothed *before* you say your vows. Just a thought.
What made the book go downhill for me was the hero, Devon. At the beginning I thought I was going to love him - as I usually do with HR heroes. He was staid, serious, and kind of uptight, which provides many laughable and enjoyable encounters between him and Gina, since they are so different. However around halfway through the book, he started doing/thinking/saying things that really got on my nerves. I found it extremely annoying to always hear about his first wife, Margaret - especially since she seems to have been an extremely selfish woman, who was snobbish, arrogant, and basically all-around unpleasant. I found it disconcerting that even after she shows her true colors when they're in such financial straits, he continues to love her.
Worse than that, though, was Devon's whole view on the situation - his father has squandered their fortune so once he inherits, there's basically nothing to support the estates and the tenants living there. Disaster, of course, so while Margaret elegantly withers away in her despair of not being able to buy more ballgowns, he goes out to work in the field - causing her to disdain him and him to feel shame. I was so sick of him going on and on about how the aristocracy should be doing X and they shouldn't be doing Y and ____ is appropriate of our station while ____ is not. Okay, we got it already! I know the whole "beauty" of the ending is he realizes he shouldn't be ashamed of having to work alongside the tenants and not being able to afford the lifestyle of a nobleman, but it was just waaaaaaaay too long in coming. For the second half of the book I basically wanted to slap him out of his pity party and shake some sense into him - both common sense and a sense of equality, so he would stop going on about his rank and what was or was not appropriate.
Oh, and the ending (not the epilogue, but the declaration-of-love scene) was so corny I could hardly handle it; it was kind of sickly sweet and had me rolling my eyes and wanting to skim over. So basically, I loved his kids and I loved Gina - I just wish Devon in the second half of the book could be improved on.
P.S. Plus, what is up with Devon not even telling Gina before they get married that he already has two children?? In this case it's not a bad thing because Gina loves kids, but, ummmm, I don't know ... offspring might be one of those things that you mention to your betrothed *before* you say your vows. Just a thought.
June 4, 2022
Georgina, what a horndog! This American heiress ~says~ she doesn’t want to marry an English peer because they’re lazy. What she ~means~ is that she doesn’t want to marry an English peer because she doesn’t think he’ll have enough muscles.
Good thing Devon never misses leg day 😂
The main trope here was marriage of convenience and it had my favourite version of it—a sweet, emotionally intelligent couple who just want to love someone and be loved in return (the horniness also helps). The widower Devon was a starchy and traditional money-less peer who always wants to do and say the right thing. And Georgina was a wild and independent Texan who was super positive and loved deeply. There were so many points of compatibility between them! And it was really cute to watch them discover that 🥰
That said, something I’m noticing about myself is I like books to be either a lighthearted romp or super emotional. And this book kind of hit it down the middle, which isn’t my fav. There were a ton of sweet moments (like when Devon was the little spoon 🥺) but there was also some heavier moments (like discussions of the death of a loved one). I know I’m pretty alone in this so if you liked the mood of The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this one.
Also, this book can be read as a standalone. I have no idea why it’s been placed in this series. It’s set 12 years before the first book and there’s almost no connection between them. Well, this is the connection: Georgina’s friend’s stepfather is the brother of the friend of the first book’s heroine’s father. They’re not even set in the same country. So if you’re intimidated by Lorraine Heath’s backlist or the Western theme of the first book in this series isn’t your thing, go ahead and jump to this one!
Good thing Devon never misses leg day 😂
The main trope here was marriage of convenience and it had my favourite version of it—a sweet, emotionally intelligent couple who just want to love someone and be loved in return (the horniness also helps). The widower Devon was a starchy and traditional money-less peer who always wants to do and say the right thing. And Georgina was a wild and independent Texan who was super positive and loved deeply. There were so many points of compatibility between them! And it was really cute to watch them discover that 🥰
That said, something I’m noticing about myself is I like books to be either a lighthearted romp or super emotional. And this book kind of hit it down the middle, which isn’t my fav. There were a ton of sweet moments (like when Devon was the little spoon 🥺) but there was also some heavier moments (like discussions of the death of a loved one). I know I’m pretty alone in this so if you liked the mood of The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this one.
Also, this book can be read as a standalone. I have no idea why it’s been placed in this series. It’s set 12 years before the first book and there’s almost no connection between them. Well, this is the connection: Georgina’s friend’s stepfather is the brother of the friend of the first book’s heroine’s father. They’re not even set in the same country. So if you’re intimidated by Lorraine Heath’s backlist or the Western theme of the first book in this series isn’t your thing, go ahead and jump to this one!
March 5, 2016
Devon Sheridan, the Earl of Huntingdon, needs money desperately. The easiest way to get it is to marry a rich American heiress so he can pay off his debts and restore his crumbling estate. He approaches Nathaniel Pierce and asks to marry his daughter, Georgina. Nathaniel knows his daughter wants children, and sees this as a way to get her settled with a titled gentleman. Even though Gina wants to marry for love, she also wants to see her father happy and knows that a successful marriage will do that. After a quick wedding, Devon is surprised to find that Gina is far different from his first wife. He enjoys spending time getting to know Gina and thinks this marriage may turn out well. That is...until he finds out that the Pierce fortune is gone and there will be no marriage settlement.
As usual, Lorraine Heath writes a pleasing historical romance with fabulous characters. Devon has a strict adherence to society's rules. As a member of the aristocracy, appearances are everything. He is lord of the manor and does not work for his money. Gina thinks this is ridiculous since he is in dire need of money. Their different philosophies and opposite outlooks make this story an enjoyable story. Gina is a heroine without a selfish bone in her body. She wants to help her husband and his children with their problems, even though he blames her for her father losing her fortune. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
As usual, Lorraine Heath writes a pleasing historical romance with fabulous characters. Devon has a strict adherence to society's rules. As a member of the aristocracy, appearances are everything. He is lord of the manor and does not work for his money. Gina thinks this is ridiculous since he is in dire need of money. Their different philosophies and opposite outlooks make this story an enjoyable story. Gina is a heroine without a selfish bone in her body. She wants to help her husband and his children with their problems, even though he blames her for her father losing her fortune. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
November 22, 2015
Georgina "Gina" Pierce has come to London with her father from Texas and his alleged fortune. Devon Sheridon, Earl of Huntington, has come to London to find a heiress to wed. Their match is arranged and things seem to be going swimmingly: while Gina struggles with the strictures of society, Devon is enamored of his unexpected bride-to-be--and the wedding night ain't bad neither, if you know what I'm talking about. EXCEPT THEN CONFLICT!! Gina's father dies and there's no money! Will these two blockheads ever figure out how to rub each other right?
1. I WAS REALLY INTO THIS?? Compared to some of the things I've read lately, this was engaging and palatable and DAMNING WITH FAINT PRAISE but honestly, this was a decent MoC book?
2. Some of the society-vs.-self stuff got a little thick, but I thought it fit the characterization of Devon quite well. Someone that entrenched in the expectations of society would not be able to give them up easily, so his constant fallback to parroting society's strictures felt realistic. And while I would have appreciated a bit more understanding from Gina, her approach--to do what was right for the individual vs. society--made her a perfect foil for her hero.
3. I did think the ending went off the rails slightly: the narrative split itself into a few too many threads instead of following some of the already strong themes. Gina struggles with doing things for her rather than those she loves; she decides to return to Texas; she cannot leave the children; Devon struggles with the fact he labors, god forbid; he might love Gina; his love for his first wife is flawed; there's a storm and she's missing and might be dead; etc. It's just a lot of pieces that don't twist neatly into a cohesive whole.
4. BUT IT WAS STILL PRETTY DECENT?? Like, Devon's a straight up ass ("Your father did not uphold his end of the bargain. Therefore neither shall I uphold mine. I shall never again warm your bed." OUCH.), but Gina waits until he's done shoveling his shit and then beats him with the shovel. I never felt as though she were cowed or broken by him: he hurt her, absolutely, but never critically. Which made watching these two figure each other out all the better.
1. I WAS REALLY INTO THIS?? Compared to some of the things I've read lately, this was engaging and palatable and DAMNING WITH FAINT PRAISE but honestly, this was a decent MoC book?
2. Some of the society-vs.-self stuff got a little thick, but I thought it fit the characterization of Devon quite well. Someone that entrenched in the expectations of society would not be able to give them up easily, so his constant fallback to parroting society's strictures felt realistic. And while I would have appreciated a bit more understanding from Gina, her approach--to do what was right for the individual vs. society--made her a perfect foil for her hero.
3. I did think the ending went off the rails slightly: the narrative split itself into a few too many threads instead of following some of the already strong themes. Gina struggles with doing things for her rather than those she loves; she decides to return to Texas; she cannot leave the children; Devon struggles with the fact he labors, god forbid; he might love Gina; his love for his first wife is flawed; there's a storm and she's missing and might be dead; etc. It's just a lot of pieces that don't twist neatly into a cohesive whole.
4. BUT IT WAS STILL PRETTY DECENT?? Like, Devon's a straight up ass ("Your father did not uphold his end of the bargain. Therefore neither shall I uphold mine. I shall never again warm your bed." OUCH.), but Gina waits until he's done shoveling his shit and then beats him with the shovel. I never felt as though she were cowed or broken by him: he hurt her, absolutely, but never critically. Which made watching these two figure each other out all the better.
May 19, 2022
Deze is niet in het Nederlands vertaald verschenen en hoort eigenlijk direct voor Promise Me Forever ( Lost Lords 3 ) gelezen te worden ( CHr 802 ) want de 2 vrouwelijke hoofdpersonen uit deze boeken zijn beste vriendinnen en komen daarom in beide boeken voor .
Met dit boek snap ik eindelijk waarom de boeken van deze auteur zo geliefd zijn , in de in het Nederlands vertaalde uitgaven komt haar schrijfstijl helaas niet goed tot zijn recht .
Met dit boek snap ik eindelijk waarom de boeken van deze auteur zo geliefd zijn , in de in het Nederlands vertaalde uitgaven komt haar schrijfstijl helaas niet goed tot zijn recht .
December 26, 2009
I really enjoyed reading the book. There were scenes which made me laugh and some which made me cry. They are good and sad times...and I really appreciate Ms. Heath's work. Somehow this book really reminds me of The Sound of Music. Gina becoming like the children's governess and a very supporting a lady, despite Devon's up-and-downs. Something which I really appreciate, as it is very rare to read something as this without leaving the readers unsatisfied or irritated. So 5 stars!
February 23, 2022
Hate the dead wife trope
August 9, 2017
Georgina "Gina" Pierce has come to London with her father from Texas and his alleged fortune. Devon Sheridon, Earl of Huntington, has come to London to find a heiress to wed. Their match is arranged and things seem to be going swimmingly: while Gina struggles with the strictures of society, Devon is enamored of his unexpected bride-to-be--and the wedding night ain't bad neither, if you know what I'm talking about. EXCEPT THEN CONFLICT!! Devon Sheridan, the Earl of Huntingdon, needs money desperately. The easiest way to get it is to marry a rich American heiress so he can pay off his debts and restore his crumbling estate. He approaches Nathaniel Pierce and asks to marry his daughter, Georgina. Nathaniel knows his daughter wants children, and sees this as a way to get her settled with a titled gentleman. This story is about Devon, an impoverished Earl, and Gina, an American heiress from Texas. Her father has brought her to England to gain a title and, therefore, seek revenge against the New York high society who had snubbed them and, indirectly, contributed to the death of his wife. Devon sees his salvation and approaches Gina's father and a bargain is struck. Devon gets his money and, in return, he promised to give Gina the children she has always wanted. Georgina - or Gina to her intimates - was a little too folksy at moments, but watching the relationship between her and Devon develop was lovely. There were times where I wanted to smack Devon, but he was fighting against his upbringing, generations of societal expectations, cultural pressures, and the disdain of his dead wife, so I tried to be a bit more sympathetic. Gina actually had the easier task, as her status may have changed, but her expectations for herself were basically unchanged.
I really did like the heroine in this book. She's strong, yet willing to bend when necessary (not stubborn to the point of frustration). I don't think she's a doormat or whiny about not being pretty, but she does have some insecurities. And boy does she get some good shots in at the Hero when they're deserved. I wasn't sure about the Texan heiress element at first. At first... I'm looking forward to more of this series. It was strange since I haven't even read the first book but I got on with the story as always...and enjoyed it thoroughly. Embracing the fact of marrying for convenience, the story touches upon the fact that although such a situation is pitying, there is always the comfort of possibility that one or both would eventually come to terms with fact of learning to love each other. Heartmelting! Good story! I love how they can dealing with the situation and proved that they complete each other.
I really did like the heroine in this book. She's strong, yet willing to bend when necessary (not stubborn to the point of frustration). I don't think she's a doormat or whiny about not being pretty, but she does have some insecurities. And boy does she get some good shots in at the Hero when they're deserved. I wasn't sure about the Texan heiress element at first. At first... I'm looking forward to more of this series. It was strange since I haven't even read the first book but I got on with the story as always...and enjoyed it thoroughly. Embracing the fact of marrying for convenience, the story touches upon the fact that although such a situation is pitying, there is always the comfort of possibility that one or both would eventually come to terms with fact of learning to love each other. Heartmelting! Good story! I love how they can dealing with the situation and proved that they complete each other.
June 26, 2022
3.5 stars
October 26, 2018
What in the OCD hell happened here... Here I am loving all the characters of the first book. I'm looking forward to reading about updates and hopefully getting some info about his two families.... Than I open up book 2 and it's like what the actual fuck... I don't care about people from the past I want to hear about the present and people I fell in love with in book one. I thought about continuing I'm sure I would have enjoyed them but I just can't. It's going to mess with my head the whole time. Why make this book 2 of the series - why are all the dates not in order (see below). I was looking forward to the future books building off book one I am so terribly disappointed. I'm out.
Book 1 - The Outlaw and the Lady takes place in 1891.
Book 2 - To Marry an Heiress - 1878
Book 3 - Love With a Scandalous Lord - 1879
Book 4 - An Invitation to Seduction - 1881
Love with a Scandalous Lord is followed by As An Earl Desires, which starts a new series, The Lost Lords. As an Earl Desires is a direct sequel to Love with a Scandalous Lord. There's two others in The Lost Lords series. I know book 2 A Matter of Temptation takes place in 1852
Update - I tried to find if she wrote any books about the side single characters from book one. The answer is nope she didn't.
Book 1 - The Outlaw and the Lady takes place in 1891.
Book 2 - To Marry an Heiress - 1878
Book 3 - Love With a Scandalous Lord - 1879
Book 4 - An Invitation to Seduction - 1881
Love with a Scandalous Lord is followed by As An Earl Desires, which starts a new series, The Lost Lords. As an Earl Desires is a direct sequel to Love with a Scandalous Lord. There's two others in The Lost Lords series. I know book 2 A Matter of Temptation takes place in 1852
Update - I tried to find if she wrote any books about the side single characters from book one. The answer is nope she didn't.
April 23, 2022
I think the impoverished -nobleman -marrying - heiress -for -money trope simply isn't for me. The only time I've enjoyed that was Devil in Winter. Here, the H marries the American h for her dowry which will erase his debts and save his estate. However, he learns after marrying her and upon ber father's sudden death that there is no money, because, surprise, surprise, the old man squandered all his money, including his poor daughter's dowry. Oh the joys of being a woman 150 years ago. :( The H is naturally pissed and sulky.
It was all downhill for me after that. The writing isn't bad and if you enjoy a marriage of convenience involving broke heroes, you might enjoy this. It wasn't for me, though. I didn't rate it lower because it was the trope that probably had me reacting negatively right from the start.
It was all downhill for me after that. The writing isn't bad and if you enjoy a marriage of convenience involving broke heroes, you might enjoy this. It wasn't for me, though. I didn't rate it lower because it was the trope that probably had me reacting negatively right from the start.
July 11, 2022
4.5 stars! To Marry an Heiress is the second book in Lorraine Heath’s Daughters of Fortune series. This series is a spin-off from her Rogues in Texas series which I really loved. In the Rogues in Texas series it followed 3 Englishmen whose father’s saw them as wayward sons and they sent them from London to Texas to make their own way. This series has been a bit of second generation stories featuring the children or other characters we originally met in Rogues in Texas series who have been from Fortune, Texas.
This book takes us to London, 1878 and is a marriage of convenience between an American heiress and a widowed Earl who needs money. The story starts off with Devon, Earl of Huntdon, meeting with Georgina Pierce’s father. Her father has brought himself and Georgina to London to find her a husband. He makes a deal with Devon to set up a marriage between Gina and Devon, he makes Devon promise to not tell Gina about their arrangement and try to act like he’s wooing and falling for her instead. Devon is determined to take Gina as his bride, he needs her fortune and is equally determined to keep the marriage as a business arrangement only.
Gina is 26-years-old and grew up in Fortune, Texas. She grew up best friends with Christopher Montgomery’s stepdaughter Lauren. Christopher is from England (along with his twin brother Kit who is one of the heroes from Rogues in Texas) and currently visiting his cousin, Devon, whom he tells about Gina. Gina is already not comfortable in the London ballrooms and would much rather be outside when she runs into Devon. She quickly sees through his sham of pretending to be into her and asks what her father has promised him, Devon tells her and instead of her being against his suit, they share their own thoughts and decide to move forward with the marriage. Gina’s father knew she always wanted children and tells her he has looked into Devon and he will be a suitable husband…he checked out his lands, spoke to his tenants, and heard about his first marriage and how he was faithful.
Devon had been lonely and alone, even before losing his wife, and he starts to be intrigued and impressed by Gina. They get married quickly and even share a passionate wedding night together before everything starts to fall apart the day after their wedding when some things are revealed/come up… They head to his country estate and Devon informs Gina he will no longer be warming her bed at night.
I loved the angst in this one and how much of a true, beautiful partnership that Gina and Devon form together. Her relationship with his children was so sweet to see. I loved how Gina shook up Devon’s life and made him see what’s important versus what society and the aristocracy expect of one another.
This book takes us to London, 1878 and is a marriage of convenience between an American heiress and a widowed Earl who needs money. The story starts off with Devon, Earl of Huntdon, meeting with Georgina Pierce’s father. Her father has brought himself and Georgina to London to find her a husband. He makes a deal with Devon to set up a marriage between Gina and Devon, he makes Devon promise to not tell Gina about their arrangement and try to act like he’s wooing and falling for her instead. Devon is determined to take Gina as his bride, he needs her fortune and is equally determined to keep the marriage as a business arrangement only.
Gina is 26-years-old and grew up in Fortune, Texas. She grew up best friends with Christopher Montgomery’s stepdaughter Lauren. Christopher is from England (along with his twin brother Kit who is one of the heroes from Rogues in Texas) and currently visiting his cousin, Devon, whom he tells about Gina. Gina is already not comfortable in the London ballrooms and would much rather be outside when she runs into Devon. She quickly sees through his sham of pretending to be into her and asks what her father has promised him, Devon tells her and instead of her being against his suit, they share their own thoughts and decide to move forward with the marriage. Gina’s father knew she always wanted children and tells her he has looked into Devon and he will be a suitable husband…he checked out his lands, spoke to his tenants, and heard about his first marriage and how he was faithful.
Devon had been lonely and alone, even before losing his wife, and he starts to be intrigued and impressed by Gina. They get married quickly and even share a passionate wedding night together before everything starts to fall apart the day after their wedding when some things are revealed/come up… They head to his country estate and Devon informs Gina he will no longer be warming her bed at night.
I loved the angst in this one and how much of a true, beautiful partnership that Gina and Devon form together. Her relationship with his children was so sweet to see. I loved how Gina shook up Devon’s life and made him see what’s important versus what society and the aristocracy expect of one another.
March 25, 2018
2.5 disappointing stars.
I have no idea why this book is the second in the Daughters of Fortune series when it takes places 13 years before the first one in the series. Continuity is a HUGE issue for me in books and in series so that was a big issue from page one.
Also other than this heroine was supposedly from fortune as a child she was really from the previous series, she was only a friend of one of the side character from the books in the first series.
I enjoyed the heroine but the author seemed to flit back and forth between hillbilly twang and "regular" speaking.
The hero is what really brought this story down for me. It's a marriage of convenience book so I totally don't expect love right off the bat but he spend the whole book thinking about how his previous wife had treated him/thought about their life when they became poor and everything he complained about he pushed all of these negative things on to his new wife. Doing everything he despised in his first wife to his second. I wouldn't quite call him a bully but he made no allowances for differences in temperament or culture. He was very snobbish and cold that I just didn't ever feel was fully reconciled even though he decided she was beautiful and was in loved with her by the end.
It also added nothing to the series as far as I can tell. I so wanted more to build on to the first book in the series which I'm still wanted to know about those other characters introduced in the first book of the series. I'm not really sure where the author was going with this book, it felt really off and out of place in a series called Daughters Of Fortune and it had no connection to the first book.
#Disappointed
I have no idea why this book is the second in the Daughters of Fortune series when it takes places 13 years before the first one in the series. Continuity is a HUGE issue for me in books and in series so that was a big issue from page one.
Also other than this heroine was supposedly from fortune as a child she was really from the previous series, she was only a friend of one of the side character from the books in the first series.
I enjoyed the heroine but the author seemed to flit back and forth between hillbilly twang and "regular" speaking.
The hero is what really brought this story down for me. It's a marriage of convenience book so I totally don't expect love right off the bat but he spend the whole book thinking about how his previous wife had treated him/thought about their life when they became poor and everything he complained about he pushed all of these negative things on to his new wife. Doing everything he despised in his first wife to his second. I wouldn't quite call him a bully but he made no allowances for differences in temperament or culture. He was very snobbish and cold that I just didn't ever feel was fully reconciled even though he decided she was beautiful and was in loved with her by the end.
It also added nothing to the series as far as I can tell. I so wanted more to build on to the first book in the series which I'm still wanted to know about those other characters introduced in the first book of the series. I'm not really sure where the author was going with this book, it felt really off and out of place in a series called Daughters Of Fortune and it had no connection to the first book.
#Disappointed
June 20, 2022
Review regarding the audio 🎧version: The narrator did a good job, despite having one of the most deep and velvety -yet raspy(?)- female voices I’ve ever heard. She sounds like someone who smokes 3 packs a day but, still, pretty good narration. And I don’t know where she recorded this, maybe in a non-soundproof bedroom closet? 🤔There were times I could hear background noises, including birds and a car or two. 😳 🤷🏻♀️
September 13, 2021
3.5 stars
August 16, 2018
Non avevo letto questa serie alla prima uscita, ma ora che ho la possibilità di riprenderla con gli Oro, devo dire che è veramente deliziosa.
Se non altro, offre (finalmente) protagoniste intrepide, vere donne del Texas che sostituiscono algide fanciulle inglesi sempre pronte a chiedere i sali.
Qui la trama di Cenerentola un po' si capovolge: Devon è il nobile inglese ridotto alla fame che cerca d'impalmare la ricchissima ereditiera yankee.
Peccato che le cose non vadano nel verso giusto, neanche a considerarlo un mero contratto d'affari: una delle parti non adempie come previsto. Ma per fortuna la Heath non ci offre un amore istantaneo e assurdo, bensì una dura prova che metterà in gioco entrambi i protagonisti.
Mi è piaciuta Giorgina, pragmatica e senza illusioni, così come mi è piaciuto questo Devon altrettanto pragmatico, deluso e pronto ad adattarsi.
Nell'insieme, un romanzo non lungo ma molto appagante.
Serie da continuare.
Se non altro, offre (finalmente) protagoniste intrepide, vere donne del Texas che sostituiscono algide fanciulle inglesi sempre pronte a chiedere i sali.
Qui la trama di Cenerentola un po' si capovolge: Devon è il nobile inglese ridotto alla fame che cerca d'impalmare la ricchissima ereditiera yankee.
Peccato che le cose non vadano nel verso giusto, neanche a considerarlo un mero contratto d'affari: una delle parti non adempie come previsto. Ma per fortuna la Heath non ci offre un amore istantaneo e assurdo, bensì una dura prova che metterà in gioco entrambi i protagonisti.
Mi è piaciuta Giorgina, pragmatica e senza illusioni, così come mi è piaciuto questo Devon altrettanto pragmatico, deluso e pronto ad adattarsi.
Nell'insieme, un romanzo non lungo ma molto appagante.
Serie da continuare.
February 25, 2023
Heroine: Georgina Pierce, 26. Nickname: Gina. An American heiress from Texas.
Hero: Devon Sheridan, 34. Earl of Huntingdon. A widower. He needs to marry an heiress as his father left him in financial difficulties.
Date: 1878 (epilogue = 1885)
How they meet: Devon and Gina meet at a ball after Devon discusses with her father an arrangement to marry her, under the condition that she is willing to do so.
What happens: One of Gina’s father’s requirements is that Gina not know about the arrangement between him and Devon, however Gina immediately figures out what’s going on. She agrees to the marriage right away on the condition that Devon never lies to her and they are married by special license later that week. He and Gina have a very passionate wedding night, but then her father unexpectedly dies the next morning. Upon meeting with her father’s lawyer, they learn he had recently gambled away Gina’s dowry and left behind many debts.
Verdict: This story was an interesting twist on a must-marry-an-heiress storyline. It was a bit of a rollercoaster with high highs and low lows. Devon was frustratingly cold for a good portion of the book, but he did experience some important personal growth. Gina was pragmatic and likable. I thought this would be a 3-star book, but when the hero finally realized how he was sabotaging the relationship and won the heroine over with a couple of sweet gestures, it won me over too. This can be read as a standalone. There is a slight connection to the first book in the series, but one need not have read it to understand what is going on with this story.
Steam-level: Moderately steamy and moderately explicit
Rating: 4 stars
Hero: Devon Sheridan, 34. Earl of Huntingdon. A widower. He needs to marry an heiress as his father left him in financial difficulties.
Date: 1878 (epilogue = 1885)
How they meet: Devon and Gina meet at a ball after Devon discusses with her father an arrangement to marry her, under the condition that she is willing to do so.
What happens: One of Gina’s father’s requirements is that Gina not know about the arrangement between him and Devon, however Gina immediately figures out what’s going on. She agrees to the marriage right away on the condition that Devon never lies to her and they are married by special license later that week. He and Gina have a very passionate wedding night, but then her father unexpectedly dies the next morning. Upon meeting with her father’s lawyer, they learn he had recently gambled away Gina’s dowry and left behind many debts.
Verdict: This story was an interesting twist on a must-marry-an-heiress storyline. It was a bit of a rollercoaster with high highs and low lows. Devon was frustratingly cold for a good portion of the book, but he did experience some important personal growth. Gina was pragmatic and likable. I thought this would be a 3-star book, but when the hero finally realized how he was sabotaging the relationship and won the heroine over with a couple of sweet gestures, it won me over too. This can be read as a standalone. There is a slight connection to the first book in the series, but one need not have read it to understand what is going on with this story.
Steam-level: Moderately steamy and moderately explicit
Rating: 4 stars
March 7, 2024
Review originally posted on Overflowing Shelf
CW: death of a parent; emotional abuse; gambling addiction; mention of racial slur
To Marry an Heiress marks Lorraine Heath’s transition away from Western romance and into her English romance era. Going into this story, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it, as it’s a marriage of convenience plot, which is not my favorite. However, I was going to trust Lorraine Heath, as she has yet to lead me wrong. Despite a slow start, I ended up loving this one in the end, as it was so sweet.
While this is book two in the Daughters of Fortune series, it actually takes place nearly 20 years BEFORE The Outlaw and the Lady . It did take me a minute to realize this, as I was confused as to why some characters seemed a lot younger than they should have been if this book was taking place around the same time as book one.
Most Lorraine Heath books hook me pretty quickly, but this one I wasn’t so sure about this one at the beginning. It was a slow go at the start, as I wasn’t immediately connecting with the characters and the plot. But when the plot twist hit around 40%, it made this marriage of convenience story much more interesting, and I became hooked. I couldn’t read the rest of the book fast enough, as all the complex emotional swings that I love about Lorraine Heath’s writing came into play.
If you’ve read Never Marry a Cowboy , the plot felt a bit similar. We also have a secret marriage arrangement that involves the main male character pretending to be in love with the female main character…and not letting her learn about it. Despite some similar elements to the core plot, the story felt incredibly new and different thanks to Devon Sheridan, the Earl of Huntingdon, and Georgina (Gina) Pearse.
Poor damaged, starchy Lord Huntingdon. At first, he came off as prickly and prideful, and cold and detached, but it all made sense once you learned more about his past. His first wife really did a number on his self-esteem and self-worth, and I hate her so much for that. She’s truly THE WORST. He’s internalized so much of the terrible things she said to him that he feels like a pitiful excuse for a man, and I just wanted to hug him. Devon also cares so much about what others think of him and wants to maintain a particular image in society. He comes off a bit snobby as a result, but he’s willing to do anything and everything to save his estate. He truly won me over in the end as his actions were admirable, and you can tell he deeply cares about his lands and the people who live on them – and they respect him as well. You get to see a softer side to him as his layers are peeled back.
Gina is the complete opposite of Devon in many ways, but they still share many similarities. If Devon cares too much about what others think, Gina doesn’t care what others think. Devon’s more of a glass-half-empty person, while Gina is a glass-half-full. But like Devon, who will do anything to save his estate, Gina will do anything to make her father happy. When she loves someone, she loves with all her heart. Her relationship with her father was everything to me – you could feel the love she had for him, despite his flaws. Gina took a little longer than I expected to get a read on, but I ended up loving her in the end. There is a loneliness to her, and all she wants is to feel as if she belongs and can have a home somewhere, as she moved around a lot thanks to her father’s business. The last place she felt at home was in Fortune, Texas. And I love that you can take the girl out of Texas, but you cannot take the Texas out of the girl. She’s got spunk and a strong independence streak that ruffles Huntingdon's feathers to no end. She’s not the type of girl you can manage, and her expectations of him are so different from those of English ladies that it feels like they are a perfect pair.
Marriage of convenience is not my favorite romantic trope. But a marriage of convenience that goes sideways? I can dig that. The romance in this was a slow build, but I loved that there was a connection between them from the beginning. It was not an immediate attraction or spark, but it felt like something deeper. I loved how she constantly challenged and kept him on his toes – she was not at all what he expected. He’s also in deep denial of his attraction and feelings for her, and I loved watching him wrestle with that. He was so shocked at how horny he was for his wife! Their romantic relationship is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but I ended up so invested in it as there is a lot of love on both sides, but they both have to work through their own issues and feelings to get to the happily ever after (cue the angst!).
My one complaint with the romance was that the ending felt rushed! It felt like he discovered his feelings after an inciting incident, they said I love you, and then BAM, epilogue. I wanted them to talk out their feelings and issues a little bit before we got the happily ever after, as it felt like some threads were wrapped up too quickly without giving them the weight they deserved.
Despite the book’s slow start, I enjoyed To Marry an Heiress. Lorraine Heath takes you on an emotional journey with Devon and Gina’s relationship. I loved the complexity of these characters and watching them fall in love with each other. And while I’m sad to say goodbye to Heath’s Westerns, I love her English romances just as much.
CW: death of a parent; emotional abuse; gambling addiction; mention of racial slur
To Marry an Heiress marks Lorraine Heath’s transition away from Western romance and into her English romance era. Going into this story, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it, as it’s a marriage of convenience plot, which is not my favorite. However, I was going to trust Lorraine Heath, as she has yet to lead me wrong. Despite a slow start, I ended up loving this one in the end, as it was so sweet.
While this is book two in the Daughters of Fortune series, it actually takes place nearly 20 years BEFORE The Outlaw and the Lady . It did take me a minute to realize this, as I was confused as to why some characters seemed a lot younger than they should have been if this book was taking place around the same time as book one.
Most Lorraine Heath books hook me pretty quickly, but this one I wasn’t so sure about this one at the beginning. It was a slow go at the start, as I wasn’t immediately connecting with the characters and the plot. But when the plot twist hit around 40%, it made this marriage of convenience story much more interesting, and I became hooked. I couldn’t read the rest of the book fast enough, as all the complex emotional swings that I love about Lorraine Heath’s writing came into play.
If you’ve read Never Marry a Cowboy , the plot felt a bit similar. We also have a secret marriage arrangement that involves the main male character pretending to be in love with the female main character…and not letting her learn about it. Despite some similar elements to the core plot, the story felt incredibly new and different thanks to Devon Sheridan, the Earl of Huntingdon, and Georgina (Gina) Pearse.
Poor damaged, starchy Lord Huntingdon. At first, he came off as prickly and prideful, and cold and detached, but it all made sense once you learned more about his past. His first wife really did a number on his self-esteem and self-worth, and I hate her so much for that. She’s truly THE WORST. He’s internalized so much of the terrible things she said to him that he feels like a pitiful excuse for a man, and I just wanted to hug him. Devon also cares so much about what others think of him and wants to maintain a particular image in society. He comes off a bit snobby as a result, but he’s willing to do anything and everything to save his estate. He truly won me over in the end as his actions were admirable, and you can tell he deeply cares about his lands and the people who live on them – and they respect him as well. You get to see a softer side to him as his layers are peeled back.
Gina is the complete opposite of Devon in many ways, but they still share many similarities. If Devon cares too much about what others think, Gina doesn’t care what others think. Devon’s more of a glass-half-empty person, while Gina is a glass-half-full. But like Devon, who will do anything to save his estate, Gina will do anything to make her father happy. When she loves someone, she loves with all her heart. Her relationship with her father was everything to me – you could feel the love she had for him, despite his flaws. Gina took a little longer than I expected to get a read on, but I ended up loving her in the end. There is a loneliness to her, and all she wants is to feel as if she belongs and can have a home somewhere, as she moved around a lot thanks to her father’s business. The last place she felt at home was in Fortune, Texas. And I love that you can take the girl out of Texas, but you cannot take the Texas out of the girl. She’s got spunk and a strong independence streak that ruffles Huntingdon's feathers to no end. She’s not the type of girl you can manage, and her expectations of him are so different from those of English ladies that it feels like they are a perfect pair.
Marriage of convenience is not my favorite romantic trope. But a marriage of convenience that goes sideways? I can dig that. The romance in this was a slow build, but I loved that there was a connection between them from the beginning. It was not an immediate attraction or spark, but it felt like something deeper. I loved how she constantly challenged and kept him on his toes – she was not at all what he expected. He’s also in deep denial of his attraction and feelings for her, and I loved watching him wrestle with that. He was so shocked at how horny he was for his wife! Their romantic relationship is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but I ended up so invested in it as there is a lot of love on both sides, but they both have to work through their own issues and feelings to get to the happily ever after (cue the angst!).
My one complaint with the romance was that the ending felt rushed! It felt like he discovered his feelings after an inciting incident, they said I love you, and then BAM, epilogue. I wanted them to talk out their feelings and issues a little bit before we got the happily ever after, as it felt like some threads were wrapped up too quickly without giving them the weight they deserved.
Despite the book’s slow start, I enjoyed To Marry an Heiress. Lorraine Heath takes you on an emotional journey with Devon and Gina’s relationship. I loved the complexity of these characters and watching them fall in love with each other. And while I’m sad to say goodbye to Heath’s Westerns, I love her English romances just as much.
April 10, 2014
Loved this book so much! A hero rediscovers his own sense of self and belief in himself and a heroine who is strong enough to stay true to herself amid a world of pretense and societal pressures. Their love story was so powerful, I think because the relationship developed slowly. Watching the hero reconnect with his children and the developing relationship between the heroine and his children was so very sweet as well. On my keeper shelf now for sure!
February 6, 2017
I'm not sure what it is about a brooding male and the woman who redeems him, but I loved, loved, loved this book!
As matter of fact, while reading, I realized I had read this book before, but still couldn't put it down. There was no suspense, mystery or thriller aspect, which I usually crave, and I was entranced nonetheless.
I can't even count how many times I cried before getting to the ending. This book is so worth the read!
As matter of fact, while reading, I realized I had read this book before, but still couldn't put it down. There was no suspense, mystery or thriller aspect, which I usually crave, and I was entranced nonetheless.
I can't even count how many times I cried before getting to the ending. This book is so worth the read!
January 27, 2011
Other than the Texas twang of Miss Georgina's father that rather annoyed me, I enjoyed the dialog and the characters. The Earl of Huntingdon's character grew the most, but I could totally see why he changed and why he eventually loved Georgina. It was refreshing to read about a woman whose inner beauty far out-weighed her outer looks.
December 8, 2023
Yeah, no thanks.
Devon actually makes me so mad. This guy constantly talks about his deceased wife (I get it - you were madly in love with her), always talks poorly about his new wife (like saying she’s not beautiful), goes on and on about money, and DOES NOT TELL HIS NEW WIFE HE HAS KIDS UNTIL AFTER THE WEDDING (Uhm, what?).
2 stars.
Devon actually makes me so mad. This guy constantly talks about his deceased wife (I get it - you were madly in love with her), always talks poorly about his new wife (like saying she’s not beautiful), goes on and on about money, and DOES NOT TELL HIS NEW WIFE HE HAS KIDS UNTIL AFTER THE WEDDING (Uhm, what?).
2 stars.
January 7, 2015
I usually do have a soft spot for starchy lords but Devon, oh Devon. He needs several slaps on the face.
May 18, 2025
This book... wow. It's my third-to-last full length Lorraine Heath novel in her backlist all I have to say is wow.
Devon Sheridan, Lord Huntingdon is broke. His earldom is out of money due to his father's poor investments and his tenants are leaving the estate for the city. He needs an infusion of cash if he's going to rehab his home and farmland. Luckily his cousin, the Earl of Ravenleigh, knows a wealthy man from Fortune, TX where his brother lives who has an eligible daughter. Georgina Pierce is 26 and has never been kissed, never been courted and never had an offer of marriage. Her father wants her to have the illusion of romance so he tells Devon he'll consent to the marriage if he can make Georgina feel beautiful and loved. Devon is desperate so he agrees but Gina isn't stupid. She knows Devon must need money badly to court her but she wants a family of her own so she consents to the marriage. Not everything is as it seems, though, and when secrets are revealed, they threaten to tear Devon and Gina apart before they can begin their life together.
This was the book in the Daughters of Fortune series I was most skeptical to read because it is less connected to the Rogues in Texas than books 1 and 3 and it seemed like it was going to be a straight forward marriage of convenience story. And it was a pretty typical marriage of convenience until about 45% of the way through the book when Lorraine ripped the rug out from under our main characters and they had to figure out a new way forward.
This was Lorraine's first book set entirely in England. Prior to 2002 she'd written English characters in her Rogues in Texas series but her previous books all take place predominantly in Texas. Texas, specifically the town of Fortune, features prominently in this book because Gina is a Texan through and through, but this whole novel is set between London and Devon's estate. Because I have read all of Lorraine's books except the rest of this series, I can see that she is still figuring out who her English hero archetype will be. In her later series, she tends to feature heroes who have one foot in the gutter and one in society. Even if they're part of the aristocracy, they have some connection to the underworld. Devon is broke but he's not quite connected to the darker side of society yet. Gina is a Competent Queen, which is absolutely Lorraine's thing. She'd definitely figured out the kind of heroine she likes writing by this point in her career, and we've seen this archetype in her previous books.
I don't want to say much about the plot of the novel because Lorraine really goes against type for a marriage of convenience. She plays with our expectations and then upends everything and takes us into uncharted territory. But I do want to point out all the callbacks in this book to media romance readers know and love. There is a moment that comes directly from The Sound of Music and gave me the wiggles because I was so overjoyed to read it. There is a scene that was Lorraine Heath's version of "payment for the Lady Kincaid" from Julie Garwood's The Bride. And she included a sickbed scene that felt like a truncated moment out of a Lisa Kleypas novel, specifically Where Dreams Begin which was published in 2000 (very possible Lorraine had read it right around the time she was writing this book). Lorraine was doing some fan service with To Marry and Heiress and I was here for it.
If you've read or plan to read Lorraine's 2006-2007 duet, Rogues and Roses, you'll notice a lot of the themes and tropes from this book are reworked across those two. I don't know if that was a conscious thing from Lorraine but it's there. Also, if you plan to read Promise Me Forever (one of my all time favorite Lorraine books) I highly recommend that you read the Rogues in Texas series, this book and As An Earl Desires before picking it up. Lorraine was laying years of groundwork for that book across three series. Trust me on this one.
I loved this book. 5 stars.
Devon Sheridan, Lord Huntingdon is broke. His earldom is out of money due to his father's poor investments and his tenants are leaving the estate for the city. He needs an infusion of cash if he's going to rehab his home and farmland. Luckily his cousin, the Earl of Ravenleigh, knows a wealthy man from Fortune, TX where his brother lives who has an eligible daughter. Georgina Pierce is 26 and has never been kissed, never been courted and never had an offer of marriage. Her father wants her to have the illusion of romance so he tells Devon he'll consent to the marriage if he can make Georgina feel beautiful and loved. Devon is desperate so he agrees but Gina isn't stupid. She knows Devon must need money badly to court her but she wants a family of her own so she consents to the marriage. Not everything is as it seems, though, and when secrets are revealed, they threaten to tear Devon and Gina apart before they can begin their life together.
This was the book in the Daughters of Fortune series I was most skeptical to read because it is less connected to the Rogues in Texas than books 1 and 3 and it seemed like it was going to be a straight forward marriage of convenience story. And it was a pretty typical marriage of convenience until about 45% of the way through the book when Lorraine ripped the rug out from under our main characters and they had to figure out a new way forward.
This was Lorraine's first book set entirely in England. Prior to 2002 she'd written English characters in her Rogues in Texas series but her previous books all take place predominantly in Texas. Texas, specifically the town of Fortune, features prominently in this book because Gina is a Texan through and through, but this whole novel is set between London and Devon's estate. Because I have read all of Lorraine's books except the rest of this series, I can see that she is still figuring out who her English hero archetype will be. In her later series, she tends to feature heroes who have one foot in the gutter and one in society. Even if they're part of the aristocracy, they have some connection to the underworld. Devon is broke but he's not quite connected to the darker side of society yet. Gina is a Competent Queen, which is absolutely Lorraine's thing. She'd definitely figured out the kind of heroine she likes writing by this point in her career, and we've seen this archetype in her previous books.
I don't want to say much about the plot of the novel because Lorraine really goes against type for a marriage of convenience. She plays with our expectations and then upends everything and takes us into uncharted territory. But I do want to point out all the callbacks in this book to media romance readers know and love. There is a moment that comes directly from The Sound of Music and gave me the wiggles because I was so overjoyed to read it. There is a scene that was Lorraine Heath's version of "payment for the Lady Kincaid" from Julie Garwood's The Bride. And she included a sickbed scene that felt like a truncated moment out of a Lisa Kleypas novel, specifically Where Dreams Begin which was published in 2000 (very possible Lorraine had read it right around the time she was writing this book). Lorraine was doing some fan service with To Marry and Heiress and I was here for it.
If you've read or plan to read Lorraine's 2006-2007 duet, Rogues and Roses, you'll notice a lot of the themes and tropes from this book are reworked across those two. I don't know if that was a conscious thing from Lorraine but it's there. Also, if you plan to read Promise Me Forever (one of my all time favorite Lorraine books) I highly recommend that you read the Rogues in Texas series, this book and As An Earl Desires before picking it up. Lorraine was laying years of groundwork for that book across three series. Trust me on this one.
I loved this book. 5 stars.
August 11, 2024
I’m not sure if this was technically bad or just boring, but this was NOT it. I loved the first book, so I’m disappointed I didn’t even really like this one. I do plan to continue the series though since there’s only two more and I have access to the audiobooks on hoopla.
July 2, 2024
Technically fine but really boring, with some problemstic behaviors thrown in, and superficial emotions.
Starting with the emotions:
There's not enough background given on the male lead's family. He had very strict, exacting standards, but no real source for where this outlook came from. His cousin doesn't appear to share the same outlook, so where did it come from? If the lead was meant to inherit this worldview from his father, there should have been more discussion on it. There also should have been more discussion on his feelings about his father since that's why he's nearly destitute.
He supposedly loved his first wife, but the story never shows that. If anything, it sounds like he was infatuated and felt guilty about their circumstances, so he put her on a pedestal. If that's the case, that's fine, but there should have been some resolution within him, realizing that he never truly loved her, just the idea of them together. If they were genuinely supposed to be in love, I need a much better showing than what was presented.
There is also the issue of everyone conveniently dying of heartbreak. His wife because they were poor. Her mom because they weren't welcome. Her dad because of shame from his gambling addiction. The significance of their struggles take a massive hit when everyone is dying of the same thing. It honestly made them all sound insufferable and like big babies.
Speaking of her father, towards the end, the male lead states that they're on the road to economic recovery, all because she joined in helping him work the field. 🧐 now I'm no farmer, but even I know having just one person join wouldn't do that much to recover their estate, especially one as big as what's alluded to.
Now, what makes it problematic:
The field thing! Her constantly talking about picking cotton when this would have taken place around the civil war is laughable. I don't care how poor they got, white women weren't out just picking cotton. Let's also not forget her subtly suggesting that she sided with the South in the Civil War. Heath never public says what war is happening, but it's obvious once you listen to the context clues and her thoughts. To then go on to say he was treating her like a slave was just in extremely poor taste at that point.
Starting with the emotions:
There's not enough background given on the male lead's family. He had very strict, exacting standards, but no real source for where this outlook came from. His cousin doesn't appear to share the same outlook, so where did it come from? If the lead was meant to inherit this worldview from his father, there should have been more discussion on it. There also should have been more discussion on his feelings about his father since that's why he's nearly destitute.
He supposedly loved his first wife, but the story never shows that. If anything, it sounds like he was infatuated and felt guilty about their circumstances, so he put her on a pedestal. If that's the case, that's fine, but there should have been some resolution within him, realizing that he never truly loved her, just the idea of them together. If they were genuinely supposed to be in love, I need a much better showing than what was presented.
There is also the issue of everyone conveniently dying of heartbreak. His wife because they were poor. Her mom because they weren't welcome. Her dad because of shame from his gambling addiction. The significance of their struggles take a massive hit when everyone is dying of the same thing. It honestly made them all sound insufferable and like big babies.
Speaking of her father, towards the end, the male lead states that they're on the road to economic recovery, all because she joined in helping him work the field. 🧐 now I'm no farmer, but even I know having just one person join wouldn't do that much to recover their estate, especially one as big as what's alluded to.
Now, what makes it problematic:
The field thing! Her constantly talking about picking cotton when this would have taken place around the civil war is laughable. I don't care how poor they got, white women weren't out just picking cotton. Let's also not forget her subtly suggesting that she sided with the South in the Civil War. Heath never public says what war is happening, but it's obvious once you listen to the context clues and her thoughts. To then go on to say he was treating her like a slave was just in extremely poor taste at that point.
July 30, 2019
I DO SO ENJOY A GOOD FORCED INTO MARRIAGE SITUATION NOT INSTIGATED BY SCANDAL BUT RATHER NECESSITY. THIS STORY CAPTIVATED ME PLAINLY FROM THE START BECAUSE THE CHARACTERS WERE PRACTICALLY STRANGERS WHO WEDDED FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR OWN AGENDAS.
HERO was once married to a woman he loved, 13 years ago and now he's destitute to be wedded again for money. His estate is in debt and his children needs to be taken care of. When he encounters a rumour of a rich American man whose daughter is ripe for the plucking, he doesnt hesitate to offer for her. There was absolutely no love but at least Devon made an effort. His first wife was a raging beauty. His new wife is plain but not so in character. I didn't like it when Devon always compared his dead wife to Gina when it's obvious Margaret was a shrew even if she loved her children. This story takes apart the abomination of what London society viewed as rules & regulations of the higher echelons. Noblemen simply do not work, it is considered beneath them and that's the reason why his first wife fell out of love for him. I can't say I truly liked him because of his past and how he's angry at Gina when they discovered her father had duped him about the money after his abrupt death. I can't truly abide by his reasons for being distant with Gina, although at the same time I can understand his feelings - especially when he's being pressured by insurmountable debts.
HEROINE was the highlight of this story. While she knows she ain't no beauty, she's confident in herself and always does what she thinks is right. She flaunts the British constrictive rules and has a heart bigger than the ocean. When her father urges her to accept Devon's suit, she's hesitant but alas she gives in because she wanted to please her old man and also have children. She's a maternal sort and it shows with her ways in dealing with Devon's two children. Gina takes everything in stride, the perfect antithesis to Margaret and you'll love her for it because she's the pillar of strength that he needs in order to restore the family coffers and set things back to right.
OVERALL it was truly enjoyable, especially when you count the fact that it wasn't insta love which is a breaking point for me.
HERO was once married to a woman he loved, 13 years ago and now he's destitute to be wedded again for money. His estate is in debt and his children needs to be taken care of. When he encounters a rumour of a rich American man whose daughter is ripe for the plucking, he doesnt hesitate to offer for her. There was absolutely no love but at least Devon made an effort. His first wife was a raging beauty. His new wife is plain but not so in character. I didn't like it when Devon always compared his dead wife to Gina when it's obvious Margaret was a shrew even if she loved her children. This story takes apart the abomination of what London society viewed as rules & regulations of the higher echelons. Noblemen simply do not work, it is considered beneath them and that's the reason why his first wife fell out of love for him. I can't say I truly liked him because of his past and how he's angry at Gina when they discovered her father had duped him about the money after his abrupt death. I can't truly abide by his reasons for being distant with Gina, although at the same time I can understand his feelings - especially when he's being pressured by insurmountable debts.
HEROINE was the highlight of this story. While she knows she ain't no beauty, she's confident in herself and always does what she thinks is right. She flaunts the British constrictive rules and has a heart bigger than the ocean. When her father urges her to accept Devon's suit, she's hesitant but alas she gives in because she wanted to please her old man and also have children. She's a maternal sort and it shows with her ways in dealing with Devon's two children. Gina takes everything in stride, the perfect antithesis to Margaret and you'll love her for it because she's the pillar of strength that he needs in order to restore the family coffers and set things back to right.
OVERALL it was truly enjoyable, especially when you count the fact that it wasn't insta love which is a breaking point for me.
June 13, 2021
To Marry an Heiress is my second novel by Lorraine Heath after Always to Remember and was recommended by my friend Aksa. Thank you so much Aksa! This book is beautiful so many matters.
Devon Sheridan, Earl of Huntingdon, was in dire need of money. He endeavored to marry an rich American heiress so that he can receive dowry and pay off his debts. He approached reputed Nathaniel Pierce, father of Georgina Pierce. They both came to an business arrangement for marriage between Devon and Georgina upon certain conditions. What actually happened was not anticipated by either Devon or Georgina.
Now you see, our dear Gina was not the one to fit in the rules of Aristocrat society. She agreed to the marriage for her father's happiness. When her father failed to meet his end of bargain, Devon vowed to do the same. In name of pride. In fear. But as the time passed, Devon and Gina both learned that they are not they appear to be. Devon was not the snob earl who doesn't believe in hard work and sweat. Gina was not any spoiled woman only to sit and plan to buy gowns or indulge in leisure. But for their relationship to survive, first Devon had to learn his position is not important - his love is.
Perhaps they both needed more than the original bargain dictated.
It was refreshing to read about a impoverish nobleman while our gal didn't marry to him for money. Something different than marrying to billionaires troupe. Also, it was appealing to see that Gina was not ashamed of honest hard work done by Devon. She not only supported and prided Devon for it, but she manually helped him too. Also, her relationship with Noel and Millicent... it was splendid! I loved how lovely and hopeful and optimistic Gina was. And my heart broke for Devon who wounded in love for which he was guarded. I liked how Devon called Gina 'sweeting' and how he often he was so gentlemanly!
"You overlooked a tear, sweeting."
I really enjoyed reading this book. I bet it is worth re-reading and is a whole level of feel-good story. I am definitely digging into more books by the author!
Devon Sheridan, Earl of Huntingdon, was in dire need of money. He endeavored to marry an rich American heiress so that he can receive dowry and pay off his debts. He approached reputed Nathaniel Pierce, father of Georgina Pierce. They both came to an business arrangement for marriage between Devon and Georgina upon certain conditions. What actually happened was not anticipated by either Devon or Georgina.
Now you see, our dear Gina was not the one to fit in the rules of Aristocrat society. She agreed to the marriage for her father's happiness. When her father failed to meet his end of bargain, Devon vowed to do the same. In name of pride. In fear. But as the time passed, Devon and Gina both learned that they are not they appear to be. Devon was not the snob earl who doesn't believe in hard work and sweat. Gina was not any spoiled woman only to sit and plan to buy gowns or indulge in leisure. But for their relationship to survive, first Devon had to learn his position is not important - his love is.
Perhaps they both needed more than the original bargain dictated.
It was refreshing to read about a impoverish nobleman while our gal didn't marry to him for money. Something different than marrying to billionaires troupe. Also, it was appealing to see that Gina was not ashamed of honest hard work done by Devon. She not only supported and prided Devon for it, but she manually helped him too. Also, her relationship with Noel and Millicent... it was splendid! I loved how lovely and hopeful and optimistic Gina was. And my heart broke for Devon who wounded in love for which he was guarded. I liked how Devon called Gina 'sweeting' and how he often he was so gentlemanly!
"You overlooked a tear, sweeting."
I really enjoyed reading this book. I bet it is worth re-reading and is a whole level of feel-good story. I am definitely digging into more books by the author!
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