An Affair with a Notorious Heiress (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, #4) by Lorraine Heath Published by Avon on May 30th 2017
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The son of a duke and an infamous mother, Alistair Mabry, Marquess of Rexton, fought his way to respectability. Now, the most eligible bachelor in London, marriage-shy Rexton will take only a wife with an impeccable reputation, good breeding, and a penchant for staying out of the gossip sheets. But when he strikes a deal to be seen “courting” a sweet young debutante whose notorious older sister has blemished her chances for marriage, Rexton is unexpectedly drawn to the highly inappropriate, calamitous Tillie, Lady Landsdowne herself.
After a scandalous incident that sent shockwaves throughout society and disgraced her, Tillie refuses to cower in the face of the ton. Instead, she will hold her head high as she serves as chaperone for her younger sister, but Tillie is convinced Rexton’s courtship is shrouded with secrets—ones she vows to uncover. However, doing so requires getting dangerously close to the devilishly handsome and forbidden marquess…
~~Reviewed by Monique~~
In spite of his apparent cushy life, Alistair Mabry, Marquess of Rexton – better known as Rex – didn’t have it easy, but he never took things lying down. Even though he is not a rake, he is in no hurry to get married, but when he does he wants a lady above reproach as a wife. Suffering through his sister Grace’s ball, Rex is approached by a very wealthy American businessman living in London, Garrett Hammersly, whose youngest daughter Gina is having her Season. Mr. Hammersly wants the irreproachable Rex to escort his daughter around, as Gina’s older sister Tillie, the Countess of Landsdowne, has a scandalous reputation. Rex reluctantly agrees in exchange for the stud services from Hammersly’s prized stallion. Upon meeting the sisters, Tillie’s presence hits Rex like a bolt of lightning! And get your tissues, boxes of them, ready for this amazing story! I was halfway through the first chapter, and I could hardly contain myself at how it would all turn out.
AN AFFAIR WITH A NOTORIOUS HEIRESS has just about the most convincing instalust situation ever; I nearly felt the sparks bursting out of my reader! Ms. Heath gives a whole new meaning to “slow burn”, as the attraction between Rex and Tillie reaches indescribably heights; often I find this somewhat tedious, but definitely not here, as it was almost as suspenseful as the best thriller. Heath builds the romance while dispersing bits of information about the incidents that led to Tillie’s fall from grace, and I don’t believe I have ever cried so much for a character. Sometimes I shed a tear or two, some sniffles occur, but with AN AFFAIR WITH A NOTORIOUS HEIRESS, I could barely read, I was crying so much, but nothing would have stopped me from getting to the end of this powerfully moving story.
Rex is a sublime hero, he suffers from his conflicted views on a suitable wife, as does Tillie. Rex is confident, not arrogant, and Tillie is a pillar of strength, and I loved how both were so committed to Gina’s successful debut. Rex and Tillie are extraordinarily complex and appealing characters: they exude chemistry; their dialogues are playful, intelligent, intense, honest, heartbreaking, and enthralling. Every character is finely crafted, and Gina is fabulous, and so much more than she first appears to be; what a joy to learn that she will have her own novella later on this year.
AN AFFAIR WITH A NOTORIOUS HEIRESS is a grand love story, supremely emotional and sensual, featuring irresistible characters. The writing is exquisite, uncluttered yet refined, and so transparent I only experienced the story, never the technical side of language. AN AFFAIR WITH A NOTORIOUS HEIRESS is a magnificent romance that I can’t recommend highly enough; simply divine!
You can follow the Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series on Goodreads.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
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About Lorraine Heath
Also 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–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.” Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA Today, Waldenbooks, and most recently, the New York Times.
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