Rating: 78% | ★★★
Synopsis (from NetGalley): England, 1867: As half of the writing duo behind England’s most infamous crime column, Miss Caroline Hardcastle has quite the scandalous reputation. It may have cost her a fiancé, but she would much rather bring attention to crimes against those ignored by society than worry about what the ton thinks of her. After Caro’s dear friend is kidnapped, however, she has no choice but to work with Lord Valentine Thorn, the same man who broke her heart. Worse, when her actions put her father’s business at risk, a marriage of convenience may be her only solution . . . but can she trust Val to stand by her? Or will their past repeat itself? Val—the new Viscount Wrackham—is in an untenable position: His father is demanding he find a respectable bride to secure the succession. Yet the only woman he’s ever loved, Miss Caroline Hardcastle, is notorious for behaving improperly. And she’s never forgiven him for his youthful transgressions, missteps made in the name of familial duty, but ones he still regrets to this day. As they grow closer to unmasking the culprit, Val sees an opportunity to show Caro he’s a changed man. But can he convince her to give their love a second chance—before death does them part? Spoiler-Free Review: An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire is a thoughtful yet just slightly off-kilter historical romance. While the characters are fairly rounded, the pacing of the plot and some aspects of the writing render the book a slight disappointment, especially given the ambitious nature of the synopsis. The plot begins to unravel a bit as the story progressed, with Collins struggling to juggle two storylines: Val and Caro's romance and Effie's kidnapping mystery. In the end, the romance wins out, and the mystery is rather hastily tied up. Additionally, the nature of the romance is somewhat flat; while Val and Caro are originally touted as adversaries, their amorous reunion progresses rather quickly and without much protest from either side. That being said, their romance is genuine, and their meditations on marriage and the expectations of men and women in marriage are fascinating to read. The writing feels a little strange at times. While this novel does involve dual POVs, it feels that Val and Caro's points of view are so closely intertwined that they should be one; both characters sometimes think the exact same things and make the exact same observations, even though they are meant to act independently. What I enjoyed most about this novel, however, is the faithful historical ambiance that Collins creates. As a rather nitpicky history buff, I always demand that my historical romances have a believable historical backdrop, and this book certainly satisfies that demand. Victorian England is brought to life with concrete historical markers like the Reform Act of 1867, which neatly anchors the story in real history. Ultimately, An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire is perfect for anyone looking for a light historical read with an undercurrent of mystery and second-chance romance. An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire is out November 19, 2021. Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
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