The Heiress Gets a Duke

The Gilded Age Heiresses #1

by Harper St. George

Even a fortune forged in railroads and steel can't buy entrance into the upper echelons of Victorian high society--for that you need a marriage of convenience.

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger--it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

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

308 pages, Hardcover

First published January 26, 2021

About the author

Harper St. George was raised in rural Alabama and along the tranquil coast of northwest Florida. It was a setting filled with stories of the old days that instilled in her a love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school, she had discovered the historical romance novel which combined all of those elements into one perfect package. She has been hooked ever since.

She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband and two children. When not writing, she can be found devouring her husband's amazing cooking and reading. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at harperstgeorge.com

Reviews

[Evie Dunmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for dukes and men who know their way around a boxing ring. The Duke of Rothschild is a duke who boxes so I obviously had no choice but to root for him the moment he appeared on the scene. Headstrong August is his perfect match. The Heiress Gets a Duke is a charming delight and I can't wait for the next book from Harper St George's magical pen.

[♥ℳelody · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't work for me. This tried too hard to hit everything on the nose on feminism and progressive issues that it felt disingenuous. When it feels like the author is literally going down a checklist on how to write a historical feminist heroine then it just takes me out of the story. While not as heavy handed as some other writers, this still feels too modern and I truly wish romance authors would stop trying to push modern progressive themes into Historicals so much. This new trend drives me insane. It's not realistic and doesn't fit the genre and yes I will die on this hill. Some may love this but for me it just wasn't my cuppa. Nothing about this felt organic or even interesting. The heroine August is a severe test in patience with a huge chip on her shoulder which felt a little bit extreme. She seemed more passionate and in love with her job of running the family company Crenshaw Iron than the possibility of being happy and in love with the hero, Evan. Which is 100% fine but for a romance book? Awkward. It felt like the author was forcing this character kicking and screaming into this book who didn't even want to be here. She hates the hero, hates everything, wants to go home to New York. So why am I even here? She wants to go home so I wanted to go home too.

I have never read a romance book where the heroine keeps treating the hero like a burden she wants to wash her hands of and wants to get the hell away from till the very end (ok fine she's not when she's making out with him but still). Like... he's not even a jerk. He's actually nice and really sweet and totally infatuated with her. Hence my confusion. I didn't get the issues she supposedly has with him. Evan is honest and forthright with her, yes he needs to get married for money but is honest about it, and he genuinely cares for her and doesn't want to stop her from pursuing her own dreams and continuing to work even after they get married. He gives her outs from the betrothal, listens to her and respects her wishes. So I really didn't understand the conflict here or her hang ups. Why did it have to be an either or situation? Couldn't she have both, her career and love? Cause that's literally what he was offering. There was no push and pull, no underlying tension, no emotional depth from August until literally the last 10% of the story. It was all extremely one sided with a pining hero trying to woo her and her having absolutely none of it. And that's not sexy to me nor is it enjoyable to read. And I'm sorry but having the heroine constantly be sneering and rude and the hero finding it amusing and attractive I will never understand the appeal of. We get very little tender moments, moments where August is falling for him, showing kindness, etc. All we are told is she's attracted to him, that's literally it. Instead she keeps insulting him and cracking crass jokes at his expense about his run down estate that Evan's father ran through the ground and he's struggling to keep up and running. Even after he gives her a tour of his land and meets his tenants who are struggling, we still get major "Not my problem" energy from our lovely heroine. Which made her come off like an empathy lacking bitch. So again, if she doesn't care, why should I care for her?

Even after knowing he's not just a fortune-hunting "aristocrat at leisure" but a Duke struggling to support his family and his tenants she still keeps referring to him as a fortune hunter and blames him for everything she's going through. I mean...what part of this is palatable? There's being pragmatic and level headed and there's just being mean and a bitch. I just didn't like how self-centered and cold she came off. Everything is about her, she doesn't take anyone's feelings into consideration except her own. Her bitterness and hate for the hero felt overblown and dragged on for too long. Yes we know you don't want to marry him, we got it the first 500 times you've said it but he ain't forcing you. I can't stress that part enough. He never forces her and gives her options, all he asks is for a chance to court her for 1 week before she decides. That's it. Yes her situation sucks like all reviews state, but so does Evan's. That's not something I'm brushing under the rug like the author tries really hard to do to make it seem like it's an uneven playing field here. August has the luxury of freedom back home in New York, she's from a rich established powerful family who doesn't care about image. Evan can't say the same even with his Duke title. He has his mother and twin sisters to worry about including hundreds of tenants and huge debt that is bordering poverty. That's a heavy load to carry. I understand this is about women empowerment and female independence but you gotta make your heroine at least self aware about her own privileges in your story. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #justsaying She's filthy rich and answers to no one and makes blasé assumptions about everyone. But hey, feminism ya'll! 😐

Her parents to me felt like the real villains of this story who were forcing her hand to marry the hero. Every time Evan tries to gain her trust and give her time, her parents charge in and make things worse which leads to August making the worst assumptions and we are back to square one. Over and over it went. Her father pretty much used her as a puppet and never took her seriously after all the work she did for their company and yet she kept taking out her anger on Evan instead of her asshole father and it got tiring. She always has her defenses up and it frustrated me because this book once again fell victim to everything that gives feminism a bad name. *ducks for flying objects* Steam rolling over people when you don't hear what you want or to get what you want is not strong to me. Rolling your eyes, scowling 24/7, sneering, making judgements and being cuttingly rude when you are angry is not badass or strong to me. That's literally the range of emotions we get from the heroine and it set my teeth on edge and frustrated me. August is supposed to have a spine of steel but for me she came off incredibly defensive, antagonistic and mean when there was literally no need for it. Harper St. George kept telling us how this woman is so worldly, works in a male dominant environment who is a shrewd smart business woman but I did not see that. Her speed reading contracts and giving farming advice to the hero is not enough. August felt like all surface and very little substance. A woman can be strong and independent but have a fragile empathetic side underneath all that brittleness, I failed to see that till the very end. And it's not even just toward the hero, she manages to throw her own friend under the bus in the beginning to try and get out of the engagement. I mean....really? To make matters worse once we finally get August accepting she has feelings and wanting to tell him we have a 3rd act conflict near the end with a stupid misunderstanding that made me want to throttle Evan, that has her running. -_-

And someone please explain to me what on earth a railway business deal between her father and an English peer had anything to do with the heroine having to marry? That made absolutely no sense. It had no relation or tie to Evan so I didn't get how that was supposedly forcing her hand? It completely came out of nowhere in the middle of the story and really felt like the author had no other ideas to force the plot along and put the heroine in a difficult position of having to finally choose. The man her father was brokering a deal with is part of the peerage but had no ties or connection to the hero so I didn't get it.

I've read Harper St. George before, I've read 2 of her Harlequin Historical Viking books and I loved it. But I'm not sure if I want to continue this series. Because it feels like a lot of repetition with the same result. Why would you do another book with the same exact plot and trope? As much as I'm intrigued by August's sister and Lord Leigh, the fact that the next book is the *same exact* plot as this isn't thrilling me to pick it up. Considering how she handled the whole hate to love dynamic in this and marrying for money I have no patience to sit through another round of that same thing between Violet and Christian. I need a good balance when it comes to hate to love, and there was none of that here.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I listened to this book on audio and was instantly hooked from the start. August goes to a bare-knuckle fight with her friend and finds herself kissing one of the fighters. That fighter just so happens to be a duke in need of money. I will say, the beginning is definitely a highlight of the book that the rest of the book doesn't necessarily live up to. While I enjoyed the book and how August doesn't want to give up her job and freedom to be married, I did kind of get tired of August going back and forth and not trying to find a compromise about her future. I got that she and Evan were attracted to each other, but I didn't really see why she was so into marrying him until maybe the end when they were getting closer. For me, Evan wasn't fleshed out enough and I wanted to understand him more. I feel like we only scratched the surface with who he was and his relationship with his family. And he DEFINITELY didn't grovel enough at the end. I actually had to rewind the audiobook ten minutes at the end to make sure I didn't miss anything because it went so quickly and just finished. Also, the conflict at the end was something that would have been resolved with a simple conversation, which isn't always my favorite conflict. I did enjoy having a heroine who has a job in society and is very intelligent and doesn't want to give all of that up for a man. While it did become over the top at times, I did enjoy August's character. I did end up enjoying the story, but it did have some flaws.

[Christy Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a fun historical romance. Most of them tend to be regency romances, which is fine. But it’s so nice to see other time frames, even if the location is the same.

The Heiress Gets a Duke is set in the Gilded Age (my fav). English aristocracy had found that it needed the new money of American heiresses. The Duke of Rothschild is in desperate need to repair the damage his father did to the estates and the family. August Crenshaw is a wealthy American heiress, who has very progressive ideas about workers’ and women’s rights. While August is not keen on marrying until she is older, Evan needs a wealthy wife now.

The main characters are quite lovely. I enjoyed hearing the story from the two different points of view. The attraction and slow discovery of love is definitely a selling point for this book. The Gilded Age with the beautiful clothes, the American in England, the technological advancements and political issues of the time period were major wins in this book. The secondary characters are nice additions but more could have been done with them in order to make the book more layered. Although, I did like August’s and Evan’s siblings quite a bit. The ending was a bit of a let down. Everything had built up to such a lovely point and then the end just felt uninspired. Overall, The Heiress Gets a Duke was a nice summer read when I needed something fun and light.

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars! I loved the beginning – it had one of the best meet-cutes I've read. I enjoyed the main characters and the romance but the story did stall during the middle which is why I can't give this a full 4 stars.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty good, but it helped me identify something that bothers me in historical romance with more precision by being an irritant in the right (wrong) way.

The characters were good and a large part of the draw for the story. I liked August from the start, though she's one of those historical heroines who are thoroughly modern. She appreciates that her father has given her an official position at Crenshaw Ironworks and that he relies on her for business-relevant things where lots and lots of money is on the line. He's recognized her talent and that makes her feel useful and needed and fulfilled. So she wants none of that marriage nonsense where she loses all her autonomy and, likely, her position with the firm.

So what that means is that she has a giant negative motivation* based around that job. Which is very modern. And the author also ascribes all the standard modern trappings as well—she pushes for women's equality in every other sphere, especially the suffrage movement. Which is fine with me in historical romance because modern readers like having that engagement and while it's wildly anachronistic, it smooths lots of story/plot issues and I'm okay with that tradeoff. What I'm not okay with is that the character herself doesn't seem to understand her milieu. August appears to understand it because she knows she's unique and knows the laws surrounding marriage and doesn't want any of that. Only she has missed the more important salient fact of her life and that sat poorly with me.

Let me explain. Her position is unique because of her father's trust. She knows this and is anxious to maintain her position. Everything about the plot relies on believing that her father supports her. Everything. So why isn't she making sure he actually does? Because it's obvious to the reader that he doesn't support her. Trust her, yes. Support her, no. And the clues are all there for her to see. But does she follow-up on them, even when they're blindingly obvious? No. She is oblivious about his intentions towards her by her own stupidity. The very most important feature of her life and the basis of her being at odds with a very lovely man that she has come to care for and about, and she doesn't do the most obvious thing in the world. And it's not like her father was hiding it. He was, in fact, extremely clear all the way through. She just didn't want to believe.

Anyway, Evan was awesome. I loved him in pretty much every way. He does all the right things (though the prize fighting was weird) up to, and including, his respect for August as an equal and partner. He has a learning curve, but he tackles it aggressively and learns and grows. Loved that guy.

So this ends up with four stars for the lovely characters. I wish the author hadn't based so much of the story on a feature that didn't actually make any sense. Anachronism is fine with me, it turns out, but this story helped me map out my breaking point.

A note about Steamy: There's a single explicit sex scene putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. It was fine, everything it needed to be. But frankly, I skimmed it because by that time it wasn't important. Like at all. Not even for establishing intimacy because they were already aligned in every important way.

* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many things American Heiress August Crenshaw dreams of but an arranged marriage with a penniless title-carrying, blue-blood stranger is not among them. August is no fading wallflower and has no need of a man . . . title or not. What she is is an intelligent, witty, progressive woman with an uncanny ability to analyze numbers and future investments and make profitable decisions for her family's company Crenshaw Iron Works. Her decisions and expertise have served to greatly increase her family's wealth, and August has aspirations of taking over management of the company when her father steps down. Her brazen boldness is only tolerated because of the income she generates. Of course, this is all unheard of in Victorian England - a woman running a business? Making decisions? Surely they jest! As a result of "not playing by the rules", August is labeled "mannish" and totally unsuitable for a respectable marriage by cultural standards. And so, her family looks to marry off her younger sister Violet instead. What? Not on August's watch!

Evan Sterling recently inherited the title of Duke of Rothschild, along with a stack of bills, empty coffers, and eviction notices. A lot of people depend on him, and it appears a marriage of convenience is the only thing that can save him now. While he hates the idea, his only hope is to marry into a wealthy family - his name and title for their financial support. He cringes at the thought of being shackled to a silly, witless girl for life, but it's time he stood up and did what must be done. However, when he's introduced to American Heiress Violet Crenshaw as a possible match, it's her fiery, outrageous, stubborn sister August that catches his eye and heats his blood. It just might be easier to tolerate being married if he can catch this intriguing creature. But first, he'll have to convince August that it's a match made in heaven. Best of luck!

The Heiress Gets A Duke is a fantastic representation of everything I love about historical romance. The clash of wills, culture, social status, and gender expectations all woven into a delightful story I couldn't put down. The chemistry between Evan and August is fire and gasoline as flames ignite every time they get close. All in spite of the fact they loathe one another . . . they do, don't they? I was hoping from the beginning that this wouldn't be "just another love/hate romance" and believe me, it's not. Harper St. George has pinned an intriguing, seductive, heartwarming historical romance featuring complex characters who refuse to play the role they were born into. The Heiress Gets A Duke is a page-burner in more ways than one! It sizzles while evoking passion, fire and finally love. Highly recommended to fans of great romance no matter the time period.
4.5 Stars
*Special thanks to Berkley Publ. and HF Virtual Book Tours for an arc of this book.
**Posting on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews on Feb. 8, 2021 during the Blog Tour.

[Delirious Disquisitions · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing more painful than reading through a disappointing book, especially when you had such high hopes for it! I mean look at that gorgeous cover! Look at the synopsis! So many opportunities for high jinks! We could have had something special here. Instead, I felt nothing reading this. The potential is all there and yet it was like was watching the events unfold through thick, foggy glass: emotions felt so muffled and just slightly distorted. The characters were two dimensional with traits in place of actual personalities. The parents were cartoonisly villainous. The heroine was such an entitled, naive little snowflake I could not take her seriously. Mostly, this plot just went around in circles with her saying no to marriage while also doing everything that clearly indicated she wanted to be married. There was also zero chemistry between the leads. The final misunderstanding was pretty much the last straw for me so I'm bumping it into a 2 stars instead of 2.5. Overall, this bored me to tears and I don't care about the characters enough to read the spinoff.

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love the twist on this historical romance. With an American family living in Britain, wealthy, and a curiosity, that certainly puts pressure on the marriage front for the sisters in this story.

Enter the “mannish“ hard-working young lady who is quite taken with this wonderfully good looking man who just happens to be a Duke. However, she is not wanting nor willing to be married. But the sparks fly every time they see each other.

It’s very interesting to me the rules that apply to the Regency era. If you dance with someone too long or multiple times that’s indicative of intending to marry them.

If you look at someone too long or talk to them one on one, it is a big to do. If a woman holds a job or runs a business, she’s not worthy of acceptance and is forced to choose between marriage and business.

The author takes on some of these interesting “rules” of society in the story. She plays a delicate balance between Evan and August and the fact that he needs her but he also really wants her to be his wife. Enter negotiations on many levels.

The connection between the two of them is fire. The conversations are not typical of a Regency romance. You can feel the heat and steam radiating in the push and pull of the story. You want to cheer Evan on for the chase and the determination to get what he wants, yet balance her needs and desires.

With glitz and glamour working along with the cash-poor wealthy too, this story is interesting, engaging, and a unique romance that leaves you with a smile and a sigh. Well done!

* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/the-heiress-...

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️rounded up! If you are like me and only renew your Netflix account when Bridgerton releases a new season, you need to fill that gap with Harper St. George’s incredible historical romances like The Heiress Gets a Duke. This book was better than Bridgerton for me in every way-Evan (the Duke) being a golden retriever for August (the Heiress)’s black cat had the perfect amount of tension, spice and longing that you want from a historical romance without some of the extremely problematic male MMC toxicity seen in other works. I would love to see this story come to screen, especially with the culture clashes between American and British aristocracy is the late 1800s. I can’t wait to read more by this author (and already devoured the excerpt for book 2 at the end of this so fast!).

[Mimi Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightfully entertaining read, rich with romance, glamour, and lush Victorian detail. Harper St. George truly captures the spirt of the era. Her story features heroine August Crenshaw, a Gilded Age dollar princess with a head for business, and Evan Sterling, a dashing Duke who must marry well in order to replenish the empty coffers of his newly inherited estate. The characters are strong and independent minded, with great chemistry. I really enjoyed this one!

[Amy Imogene Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

An American railroad heiress, an English duke in need of funds, and an arranged marriage with a lot angst and chemistry than anyone is expecting.

Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Drama: ★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★

August Crenshaw is the oldest daughter of an American railroad tycoon. She's got a head for figures and enough ambition to hold her own... and yet. When her parents give her and her younger sister, Violet, the ultimatum that one of them must marry a duke in England... August can't believe it. Will she have to compromise on her autonomy and freedom sooner than she planned?

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, is up to his ears debt thanks to his father. Evan never planned on being the duke of the family and he certainly never planned on having to save his family from ruin, but here he is. When the Crenshaw family shows up in England in need of a title, Evan sees a way out. But then he meets August in an underground brawl in Whitechapel and one fated kiss will forever change the outcome...

As August and Evan navigate the tangled landscape of England's Society, her parents expectations, and Evan's desire to win August on his own merit and not for his title, they find they might be in for more than they bargained for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut. It had some refreshing twists on some old tropes and I LOVED how August's fierce need for independence shown through as both a positive trait AND a negative one. I know how bizarre that sounds, but hear me out—she's stubborn to the point of ignoring her own desires and the facts around her, and to be honest that bites her in the butt. I liked the realism of that, and how it made her character more human and less "perfect protagonist."

There's also the perfect set up for the next novel, of course, with August's younger sister Violet in need of a duke of her own...

Looking forward to reading that one too!

Thank you to Berkley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[Justin Chen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

***Ravished by Romance Book Club | April 2021 Selection***

The Heiress Gets a Duke is technically strong with beautiful prose and evidence of researched, period-appropriate details, but the actual romance is an irritating drag due to the barren chemistry and stilted plot development.

A combination of marriage of convenience + enemies to lovers, I feel like I was constantly 'told' by the author the heroine and hero has tender feeling for each other, instead of experiencing it directly from the page. The heroine's hostility towards the hero is so overblown and exaggerated, she comes across as an entitled, spoiled individual, rather than the headstrong, forward-thinking woman the book is trying to convey. The hero doesn't fare much better; while it's refreshing to have a more level-headed male romantic lead, some of his reactions resolving conflict come across as overly politically correct, more akin to an emotionless 'how-to' manual than a believable human being.

Anything resembling an actual romance finally kicks in the last 80 pages, but quickly deflates once again with the misinformed third act conflict, filled with out of character miscommunication and misunderstanding, where both strong-willed protagonists suddenly become yielding defeatists.

It's like watching a beautifully filmed movie with a terrible script, The Heiress Gets a Duke depicts immersive settings, until the self-serious tone (the lovers' 'banter' all comes across as actual bickering) and stagnant romance (what's with the juvenile kissing allowance?) ruins the effect. Hopefully the next one in the series will be an improvement.

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

TITLE: THE HEIRESS GETS A DUKE
AUTHOR: HARPER ST GEORGE
SERIES: The Gilded Age Heiresses
RELEASE DATE: January 26, 2020
GENRE: Historical Romance
THEMES & TROPES: Arranged Marriage
RATING: 4 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: No

READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG





A modern, bold heroine with a clever head on her shoulders. A hero who is just enough bad boy to give him the certain something that'll make you smile and swoon. An arranged marriage trope set in Victorian England. This is what you'll get when you read THE HEIRESS GETS A DUKE. Of course, it's a little more intricate than that.

August is a headstrong, highly intelligent American woman who has to live by the norms of the 19th century. Her parents have gotten it into their heads to marry one of their daughters off to a British aristocrat. Any strong woman, ahead of her time like this heroine would balk at the notion and I commend August for fighting this really stupid idea for as long as she did and you knew even if she had to cave she wouldn't do it without a fight and getting the best deal out of it. I really loved August who didn't live by the rules of society and didn't care what other people thought of her. The only niggle I had was that she didn't tell her parents what she thought of them. How they broke her her trust in them.

Evan stole my heart. Gah. Even though he inherited a ton of issues from his father, making it necessary to marry a rich heroine, he kept his mischievous, open disposition. His growth from a man who didn't consider the feelings of a woman who lost control of her own life to someone who actively listened and tried to understand what August was saying was huge. He was a delight to read about.

"Forgive me for not understanding earlier?” He placed petal-soft kisses along her jaw and neck.
“For not understanding what?” she whispered.
“That I need you for you and not your wealth.”

I admit that some parts of the story are a little on the slower side but it never got as bad that I found it boring. I also didn't care for some of the miscommunications that could have been solved by both of them actually saying what they felt. Then again without those it would have deprived me of an awesome ending. The sizzling chemistry between the characters was palpable and I adored their forth and back, their conversations, their getting closer and obvious care for one another.

“Why me?” Her voice was quiet.
“Because I have never met anyone like you. Because I want to know you. Because you challenge me. People in my world marry for much less. For money, land, a name. I want you for you, Miss Crenshaw. That is far more than most people get.”

THE HEIRESS GETS A DUKE is an engaging, wonderful historical romance that had me fall head over heels with both main characters. George St. Harper is a new-to-me author but I'll definitely grab the next in the Gilded Age Heiresses series which will be about August's sister and Evan's best friend.

“I want you, August.” The intensity of his gaze only inches away burned into her. “I want the woman who fought me at every turn."

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay it’s so funny reading old books bc this is a solid 3 and and nowhere near 3.5🌶️ but also I’ve just read so many more historical romances now as opposed to back then (two years ago). I think I was just very turned on by the precum and very new to the genre.

I’ve gotta admit the parents really pissed me off this go around and I really wanted them to not get married just to stick it to those twats. I basically skipped over every time they talked bc I could. Plus I already knew what they were gonna say.

It set up a lot of interesting things for the rest of the series but this is definitely my least favorite of the bunch. Evan is still seriously so hot especially with the beard he grows for his fights. I was debating between rounding up or down and if I end up skipping it next time I want to reread the series then I’ll round down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

______

Original review:

🌶🌶🌶.5/5 This book is my bread and butter. I have such a fondness for historical romances with modern prose it makes me SICK—like eating way too much dessert but still having room for that one last bite because you couldn’t ~deign~ to let it go to waste. So like a good sick. The best. I should amend the previous statement to “this book is my cake and frosting” because that is far more representative of ‘The Heiress Gets a Duke’s’ deliciousness. Also of the delicious Duke himself.

I loved the premise of August Crenshaw being the wealthy one with the power to save Evan Sterling, Duke of Rothschild. It’s normally reversed, so I enjoyed the twist. Further, I had no clue it was common in the Gilded Age for American Heiresses to marry for titles. There were still balls, gowns, and propriety, but I found the atmosphere unique and fresh.

I first thought the two married at the beginning, with the book then following their subsequent marriage-of-convenience life. However, it’s all about the courting and engagement, since August is determined to remain free, unwed, and untethered to London society. Safe to say, I’ve been utterly charmed.

August and Evan have such dazzling chemistry with which they both have to reckon with their futures and commitments. It’s fairly slow burn after their initial ~détente~ in a library, so I was caught totally off guard when the inhibitions were released and they started to feel the rain on their skin. I got to a certain page and TOTALLY felt like my parents knew exactly what I was reading. In hindsight, it was bold of me to assume I’d survive unscathed reading in their presence, since I have a penchant for the steamy.

I didn’t realize that getting the early release BOTM edition meant I didn’t get an authors note or maybe even a glimpse of the second novel—which leaves yours truly most aggrieved! Looks like I’ll be buying the paperback edition too like a besotted fool—aka Evan.

I’m already desperately pining away for the sequel, ‘The Devil and the Heiress.’ A romance writer and her muse on the run from a marriage of convenience? Totally my cake and frosting. It’ll probably include ice cream and sprinkles too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awww... I wanted to love this more. But honestly, August was too much work.

Although I do blame her parents for a lot of it.

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

Title: The Heiress Gets a Duke
Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses #1
Author: Harper St. George
Release date: January 26, 2021
Cliffhanger: no
Genre:historical romance

Ladies and gentlemen, I officially found a five star read. *throws confetti* It has been a dry spell to end all dry spells. Three months...not that I was counting. Don't get me wrong, I have had very good reads, but none that I felt enthusiastic enough to give a full five star rating. This book was everything I love about the genre with a romance that made my heart go pitter patter. I appreciated the combination of a wealthy American heroine paired with an impoverished English Duke. The clash in culture, the contrast of their social status and the differences in gender expectations gave this couple a lot of interesting moments.

August was a uniquely independent and intellectual heroine who was given the freedom to work at her father's company back home, but once her parents saw a potential title for the family dangled in front of them, (like the proverbial carrot) they rushed to sell her off faster than you can blink. The Crenshaws are swimming in money thanks to their company Crenshaw Iron Works. Unfortunately new money can't buy access into the world of the highest echelon of society-you have to be born into it.

As new money, there were many families that did not include their name on the guest list. August had always known that this was a sore spot for her mother, but she had never allowed herself to believe that it would come to this.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild is currently on the market for a wife just as the Crenshaws visit friends in England. After losing his father and older brother, the Duke inherits the crumbling estate, massive debt, and heavy responsibilities to his family and tenants. Coming to the realization that they are in dire straits, he makes the difficult decision to marry a Crenshaw heiress to save the family from complete ruin. He sacrifices himself not out of greed or laziness, but because he feels it's his only option after all of his other efforts have failed. I liked Evan right off the bat, and that never changed throughout the rest of the story. Even though he held all of the power pretty much from the beginning, he always took August's thoughts and feelings into consideration. He could have forced her to accept everything on his terms, but he chose to learn more about her and what would make her happy.

Originally the "arrangement" had been decided that Evan would marry August's younger sister Violet. Though after meeting August, he's instantly intrigued and attracted. He decides that an arranged marriage won't be so bad if August is going to along for the ride, but she has other ideas. The two of them have a magnificent clash of wills as she tries to wiggle out of the wedding that would bring an end to her happy life as she knows it. She has a good head for math and evaluating potential investments, and this has been not only fulfilling, but given her her own financial freedom. Why in the world would she want to hand over everything she's earned to her husband, her American citizenship, and stop the work that she loves in order to solely take care of her husband's estates? She gets nothing out of the bargain while he gains everything. It's not that she's totally against the concept of marriage, but she wanted it to be later and to a man of her choosing.

In the beginning of the book it seemed that her parents were progressive and loving in the way that they let her have the freedoms she did during that time. We discover later on that they are worse than despicable in their attitude towards both of their daughters. Money and status is placed at a higher priority than their children's happiness. And they never quite grasp the betrayal that they've inflicted on August. I do wish that they would have seen the error of their ways later, but unfortunately that never came to be.

Evan's character was really fleshed out once August and her family visited him at his home. We finally get to dissect his insecurities and heartache which not only made me empathize with him, but it made me love him all the more. Evan had always lived in his brother's shadow as "the spare." He never felt intelligent enough, or worthy enough in his father's eyes. He never resented his brother, in fact, they were very close until his sudden passing. He spent every moment afterwards trying to reverse the damage his father had done to their finances without even allowing himself time to grieve. There was a really sweet moment between August and Evan when he opened himself up to her and left himself very vulnerable. It was a glimpse into the tenderness they could share if she allowed her life to take a new and unexpected direction into marriage.

There were sun-kissed highlights in her hair, and the hazel of her eyes was swirled with grass green. Her creamy skin had a glow that showed a defiance of parasols. From now on when he thought of summer, he would think of her.

This was a refreshing historical romance by a new to me author! The plot was tight without any holes or inconsistencies that nagged at me. If I had one constructive criticism it would be that August's brother was sort of two dimensional, but as a brief side character it wasn't all that important. The main component of the story is of course the romance between August and Evan which was in turns enchanting and emotional in all the ways that it should be. The characters were far from perfect but always relatable in a way that makes you care what happens to them, and to me, that's a trademark of a well written book. I'll be so excited to read Violet's story in The Devil and the Heiress next July.

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

4.25 Stars!

I read this book as a part of the BOTM challenge for HRBC!

Plot Summary
The tile of this book is the plot summary
Ewan Sterling, the Duke of Rothchild, requires an enormous fortune to pay off the debts he inherited along with the dukedom. Enter the Crenshaw heiresses, August & Violet. Ewan is offered Violet, but he wants August, an independent, intelligent and very challenging woman. What's a Duke to do when the woman he wants does not want him? Alter his wooing techniques into negotiations!

My Thoughts
- This is the first time I read this author, and I found the book surprisingly enjoyable. The writing was pleasant, well structured.
- The plot was different from what I expected it to be. Fortune hunter tropes are the bread and butter of HR novels, especially the Regency-Georgian-Victorian era. But in this story, it was presented uniquely.
- For one, the heroine was American (understandable as the mid-1800s saw Dollar Princesses frequently). Secondly, she was not impressed by a ducal crest. And finally, the hero had to get off his presumptuous ass and do something about it.
- I liked the fact that the Gilded Age of the NY Society was also covered, albeit not in as much detail as I would have liked but, it did shed some light on why there was a sudden influx of wealthy Americans in the English peerage.
- The story was lovely, lively and kept me interested. It was low on angst and humour but, the chemistry was sound.
- The characters were individualistic, not your everyday dukes and strong-willed heroines. The supporting characters were set up well for their upcoming stories. I am very interested in reading about Violet & the Earl of Leigh.
- The unusual courtship that Ewan & August had is what made this book different. Not an average wooing and seducing, they addressed some very real issues and concerns of a fortune-hunting marriage of convenience. They had a chance to get to know each other outside of the trappings of society, and it made their love believable.
- The bare-knuckle boxing duke was a great meet-cute but, it should not have dragged on to create a very unnecessary misunderstanding.
- The late push and pull with the couple after Ewan's sudden inheritance is where the story lost the plot. It was unlikely, as for the most part, they were unabashedly honest with each other. Why dance around declaring their feelings? That is what made the ending feel rushed and abrupt.
- As for August & Ewan, I loved both of them. Especially because August came across as a really powerful heroine. I enjoyed Ewan's personal development in terms of widening his scope of mind and his viewpoint.

My Recommendation
A great read. Different story. And I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

[Gloria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and will probably be my last, for the following reasons:
(1) The writing was adequate but lacking in wit, warmth, and humor.
(2) While August, the heroine, was 100% right on the stances she took—women are not possessions to be bartered or sold or dismissed—she was just so doggedly, belligerently UNPLEASANT. Evan started out as someone who needed schooling, but he actually learned his lessons and changed his attitudes. August, however, dug in her heels in the most childish way, and kept slicing at her nose to spite her face, even after she began to care for Evan. She prided herself on her business acumen; she might have been good with ledgers but she was terrible with people.
(3) August’s parents were unsubtle cliches.
(4) The whole storyline was utterly and deadly predictable, right down to the ending.

Overall, I wish I hadn’t wasted my time and money.

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT SHITTY DUKE BOOK WITH A FAKE ASS FEMINIST AND A MALE LEAD WHO WANTS HER AS A MISTRESS.

Ladies, this book is so god damn good. Like, Evan is the best. He literally did not want her to not stop working with her father while he pursued a relationship with her.

My god, I am going to go on a rant. I need sleep. Better review to come!

EDIT: Okay. So I wrote the above when I was coming off a book high. Do you remember that one book that came out a year or two ago? Bringing Down the Duke I wrote a nice review about how the main character is an abusive piece of shit and gives not a fuck about women's rights or the woman he wanted to make a mistress.

This book, The Heiress Gets a Duke? This is the book you should be reading. The SUPERIOR book. The book that has a male lead who not only RESPECTS his lady, but doesn't want to marry her because she would loose her position in her father's company if they did get married (and if she doesn't marry him, she would loose it). Like, this guy is absolutely amazing and I was rooting for him and her to get together.

The main character is amazing, and she is written amazingly too. She is level headed, smart, kind, and not afraid of being herself. She gets called manish (because she has a job) and she is 25, but damn, I loved her.

This book had some heated romance scenes in them. Unlike Bringing Down the Duke, our female lead does not get abused or coerced into them. She makes the decisions herself or at the same time as the lead.

I am so excited to get a sequel focusing on the sister. I loved her too and I hope her man is just as good as Evan.

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a fun historical romance that involved a duke who's also a....prizefighter. I don't typically read of main characters involved in that particular career/sport so that was a unique element in this story.

If you like a story involving the marriage of convenience trope, this one may be a good pick for you although it's different. I liked how the main character wanted August to get to that decision on her own instead of from external pressure.

This was a fun and somewhat steamy read but I think it could have done with a bit more both in story development and in romance. Evan came across as the true romantic and more could have came from August but there was an understandable hesitancy.

[Cece · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t for me and I’m a little baffled by this book’s positive reviews because The Heiress Gets a Duke struck me as painfully formulaic, historically anachronistic, and far too reminiscent of Evie Dunmore’s style of historical romance.

Unbeknownst to her, 23-year-old August Crenshaw’s parents have brought her and her younger sister to London, in the hopes that one or both of their daughters will marry into the cash-strapped English aristocracy. Very soon, the wealthy American heiress receives the amorous attentions of Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, who is drawn to her fortune and forthright attitude. But August isn’t interested in her suitor or marriage more generally; she’d much rather work at her father’s business until her thirtieth birthday and then find a love-match. Through a scandalous waltz, illicit kisses in the library, and two confrontations in a moonlit garden, our pining hero tries to convince our plucky bluestocking heroine into an engagement-of-convenience, which she steadfastly resists until she realizes how thoroughly the deck is stacked against her.

If you’re at all familiar with modern historical romance, you’ve seen all of this before.

From the hero’s dead Bad Dad to the couple’s meet-cute at an illegal boxing match, The Heiress Gets a Duke was frustratingly paint-by-numbers. And while these familiar genre conventions can always be boring and predictable, I do think it’s possible that a skilled author can make them fresh by putting their own spin on them, which isn’t what happens here. Nothing enlivens this book’s safe choices so the lack of originality lands with a dull, recurring thud.

Like many unsatisfying romances, the conflict isn’t managed well.

Early on, we learn from Evan’s internality that he’s pursuing August for the “right reasons”. Yes, he needs her fortune for his bankrupt title. And yes, he’s really, really looking forward to their sex life. But he’s also a genuinely kind man and he’s attracted to her spunky, unusually blunt personality too. And with this reveal, the only conflict left in this romance is...August herself. Her absolute refusal to consider Evan's convenient proposal is the sole hurdle for 250 pages, despite her family’s pressure and the historical expectation she would live under as a late nineteenth century woman. When an author uses their heroine’s negative motivation to drive conflict in this way, it inevitably leads to irritation and resentment in readers. The female protagonist isn’t proactively accomplishing anything; she’s only getting in the way of the eventual HEA ending and we’re left waiting for her to come to her senses and realize what a great predicament she finds herself in.

However, let’s say we aren’t annoyed with her. Let’s say we take her unusually modern dreams for professionalism and late marriage seriously. What are the implications for this approach to her character?

If we resist the urge to resent August for her existence as the story’s only conflict, we’re left with one option: taking her desire for fulfilling work and self-determination seriously. But, if we do that, this book isn’t an optimistic romance, it’s this woman’s nightmare. Throughout this story, August is bullied, cajoled, threatened, and essentially abandoned by the people who claim to love her the most. She’s stripped of the illusion of her independence and her worth is repeatedly devalued, which is a historical reality that some feminist historical romance authors are increasingly trying to capture in their work. Harper St. George is trying to fit this story into the shape created by Evie Dunmore, by resolving her proto-feminist heroine’s desire for autonomy through a hero who safeguards her continued independence in marriage and woos her with promises to campaign for women’s suffrage in Parliament.

To compensate for the heroine’s loss of agency, this type of historical romance needs to do a lot of relationship building to sell the delicate balance between “historical reality” and romantic fantasy, but here we don’t get that. August and Evan don’t share enough scenes for their connection to be convincing. Again, as readers, we’re left stuck between resenting August for her resistance to the romantic fantasy or horrified by her pain in the “historical reality” and neither option is very satisfying. The similarities between The Heiress Gets a Duke and Bringing Down the Duke only highlight the comparatively weaker elements in this book, as the copy has none of the original’s multi-dimensional characterization, strong writing, or exhaustive historical detail.

Unfortunately, this book does replicate the weaknesses in Evie Dunmore’s approach.

Evie Dunmore’s bestselling suffragist romance has received criticism for its appropriation and its overly white, rich, and hetero-normative approach to history and these problems continue in The Heiress Gets a Duke. Let’s take the lowest hanging fruit: Evan’s title as the Duke of “Rothschild”. Rothschild is the name of a prominent, wealthy family of Jewish bankers who have been the target of anti-Semitic attacks for centuries. Using this name for an impoverished, gentile hero has a whiff of appropriation that I found deeply distracting and uncomfortable.

The larger – and I’d argue deeper – problem is this novel’s framing of its “savior capitalist” heroine.

August’s character is based on the real-life “dollar princesses” of the Gilded Age, the heiress daughters of American “robber baron” industrialists who married into the British and European aristocracy in droves at the turn of the century. But the source of their wealth was the rampant inequality and exploitation in the U.S. and its colonial projects abroad. This particular historical reality is something the book is both aware of but uninterested in confronting, which is a type of authorial hair splitting I’m never a fan of.

Since August’s characterization over-relies on her involvement in business, her family’s industrialist origins and their current financial dealings come up repeatedly. But whenever this theme arises, the author is quick to hand-wave August’s outrageous wealth and privilege away by framing her as a progressive, generous capitalist. She demands to be treated as an equal by her servants! She only wants to use her family’s company to create jobs! She’s passionate about improving her workers’ lives through better pay and conditions! These sections felt like patronizing classist propaganda, especially when these platitudes aren’t backed up by any on-page evidence of August’s supposed benevolence.

Most egregiously, her father’s railroad plans for India are discussed in paternalistic language that completely obscures Britain’s barbaric colonial agenda. I would highly, highly recommend Liber Lady’s review of this book for its nuanced, thorough explanation of why vague colonial apologias in historical romance are hurtful and toxic. I also think it’s pretty simple stuff: white authors shouldn’t put India or another colony on the page, if they’re not going to employ sensitivity readers from that region and/or they’re uninterested in confronting the violent and exploitative reality of colonialism.

At the end of the day, I wouldn’t rule out reading another book by this author, even though so much went wrong for me here. Before The Heiress Gets a Duke, Harper St. George wrote for Harlequin’s Historical line, which might explain the bland, formulaic elements. I can also imagine how a big publisher might put pressure on writers, especially newly signed authors like St. George, to create stories in the style of a bestselling author, like Evie Dunmore. With less historical hand waving, the next book could be a vast improvement so that little kernel of optimism adds a star to an otherwise 1 star reading experience. But who knows, maybe I’m just making excuses because so many folks loved this and I didn’t.

Tl; dr – Romance is better when The Woman isn't also The Problem. Is “Girl With a Job” the Not Like Other Girls of modern historical romance?? Is unchecked capitalism here to save us??? NOT a news flash: colonialism was and continues to be AWFUL. Only read The Heiress Gets a Duke if you’re interested in a poor man’s Bringing Down the Duke.

Who did it better? If you’re looking for a wealthy heiress/poor titled hero romance, check out Rose Lerner’s underappreciated debut, In for a Penny. If you’re looking for bold American girl/starchy Brit boy shenanigans in a delightfully fluffy historical format, Lisa Kleypas’s classic It Happened One Autumn is fun. If you’d prefer the “dollar princesses” straight from the source and don’t mind literary fiction, I’d recommend Edith Wharton’s The Custom of the Country (an anti-heroine masterpiece from 1913) or The Buccaneers (completed posthumously in the 90s), which both deal with these transatlantic marriages-of-convenience.

[book bruin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been loving historical romances lately and was excited to start The Heiress Gets a Duke after reading the blurb. This was an entertaining historical romance with a bit of a twist. I really loved the banter and back and forth between August and Evan and their chemistry was wonderful. For better or for worse, they never backed down and they challenged each other throughout the book. August was a force to be reckoned with and I loved that she stayed true to herself and her own dreams. Yes, there were communication issues and misunderstandings along the way, but for the most part there wasn't a ton of angst in this one. The overall pacing was slow however, and it made the novel feel a bit too long. Things picked up in the last third or so of the book, but I wasn't a fan of the OW drama that arose late in the story. The final resolution felt rushed and left me wanting more.

The secondary characters were great and played their roles perfectly, especially Mr. and Mrs. Crenshaw. I don't think I could have despised them more! I'm curious to see how Violet and Leigh's story unfolds and even Max has piqued my interest. Overall, this was an entertaining novel that historical romance fans will enjoy.

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot to like about this book, the author's writing style was great, it really gave me the feel of a gilded age, and I liked the complicated family dynamic and REALLY liked the hero. He's the second son and ends up with the title of Duke when his brother dies, he's also dead broke and a secret bareknuckle boxer. However the romance went from make out to want to marry you way too quickly and that was a bit unsatisfying. I also felt like the feminist aspect of this was a bit heavy handed at times with no real iron clad reason behind it, other than of course the time period. Definitely interested in reading more from this author though.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: The Gilded Age Heiresses #1
Publication Date: 1/26/2021
Number of Pages: 320

This is my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last. The writing is excellent, the plot and delivery are perfectly timed, and the main characters are both relatable and likable. Usually, we see some rake of a titled bachelor happily dodging matchmaking mamas and their daughters – or we see a lovely innocent young woman being sold off to the highest bidder in the marriage mart. In this story, we see the marriage mart from the male side as well as the female. Both are made to feel like bits of horseflesh up for sale at Tattersalls.

American Griswold Crenshaw, owner of Crenshaw Iron Works, is rich as Croesus, and he has brought his wife and two daughters, Violet and August, to London to enjoy the season while he makes some business deals. Things are going along swimmingly until he and his wife learn of a pockets-to-let duke who could be persuaded to marry his daughter Violet. It would take a bit of collusion with the duke’s mother to get him to do it, but Violet wouldn’t have a choice. The green-eyed-monster has struck at the Crenshaw home, so why not buy themselves a duke.

Viewed by society as “mannish”, August Crenshaw is a bluestocking who loves working with her father. She loves seeing that contracts are correct, that the books are balanced, and well … just everything about business. She cannot believe that her father would sell off her younger sister just to gain an English title in the family. She is incensed and wastes no time in telling both of her parents and the duke exactly what she thinks about the whole transaction. She’ll do whatever she can to save her sister from that fate. However, her success comes at a cost when the duke ignores her sister and focuses on her. Uh Oh!

Evan Sterling, Duke of Rothschild, wasn’t meant to be the duke – nor did he want to be – yet, here he is. After the death of his much-loved brother, he became the heir – and then the duke. After his father’s death a year ago, it was a shock to learn that the estate was totally insolvent. Not a farthing to be had. Evan has done all he can to keep things afloat – he has even been bare-knuckle brawling to earn money. Things are critical with his twin sisters needing a come-out next year and his entailed estates falling down around his ears. He doesn’t want a bride at all right now, but he definitely doesn’t want one simply for her fortune. However, he is a man of his time and agrees to marry the Crenshaw heiress. He has seen – and maybe admired – the older Crenshaw sister and assumes that is who his mother has chosen. Except – when he is introduced, he discovers that isn’t the case. Oh! My!

I loved Evan and Autumn and I loved that they both spoke openly and honestly with each other. There wasn’t any of the angsty holding back of what they really wanted to say while thinking he/she must have meant this or that. They said what they had to say frankly and openly. I loved that. But then, at a critical point, “The Great Misunderstanding” point, they both chose NOT to say what they meant. That wasn’t my favorite part of the book. However, once they came to their senses they made up for lost time.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I hope you will give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did.

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

[Tabatha (tab.talks.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOKSTAGRAM | BOOK BLOG | AMAZON

This book had allll the Victorian romance bells and whistles lemme tell ya!

I absolutely loved August & Evans love story. An enemies to lovers, if you will. I loved the sister and the Leigh—which will be explored in the second book.

It starts off with a wealthy American heiress (August) who is strong willed and part of the Iron Works business — gets tangled up with a Duke who is drowning in debt after his father passes leaving him with a mess to clean up.

It ends marvelously, take that how you may.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

August Crenshaw, heiress to the Crenshaw Iron Works, has a head for business, particularly numbers, and the ton thinks her mannish. Not that she cares. Having witnessed the unwelcome marriages, females of the ton have endured she is pleased to be an American.

That is until her parents announce they’ve agreed to an arranged marriage for her younger sister to Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild. She will not stand for it, especially when she realizes she knows him….

I love a headstrong female and a noble Duke. The Earl of Sterling’s affairs are in dire straits, thanks in part to his late father. In fact, he has been keeping the creditors at bay by fighting in disguise in White Chapel. He is known on the streets as the “Hellion.”

I loved each encounter between August and the Duke. The chemistry was electric and the banter positively delicious. The Duke is taken aback by her forthright manner and is drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

August of course doesn’t want to give up her freedom, and in attempting to save her sister, she puts herself directly in the Dukes crosshairs. What makes the Duke swoon-worthy is how he sought to win her favor.

I laughed, swooned and got frustrated when miscommunication and noble ideals got in the way. Sometimes I longed to lock this couple in a closet until they worked it out.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a classic Historical Romance story. The heroine is American, rich, smart, and very likable. The hero is handsome, titled and desperately poor. A match made - no problem, right? Wrong! It was quite a long journey for these two and the HEA was worth the trip.

August Crenshaw has helped her father and brother run Crenshaw Iron Works and the family has been extremely successful, so successful that the family is now is England in the market for a title, willing to spend whatever it takes to secure one, the higher the better. A Prince would be fantastic, but a Duke would do. Lucky for August her sister is the Crenshaw female on the auction block, not her. But, August loves her sister, Violet, and is not going to let her be sold into a loveless marriage just to satisfy her parents desire for a title.

Enter Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, as the second son, he was always a disappointment to his father, then his older brother died and the old duke was stuck with Evan as his heir. When the duke died and Evan has to confront just how badly his father has managed his estate, well, let's just say it hasn't been a good year for the formally carefree Evan. Marriage for money, a lot of money, is his only way out of this bad situation.

When August and Evan meet, sparks fly and realizes that he could never be happy with the beautiful, sweet Violet. He wants the fiery tempered August. Now, he just has to convince her that she wants him just as much.

[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything that is great about historical romance. I can’t wait for the next book and the chance to see more of these characters!

[kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

August Crenshaw works for her father at Crenshaw Iron Works—at least until Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, comes poking around looking for a bride. Suddenly, the life she's known is threatened by the presence of nobility so she attempts to spur Evan's advances through forwardness and obstinacy. Except Evan likes it, like some kind of horny goober! OH NO.

1. The story of my reading experience may impact my rating (which is to say I had been attempting to read Eloisa James's How to be a Wallflower for WEEKS and it was ... not successful, so I cracked The Heiress Gets a Duke on a whim yesterday morning and 3 hours later: complete book), so... fair warning.

2. Overall, the shape of an entertaining romance is there. It's a little lost under some of St. George's trappings (August's weirdly shallow understanding of the world; Evan's simplistic double life; Violet's weird fade-in/fade-out presence), but I do think there's a solid yes, you beginning to emerge from the thing.

3. I do want to acknowledge the annoyance I felt regarding August's relationship with her parents and her shock that they'd force her hand the way they did: that entire thread felt supremely underdeveloped. Mostly because the clues were all there and August didn't even seem to react to them: not in a dawning horror way, but not even in a "I see but refuse to understand" way (which would have been supremely frustrating to read but actually super relatable and an interesting thing a lot of humans do: refuse to allow that their loved ones may actually be ... not good people).

But, nope: even though the writing is on the wall, she is completely blindsided by them when they tell her she won't have a future at Crenshaw Iron Works regardless of her married status!! Which was.... it just rang a little flat in the orchestral arrangement of this book, if you know what I mean. The leading notes are all there, we're all waiting for the solo, and then—that? Sure, okay. I guess.

(It is even more underwhelmed by the fact that a week later the engagement ends and the entire "you no longer work for Crenshaw" thing is....dropped entirely, somehow. Which: HOW? Perhaps Maxwell-the-brother did something to prevent that, but—based on everything we know about the parents....doubtful.)

(ALSO ALSO, a personal pet peeve, but: Evan knew her parents wanted her to stop working at Crenshaw based on his negotiations with them before the courting/betrothal and never once shared that knowledge with August. And, again, perhaps he didn't want to bad mouth them or thought he could contract a different outcome for August, but—it's not in the text, and the omission was a frustration of mine because he could have warned her.)

4. The women's suffrage lens was weak and needed additional tweaking to actually fit vs. being a weird cameo.

5. Seriously: August's parents are villains and deserve estrangement.