Abigail Gibbons grew up with the stigma of being illegitimate. Not only was she born out of wedlock, she has no clue who her father is. In the time period she lives in, this is a major flaw, one that causes her to be an outcast. When she meets and falls in love with Jackson Danvers, the new Earl of Waterford, she fears her illegitimacy will keep him from being accepted into society if they marry. Then she finds out that the late Earl of Waterford switched Abigail and Jackson at birth in order to secure a male heir.
What do you do when you suddenly realize your whole life you were living a lie? Being stripped away of all you thought you were shows the world your true colors. Abigail and Jackson react very differently to the news. Both feel betrayed by the late Earl of Waterford and both are angry. Abigail has lived all her life being shunned, this has made her a very strong woman and it shows. Jackson, on the other hand, has had everything easy in life and doesn’t handle it as well as Abigail. He feels like he doesn’t deserve her now that he’s not the Earl of Waterford anymore.
L.A. Hilden’s A Necessary Heir is a well-written historical romance filled with strong characters. There’s love, betrayal, and angst. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it for fans of historical romances. With Hilden’s skillful pen, it’s easy to imagine yourself in Abigail’s place. Hilden does a wonderful job bringing to life the emotional ups and downs of her characters. The sex scenes are tastefully done; they are almost sweet and have an innocence to them that seems well suited to the time period. True to the genre, despite the trials and tribulations they face, there is a happy ending.