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Alter Ego #1

A Necessary Heir

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A case of mistaken identity;

Shunned by the majority of people she meets due to her illegitimacy, Abigail Gibbons is grateful when she's summoned from school by the Earl of Waterford to become his wife's paid companion. But unbeknownst to Abigail, the earl passes, leaving Abigail's uncertain future in his grandson, Jackson Danvers, bone-meltingly handsome hands. Upon meeting Abigail, Jackson serves her the greatest insult by accusing her of being his late grandfather's paramour. The scoundrel! But Lady Waterford is sweet, and Abigail takes the needed position;earning her a constant viewing of the man who's hooded gazes and lingering stares have the ability to make her blood simmer with desire.

A switch at birth;

To procure himself a necessary heir, the late Earl of Waterford switched his granddaughter Abigail Gibbons for a baby boy, Jackson Sethos Rameses Danvers, the newly made Earl of Waterford. The same domineering man who falls hopelessly in love and marries his grandmother's too lovely companion;only to have her deceive him in the end.

A family secret revealed;

Through, society's censure, an attempt to end Abigail's life, a mother who believes siblings are about to wed, and Jackson finding out his life was made up of falsehoods, Abigail and Jackson's love triumphs over the challenges. The headstrong Abigail refuses to allow her one true chance at happiness to slip away without a battle, while Jackson discovers how everything pales in comparison to Abigail's love. He realizes he is the man Abigail deserves;a man who has nothing left to lose but his heart.

412 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2010

132 people want to read

About the author

L.A. Hilden

14 books20 followers
Author of Fantasy, Historical, and Time Travel

L.A. Hilden attended the University of Michigan where she graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor’s in history and a minor in art history. She's interested in esoteric learning, sacred sciences, ancient Egypt, Regency England, and metaphysics. Her novels focus on overcoming fear and finding inner strength. When she is not researching history or creating a story, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three grown children.

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5 stars
6 (31%)
4 stars
7 (36%)
3 stars
2 (10%)
2 stars
4 (21%)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Kaitlin.
24 reviews7 followers
December 30, 2011
Recently, I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I was very excited and rightly so. This was an amazing book! I found myself constantly wanting to read it because there was always something interesting going on. I also loved how even though some of the characters wallowed in self pity for a while, they were able to overcome it and allowed themselves to be happy. This was an awesome book and I highly recommend it!
14 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2012
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.
Author 53 books26 followers
December 30, 2012
This is the second book I have read by L.A. Hilden and my favorite of the two. I found all the characters were well designed. Even the dead grandfather had a defined, controlling personality that came through in how other characters viewed him and how he affected the other characters through his earlier actions. One aspect of the plot which I really enjoyed was the subplot of parentage and how it evolved throughout the novel and continued to hold my curiosity. I could not stop wondering who was Abagail's father. Of course, this is a romance novel, and their was plenty of romance and well written intimate scenes.
Profile Image for Valerie Roberts.
76 reviews6 followers
March 19, 2011
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway, and I appreciated having a new book to read during a recent long road trip. It was an entertaining story, and I enjoyed it. I did, however, find the premise of the book rather implausible, the love scenes a little racy for my taste, and some of the dialogue too modern for the setting of the book. A Necessary Heir is closer to a Harlequin romance than the more serious historical novels that I prefer, hence the three stars. If you're into more of the romance, and less of the history, you'll probably enjoy this book.
Profile Image for Kimberly.
4 reviews
April 4, 2011
I won this book through the First Reads give away contest. It was a good story that made me want to find out what was going to happen next. The reason I didn't give it a higher rating, though, was because it was a little too racy for me. I don't think those explicit scenes were necessary to the story. It would have been great without them! I wish I could share this book with my daughter because it was basically a good story.
37 reviews6 followers
December 4, 2012
I purchased this book as I won the second book in the Alter Ego series, Born Reckless, on Goodreads. This is a one sitting grab you and don't let go book. The characters are so personable you can't help but sympathize with their trials and cheer for their triumphs. Even the most despicable acts of the Grandfather are understood if not totally forgiven by the happy ending. This book is a wonderful escape to another reality.
Profile Image for Emily.
11 reviews
March 21, 2011
I did quite enjoy this book. It was a nice light read, which is exactly what I want when I get home from work actually get a chance to read. War and Peace may be a great piece of literature but which would you rather read after working a full day?

The only thing that really bothered me was the person on the front cover was wearing the wrong era of clothing (yes I am one of those people).
Profile Image for Niki.
5 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2011
Good. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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