I fell in love with Harper St George’s series the second I opened the first book! Not only are the covers stunning with gorgeous dresses but the stories are sensual, romantic, and all around great reads. I actually kind of thought that the series would end after the second book since it’s the Gilded Age Heiresses series and there were only two sisters, but I was thrilled to see this book was coming out even if this book featured the brother of the two previous heiresses.
I instantly jumped at the chance to review this one—in fact I had in on pre order for months as soon as I saw it coming out! Since St George is such a great writer I couldn’t pass it up! If you love Bridgerton and other historical romances, you cannot miss this series. It’s full of all the things that are beloved in historical romances, swoon worthy heroes, steamy romantic scenes, the glitz and glamour of the period—-I just love it! Just add it to your TBR already!
While this latest book is the third in a series, I don’t think you need to read the other books first to enjoy this one. I felt the same with the second book, I could easily have jumped in to that one without having read the first one and not been lost at all. But I will ask you this—why would you want to miss out on all the fun romance of the entire series? The answer is you don’t so not only read this book but read the series too!
Summary
A fake engagement brings together a lady with bold and daring dreams, and the heir whose heart she captured—perfect for fans of Bridgerton!
Tall, dark, and brooding—to say that American Maxwell Crenshaw stood out in the glittering ballrooms of London, is an understatement. He vowed never to set foot in England again, but when a summons from his father, along with an ultimatum to secure his legacy, has him crossing the Atlantic for the last time, reuniting him with the delectable Lady Helena March, he can’t deny the temptation she presents. Or the ideas she inspires…
Lady Helena March is flirting with scandal. Instead of spending her time at teas and balls in search of another husband, as is expected of a young widow, Helena pours her energy into The London Home for Young Women. But Society gives no quarter to unmarried radicals who associate with illegitimate children and fallen women, and Helena’s funding is almost run out. So when the sinfully seductive Crenshaw heir suggests a fake engagement to save them both—him from an unwanted marriage and her from scorn and financial ruin—Helena finds herself too fascinated to refuse the sexy American.
As their arrangement of convenience melts oh so deliciously into nights of passion, their deception starts to become real. But if Max knew the true reason Helena can never remarry, he wouldn’t look at her with such heat in his eyes. Or might the Crenshaw heir be willing to do whatever it takes to win the one woman he’s never been able to forget… (summary from Goodreads)
Review
In the previous books we are introduced to both of the characters here, but not in any real depth. Max is just the ‘big brother’ to his sisters in the previous book and Lady Helena is just a random character that we casually meet on occasion. This is one of the reasons why I felt like new readers could pop right in without being lost, but as I have read the other books, I was familiar with them. I didn’t really recall much about either but I always found intrigue in Max because he came across as broody and protective in the other books you ya’ll know how much I love broody leading men! I actually really enjoyed Max’s character and found him very swoon worthy and charming. Just what a romantic hero should be but he also had this brooding streak that worked really well for me throughout the story. I also love marriage of convenience or fake marriages (in this case a fake engagement) so this was a great read for me!
Throughout the series, Crenshaw parents have been the absolute worst and this book was no different. But honestly I am getting a little tired of their constant intervention in their children’s lives. It made sense in the first book but by now we are in the third book and I am pretty over them by now. I would have liked to have seen some other catalyst for this story but ultimately it was fine and didn’t really change the outcome or rating of the book for me.
I loved Max and Lady Helena together, their chemistry is so electric and spot on I just adored them. The sex scenes were hot and just well written. I loved that they didn’t try and fight their attraction which is such a thing in many historical romances. It was clear from the beginning that they were attracted to one another and had a ton of chemistry. If you love steamy romances you need this book, I literally can’t say that enough times, you need this book. It has some more beefier topics though like infertility as an example so it isn’t all just bodice rip-y and sex, it does have some things to sink your teeth into as a reader. Over all it’s a great installment to the series and I can’t wait for more books by Harper St George! This one was another winner for me, yet another 5 star from her!
Book Info and Rating
Format: 314 pages mass market paperback
Published: February 22 2022 by Berkley Books
ISBN: 9780593197240
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Book in partnership with HFVBT in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Historical fiction
Praise for The Lady Tempts an Heir
“With sizzling chemistry, brilliant banter, and an unapologetically strong, feminist heroine, Harper St. George sets the pages ablaze!”—Christi Caldwell, USA Today bestselling author of Along Came a Lady
“Harper St. George just gets better and better with every book, penning the kind of page-turning stories that you will want to read again as soon as you finish each one. Max and Helena are my new favorite couple in the series.”—Lyssa Kay Adams, author of Isn’t it Bromantic?
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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 www.harperstgeorge.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Tuesday, February 22
Review at Chasing Leslie
Guest Post at Novels Alive
Excerpt at Bookoholic Café
Wednesday, February 23
Review at Michelle the PA Loves to Read
Thursday, February 24
Review at Books In Their Natural Habitat
Friday, February 25
Review at Bookworlder
Review at Pinkcowlandreads
Sunday, February 27
Review at Debjani’s Thoughts
Monday, February 28
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Anna’s Book Blog
Tuesday, March 1
Review at Fringe Book Reviews
Wednesday, March 2
Review at A Girl Reads Bookss
Thursday, March 3
Review at Dive into a Good Book
Friday, March 4
Review at The Literary Assistant
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Monday, March 7
Review & Excerpt at Elodie’s Reading Corner
Tuesday, March 8
Excerpt at Aubrey Wynne: Timeless Romance
Wednesday, March 9
Review at Gwendalyn’s Books
Thursday, March 10
Excerpt at SplendeurCaisse
Review at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Friday, March 11
Review at The Lit Bitch
Monday, March 14
Review at Cross My Heart Writing & Reviews
Tuesday, March 15
Excerpt at Lisa Everyday Reads
Thursday, March 17
Excerpt at Coffee and Ink
Review at Bonnie Reads and Writes
Friday, March 18
Review at Reader_ceygo
Giveaway
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