A Most Noble Heir

This standalone story was a real joy to read. Nolan and Hannah are excellent characters and held my attention easily. The added interest of having it set in a real English manor home, based very loosely on an incident in the author's family tree, lent it an extra authenticity that I really liked. I also liked the whole upstairs/downstairs feel to the story, as Nolan and Hannah are somewhat caught between classes in a very class-driven society.

Nolan's not a perfect character, but he's one who is obviously trying to do the right thing, whether that means building a relationship with his father or not. He doesn't know how to love well at first; he does his best to be honest; he tries to do the right thing regardless of his feelings. Seeing Nolan's emotional growth as a character through the story was one of my favorite things.

Hannah could get on my nerves a few times. I didn't like how she tried to consider worldly advantages a few times and didn't fight for her man in quite the way I hoped she would. And yet I understood her as a character and why she didn't take the steps I wanted her to. But all that didn't keep me from rooting for her to get her family together and be honored as the heir's wife the way she ought to be.

Two characters really stood out to me. I LOVED Iris. She was such an unconventional breath of fresh air to the story and really added a lot of interest. And then Edward was a very complicated fellow himself...caught between being the bad guy and yet not content with it, either. I love it when side characters jump off the pages.

I'd recommend this for 16+ because there is some frank talk about marriage duties and honeymoons and birth. Nothing graphic, though.

Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy. A favorable review was not required.