An Unsuitable Heiress by Jane Dunn (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite late summer / fall flower?  I love sunflowers.  They are blooming in fields around Kewaunee County.

Corinna Ormsby is an illegitimate child.  After the death of her mother, she has lived with her mother’s difficult cousin through her teenage years.  Soon to be forced into a marriage she doesn’t want, at nineteen, Corinna decides it is time she travel to London in search of her unknown father.  With the help of her platonic friend William, she dresses as a boy, Cory, and sets off on an adventure with her small dog, Piro, in her pocket.  She soon finds herself in a fight and is rescued by three society men, Alick, Ferdy, and Rav.  They bring her to town and help her on her quest to find her father and to support herself through portrait painting.  Will she find her father, and will she find true love?

This is my first novel by author Jane Dunn.  I was quickly brought into the story by the engaging writing style, and I found myself unable to put it down.  It reminded me of a light Georgette Heyer story with the adventure, Regency setting, and fun Regency slang.  I enjoyed the humor in the story, but also the look at the hardships for those not born on the right side of the blanket or to a wealthy family.   I also like in a novel when a girl dresses up as a boy and discovers the mysteries of what is going on in the world of men.  It always makes for moments of hilarity. The big reveal came about halfway through the story and Cory easily became Corinna, which I thought was surprising.  I was expecting fireworks at the big reveal!

I loved how Corinna stood up for what is right in the world and was pure at heart. I liked the romance between Alick and Corinna as it developed although I was worried for awhile that it was going to be with his brother, Darius, who is the Byronic hero of the story.  I just really liked all of the characters and how Corinna found new friends wherever she went. I would love to read more about this cast of characters in the future.

The steam level on this novel was low.  It was a clean read.

Book Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: An Unsuitable Heiress

·       Author: Jane Dunn

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance

·       Publisher: ‎ Boldwood Books (May 22, 2023)

·       Length: (350) pages

·       Format: Trade Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook 

·       ISBN: ‎978-1804835364

·       Tour Dates: September 4 – October 2, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Following the death of her mother, Corinna Ormesby has lived a quiet life in the countryside with her cantankerous Cousin Agnes. Her father's identity has been a tantalizing mystery, but now at nineteen Corinna knows that finding him may be her only way to avoid marriage to the odious Mr. Beech.

Deciding to head to London, Corinna dons a male disguise. Travelling alone as a young woman risks scandal and danger, but when, masquerading as a youth, she is befriended by three dashing blades, handsome and capable Alick Wolfe, dandy Ferdinand Shilton and the incorrigible Lord Purfoy, Corinna now has access to the male-only world of Regency England. And when she meets Alick's turbulent brother Darius, a betrayal of trust leads to deadly combat which only one of the brothers may survive.

From gambling in gentleman’s clubs to meeting the courtesans of Covent Garden, Corinna’s country naivety soon falls away. But when she finds her father at last, learns the truth about her parentage and discovers her fortunes transformed, she must quickly decide how to reveal her true identity, while hoping that one young man in particular can see her for the beauty and Lady she really is.

❤️ A must read for Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, and historical romance fans.

❤️ A spunky, adventurous heroine on a quest in London to find her estranged father.

❤️ An adorable dog and an endearing horse!

❤️ Three dashing blades who will make you laugh, and swoon.

❤️ A bestselling & highly rated new release.

 

PRAISE FOR AN UNSUITABLE HEIRESS

·       5 STARS “…a compelling and enthralling story of a determined young woman’s journey to find her father and her own place in the world.”— Jo Shaw, BookMadJo.com

·       5 STARS “…you should allow yourself to be carried away by it as if by a tall dark stranger in a carriage and four. I enjoyed it even more than The Marriage Season, and that's quite a lot.”— Paul Feldwick, Goodreads

·       5 STARS “…a fun-filled romp through Regency England, with a smattering of romance, a sense of adventure and a wonderful heroine at its core. What's not to like?!”— Jo, Jaffa Reads Too

 

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | PUBLISHER | BOOKSHOP | BOOKBUB |    GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

Jane Dunn is an historian and biographer and the author of seven acclaimed biographies, including Daphne du Maurier and her Sisters, and the Sunday Times and NYT bestseller, Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens. She comes to Boldwood with her first fiction outing – a trilogy of novels set in the Regency period, the first of which, The Marriage Season, is to be published in January 2023. She lives in Berkshire with her husband, the linguist Nicholas Ostler.

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