About the Book:
Title: Something in the Heir
Author: Suzanne Enoch
Page Length: 352
Publication Date: Sept. 20, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Synopsis: In Something in the Heir, smart, capable heiress Emmeline Pershing will do anything to keep her beloved home; and all it takes is an arranged marriage and a teeny white lie to fulfill her family’s silly inheritance rules! But now her little fib means that she and her completely unsuspecting husband are going to inherit big — and very messy! —trouble in this spicy, sexy delight from bestseller, Suzanne Enoch.
Emmeline and William Pershing have enjoyed a perfectly convenient marriage for eight years. Their relationship is a seamless blend of their talents and goals. They’ve settled into separate, well-ordered lives beneath the same roof, and are content to stay that way—or so Emmeline thinks. And if William has secretly longed for a bit more from the woman he adores, he’s managed to be content with her supreme skills as a hostess and planner, which has helped him advance his career.
Then when Emmeline’s grandfather, the reclusive Duke of Welshire, summons them both for his birthday celebration and demands they bring their two little angelic children, William is stunned to discover that his very proper wife invented not one, but two heirs to fulfill the agreement for living at Winnover. But surely if Emmeline and William team up and borrow two cherubs to call their own, what could go wrong? Enter George, age 8, and Rose, 5—the two most unruly orphans in Britain.
As the insanity unfolds, their careful, professional arrangement takes some surprisingly intimate turns as well. Perhaps it takes a bit of madness to create the perfect happily ever after.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
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My Review:
I have to say, this wasn’t my favorite Suzanne Enoch book. I thought the premise was unique and interested and highlighted some of the unfair pressure put upon childless couples. However, I didn’t overly like the protagonists. Emmeline and William seem very shallow and arrogant, and the lengths they go to to maintain their home and status are so unfeeling.
I did like that Emmeline and William began to connect with the orphaned siblings. Rose and George are so sweet, and their determination to stay together and protect one another is wonderful. I actually like that about Emmeline and William too. They both want what’s best for each other, and they work hard to please each other. However, they are not forthcoming with their feelings, which leads to a major stagnation in their physical and emotional relationship. They spend a lot of the story growing closer, but they’ve already been married for almost a decade. It just feels so disconnected to me.
The plot has a lot that I generally enjoy – a marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers romance, a unique found family, meddling and endearing servants, and more. However, the story just didn’t click for me as much as I wanted it to. I think I struggled with the fact that they were using these kids with every intention of returning them to the orphanage once they weren’t useful anymore. Though Emmeline and William’s feelings change, that initial selfishness and willingness to put their own wants above the emotional well-being of the kids felt shallow, and it did not endear me to either of the protagonists. That being said, I like that they both change and grow and learn that people are more important than property and status.
As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about the book. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t a stand-out read. Overall, it was just okay. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The kids.
- The messages.
Nice balanced review, Julie. I just read a glowing review of this book, so it just goes to show while we might read the same book, we don’t really read the same book. 😊
So true, Carla! I can totally see why some people would enjoy it.