The Heiress He’s Been Waiting For

The best scenes in O’Riley’s Victorian-era series launch are not the passionate stolen moments, but the intimate conversations and lighthearted humor. Headstrong shipping heiress Sara Fleming is furious when her parents whisk her away from New York to London for an extended visit with their Hamilton cousins, who run a delightful bookstore. While resenting her parents for not accepting her American fiancé, Alexander, Sara still enjoys the glitter of London with her cousins and the intriguing Christopher Townsend, the Earl of Bridgeton. The characters are refreshingly communicative, as Sara tells Christopher about her deepest feelings and Christopher talks about rescuing his sisters from abuse. Christopher needs to marry money to protect his sisters, but the way he approaches his future reveals his integrity and separates him from the fortune hunters. Sara needs to grow up, and though her personal development is rushed, it’s believable. Several tender moments take place in the bookstore, illustrating the Hamiltons’ close ties and setting up the shop to feature in the rest of the series. This charming romance with believable, charismatic characters is a strong start, and readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment. Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Sept.)