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edequeant's review
3.0
Three stars for prompting me to go and read more about the Reform League. I really like it when Historical fiction has actual history in it.
siah_2013's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wawajeanne's review
4.0
I love historical romance for some fun brain candy. this definitely delivers.
mamamelreads's review
4.0
Courtney Milan has managed to create historical romance novels that involve themes that resonate outside the pages of her books. I really appreciate reading a genre that can sometimes be filled with fluffy romantic story lines and little substance and finding a story that is a little deeper, a little richer. That is what I found when reading The Heiress Effect. It took a little bit of time for me to get into this story. Jane is an heiress with 100,000 pounds. That is a crazy amount of money, especially at the time of the setting of this novel. Normally that would put her as a high prospect on the marriage market of the day. But Jane has no desire to be married. She needs to stay single until her half-sister comes of age, because Jane needs to be in the house to protect her from their uncle's probably well-intentioned, but horribly practiced protective measures that he sets up for Emily who suffers from periodic seizures. I'm still not exactly sure why Jane doesn't decide to just say no when men want to court her, but she instead decides to become socially unacceptable by wearing outlandish outfits and making pointed and inappropriately candid comments in conversations. She is so objectionable that no one wants much to do with her, and yet she still manages to get invited to social events thanks to a fortuitous friendship with some girls who push for her to be included wherever they attend. Long story short ... Jane's antics do not fool Oliver, illegitimate son of a duke who has been given many opportunities in life and has risen to a position of prominence in society, only to still have to deal with people treating him as less because of the circumstances of his birth. Jane and Oliver have a great report with one another. Oliver loves Jane. Jane loves Oliver. Oliver, who wants to be prime minister someday, cannot be married to someone so socially inept as Jane. There's the problem. Finding the solution was delightful.
This novel covers all sorts of issues from voting rights in 19th century England (both the rights of poorer workers and those of women), interracial relationships, medical experimentation, and even the plight of native Indians during the colonial occupation. All of it was fascinating, so much so that I was really wanting to examine some of those issues even more in depth. I loved the love story of Jane's sister, Emily, and Anjan Bhattacharya, a law student living in London and attending Cambridge. I think that that story could have been a book all by itself. There were so many fascinating things to think about. As it was I think that their path to marriage might have been a lot more smooth in this book than it would have been in real life, but I didn't mind it at all.
I had a hard time reading Jane as the brash woman that she faked for everyone else to see. It is never fun for me to read about characters who other people mock and ridicule at every turn. But as the book moved forward and the "real" Jane stepped out, I really enjoyed her as a character. Oliver was wonderful as well. I particular enjoyed his struggle to figure out how to meet all of his ambitions after falling in love with Jane. He loves her, but he can see no way to marry her. His recognition of his own cowardice, and how he chooses to overcome that was a great part of this story.
This is another excellent addition to the Brothers Sinister series. Like often happens in books in this genre, a lot of things turn out easily into a Happily Ever After ending a bit too conveniently at times. But, nevertheless, this story made it all worthwhile because of the underlying themes that weaved throughout this story. Fans of this genre should definitely add this series to their reading lists. Four stars!
This novel covers all sorts of issues from voting rights in 19th century England (both the rights of poorer workers and those of women), interracial relationships, medical experimentation, and even the plight of native Indians during the colonial occupation. All of it was fascinating, so much so that I was really wanting to examine some of those issues even more in depth. I loved the love story of Jane's sister, Emily, and Anjan Bhattacharya, a law student living in London and attending Cambridge. I think that that story could have been a book all by itself. There were so many fascinating things to think about. As it was I think that their path to marriage might have been a lot more smooth in this book than it would have been in real life, but I didn't mind it at all.
I had a hard time reading Jane as the brash woman that she faked for everyone else to see. It is never fun for me to read about characters who other people mock and ridicule at every turn. But as the book moved forward and the "real" Jane stepped out, I really enjoyed her as a character. Oliver was wonderful as well. I particular enjoyed his struggle to figure out how to meet all of his ambitions after falling in love with Jane. He loves her, but he can see no way to marry her. His recognition of his own cowardice, and how he chooses to overcome that was a great part of this story.
This is another excellent addition to the Brothers Sinister series. Like often happens in books in this genre, a lot of things turn out easily into a Happily Ever After ending a bit too conveniently at times. But, nevertheless, this story made it all worthwhile because of the underlying themes that weaved throughout this story. Fans of this genre should definitely add this series to their reading lists. Four stars!
jess_78's review
4.0
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A-
Jane is an unmarried woman with a huge dowry and she wants to keep her single status. Her sister lives with her uncle Titus and she suffers from fits. Titus goes overboard trying to “cure” Jane’s sister Emily, so much so that he’s basically torturing Emily by sending doctor after doctor to see her and experiment on her. She bares the scars and broken bones from these appointments and Jane tries her hardest to bribe the doctors to just stay away. So she must stay under Titus’s roof so she can protect her sister and she can only do that if she stays unmarried until Emily turns 19 in just over a year. To make herself undesirable she plays a part, being the woman that everyone talks about behind her back because she dresses too loudly, doesn’t have a filter during conversations, she can’t remember names and her manners are lacking. The truth however is it’s not all an act. She was never taught how to act in society and she loves the bright colors and bold patterns she chooses for her dresses. She’ll never fit in with society and while she tells herself that’s just fine because she’s able to keep her sister safe this way, she’s tired and wary of being alone and not even having one person she can call her friend.
Oliver is trying to earn support and gain votes for the Reform Act, giving people like his father, the man who raised him, rights and a vote. One man’s vote for the Reform will be had if Oliver puts Jane in her place. Oliver can’t stomach the thought of doing something horrible and cruel to a woman and he starts to look at his choices and what he was asked to do for a vote. Oliver is the bastard son of a Duke and growing up things weren’t easy for him at all. He took a lot abuse at school, got into fights and learned when to speak up and unfortunately he also learned when to keep quiet and to just make it through. He went from a boy who stood up for himself to a man who didn’t want to think about actually liking Jane because she was the opposite of the woman he should be thinking about marrying. But Oliver can’t stop thinking about her, this woman who stands out in a crowd and not in a positive way. But he’s drawn to her and when they both come clean about who they really are, Jane playing up her bad fashion choices and awkward social moments and Oliver telling her about being bribed for one man’s vote if he humiliates her in society. Seeing the characters come clean early on in the story I liked so much. I didn’t want any lies or either character being deceitful with each other and to have each of them come right out early on and let their true selves show, it was refreshing and it set the basis for their friendship and eventual romance that slowly built over the course of months.
The romance between Jane and Oliver is very subtle and in fact the buildup for them goes through almost the entire book before they’re together. Normally, I’m in the inpatient camp wanting the leads to just get to it already, but here it worked so well. I loved seeing them work together first to teach the man who is trying to use Oliver against Jane a lesson and then to help Emily gain her freedom. But hanging over their heads is the fact that Jane doesn’t fit into the life that Oliver thinks he wants. He thinks he needs a wife in grey, someone who blends in and doesn’t cause a scene. Jane is anything but grey, she’s bold, she’s loud and she refuses to play another role in her life for anyone and I loved that about her. Oliver learns the hard way that what he thought he wanted versus who he really wants is completely different and he needs to decide if he wants to remain the quiet man who doesn’t make waves or the man he used to be, standing up for what he believes and not being ok with conforming to what’s expected of him.
The supporting characters brought so much life to the story. Emily has a nice supporting storyline that finds her falling in love with a man from India. Oliver’s younger sister Free is outspoken and passionate about her beliefs and she doesn’t just want to see common men get a vote, she wants a vote as well and joins a protest to have her voice heard. She isn’t on page very much, but her carefree spirit and passion had me smiling. On the flip side, Oliver and Free’s Aunt Freddy hasn’t been able to leave her home in years. She tries to take one step outside her door and just physically can’t do it. Oddly enough she, this Aunt who has all of one scene on page, made me cry at the end and she influences Oliver in the best way possible as he really starts to look at his life after learning things about Freddy’s that he never knew.
I enjoyed both Oliver and Jane completely. For Jane she finds a friend in Oliver, a feeling that she hasn’t had maybe ever and she doesn’t have to play a role around Oliver. She’s herself and Oliver gives her someone to count on. Oliver goes from looking at a life that would be lived all in grey to wanting a life in vivid colors. It’s a long journey for each of them, but it’s so satisfying to see them find a life full of love together.
Blog rating: A-
Jane is an unmarried woman with a huge dowry and she wants to keep her single status. Her sister lives with her uncle Titus and she suffers from fits. Titus goes overboard trying to “cure” Jane’s sister Emily, so much so that he’s basically torturing Emily by sending doctor after doctor to see her and experiment on her. She bares the scars and broken bones from these appointments and Jane tries her hardest to bribe the doctors to just stay away. So she must stay under Titus’s roof so she can protect her sister and she can only do that if she stays unmarried until Emily turns 19 in just over a year. To make herself undesirable she plays a part, being the woman that everyone talks about behind her back because she dresses too loudly, doesn’t have a filter during conversations, she can’t remember names and her manners are lacking. The truth however is it’s not all an act. She was never taught how to act in society and she loves the bright colors and bold patterns she chooses for her dresses. She’ll never fit in with society and while she tells herself that’s just fine because she’s able to keep her sister safe this way, she’s tired and wary of being alone and not even having one person she can call her friend.
Oliver is trying to earn support and gain votes for the Reform Act, giving people like his father, the man who raised him, rights and a vote. One man’s vote for the Reform will be had if Oliver puts Jane in her place. Oliver can’t stomach the thought of doing something horrible and cruel to a woman and he starts to look at his choices and what he was asked to do for a vote. Oliver is the bastard son of a Duke and growing up things weren’t easy for him at all. He took a lot abuse at school, got into fights and learned when to speak up and unfortunately he also learned when to keep quiet and to just make it through. He went from a boy who stood up for himself to a man who didn’t want to think about actually liking Jane because she was the opposite of the woman he should be thinking about marrying. But Oliver can’t stop thinking about her, this woman who stands out in a crowd and not in a positive way. But he’s drawn to her and when they both come clean about who they really are, Jane playing up her bad fashion choices and awkward social moments and Oliver telling her about being bribed for one man’s vote if he humiliates her in society. Seeing the characters come clean early on in the story I liked so much. I didn’t want any lies or either character being deceitful with each other and to have each of them come right out early on and let their true selves show, it was refreshing and it set the basis for their friendship and eventual romance that slowly built over the course of months.
The romance between Jane and Oliver is very subtle and in fact the buildup for them goes through almost the entire book before they’re together. Normally, I’m in the inpatient camp wanting the leads to just get to it already, but here it worked so well. I loved seeing them work together first to teach the man who is trying to use Oliver against Jane a lesson and then to help Emily gain her freedom. But hanging over their heads is the fact that Jane doesn’t fit into the life that Oliver thinks he wants. He thinks he needs a wife in grey, someone who blends in and doesn’t cause a scene. Jane is anything but grey, she’s bold, she’s loud and she refuses to play another role in her life for anyone and I loved that about her. Oliver learns the hard way that what he thought he wanted versus who he really wants is completely different and he needs to decide if he wants to remain the quiet man who doesn’t make waves or the man he used to be, standing up for what he believes and not being ok with conforming to what’s expected of him.
The supporting characters brought so much life to the story. Emily has a nice supporting storyline that finds her falling in love with a man from India. Oliver’s younger sister Free is outspoken and passionate about her beliefs and she doesn’t just want to see common men get a vote, she wants a vote as well and joins a protest to have her voice heard. She isn’t on page very much, but her carefree spirit and passion had me smiling. On the flip side, Oliver and Free’s Aunt Freddy hasn’t been able to leave her home in years. She tries to take one step outside her door and just physically can’t do it. Oddly enough she, this Aunt who has all of one scene on page, made me cry at the end and she influences Oliver in the best way possible as he really starts to look at his life after learning things about Freddy’s that he never knew.
I enjoyed both Oliver and Jane completely. For Jane she finds a friend in Oliver, a feeling that she hasn’t had maybe ever and she doesn’t have to play a role around Oliver. She’s herself and Oliver gives her someone to count on. Oliver goes from looking at a life that would be lived all in grey to wanting a life in vivid colors. It’s a long journey for each of them, but it’s so satisfying to see them find a life full of love together.
alessandrab's review
4.0
Really good! I kind of wanted to punch Oliver, but it's fine. I got over it.
egelantier's review
4.0
it's an interesting book, a romance novel bursting at seams with all the things it wants to say, with the romance mostly sidelined in favor of people finding themselves and society commentary. (also, pleasingly, somebraveapollo counted about 30 hc_bingo tropes crammed in). it's about social ostracism, and all these different forms of camouflage, and courage in varying contexts. there's a really wonderful tiny subplot about an author-in-secret that i've completely missed and that made me squeal in delight once it was revealed. and, coming on heels of my slow between women slog, i've found it interesting and deeply appealing that the heroine's emotional arc hinges on relationships between women: it's her devotion to her sister that delineates her chosen way, and it's a false friendship with two other women turning into a real one that sets her free and defines her rebirth, with the romance thread being somehow secondary.
mayann's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25