Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Rival investigators find love in Heiress for Hire. Madeline Hunter’s Duke’s Heiress trilogy is off to a strong start with Chase and Minerva’s book. It has mystery, romance, and engaging protagonists who make it easy to fall into the story.

Minerva is an excellent heroine who is easy to root for. The survivor of an abusive marriage, Minerva has made a new life for herself with the family she has made. She has also started an inquiry service and knows how to make use of her skills and others’ in a time when people would dismiss a woman such as her as an investigator. Chase is also an investigator, though he doesn’t need to do it for money. Chase is an honorable hero who is easy to love, though he questions himself because of some ghosts in his past. His latest case is close to heart; he’s looking into the death of his uncle, the duke of Hollinburgh, who he believes was murdered. He is also trying to track down three women to whom his uncle has left a fortune. Chase’s investigation put him right in the path of the first beneficiary, Minerva.

Sparks fly from the start between them, but the romance is a slow burn one. Minerva carries scars from her brutal first husband and Chase is sensitive to her needs, fears, and always puts the choice in her hands. There’s a struggle between Chase wanting to be protective and Minerva wanting her independence, but it’s not played for false drama and these are organic bumps on the road toward happily ever after. The two of them suit each other perfectly, both in business and in bed. I enjoyed watching them open up and learn to trust one another with their pasts, secrets, and fears. Their love story builds from a foundation of mutual respect, understanding, and lust and it was a joy to watch unfold.

Heiress for Hire is the first in the Duke’s Heiress trilogy and I cannot wait to see what Ms. Hunter has in store for the next two heiresses. There are a few mysteries in this book, among them the questions of who murdered Chase’s uncle and why did Hollinburgh leave Minerva a fortune. I enjoyed watching Chase and Minerva work through the various mysteries, each in their own investigative style. The question of who murdered Hollinburgh and why looks to be a mystery that will span the trilogy, but there are very interesting suspects and the puzzle pieces laid out in this book are sure to keep me interested in the next two. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Heiress for Hire and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next in the Duke’s Heiress series.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Clara Falkenberg was handed the reins to her family's ironworks empire in Germany during World War II.  As the War ends, Clara flees the ironworks and takes the alias of a secretary that had worked there, Margarete Muller.  Two years later, Clara desperately wants to find the best friend she left behind, Elisa Sieland.  As Clara heads back home, her cover is blown by British Officer Fenshaw who wants Clara to pay for her war crimes.  Clara escapes Fenshaw's grasp only to find Elisa's home destroyed.  In her search for Elisa, Clara connects with Jakob.  Jakob is now a black marketeer who has lost a leg in the war.  Jakob is also in search of Elisa since he stumbled into  a mine shaft with a young soldier named WIlly Sieland who is guarding a stockpile of German supplies and believes that the war is still raging.  Clara and Jakob form an alliance to find Elisa and help Willy, but Fenshaw has not let up on his quest to capture The Iron Fraulein.

The German Heiress is a unique look into post World War II Germany and the many layers and situations that the German people faced in the aftermath of the war.  Clara is a very well-developed and intense character.  For the entire story, she is struggling with her identity as well as her morality for what happened at the factory during the war.  The German government gave Clara the moniker of the Iron Fraulein, which is a name she tried to run from; however, it is Clara's iron will that helps her through the toughest of obstacles. Other than the suspense of Clara constantly being on the cusp of capture by Fenshaw, I found Clara's internal moral fight the most intriguing. I was absorbed as Clara fought with herself in trying to decide whether or not she did enough for the people forced to work for her.  Willy's character also surprised me, Willy's mental health is fragile and his secret the most explosive.  Through Willy, I was able to see the influence of propaganda and the Jungvolk. The writing transported me to the bleak, destroyed landscape of Essen, Germany.  Home were demolished, landscapes were changed and food scarce, but the people found a way to carry on.  This book took me a little while to get into as Clara's character developed and some of her secrets are revealed as this happened, I was pulled deeper into her and Jakob's quest as well as the cat-and-mouse game with Fenshaw.  The ending is surprising and shows the hope that post World War II Germany kept. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

The man who thought he had nothing to lose, discovers what it means to have a family. Jax is all about the risk, but he's gained a love he refuses to lose. Tempting the Heiress thrills, chills and reveals. Ariel and Jax are on the cusp of gaining forever or losing it all. Malone continues to roar her way into emotions with her larger than life characters. Even at their most flawed, the pull is hard to resist.

It's the surprises that keep life interesting and Heiress pulls out all the stops. Malone is a whiz when it comes to keeping readers intrigued and boy do Jax and Ariel deliver. A red herring here, an cataclysmic attraction there and an adorable baby keeps the canvas interesting. Add in a few blasts from the past and you can't wait for the adventure ahead. Protecting the Heiress is an adventure that must be experienced over and over again.