What a great romance! The story has everything to make this a great read.

The Irish Heiress is the first book I've read by this author, and I can't wait to read more by this author in the future.

Although, this book was predictable, it was still a good read. Wonderful plot. Nice romance blended into some great character development makes this book another good read. I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading historical romance novels.

Ms. O'Riley, you have a new fan.

The Irish Heiress is a bit out of my 'usual' genre preference, but...I have to admit...the cover piqued my curiosity. (I know, I know. I judged the book by it's cover. Please don't throw rocks at me.) But y'all, seriously, this book is absolutely wonderful. The author creates an excellent story with memorable characters, each beautifully flawed and complex. The storyline moves smoothly and quickly. I would put the book down, only to pick it back up again as quickly as I could. So good!!

I was a little surprised with this book I didn't expect this story line and this is the main reason why I felt this wasn't a very good book.The characters were interesting, however, the plot was predictable .Also the fact that it was insta love made me not enjoy it as much as I wanted!

This is my first time reading this author. I have to admit that this was a pretty good book. The characters were amazing and I felt a connection to them. The plot was brilliant. What more do you want from a book?!

A fun historical novel, the romance practically singed my fingers from the pages. Escape into this world and be embraced by a regent hunk.

Kaitlin O'Riley's Hamilton Sisters historical romance series continues with the next generation in Hamilton Cousins. Book two, The Irish Heiress, is as sexy as it is charming.

Quiet and intuitive, Lady Mara Reeves has always felt more at home amid the green hills of her native Ireland than in London’s stifling ballrooms. Determined to remain single, she’s adept at gently rebuffing any suitor who comes her way. So why is she so drawn to Foster Sheridan, Earl of Sterling? It’s a connection unlike anything she’s ever known, yet complicated by one scandalous fact: the man she believes to be her destiny is already married . .
This was an ok read. It was fairly predictable, making it hard for me to get through it. I did like both characters though, which is why I did finish it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This was an ok romance novel. There was enough to keep my interest in terms of the characters and situation to keep reading, but over all it was more obvious in its predictability than what is already inherent in the genre. Focusing on a heroine, Mara Reeves, who thinks she is going crazy because she has visions of the future, meant that the story was inevitably laid out almost from the beginning. I found myself torn while reading it about how to rate this book because there were elements of the writing that I enjoyed even as I found the overall set up problematic not just for the structure but also in its treatment of the 'villain', in this case Foster's (our male hero) wife. While none of the characters are particularly fleshed out, she seems to really get the short straw even as a back story is pushed to justify her actions. This ends up making a good portion of the overall story's push to resolution feel forced.

Hmmm... Not my favourite historical romance read. I was honestly expecting it to be so much more but the predictable storyline just didn't reach its mark.

This was a predictable historical romance... insta-love, strife, happily ever after. What wasn't predictable was the multiple point of views including the villain. The villains pov is what kept me reading. The three main characters were realistically flawed individuals. After all is said and done, the villain is the one I still think about.

A splendid and unique historical romance. I so enjoyed this book and loved the characters. Can't wait to read more Kaitlin O'Riley stories.

If any other two characters deserve their happily ever after, these two, Lady Mara and the earl of Sterling do! These characters grabbed me from the beginning and had me rooting for them til the end.

The Irish Heiress is second book in Kaitlin O'Riley’s in her Hamilton COusin’s series, which follows the 5 book series of the Hamilton Sisters. This family is very extensive and intriguing! I definitely will be picking up Kaitlin O'Riley’s back catalogue books, I need more of this delightful family!

Mean while… Mara has the sight and has had a vision of a man saving her. Next thing she knows, she’s introduced to him! The immediate connection is felt by both of them... too bad Mara doesn’t know that Foster has an estranged wife...

I don’t want to say too much more, but this is a great read, pick up a copy and find out how it comes together. You will not be disappointed.

The Irish Heiress by Kaitlin O'Riley was release July 30th, 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zebra, Kensington Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheIrishHeiress #NetGalley

September 1894

Lady Mara Reeves is the daughter of the Earl of Cashelmere in Ireland, and the niece of the Duke of Rathmore. She has always known when she would be overcome with a memory or premonition. The latest is like a vivid dream of a man who protected her from danger. Glimpsing into the future is something she has always been able to do. Her latest “glimpse” occurred at a ball and has truly shaken her up. Her cousin, Phillip Sinclair, finds her looking pale, but she assures him she is fine. Then she encounters the man she saw in her premonition, Lord Foster Sterling, the Earl of Sterling. Although they had never met before, Mara knows they were meant to be together.

Foster has been married to Rose for ten years and their marriage has never been consummated. It was an arranged marriage forced upon them by their parents. Rose is cold, bitter, and completely miserable. She wants nothing to do with Foster, but has sworn that she will never give him a divorce.

While Mara usually goes to Ireland for the summer with her family, she pleads for them to let her stay in London so she can work more in the family’s Hamilton’s Bookstores. They finally relent and she is to stay with other family members. Her real reason is that she wants to have an affair with Foster.

Mara’s mother was thought to be insane and died in a fire. Mara is convinced that she will also go insane. Thus, she has promised herself that she will never marry and have children as she fears passing this trait down. But while in Ireland, a talk with her mother’s sister, while impulsive. was most certainly not insane. In addition, Mara learns that she has inherited the family’s gift of the sigh.

Yet, Foster is still married to Rose and Mara knows there will never be a way for them to be together.

What a really good story. I loved how well the author knitted all of the characters and their backgrounds together to make for the perfect plot. I know readers will love this book too.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

September 1894
"She knew it was about to come over her, a premonition. She was in a fire and knowing she was going to die. But a man was calling her name with his hand reaching for her, a look of love, mixed with anguish. His eyes, deep green and filled with abject longing and desire, they implored her to come to him. He pulled her into his arms and Mara had never felt such a ebullient happiness and tranquility. This man loved her deeply and she loved him." Paraphrased but this story opened with Mara at her uncles ball, having a premonition and then she saw him. The man in her vision. As she looked at him, she could see him staring at her, a deep connection.
Sigh.. It only gets better if you can believe it but it there is so much emotion swirling around. Foster Sterling, Lord Sheridan was an unhappy man. He had been married for over ten years, yet he and his wife did not live together or ever have a real marraige. She was just a bitter, unhappy human being and he had no hope of children or happiness.
This is a journey of the heart and trying to hold on to an instant connection when so much is against them. There is a terrible villian in the middle, his wife that has a story of her own that comes out.
Can these two find happiness? But how can that be with him married? A real page turner that will pull at your heart....

The Irish Heiress by Kaitlin O'Riley is book Two in the Hamilton Cousins Series. This is the story of Mara Reeves and Foster Sheridan, Earl of Sterling. I have read the previous book but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Mara has settled into being a spinster basing this on her feelings about her mother who died that was labeled has 'mad' and her being able to know of things that have come to pass. So when she meets Foster they enter into a scandalous relationship. Foster is married to someone who he wishes he wasn't but she will not let him go at all. So of course this plays into the added issues with Mara and Foster. I am not a fan of hero being involved with someone else bad or good relationship then wanting someone else but this author writing help to get over my issue in this book with that.

This is my first novel by this author and I was really looking forward to seeing how the story played out. I was a little leary when reading the description but decided to give it a shot.

This is one of those books I really wanted to like. Well it wasn't bad. But it wasn't great either. Due to Mara's visions you kind of get a peak of what was going to happen. Somewhat.

It's definitely a light read. The characters are ok. I wish there had been less "love at first sight". Literally at first sight. There's quite a bit of traveling and action.

I truly felt sorry for Rose. She really got dealt a crappy hand.

Overall, it's an ok read.

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2019/08/02/the-irish-heiress-by-kaitlin-oriley/)

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library historical romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.


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Number of titles I have read by this author: 1

Love story speed: Instalove (or, as I described it in my reading notes, “Whoa, bear!”) – the “L” word appears by about 25%

Relationship dynamics: The Unhappily Married Earl (H) / The Lady with “The Sight” (h)

Sexual content: Some; both “on-screen” and explicit

Triggers: Adultery; infant death; descriptions of violent death

Grammar/Editing: My ARC had some awkward phrasing, spacing errors and other minor grammatical errors

Review: This novel is set at a whirlwind pace in well-researched late Victorian England and Ireland. I found that some of the prose was repetitious and the repeated descriptions of the premonition episodes are barely re-phrased, which was problematic for me. However, the use of multiple points of view is quite well-done and the reader really gets a glimpse into the mind of the “villain” of this piece, which is both unusual and refreshing.

For Mara and Foster, it is love at first sight. Theirs is an often reckless relationship and much of the action is fueled by their compulsion to be together at any cost. It was nice to see main characters with relatable flaws (the hero never bothered to try to understand his first wife) and insecurities (a repeated question of “am I worthy of love?”): they were very human characters. For this reason, this book is certainly not for those who prefer their main characters to be paragons of every virtue. Most of the supporting characters from this book are apparently featured in the previous book in this series, as well as the original series this one spun off from. Even so, they do not all seem like cameo appearances, as can often be the case. I appreciated this, not having read the other books. Rose (the first wife) is a very sympathetic character with a very sad background. Be very prepared not to hate her!

Lyrical version: You come here, I go there – I do not stay, you come away. Can we finally meet part way? Yes, of course, it is foretold – all will be well, for fortune favours the bold.



Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my fair and honest review in return for this ARC. While written well, I have to say it lacked any real excitement. The story just didn't pull me in as I had hoped.

2.25*

Review originally published at Romancing Romances.

I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.


This book just wasn’t right for me. I wanted to try this author but this book wasn’t a good idea.

It says clearly in the synopsis that this book deals with the hero and heroine cheating the hero’s wife. She was a broken person, for sure, but I still don’t like the idea of Mara and Foster cheating.

To be honest, I wasn’t even a fan of Mara and Foster. I loved Mara’s family, but Mara herself spent most of the time crying, and she was a bit annoying. Foster was… he didn’t act. He only acted when it was convenient for him, and then told himself that it wasn’t just for him, it was for his wife, Rose, too. Well, it might have been true, but it didn’t feel like it.

To be completely honest, I liked Rose – aka the “villain” – more than our heroes. She was broken hearted, which made her cruel. I am in no way excusing her actions – she was a horrible woman, but life made her that way. She could have been happier – not happy, happier – if she had chosen too, but she walled in her sadness, and everything and everyone she missed. She was miserable. And yet, she was so much more interesting than the main characters.

The writing didn’t captivate me, and the story, which sounded quite interesting, just didn’t live up to the expectation.