I love Madeline Hunter's writing and this was a new twist on the genre! I read a lot of historical romance and after awhile the plots tend to blur but this was a different take and was quite interesting to read.

4.5 stars

Minerva Hepplewhite, formerly Margaret Finley of Dorset, and widow of Algernon Finley, is a survivor.

Shortly after receiving a surprise monetary gift from a mystery benefactor, Margaret fled her horrific, abusive marriage (with a servant and her son - the closest thing to a family she has). But when her estranged husband was killed under mysterious circumstances not far from where they were hiding, investigators tried to link her to the crime. With no evidence to prove her guilt (or innocence), she was free to leave; Margaret and her companions fled Dorset and settled in London.

When Heiress for Hire begins, Minerva Hepplewhite has reinvented herself with help from Beth, her servant (and a mother figure of sorts), and Beth's son Jeremy. Though they're nearly out of funds, she’s hoping to start a discreet detective business, and her first order of business is discovering the identity of the intruder lying on her floor. After knocking him out and tying him up, she's debating what to do next when he wakes up and demands she untie him. The stranger doesn't look like a criminal, and she relents after he promises to reveal why he’s in her home in the dead of night. The answer comes as a shock: Minerva was named a beneficiary in the will of the late Duke of Hollinburgh (a stranger), and she's now a wealthy woman.

Chase Radnor, former soldier, private inquiry agent and nephew of the late Duke of Hollinburgh, isn't sure what to think of Minerva Hepplewhite. After the suspicious death of his uncle and subsequent reading of his will (wherein he left most of his fortune to three women who don't appear to have any connection to him), his cousin Nick, the newest Duke of Hollinburgh, asked him to look into the three mysterious benefactresses. His post in The Times was spotted by one of Ms. Hepplewhite’s neighbors, but aside from discovering she was widowed and subsequently changed her name, he knows very little about the lovely woman who knocked him out. Her obvious surprise at the bequest, and laughing dismissal of his suspicions about her relationship to the late duke - Friend? Retainer? Mistress? - seems authentic. And then when she reveals she’s never met him and doesn’t know him, Chase realizes his investigation just got a lot more difficult.

Heiress for Hire initially sets Chase and Minerva as enemies. Chase suspects someone killed his uncle, and since he knows nothing about Minerva, she’s his number one suspect. Except he doesn't think she's guilty, and there are others in the family - who were left very little in the will and are bitter about it - who are also suspect. Chase intends to find the other two mysterious women, but in the meantime, he tries to learn more about Minerva and other possible suspects. Minerva, who has much to lose if Chase were to uncover her past and discover the mysterious circumstances around her first husband’s death (especially if he suspects she killed his uncle), launches her own investigation. These two keep turning up when each other least expects it, and their antagonistic relationship soon gives way to admiration, friendship, lust, and….MORE FRIENDS! LOT’S MORE.

The evolving relationship between Chase and Minerva is an absolute JOY to witness. He’s a thoughtful, gentle, scarred former soldier struggling with the events that led to the end of his military career; she’s a fighter who survived horrific mental and physical abuse, and is determined to be master of her own fate moving forward. They have delicious chemistry, and Hunt does a marvelous job developing these characters both as individuals and as a romantic couple. The author deftly handles Minerva's early marriage and horrific abuse, and its damaging effects on her physical and emotional health. I particularly loved Chase's careful handling of Minerva - even when he only had vague suspicions about her past, and Minerva's growing sense of wonder and happiness at her body and its ability to receive and give pleasure. It's lovely. Reader, I just wanted more of them together on every single page - bickering, talking, flirting, teasing - and I was annoyed every time we segued away from them to advance all the other parallel plot threads. Chase and Minerva light up every scene in which they appear. Fortunately, the secondary characters are also well-developed, and I was intrigued by most of them, too.

Meanwhile, Hunt has lots of other plot threads she successfully strings out as Chase and Minerva slowly fall in love. What actually happened to the duke? Was he murdered? And if so, who killed him? Why did the duke leave a fortune to Minerva? Who are the other women named in the will? What happened to Chase when he was in the military? Who killed Algernon? Who gave Margaret the money to run away? The author does a wonderful job stringing all of these disparate threads together until they coalesce in the final chapters of the book. We get answers to most of these questions, and the revelations are satisfying and in keeping with the tone and mood of this gem of a novel.

Unfortunately, this reader was a bit confused by a couple of loose ends:

I still can’t decide if this novel has a cliffhanger ending - or if the 'big question' is left deliberately vague. Is the author going to return to this story line in future novels? And, the author teases something about Minerva and her wardrobe mid-way through the story, but doesn’t confirm what I thought she was alluding to - even though there’s a great opportunity to do so at the very end of the novel. Did she forget?

I really can’t remember why I haven’t read a Hunt book in quite a while, but I’m so glad I picked this one up. I enjoyed almost every single thing about it (including that lovely cover!), and I’ve shelved it on my Best of 2020. New and old fans of this author will find much to like, and I highly recommend it.

Well this was a sweet read, with a little mystery woven through. I can’t say I was swept away but I did enjoy the read, it was smooth without being completely consuming.

4.5 stars. This is a promising start to a new series by Madeline Hunter. Chase and Minerva have palpable chemistry right from the start, and the smallest gestures and contact help build up the tension between them. The premise here combines elements seen in other historical romances but in a unique way. Here, both leads are private investigators, though Minerva’s business is just starting and facing at least some realistic roadblocks given the restrictions on women at the time. After Minerva is named as an heiress to a wealthy duke’s fortune, one she had never met and had no clear connection to, both she and Chase begin to investigate not only why she was left the money but also who possibly killed the duke. I actually would have liked to read a whole series of the two of them investigating their independent cases, rather than moving on the another couple. They each bring their own skills to the investigations and it introduced a fresh element to the story. The central mystery about the duke’s killer still lingers and likely will remain until book 3 (frustratingly) but there is a satisfying resolution to Chase and Minerva’s story at least. I’m looking forward to Kevin’s and (I assume) Nicholas’s stories next!

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

Such a fun premise! This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Lots of good backstory and interaction between the hero and heroine. There were a few times I felt it was predictable but that didn't take much away from my overall enjoyment. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

4.25*

I’ve been a fan of Madeline Hunter’s books for a long time, even if her most recent ones haven’t always had the charm of her earlier books. But this one… it was a book that got out of a reading slump!

I really liked the premise of the book, a duke dies, and three unknown women get almost all of his inheritance. Why? That’s what the whole family is thinking. And Chase Radnor, pretty much the only one who knew he wasn’t getting any money – let’s face it, he didn’t need it – wants to know what happened to his uncle, because his death was not an accident in his mind. And, of course, we understand very quickly that he was right. So, was it one of the women? Was it a family member? A business partner? A member of the household? A complete stranger? These are the questions that go with us as we read the book, and follow the inquiries of both Chase Radnor and one of the mysterious women, Minerva Hepplewhite.

When Chase finds her, he knows there’s something she’s hiding. Is it that she’s killed the duke? He doesn’t think so. Even if his intuition had disappointed him once, he believed he was right.

Minerva has survived her fair share of problems, and she is immensely grateful to Beth and Jeremy, her friends and former employers in her household. When this mysterious inheritance appears, she’s afraid it might disturb their recent peace. And she’s found she’s good at conducting discreet inquiries – very much like Chase. And she wonders: why would someone she’s never met give such a large amount of money?

And this is how Minerva and Chase get involved. I really liked their relationship, how it evolved, with a slow-burn, and more than just a physical thing, they admired each other’s minds, and worked so well together.

I loved the mystery, and following along with our main couple, learning what they learned and seeing their love and steaminess grow.

I also enjoyed seeing how Minerva got through her own fears and past experiences to enjoy her new life, and fall in love again.

It was a great story, filled with romance, and mystery. I can’t wait to find out more about the other heiresses.

I received a free copy of Heiress for Hire in exchange for an honest review. The plot was intriguing, and I was prepared for a great read with plot twists and lots of action. However, this story fell short of my expectations. Minerva was a great character with a questionable past, and had the potential to make for great reading, but the details were far and few between. Chase was just a mediocre character at best..

There were a lot of family members involved in the plot to add to the mystery of whether Chase's uncle's death was accidental, intentional, or self inflicted. It was up to Chase to conduct an inquiry which led him to suspect Minerva and several of his relatives. Since the character development was lacking, it was very difficult to follow the story-line. I was also waiting for the introduction of the two other unknown females that were receiving Chase's uncles inheritance, but that never happened.

Overall, I was very disappointed in this story.

This was such a fun book!! Minerva and Chase has wonderful chemistry and their minds work so well together. After being granted a fortune on the death of duke that she never knew or had met she is forced to face her past, from which she had run from. Both Chase and Minerva believe that the duke was murdered and they end up working together to discover who would have done it and why. They are no closer to discovering the answer at the end of the book but they do discover why she was chosen to be the recipient of part of the dukes fortune. They also discover their great love for one another and of course go on to meld their lives together. There are two other mystery women that were part of the will that need to be found and I’m really looking forward to them being discovered in subsequent books. I love a good mystery and when you throw romance in there I’m in heaven. I really enjoy Madeline’s writing style and character development. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I really want to know the answers to what happened and why. I’m hooked!

Chase Radnor's uncle, the Duke, died under mysterious circumstances and left his fortune to three strangers. The family is circling, determine to break the will, and Chase has been sent to find these three women. Which is why he broke into Minerva Hepplewhite home. She caught him and is certain that as the family looks for scapegoats, someone, like Chase, will dig up her past. She determines to investigate and find the killer first.

Why I started this book: I enjoy Hunter's romances. She has the ability to respect the historical limits of her setting while spinning a believable relationship.

Why I finished it: Wasn't the biggest fan of Chase or Minerva, but as Hunter unspooled their backstories, I gained a great appreciation for both of them. And I look forward to the rest of this series.

I didn't hate this one, but I didn't love it either. It was okay. I think it nicely set up the next two stories as we try and solve the mystery of what happened to the last Duke, but I don't know; something was just missing from this one. Or maybe the whole thing was just too convenient for me? I mean seriously what are the chances that a man who makes a living conducting discreet inquiries is going to meet (not to mention fall in love with) a woman who does the same? I mean it was a lot of fun watching them work together (even when they didn't want to), and it was interesting to see how they both approached the same inquiry, but from different directions. They obviously complemented each other in a working aspect, but I wasn't really feeling the romantic aspect of these two.

Also, the synopsis is misleading. Chase did not almost get her convicted of anything, he didn't even know about what happened with her ex-husband. The funny thing was for as smart as he was purported to be, I solved the mystery of who killed the abusive husband long before he did. All the clues were there.

All things considered, this was a good start to a new series, and I will likely continue with it just so I can see what really happened to the old Duke. I do believe it will be well received by fans of historical romances.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

WOW! Heiress For Hire is a spectacular historical romance by Madeline Hunter. Ms. Hunter has provided readers with a book that is not only well-written, it's furnished with a cast of characters that is second to none. I totally love the characters in this story. Minerva changed her name and moved from the area after her husband was killed and she was suspected. She now does investigations. When an intruder enters her home she doesn't hesitate to bash him in the head. Chase is doing an investigation of his own into his uncle's death. Minerva is due to inherit a goodly sum and is now one of his suspects. Chase and Minerva's story is packed with drama, humor, smokin' hot sexy bits, action and suspense. I loved every page of this book and look forward to reading more from Madeline Hunter soon. Heiress For Hire is book 1 of the A Duke's Heiress Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This isn't a light and fluffy regency. This was a strong enjoyable story with a touch of mystery and a wonderful romance.

Heiress for Hire starts a new series where three unconnected women receive generous legacies from a duke they never met. It's Chase Radnor's job to find them and get the inheritances started. But Chase, as both a family member and an inquiry agent for the army and Home Office, wants to know who these women are, why they received inheritances, and if they could have murdered the old duke. Because Chase believes his uncle was murdered- and much better the villain be a stranger than a family member!

Minerva Heppelwhite has been struggling to survive for years- first with an abusive husband, and after his death, as a woman with little money. The inheritance would allow her to live comfortably and to establish her dream: an investigation business. And it makes sense to her that her first official investigation be into the possible murder of the man who left her the money to make it all possible. She and Chase clash from the beginning- he doesn't want her investigating and thinks she might have done it, she has no intention of being blamed for something she didn't do. Eventually they have to work together and grow closer as a result.

Heiress for Hire is a bit odd because the theoretical point of the book- discovering a murderer- becomes secondary to the characters. The end result is officially calling it an accident, and the reader is left to assume that the mystery will in fact be solved only by the end of the last book in the series. But the character development and growth of both Chase and Minerva are satisfying to watch, and the extended Radnor family is both amusing and opportunistically awful enough to mean lots of fun encounters. Not quite Knives Out in their reactions when they end up without the expected inheritances, but there are moments!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

The first in a new series by this seasoned author which follows the change in the destinies of three women as they each unexpectantly inherit sizable fortunes bequeathed to them by a recently departed duke known in life for his eccentricities.

Chase Radnor is the nephew of the late duke and cousin of his successor. As an active private investigator, he is thus in the perfect position to look into the suspicious death of his uncle and what better way to start than to track down the mysterious recipients of his uncle's generosity. His head soon becomes acquainted with the frighteningly quick hand of Minerva Hepplewhite, who is not going to let one handsome intruder threaten her safety and that of her little household. Once conscious, he realises that her wit is even quicker and more effective than her walloping hand.

Minerva is as perplexed and curious by her sudden change in fortune as Chase and they soon realise they are better joining their investigative minds than to work independently of one another. Except despite their tentative partnership agreement, they both continue to withhold information from the other. Minerva especially has many skeletons in the closet. Rumours is that one of the skeletons might even be that of her deceased husband, who himself suffered an abrupt and unnatural death.

Minerva is a great character. Hunter's heroines tend to be more mature, independent and strong-minded and she certainly fits the bill. The problem is that the mystery of the old duke's death and Minerva setting up her detective business overwhelmed the romance and nice-guy Chase is just a bit too...how to say it nicely...bland. It was okay. I understand with the introductory book to a new series, that page-time has to be dedicated to setting the scene and introducing the characters. I just need a bit of oomph factor.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

In Heiress for Hire, Minerva Hepplewhite has finally got her life back on track when she comes upon an intruder, who turns around and tells her that she is a beneficiary of the late Duke of Hollingburgh. The intruder is his nephew, Chase Radnor, who has been involved in working with the Home Office in the past, and on good terms with the Home Secretary, Robert Peel. His uncle's death was slightly suspicious - he fell from the roof of his country estate, a roof he had walked on year after year. Chase thinks there's something not quite right, and the fact that Minerva was once known by a different name, Margaret Finley, and suspected his her late husband's death, is raising his hackles. He tries to investigate her, and at the same time, she also is doing the same. She understands why she's being suspected, especially when she has no obvious ties to Hollingburgh, and the fact that he left basically nothing to his family, and a lot to his three beneficiaries, makes it a tricky situation. Creating her own agency, Hepplewhite's Office of Discreet Inquiries, to help her in her endeavours, she finds herself crossing paths again and again with Chase, and can't seem to control her feelings, but, luckily for her, he's feeling exactly the same.

I loved the mystery in this book. First we had the whole situation regarding Hollingburgh death, and why he had cut out the majority of the family from the will, and then we had Minerva's history, too. The more we delved into Minerva's background, the more my heart went out for her. She was abused, horrifically, in her marriage, and when she managed to leave him, and he later died, she was free, and wanted to forget everything about him, so changed her name. The only connections she had to her previous life were her two companions, Beth and her son Jeremy, who had worked for the family, and stayed with Minerva when she got away, and were her true family. Throughout the course of the book, we saw Minerva grow, and recover from the horrors of her past, both by herself, and with the help of Chase, Beth, and Jeremy, which was the best part of the story.

The romance between Chase and Minerva was definitely swoony. Both tried to fit their attraction, especially when there was suspicious between them about the death, but their chemistry was just too much to overcome. Their banter was witty and snarky, and it was obvious that their attraction was not just skin deep from the get go. They really cared about each other, and if they hadn't got together properly, I may have rioted! I can't wait to see how their story progresses, especially with the joint venture of their investigations, and hope that in the next books in the series, we see more from them. Madeline is definitely an author I'll read again!

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given, in my own words. This is another "different" kind of story. A tale of independence, bias, greed and what happens when two people meet and decide to "work" together. Really well written and told with great quirky characters, toned back sexual encounters and just all around very readable!

I loved ready Minerva and Chase's story. I cannot wait to see how this series unfolds. Two investigators who are both great at what they do in different ways. These two complimented each other so well. I couldn't put this book down. The reader will love them from the very start.

What is jot to like about Madeline's Hunter books? You got good romantic storyline. Some intrigue. Twist from time to time. Good solid writing and plenty to Go with it.
This is a new series and I would say it was a good read. Recommended!

Went back in time with my reading, just got done reading a rom-com so that could have been why I didn't love the book. Now dont get me wrong, I did like it but I guess was hoping for a little more. It was more serious with poor Minerva whose past relationship was an abusive one but now she is a widower and unfortunately for her his death was sceptical. .So now she is being investigated when finding out that she is one of these three women mentioned in a will for a fortune naturally the family knew nothing about these women want them investigated, I would to and that is when the nephew comes in Chase and they want to know if the death was accidental of not. we have some steam, and sadness and my friend a sort of cliffhanger so keep that in mind.

So happy to start this new series by Madeline Hunter! In addition to a very satisfying romance, there is an ongoing investigation for unknown heiresses and the mysterious death of their benefactor. Minerva and Chase slowly make their way to trust and true love, with lots of appealing secondary characters that will continue to be featured in subsequent entries. The characterization is finely drawn and the plot kept my interest throughout. I will look forward to what comes next!