Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch. Pub Date: September 20, 2022. Rating: 3 stars. In this historical novel, Emmie and Will are childhood friends who are basically forced to get married due to inheritance issues on Emmie's part. She becomes the supportive wife and he provides the manor household. The problem is, they have to have an heir for the estate within 7 years or they potentially lose the estate. Well, fast forward through this crazy timeline and they still don't have kids so they wrangle up some orphans to make it appear they have children. The shenanigans in this novel are witty and fun, but there was minimal romance to the plot line. I don't think this book should be marketed as a historical romance, but more as a historical comedy because it brought laughs and fun to the reading experience. Really loved the premise of this novel. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

In general I've enjoyed the Suzanne Enoch books I've read, but this one was too cringey, far-fetched, and spoiled-rotten-heiress for me. I didn't think that Emmeline and William had any sizzle, and I can't say I liked her very much to begin with. Yes, the kids bring this into the romantic comedy realm, but even they weren't enough to make this a book I couldn't put down.

I will say, don't give up on Ms. Enoch's stories, though. The ones I've read in the past have been great. This is the first of hers that I felt missed the mark.

I liked the different POVS, even if some seemed kinda weird, like the workers in the house, but i guess that shows how they appear to others. loved how romance wasn't focused on and we got more on the cute kids! the plot itself is unique enough.

Suzanne Enoch is one of those writers I pick up when I see a new book! Something in the Heir was delightfully hilarious and adorable.

I laughed out loud and enjoyed Enoch's writing style and world.

I like Suzanne's stories. Historical romance is one of my favorite genres, but she knows how to create a little twist in all of her stories. Whereas Every Duke Has His Day revolves around two dogs, this one is revolving around two adorable orphans. Suzanne knows how to paint a very believable (and heartbreaking) background for the little munchkins and their antics.
A delightful story, with a lot of surprising twists and turns. Will definitely be on the lookout for more stories of Suzanne Enoch.

This is one of the most delightful and cute historical romances. I’ve read in the past year. It has me smiling from start to finish. The chemistry between the characters and all of the side characters. Just add to the other delight of this story.

Light on the romance aspect. More of a funny historical fiction story. All the characters were enjoyable. I was kind of bored with it for the first half and then really enjoyed the second half way more but still give that 3 stars since I considered abandoning it at one point but I’d got an eARC from NetGalley so really wanted to have a review even if it’s super late. I switched to the audiobook about halfway and I think that really helped me. The narrator was fabulous.

3⭐️⭐️⭐️. This book has been on my currently reading shelf since September. SEPTEMBER. I’m thrilled to be finally done with it! It wasn’t terrible, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite. I think it was trying to do too much. The romance was underwhelming from all sides, there were like 6 different POVs for no apparent reason, and the conflict was entirely created by everyone’s poor decision making rather than any actual issues. That being said, I did enjoy the two kids and the side plot with the maid and the butler. Overall, I rate this book a solid “meh.”

This was a fun historical romance, with an entertaining plot!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Friends to lovers isn't normally my favorite trope, but this one was too cute to ignore.

Both characters wanted more but didn't know how to approach each other and be honest with their feelings.

When her grandfather died her husband found out that she had made up two heirs.

The two orphans they "adopt" as their children were the cutest characters. Their growth was amazing.

Something in the Heir features: A marriage of convenience where one of the two spouses wants more. A complicated plan to inherit and keep the family estate. Two orphaned lively children with a propensity for pickpocketing. And a villain that could ruin everything.

synopsis

Emmeline and Will have known each other all their lives. When Emmie asks Will to marry her so that she can inherit Winnover Hall, the family estate where she grew up, he doesn’t hesitate to accept. Eight years later, their marriage is not what you would call romantic or passionate, but they get along fine. Emmie has kept the family home and Will has gained a wife who can convince every politician in England to support his policies. What Will doesn’t know is that the inheritance of Winnover Hall had another condition besides marriage: they had to produce heirs.

however…..

Emmie and Will never had any children, but she lied to her family and invented two children, a boy and a girl, who no one in the family ever met because of their weak health. That is, until her grandfather summons the whole family to celebrate his birthday, children included. Desperate to keep Winnover Hall and avoid the scandal, Emmie and Will need to find two children to pass as their own and, after a few awkward and failing attempts to borrow children from friends and neighbors, they visit an orphanage where they find two perfect children, George and Rose, brother and sister. All they have to do is learn to behave as well-educated children. And here is where the struggle – and the fun – begin.

If you are looking for romance and steamy scenes you won’t find many. Emmie and Will have a marriage of convenience, even though Will is in love with his wife. But, the narrative focuses mostly on George and Rose and their exploits.

Aged ten and five, they’ve always taken care of each other, both on the streets and in the orphanage, and they are very mature for their ages. Their arrival at Winnover Hall brings both havoc and joy, both to Emmie and Will, and also the staff at the estate. With eight weeks until Emmie’s grandfather’s birthday, there will be lessons of fencing, riding, and dancing, but George and Rose won’t be the only ones to learn something. As they go ahead with their plan to keep the estate, Emmie and Will spend more and more time together, getting to know each other all over again.

in conclusion

All in all, Something in the Heir is an enjoyable and fun story with two adorable young characters, lots of adventures, and the happy ending that you hope for!

I love a good historical romance and while I'm not generally drawn to friends to lovers I did quite enjoy this one. All the side characters were fun, especially the orphans

This book wasn't for me. The plot sounds interesting, but it was a slow start and didn't catch my attention.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The most delightful romcom! I can’t tell you how many times I laughed till the point of tears while reading this romance. This book is marriage of convenience turned love affair, when lies about children turn to real life criminal children turn amuck.

This book was amazing!!! I was laughing throughout; and not just at the children's highjinks and antics! Loved the characters and the whole entertaining experience.
Thank you Suzanne Enoch, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

I am definitely in my Regency romance era, and Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch is a great addition to the field. It's heartwarming with a delightful cast of characters. The premise of the plot is a bit absurd, but it's certainly not lacking in heart.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This book is a total joy ride with its wonderfully charming and endearing characters! The plot feels like it's straight out of another time, which just adds to the humor. One minute, I was cracking up over the antics and conversations of Rose and George, and the next, I was getting all emotional over their past struggles. While the grown-ups in the story are great, it's really the kids who are the scene-stealers here.

I was so hooked on this book, I stayed up reading until almost sunrise, and then felt a bit blue when it was all over. You definitely don't want to miss out on this exceptional group of characters. It's an absolute must-read!

Super cute, historical romance. A quick read and couldn’t put it down fun to be had by all. All romance lovers will love this book.

Book Review: Something in the Heir

"Something in the Heir" by an undisclosed author is a delightful and humorous exploration of love, family, and the unexpected twists that life throws our way. Emmeline and William Pershing have spent eight years in a perfectly convenient marriage, each excelling in their respective domains while cherishing the partnership they've built. Their lives, seemingly well-ordered and separate, take an unexpected turn when Emmeline's reclusive grandfather, the Duke of Welshire, demands they bring their supposed children to his birthday celebration.

What follows is a delightful comedy of errors as it's revealed that Emmeline had invented the existence of their children to uphold an agreement for living at Winnover. With the need to borrow two unruly orphans, George and Rose, their carefully constructed facade begins to unravel. The story takes an endearing twist as Emmeline and William navigate the chaos and discover new layers of their relationship amidst the uproar.

The charm of "Something in the Heir" lies in its humor, wit, and the unraveling of a love that has been hidden behind the facade of practicality and convenience. The characters are endearing, and their development throughout the narrative is delightful to witness. Emmeline's cleverness and William's dedication are brought to the forefront, revealing the true depth of their connection.

The narrative's strength lies in the author's ability to blend lighthearted moments with more intimate and touching ones. The unraveling chaos and unexpected bonding with George and Rose add a heartwarming touch to the story. The prose is engaging and captures the essence of a lighthearted romantic comedy, making it a perfect read for fans of the genre.

In summary, "Something in the Heir" is a delightful romantic comedy that blends humor, heart, and the unexpected, resulting in an endearing tale that leaves readers smiling. It's a reminder that sometimes, life's quirkiest moments can lead us to the most beautiful surprises. If you're in the mood for a light and enjoyable read that tugs at your heartstrings, this book is the perfect choice.

Something in the Heir has an interesting premise. It's a marriage of convenience, but eight years in, things are about to get quite INconvenient. Mr. and Mrs. Pershing (that's actually what they call each other) were childhood friends once. Then Emmie had a desperate need to get married on the double, or a family rule enforced by her ducal grandfather would cause her to lose her home. Will agreed to her sudden proposal not because Emmie promised to further his career in the trade ministry but because he was in love with her. The second requirement to keep their home was to produce an heir within five years. They did not. It turns out that Emmie can't have children, and their attempts to make it happen grossed her out, driving a wedge between the former friends. Now, they're professional accomplices in making Will successful. Oh, yeah. And Emmie lied to her grandfather about the lack of heirs to keep their home. Not just a little lie. She invented two children, spinning perfect tales about the sickly dears for her whole family. Now, the Duke's 70th birthday approaches, and he wants to meet the children.

So begins a comedy of two hapless adults (same) hunting down two children to pretend to be theirs. When two families shockingly don't wish to part with their offspring for a couple of months, the two consider how grand it would be if they could just pop by a store for children. And that's when inspiration strikes. Off to the orphanage to temporarily take in George and Rose, who will require a good bit of polishing before they can pretend to be the docile, well-mannered Pershing children. As two well-ordered, well-heeled adults, they are pleased with themselves to find a pair that fits their lie. Surely everything will be easy from here on out since children are such reasonable creatures at baseline. Ha.

I'll admit that something caught me off guard right away. To establish what the Pershings' normal existence looks like and show how their political partnership functions, the book opens with them negotiating the building of a road in Africa (bad vibes already, but I held out for confirmation). Why is this deal so important to our intrepid, childless heroes? To "improve not just Britain's spice trade, but our relations with half of Europe" aka the rampant colonialism starts up as early as chapter 1, my dudes. While it didn't really feature in the story after that, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

The main reasons I disliked the book took me a while to disentangle. The romance is about the Pershings realizing they haven't properly been appreciating each other. But is it even a romance when a side plot romance has more chemistry? There were two scenes from their POV, and it's like hey... is this kind of cute? Is this cuter than the married couple I'm supposed to be focused on? And I think the problem's not only about all the other things the plot tries to squish in. I just didn't find Emmie and Will particularly likable separately or as a couple.

Romances with important kid characters are either the best or the worst. For me, this one was the worst. And with such wily, huggable kids, that's a crying shame. The plot's meant to be a series of cute, touching moments between the real Pershings and the temporary ones, but the plot drags. The Pershings are training the kids while still intending to give them up. Then, they start to second guess that plan from an emotional level but can't come up with a single solution between them on a logical level. Honestly couldn't be me. As someone who spends all day with kids, you either make the effort or you don't. Like, get over the house already. Emmie and Will keep having to make outlandish compromises to keep that prize. I'm not saying it's fair for them to lose their home or that they shouldn't fight for it, but compared to losing your kids? And knowing they're practically guaranteed a shitty future otherwise? It took them too damn long to sort out their priorities. They keep thinking there must be a way to have it all (I mean, there is because it's a romance novel) rather than making sacrifices to love and protect their kids. Lame.

This was a weird dislike because it kind of crept up on me. I thought I was fine, but then I realized how uninterested I was and how little I looked forward to picking it back up each time.