It's really hit or miss with Suzanne Enoch for me. I think the title is super cute. I liked all of the characters, but don't really care for the already married for years marriage of convenience trope, and didn't really enjoy the plot with the children that much.

I love historical fiction, romance and have enjoyed earlier Suzanne Enoch books so I was excited to read Something in the Heir. Although I wanted to love this book and enjoyed several parts, the overall book left me feeling disappointed. Emmeline and William are married and just trucking along in a normal, slightly lackluster marriage. It was a marriage of convenience as Emmeline had to be the first of her cousins married to get to keep their family house and estate. Little did William know that she also had to lie to her imposing Grandfather that they had born children in further attempts to keep the family estate and their home. When Grandfather calls all of the family to him for a big celebration, Emmeline has to come clean with William about what she has done and decide if they are going to fess up to the lie. Instead Emmeline hatches a plan to take two neighbors children with her and present them as her own (which the parents of the kids point out is very strange) and in the end, they go "borrow" some children from an orphanage (also very wrong if they didn't intent to honestly look into adoption them) . Expecting two young children to carry on this ruse didn't make much sense to me. The lies continue to mound as this ruse goes on and even though I like a slightly out there book, I couldn't see any realism in this one.

Emmeline and William Pershing agreed to a marriage of convenience so Emmeline could keep her family home and Will could have assistance in his political career. Eight years later, Emmeline's grandfather summons them to his home, and Will is shocked to find out that Emmeline has made up a story about them having two children. Turns out, they must have children to keep their home, so they find two orphans, George and Rose, to borrow and pretend to be their own. But even temporary and fake parenting comes with its own challenges, and even the weirdest circumstances can make a house a home. This story was so sweet! I expected more romance but loved the story of the whole family coming together! The children were hilarious, and I loved reading about their many shenanigans. It was such a sweet and fun story!

I absolutely LOVED this story!!!

Emmeline and Will had a partnership rather than a marriage and yet with the temporary addition of George and Rose to the household they began to see each other in a whole new light. I began to fall in love with each of them even as their eyes opened up to the uniqueness that they saw in each other. I couldn’t help but cheer them on along the way.

The children were definitely “the darlings” of the story. They pretty much stole every scene they were in. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the antics and reactions to the world around them. However, there were times when things were not humorous and my heart hurt for them, especially George as his understanding of the world was much more jaded than Rose’s.

I was surprised how things turned out as I never saw it happening in quite that way. While the romance element does not consume the storyline and the heat level is non-existent, I never missed the steam nor the fact that this story is not about this couple alone. I was enthralled from the beginning and could not stop reading it once I started.

Something in the Heir is absolutely charming! It's my first Suzanne Enoch book, and it definitely won't be my last.

Emmeline has a big dilemma - she loves her home but her family has strict rules as to who may occupy it. Cue a rushed wedding and some lies about her “family”. Of course, this can only lead to trouble. But will she be able to keep the home in the end?

I really didn’t care for Emmeline in the first quarter of the book. In fact, I almost didn’t continue reading. She began very selfish, very hoity-toity and lacking any level of empathy for others. But little by little she learns throughout the book and I appreciated that.

The whole premise was a bit iffy in “borrowing” orphans to be a part of the family and again, wasn’t a fan, but all I can say is just keep reading. This book is a journey full of life lessons for all.

Thank you to @smpromance for the complimentary copy of this book. The review expresses my own personal opinions.

DNF at 22%

I really wanted to love this one but I found Emmeline to be completely self-absorbed and unlikeable. Will's character seemed incredibly flat and there was absolutely no spark between the two MCs. I get that it's a marriage of convenience but there should be at least a little bit of chemistry between the two for the reader to get behind.

I also found the way they went about "renting" children really disturbing. They were so cavalier and selfish about the whole process and didn't take into account how this would affect a child. As a new mom, I just found this incredibly hard to read.

This book has many positive reviews so I think that this is just a case of the book not being a good fit for me at this point in my life.

This was a delightfully light-hearted read populated with fun, energetic, loving characters who come to learn that ‘family’ doesn’t always happen through blood. Sometimes families are created from the people who enter your lives for one reason or another and this unlikely family forms from adversity and grow into unselfish love.

Emmeline Hervey was born and raised at Winnover Hall and she loved the estate with all her heart. When she was faced with having to leave because the estate was actually owned by her grandfather, a duke, she decided to do whatever it took to remain there. Since her parents had decided to give up their residence at the estate, that meant Emmeline had to go as well because the estate would go to the next cousin to marry. The solution is simply – Emmeline just has to marry – and quickly.

William Pershing and Emmeline Hervey had long been friends because they’d grown up near each other. William was a shy, socially awkward young man who had a very strong affection for Emmeline. Just imagine his surprise when she walked up to him at a ball and without preamble proposed to him. Did he accept – you bet he did. Except, he’d hoped for more than the partnership that Emmeline proposed.

Staying at Winnover meant having to produce offspring within 5-years. When those offspring didn’t appear, Emmeline made them up and fleshed them out for her relatives through letters. That bought her an extra three years -- until the duke decided to throw a big birthday bash for himself and demanded the presence of ALL of his family – including the children. Emmeline has two choices – she can give up Winnover or she can figure out how to ‘borrow’ a couple of children for a while. Either way, she has to tell William because he knows nothing about the children or her lies.

It was a true surprise when William accepted what she told him and joined her in her efforts to remain at Winnover. Why wouldn’t he – he married her so she could keep it? Their efforts to find children they can borrow lead to some very strange encounters with their neighbors. Orphans! That is a great solution and off they go.

It was so much fun reading about the merry chase the two orphans lead William and Emmeline on. These were street-smart and very determined children who were so delightful to read. I absolutely LOVED George and Rose – they made the story.

I loved watching the four of them negotiate their way to love, trust, and acceptance – and for Will and Emmeline’s marriage to become everything Will had hoped for – and everything Emmeline didn’t know she wanted.

Why didn’t I give it 5-Stars?
• While I enjoyed the story – and can recommend it as a good read – something about William and Emmeline’s relationship for the first eight years of their marriage just didn’t ring true for me.
• Adoption is spoken about and acted upon as part of the story – but adoptions couldn’t happen at that time in England. At best, it would have had to have been a guardianship. Those little inaccuracies bother me – especially when a little research would have allowed the author to get it right.
• Another thing I wished for is an Epilogue set a year or two into the future. I wanted to see Emmeline expecting (or having delivered) a child and showing George and Rose and how well they’ve settled in. That all just seemed a little unfinished to me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a fun historical, and it is definitely going on the list of exceptions for things I tend to avoid in my romance reading. I"m not usually a fan of children in the romance I read, but George and Rose are up there with the children from The Governess Game. They were delightful and entertaining. I also loved Emmie and Will (the two main characters) - it was wonderful seeing them realize the depth of their feelings for each other after eight years of marriage. I highly recommend this book!

I couldn't connect with the characters nor the story. I didn't think the characters were believable nor likeable. I read almost half the story before skimming to the end. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review.

Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch is a novel classified as historical romance. What it doesn't mention is the tongue in cheek humor that happens through-out the book. The book held my attention and I was nervous about how the book was going to end.

Emmaline and William Pershing have been married for 8 years. Their marriage is about maintaining a certain lifestyle and creating opportunities for William to work effectively with the Ton and the government. What William doesn’t know - isn’t a problem until it is. It is a doozy of a problem. They need children fast. This is where the book gets funny in a curious way. The two of them are so certain of the path forward - they have forgotten what really matters. The children are delightful and full of zest, not difficult to handle per say, but unique. Enjoy the ride and the conclusion!

This novel was a joy to read. I loved the situation and how they solved it and then how they had to keep moving on solving it. The participation of the staff and the Pershings and the children are what made the book humorous. Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch is a great read.

Thrilling read! I was able to connect with all of the characters and throughly enjoyed the story the author painted.

Even though you knew how it would end, the story was still cute. George & Rose were so entertaining. Fun read.

The cover of Something in the Heir by Suzanne Enoch depicts a man and woman sitting on a bed. That plus the description saying their marriage would take some "intimate" turns led me to believe that this would be a Historical Romance. In fact, this book is being marketed as a romance and it is not.

Poor marketing aside, I generally enjoyed the premise of the book. Emmeline Pershing has found herself in a lie and the only way to keep her estate is to bring her lie to life. She and her husband, William, essentially rent a couple of orphans to pretend to be their actual children. Needless to say, the children upend household and bring along their own family baggage as well.

This book is very intentionally comical and also endearing. It isn't difficult to see where the story is going, but the plot is interesting enough for the reader to want to see how things unfold.

The romance was by far the weakest part of the book. Emmeline and Will dissect their relationship with the same repeated descriptions. Nothing truly develops and I think the first kiss in the book happens at about the 75% mark. In fact, the most romantic thing the reader gets is a kiss or two and hopes for more in the future. The majority of the plot really has nothing to do with the romance and mostly to do with the children.

If you're looking for a romance, this is not it. At the same time, it is a unique and endearing historical/ regency fiction.

Can a silly scheme mend the broken piece of their union…

This book was so unexpected, after my last reads of the author’s work, I might say I was very surprised by this story, happily puzzled.
It was like a new voice, a sort of a modern adaptation of the classic regency tales, a bit similar to Martha Waters, Suzanne Allain only with Mrs Enoch’s specific turn of phrases and wits.

This is a plural voices tale, every characters from upper to below stairs and even outside have their moment to share their thoughts.

In some ways, at first Emmeline made me think of Scarlett O’Hara and her Tara, ready to everything to keep/save her home.
Of course not in a tragic view of the famous novel but more in the silly Shakespearean’s window of things. How this this book turned into a Comedia Del Arte.

I did not like Emmeline much, having settled the basis of her world on one place but not on the people around her, living with her, she is deaf to everything else.
To keep her birthplace, she would do quite anything, marry and even fib to every relative about her awesome offsprings. Children who have been born only in her imagination.
Her marriage with William is real, mostly on paper, as it is like two strangers living under the same roof, at a time in her early adult life, she closed herself to everyone else, only reaching people when it matches her goal, somewhat blind to others’ feelings.
This adventure sees her opening to her surrounding, looking at her husband with new eyes, making her heart soften at George and Rose’s plights.
William has loved Emmeline for a long time past their common childhood but like many, instead of letting him in, she at first kept him at arms-length then lengthened their link until they became only housemates.
Now embroiled in her silly lies, he sees an opportunity as the hellions help reveal an other side of her personality, one that makes him hope for them together.

Oh my!!!
How I loved Rose and George, two kids who were never children, they have to survive by every means and wits in their capacity, more often than less victims of bullies, why they are circumspect and trust no one. But their loyalty to one another is commendable and endearing.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kisses

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

Something in the Heir is the delightful, madcap adventure of Emmeline and Will Pershing trying to keep their home. You know when reading the synopsis there will be craziness for borrowing two orphans, George and Rose, from the orphanage to play their children in order to keep their home. Emmie’s grandfather has a clause in the contract to continue his bloodline so Emmie can keep her childhood home. She and Will had developed a working agreement rather than a marriage. They begin to fall in love again during all the upheaval caused by the children.

Rose and George are precious and precocious little stinkers who just want to live a simple life not in an orphanage. They charm and frustrate Emmeline and Will, the butler, the maids, the valet, even the stable grooms. All together this is a sweet, fantastic afternoon read. I did not want to put it down.

When I started this book, I was so excited by the storyline. I thought this was going to be different. The storyline:
Will and Emmeline are married. When they married, they were given Winnover Hall to live in by her grandfather, the Duke of Welshire. There was one condition. They must have a child with in 5 years.
Emmeline didn't conceiv.e. Not only didn't she conceive but her and Will basically became strangers living in the same house. So, she decided to invent 2 children, so that they may keep their home. But when the Duke demands to meet them, Emmeline now has to what she is going to do. Her solution is to use 2 orphans to pose as her children.
So I thought, this will be good. You have 2 kids trying to be someone they're not. And two adults getting to know one another again, romantically.
But nope. No romance whatsoever. It was a story about two orphans. And the deception they were trying to bring about.
I was very disappointed.
2 stars⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This book wasn't for me. I wanted to like it, I just couldn't get into it. I'm sure others will enjoy this it just wasn't for me.

This is a a very creative story. The characters are funny and witty. The main characters are the Pershings, Emmie and Will and the children George and Rose. Will and Emmie are faced with a crisis and use the opportunity to fall in love all over again. George and Rose are orphans who bring delightful and unexpected changes to the household. They start as strangers working towards different goals but end as a loving family.

This is a super cute historical romance, where our couple WIll and Emmie marry for convenience, she needs to be married to keep the house she grew up in, and he needs her to help with his political career. Will might have wanted it to be more but after a disastrous marriage night, and some awkwardness in the bedroom after that, they end up as just partners. Emmaline has decided to be the most perfect wife ever, at least until she has to tell her husband that they have two made-up children...

Some strange decisions are made, like asking their friends and neighbor if they could maybe just like borrow their kids. Like it will only be for like 8 weeks and no the parents can't come, we know we've never had an interest in your children before but it will be fun! Cue the parents slowly backing away being like um no thank you, strange people. We're just gonna go...

Thankfully Will is like hey!!! I know we will borrow kids from the orphanage! Even though the nun is like um excuse me? Your going to give us money, take two children, very specific children, for basically two months then bring them back? Well since WIll and Emmie are very willing to pay whole lotta money the nun is like okay, I have the perfect children for you... ( insert nun cackling evilly ) you know these kids must have a history, and that nun is giving the Pershings some Karma for the crazy plan they are trying to accomplish.

Enter George and Rose who make WIll and Emmy's heart melt at their first meeting, and after a while also want to pull out their hair while falling in love with them. The kids definitely aren't sure what to do about their new situation and have many plans for when it's over... Which led to many shenanigans, laughter, and maybe just a bit of theft... and loving home.
I loved how bringing in the children shook up WIll and Emmy's relationship and made them realize what they had been missing. At the same time, they were falling in love with the kids they were also falling in love with each other.
I love all of Suzanne Enoch's books I've read and look forward to reading everything she writes.