DNF at 53%
I think the notes this book touches on seem rather routine, like I've read it before, but I was not particularly interested in the characters. I think the premise sounds really fun but my mood or the execution - both? - leave me disconnected.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Corinna Ormesby has lived a quiet life in the countryside with her cranky Cousin Agnes since her mother's death. She never knew who her father was, but she hopes to solve the mystery. Her aunt is planning on marrying her off to the odious Mr Beech, but she has other plans. She wants to travel to London to see if she can figure out who her father is, as well as possibly make a match during the season. Knowing it is dangerous for a woman to travel alone, she dresses as a man/youth and meets up with a group of three friends: handsome and capable Alick Wolfe, dandy Ferdinand Shilton and the incorrigible Lord Purfoy. She now has a way to enter the Ton of Regency England. Corrina finds herself interested in Alick, but she isn't sure how she can finally reveal her real self to him.

An Unsuitable Heiress by Jane Dunn is an entertaining Regency Romance with an independent, adventuress young woman. She wants to pursue her dream of becoming a professional artist, but knows that the only way to do that is to find her father. The only clues she has are the cards and gifts she received each year on her birthday, until her mother's death seven years ago. The three men she hooks up with were also wonderfully described and very different from one another. I liked how they showed the various men that populated the Ton. This book shows the the differences in the sexes at this time in history, although Corrina does buck those trends. This is an easy and fun to read standalone Regency story with enchanting characters. I always enjoy reading about the various norms, attitudes, customs and activities during the various times in history. If you enjoy a fun and enjoyable Regency Romance with a different plot, then I recommend you pick up The Unsuitable Heiress in whatever format you prefer.

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

I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked the pacing of the plot!

Jane Dunn’s An Unsuitable Heiress is a delightful Regency romp romantics everywhere will be bowled over by.

After the death of her mother, Corinna Ormesby had gone to live in the countryside with her cantankerous Cousin Agnes. With no money, connections or friends, Corinna’s options have always been limited, however, even she draws the line at marrying the odious Mr Beech! With the identity of her father having always been shrouded in mystery, Corinna decides to head to London to discover who he is, but she hadn’t anticipated befriending three dashing young men who might just end up turning her entire world upside down.

Donning a male disguise, Corinna’s journey to London was always going to be fraught with peril – but she never imagined that the biggest danger would be losing her heart! Corinna makes fast friends with handsome Alick Wolfe, dandy Ferdinand Shilton and the irrepressible Lord Purfory who help her gain access to the male-only world of Regency England. However, when Corinna meets Alick’s brooding brother Darius, a dangerous betrayal leads them straight into jeopardy and peril and a deadly battle where somebody might just end up losing their life!

In London, Corinna finally finds her father and when her true circumstances are revealed, she wonders whether the young man who had stolen her heart will see her inner beauty and love her for the person she is behind the fortune she has just come into…

I adored Jane Dunn’s debut Regency romance The Marriage Season and her second novel, An Unsuitable Heiress is even better! Charming, atmospheric and wonderfully romantic, An Unsuitable Heiress is a witty, entertaining and sweeping adventure that transports readers back in time and into a gloriously evocative world of spirited heroines, dastardly rakes and swoon-worthy blades that will leave them with a great big smile on their face.

The next best thing to a Georgette Heyer Regency romance, An Unsuitable Heiress is the latest triumph from Jane Dunn’s outstanding pen.

An Unsuitable Heiress is a unique historical romance that follows a rapidly changing set of plot points. At first, we meet Lord Ramsbury, whose son has just been killed in battle. Knowing his own end is near, he doubles down on his efforts to find his missing illegitimate daughter, Corinna, whom he hasn’t seen since she was young, before her mother died. Little does Lord Ramsbury know that Corinna is also eager to find him and has disguised herself as a man in order to safely travel to London and conduct her search. When she befriends three young men—one of whom is the younger brother of Lord Ramsbury’s heir—Corinna’s disguise as a man seems like it may be hard to conceal for very long.

I went into this book expecting Corinna’s disguise to be a lasting plot device. And at first, it did lead to some interesting developments and humor. When Corinna agrees to stay with one of the men she met, she’s thrust into some difficult scenarios—especially when they take her to a brothel! Oh dear, how awkward that was for her! How scandalous! But alas, her disguise as a man doesn’t last nearly as long as I’d hoped, and the reveal is surprisingly anticlimactic.

Similarly, I anticipated that Corinna’s search for her father would be drawn out and, upon being reunited, lead to some new drama. Instead, though, her search is completed quite quickly, she and her father are both happy for it, and the only issue that does arise is a matter of her inheritance versus that of her cousin Darius Wolfe (the older brother of her good friend Alick). Indeed, their divided inheritance does prove to be the bigger theme that carries the novel, subtly in the first half, and with increasing intensity in the second.

The romance between Corinna and Alick grows very gradually for most of the novel, allowing them to develop a close friendship first. There are important moments that increase their feelings for one another, but it’s a slow burn that takes a while to fully blossom.

Throughout An Unsuitable Heiress, I found Corinna to be a compelling protagonist. She’s naive but plucky, never afraid to choose an unconventional course of action (hence her masculine disguise) or stand up for someone’s honor. I admired her courage and steadfast nature throughout my reading. I also liked the characters surrounding her, especially her three friends. Alick, of course, stands out for also being a tentative love interest, as does her kindly father. Darius is a wildcard who becomes more tumultuous and unpredictable as the story progresses.

I also liked the deeper discussions about the kinds of limitations women had compared to men. It’s no wonder Corinna felt safer dressed as a man during her time in London! However, second sons also faced significant restrictions compared to their older brothers. But being lower class or illegitimate would be practically insurmountable without a stroke of luck.

Sometimes it felt like there were too many moving parts: numerous characters and side stories, and Corinna’s own main plot changing course a few times. They do generally intersect, but perhaps could have been pared down, especially with the inclusion of the French friend. I would have also liked to see some portions extended (Corinna’s disguise) and some more emotional depth or drama added (her reunion with her father).

Nonetheless, this is a fun, humorous, and sweet novel that will hold the reader’s interest. It is rich in historical detail and boasts a cast of generally likable characters.

An Unsuitable Heiress is a quirky and action-packed novel that dives into social issues while offering plenty of humor. For a time, the romance takes a backseat to other plot points, but its slow burn, friends-to-lovers development is sweet.

An Unsuitable Heiress is an old fashioned story filled with gothic adventure.

This was my first Jane Dunn novel and if you are a lover of historically accurate novels then you’ll probably enjoy An Unsuitable Heiress. It’s clear Jane does a ton of research for these novels, and once I got used to the style of writing, I did enjoy the romp of a story. It’s written in a more formal style reminiscent of the era and even the language of dialogue is less modern. If your favourite regency romances are by Sarah MacLean, this may not be the book for you. An Unsuitable Heiress reminded me of the regency romance novels I would borrow from my gramma’s bookshelves when I was younger. This book feels like an old fashioned romance novel, but in a good way.

I love the premise and the setup for this story: a woman masquerading as a man to seek out her father: antics ensue. Corinna, or Cory as she goes by when she’s disguised as a man, just seems to have everything happen to her easily: I wanted a bit more friction before everything works out. I think this is perhaps a reflection of the writing style: we don’t spend a lot of time in the character’s heads, so we see events happen to them but don’t always get a deep insight into how they are really feeling in the moment. This makes the romantic relationship between Cory and Alick slightly a let down because we see it building but they don’t realize it until the end of the book.

Cory, in a way, reminds me of Anne of Green Gables. She’s such a good person, and has the most optimistic view on the world, even though bad things have happened to her. She’s sweet and funny, and also very capable, and you can’t help but to be charmed by her. Watching her adapt to her new world and experience is the most fun part of the story. There’s also some gothic scenes.

Another part of the story that I highly enjoyed is the large cast of secondary characters in An Unsuitable Heiress – Both Cory and Alick have these crews of people around them that cause chaos and fun and are so loyal to both of them I would happily read books about Alick’s three friends to see what kind of antics they continue. Pino, Cory’s tiny poodle, steals many a scene and will also steal your heart. He’s so darn cute and adds a lot of humour to the story.

An Unsuitable Heiress is a traditional regency romance so there’s a lot of longing glances and some scandalous touches between upper class nobles but there is nothing beyond a kiss or two on the page. It suits the style of this story to a T!

If you are yearning for a sweet regency romance with some big characters, you’ll enjoy An Unsuitable Heiress.

Good for fans of Austen or enjoy Austenesque /Heyeresque reads.
Lots of English old school verbiage which was a bit confusing for me at first but easy enough to figure out.

Corinna Ormesby finds life with her cousin Agnes is unbearable. She has always wanted to know the identity of her father and have answers to the gifts she received from him as a young child. When she secretly leaves to find him dressed as a young man, little does she realize the adventure that await her!

I loved Corinna’s sense of justice and her “shoot then aim” outlook. Her fight with a man much bigger than herself almost ends her quest to find her father before it begins. Three young men see the fight, and the probable outcome and intervene. It couldn’t have been any better as they take “Cory” along with them to London.

I enjoyed her three new male friends and the way they help Cory, providing shelter, advice, and helping find her father. There are some awkward situations, but that is what makes it interesting. Alick Wolfe became the greatest ally to Cory, which led to a blossoming friendship and a wonderful surprise when she must reveal to her friends that she is a woman. It took a bit of an adjustment, but I loved how things turned out for Alick and Corinna. Alick was my favorite male character with his generous, kind heart and sense of honor.

There is some mild swearing, innuendos, and a mistress.

I was given a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own, and I was not expected to write a positive review.

An interesting story set during regency times. There was much to like: teh concept of a young woman determined to go find her father, willing to do what it takes. The author's research. The historical accuracy. There were also items that pulled me from the story. Head hopping in almost every paragraph was distracting and made it hard to connect with the characters deeply. I also found the heroine's quick relationship with her father unrealistic and an altercation between the hero and his brother too easily resolved. Yet even so I finished the novel. While melodramatic, I still found the characters compelling.

If you’re a fan of Regency romance and want something unpredictable, with lots of twists and turns, then An Unsuitable Heiress is certainly the book for you.

Our heroine Corinna is living with a cousin who wants to marry her off after the death of her mother years before. She’s illegitimate but determined to find her father, so she sets off for London, dressed as a man for her own safety and freedom of movement. She falls in with three young dashing men of the Ton, and the adventures spiral from there.

I found Corinna to be very easy to love and root for and really enjoyed all of the side characters as well. I love the found family trope, and this certainly is a great example of it. You can also definitely tell that author Jane Dunn is a historian and put lots of work into researching all the historical details. Which, of course — as a historian myself — I loved to see! I highly recommend checking out An Unsuitable Heiress.

Thank you to Jane Dunn, Boldwood Books, and Austenprose for a copy in exchange for an honest review. And thanks to Austenprose for including me on the book tour!

An Unsuitable Heiress is a really adorable and sweet romance. It involves Corina who sets out to find her father in an attempt to avoid being married off to someone she has no interest in. In order to travel under the radar, she dresses up as a boy. She quickly finds out that being a boy doesn't mean she is safe. Thankfully, Alick and his friends come to the rescue.

As I said, I thought this was an adorable story. I really enjoyed all of the friendships in this one. Especially between the guys and Corina. Once they realized she was a girl, I was happy to see that the friendships didn't diminish. The love story between Alick and Corina was subtle, but it really worked for me. I loved the ending. The story line with Corina and her father was bittersweet. I really loved this book and I highly recommend it! I hope to read other guys get their own stories.

I thought this was a fun Regency Romance. I enjoyed the characters and I loved the concept. I liked the idea of a young woman dressing up as a young man to explore society and to find her family. I liked how she made friends with Alick and that friendship eventually turned into love. I also liked the bit of trouble Corinna got into and how she got out of it. I liked how the romance developed and that things turned out alright in the end.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Are you a fan of Georgette Heyer?

Jane Dunn’s An Unsuitable Heiress has all the feels of a Georgette Heyer novel. It’s a delightful Regency romp with a slow burn romance, hidden identity, humor, a touch of suspense, and a mischievous poodle.

Corinna Ormesby is the illegitimate daughter of an Earl who’s lost touch with her father after her mother’s death. When her cousin is pushing her to marry an unsuitable man, she runs away to London to find her father. Knowing the dangers for a unaccompanied young gentlewoman, she dresses as a young man. When she gets into a scuffle, three handsome gentleman come to her rescue.

Suddenly, Corrina known as Cory gets the inside scoop of the life of a young gentlemen & becomes fast friends with the attractive Alick Wolfe, the dandyish Ferdinand Shelton, & Lord Purfoy. When she finally finds her father, she now has to figure out how to reveal her identity to her friends and hopes that Alick especially will appreciate her for the woman she is. Unfortunately, with her father’s dwindling health, there’s a battle over the potential inheritance involving Alick’s volatile brother Darius which puts her in danger.

This was a fun, madcap Regency with plenty of twists and turns. The characters were endearing with the exception of Darius. My favorite moments were when Corinna was trying to navigate a gentleman’s world. The author did a fantastic job showing the contrasts between what men could do versus women during those times. I do wish the conflict with hiding her identity had gone on a little longer. I felt like there were some missed opportunities with her identity reveal being anticlimactic.

I enjoyed the slow build romance between Alick & Corinna. I especially enjoyed how Alick remained a proper gentleman throughout. I loved Piro and felt like this little pocket poodle stole the show every time he was on the page.

While it’s a fairly clean romance, there is some mild swearing including taking the Lord’s name in vain. There’s also some innuendo and crassness especially in regard to Darius and his mistress, yet everything is kept closed door.

If you’re a fan of Bridgerton or Georgette Heyer, you might enjoy this fun Regency. Thanks to AustenprosePR for the advanced complimentary copy. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

We tend to think of the Regency period, popularized by Georgette Heyer’s glittering comedies of manners and romance, and the Napoleonic Wars, producer of so many dark and brooding romantic heroes to be separate – when they absolutely were not, as is brought home to both the reader and the Earl of Ramsbury in the opening chapter.

An Unsuitable Heiress opens with that self-same Earl feeling a bubble of utmost joy in the news that Napoleon has been defeated at Waterloo, and, considerably more important for the Earl, that his only son and heir is NOT on the battle’s long casualty lists. Only for that hope to crash to the ground a few mornings later, when he receives a dispatch that his son was killed in action in the waning hours of the war.

His title will go to a cousin who, at least as the story begins, is not worthy of it. The title and the lands that go with it are entailed, and no one has any choice in the matter. But the Earl has been fortunate in his fortunes, and has personal holdings he can bequeath wherever he wishes. He wishes to leave his personal holdings to his illegitimate daughter.

He just has to find her before his own heart gives out. Literally.

But Corinna Ormesby is not sitting around waiting to be found. Corinna has left the cousin who reluctantly took her in, out of fear that she’ll be forced into a marriage that will take away what little independence of thought and mind she possesses, and kill her dreams of a life of her own choosing.

So she runs away – by borrowing her best friend’s clothing and pretending to be a man. Because young men have the freedom to go where they want – if they can afford it – and work how they choose. Without requiring a chaperone at every turn. Without being coddled and ‘protected’ in every instance.

As a young woman, as Corinna Ormesby, her life is never, ever her own. As a young man, as mere Cory Ormesby, ‘he’ can buy a ticket on the stage and take ‘himself’ to London to teach drawing at a school to make ‘his’ way, and take the opportunity to search for the mysterious father whose name ‘he’ never knew.

She sees her chance, and she takes it. Straight into a fight with a man three times her size beating his horse, and from there, into the coach of a group of young dandies who are happy to take her under their wing, show her the town, help her find her father and give her the chance she needs to become the person she was always meant to be.

As long as her ruse holds up.

Escape Rating B: If Someone to Love by Mary Balogh (the first book in the Westcott series) and Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian had a book baby, it would be An Unsuitable Heiress. (I’ve just realized that this works on two levels, as An Unsuitable Heiress IS a blend of the two books and that by certain measures all of the heiresses in all three books are judged to be a bit – or more than a bit – unsuitable as their respective stories unfold.)

The fun of this story is in Corinna’s eye- and mind-opening introduction to what life is like as a man, or at least a moderately well-off or well-sponsored man, in the Regency period. But that’s not where the drama of this story came in – although that’s certainly where I expected it to be.

At first I saw Corinna as a bit of a sister to Charlotte Sloane in the Wrexford and Sloane series, which also takes place in this same period. They initially seemed like kin not just because Charlotte Sloane frequently dons young male attire in order to have the freedom to go where she wants and do what she needs, but also because she makes her living under a male pseudonym. (At the point I currently am reading in the series, she is kicking and screaming, at least internally, as her increasingly rising profile and finances curtail her freedom to do as she wills and as she must.)

I expected a bit more drama, or at least a bit more of that same kicking if not the screaming, over the reveal of Corinna’s true identity, but as plucky as she is, she’s just not that sort. I also thought that there would be more drama and pathos when Corinna and her father finally did meet, but that was also more of a whimper than a bang – as his heart gave out soon after.

The drama in this story, as the blurb very much alludes to, comes in the long-simmering sibling rivalry between the cousin who inherited her father’s earldom and his younger brother, who just so happens to be one of the group of friends that took ‘Cory’ under their collective wing.

A rivalry which traps Corinna at its center, as cousin Darius wants Corinna in order to get possession of the other half of what he sees as HIS inheritance – no matter how many people he has to ruin along the way – while his younger brother Alick just wants Corinna. Although in the best romantic tradition, he hasn’t figured that out yet.

That Darius has already found a very unsuitable heiress – or at least countess – of his own makes his plans to ‘ruin’ Corinna just that much more dastardly. That this story manages to drive itself into a happy ending in spite of its characters’ actions just adds to the fun, and makes for a delightfully frothy conclusion to the story.

This was a delightfully refreshing read set in the time of the Regency. What we have is a young lady in a Cinderella type situation with her aunt who is forced to leave or be married off to an inappropriate suitor. She and her best friend hatch a plot that has her leaving in the middle of the night dressed as a young man. She is dutiful to this costume and runs into a group of four friends at a coaching inn. They adopt her into their group as the young man of her disguise. This leads to hijinks and eventually finding her grandfather and learning the truth.

I enjoyed this group of friends. The language in this book reflected accents (to an American) more so than many Regencies I have read. The proprieties were not as strict as well (this poor girl would have been ruined many times). It was pragmatic, practical, and had great emotion. The characters were nuanced and rather than dwelling on problems, they solved them. They saved each other. Each relationship she had with the young gentlemen was different and individual based on the personalities. When trouble arose, she was not a shrinking violet and was able to keep her head.

These things all combined to make this a wonderful story. It was a different twist on something that has become somewhat formulaic. I look forward to more from this author as this is the first that I have read from them.

I received an early copy through the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

What a fun Regency era story! It was light read with a bit of madcap adventure, a lovely romance, great characters, and an engaging storyline.

I loved the Georgette Heyer feel to it, while still having a definite style of its own. I also appreciated the mentions of social issues from that time period.

Many thanks to Jane Dunn, The Bold Book Club, NetGalley, and Austenprose PR for the review copy!

This was a clean, fun read. There is a bit of bad language in the book that I feel could have been left out but overall I enjoyed this book.

I really enjoyed Corinna’s search for her father. I think my favorite part was her dressing as a boy so that she could travel alone while searching for him. While on her search, she makes an amazing group of friends. It was fun watching them discover her true identity and love her even more for who she really is.

Corinna Ormsby is an illegitimate child. After the death of her mother, she has lived with her mother’s difficult cousin through her teenage years. Soon to be forced into a marriage she doesn’t want, at nineteen, Corinna decides it is time she travel to London in search of her unknown father. With the help of her platonic friend William, she dresses as a boy, Cory, and sets off on an adventure with her small dog, Piro, in her pocket. She soon finds herself in a fight and is rescued by three society men, Alick, Ferdy, and Rav. They bring her to town and help her on her quest to find her father and to support herself through portrait painting. Will she find her father, and will she find true love?

This is my first novel by author Jane Dunn. I was quickly brought into the story by the engaging writing style, and I found myself unable to put it down. It reminded me of a light Georgette Heyer story with the adventure, Regency setting, and fun Regency slang. I enjoyed the humor in the story, but also the look at the hardships for those not born on the right side of the blanket or to a wealthy family. I also like in a novel when a girl dresses up as a boy and discovers the mysteries of what is going on in the world of men. It always makes for moments of hilarity. The big reveal came about halfway through the story and Cory easily became Corinna, which I thought was surprising. I was expecting fireworks at the big reveal!

I loved how Corinna stood up for what is right in the world and was pure at heart. I liked the romance between Alick and Corinna as it developed although I was worried for awhile that it was going to be with his brother, Darius, who is the Byronic hero of the story. I just really liked all of the characters and how Corinna found new friends wherever she went. I would love to read more about this cast of characters in the future.

Book Source: Review Copy from NetGalley. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"An Unsuitable Heiress" is a beautifully written and enthralling Regency-era story written by Jane Dunn. It was very interesting to see this story and its characters expressed through the post-Battle of Waterloo historical lens and to see how this impacted the characters' lives, thoughts, opinions, and emotions. The setting, characters, clothing, and locations are described beautifully with details that immediately draw the reader in while immersing them into the story. I love these characters and their friend group (including Piro and Whiskey)! The characters all feel very three-dimensional, the speed of the plot was just right, the author's writing style feels smooth and clear, the romance is sweet and swoony with lots of emotional depth and romantic tension, and each chapter is captivating! This is an absolute page-turner of a book. This story has it all! A damsel in disguise, charming hijinks, an honorable hero, a debonair dandy, a moody lord, captivating suspense, sparkling wit and banter, swoony romance, a sweet yet mischievous poodle named Piro and so much more. This story was an absolute delight to read! And felt Heyer-esque at times all while maintaining its own originality. "An Unsuitable Heiress" is charming, original, and so much fun! I very highly recommend it. Thank you very much to AustenprosePR, Boldwood Books, author Jane Dunn, and NetGalley for providing me with the wonderful opportunity of being on this book tour and for providing me with a digital copy to read and review honestly.

An Unsuitable Heiress
by Jane Dunn
Pub Date: 22 May 2023

Following the death of her mother, Corinna Ormesby has lived a quiet life in the countryside with her cantankerous Cousin Agnes. Her father's identity has been a tantalising mystery, but now at nineteen Corinna knows that finding him may be her only way to avoid marriage to the odious Mr Beech.

Deciding to head to London, Corinna dons a male disguise. Travelling alone as a young woman risks scandal and danger, but when, masquerading as a youth, she is befriended by three dashing blades, handsome and capable Alick Wolfe, dandy Ferdinand Shilton and the incorrigible Lord Purfoy, Corinna now has access to the male-only world of Regency England. And when she meets Alick's turbulent brother Darius, a betrayal of trust leads to deadly combat which only one of the brothers may survive.

From gambling in gentleman’s clubs to meeting the courtesans of Covent Garden, Corinna’s country naivety soon falls away. But when she finds her father at last, learns the truth about her parentage and discovers her fortunes transformed, she must quickly decide how to reveal her true identity, while hoping that one young man in particular can see her for the beauty and Lady she really is.

Sunday Times bestselling author Jane Dunn brings the Regency period irresistibly to life in a page-turning novel packed with romance, scandal, friendship and colour. Perfect for fans of Jane Austen. Janice Hadlow, Gill Hornby, and anyone with a Bridgerton-shaped hole in their lives.