Oh, I just loved this book. Clarissa was a character in the previous book and now gets her own happy ending.
This is the 3rd in a trilogy, so it should be read last. Race is a wonderful hero, humorous, kind, and misunderstood.
Both Clarissa and Race had rakes for their fathers, and it affected both of their lives.
I enjoyed all the characters in this book, even the villains. I love seeing characters from the 2 previous books, which is one of the reasons I read series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review and I highly recommend the whole series.

The Heiress’s Daughter is a satisfying historical romance romp and perfect for those who are looking for something to read after watching the latest season of Bridgerton.


I love a great historical romance, and when the mood strikes, I can devour countless books in this sub-genre. I'm always excited when I am introduced to a new romance author because it feels like I get to discover a whole new world filled with fabulous characters, drama, and hopefully delicious romance. I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book. Clarissa finds herself in a bit of a difficult situation. She would love to marry and have children, but her quest to find a suitable husband is challenging because of her vast fortune. She doesn't want to marry a man only interested in her money; she wants to marry for love. Clarissa knows she isn't the belle of the ball and that men aren't captivated by her looks, but she hopes to find someone who will love her for who she is. What she doesn't realize is that she has already met the man who will sweep her off her feet.

I love a good wallflower love story. There is just something so addictive about a shy and often overlooked woman capturing the attention of the most sought-after man in the ton. Clarissa is often undervalued by those around her, with the exception of the close-knit group of women around her. Everyone thinks she is dull and plain. But the truth is underneath that shy exterior is a passionate, smart, and crafty woman who knows how to take care of herself and those she loves. There are so many moments where Clarissa surprises those around her and makes them realize that they have misjudged her. Her quest to find a husband doesn't go smoothly and is filled with that typical drama that you see in Regency romances. It was enjoyable. There is a great cast of secondary characters that adds that extra bit of charm and excitement to the story. It's a great read. There are also some great secondary stories unfolding at the same time as the main plot. Everything weaves together cohesively, and I couldn't put this book down.

Clarissa knows she has growing feelings for Race, but she has sworn to never fall in love with in love with a rake. Race is an interesting character. At the beginning of the book, he is only spending time with Clarissa because he is fulfilling a promise to Leo, his best friend, to watch over her. But he comes to realize pretty quickly that he wants to court and marry Clarissa. The only problem is that she doesn't believe him and doesn't trust him because of his rakish behaviour. Race sets out on this quest to woo and capture Clarissa's heart, something he never imagined he would do. I loved both of these characters. They balance each other out wonderfully. Clarissa is the slightly more serious one, while Race is the more goofy, lighthearted one. When they are together, they bring out the best in each other. Also, I could just see those sparks flying, and the chemistry was fabulous.

The Heiress’s Daughter is the third book in the Brides of Bellaire Gardens series. This is a new to me author and this could be read as a standalone. Although I wondered if there was some character building for the FMC in the previous books because when her interests were mentioned in this book, it came off more as an offhand comment than to help understand more about the character.

The FMC has been emotionally scarred from the treatment she and her mother received from her father when she was young. Now that she is grown and both parents have passed, she creates a list of attributes to help her choose a husband that will give her a different marital experience than her mother had. The MMC is a known rake but has had everything turned upside down by the FMC and has a hard time convincing her.

Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with this book or with the characters. I liked Lord Randell well enough and thought him steadfast and determined in his feelings for the heroine. However, I didn’t feel the same for Clarissa. Her journey fell flat for me and I still wasn’t rooting for her in the end. When the MC were on page together, there was too much push between them and not enough pull.

I gave this book three stars as I didn’t have any major issues with the story but while it wasn’t my cup of tea, others may connect better than I did. The most connected I felt with the MC was during their one encounter. I enjoyed the writing and pacing of this scene.

There is reference to the FMC and SA.

I received an advance ebook from Berkeley Publishing via Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

I adored Clarissa and Race's story!! I just loved watching these two come together! I have just loved this series!

I'm sorry to say this is not one of my favorite Anne Gracie novels, and the least successful of the three stories in the Bellaire Gardens series.

With her sister and her guardian off on their honeymoon, Clarissa Studley is facing the London season alone. Well, not quite alone: she has her guardian's protective aunt; her chaperone; and her guardian's best friend, Race Randall, looking out for her as she looks for a prospective spouse. She has a few rules, top of which is that he won't be an inconstant rake like her father had been. In her mind, this rules out Race, who suddenly seems to be everywhere she is. Is he just looking out for her because of her guardian's request, or is it something more?

The romance between Clarissa and Race doesn't quite work. To understand it, you need to have read The Rake's Daughter. It has some pivotal scenes establishing the roots of Race's attraction to Clarissa, who everyone else describes as plain, plump, and uninspiring. As he reflects a few times in the book, Clarissa defending her illegitimate sister at a ball was basically when he fell in love with her. We really should have experience this on the page in this book, from Race's perspective; to have the pivotal "struck by love" scene happening off page and only dispassionately referenced here undermines the romance--and I say this as someone who read the last book and didn't remember this scene particularly well.

Clarissa and Race spend a lot of time apart, and when they are together, there are too many misunderstandings and assumptions that could be cleared up by direct talk between two people who, by all other characterizations, seem to be straight-shooters. When he started reflecting on why he didn't understand how she didn't know how he was courting her, I completely saw how it would go straight over Clarissa's head--it practically went over mine. This leads to a lot of repetition in characters' thoughts and action, and thus a bit of boredom for me.

It's also a pretty passionless romance. There doesn't need to be a constant stream of open-door sex scenes, but it would be nice for the characters to yearn for each other physically or romantically.

There are side plots that don't really add to the story, other than probably setting up a character for a future romance. Once Race and Clarissa are slated to get married, the story drags on with empty will-they-or-won't-they suspense, silly misunderstandings, and sisterly shenanigans.

I wanted to like this book. Clarissa was an interesting character in the last book, and I enjoy many of the residents of the Bellaire Gardens from previous installations in the series. It just was missing the heart that must be shown in romances. All that said, I won't give up on this series, since I suspect we'll be getting Zoe's book next.

I requested this book midseries because the synopsis appealed to me greatly. I knew it was third in the collection, but I was willing to overlook it for the sake of this particular story. I personally relate to wildflowers and shy heroines. Clarissa was a darling and sweet protagonist with easy likability. I rooted for her from the very beginning, although her stubbornness was a wee frustrating. I wish she would have accepted Race's courtship far earlier, but they got there eventually. He was so patient with her and the slow pace was appropriate for a skittish heroine. I may read the previous installments in The Brides of Bellaire Gardens because of how much I enjoyed this individual couple. I did miss some background info, but that's on me. These two were sweet as pie and I'm so pleased there was a happy ever after for The Heiress's Daughter.

A most delightful read. Although a tad insecure, she is staunchly loyal and beautiful in his eyes. His false reputation makes it hard to woo her but he is patient. Witty exchanges, encompassing love in the midst of an uphill battle of winning her heart., makes for "hard to put down" romantic tale to read.

This was a fun read - classic historical romance goodness, and I would totally read more of the series - but there was one plot element that really bothered me.

** spoilers **

My problem is this: the world just doesn't need any more stories about disabled people who turn out to be faking their disabilities. Was it an effective way to discredit an undesirable suitor? Maybe, but this kind of narrative is both damaging and unnecessary. Please give your undesirable suitors a different flaw.

I'm a disabled reader, and trust me when I say that disabled people struggle to be taken seriously every day. Don't give people more reason to doubt us by writing fake disability plots into your books, please.

From the blurb, I thought I'd love this book, but even though the beginning was interesting, the middle just dragged and dragged. I actually stopped reading at about 60% because nothing was really happening between the two main characters, and I just didn't care anymore. They kind of dance around each other, but I didn't feel any chemistry between them. Not one of my favorite Anne Gracie's novels.

Cute historical romance! This is my first book by the author Anne Gracie and I will definitely be reading more. Her characters were interesting and the romance was well written. Race was a perfect romantic lead. He was clever, kind and adored Clarissa. Clarissa was very bull headed and frustrating at times due to the mental abuse she suffered in her childhood. While I understood where this was coming from it would have been nice to have some more flashback moments to really understand why she had such a hard time believing the kind things people said about her. There were also many allusions to how she forced her father to allow Izzy to live with them but we never got to see exactly how that happened. It is possible it is included in Izzy’s story, but since I haven’t read it yet I do not know. Either way it should have been included in this story since it was discussed a couple of times. I look forward to reading more in this series and I really hope Zoe gets a book as well.

Everything about this book sounds wonderful from the description. The first quarter had me hooked in , but the story just got more ridiculous as it went along. dNF. Its heroine is lovely. The hero is heroic. It just doesn’t work for me. Melodramatic.

The Heiress's Daughter by Anne Gracie follows the story of a dashing rake who must prove that he has changed his scandalous ways in order to win the heart of his one true love, who is currently in the arms of another. Gracie expertly crafts superbly nuanced characters, infuses the story with a subtle sense of wit, and delivers richly emotional writing that makes for a truly delightful read.

Alas! This book rather fell flat on its face. If this were a traditional Regency story written in the 1980s, it might've worked. However, Regency Historical Romance has moved far away from those beginnings. The story is trite and the characters are trite. Characterwork is cursory and the plot hews to those old guidelines--there is no new twist or angle to the book. Overall, it lacks that freshness and brightness that captivates modern readers and makes the book memorable. This is absolutely not what I would've expected of Gracie. Then again, I remember Gracie's older books, which I used to quite enjoy. I haven't read her books lately, and I never shall after this one.

Heiress Clarissa, scarred by her father’s treatment, has vowed to avoid rakes and fortune-hunters. However, she’s captivated by Lord Randall, who sees her unique beauty. As a wounded war hero also pursues her, Clarissa must decide if she can trust Randall. Can she move past her traumas and embrace a reformed rake who truly loves her?

This novel has a light-hearted and flirtatious feel. I particularly enjoyed the “found family” aspect of the book.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

"A dashing rake must prove he has changed his scandalous ways to win his one true love from the arms of another, in a witty new Regency romance from the national bestselling author of The Rake's Daughter.

Heiress Clarissa Studley yearns to be loved for more than her fortune. Warmhearted, but plain and shy, she wishes to marry, but has two firm rules: no rakes and no fortune-hunters - her father was both, and she'll never forget the misery he caused.

So, when Race, Lord Randall, starts to pay Clarissa attention, she knows she must keep him at a distance. Attractive and charming he might be, Race's reputation precedes him and she's observed first hand his flirtatious ways with London society beauties. But Race sees a beauty in Clarissa that others cannot, and for the first time in his life, he is truly in love. And when a rival for Clarissa's affections appears - a handsome, wounded war hero, heir to his great-aunt's fortune - Race becomes desperate as Clarissa seems tempted to make a safer, tamer choice.

Can Race convince Clarissa that his love is true and that she can trust him with her heart? And can Clarissa put aside her unhappy past, and follow her heart, despite the risk of loving a rake?"

Come on, rakes are the most fun to romance!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Romance, Romance
Spice Level: Slow burn, Sex on page

I loved so much about this book. The setting, the characters, the character arcs, and the tropes. About 90% of the book feels historically accurate. And for a modern audience some of the ancient attitudes have to be changed—such as how people felt about servants and how women are seen by the male love interest.

My personal preference is to have historical books without sex on the page because it was such a taboo for a woman. To be fair, there was a solid warning when a married woman tells the main character that she'd slept with her husband before marrying.

So, I think most readers will love this historical novel.

Happy reading!

I haven’t read the others in the series but got caught up quickly enough. There were historical inaccuracies, but if the story was faster paced or higher stakes I wouldn’t have minded. I never understood why Race liked Clarissa. It was established in another book so I never got invested because I never saw him fall for her. That and the introspection and misunderstandings and interrupted conversations dragged it out what could have been an entertaining he falls first.

A drama filled regency romance.

I read this premise and thought this would be filled to the brim with drama, and it was! We have the rake trying to prove himself to the heroine, the heroine possibly dating/marrying another, plus a possible long lost sister. For a short book, that’s a lot.

The characters are interesting & fun to read about. I could understand Clarissa’s hesitation and loved seeing Race do everything in his power to win her affections. I liked the other man drama too. It was nice to see the heroine have options.

Regency lovers will enjoy this.

3.5 Stars Historical romances can be some of the most fun reads for escapism and The Heiress's Daughter by Anne Gracie pulled me right into the world of the Regency era ton.

Heiress Clarissa Studley has a list of requirements for what she wants from a husband, qualities that add up to the opposite of her rakish father who neglected her and broke her late mother's heart. Clarissa wants to marry for love, not someone who is a rake or wants her for only her fortune. Thus, she has been keeping Race, Lord Randall, at arm's length and is determined not to fall in love with him. Or at least not more than she already is. Though he is wealthy and not after Clarissa's fortune, Race's reputation as a rake has her convinced that he could never be a faithful husband. Race has adored Clarissa since they first met and is determined to prove her--and society--wrong about him. When another suitor vies for Clarissa's affection, Race becomes more desperate to prove to Clarissa that he truly loves her and she can trust him with her heart.

Clarissa and Race were fantastic main characters and it's easy to see why they fell for each other. Though she is insecure and doubts herself, Clarissa is brave, kindhearted, and willing to sacrifice anything for those she loves, especially her half-sisters. Race defies the rumors about him and his reputation; he's willing to fight for Clarissa, support her, and be vulnerable with her, while also respecting her and her boundaries. The side characters were especially fun, especially Zoë and Mrs. Price-Jones. I'm hoping that Zoë's story is next!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Berkeley & NetGalley for this ARC!

This was fine! That's really all I can say about it - didn't love it & didn't hate it. For me, this book majorly dragged until about 60% in... then we got to 70% in and it dragged again until the end. Maybe I would've been more invested had I read the first 2 books in the series! I just felt like the 2 MCs (Clarissa & Race) were almost NEVER together in any scenes, so I was really left wanting. Also I cannot stop thinking about this one scene that went, almost verbatim, like this (I don't even remember who said what at this point, but I was cracking up):

*Race & Clarissa see each other at a ball*
Clarissa: I need to speak with you... tomorrow.
Race: Ok let's speak tomorrow
*Scene ends - cut to the next day*

Like... why?

Anywho, not my favorite Anne Gracie book, but still very sweet.