She was his ruin. He was her salvation. Ada Hanniford is a spirited American heiress whom Englishmen seek to marry for her millions.Victor Cole is a rich tai-pan with a scandalous past. Claiming Ada for himself, he rescues her from scandal. And destroys his own bright prospects. Can they be happy if few can forget their pasts?
Scandalous Heiress
By cerisedeland
I really enjoyed this story. It was well written and the characters were interesting and relatable. I loved Ada. She was bright, mature, steady and loyal and she comes from a large loving family. I had more of a love/hate relationship with Victor. I really loved him and felt his pain, but he annoyed me at the same time. His father gave him money (£10,000 per year) and property but he was still constantly worried about money – and it also bugged me that his first thought was to run away when scandal/trouble came rather than stay and fight. He’s panicked, worried about money, worried about supporting Ada, and the whole time Ada is just calmly going along and fixing everything.
Ada Hanniford is an American heiress living in England with her family. Her father is rich as Croesus – he just has that golden touch when it comes to business. She reads the newspapers, is interested in politics, designs garden layouts and is totally unimpressed with all those titled gentlemen who are interested in her £50,000 dowry. Ada doesn’t hate men and doesn’t really have anything against marriage, she’s just never seen a man she wanted to spend any time with. Well, at least she hadn’t until she accompanied her best friend Ezzie to a house party at the home of the man they expect to propose to Ezzie.
Lord Victor Arthur Sunderland Cole is the second son of the Duke of Brentwood. He adores his parents but is sad that his father is very ill. His father’s illness is the main reason he and his two daughters have returned from Shanghai where his business is headquartered. Victor’s first marriage was a huge, scandalous disaster and he’s certainly not interested in ever marrying again. His first wife created such a scandal that Victor had to take her and the girls and move to Shanghai to let it die down. When he first arrives at his parents home he hears the most enticing, tinkling laughter outside the window. Hmmm, it must be the young woman to whom his brother, Richard, is planning to propose.
Over the next few weeks, Victor and Ada see each other more and more and become closer and closer to each other. Victor still isn’t sure he wants to marry again, but he is certainly drawn to Ada. Then, a terrifying event occurs and they are forced into marriage. Can they make it work? Each admits to loving the other, but – is love enough? Maybe not, because at one point Victor says, “I will go and you will stay. Because love is not enough to change the world.”
As I mentioned above, Victor’s propensity to run away bothers me. He hurts Ada unbelievably because he, evidently, can’t stand the heat. In just a very short period of time he went from, “From this day forward, he wished to never let her go.” to “Go to bed. Stay there. Do not come here because I cannot have you. Not tonight. Not… perhaps ever.” to “I must return to Shanghai. There is no future for me here.” At that point, there was no ‘we’, it was all about ‘I’ and ‘me’.
Luckily for Victor, Ada is a sharp cookie and knew what to do to fix everything and it didn’t require running away. However, what I have to wonder is – where were all of those friends and family while Victor and Ada were on their honeymoon? Ada’s father had vowed revenge, but then evidently did nothing on his own. Friends were the same story. They could have prevented the whole thing had they REALLY been friends and family.
I really hate it when the villain gets totally away with whatever crime they have committed and this villain was a nasty piece of work. Why couldn’t he, in a drunken, drugged-up stupor fall off his horse and break his neck? It would have been so very good for so many people.
Anyway, it is an excellent read and I really enjoyed it – even if Victor annoyed me on occasion. It has to be a sign of a well-written book when the characters are so believable that you want to grab one of them by the shoulders and shake them!
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Those Notorious Americans have grabbed my heart and I love reading about all of the children and the father. Victor is not an in-your-face guy but is a stable, caring and loving person (especially with his children). I really like alpha heroes but Victor is different, he draws me into the story and I do not think any woman would be able to resist him. Ada could not. She has grown up before our eyes and become a lovely woman who will stand by Victor even through turmoil. Their love story is poignant, sweet and wonderful. A fantastic series.
I received a complimentary copy from the author.
Ada Hanniford is an American heiress, a beauty, she’s sowed her wild oats and paid the price in sly rumours. Preferring politics to promenades, gardening to waltzing, she rebuffs the toffs who would seduce her for the fun of it or propose to marry her merely for her millions.
Victor Cole is a survivor. A man who has worked diligently to overcome his lack of title and land, he has finally buried the disgrace of a wife so scandalous he had to sail thousands of miles away to wipe away her stain.
Victor returns home from the East & meets Ada Hanniford at a small house party his mother is holding. She’s so natural, so unique, he must court her and kiss her. Then the one man whom he should respect shames her, Victor cannot allow him to sully her. Rescuing her becomes his sole purpose.
This series goes from strength to strength, whilst this book could be read on its own why would you when the Hannifords will draw you in & not want to let you go. A very well written, VERY well researched book that is captivating, engrossing & enthralling. Wonderful characters, well paced story what more can you want! I read this in well under a day, the weather was horrid so I could curl up in the warmth with this lovely book
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Delightful Victorian romance with a touch of social conscience.
I loved the way Ada and Victor awakened to their undeniable chemistry and compatibility. Each on their own has weathered enough scandal and rumors to put them firmly on the side of honor, acting nobly and without pretense. Not everyone has the same respect for decency and decorum, however, and the actions of others dictate the course of Ada and Victor’s romance more than they would like.
The conflict that separated Victor and Ada in the last part of the book didn’t quite stand on its own for me; it seemed to me that the problem could have been resolved much more expediently had the truth been given as much air time as the rumors. Of course it all does work out that way in the end; I just didn’t think the time-consuming, round-about way was as effective as a more direct and immediate approach would have been.
In addition to the main romance, we’re given updates on the rest of Those Notorious Americans, Ada’s extended family. The author flawlessly intertwines the fates of our main characters with that of the others in their social circle, not only to drive those secondary storylines but also to impact the central story in far-reaching and surprising ways. It works as a standalone romance, but these side stories are much more enjoyable for those who have read the previous stories in this series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Totally delightful! Scandalous Heiress by Cerise DeLand is the fourth book in her Those Notorious Americans series, I absolutely adore the heroine, Ada Hanniford. She is not only smart and sassy she is also a very strong character. I also liked the hero, Victor Cole. He fell hard for Ada and just couldn’t resist. Their path to a HEA is a fun read.
Be still my heart! Cerise DeLand is incomparable in her writing style that always takes me to another place and time as the story unfolds. She artfully combines her historical knowledge with an all consuming storyline and a swoon worthy hero (oh yes she definitely has those!) that is brilliant.
Damaged from his scandalous first wife, Lord Victor returns to England, with his two daughters, after three years away. He had escaped to China to begin a business and had been very successful, but with word of his father’s illness he had to come back.
Ada Hanniford, daughter of a rich American father (his story is book 3!) is intrigued when she meets Victor. She had come to terms that she will be a spinster because she had not met a man that did not want her just for her money. Of course, she’s not your ordinary lady! Beautiful and a bluestocking, she was outspoken and confident.
The attraction between these two slowly builds up and cannot be denied. But as often happens, there are forces or people that change everything!
Prepare to be drawn into this story quickly and holding your breath to see what will happen. I highlighted so much in my kindle that I have pages of saved passages! Although this can be read as a stand alone book, trust me, you want to read the rest. Thank you Cerise for bringing us another amazing tale of those wonderful Americans!
PS Isn’t that cover gorgeous?
love this author! this is the story of Ada, who is smart and sassy, and Victor, who has a lot to overcome. A story with complex interesting characters and a wonderful storyline.
In the fourth book of Those Notorious Americans series, Ada Hanniford has accompanied her best friend Esmeralda to Brentwood Hall for a lavish dinner party. Ada is the headstrong and willful daughter of Killian Hanniford, American Millionaire. Determined to live her life out in spinsterhood, Ada is thrown in turmoil when she meets Lord Victor Cole, a handsome widower and father of two. Victor left his home after a scandalous marriage to the deceased Alicia. With no plans to find another wife, Victor is enthralled with the beautiful Ada. Will there be a future for these two or will there be more scandals for these two to overcome? After reading each book in this series, I am looking forward to what Author Cerise DeLand has in store next!
This is the fourth in Cerise DeLand’s series Those Notorious Americans. We are now presented with the youngest Hanniford, Ada. She is interested in politics and not the many men that seek her hand. Victor Cole had fled London to Shanghai to escape the scandal surrounding his first marriage. He returns at the behest of his mother. Ada and Victor are intrigued with each other but wary of commitment. As with Ms DeLand’s other books her characters are well developed. In addition to the romance we also learn a lot about other cultures.
Ms DeLand is one of my go to authors. I read whatever she writes because I know I will never be disappointed.
I love it when a writer is not afraid to shake up the canvas with an unconventional character. Ada is that oddity. She speaks her mind, follows her heart and risks everything for what she believes in. She can’t and won’t be tamed. It’s only fitting that this courageous heroine meets her match in an equally strong adventurer like Victor. He’s fought his own battles to become a survivor, but his greatest fight could be to win the heart of a firecracker like Ada Hanniford. Scandalous Heiress steamrolls it’s way into hearts with a love affair unlike any other.
Victor Cole has sailed from China to England after a summons from his mother. His older brother, Richard, seems to have become enamoured of the wrong sort of woman: an American heiress. Ada Hanniford, a friend of Esmerelda Moore’s – Ezzie – also an American heiress, has accompanied Ezzie to a house party for moral support. Ezzie expects Richard to offer for her; Ezzie’s hopes are dashed, and has Ada found the man for herself in Victor?
From chapter one, Cerise DeLand’s writing almost made me swoon, and I knew I was in safe hands from that moment on. SCANDALOUS HEIRESS is steeped in history, in the Victorian era’s economic, cultural, societal, and political climate in a way that feels like the story is really happening in 1882, in real time even. Still, the author does not make it sound as if a quiz will follow. Ms. DeLand’s attention to historical detail is astounding, her prose is effortlessly elegant, her vocabulary is most impressive, and the dialogues sound natural. While it’s evident that some characters had appeared in the previous books, I did not feel I had missed anything. This is a whole universe deftly crafted by an author who has done a tremendous amount of research, and who also takes meticulous care with her characters. I will not even attempt to describe Ada, Victor, or any other of the fabulous characters; the book has to be read to appreciate them all. I loved how the romance progressed, and that there were no tightening groins or heaving bosoms. Instead, we have two people, visibly attracted to each other who share meaningful conversations.
The story had me enthralled, as I cheered for Ada and Victor as they try to find a way to be together; as I suffered and rejoiced along with Ezzie and Elanna (what a story!); as I loathed the villains with every fibre of my being. SCANDALOUS HEIRESS is an exceptionally richly textured novel that will appeal to readers who relish historical romance the way it should be done.
This quote says it all where the romance is concerned: “For what value was love of not honoring the wishes of the other.”
Good story, likeable hero and heroine. Interesting info about Chinese export trade with England, late 1900 political climate, and opium trade.
Ada may be my favorite of all the Heiresses so far in this series. She is spunky and outspoken and I love that she falls in love with a man who has a ready made family. The characters throughout this series have made me laugh more than I thought possible with their spirit and originality. Another well written addition to this series and I can hardly wait for the next installment! Thank you to Cerise DeLand for the opportunity to read a sneak preview of this newest book and giving my honest review.
This is the story of Ada Hanniford and Victor Cole. Ada, the Scandalous Heiress, is the youngest daughter of Killian Hanniford. Victor is the second son of the Duke of Brentwood.
As in the other stories in the series, the characters are strong and complex. Their story is well written and draws the reader in. Ada and Victor have much in common. They are smart, witty and have several common interests. They fall in love, but the path to their HEA is made more difficult by past scandals, Victor’s disastrous first marriage, and Victor’s scandal- ridden jealous brother Richard (his drunken attempt to kidnap and ruin Ada nearly ruined them all). The secondary characters are wonderful. The Duke and Duchess of Brentwood and the Hanniford family are staunchly supportive of Ada and Victor. Victor’s girls were absolutely adorable. Ada fell in love with them before she met Victor. There is excitement, danger, betrayal, tension and doubt in the story. There is also adventure, humor, friendship, and love. And when Victor begins to believe all is lost, Ada shows what a force of nature a determined Hanniford can be. I enjoyed this story, and I love the Notorious Americans series. I highly recommend the book and the series.