The prodigal daughter returns.
Finn:
I’m the privileged elite. I have money, land, and a prestigious dukedom within my grasp–until my father threatens disinheritance after my latest debacle, a dishonorable discharge from the RAF that ended my days as a fighter pilot. Now, if I don’t put up a pretty façade of repentance, he’ll give the dukedom to my irresponsible little sister thanks to the … little sister thanks to the new Alexander the Great laws. To the “fittest” goes the estate.
Poppy:
One minute, I’m one of the highest-paid Instagram influencers in LA. The next, I find my producer boyfriend in position number thirty-eight with a wannabe actress. Sometimes, Hollywood really is that cliché. Then the real bomb drops: my father dies, leaving me his crumbling earldom, despite the fact that I haven’t been back to England in ten years. I can’t be the first Perrinton in almost a thousand years to lose the land! I’ll have to use all of my American charm to save my estate–and keep from falling back in love with my childhood savior and tormentor, Finlay Damford.
A Manor of Faking It is the first book in a steamy new contemporary series. If you like Downton Abbey, fake relationships, second chances, betrayals, feisty heroines, and broken heroes, read on!
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This second chance romance is the first book in Hadley Harlin’s Clarian Abbey series and tells the story of Poppy, an American instagrammer who inherits a crumbling English royal estate at her father’s death, and Finn, Poppy’s first love who betrayed her in the past but is now actively pursuing her again. Finn must convince his father he is responsible enough for his dukedom, so, he concocts a plan to have a fake relationship with Poppy whenever they are around his father and in return he will help her with her manor’s restoration. I recommend this well written romance with its fantastic characters and storyline.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Completely not what I expected
This story took me by surprise but in all its positive connotations. I do not know what I expected after reading the blurb but I build in my mind different story, kind of more dark and vengeful. But this read was nothing even close to this. It was sweet, kind of funny, entertaining and kept me interested and wanting not to stop reading.
Almost from the first pages I fell in love with heroine and was cheering for her from that minute till the last page of the book. Loved how she shook up the society and how she was strong and independent but at the same time not afraid to ask for help when it was needed. And the hero who from a little broken, rusted knight in expensive but not so shiny armour storms back to her life and relentlessly tries to push her to accept him back to her life after not very fortunate events from their past. Looks like it’s true what they say that old love never dies.
Loved the book and the writing and can’t wait for the next book in the series.
A Whimsical Quasi “Historical” Romance
I was enthralled with this novel. There was always a hint of whimsy within the story which kept me captivated. Very strong, authentic main female character. The main male character took a bit to shine up to. The multitude of characters involved in the telling of this tale were all sharp and crisp, each easily discernible from one another. Charmed!
PS
One other “character” of note, the pig … read to find out why.
I voluntarily received an advance review copy of this novel via Booksprout and I am leaving an honest and unbiased review. I have no affiliation to this author.
What if a modern woman inherited a falling apart Downton Abby?
Please don’t think this book falls int the erotica category. It is steamy and delectable, but not over the top turn off content at all. Finn is delicious in the wrong ways, Poppy is sweet and easily ruined, such a treat to read about these two finding each other after Poppy comes back after living in the states for ten years. He has been very busy in the 10 years she was gone. But making up for lost time is quite fun and I can NOT wait till number 2 comes out.
The new author to dethrone EL James
Well Finn comes out of the blocks waiting to inherit a dukedom while engaging in drunkenness and debauchery to the point that his friends don’t invite him on a sailing trip because they don’t know what he’ll do.
Poppy is a favorite for me. She is hardworking, I intimidated by a lot of work and unimpressed with her old friend Finn’s title or money. She also inherited a title, but apparently no money.
This was an interesting second chance love/fake relationship story. Finn and Poppy parted 10 years ago when still teens. Finn hurt Poppy and she had yet to forgive him. Finn had secrets he was reluctant to reveal so as not to disappoint Poppy, but we know how keeping secrets has a way of causing problems.
Finn and Poppy had intense chemistry and that made for a really good romance. You’ll enjoy it.