In this stunning series debut from New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter, a duke’s mysterious bequest brings fortune—and passion—to three young women . . . Minerva Hepplewhite has learned the hard way how to take care of herself. When an intruder breaks into her home, she doesn’t swoon or simper. Instead she wallops the rogue over the head and ties him up—only to realize he is Chase … ties him
up—only to realize he is Chase Radnor, the man who nearly got her convicted of her late husband’s murder. Now he’s insisting that Minerva has inherited a fortune from his uncle, a wealthy Duke. Only one thing could surprise her more: her sudden attraction to this exasperating man . . .
Chase can’t decide whether Minerva is a wronged woman or a femme fatale. Either way, he’s intrigued. Since the scandal surrounding her husband’s death, she has set up a discreet detective business to rival Chase’s own. She may be the perfect person to help him uncover the truth about his uncle’s demise. But as proximity gives way to mutual seduction, Chase realizes he craves a much deeper alliance . . .
Madeline Hunter’s novels are:
“Brilliant, compelling. . . . An excellent read.”
–The Washington Post
“Mesmerizing.” —Publishers Weekly
“Pure passion.” —Booklist
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This was such a fun book!! Minerva and Chase has wonderful chemistry and their minds work so well together. After being granted a fortune on the death of duke that she never knew or had met she is forced to face her past, from which she had run from. Both Chase and Minerva believe that the duke was murdered and they end up working together to discover who would have done it and why. They are no closer to discovering the answer at the end of the book but they do discover why she was chosen to be the recipient of part of the dukes fortune. They also discover their great love for one another and of course go on to meld their lives together. There are two other mystery women that were part of the will that need to be found and I’m really looking forward to them being discovered in subsequent books. I love a good mystery and when you throw romance in there I’m in heaven. I really enjoy Madeline’s writing style and character development. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. I really want to know the answers to what happened and why. I’m hooked!
Series: Duke’s Heiress #1
Publication Date: 4/28/20
Number of Pages: 304
This was a very nice introduction and set-up for an interesting new series. There is an overarching mystery in the series – who murdered the duke. We meet the duke’s siblings and his nephews and learn enough about each of them to wonder if they could possibly be the murderer. We learn even more about Nicholas and Kevin who I assume will be the heroes in the upcoming books – I really liked both of them. I think the author handled the mystery of the duke’s death very nicely and didn’t let it overpower the romance. The book is well written, the characters are fully developed and relatable, the mystery is nicely plotted, and the romance is sweet and very believable between two people who are shaped by their pasts. The story starts off a bit slow but soon gets ramped up. It also nicely sets up the remaining books in the series and I will be excited to see what the author has in store for our next hero and heroine.
Chase Radnor, the nephew of the Duke of Hollinburgh, isn’t having a particularly good evening. It certainly isn’t going as he planned! He had planned to break into the house and find evidence against the occupant – instead, he is trussed up, bleeding, and has a big knot on his head. He is the one being interrogated. How had that happened? It had all started with his uncle’s will – nobody in the family received anything, and three totally unknown women received very large bequests. Needless to say, that didn’t sit well with the family. Chase, who is an investigator, is tasked with tracking down these women, finding their relationship with the duke – and, maybe discrediting them – and maybe, just maybe, finding out whether they had a hand in the duke’s death. He found the first woman, Minerva Hepplewhite, broke into her home to look for evidence against her – and now here he sits, totally at her mercy.
Minerva cannot believe what this intruder into her home is telling her. She is an heiress because she has been left ten thousand pounds AND a lucrative partnership in an investment. While this bequest would solve most of her problems, she’s never met this duke – nor any other duke. Not only that, with the duke’s death being suspicious, but she’d also be a very likely suspect if they dug into her past.
As Chase continues with his investigation, Minerva starts her own, and they often end up at the same places. As they are thrown together more and more often, there is a lustful attraction added to the mix. Kisses soon lead to other things, but Chase knows it can’t lead to anything further because of Minerva’s past. She’ll never marry again – she has told him so, and after hearing her story, he doesn’t blame her. Can he convince her? Can she learn to trust again? You’ll just have to read the book to see.
This is definitely a book I can recommend. I loved the characters, the writing, and the mystery. I can’t wait to read the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Chase Radnor’s evening is not going as planned. His plan was to learn more about Minerva Hepplewhite aka Margaret Finley, it was NOT to be bashed on the head and tied up. He tells Minerva that he is the nephew of the late Duke of Hollinburgh and that Minerva/Margaret was left a rather large bequest by the duke. Ten thousand pounds and a partnership in an investment! Minerva is stunned, she has never met the duke and though this inheritance is a blessing, giving her the money she needs to open her own inquiry business, but it could also be a curse, especially since Chase knows who she is. What else does he know? She decides her first order of business will be to find out
Chase has his own inquiry business and has been tasked with finding the three mystery women his uncle left his personal fortune to – completely cutting out his family. He is also certain that the duke didn’t accidently fall off the roof of his county seat and has more than one person – including the Home Secretary, Robert Peel! He is pretty sure his uncle was murdered – but by who. None of the family, save himself knew his uncle changed his will and cut out the family – so Minerva becomes his prime suspect.
Their investigations cross and they get to know one another, Chase is no longer certain that Minerva is his uncle’s killer, but he isn’t quite ready to cut ties with her. Minerva is equally intrigued by Chase, which comes as a shock, she was sure that she would never be interested in a man after the horrors she lived through with her late husband, but intrigued she is, which could be dangerous for her in more ways than one.
I thought this was a good book, a little slow to take off, but well written and interesting. The mysteries in the book are well done and while I am not sure how I feel about the outcome of his uncle’s death, I think the way that was handled perfectly complements the mystery of Minerva’s husband’s death. Chase and Minerva are both complexed characters, they are both shaped by their pasts, both clever and observant and clearly perfect for each other. In addition to the mysteries, the book has a large cast of secondary characters, a slow burn romance, steamish love scenes and a HEA that is nicely executed. This is the first book in the series and it nicely sets up the series without taking the readers focus from Chase and Minerva. I am happy to recommend the book and look forward to the next book!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to by NetGalley and the publisher.*
This is the first book in a series, ‘A Dukes Heiress’. This book is about Minerva. She learns that she has inherited a vast amount from a duke she’s never met. But then the dukes death is being questioned, and that puts Minerva as a good suspect.
Chase, the dukes nephew, meets Minerva when he breaks into her home, and she hits him over the head. He questions her innocence, as he conducts an inquiry into his uncles death.
Minerva and Chase both join together to find out what has happened to the duke, and how he might have known Minerva. The fight their attraction to each other as the find out more and more information about the duke.
I really enjoyed the this story. The characters were well written, and you could picture them clearly and could tell what they were feeling. This was a very well written story, and it jumped off the pages. I definitely am looking forward for to reading about the other books on this series.
Good book with a nice blend of romance and mystery. It opens with a bang as Minerva catches Chase breaking into her house. No shrinking violet, Minerva promptly renders him unconscious long enough to tie him up before interrogating him. She is stunned and somewhat disbelieving to find out that she has inherited a great deal of money from a duke she has never met. Besides telling her about the inheritance, Chase also wants to find out if she had anything to do with his uncle’s suspicious death.
I liked both Minerva and Chase. Minerva is strong, intelligent, and stubborn. She has a sharp wit and isn’t afraid to use it. She also has secrets that led her to change her name and move to London to start a new life. That former life has left her wary of men and determined to live life on her terms. She is ready to open Miss Hepplewhite’s Office of Discreet Inquiries. Chase is the nephew of a duke, but also a self-made man. He has a reputation as an excellent private investigator, at which point the Home Office asks him to quietly investigate his uncle’s death.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Minerva and Chase. The sparks are there from the moment they met, though both fight hard against them. Minerva and Chase cross paths several times as each investigates the death of the duke. Eventually, they decide to work together, though neither is entirely forthcoming about everything they learn. There are times that Minerva’s stubborn independence bothers Chase, but he also admires her persistence and intelligence. The more time they spend together, the closer they become, and the more their attraction heats up. There is a scene where Minerva is injured, and Chase’s protectiveness is aroused. I enjoyed the back-and-forth between them as Minerva fought against his protectiveness. As their feelings for each other grow, Minerva must decide if she can trust Chase with her heart. I liked that there was no big blowup between them, just a steady growth and then admission of their feelings. I liked their big moment at the end, especially the honest look at the differences between them and how they would handle them.
The mystery of the story was good. Chase’s uncle died under mysterious circumstances that he is charged with investigating. There is also the mystery of the three unknown women who received large bequests, cutting out the family members. The women must be found but also investigated. The duke’s family members do not react well to their loss of what they think they deserve. Is it possible that one of them murdered the duke? The family dynamics were very interesting, and I look forward to seeing more of them in the next book. I liked seeing how Chase’s methodical methods and Minerva’s more unorthodox ones complemented each other as they pursue their investigation. The conclusion was unexpected but leaves the matter open for the rest of the series.
Review originally published at Romancing Romances
I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
4.25*
I’ve been a fan of Madeline Hunter’s books for a long time, even if her most recent ones haven’t always had the charm of her earlier books. But this one… it was a book that got out of a reading slump!
I really liked the premise of the book, a duke dies, and three unknown women get almost all of his inheritance. Why? That’s what the whole family is thinking. And Chase Radnor, pretty much the only one who knew he wasn’t getting any money – let’s face it, he didn’t need it – wants to know what happened to his uncle, because his death was not an accident in his mind. And, of course, we understand very quickly that he was right. So, was it one of the women? Was it a family member? A business partner? A member of the household? A complete stranger? These are the questions that go with us as we read the book, and follow the inquiries of both Chase Radnor and one of the mysterious women, Minerva Hepplewhite.
When Chase finds her, he knows there’s something she’s hiding. Is it that she’s killed the duke? He doesn’t think so. Even if his intuition had disappointed him once, he believed he was right.
Minerva has survived her fair share of problems, and she is immensely grateful to Beth and Jeremy, her friends and former employers in her household. When this mysterious inheritance appears, she’s afraid it might disturb their recent peace. And she’s found she’s good at conducting discreet inquiries – very much like Chase. And she wonders: why would someone she’s never met give such a large amount of money?
And this is how Minerva and Chase get involved. I really liked their relationship, how it evolved, with a slow-burn, and more than just a physical thing, they admired each other’s minds, and worked so well together.
I loved the mystery, and following along with our main couple, learning what they learned and seeing their love and steaminess grow.
I also enjoyed seeing how Minerva got through her own fears and past experiences to enjoy her new life, and fall in love again.
It was a great story, filled with romance, and mystery. I can’t wait to find out more about the other heiresses.
Madeline Hunter
First off I’ll readily admit to being a hugh fan of Madeline Hunter. Her books feature unique storylines, strong female characters, a bit of mystery/suspense and plenty of steamy romance. Her latest book Heiress for Hire features Minerva Hepplewhite, a widow left a fortune by an an unknown benefactor and Chase Radnor, a nephew of the man. I loved Minerva’s feisty nature and the wonderful banter between the characters. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley.
Madeline Hunter introduces A Duke’s Heiress, a new trilogy series. Heiress for Hire is the first book. And what an enjoyable book it is! The premise of the series is eccentric Duke Hollinburgh has died and bequeaths fortunes to three unknown women and not his surprised relatives! Minerva Hepplewhite is the subject of this book.
I was lured in from the very first pages. As the story unfolds, there are 3 main mysteries: What is Minerva Hepplewhite hiding? Who killed the Duke of Hollinburgh? Why did he leave a fortune to 3 unknown women?
The Duke’s nephew Chase Radnor is a professional investigator. Nicholas, his cousin and new Duke, has asked him to find out if the Duke fell from a parapet or was pushed AND to find the 3 unknown heiresses. (The Home Office also asks Chase to investigate.) Minerva Hepplewhite is the first woman he discovers.
Chase breaks into Minerva’s house to find out if she is truly the right woman on the list. Minerva takes control of the situation and has Chase bopped on the head and tied up. He informs her that Duke Hollinburgh, a man she doesn’t even know, has willed her a fortune. Thinking that she might have been the old Duke’s lover, mistress or friend — he also notices that her clothing and furniture are modest. AND … he is attracted to her.
Minerva has created a new name and life for herself, along with friend/housekeeper Beth and her son Jeremy. Minerva has a knack for detective work and discovering secrets, so she decides to investigate, too. She and Chase become competitors, friends and more!
This book is pure Madeline Hunter — strong and smart female characters, likeable heroes and heroines, characters revealed layer-by-layer, sexy romance, wit and suspense. Minerva is not only beautiful, but also smart and resourceful. Chase is the handsome hero with a protective instinct. While some of the mysteries are revealed, the ending surprised me! I received an ARC of this book for my honest review and recommendation: buy the book!
WOW! Heiress For Hire is a spectacular historical romance by Madeline Hunter. Ms. Hunter has provided readers with a book that is not only well-written, it’s furnished with a cast of characters that is second to none. I totally love the characters in this story. Minerva changed her name and moved from the area after her husband was killed and she was suspected. She now does investigations. When an intruder enters her home she doesn’t hesitate to bash him in the head. Chase is doing an investigation of his own into his uncle’s death. Minerva is due to inherit a goodly sum and is now one of his suspects. Chase and Minerva’s story is packed with drama, humor, smokin’ hot sexy bits, action and suspense. I loved every page of this book and look forward to reading more from Madeline Hunter soon. Heiress For Hire is book 1 of the A Duke’s Heiress Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Went back in time with my reading, just got done reading a rom-com so that could have been why I didn’t love the book. Now dont get me wrong, I did like it but I guess was hoping for a little more. It was more serious with poor Minerva whose past relationship was an abusive one but now she is a widower and unfortunately for her his death was sceptical. .So now she is being investigated when finding out that she is one of these three women mentioned in a will for a fortune naturally the family knew nothing about these women want them investigated, I would to and that is when the nephew comes in Chase and they want to know if the death was accidental of not. we have some steam, and sadness and my friend a sort of cliffhanger so keep that in mind.
rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions.
Minerva and Chase are so good together. I loved reading their story a lot and want more. I cant wait to read what happens with the other two girls that inherited the dukes fortune. The first page grabbed me and I didn’t let go. I like her friends Beth and her son Jeremy. also the mystery was well formed I loved the way she went in as a maid to help find out who and if the Duke was murdered. And Chase knew who she was just by her hands alone. Madeline is a great writer and I cant wait to read more of this series and who the other ladies are and who they get. My favorite scene has to be the first one where Chase is waking up after Minnie Conked him on the head so funny that is what had me wanting this book so much and the rest of it didn’t disappoint either
I love a good mystery in romances and I am pretty sure this one will span the series since it was not solved in this story. Who did it? I honestly have no idea and look forward to the other books trying to resolve it. Chase and Minerva are both inquiry agents (she decides to become one because she dabbled in it a little in her “prior life”). There is an underlying suspicion that she might be involved but of course she is not. Come on, then it would not be a very good story would it? Chase is not the hyper-alpha male but is no slouch either. He is basically suspicious of everyone. I love Minerva’s inserting herself into the houses to learn more about the crime and Chase figuring out it is her. Their story is loving and I had a lot of fun reading about them.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter is the first book in Ms. Hunter’s A Duke’s Heiress Series. This book is well-written and quite intriguing. I was engrossed in the story from the very beginning. Heroine Minerva Hepplewhite and Hero Chase Radnor are both very likable characters. They are both very intelligent, straight talkers and honest. Chase’s uncle, the Duke of Hollinburgh has died and left a small fortune to Minerva. This comes as quite a surprise to Minerva as she tells Chase she has never met his uncle and has no idea why he included her in his will and left her this fortune. This conversation takes place in Minerva’s house after Chase has broken in and Minerva catches him and bops him in the head with a bedwarmer. He tells Minreva he broke in to check her identity. He didn’t want to approach the wrong person. Strange way for our hero and heroine to meet but the attraction is there and much happens as they travel on their road to their HEA. This is a fascinating story and I totally enjoyed it!
Heiress for Hire
A Duke’s Heiress Romance Series #1
Madeline Hunter
https://www.facebook.com/MadelineHunter/
Release date 04/28/2020
Publisher Kensington
Blurb :
Minerva Hepplewhite has learned the hard way how to take care of herself. When an intruder breaks into her home, she doesn’t swoon or simper. Instead she wallops the rogue over the head and ties him
up—only to realize he is Chase Radnor, the man who nearly got her convicted of her late husband’s murder. Now he’s insisting that Minerva has inherited a fortune from his uncle, a wealthy Duke. Only one thing could surprise her more: her sudden attraction to this exasperating man . . .
Chase can’t decide whether Minerva is a wronged woman or a femme fatale. Either way, he’s intrigued. Since the scandal surrounding her husband’s death, she has set up a discreet detective business to rival Chase’s own. She may be the perfect person to help him uncover the truth about his uncle’s demise. But as proximity gives way to mutual seduction, Chase realizes he craves a much deeper alliance . . .
My review :
Will their past be the end of them or can they overcome it to share a common future …
My first read by Mrs Madeline Hunter was a novella, and it was a most enjoyable one. So I had high expectations for this one.
And she did not disappoint, I had everything I loved packed in one book, a mystery (still to be resolved), a strong woman finding her own footing, a man helping her to stand for herself, some steamy moments and great side characters.
While I am a big frustrated by the lack of resolution on the background plot, knowing it was the first in a series, supposedly a trilogy, I inwardly knew it might be the lead wire for the series.
Minerva had to rebuilt herself after the dramatic circumstances of her past nearly destroyed her. She is a survivor, having escaped the clutches of her late husband, and the suspicions of his dubious death. What she went through would have broken many as strong women. Still, she has risen from her ash, recreating herself in a stronger self.
Still, she fears her past might threaten her new found freedom, especially now with her new discovered and unexpected wealth, she might appears as the perfect culprit.
I loved she faces her fears head held high, she does not retreat, she moves forward, and accepts her own failures.
Chase has his own flaws, and his shortcomings left their mark, why he doubts and does not trust his own instinct. When he is drawn to Minerva, he refuses to let his attraction to her conduct his inquiry.
Still, whatever he told himself, she has taken hold of his thoughts. And the more he gets to know her, the more he discovers she is so much more than the few rumors he finds about her.
I loved he revised his first opinion of her, slowly he accepts she too has a certain talent for inquiries, and when she get to trust him with own history, he learns what lies behind her apparent coldness or uncertainties.
What I do not understand is why the blurb tells he was behind the charges against her when they never meet before.
Together they make a great team, but will their pasts keep them apart or will they find in themselves the strength to believe in a common future.
While I see who will be the heroes in the next books, I do hope the side characters here will get their HEA, they rightfully deserve it.
To me, this first in a new series is a 5 stars read. I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Kensington, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/599560453966463/?d=n
The Hipplewhite’s Office of Discreet Inquiries goes into business when Minvera Hipplewhite inheirts a fortune. Only Minvera is being investigated by the nephew of her benefactor as a suspect in his death. Chase Radnor has already established his own detective business and is working with the crown inqiring into his uncle’s death. The question is murder. As Chase investigates Minvera and Minvera investigates his uncle’s death, the two end up working together inspite of not trying to. Their attraction to each other could get in the way of their investigations, until passion has a way of breaking down defenses. Well developed characters and a very interesting who done it that continues into the next two books.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Acclaimed historical romance author Madeline Hunter begins her “A Duke’s Heiress Series” with “Heiress for Hire”, which features a smart, resourceful heroine who is as brave as she is beautiful. Minerva Hepplewhite left behind an unhappy past and created a new life and a new identify. Starting her own investigative agency with the help of two friends, she has an aptitude for discovering the secrets of others while hiding secrets of her own. An intruder into her home turns out not to be a thief, but another private investigator on a mission of personal importance. Chase Radnor, nephew of the eccentric and recently deceased Duke of Hollinburgh, has been tasked with finding three unexpected, previously unknown heirs to the Duke’s estate. His attempt to uncover information about Minerva while snooping about her home is thwarted by a blow to his head and an inquiry by Minerva herself. Chase and Minerva have their suspicions about each other–she doesn’t know why the Duke named her in his will, and Chase is not sure of her real identity. However, as the two of them continue to cross paths. their initial spark of mutual awareness flames into something deeper and hotter. There is more than one mystery to be solved, and Chase and Minerva are equally matched at deduction–can these two inquiring minds solve the puzzles which just might keep them apart? When truths are revealed, will there be hope for a bright and happy future for all? “Heiress for Hire” is an intelligent, intriguing sparks-fly historical romance, and I look forward to the upcoming books in the series.
Book Copy Gratis Kensington Books via BookishFirst
I was lucky to have a won an ARC of this new first book in a new series from Bookkish.com. Madelaine Hunter is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. This is unbiased and voluntary review.
The eccentric and extremely wealth Duke of Hollinburgh has mysteriously died by falling off the parapet of his home, a place where he walked at night quite frequently. Was it an accident or murder? Aside from the entitled properties, he leaves nothing to his relatives, but does leave three large bequeaths to three unknown women, not only money but shares in his investments, which were the keys to his wealth. His favorite nephew, Chase Radnor, recently returned from the Army and who has a PI business, already was told by his uncle that his aunts and cousins would be receiving nothing after his death. His brothers had all received large inheritances from their mother, but this was a proliferate family, mostly generating sons. The relatives are outraged. Chase is not only charged by the solicitor to find the three women, but also by the Home Office to investigate the murder.
The first of the three women that he finds is Minerva Hepplewhite, formerly known as Margaret Finley. Minerva had been orphaned twice. First by her parents and then abandoned by her uncle and two cousins, when her uncle decide to emigrate to America, leaving her behind, and suggesting she accept the offer of marriage to a much older Algernon Findley. Beth was a war widow, who worked for him for half wages so she could keep her son, Jeremy. Algernon had anger issues and eventually the three of them fled, Margaret suing for a separation. Subsequently he was shot. Through the help of an unknown benefactor, they flee to London. Where Minerva changed her name and started her own investigation business that she runs with Beth and Jeremy.
Needing to prove her innocence of the murder of the duke, Minerva begins her own investigation, crossing hairs with Chase often enough that they decide to work together. But there also is this strange unwanted attraction that has developed between the two.
Wonderful characters, witty banter and a riveting mystery make this a hard to put down page turner. I also look forward to the next books in the series about the other two mystery women and how the will become entwined with two of Chases cousins.
Inheriting a fortune can be a good thing or a bad thing. A battered wife. who had left her husband, has come into a fortune but the man who died and left the money may have been killed. Will the investigation include how her late husband died? This learning to trust story brings together two un-trusting souls to solve the crimes. A page turner leads one through all the possible conclusions and leaves a happy ending. I Enjoyed the trip!
You can’t go wrong with a Madeline Hunter book.
Heiress for Hire is the first book in a new series, A Duke’s Heiress. This is a Historical Romance with a touch of suspense to make the plot more interesting. It does have a couple of triggers: Domestic Violence and Suicide…
Minerva Hepplewhite and her friend Beth has bashed an intruder in the head then tied him up to be interrogated. She has learned the hard way to be strong and independent. Minerva has learned that the rogue is Chase Radnor and he has come to inform her that she has inherited a fortune from his Uncle, a Duke, and a man she has never met. Minerva questions herself on being attracted to this irritating man.
Chase needs to decide if Minerva is of loose morals or just wrongly accused and either way, he will get his answers. It’s been a few years since her husbands death and she has changed her name and started up a small Private Investigation business, one to rival Chase’s own business. Chase thinks Minerva may be the perfect person to help him discover the truth behind his Uncle’s death. However, Chase soon realizes the more time spent with Minerva only increases his desire to take their relationship to a deeper level…