Whitney Award Winner for Best Historical Romance 2018Miss Belle Heartstone—heiress and savvy businesswoman—needs a husband. Immediately. As in, yesterday would not have been soon enough. Her mother’s attempts at matchmaking have been disastrous. So Belle decides to solve the problem her way—survey the market and purchase the best groom available. Colin Radcliffe, Marquess of Blake—debt-ridden and … Radcliffe, Marquess of Blake—debt-ridden and penniless—needs a large infusion of cash. Desperately. Preferably cash that does not come with a wife attached. It is no surprise, then, when he receives Miss Heartstone’s brazen proposal—her cash, his title, their marriage—that he politely declines.
But before he leaves her, Blake suggests something truly radical: Maybe before finding a husband, Belle should find herself.
His simple words send them both on an unexpected journey, spanning continents and years, entwining their lives in ways neither could have foreseen. Can two lonely souls move past societal expectations and forge a unique life together?
Please note: The basic storyline of Seeing Miss Heartstone was originally published as a novella titled, An Invisible Heiress, in the Spring in Hyde Park anthology. This current novel is a greatly expanded version of that plot, adding over 200 pages of text and creating a more robust, well-developed story.
more
Captivating! Highly recommend!
This will be one of my favorite books of the year!
Loved this story!!
Read this out loud to my husband and he even enjoyed this book.
An interesting story. Funny how you can think you know, and respect someone through correspondence, and what you expect them to be, but have no clue as to who they really are.
Read it, enjoy it
I loved this story and the wonderful characters!
I loved it
I loved this book! What a wonderfully well-written story. Read it!
Loved! Loved! Will there be a part two?
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was extremely well done and the characters were well fleshed out. A very original story line that kept me intrigued and turning pages.
I have to admit that I laughed out loud when Colin called the group of young women on the hunt for a man, (The Desperate Debutantes). It really is an apt description of these girls and many others in the genre.
a wonderful read, I bought the next in the series
Oh man she did it again. How! This is a short story in a anthology she wrote with other authors. I read that story and loved it! When she sent this I was a little worried, I wanted something new, not something I already had read…..but it’s Van so of course I started immediately:} This is a deeper story with more of both characters growth, more of why they do what they do. I loved every minute of it:} The story of Belle is unique to the regency world. She is a woman of business and thinks very logically. Colin has a very important conversation with her and changes the course of her life. Her journey was a fun one to read, I just wanted her to figure it all out so she could be happy. Of course Colin was awesome and I loved him:} Van is just a great writer.
This book is beautifully written and very entertaining. It is a great story about loss, friendship and love. The story is gently told while being potentially tragic and hilarious all at the same time.
Belle and Blake are wonderful characters. Blake was raised by a strong woman; therefore is a feminist. Belle sets up a meeting to propose marriage to Blake, a new penniless Lord. He turns her down delicately, which changes Belle’s life forever. She a wealthy nobody; he a penniless somebody. Belle provides Blake with a way to prosper without him ever knowing it. Seven years later they meet again; however, Lord Blake doesn’t remember her, yet is entranced with Belle.
Excellent Read.
This was an excellent book. Very romantic and well written. Wish I could read more like it.
I enjoyed this book very much. Belle is a strong, intelligent woman in a time women were totally dependent on men. Very refreshing.
Well written. You know how it will end but have no idea how it is going to get there.
I love a good (emphasis on good) regency romance and this one really was good. No spoilers, just enjoy.
Loved it!
Great story and characters
Very boring