The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

The Heiress Effect (Brothers Sinister, #2)

by Courtney Milan

Miss Jane Fairfield can't do anything right. When she's in company, she always says the wrong thing--and rather too much of it. No matter how costly they are, her gowns always seem to fall on the unfortunate side of fashion. Even her immense dowry can't save her from being an object of derision.

And that's precisely what she wants. She'll do anything, even risk humiliation, if it means she can stay unmarried and keep her sister safe.

Mr. Oliver Marshall has to do everything right. He's the bastard son of a duke, raised in humble circumstances--and he intends to give voice and power to the common people. If he makes one false step, he'll never get the chance to accomplish anything. He doesn't need to come to the rescue of the wrong woman. He certainly doesn't need to fall in love with her. But there's something about Jane he can't resist...even if it means the ruin of them both.

Reviewed by Amanda on

4 of 5 stars

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This book is difficult to review. Not because of the book itself, but because the emotions it creates hurt. This is the second time I've read The Heiress Effect, and I think I loved it more this time around (and yes, even with the hurt). Probably because the "I love you, but..." line. (Which is all I'll say for now because reasons.

Jane is a unique character in that she embraces her outcast-ish-ness and purposely wears awful dresses and acts in socially unacceptable ways. She befriends women precisely because they're not really friends to her. And Jane has her reasons. (And her reasons have her own story, which I also appreciated!)

When Jane meets Oliver, she finds someone she can't turn off. Because Oliver understands what it means to be an outcast, and he's spent most of his life trying to overcome it. Both Jane and Oliver have a lot in common that way, but how they deal with it is what makes their relationship so complicated (and also why it's painful to read). He's determined to be nice to her, and the more he sees and interacts with her, the more he realizes how much she's hiding.

All the EMOTIONS are worth it in the end, though. Plus, Courtney Milan sets up the next romance between Sebastian and Violet, and I can't wait to reread it. (And maybe actually review it this time.)

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  • Started reading
  • 5 April, 2015: Finished reading
  • 5 April, 2015: Reviewed
  • Started reading
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  • 5 April, 2015: Reviewed