Sparkling Characters Win The Fight To Keep Reader Attention In "Catch a Falling Heiress"

Catch a Falling Heiress (An American Heiress in London, #3)Title:  Catch A Falling Heiress
(An American Heiress In London #3)
Author:  Laura Lee Guhrke
Format:  ERC
Length:  384 pages
Date of Publication:  January 27, 2015
Publisher:  Avon Books
Rating:  3 Stars

She's an American heiress. He's a devilish earl. When these two collide, the sparks ignite a shocking scandal in USA Today bestselling author Laura Lee Guhrke's unforgettable Victorian-era romance.

Linnet Holland wants nothing to do with fortune hunters. No, she’s determined to marry a man who loves her. But just as she’s about to accept the perfect marriage proposal from the man she wants, the rakish Earl of Featherstone interrupts and ruins everything, including her reputation, with his smoldering kiss.

Jack Featherstone knows all about Linnet’s “intended”, and he’s determined she won’t fall prey to that villain as other women have in the past. But when his attempt to save Linnet ruins her instead, he knows he has to make things right. So he sets out to win this golden beauty . . . and prove to her that being ruined by him was the best thing that could have happened to her.
  -Goodreads


 My Thoughts
It has often been said that, "Things done in the dark must come to light."  It seems however, that for the money-hungry scoundrels populating Laura Lee Guhrke's  Catch A Falling Heiress, this adage doesn't hold completely true.
Therein, it seems, lies the fatal flaw in this otherwise charming romance.

American heiress, Linnet Holland, has everything that any marriage-minded man would want.  Blessed with brains, beauty, and a bank account rivaling that of Rockefeller; she is the toast of the social scene, both in America and across the pond.
She is also it seems, the unknowing target of dashing 'golden boy' turned dissolute investment banker, Fredrick Van Hausen.

Mr. Van Hausen has made quite a name for himself across the pond as well.
Unlike the fair Miss Holland however, his remembrance among members of the British peerage is of a far more nefarious nature.

Enter Earl Jack Featherstone...

Sworn to aid his dear friend Stuart in his quest to ruin Van Hausen.  Jack soon finds himself fighting for control of his heart; as his dealings with the unscrupulous banker put them both on a collision course with the self same Linnet Holland.

Linnet may have all the money, but infuriatingly enough, she has none of of the information necessary to decide on whom she is willing to stake her heart and her future.
As a result , she spends the majority of the read having her entirely too trusting chain yanked by everything with a penis.  (Including, sadly enough, her own father.)
So, the addition of the 'title rich but penny poor' Earl Jack Featherstone into the fray does little to improve matters for the most distressed damsel.

Sadly, in spite of what appear to be the noblest of intentions on the part of Jack.  His resemblance of circumstance and disastrous bungling of things with our beleaguered leading lady, fail to create the plot driving splash that was intended.
What does work to kindle reader interest, is the often comical and somewhat snarky interaction between our two main characters.  The natural chemistry created when they share scenes is a thing of beauty to behold.

Though there is no doubt that getting into this story does take some work; the stellar character development that waits to be discovered is well worth the work.







About Laura Lee
Laura Lee GuhrkeFrom the publication of her very first historical romance, Laura Lee Guhrke has received numerous honors and critical acclaim for her novels and her writing style. She has been honored with the most prestigious award of romance fiction, the Romance Writers of America Rita Award, and she has received additional awards from Romantic Times and All About Romance. Romantic Times has proclaimed her, “One of the most natural voices in historical romance to be found today”. Her books routinely hit the USA Today Bestseller List, and Guilty Pleasures has been honored with the Romantic Times Award for Best European Historical Romance of 2004. Among her publishing credits are twelve historical romances, including her latest, And Then He Kissed Her, now available from Avon Books.

Laura is currently hard at work on her thirteenth historical romance for Avon Books. She has also written articles for various publications, including the Romance Writers Report, The British Weekly , and the Irish-American Press.







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