The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George is the third book in The Gilded Age Heiresses, but it was 
fine as a stand-alone. I love the fake engagement storyline, so this was right up my alley. The main characters meet in the previous book, but the author does a great job explaining their previous encounters and their history. I didn’t feel like I was behind by not reading the previous books, but it did raise my interest in reading them in the future.
Widowed Lady Helena March has no interest in remarrying as expected by her family. She is devoted to her charities and starting her new charity, The London Home for Young Women. Society’s disdain for her helping unmarried women with illegitimate children has caused benefactors to withdraw their funds. In order to save her reputation and receive funds to continue the charity, she needs to get married.
Maxwell Crenshaw, the heir to the Crenshaw Iron, has not been able to get Helena out of his mind when he returns to New York after his trips to London to help his sisters. When he receives news August, his father, is on his deathbed with heart problems he travels to London. Once he arrives in London, he discovers his father is slowly recovering but August thinks Maxwell needs to be married. If Maxwell does not comply with his wishes and gets engaged by the end of the year, then August will block the project Maxwell’s sister has worked so hard on. Maxwell has no wish to get married so when he overhears Helena’s conversation for her charity, he has an idea to help them both. He suggests they fake an engagement until after his sister’s project is finished and Helena’s charity is up and running. When feelings become real between the two, will Helena’s secret keep them apart?
I liked so much about the main characters and this book. Maxwell and Helena had so many obstacles standing in their way. Maxwell lived in New York and ran the family business there, but he never fully understood how hard it would be for her to leave London. Helena’s family and friends lived in London, and she had worked so hard and had such big plans for her charities. I loved how Helena and Maxwell were so driven to help those less fortunate. Maxwell’s father was all about making money and not helping their employees. I was so glad to see him successfully gain control of the company and be able to make a difference for them. I enjoyed reading this book more than I thought I would. There were a lot of twists to the story and it’s a book that I will remember. I cannot wait for the next book in the series, which will be Camille and Jacob’s.
Book Info:
Publication: February 22, 2022 | Berkley | The Gilded Age Heiresses #3
A fake engagement brings together a lady with bold and daring dreams, and the heir whose heart she captured—perfect for fans of Bridgerton!
Tall, dark, and brooding—to say that American Maxwell Crenshaw stood out in the glittering ballrooms of London, is an understatement. He vowed never to set foot in England again, but when a summons from his father, along with an ultimatum to secure his legacy, has him crossing the Atlantic for the last time, reuniting him with the delectable Lady Helena March, he can’t deny the temptation she presents. Or the ideas she inspires…
Lady Helena March is flirting with scandal. Instead of spending her time at teas and balls in search of another husband, as is expected of a young widow, Helena pours her energy into The London Home for Young Women. But Society gives no quarter to unmarried radicals who associate with illegitimate children and fallen women, and Helena’s funding is almost run out. So when the sinfully seductive Crenshaw heir suggests a fake engagement to save them both—him from an unwanted marriage and her from scorn and financial ruin—Helena finds herself too fascinated to refuse the sexy American.
As their arrangement of convenience melts oh so deliciously into nights of passion, their deception starts to become real. But if Max knew the true reason Helena can never remarry, he wouldn’t look at her with such heat in his eyes. Or might the Crenshaw heir be willing to do whatever it takes to win the one woman he’s never been able to forget…
