I have been a skeptic about Ms. Ashford's stories. For me the few stories I have read by her have come across as emotionless. Previous characters have been cold and indecisive. I received an ARC of Heir to the Duke in exchange for an honest review. This novel surprised me a great deal. Ms. Ashford did a complete 180 with her latest novel. She created characters with emotional appeal, a story that spoke to me from the very beginning and a romance that is worthy of fairy tale status. There were a few areas with inconsistency issues but not enough to take away from the overall effect of the story.
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****Full Review****

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Violet is set to marry Nathaniel and couldn't be happier. For twenty-six years she has been under the militant thumb of her grandmother, who constantly finds something wrong with her. In her marriage, Violet hopes to find the freedom that has thus far eluded her. Nathaniel is the heir and is at the age to marry, Violet seems like the sensible choice. As he gets to know her, he sees a spark that is slowly starting to come to life and he finds himself liking his wife more than he ever thought possible. If they can just shake off one evil grandmother they may find themselves in the unheard of position of loving one's own spouse.

Heir to the Duke begins right away with our couple getting married, it was a bit of a rough start with a feeling that I was coming in a couple chapters late. Within the first ten percent of the story we had a wedding night, whether due to not knowing the characters or a general lack of feelings written in, it fell flat and awkward. It's mentioned that Violet and Nathaniel didn't spend any time alone during their engagement and the trend continues somewhat throughout the story. Violet gallivants around town trying to do it all after being smothered by her grandmother. Instead of claiming her own identity and becoming herself, Violet's actions came off extremely childish. She wanted to dance, party, and twirl in the streets. Violet also rekindles a friendship where the woman uses her to cheat on her husband. This secondary non-romance didn't add anything to the story but clog it with characters I didn't care about and useless storylines.

While Violet was trying to live it up, Nathaniel seems to do a lot of reading letters from his brothers and writing back trying to solve their non-problems. I think the author was trying to go for Violet showing Nathaniel how to stop and smell the roses but it had the opposite effect of keeping our couple apart. Our couple goes to balls together where Nathaniel pops up to defend Violet to her grandmother. Nathaniel sticking up for Violet and explaining/showing her how to stick up for herself was the best part of this book. However, for the most part, nothing happened. Ninety-five percent of this story is about Violet trying to be free from her grandmother's judgmental rule.

There were endless pages of Violet acting childish with her desire for freedom, a grandmother and her servant acting far fetchingly tyrannical, a friend and her husband cheating and hating each other, and our main couple developing a rather stale relationship. This was my first book by this author, perhaps the writing style isn't for me but this read mostly like rambling endless filler.
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A Cinderella story with a twist

All her life Lady Violet Devere has been kept in line by her family. Indeed her grandmother, the Dowager Countess of Morely, is a tyrant controlling them all. Lady Violet in particular is a target. The Dowager designates what Violet should wear, what activities are the most ladylike for her to undertake and how she must behave. Coupled with the fact that Violet's maid Renshaw is the Dowager's creature, it is no wonder that Violet flings herself into rebel mode (in a most satisfactory way) after she is married.
The Duke of Langford, Nathaniel Gresham views his upcoming marriage to the Lady Violet as his expected duty. He is prepared for a comfortable time. He is taken by surprise when Violet decrees that they need to be adventuress and enjoy themselves.
Of course, the Dowager and the recalcitrant maid are dead set against this. To the point where both Nathaniel and I take umbrage.
Violet's relationship with her mother has always been a puzzle. When Violet goes to extraordinary lengths to separate her mother from the Dowager in order to talk with her, she learns a secret that has the power to render her current happiness to naught.
An interesting story. I was at somewhat of a loss with Violet and her family. I wanted Nathaniel to take a stand earlier than he did.
The tale of a down trodden young thing coming into her own after her marriage is not uncommon and can have some delicious moments. That didn't quite happen here.
I must admit to enjoying the prequel to The Duke's Sons, The Bargain, more than I did Heir to the Duke. Nevertheless a pleasing read.

A NetGalley ARC ( )

I RECEIVED THIS ADVANCED READER'S COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

I have not read a book by Jane Ashford that i liked. The premise of the stories are always sound but somehow she seems to fail in the construction of it. I almost put down this book because it bored me but i fought it to the bitter end.

At the beginning i was sympathetic to our heroine, who was being controlled by her grandmother and couldn't wait to be set free. When freedom arrived through the marriage to a distant family friend which is not really explained ( because i wonder how the Duke and Duchess could tolerate any member of her family) she set out to do all the things that she was forbidden to do. At this point i got really excited for her ( you go girl! ) but then the excitement started wearing off, she seemed so naive that i wondered how she got to the age of twenty six without no one doing off with her.

As for the hero, i liked Nathaniel, the heir to the duchy and an overall nice fellow.

The writing was all over the place, a schizophrenic's attempt at writing would have been more entertaining.

I give it one star for effort

THANKS TO NETGALLERY AND SOURCEBOOKS CASABLANCA FOR THIS ADVANCED READER'S COPY ( )