Review: The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

Title: The Heiress Effect (Brothers Sinister, #2)
Author: Courtney Milan
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: Novel (365pgs)
Reviewer: CaroleDee

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 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 the lovely, courageous Jane that he can’t resist…even though it could mean the ruin of them both.

I'm really not sure where to start with this is one. I've sat on this review for a week. Every time I attempted to write it I came off sounding like a huge, raving, fan-girl. I tried, and tried to write something mature. Something that would eloquently convey my absolute, and utter love of the The Heiress Effect. I'm sorry to say that my mind is blown and, apparently, with it my maturity. lol. So here it goes:  I LOVED THIS BOOK.

Jane is a walking disaster. She marches to the beat of her own drum, and in the world of the ton being different just isn't done. From her outrageous wardrobe to her, seemingly, insensitive remarks she's a social pariah. Fortunately she's got a huge dowry. So while, she's mercilessly ridiculed behind her back she's still invited to events. Her crazy way of doing things may seem like social suicide, but Jane likes it that way. You see; in a little over a year she will get access to her dowry, which will afford her the funds to save her sister from her well meaning, but idiotic uncle's care. Only catch? She needs to chase away all potential suiters. Fortune hunters run amoke in the ton and she thinks playing up her naturally eccentric behavior will keep them at bay. Luckily for her it's working, but also making her enemies along the way.

Oliver Marshall, being the bastard of a duke, has lived his adult life striving to fit in. All he wants is to be accepted and successful. He gets his opportunity for total acceptance, but it comes at a price. A particularly nasty enemy that Jane has made offers Oliver all of his ambitions on a silver platter. The only problem? He has to risk his morality for success.

The romance of Jane and Oliver was fantastic. They're so alike, yet have taken such dramatically different choices on how to deal with their lives. 

There are also two side stories flowing through this book that I loved as well. You get wonderful 'forbidden' love story, and a heartbreaking look at Oliver's aunt Freddy's experience will agoraphobia. Maybe it's from personal experience, but I was bawling like a baby over Oliver's aunt.

The Heiress Effect encapsulated everything that I love about romance stories. I can honestly say it is the best book I've read this year. While I got an ARC copy from netgalley, I have already ordered my paperback from amazon, because I know I'm going to be re-reading this one for years to come!