Rules for Heiresses

August 2, 2021
Howard follows The Princess Stakes with an adventurous romance. It’s 1864, and Lady Ravenna Huntley has found freedom from society’s expectations by dressing as a male sailor and sneaking off to the high seas—but by the time she reaches Antigua, she’s out of money and quickly running out of luck. Things only get worse when she’s accused of cheating at cards by Courtland Chase, the boy-next-door-turned-duke to whom Ravenna was once betrothed—and whom she and the rest of London society believed to be dead. In reality, his spiteful stepmother pushed him out of his family home following his father’s death and he’s spent years building a business with his newly rediscovered Creole relatives. Shocked to be reunited, the pair are soon caught in a compromising situation, leading to a marriage of convenience that will save Ravenna from ruination and help legitimize Courtland’s newly inherited title. But when they return to England, they face a host of hurdles including bigotry, classism, crime, and the relentless London rumor mill. A few action-packed chapters push forward at too hasty a pace, but Howard manages to keep the focus on the reluctant attraction between Ravenna and Courtland throughout all the twists and turns. Readers won’t be disappointed. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.

August 1, 2021

Lord Courtland Chase must have a card cheat on his hands; that's the only explanation why the boy opposite him is winning hand after hand, against impossible odds. Chase grabs the young man to confront him and discovers that the boy in his arms is actually his childhood friend and neighbor Lady Ravenna Huntley in disguise. Ravenna stowed away on a ship to Antigua to flee an unwanted engagement and has since been surviving on her wits and her skill at cards. Her discovery by Chase (whom she--and London society--believed to be dead) signals a turn in her luck. When the rules of society force Ravenna and Chase into an unwanted marriage, neither is happy about the change in their circumstances, but they can't deny the chemistry that sizzles between them. Chase is multiracial, the product of a love match between his English aristocrat father and his Caribbean mother. His birth and peerage gave him the privilege of the upper classes in England, where he grew up, until his stepmother and half-brother chased him out of the country, having convinced him that his heritage made him unworthy of his title. Now he's built a life in Antigua and swears he'll never return to England. Ravenna, who's white and is the sister of a respected duke, has never questioned her place in society. Daring and outspoken, she's accepted everywhere, even as she flouts societal mandates. Their well-written romance involves espionage, smuggling, and primogeniture; it also explores racial and gender equality, concepts that readers may see as more modern than the setting. Howard (The Beast of Beswick) has seamlessly woven all of these elements into Chase and Ravenna's story and created a very readable, very relatable novel. VERDICT This steamy historical romance is recommended for general purchase.--Heather Miller Cover, Homewood P.L., AL

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September 15, 2021
A marriage of convenience reunites a rebellious lady and a taciturn new duke. To escape the ton and one lascivious man in particular, Lady Ravenna Huntley has run away to Antigua in the West Indies. She enjoys the liberties afforded to her while disguised as a man until she unexpectedly encounters Courtland Chase, the childhood friend she was supposed to marry, who's long been presumed dead. In truth, his stepmother had forced him out of the country because she wanted her own son to be heir to the dukedom. When Ravenna and Courtland are caught in a compromising situation, they marry and return to England, where Courtland assumes his newly inherited role as Duke of Ashvale. He has always been seen as lesser by his stepmother because of his biracial identity--his mother was a free mixed-race Creole woman from Antigua who married his father in a love match--and she, and others, won't easily accept him as the duke. Meanwhile, Ravenna once again feels stifled by society's expectations of her as a woman. Physical chemistry sizzles between the new couple, but issues of trust stand in the way of their complete connection. Ravenna, a stubborn firecracker, is an exciting heroine. The angst-y push and pull of her relationship with Courtland drives the story, though it does begin to feel repetitive after a while. Exploration around gender and race is thoughtfully done and adds depth to the characters. The pacing sometimes lags, but sleuthing and nefarious ne'er-do-wells create extra intrigue up through the dramatic ending that brings the tale to a satisfying close. The enticing couple makes this story worth reading.

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