The School for Heiresses - Anthology

This is an anthology about 4 heiresses that were all at Mrs Harris School for some time.

In Sabrina Jeffries Ten Reasons to Stay I think the main characters fell in lust rather than in love. The hero is very vocal about not wanting to marry and changes his mind not because of the heroine but because of her evil uncle. Then the 10 reasons he gives her are supposed to be romantic but the whole sex scene backgroung just didn't work for me. When she makes the usual sacrifice and leaves him for his own good he discovers he loves her. Well it didn't convince me. A C.

Liz Carlyle wrote After Midnight. I liked this story much more than the previous one. The main characters are immedately attracted to one another but they don't make a move till fate, or a malevolous hand, throws them together. I thought that made for a more interesting and subtle approach. I'm glad this is the beginning of a series because I want to know more, especially what Rothewell and Xanthia are hiding. Of course, that's why she left so much unsaid. Come to think of it this story is one big cliffhanger. A B.

Julia London't The Merchant's Gift was a nice story but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had ended when the hero and heroine reunite in London. They both come from trade and the plot revolves around the heroine's father wanting her to marry within the nobility. I didn't like how she jungled two suitors at the same time, in the end I enjoyed it but I think It could have worked better without that added conflict. A B-.

Renee Bernard's Mischief's Holiday was also a good one. I particularly liked the heroine and it seems to me the story is much more about her than the hero. It's always nice to read about heroines who are a bit less than perfect and keep getting themselves in trouble and have the humour to laugh about it, this just didn't work in the scenes where everyone else laughed at her which wasn't really nice or needed. A B-.