In Victorian London, the Hamilton sisters are known for their bookshops—and for finding their happily ever afters on their own terms. Now, much to their chagrin, their offspring are following in their unconventional footsteps—in life and in love…

Raised in New York, shipping heiress Sara Fleming was ready to elope—until her disapproving parents tricked her onto a boat heading to England. Her only consolation is getting to see her beloved aunts and cousins. Even the start of London’s Season—and a strikingly handsome earl—can’t make her forget the man she left behind.

Considered one of London’s most eligible bachelors, Christopher Townsend, the Earl of Bridgeton, is not what he seems. Having inherited his father’s crushing debt, he must choose a wealthy bride to save his family’s estate. Though rumored to be penniless and committed to another, Sara takes his breath away—and makes him question what he truly needs to be free of the past. But he’ll have to win the headstrong beauty’s heart one kiss at a time.

Titles in the Hamilton Cousins include — The Heiress He’s Been Waiting For – The Irish Heiress – 

This series is a spin-off (or the children of the couples in) the Hamilton Sisters series which included — When His Kiss Is Wicked – Desire in His Eyes – It Happened One Christmas – To Tempt an Irish Rogue – His by Christmas

Title:  The Heiress He’s Been Waiting For
Series:  Hamilton Cousins
Author:  Kaitlin O’Riley
Genre:  Historical Romance, Victorian Historical Romance
Published:  August 28, 2018
Publisher:  Kensington Books – Zebra
My Rating:  4 stars

I enjoy when an author continues to tell the stories of the children of characters we’ve come to know and love from an earlier series.  THE HEIRESS HE’S BEEN WAITING FOR is the first story in the Hamilton Cousins, which is a spin-off (or continuation) of the characters in the Hamilton Sisters series.  I had read the sisters’ stories about a decade ago, long before I began talking about books in reviews or on this blog.  I remember the stories fondly and I’m having fun watching the parents discover that in many ways their children are just like they used to be – in other words, a handful and keep a close eye on them.  *grin*

Although, I confess, that I was very hesitant at the beginning of THE HEIRESS HE’S BEEN WAITING FOR as when we first meet Sara she is a complete spoiled little rich girl who acts more like a bratty child than a young woman believing she’s ready for marriage.  Again, to be frank, it took me a while to warm up to her.  And when I did start to enjoy Sara and Christopher I realized that without my being aware of it the tone of the writing had led me to think of Sara exactly as I did – a spoiled brat who throws temper tantrums when she doesn’t get her way.  I think it would be very easy to brush her off throughout the entire story as the girl we first met, I believe that’s a mistake.  Sara is growing, she’s learning of the consequences of her actions, she’s beginning to care about other people not only herself and that is reflected in the tone of the book and her actions.  She will always be headstrong and stubborn until she’s 109 with 20 great-grandchildren.  But right now she’s still becoming the woman she will one day be.

Christopher may be the most eligible and sought after bachelor in London, yet like many men in his situation he is title rich and coffers poor.  His estates are heavily in debt and in order to save not only the estate and the people he employes but his sisters as well, he must marry an heiress.  There is no other choice for him.  His attraction to Sara is strong, often overwhelmingly so but he assumes she and her family are the poor relations when in fact they are wealthy beyond belief.  You know what they say about the word “assume”, right?

There was much I enjoyed about Sara and Christopher’s romance and some that I didn’t at all.  There are twists and turns in this story that should I say more at this point I’d be giving away spoilers, and that’s something I try very hard not to do.  The happy ending in this story is hard-fought for, and at times, it seems that this couple is their own worst enemy.  Watching Sara grow, change, and mature from the beginning of this story to the ending was an intriguing journey.  I can’t say that I loved this couple, but I did like enough parts of them to wish for them to find that love that will last a lifetime, which I believe they did by the final page.

I own a paperback edition of THE HEIRESS HE’S BEEN WAITING FOR.

Available in paperback and for the Kindle