Money can buy her marriage But will it lead to love? Miss Lily Wilkins hopes her American money will compensate for her lack of etiquette, as she needs a prestigious marriage to save her sisters’ prospects. Raised to believe wealth was her greatest attribute, she’s stunned when her unconventional ways catch the eye of the notorious Duke of Lennox. He’s far from the safe, sensible match she’d planned on—but Lily might just discover he’s the one she needs!
My Review:
Lily Wilkins is a ‘dollar princess’, a daughter of a wealthy American known as the Coal King, brought to London by her mother in order to, hopefully, marry a title and increase the family’s prestige. Quiet and not at all outgoing, Lily meets a man named Aidan at the first ball she attends who is utterly charming… and a duke with a crumbling castle, in desperate need of an heiress bride.
It all seems inevitable, and so very predictable… and it is, rather, though things don’t run entirely smooth with Aidan’s own sense of pride troubling him as he knows he can’t provide for Lily, can’t keep her in the manner to which she is accustomed without her father’s money. There’s also the matter of a jealous ex lurking in the wings, as well as his judgemental mother and the entire upper echelon of the British aristocracy sneering behind their hands at Lily and her ‘new money’.
This is a pretty low-stakes romance, and there’s not a great deal of drama, though there is a lot of introspection from both the main characters. I liked both Aidan and Lily but it was hard to get particularly invested in their love story. It all felt a bit slow and the same scene seemed to get rehashed several times with Aidan’s ex until it was finally resolved. If you’re in the mood for a low-angst romance it’ll fit the bill nicely, though. I’ll give it four stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via Rachel’s Random Resources.
Author Bio –
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
Social Media Links – http://ammandamccabe.com