I love Madeline Hunter's books and I looked forward to reading this one. This story has many of my favorite tropes: marriage of convenience, Pygmalion-like transformation, and unrequited love. This book is one of three in a series about independent, working women who inherit a fortune from a Duke they barely know. In this book, Rosamund is a talented milliner who inherits a fortune and half the business of one of the Duke's nephews, Kevin, who is an inventor. Right away, there is tension between Rosamund and the late Duke's family (who hoped to inherit) and with Kevin as Rosamund intends to be an active partner in the business, which he resists.

There is sexual chemistry between the couple, and the author shows Rosamund's feelings growing for Kevin. But all the emotional development appears to be on Rosamund's side and Kevin's growth in the relationship doesn't really show until the slightly dramatic but anti-climatic ending. I wish that Kevin had to at least grovel a bit more to win Rosamund back in the end.

There are a few plot twists in the story and an unresolved mystery surrounding the late Duke's death and some bumpy transitions that left you wondering about the fate of some of the characters in the book, perhaps hinting at stories will be resolved in future books by Hunter. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book.

I saw this book was available as an ARC, so I snapped it up! Hunter is one of my favorite romance writers (Loretta Chase being the other). They're both very consistent in their own ways.
In Hunter's case, she writes great heroines, and good heroes who straddle the line between arrogant and caring. You can literally see the evolution in how romance writers and women in general view the relationships between men and women by reading the last decade or so of Hunter's novels. In her earlier books, the men are more assholish (technical term), but still attractive, interesting, capable. They inevitably have mistresses because isn't that what rich aristos did 200 years ago? The women are always smart, hold their own, have a backbone with a bit of vulnerability.

But, as I said, evolution. Now we want women who are independent and have a life of their own beyond mooning over their man. We want men who are a little more considerate, maybe have a real job. The mistress thing- less appealing. And so this is what Hunter gives us in this series. Three books based on three independent women who become heiresses thanks to a Duke's largesse. Three men who are cousins, relatives of the late duke and all of them appear to have some sort of real job. In this book, Kevin (terrible name choice for a Regency character, IMO) is an inventor. Rosamund is a hatmaker who unexpectedly inherits a fortune from a duke AND half of Kevin's business. There's a pretty big class difference between them, which comes up a few times. Kevin is a bit of an eccentric, so the class piece doesn't seem to overly bother him. I don't have much to add on the plot as it meanders along fairly well, and both characters are likable in their own way.

But I will say this is my least memorable Hunter read. There's a bit of drama toward the end that I enjoyed, and I wish that Kevin had to grovel a bit more, as much as I enjoyed Rosamund's speech. But there wasn't enough.. tension? Chemistry? Something I can't quite put my finger on. It was bland, I'll say that. As a Hunter aficionado, I'll say that many of her books leaned toward the guy being borderline jerk-ish for parts of the story, but she had some books with a fine balance between both characters (respectful but opinionated characters!), such as "Never Deny a Duke," which is my favorite Hunter book. Books work when the chemistry is good, the conversation is compelling, and both characters have a metaphorical spine and a heart. In this case, the chemistry is almost purely sexual and I don't get a good sense of their connection outside the physical.

I became a fan of Madeline Hunter when I first discovered The Seducer series, enjoyed her wit in the Lady Travelers series, and she has never disappointed me since - however I must say that Heiress in Red Silk is my very favorite of her books! The wonderful storyline and by-play between Rosamund and Kevin is delightful - I could not put the book down, from start to finish. Really a “must read” book for Madeline’s fans both old and new.

I enjoyed the book. I have read books by this author before and enjoyed them. I like the background of the story having gifts given to women of a poorer background by the old duke and the story showing the many differences and how the problems are solved. If I was out looking for something new to read I would purchase the book and recommend it to others. I also look forward to the next book in the series regarding the new duke.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rosamund James, a struggling hat maker, recieves an unexpected sum of money instantly making her an heiress and part owner of a business venture with Kevin Radnor. This story revolves around these two trying to make their business relationship work, and trying to decide if their desire can blossom into love.

I'm so conflicted about how I feel about this book. At times, I really enjoyed it and at other times it fell a little flat for me.

Firstly, I love Rosamund. She is an intelligent business woman already, and pretty self sufficient. She wants to be an equal partner to Kevin, and wants to help decide the direction of the company. She doesn't enjoy when Kevin thinks that she doesn't understand or know what she is doing. She wants to be seen as capable and not being easily taken advantage of.

I even enjoyed Kevin as a character. I like that he didn't care what his family thought whatsoever. He was not going to let them dictate how his life was going to be. He was an inventor, and very passionate about his dreams. I liked that he wasn't an aristocrat who just sat around doing the same old stuff in romance novels.

My problems with this book stem from thatwhile the story and the premise to be were enjoyable, I felt absolutely zero romance or passion at all. Their love story was vanilla bland boring. Some of their sex scenes got robotic and odd that I almost had a hard time reading them because of the language of them. None of their interactions revealed the depth of them falling in love, and honestly I'm shocked how either one figured out they were in love with each other in the end.

So, I liked the idea, the story, and the characters. I missed the romance, and if that had been better then this would have gotten a higher rating from me.

I loved the first book in this trilogy, so I couldn’t wait to see what the second book had in store. In this story we meet Rosamund, who is a milliner, & we re-meet Kevin Radnor. Rosamund is his newest partner in his enterprise & he wants her gone so he can go about his business. Well, his plans don’t go his way because she’s not about to step down. I love these characters, even the side characters. Which we meet a lot of them in the first book, so I highly recommend reading that first. Although, this one didn’t have the “flair” of the first book, but I still enjoyed it. I liked Rosamund and Kevin together. I liked that she didn’t back down from him & that she was strong and independent. Kevin was a good hero, not one that I fell in love with, but I like him nonetheless.

I’m really falling in love with Madeline Hunter’s writing. I have to wait an entire year for the third book & that’s so disappointing because I can not wait for that story! I was hoping it would be about Nicholas & it is!!

*Than you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Heiress in Red Silk, was a book that couldn't keep my attention long. Took me awhile to get through it. I wished for more about Kevin's inventions.

Madeline Hunter fans will not be disappointed by this book. Rosamund suddenly comes into a fortune and half of a business venture. Her only issue is....her new partner. Kevin was shocked when his uncle left half of his invention to Rosamund; but soon he realizes a partnership between the two is just what he needed.

In this story we see the second heiress Rosamund Jameson goes from struggling shopkeeper to heiress to being a co-owner of a new business. Rosamund has been struggling to make ends meet and send her sister off to school. But along with her inheritance comes a business partner Kevin Radnor. He was shocked that his late uncle, the Duke of Hollinburgh, bequeathed half his company to a total stranger and a woman at that. Kevin knows he has to persuade her not to sell and decides to keep her close as they work together to make his invention success. Radnor is drawn to the seductive Rosamund and romance is in the air, but who is seducing who. Radnor is so afraid of someone stealing his idea he keeps a close eye on her and what better way than through a marriage of convenience. Radnor purposes a marriage of convenience that will elevate Rosamund’s status, her hat business in London and her sister too. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent story filled with two strongly independent people in this intriguing romance with a few twist and turns along the way as they navigate the business world.

Not my favourite title by Madeline Hunter or for that matter, the series, which only has two titles so far... but, I also have no true complaints. Kevin irked me at times and I don't think he treated Rosamund nearly as well as she deserved but in all, the title provided a quick jaunt back in time with swoon-worthy scenes and pure entertainment value. I can't wait for the next title as I need closure on the overall mystery woven throughout the series.

An opposites attract historical romance with an aristocratic man who shares the rights to his invention with a working class woman. When he proposes, is it because of the intense chemistry between them or so that he can get full control of the invention?

I wasn't too thrilled with this story. It felt like there was too much information given in one book. My mistake is I neglected to read the first book in the series so that maybe why it may feel like too much was given in one storyline.

Regardless of that, I still enjoy reading Madeline Hunter books and I am counting down till her next book.

i loved this book. The writing was amazing and the characters and the story was so sweet. This is my first book of this author but wont be the last.

I loved this book. This author is one of my go to historical romance. I have been reading her books for years and they just keep getting better and better. I love being pulled into the book from the beginning. The characters are connectable and bring the story to life for me. They made the story easy and fun to read. This is a story about Rosamund's life is about to change drastically. She finds out that she is half owner of a business. The only problem is Kevin. He owns the other half but what happens between these two you do not want to miss. I won't say to much because I highly recommend reading this story. It truely is a great story that I don't regret picking up and neither will you.

When I finished reading The Heiress in Red Silk I felt like it ended too soon. Kevin was a difficult hero to like, which I think was the author’s intention. But did he ever redeem himself! Rosamund was a strong heroine who was not really easy to like as well, but I loved them both by the end of the story. I am really looking forward to Nicholas’ story!

Heiress in Red Silk is the second in a series, but it's the first one that I've read by this author. It follows tenant farmer's daughter turned milliner turned heiress Rosamund and inventor Kevin as they meet, become (reluctantly) business partners, and then become lovers.

Set in Victorian England, the backdrop is a little different than many historical romance novels. There's a vague steampunk feeling that left me a little cold. While I rather liked Rosamund's intrepidness, Kevin seemed a lot like one of his father's automations, clicking along with a single purpose, rolling over (or trying to) anyone or anything in the way. More than once, I thought that he might be somewhere on the spectrum. Obviously, if that's the case, it wouldn't have been something known at the time, and there isn't enough written into his character for the reader to know for sure that there's an explanation for his jackassery. (If he is indeed on the spectrum, an author's note discussing it would have been helpful and could have been very informative.) In short, he just comes off as a self-absorbed jerk.

Rosamund, on the other hand, is very likable. She handles the difficulties in her life with a fair amount of calm. I enjoyed the parts discussing her millinery, especially since, in historical romances, hat shops are often just settings for tonnish displays of wealth and cattiness. However, while we can explain away the five-year blinders she wore for her ex as a product of youthful naivete, her attraction to Kevin is a total mystery.

There's a story in the background involving s potential murder that never fully gains traction. I believe it started in the first novel, and I expect it will resolve in the next. However, it received lackluster attention in this novel, serving only to make me question Kevin more than exonerate him. No, I don't think he's the culprit (he's the romantic hero, after all), but it still seems off.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

3.5/5. What happens when two calculating people cross path? You get a iron-clad business arrangement where each detail is pondered and negotiated over, leaving absolutely no room for romance. Oh, there's physical attraction alright, but that's something concrete that they can lock down. Feelings - well, that's more airy-fairy stuff and best left for the romantics and definitely not applicable to either protagonist. Solid writing as expected from Hunter but marked down for the almost complete lack of emotional regard between the two leads until the last few pages.

3 1/2 stars. A refreshing Victorian romance novel that is not focused on the ton--oh, there is interaction with people of the highest levels of society, and that includes the male lead, but he is also focused on the dreaded trade. Rosamund is milliner who runs her own shop and has business sense who discovers that she has unexpectedly inherited a fortune and is half owner in a business of a new invention. The other half belongs to the inventor, Kevin Radnor (whose relatives believe the inheritance should be theirs, not Rosamund), who resents some unknown having any say in his precious invention. To say things don’t go well at first is an understatement. Sparks fly, an understanding of sorts is reached, troubles ensue…

I really liked Rosamund who was more down-to-earth than Kevin and could hold her own against the insulting high society types. Kevin was more the obsessive intensity sort and more worried about his wants without always considering the feeling of others, including being manipulative. But Rosamund wasn’t easy to manipulate. I didn’t always like Kevin, particularly when he was frustrated and angry; he said some nasty things to Rosamund.

I liked the slow burn of this romance. The conversations were not trite and I felt they really got to know each other and a realistic evolution of their relationship. I was a little disappointed in the ending. Without going into details, Kevin needed to make more of an attempt to prove that he wouldn’t act the way he did in the future.

Although part of a series, it was easy to pick up what had gone before without feeling lost but it did make me want to read the first one in the series. I’ve always enjoyed Hunter’s women characters who did unusual things for the time they were in but it wasn’t unfeasible for it to be true. Overall, a good read.

I received a free ARC in return for an honest opinion from Netgalley and the publisher.

This is the second book in The Duke's Heiress series.  Kevin Radnor is one of the duke's heirs who has to deal with the unusual changes in his will.  He is forced to partner in his invention with a woman no one knows, with no explanation as to why she is involved.  Rosamund only briefly met the duke before his death and was surprised at the inheritance.  Kevin doesn't play well with most people so has to learn to trust in order to move his project forward.  They both learn to work together and realize love comes even when you're not looking for it.  Highly recommended.

3.5 stars. The first book in this series, Heiress for Hire, was one of my favorite books from 2020, so my expectations going into this were perhaps too high. Parts of this were definitely enjoyable (especially Rosamund's character, and their trip to Paris), but overall the romance never really came together for me and the murder mystery cliffhanger from book 1 wasn't progressed here at all. Madeline Hunter is still an excellent author, and I am looking forward to continuing to read this series, but this would not rank among my favorite books by her.

In terms of the good parts, I really liked that the main characters were not your typical romance personalities. Rosamund is the daughter of a tenant farmer who suddenly inherits a fortune from the late Duke, whom she only met briefly while he was alive. She struggled and overcame many personal challenges in her life to start her own successful millinery business and to care for her younger sister. She does not take any flack from Kevin's obnoxious family and is not swayed by their threats. As with Minerva in book 1, Rosamund as a whole was unique and refreshing and I was really rooting for her to get everything she wanted.

Kevin unfortunately did not work for me as a romantic lead. I wasn't sure if the reader was supposed to interpret his behavior as being on the spectrum (though obviously at the time he was just considered eccentric) or if he was just a callous and self-absorbed a-hole. If it was the former, this was a missed opportunity to explore that area, especially in a historical romance. However, his behavior toward Rosamund in the last quarter of the book ruined the chemistry that seemed to be building between them and, like another reviewer noted, left me feeling like there is no genuine HEA possible for them. Especially after Rosamund was mistreated by her first love, Charles, and how much it devastated her, seeing Kevin repeatedly belittle and berate her went beyond something that could be fixed with a tepid apology.

I'm looking forward to reading the new Duke's story next and hopefully finally finding out who killed the old one!

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!