Rules for Heiresses follows The Princess Stakes by Amalie Howard, I read both books back to back after meeting the heroine Ravenna in TPS. I enjoy diverse characters being represented in historical romances and that is why I was excited to pick up both of these books by an own voices author. I liked that the heroine of the previous book was biracial/half Indian and in this book we have a half Creole hero. This book grabbed my attention from the start and I enjoyed it so much.

Lady Ravenna Huntley snuck aboard one of her brother’s ships and had been residing in Antigua where she had disguised herself as a young man, “Mr. Raven Hunt”. The story opens with her being confronted by the hotel owner, Courtland Chase, claiming she’s been cheating playing cards. And chaos ensues from there quickly…he threatens to lock her up in jail for the night, her identity as a woman and as Lady Ravenna is revealed, the owner learns he has just become Duke, she pulls a gun on him, Ravenna realizes he is Cordy (her long-lost childhood nemesis/neighbor/friend/betrothed) that everyone assumed was dead, they make out, get caught by others, and are then forced into a marriage of convenience to save her reputation.

Courtland Chase, much like the hero in book 1, is a reluctant Duke. He ran away/was sent away to Antigua years back to find his maternal relatives and escape a stepmother and half-brother who hated his “mixed blood” they deemed unworthy of the ducal estate. I loved the history between Courtland & Ravenna, they grew up together and knew one another as children and hearing their reminiscing moments about one another growing up was so sweet. I really liked seeing Ravenna prove to Courtland how worthy of everything he was, her love and willingness to fight for what he was owed was great. I loved seeing the couple of book 1 in this, Sarani & Rhystan (Ravenna’s brother). Both books are super steamy, filled with delicious chemistry, and just have the strongest heroines.

I also really appreciated the epilogue and seeing how Courtland’s complicated relationships with his half brother, half sisters and stepmother played out. The author’s note at the end was great too, the research involved and the author’s own story of being born and raised in a colonial country just add another layer to this book and her previous book, The Princess Stakes.

3.5 stars (rounded up on GR). Thank you to the publisher (Sourcebooks Casablanca) for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts & review. Rules for Heiresses has a publish date of October 26, 2021.

I enjoyed this romance between two strong characters set in the Caribbean and England. Ravenna and Courtland have an uphill battle to recognize their love and gain acceptance, amidst her fight for her freedom and his being the mixed-race heir to a Dukedom. Although forced to marry to avoid scandal, it soon becomes obvious that their long-standing feelings for each other are real and lasting.

An own voices historical romance with a biracial hero sounded intriguing, however it turned out a little different than I expected. It was more of a traditional old school romance with a premise that demands a lot of suspension of disbelief (a huge amount of serendipity at the beginning of the story). The writing was very engaging and once I got over the initial reaction I found myself engaging with the characters and the story. Ravenna, the overly modern spunky heroine dress as a boy and travels to Antigua there she engages in a game of cards with her former childhood friend and first fiancé who was presumed and declared dead. In an ensuing altercation she is exposed as female and they marry to save her reputation. Concurrently our hero is informed that he has inherited a dukedom and they travel back to England where they intend to show a united front as a married couple and marry off his younger sisters.

All in all a fun read if not groundbreaking.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me this arc via Netgalley!

Rules for Heiresses is a unique historical romance that follows Ravenna Huntley and Courtland Chase, childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in ten years. Ravenna has run away from England and many unwanted marriage proposals in an effort to avoid a loveless marriage and the stifling of her independence. Posing as a man, Ravenna is accused of cheating at a gambling hall in Antigua, and when threatened with imprisonment by the owner, must reveal herself as a woman.

Courtland is stunned when the man he suspected of cheating is not only a woman but also his childhood friend (and former betrothed) Ravenna. Driven from England by his stepmother, Courtland has made a good life for himself and swore he’d never return to England and the people who rejected him. However, when the pair is caught in a compromising situation, marriage is their only solution, and when Courtland learns he is now a duke, their return to England is inevitable. Now the couple must face old wounds, new enemies, and a growing affection for each other and decide if their marriage is more than just one of convenience.

Ravenna is a unique and passionate woman who refuses to submit to the confining rules of high society. She is her own woman, independent, self-assured, and very much ahead of her time. Ravenna thirsts for adventure and is determined to live her life the way she pleases. I love that she doesn’t bow to the dictates of society and instead fights for what she believes in.

Courtland, a man who is judged for his race and often treated differently because of it, is cold and calculating. Emotionally closed off, he wears a mask and keeps himself at a distance from others so he can’t be hurt as he was in the past. Ravenna is one of the few that Courtland lets in, and watching Ravenna slowly break through his walls is fantastic. She remembers the boy she grew up with, and she sees the wonderful, passionate man beneath the mask.

I love the romance between Courtland and Ravenna. Betrothed childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in years, Ravenna and Courtland have explosive chemistry. I also love the way that Courtland accepts Ravenna unconditionally. He admires her fiery and independent spirit, as well as her curiosity and rebellious ways. He also treats her as an equal. She is his partner, and he respects her opinions and feelings. Ravenna’s unwavering support and acceptance of Courtland are equally lovely. I also really like when they talk about their times together as children. They share a long history of friendship, and that bond develops into an epic love story. Both characters are searching for a place where they feel like they belong, and I love that they find it in each other.

Like the first book, the author highlights many issues experienced during this time, especially sexism and racism. Ravenna struggles with the burden of being the perfect English lady as it takes away her independence. Courtland experiences terrible racism and prejudice. Both characters are judged harshly by an unforgiving, intolerant, and harmful society. I like that the author addresses these topics, and I found the Author’s Note at the end of the book, which discusses the inclusion of them, very interesting.

I enjoyed this story as much as I did The Princess Stakes, which focuses on Ravenna’s brother. It has well-developed and interesting characters, strong messages, action and adventure, and a wonderful love story, and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of historical romance. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Amalie Howard for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars

Wow this book had me hooked right at the beginning! I loved how it started right away with the action. Ravenna and Courtland were such a fun couple to watch fall in love. They were both stubborn and set in their ways which caused some hiccups in their love story.

Ravenna was not interested in society’s laws or decorum. It was fun to watch how she would deliberately disobey social decorum. I enjoyed that she was fiery and her own person.

Courtland had his own issues due to insecurity about his background. He was led to believe the lies his family told him. This made him gruff and cold. I loved watching Ravenna melt that icy demeanor. And how helpless he was to her. Most of the book he was warring with himself on what to do.

Even though this was a historical romance it didn’t lack in the romance part. Courtland and Ravenna were affectionate and flirty. I loved their banter and seeing the emotions they had for each other. I also loved that it wasn’t insta love. There was attraction first, and then it turned into love.

Overall really enjoyed this book. The angst was perfect and not too over the top. I enjoyed seeing Courtland try to figure out what he really wanted. I liked that Ravenna already knew what she wanted.

Ms. Howard has done it again!
We meet Ravenna in The Princess Stake. Having seen his brother find love and battle society's standards to maintain that love, Ravenna will never settle for anything else. So when she is almost compromised she decides to take her life into her own hands, get into a ship in disguise, and make her way into Antigua. Then she makes her living playing and counting cards when she encounters Cordy - the new Duke of Ashton - who accuses her of cheating and will publically strip her naked to see where she has hidden the cards. Until she has to tell him that she is a female and who she is. Cordy and Ravenna were next-door neighbors and were once engaged until it was rumored that Cordy had died. Fast forward 10 years later, Cordy is in Antigua running his business and is asked to return to London to claim his Dukedom. Both she and him are caught in a compromising situation and the best thing they can do is marry so that the scandal doesn't reflect on Cordy's younger sisters. Once they arrive in London, all the odds are against them, but Ravenna is strong and she can withstand anything that gets in her way, even Cordy.
What I liked about this book and the previous one is that it clashes with society's expectations of marriage between high society and what they considered low society. It is marvelous who she portrays Sarani and Cordy who are both of mixed descend. The author is giving us a new feminist, Ravenna doesn't care and she gets things done regardless of what they might think of her and she doesn't rely on the make characters to defend herself. The author also gives us diversity, I think it's the first series I have read where there are multiple characters from different ethnic backgrounds, and two of those are the main characters.

Lady Ravenna Huntley, sister to a duke, is pursued by everyone but she refuses to marry. She has wanderlust and very modern opinions. When she is threatened, she assumes the persona of Mr. Raven Hunt, boards one of her brother’s ships and ends up in Antigua. Playing cards is easy for her and as she sits across from Chase, she is accused of cheating. That begins their relationship, however, as it turns out, he is her long lost childhood friend. Chase is now the Duke of Courtland and must return home to settle affairs. Caught in a compromising position, Ravenna and Chase marry. Their adventure is fraught with spies, intrigue, family squabbles, and an arrest. Amalie Howard writes a beautiful tale of two misfits who fit together perfectly!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After seeing her brother find love, Lady Ravenna Huntley will not marry for anything less. She may be the daughter and sister of a duke, but she knows her own worth, and will do whatever she can to secure her independence, even if that means stowing away on her brother's ship, disguised as a man, and travelling to Antigua as Mr Raven Hunt. And she manages quite well, until she finds herself in the gaming hall of Lord Courtland Chase, who sees right through her. After all, they were once engaged, and were friends as children. Courtland has been in exile since his stepmother and half brother drove him from England, and he never wishes to return. But when he and Ravenna were found in a compromising position, but the very lawyer who'd arrived on the island to tell Courtland he was now the Duke of Ashton, and needed to return to London immediately to reclaim his estate - which was being claimed by his brother, Stinson. Now forced to marry, Ravenna and Courtland agree to make it worth it, even if it is only a marriage of convenience - or is it?

I simply loved this! It was such a good book, and perfect to read straight after I had finished The Princess Stakes. When we met Ravenna in that book, she was full of potential, and though her brother, Rhystan, didn't know much about her, and seemed to want to marry her off, I hoped we would see her again, and in her own story - and this story was perfect for her! We saw her independent side, and her want for adventure. Okay, she took great risks in travelling to Antigua, lying to her family saying she was in Scotland at a friend's, but by making the leap, she saw the world, and rediscovered Courtland - or Cordy as she called him - who she had thought died when they were younger and he disappeared. I love the childhood friends to lovers trope, and this book did it perfectly. Both of them had changed and grown in the time they had been apart, but they were still the people who had feelings for each other as children. Courtland's heritage as half-Creole is the reason he was pushed out of England, and his stepmother and brother treated him as a lesser citizen for it, with his two sisters sometimes going along with their mother's whims. It's only because of his position as heir to the dukedom that he was treated with any sort of respect, and even then, Stinson was going around using Courtland's title, acting as if he was dead, and Stinson was the true heir. Because of this, Courtland feels as if Ravenna has taken a step down by marrying him, even when it's made her a duchess, and is aloof and distant from her, which hurts. All she wants is for the closeness between them to grow, and for it to be a true marriage of equals, not for her to be a token duchess, to be kept as a trophy wife and hostess. The plot line with the conniving American, Mr Sommers, was ingenious, and I loved the resolution of all the plot lines. I can't wait for Amalie's next book - I'll be impatiently waiting!

Ravenna Huntley chafes under the social pressures of life as the daughter of a duke. She’s refused all marriage offers, and to escape the most recent, she actually runs away from England. We meet her in Antigua, dressed as a boy, playing cards in a hotel gaming room. Accused of cheating by an opponent, she’d rather give up a finger than spend a night in jail and reveal her identity as an unmarried woman. But the opponent turns out to Courtland Chase, newly minted Duke of Ashvale, her childhood neighbor, and boy to whom she was engaged in infancy. Somewhere between recognition and emotion, they are caught in the middle of a passionate kiss, and forced to marry. But Courtland has a mind to keep their marriage one of convenience, thinking it is safer for Ravenna if they are distanced from one another. Ravenna, who never wanted to marry in the first place, finds herself drawn to her new husband in ways she’d never imagined. One very large obstacle stands in the way of their happiness: Courtland’s half brother has contested the legitimacy of his birthright on the basis that perhaps Courtland’s parents’ marriage wasn’t legitimate, because Courtland’s mother, who died in childbirth, was a commoner and a freewoman who was Antiguan.

I had high hopes going into this one. Like the first book, The Princess Stakes, the premise is interesting: mixed race Duke, heiress who doesn’t like high society, cross-Atlantic action, a heroine who loves the sea. And yet, also like the first, the execution of this book fell flat for me. I love feminist spins on my historical romances, but I also like characters who would seem to fit into their time period. While I liked Ravenna, I found her a little more modern, and I felt as though I couldn’t get a good read on Courtland. Both of our main characters ranged hot and cold, and like the first book, and character motive was inconsistent. That said, the plot was fun (any historical romance with espionage and the ocean will get a thumbs up from me), the setting of Antigua was a nice change of pace, and addressing issues of race and prejudice in high society is welcome.

Rules for Heiresses gets 3.5 stars from me.

Loved this book! The pining is on point. Badass heroine. Also, this book made me want to go back to the Caribbean ASAP. Loved every minute of it. My second Amalie Howard book and I can’t wait to read her back list!

Amalie Howard is a go to writer for me. I love her historic romances, because the heroines always have a mind of their own and take life in their own hands. This book is no exception.

Ravenna is on the run from a bad marriage proposal and craves freedom and adventure, but her adventure is cut short when she meets Courtland. They quickly discover that, although they are far from home, they are not strangers.

I loved the marriage of convenience romance in this book. A big thing that held me back from loving this book is that it has a lot of similarities with The Princess Stakes (also from Amalie Howard). A lot of the romance and character development felt similar to me.

This is not the first book I've read by this author but it won't be the last.
This is a funny and witty book loved reading it
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
I was so excited to get this title approved since I've been craving a good marriage of convenience in an historical novel, specially if it's a "trapped in marriage" situation.
However, in this one the circumstances didn't really appeal to me. It was all very lusty from the start, which set the tone for the whole book. 70% of it is them just looking at each other while thinking about sex, or actually touching each other and having sex, which I really didn't appreciate.
This is more of a personal taste critic, but I really hate writing that uses too many exclamation points, and the author in this book really did not spare them, specially in the beginning.
Moreover, there was something that sounds stupid, but really annoyed me. Ravenna kept calling him "Cordy" and he kept saying "no one's called me that in years".
Overall, this sounded really good but didn't correspond to my expectations. However, If you want a convenience marriage with a childhood connection and A LOT of lust, this may be what you are looking for.

I have to start out by saying that I have loved all of Amalie Howard's books that I've read so far and this was no exception. I love how Howard writes smart, feisty, and feminist female characters. "Rules for Heiresses" is a fun second chance, childhood friends to lovers adventure. Within the first few pages, I knew this book was going to be a favorite.

Ravenna and Courtland were childhood friends who became estranged as teens. Through happenstance, they meet again in Antigua in their mid twenties during a card game. Hilarity ensues and a marriage of convenience is proposed. I loved that Courtland told Ravenna from the beginning that he didn't want her to change her personality just because she is married. This book had plenty of steam, tension, ocean liners, and spy intrigue. I can't wait to see what Amalie Howard comes up with next.

Thank you so much to Amalie Howard and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review.

I was hesitating to read anything by this author as some reviews for her previous book revealed that there were issues that were not tackled like they should have been. However, I am glad that this my arc request for this book was approved because I loved it! Both main characters were great, as well the the secondary cast. Some scenes are memorable. Courtland is determined to keep Ravenna at a distance, but for how long will he be able to resist her?
A new author for me to add to my list of historical romance authors.

An enjoyable read about two people who find each other again after years of being apart. Ravenna has refused suitor after suitor and has escaped onto a ship after a horrible incident. She gets herself into a bit of a jam with the owner of a hotel, who suspects her of cheating. Little does she know this man is Courtland, the man she was promised to as a child, but was believed to be dead. Courtland enjoys his life after his stepmother and brother made him leave. He has created a successful and profitable business but has no interest in being the duke. However, Courtland returns with Ravenna to England to handle the situation as well as assist the crown with their operation. Courtland and Ravenna each have their own plans but neither expected the old feelings that would arise. But Courtland keeps Ravenna at a distance, which frustrates her, but moves her to action.
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A hoyden, Ravenna, and a self-imposed exile, Courtland, find themselves in a compromising position and are forced to marry. Upon returning to England, they must work together to bring down enemies. I did find Stinson’s character hard to believe. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for my honest review.

Most stories will have you wade through the shallow waters of a few introductory chapters to get our feet wet. But, in Rules for Heiresses, Ms. Howard tosses you straight into the deep-end as our hero and heroine (in disguise) first face off in a battle of wits at the card table and then a battle of wills when they are soon after caught in a very compromising position.

Betrothed as children and the best of friends until bigotry and greed tear them apart, Ravenna and Courtland were destined to be reunited, but old hurts and new enemies are determined to destroy any chances of a "Happily Ever After" for this volatile couple.

Fortunately for them both, Ravenna is no damsel in distress, willing to simply let fate run it's course!

To put it bluntly, she's a bit of a bad-ass! And I love her to pieces.

Courtland is no slouch in that department either, but years of childhood mental abuse have created protective walls around his heart that only a woman as strong-willed as Ravenna stands a chance of breaching them.

Finding in Courtland someone who accepts her unconditionally, Ravenna is more than up for the challenge of winning his heart and taking down anyone who stands in her way.

If you love stories that feature strong heroines who fight as passionately as they love and heroes that adore them for it, then you will simply love Rules for Heiresses as much I did.

It's a fast paced and steamy roller-coaster ride that doesn't hesitate to break the traditional rules and roles of your typical historical romance set in this period, taking readers on one hell of a ride!

Lord Courtland Chase catches his childhood friend Lady Ravenna Huntley counting cards at his hotel and casino in the west indies. They are forced into a marriage of convenience when they are caught in a compromising embrace by his solicitor who is also there to announce him as the heir to the dukedom of Ashvale.

After marrying Ravenna, Chase takes her back to London to claim his inheritance and deal with his hostile stepmother and half-siblings.

There are themes on race and class in this book, similar to the first. However, it's Chase's mother who is half-creole and from the west indies. He struggles to feel worthy of the dukedom and acceptance within his family and the ton.

The transitions in this book are terrible. In one scene they go from talking about getting married to being at their wedding and a month has passed. I was so confused and had a hard time keeping up with the story in places when this would happen. The story itself is really nice and steamy. I loved Chase and Ravenna and how perfect they were for each other. I loved how they both acknowledged it early on even if they did fight it. I hated how long it took for Chase to come around and how much he screwed with Ravenna's emotions as a result. I would have loved to see that play out differently. But I love how everything is resolved and how he eventually finds acceptance.

I enjoy Howard's storytelling. It can be rough in places but nothing that better editing couldn't fix.

This is an enjoyable historical romance that hinges on some inheritance shenanigans. Courtland has been abroad for many years, and his family in England (stepmother and half siblings) have told everyone that he's dead. Ravenna, one of his oldest friends, somehow stumbles into his hotel-cum-casino dressed as a man on the same night that Courtland discovers that he's inherited his grandfather's dukedom. They're caught in a compromising situation, have to get married, and then return to England to sort everything out. And that's just the first few chapters of the book!

Courtland and Ravenna are super hot for each other right away, but Courtland makes the unilateral decision that he won't act on their desire. When we say "unilateral" we mean that he gives her no explanation for his actions (and he runs very hot and very cold - "hooking up with her one night and ignoring her for the next 5 days" hot and cold). The book has some interesting commentary on race - Courtland's mother was a "free Creole," and his mixed race heritage is one of the reasons his stepmother used to exile him abroad, leading to some internalized racism - but we wished it had been explored in a more meaningful way. Check this one out if you love relationship angst, protective men, and the independent women who love them.