This is enemies (or rivals, or competitors) to lovers done in style. Set in a gilded bubble of old money and judgy society, against the backdrop of a family feud that persists out of generational habit, this has varied and nuanced characters who are messy and conflicted and the products of their upbringing, and good grief does that produce a bucketload of tension, drama, yearning and ultimately some of the best fighting-as-foreplay I've ever read. The way Emory and Aiden gradually break down their own and each other's walls to get beyond the surface personas they show to the world is just so well written, and they (and we as readers) are rewarded with such sweetness and honesty. Truly one of my favourite books this year, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next instalment.

Thank you to Sophia Travers and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Heir is an angsty tale of two business rivals who decide to marry in order to split a contested plot of land and fulfill their personal interests. Emory Hunter needs to legitimize her families casino while Aiden Prince, the Heir, wants to recreate a long lost whiskey in his father’s honor. When they find out a marriage is needed in order to resolve the issue, they enter into a marriage of convenience.

I won’t lie, this is my favorite trope and it’s done really well here which is not always the case. I truly felt the animosity the two felt for each other and you feel them thawing out and becoming softer toward one another. The Prince siblings have a really interesting dynamic and I really enjoyed how they all accepted Emory.

I loved how Emory was ambitious as well as intelligent. She donates money to a high school she never went to and coaches a mathlete team. We love smart and strong women! Aiden was also a delight! May we all find a man who buys all of our favorite books and then every book we’ve ever wanted to read. It was nice to see stuttering being treated as a character trait and not a flaw.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was a fast and spicy read. And while this is pretty much also a billionaire romance, the author acknowledges in the end note how that wealth was acquired and mentions donating proceeds to appropriate councils. We love to see it.