Susan Anne Mason: A Most Noble Heir

By Kelly Bridgewater

When stable hand Nolan Price learns from his dying mother that he is actually the son of the Earl of Stainsby, his plans for a future with kitchen maid Hannah Burnham are shattered. Once he is officially acknowledged as the earl's heir, Nolan will be forbidden to marry beneath his station.

Unwilling to give up the girl he loves, he devises a plan to elope--believing that once their marriage is sanctioned by God, Lord Stainsby will be forced to accept their union. However, as Nolan struggles to learn the ways of the aristocracy, he finds himself caught between pleasing Hannah and living up to his father's demanding expectations.

At every turn, forces work to keep the couple apart, and a solution to remain together seems further and further away. With Nolan's new life pulling him irrevocably away from the woman he loves, it seems only a miracle will bring them back together.

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My Thoughts:

I enjoy the Courage to Dream series by Susan Anne Mason, and I was excited when I heard that Mason had created another novel, A Most Noble Heir. With a historical romance, I expected a historical setting filled with life in the past and characters who interact with each other in that time period. With A Most Noble Heir, I was taken back to the late nineteenth century and enjoyed my time with these characters.

The writing jumped from the pages. Mason does a great job at using Deep Point of View and allowing me to really experience the movement and internal thoughts of each individual character. Mason does a great job at creating the setting and allowing me to really see the setting. I could imagine the two mansions and adore all the marvelous settings.

The heroine and hero are different than most wealthy heroine and heroes in stories. Nolan doesn't find out he's an heir to a great fortune until the beginning of the book or around his twenty-first birthday. Nolan is an admirable character who actually makes me swoon a couple of times at the strong love he has for Hannah, and his willingness to give away all his new found fortune in order to be with Hannah, a kitchen maid. Hannah is a strong woman who loves Nolan and gives him the chance to decide if he really wants to give up everything for her. Both characters have a deep faith in God, and they don't change their faith in God for anything.

The plot was different. I have read a number of stories where the characters discover they have money, but they have a hard time adjusting to this new found life. In The Most Noble Heir, Nolan does everything with the plan to keep Hannah as his wife. No matter the cost. The plot moved quickly and kept my attention riveted to the story. I really enjoyed the story and can't wait to see what else Mason creates.

Overall, A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason is a delightful unique story with amazing characters and a wonderful setting for a romance story. Fans of Mason's other works or Lorna Seilstad works will enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of A Most Noble Heir by Susan Anne Mason from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars