Publication Date: May 15, 2023
Following the death of her mother, Corinna Ormesby has lived a quiet life in the countryside with her cantankerous Cousin Agnes. Her father’s identity has been a tantalizing mystery, but now at nineteen Corinna knows that finding him may be her only way to avoid marriage to the odious Mr. Beech.
Deciding to head to London, Corinna dons a male disguise. Travelling alone as a young woman risks scandal and danger, but when, masquerading as a youth, she is befriended by three dashing blades, handsome and capable Alick Wolfe, dandy Ferdinand Shilton and the incorrigible Lord Purfoy, Corinna now has access to the male-only world of Regency England. And when she meets Alick’s turbulent brother Darius, a betrayal of trust leads to deadly combat which only one of the brothers may survive.
From gambling in gentleman’s clubs to meeting the courtesans of Covent Garden, Corinna’s country naivety soon falls away. But when she finds her father at last, learns the truth about her parentage and discovers her fortunes transformed, she must quickly decide how to reveal her true identity, while hoping that one young man in particular can see her for the beauty and Lady she really is.
In An Unsuitable Heiress, all Corinna wants is to be a portrait painter in spite of her cousin’s efforts to marry her off. Tucked away in a small village in the English countryside, the young woman also yearns to go to London in an effort to discover who her father was.
However, in the early years of the 19th century, it was certainly frowned upon for a young woman to travel unchaperoned. Corinna flips the script by dressing as a boy and sets off on an adventure that crosses paths with three young Corinthians.
Author Jane Dunn delivers a light-hearted Regency romp that takes on a more serious tone when Corinna’s search leads her to the Earl of Ramsbury.
With a spirited dog and interesting secondary characters, drama breaks out regarding Corinna’s inheritance, putting her in danger.
An Unsuitable Heiress tells the story of a young woman who has the courage to live as she pleases and, in the process, finds love.
Jane Dunn is an historian and biographer and the author of seven acclaimed biographies, including Daphne du Maurier and her Sisters, and the Sunday Times and NYT bestseller, Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens. She comes to Boldwood with her first fiction outing – a trilogy of novels set in the Regency period, the first of which, The Marriage Season, is to be published in January 2023. She lives in Berkshire with her husband, the linguist Nicholas Ostler.
Amy, thank you so very much for such a lovely review of my book. It’s such a joy to connect with readers and reviewers who feel the same way about the characters I have lived with and loved. Warmest thanks and best wishes, Jane