A Caribbean Heiress in Paris: A Historical Romance

Refreshingly original and steamy historical romance The beginning of the story is a bit weighed down with a plethora of character and backstory details, but once I was able to get it all sorted the story came together nicely. Luz Alana, along with her young sister and several friends, travels from the Dominican Republic in 1889 to Paris for an international exposition. Luz is seeking to expand her family's rum distillery while on her way to Edinburgh to claim her inheritance. Right away, she meets Evan, a huge Scot who is displaying his whisky while also pursuing a plan to secure the entire business away from his wastrel father. Turns out, they each are being held back by wills that require them to be married in order to inherit. Soon a marriage of convenience is devised, and that familiar trope is played out exactly as one would expect. A fine story in itself, but not nearly the entirety of this reading experience. Luz Alana is like no other heroine I've ever read. Sharp-tongued and quick-witted, she is fiercely independent and has no filter when it comes to telling people what they don't want to hear. She does it in such a restrained and polite manner that one almost wants to thank her for the enlightening insult. Luz and Evan are fire and ice right from the start. The attraction is visceral and takes on a life of its own as they try to balance their hearts against their secrets. I loved the progression of their relationship and the discovery that they both love in exactly the same way that they live life - with no doubts or hesitations. The secondary characters aren't just window dressing in this story. There's tremendous depth in who is included as well as why they're connected to either Luz or Evan. The writing is exquisitely intelligent, clearly benefiting from a wealth of research by the author, and sardonic enough to make a few important points without being scathing. The HEA was delightful and there were a few hints as to the stories that might be coming next in this series. I hope the author continues to expose the kind of history that tends to be ignored while presenting us with truly valiant heroines that the world needs even today. I highly recommend this lovely story. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

In 1889, Luz Alana travels from the Dominican Republic to Paris to enter her distillery's rum in an international exhibition. There, she meets Evan, a Scottish whisky distiller. Though attracted to each other, they're both too independent to desire marriage. Unfortunately, they both need to wed in order to take control of their inheritance. Is a marriage of convenience the answer? This is a smart, inventive novel that explores the difficulties of a woman making her way in a man's world. I like Luz Alana's spirit, though I had some trouble connecting to her emotionally. She and Evan are well-matched. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

❤️ this story enjoy reading it very much I love history romance especially this one because it's about a Dominican 🇩🇴 heiress made A plus. this the first book I read from Adriana Herrera and it won't the last.