Review of "The Last Heiress"

Review of The Last Heiress

by Mary Ellis

Bestselling author Mary Ellis (A Widow's Hope) presents The Last Heiress, a new romantic standalone that intertwines the lives of a British manufacturing heiress and an American merchant caught in the turbulent time of the War Between the States.

When Amanda Dunn sets sail from England for Wilmington, North Carolina, she hopes to somehow restore shipments of raw materials for her family's textile mills, which have been severely disrupted by the American Civil War. Though there is not much one individual can do, the wealthy young woman feels she must try, as her mother and hundreds of employees at Dunn Textiles are dependent on Southern cotton.

When Amanda meets Nathaniel Cooper, her desire to conduct business and quickly return to England changes. Though captivated by one another, neither is fully aware of the other's true nature.

Nathanial, who on the outside appears to be a poor but hardworking merchant, is actually a secret Yankee sympathizer who will stop at almost nothing to bring about freedom for those who live under subjugation, even when that involves questionable judgment. And Amanda's wealth is made possible by underpaid workers living in slums around the mills, not much different than American slavery.

Can these two earnest souls find the best in one another rather than focus on what could tear them apart? And though they both believe they are on God's path, how will their decisions affect those around them?

MY REVIEW:    When I read a blog post the other day and found out that this book is set in Wilmington, North Carolina, I just had to read it.  My oldest daughter lives there and I graduated in 1996 from University of North Carolina @Wilmington.  I want to visit several of the historical homes in Wilmington after reading the book.  I have been to Fort Fisher many times and much of the action of the Civil War scenes in the book took place there.   

       It was very interesting to see slavery placed side-by-side with British maids.   Seeing the differences in the ways the two countries treated servants made slavery look even more despicable if that is possible.   The characters made this book great fun to read as some of the characters are highly lovable and some are ones readers "love to hate".   I started reading this book and finished in one sitting as it was quite exciting.  

       I rate this book 5 stars and am delighted to recommend it to readers.   

       I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review. 

About the Author:

Mary Ellis has written twelve bestselling novels set in the Amish community, along with two romantic suspense set in Louisiana. Before "retiring" to write full-time, Mary taught middle school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. She has enjoyed a lifelong passion for American history and is an active member of the local historical society. She has recently finished several romances set during the Civil War and is currently working on a series of mysteries, Secrets of the South. The Last Heiress is her latest release.
She can be found on the web at: www.maryellis.net or https://www.facebook.com/Mary.Ellis.Author.