In the conclusion of Beverley's Three Guys Called George trilogy, Major "Hawk" Hawkinville returns from the horrors of Waterloo to find his father incapacitated by a stroke, the estate coffers nearly emptied by his father's legal maneuverings to gain the title of Lord Deveril, and the villagers looking to him to make necessary, but costly, repairs. Hawk sees no solution but to marry for money, and if he can marry the heiress to the Deveril estates his stricken father believes himself entitled to, so much the better. But when Hawk actually meets the so-called Devil's Heiress, he has a difficult time reconciling the image of the grasping, promiscuous woman his father so vividly painted for him with the slightly mousy, Mary Wollstonecraft-quoting Clarissa Greystone he seeks to seduce and wed. But even an innocent like Clarissa has secrets, deadly secrets that endanger not only her future happiness but also her very life. Can she trust Hawk, a self-proclaimed fortune hunter, to help her? Can Hawk learn to trust--and to love--Clarissa even when he believes she had something to do with the murder of her affianced, the debauched Lord Deveril? It's a case of "Who's on first?" with a violent tug-of-war between Clarissa's powerful allies and the forces that seek to harm her. Jo Beverley continues her string of hits with her trademark complexity and real characters. --Alison Trinkle


From Publishers Weekly
With this deftly woven tale of romantic intrigue, Beverley (The Dragon's Bride, etc.) completes her Regency-era trilogy devoted to "The Georges," three lifelong friends who return from Waterloo to find themselves facing trying circumstances. Major George "Hawk" Hawkinville would be relieved to be home if it weren't for his father, John Gervase. In an attempt to obtain the title of the recently deceased, notorious Lord Deveril, John, a distant relative of Deveril's, has squandered his estate on lawyers and bad investments. The only way Hawk can save Hawkinville Manor is to snare the Devil's Heiress, the "scheming chit" who was betrothed to Deveril and wrongfully inherited his fortune. To Hawk's surprise, the heiress is Clarissa Greystone, a plain woman whose only wish is to live quietly outside of society where people won't sneer at her family name or her legacy. Upon meeting Hawk, however, she is tempted to entertain thoughts of a future with another, but before she and Hawk can come together, they will have to join forces with the Company of Rogues, a band of friends who never stay out of mischief, to sort out Deveril's complicated legacy. Head and shoulders above the usual Regency fare, this novel's sensitive prose, charismatic characters and expert plotting will keep readers enthralled from first page to last. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Returning from the Battle of Waterloo and yearning for a little peace, Maj. George Hawkinville learns that his aging father has pledged his beloved estate in order to gain a peerage and that they will lose everything unless he can either prove a will false or marry the brazen gold digger who inherited the wealth. But quiet, sensible Clarissa Greystone is not at all what he expected, and in spite of themselves, they are attracted to each other. Memorable, well-developed protagonists, complex plotting, and a number of delightful characters from earlier stories in Beverley's "Georges" trilogy neatly combine to form a darkly intriguing, well-written, richly sensual tale that is classic Beverley. The author of The Dragon's Bride (LJ 5/15/01) is a member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Hall of Fame and lives in Canada. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Waterloo is over, and Major George "Hawk" Hawkinville is dealing with the aftermath. Greeted warmly by the villagers upon his return, he can't help but notice the sorry state of the village. Although his father has spent the family fortune in reacquiring the title of Lord Deveril, Hawk feels responsible for the villagers and is loathe to lose the home he loves. The previous Lord Deveril had no direct heirs but left his considerable fortune to his young fiance in an unusual will. Hawk is determined to prove that the will is a forgery and that Clarissa, Deveril's fiancee, had a hand in his murder. Clarissa Greystone is hiding something, and suspects that the major is after her money, but, smitten, she doesn't care. Hawk and Clarissa soon come to mean more to each other than they ever expected, yet both are stifled by secrets they cannot share. Intriguing and funny, this installment of Beverley's Georgian series is a real page-turner. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

Jo Beverley's trio of rousing tales about guys named George (which began in "The Demon's Mistress" from the anthology In Praise of Younger Men, and continued in The Dragon's Bride) now concludes in a story that also forges a link with this bestselling author's popular Rogues series. In The Devil's Heiress, there are fortune hunters aplenty who are not particular about the origins of the wealth Clarissa Greystone (who was rescued from marriage to the unspeakable Lord Deveril in An Unwilling Bride) has recently inherited from the vicious nobleman. Still, she's amazed when the new Lord Deveril (a distant relation of the late, unlamented lord) sends his heir, George Hawkinville, to court her...and she's right to distrust the bold young man's motives. At first, it's true that all Hawk cares about is her fortune. He cannot imagine what sort of respectable woman would have ever agreed to marry the late Lord Deveril, or to accept money from the man. But Hawk needs that same ill-gotten wealth to repay the enormous sum his father has pledged against Hawk's own maternal inheritance. But, as these unexpectedly loving allies are swept up in the aftermath of shattering a Napoleonic spy ring, it soon becomes clear to both Clarissa and Hawk that their mutual reservations cannot stand against their mutual passion.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Prey

She is called the Devil's Heiress. Burdened with the wealth of a man she despised, Clarissa Greystone is a fortune-hunter's dream.

The Hawk

No one needs a fortune more than Major George Hawkinville. Fresh from the battlefields of Waterloo, he embarks on a campaign to win Clarissa's money.

The Hunt

To protect his family's good name, Hawk must ignore the hunger in his heart. But nothing can prepare him for the truths that come to light-or the passion that ignites-when Clarissa boldly steps into his trap￯﾿ﾽ.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal