The Heir [Large Print] [Paperback]

Johanna Lindsey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2000

From one of the most beloved and bestselling writers of romantic fiction in the world...

Sabrina is young, lovely, and possesses a sparkling wit, but she feels dreadfully out of place in London Society. Luckily, Ophelia, the daughter of a family friend, has been chosen to usher Sabrina through the all-important first season.

Even less keen to be in London is Duncan MacTavish, who has recently learned he is required to assume his grandfather's title and estates. Worse still, a betrothal has already been arranged without his consent to the ravishing, viper-tongued Ophelia. However, circumstances bring him to the enchanting Sabrina. Now this is a woman for whom Duncan would willingly abandon his beloved Scotland.

But duty and station forbid Sabrina's and Duncan's desired union. And a secret dwells in the lady's past, and it threatens their romance. Under such adverse conditions a match that should be, a passion that must be, cannot possibly be--unless true love can somehow, miraculously find a way.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Setting: London, 19th century

Sensuality Rating: 7

A stranger in a strange land, Highlander Duncan MacTavish finds himself summoned to the bedside of his dying grandfather, Lord Neville Thackeray, whom he has never met. This is only the first in a series of unwelcome surprises for the brawny Scot, who was perfectly content to take over as laird of the clan MacTavish. Saddled with a fiancée he doesn't like, Ophelia, whose beauty is surpassed only by her waspish nature; far from the home and life he loves; and being pressured by the autocratic Marquis of Birmingdale to toe the line of English respectability, Duncan meets the Honorable Sabrina Lambert and finds her a breath of fresh air in the stifling atmosphere of the English house party.

Unfortunately, scandalous rumors taint Sabrina's family name, practically ensuring that she will never be able to secure an advantageous match. Duncan's only friend to help him endure the machinations of Ophelia and a seemingly endless parade of other eligible young women, Sabrina is adept at making him laugh. After all, she spent most of her life diffusing the tension between her battling maiden aunts, who reared her after her parents' tragic deaths. But Duncan slowly begins to realize that his feelings for Sabrina are more than "friendly." Duncan and Sabrina's complicated courtship is classic Lindsey! Fans of the author who wait with bated breath for each new offering won't be disappointed with The Heir. --Alison Trinkle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-Sabrina Lambert is popular due to her personality and wit, not her looks. Her friend, the beautiful yet heartless and spiteful Ophelia Reid, resents her own arranged engagement to Duncan MacTavish, a "barbaric" highlander. After she insults him at his own party, hoping to end their relationship in front of London's in-crowd, Duncan throws her out, making her the laughing stock of the town. He finds a true friend in Sabrina, who makes him laugh and feel completely at ease. A jealous Ophelia notices all of this and plans her revenge. The story line is satisfying: a nice girl with personality and intellect gets a chance at Prince Charming or "The Heir." Change the dress and time period, and this romance and its characters will hit home with many YAs who get passed over because they are not considered "beautiful."-Lisa Muir, Poe Middle School, Annandale, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060197528
• ISBN-13: 978-0060197520
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,390,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

johanna Lindsey is one of the most popular authors of romantic fiction, with more than sixty million copies of her novels sold. World renowned for her novels of "first-rate romance" (New York Daily News), Lindsey is the author of forty-three previous bestselling novels, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Lindsey lives in Maine with her family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 112 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Syrupy Sweet, April 25, 2000

By 

Tina "tinaellorascave" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Heir (Hardcover)

This book was a vast improvement upon Lindsey's last 2 books, but it was still missing something. I think she took the criticisms from her last book ("Joining") to heart and went off to the extreme in the opposite direction. We go from the constant tension, mistrust, and fighting of the hero and heroine in "Joining" to a perfectly sweet and utterly passionless relationship (until the end) between them in "The Heir". Give us some middle ground Johanna!

"The Heir", a sweet story about two friends who fall in love, but find themselves unable to be together due to the hero being engaged to another, lacked the fire and passion that is typical of Lindsey's characters.

This is an author capable of putting out 5 star material, so I find myself more critical of her than I would be had someone else written this. Still, Lindsey not at her best is better than most at their top par performance. "The Heir" is an okay one time read, but not the Lindsey book you will pull off the shelf and read over and over again.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A quick light read, September 26, 2000

By 

"nikki-p" (Townsville, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Heir (Hardcover)

I love Johanna Lindseys writing style and find her very easy to read and "The Heir" is no exception. I found that this book, like Johanna's other books to be a page turner with no dull moments and I would still buy any Johanna Lindsey book published. Having said that I do agree with many of the previous reviewers that the characters did not have any zing. Both were sweet characters in a sweet story, the problem is that Johanna's past books have some of the best romantic characters ever created where the sparks fly and you compulsively read without thought to anything else. Buying this book in hardcover and expecting that kind of chemistry between the characters you will be dissapointed. I love Johanna's previous Mallory novels where the heros are flawed and yet loveable and the heroines are feisty with hearts of gold. While reading this book I found myself interested in the outcome and yet detached from the characters, the hero in particular seemed one dimensional and the supporting characters appear to have been better thought out than the main characters. In the end I enjoyed the read but was left feeling slightly cheated.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just nice....., April 26, 2000

By 

Ginger L. Savage "gingerbear" (Baker City, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Heir (Hardcover)

Admittedly JL's last couple of efforts have been ok, but not the fire of earlier works. The Heir, gives us a sweet story of a young women finding the man of her dreams, but not able to believe that he could love her. Duncan is a wonderful hero. I thought the "steam" threshold was a little low. But the auxillary characters were chariming and funny. I think many fans are more critical than we should be because, Ms. Lindsey failed to give us another set of heroes as delightful as the Malory's. Maybe if Ms. Lindsey, would revisit a great character like Billy Ewing, she'd find a passionate hero and give him a voice. JL is still the best!