Customer Reviews

The Third Heiress

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I first would like to say that I was a true Brenda Joyce fan. For anyone who read "Promise of the Rose", you know what I am talking about. I love all types of romance ---comtemp. hist. funny. suspense, ect...Unfortunately, this book, "The third Heiress" did not live up to the hype. I felt no emotional involvement with the characters at all. There was nothing about Jill for me to want to read about! The mystery was lacking and I did not care for the whole "Who am I" plot line. It was played...so played! I know Brenda Joyce has written five star books before, I have read them. This book fell short. I hope she can lure me back with something better in the future.

I picked up "The Third Heiress" because I have always enjoyed Brenda Joyce's works. This book has more of a suspense edge to it; as do a lot of romances now.

The problem with The Third Heiress is that the principle characters and their motives were not established early on in the book. One hundred pages into the book, I was still wondering what was going on in the book and why I should care.

Going to a fiancee's funeral with his bitter hateful family, seeing a photo with the name "Kate," and her last name on the of it does not make for a compelling mystery or much of a drama. Believe me, I did not stay up all night reading this one. There was no reason to. I did not like any of the characters, or care what happened to them.

I don't like to read books where the "good guys" lose. Kate was such a lively character and in spite of the fact she disappeared nearly 90 years ago, the explanation of how she "ends" was horrible! Edward never found happiness and was estranged from the son he should have loved more than life itself. Anne's complete transformation to a hateful woman was hard to believe. Alex falling for Jill was tough to swallow, as she lost control of the car that killed his cousin. Hal's obsession and stalking of Jill was never fully explained. The ending was not only unsatisfying, it didn't bring closure to the "Kate" mystery. Pick up another one of Brenda's books to read...

I've read EVERY book written by Ms. Joyce, and I was desperately waiting the release of this one. Unfortunately, I am currently about 300 pages into it (almost finished) and I am heartbroken. If you are planning on picking this up, expecting another incredible love story full of romantic turmoil and strong passionate characters, THINK TWICE before you buy. Ms. Joyce does a wonderful job writing contemporary suspense and mystery, but there is NO ROMANCE to speak of. I am proud of her ability to break into a new genre, but I am saddened that this book lacks the passion and fire her others (like "The Game" and "The Conqueror") are famous for. 200 pages into it, and there still hasn't been an intimate scene between the heroine and the man you assume is the hero! Two sloppy love scenes by the end of the book (both animalistic and extremely impersonal) are too cold and lacking in any real mental involvement between the two characters. I spent more time feeling frustrated and depressed (due to the morbid story line) than feeling excitement, passion, and hot desperation that is usually drawn out in her incredible stories. Ms. Joyce, I congratulate you on your courage to write a new and different book, but please weave some of your incredible romantic magic into the next one!!! ...Meanwhile, I'm off to read the ending (with reluctance), and hope that it will not disappoint too much.

I have only read a few of Ms. Joyce books and read this one on recommendation by a friend. First off I read just about any genre so I was not put off by the fact that this was more of a mystery novel with a dash of romance added between Alex and Jill.

My problem with this read was due to the fact that I felt that some of the sub plots (i.e Lauren, Thomas, and the rest of the family dislike/like/back to dislike) as well as Jill's friend KC witnessing her friends apartment being broken into were never fully explained (meaning why were these problems introduced if they didn't play a part in the story except to add several pages to the read) and another question that plagued me was when exactly did Alex start feeling things for the almost always nauseous Jill? She was constantly wanting to or getting sick. The mystery about Kate was a good vehicle which moved the story forward and the several pages that went back and explained who Anne, Edward, and Kate were was in my opinion very interesting. Jill on the other hand made me frustrated, angry, and forget about feeling any sympathy for her! First she is constantly unsure about Alex but not enough to prevent her from sleeping with him. The total lack of communication between these two people was another difficult thing to understand. The rest of the family was at turns nasty and then nice but it always seemed as if the explanation of how these people felt for Jill was always left hanging. The mystery regarding Hal and his love affair with Kate was in my opinion only a sad way in which to introduce the whole premise of the story.

If you want a frustrated 400+ page read well this is the book for you. The only thing that kept me turning the pages was 1) I wanted to see if things would work out between Alex and Jill with a certain amount of credibility and 2) to find out just exactly what happened to Kate all those years ago! Do yourself a favor and pick this book up second hand or borrow one from a friend.

The story started very promisingly. It intrigued me to read on and find out what happened. Then Jill got increasingly paranoid and neurotic. She kept behaving in ways that she soon hated herself for, which was annoying to read. Alex was mysterious, why he fell in love with Jill was mysterious too. The problem with the story was that there were not enough reasons for readers to understand why Jill and Alex cared about each other.

It was the sub-plot that shone. The story between Kate and Edward was moving. In fact, Kate was the most vivid and haunting character in the entire story. She got most of the best lines too. I wish the author could devote the same talent to the character development of Jill, Alex and Edward. Kate was so heartwrenchingly steadfast in love and friendship, yet her death was so tragic and haunting. The image of how she suffered fear, hunger, cold, helplessness, hopelessness, pain and yet still keeping her faith of love and friendship was too moving and haunting. After the fierce quest of Jill to find justice for Kate, I found it hard to accept that there was not.

There were many flaws in the story. It did not make sense that Kate sent her son away because she felt something might happen to her and yet left no trace about who she was meeting.

I finished the book without feeling satisfied. I could not get enough of the tale between Edward and Kate, Edward and Anne. I wished I could read more about Edward in the years after Kate. Somehow, the relationship between Jill and Alex was not important at all.

The Third Heiress by Brenda Joyce was a very involving book. It swept me up in its story and suspence. What made the book such a page turner for me is that you honestly don't know who to trust. The leading male character, Alex is in many ways a question mark through out the entire story. Should Jill trust him or not? Just when you begin to have faith in him, he does or says something to make you suspicious of him again. The story line that takes place in the past is also a page turner. What exactly did happen to Kate? Where did she disappear to and why? Brenda Joyce never gives away the ending until it's upon you.

There has been some real bad reviews on this book but I thought it was wonderful! It lost a star from me only because I would have liked the roles of Alex and Thomas reversed. Thomas was far more appealing in a more dangerous and mysterious way, and the chemistry between Thomas and Jill throughout the book was electric. I suspected early on that's where Brenda Joyce was headed and halfway through the book couldn't figure out how to bring the two together because of the family ties. Bummer. I have looked for Thomas's story and can't find it, which is sad because he was quite a man! The only downfall to this book is you cannot put it down...seriously!

I am a long time romance reader of author Brenda Joyce. I have historically only read her older books - traditional regency or earlier romance books. My favorites are: After Innocence, Secrets, The Rival, Beyond Scandal, Splendor, Finer Things and Captive. All of these were good - top notch - especially After Innocence, Secrets and Captive. "The Third Heiress" is the first modern plot line of hers that I have read. I found it pretty good - more pleasing than I thought it would be although, there were some drawbacks to the story. I am torn on this one as not every question in the book was revealed or explained. In some ways that disappointed me but, in others, it worked as we shouldn't always have every question answered in a good book or in life in general.

I think the thing I liked the most was how this author wove together details from the present time and that of the past. She was able to blend historical letters, re-telling of past events as they happened with the modern plot line and current on-going events. Even though things went back and forth - I rarely lost track of what was happening.

I liked how the main character Jill was driven by an unspoken and unclear bond to the woman from the early 1800's named Kate. The book revolved almost completely around Jill's visit to England to bury her recent boyfriend/fiancé Hal and her meeting up with his family and friends. The events from this funeral ceremony and burial begin Jill's long term research project of trying to find out what the connection was between Hal's last words to her when he died in a car crash "I love you....Kate". Jill's early emotions at loosing Hal seemed very real and understanding. The emotion pulled you in.

Jill meets up with one of Hal's cousins, Alex in England...and he seemingly believes in her quest and helps her along as he has access to people and places she does not. They spend most of the book being attracted but, not trusting one another at all. Lots of second guessing going on - this was an unappealing modern twist if you ask me. Much of the conflict revolves around Hal's family distrust and dislike of her due to her connection to Hal and what she is trying to uncover that could cause modern problems for their well established family.

The sinister aspect of the book will please mystery buffs as you try to figure out who is Kate, how did she die, how does she tie to Hal's family and Jill and...who is trying to hurt Jill as she discovers clues about the past.

Romance fans will enjoy the background tale of Kate and her beloved Edward - Hal's great-grandfather. The love that bloomed between Kate and Edward was real and tender...a beauty to behold. Their conflict of not marrying and being with their child was an equally emotional part of the love story line. . No one will take to Anne - Edward's eventual wife and one time friend of Kate or what happens to the girls' relationship.

Contemporary readers might enjoy the relationship formed between Jill and Alex as they search for the truth, yet have to learn to trust one another become they can go forward with a future together. Unfortunately, their relationship left me empty. I wasn't buying he adored his family, would protect them at all costs and loved his dead cousin Hal who was killed basically by Jill and then halfway through the book - voila - he suddenly becomes nice, attracted and falling for Jill? Didn't work for me. Too contradictory. Jill was often drinking, taking pills, fainting away, getting sick or having sex with Alex in between researching the past. Alex was on the computer or phone or going to meetings and always being secretive. He even hid documents behind her back, didn't tell her the truth he knew and even wanted her paid to go away. So...they had some quick and hot sex now and that but, that was it. How can you form a relationship under these conditions? Didn't work for me at all. I don't care for modern romances anyway and this one didn't sway me to change my mind.

There are many characters in this story, Jill- the lead, Hal - the main lead until he is gone immediately in the book (Jill's now dead lover), Hal's entire rich, wealthy and very British family - The Sheldons (Alex, Thomas, Lauren, The Countess & her husband William), the curator of the estate Lucinda, Jill's American friend KC, historic Kate, Edward and Anne. (There was also a few cats in the book but, one met with a serious demise and I love cats so, I would omit that scene - yuck!) There was a lot of people to keep up with but, everyone seemed to play important parts in the book. Who was real, who was hiding something, who knew details, who did not and so on. Interesting. There could have been some more individual development of all these characters but, the book was almost 500 pages so...I expect the editor said, cut it down! I think there should have been fewer characters and more development.

I have a few serious regrets and drawbacks when I think back to the story:

1) I am still left feeling that Hal was such an important person in the story but, I don't feel closure occurred with his situation. Perhaps I missed something? He was Edward's great grandchild and he was drawn to Jill (Kate's great grand daughter). Hal and Jill had a short lived but, intense relationship, loved one another and clearly tied together to the past although only Hal knew it early - Jill much later. Was Hal re-living what his great grandfather couldn't - being with the woman he loved, telling her so before he died as he didn't get to in his past life? Or was it a new relationship? Is the point here that Kate breaks the chain by finding out the truth and finding a new love finally in the modern world? Thus...the past truly ends finally? Both Hal and Jill were obsessed with the past once they began to understand it but...Hal seemed to love Kate - almost like he was like another Edward. Jill on the other hand loved Hal but, not like another Edward. I'm a little lost in this area to be honest...(maybe another reviewer will discuss this later for me...)

2) Edward lived his life and never knew the truth of what happened to Kate (that she stayed for him, loved him and was going to even have his 2nd child!). I feel angry that he did not search for her or consider something bad befell her (especially since he hated his father and what he made him do - maybe even his father had done something to her?). He accepted she went away by choice due to Peter being left behind. She never talked about leaving - why would he think that? I didn't like that he questioned Kate could leave him for another man when she gave everything of herself to him. Plus...he took the word of Anne who no longer seemed close to Kate - that should have been suspicious. It was like after a year of Kate being gone - Edward made peace with her absence and went back to being a dull, dry, withdrawn and cold Brit who could handle anything - even loosing the other half of himself - the love of his life - Kate - yet still live a average life. That was disappointing and sad. Edward also never got close to his first born son Peter as he was so like Kate - he loved him but, never close. Sad.

3) The reader finds out what happened to Kate in the end and who did it but...her body was never found for a proper burial. That's sad too. I would have thought her rich family in America would have launched a serious investigation to find out something about their missing daughter and NOT given up until they found something. After all...there were 3 people at the cottage taking care of Kate during her secret pregnancy and she had a child at the hospital...You would think something would have come from this information had someone looked. I thought that was a lost point to the story.

4) I did not care for Jill telling Alex and the family she would NOT reveal to the public what happened all those years ago to protect the current father and family. She had an obligation to disclose the wrong done to Kate and Edward and their son Peter and finally make it right. I didn't buy that Kate floated off into the distance once the secret was revealed. If I had been the ghost of Kate...I would be kicking some butt to these stupid modern people. To me...not disclosing the truth once known was as bad as what happened to Kate the first time around. She was harmed the first time by a dear friend...the second time by a family member if you ask me! Hal's ancestors and current family members all got the benefit of great lives due to a very terrible thing one of their own did many years before. So...evil granted them all gain in the end. Goodness and kindness did not win out. Jill dishonored Kate a 2nd time by what she did if you ask me.

5) No one found out how cruel and terrible Anne was until the modern world. You would think Anne's own mother would have come clean as it concerned life and death. Clearly...having her daughter married to the top catch in the country so, family ties and power would bind was enough to over-look murder. Horrible!

6) I think the ending should be changed to have a satisfactory conclusion to the story line. The police should be notified of the earlier crime done, what occurred now as the truth was uncovered, the Sheldons come clean and Jill placed back in the family with her cleared history/name and fortune. All should be made very public for new record keeping. I would like that Kate's body is found (in the root cellar that Alex & Jill walked past!), a proper ceremony done and burial too. Next to Edward if possible. And...Jill should begin a new life in England with her British blood and have a healthy relationship and start a family finally - as she never had one. Without these things....I am left feeling very unfulfilled....

As I mentioned above there were some serious drawbacks to this story but, it is still worth reading. I guess I liked it over-all because I saw the potential and even though it fell short, enough was there to keep me going. I feel a lot of people will see different views and aspects to the story than others do. It has some complexity in parts and with everything between woven together at different points instead of all at once, it does give you some food for thought. I would wish for a different ending but, that's not meant to be. If you have not discovered this author yet you should. She writes both mystery novels and historical romances. She has a lot to offer many different types of readers. Pick up a book, read it, I think you'll be pleased. Even though "The Third Heiress" was a departure from me...it was worth it. Enjoy!

While the story engrossed me, especially the sub plot, there were times when I got so impatient with Jill that I felt like throwing the book down. She did not come across as very smart. Every time she went snooping (which was often), she got caught. She always seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown and drank whenever she got the chance ;-). Hard to imagine how Alex could ever have fallen in love with her! There were a few instances where I felt the plot was stretched too far. The basic plot was great, though, and Anne's betrayal of her best friend, Kate, was well set up. Kate was vividly portrayed, though even by today's standards she was very forward. Not surprising that her life should have come unstuck in the prudish early part of the last century. (I guess Jill inherited her unsmart genes.) I kept hoping she would escape (good suspense here) and that Jill would find justice for her. The end was a bit of an anti-climax.