"The Heiresses" tells the story of Erato, Clio and Thalia who are brought together by the eccentric and radical Lady Hestia Crowley. She reveals they are triplets and that they have an inheritance from their mother, Hestia's sister, who died giving birth to them. But it is being held by their half-brother who refuses to release the money to them as they are believed dead. The girls must ban together to win what is theirs but it proves to be difficult. Will they succeed?

I really enjoyed this story, which is probably a "duh" given my rating. Of course there are a few hiccups but nothing that detracts too much from the story. But I'll get to those in good time. First, let's start with the characters. In a good writing choice, Rushby has made each triplet represent the three parts of the psyche as set forth by Freud.

I'll start with my favorite sister, Clio--the superego, the morality center. She's probably my favorite because I relate the most with her. Clio was raised by good people, a pastor and his wife who were unable to have a child of their own, in a small little village. When she comes to London, she feels like a fish out of water. Especially in the society her potential wealth places her in. But does her best to stay true to herself and it attracts Edwin to her. Yes, Clio does some underhanded things--namely going to Charles for the money,but she has a good reason. Her mother is sick and needs to go some place warm. The doctor calls it bronchitis, but it sounds more like tuberculosis. Anyway, she feels horrible for betraying her sisters but in the end, her mother was the one who raised her and she is a virtual stranger to her sisters. But she stands the ground and comes out victorious in the end in her own way in the end.

Next is Erato or "Ro" for short. She is the logical one of the three sisters, the ego. She was raised by an aunt and uncle with money and who sent her to a boarding school. She wants to go to university and study science. And she's also the one who has longed for siblings. She is the one who is most focused on solving the mystery of their birth and getting Charles to give them their inheritance. Like the ego, she is often the mediator between Thalia and Clio.

And last is Thalia, the id. I'll be honest, Thalia wasn't my favorite character. And I understand her character motivations--Ms. Rushby does a great job of explaining why Thalia is the way she is and it is realistic--but it doesn't mean I have to like her. She focuses to feel her desires and wants, giving little thought to her sisters or their common plight. She overindulges, especially in drugs. And she is cruel to Clio because they are polar opposites.

Then we have our supporting characters:

First is Lady Hestia. As I said, she's eccentric and progressive. (And there are hints she's a lesbian which seems to be literary code for those very terms. Especially in historical fiction). She campaigns for universal female suffrage in England and is trying to secure her father's old seat in Parliament. But she's also trying to reunite her beloved sister's children and give them the life they deserve. But she isn't much help to them as she has very little information to go on. Mostly because her brother-in-law tricked her family into sending her to a sanitarium. Therefore, she has a distrust of letting too many people know what she and her nieces are doing. And especially as the trail has gone cold. As I said, people believe the triplets dead. Well, actually, they believed Hestia's sister Demeter had died giving birth to twins who had also died. Clio's birth was never recorded; she doesn't exist. And Hestia hides this from the girls, believing it is for their own good. While the reader doesn't question the fact her motives are good, her methods are suspect.

Next is Vincent, the young biology professor Ro befriends in her quest to solve the mystery as to why Clio looks different from her sisters. He is drawn to Ro's own intelligence and interest in science. And for probably the first time in her life, Ro abandons logic and follows her feelings. Things move quickly between them, though there are some warning signs regarding Vincent. Like how he stalked the sisters to a party they attended. Or how he's practically engaged to a silly young woman whose family is newly rich. Ro learns he is going through with the marriage for the money, to help fund his research. Which further causes Ro to override her logical tendencies. She wants the money she's due to win him.

We then have Venetia and Edwin, socialite siblings who befriend Thalia. They represent the bored youth who have everything and so they have no purpose. They spend their days running around London causing trouble and their nights getting drunk, doing drugs and having sex. But there is more to Edwin than meets the eye, which Clio learns. He is attracted to her and shows another side around her. He wants to be a better person for her, to win her affection. It's a struggle because he's still used to being a wild child and he does get a rush from the things he does. And his sister is his partner-in-crime. But he proves his sincerity and earns Clio's love in the end.

Charles and Felix are relatively minor characters even amongst the supporting ones. Charles is just there to be a common enemy for the girls. He's an immature boy who is threatened by the return of his believed dead sisters and what it might mean for his political aspirations--namely that he was conceived while his father was still married to the triplet's mother. He's cruel, playing with his sisters' minds and using the fact they are not a united front against them. But he also throws temper tantrums when things don't go his way, showing he's been appeased his whole life. Felix, meanwhile, is only in the last third of the book but he plays a large role in it.

And that brings us to the plot again. For the most part, it's a compelling one. And one that hinges on a rare condition that may seem familiar to any One Life to Live fan. Clio looks different from Thalia and Ro, who are practically identical. It's revealed that Clio has a different father, Felix, from the other two. Much like how it was revealed that while Viki gave birth to twins Jessica and Natalie, they had two different fathers--Mitch for Jessica, Clint for Natalie. Of course, in the final broadcast episodes, it was revealed that this was a lie--Clint had fathered both girls and recurring villain Allison scoffed at the idea of two girls, two different fathers. Some viewers saw this as correcting a mistake made by the writers and also admitted to having difficulties believing the plot. But the condition is real, if rare. I only have two quibbles with it. One) The example Rushby keeps using is a case of a woman in Jamaica giving birth to one white baby and one black baby. But the details are never explained and so I don't know if it really is a case of two fathers, one mother. Because it's Jamaica, one or both of the parents could've been "passing"--a person who is technically black but has such light skin they can be accepted as white. So I think the explanation's example needed its own explanation. Two) I'm not certain there were two separate fathers. Ro and Thalia are identical twins and the spitting image of their mother. There is not much mentioned in how they look like their supposed father. In my opinion, it's possible for all three to still be full sisters. And so all three could be legitimate and not just Clio.

And now the romance! Thalia is really the only who doesn't have one, though she does have feelings for Edwin. He, though, is attracted to Clio. She resists him at first, believing him to be everything she stands against. But he knows she is exactly what he needs to break free from his life of ennui. To become the man she deserves. Clio is also hesitant because of Thalia's feelings for Edwin. And they drive a wedge between the two sisters, even moreso since Thalia did not like Clio before and was eager to latch onto the idea that Clio was not their sister. But in the end, it brings the sisters closer. Thalia ends up overdosing and waking up with strange men. Edwin and Clio grow concerned for her safety and Edwin convinces Clio to commit Thalia to a rehab facility. At first, Thalia is angry that her sister did such a thing. And so she tells Clio everything that happened to her--besides being raised in a family which neglected her, they covered up the fact she was raped and subjected her to an abortion to do so. Clio is horrified but it helps her to understand her sister better. And it helps Thalia as well. It helps her start to heal.

Clio ultimately gives into her feelings for Edwin. She realizes he loves her and wants to change his life for her. And it's sweet.

Let's move on to Ro's romance. On her quest to figure out why Clio looks so different from her and Thalia, Ro meets a dashing scientist named Vincent. She is attracted to him immediately. He is her equal in many ways: Smart and interested in science. He is attracted to her as well. But there are early warnings he may not be the greatest. For example, he follows her and her sisters to a party despite not having an invitation. How he followed him is not known. And Ro brushes off any concerns that arise from this revelation. It's probably the first time Ro has put aside her logical side and trusted her feelings. This ends up not being for the best as Vincent gets more suspicious as the story progresses. It turns out he's engaged. But he's only in it for the money and clout her family would bring. So Ro ignores the red flag and decides to show Vincent the money and clout her family could bring. She wants him to want her for all the wrong reasons. And it comes back to bite her. Or does it? Because I have a quibble with how Rushby revealed his betrayal. He slept with Thalia, her sister. You know, the one that looks just like her? And it's never made clear if Vincent knew he was sleeping with Thalia rather than Ro. He doesn't really get a chance to say anything. Ro just believes he betrayed her. I feel the Vincent-Ro romance could've been handled a bit better.

Rushby does a wonderful job with the mystery. What happened after the triplets' birth? Who is clio's father? Will they get their money? Will they ever gel as sisters? These questions keep the readers reading.

Another good aspect is the setting. Rushby does a good job creating the feeling of 1920s London. The girls adopt the latest fashions--though Clio is on the reluctant side. She does end up getting a bobbed haircut at one point and she starts to accept the fashions. My one quibble in this department would've been to incorporate more of the popular culture, especially for all the parties the girls go to. A few more references to some music would've been nice.

But otherwise, it is a really good book.

THE HEIRESSES combines several of my favorite elements – squabbling sisters (in this case triplets!) and a mysterious inheritance and a fabulous historical setting. Rushby paints a fascinating portrait of high-society London during the Roaring Twenties, as the girls come of age in a new world of lipstick and bobbed hair and motorcars…and costume parties, drug addiction, and sex. It’s an immensely fun, frothy read; I was desperate to find out the mysteries behind the girls’ birth, and even though I pieced together part of it, there were still twists and turns that surprised me. I loved how wildly different the three sisters are – clever schoolgirl Ro, cruel flapper Thalia, and sheltered misfit Clio – and how they’re alternately deeply loyal and at each others’ throats. And their aunt, Lady Hestia, is a wonderful, fierce character in her own right. Recommend – especially if you like DOWNTON ABBEY or GATSBY!

Source: Bought

This book attracted me for several (rather shallow) reasons. For starters, the cover is super pretty. I love the color of her dress and her lipstick and it just screams historical elegance to me. Once I read the summary, I was pulled in by the mention of sisters (triplets to be specific) and 1920s London, a time of elegance for those wealthy enough to be a part, which these girls most certainly are. So I bought a copy and then it sat and sat and sat while I worked through review books before finally settling down with it this past weekend.

Well I could just kick myself for waiting so long to pick up this book. Though it had some flaws that nagged at me, I was mostly just swept away and I really enjoyed it. Best of all, I believe it is supposed to be a standalone so each story is pretty much wrapped up. I think this is partly because it seems to have been originally published as six e-books with a cliffhanger to end each section but designed just to be those six parts and nothing more. I appreciate a conclusive ending with the most important plot points addressed but with room for the reader to speculate about the ultimate end for the characters as they age and continue moving through their lives.

However I was nervous at the start because it begins with the birth of the triplets to a dying mother and a cruel father with an indifferent doctor in attendance. Only aunt Hestia's determination and the ministrations of a kind nursemaid aid the girls in their first days. Soon each is farmed out to a different family with their origins concealed until they reach the age of eighteen and their father is dead. Aunt Hestia brings the three girls together to share the news and lets them at London. Eldest Thalia is thrilled to escape her horrible upbringing and eagerly partakes in everything offered: parties, boys, alcohol, drugs, etc. anything to battle her demons. Middle Erato is of a more intellectual bent and is excited for the opportunity to attend university but is derailed by a young man. Youngest Clio had the idyllic pastoral childhood and is concerned with her mother's lungs as she observes her sisters' embrace of decadence. Additionally the girls have to battle their half-brother for their mother's fortune and investigate the mystery of why Clio looks so different.

There is so much packed into this novel so there is really something for everyone. Family drama, romance, childhood traumas galore, class issues, eugenics makes an appearance, religion, contemporary birth control: what have you is probably there (and I'm not even mentioning everything!) Personally I found myself most drawn to Clio, being rather appalled by Thalia's casual disregard for her person and never quite clicking with Erato though I had anticipated being most connected with her. Instead Clio's faith and confidence in herself was what I loved. That's not to say that I didn't like the other characters, just that Clio had that something special that intrigued me.

I also must mention the names. The older generation are sisters Demeter and Hestia with next generation being Thalia, Erato, and Clio. As a lover of Greek mythology, I recognized the source but I do wonder about its likelihood. It just seemed so out-there and I would have expected names more like Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth. I never got used to seeing them in print even with acquaintances like Venetia appearing next to them.

Overall: An enchanting breakneck romp through 1920s London stuffed to the brim with drama that kept me breathlessly flipping through the pages especially as I reached the conclusion.

3.5 stars because by the end of it, I was pretty invested in the story. I still have my downs about this book though, mainly to do with the annoying way the narration, if I can even call it that, was writ, and the not-so-subtle hint dropping and the WAY too obvious way Ro and others went on about finding out the truth. It got better halfway through it though. And I'll admit the not-so-subtle hints DID cover the one last final shocking truth at the end that I didn't really see coming. But, on the whole it was a cute little story, with interesting characters (they got WAY more interesting as the story went on). I love Thalia's growth, she was a nasty piece of work, but I managed to feel for her in the end. Ro's growth too, but she's my least favourite character simply because her attitude to reality was so blurred by other factors and in particular one person and I wanted to hit her the most for the whole bloody book for being such a bloody know it all. And Clio was bound to be my favourite because though she was passive to begin with, she actually grew on me, and grew stronger and admittedly, I liked her more when the love interest got involved.

Proper, longer review later.

This was a hard one for me because there was so much about this book that i loved but there was also a bit about this book i was not so much interested in. So it starts with 3 teenage girls all from very different families that would one day learn that they are in actual fact triplets that had been separated at birth by there awful father. There aunt Hestia brings the girls to London to meet each other and to claim the money that there mother left them that there half brother Charles has and had no intention of giving back. This book was full of twist and turns that i did not see coming and so many twist and turns that i saw coming from a mile away. I went into this book fully expecting to enjoy it and i did enjoy the book it was a good read with a lot of personal growth from all of the triplets and i think even there aunt. But there are several sections in the book that got a little bit boring and probably weren't necessary. I felt like maybe the author was trying to fill spaces in some of the book. But i don't want that to detract from the book being a good read because it was. It was a beautiful story.

I gave it about 20%, but I had to admit it wasn't my thing. The prose is unsettlingly anachronistic in comparison to the time period that the story is supposed to be set in, and even after 20% of the book I could not distinguish the three main characters' voices from one another because they were essentially all the same. Readers whose favorite genre is juicy and scandalous historical YA might be willing to overlook these flaws, but they ended up distracting me from having an absorbing reading experience.

Thalia, Erato (also known as Ro) and Clio are triplets separated at birth who could not have lived more different lives. Thalia , a lively girl with a party spirit, lived with a busy family but isolated from loved ones. Ro is as scholarly as her adopted uncle and spent her days at boarding school broadening her mind. And then there’s Clio – the youngest – who grew up in meagre surroundings but never lacking for love.

These three girls are strangers in every way but blood and brought together by their Aunt Hestia upon their birth father’s death. A fortune being held from them, family secrets and the complicated business of growing up brings drama to them. Will they stand together or fall divided?

This book started its life as an e-serial – a five-part digital series of novellas. I think that’s such a cool concept. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen any other historical fiction aimed at the New Adult market. Because of its form there are mini cliff-hangers at the end of each novella which I liked – there is always something happening to keep my attention.

The girls themselves are so much fun to read for different reasons. Thalia is the belle of the upper society social set – giving the party girls of the day a run for their money. Clio is trying to find her feet in a world that is more dream (or nightmare) from her every day reality. And then there’s Ro – my personal favourite – who is so logical and measured but when faced with love, her common sense gets in the way. They are each charming in their own way and the best part of the novel for me as a reader was seeing how they each faced the same situations with such varied backgrounds.

The supporting characters and villains are fantastic at propping up the three sisters in their search for truth and family. Aunt Hestia is very interesting and I’d love to be able to read her back story (Allison – if you ever wrote a novella regarding Hestia I’d devour it in an instant!).

I recommend this book for fans of historical dramas like Downton Abbey. There’s scandal in a way that only books set in a past era can deliver as well as quirky yet charming characters and sinister villains.

The Heiresses by Allison Rushby is an engaging historical novel with a refreshingly unique storyline. Please click HERE to read my review in its entirety.

I enjoyed the first half more than the last half... The beginning kept turning page after page, but then it started to feel like it was getting a little repetitive and predictable. I was so intrigued by the triplets and their aunt, I needed to know what was going to happen next and how this would all unfold. But by the end I had already predicted what the big reveal was (I actually thought it was pretty obvious) and then it ended so quickly. The middle dragged on for a bit and but then the end felt very rushed and abrupt. But overall the book was entertaining and an easy read.

I NEED THE OTHER BOOKS. While some parts ween't the most engaging, I already love the triplets' characters.
The only thing I wish I knew was their ages...