A Caribbean Heiress in Paris: A Historical Romance
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

When Luz Alana Heith-Benzan, her two best friends, and 300 barrels of rum land in Paris to attend the 1899 Exposition Universelle, the only rule is to not fall in love. Luz Alana must secure the future of Caña Brava, her family's rum distillery, especially now that her father has unexpectedly passed away and her trust fund is locked until she marries. Luz Alana knew she would encounter difficulties as a woman from the Dominican Republic, but the rudeness and animosity from the buyers and shippers she's hoping to secure foil even her most earnest attempts to engage their business. But James Evanston Sinclair, Earl of Darnick, finds himself enamored of her. He proposes a marriage of convenience to secure barrels for his whisky business and for Luz Alana to get her inheritance. Alas, the inconvenience of love threatens to overturn all of James and Luz Alana's plans. Narrator Nneka Okoye deftly brings the large and diverse cast of characters, from James's Scottish growls to Luz Alana's convictions, all to life. VERDICT A captivating start to the "Las Léonas" series. With its allusions to Austen and the historical romance canon, this is a perfect audio experience for those who enjoy Lisa Kleypas's "The Wallflowers" series.--Elizabeth Gabriel

No one has to tell Luz Alana Heith-Benzan that it is a man's world. Luz has spent years trying to convince men to take her seriously. Luz's latest attempt to successfully market her family's Cana Brava brand of rum involves a trip to Paris for the Exposition Universelle, but even there she consistently encounters testosterone-bias and resistance to businesswomen until she bumps into James Evanston Sinclair, earl of Darnick. In the City of Light to showcase his Scotch whisky, Evan can't help but be impressed by Luz's fierce determination to sell her rum. So, when it turns out that a marriage of convenience would offer them both significant business rewards, a deal is struck. After conquering contemporary romance, Herrera (Just for the Holidays, 2021) launches her late-nineteenth-century-set Las Léonas series with an intensely romantic, scorchingly sensual love story that makes the most of its vividly realized setting and memorable cast of characters and allows her to continue her vivid and effective illumination and celebration of Latinx culture and history. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Money-strapped Luz Alana Heith-Benzan Caña wants to take her Dominican family's Caña Brava rum worldwide, while Scottish whiskey distiller James Evanston Sinclair could care less about his father's fortune but fall hard for headstrong Luz when they meet at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. From USA TODAY best-selling author Herrera, who identifies as a bisexual Afro-Dominica; with a 100,00-copy paperback and a 10,000-copy first printing.

Luz Alana Heith-Benzan is headed to the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris with her little sister, her two best friends, and a mission: create a European market for the rum made by her family business in the Dominican Republic. Falling in love is not even a consideration. But when she and James Evanston Sinclair, Earl of Darnick, realize they both have something to gain from a marriage of convenience—Luz would be able to access her inheritance, Evan could gain control of his late mother's distillery—they each secretly long for it to be a love match as well. But Evan is keeping something secret from Luz, and she's determined to find out what. Herrera ("Dreamers" series) kicks off the "Las Leonas" series with this effervescent historical featuring a vibrant setting, steamy love scenes, and fully realized characters. Readers will be enchanted. VERDICT An essential purchase for libraries.—Stephanie Klose

Herrera (the Dreamers series) serves up a sizzling hot historical marriage of convenience plot in her first Leonas romance. Rum heiress Luz Alana Heith-Benzan, part of Santo Domingo's exhibit at Paris's 1889 Exposition Universelle, needs to break into European liquor markets and regain control over her trust. Meanwhile, fellow exhibitor James "Evan" Sinclair, the Scottish Earl of Darnick, must marry to inherit his mother's whiskey distillery. Evan thus proposes a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience; he'll gain control of the distillery and Luz will get access to his business connections. As husband and wife, they fight Luz's trustee and Evan's father—and their growing attraction to each other. Though the characters frequently think and act anachronistically in an effort to appeal to modern sensibilities (Luz watches a live sex show at a brothel without disguising herself and without damaging her reputation; Evan and Luz don't consider divorcing scandalous or even difficult), the cultural diversity represented is historically accurate, beautifully integrated, sensitively explored, and incredibly refreshing. The sex scenes themselves offer a perfect blend of passion and romance, and Luz and Evan's shared interests in the liquor business believably grounds their partnership. It's high time romance diversified its tales of dashing dukes; Herrera doesn't disappoint on that front. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary. (May)