Month: August 2021

Why Do Earls Fall in Love by Deb Marlowe

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Why Do Earls Fall in Love? (A Series of Unconventional Courtships, #5)Why Do Earls Fall in Love? by Deb Marlowe

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: A Series of Unconventional Courtships, #5

Release Date: July 27, 2021

Miss Charlotte Mayne is in London for one reason and that is to find a husband. She and her maiden aunt have scraped up enough money for one season and she hopes to find a man who will be willing to support her and her younger siblings. But things are not progressing as she would have hoped, especially since her nasty cousin seems bent on ruining any chances she may have. She meets Gabriel Harris, Earl of Whiddon when she escapes to the terrace during a ball. Gabriel is smoking a vile-smelling cigar and she rightly guesses it is to keep people away. They strike up a conversation and she learns that he never wants to marry, but that doesn’t stop her from enjoying his company.

After that meeting, Gabriel watches out for her and on more than one occasion sees her cousin sabotaging her, so he steps in and dances with her, which seems to open the door for other suitors. He knows he should keep his distance, but he can’t seem to stay away and when they are caught in a compromising position, he proposes a marriage in name only.

Charlotte agrees, to a point, she wants more but is willing to wait for it. Slowly, she weaves herself into his life, first by setting his house to rights, despite his reasons for keeping it barely habitable, and then by getting him to share some of his tightly held secrets, including his ongoing mission to right the wrongs done by his father. At first, Gabriel tries to resist, but soon he can no longer deny his feelings and it seems like these two will find their HEA, but when an old advisory teams up with Charlotte’s cousin, their blossoming love will be tested.

What a great story! Of all the books in this series, I think this is my favorite, I just loved Charlotte and Gabriel and their road to HEA was filled with emotion, betrayal, secrets, lies, cameos from previous characters, truly evil villains, steamyish love scenes, and a little bit of heartache all wrapped up in a well-written, fast-paced story. This is the fifth book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

The Wayward Son by Caroline Warfield

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews1 Comment

The Wayward Son (The Ashmead Heirs, #1)The Wayward Son by Caroline Warfield
Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Ashmead Heirs #1
Publication Date: 7/22/21
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 355

This author has created the most delightful village populated with some of the most delightful people you’ll ever meet. Some are related – some are not. Some used to have secrets – some didn’t. When the old earl died, his will turned the world of a number of villagers upside down. This first book in the series introduces us to the village of Ashmead, its inhabitants and then nicely introduces us to protagonists in future books. As always, the writing is outstanding, it is perfectly plotted and perfectly paced, and you will absolutely adore all of the characters you meet. Well … all of the characters except the villains maybe.

Major Sir Robert Benson was once simply known as Robbie Benson, son of the publican in Ashmead. That changed suddenly when he was fourteen and overheard the girl he loved being berated by her mother because of her association with him. Because, well, it turns out he was her by-blow brother. Robbie left Ashmead after that, has never returned, and had intentions of never returning for any reason. Why would he go back? The man he loved and admired above all others, his Da, had lied to him for his entire life. His Da really wasn’t his Da. No, the man who sired him was the old Earl of Clarion.

Lucy Whitaker has learned that you cannot depend on men to take care of you. You must be totally independent and she has been making herself that way for several years. Sadly, that independence is still dependent on a man. When her father died leaving her without providing for her, she went to live with her sister and brother-in-law, the new Earl of Clarion. After the old earl died, and her sister as well, she was adrift. She couldn’t continue to live with her brother-in-law, but she had no other place to go. The solution was for her to live at Willowbrook until its heir showed up. Still, three years and many imposters later, the real heir has not appeared. Until he did.

Sir Robert only returned to Ashmead because his sister Emma wrote that he must come, she needed him. He never read any correspondence from Ashmead, the Earl’s home, or anyone else even remotely related to that Earldom or that village, so he was shocked to learn he had inherited Willowbrook from the old Earl’s estate. Well! He certainly didn’t want anything to do with that so he’d refuse it if he could or sell it if he couldn’t refuse it.

With strange things happening at Willowbrook and Sir Robert’s protective instincts for Lucy kicking in, the story really flies. Villains are afoot and have been for three years. What is it they want? The estate supports itself, but it doesn’t make huge sums of money. As the plot thickens, people are hurt, murder happens, betrayals happen, and Lucy and Sir Robert’s attraction to each other grows exponentially.

Will they find their HEA or will Sir Robert sell Willowbrook and head back to London? You’ll never know if you don’t read this wonderfully crafted romance. Some of the characters I LOVED in this book will be featured in the future books of the series. Madelyn (Maddy) Tavernash, Dowager Duchess of Glenmoor will be featured in the next book along with Brynn Morgan, who is Sir Robert’s best friend. You’ll love them in this book and I’m sure you’ll love them in their own book later this year! I believe the series will wrap up next year with the new Earl of Clarion’s book. You’ll also meet him and come to like him in this book.

Happy reading! I hope you’ll love this book as much as I did.

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