Tag: Alexandra Vasti

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Rom-Com, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Earl CrushEarl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Belvoir’s (there is no official series title), #2

Release Date: January 21, 2025

After years of correspondence with the Earl of Strathrannoch, political activist and author Miss Lydia Hope-Wallace has decided to make a bold move and has traveled to Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience to the Earl. Too bad the Earl has no idea who she is! Mortified Lydia tries to leave, but a zebra stampede and an Earl who needs her help, change her plans. And so, begins a wild road trip and the chance for a once in a lifetime type of love, as long as her own self-doubts don’t prevent her from risking her heart.

Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch is stunned when a lovely young woman comes to his door and proposes marriage. Too bad she thinks he is his younger brother Davis, but maybe he could ask for her to find him, as he is worried that his brother has stolen his latest invention for nefarious reasons. Arthur can’t help but to fall for Lydia, she is everything he could have ever wanted in a woman, but he believes that she is in love with his brother and tries to keep his distance. But the more time they spend together, the harder it gets. And when they are following a lead and are caught in a compromising position, Lydia says they are newlyweds, Arthur begins to have hope that maybe her feelings for Davis aren’t as serious as he thought. But just when he thinks they are headed for happily ever after, his own feelings of inadequacy may cost him the love of a lifetime.

I will be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book and almost passed on this ARC, but thankfully, I decided to give the book a chance and I am so happy I did! This book is a delightful read, filled with imperfect characters, dear friends, a protective family, spies, secrets, zebras, steamy love scenes, insecurities, a beautiful soulmate-type love, and finally a happily ever after with the sweetest epilogue I have read in quite some time. I did feel like the book dragged in places, but OMG – Arthur – he more than makes up for that and is now on my top five favorite heroes of all time and has been elevated to book-boyfriend status. This is the second book in the series (it doesn’t seem to have an official series title, but I am calling it Belvoir’s) and could be read as a standalone title without any problems. Needless to say, I would happily recommend this book to my fellow HR readers and am looking forward to the next installment!

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

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti – Review

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Rom-Com, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)2 Comments

Ne'er Duke WellBarbara’s rating: 3.3 out of 5
Series: I wish I knew, but it is part of a series
Publication Date: 7/23/24
Period: Regency – London
Number of Pages: 352

This author delivered a good first full-length novel with likable characters and plenty of her signature steam and wit. Some scenes had me laughing out loud and others made me smile because, overall, it was a happy book. I think Peter and Selina had the chemistry going, but I would have liked to see how we got there. I rather felt as if I’d been dropped into the romance in the middle of the second act – rather than seeing it unfurl as it grew. Our hero, Peter, was NOT an alpha male, but 😊I think maybe our heroine was an alpha female. Peter did, however, have his swoon-worthy moments. 😊 I liked all the characters, but I thought Peter’s half-sister was a bit over-the-top. I am glad to have read this book even though I did get a tad bored at times and found it draggy in spots.

Our story follows Peter Kent, born and raised in New Orleans to a third (or more) son of the Duke of Stanhope. Peter never expected nor wanted to inherit a title, much less that of Duke, but he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to present anti-slavery legislation in the House of Lords. Upon arriving in England three years ago, he discovered he had illegitimate half-siblings, a boy and a girl. He now has two goals – end slavery as best he can and gain guardianship of his half-siblings.

Selina Ravenscroft is a very modern woman – and a very managing one. She is a ‘fixer’ who fixes everything for everybody – whether they want it fixed or not. She is a brilliant ray of sunshine who sees the best in every situation and wants to make it right. So, when she learns Peter wants to gain guardianship of his half-siblings, she takes right over fixing it for him. Her solution? Peter needs to marry a very respectable English lady who hasn’t had a hint of scandal in her family for the last hundred years. Selina also has a secret – and it is the reason she cannot be the lady who marries Peter. Selina owns a lending library – but – that lending library makes some very scandalous literature available to the ladies of the ton – married and unmarried. She wants those ladies to learn what they need to do to keep from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous men – and contraception – and well, the mechanics of how it all works.

I really liked the three ladies Selina chooses for Peter and while they weren’t right for him, I know we’ll be seeing them in future books in the series. I am looking forward to those books and the next features Selina’s best friend, Lydia Hope-Wallace.

So, overall, this was a nice, witty, steamy book, that I am glad to have read, but wouldn’t read a second time because I thought the bland and boring times outweighed those flashes of brilliant wit and steam.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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