One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (The Rules of Scoundrels, #2)

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One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (The Rules of Scoundrels #2)

by Sarah MacLean (Goodreads Author)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 2,341 ratings · 440 reviews

The second in the incredible new Rules of Scoundrels series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean.

Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalo...more

Mass Market Paperback, 373 pages

Published January 29th 2013 by Avon

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Jan 06, 2013 Blacky *Mistress of doom* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, favorite-historical, read-historical, arc, oooooooooooooooooooooooo, 4-stars-for-quality, 5-stars-for-enjoyment

*full review now posted*

“I am going to ruin you, Pippa. I shall show you pleasure you’ve never known, the kind you’ve never dreamed. Over and over and over until you beg me never to stop.”

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This book was all about temptation and sexual tension

The story

Lady Philippa Marbury is engaged to be married, and has a terrible problem. She doesn't know the mechanics of the marriage bed

Scientific person that she is, she finds that the only solution is research. Thorough research

And the best person t...more

129 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2013 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: avon-addict-reads, avon-historical-romance, author-sarah-maclean, series-the-rules-of-scoundrels, books-for-review, 5-stars, 2012-reads, keepers, reviewed-by-me, reviewed-for-avon-addicts, reviewed-at-blithelybookish, hero-accountant, historcal-romance, heroine-smart-strong-gutsy, sexxxxxxxxxy, must-read-series, heroine-geek, format-arc

This is such a great story! What are you waiting for?

Cross

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is the second book in Sarah MacLean’s The Rules of Scoundrels series, and from the first page to the last, simply wonderful! It’s witty, poignant, romantic, and sexy, and a story I simply couldn’t put down!

Cover blurb: Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the

...more
This is such a great story! What are you waiting for?

Cover blurb: Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.

Like any good scientist, Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion - the experience of ruination without the repercussions of ruination. And who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? But when this odd, unexpected female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting . . . and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts - and giving the lady precisely what she wants.

I don’t know where to begin when sharing with you the many things I love about this book! The story is amazing - fast paced, sensual, deliciously sexy and very romantic. It's the perfect backdrop for our hero and heroine who are also amazing. They are vulnerable yet strong, stubborn but yielding, flawed yet in a word, perfect!

Lady Phillipa Marbury, with her black and white, scientific way of thinking, drew me in and had me loving her early on. At times I laughed at how naive her ideas were, and at other times, I almost cried because of the same. I wanted to protect her from the harsh world of The Fallen Angel and Cross's life, and at other times I wanted to push her right into the middle of it - right into his arms! Pippa, like all of Sarah MacLean's heroines, is wonderful! The kind of woman I would like to be if I were living in her era.

And then there's Cross. Cross is such an interesting character! A man of many contradictions. He's got secrets, demons that torment and eat away at him. At times he's oppressive and bleak, yet at other times he's compassionate and determined to protect those he loves. He's devoted, exciting, sexy... a truly perfect hero!

And as if all that weren't enough, toss in an incredible supporting cast of characters, people whose stories I want to learn and whose lives I wish I had a place in... there's nothing more I can ask for.

The bottom line: This book has everything I look for in my historical romance reads. It’s funny, romantic, heartwarming, sexy… indeed, it has everything I want, everything I’ve come to expect from Sarah MacLean’s stories.

Many thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a paperback ARC of this story. It was a true pleasure to read!(less)

78 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2013 Baba ♥♥♥ Marcus, Tyler, Tate, Dan, Ty, & Hunter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historicals, i-wanna-be-a-virgin-again, memorable-favorite-heroes, memorable-favorite-heroines, sarah-maclean, spellbound, words-make-you-come, favorite-historicals, edelweiss-arc

Review completed January 4, 2013

Utterly witty. Eclectic. Beautiful. Sensual. Deliciously good.

"You have no idea what I could do to you, Philippa Marbury. The ways I could touch you. The wonders I could show you. I could ruin you without thought, sink with you into the depths of sin and not once regret it. I could lead you right into temptation and never ever look back."

Can't breathe

Sarah MacLean has done it again! This is HR (emphasis on romance) at its best. I loved A Rogue by Any Other Name...more

85 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance-european

"I require ruination."

Lady Philippa (Pippa) Marbury has just over two weeks to her wedding. As a scientist, her enquiring mind demands to know exactly what sexual intercourse involves before she is actually married. The 'research associate' she chooses also happens to be a man of science with a reputation for experience in these matters.

Jasper Arlesey, Earl Harlow, known simply as Cross, is one of the four owners of The Fallen Angel, a gambling house. When approached by Pippa to become her 'res...more

42 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Elizabeth - Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-reads, ebook-read, favorites, historical-romance-read, ebook-edelweiss-read

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance

5 Stars

I adore you, Sarah MacLean!! Your stories make me so idiotically happy;) Seriously, this is Sarah MacLean at her *very* best, doing what she does so well. This new series of hers, somehow, continues to get better with this second book, One Good Earl Deserves A Lover. I do believe this is my favorite book of hers to date!

Lady Philippa (Pippa) Marbury is a true individual. With her glasses, her brilliant and scientific mind, and her forthright nature,...more

35 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2013 KatLynne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss-arc, 2012-best-this-year, 2012-reads, desert-island-a-must, favorite-treasures, g-historical-romance, hero-favorite-smokin-hot-sexay, hero-rake-bad-boy, hero-tortured-flawed, heroine-i-loved, heroine-with-backbone-smart-strong, keeper, made-me-laugh, one-of-my-fav-authors, one-of-my-favorite-series, part-of-a-series, sensual-steamy, smokin-hot-steamy, hero-hot-alpha

Review completed January 4, 2013

..."Temptation - it turns you. It makes you into something you never dreamed, it presses you to give up everything you ever loved, it calls you to sell your soul for one, fleeting moment."...."It makes you ache," he whispered, and she watched the curve of his lips in the darkness. "You'll make any promise, swear any oath. For one...perfect...unsoiled taste."

5+ Delicious! Dazzling! Magnificent! Breathtaking Stars!

Ms. MacLean, this book is evidence of why I consider...more

33 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2013 edzkie♥§*.*§♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

Witty. Sensual. Emotional. Remarkable. Although at first it bored me but when I reach 50% of the book it finally pick up. I love Pippa's curiosity, her experiment was quite interesting, her knowledge on humans anatomy was exceptional and her trying to justify every situation to science even her feelings was fascinating. And with her impending marriage she wants to gain knowledge on how to please his future husband by asking the legendary proper rake for the job.

“I am going to ruin you, Pippa....more

14 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2013 Dija rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, jan-2013, authors-i-stalk, awww, cotton-candy-fluff, favorites, hr, lollercoaster, my-reviews, reread-worthy, sequels-challenge, surprisingly-good, wow, arc

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is dedicated to girls who wear glasses, and that alone was enough to win me over. Fortunately, the rest of the book is just as sweet as the dedication and I couldn't put it down until Cross and Pippa got their HEA.

This book is, for the most part, not bogged down with historical details, and I'm actually grateful for that in this case because it means the focus was more on the romance.

And wow, what a romance! Cross and Pippa are absolutely adorable together and th...more One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is dedicated to girls who wear glasses, and that alone was enough to win me over. Fortunately, the rest of the book is just as sweet as the dedication and I couldn't put it down until Cross and Pippa got their HEA.

This book is, for the most part, not bogged down with historical details, and I'm actually grateful for that in this case because it means the focus was more on the romance.

And wow, what a romance! Cross and Pippa are absolutely adorable together and their dialog was even more entertaining than Simon and Juliana's in Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart.

I warmed up to Pippa way before Cross, a rarity in most HRs. Because really, is there anything cuter than a heroine who tries to not get distracted by the smexiness of the hero by naming the bones in his body?

She spoke to her hands. “It’s just that...since we met, I have been rather...well, fascinated by...”
You.
Say it, he willed, not entirely certain what he would do if she did, but willing to put himself to the test.
She took another breath. “By your bones.”
Would she ever say anything expected? “My bones?”
She nodded. “Yes. Well, the muscles and tendons, too. Your forearms. Your thighs. And earlier—while I watched you drink whiskey—by your hands.”
Cross had been propositioned many times in his life. He’d made a career of refusing women’s requests. But he had never been complimented on his bones.
It was the strangest, sexiest confession he’d ever heard.

I loved Pippa's straightforward and plain manner, and while Cross isn't the most memorable character out there, they make such a fascinating pair that I came to care for him as well. My eyes even welled up with tears reading the epilogue because I'd become so emotionally invested in their romance and HEA.

“My whole life...two and two has made four.”
He nodded, utterly focused on her, and she loved him all over again for paying attention...for understanding her.
“But now...it’s all gone wrong.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t make four anymore. It makes you.”

At times heartbreakingly tragic, and at others cutely frivolous, One Good Earl Deserves a Lover was a riveting and emotional read throughout, and more than half the credit for that goes to Pippa's unique personality. I can't wait to read the sequel and find out more about the mysterious Temple in No Good Duke Goes Unpunished.

*ARC lent to me by Aly. You can read her review here.*

For more reviews, visit my blog:
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17 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2013 Noor is currently reading it

Shelves: historical, m-f, have

can't wait to read it

“Well, since you came all the way here . . . how may
I be of service, Lady Philippa?”
She took a deep breath. Released it. “I require
ruination. And I hear you are an expert in the subject.”

13 likes · like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

"It's because I am odd. I can't help it."
God help him, he wanted to kiss her senseless. He wanted to kiss her senseless because she was odd.
"Pippa-" he said, knowing he shouldn't speak.
She cut him off. "Don't tell me it's not true. I know it is. I'm strange."
"You are."
Her brows knit together. "Well, you don't have to tell it is true either."

I'm sure some of you are probably wondering why I would choose to start off a review with such a peculiar quote.

Here's why I chose it : odd is good. In f...more

"It's because I am odd. I can't help it."
God help him, he wanted to kiss her senseless. He wanted to kiss her senseless because she was odd.
"Pippa-" he said, knowing he shouldn't speak.
She cut him off. "Don't tell me it's not true. I know it is. I'm strange."
"You are."
Her brows knit together. "Well, you don't have to tell it is true either."

I'm sure some of you are probably wondering why I would choose to start off a review with such a peculiar quote.

Here's why I chose it : odd is good. In fact, odd is better than good. How could I not root for a quirky, cute, bespectacled, science-loving heroine? The hero fell for her oddness. How darn adorable is that?

In fact, I really couldn't tell you that much about the hero himself. He didn't really stand out for me as far as male leads go...and to be honest, I didn't really care. However, he did play a very nice role in what was a very impressive scene of seduction involving unconventional methods. Often, what we aren't expecting is the thing that ends up appealing to us the most, and this scene worked quite nicely for me. In fact, I think this scene is what a lot of people are going to be talking about when they read the book. However, I can read a hot sex scene any day, so that wasn't was impressed me the most, even though this is technically a romance book.

Why? Well, let's go back to the odd thing. Instead of the heroine's voice narrating every single perfection about the male lead and his sensational face or physically fit body, we got to hear about how much Pippa loved Cross's bones. Yes, that is what happened. She went into detail about how she loved the way his bones were formed. Nerdy Girl wins points with me.
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What else should I say? I think I might have seen this story a few times before, in which a woman propositions a more experienced man to "enlighten" her on the concept of coupling (there's your 5 second book summary in a nutshell), but it really was the female character herself that was the breath of fresh air in this book.

I have no humor or witty quips for this review (sorry friends, I'm still coming down from a food coma because of the evil holiday faeries who kept shoving food in my mouth). One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is a pretty straightforward historical romance. If you like that sort of thing, then there's a good chance you'll enjoy this book. If you don't read HR, then I'll see you in another day or two with something different for your consideration. :p

This book provided from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.(less)

36 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 (¯`·..·♥Anna♥·..·´¯) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, edelweiss, arc, lovely-heroine, all-time-favorite, top-10-hero

Review completed January 13, 2013

*5 big stars*

"I require ruination"

What an awesome book! I can say with all honesty its Sarah MacLean's best work to date. I never thought this was possible but she outdid herself!

Pippa Marbury is one of my favorite heroines of all time. She is intelligent, honest and so full of life I just had to love her! She is a scientist and because of that she sees things as black or white, but never gray. This is cause for many naive moments that made me laugh out loud. Ma...more

19 likes · like · see review

May 10, 2013 Lisa Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-romance-historical, authors-m, authors-s, zzcover-blue, m-audio-loupe-ysi, character-eyeglasses, 2013-rlftci-group-challenge, challenge-nbrc-tower, animal-dog-in-story, setting-england, character-bluestocking, new-2-me-author, reviewed-by-me

Thank you, UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish for the use of these photos, taken by her daughter, Megan, from Dhes's very own rose garden!

★★★★☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I just love Rosalyn Landor's narrations of Historical Romances. She always delivers. Her diction is perfect, her characters distinguishable, her tone and pacing appropriate to the context. I cannot sing her praises high enough. If you're looking to cut your teeth on audio, try one of her excellent readings.

I love...more

9 likes · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Janga rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really do like this one too. I feel guilty for having read it early since I have a friend who's offered everthing short of her soul to read it.

The pairing of a bookish heroine and a wounded hero with a rakish history ensured that I would find this book appealing, but it is Pippa who sent the novel soaring to the top of my rating scale. A misfit in spectacles who is not really understood even by those who love her, she is a total delight—remarkably intelligent, unconsciously funny, honest, and...more

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2013 Lady Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: historical romance, luvaas of Sarah MacLean

Shelves: 2013-release, adult, best-series, broken-women-finding-their-hea, domineering-alpha-lead, eagerly-anticipating, english-aristocracy, fiction, historical-fiction, historical-romance, i-own-this-book, kick-ass-female-leads, kindle, love-the-author-a-must-buy, romance, sarah-maclean, hotter-than-hell-sex, this-is-how-to-lose-your-virginity

This is the second book in Sarah MacLean's "The Rules of Scoundrels" series, and so far it's my favorite!!
I LOVED PIPPA!!
When I was reading this book and Phillipa (Pippa) was describing her dilemma to Cross, that she felt quite unprepared and had no idea about the activities that take place after the marriage..in bed, and that "she found the marriage vows rather specious".. actually the bit before the vows, specifically the part that says, "to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brut...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review Posted on Demon Lover's Books & More

Spoiler Free

This book was wonderful. The beginning starts off with a bang! (and right where we left off in A Rogue by Any Other Name) and it only gains momentum, pulling you further and further in.

Lady Philippa Marbury is getting married in 2 weeks, and it’s to be the double wedding of the decade! She and her beautiful sister are making headlines left and right for their wedding. Yet, Pippa can’t quite come to terms with it. Oh she knows the weddin...more Review Posted on Demon Lover's Books & More

Spoiler Free

This book was wonderful. The beginning starts off with a bang! (and right where we left off in A Rogue by Any Other Name) and it only gains momentum, pulling you further and further in.

Lady Philippa Marbury is getting married in 2 weeks, and it’s to be the double wedding of the decade! She and her beautiful sister are making headlines left and right for their wedding. Yet, Pippa can’t quite come to terms with it. Oh she knows the wedding is inevitable, and her husband really is a nice guy. But Pippa is, well, odd. She knows it, everyone around her knows it. And her soon-to-be husband knows it. And he rather likes it. He likes Pippa, and for her, that’s enough.

Except, that it really isn’t.

She thinks she needs to understand the machinations of the consummation to get her jitters to go away. Being the scientist that she is, she propositions Cross, a well-known rake. She doesn’t want to be physically ruined, per se, but she wants to know what it is. What actually happens. Cross obviously turns her down. Yet, Pippa somehow ends up embroiled in his life without him even noticing. She is always there. And he can’t stop thinking about her.

Cross eventually realizes that Pippa will be in far more trouble if he doesn’t help her, than if he does. But he also tells her that knowing what’s to come isn’t really what she wants. She’s only using that as an excuse for her nerves.

Cross and Pippa have amazing chemistry, and it’s so brilliantly done. But Cross has problems of his own. He not only has a club to run, but he’s being blackmailed and it isn’t going well. There are at least 2 places where I teared up, and the most heartbreaking was where Pippa realized that Cross was trying to save her reputation, and she thought that maybe Cross needed someone to save him.

The ending also made me cry because I’m a big sucker for endings like this. I think that if you haven’t read a Sarah MacLean book by now, you need to.

***Thank You to Avon and Edelweiss for the ARC(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Feb 05, 2013 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

I found the set-up in the beginning of this book to be so far-fetched that I could not buy into it, therefore setting a frustrating tone for this book. Pippa is engaged to be married to an Earl. It is not a love match, rather she is the last of her sisters to get married and her father thinks she will do well by this man. He is a kind man, but more interested in his dogs rather than Pippa. Pippa is very smart and obsessed with science and horticulture. She realizes she really has no idea what to...more I found the set-up in the beginning of this book to be so far-fetched that I could not buy into it, therefore setting a frustrating tone for this book. Pippa is engaged to be married to an Earl. It is not a love match, rather she is the last of her sisters to get married and her father thinks she will do well by this man. He is a kind man, but more interested in his dogs rather than Pippa. Pippa is very smart and obsessed with science and horticulture. She realizes she really has no idea what to do on her wedding night so she decides to go to a notorious gaming hell that her Brother in-law owns with three other men. She would never tell her brother in-law of her plans, but she knows the man who goes by Cross (who is secretly Jasper Arlesey, Earl Harlow but she doesn’t know this) might help her education. She doesn’t want to have sex, she just wants to be lectured about the subject.

Cross has been estranged from his family for six years, running away from his title after his brother died tragically. He now is part owner of The Angel and keeps their books. He is a well known womanizer in his past, although is trying to lead a more honorable life. When Pippa shows up at his door demanding improper things, he immediately pushes her away, but he doesn’t realize just how stubborn she can be.

As I said at the beginning, I never bought into the fact that Pippa would go to this gaming hell and demand to be taught about sex. It just didn’t fit in with her character. By all accounts I should like an odd bird heroine. She wears glasses and is a bit awkward. But I couldn’t reconcile her behavior of leaving her house and doing all these secret things. She is book smart, not street smart and after awhile her actions annoyed me.

Cross on the other hand – I understood him better. I like how conflicted he is – broken over the estrangement of his family, and how the now bitter man molds to the previous scoundrel.

As their romance builds through this book, I continuously had a thought. Deep down, Pippa is starved for loving attention. Her sisters are selfish, her mother is not attentive and her fiancé could care less about physical attraction. There is a point where things heat up between Pippa and Cross and she asks him, if he wants her. It is a very moving scene. But I kept thinking – Cross is the only man that has ever touched her in a romantic way. That has ever had an intellectual discussion with her. Is it really true love with Cross, or would she fall into the arms of any man who gave her the attention she deserved? I felt their lust but I never felt their love. I felt like Pippa was still too innocent and naïve to really know what true love is. She lusted after the man who gave her physical pleasure. But would she lust after another man if he did the same?

All that being said, I found out Temple’s book is next (he is another owner) and I about fell off my chair. He intrigues me so darn much. I think this author has a cute and witty voice and I still anticipate her books. This one just didn't do it for me.

Rating: C
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9 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: z-read-in-2012, historical-regency, z-edelweiss

4 stars

Lady Philippa Marbury is on a mission. You see, she's getting married in two weeks and she knows nothing about the more intimate side of marriage. After all, how can she make promises to a man if she doesn't know what they entail. So, she decides to ask her brother-in-law's friend for help. Or in her own words:

I require ruination.

Cross can't believe his ears - the obviously virginal lady is asking him for ruination. True, she wants knowledge, not the act itself, but that won't make a dif...more

13 likes · like · see review

Oct 31, 2012 Kelly22 rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of tortured yet powerful rogue heroes and nerdish brave heroines in love! /Fans of MacLean.

Shelves: advanced-review-copies-arc, historical-romance, viscount-earl-marquess, alpha-hero, bad-boy-rake-rogue-casanova, brooding-dangerous-hero, witty-humerous-funny-comedy, wallflower-spinster-plain-heroine, virgin-herione, tortured-hero, hottest-love-scenes-ever, hh-intellectual-scientist-genius, heroine-wild-child-unconventional, hh-criminal-con, hero-merchnt-indstrialist-uber-rich, hero-blackgrd-ruffian-outcast-crook, hero-accomplished-lover, family-moments, hero-celibate-virgin-less_practiced, reformed-rake-player, overtly-possessive-jealous-hero, love-triangle, hero-makes-good-girls-go-bad, gamma-anti-hero, favorite-series, month-jan-2013-releases, 2013-historicals, 2013-releases, hh-aristocrat-peer-royal-nobel

4.00 Stars - Regency/Historical Romance.

With only few days left to settle down in a maudlin married life with one dull Lord Castleton, Pippa Marbury sets out to conduct her own research in discovering the merits of the marriage bed! To aid her in this said research she singles out a world-weary notorious gambling owner called Cross. Though hesitant at first, much to his chagrin, Cross discovers teaching the brilliant, bespectacled Pippa about passion and temptation is proving to be quite a huge...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Amanda The Book Slayer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-read, sexy-alpha-male, historical-romance

Recommendation : If you are looking for a book about a smart-geeky girl who can bring a rogue to his knees than this book is for you.

Indeed, if there was one truth in society it was this: Rake, rogue, or scoundrel-an heir required reformation. He could wreak his havoc, sow his wild oats, and scandalize society with his youthful indiscretions, but his future was cast in stone by the finest of masons. He would eventually find himself shackled to his title, his land, and his estate-a prisoner of p...more Recommendation : If you are looking for a book about a smart-geeky girl who can bring a rogue to his knees than this book is for you.

Indeed, if there was one truth in society it was this: Rake, rogue, or scoundrel-an heir required reformation. He could wreak his havoc, sow his wild oats, and scandalize society with his youthful indiscretions, but his future was cast in stone by the finest of masons. He would eventually find himself shackled to his title, his land, and his estate-a prisoner of peerage alongside his brethren in the House of Lords.

No, freedom was not for heirs, but for spares.

And so the story of Jasper Arlesey, the second son of Earl Harlow, began.

Jasper was not one to settle down. Being the second son, he knew he was allowed freedoms that his brother, the would-be heir, did not have. This meant women, booze, and lack of responsibility in general were the name of his game. But all this changed one day when his brother and sister were in a carriage accident. An accident that Jasper should have been in, instead of his brother, Baine. The outcome was one he least expected, he became the would-be heir and from then on came to bear his cross, burden. Thus, Cross was born.

Lady Philippa Malbury, or Pippa as she was affectionately known to many, was anything but normal. Her mind was one that functioned on a scientific level. In order to understand the world around her she dissected and questioned everything. As you can imagine, she was a very unusual child but Pippa remained Pippa throughout her childhood and into adulthood.

And so the beginning of the book starts. Pippa, being Pippa, was betrothed to be married soon and she decided to take life into her owns hands. How you ask? She wanted to understand marriage and the vows she was about to make. So she decided to research all about these vows and what they would mean to her. She required…ruination and who better than an expert in ruination. Cross was legendary for just that.

One day she showed up at the club to confront him and ask for his assistance. Their banter back and forth was hilarious. I don’t want to give the whole book away, but I promise you that you don’t want to miss this one. The story has plenty of twists and turns. A smart-geeky girl tries to seduce the famous rogue. Let me tell you, it was quite fun to read. Pippa was practical as ever and Cross was waylaid at every turn by her abrupt and curious nature.

In the end…well I can’t give the ending away, but it’s a great one. I can sum it all up in one word. Love, it was all for love.

I want to thank Avon Books via Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobuy-authors, european-historical, regency-era, romance, historical, 2013-releases, 4-and-a-half-stars, books-i-own, alpha-heroes, 2013-reads, tortured-heroes, seriously-series-reading-challenge, reviewed-on-blog

4.5 Stars

Anybody who has read my blog on a consistent basis can figure out that I am a huge fan of historical romance. It was one of the first "adult" genres that I tried and I have been obsessed ever since. That being said, while I continue to love the genre and am always on the lookout for great books, I have found myself getting a little bored. There are moments where I feel like I have read every possible scenario and met every possible character in Regency/Victorian-era England. But, then I...more 4.5 Stars

Anybody who has read my blog on a consistent basis can figure out that I am a huge fan of historical romance. It was one of the first "adult" genres that I tried and I have been obsessed ever since. That being said, while I continue to love the genre and am always on the lookout for great books, I have found myself getting a little bored. There are moments where I feel like I have read every possible scenario and met every possible character in Regency/Victorian-era England. But, then I came across Sarah MacLean whose books are a breath of fresh air for me with their well-developed characters and their unique plotlines. And her latest, One Good Earl Deserves a Lover, is a great example of what I mean.

This book is the second in MacLean's Rules for Scoundrels series which focuses on the owners of London gambling club called The Fallen Angel. Each of the men has a reason for his association with the club and quite a few secrets in their past. The first book, A Rogue By Any Other Name, involved an outcast lord and the woman he had loved for ages. Now, the focus shifts to Cross, The Fallen Angel's mysterious bookkeeper, and Philippa Marbury, the daughter of a marquess who is thought to be odd by most of the ton.

I really enjoyed the way that MacLean developed both of the main characters. I was particularly fascinated by Pippa's scientific interests and how they shaped her view on the world and society. Like many women of her day, Pippa is expected to make a decent marriage and she goes along with these expectations. But, what makes this heroine unique is that she is determined not to go into her marriage without understanding every aspect of it including the sexual parts. I always love it when a heroine does something unexpected to throw off the reader and the hero and Pippa did just that with her proposition to Cross. It was also nice to see the way that Pippa balanced her duties and her desires as the storyline progressed.

Cross was a mysterious character who I enjoyed seeing slowly start to reveal himself to Pippa and his colleagues at The Fallen Angel. His past is pretty bleak and it has definitely shaped his character in both positive and negative ways. What I really loved was how fascinated Cross was by Pippa from the moment he saw her and how he really appreciated what a rare woman she was. He did have a few too many "I'm not worthy" moments that tortured heroes tend to have in romance novels, but it didn't really disrupt my enjoyment of the story enough to bring the rating down.

Since Cross and Pippa were not cookie-cutter Regency-era characters, it makes sense that their romance would go along with their unique personalities. The beginning was a little unconventional with Pippa asking Cross to teach her about sex in preparation for her marriage to another man, but it quickly escalated into something sweet and romantic. Both Cross and Pippa were lonely and were in need someone they could really relate to. It was also fun to read about a romance that was a nice combination of sugar and spice. Cross and Pippa had some pretty steamy scenes which balanced well with the development of the emotional relationship.

The secondary characters helped bring the story even more to life. Surprisingly, I really liked Pippa's fiance, Castleton, which is rare in historical romance. He was was a decent guy who was willing to do his duty, but also concentrated on what made Pippa happy. I really hope that MacLean writes his story someday even in a novella format. Readers also get to see more of The Fallen Angel and its workers. I love learning about the history of the club and seeing all of the inner workings that make it so successful. It is truly becoming a character of its own and I can't wait to see more of it.

Overall, I loved this book with its wonderfully unconventional heroine and stoic, mysterious hero. Sometimes the historical romance genre needs a swift kick to get it back to what I really fell in love with years ago and hopefully more writers will use MacLean as an example of how to do just that. Can't wait to read more in this series especially if we get to see the truth behind the brawny Temple who is thought to be a murderer!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Aly (Mircea) Basarab rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: historical, best-book-ever, favorites, 2013-group-challenge, a-z-challenge

*ARC courtesy of Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
*The review might contain tiny spoilers*

I don't know what to say about this book so that it'll explain how much I liked it and I can't seem to do it without spoilers either. Ms. MacLean's books get better and better every time. Now, trying to write a review and not sounding like a crazy fangirl is impossible, so I'll let myself start:
Ms. MacLean is my heroooo[heroine doesn't have the same impact]!
OMG Cross rocks!
OMG Pippa is th...more

6 likes · like · see review

Aug 21, 2012 Anna's Herding Cats! marked it as don-t-have-yet

Ack. January is so far away. Can't wait to read it. The teaser was sooo good!

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 11, 2012 SheReadsALot marked it as to-read

Shelves: historical, hot-alpha-male, part-of-a-series, gamblers, angst, brainy-heroine, steamy, strong-silent-type

It's going DOWN real soon!

1 like · like · see review

Dec 29, 2012 Layla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-release, genre-historical, part-of-a-series, rating-4-stars, netgalley-or-edelweiss, reviewed, favourites-of-2012

*ARC provided by Avon via Edelweiss

My rating: 4/5 stars
First line:“The lady was mad.”
Favourite quote: “I never met another person who seemed to understand me. I never thought I would. Until you.”

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is the second instalment in the Rules of Scoundrels series, featuring Philippa Marbury (aka Pippa or as I so very kindly nicknamed her, The Mad Scientist) the sister of Penelope (the heroine from A Rogue By Any Other Name) and Mr. Cross, Bourne’s partner at the Angel club/...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Madu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

*ARC courtesy of Avon via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*

When you read a great book, you have no idea how to begin a review or how to begin praising it.

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover represents a confirmation of Sarah McLean's spark and talent, which, in my opinion, appeared since her "Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart". Well, miss McLean, you haven't just won a duke's heart, also ours!

This book is about the romance between Pippa Marbury, a weird woman for her times, int...more

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 19, 2013 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, regency-victorian, series, library_hardcopy

This one disappointed me a bit, I'll be honest. I think I've loved every single book by this author, and don't get me wrong, this is still a far superior HR than many, but it just felt like it was missing something, and I think that something was a bit of depth in the characters.

Pippa and Cross are wonderful, different, fascinating and entertaining protagonists. The two of them have more intellect between them that a whole shelf of heroes/heroines in your local airport departure lounge bookstore...more This one disappointed me a bit, I'll be honest. I think I've loved every single book by this author, and don't get me wrong, this is still a far superior HR than many, but it just felt like it was missing something, and I think that something was a bit of depth in the characters.

Pippa and Cross are wonderful, different, fascinating and entertaining protagonists. The two of them have more intellect between them that a whole shelf of heroes/heroines in your local airport departure lounge bookstore. I loved them both.

My issue with them is firstly that we didn't really get to know Cross as well as I would have liked. Yes, we know his backstory, we know he's the financial wizard, we know he's tall, red-haired and lanky, and he's wracked (seriously screwed-up with) guilt, but he's written as though he's very enigmatic, and I didn't get the impression he's really an enigma at all, except to Pippa, who wonderfully dissects every enigma and mystery she's confronted with, until the facts are laid bare before her. Cross is not a mystery really - he's a geeky finance guy.

Secondly, Pippa is driven by facts, not emotions. Her Myers-Briggs personality type is ISTJ in a big way, and is rare for women in general, but this is the thing - you may go through life learning and developing, but your underlying personality doesn't really change - and I felt, sadly, that Pippa become just a teensy bit too emotional towards the end. An ISTJ would just freak out when confronted by emotions - they struggle with them, sometimes in an unproductive way, and it would have been rather interesting to see the calm, methodical Pippa lose it.

Equally, the ending just didn't do it for me. I had a real hard time believing that Pippa, a novice at games of chance, no matter her intellectual capabilities, would be able to fool a full-time croupier and do what she did, and would any hell-owner go visit his competitors without being turfed out? Of course not. The whole thing came out of nowhere, and didn't convince me. It probably didn't help that I read A Gentleman Undone which does handle the intricacies and mathematics of gaming and odds incredibly well.

I also felt the writing wasn't quite the same standard I've read in other Sarah MacLean books - there was too much repetition (I lost count of the number of times "lush" appeared in each chapter), and although it flowed really nicely, a couple of the sexy bits didn't seem to have much point to them - I skimmed those and still didn't feel like I couldn't follow the plot.

Anyway, despite my criticism, I did enjoy this read, just not as much as I'd hoped. 3 stars. I liked it.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: for_review, historical

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A-

She spoke to her hands, “It’s just that…since we met, I have been rather…well, fascinated by…” (…)

She took another breath. “By your bones.”

Would she ever say anything expected? “My bones?”

She nodded. “Yes. Well, the muscles and tendons, too. Your forearms. Your thighs. And earlier-while I watched you drink whiskey-by your hands.”

Cross had been propositioned many times in his life. He’d made a career of refusing women’s requests. But he...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A-

She spoke to her hands, “It’s just that…since we met, I have been rather…well, fascinated by…” (…)

She took another breath. “By your bones.”

Would she ever say anything expected? “My bones?”

She nodded. “Yes. Well, the muscles and tendons, too. Your forearms. Your thighs. And earlier-while I watched you drink whiskey-by your hands.”

Cross had been propositioned many times in his life. He’d made a career of refusing women’s requests. But he had never been complimented on his bones.

It was the strangest, sexist confession he’d ever heard.

And he had no idea how to respond.

From a young age, Pippa has always been called odd. She knows she’s not like “normal” young ladies in society, but she is who she is and she doesn’t try to change herself. Growing up, she was more interested in science and knowledge but now she’s engaged and the lack of knowledge she has about sex and marriage has her worried and searching for answers. She needs to research and do that, she needs a research partner; someone to help her puzzle things out and give her explanations so she knows exactly what her wedding vows will mean when she says them. She wants Cross to help her. Gossip has him being all-knowing with the topic of sex and his ownership of The Fallen Angel, a gaming hell, opens up a world that Pippa ends up being all too curious about.

Cross has lived in his own hell for six years. He suffered through the loss of his older brother, being estranged from his sister and knowing that his parents wish that he would have been the son that was killed years ago and not his brother Baine. Cross drank too much, gambled too much and found himself at the mercy of Knight, a gaming hell owner who made it clear that he would collect on his role in helping save Cross’s life one night. That time has come, but as Knight is forcing Cross’s hand on one side, Pippa is barging into Cross’s life on the other. Cross struggles with keeping his attraction to Pippa secret, but Knight finds out and Pippa’s reputation is put on the line along with Cross’s future.

Pippa, this charming bespectacled woman, is the star of this story. I loved her from the moment she came on page. She craves knowledge and will research anything to gain a better understanding of new, unknown things. At the top of her list is sex, romance and her absolute need to know what her wedding vows mean. She’s engaged to a man who just can’t challenge her. He’s a nice man, the Earl of Castleton, but it is not a love match. Pippa wants to learn about kissing and sex and goes to Cross for lessons in temptation. He refuses, strongly. He’s drawn to this curious woman and knows that he can’t go down that road with her. What he didn’t count on was Pippa’s drive for knowledge and she keeps showing up at his club, first to ask him, then to ask her questions to one of the club’s “women”. When Cross finally caves and starts her lessons an entire world of emotion and feelings are hitting Pippa and her scientific brain just can’t handle it. She never believed in love until she starts to feel it for Cross.

Pippa has a way of asking direct, blunt questions and truthful observations that had me laughing and charmed. Cross and Pippa together, their quick back and forth banter was enjoyable to read and made me fall for them as couple long before they fell for each other. It’s not often that a character stands out as truly unique and unforgettable and Pippa does that for me in this book.

Pippa asking prostitute Sally about the matters of procreation between a man and woman:

“I find that what I thought I knew about the mechanics of the act are-well, unlikely.”

“Unlikely, how?”

“To be honest, I thought it was similar to animal husbandry.”

Sally’s tone turned dry. “Sometimes, my lady, I’m afraid it isn’t that different.”

Pippa paused, considering the words. “Is that so?”

“Men are uncomplicated, generally,” Sally said, all too sage. “They’re beasts when they want to be.”

“Brute ones!”

“Ah, so you understand.”

Pippa tilted her head to one side. “I’ve read about them.”

Sally nodded. “Erotic texts?”

“The Book of Common Prayer. But perhaps you have an erotic text you could recommend?”

And there it was – the end of his tether.

When Cross commits to giving her lessons in temptation he can’t and doesn’t hold back. He tries to keep Pippa at arms-length, believing that he’s not good enough for her and loving her from a distance is all that he’ll be able to do. But she works her way into his heart and helps him open up about things from his past that he’s kept buried for years. For as much as I wanted Pippa to find and experience love and not settle for a marriage that even she knows she’s not going to be happy in, I just as much, wanted Cross to let go of the burden of his past and let himself live a full life. Also helping Cross (even though he wants them to butt out) are his friends and business partners Chase and Temple. I was already intrigued by Temple from book 1 in this series, A Rogue by Any Other Name, and now Chase gets more page time, but just enough to still remain mysterious.

The bad guy role goes to Knight and if the story lacked at all, it was with this storyline. I liked it in that it culminates in a great casino heist-esque scene, led by none other than Pippa. Aside from that, I cared less about Knight and his agenda and was completely focused on Pippa, Cross and their own personal stories being told both separately and as a couple. I also wish that there had been a little more closure between Cross and his sister. There is so much pain between these two, I like to think that they’re on the road to reconciling, but it felt like a thread that was left hanging.

One of the best things I can ever say about a book and in this case a leading couple is that I was thoroughly entertained by them and enjoyed every page of their journey. I loved Pippa’s mind, the way she thought and processed everything around her. Cross is a sexy, tortured hero who can’t help but fall for the sweetly odd, glasses wearing Pippa. I loved their romance and Pippa is a character who I’ll remember for quite some time.(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Paula (Romantic Book Affairs Blogspot) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, 2013-release, fantabulous-favorites, ng-edel-arc

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is the perfect combination of passion, sexual tension, mischievous banter, and witty humor. This is the second impressive book in The Rules of Scoundrels series. This can be read as a stand-alone but I do highly recommend reading A Rogue by Any Other Name. I don’t read as much historical romance as I used to, but I’m completely addicted to Sarah MacLean’s writing. I always know she will entertain me with her clever writing and vivid characters that will stay with m...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2013 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, read-in-2012

*ARC provided by Avon through Edelwiess

Review originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-one-go...

She ascended another step before turning back. The additional height brought them eye to eye. “I don’t understand. What is temptation, then?”

“Temptation…” He hesitated, and she found herself leaning forward, eager for this curious, unsettling lesson. “Temptation turns you. It makes you into something you never dreamed, it presses you to give up everything you ever loved, it calls you to se

...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Mary Gramlich rated it 4 of 5 stars

Does being unique make me less likely to find love?

Lady Phillipa Marbury knows about everything written in a book. She is brilliant and a little life savvy but love has her befuddled but she knows where to go to get the answers. The mysterious Cross, is the rumored master of seduction and a magnificent businessman so he could provide her answers with complicated questions. What Pippa wants from Cross is to teach her how to be a well-seasoned lover before her upcoming wedding.

Pippa is engaged to...more

2 likes · like · see review

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About Sarah MacLean

Sarah MacLean is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of YA and adult romance.

She grew up in Rhode Island, where she spent much of her free time bemoaning the fact that she was more than a century too late for own Season. Her unabashed addiction to historical fiction helped to earn her a degree in European History from Smith College before she moved to New York City to pursue a career...more

More about Sarah MacLean...

Books by Sarah MacLean

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love By Numbers #1)

A Rogue by Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels, #1)

Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart (Love By Numbers, #3)

Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord (Love By Numbers, #2)

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Quotes from One Good Earl Deserves...

“I do hope we shall meet again. Perhaps we could have a reading club of some sorts. I 've read that one." She leaned in. "Have you reached the part where Mr. Darcy proposes?"
Asriel narrowed his gaze on Cross. "She did that on purpose."
Pippa shook her head. "Oh, I did not ruin it. Elizabeth refuses." She paused. "I suppose I did ruin that. Apologies.” — 8 people liked it

“But there, in that remarkable room, surrounded by a laughing, rollicking, unseeing collection of London's brightest and wickedest, Pippa's knowledge of anatomy expanded.

It seemed there was such a thing as a broken heart.” — 3 people liked it

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One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (The Rules of Scoundrels #2)

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