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Bow Street Bachelors #1
This Earl of Mine
Introducing the Bow Street Bachelors―men who work undercover for London’s first official police force―and the women they serve to protect. . .and wed?
WILL A FALSE MARRIAGE
Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong?
LEAD TO TRUE AND LASTING LOVE?
Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him―and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?
WILL A FALSE MARRIAGE
Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong?
LEAD TO TRUE AND LASTING LOVE?
Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him―and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?
325 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 29, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,055 reviews
June 11, 2020
YESSSS. Give me a businesswoman with a marriage of convenience to an infuriating spy. Well, kind of spy, but I don't know what else to call him. From page one, I loved the chemistry between Georgie and Benedict. Benedict was so cocky and infuriating and all Georgie wanted was to be a widow so that she can run her shipping business in peace. She did not expect the prisoner she chose to be an Earl in disguise!
Like I said, the chemistry between Georgie and Benedict was so good and by halfway through the book was just DYING for them to give into it already. There was so much angst and I loved the tension between them. Add on to that the fact that they were also sneaking around together trying to solve a mystery Benedict was hired to solve and the tension only increased. Stuck in a tiny space together to avoid being detected? Pretending to be canoodling in someone's office when they're interrupted snooping? I LOVED ALL OF IT.
I will say, I do think this book went on 30 pages too long and I really didn't care about anything after 300 pages. Because of that, this book was more a 4.5 star read than a 5 star read. Overall, though, the romance was great and I loved the mystery and suspense our characters were involved in.
Like I said, the chemistry between Georgie and Benedict was so good and by halfway through the book was just DYING for them to give into it already. There was so much angst and I loved the tension between them. Add on to that the fact that they were also sneaking around together trying to solve a mystery Benedict was hired to solve and the tension only increased. Stuck in a tiny space together to avoid being detected? Pretending to be canoodling in someone's office when they're interrupted snooping? I LOVED ALL OF IT.
I will say, I do think this book went on 30 pages too long and I really didn't care about anything after 300 pages. Because of that, this book was more a 4.5 star read than a 5 star read. Overall, though, the romance was great and I loved the mystery and suspense our characters were involved in.
November 20, 2019
2.7 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
There were worse places to find a husband than Newgate Prison.
Georgiana is desperate to keep herself, her fortune, and her father's shipping company out of her cousin Josiah's hands. Deciding that marrying a condemned convict, quickly making her a widow and gaining more power over her finances, is the best way to do this, she ends up meeting Benedict Wylde in Newgate.
A Bow Street Runner undercover as a smuggler, Benedict allows himself to be taken prisoner so that he can try and get some information out of his cellmate. With an Earl older brother trying to save the family holdings because of a father who gambled away the family fortune, he's in constant need of money. An heiress demanding he marry her but also making him sign a contract saying he can't touch her money, in the bowels of Newgate, seems almost Faustian.
First in the Bow Street Bachelors series, This Earl of Mine did a great job of hitting all the, somewhat becoming overused Regency London sights, Vauxhall and balls, and giving some new blood details like a submarine. The heroine Georgiana inherited control of her father's shipping company but reader's don't really get to see her in the roll, she spouts off nautical knowledge but for the most part, it was left to the side. Our hero Benedict is a second son who joined the Rifles and fought Napoleon, again a detail added to his character that could have used some coloring in. The first half of these two meeting and testing each other was an enjoyable warming story to fall into but the middle dragged with lack of sparks and the ending brought the focus on a Napoleon plot that never felt entwined with the characters, giving the story a lack of emotion.
“What if we don’t keep our marriage quiet?”
I thought the details of our leads was interesting, Georgiana running the shipping company and trying to fend off her cousin and Benedict having fought for the Rifles, owning a gaming hell with his friends, and now a Bow Street Runner. While the details were there, the coloring in was absent. I thought the author did a great job giving us the setting but the characters fell flat for me. If you read a good amount of Regency historical romance, you won't find much new here (except for the submarine!) and the lack of emotion breathed into the story was disappointing. There were also some plot points that didn't quite tie together; there being no prisoners condemned to die on the night Georgiana shows up, why the prisoner guard would go to Georgiana's cousin Josiah, and even some of the marriage plot of reasons given to keep it a secret and then not keep it a secret.
“I see you,” he said softly.
I usually bemoan series baiting characters but I actually thought Benedict's two friends, who are also partners in their gaming hell, could have shown up more, would have liked to have scenes showcasing their friendship and even Georgiana and her family, her sister and mother ended up feeling like caricatures. There is still no denying that the author has a very readable flow to her writing and there were moments between Georgiana and Benedict that flashed but for the most part, this felt like a shell of a story. I'll be looking for plot points that meld together better and more emotion and feeling in the next installment.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
There were worse places to find a husband than Newgate Prison.
Georgiana is desperate to keep herself, her fortune, and her father's shipping company out of her cousin Josiah's hands. Deciding that marrying a condemned convict, quickly making her a widow and gaining more power over her finances, is the best way to do this, she ends up meeting Benedict Wylde in Newgate.
A Bow Street Runner undercover as a smuggler, Benedict allows himself to be taken prisoner so that he can try and get some information out of his cellmate. With an Earl older brother trying to save the family holdings because of a father who gambled away the family fortune, he's in constant need of money. An heiress demanding he marry her but also making him sign a contract saying he can't touch her money, in the bowels of Newgate, seems almost Faustian.
First in the Bow Street Bachelors series, This Earl of Mine did a great job of hitting all the, somewhat becoming overused Regency London sights, Vauxhall and balls, and giving some new blood details like a submarine. The heroine Georgiana inherited control of her father's shipping company but reader's don't really get to see her in the roll, she spouts off nautical knowledge but for the most part, it was left to the side. Our hero Benedict is a second son who joined the Rifles and fought Napoleon, again a detail added to his character that could have used some coloring in. The first half of these two meeting and testing each other was an enjoyable warming story to fall into but the middle dragged with lack of sparks and the ending brought the focus on a Napoleon plot that never felt entwined with the characters, giving the story a lack of emotion.
“What if we don’t keep our marriage quiet?”
I thought the details of our leads was interesting, Georgiana running the shipping company and trying to fend off her cousin and Benedict having fought for the Rifles, owning a gaming hell with his friends, and now a Bow Street Runner. While the details were there, the coloring in was absent. I thought the author did a great job giving us the setting but the characters fell flat for me. If you read a good amount of Regency historical romance, you won't find much new here (except for the submarine!) and the lack of emotion breathed into the story was disappointing. There were also some plot points that didn't quite tie together; there being no prisoners condemned to die on the night Georgiana shows up, why the prisoner guard would go to Georgiana's cousin Josiah, and even some of the marriage plot of reasons given to keep it a secret and then not keep it a secret.
“I see you,” he said softly.
I usually bemoan series baiting characters but I actually thought Benedict's two friends, who are also partners in their gaming hell, could have shown up more, would have liked to have scenes showcasing their friendship and even Georgiana and her family, her sister and mother ended up feeling like caricatures. There is still no denying that the author has a very readable flow to her writing and there were moments between Georgiana and Benedict that flashed but for the most part, this felt like a shell of a story. I'll be looking for plot points that meld together better and more emotion and feeling in the next installment.
October 4, 2022
✨”Oh shit he was in love.”✨
HE PUT HER WEDDING RING OVER HER NIPPLE AND WAS MACKIN ON IT THROUGH THE RING. He also kept calling her Mrs. Wylde and it made me feel indecently swirly every time.
However, there’s being a good person and then there’s GIVING THE VILLAIN LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF POUNDS WORTH OF JEWELS FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES. I can’t suffer villains not getting properly revenged when they just really fucking deserve it. This makes the book 4.5⭐️s because he was so unsavory and really didn’t suffer enough. I hate when characters underestimate CLEARLY unstable and unsavory villains.
I love Kate’s writing though and I LOVE the premise of the story. I was interested the entire time and the kooky set-up delivered! She was a badass business owner and he was a hottie lamottie with a prisoner’s body. Can’t wait to keep going with the series and to see how his friends find love 😇
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶.25*/5
*extra .25🌶 for nipple x ring collab
HE PUT HER WEDDING RING OVER HER NIPPLE AND WAS MACKIN ON IT THROUGH THE RING. He also kept calling her Mrs. Wylde and it made me feel indecently swirly every time.
However, there’s being a good person and then there’s GIVING THE VILLAIN LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF POUNDS WORTH OF JEWELS FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES. I can’t suffer villains not getting properly revenged when they just really fucking deserve it. This makes the book 4.5⭐️s because he was so unsavory and really didn’t suffer enough. I hate when characters underestimate CLEARLY unstable and unsavory villains.
I love Kate’s writing though and I LOVE the premise of the story. I was interested the entire time and the kooky set-up delivered! She was a badass business owner and he was a hottie lamottie with a prisoner’s body. Can’t wait to keep going with the series and to see how his friends find love 😇
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶.25*/5
*extra .25🌶 for nipple x ring collab
October 28, 2019
TITLE: THIS EARL OF MINE
AUTHOR: Kate Bateman
SERIES: Bow Street Bachelors #1
RELEASE DATE: October 29, 2019
GENRE: Historical Romance
RATING: 2 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: No
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG (live on Friday Nov 1st)
Bummer. I had high hopes for THIS EARL OF MINE - the blurb and the beautiful cover totally reeled me in. This book didn't live up to my high expectations, unfortunately.
If you decide to read this story make sure you suspend all disbelief. All of it. I see and appreciate what the author tried to do - she wanted to give us strong characters who have all kinds of adventures - this was supposed to be a fun romp I think. Alas, some of those adventures inadvertently veer into ridiculous waters - pun intended (cue submarine) - others are so cliche that I could predict them a mile ahead.
Then there was the language - I don't expect my HR to sound 100% fitting the era but I want some authenticity. When I read "cat got your tongue" or "sub" (for submarine), or "righto" I wonder whether the author did enough research because those phrases and words don't belong in a novel set in the beginning of the 19th century.
But there are good parts too! The characters were likable, I loved the hero who was charming and sweet. The heroine was the heiress to a shipping company smart, strong, fairly emancipated for the era. Weirdly though, this whole time in the book she didn't work a single day. I found Georgie's sister and her suitor ridiculous but Georgie and Benedict making fun of his poetry attempts was hilarious.
The two-star rating is for the effort and the characters. I did enjoy parts of this story but overall it was not the quality I'm used to in HR. With all that being said, I do think the author has talent and I'll be watching her progress.
July 12, 2019
ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's in exchange for an honest review.
Rating 3.5
Georgiana Caversteed is a very wealthy heiress, that runs her deceased Father shipping company. She's been pursued by many gent's of the ton, as well as her cousin who's not a gent at all. She's very aware and skeptical of these men, believing they are pursuing her only for her great fortune. Georgie wants to be an independent woman in charge of her own life. She comes up with a plan to find a criminal on death row to marry, that way she is free to live her independent life as she pleases.
She ends up marrying Benedict Wylde. He wasn't on death row but was suppose to be put on a ship far that was being sent away allowing her to live her life with a husband that's not in her crosshair.
Little did Georige know that Benedict was a veteran of Waterloo, fought in other battles, and now works for Bow Street. Benedict was working undercover while in Newgate and couldn't really not marry Georgie as it would blow his cover. He decides once he's out they would somehow dissolve their marriage. He was very intrigued and attracted to Georgie.
Well Georgie was attending a ball not long after her marriage when she gets the surprise of her life. Georgie discovers her husband is not on a ship sailing far away but is attending the ball as well.
What takes place is two people who have issues they are trying to navigate through find each other and a possibitly of true happiness and love.
Georgie finds a man in Benedict that is honorable, trust worthy and though a scoundrel, he's also a true gentleman. But she will have to figure out whether its her or her money he's after. Benedict is younger brother of an impoverished earl, seeking to work for money to help his brother improve their estates.
Benedict didn't have the best example of love, with his parents barely tolerating each other during their marriage. But yet he finds his wife to be intelligent, fun and adventurous. He's very attracted to her and love her mind and thinking.
There is a small mystery that Benedict is working on as a Bow Street runner and Georgie decides she can help him. The two work well together and that just adds to their attraction.
The two learn to trust what their heart is telling them and find love and true happiness with each other.
The romance was steady in certain parts of the book and others times I found it lagging and slow. The mystery seemed to at times overpower the love story in my opinion. The storyline was okay but felt again the push of a more modern theme and heroine in a historical romance. Which sadly wasn't what I was looking for when I pick up a historical. I look for character, story line and actions to be approiate for the time period.
Rating 3.5
Georgiana Caversteed is a very wealthy heiress, that runs her deceased Father shipping company. She's been pursued by many gent's of the ton, as well as her cousin who's not a gent at all. She's very aware and skeptical of these men, believing they are pursuing her only for her great fortune. Georgie wants to be an independent woman in charge of her own life. She comes up with a plan to find a criminal on death row to marry, that way she is free to live her independent life as she pleases.
She ends up marrying Benedict Wylde. He wasn't on death row but was suppose to be put on a ship far that was being sent away allowing her to live her life with a husband that's not in her crosshair.
Little did Georige know that Benedict was a veteran of Waterloo, fought in other battles, and now works for Bow Street. Benedict was working undercover while in Newgate and couldn't really not marry Georgie as it would blow his cover. He decides once he's out they would somehow dissolve their marriage. He was very intrigued and attracted to Georgie.
Well Georgie was attending a ball not long after her marriage when she gets the surprise of her life. Georgie discovers her husband is not on a ship sailing far away but is attending the ball as well.
What takes place is two people who have issues they are trying to navigate through find each other and a possibitly of true happiness and love.
Georgie finds a man in Benedict that is honorable, trust worthy and though a scoundrel, he's also a true gentleman. But she will have to figure out whether its her or her money he's after. Benedict is younger brother of an impoverished earl, seeking to work for money to help his brother improve their estates.
Benedict didn't have the best example of love, with his parents barely tolerating each other during their marriage. But yet he finds his wife to be intelligent, fun and adventurous. He's very attracted to her and love her mind and thinking.
There is a small mystery that Benedict is working on as a Bow Street runner and Georgie decides she can help him. The two work well together and that just adds to their attraction.
The two learn to trust what their heart is telling them and find love and true happiness with each other.
The romance was steady in certain parts of the book and others times I found it lagging and slow. The mystery seemed to at times overpower the love story in my opinion. The storyline was okay but felt again the push of a more modern theme and heroine in a historical romance. Which sadly wasn't what I was looking for when I pick up a historical. I look for character, story line and actions to be approiate for the time period.
August 6, 2019
This book was so incredibly lovely!!! I adored every second of it, and finished it in almost one day with a huge, happy grin on my face all the way through.
Her idea of romance wasn't a man composing her sonnets. Romance was a strong man standing aside, letting her fight her own battles, and only stepping in if she needed help.
Which, in all fairness, means that probably everyone but me will find it boring.
Things I really really loved:
- The hero and heroine (two of the nicest fictional characters I've had the pleasure of reading about in a long time) were honest to each other from the beginning. They volunteered information before it could create unnecessary drama and actually talked about their differences. Which resulted in:
- NO UNECCESSARY ANGST OR DRAMA! And thank goodness for that.
- Slow burn romance that allows time to develop both characters, for them to get to know each other and learn to appreciate each other. I've read reviews where people think that the mystery that brings them together overshadows the romance, but I happen to love it if a romance doesn't just happen overnight and the characters spend quality time together getting to know each other before anything happens.
- RESPECT. I cannot say this loudly enough. Both characters don't go around making snap judgements or try to change each other. They know their own limits and are not afraid to ask for help. These two complement each other in a way I find incredibly moving and admirable. They are truly equal partners in crime. Both are strong people in their own right, but they give each other time to shine and only lend a hand if it is needed. I would kill for more stories like this, and I just hope this trend continues in the rest of this series!
True, the premise of the book is a bit strange, but once you get to know Georgie and realize she is just so accustomed to her wealth that throwing money at a problem is simply how her world works, I think it works. Her strange plan to gain control of her fortune is only in the first chapter after all, and it just got better with every page, until you (or at least I) forget how they originally met.
I really cannot say how much I adored this story, and I am so looking forward to reading about Benedict's friends!
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
*Quote taken from an Uncorrected Digital Galley*
Her idea of romance wasn't a man composing her sonnets. Romance was a strong man standing aside, letting her fight her own battles, and only stepping in if she needed help.
Which, in all fairness, means that probably everyone but me will find it boring.
Things I really really loved:
- The hero and heroine (two of the nicest fictional characters I've had the pleasure of reading about in a long time) were honest to each other from the beginning. They volunteered information before it could create unnecessary drama and actually talked about their differences. Which resulted in:
- NO UNECCESSARY ANGST OR DRAMA! And thank goodness for that.
- Slow burn romance that allows time to develop both characters, for them to get to know each other and learn to appreciate each other. I've read reviews where people think that the mystery that brings them together overshadows the romance, but I happen to love it if a romance doesn't just happen overnight and the characters spend quality time together getting to know each other before anything happens.
- RESPECT. I cannot say this loudly enough. Both characters don't go around making snap judgements or try to change each other. They know their own limits and are not afraid to ask for help. These two complement each other in a way I find incredibly moving and admirable. They are truly equal partners in crime. Both are strong people in their own right, but they give each other time to shine and only lend a hand if it is needed. I would kill for more stories like this, and I just hope this trend continues in the rest of this series!
True, the premise of the book is a bit strange, but once you get to know Georgie and realize she is just so accustomed to her wealth that throwing money at a problem is simply how her world works, I think it works. Her strange plan to gain control of her fortune is only in the first chapter after all, and it just got better with every page, until you (or at least I) forget how they originally met.
I really cannot say how much I adored this story, and I am so looking forward to reading about Benedict's friends!
*I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
*Quote taken from an Uncorrected Digital Galley*
October 28, 2019
Georgiana Caversteed needs to be married to maintain her independence and to fend off a persistent cousin who only wants her fortune. She concocts a scheme to marry a convict headed for the gallows, which will allow her to be free to do as she pleases, spurn her cousin and continue running her deceased father’s fleet of merchant ships. It was a good plan but it went awry when she ends up married to Ben Wylde who was in Newgate Prison but is actually a Bow Street Runner working undercover. Instead of him being shipped off to Australia, he’s moving in her same social circles amongst the London ton.
The premise of this story is what drew me to the book and thankfully it lived up to that promise, surpassing my expectations. It begins right in the thick of things and I quickly learned that I was going to like both Georgiana (Georgie) and Ben. I’ve a fondness for these Bow Street Runners as they tend to bring excitement to a story and Ben does that and more. He’s flawed but has an honor code that I found admirable. Georgie is a mix of a bluestocking and an adventuress. Despite the limitations placed on her in this era, she’s a formidable businesswoman who I really liked.
Georgie and Ben’s developing relationship and romance is the main thrust of the story but there’s lots of excitement, intrigue and mischief. They don’t play games with each other, which makes for a more interesting story, especially as she’s experienced in all maritime matters and I learned a lot. Ben’s best friends Alex & Sebastian are also Runners and both were introduced here and set up for future books. I really enjoyed this story that seemed to offer so much more than a traditional romance and am excited about this trilogy. This is my first time reading anything by the author and I’m glad I took a chance. It’s a delightful story.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
The premise of this story is what drew me to the book and thankfully it lived up to that promise, surpassing my expectations. It begins right in the thick of things and I quickly learned that I was going to like both Georgiana (Georgie) and Ben. I’ve a fondness for these Bow Street Runners as they tend to bring excitement to a story and Ben does that and more. He’s flawed but has an honor code that I found admirable. Georgie is a mix of a bluestocking and an adventuress. Despite the limitations placed on her in this era, she’s a formidable businesswoman who I really liked.
Georgie and Ben’s developing relationship and romance is the main thrust of the story but there’s lots of excitement, intrigue and mischief. They don’t play games with each other, which makes for a more interesting story, especially as she’s experienced in all maritime matters and I learned a lot. Ben’s best friends Alex & Sebastian are also Runners and both were introduced here and set up for future books. I really enjoyed this story that seemed to offer so much more than a traditional romance and am excited about this trilogy. This is my first time reading anything by the author and I’m glad I took a chance. It’s a delightful story.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
January 21, 2020
I've given this a C+ at AAR.
Kate Bateman – or K.C. Bateman as she was known then – made her début as an author of historical romance in 2016 and To Steal a Heart impressed me to such a degree that I counted her as one of the “finds” of the year. To date, she’s published four historical romances and I’ve rated them all fairly highly, so I was really pleased to learn she was writing a new series – Bow Street Bachelors – and snapped up a review copy of the first book as soon as I could get my hands on one. This Earl of Mine is very well-written, Ms. Bateman keeps the sexual tension bubbling nicely and I’m always up for a marriage-of-convenience plotline, but ultimately, this book lacks the spark and energy of her earlier ones. The leads are likeable but unmemorable, the same is true of the plot – and if I never again read a historical heroine in her early twenties who learned the family business at her father’s knee and who has inherited it from him but never seems to do much by way of actually running it, it’ll be too soon.
The set-up, though, is cute, if rather implausible. Twenty-four-year-old Georgina Caversteed, who now runs the shipping empire built by her late father, is desperate to avoid being trapped into marriage by her odious cousin Josiah, and decides upon an equally desperate course of action. He can’t trap her if she’s already married; but having a husband will automatically mean losing control of the business, so she instead decides to find herself a convict who is due for execution and marry him. After all, as a widow she’ll have more freedom than she would as a wife. Her faithful servant, Pieter, has found the perfect candidate in Newgate – except that the man dies before the ceremony can be performed, and with no other felons sentenced to death available (!), Georgie is forced to make the best of a bad lot and instead ends up marrying a sailor sentenced to transportation. She won’t be a widow, but her husband will be on the other side of the world, which is the next best thing.
Benedict Wylde, brother of the Earl of Morcott, served with Wellington’s army and following Napoléon’s defeat at Waterloo, is now working for the government trying to root out a group of smugglers who are plotting to rescue the deposed emperor from his prison on St. Helena. He infiltrated the gang and was arrested and imprisoned with them in hopes of discovering more about their plans, but has so far found out little. He thinks the young woman who arrives at the prison offering him five hundred pounds to marry her must have taken leave of her senses, but has no way of evading the marriage without blowing his cover or getting a serious beating from the well-bribed gaoler. Ben doesn’t want to get married, but goes along with it, sure he’ll be able to find a way out of it later on.
Thus begins a marriage of convenience which isn’t all that … well… convenient for either party. Georgie can’t suddenly announce her marriage to a man with a reputation as something of a scapegrace without damaging her sister’s chances or upsetting her mother and causing a scandal, while seeing his parents’ miserable relationship has put Benedict off the institution for life. (*sigh*) Yet there’s no denying the pull of attraction he feels towards Georgie; her sharp wit and competency intrigue him, and as the days and weeks pass, he finds it more and more difficult to stop thinking about her or wanting her. Georgie is equally drawn to her gorgeous husband and enjoying the flirtatious, seductive comments that make her want to do more with him than just flirt. After all, they’re married and there’s no way of ending the marriage without a massive scandal, so why not enjoy the benefits while she can?
One of the things I enjoy about Ms. Bateman’s writing is her ability to create cracking sexual tension between her principals. That’s certainly on display here, and I appreciated that, unlike so many authors of historicals, she is aware that annulments were very difficult to procure and weren’t simply available to anyone who got married and then didn’t consummate the union. I liked that Ben and Georgie have to face up to the fact that their marriage will be pretty much impossible to get out of and that they’ll have to make the best of it in whichever way they decide to do so, probably by agreeing to live separate lives for the duration.
But I missed the sharp wit of the spirited banter the characters engage in in her previous books. Both Ben and Georgie are clearly capable of giving as much as they get, but their exchanges felt muted and as though the sharp edges had been smoothed away. And while, as I said earlier, they’re likeable, they’re also rather bland; Ben is a stereotypical ‘rogue’ who isn’t all that roguish (we’re told how much of a bad boy he is, but he does nothing on the page to support that) and who must be a fairly terrible agent/investigator if the fact that he tells Georgie pretty much everything about his mission during their first few conversations is anything to go by! And Georgie is the typical not-as-pretty-as-my-sister type of heroine who has resigned herself to probably remaining unmarried because the only men who are interested are interested in her money and not her. Which – to be fair – is what her experience so far suggests. But nothing about either of them stands out from the crowd. And then we have the heroine who runs a business empire while never actually doing anything business-like on page, which is becoming as ubiquitous as the ducal hero in historical romance. I’m not disputing the fact that there were women pushing boundaries at this period, my issue is more to do with the fact that there aren’t all that many twenty-four-year-old CEOs (of either sex) around today, let alone two hundred years ago, AND that for all we’re told about Georgie’s amazing business acumen, we don’t actually see it. She knows about ships, yes, but that’s not the same as negotiating, logistics, accounting and all the things she’d surely have to do as head of the company.
One final point. I know authors often have little input when it comes to book titles, and also that publishers seem to think that historical romances need the word “duke” or “earl” in the title in order to sell, but Benedict isn’t an earl until the LAST PAGE when he and his two besties (presumably the other heroes in the series) are given earldoms by the Prince Regent. Apart from it seeming a bit odd that the younger brother of an earl would be given an earldom of his own, it felt as though it was tacked on simply so the book could have the world “Earl” in the title. (Plus – Georgie addresses the Prince Regent as Your Majesty, which is incorrect – it should be Your Royal Highness. I’m surprised that Ms. Bateman would make that mistake; presumably it will be corrected in the published version of the book.)
It’s never pleasant when an author whose work you’ve enjoyed proves to be a bit of a disappointment, and it’s never easy to write reviews of those books, but I’m afraid I can’t give This Earl of Mine a recommendation. If you’ve read Ms. Bateman’s other books, then this doesn’t compare all that well; if you haven’t, you might enjoy it more than I did.
Kate Bateman – or K.C. Bateman as she was known then – made her début as an author of historical romance in 2016 and To Steal a Heart impressed me to such a degree that I counted her as one of the “finds” of the year. To date, she’s published four historical romances and I’ve rated them all fairly highly, so I was really pleased to learn she was writing a new series – Bow Street Bachelors – and snapped up a review copy of the first book as soon as I could get my hands on one. This Earl of Mine is very well-written, Ms. Bateman keeps the sexual tension bubbling nicely and I’m always up for a marriage-of-convenience plotline, but ultimately, this book lacks the spark and energy of her earlier ones. The leads are likeable but unmemorable, the same is true of the plot – and if I never again read a historical heroine in her early twenties who learned the family business at her father’s knee and who has inherited it from him but never seems to do much by way of actually running it, it’ll be too soon.
The set-up, though, is cute, if rather implausible. Twenty-four-year-old Georgina Caversteed, who now runs the shipping empire built by her late father, is desperate to avoid being trapped into marriage by her odious cousin Josiah, and decides upon an equally desperate course of action. He can’t trap her if she’s already married; but having a husband will automatically mean losing control of the business, so she instead decides to find herself a convict who is due for execution and marry him. After all, as a widow she’ll have more freedom than she would as a wife. Her faithful servant, Pieter, has found the perfect candidate in Newgate – except that the man dies before the ceremony can be performed, and with no other felons sentenced to death available (!), Georgie is forced to make the best of a bad lot and instead ends up marrying a sailor sentenced to transportation. She won’t be a widow, but her husband will be on the other side of the world, which is the next best thing.
Benedict Wylde, brother of the Earl of Morcott, served with Wellington’s army and following Napoléon’s defeat at Waterloo, is now working for the government trying to root out a group of smugglers who are plotting to rescue the deposed emperor from his prison on St. Helena. He infiltrated the gang and was arrested and imprisoned with them in hopes of discovering more about their plans, but has so far found out little. He thinks the young woman who arrives at the prison offering him five hundred pounds to marry her must have taken leave of her senses, but has no way of evading the marriage without blowing his cover or getting a serious beating from the well-bribed gaoler. Ben doesn’t want to get married, but goes along with it, sure he’ll be able to find a way out of it later on.
Thus begins a marriage of convenience which isn’t all that … well… convenient for either party. Georgie can’t suddenly announce her marriage to a man with a reputation as something of a scapegrace without damaging her sister’s chances or upsetting her mother and causing a scandal, while seeing his parents’ miserable relationship has put Benedict off the institution for life. (*sigh*) Yet there’s no denying the pull of attraction he feels towards Georgie; her sharp wit and competency intrigue him, and as the days and weeks pass, he finds it more and more difficult to stop thinking about her or wanting her. Georgie is equally drawn to her gorgeous husband and enjoying the flirtatious, seductive comments that make her want to do more with him than just flirt. After all, they’re married and there’s no way of ending the marriage without a massive scandal, so why not enjoy the benefits while she can?
One of the things I enjoy about Ms. Bateman’s writing is her ability to create cracking sexual tension between her principals. That’s certainly on display here, and I appreciated that, unlike so many authors of historicals, she is aware that annulments were very difficult to procure and weren’t simply available to anyone who got married and then didn’t consummate the union. I liked that Ben and Georgie have to face up to the fact that their marriage will be pretty much impossible to get out of and that they’ll have to make the best of it in whichever way they decide to do so, probably by agreeing to live separate lives for the duration.
But I missed the sharp wit of the spirited banter the characters engage in in her previous books. Both Ben and Georgie are clearly capable of giving as much as they get, but their exchanges felt muted and as though the sharp edges had been smoothed away. And while, as I said earlier, they’re likeable, they’re also rather bland; Ben is a stereotypical ‘rogue’ who isn’t all that roguish (we’re told how much of a bad boy he is, but he does nothing on the page to support that) and who must be a fairly terrible agent/investigator if the fact that he tells Georgie pretty much everything about his mission during their first few conversations is anything to go by! And Georgie is the typical not-as-pretty-as-my-sister type of heroine who has resigned herself to probably remaining unmarried because the only men who are interested are interested in her money and not her. Which – to be fair – is what her experience so far suggests. But nothing about either of them stands out from the crowd. And then we have the heroine who runs a business empire while never actually doing anything business-like on page, which is becoming as ubiquitous as the ducal hero in historical romance. I’m not disputing the fact that there were women pushing boundaries at this period, my issue is more to do with the fact that there aren’t all that many twenty-four-year-old CEOs (of either sex) around today, let alone two hundred years ago, AND that for all we’re told about Georgie’s amazing business acumen, we don’t actually see it. She knows about ships, yes, but that’s not the same as negotiating, logistics, accounting and all the things she’d surely have to do as head of the company.
One final point. I know authors often have little input when it comes to book titles, and also that publishers seem to think that historical romances need the word “duke” or “earl” in the title in order to sell, but Benedict isn’t an earl until the LAST PAGE when he and his two besties (presumably the other heroes in the series) are given earldoms by the Prince Regent. Apart from it seeming a bit odd that the younger brother of an earl would be given an earldom of his own, it felt as though it was tacked on simply so the book could have the world “Earl” in the title. (Plus – Georgie addresses the Prince Regent as Your Majesty, which is incorrect – it should be Your Royal Highness. I’m surprised that Ms. Bateman would make that mistake; presumably it will be corrected in the published version of the book.)
It’s never pleasant when an author whose work you’ve enjoyed proves to be a bit of a disappointment, and it’s never easy to write reviews of those books, but I’m afraid I can’t give This Earl of Mine a recommendation. If you’ve read Ms. Bateman’s other books, then this doesn’t compare all that well; if you haven’t, you might enjoy it more than I did.
November 1, 2019
4.25 Stars
Georgie Caversteed has a problem. As the primary beneficiary of her late father’s shipping business, she finds herself a very wealthy woman. Normally, finding your coffers full for generations to come wouldn’t be a problem, but Georgie’s young enough and single enough to still find herself a sought after prospect for the men of the ton. And no one wants Georgie or her money more than her slimy, entitled cousin. Yep, you read that right. Cousin.
As you’d expect, Georgie’s not too keen on the idea of marrying her cousin and giving him control over her money, but his threats to have her declared unfit have her freaking the eff out, or whatever the ton referred to it at the time. Anywho, when her trusted man servant suggests marrying a condemned man and then enjoying her status as a widow with the freedom to do as she pleases, Georgie quickly agrees.
“There, now. Just one further question, before we get to the vows, Miss Caversteed. Just what do you intend for a wedding night?”
When Benedict Wylde entered the prison of Newcastle undercover, he couldn’t have known he’d be plucked from his cell and forced to marry a rich heiress, but there you go. As the poor second son of an earl, Ben works undercover for Bow Street, apprehending wanted men for the reward money it provides. Though he never planned to marry, Ben can’t help but be intrigued when he spots his new wife across a crowded ballroom. A wife mistakenly under the impression he was half-way around the world, on his way to Australia with the other prisoners. Ooops.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading This Earl of Mine. I’m new to Kate Bateman’s books and as much as I enjoy historical romances, I find some authors tend to sweat the details more than I’d like. I enjoy when an author looks the other way from what would have been exactly proper at the time in favor of the story. That’s just what Ms. Bateman did. We get a solid sense of the ton and what’s expected, but we also get a fabulous love story that, though a bit far-fetched, had me rooting for Ben and Georgie from the beginning.
Along with the palpable chemistry between Georgie and Ben, my favorite aspect of this story is just how much actual story there is. There are books that pad their word count with superfluous descriptions and unnecessary information simply for the sake of making the story longer. Thankfully, this is not that kind of book. Every scene felt important to the story in some way and instead of wasting my time reading about the color of the drapes in the sitting room for pages at a time, we get a book filled with wonderful dialogue, a surprising amount of adventure and two characters who can’t seem to keep their breeches and ball gowns on around each other.
This Earl of Mine is a wonderful and welcome surprise. I’m beyond happy Ms. Bateman chose to make this a series and I’m eagerly awaiting both Alex and Seb finding their own happily ever afters.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review
Georgie Caversteed has a problem. As the primary beneficiary of her late father’s shipping business, she finds herself a very wealthy woman. Normally, finding your coffers full for generations to come wouldn’t be a problem, but Georgie’s young enough and single enough to still find herself a sought after prospect for the men of the ton. And no one wants Georgie or her money more than her slimy, entitled cousin. Yep, you read that right. Cousin.
As you’d expect, Georgie’s not too keen on the idea of marrying her cousin and giving him control over her money, but his threats to have her declared unfit have her freaking the eff out, or whatever the ton referred to it at the time. Anywho, when her trusted man servant suggests marrying a condemned man and then enjoying her status as a widow with the freedom to do as she pleases, Georgie quickly agrees.
“There, now. Just one further question, before we get to the vows, Miss Caversteed. Just what do you intend for a wedding night?”
When Benedict Wylde entered the prison of Newcastle undercover, he couldn’t have known he’d be plucked from his cell and forced to marry a rich heiress, but there you go. As the poor second son of an earl, Ben works undercover for Bow Street, apprehending wanted men for the reward money it provides. Though he never planned to marry, Ben can’t help but be intrigued when he spots his new wife across a crowded ballroom. A wife mistakenly under the impression he was half-way around the world, on his way to Australia with the other prisoners. Ooops.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading This Earl of Mine. I’m new to Kate Bateman’s books and as much as I enjoy historical romances, I find some authors tend to sweat the details more than I’d like. I enjoy when an author looks the other way from what would have been exactly proper at the time in favor of the story. That’s just what Ms. Bateman did. We get a solid sense of the ton and what’s expected, but we also get a fabulous love story that, though a bit far-fetched, had me rooting for Ben and Georgie from the beginning.
Along with the palpable chemistry between Georgie and Ben, my favorite aspect of this story is just how much actual story there is. There are books that pad their word count with superfluous descriptions and unnecessary information simply for the sake of making the story longer. Thankfully, this is not that kind of book. Every scene felt important to the story in some way and instead of wasting my time reading about the color of the drapes in the sitting room for pages at a time, we get a book filled with wonderful dialogue, a surprising amount of adventure and two characters who can’t seem to keep their breeches and ball gowns on around each other.
This Earl of Mine is a wonderful and welcome surprise. I’m beyond happy Ms. Bateman chose to make this a series and I’m eagerly awaiting both Alex and Seb finding their own happily ever afters.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review
August 7, 2019
Having never read any novels by this author, this is first on my bookshelf from Kate Bateman. This Earl of Mine (Bow Street Bachelors #1) is a historical romance story of two individuals who engage in a thrilling adventure and find love in the process.
Ms. Georgiana Caversteed is at her wits end and wants to chase off a distant relative who wants to compromise her and take her fortune. She is a very wealthy heiress, having inherited her father’s shipping company and now sought after by men of the ton…however they’ve proved the worst of fortune hunters as is her distant relative. As a last resort, she resigns herself to finding a husband in prison and one who is as close to demise as possible in order to continue independent life and remain a woman in charge of her own life after she turns twenty-five. After arriving at the prison, she ends up marrying Ben Wylde who has been slated to be put on a ship, sent away, and never to return. This would allow Georgie to one day proclaim herself a widow and live a life of freedom.
Benedict Wylde and his friends are ex-military and they all work for Bow Street when not running their well-known gaming establishment. He is the second son of the Earl of Morcot who wants to help his older brother rid himself of the debt left by their father. While working undercover at Newgate, he meets the lovely Georgiana Caversteed. Unfortunately, to keep his cover as a criminal, circumstances had him wed Georgie. In any case, he figured that once he was done with his work, he would find her and dissolve the marriage…however, Georgie was distraction that he could shake from his mind. He was very intrigued and found an attraction to the woman.
A few months after their marriage, Georgie spots her supposedly long-lost husband attending the same ball and is surprised to learn that he is one of the owners of a well-known and profitable gaming establishment in town. The owners were second sons and infamous rogues. Ben and Georgie try to find ways to dissolve their marital connection without scandal, but none would do.
The story is well-written, and I enjoyed each character. Although they had their own notions of true love, Ben found a smart and adventurous wife and she an honorable and trusting husband. There is visible attraction between the two. Having the story draw them together to uncover a mystery, just adds to the melting pot of intimacy and deepens the love between the two. I thought the story was also fun and captured me at the beginning. It is a charming historical romance.
I would like to thank the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5-Stars
Ms. Georgiana Caversteed is at her wits end and wants to chase off a distant relative who wants to compromise her and take her fortune. She is a very wealthy heiress, having inherited her father’s shipping company and now sought after by men of the ton…however they’ve proved the worst of fortune hunters as is her distant relative. As a last resort, she resigns herself to finding a husband in prison and one who is as close to demise as possible in order to continue independent life and remain a woman in charge of her own life after she turns twenty-five. After arriving at the prison, she ends up marrying Ben Wylde who has been slated to be put on a ship, sent away, and never to return. This would allow Georgie to one day proclaim herself a widow and live a life of freedom.
Benedict Wylde and his friends are ex-military and they all work for Bow Street when not running their well-known gaming establishment. He is the second son of the Earl of Morcot who wants to help his older brother rid himself of the debt left by their father. While working undercover at Newgate, he meets the lovely Georgiana Caversteed. Unfortunately, to keep his cover as a criminal, circumstances had him wed Georgie. In any case, he figured that once he was done with his work, he would find her and dissolve the marriage…however, Georgie was distraction that he could shake from his mind. He was very intrigued and found an attraction to the woman.
A few months after their marriage, Georgie spots her supposedly long-lost husband attending the same ball and is surprised to learn that he is one of the owners of a well-known and profitable gaming establishment in town. The owners were second sons and infamous rogues. Ben and Georgie try to find ways to dissolve their marital connection without scandal, but none would do.
The story is well-written, and I enjoyed each character. Although they had their own notions of true love, Ben found a smart and adventurous wife and she an honorable and trusting husband. There is visible attraction between the two. Having the story draw them together to uncover a mystery, just adds to the melting pot of intimacy and deepens the love between the two. I thought the story was also fun and captured me at the beginning. It is a charming historical romance.
I would like to thank the author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5-Stars
April 14, 2021
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 (4 books)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (4 hearts)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (4 hearts)
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ (4 lightnings)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (3 hearts)
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (4 fires)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (4 peaches)
Number of Sex Scenes: 🍆🍆🍆 (3 eggplants)
(These are all on a personal opinion scale of 1-5 except the eggplants which follows the eggplant scale in The Ton & the Tartans facebook group for historical romance)
Georgiana, or Georgie, is a wealthy woman due to her father’s shipping business. She’s given up hope every finding someone that loves her for her and not her money. To protect her fortune from her scheming cousin, she would rather marry a criminal. One that is scheduled to meet death’s door soon so she can be widowed and in control of her own future and finances. Unfortunately for her, when she arrives at the prison, the man she had chosen is no longer available.
Benedict Wylde isn’t supposed to be in prison. He’s working undercover for Bow Street and that is where he’s ended up for now. He accepts marriage to Georgie and surprises her weeks later by actually being a (somewhat) respected member of society.
Give this book a try if you are in the mood for
- Bow Street hero! Benedict works for Bow Street and he works with Georgie to solve a case
- Regency time period (1816)
- Ex-soldier hero – as a second son Benedict spent time in the war
- A touch of fake relationship – they are already married but pretend to court each other for society’s eyes
- Marriage of convenience trope (married soon into the book to help the heroine)
- A touch of working woman – not a huge part of the book but Georgie has taken over a lot of responsibility for the shipping empire her father built
-Moderate steam – a few kisses and a few sexy scenes (exact amounts and locations are under spoiler warning in my goodreads review
I really loved this book. I adored Benedict and his too large, hairy, intimidating personality. I adored Georgie and her spunk and ability to take care of herself. I loved the spots of humor in this book, with my personal favorite being the poem that Simeon wrote Georgie’s sister. Just hilarious.
The thing I love most about this book though was how Benedict was so strong and independent, but Georgie affected him so. I adored the little touches in this book, that never would show up on the eggplant scale, but make this book so much sexier. A touch on the back of the neck that makes his hands tremble. Makes him adjust his seat because, well, WE ALL KNOW WHY.
I definitely felt the feelings of falling in love for these two. Though I could have done with a bit less of other drama (I feel like the cousin OR the bow street crime would have been enough, I didn't need both.) it still held the romance strong through the book.
Safety warning for
Exact locations of kisses/sex scenes
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 (4 books)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (4 hearts)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (4 hearts)
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ (4 lightnings)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (3 hearts)
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (4 fires)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (4 peaches)
Number of Sex Scenes: 🍆🍆🍆 (3 eggplants)
(These are all on a personal opinion scale of 1-5 except the eggplants which follows the eggplant scale in The Ton & the Tartans facebook group for historical romance)
Georgiana, or Georgie, is a wealthy woman due to her father’s shipping business. She’s given up hope every finding someone that loves her for her and not her money. To protect her fortune from her scheming cousin, she would rather marry a criminal. One that is scheduled to meet death’s door soon so she can be widowed and in control of her own future and finances. Unfortunately for her, when she arrives at the prison, the man she had chosen is no longer available.
Benedict Wylde isn’t supposed to be in prison. He’s working undercover for Bow Street and that is where he’s ended up for now. He accepts marriage to Georgie and surprises her weeks later by actually being a (somewhat) respected member of society.
Give this book a try if you are in the mood for
- Bow Street hero! Benedict works for Bow Street and he works with Georgie to solve a case
- Regency time period (1816)
- Ex-soldier hero – as a second son Benedict spent time in the war
- A touch of fake relationship – they are already married but pretend to court each other for society’s eyes
- Marriage of convenience trope (married soon into the book to help the heroine)
- A touch of working woman – not a huge part of the book but Georgie has taken over a lot of responsibility for the shipping empire her father built
-Moderate steam – a few kisses and a few sexy scenes (exact amounts and locations are under spoiler warning in my goodreads review
I really loved this book. I adored Benedict and his too large, hairy, intimidating personality. I adored Georgie and her spunk and ability to take care of herself. I loved the spots of humor in this book, with my personal favorite being the poem that Simeon wrote Georgie’s sister. Just hilarious.
The thing I love most about this book though was how Benedict was so strong and independent, but Georgie affected him so. I adored the little touches in this book, that never would show up on the eggplant scale, but make this book so much sexier. A touch on the back of the neck that makes his hands tremble. Makes him adjust his seat because, well, WE ALL KNOW WHY.
I definitely felt the feelings of falling in love for these two. Though I could have done with a bit less of other drama (I feel like the cousin OR the bow street crime would have been enough, I didn't need both.) it still held the romance strong through the book.
Safety warning for
Exact locations of kisses/sex scenes
August 3, 2019
*3.5 stars*
An enjoyable historical romance from new-to-me author Kate Bateman.
I love strong female characters in any novel, but I especially love them in historical romance. Give me an independent, smart, unique woman and I'll give you my heart. Kate Bateman managed that and more in This Earl of Mine.
The plot is far-fetched... and I mean, really far-fetched, but I don't mind those pesky little details like plausibility in my romance. I just went with the flow and enjoyed the chemistry and banter between the two MCs.
I wanted a little less mystery (I wasn't that intrigued by the work of the male MC) and a little brisker pace, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the character development and all of the main and side characters. There was a lot to work with there, and Kate Bateman set things up nicely for more books in the series.
Very enjoyable and promising start to a new series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
An enjoyable historical romance from new-to-me author Kate Bateman.
I love strong female characters in any novel, but I especially love them in historical romance. Give me an independent, smart, unique woman and I'll give you my heart. Kate Bateman managed that and more in This Earl of Mine.
The plot is far-fetched... and I mean, really far-fetched, but I don't mind those pesky little details like plausibility in my romance. I just went with the flow and enjoyed the chemistry and banter between the two MCs.
I wanted a little less mystery (I wasn't that intrigued by the work of the male MC) and a little brisker pace, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the character development and all of the main and side characters. There was a lot to work with there, and Kate Bateman set things up nicely for more books in the series.
Very enjoyable and promising start to a new series.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
September 24, 2019
What a great story!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really have to admire authors. It’s must be so hard to come up with unique stories and situations to keep your readers happy and excited. The story certainly hit that mark with me.
What I loved about this book is the heroine is a business owner and makes her own money. What a refreshing difference from a lot of the other regency style romance books.
The author created two amazing characters that were just a lot of fun, had a lot of wit, and worked really, really well together. And those sexy times were oh so steamy!
This Earl of Mine brings everything we love about Regency romance but with a modern flair. Just a fabulous story you will devour, just like I did!
* Copy received for review consideration
Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/this-earl-of...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really have to admire authors. It’s must be so hard to come up with unique stories and situations to keep your readers happy and excited. The story certainly hit that mark with me.
What I loved about this book is the heroine is a business owner and makes her own money. What a refreshing difference from a lot of the other regency style romance books.
The author created two amazing characters that were just a lot of fun, had a lot of wit, and worked really, really well together. And those sexy times were oh so steamy!
This Earl of Mine brings everything we love about Regency romance but with a modern flair. Just a fabulous story you will devour, just like I did!
* Copy received for review consideration
Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/this-earl-of...
February 23, 2024
what a magnificent couple I loved them
and how they came together is pure enjoyment and delightful fun
4,5⭐
and how they came together is pure enjoyment and delightful fun
4,5⭐
April 30, 2023
⭐
1 star.
➕What I liked :
Some of the side characters.
(The heroines younger sister and her crush were kind of cute and funny in a over the top way.)
➖ What I disliked:
Stereotyped and clichéd villains and/or bad characters.
(All the bad/despicable characters were described as fat in one way or another, which is bad on all levels.) 👎 🙅🏽
Anachronistic.
Bland and flat main characters that are not fleshed out enough and need more depth.
Too much about the main characters are told but not shown.
(The heroine is a shipping heiress but where is her enterprising personality and business sense etc.?
The hero is a bow street runner and a gaming club part-owner but also a rogue and everything about that is told not shown.)
Annoying and unlikable heroine.
(Too shallow and unsympathetic and looks down on poor people etc.)
Boring hero.
Stilted.
Repetitious.
The main characters love for each other felt too forced, and the why and how of why the hero fell in love with the heroine and her with him is rather mysterious/unclear.
The romantic build up and chemistry between the main characters is unconvincing/lacking and rushed.
The main characters are kind of formulaic in how they are written/portrayed …. it would be much more interesting and add depth if the there was more variety in appearance/looks/personalities etc. in this authors books.
( The heroines are more or less always small/delicate/tiny and the heroes tall and big/muscular etc.)
Way too nonsensical and disjointed plot.
(You have to totally suspend disbelief, not a little but all of it.)
Inconsistencies.
(Way too many plot holes.)
Believability/plausibility issues.
Over the top.
Issues/conflicts were too easily resolved.
1 star.
➕What I liked :
Some of the side characters.
(The heroines younger sister and her crush were kind of cute and funny in a over the top way.)
➖ What I disliked:
Stereotyped and clichéd villains and/or bad characters.
(All the bad/despicable characters were described as fat in one way or another, which is bad on all levels.) 👎 🙅🏽
Anachronistic.
Bland and flat main characters that are not fleshed out enough and need more depth.
Too much about the main characters are told but not shown.
(The heroine is a shipping heiress but where is her enterprising personality and business sense etc.?
The hero is a bow street runner and a gaming club part-owner but also a rogue and everything about that is told not shown.)
Annoying and unlikable heroine.
(Too shallow and unsympathetic and looks down on poor people etc.)
Boring hero.
Stilted.
Repetitious.
The main characters love for each other felt too forced, and the why and how of why the hero fell in love with the heroine and her with him is rather mysterious/unclear.
The romantic build up and chemistry between the main characters is unconvincing/lacking and rushed.
The main characters are kind of formulaic in how they are written/portrayed …. it would be much more interesting and add depth if the there was more variety in appearance/looks/personalities etc. in this authors books.
( The heroines are more or less always small/delicate/tiny and the heroes tall and big/muscular etc.)
Way too nonsensical and disjointed plot.
(You have to totally suspend disbelief, not a little but all of it.)
Inconsistencies.
(Way too many plot holes.)
Believability/plausibility issues.
Over the top.
Issues/conflicts were too easily resolved.
August 17, 2019
I found this first book in Bateman's new series to be fairly bland and unmemorable. It starts with an unlikely scenario in which heiress Georgie pays off prison guards at Newgate to find her a husband in name only in order to prevent an annoying male family member from coercing her into marriage. Believing that she has found a prisoner who is set to be transported, she coerces the hero of the story into marrying her. The hero, however, isn't really a prisoner at all but instead is a Bow Street runner posing as a prisoner. Benedict doesn't want to be married off but can't risk his cover, and so in the first pages of the book, he and Georgie, two complete strangers, enter into a marriage-in- name-only. As a longtime romance reader, I'm accustomed to farfetched plots that exist merely to bring two people together. This plot though is among the sillier ones. Alas, as the book progresses, it doesn't get much better.
Once Benedict is back in society, he seeks Georgie out to harass her about forcing him into marriage. As the two debate their options, it turns out that they will need to live with their marriage. However, for confusing reasons that I never quite understood, Georgie wants Benedict to pretend to court her so that society takes her seriously. Both swear up and down that they are not interested in being an actual married couple at all. I gave up trying to figure out why. Then they decide they really are attracted to each other and so they might as well seal the deal and enjoy a secret sex life-- as long as they don't confuse sex with deeper emotions. Yawn.
In the midst of this confusing romance is a mystery that might be even more confusing. Benedict is on surveillance duty over a gang who might be involved in trying to free Napoleon. Georgie is bored and would love an adventure and because she is a shipping heiress she knows much about ships, and so she talks Benedict into allowing her to help him with his case. The actual mystery really only exists as a means to bring the two further together, and it serves the purpose of introducing Benedict's two best buddies, who are surely destined for their own books -- two identical men with no distinguishing traits that I could determine, I might add. To say that I'm bored at the thought of reading their stories is an understatement.
I liked the main characters well enough, and I thought they had a rapport and were kind to each other. On the other hand, I've read most of Bateman's books and have enjoyed them, but this one was dull.
Once Benedict is back in society, he seeks Georgie out to harass her about forcing him into marriage. As the two debate their options, it turns out that they will need to live with their marriage. However, for confusing reasons that I never quite understood, Georgie wants Benedict to pretend to court her so that society takes her seriously. Both swear up and down that they are not interested in being an actual married couple at all. I gave up trying to figure out why. Then they decide they really are attracted to each other and so they might as well seal the deal and enjoy a secret sex life-- as long as they don't confuse sex with deeper emotions. Yawn.
In the midst of this confusing romance is a mystery that might be even more confusing. Benedict is on surveillance duty over a gang who might be involved in trying to free Napoleon. Georgie is bored and would love an adventure and because she is a shipping heiress she knows much about ships, and so she talks Benedict into allowing her to help him with his case. The actual mystery really only exists as a means to bring the two further together, and it serves the purpose of introducing Benedict's two best buddies, who are surely destined for their own books -- two identical men with no distinguishing traits that I could determine, I might add. To say that I'm bored at the thought of reading their stories is an understatement.
I liked the main characters well enough, and I thought they had a rapport and were kind to each other. On the other hand, I've read most of Bateman's books and have enjoyed them, but this one was dull.
March 6, 2022
The book needed more romance. The main characters are not as fleshed out as I would have liked. I’m not sure why the heroine’s sister had a side love story. I don’t think it truly added anything to the story. I wish the heroine’s father was still alive in the book. It seems he had a great relationship with his daughter. We don’t see many HR books with both loving parents alive for our main characters.
I'm patiently waiting for Kate Bateman's next book, A Daring Pursuit, in her Ruthless Rivals series to be released! Hence, why I decided to read one of her older books.
I'm patiently waiting for Kate Bateman's next book, A Daring Pursuit, in her Ruthless Rivals series to be released! Hence, why I decided to read one of her older books.
October 29, 2019
Georgiana is desperate to keep control of her life and fortune which propels her into a brash decision. She arranges to marry a convict, one scheduled for the gallows so that she’ll be a widow in control of her life and fortune instead at the mercy of her malicious cousin, Josiah, intent on marrying her for those purposes. Georgiana’s worried he’ll corner her, make a move that’s will lead to a ruined reputation if she doesn’t marry him. He’s already tried, and she doesn’t want to take any more chances. This guy was a sniveling creep, and I’m glad Georgiana stood up to him on more than one occasion, but he wasn’t one for taking a hint, let me tell you!
Benedict isn’t a man to be manipulated, but the undercover nature of his assignment means he must hold his tongue. Yet, when the vows are spoken Benedict can’t help but show Georgiana the real man underneath with a smoldering kiss that neither will forget.
Georgiana is about to get the shock of her life when her plans widowhood doesn’t go exactly as she expected! Neither Benedict or Georgiana want to be married, but it’s so much fun to see these two come to grips with the reality of their situation and the unexpected intense draw of desire between them. There’s an irresistible pull physically, but mentally they challenge and excite each other as well. Can this random chance marriage bond be an unexpected love match or are they on an inevitable road to heartbreak?
I’m not an expert on this time period in history, and I’m not sure if it’s accurate that Georgiana had that level of independence as business savvy female, but I just loved it! Georgiana was a strong, smart woman, not willing to let being a woman limit her choices in life.
Loved the chemistry between Georgiana and Benedict from their first meeting on! Which just happened to be when they marry. The romance between them was wickedly delicious, but I loved their friendship, too, as they paired together thwart the bad guys from Benedict’s original assignment.
This Earl of Mine was a fun and steamy historical romance, one that I devoured and enjoyed! I can’t wait for the next Bow Street Bachelors installment!
A copy was kindly provided to me by St. Martin's Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review.
Benedict isn’t a man to be manipulated, but the undercover nature of his assignment means he must hold his tongue. Yet, when the vows are spoken Benedict can’t help but show Georgiana the real man underneath with a smoldering kiss that neither will forget.
Georgiana is about to get the shock of her life when her plans widowhood doesn’t go exactly as she expected! Neither Benedict or Georgiana want to be married, but it’s so much fun to see these two come to grips with the reality of their situation and the unexpected intense draw of desire between them. There’s an irresistible pull physically, but mentally they challenge and excite each other as well. Can this random chance marriage bond be an unexpected love match or are they on an inevitable road to heartbreak?
I’m not an expert on this time period in history, and I’m not sure if it’s accurate that Georgiana had that level of independence as business savvy female, but I just loved it! Georgiana was a strong, smart woman, not willing to let being a woman limit her choices in life.
Loved the chemistry between Georgiana and Benedict from their first meeting on! Which just happened to be when they marry. The romance between them was wickedly delicious, but I loved their friendship, too, as they paired together thwart the bad guys from Benedict’s original assignment.
This Earl of Mine was a fun and steamy historical romance, one that I devoured and enjoyed! I can’t wait for the next Bow Street Bachelors installment!
A copy was kindly provided to me by St. Martin's Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2025
A cute fun adventurous love story!
This was my first book by this author and I felt that her writing style/story telling was on level with many of my favorite seasoned authors. I found the story to be entertaining and original, the heroine was strong and independent, yet still vulnerable enough to be pleasant, the hero was an alpha but had an easygoing personality, the side characters were enjoyable as well and I look forward to reading the next stories that I assume will be about this hero's two bffs.
Normally I do not like mystery in my HR because I feel it is hard for it to not overshadow the romance, but I feel that this author did a great job balancing it out. 🤩
This was my first book by this author and I felt that her writing style/story telling was on level with many of my favorite seasoned authors. I found the story to be entertaining and original, the heroine was strong and independent, yet still vulnerable enough to be pleasant, the hero was an alpha but had an easygoing personality, the side characters were enjoyable as well and I look forward to reading the next stories that I assume will be about this hero's two bffs.
Normally I do not like mystery in my HR because I feel it is hard for it to not overshadow the romance, but I feel that this author did a great job balancing it out. 🤩
November 10, 2023
Read: 11/9/23
This book was such a pleasure to read! I loved the MC. They were perfect for each other! Same values and sense of humor. Their chemistry was off the charts! This is a couple you see lasting the test of time. I even liked her sister's beau. His bad poetry was hilarious!
This book was such a pleasure to read! I loved the MC. They were perfect for each other! Same values and sense of humor. Their chemistry was off the charts! This is a couple you see lasting the test of time. I even liked her sister's beau. His bad poetry was hilarious!
October 29, 2019
Title: This Earl Of Mine
Series: Bow Street Bachelors #1
Author: Kate Bateman
Release date: October 29, 2019
Cliffhanger: No
HEA
The synopsis for This Earl of Mine sounded really promising. The idea of a marriage of convenience between an heiress and a prisoner who's actually an undercover Bow Street runner is something different I haven't seen before. The concept really has merit, but unfortunately I didn't click with the writing as much as I hoped. The deeper you go into the story, the more convoluted and unrealistic things get. There were also a lot of historical inaccuracies in the speech and slang used, but I won't go into detail about those since they may be edited out in the final copy.
Georgiana Caversteed is a filthy rich heiress who is the sole beneficiary of her father's massive shipping empire. She is the oldest of two daughters and uncharacteristically for the time, was groomed to run the business she inherits. We're told that she's exceptionally smart and capable of being in charge, and she can handle herself well at the helm. Strangely, she doesn't seem to come across any opposition or antagonism as a woman in the workforce, at a time when women simply weren't given this kind of power over men. I also felt that it we were not shown this work ethic she had, only told. She went to the office exactly one time and she did no work while she was there. In fact, she reveals that she makes a "monthly visit" which simply isn't realistic for someone to be able to run a business of that size.
The heroine's wealth is predictably a magnet for fortune hunters, most especially her greedy cousin Josiah. Rather than get trapped into marriage by him who has become increasingly uncomfortable in his advances, she comes up with a desperate plan to be rid of him. The plan is to marry a prisoner at Newgate who is to be hanged, and she will almost instantly be a widow with all of the freedom that entails. Her plan goes awry when she is set up with Benedict Wylde. He's the second son of an Earl who is there undercover as a Bow Street runner. There was no way for him to refuse the marriage and he signs the papers on the dotted line. This was a big plot hole for me because in order for the marriage to be legal his name had to be his own on the paperwork. Even though he was posing as a smuggler for the government, apparently he didn't feel the need to use an alias. No, he used Ben Wylde instead of Benedict. Therefore making the marriage airtight and ineligible for annulment. I'm sorry, but I couldn't suspend my disbelief to go along with that explanation.
Soon after their impulsive nuptials, the two of them come face to face at a social event, and she is completely rattled to find out that she's now saddled with a husband that isn't part of her plans. Benedict is very attracted to his wife, but there are two factors getting in the way of a true marriage. His family history has made him cynical about love, and a wife was simply never a consideration. He's an ex soldier who runs a gentlemen's club with his two best friends, and earning money to help his brother pay off their father's debt is his primary concern. His family debt and her abundant wealth convince him that he could never be her equal financially, and she would never believe he wasn't with her for her money, right? The synopsis is misleading when it says that he courts her in order to win her heart. That's not the case at all, he actually keeps his emotional distance for the majority of the book, and she is the one who convinces him to give their marriage a chance at the end.
My favorite part about the book was Benedict. I felt that he was very respectful of her, you could immediately feel his desire and admiration for his adventurous wife. He was protective, genuine, and despite his lack of funds, he never once considered trying to use her for her money. He really was a man of honor that she could trust with her heart. He even worked himself to the bone to help his brother with the family debt even though he wasn't under any obligation to do so. He certainly could have lived much more comfortably if he kept all of his hard earned money, but he chose the more difficult path. One of the conflicts is his investigation of a stolen submarine prototype, and a plot to rescue Bonaparte from St. Helena. Along the way, he indulges Georgiana's thirst for adventure and allows her to join him on his reconnaissance as he hunts for the traitor.
The heroine's original scheme to marry, become a widow, and carry on with her life and freedom didn't make a lot of sense. Once she announced that she was a widow, she would be right back where she started with fortune hunters attempting to fill the role of husband number two. Then when her plan altered, she was going to reveal her husband, but live separate lives as many do in the ton. However, feelings and unbridled passion soon complicated matters, and she yearned to start a real future with the man she was falling for.
The side story with her sister Juliet and her childish beau was pretty cheesy, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes over the fact that she was jealous over their immature crush. What she had in common with Benedict was much more solid and enduring, to yearn for what her sister had was silly.
I tried out a new to me author hoping that I would have a fresh historical romance series to follow, but unfortunately I don't think she's the right fit for me. Or it's possible that I happened to choose the wrong book as my introduction to her writing. Whatever the case may be, this wasn't horrible but ended up being just okay overall. The execution could have used a little more work in order to give it a more realistic feel. I think many will find more to enjoy than me, so don't just take my opinion into account. There are many glowing reviews to be found, so make sure to research some others as well.
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October 16, 2019
I am always on the lookout for a new series and I loved the sound of this one.
I love love loved Georgiana and Benedict. She's smart and practical and looking for an adventure. He's charming and poor and absolutely smitten. I loved the banter between them and how Benedict not only acknowledged Georgiana's knowledge, he always let her do things for herself. There are some friends of Benedict's that I'm hoping get the next books because I am definitely here for it.
Plot wise, it was fantastic. The story wasn't just about their marriage and how to navigate society with that information; there was an entire thread about a submarine and criminals and the Georgiana and Benedict being partners in everything. Oh, and the chemistry between them was palpable.
Overall, it was a captivating story that I snuck chapters of while at work because I just couldn't get enough. I truly enjoyed this book and I'm sure it'll be one that I come back to for a pick-me-up.
**Huge thanks to St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing the arc free of charge**
I love love loved Georgiana and Benedict. She's smart and practical and looking for an adventure. He's charming and poor and absolutely smitten. I loved the banter between them and how Benedict not only acknowledged Georgiana's knowledge, he always let her do things for herself. There are some friends of Benedict's that I'm hoping get the next books because I am definitely here for it.
Plot wise, it was fantastic. The story wasn't just about their marriage and how to navigate society with that information; there was an entire thread about a submarine and criminals and the Georgiana and Benedict being partners in everything. Oh, and the chemistry between them was palpable.
Overall, it was a captivating story that I snuck chapters of while at work because I just couldn't get enough. I truly enjoyed this book and I'm sure it'll be one that I come back to for a pick-me-up.
**Huge thanks to St. Martin's Paperbacks for providing the arc free of charge**
Read
November 10, 2020Well, obviously I like it. I may be biased, of course . . . !
Read
April 5, 20224 Modern Thinking Stars
This Earl Can Be Yours, Only $2.99!!!
* * * * Spoiler Free
Sometimes when you read a blurb and you decide to snatch the book up, you just have to go with it...Buy into the premise and let the author tell her story. Kate Bateman decided to create a woman who had a lenient father. A father who made his fortune in shipping. He loved this older daughter so, he would teach her everything he knew about the business. By the time she was of age for the marriage mart, Georgiana Caversteed was not some simple mind girl willing to smile and put up with titled men who bored her.
Now her father has passed and as things went, the house and monies were inherited to the mother and younger sister with the bulk of the company and finances going to Georgiana. She had been running the company for a while and loved her independence but a certain cousin has been making advances and plans to force her to marry him. She has no intention of doing so...Everything would then become his...
No, that will not do.
Instead, Georgina has hatched a plan to save her independence and solve the marriage problem. She will marry a convicted felon who has been sentenced to hang or leave to Australia. This way she becomes a Widow and problem solved. Even her father's manservant/bodyguard has agreed to help her.
Georgiana finds herself with her escort down at the prison and the man whom she was supposed to marry died before she could get there. Instead, she is advised to marry another...a man hairy beyond belief, in torn and disgusting clothes, and scheduled to take that voyage immediately after they say I do's.
Benedict William Henry Wylde may be hairy, stink to high heaven and be in prison but he is there not to be punished but to find out information for the British government. The one who died was a suspect in an attempt against the government and Wylde was there to get him for his crimes. Now the man is dead and Wylde will have to find another way. The guards have no idea he is working with the government so they pull him to marry Georgiana.
Both of them are put off and the marriage does take place with Wylde not really understanding why a woman as beautiful as Georgiana is...would do all of this. It is only after she has him sign a contract does he understand what exactly is going on...that she is the infamous Georgiana Caversteed, heir to one of the largest fortunes in the Ton.
Despite the surroundings and the awful conditions of Wylde when they married, Georgiana is shocked that she actually has been thinking about this man. She is wondering if he will survive the ocean journey. She wonders how he had such a beautiful scrip and the ability to read when he was a prisoner. Georgiana's mind was full of many thoughts about this man she would never see again and it bothered her.
The mother and younger sister beg Georgiana to take them to a ball so that they can be seen in town. It is time for the sister to consider marriage options. They go and as they tour the floor, Georgiana's eye catches a glimpse of a man who had the same broad shoulders and blackest of black hair...and when he starts to cross the floor towards her, she cannot believe her eyes...it is him...
The man she married, cleaned up, shaved and hair cut. He is the second son of an Earl...known as a rake and a rogue.
Oh, this is not good, not good at all...
Well, Benedict William Henry Wylde isn't thrilled either. He never wished to be married and now he planned to get untethered from this woman. He approaches and soon the mental games begin for he is very interested in her...and she is surprisingly intrigued too. The problem is his reputation as a scoundrel, her sister's need for an appropriate marriage, and no scandal to ruin any of them.
This story asked for you to believe Georgiana could do all the things the author had her doing during these specific times...I decided to buy in and enjoyed the ride. With the mindset of forwarding thinkers through the ages, there had to be women who broke the mold.
The main couple had chemistry and seemed smitten enough for all the pleasure they shared.
This is the beginning of a new series with the secondary characters having their own romances and escapades.
This Earl of Mine (Bow Street Bachelors, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To Catch an Earl (Bow Street Bachelors #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Princess and the Rogue (Bow Street Bachelors, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
This Earl Can Be Yours, Only $2.99!!!
* * * * Spoiler Free
Sometimes when you read a blurb and you decide to snatch the book up, you just have to go with it...Buy into the premise and let the author tell her story. Kate Bateman decided to create a woman who had a lenient father. A father who made his fortune in shipping. He loved this older daughter so, he would teach her everything he knew about the business. By the time she was of age for the marriage mart, Georgiana Caversteed was not some simple mind girl willing to smile and put up with titled men who bored her.
Now her father has passed and as things went, the house and monies were inherited to the mother and younger sister with the bulk of the company and finances going to Georgiana. She had been running the company for a while and loved her independence but a certain cousin has been making advances and plans to force her to marry him. She has no intention of doing so...Everything would then become his...
No, that will not do.
Instead, Georgina has hatched a plan to save her independence and solve the marriage problem. She will marry a convicted felon who has been sentenced to hang or leave to Australia. This way she becomes a Widow and problem solved. Even her father's manservant/bodyguard has agreed to help her.
Georgiana finds herself with her escort down at the prison and the man whom she was supposed to marry died before she could get there. Instead, she is advised to marry another...a man hairy beyond belief, in torn and disgusting clothes, and scheduled to take that voyage immediately after they say I do's.
Benedict William Henry Wylde may be hairy, stink to high heaven and be in prison but he is there not to be punished but to find out information for the British government. The one who died was a suspect in an attempt against the government and Wylde was there to get him for his crimes. Now the man is dead and Wylde will have to find another way. The guards have no idea he is working with the government so they pull him to marry Georgiana.
Both of them are put off and the marriage does take place with Wylde not really understanding why a woman as beautiful as Georgiana is...would do all of this. It is only after she has him sign a contract does he understand what exactly is going on...that she is the infamous Georgiana Caversteed, heir to one of the largest fortunes in the Ton.
Despite the surroundings and the awful conditions of Wylde when they married, Georgiana is shocked that she actually has been thinking about this man. She is wondering if he will survive the ocean journey. She wonders how he had such a beautiful scrip and the ability to read when he was a prisoner. Georgiana's mind was full of many thoughts about this man she would never see again and it bothered her.
The mother and younger sister beg Georgiana to take them to a ball so that they can be seen in town. It is time for the sister to consider marriage options. They go and as they tour the floor, Georgiana's eye catches a glimpse of a man who had the same broad shoulders and blackest of black hair...and when he starts to cross the floor towards her, she cannot believe her eyes...it is him...
The man she married, cleaned up, shaved and hair cut. He is the second son of an Earl...known as a rake and a rogue.
Oh, this is not good, not good at all...
Well, Benedict William Henry Wylde isn't thrilled either. He never wished to be married and now he planned to get untethered from this woman. He approaches and soon the mental games begin for he is very interested in her...and she is surprisingly intrigued too. The problem is his reputation as a scoundrel, her sister's need for an appropriate marriage, and no scandal to ruin any of them.
This story asked for you to believe Georgiana could do all the things the author had her doing during these specific times...I decided to buy in and enjoyed the ride. With the mindset of forwarding thinkers through the ages, there had to be women who broke the mold.
The main couple had chemistry and seemed smitten enough for all the pleasure they shared.
This is the beginning of a new series with the secondary characters having their own romances and escapades.
This Earl of Mine (Bow Street Bachelors, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To Catch an Earl (Bow Street Bachelors #2) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Princess and the Rogue (Bow Street Bachelors, #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
November 5, 2019
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 Stars
What do you do when you have a large inheritance coming your way, a cousin trying to put you into a compromising position so you have to marry him and no male in your family to protect you? You marry a condemned man in Newgate, of course. It will be so easy, marry and become a widow within a week and move on to run your deceased fathers shipping business. Totally easy. Well except Georgie married someone pretending to be an inmate and then her plan goes up in smoke when she realizes he is the second son of an impoverished house.
Benedict Wylde’s father gambled away their entire fortune and left the estate penniless and in debt when he died. Back from the war, Ben is helping his brother with any money he can earn to keep it all afloat. As such he was undercover in Newgate, trying to unravel a plot to free Napoleon from his island prison. He was not expecting an heiress to come in and marry him. She is pretty though, smart and possibly a little wild. Benedict can’t wait until she finds out that she not only did she not marry a condemned man but one who is part owner in a gentleman’s club on Bow Street.
Ben and Georgie suit each other nicely. He sees the woman she is and how she was made to run the shipping company her father started. She’s only ever been pursued for her money, but as he gets to know Georgie, he decides this marriage of convenience might not be such a bad thing, he is definitely attracted to her. Now he just has to convince her that he wants her and not her fortune. To lessen the scandal, the couple agree that Ben will court Georgiana in public for the season, with a proposal at the end, then they will go their separate ways. Well, this is a romance, so we all know that really isn’t going to happen but it is fun to play along for a while.
Both main characters are extremely likable and have a nice banter about them. The side plot of trying to find the Napoleon sympathizers and a stolen submarine was a little bit fun and added some side notes to the story. I did feel a little like I got a history lesson on shipping while reading this and some of the details felt thrown in instead of weaved into the story, but that is a small complaint.
Overall this was a fun marriage of strangers to lover’s tale and a nice set up for a few more books involving the trio of war heroes turned gentleman club owners. It has some nice dialogue and moments, I would have liked a smidge more humor and possibly less attempted sexual assault, there are other ways to build tension. The romance aspect was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 Stars
What do you do when you have a large inheritance coming your way, a cousin trying to put you into a compromising position so you have to marry him and no male in your family to protect you? You marry a condemned man in Newgate, of course. It will be so easy, marry and become a widow within a week and move on to run your deceased fathers shipping business. Totally easy. Well except Georgie married someone pretending to be an inmate and then her plan goes up in smoke when she realizes he is the second son of an impoverished house.
Benedict Wylde’s father gambled away their entire fortune and left the estate penniless and in debt when he died. Back from the war, Ben is helping his brother with any money he can earn to keep it all afloat. As such he was undercover in Newgate, trying to unravel a plot to free Napoleon from his island prison. He was not expecting an heiress to come in and marry him. She is pretty though, smart and possibly a little wild. Benedict can’t wait until she finds out that she not only did she not marry a condemned man but one who is part owner in a gentleman’s club on Bow Street.
Ben and Georgie suit each other nicely. He sees the woman she is and how she was made to run the shipping company her father started. She’s only ever been pursued for her money, but as he gets to know Georgie, he decides this marriage of convenience might not be such a bad thing, he is definitely attracted to her. Now he just has to convince her that he wants her and not her fortune. To lessen the scandal, the couple agree that Ben will court Georgiana in public for the season, with a proposal at the end, then they will go their separate ways. Well, this is a romance, so we all know that really isn’t going to happen but it is fun to play along for a while.
Both main characters are extremely likable and have a nice banter about them. The side plot of trying to find the Napoleon sympathizers and a stolen submarine was a little bit fun and added some side notes to the story. I did feel a little like I got a history lesson on shipping while reading this and some of the details felt thrown in instead of weaved into the story, but that is a small complaint.
Overall this was a fun marriage of strangers to lover’s tale and a nice set up for a few more books involving the trio of war heroes turned gentleman club owners. It has some nice dialogue and moments, I would have liked a smidge more humor and possibly less attempted sexual assault, there are other ways to build tension. The romance aspect was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it.
“Juliet thinks Mr Pettigrew is extremely talented.”
He sent her a droll glance. “Yes, but I bet Juliet also thinks rainbows are made from magical fairy dust and that dragons live in Scotland,” he muttered.
“Who’s to say she’s not right about the dragons?”
“Basic common sense? Complete lack of empirical evidence? Zero credible sightings for hundreds of years?”
“It’s rather ironic, don’t you think, that someone is planning to rescue the French emperor with a British-made submarine designed by an American?”
October 28, 2019
Georgie is an heiress who decides to marry for convenience after she was nearly compromised by a suitor intent on marrying her for her money. She devises a plan to marry a convict bound for the gallows. The convict turns out to be none other than our fearless hero Ben Wylde who is in Newgate disguised as a prisoner for reasons. Yes, the set up is bonkers and disbelief must be completely suspended. Especially in light of the fact that Georgie makes Ben sign a document stating he will never touch her money. I'm willing to bet that such a document in Regency England where women didn't even have rights to their own children would be completely unenforceable.
Anyway, soon enough Georgie realizes that the hairy prisoner she married, the one she can't stop fantasizing about even though she spend all of an hour in his company while he was hairy, dressed in rags and probably stunk to high heaven, is none other than the scapegrace rogue Ben. Ben is not only a gambling den owner but also a Bow-street runner. Yes, he's some kind of investigator for the ton, and he is a terrible one at that. He tells Georgie everything all the sensitive details about his investigation after a few conversations. Let's not forget he doesn't know her from Adam and has only exchanged a few words with her. Did I also mention Georgie runs her own shipping business? I'm all for female empowerment and the fantasy inherent in reading romance but let's try to have some semblance of actual history in a historical. CEO heroines in Regency England are becoming as plentiful as rich gorgeous Dukes. I'm sure there were exceptions to the rule in reality but this is the second book I've read in a week where the heroine was running a huge business empire. I may have been able to suspend disbelief throughout if the main characters had been in any way interesting but they were both so bland. The hero was a by the numbers rogue. Supposedly a bad boy through and through but this is all told and no shown. Just like we never see Georgie using her business acumen. In the end, the one thing I couldn't get over was how mind-numbingly boring this book was and sadly I can't find one thing to recommend it. 1 star.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Anyway, soon enough Georgie realizes that the hairy prisoner she married, the one she can't stop fantasizing about even though she spend all of an hour in his company while he was hairy, dressed in rags and probably stunk to high heaven, is none other than the scapegrace rogue Ben. Ben is not only a gambling den owner but also a Bow-street runner. Yes, he's some kind of investigator for the ton, and he is a terrible one at that. He tells Georgie everything all the sensitive details about his investigation after a few conversations. Let's not forget he doesn't know her from Adam and has only exchanged a few words with her. Did I also mention Georgie runs her own shipping business? I'm all for female empowerment and the fantasy inherent in reading romance but let's try to have some semblance of actual history in a historical. CEO heroines in Regency England are becoming as plentiful as rich gorgeous Dukes. I'm sure there were exceptions to the rule in reality but this is the second book I've read in a week where the heroine was running a huge business empire. I may have been able to suspend disbelief throughout if the main characters had been in any way interesting but they were both so bland. The hero was a by the numbers rogue. Supposedly a bad boy through and through but this is all told and no shown. Just like we never see Georgie using her business acumen. In the end, the one thing I couldn't get over was how mind-numbingly boring this book was and sadly I can't find one thing to recommend it. 1 star.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2019
Three and a half
This had a fairly simple plot with Georgie needing a husband who wouldn't really have any impact on her life so she's decided to marry a condemned man ! Ok that's not sounding particularly sane but her idea strangely has merit given the circumstances but it doesn't exactly go to plan and Georgie ends up wed to a convict bound for the colonies or is he ? Ben is under cover in prison and decides to humour Georgie given he does actually need some cash to help his brother but he has absolutely no idea of disappearing and pretty soon makes quite an impression on his reluctant bride !
This was a total romp and very funny at times. There's a little suspense included to show that Ben really is a good guy and of course an odious bad guy who deserves to get his comeuppance. I applaud the author on her research as it made it feel very much of its period with numerous references to books, songs, places and indeed historical characters. The dual points of view were seamless and extremely well done but for me the way these characters constantly thought about sex was totally overkill. I could almost excuse Georgie although sadly she actually felt too independent and contemporary. Plus in the Georgian period she would have had a guardian so I couldn't truly buy into the whole setup . As for Ben he is written as an experienced man of the world so unfortunately I wasn't impressed by his juvenile thoughts. I did enjoy the action packed ending and as I've stated this was most definitely a fun , light hearted read .
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair.
This had a fairly simple plot with Georgie needing a husband who wouldn't really have any impact on her life so she's decided to marry a condemned man ! Ok that's not sounding particularly sane but her idea strangely has merit given the circumstances but it doesn't exactly go to plan and Georgie ends up wed to a convict bound for the colonies or is he ? Ben is under cover in prison and decides to humour Georgie given he does actually need some cash to help his brother but he has absolutely no idea of disappearing and pretty soon makes quite an impression on his reluctant bride !
This was a total romp and very funny at times. There's a little suspense included to show that Ben really is a good guy and of course an odious bad guy who deserves to get his comeuppance. I applaud the author on her research as it made it feel very much of its period with numerous references to books, songs, places and indeed historical characters. The dual points of view were seamless and extremely well done but for me the way these characters constantly thought about sex was totally overkill. I could almost excuse Georgie although sadly she actually felt too independent and contemporary. Plus in the Georgian period she would have had a guardian so I couldn't truly buy into the whole setup . As for Ben he is written as an experienced man of the world so unfortunately I wasn't impressed by his juvenile thoughts. I did enjoy the action packed ending and as I've stated this was most definitely a fun , light hearted read .
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair.
February 4, 2021
4.5⭐
This was simply great!
We have an anusual marriage of convenience, a sort of spy, a rich and intelligent businesswoman, loyal friendship, bad things happening and so on. I really felt there was a little bit of everything here. The end took a little too long for my taste, but well, it was nice anyway. I recommend this book!
This was simply great!
We have an anusual marriage of convenience, a sort of spy, a rich and intelligent businesswoman, loyal friendship, bad things happening and so on. I really felt there was a little bit of everything here. The end took a little too long for my taste, but well, it was nice anyway. I recommend this book!
June 27, 2021
I thought they were so cute together but the mystery and adventure was not my fave.
June 7, 2020
2020 Ripped Bodice Bingo: Protagonist smells "uniquely like themselves"
I really liked this! It manages to be a marriage of convenience, secret relationship, and fake relationship all at once. ALL OF THSE ARE GREAT THINGS.
I really liked the characters and relationships and am excited to read more by the author.
Oh, and no stupid obstacles!!!
I really liked this! It manages to be a marriage of convenience, secret relationship, and fake relationship all at once. ALL OF THSE ARE GREAT THINGS.
I really liked the characters and relationships and am excited to read more by the author.
Oh, and no stupid obstacles!!!
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