It needed more...

While reading An Unwilling Earl I was entertained at a very constant level. There weren't lows and no reaching for highs, just a middle of the range ...even...methodical...continuous...level. My heart wasn't pumping in excitement, fear or enthusiasm. There was no need for hubby to be close for cuddles, comfort or to chat with when the characters frustrated or annoyed me. It was a little predictable, a touch exasperating and unfortunately unoriginal.

It's always hard to read a romance where the hero has been previously married and loved his deceased wife. In this case, he wasn't really over the emotional loss and had convinced himself there was no room for love again. He does eventually grow to have feelings for the heroine but they seem to be connected to his lust for her. There were signs of his protectiveness but again, I wasn't convinced it was from a place of love. It was more about his pity for the position she was in and what she had previously faced. He came across as a martyr, not a lover.

The suspense side of the story was interesting and I enjoyed it more than the romance, to be honest. It was scary to see what little could be done to catch a serial killer in those days. No forensic teams to dust for fingerprints or databases to check for matches. Even worse, the narrow criteria used to find the killers. It was unthinkable for a man of title and fortune to be capable of brutal and savagely violent murders, so they weren't even a consideration. Only the poor and underprivileged could act in such an uncivilised and barbaric way. Things have certainly changed throughout the years.

Unfortunately, while I liked An Unwilling Earl I wouldn't say this was a winner for me. Things fell into place a little too easily and seemed unbelievable. It just needed to be fleshed out a little more. I needed more passion, excitement and fervour to convince me that this Unwilling Earl had willingly fallen in love.

I have read and enjoyed previous stories by Sharon Cullen, so I will definitely try her again in the future.

This is the first book I've read by Sharon Cullen, and it certainly won't be the last. The story was quite entertaining, a historical romance filled with secrets, heartbreak....and a serial killer. Well, that was different! But it was the delightful characters that I found so intriguing.

Jacob was a solicitor and the newly minted Earl of Ashland - the very unwilling Earl of Ashland. He loved being a solicitor, dang it all! He was also a widower, having lost his beloved wife and their newborn son. He had no intention of ever loving again. Jacob and a couple of friends met often, attempting to solve crimes as a hobby. One day after leaving his club, he saved a boy from being trampled by a horse. Later he would learn that this "boy" was actually Charlotte, a young lady and a runaway from the cruel aunt who was her guardian, and her very, very odd cousin of whom she was terrified.

I absolutely adored Jacob! He was extremely smart and witty, and also determined to resist his compelling attraction to Charlotte. Charlotte, though totally out of her element living in the rookeries to hide from her family, was a strong, stubborn young woman. When it appears that the best way to keep Charlotte safe was to make her his countess, they marry. However, evil had a way of finding Charlotte. Even though it was obvious right from the start who was butchering women in London, these marvelous characters kept me totally glued to the story. I look forward to reading more by Sharon Cullen.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Jacob Ashland’s life is turned upside down when he learns he's the new Earl of Ashland. He enjoys his work as a solicitor and doesn't know the first thing about being an earl. In the meantime, he saves the life of a skinny lad from deadly horses' hooves. He has no idea his life is about to change even more. The young lad turns out to be runaway Miss Charlotte Morris who Jacob befriends and offers to help. Charlotte is running from her evil aunt and cousin and wants to go to America to escape them. When Jacob proposes marriage instead, Charlotte finally relents and marries him although she hides a dark secret that could destroy everything.

I really liked Jacob. He was a caring young man who had suffered his own tragedy with the death of his wife and infant son. I was happy to see that he didn't fall into "insta" love with Charlotte and struggled with guilt over building a new life with Charlotte. I wasn't a fan of Charlotte though. She came across as stubborn and ungrateful until the very end. There was a lot of internal dialogue throughout the story and it was a bit distracting at times. The same thought over and over was too much. Not to disclose any vital parts of the book, but the dark secret held parallels to someone else who actually did not exist until 38 years after this story.

I just really enjoyed this book. It was just really easy to get lost in this book. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I loved how this book has several threads that are brought together at the end. I thought the hero, Jacob was multifaceted with his different interests. He’s different from many heroes in stories in that he wasn’t portrayed as a rake. I liked that Charlotte, the heroine, did what she needed to do to survive. Most of the conflict between Charlotte and Jacob comes from external events in the story. I feel that once they were together their relationship is pretty harmonious and they work well as a team as they navigate society.

What would you do if you not only knew who Jack the Ripper was but had lived under the same roof? Well, that is sort of the conundrum Charlotte, the heroine, finds herself. Wanting to run to protect herself, yet feeling guilty if she doesn’t confirm her suspicions has this damsel in distress desperately in need of a knight in shining armor.

Jacob Ashland just landed himself an unexpected and not particularly welcomed earldom. As a widow still in love with his deceased wife long after her death, he’s sworn off ever risking his heart to love again. His good guy tendencies and destiny though get in the way of those plans.

Hands down my favorite part was Jacob jumping to Charlotte’s aid, even before he knew who she really was. He was relentless in being her protector in such a kind, compassionate, soft spoken, and gentle way. The back and forth of her uncertainty in accepting his help and her steadfast reluctance to settle for a man who insists he’s buried his heart with his first wife gave Charlotte a backbone and me hope she had the courage to make this guy fight for love. She did begin to cave in, however, but fortunately so did Jacob. Him falling for her gave her reason to continue to hope things would work out eventually.

Unfortunately, despite the nail biting drama near the end, I found myself skimming to get to the conclusion. Late in the book, after some very graphic steamy scenes sealed the deal for them, I suddenly found myself less engaged. Honestly, I’m surprised to have to admit this. Up to that point I was so fully invested I stayed up really late reading. It was almost like “mission accomplished”, and the writing just wasn’t holding my attention like before. Most likely because the wrap up felt rather inevitable and mostly predictable to the point it felt like a clock winding down. The life threatening scenario had me rather wishing roles were reversed so a certain someone would realize the mistake they had made all along and regret every single word/delay that kept them from being a couple sooner.

What I wasn’t expecting was the lone gruesome slasher scene/commentary. Brace yourself, folks. You are taken inside the demented mind of a disturbed serial killer and witness the suffering and butchering of one of his last victims. It will be up to you to decide if it was overkill or added to the disturbing nature of this psychopath.

Jacob’s best friend had his back and pushed his buddy towards love despite having a notorious playboy reputation. He is scheduled to get his own book in the next sequel featuring a heroine who obviously doesn’t want anything to do with him. Here’s to hoping that gossip is hearsay only and highly exaggerated. I am looking forward to this lady love bringing this good at heart rake down to his knees and begging for true love.

Title: An Unwilling Earl, Author: Sharon Cullen, Pages: 400, stand-alone but part of a series, reluctant to love again good guy hero still in love with deceased wife, damsel in distress virgin heroine, graphic/brutal serial killer scene, a couple very explicit smexy scenes, gory Jack the Ripper type killer backdrop, hard luck life past and present heroine, a tad too naively innocent heroine, no OM/OW drama, no love triangle, no cheating, celibate hero, let’s be friends turns to love.

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

First in a new series from Sharon Cullen. Jacob Ashland, a solicitor recently ascended to Earl of Ashland, has a mystery on his hands, Lady Morris has approached him to find her missing niece, Charlotte. Although he is not a private investigator, he is fascinated by the eyes of the girl in the drawing she gives him, and starts to make a few enquires, despite his refusal.

Charlotte has run away after many strange and sinister goings on in the house of her cruel and spartan aunt and her son Edward. She is surviving on her wits in the rookeries of London, Charlotte and Jacob bump into one another unexpectedly, and she is fascinated by Jacob, and follows him. When they meet again, he recognises her, and takes her in while he investigates a series of brutal murders of women in London, to get her with his friend Armbruster. Are the suspicious goings on at Lady Morris’s connected. How can Charlotte be protected and can Joseph allow his heart to be vulnerable again?

Sweet romance with two vulnerable yet caring protagonists. The mystery was well handled, if a little grisliest than I prefer, the relationship between Jacob and Charlotte was well developed and believable,

I really liked this one. Looking forward to Armbruster’s story.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book 📚. All opinions are my own.

When his cousin dies, Jacob inherits an Earldon & while he never wanted to be one, he accepts his fate and decides to take it as a challenge. A widowed solicitor who loved his wife deeply, Jacob is not at all thrilled when his bosom buddy since Eton, the Earl Armbruster, warns him that he will soon be the target of all marriage minded mamas.

Charlotte’s mother was disowned by the family when she refused an arranged marriage and eloped instead with a man of much lower rank. When she is orphaned at 15, Charlotte is taken in by her father’s sister, but finds herself in the household of a cold, manhater of a woman. One who has browbeaten and bullied her son into someone who is twisted. Fearing for her life, Charlotte flees and a coincidental meeting with Jacob leads to his offering her help and safety in his home as a guest.

This was a sweet, solid story with likable characters in Charlotte and Jacob.Charlotte is sweet and spunky at the same time and soon worms her way into Jacob’s affections.

Jacob Baker has just unexpectedly inherited the title of Earl of Ashland. He was quite settled in his life as a young widower, who sometimes, along with a friend, helps the police with investigations. He has always worked as a solicitor.

When a woman who he takes an instant dislike to asks for his help in finding her niece, he makes his own inquiries.

Miss Charlotte Morris has run away from her guardian because she is in fear for her life. When there are several murders in the area she can't help but feel, it's her fault.

A very different type of Victorian romance. It has lots of great characters who face big changes in their lives. There is also a serial killer on the loose. Is it who our heroine suspects??

I thoroughly enjoyed this unusual historical romance.

Great fun.

Jacob Baker is the new Earl of Ashland, much to his dismay. He is a good and kind man who still nurses a broke heart after the death of his wife and son and who before he inherited, he enjoyed his quite life as a solicitor and is not prepared for the duties of being the earl. While going to meet his friend Oliver, the Earl of Armsbruster, he saves a boy from being trampled by a horse, he makes sure the boy is unharmed and seeing that he is nearly starved, gives him a coin. He meets with Oliver and they discuss a string of unsolved, gruesome murders, then Oliver tells Jacob that his mother the Countess has learned of his inheritance and is planning a party to "introduce" him. He dreads the thought of entering society. Days later, he gets a visit from Baroness Morris, she wants to hire him to find her missing niece, he refuses, but Lady Morris is insistent and leaves him a sketch of Charlotte. He looks at the drawing and is mesmerized by the girl's eyes, they seem familiar, but he still refuses.

The boy he saved is actually Charlotte Morris, niece to Martha Morris, Baroness Morris. She ran away from home after years of abuse culminating in a horrific scene that had Charlotte fearing for her life. She has been hiding out in the rookeries of London barely surviving, but she has a plan, she wants to move to America and tutor American heiresses on English etiquette. She is intrigued by Jacob and goes back to the street she met him on, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. When he exits his club, she follows him. He pays a visit to her friend Lady Sarah and she burns to know why. She confronts Sarah the next day and learns that her aunt is looking for her, Sarah believes that Charlotte can trust Jacob and urges her to meet with him.

Jacob is kind to her and offers to help her, but she is not ready to reveal the truth of her disappearance. She does agree to let him help her move to America and moves into his house. As they spend time together, she begins to trust him and finally shares her story and her suspicions. Jacob is drawn to her, but believes that love is not in his future, he loved his wife with all his heart and is sure it died with her. But he cannot deny he is attracted to her and when they share a kiss, he isn't sure what he feels, but knows that he doesn't want her to go to America. He tries to reunite her with her mother's family in an attempt to get her to stay and even offers marriage. Charlotte is falling for Jacob, but she won't marry a man who cannot love her. She is determined to move, but when Jacob appeals to her sense of justice and promises to protect her from her aunt and cousin, she agrees.

It seems like they will have a good life together, but after a hostile visit from her aunt prods them to go to Scotland Yard with Charlotte's theory of who is behind the murders, they unwittingly set a sting of events into motion that may cost them more than they ever imagined.

I really enjoyed this story, I wasn't sure I would because I don't usually care for stories where one of the main characters has been in love before, and while I would have liked less comparison between Charlotte and Cora (especially regarding the love scenes), I did believe that Jacob truly loved Charlotte. The story was well written and flowed nicely. The mystery is a little gruesome and suspenseful, but I thought it was well done and the conclusion was satisfying. I think the eARC I received must be an uncorrected copy as there are some inconsistencies, some glaring historical inaccuracies and the continuous incorrect use of the title of dowager. But those aside, it was still an enjoyable, gripping read that I would be happy to recommend.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Love, love, love this story. When she gives her heart, you can't help but cheer for her. This is such a wonderful story...some incredibly sad parts. Looking forward to the next story...

When solicitor Jacob Baker’s cousin dies, he becomes the Earl of Ashland. Jacob never wanted or expected to become an earl and he’s having a hard time excepting the fact. After losing his first wife, he never wanted to marry again. A chance encounter changes that decision.

Charlotte Morris would rather live in the rookery of London than in her aunt’s home. The abuse she received at the hands of her aunt and the fear of her cousin’s actions caused her to runaway and dress as a lad to survive. When she collides with Jacob outside a gentlemen’s club, her life is changed forever.

I would keep the tissues handy for this one. We know from the onset that there is a killer stalking the streets of London and the suspicions Charlotte has. Cullen creates a strong, vibrant young woman who has survived atrocities some can’t even imagine. She weaves the expedition of a good-hearted man as he begins a new direction in life that he never expected with the frightening hardships of a young woman. Both Charlotte and Jacob fight themselves while trying to survive their environment. While suspense and mystery knit this story together, the love that grows between the two seems very natural to me.

I love these characters and pray that Cullen will continue to write in this world she’s created. There is one secondary character I’m excited to know more about. Perhaps Jacob’s best friend, Oliver McCaron, the Earl of Armbruster, will find his true love in an upcoming story of his own.

I received An Unwilling Earl for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

What a great book from beginning to end. Great story. Reeled me in right from the start! I will read this book again!!

great mystery and build up to entice readers to read more of the story and find out what happens next. great suspense.

Jacob, a solicitor, inherits an earldom after his cousin dies. He's also an amateur "sleuth" on the side with his friend, Oliver (Earl of Armbruster).
Charlotte is on a run from a crazy paternal aunt and God knows what else.
He decides to help her by letting her stay at his house until she can run away to America or somewhere else, far from her aunt and whatever else ails her.
Simultaneously there is a serial killer running across the city, decapitating and stabbing women.

I'm surprised to say this is one of the few books I've read where I like the heroine a little more than the hero. He's the one who does stupid things in the beginning, he's the one who seems like a pushover (at first). But Jacob grew on me. Their chemistry was excellent and I like that we have a heroine who actively enjoys and seeks sex with her husband without being overly coy. One of the best scenes in the entire book comes after their wedding night, where she asks him how often they should have sex. His response and her reaction are priceless. Their relationship builds nicely, as they share fears, discuss how they will partner together to take on life's challenges, and support each other. They're a believable couple.

I'd rate this at a 4 stars. I docked the one star for a couple of reasons:
1. Jacob seems stupid for the first half of the book-- he's supposedly hiding Charlotte from the world, and yet he tells his friends, and some of her relatives that she's staying with him.
2. Charlotte says she stay in hiding so her aunt can't discover her. Then she says she's bored of sitting in his townhouse and wanders around a public park and nearly gets into trouble. What the hell?
3. Charlotte's reasons at first for not marrying Jacob are silly (I must only marry for love! Never mind I'm fleeing for my life, love is what matters!).
4. She spends three weeks in a rookery (after a sheltered life in the country) and gets street smart so quickly? That seemed a bit too unlikely even for me (and I'll believe damn near anything in a historical romance if it's written well).
5. Too many uses of "I guess" and "no worries." Yes, I realize we can't write in actual Victorian English, but modern phrases jar me.

Fun and spirited historical, well written and worth the read. The unwilling Earl is about Jacob a young gentleman who inherits an Earldom unexpectedly and doesn’t know how to be an Earl. He meets and marries Charolette, who is a lady. But because of sheltered circumstances doesn’t know how to be a countess. These two bumble along and do a pretty good job of it. Additionally, there are lots of other happenings in the stories. A kind of whodunnit thriller. Not the typical story for a historical romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story was great. Intrigue, love, murder, more love...Jacob is a man we all could fall in love with, and Charlotte was no exception! She's lived a life in hell for 5 years and finally escapes! Can Jacob save her, or better yet, can they save each other? Read this story, you will love it! Looking forward to Miss Cullen's next book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Synopsis
Amateur crime-solver, Jacob Ashland never expected to inherit an earldom. Now that he has, he is expected to remarry and produce an heir. Losing his first wife left him heartbroken and he hesitant to marry again, but when a fascinating young woman lands unexpectedly in his life he offers her marriage in order to keep her safe. In name only...

Charlotte Morris is sitting on a deadly secret. Several women have been found brutally murdered and she thinks she knows who is doing the killing. Fearing for her own life, she runs from her own home and straight into Jacob Ashand's life. Somewhat reluctantly she accepts his marriage proposal. But soon it's clear that she's falling in love with him...

My Thoughts
One of the hardest things for me about reviewing books it being honest when I don't love something... And I didn't love this one. I didn't hate it though.

The murder/crime element of this book had me much more hooked than the romance. I was definitely into the grisly moments even though they sort of took me by surprise. (Who's a creep? *raises hand*) The gruesome details here aren't your typical fodder for a historical romance but I thought it was well done and well researched. Sharon Cullen did a good job with that side of this unique story.

I guess the romance side though, the reason I read it, didn't hit all the right notes for me. In fairness, I just finished Lisa Kleypa's Devils Daughter and that's a hard act to follow for anyone else. So that could have been a factor. I felt that marriage as an obvious solution seemed unreasonable in that Jacob could just as easily helped Charlotte leave the country, as was her original plan.

All that said, I liked this book enough to read more from Sharon Cullen. She has a lot of four- and five-star ratings on Goodreads and that's more than enough reason for me to try more from her. An Unwilling Earl releases on March 25, 2019. Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to read an advanced copy.

The premise of this story was intriguing from the start. Charlotte is the daughter of a marquis but has run away from her aunt and cousin and is hiding out in the rookeries dressed as a boy. What happened that scared her so much she felt compelled to run? Does it have anything to do with the killings that are plaguing the area?

Jacob is a solicitor and the new and unexpected Earl of Ashland. When Charlotte’s aunt comes to beg him to look for her niece he feels like something is amiss but doesn’t know what. He tells her that he isn’t a private investigator and will not help her but he can’t seem to put it out of his mind. As he seeks to keep Charlotte safe he tries to figure out what happened between Charlotte and her family. He decides, with her estranged uncle, that the only way to keep her safe is to marry her, although he promised himself he would never marry again. But, Charlotte as developed feelings for Jacob and wants to marry for love not just for safety.

This was a fun and quick read. My only criticism was that the ending felt forced and deserved more attention. There was an epilogue that helped but the author could have put in more detail and not rushed to finish the story. That being said, I was captivated from the start and couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

**4.5 Stars**

“Strong people are scared all of the time. Facing their fears is what makes them strong.”

Widowed solicitor Jacob Ashland has just recently inherited the title Earl of Ashland. His entire life is being turned upside down, and when he is approached by Lady Morris to hunt down her missing niece, Charlotte, he suspects there is something more behind her request.

London is being terrorized by a gruesome killer of women. Jacob and his best friend have been meeting to trade theories on who could be the murderer as well as trying to locate Lady Morris’ missing niece, Charlotte, and hoping she has not fallen victim to this slasher.

In the dark of night, orphaned Charlotte flees from her aunt and cousin. Fearful of what is going on under the roof of her tyrant aunt, she finds herself dressed as a lad and literally running right into the Earl of Ashland. Being kind of heart, Jacob takes Charlotte into his home and offers sanctuary. But as their days together pass, they find themselves becoming fast friends…companions…and awaken a love that cannot be denied. Charlotte must find the strength finally trust Jacob with the secret of why she fled her aunt’s home before their love affair comes to a deadly end.

An Unwilling Earl is not at all what I was expecting! Do not let the blurb fool you into thinking this is your typical historical romance. Within these pages lies a murder mystery, and while I had guessed the killer’s identity, it was quite an adventure to see how Charlotte and Jacob worked together to bring the murderer to justice as well as heal old wounds and find true love. Very much recommend and look forward to reading more from this author!