Thanks goes to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for the opportunity to read and review This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman prior to publication. A Regency historical romance and the first book in the Bow Street Bachelors series. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

This is the first novel I have read by Ms. Bateman, and I thoroughly enjoy it. The writing is emotionally-charged and the dialogue is realistic for the Regency period. Ms. Bateman gives just enough detailed description of the setting and attire to add an authentic look at this glittering Regency era, a favorite of mine.

Georgianna Caversteed is not your typical Regency heroine. She is feisty, determined and driven. She doesn’t let anything stand in her way. Yet, she’s utterly feminine. I quickly became enmeshed in her character.

When she boldly goes to Newgate, to wed a convicted criminal due for execution, she doesn’t stumble when the convicted man has expired. She changes direction and weds the cellmate, a man who is also bound for the gallows. I admired her tenacity and grit to thwart her obnoxious cousin.

Imagine her surprise when she finds him at a London ball and learns he’s the son of an earl! The banter between the two is titillating, and their attraction is immediate and visceral. What scandal will this misadventure cause and how will she go forward? She expected to be a widow, not a wife.

Benedict Wilde is a delicious rogue of a hero. As a second son of an impoverished late earl, he has to make his own way and help his elder brother rebuild the family fortune. He does this by using the skills he learned from his time as a rifleman in the military and now works for Bow Street.

I loved his energetic character, his zest of life, and his determination to help his brother. He falls hard for Georgie. He aches to pursue her and turn their marriage of convenience into a real union. But how can he do that since he can never support her? Afterall, she’s an heiress and now owns her late father’s shipping enterprise, running it without assistance. I could feel his emotional turmoil as he battles what he believes he should do opposed to what his heart desires.

The chemistry between Georgie and Benedict is combustible and startlingly apparent with each encounter. The sensual tension blazes between them and culminates in vivid sensuality. I loved them as individual characters and as lovers as well. I truly wanted them to find their happy ending against the odds determined to keep them apart.

If you enjoy Regency romance with compelling characters and an intriguing plot, you will love This Earl of Mine as much as I did. I look forward to reading the next book in this exciting new series. Happy reading!

This is a really cute story. The title is a bit spoilery, as Ben only gets his earldom very later on in the book, but it's not really a big deal. The book is charming and funny and I recommend it to all romance novel readers.

This Earl of Mine is Book #1 of the Bow Street Bachelors series is a nice start. It was the first book I read by Ms. Bateman and I can say I'm a fan now!
Georgiana Caversteed, an heiress to a ship company empire, arranges to marry a condemned criminal in Newgate prison, in order to escape from her lecherous cousin. By doing so, she will have total control of her father's company and money. However, Georgiana would never dream of finding her "husband" again. And when this comes to pass, she's desperate to engage his help against her cousin, even if for a short period of time.
Benedict Wylde had no intention of getting a wife, especially when he was disguised as a criminal in a prison, working for Bow Street. But on seeing who his "wife" would be, he decides to go along with her plan and, perhaps, get some money to help his older brother pay off the family's debts. Still, his attraction to his wife only grows and Wylde is unsure of what to do - go on with this situation or leave Georgiana.
I loved reading this book so much, as the story is funny, with loveable characters. It was a nice surprise to "discover" Ms. Bateman's book. I can hardly wait to read Book #2.

I'm a big fan of historical romance so I was delighted to read about a romantic story line that included an investigation into a plot to smuggle Emperor Napoleon off the island of St. Helena in a British-built submarine designed by the American, Robert Fulton. How cool is that?!

"According to English law, as soon as Georgie married, all that would instantly become the property of her husband, to do with as he wished. That husband would not be Josiah."

Georgiana Caversteed (Georgie), heiress to the Caversteed Shipping Company, is worth a fortune, and is tired of men sniffing after her money, especially her idiot cousin Josiah. Her plan? To marry a criminal in Newgate Prison who will be forced to sign a pre-nuptial agreement and most likely be sentenced to death the next day making Georgie a widow and free to do anything she liked. However, her plan backfires and the man she forced to marry her is not who he seems.

Benedict Wylde is penniless from his father's gambling debts. He is the "younger son, the 'spare' as opposed to the 'heir', shipped off to receive a decent education without the stifling expectation of one day inheriting a title or having to take their seat in the House of Lords." However, his luck changed when Ms. Georgie Caversteed traipsed into Newgate Prison forcing him to marry her for a price. Will he find the price too high?

I loved the characters in this story! Georgie is a strong, competent woman who knows how to run a thriving company better than most men, but she also has believable insecurities about herself as a woman. Her wealth overshadowed true friendship and trust in others. Benedict is a dashing rogue who is charming and honorable with a passion for intrigue. His respect for Georgie as an entrepreneur and as a companion is pleasing to see, especially in a time period where it was unusual to see a woman running a company on her own.

If you like historical romances with intriguing mysteries, stolen moments, and passionate love scenes, give this book a try.

Thank you to Ms. Bateman for giving me the opportunity to review this book with expectation of a positive review.

Bow Street Runners and women who don’t want to be controlled by marriage are 2 of my favorite things to read about. This one didn’t disappoint. Georgie and Ben were so enjoyable. This was an excellent start to a new series for me.

To say that this one is a bit out there in terms of believability would be an understatement. The idea of a lady of some means secretly marrying a prisoner is farfetched at best. However, farfetched or not, The Earl of Mine is a fun adventurous romance. Georgie and Ben have terrific chemistry, and it was entertaining to follow their story as their relationship grew into something tangible. There is a bit of mystery with this love story, and it is based on historical fact, but it's little more than something for this pair to bond over. Nevertheless, the story is engaging and I certainly enjoyed the way this couple interacted. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, but every once in a while, one catches my eye, and I'm glad this one did. Believable or not, it did make for some fun reading.

I love strong women and Georgiana Caversteed is definitely one of them. For the times she is an anomaly, as she is inheriting the company she ran with her father as soon as she turns twenty-five. Her wealth is an attraction the men around her can't resist and mostly that's what they want, not the woman attached to it. As a stipulation to marriage she has designed a contract, one that so far none will sign.

With her birthday fast approaching, her cousin, Josiah is determined to marry her, he needs the funds as he has gambled his own away. Not having any of that she finds a way to marry a convict, one who would be hanged the next day, leaving her a widow. Unfortunately he dies before the event and she is given a replacement. A man scheduled to be sent to Australia.

Benedict Wylde is undercover at Newgate prison to get leads on a conspiracy to release Napoleon from his island prison. He's the one the bribed guard has selected for Georgie to marry. Only he isn't leaving England at all but he can't tell her that surrounded as they were.

Attending one of the many Balls thrown in London during 'the season', imagine Georgie's surprise to see the man she married in the prison chapel.

With her husband very much in her present she needs to find a way not to cause a scandal that would limit her sister's chances of finding a husband within the ton.

Ben and Georgie reach an agreement to wed publicly at the end of the season, in the meantime he would court her.

A unique relationship develops between these two as they get to know one another. Of course Josiah rears his ugly head a couple of times but that just adds to the fray.

A suspenseful, fun and romantic read with just enough heat. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

4.5 stars. This Earl of Mine was delightful. Full of witty dialogue and compelling characters. It was a completely enjoyable read.

Wealthy shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is tired of men chasing her for her fortune. With a very undesirable marriage looming she takes things into her own hands and arranges to marry a condemned man. Planning to live her life independently as a widow, Georgiana marries prisoner Ben Wylde. Of course, Benedict is not really a condemned man, but a Bow Street Runner spy. Georgie's plan works well until Benedict reappears.

I loved the interaction between Georgie and Ben. I also loved that she was extremely clever and helped in his espionage. A really cute book.

ARC provided through Netgalley.

Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is tired of men who want her money more than her. Even worse is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. She needs plan. If only she could find a way to be married without the husband. Georgie hatches a plan to wed a condemned criminal that’s about to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. Genius
Benedict William Henry Wylde, second son of the late Earl of Morcott is a well-known rake., He is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him and he certainly doesn’t share that information with her. She most certainly never expects to bump into him at a society gathering weeks later. Wylde finds himself hoping to win her heart. Can this supposed to be dead rogue convince Georgie that he wants to be together? Can she trust him with her money and her heart?
An enjoyable read for those who like historical romance

This was my very first Kate Bateman book! Will definitely be reading more from her.

I picked up a few wiffs of some old school historical romance elements in this book and that was pretty fun. For example, Georgie runs off to Newgate to pick a condemned man to marry on order to avoid her terrible cousin’s advances. Is that way OVER THE TOP? Well, yeah. But sometimes that’s a lot of fun. This was consistent throughout the book. Classic romance drama that we all dig so hard.

I thought Georgie and Ben had good chemistry…they had some amusing, witty interactions and that was entertaining. There were a few moments when I wanted the plot to move a little faster but overall this is a solid historical romance. Dependent upon your reading mood, I think lots of you will enjoy this one.

Thank you St Martins for the chance to read an early copy! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was my first Kate Bateman book, and I will admit it was a lot of fun. It was light and fluffy, rather like a marshmallow. Which also meant it lacked some depth, wishing it filled me up more fully. I appreciate that the leads stand firm in their beliefs, but aren't unwilling to compromise. And though it took some time, I appreciate that they spoke to each other about their concerns. But the premise was ridiculously silly (marry a condemned prisoner to become an independent widow), and the two male best friends introduced for what I assume are the next two books were so bland that I couldn't tell them apart. All that said, I thought it was well-written enough to keep me engaged so that I read it very quickly. I did want to know what was going to happen next!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I knew I was going to like This Earl of Mine after I read the first chapter. Any book that has me giggling the first chapter is a keeper. By the end of the second chapter, I was laughing out loud, and the book got better after that.

The plotline of This Earl of Mine was fast. After Georgie and Ben see each other at the party, the book takes off. There is no lag. There are no dropped storylines. The flow of the book was terrific. It was written in a way that made me feel that the characters were genuine.

I loved Georgie. Plain and simple, she was a boss. All she wanted was to be left alone and run her shipping business. But, this was Regency England and men ruled. She needed the protection of a husband to keep her business. And with her nasty cousin Josiah trying to compromise her, she decided to get married on her terms. Of course, she didn’t think she would ever see her husband again. So when she saw Ben at a gathering, she was astounded. She did handle everything with grace and a sense of humor. I liked the solution that she came up with. It made sense, and that scene when they were talking about annulment had me dying laughing.

I loved Ben as much as I loved Georgie. He didn’t have a choice in marrying her. She intrigued him, and he made it a point to bump into her at that party. I loved how he kept calling her Mrs. Wylde. He also rescued her on more than one occasion. I believe he fell for her before she fell for him.

Ben and Georgie had an immediate sexual attraction to each other. That sexual attraction kept building until an explosive kiss in a submarine (yes, a submarine!!). The author did a great job of building up that sexual attraction after each encounter. When Ben and Georgie finally had sex, it was terrific. What impressed me is that each sex scene afterward was just as amazing as the first one.

I was “eh” with Juliet and Simon’s plotline. It fell flat for me. I did appreciate how awful Simon’s poetry was, but other than that, bleh.

The plotline with Ben, Seb, and Alex and the Bow Street Runners were interesting. I liked how the author integrated that plotline in with Ben and Georgie’s plotline. I loved reading about the investigation and the clues that took both Ben and Georgie to figure out. Of course, Seb and Alex fascinated me too.

The Josiah plotline did surprise me. I should have seen what happened coming. I do think that Josiah got his just deserts too.

The end of This Earl of Mine was perfect. I loved how Ben and Georgie got their happily ever after. I was wondering how the Earl in the title was going to come into play (Ben was the “spare” and had no money). The way the author chose to write it in was excellent!!! I loved it. I cannot wait to read Alex’s story.

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!

Wow this is a fantastic book. So very well written. Full of mystery,adventure and romance. Strong female and male characters with whit and intelligence. I sat at the end of my seat.

Desperate to evade fortune-hunting suitors and hold onto control of her own property, Georgiana Caversteed marries the most convenient of all possible husbands - a convicted felon in Newgate who’s about to be shipped off to the Antipodes.

Or so she thinks.

It turns out that her husband, Ben Wylde, was actually in Newgate undercover for the Bow Street investigators, looking into a smuggling ring and a possible plot to rescue Napoleon from exile on St. Helena. The younger brother of an impoverished earl, he’s definitely not someone Georgiana can disregard, for all her wealth. Soon, she’s finding herself not only inexorably drawn to him, but entangled in his work, unable to resist learning more about the enigmatic man she’s unexpectedly found herself married to.

I’m a bit of a stickler for both historical accuracy and incorrect forms of address, and initially I thought this author had run afoul of both. Definitely Ben, as the younger son of an Earl, wouldn’t be plain Mr. Wylde; he’d be Lord Benedict. And I have to admit I pshawed at the idea of a prototype submarine in the early years of the 19th century, so imagine my astonishment when I checked the history of submarines and realized that not only did the technology exist, but the author had obviously researched and used the career of American inventor Robert Fulton to weave a fascinating mystery into the plot. I was absolutely delighted and promptly forgave the small matter of Benedict’s incorrect address. I love it when authors weave in obscure but fascinating bits of historical fact into their stories and I get to learn something new!

Georgiana and Ben were genuinely well-suited as a couple, intelligent, strong-minded and independent, better as a team than as individuals, and both willing to make adjustments to their lives to accommodate the other. Though there’s an initial attraction between them, the romance itself takes time to grow and there’s lots of opportunity to observe the two of them together and the affection and respect steadily developing. I’m giving this five stars for being an absolutely believable romance between two very likable characters and the bonus of some fascinating quirky historical facts thrown in!

Georgiana Caversteed is a shipping heiress after her father died suddenly. She is finding it impossible to find a loving man as they seem to all want her for her money, especially her cruel cousin Josiah. Josiah will stop at nothing to get Georgiana as he is so deeply in debt. To foil this, she has come up with the plan to marry a condemned criminal before he is executed, that way she will be free from her cousin. Benedict Wylde is the second son of the late Earl of Morcott and is in Newgate prison undercover. He works for Bow Street. Within this story is a smart lady who knows everything you need to know about shipping and taking care of her employees. A man who is trying to pull his brother and the tenants that his father has put there from his gambling debt. There is drama, kidnapping, and so much more in this story. I received an advance copy of this book and these are my own thoughts.

I’ll start by saying that this was a fun read, but if you have trouble with suspension of disbelief then you might want to sit this particular book out. Georgie is searching for a condemned man to be her husband and then make her a widow to prevent fortune hunters from forcing a scandal/marriage deal. I can’t imagine too many ladies were cell shopping for their husbands that will be dead come morning. If so, that is positively grim.

I loved that our heroine, Georgie, was essentially a shipping magnate. I haven’t read as many historical romances where the heroine is in trade so this was a fun, defining characteristic. Benedict was positively charming for the first part of the book. I enjoy the idea of a character that can move freely between the classes, although most of his time is spent in the ton with exception to his stint in Newgate. I thoroughly enjoyed the steamy moments shared between Benedict and Georgie, especially a particular scene that happened outside the bedroom.

While I enjoyed the story, I found the pacing slowed significantly just past the halfway mark and by ¾ through I was wondering what on Earth needed to happen to wrap the story up in a meaningful, believable way. Part of that is due to the pacing, but I had a big issue with Benedict’s character as we learn more about him. I am a military spouse so I meet all kinds of individuals within the service so I don’t think all readers will have this issue… BUT I was so tired of Benedict constantly reminding everyone around him that he was a member of the Rifles. It reminds me of the soldiers that constantly tout their Airborne status like it makes them a step above and call everyone Legs. Just stop. It definitely got on my nerves as I wanted to hear more about how his time with Bow Street had shaped him.

Overall, this was a pretty entertaining story even with some of my personal gripes about the characters/pacing. Even without the depth I had hoped for, I’m looking forward to reading Alex and Seb’s books in the series.

**Review will be posted to blog on tour date
**shortened review posted to Amazon, B&N, Goodreads and Bookbub

I completely loved this!! I love a good story back in the time of the ton, but what makes it more fun is when you get a story like this and characters you can’t help but love. A feisty strong willed woman, very smart and business savvy, and very rich, who comes up with a crazy idea so she can keep her money and have her freedom, while fending off fortune hunters. She picks who she thinks is a condemned man in prison to marry, thinking she’ll never see him again. Imagine her surprise when she runs into him at a party a few weeks later. What ensues is quite an interesting relationship, filled with fun, adventure, and passion. I loved reading how their relationship flourished, and couldn’t get enough of them!! Georgiana & Benedict were perfect together! And Benedict was definitely a perfect pick!!!

Well that was fun!

An usual woman, a former soldier (ex Rifles, ah Sharpe!), and a hurried marriage at Newgate Prison ensure this tale opens with a bang. Fortunately the pace doesn't waver and the beginning frames the subsequent action superbly.
Georgiana Caversteed, a fabulously rich young woman who controls a shipping empire has decided to do away with importunate odious cousins, fortune hunters and other such sycophants that haunts her every step. Her plan is failproof! She will buy herself a husband, one who's about to depart this world, and then present herself to society after a time as a widow. Unfortunately her target died of jail fever and the only other candidate was to be shipped to the other side of the world. Not to be thwarted Georgina goes for plan B and decides to make do with the replacement.
What she didn't know was that the dubious character, her prisoner husband was actually Benedict William Henry Wylde, second son of the late Earl of Morcott. He worked for the Admiralty and currently Bow Street gathering intelligence. This time his search sent him to Newgate.
Imagine Georgina's surprise when a few weeks later her husband turned up at a ton function. This was not going to do! Oh, no! Never!
Well of course things became more complicated in all sorts of ways. And our Georgina is a feisty, intelligent woman. But ah! Those complications!
A lively read filled with an interesting array of characters and situations that please.

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley

Charming! This is the first story that I have read by Kate Bateman and I can’t wait to read the next one! This story was a unexpected delight. It had fabulously crafted characters, that were engaging, full of warmth, intelligence and sexual tension that was off the charts. The plot was original, clever, full of witty banter, adventure, intrigue and swoon-worthy romance.

This Earl of Mine is absolutely everything I want out of a romance. A cold hero with hidden depths, a spirited heroine who’s got dreams and ambition. And a plot that is consistent and compelling. As well as secondary characters that add to the story rather than distracting from it and most importantly the romantic and sexual tensions is off the charts. Loved it! Loved It! Loved It! Don’t miss this one!!

Blessed to receive a early copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.