In Bed with the Earl, book 1 of Lost Lords of London series by Christi Caldwell, is not what I thought it was when I first read the blurb 😔. I thought it would be about the investigative process of identifying who the real lost earl was and how our heroine as a reporter went through the sewers and the worst parts of London to find him. But no, the earl had already been identified by a detective from the beginning (without mentioning how 🤔). It’s still a puzzle to me since he was kidnapped as an 8-yo child and lost his memories of who used to be, living on the streets and scavenging wastes underground. Yet, 20 years later, he still kept his perfect noble speech, and maintained his home with an upperclass taste 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Malcom North and Verity Lovelace didn’t encounter each other until ~20% in. I didn’t feel the connection and chemistry between them all the way until the last quarter of the book. For the rest of it, it bore lots of repetitions in the text, Verity was often quite annoying to me, and Malcom was just a weak character that I perhaps will forget tomorrow 😅. Out of desperation to support her sheltered and naïve 17-yo sister and an old nursemaid, Verity betrayed, deceived, and stole from him even though he had saved her a couple of times. Yet, he still cared about her and proposed a fake marriage with win-win benefits for both of them 🤷🏻‍♀️.

The 1/2⭐️ I decided to give the book was solely from its last quarter. It was a rush effort to make them understand each other, where I could start feeling some romance between them, some relatable emotions and sympathies for them. All and all, this is quite a disappointing book to me, given such an interesting premise 😔.

A 3.5⭐️ read for me!

*Special thanks to the publisher for sending me the ARC via @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

It took me a while to get invested in the main characters but enjoyed it in the end.
I learned about toshers, which was a new subject for me. Gross but interesting job. I can just imagine what treasures may have been found in the sewers of London.
I really liked that the heroine was wanting to succeed in a job that was male oriented, and not giving up on her dreams.
I absolutely loved the side characters. The old men and his friend. They brought such humour to the story.
I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

After weeks of a book slump, I needed a Christi Caldwell book to set me to rights. Each of her books brings a unique reading experience that leaves me contented and happy. I am never disappointed. I had forgotten what this new series would be about, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that it would be centered around more Lost Lords of London. The backstories are always heart-wrenching, as Christi knows exactly how to tug on your emotions and make you cry while reading. These men might be born with a title, but they have gone through hell to fight their way back to a more secure way of living. Rough around the edges, they don't think they need love, but a woman is just waiting to prove them wrong.

Malcom North is the law in London's underground sewers. Growing up in them has its advantages, and he knows how to keep alive and enact justice when a tosher gets out of line. His life is fairly routine until he gets a visit from a detective who tells him that he's a lord, stolen from his home as a young child, and it's time to reclaim his birthright. Malcom wants none of it, but it's not a choice - he is given the title of Earl of Maxwell and all the riches that come with it. So he hides, not wanting anyone in society to know who he is or how to find him. That's where Verity Lovelace comes into play. A reporter struggling to make ends meet for her family, she has been given the task of ferreting out Malcom's whereabouts. And when she does, she publishes it for all of London to see. Information that puts him in the sights of matchmaking mamas. The solution? Verity will pretend to be his wife.

Verity was my favorite heroine to date! Spunky, unapologetically honest, and determined to keep her family together and safe. She had a soft side and a hard side, and you never knew which one you were going to see in each situation. She was easily underestimated, due to both being a woman and her small stature, but she proved them wrong when she surprised them every time. Her interactions with Malcom were hysterical, particularly when he was doing his best to frighten her, and she wouldn't flinch. She recognized when she was in the wrong, but she would also still push forward with her plans for the future. Malcom was, you could tell, a very generous person at heart, whose generosity was at war with the ruthlessness needed to survive in the sewers. He was reluctant to care about anyone, but he couldn't resist the charm of Verity. As time passed, you saw him thaw more and more towards her, and at the end of the day, they couldn't help but fall in love. It was by no means an insta-love, which made it all the sweeter.

I can't wait for the next book in the series! Always a pleasure reading a Christi Caldwell romance.

**I received a free book via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**

I truly enjoyed this book. It reminds me of Maclean’s Barenuckle Bastards series but there are a few twists and differences. The heroine, Verity is the bastard daughter of an Earl and a newspaper writer. She is brave, smart and very easy to like. Malcolm is a tosher, who spends his days looking for treasure in the sewers. He is also an Earl who was kidnapped as a young child and left for dead. Their growth and growing relationship make this a 4 star read for me.

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review In Bed with the Earl by Christi Caldwell. A Regency Romance. My opinions are my own and are not influence by the complimentary copy.

In Bed with the Earl is the first book in Christi Caldwell’s new series, The Lost Lords of London, and a great beginning. I can always count on an emotionally charged story, and this book delivers that expectation. The pacing is good and kept me engaged from the start.

Verity Lovelace is our heroine. She has a gossip column with a London paper and is working on solving the mystery of the Earl of Maxwell. She is also responsible for her young sister, and while she’s the daughter of an earl, she’s illegitimate. She’s been on her own since the earl passed. I enjoyed her feistiness and grit. Regency England is not a place for a young woman with no resources.

Malcolm North is a fantastic hero with all the characteristics I love most. He has very few memories of his life as the heir to the Earldom. Kidnapped as a child and thrown into the seedy life in the underbelly of London, he’s ill prepared to assume the title when he’s found. As a tosher who crawls through the sewers looking for lost treasurers, he has no use for London Society. I could feel his frustrations when he believes Verity will do anything for her story.

In Bed with the Earl has all the sexual tension I love in Regency romance. The Irresistible pull between Verity and Malcolm is combustible. Each have their own reason to believe they aren’t what the other needs. I’m pleased they overcame the obstacles in their path to true love.

If you enjoy historical romance with plenty of deep emotion and characters that you’ll fall in love with, then you will love this novel as much as I. This is a great start to Christi Caldwell’s new series. I can’t wait to read the next one. Happy reading!

A regency romance that is quite different from the rest. Verity a small little pocket rocket who is trying to achieve everything to help see her family, doesn't think about falling in love with the one that she is chasing. The object of the chase Malcolm has her scampering through sewers, trespassing and taking over London homes and parading as one of the elite. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and all the characters that I met along the way. Thank you for allowing me this ARC.

This book surprised me multiple times, in part because of the untraditional characters. Our hero, the lost Earl, spent most of his life on (and below) the streets of London, and the heroine is an illegitimate daughter of a peer working as a journalist. Because of their histories, the book takes place on the fringes of society. The characters engage a bit with what you would expect in a historical romance, but there are no balls or high teas here.

Instead, we get some exciting chemistry between the hero and heroine as they both try to protect themselves while falling in love. The heroine treats everyone around her well, except the hero, making her sweet and compelling. We also get a lot of internal feelings and imaginings from the hero.

It’s worth reading if you want something different than expected, though the last third felt a bit rushed.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

Pretend relationship tropes are one of my favorites. I love that moment when the relationship no longer feels pretend for the characters but begins to feel like something very real. I love all the confusing feelings and blurred lines when characters unexpectedly fall in love. All the questions they ponder. What’s real and what’s fake. Was their heart involved or was it all pretend. It makes for a deliciously painful slow burn when two people who thought they’d never needed anyone else find they can’t live without each other.
Someone is stealing the words of Londoner reporter Verity Lovelace. And in turn they’re stealing her livelihood. Money that could keep her and her sister safe and secure, and provided for. Verity was the first to break the story of the lost heir to the Earl of Maxwell. And now someone was ripping it off from her. With her job on the line, Verity agrees to find the new earl. Her employment depends on it. Find the earl and reveal a story all the world has been waiting for.
Robbed of his title, Malcom North, Earl of Maxwell, has lived a life very different from the one that was planned for him. Rather than walking amongst the peerage, he’s been walking under them. Making his living by combing the sewers. With no memories of his past, his life before was a mystery and he preferred it that way. There was no place in his life for friends or family. Those attachments marked weakness. He certainly had no interest in claiming a fortune he didn’t build from a family he didn’t remember. But thanks to Verity Lovelace, he had little choice. “She had single-handedly slain his previously safe existence.” Now he dealt with fortune hunters seeking to marry off their daughters. But the woman who’d made him a mark among the peerage could be his path to freedom. And so a pact was forged. A “pretend” marriage to him in exchange for his story.
You can’t help but fall in love with Verity and North. Both had been forced to navigate the world alone much too soon. Both had survived life’s ugliness and depravity. When there’d been none to save them,they’d saved themselves.
North was content living in a miserable world others would sell their souls to escape. That life was his own. All he knew. His previous life was just a throbbing echo in his head. The life he knew in the sewers was more safe and comfortable than this new life he’d been thrown into. Sharing his story with Verity was especially uncomfortable. Bringing up painful memories and feelings was surely a sign of weakness. He’d made its through life without those connections.
Verity was a force to be reckoned with. Prideful, spirited, stubborn, and brave. She’d supported her herself, her sister, and their nursemaid since her youth. She was loyal to those she loved and would do anything to keep them safe. In a world where women had little control, she’d fought for every opportunity to better their lives. Yet even though her family’s future relied on her getting North’s story, she knew his need for privacy was just as important to him as her need for survival was to her.
For all his hard edges and gruffness, Verity saw that deep down North was a genuinely honorable man. And though Verity challenged him at every turn, North admired her and was fascinated by her. There was a mystifying pull between them neither could explain or resist. The interview sessions for his “story” became less about Verity’s article and more about a need to know more about each other. Verity never forced North to speak. She shared stories of herself, helping him to understand why he clung to the life he’d made. That gave him the strength to share. There came an ease to accepting his past and those memories. And so the memories, though still painful at times, became freeing.
I loved watching friendship and trust form between these two characters. Their love was born in that time of sharing and assurance. North discovered he could depend on others and care for them. That didn’t make him weak. Verity discovered she could rely on someone else and still have control of her life.
Christi Caldwell has proven yet again that she is the master of storytelling. Another beautiful and deeply emotional historical romance. The relationship between Verity and North was such a tender one. In spite of the hard lives they’d had, they were eventually able to trust in each other. And in so doing, they both had a second chance at the life they so richly deserved. This story is filled with historical imagery, emotion, betrayal, and passion. What a fabulous start to a new series! I can’t wait to see what’s next. I’m hoping for more of Giles and Livvie. If you love a complex plot, authentic dialogue, a beautiful love story, and characters that work their way into your heart, you don’t want to miss out on this series.

Percy had become an orphan when his parents have died. He had been taken to an orphanage and then sold. He was only six.
Malcolm North was a tosher in the sewers. He searched the sewers for things that had been lost and sold them.
Verity Lovelace, she had lost everything and now someone had stolen her words. She had people who depended on her, her sister and Bertha, their nursemaid. She remembers her father, as she stood in front of the Londoner where Michael Fairpoint had stolen her article. She was so angry. Her father had told her he wanted to do more but couldn't. After all, she may be his daughter but she was born out of wedlock. He had a fancy wife and family but loved her mom.
I enjoyed this story, but it started out a little slow but very soon picks up. The storyline is different which keeps your interest. Poor Verity, she gets it from both sides. Michael because of how his life has gone is arrogant. Verity, on the other hand, is sweet unless she gets angry. Livvie her sister and Bertha were always at the forefront of her mind. The characters are very believable. There are some interesting twists to this tale that will surprise you. It moves well, easy to read and is entertaining.
I highly recommend this book and hope you like it as much as I do.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Christi Caldwell has always been a bit hit-or-miss for me, but I have enjoyed most of her newer work, with the majority of my issues coming from overlapping plot points and character arcs with books I haven’t read. And while this one also picks up from a prior book, there is enough context that it stands well on its own, while making me curious to go back and check that one out.

Verity’s story arc resonated with me, particularly as there are shades of the CopyPasteCris scandal Caldwell was a victim of in real life in her situation (it’s also mentioned blatantly in the book’s dedication, with a touching tribute to fellow notable victim Nora Roberts). I empathized with how much Verity wanted not only this story, but also to be valued in a man’s profession. And ultimately, seeing her triumph in this regard is one of the best things about this book.

I have more conflicting feelings about Malcom. Caldwell isn’t afraid to go to the dark side, and I think she did well in that aspect, with a prologue depicting his life after being abducted that really packs a punch. But I think there’s a delicate balance between emphasizing the trauma and showing how the character grows from it, and I don’t think Malcom navigates this as well as some of Caldwell’s other heroes, like Connor, for example, who appears in this book, or my forever-favorite, Ryker.

But, since I mentioned the connection to a previous book telling the disinherited heir’s side, I did like how there’s an accord between them at the end with them both acknowledging each other. It provides the context of the two characters’ relationship so that a new reader isn’t lost and is inspired to go back and read that book, while also not over-explaining for more experienced Caldwell readers.

While more of a “middling” book for me, I did enjoy some aspects of it, and I think if you love historical romances with heroes with dark pasts as much as heroines working and achieving their dreams in spite of the odds, this might work better for you.

Reporter Verity Lovelace will do whatever it takes to keep her position with The Londoner, even venture into London's sewers. She's determined to unravel the mystery every aristocrat is interested in: the whereabouts of the lost heir to the Earl of Maxwell. She's shocked to find the man, Malcom North, in those very sewers, having made a comfortable life for himself as a scavenger and with no intention of openly assuming his title. But when Verity betrays him and publishes his story in a futile, last ditch effort to save her job, she's unprepared for the consequences.

After being kidnapped after his parents' deaths when he was just a boy, Malcom is haunted by memories of a different life, snippets he casually ignores as he focuses on maintaining his rule over the sewers. He's livid at being exposed as the Earl of Maxwell and bombarded with fortune hunting fathers seeking marriage for their daughters and old enemies seeking to exploit any weakness they perceive in him. He knows Verity is responsible for revealing his secrets and as if that betrayal weren't enough, he soon learns that she's squatting in his Grosvenor Square townhouse, allowing everyone to make the assumption that she's his wife. Though he's livid, Malcom can see the advantage in no longer being pursued as a marriagable bachelor, so he demands that Verity keep up the ruse of being his wife. The forced proximity soon has sparks of more than just anger flying between them, even as it becomes clear that someone is out to ruin any chance they have of building a happy future together.

It took me quite awhile to get into this book, mostly because I did not like Verity at all; she didn't grow on me until the very end of the book and even then I only just did tolerate her. While she may have had altruistic motives in wanting to care for her [ridiculously sheltered] younger sister, I still cannot condone Verity's total self-absorption. She gave no care or even a fleeting thought for Marcus' suffering or how her actions might hurt him or anyone else. She also struck me as shockingly naive and very bitter and hateful towards all men and especially unfairly so towards Marcus after he saved her from a dangerous situation and showed extreme patience with her. I'm just so over reading these supposedly strong, independent, heavily feminist heroines who believe they're owed something by the hero because he has means, even when they don't know or care to learn his story or what he may be doing with those means, or consider that he may already be helping others with them. The entitlement has got to stop. Eventually Verity did realize the depths of what she'd done, but it was very nearly too late for me.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy the story and found it to be well-written and with a very different premise and I liked how all the elements tied together in the end. I look forward very much to reading the next book.

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

I received an ARC of In Bed with the Earl through NetGalley. What follows is my fair and honest review.

In Bed with the Earl is the first book in Christi Caldwell’s Lost Lords of London series. While I have a number of her titles on my kindle, this is actually the first Caldwell novel I’ve read. Now that I’ve completed In Bed, I’m hurrying to check out those other titles. I really enjoyed this one. Here’s my quick summary:

If Verity Lovelace wants to keep her job as a reporter, she needs to solve the mystery of the once-missing Earl of Maxwell. However, when she finds the lost heir, Malcom North, he’s nothing like she expected. Having survived in the sewers of London, he is rough and brutal and, now, in need of a wife to avoid the matchmaking mommas of the ton. After Verity and Malcom enter into an arrangement to solve their problems, they find their lives heading in a new and unexpected direction.

I really enjoyed my read-through of In Bed with the Earl. I thought Verity was a great heroine. She’s tough, but she’s not fearless; that is, she clearly has fears and anxieties, but she persists anyway. I think this makes her all the more courageous. I also love that she’s short and curvy, and the hero thinks she’s all the more desirable for it. Speaking of the hero, Malcom is broody and emotionally stunted, the sort of hero you find throughout historical romances. (Or maybe that’s just me and my reading habits). However, I did appreciate how Caldwell took the time to really show his emotional growth through the story. In the end, I really believed in Malcom and Verity’s connection, and I thought the HEA was really fulfilling.

My only disappointment is that for a book titled In Bed with the Earl, there’s really not a lot of time spent in a bed. For a book centered around the marriage of convenience trope, there was not as much heat as I was expecting. Verity and Malcom are physically attracted to each other from the beginning, even sharing a few knee-melting kisses towards the beginning of the story. However, after they marry, that element of the story practically disappears. In some ways, I understand why. The story shifts focus to Verity and Malcom’s growing emotional bond, which is absolutely essential to a good romance. But for the physical element of the relationship to totally disappear until the final chapters of the novel was a bit odd to me.

I recommend this book for fans of historical romance, the marriage of convenience trope, and spunky heroines.

Verity Lovelace is the only female reporter at The Londoner. In order to keep her position she must find out who the Lost Earl is. ⠀
Malcolm North, a tosher preferring the sewers in London over polite society, has no memory of his childhood. ⠀
When Malcolm finds Verity in his sewers he isn’t aware that his life is about to change. In order to keep match making mamas and papas away he must convince Verity to pretend to be his wife.

I really enjoyed this one! I’ve never read a historical romance like this one before. I loved the settings, we weren’t around polite society we were with the commoners! Loved the protagonists; Verity is 30! And Malcolm isn’t described as the most beautiful man in London. And the plot twist! I honestly didn’t see that coming.
Christi Caldwell has made a new fan with this one.

A strong heroine who has had to fight since a very young age to provide a living and a roof over their heads for a baby sister, nurse maid and herself. She’s always found herself at the mercy of the males in her life, especially trying to make it as a news reporter in a critical and restrictive society. And then there’s the hero, a resourceful and determined heir to an Earl, kidnapped while a child and left to make his way in the underworld of London. Remembering nothing of his past, he is satisfied and proud of the life he’s built, until this spitfire of a woman turns his world upside down searching for the news story of the time.

Only a few pages in, and the reader is swept away into a world filled with realistic scenes, amazing characters, and storylines packed with action, suspense, secrets, romance, and so much more.

True to this writer’s style and talent, the emotions of the characters are real and believable, easily pulling the reader into their struggles and triumphs. Malcom and Verity’s is a story you won’t want to miss.

I received an arc for my honest opinion, as well as pre-ordering for my kindle collection. I highly recommend this unique and beautiful treasure.

In Bed With the Earl is the first book in a new series by Christi Caldwell. Judging by this book I'm looking forward to many more!
Verity Lovelace is the illegitimate child of an Earl. She's been working since she was 12 to support herself and her sister. She's worked her way up to reporter and when her story about the missing Earl of Maxwell is plagiarized by a male counterpart she's furious. So she does what any woman would do...she goes into the London sewers to find him.
Malcom North...the Earl of Maxwell...has lived in the sewer tunnels since he was a boy and he was kidnapped and abandoned after the death of his parents. Malcom is at home in the sewers and won't let anyone close....until Verity comes barging into his life. It's fun watching Verity get past Malcolm's defenses and grumpy exterior.
I loved Verity's empathy, her love for her sister and her compassion for others. Malcom is growly and delightfully confused about his growing feelings for Verity. It's fun watching these two grow and find each other.
I can happily recommend this book if you enjoy a good historical romance.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a MUST READ for all historical romance readers. The main characters have fought for survival for years and although, their horrible beginnings in the poor parts of London were different, they both believed in themselves to get them through each day, week & year. Christi Caldwell has the ability to write things so vividly that I could smell the stench of the sewers, I could hear the rats squeaking as they were making their way down the tunnels towards me & yes, I began to feel a little claustrophobic.

Malcom North (Percy Northam, Earl of Maxwell) lost his parents to illness, was sent to an orphanage, even though he was very ill and then was kidnapped from orphanage by greedy relatives that claimed the Earl of Maxwell title. He was dropped off in the sewers of London, very sick but did recover but doesn't remember his past so he takes the name of Malcom North. He survives by stealing and scavenging but then he finds a group of fellow street people and becomes a very successful tosher in the sewers. People fear him, he has people working for him but he shows no feelings, worries or regards for others. Now, a London Investigator has come to him with papers showing he is the "lost" Earl of Maxwell - he doesn't need or want to bring himself out of the sewers as he is perfectly content where he is in life.

Verity Lovelace is the bastard daughter of an Earl and although he had a family of his own at home, he did take care of her mother and her much younger sister until her mother died. When Verity was twelve, her father arranged for employment for her at one of London's newspapers and shortly after that he also died. Now, it was up to her to raise her baby sister, their nursemaid and herself. They had a small apartment and after years she finally got her chance to do what she had been working for and that was being a reporter. She made enough to squeak by each month and then was assigned to get the story on the "lost" Earl of Maxwell.

Verity goes in search of Malcom in the sewers and finds herself in need of rescuing - yes, it is Malcom who rescues her. They have both come from being pampered when they were young and had the rug pulled out from under them, although, their circumstances were very different but their goals were always the same - SURVIVAL! The bantering, sometimes hilarious situations, their attractions, the softening of feelings, the memories of their pasts led to a wonderful ending. A fabulous couple, a wonderful story, great secondary characters, nice revisits with a couple of characters from previous books, all lead to a happy ending!

I was gifted the Advanced Reader Copy of this book & all opinions are my own & have been voluntarily given.

Get yourself ready for a wet and wild adventure! You are about to experience lifestyles for the rich and tosher! Be warned, the life of a tosher is not for the faint of heart. If the smell of London’s sewers doesn’t get you, then you risk your life from falling brick, raging waters and ravenous hordes of rats. All in the name of that sweet, sweet tosh- underground lost treasure!

This story was great, from the fascinating perspective of the lost Earl turned tosher for survival on the streets, to the strong female reporter risking everything for her family. Christi weaves together the characters and their emotional development so seamlessly, you can’t help but be swept away in their tale. I loved how this story was told by the grittier side of London by characters who know strife. Their hardships and their successes were both deeply moving.

I will definitely be on the lookout for the next lost lord in Christi’s Lost Lords of London, but I highly recommend you check out this before the nest lord is found!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#InBedWithTheEarl #ChristiCaldwell #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

I'm a huge fan of Christi Caldwell's. I always fall head over heels with your stories.

This one was a struggle for me. I loved the characters but they just didnt fit together. Individually they are entertaining and likable. Together they were bland, boring and didnt mesh.

I wanted to like it. I tried repeatedly to enjoy it but it was a hard one for me.

Series: Lost Lords of London #1
Publication Date: 3/17/20
Number of Pages: 383

This first entry in the Lost Lords of London series introduces us to the first of the kidnapped children Connor Steele (The Vixen) has been commissioned to find. These are children of the ton who were kidnapped by the malicious, infamous Diggory. I thought maybe we’d get a visit from Stephen who was one of those children and who was also a supporting character throughout the Wicked Wallflower series – he was heavily featured in The Bluestocking. Unfortunately, Stephen didn’t make an appearance.

Verity Lovelace, who is now thirty, has provided the support for herself, her sister and their former nursemaid since she was twelve years old. She is the natural daughter of an Earl and a barmaid. The earl was a profligate but did manage to provide a small cottage for them while he was alive, but he made no arrangements for them when he died. The only thing he did for them was to arrange for Verity, at age twelve, to have a job at a newspaper, The Londoner. Verity has worked there for almost twenty years and finally worked her way into being a reporter.

Before he was kidnapped as a child, Marcus North was known as Percival Northrop, heir to the Earl of Maxwell. Marcus doesn’t remember anything about that time – and doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want the title or the encumbrances that come along with it. Connor Steele has found him and has seen to making the claim legitimate, etc. – but, Marcus doesn’t want anyone to know he’s the earl nor does he want them to know where he lives or anything else about him. He’s adamant about keeping his secrets – almost paranoid about it.

When Marcus encounters Verity in the sewers, he saves her, gets her out of the sewers, then lets her go – only for her to get attacked again – and another rescue. He does something he has never, ever, done before, he takes her to where he lives. She NEVER tells him she is a reporter and that she is looking for the Earl of Maxwell. She noses around and makes the discovery of who he really is. He tells her he doesn’t want his story told – but… Does Verity care about what Marcus or anyone else wants? No, she does not.

It took me a while to get into this novel because I just couldn’t make myself like Verity. I finally got to where I tolerated her, but I never really came to like her. She seemed very embittered, totally uncaring about what her stories did to others – particularly Marcus. It did finally register with her and I warmed up to her a bit. I liked Marcus from the beginning and his anger with Verity was definitely valid. I did find it surprising that he was attracted to her when she had deliberately, uncaringly, caused him so much harm.

I enjoyed the story and thought it was nicely unique. However, it was ambiguous in a number of things – like the time period. There were a few hints and I finally came to believe that the setting must have been somewhere between 1820 and 1837 – but I shouldn’t have to try to figure out any of that kind of stuff, it should be plainly obvious. Also, be aware that the female lead is a rabid feminist who seems to hate men and has some very contemporary thinking. You’ll also find some more contemporary wording, etc.

Still, I enjoyed the read and look forward to the next story.

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

If this is the first book in the series, I can't wait for the rest. This is a Christi Caldwell story that you won't want to miss.. This book goes beyond romance - it deals with 2 children ripped from the comfort of everything they knew and forced to grow up before their time.
Malcom North (aka Percival Northrup, the Earl of Maxwell) is stolen from his home after his parents die. His uncle wants the title and so abandons the young boy to the streets of London. He becomes a tosher, scrounging the sewers of London for treasures and he has become successful at it. Now he is told that he is the Earl of Maxwell and is having a hard time dealing with it since he has no memories of his childhood.
Verity is the illegitimate daughter of an Earl who lived comfortably until her mother dies in childbirth. Now as a child, she must provide for her baby sister and their nursemaid. Their father brings them to London and puts them in a small apartment but he provides little support beyond finding Verity a job at a newspaper. Working her way up from sweeping to reporting she provides for her family after the Earl dies leaving them penniless.
When the story of the Lost Earl breaks, Verity is determined to get the story. Unfortunately, recent changes in the newspaper's owners leaves her in a workplace where women aren't wanted and they want her gone.
In search of the story, Verity scours the sewers and is found by North. Thus begins a strange partnership between the two. The more they get to know each other, the more they are drawn to each other and heal from their childhood pains.
This is a beautiful story with a Happily Ever After tinged with a bit of sadness. It shows that you don't have to be famous to be kind and their actions are in contrast to the ton's treatment of the poor and invisible.
I received an advanced copy of this book.