I loved Emmy. She had fire and spunk and a determination to help her family no matter what the cost. Alex was a wonderful hero, who didn't know what hit him when he met Emmy and was drawn into her life. A great secondary romance filled out the book. I loved the plot, pacing and resolution to the series. This is an author I will read again

A fun Regency romp. The storyline was interesting. And I liked the characters, although they did have a few." duh - why did you do that" moments. All in all though, a fairly solid historical romance.
I give it 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

To Catch an Earl is the second book in Kate Bateman's fun and exciting Bow Street Bachelors series. I totally loved the first book, and eagerly looked forward to Alex's story. Though this one didn't have quite the magic of the first one, I still found it totally enchanting. Ms. Bateman has a gift for flirty dialogue and steamy encounters.

At a masquerade ball, beautiful young thief Emmy Danvers stole a kiss from Alex Harland, her secret crush, before he went to war. Years later, Alex is now the Earl of Melton, partially blind in one eye and part-owner of a gambling den with his two comrades-in-arms. For added excitement, he is also a Bow Street Runner, and is actively pursuing the elusive jewel thief the Nightjar. Little does he know the alluring Emmy Danvers, whom he encounters during his investigation, is the mystery girl who kissed him years ago...and is also the clever jewel thief the Nightjar!

This was a cleverly fun story with the twist of the heroine being the thief instead of the hero. Emmy is a fun character who was basically forced into the thievery of the crown jewels that were stolen from France which her late father wanted returned to his home country. Emmy wanted to live a normal life, but is blackmailed into retrieving the last of the jewels by a dastardly Frenchman. She doesn't want to steal anymore, but she is pleased with her cunning skills. Her hobby? Collecting words that have no literal translation into English. Alex was a great character, also. He knew he had to find the thief, but when he began to suspect Emmy was the culprit, he had no idea how he would handle things. The story really took off when he concluded Emmy was the Nightjar; the clever cat-and-mouse game between the two was witty and filled with heat. I enjoyed catching up with Benedict from the first book, plus I loved Emmy's grandmother. I excitedly look forward to seeing Alex and Benedict's friend Seb get caught in the parson's noose in the next installment of this delightful series!

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 expressed are entirely my own.

I love a good jewel thief heroine! And of course the chase is on quickly to catch her, with Alex and his Bow Street Runners hunting the elusive Nightjar, a London jewel thief. It used to be her father, but Emmy has taken over since his death, trying to find all the jewels belonging to the French but in her case, it's due to blackmail that could seriously impact her family if they were found out.

There is plenty of banter between Emmy and Alex as Emmy is a member of London society and they meet at several social events, developing an attraction (though they did meet once before a few years earlier at a masked ball). Alex has suspicions about Emmy's secret identity so there is a lot of delightful cat and mouse scenes as they race towards an exciting finale. Their attraction leads to some sexy scenes too.

Sometimes Emmy isn't very smart - like for example, she has a particular perfume she wears and she still wears it when she's on her thieving jobs which is a very direct calling card to her and Alex is anything but stupid. But it was a small off note in an otherwise enjoyable read. The overall combination of plot and characters, the pace of the story and the romance between Alex and Emmy, (no matter how improbably their happy ending might be in reality) makes for a fun story and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series!

Review has been submitted to Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
Three Stars. If the novel had not been written so well, I would have rated the plot, execution, and flow two stars.

To Catch an Earl is the second installment in the Bow Street Bachelors series, and can easily be read independently of the series as a standalone with little to no confusion.

Emmy is a jewel thief, a legacy passed down from her late father, including her brother and grandmother. As the blurb states, she's been in love with Alex forever. To be honest, I didn't get Emmy, at all. Her love for Alex felt vapid, since she had never held a conversation with him, didn't know him from Adam, and only saw him from afar, so what was to love? Infatuation over his looks, perhaps? This one-dimensional issue continued throughout the novel for me, as none of Emmy's motivations made a lick of sense.

Alex was a more fully developed character for me, with his war injury of decreased sight. His inner monologues were longer than I expected, but it gave good insight into who Alex is as a man, which helped how I viewed those closest to him. Honorable, his job as a Bow Street Runner is important to him.

To be honest. I didn't understand the attraction between Emmy and Alex. It felt forced from the get-go, the reader told instead of shown. It wasn't the balance between opposites. I never felt it, which made the entire book fall flat for me. I wasn't invested, so the pages dragged for me.

Another major facet I didn't quite get – the thievery. Emmy and family continued to steal gems, forced by a blackmailer. It was the first piece on the blackmail list that would have been the ammunition to blackmail them, considering their father had passed away and they were innocents, so it's not like he could be dug up to swing from the hangman's noose. They didn't steal out of necessity. I realize it was to give an adventurous, exciting air to the novel, causing it to be a page-turner. For me, it just ended up feeling forced, like the author was trying too hard to make the readers believe in Emmy's baddassery. Feed the blackmailer or risk hanging over something with no proof, something you didn't commit, or steal for the blackmailer and actually swing from the gallows while caught in the act. Irrational. Ignorant. Scent distinctive, wear one-of-a-kind perfume during a theft, because Emmy was just begging to get caught. This also fell flat for me, because it was ludicrous, not exciting and spunky.

Another con for me, an overabundance of historical facts, read as if taken from a textbook. It didn't feel as if it was to set the scene or build the world around them, more like proving the author knew the facts. These facts were injected at odd times, dumped during meandering inner monologues, which pulled me from the story, since I felt as if I was being lectured.

I'd love to say this is on me, as if the writing style isn't to my tastes. Perhaps my mood was too depressive to enjoy this fun romp. Ordinarily I'd agree and say so, but the idea of the plot didn't hold up well to how it was executed.

I'm curious to see where the series goes. While I've enjoyed the author in the past, if the next is a bust for me as well, the writing style obviously doesn't suit with my reading tastes.

Like a thief, Kate Bateman steals your heart in the opening pages, then sets the reader on an adventure full of suspense, a sizzling attraction and carefully guarded secrets.
"Only touch what you're going to steal. One of the many rules of thieving her father had taught her. Emmy Danvers broke it the night of the masked ball; she touched Alexander Harland." Yes, I fell in love just after those two sentences. So simple yet so powerful that set the stage! The Prologue read like a fairy tale, and I could only sigh as I turned the next page which picks up 4 years later.
Harland had returned from the war and he and his two friends had helped the Bow Street Runners investigate several cases and now the one case of finding the NightJar thief was at the top to be solved. A thief who was very clever but Alex knew he would make a mistake.
I loved every word of this story with a little suspense, intrigue, several twists and turns and emotions that weave a spell. I highly recommend To Catch and Earl and anything this amazing author pens!

Oh give me a Regency Romance! Make it funny and I'm yours! This book hits all the chords. A spunky heroine, and brooding hero, mistaken identity and between the sheets romps. This is the kind of book that is almost impossible to put down and makes you fall in love with the characters. It's got all the fun of "To Catch a Thief" but with corsets.
This is a brilliant author and I would LOVE to read more of her works!! 'hint, hint'

After reading this book, I immediately bought the book before it. You can absolutely read the books as stand alone, but I personally prefer connected books. Alex and Emmy were quite the pair! He as the Bow Street Runner on a mission to capture the thief and her as the heir of that thief on a mission to do her father's wishes.

There were twists and turns (some of them you can see from a mile away) that worked for me. I tend to read for pleasure and not for "OH MY GOD this isn't realistic." I want to be entertained.

Emmy is a brat in a good way. She taunts and teases Alex until he is so frustrated that I laughed. It's a fun Regency romp that takes on the spares rather than the heirs. A refreshing twist where the men have to make a living.

Also, we have a charming, if mostly off-scene, romance between Sally and Luc. I like those little extras.

Good book. Will read more!

A romantic cat and mouse chase through Regency London

Emmy Danvers never intended on taking up her father's mantle of the Nightjar. She'd much rather a life that didn't involve scaling walls and sneaking around. Unfortunately, a blackmailer won't let her fade into normality and forces her to pick up where her father left off.

Back from the Napoleonic wars, Alex Harland is assigned to track down the Nightjar. He can't believe it when his investigation leads him to Emmy again and again. There's something about her that captures his heart, but his honour won't let him ignore his duty, even though a captured Nightjar would be sent to the gallows.

This was a really fun concept between two interesting characters. I absolutely loved Emmy's wit and her family of thieves/accomplices, especially her grandmother Camille, who steals every scene she's in. Alex's wartime experiences have left him cynical and jaded, but Emmy helps him to hope again, and though he makes some pig-headed blunders, he apologises sincerely enough that both I and Emmy forgive him. I would've liked them to team up a bit earlier, to be honest.

I was less impressed by Emmy using her personal, unique perfume before heists and then somehow being surprised when it comes back to bite her. Master thief she most certainly is not. If Alex hadn't fallen in love with her, she would have had a far shorter career (and life) than her father. Also, their first night together is under dubious circumstances so ridiculous I threw my hands up with a "well, I guess that might as well happen!"

For a great concept with interesting characters and bumpy execution, four stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own

Some people inherit fortunes. Emmy’s inherited something rather more unusual… the title of Europe’s most notorious jewel thief. She hadn’t planned to carry on her father’s mission of stealing back the missing royal jewels of France, but with a blackmailer demanding she find the last of the jewels, she has no choice but to get back into the thieving business.

Alex Harland is the Earl of Melton, and the hero in this second book in a trilogy about three former soldiers turned London lords now working as Bow Street investigators (yes, I’m still not quite sure why they’re doing that). You don’t need to have read the first book in the series; the events are (very) briefly summarized and the hero and heroine of This Earl of Mine make quick appearances, but you should have no trouble figuring out what’s going on, because there isn’t an overarching plot across the three.

I really enjoyed the unique plot elements of This Earl of Mine, and this one is beautifully researched too, particularly in regards the French royal jewels and what happened to them after the Revolution, where this blends fact and fiction (the Crown of Charlemagne was melted down, most of the individually named stones like the Sancy diamond ended up in private hands, few returned to the French). However, I didn’t quite buy into Emmy and Alex as a couple so much; she did a couple of really dense things (a plot point where she was identified by her totally unique perfume had me screaming into my hands) and Alex did some stuff that was absolutely morally reprehensible, one of those things being asking if Emmy would sleep with him in return for her freedom. Which he never had any intention of giving her. And then she slept with him anyway, another incomprehensible decision. I’d have liked to see them working together a lot earlier to bring down the blackmailer (whose motives were never quite explained either).

This is well written and has an intriguing plot, but I didn’t buy into the romance. As a second in series, it doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the first. Four stars.

‘The Bow Street Bachelors‘ series continues with ‘To Catch An Earl‘, a romance full of intrigue, secrets, danger, and sizzling chemistry.

I liked Alex and Emmy’s romance, there were moments when I shook my head at some of the actions because they were just too… obvious, like continuing to wear a signature scent when in either or both roles that Emmy had going in her life. Yet the chemistry between them let me overlook some small things that hovered at the edge of my enjoyment. So I wish I could say I loved ‘To Catch An Earl‘ but I did enjoy it.

Nightjar might have finally gone too far with the most recent theft considering who owned that glittering stone. Now Emmy is not only keeping one step ahead of those searching for her but also from the man she’s loved for a very long time while doing nothing about it – except for that one kiss that neither can forget. Emmy is good at what she does, she learned all she knows from her father who she has now taken over for in her criminal activities. And no matter how you try to maneuver it, Emmy is a thief, and not robbing from the rich to give to the poor kind either. Now, not only is she being sought after by the authorities Emmy is also in danger from another source and that danger could cost her life.

Alex has never forgotten the kiss from the beauty at a masquerade ball, one stolen kiss that has haunted him for years along with an elusive scent he’s never encountered since… except, there is a lingering of it in the air where he least expects it to be. Alex has been charged with finding a thief, one who is cunning, talented, and stole the wrong gem from the wrong prince. What he’ll discover will put him in a most difficult position. Protect the crown or the woman he’s come to love.

‘To Catch An Earl‘ is steamy, sensuous, and sexy in many ways. This couple is on fire for each other, and it shows. While I’ll confess to enjoying/liking the first story of this series more, I did like Emmy and Alex – it just won’t be a re-read for me. It’s a good story, with danger and intrigue, and a likable couple, so if you love your Historical Romance on the steamy side with an unusual couple to follow along the journey to their happy ever after ending then you’ll want to pick this one up soon.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

To Catch An Earl. was a very cute read. I really enjoyed Kate Bateman's writing and she definitely has me wanting to read her other books.

Emmy has been thief her entire life. One night she dances, kisses, and runs away from her long time crush Alex Harland before he went off to war. Now four years later Alex is back as an investigator. His latest case? Finding the person stealing all these rare gems. Who just happens to be Emmy, the woman who Alex hasn't been able to get out of his head.

Emmy was by far my favorite of these two characters. I loved her. She was fun and feisty and sneaky. I love how she was always able to keep Alex on his toes. Alex and Emmy were the perfect matches for each other. The storyline was very fun and I loved how a lot of the story was a chase after one another.

To Catch An Earl was a very fun read. I loved the main characters, the pacing, and the plot. This is an absolute must-read.

Kate Bateman brings another winner in her second of the series. Emmeline Danvers, a women in love with a man she knows she can never have, get a taste of him years ago, knowing it has to be enough. Their paths cross again when Earl of Melton, Alex Harland, starts to investigate the criminal thief, the Nightjar. This thief just happens to be Emmy. We are then on a chase through London ballrooms, museums, gaming clubs, and carriage rides away from London to catch the elusive Nightjar. While Alex is on the hunt for the jewels he ends up meeting his match and Emmy is not ready to give up that easy. Kate Bateman does a great job not only showcasing that there is more to every person then just good or bad but delves deeper into understanding the characters reasoning/decisions. To Catch An Earl is a fiery, passionate read with wonderful attention to detail you do not want to miss.

I’m going to be upfront here. I couldn’t finish this book. I made it about halfway through, then skimmed my way through another quarter before completely giving up. I wanted to love it. The author is a very talented wordsmith. The story itself, the construction of it, is what fell flat for me.

The motivations of the characters are told. They aren’t shown. We’re told why The Nightjar steals, but we don’t see the passion or conviction for the cause until *way* too late. The main romantic pair fall into an obsession based on one meeting, one kiss at a masked ball. But, again, it’s told, not shown through the characters themselves. So, when the story jumps ahead in time, I had a difficult time buying that he would know her by her scent alone.

But the biggest issue I had is a total loss of interest. Not even a quarter into the book, most of the potential suspense was gone. Everyone knows who everyone is, why they’re doing the thieving, or the investigating.

The story didn’t engage me. Whenever anything happened, I found I really didn’t care.

I love this series. The heroines are strong women who take their responsibilities to themselves and their families seriously; and they are unconventional. Emmeline D'Anvers (a/k/a Emmy Danvers) is being blackmailed into stealing back the French Crown Jewels for a despicable man. Her father stole many of them back before his death. His intention being to return them to the French government, but he died before he completed his task. She must finish his it or harm will befall her family. Alex Harland, Earl of Melton has been tasked by Bow Street with finding the culprit. He will soon learn who the thief is and will realize she is the woman he fell in love with at a masquerade ball years ago on the night before he left for war.

To Catch an Earl is the second book in The Bow Street Bachelor series by Kate Bateman. So its a catch me if you can romance wherein the main female lead seems to be a very well trained jewel thief and the male lead is the one assigned to catch her. Well Alex Harland, Earl of Melton and Bow Street investigator doesn’t really know the identity of his elusive thief much less its the same individual that has his attention captured even before he went to war! Emmy Danvers has kept secret her attraction for Alex bit when her differing worlds are about to collide, can they salvage their growing romance? I’ve been anticipating the release of the next Bow Street Bachelors book and although I love the first one dearly this one doesn’t lack in the surprising twist and turns, witty dialogue and intriguing characters the first book is known for. To Catch an Earl will definitely keep you guessing how its all going to work out for our OTP in the end.

To Catch an Earl opens in London in 1812. Emmy Danvers has a rather usual talent. She is a thief. She does not steal just anything. She has a specialty and a reason for her actions. She is hopelessly attracted to Alexander Harland, but he is on the other side of the law. He could easily arrest her. However, he is totally enamored with her. Does this unconventional pair have a chance of a future without Emmy becoming a prisoner?
This is a well written story that is told with heart. It is witty, filled with passion and a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Not just a romance novel, To Catch an Earl is a crime thriller where the criminal is the HEROINE!
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From the beginning, readers are drawn in by the mysterious beginning to Emmy Danvers and Alex Harland’s relationship (some stolen, heated kisses in the garden of a masquerade ball). You’ll be pulled in by this dalliance, but you’ll stay for the suspenseful jewel heists, the clever detective work, and the cat and mouse game played by our Bow Street hero and feisty (yet not all together “bad”) heroine thief.
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My blood pounded from the pilfering plots, the thrill of a chase, and of course the romantic interludes.

The newly knighted Alexander (Alex) Harland, Earl of Melton, is asked by Bow Street to investigate a new case. The infamous jewel thief called Nightjar has recently struck again after a four-year absence, this time in London. He has reason to suspect the Danvers family is involved but when he meets Emmy Danvers, Alex realizes she may be more to him than the focus of his current business pursuit.

I loved the idea of a 19th century female jewel thief eluding London’s Bow Street law enforcement. Both Alex and Emmy were ideal in their respective roles, he a dashing and brash figure and she resourceful and elusive. They were also immensely attracted to each other, having met in costume four years earlier but he having no idea Emmy and the woman he fell for were one in the same. The story’s dual plot of Alex discovering the masked woman’s identity and capturing Nightjar kept things exciting and off balance. Their verbal sparring was unique and clever, giving insight into their intellect and histories.

I’m enjoying this series and very much liked this story, primarily because of Alex and Emmy. It was impossible not to root for these two and the strength of the secondary characters just enhanced the reading pleasure. Emmy’s grandmother Camille was delightful and naughty, Alex’s fellow Tricorn Club partners just as brash and daring as he. It was a fun and passionate story and I’m now anxious to read the last in the trilogy.

3.5 Stars
To Catch an Earl is the second book in the Bow Street Bachelors series. The book started out slow to me but once I made it through the first few chapters it picked up and became interesting. I did enjoy the characters and the witty banter between Emmy and Alex.
Emmy Danvers had loved Alex Harland for years and one night before he left for war, she took a chance and stole a dance and a kiss at a masquerade. She knew they would never be on the side because she was a jewel thief hiding in plain sight of Society.
Alex Harland, the new Earl of Melton, was asked to take the case of the missing jewels and find Nightjar. When he realizes that Emmy is the woman from the garden, he was torn between his feelings for her and his duty to catch her as the thief.
The next book of the series looks interesting and even though this book was not a favorite of mine by this author, I look forward to reading it.