I enjoyed this book. The characters were very likable. Jane is a very strong heroine with many facets to her character. At times I wished that Jane and Thomas would express their true feelings to each other instead of keeping everything in, however the ending made it worth the wait.

A fun historical romance, Who’s That Earl was an entertaining read. I loved the main character’s strength and determination, and her job as a secret author was a super fun and compelling storyline. The book started off a bit slow for me and took a while for me to get into, but I ultimately really enjoyed the settings and the characters. The romance was fun (and steamy) and I feel like this book hit all the points for a good historical romance!

DNF after 75 pages

There's nothing really wrong with this, but it takes too long on set up, and I just do not feel a connection to the characters or plot. The back story is spread out too long, which makes the fact that she's in his castle feel unbelievable. It's also hard to connect to their second chance romance without understanding why he left and ended up where he started.

This charming book with gothic vibes was a pretty standard book for me. Nothing particularly stood out to me but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A solid historical romance.

A charming second chance romance. Jane is living a secret life as a gothic novelist in her rented castle, while letting the townspeople believe that she's merely the secretary of a famous (male, also fictitious) writer. Thomas has reluctantly sold his army commission and come home to take on an unexpected earldom. The first order of business: visit the distant, endowed estate. He's surprised to find that the tenant is not a crusty old man scribbling away, but the woman he almost married. There were misunderstandings on both sides of their whirlwind romance several years earlier, and both parties are hurt and reluctant to talk to each other. But now they're stuck together in a mansion that feels progressively smaller.

This had a good dose of adventure, along with the romance. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review.

After being cast out of her house at the age of seventeen, Jane Quayle has made a life for herself as a gothic writer using a male pseudonym and renting a remote Scottish Castle. After serving as a spy for the Crown for years, Thomas Sutherland is unhappy to find he is now an earl and in charge of an estate. Ready to evict his tenant, Thomas is surprised to find Jane, who he knew in her youth. Sparks fly, and as Jane receives threatening letters, Thomas is determined to keep her and his legacy safe. A fun read.

This books was super cute!

LOVED:

- The Gothic novel element
- The throwback to Persuasion
- The lying! As in, I loved that each main character was lying but, even after years apart, each person knew the other was lying. It was a fun twist!

DIDN'T LOVE:

- The chemistry. There was so much potential!
- Plot points being solved in two pages.
- The story not living up to its potential.

This book is cute! The title is cute, the plot is cute, the characters are cute, the romance is cute, even the epilogue was cute! It was very easy to put down - I usually tear through books and put this one down every night really easily - and, even though this is a great beach / vacation read, I felt distracted because I wanted the author to push the book further. I wanted this book to be funny or emotional (or funny AND emotional) and instead it just tittered on cute with a side of funny / almost emotional. Pick this one up if you're looking for something fun and lighthearted, just don't expect to fall in love.

I really wanted to like this read. I love 2nd chance at love stories but this one fell a bit flat.

We learn a bit about the characters first chance at love but it did not feel like it was LOVE, rather a fond acquaintance. As their relationship grew, there was still not a lot pulling them together. Thomas, our hero, was so conflicted throughout that it was a kind of annoying and he was just okay for me. At the end you get introduced to character who I believe will be central to the series and he is intriguing, I just wish the story pulled together more.

I adored Jane and thought she was a great main character. She was wronged by her family but came out better for it. She was a strong, independent woman making it as an (undercover) author.

The story did a good job of building up to two potential villains, however, the conclusions to those two stories were a bit disappointing.

Overall, I wish there was better character development and relationship building. I enjoyed Jane and her role as a female author.

I'm afraid this didn't work for me and I DNF'd at 18%, for a combination of reasons.

Alarm bells rang right at the start when we meet the hero on the island of Dominica in the West Indies, where he has been stationed for some years as a British intelligence officer. We're not told exactly when the book is set, but references to Napoleon would suggest it's between 1804 and 1815. At that time Dominica was a British colony (established 1805), and was an important staging point for the 'triangular trade' whereby enslaved African people were 'imported' and sold in return for the export of sugar, tobacco and cotton to Europe. While the hero soon leaves and returns to his native Scotland, the fact that the book failed to mention this history or to reflect on the implications at the first opportunity is a huge red flag. If one of your MCs is implicated explicitly and directly in systems of colonial oppression and you don't address it proactively and straightaway, I'm done. White authors need to do better.

On top of that, I found the premise strained my suspension of disbelief: a man inherits an Earldom he has no idea he is even in line for, along with a ruined Highland castle, and the reclusive anonymous tenant of said castle just happens, by chance, to be the young woman he fell in love with in Sussex seven years earlier? This excess of coincidence made me cynical, and so it became hard for me to engage with the characters as individuals - I couldn't invest in the process of them coming together.

I did like the title though - alas, it was going to be my pun square for #FallIntoRomBingo - and I thought the writing had a lot to recommend it. But my tolerance for unforced errors in white historical romance these days is really low, and there were too many for me here.

I liked the book in the beginner but around half way through I got really bored. It's not a bad book I just didn't really care about the characters.

Who wouldn't love a book that is about someone who loves books. It is the first book in the part of a series called Love and Let Spy. While not quite heavy in the "Spy" department it is an enjoyable read. This is a book to read when you are looking for a cozy read centering more around quite likeable characters than an intense story lines. Both have their place in the world but this one checked the boxes for me. Not quite perfect characters - of course with secret's from each other - who are getting a second chance after having met years earlier with a bit of mystery thrown in. The relationship that grows between Jane and Thomas is satisfying along with the dialogue and you are drawn into the story. The author has a knack for description allowing me to envision an island where surveillance is taking place, Add some dogs and quirky characters - Love Thomas' boss the General who likely will appear in subsequent novels planning to redeem his spies by reminding them there is more to life than simply spying. Even the ending was satisfying to me - leaving me with the intent to read the next book in the series.

This was a charming historical romance, I really liked the banter and thought the main couple was interesting to read. I'm very glad I asked for an ARC of this book :)

I loved this book! It's charming and fun. The perfect lighter read that still has plenty of action.

A heroine that loves to write and hold secrets about her true identity. A hero freshly back from spying for the crown with plenty of secrets of his own. They both loved and lost many years ago, but is true love ever really lost?

I've enjoyed all of Susanna Craig's books and this one is no exception. I highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I quit this one about halfway through. I found Thomas and Jane didn't have the chemistry I was hoping for and the story didn't grab me.

Seven years ago, soldier Thomas Sutherland was stationed in Sussex while awaiting his next assignment. While there, he became acquainted with Jane Quayle, and though their time together was short, they quickly grew close, and Thomas decided to court her. On the very day Thomas approached her father, two events happened that separated the couple. Jane had a disastrous family situation occur, and Thomas was immediately shipped off to Domenica. Neither of them knew what had happened to the other, so each went on with their lives. Jane became a successful novelist, under the pseudonym of Robin Ratliff, and moved to a remote Scottish castle in Glasgow, which she leased from the absent earl. Thomas stayed undercover in the West Indies as a spy for the crown, until his superior informed him that he unexpectedly inherited a title and lands. Thomas prefers to continue as a soldier, but his spymaster insists that he return to Scotland to fully examine his inheritance before he makes any decisions.

Though Jane has leased Dunnock Castle as Robin Ratliff, she dons yet another masquerade while there, as widowed Mrs. Higgenbotham, assistant to the reclusive author. This has been her home for five years, and she is quite comfortable here. Her lease is coming up for renewal shortly, and she knows that there is a new earl, and she hopes that he stays away, just as the previous earl did. As fate would have it, the new Earl of Magnus is none other than Thomas. He hopes to inspect his property, hire a dependable steward, and return to his career as a soldier. In the meantime, he doesn’t wish for those acquaintances who still remember him to know he’s the new earl, so he only uses his given name. Knowing only the name Higgenbotham, and assuming it’s a man, Thomas travels to his castle to meet him, thinking he could possibly be the steward he is seeking. Imagine his surprise when he discovers Mr. Higgenbotham is a very lovely woman, the one he courted so many years ago.

The masquerade is on, as Jane continues to present herself as a widow, while Thomas concocts a story that he is there on an assignment from the new earl. While there is definitely wariness between them, I was surprised that neither actually held any bitterness toward the other for the way they parted. Later in the story, as we learn the truth of all that happened to Jane on that fateful day, the reasons become clear. While dancing around each other, Thomas and Jane still feel the attraction from years ago. In fact, they continued to think of each other over the years, contemplating what-if scenarios.

As Jane and Thomas become passionately involved, Thomas also really looks at his estate, and sees how badly the earl is needed. He begins to envision staying on, improving his property and the lives of his tenants, all with Jane at his side. Jane, however, learned a bitter lesson years ago -- depend on no one but yourself. Her fierce independence makes her unwilling to put herself and her fortune in the hands of any man. While Thomas loves Jane, he is honorable enough not to try to hold her when she doesn’t want a commitment. I loved him for that. He also has a protective streak, determined to protect Jane from a threat posing danger to her. He also lets her know that he’s always there if she needs him. While I admired Jane’s fortitude, and understood her reasons, I also couldn’t wait for her to see past her own stubbornness, and to grab the happiness waiting for her. WHO’S THAT EARL is a playful and fun read, albeit with some sad circumstances, and is a delightful way to escape for a few hours. I am always up for a second chance at love story, and this one was very satisfying. I should also note that Thomas’s former spymaster, while somehow knowing everything about his men, also has a surprising matchmaking streak, which bodes well for upcoming books in the Love and Let Spy series.

Who's that Earl was my first book by Susanna Craig and I really enjoyed it. I love a heroine who is an author! However, her books are so infamous that someone wants her silenced forever! So, what's a heroine to do, write her stories at a remote crumbling castle and wait for the hero to show up! Instead of "just one bed" we have "remote castle" but I was there for it! I loved the mystery of this story mixed in with the romance and I look forward to more by this author.

This was my first romance by this author and I have a feeling it won't be the last (especially since this appears to be the first in a planned series!). Plus-size heroine who happens to be a secret author writing under a male pen name reunites with her lost love, a Scot who has served as a spymaster and now returns to the land of his upbringing to claim his lease on Dunnock Castle as the Earl. I loved the excerpts from Jane's novels (they were described as gothic, but definitely had some elements of steamy romance in them!), although it seemed like the mystery element of the book (who was anonymously sending her threats) was resolved a little too early, which left about 20% of the book to overall plot resolution. I was a big fan of this one overall, though, and the promise of a sequel in the epilogue intrigued me a lot.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Since her family cast her aside because of her scandalous writing, Jane Quayle has made a success of herself writing wildly popular gothic novels under an assumed name. she’s surrounded her persona in mystery, living a quiet life with her true identity kept secret at Dunnock Castle in the Scottish Highlands. But it seems not everyone is a fan when she starts receiving unnerving death threats and her identity is compromised by the arrival of a fling from her past.

Lieutenant Thomas Sutherland has developed great skill as a spy over the years, operating in Dominica for so long that he’s not sure the Highlands will ever feel like home to him again. But when he inherits the title of Earl of Magnus and its accompanying responsibilities and property, including Dunnock Castle, he has no choice but to return. More shocking that his unwanted inheritance is his discovery that the reclusive writer leasing Dunnock is none other than the lady Thomas once hoped to marry. The connection is still there between them, but Jane’s trust issues and Thomas’ commitment to the military may be enough to keep them apart.

I was so intrigued by this concept that I had to read this novel, but I must say I did expect more mystery and suspense than we got here. The villain, such as he was, was dealt with too quickly and from there the plot lost some momentum and structure. I loved Jane and Thomas together, however, and unlike several other reviewers, I actually really loved the fact that the story didn’t have any lengthy flashbacks to their previous courtship. This kept the angst level low and I appreciated it. Jane annoyed me with her stubborn refusal to trust anyone, biting off her nose to spite her face. Though a bit understandable given her family, Thomas did nothing wrong and didn’t deserve her arrogance. Nonetheless, I did find Thomas charming, enjoyed these two establishing a true home for themselves together, and found the story mostly entertaining. I loved General Scott and the concept of his retiring spy network so I plan to continue this series.

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

Jane has been leasing a remote castle, as the current Earl has been content to let it sit empty. She's really a novelist but is posing as “his” amanuensis (NOT his secretary) so she won't face the problems of being a woman and trying to get her work published. It also provides her a measure of safety, being a woman alone.

Thomas has been spying for British army for years but is pulled back to Scotland through a matter of Scottish inheritance. There, he finds Jane, whom he knew many years ago.

Give this book a try if you like
-spies/soldiers – the hero has been in the army a number of years and must use his spy skills to keep Jane safe
-second chance romance – this couple knew each other years ago, and shared a single kiss before being ripped apart.
-light to medium steam – this book has nice tension build up and a decent amount of focus on the characters relationship. There's not a lot of scenes but the first well developed and explicit.
-working woman/secret writer – heroine is an author attempting to hide her identity from the outside world

Overall this was a pleasant read. I liked both characters. There was just something that didn't make it more lovable to me than 3 stars though. Nothing really gripped my heart or triggered deep emotion within me. I'm not a huge fan of villains in books and this one was pretty predictable and I just wanted him gone.

Who’s That Earl? by Susanna Craig

You will like this book if you like self-insert stories and purposefully trope-y romances, if you like predictable plots and happy endings, if you like self-esteem pumping and familial drama with therapeutic ends. You won’t like it if you dislike books that are intensely uneven from one scene to the next, if you dislike historical inaccuracy, if you dislike obvious, not entirely intentional self-insert stories.

Spoiler version: Thomas Sutherland, a spy captain in the English navy is called home when he inherits an estate and a title he never knew he had a claim to. He returns home to find Jane Quayle, the woman he once nearly married, living in his castle as the employee of his renter. Unwilling to reveal his identity, he says that he’s there to investigate a death threat against his renter, Robin Ratliff, a popular gothic novelist who in truth is Jane herself. Over the next few days, Thomas and Jane grow closer, more threats appear, and Thomas’ ties to the village he grew up in rekindle. Thomas and Jane discover the other’s secret, the parson is unmasked as the author of the threats, and Jane leaves the castle to its new owner. Months pass, Thomas receives word that Jane’s father means her harm and rushes to her in Edinburgh in time to help her tell him off. He proposes, and the novel ends with their wedding.

It’s a fast, fun read. Worth it if you wish your life were a regency novel or you just need a night off from Covid life, maybe?

To be honest, this one bugged me. The novel has a few delightful moments that are very meta where the heroine gets to poke fun at herself. I wish that the novel had been consistently that fun and smart instead of implying that anyone that finds fault with it is a murderous lunatic. It’s manipulative and cheap. I might have a fancy degree in English Lit, but that does not mean I’m incapable of enjoying myself with a lighthearted book. What it does mean is that the lighthearted books I like still have solid plotting and character work. I’ve read fanfiction by sixteen year olds that’s better than this. Don’t waste your money. There is much better romance than this on any shelf you can find.

Trigger Warnings: Explicit Sex Scenes, Attempted Murder, Abusive Family Elements, Slut Shaming (from the characters), and a mild, one line implication that America is an anti-black void and Scotland (the setting) is a freed slave haven (from the author)

I got a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.