In "Who’s That Earl?", Susanna Craig weaves a story of love, secrets, and choices. When Thomas Sutherland unexpectedly becomes the Earl of Magnus, he returns to Dunnock Castle only to find Jane Quayle, a former flame, in residence. Unbeknownst to Thomas, Jane is the author of a series of successful, but scandalous, novels, who writes under a pen name and “works” as the amanuensis of said pen name. Threatening letters compel Thomas to use his years of training as a spy for the British army, but unspoken emotions and the years that have passed pressure Thomas and Jane to confront what they’ve both ignored for so long: each other.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The story is well-paced, and the banter between Jane and Thomas in their first encounter in Dunnock castle really set the tone for the kind of cat-and-mouse interactions they have throughout the first part of the book. All of the secrets the characters withhold at the beginning created a sense of tension that kept me turning the page, eager to know what’s next. My favorite element of the story is probably the depiction of Jane as a writer. We’re treated to snippets of her work in progress and discussions on the life of an author from the critics to writer’s block to the need for research (so meta!).

With seven years between when they last spoke and their most recent meeting, I expected a slow-burn relationship between Thomas and Jane as they worked to reconnect and discover who the other had grown into during their time apart. For the first half of the book, my expectations were met. However, after the halfway mark, I found myself thinking that some of their problems (relationship and otherwise) were solved too easily. Both characters acquiesced to the other’s demands or approached obstacles in ways that seemed rushed, especially after the pacing established at the beginning of the book. As a result, some of the more intimate scenes felt a little oddly placed and paced, and some of the resolutions were not as compelling as they promised to be.

That being said, I did enjoy the story and will likely read the next installment in Craig’s “Love and Let Spy” series, if only to know more about General Scott, who seems to be much more than he appears on the surface.

***ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my review.

3 stars, i initially wanted to read this book because the idea of a woman writing gothic novels with a secret alias in a remote castle sounded amazing. i loved jane and her two dogs, athena and aphrodite. the backstory of jane and thomas was a nice surprise as well, she nursed him back to health as a nurse during the war and he promised to marry her in his lurid state but she disappeared after he recovered. the setting of a remote castle in scotland was atmospheric and it kept the plot focused on the two main characters.

the cover of the book is amazing, i love the colour scheme, the theme is like a fusion between a chick-lit and historical romance cover.

𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this historical romance was not as appealing as first thought. The story is slow to develop and the characters although they have history, are not enough to make this novel interesting. Excellent writing but not enough chemistry to keep me interested.

I have read books from this author before and really enjoyed them, but this one just didn't do it for me. I tried to read and get to the real plot of the story and it just didn't pull me.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. The mystery was a little weak, I knew who the “bad guy” was from the beginning. Ms. Craig has become an Author on my must read list. 4 stars.

Susanna Craig's style is intricate and detailed, and I adore details. Her descriptions put me into the story and I feel I know each character instantly, from the fluff the dogs leave on the cushions to the discomfort the hero feels about lying.
I enjoyed intrigue very much and plan to read everything Ms Craig has ever written. I don't plan to tell the story of the story, but simply praise the style and the content.

Who’s That Earl is the first book in Susanna Craig’s new Love and Let Spy series. Jane Quyale has become an infamous author of Gothic novels, all under a pen name to protect herself. But, someone really wants the death of this mysterious author and hiding out in a remote castle won’t do anymore. Enter Thomas Sutherland, Jane’s former beau and now a well respected spy for the British army. Thomas is surprised to find that the endangered author is Jane, and as sparks reignite can he keep her safe so they can finally have a future together?
This was my first book by Susanna Craig and I enjoyed her writing and character work. The plot of a secret author in hiding and her lost love protecting her is an interesting one. What didn’t work for me was the pacing of the “action” which was rather slow and I didn’t feel any real urgency to the mystery. I think writing suspense can be very difficult, but I think Craig was trying to evoke classic Gothic romances with the setting and plot, and it just didn’t quite hit that mark for me.
I was pleased to see Jane was a competent and intelligent woman, that was making her way in the world without the help of a man. I also liked that Thomas was very clear with her that he liked that about her and liked that she was a curvy woman. What I didn’t like was that their chemistry felt a little too “clean” for me. There are a couple of love scenes in this novel but the lead up and the actual scene didn’t have the amount of intensity I am looking for in my romances.
Overall I think readers that like sweet romances, with mild heat, and a little mystery will enjoy this read. For me this just never committed to being either a sweet romance or a true classic Gothic. Instead we get this in between story that’s trying to be two things and never quite hits the mark on either one. If you are looking for a true romantic Gothic novel with all the intensity and crazy characters you’d expect from the genre, check out The Countess by Catherine Coulter one of the true masters of the trope. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC, all opinions are my own.
Overall - 2
Heat - 2

This book sounded like a lot of fun and to be fair there was more than one moment where I found myself chuckling but there wasn’t enough depth to keep me interested. The book started with one heck of a coincidence and then the characters had to deal with issues that were easily tossed aside in episodic bites without any intrigue or emotional investment on my part. I found myself skimming.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Seven years ago Jane and Thomas met and fell for each other, but circumstance had them parting expecting to never see the other again....

Jane is now an accomplished writer secretly working away under the pen name the suggests she’s a man. Nobody knows that there is no Robin Ratliff and Jane is all too bad to play the part of his secretary so that no one is the wiser. She’s found herself a home leasing a castle in Scotland where she’s been living and working in peace until she finds that the earl who’s castle she’s staying in has died and his heir will be soon making an appearance putting her situation in jeopardy. She also receives a threatening letter to make matters worse for her...

Thomas has spent the last 7 years devoted to his army career which has him living in the Caribbean. A twist of fate has him dragged back to England to take up the title of Lord Magnus. The last thing he wants is to be an Earl bit with little choice he sets out to claim his castle. He was not expecting to fine Jane in his castle and not the eccentric writer he was told lives there. Seven years has done nothing to lessen their attraction but neither really plans on doing anything about that.

For a variety of reasons Jane and Thomas aren’t sure they can trust each other as secrets pile up between them and he decides that she needs his protection. As they try to figure out what they both want in life and what the future holds for them. Will Thomas take his place as the earl and try to improve life in the village he or will he follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and hire someone to handle things while he returns to life as a solider? Will Jane finally fully let go of her past and allow herself to embrace the future? Or will she stubbornly cling to a life and plan that no longer make sense for her? And just who is threatening Jane?

Since it’s a romance the happily ever after is rather implied though the route to get there has a few twists and turns...

I liked this book though I must admit I would have liked to read what Jane was writing too. I mean how did The Necromancer’s Bride end? What happened in The Brigand’s Captive? I really liked Jane and Thomas and the whole cast of characters at Dunnock and Balisaig.

The only downside I suppose is that the confrontations were rather anticlimactic. Still it was a good read with a love story seven years and many miles in the making.

Wow! This book is entertaining, romantic, witty, fun, quite steamy at times, and so much more! There are also many gothic romance elements to the book as well! Whenever I picked up "Who's That Earl", I was whisked back in time, and truly went on an amazing journey with these characters.

This is the first book in Susanna Craig's "Love and Let Spy" series, and I hope there are many more! She truly knows how to bring the world and atmosphere of her novel to life, and her characters jump right off of the page. Every single one of their interactions felt so authentic and real. It is so clear to me that Ms. Craig put a lot of thought into her characters, and I feel their wants, fears, and desires are beautifully written and expressed. I loved being able to get into these characters' heads!

I found myself rooting for Jane and Thomas from the very beginning. Their chemistry is palpable, and their witty banter is so much fun to read. They truly care for one another, and you can just tell they are meant to be together from the first moment they see one another after seven years apart (even before they are willing to admit it to themselves!). This second chance romance was such a joy to experience along with them. These two really bring out the best in one another, and they are able to be open with one another, and share secrets they can't share with anyone else. Their relationship is so sweet, and steamy! And oh my gosh, these two cute dogs, Athena and Aphrodite! What personality! And how smart and adorable they are!

The many supporting characters are so well-thought out, and all help to push the story forward in one way or another.

If you enjoy historical romance, historical fiction, and / or historical gothic romance novels, I highly recommend this book! I could not put it down, and was intrigued from the first sentence to the last! I also absolutely loved the bits of the gothic novels that Jane writes that are included in the book, and feel like they mirrored what was going on in the story beautifully. In many ways, these novel feels like a book for book lovers! I hope there will be many more books in this incredible new series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC of this novel! I so enjoyed it! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The lure of spies and intrigue was what attracted me to this initially, but the spy element doesn't really play in so much after the first chapter when the hero is called back to England because he's inherited an earldom in Scotland. And he finds the one who got away leasing his castle as she writes Gothic literature under a pseudonym. I found this switch away from the spy element made the story slow to start, though I did get hook in later. However, I think the various thread of the story just don't come together -- one thread would resolve, and then it was onto the next, then the next, which produced a stop-start effect that would lose the momentum gained from the previous thread, and I found this frustrating.

Also, the cover -- while striking -- is misleading. Jane, the heroine, is repeatedly described as curvy and not at all thin like the model on the cover. I get that historical stock is hard to come by, but surely there could have been something even a tiny bit more representative?

Ladies, there’s a new book boyfriend in town and his name is Thomas Sutherland!

Who’s That Earl is a delightful second-chance romance! Jane Quayle is an author of gothic novels writing under a pseudonym in a remote Scottish castle. Thomas Sutherland is a spy for the British Army who happens to have just inherited the castle where Jane is residing. Upon arriving, Thomas reads a threat the author has received and so begins our story.

I enjoyed Susanna Craig’s writing very much. She paints the scene very well and I felt like I had stepped into Dunnock Castle myself. There were a few times when I thought the descriptions got a little wordy, but since it did help me picture everything more clearly, this wasn’t a huge turnoff for me. Her writing flowed very well and I found this an easy read. It hooked me from the very beginning and I absolutely loved both the main characters and the secondary characters…Mrs. Murdock was perfect!

I loved Jane’s independence! She is a strong female character, as were Athena and Aphrodite, whom I loved as well! Watching her slowly let her guard down with Thomas and letting him in was beautifully written. Their back and forth banter made this book for me!

Thomas’ reluctance to tell the truth about why he’s there showed a tender side of the character. His protectiveness of Jane, even after all the years they were separated was a great addition to the story. A little intrigue along with romance is always a good thing!

My only complaint would be the cover picture. The description of Jane that we were given doesn’t match the cover. Also, so a book set in a castle, I feel like the cover was too bright. I’m hoping this changes before publication.

I’m looking forward to more in this particular series and will also be looking up her past series!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Who's That Earl was an extremely sweet and satisfying book. It had more gothic vibes than the usual historical books I read from that era, and was a bit slower than I was expecting. This was done one purpose, and made the reading a bit meta - which I loved. It almost made me wonder if Jane Eyre would have been more likeable if it had a decent hero and a heroine that was actually fierce and independent. The style certainly drew me in and reminded me of the Brontë sisters's work.

The author gives a great deal of importance to setting the scene, which means that the description tends to get a bit tedious at times. At the same time, it really does help you imagine the world in vivid detail.

Jane and Thomas are the real winners of the story!

One retired Scottish Spy, one brilliant novelist - what could go wrong? Not much and everything apparently. It was clear that these two were meant to be, but watching them overcome their own internal issues to get to that point was a treat.

I do believe that the story itself was a bit lacking at times, and that something that could have been written in a span of a few chapters was stretched to a whole novel. It took me a bit longer to read because of this, and I was not entirely satisfied with the narrative arc. If anything it was the characters that stole the show for me.

It's not something I would usually read, but something about it was captivating. I'd recommend it if you like slow and sweet gothic style novels.

The story was intriguing and both of the characters were very enjoyable. For 7 years Jane hid herself but followed her dreams under an assumed name. I loved that she was strong, passionate, independent, gracious, and kind. Also she was more trusting than Thomas, she told him her truths but he held onto his much longer.

A very nice second chance at love story with a strong yet gentle cinnamon roll hero and a smart, independent, and intriguing heroine.

Loved this book! A strong, independent woman who creates a deceased beloved husband and writes under a pseudonym, a laconic Scottish soldier who's suddenly an Earl - what's not to adore about this?
The characters were lush and well-fleshed out, the setting was almost palpable because it was excellently rendered, the spice was *chef's kiss* just right!!

This was a rare 5 star book for me! I was absolutely hooked on this book. I am now motivated to go and hunt down other books by this new-to-me author, Susanna Craig. "Who's that Earl" had me staying up 'till midnight reading it because I just couldn't put it down. "Who's That Earl" is the first book in her new "Love and Let Spy" series, and I eagerly anticipate the next installment.

Unlike many books, "Who's that Earl" drew the reader in right from the very beginning. I feel that many authors tend to bog down the beginning of books with too many details about the backstory, but Susanna Craig did just the opposite. The book started with a hook- an exciting scene that just hinted at the backstory; hence engaging my curiosity.

The story just got better and better. All of the elements that, to me, make a great romance book were present. Eminently likeable characters, a slowly building, believable love story, a hint of intrigue, mystery, and adventure, a host of wonderful supporting characters, female empowerment, witty banter, excellent descriptive writing, steamy love scenes, humorous scenes that made me laugh out loud, and the list goes on. Susanna Craig has a knack for ending each chapter with a witty remark or a perfectly worded description that never failed to hook me in to reading the next chapter. The story also had some gothic undertones that I greatly enjoyed as well.

The only constructive advice that I can give to possibly improve this book's chances of being successful is that the cover and title didn't really draw me in. Though the cover is lovely, based on my quick judgement, I thought this would be another cliched Regency novel. A more intriguing cover that hinted more at the mystery and intrigue in this novel would have perhaps been more ideal.

I am assuming that Susanna Craig is an up and coming author as I have not previously heard of her, so I will be sure to post a review in my book clubs to spread the word about her talent. I can honestly say that just prior to this I read a book by a famous, successful, and well-known romance novelist and can honestly say that "Who's That Earl" was a much better book, by far. in my opinion, Susanna Craig's "Who's That Earl" is comparable to the books of all of the big names in romance today. I look forward to seeing more from her.
#whosthatearl #netgalley

I received an ARC of this book to read through Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. All of the opinions are my own. **The Goodreads review did automatically post as Goodreads could not find the ISBN, but I l will log in on my own and post my review manually.

I enjoy clean romances, or books with very little sex. I am not familiar with the author but the summary and the presentation of the book seemed to be something that was up my alley. Gothic writer ; threat of harm ; male who was once a spy (?) ; location ... I can go on.

Unfortunately, this book did deliver everything that I hoped it would. It fell short in what I find the biggest things -

- character development and plot

You are immediately introduced to our male. He seems to be someone who is skilled in what he does. Think of a special team of men that are out to take down various threats and or spy. He is called home by his general to take up his newly appointed right as a Lord of a castle that he inherited from his mother's side of the family. He is a little discouraged because it has been 7 years and he had hoped to come home and use this time to propose to his once - courted love, Jane. Their relationship was fleeting and lasted only a few weeks but enough to solidify that he had feelings enough for marriage.

This is where the story gets wonky. Jane has taken up residence at the castle that he has now inherited. She is a writer for Gothic novels, under a pseudonym , and has chosen the castle as a place to go for inspiration. Of all the castles, all the locations, it just so happens that the one she goes to is the one he is to inherit.

I'm sorry, I had a hard time believing that. So that was strike one for me. I liked Jane and I liked her character, but there was something that was so underhanded to her by this coincidental and quick way of getting our characters to meet up again that I just had to roll my eyes and proceed. I would have preferred if she either wasn't already there, or, better yet - they didn't know one another at all. It would lead more intrigue and basis for her novel she is writing which alludes to gothic tones and experiences by her own character. You see, Jane has been getting letters that are unsigned and of the threatening sort.

Do you see where I am going at with this? So, say they didn't know one another - our lead shows up, adds a bit of reluctance and mystery because she has these threats and at the same time, she has this newly developed fascination.

So, the rest of the story involved a very weak attempt at figuring out who is trying to harm Jane while meanwhile he is trying to rekindle their once long-ago dormant or still active relationship? There are two sex scenes. The first one I had to laugh at because she literally had a moment where she tells the character that it is just one night and that she is going to file this experience away as use for her stories. I was rolling. The second one was more or less after some weak attempt at causing some sort of friction between the lead and Jane. (Which I still don't understand what was going on and why she did not want to be with him and live at the castle, but that is neither here nor there.)

Since the book is still in the early days of promotion and not set to release until August, I give this review with a bit of warning. I respond to character development and romantic moments between the two characters. Did this book have them? Yes and no. Is the story sound? No. Is the overall product enough to deter some? Yes, if you're looking for more of a grounded romance. If you're looking for something easy and light, you will enjoy this. If you're looking for something built on stronger character development and story you may walk away discouraged.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Seven years ago, Jane Quayle and Thomas Sutherland met and fell in love. Fate intervened and they were both separated but hadn't stopped thinking of each other. Now in very different places, they could never expect to meet again, but in the remote Scottish Highlands, at Dunnock Castle, they do. Jane has reinvented herself as the widowed Mrs Higginbotham, and secretary for the allusive Robin Ratliff, who's Gothic novels have taken the country by storm, but have also brought threats. The main secret Jane is keeping though, is the fact that she is in fact Ratliff, and has been writing under a pseudonym since her parents kicked her out at 17. She's been living in Dunnock Castle for the past few years, but her landlord, the former Earl of Magnus, recently died, and it seems as if his heir might not renew the lease, and kick her out. Thomas has been in the West Indies for years as a member of the British Army, but is recalled home when it's apparent that he has inherited the title of Magnus, through his late mother. He loves the Highlands, but can't reconcile himself now the person he once was. He arrives at his family seat at Dunnock, and is overwhelmed when he sees Jane is there. Thomas fabricates the idea that he is there for her protection, due to the threats being made against Ratcliff, and keeps his title a secret. Both have their own issues and concerns, but once they are back together, their old feelings and chemistry is undeniable, and it's inevitable for them to fight it any longer.

I just loved this book so much! I knew as soon as I saw the synopsis on NG that I would need to read it, and as soon as I was approved I put everything to one side and started it straight away. I fell in love with Jane as soon as I met her, and was intrigued by Thomas' back story, and wanted to know more about his life split between summers in Scotland and his time in England. Their characters were fully three dimensional, and so engaging that I wanted to spend as much time with them as I could. And when they were together, it was even better. Their banter and playful energy was infectious and every man and their dog - including Athena and Aphrodite - were rooting for the couple. The mystery and Gothic aspect of the book from Jane's books and who was out to get her was a nice interlude too, so the book was wholly about the romance - though that wouldn't have been a bad thing really. Jane and Thomas really grew over the course of the story, and the way they slowly let down their walls and sought out the other when times were hard was fantastic. I hope that in the next book in this series we'll see more of them too.

My goodness, this one caught me by surprise! I was immediately entranced by the descriptive writing here. And the main characters were both enormously likeable.

Jane is a famous writer of scandalous Gothic novels, secretly published under a pen name, and she has made a home in a rented Scottish castle for six years. Thomas, an army spy stationed in the West Indies, receives news that he has surprisingly inherited said castle and returns to Scotland to find it's occupied by his long lost love, Jane. I loved the teasing banter between them, which was never mean or spiteful, but friendly and flirty.

These two clearly still love each other, but have big secrets and past hurts to overcome. Both are trying to find their way forward at a crossroads in life, and perhaps that includes each other. There's a bit of a mystery, a few villians, some family drama, and a light dash of angst. This book balanced all very well, I thought. The characters came alive for me and I felt their struggles weren't frivolous, yet the book never felt weighted down with darkness or angst.

I fell in love with the entire characters, and will definitely read the next in this series. My major complaint is with the book cover. Jane is described multiple times as "curvy, plump, ample," etc. And the first time this occurred in the book, I immediately was irked that the cover figure was depicted significantly different than how she was described.