A nice clean historical romance, with witty repartee, likable characters, some secrets and some intrigue. Collin Morgan, Earl of Penderdale, has been rightly depressed since his twin brother died in a house fire along with a number of other heirs. He was introduced in the previous book. He has been on suspension from the War Office, because some criminal has stole his identity and using his name to commit crimes against the Crown. When he realizes that he had missed the anniversary of his father's death, he pulls up his big boy pants and decides to go to Cambridge to track down the criminal who has besmirched the family name. Staying at the home of his brother-in-law, the Duke of Westmore, he first goes to visit his former teacher, Professor Essex and there meets the professor's daughter Elizabeth. She is beautiful, smart and has a wicked tongue. The two spar with their wits and he is enchanted. She has raised him from his dulldrums. Barred from learning at the College because she is a woman, she is nonetheless her father's assistant , clandestinely makes use of the library for her own self study and is quick to jump in to help Collin. She has a secret. She teaches other knowledge starved women on the side, but she trusts him enough with that secret. She is very much like his sister Joan. I like that the author kept the book true to the era and they had a proper courtship with no hanky-panky until they were married.

I read an ARC provided by the publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I would not qualify this as a romance, because there was really none.

Overall it was a decent read but it was very clean. Excessively so. They don't kiss until the very end.

I honestly cannot remember what this book was about, it was so unmemorable to me. It just felt like any other historical romance.

This is the third book of the Cambridge Brotherhood series, but my first time reading something by this author. Elizabeth is a professor at Cambridge University, but nobody except the few women she teaches knows that. If word got out, it would cause quite the scandal and her family's reputation would be ruined. Collin's reputation is unjustly being tarnished. Someone is out there committing crimes in his name and he is determined to find out who it is. His search leads him to Cambridge and he crosses paths with Elizabeth, who is the daughter of his old mentor. Collin and Elizabeth don't necessarily get off on the right foot. Elizabeth helps her father with his research and Collin later comes to find out she also secretly teaches. Collin is intrigued and impressed by her. Not just her beauty, but her intelligence and quick wit captivate him and he enjoys bantering with her. In the time they spend together, he falls for Elizabeth and is more determined to take back his family's good name. When Collin begins gathering clues regarding the thieves using his name, he learns they are more dangerous than he suspected, and he and Elizabeth work together to solve the mystery.
This was an entertaining story with romance, mystery, and intrigue and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Collin and Elizabeth had great chemistry and their banter was fun and entertaining. An enjoyable enemies to lovers story! Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This didn't work for me. The characters were annoying to me and their romance is just forced with me. It’s unfortunate cause I enjoyed the author’s writing style so much. I am still willing to read from this author.

So apparently this book is the third book in the series by this author. I did not know that but now I will be going back to read the other two books. I liked Elizabeth she’s a very strong intelligent bluestocking that falls for the very willful Collin. I love the fact that Elizabeth secretly teaches a class for women. Collin keeps her on her toes in their back-and-forth banter since the grounds for unexpected love.

In the Eyes of the Earl was a fun and fast paced Historical Fiction. It was well written and the story pulled you in.

This book was engaging while I read it but honestly can't remember much of it after I finished it, I liked the two leads

I love the respect and love between father and daughter. Elizabeth was naive in many ways, but she held fast to her principles and what she wanted out of life. Collin was determined to forge ahead with his investigations to clear his name. His first sight of Elizabeth was an instant attraction that was electrifying and tantalizing. It was all the motivation Collin needed to bring his investigations to a successful close and remain alive.

What a sweet, entertaining romance set in Regency England. This is the third in The Cambriage Brotherhood series and has it all - suspense, mystery, and closed door romance. Collin Morgan, Earl of Penderdale is trying to figure out who is comitting crimes using his name. Elizabeth Essex is the daughter of a professor at Cambridge University, where she secretly teaches herself. Curcumstances lead to the two having to work together in this enemies to lovers romance.

I enjoyed the storyline and found this to be a delightful read with likable characters. Great for fans of Regency era romances, historical fiction and like, quick reads with a cuppa. I needed a respite from heavy, emotional reads and In the Eyes of the Earl by Kristin Vayden was just what I needed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristin Vayden and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC.. While not required to post a review I am delighted to do so. All thoughts are my own.

In the Eyes of the Earl by Kristin Vayden is a historical romance novel that blends philosophy and mystery. The book follows the story of Collin Morgan, who is the Earl of Penderdale, as he tries to uncover the person who has been committing crimes in his name. Elizabeth Essex, a secret learned woman, who teaches philosophy to the women of Cambridge is drawn into the mystery. Although they initially dislike each other, Elizabeth and Collin learn to work together and eventually realize that they are the perfect fit.

The novel starts slowly, with a lot of background information. Vayden sets up the story by establishing Collin's mystery as the victim of a crook stealing his identity and Elizabeth as a secret learned woman who takes care of bees. This detailed information can be a bit hard to follow, but Vayden does an excellent job of introducing the main characters.

Vayden focuses most of the novel on the mystery and Elizabeth's philosophy lessons, which are both interesting. However, the actual philosophy lessons can be dense and difficult to read at times, making it a bit of a challenge for readers who are not philosophy scholars. The mystery element is well done, and Vayden sets it up nicely, with satisfying revelations at the end that make for a good backdrop for this historical romance.

One of the drawbacks of the novel is that Collin and Elizabeth do not spend enough time together trying to solve the mystery. Most of the suspense and action involves Collin and Michael chasing criminals, while Elizabeth is stuck at home with Patricia focusing on her studies and teaching. This does not leave much space for the relationship to grow between the two main characters. While there are witty exchanges between Collin and Elizabeth, there needed to be more development of their relationship. The romance between Collin and Elizabeth feels rushed, and the declaration of love at the end doesn't feel entirely earned. It would have been much better to have Collin and Elizabeth as the main investigators without the distraction of Michael or Patricia.

Overall, the book takes some time to find its footing, but Vayden finds her stride around halfway through. The book picks up its pace, making it a good slow-burn historical romance with a touch of philosophy and mystery. It is recommended for anyone who enjoys this kind of book, but it is important to note that the book may be challenging for readers who are not philosophy scholars.

This is such a fun series. I love that this book focuses on Collin (Joan's brother). Having lost his twin is a different kind of loss for him than the rest of the brotherhood and at the beginning of the book it shows. He is no longer able to work to take his mind off of his loss so begins to loose himself in his despair. His relationship with our main character is a burst of sunshine in both of their lives. I laughed out loud so many times during this book. There wasn't a lot of spice but the banter was to die for. Can't wait for the next book in this series!

It’s not her beauty but her intellect what makes her stand out. That’s what Collin Morgan, Earl Penderdale and hero of the story, thinks on meeting Elizabeth Essex. She is the daughter of his mentor, the celebrated Professor Essex at Cambridge University. The earl is involved in the investigation of a mystery concerning his own name (someone is using it under false pretenses for nefarious affairs) and all the clues he has leads him to the town. On paying a visit to his old professor, he is introduced to Elizabeth, a young woman who helps her father in his researches and papers on the condition that she can’t stand out, since the place was forbidden for women in the Regency era (Women were allowed there in the latest Victorian decade, early 20th century). But her quick wit, her knowledge, her confidence makes her someone unique and that’s why Collin seeks her company. No other woman, save for his own sister, has ever bantered with him like that and he is intrigued by her.

But there’s more to our heroine than meets the eye. By day she navigates the libraries and colleges of Cambridge trying to make herself invisible and learning as much as she can, by night she teaches other women who want to expand their intellectual horizons beyond what governesses, nannies and tutors are allowed to go.

This romance is so unlike many others I’ve read before, it’s refreshing. It’s a slow burn in the narration though short in time, but what I found quite interesting about Elizabeth’s and Collin’s dynamics is that their path is a proper one historically speaking. They have moments where they are alone before they ever acknowledge their attractions even to themselves, but those are moments of conversation or rather verbal fights, there’s no bad blood between them, just challenging words and funny comments. However they don’t have any kind of romantic behavior until after Collin properly asks permission to court Elizabeth; in contemporary terms, they meet and become acquaintances and only then they start dating. I haven’t read many books with courtship in them, or at least the courtship only happened after a few kisses or sometimes after the deal is no longer reversible (you know what I mean), so this book is really about two very smart, very intelligent people and their romance. And the romance is in the details, the reason why they slowly, but surely, and of course unexpectedly they fall in love is in the details. And it all starts with a confusion for both of them.

This book got me thinking on why I love reading romance and why I love historicals the most. This genre, writers like Kristin Vayden, remind me that there’s still beauty in the stories, in the characters and the plot. That the goal to achieve is the happily ever after, the love. And that’s so much more enjoyable when it is deserved, not when it’s granted. If you know, you know.

This is a great addition to this series. The plot is interesting, the characters amazing and the romance sweet. I do think this is a little too long and slow in places. Outside of that I enjoyed this book immensely.

In the Eyes of the Earl, by Kristin Vayden, is a historical romance filled with philosophy and mystery. Collin Morgan, Earl of Penderdale, needs to find who has been committing crimes in his name. Elizabeth Essex has been secretly teaching the women of Cambridge about philosophy. When they first meet neither one is impressed with the other. As they learn to work together, they might find that they are actually the perfect fit.

This novel has a slow start in terms of the relationship between Elizabeth and Collin. There is a lot of background that the author has to do to set up the story. Vayden has to set up Collin’s mystery the crook stealing his name, and she has to set up Elizabeth as a secret learned women (who takes care of bees). This complicated setup means that Collin and Elizabeth do not have their first interaction until about 30 pages into the book. The background information did seem a little dense at time, but Vayden does do a good job of introducing her love interests.

Vayden places the majority of the focus of the novel on the mystery and Elizabeth’s teaching. I enjoyed that Elizabeth was bucking social customs and teaching her friends about philosophy. However, I could have done with less of the actual philosophy lessons. They often grew dense and hard to read, if you are not a philosophy scholar. The mystery element was interesting. Vayden does a good job of setting it up, and revelations at the end are satisfying. It made for a good back drop for this historical romance.

The novel, as a whole, would have been better served if Collin and Elizabeth spent more time trying to solve the mystery together. Much of the suspense and action of the novel involves Collin and Michael. They are out chasing criminals, while Elizabeth is stuck at home. Otherwise, Elizabeth is with Patricia focusing on her studies and her teaching. This does not leave much space for the relationship to grow between Collin and Elizabeth. Vayden does an excellent job writing the witty exchanges between Collin and Elizabeth. They are quick and funny. There just needed to be more building of the relationship. They go from dislike, to friendship, to love very quickly in the novel. The declaration of love at the end doesn’t feel earned. It would have been much better to have Collin and Elizabeth be the main investigators, without the distraction of Michael or Patricia.

Overall, this novel was slow in finding its footing. Vayden finds her stride around half way through, and the novel does pick up its pace. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a slow burn historical romance, and happens to be a fan of philosophy.

A clean and proper romance. Not even closed door because they never make it to the door. Elizabeth's mother died when Elizabeth was 10. Her father, a philosophy professor at Cambridge University, was allowed to bring her with him to work as long as she remained unseen. This went on for 10 years. Now, Elizabeth tries to be invisible, skulking down hallways to get to the the library. She managed to get an education by peering into classrooms and working with her father as an assistant. Collin, a former student, is back in Cambridge to track down the person or persons who is using his name to commit crimes. It's instant dislike between the two of them. Both like to always be right! Elizabeth's struggle to be more than allowed for women at the time was compelling. What I found so odd and distracting was the use of the phrase "twisted his lips." I mean it was constant throughout the book for each character. "He twisted his lips," She twisted her lips," Collin twisted his lips." Who does that?

4 1/2*STARS*
Collin Morgan, the Earl of Penderdale, is on a mission. Someone is using his name for nefarious purposes. The trail leads to Cambridge where he seeks out one of his former professors. He encounters the professor's daughter in a hall of Cambridge which is taboo for women. Their constant verbal banter becomes a ritual of courting. With the help of a local, he gathers clues to the thieves using his name. It's more dangerous than he expected. Finding the woman he loves makes him more determined to take back his name. Flows with a fast pace with witty (snicker, snicker) banter. A clean romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This is an intriguing, suspenseful and romantic story. The characters are interesting and very likable. The ending has an unexpected twist, and is well done. I enjoyed it very much.

Collin Morgan, the Earl of Penderdale, needs answers, someone has been committing crimes in his name, which has caused him to be suspended from his work in the War office. This is unacceptable and he is determined to find the criminal who is ruining his life! His search leads him to an old friend at Cambridge and the man’s annoying, bluestocking daughter, Elizabeth. It is clear that Elizabeth doesn’t think too highly of Collin, but when he learns her secret, he uses the knowledge to gain her help in his investigation, and he is unsurprised that they make a good team. But when a decision he makes places her in danger, there is nothing he won’t do to keep her safe.

Elizabeth Essex has lived most of her life at Cambridge, she is educated in a way that most women could never dream of, and she is brilliant in her own right. She believes it is unfair that women cannot attend classes at the college and seeks to right that wrong by secretly teaching women. When Elizabeth collides with Collin while he is in pursuit of someone, she learns why he is at Cambridge and they call a truce. Working together, they will figure out who is impersonating him and reclaim his good name and just maybe fall in love along the way.

This was another intriguing installment of the Cambridge Brotherhood that has a very slow-burning, no-heat romance featuring an enemies-to-lovers trope. The book has a decent mystery and is filled with witty banter, an intelligent heroine, a charming hero, tea smuggling, secrets, leads that like to push each other’s buttons, bees, great secondary characters, and a HEA complete with an epilogue. I do wish there had been some steam in this story, not that the book suffered from the lack, but I still think it would have enhanced the book. This is the third book in the series and while it can be read as a standalone title, I would recommend reading the series in order.

3.5 stars, Rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Collin Morgan, Earl of Penderdale, meets Elizabeth Essex when he goes to Cambridge University to meet his old instructor, Professor Essex, her father. Elizabeth has been living in the shadows of the college while her father teaches with the understanding that she must not be noticed by the other faculty or those who gave her father his position. Collin is seeking the person or persons who has been committing crimes in his name. He forms an alliance with Michael Finch a local in the area to help him seek out the true criminals. Michael is the brother of Patricia, who attends classes taught by Elizabeth. Collin and Elizabeth rub each other the wrong way when they first meet but after seeing each other at the Finches home they each notice an attraction to the other. Collin tries to ignore the attraction as Michael has informed him that he is attracted to Elizabeth and will approach her about engaging in a relationship together. After Elizabeth is attacked walking home and Collin comes across her and walks her home, they agree to use their Christian names for each other when they are alone. Collin agrees not to inform Michael of the attack as he only walked Elizabeth part of the way home and would feel guilty knowing she was attacked afterwards. After his search for the criminals goes on, Collin determines it could get dangerous and he fears that they could come after Elizabeth. He asks her father if he and Elizabeth would consider going to London for a visit so that he could break up the criminal ring and not worry about harm coming to Elizabeth.

This story was good, it didn't have much steam but it showed the progression of Collin and Elizabeth's attraction which started out as adversaries arguing over theory. During their conversations an attraction that neither of them could deny grew and the search for the criminals provided intrigue which had me reading to discover who they were.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving a review.