It pains me to give a book by Erica Ridley a poor review as I usually love her novels, but I just couldn't get into this one. I haven't read the previous books in the series so I wasn't prepared for the very different tone and style of her writing. I found Elizabeth just too hard to like. She's so over-the-top in much of what she does that it's more farcical than comical. Much of her behavior is what you would expect from a precocious child, not an adult woman. And the whole siege at the end was just too ridiculous to be taken seriously. I thought it would have been interesting for an author's note at the end to explain what the cause of Elizabeth's health problems was - was it chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, another disorder that would cause muscle fatigue and pain? Stephen is fine as the male lead, but his early comments about how women to him held little more value than bed partners made him slightly unlikable. The mystery regarding finding the missing will was interesting and kept the story moving forward. I know this series gets a lot of positive reviews, it just wasn't for me.

Oh hey it’s meeeeeee I’m reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Prepare yourself for some book screaming because I finished Hot Earl Summer yesterday and haven’t been able to think of anything else.

This is the 5th book in The Wild Wynchesters series by Erica Ridley, but can absolutely be read as a standalone (as I did). This book is a regency historical romance (Bridgerton besties, assemble) and it focuses on Elizabeth Wynchester.

As part of an amazingly talented and selfless family, Elizabeth is tasked with a solo mission to help an older woman locate the last will and deed of her late sister and her castle. When Elizabeth arrives to the castle, she’s surprised to see that the Earl who is meant to be home has absconded and left his reclusive cousin, Stephen, in his place. Stephen is witty, inventive, and… sturdy 😉. He’s spent his whole life tinkering with inventions and being ostracized because of it. As a result, he’s put up metaphorical walls that he’s sure no one can break down. Until Elizabeth comes barreling into his life. She’s always up for a challenge and… seems to be happily wielding battle axes?

So right off the bat, Elizabeth is probably my favorite FMC of all time. She is such a badass and I want nothing more than to be her bestie. She has a disability (I’m thinking RA) and the rep is incredible. She doesn’t let her disability define her, but she also takes the time she needs to recover and frequently checks in with herself, which I loved seeing. Stephen is an absolute golden retriever. He wants nothing more than to make others happy. He’s caring, kind, and looks at Elizabeth as if she hung the moon and stars. Their dynamic is perfection; filled with humor, passion, and trust.

I have 38276419 more amazing things to say about this book, which includes some of the best highlights I’ve ever highlighted in the history of highlighting.

I laughed, I cried (happy tears), I immediately added the rest of the series to my tbr/wishlist.

Hot Early Summer is out August 6th and you definitely won’t want to miss this one!

Thank you so much to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC

If you've been following me for a while, you know I LOVE Erica Ridley's Wild Wynchesters series. This was book number five and finally gave us our stabby queen's romance. Elizabeth has been my favorite of the siblings for a while now. I love her bloodthirsty desire to stab first and ask questions later so I was thrilled to see her meet her match in Mr. Stephen Lenox.

Elizabeth is sent on a solo mission to help solve the mystery of a missing will and when she arrives at the castle to confront the Earl of Densmore, absolutely nothing goes as she expects it to. From the missing Earl to the sexist war reenactors trying to take over the castle to falling in love with Lenox, Elizabeth is kept on her toes the entire time. She and Stephen decide to work together to solve the puzzles in the quest to find the missing will before it's too late.

I freaking loved the ride Ridley takes us readers on while Elizabeth and Stephen fall in love. Their banter, DEAR GODDESS THEIR BANTER. I also loved how Stephen saw Elizabeth as a person and didn't treat her differently because of her chronic illness/pain. I just loved this book so much. Both leads were incredible and I think this is now my favorite in the series. I say this every single time though so I might not be the most reliable.

Hot Earl Summer comes out August 6 and is available for pre-order wherever you buy books!

I loved this atypical romance. It's not what you would expect in Regency story. The book was funny, wacky, and a little obsurd. The cast of characters were diverse and their personalities show through. Our FMC has chronic pain and it was potrayed in a realistic manner. It's not nessessary to read the previous books in this series, however, it can help a little with understanding and overall enjoyment. Overall, this book was hard to put down, hillarious, and is one of the best I've read so far this year.
* I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

A cute, quirky, and totally fun romp.

This is the fifth book in an interconnected series about the Wynchesters - a found family of misfits who stand up and fight against injustices, for those who can’t fight for themselves (read: stand up for the little guy, in sometimes morally gray ways).

You absolutely do NOT need to have read the previous books in the series, this was my first and the author provides plenty of context to fill you in on the vital information you need from previous books.

What I loved…
- curvy FMC who is stabby (I love of take no crap FMC)
- disability rep - our FMC has chronic pain and I LOVED seeing her be a badass despite it!
- found family to the max! I loved getting to meet all the Wynchesters without feeling like I was missing too much by not having read the previous books!
- Nerdy inventor MMC with drool-worthy abs bc he stress exercises? I ate that up!

What I didn’t love…
- pace was a little too slow for a rom-com, the battle scene alone was enough to make me want to skip a few pages.
- I thought there was a significant lack of chemistry between our MCs

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Publishing) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Sadly, the streak of “mid” books in Erica Ridley’s Wild Wynchesters continues with book 5, Hot Earl Summer. And considering all of them have the same issues for me, I wonder how much of it is me coming to these with the wrong expectations, and how much revolves around technical issues, as while I’ve consistently enjoyed most of Erica Ridley’s self-published work, most of those are shorter in length, and I feel like her struggle to consistently write tradpub novel-length books for each member of a large family is exposing her weaknesses as a writer more and more. I simultaneously feel like there’s a lot of infodumping to establish who everyone is, bogging the book down, yet it also feels like each book would be hard to read without grasping the relationships formed over the last several.
But the family element does remain the strongest part of the book. While it’s always zany and ridiculous in a good way, I do like the genuine bonds that continuously form as the Wynchesters pull off these wild capers. And each new member, courtesy of the star Wynchester of the book pairing off, is seamlessly integrated, and that’s absolutely the case here too.
Speaking of which, the characters are another strength. I see quite a bit of myself in the reclusive, awkward Stephen. While I’m nowhere near the genius he is, I love his sentiments about not fitting in with the world, and how meeting the Wynchesters was him “finding his people.”
Elizabeth is also delightful, and I love her daring, swashbuckling nature. She also deals with chronic pain, and I appreciate how her desire to be useful and prove her value was navigated, both as it relates to struggles disabled and chronically ill people deal with daily, but also as it parallels Stephen's own desire to find purpose for his life.
But while they are cute together, I found the romance generally tepid at best. And while there are some high-stakes hijinks, I never felt the sense that these two needed to be together for everything to work. The story also utilized one of my pet hates, having the characters begin a casual affair, without backing it up with emotional reasons I should invest in this being more than that. They also didn’t have a ton of physical chemistry to begin with, so either way, I wasn’t won over, and he could have just become another Wynchester brother through them “adopting” him.
With the increasingly lackluster nature of the series, I don’t know if it’s worth continuing, even if I do want to see more adventures with the family. But if this aspect is something you enjoy and you’re not bothered by a very low-stakes historical romance, I’d recommend giving this a chance to see if it works better for you.

The Wynchester's series is always a fun romp and sure to have laugh out loud moments and this book in the series is no exception! It's not my favorite of the series between the insta lust and the secondary plot which just didn't super interest me, but I'm really excited for Jacob's book!

I adored the disability rep as well as the social anxiety rep and thought the conversations about how Stephen could support Elizabeth when she wasn't feeling her best were really sweet. I loved Elizabeth's penchance for violence and swordwielding abilities and Stephen's tinkering.

Thank you to @readforeverpub for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Not my favorite in this series, but still a fun & wild time! The best part is definitely the Wynchester siblings as a whole and our protagonist Elizabeth in particular. Despite having a chronic illness, she participates in missions with the rest of them and loves to wield blades. She and Stephen meet when she attacks the castle he's staying in to win it back for its rightful owner. Though they begin as enemies, they grow to realize that they might have some common interests.

I tore through this book. The Wynchesters continue to be a delightful quirky group to read about and this one was no exception. I love stories when two people who are truly themselves find each other. This was quite silly and I loved every minute of it

Dive into a historical romance that's as hilarious as it is heartfelt. Meet Elizabeth Wynchester, the sword-wielding heroine, and Stephen Lenox, the hermit-like genius. They're the square pegs in society's round holes. Sparks fly and banter ensues, making for a love story that's as unpredictable as a duel with dessert spoons.

The author weaves a tale that's a delight to read, with a world so rich you'll feel like you're wearing a corset. Elizabeth and Stephen's tug-of-war is a dance of wit and warmth that'll have you rooting for love's victory. For a tale that tickles your funny bone and tugs at your heartstrings, grab this book. It's a rom-com with a historical twist! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I so loved reading, Hot Earl Summer. It gives off Umbrella Academy, vibes to me.
Elizabeth has a condition that leaves her with muscle spasms that make it so she is unable to move without pain. Never do find out what causes it. This causes her to not be 100% Elizabeth. Stephen aways sees her as 100% Elizabeth. He wonders what his life will end up like without Elizabeth in his life. He sees a future with her and wil do what it takes, even taking his shirt off, to win her.

Rompy and adventurous and so exciting! I may be biased towards this series because I am so enchanted by this series. Elizabeth is so authentic and bold while Stephen Lennox is her perfect mirror. He is also unhinged but perhaps a bit more gentle-natured than Elizabeth. The portrayal of chronic illness meant the world to me; living with a chronic illness limiting your ability to live life on your terms is something so difficult of an experience to encompass but her body's limitations do not limit Elizabeth's passion.
The Wynchester's are one of my favorite fictional families and with each installment, I feel that the world grows richer and the bonds between Wynchester's grow deeper. This series has a sense of silliness that makes the reading journey fun!

Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley is a delightful and humorous read. The main characters are intricately developed, adding a realistic and nuanced touch to the story. Overall, the novel is completely enchanting.

This was such a fun read. I laughed so much and the banter was done so well. Elisabeth is such a spitfire and I love her. They’re both somewhat awkward but worked so well together. Now I want to read the others in this series!

When Elizabeth Wynchester is sent, axes in hand, on a solo mission by her family to investigate an earl who gambled away an estate that was wrongfully willed to him, she finds an imposter at the end of her sword. Elisabeth and Stephen must hunt for a missing deed before the estate is completely overrun by a hoard of over enthusiastic war reenactors, a battalion of over the top inventions, and Elisabeth’s entire family.

I think that Elisabeth’s story was one that I’ve been hotly anticipating since the beginning of the Wild Wynchesters series— who could possibly be the perfect match for the absolute force that is the biggest spitfire of the family. Did I ever consider it being a quiet inventor hiding away in his cousin’s estate? Never. But does it make absolute perfect sense? Completely.

I adored this book as a continuation of a series that I know and love, but as it stands on its own, Hot Earl Summer is a wild romp starring characters who not only embody opposites attract, but provide a very well-rounded view of Elisabeth’s experience with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome on both her good and bad days with it. It is both laugh out loud funny and genuinely tender, and I cannot recommend this series enough.

HOT EARL SUMMER is a steamy regency romance and the fifth installment in the WILD WYNCHESTERS series, though it's not necessary to read the other books to understand this one. when elizabeth (otherwise known as beth the berserker) is sent on a mission to the earl of densmore's castle, the last thing she expects is to find herself trapped inside with the reclusive inventor stephen lenox, who's been pretending to be the earl while his cousin has been missing.

this is the most chaotic, fun and hilarious historical romance i've ever read and i absolutely adored every minute of it. i have only read one of the other wynchester books but you bet i'm going to go back to read the rest now, based on how much fun i had reading this one!! i also loved how both elizabeth and stephen were neurodivergent, and that, along with elizabeth's disability, only added depth to the romance between the two of them.

read if you like
- big swords (not a euphemism)
- castle siege but make it sexy
- socially awkward MCs

thanks to forever for the advanced copy! HOT EARL SUMMER comes out august 6.

this book was Camp with a major Capital C lol

I didn't realize until about 20 percent in that this was part of an interconnected standalone series and perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I read the previous books. I found the plethora of characters overwhelming and all a bit quirky, and I think if I had the context of the previous books I may have enjoyed them more.

In terms of historical romance, this book is certainly atypical which is great, but I personally found a lot of the elements a little too focused on humor and slapstick rather than the romance development.

honestly I probably would have rated this a 2.5 but the title gives it a half point because it's such a good title

The Wild Wynchesters series has everything you could hope for in a Regency romance. This one was no exception. Also, as someone dating someone with chronic pain myself, it was such a wonderfully accurate portrait of the issues that go along with it. Stephen is a really fun love interest and this was a page turner!

This book is Elizabeth's story in the Wynchester series - and I loved it! What I loved most is how strong Elizabeth is portrayed as being despite her disability. I enjoyed the antics she gets up to - and how Stephen embraces the chaos that she is. This novel was the perfect weekebd read for me - it was fast-paced and made me chuckle. The book definitely is one that uplifts your mood - and is the perfect addition to a series that I love.