Quirky, fun, romantic.
Hot nerdy scientist who can do lots of press ups (He gives major Stephen Nedoroscik vibes: glasses, super smart, deceptively strong and agile)
Strong, feisty berserker queen who wants to behead her enemies.
What's not to love?

I absolutely adored Elizabeth (though she'd likely cut my ear off for such sentimentality) and Stephen is VIBES!!! Major pants feelings for this hot nerd. At times over the top but in the best way, this was just a fun read and I love the found family of the Wynchesters, as always. Stephen was PERFECT for Elizabeth in every way and an obvious need to the family. Didn't want it to end.

The entire Wynchester series is delightful chaotic, but I think this story takes the crown. It centers around Elizabeth Wynchester, swordswoman extraordinaire, and Stephen Lenox, an inventor tricked into pretending to be his cousin, an Earl. Elizabeth and Stephen do not have the best of first meetings, but soon find they've met their match in each other. When the rest of the Wynchester siblings show up to help defend a castle from a Viscount determined to use it to re-enact the Battle of Waterloo (complete with cannons), they show just how clever and resourceful they all are when it comes to outwitting their opponents.

I enjoy this series very much, but I think this story can stand on its own. Definitely a must read!

Hot Earl Summer is the 5th book in the Wild Wynchesters Series but it can be easily read as a stand alone. I do love this found family with their intense loyalty, quirky personalities and the drive to help the helpless! Hot Earl Summer brings the youngest sibling, Elizabeth, to the forefront as she is sent on a mission without other members of her family. She is talented in swords, battle axes and knives but questions her worth to the family business as she compares herself to her brothers, sisters and new in laws. This assignment is of most importance because it will allow Elizabeth to show her value to her family.
Elizabeth is an excellent main character filled with courage, intelligence and drive. She is curvy and endowed with a generous bust who deals with a disability that gives her chronic pain and effects her daily choices. Bravo to Erica for writing a main character with this type of challenge!
Stephen Lennox is the shy, inventor who is living in the castle that Elizabeth has vowed to protect from the evil Duke determined to take possession in what ever manner necessary. Stephen, a lifelong loner with a creative mind, lives a solitary life estranged from his family. He watches in wonder as Elizabeth tries to chop through the door to gain entry and once she is inside, blushes as she admires the many inventions he has around the house. She chooses to stay in the castle for both their safety and as he continues to tinker with his creations, he is drawn into her quest solve the mystery of the missing will !
I loved the unfolding of their love story as two who thought they would always be alone discovered that they had a chance at love. Elizabeth has to reveal to Stephen her physical challenges and the way he steps in and works to understand her needs without overstepping pulled at my heart! To me, this is the heart of the story encased in the entertaining historical read!
I enjoyed Hot Earl Summer and am looking forward to the next book in her Wild Wynchesters Series!
i received an advanced readers copy and am leaving a voluntary review based solely on my reading experiences.

100% my favorite of the series! Top notch, Tessa Dare level, banter. Absolutely over the top characters, charm, and adventure all inside a castle set with murderous traps. I absolutely adored this book!

When Miss Oak comes to them for help, all the other Wynchesters are occupied, so Elizabeth is assigned the task of finding her sister’s will and the deed to her castle. Unfortunately, the Earl of Densmore gambled the castle away even though he had no right to. It is Eliabeth’s job to find the deed and thwart the villain. When she arrives at the castle, she is not received. Taking things into her own hands, she eventually succeeds. Now she meets Stephen Lenox, cousin to the earl and tinkerer extraordinaire. Elizabeth is determined to accomplish her mission and protect Stephen and herself. When danger lays siege to the castle Stephen, Elizabeth, and the Wynchesters combine their skills to try to hold the castle and win the day. Somewhere along the way Elizabeth and Stephen fall in love. Frightened to give in to such strong emotion, they part. Will they find a way back to each other? This is another great story in the Wynchesters’ saga. The story is laugh-out-loud funny in places, a lot of places, and downright serious when it is called for. Elizabeth is brave, opinionated (bloodshed may sometimes be necessary), and good with her sword. Stephen is just as clever in other ways. He is intelligent and meticulous. He is caring and wants to make things better for others. While it may not seem so, I think Elizabeth has found her perfect someone. Great Story!

I enjoyed reading Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

This was an unexpectedly fun and ridiculous ride (in a good way). This is a historical romance with a delightfully quirky, nerdy couple. I am not sure how I missed out on the previous books of this series, but I have to go back and read them all. I jumped into book #5 and loved all the characters! The Wynchesters are siblings, found family and are investigators in Victorian England. Sword-wielding Elizabeth is a bit rough around the edges, but an excellent fighter. She does have an issue with her joints, but throughout the story readers will see how she copes.
Elizabeth is tasked with finding a will for a castle that was supposed to be an orphanage and school. The Earl lost the castle in a card game after his mother’s death, but the will needs to be found so that the wager will be invalid. Elizabeth arrives at the castle to find that the Earl has fled and the castle is occupied by his inventor cousin. He has the place booby-trapped because his neighbor is trying to seize the castle. Between Elizaabeth’s sword fighting and Stephen’s machines, they are going to try to hold off the invasion (for which tickets were sold!). As they get to know each other, they find they are perfect for each other. The writing is funny and the situations are crazy at times, but this makes for a very entertaining read. I love how Stephen tries to accommodate Elizabeth, without knowing the whole story. Swoon. Lots of action and comedy in this book. A definite series to add to your TBR pile.

What does one do when one gets a self appointed bodyguard?

This was a fun, summer read. Hot Earl Summer is a witty read with very contemporary notes.
Elizabeth loves her cane with a sword inside and hedgehogs. She likes to spar, both verbally and with her sword.

Stephan is pretending to be his cousin, he's actually an inventor. His protector is Elizabeth...and he does want her by his side when his enemies attack.
A fun, summer recommend.

The latest and greatest adventure of the Wynchester family by Erica Ridley. While set in the historical era, the story could have easily been contemporary. The plot was well written, action packed and full of new exploits for the family that solves cases for people who are in need of assistance when they are unable to get a resolution on their own. Hot Earl Summer is the story of how Elizabeth Wynchester meets Stephen Lenox and conquers his heart while trying to solve a puzzle for her client and prove her ownership in a castle that is thought to have been gambled away by its owner of record, the Earl of Densmore. I was engrossed in the book until the epilogue and although my ideas of how it would end didn't occur, I am more than pleased with how the author ended the story. Just what I needed to break out of the monotony of the same old historical romance.

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

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, clever, steamy, action-packed and inclusive. I didn't want to put it down and couldn't stop reading it. I enjoyed this book and will look for more books by this author.

Hot Earl Summer (The Wild Wynchesters #5)-I read it as a standalone and wasn't lost.

By Erica Ridley-new to me author

Publication 8-6-24, Read 8-6-24

Format: e-book 360 pgs.

Genre: Regency Romance, Adult Fic

Tropes: opposites attract, forced proximity, adventure/action, feminism, sword fighting, and slapstick comedy

FMC: Elizabeth Wynchester/Beth the Berserker-31, bold, curvy spinster who loves a good fight. She has chronic joint pain but fights villains with her cane to bring justice to those who can't do it themselves.

MMC: Stephen Lenox/Earl of Densmore/Tinker-a nerdy, reclusive inventor pretending to be his cousin the earl but gets trapped in the castle filled with booby traps. When someone tries to take over the castle, Elizabeth helps Lenox defend it and him as his bodyguard.

🤔My Thoughts: The opposites attract trope is one of my favorites and this doesn't disappoint. Elizabeth is a fighter and warrior at heart, while Lenox uses his imagination making contraptions. They are both outsiders in society and find solace in each other. I will definitely have to go back and read the other books because of the Wynchesters found family filled with misfits.

Overall Rating
4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🙏🏽Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

4.5/5 stars. Hot Earl Summer is the fifth book in The Wild Wynchesters.

I’ve been looking forward to Elizabeth’s story and felt it showcased her perfectly. There was plenty bloodthirsty and sword wielding moments. But it was also heartwarming and endearing.

I loved the quirkiness of the MC and how cute and nerdy they were together. The hero is a reclusive tinker that also has an impressive abdomen that he isn’t afraid to show off, nor is Elizabeth too shy to appreciate. The connection he develops with Elizabeth is different from anyone else he’s met. Elizabeth also realizes things about herself she needs to improve on and getting out of the comfort zone she’d built for herself.

If you’ve been a fan of this series, there’s several themes that are continued in this book - found family, teamwork, celebrating individual strengths, listening to what others need, and acceptance.

I enjoyed the treasure hunt and that while it’s a bit obscure, it didn’t over shadow the book. It was fun, adventurous and lighthearted. There’s other parts that I loved how they were done but don’t want to give too much away.

The love between Stephen and Elizabeth isn’t displayed as a passionate love affair. But was caring, kind, and deep to where it gave me warm fuzzy feelings. There’s only one encounter with several kisses prior and off the page encounters alluded to afterwards. I found it to be lower steam.

I received an advance ebook from Forever via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Regency mf rom com with action and adventure. I loved both leads and really enjoyed the writing style. I didn't realize this was 5th in a series (standalone so not a problem) and plan on reading The Duke Heist and following books asap.

Oh, how I adore the Wild Wynchesters, and Erica Ridley!

This series has kept me on my toes and thoroughly entertained me the last few years. I’m going to be so sad when it ends after the next and final book!

This book though, was so not what I expected from Elizabeth!! She was so much braver and so much more feisty than I ever picked up on in the rest of the series, or at least far more than Ridley ever gave us a peek of. I love her! She’s a lot of fun and how she interacted with Stephen right from the moment that Beth the Berserker was released… oh, joy!

This book was such a pleasure and while I’ve loved every single page of the entire series (and even the novellas which I just went back to read before this one), I may have to replace Wallflower with this as my new fave. Sorry, Tommy and Phillippa! The dynamic duo and contrast between this pair is everything!

I loved this one so much (4.5-stars!) - whether you’re a long-time fan of Ridley or new to her books, this is definitely a recommendation from me! You could totally read this as a standalone, but honestly, with writing as fantastic as hers, and characters as brilliant as the Wynchesters, you should most definitely go back and read this entire series from the beginning!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

This was just such ridiculous fun! I don’t even know how to explain what I just read. It was sweet and funny, deep and inspiring all at once. Elizabeth’s cheerful bloodthirstiness is balanced by Stephen’s logical, methodical nature. On the surface, they’re the definition of “opposites attract”, but they have so much in common in their hearts. I adored this pair together and I kind of hate that the book is over already. If for no other reason than that I have to wait for my next dose of Wynchester shenanigans. However, that’s also made me more desperate than ever to get my hands on the next book once it’s available.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Hot Earl Summer is the fifth Wild Wynchester novel, which follows Elizabeth Wynchester as a mission throws her into the path of the reclusive inventor and Earl of Dinsmore, Stephen Lenox.

I don't think Erica Ridley could write Wynchesters installment that I don't like, and Hot Earl Summer is just further evidence of that belief. These books are fun, funny, hot, and heartwarming, and they are always a joy to read. The best part of it all is that each book is even more absurd than the last, with the zany Wynchester crew getting up to even more unbelievable hijinks. It's just overall a remarkably pleasant time, and one of those series I will always go back to any time I want something that will make me smile. I can't wait for more!

Elizabeth is by far the most… jabby… of the Winchesters. With her trusty sword she can get anything done. When Miss Oak comes to the Winchesters for help, it’s clear that this sword wielding spitfire is the only one up to the task of finding a lost will. Miss Oak and her late sister Arminia spent the past ten years planning to turn the property into an orphanage, but without the original will entrusting the land to her, there’s nothing her lawyer can do. Elizabeth marches up to the doors of Castle Harbrook expecting to find the dastardly Earl of Densmore that squandered away the deed, but instead finds a timid tinker in his place.

The Earl has vanished leaving his reclusive cousin in charge. It’s up to Elizabeth to find the lost will that’s hidden somewhere inside, but her first hurdle will be entering the castle. Luckily, Stephen’s wild inventions are no match for Beth the Berserker. Elizabeth and Stephen become quite the pair as they try to solve Arminia’s clues, and fight the real Earl of Densmore’s battles.

This book was so much fun. It’s filled with humorous quips and wild characters. Elizabeth’s family is hilariously strange. I loved watching the comically normal Stephen interact with them. This book was fast paced and filled with near constant battles, and well crafted inventions. I loved trying to guess what would happen next.

Hot Earl Summer had the best disability rep! Elizabeth suffers from chronic pain. The way she categorized her pain into percentages was so interesting. I loved the time she took to advocate for herself, and the way she put Stephen in his place when he tried to overstep his bounds. It was so powerful to see the way she continued to find
strength even when she wasn’t feeling 100%. We need more representation like this!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Erica Ridley for the copy of this eARC.

4.5 stars.

I forgot how much fun the world of the Wild Wychesters is. Hot Earl Summer stars Elizabeth: the swashbuckling, sword carrying, chronically disabled berserker.

She meets her match in Stephen. I never thought we'd meet a character that is more whimsical or off-the-wall than the rest of the Winchesters, but Stephen has moved into my favorite character slot.

Hot Earl Summer made me laugh out loud, smile happily, and also want to strangle a certain character sometimes. I despaired of Elizabeth ever allowing herself to be vulnerable, but I was glad she and Stephen created a real, emotional connection.

Only one sibling left and I feel like it'll be a doozy!

Thanks to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and the author for a free eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I, unfortunately, have very mixed feelings about this book. While there were some aspects that I really enjoyed about this book, there were also some that were a little lacklustre. I loved the fierceness of the main female character, Elizabeth, which was humanized by her experience with chronic pain, making her more relatable. Stephen, the main male character and love interest, was also a likeable mix of engineer and eye-candy. However, while nice as characters, that didn't really translate well into the romance which progressed very fast with no depth or exploration of their feelings for each other. The book also tended to go on for a bit too long and could have used some editing to maintain the reader's attention.

Another fun romp by Erica Ridley

I really enjoy Erica Ridley's books and Hot Earl Summer was one of my favorites! We have a saucy heroine and a scrumptious hero, what's not to like! Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-limited e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.