In this delightful Regency romance - by turns steamy and sweet, with a substantial espionage thriller element that seems feels apropros - socially awkward Lydia travels to Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience to her penpal, the Earl of a falling-down castle. But her penpal isn't actually the Earl, and he's missing, and he might be a French spy, so Lydia and the real Earl - a sad, gentle giant who helps his tenants to farm stuff and also makes important engineering advances - embark on a never-enough-beds road trip to find him.

That might sound confusing and it is, a little bit, but I never really cared. Despite the madcap elements of the story, the emotional focus remains tight on the central couple, their emotional wounds, and their developing feelings. The result is a charming, highly readable romp with plenty of action and a gooey emotional core.

Second in a series, but reads well as a standalone. 5+ stars.

Really enjoyed this one!

This was fun and sweet and silly and I was here for all of it. I really enjoy Vasti’s writing style and found myself reaching for this. I love a fake engagement trope, and the characters had really great chemistry.

A fun and suspenseful historical romance, with a great central couple, a fun setting and lots of action and steamy moments.

After years of correspondence with the Earl of Strathrannoch, political activist and author Miss Lydia Hope-Wallace has decided to make a bold move and has traveled to Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience to the Earl. Too bad the Earl has no idea who she is! Mortified Lydia tries to leave, but a zebra stampede and an Earl who needs her help, change her plans. And so, begins a wild road trip and the chance for a once in a lifetime type of love, as long as her own self-doubts don’t prevent her from risking her heart.

Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch is stunned when a lovely young woman comes to his door and proposes marriage. Too bad she thinks he is his younger brother Davis, but maybe he could ask for her to find him, as he is worried that his brother has stolen his latest invention for nefarious reasons. Arthur can’t help but to fall for Lydia, she is everything he could have ever wanted in a woman, but he believes that she is in love with his brother and tries to keep his distance. But the more time they spend together, the harder it gets. And when they are following a lead and are caught in a compromising position, Lydia says they are newlyweds, Arthur begins to have hope that maybe her feelings for Davis aren’t as serious as he thought. But just when he thinks they are headed for happily ever after, his own feelings of inadequacy may cost him the love of a lifetime.

I will be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book and almost passed on this ARC, but thankfully, I decided to give the book a chance and I am so happy I did! This book is a delightful read, filled with imperfect characters, dear friends, a protective family, spies, secrets, zebras, steamy love scenes, insecurities, a beautiful soulmate-type love, and finally a happily ever after with the sweetest epilogue I have read in quite some time. I did feel like the book dragged in places, but OMG – Arthur – he more than makes up for that and is now on my top five favorite heroes of all time and has been elevated to book-boyfriend status. This is the second book in the series (it doesn’t seem to have an official series title, but I am calling it Belvoir’s) and could be read as a standalone title without any problems. Needless to say, I would happily recommend this book to my fellow HR readers and am looking forward to the next installment!

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

I made this my first read of 2025 for a reason. Alexandra Vasti has done it again, and this book is absolute perfection. The pining, the shenanigans, just everything.

I will read anything and everything that Vasti writes and I cannot wait for Georgiana's book later this year!

ARC Review: Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Earl Crush is a Regency Era rom-com that follows Lydia Hope-Wallace, a 26 year old heiress with a quick wit and an interest in politics. For months, Lydia has been exchanging politically motivated letters with the Earl of Strathrannoch, and arrives uninvited at his doorstep in Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience. She is shocked to learn however that she has not been corresponding with the real Earl of Strathrannoch, Arthur Baird. In fact, it’s Arthur’s brother Davis whom Lydia had been conversing with, though he deceived her into thinking he was the real Earl. Arthur convinces Lydia to help him track down his brother, who appears to be involved in a possibly dangerous political espionage plot.

Earl Crush was 10x hotter than I anticipated. Lydia and Arthur did so much pining and lusting for one another and it was to die for! It was a bit of a slow start, I found it hard to get invested initially. The first meeting between Lydia and Arthur and the introduction of some of the secondary characters didn’t give me that initial spark of excitement to keep reading. For me, plot picked up around page 80 and then got swept along on their journey! I couldn’t stop reading! Vasti’s ability to put classic romantic comedy elements into the historical setting was refreshing and brilliantly done. I can’t wait to read more of her work!

Earl Crush will be published January 21st 2025!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the ARC! I haven't read a regency romance and this one was the perfect introduction back into the genre! It was so fun and so sweet and I just loved every second of it! This book is part romance, and part mystery in my opinion and I think that made it infinitely more interesting. The two main characters were an unlikely match and that made me love their relationship even more. I also had an ALC of this one via Libro FM and the audio was super well done. If you like regency romance, this one is definitely for you! If you have never read a regency book, this one would be a great one to dip you toe in to see if you like it! See below for a brief synopsis!

Lydia has been corresponding with an Earl who lives in Scotland via the political pamphlets that she publishes. They have made a connection over the last 3 years and she decides to pay him a visit unexpectedly. What happens from there is an unexpected, because he seemingly has no idea who she is. That doesn't stop them from forging a connection while they try and track down his brother who. has become involved in British espionage. It has lots of surprises at every turn with the signature regency romance spice. What a fun book!

This was an absolute delight. yhe MMC was such a sweet and compassionate man, and the FMC was so so interesting to read about. Vasti's voice is always so fresh and funny, and in a dynamyc book such as this not a single moment felt dull.

Digital ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The pining and yearning definitely made up most of the book. Both the FMC and MMC were relatively likable characters, but I would’ve liked more to the story than just the lovesick couple. I felt like we were mainly contained to Arthur and Lydia’s thoughts of them praising, lusting, and admiring each other incessantly, whether speaking of the other’s character or physical attributes. We were repeatedly told about Arthur’s muscular and tall built And Lydia’s red hair and soft curves.

Overall the pining and yearning was done pretty well, but that’s really all we got (that and a lot of spicy scenes). Everything else in the book from the side characters to the supposed plot to the conflicts just felt like set dressing around Arthur and Lydia and not fully developed.

This was such a fun read! I struggled to get into the story but around the 20% mark I was all in and enjoying the fun ride this book took me on! There was humor and romance in this book and I loved that it didn’t feel serious. I loved Lydia and Arthur’s characters and relationship but I did feel like we jumped into the romance quickly without much development on how their romance built up but I honestly had so much fun and loved their chemistry! Definitely recommend reading this one if you are looking for a fun quick and not serious regency romance!

In Earl Crush, Lydia Hope-Wallace heads off to Scotland for a surprise marriage of convenience to her penpal, the Earl of Strathrannoch. They’ve been corresponding through letters passed through Belvoir’s Library, the lending library that distributes Lydia’s political pamphlets, and Lydia has decided that a marriage to the Earl will be beneficial to them both.

He needs money; she has money; and her crippling shyness hasn’t done her any favors on the marriage mart.

Here’s the rub, though: when Lydia arrives on the doorstep of the Earl’s crumbling home, he doesn’t know who she is. It appears she has not been corresponding with Arthur, the actual Earl of Strathrannoch. In fact, he’s far from the charming and polished lord she was expecting.

It appears that his brother is the true author of those missives, and that brother is currently in a spot of trouble.

So, as these things go, Lydia and Arthur go on a journey to save Arthur’s brother from the political scheme in which he has become embroiled.

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Epistolary elements
- Road trip
- Fake marriage
- A mountain of a Scottish man who is a bit rough around the edges but has a cinnamon roll heart of gold
- An FMC who is bold in her writing but socially anxious in person (but she feels comfortable around him 👀)
- Pining and tension (of the chemistry variety)
- Seriously, y’all, the longing (Oh my heart!)
- Heat
- Politics
- Espionage and intrigue
- Mental health rep

I really enjoyed it! There’s just something playful about Alexandra Vasti’s writing that always pulls me in.

I especially liked the epistolary elements of the unsent letters from Arthur and enjoyed the mystery/espionage element, too.

I loved how Arthur and Lydia fit together, and I do so love a fake marriage scenario in historical romance.

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press. All review opinions are my own.

4.5⭐️

Earl Crush || Alexandra Vasti

"But now that she knew Arthur Baird--his careful heart, his gentleness, his immense and quiet capacity for love--she did not want convenience alone. She wanted everything."

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Lydia Hope-Wallace is an heiress with severe social anxiety, making her not a marriageable candidate on the marriage mart. Additionally, she's been secretly writing seditious pamphlets, which led to her catching the eye of an Earl in Scotland. After 3 years of correspondence, and knowing the earl is short on funds, she makes a plan to propose a marriage of convenience. The only issue is, when she arrives, she discovers she's been catfished.

Arthur Baird is the Earl of Strathrannoch who is desperate to make a connection with his only surviving family, his brother Davis. However, Davis has recently vanished and has taken the rifle scope with him that Arthur invented. When Lydia arrives to the castle and proposes marriage to the man she thinks she's been talking to, they form a plan to try to find Davis and stop the rifle scope from getting into the wrong hands.

It should be noted, that Alexandra's book, Ne'er Duke Well, takes place before this book, but with a different set of characters. You do not have to read them in order, but I was glad I did. This story contains fake marriage, forced proximity and tons of spice. I also enjoyed the book being told from dual POV. There were times I thought the book went on for a little too long, but it was still enjoyable. I did appreciate the author incorporating events drawn from actual history. If you like regency romance, I recommend this book.

-regency romance
-fake marriage
-forced proximity
-historical
-dual POV
-3rd person POV

Spice 4.5/5

Positives:
Historical romances are quickly becoming one of my favorite subgenres of romance, and Earl Crush solidified that point. I loved the cute, fun interactions between the two main characters while they worked together to solve a mystery surrounding Arthur’s brother. I wasn’t expecting the mystery and the twists at the end, but I really enjoyed it. It kept me hooked throughout the entire story. I also loved Lydia as a character. Her crippling anxiety makes her extremely relatable to readers. It was great seeing the transformation of her character and seeing her find her voice and gaining more self-confidence as I read.

Frustrations:
I have none. I loved reading this book.

Rating and Why:
Earl Crush earned 5 stars from me. I was hooked from the very beginning and stayed hooked throughout the story. I loved the mystery solving aspect along with the romance – it was something I don’t typically read in romances, and I really enjoying the uniqueness of the plot. Overall, the book gave me that 5-star feeling that I haven’t had with a romance novel in quite some time.

Recommend?
Would I recommend this? Do I even need to ask myself that question? Absolutely I would recommend it. Whether you like regency romances or not, the story was fun and engaging on every page. The slow burn was just the right amount of slow burn to keep me reading. I read it as a standalone and understood what was going on in the story; however, Earl Crush is the second book in a series if you want to read it first.

Well I loved Ne'er Duke Well so when I saw this book cover and realized it was in the same world, I was super excited. Lydia Hope-Wallace was a standout in the first book with her almost painful social anxiety (same girl, same) and her steadfast loyalty to her friends and causes. In this book which centres around her, you get to know her better and see how strong she really is. She is bold and brave and loving and kind. She stands firmly in her beliefs and learns to believe in herself too. I have a very soft spot for the object of her affection, Arthur, as he reminds me of someone I love very dearly. Reserved and strong, loves deeply and protective but always in a way that is respectful, intelligent and kind to those around him. Swoon...I was definitely happy to see these two slowly circle each other until it was all too much and they had to give into their attraction. And oh boy was it hot! I was definitely blushing when reading some of those scenes and hoping no one was reading over my shoulder.

I loved the romance but also really enjoyed the whole espionage side story/mystery. I wasn't expecting it at all but loved the hijinks and calamity that came from that whole aspect of the book and found I couldn't put it down to find out how it would all end. I especially loved the epilogue and the way it was done was really adorable after getting bits and bobs of letters throughout the book at the beginning of each chapter. I do love getting a quick peek into what happens after we leave them too so I always appreciate a good epilogue.

As I have come to expect, Alexandra Vasti's books are heartwarming and racy and smart and funny and thoughtful and joyful and also bring me to tears both happy and sad. I can't wait for the next installment, Ladies in Hating, as Georgiana is delightfully bold and hilarious.

I received a digital reader copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

As much fun as its predecessor with a few new elements. I enjoyed reading Lydia and Arthur's story, particularly seeing how they came to appreciate so many aspects about each other while spending time together in various situations. This tale incorporates some mystery and adventure in its characters' journey, and the opening portions of each chapter featuring snippets from letters, notes, journals and publications range from amusing to devastatingly romantic. The plot takes on a little too much at times and the individual who inadvertently brought these two together is underused; I wish that there had been a scene or two with this person and the main characters to put a more satisfying emotional button on everything that transpired. The epilogue provides a nice glimpse into the future at this couple that I found rather touching.

Regency 1818 Scottish lowlands and London

This Regency rom-com features an heiress with crippling social anxiety who has been secretly writing seditious pamphlets and corresponding with a reclusive Earl in the lowlands of Scotland. When the Earl hints that his castle is in danger and he lacks the funds to keep it running, she and her good friend decide to travel from London to offer a solution to both their problems. The proposal is a marriage of convenience, which will provide him with the necessary funds to restore his castle and grant her the freedom afforded to a married woman of that time.

Though Lydia does not expect this man to be the Earl, she feels instantly attracted to Arthur. Nevertheless, Lydia is determined to ignore this feeling and focus on returning to London to leave behind this humiliating episode.

When Arthur discovers that his deceitful brother not only had been stringing Lydia along for the last three years, and has stolen the prototype of a potentially dangerous weapon while playing footsie with Bonapartists, he convinces Lydia to go on a quest to find Davis and put a stop to whatever shenanigans he’s up to.

The story is filled with plenty of action and intrigue, along with the clever humor and wit I've come to appreciate from this author. As a steamy romantic comedy, it features at least three on-page, open-door intimate scenes, some heavy petting, and one fade-to-black scene.

The supporting cast features some familiar characters. Selina, the Duchess of Stanhope, makes a brief appearance, and Lady Georgiana, who convincingly played a ditzy blonde in the first book, returns with her little dog, Bacon, which was rescued from the Thames. We also learn more about Lydia's loving family of older brothers; the Earl has created a refuge for his chosen family at his Lowland castle. Could there be a prequel in the works for Bertie and Huw? This large cast does not clutter the storyline but enriches the world the author is developing in the Vasti-verse.

The story is narrated in the third person past tense, alternating perspectives between the main characters.

The featured tropes
only one bed
fake marriage
love through letters
road trip
found family

It is the second book of a planned trilogy, but somebody could read it as a standalone.

The first book was a little slow for me to get into; it wasn’t until I listened to the audiobook that I could engage with the characters. This book had me right from the beginning and was a pretty quick read. The author’s notes Were well researched and informative, as well as entertaining.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

This is not part of a series, however, there are characters featured here that also appeared in Ne'er Duke Well.
Heiress, Lydia Hope-Stanton has been writing seditious pamphlets for over 3 years. She uses Belvoir's Library (run by the Duchess of Stanhope, Selina Kent, to publish these papers. However, Lydia, herself, is painfully shy and has trouble speaking her mind in public. She has, however, been corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch, Arthur Baird, regarding all her political leanings and she believes they would suit in marriage. She shows up at his front door to offer herself. (Quite out of character for our Lydia.) However, when the earl answers the door, he has no clue who she is.
It seems his brother, Davis, has been using Arthur's persona to gather espionage, but for who? Lydia and Arthur get dragged into a madcap adventure to find Davis and stop a possible assassination. Falling in love was not part of this plan.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this digital e-arc.*

“ Don’t worry,” Georgiana said. “Everyone else is invisible to Strathrannoch when Lydia is in the room. One becomes accustomed to it.”

No one has to convince Arthur Baird, Earl of Strathrannoch, that Lydia Hope-Wallace is worthy of his love and admiration. He is heart-eyes over her not long after she proposes marriage and then faints on his doorstep. As he carts her to his dusty chaise lounge (titled, but poor), he notices the lushness of Lydia’s figure and the color of her eyelashes. In historical romance, that means he’s already 3/4 in love with her. The biggest obstacle is the inferiority complex his father drummed into him and Lydia’s certainty that she is too awkward to be loved. Fortunately for us, they are both wrong.

Lydia is a writer of radical political pamphlets on subjects such as legal rights for women and the evils of the Clearances. It turns out that Arthur’s brother, Davis, borrowed his identity and was the one corresponding with Lydia. Davis has also made off with one of Arthur’s inventions and Arthur is concerned about his intentions. Lydia and Arthur, with occasional assists from her friend Georgiana (look for her sapphic rom-com, Ladies in Hating, in September), and his estate managers, Huw and Bertie, travel through Scotland and England trying to find his brother. There is a zebra stampede, a multitude of shenanigans, acts of bravery, and sexy times in places that seem uncomfortable.

Arthur is such a sweetheart and I really enjoyed the way he was in constant awe of Lydia and the way he helped her see her strength and bravery. The sexual tension and aforementioned sexy times are very good. As much as I enjoyed Arthur as a besotted fool in love, I do wish there had been a bit more of Arthur as the confounded grump. He was very good at it. Lydia has a nice balance between anxious and brave, as befits a woman with a clandestine career in radical politics. She starts the book rushing into a somewhat inadvisable situation and keeps on that path. But she always has good reasons, whether they be based in emotion or logic.

I’m looking forward to Vasti’s next few books. In addition to Ladies in Hating, Vasti has been contracted for three more romcoms. I’m excited to see where she goes over the next few years.

I received this as an advance reader copy from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

Loved!
This was funny, witty, adventurous. There are zebras and adorable scheming employees and found family and maybe spies.
The pacing is great and every chapter leaves you wanting more; more pining, more radical pamphlets, more vomiting.

Waiting on pins and needles for the next book from Vasti!

This was amazing! I loved the characters and enjoyed all of the hijinks they got into. Surprisingly, my favorite parts were the letters sprinkled throughout the book and at the very end. Vasti is an insta buy author for me and I can't wait to read the next installment in this delightful series.