Alexandra has officially converted me to a historical romance girlie 🫡

Earl Crush has all the things we love:
- quirky side characters (and creatures 🦓)
- pining MMC 🤌🏻
- intelligent and relatable FMC 🧠
- loud and lovable family (bio and found!) 💖
- romance AND plot ⚠️

Lydia was such a fun character, I loved her complexities and the unexpected growth she found in her journey to Scotland and back! The yearning from Arthur was top tier, every "my love" and "my Lydia" got me right in the heart 🥹

The plot was also really exciting here, especially towards the end. I loved reading the author note on what was taken from actual historical events!

This fast-paced historical romance had me jumping into Alexandra's backlog to read the Halifax Hellions novella series, and I'd recommend you do the same! Can't wait to read more, I hope someday we'll hear more of Davis' story 😊

This is my second book from Alexandra Vasti and she’s becoming a quick favorite! She has a very refreshing take on historical romance without losing any of the things we’ve loved about reading the genre. Lydia is for sure my new favorite heroine in a Vasti novel and I hope we get to see her again 😄.

This is the exciting story about Lydia Hope-Wallace, who is a wealthy "spinster" that for the last years has anonymously written controversial pamphlets about politics. She also has been corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch, they share the same ideas and when she learns he is financially strangled she begins a journey to Scotland to offer him a deal, to get married so he gets the money he need and she gets the freedom she longs for.

The thing is Arthur, the Earl of Strathrannoch, doesn't know who she is and has never written to her. When they learn Arthur's younger brother is the one behind the letters and maybe an attack to the British government they set out to find him before is too late.

I loved the characters development and I can assure you this book will give you all the feels. Definitely Alexandra made me fall in love with the regency romances.

My rating: 5 stars. (My first 5 star read of the year)

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the e-ARC.

Yet another excellent regency romp by Alexandra Vasti. After discovering her writing via an ARC of Ne’er Duke Well last year is was thrilled to be approved for the sequel. My favorite things about her style are that no matter how outlandish the incidents seem, most are grounded in literary or historical fact. Just because we have an image of the past as buttoned up or prim and proper doesn’t mean that that was actually the case. And her books are truly romcoms. The romance is equally as important as the humor. So we get a Jane Austin style comedy of manners that’ll keep you laughing all the way through.

Insofar as Earl Crush specifically is concerned, I enjoyed it even more than the first in the series. To me at least, I think the Arthur and Lydia were more relatable than Selina and Peter, so I was more invested in their story. Absolutely a must read in the genre, because the best bodice rippers will also keep you laughing the whole way through.

In this regency romance, wealthy introvert Lydia has been leading a secret life of publishing radical political pamphlets and exchanging letters with a Scottish Earl who seemingly would be a perfect match for her intellect. When he reveals his financial straits, Lydia concocts the scheme of showing up on his doorstep to propose a marriage of convenience and friendship. Unfortunately, the letter writer was not entirely as he presented himself and Lydia must rapidly reassess her situation!

I wasn't certain at first that I would like this one. Our heroine is filled with so much anxiety and self-doubt; she faints, screams, and vomits onto her slippers when faced with stressful situations. She soon won me over, though, as she forced herself to overcome her fears and her confidence grew.

I loved the romance of this that was based on so much more than just chemistry, and the spicy scenes were quite well done. Just an overall delightful quick read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

Delightful. From the catfishing plot to the epistolary epilogue, I thoroughly enjoyed Earl Crush. To be honest, I was a little nervous going in because Ne’Er Duke Well was so different from Vasti’s novellas that I felt like I was missing something I couldn’t put my finger on. My worries were unfounded because Earl Crush captured everything I love in historical romance: Vasti’s well researched historical connections, two imperfect MCs who are perfect for each other, a catchy plot that surprised me with its ending, and the steamy intimacy scenes Vasti’s novella lovers have yearned for.

I would tell you to go in blind because I loved the opening meet cute and would hate to ruin the unexpected humor of it. It is from that moment that I was hooked. This is not your typical fake-marriage-of-convenience, but it definitely works wonders at bringing Arthur and Lydia together. Nothing is better than requiring two characters to unexpectedly team up, and I delighted in reading Lydia and Arthur’s “forced” marital interactions. This book was fast paced enough to keep things fresh and interesting and readers that enjoy a bit of a mystery to their romance will enjoy it for the storytelling just as much as the love story. I also think the book got better and better and what could have been a third act break up felt like a love declaration instead (ladies, you know you all want your dunderheaded fellow to realize he’s lost without you).

And at the heart of it all, I truly loved spending time with Lydia and Arthur and felt that their love story is one that would continue long past the end of this book. The epilogue itself is so swoony and a perfect characterization of Arthur and Lydia’s love. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭
Can it be read as a standalone?: 🙌🏼, but there are plenty of 🐣 for Vasti fans

If Alexandra Vasti writes it, it’s going to reach into the depths of my soul and make me believe in love. Earl Crush started a little slow, but if there’s one thing I love it’s idiots in love who haven’t figured it out yet. Add on some political intrigue and beautiful declarations of love and commitment? I’m in.

[ARC review]
EARL CRUSH by Alexandra Vasti is the spicy Regency romp follow up to Ne'er Duke Well.

Ignore the discourse—historical romance is still here and still a ton of fun. In this one, shy and anxious heiress Lydia is also brave and clever, the anonymous author of radical (and maybe sometimes technically seditious, nbd) pamphlets. She's been corresponding with a cash-strapped Scottish earl for three years, and decides that the answer to both of their problems is for her to show up at his door and offer to marry him. Except this earl has no idea what she's talking about...because it was Arthur's brother who was writing to her, not him.

Arthur begs her to help him find his brother, and they end up stumbling into a web of espionage and possibly treason as they race to find and stop his brother. And along the way, fall in love.

I love that, yes, Lydia is a bold and brave badass, but also not great in social settings and maybe sometimes throws up from anxiety. Some of us contain multitudes! And of course, a good reminder that courage is not the absence of fear, but acting in spite of it.

I was reading regency romance long before I ever read a contemporary, and I think in a lot of ways they're just more fun, and this was no exception!

EARL CRUSH is out January 21.

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#NetGalley #ARCreview #EarlCrush

Earl Crush was adorable. This is a first for me in this genre, I do not read historical romances but after seeing such rave reviews I decided to give this a try and I was delighted by the story. This marriage of convenience and fake marriage in the 1800s regency era almost made the fake marriage more delicious with the scandalous nature of it all. The brush of the hand only got more tense and heated later.

In this story, heiress Lydia is an independent woman, writing seditious pamphlets under a pseudonym, and starts up a three year correspondence with the Earl of Strathrannoch. When she decides to set out to Scotland from London to propose marriage after hearing of the Earl's financial troubles, when the Earl answers the door, he has no idea who she is. Turns out, his brother was the one corresponding to Lydia, getting himself caught up with British espionage. Together, the Earl and Lydia go on an adventure to try to find him.

The journey of this book was fun and reading this romance in this era is opening my tastes to more like this.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a chance to read an eARC of this book.

I used to only read historical romance if at least one of two things was true: the characters were queer, or the female main character was a widow. But actually, I'll read historical romance if a third thing is true: Alexandra Vasti is writing it.

I've really enjoyed everything Vasti has written, and this is no exception. Her stories are set against a backdrop of actual historical events, but through a new lens. And I have learned things about history that I didn't know before (perks of reading romance written by professors). She also adds feminism to her stories in a way that feels like it belongs -- in Ne'er Duke Well, she wrote about an erotic lending library, and in Earl Crush, she writes about Lydia, who writes anonymous political pamphlets and strikes up a friendship with who she thinks is the Earl of Strathrannoch. It turns out that the actual earl hasn't been responding to her pamphlets, but rather his brother, and it seems like he's about to cause a whole lot of trouble, as he just stole the earl's latest invention -- a rifle scope, which would allow the user to more accurately shoot a rifle at farther distances. What ensues afterwards is adventure, espionage, chaos, and yes, even some romance.

I loved the romance between Arthur and Lydia. They actually manage to talk about their feelings, and even in the third act misunderstanding (not really a break-up!), they communicate and trust each other. Arthur is so hopelessly in love with Lydia, and he makes these swoony declarations, but he shows her he loves her through his actions, too. And the accompanying cast of characters is delightful. I was so happy to have Georgiana, who we meet in Ne'er Duke Well, on this adventure, especially knowing that she's getting her spotlight in the next book, Ladies in Hating (and it's queer!). Huw and Bertie were adorable in how much they cared for Arthur, and then Lydia. The letters and notes to start each chapter were so fun. And the spice was spicing.

This was a great way to start my 2025 reading. And I'm glad that Ladies in Hating is also a 2025 book. So much to look forward to this year.

Thanks to SMP and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Five easy stars to Vasti’s sophomore historical romcom. Lydia and Arthur were the perfect match. They brought out each other’s strengths and allowed weakness without seeing it as a character flaw. The pining and heat packed all the perfect punches, and there was just enough political intrigue so as not o overwhelm or detract from the plot. Add in my personal favorite elements such as fake dating and epistolary communications and it’s easily better than book one—which was hard to beat and an instant favorite as well. Vasti brings a fresh, feminine, and fierce voice to modern historical romance.

Alexandra Vasti is out here writing banger after banger, and this may be my favorite story yet!

I laughed. I got a little emotional. And I fell head over heels in love faster than either of the MCs.

When we first met Lydia in Ne’er Duke Well, I knew she was going to be the silent powerhouse. So intelligent and caring but kept quiet by her circumstances and the times. She really shines in this book. She is given the space and freedom to be herself and is absolutely loved for it. She is extremely practical and very quick on her feet. Watching her fall in love was so fun.

Arthur is everything! I don’t know that I have fallen in love with an MC faster. Any man who just carries around gunpowder and considers explosions as a reasonable distraction is alright in my book! But what it came down to is he just gave Lydia everything she needed without being asked. He saw her, and I loved that so much. I also just wanted to squeeze him so tight and tell him that he was worth it. Because he absolutely is.

As much as I absolutely loved the romance portion of this book, the story around it was just as much fun. There were twists and turns, and I never quite knew what to expect next. I felt like I was right alongside the characters the whole time trying to figure out what was happening.

Vasti also created and expanded on some fantastic new characters. We finally get to see more of Lydia’s family, which was a treat, and Arthur’s family just made my heart swell. And I can’t forget about Georgiana! I loved the part she played and what an amazing friend to Lydia she has been. This makes me even more excited for her story!


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes: opposites attract; Big Secret(s); MC's team up to solve a mystery; fake marriage; forced proximity
Language: a handful of "f" bombs if that offends you
Steam level: 3
Part of a series but fine on its own

I thought the first book in this series was OK, but I have a big crush on this book. Humor, action, steamy romance. MC's Lydia and Arthur are each so endearing and have fantastic chemistry. Lydia is a shy spinster who has always been challenged by social situations and Arthur is a gruff Scottish earl with a heart of gold. Neither expected to ever find love, and realize through a series of (mis)adventures that they're found it together.

Arthur and Lydia have their own internal conflicts to solve as they try to figure out what is going on with Arthur's brother Davis, who was pretending to be Arthur for years in the letters he wrote Lydia. There is some spy-ish skulduggery in the last quarter of the plot, which maybe could have been pieced together a bit more quickly by our protagonists, but it's nicely resolved. The final chapter and epilogue actually had me in tears, they were so sweet.

The secondary characters also stand out. I loved Bertie and Huw, who have basically been surrogate fathers to Arthur for years, and I was relieved to run into a kind and loving HR mom for a change in Lydia's mom. She is endearing and laugh-out-loud funny in her own way, as are Lydia's assortment of brothers.

A few often-overlooked elements elevate this book to 5 stars for me: Arthur's Scottish dialect is perfectly done, not irritatingly phonetic as is often found in HR's. And the characterization here is really first rate. Lydia's love for fancy shoes and hats is neatly worked in, as is Arthur's love for tinkering. Also, the angst isn't belabored. Lydia is spectrum-ish but is quietly determined to forge her own way. Arthur wants to do what is right for his tenants but there's nothing preachy in his thoughts or actions. The MC's seem like real people you either already know or would like to meet.

If you're looking for a sweet and sexy opposites-attract HR with humor and heart (plenty of zebras feature btw) and a mystery subplot, this is a great one.

This was an absolute win. Exactly what I want when I read regency romance. The female protagonist was intelligent and determined and the male protagonist was so kind and respectful toward her. The book was funny and had a fantastic plot, involving spies and treasonous plots. I completely recommend.

Wealthy spinster Lydia Hope-Wallace shows up on the Earl of Strathrannoch’s doorstep, after years of correspondence, with a mutually beneficial proposal of marriage. Unfortunately for her, she discovers it is not the Earl she has been corresponding with, but his brother, who is now missing.

Lydia has been corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch about her seditious pamplets for three years, so she is shocked when she travels to Scotland and finds the Earl, Arthur, has no idea who she is. They quickly learn she has actually been corresponding with his younger brother who has recently absconded with Arthur’s designs for an accurate rifle scope. The two begin a mad-cap journey to track down Arthur’s brother and fall in love along the way.

I don’t know why I struggled a bit with this book. I like Alexandra other book and her novellas, but this one just didn’t work as well for me. Maybe it was the espionage aspect that I just couldn’t bring myself to care about or the pacing, but it just didn’t land for me. I found myself constantly putting my kindle down and opening twitter to mindlessly scroll and it took me twice as long to read as it should have. I loved the banter between Lydia and Arthur but that was pretty much it. I’ll still read more books by Alexandra but this one just didn’t click with me

Heiress Lydia has been communicating with Arthur, the Earl of Strathrannoch, for three years when she decides to go visit him and offer her hand in marriage to save him from financial ruin. When she arrives, she finds out the Earl has never heard of her. Lydia has been communicating with his brother. Hijinks ensues when Arthur and Lydia try to find his brother. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them, but this one didn’t resonate. Some of the things that happen are a little over the top and implausible. I did enjoy Arthur and Lydia as a couple and the epilogue where they write letters to each other.

Alexandra Vasti does it again and has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me. The plot, setting, and fast pace of this book made it so absorbing. Putting down this book felt like coming up for air in an Olympic swim race. I felt like I was on an adventure! The lines were utterly romantic and made the story feel so cozy. I loved all the side characters, they added so much humor to the story. Also veryyyy steamy. This book was so charming and delightful and reminded me a little of Holton’s TOFGTL. I’m jealous of everyone who gets to read this for the first time.

Captivating with adventures and romance!

I adored this book. I enjoyed the main characters, Lydia and Arthur. They are really well-developed. I found this novel original and very entertaining. It blends action, mystery, humour and romance. I recommend this captivating novel that combines adventure and romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m a long time lover of historical romance, and it’s tough to write something fresh and fun that doesn’t echo a book already out there, but Alexandra Vasti has managed to do just that! Earl Crush begins with a flip on the classic trope of marriage of convenience with our heroine traveling to Scotland to offer herself up as a bride with means who wants to be wed.

If that’s not enough to keep your interest, well the adorable Scottish Earl, with a heart of gold, and his unusual ‘animals’ are sure to woo you. Then added to the fun is a delightful layer of mystery that must be solved for all to have a happy ending.

Peril? Shared Bed? Forced Prox? Fake Marriage? Oh yes. All that and more.

A modern feeling historical that will captive even the most jaded historical romance reader.
Take it from me.

Thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an Advanced Reading Copy.

historical romance is one of my fav subgenres and after reading Ne’er Duke Well last year this was a highly anticipated series for sure!

guys. this was so good. Arthur is so down bad for Lydia! we love a boy obsessed. especially for a shy wallflower. he understood her and her anxiety. it was so sweet

i love when HR brings up real issues of the times and this one had a note in the back that talked about the history that the events of the books were based on. so cool.

i’m so excited for Georgiana’s sapphic rivals to lovers next!!! we get a lot of her in this book and im excited for her hea!!!

4/5⭐️