Thank you St Martins for the early copy.

I’m not a huge historical romance fan, but I’ve heard great things about this series and decided to give it a try. While I thought the first book was just okay, I really enjoyed this one! It offers much more than just romance, which I think is the key for me to truly enjoy these kinds of stories. The non-romance plot weaves in elements of mystery, espionage, and political rivalry, making it compelling and enjoyable in its own right. The romance feels like an added bonus rather than the sole focus, and I loved that balance. If you’re looking for a fun historical romp, definitely give this one a try!


3.63/5, rounded to 4

Summary:
I just finished Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti (out January 2025), and it’s an easy 5 stars. If you’re a historical romance fan, you need this book in your life—preorder it now. It’s everything I want in the genre: gorgeous writing, characters with real depth, and a romance that hits all the right notes. Lydia and Arthur completely stole my heart. Their chemistry, their connection, and the way they bring out the best in each other made this an instant favourite.

Characters:
Lydia: Lydia is all heart. She’s uncertain of herself in so many ways but still finds the courage to act when it matters most. Her journey of stepping out of her comfort zone and learning to trust herself was as satisfying as her romance with Arthur.
Arthur: Arthur is the kind of hero who stays with you. He’s brooding, stubborn, and absolutely undone by Lydia in the best way. Watching him soften and fall for her while still staying true to himself was everything.

Overall Thoughts:
Earl Crush is the kind of book that reminds you why you love historical romance. It’s emotional, romantic, and impossible to put down. Alexandra Vasti proves once again that she’s a powerhouse in the genre. I already want to reread it—and if you haven’t discovered her yet, this is the perfect place to start.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

ALSO POSTED ON GOODREADS

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a delightful whirlwind of wit, romance, and intrigue. Lydia Hope-Wallace, a wallflower with a secret edge, and Arthur Baird, the reluctant yet compelling Earl of Strathrannoch, are an irresistible pairing—their dynamic crackles with tension and humour from when Lydia arrives on his doorstep with her audacious proposal.
Lydia and Arthur's banter is sharp and engaging, and their growing connection feels natural and deeply satisfying. Lydia's boldness and intelligence make her a standout heroine, and Arthur's gruff exterior softening into genuine affection is beautifully done.
The espionage subplot adds an exciting layer to the story, heightening the stakes without overshadowing the romance. Vasti masterfully weaves humour and heart into a narrative filled with twists, making it impossible to put down.
This book perfectly balances heartfelt moments, sizzling chemistry, and clever storytelling. It's the kind of romance that leaves you smiling long after the last page, a testament to Vasti's talent for crafting unforgettable love stories.

Grumpy, giant scotsman? Yes, sign me up always.

I enjoyed this romance so much! It's equally as funny as it is sexy but also emotional.

Lydia and Arthur’s chemistry was sooo good. I’m a sucker for declarations of love, and this book had so many great moments. Arthur was really down bad for Lydia. She’s so sweet, fierce and I’ve loved getting to know her since book 1. This had a combination of mystery, espionage, adventure, and just the right amount of spice. I could not stop reading in my head with British and Scottish accents! *swoons*

Alexandra Vasti is a new auto-buy author for me! Ne’er Duke Well was my first historical romance, and this was a fantastic sequel. I hope there’s a book for Georgianna in our future, and maybe some for Lydia’s brothers? 😆👀

🦓Fake marriage
🦓Marriage of convenience
🦓Mystery / investigative element
🦓Anonymous pen-pals
🦓Love letters
🦓Roadtrip with forced proximity
🦓Meddling servants

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the arc. I loved it!

Alexandra Vasti does it again! No sophomore slump here; Earl Crush has the same charm, wonderful characters, swoony romance, and delightful plot that made me fall in love with her debut. I read it in less than 24 hours. Devoured it. Loved it. Couldn't get enough of it. It sucked me in from page one. I fell in love with Lydia and Arthur from their first moments on page. The mystery aspect was a fun departure from Ne'er Duke Well; I love the various capers keeping them together but interrupting their alone time. It's official-I'll read anything she writes!

How do I love Alexandra Vasti? Let me count the ways. A reclusive earl. A seditious pamphlet-writing lady. A menagerie of zebras. A marriage proposal. A missing rifle scope. A fake marriage. Espionage. An assassination attempt. Did I mention zebras?

Earl Crush is an absolutely delightful regency romance. The characters--Arthur, the reclusive Earl of Strathrannoch, and the wallflower pamphleteer Lydia Hope-Wallace--are perfect for each other, even though there's originally some confusion due to the fact that Arthur's brother had been writing to Lydia for YEARS *as* the earl. The anticipation of their wedding vows, if you know what I mean, is steam par excellence.

The narrator of the audiobook, Mhairi Morrison, delivers an outstanding performance. I simultaneously wanted to listen to it nonstop and also drag it out because I didn't want it to end. In addition to the swoon-worthy romance, there's a healthy dose of suspense and intrigue as Arthur and Lydia race to find his brother and the missing rifle scope.

The only question I have now is what will I read while I wait for Alexandra's next book? *quietly sobs*

Thank you to St. Martins for my advance review copy.

Thank you St. Martin’s Griffin, Alexandra Vasti and Netgalley for the chance to read and review Ear Crush ahead of its publication, in exchange for an honest review! Unfortunately, I did not love this one as much as I loved Ne'er Duke Well. Overall I just had trouble getting invested in the story and the romance. Which I admit may have 100% been a me problem, since I was going through a pretty big life change at the time of reading.

I do think this is a fun and heartfelt read, though, much like the first book in this series. While it personally wasn't my cup of tea at the time of reading, I can see many people enjoying the story and still will recommend this author.

This was such a fun book! The plot was fresh, the characters playful and full. I mean, a Renaissance penpal through the library? Come on! What's not to love?! Also Zebras. It read like a Renaissance comedy romance. RenRomCom? Yes!

I absolutely adored Ne’er Duke Well, the first book in a new interconnected series, and this follow-up book was a delight as well. I love the undeniable chemistry between the two leads. They’re both characters that you want to root for and their romance feels natural. Though the plot didn't capture my attention quite as strongly as the first book, it still had the same charm, wit, and steam factor. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Loved it! Give me 14 of them! A romcom with laugh-out loud banter, action=packed spy and set pieces, and a swoony romance! Their love letters to each other. OMG. And when the note said "unsent" it was like my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I might like this one even more than Book 1 and seriously can't wait for Book 3!!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Alexandra Vasti’s previous works, especially her previous novel, Ne’er Duke Well, so I was eager to read more from her. Earl Crush is rather similar in style, with a similar action-packed, madcap vibe. I did feel like this one kind of leaned into that a bit more, for both better and worse.
Vasti is great at centering the story on very real-feeling characters, even if her stories tend to be otherwise rather over-the-top. Lydia is relatable in her shyness with other people, with that juxtaposed with her strong revolutionary leanings, leading her to pen seditious pamphlets. And in spite of her general introverted nature, she takes some risks early on, like taking it upon herself to offer the man she’s corresponding with a marriage of convenience to solve both their problems and seeking him out. Arthur, meanwhile, took a little longer to warm to, as he’s rather reclusive and closed-off, but I did like the way he and Lucy began to bond once they were thrown together. Controversial opinion: marriage of convenience isn’t one of my favorite tropes, because it takes really solid writing for me to care about a couple once they’re married mid-book, and while this one fell into some of those pitfalls, they’re fairly cute together.
I had more issues with how this book wanted to do a little too much, distracting from the romance. And while I love Vasti’s historical knowledge and how she weaves that into her stories, this time, it felt very heavy-handed. From references to the Highland Clearances to assassination plots, which tie in to Arthur’s errant brother who was the one Lydia was really writing to, it was quite convoluted to the point I struggled to remain invested at times.
While this was a step down compared to Vasti’s prior book, I attribute this both to it employing some hit-or-miss tropes and my on/off slump with most historical romance. However, if you enjoy historical romance with Scottish heroes/setting, the marriage-of-convenience trope, and an action/adventure subplot.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti
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Heiress Lydia has spent the last three years writing to Earl Strathrannoch. They share similar views and goals so she is taking matters into her own hands. She is headed to Scotland to propose marriage to him. But once she is at Arthur’s doorstep and makes him her offer, he insists he has never written her a single letter.
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What I liked:
-Historical romance has been my jam lately. Earl Crush definitely delivered on everything I love about historical romance. It had attraction, it had longing, it had fake marriage, it had one bed trope, it had multiple marriage proposals, I loved it.
-I absolutely adored Lydia’s entire family! I want books about every one of them. 🥰
-Arthur was the best grouchy cinnamon roll.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alexandra is definitely on my TBR now.

Earl Crush is the sequel to Ne'er Duke Well, and I was very impressed by the author, Alexandra Vasti. Earl Crush is story of Lydia and Arthur. They meet when Lydia goes to his castle in Scotland to propose marriage. She has corresponded with the earl, or his brother, as they discover when they meet upon arrival at his castle. The two soon head out on an adventure to find the earl's brother, posing as a married couple to avoid scandal. They meet all kinds of characters on their trip, and travel all over Scotland until they end up in London to solve their mystery. I enjoyed the mystery element of the story, but I was blown away by Vasti's development of the relationship between Lydia and Arthur. They are both intrigued by the other as soon as they meet, and during their many adventures along their trip, their relationship grows and they fall deeply in love. Vasti's skill as a writer is evident in the way she builds an instant attraction into a deep affection and attraction between the two characters. Their relationship develops organically throughout the story, and doesn't seem forced or unrealistic. All in all, this was a great read, and one of my favorite books (out of 40+) read this year.

After finishing Earl Crush, I immediately went back and read Ne'er Duke Well and the Halifax Hellions series by Vasti. All were quick reads and really enjoyable. Her characters and their banter are really humorous, and Vasti skillfully builds a rapport between a couple, even in novella form. Go out and read Alexandra Vasti's books! You will love each one of them.

Thanks to Alexandra Vasti, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

How would you feel if you thought you were pen pals with a hot earning Scotland to know it was really his brother playing games?! Let the games begin! Such a cute encounter and spark from the get go! It’s very grumpy sunshine MMC + spunky FMC! The banter between the two is electric and we all know true love never runs smooth but where is the fun in that?!

I have yet to not love a Vasti book and this one is no exception. I eyeballed and ear-balled and truly cannot decide which I prefer.

Vasti’s writing stands fiercely on its own but Morrison is top tier so the audio is 1000% worth it.

If you’ve read book one in this series you’ll recognize the FMC. Lydia is funny, smart, a great friend, adventurous, and crippled by anxiety.

Arthur, the MMC is a Scottish earl holding on to his (financially disastrous) legacy as tightly as he can while actually providing for his tenants and devoted staff.

When Lydia shows up at Arthur’s to propose a marriage of convenience he’s stunned and she’s stunned into physical illness when she learns that he is in fact NOT the man she’s been corresponding with for years.

As they agree to work together to solve a (very good and gripping) mystery somehow involving both their brothers, Lydia and Arthur start to fall in love. He respects and frankly cherishes her anxiety while insisting she need not subject herself to it constantly. She finds that her determination to get to the bottom of the story makes her brave and also ready to accept help.

I loved every character in this book, every side story, every intimate moment, and all the other bits.

The epistolary elements (the epilogue my goodness), the sex, the found family, and the author’s note were my favorite parts but frankly all of it was so good I feel irresponsible highlighting just those few things.

Anyway, read this book!

Pop the popcorn and roll out the cozy blankets! A perfect read for cozying up with over a holiday break! Vasti hits it out of the park with an absolutely delightful balance of playful banter, character arcs, and steamy scenes. Heading to the library to find more of her books tomorrow!

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a historical romance about a wallflower heroine and an impoverished lord who work together to find the lord’s brother after he assumed the lord’s identity.

Lydia Hope-Wallace writes seditious pamphlets under a pseudonym. Lydia and the Earl of Strathrannoch started a correspondence. When Lydia finds out that he is impoverished, she thought to go to Scotland to offer him marriage since she is an heiress. Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch, was surprised to find a woman on his doorstep claiming to know him. His brother has been writing to Lydia under his name and Arthur needed to confront him. The only problem was no one could find him. Lydia and Arthur decide to work together to find him, but they also find a connection together.

This was a fun read! I really enjoy road trip romances and this book has a fun road trip with forced proximity. The interactions between Lydia and Arthur were cute and funny. The book itself was very funny too. There was a small twist near the end of the book that I did not anticipate, which was also enjoyable to read. I really liked Lydia in Vasti’s previous novel, Ne’er Duke Well, so I was pretty excited for this book.

If you like historical romance, wallflower heroines, marriage of convenience, or road trip romances, then this book is for you! Thank you Alexandra Vasti and NetGalley for the ARC!

This second books in the series was such a sweet story for family , friendship and finding love . I really enjoyed both of the characters and their love story. I haven’t read book 1 but def adding that to my tbr as any future books in the series

Also this book had one of the hottest scenes I’ve read recently.

I loved this book from beginning to end! I had been introduced to Lydia in Ne'er Duke Well and was so excited to find out more about her and see her get her own happily-ever-after. Although her first meeting with Arthur did not at all go as planned (and perhaps was even worse than she could have expected) it certainly made for an interesting and memorable introduction. The mystery part of the story involving Arthur's brother, spies, and assassins added just the right amount of excitement to the story. I was happy to eventually find out that Davis had really fallen in love with Lydia through their letters and hadn't just been using her - I don't think I could have thought positively of him had that not been the case and I think it would have been harder for him and Arthur to fully reconcile. I think this adventure also helped Lydia to come out of her shell and become the amazing woman she was always meant to be. The Lydia we come to know by the end of the book is so far removed from the woman we knew at the beginning that it's hard to believe she's the same person. I was so glad we got to know so much of Arthur's backstory involving his father and how that man had played his sons against one another for their entire lives. This helped make his initial instinct to run away when Davis was back in the picture make sense - having grown up believing his brother was the better of the two of them and that Lydia had initially really fallen in love with Davis through the letters of course he would think he wasn't good enough. Luckily he has some pretty amazing people around him to point out to him how ridiculous he was being (and that Lydia wasn't quick to give up on him). This was a top shelf book for me - and probably one of my favorites of 2024!