I was very excited when I learned Lydia would be the center of the next book in this series. I find her awkwardly charming, and loved the inner confidence and strength she had despite her insecurities in social settings. Arthur, similarly, won me over quickly. That boy just needed a hug.

I would say the pacing of this book was a little all over. I would have liked more of a build up between Lydia and Arthur, I think they got together a tad too quickly. But I did love the "pretend to be my husband" storyline they fell into in the middle of their investigation. I think the dialogue was well done. Arthur was very tender and sweet and quite funny. I loved all of the scenes with Arthur and Lydia's brothers, the dialogue had me giggling with glee.

I do wish the Arthur-Lydia-Davis conflict near the end of the book where all the revelations come to light would have been fleshed out a bit more. It would have been nice to flesh out the brothers relationship a bit more, though the epilogue was very sweet. There should have been more Davis and Arthur interaction though. More Davis in general, really. He really shadowed over everything for most of the book and to only have him for a few pages felt like a shame.

I think the author does a good job writing historical romance that appeal to modern sensibilities and also expand women out of the role of debutante/spinster/etc that usually comes with this genre without disparaging parts we, the readers, do love about this genre.

It was a very sweet book and I enjoyed my time with it. I feel very lucky to have gotten to read it before it released.

Alexandra Vasti can do no wrong.

That's it. That's the review.

Kidding. But really, Vasti has quickly become an auto-read author for me. I do prefer her novellas to her novels...the pacing works better in her shorter stories. I was a bit nervous about this after reading Ne'er Duke Well because, while the characters and writing were both amazing as always, it was missing that spark of adventure that I came to associate with Vasti novels. Plus, I wasn't sure about Lydia...she didn't stand out to me in that other novel so I was worried about reading about her as a protagonist here. But I should have had more faith.

Bottom line: you can't regret picking up a Vasti novel if you like regency romances with strong heroines, witty banter, humorous writing, spicy moments, and representations of healthy relationships...all catered toward modern sensibilities.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I read historical romance intermittently, but after finishing Earl Crush I want to go through all of Alexandra Vasti's previous works and branch out into other historical romance authors as well. This was such a charming, heartwarmingly awkward, delightful read. I identify so much with Lydia, and our MMC Arthur was delightfully broody and gruff. The suspense and thriller component was not contrived, nor did it feel like a different book (which happens a lot when a suspenseful plot is just inserted into the book). I thoroughly enjoyed the entire novel from start to finish. Pacing was great and the glimpses of Arthurs letters throughout the book were such a nice touch. I have already recommended this book to all my friends and they will be reading it once it is released. Thank you Alexandra Vasti and Netgalley for the ARC!

what a fun read! i greatly enjoyed the banter between the two main characters in this book. i loved the plot the entire way through! pretty much the moment i picked up the book, i was sucked into the plot and wanted to know what was going to happen next. i'm definitely going to be picking up other books by this author, especially the first book in this series. i hadn't even realized this was part of a series! so excited to read more.

thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Genre: historical romance
Scotland, c 1815

Lydia Hope-Wallace has been corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch, under the same alias that she uses to write her seditious pamphlets, so she already assumes that the day she appears on his doorstep to propose a marriage of convenience that he’ll be surprised. Except, he hasn’t been the one writing to her and has no idea who “H” even is. Mortified beyond belief, Lydia tries to flee, but instead is waylaid by the earl's pack of zebras. Arthur guesses Lydia’s correspondent may be his younger brother who has been ingratiating himself to the local Scottish aristocracy, and agrees to work with the captivating Lydia to locate him.

Alexandra Vasti ups the ante for her second full-length novel, with over the top hijinks and more plot than we can summarize in a blurb. Are a lot of the plot points “romance reasons”?- yes! But Vasti backs it all up with extensive historical research to ensure her characters are on a historically accurate regency era adventure. Laura Kinsale is one of Vasti’s favorite authors, and I happened to be reading Earl Crush alongside My Sweet Folly by Kinsale. I started seeing some really fascinating parallels: My Sweet Folly, in particular of the Kinsales I’ve read, has a plot that never stops, with the characters continuing to encounter new twists and turns. (To Vasti’s credit, the plot moments her characters experience do actually make sense in line with the story progression, and I can’t necessarily say the same for Kinsale.) I read the epistolary epilogue for Earl Crush approximately ten hours before I read the epistolary epilogue for My Sweet Folly, and the parallel filled me with warmth.

Even though this is Vasti's second full-length book, she's easily a comfort read author for me. Her signature style is comprised of deliciously tactile intimate scenes and deeply romantic relationships mixed with ridiculously fun plots based in historical research. I can’t recommend her writing enough: she’s a particularly good entry point for readers newer to the historical romance genre with her blend of easy dialogue and sound research with approachable prose.

Lydia is a rich London heiress with a large degree of social anxiety. She spends her time writing intelligent and radical but anonymous political pamphlets. She embarks on an epistolary relationship between herself and a Scottish earl (Arthur), who is unaware of her true identity. Come to find out that he, in fact, is not actually the author of the letters. Lydia intends to propose a marriage of convenience before realizing Arthur is not who she thought, taking him by surprise when she shows up on his doorstep. Hijinks ensue and love blooms in amongst solving a nice mystery with a bit of danger intertwined. I genuinely enjoyed this book, the characters were written in a satisfying way that made them endearing and easy to relate to, and there were nice threads of humor throughout the story. The author writes longing very well, and it was extremely satisfying to root for Lydia and Arthur amongst all of their insecurities and strengths. I also loved the epilogue! I have read this author before and really enjoyed her, and although it was part of the interconnected universe that this book takes place in, the current book works fine as a standalone. That said, I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this story in exchange for my objective review. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars. Publishes January 21, 2025.

Alexandra Vasti IS regency romance, and my goodness is the world lucky to have her words.

It's hard to express how delightful this was. How deep the love was as it developed slowly and surely, how perfectly radical Lydia was while still being firmly based in history, how spicy the spice was. I wish I could be a fictional regency girlie so I could be friends with Lydia.

My reviews are usually longer, but I'm kind of in a daze from how good this was, so just take my short words for it, okay?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this book, as I do all of Alexandra Vasti's books. What made this one special were the two main characters: Lydia, who is typically very shy in person, but very opinionated when she writes her pamphlets, and Arthur, a Scottish Earl who is trying his best to take care of the run-down estate he's inherited. Lydia shows up on Arthur's doorstep mistakenly believing that he's been the one corresponding with her about her radical pamphlets. She's ready to propose marriage to him, but it turns out that Arthur's brother has been pretending to be the Earl, and he's gone missing with Arthur's plans for a telescopic lens. Lydia and Arthur then decide to work together to find the rogue brother. The combo of the plot and the sweet slow burn between these two makes the book unputdownable. The way that Arthur really understands Lydia, and tries to help her out when she's having trouble in a crowd or is nervous is beautiful, and it helps her to be braver. If you're looking for something that is both exciting and also super cozy, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is another charming example of her talent for crafting tender historical romances. This time, we get to see Lydia Hope-Wallace, a character we first met in Ne’er Duke Well, take center stage.

Lydia is over the societal expectations placed on her as a single woman. After years of disastrous marriage seasons, she’s ready for a marriage of convenience with her pen pal, Lord Strathrannoch, in Scotland. But when she arrives at his rundown estate, she’s greeted not by her familiar correspondent but by a grumpy, rugged man—and a menagerie of exotic creatures—who isn't the Strathrannoch she’s been writing to. Arthur Strathrannoch isn’t shocked that his younger brother has wooed a wealthy heiress using his name; he’s determined to fix it. Lydia refuses to be left behind, and what follows is a whimsical journey full of amateur spycraft, lots of romantic tension, and a fake marriage that starts to feel surprisingly real.

With Vasti’s signature wit, humour, and some well-placed spice, Earl Crush offers the delightful romcom hijinks you’d expect, balanced with those swoony moments that make you melt.

Many thanks to Alexandra Vasti, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the eARC of "Earl Crush."
The book will be available for purchase on January 21st, 2025.

Jeez Alexandra Vasti is good. She’s so, so good, and only gets better with every book. EARL CRUSH wrecked me with pining and an escalation of tension and spice so perfectly controlled I still don’t know how Vasti did it. Just love her desperate men wrecked by love and strong, stubborn women out to change the world.

I made a NetGalley account specifically to read this book because I loved Ne’er Duke Well SO MUCH. And Earl Crush did not disappoint. I don’t read a lot of historical romance to be honest, but this absolutely had me giggling and kicking my feet. The secret pining is perfect, and I loved all the characters. I got a little confused following along with some of the actual history, especially towards the end, but I still really loved every second of reading this book. I do still think Ne’er Duke Well remains unmatched and one of my favorite reads lately, but I absolutely recommend Earl Crush.

I was so thrilled about the chance to read Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti, after recently reading and loving Ne'er Duke Well! This is definitely my favorite historical romance series currently in progress! I can't wait to go back and read Vasti's previous series of novellas.

In this installment, we join Lydia, a secondary character from Ne'er Duke Well, as she embarks on her own love story. She's secretly the author of political pamphlets, and she's been corresponding for three years with a Scottish earl who shares her views. She's decided that they'd be a good fit for a marriage of convenience, and so off she goes to Scotland to propose. I'll say no more about the plot, because I think the rest should be a surprise!

This book differs from its predecessor because it is more of an adventure and takes place primarily away from Belvoir's Library, the setting around which the plot of book #1 revolved. I enjoyed how the new setting kept this second installment fresh and introduced us to a new cast of beloved secondary characters (Bertie + Huw 4evr). I can't wait for Georgiana's book, and after that, I'd happily read about Lydia's brothers or Davis...hint hint.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I fell in love 🥰

Yes, I predicted it would be 5 stars, but there's always that risk of accidentally overhyping something to yourself and then being let down! I had naught to fear. This book! This book, you guys! Perfect from page 1. You will fall in love, too!

He's the Earl of Strathrannoch and he's never even heard of Lydia Hope-Wallace, let alone written to her--and yet she has a pile of letters from him and is on his doorstep with a proposal. Sounds like the start of a total histrom romp?! That's because it is! And so gloriously executed👌 There's wild animals, road trip escapades, a mad scheme, missing brothers, a fake marriage, and you'll swoon about a million times before it's through!

Alexandra Vasti's writing is seriously so vibrant. I always find myself noticing the gorgeous word choice, but it's not just the vocabulary, it's also the poetic expressions and use of language... It's one of the reasons I started calling AV a favorite author from her very first newsletter novella.

Other notes I wrote while reading:
- So you just fall in love with this book immediately. Okay!
- I love that fictional Scottish men appreciate curves THE MOST.
- The zebras. So ridiculous I love it
- Truly it is 5 stars from the first page and does not let up ONE BIT
- They thought Ne'er Duke Well was a romp! This romp is doing absolutely nothing BUT romping.
- I will not soon forget (not ever) the 💥 scene against the door with all of their clothes still on.
- ARTHUR SO F ING SWEET
- Lydia's absolutely excellent brothers 👏 I'll take a story for each of them, thank you!

I clearly loved it with all my heart. I have so much confidence that I could rec this to anyone and they'd be like. . .oh? I guess I love historical romance now. It's that kind of rabbit hole book! Can't wait until it publishes and I can start passing it out to unassuming friends and acquaintances.

Earl Crush is super cute and I liked the mystery aspect and how low-angst it was. Basically, a woman has been writing to an earl using a pseudonym and they fall in love. She confronts the Earl and… well, things don’t go as planned. The premise is hilarious and I really liked the beginning through the middle the most. The drama was compelling and I was really curious about the resolution of the mystery. The dynamic between the couple was also well developed and funny. The epilogue was emotional but light hearted. I think I liked that part the most since I’m a sucker for epistolary content.

Full review on Goodreads/Instagram :)

💜💚💜💚💜💚

✨Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC and for doing that big 24-hour request thing where we all get to experience this book!✨

I read this a month ago and loved it and then again last week and adored it all over again, so it’s safe to say that this is another 6-star read from Ms. Vasti! The comfort and romance and sweetness and intrigue are all wrapped up in this wonderful book and I’m so so happy that there’s more coming to this series!!! It’s like all of our classic historical romance authors wrapped up in one, but in a unique Vasti way. Simply wonderful and always special when a book feels so comforting and like a hug✨

I’m bad at summarizing plot, so I’m not going to even try lol because I wouldn’t do it justice and I always end up including way too many spoilers BUT!! Let me just say. DELIGHTFUL. Lydia was ADORABLE and Arthur was DELICIOUS. All of the pining??? Iconic. The steam??? Incredible. The longing from both characters throughout the entire book??? Top tier. Also, like the pining and steam were, dare I say it, even better than book 1 (Ne'er Duke Well) and that's saying something because Selina and Peter were off the charts hot.

Both Lydia and Arthur have so much insecurity within themselves and it was so special seeing them realize, through each other, that they are enough. Sometimes romance books don't have that element, but when they do (and when it's done right, as it is in Earl Crush) it is just so sweet and makes you feel like seeing this couple in later books will be such a treat. It just makes you know that you're gonna last and I don't know, I just love that.

I connected a lot with Lydia and all of her panicking. I could see a lot of my overstimulation times in her, so I really appreciated those [Lydia vomiting] moments that were written in such a fun but non-judgmental way. She was also such a smart character and that was really enjoyable to read.

💜💚 BUT ARTHUR. Oh Arthur. You wonderful man, you. I love when I love the MMC even more than the FMC and when in addition to being hot, they have d e p t h. And boy, let me tell you, our king as depth. Gruff, burly, muscular, tender, DOWN BAD for Lydia. 💜💚

I'm going to include some non-spoilery quotes that show just how hot Arthur is and how into each other they are. These are just random moments, but I love them and highlighted them as I read, so I wanted to share them here:

"He'd once again lost his jacket and cravat, though if he'd thought to make himself *less* noticeable, showing a vee of muscular chest was certainly not the way to go about it. Lydia was not, of course, looking at his chest." (same Lydia, same.)

"... she recognized the strong fingers, the freckled burns, the muscular turn of his forearm."

"Wild and carnal desires. Irrational fears. She wanted to peal his clothes off, the way she had in the forest. She wanted to slide her hands up his muscular chest and press every inch of her skin to his. She wanted to feel him over her again, his weight, his irresistible gravity." (IRRESISTIBLE GRAVITY is iconic to me)

"Lydia sat cross-legged in her dressing gown and surveyed the man in her bed. He was still asleep, his curls mussed and one muscular arm flung across his face." (domestic, oh how I love.)

"My love" (more than once. DIFFERENT CONTEXTS 💜💚💜💚💜💚)

✨✨✨ AND THE MY WIFE stuff omigod: "'In the future, said a familiar deep voice, 'I trust you'll listen to my wife.'" ✨✨✨

And the letters!!!!!!!!!!!! I love epistolary romance so much oh my god.

Also the mystery in this book was great!

Make sure to pick up this book when it is released January 21st of the new year! I can't wait for book 3!💜💚

Earl Crush was delightful and everything I expect from a Vasti book--some ridiculous hijinks, a lot of pining, so much shared respect, and yes, delightfully steamy scenes!! I loved every page of this semi-road trip, mistaken identity quest but the zebras sent me over the top!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this delightful book. I am officially an Alexandra Vasti fan and will read anything she writes. This book has a well-written, autistic-coded FMC who was endearing, sharp, prickly and had me rooting for her the whole time. There was no condescension, or character growth that had her losing her autistic traits, she just gets to succeed, show off her intelligence and find love in while being exactly who she is. I thought the MMC and the romance were perfectly written. There were laugh out loud moments between Arthur and Lydia's brothers, mad-cap adventures, and a great plot that brought the whole thing together. I enjoyed the tie-ins to her previous books, and this might be my favorite of hers so far. I would recommend this to anyone who is neurodivergent and/or loves historical romance. My only complaint is now I have to wait forever for her to even announce her next book.

This was a delightful, funny romp of a historical romcom, very much in the mold of hilarious light historicals in years gone by (Tessa Dare, etc.). It felt like - if you can imagine - reading Julia Quinn back when Julia Quinn was new and we were so grateful to find our historical romances leavened with humor that it felt, if not progressive, at least tolerable. Earl Crush, in comparison, feels progressive and comfortable - the leads are feminist and progressive in their views, prominent secondary characters are queer and of color - and that makes reading it feel like sinking into a warm blanket of regency-era joy, where the carriage terminology is all correct but the Home Office is a force for good rather than a tool of violent upper-class repression. Ahem.

The third act breakup is, however, incredibly stupid, overwhelmingly stupid, and left me feeling like the hero had not achieved the level of emotional development required to actually make a good partner. Similarly, the resolution of that felt as though it were missing key scenes on-page. While there are a whole host of secondary characters, the book has a close focus on Lydia and Arthur, and as a reader who likes secondary characters, I found myself confused at various points as to why other people were not getting involved in various situations. Where did they go? Why were they not doing anything? But, perhaps as you can tell, I may not be temperamentally suited to the regency romcom; so I have little doubt that these issues will not pop up for most readers. If light regency romcoms are your thing then you should run, not walk, to grab this one.

A regency romance featuring Lydia, an introverted spinster who writes feminist political pamphlets through the underground library Belvoirs, has decided to offer herself in marriage to an Earl in Scotland who has the title but little money. Upon arriving at the door of the manor and ready to propose, Lydia finds out that it wasn’t the Earl who had been writing to her for the last several years, in letters where both parties disclosed personal information, and he has no idea who she is. Although this wasn’t humiliation enough, the two begin to figure out there is more to the letters than they first thought, and it involves espionage and a plot against the government.

This novel features characters from Vasti’s previous novel, Ne’er Duke Well, and expands the world which centers around the secretive library Belvoirs (am I spelling that right? I don’t have it in front of me). A lovely immersive book set in regency times, the love is sweet and builds to a perfect HEA, the thrilling question of who is behind the letters and why is compelling, and the endearing cast of characters makes for a must-read if you are into this genre. The writing is good and the historical details are spot on. I thoroughly enjoy Vasti’s entire Regency world and look forward to another installment of this series!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Loved the second in this series. Looking forward to the other ladies’ stories. I would’ve enjoyed more detail about the spy story, as that felt a little forced. However, Arthur and Lydia were sufficiently swoony to make up for it. I also love the families in this series. They make it all the more fun.