I’m not that big on historical romance, but Alexandra Vasti always manages to capture my heart with the humor and lovely flow of her prose. I fell in love with these characters so hard. Arthur is this big brute (think Jamie Fraser before he fell for Claire), and Lydia is very intimidated. She is very strong minded but kind of socially awkward. She speaks up for women (which is illegal) through pamphlets she publishes under “H”, and has been corresponding with the Earl for years, discussing politics. They have developed an affection for one another, and when she learns that his finances are in dire straits, she has come up with a solution. She will marry him.
So when she shows up to the estate to do just that, plot twist— he has no idea who she is. Turns out his brother, Davis, has been posing as the Earl in his letters and it is he who has been writing. And Davis has gone missing. So Lydia and Arthur go looking for him, and due to some misunderstandings and covers, they have to pose as a married couple. Which naturally leads to real feeling as Lydia starts to melt the brute’s heart (he’s actually a big softie). I loved these two so much, and yes I will be picturing every Scottish male lead as Sam Heughan LOL
I adored the letters Arthur writes to Lydia, because he wants her to have letters written from him and by his own hand. He was very emotionally stunted in my opinion, in terms of expressing his emotions, and he ran away from his feeling quite a bit, especially when in competition with Davis at any point. But Lydia was pretty stable and just like “he’ll be back”, even if it did hurt a bit. Arthur had some learning to do, and Lydia was good for that I think.

Fast paced historical rom com with great chemistry between the characters! Insta-attraction but both characters are struggling with their own issues.

I really enjoyed this book - whether because of the fast pace, the mystery, the spies, the found family, or a combination of all of the above.

This is the very definition of a ROMP. We’ve got: Mistaken Identities, Zebras, Bad Guys with Guns, A Runaway Carriage, Really Silly Disguises, the French, Political Intrigue, oh yeah, and a really lovely romance between two very smart and solitary characters who have to put themselves out there and trust to be loved. And they fall for each other, hard. If you are against the third act breakup, I will warn you that this one will make you slam down your book but once you pick it back up, the grovel is well worth it. Drink this book: If you can get a hold of British Sparkling- this is the moment. Otherwise grab a South African Cap Classique and think of Zebras.

I loved reading Alexandra Vasti's books and novellas so it was no surprise that I enjoyed this one too - had the perfect mix of adventure, romance and humor!

Lydia Hope-Wallace a socially anxious heiress and author of some seditious pamphlets has been exchanging political letters with the Earl of Strathrannoch - or so she thinks. So, when she learns of his financial state, she decides to travel to Scotland and offer him her hand in a marriage of convenience. Except when she does meet him, he has no idea about her identity - or the letters!
And that's how Arthur Baird ends up learning that his brother has been communicating with Lydia under his name and he needs to track him down as a rifle scope that Arthur had engineered has been stolen by him too. To do this, he'll need Lydia's help - as if she wasn't mortified enough by this situation!

I loved the premise here and all of the characters!😍 Though Arthur and Lydia spend a lot of time together - there's soo much yearning between them and that was so delightful! They had excellent character arcs too - with Lydia growing in confidence with every brave decision and Arthur realizing that he had many friends who loved him just like family! I really enjoyed the adventures along the way and how they grew closer to each other while admiring each other immensely 😆 All of the side characters were amazing in their own ways(and so well-developed!) - I loved how they tried their best to matchmake them haha!
There were a few plot points that surprised me - but in a pleasant way and I loved how everything came together in the end! I had soo much fun reading this one and I can't wait to read Georgiana's book next - I think I'll definitely love it too!❣️✨

Another slam dunk! Earl Crush swept me up from the very first page with its mix of intrigue, romance, and witty banter. Eternal wallflower Lydia Hope-Wallace, an anonymous author of radical political pamphlets, embarks on a journey to Scotland to finally meet her longtime pen pal—a Scottish earl she believes shares her ideals. Aware of his financial struggles, Lydia arrives at his doorstep prepared to offer both her fortune and her hand in marriage.
Only, there’s one problem: the earl, Arthur, has never heard of her.
As it turns out, Lydia’s correspondence wasn’t with Arthur at all, but with his younger brother. With his brother missing and potential mischief afoot, Lydia and Arthur find themselves drawn into an unexpected search—one that brings them closer in ways neither of them could have anticipated.
Lydia and Arthur were an absolute delight to read. Their perspectives brimmed with longing, and the slow-burn tension had me tearing through the pages. Lydia is my favorite kind of heroine—an overlooked wallflower with a fierce intellect and hidden spark, a quintessential Vasti lead. Arthur, meanwhile, was utterly endearing: steadfast, self-sacrificing, and quietly devoted. The surrounding cast brought plenty of mischief and energy, making the story feel vibrant and dynamic.
The romance itself was swoon-worthy—sweet, passionate, and deeply romantic. The balance between playful antics and tender moments was seamless, making their love story feel both fun and emotionally rich.
My only gripe was with the last 30 pages, where a flurry of tropes appeared that weren’t to my personal taste. The final leg of the journey to the happy ending wasn’t quite what I would have preferred, but ultimately, it was still satisfying.
Overall, Earl Crush was an engaging, heartfelt read with a charming romance, a compelling mystery, and a lively, lovable cast. I am more than ready for Georgiana’s story!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! And thank you to the Libro.fm influencer ALC program for providing the story via audio (highly recommend if you enjoy audiobooks, the narrator is fantastic)

This Regency romance is so good! It’s a good mix of steaminess, emotional vulnerability, and mystery. I have to go back and read #1!

4.5 stars.

Ridiculously funny! I enjoyed this so much. The premise of the FMC having a catfish penpal is hilarious. The book is a mix of forced proximity, fake fiancés, and a chaotic side quest.

Dual POV, with some spice.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

Lydia and Arthur are a perfect match. Although I did feel like Lydia got over her public anxiety a bit too quickly. Loved the scenes with the zebras. I think all the spy stuff took away from the romance but it was great when the story focused on the main characters.

Loved Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti! Her historical romances are so fun. She manages to balance humor and also real world problems that are relatable to her readers!

I love regency romance, and this book is no exception to the rule. The first 25-30% really had me, i do feel like the love/lust was extremely rushed. Also Arthur had no personality.

Earl Crush was fun and twisty historical romance. I really enjoyed Arthur and Lydia and the chaos that they equally caused and end up in. A solid little mystery plot with a very satisfying twist too.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

What a delight!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for the complimentary digital ARC. I loved it so much I bought a physical book.

Alexandra Vasti books are always guaranteed to cheer me up and this is no exception. The story is a delightful romp of mistaken identity, forced proximity, and the regency version of fake dating (fake married!)

Lydia is relatable heroine - shy and introverted with a passion for social reform, reading, and writing. Arthur is a down bad hero, a teddy bear cinnamon roll, who is completely enamoured of his fake wife.

As expected, then tension between Lydia and Arthur is palpable and had me in giddy anticipation! Lady Vasti always delivers with a combination of swoon and fun historical facts.

Earl Crush has a wide appeal and I think both contemporary and historical romance readers will love it!

I loved this book! This is my first book by Alexandra Vasti and I didn't realise it was book 2 in a series, but each book covers a different couple and even though there are some characters we see in this novel that feature in book 1, I don't feel you'd lose anything from reading them out of order like I did.
This is a Regency era rom-com and I've only read a few of those but I think this has been my favorite in this romance genre. It hooked me from the first page as we follow our flustered but well meaning heroine take control of her future by choosing to show up on the doorstep of the Scottish Earl she has been corresponding with for the last few years to propose a marriage of convenience - her money, his crumbling castle, their freedom. But of course this proposal goes awry from the very beginning when there's a case of mistaken identity - and also a stampede of zebras?!
The story just continues from there and I loved where it took me, each scene was so well done and I loved the mystery and tension of the plot. And the romance is well done. Both POV's in this made me want to kick my heels, I loved hearing how both characters were falling for each other and pining for the other. Even the third act breakup didn't upset me as it made sense as to why it happened and there was very little miscommunication trope, which absolutely drives me bonkers.
All in all this book was fantastic and I can't wait for book three. But in the meantime, I get to read the first in the series, as well as Vasti's other series, which was already on my radar, so I can't complain.
If you like Regency era romance and love a story infused with comedy and a bit of mystery, then I'd recommend picking up this book.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Alexandra Vasti for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alexandra Vasti has done it again. Earl Crush is a delightful romp of a book with charming characters, hilarious shenanigans, and swoonworthy romantic tension. I loved seeing Lydia find her strength alongside a partner who believes in her wholeheartedly. If you're craving a Tessa Dare style historical romance, Vasti's books are a perfect fit. I can't wait to see what she has planned next!

Lets go back in time to a place where the titled Englishmen were babes (except for the bad guys who looked like jaundiced lizards) and the heroines were plucky, smart, and wishing to not be hostages of the male gender. Same girl, same.

Lydia is the secret author of a political newsletter and develops an epistolary relationship with a Scottish Earl. She travels to Scotland to propose to him bc she’s rich and he’s poor. She’s also tired of being a spinster and money talks. But oopsies- she wasn’t actually corresponding with the Earl but his neerdowell brother, who is now missing and the real Earl needs to find him so he recruits Lydia to help, which she does because she is a 19th century spinster with nothing better to do. Adventuring ensues, Lydia and Earl of HotScotts have to pretend to be married which gives us some ONE BED action and one bed action leads to D in the V action, so everyone wins!!

I hadn’t read a good historical romance in a while and this scratched my olden times itch. Def recommend.

Smut- 2.50 stars
Romance- 4.38
Story- 4.29
Hot Scotts- 6.75 stars

Another masterpiece by Alex. I could read another 4876 pages about Lydia & Arthur's life together. I greatly appreciate the honest yet gentle approach to Lydia and her social anxiety - through it we get to know Lydia so much more. And Arthur. Oh Arthur. I just wanted to give him a big ol' hug every other page. Like a gentle giant. But not too gentle, this is a romance after all. As long as Alex keeps writing, I'll keep reading.

Thank you to SMP for this opportunity, all thoughts are my own.

Shy secret seditious lady pamphleteer meets gruff reclusive (and of course handsome) Scottish earl - and they must work together to solve a mystery! What more could you want! As always, Vasti's writing is fun and effervescent, the whole cast of characters (including Bacon the dog). Fake newlyweds, much "trysting," and a whole gaggle of brothers... Loved this read, even more than N'eer Duke Well!

Can't wait for the next one!

I thoroughly enjoyed Ne'er Do Well, the first book in this series. So I was happy to dive into this, the second - and may have enjoyed it just a bit more than the first. I loved these characters - there's Lydia, a young heiress who has social anxiety and is ahead of her time socially and politically, anonymously writing pamplets on women's rights and other somewhat seditious issues. Arthur is a bear of an earl, in size and in the social graces. After exchanging a number of letters where they share ideas on her pamphlets and on life, she decides that since society says she "needs" a husband, and he needs financial relief, and the seem to get along quite well on paper, it would be mutually advantageous to marry. It's totally logical, but when she arrives to make her proposal, things do not go as planned. Suffice to say there is confusion, miscommunication, a missing person to be found, some fun spicy moments, and eventually some quite lovely, swoonworthy declarations of love. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this one and look forward to Alexandra Vasti's next book.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Another fun histroical rom-com that had me laughing out loud while reading! In this one we are following Lydia who has been secretly writing letters to who she thinks is the Earl of Strathrannoch but when she suddenly arrives at his home has no idea who she is Lydia realizes she was duped. What follows is some intrigue and great escapades as these two try and stop a plot with the government and spies! Such a fun time and a great read for any historical romance fan! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy!

I absolutely adored Lydia and Archer! Having met Lydia in the previous book, I was so excited to see this lovable, charming woman with social anxiety find a man who truly matched her energy. Archer turned out to be someone completely different from what Lydia expected—and honestly, from what I expected too—and I’m so grateful for that. This book was such a blast, I don't even know where to begin! If you’re familiar with the author, you know you're in for a fantastic, well-researched historical romance, packed with rom-com moments and a fun spy subplot. Earl Crush is an absolute gem. I can’t wait to dive into the next book in this series!