Welcome back to Alexandra Vasti’s Regency Britain where a wealthy wallflower with a secret life as a political pamphleteer and a broke Scottish earl with whom she’s been semi-anonymously corresponding embark on a high-stakes mystery chase as they seek to stop a potential murderous plot. I love that Lydia - so bold when she puts pen to paper but an absolute wreck whenever required to speak to an human man - decides to reverse gold-digger herself, seeking out the practically destitute Arthur to to proposition him to marry her for her money. The twists, including the case of mistaken identity in the description, require one to suspend one’s disbelief, and the plot Lydia and Arthur hope to disrupt is more convoluted than clever. The characters are unevenly and broadly written and their behavior left me scratching my head on more than one occasion.

And yet! I enjoyed the heck out of this, as I did the previous book in this series, and very much look forward to the next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

<b>Disclaimer!</b> This was an ARC granted to me from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Lydia Hope-Wallace is a wallflower, and perfectly happy to remain so, because she has crippling social anxiety and tends to throw up if forced to interact too much with people outside her immediate family or friends. She's been secretly writing seditious pamphlets and publishing them anonymously for the past three years, and for almost as long, she has been corresponding with a man she believes to be the Earl of Strathrannnoch. When she discovers that Strathrannoch castle is pretty much falling down and the earldom has no funds to fix this with, she rather impulsively decides to go see her penpal and offer him a marriage of convenience. Lydia may be a wallflower, but she's also the second richest heiress on the marriage mart, and all those buckets of money that come with her hand in marriage should be enough to restore any mouldering old castle and struggling estate.

Unfortunately, when she arrives in Scotland, her pragmatic and sensible friend Georgiana in tow, she discovers that Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch, has no idea who she is. It turns out that it's Arthur's younger brother who has been writing to Lydia for all these years, and he's currently gone missing, having stolen one of Arthur's inventions to boot. Arthur isn't entirely sure what to do with the beautiful flustered redhead on his doorstep, let alone why she might be proposing to marry him, but Lydia is his best chance at trying to track down his missing brother, who might be wanting to use Arthur's invention (a telescopic rifle sight) for nefarious means. So while she's initially mortified and tries to run away, he's able to persuade her to help him locate his brother.

What follows is a road trip romp, involving zebras, awkward house parties, Arthur and Lydia having to pretend to be married, lying to family friends, and lying to Lydia's brother, who suddenly shows up in Scotland under an assumed name, possibly treasonous French people, spies, a possible plot against the Duke of Wellington and more. There is a whole lot of travelling from Scotland to London or from London to Scotland at speeds that seem implausible to me, and the rigours of travel mostly being ignored in service of the light-hearted plot.

Arthur is convinced Lydia is in love with his brother (she's not, she really did want to offer him a platonic marriage of convenience so he could use her money). Lydia is cripplingly shy and struggles in any social situation, and doesn't think anyone could ever want her. Both are madly attracted to the other, but it takes some time for them to realise this and act on their feelings. Once they do, there's a fair amount of smexy times, including outside in what seems to be rather a cold forest grove. There's a lot of pining and angst from both characters, even after they've actually started acting on their pants feelings, culminating in Arthur doing something truly stupid towards the end of the book (it's OK, he grovels and makes it all better after a while).

As well as the reappearance of characters the reader may have met in <I>Ne'er Duke Well</i> (Selina and her husband, as well as Georgiana), there is a rather large supporting cast, including the lovely retainers at Arthur's castle, who keep conspiring to make sure he and Lydia end up together, Lydia's four older brothers and even her rather meddlesome mother are all a lot of fun. This was an entertaining book, but there seemed to be too many shenanigans and a bit too much "he/she couldn't possibly love ME" for it to be one that I see myself revisiting for comfort rereads. I'm very excited for the third book in the series, though, where Georgiana finally meets her (sapphic) match. That's not out until September, sadly.

<b>Judging a book by its cover:</b> I like that while the cover for <I>Ne'er Duke Well</i> was mostly in blue and green, here there is a lot of violet and purple to complement the green. What I don't like is how tiny the guy in the carriage is. Arthur is described as a big hulking giant of a man so many times throughout the book, this guy looks perfectly normal-sized. Disappointing.

Quick Synopsis: Lydia shows up on the Earl of Stanhope's doorstep and is like, "Hey, let's get married!" Except he's like, "So sorry, who are you?" Turns out she's been in communication with his brother who has been pretending to be him. So rude. And now they have to find his brother because he took off with a rifle scope that allows for *bang bang* to happen from very far away. Yikes! So, off they go on a rollicking adventure with lots of scheming and fun times. Including pretending to be married. *swoon*

I had so much fun with this book, even more than in Ne'er Duke Well, which was also great fun (review of that one to come). Lydia's intense social anxiety paired with Arthur's desire to make her comfortable and then the scheming of the people closest to Arthur to bring them together... A great mixture. I also love that this one is actually such an adventure that was just so much fun. I'm not sure that it's a favorite of all time, but it was an extremely well executed and super fun book that I can see myself revisiting if I just need some joy.

Not good. I had to stop reading. Nothing sharp or smart about this one. Sadly, I couldn’t finish. I tried.

Alex, does it again! She managed to write something that is both heartfelt and humorous. Arthur is somehow a brawny curmudgeony softy, with a heart of gold and also feels not good enough after being verbally beat down by his father. Lydia has social anxiety but is still very brave in writing opinions that could get her arrested. He's a goner for her from the start in typical Vasti-Verse. And I love it. She's totally taken by his size and enamored by his smell and voice. Also here for it.

The story is just as much about them falling in love as it is the plot of possible treason by Arthur's brother, Davis. I was captivated, and I was fully invested in finding out the truth behind Davis's motives and he's really up to. Vasti continues to surprise us with side characters and giving us little glimpses into their lives, leaving us with more questions than answers in hopes that we will see these people in future installments.

This was a captivating, original, and well written romance. The humor, wit, drama, exotic animals, carriage accidents, espionage, Bonapartests, intrigue, and other plot twists and emotional issues that kept me very entertained. I enjoyed the surprising relationship that built up to a steamy, passionate love and the delightful ending. I highly recommend reading!

A charming historical with a shy but opinionated heroine and an impoverished Scottish earl. The two are thrown together in the hunt for the earl's dastardly brother and, as you'd espect, shenanigans ensue.

This is a great option for anyone looking for Bridgerton read-alikes.

God I love Alexandra Vasti's books!! They are my new form of pure escapism. Move over Tessa Dare and Lisa Kleypas, there's a new historical romance queen in town! (I jest, there's seats at the table for all). If you've been craving something to fill the wait between Bridgerton seasons, might I suggest Earl Crush - and its predecessor, Ne'er Duke Well. They're funny, they're sweet, they're swoony.

Earl Crush is a historical rom-com with a dash of silliness thrown in. It took me a while to get sucked in, but once I did, I found it quite enjoyable. Even though it's the second book in a series, and I haven't read the first one, it wasn't a problem. The story stood perfectly well on its own. Overall, this was a delightful read. So, if you're looking for a light, fun historical rom-com read, I'd recommend it.

Overall enjoyed this! I think I preferred this one over the first book, and had a jolly good time reading it

I think both the hype around this author and the early promise of her Hellions novella series have been a detriment to my enjoyment of her novels, which still aren't able to deliver on the ambitions of their influences quite yet. This one was nonetheless a pleasant enough read and if I had gone into it with no expectations or previous exposure to Vasti's work I would have found it enjoyable if ultimately not memorable--which to be fair isn't the worst thing in the world, and the latter also applies to the vast majority of not just historical romance titles but the majority of books, period--but that wasn't the case. I did think it was a little better than the previous novel, though, and the next in the series is about sapphic Gothic novelists so just based on that alone I'll probably give it a chance to see if it does more for me. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

An utterly delightful and funny romp! This is everything I want in a historical romance! I loved building upon the characters from Ne’er do well duke and getting to see Lydia come into her own. Overall, perfect balance of plot, a little intrigue and an engaging romance.

Arthur is rightfully obsessed with Lydia from the second she barrels into his life and takes his time being able to express it clearly. Lydia is written so well that her social anxiety is balanced by her courage and rational. The energy between Arthur and Lydia sizzles from the beginning and their dynamic is endearing and hilarious.

Alexandra Vasti cemented her place as an auto-buy author for me with this novel.

Lydia Hope-Wallace, a courageous and visionary heiress, has dedicated three years to crafting revolutionary pamphlets and exchanging letters with who she believes is the Earl of Strathrannoch, showcasing her unwavering passion for creating positive change. Upon learning of the Earl's financial struggles, she embarks on a bold journey to Scotland, driven by a selfless desire to offer support - and unexpectedly discovers the real Earl, Arthur Baird, in the most unexpected way. As Lydia joins forces with Arthur, a quiet yet formidable Scottish hero, to rescue his brother from a perilous situation, they forge an unbreakable bond, rooted in mutual respect and trust. Lydia's remarkable resilience and conviction inspire hope, while Arthur's steadfast support and protection nurture their blossoming romance, weaving a tale of intrigue, humor, and heartfelt moments that will leave a lasting impact. This was a delightful Bridgerton-ish book!

Respectfully, Lydia and Arthur had me gnawing at the bars of my enclosure. I am obsessed with them. Alexandra Vasti is just so good at regency era fiction that doesn't make me roll my eyes. I love her and this universe she's created.

this was so much fun!! I loved it even more than Ne’er Duke Well but some of the plot points were a little lost on me. the characters are so lovable and I can’t wait to read Ladies in Hating!!!

I finished this book in a single day while traveling home from the East Coast—it was impossible to put down!

You’re going to fall in love with this couple. While it didn’t have as much humor as the first book in the series, it’s still absolutely wonderful. The big, grumpy blacksmith reminds me of Stoker from Veronica Speedwell.

There’s so much heart in this story, and the glimpses of letters at the beginning of each chapter add such a lovely touch. In short, Alexandra Vasti writes wonderful historical romances!

I adored Lydia and Arthur.
I loved Arthur’s pining awkwardness and Lydia’s forthright determination. I loved the unique backstory of both characters and the slow-burn, utter deliciousness of their relationship.
If you like sharp, incisive banter, off-the-charts chemistry, and unconventional Regency era characters, this is the book for you!

I ended up really enjoying where this book went. I didn't love Lydia's character in the beginning, but she grew into herself. The third act breakup was kind of purely done and unnecessary. But overall some great characters and plot.

ARC review

Alexandra Vasti writes my favourite historical romance characters. I'd be friends with them all and go on bonkers adventures with them in a heartbeat. Arthur and Lydia are THE perfect insecure idiots to lovers. He doesn't believe he deserves her, and she's just trying not to lose her lunch because she's so anxious. Earl Crush is a bonkers on the road romance that slows a little in the second third. I wasn't too bothered as this is when things really heat up between the main characters. I enjoy Vasti's writing and I'd just deduct one star for the uneven pacing. It took longer to get through than her other books but I still really enjoyed it.

The way this book had me kicking and giggling my feet!! Another win from Alexandra Vasti if I do say so myself.

This book was a very anticipated release for me and it did not disappoint. After reading Ne're Duke Well I just knew I was going to love Lydia's book. She's a plus size heroine who is smart and opinionated but also struggles with social anxiety and talking to others. She's not your typical heroine and I just loved her so much. I love how she secretly writes political pamphlets and is working toward making change within British society for women during this time period!

This book is also so fun in how it opens up with Lydia going to propose to her political pen pal only to discover that the Earl she encounters is not the one she was writing. I absolutely loved Arthur and how he was so enamored with Lydia. They had amazing chemistry and I loved how they got along and were so cute together. Arthur is a cinnamon roll hero who would do absolutely anything for his wife and I love this for them!!

We also have a fun Scottish setting with Lydia and Arthur traveling around trying to find Arthur's brother and I loved the descriptions and it reminded me how much I miss Scotland.

This book also shows me how much I love historical romance. It is my favorite genre and Vasti has become an auto buy author for me. I love how breathes fresh air into the genre since so many authors are retiring from HR and I just need her to keep writing.

Also the way I am going feral for Georgina's book...someone check on my when Ladies in Hating comes out lol