This was my first book by this author, and it was good.

A light enjoyable read, with lots of spice. I enjoyed it overall but thought that 1) It was a tad predictable at times 2) the spicy scenes could use a bit of variation. I enjoy spicy scenes, but felt that the author could have varied them somewhat to make them sizzle. They were all very similar.

Overall, a cute spicy read but not earth shattering.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an eARC of this book to review.

You know what I love? Smart, rebellious Victorian/Regency women and nobility love interests who are total puppy dogs around them and support their every endeavor. Earl Crush gives me that and more! In it, Lydia has been corresponding with an earl about politics, and when she learns he could use some money (of which she has plenty) she heads out to propose marriage to him. When she gets to his estate though, the earl she finds isn't the one she expects.

Lydia is so relatable-ezceedingly shy and nervous, and then when she gets the gall to finally do something bold and brash and it goes sideways, she barfs. But then she stands firm for herself and becomes more confident and sure. Arthur, the earl-but-not-who-she-was-expecting, is supportive and sees nothing but her best qualities. There's a fun mystery that keeps the two together (with fake dating) and it's based on things that actually happened during that time!

Vasti is going to cement herself in the historical romance hall of fame if she keeps this up! Her stories are full of heart, varied characters, and joy.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the e-ARC!

Oh, I adore Alexandra Vasti's writing, and I swooned over the burgeoning romance between Lydia Hope-Wallace and the Earl of Strathrannoch. It's got intrigue, and charm, and wit, and chemistry. What more could we want?

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

If you’ve been craving a Regency romcom with equal parts wit, heart, and wild adventures (plus zebras), let me introduce you to Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti. This book had me grinning, swooning, and clutching my heart as Lydia and Arthur’s story unfolded.
Lydia, a socially anxious heiress and secret political pamphleteer, and Arthur, a gruff but soft-hearted Scottish earl, have a meet-not-so-cute for the ages. Lydia arrives at Arthur’s estate ready to propose a marriage of convenience, only to discover the letters she’s been exchanging for three years weren’t written by him at all—but by his missing brother. What follows is a road trip adventure filled with spies, mistaken identities, fake marriage shenanigans, and plenty of sizzling chemistry.
The banter between Lydia and Arthur is chef’s kiss. Arthur falls for her hard, and watching their mutual pining evolve into deep, soul-stirring love was everything I didn’t know I needed. Lydia’s quiet strength and Arthur’s fierce devotion make them a perfect pair. Add in a delightful cast of side characters (and the occasional exotic animal), and you’ve got a story that feels both hilarious and heartfelt.
Vasti balances humor, spice, and emotional depth so seamlessly. The plot is fast-paced and full of surprises, and while the third-act breakup pulled at my heartstrings, the epilogue’s tender letters between Lydia and Arthur made everything worth it.
If you’re looking for a historical romance that’s sexy, adventurous, and laugh-out-loud funny, Earl Crush is the perfect choice. Alexandra Vasti continues to prove why she’s one of my go-to authors for romance with depth and joy.

Alexandra Vasti is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical romance authors, and “Earl Crush” is another winner. Packed with mistaken identity, forced proximity, and a fake relationship, it’s swoony, spicy, hilarious, and even throws in a bit of mystery. What’s not to love?

The story follows Lydia Hope-Wallace, an introverted heiress and secret political pamphlet writer, who heads to Scotland to propose to her pen pal, the Earl of Strathrannoch. Except... the earl isn’t who she’s been writing to—it’s actually his brother. Cue chaos, a pack of zebras, fake marriage shenanigans, and a thrilling espionage plot as Lydia and Arthur Baird team up and find their chemistry impossible to ignore.

Arthur is the perfect blend of stoic and swoon-worthy, and Lydia is a heroine worth rooting for. Their adventure is laugh-out-loud funny, romantic, and impossible to put down. If you’re not reading Alexandra Vasti yet, you’re seriously missing out. I can’t wait for the next HEA in this world!

🎧🎧🎧
Mhairi Morrison made this audiobook so much fun to listen to. Her English and Scottish accents were flawless, and she nailed Arthur’s voice perfectly. She brought Lydia and Arthur to life with so much personality, making every moment even better. If you’re into historical romance, this audiobook is an absolute must-listen.

Thank you @alexandravasti, @smpromance, @stmartinspress, @dreamscapemedia and @netgalley for the gifted ARC and ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Witty, romantic, and utterly charming!

Lydia's hilarious mishaps had me in stitches from the start, while her strength and sharp wit kept me hooked. Though I was unsure about Arthur at first, he quickly won me over. Their adventure as faux newlyweds, tracking down their endangered siblings, was thrilling and heartwarming at the same time.

This delightful story perfectly filled the Bridgerton-shaped hole in my heart, especially since Lydia feels like a perfect blend of Penelope and Eloise! I was left with a smile on my face and I'm immediately going back to read the first book in the series now.

This book was fantastic i actually finished it about a week ago and I loved the way that it wasn't a normal historical romance and had a bit of a mystery twist to it as well! I will definitely recommend this to people.

5⭐️
3🔥

Quick Breakdown

Historical Romance
Meet Disaster
Wallflower x Scottish Earl
Forced Proximity
Mystery & Espionage
Only One Bed
Mutual Pining
Love Letters
Dual POV
Open Door - Moderate

Lydia has been a shy & socially awkward wallflower with a secret. She anonymously pens radical political pamphlets & ends up in a 3 year long correspondence with a like minded Scottish Earl. Tired of failing on the marriage mart and in search of more freedoms, she travels to Scotland to literally propose. A marriage of convenience with someone she considers a friend feels like her best option. But when she arrives, the Earl of Strathrannoch has no idea who she is..

My first book of the year & it was a 5⭐️ banger!

After one of the most brilliant meet-disasters that sets the tone for the rest of the book, I was helpless to fall in love. Lydia & Arthur were perfectly crafted MCs. I adored Lydia & her quiet strength that she shared with those who matter most. The way she willingly & selflessly acted out of her comfort zone to help Arthur. He never stood a chance.

The mutual pining was absolutely delicious. The build up of tension it brought made the spice that much more intense. Pair this with the added bonus of mystery, espionage & silly hijinks it’s no wonder this worked so well for me.

I primarily listened to Earl Crush. It’s narrated by Mhairi Morrison who has quickly turned into one of my favorite narrators for historical romances. It was an absolute delight & I recommend you listen to too if given the chance!

I liked this one in the beginning but then there was a lot of details in the plot and I lost interest.

Solid 4 stars. It took me a bit to get into the book but once I got going. oh man did I ENJOY THE RIDE! It's a "potato" chip book you can't really stop until you finish the book. Would highly recommend it to all my friends especially if they enjoy romance and/or historical-ish romance.

3.5 stars

After carrying on a correspondence with fellow politically inclined pen-mate Arthur Strathrannoch, Lydia Hope-Wallace sets out to offer a marriage of convenience. Except - she later learns- it wasn't really him she was writing to, a news she received by casting up her accounts on her shoes.

<i>Earl Crush<i> is trademark Vasti - riotous hijinks and scintillating chemistry - until the very end. The explosive chemistry was the bit I enjoyed the most - the sheer longing amidst the love triangle dilemma. Mid-stairway necking sessions coz "someone's coming" (my favorite kind!) and "Hands on the door!" ftw!

As voraciously as I lapped up her novellas, Alexandra Vasti's traditionally published works have been a bit of a struggle for me. The plot goes sideways in last quarter of the book - there's some attempt at half baked espionage plots, and some underdeveloped parental trauma -that take away from the real pressing obstacles in the happily ever after. I'd pay good money to see a heart to heart talk between the trio - Lydia, Davis, Arthur. But alas, the author's preference for riotous plotlines over real emotional beats stops this book from being one of the all time greats of HR.

Received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NG.

Something I absolutely love about Alexandra's books is how much research goes into them! She adds in real details from real books, events, and people to her stories and it's astonishing how much thought goes into these!

This was a fun one. Lydia is a painfully shy heiress and see her gain her confidence and work through her insecurities was beautiful.

Arthur is like a big ole teddy bear. He's a little scruffy in the outside but has the biggest heart. I loved seeing how vulnerable each of them were as they pretended to be married.

There was an overarching storyline of suspense/action/mystery as well that really made this one interesting. And the authors note at the end describing the details she pulled from history to intertwine in this storyline was great!

Following Ne’er Duke Well last summer, Alexandra Vasti is back with the second book in her Belvoir’s Library trilogy, Earl Crush. Wallflower and heiress Lydia Hope-Wallace has been secretly writing radical political pamphlets for years, and has been corresponding with a like-minded Scottish earl. She’s now shown up at his estate in Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience… only to find that the man she’s been writing to is NOT the earl, but his missing brother. Arthur (the true earl) is as surprised as she is, and soon, Lydia is roped into tracking down his brother—and finding a new flame of love along the way.

Why I Chose This Book:
I loved Ne’er Duke Well, and I’ve been excited to continue the Belvoir’s Library trilogy ever since. Lydia is socially awkward and politically progressive, two qualities I think we have in common. And her romance with a Scottish earl—with themes of stolen identity, preventing mayhem, and a marriage of convenience (or fake marriage!)—was equally captivating. Earl Crush looked like it would be a riot!

What I Liked:
- Lydia is shy and socially anxious… but brave in the face of real danger
- Arthur is also an introvert who keeps to himself
- Zebras!
- Tracking down the missing brother who posed as Arthur, Earl of Strathrannoch
- Sibling relationships
- Marriage of convenience?
- Fake marriage?
- Progressive politics of the Regency era
- The epilogue! Swoon!

Final Thoughts
Earl Crush is a lot of fun, with mystery and mayhem abounding from start to finish. I liked getting to see two shy characters find love despite the chaotic situation they’ve been thrust into. It was also a joy to read about their relationships with their respective brothers, tumultuous as they may be. The Belvoir’s Library trilogy has been wonderful so far, and I’m excited to read the final book, Ladies in Hating, later this year.

Lydia is determined to marry a man of her choice and she thinks she has found the perfect candidate! The only major issue is that he has no idea that she is on her way to Scotland to ask him to marry her. Strathrannoch wants to be left alone as he struggles to find a way to save his ancestral home. When a tiny, opinionated English woman shows up on his front step, he realizes he has a big issue. She thinks Strathrannoch has been her pen pal for the last three years. He has no idea who she is and he is too busy trying to find his lying, scheming brother to take the time to help her. Can two people who have been lied to find true love?

Lydia is smart and informed about current issues. She is politically active even if she has to hide her activities from everyone. She is the richest heiress in London but it hasn’t led to any man marrying her. She has social anxiety that causes her family to be very protective. It is cute that she believes her pen pal would be her perfect match because her social anxiety shouldn’t be an issue. She grows a lot during the story and shows that she has a spine of steel.

Strathrannoch first appears to be a hulking madman and savage. He never had the chance to get an education but that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his passion for invention. I thought that was a nice addition to his character. He loves his ancestral home but he can’t figure out a reasonable way to protect it. I like that he is a lord and has the right to attend the house of lords but he is not politically driven so he doesn’t bother. There is a cute side story that Strathrannoch allows the men that maintain his estate to keep zebras and other rescued exotic animals. There is a mention of the fact that the men are also in a MM relationship but it’s not critical to the story except that it show Strathrannoch to be open minded. He is a man of honor throughout the story. He has to grow in order to help Lydia as danger approaches. Strathrannoch’s brother did something horrible before the start of the story. It is a major factor that causes many things to happen in the story.

There is a bad guy. It is not totally clear at first who the bad guy is or what the bad guy intends to do but the characters have plenty of reason to know something is going to happen. I really like this aspect of the story. It was woven into the story and was very organic and believable.

This story takes place in Scotland and London. This story takes place after the war between England and France has concluded. Tensions were high at this time and that plays a part in the story. If you are looking for a nice historical romance with good characters and is a fast read, give this a try. I will read more from this author in the future.

Alexandra Vasti has written another hot best seller. And by hot, I also mean spicy. This sexy regency rom com is a swoon worthy historical romance that I couldn't put down. Ne're Duke Well won me as a fan, and this new book is just as funny and racy as the first. In this book a politically savvy, but socially inept spinster ( who is all of 26), travels to Scotland to propose to a marriage of convenience to her likeminded penpal. Only to find that he has never written to her. The tagline for this book is "Right Girl, Wrong Earl". One can also say same world, different couple. This book is a completely stand alone story. Vasti weaves a variety of historical facts into this lust at first sight regency romance. The characters are endearing and I can't wait to see what she has in mind for her next romance novel.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

Vasti is such a fun writer and it was so much fun to come back to this series. Lydia and Arthur are ridiculous in how much they like each other. Despite a case of mistaken identity (she thinks they are penpals, he has no idea who she is), they quickly become travel companions as they search for Arthur's brother and get involved in a wee bit of espionage. This is a fun road trip romance, with a little bit of Scotland and a little bit of England and a lot of fun. Whether being chased by zebras, french spies, or just trying to keep their hands off each other Lydia and Arthur are a delight and I can't wait for the third book later this year. This was fun, sexy, and a book I could easily have read in a day.

This book was pure delight from the first chaotic encounter between Arthur and Lydia, all the way through their amusing escapades, to that heart-wrenching ending.

A misunderstanding about letters brought her to his doorstep and what ensued was a madcap race all over the country to find Arthur's brother and get to the bottom of Davis' actions. Arthur and Lydia were both so endearing and a little bit lost and I just wanted to hug them all the time. They were so good for each other, on top of all the superb banter and electric chemistry. Lydia discovered her adventurous side and Arthur had a heck of a time keeping up.

The clever and witty writing drew me in and I thoroughly enjoyed this glorious adventure. I can highly recommend this if you like steamy historical romance with comedy and weighty feelings in equal measure. This book is part of a series but stands well on its own.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It has been a moment since I’ve reviewed an ARC. This is the second book of @alexandravasti’s I’ve gotten before release and I will keep reading and reviewing them as long as @stmartinspress keeps giving them to me (don’t make me beg for Ladies in Hating SMP please).

As always, since the first time I read the Margot Halifax, Alex’s writing DELIGHTS me. Earl Crush is so funny and sharp. Historical romances aren’t a genre I read a ton of, but I always read these because I know I’ll have a great time. Alex’s characters never fail to charm the shit out of me. I feel such a deep kinship with Lydia Hope-Wallace and Arthur Baird and I really loved reading about them

Thank you so so so much to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!! Earl Crush is out January 21st!

This was so cute! The FMC is definitely Penelope-coded. The YEARNING. So good! Definitely recommend if you’re a fan of regency romances with a modern twist.

I received a free copy of the #EarlCrush by #AlexandraVasti from #NetGalley in exchange for a review. I gobbled this historical romance book in one sitting. I found it romantic and light hearted with the way the Earl took Lydia's extreme social anxiety into account and supported her and not smothered her like her family. It starts with a mistaken identity of the letter writer and they decide to go after the Earl's brother. As a course of their pursuit, there is a fake marriage and one bed scenarios. There are open bedroom sex scenes between the main characters. There are also spies and counterspies. I started it and finished it in one sitting. The only thing I realize is the cover does not truly reflect their travel.