Readers who enjoy romance, suspense, and friends helping friends will love this regency era romp where, when plotting to save her friend from a fiancé she doesn't want bookseller Constance finds true love. Humorous, heartfelt, and fun. Will definitely be recommending to readers who like smart regencies.

I absolutely fell for this charming and witty romance that effortlessly blends humor and heartfelt moments. The writing sparkles with clever banter and warmth, making every interaction between them feel genuine and alive. I loved how the story explores the idea that love is not just a contract or a plan but something full of surprise and risk, and it’s exactly that unpredictability that makes it worth fighting for. It reminded me why I adore stories where characters break free from convention and find something beautifully real.

Thoroughly enjoyable read. Opposites attract and many hilarious scenes (specially with the cat) as well as steamy ones. This is as good as the first in series. Can’t wait for the “third bookseller” to find her love!

I received an ARC of this book and leaving my review voluntarily.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 in the Bluestocking booksellers series. This was a pretty good book. I did enjoy the story and relationships. It was a pretty good read.

What a fun story! The earl has been promised to wed a friend since he was a child. But there is no fire in the relationship. She loves another. Her dad needs the funds of a royalty wedding. Connie is a friend that agrees to break up the commitment. Connie sets the Earl's heart on fire. Connie is a hot mess that creates the humor in the story. She kept me smiling. This is a regency story with a bit of sizzle and spice. A super good escape read.

I’ve really enjoyed Bethany Bennett’s books in the past, but this one was just okay for me.These anachronistic historical romances are always a stretch for me, but if the story is compelling and the chemistry is there I can roll with it. But in this case, the love story took so long to get going, and there wasn’t enough tension or spark between the leads even before they finally get there, so I couldn’t get sucked in.

Constance and Oliver had potential, I liked them from the first book and was looking forward to reading their story. I loved the neurodivergent lead representation. Bethany Bennett is always really good at writing characters that are clear communicators. She’s the queen of the anti-miscommunication trope, and that part was well done here too. But overall, with any series, there are going to be stronger and weaker entries. I loved the first book in this series, so I’m hoping this was just the valley and not the peak for the Bluestocking Booksellers. I’ll definitely be back for the next one.

I received a free copy of this e-book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightful romance that played upon arranged marriages. When Althea finds herself betrothed and wants an escape, she turns to her friend Constance for help, but love, they find, is not so easy to escape! My Best Friend’s Earl is a fun, romantic read that will make you laugh! I enjoyed every word!

Constance Martin, a bold bookseller, is determined to avoid a mundane life. When her aristocratic friend Althea seeks help to break her engagement to Oliver Vincent, the Earl of Southwyn, Constance sees an opportunity for excitement. Althea, bound by an agreement made by their fathers, wants nothing to do with marrying Oliver, who views the marriage as a business arrangement and a duty. As Constance and Althea devise humorous schemes to thwart the engagement, Constance finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Oliver, a man who embodies duty and logic. Despite her scatterbrained nature and tendency to make lists just to remember daily tasks, Constance's vivacity disrupts Oliver's orderly life, forcing him to confront his growing feelings for her. As their relationship deepens, both must navigate their differing views of love and commitment, leading to a delightful blend of humor, chaos, and heartwarming moments.

This book is a delightful escape filled with humor, charm, and relatable characters. Readers will appreciate the dynamic between Constance and Oliver, whose contrasting personalities create a captivating tension. Constance’s vibrant spirit and Oliver’s honorable intentions make for a compelling romance, showcasing the beauty of opposites attracting. The list of ways to annoy Oliver is hilarious. The author weaves themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery, appealing to readers who enjoy depth in romantic relationships. Fans of historical romance will find this book an enjoyable addition to their collection, promising both laughter and heartfelt moments. I do think it helps to read the first book in the series as there is a larger cast of characters. There are cousins and friends all associated with the book shop. I would love to see a picture of the inspiration for the waist coats that Constance and Althea had made for Oliver to disrupt his ordered rotation of outfits for the week!!! Those scenes were pretty amusing. The spice level of "My Best Friend’s Earl" is mild to moderate. While the story contains romantic tension and chemistry between the characters, it primarily focuses on their emotional connection and comedic elements rather than explicit scenes. Add this to your TBR pile!

Thanks to Forever publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Pub date is set for August 12, 2025.

I love a historical romance that plays with tradition and turns it upside down with sharp characters and genuine emotion. This one did that and more. I was smitten.

This was an okay read. It was a good story, but easy to put down. At first, I felt the characters were too confusing to keep straight.

With an irresponsible father that had signed an agreement years before with a neighbor, Oliver knew two things, who he’d marry and that he’d never be like his father. When the original daughter eloped Oliver was expected to marry the younger sister and felt honor bound to fulfill his father’s agreement and gain the dowered land that came along with the marriage. Only the younger daughter wanted no part of marriage to a man who felt more like a petty older brother than a bridegroom. Our heroine, Constance, was more than willing to help her best friend get rid of her unwanted fiancé. Problem was she kept getting peeks of a man that gave her tingles. Oliver is best friends with Constance’s cousin’s husband so she gets lots of opportunities to interfere in the relationship and help end the unwanted relationship. It also lets us revisit the Duke from the first book in this series but no worries if you didn’t read it, you won’t miss anything. The author did a fantastic job showing how Constance’s mind swirl from topic to topic and how she dealt with it. It was obvious to anyone that has dealt with ADHD that she suffered from it but it was undiagnosed in the 1800’s and gives the reader a glimpse of how it must of felt to try and understand someone with it. The cousins are a joy to read, always fun and so supportive and caring of each other. I cannot wait for Hattie’s story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oliver Vincent, the Earl of Southwyn is bound by an agreement made by his father and his father’s friend to marry his daughter, Althea. Though both think of the other as siblings, Oliver feels it’s his duty to honor the agreement. Althea, however, is determined to break the agreement so that she is free to marry her love, Franklin. At her wits end, she asks her friend, Constance Martin, for help to break the engagement. Together they come up with hilarious schemes to encourage the Earl to break off the engagement. The trouble is Connie did not anticipate the growing feelings she has for Oliver.

I absolutely adored this novel and preferred it to the first in the series. Connie is a vivacious, charming woman, with undiagnosed ADHD. Though not explicitly said, which I feel honors the time period, as someone who has ADHD the descriptions Ms. Bennett offers are in line with ADHD. She’s a caring person who tries her best to cope with her struggles in creative ways. When her friend, Althea, comes to her for help she’s determined to help her to the best of her ability. She’s a wonderful character, and I absolutely fell in love with her. I loved the interactions between her and Oliver and their witty banter.

Oliver is an honorable man trying to do the right thing. Given how unscrupulous Althea’s father is, he sees marrying her as the best possible way to protect her. He cares for her as a little sister. It’s so delightful watching him try to make sense of his growing feelings for Connie. While Connie charmingly invites chaos, he’s a rigid and structured man. The two complement the other in lovely ways and learn to accept their differences. We do get to see the easy going side of Oliver that Connie brings out in him.

I was rooting for them the entire time, and was desperate to find out what the solution to the conflict would be. I lost myself in the story and couldn’t put it down. I also enjoyed seeing the characters from the previous novel in the story. Ms. Bennett finds a balance of incorporating those characters in a way that they do not overpower the leads’ journey but are a natural part of their lives.

This is such a delightful book with lots of humor and kindness. It offers the perfect escape from the current landscape in the real world.

Althea and Oliver are betrothed by their fathers but she wants out of the whole situation.
She turns to her friend Constance for help with a plan.
Constance is scatterbrained and needs to make lists to even remember to eat. So lists are made to discourage Oliver the Earl.
Constance spends time with Oliver and falls in love with him herself.
As their relationship develops, so do the complications and consequences.
Enjoyable romance, easy fun read.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

This is the second book of the series and revisits the cousins who help run the family bookstore. It is a sweet and steamy historical romance with an unconventional pairing of bookseller and a member of the aristocracy in a opposites attract romcom situation. Constance Martin is bright, charming, talented, fun loving, and engaging, but she has difficulty focusing, and a tendency to start things but not always follow through with them, and that includes her romantic life. She loves her family and friends dearly and working with her cousins in her parent's bookstore, and abhors stuffiness and boredom.

When she is approached by her good friend, Althea, with an unusual request, she is not slow to render her aid. Because of a longstanding agreement between her family and the parents of Oliver Vincent, the current Earl of Southwyn, she is betrothed to Southwyn. Because Althea's affections are engaged elsewhere, she does not want to wed the Earl, but he steadfastly abides by the agreement and for other reasons he does not explicitly declare, he wants to continue with plans to wed Althea. To this end, Althea approaches Constance to be her "matchbreaker" and help her plot to break off from Southwyn. Constance, from her interactions with the man who also happens to be the best friend of the husband of her newly married cousin, believes Southwyn to be a boring stuffed shirt and is more than willing and ready to scheme with Althea.

As Constance and Althea plot, Constance runs interference and becomes more frequently in the presence of Southwyn. As his world is turned topsy turvy by their hijinks, Southwyn reveals more of his true self to Constance and she finds herself growing attached to the man he is underneath the orderly controlled exterior. Likewise, Southwyn finds himself liking and admiring Constance. But he is determined to do the honorable thing, which also includes protecting Althea, though she is not aware of this, from her own father's plots and poor management.

A lovely story with some lovely characters; I do love the supportive sisterly relationship between the cousins, and the brotherly relationship between the male characters. This is a warm and likeable story with some fun comedic components and I always adore the inclusion of animal characters as well as the good unstuffing of a stuffed shirt. Love the scenario where Southwyn is undone by the street kitten, and how the cat becomes elevated to feline royalty by him. Who doesn't love a man who loves animals?

4.25 stars out of 5

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of My Best Friend's Earl from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Bethany Bennett has outdone herself again. This is the second book in the Bluestocking Booksellers series. Constance Martin, a bookseller's daughter is someone whose mind deals with lots of things at the same time. She has recently left her fiancée at the altar, and is now trying to help her friend escape marriage to Oliver Vincent, Earl of Southwyn. This story reveals so many aspects of people's personalities and why we sometimes behave and act the way we do. As Constance tries to annoy Oliver to the extent of breaking his engagement to her friend, she begins to see him in a new light, and is reluctant to paint him as a total immovable predictable and stuck up man. I adored the way both main characters are portrayed as well as how all the other characters intertwine and enhance the familial relationships people have. A wonderful story!

This story is a delight from start to finish. The main character is refreshingly unique and has a way of bringing people together. I would definitely read more books by this author.

This didn't live up to it's predecessor "Good Duke Gone Wild" for me, and that makes me so sad.

I really enjoyed Connie and Althea schemeing/the matchbreaker aspect that kicks off the book but I felt like it went on a bit too long without the plot moving along - I saw another review saying to stick it out past the 25% mark for the Romance to pick up, but the book never recovered from that delay for me.

Connie as a heroine with her ADHD behavior was wonderful, but Vincent as a hero lacked any pizzazz to keep me interested - ye of Following Rules and Honor got to be very boring (he really lost me when it was brought up he scheduled his masturbation and that inner monologue went on for a few pages). I did enjoy him with the kitten (Prince!) and his and Connie's budding attraction was good - but the payoff wasn't.

I also felt like this book struggled with the amount of Caro and Dorian were on-page (coming back to my first point), taking away from the MCs - and I say that as someone who LOVES their romance. But it wasn't there time to shine, here!

I look forward to Bennett's next book in this series, but sadly My Best Friend's Earl was not a win for me!

Having not read book 1 I was still able to jump in to the world of the Booksellers and enjoyed Connie, begged to be a “match breaker” between her friend Althea and Oliver, her fiancé. Oliver is too bound up in duty to a childhood friend to break the engagement even through Althea doesn’t want him and as they set out to make his life a misery, Connie falls for him along the way.

I did quibble with him being SO not clued in to the person he views as a friend to not perceive that her parents were strong arming her into the marriage and restricting her movements. I thought Connie had a point that he was not respecting her as a person but that never followed through to how would he respect Connie differently as a romantic partner.

Also we get two cats in this book and wish they had bigger roles in the second half. Ginger snap and Prince Puddles for the win.

Heat level: only 2 scenes, both after the 75% mark

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this arc.

Hilarious. The antics Constance pulled to get Oliver to back out of the marriage with her friend and unexpectedly into one with her was fun to see unfold

GIRLS BEFORE EARLS!!!! I loved this!! Constance is so incredibly lovely and wonderful and unique, it was beautiful seeing her grow into herself. A matchbreaker is such a fun idea, and Constance approaches it methodically.

I really liked Oliver too, although he drove me a bit crazy at times trying to be the white night to someone who definitely does NOT want him to be her white night! Watching his life slowly become messy was so fun!

I loved seeing neurodivergent characters in a historical romance, it was so thoughtfully written and drew me in completely. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!!