When only one of the two Mcs in book actually matter, you get only an okay book. Then you add too many plotlines and it becomes a mess.

Unfortunately thats what happened here and the fact that the heroine accepted the hero back after he left her for another woman makes it yucky. I understand she had no other option during those times, but yuck nevertheless.

An Earl's Sacrifice is the third book in The Clandestine Sapphire Society.

The story opens with the wedding of Lucius Oshea, son of the Earl of Pender and Meredith Jepson, daughter of the ruthless Duke of Rathbourne. Neither wants this wedding, but it was all arranged years ago. As soon as the wedding is over, Lucius abandons his bride for his true love.

Three years later, Lucius returns home after hearing from the Duke, his daughter is expecting. Furious to find out he has been cuckholded, he confronts his wife with annulment papers he intends to file. It does not take long for him to realize, his wife has renovated much of his home which had been in disrepair for years. She has also made her presence known in the community by helping where she can.

The Penhalwick tin mines are a huge focus which threatens his family’s name and the future of everyone under his care. Surprising him, Meredith stands up to the man who is in charge of the mines. Surprised by her strength and loyalty, he begins to see a side of her he never gave her the chance to show him. Lucius admires the woman before him and has a change of heart about the annulment.

As they begin to have feelings for one another, Lucius becomes the target, and his life is in jeopardy. Trying to save him, Meredith is also in danger. Will they be able to rescue one another before it is too late.

This was a bit different from other stories I have read. There is so much greed and many unlikeable characters, it takes a while before we see the happily ever after we are looking for. I loved the character of Meredith. She is intelligent, strong and determined to help others. She is neither empty headed nor shallow. Lucius, on the other hand, takes a bit of redemption to turn him from despicable groom to loving husband. Certainly, worth the read.

An Earl's Sacrifice is a historical romance with one of my favourite tropes: estranged spouses. Forced to marry, the "hero" immediately abandons his wife in Cornwall and decamps to live his life as if single. Meanwhile, the heroine rolls up her sleeves, engages the locals, and basically is the true hero of this novel. Honestly, I spent half of it thinking I was going to give it no stars because of how big an asshole the "hero" was. Luckily he redeems himself enough to move it up to 4.5 stars (and rounding to be kind). But mostly all the stars are for the heroine, who somehow manages not to be a Mary Sue but someone who fixes things and charges ahead without being super annoying. So kudos for that!

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A second chance is the story behind this historical romance. Our lead characters were forced into marriage three years before. Now mischief, miss-understandings and dangers are what they must face now.
It is a very exciting tale with fascinating characters. Our heroine is intelligent and brave. Our hero has let anger guide him for too long. Will they solve the mystery or will there be more loss.
I loved it.

Meredith is awesome.

Lucius is awful. He abandons Meredith, his wife, to be with someone else. No. Just no.
He is awful, terrible, horrid.
Meredith is hard working, forward thinking. She fights for those who are weak. She gets all the blame. He runs off to be with his mistress. And she takes him back!!! No. Just no. Nope.
Just no. So disappointed in him.

I do so like the heroine in this story. She was given lemons and she made lemonades, for everyone., The hero didn’t realize his good fortune until he saw for real. Corruption, conspiracy, murder, and a few mysteries to unravel will keep you reading till the end.

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

I loved Meredith, she's a reformer, survivor and strong until she's connected to Lucius. Him, I can't stand. It's a marriage of convenience with him going off to be with someone else that he claims to love. Yet, when he shows back up, Meredith takes him back. A series flaw in her amazing character! The writing doesn't follow the expected flow yet it actually works for this writer to be a bit "squirrel like" in the delivery.

Lucius is forced to marry Meredith by each of their fathers.
He drops her off in Cornwall by the family mines and does not return for three years.
Meredith does her best to restore their home, help others in the community, and monitor the safety of mine workers.
When Lucius the Earl finally returns to Cornwall, he realizes so many issues don’t make sense in their lives.
A convoluted story about families and underhanded dealings.
Romance grows between them slowly.
Interesting series.

I have read the previous two in this series and I think the writing is the same. If you didn't like the previous two books, I don't think you will like this one. But I like the slightly chaotic writing style. Things happen quickly in this book which can make it a fast read for me. Meredith, has done nothing wrong in this book. This woman is a saint. Her husband is neglectful in all senses of the word and she decides to deal with it by making her life better. Then Lucius decides to return. I don't like him and I don't really understand how Meredith can forgive him. I would say she is better than me but he is such garbage and when the woman he has loved over her for year arrives, he doesn't kick her out. I would have destroyed him. I think if he hadn't been in love with the other woman, that she was just his good friend or mistress, I could have accepted a lot more.

I have quite mixed feelings about An Earl’s Sacrifice. It opens strongly, and I was quickly intrigued, but the pacing was all over the place – dipping in several spots before galloping through a rather rushed finale. From the blurb I’d expected Meredith to be abandoned by her husband for much longer – in fact, they’ve only been married three years. There's definitely plenty of intrigue (generations’ worth of it!), but with so many titled characters floating around – most long dead – it all got a bit confusing.

That said, Meredith is a real highlight. A fierce reformer and advocate for women’s and children’s education, she’s modernising the estate, pushing for mine safety, and installing a plumbed bath in 1844 – legend. Unsurprisingly, she’s not winning popularity contests with the village men. Lucius, on the other hand, is a bit of a cad. He marries her, dumps her in an unliveable house, and swans off to London (and another woman) without a backward glance. He’s not easy to warm to – though he does eventually realise how brilliant she is. I did enjoy the conundrum about the current steward, though I did guess his secret fairly early on, he was an excellent character.

The spicy scenes are evocative and well-written, though I wouldn’t call this “scorching hot” – they’re definitely secondary (or tertiary!) to the plot. Overall, I really enjoyed the reformist themes and Meredith’s strength – but the book felt a little muddled, with too many threads vying for attention.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest opinion.

So, this one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. An Earl’s Sacrifice starts with a really intriguing premise—a scandal, a marriage of convenience, and a hero trying to do the right thing. I was definitely curious to see how it would all unfold. The setup promised tension and drama, and in some ways, it delivered.

What I liked: the emotional stakes were clear from the start, and the sense of duty versus desire made for some compelling moments. There were a few heartfelt scenes that genuinely pulled me in, and the author does a great job with the historical setting.

Where it fell short for me was in pacing and character depth. Things moved a little unevenly, and I didn’t always feel the chemistry between the leads as strongly as I wanted to. There were moments where the dialogue felt a bit forced, and some of the conflicts wrapped up too neatly. I kept wishing for just a little more tension or complexity to really hook me.

Overall, it’s an okay read and enjoyable in parts, especially if you’re a fan of marriage-of-convenience tropes, which I am, but it didn’t fully blow me away. I’d call this a solid palette cleanser book!

I absolutely loved this gothic romance. It’s the kind of slow burn that aches in the best way layered with tension, longing, and so much emotional depth. The atmosphere was rich and haunting, and the characters completely stole my heart.
Lucius and Meredith were everything. He’s a brooding, scandal-shadowed Earl, and she’s a fierce, quietly powerful heroine hiding so much strength beneath her icy exterior. Their history is messy and painful, but watching them navigate that tangled past with guarded hearts and growing trust was beautiful. I couldn’t get enough of their dynamic—the anger, the yearning, the moments when you feel the walls slowly cracking.
The plot was gripping too, with just the right amount of danger, secrets, and betrayal lurking beneath the surface. The backdrop of the mine, the village tension, and the legacy of corruption gave this story real stakes and emotional weight.
If you love gothic settings, complex characters, and a romance that burns slow but burns deep, this book is unforgettable. I didn’t want it to end.

Time for a confession: I absolutely love this book! Enemies to lovers regency romances are my absolute favorite. How utterly sweet and heartwarming.