Earl of Sunderland

Christopher Roker has been a soldier for years, shortly after Waterloo he receives a letter from his father telling him his elder twin Carson has broken his neck falling from his horse. So Kit is now the Earl of Sunderland. Kit returns home to find his widowed sister in law Julia is pregnant so he may be able to go back to being a soldier if she gives birth to a boy. Grace Beaumont has been the rock in the Beaumont household for five years since her mother died giving birth to Samuel. Grace finds she enjoys the freedom and power of her new status. Kit & Grace shared a dance at Carson & Julia’s wedding & they were both attracted to each other.
Grace, her father & Sammy travel to Falsbury Castle to support Julia & there Kit & Grace meet again.
Another lovely read in the Wicked Earls series, Kit & Grace are both strong characters but they are both caring & kind. They are immediately attracted to each other & whilst this attraction grows they also become very good friends whilst they fall in love. The other characters are also very well portrayed especially Sammy who is delightful & his enthusiasm helps heal the whole family. The author is new to me but after reading this I’ll be seeking out more of her books

My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I loved this book! I know the name of the series is Wicked Earl’s Club, but there wasn’t a wicked bone in Kit’s body. He was a sweet and honorable man – his brother, however – now he fits the name!

Carson and Christopher Roker are twins who had a solitary childhood and were always there to keep each other company. Carson was the heir who didn’t want to be – he was undisciplined, full of tricks and fun and Christopher was the steady half of the two. Each was the completing half of the other. As adults, Carson stayed that immature, undisciplined, fun-loving young man and Christopher (Kit) joined the military and stayed the steady young man he’d always been. Carson didn’t want to inherit the title – he often tried to talk his brother into trading places.

Carson felt forced into marriage but came to care for his young and mistreated bride. He’d even begun to settle down and was trying to be a better man. He and his wife shared a secret – they were going to become parents and Carson was very happy about it. For the first time in weeks, he went out and got drunk – and he had an accident and died.

Just after the battle of Waterloo, Kit awoke from a nightmare. He’d dreamed of his brother’s death. He plainly saw him on a horse and his neck was broken. Kit was filled with foreboding. Then, several days later, he got a letter from his father telling him to come home and that his brother had died.

Grace Beaumont was fifteen when she lost her mother in childbirth. Grace was in the room with her mother and had witnessed her death. Grace’s father fell apart and there was a new baby to care for, so Grace made them her whole life. She saw that they were cared for and never had an unanswered need or want. At the same time, she vowed she’d never marry because she valued the independence she had and she was afraid of childbirth.

Kit and Grace met (for the second time) on the road to Kit’s home. Grace was going to visit her cousin (Carson’s wife) and Kit was just returning home. Neither Kit nor Grace was looking for a spouse or even love – but – sometimes love finds you. It was fun getting to know them and watching them find their HEA.

Sammy is the young brother Grace has raised – and you’ll just love him. He’s so bright, funny and absolutely precocious. The interactions between Sammy and Grace are priceless – as are those between Sammy and Kit. For instance – there is an exchange between Grace and Sammy where she is speaking to him about loudly interrupting her and not being patient. She’s told him that he should apologize to her. The scene is – Grace says to Sammy -- “You should wait patiently until I lift my head.” He stuck out his bottom lip. “I’m sorry if you thought my patience was too loud.”

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

As agreed, in exchange for this ARC, I am giving a fair and honest review. Who says wicked earls are such? Sweet story with a reasonably tame story line.

I loved Grace and Kit's story!!

Grace had to forgo part of her childhood when she lost her mother at a young age and had to take over the running of the estate. This has made her a very independent young woman. She doesn't think she wants to get married because she believes that she will lose the freedom that she currently has.

Kit has just lost his best friend/twin brother and having just got back from war, Kit isn't interested in getting married anytime soon.

Kit and Grace have an immediate attraction for each other when they meet at a family wedding, but they don't get to spend time with each other until a year later. Kit has to take over the role of Earl of Sunderland and has come home to do so. Grace is visiting to help her grieving cousin (the wife of the former Earl of Sunderland). I loved watching them come to know one another and fall in love.

This was a pretty short story (167 pages), but Wynne did a wonderful job of not making their romance feel rushed. This is my first book by Wynne, but it certainly won't be my last!

Earl of Sunderland is another great read in the Wicked Earl's Club. It is a novella, which I normally don't care for, but it doesn't feel rushed like most novellas do.

I thought the main characters had chemistry from the start. The hero and heroine learn to make sacrifices for each other to make the relationship work.

The actual Wicked Earl's Club did not play a a big role in the story but they were very important. I highly recommend the book.

I did receive an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Earl of Sunderland by Aubrey Wynne (read on NetGalley)
Traumatized at fifteen by watching her mother die in childbirth, Grace has devoted herself to raising her young brother and managing the household for her father. When she meets Kit, the new Lord Sunderland, her determination to continue on her path begins to waver. Kit, newly returned from the Napoleonic wars, has become the Earl on the death of his twin brother. However, his brother’s widow, Grace’s cousin, Eliza, is expecting a child who may, if it is a boy, become the heir in Kit’s place. How Kit and Grace get together makes for a sweet 0story. The main problem is that while we are told of the developing affection between Kit and Grace, it would have made for a more involving narrative if we were shown more of their developing relationship. Few of the minor characters, including Kit’s deceased twin, Carson, are developed enough for us to care about them and all of them are almost too good to be true.

The Earl of Sunderland as a part of the Wicked Earl’s Club has so many situations to recommend it. The closeness of Kit and Carson due to their being twins is unmistakable, especially when Kit’s dream includes his brother’s demise and apology. Even before Kit left for war, he supported Carson at a wedding of which Carson wanted no part.

Grace is a strong, female character in so many ways. She cares for her brother, father and their estate, but wants no husband of her own. She gives and gives with a strength and loyalty that is beyond measure. Kit had had no plans to search for a wife, when Grace is there before him without him even realizing it. The books is brief, but the author builds their relationship quickly without a lot of nonsense words or conversation that are not needed. Grace has so many gentle qualities to recommend her.

It was rewarding for Kit to learn his brother not only had begun to have an affection for Eliza, but may have grown to love her. The ‘W’ club, or Wicked Earl’s Club, members, including an old friend, shared the knowledge they had of Carson’s words of Eliza. And, shared how Carson had changed as he further came to know the wife he had not wanted to marry. I appreciated Ms. Wynne for giving Kit that piece of mind after his brother’s death. At first, I thought the club was to be a larger part of the story, but it was more of a supporting role and a good one.

Secondary characters helped bring this story to life. Samuel, Grace’s little brother is a precious mix of little boy and childish lord. He is obviously being taught how to treat others with respect while being a bit of a rapscallion for fun, but never mean. The relationship between Eliza and her mother-on-law is sweet and true. You could feel the respect and love they had for each other. Although Eliza was concerned for the future of her child, her mother-in-law was kind and caring of Eliza and the unborn child of her deceased son. Even Grace’s father wanted the best for her. He loved having her at home, appreciated her help, but knew she could not stay forever, needing to make a home of her own.

This is a quick enjoyable read built around the loss of a twin brother, son and heir. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.

Earl of Sunderland by Aubrey Wynne is the Fourth book in the "Wicked Earl's Club" series. This is the story of Christopher 'Kit' Roker, the Earl of Sunderland and Grace Beaumont. I haven't yet read the previous books so for me this was a standalone book.
Grace watched her mother die in childbirth when she was a young girl and saw the devastation of her father loosing his wife. Grace decided to never marry after such sadness but went on to raise her brother and help her father as much as she could. Kit was leaned toward being a serious person took the next step to joining the military. His older brother who was also his twin was the more carefree brother but had ended up marring and was to become a father but ended up dying. So now his father has called him home.
Neither Kit nor Grace were looking for love but they were attracted to each other and feelings grew.
This was a sweet romance that I really enjoyed having the chance to read.

I have always liked this series/author. A good romance without sappy or simpering heroines. Highly recommend..

Publisher's Description:

He’s inherited the title of rake. She hides behind her independence... Fate accepts the challenge.

Grace Beaumont has seen what love can do to a woman. Her mother sacrificed her life to produce the coveted son and heir. A devastated father and newborn brother force her to take on the role of Lady Boldon at the age of fifteen. But Grace finds solace in the freedom and power of her new status.

Christopher Roker made a name for himself in the military. The rigor and pragmatism of the army suits him. When a tragic accident heaves Kit into a role he never wanted or expected, his world collides with another type of duty. Returning to England and his newfound responsibilities, the Wicked Earls’ Club becomes a refuge from the glitter and malice of London society but cannot ease his emptiness.

Needing an escape from his late brother’s memory and reputation, Kit visits the family estate for the summer. Lady Grace, a beauty visiting from a neighboring estate, becomes a welcome distraction. When the chance to return to the military becomes a valid possibility, the earl finds himself wavering between his old life and the lure of an exceptional—and unwilling—woman.

My Thoughts:

This is a sweet regency title with the underlying background of an abusive father and a rake of a husband who would not hurt any woman.
Now we get to the meat of this story after the rakehell husband dies and his title is to go to the next in line, a twin brother who really never wanted the title.
Christopher (Kit) returns from war to take the title he never wanted but was the one ultimately suited to. He is a man who wants no part of marriage and with the revelation from his sister in law that she is expecting he may only have the title until she produces a male heir. The title will still be his, however if the baby is a girl.
Grace is the cousin of the deceased Earl's wife and had met the new Earl briefly when his twin had married her cousin. There was a bit of attraction between the two at that time over a year earlier.
Will their attraction grow to something more?
I enjoyed this sweet and sad tale. It is the first time I have read anything by this author.
The addition of a five year old little brother to Grace, a very precocious young man, really helped this storyline along. He is maybe the highlight of the story and a definite wonderfully wrought character. I immediately fell in love with this little boy.
I gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for storyline and character development and a sensual rating of 2.5 of 5.0 flames. The only intimacy involved is a couple of kisses making this a sweet regency romance.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book via NetGalley to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Christopher Roker and Carson are twins who were always there to keep each other company. Carson was the heir who didn’t want to be and Christopher was the steady half of the two who went on to become a Colonel in the army. True twins each was the completing half of the other. At Carson’s wedding to Eliza, Kit was instantly attracted to his sister-n-law’s cousin Grace Beaumont, whose father is wanting her to find a husband, but at fifteen when she lost her mother in childbirth and has no desire to marry and give up her independence. After Kit returned to the army he couldn’t help thinking of Grace and he couldn’t get her off his mind.
Just after the battle of Waterloo Kit awoke from a nightmare in which he dreamed of his brother’s death with him on a horse and his neck was broken. Kit was called home after his brother died to become the new Earl of Sunderland. Grace is called to Eliza’s side during her pregnancy. Grace and Kit meet again and renew their acquaintance and romance blooms. Kit is thinking of looking for a bride and Grace wasn’t looking for a spouse or love, but sometimes love finds you when you least expect it. An enchanting love story with to wounded soles who deserve a HEA!!!
This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

This was a fantastic read, with sorrow, love and new beginnings. I truly enjoyed every page.

Grace Beaumont has seen what love can do to a woman. Her mother sacrificed her life to produce the coveted son and heir. A devastated father and newborn brother force her to take on the role of Lady Boldon at the age of fifteen. But Grace finds solace in the freedom and power of her new status. Christopher Roker made a name for himself in the military. The rigor and pragmatism of the army suits him. When a tragic accident heaves Kit into a role he never wanted or expected, his world collides with another type of duty. Returning to England and his newfound responsibilities, the Wicked Earls’ Club becomes a refuge from the glitter and malice of London society but cannot ease his emptiness. Needing an escape from his late brother’s memory and reputation, Kit visits the family estate for the summer. Lady Grace, a beauty visiting from a neighboring estate, becomes a welcome distraction. When the chance to return to the military becomes a valid possibility, the earl finds himself wavering between his old life and the lure of an exceptional—and unwilling—woman.
This was a sweet and quick story. The title is a little deceiving as Kit is sweet and honorable. It’s a pretty straight-forward book and the characters are likable and very understandable. I look forward to reading more from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

A wicked story but not too wicked. The Wicked Earls Club brings you the Earl of Sunderland. An awesome historical romance with a real good plot. A story full of tragedy, healing and romance. I so loved reading Christopher and Eliza's story. Made me sad in spots but loved the ending.