An Earl Like You

Jesus, what a missed angst opportunity! This had all the makings of a 4.5 star book! I was starting to worry about how the Big Conflict was going to be handled and resolved when I had read 80% of the book and the other shoe hadn't dropped, giving enough time for angst and feelings and groveling and making up. Granted, if Eliza's inner monologue after she learned of Hugh's deception had focused on how he said he loved her AFTER it was advantageous to him - they were already married and the deal totally done - then her easy acceptance that he loved her despite his lies and betrayal might have been more plausible. Instead, we have a heroine confronting a hero about his egregious deception from the beginning of their acquaintance, and the show more hero blames everything on her father and storms out. And she just runs off to yell at her father because she's angry that he put Hugh up to it! Where is the groveling??? Where is the heroine's pain at realizing her entire romance was based on a lie?? She rationalizes his actions and forgives him before he even finds her to apologize! Also, when Hugh confronts Cross after Eliza, he says "I was never after her dowry," as if he was somehow different from the fortune hunters who had pursued Eliza before. The only reason he hadn't previously thought of her and her dowry when contemplating marrying was because she was so far beneath him socially! He would never have agreed to Cross' manipulations if there wasn't a payoff in the end! He hardly gets to pretend superiority on that count. And Elia just immediately capitulates when he shows up. Ugh. Still, I loved both the main characters, especially the plain heroine with a heart of gold, so I did enjoy it. (3.5 stars) show less

I am loving this series!

Hugh and Eliza are a wonderful couple. Though they get together originally for all the wrong reasons--unbeknownst to Eliza, unfortunately--it's hard to imagine that they would have found each other any other way (and even if they had met somehow, that Hugh would have truly noticed her anyway--he even admits this to himself at one point) so it's hard to hate her father *too* much. Hugh truly does have his heart in the right place--the ways he can help his mother and sisters are very limited and the alternate method he'd come up with by himself just wasn't going to have the same effect (though OMG, man, you should have admitted to them the situation your father left you all in much sooner than you did!)

Reading this show more story is like reading an unusually romantic train wreck--you love the characters, hate the deception behind them being together, and know disaster is coming and just can't stop reading until the HEA is achieved. I can't wait to see what Ms. Linden has in store for the rest of the series!

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. show less

I suppose I was expecting the story to give the background not covered in the previous book and then quickly pick up at the point where it had left off. I might have enjoyed the journey getting to there more if I had known that that would very nearly be the ending point of this book as well, and not 'when the real journey would begin' or something. Also, I ended up feeling a little bit disappointed with the hero. I wanted to like him, but he kept receiving opportunities to show true character and then kind of flubbing them. Taking the coward's way out of a sticky situation, or mishandeling conflict. He wasn't bad, but I just couldn't really put much faith in him. And I don't hold his major deception against him, it's practically the show more whole premise of the book, it was other stuff added on top of that. Staying out on his wedding night, (I'm not sure he ever even apologized for it) was super inconsiderate Or pretty much leaving her to fend for herself with his family. At one point he thinks that deflowering the heroine would insure that the marriage proceeded, and then he *does* that. (He and her father had already been sort of using her as an unknowing pawn, but it seemed especially callous to use *that* in his machinations). And then when he took the handkerchief with her blood on it and said something about it being 'proof she was his', I was honestly afraid that her father might threaten to back out and that he genuinely *would* produce it as evidence that it was too late or something! (Her father didn't try, so we can't know for certain how he would have played his cards in that situation, but I hate to even *think* such a thing of a hero, especially after he'd developed feelings for her, and so late in the book! I ended up liking the heroine though, she was very sweet and open hearted. And she seemed especially reasonable as well, given all the trying circumstances. show less

Series: The Wagers of Sin #2
Publication Date: 8/28/18

This is a wonderful addition to Linden’s ‘The Wages of Sin’ series. It is intelligently written, uniquely plotted and the characters are all well developed and relatable. We originally met the heroine in the first book of the series, My Once and Future Duke. She is one of the nicest and sweetest heroines I’ve read in a while and I really, really liked her. Her father loves her beyond reason and is obsessed with providing her with the life HE thinks she should have and he’s not above blackmail and deception to see that she gets it. Her father could have easily been the villain of the book given what he did, but our author wrote him beautifully and made him redeemable while show more leaving his actions unforgivable. While the book is part of a series, you can read it without having read the first book – but I don’t know why in the world you’d ever want to do that – the first book is great too.

Elizabeth (Eliza) Cross’s mother died in childbirth when Eliza was only three years old. From that point on, Eliza was the center of her father’s world. He is a speculator (neither gentry nor aristocrat) and one of the richest men in England. His dream for his sweet baby girl is for her to marry an aristocrat and he will (and does) go to any lengths to make that happen. It doesn’t matter all Eliza wants is someone who sees her and loves her and not her father’s money. Frankly, she’s given up on finding that and has made herself very happy tending the gardens, helping out in the parish and playing with and loving the dog (Willie) she rescued when he was just a puppy. Eliza is sweet, honest, and open, but she isn’t weak. She knows that she is no great beauty, but she has spent her life trying to become the lady her Papa wants her to be, so she is poised and graceful, but without the arrogance and entitlement that so many young ladies of the ton have. Her father just knows that if any man spent any time around her at all they would fall in love with her -- he just has to choose the right man and assure that those two spend time together.

Hugh Deveraux, Earl of Hastings, has had a huge shock. When his father died and Hugh inherited, he discovered that the estate wasn’t just broke, it was 80,000 pounds in debt. Everything was gone – nothing for his sisters’ dowries and nothing for his mother’s jointure. He can’t tell his family that the man they loved, practically worshiped, left them destitute, so he turns to what he is best at to try to keep them afloat – he plays cards at the Vega Club. He’s done pretty well keeping them afloat and managing to pay enough of the debts to keep the creditors at bay. However, now his sister is getting betrothed and he must come up with a dowry for her. Imagine his surprise when Edward Cross makes him an offer that he (literally) cannot refuse. Hugh is to court and then marry Cross’s daughter without her ever finding out about the bargain.

Hugh and Eliza’s first meeting is so delightfully funny. Willie, the dog, is a handful and does not like baths. When Hugh first comes to the Cross’s home Eliza is dressed in an old dress and she’s chasing Willie through the house to dry him after his bath. She literally falls at Hugh’s feet. He is not impressed.

Eliza is surprised and very pleased when her father’s new business partner begins to show up at their home or runs into them at the theater or balls. She is amazed that he seems to like her – to really see who she is. So, when he asks to court her and finally asks her to marry him – she can only shout YES!

I loved watching Hugh and his family come to truly love Eliza – but I always knew it was going to blow up in a big way. Eliza had made a number of comments to Hugh and others about honesty and being honest and forthright, so he knew how she felt about it. He knew he should tell her, but he just couldn’t and then he convinced himself she’d never find out. She did, of course, and in the worst possible way. I love that she confronted everybody involved and didn’t cut anyone any slack. It is a delightful love story in many ways. So, I hope you’ll read it and enjoy it as much as I did.

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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." show less

I suppose I was expecting the story to give the background not covered in the previous book and then quickly pick up at the point where it had left off. I might have enjoyed the journey getting to there more if I had known that that would very nearly be the ending point of this book as well, and not 'when the real journey would begin' or something. Also, I ended up feeling a little bit disappointed with the hero. I wanted to like him, but he kept receiving opportunities to show true character and then kind of flubbing them. Taking the coward's way out of a sticky situation, or mishandeling conflict. He wasn't bad, but I just couldn't really put much faith in him. And I don't hold his major deception against him, it's practically the show more whole premise of the book, it was other stuff added on top of that. Staying out on his wedding night, (I'm not sure he ever even apologized for it) was super inconsiderate Or pretty much leaving her to fend for herself with his family. At one point he thinks that deflowering the heroine would insure that the marriage proceeded, and then he *does* that. (He and her father had already been sort of using her as an unknowing pawn, but it seemed especially callous to use *that* in his machinations). And then when he took the handkerchief with her blood on it and said something about it being 'proof she was his', I was honestly afraid that her father might threaten to back out and that he genuinely *would* produce it as evidence that it was too late or something! (Her father didn't try, so we can't know for certain how he would have played his cards in that situation, but I hate to even *think* such a thing of a hero, especially after he'd developed feelings for her, and so late in the book! I ended up liking the heroine though, she was very sweet and open hearted. And she seemed especially reasonable as well, given all the trying circumstances. show less

I have received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5*
This story is somewhat a marriage of convenience – at least for one of the parties involved.
I really liked Eliza, she was the sweetest. In the beginning, she wore pink glasses when looking at the world, but I have to admit I loved her innocence. Hugh, on the other hand, has no other choice but to see the world as it really is – and I think that’s one of the reasons why we readers can forgive him for acting the way he does. It was so romantic to see them develop their feelings for each other, and being so protective as well. Both main characters are so lovable that we just root for their happy ending from beginning to end, even with families imposing and trying to keep show more them apart. The book has a bit of mystery and lies in the middle, that helps the story flow and keeps the readers interested.
I read it just a few hours, that’s how much it kept me interested! show less

Eliza’s father is a wealthy untitled businessman and wants his daughter to have the very best and has arranged a marriage for her, unbeknownst to her. He has picked an Earl, young, handsome and swimming in debt left to him by his father and proposed an agreement that he would cover all his debts if he would court and marry his daughter. She must not know of the arrangement and she should be courted. Hugh (the Earl) is resentful but is desperate and as he gets to know Eliza he realizes how kind and wonderful she is and slowly starts falling in love with her. There are family introductions and snubs before it’s all sorted out for the HEA.