*ARC provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
THE EARL DOTH PROTEST . . .
For businessman Heath Hextall, inheriting an earldom has been a damnable nuisance. The answer: find a well-bred, biddable woman to keep his life in order and observe the required social niceties. But it's always been clear that Lady Josephine Somerhall is not that woman. Once a shy slip of a girl, Joss is now brilliant, beautiful chaos in a ball gown.
. . . BUT THE LADY KNOWS BEST
In her heart, Joss has always loved Heath, the one person she's always been able to count on. That doesn't mean she wants to marry him though. Without a husband, Joss can do as she pleases—and now, it pleases her to solve the mystery of an encoded file given to Heath by a dying man. It's put Heath in peril once, and Joss won't let that happen again. She'll do what she must to ensure the earl's safety. And to remind him that what she lacks in convention, she makes up for in passion.
For businessman Heath Hextall, inheriting an earldom has been a damnable nuisance. The answer: find a well-bred, biddable woman to keep his life in order and observe the required social niceties. But it's always been clear that Lady Josephine Somerhall is not that woman. Once a shy slip of a girl, Joss is now brilliant, beautiful chaos in a ball gown.
. . . BUT THE LADY KNOWS BEST
In her heart, Joss has always loved Heath, the one person she's always been able to count on. That doesn't mean she wants to marry him though. Without a husband, Joss can do as she pleases—and now, it pleases her to solve the mystery of an encoded file given to Heath by a dying man. It's put Heath in peril once, and Joss won't let that happen again. She'll do what she must to ensure the earl's safety. And to remind him that what she lacks in convention, she makes up for in passion.
I didn't myself attracted to Heath, but I did find him perfect for Joss. It was amusing for me how Heath and Joss viewed their childhood friendship differently. While Heath thought he had been mean to Joss and that she was pesky, Joss viewed him as somewhat of her refuge. This also served as one of the reasons why she had easily fallen for him.
Since they already had the basis of friendship behind them, their relationship and banter was easy and flowed naturally. I felt the love between the two characters in the end, although I do wonder at Heath's love for Joss because it primarily seemed to be based on lust. (I feel like almost all romance books now based on lust at first sight.) The heat between them was scorching, and their emotions were just visible right off the page.
You're the Earl that I Want is filled with old beloved characters. I am always amused by the Dowage Duchess of Worth's antics, and I wish she had more lines in this one. Luke and Joseph also make a lot of important appearances here, although I wish that cliffhanger about Joseph at the end of A Good Rogue is Hard to Find was expounded. I haven't forgotten it, Bowen!
The story revolves around a conspiracy and several murders that Heath and Joss find themselves involved in and didn't just walk away, even though their lives were in danger. I'm not sure if that conspiracy is actually true, but it was as incredible as it sounded. However, even with the all this mysteries and killings, Bowen still managed to keep the story light-hearted.
I recommend You're the Earl that I Want for fans of historical romance, and fans of Kelly Bowen. :)
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About the Author
Kelly Bowen grew up in Manitoba, Canada. She attended the University of Manitoba and earned a Master of Science degree in veterinary physiology and endocrinology. But it was Kelly's infatuation with history and a weakness for a good love story that led her down the path of historical romance. When she is not writing, she seizes every opportunity to explore ruins and battlefields. Currently, Kelly lives in Winnipeg with her husband and two boys, all of whom are wonderfully patient with the writing process. Except, that is, when they need a goalie for street hockey.
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