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onebookmore's review against another edition
4.0
When Jack Beresford, Earl of Hawkenden’s brother announces that he has married, Jack is stunned. Tom and Nell married so quickly, and Jack is sure there are nefarious reasons for the nuptials. He can’t imagine that his brother would succumb to love, especially after their tumultuous childhood that was filled with hurt, abandonment, and rejection. Jack determines to help rid his brother of this entanglement. When Tom brings Nell and her best friend Cecily to Jack’s country home for an extended stay, Jack must reconsider his assumptions about marriage and love, especially as his feelings for Cecily grow. Will Jack give in to his feelings for the beautiful and charming Cecily? Will he accept his brother’s marriage and reconcile with him? Can love reach this emotionally withdrawn man? Will Cecily admit to her feelings for the cold and empty earl?
Jack is arrogant and aloof and presents himself as a cold and emotionally vacuous man. Though an extremely successful businessman, he is unsuccessful in maintaining deep and meaningful relationships with the exception of his brother. And Jack even fractures his relationship with Tom because of his harsh feelings about love and marriage. Jack keeps people at a distance, and fear of abandonment compels him to squelch his feelings. Jack had a terrible childhood, and as Cecily gets to know Jack, she begins to see the deep scars and how the past has defined him. She begins to understand his actions and reactions and feels sympathy for this wounded and deeply layered man. I love that Cecily sees past Jack’s defenses! She is one of the few that takes the time to see the wonderful man underneath the cool and composed earl.
Cecily is a wonderful character, and her story is equally interesting. Cecily is a strong and intelligent woman who is frustrated by the limitations put on her because of her gender. She has a great mind for business and tons of potential, but, as the daughter of a duke, she is not allowed to fulfill her dreams. She is so different from what Jack expected, and he can’t help but feel drawn to her intellect, compassion, and kindhearted and fiery spirit. Cecily is also very intuitive, and she always seems to find ways to help others. She understands people and uses this wisdom to help others with sage advice and unlimited support. This goes a long way in helping Jack to heal and learn to open himself up to feeling again.
The slow-building romance between Cecily and Jack is a complicated mix of love and loathe at first sight and contrasts the overly affectionate and loving relationship between Tom and Nell. Jack and Cecily butt heads on several occasions, and they spend much of the story dancing around one another, reluctant to reveal their budding romantic feelings for each other. However, the more time they spend together, the more irrefutable and irresistible their connection becomes. I love the angst and romantic tension throughout the story, as this stubborn and strong-willed pair slowly comes to realize and admit their feelings for each other.
I also love the relationship between Cecily and Tom’s wife Nell. They are both kind, compassionate, and entertaining women, and they have a strong and long-lasting friendship. They are so supportive of each other, and even when they don’t agree, they value each other’s opinions. They are also really honest with each other, even if it makes for a difficult conversation. I think this says a lot about their friendship and how much they like and respect each other. They have such a strong connection, and I adore their unwavering support of one another. They are a bit like Jack and Tom in that they love each other unequivocally. However, the men often let emotions cloud their judgment.
A fun and entertaining story that includes miscommunication, mistaken identity, and more, Catherine Tinley’s Captivating the Cynical Earl is a great historical romance. I think it will appeal to readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance with well-developed characters and strong messages about love, healing, and redemption. Thanks so much to Catherine Tinley and Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Jack is arrogant and aloof and presents himself as a cold and emotionally vacuous man. Though an extremely successful businessman, he is unsuccessful in maintaining deep and meaningful relationships with the exception of his brother. And Jack even fractures his relationship with Tom because of his harsh feelings about love and marriage. Jack keeps people at a distance, and fear of abandonment compels him to squelch his feelings. Jack had a terrible childhood, and as Cecily gets to know Jack, she begins to see the deep scars and how the past has defined him. She begins to understand his actions and reactions and feels sympathy for this wounded and deeply layered man. I love that Cecily sees past Jack’s defenses! She is one of the few that takes the time to see the wonderful man underneath the cool and composed earl.
Cecily is a wonderful character, and her story is equally interesting. Cecily is a strong and intelligent woman who is frustrated by the limitations put on her because of her gender. She has a great mind for business and tons of potential, but, as the daughter of a duke, she is not allowed to fulfill her dreams. She is so different from what Jack expected, and he can’t help but feel drawn to her intellect, compassion, and kindhearted and fiery spirit. Cecily is also very intuitive, and she always seems to find ways to help others. She understands people and uses this wisdom to help others with sage advice and unlimited support. This goes a long way in helping Jack to heal and learn to open himself up to feeling again.
The slow-building romance between Cecily and Jack is a complicated mix of love and loathe at first sight and contrasts the overly affectionate and loving relationship between Tom and Nell. Jack and Cecily butt heads on several occasions, and they spend much of the story dancing around one another, reluctant to reveal their budding romantic feelings for each other. However, the more time they spend together, the more irrefutable and irresistible their connection becomes. I love the angst and romantic tension throughout the story, as this stubborn and strong-willed pair slowly comes to realize and admit their feelings for each other.
I also love the relationship between Cecily and Tom’s wife Nell. They are both kind, compassionate, and entertaining women, and they have a strong and long-lasting friendship. They are so supportive of each other, and even when they don’t agree, they value each other’s opinions. They are also really honest with each other, even if it makes for a difficult conversation. I think this says a lot about their friendship and how much they like and respect each other. They have such a strong connection, and I adore their unwavering support of one another. They are a bit like Jack and Tom in that they love each other unequivocally. However, the men often let emotions cloud their judgment.
A fun and entertaining story that includes miscommunication, mistaken identity, and more, Catherine Tinley’s Captivating the Cynical Earl is a great historical romance. I think it will appeal to readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers romance with well-developed characters and strong messages about love, healing, and redemption. Thanks so much to Catherine Tinley and Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
jessbookishlife's review against another edition
5.0
There are a lot of subgenres in the historical romance that I enjoy, but regency was where I started and Catherine Tinley is quite amazing in it.
In this book we follow Jack Beresford, the Earl of Hawkenden, and Lady Cecily Thornhill in this journey. As we go through each chapter, uncovering their background, it was interesting. The characters were realistic and I could connect with them, since they appeared in the beginning to be a bit different from other characters, and in part that made me fascinated with uncovering their past.
Strong personalities, sweet moments and chemistry, mysteries to grab our attentions and a heartwarming story. I don't want to give out much about the development of the plot and the characters interactions, but it was touching and I loved it.
Overall, I love the story. I really did. Catherine Tinley gave us a story that had all the elements I enjoy. From the friendship to the romance. From the drama to the trust it built.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Catherine Tinley for the eCopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
In this book we follow Jack Beresford, the Earl of Hawkenden, and Lady Cecily Thornhill in this journey. As we go through each chapter, uncovering their background, it was interesting. The characters were realistic and I could connect with them, since they appeared in the beginning to be a bit different from other characters, and in part that made me fascinated with uncovering their past.
Strong personalities, sweet moments and chemistry, mysteries to grab our attentions and a heartwarming story. I don't want to give out much about the development of the plot and the characters interactions, but it was touching and I loved it.
Overall, I love the story. I really did. Catherine Tinley gave us a story that had all the elements I enjoy. From the friendship to the romance. From the drama to the trust it built.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Catherine Tinley for the eCopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
bookmadjo's review against another edition
5.0
Captivating the Cynical Earl was such an enchanting Regency romance. Set in 1819, this focuses on best friends Nell and Cecily, and the Beresford brothers. When Jack’s brother Tom marries Nell, Jack was shocked that his brother did not consult him on their speedy connection. Only believing that marriage was only worthwhile as a financial investment rather than a love connection, Jack was angry. When he first meets with Cecily, they are at crossed purposes with hilarious results.
Once Cecily and Jack start to get to know one another they find that there is something pulling them together, and it’s such a beautiful slow-burning friendship to romance connection between them. There is something holding Jack back and I loved the way in which Cecily sets out to get the answers she needs.
The location of the country house that they all end up sharing with two of Jack’s friends is beautiful, and I felt that the setting, particularly with the woods that were so easy to picture as an adventurous place for two young boys to play, was lovely, and the descriptions were so vivid that I could picture them so clearly.
This was my first experience of reading a book by Catherine Tinley, and I have to say I love her writing style and it definitely will not be my last. Captivating the Cynical Earl captivated me so completely that I read it in one sitting and spent the entire time with a goofy grin on my face. It was Regency romance perfection.
Once Cecily and Jack start to get to know one another they find that there is something pulling them together, and it’s such a beautiful slow-burning friendship to romance connection between them. There is something holding Jack back and I loved the way in which Cecily sets out to get the answers she needs.
The location of the country house that they all end up sharing with two of Jack’s friends is beautiful, and I felt that the setting, particularly with the woods that were so easy to picture as an adventurous place for two young boys to play, was lovely, and the descriptions were so vivid that I could picture them so clearly.
This was my first experience of reading a book by Catherine Tinley, and I have to say I love her writing style and it definitely will not be my last. Captivating the Cynical Earl captivated me so completely that I read it in one sitting and spent the entire time with a goofy grin on my face. It was Regency romance perfection.
cuppacora's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
5 Word Review: Cynicism, family, friendship, secrets, love.
One Hot Cross Bun, please.
I know, I know, it's in the title. The Cynical Earl. But oh boy is Jack cynical. About everything. Business, family, love... I mean everything. I don't think I was quite prepared for the levels of cynicism, but it worked so darn well with the character, and made his development *chef's kiss*.
Cecily has a little cynicism herself, but she is also a bit of a ray of sunshine. She's hopeful even with her distrust, and she's a good and loyal person. If I'm honest, most of her cynicism is aimed at her mother and society, for when it comes to the love of her friend she on board and supportive. She's also headstrong and trying to to her best for those she loves.
Jack is just... Cynical about it all. He doesn't understand the concept of love, thinks that it's a fool's game. He's brooding and grumpy, but he's had a tough life. He focuses on his business and shuns pretty much all else. And he doesn't have the best opinion of women, and debutantes especially, at the beginning. He's a hot cross bun of the best type, because he comes to understand that perhaps his thinking was wrong. We love to see growth like this.
Also, look at the brooding on the cover! Such scowling from Jack, such lightness from Cecily. Honestly the cover is perfect for this book, and I think it captures the essence of the pair fantastically.
I loved that this felt like a slow burn, even when it wasn't. The forced proximity made everything so intense, made their passion burn that much faster. I like the way the story undulated between battles of wit and slow country life, society parties and intimate evenings. The mixed pace made it a delight to read, I loved the writing style. And the end? Well, that is about as fast paced as it could be!
I loved this cynical, brooding romance, the slow melting of the characters. I'd happily read it again and will be seeking out more of Catherine Tinley's work!
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood and Death of parent
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