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A review by amberreadsalot
Lady Meets Earl by Christy Carlyle
4.0
This is a lighthearted romance that I liked, though I didn't quite love it (but I came so close!). Lady Lucy Westmont is 24, with three failed seasons behind her. Unlike so many of these books, her parents are content to let her wait to marry until she finds "the one". James Pembrooke is a business man who made a bad investment and lost everything, then compounded his issues by borrowing money from a notorious and nefarious moneylender who is now demanding repayment.
The story starts with James learning he has unexpectedly inherited an earldom from an uncle who abandoned James when he was orphaned at a young age. The title has no money, a crumbling estate, and an estate in Scotland which might be James' last chance to pay off his debts. He will take a quick jaunt to Scotland, quickly sell the estate, and then deal with the moneylender and other creditors.
Lucy, in the meantime, is also headed to Scotland to see her beloved aunt. Lucy has grown tired of always being the helper and dreams of a little bit of freedom. James and Lucy meet on the train to Scotland, neither aware they are headed to the same place. They get to Scotland, and Lucy's aunt's home, and their love story really takes off from there.
I enjoy a strong heroine, but Lucy's quick flip into a woman willing to ruin herself from a girl who was the model of propriety seems a little abrupt. That said, I liked her with James, they seemed to make sense. This wasn't a story with a big evil - the moneylender is barely a villain and is dispatched with disconcerting ease. This really is a story about a couple learning to trust and communicate, and for James to learn that he is no longer alone.
As other reviewers have stated, the ending drags a bit as the author strives for a neat and tidy ending, even though life is anything but. I would give this book 3.5 stars, but I will round up to 4. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. All the opinions herein are my own.
The story starts with James learning he has unexpectedly inherited an earldom from an uncle who abandoned James when he was orphaned at a young age. The title has no money, a crumbling estate, and an estate in Scotland which might be James' last chance to pay off his debts. He will take a quick jaunt to Scotland, quickly sell the estate, and then deal with the moneylender and other creditors.
Lucy, in the meantime, is also headed to Scotland to see her beloved aunt. Lucy has grown tired of always being the helper and dreams of a little bit of freedom. James and Lucy meet on the train to Scotland, neither aware they are headed to the same place. They get to Scotland, and Lucy's aunt's home, and their love story really takes off from there.
I enjoy a strong heroine, but Lucy's quick flip into a woman willing to ruin herself from a girl who was the model of propriety seems a little abrupt. That said, I liked her with James, they seemed to make sense. This wasn't a story with a big evil - the moneylender is barely a villain and is dispatched with disconcerting ease. This really is a story about a couple learning to trust and communicate, and for James to learn that he is no longer alone.
As other reviewers have stated, the ending drags a bit as the author strives for a neat and tidy ending, even though life is anything but. I would give this book 3.5 stars, but I will round up to 4. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. All the opinions herein are my own.