When Hugh Deveraux discovers his newly inherited earldom is bankrupt, he sets about rebuilding the family fortune—in the gaming hells of London. But the most daring wager he takes isn't at cards. A wealthy tradesman makes a tantalizing offer: marry the man's spinster daughter, and Hugh's debts will be paid and his fortune made. The only catch is that she must never know about their agreement.
You risk losing your heart...
Heiress Eliza Cross has given up hope of marriage until she meets the impossibly handsome Earl of Hastings, her father's new business partner. The earl is everything a gentleman should be, and is boldly attentive to her. It doesn't take long for Eliza to lose her heart and marry him.
But when Eliza discovers that there is more to the man she loves—and to her marriage—her trust is shattered. And it will take all of Hugh's power to prove that now his words of love are real.
An Earl Like You is a captivating marriage of convenience romance with a twist or two! The novel is well paced and the dialogue is superbly written. The enchanting love story which developed between Hugh Deveraux and Eliza Cross kept me turning the pages.
Hugh Deveraux, the Earl of Hastings, did not inherited a grand estate when his father passed. All of his family homes are mortgaged, his sister’s dowries are non-existent and he’s barely one step ahead of his creditors. Hugh leases out his family’s country estate and moves his mother and sisters to London. Society believes Hugh has come to town in search of a wife but, he travelled to London for a different reason. The Vega House, an upscale gambling salon, is located in London. Hugh is an astute card player and his plan is to win enough money to restore the family fortune.
Eliza Cross is the only child of Edward Cross, a wealthy business man. His fortune was made speculating on items during the British war. Cross is devoted to his daughter and sent her to Miss Upton’s Academy where she met her best friends Sophie and Georgiana. Eliza was aware that she was an heiress, not a lady, and preferred a quiet life in the country tending to her gardens and playing with her mischievous dog. I adored Eliza; she’s warm, friendly and caring—not the usual historical heroine.
Edward and Hugh cross paths at the Vega Club. Hugh makes a strategic error by staying in a card game. He should have taken his winnings and left the table. Instead, he has lost a huge amount of money. Cross passes along some information regarding Alderson, the man who won the card game to Hugh.
Was this meeting at the Vega Club a coincidence? Hugh accepts a dinner invitation from Edward Cross. He enjoys talking with Edward Cross’s shy daughter, Eliza. Cross has bought up Hugh’s debts and makes him an offer he can’t refuse. He will forgive Hugh’s debts and mortgage’s and provide a huge dowry if Hugh courts and marries Eliza.
I love Caroline Linden’s descriptive writing style and her dialogue—and both shine in this novel. I loved that while Hugh viewed his courtship as a job; he could not deny his sexual attraction to Eliza. Eliza’s sweet nature and innocence are tested several times during the novel. Eliza handles conflict with Hugh’s sisters and shows kindness to them. My favorite scene in the novel is when Hugh surprises Eliza with a picnic at Primrose Hill. He confesses that he wants Eliza for himself and the couple’s sensual walk in the woods is one of Ms. Linden’s best written passages.
An underlying subterfuge throughout An Earl Like You keeps the plot moving. Ms Linden’s tightly woven plot combined with Hugh and Eliza’s romance held my interest throughout the novel. Edward Cross could have been the villain in the novel. Loved how the author redeemed the self-motivated, shrewd business man who viewed the world as a calculated business decision. He loved Eliza with all his heart—he just went about securing her future in the wrong way. Loved that the friendship between Eliza, Sophie and Georgianna continued in this story. The conclusion to the novel had some surprising plot twists and reveals.
And the epilogue? It was perfect for the couple. Everything I wanted for them and more!
An Earl Like You has all the feels—it’s an emotional, deeply romantic novel with well-crafted characters and a fabulous storyline! I adored Eliza and loved it Hugh recognized that his wife was a true beauty. A love match that I highly recommend!
Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC provided by the Publisher
Click here to read the first chapter of An Earl Like You!
Click here to read my review of My Once and Future Duke!
Caroline Linden was born a reader, not a writer. She earned a math degree from Harvard University and wrote computer code before discovering that writing fiction was far more fun. Since then, the Boston Red Sox have won the World Series three times, which is not related but still worth mentioning. Her books have been translated into seventeen languages, and have won the NEC-RWA Reader’s Choice Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, the NJRW Golden Leaf Award, and RWA’s RITA Award. She lives in New England.
