erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book I've read by Anna Harrington but it definitely won't be the last! I loved everything about this book from Brandon and Amelia's past to how they come face to face again.
Amelia Howard is our heroine and I loved her. She is smart, strong, and loyal and despite being used by her father and brother, she's somehow still managed to maintain who she is / wants to be. This includes never really letting go of her first love, Brandon Pearce.
Brandon has had a successful career in the military and now he's back in London. He's also become an Earl and this has granted him access and status. Because of this, when he runs into Amelia and realizes he still has feelings for her, he can't stop thinking about her and now that he is an Earl, he decides he is worthy of her.
I'm not going to talk about all the stuff that happens in this book but the main storyline here is that Amelia's brother is being blackmailed and that blackmail has put her charity shop and the one thing she owns (land) at risk so she decides she is going to do whatever it takes to protect herself and her plans. When her plans intersect with what Brandon is digging into around a criminal group, they decide to work together to figure out what is happening and what Frederick (her brother) has been up to.
As I mentioned, I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I also immediately made a list of all of Harrington's backlist so I can start to work through those books as well. This is a book 2 and while I didn't read the first book, I don't think it took away from this story. Yes, the Lords of the Armory are all present in this book but not knowing Marcus Braddock's history didn't detract...I'll just be going back to check it out. Definitely add this book to your TBR if you're looking for a well written story with interesting characters!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!
Amelia Howard is our heroine and I loved her. She is smart, strong, and loyal and despite being used by her father and brother, she's somehow still managed to maintain who she is / wants to be. This includes never really letting go of her first love, Brandon Pearce.
Brandon has had a successful career in the military and now he's back in London. He's also become an Earl and this has granted him access and status. Because of this, when he runs into Amelia and realizes he still has feelings for her, he can't stop thinking about her and now that he is an Earl, he decides he is worthy of her.
I'm not going to talk about all the stuff that happens in this book but the main storyline here is that Amelia's brother is being blackmailed and that blackmail has put her charity shop and the one thing she owns (land) at risk so she decides she is going to do whatever it takes to protect herself and her plans. When her plans intersect with what Brandon is digging into around a criminal group, they decide to work together to figure out what is happening and what Frederick (her brother) has been up to.
As I mentioned, I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I also immediately made a list of all of Harrington's backlist so I can start to work through those books as well. This is a book 2 and while I didn't read the first book, I don't think it took away from this story. Yes, the Lords of the Armory are all present in this book but not knowing Marcus Braddock's history didn't detract...I'll just be going back to check it out. Definitely add this book to your TBR if you're looking for a well written story with interesting characters!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!
extracelestial's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I love a childhood friendship turned to lovers many years later trope! But overall this didn’t do it for me, and the author’s decision to glorify virginity and describe the heroine as “not like the other girls” was basic and uninspired. HR deserves better!
dukefn99's review against another edition
4.0
See my full review at https://novelsalive.com/2021/02/18/4-star-review-an-unexpected-earl-by-anna-harrington/
angelica_elle_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Sometimes you just need a fun historical romance/adventure story to get you through the tough times. An Unexpected Earl started off a little slow with a lot of backstory on these childhood friends to lovers getting their second chance at love. Once it got going though, a good time was had by all.
drpig's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
aqtbenz's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
lianareadsblog's review against another edition
4.0
Second chance romance is my catnip all day every day. Add to it a bit of suspense and twists, especially an intriguing and interesting spies side story, my day is almost made.
An unexpected earl was my first book by the author and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked the heroine and how she tried to make something else of her life after some bad decisions in her earlier years.
The hero was swoon worthy and it was obvious that he really loved her for all the years they’ve been apart.
I didn’t liked her brother much but , you know, there’s always that one character in any story that you just can’t stand .
Overall it’s a great historical romance with some very steamy scenes and an intriguing sideline.
If you enjoy historical romance, then you must try this book.
An unexpected earl was my first book by the author and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I liked the heroine and how she tried to make something else of her life after some bad decisions in her earlier years.
The hero was swoon worthy and it was obvious that he really loved her for all the years they’ve been apart.
I didn’t liked her brother much but , you know, there’s always that one character in any story that you just can’t stand .
Overall it’s a great historical romance with some very steamy scenes and an intriguing sideline.
If you enjoy historical romance, then you must try this book.
mslori's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Found the mystery but a little predictable, and Amelia a little bit silly and a too trusting for someone who didn't trust anymore. But it was well passed and interesting.
paula_s's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review
Anna Harrington’s writing is vibrant, exciting, and straightforward. She can write amazing ‘battle of the wits’ dialogues, which is my favorite thing in romance novels. Her lovemaking scenes are really hot and spicy. Her main characters, even if the reader can’t really see them, scream love with every part of their bodies. And that love means mutual respect, mutual admiration and meeting each other on equal terms. Those scenes were amazing Anna Harrington made me want to read the previous book of this series and, of course, the next. I can’t wait for it to get published!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it is beautiful and exciting and its love story is incredibly sweet and dreamy. So let’s begin with why I didn’t give it a bigger rating. One could be blamed on me totally and the other isn’t really that bad but it spoiled the surprise a little. The first thing is that I don’t get British politics, I don’t mean the parties and the minister and all that, I do get that, being as I am from a more or less neigbor country. It’s the how the local politics work, and I say this in the present tense because they haven’t changed much in the last 200 years. And to fully understand all the plot, let’s say that understanding a little about mps, local councils, seats and all that would have helped. I’ll explain later. The other negative point is that I understood what had happened to Amelia’s personal life and how it would develop right from the start. That was a little bit obvious so yes, it spoiled the surprise a little but not the enjoyment; the plot twists at the end and the love (especially the love) made this book a great read.
Amelia and Brandon were very young lovers twelve years ago, they had been childhood friends, best friends, then lovers. But one night when they were starting to be intimate for their first time Amelia’s father discovered them. Amelia came from a rich family, Brandon was an orphan living with his uncle in his inn. Amelia was sent to school in Scotland and Brandon’s another relative, the earl of Sandhurst bought him a military commission and so he was sent to fight in Spain and Waterloo after that. He became a war hero, he worked his way up in the army and now he’s back as Brigadier Brandon Pearce, earl of Sandhurst as his relative had died.
Things didn’t go well for Amelia, when her father died she inherited all his fortune and a piece of land, while her brother inherited all of the land (save for that little piece) and no money. She sent letters to Brandon but they were never replied. Desperate, she eloped with a man her brother approved of but instead of having a honeymoon, her new husband ran away with all of her money. Now, she lives under the care of her brother and runs a charity that helps war widows when she learns that Frederick is being blackmailed.Brandon is set to uncover the plot as he is now a member of the Armory And that’s how one night at a ball Amelia and Brandon meet again and realize that where once there was fire…
Amelia is a phenomenal heroine. She’s brave and fierce, a little bit stubborn, sweet and luscious (according to Brandon). She and Frederick agreed to keep her scandal a secret but despite that mistake she has always been in love with Brandon, the gangly boy she grew up with. Once their love was sweet and innocent, now that he’s a grown man she feels something else, something deep and hot and eternal. But she can’t have him, and she can’t let him know why. I also found refreshing that she’s still a little naive.
I loved Brandon even if sometimes he was a little overbearing. You can understand that he’s used to command people and have his decisions and orders obeyed without question, but he loves the way his Amelia stands up to him. Because she’s always been his Amelia. He loves her and wants to marry her and he knows she feels the same about him but he doesn’t understand why she’s set on making an enemy of him or why she keeps her distance. Still he is so protective of her and so loyal that step by step, little by little, he regains her trust and her confidence.
Amelia and Brandon team up to uncover the Specter plot, while at the same time rekindle a love that is not dead, only asleep. The loyalty and the faith they’ve had, the protective they’ve been of each other all those years of not contacting for fear that the other might be fatally punished. The longing and the need… it’s too much.
Anna Harrington’s writing is vibrant, exciting, and straightforward. She can write amazing ‘battle of the wits’ dialogues, which is my favorite thing in romance novels. Her lovemaking scenes are really hot and spicy. Her main characters, even if the reader can’t really see them, scream love with every part of their bodies. And that love means mutual respect, mutual admiration and meeting each other on equal terms. Those scenes were amazing Anna Harrington made me want to read the previous book of this series and, of course, the next. I can’t wait for it to get published!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it is beautiful and exciting and its love story is incredibly sweet and dreamy. So let’s begin with why I didn’t give it a bigger rating. One could be blamed on me totally and the other isn’t really that bad but it spoiled the surprise a little. The first thing is that I don’t get British politics, I don’t mean the parties and the minister and all that, I do get that, being as I am from a more or less neigbor country. It’s the how the local politics work, and I say this in the present tense because they haven’t changed much in the last 200 years. And to fully understand all the plot, let’s say that understanding a little about mps, local councils, seats and all that would have helped. I’ll explain later. The other negative point is that I understood what had happened to Amelia’s personal life and how it would develop right from the start. That was a little bit obvious so yes, it spoiled the surprise a little but not the enjoyment; the plot twists at the end and the love (especially the love) made this book a great read.
Amelia and Brandon were very young lovers twelve years ago, they had been childhood friends, best friends, then lovers. But one night when they were starting to be intimate for their first time Amelia’s father discovered them. Amelia came from a rich family, Brandon was an orphan living with his uncle in his inn. Amelia was sent to school in Scotland and Brandon’s another relative, the earl of Sandhurst bought him a military commission and so he was sent to fight in Spain and Waterloo after that. He became a war hero, he worked his way up in the army and now he’s back as Brigadier Brandon Pearce, earl of Sandhurst as his relative had died.
Things didn’t go well for Amelia, when her father died she inherited all his fortune and a piece of land, while her brother inherited all of the land (save for that little piece) and no money. She sent letters to Brandon but they were never replied. Desperate, she eloped with a man her brother approved of but instead of having a honeymoon, her new husband ran away with all of her money. Now, she lives under the care of her brother and runs a charity that helps war widows when she learns that Frederick is being blackmailed.Brandon is set to uncover the plot as he is now a member of the Armory And that’s how one night at a ball Amelia and Brandon meet again and realize that where once there was fire…
Amelia is a phenomenal heroine. She’s brave and fierce, a little bit stubborn, sweet and luscious (according to Brandon). She and Frederick agreed to keep her scandal a secret but despite that mistake she has always been in love with Brandon, the gangly boy she grew up with. Once their love was sweet and innocent, now that he’s a grown man she feels something else, something deep and hot and eternal. But she can’t have him, and she can’t let him know why. I also found refreshing that she’s still a little naive.
I loved Brandon even if sometimes he was a little overbearing. You can understand that he’s used to command people and have his decisions and orders obeyed without question, but he loves the way his Amelia stands up to him. Because she’s always been his Amelia. He loves her and wants to marry her and he knows she feels the same about him but he doesn’t understand why she’s set on making an enemy of him or why she keeps her distance. Still he is so protective of her and so loyal that step by step, little by little, he regains her trust and her confidence.
Amelia and Brandon team up to uncover the Specter plot, while at the same time rekindle a love that is not dead, only asleep. The loyalty and the faith they’ve had, the protective they’ve been of each other all those years of not contacting for fear that the other might be fatally punished. The longing and the need… it’s too much.