Yay! A fantastic read from a new-to-me author! it was so fluffy and romantic. I can't wait to read more books from her!!

How do you cause a scandal so big your husband will divorce you. Thats what Daphne is attempting to do. Her husband has been a jerk for years and finally comes home. Both want different things but it takes a lot of work for them to get back on track . This book was steamy and fun and one i look forward to rereading soon.

Miss Daphne Collins meets Sylvester, Lord Carrington and they share a night together due to a weather situation. Daphne likes him very much and is surprised that he asked for her hand in marriage. On their wedding night, she finds out that he was blackmailed by her father into marrying her. After six years of him traveling without her knowing and just ignoring her in general, she is fed up. Her marriage was never consummated so she wants a divorce or an annulment. She is willing to create a scandal to get one. After Sylvester was almost killed, he decides to come back and try to make his marriage into a real one with heirs. Why should she give him another chance when he has obviously not cared anything for her? Someone is out to murder Sylvester. Will Daphne be caught in the crossfire? Will Daphne"s love for her husband be enough to mend hearts and hurts? I loved this story. Daphne after many years decides to find happiness for herself. She is still immature in many ways but she never had a chance to grow into the woman she will become. I received this book from Net Galley and Entangled Publishing for a honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Daphne Wentworth met Sylvester Wentworth, Earl of Carrington when she was almost seventeen. Her father wanted her to have a powerful match so he blackmailed Sylvester into marrying Daphne. Six years later, Daphne is still in love with the husband that has neglected her. Daphne cannot live in a marriage without love from her husband and plots to create a scandal so her husband will divorce her.

Sylvester Wentworth, Earl of Carrington, has returned to London after a near-death experience. He needs an heir to his title and estates. Sylvester is determined to make his marriage a real one. To his shock, his wife asks for a divorce. Now, he must do everything possible to convince his wife to be his countess in truth.

This was a great book. I liked Daphne and felt bad that she was in a marriage that her father wrecked before it started. Sylvester was aloof and often left Daphne alone until he decided he needed an heir. He became more and more entranced with Daphne as he was determined to seduce her. This was a great book with a wonderful ending.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you!

Oh yes .... a woman who wants a divorce, a husband who returns to her to seduce her .... What can be better?
Hot, steamy and sexy .... you will love the leads! I mean Daphne wants a scandal to make him divorce her. He wants resp. needs an heir. Can there be something more romantic?`

I loved it. The characters are well developed and the storyline isn't 0815 like so many else in this genre.

What’s it About? A chance meeting between Sylvester Wentworth, the Earl of Carrington and a young Daphne Collins lands them in a forced marriage and six years of cold distance. After that many years of loving her husband in vain, Daphne, now the Countess of Carrington has decided to create a scandal so big that her absent husband will have no choice but to come back to divorce her. But before Daphne can cause her scandal Sylvester comes back and he doesn’t want a divorce, he wants an heir. Something she is not willing to give him after so many years apart and no love between them.


Overall reaction to the story? I really wanted to like this story. It had the perfect set up for a passionate second chance romance. But alas, I could not get into the story. I had so many issues with it and it started early on.

1. The heroine. Good grief but Daphne is a ninny. I could forgive her that in the beginning because she was little more than a child when she met Sylvester but after six years of living the life she did? I expected more growth, definitely more maturity, and certainly a stronger will when it came to Sylvester. Dang it woman the man has been cold and at times outright cruel to you but you melt like butter when he tosses a crumb of civility or kindness at you? Ugh, halfway through I started referring to her as Daphne the Doormat. She should have held out and made him really sweat thinking he was too dang late to make their marriage work. He never properly romanced her and he certainly didn’t respect her but yet she still loved him? How could you love someone that you never really got to know and who basically shut you out emotionally after you married him?

2. The Hero. Dude needed a kick in the pants. I understood that he was bitter and hurt after being forced to marry Daphne but he never once used logic to look at his situation. He just barged in demanding an heir and accusing Daphne left and right of being all these horrible things. Any small progress he made in character growth he shot down with his impulsive, sometimes cruel insinuations and insults. I got tired of his crap after awhile and was rooting for Daphne to get that divorce and move on. He may have tried to get her to change her mind by “courting” her but I never felt it was because he was in love with her and had realized she was a victim in their marriage like he was. No, I felt he was trying to win her back because he just wanted his freaking heir. He lusted after her but I never felt that he was in love with her.

3. The “Romance.” I use this term lightly because I didn’t feel that there was one. It was all one sided. Daphne was foolishly in love with an irrational, mean man who didn’t seem to want more than an heir from her. He certainly didn’t try to change his thoughts about her character until it was almost too late. Heaven forbid he actually try and talk to her to find out what actually happened that day he found out he had to marry her. Nope, he saved that until the last possible moment. And even then he was so quick to doubt her. I never felt any angst between them. That yearning to change things for the better. Sylvester never humbled himself, never properly groveled and Daphne never found her spine. These two spent more time at odds with each other than actually getting to know each other and making a convincing effort to get their marriage out of the gutter.

Click It or Skip It? Skip It. I got way too frustrated with both characters’ behavior. I’m still not giving up on this author though.

4.5 Stars - An earl meets a beautiful lady, free of artifice and he’s enchanted. Then he’s summoned by a local viscount and discovers that he’s being blackmailed into marring the viscount’s daughter or else suffer ruin of his sister and family by extension.The daughter has no knowledge of the blackmail scheme until the I dos are done and now she’s in something much worse than a loveless marriage. A marriage that for so long was filled with animosity, bewilderment, and mistrust now simmers in the waters of indifference on his part and continued bewilderment on hers. And then the unthinkable happens, the earl nearly dies. Now, he’s ready to try and make the marriage work, inspire of his disgust with how the union came to be, and she’s so ready to move on that she’s willing to create a vicious scandal in hopes of securing a divorce.

There are plots within plots, family secrets revealed and more murder attempts that fill these pages. This is a riveting read and an engrossing tale about not letting the bad guys win and coming to find love in a marriage that is years old and by all accounts hopeless. I loved it!

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Daphne Wentworth, Countess Carrington loved her husband from their first meeting. Blackmailed in to marrying Daphne, Sebastian refuses to have anything to do with her. After six long years of heartbreak Daphne has decided to be as scandalous as possible. Her husband will be left with little choice but to divorce her.
Sebastian, however, has his own intentions. Following a life-threatening injury, he has decided he needs an heir and the only person who can possibly give him one is his wife. He has no intentions of giving in to his wife’s wishes.
What follows is a riveting tale of second chances. Both characters are strong willed, and it is obvious they are a perfect match. Daphne is not a simple-minded, weak woman typical of the era. Sebastian is shown to be compassionate and willing to risk his own life and happiness to benefit others.
I hate it when authors rush to passion and make it the centre-point of the romance. It’s not believable and frustrates me. The romance develops at a natural pace here where the characters got to know one another, and time is given to overcome all the past hurt and mistrust.
A major plus for me was the characters fidelity. Even though they endured a loveless marriage neither of them broke their vows. While Daphne had been tempted to be unfaithful she refused as she strongly believes in the sanctity of marriage. While it is typical in regency romances for the husband to have sought “comfort” I was surprised that the thought had never even crossed Sebastian’s mind.
While I could have done without the presence of Viscount Redgrave I’m sure the drama of it will appeal to many readers.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more reviews please visit my blog:
http://www.wonderfullyweird88.com/

Stacy is one of my favorite author's. This was another great book from her! Can't wait for her next book!!

Stacy Reid writes such intriguing and spicy historical romances. The Earl in My Bed is another great story. The characters were believable. Daphne and Sylvester are quite a pair.

The release date on GR really confused me. I use GR on my phone, where it shows that this book's release date is May 22. That's why my review is so late. I only just found out that it was released on April 9.

Anyway, this was an enjoyable angsty read. The pacing was just right and the character and relationship development was done really well. I didn't particularly love the hero or heroine, but I still felt for them. The circumstances under which Sylvester and Daphne married were bad, and that's an understatement. While I hated the way Sylvester treated her, at the same time I just felt so much for him. And I felt so much for Daphne as well. I couldn't blame Sylvester for his disdain, but I also hated the way he blamed Daphne. Honestly, my feelings are so mixed about the situation they were thrust into. They both had to deal with a lot of trust issues. It was quite a rollercoaster. I enjoyed reading their journey to HEA and I feel confident enough that their marriage is on solid ground. I think there should have been an extra chapter before the epilogue to really expand on their marriage after the final reconcilation.

As for the series, I am really looking forward to Lydia and Riordan's book!!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Charming and very likeable characters and a nice and convincing story about second chances, love and betrayal.

Daphne Wentworth, Countess Carrington, is done with pretending and hoping that somehow someday things between her husband and her will magically be alright. She wants to be free to find love and happiness somewhere else. Of course this is the moment when her husband has a life-changing experience that makes him realize that despite everything he wants their marriage to become real but, well, obviously he has his work cut out. After having been ignored and vilified for years, Daphne doesn't actually jump to do his bidding. Not really.
Add some other obstacles (or nuisances?) in the form of family members and their likes and mutual attraction paired with the memories of being hurt in the past and you'll get an entertaining and captivating story, that I really enjoyed.

~~Reviewed by AnnMarie~~

The Earl in My Bed is the second book in the Rebellious Desires series by Stacy Reid. Each book in this series is written as a standalone story.

Daphne Wentworth married Sylvester Wentworth, Earl of Carrington 6 long years ago. They met by chance and there was an instant attraction between them. Unfortunately her father upon learning of her attachment to Sylvester and wanting her to marry well blackmailed Sylvester into marrying Daphne. Something she was unaware of until after they married. She honestly thought he loved her and wanted to marry her. It broke her heart when she learned differently, and for the next 6 years, they barely saw each other. On the rare occasion that they did, he was coldly civil to her before leaving her again for months at a time. She finally decides that enough is enough and that even if she has to cause a scandal to make her husband divorce her it would be worth it. She still loves him terribly and can’t stand the emptiness in her heart and the limbo that she is living in. Before she has a chance to put her thoughts into actions Sylvester returns after months away.

Sylvester has had one too many brushes with death and while recovering from his last one he began to realise all that he had lost by pushing his wife away from him. He returns from his latest voyage with the full intent of making his marriage work and for Daphne to bear him children. He is horrified when he learns that she wants a divorce. He has to convince her to give up on that notion and manages to get her to agree to two months of them putting the past behind them and getting to know each other. If in that time they can’t be comfortable and hopefully content with each other then he will apply for a divorce himself. The main problem is that Daphne wants his love, not just an amiable marriage and love is something he doesn’t know how to give.

Can Daphne teach Sylvester to love, can they truly get past the terrible things that her father had done in the past? Can they both learn to trust each other? Could there be too many obstacles to overcome, or will they get their long awaited for happy ever after?

I loved this book so much that I read it in one sitting. I wanted so much for Daphne to finally have happiness with the man she has loved since first sight. I couldn’t read quickly enough to hopefully see him realise how wrong Sylvester had been and how perfect their lives could be if only he could open his heart. There were elements of danger in the story too, and mention of England’s part in abolishing slavery, and added to the romance of our couple it made for an interesting, exciting, beautiful story.

That first kiss that the couple share after so very long apart, the scene in the library, was so sensuous that Daphne and Sylvester’s feelings were almost palpable. Stacy Reid definitely knows how to write a steamy yet very emotional scene. All in all the book is just perfect and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers’ copy of this book.

An enjoyable and well written Regency. Characters are well developed and the plot is interesting. Overall, a good story. *I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my voluntary and honest review.

The Earl in My Bed spans several years of the relationship between Sylvester, Earl of Carrington and Daphne Collins, whom he saved from the river. Unknown to Daphne, her father blackmailed Sylvester into the marrying Daphne with a secret about his sister that would have caused a family scandal. This caused a huge gulf in their relationship.

The minor villain of the tale is Redgrave, who befriends and tries to seduce Daphne with regularity. Fairly early in the book hints are made to the slave industry with the support of the Redgrave family. Also, Redgrave is searching for information on her husband, but with her lack of knowledge Daphne does not realize what he is asking.

There are so many character traits to like about Daphne and Sylvester. She is so lonely, but stay true to her marriage vows, even at Redgrave’s insistence of love. She supports an orphanage with her own wealth.

Sylvester has his own strong moral compass. He recognized that a slave child still nursing at his mother’s breast was listed as being ‘worth’ a schilling; that the humans who ‘belonged’ to him were worth more than the cost listed on paper; that he bought another man’s slave to give him his freedom. Sylvester’s ethical compass included not being able to own a slave; remaining true to marriage vows he had not wanted; trying to make his marriage work even when he believed his wife was complicit in her father’s duplicity. He even believed she had been unfaithful to her while he had remained true.

This book has so many great qualities about human nature, about trust, about communication between couples. It is well written and pulls at your heart due to their situation. I will say that at about location 2385 of my kindle, the books seemed to take a turn into naughty language. Daphne and Sylvester were thoroughly sensual throughout the book, but the change in dialogue seemed out of character for Sylvester. Just a thought. It does not change the way their relationship changed to be more trusting of each other and the way they both had to struggle to get to their HEA.

Sylvester and Daphne haven’t had an easy marriage. Six years ago they met and had an instant connection; one that was spoiled when Daphne’s father threatened to ruin Sylvester’s sister unless the earl came to heel. Since their fateful wedding, Sylvester has pretty much ignored Daphne, and the love she had for him has given way to a desperation to break free from the holding pattern she’s been in for years. Daphne is determined to court a scandal so big her husband will be forced to divorce her. There’s just one hitch in her plan: her husband doesn’t want a divorce.

Having recently escaped an assassination attempt, Sylvester believes it’s time to do his duty and beget an heir. Only Daphne isn’t exactly prepared to welcome him with open arms. For the first time, Sylvester is seeing past his own anger to truly look at Daphne. And he’ll have to do some heavy wooing if he wants to keep the wife he’s only just realizing is his perfect match.

I love good second chance romance and The Earl in My Bed fits that favored trope fairly well. Daphne and Sylvester have been in a strange freeze for the past six years – married, yet not. Sylvester is the only man Daphne has ever craved, but I loved that she didn’t just fall into his arms when he decided he wanted to be her husband in truth. Sylvester has his reasons for having been cold toward Daphne for years. Her father’s machinations nearly cost his sister her life and that’s not something a sibling can look past. Did I want to shake Sylvester for placing blame on Daphne? Of course. But Stacy Reid does a good job of balancing his flaws with strengths. Sylvester is fighting hard to abolish slavery in all British territories, risking his life in the process. He’s not a good husband at the beginning of this story, but he is a good man which means you want to see him succeed. I enjoyed the fact that Sylvester is self-aware enough to realize that he has royally screwed up with Daphne. She’s a kind, patient woman who has reached her breaking point because of him. Their romance in is slow to build, mostly because there’s so much distrust and hurt. I liked that the love story unfolded organically, that Daphne and Sylvester got to truly know one another before things heated up.

The Earl in My Bed is the second book in the Rebellious Desires series, but it can easily be read as a standalone (though it was lovely to get to see Georgiana and Rhys again). I always get caught up in Ms. Reid’s writing and this story was no exception. I finished this book looking forward to what scandals the next Rebellious Desires book has in store for readers.

This author is always one on auto buy for me and this book felt no different. I loved the premise, of a married couple that got married due to blackmail but didn’t like the characters and the story. The story felt a little choppy and was jumping from one part to another without enough backstory. For example, the part about how the hero became a crusader for anti slavery seems a little abrupt and forced into the story. I would have loved to read more of this plot with a little more background in the story.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

Enjoyed the book, but I found myself skimming over parts in the middle to get to the climax of the story. I tend to not enjoy “big secrets” that keep a couple apart. I liked both characters and glad they found their happily ever after.

Daphne doesn't belong in 1821. Her thoughts and actions were too modern for that time period and I spend half the book thinking that she was born 200 years earlier than she was supposed to. She was also highly annoying to me and she got on my nerves. I have no idea why she didn't try to reason with Sylvester after some of his anger had cooled down. She kept saying that she was falling for him and yet to me her actions were contrary to her words. And for the love of me, I don't understand why she couldn't wait for a week to get her divorce and had to go to the house where she was supposed to have an affair. She had waited 6 years for the love of God. And she could have used the man she was allowing to kiss her. Practically the hero who had some right to be angry stayed faithful to his marriage and the heroine didn't.

For me, Sylvester spent a lot of time and effort into courting her and winning her back. It wasn't everything about the heir he wanted in my opinion and Daphne was holding back from page one 'till the end. It was exhausting. I wanted her to groove and do something to fix her relationship with her husband. I liked the first book in the series and I would recommend it. I wouldn't recommend this one and I hope the third book will be better and about some characters I care about.

P.S. I hated that at first, the hero wanted the heroine only in order to produce an heir and I feared that he would force himself on her, but as the book was progressing he redeemed himself a little bit.