What starts with a fabulous and surprising premise develops into a swoon worthy story. Georgiana is desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures...even it unknowingly lands her wed to the rakish and utterly poor Benedict Wylde. Strong, independent heroine faces off with a judgemental society, horrid villain and wild *wink* secret husband. Oh throw in some espionage and delicious sexual tension and you have an unputdownable book! Eagerly awaiting the rest of this series.

#FunFact: I decided to read this book because … What could possibly go wrong? was part of the blurb LOL #RegencyShenanigans for the #win EVERY.TIME.

This story delivered in spades with everything I love about Historical/Regency Romance Fiction. The wit/banter between Georgie and Benedict was delightful and just plain happy. Their interactions put a smile on my face from beginning to end! The storyline itself was so preposterous that I couldn’t help but just love it! Why of course you can marry someone basically on death row and live happily ever after. … What could possibly go wrong? Bwaahahahahahaha! Who isn’t one-clicking just for that right this minute?!

Okay, but seriously, Kate is a new author to me and I’m super glad she caught my attention. Historical/Regency is how I began my love of reading and will always be my number one love so when I find gems like these, Amazon really likes me!!! This story doesn’t just have the romance between Georgie and Ben to keep you hooked, it also has a bit of suspense with excellent secondary characters! I am super stoked to read about Alex and Sebastian soon!

Unfortunately, I have to put this one down for now and it really saddens me! I saw someone I follow on Goodreads read and review this one, and it sounded so good, especially as I am currently getting into historical romance, so I requested it immediately, thinking I could read it really fast before the publishing date. It started out fine, but the further I got, it just wasn’t exciting me much. I’m hoping that maybe it’s me and I’m just not in the mood for historical right now, and I plan on picking it up again later, but I felt like I was having to force myself to power through, chapter by chapter, and I don’t want to have a negative perception of the book, especially when I plan on trying to come back to it.

*Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

Bummer. I had high hopes for THIS EARL OF MINE - the blurb and the beautiful cover totally reeled me in. This book didn't live up to my high expectations, unfortunately.

If you decide to read this story make sure you suspend all disbelief. All of it. I see and appreciate what the author tried to do - she wanted to give us strong characters who have all kinds of adventures - this was supposed to be a fun romp I think. Alas, some of those adventures inadvertently veer into ridiculous waters - pun intended (cue submarine) - others are so cliche that I could predict them a mile ahead.

Then there was the language - I don't expect my HR to sound 100% fitting the era but I want some authenticity. When I read "cat got your tongue" or "sub" (for submarine), or "righto" I wonder whether the author did enough research because those phrases and words don't belong in a novel set in the beginning of the 19th century.

But there are good parts too! The characters were likable, I loved the hero who was charming and sweet. The heroine was the heiress to a shipping company smart, strong, fairly emancipated for the era. Weirdly though, this whole time in the book she didn't work a single day. I found Georgie's sister and her suitor ridiculous but Georgie and Benedict making fun of his poetry attempts was hilarious.

The two-star rating is for the effort and the characters. I did enjoy parts of this story but overall it was not the quality I'm used to in HR. With all that being said, I do think the author has talent and I'll be watching her progress.

I am not sure if Ms. Bateman was trying or not but I thought this was a great homage to a beloved romance author. The story flows well, the characters are not necessarily unique but they are different and fascinating. I loved the friendship between Ben, Alex and Seb. I also liked the fact that Georgie's mom was loving and accepting. Georgie and Ben's love is genuinely shown as these two navigate interesting situations. I loved the story and the storytelling.

Georgiana Caversteed needs to be married to maintain her independence and to fend off a persistent cousin who only wants her fortune. She concocts a scheme to marry a convict headed for the gallows, which will allow her to be free to do as she pleases, spurn her cousin and continue running her deceased father’s fleet of merchant ships. It was a good plan but it went awry when she ends up married to Ben Wylde who was in Newgate Prison but is actually a Bow Street Runner working undercover. Instead of him being shipped off to Australia, he’s moving in her same social circles amongst the London ton.

The premise of this story is what drew me to the book and thankfully it lived up to that promise, surpassing my expectations. It begins right in the thick of things and I quickly learned that I was going to like both Georgiana (Georgie) and Ben. I’ve a fondness for these Bow Street Runners as they tend to bring excitement to a story and Ben does that and more. He’s flawed but has an honor code that I found admirable. Georgie is a mix of a bluestocking and an adventuress. Despite the limitations placed on her in this era, she’s a formidable businesswoman who I really liked.

Georgie and Ben’s developing relationship and romance is the main thrust of the story but there’s lots of excitement, intrigue and mischief. They don’t play games with each other, which makes for a more interesting story, especially as she’s experienced in all maritime matters and I learned a lot. Ben’s best friends Alex & Sebastian are also Runners and both were introduced here and set up for future books. I really enjoyed this story that seemed to offer so much more than a traditional romance and am excited about this trilogy. This is my first time reading anything by the author and I’m glad I took a chance. It’s a delightful story.

This book starts with Georgiana marrying a man in prison that she is told is being sent to a certain death the next day in order to secure her fortune for herself rather than marry a desperate fortune hunter.

Little does she know she is marrying Ben Wylde, who is actually a spy for Bow Street and has a plan to escape the next morning.

Once the couple reunite and they become known to each other for who they really are, they begin to truly care for one another. The story was well done and I was able to suspend my disbelief for the somewhat far fetched plot. It was well paced, had excitement, romance and I enjoyed how the main characters worked together and how they grew together.

What a refreshing read! It was the perfect blend of strong female heroine with a dash of humor and an incredibly passionate male all in one. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Loved the ongoing banter!

What an absolutely dazzling read. This Earl of Mine basically sums up everything that I love about historical romance. Charming and witty with a dash of danger. Characters that make you fall in love with them. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.

I really enjoyed This Earl of Mine a lot. It was a historical fiction with a marriage of convenience. One of my favorite genres and tropes. I loved Georgie so much. I loved how independent she was and how she decided to take her own life and freedom into her own hands. Her deciding to marry a convict who she knew as condemned for death or transportation, was bada**. She was willing to do what it took so that she wasn't saddled with a man who she knew only wanted access to her money. I loved Ben as well. He was cocky, arrogant, and super hot as Georgie kept reminding us. I loved their chemistry which was evident from the beginning. They were perfect together and I loved that it was a slow burn romance as well because when they finally gave in to their desire for each other it was explosive. This book tickled me to no end and I was laughing out loud on numerous occasions. Juliet's beau cracked me up and made me groan every time he started reciting poetry or even just talking. I enjoyed Juliet and Alice--Georgie and Juliet's mother; she truly only wanted her daughters to be happy and I liked how she didn't hold on to what she thought was best for them once she realized what made them happy and what she thought they should do didn't mesh. I also enjoyed Alex and Seb--Ben's friends. I cannot wait to read their stories.

The Bow Street and all of that really gave this book more depth. I found the intrigue to be fun and I was happy to see that as part of the book. The only thing that knocked this book down to four stars fro me was the drama and suspense with the cousin. Georgie's cousin was bent on making her his wife just so he could have access to her money. I liked how she dealt with him at first but not later in the book and all the drama that happened towards the end had me rolling my eyes. But other than that, this was a well-written novel that had the right amount of romance, intrigue, family, and friends. I am so excited to read the next books in the series!

4+ Stars!

The beginning of this book had me hooked with a misguided and inauspicious start to a marriage-of-convenience romance. One of my favorite tropes and I really enjoyed it! The story was peppered with witty banter, nasty villains, and some swoon-worthy tension. It also had an original and intriguing idea for the hero's investigation as a Bow Street employee and it's link to the heroine. All of the characters were wonderful in the story. Maybe not the most accurate portrayal of an H/h of the times, but I loved both the honorable and rakish Benedict and the progressive, but highly feminine Georgiana. The secondary characters were equally fun, which made me excited to read the stories of Ben's closest friends, Alex and Seb, next. It was definitely compelling and a hard book to put down. With this being my first by the author, I'm looking forward to her back list and future releases.

This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman is the First book in the Bow Street Bachelors Series. This is the story of Georgiana Caversteed and Benedict Wylde. Georgiana is a shipping heiress who runs her own life without any real issues but now her cousin Josiah who is a money hungry man threats her self Independence. Josiah has threaten to compromise her and make her marry him but Georgiana makes plans to end that plan. Georgiana thoughts are to marry a condemned criminal in Newgate which will get her the freedom of being married or better yet widowhood. Ben is a undercover agent for Bow Street and is undercover in prison when Georgiana happens to come up with her plan. Ben is also the brother of the Earl of Morcott which is a poor title for his brother. The money Ben earns goes toward helping the family. Georgiana is taken back when her 'husband' shows up in her life which starts the fun story of them.

I really liked this one - it took the typical regency tropes and put a slightly new and different spin on them. It gender swapped a few of them (rich heroine who runs a business, poor/desperate hero, woman "rescuing" the guy) which was really refreshing!

Page Turner.
This book was a delight from the first page to the last with strong characters and a strong plot. Highly recommended.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Earl of Mine is the first book in the Bow Street Bachelors series by Kate Bateman and is a historical romance. A captivating read that is sure to take you away to another time, another place. Bateman creates a world that is sure to take your breath away with intriguing characters and a story that reads like a movie. Full of adventures and drama that are sure to leave you second-guessing until the very end. This Earl of Mine is a charming historical romance that is sure to stay with you long after reading.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of This Earl of Mine.

The story has a great and unusual beginning.

The heroine, Georgiana, is wealthy while Benedict, the hero, is poor. I like the reversal in roles as it impacted the relationship dynamic between them, with Georgiana being in a position of control. Benedict struggles with his penniless position as he feels he has nothing to offer her. While Benedict struggles, he is honest and kind. He needs money to help his brother with debts, and will do what he can to make money, but he’s not singleminded in his efforts to acquire it.

I liked that Georgiana is capable and takes action to deal with situations as they arose. She makes the best of situations.

I found both Benedict and Georgiana to be likable characters. They’re both intelligent and brave and compliment each other as a couple.

The secondary characters, especially, Benedict’s friends are interesting and I’m looking forward to reading their stories.

Georgie is an extremely wealthy shipping heiress who has given up the idea of marriage. She's 24 and about to come into her majority, every man she meets is only interested in her money...the worst of which is her cousin Josiah. She comes up with the idea to marry a condemned man at Newgate prison. She reasons that this way she will protect her fortune from Josiah and after her husband's death she will have the freedom of widow hood. But due to circumstances she ends up marrying Benedict Wylde...2nd son of a Duke whose late father has nearly bankrupt his estate. Benedict is NOT hung nor deported...and so the fun begins!
This Earl of Mine is a well written, engaging, sexy Regency romance with likeable mature characters to fall in love with. First of a series...I look forward to more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This is the first book in Kate Bateman's new series, Bow Street Bachelors.
I found this story very refreshing as both the characters were very honest with each other from the start. Georgiana Caversteed needs a husband. Georgie never thought she would marry, she runs her late fathers shipping bushiness , is wealthy beyond reason and has no need for a man in her life.
Then enters her nasty, broke, mean cousin who wants her money and will not leave her alone.
She fears that he will find a way to make her marry him. So she comes up with way to get married and become a widow within days. She is going to marry a criminal at new gate that is on death row. This way her cousin will leave her alone.
This idea is nuts to start with and as one would think goes terribly wrong. The man she was suppose to marry dies the night she goes to the prison. The other man in the cell is forced to marry her. Even though he is dirty, in rags for reason she can't understand she is somewhat drawn to him.
He can't say or do anything to stop it as he is a undercover bow street runner and the brother to an Earl !!
Georgie thinks all is well till she sees her supposed to be dead husband at a ball.
As these two have to work together to solve a mystery, figure out what to do with their marriage
and her cousin. It is funny, sad, intrigue. The batter between Georgie and Benedict is laugh out loud funny. Their is a attraction between the two from the start. Don't miss this sexy, loving story of two very strong people find their way past hidden secrets to a happy ever after.
I received an arc from netgalley and am giving my honesty opinion.

From the publisher: Introducing the Bow Street Bachelors—men who work undercover for London’s first official police force—and the women they serve to protect. . .and wed?

An enjoyable first in a historical romance series from Kate Bateman. The initial premise is a bit far-fetched – a rich heiress chooses to wed a prisoner to escape from her greedy lecherous cousin – but the relationship between beautiful and feisty Georgiana and gorgeous undercover ex-soldier Benedict is sweet and satisfying. I also liked the humor in the side characters of Georgiana’s sister and her besotted poet suitor.

One thing I did not like was the spoiler title. Benedict is not an earl until the last chapter (I don’t consider that a spoiler from me since it is in the title!). He is the second son of an earl and brother to the impoverished current earl, and I spent the whole book wondering if his brother was going to die so he could become earl. There surely were dozens of alternate titles that could have been used. Not sure why publishers think every historical romance must have earl, duke, viscount, or marquess in the title.

I read an advance reader copy of This Earl of Mine. It will be published in late October and will be available at the Galesburg Public Library.

Thanks to St Martin's Press for this book to read and review, all opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book. From the start of this book it was different than "normal" historical romance. Georgie is looking for a husband and preferably one that won't be alive very long, so she's going to the infamous Newgate prison to find her one. Catch your attention yet? It sure did for me. I thought this was an enjoyable fast paced read and would def recommend it for any historical romance lovers out there. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was some of the stuff about Napelon and spying really wasn't my thing. Other than that an awesome book!