A sensual and exciting story of a man who grew up in the sewers of London but discovers that he is actually an Earl and a woman desperate to support her sister and keep her job as a journalist coming together and falling in love despite their initial dislike of each other. The tension between Malcolm and Verity was palpable and their squabbles were entertaining. This was a different look at aristocratic London and I enjoyed the look into how some people on the fringes of the aristocracy lived.

I’m a big Christi Caldwell fan so I was excited to get an ARC of this book. That being said, I’m not the biggest fan of her going outside of the world of the aristocracy. Not that all stories should involve the wealthy, it is just where I see her shine and she does a great job capturing that world. In her novels about the underworld, the characters often come across as cold and unfeeling, which I get from the life they’ve lived, but it often makes the love story and HEA more unbelievable. That was the case in this story and I didn’t really feel a connection between Malcolm and Verity. I think Christi is an awesome writer, but this read just wasn’t my favorite.

This is a great story. I love how strong and smart the heroine is. She has managed to overcome many difficulties... The hero had a difficult past too. But their difficult past made it easier for them to accept each other and understand each other. It's easy to see that they belong together. What a great romance.

I love historical romance and this book has it all!!! Great characters, spicy romance and great writing!!! If you love this genre , then do not miss this story! It will keep you hooked!

Loved this book!
Malcom was kidnapped as a boy from the hospital where he was recovering from the illness that took the lives of both of his parents. Instead of inheriting the Title and money, he became an orphan fighting to survive on the streets and in the sewers of London.
Verity was left an orphan at the age of 12 with no money, the stigma of being a bastard, and having the responsibility of her baby sister. She was given a job at a newspaper where she eventually became a reporter.
When word gets out that Malcom has been found, everyone in London wants to know who he is, where he has been, and everything about him. Verity is determined to find him and get the story first, thus securing her job. But when the two meet, things seem to get out of control . Can they find a way to work together so they each find the happiness they both deserve?
Great story with well developed plot and characters.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Reporter Verity Lovelace has been tasked with tracking down and writing a story on the lost heir, the Earl of Maxwell, or be left without a job and destitute. Having her younger sister to care for, Verity will stop at nothing to fulfill the assignment...even if it means climbing down into the depths of the London sewers to find a man wishing to be left alone...

Malcom North has put his brutal past behind him. Memories of being kidnapped and beaten are well buried, and he's well established himself as a King within the London underground. But when his past comes looking for him, Malcom is forced to accept his new place in society and his life being headline news...

Malcom and Verity's road to HEA is not an easy path, but together, they forge ahead to find love and acceptance...

This story is very difficult for me to review. While I'm sure several readers will enjoy this book, I had a very difficult time connecting with the characters. In fact, I started and stopped several times just trying to get into the story. But I wouldn't let my lack of interest deter you from reading what could be your next fav story. If you are a fan of this genre, I’d recommend giving it a try.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

The Novel:
Verity Lovelace is fighting for her job as a reporter, and needs a story. What better than the tale of the Lost Earl? First though, she must venture into the sewers to find him, and what she gets is more than she bargained for.

The Characters:
Caldwell’s characterisation is excellent. Both protagonists have well-developed and interesting backstories which lend credence to their needs, wants and motivations. Both characters are highly flawed, however the love between the protagonists and actions of the hero, Malcolm North, seem a little implausible in the face of those flaws. Moreover, Verity’s actions, though understandable, were objectionable enough that I could not like her- she took far more than she gave.

Secondary characters are not as well developed. Verity’s sister behaves and is treated by other characters behaves like an innocent child, unaware of what is happening around them despite actually being a young adult. This is with the exception of one scene in which she shows herself to be insightful and shrewd, however this scene is incongruous with the rest of the novel.

The antagonists in the novel are also one-dimensional, and this is a shame because they had the potential to be extremely interesting characters, and their motivations and backstories could have added greatly to the novel.

The Story:
The novel features a number of twists and turns which keep the reader interested and reading on. However, there is no real plot- the romance is the story, and everything else that happens is corollary to that. This is not necessarily a negative as this novel is a light, pleasurable escape. None of the ideas in the novel are new, but Caldwell puts them together in a unique and interesting way, and it was certainly an enjoyable, if predictable, read.

The Writing:
Although I did not particularly like the characters, they were extremely well developed, and Caldwell’s skill with characterisation is why I read on. The pacing was good thorough, and Caldwell introduced some unique historical details such as Malcolm’s work as a tosher. There were appearances from what read like characters in previous or future novels, however as I haven’t read a Caldwell in years, I am not aware of the backstory.

Rating:
3/5 stars. While I found the characters objectionable, Caldwell is highly skilled in their creation, and I will revisit Caldwell’s works to see if I enjoy some of her other books a little more.

Declaration:
Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake Romance for providing this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Christi Caldwell is back, baby! Holy Moses! I haven't been the biggest fan of Christi's latest books. They have kind of fallen flat for me. BUT this one makes up for them 100%.

Verity is a flawless heroine. She is magnetic, strong, and vibrant. I could not help but instantly fall in love with her. I was in her corner from page one. Not only is she in animated character with an intricate backstory and elaborate personality, she is a developing character. She breathes. She is alive in the same way Christi's early Heart of the Duke heroines are alive. 

Malcom is a unique character. It took me a bit longer to get on board with him than it did Verity, but at the same time, I was incredibly interested in his story. Child kidnapped from privilege, raised in squalor, and then forced (unwillingly) back into the glittering peerage. It's an intriguing story line, and Christi does it justice. 

I am a huge fan of the "Caldworld". I absolutely love the intricacy of relation. (I blame it on my fantasy loving heart!) I am always looking for who characters are in relation to each other, but I absolutely did NOT see these familial ties coming. Maybe I'm off my game, or maybe it's because it's been a good while since I have done a reread. In any case, I was so surprised that I shouted, out loud. My husband made *that face*. You know the one. The face people who aren't reading your book make when you visibly react to a book? That's the one. 

I have not made a secret of the fact that I haven't loved Christi's latest books, the ones taking a walk outside of the peerage and into the street. Not because I don't like those sorts of stories, I do, I just haven't really loved these particular books. That being said, this one absolutely restores my faith. I loved everything about this story. Highly recommend.

An interesting story with great characters and overall a 4 stars read .
I enjoyed it for the most part, the plot was great and so much angst and intriguing twists and turns , great characters and well paced but there were also parts that left me disappointed and for that my feelings are going towards the 4 stars read.

Soooo... I hate writing this as I generally really love Christi Caldwell!! That said I did not love this story. It’ll wanted to DNF before the main characters even met each other. I found then both to be overly rough and tough with little growth between them. There were times Malcolm would come across as a horrible person and Verity would come across as cold and unfeeling. I guess this lends to authenticity of the situation, but honestly that’s not why I read romance novels haha.

Also the timelines were a bit confusing, but that could be because I was struggling so much to read it.

I rate 2 stars because I wasn’t a fan but it wasn’t the worst. I think there are definitely people out there who will love this story, it just wasn’t for me.

I love a good historical romance with drama and intrigue. This book meets that standard very well. The plot kept me guessing and I could't put the book down.

Such as wonderful historical romance. It was well-written and easy to read. Good characters and dialogue.

CW: Spoilers

First, let me start by saying I adore Christi Caldwell. I have read almost everything she has written and really liked the premise of this book. Malcom's backstory is intriguing and I enjoy the image she painted of St. Giles and the life of a tosher. Verity, in the same regard, has a wonderful backstory being the bastard daughter of an earl and having to forge through life in London as a single woman in an occupation that is predominantly male-dominated. The fact that she has her sister and their old nanny relying on her holding the position creates an intriguing problem. However, I really struggled to finish this book.

At 50% and 70% through the book, I wanted to stop reading and not finish. Malcom has little to no growth through the story and is irredeemable in my eyes. There is a point within the story where he talks about stealing another child's food and then finding the boy dead the next day. That was horrendous to read and the effect that she was going for, to prove the hardships of life in St. Giles, only made Malcom look like a monster. Verity does not seem like a well-rounded character either. She goes back and forth between strength and fear, and the amount of stuttering she does during coversation is ridiculous. It felt like she could not decide if Verity wanted to play the victim or be her own heroine. Altogether, the characters have little to no growth during the entire story and their relationship/HEA felt unlikely and forced.

There is so much possibility with the premise of this story and it truly does have some parts of it that are great. I loved the idea of unusual hero/heroine and the fact that they would both enter the aristocracy with their backstory was delightful because Malcom seemed like the best person to throw away society standards and marry Verity, the bastard daughter of an earl, but I truly cannot believe that they would end up together, nor that they would be happy.

I really, really wanted to like this. The writing was not spectacular but enjoyable to read and flowed nicely. Verity and Malcolm were both multidimensional characters individually however I'm not a huge fan of two characters being in love, but still irritated with each other. Conflict is hoid, but I never truly believed Malcolm's love for Verity. But the bigger problem for me was many of the incredibly unrealistic scenarios. When I read historical fiction, accuracy is a plus for me. I just felt some of the implausible situations, especially for the time period, were a little too outlandish.

After years of Christi Caldwell being a hit-or-miss author for me, this is the second book in a row I have absolutely loved. Verity is one of the best heroines I have read in a quite a while, and I appreciated Malcom’s loyalty to his “found family.” Was this book necessarily plausible or always accurate? Probably not—but it was a wonderful story, and that means far more to me. I’m excited for the next book in the series!

Christi Cardwell is one of those authors that I know is going to provide me a sexy, romantic, page turning story. This book, the first in a new series, does not disappoint. Great plot and characters! I look forward to more in the series.

Young Percival Northrup was robbed of his birthright as a child. A greedy relative made him disappear into London's slums. He survived certain abuse and death by diving into a sewer....and found a protector that helped him to survive and thrive.
Verity Lovelace was born on the wrong side of the blanket and earned a living as a writer for The Londoner...until she didn't. She chased the story of the missing heir, but somehow another reporter in her office had her story. She was fired, but given the chance, a slim chance to keep her job....by finding the 'Lost Heir'.
Percy, living as Malcolm North, making a decent living 'recovering artifacts' from the sewers wants no part of his old life.
Ms. Caldwell's tale has greed, envy, evil, love, humor, romance and intrigue....and STEAM Her characters are lifelike, good and bad and some with bad choices.
I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

What a lost heir to do once reinstituted to his right place when a woman is seeking out his secrets ...

Oh my !!!

It was a pages-turner read, why I could not read it previously, I needed a free-day devoted to this story.

Just a few sentences in Percival’s story and my heart was bleeding for him and the childhood he had been robbed once he became Malcom North.
Malcom is no more the sensible heir of an earldom, he has become a ruthless and merciless king of the underworld. Surviving the gutters, he has been stripped of any innocence and kindness he might have left after the brutal upbringing he was given.
Despite his apparent coldness, he is not the icy blooded monster everyone appears to think he has become. In his own way, even if he keeps everyone at arm’s length, he shows concern for the weakest under his protection. Over the years, he has gleaned a bunch of broken souls and risk takers, and whatever he might told himself, they are his kin and from all those he has won their indefectible loyalty.
Verity, without having the same dark past than Malcom, was not cuddled in a classically portrayed family, she had been shunned for her mother’s sins, whose sin was to have loved and trusted the wrong man. A man who loved them too, but too weak to fully take care of them. Why at the young age of twelve she became her remaining family only support. From then, she worked her skin to elevate her circumstances, alas it is well known women were seen as not fit for intellectual labors. And even if she is not one to cover, proving women’s worth is a challenge. And it is not prepared for the worst of the city, she runs head held high in the sewer and whatever are her mistakes, she fights like a hellion.

Both have experienced a good life with confort or some until they find themselves with nothing left and must fend for themselves or sank down.
Now together, they need to find their right place, she the illegitimate daughter and a woman, striving for acceptance in a world made by men for men and he the Earl raised in the slums of the city, to seek his bearing among his peers

Their story is one of small trusts won one at a time, until these morph to a deeper sentiment. Yet, with the past looming over them and some shadowy figures still ready to pounce, will their burgeoning feelings be enough.

As I came to learn with Mrs Christi Caldwell’s work, she has it mapped out, her heroes have oft connection with previous works.
And here, she does not disappoint, while her heroes have not been seen previously, they are linked to an other couple.
You can perfectly read this first in a series as what it is a standalone story, yet as I have read Courting Poppy Tidemore, I confess I adored watching the couple of heroes finds its own epilogue.
And what a sweet epilogue with the best revenge ever.
I can only praise Mrs Christi Caldwell for her so very unique insight of the historical period, far from the ballrooms and closer to the real people. She is the bearer of amazing tales which feed the reader a kaleidoscope of emotions.
A 5 stars for this tale of approval and embracing one’s true identity.

A particular mention for the cover which reflects perfectly the story said atmosphere, and the characters’ descriptions.

I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the publisher Montlake Publishing. I also preordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.

I really liked the set up of the girl reporter and the Earl in hiding. I especially liked how it wrapped up at the end with the person who needed his comeuppance getting it.

I enjoyed this book so much - it starts with a very young child being kidnapped in London. We fast forward many years later and meet Verity Lovelace trying to track down the lost Earl of Maxwell as part of her role as Journalist for a London newspaper. As Verity uncovers the truth, she is drawn into a family associated with scandal, secrets and lies and the terrible lengths people will go to for money.

The story of this book is pretty predictable - but I was expecting it be! It was everything I wanted and expected and more. Verity is such a great character. She's really hardworking, decent but also really spunky! I liked her right from the beginning. Malcom is a more complex character but by the end, I was rooting for him too.

The title of this book is perhaps a bit misleading. There is some sexual content and while it's an important part of the story, it's not THE story. This is a story with a lot of hardship and sadness, but it's also great fun with really likeable characters. Some Americanisms managed to find their way in to some of the dialogue towards the end of the story - but I enjoyed it so much I am prepared to forgive them!