Jewel is appalled at her cousin's idea to trap the Earl of Winchcombe in marriage. Visiting from America, she hardly fits in the crowd at a ball. The man in question is Oliver, known as Lord Scar among the ton. Suddenly, they are both working towards their survival. A Bostonian who is hardly fit for an earl. Yet, the pair are pretending a fake engagement.

As Jewel's feeling grow towards Oliver, her heart remains tied up with her father's life and safety. Why is that? Right after the ball, her uncle tried to send her to Scotland, and in the course of things, Jewel learned just enough about things concerning her father. What is more, she learned things that affect her very future. Will she be able to fairly divide her time and her thoughts? Will she go back to Boston on a moment's notice or will she be able to fully open her heart to Oliver?

Meanwhile, Oliver and his twin brother Penry have their own battles. His face bears a scar that causes other problems as time goes on. Conflict abound. However, things do change quickly, especially involving feelings that cannot help but grow. How in the world is he, an Earl, going to make things work with Jewel?

I hadn't read the first book in this series, and I found that About an Earl did fine as a standalone. With a lot of the book was part mystery when it came to Jewel and her past, it did built up a believable and intense romance between her and Oliver. If there are further books in the series, I will be sure to follow them.

Many thanks to Entangled Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. About an Earl by Diana Lloyd is the second book in her What Happens in the Ballroom series. The publisher describes each book as a stand-alone. American Juliana (Jewel) Latham, heartbroken when the man she thought to marry, announces his engagement to another has been sent to visit with her Aunt and Uncle in London to recover from her heartbreak and because her father fears for her safety with the upcoming American Revolution.  When she hears her Aunt and cousin plotting to trap the Earl of Winchcombe into marriage, she sends him a note to meet her in the garden so that she can inform him of the plot. The man who meets her in the garden is Oliver Chalford, the actual Earl of Winchcombe and not his twin brother whom people think is the Earl. Oliver is a recluse due to a large scar on his face.  This is probably the only part of the book that I clearly understood from here the book goes into a convoluted and twisting storyline of mistaken identity, missing jewels, betrayals, evil relations and confusing appearances by secondary characters such as the man who broke her heart. I was never quite sure of his purpose in advancing the story.  The hero and heroine are flibbertigibbets who frequently go off half-cocked and never once think to trust the other or even ask questions before rushing to erroneous conclusions.  Reading this book gave me a new appreciation of the difference between a book that is well-edited and one that is not.  Publishing Date January 27, 2020.  #NetGalley #AboutAnEarl #EntangledPublishing #EntangledAmara #bookstagram #historicalromance

About an Earl is the second book in author Diana Lloyd’s “What Happens in the Ballroom” series.  This is the first book I’ve actually had the pleasure of reading from Ms. Lloyd and it won’t be the last! Although this is second in the series, I do believe it easily reads as a standalone. In saying that though, I do plan on going back and reading the first book in this series after enjoying this one so much!

Oliver Chalford or “Lord Scar” as he’s known to the ton, is the Earl of Winchcombe. He was scarred as a young man and has hidden away on his estate for years. Coming to town to claim his seat with Parliament has him attending a ball where a young miss sets her sights on his twin brother. Only Oliver is the one who is caught kissing the girl’s cousin, Jewel Latham.

Juliana “Jewel” Latham a Boston native is staying with her aunt and family in London. When she overhears a plot by her aunt and cousin to trap the Earl of Winchcombe into a compromising situation, she steps in to prevent it. She doesn’t plan on being the one caught kissing an Earl.

What a great story! I really liked both Oliver and Jewel. With Jewel being from the colonies and Oliver’s scarred face, both are considered outsiders that don’t fit into London society. Oliver struggles with believing anyone could care for a man with his disfigurement, and Jewel struggles with a betrayal from her past. Together they struggle to trust each other and there are misunderstandings aplenty between them. I loved the banter between them and the obvious attraction from their first meeting. They were such a sweet couple who I really longed to see overcome the obstacles that kept them apart.

Ms. Lloyd did a wonderful job with the writing and storyline. Both were excellent and flowed well. There were several secondary characters that added to the overall enjoyment of the story along with a mystery that connects Jewel and Oliver together. Being this was my first book from Diana Lloyd, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I can happily say I loved this story and would not hesitate to read from this author again!

3.5 stars
I did enjoy most of this book. The characters of Oliver, Earl of Winchcombe and Julianna Latham were very likeable. The plot just got a bit too complex as the story progressed. There was a mystery about letters from their fathers which were in Julianna’s uncle’s possession. There’s as also the grave problem of Oliver being assessed as a candidate for Bedlam. I did read to the end and it had a satisfying epilogue. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I give this book 3,5 stars.

I liked this story because of the plot and intriguing storyline. It is a historical retelling of “Beauty and the beast” with a big historical plot and storyline.
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The American Civil war beginning stages leads Juliannas father to send her to England to live with her uncle and aunt who treats her really bad. She helps Oliver and his brother Penry out of a trap laid by her family, but gets sent to Scotland because of this. Luckily Oliver saves her and takes her to his estate but that is only the beginning of their problems and they have to fight the gossip, her uncle and others who wish them harm to get their HEA.

The romance between The Earl of Winchcombe (Oliver Chalford) and Jullianna (Jewel) was sweet, but unfortunately they ruined some of my enjoyment of it by being stubborn and choosing to misunderstand conversations instead of talking to each other and clearing it out

The villains are fantastic and so are the side characters. Unfortunately the main characters stupidity and stubbornness plus that the book was way too long ruined some of my enjoyment of the book and I had to reduce the stars.

I got this book from Entangled Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars
An outsider at her first English ball, American Julianna Latham (Jewel) is fascinated with the beautiful dresses and the lovely dancing, but she’s vowed to save the Earl of Winchcombe from her cousin’s marriage trap. When she first glimpses the handsome lord, her heart beats faster. Caught kissing the earl, the ball ends in disaster and Jewel’s displeased uncle whisks her away to Scotland.
Lord Scar, as the ton calls Oliver, would rather be anywhere than at a godforsaken masquerade ball and when he learns from the free-spirited colonist about the nefarious marriage plan, he grudgingly accepts her help. When her uncle banishes her, Oliver comes to her rescue by offering Jewel his hand in marriage. She agrees, despite his disfigurement.
This is the second book in the series but is easily read on its own. A well written book which was well paced & had well developed characters everything for a five star read but it fell a little short for me. I've thought about the book for a couple of days before writing my review to be able to analyse my feelings about it. I was drawn in from the start & my interest held until the end but I wasn’t gripped. I loved Oliver & my heart ached for how he was treated. I liked Jewel but didn't love her, I also found that the chemistry between the pair wasn’t there & I found it hard to believe that they'd fallen in love or even lust. So a book that promised much but for me didn't fully deliver
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

About an Earl by Diana Lloyd is a historical romance with a couple of twists with the main characters. Jewel and Oliver are not the ordinary characters. The Earl of Winchcombe is about to be trapped into marriage by Jewel’s cousin. The mechanisms her cousin is willing to go into just to be married to a man just for the money and prestige disgust Jewel. She is from the colonies and is feeling out of place in London with all the tonne and the class systems, but here she is in the midst of it all. Jewel’s good deed does not go unpunished. Her uncle sends her off to the farthest reaches of Scotland. Luckily Oliver does not let that happen and goes after her to save her. However, things are much more involved that that.

I did enjoy the story and the various happenings in the story. As always, lack of communication and twisted reasoning were definitely contributing problems to the story. I liked the way the story unfolded and was interesting. About an Earl by Diana Lloyd was a good read.

About an Earl by Diana Lloyd
What Happens in the Ballroom #2

This book is second in the series but reads perfectly fine as a standalone. Jewel has had her heart broken by an insincere relationship and she is determined to save the Earl of Winchcombe from her cousin's scheming to trap him in marriage.
This leads the two on a quick paced adventure together. It can be rather funny in spots and I especially enjoyed the discussions on dress color. It was surprisingly steamy, so I rather liked that aspect to it as well.
But. It was just one of those books that to me really loses the romance in all the craziness of the plot. There was SO MUCH going on in this book. And it also included a few instances of miscommunication, overhearing something/making assumptions and thus making an ass of yourself...I really dislike that in romance. I also prefer my romances to be more focused on the character development or the growing relationship. I don't mind a bit of plot obviously, or adventure...but this book had it all haha. I think this would work for many people though.
I give a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½.
This was my first book by this author.
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The reason I didn't love this book was it had all of this going on, and it would have been wonderful with just a bit less, or a moment to catch my breath haha.
There's a secret plot by the family to get the Earl compromised into marriage
The heroine's father is arrested in America
There is a horrible, conniving Uncle lying and trying to steal the heroine's fortune
The Earl's sanity is being challenged by other lords and they want to put him in an insane asylum because he's scarred and scary.
The Earl has a terrible scar that makes everyone scream and throw milk pails at him.
The hero and heroine create a fake marriage to further each of their goals
They adopt a lady that lives in the forest as their maid.
There's a former fiance from America that of course comes to England and harasses them.
Someone is demanding the deed to the Earl's property has been gambled away two years ago by his dead father and they are taking over his property.
There's a missing diamond that's legendary and the royal family wants it back.
I feel like I just read 16 books. And I stopped taking notes on all this at 60%.

What a fantastic historical romance!

Set just before the American Revolutionary War, this story follows Juliana (Jewel) as she fights to gain her own independence after being shipped from her Boston home to live with relatives in London. One good turn leads to a forbidden romance, a multi-layered conspiracy, and more than a few true tests of friendship.

Oliver and his twin brother suffered at the hands of their father, whose recent passing has made Oliver the new earl despite his desire to remain closed off from society due to his horrifying scars from childhood. He is instantly enamored with the whip smart yet unpredictable Jewel, and finds himself tangled up in her charms as they discover that her problems are surprisingly enmeshed with his.

The writing is clever, witty, and instantly captivating. The characters are well developed, layered with humor and heartfelt emotions. Even the secondary characters are well thought out and delightful additions to the story. The HEA and years-later epilogue were terrific. This is truly a wonderful story, one that I know I'll be reading again and again. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Juliana (Jewel) Latham was only trying to do the right thing and save the Earl of Winchcombe (Oliver Chalford) from being trapped into marriage with her cousin. She intervenes by sending a note to Oliver to meet yet they together soon realise, that Oliver’s brother, Penry is being targeted. Whilst Penry is saved, Oliver and Jewel are caught together, thus putting her in a compromising situation. Determined to remain isolated from society, if only to be a part of parliament, Oliver refuses to marry Jewel. Yet his brother threatens to marry her himself but in doing so, Penry will not marry his own beloved. Oliver decides to marry Jewel but finds that her uncle has banished her to Scotland, so he tracks her down and heads to his estate. The events that transpire soon after highlight the growing feelings between Oliver and Jewel as they both try to save the other, but at times, find their actions lead to a different outcome.
Two great characters which appear to match the Beauty and the Beast storyline, with Oliver bearing a facial scar. This was a lovely romance, with both characters developing throughout the story, set against the backdrop of the American war of independence. The tension was well pitched and the secondary characters adding to the story.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Mrs. Lloyd surprised me with this book; it was my first book of hers to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was romance, mystery, and twin heroes. Such a recipe for a delightful read and I was not disappointed. Their are alot of small characters but they are sprinkled throughout the book so at no point did I become overwhelmed or not know who someone was.

Julianna is a typical heroine that transforms into a women of heart. Not able to sit by and watch someone be trapped into a loveless marriage by her cousin; she sets out to warn the gentlemen. Oliver, Earl of Winchcombe, and Lord Scar to most of society has had a hard life and is just trying to take his rightful place in the House of Lords. Julianna and Oliver are tested on so many levels and the book weaves a long but intriguing road to their future. It seems to be fate has stepped in and altered their lives as they have been secretly pawns in the same game of chess.

The story was well wrote and very interesting, it kept me entertained and left wanting more. This is the second book in the What Happens in the Ballroom and am excited for the third. Please note every book ends on a happy ending and can be read separately. Reading them all just deepens your connection to the characters and brings extra little background tidbits.

I highly recommend this book.

Jewel's father has sent her to England to be in the care of her aunt and uncle when war is about to break out in the colonies. She soon finds herself at her first ball and totally out of her element. But there is something she must take care of. She has learned of a plot for her cousin to compromise the Earl of Winchcombe in order for them to marry. She doesn't count on getting compromised herself.

Oliver has been hiding in the country and has finally ventured out into society to take his place among the ton. When he learns that someone is trying to compromise his brother, he will do anything to stop it. He just doesn't count on being so attracted to his co-conspirator and they end up being caught kissing.

Jewel and Oliver are strangers to one another, but they can't deny their attraction. Will they let the kiss they shared lead to a HEA?

While I did enjoy the premise of the story, it was just an ok read for me. I just didn't particularly care for Jewel and could never warm up to her. I did love Oliver though, just wish he could have had a better counterpart.... I have read another of Lloyd's work in an anthology and loved it, but this one just fell short. I'll probably give her another shot, but we'll see.

While the blurb was good and the beginning was intriguing, somewhere after it lost its spark for me. Like I liked how the main couple met, but the story itself was just ok. I think the main thing was that it was way too long and that the story could've been condensed. I will say I'm glad I tried a new to me author.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I have no idea where to start with About An Earl, or how to properly review it. So buckle up, folks—this review might just be as crazy as the book itself.

First things first: Diana Lloyd is a new-to-me author. I went in with no expectations, and they were maybe blown out of the water? To smithereens? Who knows? Not me!

About An Earl might be one of the most convoluted, engaging, confounding, charming, frustrating, and enjoyable books I have ever read. There was SO MUCH happening; my heart was all over the place yet 100% on board with Oliver and Jewel, even when there were needless (often communication based) obstacles and a plot twist every other page (or at least it seemed). They were actually quite sweet together—there was one scene around the halfway point where they’re searching through books and it’s... lovely. And the ending? Delightful! I loved the ending, and so did my heart.

But then again, did I mention the needless obstacles and plot twists? There were some moments when I wanted to just be DONE with this book, and not because I wanted to know happened (I did though, quite desperately), but rather because I was annoyed. Letters—read your letters. Words—use your words. Plot lines—pick one and stick with it. Please!

Or maybe don’t. This twist on fairytales has to be one of the most unique books I’ve read. I still can’t say with certainty that I loved it but I definitely LIKED it. I resonated with me, because I’m still thinking about it. It caught my attention because I read through to the end without skipping a page AND went back to buy book one (which, incidentally, you definitely don’t need to read to read About An Earl. In fact, I had no idea the two were in any way related until I read the preview for book three and visited the author’s website.)

So, there you have it. My overlong, probably-makes-no-sense review about a book—and an Earl—that messed with my head in a light hearted, suspense-filled kind of way, and left me very much look forward to the next installment in the What Happens in the Ballroom series.

Series: What Happens In The Ballroom #2
Publication Date: 1/27/20
Number of Pages: 400

Diana Lloyd is a new-to-me author. I believe she has written a few other books, but I haven’t read any of them. This was the second book in this series, but can easily be read as a standalone. I think the author has a good writing style and the pacing was good.

It is 1775 and the upstarts in the colonies are fomenting rebellion against the British Empire. Julianna (Jewel) Latham is completely oblivious to what is going on around her. Every single day there are carts in the streets loading up household goods and neighbors are disappearing – Julianna notices nothing – except her romance and then her heartbreak when her almost betrothed breaks it off with her in a not too nice way. When her father suggests that she should go to London and visit her aunt and cousins – in order to get over the heartbreak – she is still oblivious to what is going on around her. She’s also unaware that her father is involved in the rebellion and is sending her away to keep her safe.

Oliver Chalford, earl of Winchcombe, has spent his entire adult life within the confines of his estate, Winchcombe Abbey. He was horribly scarred when he was a teenager and people react very negatively to him when they see him. His twin brother, Penry, acts as the face of the earldom in London and Oliver conducts all of the legal estate business through correspondence from the Abbey. That all works well until Oliver wants to take his seat in Parliament and has to make an appearance in London.

Julianna doesn’t find London or her aunt’s family to be a very welcoming place. She’s made to feel as if she is there on the family’s sufferance only and that she is totally reliant on them. Yet, when she becomes aware that her cousin Udele’s plan to trap Penry into marriage, she does what she can to thwart the plan. Even though her note goes to Oliver rather than Penry, the plot is thwarted – but – Julianna and Oliver are compromised. Yet, her uncle doesn’t demand that Oliver marry her – hmmmmm --- methinks something is afoot.

Oliver has his hands full trying to solve his own problems and can ill afford to add another thing to his plate. Yet, he does. He sets out to rescue Julianna – which throws the two of them into constant contact. Love grows, but neither will admit it because each is so accustomed to having those they love to betray them. Can they resolve both sets of issues and still find their HEA?

This story had all of the makings of a 5-star read, but it just didn’t get there – at least not for me -- mostly because of inaccuracies. I never did really warm up to Jewel and her constant lament about going home to America to ‘protect’ her father. Who she admitted time and time again was a neglectful parent at best. Oliver and Jewel spent most of the book with each of them having their own thoughts about the other– when none of it was true and it was all just their imaginations. Then, in pursuit of the solution to their problems – they just kept ignoring the letters, etc. She stuffed them in her pockets – he stuffed them in his pockets. Not to mention that they just needed a good conversation. I’m not sure they ever had one – if they did, it was off-page. I liked Oliver and could understand his plight – and I wanted to see something good happen for him. He was such a sweet, caring individual – even putting Jewel first at risk to himself. He did that even when he first met her – and – since I said that – I thought the love part came much too quickly. Just as an extra note regarding the plot

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Boston native Julianna Latham is out of place and clearly an unwanted guest in her aunt and uncle's London home. She knows her family is up to no good and sets out to prevent Oliver Chalford, the Earl of Winchcombe from being trapped into marriage by her scheming cousin. But when Jewel is caught in a compromising position with the earl herself, her uncle takes the opportunity to banish her to his far flung Scottish estate.

Ridiculed and feared because of the scar that bisects his face, Oliver has lived a reclusive life away from society. Now that his wastrel father is gone, Oliver must brave London to claim his seat in the House of Lords. He never expects to find a lady who doesn't shy away from his scar. When Oliver learns that Jewel has been sent away, he pursues her. A fake engagement between them soon becomes very real as they realize their fates are both entwined in her uncle's scheming and they fight to release her inheritance from her uncle's clutches and save Oliver and his reputation from accusations of insanity.

I really enjoyed this book up until about the halfway point when things went from delightful intrigue to a little too far-fetched. You risk spoilers ahead as I get my thoughts out. I enjoyed the intrigue and mystery aspects but when the steam was lost around halfway, the story just sort of gadded about and lost sensibility in some areas and it never really recovered. There were so many childish misunderstandings between Oliver and Jewel before they were honest about their feelings that the plot device got a bit overused. The whole idea of a peer being at risk of being sent to Bedlam is also too far-fetched, I think, just because no one would've had this kind of power over a peer. Oliver was very sweet and I think he fell for Jewel rather quickly just because she was the first woman to not be frightened away by his scar and I would've liked to see more real conversation between them. Jewel's constant insistence on returning to Boston, in the midst of war, to protect her father (somehow), with whom she admittedly wasn't close, just didn't make sense to me and came off as annoying naivete. I feel like Oliver especially deserved more from Jewel and I wanted to see more tangible good happen for him, although I'm glad he finally had someone choose him.

Inaccuracies and critiques aside, this book was well-written and I really thought we were headed for five stars until that halfway point breakdown. I'll still check out more works from this new-to-me author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Juliana “Jewel” Latham has come to London to visit her father’s sister and to recover from a broken heart. When she learns that her cousin means to entrap the Earl of Winchcombe into marriage, she intervenes. She sends a note to the Earl and when he arrives, he realizes he is not the target, his brother Penry is and he compels Jewel to point out her cousin so he can warn his brother. He manages to save his brother, but ends up compromising Jewel.

Oliver Chalford, the Earl of Winchcombe came to London to claim his seat in parliament, this was his first visit to the capital and his first society event. Oliver is scarred and past experiences have turned him into a hermit, rarely venturing from his country estate. At first he refuses to offer for Jewel, but when his brother threatens to give up his own love match to save Jewel, Oliver gives in. But marrying Jewel will not be easy – her uncle has banished her to Scotland.

Oliver tracks her down and saves her from exile and promises to help her get in touch with her father in Boston – he learned from her uncle that her father was arrested for sedation, but she is not aware. They arrive at his estate and learn that he has visitors. Oliver is stunned and angered to learn that someone has objected to his request to take his seat in parliament, claiming he is insane and practices witchcraft. Jewel overhears the exchange and rushes in the room claiming to be his betrothed. And so it begins…

This was an odd story with interesting characters, a bit of steam, a decent mystery and finally a HEA with an epilogue. The story does tend to ramble on and there are several inconsistencies and contradictions (that may or may not be corrected prior to publication). I felt the author had a good idea, but then added too many other elements to the story and fell back on the “misunderstanding trope” way too much. This is the second book in the series, but I didn’t read the first book and had no problems following this story.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

I could not put this down! I just needed to know what was gonna happen.

Despite the ball going on around her, Jewel has set out to warn Lord Winchcombe about her cousin's marriage trap. When she first sees the handsome lord, her heart beat's faster. Oliver finds himself intrigued by Jewel and she sets his heart racing When they are caught kissing her uncle sends her away to Scotland.

Oliver comes to her rescue and offers his hand in marriage.

Of course, it's not so simple and straight forward. Jewel is hiding from her uncle. Oliver is being accused of mental illness. And they have to figure out who benefits from his ruin.

These are two people who have been hurt in the past and must work to put their pasts behind them in order to move forward.
This was my first read from this author and I really found myself enjoying it. I'm looking forward to whatever else this author puts out.
This ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Really enjoyed this book! This is my first book by Diana Lloyd but it definitely won’t be my last. The characters had great chemistry and the writing was engaging. Looking forward to her next one.

The Earl of Winchcombe, Oliver Chalford, had been scarred as a child by his father. He had not been out in society for ten years. His brother talked him into going to this one ball. He was trying to claim his seat in Parliament but there were accusations that he was insane. Suddenly all kinds of things are going bad around him and he does not know who or why.
Julianna Latham was a cousin of Lord Dunwoody. Her father sent her to England so she would be safe. She was born in Boston, so the upcoming war was important to her father. Lord Dunwoody and his family held a ball for her but she had heard of the plan to compromise Penry(the Duke's brother).
So she wrote a note to the Earl about it and had him met her by the fountain. She needed to tell him so he can save him. Both their lives changed.
A lovely story with a lot of misunderstandings, and some twists. The book read easily and was well written. The characters liked each other but were too new to the relationship to know each other well.
A Scottish Maiden was mentioned but it was eventually a guillotine. She thought he was going to marry his girlfriend, the Scottish Maiden. I believe you will love the bantering, the mystery of it all, just keeps it exciting, entertaining and fun. I highly recommend this wonderful book.
I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.