Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (she’s explicit but also a touch flowery in her prose in this one)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, it’s not labeled but the last chapter is 2 weeks later.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form that I’ve let languish on unread on my kindle for years...

Should I read in order?
This is book 4 of Midnight Secrets series, but I found it decent as a stand alone. Perhaps there’s some character depth added for these characters in the prior books of the series – let me know if that’s so :)

Basic plot:
Jonathan is attempting to jump through all the hoops of his father’s will to get his inheritance when he meets Lady Caroline Nicholson...

Give this a try if you want:
- London and country setting
- light touch of age gap (older hero) – it’s not drastic for HR (10 years) but it’s commented on
- house party!
- slowish burn
- bit of a mystery
- masquerade
- low to medium steam – 2 full scenes

Ages:
- Hero is 32, heroine is 22

First line:
William Cromford, Earl of Lindsey, was laughing in his grave.

My thoughts:
There was so, so much I really loved about this book. So many of my favorite plot devices, tropes, and feels. But, ultimately this book didn’t go quite as far with as I wanted and I just wanted a bit more from it. It just didn’t feel totally complete by the ending for me.

Jonathan is still under his cold father’s thumb from the grave as he tries to fulfill the requirements of his inheritance. He has not thoughts of marriage or commitment until he meets Caroline – I really loved being in his head so much and watching him fall for her. Caroline I really enjoyed too. She’s cautious of Jonathan because she knows he’s a rake and shes interested in marriage.

The thing I loved most about this book was the sweetness of it. It had a lot of scenes that melted my heart with little things I love – dancing together, little touches, clandestine meetings, all wrapped in the uncertainty of a blossoming attraction. Even though there were some mystery elements going on, I felt like they still spent a decent amount of time together (though, I wanted longer discussions between them. It seemed they would meet for short bursts of time for most of the book). There is a strong theme of the hero just finding the heroine utterly precious – he thinks it all the time and treats her as though she’s precious (though that includes the classic ‘shes too good for me’ distancing himself). And I just ADORED that.

I think in the latter half I started feeling like we were having the same interactions with Jonathan and Caroline and I wanted things to progress either faster, or something different to happen between them. This book had some great potential to me and I’m definitely eager to try more from Bryant because I think I will find one that I really love.

Well liked characters but loved I have to admit I like Jonathan alot more that Caroline. The chemistry between the two was beautifully written but it was slow. Jonathan's has been ruined from childhood from an abusive father, and it continues even from the grave. He works hard to overcome his beginning knowing there is more to life. Caroline has her own secrets but wants a relationship where there is love and longing. After many twist and turns their attractions to one another grow stronger along with the ability to believe in eachother. They're hea was hard earned but worth it. I enjoyed this book tremendously.

I just couldn’t get into the book. Maybe it was just one of those reading moods. Anyway, it’s a DNF for me at this stage.

This was my first time reading this author and I didn't realize there were 3 other books in the series before it. I enjoyed this book. The main characters had a lot of chemistry and felt destined to be together. I felt there was to much unnecessary art talk and this took away from the romance. The ending felt very rushed.

I enjoyed this book. The main characters had a lot of chemistry and felt destined to be together. I felt there was to much unnecessary art talk and this took away from the romance. The ending felt very rushed.

I like Caroline’s steadfastness in wanting there to be true love when she chooses to get married. Now, poor Lindsey was adamant in his choices but what he didn’t know, was that cupid had other plans for him. An enjoyable sassy, sexy, and sweet read.

Even if I found it quite entertaining I think that the chemistry between the two MCs is a bit lacking and the mystery part is confusing.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Lord Jonathan Cromford, Earl of Lindsey, is a rogue, a rake, and a scoundrel who spends his days indulging in vices of drinking, gambling, and women. His father has always found him a disappointment, and after his death tries to force Lindsey’s hand to grow up. Upon the reading of his will, Lindsey learns that he must search for three missing paintings that hold the solvency to the earldom and he must wed and produce a heir or he will run out of funds within weeks. Frustrated that his father is still trying to control him even after his death, Lindsey sets out to discover the missing paintings.

Lady Caroline Nicholson recently returned to England from Italy for the season where she is searching for a husband. In the middle of a ball, Caroline catches Jonathan in a compromising position with another man’s wife. She does not know what to make of the intriguing Earl, but she wants to discover the man he is underneath the title. They are drawn to each other like moths to a flame, unable to sever the invisible rope pulling them to each other. Neither can give the other what they want, but perhaps what they need most of all is each other.

“She played with fire. Even one ember of desire was too dangerous. And yet one tiny spark, small and insignificant, given enough air to breathe could create an inferno.”

This book was beautifully written. Annabelle Bryant’s writing sold this book to me. There were some insanely clever and heart wrenching lines that really conveyed the depth of Jonathan and Caroline’s connection. I did feel their passion and their draw to each other, but it took a long time to truly feel connected to their love story. It almost felt like as a reader you were behind a window watching the story unfold instead of in the middle of it.

Jonathan in the beginning was the same as every hero in every other historical romance book. In the end, the reader was allowed to see inside his soul and some of things that he had suffered through in the past that made him the man that he is. He does grow throughout the book, and there are quite a few swoon-worthy gestures from Jonathan to Caroline. Unfortunately, these do not fix the major problems with the book. The plot was completely focused on the relationship between Jonathan and Caroline that the missing paintings received very little attention. The end of the book rushes to pull everything together, but it does not work. This caused the pacing to be off, and it just never regained its footing for me, personally.

The second major problem with this book was that there was not very much physical chemistry and it had an extremely low heat level. The build-up of the emotional connection made the reader invested in the sex scene, but it occurs towards the very end of the book. It was a slow burn that left a lot to be desired. The love scenes are not graphic.

Overall, the writing is elegant and gorgeous but the plot needed some work. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy Julia Quinn as their writing styles and characters are very similar.

~ Michelle

I enjoyed having the main male character be so entranced by the heroine, but the mystery of the paintings, forgeries, bastard brothers, etc was not very well thought out and rather confusing.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This has a familiar story -- the rake, Jonathan, Earl of Lindsey, who won't settle down and a controlling father (although this one reaches from beyond the grave to impose his wishes upon his son). Enter Lady Caroline, a woman determined to marry well, and the collision is set. The two are NOT a match made in heaven but become one, which is the fun of the story. To be honest, I wanted to like this more than I did, even though I enjoy this author's work a lot. Something did not quite work for me, but other reviewers really enjoyed it. (I received an ARC from NetGalley; opinions mine).

William Cromford, Earl of Lindsey, has recently died and his solicitor will now disclose the man’s odd will to the beneficiaries and the requirements that first must be met. Jonathan Cromford is the new Earl of Lindsey. He and his father never agreed on things with his father calling his son a wastrel and a rake. A letter from William tells Jonathan that before he can inherit, he must fill the family coffers and he must also produce an heir as soon as possible. In addition, he must recover some valuable paintings stolen from his father.

Lady Caroline Nicholson has found a quiet place to avoid all the crush at a ball when Jonathan enters the darkened room with a lady. Even though Caroline hides in a corner Jonathan finds her and calls her a voyeur. Caroline and her family have lived in Italy for the last few years and are now back in London to find her a husband. But there is another underlying reason for their swift return. When Jonathan asks Caroline to dance, she is rather embarrassed but agrees. The two are quite intrigued by one another.

They more Jonathan and Caroline attend soirees, the more they are drawn to one another. While he has never wanted to marry, Caroline is quickly making him change his mind. She wants nothing more than to marry a man who loves her and have a family, but a secret she is keeping reminds her that her dream may never become reality.

As Jonathan tries to retrieve some stolen paintings, he finds himself in the dangerous and gritty area of London called Seven Dials. But he’s not the only one visiting that area - Caroline’s father is there too. What is going on and can there be any future for Jonathan and Caroline?

This mystery of the stolen paintings didn’t really intrigue me and was confusing at times. Just stick to the romance and leave the mysteries out, please. However, I know a lot of readers like that bit of cloak and dagger thrown in.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

There’s no love lost between Lord Jonathan Cromford, the Earl of Lindsey, and his late father, a feeling only amplified by the hoops Jonathan must jump through to claim his full inheritance. The stipulation that he must forego his rakish tendencies and produce an heir is more than he can take, but with few options, Lindsey must put his pleasures on temporary hold at least. He’s totally unprepared for his chance meeting with Lady Caroline Nicholson and the draw he feels toward her.

Caroline and her family have just departed Italy with haste under some scandal, but she’s not going to let that damage her chances of making a good match. Her cousins are well-versed in high society and Caroline hopes that with their help she can find love before the end of the season. But even with her clear goals, Caroline can’t help her reaction to the roguish Earl of Lindsey. They have an immediate connection, but she can’t allow much interaction with him lest she irreparably damage her reputation. But as the two continue to cross paths, Caroline and Jonathan must both decide what’s most important, their growing love or financial security and societal expectations.

This was a cute reformed rake story, but man was it a slow burn. I feel like there was a lot of build up here and not as much follow through as I was expecting. Even at the end there were several key plot points that were left unaddressed and I was left a little confused about the solidity of Jonathan and Caroline’s HEA. Their courtship was cute despite all that. I loved how seasoned rake Jonathan, so used to hiding his emotions in an attempt to save himself from hurt, was so bowled over by Caroline. His description of them as inevitable was quite charming and his determination to make any chances necessary to his lifestyle to make sure they could be together made Jonathan a hero I could root for. There are still lots of unanswered questions and this book doesn’t seem to really fit in with the rest of the series so I’m wondering if these issues will be addressed in a forthcoming spinoff series perhaps. Either way, this was still a solid read with an endearing couple that displayed an undeniable connection in the face of several factors working against them.

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

This is a clever, inventive, interesting story. I had trouble warming up to the heroine and hero. Early in the book, the heroine seemed a little daft, and the hero too willing to engage in an act of selfish violence. I had to put my dislike of them aside in order to continue with the story.

Also, I found the editing lacking. Stylistically, the long sentences were sometimes confusing. There were also errors that jarred me out of the story—for instance, alternately referring to never-married Lady Caroline as Lady Nicholson. If you're not as nitpicky as me, you may like this book more than I did.

He's entitled and kind of whiny about it.
Jonathan is now the Earl of Lindsey, after inheriting from his father, who set some conditions on his purse. Honestly? This felt like the wrong book at the wrong time to me. He's overly entitled, the heroine meets him when he's setting up a rendezvous for a painting, but he''ll hop in a married woman's bed to get one of the three paintings back.

I liked Caroline who's trying to navigate the ton and society and find a husband. She doesn't deserve a privileged lord who bemoans his good fortune of being born wealthy and entitled, not needing to work but wah, had a bad childhood because his father had expectations of him to be a gentleman.

I saw no growth in Lindsey though he takes a shine to Caroline right away, although I should point out he had an erection for the married lady and a few minutes later, another one for Caroline when they danced.

I like this author but Lindsey just missed the mark for me by a wide shot.
But props for Caroline.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters are complex and interesting. This story will make you cry, make you laugh and make you want more! You will be captured on the very first page! This story is filled with details and entertains you throughout the book. A Must read! This author never fails to write a wonderful book! I was so honored to receive an advance copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley for my honest and unbiased opinion. Thank you Anabelle Bryant for another wonderful read!

The father of Lord Jonathan Cromford, the Earl of Lindsey, has left him a legacy – a will with several conditions. If he does not fulfil the requirements, he will not inherit. However, when Lindsey accidentally meets Lady Caroline Nicholson, his life changes in many ways.
Caroline and her family have returned from Italy, in a hast manner. Yet her desire to marry overrides the true reason. She plans to marry well and for love; however, when she meets Johnathan, her carefully laid plans start to unravel. Both she and Johnathan find themselves spending time together, which both enjoy more than they will acknowledge.
Two very well delivered characters who are in many ways the opposite of each other. Yet, their frequent meetings provided a means to deliver their developing romance. With each meeting, I felt that they were more and more drawn together, and any differences that existed became superficial as their true nature shone through. Together in each other’s company, they were more than what society saw. I did feel that Johnathan may have revealed more of his problems earlier on in their meetings, as it would have been interesting to see how their relationship would have developed as a consequence.
An enjoyable read!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

London’s Most Elusive Earl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Annabelle Bryant

Although, many wills possess caveats, Lord Jonathan Cromford, Earl of Lindsey the will left by his father had many contingencies. Jonathan learned the hard way he had to step up to the plate and stop being a rogue.

He had to face the demise of his past ways with the added pressure of time not being on his side.
He needed to marry and produce an heir if he wanted his inheritance.

Lady Caroline on the contrary was looking for love, loyalty and her life being secure. When the two meet you know the inevitable will happen but this author draws you into caring for both of them. She weaves their love into a tight fabric you know it will not rip or fray. This was a delightful story.

All the stars for this one are because of the romance. Lindsey and Caroline had great chemistry and I really did feel their connection throughout the book, and found myself highly anticipating each time they managed to steal a moment away together.

Unfortunately, this was one of the slowest-moving books ever, and those moments felt few and far between. As much as I like the secret relationship trope (and did enjoy elements of it here), it doesn't really work that well in a historical romance when the characters can barely interact because of societal restrictions. I now understand why the marriage of convenience trope is so popular - because it's the only way to get the characters spending a lot of time with each other!

I was hoping this would be a marriage of convenience/"I need an heir" kind of story, but it was more "couple meets and like each other," and while I usually have no issue with that, it doesn't really work in a historical setting, sadly, and I found this a little dull overall.

The plot also got bogged down with the artwork sub-plot and the introduction of a random half-brother, who really did nothing for the plot. And the scandal involving Caroline's family eluded to in the description came in way too late to actually have an impact on the story.

I really wanted to love this one but unfortunately it was kind of a miss for me. However I really did enjoy the romance and chemistry between our two main characters and wouldn't rule out reading more from this author in the future.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for an honest review!*

London's Most Elusive Earl by Anabelle Bryant is book 4 in the Midnight Secrets Series. This is the story of Jonathan Cromford, Earl of Lindsey and Caroline Nicholson. I have read the previous books so that did add to my enjoyment of this one, but this is totally a standalone book. Caroline and her family have been living in Italy but now have fled there to return to London under questionable circumstance. Caroline's focus is to find a husband to help with her situation. But her attraction keeps leading her to Jonathan. Jonathan had a very abusive father which even from his father's grave he is trying to rule his life. Jonathan's father has declared that if he doesn't marry and provide and heir he can loose everything. Jonathan thinks that he can meet the will's agreement and then just get back to his regular lifestyle. But, Jonathan didn't count on meeting someone like Caroline that he is so drawn too. I am such a fan of this author's writing. I would highly recommend it along with this series of books. Loved it.

Father determines actions from beyond the grave.

'Scoundrel and irrepressible rogue,' Lord Jonathan Cromford, Earl of Lindsey, is being brought to heel by his disdainful, dead father. Until Jonathan marries and has an heir his father's will determines he cannot claim his full inheritance. Time limits and hoops to jump over have been set, effectively whittling Jonathan's choices.
Lady Caroline Nicholson has returned from Italy with her family determined to make an unparalleled match and be married before the end of the season. Having cousins who are adept at weaving their way through society will help, that is, until she meets Jonathan.
From high society to the murky world of art heists and fabulous fakes, the stakes and subsequent choices are high for Jonathan and Caroline, never more so than when Caroline realizes she can't meet the demands dictated to Jonathan.
Some tense times carry the day in this read although the ending petered out a little for me.

A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)