This was a heartwarming prequel, with steamy romance and yet it was sweet at the same time. A delightful second chance story to flesh out the backstory of likeable and familiar characters. Easy to read and completely engaging.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I really enjoyed this book, and it was kind of strange to compare the two books - The Forbidden Duke and this one as this happened before the Forbidden Duke and you meet Genie and Edmund (or Holt). When you read The Forbidden Duke, years have passed and it is weird to see Edmund described as nearly bald!

Anyway, it was fun to watch as these two met (really for a second time) and how he really wanted to have Genie as his wife and didn't really care that they would not provide the necessary heir and a spare. It is unusual to have the man be the romantic but I loved it!

I had to go back to the Forbidden Duke and read that again to see Titus and Genie. Then, after all the talk about the untouchables, I need to re-read those books!

Always a good read and a HEA!

I feel a little bit lucky to come at this book from a place of being unfamiliar with this particular series. I’m sure there are some fantastic inside jokes that have completely passed me by, but I also didn’t have expectations of how I thought this story should go. I was able to sit back and enjoy Genie and Edmund’s story as it unfolded around me. My heart broke every time it looked like they would lose this second chance. And I felt the fresh pain and joy as they encountered obstacles and cleared them. It’s also introduced me to some characters I want to get to know better now.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley.

The Bachelor Earl by Darcy Burke is a delightful novella set at a matchmaking house party! This novella is a prequel to The Untouchable Series. I have read a few in that series and this works very well as a stand alone.

This is a great read with characters over 40 and some serious romance. It reads so quickly but there is deep emotion and I was routing for these characters! I also love how the ending is not a traditional “epilogue” of most historical romances. The steam level is medium but hot and perfect for the story.

Eugenia “Genie” Holt, Dowager Duchess Kendal has been widowed for 2 years. Her cousin has invited her to a house party not knowing it is a matching making and maybe getting to know each other intimately event. The events are eligible gentleman and widows. Genie wants to leave but the weather has her stuck at the party.

Edmund Holt, Earl of Satterfield was drawn to Eugenia years ago and now once again at the house party. Edmund came to the party thinking he should find a wife and make an heir since he is now in his 40s.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the chance to read this! All opinions are my own.

#TheBachelorEarl #DarcyBurke #HistoricalRomanceNovella #DarcyBurkepublishing

**I received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I'm a sucker for a cute little Victorian romance. The premise of this one seemed intriguing, and throughout the process of reading 'The Bachelor Earl' I was reminded why I enjoy books like this so much. The main character, The Dowager Duchess of Kendal, has had a rough time of it and a little romance is just what she needs. The plot was pretty good for a book that is, from my understanding, a prequel. I haven't read any other books in this particular series, but this one was enjoyable on its own and easily holds up solo. I definitely recommend this to readers who want a quick Victorian romance read.

I really loved this story. Genie is a widow, Edmund never married. This is a story of loss and love. It's quite beautiful! The ending is poignant and I'm so glad Miss Burke didn't give us the ending I was afraid she would!

This is my first Darcy Burke book. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a very quick read but the depth of characters did not suffer for it. The plot was clever and I found myself engraved from start to finish. Glad to have found a new author to catch up on!

The Bachelor Earl by Darcy Burke
The Untouchables - Prequel

Delightfully delicious and a wee bit decadent…this story tells of a house party with a twist…connections of long or short term can be arranged by male and female guests who had been married but lost their spouses. Which ones will find a mate and which ones will not?

What I liked:
* Genie: dowager duchess, widow, stepmother, loved her husband, mourned him two years, still misses her Jerome – she was not apprised of the type of house party she would be attending.
* Edmund Holt, Lord Satterfield – bachelor, in need of an heir, looking for a wife to provide that heir, but also looking for love.
* The writing, plot, and story – it was a delight to have an older couple that might find their HEA
* The games played at the house party
* I really liked all of it :)

Usually I put in something I don’t like but this story had nothing to dislike.

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

3.5 Stars

Eugenia, the Dowager Duchess of Kendal is a widow of 2 years. After finally deciding to venture back into society at her cousins house party, she runs into Edmund Holt, Earl of Satterfield, who is on the hunt for a new wife to give him an heir. Sparks fly and with the house party really being a matchmaking party, Eugenia and Edmund are free to see what comes of the attraction. Will they be able to overcome their obstacles and find their happily ever after?

I'm not sure why, but I had more of a hard time enjoying this story. I am a fan of the author, Darcy Burke, and I know this book got rave reviews, but I really struggled to get into the story., I would find myself picking it up, reading a chapter, then setting it down for a few days, with no interest to read again. Once I forced myself to give it a shot, it was a great story, but it just didn't vibe with me. Nothing against the author and it should not deter you from reading it yourself, but I wanted to give my honest opinion.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinion.

As a great fan of Darcy Burkes book I excitedly sat down to read this book yesterday and today I finished it, I think you can take it that she has yet again written another engrossing read.

The Dowager Countess of Kendall has been in mourning since she lost her beloved husband and has kept herself to the dower house on the estate. However her cousin has invited her to a house party and begs Genie to attend.

When she arrives she discovers the party is not quite what she expected, everyone there is a widow or widower and are all looking to remarry.

Edmund remembers the Dowager Countess on her first season, he was entranced by the beauty then and to find her at this gathering so many years later feels like destiny.

This book was a great story, the characters are well written and the story nips on at quite a pace, I loved the fact that the epilogue didn't go down the route I maybe would have expected but that just made the story better.

If you like regency romance then I can definitely recommend this book to you.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in turn for an honest review

This is a great story of overcoming the grief of losing a beloved spouse in order to find love again. I was rooting for Genie right from the beginning and was so happy to see the way her story played out. Edmund is truly the perfect man for her and I loved seeing her come to realize that. The scene toward the end between Genie and Mr. Sterling was amusing and I felt myself rolling my eyes and chuckling as she becomes more and more exasperated by his behavior. I also really liked the way Edmund comes to realize that Genie really is the only woman for him. Having Genie and Edmund both going in search of the other to tell them how they feel added just the right amount of comedy to the story.

Eugenia Aldwick and Edmund Holt have chemistry from the moment they are in the same room together, She loved once deeply and isn't sure she is ready to try again. He only wants her and is determined to win her with seduction. This is a very good romance and readers will enjoy.

A wonderful second chance at love story featuring Eugenia, widowed, and Edmond, never married who are both more mature making this a perfect prequel to the fabulous Untouchables series!

After being in mourning for two years and grieving the loss of her beloved husband, reluctantly agreed to attend a house party of her cousins. It would get her back into society slowly, although she had no idea it was a matchmaking party!

Edmund, Earl of Satterfield is so excited to see the woman he had been besotted with twenty years ago and had stupidly not pursed her at that time. Now it seems they might have a chance at love, it the sparks flying between them is any indication!

Love, loved this story and it makes me want to reread all the stories of the series again!

4.5 stars

I was lucky to read a lot of this novella via Darcy's Newsletter. It's a preque to the Untouchable Series and a great adjunct to that. Eugenia is a widow and has been missing her husband for many years. She has a step son that she adores (Titus, hero of Untouchables Book 1) and her cousin realises that she'd ready to emerge from her self imposed chrysalis. Our hero, Edmund missed his chance or romance with Genie the first time around as he was just about to go on his European Tour. Society expects him to wed and produce an heir but the only woman who fascinates him is Genie. It's a lovely romance, some passion, some jeolousy, some jeopardy as the reader is not sure there's going to be a HEA. I recommend you read this novella.

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

This was an enjoyable book to read. It was funny and compelling. The characters were interesting and the story kept me wanting to know what would happen to them .l was not disappointed and recommend that you read this book.

I loved the pairing of Genie and Edmund! Genie is a dowager duchess, widowed, in her forties. Edmund first met her twenty years ago but decided never to pursue her. They meet again at a house party, and Edmund decides it’s time to go after The One Who Got Away. I don’t want to go into a lot of detail, since there were lots of surprises that made me smile and smirk and were delightfully wicked to discover in one’s own (the map! At the house party!! Genius!). This book managed to be sweet and racy at the same time. Really loved it.

Genie the Dowager Duchess of Kendal has been mourning her husband for two years. Her cousin has invited her to a week with an equal number men and widowed women to maybe help them find love again. Genie did not like it but it is raining and she is there now.
Edmund the Earl of Satterfield has been attracted to Genie since her first season years ago. He is very pleased to see her again. He is as attracted to her as ever. She finds she is attracted to him also.
After that week they are thinking about each other. Can they work out a life together? It was a fun read.

Content warning: death of spouse mentioned; miscarriage mentioned; death of young child discussed.

The Bachelor Earl is a prequel novella to Darcy Burke's The Untouchables series, which I've read most of and really enjoyed! Genie is a really likeable heroine, and I liked this expansion of her character (she is the stepmother of Titus, the hero of the first book in the series) - this is sort of a second chance romance, but not as you might have seen before. She doesn't want to marry again after the death of her beloved husband, Jerome, but when she's tricked into attending a house party designed for matchmaking amongst older singletons, she finds that actually, she's strongly attracted to the Earl of Satterfield; he for his part has been in love with her since they were both in their twenties, but never told her. The two of them have phenomenal chemistry, and it's a pleasure to watch them fall in love - the novella length means this has a great pace and few dramatic obstacles beyond Genie's reservations. Four out of five stars!

What a saucy good historical this was. I've been suffering from some fairly mediocre- passable books as of late, so this was a cute little prequel with some heat. Darcy Burke never fails to provide a throughout enjoyable historical romance read. And, The Bachelor Earl is no exception.

Eugenia, the Dowager Duchess of Kendal has sequestered herself for the last two years in mourning for her dearly beloved late husband. In an effort to rejoin society but outside the full bustle and bluster of the ton, she accepts an invitation for a house party from her friend and cousin. She is more than a little shocked and scandalized when she realized the purpose of the party is to match widowed and unmarried members of the ton. As the weather has forced her hand, the widowed dowager duchess finds herself trapped.

Edmund Holt, Earl of Satterfield has never married. Once upon a time, he found himself entering society and was quite enraptured by Lady Eugenia Aldwick but as he was younger and had no intentions of being on the marriage mart he was forced to watch as Lady Eugenia was wed to another. Now, as Edmond finds himself at the same house party as the dowager duchess emerges from her period of mourning, he considers it for the divine intervention he needs to right the wrongs of his youth.

The Bachelor Earl is the prequel novella to The Untouchables series featuring the story of how Lord and Lady Satterfield fell in love. I quite enjoyed that this story featured older characters that had the grace and knowledge of age and experience. This created a fuller, more in-depth story for me as we weren't bound by youthful inexperienced innocence and blunder. Edmund embraced Genie's unresolved feelings, allowed for her room to reconcile the old marriage with new feelings, and didn't place her old life out of their relationship but embraced it. Plus, he was very honoring and respectful to Genie's stepson, Titus in their discussions.

I have to admit that I have not read The Untouchables series but with such an enchanting (and hot) little prequel, I find I now have to go read them all. I absolutely recommend reading this if you are considering the series or already read it and was a tasty little snippet back in the lives of The Untouchables!

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I really enjoyed this book! I’m trying to limit my five stars because I’ve been giving them out like candy on Halloween, but when I say I really enjoyed this I mean it!!! Therefore five stars. I felt my heart in my mouth at times! I’m looking forward to the next instalment.