Thank you Netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this.

3.5 stars. This is a sweet story about mistaken identity, a swooning kiss and a search to find out the mysterious person. It's like Cinderella without the glass slippers and evil stepsisters.

I really enjoyed this read, but the only thing that annoyed me was Emmaline, who to me appears to put her pride before everything else, which I guess was how she was written and part of her character. But because of this, it made for good banter between the male lead and hero Jonathan, The Earl of Melrose.

I loved this book so much. Its a new series and book 1 and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. It takes place in England in 1812 and features a family of orphaned sisters who are spinsters because of a scandal by their mother.

Mrs Fosberry loves the sisters and so she embroiders them in a matchmaking game to get two of the sisters, Juliet and Emmeline to London, They are hoping to make a match for Juliet with Lord Melrose. This is a story of true love, fighting for your soulmate and mistaken identity. It was an absolutely awesome story and I loved every second of the story.

Not Just Any Earl by Anna Bradley is book one in her new series — Games Earls Play. This is an enjoyable, lighthearted, uncomplicated story that I read in one sitting. The characters are not very complex but they are likable (except for 3 of them).

As one of five sisters Emmeline Templeton has resigned herself to spinsterhood and is quite happy with her hands in dirt as she tends to her roses. But when her sisters accept an outrageous wager that takes the family to London for a season, an unexpected kiss with a handsome earl thrusts shy Emmeline into the middle of a shocking public scandal.

Jonathan Parrish, the Earl of Melrose never meant to kiss Emmeline Templeton. It was an innocent case of mistaken identity, a stolen embrace meant for one of his vivacious admirers. Emmeline Templeton is perfectly wrong for him, and he’s never before spared the shy wallflower a single glance, but after a single kiss, the memory of her warm curves are imprinted forever on Jonathan’s fingertips, and he can’t forget the sweet taste of her lips against his.

The question is will these two get their HEA or will the viciousness of the Ton tear these two would be lovers apart before they even get a chance to start. Jonathan is determined to keep the lady he loves even if he has to chase her down and claim her!!

What Went Wrong
So while I enjoyed the story there were times when I wanted to strangle Emmeline — I really don’t like weak women and although her reasons for not claiming Jonathan straight away were “noble” 🤨 they were also highly annoying. The fact that it seemed like everyone knew what she was doing was also annoying.

Lack of angst — Give me angst!! I love it!! This story lacked it.

Also this story has a very low heat rating — some kissing, light petting, and one scene of very vague sex. I would have liked the author to turn up the heat a bit…🔥

Overall an enjoyable story — 3.5 Stars ⭐️ | 1.5 Flames 🔥

I loved this book! From the characters to the story, this is well written and a page turning story because you'll definitely want to see what happens next for all involved.

With a scandal relegating them to the country, Emmaline (our heroine) never expected to be spending any time with the Ton but when a wager puts her and one of her sisters right into the midst of the Season, things start to get interesting.

Jonathan Parrish is the hero of this book and he has decided that this is the Season he will marry. We find out really quickly that he is expected to marry the diamond of the season but he is having serious doubts. When at a ball, he finds himself distracted by someone he has had a relationship with in the past, and hunts her down in a dark, secluded room and decides to kiss her. Things quickly turn as he realizes she isn't the lady he thought her to be and when the mystery lady runs without showing her face, he's motivated to find her to protect her reputation.

I enjoyed both characters and I thought how Bradley brought them together but also moved the story along. I'm definitely interested in the next book of the series and don't even really know what it will entail yet. If you're looking for a new HR series to begin, definitely consider picking this one up.

This is the first in the series, so there is a lot of explanation at the start of the book.

Just make your way through it and then it picks up. This is a sweet book about Emmeline and Johnathan, who is the sweetheart of the ton this season and has finally decided to marry. There is a mix up in the library which is always the best kind, and from there the love story begins. This is a very sweet book with a good mix of laughter throughout the book. I am really looking forward to more books in the series with all the sisters.

3.5 stars.

Since their mother abandoned their family to live with her lover, the Templeton sisters have been living under an undeserved cloud of shame. Quiet, botany loving Emmeline Templeton doesn’t mind living a life of isolation from society, but when one of her sisters makes a reckless bet with an old friend of their father’s, Emmeline finds herself in London for the season. Unfortunately, she’s almost immediately staring down a scandal when she’s spotted leaving a darkened library after sharing an illicit kiss with the season’s most marriageable earl.

Johnathan Parrish, the Earl of Melrose, thought he was meeting another lady entirely. He’s never even met shy wallflower Emmeline Templeton, and given his state of inebriation that night, he still doesn’t know he has in fact met her, but after that kiss, he can’t stop thinking about the mysterious Lady in Lavender and is determined to find her. But the Templeton sisters can’t avoid scandal for long and there’s every chance that Emmeline and Johnathan won’t get the chance to be together after all.

I enjoyed this setup and this group of different but very loving sisters, but I was thrown off by some abrupt scene changes in some instances. Emmeline wound up annoying me with her refusal to acknowledge her feelings, no matter how senseless that was, and the resolution here felt needlessly drawn out. During that stretch, there was an abundance of focus placed on the catty machinations of the ton and not enough on the romance developing between Johnathan and Emmeline for my liking. Also, having read this author before and loved her work, I was a bit underwhelmed by this one, especially in the steam department with only one scene and even that coming very near the end and fairly short. Overall, I liked the concept at first, but it did get a bit old as it was increasingly drawn out.

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

3.5 Stars

Not Just Any Earl was a great start to a new historical romance series following a group of sisters from a family fallen from grace.

Emmeline Templeton has lived a life of relative obscurity until now, something she has been grateful for. When her sisters accept a wager that has them heading to London for a season, Emmeline finds herself sharing an unexpected kiss with an earl that has her at the center of a shocking scandal. Jonathan Parrish, the Earl of Melrose, thought he was kissing someone else when he kissed Emmeline in the library. But with one kiss, Jonathan can't forget the shy wallflower who quickly changes everything Jonathan has planned for his life.

Emmeline is one of five sisters and since the death of their father, things have been getting tight for the family. Emmeline, like her father, has a passion for roses and she spends a great deal of time throughout the book looking for a specific rose to recreate a scent her father made before he died. I liked how passionate she was about roses but it did get a bit old hearing about them over and over. Jonathan definitely comes across as a rogue when we first meet him which actually isn't how he generally behaves. He has decided this is the season he is going to look for a wife and everyone expects him to pick the daughter of his late mother's oldest friend.

Emmeline and Jonathan's first meeting actually happens by mistake. Emmeline is staying at the home of a family friend in London who hosts a ball that Emmeline decides not to attend but she does sneak into the library during the ball to get a book to read which is where Jonathan finds her. The kiss they share in the library is quite steamy and it's clear these two have chemistry. When it comes out someone saw the kiss, although didn't see it was Emmeline, the two continually run into each other as they try to decide how to handle the situation. I enjoyed the back and forth with Jonathan actually being the one who wanted to move forward more than Emmeline. There is a bit of unnecessary drama near the end, but for the most part I was happy with the way the pair worked everything out.

Overall Not Just Any Earl was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be picking up the sequel, Odd Earl Out, when it releases next year.

This is the first book in a new series about the scandalous Templeton sisters who must marry to save themselves from poverty. Tainted by an earlier scandal and failed marriage from their deceased parents, Emmeline and Juliet Templeton head to London with Lady Fosberry on a bet to find a match.

Instead, Emmeline has an accidental midnight kiss in the gardens with celebrated and very eligible bachelor Johnathon Parrish, Earl of Melrose. When the ton gets wind of Johnathon and his Lady in Lavender, he's determined to find her and propose.

This story isn't as steamy as Anna's other series. Most of the story revolves around Johnathon trying to figure out if it's Emmeline or Juliet that he kissed. There were times when it felt like something was missing. Bradley's last series was so heavy that this is light and breezy by comparison. However, it's a quick read and there is a steamy payoff in the epilogue.

MY REVIEW:

This was a very cute very sweet story. Emmeline is the second oldest of five sisters and they have been living in the country because of a scandal that forced them out of London years before.

Emmeline and Johnathan have a chance encounter that leaves them both wanting more.

When Johnathan first meets Emmeline he doesn’t think much of her, as she is really good at hiding her personality and what she really looks like.

But he starts to realize that he may be wrong about her and that there is more than meets the eye.

Johnathan goes about trying to get to know Emmeline and starts to really like the woman she is.

Besides Johnathan being and Earl and a gentleman we don’t know much about him. But the tidbits we did get were very good. He was sweet, kind and very respectful.

He was also very caring. And had 3 sisters that he took care of and loved.

The focus was more on Emmeline and her family, which was ok but I would have liked to know a little more about the Earl of Melrose.

Overall a good book, with good potential for future books to come.

WOULD I RECOMMEND:

I would recommend this book this is a good start to the series. It is a bit rushed in some areas, but then is super slow in some areas and repetitive.

The science and botany talk were great to understand Emmeline but we didn’t need to keep repeating the same thing over and over again.

I started to skim through those parts. Because it just seemed like I was reading the same thing again.

I really enjoyed Emmeline and Johnathan together and how they fit together. I am interested in seeing where the other characters such as Emmeline's sisters go from here.

Emmeline and Juliet return to London despite the scandal to their reputation. Three years ago their mother ran off with her lover, leaving her family to flee to the country in disgrace. Now that their father has died, the family is in desperate need of money. Juliet wants to find a husband while Emmeline is searching for a specific rose she needs to recreate her father’s perfume formula. Johnathan (as spelled in the ARC), Lord Melrose, is considered the finest catch of the Season. He wanders drunkenly into the library during a ball, searching for his mistress Susanna. He mistakes Emmeline for Susanna. Coming up behind her, burying his face in her hair, kissing her neck. Emmeline doesn’t stop him. One she is enjoying it, and two she doesn’t want a further scandal. When Melrose discovers his mistake, he can’t stop thinking about her. The problem is, he doesn’t know who she is! The gossips are in a frenzy. Who is the Lady in Lavender? I enjoyed scientific bluestocking Emmeline. One problem I had (and maybe this is only with the ARC) is their big romantic kiss in the library that neither could stop referring to. It never happened! I even went back to reread this part. He kissed her neck and shoulder from behind. She kissed his hand. That was it. This is a sweet story with a heat level of about 1. Oh, and why didn’t Emmeline ever ask Melrose about Susanna? I would have!

This book serves to set up a coming series but also to introduce two very sweet, very lovable characters. Emmeline, one of the scandalous Templeton sisters (their mother ran off with a lover), and Jonathan Parrish, the Earl of Melrose. He plans to marry this season — not to a Templeton sister — but, oh, the best-laid plans. How he stumbles into the library, kisses the wrong woman (who of course is the right woman) and ends up falling in love makes for an engaging romance. A botanist and a darling of society turn out to be just right for each other, and the journey to HEA is one to savor. (I received an advance reader copy. Opinions mine.)

A hair shy of four stars, Not Just Any Earl is a sweet and rather virginal tale of a shy bluestocking and the Season's catch, a handsome young earl. Emmeline and Johnathan are an adorable couple who share a passionate, accidental, anonymous kiss (well, kisses et cetera) the night of a ball. Rumors of Johnathan's clandestine encounter with a mysterious lady in a lavender dress sweep the ton, and Johnathan finds himself desperate to learn who it was he tangled with that night. All he has as a clue is a rose-scented lavender ribbon.

Johnathan quickly suspects his lady is the quiet and easily overlooked Emmeline, but she keeps her cards close to her chest. Compounding matters is the fact that Emmeline's mother years ago created a scandal that the ton has never forgiven. Emmeline fears that if anyone gets wind of her behavior, her sister Juliet will lose any chance she has of marrying.

Most of the story is Johnathan carefully breaking down Emmeline's walls. Though there are definitely vicious debutantes out there trying to ruin her and her sister, there really isn't very much in the way of drama. It's a quiet and sweet tale instead. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I'm pretty sure I'll read the next book in the series if given the chance, but overall, this novel was a tad too tame to be placed on the keeper shelf.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

This is the first installment of a new series by Ms. Bradley, Games Earls Play. It is also my first time reading something by her. This was a fun story with a little bit of a Cinderella twist to to it. Emmeline and her sisters have been residing away from London due to the scandal caused by her sister. Now three years later, because of their dire circumstances they now find themselves accepting an outrageous wager and returning to London. At a ball, Emmeline and Jonathan share an unexpected kiss in a darkened library. Though entirely wrong for each other, they are completely perfect for each other. She is a bookish, shy, wallflower that he wouldn't glance twice at, but after that kiss, he can't stop thinking about her. This was a charming and sweet story with lovely, endearing characters and I enjoyed it very much. A very nice start to the series, and I would love to continue with the next book.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This story was a fresh take on the romance subject.
It is part of a series about 4 sisters, but this story was about the eldest. The family always supported themselves by their father propagating roses and creating unique perfumes. He was very well known as a botanist scholar. The father passes away and the mother is involved with a scandal and takes off. The girls have to stay out of society for mourning and the scandal. By the time they can move back into society, the eldest did not want to be presented as a debutante, instead she wanted to continue her father's work. The second sister decides she wants a season and a friend of the family agrees to pay for two of the girls to go to a house party, in order for the sister to find a husband. The heroine finds samples of the perfume her father was working on and she cannot duplicate it. She is close, but needs more time. The roses at her house suffered from neglect and she did not have the full range of scents. But the gardens at the house party, well, the lady there had had the heroine's father plant reams of all of his different varieties, so the heroine heads there, also, but just for the scents. The hero is supposed to be looking for a wife, but he is used to having older women affairs. The heroine sneaks down into the library while a ball is going on and the hero mistakes her for his latest. They are locked in a wicked kiss and her dress is seen. So everyone assumes it is the heroine's sister because the color was similar. And even though the hero and heroine are attracted to each other, the heroine thinks the sister needs to marry him.
I enjoyed this story because of the hunt for the elusive scent and the hero trying to prove he is good husband material. The story was well written with descriptive settings..There was character maturity and the reader felt like part of the book. I give this book 4 stars. It was nice, but it didn't wow me. I would recommend reading.

This love story was an enjoyable read for me. I liked the many different characters. They brought some entertainment to Emmelines life that she wasn’t expecting. The beginning of the story has a lot of narrative that sets up the story to were Emmiline and her sisters start their journey with their aunt. I did find the dialogue among the group entertaining with a bit of humor. This book is easy to read. The romance was certainly a treat to read and cuddle up to.

Anna Bradley always delivers readable and addictive regency romance. Not Just Any Earl is no exception, with a spunky heroine, charming hero, and the witty scrapes and trials that both undergo before their HEA. Fun and engaging romance!

I really, really liked this book and the only negative thought I have about it was that I thought it was too short. I felt the writing was well done and I found the story engaging and entertaining. Emmaline and Johnathan were sinfully easy to fall for and boy, did they have my heart swooning! This is a very charming and fun romance. It delivers plenty of emotions, feels, sweetness, chuckles and warmth to your heart. I can't wait for book two!!

I really liked this story but then I love underdog stories! This is a case where society's gossip destroys lives and tried to force people into marriage that don't belong together. I was bullied as a child and talked about behind my back so I am sensitive to these issues and this story is finding happiness in spite of that! Society condemned these five sisters to being unmarried spinsters who have to work hard in order to survive all because of their mother's sins. It also showcases how the kindness of a true friend can give aid to those they care for. I just loved this story and where this series is going.

Emmeline Templeton is the second eldest of five sisters. Their mother ran off with the Marquess of Bromley five years ago and the family retired in the country. They are scraping by as their father died three years ago leaving them without support. His passion was roses and distilling scents making wonderful perfumes from them. He taught Emmeline everything he knew but unfortunately took his last and greatest formula to his grave. Emmeline is sure if she can just figure it out it will be her sister's financial salvation.

The Countess Fosberry was a good friend of their father James and has taken the girls under her wing. She visits often and they've become rather good at predicting society matches. The Countess uses that as an excuse to bring the middle two young ladies to London with her, Emmeline and Juliet. They think Juliet would be the perfect match for the Nonesuch Johnathan Parrish, Earl of Melrose instead of Lady Christine Dingley that Society assumes he'll marry. When he mistakes Emmeline for someone else in Lady Fosberry's library at her ball one night society's gossip spirals out of control. Lord Cudworth saw a woman in lavender leaving the library and everyone is trying to guess who she was. When they get it wrong pressure is put to bare on the wrong couple.

Johnathan Parrish, Earl of Melrose is the Nonesuch of Society. They want him pared with the belle, Christine Dingley who is a mean spirited, spoiled beauty. He's not having it, and drunk one night thinks he's meeting a widow in the library he's been with before. When the lady runs away he's knows it's not someone he's ever met and is intrigued. All he has left of her is her scent on a ribbon she dropped running away. He goes back to the Countess in his quest to find her. There he meets Emmeline & Juliet. I loved watching these two discover each other and how they foiled the pressures of society to find happiness.

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

Emmeline's and Johnathan's story is soooo romantic. I think many women dream of a love story like this, where they fall in love at first sight (or in this case first touch). Johnathan kisses a woman whom he believes is a woman with whom he's had dalliances before, but almost instantly realizes it's someone else. Someone observes "the lady in lavender" escaping the dark library where the tryst occurs, and the rumors start raging across London. Emmeline just wants to fly under the ton's radar since her family is linked with scandal, and in this case just wanted a book on botany from the library, but she got way more than she bargained for. Can Johnathan discover the identity of the woman whose scent and taste haunt him? On his quest he encounters Emmeline and is drawn to her. Is she willing to take the leap of love when it may mean scandal for her sister? Or does her sister have her own plans? There is a great teaser in this story that I hope will be the focus of the next book in the series. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one! I received an ARC of this book to provide an honest review.

This was a sweet read with a instalove theme. I like a little more spice in my romance novels so this fell short for me. I also did not think that Emmaline and Jonathan had enough interactions for me to believe they were in love. Lust definitely, but love was a stretch for me. I was also irritated with the heroine near the end when she makes som poor and idiotic choices about why she and the hero cannot be together. I will say that the story was well-written and I am interested in reading about Juliet and Cross, who will hopefully be the couple in the next novel. If you like a quick, sweet read, this is a good one for you. It just happened to be a miss for me.