Rating: 4.5 Stars

Virginia Heath is back with a warm-hearted and deliciously witty Regency romance that is simply irresistible: The Earl’s Inconvenient Houseguest.

Sophie Gilbert is not about to let the new earl sell his country estate and the charming village that forms part of it. Not averse to rolling up her sleeves and working as hard as she can to achieve her objectives, Sophie is thrilled when she manages to thwart the Earl of Hockley’s plans! Rafe happens to be the most infuriating man Sophie has ever clapped eyes on and she plans to be a thorn in his side and not allow him to do anything to the village she loves living in. Sophie plans to give Rafe a very wide berth and to keep her distance – until disaster strikes and she finds herself with nowhere to go and nobody to turn to. Luckily for her, Rafe steps in and offers her refuge, but will living in his house prove to be a blessing in disguise or a recipe for disaster?

Having learned early on to keep her heart firmly under lock and key, romance is the very last thing on Sophie’s mind. The past had taught Sophie a very harsh lesson that had convinced her that men are not to be trusted, but the more time she spends with Rafe, the more she realizes that there is more to this aloof aristocrat than meets the eye. Thrust in close proximity to him, Sophie begins to find herself drawn to Rafe. But is she willing to let go of the past and trust Rafe with her heart? Or will she continue to be held hostage by old heartbreaks and devastating memories?

Sophie and Rafe have been given an unexpected chance at happiness, but have they got the strength and courage to let go of the past and fight for a love that could last a lifetime? Or will they end losing the best thing that’s happened to both of them in a very long time?

Virginia Heath has done it again and with The Earl’s Inconvenient Houseguest has written a charming, emotional and poignant historical romance I couldn’t stop reading. Virginia Heath effortlessly blends hilarious repartee and laugh out loud comedy with searing intensity and heart-wrenching pathos and in The Earl’s Inconvenient Houseguest has created two wonderful characters readers will fall in love with.

A gorgeous Regency tale from a writer who always delivers, The Earl’s Inconvenient Houseguest is the latest enjoyable historical romance by the fabulous Virginia Heath.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Virginia Heath is one of my favorite authors. I have loved all of her books that I have read, so I had really high hopes for this book and it definitely lived up to my expectations!

Four and a half stars


Sophie Gilbert lives with her aunt in a fire hazard of a cottage in Whittleston-on-the-Water. When the new lord of the manor moves in, the village is abuzz and frankly, terrified that he intends to sell the whole lot and evict them all, leaving them all homeless and destitute.

Captain Rafe Peel never expected to inherit. He’s worked his whole life to care for and protect his family. He’s no desire for the encumbrances or responsibilities of his new title and property.

Sophie and Rafe clash in an epic battle of smartly determined military minds, with each vowing and vying to protect what is nearest and dearest to them. It is a pleasure to see Virginia Heath’s characters fight for their hearts and their futures. A full complement of supporting cast round out the plot well. A winning start to a terrific new series.

I REALLY wanted to like this one more than I did, but there were just a lot of things that killed it for me.

To begin with, I never bought into the romance between Sophie and Rafe. In fact, I much preferred it when they were at odds with each other as I felt that it made for a much more interesting dynamic. At least then it made sense for him to think of her as a witch, and for them to butt heads as often as they did.

But then her aunt and Rafe are injured in a fire, and no one blinks an eye when he moves both her and her aunt into his house with him and his brother. I understand that the aunt was injured, but surely it would have been closer to move her into the home of one of the other villagers? It was a highly improper living arrangement, and as gossip minded as some of the villagers were, should have been turned into a scandal unto itself. However, it seemed to be glossed over to the sake of putting our two main characters into close proximity to one another. And for what? Even after they sleep together she still steadfastly refuses to be in a relationship with him beyond the physical. He still thinks of her as a witch. They still butt heads (although his brother Archie quickly moves into the spotlight as a favorite character during this time).

It isn't until later on that it is suggested to Sophie by those same older, gossip-mongering old crones that she seduce Rafe in order to get what they, as a village, want. Which sadly would have made more sense if that is how the author had chosen to go about it. I mean instead of her being the "wanton" she claims to be because once upon a time she was in love, what if she had seduced him for the sake of the village and then fell in love? To me that would have been a more interesting (and believable) story-line.

Despite the issues that I had personally with this one, I am sure it will still appeal to those who enjoy historical romances set in small villages.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Miss Sophie Gilbert has lived in Whittleston-on-the-Water with her Aunt Jemima for the last ten years ever since her father threw her out of his house and disowned her. Sophie has come to love this village and would do anything to protect it – including wage war with the new Earl who plans to sell the property to the highest bidder. An annoying, stubborn, and much too handsome earl.

Former soldier and widower Rafe Peel had no idea he was heir to the Hockley earldom, but when he did, he saw the opportunity to build a new life for himself and his brother Archie. He plans to sell the unentailed estate in Whittleston-on-the-Water and use the money to buy land and start a horse farm – but to his surprise, his plans are thwarted by the villagers – headed by the annoying, stubborn, and much too beautiful Sophie. But when Sophie’s home is destroyed by fire and her aunt almost dies, Rafe offers them refuge and they see that maybe they are not so different – but can they let go of the hurts from their past to forge a future?

This was a well-written, nicely paced story with wonderful characters and quite a bit of humor, but don’t be fooled by the laughter, this book packs an emotional punch and has a surprising number of off-page triggers. Both Sophie and Rafe have loved before and neither of their relationships ended well, for different reasons, so neither is willing to let the walls they have built to protect their hearts be easily broken and their road to HEA will not be easy – but what a ride it is! I enjoyed this book, but I agree with other reviews, it does end a bit abruptly and an epilogue would have been nice. Overall, it is a nice start to a new series and I would happily recommend it.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Preconceived notions.

I like Virginia Heath and this book reads very much from her storytelling style.
Sophie and Rafe start as enemies, they have very definite ideas about the other and their situation.
Forced proximity makes them open their eyes.
A fun read.
Recommend.



4.5

New earl Rafe has inherited a mausoleum of a house, along with its surrounding village. He's determined to sell the unentailed property and buy a quiet home in the middle of nowhere for himself and his dependent brother. The villagers, afraid they'll be thrown out of their homes, oppose the sale—quite forcefully. Sophie, the ringleader, makes a deal with Rafe—until she discovers he hasn't been fully honest with her. The two butt heads until disaster strikes, and she's forced to take refuge in his home. She begins to see a softer side of him, but she's unwilling to give up the fight to save her village. Can the two find a compromise?

This story is delightful. I loved Rafe and Sophie, as well as the side characters. The plot included some tense and unexpected turns. I also enjoyed the humor.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
After reading my first Virginia Heath book last year, I was excited to read more from her. However, I think The Earl’s Inconvenient Houseguest was perhaps the wrong book to start with among her lengthy backlist of Harlequin Historicals.
I do like the village setting, and the fact that Heath drew from her real life to create it helps in the immersion. But other than that, I found this book rather wanting.
Rafe and Sophie are both rather bland, stiff, and distant. There isn’t the believable tension that makes enemies-to-lovers work. There’s a lot of mulling over things, which meant I was skimming and skipping, and then finding myself reaching the end, and being like, “that’s it?” *scratches head*
I do see potential in the breadcrumbs being set up for future titles. And I can see how the hook could appeal to other people, as there are some more positive reviews out there.

Everything I’ve come to love from Virginia Heath! Both main characters are in their early 30s, which I love, because they bring all their baggage and life experience along with them. And this was a welcome introduction to their little Essex village, so I’m very excited for the rest of the series!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.