Anyone but the Earl by Irene Davis

I had great hope when I selected this book but alas though well written it was very flawed as is it supposedly a historical novel. It is set in New York’s gilded age of old versus new money but the writer forgets at times that this is set in Victorian times and chaperones.

There were a few things in the story that irritate me as a lover of a historical romance I don’t mind the steamy bit but it has to be in the right context otherwise why write it as “historical."

The book was missing a flow i was desperately hoping for, plus the characters chemistry felt forced and just plain awkward. Too many modern day references too.

A historical romance set in America sounded like a great read, sadly I did not enjoy this story. There are too many modern day references included in the story which kept interrupting the flow of the story. I would give this author another chance in future books.

Way too much about rowing and sculling. Way too much. Hard to get into and I didn’t really like the two main characters. Wouldn’t recommend.

I enjoyed reading this Gilded Age historical romance by new-to-me author Ms. Davis. I found the story to be interesting and entertaining and it kept my attention all the way through. I think she did a nice job of bringing the story and characters to life and letting the emotions and feelings of the characters come through in her writing. You really feel as if you are in those moments with them.
Octavia and Clif have a wonderful dynamic and their chemistry is certainly strong. Ocatavia is a girl of means, and had everything she could ever want. But what she doesn't want is to go through with a marriage to an earl that her family has arranged for her. Clif is the friend of Octavia's brother and he has a soft spot for Octavia. So when she comes to him for help, he doesn't hesitate in assisting her. They are both attracted to each other and the sparks inevitably fly as they spend more time together. But Octavia doesn't just not want to marry the earl, she doesn't want to marry anybody and wants to keep her independence. Will Clif be able to convince her otherwise?
The interactions and dialogue between the two were a treat to read and I enjoyed the story overall. I will be looking forward to reading more of this authors' work in the future.

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

Romance novels set in Gilded Age New York City have been a draw for me for several years now. Historical romance novels in general have been a favorite to read since I discovered them in the eighth grade. It's rare for me to start reading one and lose interest, but in regards to "Anyone But the Earl", that is what has happened. The characters just don't catch my attention. And all the rowing terminology, despite the brief summary prior to the start of the story, bores me silly. I don't like to give poor reviews but in this case I must be honest. This book just wasn't it for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this arc that I voluntarily reviewed.

The book is overall good. I find the heroine in the book bold and admired her for her decision to fight for herself and not just accept her destiny. Clif will do everything he can to help her avoid the unwanted marriage, including fallin in love with her. It was overall a good story. Kept me engaged.

This was not what I expected from a victorian romance. While well written and I did enjoy it I felt it could be written in any era. Apart from a few mentions of chaperone's Tavi seemed to not bother with you could have been in any time period with the couple jumping into bed about the same point as any modern couple really. I would give 3.5. This is my honest review.

When Octavia flees from a disastrous evening with the earl, she runs straight to Clif. In seeking to protect herself from a man she hates, though, she may have hurt the man she loves. Has she lost her chance for future happiness, just when she's finally figured out what it looks like? Beautifully written, with such heart. A beautiful and delightful book to read, one I really just wanted to spend my time reading and savoring the experience.

It was interesting to read a period era book set in the colonies, rather than England as is the norm, however this was very much a modern book, as evidenced by our heroine’s actions. The love story seemed rather contrived and appeared from nowhere, and the ending felt like it needed a bit more time to flesh it out. Warning, there are explicit scenes in this book, so perfect for fans of Bridgerton, but not if you’re wanting something more realistic of the time period

New York 1896

A delightful story set in one of my favorite eras around the turn of the century!

Octavia is in a fix. It seemed that her mother was going to push her into marrying a dreadful man, one she had hoped to get away from when her family had come to the city. That is when she saw him.

Clif is a friend of her brother, and oh so handsome! He is impressed with Tavia, but she is his friend's sister!

But sometimes, attraction just cannot be denied. A journey to happiness with a few twist and turns that will keep you turning the page!

📚 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Historical Romance, regency romance

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Tavi is on her way to marrying an Earl who gives her the creeps. But during their courtship she meets Clif, one of her brothers friends, who catches her attention.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: This book was cute and well written. The author clearly is knowledgeable about the time period and the subject matter of rowing.

But why I rated it lower was mostly to do with the main character, Tavi. Some of what she did was super selfish, and honestly the way she treated Clif bugged me a bit. I also felt like it wrapped up too quickly at the end.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 2/5 🌶🌶

Octavia Sewell is determined to do anything to escape marrying the Earl, whom her mother is desperate to have her do. Yet when she meets W. Clifton, a rowing friend of her brothers, she decides that he is the person to help her escape, even if she has to ruin herself in the process. What Octavia doesn’t realise is that Clifton might also be ruined in the process, as their feelings for each other grow.
The book is set in New York City in 1896, and it was fascinating to see that whilst there had some progress for women, there was still the requirement to marry well and not for love. So it was interesting to read of a story, that didn’t involve the HEA being a person of nobility. I also enjoyed the dual POV, particularly with Clif’s involvement in the marine insurance company and their dealings, which intertwines quite cleverly with the romance. The ability for Clif and Tavi to spend time together whilst brief, was lovely to read about.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.