This is my favorite of the series so far! I really liked the change of pace and a story in the country instead of during the season.

As with the previous books, I really like the characters. The focus on Louisa and Owen this time made for some fun. I like her intelligence and the fact that she has no problem defending herself. I think Owen is the most outgoing character and tends to act before thinking things through. As they say, opposites attract!

The relaxed house party and atmosphere added to the ease of romance and of course threw in some complications. Of course everyone eventually wants love and this book is no different.

I'm interested to see where the next book goes since we have already seen 3 of the second sons stories.

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Second sons serve in the military, unless…

Like two of his friends before him, Major Owen Hasbury is called home to England to inherit his family’s title. He is the new Earl of Danbury. He intends enjoy himself and sow his wild oats for a few years before he marries and sets up his nursery. Louisa Goulding has taken care of her father’s household and been his hostess since her mother died. She would like to marry and have a family, but the season, her only one, was not kind to her. Even though they are taken with each other when they meet at Ev’s estate, they do not suit, do they? The plan is that Owen will help her find a suitable match. In the meantime, her cousin Addie has another plan, match Louisa and Owen. Which plan wins?

This an entertaining addition to the Second Sons series. Characters from the first two books are here and add to the fun. The hero and heroine are intelligent and stubborn, and whether they like it or not, perfect for each other. The story is fun with a bit of trouble, but things work out the way they should. Enjoyable story, wonderful characters, happy ending. I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

An endearing story of friendship and love. The second sons bond brings us a series of strong, stubborn men who are blind to their need of love. These men have been groomed to loyalty in the military and yet believe they look for marriages void of love for themselves. Of course, they quickly find themselves blindly in love with strong-willed independent women despite their best intentions. This is what happens yet again when Owen comes home to become the Earl of Danbury. Meeting Adalyn’s cousin Louisa, the attraction is instant, the friendship growing quickly, passion heating the pages and love sneaking up unexpectedly (only Owen, everyone else saw it coming). The back and forth between all the characters was amusing and charming. Of course, misunderstandings are expected and add to the overall angst of feelings unexpressed. I enjoyed getting to revisit with Adalynn & Everett and Spence & Tessa, each of these couples have been a delightful read. Alexa Aston writes heroines that are easy to love and Hero’s who make you root for them. A delightful blend of humour, heat and love.

Louisa definitely was Empowered by the Earl. Her confidence soared at the house party. It also opened Owen's eyes to what was in front of him. He almost lost Louisa because he wasn't ready to settle down. I enjoyed reading, Empowered By the Earl.

What can I say? Alexa writes stories that entice me in with their description and keep me there with the fantastic writing. I laughed out loud in parts of this story. How the mighty will fall…you know. I love how Alexa puts these guys through the ringer with all of their “I’m not marrying now, I need to sow my oats”. Yeah, right buddy. Since I found Alexa’s books, I am hooked. Try them out, you will love them.

Oh, Alexa, please tell me you have in the works a story for Lord Boxling. He deserves a HEA.

Called back from the war to take over the earldom when his brother dies, Owen plans to go to London and have a fun time even if his best friends are happily married. He attends a house party before going to London and is determined to avoid the single woman. Louisa hopes to someday find a man who is interested in her, but she will not stand to be with a rake. While you know who eventually ends up together it was amusing to watch them deny it. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.

I really enjoy Alexa Aston's Second Sons series, and this delightful third book in the series was a really fun read. Louisa, the heroine of this book, was very likable. I was a little confused how she had such bad luck in London, but at a house party was the #1 catch. Small thing though, she was just as likable as her cousins Tessa and Adalyn, from the first two books. The hero, Owen, I also liked but a little less. I was annoyed with him, but Alexa Aston achieved her goal because even his good friends were annoyed with him!
I thought this book was entertaining and had some really good lines, which I really enjoyed. I liked the dialogue and arguments between Louisa and Owen, and their story. I love a house party trope, so this one was really fun for me! I also liked a continuation of the characters from the previous two books in this series, they are all so likable they really added to the enjoyment of this book. I hope we get to continue to see with the other seconds sons of the group. This was an entertaining, sweet read. Thanks to Netgalley, I received this as an ARC and all my feedback is my own.

The next of the Second Sons to come in to a title, Owen, is very resistant to the idea of settling down and plans to enjoy some years single before finding a wife. Famous last words. He meets Louisa, cousin of Tessa and Adalyn who are married to his closest friends. Poor man doesn't stand a chance.

I enjoyed this book for the story, but I do find the writing style a little akin to wading through treacle. Light frothing dialogue it is not.

Received an ARC from Netgalley.

The third book of Second sons . It was sweet and funny . He just inherit his title as Earl and want to spend it having fun and not marry right away . She is 24 and looking to marry so she can have children . She knows he is not suitable for a husband but she will let him teach her all about flirting . While he helps her he starts having feelings for her . At her cousins home party he is very jealous of all the other men . Will he realise that she is the perfect and only woman for him ?
I received this book from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Stubborn Earl

Owen Hasbury the new Earl of Danbury after fighting in the wars and selling his commission decided that he would enjoy his single life. Both his best friends had left the military life to take up titles and both found themselves beautiful wives who they loved to distraction but he didn’t want that. He wanted to enjoy and live his life as a single man for a number of years until he decided to settle down. He had no interest in love but he did feel a little envious of the relationships his friends had formed.
Louisa Goulding cousin to his two best friends wives, would like to settle down and have a family but is quite practical in that she doesn’t expect love. On meeting Owen whilst staying with her cousin, is not impressed and although attracted to him, can see him for the rake he is. Thrown together, they form a friendship and Owen teaches her how to kiss and flirt which goes beyond just kissing, but still he won’t accept that Louisa is for him even though his friends see they are the perfect match.
Louisa has feelings for Owen but knowing he doesn’t want to settle agrees to keep an open mind to meet different men at her cousin’s house party. Owen agreeing to help, finds something wrong with all of them and doesn’t like the idea of Louisa kissing anyone but him! He soon realised that he’s jealous and is in love with Louisa but has he left it too late?
A beautiful love story with just the right amount of historical reference and added steamy moments which compliment the story line. This is the first of the series I have read so I will definitely be reading the first two.

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Another great book to add to the series, which I’m finding very much to my taste.
Great writing style, one of the reasons I enjoyed Alexa books, they flow so well.

This was enjoyable and fun, especially the house party , loved Louisa in the last book, so in her own story she’s so much better, Owen I struggled with in places, his character frustrated me at times, though I understood his reasons for his feelings.

The whole plot and the growing chemistry with the two was excellent and so emotional at times.
Very entertaining and great reading.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

"Lord Danby had to be the most devastatingly handsome man she had ever met." Thus was Louisa's first meeting with Owen and it escalated from there!

A wonderful addition to this delightful series as the second sons of aristocrats, become head of their families. Each of the heroes were in the war together and strong friends and as each find them in their new positions, each finds a wife.

Owen was determined to continue to sow his wild oats for awhile and eventually settle down. Louisa had been a helpmate to her father, who was involved with aspects of the war and very intelligent. While wanting to marry and have a family, she could not tolerate the men who could not accept she was no simpering miss!

As these two are thrown together, it is evident, a strong spark is building, so sit back and enjoy the journey!

Empowered by the Earl by Alex Aston is the third in her series about second sons. Major Owen Hanbury has been ignoring letters from the family solicitor for months. This time he has written to Owen's commanding officer, as well, and so he has no choice but to report to the man who will usher him out of the service and send him back home to run an estate that belongs to his brother. Will he even receive a salary? His brother has been in a coma for months and apparently is unlikely to awaken. He had been set upon by robbers when he was in the wrong place, the same situation in which Ev's brother had been killed, which made Ev a duke. He is contemplating contacting Ev when the man appears, with an invitation. He is to come to tea and meet Ev's new wife. She is lovely, and they are in love, but Owen has no wish to find himself in the same place. At tea he meets Adalyn who immediately starts scheming to find him the wife he doesn't want. Then he meets Louisa, who if he wanted a wife, would be perfect. They agree to watch each other's backs at the house part coming up and to be friends.

Like most reluctant suitor tropes, this is a rocky journey to love, which he almost messes up before all comes aright. He doesn't like any of the men at the party. None are suitable for Louisa. He doesn't really care for any of the women either. He is not looking for a wife. As he watches Louisa with other men, he slowly realizes he is making a mistake: that he wants her, indeed, loves her. Louisa is trying, but none of the men at the party are Owen, and no matter how much she wants a husband and children, she can't settle. It is a very character driven novel and very entertaining, watching them make every effort to not be together. It is not a new story or very different, but it is enjoyable and very readable.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Empowered by the Earl by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #dragonblade #alexaaston #empoweredbytheearl

Third book in the Second Sons series with Owen, our rakish hero who is not at all interested in marriage. When his friends have him spend more time with Louisa, he is attracted to her, but knows he won't make a suitable husband. During the course of a house party, Owen realizes that he does want to marry her after all, but she is entertaining other suitors. Simple straightforward plot with a reformed rake and an intelligent spinster.

How I love this series. Second sons have a terrible time living in their world of entitlement. Either forgotten or sent to the Army to fight for the King. War is all that Major Owen Hasbury has known and that makes him just like his friends. They all joined the service to serve against Napoleon and find that when called back to England, after their older brothers have died, a hard adjustment to the title. Just like his friends, now Owen must take the reins of title, become married and produce an heir. But that is not his plan, until he meets Lady Louisa. Her life has not been easy, either. Just how are they going to adjust to what society has planned? I loved reading this third book of the series and found that I could not put it down.

Owen is a Second Son, a major fighting Napoleon's troops. When a letter arrives from the family attorney telling him must take his brother's place as the Earl of Danbury, he ignores it for six months. Attacked and injured in London, his brother is in a coma and may die. A letter from the attorney to his commander forces the issue to sell his commission and return home. His brother passes away and he is now the Earl of Danbury. The mention of a wife turns him off of the subject. He wants to continue to be a rake in London. But the machinations of his best friend's wife sets the stage for an introduction to Louisa who rocks his world. Instead of helping her find a husband, he finally realizes he wants her for himself. If he wants her to trust him, he has to love her. Owen's resistance and jealousy is so funny, but he definitely knows his way around kisses, flirting and seduction. Nothing like a reformed rake falling to his knees.
Heat level 3 🔥🔥🔥
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.