A delightful book about a strong woman who does everything in her power to gain control over her life in a time where that is not normal. Wonderful!

This book wasn't for me. I can't say that I liked either character. They were both very flaky. The story seemed preposterous at times.

Emma Clark, The Countess of Dearborn has been happily living and running the family estate in the absence of her husband Albert. He was a terrible husband and when Emma was unable to bear him a child, he left to go on an expedition in Egypt. He has been gone for over a year and people are beginning to suspect that he is dead. If he is dead, Adele, her sister-in-law, is ready to kick her out of the family home, Butterhill Hall, and move herself and her younger brother, the new Earl, in. When Luka Olivien, the Weslorian Earl of Marlaine, arrives a year later from Egypt to return her husband's pocket watch, he begins to suspect that she knows her husband is dead, but is pretending otherwise. He is attracted to this smart and vulnerable woman and begins to play along. Can she continue with her charade and remain at Butterhill Hall, or will she tell the truth so she and Luka can have a real and open relationship? Meanwhile Luka has his own problems back in Westloria involving his father and his openly hostile and disgruntled feelings about the Queen. He is being called home by the Queen, his childhood friend, to come home and help quash any possibility of a rebellion.

I enjoyed this historical romance with both lovely and villainous characters. Emma is a well developed character, who is smart and take-charge. She is caring and does what she can for her young brother-in-law who is under the thumb of his older sister. She has actually earned money and the estate is profitable, much more than other estates at the time. She is loving her independence and the opportunity to show that women do have brains. As the story proceeds we see Emma's frivolous side as she plans a summer party in honor of Luka, the Earl of Marlaine. We see her working with others and how they want to please her. Luka is also caring, helpful and fun and I enjoyed seeing them develop a deeper relationship. Several of the secondary characters had me smiling, especially Feeney, her butler, or should I say Albert's butler. He goes about his duties she assigns him begrudgingly, but actually enjoys her and seeing all that she accomplished. Her sister is her best friend and confidante, but she is upset with her keeping secrets as well. Overall, this is a fun romp, not high on substance, but enjoyable and I couldn't help rooting for Emma and Luka.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Emma Clark, the Countess of Dearborn, was a delightful bundle of contradictions. And Luka Olivier, the Earl of Marlaine, is the perfect counterbalance. There was just something about their chemistry that sparked off the page and filled the room with joy.
The other thing I loved was the different plot lines that ran throughout the book. It kept the reader engaged on multiple fronts. Overall an amazing read and would highly recommend.

Y’all know that I adore historical fiction romances and that Julia London is one of my favorite authors for that genre. So it should come to no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed An Inconvenient Earl.

London, continuing her Royal Match series, sets out to present this story in a slightly different format than I had been expecting. The lovers did not truly need help getting together. More, they needed help staying together. And in an effort to not spoil anything, that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.

Emma was a really strong and pretty admirable character. She went through really rough times and rather than be bitter towards anything and anyone that was connected to the perpetrator of these times, she tried to set everyone up for success. Emma looked, at times, foolhardy, on the bright side of life. Luka, on the other hand, didn’t necessarily do that.

Luka was an absolute puppy. Definitely, he fell first and they both fell hard. The secret romance was scorching and the way they couldn’t hide it well. It all just melted my heart. There wasn’t much character growth in this story except for how Emma confronted both herself and everyone else with the truth. She managed to come into herself more.

Luka was the catalyst for it and it all created chaos in the best way that Julia London does chaos.

It was the a perfect christmas/ new years read.

I normally adore London's book, but there was just something off about this one. I just didn't like the heroine, Emma. Her whole act with not knowing her husband was dead soon became very irritating. Just an ok read for me.

AN INCONVENIENT EARL (A Royal Match Book #4) by Julia London is a disappointing addition to the Royal Match historical romance series that I have loved to date.

This story was well written and contained Ms. London’s usual witty banter and unique characters, but it could not keep my interest. I became frustrated with Emma throughout most of the story even though Ms. London tried to portray her as a sympathetic character. She was vapid and even as she occasionally regretted her course of action, she continues. I liked Luka and wish he had not been so easily led by Emma with the excuse of studying her and that excuse went on much too long. Maybe if this was a novella with much of the middle deleted, I might have liked it more.

I am hoping if this series continues that I like the next couple as much as I did in the first three books in the series.

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

I tried but I couldn't bring myself to like this story. Emma is a flake who's decided to have fun until she can't anymore. She hasn't given one thought to what's going to happen to her & how she can set herself up to survive. She talks all the time, all the time, it's exhausting. The one thing going for her is a head for business, she turned the estate around working with the estate agent making changes and such that improved revenues. That's about all she did.
Luka is a strange hero lead by his lust and not his head. He knows better but follows Emma down a rabbit hole anyway. He's too wishy-washy for my taste. A handsome academic, book smart but not world wise. I finished the story but it was tedious.
#AnInconvientEarl #JuliaLondon #Netgalley #CanaryStreetPress #ARoyalMatch #historicalromance #romance

I did not like this book, especially didn't like the lead character, and nothing that the author did to move the storyline along changed that.

I've read many Julia London books over the years but this is the first one that I've read in a long time. The story was interesting but completely unbelievable. When Emma learned that her abusive husband had died overseas, she was relieved. She decided not to share this information with anyone because she feared that her cruel sister-in-law would find a way to have her removed from her home thereby rendering her destitute. So, when a handsome man named Luka suddenly showed up with her late husband's pocket watch, Emma completely went off the deep end. I would have sympathized with her a lot more if she had accepted the fact that her deception needed to come to an end. Instead, she began a bizarre game of cat and mouse, never allowing Luka to actually voice the truth. Being an anthropologist, Luka was absolutely fascinated by Emma's machinations. The fact that he found her attractive was an added bonus.
This story was well-written and fun to read. However, I would have liked this book much more if Emma hadn't constantly pushed past the limits of believability.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Julia London brings her Royal Match series to a close with the final enchanting instalment, An Inconvenient Earl.

Emma Clark, the Countess of Dearborn, is relishing her freedom. Her no-good husband had left on an expedition a year ago – and she hasn’t heard a peep out of him since. Emma might not really be missing Albert, but she hopes that the earl isn’t dead because if he is then his family will lose no time in swooping in and throwing her out onto the streets without a single penny to her name. Emma needs her husband’s family to believe that he is alive and well, but could the arrival of an acquaintance of her husband from Egypt spell the beginning of the end for the independence which she cherishes so much?

Luka Olivien, the Weslorian Earl of Marlaine, has come to England all the way from Egypt with a mission: to give the Countess of Dearborn her deceased husband’s pocket watch. Luka is shocked with Emma’s reaction to the news of Albert’s passing. She knew that her spouse had dead – didn’t she? The countess soon proves to be an enigma for Luka – one he finds himself increasingly drawn to the more time he spends in her company.

Drawn together unexpectedly by fate, could Emma and Luka find the happiness they had long given up on? Or will acting on their feelings end up costing them far too dear a price?

Julia London’s An Inconvenient Earl is a joy from start to finish. Witty, sexy, emotional and dramatic, An Inconvenient Earl is a terrific historical romance with a heroine readers cannot help but root for and a charismatic hero that will have them swooning. Sprinkled with plenty of charm and humor, this entertaining and enjoyable historical tale will steal every reader’s heart and have them eagerly clamoring for the next title by much-loved bestseller Julia London.

This is the fourth book in this series and I would like to state I am an avid reader and have read all of Julia’s books but unfortunately it was not a book that grabbed my interest. I found Emma a bit confusing.. Then Luka came along and he didn’t seem to have any gumption. They both seemed confused all the time.
It starts with Emma enjoying life while her abusive husband (Albert) is in Egypt , a courier arrives to tell her Albert is dead then drops dead himself, then the fun starts, scared that her sister in law Adele will throw her out the fibs begin.
Now she’s already dug a hole for herself and then Luka arrives an Earl from Wesloria (who has his own problems back home) he brings Albert’s watch and tries to discuss how he comes to have it, but she won’t let him and the hole she’s dug just gets bigger and bigger and more confusing.
I can say that half way through the better the story got but it was not for me.

An Inconvenient Earl by Julia London is the 4th book in her A Royal Match series. We meet our heroine, Emma Clark (Lady Dearborn), who has not seen her husband for over a year, with him on an expedition in Egypt. Emma is content since he was nasty and abusive, and she is not missing him at all; as she manages the estate. Her sister-in-law, Adele who is also nasty, lives with her young son in the Guest House.

One day, someone arrives from Egypt, to tell Emma that her husband is dead due to yellow fever.; but before he could explain, the man drops dead on the floor. Emma is beside herself, knowing Adele will throw her out of her home, as her young son is the heir apparent. Emma decides to pretend that the dead man was only here to give updates on her husband and plans to keep the secret of his death to herself. Emma continually pretends to Adele that Albert is enjoying his adventures, always getting out of any possible situations. She is also very good at keeping the estate in good condition, but she also loves throwing parties.

Luka Olivien, the Earl of Wesloria, arrives from Egypt to present Emma a watch from her husband, ready to reveal his death. Emma quickly changes the subject, which she is very good at, and tells Luka to stay at the estate, until she can throw a party for Albert’s friend. Luka is shocked, and he tries to tell Emma many times about her deceased husband, but she manages to avoid it. In a short time, both Emma and Luka find themselves attracted to each other; with Luka slowly falling hard for her, and keeping the secret for a while, as he gets to know her better.

It was a slow burn romance between Emma and Luka, as they did make a great couple, with Luka coming for her closer to the end. I wasn’t crazy about Emma early on, but mid-way I began to like her, especially her relationship with Luka. She is a bit flighty with having so many parties, and telling so many different stories, to hide the truth about her deceased husband; but she still managed to keep the estate profitable. Emma will get help from the series regular matchmaker, to reveal the truths, and find a place to move on; until Luka arrives. An Inconvenient Earl was intriguing, witty, entertaining romantic story, with a very good epilogue at the end.

Another enjoyable historical romance from Julia London. Although a bit convoluted, I was drawn into this tale of an unhappily married Lady Dearborn, who finds out her not so loving husband has died while on an expedition in Egypt. Trying to keep this secret, she shines as the head of her household. She also is a love starved woman who becomes intrigued with Luka Olivien, a stranger from the fictitious country of Wesloria. There is the usual chemistry between these two which makes this quite a ride to their happily ever after. Thanks to Julia London and Netgalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Great story! The characters were well-developed and showed growth as the story progressed. Luka and Emma were funny and interesting. Emma wove some crazy tales, and Luka got caught up, and love is all she wrote. Under the craziest circumstances, the story unfolded and went from crazy to sweet to hot and stayed entertaining. I lived interacting with the characters from the previous books in the series. The connections and ongoing story just felt complete. Really enjoyed this one.

An Inconvenient Earl was such a fun time. I love almost everything Julia London writes. She never misses with her stories. I had not read other books in this series but I am absolutely going to !

An Inconvenient Earl by Julia London is the fourth book in the A Royal Match series and while there are three other books, you could probably pick this one up and dive in with no problems if you wanted to read it as a standalone.

Our main heroine in this book is Emma Clark, the Countess of Dearborn. Having been abandoned by her husband (he decided to head to Egypt after deciding his marriage wasn't what he wanted), Emma has been enjoying her role as the head of the household but she doesn't really know where he is and what he's doing until a stranger shows up at her front door and then promptly drops dead after telling her he died while in Egypt. Emma knows that if she tells people he is dead, she will lose her freedom and will probably be kicked out by her sister-in-law when her young brother-in-law takes over the title so she panics and makes a pretty questionable decision...that is, pretend she has no idea and continue telling people that she expects him home by the end of the year.

Unfortunately for Emma, another gentleman shows up on her doorstep - Luka Olivien, the Weslorian Earl of Marlaine. He's there to give her some of her dead husband's items and initially intended to rush home to address some family concerns but he knows there is something weird going on. He can't tell if she knows that her husband is dead or not but he is determined to stick around until she acknowledges why he's there and what that means.

As the story moves forward, Emma has created a situation that she won't be able to get out of and is only pushing out the inevitable. And despite the poor decisions made, I couldn't help but feel for the situation she was in and what it meant for her. She went into her marriage thinking she had a solid relationship but as that deteriorated, she was careful not to share the bad parts and the relief she felt when Albert was gone was understandable. When Luka enters her life, she sees it as an opportunity to live a little and I loved how their relationship evolved. She was clearly driving Luka crazy with how she avoided him and the topic of her husband but throughout their time together, he found himself drawn to her more and more.

I have to mention, I loved Emma's relationship with her sister as well and as everything comes to a head for Emma and Luka, she always supported Emma even if she didn't agree with her.

Overall, this was a great story. I thought the character development and their stories (together and apart) were interesting and kept me engaged. If you're looking for a new historical romance to pick up, consider grabbing this one.

I received an ARC of an Inconvenient Earl by Julia London through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This book is the fourth book in her delightful A Royal Match series and while there are characters from other the other books in this one it could be read as a standalone. Emma Clark, Countess of Dearborn was thankful when her extremely nasty husband left to go exploring in Egypt. Later when a messenger arrived to let her know that he had died of a fever in Egypt she felt relieved, but then the messenger dropped dead and she was the only one who knew that she was now a widow. For the first time in her life she was free, if she let his family know that her husband was dead she would be both penniless and homeless. Emma decided to continue on as if she was still waiting for her husband to come home and perhaps throw a few parties and make some improvements to the estate. Luka Olivien, the Weslorian Earl of Marlaine was charged with returning some of the late Lord Dearborns effects to his family and is quite shocked to discover that they don't appear to know that he is dead. He is bewitched and bewildered by the lovely countess who may be keeping secrets and she finds herself deeply attracted to this handsome stranger who is about to bring her world crashing down. I enjoyed reading this book immensely and highly recommend it. The other books in this series are also very enjoyable. Steam level: Medium Publishing Date: December 26, 2023. #NetGalley #HarlequinTradePublishing #CanaryStreetPress #AnInconvenientEarl #ARoyalMatchSeries #bookstagramer #bookstagram #historicalromance #historicalromanceseries

Another great book in the Royal Match series by Julia London! I felt for Emma doing what she had to do to take care of her life that she is finally living. I never knew what she was going to come up with next. Her interactions with the rest of the characters were so entertaining and I loved how Luka handled everything. It was a great read!

I love the emotional aspect Julia London empathizes with within this book. Throughout history, women have been property to men. Our equalities and existence are far below money. I love that she breaks away from the typical historical romance stereotype with no heroes that will save a woman, but she saves him in his stance.

Fantastic book and an absolute delight!