I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

After her beloved husband died, leaving her and his ill son with gambling debts, Lady Grace Howard's only hope is to travel to her sister's estate in Scotland, and try and find something new. Grace is too proud to rely on charity for too long, but she will not marry unless she can find a husband who will care for her son as much as she does. So when the scarred Earl of Newcastle, who lost his wife and child before heading off to war, arrives to visit his old friends, knowing that he needs investment, and better yet, a wife, to save his estate, it's as if fate has something in store for Grace. Charles is kind, and though he has let his estate go to ruin, he cares for his people, and that's what she needs. However, will she be able to get over the baggage her late husband left her with to allow herself the chance to find love again?

I liked this book so much more than the previous one. The couple had a real connection, and both helped each other recover from their pasts in a safe and sensible way. It wasn't an instalove, but an attraction that formed into a true friendship and real love and affection for each other. Grace had to come to terms with her love for her late husband, while also hating that he gambled away their money, and risked their futures. Her love for Alex was plain for everyone to see, and Charles embodied the perfect stepfather figure in his life. This was a fantastic regency romance.

The way this book started broke me, literally had me crying my heart out, and ended in such a nice way that it was so beautiful and i would totally read it again, twenty times.

Lady Grace Howard and Charles, Lord Newcastle and a former Royal Navy Captain, have much in common. Both carry scars from their first marriages. Charles also deals with physical wounds and dark flashbacks from the war. An arranged marriage becomes a love match, until the the honesty between Grace and Charles is broken. Pace is a little slower than what I usually like to read. Maybe too much interference from her family?
Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I loved everything about this book except the ending. I NEED the next one now. Such a great story of family, honesty, and love.

Such a cozy read! I like reading historical romance but I like it the most to read characters with sequels of the war. They seem more genuine to me because that struggle is real... I mean the struggle with money is real to, but the one this type of characters have with themselves in their heads feels more personal Please keep writing like this. I would love to read more from you... soon!

This is the second installment of the series, Second Time Brides. Grace is a widow with an ailing son, and not having many options, she goes to live with her sister. Although her sister is most welcoming, Grace doesn't plan on staying long, wishing to be on her own. When she meets Charles, who has lost his wife and unborn child, she agrees to a marriage of convenience with him. Both of them have no desire to find love again. Charles is in need of Grace's dowry to restore his home and business and Grace no longer wants to be dependent on her sister. Once they marry, they begin to find happiness with each other, but that happiness is threatened by secrets they are keeping.
A very lovely addition to the series. A charming story about two people who ha e lost their loves and learn to open themselves up to love again.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

A widow with a huge heart for loving and a wounded war hero widower, what a beautiful story. Charles hides his pain behind an impenetrable wall of stone. Yet Grace has her own wall behind which unconditional love exists. This is the second of a series on second chance and it is beautifully written. The characters are real and the author has the talent to draw you into their pain and struggles. Love Maude as she is a force to be re conned with and so loves her sisters that she will do anything for their happiness.

Can Their Marriage Survive His Secret?

Grace and Charles have a marriage of convenience that turns into a union of love. However, Charles has a secret, and secrets are often dangerous to love and harmony. What will it take for him to mend what withholding the truth had broken? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like historical romance.

3.5 stars

I quite liked this, though towards the end there seemed to be trauma ontop of trauma and a bit of a one up man ship on who had the worst first marriage. It's part of a series and I missed the first one. One of the sisters, who is having trouble conceiving seems to be putting her effort into getting the others happily wed on their second marriage. Each would be wife turns up at their castle and they seem to find her an eligible widower or batchelor. Sounds like the first sister got a duke and this one is heading for an earl? Though I got a bit confused with the names...if you are the earl of newcastle I don;t think you are refered to as Lord Newcastle as well....At one point the arrangement between Grace and Charles is going to be all convenience and platonic and then its full on sex. Charles makes a good step father to Alex, Graces son. Alex suffers from asthma ( I wouldn't have called it Hay Fever) so there's a bit of melodrama with that... Not sure I'll be there for book 3 To be brutally hones I wasn't that keen on Grace.

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

Lady Grace Howard and her asthmatic son have been saddled with debt after the death of her gambler husband. They end up moving north to live with one of her sisters and brother-in-law. Due to her immense pride, Grace realizes she must remarry. What she doesn’t know is the man lucky enough to win her hand will get handsome dowery from her brother-in-law and help with their business.

Charles, the Earl of Newcastle, lost his wife and child during labor. He threw himself into the war and came back even more damaged in body as in spirit. He never wanted to remarry, but his estate was in dire straights due to the neglect his men of business created. He doesn’t want to go into another marriage with any lies between them and is convinced not to tell Grace about everything until after they marry.

As the two get to know each other the month and a half between their meeting and their wedding date, they slowly begin to form a bond that brings friendship and attraction.

While this is the second in this series it can be read as a stand alone. I have no idea how, but this is my first read of Sky Purington. With the number of books she’s written, I have no idea how I missed her. This was a fantastic novel to start with. Grace and Charles both have beautiful yet tragic back stories. They believed they experienced their one love and couldn’t share that with anyone again. Purington brings two unconventional characters together and gives us a love story for the ages. The power a true connection can bring to a relationship is perfectly demonstrated throughout this novel. This novel will definitely go in my re-read pile for me to enjoy over and over again.

If you’d like to start the series with Grace’s sister, Prudence, and her second chance groom, Jacob, the Duke of Argyll, check out Never Second Guess a Lord.

I received The Secondhand Earl for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The novel starts off with a cloud of sadness hanging over both the Earl of Newcastle and Lady Grace Howard. They had suffered the loss of their respective spouses and both were riddled with shame and a certain amount of guilt for what they had experienced in the past. Grace is terrified of giving her heart to another man who could destroy any hope she might have for the future and in particular compromise her son's condition. Charles is ashamed of the lingering effects of the war on his psyche and the despair that led to him having to sell off his assets to keep his estate and the people beholden to him from sinking further into poverty. However, together, Charles and Grace have a chance at building a new future, provided they do not keep secrets from each other. The plot kept my attention throughout, even though it was not a fast-paced or particularly dramatic story. However, it was very real and it was one I could relate to. Having found one another and almost losing the relationship that was developing between them through secrets and omissions of the truth, both Charles and Grace find a way back to each other and in the process, their souls are cleansed of the pain of the past. The novel comes to a beautiful and warmhearted conclusion. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

The Secondhand Earl was a sweet story; I enjoyed Grace and Charles's romantic journey. I would definitely recommend giving this novel a read - a breath of fresh air.

Lady Grace and Charles starts off their convenient relationship with the match of wit and words. The story is one of a book that is a lovely read. I found the character very convincing to the entertainment of the love story. Dear sister Maude rooted for the relationship for Charles and Grace to prosper while the two saw no reason to get to know one another. This is a good read to have curled up to on the couch. The writing is great from the creativity of the story to the passionate romance that takes two souls by surprise. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This story grabbed my attention from the first page until the very end. In fact, I wish the story was a little longer and I knew more of the continued Grace and Charles love story.
Grace and Charles were both dealing with the trauma of the death of their spouses, and some other issues as well. I so enjoyed how Sky Purington had these characters interact and develop trust into their friendship which grew into love. Grace and Charles truly complimented each other.
The four servants that loved and supported Grace and Charles throughout show that everyone "needs a village of support" in their life.
The attention Charles gave Alexander was amazing, and then to read of all the letters Charles wrote to Alexander showed what an amazing person Charles was.
A truly wonderful story! I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

A tortured, wounded hero and a very pragmatic, down-to-earth heroine go from an engagement/marriage of convenience to a passionate, loving relationship in “The Secondhand Earl”, by Sky Purington (Dragonblade Publishing).
I liked both main characters, mature and experienced; they lost their spouses and have gone through other difficulties. Without knowing or expecting it they’re ready to a new chapter in their lives, one they didn’t expect to be with passion and love.
The fact they agree to embark in a marriage of convenience that turns to a passionate and devoted relationship, involving Grace’s boy, is sweet and endearing.
The honesty between Charles and Grace is also refreshing; even when he’s hiding something from Grace, Charles earnestness is different from the usual male leads behavior. The sense of responsibility and guilt over the secret makes the flaw understandable.
The story addresses mental health issues, related to a deceased spouse and the male lead, who had his share of war horrors and suffers from post-war melancholy.
Main and supporting characters talk a lot, and often proclaim each other or the leads qualities. I felt sometimes this eloquence was exaggerated. It is certainly too much when the subject is the two deceased spouses.
The therapeutic power of sex and love is perhaps overrated.
Some aspects seemed too modern.
I missed being shown how the missing vision impacted Charles everyday life.

This was an inspirational story of two grieving people who managed to reinvent themselves. Although their marriage was supposed to be purely for convenience, Charles and Grace were fooling themselves when they believed that they could stick to friendship only. Both had loved their previous spouses and had unresolved emotional issues that needed to be dealt with.
There were many good characters in this book. Grace's sisters and Charles' friends are featured prominently and I'm looking forward to reading their stories in the future. I also enjoyed Grace's son Alexander. The relationship between Alexander his new father "Captain Charles" was delightful. Although there were a few sad moments, this book was overall quite uplifting.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Lady Grace Howard and her ailing son are forced to leave their home when her husband dies & they go to live with her sister Maude and her husband. She’s independent & wants her own home, so when she crosses paths with a cynical war-wounded earl who needs her dowry but loathes the idea of falling in love again as much as she, Grace agrees to a marriage of convenience. While Charles, Lord of Newcastle, needs Grace’s dowry, the business her brother-by-marriage brings to his port is the driving force behind marrying her. He keeps this from her.
An interesting & well written romance of a widow & widower finding love a second time. I thoroughly enjoyed how Charles & Grace found their HEA. Of course the secret was bound to be revealed & I loved how they worked through this. I really liked Grace an intelligent, mature woman but I loved Charles who first appeared to be grumpy but he hid a true of gold & he was SO caring. I loved the chemistry between the couple & how friendship turned to love
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Lord of Newcastle, and Lady Grace Howard bother of their deceased spouses have imbedded distrust. But knowing what they know now will help them to next step.
This book was slow and steady. I actúa enjoyed the pace it wasn't so slow that I lost interest. It was a break from the suspense novels I had been reading. It was relaxing and wonderful read.
I have given my honest review for a complimentary copy.

The Second Hand Earl is the second book in the Second Time Brides series.

Lady Grace Howard and her ailing son are forced to leave their home after her husband died a year ago. She is still in morning and is moving in with her sister Maude and husband. Maude makes her and Alexander welcome but realizes that she will have no choice but to find another husband, since her deceased husband did not leave her financially secure.

Maude and her husband are matchmakers and have invited several single gentlemen to dinner with the idea Grace will find a love match. Grace agrees to a marriage of convenience and honesty.

Charles, Lord of Newcastle, is also grieving the loss of his wife and unborn child. Not as recent as Grace but has basically sold off all the heirlooms in order to help the people who live in his village. He now needs Grace’s dowry, and the business her brother-by-marriage brings to his port in order to restore his home and business.

Just after Grace and Charles are married a secret is revealed threatening their newly found happiness. Will Charles and Grace be able to reveal the truths about themselves and bridge the gap in their hearts.

This was a wonderful romance between two people who have lost a spouse and find something greater than they hoped for. Grace's family is well intentioned and complete busybodies, but it is with love for Grace. I found her family to be very entertaining.

It has moments where you smile, laugh and maybe a fist bump or two as well as those moments of empathy and longing. It's a book you won't want to put down once you start reading it.