Hot Earl Summer was an original and captivating plot. I loved the new take on forced proximity and Stephen was a sweet and caring MMC. He had a few boundary issues with Elizabeth but it was always from a place of trying to help her and he would listen when she communicated the boundaries in a clearer manner. I found Elizabeth a really neat character as well but very quick to anger and very slow to forgive even though she was not innocent in all things. Also how she treats Stephen towards the end was not my favourite part to read.

The machines Stephen builds and the way Elizabeth supports him in defending the castle was really fun to read. All the while they are searching for a will that will allow the castle to become an orphanage and keep it out of the hands of a spoiled aristocrat. Elizabeth’s prowess with a sword and the way she became Stephen’s bodyguard was really affirming for women in historical fiction. I loved the theme of self acceptance quirks and all. A wonderful read that I finished in a matter of days.

I’m not sure why, but I didn’t connect with this book as much as I expected to. Part of this is probably because this is the fifth book in a series, which I didn’t realize when I started reading! A fast-paced romance and engaging main couple.

Two misfits, Elizabeth and Stephen, are thrown together to solve a mystery. After spending time together they realize there is someone for everyone. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for my honest review.

I can't believe that I haven't been reading this series! I loved the strong characters and the fact that it moved so fast. The inventions were amazing . I believe in this story opposites definitely attract. Such a enjoyable and entertaining book.

It’s Elizabeth’s turn to take the lead on a case, putting her in the countryside to look for the missing will of a countess in an earl’s castle. Instead of finding the earl there, she finds his tinkering cousin, Stephen. We get a grumpy-grumpy romance in this one with both Elizabeth and Stephen preferring solitude to company. It’s fun to see them work together to try to find the missing will, plus I liked seeing Elizabeth being appreciative of Stephen’s inventions instead of disparaging his oddness. There’s a common annoying villain around who believes he won the castle in a card game, but once they find the will, it’ll be clear the property wouldn’t be his. Plus, we get a full family of Wynchester showing up for the big confrontation.

This was good, but not a favorite of mine. Elizabeth and Stephen had sizzling chemistry, but I wanted there to be more spice, but there was only a few scenes.
I also didn’t really vibe with Elizabeth at first, because she just acted rude for no real reason. Stephen was, and always had been fantastic. It was cute, and funny, but it just didn’t do enough for me on the romance parts.
The chaotic family was a nice touch, they were pretty funny, and I enjoyed that part of the story.
I enjoyed the castle siege aspect of the book, and loved the royalty aspect of the book as well, I just wanted more spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

4.5⭐️

How to describe Hot Earl Summer… think historical romance meets The Princess Bride and Home Alone. Yes, I know this sounds bananas, but just go with it. This book was bonkers in the very best way!

Erica Ridley’s latest release has it all: hilarious banter, the most lovable characters, and some utterly ridiculous moments that will have you laughing out loud. I think I highlighted about 70% of the book because the exchanges between Elizabeth and Stephen were so flipping funny while also incredibly tender and heartfelt - who knew talking about chain mail, sword wielding, probabilities, and operating machinery could be so flirty.

Elizabeth and Stephen were such tender hearts and kindred spirits and understood each other in a way that no one else around them could. Even though they were different in how Elizabeth was more bold and Stephen preferred the safety of solitude, they felt they had to hide behind their weapons and machines to make themselves more palatable or to conceal their weaknesses. It was such a moving experience seeing them be able to live as their true selves without the burden of having to mask the parts of themselves the others had deemed “too much” or “too eccentric.” And their communication was wonderful! They clearly articulated what they needed from each other in order to be better understood, to avoid potential misunderstandings, and to be a safe place where truths could be shared! We love to see healthy communication!

I felt so seen by Elizabeth’s lived experience with chronic pain and I appreciated how Ridley authentically wrote what it is like to navigate life and relationships when living with chronic pain and the ever present possibility of a flare up.

I had such a lovely, delightful time reading this and can’t wait to go back and read the previous books and am excited for Jacob’s story next year!

{3.5 stars}

Thanks to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

I've enjoyed reading the Wynchester's series. They are a found family of individuals who love getting justice by any means necessary. They are quirky and a bit violent but all in the name of doing the right thing. This story focuses on Elizabeth who suffers from chronic illness and lives her days in percentages of how she feels. When their mission is focused on solving a series of clues a woman left for her husband as to the location of her will, Elizabeth takes the lead. She goes out to the castle and finds Steven housesitting for his missing cousin. Steven is also mega quirky and focuses his time tinkering with Rube Goldberg type machines. Together they try to solve the mystery all the while holding off the Lord who claims he won the castle in a bet.

There is fun banter and silly clues to solve as they work. You know how everything is going to end up and yet the quirky how is the mystery. This is definitely another fun read that's perfect for summer if you don't mind a little dueling in the middle of your stories!

Elizabeth Wynchester – aka Beth the Berserker – meets a most unexpected match in Hot Earl Summer. The most brash and impulsive of the Wynchester siblings always hoped to find love with a dashing warrior but it’s a brilliant tinker with unexpectedly delicious ab muscles who claims her heart.

Elizabeth swings her sword first and asks questions later. When she’s sent on a mission to find a will and prevent a villain from taking over a castle meant to be an orphanage, she’s ready to battle her way to victory. But the Earl of Densmore she comes to demand aid from is actually the man’s cousin, inventor Stephen Lenox. Stephen’s cousin had asked him to impersonate him for a few days but instead he finds himself trapped for months, fending off the enemy with clever traps. When Elizabeth arrives and decides to be his bodyguard, Stephen can’t help but fall for the beautiful warrior.

Over the course of the series I admit Elizabeth has been my least favorite Wynchester; she was just a bit too over the top for me. Erica Ridley changed my opinion on Elizabeth in this book – I loved seeing beneath the surface to what made Elizabeth tick. She’s bold and likes to charge headfirst into battle, yes. But there’s much more to her than “Beth the Berserker.” Ridley does a solid job of creating a heroine with chronic pain and a disability that can knock even the strongest warrior down. Elizabeth is a warrior at all times and I liked that she set boundaries and acknowledged what she needed, taking the time to rest and recover. Elizabeth isn’t perfect and she does make mistakes, but it makes her an interesting heroine. Stephen is a recluse more at home among his extravagant inventions than people, but he’s swept off his feet by Elizabeth. I loved how sweet and kind he is and how he practically swoons over how brave and strong Elizabeth is. The two of them have a lovely dynamic that’s fun, sweet, and sensual.

It wouldn’t be a Wild Wynchesters story without the entire family but I liked that Ridley kept the focus on Elizabeth and Stephen. The Wynchesters all play a part, never fear, and their unique talents along with how they all come together plays a part in Hot Earl Summer. You don’t have to have read the previous four books in order to enjoy this one, but it’s fun to check in with past protagonists. All in all, Hot Earl Summer is a charming romp with bold and clever characters, a very dramatic villain who must be defeated, and a sweet happily ever after.

A joy from start to finish. Elizabeth is a brilliant, singular heroine — a sword-wielding warrior living with chronic pain. She's the perfect foil, no pun intended, to Stephen, who needs a brave weirdo to break through his isolation and introduce him to the chosen family who will love him for who he is. Bonus points for a childfree HEA, as both characters have no interest in becoming parents!

This is just such an amazing and inclusive series. Each different sibling is unique and their journey to finding love is always just a joy to go on. I truly appreciate that Elizabeth is honest in her truth. Knowing and expressing to the reader where she is physically for the day is just such a lovely way to represent hidden disabilities. Having that representation and showing how she struggles with it yet can use it to also overcome is beautiful. I also enjoy that Stephen is probably not neurotypical either. That these two find ways to become one whole is just lovely. They see each other for who they are and accept and embrace that person fully.
Thank you so much to Forever Gran Central Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title. I can’t wait to see what happens with the last sibling.

Hot Earl Summer is the fifth installment of The Wild Wynchesters series, where each novel follows one of the charming Wynchester siblings as they embark on an adventure and find love in the process. Hot Earl Summer centers on charismatic, outgoing Elizabeth Wynchester as she assigns herself to be the personal bodyguard of inventor Stephen Lenox. Despite Elizabeth originally preparing for battle, she finds herself softening under the compassionate gaze of the self-proclaimed recluse.

I absolutely loved the individuals in this book. It was clear Erica put extensive thought into the creation of these characters, and I couldn’t help but relate to most of them in some way. In addition, Erica included the impact of severe chronic pain on Elizabeth’s life. Her struggles and triumphs with/against her own body were both heartbreaking and heartwarming to read. I had yet to read a book with a main character who has chronic pain, and I think Erica handled the topic beautifully.

Despite loving the characters, the plot itself fell a little flat for me. Certain aspects were very repetitive, and I found I had no real interest in the story unfolding. My favorite parts of the novel were the scenes either when we learned more about the characters individually or when we gained glimpses of their dynamics together. Hot Earl Summer earns a 3/5 stars from me! I enjoyed the reading experience, but it hasn’t convinced me to pick up any other novels from the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC of Hot Earl Summer!

I grabbed an ARC of Hot Earl Summer while it was on Read Now on Netgalley. I had never read Erica Ridley before, and thought that this was a good opportunity to check out her books.
The premise of this book, while sounding fun and innovative and something that hasn't been done before, I found out while reading that it wasn't my jam. One thing that I love in a historical romance is the sense of forbidden and secrecy attached to those times. The yearning that automatically comes with, when there are society rules to respect, and what you want makes you want to break those rules.
The Wynchesters are .. not that. They live by their own rules, defy society, are quirky. I did laugh out loud several times because of Elizabeth's antics and obsession over her swords and whatnot, however I keep finding this aspect warring with what I know from typical historical romances.
This is mostly a me issue.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I'll say this one thing, this was interesting. Overall would I recommend this? Yes. Would I read it again? No.

I thought the premise was very entertaining. The banter was there and it was so interesting. I just don't know what didn't click for me.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It pains me to give a book by Erica Ridley a poor review as I usually love her novels, but I just couldn't get into this one. I haven't read the previous books in the series so I wasn't prepared for the very different tone and style of her writing. I found Elizabeth just too hard to like. She's so over-the-top in much of what she does that it's more farcical than comical. Much of her behavior is what you would expect from a precocious child, not an adult woman. And the whole siege at the end was just too ridiculous to be taken seriously. I thought it would have been interesting for an author's note at the end to explain what the cause of Elizabeth's health problems was - was it chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, another disorder that would cause muscle fatigue and pain? Stephen is fine as the male lead, but his early comments about how women to him held little more value than bed partners made him slightly unlikable. The mystery regarding finding the missing will was interesting and kept the story moving forward. I know this series gets a lot of positive reviews, it just wasn't for me.

Oh hey it’s meeeeeee I’m reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words

Prepare yourself for some book screaming because I finished Hot Earl Summer yesterday and haven’t been able to think of anything else.

This is the 5th book in The Wild Wynchesters series by Erica Ridley, but can absolutely be read as a standalone (as I did). This book is a regency historical romance (Bridgerton besties, assemble) and it focuses on Elizabeth Wynchester.

As part of an amazingly talented and selfless family, Elizabeth is tasked with a solo mission to help an older woman locate the last will and deed of her late sister and her castle. When Elizabeth arrives to the castle, she’s surprised to see that the Earl who is meant to be home has absconded and left his reclusive cousin, Stephen, in his place. Stephen is witty, inventive, and… sturdy 😉. He’s spent his whole life tinkering with inventions and being ostracized because of it. As a result, he’s put up metaphorical walls that he’s sure no one can break down. Until Elizabeth comes barreling into his life. She’s always up for a challenge and… seems to be happily wielding battle axes?

So right off the bat, Elizabeth is probably my favorite FMC of all time. She is such a badass and I want nothing more than to be her bestie. She has a disability (I’m thinking RA) and the rep is incredible. She doesn’t let her disability define her, but she also takes the time she needs to recover and frequently checks in with herself, which I loved seeing. Stephen is an absolute golden retriever. He wants nothing more than to make others happy. He’s caring, kind, and looks at Elizabeth as if she hung the moon and stars. Their dynamic is perfection; filled with humor, passion, and trust.

I have 38276419 more amazing things to say about this book, which includes some of the best highlights I’ve ever highlighted in the history of highlighting.

I laughed, I cried (happy tears), I immediately added the rest of the series to my tbr/wishlist.

Hot Early Summer is out August 6th and you definitely won’t want to miss this one!

Thank you so much to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC

If you've been following me for a while, you know I LOVE Erica Ridley's Wild Wynchesters series. This was book number five and finally gave us our stabby queen's romance. Elizabeth has been my favorite of the siblings for a while now. I love her bloodthirsty desire to stab first and ask questions later so I was thrilled to see her meet her match in Mr. Stephen Lenox.

Elizabeth is sent on a solo mission to help solve the mystery of a missing will and when she arrives at the castle to confront the Earl of Densmore, absolutely nothing goes as she expects it to. From the missing Earl to the sexist war reenactors trying to take over the castle to falling in love with Lenox, Elizabeth is kept on her toes the entire time. She and Stephen decide to work together to solve the puzzles in the quest to find the missing will before it's too late.

I freaking loved the ride Ridley takes us readers on while Elizabeth and Stephen fall in love. Their banter, DEAR GODDESS THEIR BANTER. I also loved how Stephen saw Elizabeth as a person and didn't treat her differently because of her chronic illness/pain. I just loved this book so much. Both leads were incredible and I think this is now my favorite in the series. I say this every single time though so I might not be the most reliable.

Hot Earl Summer comes out August 6 and is available for pre-order wherever you buy books!

I loved this atypical romance. It's not what you would expect in Regency story. The book was funny, wacky, and a little obsurd. The cast of characters were diverse and their personalities show through. Our FMC has chronic pain and it was potrayed in a realistic manner. It's not nessessary to read the previous books in this series, however, it can help a little with understanding and overall enjoyment. Overall, this book was hard to put down, hillarious, and is one of the best I've read so far this year.
* I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

A cute, quirky, and totally fun romp.

This is the fifth book in an interconnected series about the Wynchesters - a found family of misfits who stand up and fight against injustices, for those who can’t fight for themselves (read: stand up for the little guy, in sometimes morally gray ways).

You absolutely do NOT need to have read the previous books in the series, this was my first and the author provides plenty of context to fill you in on the vital information you need from previous books.

What I loved…
- curvy FMC who is stabby (I love of take no crap FMC)
- disability rep - our FMC has chronic pain and I LOVED seeing her be a badass despite it!
- found family to the max! I loved getting to meet all the Wynchesters without feeling like I was missing too much by not having read the previous books!
- Nerdy inventor MMC with drool-worthy abs bc he stress exercises? I ate that up!

What I didn’t love…
- pace was a little too slow for a rom-com, the battle scene alone was enough to make me want to skip a few pages.
- I thought there was a significant lack of chemistry between our MCs

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Publishing) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.