Thanks #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #HotEarlSummer by Erica Ridley in exchange for an honest review.

The characters in this series are fun and different than most romance MCs. I love Ridley's comedic writing that still gives you great emotions. Ridley is great about giving you fun stories with unique characters with real problems while still giving you great spice and strong feelings. It really gives you everything you are looking for in one book. If you like a found family, please check out this book and this series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this rollicking romp of a romance. It was funny, sweet, spicy, thrilling, action packed, heartfelt and emotional. I absolutely adored Elizabeth and Stephen was lovable, cute and swoon worthy. This utterly charming, laugh until your face hurts book is not to be missed.

Delightfully Entertaining

The Wynchesters are a delight. Beth is a determined woman. She is off to secure a castle, and secure it, she will. What about Stephen the inventor and all his death traps? If her disability hasn’t stopped her, Stephen the tinkerer certainly won’t. He might not prevent her from invading the castle, but can he stop her from stealing his heart?

I loved this entertaining historical romance. I found myself laughing aloud quite often. I recommend this story to those who enjoy historical romance with humor, strong women, and men who do not fit the typical mold.

I love historical romance, but Hot Earl Summer was a disappointment. The book read more like a parody of historical romance and not an actual romance. I found everything silly and cartoonish: the premise, the dialogue, the villain...I am not quite sure what I've read. The only thing I liked about the book is the chronic illness representation. Hot Earl Summer has high ratings on Goodreads, but it was not for me!

Sadly this is a "it's not you, it's me situation". I like the writing, but for whatever reason the story wasn't jiving for me. I may come back to it someday, but for now it's a DNF.

An action adventure rom-com. Elizabeth Wynchester is a blood thirsty swordswoman who wants to draw blood from anyone and everyone. She has multiple swords with her at all times. Stephen Lennox is a recluse (of his making) and loves to create new inventions to see if he can sell any of them and help make people’s lives easier. When Elizabeth comes into his life, with a battle axe in each hand trying to break down his door, he’s smitten with her from the beginning.

The story involves an older woman who claims her sister left her the castle and she hires the Wynchester’s to find the deed and will to prove it. This is where Elizabeth enters, by arriving at the home only to find that the Earl at home isn’t actually the Earl but his cousin whose been fighting off another Lord who claims the castle is his and he will fight anyone who claims it’s not. This is Elizabeth’s wheelhouse.

While I did like parts of the story, there were parts I felt were a bit too farfetched. Elizabeth and Stephen were a good couple together, and I loved the scenes where he started walking around the castle with only his vest on, no shirt or jacket. Those were funny scenes. But the fighting scenes were a bit over done and what Earl leaves his home for four months with no contact with his cousin? And with the pain that Elizabeth suffers, I was surprised she could even wield a sword. If you like romantic comedy, you will enjoy this story.

Be forewarned this series is on the wild side! The Wild Wynchesters! I have read a few in the series and the craziness grows on you. It’s time for Elizabeth, alias Beth the Berserker. Sword wielding, crabby, grumpy and ready to kill something sums up the Elizabeth as the world sees her. There is much more to her, although never said but she suffers from Fibromyalgia and one gets an inside glimpse of the pain of this horrible disease. One will see the different layers of Elizabeth as she is on a mission to find a missing will and testament for the true owner of a castle.
Stephen is left in charge to guard the castle for his cousin the Earl of Densmore. When an axe welding beautiful woman tries to chop her way in, he finally relents and allows her entry. Of course as a tinker, the whole castle is a booby trap.
Now this is where I think of the movie “Home Alone.” Lots of laughs, the whole gang comes together to help in the end with the craziness battle scene ever. And another Wynchester finds their HEA. One more left and I think will be the best one yet. Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own. #HotEarlSummer #TheWildWynchesters

Ridley continues to be on her A-game. Her books are so fun! The also combine a nice balance of the HEA formula. We want to know characters inner lives and flaws just enough to root for them and she is a master at romantic tension!

So cute! Honestly has made me add Erica to my must-read list! I can't wait to read more by her!

I loved Elizabeth - she was such a fun character to adventure with, and Stephen just sounds yummy! Not only that, but I laughed, I swooned and just had a great, enjoyable time reading this whole thing. Highly recommend for a fun sexy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a humorous story with "Beth the Bezerker" and Stephen. I wasn't as interested in this story as I have been the past ones. This one as just a bit too "over the top" as far as the characters and actions go. I've enjoyed all the past Wynchester stories, but this one wasn't as good as the rest in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of the eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes we do judge a book by its cover and in this case very much by the adorable title. This was a very cute and funny read. I did not realize this was the 5th book of a series and I had not read any of the other books in the series prior to this one. I doesn't read as a standalone, but I was not exceedingly lost either, though it was a bit tricky when all the siblings were together. Based on this book, I do plan to read the rest of the series.

A badass sword yielding FMC? Sign me up. I also really appreciated the representation of a main character with what seems to be some sort of AutoImmune issue, as I have both Fibromyalgia and Lupus.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley, the fifth installment of the Wild Wynchesters series, readers are treated to a rollicking mix of Regency romance and adventurous hijinks. The story centers on Elizabeth Wynchester, a bold and curvaceous heroine with a hidden sword in her cane and a passion for justice. Despite societal expectations and chronic pain, Elizabeth tackles her missions with flair. Her latest task leads her to the Earl of Densmore’s castle, where she finds herself trapped alongside Stephen Lenox, a reclusive inventor impersonating the missing earl. Their chemistry ignites as they navigate hidden traps and a burgeoning romance.

Ridley’s signature blend of humor, romance, and action is on full display as Elizabeth and Stephen team up to locate a missing will and defend the castle from sinister threats. The witty dialogue and playful banter between the protagonists add a layer of charm, while the depiction of Elizabeth’s chronic pain provides a thoughtful touch to her otherwise swashbuckling persona. Although the story's pacing may feel a bit uneven at times, it delivers a satisfying mix of laughter, passion, and daring escapades.

Bold, curvy Elizabeth Wynchester loves cuddling hedgehogs almost as much as she adores vanquishing villains with the sharp blade concealed inside her cane. Despite others’ opinions about her body and gender, nothing will stop her from seeing justice done. When her next mission drops her at the dastardly Earl of Densmore’s castle, she’s prepared to duel like gentlemen—only to be locked inside! Her trusty sword cannot defeat the castle’s hidden traps… or protect her heart from the devilishly handsome rogue guarding the keep.

When reclusive inventor Stephen Lenox agreed to impersonate his cousin for a few days, he didn’t expect the earl to vanish altogether. Nor could Stephen predict mounting death threats… or the arrival of a beguiling, blade-wielding spinster who declares herself his new bodyguard. As the earl’s enemies lay siege to the castle, Stephen fights his way past Elizabeth’s defenses. She’ll share his bed, but when the adventure concludes, she vows to sever their affair. Unless he can somehow convince a swashbuckling siren to surrender her heart…

This is what the book Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley is about. It is a historical romance with a modern touch that I have really grown fond of. It is currently the last part and an interconnected standalone of a five-part series that can be read without the previous parts. The story is written in the third person, which didn't bother me at all. At times, it is funny and I was entertained the whole time.

Hot Earl Summer features the 5th Wynchester, Elizabeth, who suffers from chronic pain and measures herself daily on scale of "how much Elizabeth is she feeling." It's always great to see chronic pain representation in a book, but Elizabeth felt like an uneven character to me: she didn't want to be defined by her pain and at the same time she's judging and talking about it all the time. (While I personally experience pain on a regular basis, my arthritis has yet to reach chronic levels, so perhaps my personal view as an athlete with pain will change in the coming years....but also I'm thankful for the miracle of ibuprofen and anti-inflammatories.) For me as a romance reader, the unevenness and one-dimensionality of Elizabeth distracted from the swoon of the story.

I do enjoy parts of the Wynchester series, but this was a bit more of a miss for me than I'd hoped, since I love the rep for chronic pain and also the nerdy inventor. Unfortunately this just felt uneven and a little mechanical overall, missing the magic from the Wynchesters that I've really enjoyed.

Hot Earl Summer

I always love Erica Ridley's historical romance adventures! Some laugh out loud moments, some adorable romance, and I loved the social anxiety rep and disability rep.

Thank you to Forever for this eARC! My opinions are my own

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book! Hot Earl Summer was published earlier this month!

Of all the Wynchester siblings, Elizabeth is best in a sword fight, even while managing chronic pain. When she is the only Wynchester available for their newest mission, she travels to a castle to confront a dastardly Earl but instead finds the Earl’s cousin, Stephen Lenox. Stephen is a reclusive tinker who has built traps all over the castle in response to looming threats, but when Elizabeth appears with battle axes and a plan to return the castle to its rightful owner, Stephen joins her noble cause. Working in such close proximity leads to a romantic affair that Elizabeth vows will only last for a short while, but Stephen is determined to win her heart forever.

Like all the Wild Wynchester books, this can easily be read as a standalone! Stephen might be one of my favorite additions to this ever-growing family, and he complimented Elizabeth perfectly. I have been having a difficult reading month(s), but this was a light read with an enjoyable scavenger hunt! It felt a little slow and repetitive compared to other books in the series, and my favorite sections are always those that include the entire family!

I honestly didn’t think historical romance was my thing until I got hooked on Bridgerton. Once I realized that historical romance might, in fact, be my thing after all, I started looking around for another book to try. When I listened to Dana at Forever give a talk about Hot Earl Summer, I knew this was the book I had been looking for!

Hot Earl Summer is the fifth book in Erica Ridley’s Wild Wynchesters series but it works great as a standalone. The story follows Elizabeth Winchester, or Beth the Berserker as she is known. Although Elizabeth was born with some physical limitations, she more than makes up for those with her sword wielding abilities. Elizabeth is quite fond of stabbing villains and looks for every opportunity to do so.

When the story opens, a new client, Mrs. Oak, has arrived at the Wynchester’s door seeking assistance. She was meant to inherit a castle from her late sister so that she could convert it to a school for orphans, but the only copy of her sister’s will cannot be located, so the property has been given to her nephew, the Earl of Densmore, and no one can find him either.

Since all of her siblings are busy working on other cases, Elizabeth sets out for the castle to find the will and help Mrs. Oak get what is rightfully hers. When Elizabeth gets there, however, she finds herself face to face with Stephen Lenox, a handsome reclusive inventor who Densmore asked to stay at his castle until he returns. After some initial hostility, Stephen and Elizabeth agree to work together to try to find the missing will. As they work together to follow the clues that will lead them to the will, Elizabeth and Stephen struggle to fight their attraction to one another.

I had such a good time reading this book! It’s filled with hilarious antics, sexy scenes, and also plenty of heartfelt moments & a wonderful found family vibe.

I can’t wait to read more of this series!

DNF . I didn’t connect with her heroine. She’s a bit too bloodthirsty for me. She is quite independent which is an anti heroine trope for regency, gave it a try. Just not for me,

“”Stephen sighed. “I know that there’s a 0.000152 probability of you finding the earl before he intends to be found. Indeed, I am three hundred and eighty-nine percent more likely than you to divine his whereabouts. Yet despite my having collated and analyzed all the—” She nudged a battle-axe into his cravat. “Stop flirting with me.” His eyes widened with interest. “You interpret my use of logical reasoning as...flirtation?”
“Everyone shows off when they’re flirting. If you don’t mean for it to be arousing, then cease doing so.”””
-
This is a long quote and hopefully not spoilery but this was the vibe these two put off. They were so quick and feisty, smart and incredibly capable. I love the Wynchester siblings with their incredible back stories and family that was forged in friendship and plotting. Thank goodness for a benefactor that saw some good in each of them and talents to hone.
Elizabeth has a hidden disability that is only visible on low days when she needs a cane for assistance. Getting to watch this adorably handsome and hunky tinkerer fall head over heels for her was perfection. She was so strong and fierce and could best anyone with a sword. Just loved every bit of their adventure and the battle reenactment response was so entertaining.
Loved how the siblings already knew all about Stephen the tinkerer from her letters and all his many many inventions he’s patented. He even created some for them in the course of searching for the clues.
He’s not who she envisioned for herself but he’s definitely the one for her. He just thought he would be alone the rest of his life but he has found like minds with them.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the eARC of Hot Earl Summer! All opinions in this review are my own.

It is no secret that Erica Ridley is one of my favorite authors and Hot Earl Summer is another fantastic addition to the Wynchester series! Packed with inventions and a scavenger hunt set in a castle, Elizabeth and Stephen's story is filled with humor and passion. Ridley is able to once again make lovable characters that you can't help but root for. While there is no way that I can pick a favorite Wynchester book, I think my favorite couple is Tommy and Philippa and I was happy to see them make an appearance in this one!

I am sad that there is only one Wynchester left but I am looking forward to Jacob's story!