This was such a fun book! The plot was fresh, the characters playful and full. I mean, a Renaissance penpal through the library? Come on! What's not to love?! Also Zebras. It read like a Renaissance comedy romance. RenRomCom? Yes!

I absolutely adored Ne’er Duke Well, the first book in a new interconnected series, and this follow-up book was a delight as well. I love the undeniable chemistry between the two leads. They’re both characters that you want to root for and their romance feels natural. Though the plot didn't capture my attention quite as strongly as the first book, it still had the same charm, wit, and steam factor. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Loved it! Give me 14 of them! A romcom with laugh-out loud banter, action=packed spy and set pieces, and a swoony romance! Their love letters to each other. OMG. And when the note said "unsent" it was like my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I might like this one even more than Book 1 and seriously can't wait for Book 3!!!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Alexandra Vasti’s previous works, especially her previous novel, Ne’er Duke Well, so I was eager to read more from her. Earl Crush is rather similar in style, with a similar action-packed, madcap vibe. I did feel like this one kind of leaned into that a bit more, for both better and worse.
Vasti is great at centering the story on very real-feeling characters, even if her stories tend to be otherwise rather over-the-top. Lydia is relatable in her shyness with other people, with that juxtaposed with her strong revolutionary leanings, leading her to pen seditious pamphlets. And in spite of her general introverted nature, she takes some risks early on, like taking it upon herself to offer the man she’s corresponding with a marriage of convenience to solve both their problems and seeking him out. Arthur, meanwhile, took a little longer to warm to, as he’s rather reclusive and closed-off, but I did like the way he and Lucy began to bond once they were thrown together. Controversial opinion: marriage of convenience isn’t one of my favorite tropes, because it takes really solid writing for me to care about a couple once they’re married mid-book, and while this one fell into some of those pitfalls, they’re fairly cute together.
I had more issues with how this book wanted to do a little too much, distracting from the romance. And while I love Vasti’s historical knowledge and how she weaves that into her stories, this time, it felt very heavy-handed. From references to the Highland Clearances to assassination plots, which tie in to Arthur’s errant brother who was the one Lydia was really writing to, it was quite convoluted to the point I struggled to remain invested at times.
While this was a step down compared to Vasti’s prior book, I attribute this both to it employing some hit-or-miss tropes and my on/off slump with most historical romance. However, if you enjoy historical romance with Scottish heroes/setting, the marriage-of-convenience trope, and an action/adventure subplot.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti
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Heiress Lydia has spent the last three years writing to Earl Strathrannoch. They share similar views and goals so she is taking matters into her own hands. She is headed to Scotland to propose marriage to him. But once she is at Arthur’s doorstep and makes him her offer, he insists he has never written her a single letter.
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What I liked:
-Historical romance has been my jam lately. Earl Crush definitely delivered on everything I love about historical romance. It had attraction, it had longing, it had fake marriage, it had one bed trope, it had multiple marriage proposals, I loved it.
-I absolutely adored Lydia’s entire family! I want books about every one of them. 🥰
-Arthur was the best grouchy cinnamon roll.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alexandra is definitely on my TBR now.

Earl Crush is the sequel to Ne'er Duke Well, and I was very impressed by the author, Alexandra Vasti. Earl Crush is story of Lydia and Arthur. They meet when Lydia goes to his castle in Scotland to propose marriage. She has corresponded with the earl, or his brother, as they discover when they meet upon arrival at his castle. The two soon head out on an adventure to find the earl's brother, posing as a married couple to avoid scandal. They meet all kinds of characters on their trip, and travel all over Scotland until they end up in London to solve their mystery. I enjoyed the mystery element of the story, but I was blown away by Vasti's development of the relationship between Lydia and Arthur. They are both intrigued by the other as soon as they meet, and during their many adventures along their trip, their relationship grows and they fall deeply in love. Vasti's skill as a writer is evident in the way she builds an instant attraction into a deep affection and attraction between the two characters. Their relationship develops organically throughout the story, and doesn't seem forced or unrealistic. All in all, this was a great read, and one of my favorite books (out of 40+) read this year.

After finishing Earl Crush, I immediately went back and read Ne'er Duke Well and the Halifax Hellions series by Vasti. All were quick reads and really enjoyable. Her characters and their banter are really humorous, and Vasti skillfully builds a rapport between a couple, even in novella form. Go out and read Alexandra Vasti's books! You will love each one of them.

Thanks to Alexandra Vasti, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

How would you feel if you thought you were pen pals with a hot earning Scotland to know it was really his brother playing games?! Let the games begin! Such a cute encounter and spark from the get go! It’s very grumpy sunshine MMC + spunky FMC! The banter between the two is electric and we all know true love never runs smooth but where is the fun in that?!

I have yet to not love a Vasti book and this one is no exception. I eyeballed and ear-balled and truly cannot decide which I prefer.

Vasti’s writing stands fiercely on its own but Morrison is top tier so the audio is 1000% worth it.

If you’ve read book one in this series you’ll recognize the FMC. Lydia is funny, smart, a great friend, adventurous, and crippled by anxiety.

Arthur, the MMC is a Scottish earl holding on to his (financially disastrous) legacy as tightly as he can while actually providing for his tenants and devoted staff.

When Lydia shows up at Arthur’s to propose a marriage of convenience he’s stunned and she’s stunned into physical illness when she learns that he is in fact NOT the man she’s been corresponding with for years.

As they agree to work together to solve a (very good and gripping) mystery somehow involving both their brothers, Lydia and Arthur start to fall in love. He respects and frankly cherishes her anxiety while insisting she need not subject herself to it constantly. She finds that her determination to get to the bottom of the story makes her brave and also ready to accept help.

I loved every character in this book, every side story, every intimate moment, and all the other bits.

The epistolary elements (the epilogue my goodness), the sex, the found family, and the author’s note were my favorite parts but frankly all of it was so good I feel irresponsible highlighting just those few things.

Anyway, read this book!

Pop the popcorn and roll out the cozy blankets! A perfect read for cozying up with over a holiday break! Vasti hits it out of the park with an absolutely delightful balance of playful banter, character arcs, and steamy scenes. Heading to the library to find more of her books tomorrow!

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a historical romance about a wallflower heroine and an impoverished lord who work together to find the lord’s brother after he assumed the lord’s identity.

Lydia Hope-Wallace writes seditious pamphlets under a pseudonym. Lydia and the Earl of Strathrannoch started a correspondence. When Lydia finds out that he is impoverished, she thought to go to Scotland to offer him marriage since she is an heiress. Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch, was surprised to find a woman on his doorstep claiming to know him. His brother has been writing to Lydia under his name and Arthur needed to confront him. The only problem was no one could find him. Lydia and Arthur decide to work together to find him, but they also find a connection together.

This was a fun read! I really enjoy road trip romances and this book has a fun road trip with forced proximity. The interactions between Lydia and Arthur were cute and funny. The book itself was very funny too. There was a small twist near the end of the book that I did not anticipate, which was also enjoyable to read. I really liked Lydia in Vasti’s previous novel, Ne’er Duke Well, so I was pretty excited for this book.

If you like historical romance, wallflower heroines, marriage of convenience, or road trip romances, then this book is for you! Thank you Alexandra Vasti and NetGalley for the ARC!

This second books in the series was such a sweet story for family , friendship and finding love . I really enjoyed both of the characters and their love story. I haven’t read book 1 but def adding that to my tbr as any future books in the series

Also this book had one of the hottest scenes I’ve read recently.

I loved this book from beginning to end! I had been introduced to Lydia in Ne'er Duke Well and was so excited to find out more about her and see her get her own happily-ever-after. Although her first meeting with Arthur did not at all go as planned (and perhaps was even worse than she could have expected) it certainly made for an interesting and memorable introduction. The mystery part of the story involving Arthur's brother, spies, and assassins added just the right amount of excitement to the story. I was happy to eventually find out that Davis had really fallen in love with Lydia through their letters and hadn't just been using her - I don't think I could have thought positively of him had that not been the case and I think it would have been harder for him and Arthur to fully reconcile. I think this adventure also helped Lydia to come out of her shell and become the amazing woman she was always meant to be. The Lydia we come to know by the end of the book is so far removed from the woman we knew at the beginning that it's hard to believe she's the same person. I was so glad we got to know so much of Arthur's backstory involving his father and how that man had played his sons against one another for their entire lives. This helped make his initial instinct to run away when Davis was back in the picture make sense - having grown up believing his brother was the better of the two of them and that Lydia had initially really fallen in love with Davis through the letters of course he would think he wasn't good enough. Luckily he has some pretty amazing people around him to point out to him how ridiculous he was being (and that Lydia wasn't quick to give up on him). This was a top shelf book for me - and probably one of my favorites of 2024!

Thank you Dreamscape Media and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

Ne’er Duke Well is my favorite book of 2024 so I’m beyond excited to get to read Earl Crush early.

We start off with Lydia preparing herself to propose marriage to her pen pal, the Earl of Strathrannoch. When she arrives, they discover he has no idea who she is and that his brother, Davis, was impersonating him. Arthur is in the midst of trying to locate Davis as he’s stolen a rifle-scope from him and he asks Lydia for help. As they try to uncover Davis’ whereabouts they spend more time together and begin to fall in love.

I was so excited for Lydia’s story. She can barely chat with men without fainting but Arthur and this adventure push her out of her comfort zone. Their friendship grows into love and they will just make you swoon. I generally prefer two narrators when there is dual pov, but Mhairi Morrison’s narration of both Lydia and Arthur was perfect. I need all the books written and narrated by this duo!

Lydia is the secret author of seditious pamphlets advocating for women’s rights, and anonymous pen pal with the reclusive Earl of Strathrannoch, but in public her social anxiety overtakes her, so that she cannot speak to strangers. But when Arthur admits his estate in Scotland is in dire straights, Lydia goes to confront him in person and offer a marriage of convenience. Except Arthur’s brother has been impersonating him, and the two go off in search of him. Lydia and Arthur are strangers, but there is still a connection that can’t be overlooked...

This is a road trip romance! I love that this is about Lydia finding her strength, but not necessarily changing who she is. He doesn’t fix her, and she’s still anxious, but she learns to love herself at the same time she’s learning to love him. I love all the small fun historical details (zebras!) and the secondary spy plot. And obviously, who doesn’t love we-have-to-kiss-because-we’re-in-disguise. One of my favorite tropes! Great follow up to the last book!

This book was so much fun! I enjoyed Lydia in the first book so I was super excited to have her as the heroine in this book. It was so satisfying to get a peek at what’s going on in her head all the time. Arthur was such a grumpy giant that was secretly a giant cinnamon roll. I loved seeing them together and the adventure they went on.

This was a super cute historical, my first by Alexandra Vasti! Lydia is an heiress who also has what is likely severe social anxiety, and she has been corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch about her pamphlets that she publishes through her friend’s library. Since they are clearly able to converse without her losing her mind, Arthur the Earl is in dire financial straits, and she happens to have lots of money, she decides to go to the Earl in person and propose marriage. However. When she arrives on the Earl’s doorstep, he has no idea who she is. Turns out that his younger brother has been impersonating him through mail. It also turns out that the brother has some shady connections and some confidential knowledge. They have to find him before something bad happens!!!

I loved the chemistry between Lydia and Arthur. They were both falling for each other and thinking that the other was not actually interested. I also loved the subplot with the brother—it kept me on my toes and anxious to find out what would happen next! I will be recommending this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

3.5 rounded up

I think Histrom readers will enjoy this one! I’ve only read a few others in that subgenre and really liked them. This one has quite a lot of archaic language that I sometimes was stopping to look up and it kind of took me out of it. I enjoyed the romance but I didn’t connect with the main plot. I do always love a “he falls first and harder” MMC!

A Refreshing Regency Romp of a Romance!

I am in love with the Earl of Strathrannoch and Miss Lydia. Their's is a partnership of complementary parts. His physical presence obviously serves as her shield, but he has such a kind heart that syncs itself to Lydia instantly. She suffers from debilitating social anxiety, but her personal convictions and loyalties make her brave in the face of hardship.

Miss Lydia is a triumph as a main character. She presents a perfect mix of relatable and aspirational qualities. Her social anxiety may make it difficult to navigate polite society, but she does not desire a partner foe the ballroom. No, she seeks a partner that would care and support her social advocacy - universal suffrage, divorce and prison reform - as well as honor her as a wife. She is adventurous in the pursuit of knowledge yet timid when faced with small talk. I love this representation of neurodivergence.

I am still swooning over the Earl's barely contained desire for Miss Lydia. Oh my word, the lustful thoughts behind his gentle, protective, admiration for her. I was out of my mind, jaw dropped, breath I didn't know I was holding over him. And then he has the audacity (affectionately) to be a soft gentle boy when it comes to love. He carries the weight of the Earldom and it's legacy while craving the intimacy of family - a love that chooses him above all.

The developing romance is so beautifully paced. After a small case of miataken identity, the Earl and Miss Lydia work together to solve the mystery of rogue brothers, stolen weapons, and spys amongst the gentry. Their relationship is build on cooperation while in close proximity. This allows them to experience each other at their best and worst. And still they fall in love without hesitation.

If you've looking for a historical romance with classic Regency manners with the lusty passion of a bodice ripper and the intrigue of a good mystery - I highly recommend EARL CRUSH.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Title:  Earl Crush  
Author: Alexandra Vasti         
Genre: Romance        
Rating:  4 out of 5

For three years, wallflower heiress Lydia Hope-Wallace has anonymously penned seditious pamphlets. And for almost as long, she’s corresponded with the Earl of Strathrannoch, whose political ambition is matched only by his charm. When Arthur’s latest letter reveals his dire financial straits, Lydia sets out for Scotland to offer him the only salvation she can think of—a marriage of convenience. To, um, herself.

Unfortunately, the Earl of Strathrannoch has no idea who she is.

When a bewitching redheaded stranger offers him her hand in marriage, Arthur Baird is stunned—but when he learns that his traitorous brother has been writing to her under Arthur’s name, he’s bloody furious. He’s content to live alone in his moldering castle, and he has no desire for a provocative, radical wife. (Or at least, he shouldn’t.)

But Arthur is desperate to track down his brother, who’s become dangerously entangled in British espionage, and he needs Lydia’s help. What he doesn’t need? The attraction that burns hotter each moment they spend together. As Lydia slips past his defenses and his brother’s mysterious past becomes a very present threat, Arthur will have to risk everything to keep her safe—even his heart.

I really enjoy Alexandra Vasti’s books, and this was a fun one, too. That scene with the zebras had me laughing! Lydia was a fun character, and Arthur was a good one, too. Several fun adventures here, set against a more modern viewpoint than was probably common back then, but this was a fun read.

Alexandra Vasti lives in Louisiana. Earl Crush is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 1/21).

I was really excited to hear that this book was being published, because I loved Lydia as a side character in the first book (although I don't think you need to read that book to read this one). I think as it stands I found this one slightly less enjoyable, but not by much. It was a fun romp through regency England and Scotland, and once again the cast of both main and side characters were delightful. I think my main "issue" here (and I'm really using that term loosely) is that it felt a little more outlandish than the first one did. The last act break-up could probably also have been avoided had the main characters talked just a little more, which was a shame. Sure, there was a lot going on, but still. The ending also seemed a little rushed. I think I would have liked to see a little more with the brother, and how all of that played out. Overall it was still an enjoyable, quick, fun read, and I can't really find too much to complain about, especially considering historical romance is somewhat lacking today. I'll certainly be happy to hand sell it to whomever I can, and should we get a copy in I will be more than pleased to write a shelf-talker. I'm also looking forward to the last book in the world, and I'll be keeping my eyes on whatever else the author comes up with in the future.