Thank you, stmartinspress, for this gifted copy!

Short summary: Lydia shows up to propose marriage to the earl she has come to know over 3 years of writing letters to each other, an offer or marriage that is purely logical

I don't read many romances as thrillers, memoirs, and classics tend to catch more of my attention. It's not that I don't like them, they just sort of fade into the background among other books. But this. I loved this!! As the characters travel, become acquainted, take on disguises, and get to the bottom of things, I was laughing out loud, scoffing when appropriate, and overall just truly enjoying the story.

The main gal had me giggling at times. Her personality begins as timid and a bit shy, but throughout the book we see she is also determined. She pushes herself up to speak up, have adventures, and figure out what in the world is going on!

Arthur. Oh, Arthur. I just love you.
Arthur is a big, brawly man who appears tough enough to carry it all and not give a lick what anyone things. Nay nay. Arthur is the sweetest!! Underneath his burliness he's soft and squooshy, and even a little insecure.

For all of you smut lovers, don't you worry. As sweet as the romance here is, there is some mm-mm-mm.

Truly! Truly. I loved this book. Would recommend.

Earl Crush is a sequel to Alexandra Vasti’s fabulous first novel Ne’er Do Well and is just as charming as the first – actually more. I absolutely adored Arthur and Lydia’s story.
Lydia Hope-Wallace is a painfully shy wallflower who finds an outlet in secretly publishing pamphlets through her friend’s library. Lydia is super smart and intelligent but her debilitating shyness prevents her from being able to speak to strangers or form relationships with people outside her family and trusted circle of friends. Writing gives her an outlet and for the past three years she has been corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch. The letters give Lydia a sense of security and she hits upon the idea of a marriage of convenience – since she can hardly speak to any man at a ball or in social situations and he needs money to improve his estate. But when she arrives in Scotland she is devastated to discover that the Earl has no idea who she is. She has been corresponding with his brother instead.
Arthur Baird, Earl of Strathrannoch can do without the added complication of a stunning redheaded stranger offering him marriage – when he is already stressed trying to find where his brother has disappeared to. But maybe she can help him in his quest. Desperately attracted to Lydia – he knows that he can’t act upon it. Will their shared quest bring them closer together?
Oh this book! I am really struggling to put into words just how much I loved it. Arthur and Lydia are such memorable characters. Lydia’s anxiety and inability to speak in public really resonated with me and I was with her every step of the way when she had to overcome that and do what needed to be done. I totally understood how she was so comfortable with her nearest and dearest yet found it so difficult to speak to strangers. Still she showed real courage and spirit when she had to.
Arthur is such a special hero. When he was first introduced it looked like he was your standard alpha Scottish male. But Alexandra showed us his insecurities and self doubts. I loved that Arthur always considered Lydia every step of the way. He saw the real Lydia straightaway and never underestimated her – always asking her opinions and asking her what SHE wanted rather than assuming she was incapable because of her shyness. He spent most of the book thinking he was unworthy of her.
I’m loving the world Alexandra has built and the secondary characters are wonderful. The story is fast paced and has intrigue, mystery, humour along with the romance.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Arthur and Lydia have become one of my favourite couples, the writing is superb as ever and I really can’t wait for Georgiana’s story. I’m definitely hoping Lydia’s brothers get their stories. Another triumph from Alexandra Vasti!

I jumped on board with the historical, political, romance… but slowly I realized the romance was the only well done part. I found myself skimming the politics as much as I really wanted to get into them, especially for the espionage aspect. I finished it, but I’d be hard pressed to recommend it.

I love how Earl Crush combined so many elements of the historical rom-coms I adore while also feeling fresh and original, especially with the inter-story quotes starting each chapter.

I related to Lydia’s intelligent but slightly chaotic/impulsive personality, which stood in intriguing comparison to Arthur’s calm and steady yet stubborn presence. It leant itself well to the dual POV - mutual pining - angsty romantic buildup as the story progressed.

Alexandra Vasti writes with a keen balance of humor and drama and mystery with the right amount of spice in the right places. Perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore or Julia Quinn, with additional wit and adventure a la Enola Holmes.

Tropes: enemies to lovers, opposites attract, fake dating, found family

This enormous, thoughtful, wonderful Scottish hero had me sobbing when he finally asked for help. No spoilers but my heart ...

This story was 90% percent fun and adventure and intrigue and about 15% heartwrenching. I absolutely loved Lydia and her gentleness and grit and determination (although she wouldn't see herself that way). I love Arthur, in all his prickliness. I love the depth of the characters, they are all written with such heart. A truly delightful book (sobs notwithstanding) and I am so excited for the next in the series!!

awww very cutesy! this was kinda nothing life changing, but it was predicable in the best way possible. i loved the regency vibes, and the writing was solid. i would still recommend, and reading it during spooky season might’ve been a bit off putting hahah

this book was good. definitely outside of my normal readings but I loved this book. I will definitely be reading from this author again.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a delightful mix of humor, mystery, and romance that kept me thoroughly entertained from start to finish. The humor in the book is spot-on, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

The mystery aspect of the story was equally compelling. I found myself eager to keep turning the pages, trying to solve everything alongside the characters. The epilogue, with its heartfelt letters, added a final, touching element that brought the story to a satisfying close.

Arthur, the male lead, is an absolute sweetheart. His gentleness, care, and genuine affection for Lydia make him such a lovable character. He’s the kind of hero who deserves all the love, and I adored him throughout the book. Meanwhile, Lydia's journey really struck a chord with me. Her shyness and timidness, coupled with her desire to have a voice made her incredibly relatable. Watching her grow into herself, gaining confidence and finding her voice, was truly satisfying.

Of course, the spicy scenes were definitely a highlight—intense and beautifully written, adding just the right amount of heat to the story!

Overall, Earl Crush is a fantastic read that masterfully blends humor, mystery, romance, and self-discovery. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, heartfelt story with plenty of twists and a touch of spice!

A rich wallflower and an impoverished earl with recluse tendencies?!! MY CATNIP. I loved this book and the premise and the tension. Love the voice of this author

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book, and once I started, I was completely swept away. It was such a fun, satisfying read from beginning to end! Lydia is one of those characters you just admire, she’s got so much strength about her that makes you root for her, and Arthur? Wow. His steady, unwavering support for her made him such a standout. Plus, I love a man who is fully devoted to his wife, and Arthur fits that bill perfectly.
This book really hit the sweet spot for me. It’s funny, heartfelt, and let’s be real, very spicy in all the right ways. Alexandra Vasti just knows how to balance everything so well, giving us those swoon-worthy moments and then cranking up the heat. If you’re looking for a historical romance that’s clever, feminist, and full of heart, this is it.
Also, can we talk about the rest of Lydia’s family? I’m already hoping for a series because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet.
A massive thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for this early copy! I already can’t wait for what’s next!

4.25 stars

I have to confess that I was a little nervous going into this ARC. I love Alexandra Vasti's Halifax Hellions novellas, but Ne'er Duke Well, which precedes Earl Crush, was a DNF for me.

Happily, I really, really liked this book. Lydia Hope-Wallace is a fiercely political heiress with severe social anxiety. Having corresponded with the earl of Strathrannoch for three years about her political pamphlets, she travels to his seat to propose a marriage of convenience. But oh noes! The real earl has not, in fact, been writing to her. Instead, it was his brother, who appears to be up to no good. Lydia and the earl, Arthur, team up to uncover his brother's plans.

What follows is funny, and sweet, and sexy, and political without being soapboxy. And given I am often too cynical for my own good when reading the first book after a DNF or bad review of the same author's work, I was so pleased with how Vasti answered any objections I had as the story progressed.

For example, one of my favorite moments is when they first touch, and there is a veritable ✨spark✨ between them as there is in many romance novels. Reader, I rolled my eyes a little. But here, it is literally just static electricity. I laughed with delight.

There is also a fake engagement, which is not my favorite trope, but it really works here.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the very hot dry hump against a door.

Overall, Earl Crush feels clever, fresh and energetic--exactly what I love about Vasti's work. I ate it up.

Fixing these issues would have made this a five-star read for me:

1. I would have liked this to be a little slower of a burn. They got hot and heavy around 40%, and after that, the intimate scenes came thick and fast and lost some of their impact as a result. Lydia and Arthur had such great chemistry that I would have liked Vasti to ratchet up the tension a little longer.
2. There was a little too much internal monologuing, particularly from Arthur, toward the end. That started to feel a little tedious even if Vasti did a good job of showing us throughout the book how his father had decimated his sense of self-worth.
3. Finally, I wanted more of Davis. He was such an off-page presence throughout, and then when he finally shows up in person, it didn't feel like there was enough of an emotional resolution between him and Arthur, and him and Lydia.

Cannot wait to read Georgiana's book! She was a minor character but a delightful and intriguing one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book.

Once again, Alexandra Vasti has solidified her spot on my must read author list! Earl Crush is an incredible follow up to Ne’er Duke Well (which is absolutely LOVED) so I was so pleased to find that I loved this one just as much as the last!

The characters come to life on the page with so much heart that you can’t help but fall in love. Lydia and Arthur are so deeply entwined in each other’s lives before they even know it and watching the details unravel as they actually just tangled even closer was a treat.

Lydia’s growth over the novel was incredible. I loved seeing her find her strength, her focus, her (in real life) voice. Arthur’s journey to discovering the love of family and the untold truth of the way his father saw him and how that shaped him was beautiful. The way they grew in their communication, trust and love throughout the story was truly wonderful.

I’m absolutely loving this series and cannot wait to see more from this incredible group of women!

I received an ARC of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.

This is the 2nd Alexandra Vasti ARC I've reviewed this year. Her first book in this Regency romance series, N'er Duke Well, came out this past spring. And now the 2nd book in the series, Earl Crush, comes out January 2025. I was very impressed with the first book and gave it 4 stars. But let me tell you Earl Crush is a 5 star read! It was addicting, spicy, emotional. I ate it up! Vasti has quickly entered into my list of favorite Regency romance writers.

This novel is a blend of Regency romance and hard boiled detective adventure/mystery. I thought Vasti created an interesting mystery that left me guessing for the entirety of the story until the big reveal. And I ate up the romance. The characters were both very lovely cinnamon rolls. This book also had great spice.

I give Earl Crush 5 out of 5 stars.

This book has it all: romance, mystery, spies, crimes, and good old-fashion regency spice. After a couple clunky chapters at the beginning (just stick with it) this story keeps you engrossed as Lydia and Arthur try to solve the mystery of his missing brother and the mess he’s involved with. If you came for the spicy scenes, there are plenty of those to go around too.

Thank you St Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I adored this so much! On the surface, the list of things this book includes sounds like the best kind of chaos: espionage, a crumbling castle, and a pack of wild zebras. It also included an incredibly intelligent and competent heroine and a Scottish earl who was so gone for her. One of my favorite parts of their romance was how he supported her through her social anxiety and learned what she needed. Their declarations of love were some of the most romantic I have ever read and brought me to tears. This was the perfect balance of romp, tenderness, and steamy romance and I truly cannot wait for more from Alexandra Vasti!

If you are looking for a book filled with pure entertainment, some humor, some intrigue and a ton of sex go no further. Compared to some romance books this one had decent dialogue and I liked the 2 main characters although Arthur pretty much became useless with lust pretty quickly. I'd say pretty standard fare and what you would expect for a book in this genre.

Alexandra Vasti really knows Regency. I think she must have cut her reading teeth on the genre. This book is such an accurate, wonderful, updated Regency story that I have to go back and read Ne'er Duke Well!!

Sophomore slump who? Alexandra Vasti follows up the delightful Ne'er Duke Well with the even more assured and emotionally satisfying Earl Crush. This novel was perfectly paced and plotted, hitting the beats the reader looks for and wants in a historical romance, while feeling fresh and new.

Lydia, the "second-richest, I think" heiress in London, makes a clandestine trip to Scotland with her friend Georgiana and her Thames-rescue dog Bacon. Mission? To propose a friendly marriage to the Earl she's been exchanging letters with for three years - they get on well, he needs funds for his estate, and boy does she have them. Lydia has social anxiety (she seems to faint or vomit when forced to interact outside her trusted circle), and has loving family that protects her well. "If they could, her brothers would wrap her in cotton wool and set her upon a shelf like a doll: just as safe and just as lifeless." She has found her voice though, as the anonymous author of radical pamphlets, which is how she and the Earl start their warm correspondence. So. About that. Turns out the Earl had never written to her, had never read her work, had never heard of her, and his brother had been pretending to be him. Cue the fainting and vomiting.

What follows is one of the best Fake Marriage, Real Feelings books I've read in a while. The mystery of the brother's actions and surrounding events and the love story are perfectly balanced to make a super satisfying read. And there is the little issue of Chekov's Pining Love Letter Drafts that serve as chapter headers - the reader knows something happens, but what exactly and when isn't clear until it is.

While investigating the brother's motives, for Romance Reasons Arthur and Lydia pretend to be married, which predictably snowballs as they are both wish their hasty story was true. As feelings become real the scent of fresh pine is thick in the air. Arthur wants to be chosen for him, not second best to his charming brother! Lydia has trouble finding her voice and needs to be safe! The last quarter of this story had me locked in, anxious for the resolution of the mystery and the romance in equal parts. I won't spoil details of either, but Vasti brings it all home to a very satisfying conclusion.

I read an ARC of this book. I'm sorry to tell you it's not out until early 2025, but it's worth the wait.

I had an absolute blast with EARL CRUSH! Much like Vasti’s debut, this book is jam-packed with fun characters, hijinks, and a swoon-worthy love story. At times I did feel that the plot was overwhelming the romance or vice versa, but I thought this was paced well and overall, Lydia and Arthur’s romance dove tailed well with the main plot.

I absolutely loved Arthur (who doesn’t want a Scottish giant who will whisper sweet nothings to you but also has an ingrained fear of not being enough?) but really saw myself in Lydia and her journey from shy wallflower to someone secure and comfortable enough to take control of her own life. Now I really really can’t wait for Georgiana’s book!

I enjoyed this adventurous romance story as two unlikely comrades pair up in an unexpected journey to save the lives of others and track down a newly invented rifle scope to keep it from getting in the wrong hands. The romance, the mystery and the way the story unfolded had me turning page after page eager to see what came next every step of the way.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was that the synopsis was not the only part of the story. The other thing I liked about it was that the synopsis describes what basically happens in chapter one so there’s no spoiler, there’s only hitting the ground running as the story continues to compel the reader forward with the momentum of this search for justice.

Intelligent but shy, Lydia shows up at the home of her penpal ready to propose marriage to save him from his financial woes at his Scottish estate. However, things soon become murky as he has no idea who she is or what she is referring to from their supposed correspondence. Quickly things began to unravel as Lydia‘s anxiety takes over and Arthur’s puzzlement gives way to urgency about tracking down the mutual acquaintance of them both. This is one of those stories that I think is beneficial to just go in blind and dive right into. I thought it was entertaining, fresh, and certainly unique in the way the story unfolded. I also appreciated that although there is a previous book with this fictional world, I read this as a standalone and had absolutely no problem following along with the characters or understanding the relationships between all of them.

Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this story. All opinions are my own. I look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.

Read this if you enjoy:
💜 forced proximity
💜 mistaken identity
💜 intelligent FMC
💜 introverted MMC
💜 pretending to be married
💜 investigating
💜 forbidden romance
💜 he falls first

Can be read as a standalone
Romance: open door