4 1/2 Stars! Adult historical romance at its best! Lydia and Arthur's story was a fun read. It kept my interest to the end, and I can't wait for more stories from Alexandra Vasti.

Alexandra Vasti absolutely knocks it out of the park yet again!! Just like everything else she’s written, this book is nothing short of magnificent. Arthur is to die for, the absolute sweetest man. And Lydia is an anxious mess (same) who is brave and brilliant and hilarious. The plot contained just the right amount of intrigue. The romance developed at the exact right speed. It stayed consistently captivating and I could not put it down. I wish we’d gotten to see more of Davis, but hopefully his story will merit its own book!

A big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own.

This is my first book by this author & I really enjoyed it!

I am someone who loves when a book jumps right in, which this one does with an amazing meet cute & immediate drama. I loved Lydia & Arthur individually & especially loved them together. Arthur was deliciously protective almost instantly of Lydia while Lydia had to work somewhat on finding her inner strength, but we get to see that progression in the book & I absolutely loved her journey. The side characters were also all amazing, which has me excited for future books!

I will say that the 3rd act mishap had me wanting to toss my kindle. I wasn't a big fan of it, but I did like that Arthur immediately saw his mistake.

This book is a mix of romance, humor, and intrigue that kept me hooked from start to finish. If you love historical romance, you’ll definitely enjoy this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating ♾️/5

Alexandra Vasti has done it again, delivering excellent character development and sharp banter. The mix of romance, humor, and intrigue kept me hooked from start to finish. If you love historical romance, you’ll definitely enjoy this one!

Did I laugh? Yes. Did I tear up? Yes. Did I fan myself? You know it. Did I want to smack the MMC? Of course. AV is a damn wizard when it comes to weaving a tale that is not only intriguing but also involves great main character development, along with supporting characters who aren’t just there to serve the main story but also their own and historical facts that give the reader insight that people back in the day weren’t all the same. Even more importantly to my own interests is the representation of a plus sized FMC who is not defined by her curves or lushness (either by herself or others). The only downfall of this book is the lack of wood chopping and blacksmith forge scenes ;)

I received an ARC of Earl Crush from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Alexandra Vasti is a new author to me and I really enjoyed her story. Lydia Hope Wallace is a bold spoken writer but shy and phobic when around strangers and groups. She has been corresponding long distance with the Earl of Strathrannoch and decides to propose to him to.solve two problems with one solution. She needs to marry and is wealthy, and he needs money, and understands and agrees with many of her positions on numerous topics. The only problem is that she has been dreaming of marrying the wrong person. When she arrives at his doorstep, he has no idea who she is and from there on, they must figure out the next step. This is a great story, full of suspense and intrigue and a budding romance. I can't wait to read her upcoming stories.

This was such a charming and fun read!

Earlier this year I read "Ne're Duke Well" from this author and really enjoyed it so I was excited to dive into another Historical Romance and "Earl Crush" definitely didn't disappoint me.

One thing I really love about this author's writing style is that her storylines make you feel a wide range of emotions. The plot is fun, playful, emotional and at times laugh out loud funny.

I loved reading Lydia and Arthur's story and really enjoyed watching their relationship develop and grow.

I look forward to reading more from this author in the future and would definitely add this one to your TBR.

Thank you Alexandra Vasti, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Earl Crush" by Alexandra Vasti is the second installment in an interconnected standalone historical romance series. I was utterly charmed by this book! The cover makes it seem silly and, while it had a few comical moments, it was overall very emotional, heartfelt, and sweet. There is a slightly thrilling plot element that propels the story forward and brings together our main characters, Lydia and Arthur. Highly recommend this book if you're a fan of the genre; you don't need to read the previous book, "Ne'er Duke Well," but it does add more depth to this story.

This story is charming and funny. Loved Lydia’s nod to feminism and Strathrannoch was the perfect compliment. Bertie and his menagerie of animals was probably the best part. Also loved the snippets at the beginning of each chapter and the epilogue. Neat way to share character insight without adding bulk. Definitely checking out Vasti’s backlist.

Alexandra Vasti is fast becoming one of my favorite HR authors. Having just got into historical romances in the past two-three years, I’ve almost finished reading all the trailblazers in the genre and am looking for new things to read. Vasti’s books bring humor, charm, and interesting stories to the regency era. I could tell she was something special with the Halifax twins, then the Ne’er Duke Well introduced us to Selina, this novel gave Lydia the sweetest romance with Arthur, and I can’t wait to read what happens to Georgiana next! Many thanks to the author for the ARC, I sped through this book and look forward to what’s next!

I was really excited to read this after loving Alexandra's other book. I read this in a few sittings and liked the set up and the characters chemistry and really believed they were in love. BUT I dont love insta love and it felt like things moved fast between them and could have benefited from a slower burn.

It’s honestly rude that Vasti’s second novel is *this good* after her stunning debut. I love the quiet interiority of both Lydia and Arthur and how they find so much comfort in their ability to be themselves with each other. Contrasting that with a fairly madcap plot makes for a really interesting juxtaposition and a fascinating story. In Ne’er Duke Well, Vasti is telling a story with mostly personal stakes, but how those personal stakes can be a catalyst for good in the world. I love how Vasti has wound a story of much higher outside stakes for these two very quiet people at the center of Earl Crush. For them, they have to move beyond their comfort to do whah is right, and they urge each other to do that as they fall in love. This story is different from but just as compelling as her debut. TLDR - Lydia and Arthur are amazing, and Vasti has knocked it out of the park with another beautiful, funny, thoughtful story.

I was excited when the author announced this book and was very happy to get an ARC to read! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book.

I loved Lydia Hope-Wallace when I met her in Ne’er Duke Well, so I was glad that she was going to get her happily ever after! **I do not think you have to have read Ne’er Duke Well to read Earl’s Crush, but I think it definitely enhances your enjoyment of the book if you did.

This book opens three years after the end of NDW, and Lydia has found her voice- her written voice. She’s been publishing radical political pamphlets through Serena’s Belvoir’s Library under the pseudonym “H”. She has also been having a years long epistolary relationship with the Earl of Strathrannoch, who wrote to “H” via the Library. Through his missives, he’s shown himself to be a man who agrees with her political positions. He also revealed the utter financial mess of his estate.

So, Lydia decides that though they’ve never met, and he has NO IDEA she’s a wealthy spinster, the best way to take the reins of her own life into her hands is to go to Scotland and propose a marriage of convenience. Georgiana, to my delight, accompanied her on the trip.

Well, upon arrival we find out that Arthur, Earl of Strathrannoch, has no idea what letters she is speaking of nor any idea why she would say “I have money…I am here to marry you.”
The utter mortification causes our socially anxious heroine to do what she often does - throw up. Turns out, Arthur wasn’t writing her but his deceitful brother, Davis, who has now mysteriously disappeared with Arthur’s newly designed rifle scope.

This leads to an action sequence involving Lydia trying to leave on horseback driving the carriage carrying Georgiana, a stampede of zebras, and a heroic rescue by Arthur involving bravery on Lydia’s part she didn’t know she had in her. I was sucked into the story and never looked back.

This book has laugh out loud comedic scenes, a mystery involving Davis and Lydia’s brother Jasper, and a chance to see the four friends (Serena, Lydia, Georgiana, and Iris) working together to stop an assassination attempt on Wellington. The action kept me turning the pages. Lydia was brave and pushed herself to work through her anxiety in order to help Arthur and I was proud of her.

The romance felt very “lust at first sight”. Thus, this book felt spicier than NDW. Do I believe by the end that Arthur is in love with Lydia, and she with him? Yes, and I do appreciate how he fell in love with her mind. He did win me over with the way he encouraged her to do the things she was afraid of.

But, the third act separation did make me pause. I understand why the choice was made for Arthur to do what he did, but I don’t like it. And I needed him to GROVEL MORE. Lydia pardoned him way too fast.

I also needed to see the scene between Davis and Lydia on page. That man had some explaining to do as well!

The epilogue written in notes back and forth between them was a sweet ending that felt full circle to the beginning of the book.

All in all, this was a fun romp through Scotland and London, and I enjoyed my time reading it!

I cannot wait for Georgiana and Iris to have their stories told.

I also would like to put out into the universe that I need Gabriel and Jasper Hope-Wallace to also have books

I am loving historical romance as of late and this is a winner. It reminded me a bit of Tessa Dare: hilarious, super sexy, and emotional. Lydia - socially awkward women's rights pamphleteer. Arthur - Scottish inventor who is a bit of a recluse. Add a road trip to catch a catfishing brother and you have a fun, steamy, sweet and loving Regency romp.

Wow! Only Alexandra Vashti could work in a herd of zebras - in Scotland, no less, and have it lead to a marvelous love story! Romance, intrigue, mystery, danger, all wrapped up in a package that draws you in from the first page. Lydia is a wee bit impulsive, rushing off to Scotland on the basis of a pen pal correspondence and hoping for a marriage, and Arthur is a very unusual Earl. Their story of how they face their problems and overcome all to lead to a HEA is a wonderful story full of twists and turns, but always fun. I laughed, cried, and read all night to finish this novel which I wholeheartedly recommend to all romantic readers everywhere! Although I received an ARC, I voluntarily leave these comments of my unvarnished opinions.

This book is a gem. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton, both the Peneloise friendship, the scandal sheet, and the letter writing, going off to marry a stranger-ness of To Sir Phillip With Love. Put it in Scotland, add more hijinks, and soooo much pining, and you have this book. My favorite so far this year.

Alexandra Vasti does it again! She is my absolute favorite of the new wave of post-Bridgerton authors because she flawlessly blends modern sensibilities into historically accurate narratives. No eye-twitching anachronisms here, just empowered heroines and evolved heroes, plus well developed non-white and LGBTQ+ characters.

Earl Crush has it all: humor, adventure and heart—plus swoon-worthy letters and the joy of watching a loving relationship grow without a bunch of artificial obstacles and plot devices keeping the protagonists apart.

This was my first-ever ARC, thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, and I was thrilled to get to read this next book in the series so soon after Ne’er Duke Well. Can’t wait for the next one!

IT'S A NEW ALEXANDRA VASTI BOOK - OF COURSE I'M OBSESSED.

I am not surprised by the deluge of positive reviews for Earl Crush. After the mastery of Ne'er Duke Well, we all expect the best from Alexandra Vasti, and once again, she has delivered a wildly romantic, sexy, funny, and touching work of historical fiction. A bookshelf keeper that solidifies her place in the pantheon of modern historical romance royalty.

This was a cute fun book but I got a little bit lost in the plot, it seemed like a lot of moving parts that was a bit difficult to keep up with.

3.5 🌟's

this one was a mixed bag for me which is so disappointing ugh - the plot and the relationship wasn't holding my attention at many points throughout the story so i was just not truly engaged or enjoying my time reading this :/ there was just a lot going on and some of arthur's dialogue was kind of cringey to me lol