I am so happy to have gotten a “Read Now” copy of Earl Crush when it was available for a short time on NetGalley. This is my first Vasti novel and I was so pleasantly surprised! I don’t read a ton of historical romance, and this felt like a perfect encapsulation of the genre for me.

I typically like to read a summary before going into a new book, but for this novel I chose not to. This book did a great job easing the reader into the story while also feeling fast-paced in the best way. The characters were wily and lovable, and the found family aspect of the employees at the castle was adorable - in fact, I wish we had gotten to see more of them.

Vasti’s prose had a wonderful way of seeming true to the era (the early 1800’s) while remaining easy to read. I really really loved the epigraphs at the beginning of the chapter, and thought it was especially clever when the note was mentioned again in the course of the following chapter.

Overall, this was an absolutely lovely romance and I will be reading more from Alexandra Vasti in the future. Huge thanks to Alexandra Vasti, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lots of tropes in this book:
Forced proximity
Fake marriage
False identity
Secrets and spies

Lydia Hope-Wallace decides to risk it all to go to Scotland to meet the Earl she’s been corresponding with to propose a marriage of convenience. But upon arrival she meets another man who really is the Earl Strathrannoch. The mystery and adventure begins.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another hit by Alexandra Vasti! I loved Earl Crush and seeing more of Lydia's story. The chemistry between her and Arthur leapt off the page, and Arthur is so swoon-worthy!

The mystery of Arthur's brother added an extra level of urgency between the characters, and I loved how protective Arthur became.

Overall, I thought this was an excellent follow up to the first in the series. I can't wait to read more of Vasti's work!

[Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Alexandra Vasti for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.]

Lydia Hope-Wallace has been secretly corresponding with the Earl of Strathrannoch for three years - anonymously, of course. When he reveals his financial troubles, Lydia makes the bold decision to travel to Scotland and propose a marriage of convenience. But upon her arrival, she discovers the letters were actually written by the Earl's deceitful brother. What follows is a thrilling journey to track down the brother and uncover his plans.

As a history nerd, I love how Vasti bases her books on historical realities. She gathers inspiration from people or events and uses that to create these absorbing stories. The blend of humor and vulnerability is perfectly executed. This book has it all - mystery, suspense, mistaken identities, espionage, and even zebras! Plus, some of the most endearing love letters I've ever read. It's easily one of the most romantic stories I've come across and Lydia and Arthur have stayed with me, long after I finished reading.

I was not prepared for how swoon-worthy Arthur was. There should be a disclaimer in the beginning of the book! Seriously - I read this book slower than usual because every time Arthur said something charming or romantic (which happens often, yet never feels overdone), I had to pause and squeal.

Lydia is such a gem of a character. Through her political pamphlets, she gives a voice to the voiceless with the power she has. She is smart and full of grit, yet her social anxiety makes it hard for her to show her true self.

Both Lydia and Arthur struggle with confidence and feel like they haven't lived up to their family's expectations. Lydia believes her dowry is her most attractive trait while Arthur believes his brother would have made a better Earl. Despite their insecurities, they are gentle with each other, always offering support without trying to change the other. They see and appreciate each other for who they truly are.

And the epilogue? Perfection! Seeing Lydia and Arthur so happy together warmed my heart - they deserve every bit of it.

Alexandra Vasti knows what to put in a well-rounded historical romance. This was a sweet and spicy romance that started as a mistaken identity that quickly turns into an adventure through out Scotland and England. Lydia and Arthur learned to be honest with their feelings as they began to trust each other. A great book makes you connect with both main characters and I felt I saw parts of myself in both Lydia and Arthur. They both fought through their shyness to find each other. Also Vasti does a great job of creating a story that is set in the 1800s, but makes it feel modern with its take on feminism and politics.

I'll admit it. If you happen to look at me while I'm reading an Alexandra Vasti novel, you'll see that I can't stop smiling. It's kinda embarrassing but her writing just makes me so happy. And of course Earl's Crush is no exception. I adored both Lydia and Arthur, and the storyline was completely charming!

A road trip with lots of pining? I'm in! Throw in a smart heroine, a crotchety-yet-shy Scottish earl, a crumbling castle, and you have the recipe for one of my favorite reads of 2024.

I want to thank Kejana Ayala of St Martin's Press along with Netgalley for the invitation to read and review this in advance of its publication. As always, my opinions are my own.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti was such a tender and romantic read! I'm loving everything that Alexandra Vasti is writing and this was no different at all. It's fun, it's entertaining and definitely very swoony. I think Vasti is a perfect romance writer for anyone looking for a story with a tender heart. I basically read this in one sitting. The characters were interesting, their character arcs were well done and I wanted to see how the story played out. Overall, a fantastic romance read.

I was intrigued by Lydia's character from Ne'er Duke Well and am thrilled to announce that Earl Crush absolutely delivered! The chemistry between the main leads is palpable, and the way Vasti crafted each chapter with such perfect openings... I can’t get enough of her unique voice and writing style. Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, and I can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this masterpiece in January 2025!

Earl Crush is yet another example of Alexandra Vasti's ability to create a tender historical romance that combines the things modern readers love most about the genre - a determined and intelligent heroine, an endearingly infatuated hero, and a plot that delivers adventure with a touch of the absurd and hilarious. It's earnest, sexy, and utterly delightful

Lydia Hope-Wallace is tired of the limits imposed on her as a single woman of her generation. After seven disastrous seasons on the marriage mart, she wants the freedom and protection that marriage provides, so she sets off for Scotland to seek a marriage of convenience with her long-time pen pal, Lord Strathrannoch. However, when she arrives at his run-down estate, she's surprised to find a menagerie of exotic creatures as well as a scowling mountain of a man who is decidedly not the Strathrannoch with whom she's been corresponding.

Arthur Strathrannoch is not surprised to find that his younger brother has charmed a wealthy heiress. He is surprised that he's done it using his name, and he is determined to find his brother and set things right. Lydia insists on accompanying him, and what follows is a whimsical romp marked by amateur spycraft, heaps of romantic tension, and a fake marriage that ends up feeling more real than either of them anticipated.

Earl Crush delivers the wit, humor, and spice that I've come to love in Vasti's writing. If you love tender romances that contain romcom hijinks and explicit scenes of intimacy, you will love Earl Crush.

Earl Crush is perfect for fans of regency romance who want a fast paced, quick romp of a story! There was good chemistry, likeable characters and a little bit of a mystery driving the plot. Overall it was an enjoyable read and reminded me of Mimi Matthew's The Belles of London series (although there is open door intimate scenes and more spice in Earl Crush).

This was the book that I have read by Alexandra Vasti, but it certainly won't be the last! It was a delightfully refreshing and fun regency romance full of intrigue and a compelling storyline that kept me engaged and hooked until the end. I often found myself yearning to read this book in any spare minute that I had just to find out what happens. I would definitely recommend to fans of the Bridgerton series looking for more to read in this genre!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Vasti is a fresh new voice in historical romance. She creates unique characters and a compelling story. Earl Crush was sexy as it was heartwarming. The H and h were perfect for one another. They were both good people that were insecure in their own skin, but found contentment and acceptance with one another. The supporting cast was great! Also, there was a bit of a crime mystery to liven up the plot. I would definitely recommend this book!

This just might be my favorite historical romance book ever! I loved the first book in the series "Ne'er Duke Well", so I had high expectations going into this book and Alexandra absolutely crushed it!

With how awkward and quiet Lydia was in the first book when in social settings, I knew her book would be interesting. I love that instead of a traditional Englishman for a suitor that she ends up in Scotland on an adventure and finds herself a hermit of a Scotsman that compliments her and her quiet yet determined personality with one of his own. I loved the dynamic between them and how Arthur was determined not to fall for her or notice her in any capacity beyond professional in their hunt for his brother. Naturally, that just makes the heart want what it shouldn't want even more and I ate it up! I loved the tie into politics and how Alexandra ensures her books are historically accurate as much as possible and it really shows! The attention to the details is incredible and makes the story all the more immersive with a stronger plot. I loved how Lydia found herself and how she navigated her social anxiety in tricky situations and how despite her overprotective brothers, she had a support system in her antics that was behind her regardless of traditional societal roles at the time.

I haven't read much historical romance before, but I can be certain that Alexandra's books are going to stand the test of time the more I read in the genre. The strong female main characters she writes are brilliant and know how to navigate English society while staying true to themselves. I can't wait to see where this series goes next!

I adore Alexandra Vasti and when this approval landed in my inbox I dropped everything to read it. I loved the characters, the story, the writing... all of it and I can't wait for more from Vasti!

Thank you for the early copy for review!

I thought the premise of this book would be fun, but it was a bit of a slog to get through. It took a little bit too long to get to main plot of the story for me, but I did enjoy the chemistry between the two main characters.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

This story was so fun, lovely, and sexy! I’m becoming such a huge fan of the author after reading a couple of her books now. I feel totally transported INTO the story and feel like I know these characters so well, and that’s everything I want in a book. Totally hooked!

Alexandra Vasti could write a grocery list and I would give it 10 stars. This really is no different. There is something really lovely about how Alex writes her characters that makes me really feel seen in them. I am excited for fans of her trad Debut Ne'er Duke Well to fall in love with Earl Crush.

Alexandra Vasti is quickly becoming one of my favourite voices in historical romance. Earl Crush is a worthy successor to Ne’er Duke Well.

Lydia travels to Scotland in order to propose a marriage of convenience to her pen pal, Arthur, the Earl of Strathrannoch. Believing that she had been writing to him the past few years, in reality Arthur’s brother had been posing as the Earl. The two end up going on a quest to find his brother leading them to uncover espionage and their own amorous feelings for each other.

Lydia and Arthur both have their own insecurities that they have to work on throughout the novel. Lydia suffers from social anxiety but bravely rallies when the situation requires it.

Arthur lacks confidence and has to work to believe in his own self-worth. He is a gentle giant that gets unmoored in the presence of Lydia. He can hardly believe that she would choose him but does his best to prove to her that he is the one who can make her happy. He is a quiet, unassuming MMC that has a steadfast devotion to the FMC that will make you swoon.

Can’t recommend this one enough.

This book was a fun time. i enjoyed the pairing of a period story mixed with espionage and i found all the characters to be interesting. i thought some of the romantic elements dragged a bit and felt like a time out in the story but i did end up liking the main characters together. Overall, an entertaining read.

I wasn't 1000% in love with Ne'er Duke Well, but Alexandra Vasti is back to her extremely high standards with Earl Crush! Lydia is the perfect mix of anxious and sassy, and Arthur's brooding earnestness balances her perfectly. When she shows up to propose to him after a long correspondence, she discovers that, contradicting the signatures, he didn't write the letters! They embark on a journey of zebras, disguises, and pretending to be newlyweds to unravel who impersonated him and why. A few prime quotes from my buddy read of this one: "Omg but Bacon is such a good dog name", "Shaving- like removing Clark Kent's glasses or putting on a disguise. Whole new guy.", 'So much “trysting”', and "SHE HAS SO MANY BROTHERS".