Historical Romance Readers: If I could give more than five stars, I would. Both the story and the audiobook production.

I have so much to say about this book and have been shouting about it since I first read an eARC in Fall 2024. But, as a self-proclaimed audiobook girlie, the ALC is simply perfection.

My first endorsement for anyone on the fence: I purchased both the audiobook and physical copy immediately (despite having access to complimentary copies – it’s just THAT GOOD).

Secondly, Earl Crush is one of the Top Two ARCs I’ve EVER read and listened to since I started reviewing here on NetGalley – and the other book is Vasti’s first (Ne’er Duke Well- also performed by the incomparable Mhairi Morrison).

Alexandra Vasti is an incredible storyteller whose novels have so much rich detail and emotion, and whose characters are so easy to fall in love with. To that end, Earl Crush has everything (and more!) that readers want from a historical romance novel. And, for a book I already thought had everything, I was delighted to discover that the audiobook production and performance brings to life even more amazing detail.
Earl Crush tells the story of Lydia and Author’s unexpected love and their adventure on the open roads of Scotland.

Here’s what you’ll find in this book:
- He falls first
- Marriage of convenience
- Adventure (and romance) on the road
- Mistaken identity and family secrets
- Epistolary elements
- Golden retriever MMC
- Anxiety rep
- Stunning writing and storytelling

Ultimately, this felt to me like a love-letter to the historical romance. If this is your go-to genre like it is mine – prepare to be WOW’ed. If you are just starting your Hist Rom journey – WELCOME and know that that this—both the book and this audio format—is the PERFECT place to start.

Thank you to Dreamscape and NetGalley for an advance audiobook copy of this incredible book.

I loved this book the first time around - It's Alexandra Vasti, who wouldn't love it? But listening to the story through the performance of this narrator made the experience even better. I love the use of accents to distinguish between characters, the way she incorporates Lydia's sense of logic and humor, the breathlessness during the spicy scenes. It's perfect.

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a fun Regency rom-com featuring a road trip with a dash of accidental espionage.

Wealthy heiress Lydia is typically a wallflower due to her struggles with social anxiety, but she's also been writing seditious pamphlets for years under a pseudonym. Also for years, she has been writing to the man she thinks is the reclusive Earl of Strathrannoch in Scotland. Unfortunately, when she arrives at his doorstep to propose a marriage of convenance, he has no idea who she is.

I had such a fun time reading this book! I absolutely inhaled it within one day, when I was convalescing at home the day after staying up Way Too Late For My Age for the Critical Role Campaign 3 finale. As soon as I finished the book, I got up from my blanket nest on the couch in my office and promptly went to bed. But I'm proud of myself for staying up long enough to read it (sort-of) one sitting!

I didn't like this one quite as much as I enjoyed Ne'er Duke Well this year, but I did listen to the audiobook for both and Mhairi Morrison does a bang-up job both times. For real, if you haven't listened to one of Morrison's audiobooks yet, do not pass go, get thee too your library or audiobook vendor of choice and pick one up. She's absolutely worth a listen; I really love her different character voices.

It's worth noting that while this book does have cameos from characters from Ne'er Duke Well, it is fully standalone and you do not need to read anything prior to starting this book. I still recommend you read it, though, because it's fun and steamy.

I love a good bluestocking character, and Lydia was a perfect example. I love when historical romances explore modern feminist ideals, but head's up if that's not your thing. I also really identified with her as I too struggle with social anxiety.

Arthur is trying to rebuild his estate, which is pretty destitute at this point, having sold anything they could not part with. I really loved that he was also a bit of a tinkerer, an engineer if you will. That was a fun way to explore some actual history of the time (which the author notes in an Author's Note at the back of the book).

I had fun with their smoldering chemistry. This book has a good deal of steam, so keep that in mind going in if that's not really your jam.

I loved this audiobook!!!! the narration and production was perfect, amazing, wonderful! it let me fully encapsulate myself in this story!!!

this is the first I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last!!! I loved Lydia’s character sooo much! she just wants to love and help and be appreciated and accepted. I love the way she’s so authentically herself. and our Earl Arthur is such a grumpy honorable character! I love how he always treats Lydia kindly, even when he doesn’t know or trust her. and the way he makes her feel so loved and respected and cared for was soooo swoony!!!

I have only read a few regency romances, and have loved them all sooo much, I need to read more by Vasti, she writes such a lovely story!!!

thank you for the alc!

I had a hard time getting into this book. It might be the mood I am currently experiencing. As I have written with other reviews, I am a major mood reader.. I may give this book another shot when I am in the mood for a regency romance

Alexandra Vasti does it again! Ne'er Duke Well was a hit in my book, but I think I loved Earl Crush even more.

Vasti does such an amazing job bringing her regency romps to life on the page. The dialogue is full of wit, the prose are sharp, and the spice is oh so delicious. (Particularly the scene on the stairs and the scene by the door!)

The audiobook narration is top notch. It's such a pleasure to listen to. Mhairi Morrison makes the reading experience so very fun and enjoyable.

Her debut made me a life-long fan, but I am forever a Vasti stan after Earl Crush.

Earl Crush is a fun continuation of the Belvoir's library series.

Lydia has been in secret correspondence with the Earl of Strathrannoch, but when she ends up at his front door he has never heard of her. Arthur quickly realizes she had actually been writing with his brother who was pretending to be him. Lydia and Arthur join forces to find Arthur's brother and the journey begins.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Lydia's anxiety was very relateable and her pairing with Arthur is super fun. I loved the adventure and espionage of this story and it kept me on my toes. The banter and spice were also fun.

Tropes:
* Pen Pals
* Regency Romance
* Road Trip
* Fake Marriage
* Scottish MMC + English FMC
* Espionage
* Spies
* Anxiety Rep

4 stars

Alexandra Vasti is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical romance authors, and “Earl Crush” is another winner. Packed with mistaken identity, forced proximity, and a fake relationship, it’s swoony, spicy, hilarious, and even throws in a bit of mystery. What’s not to love?

The story follows Lydia Hope-Wallace, an introverted heiress and secret political pamphlet writer, who heads to Scotland to propose to her pen pal, the Earl of Strathrannoch. Except... the earl isn’t who she’s been writing to—it’s actually his brother. Cue chaos, a pack of zebras, fake marriage shenanigans, and a thrilling espionage plot as Lydia and Arthur Baird team up and find their chemistry impossible to ignore.

Arthur is the perfect blend of stoic and swoon-worthy, and Lydia is a heroine worth rooting for. Their adventure is laugh-out-loud funny, romantic, and impossible to put down. If you’re not reading Alexandra Vasti yet, you’re seriously missing out. I can’t wait for the next HEA in this world!

🎧🎧🎧
Mhairi Morrison made this audiobook so much fun to listen to. Her English and Scottish accents were flawless, and she nailed Arthur’s voice perfectly. She brought Lydia and Arthur to life with so much personality, making every moment even better. If you’re into historical romance, this audiobook is an absolute must-listen.

Thank you @alexandravasti, @smpromance, @stmartinspress, @dreamscapemedia and @netgalley for the gifted ARC and ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.

5⭐️
3🔥

Quick Breakdown

Historical Romance
Meet Disaster
Wallflower x Scottish Earl
Forced Proximity
Mystery & Espionage
Only One Bed
Mutual Pining
Love Letters
Dual POV
Open Door - Moderate

Lydia has been a shy & socially awkward wallflower with a secret. She anonymously pens radical political pamphlets & ends up in a 3 year long correspondence with a like minded Scottish Earl. Tired of failing on the marriage mart and in search of more freedoms, she travels to Scotland to literally propose. A marriage of convenience with someone she considers a friend feels like her best option. But when she arrives, the Earl of Strathrannoch has no idea who she is..

My first book of the year & it was a 5⭐️ banger!

After one of the most brilliant meet-disasters that sets the tone for the rest of the book, I was helpless to fall in love. Lydia & Arthur were perfectly crafted MCs. I adored Lydia & her quiet strength that she shared with those who matter most. The way she willingly & selflessly acted out of her comfort zone to help Arthur. He never stood a chance.

The mutual pining was absolutely delicious. The build up of tension it brought made the spice that much more intense. Pair this with the added bonus of mystery, espionage & silly hijinks it’s no wonder this worked so well for me.

I primarily listened to Earl Crush. It’s narrated by Mhairi Morrison who has quickly turned into one of my favorite narrators for historical romances. It was an absolute delight & I recommend you listen to too if given the chance!

I loved Earl Crush, and I am ashamed that it is the first book I have read by this talented author. One of the challenges to enjoying historical romance is being able to put oneself in the main characters' perspectives and find identification with? sympathy for? their choices. I found that not to be a problem with this novel. All of Lydia's decisions, intentions, and plans were based on solid reasoning. That everything she believed and concluded turned out, over and over again, to be arse-backwards, was beyond her control, and the same can be said for Arthur, that most mouth-watering earl. Being a life-long fan of both Jane Austen and "I Love Lucy," I found this brilliant, funny, and ultimately most romantic book to be a happy meeting of those two mindsets, and I loved every moment of it.

Following Ne’er Duke Well last summer, Alexandra Vasti is back with the second book in her Belvoir’s Library trilogy, Earl Crush. Wallflower and heiress Lydia Hope-Wallace has been secretly writing radical political pamphlets for years, and has been corresponding with a like-minded Scottish earl. She’s now shown up at his estate in Scotland to propose a marriage of convenience… only to find that the man she’s been writing to is NOT the earl, but his missing brother. Arthur (the true earl) is as surprised as she is, and soon, Lydia is roped into tracking down his brother—and finding a new flame of love along the way.

Why I Chose This Book:
I loved Ne’er Duke Well, and I’ve been excited to continue the Belvoir’s Library trilogy ever since. Lydia is socially awkward and politically progressive, two qualities I think we have in common. And her romance with a Scottish earl—with themes of stolen identity, preventing mayhem, and a marriage of convenience (or fake marriage!)—was equally captivating. Earl Crush looked like it would be a riot!

What I Liked:
- Lydia is shy and socially anxious… but brave in the face of real danger
- Arthur is also an introvert who keeps to himself
- Zebras!
- Tracking down the missing brother who posed as Arthur, Earl of Strathrannoch
- Sibling relationships
- Marriage of convenience?
- Fake marriage?
- Progressive politics of the Regency era
- The epilogue! Swoon!

Audiobook
Mhairi Morrison narrates all of Earl Crush, and she does a great job of capturing the book’s lighthearted tone. She transmits the wit and humor as well as the inner thoughts of our shy characters. Her narration is rather slow: Though I often listen to audiobooks at 1.5-2x speed, for this one, I bumped it up to 2.5x speed for it to feel right. Depending on the reader, an increase in speed may make for a smoother listen.

Final Thoughts
Earl Crush is a lot of fun, with mystery and mayhem abounding from start to finish. I liked getting to see two shy characters find love despite the chaotic situation they’ve been thrust into. It was also a joy to read about their relationships with their respective brothers, tumultuous as they may be. The Belvoir’s Library trilogy has been wonderful so far, and I’m excited to read the final book, Ladies in Hating, later this year.

Oh how I enjoyed this one!!

* historical romance
* wallflower / scottish earl
* disaster meet-cute
* forced proximity
* mutual pining
* mystery / espionage sub-plot
* dual POV
* open door

Ohhh Lydia and Arthur... you love sick fools just couldn't stop from falling in love!! Lydia appears on Arthur's door, proposing a marriage of convenience after they had been been wiring to each other for years... only to find out it was actually Arthur's brother who had been writing to Lydia all along! Lydia and Arther team up to find his brother, who hasn't been home in some time, and get to the bottom of what's going on. What follows is a fun, mysterious, and swoon-worthy story of falling love with a side of espionage and thrills! The mutual pining between these two was delicious and the character development was great!

**I received an advanced listening copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Strong female characters play a central role in this second of the Bevloir's Library trilogy. Lydia Hope-Wallace, who writes political pamphlets under an assumed name, is parts shy and introverted but also brave and relentless. When she decides to propose to her correspondent the Earl of Strathrannoch, she disturbingly discovers that the real earl has no clue who she is. Thus begins a tale of adventure, spies, secrets, and lots of spicy romance. Both Lydia and Arthur have strong opinions, devout loyalty to family and beliefs, and a growing sense of desire for each other. The frequent indecisiveness and cataloging each other's desirable traits and physical attributes weighs a bit on the narrative, but the strands of humor woven into the narrative help to continue the reader through the passages. There are several instances of danger in the novel that counterbalances the very spicy romantic scenes. Overall, the story and characters are very pleasing and enjoyable, and the title works well as a standalone novel; if the reader is not familiar with the first title in the series, they will not be lost in this book's storyline.

As for the voice narration, the performed voices lend well to each character. Mhairi Morrison, the voice actress, performs both British and Scottish characters entertainingly. The overall storyline was a good listen.

Great listen, and a perfect way to escape from reality into the Regency era for a bit of time.

#EarlCrush #NetGalley

Love, love, loooove!! This was such a fun audiobook. The narration was incredible and only matched by the exciting, sexy, fast paced story. Lydia is the type of FMC I can't get enough of - intelligent, loyal, and doesn't realize how sexy/badass she is. Her chemistry with Arthur is off the charts and I loved watching their relationship progress. This book is funny, adventurous, steamy, and such a good read.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the review copy!

Earl Crush begins with Lydia Hope-Wallace, a wallflower heiress, travelling to propose a marriage of conveniences to Arthur Baird, Earl of Strathrannoch. From their years of correspondence, she feels they are well suited, and he could use her inheritance for his dire financial setting. The problem? Arthur hasn’t even written to, or even heard of, Lydia.

It took me a bit to really connect with this one the way I have with Vasti’s previous work. Each character was a bit reserved, and there was a little too much plot outside of their relationship in the beginning, but once they started really connecting I was DEEPLY invested and ended up loving this one! Each character was kind of a nerdy wallflower in their own way, and they were just two peas in a pod and SO cute.

If you love a plot that includes everything from runaway zebras to espianage - this one is absolutely for you! There is plenty of steam and romance.

🎧 I really enjoy Morrison’s narration. She is well suited to a fast-moving, somewhat bonkers plot with her quick narration. She continues to show off her accent worth with a Scottish Earl, flowing seamlessly between characters and accents as she reads. Earl Crush was fantastic on audio!

This is the second planned book in the Belvoir’s Library series, but can be read as a standalone!

Well this was a wild romp of a time! I really loved the dynamics between Arthur and Lydia, how he supported and admired her without treating her like a child. I also loved how Lydia was able to work through her shyness, whila also realizing her quietness is not a weakness. I also enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story, and liked the conclusion of that plot. I also love Lydia's brothers, and would love to get their romances in the future! I also love Hugh and Bertie, and would love to know more about their love story as well.

The narration was fantastic, Mhairi Morrison never disappoints!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫(3.5)

For three years, Lydia Hope-Wallace has secretly penned seditious pamphlets—and unknowingly fallen for the wrong man. When she arrives in Scotland to offer a marriage of convenience to the Earl of Strathrannoch, Arthur Baird is furious to discover his brother was writing to her in his name. But as espionage and attraction ignite, resistance may be futile.

Utterly dainty, deliciously cheeky. Alexandra Vasti’s writing has this soft, sophisticated charm that makes even the most mundane emotions feel like poetry. Maybe it’s Mhairi Morrison’s impeccable narration, but I ate up every delicate detail. And Arthur—this burly, brooding Scotsman who’s actually a giant teddy bear? His obsession with Lydia made the chemistry absolutely insatiable.

Plot-wise, I loved the mystery-meets-road-trip vibes—think Nancy Drew, but make it Regency, as Lydia pieces together the truth about Arthur’s brother. The historical depth was a delightful surprise, and I adored the author’s note tying everything to real events! That said, the book ran a little long for me, mostly because of some intimacy scenes that felt less like tension and more like speed bumps- trying to rush to the physical attraction but making it feel like a gilt. Take out those humps and I think this could have been 5⭐️

Thank you @dreamscape_media @netgalley @smpromance for the gifted books 💚

Perfect for you if you like:
Brooding, reclusive Scottish earl
Family secrets and espionage
Sharp, independent heroines with big ideas
Modern twists on regency period
Zebras

Similar to:
The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right by Suzanne Allain (closed door)
To Sir Philiip, With Love (Bridgerton #5) by Julia Quinn
Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti

⛔️chapters 13, 16, 19, 22 & 24 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️explicit language, mild threats to safety, espionage, abusive and manipulative parent (past), gun violence (minor)

I am in a bit of a coma, trapped in my feelings with this book. What a joyous and jubilant ride this was! Alexandra Vasti captivates again with another wild escapade. I mean, seriously, a zebra stampede?! Who could’ve guessed? It is these crazy, inane thoughts that take her stories to another level. I could not love them more.
Arthur & Lydia captured my entire heart with their hesitant, wounded souls. Two people isolated in their own lives. Arthur in his reclusive, lonely life and Lydia in her shy, quiet reserve. When they come together it shines a light on their hidden qualities enabling them to be better versions of themselves.
When with Arthur we see Lydia embrace her courage, her boldness, in ways she didn’t know possible. Arthur in turn, opens up his heart to embrace the family he’s always had and allow in the vulerability of trust. You can’t help but feel for these two as they fumble their way to love surrounded by a wonderful cast of characters that abound with love and support. This truly is a story of heart, bravery and boldness.

Mairi Morrison does a fabulous job in her narration. I adore the way she carries off the emotion and hesitancy of their characters.

The audio for this was well narrated. I enjoyed the story very much. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

The ladies of the Belvoir Library have gotten themselves into a real pickle now! It was supposed to be a surprise marriage proposal by one of the ladies to her pamphlet correspondent- but turned into a mad dash back to London to foil a terrorist attack!

Lydia Hope-Wallace resigned herself to spinsterhood until she decides to take the leap and ask the only man she believes her true self, her anonymous pamphlet correspondent, the Earl of Strathrannoch to marry her. He needs an error and she’d like to have a husband and family- a great deal! Except for when she arrives at his castle, she finds that the Earl, her erstwhile husband to be was not her correspondent, but his brother… and he might also be on the lamb and an act of attempting domestic terrorism…

I had a lot of fun seeing Lydia and Arthur get to know each other and fall in love as they stand together to save England! He wasn’t the Earl she was looking for, but he turned out to be the Earl she needed!

Both of these characters were such sweethearts and so deserving of love that it was a real treat, watching them find it right before their eyes!

As the second book in the series, I really enjoyed seeing the characters who met in the first book, especially Selena and Peter and of course Peter’s half siblings!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Mhairi Morrison and found her style of speech to be halting, which did not sound very natural.

Alexandra Vasti has a fun way of bringing her characters together and unique circumstances. It really makes her book stand apart!