Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a thrilling regency romance filled with mystery, comedy, and spice! This is the second book of the interconnected series that can be read separately (but I believe reading the first will give some fun context).

These two are so adorable with how awkward they are 😆 I knew I would love them by their first meeting! I also love the real historical context woven into the book. Alexandra is an incredible author, and if you haven't followed her on social media, I highly recommend it! Thank you for introducing me to the best of this genre that you so clearly love!

We're starting off the new year with a bang! (no seriously, though)

I'm writing this immediately after finishing the book... and I have absolutely no words right now. Books very rarely leave me speechless but this one - the prose, the plot, the pining - was stunning! It deserves an infinite number of stars. Alexandra Vasti's books are becoming some of my favorites. If you love historical fiction/Bridgerton, or if you want to give historical romance a try, then these are an amazing place to start! You will not regret picking this one up.

Synopsis: Lydia Hope-Wallace, a London wall-flower, has been in correspondance with an earl from Scotland struggling with finances. She decides to journey to his estate and propose marriage. But upon arrival she discovers that Arthur, the Earl of Strathrannoch, has no idea who she is! Now forced within proximity, Lydia and Arthur work together to find answers to their questions and fight the undeniable attraction between them.

Again, I'm just absolutely speechless after reading this one. The plot is fast-paced and grabs your attention immediately. I simultaneously read the book and listened to audiobook and I felt completely absorbed into the story. I gasped, and swooned, and cried right along with the characters. And speaking of crying, the ending was the absolute cutest thing I've ever read in my life. The letters!!!? I sobbed like a baby. The mutual pining, the spice, the declarations of love, the humor. All of it was perfect.

Lydia was the perfect mfc for quiet anxious girlies, and she reminds us all that we are strong and brave and smart enough. Arthur was the perfect mmc because he is patient with Lydia, and he see the parts of her that no one else does. His internal dialogue sent me into orbit! We LOVE a man obsessed. I don't think I've ever highlighted so many quotes in my LIFE. Their love was so sweet and pure. I adore them.

Tropes -
- pretend marriage (not quite a marriage of convenience, more like fake dating)
- mutual pining
- forced proximity
- spicy!!!

thank you st. martin's press for the arc + alc!!

Alexandra Vasti has been consistently pleasing me with her historical romances. I appreciate the wit of the FMC and the MMC's stoic personality but strong character. I happily received both an ARC and ALC from Netgalley and love any good Scottish brogue. Props to the narrators.
The storyline was interesting, including their attempts to solve the mystery of the location and intent of MMC's brother, while aligning with some actual historical events. The plot wasn't so outrageous to cause me to roll my eyes while not being too obvious as to the resolution.

This book is perfect. I thought so when I read the e-book and I couldn’t be more in love with it after listening to the audiobook. Such an incredible performance, exactly what I pictured as I read. Love it it so much. Can’t wait to hold this book in my hands and make everyone I know read it.

Thank you for the early access 🤍

This book had such a great beginning and just continued to entertain the whole way through. I loved the mystery involved in the story and the way it was intertwined with the romance. It was fun revisiting characters from the first novel and I can't wait for the next installment in the series. I also really enjoy the STEM aspect of the female characters in these books and appreciate their courage. The audiobook is narrated beautifully and is a fantastic way to enjoy these novels.

I loved this one so much! Alexandra Vasti truly has a gift and her incredible writing really shines in <b>Earl Crush</b>. This story had action, adventure, and a romance that couldn't have been swoonier. It started with a mistaken identity meet disaster, which then set the stage for two of my very favorite tropes - forced proximity and fake dating/marriage.

I adored Arthur and Lydia. The pining on both sides could have filled a forest! Seeing their relationship shift from strangers to adorkable friends and then to more was so satisfying. They truly saw and loved the other exactly as they were, and though they had trouble expressing their feelings, they showed that love in their actions over and over again. The slow burn build up was so well done and all their fumbling and awkwardness only made me love them more. Yes, they make some (incorrect) assumptions and poor decisions along the way, but it was understandable given their histories and struggles with feelings of inadequacy. I really enjoyed how all the pieces and characters came together in the end when all was revealed. This was such a well-crafted story, and the epilogue couldn't have been more perfect. My heart was so full when I finished, and this is definitely a new favorite for me. I can't wait for Georgiana's book next!

Edited 12/30/24:
I jumped at the chance to reread this one via audiobook and it is even swoonier the second time around! Mhairi Morrison is so talented and I loved hearing her Scottish accent. Her performance made me fall in love with Arthur and Lydia all over again. Earl Crush is truly a book not to be missed!

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 5 stars

CW: espionage, guns, threats to safety, abusive and manipulative parent (past), financial concerns

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

This was a fun story, with plenty of twists and adventure (and spice). The narration was wonderful. It did feel to drag a bit at times, but overall was a very entertaining read.

📖 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒍 𝑪𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂 𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊
🎧 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑴𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴.“

Alexandra Vasti has once again delivered a fantastic historical romance full of banter, steam and mystery! Her characters are each so unique but still so easily relatable. The audiobook was PHENOMENAL. 𝑴𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 does such a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. I am obsessed with her narration. Everytime she said zebra I freaking CACKLED. 🤭😂

Our wallflower FMC, Lydia Hope-Wallace goes in search of her long time penpal, the Earl of Strathrannoch, Arthur Baird. Lydia is hoping to convince him into a marriage of convenience. Lydia writes political pamphlets that very few people know she is the author of. She is tired of living in the protection of her older brothers. She dreams of being in a relationship where her partner appreciates how strong she is underneath her wallflower persona.

Unfortunately, when she finally meets Author, he has no idea who she is! This strangers to lovers story had me kicking my feet. Author was a great MMC! His Scottish accent was the stuff of dreams are made of! ❤️‍🔥 He tried to deny his budding feelings for Lydia but it was literally undeniable.

Lydia and Author’s adventure was so fun! Slowly but surely they peeled away the layers to the mysterious Davis Baird.

Let me just say, Alexandra Vasti understood the assignment and DELIVERED on the spice! Author was INSATIABLE.

“𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺. “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

The ending of this book left me FERAL for Jasper’s book!

I need all my historical romance lovers to go add 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒍 𝑪𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂 𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊, your to TBR today! I highly recommend consuming this story via the audiobook!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🕰️ 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
✨ 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
🧭 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴
🖋️ 𝘙𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘔𝘊
🔭 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩/𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘔𝘊
💞 𝘔𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
😂 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧
👀 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺
❤️‍🔥 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘤𝘺
🦓 𝘡𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘴
🤭 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨

Thank you St Martins and Dreamscape for the early copies.

I’m not a huge historical romance fan, but I’ve heard great things about this series and decided to give it a try. While I thought the first book was just okay, I really enjoyed this one! It offers much more than just romance, which I think is the key for me to truly enjoy these kinds of stories. The non-romance plot weaves in elements of mystery, espionage, and political rivalry, making it compelling and enjoyable in its own right. The romance feels like an added bonus rather than the sole focus, and I loved that balance. If you’re looking for a fun historical romp, definitely give this one a try!

I absolutely adore the narrator for this series! Her accent perfectly captures the Regency era—or at least how I imagine it should sound—and she truly brings the story to life.

3.63/5, rounded to 4

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is an absolute delight—a Regency rom-com that balances wit, intrigue, and heartfelt emotion with masterful ease. Lydia Hope-Wallace, a spirited and secretly seditious heiress, is a protagonist who leaps off the page with her audacity and sharp intellect. Her decision to propose a marriage of convenience to the brooding Earl of Strathrannoch is bold and wildly entertaining.
Arthur Baird, the reluctant and reclusive earl, is the perfect foil for Lydia. Their chemistry crackles from the start, with every interaction layered with humour, tension, and an irresistible pull. Arthur's gruff demeanour softens in the most endearing ways as Lydia pushes her way into his life and heart.
The espionage subplot adds a thrilling layer to the romance, blending danger and intrigue seamlessly into the narrative. Vasti's skillful pacing keeps the stakes high, ensuring that each twist and turn feels surprising and satisfying.
Mhairi Morrison's narration elevates the story even further. Her nuanced performance captures Lydia's wit and determination and Arthur's brooding charm with remarkable depth. Each character's voice feels distinct and perfectly suited to their personality, immersing the listening experience.
With its clever dialogue, richly drawn characters, and a love story that sizzles and soars, Earl Crush is a gem that I'll happily revisit. Alexandra Vasti has once again delivered a romance that captivates from start to finish.

How do I love Alexandra Vasti? Let me count the ways. A reclusive earl. A seditious pamphlet-writing lady. A menagerie of zebras. A marriage proposal. A missing rifle scope. A fake marriage. Espionage. An assassination attempt. Did I mention zebras?

Earl Crush is an absolutely delightful regency romance. The characters--Arthur, the reclusive Earl of Strathrannoch, and the wallflower pamphleteer Lydia Hope-Wallace--are perfect for each other, even though there's originally some confusion due to the fact that Arthur's brother had been writing to Lydia for YEARS *as* the earl. The anticipation of their wedding vows, if you know what I mean, is steam par excellence.

The narrator of the audiobook, Mhairi Morrison, delivers an outstanding performance. I simultaneously wanted to listen to it nonstop and also drag it out because I didn't want it to end. In addition to the swoon-worthy romance, there's a healthy dose of suspense and intrigue as Arthur and Lydia race to find his brother and the missing rifle scope.

The only question I have now is what will I read while I wait for Alexandra's next book? *quietly sobs*

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the my ALC.

Alexandra Vasti and Mhairi Morrison are the perfect histrom duo! I've listened to all of their audiobooks for the novellas and novels and this one is probably my favorite yet! Mhairi Morrison perfectly captures the magic of a story that can go from whip smart, sexy banter to action-packed chase scenes to emotional intimacy - genius!! Can't wait to listen to what these two create next!!

I was absolutely charmed by this book. The characters were so well developed and easy to root for (including the side characters). The relationship between the two main characters was so sweet. They go from strangers to sort of reluctant friends to being fake married to being actually in love. But make no mistake, there was some serious pining from the start. Arthur was down bad for Lydia (we love to see it). Lydia was also very socially anxious and I loved how Arthur helped her with that.
The theft/espionage subplot was also well done and I liked how everything tied together and how all the trouble the main characters got into helped bring it together.
This was such a fun historical romcom that I could not put down and had me giggling the whole time I was reading

The audio for this book was really well done. The narrator was easy to understand and I loved the accents she did for each character and all the emotion she put into the story. This was a really enjoyable book to listen to!
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

What a delight this was. Vasti's storylines feel fresh and non-predictable in a genre that (and not to complain about or dump on the familiar shape that a romance novel takes, but still) can sometimes feel well-worn. It was lovely to (briefly) see the characters from the previous book in the series, although I'd say it wasn't necessary to have read Ne'er Duke Well to read this book.

This one sees the socially anxious heiress Lydia Hope-Wallace, still single after seven seasons, decide that she will propose a marriage of convenience to the Earl of Strathrannoch, whom she believes she has had years of correspondence with, in her secret life as a seditious pamphleteer. Except that when she gets there, he has no idea who she is.

It's such a good premise.

There's a ridiculous regency-era menagerie that includes a herd of giraffes (the upper classes sure put the eccentric into eccentricity), found family, actual family who are up to their own shenanigans, a Plot, and the hero and heroine are just great together. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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!

Mhairi Morrison is a phenomenal narrator and when paired with Alexandra Vasti it is a match made in historical romance heaven. Morrison brings Vasti’s words to life!

The second installment in the Belvoir’s Library series is fantastic!! Alexandra Vasti takes her sophomore novel to new heights with laugh out loud humor, authentic character growth and an absolutely dreamy romance! Lydia and Arthur are incredible main characters with excellent banter and chemistry. It’s a joy to fall in love with them! This Scottish road-trip with forced proximity, found family, slow burn, and epistolary elements is a delight for new and experienced historical romance readers. I cannot wait to see what Vasti writes next. She’s a voice to watch!

Thank you Dreamscape Media for my gifted copy. 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!

I just listened to the audiobook (I previously read the eARC in October) and it is SO GOOD! I still adore Lydia and Arthur and this book is already one of my favorites of 2025. Mhairi Morrison does a marvelous job narrating the story. You can’t go wrong with whichever version you choose!

This story was an absolutely zany adventure. The plot involves a roadtrip with many wild mishaps but all the humor is grounded in heartfelt character dynamics so the book never felt unbalanced. As always I adored how sex-positive her stories are and how well drawn her characters are. I fell hard for Lydia and Arthur. They both desperately want to be seen and appreciated for who they are and it was absolutely adorable watching them realize what a good team they make. Like all Vasti heroes, Arthur falls hard for Lydia and it was really sweet to see them both find people that will give them the unswerving admiration and support that they've been yearning for. Lydia charmed me just as much as Arthur did. I loved that she had social anxiety but was still bold in following her convictions. I loved that a heroine was allowed to be fierce while also having anxiety. I appreciated that strength could look different and still be respected. I also loved that Vasti used real wild historical facts when planning their misadventures. If you're looking for something light and fun that will have you swooning this is a great choice!

Mhairi Morrison has done it again! She is the perfect narrator for a story this hilarious. Alexandra Vasti is an expert at blending heart and humor and Mhairi Morrison is an expert at making sure both sides of the story are brought out in the narration. I want to read every book she's every narrated because she adds so much to every story she lends her talents too.

In Alexandra Vasti’s newest Regency rom-com, a reclusive earl’s life is turned upside down when
heiress Lydia Hope-Wallace shows up on his doorstep to offer her hand in marriage to save his crumbling estate. Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch has no clue who this woman is. She claims they have been corresponding for three years. Arthur figures out his brother has been catfishing Lydia and has now stolen an important invention of his so the two set off to find Arthur's brother. There is a bunch of British espionage stuff that honestly is just there to force Lydia and Arthur to spend time with each other. The chemistry between these two is fantastic. The dialogue is witty. The narrator is fantastic. I'll be checking out Vasti's other work soon and keeping an eye out for future titles. There is some side story of Lydia having social anxiety and Arthur having some self-esteem issues. As much as I love the enemies to lovers trope, I really enjoy characters that aren't perfect but who are "green flag" relationships for each other.