I loved this next addition to the About an Earl series. I find it refreshing to find a hero that wants to fall in love. Roderick, Earl of Kirkwood is looking for that instant spark with a young lady and wants the love he saw in his parents. Clarissa Lockhart is all about propriety and is doing everything she can to be perfect in her parents’ eyes. I really loved seeing Clarissa slowly let go of the rules and let loose a bit more. Her parents are complete leeches and she is better off without their poking and prodding but she feels she has a duty to them. Kirkwood is also letting go love at first sight feeling and slowly falls for our heroine. The care and support of each other is really lovely to see. I also love a good accidental compromising get together. The support from previous characters is also important for hero and heroine. I was hoping the next book would be about George but maybe later on in the series. Can’t wait for Jane’s book!

*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

The wink! That gets me every single time. It is so personal and just for that special person. This is a different read from Jess and I really enjoyed it. Reading about how I am sure most women of the era were taught to act and what parents did to push them along. This slow burn romance shows us the patience of Roderick and the slowly coming to terms of Clarissa’s passion. Lightning strikes at the oddest times, just as Roderick.

I love the thoughts these characters have regarding love and marriage. Roderick, Earl of Kirkwood, believes that love will strike him like lightening and he’ll have that “love at first sight” moment. He’ll know instantly that the woman he sees is his true love. Whereas Clarissa doesn’t care about love and sees marriage more as her duty and wants security for herself and her family. She believes she must behave as etiquette demands to find her perfect savior (suitor).

When Clarissa and Roderick meet it’s an enemies to lovers story. They first fight but over time begin to see each other in a new light and begin a friendship. Of course all good things must come to an end and they’re discovered in a compromising position and are forced by Clarissa’s parents to marry.

Passion is of course present in their relationship but neither trust each other and there isn’t hope that their friendship can turn into anything more. Roderick has to come to terms with the fact that Clarissa isn’t what he expected for his love at first sight woman and Clarissa has to come to terms with her rigid expectations of a society marriage to open her heart to love.

This story was definitely a slow burn, but well worth the read. I feel that the story is well developed over time and by the time you get to the ending you have a perfect concept of who each character is and the story comes together. 8/10 recommend!

Good book from Michael’s! I enjoyed seeing a MMC who wasn’t opposed to marriage and wanted to find love. The FMC was incredibly relatable in that she found herself constantly trying (and struggling) to live up to an impossible standard set by her parents and society. The pacing was believable although I found the resolution with her parents a bit unsatisfying (although probably an accurate depiction)

Miss Clarissa Lockhart's parents arrange a house party to find her a suitor and improve the family's fortunes. Roderick Stratford, Earl of Kirkwood, arrives uninvited with Clarissa's cousin, breaking her closely held strictures of proper conduct. While neither considers each other for marriage, her grasping parents are eager to force a match.

This is the third book in the About An Earl series. The story can be read alone but the previous couples appear and lend their friendship.

Clarissa knows her destiny in life is to make a prosperous marriage, not fall in love. Roderick has different opinions, though. After witnessing his parents love for one another and hearing about their love at first sight courtship, he believes love will strike like lightning. While starchy Clarissa doesn't provoke that reaction, he does like her and yet is befuddled by her obsession in proper behavior.

This was a very easy read and I finished the book in a day. This is a slower burn, however, and I was missing some of Michaels' usual steam. Clarissa was a bit difficult to connect with, but that was by design. I liked how the plot with her parents came together at the end and I appreciate that the second half wasn't consumed with endless secret-keeping.

Tropes: House Party/Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Compromised

Steam: 2

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.