A pursuit is underway… From the hallowed halls of London’s Almack’s to the unkempt taverns of Drury Lane, from whispered words in glittering theatres to seductive kisses at Vauxhall Gardens – an earl must pursue his lady.
Propriety be damned. Anything is allowed. But for success, the Earl of Kelmarsh may have to enact the Rules of the Rogue…
A resolute lady. Miss Sophie Beckford escaped to Ireland after her almost betrothed broke her heart. Now a year later, she’s back in London – stronger, better attired, armed with her cousin and determined not to fall for the blackguard’s wiles again.
A desperate gentleman. What’s an earl to do when his almost betrothed refuses to speak to him, hear him out or even look at him after a misunderstanding of gargantuan proportions?
With dubious assistance from a roguish marquess, a strait-laced duke, and even the occasional poet and famous actor throwing in their sixpence, the earl will try any ruse, any rule in the book to recapture Sophie’s heart.
Emily grew up in the north of England on a diet of historical romance and strong tea.
Unfortunately, you couldn’t study Regency slang, so she did the next best thing and gained a degree in Classics and History instead. This ‘led’ to an eight-year stint in engineering.
Having left city life, she now lives in a dilapidated farmhouse where her days are spent writing, fixing the leaky roof, battling the endless vegetation and finding pictures of well-tied cravats.
For details of new releases or to get in touch, find Emily on:
This book had a promising start. It had romantic sentiment, courtship, humor, likable characters, including Sophie’s parents (special shoutout to mama), and a too brief nod to The Scarlet Pimpernel.
You can hear the but coming, can’t you?
There was something about the writing. Actions weren’t crisply described, especially in the third act drama. The author also fell prey to quirky descriptions often relying on food: coffee hair, deep chocolate hair, cinnamon eyes, nutmeg eyes, and the one I’ll never forget as much as I might try—spinach eyes. I read every word of the story, but was no longer in the story.
Then, there was the final chapter. It felt like a form of fan service hocus pocus to ring down the final curtain. Unsure if I’ll continue.
This one was a pleasant surprise. It was an easy read with plenty of cheese and fluff. The funny chapter titles were a bonus. If you're a stickler for historical accuracy and are picky about societal norms, behaviour, and dialogue, this isn't for you. The historical aspect is very thin and the language is mostly modern with a random phrase or term thrown in there to keep the historical facade going. If you're open to reading an engagingly told HR, check this out. While the story itself wasn't anything particularly original, the MCs completely sold this one. The H was a study of a sweet and loyal H who made his blunders but then more than made up for them. The whole "I can't tell you the truth and correct your misunderstanding about what you heard" angst was a bit annoying, but his persistence and groveling overcame that.
I appreciated the h who wasn't a doormat. Seriously, I'm so done with stories that feature women who are just puddles of hormonal goo whenever the H smiles he way. Or looks at her. Or is in the same room. Or is mean to her. Er... You can tell this author likes strong women. The h's cousin was a little bit too sharp tongued and shrewish for my liking, but the h was an even handed portrayal of a strong woman. She knew her self worth and was kind, loyal, and didn't need to mouth off in an effort to make sure others knew how great she was.
Aside from the wonderful MCs, this was a safe read. Safety
My first Emily Windsor book and certainly not my last. After a misunderstanding Sophie Beckford calls off her engagement to the Earl of Kelmarsh. After fleeing from heartbreak she is back in London and ready get on with her life but Bram is not willing to let go of the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Bram makes its his mission to win Sophie back and make her see that things are not always what they seem.
My heart broke for Sophie in that first chapter I loved her determination and shiny spine when she reentered society. The side characters were well written and Aideen (can't wait to read her book) had me cracking up the whole book. The ending was a bit much and that's the only reason it wasn't a 5 star.
This story had a h who loved the hr and would do anything to get her back and a very sensible hr who (thank God) wasn't over emotionally. What's not to love, right? For some reason, I couldn't connect with the characters. The story was fast pace and well written, but something was missing for me.
Sweet sweet sweet!! And Aww-so-adorable too! If you are in mood for a regency rom-com, look no further! I bet no one make it more fluffy, more endearing, more delightful and just plain rib-tickling funny (and punny) than this! Low on substance maybe but not on charm! No review! Just a lot exclamation marks!!!
It kind of dragged around the 75% mark but I still enjoyed the story. The prologue slayed me and I wasn't sure I would go on but I muddled through and knew there had to be a reason. Loved the h . She was strong and wouldn't be cuckholded by the H. But he was son in love with her. You just felt it and I liked that. Those three men together were just too much. I loved how Jack kept getting the Dukes name wrong and all their silly antics. Can't wait for next book.
A delightful romp Bram the Wolf and Sophie the ... sheep? Fortunately, she's no sheep.
The story starts with the backstory of how Bram screwed up their almost engagement. It's a misunderstanding, but one he can't correct and there's nothing he can do about it because she has left England. SO 10 months later the story begins with Sophie newly returned to England and determined, with her cousin Aileen, to get on with her Bramless life.
Bram is still besotted with her and his two friends and co-workers are determined to help him with bad advice. The book threatens to turn into an awkward fiasco a few times but thankfully never goes so far. Instead it was entertaining without being at the expense of any of the main characters. There is a villain, a secret and a love unrequited. The first 30% was a little painful as Sophie has Bram thoroughly in the doghouse, but then she starts to wonder about whether there is more to the misunderstanding and more to Bram than she had thought.
In any case, their separation did her a world of good as she is now much more self possessed and therefore even more alluring to Bram. I am not sure about historical accuracy. It wasn't precisely modern, but somehow it was a bit. Yet the author had obviously done quite a bit of research into the times. I also quite enjoyed her use of colourful vernacular from the times. I love a person who can swear with imagination!
A nice change in that the hero pursues the heroine. It's a second-chance romance with some espionage. I thought it was funny how his friend Jack's advice to win her back seemed to fail each time. I felt that the story could have ended sooner.
The heroine's cousin has feelings for the hero's other friend, a duke. Their romance is the next installment, which I read before this book. It's an opposites-attract romance.
Blurb: A pursuit is underway… From the hallowed halls of London’s Almack’s to the unkempt taverns of Drury Lane, from whispered words in glittering theatres to seductive kisses at Vauxhall Gardens – an earl must pursue his lady.
Propriety be damned. Anything is allowed. But for success, the Earl of Kelmarsh may have to enact the Rules of the Rogue…
A resolute lady. Miss Sophie Beckford escaped to Ireland after her almost betrothed broke her heart. Now a year later, she’s back in London – stronger, better attired, armed with her cousin and determined not to fall for the blackguard’s wiles again.
A desperate gentleman. What’s an earl to do when his almost betrothed refuses to speak to him, hear him out or even look at him after a misunderstanding of gargantuan proportions?
With dubious assistance from a roguish marquess, a strait-laced duke, and even the occasional poet and famous actor throwing in their sixpence, the earl will try any ruse, any rule in the book to recapture Sophie’s heart.
Miss Sophie Beckford overhears what she thinks is a liaison with her betroth Abraham/Bram, Earl of Kelmarsh and a French women Celeste. She is so hurt she leaves her betrothal ring so Bram can see it when he leave the room with Celeste. What Sophie doesn't know is it's all a ruse. Bram is a spy for the Crown and Celeste is a double agent.
I loved Bram. For 10 long months he sends Sophie a special gift on the same day of the month he asked her to marry him. The gifts are so lovely and this is just so romantic. But he can't tell her what was really going on when she overheard the conversation with Celeste. When Sophie returns to London from Ireland Bram ramps up his campaign to Marry her.
This was a well thought out story and great characters. I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
Sophie is smitten with Bram, however on the evening of their engagement she overhears Bram talking intimately to another woman. What she hears is bad. He basically makes it sound as though Sophie is nothing more than a convenient future wife and that his interest in her is tied to producing an heir, with her wide hips😭
Celeste degrades Sophie and Bram doesn’t stand up for her. This is for a reason, but Sophie doesn’t know this yet. Sophie is understandably hurt, and leaves England for Ireland with her family immediately without further conversation. I felt robbed of a confrontation between them, because he couldn’t have been honest with her about it, and I would have been more invested to see him try. It was over too fast.
The next thing we know, it is 10 months later and she returns to London. We as readers aren’t really invited fully in to emotional world of Sophie.
Of course, there is more to the conversation than Sophie knows. Bram is secretly a spy, Celeste is connected to his work, and his words are a part of the elaborate web of secrets surrounding him.
But here’s my problem: Sophie doesn’t overhear something ambiguous. She overhears exactly the kind of conversation that would make any woman walk away. And because Bram can’t immediately tell her the truth, the entire romance becomes a long exercise in trying to undo the damage. I actually adored Bram and his heavy pursuit of getting Sophie back, but all the drama happened the first 4 chapters, everything then became an introduction to other characters. I got really bored.
This had a lot going for it, but the entire romance was just too shallow for my liking. It started out dramatic, but it was ever so fast diluted by new characters and explanations of why we were where we were, and it didn’t really drive the plot forward.
I did like Sophie, especially once she left and came back with considerably more confidence.
The spy storyline was drawn out and used over and over to explain why he couldn’t just tell Sophie the truth about what she overheard 😭
I never completely bought the emotional foundation of their relationship because so much of the conflict depended on information being withheld for plot purposes.
Should you read it? Nah, it’s well written but not a lot really happens. The romance arch is a little tiny whimper. It started out really well.
I read this series out of order and I wish I hadn't....because this book increases the charm of the characters in the book with Alex (the duke) and Aideen (the Irish beauty). I enjoyed this book as well....especially the scenes where the women give the men a taste of their own medicine....hahahahah. It is a really well written romance and I am sure Ms. Windsor will soon join the ranks of my favorite HR writers like Balogh and Hoyt. My only problem with her books are the extremely lengthy love scenes.....it just gets too verbose and then instead of enjoying it I end up skimming it. I am so going to reread the book with Aideen and the Duke because I absolutely love her and her paragraph long curses lol.
HR Letter vs Sci-Fi Letter Fun Read For my own entertainment (because I never know what to choose from my TBR) I've chosen a book starting with the same letter from two genres: Historical Romance and Sci-Fi Romance.
This the HR for the letter E 3.5 stars rounded down to 3 ★★★☆☆
I sooo wanted to like this more than I did. I laughed so many times and I don't know how accurate they are and I really don't care, but Aideen's curses will be added to my repertoire. Every single one made me laugh.
It took me forever to finish this book and I can't even recall the plot a day or so later. Dull characters and much ado about nothingness. The hero is a secret agent for the Crown whose disguise is somnolence. Well it must have been infectious as the book effectively put me to sleep within a few paragraphs each time I picked it up. Emily Windsor is so much more capable than what this mediocre book reflects.
Regency. Where was the love? I skimmed ahead to finish this.
I was underwhelmed by "Bram" (an earl) & Sophie. She became whiney about: who was the real Bram? Why did he rely on personas? Why would he retire from the spy game? For her? Sophie was too self- absorbed. His friends sparked an interest but would I read 'their' stories?
So.Much.Fun. The prose is bright and lively, clever and irreverent, and the characters are too. This universe, these characters, are swiftly sketched, but with enough detail to ground and engage the reader. I truly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to continue the series.
I have read Windsor’s books before. This one seemed familiar and I later realized it was because I read one from later in the series so I knew of these characters already. It was nice to read their story and see how their second-chance romance came about. It’s a fun and entertaining read for a weekend.
ADULT Alpha Male 🐺🍆⛲Regency Romance 💕 and Adventure.
Bram, the Earl of Kelmarsh is a man in the employ of the 👑Crown, a spy. But he has set his sights on Sophie, his almost betrothed , and the woman he caused to have a broken heart💔.
Honestly this book gave me some bangiexty (not that clean romances are bad but I just feel like you shouldn’t be talking about love making if you aren’t going to follow through) but there was nice follow through at the end.
I believed in the love this couple shared, and the h's reactions were understandable and I really liked the ending, and how the h explained what she knew about men and women. It was very cute, and the H was charmed. I liked it, a sweet read.
The ending was a tad dramatic but I liked the romance and absolutely loved the banter between the hero and his friends. Can't wait to read their books!
An Earl in Wolf’s Clothing miiighhhtt just have pulled me out of my yearly summer reading slump! It was surprisingly funny, had a fantastic misfit male ‘friend group’, and the hero chased the fmc relentlessly. What more could I ask for?
“She makes me complete and without her I feel…lost.” A frown crumpled Asher’s brow. “And that’s good? To find someone you cannot live without?” “Personally, it is all I have ever dreamed of.”
Sophie Beckford has had six seasons to become totally disillusioned with society, and to just about give up hope of finding a match. When she meets Abraham "Bram" Walcott, the Earl of Kenmarsh, she is thrilled to finally have found a man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. They have a whirlwind courtship, and tonight's the night they'll announce their engagement. Sophie searches for Bram at the ball, and she finds him, alone in a room with another woman. From the conversation, it's clear that the woman and Bram have a past, and she wants to pick up where they left off. When Sophie hears Bram state that he's only marrying her to get an heir, she's heard enough. She leaves her engagement ring where Bram is sure to see it as he exits the room, leaves the ball, and refuses any contact with Bram. Shortly thereafter, she and her family depart for an extended visit to relatives in Ireland.
Little does Sophie know, but Bram is an agent for the crown, and the woman he was meeting was another agent, one who wouldn't hesitate to sink her claws into him while causing trouble for Sophie. Bram's disparaging remarks were solely meant to not let the agent know how much Sophie means to him. In fact, Bram comes from a family who has long served as spies for the crown, though it's not something he enjoys. When he met and fell in love with Sophie, he began the process of untangling his life from the spy community. However, he still has assignments to complete, and he does not have permission to tell Sophie the truth about himself.
Bram is a true romantic at heart, and I fell in love with the man who was forced into being something he's not by his family. All the dreams he shared with Sophie about their future life in the country were true. He never gives up hope, sending her letters (which she doesn't open) and gifts. Finally, after ten months, Sophie and her family return, but she seems like a different woman. She has poise, dresses differently, and seems to enjoy the society that made her feel so awkward before. Still, Bram loves her, and will do whatever it takes to win her back.
I am always thrilled when a new (or new-to-me) author makes me sit up and take notice, and Emily Windsor did this, big time! There is so much to love about AN EARL IN WOLF'S CLOTHING - aside from a wonderful romance with characters I loved, there is subtle humor, witty conversation, and a relationship between the three spies that is just brilliantly written. There are moments that are poignant and sad, interspersed with fun and levity. I am in totally in love with this book that held me captive from beginning to end, and had me sniffling, smiling, then sighing.
When I first read the blurb for this book, I thought that this was going to be a typical lovers separated by a misunderstanding story, and to a certain extent it was, but it was also so much more!
The opens with Sophie Beckford searching for her betrothed, Bram, the Earl of Kelmarsh. They are to supposed to be in the ballroom announcing their betrothal but he has gone missing and when Sophie finally locates him - he is with another woman! Sophie overhears their conversation and is heartbroken, she rips off her betrothal ring and leaves the ball without speaking to him. Days later, her family leaves for Ireland with Bram in hot pursuit.
Bram just misses the boat taking them to Ireland and for reasons unknown to the reader, he is not able to follow her. He has secrets that he cannot share with Sophie, he is a spy for the crown and the meeting she overheard was not what it seemed, but sworn to secrecy and unable to explain, it appears that he will lose his lady love, but he is not willing to give her up without a fight - he is unable to go to Ireland, but he writes to her and sends gifts, hoping to win her back. Now almost a year later, she is back in London, but she is not the Sophie that he remembers.
Armed with a new wardrobe and her feisty Irish cousin, Sophie is back and determined to forget Bram and his betrayal. She makes her intentions painfully clear to Bram when he corners her at Almack's and tries to explain the misunderstanding without revealing his secrets.
With the "help" of his fellow agents, Bram sets out to complete a final mission for the crown, retire and win back his lady. Ah, the best laid plans.........
This story is both amusing and heartfelt. I loved that Sophie didn't immediately forgive Bram, she made him work for her forgiveness. And I loved that Bram never gave up, he knew he hurt her (unintentionally) and owned it, while I wouldn't say he groveled, he did work hard for her forgiveness. The book has both amusing and tense moments, a great cast of secondary characters, secrets, revelations, kidnapping, some warmish love scenes and finally a very hard earned HEA.
I had not read any of Ms. Windsor's previous books, but after reading this book I am definitely going to be checking out her backlist while I wait for the next book in this series!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an copy that was provided to me by the author - all opinions in this review are my own*