The Earl's Cinderella Countess

by Amanda McCabe

Enjoy this friends-to-lovers romance set in Regency Bath

The one match

She doesn’t want to make…

The Earl of Fleetwood was Eleanor St. Aubin’s first love, but being a mere vicar’s daughter held her back from admitting her feelings. Now she's a successful matchmaker, and the prospect of finding Frederick the wealthy wife he needs to settle his inherited debts is a nightmare come true! But returning from war, Frederick’s facing nightmares of his own. Eleanor feels compelled to help him, but could she ever be his Cinderella countess?

From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.

Matchmakers of Bath

Book 1: The Earl's Cinderella Countess

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published March 26, 2024

About the author

aka Laurel McKee (Amanda Carmack)

Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)

She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Oklahoma with a menagerie of two cats, a Pug, and a very bossy miniature Poodle, along with far too many books.

When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this the best historical romance friends-to-lovers I’ve read in a long time? I think it is. This is a trope I don’t typically enjoy because the obstacles keeping the friends apart don’t usually feel real enough, but here we have a childhood best friends-to-lovers where the stakes feel insurmountable.

Eleanor St. Aubin has been in love with her childhood best friend, Frederick, for as long as she can remember. He was the second son of the local earl; she, the clergyman’s eldest daughter. When he went off to the army, it broke her heart. But Eleanor is a practical woman who pulled herself together and has built a good life for herself and her sister, running a matchmaking agency in Bath with their friend. It’s been many years since she last saw Frederick, and much has changed. He survived Waterloo, only to return home and find his father and older brother dead and the estate bankrupt. Now he is the Earl of Fleetwood, and the only way forward to save his estate is to marry an heiress. His father’s widow suggests engaging the services of a matchmaking agency. The trouble is, this agency is run by the woman he’s been in love with for most of his life: Eleanor St. Aubin.

This book was so good. It’s multi-POV, with more than just our two main characters narrating. We have a great secondary love story, the world of Regency Bath is rich, and to top it all off, our male lead is a scarred Napoleonic War hero. What more could I ask for?

What this book did so well was give us a clear reason why these friends cannot become lovers. Frederick is broke. His estate is crumbling, his father and brother blew all their money, and he has no recourse other than marriage to an heiress. He’s not happy about it, but that’s reality. Eleanor has no dowry—she was the daughter of a clergyman—and works for a living. Even if her business does well, it will never make the kind of money Fred needs for the estate. There is no version of their current reality where they can be together. The barriers honestly felt insurmountable up until the very end. Truly great conflict writing.

The secondary love story in this novel is lovely. Fred’s father’s widow isn’t much older than him but has been widowed twice in her young life. She’s never had a chance to marry someone she actually chose, and watching her get an HEA was lovely.

Overall, this was an absolute delight. I generally like Amanda McCabe, but this one was exceptional. 5 stars.

[Anabella Shay Xo(RomanceBookWormXoXo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a second chance romance. The heroine is a matchmaker and must find her old flame a match. It leads to a romance between the two characters.

[Harlequin Books]

Historical Fiction, Sagas, Regency Romance
Miniseries
Matchmakers of Bath (Book #1)

[Krys · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one started off strong, two young people (one with a schoolgirl crush and the other heading off to war) saying good-bye to one another after a long-standing friendship. Only to come unexpectedly face to face years later when their circumstances are now quite different than they once were.

However, this one just didn't work for me for a lot of reasons. Now, full disclaimer, I did read an advanced reader copy of this one, so there may have been more editing done to fix the issues that I found, but I can only give an honest review on the copy that I read.

And my honest opinion is that this one needed a lot more work to really bring it together.

To begin with there were several instances where things just suddenly changed, or people showed up that didn't make sense. There are two instances that really stick out in my mind. The first being when Eleanor was walking her dog in the park when her sister shows up "hurrying along the pier in the shade of her lacy parasol." Mary then makes a comment about the weather, but suddenly the pair are no longer outdoors at all, but suddenly stepping "from their door into the sunny morning." It made no sense. The second one was when Miss Muffins (the dog), ended up falling into the river. At first it is said that Eleanor suddenly became aware of Fred's presence at her side before he jumps in to save her dog, but then a few pages later she is thinking about how fast things changed starting off with "one moment she was chatting with Fred and Mary". Again, it would seem as though the author forgot just what was going on within her own story.

I could also go into detail about how the slow pacing seemed to drag this one down, but I'm not even sure if it was that, or if it was the constant repetitiveness of these characters. They love each other, but he needs to marry and heiress and she cannot marry him knowing she isn't one. I guess it's a tried and true formula with these types of novels for a reason, but man it just got tedious in this one.

Maybe it would have been better had there been something else thrown in, perhaps in an attempt to rid herself of her feelings for Fred, Eleanor agreed to marry the man who made advances towards her. Or perhaps Fred could have began courting Miss Evans at the suggestion of the agency. Something that wasn't just these two constantly kissing and thinking about their feelings and how it could never be (or in the case of Eleanor, crying and/or running off before she started to cry).

I'm glad these two (as well as two other characters) managed to achieve their happily-ever-after although it was a bit too drawn out for my tastes. All things considered, I don't think I will continue on with this series, although I may give this author another chance down the road.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Years ago Eleanor “Ella” St. Aubin fell head over heels in love with the boy next door, Fredrick “Fred” Canning, the younger son of the Earl of Fleetwood. They were the best of friends, despite Fred being five years older, but all that changed when her mother died and Fred leaves to join the army. The two lose touch, but Ella never forgot him, even followed gossip about him in the papers. When her father passes, she and her sister Mary relocate to Bath and join forces with an old school friend, Henrietta, the widowed Lady Briggs, starting a matchmaking agency; The St. Aubin and Briggs Confidential Agency. They have had some success, but are by no means rich, but they are content, and Ella has made peace with the past. But when the love of her life turns up in Bath, now the Earl of Fleetwood and in need of a rich wife, Ella will have to try and force down the feelings she thought long buried and help him find a wife, who can repair not only the fortunes of the earldom, but the wounds Fred now carries, both inside and out.

Fred Canning never imagined he would inherit the earldom, and at nineteen he went to London to join the army and in his heart of hearts, hoped to return someday and marry Ella. But he did things in London as a young man that made him feel that he was not worthy of her, then the war happened and he was sure he wasn’t worthy, and buries his feeling for her. Injured and heartsore, he returns to England when he learns that he has inherited the earldom after the deaths of his brother and father. To his dismay, the estate is in shambles and needs a fortune to restore it. He visits his stepmother in Bath, hoping for a small reprieve before he has to take on the duties of the estate. He knows what he has to do, but when he runs into Ella, he realizes his feelings for her never died and the thought of marrying anyone but her is impossible to imagine. But Ella is determined to find him a bride, will he be able to let her go and wed for duty?

This was a well-written story, but it did not live up to the expectations I had based on the title. No reviews that I have read have mentioned it, but when I see “Cinderella” in the title, there are certain expectations made about the story and there was nothing remotely Cinderella-like about this book – other than the heroine’s name is Ella. Aside from that this was a good story, just not the story I was hoping for. The story is sweet, with a friends to lovers trope, a second chance romance, great friends, the possibility of several other romances and finally a very sweet ending with two happy endings. This was a nice start to a new series and I am looking forward to Mary and Harry’s stories!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good friends-to-lovers/second chance story. Eleanor and Fred were best friends years earlier, and he was her secret crush. She was the vicar's daughter, and he was the earl's youngest son. Then Eleanor's mother died, and she had to leave school to care for her father. Fred joined the army and went off to fight Napoleon, and they lost touch.

After her father died, Eleanor and her sister Mary moved to Bath to join their friend, Lady Henrietta. Together, they established a matchmaking agency and have enjoyed some modest success. Imagine Eleanor's shock when she ran into Fred in Bath. As the new Earl of a financially strapped estate, Fred must marry a rich wife, and Eleanor promises to find him one. To do so, she must bury her feelings for him.

As the younger son, Fred joined the army to make his way in the world. He had dreams of returning someday and marrying Eleanor, but between the stupid things he did as a young man and the things he witnessed during the war, he no longer feels worthy of her. He returned to England after the deaths of his father and brother, only to discover that the estate was in dire straits. He needs an infusion of cash; the best solution is to marry.

I ached for Fred and Eleanor. It is immediately evident that they still have feelings for each other but are caught in an impossible situation. Fred needs money, but Eleanor doesn't have what he needs. The more time they spend together, the stronger their feelings grow. There were some sweet scenes of them as they rekindled their friendship, but their inability to find a way to be together was frustrating. I had hope when Fred found a way to raise some of what he needed, and I wanted to shake Eleanor over her determined self-sacrifice of her happiness. I felt like she didn't trust Fred to know his own mind and heart. I loved the surprise solution that enabled Fred to finally convince Eleanor that they could be together.

There was a secondary romance in the book between Fred's stepmother and a man from her past. Anthony was terrific, and I loved watching him fall deeper under Penelope's spell. However, another case of potential self-sacrifice nearly ended things before Pen accepted that she, too, deserved to be happy.

I enjoyed seeing the matchmaking business in Bath rather than London. It is always nice to see the world outside of the nobility and experience the lives of more ordinary people. Another character was introduced near the end that I suspect will play a part in the next book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

#netgalley

[Leann Arave · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author. I like the premise of the story, and I love the historical romance. Three dear friends decided to open up a matchmaking venture in Bath, England. They had not had any luck in that department for themselves, but felt qualified and inspired to make matches for other people, The characters were quite likable, and you definitely felt a connection between Eleanor and Frederick. There were also some sweet connections between other characters that were charming. There were a few things that bothered me about this book. 1st was the title, I didn’t really feel like it was a “Cinderella” story. Next, I felt like it rambled, and some places jumped around, it also had some editing errors (not just grammar or punctuation, but passages that just didn’t make sense). Now, I did read an arc copy, so hopefully some of those problems were fixed by the time it was published. The last thing that really bothered me was. The last chapter. I was so pleased that the entire book was clean (sweet kisses) until that last chapter, when their relationship in the bedroom became quite descriptive, not explicit, but more detailed than should be in a clean romance. Now granted they were a married couple, but truly, it just ruined the book for me. There was no reason to have that in there. So if you like clean wholesome romances, you can read this book just skipped the last chapter! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[AnnMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story even though there were some inconsistencies in parts. I read an advanced copy of the book so maybe by the time you read it those inconsistencies will have been fixed.

The story itself was lovely, set in Bath where our main female character, Ella, runs a matchmaking agency. Years ago she had a crush on the boy next door. She was a vicar's daughter, and he, Frederick, was the youngest son of an Earl. Frederick went to fight in the war and the next time Ella sees him, he is now the new Earl of Fleetwood after losing both his father and his older brother. She has been employed to find him a wealthy wife to save the family estate. The problem is that even now the couple find they have strong feelings for each other. Feelings they mustn't act on because Ella doesn't have the money necessary to help him.

What I enjoyed a lot about their story is that I couldn't think of a way that they could end up having their happy ever after. Fred desperately needed money and Ella didn't have it. He has to marry well. So how can they end up together? You will have to read the book to find out for yourself! I loved the ending, it was believable and left me smiling. I loved not being able to figure it out myself before the last pages!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a tender age, when Eleanor's mother died, she was put in charge of her father's household. As a vicar's daughter, that entailed a lot, including taking care of the parishioners in her village. The one bright spot in her life was the neighboring Earl's son, Frederick, who she was close to. But soon, Frederick is off to war and Eleanor and her sister Mary move to Bath after the death of their father, and they found a matchmaking service, one that has become successful for them.

Then, one day Frederick comes back into Eleanor's life, and because of his father's wastrel ways with the family estate, Frederick needs to marry an heiress to restore it. Eleanor can never be that heiress as she was only the vicar's daughter. But that doesn't stop their feelings for each other, even as Eleanor is tasked with helping him find another woman to marry.

Through their trials, it is obvious that Eleanor and Frederick have a love that time cannot erase. Is there a way for Frederick to restore his family estate, and be with Eleanor at the same time?

This was a good story and I recommend it to other readers.

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frederick, the Earl of Fleetwood was Eleanor St. Aubin’s first love, but being a vicar’s daughter held her back from admitting her feelings. Now she's a successful matchmaker, and the prospect of helping him find the wealthy wife he needs to settle his inherited debts is a nightmare come true! But returning from war, Frederick has nightmares of his own. Eleanor feels compelled to help him, but could she ever be his Cinderella countess?
I want to state upfront that I did DNF this book at 41% after realizing that it wasn't for me. The characters were likeable and filled with charming idiosyncrasies which made them realistic. I wanted to read more but the pacing was too slow and lagging. I kept on getting bored because there was also a lack of the romantic excitement that I find in most historical romances. I think that someone who likes a slower paced historical romance should pick this one, but it just wasn't for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for this advanced reader's copy. This review is my honest opinion.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received from NetGalley to review before publication.

I love a historical Mills&Boon and its true that many are formulaic. This was no different to many others I have read but I still enjoyed it. The writing is very well done, with a good balance of description, dialogue and internal monologue. I enjoyed the characters and the character building, most especially of Fred and Eleanor. I also enjoyed the match-making business aspect of this and the setting of Bath.

My only issue with this was that the stakes weren't high enough for my liking. With Mills&Boon, you always know that the protagonists will end up together by the end, but I like it when there is a big challenge thrown in that makes you question whether they'll push through to the end. This is what this book lacked.

Apart from that, it was fun and enjoyable.

[Stella Battenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very sweet second-chance story that probably could have benefit from some editing.

Fred and Eleanor are childhood friends who meet again in Bath, where Eleanor now works in a matchmaking service. Fred and Eleanor are adorable together and I loved the coziness of social life in Bath. This has all the makings of a social comedy, with Fred needing a match and Eleanor being put in a position of tying to find a woman of fortune for him because his estate is in ruin. However, this angst takes up a large portion of the book and feels like inertia - nothing new is introduced until the matter is solved. There is a sweet side romance and I love that we get the POVs of other characters, but there are a few moments where characters pop in and out of scenes that does suggest incomplete editing.

[Marlee B · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Some aspects of this book I really enjoyed, I wish I could give it a higher rating.
I liked the characters & the premise of the story- Eleanor & Fred were childhood neighbors, each holding a secret affection for the other. They are reunited years later, but feel duty bound to their responsibilities and keep trying to remind themselves why they can’t be together. That was part of what bothered me- every single time Eleanor saw Fred, she told herself it was “the last time”, only to say the same thing the next chapter. That felt way too drawn out for me.
I liked the happily ever afters that some of the couples experienced, yet I did not enjoy the detailed honeymoon scene at the very end. Felt random to throw such a steamy scene in at the end like that.
Thank you to Netgalley for the free copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Daniele · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE EARL’S CINDERELLA COUNTESS is a sweet, second chance romance involving Ella and Fred, who were neighbors and the best of friends as children but now drawn apart by duty and circumstances in the aftermath of war.

I really liked this story. The characters are all engaging and well formed. It is well written, and the give and take in the relationships moves the plot along at a steady pace. I feel for Ella as she nurses a broken heart and Fred as he frets about his estate’s money troubles. There is a secondary plot involving another romance that is a fun addition to the romance.

I highly recommend THE EARL’S CINDERELLA COUNTESS to any historical romance fan.

I received an ARC of this title from the author and NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

[Audra Christianson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first book by Amanda McCabe and unfortunately I didn't care for it. It was very repetitive and there were a few things that didn't make sense. Things or people that weren't there, then suddenly they were. There was also too much going on with other characters but there was no depth to them at all. It was strange that you could see things from so many different points of view also. The main characters kept doing the same thing just on a different day and it all seemed too planned out. It also didn't seem like it was written well. The language didn't seem to fit and seemed to be written by someone young. There was too much telling and the writing didn't bring me into the story.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet little friends-to-lovers story starts slow, but it explodes into action in chapter two when the characters converge on Bath. Bath is described as one seething marriage mart, not of the haut ton, but of the next tier of merchants and gentry. The matchmaking agency is a clever conceit. The main characters are so obviously in love from page one, you know all will be well. In the meantime, the story's rich collection of secondary characters drew my interest. In the end, two HEAs rather than one felt like a bonus.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matchmaker Eleanor is tasked with finding a wealthy wife for earl Frederick to settle his debts. Her childhood sweetheart, he’s haunted by war, and she’s drawn to help him. Can she overcome their past misunderstandings and become his countess?

This charming book has some of my favorite tropes (childhood sweethearts, desire vs. duty). I love Eleanor and Frederick, and the chemistry between them. The tone of the book is lighthearted and sweet.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Lisa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chances and matchmaking...

Ella is now a matchmaker along with several of her friends. She isn't rich by any means.

Fred was older than Ella but they were friends. He went off to London to be a ho bag and then off to war, where he was injured. He also has inherited the earldom, which needs a cash infusion by way of marrying a wealthy heiress (of course).

They obviously are into each other but they both keep thinking they can't be together. This does get repetitive, but I do enjoy Amanda McCabe's writing.

[Carol Keogh (Goodfellow) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frederick is the new Earl of Fleetwood, impoverished and in need of a wealthy wife. Ella runs a discreet matchmaking service in Bath with an old friend.
Reluctantly Frederick is persuaded to find a wealthy wife whom he can tolerate by his friends. However his heart has always belonged to Ella, the vicars daughter and the very same Ella who is the matchmaker!
This is a very sweet story and how it ends with a HEA keeps one reading to the last page. Beautifully written and a very pleasant read. Many thanks for the advance copy of The Earl's Cinderella Countess.

[Uyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
This book took me out of my reading slump. It was fun and fast. I love Eleanor and Fred. I can’t wait to see more books potentially for Mary and Harry 👀

A thing that I didn’t like was how often Eleanor ran away from the room while proclaiming she needed air. I believe it was 3 or 4 times…which is too often as a plot point for a book under 300 pages.
I also felt like the book started dragging by 80%. There was no real plot progression and that was frustrating.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda McCabe’s The Earl’s Cinderella Countess (Matchmakers of Bath, #1) is a charming and heartwarming friends-to-lovers Regency romance (Harlequin Historical, March 2024) that I highly recommend!

This is the first book in the author’s new series, Matchmaker’s of Bath, and it’s a great launch story with delightful characters, an imaginative plot, a nice sense of time and place, and Bath! I really liked both the heroine, Eleanor St. Aubin and the hero, Frederick, Earl of Fleetwood. They were obviously in love with one another from the very first page.

I do wish there had been one less scene in which Eleanor acted all I still cannot allow you to make such a sacrifice – it just slowed the pacing. I also wish the sex scene in the very last pages of the book had either happened in the previous chapter or more of a basking in the afterglow of their union type of scene -- not because of its graphic nature, but because the scene felt artificial, as if it had been included merely to check off a box; it just felt forced.

I am looking forward to the next book in Ms. McCabe’s Matchmakers of Bath!

I received a free copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spinster Ella runs a matchmaking company in Bath. When she runs into her childhood friend and crush she is thrilled. However Fred is not the same since the war. Inheriting an impoverished Earldom, he must marry an heiress. Attracted to each other, they both know that nothing can come of it. Can they find a solution so they can be together? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for my honest review.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Matchmakers of Bath series introduces us to Eleanor, Mary, and Harry. Eleanor and Frederick's story is a second-chance romance that develops from a childhood friendship. The obstacles to their happiness seem insurmountable, but thankfully, this ends positively. I enjoyed the characters, the setting in Bath and the gentle romance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Julia Extance · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written - there were several continuity errors, wrong names, etc. I don't see how the FL is a 'Cinderella' either, so I skimmed the ending.

[Shannon Dunaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This book was so cute and had such a sweet story. If you enjoy historical romances than this book is for you.