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Sirens in Silk #2
The Earl That Got Away
In the second installment of Diana Quincy’s steamy Victorian historical romance series, a Persuasion retelling, an Arab-American young woman is reunited with the lost love of her youth and forced to reckon with their past and undying tension.
American Naila Darwish always regretted calling off her engagement to the man she loved because he wasn’t successful enough for her family. Eight years later, she travels to England for her sister’s wedding and gets the shock of her life when she runs into Basil again. Overjoyed, she wonders if the fates have given her a second chance at love.
But Basil Trevelyn is not the same carefree young man Naila rejected all those years ago. Having unexpectedly inherited a noble title, he is now the Earl of Hawksworth, one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Still bitter after Naila’s heart-wrenching rejection all those years ago, Hawk is cold and distant, suspecting Naila is after his money and position.
When the two lost lovers are repeatedly thrown together, they discover that the chemistry between them burns brighter than ever and that some feelings are too strong to deny. Will they allow pride and lingering resentment to keep them from seizing their last chance at happiness?
American Naila Darwish always regretted calling off her engagement to the man she loved because he wasn’t successful enough for her family. Eight years later, she travels to England for her sister’s wedding and gets the shock of her life when she runs into Basil again. Overjoyed, she wonders if the fates have given her a second chance at love.
But Basil Trevelyn is not the same carefree young man Naila rejected all those years ago. Having unexpectedly inherited a noble title, he is now the Earl of Hawksworth, one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Still bitter after Naila’s heart-wrenching rejection all those years ago, Hawk is cold and distant, suspecting Naila is after his money and position.
When the two lost lovers are repeatedly thrown together, they discover that the chemistry between them burns brighter than ever and that some feelings are too strong to deny. Will they allow pride and lingering resentment to keep them from seizing their last chance at happiness?
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
24 people are currently reading
3386 people want to read
About the author
Diana Quincy
15 books750 followersBestselling author Diana Quincy is an award-winning television journalist who decided to make up her own stories where a happy ending is always guaranteed.
Her books have been included on "Best of" lists in Library Journal and The Washington Post.
As a U.S. Foreign Service brat, Diana grew up all over the world, but is now happily settled in Virginia with her husband and two boys. When not bent over her laptop, Diana spends time with her family, reads, practices yoga, and plots her next travel adventure.
Diana loves to hear from readers. You can follow her on Twitter @Diana_Quincy, Facebook, Instagram (diana_quincy_author) or visit her website at dianaquincy.com
Her books have been included on "Best of" lists in Library Journal and The Washington Post.
As a U.S. Foreign Service brat, Diana grew up all over the world, but is now happily settled in Virginia with her husband and two boys. When not bent over her laptop, Diana spends time with her family, reads, practices yoga, and plots her next travel adventure.
Diana loves to hear from readers. You can follow her on Twitter @Diana_Quincy, Facebook, Instagram (diana_quincy_author) or visit her website at dianaquincy.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
September 29, 2025
4.5 stars
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Earl That Got Away is a second chance romance retelling of Persuasion, following a Palestinian-American heroine and an English hero who unexpectedly inherits an earldom. Naila and Basil met and fell in love in Philadelphia. But Naila was persuaded to leave Basil because he was a foreigner with no wealth. Eight years later, Naila runs into Basil, now the earl of Hawksworth, at her sister's wedding party.
Hawk is no longer the man Naila knew; after she broke his heart, he became cold, distant, and cynical, and he's all of those things especially towards her. But the man cannot help but Yearn for his lost beloved. Naila is also an expert piner, pining away for the boy whose heart she broke. The delicious mutual yearning was my undoing 😮💨 Naila and Basil were both so piney and horny for each other, exactly the way I wanted them to be. I ate up the angst and the tension between them. It was my favourite dessert 😋
There are a few scenes from this book that continue to live rent-free in my head. That ✨moment✨ in an alcove under the stairs (one of my favourite micro-tropes) was simply delicious. The tension between Naila and Hawk finally snapping in the rawest and most honest way ever. I was shooketh. Breathless, even. This is now my favourite alcove moment ever. The other scene that continues to haunt me is Hawk in the Orange room.....why was this the hottest thing I've read in a really long time?! 🥵 Everything about that scene was the perfect embodiment of Mr. Pining For His Beloved 🤌🏽 This book was seriously the perfect combination of piney and horny, and I love that for us historical romance readers. I need other authors to take notes, please and thanks.
In terms of why Naila refused Hawk the first time around, a lot of it has to do with cultural and familial expectations that at the time Hawk was unable to fully grasp as an Englishman. Now, in the present, when Hawk finally gets to meet Naila's immediate family and interact with them, he slowly but surely realizes the extent of Naila's dilemma when she felt she had to choose between him and her family eight years ago. I liked how the author dealt with that aspect of the story.
This is a retelling, so there is of course some deviation from the original story and characters of Persuasion. But the core of the story, the characters, and the romance remains more or less the same. The changes that Diana Quincy made were interesting, and I think they were true to her version of the story and characters. There was one particular change that I did not see coming and it kind of stressed me out because I was worried about the ending being too rushed. BUT! It all ended well and I was left more than satisfied. If you're new here, well, just know that I'm a hoe for anything Persuasion. I'm also not super picky about details, as long as the core elements of Persuasion are present in the retelling. Your mileage may vary.
P.S. The liver and puce running gag was the cherry on top.
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Earl That Got Away is a second chance romance retelling of Persuasion, following a Palestinian-American heroine and an English hero who unexpectedly inherits an earldom. Naila and Basil met and fell in love in Philadelphia. But Naila was persuaded to leave Basil because he was a foreigner with no wealth. Eight years later, Naila runs into Basil, now the earl of Hawksworth, at her sister's wedding party.
Hawk is no longer the man Naila knew; after she broke his heart, he became cold, distant, and cynical, and he's all of those things especially towards her. But the man cannot help but Yearn for his lost beloved. Naila is also an expert piner, pining away for the boy whose heart she broke. The delicious mutual yearning was my undoing 😮💨 Naila and Basil were both so piney and horny for each other, exactly the way I wanted them to be. I ate up the angst and the tension between them. It was my favourite dessert 😋
There are a few scenes from this book that continue to live rent-free in my head. That ✨moment✨ in an alcove under the stairs (one of my favourite micro-tropes) was simply delicious. The tension between Naila and Hawk finally snapping in the rawest and most honest way ever. I was shooketh. Breathless, even. This is now my favourite alcove moment ever. The other scene that continues to haunt me is Hawk in the Orange room.....why was this the hottest thing I've read in a really long time?! 🥵 Everything about that scene was the perfect embodiment of Mr. Pining For His Beloved 🤌🏽 This book was seriously the perfect combination of piney and horny, and I love that for us historical romance readers. I need other authors to take notes, please and thanks.
In terms of why Naila refused Hawk the first time around, a lot of it has to do with cultural and familial expectations that at the time Hawk was unable to fully grasp as an Englishman. Now, in the present, when Hawk finally gets to meet Naila's immediate family and interact with them, he slowly but surely realizes the extent of Naila's dilemma when she felt she had to choose between him and her family eight years ago. I liked how the author dealt with that aspect of the story.
This is a retelling, so there is of course some deviation from the original story and characters of Persuasion. But the core of the story, the characters, and the romance remains more or less the same. The changes that Diana Quincy made were interesting, and I think they were true to her version of the story and characters. There was one particular change that I did not see coming and it kind of stressed me out because I was worried about the ending being too rushed. BUT! It all ended well and I was left more than satisfied. If you're new here, well, just know that I'm a hoe for anything Persuasion. I'm also not super picky about details, as long as the core elements of Persuasion are present in the retelling. Your mileage may vary.
P.S. The liver and puce running gag was the cherry on top.
September 21, 2025
4.5/5.
Heat Index: 6.5/10.
—Persuasion retelling (heavy on the longing)
—Palestinian-American heroine
—slow burn to happiness.
The Basics:
Generally speaking, Naila Darwish has it together as the staid, spinster-to-be in her family. But there was that one time, years ago, when she was head over heels for Basil, the man she ultimately gave up under pressure. Uh-oh, though—at her sister's wedding, Naila runs into Basil again, and guess what? He's an EARL NOW. A rich, jaded, stern earl. He thinks any indication that Naila could still want him is connected to his new money and status; she thinks he hates her for breaking his heart (and maybe he does, just a little). Neither of these things negates the fact that they want to rip each other's clothes off.
The Review:
Persuasion retellings are so hot right now (see: Jayci Lee's modern, K-drama-influenced Give Me a Reason) and I can see why. There's for sure been an uptick in second chance romances lately, and isn't Persuasion THE primordial second chance? If you want yearning, it's hard to get better than "one of them is full of regret and yearns for what could've been; the other is torn between resentment and, yes, more yearning".
Diana Quincy deeply gets everything that makes people love that kind of setup. And she also deeply gets that it's even better when you make it a lot hornier.
Romance loves pairing very binary characters together—grumpy and sunshine, black cat and golden retriever, whatever. Here, we see the beginnings of Naila and Basil's romance, and they were both bright-eyed and a lot more carefree. Sure, she was a bit more practical, but she did want to defy her family's expectations, even if she ultimately didn't. In the present day, they're both jaded and a bit frosty and perhaps on the "fuck love forever" train. This isn't a book where one of them is going to swoop in and save the other. They've both done some growing (good and bad) and they both need to grow more—and the question is, can they get to where they need to be to finally make this happen?
And it takes a lot of work. I was impressed by the risks Quincy took on that front—one choice really surprised me in today's romance market, which is so prone to speed-running to the HEA. She gets that just because Naila and Basil want each other, just because the feelings never went away, doesn't mean the problems... did. Basil's inheritance doesn't suddenly sweep away all their problems, and even if Naila wishes she'd gone for it and been with him eight years ago—she didn't. And there are consequences to deal with on that front.
The characters are given time to luxuriate and steam in their angst and their longing, and that split only makes their dreamy early love story more of a gut punch. And you know I love gut punches.
There aren't any cut and dry villains here, either. Quincy is sensitive to the fact that while Basil and other English characters might not get the cultural expectations that influence Naila's decisions—and those of her family—that doesn't mean they aren't valid. The people steering her wrong may not be correct about what's right for Naila, but they aren't coming from a place of malice. And really? No matter what they want Naila to do, she can do what she wants. The question is—will she?
This is heavy on character, light on plot—but it does keep the "Darwish sisters are good at business" thread from the previous Sirens in Silk book, which I love. (I also love that Strick and Raya from The Duke Gets Desperate have solid supporting roles here. We get to see some of their HEA after the fact, and it's really cute.) I really enjoy the ingenuity and the way in which Quincy has woven the concept of dollar princesses into her novel—and I certainly wouldn't mind her capitalizing on the Gilded Age wave and writing a bit more about that space...
The Sex:
In some ways, these sex scenes are a little tamer than those I've read in a few other Quincy novels—but in other ways, they feel hotter. Because it is about the longing, and it's also about how much Basil wants Naila's BODY. Yes, he loves her big beautiful brain and her personality and her wit and all that. But he also really loves her giant tits and ass, and he's not shy about saying it.
If you're into some light body worship for a plus size heroine, look no further! Basil would happily get crushed by this woman's thighs, and he's going to make it everyone's problem.
They're also really into getting it on during inappropriate settings, which does lead to a somewhat hilarious "YOU SHALL MAKE AN HONEST WOMAN OUT OF HER" moment. Classic historical romance "MY CHILD COULD BE GROWING IN YOUR WOMB AS OF SEVEN MINUTES AGO". Aaaaand one of the horniest scenes I've read in a new-release historical romance as of late... Because Basil really couldn't control himself for five! minutes!
The Conclusion:
What can I say? It's really good. This stands on its own without Persuasion, though, if you liked that book and went "I wish this was less white and also hotter", then—I mean, come on. Two birds. One stone.
It's important to me that we note and celebrate, as the book does, Naila's Palestinian heritage. I love the way Quincy portrays her Arab leads—it's part of them, it's not the only thing that's part of them, it's here to stay, and their lovers need to get on the train or get off. And they do get on the train, while getting off in other ways.
Those of you who want historical romance to stick around—this is what we need to look for and ask for.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heat Index: 6.5/10.
—Persuasion retelling (heavy on the longing)
—Palestinian-American heroine
—slow burn to happiness.
The Basics:
Generally speaking, Naila Darwish has it together as the staid, spinster-to-be in her family. But there was that one time, years ago, when she was head over heels for Basil, the man she ultimately gave up under pressure. Uh-oh, though—at her sister's wedding, Naila runs into Basil again, and guess what? He's an EARL NOW. A rich, jaded, stern earl. He thinks any indication that Naila could still want him is connected to his new money and status; she thinks he hates her for breaking his heart (and maybe he does, just a little). Neither of these things negates the fact that they want to rip each other's clothes off.
The Review:
Persuasion retellings are so hot right now (see: Jayci Lee's modern, K-drama-influenced Give Me a Reason) and I can see why. There's for sure been an uptick in second chance romances lately, and isn't Persuasion THE primordial second chance? If you want yearning, it's hard to get better than "one of them is full of regret and yearns for what could've been; the other is torn between resentment and, yes, more yearning".
Diana Quincy deeply gets everything that makes people love that kind of setup. And she also deeply gets that it's even better when you make it a lot hornier.
Romance loves pairing very binary characters together—grumpy and sunshine, black cat and golden retriever, whatever. Here, we see the beginnings of Naila and Basil's romance, and they were both bright-eyed and a lot more carefree. Sure, she was a bit more practical, but she did want to defy her family's expectations, even if she ultimately didn't. In the present day, they're both jaded and a bit frosty and perhaps on the "fuck love forever" train. This isn't a book where one of them is going to swoop in and save the other. They've both done some growing (good and bad) and they both need to grow more—and the question is, can they get to where they need to be to finally make this happen?
And it takes a lot of work. I was impressed by the risks Quincy took on that front—one choice really surprised me in today's romance market, which is so prone to speed-running to the HEA. She gets that just because Naila and Basil want each other, just because the feelings never went away, doesn't mean the problems... did. Basil's inheritance doesn't suddenly sweep away all their problems, and even if Naila wishes she'd gone for it and been with him eight years ago—she didn't. And there are consequences to deal with on that front.
The characters are given time to luxuriate and steam in their angst and their longing, and that split only makes their dreamy early love story more of a gut punch. And you know I love gut punches.
There aren't any cut and dry villains here, either. Quincy is sensitive to the fact that while Basil and other English characters might not get the cultural expectations that influence Naila's decisions—and those of her family—that doesn't mean they aren't valid. The people steering her wrong may not be correct about what's right for Naila, but they aren't coming from a place of malice. And really? No matter what they want Naila to do, she can do what she wants. The question is—will she?
This is heavy on character, light on plot—but it does keep the "Darwish sisters are good at business" thread from the previous Sirens in Silk book, which I love. (I also love that Strick and Raya from The Duke Gets Desperate have solid supporting roles here. We get to see some of their HEA after the fact, and it's really cute.) I really enjoy the ingenuity and the way in which Quincy has woven the concept of dollar princesses into her novel—and I certainly wouldn't mind her capitalizing on the Gilded Age wave and writing a bit more about that space...
The Sex:
In some ways, these sex scenes are a little tamer than those I've read in a few other Quincy novels—but in other ways, they feel hotter. Because it is about the longing, and it's also about how much Basil wants Naila's BODY. Yes, he loves her big beautiful brain and her personality and her wit and all that. But he also really loves her giant tits and ass, and he's not shy about saying it.
If you're into some light body worship for a plus size heroine, look no further! Basil would happily get crushed by this woman's thighs, and he's going to make it everyone's problem.
They're also really into getting it on during inappropriate settings, which does lead to a somewhat hilarious "YOU SHALL MAKE AN HONEST WOMAN OUT OF HER" moment. Classic historical romance "MY CHILD COULD BE GROWING IN YOUR WOMB AS OF SEVEN MINUTES AGO". Aaaaand one of the horniest scenes I've read in a new-release historical romance as of late... Because Basil really couldn't control himself for five! minutes!
The Conclusion:
What can I say? It's really good. This stands on its own without Persuasion, though, if you liked that book and went "I wish this was less white and also hotter", then—I mean, come on. Two birds. One stone.
It's important to me that we note and celebrate, as the book does, Naila's Palestinian heritage. I love the way Quincy portrays her Arab leads—it's part of them, it's not the only thing that's part of them, it's here to stay, and their lovers need to get on the train or get off. And they do get on the train, while getting off in other ways.
Those of you who want historical romance to stick around—this is what we need to look for and ask for.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 1, 2025
Diana Quincy is excellent with character building and creating believable connections between the romantic leads. This is a second chance story that jumps back and forth between the MCs earlier encounters and the story’s present day setting.
The youthful connection between was both compelling and impossible for it to be fruitful. Due to the cultural differences between the Arabic heroine, Naila, and the English impoverished gentleman, Basil, there was no acceptance of a match between them and their meetings had to be clandestine. However, present day Basil is quite the catch. He unexpectedly inherited a title (Earl) and fortune, and he is not interested in re-uniting with Naila, who broke his youthful heart. Of course, the attraction and pull is ultimately too much to resist.
This story is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, so if you like that story, this one may be a good fit. It is a good story and one I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.
The youthful connection between was both compelling and impossible for it to be fruitful. Due to the cultural differences between the Arabic heroine, Naila, and the English impoverished gentleman, Basil, there was no acceptance of a match between them and their meetings had to be clandestine. However, present day Basil is quite the catch. He unexpectedly inherited a title (Earl) and fortune, and he is not interested in re-uniting with Naila, who broke his youthful heart. Of course, the attraction and pull is ultimately too much to resist.
This story is reminiscent of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, so if you like that story, this one may be a good fit. It is a good story and one I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.
November 10, 2025
The Earl That Got Away is the second book in Diana Quincy’s Sirens in Silk historical romance series. I love the bright, bold cover and wanted to love this one more than I actually did. This is a second chance, Persuasion-style retelling. I enjoyed the first book in this series more than I did this one, which had some crossover moments of taking place at the same time as some of this book.
This story felt disorienting for me, we have a lot of back and forth in the dual timeline and I just wasn’t a fan of the past chapters or the lack of connection between the couple there. While I enjoyed the character’s stories/journeys on their own, I just wasn’t rooting for them to be together as a couple ever. Which I kinda needed to do to then enjoy their romance. This is now my 5th read from this author and my favorite is still the first I read from her, Her Night with the Duke. The representation in her stories are great so I will always be excited to try them out though!
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
This story felt disorienting for me, we have a lot of back and forth in the dual timeline and I just wasn’t a fan of the past chapters or the lack of connection between the couple there. While I enjoyed the character’s stories/journeys on their own, I just wasn’t rooting for them to be together as a couple ever. Which I kinda needed to do to then enjoy their romance. This is now my 5th read from this author and my favorite is still the first I read from her, Her Night with the Duke. The representation in her stories are great so I will always be excited to try them out though!
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
August 20, 2025
Persuasion, Palestinians, second chance, angst, yearning, and Strick/Raya cameos. Yes please!
I can’t tell you how hard it is lately to finish a book in less than a week and Diana Quincy manages to cure this every time. This didn’t quite hit my The Duke Gets Desperate gush level but I still enjoyed it enough to finish it in 2 sittings. It’s that yearning baby.
I was here for the dual timeline in the first half of the book. I loved how the flashbacks built the emotional part of Naila and Hawk love and set up all the angst of their reunion. After a while though, I did feel like the past dragged on a bit, and I wanted the second half to focus more on their present.
Miscommunication is my least favorite trope, and here was no different.
The cultural representation was the highlight. I loved how central Palestinian and Arab-American traditions were, and how open Hawk was to them from the beginning. It felt fresh in a genre that we read about the same historical customs over and over again.
Hawk frustrated me at times. He condemned Naila throughout the book both past and present without ever stopping to ask her why she made her choices or really putting himself in her shoes. Loving someone fiercely requires empathy and I did feel like this was lacking a bit. Naila’s growth into her confidence was so amazing and I wanted to see more of that! Maybe even her and Raya being confident business babes together or something. Idk I was yearning for something more here.
The last 20% or so of the book felt rushed compared to the angsty build-up, almost like the book was written in two different sittings. But I think honestly that had to do with spending a little too much time in the dual timeline flashbacks.
Another highlight? Scenes showing Strick being unapologetically stupid in love with Raya. I giggled like a fool every time they were on the page!
Overall, I just adore Quincy and even her above average books are still amazing in context to the genre as a whole. Already can’t wait for the next one!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I can’t tell you how hard it is lately to finish a book in less than a week and Diana Quincy manages to cure this every time. This didn’t quite hit my The Duke Gets Desperate gush level but I still enjoyed it enough to finish it in 2 sittings. It’s that yearning baby.
I was here for the dual timeline in the first half of the book. I loved how the flashbacks built the emotional part of Naila and Hawk love and set up all the angst of their reunion. After a while though, I did feel like the past dragged on a bit, and I wanted the second half to focus more on their present.
Miscommunication is my least favorite trope, and here was no different.
The cultural representation was the highlight. I loved how central Palestinian and Arab-American traditions were, and how open Hawk was to them from the beginning. It felt fresh in a genre that we read about the same historical customs over and over again.
Hawk frustrated me at times. He condemned Naila throughout the book both past and present without ever stopping to ask her why she made her choices or really putting himself in her shoes. Loving someone fiercely requires empathy and I did feel like this was lacking a bit. Naila’s growth into her confidence was so amazing and I wanted to see more of that! Maybe even her and Raya being confident business babes together or something. Idk I was yearning for something more here.
The last 20% or so of the book felt rushed compared to the angsty build-up, almost like the book was written in two different sittings. But I think honestly that had to do with spending a little too much time in the dual timeline flashbacks.
Another highlight? Scenes showing Strick being unapologetically stupid in love with Raya. I giggled like a fool every time they were on the page!
Overall, I just adore Quincy and even her above average books are still amazing in context to the genre as a whole. Already can’t wait for the next one!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 8, 2025
This was a diverse and beautiful second chance historical romance that was so real. I’m really enjoying this authors hist romance they are full of so much life, history and culture. We have the fmc that is trying to meet her family expectations and also balance life and everything she wants. We have the mmc who has come back into the fmc life and we kinda see the story between the past and current timeline to understand where they started out at and how they got to their current relationship. I thought the romance was swoony and tender and emotional especially with the past and how the relationship developed. The tension and chemistry between the main characters was so good and I needed them to figure out things right away. I loved the character development and how they forgave each other in the future. I really liked the cultural aspects, how the fmc Palestinian ethnicity was written and all the aspects that were incorporated into the story. Overall a good read that I definitely recommend. Thanks to Avon for this arc for an honest review.
October 7, 2025
almost 10 years of miscommunication was too much for me
October 16, 2025
5 stars!
September 29, 2025
A new historical second chance romance from Diana Quincy!!!
Watch my interview with Diana here: https://youtu.be/baI3jV4YYYI?si=2Z8Bj...
Buy a copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/112791/9780063...
Watch my interview with Diana here: https://youtu.be/baI3jV4YYYI?si=2Z8Bj...
Buy a copy here: https://bookshop.org/a/112791/9780063...
November 5, 2025
great audiobook narrators, a well done retelling of Persuasion, and overall I had a good time listening. The historical details were my favorite, as were the moments between Naila and her family.
Basil deserves a punch in the nose, and sometimes the back and forth in bleak moments got a little long for me, but as always Quincy is a solid historical romance read for me.
*i received an ALC for review. All opinions my own.
Basil deserves a punch in the nose, and sometimes the back and forth in bleak moments got a little long for me, but as always Quincy is a solid historical romance read for me.
*i received an ALC for review. All opinions my own.
October 27, 2025
Naila Darwish, an Arab American from a well-established textile business family in New York, first met Basil Trevelyn in Philadelphia 8 years ago when he was visiting from England and looking to get a hand in his uncle's business. Their chemistry was electric, and Naila found herself sneaking all opportunities to meet with a man outside of her community and falling desperately in love with someone her family would find entirely unsuitable. Unfortunately, Naila had to break off the secret engagement, breaking both of their hearts in the process. And now 8 years later, Naila is face to face with Basil, now Earl of Hawksworth, Hawk, whose closest friend the Duke of Strickland is marrying Naila's sister. Now, Naila and Hawk have to search within themselves and reconcile their differences if they can stand to be in the same room together.
Persuasion retellings make for some of the best second chance romances. The overarching romantic plot is a close retelling, while the side plot ties to Naila's personal interests as an architectural consultant passionate about rescuing crumbling estates. We get glimpses into Naila's culture, in her relationship with her sisters, cousins, and nieces and nephews, and in the larger family gatherings that kept Naila and Hawk apart during the chapters in America. Family dynamics play a critical role in the story, as it's Naila's family that forces them apart in the first place, but also dictates much of how Naila has changed as a person in the intervening 8 years. She's lost a lot of herself as she's thrown her life into an identity of spinsterhood and caring for her family members.
The chemistry on page between Naila and Hawk worked well for me generally, but I had a hard time with the way the miscommunication gets utilized. The reason for their breakup was not miscommunication (it's family pressure on Naila), but the reason they can't have a conversation about it in the present timeline hinges on miscommunication. Naila and Hawk both make judgements about one another, but can't seem to talk about those issues because they are either in company or can't keep their hands off of one another. There's a little lack of trust at the end that bothered me, but I was glad they talked (rather than banged) that out.
I always enjoy listening to Diana Quincy's books on audio: her stories come together well for me when I listen. Vaneh Assadourian and Timothy Campbell are excellent in the duet narration, and I absolutely recommend listening if you are able.
Thank you to Avon for an eARC. The Earl That Got Away is out 9/30/2025.
Persuasion retellings make for some of the best second chance romances. The overarching romantic plot is a close retelling, while the side plot ties to Naila's personal interests as an architectural consultant passionate about rescuing crumbling estates. We get glimpses into Naila's culture, in her relationship with her sisters, cousins, and nieces and nephews, and in the larger family gatherings that kept Naila and Hawk apart during the chapters in America. Family dynamics play a critical role in the story, as it's Naila's family that forces them apart in the first place, but also dictates much of how Naila has changed as a person in the intervening 8 years. She's lost a lot of herself as she's thrown her life into an identity of spinsterhood and caring for her family members.
The chemistry on page between Naila and Hawk worked well for me generally, but I had a hard time with the way the miscommunication gets utilized. The reason for their breakup was not miscommunication (it's family pressure on Naila), but the reason they can't have a conversation about it in the present timeline hinges on miscommunication. Naila and Hawk both make judgements about one another, but can't seem to talk about those issues because they are either in company or can't keep their hands off of one another. There's a little lack of trust at the end that bothered me, but I was glad they talked (rather than banged) that out.
I always enjoy listening to Diana Quincy's books on audio: her stories come together well for me when I listen. Vaneh Assadourian and Timothy Campbell are excellent in the duet narration, and I absolutely recommend listening if you are able.
Thank you to Avon for an eARC. The Earl That Got Away is out 9/30/2025.
September 2, 2025
I love Diana Quincy and everything she writes and this was another hit! i flew through this in two hours - her writing is effortless and her characters are lovable characters. this was a true retelling of Persuasion and i loved reading it from a Palestinian perspective ❤️ i wish their reconciliation was a little less marred by the constant miscommunication but i still enjoyed it!
September 3, 2025
I had such a great time reading this! Full disclosure: I adore Jane Austen and love Persuasion, when I heard that Diana Quincy was writing a book inspired by Persuasion, I was predisposed to liking this one.
This definitely is an "inspired by" and not a retelling, which I loved. The Early that Got Away is it's own story, though the backstory of the heroine being persuaded by family to decline a proposal is there. Front there, we get a beautiful story that continues the series about the Darwish sisters.
Flashbacks are a major part of this story and they are beautiful. We see younger versions for the main characters, Naila and Basil, as they fell in love in Philadelphia. We slowly see the events that led to their break up and the hurt that they're both still dealing with. As they come back together, we get to see a slow return of their earlier selves. This is a wonderful, character-driven story.
I'll definitely be reading this one again!
This definitely is an "inspired by" and not a retelling, which I loved. The Early that Got Away is it's own story, though the backstory of the heroine being persuaded by family to decline a proposal is there. Front there, we get a beautiful story that continues the series about the Darwish sisters.
Flashbacks are a major part of this story and they are beautiful. We see younger versions for the main characters, Naila and Basil, as they fell in love in Philadelphia. We slowly see the events that led to their break up and the hurt that they're both still dealing with. As they come back together, we get to see a slow return of their earlier selves. This is a wonderful, character-driven story.
I'll definitely be reading this one again!
dnf
September 16, 2025DNF @21%
This is a retelling of Persuasion, and I appreciated the similarities I noticed to Jane Austen’s novel. But that’s where my likes ended. The writing style was really simple. This made it easy to read quickly, but it lacked character development or emotions that grabbed my attention. It was very “He did this, she did that” and I was bored.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
This is a retelling of Persuasion, and I appreciated the similarities I noticed to Jane Austen’s novel. But that’s where my likes ended. The writing style was really simple. This made it easy to read quickly, but it lacked character development or emotions that grabbed my attention. It was very “He did this, she did that” and I was bored.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 14, 2025
This was not my first Diana Quincy, but it was my first in the series. You can totally enjoy this book as a standalone, but I am certain that afterwards, you will be kicking yourself for letting any Diana Quincy book go unread.
This is a second chance romance between an unexpected Earl, Hawk, and an American from a Palestinian family, Naila. They fell in love eight years ago, but circumstances and pressure prevented them from holding onto their love. When they meet again, they see that although they have changed as people, their feelings for each other remain steady. However, the pain from the past is a lot to overcome.
Once you start this book, you will not want to put it down. The alternating dual timelines make the pacing of this book fast, but because of the time that has elapsed, the romance can be seen as nothing short of destiny. While Hawk and Naila make decisions that keep them apart, their reasons for doing so are so fully developed. Instead of feeling frustrated, I felt sympathy and grieved alongside them.
I always love the influences of Palestinian/Arab culture that Quincy puts in her novels when she writes Arab characters. She gives plenty of Arabic phrases that add poetry to the romance and humor to the scenes with the grumbling auntie. As someone in a multicultural marriage, I read aloud the moments where the outsider gets a cultural experience to my partner, as we can usually relate. They are written so realistically that it is clear the author has witnessed many of these exchanges in her own life. I’ve been in the exact same liver situation as Hawk.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I have not read Persuasion. (I know…) Therefore, I can say that anyone can pick up this book and be sucked right in. No prior reading required!
Thank you for the ARC. This is my honest review.
This is a second chance romance between an unexpected Earl, Hawk, and an American from a Palestinian family, Naila. They fell in love eight years ago, but circumstances and pressure prevented them from holding onto their love. When they meet again, they see that although they have changed as people, their feelings for each other remain steady. However, the pain from the past is a lot to overcome.
Once you start this book, you will not want to put it down. The alternating dual timelines make the pacing of this book fast, but because of the time that has elapsed, the romance can be seen as nothing short of destiny. While Hawk and Naila make decisions that keep them apart, their reasons for doing so are so fully developed. Instead of feeling frustrated, I felt sympathy and grieved alongside them.
I always love the influences of Palestinian/Arab culture that Quincy puts in her novels when she writes Arab characters. She gives plenty of Arabic phrases that add poetry to the romance and humor to the scenes with the grumbling auntie. As someone in a multicultural marriage, I read aloud the moments where the outsider gets a cultural experience to my partner, as we can usually relate. They are written so realistically that it is clear the author has witnessed many of these exchanges in her own life. I’ve been in the exact same liver situation as Hawk.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I have not read Persuasion. (I know…) Therefore, I can say that anyone can pick up this book and be sucked right in. No prior reading required!
Thank you for the ARC. This is my honest review.
August 22, 2025
Tbh more like 3.5/5 stars, but I really enjoyed this one!
I won't read a second chance by just anyone, but for Diana Quincy I'll happily pick one up! This is a Persuasion retelling and I haven't read the original so who knows how accurate it is?!
I love Diana Quincy's writing so much and loved Naila and Hawk (man of like 3 names) so much!!
My main complaint about this book is the flashbacks! I didn't need them and would've much rather just had the character think back to the past rather than have full chapters of them. I was lowkey skimming them. I did like the prologue and seeing them meet in the past.
I also did think the ending was drawn out a bit and cyclical only for it to be resolved fast?
*thanks to the publisher for the gifted eARC; all thoughts are my own*
I won't read a second chance by just anyone, but for Diana Quincy I'll happily pick one up! This is a Persuasion retelling and I haven't read the original so who knows how accurate it is?!
I love Diana Quincy's writing so much and loved Naila and Hawk (man of like 3 names) so much!!
My main complaint about this book is the flashbacks! I didn't need them and would've much rather just had the character think back to the past rather than have full chapters of them. I was lowkey skimming them. I did like the prologue and seeing them meet in the past.
I also did think the ending was drawn out a bit and cyclical only for it to be resolved fast?
*thanks to the publisher for the gifted eARC; all thoughts are my own*
October 2, 2025
While The Earl That Got Away is a standalone romance in the Sirens in Silk series, I recommend beginning with The Duke Gets Desperate to avoid spoilers regarding the first romance. You’ll also get to know key characters that appear in book two.
American Naila Darwish is what one would consider on the shelf for the marriage mart. Long ago she fell in love with a young man who asked her to wed, but it was a forbidden romance. Her Aunt and family wished for her to marry within their community and/ or to a man of rank. The young man, an Englishman, was without a title. Now she dotes on her nieces and nephews and takes care of the family. Once she wore colors and sparkled, but that light dimmed when she obeyed her family and not her heart.
Now eight years later, Naila is here for her sister’s wedding and is shocked when Basil, the young man she refused, is in attendance. He is no longer untitled, and she wonders if this might be a second chance.
The Earl That Got Away is a second-chance romance, filled with tension and miscommunication. Basil is hurt and angry. He still has feelings for Naila but cannot let go of the sting of her rejection. Naila slowly lets down the walls she has erected around her heart and even wears colors, but these two knuckle-heads bungle things up every time they speak. It was infuriating. Their sizzling chemistry was electrifying, and even the Duke and her sister noticed, but jealousy, miscommunication and fear kept getting in their way. It was a slow-burn until their passion exploded, but even intimacy wasn’t enough to sort things out. I wondered if these two would ever find a happily ever after. Even Naila’s family interfered.
I closed The Earl That Got Away with a smile despite the frustrations along the way. I am curious to see what the next story in the series will bring. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
American Naila Darwish is what one would consider on the shelf for the marriage mart. Long ago she fell in love with a young man who asked her to wed, but it was a forbidden romance. Her Aunt and family wished for her to marry within their community and/ or to a man of rank. The young man, an Englishman, was without a title. Now she dotes on her nieces and nephews and takes care of the family. Once she wore colors and sparkled, but that light dimmed when she obeyed her family and not her heart.
Now eight years later, Naila is here for her sister’s wedding and is shocked when Basil, the young man she refused, is in attendance. He is no longer untitled, and she wonders if this might be a second chance.
The Earl That Got Away is a second-chance romance, filled with tension and miscommunication. Basil is hurt and angry. He still has feelings for Naila but cannot let go of the sting of her rejection. Naila slowly lets down the walls she has erected around her heart and even wears colors, but these two knuckle-heads bungle things up every time they speak. It was infuriating. Their sizzling chemistry was electrifying, and even the Duke and her sister noticed, but jealousy, miscommunication and fear kept getting in their way. It was a slow-burn until their passion exploded, but even intimacy wasn’t enough to sort things out. I wondered if these two would ever find a happily ever after. Even Naila’s family interfered.
I closed The Earl That Got Away with a smile despite the frustrations along the way. I am curious to see what the next story in the series will bring. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
October 19, 2025
A persuasion retelling that really worked!!
I loved this book. Great pacing.
The second half had some of the LOLs I love from Diana Quincy. She is such a funny author sometimes!!
I loved this book. Great pacing.
The second half had some of the LOLs I love from Diana Quincy. She is such a funny author sometimes!!
December 25, 2025
Alright, I’m calling it, this author is not for me.
October 1, 2025
A rocky path for this second chance romance!
Vivacious young Palestinian American woman Naila Darwish falls in love with a young Englishman visiting Philadelphia. Basil Trevelyn is looking at his uncle’s business concerns with a view to staying and eventually taking over the company.
Basil proposes and Naila accepts only to break it off when her Aunt Majida points out how such a marriage would effect the honor of her family. Later that day, realising she’s made a mistake Naila goes to tell Basil she was wrong but hed already left for England. Naila is brokenhearted. She returns to her family and becomes the faded spinster aunt, instead of the bird of paradise she’d once been.
Eight years later the Darwish family journeys to England for Naila’s sister’s engagement ball and wedding to the Duke of Strickland. Naila and Basil meet again. Basil is now the Earl of Hawksworth, and Strick’s best friend.
How these two finally come together is a litany of mistakes and misunderstandings.
Despite the interesting storyline I didn’t really engage with Naila.
Naila decides to write a guide about the cultural differences that American heiresses face in Britain. A pamphlet designed to help these wealthy women contemplating such a move, and in doing so save stately homes of architectural significance. Putting impoverished lords together with a wealthy bride.
My feelings about the idea of a pamphlet for these women are somewhat ambiguous, especially seeing as many of these women found themselves in unenviable positions, married for their money to a man who could only see dollar signs, or to rakes and drunkards, or worse.
An Avon and Harper Voyager ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Vivacious young Palestinian American woman Naila Darwish falls in love with a young Englishman visiting Philadelphia. Basil Trevelyn is looking at his uncle’s business concerns with a view to staying and eventually taking over the company.
Basil proposes and Naila accepts only to break it off when her Aunt Majida points out how such a marriage would effect the honor of her family. Later that day, realising she’s made a mistake Naila goes to tell Basil she was wrong but hed already left for England. Naila is brokenhearted. She returns to her family and becomes the faded spinster aunt, instead of the bird of paradise she’d once been.
Eight years later the Darwish family journeys to England for Naila’s sister’s engagement ball and wedding to the Duke of Strickland. Naila and Basil meet again. Basil is now the Earl of Hawksworth, and Strick’s best friend.
How these two finally come together is a litany of mistakes and misunderstandings.
Despite the interesting storyline I didn’t really engage with Naila.
Naila decides to write a guide about the cultural differences that American heiresses face in Britain. A pamphlet designed to help these wealthy women contemplating such a move, and in doing so save stately homes of architectural significance. Putting impoverished lords together with a wealthy bride.
My feelings about the idea of a pamphlet for these women are somewhat ambiguous, especially seeing as many of these women found themselves in unenviable positions, married for their money to a man who could only see dollar signs, or to rakes and drunkards, or worse.
An Avon and Harper Voyager ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
September 6, 2025
Now THIS is the Persuasion retelling we want to see! Naila and Basil/Hawk fell in love when they met in Philadelphia eight years ago, but her wealthy merchant family would never approve of her marrying a man without title or fortune, let alone out of her Palestinian culture. And he took that personally. So they both have been brokenhearted for years when SURPRISE they meet in the run-up to Raya and Strick's wedding (Respective sister and BFF from The Duke Gets Desperate). Quincy is at the height of her authorial powers here, the scene where they meet is gripping. "The world came to an abrupt halt. All movement in the ballroom - the dancing couples, chattering guests and roaming servants proffering refreshments - froze in place. Everything, that is, except for Naila's plummeting stomach. Basil."
From then on we are in the hands of a master writer. This book was so angsty I had to put it down several times and walk around the house, a move I haven't had to go to since my one (1) Sherry Thomas read. I even DM'ed a couple IG mutuals who had already reviewed it for a pep talk. Quincy unspools the story through flashbacks to their initial love, with clandestine meetings and Hawk's failure to grasp why he can't openly court her. Of course each happy infatuated flashback gives the reader the impending dread of "is this where it all goes wrong."
In current day the visceral emotions from these two of shame and guilt and anger and resentment color everything, including their white hot attraction and awareness of the other. Hawk is now acceptable as a wealthy Earl in a way he wasn't before, and it pisses him off. Raya, who "bitterly regretted her decision every single day since sending Basil away" has sublimated herself into service to her family and has denied herself happiness. Through the long present day sections, these two have to grapple with what this loss has done to them both, and how they need to move on from dwelling in past hurts.
There are other potential parings that are so plausible as to stress the reader out (also, SHUT UP GUY with your stupid suggestions). There is a little too much almost telling key details and then backing off with a "what's the point." When someone is interrupted TWICE with a highly relevant story about your shared past, the solution is NOT fake rationalizations for home decor and "now that he'd had a moment to reflect on the matter, he decided it was probably wiser to leave those emotions unexplored." Gah. These two let pride and fear get in the way a lot. Raya and Strick do a tiny light meddling, but really should have done a lot more, since they both know the depth of loss they each are feeling. Plus it was delightful to see them on page and enjoying their own HEA.
I don't want to shock anyone when I tell you that a wealthy white man filtered interactions through his own cultural lens and has difficulty truly understanding the situation. Naila would be potentially losing everything, her family and her culture by going against her father and marrying him. And his take away is but we'd be together, you'd have me. It's only years later that he is able to see that her family's concern that she be protected and fortuitously married is essentially the British way of arranging advantageous marriages, through a different prism. I could have used a skosh more of some stuff, like discussing the family pressure and cultural aspect more between them, so I feel like he really got what she had faced in the past.
Ultimately I feel like maybe the present-day section was a little *too* drawn out with the hiccup to resolution (intentionally vague)? And then in the end it all felt a tad rushed? But not enough to make this lower than 4.5 rounded up to five stars because DANG was it effective in making me feel things.
Thank you to Avon Books for the arc.
From then on we are in the hands of a master writer. This book was so angsty I had to put it down several times and walk around the house, a move I haven't had to go to since my one (1) Sherry Thomas read. I even DM'ed a couple IG mutuals who had already reviewed it for a pep talk. Quincy unspools the story through flashbacks to their initial love, with clandestine meetings and Hawk's failure to grasp why he can't openly court her. Of course each happy infatuated flashback gives the reader the impending dread of "is this where it all goes wrong."
In current day the visceral emotions from these two of shame and guilt and anger and resentment color everything, including their white hot attraction and awareness of the other. Hawk is now acceptable as a wealthy Earl in a way he wasn't before, and it pisses him off. Raya, who "bitterly regretted her decision every single day since sending Basil away" has sublimated herself into service to her family and has denied herself happiness. Through the long present day sections, these two have to grapple with what this loss has done to them both, and how they need to move on from dwelling in past hurts.
There are other potential parings that are so plausible as to stress the reader out (also, SHUT UP GUY with your stupid suggestions). There is a little too much almost telling key details and then backing off with a "what's the point." When someone is interrupted TWICE with a highly relevant story about your shared past, the solution is NOT fake rationalizations for home decor and "now that he'd had a moment to reflect on the matter, he decided it was probably wiser to leave those emotions unexplored." Gah. These two let pride and fear get in the way a lot. Raya and Strick do a tiny light meddling, but really should have done a lot more, since they both know the depth of loss they each are feeling. Plus it was delightful to see them on page and enjoying their own HEA.
I don't want to shock anyone when I tell you that a wealthy white man filtered interactions through his own cultural lens and has difficulty truly understanding the situation. Naila would be potentially losing everything, her family and her culture by going against her father and marrying him. And his take away is but we'd be together, you'd have me. It's only years later that he is able to see that her family's concern that she be protected and fortuitously married is essentially the British way of arranging advantageous marriages, through a different prism. I could have used a skosh more of some stuff, like discussing the family pressure and cultural aspect more between them, so I feel like he really got what she had faced in the past.
Ultimately I feel like maybe the present-day section was a little *too* drawn out with the hiccup to resolution (intentionally vague)? And then in the end it all felt a tad rushed? But not enough to make this lower than 4.5 rounded up to five stars because DANG was it effective in making me feel things.
Thank you to Avon Books for the arc.
July 27, 2025
I enjoyed this immensely. It’s an enthralling second chance romance and a version of Persuasion retelling. I really liked Diana Quincy’s style, it was very easy to read. The angst and the passion were palpable, and the pages just turned themselves. Naila is a very likeable lead, who goes from swan to mouse and back to swan within the span of the story and she takes passionate but hurt - and, thus. stern and forbidding - Hawk along for the ride. The only part I enjoyed somewhat less is how long the misunderstandings persisted, and the characters continued to layer them on. But finally Captain Wentworth got his yes and all was right with this wonderful story!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advance copy of this great read!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advance copy of this great read!
August 26, 2025
Thanks to Avon for giving me the great honor of reading and reviewing this book early. All thoughts are my own!!
I adore Diana Quincy’s books with everything in me, and this book was no exception!! Diana Quincy writes such fantastic stories that have you feeling every emotion and keep you so invested in her characters and their lives. The Earl That Got Away is an emotional second chance romance about Naila, who is struggling to balance love and familial expectations, and Hawk, who has reappeared in her life again completely changed.
I adored this book and these characters so much. I was genuinely crying at multiple parts, and I can’t wait to get a physical copy for my shelves. This book is full of growth, forgiveness, tenderness, and joy. I loved watching Naila build her future through her work, and I loved seeing her choose her own path. Hawk just wanted to be loved for himself, and watching him realize Naila loved him that way was so sweet.
Second chance is not a version of romance that I read often, but this is one that I will gladly reread because it was written so beautifully. There was so much angst and tension between these two that it was practically jumping off the page. I really loved them together, and I wish there was more at the end of the two of them because I wanted MORE OF THEM TOGETHER!!
I was so excited to see the characters from the first book again, and they’re so in love and happy I CRIED!! I’m really curious who the next couple will be if there are more books in this series.
I adore Diana Quincy’s books with everything in me, and this book was no exception!! Diana Quincy writes such fantastic stories that have you feeling every emotion and keep you so invested in her characters and their lives. The Earl That Got Away is an emotional second chance romance about Naila, who is struggling to balance love and familial expectations, and Hawk, who has reappeared in her life again completely changed.
I adored this book and these characters so much. I was genuinely crying at multiple parts, and I can’t wait to get a physical copy for my shelves. This book is full of growth, forgiveness, tenderness, and joy. I loved watching Naila build her future through her work, and I loved seeing her choose her own path. Hawk just wanted to be loved for himself, and watching him realize Naila loved him that way was so sweet.
Second chance is not a version of romance that I read often, but this is one that I will gladly reread because it was written so beautifully. There was so much angst and tension between these two that it was practically jumping off the page. I really loved them together, and I wish there was more at the end of the two of them because I wanted MORE OF THEM TOGETHER!!
I was so excited to see the characters from the first book again, and they’re so in love and happy I CRIED!! I’m really curious who the next couple will be if there are more books in this series.
October 30, 2025
A huge thanks to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely cannot resist a Persuasion retelling, so you know I had to read this one! I'll admit that I was hesitant because I read the first book in the series, and it wasn't really a favorite. While I did enjoy this book more, I also found it lacking. I think the writing style simply isn't for me. I did feel like the story had more depth and dimension than the first book. I found Hawk and Naila's pining, bitterness, and anger so acutely. Generally, I also thought they were so infuriating! lol I wanted them to actually communicate with one another and sort out their feelings and the mess from eight years ago.
I liked that we got many flashback scenes in this book too, about how Naila and Hawk came to meet and their falling out. I'm glad I wasn't left to wonder or read about how things were for them only in the current time.
I wanted more out of the spicy scenes. I thought they went by too quickly and almost felt like an "add on" instead of real moments to savor between Naila and Hawk.
If you're a fan of Persuasion, you'll definitely spot the parallels in this book.
I absolutely cannot resist a Persuasion retelling, so you know I had to read this one! I'll admit that I was hesitant because I read the first book in the series, and it wasn't really a favorite. While I did enjoy this book more, I also found it lacking. I think the writing style simply isn't for me. I did feel like the story had more depth and dimension than the first book. I found Hawk and Naila's pining, bitterness, and anger so acutely. Generally, I also thought they were so infuriating! lol I wanted them to actually communicate with one another and sort out their feelings and the mess from eight years ago.
I liked that we got many flashback scenes in this book too, about how Naila and Hawk came to meet and their falling out. I'm glad I wasn't left to wonder or read about how things were for them only in the current time.
I wanted more out of the spicy scenes. I thought they went by too quickly and almost felt like an "add on" instead of real moments to savor between Naila and Hawk.
If you're a fan of Persuasion, you'll definitely spot the parallels in this book.
October 4, 2025
Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the e-arc!
I love Diana's work, she is one of my favorite historical romance authors and I love how she writes her FMC's!
Naila is a lover and a fighter, she is often undermined by the people around her so seeing her finally get her love story was really great.
I loved the Arab and Palestinian representation, especially in a genre like historical romance.
I have to say that I fear I was not a fan of the Persuasion influences, which is solely my own bad. I've read a couple of Persuasion retellings but never actually read Persuasion. I personally wish that we would've seen more effort from the MMC Hawk, I felt like he was constantly just thinking about himself rather than Naila and the pressure she was feeling from her family.
I love second chance romances but only when both MC's are yearning and putting in effort, this felt like Naila was doing the most yearning.
While I did not necessarily enjoy the romance, I did enjoy the other premises of the book such as Naila writing a pamphlet and her love for architecture!
I love Diana's work, she is one of my favorite historical romance authors and I love how she writes her FMC's!
Naila is a lover and a fighter, she is often undermined by the people around her so seeing her finally get her love story was really great.
I loved the Arab and Palestinian representation, especially in a genre like historical romance.
I have to say that I fear I was not a fan of the Persuasion influences, which is solely my own bad. I've read a couple of Persuasion retellings but never actually read Persuasion. I personally wish that we would've seen more effort from the MMC Hawk, I felt like he was constantly just thinking about himself rather than Naila and the pressure she was feeling from her family.
I love second chance romances but only when both MC's are yearning and putting in effort, this felt like Naila was doing the most yearning.
While I did not necessarily enjoy the romance, I did enjoy the other premises of the book such as Naila writing a pamphlet and her love for architecture!
October 7, 2025
Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for this advance copy!
Diana Quincy strikes again! I loved the first book in this series and The Earl that Got Away is another fantastic historical romance. Naila, an American of Palestinian descent, falls in love with Basil, a British man in Philadelphia to see about joining his uncle's business. Love blooms, but Naila can't commit and Basil returns to England with a broken heart, only to come into an Earldom. Eight years later her sister is marrying his best friend and love blooms again.
These two can't give each other up but nor can they really let themselves be happy together and I loved how Quincy brought them together eventually. They are so dumb for each other and we love to see it. Naila's ability to finally put aside the expectations she feels so that she can finally just let herself love was great.
Quincy is a great writer and I always look forward to her books. I hope there's a third in this series!
Diana Quincy strikes again! I loved the first book in this series and The Earl that Got Away is another fantastic historical romance. Naila, an American of Palestinian descent, falls in love with Basil, a British man in Philadelphia to see about joining his uncle's business. Love blooms, but Naila can't commit and Basil returns to England with a broken heart, only to come into an Earldom. Eight years later her sister is marrying his best friend and love blooms again.
These two can't give each other up but nor can they really let themselves be happy together and I loved how Quincy brought them together eventually. They are so dumb for each other and we love to see it. Naila's ability to finally put aside the expectations she feels so that she can finally just let herself love was great.
Quincy is a great writer and I always look forward to her books. I hope there's a third in this series!
November 13, 2025
I should probably stop saying that I don't like second-chance Romances because my favorite book is Persuasion by Jane Austen. So when I heard that The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy was a retelling of it, I jumped at the chance to read it. It did not disappoint!
Naila and Basil met in the US and fell in love, but her aunt and life kept them apart until they were both in England to celebrate Naila's sister's wedding to Basil's best friend.
I loved the way that Quincy weaves Palestinian heritage throughout the novel and the pride with which Naila carries that heritage. It's also a really beautiful retelling of my favorite book with great little additions and changes.
I received an advance reader copy for free via NetGalley.
Naila and Basil met in the US and fell in love, but her aunt and life kept them apart until they were both in England to celebrate Naila's sister's wedding to Basil's best friend.
I loved the way that Quincy weaves Palestinian heritage throughout the novel and the pride with which Naila carries that heritage. It's also a really beautiful retelling of my favorite book with great little additions and changes.
I received an advance reader copy for free via NetGalley.
October 18, 2025
Persuasion, but make it horny and heartfelt
Naila and Basil’s second chance romance had me absolutely crazy for them, all that longing, the regret, the quiet heartbreak.
I loved how Quincy grounded their story in cultural and family expectations, showing what it meant for Naila to choose between love and belonging. It gave real emotional weight to the yearning.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Naila and Basil’s second chance romance had me absolutely crazy for them, all that longing, the regret, the quiet heartbreak.
I loved how Quincy grounded their story in cultural and family expectations, showing what it meant for Naila to choose between love and belonging. It gave real emotional weight to the yearning.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
November 25, 2025
For everyone who says bring back yearning, this book is for you! Seeing our two main characters suffering the effects of Naila's decision to call off their engagement, while pairing that with flashbacks to their courtship eight years earlier worked so well for me. And did I mentioned the YEARNING?! I loved this and if I hadn't already enjoyed Diana Quincy as an author, this would have converted me.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC.
May 14, 2025
Will definitely appeal to fans of 2nd chance romance. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first in the series. I would have liked the hero and heroine to have an earlier conversation about their history.
But still enjoyable. I read this book in about 6 hours because I just didn't want to put it down.
Thanks to Edelweis for the eARC
But still enjoyable. I read this book in about 6 hours because I just didn't want to put it down.
Thanks to Edelweis for the eARC
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