Unspoken

Entitled Love #2

by Rachel Rowan

Never had he met a more infuriating person than his best friend’s little sister...

Artist Peony needs a place to stay. And not just any place. She needs room to finish the series of paintings she started in Africa - because finding her boyfriend in flagrante in their Zanzibar apartment has sent Pea fleeing back to England sooner than planned.

Luckily for Pea, she knows a man with plenty of room. Unluckily, that man is her brother’s oldest friend, the forbidding Duke of Cumbria, whose brooding countenance and darkly glowering features have haunted Peony’s dreams for years.

The Duke is a busy man with no time for babysitting his friend’s infuriating little sister, especially not when he’s spent the last fifteen years attempting to keep her at arm's length.

Because, God help him, she’s the one woman he can never have…

Rachel Rowan’s Entitled Love novellas weave the stately homes and witty banter of regency romance into contemporary steamy romcoms.

Genres: Romance, Novella, Chick Lit, Contemporary

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 11, 2023

About the author

Rachel Rowan lives in England, with her husband, children, rescue cat, and an embarrassing amount of undone housework. She writes smart, steamy romcoms with lots of heat, humour, heart, and all the things she loves, such as:

-Witty banter
-Slow burn
-Mutual pining
-Stolen glances
-Hand-flexing tension
-Steam!
-Ardent declarations
-And always, always, a happy ending!

Rachel Rowan’s Entitled Love novellas weave the stately homes and witty banter of regency romance into contemporary steamy romcoms.

Join her mailing list for news and free bonus content: www.rachelrowan.com

Reviews

[Sharon Uberoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this and have already downloaded the next book....

[Anlia Henning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the witty banter between the stoic Duke and the wild and free Pea. The sexual tension is smoldering and the love story sweet and satisfying. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. Very well written and I could see the characters in my mind’s eye as I read the scenes. A great, quick, read when in need of a romantic pick-me-up.

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

[Tegan Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dare I say it? I may have loved this even more then Uncommon Entitled Love #1. Oh dear Count - I mean Leo, my dark, tortured soul. What a read! I devoured this in a less than a day. A quick, fiery read that had me feeling all the feels. The chemistry between the Count and Pea is electric! Also the best makeout scene I've read. This whole book was so vivid. The detail of the estate had me feeling as though I was right there in front of the lake. Rachel, you've done it again. Amazing.

[Barbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pea is an artist who has returned a bit suddenly from her trip to Africa and is in search of a place to stay. Finding your boyfriend in your bed with another woman will yield a quick exit! Pea packed up her collection of canvases and returned to England to finish the painting she started. Given the option to return home with her mother, or contact her brother's best friend, the Duke of Cumbria.

The Duke of Cumbria, Leo, a.k.a. the Count, has known Pea for years, as he is Pea's brother, Edward, the Earl of Lansbury's best friend. Leo was nicknamed the Count due to his brooding features and general serious nature. When he receives a phone call from Pea, Leo is surprised because Pea is a bit wild. She is free-spirited artist who needs looked after, so he begrudgingly agrees to let her stay with him.

Unrequited love is ever-present as Pea causes Leo to acknowledge and try to ignore his feelings. Their journey forward was certainly bumpy, but I so look forward to seeing their future. Yet another great novella from Rachel Rowan!

Please note: Unspoken is the second book in the Entitled Love Series. You don't need to read book one in order to read this, but you get to meet some of the characters and have some groundwork.

Thank you to the author for a complimentary advance copy for honest review.

5 out of 5 stars!

[Syifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If you need the sun, Pea. I will give you the sun."

How could be the story and the writing of the second book in the series is keep getting better and better than before? I can't say anything much aside that I've got a feeling that Pea and Leo story would be my favorite so far (no doubt since the early chapter reveals on the first book!) and it turns out I enjoyed it more than I expected, I truly devour it!

Both Pea and Leo has characters depth that are totally opposite but both are enchanting soul! An old time childhood and teenage crush towards brother's best friend that had to be repressed, yet it become an unsolved issue between the two of them could never go out of style. Pea and Leo had undeniable chemistry and understanding that beyond anyone could ever accomplished to. It's such a funny and charming read to see how these two finally bare their soul and heart out for each other. The banter, pining, and sexual attraction carried throughout the whole book gives me chills. It has been an absolute amazing and emotional read for me. This book would left you felt good through out the day after spending some time with some charming, quirky, and witty characters and you would never regret it!

I received an advance review copy of this book for free and leave this review voluntarily. Thanks Rachel!

[Ash Juillet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Booksprout for a copy of this book.

If I could give this book more than a flimsy five-star rating, I would. Believe me, I would. I've given a couple more books 5 stars this year, but Unspoken by Rachel Rowan was honestly even better than the rest.

This book had everything I love: crushing on your brother's best friend, grumpy/sunshine trope, heartbreaking angst, the guy falls first and falls harder, modern semi-royalty au (which means the characters are posh but not that posh), nail-biting sexual tension, and emotional love declarations.

Pea and Leo were absolutely perfect for each other. I have no words to describe the mental squealing I did as I witnessed them mutually pine for each other and then finally, finally, end up kissing. That scene honestly made me breathless, and I'm not one to get so damn excited over these things. I fell in love with both these characters as they learned to make room in their lives for each other.

The moment I read Leo's dialogue, "If you need the sun, Pea, I will give you the sun," I knew this book deserved the full 5-stars rating. And then, in the end, when Leo got emotional while telling Pea that he was choosing a life with her, I might have gotten a bit choked up myself. Sue me! Leo's such a softy for her!

[Carrie West · Rating 5 out of 5]

But she is your best friend’s sister!

How are you supposed to act when you have been pining for your longest and best friend’s little sister since the moment you met her? Ever since the birthday party in “Uncommon”, it was apparent that Count had a thing for Pea. It was very “I love you so much I must tease you every minute of every day.” So, so happy this story was about them.

Everyone spoke of Count as this heartless dictator. Yet he was the one who spoke sense to Edward about Natalie. Along with other behaviors and actions, he may be the best out of all of them. Learning more of his character’s past made me love him.

Pea is a scatterbrain in the best way. Being sweet, cheerful, and kind even when she is not feeling happy herself. She may not be the most stable human, but she cares for people and it shows.

Maybe because there weren’t many other characters in the story, and those that were in it were not important to the plot, it was easy to get lost in the quickly moving love story. It made you want to know if Leo and Pea got together. If it would work if they did. If Edward would approve. I know of the perfect place for the wedding if it all goes well. 😉

Also, the lake scene in the thunderstorm. That was everything!!!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pea and Leo's Story . . .

Peony (“Pea”) found her boyfriend with another woman and immediately packed up her paintings and left. She returned to England where she could find plenty of space to continue her work by moving in with her brother’s best friend, the Duke of Cumbria. Leo, a serious and brooding man referred to as “the Count”, is not happy that the wild, spirited girl will be staying in his home. Both of them have been attracted to each other for years but said nothing, and he especially wants to keep distance between them. Will their proximity heat things up between them at last? Will the two take a chance on what they have kept hidden all these years?

I loved the characters and story line of this book. The bits of humor interspersed are exactly what I crave in a book I enjoy. Grab your copy and find out if Pea and Leo will give in to the future that has been calling them for some time now! She seems to bring out the best in him.

[jujuBeenz Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
This is the second novella in the Entitled Love Series. It’s a very quick read, about an hour. Regency Romances usually aren’t my thing. But I’ve had a lot of fun with this series so far! And this one is just as quick and fun as the first.

Leo (referred to as Count as a joke), takes in Pea (Peony) when she calls him out of the blue. She comes back to the UK from Zanzibar when she finds her boyfriend cheating on her. With nowhere to go, she calls Leo, her brother’s best friend.

Mr. Grumpy pants has secretly been in love with Miss Sunshine since they first met. But he has never acted upon his attraction due to her brother being his best friend. The banter between them is fun and the sexual tension is palpable.

Thank you to the author for this ARC review in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Hills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book number two in the ' entitled love' novella series from Rachel.
I have thoroughly enjoyed both books so far, you do not have to have read the first book but I feel it would help introduce you to some of the characters.
This book is all about the sister called pea of our lead man in the first book.
I have enjoyed her story and love the idea of her hero the brooding count. I can picture him perfectly with a dark cape draped around him.
I enjoy these novellas as you can read them in one sitting as they have substance as well as some very steamy sex. Don't leave this book hanging around for your mother to read as it might cause quite a shock!
A lovely succinct tale and well written to boot.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Unspoken” is a great next chapter in Rachel Rowan’s Entitled Love series. Our heroine, Pea, is a charmingly chaotic free spirit. Our hero, Leo – aka the Count – is stoic and bound by duty and honor. These two opposites have pined for each other for years and their journey to love was poignant, endearing, and hilarious. Rachel’s writing sparkles throughout the whole novella, but a particular highlight for me was the scene where Leo tends to Pea after she has a run-in with stinging nettles. The entire scene was so tender, but also incredibly tense and achingly sensual. It reminded me of the classic tension you read in historical romances - when you hold your breath waiting to see if they'd so much as brush hands without gloves on.  

Can’t wait for the next installment! 

[Rebecca Prokop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have NOT been able to stop thinking about this book since I read it! Pea is such a beautiful, free soul and Leo is the perfect stoic, responsible count, but with this deep, incredible wells of emotion and enormous passion. I ADORED these two. The push and pull between Pea and Leo is so beautiful and heart-rending and sparkling with humour. This is opposites attract to the max, brother's best friend, ALL of the best things. But the writing in this book is absolutely gorgeous, detailed and rich and full of chemistry. READ THIS BOOK.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 in Rowan's Entitled Love series and can be read as a standalone. A short, quick read but well written and captivating. Our main characters Leo and Pea are quite opposites but have had an ongoing attraction for each other for many years. I loved both of these characters and this book gives us both the light fun romance as well as some steamy chemistry too! A wonderful balance and a fantastic read. I can't wait for more and will definitely be going back to read book 1!

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

[Donise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this story. Pea is joy with such an unusual outlook on the world and you can't help but be caught up in her joy and clumsiness. Then there is Leo who has mainly only known darkness and duty; only Pea and her brother Edward can make him feel. There is the unspoken rule that one is not supposed to sleep with the sister of their best friend, but we all know that rules are made to be broken. This story made me laugh, cry and 'oh, my'. It is definitely going in my 'to be read again' pile.

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

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading Pea and Leo's story.
There chemistry was just so strong but you would question it too.
The way Rachel writes is just brilliant. She captures your attention straight away, and you don't want to stop reading. You feel like you are living Pea and Leo's story with them. And the way Rachel describes their surroundings, is just amazing. I felt like I was stood in the cottage while reading. So so good!
And Pea and Leo's "hate" and love for each other....I just want that!!!!

I received an ARC copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was funny, had some steamy sex scenes and a great plot. If you love books that are easy to read and leave you wanting to know more of the extra characters then this book is for you. I loved the book so much that I straight away started reading the first book in this series. Definitely an author I want to read again.

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

[arieste323 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was definitely a five star novella. I totally adore Leo and Pea. They are total opposites but are so good together. Leo is a stiff and stern Duke and Pea is the flighty, witty sister of his best friend. These two have harbored feelings for each other for years and now being forced into the same space they finally act upon it. This book is full of steamy fun times and had me feeling a wide range of feelings. Such a great read.
I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Holly Rife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this book is awesome sauce!! I can't say enough good about it ♥️♥️♥️


Pea is outspoken, carefree and clumsy. The Duke is more stoic, but he sees more of Pea's character than others do.  


This is a light-hearted romantic comedy that left me in stitches and warm fuzzies. I love the characters and how they were written.


 It's a quick, light, fun read with Jane Austen vibes. ♥️ I highly recommend this book!! 

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book is novella length, the author packs so much into this story. I felt instantly attached to the characters and the English aristocratic world she creates. Leo reluctantly takes in his best friend's sister, Peony, when she returns from Tanzania with a broken heart and paintings to finish for her upcoming show. Leo and Peony have long denied their true feelings for each other, and when they finally let down their walls, the sparks between them are so steamy!

Great, fun, steamy read filled with heart, too. Can't wait for the next book in this series. It will be a must read for me!.

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

[Macy’s books · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot actually comprehend what I have just read.

Let me leave you with this as a warning: “do you think I’m silly, Count?…I’m ditsy and daft and strange”

“What I think is silly is that you still call me by that schoolboy nickname. Use my real name.”

“But I can’t call you Leo. You’re not a lion.” …

“At least I’m not a vegetable…”

“I thought I was a seed.”

“Worse. You’re a legume.”

The ⭐️ is purely because this made me laugh. Dnf at 60% and I’ll never pick it up again…

[Meenal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC e-book via the author's newsletter. This is the second book in a series and though I haven't read the first, I found that it can be read as a stand-alone. The blurb is enticing. As it's a short read at only 100 pages, I finished it in an afternoon. It's a fresh, cute, feel-good story that resonates despite its royal setting. It could've been longer but it was fun while it lasted. Kudos to the author for spinning lovely characters to life. Do try it!

[Melissa Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended!

Unspoken is the second book in this fab series and I love love love it! The story is thoroughly enjoyable and the writing style is superb. I was totally absorbed by the characters and setting - it's fun to read how the other half live!
I couldn't put the book down and read it in one sitting. It even brought a happy tear to my eye!

[booksrissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Peony she was such a wild spirit. Leo is very stiff and gives off Mr. Darcy vibes. The author does a great job of building Leo’s character with such a short story. It’s great for a quick evening reading.

[Happyscribe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lighthearted and sweet read with inspiring characters and adorable scenarios. It's a story that will stay with you after reading just because it is so cute and endearing.

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

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively quick and fun read. I liked the banter between the main characters, and the plot was well rounded. This vook will satisfy any romance-lover looking for their next fix!.

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

[Alex T · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written plot line, it's a standalone novella. The storyline,the characters were intresting to read and the romance the love drama between the characters were well written.

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

[Lisa Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pea

Pea has caught her boyfriend cheating on her so she leaves him. She decides to contact her brothers best friend and asks to stay with him. He agrees and they try to fight their feelings, but find that they can't stay away.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I much preferred this book to the first there was something about Leo that just broke your heart as he was so guarded with everyone and how much Pea is his complete opposite was charming as opposed to annoying. Neither one seems to fit into the society they were born into and while ones allowed himself to be moulded one has now. And we aren’t even talking about poor Kipper

[Mila Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟LEO🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I LOVE THAT MAN, I really wish this was novel of hundreds of pages. I can't get enough of Leo. And Peony such sweet girl. I loved her and her attitude. Can't wait for the next book.

[David B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story!

A perfect way to spend a few hours and escape into a heartfelt steamy little romance. Smiles, sighs and a tear or two.