The Earl's Marriage Dilemma

by Sarah Mallory

Duty and desire collide for the earl in this compelling Regency romance!

Hired by the earl…

Desired as his bride?

Conham, the new Earl of Dallamire, is resolute: he must wed a wealthy bride. It’s the only way to bring the estate that his late father squandered back into prosperity. But a late-night encounter with beautiful stranger Rosina Brackwood leads Conham to question his carefully laid plans…

Running away from her abominable brother, Rosina is in desperate need of refuge. So when Conham offers her the position of his land steward, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Yet as they live and work in close confines, the crackle of chemistry is impossible to ignore…

From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.

Genres: Historical Romance

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published December 24, 2024

About the author

Sarah Mallory is the pen name for Melinda Hammond.

Born in Bristol, England, UK, she grew up telling stories. She would make up adventures to relate to her school friends during break times and lunch hours, and she was once caught scribbling a story instead of listening to the French lesson. As a punishment, her teacher made her translate the story into French! She left school at sixteen and worked in offices as varied as stockbrokers, marine engineers, insurance brokers, biscuit manufacturers and even a quarrying company.

She married at nineteen, but continued to work until the birth of her first child. It was at that time that she decided to try her hand at her first love—writing, and shortly after the birth of her daughter she had her first book, Fortune's Lady, published under the pen name of Melinda Hammond. This was quickly followed by two more historical novels, Summer Charade and Autumn Bride, but with the birth of her twin sons the demands of family life meant that writing had to take a backseat for a few years. A compulsive scribbler, she never stopped writing and continued to work on research for her novels, experimenting with contemporary scenarios as well as writing pantomimes for her children's school. In 1989 the family moved to an isolated Pennine farmhouse in West Yorkshire, not far from Brontë country, where the family expanded to include a dog, two gerbils and a dozen chickens. The growing family needed funding and she went back to work full-time. The writing had to be put on hold.

Then, in March 2000, Sarah stepped off a curb and landed in hospital with one ankle broken and one badly sprained. This laid her up on a sofa for twelve weeks and gave her the time she needed to finish a novel. She wrote as Melinda Hammond and Maid of Honour was published the same year. Since then she has never looked back. She's published more than a dozen books under this pen name and has won the Reviewers' Choice Award in 2005 from Singletitles.com for Dance for a Diamond. Her novel Gentlemen in Question was a Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice Title in November 2006. In 2012 her novel The Dangerous Lord Darrington won the Love Story of the Year by the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is now concentrating on writing romantic historical adventures for Mills & Boon.

Reviews

[Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starts with drama, and ends with love!

Firstly; The BEST opening I have read for a long, long time!!

Dramatic and exciting; believe me it's a real cracker and opens the door for a beautiful and utterly romantic story to follow, I loved it!!

For me it's not Christmas without a new Sarah Mallory story it's not any season without a Sarah Mallory book, I always become very excited whenever there is a sparkly new one on the horizon, I love her stories and will happily read anything with her name on it!

The Earl's Marriage Dilemma on the surface looks like so many other marriages of convenience or as I like to call them; marry to get his hands on her money to put his easte back to good health due to brainless selfish twits of ancestors who squandered every shilling…And breathe! But this is as far removed from that, it's so different and intelligent, I adore the path the characters take and the way the story shifts from where you think it's going to where we eventually end up.

Conham; Earl of Dellamire is like so many aristocratic men has inherited a pile of debt and run down estates that need huge amounts of brass thrown at it, but alas the Dellamire coffers are unfortunately bare.

Can you see where this is going?

Yup, Conham is looking for a woman with deep pockets and preferably a wealthy daddy who can foot the bill. He had a woman in mind, only she was a heartless harlot who didn't deserve the attention our Conham gave to her and she rebuffed his proposal and left him in search of his saving grace. Little is known to him that, the very person he needs (yet, doesn't realise just how much, yet!) will collide with him in the street.

Rowena is running for her life, she has escaped a dastardly plot conceived by her vile relations which is to literally 'do her in'. When she bumps and then faints and then wakes up in the bed of a very handsome Earl, she has no idea just what a saving grace he is, but more than that what a rarity he is for an aristocrat. Conham proposes a deal, he will help her get back onto her feet far away from the people wanting her to send her off to meet her maker, if she will take on the position of being his land steward at his rambling estate.

How can she not accept?

The relationship between Conham and Rosina is a beautiful slow-building romance, it's tender and with lots of mutual respect and good-natured banter between the two, it's a friendship of convenience which turns into a friends-to-lovers-story.

I love that The Earl's Marriage Dilemma is set outside of London and the 'Ton', instead we have a backdrop of Bristol, don't get me wrong I do love the stereotypical Regency romance as much as the next romance reader, but it is refreshing to be out of the smog of London and seeing a different part of Regency England for a change.

I have to mention Conham's valet/batman/best friend; Matt, my gawd how much do I adore this man? (that's a rhetorical question!!) Matt is everything you want in a friend, funny, loyal, cheeky, and charismatic and he will happily tear strips of Conham and tell him that he's a pillock while defending him like my dog does with a new squeaky toy (he's a ratter so he's very possessive!) I love the lightness and fun he brings to Conham's life, and his instant friendship with Rosina plus it's very amusing seeing him and Rosina ganging up on Conham to divert him into their way of thinking.

I just love this guy so much!

Like with all of Sarah Mallory's stories The Earl's Marriage Dilemma is clever, fun and full of class, with dynamic characters who see outside of the box, Conham is not the stereotypical Earl he's prepared to step outside of the norm, though he's still a pillock at times. Rowena is a marvel, determined, strong-willed, incredibly intelligent and insightful given the platform to voice her thoughts. She had one hell of a bad start in the story, but she has a force of will to survive, she's easily one of my favourite heroines to date!

There isn't a single thing I didn't love about this, from the gorgeous cover to the dramatic, engaging and beautifully tender romance and of course the enigmatic characters, I cannot recommend this book enough, definitely a must for your Christmas stocking!

The Earl's Marriage Dilemma is to be published on 19th December, this was an advanced reader copy which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great pleasure to pick up another of Sarah Mallory's books over the Christmas and New Year break. What a great read this is.
The story begins with Conham Mortlake, Earl Dallamire, in a strop. His mistress of six months has refused his proposal of marriage because, as she puts it, his fortune is 'nonexistent', his estate is 'riddled with debts', and his latest inheritance is an 'insignificant property' along with a few acres of land near Bristol!
Cutting, I thought, but of course, back in the eighteenth century, marriage was much more of a contract between families than it is today. Unfortunately for Conham, that lady's assessment of his predicament is only too accurate, and as a wealthy widow, she can exercise a certain amount of choice.
In the deepest vortex of his strop, as he strides through the town, Conham bumps into Rosina Brackwood and steps up to help her. As I hadn't initially taken to Earl Dallamire, I was pleased to discover that he did have some positive traits. The chance meeting sets in place an association between Miss Brackwood and the Earl that twists and turns in its fortunes and misadventures throughout the pages of the book.
It transpires that Miss Brackwood is an excellent land/estate manager. Conham is in much need of such expertise. At a time when women were expected to be only wives, mothers, and managers of households, Rosina's capabilities and aptitudes make for a very refreshing character. I immediately warmed to her and her ideas about resolving some of the issues with Conham's estate.
It was also the business aspects of this tale - can the gardens be made profitable again, can the estate become solvent - that I found particularly interesting and enjoyable as Rosina, with the help of Matt Talacre - an ex-army colleague of Conham's - and support from Conham himself. It added an extra dimension and fizz to the relationship between Conham and Rosina.
If you want to know if there is a happy-ever-after for Rosina and Conham, then you will have to read the book. But, I can guarantee that you will have a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing read as you discover the answer for yourself.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always with the Regency romances from this talented writer we are transported back in time to a world of restrictions where women were very much at the mercy of men, be it their fathers, brothers or husbands. Rosina Brackwood very much falls into this category as in escaping her tyrannical and profligate brother she must find employment however with her life in danger she takes a chance on becoming the land steward to Conham, the new Earl of Dallamire. This in itself is an unusual situation as women do not become employed as managers of large estates but Rosina is no shrinking violet and pretty soon Conham realises that there is far more to this feisty young woman than he could ever have imagined.

There’s the fine attention to historical accuracy that we have come to expect from this author’s books but there is also a wonderful array of characters who flit into and out of the story each bringing their own brand of magic to this sparking story. I have been quite engrossed in this wonderful world and have loved spending time and getting to know Rosina and Conham. At its heart, of course, is a tender and romantic love story but there is also so much more to take in especially with those nefarious characters who, hopefully, get what they deserve.

The Earl’s Marriage Dilemma is great escapism which brightens even the darkest of days. It’s an adventurous story, beautifully described, with wonderful characters and a tender love story, what’s not to like 😉

[Julie Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Ms Alcott will pardon my paraphrasing of one of the most famous opening lines in literary history, I’m now getting to the point where I can honestly say that Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas… without a new Sarah Mallory Regency novel.

I am always enthusiastic about Sarah’s books because she has this genre nailed, but this is my absolute favourite one yet. It has the most amazing, dramatic start and the perfect, romantic ending with lots of Regency shenanigans to enjoy between the two but the reason I love this book so much is mainly down to the characters.

Rosina is one of the best female Regency characters I have read in a long while. She is demure and proper but, at the same time, independent and strong and Sarah has written her in such a way that these two sides come together perfectly and make it impossible for both the Earl of Dallamire and the reader not to fall in love with her. Throughout the book 9and I think a lot of this has to do with the setting as well as her character) I was reminded of Anne Elliot, heroine of my favourite Jane Austen novel, Persuasion, and one of the most mature and well-rounded female characters written in this era. If there is higher praise than that, I can’t think of it. I can’t put my finger on exactly why Rosina reminded me of Anne, but she did.

The plot of this novel is set many outside of London, the haut ton and the season, which gives it a different bent to a lot of the novels set in this period and made it feel fresh and original. It puts a woman in a role in which she is not normally seen, and I loved the references to the development of the baths and the pleasure gardens. All in all, an exciting plot with a different flavour from the norm and it was a real joy to read.

My love affair with Sarah Mallory’s Regency novels for Mills and Boon continues and I will eagerly pick up anything she sends my way. You should definitely get a copy too.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a book that grabs your attention from the first few pages, you’re going to love this one – a dramatic and engaging start as Rosina flees her captors at the dockside, seeking help and finding it with Conham, the Earl of Dallamire. Hearing her story of treachery and betrayal by her brother Edgar, he’s horrified – but her experience in running her own family’s estate has given her a set of skills that he would find particularly useful, deciding to take her on as his land steward for his inherited estate near Gloucester, while he tackles issues of his own at home. Despite their growing attraction to each other (and my goodness, you can feel it…) it seems there can be no future for any relationship – he needs to marry money, his father having gambled away their fortune, and despite her many attractions, Rosina doesn’t have a penny to her name.

But she really is the most wonderfully drawn character – very much a woman of her time in so many ways, but with an independence and inner strength that means she can more than hold her own in a male-dominated world. But she has a softer side too – a level of emotional fragility, a real sympathy with the struggles of the tenants on the failing estate – while earning the respect of everyone whose path she crosses. Her relationship with Conham starts as a professional one, then turns into a tentative friendship, until it shows signs of becoming something more – and I really enjoyed the way they circled each other, both aware that nothing more could ever come of it.

The supporting cast is excellent too – I particularly liked Conham’s friend Matt Talacre, a supportive presence for them both, and really enjoyed the subplot of his work to revitalise the baths and pleasure gardens on the estate (and I noticed he’ll be taking centre stage in the author’s next book – I’ll look forward to that…). Unfortunately though, Rosina hasn’t seen the last of the suitably villainous Edgar. And I loved the setting – a long way away from the usual London “season”, much more accessible to a reader who’s less familiar with that world. The conventions – the behavioural constraints, the acceptable behaviours, society’s expectations – are still very much present, but there’s a fresh and really different feel to the story.

You might think you wouldn’t enjoy Regency fiction, but this may just be the book to change your mind. The dramatic moments, the strong characterisation, the fascinating level of historical detail bringing a less than familiar world vividly to life – and if that doesn’t convince you, there’s that constant sizzle from the chemistry between Conham and Rosina, a growing romance that I found entirely real and convincing. The whole story is beautifully told – a strong plot, a few surprises, a lot of obstacles on the way to love – and its conclusion really couldn’t have been more perfect, filled with warmth, and everything I could have possibly wanted it to be. Such an enjoyable read, and a book I’d recommend really highly…

[DD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to usual very readable standard

Funny how from just one innocuous line from another book you can recognise not only the book but who said to whom, and when.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it.