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Spinster House #3
When to Engage an Earl
If love is a malady, the Spinster House ladies have caught it, one by one.
Miss Jane Wilkinson couldn't be more delighted when her two best friends marry, creating a much-desired vacancy at the Spinster House. For the first time in her twenty-eight years, Jane can be free of her annoying older brother and enjoy complete solitude with the exception of the Spinster House cat, Poppy. If only Jane's unruly thoughts didn't keep drifting to handsome Alex, Earl of Evans, in the most un-spinster like ways...
Though jilted once, Alex has always intended to marry and raise a family. Now that his two closest friends have tied the knot, he is more determined than ever to find a wife. If only it wasn't the intriguing Miss Jane Wilkinson that his heart as well as the rest of him desired. Not only does she appear uninterested in marriage, it's clear she's the managing sort. And yet, despite Alex's fiercely independent spirit, the idea of being managed by her is quite appealing. Now if he can only convince her to give up her beloved Spinster House in favor of a far more pleasurable home in his arms...
Miss Jane Wilkinson couldn't be more delighted when her two best friends marry, creating a much-desired vacancy at the Spinster House. For the first time in her twenty-eight years, Jane can be free of her annoying older brother and enjoy complete solitude with the exception of the Spinster House cat, Poppy. If only Jane's unruly thoughts didn't keep drifting to handsome Alex, Earl of Evans, in the most un-spinster like ways...
Though jilted once, Alex has always intended to marry and raise a family. Now that his two closest friends have tied the knot, he is more determined than ever to find a wife. If only it wasn't the intriguing Miss Jane Wilkinson that his heart as well as the rest of him desired. Not only does she appear uninterested in marriage, it's clear she's the managing sort. And yet, despite Alex's fiercely independent spirit, the idea of being managed by her is quite appealing. Now if he can only convince her to give up her beloved Spinster House in favor of a far more pleasurable home in his arms...
310 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 30, 2017
123 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
About the author
Sally MacKenzie
42 books639 followersSally MacKenzie decided to become a writer in grade school when she read one of her stories to the class. Her classmates laughed and she was hooked. She sat down immediately to pen her first novel.
Well, not exactly.
The hooked part is right--cursed might be a better description--but the sitting down and writing part came later. Much later.
Sally eventually went on to college, majoring in English, and, upon graduation, did what many English majors do--she went to law school. But she still couldn’t shake her dream of writing fiction. Midway through law school, she faced the fact that she really did not want to be a lawyer. She took a permanent leave of absence, came home to the Washington, D.C. area, and sat down to type her first novel.
Well, not exactly.
She did come home and write, but mostly she wrote regulations for the United States government’s school nutrition programs. (Ketchup as a vegetable, anyone?) When her law school sweetheart graduated, he moved to D.C. and they got married. A couple years later, the first of their four sons was born, and Sally “retired” to manage their family. She wrote a story or two and some picture book texts, all now stored away in a filing cabinet, but she spent most of her energies on baby tending which rapidly evolved into carpool driving. She became an extremely skilled scheduler, getting all four boys to soccer, basketball, baseball, track, swimming, piano, scouts, and birthday parties without ever losing one. (Okay, she did lose the youngest for a few minutes, but she found him before he’d toddled into the parking lot.) And she did more writing--school newsletters, auction programs, class plays, swim league guidance, and the acclaimed annual MacKenzie family newsletter--but no fiction.
Finally, the boys started driving (Eek!) and leaving for college. The nest was emptying and she wasn't getting any younger. The time had come to chase the dream or let it go for good, so she sat down at the computer and wrote. And rewrote. And rewrote again until she had a polished manuscript. She joined the Romance Writers of America, and when the plea went out for Regency manuscripts for the 2004 Golden Heart contest, she sent in The Naked Duke. The stars aligned. She made the final round, and one of the judging editors liked the manuscript and offered to buy it.
Yee haw!!
When not writing or obsessing over the various mysteries of book promotion, Sally can be found at the gym working hard to age gracefully, at the pool on the SLOW side of the Masters swim practice, or at one meeting or another volunteering at the helm of the summer swim league.
Here's Sally with her family--she's 5 ft. 8 in. tall, but she's short in this crowd.
Well, not exactly.
The hooked part is right--cursed might be a better description--but the sitting down and writing part came later. Much later.
Sally eventually went on to college, majoring in English, and, upon graduation, did what many English majors do--she went to law school. But she still couldn’t shake her dream of writing fiction. Midway through law school, she faced the fact that she really did not want to be a lawyer. She took a permanent leave of absence, came home to the Washington, D.C. area, and sat down to type her first novel.
Well, not exactly.
She did come home and write, but mostly she wrote regulations for the United States government’s school nutrition programs. (Ketchup as a vegetable, anyone?) When her law school sweetheart graduated, he moved to D.C. and they got married. A couple years later, the first of their four sons was born, and Sally “retired” to manage their family. She wrote a story or two and some picture book texts, all now stored away in a filing cabinet, but she spent most of her energies on baby tending which rapidly evolved into carpool driving. She became an extremely skilled scheduler, getting all four boys to soccer, basketball, baseball, track, swimming, piano, scouts, and birthday parties without ever losing one. (Okay, she did lose the youngest for a few minutes, but she found him before he’d toddled into the parking lot.) And she did more writing--school newsletters, auction programs, class plays, swim league guidance, and the acclaimed annual MacKenzie family newsletter--but no fiction.
Finally, the boys started driving (Eek!) and leaving for college. The nest was emptying and she wasn't getting any younger. The time had come to chase the dream or let it go for good, so she sat down at the computer and wrote. And rewrote. And rewrote again until she had a polished manuscript. She joined the Romance Writers of America, and when the plea went out for Regency manuscripts for the 2004 Golden Heart contest, she sent in The Naked Duke. The stars aligned. She made the final round, and one of the judging editors liked the manuscript and offered to buy it.
Yee haw!!
When not writing or obsessing over the various mysteries of book promotion, Sally can be found at the gym working hard to age gracefully, at the pool on the SLOW side of the Masters swim practice, or at one meeting or another volunteering at the helm of the summer swim league.
Here's Sally with her family--she's 5 ft. 8 in. tall, but she's short in this crowd.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 96 reviews
February 11, 2020
So annoyed! This was an exact replica of books one and two. I literally felt that some of the lines were copied and pasted. The only changes were the names of the couple. I mean it was the exact same plot. The only new part was discovering what happened with the couples from the previous 2 books.
June 5, 2017
This is the 3rd book in the series and without reading the first two, I never felt like I had missed something. Meaning, this could be read as a stand-alone.
This was a light romance, most romances usually are! Anyway.....I enjoyed this for the most part. The characters were interesting. Jane is a spinster at 28 living alone, except for a possible supernatural cat, and she likes it this way.....at least she thought she did. Our hero is kind and fun, which I enjoyed. Usually our hero's are dark and brooding. He wants to be with Jane but is convinced she'll never have him. The only thing I really didn't like about this book is the romance itself. I never felt like Jane and Alex were in love. Other than that, I enjoyed the overall story.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a light romance, most romances usually are! Anyway.....I enjoyed this for the most part. The characters were interesting. Jane is a spinster at 28 living alone, except for a possible supernatural cat, and she likes it this way.....at least she thought she did. Our hero is kind and fun, which I enjoyed. Usually our hero's are dark and brooding. He wants to be with Jane but is convinced she'll never have him. The only thing I really didn't like about this book is the romance itself. I never felt like Jane and Alex were in love. Other than that, I enjoyed the overall story.
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2017
Book Review For: 'When to Engage an Earl' by Sally MacKenzie 'When to Engage an Earl' by Sally MacKenzie is book Three in the "Spinster House" series. This is the story of Jane and Alex, Earl of Evans. I have read the other books in this series but feel this can be a standalone bookAlex is very envious of his two best friends that just married after finding the women for them. Although Alex was the one that wanted to get married and his two friends were the ones that were running from it now it seem he is the one left unmarried. Alex almost married once but the future bride broke it off. Now he is determined to be married by next year. Alex thinks he just needs to woo the right Lady on the 'Marriage Mart'. But he has one Lady he can't seem to get out of this mine...Jane. She is friends with the friends that married his best friends. But he knows Jane is firmly on the shelf and even might have had a hand in getting her friends married to get to live in the "Spinster House" The Spinster House is set aside for a Lady wishing to be a Spinster who can live their free and not be forced to marry. One lady is chosen to be the new owner, once the present lady is leaves the home and new lady is chosen. Now Jane is that lady and wants to live her life as she wishes. This has been a really great series. I have enjoyed the ladies and men that have fallen victim to this house that seems to just set in motion a marriage instead of what the name says. Spinster House Series:In the Spinster's Bed Book 0.5What to Do with a Duke Book 1How to Manage a Marquess Book 2When to Engage an Earl Book 3"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/ https://romancebookreviewforyou.wordp... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...
June 26, 2017
This is book four in The Spinster House Series. I have enjoyed all the Spinster House books, this is my favorite. A truly lovely story that has wonderful characters and a really unique plot.
Alex, the Earl of Evans has just been jilted. A love match or so he thought. Now his two best friends are married to woman they love and he is still a bachelor. Now he has to go to London and enter the Marriage Mart to find a wife. His self esteem has suffered a blow and he is doubting his judgment. He decides to go home to gather his thoughts and consider his future, only he doesn't count on his meddling older sister would be visiting. He just can't handle her kind of help right now so he decides to keep riding and finds himself in Loves Bridge at the door of the Spinster House. He met the current Spinster when he attended the wedding of his friend Marcus, The Duke of Hart.
Miss Jane Wilkinson is the Spinster House Spinster. Jane is a young lady who has no interest in Marriage and plotted and schemed to get her two friends married and out of the Spinster house so she could move in and get away from her brother. Now she finally has what she wanted but for some reason she is not enjoying life like she thought she would. Being independent is a little dull and lonely.
This story is heartwarming, sexy and laugh out loud funny. Alex's nieces are precocious and the things that they say are hysterical. Add a supernatural cat named Poppy, and Jane's and Alex's family and friends and you have a marvelous romance that you will love till the last word. Sally is an awesome author and I adore her books.
Received a complimentary copy for an honest review.
Alex, the Earl of Evans has just been jilted. A love match or so he thought. Now his two best friends are married to woman they love and he is still a bachelor. Now he has to go to London and enter the Marriage Mart to find a wife. His self esteem has suffered a blow and he is doubting his judgment. He decides to go home to gather his thoughts and consider his future, only he doesn't count on his meddling older sister would be visiting. He just can't handle her kind of help right now so he decides to keep riding and finds himself in Loves Bridge at the door of the Spinster House. He met the current Spinster when he attended the wedding of his friend Marcus, The Duke of Hart.
Miss Jane Wilkinson is the Spinster House Spinster. Jane is a young lady who has no interest in Marriage and plotted and schemed to get her two friends married and out of the Spinster house so she could move in and get away from her brother. Now she finally has what she wanted but for some reason she is not enjoying life like she thought she would. Being independent is a little dull and lonely.
This story is heartwarming, sexy and laugh out loud funny. Alex's nieces are precocious and the things that they say are hysterical. Add a supernatural cat named Poppy, and Jane's and Alex's family and friends and you have a marvelous romance that you will love till the last word. Sally is an awesome author and I adore her books.
Received a complimentary copy for an honest review.
June 8, 2017
This book is a marvelous cure for insomnia. It has lots of boring, nothing to do with romance dialogue, extraneous people, internal thoughts (God, does it ever), an insipid heroine and a boring as fuck hero. On top of all of this dreck, the author sprinkles the words "Zeus" and "lud" around liberally. I flipped through pages and pages, without reading, and still my eyeballs were poked with these two words.
I don't know how editors and authors work together and who is responsible for what, but the two people responsible for this travesty should not be allowed in the same hemisphere at the same time. Ever. Again.
I don't know how editors and authors work together and who is responsible for what, but the two people responsible for this travesty should not be allowed in the same hemisphere at the same time. Ever. Again.
April 20, 2017
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an ARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this series and was anxiously awaiting Alex and Jane's story. If you have been following the series, you know that Alex arrived heart-bruised and jilted in the village of Loves Bridge with his friend Marcus, the cursed Duke of Hart and Nate, the Marquess of Haywood. It was supposed to be a quick stop and then they would be on their way to the Lake District. One by one his friends fall in love and marry the spinsters of Spinster House. Alex does feel a connection to Jane, but his heart and head are not ready for love, he leaves the village and travels to the Lake District alone.
Jane finally has her heart's desire, with a bit of meddling she has managed to be the last spinster standing and has moved into Spinster House. She does feel a little lonely, but she is determined to be independent and has no wish to marry.
When Alex returns months later, she is glad to see him and again feels the pangs of loneliness - but not enough to give up the independence she has worked so hard for. She has a lot of internal conflict about her feelings for Alex, but convinces herself that being a spinster is what she wants.
A few months later, Jane and her brother are invited to the christening of Alex's nephew and it turns out that her brother's lost love is there as well as Alex's former betrothed. This makes for a very interesting (and amusing) party - especially when Alex's family decides to play matchmaker. Alex realizes that he didn't really love his betrothed, he loved the idea of marriage and family - so now even though he is attracted to Jane, he convinces himself that he isn't really ready to find another bride. He and Jane share a moment and she runs away the next morning.
Another few months pass and Alex finally goes to try and make amends with Jane - who is still happy being lonely and independent. They meet again just as Cat is going into labor. And when the baby is born, they end up having to stay at the castle together. One thing leads to another and Alex proposes. Jane refuses.
More months pass and finally Cat steps in and makes Jane write to Alex. Jane has regretted refusing Alex and is scared that he has moved on. Alex gets the letter and goes to see Jane.
I loved this book until about the 75% point - at which time I got bored (and a little annoyed) with the internal conflicts - Jane was never the most likable heroine to start with and her stubbornness to remain a spinster, even when she was clearly miserable just annoyed me. At this point, I almost wished Alex married someone else and let Jane remain "independent".
But all is not lost, at the 89% mark the book takes a turn and the ending was wonderful!
If you have been following the series - this book is a MUST READ if you want to find out if the curse is broken and see ends up in Spinster House once all the spinsters of Loves Bridge are married!
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed this series and was anxiously awaiting Alex and Jane's story. If you have been following the series, you know that Alex arrived heart-bruised and jilted in the village of Loves Bridge with his friend Marcus, the cursed Duke of Hart and Nate, the Marquess of Haywood. It was supposed to be a quick stop and then they would be on their way to the Lake District. One by one his friends fall in love and marry the spinsters of Spinster House. Alex does feel a connection to Jane, but his heart and head are not ready for love, he leaves the village and travels to the Lake District alone.
Jane finally has her heart's desire, with a bit of meddling she has managed to be the last spinster standing and has moved into Spinster House. She does feel a little lonely, but she is determined to be independent and has no wish to marry.
When Alex returns months later, she is glad to see him and again feels the pangs of loneliness - but not enough to give up the independence she has worked so hard for. She has a lot of internal conflict about her feelings for Alex, but convinces herself that being a spinster is what she wants.
A few months later, Jane and her brother are invited to the christening of Alex's nephew and it turns out that her brother's lost love is there as well as Alex's former betrothed. This makes for a very interesting (and amusing) party - especially when Alex's family decides to play matchmaker. Alex realizes that he didn't really love his betrothed, he loved the idea of marriage and family - so now even though he is attracted to Jane, he convinces himself that he isn't really ready to find another bride. He and Jane share a moment and she runs away the next morning.
Another few months pass and Alex finally goes to try and make amends with Jane - who is still happy being lonely and independent. They meet again just as Cat is going into labor. And when the baby is born, they end up having to stay at the castle together. One thing leads to another and Alex proposes. Jane refuses.
More months pass and finally Cat steps in and makes Jane write to Alex. Jane has regretted refusing Alex and is scared that he has moved on. Alex gets the letter and goes to see Jane.
I loved this book until about the 75% point - at which time I got bored (and a little annoyed) with the internal conflicts - Jane was never the most likable heroine to start with and her stubbornness to remain a spinster, even when she was clearly miserable just annoyed me. At this point, I almost wished Alex married someone else and let Jane remain "independent".
But all is not lost, at the 89% mark the book takes a turn and the ending was wonderful!
If you have been following the series - this book is a MUST READ if you want to find out if the curse is broken and see ends up in Spinster House once all the spinsters of Loves Bridge are married!
April 18, 2017
Author: Sally McKenzie
Series: Spinster House #3
WOW!! What a bang-up ending to this series!! The Spinster House goes to a bachelor -- you just have to love it!! Sorry -- you'll just have to read it to see what I mean!
I have to say that I loved all of the characters in the entire series, but Poppy is the absolute best character you could want in a book!! Poppy is a reddish-orange cat that is the very definition of independent AND everybody truly believes that she is magical. After you read this series, you'll think so too!
If you read the first two books, you'll know that Miss Jane Wilkinson had some behind-the-scenes involvement in getting the first two couples together. She did that because she wanted the Spinster House for herself. Jane was determined to never marry and to live independently of her brother. However, she didn't really bargain for how lonesome she might be - even though she'd never admit that. She had an attraction to our hero from the first time they met, but was determined to fight it.
Alex, Earl of Evans is feeling pretty insecure about himself since he was jilted. He doesn't trust himself to know if he is in love or even to evaluate how someone feels about him at all. However, he feels continually drawn to Jane and finds himself turning up at the Spinster House when he doesn't really intend to go there.
Alex and Jane don't have a smooth path to their HEA - mostly because of Jane's fears. Once Alex realizes how he feels, he's ready to go - but not Jane. Takes a while and a lot of hurt before she gets where she needs to be.
I absolutely LOVED the epilogue. I always think a book - especially a romance - needs an epilogue, but this one was really, really good. It followed up on the previous couples and ended it all with a really sweet loving finish. Way to go Sally MacKenzie!
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Series: Spinster House #3
WOW!! What a bang-up ending to this series!! The Spinster House goes to a bachelor -- you just have to love it!! Sorry -- you'll just have to read it to see what I mean!
I have to say that I loved all of the characters in the entire series, but Poppy is the absolute best character you could want in a book!! Poppy is a reddish-orange cat that is the very definition of independent AND everybody truly believes that she is magical. After you read this series, you'll think so too!
If you read the first two books, you'll know that Miss Jane Wilkinson had some behind-the-scenes involvement in getting the first two couples together. She did that because she wanted the Spinster House for herself. Jane was determined to never marry and to live independently of her brother. However, she didn't really bargain for how lonesome she might be - even though she'd never admit that. She had an attraction to our hero from the first time they met, but was determined to fight it.
Alex, Earl of Evans is feeling pretty insecure about himself since he was jilted. He doesn't trust himself to know if he is in love or even to evaluate how someone feels about him at all. However, he feels continually drawn to Jane and finds himself turning up at the Spinster House when he doesn't really intend to go there.
Alex and Jane don't have a smooth path to their HEA - mostly because of Jane's fears. Once Alex realizes how he feels, he's ready to go - but not Jane. Takes a while and a lot of hurt before she gets where she needs to be.
I absolutely LOVED the epilogue. I always think a book - especially a romance - needs an epilogue, but this one was really, really good. It followed up on the previous couples and ended it all with a really sweet loving finish. Way to go Sally MacKenzie!
"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
December 4, 2019
Confirmed spinster Jane Wilkinson has her world disrupted when Lord Alex, Earl of Evans, arrives at her doorstep. He helps her out of a difficult situation with a swindler and challenges her desire for independence. How can she resist his charms even when she’s averse to marriage? Alex knows he has a rough road ahead if he’s to convince Jane she’d make a suitable countess. For once he meets her, there can be no other woman in his life. Now if only he can persuade her that married life can be sweeter than remaining single. A charming historical romance.
January 20, 2023
Although the plot is largely stand alone, this is obviously later in a series due to the recently married friends and the problem of not knowing exactly what the "spinster house" is or why Jane lived there in the first place. It also seemed, with two recently married friends, she'd be more open to the possibility of marriage. Plot weaknesses aside, the story was entertaining thanks to some amusing details, such as getting lost in a castle, some good set pieces, and a possibly supernatural cat.
December 30, 2018
This would have been five stars if not for the cruel words the hero decides to say when he's angry and doesn't get his way. I wouldn't marry a man who expresses his temper like that, but I was invested enough in the book to continue reading and it ended well.
August 31, 2017
Sign of relief, still on my auto-list.
If you have read any of my reviews on Sally MacKenzie's books, you will know that last few have been troublesome for me. But if there is just one book which I love by an author, I will spend years and years and years waiting for the next good one by that same author. I must admit I was starting to get a little scared because it seems to me my choices for new historical writers are somehow shrinking. Anyway, that's all about me and not Sally MacKenzie's latest book, When to Engage an Earl. This is the third book in the Spinster House series and while this story isn't one that will be on my "I luv you forever" list, it was a cute tale and in my opinion the best in the series. My problem with the Spinster House series is the women who were supposed to be friends. In the first two stories these three women did not exhibit anything close to friendship. I was actually surprised that a female writer was responsible for some of the pettiness that came out of the three main women characters. But in this book, Jane our heroine, seems to have turned over a new leaf and she is once again a nice person. So, that was a good thing.
Jane Wilkerson is at last in her own home, the spinster house. You know that old saying "be careful what you wish for because the grass is always greener on the other side"? Yeah, that may not be the saying but you get the drift. So, Jane has finally realized all of her dreams - except she's not as happy as she should be. Jane's character was hard to like, because she seemed as if she could just not make up her mind about what she wanted. But I like to look at her as a person who knows what she doesn't want, not what she wants, and that made her more likeable. Because she doesn't know what she wants, she makes choices which don't really suit her. I think Ms. MacKenzie missed an opportunity in not creating a more fully developed character in Jane. I believe Ms. MacKenzie sometimes sacrifices brilliant personalities for light fluffy narrative. But then there's room for light fluffy in Romanceland. I'm starting to sound like Jane - just cannot make up my mind.
Then we have our hero, Alex. Alex is mostly amusing. He does things like avoid going to his house because his matchmaking mother and sister are there. He is also lonely. Alllll of his friends are married and are having children of their own. He also is rather fond of Jane, even though he isn't going to admit it. He just kind of wanders through the book being entertaining. There was something about Alex which started irritating me part way through the book. He wanted a wife and children. How do I know that? Because his brain-think mentioned it a gazillion times. He was so boo-hoo-everyone-has-a-family-I-adore-my-nieces-I-love-children. He voiced it so much. Let me generalize. I like to think I know how men think - but I really don't. All I can do is observe the males who surround me. Men are capable of strong loyalty, love, and friendship. There are tons of great fathers out there. But do men think about having children/spouse with the same amount of enthusiasm that women do? Do they dream of the day they will walk down the aisle in their finery? While I'm sure that an occasional thought of having a family might drift through their brains, Alex seemed to be really obsessed with it. And, that became distracting for me because I was questioning the depth of his desire. For me, it comes down to I found his neediness overwhelming and it lessened my liking of him.
By the way, in case you've forgotten which series this is, it's the one with the strange/magical cat Poppy and the dying heir curse being broken by true love. At the end of the story we find that all is not as it seems in regard to that curse.
Overall, this was a pleasant, quick, light read. It had a bit of a rushed ending about it and a number of loose ends were tied rather quickly, but I thought this one was the best in the series.
KaysBlog
If you have read any of my reviews on Sally MacKenzie's books, you will know that last few have been troublesome for me. But if there is just one book which I love by an author, I will spend years and years and years waiting for the next good one by that same author. I must admit I was starting to get a little scared because it seems to me my choices for new historical writers are somehow shrinking. Anyway, that's all about me and not Sally MacKenzie's latest book, When to Engage an Earl. This is the third book in the Spinster House series and while this story isn't one that will be on my "I luv you forever" list, it was a cute tale and in my opinion the best in the series. My problem with the Spinster House series is the women who were supposed to be friends. In the first two stories these three women did not exhibit anything close to friendship. I was actually surprised that a female writer was responsible for some of the pettiness that came out of the three main women characters. But in this book, Jane our heroine, seems to have turned over a new leaf and she is once again a nice person. So, that was a good thing.
Jane Wilkerson is at last in her own home, the spinster house. You know that old saying "be careful what you wish for because the grass is always greener on the other side"? Yeah, that may not be the saying but you get the drift. So, Jane has finally realized all of her dreams - except she's not as happy as she should be. Jane's character was hard to like, because she seemed as if she could just not make up her mind about what she wanted. But I like to look at her as a person who knows what she doesn't want, not what she wants, and that made her more likeable. Because she doesn't know what she wants, she makes choices which don't really suit her. I think Ms. MacKenzie missed an opportunity in not creating a more fully developed character in Jane. I believe Ms. MacKenzie sometimes sacrifices brilliant personalities for light fluffy narrative. But then there's room for light fluffy in Romanceland. I'm starting to sound like Jane - just cannot make up my mind.
Then we have our hero, Alex. Alex is mostly amusing. He does things like avoid going to his house because his matchmaking mother and sister are there. He is also lonely. Alllll of his friends are married and are having children of their own. He also is rather fond of Jane, even though he isn't going to admit it. He just kind of wanders through the book being entertaining. There was something about Alex which started irritating me part way through the book. He wanted a wife and children. How do I know that? Because his brain-think mentioned it a gazillion times. He was so boo-hoo-everyone-has-a-family-I-adore-my-nieces-I-love-children. He voiced it so much. Let me generalize. I like to think I know how men think - but I really don't. All I can do is observe the males who surround me. Men are capable of strong loyalty, love, and friendship. There are tons of great fathers out there. But do men think about having children/spouse with the same amount of enthusiasm that women do? Do they dream of the day they will walk down the aisle in their finery? While I'm sure that an occasional thought of having a family might drift through their brains, Alex seemed to be really obsessed with it. And, that became distracting for me because I was questioning the depth of his desire. For me, it comes down to I found his neediness overwhelming and it lessened my liking of him.
By the way, in case you've forgotten which series this is, it's the one with the strange/magical cat Poppy and the dying heir curse being broken by true love. At the end of the story we find that all is not as it seems in regard to that curse.
Overall, this was a pleasant, quick, light read. It had a bit of a rushed ending about it and a number of loose ends were tied rather quickly, but I thought this one was the best in the series.
KaysBlog
May 30, 2017
This was my first book by this author and probably my last. If you haven't read the earlier books in this series, you may want to, since it feels like fully half the book is about other couples from previous books. (By the time the book reaches the halfway mark, 3 or 4 other couples have already paired off)
The H/h have already met by the time the book begins, and any obstacles to their obvious romance seem manufactured. I guess I didn't buy the premise of a rich, handsome, kind earl who really wants to be married and have children but can't manage to land a wife... or an attractive woman who somehow sets up house on her own, finds that she is miserable, and still rejects love. I also thought the prop of a supernatural cat to be kind of lame, though I suspect cat-lovers may disagree! The book moved ploddingly along (maybe 4 encounters set over a period of almost a year) with an anticlimactic finish and thoroughly unconvincing romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
The H/h have already met by the time the book begins, and any obstacles to their obvious romance seem manufactured. I guess I didn't buy the premise of a rich, handsome, kind earl who really wants to be married and have children but can't manage to land a wife... or an attractive woman who somehow sets up house on her own, finds that she is miserable, and still rejects love. I also thought the prop of a supernatural cat to be kind of lame, though I suspect cat-lovers may disagree! The book moved ploddingly along (maybe 4 encounters set over a period of almost a year) with an anticlimactic finish and thoroughly unconvincing romance.
I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 15, 2017
ACTUALLY A 3.5 BOOK FOR ME
I loved the first two books in this series. They were light and amusing. Ms MacKenzie writes wonderfully humorous stories which create an atmosphere of fun and her characters are always entertaining.
Jane Wilkinson has been fortunate enough to move into the Spinster House. She has waited while her two best friends moved into the Spinster House, found love and moved on to marriages.
Jane is an independent woman who has looked forward to living alone and being able to do as she pleases.
Alex, the Earl of Evans has found Jane interesting. He was jilted and now he realizes he must find a wife. But, instead of searching, he visits Jane and the village and the villagers and generally avoids his meddling family members.
I liked Alex a great deal. He is a loyal and devoted son, brother and friend. Although his meddling family makes him crazy, he loves them and generally enjoys spending time with his nieces and nephew. His family background makes him realize he longs for that same love and closeness he has seen.
Jane is a strong woman who has not had a background which provided her with a sense of family. She has closed herself off from nearly everyone in her life. But, her two best friends like her a great deal and hope for the best for her. They would like to see her with a happy marriage.
But, for me she became tiresome. There seemed to be too much back and forth about what she wanted. I wanted to like her, but her apparent lack of commitment prevented me from feeling very invested in her future.
Ms MacKenzie has created a good and interesting plot. The fact that this is part of a series, should not keep the reader from being able to follow what is happening. For me, there were times when things just seemed to drag because Jane had no idea what she actually wanted from life. But, there is the humor I expect from Ms MacKenzie, and all the secondary characters add a great deal to the story.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.
I loved the first two books in this series. They were light and amusing. Ms MacKenzie writes wonderfully humorous stories which create an atmosphere of fun and her characters are always entertaining.
Jane Wilkinson has been fortunate enough to move into the Spinster House. She has waited while her two best friends moved into the Spinster House, found love and moved on to marriages.
Jane is an independent woman who has looked forward to living alone and being able to do as she pleases.
Alex, the Earl of Evans has found Jane interesting. He was jilted and now he realizes he must find a wife. But, instead of searching, he visits Jane and the village and the villagers and generally avoids his meddling family members.
I liked Alex a great deal. He is a loyal and devoted son, brother and friend. Although his meddling family makes him crazy, he loves them and generally enjoys spending time with his nieces and nephew. His family background makes him realize he longs for that same love and closeness he has seen.
Jane is a strong woman who has not had a background which provided her with a sense of family. She has closed herself off from nearly everyone in her life. But, her two best friends like her a great deal and hope for the best for her. They would like to see her with a happy marriage.
But, for me she became tiresome. There seemed to be too much back and forth about what she wanted. I wanted to like her, but her apparent lack of commitment prevented me from feeling very invested in her future.
Ms MacKenzie has created a good and interesting plot. The fact that this is part of a series, should not keep the reader from being able to follow what is happening. For me, there were times when things just seemed to drag because Jane had no idea what she actually wanted from life. But, there is the humor I expect from Ms MacKenzie, and all the secondary characters add a great deal to the story.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.
August 27, 2017
Well, that's that. I wouldn't have read this book but the lure of the mystery of Isabelle Dorring and the amusing antics of Poppy the cat got to me and I wanted to see what would happen even though I had no interest in these two characters from their appearances in the other books. I started with book 2 (Nate/Anne) which I can now say was the best in the series. While trope-y and full of anachronistic behavior, the H/h in that book come the closest to being developed characters with some chemistry between them. Book 1 (Marcus/Cat) isn't too bad but it falls quite flat. The vague plot has been sketched out but the book is mostly there to set up the other books in the series and the characters aren't developed enough to animate the story into something worth caring about. But it's a fine light, pleasant read if you do a lot of skimming. The novella is rather worthless. Skip it.
The best thing I can say about this book (Alex/Jane) is that it's better than the novella. It feels like MacKenzie didn't put any effort into writing it at all. I did a lot of skimming with this one, mostly to figure out how the curse gets resolved. Spoiler: It's an anticlimactic letdown. All three books are plagued by anachronisms and are basically contemporary chick lit barely dressed up as historical fiction. But this one takes the cake. (An 8-year-old relative says "puh-leeze.") Meddling relatives, a H/h with comically overactive libidos, the complete hand-waving away of the importance of class/rank in choosing a spouse... It was so bad it almost became actively annoying. All three heroes in this series mention their nether regions far too often but I think Alex might have won the contest. He mentions his member so often you'd think it was another character in the story. And not a very clever or amusing character. I get it. He's aroused. But could you employ a little more finesse? I don't know what to say. The H/h are ridiculous, but not in a way that's funny or entertaining. Unlike the other two couples, there was nothing keeping these idiots apart and nothing was engaging enough to make me want to stick around until they got past their nonexistent conflict and agreed to tie the knot. I only made it end to learn about the unsatisfying ending of the Curse plot. Chick lit can be cute and fun but this just felt incredibly lazy and not funny.
The best thing I can say about this book (Alex/Jane) is that it's better than the novella. It feels like MacKenzie didn't put any effort into writing it at all. I did a lot of skimming with this one, mostly to figure out how the curse gets resolved. Spoiler: It's an anticlimactic letdown. All three books are plagued by anachronisms and are basically contemporary chick lit barely dressed up as historical fiction. But this one takes the cake. (An 8-year-old relative says "puh-leeze.") Meddling relatives, a H/h with comically overactive libidos, the complete hand-waving away of the importance of class/rank in choosing a spouse... It was so bad it almost became actively annoying. All three heroes in this series mention their nether regions far too often but I think Alex might have won the contest. He mentions his member so often you'd think it was another character in the story. And not a very clever or amusing character. I get it. He's aroused. But could you employ a little more finesse? I don't know what to say. The H/h are ridiculous, but not in a way that's funny or entertaining. Unlike the other two couples, there was nothing keeping these idiots apart and nothing was engaging enough to make me want to stick around until they got past their nonexistent conflict and agreed to tie the knot. I only made it end to learn about the unsatisfying ending of the Curse plot. Chick lit can be cute and fun but this just felt incredibly lazy and not funny.
November 8, 2017
A Paranormal Cat in Regency England? When to Engage an Earl
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
You have to love a story wherein a vaguely paranormal cat (in this case, Poppy) is smarter at pretty much everything than all of the human characters.
From the very beginning of the story, Poppy saves the day and the town fair while the human characters flail about worrying over whether a stuffed kangaroo is as interesting as a live on, or whether the Duke is actually cursed. I often suspect my cats are smarter than I am, but these humans seem unable to accept evidence when it is thrust before them.
Ah, the plight of humans in romance novels – they are often unable to see even the most basic truths right before them. But still, Poppy, the cat in this series is especially strong in this entry into the series. She almost speaks her own mind, but generally settles for licking her private parts as an expression of displeasure with her humans.
This series is a little simple in its plotting; a trifle naive. But, I have enjoyed it, possibly its very simplicity and naivete are what has made it appealing. In any event this is the last book in the series wherein the curse of the spinster house is purported to play a part. Certainly, it is the last story in which one of the three spinsters is the main subject. It may not be the last in which Loves Bridge plays a part as the story line is left open.
In this one we get a slight change on the titled man actually looking for a wife rather than looking to avoid the “parson’s mousetrap.” And, we have a woman, independent of the control of men, thanks to Spinster House. Why would a woman who wished to escape a nasty father and a bossy brother her entire life want to be under a man’s thumb again? That the two acquaintances share a level of intelligence and a spirited repartee is probably the start of a reason upon which they can build. And that Alex, the Earl, has come to her rescue doesn’t hurt.
The narrator in this series, Beverly A. Crick is not my favorite, but did not annoy me as much with this book. Perhaps I have grown accustomed to her singsong cadence or she has altered it.
I like the series and enjoy it, especially, as an audio book.
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...
You have to love a story wherein a vaguely paranormal cat (in this case, Poppy) is smarter at pretty much everything than all of the human characters.
From the very beginning of the story, Poppy saves the day and the town fair while the human characters flail about worrying over whether a stuffed kangaroo is as interesting as a live on, or whether the Duke is actually cursed. I often suspect my cats are smarter than I am, but these humans seem unable to accept evidence when it is thrust before them.
Ah, the plight of humans in romance novels – they are often unable to see even the most basic truths right before them. But still, Poppy, the cat in this series is especially strong in this entry into the series. She almost speaks her own mind, but generally settles for licking her private parts as an expression of displeasure with her humans.
This series is a little simple in its plotting; a trifle naive. But, I have enjoyed it, possibly its very simplicity and naivete are what has made it appealing. In any event this is the last book in the series wherein the curse of the spinster house is purported to play a part. Certainly, it is the last story in which one of the three spinsters is the main subject. It may not be the last in which Loves Bridge plays a part as the story line is left open.
In this one we get a slight change on the titled man actually looking for a wife rather than looking to avoid the “parson’s mousetrap.” And, we have a woman, independent of the control of men, thanks to Spinster House. Why would a woman who wished to escape a nasty father and a bossy brother her entire life want to be under a man’s thumb again? That the two acquaintances share a level of intelligence and a spirited repartee is probably the start of a reason upon which they can build. And that Alex, the Earl, has come to her rescue doesn’t hurt.
The narrator in this series, Beverly A. Crick is not my favorite, but did not annoy me as much with this book. Perhaps I have grown accustomed to her singsong cadence or she has altered it.
I like the series and enjoy it, especially, as an audio book.
May 31, 2017
This was the third book in the "Spinster House" series by Sally MacKenzie and my favorite of the set. One of the reason I always grab anything Sally MacKenzie publishes is the humor. I felt like this was missing in her last few books. They just seemed to have a more serious flare. I was very excited to see the humor was back in "When to Engage an Earl". It was fun, light, amusing, and had me laughing. It was just what I was looking for.
I'll admit to not much liking Jane in the previous books. She just came off as being devious and selfish. I didn't see that of her in this book. Yes she was a bit "prickly", but I understood some of her fears a little better. I loved the back and forth banter between her and Alex, and loved their inner dialog as well. Their thoughts had me laughing. I loved that Alex was a sweet guy who really wanted a family of his own. There was no "hanging on to bachelorhood by his teeth" which was refreshing. I thought they were good together.
I liked the MC's inner turmoil of not knowing what to do with their feelings and wondering how the other person felt. At first. By about the 75% mark I really wanted to strangle Jane. She hung onto being the "spinster house spinster" way too long. There's a phrase I never want to hear again. The word "spinster" was mentioned 176 times. Yes, we know she is a spinster and she lives in the spinster house, it's right there in the series title, but good grief I don't need it repeated every other sentence. I also wish the epilogue had been pushed out farther. There was some jumping around in time in the book starting in August, then suddenly it was September, then February, etc. I didn't have a problem with this but then you get to the epilogue and it was "one week later". What?! No! Especially since this is the end of the series. I felt like that should have been the final chapter and THEN I should have gotten an epilogue. Sigh.
Really though I thought it was a fun book and a nice ending to the series. I can't wait to see what is up next for this author. I am looking forward to it.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'll admit to not much liking Jane in the previous books. She just came off as being devious and selfish. I didn't see that of her in this book. Yes she was a bit "prickly", but I understood some of her fears a little better. I loved the back and forth banter between her and Alex, and loved their inner dialog as well. Their thoughts had me laughing. I loved that Alex was a sweet guy who really wanted a family of his own. There was no "hanging on to bachelorhood by his teeth" which was refreshing. I thought they were good together.
I liked the MC's inner turmoil of not knowing what to do with their feelings and wondering how the other person felt. At first. By about the 75% mark I really wanted to strangle Jane. She hung onto being the "spinster house spinster" way too long. There's a phrase I never want to hear again. The word "spinster" was mentioned 176 times. Yes, we know she is a spinster and she lives in the spinster house, it's right there in the series title, but good grief I don't need it repeated every other sentence. I also wish the epilogue had been pushed out farther. There was some jumping around in time in the book starting in August, then suddenly it was September, then February, etc. I didn't have a problem with this but then you get to the epilogue and it was "one week later". What?! No! Especially since this is the end of the series. I felt like that should have been the final chapter and THEN I should have gotten an epilogue. Sigh.
Really though I thought it was a fun book and a nice ending to the series. I can't wait to see what is up next for this author. I am looking forward to it.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2020
2.5/5
I feel very sad to give this book such a low rating, I don’t like to give them to books. I normally only give low ratings when there are things in the book that pisses me off. It’s not really the matter with this book. Nothing really pissed me off so much. The main problem why I dislike this book is that it is very flat, if that makes sense. Nothing is really developed and explored in this book.
The book follows Jane the Spinster House spinster and Alex, Earl of Evans’s romance story. Except there isn’t any romance. There is no buildup. The characters have the same feelings about each other from the start to the end. Nothing changes. Their “romance” feels so forced especially since everyone except them keep telling them that they are in love when they didn’t have any sort of relationship and only saw each other couple of times with some sexual attraction between them. There is no development of their relationship except they start thinking “they don’t love each other, but what if they do, no they don’t” then end up with “yes we do love each other”. There is no relationship growing to keep things interested and it gets quite boring to read.
It was also so annoying that everyone kept getting involved in Alex and Jane’s personal relationships. Alex’s sister and nieces were so annoying and it literally felt like Alex and Jane only liked each other because others told them constantly that they were in love. I didn’t feel any real love or anything like that. It was annoying how instead of seeing Alex and Jane interact with each other and fall in love we kept listening to Alex’s family or the villagers explaining why the two should get married.
The characters also don’t have a personality at all. We don’t know anything about Alex nor Jane. We only know that Jane wants to be an independent women, and Alex wants a family. There is no explanation of Jane’s feelings and goals, what she wants to do with her life and how she comes to terms with being in love and marriage. She just makes the decision instantly and it’s done.
I feel very sad to give this book such a low rating, I don’t like to give them to books. I normally only give low ratings when there are things in the book that pisses me off. It’s not really the matter with this book. Nothing really pissed me off so much. The main problem why I dislike this book is that it is very flat, if that makes sense. Nothing is really developed and explored in this book.
The book follows Jane the Spinster House spinster and Alex, Earl of Evans’s romance story. Except there isn’t any romance. There is no buildup. The characters have the same feelings about each other from the start to the end. Nothing changes. Their “romance” feels so forced especially since everyone except them keep telling them that they are in love when they didn’t have any sort of relationship and only saw each other couple of times with some sexual attraction between them. There is no development of their relationship except they start thinking “they don’t love each other, but what if they do, no they don’t” then end up with “yes we do love each other”. There is no relationship growing to keep things interested and it gets quite boring to read.
It was also so annoying that everyone kept getting involved in Alex and Jane’s personal relationships. Alex’s sister and nieces were so annoying and it literally felt like Alex and Jane only liked each other because others told them constantly that they were in love. I didn’t feel any real love or anything like that. It was annoying how instead of seeing Alex and Jane interact with each other and fall in love we kept listening to Alex’s family or the villagers explaining why the two should get married.
The characters also don’t have a personality at all. We don’t know anything about Alex nor Jane. We only know that Jane wants to be an independent women, and Alex wants a family. There is no explanation of Jane’s feelings and goals, what she wants to do with her life and how she comes to terms with being in love and marriage. She just makes the decision instantly and it’s done.
May 6, 2017
Miss Jane Wilkinson couldn’t be more delighted when her two best friends Cat & Anne marry, creating a much-desired vacancy at the Spinster House. Jane can be free of her annoying older brother Randolph and enjoy complete solitude with the exception of the Spinster House cat, Poppy. If only Jane’s unruly thoughts didn’t keep drifting to handsome Alex, Earl of Evans, in the most
un-spinster like ways. Alex has always intended to marry and raise a family even though he was jilted a while ago. Now that his two closest friends Marcus & Nate have tied the knot, he is more determined than ever to find a wife. If only it wasn’t the intriguing Miss Jane Wilkinson that his heart, as well as the rest of him desired. Not only does she appear uninterested in marriage, it’s clear she’s the managing sort. Despite Alex’s fiercely independent spirit, the idea of being managed by her is quite appealing.
This is a well written novel that is well paced. The characters are well portrayed & have plenty of depth, Alex & Jane are both really likeable, their attraction is there from the start, however Jane tries to fight it especially as she has wanted to live at the Spinster House but soon questions if it really the existence she truly wants. Alex only realises that he’s falling in love with Jane when his eight year old niece Rachel points it out to him. The verbal sparring between Alex & Jane is witty & entertaining. Rachel is one of the stars of the book but it is Poppy who steals the book. I was loathe to put the book down & read it in under a day which is the true indicator as to how much I’m enjoying a novel. This is the third in the series but could be a stand alone book, I’d not read the earlier two books in the series but I’ll definitely be reading them now.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
un-spinster like ways. Alex has always intended to marry and raise a family even though he was jilted a while ago. Now that his two closest friends Marcus & Nate have tied the knot, he is more determined than ever to find a wife. If only it wasn’t the intriguing Miss Jane Wilkinson that his heart, as well as the rest of him desired. Not only does she appear uninterested in marriage, it’s clear she’s the managing sort. Despite Alex’s fiercely independent spirit, the idea of being managed by her is quite appealing.
This is a well written novel that is well paced. The characters are well portrayed & have plenty of depth, Alex & Jane are both really likeable, their attraction is there from the start, however Jane tries to fight it especially as she has wanted to live at the Spinster House but soon questions if it really the existence she truly wants. Alex only realises that he’s falling in love with Jane when his eight year old niece Rachel points it out to him. The verbal sparring between Alex & Jane is witty & entertaining. Rachel is one of the stars of the book but it is Poppy who steals the book. I was loathe to put the book down & read it in under a day which is the true indicator as to how much I’m enjoying a novel. This is the third in the series but could be a stand alone book, I’d not read the earlier two books in the series but I’ll definitely be reading them now.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
May 30, 2017
Evans Hall - 1817
Alex, the Earl of Evans, was jilted by Charlotte some years ago and now he is back in the market for a wife. He knows that when his older sister, Diana, discovers this, she will push him until she ensures that he is married.
The wife of Roger, Viscount Chanton, Diana is the mother of eight girls and is expecting again. Diana’s oldest daughter, Bea, is preparing for her upcoming season. So, rather than face Diana and his mother and listen to them plan to get him married, he decides to head to the fair in Love’s Bridge.
Miss Jane Wilkinson, age 28, is the new Spinster House spinster in Love’s Bridge. As old friends, when Jane and Alex see one another, they get together to discuss some last minute entertainment for the fair. Poppy, the cat that comes with the house is with them at the Spinster House.
There is a curse associated with the house and its original occupant, Miss Isabelle Dorring. Long ago, Isabelle proclaimed a curse that unless a man marries for love, he will die shortly after his heir is born. This curse has held true and has been the case for many years.
If a spinster living in the house gets married, a lottery is help to see which spinster gets it next.
After helping Jane at the fair, Alex is delighted to learn that his sister has finally given birth to a son. At a celebration party at Roger and Diana’s, Alex and Jane are walking in the garden after dinner and end up kissing. Reminding herself that she is the Spinster House spinster, Jane is happy to get back home. But Diana’s little girls cannot help but meddle and play matchmaker with their Uncle Alex and Jane. Is there any hope for Jane to give up her spinsterhood for marriage?
I have read a number of books in this series. The first ones were good but I think that a series runs its course after awhile. The author is very talented and I would like to see her take on writing more stand-alone novels.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Alex, the Earl of Evans, was jilted by Charlotte some years ago and now he is back in the market for a wife. He knows that when his older sister, Diana, discovers this, she will push him until she ensures that he is married.
The wife of Roger, Viscount Chanton, Diana is the mother of eight girls and is expecting again. Diana’s oldest daughter, Bea, is preparing for her upcoming season. So, rather than face Diana and his mother and listen to them plan to get him married, he decides to head to the fair in Love’s Bridge.
Miss Jane Wilkinson, age 28, is the new Spinster House spinster in Love’s Bridge. As old friends, when Jane and Alex see one another, they get together to discuss some last minute entertainment for the fair. Poppy, the cat that comes with the house is with them at the Spinster House.
There is a curse associated with the house and its original occupant, Miss Isabelle Dorring. Long ago, Isabelle proclaimed a curse that unless a man marries for love, he will die shortly after his heir is born. This curse has held true and has been the case for many years.
If a spinster living in the house gets married, a lottery is help to see which spinster gets it next.
After helping Jane at the fair, Alex is delighted to learn that his sister has finally given birth to a son. At a celebration party at Roger and Diana’s, Alex and Jane are walking in the garden after dinner and end up kissing. Reminding herself that she is the Spinster House spinster, Jane is happy to get back home. But Diana’s little girls cannot help but meddle and play matchmaker with their Uncle Alex and Jane. Is there any hope for Jane to give up her spinsterhood for marriage?
I have read a number of books in this series. The first ones were good but I think that a series runs its course after awhile. The author is very talented and I would like to see her take on writing more stand-alone novels.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 9, 2017
2.5 stars rounded up
I'm on the fence with this book. On the one hand, the third installment to the Spinster House series is quite a romp. It filled with amusing characters from Poppy the cat to Alex's sister and nieces. Alex and Jane's brangles were quite smile-induced, too. Only after a while, I lost patience with the main characters.
For an eligible noble - he's young, wealthy, an Earl too - Alex strike me as too fussy and whiny. Granted, he's been jilted once and so now treaded more carefully. But the constant inner talking of how he envied his friends, how he wanted to be married, how he longed for babies... Initially I thought his conduct rather cute, but too many exposure of those got me eye-rolling so hard while yelling: enough already!
On the romance side, Alex and Jane's chemistry was not very convincing either. The bulk of what throw them together were either coincidence or other's machinations (from Poppy or Alex's family). And when their coming together was the combine result of over-imbibed and Poppy's ruses? Gah, that's just wrong! This not-courting on top of Alex's pensive mood became exhausting to read.
Which is why - even though it felt rushed indeed - I applauded them taking matters into their own hands in the end (I just wanted the book to finish by that time). As a conclusion to the series, the book tied some loose-ends and showed everyone's happy ever after. But I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would.
Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm on the fence with this book. On the one hand, the third installment to the Spinster House series is quite a romp. It filled with amusing characters from Poppy the cat to Alex's sister and nieces. Alex and Jane's brangles were quite smile-induced, too. Only after a while, I lost patience with the main characters.
For an eligible noble - he's young, wealthy, an Earl too - Alex strike me as too fussy and whiny. Granted, he's been jilted once and so now treaded more carefully. But the constant inner talking of how he envied his friends, how he wanted to be married, how he longed for babies... Initially I thought his conduct rather cute, but too many exposure of those got me eye-rolling so hard while yelling: enough already!
On the romance side, Alex and Jane's chemistry was not very convincing either. The bulk of what throw them together were either coincidence or other's machinations (from Poppy or Alex's family). And when their coming together was the combine result of over-imbibed and Poppy's ruses? Gah, that's just wrong! This not-courting on top of Alex's pensive mood became exhausting to read.
Which is why - even though it felt rushed indeed - I applauded them taking matters into their own hands in the end (I just wanted the book to finish by that time). As a conclusion to the series, the book tied some loose-ends and showed everyone's happy ever after. But I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would.
Advanced copy of this book is kindly provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2017
Miss Jane Wilkinson plotted and schemed to get her two friends married and out of the Spinster house so she could move in to get away from her brother. She finally has her independence and everything she wanted, but she’s not enjoying her dull and lonely life like she thought she would. Alex, the Earl of Evans has always intended to marry and raise a family except now he’s been jilted and his self-esteem is suffering. After his two closest friends have tied the knot he’s decided it’s about time to head back into the marriage mart to find a wife.
A few months later Alex finds himself in Loves Bridge at the door of the Spinster House where the current spinster whom he met at his friend’s wedding. Jane feels the pangs of loneliness and is conflicted by her feeling for Alex she’s had an attraction to our hero from the first time they met, but was determined to fight it. She’s simple not willing to give up the independence she has worked so hard for. Alex feels continually drawn to Jane and finds himself turning up at the Spinster House when he doesn't really intend to go there. Alex declares Jane is the one he wants to marry, but Jane fears giving up her independence. These two have a complicated relationship and it’s a long journey to find their HEA, but well worth the read!!!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers' copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher.
A few months later Alex finds himself in Loves Bridge at the door of the Spinster House where the current spinster whom he met at his friend’s wedding. Jane feels the pangs of loneliness and is conflicted by her feeling for Alex she’s had an attraction to our hero from the first time they met, but was determined to fight it. She’s simple not willing to give up the independence she has worked so hard for. Alex feels continually drawn to Jane and finds himself turning up at the Spinster House when he doesn't really intend to go there. Alex declares Jane is the one he wants to marry, but Jane fears giving up her independence. These two have a complicated relationship and it’s a long journey to find their HEA, but well worth the read!!!
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers' copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher.
August 21, 2019
Jane Wilkinson punya prinsip takkan menikah. Tapi sejak Alex datang dan membantunya, pikiran Jane utk tidak menikah semakin tidak mantap. Apalagi sejak "wabah bayi" melanda di sekitarnya.
Alex, Lord Evans yg pernah ditolak oleh seorang gadis kencur, juga mulai berpikir ulang ttg menikahi seseorang. Alex sudah merasakan adanya chemistry dgn Jane, dia tahu Jane tidak akan mau menjadi countess-nya. Mampukah Alex membujuk dan merayu Jane utk menjadi istrinya?
Walaupun buku ini finalisasi dari seri Spinster House, saya melongkapi baca buku kedua. Plot di alur cerita ini nyaris ttg bayi, bayi, dan anak kecil, makanya lebih tepat saya menyebutnya "wabah bayi". Masih masuk nalar sih soal bayi-bayi yg mengepung Jane dan Alex sehingga mereka menjadi menginginkan sebuah keluarga. Tapi jadinya malah hubungan Jane dan Alex sangat di-support alias didorong-dorong oleh segenap keluarga dan teman baiknya. Dan ini bukan favorit saya.
Karakter Jane yg keras kepala dan "sulit patuh" sebenarnya okay di awal cerita. Tetapi mulai tidak menarik di paro akhir cerita. Apalagi sejak kebersamaannya dgn Alex di kastil. Poppy, si kucing sakral masih menjadi maskot di novel ini. Sedangkan Alex, bagi saya dia hanyalah sosok hero yg menyukai gagasan berkeluarga drpd mencintai pasangannya. Walaupun katanya berubah sejak bertemu Jane. Apa iya? Baca saja utk membuktikannya.
Alex, Lord Evans yg pernah ditolak oleh seorang gadis kencur, juga mulai berpikir ulang ttg menikahi seseorang. Alex sudah merasakan adanya chemistry dgn Jane, dia tahu Jane tidak akan mau menjadi countess-nya. Mampukah Alex membujuk dan merayu Jane utk menjadi istrinya?
Walaupun buku ini finalisasi dari seri Spinster House, saya melongkapi baca buku kedua. Plot di alur cerita ini nyaris ttg bayi, bayi, dan anak kecil, makanya lebih tepat saya menyebutnya "wabah bayi". Masih masuk nalar sih soal bayi-bayi yg mengepung Jane dan Alex sehingga mereka menjadi menginginkan sebuah keluarga. Tapi jadinya malah hubungan Jane dan Alex sangat di-support alias didorong-dorong oleh segenap keluarga dan teman baiknya. Dan ini bukan favorit saya.
Karakter Jane yg keras kepala dan "sulit patuh" sebenarnya okay di awal cerita. Tetapi mulai tidak menarik di paro akhir cerita. Apalagi sejak kebersamaannya dgn Alex di kastil. Poppy, si kucing sakral masih menjadi maskot di novel ini. Sedangkan Alex, bagi saya dia hanyalah sosok hero yg menyukai gagasan berkeluarga drpd mencintai pasangannya. Walaupun katanya berubah sejak bertemu Jane. Apa iya? Baca saja utk membuktikannya.
May 7, 2017
I enjoyed the third book in the Spinster House series "When to Engage an Earl", despite not having read the earlier books and will now endeavour to read them. This book tells the story of Miss Jane Wilkinson who is living at Spinster house with her cat, having had two friends leave to marry. However, Jane realises that she is quite lonely but doesn't want to admit it, especially after meeting Alex, the Earl of Evans. Alex has just returned to the ton to find a wife, having been recently jilted. His two friends are recently married, and he wishes to have the same as them. Alex meets up with Jane and begins to notice her romantically.
Jane is insistent that she does not want to marry and despite their friends doing their best to set the pair up together, Jane opposes any matchmaking.
This was a lovely romance and the friends of Alex and Jane play such a pivotal part of the story. The interaction between all the characters makes you want to race back and read the earlier stories.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jane is insistent that she does not want to marry and despite their friends doing their best to set the pair up together, Jane opposes any matchmaking.
This was a lovely romance and the friends of Alex and Jane play such a pivotal part of the story. The interaction between all the characters makes you want to race back and read the earlier stories.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2017
Miss Jane Wilkinson finally has what she's yearned for--to be mistress of the Spinster House. She wanted to get away from her brother's influence and have a life with the only one she had to appease was herself. Alex, Earl of Evans, is looking for a wife. However, after being jilted last year, he wanted to tread lightly, especially since he wasn't so sure of his appeal to the opposite sex anymore.
I loved Jane's independence, but I thought there could have been less internal dialogue about being independent, then wanting Alex, then being independent, etc. With both characters unsure what exactly they wanted, the storyline lagged just a bit. I did love Alex's niece. She was quite funny and added another dimension to Alex's backstory.
I thought the epilogue wrapped up a continuing thread throughout the books. Fans of regency romance will definitely enjoy this one.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I loved Jane's independence, but I thought there could have been less internal dialogue about being independent, then wanting Alex, then being independent, etc. With both characters unsure what exactly they wanted, the storyline lagged just a bit. I did love Alex's niece. She was quite funny and added another dimension to Alex's backstory.
I thought the epilogue wrapped up a continuing thread throughout the books. Fans of regency romance will definitely enjoy this one.
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 29, 2017
I am always looking for books from Sally. She is always a good read. Sally always gives us the best people! Jane is the last spinster of this series. This started with a curse. She bumps into Lord Alex at the Town Fair. Spoiler. After they get everything fixed they talked. This is when Jane becomes the hidden love. Alex was dumped at the alter and is still has the sting. Everyone knows they are for each other. They swear they aren't. In the middle of this you met the cat Poppy who is also there when there is a problem. Then Cat is ready to have a baby any day now. Again Jane runs into Alex and sends him for help. There is really a silly run through this story. There are areas of tears but you probably won't need tissues. Now a stranger steps in and hmmm, who is he? I guess you will have to read this story to find to find out!I hope you can choose to read this book! I volunteered to read and review this book.
May 30, 2017
Jane Wilkinson is an independent lady living in the Spinster House in the village . Her two friends have recently married and at the wedding, she became aware of the handsome Earl of Evans, Alex. They meet in the village on several occasions and in the Spinster House. Jane has no interest in getting married as she is enjoying her peace and quiet away from her brother. Alex knows he has to marry, to provide and heir, but has no intention of marrying Miss Wilkinson. They just wouldn't suit, he wants a quiet, biddable bride, the complete antithesis is Jane. However, the interference of family and Poppy ( who Poppy is will be revealed during the story!) lead them to reconsider their ideas. This was a very engaging story and one I would recommend.
I received a copy from NetGalley, which I have voluntarily reviewed. This is my honest review.
I received a copy from NetGalley, which I have voluntarily reviewed. This is my honest review.
June 11, 2017
I won a copy of this book through GR's First Read.
This is my first book by this author. I didn't read the first two books, but if you did, you'll see the main characters in them again in this book. This book focuses on Jane and Alex, close friends of the couples from the first two books in this series.
I enjoyed reading this book. I really liked Jane and loved the interaction between her and Alex. There were parts where I laughed out loud. There is also a lot of inner-dialogue in this book. Some people probably hate this, but I don't mind it. Perhaps because I talk to myself like that too.
I admit, there are some things I found a bit silly such as the name of the town which is Loves Bridge. I also rolled my eyes when three couples got married/engaged in one weekend. These three couples were all at the same house party/baby christening that Jane and Alex attended.
This is my first book by this author. I didn't read the first two books, but if you did, you'll see the main characters in them again in this book. This book focuses on Jane and Alex, close friends of the couples from the first two books in this series.
I enjoyed reading this book. I really liked Jane and loved the interaction between her and Alex. There were parts where I laughed out loud. There is also a lot of inner-dialogue in this book. Some people probably hate this, but I don't mind it. Perhaps because I talk to myself like that too.
I admit, there are some things I found a bit silly such as the name of the town which is Loves Bridge. I also rolled my eyes when three couples got married/engaged in one weekend. These three couples were all at the same house party/baby christening that Jane and Alex attended.
January 13, 2019
I always enjoy Sally MacKenzie's historical romances, and "When to Engage an Earl" was no exception. Ms. MacKenzie is very good at crafting light, sweet stories that incorporate humor while still conveying emotional depth.
After watching Jane and Alex dance around each other in the previous Spinster House books, it was nice to see them finally wind up together in the conclusion of the series. I must admit that their journey was somewhat frustrating for me at times, mainly because Jane was so stubborn in refusing to give up her independence to marry Alex. Given the events of her childhood, I can understand her hesitation, but after watching her friends fall in love and marry, she should have known that marriage did not have to mean giving up her freedom entirely. Even though it took her longer than I would have liked, I'm glad that Jane finally came to her senses and agreed to marry Alex.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After watching Jane and Alex dance around each other in the previous Spinster House books, it was nice to see them finally wind up together in the conclusion of the series. I must admit that their journey was somewhat frustrating for me at times, mainly because Jane was so stubborn in refusing to give up her independence to marry Alex. Given the events of her childhood, I can understand her hesitation, but after watching her friends fall in love and marry, she should have known that marriage did not have to mean giving up her freedom entirely. Even though it took her longer than I would have liked, I'm glad that Jane finally came to her senses and agreed to marry Alex.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2019
Jane Wilkinson menjadi penghuni Spinster House setelah dua penghuni sebelumnya, Cat dan Anne menikah dengan pria pilihan mereka. Bukan kebetulan jika suami Anne adalah Nate, sahabat Marcus suami Cat. Dan sepertinya semua orang ingin menjodohkan Jane dengan Alex, Lord of Evans.
Jane yang kurang berpengalaman merasa perlu lebih banyak mempertanyakan dirinya mengapa dia menyukai Alex. Mungkin karena Alex pria yang cerdas dan bisa melayani perdebatan dengannya, atau karena Alex membuat dirinya berdebar-debar dan mendambakan Alex. Tapi apakah kebersamaannya dengan Alex sebanding dengan kebebasan yang harus dilepaskannya saat menjadi Countess?
Selain Alex dan Jane, pembaca diajak menunggu-nunggu kelahiran anak Cat. Apakah kutukan untuk Duke of Hart benar-benar terpatahkan?
Kisah penutup yang manis.
Jane yang kurang berpengalaman merasa perlu lebih banyak mempertanyakan dirinya mengapa dia menyukai Alex. Mungkin karena Alex pria yang cerdas dan bisa melayani perdebatan dengannya, atau karena Alex membuat dirinya berdebar-debar dan mendambakan Alex. Tapi apakah kebersamaannya dengan Alex sebanding dengan kebebasan yang harus dilepaskannya saat menjadi Countess?
Selain Alex dan Jane, pembaca diajak menunggu-nunggu kelahiran anak Cat. Apakah kutukan untuk Duke of Hart benar-benar terpatahkan?
Kisah penutup yang manis.
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