Chasing the Earl

The Arrogant Earls #2

by Kathleen Ayers

Spinster Emmagene Stitch doesn’t believe in love…until she meets the worst earl in London.

Welcome to book 2 in the new steamy historical romance series set in Victorian London by Kathleen Ayers.

There is no gentleman in all of London considered more rude, impolite, blunt, and just plain awful than the Earl of Huntly. Miss Emmagene Stitch, self-proclaimed spinster is considered nearly as unpleasant with her sharp tongue and opinions.

The only thing Emmagene and Huntly can agree upon is their dislike of the house party they both find themselves attending. Forced into Huntly’s company by their hostess, Emmagene finds herself attracted to the earl despite the deficits to his character. Their affair is as unexpected as it is passionate.

But will it survive their eventual return to London?

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade's Flame line, so this is a sexy, steamy, and scorching-hot read with multiple sex scenes. Be advised.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Regency, Novella, Audiobook

138 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2022

About the author

Kathleen Ayers has been a hopeful romantic since the tender age of fourteen when she first purchased a copy of Sweet Savage Love at a garage sale while her mother was looking at antique animal planters. Since then she’s read hundreds of historical romances and fallen in love dozens of times. In particular she adores handsome, slightly damaged men with a wicked sense of humor. On paper, of course.

Kathleen lives in Houston and is married with one college aged son and two very spoiled dogs.

Reviews

[Lady Nilambari Reads HR · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Who knew rudeness could be so funny? Kathleen Ayers, apparently.

Quick Review
- It's no secret that I absolutely love Ms Ayer's writing, and she has proved the why of it yet again.
- She has pulled off a miracle, not once but twice, by turning thoroughly bitchy heroines into likeable ones.
- I loved this little romance between two utterly caustic people, traumatised by their experiences, retaliating with acrimony, and marginalised by society. Their coming together was wonderfully hilarious, full of jibing banter and insults. I could feel the crackle of electric sparks between them as I read on. Loved it.
- Emmagene & Henry were not your average HR hero & heroine, and that is what set this story apart. They were bitter, angry, arrogant, difficult & disdainful, but they fit together, and they were made for each other.

*Ms Ayers is capable of pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. Points for uniqueness along with the plot, the characters, the romance, the steam, and the amusing feeling it left me with.

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmagene and Henry attend a house party to support their friends’ wedding, but because they are not very popular people, they are constantly thrown together by the hostess – which turns out to be not a bad thing after all.

I picked up this book because I was interested in how the author would convince me to invest in a romance with two quite unlikable leads – truly unlikable, with her cutting sternness and his beastliness, not merely unpopular. Spoiler alert: the author manages it. This is the second book in the series, but I was able to follow it easily enough.

The leads are both desperately lonely people who behave in very bad ways to keep other people far away. I liked learning about their backstories and seeing how they broke each other’s walls down. I also liked how Henry was certain of what he wanted pretty much off the bat, and willing to embrace Emmagene’s prickliness.

I did wish the book was a bit longer, though. I thought the book could have benefited from some more realizations on the part of Henry and Emmagene about how their behavior was was hurting them – the topic is dabbled with but not paid much attention to. I also thought the sex scenes, after the excellent rising tension throughout the book, were oddly paced – did we really need three chapters to cover the same encounter?

Overall, I enjoyed these unique characters and the redemption they find in each other.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[ChasingLeslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing that Miss Emmagene Stitch and Henry Eldrick, Earl of Huntly, can agree on is their dislike for the house party they are forced to attend. The hostess doesn't care for them either and frequently throws them together, away from the other guests. From peas being flung to getting sprayed by a skunk, this improbable pair find themselves completely overcome. Can they leave their baggage behind and fall in love?

This is the second book in the Arrogant Earls series. It can be read alone, but it picks up right after the events of the first book and refers to characters and events from the previous story.

I really enjoyed this tale of two rather disagreeable characters who come together and find that they fit like puzzle pieces. Emmagene describes them as "a carriage accident in the middle of Bond Street. Unlikely but disastrous." She's been hurt by a man before and wraps herself in a steely, severe persona. Henry is considered boorish, gruff, and just plain rude...and he is! But he starts to show his vulnerable side to Emmagene. There were also a lot of really funny moments that made this a really enjoyable read!

Tropes: Spinster, Ruined, House Party/Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract

Steam: 3

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #ChasingtheEarl #NetGalley

[Michelle Rupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Miss Emmegene Stitch, self-proclaimed spinster, has been burned by a man before so she hides her insecurities by lashing out with her sharp tongue and not so nice opinions. She has no problem sharing those opinions of Henry, Earl of Huntley, repeatedly castigating him as rude, impolite, and annoying. While at a house party where no one seems to like either of them, they forge a bond of friendship that ultimately leads them both down a path they never expected to be traveling especially with each other.

I enjoyed this one much better than the first. There is something that I like about Emmie. People get hurt, and they close off these parts of themselves that they are afraid to show each other. She doesn't allow herself to be vulnerable because she knows it makes her susceptible to being hurt. Her favorite target is poor Henry, but he gives it back to her pretty good. They traded barbs for a long time during this book even longer than I expected them to. I think they both found a kindred spirit in each other. Neither one of them the most likeable or charming person in the room, but perfect for each other. Overall, another good one from Kathleen Ayers, and can't wait to see who she pairs Monteith up with.

[Pam Bereznak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying, I really love Kathleen Ayers writing. This is my 13th book by her. As a matter of fact, in the last 2.5 years she has written 2 of the best books of my 800 books read in that time frame. Maybe even best in more than 2000 books read.

I have to say I really like this book. The first ½ chapter was a bit confusing because I didn’t remember all the storyline from Book 1. Book 1 just came out just about a month ago but I’ve read 25 books since then so wasn’t remembering the storyline. Didn’t take long to get right into again though.

Loved Henry’s character. Loved this couple. So good!!

[Kathleen Ayers]

Chasing the Earl is now LIVE!!

Download your copy today!

Amazon: http://mybook.to/chasingtheearl

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Misleading title. There was no chasing on the heroine’s part. She’s a spinster whose heart has been broken by a cad. She and the Earl of Huntley do not get along but attending a house party/wedding of the couple from Book 1 forces them to interact because they’re outcasts (of sorts) even within this group.

Intimate scenes and the language were on the steamy side but I wished they were a little longer or more descriptive. I don’t recall this author using the F word in her previous books but I found it hot in this book. 🥵

Oh, and I almost forgot! There's a pet skunk named Peony!

[Emilia Redington · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book! Kathleen Ayers know how to create stories that are full of charm, witty banter, passionate encounters, and characters you fall in love with … even those who throw peas at their dining companions and eventually even manages to charm Peony! 🦨

Spinster Emmagene Stitch doesn’t believe in love…until she meets the worst earl in London.

There is no gentleman in all of London considered more rude, impolite, blunt, and just plain awful than the Earl of Huntly. Miss Emmagene Stitch, self-proclaimed spinster is considered nearly as unpleasant with her sharp tongue and opinions.

The only thing Emmagene and Huntly can agree upon is their dislike of the house party they both find themselves attending. Forced into Huntly’s company by their hostess, Emmagene finds herself attracted to the earl despite the deficits to his character. Their affair is as unexpected as it is passionate.

But will it survive their eventual return to London?

I loved these two MCs - Henry Eldrick, Earl of Huntly, is the perfect man for Miss Emmagene Stitch, self-proclaimed spinster. These two have combustible chemistry from the get go - whether they are exchanging barbs or exchanging passionate kisses - their attraction to each other is palpable in the story. What’s even better is underneath their tough outer shells both of them crave love, yet both are afraid, so both have remained alone. Then they kiss … it’s game over. ❤️

I enjoyed “seeing” the characters from book one Forgetting the Earl as they continued on their way to HEA 🛕🗺🛳

I am eager for the next book in this series Enticing the Earl as we will finally get to see what makes the Earl of Montieth tick and watch him fall in love!

I highly recommend this book & series!

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 | 2022 Top Contender 🏆


📚I received a review copy of this book from Dragonblade Publishing this is my voluntary and honest review. 🦄

[Viv “BookVixen” Gutierrez · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF; SLEAZY HEROINE

This was another romance fail that was a total waste of time. Here’s the heroines POV on her former beau: “She hadn’t even questioned why he didn’t offer for her properly, because Emmagene had been intoxicated with the physical aspects of their relationship. She’d wanted to be taken against the rough wall of the stable or bent over a saddle, her face pressed against the leather while Geoffrey thrust inside her. She’d enjoyed it. Craved it. Begged for it.” To reiterate, Geoffrey WASNT the hero.

ANNNDDDDDDD…I’m out. There’s absolutely no reason whatsoever for a historical romance to have a heroine who spreads her legs and allows ANOTHER MAN to break her in and rut her. GTFOH with that slimy putrid ugly BS.

[Lori D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you never know what will happen when two disagreeable people are thrown together at a party! It might just lead to love!

A spinster who wants to stay that way, and a very disagreeable Earl seem to be end up at a house part and the adventure begins!

Neither wants to marry, both not your normal happy couple, but the more time they spend together at the house party, they both dislike, it seems they can agree on a few things!!

A quick, steamy read that will have you turning the pages!

[Jill booksandescape · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance ebook copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for review.

Chasing the Earl by Kathleen Ayers is the second book of The Arrogant Earls series. Miss Emmagene Stitch, self-proclaimed spinster has a sharp tongue. Henry, the Earl of Huntly is considered rude and blunt. Emmagene and Henry can agree on one thing—they both dislike the house party they are attending. Emmagene finds herself forced into the Earl’s company by the hostess of the party. They are soon unexpectedly attracted to each other despite everything.

This book is a quick, steamy, totally enjoyable read. I found myself quickly attached to the characters. I couldn’t get enough!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
There is no gentleman in all of London considered more rude, impolite, blunt, and just plain awful than Henry Eldrickthe Earl of Huntly. Miss Emmagene Stitch, self-proclaimed spinster is considered nearly as unpleasant with her sharp tongue and opinions. The only thing Emmagene and Huntly can agree upon is their dislike of the house party they both find themselves attending. Forced into Huntly’s company by their hostess, The pair find themselves attracted to each other so their affair is as unexpected as it is passionate.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. A well written quick witty, humorous, steamy read which I read in a sitting. I really liked both Huntly & Emmie both almost social pariahs, their verbal sparring is so well done & often had me laughing out loud. They are the pair who almost love to hate each other until they kiss! They are both unconventional but perfect for each other, I look forward to more from the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prickly couple, undervalued by their families and others. He's wonderfully rude and crude, especially to the h. She thought she was hiding her disappointment but he saw her pain. Their mutual dislike became something more. Sweet story with a pari of grumps.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

You've read the sunshine meets grumpy trope - and this is not that - it is more grumpy meets grumpy and I adored it. It was surprisingly funny.

The two MCs are made for each other. Ha!

[Rainelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing the Earl, by Kathleen Ayers. Who would have thought that such a short romantic story would be so naughty, seductive, and just unbelievably steamy. Kathleen showed a very wicked side to herself while writing the two main characters, Emmagene and Huntly. I absolutely loved everything about Huntly. I mean, come on the man knows what to say to woman when he wants her as he claims her in bed.
Talk about feeling dirty but in a good way when you have the strong masculine body of Huntly outstretched over you, doing all things that would make you scream his name and beg for more. I loved the storyline of Emmagene’s and Huntly romantic affair during the wedding party. Their story was a perfect fit for them. I was caught off guard by the language and the sharp and sometimes crude remarks that the two tossed at one another. But that was one of the many entertains things that sparks the beginning of them exposing themselves to other people.
I was pleased that Emmagene was created as a character with sterner stuff and thick skin. She didn’t faint by some of the direct cuts that was tossed at her. There where moments that I found Huntly’s character quite comical and endearing. Emagene’s and Huntly’s steamy and erotic dance between the sheets certainly fanned the flames of this book as being and entertaining read. But it was the passion for being loved by the two that showed the happiness of being loved that overshadowed the book.
I give this book two snaps and a, “Huntly, we are not taking Peony with us. I thought that you would have learned your lesson the first time. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh yeah! Perfect.
A lovely story with Miss Emmagene Stitch and Henry, the Earl of Huntly. Emmagene was going to Longwood House party and a wedding too. The coach driver stopped to pick up the Earl - Emmagene thought he smelled like a brothel. He was very unpleasant as Emmagene didn't want to switch seats - so he picked her up and placed her on the other seat. They had plenty to say, and rather rude to each other. They did come together for sex, which was very carnal - (and was the best sexy story).
A very HEA! 5☆

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time reading Kathleen and I loved how much I laughed at this book. The characters are irreverent and feisty and grumpy and fantastic. I have never read a book where both the main characters are just too much. I have say that Henry is my kind of guy. Gruff, grumpy, big, and a very dirty mouth. Emmie was his female counterpart. The interactions were great and the attraction was off the charts hot. I need to go back and read book 1 and read some of Kathleen’s other stories I have already downloaded. Looking forward to Monteith’s story. I read this in KU.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from Netgalley and this is my freely given opinion.

It says something about an author if they can make you like unlikeable characters. Both Emmagene Stitch and the Earl of Huntly were seen briefly in the first book of this series, as cousins of the main characters. They both seemed rather unlikeable then, with Emmagene being rapacious in her desire for Honora to get revenge on Southwell, and Huntly for just being boorish and uncouth.

In this book, they are thrown together at a house party for the couple, and their wedding. They have made themselves so unlikeable by members of Society that they are pretty much only in each other's company as no one else seems to want to spend time with them. This rather forces them to become a bit more self aware and to become more aware of each other. This story explores their behaviour, bitterness, and the reasons why they behave the way they do, and exposes their shared loneliness, and the growing sense of connection to each other.

It actually develops from a story of a seeming bitch and an apparent rude boor, to a rather touching story of deeply hidden hurt, and loneliness and finding an empathic soul, and a path to love and acceptance.

In the end, I found I was rather falling in love with the two of them and their story too. I just wish it was longer. I don't understand how Huntly's parents could have been so cruel to him. The story of him and Peony is rather sweet too (and is Peony and ode to Disney's Flower?).

4.25 stars out of 5.

It was lovely but it also left me wanting more - I wanted to see more of a happy ending for the two of them, and wanted just more of their stories.

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I would love Emmagene's story! The banter between her and Huntly was fantastic. Watching them fall in love and make themselves vulnerable to another person made my heart flutter. This was just so good!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spinster, Emmagene Stitch and Henry, the Earl of Huntly, end up sharing the carriage to the wedding house party for their respective cousins.' It's no holds barred on sharing their opinions of each other during the trip. (Be prepared to laugh out loud) Sabatoged by Lady Trent, the hostess, they end up on the outside of the circle of the other guests. Unexpected accidents keep happening that bring Emmie and Henry closer together in shared sympathy, but it's the passionate attraction between them that breaks down their barriers. This is one hot couple! One hilarious incident after another, their thoughts and verbal exchanges kept me in stitches (no pun intended).
Heat level 4 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kathleen Ayers books! She's brought us a wonderful couple who don't fit the norm in this book genre. Henry and Emmie have the most engaging, sarcastic, in-your-face relationship. Neither gives an inch! And peas will be flung at people. Then sparks fly, and it's hot, like steaming hot! Start fanning yourself now. I so enjoyed this pair's interactions. Why? Because they've been hurt terribly and hide behind screens that make them, on the surface, unlikeable and undesirable. Ms.Ayers unwraps them with wit, care and empathy.

As you can tell, I really like the book. I rarely give 5 stars to a book. But I readily give this one 5 stars. I highly recommend this book, and of course, Ms. Ayers' other books. On May 3, 2022, I received an advanced read copy for my honest review, and received no compensation.

[BookishMya · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you place two curmudgeons together? A battle of wit, snarky remarks and unrelenting love. No matter how much they wish to deny their feelings, neither Emmagene nor Huntley can keep away from the other. A fast-paced romance of intense emotion. Both of these characters are known for being rude, surly and obstinate, yet together they find an acceptance and a reason to change the negative habits they have hidden behind all these years. Soured by past experiences of romantic or familial rejection, they have used a sour demeanour to hide behind and protect their hearts from pain. But avoidance of pain also causes one to avoid all the blissful effects of love, Now they have a chance to bloom from the love they quickly share. Of course, this doesn’t mean no bickering or insults as this can be another expression of affection, and all the better to make up from. Whether anger, passion or love, both Emmagene & Huntley are fierce in their emotions. The bickering and banter of these two is what sold their story, as true passion is enflamed until combustible. I truly enjoyed reading all the sparks and ignition of their flaming love!

[Amber Humphries · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of Chasing the Earl by Kathleen Ayers. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for providing an ARC to review.

Spinster Emmagene Stitch doesn’t believe in love…until she meets the worst earl in London.

There is something so enjoyable about watching two cranky people fall in love. Chasing the Earl might be the first time I have read a regency romance where at least one of the leads, was not dashing or a diamond hiding in plain sight. It was such a breath of fresh air, and my only complaint was that the book was shorter than expected. I appreciated that this felt like a new type of OTP (One True Pairing) and that the tropes didn't feel stale. I highly recommend Chasing the Earl to anyone who wants a swoony and quirky read.

[Karen Darling · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the so-called hero is disgusting.

[Poppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmm idk about this one dawg. emmagene was too good for henry. he didn't apologise enough for his rude remarks that were way harsher than hers. it was rushed too

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ 2🌶

Ok so this one was much better than the first book because it focused solely on the relationship between Henry and Emmagene and there was good character development.

Reading so much current day romances which are written in 1st person, it was a little hard at first to gel with the 3rd person narrative style again, and Kathleen used far too much names vs pronouns for my taste, but looking past that, I really loved the story.

It is a forced proximity, opposites attract love story and in the end they weren’t as different from each other than they thought.

Emmie is a shrewish spinster and Henry a boorish libertine. But it’s the reasons that they are they way that have them creating a common bond. The banter and honesty shared between them was entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed the tension and lead up to their eventual coupling which was 🔥

There were bits of humor sprinkled in and the comparison of Emmie to Peony (the skunk) was on point. 😂

This book also brought a little more of Kathleen’s signature spice; something lacking in book one.

Of course there was small drama, but I liked how sure Henry was of his feelings and what he needed to do about it, he wasn’t going to keep sitting around letting her wallow in her pity party.

This is one of my favorite passage:

“He hadn’t come to this house party with any intention other than surviving it; certainly he hadn’t expected to find a woman who attracted him the way Emmagene Stitch did. Henry knew, in his heart, if he never saw Emmie again, he would be lonely the rest of his life.”

For such a short book, I was pleased at how well the relationship came together. Nothing felt rushed and I truly did feel how right these two were for each other. Part of me wishes it was longer because I was enjoying it and didn’t want it to be over so quickly, but in reality it didn’t need to be. ❤️

[Elle Cheshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a hilarious story about two very rude and bitter people finding each other. Emmagene and Henry are both ill-tempered and make a point of presently themselves poorly within society. In Emmagene’s case she is trying to repel men to remain an unmarried spinster after getting her heart broken when she was younger. Henry on the other hand lets himself fall into the role that his hateful parents laid out for him, the ill-mannered and inappropriate son who would be a terrible earl. Emmagene presents herself to fit within the confines of society spitting fire with her insults whereas Henry is loud and brash and so outwardly rude. They made an absolutely hilarious pair.

They both attend the house party and wedding of their friends and end up being put on the outskirts of every dinner, put in the corner to keep away from the good society approved guests. This brings them together repeatedly and their constant trading of barbs, insults and banter quickly turns to more. Henry finds himself drawn to the prickly Emmagene right from the beginning and soon enough Emmagene can’t find it in herself to deny herself the chance to explore Henry. Once the connection is made old fears rise up and threaten to destroy their connection. After fear holds them back miscommunication occurs but it doesn’t last for long!

I loved every minute of this story. it is a quick easy funny read – it is quite short so ideal if you’re looking for something a bit lighter. I really enjoyed the banter and their relationship. The ending was perfect, and the pacing was great. Ayers’ brought to life two very difficult characters, and I love that she doesn’t change who they are, they stay rude and ill-mannered but make an effort to be kinder to each other. Her writing is compelling and witty and never ceases to entertain. Ayer’s is certainly an auto-buy author for me, and I am loving this new series. As always I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one sitting.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing the Earl by Kathleen Ayers beings together two decidedly unpleasant people: Miss Emmagene Stitch and Henry, Earl of Huntly, in a carriage, both on their way to a wedding and house party in which they had absolutely no interest. Their journey together had been arranged by Lady Trent, who liked neither of them and that feeling was reciprocated. At dinner, they found themselves seated at a small table, off to the side, and even Henry knew he was behaving poorly, but he was hungry and thirsty and no one seemed to care. She finally gave up and went to her chamber. She ran into him again in the morning when she had been stomping around in the woods trying to walk out her bad temper. Instead she got caught in some brambles, and who was there to assist: Huntly. They ran into a skunk, something neither of them was familiar with as they had none (except this one) in England. He got sprayed and spent the rest of the day in vinegar baths. And it went on and on. But, they were drawn together. Lust or love? Neither knew, nor cared.

They were not really unpleasant, well, to some they were, mostly just opinionated. They fought at every turn. Except when they were kissing. This was an extremely entertaining story. Both of them brought out the worst in one another and they did not know each other well enough to modulate their behavior. He was trying to see how she felt about marriage. She heard that he was to marry and it would not be her. She had lived through that. She would not again. She was buttoned up, he was loosey-goosey. It was indeed a conundrum.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Chasing the Earl by Dragonbalde, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine.. #netgalley #dragonblade #chasingtheearl #kathleenayers

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Emmagene Stitch is a prickly self-proclaimed spinster who dresses in a drab way to avoid male attention. She doesn't trust any of them after an unfortunate affair in her youth but she needs to attend her cousin's wedding. She shares a carriage with Henry, the Earl of Huntly, who was always the black sheep of his family, and continues to behave badly because he feels that's what everyone always expects of him. He never expected to inherit the title but his perfect elder brother died suddenly. At their initial meeting, Henry has wine stains on his clothing and his behavior comes across rather off-putting. I wasn't sure he would be able to redeem himself, and neither was Emmagene. But their hostess keeps throwing them together, apart from the rest of the party in a rather rude way, apparently so they would only annoy each other and not the other guests. Some people might have left in a huff but Henry and Emmagene stay long enough to trade several insults, to find some humor in their situation, to deal with some unlikely mishaps and to find each other very desirable beneath their outward shells. In the end I can report that Henry did achieve a likeable status with me as he never did anything really bad and wasn't out to hurt anyone, he was just honest to a fault and disregarded social niceties that he deemed stupid. His childhood was oppressive and I'm glad his parents are dead.

Series status: There are a lot of references to another book that I have not read (Honora's story) so if you're planning to read both maybe read that one before this book.
Steam level: Lots of quiet lusting and some premarital testing.

Overall it was an OK, easy read. I enjoy stories in which outcasts end up happy after all.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and this is a voluntary review.