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Challenging the Brooding Earl: A Christmas Romance Novel
Get cozy with this heartwarming story perfect for the holidays
A Regency enemies-to-lovers story
Her biggest test?
Not falling for her enigmatic rival!
Upon learning her family are the rightful heirs to Hythe Hall, Merryn Hythe must claim her ancestral home back from the brooding Earl of Marchwood. The earl makes it clear he’s not used to losing challenges, but Merryn will show him he’s met his match! Yet as she starts to see the vulnerability beneath his proud exterior, their unexpected attraction could lead to more than just a battle of wills…
From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.
A Regency enemies-to-lovers story
Her biggest test?
Not falling for her enigmatic rival!
Upon learning her family are the rightful heirs to Hythe Hall, Merryn Hythe must claim her ancestral home back from the brooding Earl of Marchwood. The earl makes it clear he’s not used to losing challenges, but Merryn will show him he’s met his match! Yet as she starts to see the vulnerability beneath his proud exterior, their unexpected attraction could lead to more than just a battle of wills…
From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published November 29, 2022
3 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 23, 2022
4.5 Stars
Upon learning her brother Liam is the rightful heir to Hythe Farm, Merryn Hythe & Liam travel from Ireland to claim their ancestral home back from Dominic, the brooding Earl of Marchwood. The pair first meet whilst Merryn is working as a fortune teller & Dominic is attacked by robbers, he thinks she’s a charlatan & she thinks he’s rude.
A very well written romance with strong characters & a well paced story. I loved both Dom & Merryn, both had been hurt & didn’t trust the opposite sex at all, so they denied their burgeoning feelings & locked horns at every meeting - the banter was wonderful. The secondary characters were also well portrayed, some I loved & some I really disliked especially Sarah. I loved Merryn's strength & her desire to look after Liam, I really liked Dom but couldn't understand how he tolerated Sarah. I loved how their feelings grew & changed as they got to know each other. A lovely romance
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Upon learning her brother Liam is the rightful heir to Hythe Farm, Merryn Hythe & Liam travel from Ireland to claim their ancestral home back from Dominic, the brooding Earl of Marchwood. The pair first meet whilst Merryn is working as a fortune teller & Dominic is attacked by robbers, he thinks she’s a charlatan & she thinks he’s rude.
A very well written romance with strong characters & a well paced story. I loved both Dom & Merryn, both had been hurt & didn’t trust the opposite sex at all, so they denied their burgeoning feelings & locked horns at every meeting - the banter was wonderful. The secondary characters were also well portrayed, some I loved & some I really disliked especially Sarah. I loved Merryn's strength & her desire to look after Liam, I really liked Dom but couldn't understand how he tolerated Sarah. I loved how their feelings grew & changed as they got to know each other. A lovely romance
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
December 18, 2022
Merryn Hythe and her brother Liam have traveled from Ireland to England with a letter given to them by their dying father, stating that Liam is the heir to Hythe farm in Surrey. When they get to Surrey, Merryn has to visit Castle Marchwood to speak to Dominic, the Earl of Marchwood about the property, as it is on his estate. There, she is met with skepticism as it has been many decades since a Hythe has lived on Hythe farm
Dominic doesn't trust Merryn, nor the letter she has brought. He has his lawyer look it over. In the meantime, Merryn, her brother and their friend Cassie move into Hythe farm, as they really have no place else to go. While they wait to see if Liam's claim to the land is valid, they start running the farm and Liam takes a liking for living in the country.
Although neither Merryn nor Dominic trust the opposite sex, they find that they are drawn to one another in the time they spend together. Soon, they have fallen in love.
I liked both the characters of Merryn and Dominic and thought both of them grew in positive ways after they met. This was a good story.
Dominic doesn't trust Merryn, nor the letter she has brought. He has his lawyer look it over. In the meantime, Merryn, her brother and their friend Cassie move into Hythe farm, as they really have no place else to go. While they wait to see if Liam's claim to the land is valid, they start running the farm and Liam takes a liking for living in the country.
Although neither Merryn nor Dominic trust the opposite sex, they find that they are drawn to one another in the time they spend together. Soon, they have fallen in love.
I liked both the characters of Merryn and Dominic and thought both of them grew in positive ways after they met. This was a good story.
November 25, 2022
Set in rural nineteenth-century England, this is an enemies-to-lovers historical romance with a strong female lead in Merryn and a guilt-ridden Dominic still healing from his wife's betrayal and death. The dialogue between the couple is well-written and makes the novel engaging. I like the rural setting, the chemistry between Dominic and Merryn and the emotional bond that gradually builds between the two.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
December 13, 2022
Nice rivals-to-lovers romance with a class-difference and a claim to a lost inheritance. Both leads are finely drawn and I also appreciated the side characters. I would love to see Felix get his own story!
May 8, 2023
Starts with a paranormal situation and book ends by being steamy. Not for me. I did like Liam and Felix.
March 2, 2024
Didn’t want to finish it
August 13, 2024
Easy read
October 31, 2022
I loved everything about this story, from how they met at the fair to the last page. Merryn Hythe is working as a fortune teller, Dominic has been robbed and fetched to her caravan. He thinks she's a charlatan, she thinks he's standoffish, rich and rude. Merryn believes her young brother is the rightful heir to Hythe Hall and he doesn’t believe her.
I absolutely loved this enemies to lovers storyline. I found Merryn to be such a strong woman that rose to the challenges set to her. Her tenacity was something to be admired. I quite liked Dominic too, he had such a soft side. Great storyline from start to finish.
I absolutely loved this enemies to lovers storyline. I found Merryn to be such a strong woman that rose to the challenges set to her. Her tenacity was something to be admired. I quite liked Dominic too, he had such a soft side. Great storyline from start to finish.
May 31, 2023
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
When her parents died, Merryn Hythe only had wits to protect herself and her brother. Her father always stated that they were the rightful owners to Hythe Hall, and Merryn moved hell and high water to get herself and Liam as close to their home as possible. But the biggest obstacle was Dominic, the Earl of Marchwood, whose first impression of Merryn wasn't glowing, and he's not about to take her at her word. As they wait for the deeds to be checked in London, Dominic allows Merryn and Liam to stay at the Hall, and the sparks fly.
This was a quick and easy read, and definitely one which Regency romance lovers would enjoy. Merryn and Dominic's first meeting was a bad one to say the least, as he had been robbed and she was working as a fortune teller tending to his injury at the time. Meeting again, when she demanded Liam's rightful inheritance, it was clear it wasn't going to be an easy thing, and the pair clashed on more than one occasion. Both of them had to overcome their past hurts and grievances to allow themselves the chance at happiness, though Dominic's evil sister tried as hard as she could to come between them. As the feelings developed, it was wonderful to see the pair grow, and I'm glad they were able to find their happiness together.
When her parents died, Merryn Hythe only had wits to protect herself and her brother. Her father always stated that they were the rightful owners to Hythe Hall, and Merryn moved hell and high water to get herself and Liam as close to their home as possible. But the biggest obstacle was Dominic, the Earl of Marchwood, whose first impression of Merryn wasn't glowing, and he's not about to take her at her word. As they wait for the deeds to be checked in London, Dominic allows Merryn and Liam to stay at the Hall, and the sparks fly.
This was a quick and easy read, and definitely one which Regency romance lovers would enjoy. Merryn and Dominic's first meeting was a bad one to say the least, as he had been robbed and she was working as a fortune teller tending to his injury at the time. Meeting again, when she demanded Liam's rightful inheritance, it was clear it wasn't going to be an easy thing, and the pair clashed on more than one occasion. Both of them had to overcome their past hurts and grievances to allow themselves the chance at happiness, though Dominic's evil sister tried as hard as she could to come between them. As the feelings developed, it was wonderful to see the pair grow, and I'm glad they were able to find their happiness together.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews