Historical Romance Book Club discussion

Discussion thread for the third BOTM for December 2023. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary! (Please see 'some HTML is ok' for instructions.)


The Earl She Should Never Desire by Lara Temple

Join us in reading this HR that features the theme WIDOW / WIDOWER!

Synopsis:

The Earl She Should Never Desire

Lara Temple offers you a taste of the forbidden in this sexy Regency romance.

This very handsome earl… Is the one man she cannot fall for…

War widow Lily Walsh has left her aristocratic family behind, but she can’t deny her younger sister’s request to come to London to meet her fiancé. Though not a love match, Lord Sherbourne is kind, amusing and ideal for her sister on paper. But as Lily gets to know him, she’s finding him alarmingly attractive! And the forbidden look in the earl’s eye shows the feeling is mutual…

From Harlequin Your romantic escape to the past.

Happy reading!

looking forward to this book. my first Lt book. I'm looking forward to it

Yay I’m so glad this book won. I am looking forward to rereading it because I forgot most of it but I know that I loved it.

I'm disappointed . i can't find this book for free anywhere
warning: i am very critical of books if I have to pay for or them :(⁰

Lauren, I found it on Hoopla.

Thanks Merry !

I’m so excited it is December and I get to reread this book. And this a great book to reread because I forgot almost everything about it.
Right now I’m 30% in and MCs are just becoming aware of their attraction. I have no idea how are they going to resolve the tangled relationship they are in (heroine’s sister is engaged to the hero)

Also Lord Wrexham sounds interesting and I just found out that he has a book of his own.

I can't believe it is already December! I've already read the other two BOTM, but I definitely plan to join in on this one.

I just started today.

I know Marianna! This year flew by.

I'm at the 60% point and enjoying this so much. I only planned to read for half an hour today but I fell right into the story and ended up reading for 3.5 hours! This is my second Lara Temple book (the first was The Reluctant Viscount) and so far I love her writing and her ability to craft such fully developed characters.

I have read three Lara Temple books (but not this one), and quite enjoyed them, so I might give this one a try.

Does anyone know where (view spoiler)[the scars on Lily's chin came from? (hide spoiler)]

Brontesruleromance wrote: "Does anyone know where [spoilers removed]" They mention it briefly in Chapter 18 (view spoiler)[when she goes to his house to tell him that Annie doesn't want to marry him. It had to do with her being in a city that was besieged. She was looking for her now dead husband and somehow got these scars. I'm not sure how exactly but apparently it was intense and she has PTSD from that time. (hide spoiler)]

I finished and thoroughly enjoyed it. The cutest part of this book (view spoiler)[ are the three dates and three kisses. I was so overjoyed to see them get together nice and slow, step by step. (hide spoiler)]

I'm not looking at spoilers!! But glad you enjoyed it, Petra. I'm part way through Chapter 9, and liking the slow build of the attraction between them.

I was wondering about the scars too. Were they burned by the fires or knives? I'm disappointed we won't find out more.

I'm at the part where her she just finished her third kiss

Jan, I'm enjoying this slow burn romance too

Ooh you're a bit ahead of me, Lauren. I'm up to just before the third kiss.

I wondered how the writer would convincingly address the problem of Marcus and Anne's engagement when Marcus and Lily have fallen in love. I'm not surprised how it was done, and it's working for me quite well as a plot device.

I like Marcus's cute nickname for Lily. (view spoiler)[Lilyfox (hide spoiler)]

I do too!

I finished last night and gave 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. An enjoyable read with a good storyline and likeable lead characters. It fitted the trope well (widow), as Lily's widowhood really affected her life and has helped to shape the woman she has become.

Has anyone read The Wrong Way to Catch a Rake which is about Dom, Lord Wrexham, who is a side character in this book. Apparently it's set in Venice and is a bit more spy-themed. Just wondering what it's like.

Don's book sounds interesting

I am just reading Lord Wrexham story but I have hard time getting into it so I am only 15% in. It’s little all over the place so far and heroine is not very appealing. But I have hope it might pan out enjoyable.

I hope the story improves. well, I at least enjoyed this book! It was a nice slow burn read

This was my first book by Lara Temple and it is likely I will read more. Like Jan, a 3.5 read for me - upgraded to 4 stars.

It took me time to get into it - but a do love a slow burn romance where the characters actually like and get to know each other, not just instant lust - so it came thought for me.

While I was happy to see an epilogue it was very soppy.

I will wait and see Petra's verdict on the Lord Wrexham story - but might read that as well. It is highly rated on GR - but not many reviews.

I liked Lord Hunter's Cinderella Heiress by Temple. I've also just started The Reluctant Viscount, and enjoying it so far. She is a decent writer and on the whole seems to be historically accurate, which I like.

I might try The Wrong Way to Catch a Rake after I've finished The Reluctant Viscount. Petra, I'll also be interested to see how you find it as you read on.

no pressure Petra :)

It took me a while to get back to goodreads (it’s such a busy season)
But I finished Lord Wrexham story last weekend and there are two things I want to say about it:
1. The beginning is strange and all over the place but I persevere and it got better and the book finished on the high note
2. This lord Wrexham is not the same as in “earl she should never desire” the only thing he has in common is his good looks otherwise everything else is different.

OK thanks for the info, Petra. If Wrexham feels like a different character, maybe that's why they don't really promote the book as a sequel??

If I do try this one, I'll try to persist through to the better part of the book.

Brontesruleromance wrote: "Does anyone know where [spoilers removed]"

Thank you! I appreciate you getting back to me about this.

Thanks Petra, for letting me know about Lily's (view spoiler)[scars (hide spoiler)]