Review: This Earl of Mine (Bow Street Bachelors #1) by Kate Bateman
10:00
Series: Bow Street Bachelors #1
Author: Kate Bateman
Published October 29th 2019 by St. Martin's Press
Goodreads Synopsis
Introducing the Bow Street Bachelors―men who work undercover for London’s first official police force―and the women they serve to protect. . .and wed?
WILL A FALSE MARRIAGE
Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong?
LEAD TO TRUE AND LASTING LOVE?
Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him―and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?
Goodreads
Review
Independent shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed has absolutely no intention of marrying, especially when everyone who seems interested is only out there for her wealth. When her slimy cousin Josiah comes crawling, she hatches a plan with her Pieter, a father figure and friend to the family, for her to marry a convicted felon, scheduled for the hangman's noose or a transport ship, and then claim herself to be a widow and never have to worry. The intended bridegroom was hung before the wedding took place, so Ben Wylde was substituted in the last minute, and though Georgie knew he was a criminal, he still appealed to her. The funny thing is, that Ben is not a criminal at all, but is in fact a lauded war hero, working with Bow Street, and the second son of an Earl. When they meet again at a ball, and Georgie realises her 'dead' husband is in fact alive, they work out an agreement that would suit both parties - Georgie needs a 'reputable' husband to help her keep her freedom, and Ben needs a wife who can give him access to higher society in order to help with any future cases, and the current one.
This was my first of Kate's books, but every since I heard of the series, I've been wanting to read them. Georgie and Ben were wonderful main characters, very different, but so relatable, it was a joy to read. Georgie, as the eldest daughter of a shipping magnate, had been raised in luxury, and her father had always appreciated her knowledge and her love for the company. When he died, she was made owner of the firm, and has run it perfectly in the intervening years, but the fortune hunters have always been hanging around. Even though her younger sister, Julia, is the one lauded as beautiful, Georgie's wealth is what draws most in, but when she tells them that all they will get from a marriage to her is a small amount, and no access to her funds, most run away with their tails between their legs. It's only when Josiah appears more and more desperate, and Georgie is worried he will force her into a marriage that she hatches this plan, which would've been perfect, if not for the fact Ben was never going to be transported. Ben is not penniless, per se, but he and his elder brother inherited a range of debts from their father, and the family estate is only hanging on by a thread. After returning from the continent following Napoleon's imprisonment, Ben and his two best friends - Alex and Seb - bought the Tricorn club, a gaming hall where all levels of society are welcome, and serves as a way to help them in their investigations with Bow Street. Meeting Georgie was unexpected, but was the best thing he needed to help him re-assimilate to normal life, and be more like the real Ben. As much as Ben wanted to keep Georgie away from any danger in the most recent case involving a stolen vessel, her knowledge and expertise was invaluable to helping them defeat the criminals, and stop the plot to free Napoleon. Their relationship came on gradually, though the flirting and witty banter was there right from the beginning. I love these two together, and the way that the wicked Josiah was dealt with was perfect! I'll be starting To Catch an Earl straight away!
Dates Read:
Rating
4 Stars
0 comments