ARC Review: Never Trust an Earl (Never #3) by Maggi Andersen
12:00
Series: Never #3
Author: Maggi Andersen
Published June 17th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Goodreads Synopsis
Redcliffe Park, Northumberland, 1819
Dominic Thorne, the Earl of Redcliffe, arrives in Redcliffe village in the far north of England, to view his inheritance. The estate, Redcliffe Park, is miles from a decent town, and in need of extensive renovation.
A rake, says the squire’s wife, who heard all about him from her aunt in London. Rumors of Dominic’s scandalous lifestyle have quickly spread. His uncle, the former earl, was disliked. He failed to pay his debts. And it’s assumed his nephew is cut from the same cloth, or even worse, will ravage all the ladies in the village. It’s suspected his uncle distrusted banks, and stashed his wealth in a secret place somewhere on the estate.
Dominic wants to restore order to the estate to lease or sell it, then return to London. But his extremely attractive and capable housekeeper, Miss Olivia Jenner, makes him want more than a well-run house. He wants her in his life, in his bed. But she has plans of her own and doesn’t trust him.
Olivia Jenner has her own reasons for becoming the housekeeper, which she is not about to tell the earl. She loathed his uncle who destroyed her father’s life, and is determined to keep the rakish earl at arm’s length. But it becomes difficult for Olivia to hold on to her poor opinion of Dominic, after he toils in the fields with his plowman and works to improve the lives of those on his estate. Intrigued, Olivia can’t seem to stay away from him. She brings them lunch and hovers, admiring his fine physique and his straightforward manner with his workmen. He is not what she expected. But she cannot not lose her focus, she must find what she came for, then execute her plans for her future.
The house is broken into, and it’s believed they search for the money stashed away by his uncle. While Olivia and Dominic work together to discover who is behind it, a further threat appears. Someone wants Dominic dead.
The attraction between them grows to fever pitch. Dominic wants her, but will the independent and practical lady who considers the disparity in their births an impossible hurdle to overcome, ever agree?
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Inheriting a remote estate in Northumberland was unexpected for Dominic Thorne, the Earl of Redcliffe, and when he arrives to find it run down, without servants, and in need of a lot of TLC, all he wants is to restore it, and sell it off as quickly as possible. But when he arrives in the town, and rumours about his characters, and whether he was like his uncle or not, start to circulate, Dominic realises he needs to stay at Redcliffe, and restore his reputation before it's too late. The beautiful, young housekeeper, Olivia Jenner, complicates matters too, and it seems that she is hiding her own secrets too. As Olivia and Dominic spend more time together, and the sparks fly, will they be able to allow their relationship to flourish, or will the threats against Dominic's life ruin it all?
Never Trust an Earl was a really quick and enjoyable read. I had liked the previous books in the series when I read them, and immediately requested book 3 as soon as it was available, because I needed to know more about this series. The main characters, Dominic and Olivia, have pasts and secrets they want to keep, but it's soon clear that they need to work together, and that their feelings for one another could not be denied. I liked how independent Olivia was, and that she was willing to fight for what she could get, and she believed that was retribution for her father's suffering. The romance was sweet, and they brought out the best in each other, though there were moments where conflict could've just been resolved quicker if they communicated a little more. The mystery was enjoyable, and I feel like this book has tied up all of the loose ends from previous books, and ended the series really well.
Dates Read:
July 10-11, 2022
Rating
3 Stars
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