ARC Review: Captured by the Earl (The Secret Crusaders #2) by Melanie Rose Clarke
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Series: The Secret Crusaders #2
Author: Melanie Rose Clarke
Published October 14th 2021 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Goodreads Synopsis
As a member of the Distinguished Ladies of Purpose, Lady Emma Sinclair strives to help those less fortunate, even as others disregard her ideas as fanciful nonsense. That is, until she accidentally starts a rumor she is betrothed to Philip Fitzgerald, the powerful but absent Earl of Peyton. As society celebrates her victory in capturing the elusive lord, she enjoys new influence. Everything goes perfectly, until...
The earl returns.
Philip is shocked to arrive home to an unexpected betrothal. He doesn’t know Lady Emma’s motives or goals, yet the intelligent lady intrigues him. He will continue the ruse, chasing her secrets, even as he continues his own clandestine work. He saves people while in disguise, setting London aflame.
As everyone guesses the identity of the mysterious masked rescuer, Emma and Philip delve closer and closer to the truth, and each other.
When secrets are revealed, will a pretend betrothal become real?
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
Ever since a little jest amongst friends turned into a full blown rumour, Lady Emma Sinclair has found herself in an 'arrangement' with the absent Earl of Peyton. The ton assume the two are basically engaged, and she finds that the influence that Peyton has on others has allowed her to spread her own message on social reform easier than if the men though it was her own opinion. But now Peyton has returned, and to say he's shocked to find himself engaged would be an understatement. All Peyton wants now he is home is to see his sister, and recover from a mission gone wrong in America. He can't let anyone close to him get hurt again, and a fiancee would scupper everything, or would it? The longer they are together, Peyton finds himself not wanting to break the fake engagement, and soon he will do anything to make Emma his - if only he can get her to agree.
I just loved this book. The first one, Escaping the Duke, was fantastic, so when this became available to review I knew I would enjoy it, but I was simply blown away from the very first page. Emma had let a little white lie get out of control, but the power that came with the assumption she would be the next Countess of Peyton was mind blowing, and she couldn't relinquish it yet, not before she had affected real change and good. She never expected Peyton to return so quickly, and when he did, apologised and wanted to release him from the arrangement. But Peyton had other ideas, and I loved how he thwarted her at every turn, and really was the perfect match for Emma. The whole book was witty and engaging, and I loved seeing how Priscilla and Edmund's story was going too. I hope in future books we see Alexander and Catherine's story, because they definitely need to get together!
Dates Read:
October 30, 2021
Rating
4 Stars
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