Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a fun Regency rom-com featuring a road trip with a dash of accidental espionage (4.25/5 stars)

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti is a fun Regency rom-com featuring a road trip with a dash of accidental espionage.

Wealthy heiress Lydia is typically a wallflower due to her struggles with social anxiety, but she’s also been writing seditious pamphlets for years under a pseudonym. Also for years, she has been writing to the man she thinks is the reclusive Earl of Strathrannoch in Scotland. Unfortunately, when she arrives at his doorstep to propose a marriage of convenance, he has no idea who she is.

I had such a fun time reading this book! I absolutely inhaled it within one day, when I was convalescing at home the day after staying up Way Too Late For My Age for the Critical Role Campaign 3 finale. As soon as I finished the book, I got up from my blanket nest on the couch in my office and promptly went to bed. But I’m proud of myself for staying up long enough to read it (sort-of) one sitting!

I didn’t like this one quite as much as I enjoyed Ne’er Duke Well last year, but I did listen to the audiobook for both and Mhairi Morrison does a bang-up job both times. For real, if you haven’t listened to one of Morrison’s audiobooks yet, do not pass go, get thee too your library or audiobook vendor of choice and pick one up. She’s absolutely worth a listen; I really love her different character voices.

It’s worth noting that while this book does have cameos from characters from Ne’er Duke Well, it is fully standalone and you do not need to read anything prior to starting this book. I still recommend you read it, though, because it’s fun and steamy.

I love a good bluestocking character, and Lydia was a perfect example. I love when historical romances explore modern feminist ideals, but head’s up if that’s not your thing. I also really identified with her as I too struggle with social anxiety.

Arthur is trying to rebuild his estate, which is pretty destitute at this point, having sold anything they could not part with. I really loved that he was also a bit of a tinkerer, an engineer if you will. That was a fun way to explore some actual history of the time (which the author notes in an Author’s Note at the back of the book).

I had fun with their smoldering chemistry. This book has a good deal of steam, so keep that in mind going in if that’s not really your jam.

Tropes in this book include: road trip, bluestocking, epistolary, fake dating, forced proximity

CW: depictions of social anxiety and panic attacks (not overly detailed)

I received a complimentary review copy from St. Martin’s Griffin, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley. All opinions contained herein are my own.

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