The Earl I Adore is the sweet/tame version of The Earl’s Bride.My dearest James,Since the moment we met at the Bradford’s ball a year ago, I’ve been entranced by you. Do you remember our first meeting? I’ll never forget it. While the music played in the ballroom and everyone danced, I stepped outside for some fresh air and discovered a kitten which had gotten stuck between two branches. I picked … between two branches. I picked up a nearby wooden pail, overturned it and tried to rescue the sweet wee creature. Unfortunately, as I plucked it free, I wobbled and lost my balance. You bounded over bushes to get to me, caught me in your arms and surrounded me with your strength and compassion. That night so long ago, you rescued me, and I discovered a treasure. You.
Now, I could never allow that treasure to be lost, so even though you have an investigation to run so you might uncover who killed your father and brother, I simply can’t ignore your needs and walk away as you’ve demanded. It’s now my turn to bound over bushes for you, to aid you however I can.
You have been warned.
Yours, Sophia.
Each book in this series is standalone, and can be enjoyed out of sequence.
SWEET REGENCY TALES SERIES
The Duke Who Stole My Heart, #1
The Earl I Adore, #2
To Love During War, #3
My Secret and the Earl, #4
The Prince Who Captured Me, #5
more
A very well written sweet historical romance with a nice storyline and plot. Likeable characters who have a nice chemistry. The story flows nicely of the pages and is filled with emotional ups and downs. I like the mystery, twists, danger, drama, secrets and passion.
This was a sweet romance between two characters that had to let go and take a chance on the person they were attracted to. She knew she wanted him and did not let him slide away. He had some issues because of his past but he had to let them go before they could have their HEA. A great and well written journey towards their HEA.
Recommendable.
She wrote him a letter telling him about their first meeting and how she will fight for him. She wants to help him. Will he allow her to help? See what will happen
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
James needs to know who killed his father and brother because he is totally sure their deaths were not accidental.
Sophia is worried about James’s security after the murder of his father and brother. She wants to help him discover what happened to them.
The book is full of action and mystery, never a dull moment. Impossible to set aside.
I like how he is unable to stay away from her in spite of his determination to keep her away from him, away from danger.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is suspenseful, exciting and romantic. James is honorable, stubborn, caring and protective. Sophia is determined, independent, bold and impulsive. They met the previous year and started courting, but he broke it off to join the war. He’s back now, because his father and brother were murdered, and she wants to pick up where they left off. He keeps pushing her away because his life might be in danger and he doesn’t want to make her a target. He’s just having a really hard time staying away.
I received a copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily reviewing it.
This Regency Romance captured my attention from the very first page! I was totally enthralled with the well written storyline and the well developed characters which kept me turning the pages until the very end!
James formerly courted Sophia but decided to break it off when he went off to war. Sophia was heartbroken but not defeated. Now James has returned home and taken his place as Earl after the mysterious deaths of both his father and brother. Sophia still loves James but he rebuffs her because his search for justice is too dangerous. But Sophia is made of stronger stuff and decides to help him. The two are good for each other and Sophia is smart and determined. I liked Sophia a lot. She was smart and able. James was a bit too stubborn—he wants Sophia but feels his life is too dangerous. But on the other hand, he doesn’t want anyone else to have her so it’s up to Sophia to give him a nudge. Fun, clean regency with a true romance developing between the characters. (I voluntarily reviewed an ARC).
A Smart Heroine Who Will Not Be Ignored
I adored this book! Regency is probably my favorite subgenre of historical romance, and this writer did it up right!
The hero and heroine formerly courted, but James broke it off before he went to fight in the Napoleonic wars (second son), not wanting to have Sophia wait in case he didn’t return. He does return two months later after both his father and elder brother die in what he thinks are mysterious circumstances. Now the earl, he is determined to figure out what happened to his father and brother, and he is determined to keep Sophia safe by not resuming the courtship while he still feels his family is in danger. He tells her decidedly that she must look elsewhere for a husband (all the while wishing that man could be him!). While James was away, Sophia kept up her friendship with his sister. She hasn’t completely forgiven him for severing the courtship, but she knows he is the one man for her. She convinces him to at least let her continue being friends with his sister, but she is definitely hoping he will change his mind about marrying her.
Sophia was written beautifully! She’s a smart lady, one that other books would derisively call a “bluestocking,” but in this book, she talks about current breakthroughs in steam technology and her informed opinions of what the future will be like without anyone saying that a woman should know or understand these kinds of things. That happens a lot in historical romance but not here. Quite refreshing! She also is adept at playing a cat-and-mouse game with James. They banter and tease each other in a way that you can’t be helped but caught up in; she often gets the upper hand in the conversation.
The author also has a good sense of plot structure. For example, at the quarter mark (end of Act 1), the romance story line heats up AND James gets a clue that will lead him in his investigations of the circumstances around his father’s and brother’s deaths (found by Sophia no less!).
The book is meant to be a sweet version of her more steamy The Earl’s Bride, but their attraction (and the ways they acted on it) were still satisfying. I find myself wondering how she wrote the other version.
If you like Regency romance, I think you will enjoy this slightly different take on the genre!
The Earl I Adore by Joanne Wadsworth. Heartwarming romance filled with mystery, intrigue, surprising twists, and of course, love.
My free opinion. Thanks.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book two in the Sweet Regency Tales series it has murder, suspense, drama, danger, theft, villains, a man on a mission to find out who murdered his Father and Brother and the woman he comes to love. This is James, and Sophia’s story which is well written. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There was plenty of intrigue in this Regency romance as James Hargrove, the Earl of Donnelly has to solve the mystery of who killed his father and older brother and who stole the sunken treasure they had delivered to the war office before he can declare himself to Lady Sophia Trentbury, sister of Olivia and Ellie who married the Duke of Ashton in the last book. Bow Street believes that their deaths did not involve foul play, so he receives no help from them. James enlists the help of spymaster Captain Anteros Bourbon, who seems to form an instant connection with Olivia. Maybe a romance in a future book? I had a feeling who had killed James’ father and brother early on because from his actions it looked like he was most likely committing fraud. Sophia was spunky, intelligent, and determined to help James in any way she could so they could be together.
Sophia loves James and she is not going to let him turn his back on her. On the other hand James on a mission to find his father’s murder. I love characters with attitude and that is what you have with this story. The combination of romance and suspense made for a delightful read along with witty dialogue you have a must read book. If you are into historical romance stories this will probably be one you would want to pick up and I highly recommend it. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Sweetly sexy, emotionally thrilling, action packed romantic adventure filled with danger, secrets, uncertainty and unquenchable longing….. this is a great read with a sexy, charming and determined protective hero and his witty, charming and resourceful lady love. Great read.
It is an intense, dramatic, sweet, entertaining, exciting read. He goes off to war and breaks it off with her. His father and brother are killed while he is gone. He thinks everything is not right with that. He comes back and she still wants him even though she is a little pissed at him. Let the games begin. It is a very enjoyable story I really liked. I was given a review copy by booksprout and voluntarily review it.
James Hargrove, the Earl of Donnelly, resolved that he had to discover who had murdered his father and brother. The official investigation had been concluded for two months now and their deaths ruled as accidental, each having drowned three nights apart near his father’s warehouses along the Thames River. This was too coincidental to be an accident! His friend, The Duke of Ashten, reminded him that so far, they had not made much progress.
Ashten had suggested asking Captain Anteros Bourbon — a spymaster with connections to the underworld — for assistance, especially since they were sure there was foul play involved. James had tracked down the Captain. He told him also about a further mystery concerning a sunken treasure missing from the War Office where James’ father and brother had sent it, and this had particularly gotten Captain Bourbon’s attention. Ashten and James made plans to search among papers the next day at the warehouse to see if there were any helpful clues there.
Ashten had brought along his new wife and his sister-in-law, Lady Sophia Trentbury, with whom James had broken off his courtship before he went away to fight in the war. So matters could get a bit awkward and James was glad the ladies walked in the garden while the men talked. Sophia was a strong, intelligent woman, and not willing to just walk away from James, despite his trying to push her away for her safety. In fact, she was even more determined to help him with the investigation! Would they indeed find something to lead them to the murderer?
This tame version of The Earl’s Bride has everything a reader would want in a great story! There was mystery, suspense, and romance enough to keep an avid reader happy! The characters were well presented and Lady Sophia was my personal favorite! You won’t want to miss this one to see if she finally convinces James of exactly what he needs as she diligently searches for clues!
This was a delightful book to read! James and Sophia are in love with each other but James tries to push her away to keep her out of danger while he investigates the murders of his father and brother. Sophia has other ideas, though….she refuses to stand aside and instead tries to help him all she can. I enjoyed the historical details, this author has definitely done her research. Now I want to go visit the British museum Sophia visited in the story!!! There is romance, suspense and intrigue throughout the story which keeps your interest at a peak. This is a clean Regency romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book I read from Joanne Wadsworth, and she now has a new fan. The Earl I Adore is a great book to read on those cold days in front of the fire place. The plot was excellent and it has just enough romance and suspense to make it a great book. I can’t wait to read Olivia’s story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.