A spirited debutante–a brash adventurer–the perfect fiancé–and good intentions gone terribly, deliciously bad. The Penhallow Dynasty continues in this sparkling Regency romp!Christopher Beck came striding into a glamorous London drawing-room and can’t believe his eyes. The last time he’d seen Gwendolyn Penhallow, she was a dreamy, strong-willed girl with a wild imagination, and now she’s a … imagination, and now she’s a beautiful and beguiling young lady . . . who’s engaged to Society’s darling the Earl of Westenbury. Christopher had fled England to seek adventure elsewhere. Has he found it here too — the most delightful adventure of his life?
Gwendolyn is sure she’s betrothed to the most wonderful man in the world. But then, shockingly, Christopher Beck shows up. Nobody has heard from him in years — and not only he is very much alive, he’s also sinfully attractive, blithely unconventional, and disturbingly fun to be with. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except for the fact that she’s, well, promised to another. And just what on earth is she going to do about it?
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I very much enjoyed Lisa Berne’s “Engaged to the Earl,” a delightful Regency romp that reminded me of some of my favorite historical romances by authors such as Julia Quinn and Eloisa James. Ms. Berne has a unique, subtly witty writing style with which I really connected; the book didn’t contain any outrageous, over-the-top scenes, but I still found myself chuckling at many of the things the characters said, did, or thought.
The story’s main characters, Gwendolyn and Christopher, were quite likeable and well-developed. I especially loved Gwendolyn’s curiosity about the world, enthusiasm for life, and spirit of adventure. Christopher had a similar nature, and their mutual love of travel was one of the many things that brought them together. Their connection was complicated by the fact that, when they first met again as adults after years spent apart, Gwendolyn was engaged to another man, the Earl of Westenbury. She and Christopher quickly become friends, however, and love eventually took them by surprise. They were truly perfect for one another, and watching their story unfold was a tremendous amount of fun.
This was the first book I’ve ever read by Ms. Berne, but it’s safe to say that it will not be the last. I look forward to reading the other books in the Penhallow Dynasty series soon.
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.
Engaged to the Earl by Lisa Berne is book 4 in The Penhallow Dynasty Series. This is the story of Gwendolyn Penhallow and Christopher Beck. I have read the previous book, but feel this is a standalone book if you wish to do so. Gwendolyn and Christopher used to be neighbors and childhood friends. Gwendolyn even had asked him to marry her when she was a young teenager. But Christopher had a terrible realshionship with his father, so much so that he left home never to be heard from again..until now. When he sees Gwendolyn and the beautiful women she has become he is taken by her but he still has his protective feelings for her as when they were younger. Gwendolyn is engaged to an Earl and is happy about that but once Christopher comes back into her life she starts to see that maybe there is something more for her.
Enjoyed their story!!
Everything was going according to plan for young debutante Gwendolyn Penhallow, she had a chance meeting at her first ball that brought a very dashing man into her life, who is now her fiancee.
But that little plan of hers has just hit a little snag, a man from her past has come home seeking a bride of his own and he has his sights set on Gwendolyn!
Engaged to the Earl is a captivating friends to lovers historical romance novel that is destined to charm readers. Historical romances are normally not my cup of tea, but I gave this one a chance, and was a bit surprised by it, it’s words and quirky characters kept me entertained from start to finish. If you are a fan of fun and sweet romances then I have no doubt you will enjoy this one…it promises to bring many smiles!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
Christopher Beck was a delightful hero, you couldn’t help but love him. As a very young man, he had a contentious relationship with his father. His father didn’t understand Christopher at all and was constantly pushing him into things that Christopher just hated. So, when Christopher was twenty, he decided to leave home – and when he told his father he was leaving, but would write – his father told him not to bother. He left that night, traveled the continent working at many odd jobs, and didn’t return home for several years.
Gwendolyn Penhallow is another delightful character – you’ll love her as well. She comes from a large, happy, boisterous family – you met them in the last book, The Bride Takes a Groom. Gwendolyn has missed her friend from next door over the years. She’s wondered what happened to the troubled young man to whom she once proposed – when she was ten and four. Now, she’s in London for her delayed London season – and she’s already engaged to the most handsome, most wonderful man. It was love at first sight – they literally saw each other ‘across a crowded room’ – and they were lost in each other.
Two things happened at about the same time, but they weren’t related. Gwendolyn began to have small, niggling, subconscious doubts about her engagement and Christopher Beck returned to England – London specifically. As more and more life events happened, Gwendolyn became less and less sure of her decision to marry the earl.
As Gwendolyn and Christopher renewed their friendship, she fondly remembered the young man he had been before he left and she valued him as a friend – someone to whom she could talk and someone she could trust.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope you will as well. I had trepidations about the book because I assumed (wrongly) that it contained infidelity. Yes, she and the earl were only engaged, but to me, it is still just as wrong to take up with another man without resolving the current relationship. That isn’t what happened. She considered Christopher a good friend and was always happy to see him.
Be prepared – there are LOTS of people, plots, and sub-plots you have to keep straight, but they all make sense. Well, except one – I have absolutely no idea how Gwendolyn could ever have thought that Christopher was smitten with Helen. Goodness, Helen was an awful person and it was readily apparent that was the case.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Engaged to the Earl
The Penhallow Dynasty series #4
Lisa Berne
https://www.facebook.com/LisaBerneAuthor/
Release date 02/25/2020
Publisher Avon
Blurb :
Christopher Beck came striding into a glamorous London drawing-room and can’t believe his eyes. The last time he’d seen Gwendolyn Penhallow, she was a dreamy, strong-willed girl with a wild imagination, and now she’s a beautiful and beguiling young lady . . . who’s engaged to Society’s darling the Earl of Westenbury. Christopher had fled England to seek adventure elsewhere. Has he found it here too — the most delightful adventure of his life?
Gwendolyn is sure she’s betrothed to the most wonderful man in the world. But then, shockingly, Christopher Beck shows up. Nobody has heard from him in years — and not only he is very much alive, he’s also sinfully attractive, blithely unconventional, and disturbingly fun to be with. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except for the fact that she’s, well, promised to another. And just what on earth is she going to do about it?
My review :
When betrothed to a dream of man, is her Prince Charming her true knight in shining armor …
I confess when I first requested this arc, I was a bit afraid because of the love triangle trope lurking in the corner then I alas read not great earlier reviews about it, why from this moment I dragged my feet to read it. But once I receive an ARC it is like I gave my word to review it before release day.
Sure, this is not your classic romance, with they meet, they are attracted, they fight it then they surrender, it was very much different and why it probably unsettled the readers. It is more a coming of age tale with two personalities finding their way to one another by seeking inside their heart what they were expecting from life.
The narrative style of the author is very unique, and peculiar, which surely added to the discomfort of the readers, it was like watching a sitcom, short scenes with the many protagonists point of view. It is a well written tale as we go from one scene to an other or from one character’s vision of the moment to another.
This is a slow paced story, the action is in the switch of characters’ thoughts, like flea jumps from one moment to another.
But I just loved it and devoured this book in a long afternoon, like I would have drown myself in a serials, binge watching all the episodes in a short time.
About the love triangle, there is not really one, while they could have been anger, deceit, betrayal there is only understanding and appreciation of what they have or not, to come to realize love is not always all sparks and shine.
Gwendolyn was entranced when she first meet her Earl, thus the speed of her engagement. So she really get to know him after.
But oh my! How I laughed at Gwendolyn’s first kiss scene, a duel of eels … then her various “experiments”. It is for sure a tale with many hilarious scenes.
Gwendolyn quickly sees something is lacking in her relationship with her Earl, but she does not renege on it, she just wants to clear her every doubts. When she reaches her epiphany, she then will be able to untangle her thoughts and make the right decision.
Christopher had his own growing up to do, he was wild and reckless before his departure, his journey helped him to mature and control his own impulses. He is now able to ponder before acting.
When they meet again, they are only childhood friends rekindling their relationship, and they weren’t even true friends, more neighbors well acquainted.
Their romance is very secondary at, it comes to life very slowly, they are first friends, then they get to know who they are truly from the inside, they cheer the other, giving them time and space to free themselves from their own boundaries.
And while Gwendolyn spends as much time with her Earl and Christopher, it is what is needed to let her come to realize what she really seeks in her heart. When Christopher too begins to see her as more than his sister’s friend but a strong willed woman able to stand for herself.
He never acts on her behalf, he lets her face her own issue.
The many side characters give too a merry chase and from the oblivious to the cunning ones, they all get their instant.
I even liked Montmorency, he has a knack for seing the people as they are.
Why I give 5 stars to this story, it is a very peculiar text with a different narrative style and it is perfect for its purpose of showing the many layers of the characters and how they will behave according to circumstances.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Avon and then ordered my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/565978493991326/?d=n
After several years living abroad, Christopher Beck has returned to England and finds himself circulating through fashionable London society. He’s surprised to find that his childhood neighbor, Gwendolyn Penhallow, has transformed from an imaginative, whimsical young girl into a beautiful, poised woman. Too bad she’s engaged to the Earl of Westenbury and it seems Christopher has returned from his adventures a bit too late.
Gwendolyn considers herself lucky to be engaged to the most perfect man and about to begin a perfect, fairytale life. But with Christopher’s re-entrance into her life, Gwendolyn begins to question her decisions and her thoughts and feelings about those around her, it just remains to be seen whether or not she’ll be able to do anything about her confused emotions.
This was my first read from this author and boy was it strange to me. It was very well-written, but it didn’t feel much at all like a romance. For the majority of the book I really felt like nothing happened at all and if some event did occur, it involved the side characters rather than the hero and heroine. Speaking of whom, the side characters, with the exception of perhaps the duchess, included some awful people who never seemed to receive any kind of reckoning for their poor behavior. We don’t really see Christopher and Gwendolyn spend much time together, either as children or adults, rather we’re told that they do, then time passes, still without anything much happening and we’re told they’re together and in love now. I never felt any sexual tension or connection between these two, perhaps because of that lack of time together and the fact that we see Gwen spend time, on the page, with her original fiance, the earl, for most of the book. I know the melodrama, slow pace, and lack of much real interaction between the hero and heroine didn’t work for me and I never connected to them so I had to slog through this one.
This was my first read by this author and I had purchased this book’s predecessor when it was on sale last month because I really thought I’d like this one so I’ll at least go back and read that one at some point and hope this one was just a fluke.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gwendolyn gets engaged to her Earl it had been love at first sight. Until Christopher Beck came back into her life after going on his great adventure.
Gwen has been bought to London for her season by Duchess of Egremont, Cousin Judith. There is plenty of adventure with the Duchess’s family with mixup and secret hatred causing confusion and a last minute elopement. Gwen is a modern lady for her time and it’s her sense of adventure which will find true love.
It’s worth sticking with this adventure and the many characters that come and go.