He has vowed to protect her… son. Reade must find a way to keep his father happy while protecting Jenny from the sordid ugliness that has infested Catherwood.
Publisher’s Note: This steamy contemporary romance contains elements of mystery and power exchange.
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The Earl’s Rules (Catherwood #1)
I MUST BE CRUEL ONLY TO BE KIND
It was fun to start a new series, Catherwood, that is a spin-off from the previous series, The Earl’s Acceptance. While there will be characters from the previous series, like Mandy from Texas who is now married to Quinn, and Maisie, this is a new series and will focus on Mandy’s friend, Jenny Hanson, and Reade Ramsay. The stories in each series are best read in the order written because it is an ongoing saga.
Jenny will be in Scotland visiting Mandy when Maisie receives an invitation to a party hosted by Lady Caroline at Catherwood. She will ask if she will also invite Lady Amanda and her American friend, Jenny. It will be at the house party where Jenny will become lost in the woods during a scavenger hunt and rescued by Lord Cranford. Since Jenny has no understanding of titles or peerage, she isn’t overly impressed and if anything, slightly insulted by his high-handedness.
“All the better to rescue lost maidens.”
“He’d love to know you think he had a hissy fit,” laughed Maisie, but then she added more seriously, “It’s their training, I tell you. It’s like Pavlov’s dog. Woman endangers herself, woman must be punished.”
The story is the beginning of a relationship between Reade and Jenny. He will go as far as to visit her in Houston to get to know her better, but his stern manners follow him and when Jenny takes her safety more as a joke, he will show her his disapproval.
“Being spanked because someone cares about you is very different from being spanked because someone simply wants to cause you pain. Jenny, you’re not going to win this encounter. You are going to be spanked, so make it easier on yourself and stop fighting. I’m a man who does what I say. You had more than fair warning.”
The relationship between Reade and Jenny bring two different worlds, upbringings, social classes, and ideologies into play. Jenny even describes herself as “just a standard American mutt model.” Maybe her carefree, no titles, no worries attitude is part of what attracts him to her, but it can also be challenging. She doesn’t make over him because he has multiple titles, like women back home, and instead, they develop a friendship that becomes a relationship. But what will happen for them and a chance for a future?
“It must nice to have the world at your beck and call.”
“He truly loved this woman, but his world and her world were sometimes light-years apart. Either he’d completely lost his mind or he’d accidentally stumbled onto the brass ring.”
I enjoyed watching Reade and Jenny getting to know each other, the clash of cultures, and her introduction into discipline for things he considered important, like her safety. She has Mandy to ask questions to, even if they are hours apart. Learning the life that Reade grew up in isn’t pleasant, with a cruel father who still is making Reade’s life miserable. Getting Jenny to give up her life in Houston and move to Scotland has its own set of issues. Now, listening to the words of wisdom from his mother, he sees that things will once again have to change, and it is to protect Jenny and his future.
The story has flashback scenes to Reade’s childhood, the cruelty of his father, and the separation from his mother and sister after the divorce. While it does have several discipline scenes, the intimacy is only a passing mention without any details.
I liked the way Lord Cranford and Jenny meet when she is visiting Scotland and gets lost in the woods. I also liked that when Jenny has to return to Texas Reade follows her and wants a relationship. I enjoyed reading this book and will look for more books by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Earl’s Rules is a great start to a new series that follows The Earl’s Acceptance trilogy. This book can definitely be enjoyed on its own, but I recommend reading them in order. I love starting a new book to find familiar characters that I have enjoyed in previous books. In this story, Reade is the Earl who falls for Jenny, a sassy American from Houston. The characters are well developed as is Reade’s history. The story had its emotional moments and other times had me laughing out loud. I would visualize Reade shaking his head in amazement at Jenny’s lack of filter on her mouth. Calling her “cheeky” is an understatement. The result is a very entertaining, easy read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t wait for the next book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book I’ve read by Laura Hart, so when I agreed to read this ARC, I had no idea it was a spinoff from her previous series “The Earl’s Acceptance”. I’ll admit, I don’t often read “G” or “PG” books but this one caught my attention once I started reading. While Jenny is visiting her friend Mandy in Scotland, they are invited to a female weekend house party. During the course of the activities, Jenny finds herself turned around and lost in the woods with a dead cell phone. Waiting there for someone to find her, she is approached by a man on a large horse who offers to take her back to her group. She explains she was taught not to get a ride from someone she doesn’t know. That’s when Reade Ramsay introduces himself. Who is Reade Ramsay? Why he’s the Earl of Cranford and future Marquess of Catherwood, among other titles. From the moment of their meeting, this has been a collision of two worlds, where old aristocratic tradition meets new American nonchalant. Where domestic discipline meets outrage and defiance. Where bowing and deference now meet irreverence. The underlying plot running through is a bit dark and the mystery surrounding the family has yet to fully come to light. It took me a minute to get myself in the mindset but once I did, I loved this storyline and characters.
This was a great read with characters that are well developed and engaging and have chemistry. The storyline is well written and flows smoothly from page to page.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book I’ve read by Laura Hart. This book is not a stand alone, there is at least one more book in the Catherwood series. After doing a little research, I’ve realized that this book is a spin off of another series, the Earls Acceptance, which I have not read. Characters from that series appear in this book. The book is well written.
If spankings offend you I do not recommend this book. There are also mild sex scenes.
Jenny Hanson is visiting her friend, Mandy, in Scotland and gets lost in the woods at a house party. She is found by Reade Ramsey and is returned safely. She later learns that her rescuer is none other than the Earl of Cranford.
Reade is intrigued by Jenny and decides he’d like to know her better. He finds her American ways refreshing. She is not impressed by his titles nor his inheritance. When Jenny returns to Houston, she is surprised when Reade contacts her and tells her he is in Houston. As Reade learns to know Jenny, he is convinced that she is the woman that he wants at his side for the rest of his life. But they live in two very different worlds and he worries what will happen by dragging her into his world. Will Reade and Jenny be able to not only bridge the gap between their worlds, but also the way they view each others worlds?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book one in the Catherwood Series a well written story and a great beginning to this series. All the books in this series should be read in order. This is Reade Ramsay the Earl of Cranford, and the future Marquis of Catherwood. Reade has a powerful and cruel father and he is getting worse as he grows more senile and Jenny Hanson the woman that Reade loves has not met him yet. I wonder what is going to happen in the next book? There is also spankings when Jenny endangers herself, thus getting a set of his rules to follow. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Very good story. Jenny is in Scotland visiting her friend who had married and moved with her husband to Scotland. While Jenny is outspoken and you see this when she gets lost in the woods. Jenny is found by Reade Ramsay, who is the Earl of Cranford. Reade is very interested in getting to know Jenny better so he follows her to Houston, TX. This book was a real page turner. This book is not your typical Regency story as it’s written for the 21st century. Watching Reade and Jenny’s clash of culture and then he introduces her to discipline. I highly recommend this story and am looking forward to the next book. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved the “Hallmark” moment at the end.
Some of these characters I meet in The Earl’s Acceptance and this book have the same vibe to it. You have a young American woman and A Scottish lord coming together. Jenny is your typical American she could care less for all the titles and Ton nonsense yet she is drawn to Reade. As they make their way through their relationship you will find some domestic discipline issues. I enjoyed the characters and found the book entertaining. It will not be for everyone since it is written in the 21st century setting so read the description before getting, but if you like these types of book I highly recommend this one. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
This is a new series set in the world of Laura Hart’s previous series. It is not necessary to have read the other series, but I’ll guarantee you’ll love them!
Jenny is Mandy’s best friend. She has come to Scotland to visit from Houston. They spend their time visiting and Jenny meets Reade at a party. Reade is enamored of her and sends her an invitation to dinner with Mandy and her husband. He then goes to Houston and they fall in love. There are considerable problems with Reade’s father, but Reade is determined to have Jenny. He brings her to Scotland and the real trials begin. There is a HFN and we know the story will continue. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I loved this book so much, that I bought it for my own. I can’t wait for the next books in the series!
ONE INCREDIBLE TESTAMENT!!!
Unforgettable! Laura boasts one incredibly unique spin in this heart pounding, pulse racing, page flipping, chart topping wonder, throwing this baby into the eye of the storm, blowing it into a tailspin with a shocking culmination. Breaking the mold, leveling the plain and seizing control, wielding this little fella together piece by piece seamlessly. Combating the drama, intrigue, abuse, cruelty, manipulation, dastardly deeds and soaring suspense, rule the roost, banking sharp, blasting this jewel to life brilliantly. Add distress, turmoil and perplexing situations along with a boatload of mishaps, you have one mind-blowing adventure. Illustrating incredible, well rounded scenario’s that punch dead center, ratcheting up the adrenaline with such exuberance and precision, catapulting this little fella to staggering heights. A churning vortex chocked full of inadvertent contingencies and unforseen events, thrusts those swirling emotions into play front and center. Bumbling through the trials and tribulations, stunning twists and startling turns, tests our characters in ways they could have never anticipated. The characters are authentic and realistic with depth and qualities that transform into outstanding personalities. The scenes are so abundantly detailed to give you a full understanding and realism that balance out fluidly. Remarkable job Laura, thanks for sharing this little fella with us.
I liked this book. I thought that Reade and Jenny made an interesting couple. You often find couples that have difference but the sheer overabundance of contrast in this couple was quite startling and I felt added many more obstacles for the pair to work through and overcome. I am posting a volitional, forthright review.