“Bateman’s scintillating first Bow Street Bachelors Regency is full of intense emotions and dramatic twists. Intelligent, affable characters make this fast-paced novel shine, especially for fans of clever women and the men who sincerely admire them. Future installments will be eagerly anticipated by Regency readers.” — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)Introducing the Bow Street Bachelors—men … Bow Street Bachelors—men who work undercover for London’s first official police force—and the women they serve to protect. . .and wed?
WILL A FALSE MARRIAGE
Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong?
LEAD TO TRUE AND LASTING LOVE?
Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him—and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?
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London – 1816
Georgiana (Georgie) Caversteed, age 24 and a wealthy heiress, is off to Newgate Prison to find a husband. Her father’s manservant, Pieter, is with her. She prefers someone about to be hanged the next day leaving her a widow and in control of her own money. After her father died, she came under the dictates of her odious cousin Josiah who wants to marry her and control her money. This way, he must now leave her alone. She had inherited her father’s trading and shipping business and is extremely wealthy. Her mother and younger sister live with her and they also received nice inheritances.
Benjamin (Ben) William Henry Wylde, age 28 and the second son of the late Earl of Morcott, is a war hero who has been imprisoned at Newgate. He, along with two friends, Alex and Seb, own the Tricorn Club, a gambling hell, which also allows them to spy on people for the Crown. Ben is in prison as a plant to listen in on a smuggling scheme. Ben makes extra money from the Crown to help his brother, John, pay off their late father’s debts.
At the prison, Georgie finds there are no men assigned to be hanged soon so she decides to marry Ben because the jailer says he is to be deported the next day. In exchange for marrying her, Ben will receive 500 pounds with no claim to anything more.
Thinking herself safe, Georgie is shocked to meet Ben at a soiree. She soon discovers his true background and admires him for vowing that he did not marry her for her money. But before they can even consider whether they should continue their marriage, there are many adventures ahead for them.
This is a nice romance with lots of intrigue thrown in. I think that there is almost too much “extra” added to the story which is why I gave it 4 stars. Sometimes, less is more.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was my most anticipated read for this quarter and it truly did not disappoint! I love everything about this book and Ben. A must read and everyone will surely enjoy and fall in love.
Georgiana Caversteed, aka Georgie, needed an urgent husband to get rid of a cousin very interested in her fortune. For this she had a diabolical plan: she would marry a condemned man.
Arrangements were made – in secret, of course – but upon arriving at Newgate Prison to meet her fiance, she was surprised by the news that he had been hanged in advance.
The prison guard not to lose the money earned, got another fiance, who would not know the hangman’s gallows, but would be sent to another country.
No time to waste, she accepts, even though she finds her future husband too handsome (even without a bath).
The money for her husband would be sent to a gambling house, probably to pay off one of his many debts.
Problem solved – even if her cousin had not believed that marriage in a hurry, and would trying to figure out more – she could go back to running the business left by her father for her, her mother and younger sister.
Benedict was not sent to any other countries. In fact, he was in Newgate in disguise to try to figure out some plans about Napoleon. Unfortunately, his best bait had died of fever, not to mention what Ben needed to know.
When chosen to marry the millionaire beauty, he could not reveal his disguise. And his signature on the marriage certificate, though not his full name, had enough to make their marriage legal.
Along with his two friends: Alexander Haeland, second son of a duke; and Sebastian Wolff, an illegitimate son of a duke, Benedict William Henry Wylde was the second son of the late Earl of Morcott, just opened the Tricorn Club, the gambling hell. Unlike his friends, Ben had no fortune of his own, so these spying cases he did for Chief Magistrate of Bow Street paid him a good reward.
The new Earl of Morcott, John, Ben’s brother, had inherited a failed title.
Weeks later, Ben and his friends attend the same ball Georgie is at. Officially introduced to her, they now needed to find a way to separate their lives without a scandal (which was impossible). The idea then would be that he woo her and after a while they would get married (again!)
But Ben still had a job to finish, and Georgie offers to help him, a plan that puts them both in trouble.
While fleeing from enemies of the Crown, Georgie and Ben, secretly married, are overwhelmed with passion.
Club bets start on how soon an heir would be born, or whether it would be a boy or a girl, but their hearts were already hopelessly captured.
5 stars
I adored This Earl of Mine; it was such a fun, breezy read. I loved both MCs, Georgie and Ben; they are both fascinating and well-developed characters. They have a lot of chemistry, and their banter was so entertaing. I liked how the author flipped the conventional historical romance tropes. In this book, the heroine Georgie is the one with all the money. She is a shipping heiress and a successful businesswoman in her own right, who took over the business after her father’s death. Ben is an impoverished second son of an Earl. I found this dynamic very refreshing and different from most historical romance novels. This Earl of Mine is a wonderful start to a series of feminist historical romances that I cannot wait to read more of.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This Earl Of Mine, by Kate Bateman, is available at booksellers on 10-29-19. The first in a new series, The Bow Street Bachelors, it sets the tone for stories to come. While I enjoyed this book from start to finish, I’m only giving 3 stars. Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown into the plot, it became comical. The characters are witty, even secondary ones have bon mots. Almost everyone has a job, that’s refreshing, and there are still stereotypical historical romance characters interspersed throughout the story.
What is enjoyably different is also the most unbelievable. A dominate female running a large company and none of the men balk? Georgie Caversteed is an ace at her job but everyone acts as if it’s no big deal. Suitors may not like it but she’s still invited to ton events. It was a long time before money overshadowed a lack of title, no matter how much money it was. Georgie is a very likeable lady, always 2 steps ahead with a plan, even if it’s really out there. She’s too 20th century to be in a historical story but she’s just great.
Ben Wyled, former soldier & broke civilian, is believable. Ben Wylde, broke & owning a share of a club is not. He’s also not an Earl until after the HEA and right before “the end”. The title is a stretch. He’s spying for the crown, which lots of characters do, but it’s very involved, not just information. He was incarcerated in Newgate prison to ferret out members of a gang. Way too 20th century for me. I like him though, he’s fun, adventurous, never boring, just ton enough to be invited out, he’s single and handsome too.
I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading To Catch An Earl in June of 2020. Happy reading.
#Netgalley #KateBateman #StMartin”sPaperbacks #ThisEarlOfMine #TheBowStreetBachelors
I enjoyed reading This Earl of Mine. A wonderful story and certainly a very different and unexpected storyline. I love a story that keeps me up all night, this one did. Can’t wait for the next installment.
London, March 1816 “Desperate times called for desperate measures. She was buying herself a husband.” Unfortunately it was to be a man condemned who was going to hang on the morrow and then she would be a widow. Oh yes, such a great and simple scheme! It would keep her greedy, cruel cousin Josiah away so he could not get his hands on her fortune she was about to inherit when she turned twenty five in three weeks.
Little did she know, the prisoner she married was none other than Benedict Wylde, second son of the late Earl of Morcott, a known rake and working undercover for the Bow Street Runners to get information they were looking they needed.
A simply ingenious plot with a scrumptious hero and a feisty, intelligent and beautiful heroine who is determined to manage her fortune.
But fate has a way of twisting around as her “husband” turns up in society and the two meet.. well, it really gets interesting! They are married so they scheme to have him court her and eventually “marry her.”. But the journey to their happy ending is filled with a mystery, historical facts that are so interesting, a sizzling chemistry and great dialogue that had me so caught up in the story I stayed up tell almost 3 reading!! Just perfect and cannot wait for more!!!
Delicious, witty, and ripping good fun! Kate Bateman’s writing sparkles.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Georgie and Benedict’s story in This Earl of Mine by Kate Bateman, book one in her Bow Street Bachelors series. This fantastic Regency romance of an heiress and a rogue accidentally ending up in a secret marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes. Desperate to keep her fortune away from her cousin, shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed resorts to marry a condemned criminal in Newgate prison. Georgie is surprised at the heat from the kiss she shared with her scoundrel of a husband. Georgie never expects to see her husband again, so imagine her shock when she spies him across a crowded ballroom. Notorious rogue Benedict Wylde never expected to have a wife, especially while undercover in Newgate, working for Bow Street. In order to keep their marriage of convenience a secret, Benedict courts Georgie in public; but the more time they spend together, the more they enjoy each other’s company. They could have invented electricity considering the way sparks flew between them. Now if only this heiress, who could own the world, find love and happiness with a penniless rake.
Ms. Bateman wrote a wonderful story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, witty banter, endearing character, and a swoon worthy romance giving Georgie and Benedict a chance at love, happiness, and a future neither expected. I highly recommend This Earl of Mine to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
This story definitely started off on a different step. I loved how Georgie tried to get control of her life. As her plans unravel, I enjoyed the journey. Ben was an interesting pairing, and I loved them together. Danger, secrets, and humor carried the story to the end. I recommend this story.
I received a copy of this story through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.
Georgiana Caversteed is very wealthy and is accustomed to and adept at fending of fortune hunters. When her noxious cousin attempts to compromise her in order to marry and access her fortune, she has reached the limit of her patience. Her plan is quite daring, rather, quite desperate. She will marry a condemned prisoner and then live as a widow. When the prisoner chosen for her dies before the wedding, the guards force his cellmate, Benedict Wylde, to take his place. The problem? Benedict is not really a prisoner, but the second son of an Earl and an undercover agent for Bow Street. The other problem? He can’t get out of marrying the girl without blowing his cover. He will have to try to straighten it all out later. Believing her plan has succeeded, imagine the shock of seeing Ben at a ball several weeks later. Once the shock wears off and she learns the truth, they decide they Ben will court her, they will marry publicly, and then go their separate ways. Now, you know about best laid plans, right?
The characters in this story, with the exception of slimy cousin Josiah, are intelligent, independent, caring, and a bit cautious. Georgie runs the shipping company her father left her competently and expertly. She takes care of the business and the people who work for her. She loves and cares for her family. Ben served the country in the war in France. He is courageous and intelligent. He and his brother, the Earl, were left impoverished by their father and are working hard to make the estate sound and profitable again. Ben is unfortunately quite poor, but he is not a fortune hunter. He is honorable and perfectly agreeable not to make claim on Georgie’s fortune.
The couple spends a great deal of time together and start down the road to a possible happy future. Several things help this along, Georgie’s curiosity about Ben’s case, her desire for adventure, and her overwhelming need to satisfy their physical attraction.
This is a great start for the new series. The story is compelling and somewhat different. Ben and Georgie are fantastic. The chemistry between them sizzles. I love the side story of her sister’s romance, the way she made sure cousin Josiah would no longer be a problem, and the two absolutely awesome surprises at the end. A great read! I enjoyed and recommend it.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
Oh, what a fun read. Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed, desperate to escape a cousin intent on forcing her into marriage so he can grab her fortune, decides to marry first to escape. She is heads off to Newgate to find a husband — ideally, a condemned man — hoping to become a widow before her wedding morning dawns. It all works well, except for a somewhat surprisingly passionate kiss with the criminal as they wed. She returns to her life, but is shocked to see her “husband” out and about in society a few weeks later. He is rogue Benedict Wylde, who is working for Bow Street — he was undercover in prison. Yet they are married and have to develop a cover story, which includes a faux courtship that turns all-too-real. A really enjoyable book, the first in a series, the Bow Street Bachelors, that is so well-done we can’t wait to see what Kate Bateman will do next. Love the strong heroine and the man who is not intimated by her brains. (ARC from NetGalley. Opinions mine.)
Georgiana Caversteed is tired of all the members of the ton who only want to marry her for fortune, especially her disgusting cousin, Josiah. Georgie comes up with a plan and gets Pieter, her late father’s right hand man to help. Georgie will marry a a condemned prisoner who is set to be executed and then she will become a widow and do what she’d like. Too bad the man she actually marries is Benedict William Henry Wylde, the second son of the late Earl of Morcott who is working undercover for Bow Street. When Ben ends up showing up at a ton event, all cleaned up and dressed fancy, Georgie realizes that maybe her husband isn’t so bad.
Quickly Ben realizes that he really likes Georgie and wants to court his wife. As these two spend more time together they both quickly realize that they have feelings for the other and maybe a real marriage might actually work. When a case Ben is working on puts Georgie in danger, he then admits that he does indeed love his wife.
I just adored this story. Georgie is such a great female character….strong, persistent and very caring. Ben may have been known as a rake, but he is fiercely loyal, smart and so alpha……basically perfect! Together these two made a perfect match. The story these two go through to get to their happy ending was so fun. This story has some mysteries, some swooning, and even some laughter to it. Great start to this new series! I just adore Kate Bateman’s books!
Enter Georgiana Caversteed, shipping heiress and single then there is Benedict Wylde second son and in desperate need of funds. They meet in the most unconventional way, which leads to exciting escapades. I love that each character was so vulnerable even as they tried to hide their emotions. You immediately connect with them on so many levels that allows you to immerse yourself in the story. The plot is fast paced and leaves you turning the pages. The story was beautifuly written with fun, heartfelt adventures. Another stellar series from Ms. Bateman! Loved it!
4 Stars!! This was a really good book. I enjoyed reading it! It’s the first book in a new series & can be read as a standalone book! I love the main male character, Benedict Wylde. The banter between the main characters is funny and witty and I wish I had witty banter with a man like this! Georgina Caversteed, the main female, is a smart, rich young woman and she runs her family’s shipping company! This was a really good book! I definitely recommend this book!
*I received this book at no charge from the publisher and I voluntarily left a review.*
I love strong women and Georgiana Caversteed is definitely one of them. For the times she is an anomaly, as she is inheriting the company she ran with her father as soon as she turns twenty-five. Her wealth is an attraction the men around her can’t resist and mostly that’s what they want, not the woman attached to it. As a stipulation to marriage she has designed a contract, one that so far none will sign.
With her birthday fast approaching, her cousin, Josiah is determined to marry her, he needs the funds as he has gambled his own away. Not having any of that she finds a way to marry a convict, one who would be hanged the next day, leaving her a widow. Unfortunately he dies before the event and she is given a replacement. A man scheduled to be sent to Australia.
Benedict Wylde is undercover at Newgate prison to get leads on a conspiracy to release Napoleon from his island prison. He’s the one the bribed guard has selected for Georgie to marry. Only he isn’t leaving England at all but he can’t tell her that surrounded as they were.
Attending one of the many Balls thrown in London during ‘the season’, imagine Georgie’s surprise to see the man she married in the prison chapel.
With her husband very much in her present she needs to find a way not to cause a scandal that would limit her sister’s chances of finding a husband within the ton.
Ben and Georgie reach an agreement to wed publicly at the end of the season, in the meantime he would court her.
A unique relationship develops between these two as they get to know one another. Of course Josiah rears his ugly head a couple of times but that just adds to the fray.
A suspenseful, fun and romantic read with just enough heat. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
To say that this one is a bit out there in terms of believability would be an understatement. The idea of a lady of some means secretly marrying a prisoner is farfetched at best. However, farfetched or not, The Earl of Mine is a fun adventurous romance. Georgie and Ben have terrific chemistry, and it was entertaining to follow their story as their relationship grew into something tangible. There is a bit of mystery with this love story, and it is based on historical fact, but it’s little more than something for this pair to bond over. Nevertheless, the story is engaging and I certainly enjoyed the way this couple interacted. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but every once in a while, one catches my eye, and I’m glad this one did. Believable or not, it did make for some fun reading.
I liked the strong characters in this secret marriage plot. Georgie and Ben were both “good people,” born into the ton but not fully accepted by the movers and shakers of society. Their romantic attraction grew out of mutual appreciation for the intelligence and initiative each one brought to the relationship. I enjoyed the suspense elements of the plot and found the ending wrapped up the conflict well and provided a satisfactory vision of their HEA.
I voluntarily read a complimentary copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
I knew I was going to like This Earl of Mine after I read the first chapter. Any book that has me giggling the first chapter is a keeper. By the end of the second chapter, I was laughing out loud, and the book got better after that.
The plotline of This Earl of Mine was fast. After Georgie and Ben see each other at the party, the book takes off. There is no lag. There are no dropped storylines. The flow of the book was terrific. It was written in a way that made me feel that the characters were genuine.
I loved Georgie. Plain and simple, she was a boss. All she wanted was to be left alone and run her shipping business. But, this was Regency England and men ruled. She needed the protection of a husband to keep her business. And with her nasty cousin Josiah trying to compromise her, she decided to get married on her terms. Of course, she didn’t think she would ever see her husband again. So when she saw Ben at a gathering, she was astounded. She did handle everything with grace and a sense of humor. I liked the solution that she came up with. It made sense, and that scene when they were talking about annulment had me dying laughing.
I loved Ben as much as I loved Georgie. He didn’t have a choice in marrying her. She intrigued him, and he made it a point to bump into her at that party. I loved how he kept calling her Mrs. Wylde. He also rescued her on more than one occasion. I believe he fell for her before she fell for him.
Ben and Georgie had an immediate sexual attraction to each other. That sexual attraction kept building until an explosive kiss in a submarine (yes, a submarine!!). The author did a great job of building up that sexual attraction after each encounter. When Ben and Georgie finally had sex, it was terrific. What impressed me is that each sex scene afterward was just as amazing as the first one.
I was “eh” with Juliet and Simon’s plotline. It fell flat for me. I did appreciate how awful Simon’s poetry was, but other than that, bleh.
The plotline with Ben, Seb, and Alex and the Bow Street Runners were interesting. I liked how the author integrated that plotline in with Ben and Georgie’s plotline. I loved reading about the investigation and the clues that took both Ben and Georgie to figure out. Of course, Seb and Alex fascinated me too.
The Josiah plotline did surprise me. I should have seen what happened coming. I do think that Josiah got his just deserts too.
The end of This Earl of Mine was perfect. I loved how Ben and Georgie got their happily ever after. I was wondering how the Earl in the title was going to come into play (Ben was the “spare” and had no money). The way the author chose to write it in was excellent!!! I loved it. I cannot wait to read Alex’s story.
4+ stars
I totally enjoyed this unique story, the characters, and the excellent writing. I loved Georgie’s spirit and the way Benedict respected her intelligence and abilities. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.