Kate Bateman’s To Catch an Earl continues her historical Regency Romance Bow Street Bachelors series. Working undercover for London’s first official police force, the Bow Street Bachelors have an obligation to serve the city’s best interests–even while they’re falling for the city’s most alluring women… SHE KNOWS HOW TO STEAL A KISS. Alex Harland, Earl of Melton and dedicated rake, never … Alex Harland, Earl of Melton and dedicated rake, never pictured himself as an agent of inquiry. But the thrill of investigation is a challenge he now embraces. When he’s asked to pursue the Nightjar, a notorious thief who is reclaiming France’s crown jewels, the case throws him into the path of the beautiful and equally elusive Emmy Danvers, reminding him of the only puzzle he’s never solved: the identity of the mysterious woman who once stole a kiss from him–and left him wanting so much more…
WILL HE SURRENDER HIS HEART?
The daughter of a thief, Emmy learned long ago how to keep her secrets safeguarded–and, as the notorious Nightjar, her love for Alex Harland is one of them. With the determined earl hot on her trail–and making her hot under the collar–Emmy has no choice but to keep her distance. But when a moment’s danger threatens Emmy’s life as well as her name, will Alex finally discover that he’s followed every clue…to true love?
“Full of intense emotions and dramatic twists….Future installments will be eagerly anticipated by Regency readers.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review) on This Earl of Mine
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From the moment I started reading, I couldn’t put book away. Storyline is amazing, loved everything about it.
Emmy is absolutely wonderful. Loved her. Alex is awesome too.
It’s not that often, that you get engaged in book as in this one.
I’m so happy that I gave it a chance.
A thief, not by choice, Emmy is adventurous and sassy. She has been in love with Alex, the Earl of Melton and bow street. There is no way she can show interest, after all he is looking for the Nightjar who steals precious gems. Emmy is the current Nightjar, not that she wants to be. Alex is on to her and when he catches her, he not only wants justice but he wants her heart. But how can he have both? I love how it works out. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing .
Every once in a while, you start reading a book and cannot decide whether you should finish it in one sitting or drag it out because you don’t want it to end. This is one such book. Delightful characters, intriguing cat and mouse game between Emmeline and Harland and some steam to heat things up. 5 glittering stars!
I received a free copy from Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.
I loved this book! A lovely game of cat and mouse for Alex Harland, Earl of Melton, a Bow Street agent asked to find the Nightjar, a famous jewel thief. As he begins his search, he catches a scent that takes him back to the night before he left to fight Napoleon, when a masked beauty kissed him. He’d been trying to find her since his return. Little does he know they are one and the same. The question is how does an upstanding law-abiding earl make it work with a thief? Read the book to find out, you won’t be disappointed.
This book was unexpectedly intriguing and totally exciting.
The whole story kept me full of anticipation until the very end. It was an extremely enjoyable hunt after the clever theft of crown jewels.
Except the thief wasn’t a man, it was lady Emmeline Louise d’Anvers, daughter of Europe late most elusive jewel thief. She was a challenge and one step ahead of Bow Street Runner Alexander Harland also known as Lord Melton.
She was not only clever, but she also was beautiful and Alexander couldn’t stay away from her. He was still hoping to catch her and bring her to justice but as the time went he wasn’t as sure he can keep his promise to serve the rightness. He couldn’t forget or stop thinking about her. The attraction was on both sides.
Would Alexander catch Emmeline and turn her to justice or would he think of another way how to save what’s to save?
I loved every second of this amazing book.
4.5* steamy stars!
This is a fun and fan yourself Regency read!
The Nightjar, a notorious thief, has baffled the most scrupulous Bow Street investigators for years. Hell bent on returning France’s crown jewels, the heat is turned high on the Nightjar by investigator Alex Harland, Earl of Melton.
Filling in her deceased father’s footsteps, Emmy Danvers takes her thievery as seriously as protecting her family.
Loving Earl Melton from afar, is all Emmy could do after that one kiss many years ago. Likewise, Earl Melton is always on alert for the masked woman who has never left his mind.
When events put these two dangerously close time after time, something is bound to sizzle between them in the most delicious way.
WOW!!! I loved, loved, loved Emmy and Alex’s story in To Catch an Earl by Kate Bateman, book two in her Bow Street Bachelors series. This fantastic Regency romance of a jewel thief and a rake who helps Bow Street catch criminals is a chase that warms one’s heart. Alex Harland never planned to become an agent of inquiry but the excitement of an investigation is the challenge he needs in his life. Being asked to track down the Nightjar, a famous thief who has been collecting France’s crown jewels has him crossing paths with the beautiful and elusive Emmy Danvers. Being around Emmy allows him to solve his one unsolved curiosity; that of the mysterious woman who once stole a kiss from him and left him wanting so much more. Emmy is the daughter of the notorious thief, Nightjar, and learned long ago how to safeguard her secrets; her love for Alex being one of those secrets. Alex knows Emmy is the Nightjar but needs proof before he can arrest her. It is the perfect excuse for him to follow and stay close to her. When Emmy’s life and her family are threatened, Alex is determined to keep her safe. Keeping Emmy safe takes Alex on a different path, one of falling in love.
Ms. Bateman wrote a wonderful, amazing, and emotional story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, witty banter, endearing character, twists and turns, as well as a swoon worthy romance giving Emmy and Alex a chance at love, happiness, and a future neither expected. I highly recommend To Catch an Earl to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
There is a whole lot of stealing going on here!
First off, Emmy flat out stole my heart. What a terrific character! She’s not a criminal by any standards except the most stringent application of the law, which is exactly what Harland specializes in. But he’s terribly conflicted, because she stole his breath away years before and now it looks like she’s stolen his sanity!
“He wanted to both conquer her and protect her. To capture her and keep her safe. He didn’t even begin to understand it.”
This is a wicked, flirtatious game of cat and mouse brimming with mistrust and reluctant admiration, and we get to see it from both Harland and Emmy’s points of view so we know what they know as well as what they don’t know! I love how she challenges his standards of unlawful vs. immoral behavior right from the start. Their exchange at the museum was priceless, succinct and to the point, and made her purpose crystal clear, even if Harland didn’t quite have all the facts yet.
Complicating the investigation beyond comprehension is the undeniable connection that Alex and Emmy share, propelling them both towards a HEA neither believes is even remotely possible. Their romance builds slowly with many sweet and tender moments, and I loved every bit of it.
The sophisticated layers of secrets and perceptions keeps everyone on their toes. The compelling storyline kept me glued to each page. There is a real villain involved, of course, and the brilliant conclusion was everything I could have hoped for. We even get a secondary romance that was every bit as enchanting. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves Regency romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Alex Harlan Earl Milton works for the Bow Street runners is trying to catch a rubber name the Nightjar who is really Emmy Danvers. Her father was the original Nightjar and he only stole the crown jewels of France in hopes of returning them to the new King when Napoleon was defeated. He died before he could do this and another Frenchman discovered what he was trying to do and demanded the family still the rest of the crown jewels and give them to him. It’s a well-written book and an intriguing story. I highly recommended…
Maybe 3.5 stars
Emmy Danvers aka Emmeline Louise d’Anvers is being blackmailed, and to keep her family safe, she must resume the task begun by her late father, an infamous jewel thief known as the Nightjar. Now she just needs to finish the job and evade capture by the Bow Street inquiry agent sent to find her, who also happens to be the only man she has ever loved.
For his service to the crown in thwarting Napoleon’s escape, Bow Street Inquiry agent and partner in the Tricorn Club, Alexander “Alex” Harland was awarded a title; the Earl of Melton. Now Alex only works in special cases and while investigating the crime scene, a hint of perfume triggers a memory that is never far from his thoughts – a memory of a kiss that changed him forever. Now he must find the woman who has haunted his dreams for years and the woman whom he may have to arrest for stealing the Prince Regent’s diamond!
This was a well-written, fast-paced story with a fun and intriguing plot. I liked the story, but I have to admit that I found both Alex and Emmy a bit difficult to like and I really didn’t “feel” the connection between them. In the end, I am glad I read this book and am really looking forward to Sebastian’s story. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*
This is a lovely historical romance. Emmy Danvers is a sassy heroine who knows her own mind. She’s scared when she needs to be and strong and defiant when sparring with Alex Harland. Alex is a delightful hero, no nonsense but with a little bit of wishing to meet a woman who can stand toe to toe with him. A wonderful supporting cast rounds out this exciting romance.
To Catch An Earl is Kate Bateman’s second book of the Bow Street Bachelors series. A simply delightful cat and mouse game that turns into a sizzling romance between a Bow Street investigator and a lovely jewel thief. Kate Bateman delivers a fast-paced jewel heist filled with nerve-wrack suspense, clever characters, sizzling heat, and dramatic twists in this to-catch-a-thief tale. To Catch An Earl guarantee to make any Regency reader to eagerly anticipate the next installment of the Bow Street Bachelor series.
Action packed, sexy, fun and highly entertaining journey filled with interesting and engaging charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and passionate adventure. Really enjoyed this emotionally thrilling adventure.
To Catch an Earl
The Bow Street Bachelors #2
Kate Bateman
St. Martin’s Press, Jun 2020
330 pages
Historical Romance
Provided by Rep via NetGalley
4 Stars
The cover is striking with the royal crimson of the woman’s gown and the purple of the bedding. The two dark-haired figures are rather striking as well. All in all, I think this is an eye-catching cover. If the couple and the colors don’t do it, the text on the cover certainly will.. Her biggest secret, His greatest passion… Sounds like something for the big screen. Sort of like To Catch a Thief only with better acting.
And the story is rather like that, too, only Emmy’s the thief stealing back particular jewels for a family secret. And the Earl is the copper trying to track her down and then save her life. She leads him a merry chase.
Definitely recommended. And I have the last one in this series to read, which is due out at the end of December, The Princess and the Rogue
To Catch an Earl features an amazing romance between a jewel thief and a Bow Street agent.
When Alex Harland, Earl of Melton, begins investigating an elusive jewel thief known as the Nightjar, he finds himself continuously running into the beguiling Emmy Danvers. Emmy has loved Alex from afar for years, but she knows revealing her identity as the Nightjar would put more than her life at risk. But when someone discovers her secret and threatens everything she holds dear, she finds herself turning to Alex. With Emmy in danger, Alex is left with a choice. Catching his thief or saving the woman who has stolen his heart?
Emmy was a wonderful character. She’s smart, clever, and incredibly resourceful. The methods and plans she comes up with for her thefts are unique and incredibly interesting to watch play out. Emmy is very close with her family which I liked and it was great seeing them all work together on the thefts. Alex is a great partner for Emmy as he can match her in wits and has the ability to come up with clever plans of his own. He definitely has all the makings of a great Bow Street agent and I loved that while intrigued by Emmy right away, he also caught onto the fact that she was hiding something.
Emmy and Alex’s relationship was amazing with tons of flirting and an element of second chance romance due to a secret kiss they shared years before the story started. The chemistry and banter between the pair was simply fantastic and their attraction is immediate. Their cat and mouse game during Alex’s search for the Nightjar was a ton of fun and I really enjoyed how Emmy would bait Alex into trying to catch her. After Emmy revealed she was in trouble, I liked that Alex didn’t hesitate to help her despite his misgivings about their relationship due to being on opposite sides of the law. Thankfully, the two work through their differences pretty quickly once Alex becomes aware of the reasoning behind Emmy being the Nightjar. Ultimately I liked the way the Nightjar situation was resolved and I was happy with how Emmy and Alex’s story wrapped up.
Overall To Catch an Earl was a fantastic read and I’m looking forward to Sebastien’s story, The Princess and the Rogue, releasing later this year.
Alexander Harland, the Earl of Melton, has a rather interesting life. Of course he is a known rake, and has more money than he can spend and quite a reputation for his actions around London. But he is not one to merely spend his life at his clubs (even the one he’s part owner of), or partaking in the activities of most lords of his day, He and his two best friends engage their talents investigating the most sensitive cases of the Bow street runners. That is what brings the reader into this story. Once again there has been a burglary by an infamous jewel thief who goes by the moniker of “the Nightjar”. The search is on for this character as this most recent theft has cut a little too close to the throne and has greatly angered the Prince Regent. Evidently, a smart jewel thief does not steal a gem intended for Prinny’s mistress.
Melton begins to look into the case that yields so few clues, except one glaring trademark left at each of the Nightjar’s crime scenes: a single black feather.
Meanwhile the young and beautiful french girl, Miss Emmy Danvers, lives in London with her brother and her grandmother Camille, the Comtessa de Rougemont. They are emigres from France who came to live in London after the French terror. Emmy, whose beloved father is now deceased, is following in his footsteps with the help of her brother and her very colorful grandmother. Because Emmy has a secret talent herself.
As the story goes one it becomes filled with intrigue, romance and it is definitely one of those you read to the end without putting it down.
I loved this story and the characters and would highly recommend it to those who love a regency romance with mystery, heat, humor and a bit of action. Very well done.
Full review appeared at Reader’s Edyn on June 28, 2020
Emmy is a thief, though not by choice and not without morals – if the two can be reconciled. Thrust into the profession by her late father, she believed her days of burglary far behind her following his passing. Unfortunately, an evil nemesis by the name of Danton has forced her back into the dangerous lifestyle. If she refuses to comply, she and her family will be implicated in the past thefts and sent to the gallows for sure. Reluctantly she dons the disguise she had thought retired for good. But a wrench appears in her plans when Alex Harland heads up the Bow Street investigations surrounding the missing jewels. The one man who fires her blood; whom she stole a kiss from those many years ago; who she always wanted but could never have. She really has no choice but to find some bit of fun within this predicament by taunting Alex at every turn. But he’s closer than she suspects and suddenly her pursuer becomes her savior. However, she has still committed crimes and with both of them sitting on opposite sides of the law, their endgame remains unclear.
Alex is caught up in every aspect of his investigation. The thrill of the chase and knowing he always gets his man is a rush like no other. But when a sensory slap from the past and deep longing for the one who got away suddenly intertwines with his missing jewel case, he is pummeled with conflicting emotions. And even then, the excitement proves too great to resist. Hot on Emmy’s trail and certain she is the one he is after, he pursues her relentlessly, trying to get a leg up on her because the minx always proves one step ahead of him. Not to be outdone, he makes his move. But the details of her actions are not what he expected and before he knows it, Alex is struggling with his ingrained honor-bound reputation and desperately wanting to protect Emmy. But how to protect her after the threat is neutralized will mean diving deep within himself and realizing just how profound his feelings for Emmy have become. Or maybe they always were. But convincing Emmy of his plan to save her and her family once and for all will require laying every single confession on the table – including the impact from that fateful night several years before.
Eeeeeep! This book is fricking fantastic! I have not read anything from Ms. Bateman before, so I also have not read the first book in this series. And glory be, I didn’t need to either. There were slight references to the previous book, but absolutely nothing that interfered with my ability to completely immerse myself within this book. Sure, the concept is a bit far-fetched. A lady of society moonlighting as a thief. Unlikely. But it was so much fun and I absolutely adored the characters. So ultimately, I didn’t give a fig whether it was a likely scenario or not. I adored the introduction and melted during the final chapter. The characters were phenomenal and I enjoyed getting to know every single one of them, except for Danton, of course – the dirty rat! Benedict was not a very big part of the story, so I didn’t get to know him very well. However, his brief interaction was on the marl and displayed the great friendship between the men. And Seb, well, he was immediately likable and I look forward to his book. Rounding out this fun cast, was the Danver family and their saucy maid, Sally. She happens to be quite skilled in several areas that help Emmy and Luc facilitate their thefts. It’s all quite exciting. Luc is the ever protective brother, but also key to helping Emmy complete her “jobs”. Injured in battle, he is somewhat limited in his abilities but is sure to help in whatever capacity he can. And then there is the unforgettable Camille. Grandmother to both Luc and Emmy and as fantastic as they come, Camille knows her own mind and while some views are rather unconventional, she isn’t afraid to let her thoughts be heard. She’s also sharp as a tack and tends to get straight to the heart of things rather than beating around the bush.
I also adored Emmy’s penchant for learning words in other languages that have no direct translation in English. Emmy already had quite a few entertaining words to share and, of course, Alex added a few of his own to her unique, but brilliant collection. Overall, this was a super fun read, packed full of humor, and just a bit of suspense. I loved the continual game of advance and retreat that Alex and Emmy played throughout the story, each wanting to gain the upper hand, yet scheming to keep their cards close to their chests. They couldn’t give up every secret initially, and so they would lunge and parry with one another, trying to outdo the other. Being on opposite sides of the law also helped to add a bit of flair to the plot. When everything seems insurmountable, love still prevails. And with Emmy continually leading Alex on a merry chase, she clearly emerges as the singular woman who would be able to hold his interest even after he captures her. Neither Alex nor Emmy would be content to live a rather bland life, but together the thrill they inspire in one another makes for a rather tantalizing future. Despite Emmy being a thief and Alex a man of the law, they both stole one another’s hearts long before they acknowledged it. Ms. Bateman is a fantastic author and I cannot wait to experience her work again! I am quite looking forward to Seb and the woman who will capture his cynical heart. Within the space of these tantalizing pages, Ms. Bateman has instantly become a must-read author that I plan to enjoy as many times as possible. Lovers of historical romance are sure to fall in love with this author and these memorable characters instantly.
Kindle version provided by NetGalley/St.Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
A fun Regency romp. The storyline was interesting. And I liked the characters, although they did have a few.” duh – why did you do that” moments. All in all though, a fairly solid historical romance.
I give it 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
To Catch an Earl is the second book in Kate Bateman’s fun and exciting Bow Street Bachelors series. I totally loved the first book, and eagerly looked forward to Alex’s story. Though this one didn’t have quite the magic of the first one, I still found it totally enchanting. Ms. Bateman has a gift for flirty dialogue and steamy encounters.
At a masquerade ball, beautiful young thief Emmy Danvers stole a kiss from Alex Harland, her secret crush, before he went to war. Years later, Alex is now the Earl of Melton, partially blind in one eye and part-owner of a gambling den with his two comrades-in-arms. For added excitement, he is also a Bow Street Runner, and is actively pursuing the elusive jewel thief the Nightjar. Little does he know the alluring Emmy Danvers, whom he encounters during his investigation, is the mystery girl who kissed him years ago…and is also the clever jewel thief the Nightjar!
This was a cleverly fun story with the twist of the heroine being the thief instead of the hero. Emmy is a fun character who was basically forced into the thievery of the crown jewels that were stolen from France which her late father wanted returned to his home country. Emmy wanted to live a normal life, but is blackmailed into retrieving the last of the jewels by a dastardly Frenchman. She doesn’t want to steal anymore, but she is pleased with her cunning skills. Her hobby? Collecting words that have no literal translation into English. Alex was a great character, also. He knew he had to find the thief, but when he began to suspect Emmy was the culprit, he had no idea how he would handle things. The story really took off when he concluded Emmy was the Nightjar; the clever cat-and-mouse game between the two was witty and filled with heat. I enjoyed catching up with Benedict from the first book, plus I loved Emmy’s grandmother. I excitedly look forward to seeing Alex and Benedict’s friend Seb get caught in the parson’s noose in the next installment of this delightful series!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This book hooked me from the first page. It starts with our pair meeting four years previous to the events of the book and sets the stage between them. We have an opposites attract thing here with our heroine being the Nightjar, an infamous jewel thief and our hero an Earl and Bow Street Runner with a strong sense of right and wrong. They’re both highly intelligent, quick witted, strong willed, and confident. It leads to great repartee between them and fuels the flames of desire. They truly are a great match and they keep each other on their toes. A very good read with good flow and lots of action to keep things interesting.