One Good Earl Deserves A Lover – Advance Review
by Sarah MacLean
Category: Adult Historical Romance
Keywords: Historical, romance, gambling, quirky characters
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: e-ARC received from Edelweiss
Review:
One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is the second book in Sarah MacLean’s The Rules of Scoundrels series, set in a popular gaming hell. Sarah MacLean has quickly become one of my favorite historical romance authors. One Good Earl did not disappoint and I hard time putting this one down.
The novel opens and we find Lady Philippa Marbury in the private office of Cross, notorious rake and part owner of The Fallen Angel. You see, Pippa has a problem. She’s getting married in a week and doesn’t know what to expect. A scientist at heart, Pippa doesn’t like to go into a situation without all the facts. So she enlists Cross to help educate her on the rules of seduction and desire. Pippa is looking for an education without emotion but experiments sometimes have the most unexpected results.
First off, I love the dedication to this book which his “For girls who wear glasses.” I think that’s the perfect setup for a book about a heroine who isn’t like the other ladies of her peerage. Philllipa has a decidedly scientific mind and is more interested in learning about the muscles and bones in the human body then the latest London fashions. Pippa is a really unique and refreshing character. She’s extremely smart and tenacious, but also sweet and a little bit naïve. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to Pippa, a woman who’s always felt a little out of place. I love that she doesn’t try to change or compromise herself to fit in.
Cross is an unlikely match for Pippa but ends up being quite perfect for her. He doesn’t find Phillipa odd at all and instead admires her curiosity and intelligence. Unfortunately he has a few skeletons in his closet that he believes makes him unworthy of Pippa’s love. Cross is an honorable man living with a lot of guilt from the past. He’s also quite stubborn, which made me want to smack him a few times. But with a little bit of perseverance, Pippa manages to break down the walls that he’s built. It should also be noted that Cross is a ginger. Yes, ginger. There aren’t enough hot gingers in romance novels so thank you, Ms. MacLean.
The romance in this was surprisingly sweet and the science talk made for some really cute love scenes. The only thing I wasn’t really happy about was the resolution between Cross and his estranged family, or the lack of one. Cross’s past is the thing that has kept him apart from society for so long and the thing that almost keeps him from Pippa. However, the issue all but disappears once Pippa and Cross finally get together. I have an e-ARC so maybe it’ll be added in later, but the omission of it was something that I definitely noticed. Otherwise, this was a great read. Fun, sexy, and emotional, One Good Earl Deserves a Lover is all of the things I love and have come to expect from Sarah MacLean.
*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.
