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The Earl Claims a Bride

It took me two tries to get into The Earl Takes a Bride by Amelia Grey which I suppose says something. It was one of those books that I enjoyed, but wasn’t particularly memorable either.

Miss Angelina Rule finds out that her father is deeply in debt and in order for him to avoid prison, she needs to marry Harrison, the new Earl of Thornwick. Problem is, Angelina might have feelings for Captain Maxwell, a solider she had a crush on, who has returned from India scarred and missing an eye.

Part of the reason I struggled with this book is that Grey gives us two potential heroes. We know Harrison is the real hero of the novel because of the set-up, but Captain Maxwell wasn’t a bad or unlikable dude. I love me a tragic wounded hero, so I would read the shit out of a book starring him.

There were a lot of additional plot elements too that didn’t really add to the main romance substantially. For example, Angelina is a talented artist and tries to secretly sell her paintings to save her dad. She also has a penchant for rescuing dogs. Lots of pet moppets here.

I liked the slow development of Angelina and Harrison’s romance, and I sympathized with her feeling conflicted about Captain Maxwell. The problem was the book felt slow and I wasn’t sure how invested I was in Harrison as a hero in general.

– Elyse

Bestselling author Amelia Grey is back with a brand-new tale of daring, desire, and a delightfully scandalous bargain in her newest, sexy Regency-set historical romance, The Earl Claims a Bride.

CAN A HASTILY ARRANGED MATCH
Harrison Thornwick is the Heirs’ Club’s newest member. His carefree days as a reckless rogue carousing around London are suddenly behind him after the tragic death of his brother leaves him in charge of the family estate. What’s more, the Prince himself has offered to secure his marital prospects. Now Harrison has no choice but to grin and bear his noble fate-and the woman who’s been chosen for him.

BECOME A LOVE FOR ALL TIME?
Miss Angelina Rule is a spectacular beauty, a dream match for any man. But she is fiercely independent-and full of passion-and is all set to rebel against her royal order of marriage…until she meets the devilishly charming Harrison. With him by her side, Angelina devises a scheme that will teach her meddlesome relatives a lesson, once and for all. But little did she and Harrison expect to fall into a tempestuous attraction-and a powerful desire that neither of them can deny..