Not the Kind of Earl You Marry

This cozy slice-of-life set in 1817 London makes a promising start to Pembrooke’s debut Regency series. William Atherton, the Earl of Norwood, barges in on stranger Charlotte Hurst’s breakfast one morning brandishing a newspaper announcing their betrothal. He assumes the piece is Charlotte’s attempt to entrap him into marriage. Innocent Charlotte is livid at the accusation and dresses him down magnificently. William, realizing the lie could easily have come from a political rival hoping to cause a scandal and damage his chances at a chairmanship, apologizes and proposes that he and Charlotte go along with a temporary engagement until Charlotte can quietly jilt him without damaging both their reputations. Charlotte reluctantly agrees in exchange for curricle driving lessons. The more time they spend together publicly, the more William is charmed by Charlotte, and he soon longs to make their arrangement permanent. But shy, bookish Charlotte is adamant she’d make an unsuitable wife for a sociable politician—even after she and William share a passionate kiss that cements their considerable attraction. Pembrooke skillfully weaves subtle political subplots throughout the sweet, slow burn romance. Complete with genuine, endearing characters, this charming novel positions Pembrooke as an author to watch. [em]Agent: Rebecca Strauss, DeFiore and Co. (July) [/em]