Book Review: Lady Meets Earl by Christy Carlyle

About the Book:

Title: Lady Meets Earl

Author: Christy Carlyle

Series: Love on Holiday #2

Page Length: 384

Publication Date: Nov. 29, 2022

Publisher: Avon Books

Synopsis: After a lifetime of living for her friends, family, even strangers, Lady Lucy Westmont knows something must change or she’ll lose herself forever. An invitation to visit her free-spirited and scandalous aunt in the wild Scottish countryside is the perfect opportunity to discover how to live the life she wants.

James Pembroke just learned that not only is he the new Earl of Rossbury, he’s also inherited his late uncle’s debts and a manor house deep in Scotland. Already owing money to an unsavory man because of a business deal that went awry, he has no choice but to travel to Scotland to sell the manor. On his way, he finds himself sharing a train car with a rather pretty but wild young woman.

When Lucy manages to make it to her aunt’s home, she discovers her aunt is missing and the incredibly rude man who shared her train car is claiming that he owns the house instead. Nevertheless, Lucy is determined to have a true holiday, even if she is accompanied by the man who has upended her plans–and her heart.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.

My Review:

Lady Meets Earl, the wonderful second book in the Love on Holiday historical romance series, follows Lady Lucy Westmont and James Pembroke, Earl of Rossbury, a couple who finds more than they ever expected on a train ride to Scotland.

Lucy is twenty-three and has three seasons behind her. Still unmatched, Lucy is waiting for a love match when she decides, with the approval of her parents, to visit her aunt in Scotland. Traveling alone is a new experience for Lucy, and she is excited for her first independent adventure. James is a new earl with a tremendous amount of debt and wishes to sell his land in Scotland to pay his debtors. When he and Lucy bump into each other at the train station, neither realizes how much their lives are about to intersect and how quickly their feelings for each other will grow.

Though Lucy and James have an instant connection on their journey to Scotland, their relationship is complicated when they realize that James owns and intends to sell the property on which Lucy’s aunt lives. Lucy is an independent spirit determined to prove she can handle herself without a man or a companion. So, when she meets James at the start of her first journey alone, she never plans on developing feelings for him. He has no interest in a wife either, what with all of his financial problems pressing down on him. But love happens when you least expect it, as the couple quickly realizes.

Lucy and James have a great romance, and I enjoyed their story, even if it was a bit insta-lovey. Their story begins with a banter-filled meet cute, and you can see the sparks between them from the start. James is so drawn to Lucy, and he goes out of his way to get to know her. I love how much time they spend talking and learning about each other, and there’s definitely a deep sense of longing between them.

Unfortunately for James and Lucy, there are several obstacles standing in their way. James is proud, and he doesn’t want Lucy tainted by his financial issues, especially since James needs to sell the home Lucy’s aunt lives in, and his collector proves a threatening and dangerous adversary. James made a deal with a nefarious man, who now demands payment in full. James and his servants have been threatened, and that threat has followed him to Scotland. There’s a bit of suspense, as James feels he’s being watched, and the pressure to pay back his debts looms over him. It was interesting to see how he dealt with this, and I thought it also highlighted some interesting themes.

Two characters, James and Lucy’s aunt, are offered to have their debts paid by another. Both refuse. I was intrigued by this because both could have ended all of their problems by taking the offers, but they both refuse to be indebted to anyone else. It definitely says something about the need for independence, freedom, and self-sufficiency.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.