Book Review: Earls Rush In by Jennifer Haymore

About the Book:

Title: Earls Rush In

Author: Jennifer Haymore

Page Length: 250

Publication Date: May 8, 2023

Publisher: Entangled

Synopsis: The beloved “sunshine” of the ton, Miss Charlotte Chapman, is trapped in the carriage with an utter madman. There’s simply no other explanation for it. Why else would the rough, reclusive Earl of Trevelyan—her deceased brother’s most beloved friend—sweep her away during a terrible snowstorm without explanation? All she knows is that his rather boorish behavior somehow involves her pending betrothal…

Trevelyan has a reputation for being something of a beast in society’s circles, but nothing—nothing—will stop him from rescuing Charlotte from her disastrous engagement. He promised his best friend that she and her sister would be looked after. Of course, the earl can only protect her from the blackguard who’s trying to marry her. Protecting her from himself is quite another matter…

Now, thanks to their upended carriage, they’re stranded at a country inn—which has only one room left. And all it takes is one kiss to unlock the simmering desires they’ve never admitted…and a heartbreaking secret that could shatter Charlotte into a million pieces.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

I really enjoyed this story. It was a quick and interesting read, and I adored the protagonists. The story begins as Finneas Jones, the Earl of Trevelyan, kidnaps his deceased best friend’s younger sister after learning she is about to be betrothed to a man with unsavory purposes. Charlotte has only months before her aunt and uncle put her and her younger sister out, and Mr. Bagshaw seems a good match. So, Charlotte is stunned when Finn kidnaps her. Though she’s known him since childhood, she hasn’t seen Finn since her brother’s death, as he has become more reclusive.

When their carriage crashes during a perilous blizzard, Charlotte and Finn must pose as husband and wife while they take shelter at an inn, and the more time they spend together, the more difficult it is for Finn to resist his long-held feelings for his best friend’s beautiful sister. With secrets from the past and a proposal from another man standing in their way, their time together seems fleeting.

Charlotte is lovely. Strong-willed and determined, she’ll do anything to ensure her sister’s security, even put up with her aunt and uncle’s derision and marry a man she doesn’t love. And I adored Finn! He is a humble, brooding, guilt-ridden, and honorable man who doesn’t see his own worth. Gruff and not one to express himself, Finn has a tragic and abusive past, and it very much defines his sense of self in the present. The story begins with Finn rescuing two young boys, and it was a perfect introduction to this man who goes out of his way to help others. I think it says a lot about him – he goes above and beyond to help others when, as a child, there was no one there to help him. His generosity and fiercely protective nature, especially with Charlotte, speak volumes about him.

Of course, the highlight of the story is the romance between Charlotte and Finn, and I loved it! It had a good amount of angst, some surprising secrets, and a ton of chemistry. And the way that Finn feels about Charlotte is super swoon-worthy!!

Chris is another character I found really interesting even though he isn’t technically in the story. Killed eighteen months prior to the start of the story, Chris still has a large presence in the lives of the protagonists, and it is he who ultimately brings them together since he made Finn promise to protect Charlotte. He is a man of contradictions, and I found his story, as short as it was, quite interesting. Though he had a lot of faults, he clearly loved his sisters and Finn, and his impact on all of them is noticeable.

Other secondary characters worth mentioning are the Navarros, a wonderful couple that runs the inn, and Celine, Charlotte’s younger sister. I like how much Celine grew and changed as she became more aware of everything happening with Charlotte, Chris, and her family. And I love how supportive the Navarros were.

I would definitely recommend this one to historical romance readers. It’s a quick and romantic read with great characters and a swoon-worthy love story!

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