Review: Not the Kind of Earl You Marry (The Unconventional Ladies of Mayfair #1)

Title: Not the Kind of Earl You Marry (The Unconventional Ladies of Mayfair #1)
Author: Kate Pembrooke
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Forever
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 27, 2021
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton series will adore this stunning historical romance debut, where a wary wallflower enters a fake engagement with one of London’s most eligible bachelors.

The one woman in London who doesn’t want to marry him is now his fiancée.

William Atherton, Earl of Norwood, is as shocked as the rest of London to discover his betrothal via an announcement in the morning paper. Furious at what appears to be a shrewd marriage trap, William tracks down his alleged fiancée before her plans can affect his campaign for a coveted political post. But then William realizes an engagement, however fake, may benefit them both…

Miss Charlotte Hurst may be a wallflower, but she’s no shrinking violet. She would never attempt such an underhanded scheme, especially not with a man as haughty or sought-after as Norwood. Yet his suggestion to play along with the betrothal has its merits… and the longer they pretend, the more undeniably real their feelings become. But when the true culprit behind their engagement is revealed, can their newfound happiness survive the scandal?

Review:

When their engagement is announced one morning in the society pages, Charlotte Hurst and William Atherton, Earl of Norwood decide to continue with a fake engagement despite never having met before that morning. William is up for a position in government, and he thinks this fake engagement announcement is part of a plot to destroy his reputation. Charlotte never expected to be attached to an Earl, but she is able to use her new spot beside him to do some good in the community. However, when their feelings for each other become real, they have to figure out who put them in this position so they can finally have a real relationship.

This story was a fun regency romance. Fake dating/fake engagement is my favourite romance trope. It leaves a lot of room for misunderstandings and tension. This story was also a slow burn romance.

I didn’t find the mystery of who put the fake notice of their engagement in the paper too suspenseful. I was hoping there would be a sneaky reason it was placed there, but the reveal wasn’t a surprise. Despite the lack of surprise, it was still an intriguing premise.

Not the Kind of Earl You Marry is a fun regency romance!

Thank you Forever for providing a copy of this book.

What to read next:

Other books in the series:

• Say You’ll Be My Lady

Have you read Not the Kind of Earl You Marry? What did you think of it?