Earl Crush

Vasti follows Ne’er Duke Well with another fiery and delightful Regency. Lydia Hope-Wallace, a writer of radical political pamphlets, shows up on the earl of Strathrannoch’s doorstep in Scotland after three years of pleasant and enriching correspondence to propose a marriage of convenience. Unfortunately, the earl, Arthur, has no idea who she is. It turns out Lydia was corresponding with Arthur’s flighty younger brother, Davis, who has absconded with a rifle scope prototype that Arthur invented. Arthur fears the prototype will be put to nefarious purposes, and Lydia agrees to help him find Davis, though their ferocious attraction to one another makes their search more complicated. Serious subjects, like the Highland Clearances and a potential political assassination, lurk in the background, but much of the foreground action has the feel of a caper, rife with lighthearted misunderstandings and clever set pieces. Meanwhile, when Lydia and Arthur finally give into their intense attraction, showers of sparks fly. This is a winner. Agent: Jessica Alvarez, BookEnds Literary. (Jan.)