The Unwanted Earl (The Love Bird Series)

Ruth
Hartman
Genre: 
Historical

Lord Conrad Croome, the Fifth Earl of Lofton, knew he was an imposter. His mother was already with child when shed married the old earl. But her philosophy had been that what the earl didn't know wouldn't hurt him.  Shed always wanted to be a duchess and so her dream had been fulfilled. Things had been going well until Amelia Talbot overheard Conrad speaking to his mother of his paternity and she decided to blackmail him with her knowledge. He must go along with Amelias plan or risk losing his title and his home, not to mention the scandal!

 

Everything about this delightful novel is originality itself!  The story is all about role reversals. Conrad has been raised to love being indoors and is frightened of the outdoors, whereas Amelia is just the opposite. Staying indoors and doing needlepoint is horrific to her. The brawl scene involves two women instead of the characteristic men. Even the blackmailer is female. Throughout the tale, the women have the upper hand, which is unusual for a historical novel. There is also a very ironic twist mid-novel concerning Conrads true parentage. It is refreshing to read a novel where one of the gentry starts out haughty but realizes the error of his ways and does something about it in order to catch the girl before he meets her, rather than having the girl change the man. Absolutely splendid!

 

Belinda Wilson