Christi Caldwell, USA TODAY bestselling author of the Wicked Wallflowers series, combs London’s underground and finds romance and danger for a missing lord and the lady who loves him.
To solve a mystery that’s become the talk of the ton, no clues run too deep for willful reporter Verity Lovelace. Not even in the sewers of London. That’s precisely where she finds happily self-sufficient scavenger Malcom North, lost heir to the Earl of Maxwell. Now that Verity’s made him front-page news, what will he make of her?
Kidnapped as a child, with no memories of his well-heeled past, Malcom prefers the grimy spoils of the culverts to the gilded riches of society. Damn the feisty beauty who exposed the contented tosher to a parade of fortune-hunting matchmakers. How to keep them at bay? Verity must pretend to be his wife. She owes him.
The intimacy of this necessary arrangement—Verity and Malcom thrust together in close quarters—soon sparks an irresistible heat. But when the charade ends, the danger begins. Will love be enough to protect them from a treacherous plot devised to ruin them?
Review:
I had so much fun with this book!
First of all, I really enjoy well-written fake relationship stories. Add in a touch of enemies to lovers and you might as well just take all my money, because I need that book. Make sure the two man characters are both strong characters in their own right, used to calling the shots and running the show? I. Am. So. There. Add in a touch of humor? My grabby hands will suddenly have grabby hands.
This book had all of that, and more. Verity and Malcom’s banter was pure gold–especially in the early days when they were at each other’s throats, just about every time the two of them were on the page together I legit laughed out loud. Multiple times. And then once they started to get *really* close? Happy sigh…
The secondary characters–Verity’s sister, all three of Malcom’s “associates”–were just as wonderful. I had to smile every time Verity had a sit down with the two older toshers who lived with Malcom–goodness, they were all just do adorable together. And when Verity’s sister gets herself involved in their relationship? Pure. Gold. Fingers crossed that she’ll be in her own book when she’s a little bit older…
In Bed with the Earl (though goodness, there isn’t any “in bed”-ing with this earl for ages, it is worth the wait, at least, but I digress…) is the first in Ms Caldwell’s new series, Lost Lords of London. I couldn’t out this one down–I am so here for this series! Bring on book two 🙂
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.