Title: The Lady and the Earl (Return to the Ladies of Sommer by the Sea Book 2)
Author: Ruth A. Casie
Genre: Historical Romance
Book Blurb:
A woman’s manipulating behavior is a prescription for disaster. But for whom? Harriet Manning is a brilliant physician, dedicating her days to assisting her renowned father and volunteering with the Ladies Auxiliary. Though deeply passionate about medicine and helping others, societal norms restrict her from practicing openly. To add to her woes, her mother is incessantly urging her to find a suitable husband. During a trip to London, Asheton Dunn suffers a riding accident and is taken to Harriet's clinic for treatment. As he recuperates, Harriet and Asheton grow close, kindling a romance. However, when Harriet's family discovers that Asheton is the Duke of Whippany's son, they are taken aback. Harriet's mother advises her to put aside her medical aspirations and conform to society's expectations to fit into Asheton's world. Although they are engaged, their match is met with disapproval from the ton, and a friend harboring ulterior motives. Will Harriet and Asheton overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their love?
My Review:
I have not read any books by Ms. Casie before, and I was excited to read this one, especially after reading the blurb. However, the blurb did not really align with the book. It seemed as if there were almost two books combined into one. The first part is when Ashe Dunn, the Earl of Lockford is injured on his way to London and brought to a nearby clinic to be nursed back to health by Harriet Manning, but he has secrets and is not who he seems. Lady Harriet Manning has been training with her father and is an accomplished physician in her own right. When she treats the injured man, she's drawn to Mr. Dunn like no one else. In the four weeks it takes for Ashe to heal, they fall in love, and when her father, Dr. Manning, is scheduled to give a medical lecture in London, they all traveled there together.
This is where I thought I was reading a different book. There was no foreshadowing while Ashe was healing that he was a spy who worked for the Crown. That would have linked the two parts of the story together nicely. The writing is disjointed at times, and on numerous occasions, I was confused about who was speaking because there were no dialogue tags. It was most confusing, along with a lack of attention to detail in some of the scenes. This distracted me from the story, and I had to go back and read some scenes again to understand what was happening. There were so many characters introduced once Ashe got to London that I lost track of who was who and was losing interest in the story.
I had an inkling about who the villain was in the story, and it was brilliant. It certainly saved the story and garnered another star to 3 stars. While Ms. Casie is an accomplished writer, it seemed that perhaps this story was rushed to publication. The editing was a bit lacking as well and some of those details should have been caught in the editing process. I think with a little more fleshing out and a bit more foreshadowing on Ashe's part at the beginning of the book, that would ratchet up the tension and make for a thrilling spy novel. As it is written now, it is mediocre at best.
My Rating: 3 stars
Buy it Now:
Free to read on Kindle Unlimited!
Author Biography:
Ruth A Casie is a USA Today bestselling author. She writes historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. Within the pages you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat’ suspense, mind boggling drama, and heart melting emotions featuring strong women and the men who deserve them. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join her heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. Ruth hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!
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Reviewed by: Debra