Stephanie's Reviews > Earl Crush

Earl Crush is such a gosh darn delight, y’all!

I mean, there were so many laughs, so many swoons, and much mystery and action to behold!
One moment I’m wholly attentive to the beautiful love story developing, the next I’m making like Nancy Drew trying to figure out what the heck was happening! There’s fantastic charm to the book, and it hooked me right in.

I adored the rapport between Lydia and Arthur— their first meeting is one of the most memorable meet-cutes, albeit maybe not so much on the cute. I loved the natural-feeling development in their relationship. Strangers to friends to lovers. It’s all paced quite well.
I love how begrudgingly smitten Arthur becomes of Lydia, and how he eventually goes full man obsessed while having all these internal crises.

Their romance is beautiful— it’s also quite spicy! I wouldn’t have minded a bit less spice, surprisingly, but at the same time I ate up every scene, haha! And the epilogue! My goodness, I shan’t spoil it— but it’s one of the most lovingly crafted epilogues I have ever read.

And the notes and letter excerpts at the start of every chapter were so brilliant— from laughs to swoons to clues! I loved each one!

On a personal note, I appreciated seeing a character with social anxiety represented on the pages. Lydia suffers greatly from social anxiety, with it manifesting internally and physically— and it made me feel so incredibly seen. Sure at times it’s played for laughs, but that vulnerability was massively relatable. I felt such pride in Lydia as she navigated that anxiety as best as should could, doing all she could to take the reins of control back. Lydia’s struggle allows for a connection between reader and protagonist. It is a reminder of their humanity and relatable struggles, allowing the reader to become all the more engaged and immersed in the storyline. As well as allowing deeper care towards the protagonists. It certainly did for me anyways!

Lastly, let me exclaim how clever and thrilling I found the plot to be! It’s one that really makes the wheels turn as you try to outrace the leads in figuring out the mystery at hand. I felt very involved as a reader, which is honestly quite rare treat for me. That type of immersion makes the ride all the more enjoyable.

So, if you love historical romances that bring charm, laughs, swoons, spice, and a clever touch of mystery— be sure to check out Earl Crush!

I feel I’m returning to my historical romance era, and I am so here for it, let’s go! 4.5✨

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.