Ten years ago, to get out from under the thumb of her uncle Milton, Ophelia Hardwick took her brother Adam’s identity and has been living as a man just until she can come into her inheritance. She’s an employee and confidante of Calvin, the Earl of Carlyle, until one day she’s mugged in the streets and Cal learns her secret. He can’t believe he never noticed, but as Phee says, people see what you want them to see.
Even as the two of them fall for each other, Cal is juggling his sister’s social debut and getting roped into marrying a friend of his father’s to pay off a debt. He’s doing his damndest to find a way out of it, including hosting a house party to find a love match for his intended.
The thing is, despite engaging writing, West End Earl is lacking in any story tension. There’s never a risk or even the barest hint that anyone else suspects Adam is actually Phee. Nothing much happens at the house party. What pulls Phee and Cal apart is just circumstance and not communicating despite previously being close. Even when Cal wakes up and realizes how royally he’s screwed up, the grovel is just a technicality, you never doubt that Phee will take him back.
I love a punny title, but overall, it gets a shrug, it’s fine, from me.
3 stars
I loved Any Rogue Will Do (review), the first book in Bennett’s Misfits of Mayfair series, so if you’re looking to try out a new historical romance author, that’s the one to check out.
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