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Romancing the Rogue #1
Earl of My Dreams
All Miss Sophie Everett wants is to see her beloved cousin happily married to the man she loves, and she'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. When a prime opportunity for matchmaking presents itself in the form of a country house party, she contrives to spend the week sowing the seeds of romance...until a fellow guest arrives with ideas of his own. Soon Sophie finds herself butting heads with the most stubborn man she's ever known. A man who once owned her heart...
James Halloran, the Earl of Dearborn, is in need of an heir, but first he must find a wife. He thinks he's found precisely what he wants: a girl possessed of both beauty and breeding, one who will make few demands and never touch his heart. The perfect countess. Unfortunately, the girl's cousin—the maddening Miss Everett—does not share his enthusiasm for the match, and vows to prevent it, no matter the cost...
As their feud turns to friendship, sparks fly and passions ignite. But secrets, long kept hidden, threaten to destroy their future before it's even begun...
James Halloran, the Earl of Dearborn, is in need of an heir, but first he must find a wife. He thinks he's found precisely what he wants: a girl possessed of both beauty and breeding, one who will make few demands and never touch his heart. The perfect countess. Unfortunately, the girl's cousin—the maddening Miss Everett—does not share his enthusiasm for the match, and vows to prevent it, no matter the cost...
As their feud turns to friendship, sparks fly and passions ignite. But secrets, long kept hidden, threaten to destroy their future before it's even begun...
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2023
About the author
Sylvie Sinclair
3 books32 followersSylvie Sinclair cut her teeth on the Sweet Valley Twins, L.M. Montgomery and Sunfire Romances before inevitably graduating to the classic bodice rippers of the 80s and 90s (which she kept hidden under her bed from her disapproving mother for years).
She lives in California with her own cinnamon roll hero and their cantankerous-but-adorable Siamese cat. When she isn't writing or reading, she can usually be found watching Melrose Place with a glass of wine in hand, or puttering around in her flower garden.
For news, updates and to receive your FREE copy of Sin and Serendipity, be sure to sign up for Sylvie's newsletter: https://sylviesinclair.com/contact/
She lives in California with her own cinnamon roll hero and their cantankerous-but-adorable Siamese cat. When she isn't writing or reading, she can usually be found watching Melrose Place with a glass of wine in hand, or puttering around in her flower garden.
For news, updates and to receive your FREE copy of Sin and Serendipity, be sure to sign up for Sylvie's newsletter: https://sylviesinclair.com/contact/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
September 18, 2023
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Kind of the first chapter, but first interactions are chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, ends in a happily ever after (HEA)
Epilogue: Yes, 2 years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is Sinclair’s debut and first in her Romancing the Rogue series.
Basic plot:
Sophie is determined to see her good friend and cousin married happily for love – when James shows interest, she will do everything she can to show him he’s not good enough for her cousin
Give this a try if you want:
- Late Regency (1821)
- Kent setting
- house party
- widower, Earl hero
- hero needs a wife
- artist hero
- matchmaking
- bargain
- childhood friends
- light enemies to lovers (more on heroine’s side)
- low to medium steam – 2 scenes
Ages:
- Hero is 30, heroine is 22
First line:
Miss Sophie Everett was many things, but patient was not one of them.
My thoughts:
Some authors just grab me from the beginning and I found this with Sinclair. There are few authors to me where I just fall in love with their writing style. I am smiling, getting butterflies, pausing over lines in a swoony sigh...I ended up loving this story!
Sophie was in love with James as a child, but 8 years later she doesn’t want anything to do with him – and definitely doesn’t want him marrying her cousin. I enjoyed both Sophie and James! Sophie was a bit quiet, very loyal, and sweet. I loved seeing her with her family and how protective she is over them. I enjoyed seeing her reunite with James and their banter back and forth – I can’t say it goes so far as enemies – she’s bristly towards him but he pushes her back until they get on the same page. I tend to be sad when I miss the initial meeting between the characters which sometimes happens with childhood friend relationships so I was happy about the 8 year separation – they met each other again as adults and I felt like I wasn’t missing anything.
I loved James. I did think, maybe, some of his reasoning behind decisions were a bit contrived But I don’t care. I don’t care! I just ate up their interactions together. The slow blossoming of feelings, the little touches and looks as it grows into something more. It’s what I want in romance. This hero fights against this urge but his fall is oh so sweet because of it.
There were so many scenes I lingered over. So many gave me those little butterflies I chase when falling in love. The murmuring against necks. The longing glances across a room. The pause and breathlessness over a Christian name and a naked forearm. The late night frolics to the other’s bedchamber in your night clothes. The steamy scenes I just loved - I thought they were perfectly developed and had that emotional element I find lacking in some books but makes all the difference of how much it pulls on your heart..
The ending was a bit angsty and I of course ate that up. I’ll admit sometimes when I see debut I get a little nervous – I know sometimes it takes authors some time to find their flow and voice. To me, this debut had no business being this good 😂 When I’m left in a puddle of hearts wanting to read all Sinclair’s books – all I can say is I am sold. Truly, cannot wait to see what this author comes out with next. (And all the books afterwards). This book had so much of my romance catnip in it. So happy to have found her writing!
Endearments:
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Kind of the first chapter, but first interactions are chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, ends in a happily ever after (HEA)
Epilogue: Yes, 2 years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is Sinclair’s debut and first in her Romancing the Rogue series.
Basic plot:
Sophie is determined to see her good friend and cousin married happily for love – when James shows interest, she will do everything she can to show him he’s not good enough for her cousin
Give this a try if you want:
- Late Regency (1821)
- Kent setting
- house party
- widower, Earl hero
- hero needs a wife
- artist hero
- matchmaking
- bargain
- childhood friends
- light enemies to lovers (more on heroine’s side)
- low to medium steam – 2 scenes
Ages:
- Hero is 30, heroine is 22
First line:
Miss Sophie Everett was many things, but patient was not one of them.
My thoughts:
Some authors just grab me from the beginning and I found this with Sinclair. There are few authors to me where I just fall in love with their writing style. I am smiling, getting butterflies, pausing over lines in a swoony sigh...I ended up loving this story!
Sophie was in love with James as a child, but 8 years later she doesn’t want anything to do with him – and definitely doesn’t want him marrying her cousin. I enjoyed both Sophie and James! Sophie was a bit quiet, very loyal, and sweet. I loved seeing her with her family and how protective she is over them. I enjoyed seeing her reunite with James and their banter back and forth – I can’t say it goes so far as enemies – she’s bristly towards him but he pushes her back until they get on the same page. I tend to be sad when I miss the initial meeting between the characters which sometimes happens with childhood friend relationships so I was happy about the 8 year separation – they met each other again as adults and I felt like I wasn’t missing anything.
I loved James. I did think, maybe, some of his reasoning behind decisions were a bit contrived But I don’t care. I don’t care! I just ate up their interactions together. The slow blossoming of feelings, the little touches and looks as it grows into something more. It’s what I want in romance. This hero fights against this urge but his fall is oh so sweet because of it.
There were so many scenes I lingered over. So many gave me those little butterflies I chase when falling in love. The murmuring against necks. The longing glances across a room. The pause and breathlessness over a Christian name and a naked forearm. The late night frolics to the other’s bedchamber in your night clothes. The steamy scenes I just loved - I thought they were perfectly developed and had that emotional element I find lacking in some books but makes all the difference of how much it pulls on your heart..
The ending was a bit angsty and I of course ate that up. I’ll admit sometimes when I see debut I get a little nervous – I know sometimes it takes authors some time to find their flow and voice. To me, this debut had no business being this good 😂 When I’m left in a puddle of hearts wanting to read all Sinclair’s books – all I can say is I am sold. Truly, cannot wait to see what this author comes out with next. (And all the books afterwards). This book had so much of my romance catnip in it. So happy to have found her writing!
Endearments:
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
November 20, 2023
SPOILERS
I need to gather my thoughts about this one.
But I didn’t like that H “moved on” and married someone else while h was still crushing on him. She made her crush pretty clear and he was a manho that thought he was in love with ow. In my opinion, I needed even more resolution that he wanted h more than he wanted ow (before ow died)
I got that h was younger when she had a crush on him but if I remember correctly it was like 2 years or something like that but I did like the book. I thought they were cute together and I liked the h.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
I need to gather my thoughts about this one.
But I didn’t like that H “moved on” and married someone else while h was still crushing on him. She made her crush pretty clear and he was a manho that thought he was in love with ow. In my opinion, I needed even more resolution that he wanted h more than he wanted ow (before ow died)
I got that h was younger when she had a crush on him but if I remember correctly it was like 2 years or something like that but I did like the book. I thought they were cute together and I liked the h.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2023
A country house party offers an opportunity for Miss Sophie Everett to help her cousin Olivia find love, and she's not going to let James Halloran, the Earl of Dearborn, get in the way. James believes Olivia would be the perfect countess, a lady of beauty and breeding who will birth an heir and never touch his heart. But Sophie intends to keep him away, and suddenly sparks start flying in a different direction.
This is the first book in the Romancing the Rogue series, and the debut novel of Sylvie Sinclair. She sets the scene with likable background characters who are sure to become leads in their own stories.
I thought this book was a strong first impression. The beginning quarter of the tale gave me Anthony and Kate Bridgerton vibes with a combative but not-quite enemies tone. Sophie and James have a childhood history and I really like how their past came into play later in the story, when Sophie opened up to James. The author also did a good job of making all the "extras" come together in an interesting way, like when a seemingly disposable character is reintroduced later to help drive the HEA. The only thing I didn't care for was some prolonged drama at the end when the characters are going to get exactly what they want, but then suddenly the heroine thinks: “he doesn’t really want to marry me, so I should just agree to this other awful, arranged marriage for no good reason.” Ugh, why are you being an idiot, girl? Other than that, I would definitely read this author again.
Tropes: Frenemies-to-Lovers, House Party/Forced Proximity, Matchmaker/Matchbreaker
Steam: 2
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
This is the first book in the Romancing the Rogue series, and the debut novel of Sylvie Sinclair. She sets the scene with likable background characters who are sure to become leads in their own stories.
I thought this book was a strong first impression. The beginning quarter of the tale gave me Anthony and Kate Bridgerton vibes with a combative but not-quite enemies tone. Sophie and James have a childhood history and I really like how their past came into play later in the story, when Sophie opened up to James. The author also did a good job of making all the "extras" come together in an interesting way, like when a seemingly disposable character is reintroduced later to help drive the HEA. The only thing I didn't care for was some prolonged drama at the end when the characters are going to get exactly what they want, but then suddenly the heroine thinks: “he doesn’t really want to marry me, so I should just agree to this other awful, arranged marriage for no good reason.” Ugh, why are you being an idiot, girl? Other than that, I would definitely read this author again.
Tropes: Frenemies-to-Lovers, House Party/Forced Proximity, Matchmaker/Matchbreaker
Steam: 2
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
September 2, 2023
A 5 Starred Debut!!
Earl of My Dreams is a wonderful reminder of everything that I adore about HistRoms. Sylvie Sinclair's voice has that bit of magic about it - that made me pause and smile and savour the book all the more.
I thought it was a genius move opening in a house party setting. It gave a chance for the author to show off her touch at sparkling observations (a la Jane Austen and LM Montgomery) and a sense of the 'female gaze':
.
They were all young, single and dressed in the latest fashions with brightly-colored waistcoats , the more intricately folded the better. It was a bit like having a rainbow with them in the drawing room.
"They're not so bad, are they?" Olivia asked, ever the optimist
"They're awful, the lot of them" Emmy grumbled. "Not a hint of mystery, not a single secret to uncover, and I haven't heard even one interesting opinion between them, although they will insist on sharing their every though anyway"
.
With so many eligible gentleman and ladies abound, budding romance and confusion go hand in hand. Here, I appreciated how self-aware the leads were, taking charge of their errors when it came to others' emotions. Amongst all the gay frivolity that is a London Season, we are reminded of the very real pressure of making a suitable match, and how the economic and emotional well-being of many is tied to the whims of their guardians. Believe me, the blurb is about half of what ultimately happens. Ms. Sinclair, again, shows her deft touch at keeping the plot from stagnating by making revelations at the right beats.
James and Sophie's coming together is a slow burn that peels away many, many layers. This is HistRom at its finest - with all the breathless magic that comes with lingering touches, with fervent kisses on the palm, and the first utterance of one's Christian name.
.
Her gaze riveted on the vein running from his wrist to his middle dinger, pulsing with each mesmerizing tap of his thumb. She wanted to touch him there, to trace it with her fingertips, and learn the texture of his skin.
.
.
He dipped his head, raising her hand to his lips, and her breath caught in her throat as he brushed a kiss on the centre of her palm. her pulse kicked up a frantic rhythm as he caressed her with his mouth, coursing the line of her scar with his lips until he reached the lace trim at her sleeve.
He pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting hers. And then he began to unfasten the buttons at her wrist
.
I LIVED for these moments - their chemistry was a live crackling fire, their physical intimacy had the palpable emotionality that so few have.
Sophie and James were meticulously sketched as complex characters with their own motivations and struggles. And so when the angst came on full force towards the end, my heart ached for them and I just lapped it up.
For a debut novelist, the author shows amazing finesse when it comes to wit, pacing and emotions.
My thanks to Netgalley and the author for the eARC.
Earl of My Dreams is a wonderful reminder of everything that I adore about HistRoms. Sylvie Sinclair's voice has that bit of magic about it - that made me pause and smile and savour the book all the more.
I thought it was a genius move opening in a house party setting. It gave a chance for the author to show off her touch at sparkling observations (a la Jane Austen and LM Montgomery) and a sense of the 'female gaze':
.
They were all young, single and dressed in the latest fashions with brightly-colored waistcoats , the more intricately folded the better. It was a bit like having a rainbow with them in the drawing room.
"They're not so bad, are they?" Olivia asked, ever the optimist
"They're awful, the lot of them" Emmy grumbled. "Not a hint of mystery, not a single secret to uncover, and I haven't heard even one interesting opinion between them, although they will insist on sharing their every though anyway"
.
With so many eligible gentleman and ladies abound, budding romance and confusion go hand in hand. Here, I appreciated how self-aware the leads were, taking charge of their errors when it came to others' emotions. Amongst all the gay frivolity that is a London Season, we are reminded of the very real pressure of making a suitable match, and how the economic and emotional well-being of many is tied to the whims of their guardians. Believe me, the blurb is about half of what ultimately happens. Ms. Sinclair, again, shows her deft touch at keeping the plot from stagnating by making revelations at the right beats.
James and Sophie's coming together is a slow burn that peels away many, many layers. This is HistRom at its finest - with all the breathless magic that comes with lingering touches, with fervent kisses on the palm, and the first utterance of one's Christian name.
.
Her gaze riveted on the vein running from his wrist to his middle dinger, pulsing with each mesmerizing tap of his thumb. She wanted to touch him there, to trace it with her fingertips, and learn the texture of his skin.
.
.
He dipped his head, raising her hand to his lips, and her breath caught in her throat as he brushed a kiss on the centre of her palm. her pulse kicked up a frantic rhythm as he caressed her with his mouth, coursing the line of her scar with his lips until he reached the lace trim at her sleeve.
He pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting hers. And then he began to unfasten the buttons at her wrist
.
I LIVED for these moments - their chemistry was a live crackling fire, their physical intimacy had the palpable emotionality that so few have.
Sophie and James were meticulously sketched as complex characters with their own motivations and struggles. And so when the angst came on full force towards the end, my heart ached for them and I just lapped it up.
For a debut novelist, the author shows amazing finesse when it comes to wit, pacing and emotions.
My thanks to Netgalley and the author for the eARC.
September 18, 2023
Miss Sophie Everett wants is to see her beloved cousin Olivia happily married to the man she loves. James Halloran, the Earl of Dearborn, is in need of an heir, but first he must find a wife. He thinks he's found precisely what he wants: a girl possessed of both beauty and breeding, one who will make few demands and never touch his heart. The perfect countess. Unfortunately, Olivia’s cousin the maddening Miss Everett does not share his enthusiasm for the match, and vows to prevent it, no matter the cost as Olivia is in love with someone else. The fact that Sophie was once in love with James definitely has no bearing on it.
A very good debut by the author & a very entertaining read with a twist of the enemies to lovers trope. I loved the witty banter & how James & Sophie’s relationship changed & developed. I really liked the couple & loved the chemistry between them. A captivating, entertaining & sparkling debut romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed & look forward to more from the author
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
A very good debut by the author & a very entertaining read with a twist of the enemies to lovers trope. I loved the witty banter & how James & Sophie’s relationship changed & developed. I really liked the couple & loved the chemistry between them. A captivating, entertaining & sparkling debut romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed & look forward to more from the author
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
February 4, 2024
Sylvie Sinclair, where have you been hiding!? I'm in love! I'm in love with every "t" you crossed, every "i" you dotted. Every smile you gave me, every breath you took from me. This love story has everything I search for in a romance. Gazes full of longing, electrifying little touches, awareness before seeing. And the kisses! Pages of kisses! Not just ordinary kisses, but sultry, searing, frying eggs on a sidewalk hot! I was completely lost in their story.The mental doubts and reasoning each of them had were so believable and mirrored what I, as a reader, was doubting and reasoning. Not once did I want to smack someone upside the head and call them an idiot because the issues they had were valid and needed clarity. I absolutely adored the side characters! Their love and support of Sophie was so endearing. I loved all their conversations and interactions. I need to know all their stories. Even Marcus. Especially Marcus! He can't just leave!!! I need to know more!
All the stars to this debut author! Her writing style immediately caught and held my attention, never letting go. Brilliant, witty banter amongst all the players. Scenes, thoughts and feelings were described so perfectly that I felt part of the story. I will be waiting so impatiently for the next book!
All the stars to this debut author! Her writing style immediately caught and held my attention, never letting go. Brilliant, witty banter amongst all the players. Scenes, thoughts and feelings were described so perfectly that I felt part of the story. I will be waiting so impatiently for the next book!
October 20, 2023
Thanks to Booksprout and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.
This is a debut novel for this author and it was a lovely historical romance with themes of childhood crush, enemies to lovers, young women under pressure to wed, unrequited love, and a man seeking to marry for convenience/afraid to love again.
Sophie Edwards is forced to confront her old childhood crush, James, the Earl of Dearborn, to thwart his plans to marry her cousin. She overhears his plans seeking a bride for a marriage of convenience, to obtain an heir. But she knows her cousin is seeking a love match and wants to help her find happiness, and is willing to do what she can to help her beloved cousin. James is seeking a wife of beauty, intellect, and status, but definitely is done with love, after having had a regretful marriage a number of years ago that ended with the death of his first wife, Cassandra. He carries regrets and guilt over his role in their marriage, and has no desire to go through that again. He has determined that Olivia would suit him nicely. It only Sophie Edwards was not there interfering all the time. So for awhile, they conspire to thwart each other with various amusing schemes. Of course, it does not help that no matter what his plans are, James is inconveniently attracted to the stubborn, willful, bookish Sophie.
Sophie manages to convince James to seek a bride elsewhere, but as part of their bargain, Sophie has to help James in his bride search, forcing them to continue to meet and talk, causing them to transition to being friends. But then James' past comes back to haunt him as the man he betrayed in wedding his first wife comes back to seek revenge, using Sophie as a pawn against James.
I enjoyed this novel, including the various characters and their relationships with each other, including Sophie and James and their various friends, and the two matriarchs. The dialogue was fresh, and there was a good dialogue and tension. The childhood crush component of it did not really seem a large factor in play in the story, other than as a point of embarrassment for the FMC at times, because they do not really hit on the past interactions or childhood experiences together much.
A good debut and enjoyable story, with a build up to book 2, but not in an intrusive or distracting way that took away from the main plot.
4 stars out of 5
This is a debut novel for this author and it was a lovely historical romance with themes of childhood crush, enemies to lovers, young women under pressure to wed, unrequited love, and a man seeking to marry for convenience/afraid to love again.
Sophie Edwards is forced to confront her old childhood crush, James, the Earl of Dearborn, to thwart his plans to marry her cousin. She overhears his plans seeking a bride for a marriage of convenience, to obtain an heir. But she knows her cousin is seeking a love match and wants to help her find happiness, and is willing to do what she can to help her beloved cousin. James is seeking a wife of beauty, intellect, and status, but definitely is done with love, after having had a regretful marriage a number of years ago that ended with the death of his first wife, Cassandra. He carries regrets and guilt over his role in their marriage, and has no desire to go through that again. He has determined that Olivia would suit him nicely. It only Sophie Edwards was not there interfering all the time. So for awhile, they conspire to thwart each other with various amusing schemes. Of course, it does not help that no matter what his plans are, James is inconveniently attracted to the stubborn, willful, bookish Sophie.
Sophie manages to convince James to seek a bride elsewhere, but as part of their bargain, Sophie has to help James in his bride search, forcing them to continue to meet and talk, causing them to transition to being friends. But then James' past comes back to haunt him as the man he betrayed in wedding his first wife comes back to seek revenge, using Sophie as a pawn against James.
I enjoyed this novel, including the various characters and their relationships with each other, including Sophie and James and their various friends, and the two matriarchs. The dialogue was fresh, and there was a good dialogue and tension. The childhood crush component of it did not really seem a large factor in play in the story, other than as a point of embarrassment for the FMC at times, because they do not really hit on the past interactions or childhood experiences together much.
A good debut and enjoyable story, with a build up to book 2, but not in an intrusive or distracting way that took away from the main plot.
4 stars out of 5
August 26, 2023
For a debut novel, it's fine. The premise of the story was good, but I couldn't really connect with James and Sophie. He didn't want love again, (I liked that he recognized that he was very wrong with Cassandra and that made him vulnerable, and also later we know about his mother's attitude) but he changed his mind very quickly in wanting to marry Sophie when he passed a good time saying he didn't want to marry her. Even though he said the marriage would help both of them, I thought he could have just said he was an idiot and loved her but was afraid of getting burned again. She, in turn, was always in love with him (the exchange of barbs was funny), but she protested too much when he asked her to marry him and then she wanted to break up (I know it was because of the "agreement" with Fitzgerald, but frankly. ..what a meaningless bargain!)
To summarize:: "I love you, but I can't marry you because you don't love me"
...And
"I want to marry you, but I don't want to fall in love with you because I'm afraid of hurting you and getting hurt again"
But I liked the epilogue, it was pretty sweet. And like I said, it's a debut novel and the author did well and I'm sure it will get better and better. I'll be waiting for the next book about Olivia and Griffin.
PS: Is it too much to ask, Mrs. Sinclair, that you write a book telling the story of Fitzgerald?
I received an advance review copy for free by Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
To summarize:: "I love you, but I can't marry you because you don't love me"
...And
"I want to marry you, but I don't want to fall in love with you because I'm afraid of hurting you and getting hurt again"
But I liked the epilogue, it was pretty sweet. And like I said, it's a debut novel and the author did well and I'm sure it will get better and better. I'll be waiting for the next book about Olivia and Griffin.
PS: Is it too much to ask, Mrs. Sinclair, that you write a book telling the story of Fitzgerald?
I received an advance review copy for free by Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 24, 2024
Tropes: childhood friends turned enemies turned lovers; bluestocking MFC; MMC with a Big Secret from his first marriage; MC's are "matchmakers" for each other
Steam level: 2-3
First in the series
4.25 stars. This is an excellent debut HR that a friend of mine recommended. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, in particular her way with dialog. I've ended up skimming a lot of books lately (the 2-3 starers, anyway) but I felt surprisingly invested with the characters and the storyline here, even though there's nothing too twisty tropewise. James and Sophie are endearing, with very strong chemistry, although this starts off as a slow burn (the first scene of intimacy is at around the 70% mark, if that sort of thing bothers you).
If I had to nitpick, I would say that the way the subplot with Fitzgerald was resolved was a bit of a letdown, and in the final chapters Sophie was overly stubborn, refusing to let James say his piece for the longest time. The ending and epilogue are satisfying, though.
As a frequent reviewer on this site, I sometimes read reviews, especially if a book's author is unfamiliar to me and I've felt let down recently by lousy books. I avoid books with a hint of cheating, I'm not much for "man-ho's", and almost didn't read this because someone mentioned that James married the "OW" while Sophie had a crush on him that he was aware of, as if he and Sophie had some kind of budding romance going on at the time. Tbh I'm really glad I didn't pay attention to that review (lol). Sophie had no rivalry with James's wife; she was only 14 when she embarrassed herself by reciting an ode to him; he was around 4 years older and saw her as a pesky kid. He met his future wife a couple years later, around the time he lost his father. He was married to her for a couple of years (there were no hints he was unfaithful during his marriage) and she'd passed away almost two years before the book started. The MC's hadn't even seen each other in eight years. In other words, no TW's needed.
I am definitely looking forward to this author's next book.
Steam level: 2-3
First in the series
4.25 stars. This is an excellent debut HR that a friend of mine recommended. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, in particular her way with dialog. I've ended up skimming a lot of books lately (the 2-3 starers, anyway) but I felt surprisingly invested with the characters and the storyline here, even though there's nothing too twisty tropewise. James and Sophie are endearing, with very strong chemistry, although this starts off as a slow burn (the first scene of intimacy is at around the 70% mark, if that sort of thing bothers you).
If I had to nitpick, I would say that the way the subplot with Fitzgerald was resolved was a bit of a letdown, and in the final chapters Sophie was overly stubborn, refusing to let James say his piece for the longest time. The ending and epilogue are satisfying, though.
As a frequent reviewer on this site, I sometimes read reviews, especially if a book's author is unfamiliar to me and I've felt let down recently by lousy books. I avoid books with a hint of cheating, I'm not much for "man-ho's", and almost didn't read this because someone mentioned that James married the "OW" while Sophie had a crush on him that he was aware of, as if he and Sophie had some kind of budding romance going on at the time. Tbh I'm really glad I didn't pay attention to that review (lol). Sophie had no rivalry with James's wife; she was only 14 when she embarrassed herself by reciting an ode to him; he was around 4 years older and saw her as a pesky kid. He met his future wife a couple years later, around the time he lost his father. He was married to her for a couple of years (there were no hints he was unfaithful during his marriage) and she'd passed away almost two years before the book started. The MC's hadn't even seen each other in eight years. In other words, no TW's needed.
I am definitely looking forward to this author's next book.
September 21, 2023
Such a charming book!
The tension between Sophie and James was 🔥 with a lot of banter and witty dialogue.
"He dipped his head, raising her hand to his lips, and her breath caught in her throat as he brushed a kiss on the centre of her palm.
These characters were written so meticulously with complex fixtures, with their struggles/dreams and plants for their lives. This story is such a statement for the author who researched a lot of plot rules of the historical romance genre.
Unfortunately, the angst came in full force towards the end of the storyline of the enemies-to-lovers trope in Sophie and James' story was all too overwhelming. The slow-burn storyline almost did me in.
I want to marry you, but I don't want to fall in love with you because I'm afraid of hurting you and getting hurt again"
Overall, I liked the couple's chemistry. Olivia was getting on my nerves. The other secondary character's stories (Olivia, Emmy and Griffin) seemed promising.
But I was somewhat disappointed with the situation with Fitzgerald which did not have a significant development. I need his story! Also, clearly, a plot was devised for each of the different characters. And I'm anxious to read them all.
I received an advance review copy for free from Booksirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The tension between Sophie and James was 🔥 with a lot of banter and witty dialogue.
"He dipped his head, raising her hand to his lips, and her breath caught in her throat as he brushed a kiss on the centre of her palm.
These characters were written so meticulously with complex fixtures, with their struggles/dreams and plants for their lives. This story is such a statement for the author who researched a lot of plot rules of the historical romance genre.
Unfortunately, the angst came in full force towards the end of the storyline of the enemies-to-lovers trope in Sophie and James' story was all too overwhelming. The slow-burn storyline almost did me in.
I want to marry you, but I don't want to fall in love with you because I'm afraid of hurting you and getting hurt again"
Overall, I liked the couple's chemistry. Olivia was getting on my nerves. The other secondary character's stories (Olivia, Emmy and Griffin) seemed promising.
But I was somewhat disappointed with the situation with Fitzgerald which did not have a significant development. I need his story! Also, clearly, a plot was devised for each of the different characters. And I'm anxious to read them all.
I received an advance review copy for free from Booksirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 6, 2024
Sylvie Sinclair is a new author for me. I liked her cover so I researched her. She is supposed to be steamy. When most of my regular authors don't have any new releases out, I'm always looking for new authors to try. As you are aware sometimes it can take awhile for an author we read regularly to have a new book come out or it might even get pushed back. It is these times, I need someone else to read. I research every author to make sure of 2 things, they are written in my genre and they have sex in their books. Those are really my only criteria. I don't read book descriptions so I have no idea what I'm reading when I start a book. Makes for a more interesting read, I think. :)
I have to say I really loved this book. I loved this story. I loved Sophie and James. I loved the angst and frustrations :) I loved their chemistry. Sex was great. Just an overall really great read. She only has 3 books out total and one is not even Kindle. I am moving on to read book 2 in this series but hope to read many more books from her.
I have to say I really loved this book. I loved this story. I loved Sophie and James. I loved the angst and frustrations :) I loved their chemistry. Sex was great. Just an overall really great read. She only has 3 books out total and one is not even Kindle. I am moving on to read book 2 in this series but hope to read many more books from her.
November 28, 2023
Miss Sophie Everett decides to play matchmaker for her beloved cousin Olivia. She knows Olivia loves Griffin, the Marquees of Keswick. He may follow Olivia with his eyes, but makes no effort to court her, only avoid her as mush as possible. Sophie has no interest in marriage, until the one man who makes her body feel different comes back into her life. Eight years ago, Sophie wrote a twelve page sonnet professing her devotion to James Halloran, the Earl of Dearborn. She was only twelve. As embarrassing as it was, she must act as if it's forgotten. Soon she is caught up in finding him a wife, but the game changes when an enemy from the past returns to England. A very passionate story with the possibility of love unrequited and no happy ending. A new author writes a love story that absolutely breaks your heart and instills the impulse to hit the earl up the back of his head. VERY HOT!!!
I voluntarily read reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.
I voluntarily read reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.
August 31, 2023
This was an absolutely adorable and charming book with quite some spice!
The tension between Sophie and James was sizzling, and they were so silly to try to resist it… as if they could ever leave one another.
Olivia was a bit irritating, too pushy and excitable, and I quickly got bored with her.
I was somewhat disappointed that the situation with Fitzgerald was resolved so quickly and only because Sophie asked. I would've liked one discussion between him and James, as they deserved to settle things and maybe start forgiving one another.
Likewise, I was presented with a possible love story between Olivia and Griffin, but there wasn't any resolution on their end either.
Maybe the author wants to give them their book since this is the start of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The tension between Sophie and James was sizzling, and they were so silly to try to resist it… as if they could ever leave one another.
Olivia was a bit irritating, too pushy and excitable, and I quickly got bored with her.
I was somewhat disappointed that the situation with Fitzgerald was resolved so quickly and only because Sophie asked. I would've liked one discussion between him and James, as they deserved to settle things and maybe start forgiving one another.
Likewise, I was presented with a possible love story between Olivia and Griffin, but there wasn't any resolution on their end either.
Maybe the author wants to give them their book since this is the start of a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 24, 2023
Wow. For this to be a debut novel, I’m shocked. From the witty banter to the slow burn that keeps you wondering till the very end. 👏🏻 a Bridgerton meets Lynn Painter novel with a strong, yet kind and selfless main character you can relate to. I enjoyed every minute of this book and loved the back and forth perspective as the characters developed throughout the book as well as the perspective of duty and obligation that so many had in that era. I’m dying to get my hands on Griffin and Olivia’s story! And hopefully see more Sophie and James in the background!
August 29, 2023
3.5 stars*
Thanks to NetGalley for the free Arc! Overall, a really impressive debut that is well-researched, authentic feeling and packs a lot of plot development and character into a fairly short novel (almost, arguably, teetering on novella-sized). I really loved the set up, which had massive echoes of Bridgerton and Emma. But for me, it tailed off a little at the end where things became a little rushed and some events stretched credulity regarding the main couple — but overall, a lovely read!
Thanks to NetGalley for the free Arc! Overall, a really impressive debut that is well-researched, authentic feeling and packs a lot of plot development and character into a fairly short novel (almost, arguably, teetering on novella-sized). I really loved the set up, which had massive echoes of Bridgerton and Emma. But for me, it tailed off a little at the end where things became a little rushed and some events stretched credulity regarding the main couple — but overall, a lovely read!
November 17, 2023
Why Earl Of My Dreams is an enjoyable read:-
~> Young Sophie writes a sonnet to James professing her love & adult Sophie never lives it down
~> James is in the market for a wife for all the wrong reasons & Sophie throws a monkey wrench in his plans
~> James seeks Sophie’s help in finding a wife & they both conclude their steamy attraction is highly inconvenient until...inconvenience goes up in flames
~> Young Sophie writes a sonnet to James professing her love & adult Sophie never lives it down
~> James is in the market for a wife for all the wrong reasons & Sophie throws a monkey wrench in his plans
~> James seeks Sophie’s help in finding a wife & they both conclude their steamy attraction is highly inconvenient until...inconvenience goes up in flames
December 2, 2023
Sylvie’s debut is simply marvellous! Witty, angsty and a well evolved love story. I look forward to more of Sylvie’s work.
September 2, 2023
2.5 stars
This book was the epitome of just okay. I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it. The characters were fine. I liked both Sophie and James, along with Olivia, Emmy and Griff. A couple of reasons why I couldn’t give this book a higher rating.
1. I didn’t believe in their love. It seemed slow yet rushed and when they became intimate and finally came to the “I love you” I felt nothing. The romance wasn’t all bad but just didn’t believe it. Like he wants to marry her but then changes his mind quickly then the end. Same with Sophie as well.
2. There is a villain that is introduced close to half way and I thought this was going to be their conflict and someone who would do anything to get in the way of their happiness but then he was introduced, start causing worry with the main couple, then he just gave up. It happened so quickly, resolved so fast I’m wondering why even bother adding this piece of conflict. A lot of conflict seemed weirdly pieced together and most of it was resolved way too fast.
Overall, an okay read. I’m happy Olivia and Griff are getting their own book and I’m a little curious about them but we will see if I pick up the next book or not.
*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
This book was the epitome of just okay. I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it. The characters were fine. I liked both Sophie and James, along with Olivia, Emmy and Griff. A couple of reasons why I couldn’t give this book a higher rating.
1. I didn’t believe in their love. It seemed slow yet rushed and when they became intimate and finally came to the “I love you” I felt nothing. The romance wasn’t all bad but just didn’t believe it. Like he wants to marry her but then changes his mind quickly then the end. Same with Sophie as well.
2. There is a villain that is introduced close to half way and I thought this was going to be their conflict and someone who would do anything to get in the way of their happiness but then he was introduced, start causing worry with the main couple, then he just gave up. It happened so quickly, resolved so fast I’m wondering why even bother adding this piece of conflict. A lot of conflict seemed weirdly pieced together and most of it was resolved way too fast.
Overall, an okay read. I’m happy Olivia and Griff are getting their own book and I’m a little curious about them but we will see if I pick up the next book or not.
*Received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
August 26, 2023
This book had the perfect setup for a great story. There’s Sophie, her cousin Olivia and their friend Emmy. Emmy’s brother is Griffin, and James is Griff’s best friend. The girls are all supposed to score a husband:
Heaving a resigned sigh, she turned to Olivia and muttered, “At this point, I think Aunt Augusta would be pleased if I married anyone, earl or not.” Her cousin nodded. “True.” “My mother likely feels the same way about me,” Emmy said wryly. “Hence, the fresh order of dandies she had brought in from London.” (…)
“They’re not so bad, are they?” Olivia asked, ever the optimist. “They’re awful, the lot of them,“ Emmy grumbled. “Not a hint of mystery, not a single secret to uncover, and I haven’t heard even one interesting opinion between them, though they will insist on sharing their every thought anyway.” She clucked her tongue. “Honestly, it’s a wonder women are still marrying men at all.”
Then Sophie learns that James has decided to pursue Olivia because she’s amiable and pretty, but he had no intention of offering Olivia a love match. But Sophie is convinced Olivia and Griffin belong together:
Olivia would ignore Griffin then Griffin would tease her then she would snap at him then go right back to ignoring him again until the cycle repeated itself. They were the epitome of grace and charm with everyone else, but with each other, they bickered and provoked like a pair of misbehaving children.
So she’s angry with James, who doesn’t offer love to Olivia, and she tries to have him stop pursuing Olivia. Sophie used to be infatuated by him so he could argue that she’s jealous because she wants him for herself. (The author could have had immense fun with all the assumptions and confusion!) What follows is James trying to get Sophie off his back by tricking some lord to badger her with endless talk about vegetables, which of course she isn’t interested in. And Sophie returned the unwanted ‘favor’ by letting slip to some silly girl that James is on the hunt for a wife, so this girl relentlessly follows him around. By this time I was thoroughly enjoying myself by the main characters trying to play this game of almost throwing random people at each other’s paths in a bid to stop them from achieving their goal. But unfortunately, this ‘chess game’ suddenly stops and the whole story takes another turn with another character arriving. The revenge storyline behind this was a bit unrealistic because the main characters could just have solved this quite easily by not making a fuss about it. And Sophie endlessly questioning her self worth was quite annoying. The secondary storyline - whether Olivia and Griff belong together - was altogether abandoned. You don’t know how Griff feels and what happens with Olivia’s manhunt. And Emmy was a fun character but you don’t really get to know her either.
So although the book started very promising and had very nice banter with witty conversations, it didn’t follow through, which was disappointing.
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heaving a resigned sigh, she turned to Olivia and muttered, “At this point, I think Aunt Augusta would be pleased if I married anyone, earl or not.” Her cousin nodded. “True.” “My mother likely feels the same way about me,” Emmy said wryly. “Hence, the fresh order of dandies she had brought in from London.” (…)
“They’re not so bad, are they?” Olivia asked, ever the optimist. “They’re awful, the lot of them,“ Emmy grumbled. “Not a hint of mystery, not a single secret to uncover, and I haven’t heard even one interesting opinion between them, though they will insist on sharing their every thought anyway.” She clucked her tongue. “Honestly, it’s a wonder women are still marrying men at all.”
Then Sophie learns that James has decided to pursue Olivia because she’s amiable and pretty, but he had no intention of offering Olivia a love match. But Sophie is convinced Olivia and Griffin belong together:
Olivia would ignore Griffin then Griffin would tease her then she would snap at him then go right back to ignoring him again until the cycle repeated itself. They were the epitome of grace and charm with everyone else, but with each other, they bickered and provoked like a pair of misbehaving children.
So she’s angry with James, who doesn’t offer love to Olivia, and she tries to have him stop pursuing Olivia. Sophie used to be infatuated by him so he could argue that she’s jealous because she wants him for herself. (The author could have had immense fun with all the assumptions and confusion!) What follows is James trying to get Sophie off his back by tricking some lord to badger her with endless talk about vegetables, which of course she isn’t interested in. And Sophie returned the unwanted ‘favor’ by letting slip to some silly girl that James is on the hunt for a wife, so this girl relentlessly follows him around. By this time I was thoroughly enjoying myself by the main characters trying to play this game of almost throwing random people at each other’s paths in a bid to stop them from achieving their goal. But unfortunately, this ‘chess game’ suddenly stops and the whole story takes another turn with another character arriving. The revenge storyline behind this was a bit unrealistic because the main characters could just have solved this quite easily by not making a fuss about it. And Sophie endlessly questioning her self worth was quite annoying. The secondary storyline - whether Olivia and Griff belong together - was altogether abandoned. You don’t know how Griff feels and what happens with Olivia’s manhunt. And Emmy was a fun character but you don’t really get to know her either.
So although the book started very promising and had very nice banter with witty conversations, it didn’t follow through, which was disappointing.
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 13, 2023
The following are my thoughts as I read this book. Sophie Everett… attending a house party, searching for a particular gentleman, does not want to cross paths with her childhood crush. James Halloran… Earl of Dearborn, a widower, attending a house party of a good friend. The h has an embarrassing history with the H and truly wants to avoid encountering him. The H has decided that he must marry again to produce the required heir and a spare. The h is really not interested in finding a husband, she is focused on matching her cousin with a specific gentleman who is not the H. The h is determined to stop the H from courting her cousin but not for the reason you might think. The H’s behavior towards the h shocks even himself LOL. The h has an unwanted admirer that is a courtesy of the H, she is not amused. Oh the h is attempting to exact her revenge on the H, but her plan is not working as well as she had anticipated - hehehe. "He didn't want to want his wife…" funniest line in the book to me. The h has just learned that her guardian has given her an ultimatum. What is, no why is the h thinking this way? Ugh she is getting on my nerves LOL. Now the H is not being honest with himself. I really don't understand the H's way of thinking. Ahhh now I am beginning to understand the H's way of thinking. Well well well the H just had a revelation. The h is really set on her belief, mad props. Now I am angry at the h because she is thinking and feeling for the H. Good writing making the reader get invested. The H is not giving up but the h still does not believe him. Finally, both the MCs are listening to one another. This was a good first novel by this author. There is a villain but his role seems to be a catalyst for the MCs coming together. There is definitely steam.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 12, 2024
When Miss Sophie Everett’s childhood crush decides at a house party to thwart her plans of matching her beloved cousin Olivia to their host’s son Griffin, she vows to stop at nothing to prevent it from happening. Not because she’s still in love with him, no, most certainly not! No, Livvy deserved to be worshiped, and this man would most definitely not. Besides, Livvy was in love with Griffin and he with her. The both of them were just to stubborn to see it.
After mourning his late wife for two years, James Halloran, Earl of Dearborn, is ready to select a new bride. Let everyone believe what they want about his past, but he wouldn’t lose his heart ever again! And he may just have found the perfect candidate at his best friend Griffin’s house party. If only the lady’s tenacious cousin would stop thwarting him. He’d known she’d had some sort of infatuation with him years ago, but why wouldn’t she allow him to court Lady Olivia?
Their verbal sparring rekindles an old flame and just when they reached common ground, the reality of her future and an ugly ghost from his past rear their heads. Could a marriage of convenience save them both? Or would it only be sweet torture?
📚 A very enjoyable frenemies-to-lovers romance with an original twist to it! Witty banter, delicious teasing and some very steamy interludes… yes, I liked the evolution of this couple’s relationship very much! The way she wasn’t a victim of her own heart and demanded more, not settling for his initial offer even if her only prospect was even worse. The way he teased but never disrespectfully, owned up to his own mistakes, and appreciated her clever mind. This was a lovely and captivating debut from this author and I’m very curious to see where her next book in this series takes me!
After mourning his late wife for two years, James Halloran, Earl of Dearborn, is ready to select a new bride. Let everyone believe what they want about his past, but he wouldn’t lose his heart ever again! And he may just have found the perfect candidate at his best friend Griffin’s house party. If only the lady’s tenacious cousin would stop thwarting him. He’d known she’d had some sort of infatuation with him years ago, but why wouldn’t she allow him to court Lady Olivia?
Their verbal sparring rekindles an old flame and just when they reached common ground, the reality of her future and an ugly ghost from his past rear their heads. Could a marriage of convenience save them both? Or would it only be sweet torture?
📚 A very enjoyable frenemies-to-lovers romance with an original twist to it! Witty banter, delicious teasing and some very steamy interludes… yes, I liked the evolution of this couple’s relationship very much! The way she wasn’t a victim of her own heart and demanded more, not settling for his initial offer even if her only prospect was even worse. The way he teased but never disrespectfully, owned up to his own mistakes, and appreciated her clever mind. This was a lovely and captivating debut from this author and I’m very curious to see where her next book in this series takes me!
January 30, 2024
Consent is Hot
There’s nothing like a story that takes an established trope and breathes a breath of fresh air into it. Earl of my Dreams treads a well-known trope through the field of histroms. Noble needs heir. To get heir, noble needs wife. Noble goes looking for wife.
*Cue shenanigans*
James Halloran, Earl of Dearborn, needs a wife, and at a house party, he sets his sights on the lovely Olivia. Olivia is pretty, charming, and properly brought up, but that is not why James is interested in her. What draws James to Olivia is the fact that he is not attracted to her. He wants a wife who will do all the right things that an earl's wife should do, but James wants no part in love.
When Sophie Everett hears that James has taken an interest in her beloved cousin for all the wrong reasons, she sets out to thwart him.
This story provided such a delightful, fresh and interesting twist on a familiar trope. I loved the shifting nature of the forced proximity between these two. At first knocking heads, then working in collusion, then trying to help each other, each change in the nature of their relationship altered the power balance between them. Stories are always about power, and with a subtle nudge, Sinclair beautifully shifts it first one way, then the other.
And the intimate scenes were just gorgeous. Inexperienced Sophie meets her lover with gentle, assertive questioning, resulting in a portrayal of consensual intimacy where they grow into this new aspect of their releationship as equals.
I love, love, loved this story. Just everything about it, and I cannot wait to read what Sinclair produces next.
There’s nothing like a story that takes an established trope and breathes a breath of fresh air into it. Earl of my Dreams treads a well-known trope through the field of histroms. Noble needs heir. To get heir, noble needs wife. Noble goes looking for wife.
*Cue shenanigans*
James Halloran, Earl of Dearborn, needs a wife, and at a house party, he sets his sights on the lovely Olivia. Olivia is pretty, charming, and properly brought up, but that is not why James is interested in her. What draws James to Olivia is the fact that he is not attracted to her. He wants a wife who will do all the right things that an earl's wife should do, but James wants no part in love.
When Sophie Everett hears that James has taken an interest in her beloved cousin for all the wrong reasons, she sets out to thwart him.
This story provided such a delightful, fresh and interesting twist on a familiar trope. I loved the shifting nature of the forced proximity between these two. At first knocking heads, then working in collusion, then trying to help each other, each change in the nature of their relationship altered the power balance between them. Stories are always about power, and with a subtle nudge, Sinclair beautifully shifts it first one way, then the other.
And the intimate scenes were just gorgeous. Inexperienced Sophie meets her lover with gentle, assertive questioning, resulting in a portrayal of consensual intimacy where they grow into this new aspect of their releationship as equals.
I love, love, loved this story. Just everything about it, and I cannot wait to read what Sinclair produces next.
September 12, 2023
A first in series and debut historical romance by a new author containing past mistakes, family drama and steamy scenes. Sophie isn’t too worried about her future but is focused on playing matchmaker to Olivia, her cousin. Unfortunately, everyone likes Olivia including James, the Earl of Dearborn who stole Sophie’s heart as a young child. Now she has to interfere with all their attempts and convince James that they are not suited for each other. James is in need of a wife and has his sights on Olivia, however, her cousin is becoming a problem. He is determined to find a suitable wife that will provide him an heir and spend his money, no love involved. When Sophie and James finally come to an understanding, a friendship begins that soon leads to passion. When his past comes back to haunt him in the form of a potential suitor for Sophie, James must reveal his past mistakes and offers marriage as a solution to both of their problems. The one unanticipated dilemma is that Sophie has fallen in love with James and wants a true love match. Will James realize his true feelings for Sophie before it’s too late or will his past keep him from living a life he never expected. The story was well written and was a good series starter, however, I felt that the feelings from James were too quick to change and Sophie’s was a little too idealistic for her situation. I will continue the series in the hopes that this new author will improve with each book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 29, 2023
Sophie and James
I really enjoyed this book. Sophie has known James for years. She was crazy about him, and at fourteen she composed a sonnet about James and then proceeded to recite all twelve pages of it to him. Now it is years later and they are both at a week long house party. Sophie is determined to use this party to help her cousin Olivia make a match with Griffin, as she is certain they love each other, only they are too stubborn to admit it. However, Sophie overhears James tell Griffin that it is time he remarries, and wants a wife who will be content to have his children and spend his money, as he has no intention of ever falling in love again. James has also decided to make a play for Olivia, and Sophie is unwilling to let Olivia be lured into a cold and loveless marriage. And so begins a battle between Sophie and James. She is determined to protect Olivia, and he determined to gain a wife. This story is quite well constructed and beautifully written. There are teases regarding past events, hints at previous heartaches, and whispers of danger. The characters are realistic, the emotions run from devastation to ecstasy, some scenes are steamy, and the dialogue is spot-on. The author uses details and descriptions that ignite the imagination and add depth to the story. My attention was grabbed, my heart engaged and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this book. Sophie has known James for years. She was crazy about him, and at fourteen she composed a sonnet about James and then proceeded to recite all twelve pages of it to him. Now it is years later and they are both at a week long house party. Sophie is determined to use this party to help her cousin Olivia make a match with Griffin, as she is certain they love each other, only they are too stubborn to admit it. However, Sophie overhears James tell Griffin that it is time he remarries, and wants a wife who will be content to have his children and spend his money, as he has no intention of ever falling in love again. James has also decided to make a play for Olivia, and Sophie is unwilling to let Olivia be lured into a cold and loveless marriage. And so begins a battle between Sophie and James. She is determined to protect Olivia, and he determined to gain a wife. This story is quite well constructed and beautifully written. There are teases regarding past events, hints at previous heartaches, and whispers of danger. The characters are realistic, the emotions run from devastation to ecstasy, some scenes are steamy, and the dialogue is spot-on. The author uses details and descriptions that ignite the imagination and add depth to the story. My attention was grabbed, my heart engaged and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 14, 2023
Earl of My Dreams is the first book in the Romancing the Rogue series.
Miss Sophie Everett and her cousin Olivia have been given a directive to find a husband on their own or Sophie's uncle will do it for them as this is the last season he will be funding in London. Sophie is focused on finding love, just not for herself, but for her cousin Olivia. She is determined to matchmake Olivia and Griffin. She believes they care for one another but are too stubborn to admit it, and they are running out of time.
James the Earl of Dearborn is getting in her way since he is determined that he will marry Olivia. James believes Olivia would be the perfect countess. But Olivia overhears James tell Griffin that he has no interest in her heart. All he wants is a wife who will be content to bear his children and spend his money. But Sophie knows that Olivia wants a love match and James will not provide it. James is unaware he was overheard and now finds himself at odds with Sophie and doesn't understand why.
As their feud turns to friendship, sparks will ignite between them, but secrets that have been kept hidden will threaten to destroy their future.
This was a fun cozy romance. I really enjoyed James and Sophie try to match wits against each other. Their romance was entertaining and steamy as the tension builds between them. I think this will be wonderful series.
I received an ARC for BookSirens for an unbiased review.
Miss Sophie Everett and her cousin Olivia have been given a directive to find a husband on their own or Sophie's uncle will do it for them as this is the last season he will be funding in London. Sophie is focused on finding love, just not for herself, but for her cousin Olivia. She is determined to matchmake Olivia and Griffin. She believes they care for one another but are too stubborn to admit it, and they are running out of time.
James the Earl of Dearborn is getting in her way since he is determined that he will marry Olivia. James believes Olivia would be the perfect countess. But Olivia overhears James tell Griffin that he has no interest in her heart. All he wants is a wife who will be content to bear his children and spend his money. But Sophie knows that Olivia wants a love match and James will not provide it. James is unaware he was overheard and now finds himself at odds with Sophie and doesn't understand why.
As their feud turns to friendship, sparks will ignite between them, but secrets that have been kept hidden will threaten to destroy their future.
This was a fun cozy romance. I really enjoyed James and Sophie try to match wits against each other. Their romance was entertaining and steamy as the tension builds between them. I think this will be wonderful series.
I received an ARC for BookSirens for an unbiased review.
September 20, 2023
I really enjoyed this debut by author Sylvie Sinclair. Sophie and James have known each other since childhood and after writing a sonnet to James professing her love for him at a young age, Sophie has been trying to forget about it ever since. When she overhears James claiming that he will marry only for convenience, she attempts to thwart his advances towards her cousin Olivia who is the perfect example of what a bride should be. James respects Sophie’s opinion so much that he seeks her advice on helping him look elsewhere for a bride. As they say, keep your friends close, and James and Sophie find themselves working together a little too much. Of course they would never fall for each other and would only desire one another because you want what you can’t have, right?
I thought the relationship between James and Sophie was flirty and entertaining—they fall for each other yet still are stubborn enough not to quite recognize what they could have. This romance is full of long looks across ballrooms, mutual pining, steamy secretive scenes, and the right amount of teasing by James. The only reason this isn’t a five star read for me is because the conflict with the villain seems to resolve a little too easily—I kept waiting for him to show up again towards the end. This debut still shines with all the things I love about historical romance and I eagerly await Olivia and Griffin’s story next. I received this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
I thought the relationship between James and Sophie was flirty and entertaining—they fall for each other yet still are stubborn enough not to quite recognize what they could have. This romance is full of long looks across ballrooms, mutual pining, steamy secretive scenes, and the right amount of teasing by James. The only reason this isn’t a five star read for me is because the conflict with the villain seems to resolve a little too easily—I kept waiting for him to show up again towards the end. This debut still shines with all the things I love about historical romance and I eagerly await Olivia and Griffin’s story next. I received this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
October 24, 2024
Slow burn & steamy roller coaster
4.5/5 Earl of My Dreams is the first book in the Romancing the Rogues series.
This was a roller coaster of a story for the MC. They go from feeling animosity towards one another, to friends of a sort, and then repressing feelings before giving in to the love they have for one another.
I loved Sophie with her fierce loyalty to her family and knowing what she wants from life and not settling for less. James was a bit more stubborn, not wanting to deviate from his plan and so sure that he knows what’s best. He’s also obsessed with Sophie’s bare feet and it was endearing.
I think this is the author’s debut novel but I read the second in the series first and loved it so much I had to come back to read this one. The plot is bit scattered in the first half and took me a while to get into it but I think other readers will enjoy it.
The writing is wonderful throughout and the second half really had me invested. I teared up at one point and I say I don’t usually cry while reading but this is the third book this month I’ve cried while reading so either I’ve read some really emotional books lately or it’s been a rough month for me. Either way, if a book can evoke that kind of emotion from me the rating automatically goes up. Also, it ended up all tying together well in the end.
This is a slow burn with two encounters and they’re detailed and again well written.
4.5/5 Earl of My Dreams is the first book in the Romancing the Rogues series.
This was a roller coaster of a story for the MC. They go from feeling animosity towards one another, to friends of a sort, and then repressing feelings before giving in to the love they have for one another.
I loved Sophie with her fierce loyalty to her family and knowing what she wants from life and not settling for less. James was a bit more stubborn, not wanting to deviate from his plan and so sure that he knows what’s best. He’s also obsessed with Sophie’s bare feet and it was endearing.
I think this is the author’s debut novel but I read the second in the series first and loved it so much I had to come back to read this one. The plot is bit scattered in the first half and took me a while to get into it but I think other readers will enjoy it.
The writing is wonderful throughout and the second half really had me invested. I teared up at one point and I say I don’t usually cry while reading but this is the third book this month I’ve cried while reading so either I’ve read some really emotional books lately or it’s been a rough month for me. Either way, if a book can evoke that kind of emotion from me the rating automatically goes up. Also, it ended up all tying together well in the end.
This is a slow burn with two encounters and they’re detailed and again well written.
August 31, 2023
Sophie once had a childhood crush on James, but hasn’t seen him in years and believes herself to outgrown her interest in him. When the now widowed James shows up at a house party with intent to court Sophie’s cousin Olivia, she tries to deter him since he’s outspokenly against a love match, while Sophie believes Olivia to be in love with someone else. This leads to Sophie and James arguing and getting in each other’s way, while still somewhat flirting and admiring each other. Sophie is so preoccupied with protecting Olivia’s interests that she doesn’t realize her own merit as someone to be romantically pursued. James has his own tragic past with his prior wife that cause him to avoid any sort of love or emotional entanglement. We don’t find out the details of this relationship until later in the book, but we know that this motivates him to avoid his feelings for Sophie. The thwarted matchmaking plot from the house party finishes up in the first half of the book, and then we move onto the London Season for the second half of the book and meet a new villain to complicate the story. I enjoyed seeing how protective James was of Sophie even though he was slow to realize his own feelings towards her. I liked that they had a shared history and a shared social circle, providing a nice set up for future books in the series.
September 15, 2023
A very solid debut by Sylvie Sinclair! It sucked me in from the very first page. And it was unputdownable. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it at one sitting.
The opening set this up to be a sort of enemies to friends to lovers kind of relationship. The main couple, Sophie and James had a very sizzling chemistry! It was delivered in the very typical historical romance ways. Stolen glances, accidental grazes. These two had me smiling and giggling so many times. The banter between them was so witty, clever, and cute!
As for the side characters, there should be a book for Olivia (book 2) and hopefully Emmy (book 3)? Olivia was alright, I actually found Emmy more intriguing. She seemed to be so up to date with all the happenings in the ton. The mothers here, Lady Augusta and Lady Keswick, were not the pushy and overbearing Mamas that we typically found in historical romance. And I loved that too.
One thing that I wished could be explored more was the situation with Fitzgerald. It was resolved too quickly? And he gave in too easily? I somewhat felt that he might make a comeback? Well! I actually wished that James was the one that resolved the situation.
For a debut novel, this was absolutely lovely! I cannot wait to read the instalments of this series!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The opening set this up to be a sort of enemies to friends to lovers kind of relationship. The main couple, Sophie and James had a very sizzling chemistry! It was delivered in the very typical historical romance ways. Stolen glances, accidental grazes. These two had me smiling and giggling so many times. The banter between them was so witty, clever, and cute!
As for the side characters, there should be a book for Olivia (book 2) and hopefully Emmy (book 3)? Olivia was alright, I actually found Emmy more intriguing. She seemed to be so up to date with all the happenings in the ton. The mothers here, Lady Augusta and Lady Keswick, were not the pushy and overbearing Mamas that we typically found in historical romance. And I loved that too.
One thing that I wished could be explored more was the situation with Fitzgerald. It was resolved too quickly? And he gave in too easily? I somewhat felt that he might make a comeback? Well! I actually wished that James was the one that resolved the situation.
For a debut novel, this was absolutely lovely! I cannot wait to read the instalments of this series!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 3, 2023
My first novel by this author and it was a fun read! Miss Sophie Everett, who is fearlessly protective of those she holds dear, including her cousin, Olivia and determined to put her own happiness on hold till Livvy’s love match happens with Griff - the love of her life.
Sofie and James met as children at Griff’s parent’s house. Sophie develops a major crush on James and follows him and Griff around in the hopes they would include her in their games. Following the death of her beloved parents, she goes to live with her aunt, (Livvy's mum). Sofie sees herself as the champion of Livvy and Griff getting together for their own HEA, if only both would acknowledge they are in love and perfect for each other! This situation is further complicated with James’ return and his decision to marry and after speaking with Livvy, decides she would make his perfect Countess. It is up to Sofie to set him straight and have him move along so Griff and Livvy can get together.
The villain in this story is Lord Fitzgerald, James' former friend who left London some time ago under mysterious circumstances and is back... he is there to add a little spice to an otherwise sweet story.
Enjoyed reading it and I hope this helps you decide to read this too. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through NetGalley and the author and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Sofie and James met as children at Griff’s parent’s house. Sophie develops a major crush on James and follows him and Griff around in the hopes they would include her in their games. Following the death of her beloved parents, she goes to live with her aunt, (Livvy's mum). Sofie sees herself as the champion of Livvy and Griff getting together for their own HEA, if only both would acknowledge they are in love and perfect for each other! This situation is further complicated with James’ return and his decision to marry and after speaking with Livvy, decides she would make his perfect Countess. It is up to Sofie to set him straight and have him move along so Griff and Livvy can get together.
The villain in this story is Lord Fitzgerald, James' former friend who left London some time ago under mysterious circumstances and is back... he is there to add a little spice to an otherwise sweet story.
Enjoyed reading it and I hope this helps you decide to read this too. I received a copy of this romance as a gift through NetGalley and the author and this is my honest and voluntary review.
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