ARC REVIEW An Earl By Any Other Name by Lauren Smith

An Earl by Any Other Name is the first book of Lauren Smith's new Sins and Scandals series. It's novella length and insta-lust to love. I know they say never judge a book by it's cover but I assumed (yeah I know) that this was a Regency or Victorian historical romance (strictly judging the dress), nope it's Edwardian early 1910. It really threw me off when they started talking about automobiles. Apparently I don't pay close enough attention to the Italic print at the beginning of a chapter. Normally I don't mind insta-love/lust but in this case Leo just bugged the crap out of me because of it, and then throw in the rushed feel of the book and it's almost like he has no personal growth, he just became more accepting. Ivy was fine she was justified in her worries. I loved his mother I kept picturing Glynis Johns the mom from Mary Poppins. I love the era, and I loved the idea behind the story but I wish it was full novel length, I just wanted to see a little bit more of a change in Leo and the conflict not so rushed.

Leopold Graham inherited the title Earl when his father died in bed with his mistress. Leo having weathered the embarrassment and finding out the money's all gone realizes he has to stop being a rake and be a respectable gentleman and that means finding a respectable wife with money enough to save the family estates. Ivy Leighton has known Leo all her life but after her mother's death a father she never knew existed came and claimed her. Now years later she is a beautiful young lady and once again back in Leo's life, thanks to his mother's meddling. She has manipulated things so Leo and Ivy end up together for the different house party activities. Leo spend most of the book thinking to make Ivy his mistress and marry the bland and dry Lady he picked for his prospective wife. Not to mention Ivy and his mother are part of the suffrage movement and he finds that silly, he thinks women aren't smart enough to make up their own minds about politics. I get most men thought that way back then but Leo was just aggravating.

Overall, it was an okay read, not quite what the blurb promised.