ARC REVIEW About an Earl by Diana Lloyd

What Happens in the Ballroom #2, A delightful retelling of a tale as old as time, truly I never get tired of Beauty and the Beast trope (is it technically a trope). New author to me and as a second story in the series it can be read as a standalone. I love Jewel and Oliver. Jewel is a colonist her father sent her to her aunt, his sister, to be safe during this upcoming war. When Jewel foils her aunt and uncles plan to trick the Earl of Whichcombe into marrying one of their daughters they try to send her off to Scotland. Oliver is grateful to the beauty that saved both him and/or his twin brother from a forced marriage, so grateful he kisses her unfortunately in walks her cousin and aunt and very loudly announce that Lord scar has ruined Jewel. After thinking about it Oliver decides he will do the right thing and marry Jewel but her uncle has already sent her off. That doesn't stop him though he tracks her down and after procuring a lady's maid/chaperone he whisks her off to his country estate.

Oliver's claim to his title is challenged, his scar makes people think he's in league with satan and that he's crazy, Jewel thinks she's helping when she declares herself his fiancee. While Oliver tries to get all his contacts and acquaintances to help prove he's not insane together Jewel tries to figure out the purpose of her uncle's scheme and why he's trying to steal her money. Together Oliver and Jewel make a great team they have wonderful chemistry between them. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this story it was well written with fantastic characters and a tangled web of deceit that Oliver and Jewel manage to work their way through to get to their HEA.