The Highland Earl

From start to end, this story was filled with intrigue, suspense, danger, secrets and of course, romance and passion. I love it that the hero's character, John Erskine, is based on an actual historical figure and even though the author took liberties with his story, it was so well written, I didn't mind at all. Taking place in the 1700's, when Queen Anne reigns over England, Scotland and Ireland, her brother Prince James living in exile while the Jacobites plot to make him take his rightful place as King, the Earl of Mar, John Erskine, The Secretary of State of Scotland, is looking to find a wife with a dowry that he needs to pay off his father's debts and mother to his two young sons, Thomas and Oliver. He decides that Lady Evelyn Pierrepont is the perfect choice! There is more to Lady Evelyn Pierrepont than meets the eye, though!! She's very adept with a bow and arrow AND she's a spy! It doesn't take long for her to fall in love with John but she knows that he will never stop loving his dead wife. There is much danger and misunderstandings in their way before they can get their HEA but it will all have been worth it in the end. Simply put, I loved and enjoyed this story, the characters are fascinating and complex, John's young sons are a delight and I adored Evelyn's dog, Brutus, the old Corgi:) I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

At her first royal ball, Evelyn saw him talking to her father. "Truly he might possibly be the most striking man she'd ever seen. It was all she could do not to openly gawk. No, she'd never met a man such as he. Beautiful, yet masculine. His face youthful, yet sophisticated and wise. The inability to put her finger on what made the earl more alluring caused her to stare more." It was the first time she has seen John Erskine, the Earl of Mar and Secretary of State for Scotland. Of course with her current occupation of spying and helping the cause of the Jacobites, which supported her passion to end the power of the aristocracy, she thought him another priviledged peer. Amy Jarecki is a master at creating a story with all of the elements of a dazzling Scottish romance that will take your breath away! An arranged marriage, a simmering passion that explodes, suspense that will keep you intrigued, secrets that will come out and a road to love that winds it way to the end. There is so much more I can say, but I will leave you with words of wisdom. If you enjoy reading stories that will grab you from the first page and hold your attention until the end, this one is for you! Have enjoyed this series so much and although this can be read as a standalone, I encourage you to read them all!!

4.5 Stars!! If you like older, still fit & handsome man with a younger woman, than you would like this. There is a lot of mystery, a little romance & a little ‘oh my gosh, what’s going to happen now!?’! Plenty of surprises too! I really enjoyed this book! I highly recommend it too! It’s a standalone book but it’s the 6th book in the series! I’m planning on reading the series since this was the first book I’ve read from it! I hope the other books are as good as this one! Next book definitely needs to be about the ship captain Keenan Cameron!!! I really liked him!! Ha! Anyway, great book & I highly recommend you read it, even if you haven’t read any of the other books in the series! *I received this book to read and review at no charge from the publisher and I gave my honest opinion.*