Forever Your Earl and Scandal Takes the Stage
The Wicked Quills of London # 1 & 2
By: Eva Leigh
Avon Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book
for review from Tasty Book Tours, the publisher, and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to
write a positive review. The opinions I
have expressed are my own. I am posting
this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of
Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".
Blurb:
FOREVER YOUR EARL: The Wicked Quills of London # 1
Publishing with Avon on September 29, 2015
Eleanor Hawke loves a good scandal. And readers of her successful gossip rag live for the exploits of her favorite subject: Daniel Balfour, the notorious Earl of Ashford. So when the earl himself marches into her office one day and invites her to experience his illicit pursuits firsthand, Eleanor is stunned. Gambling hells, phaeton races, masquerades…What more could a scandal writer want than a secret look into the life of this devilishly handsome rake?
Daniel has secrets and if The Hawk’s Eye gets wind of them, a man’s life could be at stake. And what better way to distract a gossip than by feeding her the scandal she desperately craves? But Daniel never expected the sharp mind and biting wit of the beautiful writer, and their desire for each other threatens even his best laid plans.
But when Eleanor learns the truth of his deception, Daniel will do anything to prove a romance between a commoner and an earl could really last forever.
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23314827-forever-your-earl
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/138344-the-wicked-quills-of-london
Forever Your Earl Excerpt:
But Lord Ashford up close was
rather...appalling. It didn't seem right that a man so blessed by fortune
and title should also be so attractive.
His dark brown hair was fashionably
cut and artfully tousled, as if he'd recently risen from a lover's bed.
Given his reputation, that was most likely possible. He had a broad
forehead, a coin-clean jawline, thick brows, and eyes that, even with yards
between her and him, stunned her with their blue clarity. Naturally, he
had a mouth that looked very adept at kissing and...other things.
He moved with a long-limbed ease
that betrayed his skill as a sportsman. His ink blue coat fit the broad
width of his shoulders, and his cream and gold-embroidered waistcoat defined
the shape of his torso—his tailor on Jermyn Street produced excellent work.
Snug doeskin breeches were tucked into polished Hessians that came from Bond
Street.
Truly, he was quite alarming.
“Miss Hawke?” he
asked sharply, coming to stand in front of her paper-cluttered
desk. “I wasn't expecting a female.”
“Neither were my parents,” she
answered, “but they learned to adapt. How might I help you, my
lord?”
Though she felt an obligation to ask
the question, she braced herself for what was sure to be a scorching lecture.
He removed his hat and set it
aside. Then he held up an issue of The Hawk's Eye and
began to read.
“'Lord A—d, a figure well-known to
our assiduous and genteel readers, was lately seen in the company of a certain
Mrs. F—e, whose late husband made his considerable fortune through the
manufacture and sale of a woman's garment we blush to mention in these virtuous
pages.'” He tossed one of the issues to the ground. “Wrong.”
“You cannot deny—”
But he wasn't done. Holding up
another issue of the paper, he read again. “'It may or may not stun
our honorable readers to learn that the notorious Lord A—d has not amended his
ways following the duel over Lady L., from Y—shire, and has been espied with
another married lady of questionable character, at the late night revels hosted
by the equally rakish Mr. S—n. Yet it was noted by our keen-eyed
intelligence that this married lady was not the only female vying for the
earl's favors.'” This paper he also cast to the floor. “Wrong.”
She herself had written those
pieces, and while they weren't matchless examples of English prose, she was
still rather proud of them, as she was of all her labors. To have her
hard work thrown to the ground like so much garbage was rankling.
“I assure you, my lord,” she
said bitingly, “The Hawk's Eye strives for the greatest of
accuracy.” She had a network of sources which she used regularly to
provide information. Many members of the aristocracy were in dire need of
funds, and they gladly turned on each other in order to maintain the pretense
of effortless wealth. Eleanor always paid her informants to keep them
returning.
Whether or not they lied to her just
to collect payment wasn't her concern, but she always preferred it if she could
validate their statements. Sometimes that meant going out and conducting
a few investigations. But she was a very busy woman—writing articles,
editing countless others, managing the paper’s finances—and didn't always have
the time.
She had to earn a living, after
all. And men like the earl didn't.
Blurb:
SCANDAL TAKES THE STAGE: The Wicked Quills of London #2
Publishing with Avon on October 27, 2015
Successful playwright Maggie Delamere has no interest in the flirtations of noblemen like Cameron, Viscount Marwood. She once paid dearly for a moment of weakness… and vows to rebuff the wildly persistent-and irritatingly handsome-scoundrel at every turn. But when pressure to deliver a new play hampers her creativity, an invitation to use his country estate as a writer’s retreat is too tempting to resist...
For years, Cam has admired Maggie’s brilliant work and he can’t pass up the opportunity to discover if the beautiful, mysterious playwright is as passionate and clever as the words that flow from her quill. He’s never offered a lady his bed without being in it, but if it means loosening Maggie’s pen-and her inhibitions-he’ll do exactly that.
But soon Cam’s plans for seduction become a fight for Maggie’s heart. He’s more than the scandalous, carefree rake society believes him to be… and she’s the only woman who has ever noticed.
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/138344-the-wicked-quills-of-london
Scandal Takes the Stage Excerpt:
Both Ashford and his wife were elegantly attired for a night
out. Lady Ashford, in particular, glowed in blue. Though she was a countess,
she prided herself on being a working woman. Yet Cam felt certain that the
substantial sapphires around her neck and hanging from her earlobes were
placating gestures to her husband. Ashford tried to spoil her at every turn.
The couple stood unfashionably close. Ashford had his hand
on the small of his wife’s back.
After kissing Lady Ashford’s gloved knuckles and giving his
old friend’s hand a shake, Cam said wryly, “I’m older than I thought, since I’m
certain that my eyes are failing. This can’t be Lord and Lady Ashford actually
leaving their home. Joining those of us who haven’t found wedded bliss.”
“It’s not our fault that the female population of London
considers you an irredeemable rogue,” Ashford said.
His wife smiled warmly. “To women, his reputation acts as a
lure, not a deterrent.”
“And yet they’ll find themselves sorely disappointed,” Cam
noted, clasping his hands behind his back. “Because this piece of beefsteak is
not for sale at Smithfield market.”
Ashford shook his head. “Don’t tell your father. He comes to
me almost once a fortnight, despairing of you ever finding a wife.”
Cam rolled his eyes. His father was also Ashford’s
godfather, and ever since his friend had married, the efforts to see Cam
settled and applying himself to the business of getting an heir had redoubled.
“So much labor,” Cam said with mock sorrow, “and for so
little an outcome.”
“You are determined to remain a dedicated bachelor, then?”
Lady Ashford pressed, ever the journalist. She used her matching blue fan to
cool herself against the oppressive heat in the theater.
“I have a younger brother,” Cam noted. “He has three
qualities in his favor that I do not.” Holding up his hand, he enumerated each
aspect on his fingers. “One: he has already taken a bride of suitable lineage
and fortune. Two: they have produced a child. And third: he has no compunction
about assuming the role of Marquess of Allam should anything happen to me.”
Shrugging, Cam said, “There are no obstacles to me
continuing to live my life as I so desire it. Free of entanglements.” Free of
disappointment.
His parents had a remarkably happy marriage. Whilethey
didn’t show affection in public the way the Ashfords did, at home, it was
another matter. His mother and father were devoted to each other, brushing
hands, exchanging looks, even—God help him—sequestering themselves in the
middle of the day in the bedchamber.
It hadn’t been a love match, but it had become one, and Cam
knew things like that occurred rarely. What had happened with a seasoned rake
like Ashford was the exception, about as common as finding a pearl in an apple.
The only place where love happened consistently was on the
stage. It wasn’t meant for the real world. Not meant for him. He’d only find
disenchantment if he tried for what couldn’t be.
Which is why he always kept his amorous encounters temporary.
Most
of us don’t do anything as exciting as act; write a book or even a play. Most of us won’t even have a chance of
meeting anyone famous. But can you even
imagine having someone seeking you out because of how much they like what you
do? For Margaret, it seems to be a
lonely job and then someone like Cam walks into her life.
This
is a story that takes its time in revealing things. The relationship between these two characters
also takes its time. The theater and the
plays seem to take center stage (pardon the pun). You almost have to wonder how these two
people will ever find love – but are they looking for it. It seemed that every time I turned around I
had another question. In order to get
them answered, you have to keep reading.
This
is book two of a series and didn’t find that you need to read book one in order
to enjoy book two. Characters from the
previous book are mentioned so you may want to take the time and explore Forever Your Earl. I’m a person that sometimes likes to set the
mood for when I read a book and for this one I wished I had an old theater
nearby in which to go sit in one of the seats and just sit and read. Sadly, those theaters are now few and far
between. I can almost hear the organ
music playing in the background. The
author does such a great job in creating a story around the theater of old that
you may want to research more about the subject yourself – road trip!
Author Info:
EVA LEIGH is the pen name of a RITA® Award-nominated romance author who writes novels chock-full of smart women and sexy men. She enjoys baking, Tweeting about boots, and listening to music from the ‘80s. Eva and her husband live in Central California.
Rafflecopter Giveaway (a Print copy of FOREVER YOUR EARL and a $25 GiftCard to eBook Retailer of choice)
Avelyn Paige is a born and raised Indiana girl. She may be a Hoosier by birth, but she’s a Boilermaker by choice! Avelyn lives in rural Indiana with her pastor husband, 2 spoiled cats, and one very odd looking dog. She’s an oncology research scientist by day and a writer and book review blogger by night. She enjoys reading anything she can get her hands on, baking, and spending time with her friends and family. 
