Earl Interrupted

January 1, 2018
An abduction on land leads to a wedding at sea.In 1811, there are only a few acceptable ways for a young unmarried woman to meet an earl, and taking off his pants in order to remove a bullet from his side is definitely not one of them. And yet, that's how Emma St. James meets Capt. Robert Ashton, also known as the Earl of Darington but most commonly known as the Pirate Earl. For him, it's love at first sight, and he begins planning a proposal before he has his trousers back on. Emma is already engaged, however, and was on her way to America to meet her fiance before she and Darington were each beset by highway robbers. Avoiding the outlaws who are looking for them, the two of them head to Greystone Hall, Darington's childhood home, and from there, readers of If the Earl Only Knew (2016) will recognize the house party they find themselves in the midst of. That gathering ended in marriage for Lady Kate and the Earl of Wynbrook, but Emma's betrothal and the appearance of pirate rivals make this love story much more complicated. The second volume of Forester's Daring Marriage duo starts with a privateer battle and maintains a suitably high level of suspense throughout. Emma is a devout Christian who relies on Bible verses for comfort throughout her adventure, and the passionate moments between her and Darington are correspondingly tame on the page, but their chemistry is so strong that even readers who like their romances on the spicy side won't mind.A fast-paced historical romance with sea legs.

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Starred review from January 8, 2018
Forester’s second Daring Marriages Regency romance is a knockout. Daring sea captain and privateer Robert Ashton returns to London as the Earl of Darington, hoping to get married, but English society misses aren’t lining up to say yes. He is shot while rescuing his twin, Kate (introduced in If the Earl Only Knew), from a kidnapping, and wealthy Emma St. James nurses him back to health. Emma fled her odious stepbrother’s scheme to marry her for her inheritance, and marrying Robert would solve her problems, but she refuses to trap him into marriage. Like Kate, Emma is feisty, practical, and willing to fight her own battles instead of waiting for Robert to be her hero. Forester gets giddy with nearly a dozen over-the-top scenes of high jinks while revealing more details about the conspiracy that led to the death of Robert’s father and landed the Ashton siblings in debtor’s prison. The adventures are well-paced and absorbing, the characters likable and imperfect, and the mystery just complicated enough. The comedic elements and a strong cast of secondary characters save this amusing romp from being overblown. Forester combines romance with adventure on the high seas, the machinations of the ton, and family secrets to create a witty read for historical romance fans who like their heroines to show a little spunk and heroes to learn a little humility. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency.