Review: One Good Earl Deserves a Lover

Reviewed by Jen
 

This is the best historical romance I have read in ages.  Unbelievable sexual tension. A fantastic love story.  Even better than her last book --and THAT is saying a lot.

Have I got your attention yet?

Phillipa is only a couple of weeks away to wedding a sweet, albeit slightly simple man.  And despite the wealth of knowledge floating around in her head, she is plagued by the fact that she has no idea what her wifely duties will entail. She certainly can't ask her betrothed.  Her mother and sisters are no help. So she decides to take her questions to an expert.

Cross has a reputation of being both brilliant and a rake of the highest order.  Who else could be better to school her in the ways of the bedroom?  So Pippa corners him in his office at the gaming hell he helps run --and asks him to ruin her.  Not to bed her, of course, but to teach her everything there is to know about the carnal arts.

Cross is quite taken with Pippa.  She is an unusual woman. Very smart... honest and direct.  But he wants no part of the fairer sex.  He took a personal vow of celibacy years ago to atone for past sins.  He certainly won't debauch someone as innocent as Pippa.  But, my, how she wears him down.  As their paths cross again and again she grows nearly impossible to resist.  Yet somehow he does it.

And there comes the sexual tension I was talking about earlier.  MacLean manages to burn up the pages without these two ever touching each other. Yes, they do touch each other eventually, but in the meantime, I found myself gripping the arms of my chair and leaning toward the computer screen in anticipation of a kiss... a touch... anything.  And when it finally happens --wow. 

Cross is one of my favorite kinds of heroes, the kind that thinks he is nowhere near good enough for the heroine.  He sees her as a prize few others see the value of.  He pushes her away and pushes her away, but --this is where the awesomeness of Pippa comes in-- she never gives up.  It's such a great journey and it left me completely and utterly satisfied.

Rating: A-

*ARC Provide by Avon

Click to purchase: Amazon

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover

by Sarah MacLean

Release Date: January 29, 2013

Publisher: Avon