Sex and the Single Earl
Author: Vanessa Kelly
Publisher: Zebra/Kensington
Pub. Date: May 4, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1420106558
Retail: $6.99
352 pages

Their marriage was convenient…

Simon St. James, fifth Earl of Trask, knows he could do worse in the marriage of convenience department. Sophie Stanton may be a bit of a social liability, with her ungovernable ways and flighty nature, but Simon has responsibilities as an earl that far outweigh happiness in the household. As for happiness in the bedroom…he has to admit he sees Sophie’s potential in that arena…

Their passion was not!

But Sophie isn’t some bargaining chip to be traded, and she’s not about to let Simon St. James tell her how to live her life—even though she has nurtured a crush on the handsome young earl for as long as she can remember. If his idea of courtship is telling her what to do, then she is not interested, or at least she is trying not to be. But when his scolding words turn to scorching kisses, suddenly Sophie starts paying attention…

~*~*~

Vanessa Kelly is a fairly new author and knowing that, I was a bit anxious to read Sex and the Single Earl but I was rather surprised at this romantic and delightful book. Sex and the Single Earl is a beautifully crafted tale of two life long friends falling in love. The storyline and characters were well developed and likable. The chemistry between the main characters is sizzling and entertaining.

Young and spirited, Sophie Stanton is the opposite of what society expects her to be. Sophie grew up privileged and sheltered but she has opened her eyes to the troubles of the world and wants to help those in need. After an encounter with a little boy who steals a valuable piece of jewelry, Sophie sets out to help the boy and his sister at the risk of her reputation. Sophie enlists Simon’s help to retrieve her jewelry and save the children. Little does she know, Simon has other plans that include marrying her.

Simon St. James, the Ninth Earl of Trask, is a handsome, arrogant and determined man who is trying to leave his legacy as one of the wealthiest men ever. In order to achieve his goal of building a mill, he needs an important piece of land that is enriched with coal. The only problem is that the land belongs to Sophie Stanton. Simon has always adored Sophie, though they constantly fight. Realizing that the only way to get control of the land is through marriage, he imposes himself on Sophie, forcing her hand in marriage, and hiding the real truth behind his proposal. The problem is that this earl has to keep his fiancé out of constant mischief and convince her that they belong together.

After the first fifty pages, I hoped that the overused plot of the girl pining away for the older friend of the family would not be stale and predictable. My wish was granted. Though Sophie always fancied Simon, she fights him throughout the book, wanting a marriage based on love and refusing to say yes just to appease her family and her own heart. Sophie is a fiercely independent woman and I was immediately drawn to her spirit. I loved how the author showed James’s love for Sophie even when it was not evident to him. Watching Simon and Sophie’s journey warmed my heart.

The quick and light banter ison point. The one thing that I often look for is fluid dialogue. I enjoy when my characters engage in conversation with one another and this story does exactly that. The love scenes in this novel were passionate and hot. Their verbal sparring left them highly aroused and the pages exploded with each sexual encounter.

My biggest problem with the book was that the author created suspense by showing that there was an immediate threat to the children. At the end there is some resolution but I was left wondering what happened to them. Now, I understand that the story is centered on the two characters and that the children were merely secondary characters, but I felt slighted that I did not get a glimpse of what had become of the children.

This is a wonderfully romantic novel and I look forward to more from this author. I recommend this book for those who want a beautiful, well-written story that exhibits love, trust, betrayal and forgiveness.

Rating: 7 (Good )

Heat-Level: 4(Hot)

5 Replies to “Review: Sex and the Single Earl”

  1. Thanks for a thoughtful review. Since we like many of the same authors, I am sure I will like this as much as
    your did.

  2. Hi Samantha,
    Thanks for the fantastic review! I’m very interested in this book, it sounds great, and I’ve never read a Vanessa Kelly book.

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