The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf

The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

The Reluctant Earl is the story of Claire and Simon, who desperately want to get married, despite all the obstacles that stand in their way. Their biggest hurdle is the fact that Simon is the son and heir of the Earl of Welbourne, while Claire is the daughter of the earl’s Irish horse trainer. The youngsters are keenly aware that their parents would violently oppose such an unequal union—which is precisely why they never confide in those parents.

Then there is Simon’s father, who, for reasons Simon has never understood, clearly hates his son. Then there is the mystery of Simon’s mother’s death, and the fact that he has never met a single member of her family. Then a miracle happens—Simon learns about a trust fund left to him in his mother’s marriage settlement.

Once the money is in his pocket, Simon and Claire decide to elope…and the simmering pot that is Welbourne Abbey and its inhabitants explodes.

The Reluctant Earl’s synopsis sparked my interest and the prologue further engaged me to want to read more. I enjoyed the writing style with the time jumps such as two hours later, one year later, and the epilogue, ten years later. Talk about keeping the pace flowing at a steady momentum! It was splendid having a plot with twists and turns mixed with a well-developed cast of characters that were mostly relatable. This was the perfect recipe for an entertaining romance book with all the plot threads tied nicely into a pretty bow.

The romance between Simon, the hero, and Claire, the heroine, was young and sweet. I was reminded of the movie “Pretty in Pink”. I was cheering them on the entire time, hoping they’d reach their happy ever after. Simon’s dad and his wife were stinks. They deserved what came their way. On the other hand, Claire’s parents were the ideal parents. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I was happy when Simon’s uncle, Richard Jarvis, came on the scene.

If you are looking for a fun, sweet historical romance then this one fits the bill. Happy reading!