ABOUT THE BOOK
Can Captain Wyvern keep his new marriage of convenience all business--or will it turn into something more?
Captain Charles Wyvern owes a great debt to the man who saved his life--especially since Major Richardson lost his own life in the process. The best way to honor that hero's dying wish is for Wyvern to escort the man's grieving fiance and mother safely to a new cottage home by the sea. But along the way, he learns of another obligation that has fallen on his shoulders: his uncle has died and the captain is now the Earl of Rothwell.
When he and the ladies arrive at his new manor house in Devon, they discover an estate in need of a leader and a gaggle of girls, all wards of the former earl. War the new earl knows; young ladies and properties he does not. Still wishing to provide for the bereaved Lady Sophia Haverly, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience.
Sophie is surprised to find she isn't opposed to the idea. It will help her care for her betrothed's elderly mother, and she's already fallen in love with the wayward girls on the Rothwell estate. This alliance is a chance to repay the captain who has done so much for her care, as well as divert her attention from her grief. When Wyvern returns to his sea commission, she'll stay behind to oversee his property and wards.
It sounds so simple. Until the stalwart captain is arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and Sophie realizes how much he's come to mean to her. Now she'll have to learn to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love.
Click here to read an excerpt.
MY THOUGHTS.....
Do you remember the anticipation of waiting for Christmas to come, so that you could see what was in that one beautiful present? That's how I've felt waiting for this third book in the Serendipity & Secrets series, and I must tell, I'm not disappointed! Author Erica Vetsch has given me, and her many other fans, a wonderful gift with this story that introduces Captain Charles Malvern and Lady Sophia Haverly, and reunites us with special friends from The Lost Lieutenant and The Gentleman Spy.
Vetsch has a special affinity for the Regency era and she easily transports readers to that time of spacious estates, lavish parties, and Lords and Ladies. The Indebted Earl has a beautiful setting and an intriguing plotline that is filled with twists, turns, and unexpected complications. I was especially tantalized by Charles's inheritance of not only an estate, but three young girls in need of a home. How does a bachelor deal with an instant family? Perhaps find someone willing to enter into a marriage of convenience? Little does he know what's in store when Lady Sophia says yes!
I loved watching Charles and Sophia progress from needing each other, to respecting each other, and finally, genuinely liking each other. They are both people who have trust issues. Are there deeper feelings waiting to be explored?
I found myself reading The Indebted Earl quickly so that I could discover the outcome, but I will read it again. Very slowly, so that I can truly savor this delightful story! If you're a fan of Regency fiction, you will want to read The Indebted Earl.
I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publishers. There was no obligation for a favorable review. These are my own thoughts.
Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.
Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.
A self-described history geek, she has been planning her first research trip to England.
Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).