#Review: THIS EARL OF MINE by Kate Bateman

  3.5 of 5 stars

 Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is tired of dodging fortune hunters who want to marry her just for her money including her cousin Josiah. In order to thwart him permanently, she comes up with a plan to marry a criminal who would soon be executed. As a widow, she would have more freedom than as a single young woman. Instead of a death row inmate, she is married to Ben Wylde. What she doesn't know if that Ben is undercover and really is a member of the ton and a Bow Street runner. While nether one of them wanted to be married, can they walk away from each other?

Ms. Bateman writes about strong, independent females and Georgie fits that mode. She's smart, witty and determined to continue managing her deceased father's shipping business. When Ben shows up at a ball, Georgie realizes what she's done and who's she married. I did like Ben although I was puzzled how he got the moniker of "rake" when he didn't really sleep around. Another point is I'm not sure a Bow Street runner would have divulged all his top secret information to a woman, even though she was his wife in name only. While this wasn't an edge of your seat mystery, it was entertaining. I look forward to reading the next book in series.

I voluntarily read the advanced reader copy and all opinions are my own.

Summary:

Introducing the Bow Street Bachelors—men who work undercover for London’s first official police force—and the women they serve to protect. . .and wed?

Shipping heiress Georgiana Caversteed is done with men who covet her purse more than her person. Even worse than the ton’s lecherous fortune hunters, however, is the cruel cousin determined to force Georgie into marriage. If only she could find a way to be . . . widowed? Georgie hatches a madcap scheme to wed a condemned criminal before he’s set to be executed. All she has to do is find an eligible bachelor in prison to marry her, and she’ll be free. What could possibly go wrong?

Benedict William Henry Wylde, scapegrace second son of the late Earl of Morcott and well-known rake, is in Newgate prison undercover, working for Bow Street. Georgie doesn’t realize who he is when she marries him—and she most certainly never expects to bump into her very-much-alive, and very handsome, husband of convenience at a society gathering weeks later. Soon Wylde finds himself courting his own wife, hoping to win her heart since he already has her hand. But how can this seductive rogue convince brazen, beautiful Georgie that he wants to be together…until actual death do they part?

Author Bio:

Kate Bateman, (also writing as K. C. Bateman), is the #1 bestselling author of historical romances, including her RITA® nominated Renaissance romp, The Devil To Pay, and the novels in the Secrets & Spies series To Steal a Heart, A Raven’s Heart, and A Counterfeit Heart. When not writing novels that feature feisty, intelligent heroines and sexy, snarky heroes you want to both strangle and kiss, Kate works as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several popular TV shows in the UK. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England. Follow her on Twitter to learn more.