What An Earl Wantsby Shirley Karrreviewed by Cybil SolynJanuary 2005, 384 pages, Publisher: Avon, ISBN: 0060742305 Back Cover Blurb: What's a lord to do? The devilishly attractive Earl of Sinclair is having trouble holding onto servants, what with so many of them pairing up and running off to be wed. Luckily, his able new secretary, J. Quincy, seems scrupulously loyal, and possesses the invaluable ability to flawlessly forge the master's signature. But imagine Sinclair's surprise when he discovers the "J" stands for "Josephine." His cherished employee is, in actuality, a quite delectable lady in disguise!
Jo desperately needs this position, and never actually lied about her gender – though she didn't expect Sinclair's keen eye to expose the truth so quickly. If the ton finds out, the scandal could be devastating. But Jo believes she can still be of service to the dashing lord. The greatest difficulty, however, will be keeping her mind on business with Sinclair standing so tantalizingly, intoxicatingly close. And what this earl wants, he usually gets!
I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I know, I know. I have a very large soft spot for girls dressed as boys or "chick-in-pants" books as I like to call them, but What an Earl Wants is just a well written, laugh-out-loud story that everyone will want to keep.
The Earl of Sinclair needs a secretary, he needs one fast and the cheeky Quincy seems as good a find as anyone. Wounded in the war, Sinclair has fought tooth and nail to heal and lead a normal life. But although he can control his body he can't seem to manage his staff Not only is he getting the nickname "The Matchmaking Earl" because all his staff seem to fall in love and run off together, but he has come to realize that the latest couple took off with a large portion of his wealth!
Josephine is at her wits end as well. She needs a job and she needs one fast. She is barely able to feed and house her younger sister and grandmother, and since she has played her father's son for many years she sees no reason not to keep up the charade as Sinclair's new secretary. But all of this is put to sunder when the Earl begins to fall in love with his very attractive secretary…
In a time when 90% of the new Regency authors are producing uninspiring books it's wonderful to see a new author come out with guns blazing. Karr holds nothing back in this novel and it shows. From the first introduction of the characters to the final kiss you will be enthralled by the depth and humor of the characters' journeys. I really felt like there were no "stars" in this book. Each character comes to life with such clarity that you remember them all. From the butler to one of the many needy people Jo forces the Earl to employee, I felt that they all had their own story to tell and did so. I like a full cast of characters and Karr definitely supplies one.
So saying, I never felt like our hero and heroine were lost among the crowd. Sinclair's hatred of his weakness and his scarred heart, as well as leg, will satisfy all those tortured hero lovers, and Jo's fearless heart and indomitable spirit will have them looking for a piece of "Jo" in themselves. Both characters have seen a lot and endured much. They don't need to grow as people so much as grow as a couple. They both need to learn to lean on someone else when they need it. This is the true heart of their relationship, and the meat of the love story.
What impressed me most about this book was the way Karr handled the chick-in-pants aspect of the story. Jo isn't just dressing up for a job. She isn't putting her hair up in a hat and binding her breasts. No. Jo has been passing as a man for quite a while. She isn't just play acting. She has male attire made for her, keeps a male haircut, and is strong enough to bear the weight of her employer when he needs assistance. In fact when she needs to set aside Jo to become Josephine again she is almost unable to let go of her masculine ways.
Bottom Line: Don't miss this book!
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Cybil Solyn, csolyn@rakehell.com
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