#Review | Redeeming The Reclusive Earl by Virginia Heath #RedeemingTheReclusiveEarl @VirginiaHeath_ @MillsandBoon @HarlequinBooks

Hello Sunshines! Well, have got a long, waffled review for you all today, honestly, you will need that cuppa to sustain you through my rambling, but this book is so amazing I have the huge pleasure to be sharing my review of the gorgeously perfect; Redeeming The Reclusive Earl by Virginia Heath. So have you got that cuppa ready, well then go and enjoy!

His heart is a fortress.

And she’s trespassing!

After losing all he holds dear in a horrific fire, Max Aldersley, Earl of Rivenhall, shuns the world – until he catches Effie Nithercott digging holes on his estate! He banishes the intrepid archaeologist and the unsettled feelings she rouses within him. But she returns even more determined and infuriatingly desirable than before! He wonders just how deep she is prepared to dig – so far she’ll reach the man beneath his scars…?

Review

When I sat down to write this review, I literally stared at the blank page for what much have been twenty minutes as the words I desperately wanted to say about this sensational book alluded me. My thoughts were as scrambled and illegible as those of my notes in my notebook….and believe me, a handwritten doctors note is neater and more legible than my shorthand….but the problem I was having was simple;

How do you describe perfection?

Because, I am telling you, that is exactly what this book is; Perfection!!

I have been an avid reader of Virginia Heath since the start, I have devoured book after book after book and loved everyone, there are some that have really stuck with me ***Warriners*** and every single time I say that Virginia you have outdone yourself which is the truth, but this one, my goodness!!….. Not only has Virginia literally out written herself, but this has ‘one of the Classics‘ written all over it, in years to come people will be talking about this book in the same breath as the literary giants, such as Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, in my humble opinion this could easily rival and dominate those greats.

This book is something very special indeed!

Virginia has literally taken every aspect of what I (and thousands of other romance readers) love about historical romance and placed it in inside this book. Everything that we love about historical romance is here; romance, intrigue, history, intelligent and courageous heroines, flawed and fragile heroes, great banter, wit, unique and inspiring plot, perfect pacing and character development, heart-breaking moments of honesty, laughter and sadness…plus my beloved Heathcliffe has now been resigned to the ‘oh, he’s not too bad‘ category and well and truly been replaced by my now beloved Max (hhmmm….which sounds very possessive, but honestly this guy is very special)

I do realise I’m waffling and really making a complete hash of this review, plus most likely not making any sense what-so-ever, but this book is just so beautiful and mesmerising I really want to do it justice, but I’m afraid, I’m not; maybe I should stick to gifs and emoji’s!

After losing everything in a fire, a fire that not only stripped him of his possessions but it stole a part of him too, not just leaving his horrifically scarred both physically but his new scars run deep and have crept in and taken hold of his mind and his heart. Max Aldersley; Earl of Rivenhall becomes a recluse – or he wants to, he wants to run away from the world, from society from all hope so he retires to his newly inherited estate to as he hopes perhaps be forgotten about and I believe die in peace. But, that all get thrown out of the window when he meets the most startling and unusual woman he has ever met in his life; Miss Effie Nithercott, who is only digging up his land in the most alluring breaches which inflame the dormant lust he thought was dead.

He just cannot be having a distraction such as her curvaceous bottom roaming his land digging holes everywhere, even if is looking for archaeology, all our lovely Max wants is peace, so there and then he bans her from his property, well our plucky, determined and uniquely intelligent; Effie has never done wants she was supposed to do if she had maybe she would have been married off by now, but alas her smarts intimidate those poor boys. She very rarely hears the word ‘no’ which I supposed makes you think she is a right spoiled little madam, but that is the complete opposite, Effie is a remarkable, passionate and determined woman, whom I think is rather lonely herself due to her unique talent, she just turns up in the dead of night to dig, something which infuriates the hell out of Max.

Max, oh Max!!! Oh my goodness, I can’t write this, my heart is bursting with too much love for this scarred, fragile, sad, lonely and beautiful-in-his-own-way man. A man who is beyond heart-breaking and easily one of the most tortured individuals that Virginia has ever created, I just don’t know how this fabulous man can be topped, I don’t think he can be, in my eyes he is perfect!! My heart broke for him, he is so full of grief over the future he thinks he has lost, he is uncomfortable around everyone and even more confused and uncomfortable with his growing awareness for the marvellously unique Effie. Plus, I love that hint of a quirky sense of humour, I love that when he gets riled with Effie he changes her surname with hilarious results – but, I am easily amused, but calling her ‘Miss Nitwit’ fabulous.

The whole book is a beautiful masterpiece, a setting example of how a historical romance is supposed to be, it’s so perfectly crafted from start to finish, it’s actually criminal how heartbreakingly beautiful this book is! It’s sensual, traumatic, emotional, mesmerising, alluring, full of drama and romance, with that ever-present Virginia Heath humour and wit, which we have all come to know and love.

With its solid narrative, richly textured details and amusing and thought-provoking plot. Plus two of the most perfectly imperfect lead characters that have ever walked out of the pages of a book, this is an amazing never-ending pull at the heartstrings love story. One of the very finest that any historical romance reader can ever read, this book has ruined me, it’s exhausted me and sent me into a tizzy of happiness, just perfect! (I do realise I have said that about a hundred times, but there are books that can never have it said about them enough)

Plus, can I just mention the cover? Glory, glory, glory me!! Before I even opened the book, that cover got me; those penetrating, lost and beautiful eyes gazing out at you, Mills and Boon/Harlequin have literally outdone themselves with this beauty but it’s more than just easy on the eye, once you start reading it hits you like a storm that cover model IS-MAX, that is how I envisioned him in my head. I bow down to whoever created this cover, they need an award!

I don’t think I can say much more, without sounding like a broken record, but I will say it again just one more time; IT’S PERFECT!!

This was an Arc copy via the author, which I voluntarily reviewed, thank you so much Virginia. X

Redeeming the Reclusive Earl is to be released on 19 March, do go and pre-order it, you won’t be disappointed.

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