I am thrilled to be sharing my review for; The Earl She Should Never Desire by Lara Temple. It’s far too long since I held a Lara Temple book in my hand (honestly, I think I’m in withdrawal) so I am pretty darn excited to read this beauty, let’s just say it was well worth the long, long, long wait!!
The Earl She Should Never Desire by Lara Temple
Lara Temple offers you a taste of the forbidden in this sexy Regency romance.
This very handsome earl…Is the one man she cannot fall for…
War widow Lily Walsh has left her aristocratic family behind, but she can’t deny her younger sister’s request to come to London to meet her fiancé. Though not a love match, Lord Sherborne is kind, amusing and ideal for her sister on paper. But as Lily gets to know him, she’s finding him alarmingly attractive!
And the forbidden look in the earl’s eye shows the feeling is mutual…
Review
It feels way too long since I read a Lara Temple book -why must we wait so long!!!
I felt like crying when this beauty landed in my inbox, but it’s here and it was worth every torturous second of the wait!!
This is great – I mean really, really great – in fact great isn’t the appropriate word for how gorgeous this book is, it’s like opening your favourite box of chocolates you feel the same tingle of happiness, excitement and overwhelming, huge heart-eyed love. (and yes I do fall in love with every box of chocolates I open, especially when I find the strawberry cream or a piece of fudge 😉)
I am in utter love with this couple, Lily really spoke to me she follows her heart instead of the claustrophobic tonish rules, which (in the eyes of her viper of a mother) means she is a bit odd, she has ostracized herself and mostly embarrassed and brought to shame to the family. The only person bringing shame to this family is the wasp that heads it.
Do not get me started on that woman!!
Lily is a wonderful woman, she followed her heart as well as followed the drum, she married for love instead of status. She gave everything up for love; the life she knew, her family, her friends; everything for her soldier. Unfortunately, her life is sent spiralling, her heartbroken by events out of her control and soon widowed Lily retires to Birmingham where she settles into a life of teaching, in an attempt to try to heal her heart. I loved her devotion to her cause, her kindness and her compassion she is a shining light in many people’s lives.
When she receives a letter from her beloved sister Anne that she is to be married and desperately wants her sister by her side, Lily knows she can’t hide away forever, so she packs up her troubles in her old carpetbag and smiles, smiles, smiles and makes her way to London.
She realises that this trip isn’t going to be easy, facing her mother again is not going to be easy, especially as they have never had the best relationship to start with, but she is excited for her sister and curious about her new brother-in-law.
But the moment she sets eyes on Marcus, she knows that this trip is a very bad idea, she becomes instantly attracted to the dashing, predatory, cool-as-a-cucumber and charismatic; Lord Sherbourne. She knows her feelings for him are all wrong, she won’t allow her attraction to him hurt her sister, even though she has seen the twinkling in those golden eyes.
Speaking of his eyes, I have become a little obsessed with them, and so did Lily…
His eyes were a strange golden amber, or that might be a trick of the afternoon sun cutting in from the west, Tigerish eyes. Even more perfect for Eleanors villainous counts…
…and then he smiled and moved towards her, a subtle sliding motion that went well with the tiger image. Or was it a pantha? Both.
Oh, Marcus!! Marcus, Marcus, Marcus…..this man could ruin any woman with blood running through their veins. 🔥
Yes, he does come across as stoic and distant, but that is because of the heavy weight he is carrying upon those wide shoulders. For our Marcus needs to marry, he needs a nice little wife who will do his bidding and allow fulfil a promise and Lady Anne is a perfect choice, she is kind, beautiful, a proper little lady and perfect to become his wife and to handle all which is thrown at her. But Lily is far more alluring, he is curious about her, the green-eyed monster raising its head on a fair few occasions (especially when his friend the dashing Dominic pays her far too much attention – we will speak of him later). He is a rake, or ruthless, he refuses to allow his baser more animalistic feelings towards Lily hurt his soon to be wife, but he can’t stop the yearning and crackle in the atmosphere whenever she is around.
I loved watching both of them fight with their inner demons, both are good people and neither wants to hurt others, but neither can deny that their hearts beat wildly whenever the other is around!
I have to mention how much I loved Marcus’s thing about making origami birds it’s a little innocuous and doesn’t fit with the steely mask he wears but’s so sweet – plus his paper birds will go well with my paper roses 🥰
I have to mention the dragon – Every time Lily’s mother stepped onto the scenes I instantly felt on guard for lily she is a horrendous woman a prim and proper pain in the arse; all sweetness and like on the outside but inside she has a cold heart of a spitting cobra honestly couldn’t like her attitude towards Lily rubbed me up the wrong way.
Now onto far more pleasant subjects – Ahh Dominic – this guy needs a story!!! I really really really (i could go on) liked Dominic he stole every scene he eas in he’s cheeky charismatic, and a proper rake in all sense of the words but I am suspecting there is more going on beneath the surface, he is naturally funny he is a good-natured charmer with a saucy streak.
I adored everything about this book, it has Lara Temple stamped it with her classical and dazzling romantic flair. The story moves forward at a steady pace, there is no rushing it glides along through the waters of emotion and love. I am in love with Lily and Marcus, they are made for each other, each having to wade through lots of inner turmoil before they can accept that this path together is the one they should be on.
The moral of the story is that the road from love to true love is never easy, but can be achieved, no matter watch roadblocks you bump into.
This is an experience, from the first page you feel as though you have been pulled through the pages and you are breathing in every aspect of this gorgeous and captivating story. There is so much to love about this story, there are moments which will have you sighing deeply at the tenderness, plus those which will break your heart and leave you feeling a little teary.
Above all else, it’s a magical and thought-provoking love story, one which will steal your heart.
Chicks,Rogues and Scandals 