Katharine Ashe's THE EARL, is an elegantly written opposites attract love story which features suspense, fabulous dialogue, romance and history. I have been waiting for this story for several years and I was not disappointed!

Lady Justice writes about social reform in her pamphlets. She and Peregrine are fierce political opponents who have appeared throughout Ms. Ashe's Falcon Club series. The Falcon Club's mission is to find missing people and return them. Lady Justice's sister has been missing for several months and she reluctantly turns to Peregrine for assistance.

Lady Justice receives a note from Scotland which states that her sister is alive. She dismisses Peregrine and sets out to find her sister on her own. Peregrine and Lady Justice meet unexpectedly at an inn in Scotland where they are mistaken for a pair of felons who have murdered a local woman. Outnumbered, they leave the inn on horseback. The couple is pursued from village to village. Lady Justice has no choice but to follow Peregrine. The trip through the Scottish countryside parallels the couple's personal journey. To outsmart the people who are intent on capturing them, they must learn to trust and rely on each other.

Katharine Ashe creates characters who have purpose. Lady Justice and Peregrine are imperfect but, are perfect for each other. Both are strong willed and determined and these traits enable them to survive their ordeal.

Ms. Ashe is not afraid to portray characters that appear to be strong but, in fact, are emotionally vulnerable. Lady Justice's pamphlets show the importance and the value of the written word. The letters speak of social injustices, political reform and women's rights as important topics in 1822 and in 2016.

At first, the pairing of this couple surprised me. As I became immersed in THE EARL, I wanted them to elude the men who were chasing them and fall in love. The conclusion to THE EARL was splendidly crafted--full of surprises!