AN EARLY BY ANY OTHER NAME is the first book in the Sins and Scandals series by Lauren Smith.
Leo Graham, Lord Hampton has to marry, not for love as he always thought he would, but for money. Money needed to pay off debts his late father incurred before his death. The woman he feels best to marry he doesn't even like, but needs must!
Leo's mother despairs of her son settling for a woman he doesn't love. When she meets an old female friend of Leo's whilst in London she realises that this is the woman that Leo needs, and she puts the wheels into motion to match them up.
The woman in question is, Ivy Leighton. As a woman, she longs for marriage, but as a suffragette, she realises that marriage means losing her independence and being able to fight for women's rights. She puts her head in front of her heart and decides she can never marry.
When Leo meets Ivy he is immediately attracted, whereas Ivy has always had a crush on Leo since they knew each other as children. He doesn't even know who she is! Seeing him as an adult only intensifies those feelings. Is it possible that they could have a future together? It's something they secretly want but as Leo needs money which Ivy doesn't have, and Ivy needs her independence which she is sure marriage will strip from her, they need to forget their hearts desires. Can they?
This was a lovely quick read. What I liked about it so much is that despite the storyline being one that could be considered deep, there were plenty of lighthearted moments that gave the book levity. A particular scene where Leo first comes across Ivy had me laughing out loud, it was definitely one of my favourite scenes in the book. If you love a feel-good, fun yet emotional romance AN EARL BY ANY OTHER NAME will be perfect for you.
Leopold Graham, Lord Hampton, was never a man to let
propriety stand in the way of his pursuit of pleasure.
Hedonism is his only desire in life---until his father's
death saddles him with debts that threaten to bankrupt the
entire family. Now the only thing that stands between him
and utter ruin is marriage to a proper, and preferably
wealthy, young lady. Ivy Leighton is no sweet English rose.
Perhaps it's her gypsy roots, but she would rather make a
spectacle of her independent spirit than sit quietly on the
sidelines. If that means that the only place she'll ever
have in society is firmly on the shelf, then so be it. But
when Ivy runs into the handsome, rakish Leo who's looking
for a respectable, well-bred wife, she can't stop thinking
about the troubles they can get into. Now she just has to
convince him that a life with her is really what he needs.
No excerpt available.
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