Title: To Catch An Earl
Author: Kate Bateman
Series: Bow Street Bachelors
Release Date: June 30th, 2020
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Synopsis: A case of secret identities finds reunited lovers on opposite sides of the law in this fun, flirty Regency romance.
There’s only one case Bow Street agent Alex Harland, Earl of Melton, hasn’t cracked: the identity of the mysterious woman who stole a kiss from him before he left for war. He’s neither forgotten–nor forgiven–her for leaving him wanting. When he starts investigating the Nightjar, an elusive London jewel thief, he keeps running into the alluring Emmy Danvers, who stirs feelings he hasn’t felt in years.
Even though Emmy’s loved Alex for years, she can’t risk revealing her heart, or her identity as the Nightjar. With Alex on her case, Emmy knows that her secrets are in danger of being discovered. Their cat and mouse game heats up with every interaction, but when Emmy’s reputation–and life–is at risk, will Alex realize that some rules are made to be broken for love?
“Only touch what you’re going to steal. Of the many rules of thieving her father had taught her, that one was key. Emmy Danvers broke it the night of Lady Carlton’s masked ball; she touched Alexander Harland.”
I found To Catch an Earl to be a fun, easy historical romance! It follows Emmy Danvers, a thief who doesn’t want to be a thief, and Alex Harland, a Bow Street runner. The two strangers first crossed paths when Emmy decided to steal a dance from Alex before he was set to leave for the war. Her reasoning was that he could possibly never return and she must take what she wanted before she could no longer. But 4 years later Alex is returned. And now he is part of the Bow Street, AKA Emmys enemy as she has taken over her father’s role as the infamous thief, The Nightjar. Emmy and Alex find themselves crossing paths once more when The Nightjar resumes their thievery of priceless jewels. Alex is set on finding and locking away the thief. Until he discovers that The Nightjar is none other than Emmy, the mysterious woman who has been haunting him ever since that night at the ball.
“Anyone who said women weren’t capable of such things was a fool. Women were capable of anything.”
I liked our two main characters a lot. Emmy was funny and smart (but not as smart as everyone made her out to be as The Nightjar). As a thief, she seemed mediocre to me at best but everyone was always raving about how brilliant of one she is. Alex was a great bow street runner who started out a bit cocky but gradually eased out of that. I thought the two had wonderful chemistry! I love a good opposites attract/ enemies to lovers trope! Emmy is a thief and Alex is the law. There were some good cat and mouse back and forth going on between the two. BUT. I have never been a huge fan of the whole insta-love thing. Now this had definite aspects of that bleck trope but they do try to fight it a bit and it turns it into a bit of a more slow-burn insta-love. Is that a thing?
“Alex Harland was just as much a thief as she was. He’d stolen her heart four years ago and never given it back.”
The historical bits of it were fun to read about although I can’t say how accurate it all is. Overall, this had a fun storyline that will pull you in and keep you interested. I am giving it a 4 out of 5 stars.
*E-ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy!
Shelf-Rated 