Meet the Earl at Midnight

by Gina Conkle

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Meet the Earl at Midnight is a sweet, Historical Romance, retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Lydia's stepfather essentially trades her womb in exchange for some of his and his son's debts. The earl of Greenwich, Edward, is on a tight schedule and needs an heir. He hasn't been able to find a bride, since he's known as a hermit, never going out into Society. Even if it weren't for his scarred face, he still probably wouldn't venture out, so this arrangement suits him fine. Lydia just wants her mother to be cared for and to pursue her painting, so she goes with the earl without too much of a fuss.

I did like Meet the Earl at Midnight, but for the most part, it's slow going. There isn't much of a romance at all until it's nearly over. In the meantime, Lydia and Edward bicker a bit, since plenty of misunderstandings crop up. Then they get to know each other, and actually end up combining their talents and working together. Edward is a scientist, studying plants for medicinal use. While he's a genius in the greenhouse, his diagrams and penmanship are a mess, which is where Lydia steps in. I actually really enjoyed this part, since I found the older science to be pretty fascinating, and I found their interactions quite cute.

Enter Lady Elizabeth, Edward's mother. She is the stereotypical, monster-in-law. No one is good enough for her son, especially a commoner like Lydia. She insults Lydia every chance she gets even under the guise of teaching her to be a proper lady. Luckily, Lydia isn't some wilting flower and can bite back a bit, so there was some humor in their relationship. However, things kind of drop off toward the end when the two team up for some mutual goal. I was highly disappointed in Lydia for what she did. She was trying to help, but with selfish intentions, and I just didn't feel okay with that.

Meet the Earl at Midnight had a lot of things that I loved, but it took a bit too long to get anywhere. Lydia and Edward do share a quite steamy wedding night, but there's no declarations of love until the very end. Even then, I didn't believe Edward's feelings, since nowhere in his narrative did he consider the possibility of loving her. Lydia, on the other hand, had a very specific moment of realization. In the end, I liked it, but wish things had developed differently.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.