Review – My Irresistible Earl by Gaelen Foley

Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley

The Inferno Club: In public, this scandalous society of London aristocrats is notorious for pursuing all manner of debauchery. But in private, they are warriors who would do anything to protect king and country . . .

Once, she had vowed to marry the Earl of Falconridge. Now, she vows to forget him. After he abandoned her for a life shrouded in secrets, Mara, Lady Pierson, has succeeded in keeping him away, until he appears in London unexpectedly, making her fall in love all over again.

Forced back into Mara’s life by duty, the earl quickly stays for love. He has never forgotten this passionate beauty and never meant to break her heart. But their newfound happiness is endangered—because the Inferno Club demands much of its members, and his vital mission is exposing a deadly plot that could threaten their very lives . . .
*Blurb from Goodreads*

 

I haven’t had the best of luck lately with historical romances, so I was a little hesitant to start this one, especially since this is the first I’ve heard of Foley. I have to say though, after a somewhat frustrating start, I really enjoyed this one!

Jordan was always the responsible one, the one who knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew he always wanted to serve the crown through the secret service he was born into. But as a young man he meets Mara at a house party, and almost gives up his dream for her. Fast forward a decade or so, and Jordan finds himself back in London, and looking at Mara for the first time since he left her at a young man.

When Jordan needs Mara to gain favor with a certain crowd in order to resolve his mission, the two realize that time and distance hasn’t diminished the flames between them, and they fall for each other all over again. But will their love be able to survive a madman assassin, and the pressures of society?

After a somewhat annoying start (I really hate when characters don’t just talk to each other, and instead brood and speculate and form opinions out of thin air), Foley really drew me into the characters and story. I was so happy when Jordan and Mara actually started talking like adults to one another, going into their actual feelings and desires from each other. It was a refreshing change from the other historicals I’ve read as of late.

I loved Mara’s character. I thought she was so strong and self assured. Although she is just coming out of mourning for her husband at the start of the book, she proves to be a loving mother to her son, and a passionate woman with the right man. Her issues with her family were at times painful to read, but I loved how Jordan was ready to swoop in and save her. The fact that he wanted to always be her hero, her champion, was so fun for me. I am partial to stories that have the hero chasing the heroine relentlessly, and Jordan was definitely in the mood to catch Mara.

The mystery and suspense around Jordan’s mission was well done too. Although it was somewhat predictable, it was still engaging and fun to read, not boring or slow. I thought that Jordan’s reasons for keeping his profession were sound, and when Mara finally found out the truth, I thought she over reacted a bit (but that’s just me).

This is the first book I’ve read by Foley, and I have to say I think I need to go pick up the other books in this series. I really enjoyed all the secondary characters, and I’m excited to see the back story of the few other married men in their group. I’m also really looking forward to the future stories. Foley did an amazing job of foreshadowing the next book in the story, and left us hanging with a bit of a cliffy.

All in all, I give My Irresistible Earl a B.

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