Review: The Other Countess by Eve Edwards

England, 1582

Ellie—Lady Eleanor Rodriguez, Countess of San Jaime—possesses a worthless title, but her feisty spirit captivates the elite of the Queen's court—especially the dashing new Earl of Dorset.

William Lacey, Earl of Dorset, has inherited his father's title—and his financial ruin. Now Will must seek a wealthy bride and restore his family's fortune. If only he hadn't fallen for the beautiful but penniless Ellie . . .

Sparks fly whenever Ellie and Will are together, but circumstances—and the conniving interference of others—threaten to keep them apart.

There are two key components to making a good historical romance. They are capturing the time period effectively and of course the romance. Eve Edwards has done a good job on both of these fronts. You can tell she has done her research. There were plenty of historical details to give me a good sense of life back then. And the clothes were impeccably described. The other front was just as well done because the romance is perfect. It is slow and filled with witty banter and mutual respect.

Ellie and Will are a very good match. They are well suited for each other. This is not a case of opposites attract but rather like calling to like. They also stand on their own very well. They are each complete characters. As are all of the characters through whose eyes we see the story. There are many POVs here and it works because they are all distinct and most of them are able to add something to the larger story. The only one that did not is Nell’s. She is Lady Jane’s maid. Her side story did not seem to have a point, maybe she has something larger to do in the later books but right now her story feels superfluous.

I like the plot. It is interesting and it extends the romance over a few months. There is also a lot of intrigue but not one having to do with the Queen or country, just with the character’s lives. Also it did not stay in one place the characters traveled all over. My only problem with the plot is that some of the elements do not gel very well.

I give this book a B