Book Review: West End Earl (Misfits of Mayfair #2) by Bethany Bennett

Bethany Bennett is back with the second book in the Misfits of Mayfair series. It's time to meet Cal and Phee in West End Earl!

West End Earl (Misfits of Mayfair #2) by Bethany Bennett

While most young ladies attend balls and hunt for husbands, Ophelia Hardwick has spent the last ten years masquerading as a man. As the land steward for the Earl of Carlyle, she’s found safety from the uncle determined to kill her and freedoms a lady could only dream of. Ophelia’s situation would be perfect—if only she wasn’t hopelessly attracted to her employer.

Calvin, Earl of Carlyle, is determined to see his sister married this season. And he’ll do it with the help of his trusted right-hand man. But when he finds out his man is a woman, and that her life is in danger, his priorities change. Their attraction is passionate, all-consuming, and if they aren’t careful, it could turn downright deadly—for both of them.

3 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed West End Earl and thought it was entertaining and unique. There was light drama and witty dialogue and I thought it was a good addition to the series.

Cal was everything in this. This guy could not catch a break with all the different things being thrown at him. I loved him dealing with his dramas and standing up for himself. Phee was something else. She was in a hard place, doing what she had to in order to survive. They are both in the middle of complicated situations but it was presented in an engaging way. I liked learning about her and Cal’s relationship and who Cal thought she was. There was a good build to him finding out the truth and I enjoyed that build. From there I liked their growing feelings, the flirting, and how Cal saw Phee in a new light, and how they tried to figure out their future path amidst the secrets.

That being said, I had some issues. Cal learning that Phee was a woman was very anticlimactic. Her pretending to be a man is a huge secret and that reveal fell flat for me. I felt there were several missed opportunities when Phee shares this with others as well. I was expecting more since her hidden identity was such a big element of the story. There were good secondary characters involved and I liked seeing Lottie and Ethan again, but they felt forced into scenes at times. I wasn't a fan of Cal’s sister Emma at all, she seemed over the top to me. I liked the friendship that Emma and Phee eventually formed, though there were certain parts where I wasn't sure if it was awesome or ridiculous. I thought this was a good historical romance, though, at times, it didn't feel like I was reading historical with some of the descriptions and word choices, it felt more modern.

I feel really torn because I liked all the fun scenes and dialogue and thought there was a good build to Cal and Phee coming together but I had some issues that I just couldn’t let go of. Maybe those things won’t bother others but they got under my skin. Overall, I liked the story and I am curious about Emma so I plan on continuing with the series.

Complimentary copy received from Forever Romance.