Book Review: Counting on a Countess by Eva Leigh

Counting on a Countess is the second novel in the London Inderground series, written by Eva Leigh and published by Mills & Boon Historical. This is a story about a marriage of convenience which will benefit both parties as both will reap benefits from entering into it. Christopher “Kit” Ellingswoeth is a war veteran and recently appointed Earl of Blakemore. He tries to hide from his demons by going to the London Pleasure Gardens and gambling his fortune away on cards and other vices. Luckily for him he has been left a sizeable inheritance by Lord Summerby - the only stipulation being that he must marry within a month. Unfortunately for Kit a codicil in the will gives his wife control of his fortune so he will have to ask her permission for the money to finance his Pleasure garden. Tasmyn Pearce is his ideal candidate - not really interested in ensaring a husband he can marry her and send her back to Cornwall with a sizeable allowance for her troubles.  Little does he know that she is in London looking for buyers for the rum and other contraband she has bought off smugglers in her attempt to save her village, that she has been working with smugglers for the past 8 years and a rich husband so she can buy back her ancestral home Chi Owr from her Uncle, so she can continue her smuggling activities. Her ideal husband will be content to stay in London and also live on a sizeable allowance whilst she continues her illegal activities in Cornwall. 

Once Kit is aware that his new wife has control of the purse strings he realises that their sexual chemistry is not enough to ensure that he gets his Pleasure garden, instead he must get to know her. He travels down to Cornwall and discovers all about his wife’s altruistic smuggling. He, as an ex soldier, hates the thought of any illegal activity but rushes to protect her when her Uncle informs customs officials in an attempt to regain control of Chei Owr.

I enjoyed this book although not as much as the first. Both of the main characters are complicated and stubborn and both need money which is why they entered into a marriage of convenience- her’s is altruistic but illegal, His is decadent, immoral but legal. She is trying to protect her local village whilst    he is hiding from the memories of army life. There characters should be poles apart but somehow they work and component each other. It is a light hearted, fun Regency romance. 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley. 

Available from:

Amazon UK