The Napoleonic Wars are over, the Emperor has been exiled to the island of Elba, and all is right with the world. Except it isn’t. An injured sea captain is watching as one of his men lays dying in a naval hospital in Portugal, a man who saved his life and who will now leave a young lady grieving for the man she will never get to marry. This is a captain drowning in guilt, and feeling duty bound to visit the family of the deceased and give them the tragic news. He expects no forgiveness; he can’t forgive himself for his actions that have led to this moment.
The Indebted Earl is the third and final title in Erica Vetsch’s Serendipity and Secrets series. Both lead characters are connected to others who’ve featured in previous installments. Charles is the cousin of a pivotal, and thoroughly disreputable, character in The Lost Lieutenant, while Sophie’s brother is Marcus from The Gentleman Spy. I suppose each book could be read on its own, but it makes much more sense to read the series in order. In each book, we have a man who unexpectedly becomes a titled gentleman and who, consequently, finds himself elevated in society. Their lives are forever changed, as are those of the women they meet as a result. Readers of the previous two books in the series will welcome the mentions and appearances of familiar characters.
This is, primarily, an historical romance novel. But no romance is worth reading unless there are obstacles in the characters’ way. Communication is key and, naturally, there are times when Wyvern and Sophie do not communicate well. But Vetsch also tackles thorny issues such as inheritance laws, suicide, and forgiveness. Most of the book is set on the Devon coast and so smuggling is a key factor. Due to the Napoleonic Wars, valuable commodities such as French lace and Champagne are banned but there is still a lucrative market for them. I’ve read several novels where smuggling is acceptable, so long as it is bound by honorability. Vetsch takes the opposite view: Smuggling is wrong, and smugglers are traitors. Since Wyvern is military, this is a view that makes absolute sense.
Watch out for the three wards Wyvern inherits. In my opinion they are, by far, the best part of The Indebted Earl. Each has their own character and way of seeing the world. Darling Betsy, the youngest, is my favorite. At five, she barely remembers her parents and takes to Wyvern immediately. She believes that captains don’t receive enough hugs and sets out to change that. She is often amusingly described as wearing Wyvern’s bicorn hat, which is too big for her. I’d love to see a trilogy featuring these sisters as they grow up and enter the world.
Disclaimer: Although I received a copy of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.
- Goodreads rating – 4.43
- REVIEW – Sally