The Earl’s Irresistible Challenge

Could this infamous rake finally have found his countess?
Part of The Sinful Sinclairs.

When Lucas, Lord Sinclair, receives a mysterious summons from a Miss Olivia Silverdale he’s skeptical about whether he can help her. But Olivia, although eccentric, is in earnest about her quest to restore her late godfather’s reputation. Lucas’s curiosity is piqued, and not just by Olivia’s intelligent eyes and lithe form. A new challenge quickly presents itself: keeping Miss Silverdale at arm’s length!

Amazon Buy Link – The Earl’s Irresistible Challenge  

Author Bio –

Lara Temple writes strong, sexy regency romances about complex individuals who give no quarter but do so with plenty of passion. After moving around the world for her career as a financial analyst and business consultant she returned to her childhood love of making up stories, and was surprised to discover that other people don’t mind reading them.

She lives with her husband and two children who are very good about her taking over the kitchen table for her writing (so she can look out over the garden and dream while Oscar the dog keeps her feet warm by sitting on them as she works).

The Earl’s Irresistible Challenge (out December 2018) is the first in her Sinful Sinclair series. In May 2019 Unlaced by the Highland Duke, part of a four book series with three other Harlequin Mills & Boon authors will be released.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: www.facebook.com/laratemple1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/laratemple1

Website: www.laratemple.com

Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/2mWin9R

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LaraTemple 7

Guest Post – Lara Temple: 

Why Learning can be fun – if you’re reading romance

We’ve all heard it – reading romance is escapist, a guilty pleasure.

I don’t know about other people, but for me reading and writing romance is one of the best earning experiences I’ve ever had. It might also be escapist, it certainly is a pleasure (not a guilty one though), but I’ve learned more form reading romance than from any other genre, including all my many many textbooks pursuing three academic degrees and countless professional financial exams.

And that’s because reading romance is reading about relationships, one of the most important ventures you’ll ever enter into (I’m not just referring to couple- relationships, but any relationship – almost any interaction with another subject).

I’ve only become a published author in the past three years, but I’ve been reading (and for-the-drawer writing) romance ever since I was a kid, and from the very beginning I remember knowing instinctively what felt right and what felt wrong when I read about how people interacted. For

When I’m reading a romance I’m in a constant dance with the characters and what’s taking place on the page. Part of my mind is sunk in to the story but another part is thinking – ‘yes! that feels right’ or ‘why can’t they react differently? Why can’t they see what I see?’

Everything I read is a kind of dance with myself, a kind of learning experience. There is an escapist element in every genre, there is a learning element in every genre.

And I think that having read romance most of my life but also mystery, adventure, standard fiction. But when I read romance, I’m actually less in an escape and more in dialogue with myself about what I feel, what my opinions are, what I think works and doesn’t work.

In fact, I’m much more likely to suspend my opinions and judgement when I’m reading other genres. Because when I’m reading a romance and the relationship rings false, or hits a sour note, I immediately feel a loss of connection. My inner alarm pings and I can’t help but try to think through – why have they just lost me? Sometimes it is a personal sore spot they hit – and sometimes it is something I think should be a universal sore point.

Sometimes it makes you draw a line between yourself and popular opinion and that is one of the real learning points about who you are and what is important to you. Reactions to romances you hate can be just as instructive and interesting as to those you love.

For example, I remember very early on watching Gone with the Wind and absolutely hating the fact that Scarlett O’Hara was the heroine. It bugged me she was spoilt and lacked empathy and insight. I just didn’t get it. I had a similar reaction to Wuthering Heights – I found it brilliant but couldn’t get my mind around their deficiencies as hero and heroine. I began to realize how important empathy and humour was to me, not just from a partner, but from friends and colleagues.

It’s this constant dance between me and what’s happening in the story that makes reading romance an incredible learning experience. It helped me figure out what I value in people, what my red lines were, what I valued (and didn’t value) in myself.

So yes, reading romance had a strong impact on my expectations – it raised them. And for that and for many other things – escape, pleasure, comfort, joy – I will be forever grateful to romance fiction. If there is somewhere an alternate universe in which no romance fiction exists, that is one of the saddest places I could ever imagine.

My Review:

Olivia Silverdale’s beloved godfather has died under scandalous circumstances, and her heart is breaking at seeing the pain his wife and family are enduring.  She begins to investigate further, not believing that her godfather was capable of the actions attributed to him.  Olivia discovers that there has indeed been some lying about Mr. Payton, her godfather, and she needs to find out why, and what the true facts are.  When she finds some correspondence that indicates the former Earl Sinclair may have also been erroneously accused in a twenty year old scandal, she decides to contact his son, the current earl, to advise him of her findings.

Lucas, the current Earl Sinclair, is honestly not quite sure why he even agreed to meet with the lady who sent him they mysterious note regarding his father.  He long ago accepted that his father was fully guilty and that he and his family must bear the stigma of being the “Sinful Sinclairs.”  Convinced that Olivia either wants to blackmail him, or trap him in a compromising situation, Lucas is brusque, rude, and blunt with Olivia, barely allowing her to get a word in.  Rather than being browbeaten, as he’d hoped, Olivia stands up for herself, and insists that Lucas listen to her.

Lucas is puzzled, as Olivia doesn’t react with fear, or appear to want to seduce him.  He comes to realize that she is genuine, and wants his help to clear her godfather, and in turn, his father, who may have some connection.  Lucas offers some basic assistance, then feels that there is nothing further to pursue, and advises Olivia to stop her investigation.

I could see right from the start that Lucas was a hard man with high walls built around him.  He’s cynical and abrupt, yet he has a deep love for his brother and sister, and wants to protect them from further scandal.  He believes that Olivia needs to face reality, and accept that her beloved godfather had feet of clay, and was guilty of betraying his family.  Though Olivia suffered her own great betrayal three years ago, she still has faith in human nature.

I love Olivia’s matter-of-factness, and how some of her honest comments to Lucas could cut right through his arrogance, though her intent never was to wound him.  She’s a fabulous heroine – determined, honest, caring, and intelligent.  Despite all of Lucas’s failings, I loved him too.  He’s a very strong and bold man, who was confused over his developing feelings for Olivia.  Time and time again, her determination overrode his reluctance to investigate his family’s past.  Eventually their attraction becomes very mutual, and I loved watching Lucas fall in love, something he never believed in before.

THE EARL’S IRRESISTIBLE CHALLENGE is a beautifully developed love story with characters I deeply cared about and rooted for.  The intrigue part of the story was just as captivating as the romance, and I loved reading every single page.  Lara Temple has started a brilliant new series, and I’m eagerly anticipating upcoming installments of the SINFUL SNCLAIRS.  Most highly recommended!   ~Rose