THE EARL'S LADY GEOLOGIST

A Regency romance novel about honoring the past while learning to live and love in a time of change.

It’s 1817, and Cassandra Linfield, an heiress and gifted geologist, wants nothing more than to comb the cliffs of Lyme in Devon, England, looking for fossils. She believes that embracing spinsterhood is the only way to preserve her independent and scholarly spirit. She watched her late mother’s health decline as a result of several miscarriages, so she’s convinced that the preservation of the past is the safest course, instead of marriage and children. But the piercing gaze of Edward, Earl of Rothbury, a fellow geologist and her cousin by marriage, threatens to undo her plans. Edward views Cassandra as a potential bride who won’t breach his emotional barriers, but as the season unfolds, the earl comes to find the headstrong, brilliant young woman utterly irresistible. When a ruthless smuggler threatens Edward’s life, Cassandra realizes that clinging to the past could cost her a better future. Baxter expertly interweaves Cassandra’s knowledge of geological science with political and social history, lending realism to her story of a young woman struggling to reconcile her intellect with her societal limitations. The author skillfully balances scenes of scientific discovery and discussion with sumptuous descriptions of clothing, carriages, and locations. Overall, this is a well-paced work that will keep readers thoroughly engaged, and the author’s incorporation of Cassandra’s mother’s letters adds a bittersweet touch. It’s a wholesome tale with plenty of romantic tension, and the happy ending is never in doubt.

A playful and poignant historical romance that’s certain to please fans of the genre.