I really did enjoy this book. It was unque book in the set when your twin brother dies and his wife is pregant, to make sure she does not loss the baby, you have to pretend to be yours brother. I really loved this book. I loved the main characters and loved the whole plot, it was hard to predict and and i really am exicted to read more books in this series in the future ( )

I really did enjoy this book. It was unque book in the set when your twin brother dies and his wife is pregant, to make sure she does not loss the baby, you have to pretend to be yours brother. I really loved this book. I loved the main characters and loved the whole plot, it was hard to predict and and i really am exicted to read more books in this series in the future ( )

This was not as good as I expect from Heath.

Edit: Second time through was worse than the first. ( )

Usually I roll my eyes at twin swapping in stories, most are pretty unbelievable and the reasons for it are mostly shoddy too (a prank, revenge, was unaware they had a twin, etc.). So I was impressed with the foundation that was laid for this one. There's a pretty solid case for doing it, and all the complexities are shown to make it more buyable. There would have been plenty of drama for me, just inherent in that scenario, but of course the later reveal piled on much more (I had resigned myself to it before I even started the story). It's a long book though, so more and more drama was piled on as it went. The other circumstances were not as well laid out or as grounded as the opening scenario, so my enjoyment of the 2nd half of the book diminished. ( )

The Earl Takes All
4.5 Stars

Edward Alcott has only ever loved one woman; unfortunately, she is married to his beloved twin brother, Albert, Earl of Greyling. When Albert is mortally wounded, he begs Edward to take his place and ensure that his wife, Julia, is safely delivered of their child. Determined to fulfill his brother's dying wish, Edward assumes his identity and struggles with his attraction to Julia, who finds herself feeling even deeper in love with her "husband". Can Edward risk telling her the truth and will she ever forgive him if he does?

To be honest, my expectations for this story were low as the keeping secrets trope is one that I despise. Surprisingly, Edward and Julia's story is delightful and Heath's writing had me turning the pages.

To begin with, Edward's reasons for keeping the secret are plausible as Julia has already suffered several miscarriages. Moreover, Heath handles Edward's need to withhold the truth with aplomb. He never actually tells an outright lie, and she makes it easy to sympathize with him as he is obviously an honorable man placed in an exceedingly difficult situation.

The romance itself is incredible. The chemistry and intensity of emotion between Edward and Julia are tangible, and it is clear that they have always had feelings for one another even as they hid them from themselves and from each other. The fact that Heath is able to encourage the reader to root for Edward and Julia while still presenting Albert in a favorable light is also a testament to her characterization and storytelling.

In sum, kudos to Heath for taking a chance on a problematic premise and turning it into an excellent book with wonderful characters. ( )