Rules for Engaging the Earl is the second book in Janna MacGregor’s Widow Rules series, following three women who discover they were married (at the same time) to the same man after his untimely death.

Constance Lysander is the first of the three wives, and the only one whose marriage was valid. This is lucky, as she’s heavily pregnant and about to give birth to her late husband’s child. Though she doesn’t precisely need a husband, there is an eligible earl who has crossed her mind more than once over the years. She has a shipping company to run and a daughter to raise, so Constance pens a proposal.

Jonathan was Constance’s childhood best friend and confidant. Though circumstances pulled them apart, he never forgot her. When she writes to him asking for his hand in marriage, he cannot refuse her. Jonathan would do anything for Constance, even risk his already bruised heart. Society has not been kind to him, and Jonathan fears losing what’s left of his pride. Even so, he would happily give Constance his name, but he can’t give her his soul.

Constance is a great heroine with a strong personality and a lot of initiative. I liked that she manages her family business and that there are a lot of people in her corner who love her. Despite the adversity and tragedy in her life, she holds her head up and keeps trying. And while I’m generally annoyed by the ‘interfering servants; trope, it works here up to a point. Jonathan deals with a lot of trauma, and while he definitely has moments of weakness, he’s there when it counts. I love when he overcomes his fears for Constance and puts his new family above his reservations.

There are a couple of things I found implausible. I just couldn’t buy that Constance, a strong and resilient woman, would have spent a whole year writing to her husband and receiving letters from him without going in person to their estate; not only is their property in the country, but so is her business. I get that her support system is in London, but it’s weird that she just accepts not seeing her new husband for a whole year right after their wedding.  A whole year with a new baby on her own is also a lot, given that Constance married partially in order to help support and care for her daughter. I was not a huge fan of Jonathan’s actions here. I get that long periods of separation are normal for marriage-in-trouble books, but I don’t think it really works for this story. Jonathan does the wrong thing by running away, and I’m not sure there’s enough redemption, especially given his backsliding later in the book. Constance is made of steel, and I love that, but she shouldn’t always have to be the strong one.

I did enjoy Rules for Engaging the Earl; it plays into a lot of tropes I like and it has a great ending. I look forward to the next installment of the series.

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