The Earl That Got Away

I loved Diana Quincy‘s historical romance The Duke Gets Desperate, and I’ve been excited to continue the series. The second Sirens in Silk book is The Earl That Got Away, a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. It turns out that Raya’s sister and Strick’s close friend knew each other years ago, and they’ve both been heartbroken messes ever since.

While Naila Darwish’s family was staying in Philadelphia, she fell in love with Basil Trevelyn despite knowing they could never be together. Her Palestinian family would never accept a random Englishman. So after a brief, secret engagement, Naila broke things off with Basil. Now, eight years later, Naila is in England for her sister’s wedding and is unexpectedly reunited with Basil. He’s the Earl of Hawksworth now, and he’s not happy to see Naila. They’ve both changed a lot in the nearly decade apart, but can their hearts find their way back to each other? Or is it too late for them to find happiness together?

What I Liked:

• Persuasion vibes. I said in my review of The Duke Gets Desperate that Basil was giving me Persuasion vibes, and I wasn’t wrong! In The Earl That Got Away, we get an excellent reimagining of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. So many of the beats here match, from the aunt getting in the way of love to the man returned but with a new and honorable title. However, this novel also completely stands on its own. It brings in unique sets of issues and viewpoints, making for a rich and surprising retelling.
• Palestinian representation. We got to see this in the previous book as well, but in The Earl That Got Away, Naila’s Palestinian roots are portrayed more prominently. Arab culture and language are on full display, and I enjoyed seeing Naila teach Basil different terms of endearment. On the other hand, her family’s traditional views are the main reason Naila can’t see a future with Basil at first. He’s not Arab, so her family would never accept him. It’s not until her sister Raya marries an outsider that Naila has a stronger path forward with Basil.
• Naila and Basil have changed a lot. In some ways these changes could be seen as for the worse: Naila only wears drab colors now, not the bright tangerine she used to favor; Basil has become cynical and closed-off, a far cry from the young man who wore his heart on his sleeve. But being around each other, antagonist though they’ve become, seems to bring Naila and Basil back to themselves a bit. Can they fall in love all over again, changes and all?
• Smart, business-minded woman. Like Raya in the previous book, Naila is a go-getter who can make her own way in life. She comes up with a clever matchmaking scheme partway through the novel, earning her own living and widespread respect. It’s always nice to see independent women, especially in a historical context like this.

Final Thoughts

The Earl That Got Away is a heartfelt Victorian romance. It’s faithful to Persuasion, but it also stands out for its own merits. I loved seeing the Palestinian representation and watching our leads, older and wiser now, finally get their happily ever after. I’ve enjoyed the Sirens in Silk series so far, and I’m hopeful for more installments. Maybe Guy Vaughan will be next?

In the meantime, I look forward to reading more from Diana Quincy: Her short story “Lydia’s Story” appears in Ladies in Waiting: Jane Austen’s Unsung Characters—offering another Austenesque retelling—and her new thriller As Far As She Knew was published under the name Diana Awad.

Special thanks to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy The Earl That Got Away here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

The Earl That Got Away by Diana Quincy
Series	Sirens in Silk (#2)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Romance
Setting	England; Pennsylvania
Number of Pages	352
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARCs)
Original Publication Date	September 30, 2025
Publisher	Avon

Official Summary

In the second installment of Diana Quincy’s steamy Victorian historical romance series, an Arab-American young woman is reunited with the lost love of her youth and forced to reckon with their past and undying tension. A Persuasion retelling and second-chance romance that delivers on all of the angst and yearning of the original—plus added heat!

American Naila Darwish always regretted calling off her engagement to the man she loved because he wasn’t successful enough for her family. Eight years later, she travels to England for her sister’s wedding and gets the shock of her life when she runs into Basil again. Overjoyed, she wonders if the fates have given her a second chance at love.

But Basil Trevelyn is not the same carefree young man Naila rejected all those years ago. Having unexpectedly inherited a noble title, he is now the Earl of Hawksworth, one of England’s most sought-after bachelors. Still bitter after Naila’s heart-wrenching rejection all those years ago, Hawk is cold and distant, suspecting Naila is after his money and position.

When the two lost lovers are repeatedly thrown together, they discover that the chemistry between them burns brighter than ever and that some feelings are too strong to deny. Will they allow pride and lingering resentment to keep them from seizing their last chance at happiness?