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First Comes Love #3
How to Train Your Earl
A roguish earl must fight using his honor and not his sword to win his lady's hand in How To Train Your Earl, the third book in the First Comes Love trilogy from bestseller Amelia Grey.
Brina Feld has settled into a life devoted to helping others since the sinking of the Salty Dove left her widowed. She has no need for a man in her contented life. But when the notorious and handsome Lord Blacknight returns and awakens her desires, her peace and serenity vanish. If she agrees to an alliance with him, she knows she will have to battle her heart to keep from being snared under his spell.
Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, was never supposed to inherit the earldom, so he didn't much care to lead a respectable life before then. Fistfights, card games, and drinking are the order of the day. Now he's determined to change his rakish ways and he knows the proper lady who can help him. There's just one problem: He's already bet he'll win her hand before the Season is over. With her resolve to out-scheme him, how can he show her that his love is true?
Brina Feld has settled into a life devoted to helping others since the sinking of the Salty Dove left her widowed. She has no need for a man in her contented life. But when the notorious and handsome Lord Blacknight returns and awakens her desires, her peace and serenity vanish. If she agrees to an alliance with him, she knows she will have to battle her heart to keep from being snared under his spell.
Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, was never supposed to inherit the earldom, so he didn't much care to lead a respectable life before then. Fistfights, card games, and drinking are the order of the day. Now he's determined to change his rakish ways and he knows the proper lady who can help him. There's just one problem: He's already bet he'll win her hand before the Season is over. With her resolve to out-scheme him, how can he show her that his love is true?
346 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 27, 2021
61 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
Amelia Grey
35 books855 followersAmelia Grey (aka Gloria Dale Skinner) grew up in a small town in the Florida Panhandle. She has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over twenty-five years. She has lived in Alabama, Connecticut, New Hampshire and now lives in Florida.
Amelia has won the coveted Romantic Times award for Love and Laughter, the prestigious Maggie award for best historical and Affaire de Coeur's best American historical award. She has been a finalist for the Golden Heart and the Holt Medallion awards which are given by Romance Writers of America and numerous other awards. Her books have been sold to many countries in Europe, Russia and China.
Amelia likes flowers, candlelight, sweet smiles, gentle laughter and sunshine.
Amelia has won the coveted Romantic Times award for Love and Laughter, the prestigious Maggie award for best historical and Affaire de Coeur's best American historical award. She has been a finalist for the Golden Heart and the Holt Medallion awards which are given by Romance Writers of America and numerous other awards. Her books have been sold to many countries in Europe, Russia and China.
Amelia likes flowers, candlelight, sweet smiles, gentle laughter and sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
April 1, 2021
I had to give this one 4.5 stars because the characters are so endearing. I just adored Zane. Maybe I just needed his sweetness in my life right now, but his kind heart really spoke to me. I rooted for this couple to find their happy ending. I would recommend this book for a light read with a heady dose of romance and some really good romantic tension between the leads.
Read for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedeocoeur.com.
Read for Affaire de Coeur Magazine. http://affairedeocoeur.com.
January 27, 2021
This is the third book in the First Come Love series by Amelia Grey. I enjoyed the first book and loved this one as well. The story is about Mrs. Brina Feld, a very young widow who lost her husband at sea and who has resigned herself to never remarrying again but helping others. At the urging of her aunt, she attends a ball in Paris where she could let down her hair as she believes no one would ever know that she has given up her widow's garments for just one night of fun. Running from a drunken lord bent on having her, she seeks out a hiding place but comes face to face with a very handsome and virile man bound and gagged. It is not until she returns to London that the man she allowed the libery of kissing her that night was none other the Earl of Blacknight, a well-known rake of the ton.
Zane, the Earl of Blacknight does not want the title that has been pushed upon him due to the deaths of his line of predecessors. He'd rather live his life and enjoy everything that goes along with his bachelor status. Unfortunately, while in Paris trying to stop his cousin from making the biggest mistake of his life, he meets Brina. For his gratitude with her assisting him from his bondage, he leaves her with a kiss that she has never experienced by any man...not even her deceased husband. One fated night that they meet, they kiss, and they never forget the passion and heat that ran throughout every part of their intimate acquaintance.
Now being pushed by his family to carry on the responsibilities of the Earldom, Blacknight sees the enchanted Mrs. Feld dressed in her widow's clothing and knows that beyond the persona that has been painted of her by society, there lies a woman full of passion that he would love to awaken. How to do it? Place a bet in the books at White's that he will marry the infamous Mrs. Feld by the end of the Season of course. In addition, to take advantage of her prim and proper character, he solicits her tutelege in making him the respectable Earl to hold up that title in order to appease his family.
But wait, not liking the proposal and especially the bet layed at her doorstp, Brina and her friends devise a plan to ensure that Blacknight will never win the bet. What must he do to have her? Give up the most valuable things that a rake requires to retain his status (i.e. gambling, women, alchohol, and swearing) a very hard task to accomplish and one he knows he must do to have her as his wife and in his bed. Thus starts the sweetest attraction between the two where one definitely has no intentions of remarrying.
I truly enjoyed this third book by Ms. Grey and found Zane and Brina delightful in between their competitive banter. Although the book started off a bit slow, I did become drawn into the story and wanted to see how the end turned out. It was well-written and entertaining plot with the HEA I anticipated. I would love to listen to this one in the series on audiobook and recommend the read.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
Zane, the Earl of Blacknight does not want the title that has been pushed upon him due to the deaths of his line of predecessors. He'd rather live his life and enjoy everything that goes along with his bachelor status. Unfortunately, while in Paris trying to stop his cousin from making the biggest mistake of his life, he meets Brina. For his gratitude with her assisting him from his bondage, he leaves her with a kiss that she has never experienced by any man...not even her deceased husband. One fated night that they meet, they kiss, and they never forget the passion and heat that ran throughout every part of their intimate acquaintance.
Now being pushed by his family to carry on the responsibilities of the Earldom, Blacknight sees the enchanted Mrs. Feld dressed in her widow's clothing and knows that beyond the persona that has been painted of her by society, there lies a woman full of passion that he would love to awaken. How to do it? Place a bet in the books at White's that he will marry the infamous Mrs. Feld by the end of the Season of course. In addition, to take advantage of her prim and proper character, he solicits her tutelege in making him the respectable Earl to hold up that title in order to appease his family.
But wait, not liking the proposal and especially the bet layed at her doorstp, Brina and her friends devise a plan to ensure that Blacknight will never win the bet. What must he do to have her? Give up the most valuable things that a rake requires to retain his status (i.e. gambling, women, alchohol, and swearing) a very hard task to accomplish and one he knows he must do to have her as his wife and in his bed. Thus starts the sweetest attraction between the two where one definitely has no intentions of remarrying.
I truly enjoyed this third book by Ms. Grey and found Zane and Brina delightful in between their competitive banter. Although the book started off a bit slow, I did become drawn into the story and wanted to see how the end turned out. It was well-written and entertaining plot with the HEA I anticipated. I would love to listen to this one in the series on audiobook and recommend the read.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
April 17, 2021
(Just a little gripe but every time I try to write out Brina, autocorrect wants to change her name to Brian. In my head I think it should by Brianna or something, I’ve never heard of Brina before, and Zane seems quite out there for the time period but…eh. Let’s not get picky.)
Brina and Zane do not get off to the most auspicious start–she finds him tied to chair and immediately suspects he’s a burglar. This was such a fun way to start the novel and made it really stand out for a lot of historical romances I’ve read recently, I absolutely adored it and only wish the rest of the novel had kept it up.
There is a bit of insta-love here, Zane falls hard and fast for Brina and there is a lot of him trying to convince her to give up her vow to remain single. I’m not a big fan of insta-love, I definitely prefer a slow burn and the gradual deepening of a relationship. Zane was pretty much hung on Brina from their first meeting. I will say though that I did think the romance they shared was a very sweet one, and I did like to see Zane’s efforts to try to sway Brina towards marriage.
Zane made for a wonderful hero and I did really like to see how he treated both Brina and his family. As the new Earl he has a lot of responsibility thrust on him, with a lot of family members needing support or asking for hand outs. How he dealt with them was perfect.
One of the things I thought this book did very well was finding the balance between the more humorous times, and the sad times when Brina was remembering her husband. Her grief and the new romance played out perfectly and I really loved how Zane’s determination eventually broke down her defences–and likewise, how Brina really challenges Zane to shape up.
I do regret not reading the previous books in the series. There are a lot of cameos from the previous heroes and heroines, and lots of inside jokes between Brina and her friends that I missed out on. I do believe you can read this as a standalone title with no problems however, it just makes you want to read the others as well!
All in all this was a sweet, easy read about a developing relationship. This was the final book in the series and I think it did a wonderful job of closing everything off in a very charming manner. If you like to read about widows and reformed rakes then I think this one would be a perfect fit!
I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
Brina and Zane do not get off to the most auspicious start–she finds him tied to chair and immediately suspects he’s a burglar. This was such a fun way to start the novel and made it really stand out for a lot of historical romances I’ve read recently, I absolutely adored it and only wish the rest of the novel had kept it up.
There is a bit of insta-love here, Zane falls hard and fast for Brina and there is a lot of him trying to convince her to give up her vow to remain single. I’m not a big fan of insta-love, I definitely prefer a slow burn and the gradual deepening of a relationship. Zane was pretty much hung on Brina from their first meeting. I will say though that I did think the romance they shared was a very sweet one, and I did like to see Zane’s efforts to try to sway Brina towards marriage.
Zane made for a wonderful hero and I did really like to see how he treated both Brina and his family. As the new Earl he has a lot of responsibility thrust on him, with a lot of family members needing support or asking for hand outs. How he dealt with them was perfect.
One of the things I thought this book did very well was finding the balance between the more humorous times, and the sad times when Brina was remembering her husband. Her grief and the new romance played out perfectly and I really loved how Zane’s determination eventually broke down her defences–and likewise, how Brina really challenges Zane to shape up.
I do regret not reading the previous books in the series. There are a lot of cameos from the previous heroes and heroines, and lots of inside jokes between Brina and her friends that I missed out on. I do believe you can read this as a standalone title with no problems however, it just makes you want to read the others as well!
All in all this was a sweet, easy read about a developing relationship. This was the final book in the series and I think it did a wonderful job of closing everything off in a very charming manner. If you like to read about widows and reformed rakes then I think this one would be a perfect fit!
I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2024
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: no, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes (I believe a month or so in the future?)
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form that is now very old and not even close to being an advanced copy anymore 😆
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I read this one alone and thought it was fine to pick up like that. The heroines from books 1 and 2 are this heroine’s friends and they have some page time but nothing major.
Basic plot:
Brina has sworn off marriage forever – so she has no idea why Zane would make a bet that he would marry her before Season’s end.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (my assumption)
- widow heroine (she’s been widowed for 5 years)
- the meet cute includes the heroine coming across the hero tied to a chair…
- heroine started a charity school
- hero pursues
- hero wants the heroine to turn him respectable so he can be worthy of his new title
- reform the rake
- low steam – a few kisses and one very vague scene that’s a few sentences long
Ages:
- Hero is 30, heroine is 24
First line:
Brina Feld should have known a lady wasn’t safe from rakes, rogues, and scoundrels at a masked ball in Paris.
My thoughts:
I struggled a bit in the beginning of this one. It had some things I love, like reforming a rake and hero pursues the heroine. But I also kept waiting for more to happen between them and wanted a bit better build up.
I ended up really adoring one scene where they are in a carriage (or phaeton? Curricle? Something fast….) and they are trying to lose someone following them. The hero tells the heroine to grab onto the waist of his pants and hold on for dear life and I don’t know it was just the cutest scene. I just loved it. It was fun and sweet and such a good tension builder and a bit silly. It made me up my rating a bit.
The steam was such a let down. It’s only a few sentences long with no details in any way. And I feel like Grey really shouldn’t have the covers she has because they always grab my attention but also kind of imply there’s going to actually be SOME action in the book. Yes this isn’t no sex (or ‘clean’ – but I despise that term) there is technically a partially open door scene but not something we need to see shirtless men on her covers 😆 Everyone should be buttoned up real tight…
So, overall kind of cute. I did get pretty frustrated with the heroine at the end though.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: no, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes (I believe a month or so in the future?)
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form that is now very old and not even close to being an advanced copy anymore 😆
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I read this one alone and thought it was fine to pick up like that. The heroines from books 1 and 2 are this heroine’s friends and they have some page time but nothing major.
Basic plot:
Brina has sworn off marriage forever – so she has no idea why Zane would make a bet that he would marry her before Season’s end.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (my assumption)
- widow heroine (she’s been widowed for 5 years)
- the meet cute includes the heroine coming across the hero tied to a chair…
- heroine started a charity school
- hero pursues
- hero wants the heroine to turn him respectable so he can be worthy of his new title
- reform the rake
- low steam – a few kisses and one very vague scene that’s a few sentences long
Ages:
- Hero is 30, heroine is 24
First line:
Brina Feld should have known a lady wasn’t safe from rakes, rogues, and scoundrels at a masked ball in Paris.
My thoughts:
I struggled a bit in the beginning of this one. It had some things I love, like reforming a rake and hero pursues the heroine. But I also kept waiting for more to happen between them and wanted a bit better build up.
I ended up really adoring one scene where they are in a carriage (or phaeton? Curricle? Something fast….) and they are trying to lose someone following them. The hero tells the heroine to grab onto the waist of his pants and hold on for dear life and I don’t know it was just the cutest scene. I just loved it. It was fun and sweet and such a good tension builder and a bit silly. It made me up my rating a bit.
The steam was such a let down. It’s only a few sentences long with no details in any way. And I feel like Grey really shouldn’t have the covers she has because they always grab my attention but also kind of imply there’s going to actually be SOME action in the book. Yes this isn’t no sex (or ‘clean’ – but I despise that term) there is technically a partially open door scene but not something we need to see shirtless men on her covers 😆 Everyone should be buttoned up real tight…
So, overall kind of cute. I did get pretty frustrated with the heroine at the end though.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
March 4, 2021
Entertaining story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this new release the author creates a great twist to an otherwise typical historical romance. The female character is one of three that were connected through a tragedy we learned about in book one.
With each of the ladies finding their one and only, now it’s time for Brina to find her man. The problem is she is steadfast in her conviction to never remarry. But Zane has different ideas about that! He finds her in a most delightful way and then proceeds to pursue her relentlessly.
The author has the knack to keep her stories so unique and different than the run of the mill. Her characters are deep and emotional with complex layers. You seem to really get to know them on many levels, and more than that, you actually like them!
The story is lively and fun, perfect for the historical romance lover. This is a clean romance with an easy flowing rhythm that grabs your attention and leaves you with a big smile at the end. Grey has captured the essence of Regency romance with a feisty, fabulous story!
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/how-to-train...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this new release the author creates a great twist to an otherwise typical historical romance. The female character is one of three that were connected through a tragedy we learned about in book one.
With each of the ladies finding their one and only, now it’s time for Brina to find her man. The problem is she is steadfast in her conviction to never remarry. But Zane has different ideas about that! He finds her in a most delightful way and then proceeds to pursue her relentlessly.
The author has the knack to keep her stories so unique and different than the run of the mill. Her characters are deep and emotional with complex layers. You seem to really get to know them on many levels, and more than that, you actually like them!
The story is lively and fun, perfect for the historical romance lover. This is a clean romance with an easy flowing rhythm that grabs your attention and leaves you with a big smile at the end. Grey has captured the essence of Regency romance with a feisty, fabulous story!
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/how-to-train...
April 6, 2021
*Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This was my first read from Amelia Grey, even though I have been collecting her books for her beautiful covers for some time now.
I really liked the premise of this book from what the synopsis said. However, in the execution I was not feeling it..
I just didn't get the hero's motivations and I was annoyed with how long it took for things to get started. 40% in and it was still crawling along. I just wanted things to go faster.
I also don't like books with bets in them, and this one was all about that. So that could be my fault for not thinking it through better before grabbing it.
I am still willing to read another by this author and I will continue to buy her books for the beautiful covers they add to my shelf.
3/5 stars
This was my first read from Amelia Grey, even though I have been collecting her books for her beautiful covers for some time now.
I really liked the premise of this book from what the synopsis said. However, in the execution I was not feeling it..
I just didn't get the hero's motivations and I was annoyed with how long it took for things to get started. 40% in and it was still crawling along. I just wanted things to go faster.
I also don't like books with bets in them, and this one was all about that. So that could be my fault for not thinking it through better before grabbing it.
I am still willing to read another by this author and I will continue to buy her books for the beautiful covers they add to my shelf.
3/5 stars
April 22, 2021
Since a tragic shipwreck left Brina Feld a grieving widow, she has dedicated herself to the service of others and has been determined never to remarry. But when the new Earl of Blacknight arrives in Town, he shatters her peace and stirs feelings she never thought to experience again. She knows any contact with him will threaten the walls she’s built around her heart.
Zane Browning, the Earl of Blacknight, was meant to live a life of carefree enjoyment until tragedy saddled him with the responsibility of the earldom. His occupation as a master gamester must now be set aside and he knows the perfect proper lady to help him adjust his behavior to meet high society’s standards. Unfortunately, his method of getting her attention was to very improperly place a bet at White’s that he would secure her agreement to marry him by the end of the season. She’s determined to outwit him and remain single with a counter bet of her own, but he’s equally determined to prove himself to her.
I enjoy a good reformed rake story and had high hopes for this one but sadly it just didn’t quite reach them for me. Zane had potential to be a very charming former rake and exhibited excellent devotion to his heroine. Unfortunately, he sometimes seemed too weak for me and I kept wanting him to finally stand up to his selfish, nosy family, especially as they kept up with the unwarranted derision against him, yet he never really did. Beyond that, Brina was never likable for me. She was rather too sanctimonious in the previous books and that continued here. She butted into others’ affairs to avoid dealing with her own issues while convincing herself she was helping even when that wasn’t always a case, all the while ignoring those who might actually need her. She came off as not that bright to me and there was all this build up as to the reasons, she felt she must atone and how she is really a terrible person, and that revelation was just very anticlimactic for me. Her behavior was disproportionate to this supposed offense and helped seal my dislike of her. Her lack of faith in Zane and her unwillingness to listen to him, especially after he listened to her, were the icing on the cake. He deserved an apology from her, which he never got, and I think that was a missed opportunity to show her character development from holding herself to a miserably impossible standard to finding herself and love again. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and she was always this untouchable paragon harping on about propriety in ways that I found repetitive and tedious, while not giving Zane any credit for the progress he made or the fact that he’d had his life upended. Their time getting to know one another was mostly just Brina criticizing Zane and she still had no faith in him even after he’d proven himself to her. There was a promising slow burn here that sadly only led to one vague and lackluster love scene that left me wondering if it had even really happened at all and which didn’t really register as sensual to me. Beyond the characters, pacing was also an issue for me here. The first half or more of the book went by very slowly and failed to hold my attention. Though some intrigue was established, it’s culmination at the end was handled very rapidly and tied up too quickly to be thoroughly satisfying, especially given the way it affected other aspects of the plot. While I didn’t dislike these two as a couple, I didn’t find myself all that charmed by either character and I wanted Zane to get more recognition for actually being a good man and that never really happened. I’ll read other books from this author, but this one didn’t quite work for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Zane Browning, the Earl of Blacknight, was meant to live a life of carefree enjoyment until tragedy saddled him with the responsibility of the earldom. His occupation as a master gamester must now be set aside and he knows the perfect proper lady to help him adjust his behavior to meet high society’s standards. Unfortunately, his method of getting her attention was to very improperly place a bet at White’s that he would secure her agreement to marry him by the end of the season. She’s determined to outwit him and remain single with a counter bet of her own, but he’s equally determined to prove himself to her.
I enjoy a good reformed rake story and had high hopes for this one but sadly it just didn’t quite reach them for me. Zane had potential to be a very charming former rake and exhibited excellent devotion to his heroine. Unfortunately, he sometimes seemed too weak for me and I kept wanting him to finally stand up to his selfish, nosy family, especially as they kept up with the unwarranted derision against him, yet he never really did. Beyond that, Brina was never likable for me. She was rather too sanctimonious in the previous books and that continued here. She butted into others’ affairs to avoid dealing with her own issues while convincing herself she was helping even when that wasn’t always a case, all the while ignoring those who might actually need her. She came off as not that bright to me and there was all this build up as to the reasons, she felt she must atone and how she is really a terrible person, and that revelation was just very anticlimactic for me. Her behavior was disproportionate to this supposed offense and helped seal my dislike of her. Her lack of faith in Zane and her unwillingness to listen to him, especially after he listened to her, were the icing on the cake. He deserved an apology from her, which he never got, and I think that was a missed opportunity to show her character development from holding herself to a miserably impossible standard to finding herself and love again. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and she was always this untouchable paragon harping on about propriety in ways that I found repetitive and tedious, while not giving Zane any credit for the progress he made or the fact that he’d had his life upended. Their time getting to know one another was mostly just Brina criticizing Zane and she still had no faith in him even after he’d proven himself to her. There was a promising slow burn here that sadly only led to one vague and lackluster love scene that left me wondering if it had even really happened at all and which didn’t really register as sensual to me. Beyond the characters, pacing was also an issue for me here. The first half or more of the book went by very slowly and failed to hold my attention. Though some intrigue was established, it’s culmination at the end was handled very rapidly and tied up too quickly to be thoroughly satisfying, especially given the way it affected other aspects of the plot. While I didn’t dislike these two as a couple, I didn’t find myself all that charmed by either character and I wanted Zane to get more recognition for actually being a good man and that never really happened. I’ll read other books from this author, but this one didn’t quite work for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 29, 2021
Zane Browning was never meant to be the Earl of Blacknight. Now his family is imploring him to rehabilitate his less-than-proper reputation, find a respectable wife, and sire an heir. The only woman he wants is Mrs Brina Feld, a virtuous widow with whom he had an unlikely encounter. Zane places a bet that he can win the beautiful widow by season's end, but Brina has a wager of her own: no gambling, no drinking, no cursing. and no women! Who will win their war of wills?
This is the third book in the First Comes Love series, which focuses on three heroines whose first husbands were killed on a sinking ship. The books can stand alone, but the previous couples make appearances.
I like how this book started, with Zane and Brina "meeting" under less than ideal circumstances. Sometimes I struggle with heroes who won't take no for an answer, but this book hooked me from the start and did a good job of keeping me engaged throughout. Zane and Brina were a lot of fun and I enjoyed their evolution. My only complaint is that there wasn't much intimacy after all the build up, and that's a letdown.
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Widow, Reform a Rake, Marriage Wager
Eggplant Rating: 1
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #HowToTrainYourEarl #NetGalley
This is the third book in the First Comes Love series, which focuses on three heroines whose first husbands were killed on a sinking ship. The books can stand alone, but the previous couples make appearances.
I like how this book started, with Zane and Brina "meeting" under less than ideal circumstances. Sometimes I struggle with heroes who won't take no for an answer, but this book hooked me from the start and did a good job of keeping me engaged throughout. Zane and Brina were a lot of fun and I enjoyed their evolution. My only complaint is that there wasn't much intimacy after all the build up, and that's a letdown.
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Widow, Reform a Rake, Marriage Wager
Eggplant Rating: 1
* I received an ARC and this is my honest review. #HowToTrainYourEarl #NetGalley
Want to read
January 25, 2021Roguish rakes are ALWAYS a good time
Thank you to St Martin's Press for my copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to St Martin's Press for my copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
How To Train Your Earl
First Comes Love Series #3
Amelia Grey
https://www.facebook.com/AmeliaGreyBooks
Release Date 04/27/2021
Publisher St Martin’s Paperbacks
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FZ8GV47/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
A roguish earl must fight using his honor and not his sword to win his lady’s hand in How To Train Your Earl, the third book in the First Comes Love trilogy from bestseller Amelia Grey.
Brina Feld has settled into a life devoted to helping others since the sinking of the Salty Dove left her widowed. She has no need for a man in her contented life. But when the notorious and handsome Lord Blacknight returns and awakens her desires, her peace and serenity vanish. If she agrees to an alliance with him, she knows she will have to battle her heart to keep from being snared under his spell.
Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, was never supposed to inherit the earldom, so he didn’t much care to lead a respectable life before then. Fistfights, card games, and drinking are the order of the day. Now he’s determined to change his rakish ways and he knows the proper lady who can help him. There’s just one problem: He's already bet he’ll win her hand before the Season is over. With her resolve to out-scheme him, how can he show her that his love is true?
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will she let love retenter her life ...
I wondered a lot about the melancholic Brina in the previous book. I was a bit afraid she would be too demure and meek.
So what a surprise to see her take up the gauntlet thrown at her by Zane ill advised wager.
Their first encounter sets the pace of their relationship, Brina is a reserved woman whose trust is to be won, when Zane is all swagger and game but has to convince her he won’t betray her confidence.
And she plays hard to be won, very determined to see him fail. Not because she dislikes him but because she can’t stand the idea to love again and the hurt that comes with.
She has finally found her rhythm and settled in a life she believes will fulfill all her needs.
Until meeting Zane shows her she has let part of herself go to sleep, and with the right man...
Why she is afraid of him, of herself. She thought she has said goodbye to some of her dreams when she reawakened from her long sorrowful sleep, eaten by her guilt and flaws. She refuses to envisage following the same path again.
Zane, how I loved him.
He has drawn a map for his life until a dramatic accident turned everything down, making him the black sheep of the family its head.
And whatever he wants others to believe about him, he knows the rules, he just does not want to follow them. So upon seing Brina again, he decides to throw caution to the wind and go after this woman who has enthralled him. All the while dealing with his new role.
His talents to play game offer him a different perspective, he sees past people’s facade. Why he is so receptive to Brina’s resistance but also her willingness to unleash her passion as long as there is no obligation at the end. And he only plays to win so while he will follows her to the end of the world, he has to prove her he is to be rely on. His enterprise of seduction is to shun the rules to reignite the spark he has seen lurking in the depths of her soul.
From the moment he decided she would be his duchess, his steps never falter, he will not miss his chance by failing, as his victory is more important than any wager, it is his heart which hangs in the balance.
It is one small victory at a time but will it be enough in the long run when she is so set on her path, scared to open up again her soul to someone else. To give again the power to another to crush her.
A beautiful tale of healing and trusting all in the name of love.
5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen soft lovemaking scenes
I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher St Martin’s Paperbacks, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
First Comes Love Series #3
Amelia Grey
https://www.facebook.com/AmeliaGreyBooks
Release Date 04/27/2021
Publisher St Martin’s Paperbacks
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FZ8GV47/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
A roguish earl must fight using his honor and not his sword to win his lady’s hand in How To Train Your Earl, the third book in the First Comes Love trilogy from bestseller Amelia Grey.
Brina Feld has settled into a life devoted to helping others since the sinking of the Salty Dove left her widowed. She has no need for a man in her contented life. But when the notorious and handsome Lord Blacknight returns and awakens her desires, her peace and serenity vanish. If she agrees to an alliance with him, she knows she will have to battle her heart to keep from being snared under his spell.
Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, was never supposed to inherit the earldom, so he didn’t much care to lead a respectable life before then. Fistfights, card games, and drinking are the order of the day. Now he’s determined to change his rakish ways and he knows the proper lady who can help him. There’s just one problem: He's already bet he’ll win her hand before the Season is over. With her resolve to out-scheme him, how can he show her that his love is true?
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will she let love retenter her life ...
I wondered a lot about the melancholic Brina in the previous book. I was a bit afraid she would be too demure and meek.
So what a surprise to see her take up the gauntlet thrown at her by Zane ill advised wager.
Their first encounter sets the pace of their relationship, Brina is a reserved woman whose trust is to be won, when Zane is all swagger and game but has to convince her he won’t betray her confidence.
And she plays hard to be won, very determined to see him fail. Not because she dislikes him but because she can’t stand the idea to love again and the hurt that comes with.
She has finally found her rhythm and settled in a life she believes will fulfill all her needs.
Until meeting Zane shows her she has let part of herself go to sleep, and with the right man...
Why she is afraid of him, of herself. She thought she has said goodbye to some of her dreams when she reawakened from her long sorrowful sleep, eaten by her guilt and flaws. She refuses to envisage following the same path again.
Zane, how I loved him.
He has drawn a map for his life until a dramatic accident turned everything down, making him the black sheep of the family its head.
And whatever he wants others to believe about him, he knows the rules, he just does not want to follow them. So upon seing Brina again, he decides to throw caution to the wind and go after this woman who has enthralled him. All the while dealing with his new role.
His talents to play game offer him a different perspective, he sees past people’s facade. Why he is so receptive to Brina’s resistance but also her willingness to unleash her passion as long as there is no obligation at the end. And he only plays to win so while he will follows her to the end of the world, he has to prove her he is to be rely on. His enterprise of seduction is to shun the rules to reignite the spark he has seen lurking in the depths of her soul.
From the moment he decided she would be his duchess, his steps never falter, he will not miss his chance by failing, as his victory is more important than any wager, it is his heart which hangs in the balance.
It is one small victory at a time but will it be enough in the long run when she is so set on her path, scared to open up again her soul to someone else. To give again the power to another to crush her.
A beautiful tale of healing and trusting all in the name of love.
5 stars
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen soft lovemaking scenes
I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher St Martin’s Paperbacks, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
January 27, 2021
This was my first read by Ms. Amelia Grey and I liked it. How to Train Your Earl was a decent, solid read. Not great but not bad. Solid 3 stars in my opinion. It was just a little too long, with not enough happening in it for my taste. I found myself skimming pages and I hate doing that. There were no highs or lows in this romance. The hero and heroine are likable enough, but something pleasant isn't enough to evoke a strong response from me. Much more of a lukewarm romance. The start was a little slow (even though, I have to say, the opening scene is just amazing) but at the end the story picked up (a little too late for my taste). And I liked the ending a lot. Also, I didn't feel the love connection between the two main characters. They had, in my opinion, no chimistry whatsoever. But the plot/story was enough to keep turning pages. Over all it was cute, just the fluff piece I needed in the moment. No great scenes, no bad writing, just a quiet enjoyable book.
***I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
***I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
April 30, 2021
I don't know what this book was trying to do, but at any rate, I can't say it accomplished much of anything. To start, the writing was pretty stilted and just didn't work for me. I didn't realize it before I picked this one up, but I read a book by this author years ago and had similar complaints, so this is clearly just a bad match for me in terms of both prose and dialogue.
I don't feel like we spent a lot of time really getting into the main characters' motivations. We spent a little more time with Brina's, but almost none with Zane. Then there was Zane's family, which I did not understand at all. They were so judgmental and demanded absolutely perfect, saintlike behavior from him in a way that seemed extremely over the top, especially since he is both a grown man and now the earl. It felt like they were constantly trying to take advantage of him, but I got the sense that wasn't the author's intent, that she was actually implying that they were right and Zane was wrong. Also, there were multiple references to the three men who died in the carriage accident as Zane's uncle, Zane's uncle's son, and Zane's cousin. It was extremely distracting because: (1) I see two cousins among those three people, and (2) if all three of these people were ahead of Zane to be the earl, who does this other cousin belong to??? Presumably another uncle, but not one we got named in the book, since Hector and Syl must have been younger than Zane's father not to have inherited before him. ALSO, the one reference to Zane's cousin Robert, son of one of Zane's two living uncles, being next in line for the earldom after Zane. I'm not the foremost expert here, but I am pretty sure that's not how that works?! Anyway, it was distracting and once again, I am here in my goodreads reviews, asking authors to provide me with a family tree so that I can attempt to follow how the hell all these family members are related.
Anyway, I was going to go with two stars for this because, while this was not a very good book and the plot and character motivations weren't really well developed, it was mostly whatever. AND YET, we had to turn the drama up to 11 at the very end. So, knocking it down. Having the two cousins involved with a crimper, who then forced Zane to gamble to save them, thereby breaking his promise to Brina, was just way too much. Weird book, bad ending. I think this author is not for me.
I don't feel like we spent a lot of time really getting into the main characters' motivations. We spent a little more time with Brina's, but almost none with Zane. Then there was Zane's family, which I did not understand at all. They were so judgmental and demanded absolutely perfect, saintlike behavior from him in a way that seemed extremely over the top, especially since he is both a grown man and now the earl. It felt like they were constantly trying to take advantage of him, but I got the sense that wasn't the author's intent, that she was actually implying that they were right and Zane was wrong. Also, there were multiple references to the three men who died in the carriage accident as Zane's uncle, Zane's uncle's son, and Zane's cousin. It was extremely distracting because: (1) I see two cousins among those three people, and (2) if all three of these people were ahead of Zane to be the earl, who does this other cousin belong to??? Presumably another uncle, but not one we got named in the book, since Hector and Syl must have been younger than Zane's father not to have inherited before him. ALSO, the one reference to Zane's cousin Robert, son of one of Zane's two living uncles, being next in line for the earldom after Zane. I'm not the foremost expert here, but I am pretty sure that's not how that works?! Anyway, it was distracting and once again, I am here in my goodreads reviews, asking authors to provide me with a family tree so that I can attempt to follow how the hell all these family members are related.
Anyway, I was going to go with two stars for this because, while this was not a very good book and the plot and character motivations weren't really well developed, it was mostly whatever. AND YET, we had to turn the drama up to 11 at the very end. So, knocking it down. Having the two cousins involved with a crimper, who then forced Zane to gamble to save them, thereby breaking his promise to Brina, was just way too much. Weird book, bad ending. I think this author is not for me.
April 13, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up
Five years after the death of her beloved husband Stewart, Brina Feld is more certain than ever that she will never remarry, but she concedes that it might be time to start living again, which is how she came to meet Zane Browning, the Earl of Blacknight. While attending a masked ball in Paris and attempting to escape the attentions of a drunk rake, Brina ducks into a room to hide and finds Zane tied to a chair. He tells her to untie him and after a bit of amusing banter, she releases him so he can go rescue his cousin, but before he goes, Zane gives Brina a kiss she will not soon forget!
Months later, Zane is back in London and taking up the reins of the earldom he never expected to inherit, when he sees his mystery woman. He quickly learns who she is and decides then and there that she is his future countess. He proceeds to place a bet that she will accept his proposal of marriage by midnight at the last ball of the season.
Brina is secretly thrilled to be reunited with Zane, but horrified that he has placed a bet – she has no desire to remarry and decides to beat him at his own game, by publicly agreeing to marry him IF he can stop drinking, gambling, swearing, and womanizing, if he can’t (and she is sure he won’t), she will accept his apology on the night of the final ball. Let the games begin!
Of the three books in the series, I liked this one the best. I have read all three books about the widows of the Salty Dove and have not been overly excited by any of them – the idea was good, but I just never really got sucked into any of the stories. The writing is fine, I do question some of the author’s “rules of proper etiquette” as some of them completely contradict anything I have ever read in other books – including Jane Austen. However, Zane was a wonderful hero and I thoroughly enjoyed his interactions with Brina and his family – he was just about perfect and a delight to read. The story has a lot going on, it touches on a lot of emotions like grief, mourning, anger, and guilt, it has cameos from the previous heroes and heroines, it has love scenes that are mostly kissing and barely warm, and a sweet ending that was perfectly done. This was the final book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Five years after the death of her beloved husband Stewart, Brina Feld is more certain than ever that she will never remarry, but she concedes that it might be time to start living again, which is how she came to meet Zane Browning, the Earl of Blacknight. While attending a masked ball in Paris and attempting to escape the attentions of a drunk rake, Brina ducks into a room to hide and finds Zane tied to a chair. He tells her to untie him and after a bit of amusing banter, she releases him so he can go rescue his cousin, but before he goes, Zane gives Brina a kiss she will not soon forget!
Months later, Zane is back in London and taking up the reins of the earldom he never expected to inherit, when he sees his mystery woman. He quickly learns who she is and decides then and there that she is his future countess. He proceeds to place a bet that she will accept his proposal of marriage by midnight at the last ball of the season.
Brina is secretly thrilled to be reunited with Zane, but horrified that he has placed a bet – she has no desire to remarry and decides to beat him at his own game, by publicly agreeing to marry him IF he can stop drinking, gambling, swearing, and womanizing, if he can’t (and she is sure he won’t), she will accept his apology on the night of the final ball. Let the games begin!
Of the three books in the series, I liked this one the best. I have read all three books about the widows of the Salty Dove and have not been overly excited by any of them – the idea was good, but I just never really got sucked into any of the stories. The writing is fine, I do question some of the author’s “rules of proper etiquette” as some of them completely contradict anything I have ever read in other books – including Jane Austen. However, Zane was a wonderful hero and I thoroughly enjoyed his interactions with Brina and his family – he was just about perfect and a delight to read. The story has a lot going on, it touches on a lot of emotions like grief, mourning, anger, and guilt, it has cameos from the previous heroes and heroines, it has love scenes that are mostly kissing and barely warm, and a sweet ending that was perfectly done. This was the final book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *
March 5, 2021
Three and a half
My first book by this author and although my rating might seem as if I didn't like this very much I actually really did. The way the couple met was such fun but then for me sadly the fire I'd initially thought Brina possessed just fizzled out a bit. She does have a unique way of viewing her position in society and I cannot fault that she's proud to stand up for herself.
Zane was the ultimate bad boy and some might consider him to be a rake. I however thought he just hadn't really been expected to step up so understandably lived life to the full. Yet even in the first chapter it's clear he does care about others and understand responsibility so the attitudes of his family if I'm blunt really annoyed me !
This was a fun read with a very unexpected storyline. Definitely not the usual historical romance and the twist towards the end made for a surprising and satisfying conclusion. The heat level is quite tame so if like some of my friends you don't want to wade through pages and pages of bedroom shenanigans and intimate details than this will undoubtedly suit. I however have got used to reading steamy romance so for me for that reason it fell a little flat. My final thoughts are it was engaging with a very likeable couple and if you prefer a more clean romance then I definitely recommend it.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
My first book by this author and although my rating might seem as if I didn't like this very much I actually really did. The way the couple met was such fun but then for me sadly the fire I'd initially thought Brina possessed just fizzled out a bit. She does have a unique way of viewing her position in society and I cannot fault that she's proud to stand up for herself.
Zane was the ultimate bad boy and some might consider him to be a rake. I however thought he just hadn't really been expected to step up so understandably lived life to the full. Yet even in the first chapter it's clear he does care about others and understand responsibility so the attitudes of his family if I'm blunt really annoyed me !
This was a fun read with a very unexpected storyline. Definitely not the usual historical romance and the twist towards the end made for a surprising and satisfying conclusion. The heat level is quite tame so if like some of my friends you don't want to wade through pages and pages of bedroom shenanigans and intimate details than this will undoubtedly suit. I however have got used to reading steamy romance so for me for that reason it fell a little flat. My final thoughts are it was engaging with a very likeable couple and if you prefer a more clean romance then I definitely recommend it.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
April 13, 2021
Series: First Comes Love #3
Publication Date: 4/27/21
Number of Pages: 304
** 3.5 Stars **
Zane Howard Veldon Dormer Browning, eighth Earl of Blacknight, didn’t want to be an earl – never expected to be an earl – and chafes at all of the new expectations suddenly thrust upon him. He is the black sheep of his family because he has no use for most of the social protocols, he loves to gamble (he always wins), and he loves ladies. His family sees him as a useless, uncaring fribble – but he really isn’t. Zane cares about his family – but in small doses – and once you meet them, you’ll see why. Zane’s family is pressuring him to curb his lifestyle, take up his seat in parliament, and find a wife. My personal opinion is that Zane is remarkably tolerant of a very selfish, self-centered, and demanding family. I’d have cut off all of their allowances and told them they had to earn them back by giving to the family as well as taking from it. His two uncles, Syl and Hector should just fall in a hole somewhere. Anyway, Zane is hyper-focused on any goal or objective he sets for himself. He moves forward with remarkable calm and good humor, but nothing deters him from his goal. Once his focus has turned on Mrs. Brina Feld, she has no chance of winning against him – even with the draconian restrictions she’s put on him.
Mrs. Brina Feld has been an absolutely perfect widow for the last five years. She is a perfect lady, a perfect friend, a perfect daughter – you name it and she is perfect. Well, everyone, except herself, thinks she is perfect. She’s knows she’s not a good person and she knows how much she suffered – and still suffers – at the loss of her husband, Stewart. She fully expects to – is determined to – remain a widow for the rest of her life. She’ll devote herself to good works in order to make up for her sins. No man has ever stirred her interest even slightly in her widowhood and she doesn’t expect any to ever do so. Until … That blasted earl is now in pursuit of her and won’t just quietly take no for an answer. When he placed a scandalous wager in the betting book at White’s, that is just the final and last straw for her. She lays down a stringent set of demands for him to meet if he wants to marry her – that will shut him up. But – he agrees to each and every one of them. Of course, there is no way he can live up to that agreement.
I absolutely adored Zane. He lived his life on his own terms and was so much more honest about himself than anyone else in the ton. He knew how to have fun, and he taught Brina that it was okay to enjoy life. He was so focused on her and wanted to do his best for her and his family. He is just a good guy. I liked Brina, but I didn’t GET Brina. When her big secret was revealed, I thought – what? Five years wasted because of that. I was expecting some huge, dark thing – and it just wasn’t.
This is the final book in a series that has been remarkably consistent – at least to me. I have given the same 3.5-star rating to all three of the books even though I rounded this one up to 4. I don’t believe I have ever had that happen with a series. I enjoyed the story, the writing, and the characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication Date: 4/27/21
Number of Pages: 304
** 3.5 Stars **
Zane Howard Veldon Dormer Browning, eighth Earl of Blacknight, didn’t want to be an earl – never expected to be an earl – and chafes at all of the new expectations suddenly thrust upon him. He is the black sheep of his family because he has no use for most of the social protocols, he loves to gamble (he always wins), and he loves ladies. His family sees him as a useless, uncaring fribble – but he really isn’t. Zane cares about his family – but in small doses – and once you meet them, you’ll see why. Zane’s family is pressuring him to curb his lifestyle, take up his seat in parliament, and find a wife. My personal opinion is that Zane is remarkably tolerant of a very selfish, self-centered, and demanding family. I’d have cut off all of their allowances and told them they had to earn them back by giving to the family as well as taking from it. His two uncles, Syl and Hector should just fall in a hole somewhere. Anyway, Zane is hyper-focused on any goal or objective he sets for himself. He moves forward with remarkable calm and good humor, but nothing deters him from his goal. Once his focus has turned on Mrs. Brina Feld, she has no chance of winning against him – even with the draconian restrictions she’s put on him.
Mrs. Brina Feld has been an absolutely perfect widow for the last five years. She is a perfect lady, a perfect friend, a perfect daughter – you name it and she is perfect. Well, everyone, except herself, thinks she is perfect. She’s knows she’s not a good person and she knows how much she suffered – and still suffers – at the loss of her husband, Stewart. She fully expects to – is determined to – remain a widow for the rest of her life. She’ll devote herself to good works in order to make up for her sins. No man has ever stirred her interest even slightly in her widowhood and she doesn’t expect any to ever do so. Until … That blasted earl is now in pursuit of her and won’t just quietly take no for an answer. When he placed a scandalous wager in the betting book at White’s, that is just the final and last straw for her. She lays down a stringent set of demands for him to meet if he wants to marry her – that will shut him up. But – he agrees to each and every one of them. Of course, there is no way he can live up to that agreement.
I absolutely adored Zane. He lived his life on his own terms and was so much more honest about himself than anyone else in the ton. He knew how to have fun, and he taught Brina that it was okay to enjoy life. He was so focused on her and wanted to do his best for her and his family. He is just a good guy. I liked Brina, but I didn’t GET Brina. When her big secret was revealed, I thought – what? Five years wasted because of that. I was expecting some huge, dark thing – and it just wasn’t.
This is the final book in a series that has been remarkably consistent – at least to me. I have given the same 3.5-star rating to all three of the books even though I rounded this one up to 4. I don’t believe I have ever had that happen with a series. I enjoyed the story, the writing, and the characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 28, 2021
How to Train Your Earl is the third and final book in the First Comes Love series by Amelia Grey and it was a wonderful story to cap it off. It started with an unusual meeting between the hero and heroine and continued with an intriguing storyline to the very end. Brina Feld has been a widow for the last 5 years and never plans to fall in love or marry again. Zane the Earl of Blacknight is dreading his new role as a new earl after years being the black sheep of the family, and sets his eyes on Brina to help him mend his rakish ways.
This story was very engaging and I couldn’t put it down. When Brina ante up the stakes on the wager that Zane proposes, all eyes are on the two of them to see if he’s going to step out of line, and lose the bet. Also, their two cousins were up to no good, and you knew somehow it was going to play a big part on Zane and Brina’s relationship. The storyline unfolded with ease and with every new encounter, Zane and Brina were slowly falling in love. Brina was trying to show him the gentlemanly way of courting a woman, and he just had to put his own twist on things and kept her on her toes. Both characters were very likeable and I was cheering for Brina to give Zane a chance and see him for what he is and not what he is expected to be. Brina also had to come to an understanding with her grief and move on with her life. Zane made her feel alive again and it scared her to think she might want to share her life with someone again.
How to Train Your Earl was highly entertaining and I would say it was the best story of the three in the series. It is a sweet romance with an enthralling storyline for the main characters. The twist in the plot and ending, the likeable characters and the romance made this a very entertaining romance.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
This story was very engaging and I couldn’t put it down. When Brina ante up the stakes on the wager that Zane proposes, all eyes are on the two of them to see if he’s going to step out of line, and lose the bet. Also, their two cousins were up to no good, and you knew somehow it was going to play a big part on Zane and Brina’s relationship. The storyline unfolded with ease and with every new encounter, Zane and Brina were slowly falling in love. Brina was trying to show him the gentlemanly way of courting a woman, and he just had to put his own twist on things and kept her on her toes. Both characters were very likeable and I was cheering for Brina to give Zane a chance and see him for what he is and not what he is expected to be. Brina also had to come to an understanding with her grief and move on with her life. Zane made her feel alive again and it scared her to think she might want to share her life with someone again.
How to Train Your Earl was highly entertaining and I would say it was the best story of the three in the series. It is a sweet romance with an enthralling storyline for the main characters. The twist in the plot and ending, the likeable characters and the romance made this a very entertaining romance.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
May 17, 2021
This is my first time reading a book by Amelia Grey and I’ll be honest, I was drawn in by the beautiful colors of the cover. I definitely got sucked in because of the elegant look, but then quickly realized that this is actually the third book in the First Comes Love series.
In the end, I actually didn’t have much trouble following this story at all despite not reading the other books in the series. Each book does standalone very well. But I did feel like it took me a while to get into the story. Grey pens really great stories, but I did feel like the chemistry between the hero and heroine started off a bit slow. It did pick up toward the end of the book and I was happy with the ending.
I think I will definitely try reading the other books in the series based on my experience with this one. I know I even have Grey’s other series sitting on my bookshelves too, so I’m glad to have found another Historical Romance author to enjoy. I look forward to reading more books from Amelia Grey.
January 25, 2021
This was good....really good! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the characters. I could have done without the uncles and would have liked to kick them to the curb but I know they meant well! lol
As for Brina, she is such a sweetheart and even though she's not proud of how she handled things in the past when her husband had died, she's happy helping others and staying a widow. When she first meets Zane while he's in a compromising situation, little does she know how he would completely upset her quiet life!
I adore Zane even if he is a rake but then I love bad boys! He loves gambling, drinking, women and swearing but when he makes a wager that he can persuade Brina to marry him by the end of the London season, she turns the tables on him and wagers he has to stop gambling, drinking, swearing and women until the end of the season!!! In return she would teach him how to be a proper earl, easier said than done!
There is also the fact that each have a young cousin that have gotten into trouble and I enjoyed how that was all handled in the end. All in all, a great story leading to a wonderful HEA!!
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
As for Brina, she is such a sweetheart and even though she's not proud of how she handled things in the past when her husband had died, she's happy helping others and staying a widow. When she first meets Zane while he's in a compromising situation, little does she know how he would completely upset her quiet life!
I adore Zane even if he is a rake but then I love bad boys! He loves gambling, drinking, women and swearing but when he makes a wager that he can persuade Brina to marry him by the end of the London season, she turns the tables on him and wagers he has to stop gambling, drinking, swearing and women until the end of the season!!! In return she would teach him how to be a proper earl, easier said than done!
There is also the fact that each have a young cousin that have gotten into trouble and I enjoyed how that was all handled in the end. All in all, a great story leading to a wonderful HEA!!
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
April 27, 2021
How To Train Your Earl is a spectacular historical romance by Amelia Grey. Ms. Grey has provided readers with a well-written book populated with phenomenal characters. Kudos to Ms. Grey on the characters, they make this book a delight. Brina's aunt talked her into attending a masquerade, against her better judgment. Locking herself in a room to escape a drunk she's shocked to find a man tied to a chair needing assistance. Zane, eighth Earl of Blacknight, recognized Brina in London even though she was wearing a mask when she freed him. Brina and Zane's story is packed with drama, humor, sexy bits, action and suspense. I enjoyed every page of this book and look forward to my next book by Amelia Grey. How To Train Your Earl is book 3 of the First Comes Love Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 27, 2021
Brina has decided her life will be all about how she can serve others since the death of her husband. Lord Blacknight was never supposed to inherit the earldom so has lead a life of debauchery instead. Enter the trope of the widow and reformed Rake. He makes a bet that he can win her hand before the season is over.
I absolutely am in love with this cover, it's one of the prettiest of 2021 in my opinion. And I really loved the premise of this book. It sounded like just the right amount of dark and broody and sweet and sexy.
And while this was a cute read I do wish there had been more of an emphasis on the emotional aspect of the relationship instead of feeling like insta love. And the middle portion of this book felt off pace, sone stretches dragging out much too long.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely am in love with this cover, it's one of the prettiest of 2021 in my opinion. And I really loved the premise of this book. It sounded like just the right amount of dark and broody and sweet and sexy.
And while this was a cute read I do wish there had been more of an emphasis on the emotional aspect of the relationship instead of feeling like insta love. And the middle portion of this book felt off pace, sone stretches dragging out much too long.
I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 12, 2021
How to Train Your Earl is the third book in the First Comes Love series by Amelia Grey. It can be read as a standalone, but having read the first 2 books of the series, if you haven't read them you will certainly want to once you finish this one.
Brina Feld was widowed when her husband died when the Salty Dove ship sunk. For longer than most she grieved but her charity work has helped her recover and to find contentment in her life. What she hates to admit and what nobody knows is that she has started to miss being in a relationship, started to miss having some fun. When her aunt, who wants her to start living her life properly again persuades her to attend a masked ball in Paris life will never be the same again. It is there that she first encounters Zane and where she shares a kiss with him that leaves both of them mesmerised. But time was of the essence for Zane and it had to be a case of kiss and run without even any introductions.
They meet again when Zane, recently having become the Earl of Blacknight, decides that he would prove to his family that he was able to be more respectable and give up his rakish ways. What better way than to declare that he would marry the very proper widow, Brina. He knows she is much more than she lets on to society and still remembers the fabulous kiss they shared. Unfortunately, the way he goes about letting people know his intentions infuriates Brina and she lets him know in no uncertain terms that she will never marry him, ever.
The gauntlet is dropped and what follows is the wonderful story of how Zane tries to win Brina's heart and get her to change her mind about marriage to him.
I really enjoyed this book because Brina really puts Zane through his paces and he flabergasts her with his determination. Sometimes I had to laugh at what was happening. There were moments of sadness too, especially when Brina is remembering what happened to her husband. All in all this book was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of each emotion provoked. As for the passion between the couple, it was off the charts. What was great though was that although you could tell how passionate the couple was there was no need for in detail bedroom scenes. That shows me how good an author is if they can portray that without being too descriptive.
I have loved all the books in this series and am very happy to recommend them.
Brina Feld was widowed when her husband died when the Salty Dove ship sunk. For longer than most she grieved but her charity work has helped her recover and to find contentment in her life. What she hates to admit and what nobody knows is that she has started to miss being in a relationship, started to miss having some fun. When her aunt, who wants her to start living her life properly again persuades her to attend a masked ball in Paris life will never be the same again. It is there that she first encounters Zane and where she shares a kiss with him that leaves both of them mesmerised. But time was of the essence for Zane and it had to be a case of kiss and run without even any introductions.
They meet again when Zane, recently having become the Earl of Blacknight, decides that he would prove to his family that he was able to be more respectable and give up his rakish ways. What better way than to declare that he would marry the very proper widow, Brina. He knows she is much more than she lets on to society and still remembers the fabulous kiss they shared. Unfortunately, the way he goes about letting people know his intentions infuriates Brina and she lets him know in no uncertain terms that she will never marry him, ever.
The gauntlet is dropped and what follows is the wonderful story of how Zane tries to win Brina's heart and get her to change her mind about marriage to him.
I really enjoyed this book because Brina really puts Zane through his paces and he flabergasts her with his determination. Sometimes I had to laugh at what was happening. There were moments of sadness too, especially when Brina is remembering what happened to her husband. All in all this book was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of each emotion provoked. As for the passion between the couple, it was off the charts. What was great though was that although you could tell how passionate the couple was there was no need for in detail bedroom scenes. That shows me how good an author is if they can portray that without being too descriptive.
I have loved all the books in this series and am very happy to recommend them.
May 8, 2021
The third installment, yet the first I have read, we now have Brina Field’s story: the widow of the ship’s captain and ostensible leader of the three society women who banded together after the shipwreck to find new purpose and hope in widowhood. Brina, although she loved her husband, is hiding herself away in her good works, and has zero intention of ever becoming vulnerable to the earth-shattering loss that love brought her. But years in, her aunt convinced her to attend a masquerade in Paris, setting aside her widow’s weeds she encountered Zane, the infamous rogue of the Blacknight family.
Zane is now back in England after a tragic accident means that he is now Earl Blacknight, with his uncle, cousins and others who preceded him in the title inheritance are gone. With no interest in the Earldom, and little regard for the norms of society, he’s captivated by thoughts of a night in Paris when he first met Brina – although he doesn’t know her name. Spotting her on the street in town, he is informed that she’s a widow devoted to the state of singledom, her good works, and far too staid and proper for the likes of him.
What follows is Zane’s attraction and fascination with Brina finds itself a home – as she is as intrigued, if more reticent to declare herself or become involved. A wager at White’s , several lovely moments of a blossoming friendship and adorable banter as Brina starts to show her less ‘restrained’ side, and Zane does his level best to convince her that he is the man she needs to marry. Grey has done a lovely job of checking in with others affected by the shipwreck, showing us Brina’s slow but steady reclamation of the life that she was born to live, and find Zane really is good hearted and better natured than his appearance and reputation. A great story with plenty of light and laughter, easy to follow even if read out of order and sure to intrigue readers in the earlier titles in the series.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Zane is now back in England after a tragic accident means that he is now Earl Blacknight, with his uncle, cousins and others who preceded him in the title inheritance are gone. With no interest in the Earldom, and little regard for the norms of society, he’s captivated by thoughts of a night in Paris when he first met Brina – although he doesn’t know her name. Spotting her on the street in town, he is informed that she’s a widow devoted to the state of singledom, her good works, and far too staid and proper for the likes of him.
What follows is Zane’s attraction and fascination with Brina finds itself a home – as she is as intrigued, if more reticent to declare herself or become involved. A wager at White’s , several lovely moments of a blossoming friendship and adorable banter as Brina starts to show her less ‘restrained’ side, and Zane does his level best to convince her that he is the man she needs to marry. Grey has done a lovely job of checking in with others affected by the shipwreck, showing us Brina’s slow but steady reclamation of the life that she was born to live, and find Zane really is good hearted and better natured than his appearance and reputation. A great story with plenty of light and laughter, easy to follow even if read out of order and sure to intrigue readers in the earlier titles in the series.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
April 26, 2021
4.5 - Very fun read.
Brina Feld has chosen to remain a widow and no man will move her from her decision… until a chance encounter with the rakish new Earl of Blacknight and a bet puts all she thought she wanted in question.
Zane decides the intriguing and very respectable widow Brina is the woman he wants to be his countess and to get her attention he pleases a wager in Whites netting books that she will accept his proposal by the end of the season.
This sets of a series of events that help our staid widow come out of her 2 year mourning period and see that she deserves love, fun and happiness and can have that along with her good deeds and service.
I loved seeing our reforming rake Zane work so hard to win Brina’s affections. These two were definitely meant for each other and brought out each others better selves. This book was a lot of fun and ended this series on a high note!
A enjoyable read that can easily be read as a standalone.
How to Train Your Earl by Amelia Grey is scheduled to release April 27th, 2021.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Blog link: https://pinkcowlandreads.blogspot.com...
#HowToTrainYourEarl #AmeliaGrey #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads
Brina Feld has chosen to remain a widow and no man will move her from her decision… until a chance encounter with the rakish new Earl of Blacknight and a bet puts all she thought she wanted in question.
Zane decides the intriguing and very respectable widow Brina is the woman he wants to be his countess and to get her attention he pleases a wager in Whites netting books that she will accept his proposal by the end of the season.
This sets of a series of events that help our staid widow come out of her 2 year mourning period and see that she deserves love, fun and happiness and can have that along with her good deeds and service.
I loved seeing our reforming rake Zane work so hard to win Brina’s affections. These two were definitely meant for each other and brought out each others better selves. This book was a lot of fun and ended this series on a high note!
A enjoyable read that can easily be read as a standalone.
How to Train Your Earl by Amelia Grey is scheduled to release April 27th, 2021.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Blog link: https://pinkcowlandreads.blogspot.com...
#HowToTrainYourEarl #AmeliaGrey #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads
May 5, 2021
Brina is a widow whose husband lost his life at sea while heroically saving others. She has dedicated her life to good works (and is friends with the protagonists of books 1 and 2 or this series). She meets Zane in some unusual circumstances, and when he next sees her, he is the Earl of Blacknight, and he immediately decides she is the one he will marry.
To get Brina's attention, Zane publicly wagers that she will accept his proposal by midnight at the last ball of the season. Brina is determined not to marry, but she also really likes Zane, and she helps teach him how to be more proper, since he never expected or trained for the Earldom.
I liked watching their relationship develop, and I really liked seeing how they both gained something from each other. A special shout-out to the Epilogue!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book!
To get Brina's attention, Zane publicly wagers that she will accept his proposal by midnight at the last ball of the season. Brina is determined not to marry, but she also really likes Zane, and she helps teach him how to be more proper, since he never expected or trained for the Earldom.
I liked watching their relationship develop, and I really liked seeing how they both gained something from each other. A special shout-out to the Epilogue!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book!
April 27, 2021
What a lovable rogue Zane, Earl of Blacknight was! Zane found himself in the unwanted position of being the earl. Having met Brina in exceptional circumstances, he has decided that she is the one for him. Brina, had been a widow for five years and had no intention of marrying again and instead spent time with charity work. I enjoyed the way Zane kept surprising Brina, although he had met his match with her. Zane also has interference from his two uncles and this story has a very satisfying ending. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 27, 2021
I devoured this book as I did the first two in this fabulous series! I found Brina and Zane particularly endearing in this heartfelt novel filled with passion, romance, adventure, and humor. I’m sad to see this series end, as I’ve loved these warm-hearted generous women and the men who win their hearts!
May 19, 2021
“Grey pens really great stories, but I did feel like the chemistry between the hero and heroine started off a bit slow.”
~ Under the Covers
This is my first time reading a book by Amelia Grey and I’ll be honest, I was drawn in by the beautiful colors of the cover. I definitely got sucked in because of the elegant look, but then quickly realized that this is actually the third book in the First Comes Love series.
In the end, I actually didn’t have much trouble following this story at all despite not reading the other books in the series. Each book does standalone very well. But I did feel like it took me a while to get into the story. Grey pens really great stories, but I did feel like the chemistry between the hero and heroine started off a bit slow. It did pick up toward the end of the book and I was happy with the ending.
I think I will definitely try reading the other books in the series based on my experience with this one. I know I even have Grey’s other series sitting on my bookshelves too, so I’m glad to have found another Historical Romance author to enjoy. I look forward to reading more books from Amelia Grey.
Reviewed by Ann❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
February 9, 2021
How to Train Your Earl is the story of Brina Feld, a young, beautiful widow who decides she will never marry again after losing her husband to the sea when his ship sinks. She instead devotes her life to helping those in need.
Zane, Earl of Blacknight was never supposed to be an Earl, but when all the male heirs before him die in a tragic accident, he is expected to give up his carefree life of drinking, gambling and womanizing to become the respectable Earl that is expected of him.
One night Zane decides to place a wager at White's to get Brina to marry him. Will she play along with his game and fall for the Earl or will she stay a widow forever?
While the premise of this story sounded fun, the story just never really took off for me. The beginning was fun, when the 2 characters first met, but it got very lukewarm after that, and honestly stayed that way. I didn't feel a ton of chemistry in the main characters, there wasn't a lot of romance and excitement, as the author was so intent on keeping Brina "saintly" and the story was just very "eh" for me. Not a lot of anything. Not a lot of chemistry, not a lot of romance, not a lot of originality, just very middle of the road and basic.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinion.
Zane, Earl of Blacknight was never supposed to be an Earl, but when all the male heirs before him die in a tragic accident, he is expected to give up his carefree life of drinking, gambling and womanizing to become the respectable Earl that is expected of him.
One night Zane decides to place a wager at White's to get Brina to marry him. Will she play along with his game and fall for the Earl or will she stay a widow forever?
While the premise of this story sounded fun, the story just never really took off for me. The beginning was fun, when the 2 characters first met, but it got very lukewarm after that, and honestly stayed that way. I didn't feel a ton of chemistry in the main characters, there wasn't a lot of romance and excitement, as the author was so intent on keeping Brina "saintly" and the story was just very "eh" for me. Not a lot of anything. Not a lot of chemistry, not a lot of romance, not a lot of originality, just very middle of the road and basic.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinion.
February 7, 2021
2.75 stars
I liked the premise, but while I was reading, there wasn't much to keep me engaged in the story. I liked the characters well enough, but quite honestly, the entire plot flew out of my mind the second I finished the book (which is why this review is hard to write).
It dragged in places, and though I wouldn't necessarily say that I didn't enjoy it, I can't say that I did, either.
This ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I liked the premise, but while I was reading, there wasn't much to keep me engaged in the story. I liked the characters well enough, but quite honestly, the entire plot flew out of my mind the second I finished the book (which is why this review is hard to write).
It dragged in places, and though I wouldn't necessarily say that I didn't enjoy it, I can't say that I did, either.
This ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 16, 2021
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
For Brina Feld, she felt the loss of her husband especially hard. Widowed at 18, after being married only 3 months, she relied on the support of her parents, and her friends, Adeline and Julia. She is still in love with her late husband, and can never imagine wanting to remarry - rather she thought to join the Sisters of Pilwillow Crossings and help those less fortunate than herself. Now moved into the home nearby the school she, Julia, and Adeline set up, she is more than happy to occupy herself with her volunteer work, and teaching the girls to paint. However, she lately spent time in Paris with an aunt, and met a handsome stranger while hiding in a bedroom. Her stranger was masked, and tied to a chair, but she released him and let him flee to stop his young cousin from marrying. But he didn't leave without stopping to give her a spine tingling kiss, one she hasn't yet forgot about. And her handsome stranger isn't a stranger any more. It was Zane, the new Earl of Blacknight, and he's already put down a wager at White's that they will become engaged by the end of the Season. Zane never expected to become the Earl, but when three of his family members are killed in a carriage accident, he has to take up the mantle of head of family, and all the responsibility the title brings. He knows he's the black sheep of the family, and needs a bride to help support him, and start his family, but he wants no one other than the respected, and beautiful widowed Mrs Feld. Brina is furious to find herself the topic of a wager, and the subsequent gossip, but she proposes a counter wager: if Zane can withhold from drinking, gambling, and women until the last ball of the Season, she will accept. She never expects him to last a day, let alone a few weeks, what with his reputation as a card shark, but the season is drawing to a close, and Brina must consider whether she can face remarrying, and to someone she is falling for too.
I just loved this book. After reading the other two in the series, I knew I couldn't wait to see Brina find happiness, but I wasn't expecting to fall for her and Zane's story so much. As soon as I started the book, I couldn't put it down, and was finished in just a couple of hours. Brina was young, and in love, when her husband died, and heard the stories of how he saved half a dozen of his fellow passengers before he was unable to save himself. She only has her friends, Julia and Adeline, and their new husbands, for support, but occupies her time in her volunteering. She has never felt an attraction like that to Zane, and fights his seduction at all turns, but it's a hard fought battle that even she can't win, and I just felt that the chemistry between them was perfect. Zane knew his way around a card table, but he never expected to have any sort of responsibility on his shoulders, so finding himself at the helm of the extended Blacknight family, overseeing all of their requests and allowances, as well as the expanse of properties he inherited was a big shock. Two of his uncles offer their support, but it soon becomes clear they want to control him, and force him to fit into the mould of what they expect an Earl to be. The wager between Zane and Brina was hilarious, and it was nice to see how Zane was willing to improve himself for love, though not becoming someone completely different. The ending of the book killed me, and I was dreading that they wouldn't have their happy ending, but all in all, everyone was happy. Seeing the other couples again, in their own romances was a joy too, and I know this won't be my last series by Grey.
For Brina Feld, she felt the loss of her husband especially hard. Widowed at 18, after being married only 3 months, she relied on the support of her parents, and her friends, Adeline and Julia. She is still in love with her late husband, and can never imagine wanting to remarry - rather she thought to join the Sisters of Pilwillow Crossings and help those less fortunate than herself. Now moved into the home nearby the school she, Julia, and Adeline set up, she is more than happy to occupy herself with her volunteer work, and teaching the girls to paint. However, she lately spent time in Paris with an aunt, and met a handsome stranger while hiding in a bedroom. Her stranger was masked, and tied to a chair, but she released him and let him flee to stop his young cousin from marrying. But he didn't leave without stopping to give her a spine tingling kiss, one she hasn't yet forgot about. And her handsome stranger isn't a stranger any more. It was Zane, the new Earl of Blacknight, and he's already put down a wager at White's that they will become engaged by the end of the Season. Zane never expected to become the Earl, but when three of his family members are killed in a carriage accident, he has to take up the mantle of head of family, and all the responsibility the title brings. He knows he's the black sheep of the family, and needs a bride to help support him, and start his family, but he wants no one other than the respected, and beautiful widowed Mrs Feld. Brina is furious to find herself the topic of a wager, and the subsequent gossip, but she proposes a counter wager: if Zane can withhold from drinking, gambling, and women until the last ball of the Season, she will accept. She never expects him to last a day, let alone a few weeks, what with his reputation as a card shark, but the season is drawing to a close, and Brina must consider whether she can face remarrying, and to someone she is falling for too.
I just loved this book. After reading the other two in the series, I knew I couldn't wait to see Brina find happiness, but I wasn't expecting to fall for her and Zane's story so much. As soon as I started the book, I couldn't put it down, and was finished in just a couple of hours. Brina was young, and in love, when her husband died, and heard the stories of how he saved half a dozen of his fellow passengers before he was unable to save himself. She only has her friends, Julia and Adeline, and their new husbands, for support, but occupies her time in her volunteering. She has never felt an attraction like that to Zane, and fights his seduction at all turns, but it's a hard fought battle that even she can't win, and I just felt that the chemistry between them was perfect. Zane knew his way around a card table, but he never expected to have any sort of responsibility on his shoulders, so finding himself at the helm of the extended Blacknight family, overseeing all of their requests and allowances, as well as the expanse of properties he inherited was a big shock. Two of his uncles offer their support, but it soon becomes clear they want to control him, and force him to fit into the mould of what they expect an Earl to be. The wager between Zane and Brina was hilarious, and it was nice to see how Zane was willing to improve himself for love, though not becoming someone completely different. The ending of the book killed me, and I was dreading that they wouldn't have their happy ending, but all in all, everyone was happy. Seeing the other couples again, in their own romances was a joy too, and I know this won't be my last series by Grey.
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