ABOUT THE EARL NEXT DOOR:

What does a fiercely independent young widow really want? One determined suitor is about to find out…

When Adeline, the widowed Countess of Wake, learns of her husband’s sudden death, she realizes she’s free. At last, she can do, go, and be as she pleases. Finally, she can have the life she has always dreamed of. She doesn’t need, or want, to remarry. Especially not the supremely dashing future Marquis of Marksworth, who makes Adeline yearn for his desire…

Lord Lyonwood, son of a philandering marquis, will not be like his father. He wants to run his estates and watch them flourish—and find a wife who brings love to his life. When he meets spirited and self-reliant Adeline in a case of near-scandalous mistaken identity, Lyon feels he’s met his match. But Adeline isn’t interested in a marriage proposal. She will only accept becoming his lover—and Lyon finds it hard to refuse. Unless the fire of his passion can melt Adeline’s resolve…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author AMELIA GREY read her first romance book when she was thirteen and she’s been a devoted reader of love stories ever since. Her awards include the Booksellers Best, Aspen Gold, and the Golden Quill. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, she won the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the prestigious Maggie Award. Her books have sold to many countries in Europe, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and most recently to Japan. Several of her books have also been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs. Amelia is the author of over twenty-five books. She’s been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years and she lives on the beautiful gulf coast of Northwest Florida.

Connect with Amelia:

Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Connect with the Publisher:

SMP Romance Twitter: @SMPRomance or @heroesnhearts ~ SMP Romance Website

Tracy’s Review:

The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey

Tracy’s rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: First Comes Love, #1

Release Date: May 28, 2019

Adeline, the widowed Countess of Wake meets Lyon Marksworth, Earl of Lyonwood when he barges into her home and mistakes her for a madam of a bawdy house. She is outraged and sets him straight right away. She along with her friends Julia and Brina lost their husbands two years ago when the ship they were traveling on sunk. Now that their mourning period has ended, not only are they preparing to reenter society, but they decided to open a school for girls, specifically the girls related to the workers on the ship that sank. Adeline’s marriage was not a happy one and after the nightmare she endured for two years ended, she has no desire to be controled by a man again – no matter how good looking he is!

Lyon is in equal parts intrigued and annoyed by his new neighbor, she is lovely and feisty, but intends to keep his distance. But when the school opens and the girls arrive, he once again has a run in with the fiery widow and becomes even more intrigued. When yet another incident with the school interupts his life, he confronts her again and they both give into the passion that has been simmering since they met. But when Lyon decides he wants more than just secret trysts, he learns how stubborn and singleminded Adeline can be – can he convince her that he loves her and that he would never treat her the way her late husband did? Or will she hold on to her fears and lose the man she has come to love?

I thought this was a cute story, but there really wasn’t a whole lot of depth to this book and I found a lot of it repetitive and it began to drag towards the end. There were also some things that puzzled me – didn’t any of the widows have family of their own? The only references to family were that of their husbands – Adeline is only 22 in this book, so I would think at least one of her parents is alive – why no mention of them? I thought the secondary characters – especially his father the Marquess of Marksworth – were great and I thought the author did a good job introducing the other widows and I am looking forward to reading their books. The book didn’t have a lot of action, but the love scenes were well done, Lyon was a wonderful hero, his father added comedic relief and the epilogue was sweet. Personally, I was not a fan of how the author decided to overcome their impasse to give them a HEA, I would have rather she had a bit more faith in him. Overall, it was a light, uncomplicated, easy read with likeable characters and a happy ending.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an eARC that was provided to my by NetGalley and the publisher.*