Rating: 3 Stars ⭐️

This was an ok read for me. I’m not a fan of insta-love. I was not vested in the characters.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the ARC.

"The Earl Next Door" was a mostly interesting book. I felt that some aspects could have been a bit better, namely the characters, but it's an overall okay read.

Really enjoyed this regency romance. It's exactly what you want in a romance, to get caught up in the time period and swept away with it.
Amelia Grey just does these stories so well and id always happily pick up something written by her.

The Earl Next Door was an enjoyable read featuring a romance between a widow and the handsome man next door.

Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, is finally free to make her own choices now that her husband is dead. She treasures her newfound independence and has no intention of marrying ever again. But a new lover? Well that's a whole different story. When Adeline meets her new neighbor, Lord Lyon, she thinks he's the perfect candidate for an affair. But Lyon is looking for a wife which is the last thing Adeline wants. As the passion between them threatens to consume them both, Lyon hopes to convince Adeline that he's exactly what she needs.

Adeline was an interesting woman, after being widowed she is now focused on opening a girls' boarding school with two of her friends. I admired what Adeline was trying to do and I liked how passionate she was about the school. After being oppressed by her husband for years, Adeline now speaks her mind and she doesn't back down which I liked about her. Lyon would be considered a romantic for his time, he refuses to marry until he falls in love. He has no interest in having a mistress and simply wants to find the right woman for him. Lyon likes his life quite and orderly which means he's not exactly thrilled about the idea of a girls' school going in next to his house.

Adeline and Lyon's first meeting was fantastic, Lyon thinks Adeline is opening a house of ill repute next door and confronts her about it so she rightfully puts him into his place. The pair had great chemistry in this scene and it had me eager to see more of their romance. It doesn't take long for the two to give in to their attraction to one another after which they run into issues due to wanting different things. Adeline's first marriage was quite terrible so she understandably doesn't want to marry again while that's all Lyon wants. I felt that they never really resolved wanting different things and while Adeline eventually agreed to marry Lyon, I just felt like something was missing between them.

Overall I enjoyed The Earl Next Door and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, Gone With the Rogue, soon.

*I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This book is the first in a series. It starts with explaining a tragedy that has united three widows to create a boarding school for underserved girls. Adeline is the first of the widows that we have a deep dive to her story. Her house is situated in front of the boarding school for the girls. Little does she know that her next door neighbor has been enlisted to learn more about the school.

Lyon Marksworth, the Earl of Lyonwood, just wants peace, quiet, and order. Unfortunately with the school being next door, none of those things are occurring anymore. After being commissioned by his aunt to discover what's going on, he takes it upon himself to learn not only about the school but also about Adeline.

Sparks fly right away between these two, as Lyon initially mistakes Adeline as a lady of the night. However he quickly learns that she is more than meets the eye.

I love the sensitivity of writing about Adeline's story, as it deals with the demands of women during this time period to produce a male heir. The author exquisitely writes about Adeline's emotions, her betrayal, and her deep sense of loss and feelings of inadequacy. Lyon on the other hand is initially quite the beast! He quickly realizes that she needs more than platitudes. His gentleness eventually comes out, and with it an exquisite understanding of dealing with the emotional trauma.

There is lots to enjoy from the tension these two create. There are certainly sparks immediately, and these do combust quite nicely as the story progresses!

I would highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to completing the rest of the series!

I enjoyed this novel. I enjoy Amelia Grey's writing and storytelling also. The characters were likeable and spirited and the story didn't go the way I thought it would, in a very good way. I will keep looking for her books and can definitely recommend this title to friends.

This had an interesting premise for me. I haven't run across many regency romances where the female mc is windowed and being pursued as a widow. In any historical romance, a widowed female is definitely going to enjoy more freedoms than the typical unwed lady I'm used to reading about. It was fun to read a story with this little twist to it. I really enjoyed Adeline as a character and look forward to reading more by this author.

This is the first book in the series and the characters are connected. The ladies featured in each book in the series and series set-up are introduced. They are a compelling group of women.

Adeline is the Dowager Countess of Wake. She is a young widow who lost her husband at sea. She isn’t in any way a traditional female of the time. Even though she is a widow, she isn’t searching for a husband as many would in her situation. She is a feisty spitfire of a thing and speaks her mind.

As the countess, she was expected to produce an heir. She was in an almost cruel and loveless marriage and forced to stay at the country estate. She has returned to London and everything has a bit of that new glimmer to it.

Adeline meets two other young widows whose husbands died alongside her own. Together, the three have decided to open a school for young girls whose fathers died in the shipwreck. There is little future for these girls and their families without a male supporting them. The three women are now quite wealthy and can fund such a venture. It is Adeline’s dream and she has all of the right things in place to fulfill it.

Except for her rude and judgmental neighbor, Lord Lyon, the Marquess of Marksworth. The opening scene of the book is like a comedy of errors. These comedic scenes cracked me up – although the characters didn’t think they were funny in the least. In fact, they were quite vexed. Lyon “introduces” himself by barging into Adeline’s home. She had just received a box by mistake. Piqued by curiosity, she tries on the sexy red stays over her gown and twirls around. Enter Earl stage left, angry and lathered, accusing Adeline of running a brothel. Talk about getting off on the wrong foot! But this sets the tone for their future encounters.

Lyon is a man who likes quiet and order to his world. He is the only son of the marquess. His father has been pestering him to marry and produce an heir for almost a decade. Lyon refuses to marry unless he falls in love. It has yet to happen. There are no women that pique his interest in a spend-a-lifetime-with kind of way. Until Adeline, who has vowed to never remarry after her terrible and abusive marriage. When Adeline opens her school, there are young girls laughing and making noise almost constantly right in his backyard.

Lyon quickly realizes he wants Adeline in his life, but she does not want to marry. He won’t accept that, so Adeline boldly proposes they become lovers. There is attraction and heat between the two and Lyon is determined to make Adeline see his side of things.

It was an okay read, nothing really stood out about it. I wasn't that crazy with the plot but it was well executed.

This book was so entertaining. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was involved until the end. The characters were complex and interesting. I found the story to be well paced and engrossing throughout the whole book. I was invested in the couple throughout the book and felt all the emotions through both the highs and lows of the story.The side characters were such an integral part of this story as well. This is the love story i needed to read at this time. If you want an entertaining and well written book this is it for you

The Earl Next Door is a romance between a widow countess and an earl. The countess with her friends start a school for girls whose fathers worked on a ship that went down that also killed her husband and two other widows. The earl first mistakes her school as a brothel and her as a worker or madam. Neither can stop thinking of each other, but she doesnt want to marry and he does. Eventually, he wins. She doesnt want to marry because of past emotional abuse. Witty Dialogue but typical romance.

Fun story about the handsome Earl Next Door and the young widow opening a school for underprivileged girls. They spark and she is a firecracker. So much fun!

A great “meet-cute”, where a Countess is mistaken for a Madame, leads to an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers romance. I liked the characters and the way they are portrayed—Adeline doesn’t want to get married, Lyon does—in a role reversal from the typical Regency romance. The friendship between the three women starting the school was heartwarming. Lyon’s meddling Aunt and nosy neighbor brought much amusement. An all-around good story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my freely given, honest review.

I first fell in love with Amelia Grey's books when I read her Rogues' Dynasty series. This particular title, The Earl Next Door is one of the series in the First Comes Love with whitty and kind widows who lost their husbands at sea. Main character, Adeline is a widow from a cruel and embarrasing marriage. Now that she is free from her tyrannical husband, she decides to open up a school for girls with two other widows who lost their husbands in the same sea accident. Determined to not let society ruin her determination and goals, Adeline sets out to make her boarding school a success. But oh, this is where things get funny and interesting!

Lord Lyon, is tasked to find a wife soon so that he can fulfill his father - the Marquess of Marksworth -wish to gain an heir or two. But Lyon is sort of a rogue and does not wish to settle down. Little does he know however, that when he meets the outspoken Dowerger Countess, Adeline, he is in for quite a surprise! Their interactions are quite hilarious and frustrating as neither one of them wants to see the truth in each other. This got a bit frustrating for me because they are both hiding their true selves. Lyon isn't the spoiled rich nobility of the ton, and Adeline is definitely not the proprietress of a brothel!

There are bits and twists in this book that makes it engaging from beginning to end. A lot of misconceptions on both main characters that has you shaking your head. Adeline was a bit judgemental of London society since they frowned upon her opening up a school for lost girls. But she knows in her heart she is doing the right thing. And Lord Lyon - well, you just wanted to slap him on the side of his head to wake him up!

The Earl Next Door is a mistaken identity sort of story. It does have some racier scenes but they important to the plot of the story. I do wish however, that authors would not let women swoon to men so quickly and men not always think with their other body parts all the time. Overall, it was an enjoyable book filled with twists and turns in between the main plot.

Thank you, Netgalley for this ARC!

I absolutely loved this historical romance! the main characters had great chemistry, and the secondary characters added some great texture to the plot. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

This is the first book in this new 'First Comes Love' series
Three young Noble Widows brought together by the loss of their husbands in the same shipwreck ….. decide to set up a Trade School for the sisters and daughters of working class men lost in the disaster .
One of them, the Dowager Countess Wake, chooses to live in the mansion in front of the school., bringing her to the attention of the Earl of Lyonwood ………….. misunderstandings occur alongside an instant attraction .
The Countess is unwilling to risk another marriage , her husband infidelity and scorn over her infertility has badly wounded her .
Whereas the Earl , under pressure to marry and produce an heir , wants to marry for love .
This is an elegant story of two people drawn together and finding happiness despite their initial reservations .

I look forward to reading the other books in the series

I was given an arc of this book by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review .

3.5 stars

Next door neighbour trope in histrom!!

I haven't read any HR for a long while (I think last was Chasing Cassandra?) so I cannot remember if I've read any neighbour next door (like literally, divided by hedge fence next door) tropes in HR but I was very pleased when I found this out in the beginning.

Anyway I love both Adeline and Lyon together!!!

Young widow, Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, takes residence of a new house that has a boarding house in the back that will be for girls who love family in the from the Seas, like her husband. However, that move brought Lord Lyon, son of the two-timing Earl of Marksworth, on the other side of her fence. None of the meetings are appropriate; the old lady with a spyglass across the street isn't helping. Instant attraction, children interfering, and not want to lose the freedoms make this a slow burn book that is under 300 pages.

Why get married again, if the first time wasn't great. Being a young widow has perks, and Adeline would rather have the perks than to be married again - when she doesn't have to be. Lord Lyon would like to settle down with all the perks marriage would bring, and he would like those perks with Adeline. Battle of wills and desire that both share, but Adeline doesn't want to lose what she now has.

The book is a slow burn and things start getting interesting about 40/8 chapters in, it kept my interest. I would recommend it.

Tropes - Young Widow, Friendmies to Lovers

A received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's for an honest review.

Lady Adeline Wake is a young widow who lost her husband 2 years ago in a shipping accident. Along with two others ladies who share her fate, Adeline is opening a boarding school for girls in the property behind her house. She is determined to live the rest of her life independently, free from the control of a husband. Especially a controlling one like her late husband. And it’s not like there have been men who have tempted her or given her reason to believe otherwise. But when Adeline meets her next door neighbour Lord Lyonwood, she begins to become aware of all that she was missing in her married life and as a woman.

Lyon has no idea that in his absence a new neighbour had moved in next door. And if all the comings and goings to the house and gossip is any indication, it seems that his next door neighbour may be operating a secret brothel. But when he storms into the house to announce that her kind of business is not welcome in the neighbourhood, he meets Lady Wake. Lady Wake may not be a madam, but she is alluring and mesmerising and has a free spirit to give any cold blooded aristocrat a run for his money.

Lord Lyonwood may have finally found a woman whom he is interested in marrying, but it seems that Adeline has no intention of tying herself to a man. Especially since she believes that she won’t be able to give Lyon the heir that he needs.

SPOILER ALERT

I loved almost all of the book until I came to the end. There was great sexual chemistry between Lyon and Adeline not to mention the constant back and forth and banter between them. Adeline’s hesitation towards marrying Lyon was justified and understandable. But her biggest reason for turning him down disappears all of a sudden when she finds out that she is able to have children. I would have thought that a pivotal moment like that would have played a bigger part in the book and that we would have at least gotten a glimpse of how Adeline felt about it. I would have wished to witness her surprise and joy. I think a grave injustice was done to this story. There was so much potential and yet it felt rushed and incomplete and like it was missing a couple of chapters. I hope that the upcoming books in the series won’t be so.

This is such a cute story. I love a book set in this time period, and it did not disappoint. When Adeline, and her two widow friends decide they are going to break free from the norm, they ruffle plenty of feathers. They decide to spend their time running a girl's school instead of searching for another husband. However, they choose to place their school right next to intriguing and devilishly handsome Lyon. Adeline and Lyon immediately butt heads, but soon enough, things start to take a turn. Can they work out their differences to stay friends and allow Adeline to create a successful school for these girls?