Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake is a childless widow at 22 because of a shipwreck. She and two other widows start a school to teach 9 young girls whose families were also affected by the accident. She buys a house with a separate building that can be turned into a boarding school. There are a few problems. One is an extremely nosy neighbor (she has has a spyglass to better see what is happening), the other is a very attractive (and single) Lyon Marksworth, the Earl of Lyonwood. Sparks fly, arguments ensure, and whoopee is made. Infertility is dealt with and the title is safe. I liked Lyon more than I liked Adeline. I am looking forward to Kit and Brina’s stories.

The Earl Next Door is the first book of the First Comes Love series. The series will tell the story of three widows whose husbands died in a shipwreck. Due to this loss they decide to open a school for the daughters or sisters of the men who worked the ship. The first book is about Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake. She lives in the property where the school is. She is the neighbor of Lord Lyon.
Their first encounter is a little scandalous, but there is an instant physical attraction between them. Due to some misunderstandings between them they fight there attraction for each other. I felt that there was more of a physical attraction than a romantic one. There was a slow build up of them getting close, then all of the sudden they are intimate and things seemed to move at a fast pace. I understand Adeline's reluctance of giving up her freedom/independence, but the reason for them getting married seemed a little too old school.
Overall, it was an okay read for me.

The Earl Next Door is a solidly written historical romance. Good characters and dialogue helped the story move along quite nicely. Enjoyed it.

3 Stars!

I found this book to be very predictable but sweet. It also had it's funny moments which, in turn, made this book endearing. Adeline was assertive and fierce, I enjoyed reading her character. However, I felt that Lyon was kind of passive and it didn't fully compliment Adeline all the time. In fact, it made her seem kind of rude and snarky which wasn't what I this Ms. Grey was going for.

I did enjoy the pacing of this book but I felt that since it was so predictable it hindered my reading experience just a tad bit. This being my first read by Amelia Grey, I didn't know what to expect but she wrote a cute story and I might revisit her writing and read some of her other works.

If you like a sweet love story with a male who isn't your run of the mill assertive and 'alpha' like most heroes than maybe this can be your next read!

Love Amelia's new series - First Comes Love! Sweet story line of three widows who literally meet due to loss of their husbands. They have become widows due to the sinking of the Salty Dove, which held all of their husbands. These three ladies formed a bond upon meeting and grew a strong friendship like no other. Adeline, our heroine, Julia and Brina decide during their time spent together in mourning to build a boarding school for the daughters of the men who perished due to the sinking of the ship, Salty Dove. Two years of planning and Adeline is set up in the home in St. James where the boarding school is located.

As the title suggests, The Earl Next Door is a gentleman like no other, what else could he be, who captures Adeline's attention in a most laughable way. That introduction is only one of the laughable moments in this book. The Earl of Lyonwood, or Lyon to his friends, mistakes Adeline for a lady of the night in her own home. These two tango and tangle from the moment their eyes meet!

Adeline does not trust marriage at all. Lyon was not looking to marry until he meets Adeline. Their relationship is more than sensual, it is loving, it is caring, it is sweetly volatile, it is charming. What it is not is trusting. Adeline knows Lyon will not hurt her as her former husband, Wake, did, but she is not sure she can trust any man. Even when she begins to see that she might trust him, her concern about their relationship is that she cannot give him a child. She believes herself barren from her two years with Wake, And, she worries any man would take away the freedom she has gained with Wake's death.

Ms. Grey's secondary characters always add to the enjoyment in her books, but I believe she might have outdone herself this time. My favorite is Mrs. Feversham. We never 'see' her, nor hear her written words, but we hear a lot about her 'spying' and her spyglass. Add in the mix of girls who make lots of noise and the two who cause mischief spying on Lyon in his bath. So many laughable moments!

This is a great beginning to a new series, one that you will enjoy immensely!

The Earl Next Door ⭐️⭐️

While opening a girls’ boarding school, a dowager countess is mistaken for a lady of the night by her aristocratic neighbor, leading to affinity and a scorching affair, but will love be able to overcome divergent goals?
Adeline, the Dowager Countess of Wake, doesn’t exactly mourn her husband, who went down on a ship. Their marriage was complicated, and he’d bullied her when she couldn’t conceive. After befriending two fellow widows of the wreck and learning of the dire straits of the crew’s families, Adeline decides to start a boarding school for the daughters and sisters of those men. The ideal property is next door to Lyon Marksworth, the Earl of Lyonwood, whose aunt convinces him there’s a brothel moving in. When he enters Adeline’s home uninvited to confront her, she has just tried on an intriguing piece of lingerie that furthers his misconceptions. However, despite her problematic attire, rather than cowing to him, she berates him for his unacceptable behavior, and he is intrigued by the fiery countess who dresses him down. Once the girls move in, Adeline and Lyon find themselves more and more attracted to each other as they navigate students and lords behaving badly, meddling family, and a neighbor with a spyglass. Lyon has waited his whole life to find Adeline, and he wants to marry her, but she refuses: “Because I’ve been a wife and found I’m not suited to marriage and have no desire to entangle myself in it again.” She’s happy to be his discreet lover, but he refuses, wanting more. The impasse may keep them apart. Author Grey’s unconventional meet-cute, compelling series backbone, and authentic characters move an interesting plot forward, but the not-completely-surprising surprise ending undercuts the intensity of the central conflict.

Well there you have it.

Typical boiler plate read. Quick with little substance or drama that will bring a reader in.

Girl meets boy, they have sex... they are in “love” but she refuses to marry.

Now girl is pregnant... from their first “encounter” Next they are happily married having a baby.

Yawning....

I received this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you NetGalley!

I really enjoy Ms. Grey's stories and this one is another enjoyable read. Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, finally free from her controlling and cruel husband, has vowed to never marry again and let another man control her. Her resolve starts to crumble when she meets her handsome and imposing neighbor, Lyon Marksworth, the Earl of Lyonwood. From their first meeting, sparks fly, but Adeline is determined to ignore and spend all her time and energy on her school for girls whose fathers' or brothers' died in a sea tragedy. Can Adeline control her desire for her sexy neighbor?

I loved Adeline. She was an unusual heroine--feisty, bold and passionate--not the usual sweet young miss just out on the marriage mart. I also adored Lyon. He was the perfect gentleman--kind, considerate although his ordered life is soon upset by the widow next door along with the young girls of the school. Their interactions are explosive from the moment they meet and it will take a compromise from each of them to finally have their happily ever after. The book is a quick read although I did figure out the twist in the story early on. While I loved the twist, the reader needs to suspense belief a bit and just enjoy it. Fans of regency romances will enjoy this story.

I voluntarily read this story and the opinions are my own.

Since the death of her controlling husband Adeline, the Dowager Countess of Wake, is finally able to attain some freedom. She's focused on the girls' boarding school she's established with her two best friends and has no interest in marrying and being under a man's thumb again. However, that doesn't stop her fierce attraction to her neighbor, the Earl of Lyonwood.

To his father, the Marquis of Marksworth's chagrin, Lyon has eschewed taking a mistress and wants a wife he truly loves, rather than one whose sole purpose is to produce heirs. When he meets his fiery and independent neighbor, Adeline, Lyon is instantly intrigued. Soon he finds himself longing to make Adeline his but she still doesn't want to marry and suggests they become loves instead. But Lyon wants more than half measures and stealthy liaisons. What Lyon feels for Adeline is too deep for him to accept that sort of relationship with her. He just has to convince her that a marriage to him will be different than her previous experience.

This book was rather different from others I've read, which I did like. Adeline's refusal to be open and honest with Lyon even after he opened up to her made me dislike her. Her insistence on generalizing behaviors without hearing him out was not what I expected from such a freethinking lady. I found her to be a rather contradictory character in her treatment of Lyon versus her treatment of the schoolgirls and that made her less likable for me as well. Lyon wasn't necessarily likable all the time himself but I loved that he stood up to Adeline and didn't let her push him around either. These two were constantly butting heads and creating tons of sexual tension, which I appreciated, but Adeline's desire to have her cake and eat it too, at the expense of the feelings of the man she supposedly loves, was off-putting for me and just made her seem selfish and rather hypocritical.

I don't want to add any spoilers, but the final catalyst for Adeline actually accepting Lyon wasn't enough for me; it had nothing to do with him really and didn't demonstrate her being willing to truly chose him and I think he deserved more than that. We also didn't ever find out Lyon's real name which was a minor annoyance for me. Unpopular opinion here it seems, but this was maybe 3.5 stars for me. The story itself was fine and fast-paced, but I just didn't really connect with the main characters; I was more interested in the secondary characters and I do look forward to their stories.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a very cute romance, though it was on the shallower side in terms of the exploration of personalities. It's nice to read a Regency romance set well away from the balls and carriage rides of the ton, and the boarding school that the heroine sets up provides a humorous background for the story. I didn't connect much with the hero, Lyon, and I found the romance a little predictable, but I overall this is a very serviceable story.

The “insta-lust” trope is not a favorite of mine in historical romances, but it can be done well enough in the hands of a strong author. That is not the case, here. The romance felt rushed, almost forced, when I really felt no chemistry between them at all. (Truthfully, I was more interested in Lyon’s father and his new bride). Both the primary and secondary storylines needed to be more fleshed out. Or perhaps the more historical romances I’ve read, the higher my standards and expectations have become.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! It is the first book in the First Came Love series and it did a great job pulling readers in and making them want to read the next books. The series is based on three widows who lost their husbands on the ship, Salty Dove. The book was entertaining, well written and caught my attention. I loved the characters. Lyon showed such patience with Adeline as she overcame her weariness of remarrying. The children’s antics made the book humorous and I was not expecting it. Overall I would say a great book to a wonderful series.

Sweet story.
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The first thing that struck me about this story was the difference in the female lead from traditional females in these type of stories. I love the fact that Adeline was a widow, and a young one at that, who knew what she wanted and was not on the hunt for a man.

She is feisty and speaks her mind, is not afraid of not looking perfect, and has a perfect plan for her life.

But I also love Lyon and his resolve to make sure she becomes his. I love that the author did not tip toe around the heat and passion they felt for each other. She laid that spice and heat right out there and we did not have to endure pages of simpering female babble on how to catch a man and open his eyes to her.

However, the first quarter of the book was a bit slow for me. There was a lot of repetitive conversation but as the story heated up, the pace picked up too. I loved the surprise ending, which was unique and just made the story.

The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey is delightful and the author crafts a winning story that will change your mind about historical romances.

I enjoyed the first book in the series: The Earl Next Door. The setting of a school for girls and the 3 widows was interesting. I would be interested in reading more books in this series.

Amelia Gray writes a wonderful, touching, funny and heartwarming historical romance. The Earl Next door is one of those books that I did not want to put down once I started it. I love the fact that Amelia Gray shows that women are intelligent and can be appreciated for that even for the time that it is written. I will be looking to read more stories by this author. If you are looking for a story filled with humor, love, laughter, and charm, be sure to read The Earl Next Door.

Three widows open a school for girls. This leads Adeline to meet her neighbor. Chemistry between them is instant. Now Lyon has to convince her to marry him. Enjoyed reading about them getting their happy ever after.

Heat Factor: Mildly steamy
Character Chemistry: Like an old pair of jeans
Plot: A widow starts a school and rubs a neighbor the wrong way...but then kind of the right way...
Overall: It’s cute, you’ll fall in love with the characters, it’s well-written. It’s a keeper.

Some people go on vacation and they max out their itinerary, seeing as much as they possibly can. Other people go on vacation and stay put. They read, they eat where the locals eat, they find the best coffee shop and go there every day...if you’re the latter, you’ll love this book.

Let me explain. This book largely takes place on the same block. Nearly the whole thing. You’ll get to know the neighbors, you’ll get comfortable with the alleys and gardens. It’s just charming. Equally charming? The relationship between Lyon and Adeline, our hero and heroine.

I expected their relationship to be more complicated and messy based on its beginning--Lyon mistakes Adeline for the mistress of a new “house of ill repute” setting up in his neighborhood. That error is quickly resolved when he learns that the number of mattresses being delivered are for, in fact, the small girls’ school Adeline is starting for the daughters of those lost in a shipwreck (a wreck where she also lost her doofus of a husband, may he rest in peace).

I will say that the first steamy scene was a little less than titillating--but then as Lyon and Adeline develop more complicated feelings for one another, those scenes get steamier and more beautifully written. (I see what you did there, Ms. Grey. It’s always better when you’re with someone you love. Clever.)

All in all, it’s sweet, it’s funny, you’ll feel like you’ve made yourself a comfortable little home in their neighborhood, and when you’re finished you’ll feel a little homesick.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Adeline's husband died when he went down on a ship called the Salty Dove. She is now a beautiful widow, who with two of her widowed friends start a school for the girls whose brother, father or some other relative were on the ship when it went down. They saw the need to help the girls learn to read and write and to learn a trade so they can support themselves. The only problem is Lyon, the Earl of Lyonwood who happens to be her neighbor. It has been reported that since a large number of beds were being delivered, it must be a bordello. When Adeline, the Dowager Countess of Wake was mistaken for the madam of this so called house of ill repute, she slaps him across the face. Lyon was intrigued by this woman. He wants a wife who will love him as he will love her. Part of the reason that she was picked by Wake to marry was that he wanted a heir. He tortured her and was cruel to her, and she still did not get pregnant . The chemistry and attraction sizzles between Adeline and Lyon. I loved the caring between the two, but Lyon took my heart with the love and support he gave to her. I received this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this wonderful book. Loved it. They is so much more but I don't want to give away the plot.

I have been an Amelia Grey fan for years. I loved Adeline. The plot was good. This story is about Adeline who is the Dowager Countess of Wake and after he husbands death found herself and found her independence. Lord Lyon is the son of the two-timing Earl of Marksworth and he wants to have a respectable, loving wife someday. He is likes Adeline instantly, But she just wants a handsome man not another husband. I enjoy this book very much.

This book was ok. And you can sympathize with Adeline for not wanting to get married again after what she went through. Though Lyon was making it very hard for her (I admire his restraint in waiting for her, and not giving in to the physical only). I didn't like that Adeline came to her senses not because she realized or came to realize by way of her friends that she wanted to be married to Lyon, but because of circumstances. Huh. Or maybe I missed that part?

At any rate, this was an easy read to while to afternoon away.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book.

What a great story! The characters, Countess Wake and Lyonwood, were relatable and their chemistry jumped off the page. I had a hard time putting the book down and am excited for the next in the series!