Highly enjoyed Matilda and Titus's story in the Lords in Love series. Matilda has just a few weeks before reaching her age of majority and becoming an heiress - she's determined to attain that independence. Titus is intrigued by Matilda at the Matchmaker ball and only later realizes she is the same girl who was to be his ward for the next few weeks. As the time passes, they form a friendship and find themselves attracted to each other. This book is humorous and romantic, with witty dialogue between the two.

Highly enjoyed Matilda and Titus's story in the Lords in Love series. Matilda has just a few weeks before reaching her age of majority and becoming an heiress - she's determined to attain that independence. Titus is intrigued by Matilda at the Matchmaker ball and only later realizes she is the same girl who was to be his ward for the next few weeks. As the time passes, they form a friendship and find themselves attracted to each other. This book is humorous and romantic, with witty dialogue between the two.

I love how Erica Ridley’s books are a perfect way to escape into a swooning romance and I think this ranks as one of my new favourites!

Matilda and Titus seem to be at total odds with one another and the emotional turmoil both feel with their new (and unwanted) situation had me hooked. Seeing how they learn to understand one another and the way both lift the each other up was simply lovely. I’m a bit of a sucker for the ‘all hope is lost, emotional anguish’ scenes (the garden maze and constant clashing with society heiresses for Matilda) and a ‘save the day’ unlikely hero swooping in and this had PLENTY. Loved it and can’t wait for the next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Titus and Matilda grabbed ahold of my heart from the beginning. I’ve always enjoyed books from this author. She tends to write a lot of fairy tale, but this regency was 100% believable. Their stories were gripping. The ending perfect. I could say so much more, but then I would be giving you a spoiler alert. A must read!

How could you defy the Earl of Gilbourne, Titus Noble? Trust me, he'd delicious and you wouldn't want to try. Defying the Earl is a stand alone book in the Lords in Love series, and I really, really loved it. This book was sweet, charming, well paced, and hit on some of my favorite tropes, like guardian / ward and sunshine / grump.

Matilda Dodd is almost 21 and almost independent. Her new ward is, of course, the earl, who isn't much older than Matilda (so no taboo romance here). The dialogue is charming and natural and their chemistry was evident from the beginning. Both have similar trauma in their lives and have handled it differently, and the walls come down for both of them to reveal layered and lovely characters.

A great read!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.

This turned out to be a very different story than it thought it would be. I was expecting something very light, particularly when the Earl (Titus Noble) was looking for his new ward at the ball in the town of Marrywell. His intent was to marry her off as soon as possible and go back to being a morose recluse.

Matilda had other plans - she was one month from being of age and was looking forward to travel and excitement, not marriage. She had survived a serious illness that others didn't, and rather than marinating in sorrow, was determined to live fully.

Titus had a similar experience but was deeply committed to avoiding all joy. This is a romance well worth reading, with two unusual, vivid characters.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher Webmotion via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to voluntarily read and review this book.

A few of my favorite historical romances are by Erica Ridley. This one is not one of them. I'm not sure how else to explain it, other than to say it felt superficial. Like someone said to write a grumpy/sunshine trope and this is the most basic plotline possible. The male main character was rude to his servants and didn't feel redeemable to me. The female main character was just a "I'm not like other girls" character. It just wasn't for me, unfortunately.

A sneaky, elderly guardian inspires to push her to wards together in this delightful, match making story!

Erica Ridley brings us back to the festivities with Defying the Earl, the fourth instalment in the Lords in Love duet series with Darcy Burke.

This series revolves around the Marrywell May Day marriage festival- and weeklong festivities were single people mingle in the hopes of meeting their match!

I miss Matilda. Dodd has only three weeks until she reaches her majority and take control of her inheritance and can live her life as she pleases… but until that time, her elderly guardian has decided that she needs a new guardian and puts her in the hands of the Earl of Gilbourne.

Gilbourne, also performer Ward is reclusive and hides away from society. After losing his family in an accident, and being orphaned, he feels safest not getting close to anyone whom he may loose.

On the reverse, Matilda looks for friendship and camaraderie in everyone. A classic grumpy, sunshine pairing, Matilda, put everything she has into making the earl like her as a friend… and more after she finds out what a softy he truly is!

Guardian/ward romance is one of my favourite tropes, and I just love what Erica Ridley did with this story. Matilda and Gilbourne are perfect match, and their adventure in finding happiness together was a sweet treat.

The whole Lords in Love series has been a lot of fun, and this book just might be my favourite so far!

Thanks to author Erica Ridley and WebMotion for my review copy.

#LordsInLove #DefyingTheEarl #EricaRidley

Matilda Dodd and Titus Noble. What perfectly chosen names in Erica Ridley’s DEFYING THE EARL, part of a collaborative effort between Ridley and author Darcy Burke’s Lords in Love series.

Those names, before you truly understand the characters, seem to be some kind of foreshadowing. Matilda is not dowdy and Titus seems, initially, anything but noble. However, in her signature style, Ridley weaves a wonderful tale of romance and laughter, coupled with character insights, that makes it all work. Titus’s pessimism coupled with Matilda’s optimism, create a charming romance that is a five star wonder.

I received this book as an ARC, allowing me to read it before publication. I read it with enjoyment, but no expectation of a positive review. The
review is all mine!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this story and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book 4 of the Lords in Love series that can be read as a standalone, but does center around the matrimonial festival in Marrywell.

This has a Beauty and the Beast, and sunshine x grumpy theme, with a touch of Regency Mean Girls, and I loved the story. Matilda Dodd is a month away from her 21st birthday and her independence. That is when she comes into her inheritance and will have financial freedom to live her life as she wants. She is desperate to live life to the fullest, experience things, and make friends, despite being rather shy and lacking confidence. She has spent a year in deep mourning, and near social isolation, for her parents after their deaths from a fever that sickened Matilda as well.

Titus Noble, the Earl of Gilbourne, is a man scarred inside and out and also knows intimately about the loss of family. He suffered the loss of his entire family in a carriage accident as a child, that he blamed himself for. He took the opposite route from Matilda and determined that he would push everyone away. While he does his duty as an Earl and a member of the House of Lords, he is known to be cold, unsocial, and unapproachable. Because of his past, he feels he does not deserve love or family, and this breaks my heart because when he meets Matilda, you feel how much he craves their connection, even though he also harshly and desperately pushes her away and seems to reject her.

Because his internal scars and guilt makes him think he does not deserve her and her love.

But Titus and Matilda complement each other - he cares for her, supports her, and gives her confidence when others try to break her down and stomp on her. She brings light and sunshine to his darkness. Despite the walls he puts up to keep others out, he cannot help but show her that he cares for her in everything he observes about her, including her love of candied citrus. But he mistakenly thinks that he does not deserve her and to love her and thinks it is best for her to be away from him... and because of this he almost loses his chance at love and family again.

His scarred forbidding exterior hides a man with deep emotional scars, but is desperately in need of being loved - I wanted to reach through the pages and give him a big long hug. He is obviously loved by others who know him - he treats his servants wonderfully, his godmother obviously cares for him - but he had shut himself away from them, and needed Matilda to open him up.

This book needed for Titus to have a big goofy dog to give him some unconditional love also.

4.5 stars out of 5

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Normally, I am a fan of this author and her stories, but this one just missed the mark on a lot of levels.

To begin with, I found it very hard to connect with any of the characters in the story. Throughout most of the book Titus is a tyrant (yes, he has his reasoning for it unbeknownst to Matilda), but he has a tendency to glare at her, grunt instead of respond, or talk about her to others as though she's not even there. Eventually, he starts to do things for her (like take her to balls and all of the nonsense he should do as someone who wants her married ASAP and out of his hair), but even then, he doesn't really talk to her or interact with her in any way; instead, he glares at all the eligible men who ask her to dance. Because you know, he's fallen in love with her even though there is really no reason for it other than he is surly and people avoid him, and she doesn't (although not by her own choice as she is his ward after all).

Matilda is crafted as the antithesis of Titus. Despite having suffered the loss of her family, and fears of her own, she throws herself into society while Titus hides away. She is sunshine where he is rainstorms. She claims to have plans for herself once she comes into her inheritance (but doesn't actually have concrete plans once she meets Titus and decides she is in love with him). Honestly, I excepted more from her. At least give her a backbone.... or at the very least an actual friend in the ton (which she claimed she wanted to make, and then... doesn't expect for one girl close to her age who only shows up when it's convenient to move a plot point along).

And I think one of the main reasons that this one didn't work for me was because we don't really see Titus and Matilda getting along and developing a connection except here and there because the story has so many time skips. Sure, it moves the story along, but when the couple only has three weeks to get to know each other while Titus supposedly looks to marry her off to the first eligible bachelor he can find; then suddenly a week passes with nothing happening other than us being told a week passed? It makes the entire thing read more like a rushed novella than a fully fleshed-out story.

There was also an (again, in my opinion) missed opportunity to use Matilda's bully to drive a wedge between them (or at least cause some drama). Instead, she was such an over-the-top shrew that Titus was able to nip her involvement in the story before it had a chance to mean anything.

Overall, even though this one didn't work for me, I know there are people who will enjoy it much more, and because I know what this author is capable of, I will continue to read more of her works.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

The fourth book in the Lords in Love series another well written story that held my interest throughout. This is Miss Matilda Dodd who has become Titus Noble, the Earl of Gilbourne's ward. The story has its ups and downs as these two work toward a happy ending. The story is well worth reading. I want to read the next book. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Published: April 21, 2023
Series: Lords in Love, Book 4
Pages: 221

I’ve enjoyed several reads by Erica Ridley and the description of this story piqued my curiosity. The story engages the reader with the main characters of Titus and Mattie.

Titus, the Earl of Gilbourne has been handed the role of guardian by his godmother to take care of a ward that she is unable to introduce into society. Unfortunately, he does not relish the idea of taking on this task and most of all he has never had the chance to meet the person in question. As he attends said ball and not wanting to bring attention to himself, he spies a beautiful woman and becomes enamored by her beauty. Little does he know that the woman in question is the ward he is to guide into society.

Then there is Miss Matilde “Mattie” Dodd who will be closing in on her majority and welcoming the idea of being free to live the life she dreams of and the way she sees fit. However, she’s been told that she has now become the ward to an Earl at such an older age that she finds it ridiculous.

Well suffice to say, I had a very hard time with this story…so much so that parts became unbelievable for me at times. The story has a grumpy, older hero who never smiles, and disposition is serious in nature, and a heroine who is supposed to come across as shy but is way too outspoken…thus my confusion. Funny…could not get with the guardian/ward and age gap trope here. In fact, the story surprisingly turned out to be quite an enjoyable historical romance between Titus and Mattie.

The couple had to grow on me a bit to make them likeable characters where the story put me in mind of a retelling of the “Beauty and Beast” fairytale. There were laughable and fun moments despite my initial misgivings. The fourth book in this series was well-written and is prompting me to read the others in the series. Enjoyable and garnering a definite 4-Stars.

"Defying the Earl" was over the top and obvious, yet failed to have any real plot conflict. There is very little character development, especially for Matilda, and it's filled with casual inaccuracies that pull it out of the historical setting. Would not recommend.

Note: Part of a series, but can be read as a standalone.

eARC provided via NetGalley for review.

Ridley captures the essence of the Regency, and is always a joy to read. I can’t wait to read more from her latest series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I haven't read the others in the series, and this book makes me want to read them. I have already recommended this book series and author to others and will rate it on Goodreads. Thank you for giving me an advanced copy.

I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC of Defying The Earl written by the amazing Erica Ridley from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Miss Matilda Dodd, ward to Titus Noble, Earl of Gilbourne, kisses a strikingly handsome man behind some plants, only to discover later that the gentleman is actually her guardian who never ventures out in public or even converses with anyone. What ensues next is some magnificent building feelings, an abundance of treasured moments and an eruption of hidden emotions and characters. I absolutely loved this story and can hardly wait to read all the other books in this series.

Suspension of disbelief is necessary for this read. A hero who literlly never smiles, a shy gril who is the most outspoken person I've ever read, and a guardian/ward love story but she's 20 years old. I know this is part of the constraints of the day, but how does it work out that this girl comes to stay with this Earl and he's in charge of her, but when they fall in love and get married there is no scandal or problem? There was no big problem in this book except this Earl refuses to participant in society and is stuck with this girl he doesn't want around cause he's obsessed with her.

Overall, this story was so weird and didn't fit in any category in my head, but not in a good or fun way?

Historical romance,part of a series featuring a marriage festival. Fairly typical, grumpy hero and pretty determined heroine. A quick read.

This was a sweet romance. The H and h seemed to have a connection, but it just wasn’t quite there for me. I felt they needed a bit more of relationship development. Also, I prefer my romances a bit more steamy. I didn’t take off a star for this as it is a preference. That being said-maybe I would have felt that connection more if there had been more
steam. Overall, it was a nice weekend read.