I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey is the first book in her new series First Comes Love. Adeline, Lady Wake, Dowager Countess of Wake is in the process of starting up a school for young girls, specifically daughters and sisters of people who were killed in the same shipwreck that her husband died in. She has joined forces with two other widows who also lost their husbands when the Salty Dove sank. Her first meeting with her new neighbour Lyon Marksworth, Earl of Lyonwood does not go well when he charges into her house to accuse her of setting up a brothel because an elderly neighbour had seen a large number of beds being delivered. Despite this rocky start there is serious chemistry between these two although Adeline has sworn never to remarry and it’s going to take more than a few steamy encounters to change her mind. One of the things I like most about the hero is that he accepted Adeline’s decision and while he was greatly disappointed he did not try to force her hand. I look forward to reading the next books in this series as I found this one delightful. Medium Steam. Publishing date May 28, 2019 #NetGalley #TheEarlNextDoor #AmeliaGrey #StMartinsPress #StMartinsPaperback #FirstComesLoveSeries

3.5 stars

I am going to do this review in a different style today. I am going to list the pros and cons (with explanations). I have done reviews like this in the past. I have found that I can get my thoughts across better this way. It is up in the air if this review style will become a permanent thing.

Pro’s of The Earl Next Door


1. It is set in Regency England. I am a massive fan of historical romances set in that period. I love being able to imagine going to balls, eating by candlelight, and being courted.

2. Adeline’s independence. What I liked is that the author chose to have her independence be true to the era. While she could do what she wanted, she still had to observe the tons’ social dictations.

3. Lyon. While he was a typical Regency romance hero, he did stand out to me. He had a strong moral code (which was explained in the book). As weird as this sounds, he also didn’t have a mistress. Usually, in these books, the male main character is ending a relationship with a mistress, or he is considering one. Not Lyon. It was refreshing to read.

4. Adeline and Lyon’s initial relationship. I loved it!!! From the minute he asked her if she was running a brothel, I knew this relationship was going to be a good one. She put Lyon in his place several times. My favorite one? Well, when she walked into his house, soaking wet, and proceeded to tell him and every other man there off. I slow clapped at the end of that scene.

Con’s of The Earl Next Door

1. Adeline’s backstory. While it wasn’t the most tragic one I have read, it struck a nerve with me. When everything was revealed, she put through a lot by her late husband. I could understand why she felt the way she felt later on in the book.

2. Lyon’s father. He grated on my nerves. Every single scene he was in, I wanted to erase him, he annoyed me that bad. For someone who has been married three times and was engaged to be married again, he didn’t have the right to push marriage on anyone.

3. Adeline and Lyon after they had sex. I did like that Adeline didn’t want to get married. I liked that she tried to keep it simple. I also liked that Lyon was the one pushing marriage. But, after the first few interchanges, I started to get annoyed.

4. The end of the book. I was underwhelmed by it. It was predictable. Everything that took place after Nora arrived at Adeline’s house I predicted. Even the epilogue I didn’t like.

Conclusion of The Earl Next Door

I started off liking The Earl Next Door. It was in my favorite romance era, Regency England. I enjoyed that the author chose to make Adeline as independent as she could for that era. I loved Lyon and thought his character was a refreshing change. Adeline and Lyon’s relationship, for the first half of the book, was excellent.

The book started going downhill for me after Lyon and Adeline had sex. Their relationship became a power struggle. He wanted to marry her, and she didn’t want too. I did wish that Adeline’s entire backstory was revealed earlier in the book. I could not stand Lyon’s father. The end of the book was disappointing to me. It became too predictable. Even the epilogue, which I enjoy, was “meh.” But, saying that, I do want to read book 2!!

The Earl Next Door is the first book in Amelia Grey’s brand new First Comes Love series of Regency-era historical romance novels. I’ve read a couple of Grey’s other books, and this one looked promising.

Unfortunately, the book falls flat. As the title suggests, Adeline moves in next door to Lyon, and the first thing the hero does is to accuse her of setting up a brothel.

She’s actually establishing a school for impoverished girls whose fathers died in the same shipwreck that claimed her first husband.

I’m struggling a little with the math here, but Adeline is 22 years old and she lost her husband two years ago. I’m not sure how old she was when she got married, but I guess that means that she struggled with infertility as an 18 year old. She mentions several times that her husband made her drink awful tasting tonics to increase her fertility, but to no avail. Now, we know that her husband wasn’t sterile because he had a baby with his mistress- more on that in a minute. Anyway, Adeline manages to get pregnant the first time she has sex with Lyon. It’s just a little disheartening to see infertility dealt with this way.

As a reader, I lost all respect for Adeline when she learns that her husband’s mistress has dropped off their daughter with a note (Paddington style) that says, “I can’t afford to take care of my child anymore because I’m no longer receiving the allowance I used to get, and I have nowhere else to turn but your school.”

This is so sad, right? A poor downtrodden woman is clinging to the hope that her child might be able to learn a trade of some sort and grow up with more options than her mother.

But Adeline flies into a rage and insists that the mistress is only doing this to THROW HER FERTILITY into Adeline’s face- a cruel gesture to remind Adeline that she (the mistress) was able to have a baby with Adeline’s husband.

That was it for me, and there was no redemption after that.

I would not recommend The Earl Next Door. In addition to the plot issues, I also found the prose overly florid, and it was hard to slog through the descriptions of every little thing.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Adeline Wake Dowager Countess of Wake was married for two miserable years. She has been a widow for another two years.
Lyon Marksworth, the Earl of Lyonwood is Adeline’s neighbor.
Adeline’s husband was killed when
The Salty Dove capsized. Adeline is starting a girls school that will be in a building behind her house. Now her problem is her nosy neighbor across the street and the Earl next door. Does she succeed?
This is a book that I think anyone who likes to read this genre will enjoy reading.

This was an enjoyable start of a new series.

This is Adeline and Lyon's story, and is humorous, sweet, and with likeable characters. Something else I love about this story, is how strong female characters are portrayed. Their witty banter is always entertaining and so much fun to read.

Overall, The Earl Next Door is entertaining, intriguing and captivating. Although, I didn't love it, the storyline kept me turning the pages until the very end.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion!

I loved reading Adeline and Lyon’s amazing story in The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey, book one in her First Comes Love series. At the age of twenty-two, Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, learns of her husband’s accidental death at which time she finally feels free. She was the victim of spousal abuse; not physical but definitely emotional. He husband married her only to provide an heir and a spare, and was furious that she was unable to do that. Now, Adeline can do what she wants, go where she wants, and be as she pleases. Best of all, she does not need or want to remarry anyone. With the assistance of two other widows, Adeline opens a school to teach reading, writing, and sewing to girls of families who also loss a working parent in the accident. This school will be located on the property where she is now living. Imagine what the neighbors might think as they see delivery after delivery to the school. Unfortunately, one concerned neighbor forces the future Marquis of Markworth, Lyon Lyonwood her next door neighbor, to question the young Countess as well as scandalously mistaken her identity.

Lyon refuses to be like his father by marrying in name only while have numerous mistresses laying in wait for him. He wants a wife who can love him and his life; be the one and only woman in his life. As he soon learns, the spirited and self-reliant Adeline is his perfect match but she is not interested in marriage. She yearns for his touch, his kiss, his . . ., but is only willing to be his lover, not his wife. Lyon uses all the passion and tools he has at hand hoping to convince Adeline to marry him.

Ms. Grey wrote a charming, clever, entertaining and amusing story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with humorous escapades, amusing banter, sexual chemistry and endearing characters giving Adeline and Lyon a chance to obtain all each desires. I highly recommend The Earl Next Door to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

The Earl Next Door is the first in a new series by Amelia Grey, and the first book by her that I've read. This historical romance is created on a unique premise of Adeline Wake, a widowed countess who is newly moved to a home where she is also starting up a boarding school for young “unfortunate” girls when she meets neighbor Lyon Marksworth, Earl of Lyonwood, in a not so “meet-cute” exchange. What transpires between them in this initial meeting shows the young Earl that Lady Wake is a feisty and sparks an intense curiosity in Lyon.

This is a bit of a slow burn as interactions between Adeline and Lyon are limited, but it does build out traits of the main characters, rounds out their circle of family and friends, and shows some history on what inspires and motivates them. In particular Adelines marriage and Lyons relationship with his father. When friendship begins to form, sparks fly between these and it's electric.

Unique in this story is that Adeline is NOT interested in a second marriage while Lyons looks forward to his first and only - but only with Adeline. It will take some convincing for her to see his way. I found this a very enjoyable read and in particular liked the secondary cast in Lyons aunt Cordelia and his father. I look forward to reading the next book in the First Comes Love series.

I have a definite weakness for this genre of books, and this did not disappoint!. When the Dowager Countess of Wake, Adeline, opens a school for young girls, little does she know that “The Earl Next Door” will be causing a huge upheaval in her life. Lord Lynwood has a rude awakening one morning with noises next door to him, and discovers this school has been opened by three young widows who are attempting to give young girls whose family has been affected by the loss of a ship at sea, a skill that they can use to make a living. The paths of Adeline and Lyon cross frequently, and the sparks of romance ignite between them., which Adeline tries desperately to ignore. Additional characters in the story who bring in both humor and additional drama, include Lord Lynwood’s father, his aunt, and the nosey neighbor with a spyglass who lives across the street.....who is very interested in the goings on between the two houses! The usual pitfalls occur as Lyon determines that Adeline would be the perfect match for him, and yet Adeline, whose marital experiences with her deceased husband, make her not want to be married at all. It is great to have a story from this timeframe where there are young women who are striving to be independent under their unfortunate circumstances of widowhood, and who are trying to make a difference in the lives of others. This is the first book in a series of three, and i look forward to following the journey of the three widows in the next two books! I received an ARC of this book from the author, the publisher, and NetGalley in return for an hones review, which this has been. #NetGalley, #TheEarlNextDoor

Adeline, Lady Wake, is the main character of this story. A young widow from a loveless marriage and determined to stand on her own tw0 feet. She is a strong woman; but, also sensitive and almost beaten down by her husband when she is unable to produce an heir for him and his title. She is about 21 years old, so pretty young. Her late husband made her stay at his country estate, so she hadn't been in London in quite a few years.

When she moves back to London, she makes the acquaintance of her next-door neighbor (the Earl) at a most inopportune time and quite unannounced. A mistaken identity and odd circumstances cause them to get off "on the wrong foot". Thus begins this story. It is well written and the characters are believable and refreshing. I liked the independence of a few of the female characters (even the tertiary ones) and their male contemporaries. All-in-all I enjoyed this tale and look forward to more in this series.

I really enjoyed this historical read. Our heroine is perfect in that she is not one of those weak and simpering ladies of that period and is a strong and determined young woman.

The Earl Next Door is the first book in the First Comes Love series by Amelia Grey. The series revolves around three young widows who lost their husbands at sea when the ship they were on went down. They have come together to start a school for the girls who lost their fathers in that same shipwreck.

This is the first of the widow's stories. Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake was in a loveless marriage and the main thing she felt when she heard her husband was dead, was relief. She enjoys having her independence and never intends to marry again. Her greatest joy now is the school and helping the children in it.

Unfortunately, her greatest joy isn't her neighbour's. Lord Lyonwood, first of all, is led to believe that his neighbour is opening a house of ill repute. His first meeting with Adeline doesn't go well at all when he accuses of her being a madame, but his mind is put to rest when she tells him about the school. That is until the school opens and his sleep is interrupted when the girls are out in the garden squealing and laughing as young girls do. That brings the second meeting between him and Adeline, that again doesn't go well at all.

During these tempestuous meetings, Adeline and Lyon strangely can't help but feel attracted to each other an attraction that when they finally stop shouting at each other they are happy to allow to develop. Unfortunately, Lyon wanting to be nothing like his philandering father envisions a life where he is married and settled on his estate with children living a calm happy life. Adeline, on the other hand, has sworn to never marry again. Lyon wants more than just a physical relationship and doesn't want to settle for less.

So what will happen between the couple, where will the compromise, if any, take place and will the compromise be made with any resentment or can they have the happy ever after they deserve?

This was a nice fast paced story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved that the widows came together to open the school, the school girls were a joy to read about, especially one little one. You will know who I mean if you read the book yourself. Lyon's neighbour across the street was a hoot and definitely brought the comical aspect, nosey woman! That is one of the things that I liked about this book, it had the perfect mix of light and shade, not to mention some beautiful passionate moments between Lyon and Adeline. I can't wait to read the next book in the series which I think is going to see another of the widows finding love again.

Who wouldn't love to have an earl next door, especially one seeking true love, such as Lord Lyonwood. He wants a real marriage, unlike his father's philandering ways. When he meets Adeline, dowager Countess of Ware, he thinks he might have found "the one." Only Adeline — after the death of her controlling husband — does not want to marry again. She's fine with an affair, but that's it. How she changes her mind makes for an entertaining story, with a lovely side story about Adeline and her friends' determination to open a school for girls whose relatives died in the same shipwreck that cost the ladies their husbands. Adeline shows us that we don't have to let the past rule our future; a bad first husband does not mean a woman has to swear off commitment forever. The book is first in a series, and it is a sweet and romantic opening. We can't wait to see whose love story is next.
(I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.)

Left a widow unexpectedly at the age of twenty-two, Adeline has no desire to remarry. She is enjoying her new-found freedom, her friends and the charity school they have set up between them. When the Earl of Lyonwood forces his way into her house, she is enraged by his misconceptions and his unseemly manners but also intrigued and fascinated by the man and the feelings he stirs within her. I found the characters engaging and read the book within a couple of hours. An enjoyable story with less historical inaccuracies than most. Shame the Earl’s father has been given the title of Marquis, rather than Marquess but I was reading an uncorrected proof.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Adeline, Countess of Wake, is on her own after her husband’s death. Finally, Adeline is free. She cherishes her independence and is not looking for another man to wed. But, she would love to find a man and live in sin. Lord Lyon, son of the two-timing Earl of Marksworth, wishes to have a respectable, loving wife. When he meets the independent Adeline, Lyon is instantly enamored. But Adeline would rather have him as a lover than a husband. Can Lyon change her mind?
I was excited to read this book, but I couldn’t get through it. It was non-stop inner monologue and narration. It bored me and I put the book down and didn’t want to pick it up again. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY..............
A fun quirky little read that will keep you turning the pages. While for many it will not be "hot" enough... for me it was the perfect read. The author does a wonderful job of introducing the series as well as the characters that the stories will unfold. This particular start of the series, is quirky , humorous as well as delightful to the reader in the romance between the two main characters. Each step of the story as it unfolded made me smile and want to read more. I will be on the look out for her continuing books as they are a wonderfully talented tale that entertains and keeps the reader wanting more. I was given the ARC of this via NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are my own and voluntary. Regards.....

As most people do, I usually use a book’s synopsis to help me decide whether to venture into a romantic read. I’m always appreciative when it accurately sums up what I’m about to get into. In this case, most of it was on the money, but I’m still wondering why Adeline, the heroine, was repeatedly touted there as “wickedly wonderful”. To me she came across as a nice, caring, but stereotypical prim and proper, London society rule following type character. She wasn’t particularly scandalous, in my opinion. Just a good person trying to trudge along with her very comfortable life circumstances after being widowed from a callous man who obviously cared very little for her.

The best part of Lyon, the hero, was he did have his heart set on finding true love with a wife he could share his life with and raise a family. Thankfully, he wasn’t like his womanizing father. He was by no means a saint in his youth, but at least his previous romps with other woman were not thrown in our faces. He surprisingly was the logical one here, especially once he had Adeline’s full past history. She became the stubborn knucklehead, folks.

All in all, I found most of this storyline sweet, but slow paced and rather uneventful. At times it became bogged down with too lengthy inward reflections/monologues and too much verbiage in general. To the point, I found myself skimming through parts of it.

For a long time, I felt attraction instead of heart melting/soul connecting love bound this main couple together. It took quite awhile before I felt they actually knew each other on more than a superficial level. I did enjoy the fact the hero did want to win the hand and heart of this leading lady. However, it seemed he wanted her mostly because he thought she was feisty, different, and a good person. She thought he was incredibly handsome. That pretty much sums up this scenario.

There are two twists that weren’t overly surprising that were intermixed into their romance, as well.

Here’s to hoping others really enjoy this book. I wish this author continued writing success. It was a sweet, average, not overly dramatic read for me.

Title: The Earl Next Door, Series: First Comes Love (Book 1), Author: Amelia Grey, Pages: 304, stand-alone, widow heroine, only a few brief steamy scenes, good guy hero, caring but knucklehead/afraid to marry again heroine. Rating: 3.5 stars

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

A nice, low drama love story. Not too much involved here, just two people falling in love, which is just the kind of story I needed today!

Loved It! ‘This story was unique, deliciously steamy, endearingly sweet, and entertaining. The characters touched my heart and their romance left me breathless. Their attraction was immediate and their chemistry sizzling. From snooping old busybodies to sweet, innocent, and curious young girls adding lol moments. Amelia Grey brought such life to this romance. I loved every page. I highly recommend this story!

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

I like it when the heroine is not afraid of her sexuality and goes for it – not the virginal heroine (I like those books also, but it is refreshing to read something different sometimes). The camaraderie between Adeline and her friends was inspiring and lovely. They all had different circumstances but united as a solid front. Lyon was not only swoon-worthy but also just a great all around guy. Hands up, who could not fall in love with him? I thought this was a lovely story and am looking for the other stories in this series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I have to admit I was kind of disappointed with Amelia Grey's "The Earl Next Door." The premise was very interesting and I expected to love the book based on that alone, but in the end, there were a few too many things that bothered me for one reason or another. For example, some of the language seemed too modern to me, such as an acquaintance being described as "into" something rather than "interested in" it. There were also sentences and, in a few cases, entire paragraphs that didn't make any sense at all, but since I read an ARC, I would hope that those issues will be cleaned up prior to publication.

There were a few other things that didn't make sense to me, such as the location of the girls' school founded by Adeline and her friends. Early in the book, it is explained that the school's location in London's St. James neighborhood was chosen specifically because it was away from the ton's homes in Mayfair. Somehow, though, it manages to be right next door to an earl's house, with the earl's aunt and one of his aunt's friends also living on the same street. That seems like an awful lot of members of the ton in the neighborhood to me!

It also bothered me that Adeline and her friends called Lyon by his first name from the very beginning. They did not have a prior acquaintance with him, and even if they had, it was improper. Forms of address were among the most basic rules of etiquette that they all should have been taught from early childhood, so this seems like a major oversight, especially given how concerned all of the ladies were about propriety because they were representing the school in society.

Overall, this story was kind of boring and predictable, but the characters were all fairly likeable, so I still plan to give the next book in the series a try. Hopefully I will find it a bit more enjoyable than this one.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.