Was hoping for a twist, figured out who bad guy was way too early. Story did drag in some places.

Hope Lily's book is better.

I enjoyed this well-written historical romance. When Adeline's husband dies, she realizes she is now free to live however she chooses. Her neighbor, Lyon, meets his new neighbor, Adeline, and sparks fly. They find each other irresistible even when they argue! This was an entertaining book and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey is an enjoyable Regency Romance that ticks all the boxes for current trends in Regency.

Adeline, the Dowager Countess of Wake, is a fiery, feisty, very young widow whose previous marriage was a disaster, leading her to swear off marriage for good. Being left financially secure, she decides to endow a school for girls – girls of lower social standing who will be taught marketable skills. (She’s supported in this endeavor by two friends, also young widows, to set up the next books in the series.) Adeline’s mission gets off to a shaky start. The new home she purchased in front of the new school is next door to the home of Lyon Marksworth, the Earl of Lyonwood.

Lyon made the mistake of listening to ill-informed gossip. He believes his new neighbor is a madam and the house will be used as a brothel. He marches over to confront the owner and insults Adeline with his behavior and suspicions. She’s furious, mortified, and attracted to Lyon.

They spar for a while, then make peace, then fall in love.

It took a little while to be drawn into the story. Lyon is a sensitive if impulsive hero. Adeline is a generous and bold heroine. Once the plot settled into the two resolving their difficulties it was a pleasant read. The ending was a little too simple. It was what I expected, but the story could have been more original and impressive had it refused to conform to Regency conventions, letting the characters forge on with the relationship despite the obstacle, rather than having the obstacle simply disappear.

Nevertheless, the characters grew on me throughout the course of the novel. Their growing love for each other was believable. And the plot was sweet.

3.75 stars. This started a little slow for me. I also didn’t like the hero very much at first. He was pretty boring (and his name is Lyon 🙄). I loved Adeline and how strong she was. After about the midway point, I really started enjoying this even if some of the inner monologue was a little tedious. I look forward to the others in the series because I loved Adeline’s friends.

The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey is book One in the First Comes Love Series. This is the story of Lyon and Adeline.
Adeline was in a loveless marriage and when she was told of her husband's death she was sadly relieved. This opens up a world of freedom that she never had before. Going forward she is opening a girls school and she flirting with the ideal of being in a steamy relationship but no marriage every again. When her neighbor Lyon keeps confronting her about her school they have a spicy hot encounters that neither can ignore. But Lyon wants to be a better man than his father who was a womanizer and marry. But Adeline has sworn off marriage but can Lyon be the one that will get her to change her mind.
Such a joy to read...Loved it!

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I liked Adeline from the beginning. She was headstrong, compassionate, and very loving. The way she dealt with Lyon every time he stormed over to her house at the beginning of the book made me love her even more. She was a bit too headstrong at times and let her past dictate her present a little too much but I could totally understand that. I also enjoyed Lyon. He was a bit impatient and brash in his behavior at times but he was also caring and honorable and very sweet. I loved seeing Adeline and Lyon interact. They made me laugh when they went to battle. I loved how neither one of them were willing to back down and how heated they each got. I loved seeing them dance around each other until they finally admitted their feelings for one another. They were great together.

I also enjoyed the aspect of the boarding school that Adeline, Julia, and Brina opened to help the less fortunate young girls who lost a father or brother when a ship sank a couple of years prior to the start of the book. I loved Fanny so much. She was such a treat. I also enjoyed Cordelia, Lyon's aunt, and Marksworth, Lyon's father. The two of them were amazing and I enjoyed seeing their relationship with Lyon. It was clear both aunt and father cared for him a lot and only wanted what was best for him. They were funny in the way they teased him but I liked that dynamic. I would have liked to see more of Adeline's family. She never talked about her parents or if she even had siblings. That would have been nice to know.

I thought this story was well done and the pacing was perfect. Nothing happened too fast and I did not feel like anything was left untold really. I felt as if the relationship between Adeline and Lyon progressed naturally and steadily. Adeline did not give in easily to Lyon's demands which irritated me and made me like her more. I can't wait to see what comes in the next book of the series. I hope I get to see Brina's and Julia's stories next. This was such a pleasant book to read!

Heartwarming love story hits all the right notes!

Adeline's ill-fated marriage was such an ordeal that she's determined to maintain her freedom, no matter the temptation. And Lyon, the sexy, commanding earl next door, is temptation personified.

Adeline's determined to focus on running the boarding school for the unfortunate daughters of the crew members that perished in the same shipwreck that killed her husband, but she's powerless to resist the magnetic attraction she and Lyon feel towards each other. I loved how their relationship starts off clearly as enemies. I understood her reasons for wanting a friends-with-benefits arrangement instead of getting married again, yet still hoped that Lyon would get his HEA. I really enjoyed his relationship with his father and aunt, as well.

The author did an amazing job of setting up the environment for this story, giving us enough information on the secondary characters to make us already emotionally invested in their stories. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This is a lovely Regency romance focused no on the life of a young widow, finally free from an ugly first marriage. Adeline is a strong, fiery woman with a very kind but wounded heart. Her neighbor, the Earl, is a man of principle and order. They bring delightful chaos into each other’s lives, with one or two endearing schoolgirls and a nosy neighbor to help that chaos along!

Found the book to be a cute refreshing read. Refreshing because Adeline the main character was a strong willed widow not afraid to take charge. She did have some weakness and self doubt caused from a bad marriage to her first husband. Story allows her to work through those feelings and find true love with Lyon the Earl next door.

Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, is now free to live her life as she wants. Her cruel husband died in a shipwreck. As she was told the news, she met two other wealthy women whose husbands also died in the wreck. The three of them decided to establish a boarding school for the daughters of the commoners who also died in the shipwreck. The girls will learn an occupation along with other school subjects.

The school is behind her home and the girls sometimes play outside. Lord Lyon, son of the Marquess of Marksworth, lives next door to Adeline and doesn’t appreciate the noise from the schoolyard. When he goes next door to complain, he falls for Adeline on sight. He would like to marry her, but she doesn’t want to marry again. She is, however, willing to have an affair.

I won’t spoil how they end up married as you will enjoy it. I like this book and am looking forward to her widowed friends finding their HEAs.

The beauty of Amelia Grey is that she writes women of strength. Adeline is one heroine who refuses to be just a pretty face. Held back for far too long, widowhood has given her the courage to face life as a single woman with gusto. The irony is that as she's finding herself, love may have come knocking once again. The Earl Next Door proves that sassy can be sexy. If you trust your heart, happiness will find you, when you least expect.

Even though she's only 22, Adeline is the dowager Countess of Wake, her terrible husband having died 2 years before. Determined to help the children of sailors who died in the same shipwreck that killed her husband, Adeline and 3 friends are planning to open a school for girls in a quiet London neighborhood. Her next door neighbor is Lord Lyonwood. Their opening meeting is awkward bc she assumes a madame opening a house of ill repute, and I was hoping this opening, which has a lot of super-charged potential to it would lead to an exciting book, but the pacing just slows down to a crawl. Both Adeline & Lyon are individually developed a characters, but by 1/3 of the way through the book, they had only spoken a handful of times.

Might appeal to fans of the slow burn.

The Earl Next Door is another delightful read by Amelia Grey. The characters are unique and complex; with fascinating stories that grip you and make you cheer for them, groan at their miss steps and interact in unpredictable ways. This storyline had lots of twists to keep me guessing. The genuine caring and willingness to do and give to others that is portrayed in the story warmed my heart. Another fascinating and enjoyable tale by Amelia Grey. Can’t wait to read more.

I received The Earl Next Door by Amelia Grey from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I read Amelia Grey often and enjoy her books. This is the first book in her new series First Comes Love and introduces all three ladies of the series.
Adeline has been widowed for the last 2 years. She does not miss her cruel husband but feels guilty for not really mourning him. With her two friends, she sets up a school for girls to help them learn a skill to earn a wage. Lord Lyonwood, Lyon to his friends, is the neighbor of Adeline and the school. At first, he is annoyed there is a school next door to him. However, as he gets to know Adeline, he begins to think in forever. But Adeline doesn't want to marry again. Can Lyon change her mind.
The description fascinated me. And, the fact that it's the man and not the women who is fighting for the HEA also intrigued me. But, there was too much internal communication and not enough banter. The story-line just dragged for me with the exception of a couple of comic reliefs. However, it does a wonderful job at setting up the other two ladies who have stories to come and I am excited for both but one in particular. But, I will let you decide which one you are looking forward to. #TheEarlNextDoor #NetGalley

*** 3.5 Stars ***

This is the first book in the new First Comes Love series and it does a nice job of introducing the ladies and setting up the premise of the series. We learn just enough about each of the ladies who will be featured in the later books to be intrigued by them and to want to read their books. The writing was good, the storyline had great potential, but was just a tad on the blah side. Also, I don’t think we ever learned the hero’s name – he was only referred to or called by his title.

There were several comical moments that I enjoyed – although they weren’t comical to the characters. They reminded me of some of the really old-time romantic comedy movies. The opening scene is indicative of those. Our heroine has received a box from a modiste by mistake – but she is intrigued – it contains a sexy, very immodest set of red stays and a long golden sash. She can’t help herself – she slips them on over her dress. Just as she gets them on and is twirling around, a very angry Earl comes storming in accusing her of opening a brothel. Well – she’s certainly dressed for the part! That encounter sets the pace for many of their other encounters.

Adeline is now twenty-two and has been widowed for two years. She’s not unhappy that her cruel husband is gone and she doesn’t even feel guilty for not really mourning him. He fooled her cruelly – he convinced her that he loved her and then when they married, he abused her. Her only purpose to him was to provide him with an heir – he had mistresses for other things. Now, after that two-year marriage, she is free of him and she has absolutely no intention of ever finding herself in that situation again – there will never be a second marriage for her.

Her husband and all aboard the Salty Dove were lost when the ship sank in a sudden storm off the coast of Portugal. She soon met two other young widows whose husbands were also lost when the ship sank and they decided to open a boarding school for some of the daughters of the crew members who were lost with the ship. They knew there was little future for those girls without a father or brother to help with their support. Since the widows were now very wealthy, they were able to give something back to the unfortunate families who had nothing left.

Lyon is the only son of the Marquess of Marksworth (Ignore that the blurb says Earl of Marksworth, in the book he’s a Marquess). Marksworth has been after Lyon to marry and sire a child for eight years, but Lyon insists that he won’t marry until he falls in love. So far, he hasn’t found anyone who interests him – until he meets the spitfire who has moved in next door and started a boarding school for girls. He likes a quiet, orderly world and here are those children squealing and laughing practically in his backyard.

Sparks flew between Lyon and Adeline the first time they met and only intensified with each subsequent encounter. It didn’t take long for Lyon to realize he was totally smitten and Adeline knew she wanted Lyon, but she didn’t want marriage. Lyon won’t accept anything less than marriage and Adeline proposes they only become lovers. Now, he has to convince her. Can he?

I do have to say; I didn’t care for the resolution. I can’t tell you why, because that would be spoiling the story. I understand the plight – but – it just wasn’t particularly romantic or what I’d prefer to see. You may not agree when you read it, but I would have preferred a different resolution.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fun, passionate romance to heat up your summer! This book was charming, delightful and sizzling! Regency Romances have really evolved over the years, and I enjoy them more and more! Adeline is a spirited young widow, who lives next door the Lord Lyonwood. The first time they meet, he thinks that she is about to open up a house of ill repute in their London neighborhood, and it doesn't help that she greets him wearing a red corset. He is chagrined to find out that she is actually opening up a boarding school for young girls! After that, their relationship has no where to go but up! I really enjoyed the banter between Adeline and Lyon, the scenes sizzling with tension and passion! Adeline is such a great character, whose past makes it painful to consider a future with Lyon; it is her feistiness, her compassion, and her independent spirit that will endear her to readers.

This is my fair and honest review in exchange for this ARC. This wasn't necessarily the fast, intrigue that many romances are but it was totally engaging and well written with great characters. I would like to see more from the many characters with their stories. Well done!

Finally….a female lead who steps against the grain!

Adeline is a breath of fresh air in a genre where women are generally seen as demure, secondary characters…right where the men want them. Strong, plucky, independent, driven and outspoken she is just the type of woman I love to read about. She is the kind who decides where her “place” should be, rather than allowing herself to put where society deems appropriate. And, let me tell you, she OWNS it! I absolutely loved reading about her and would love to read about more women like her, set in this time. It’s just so refreshing.

I actually really enjoyed Lyon as well, though he came across as a bit of an ass at the beginning. He grew on me and the connection he and Adeline have, even from the first explosive meeting, just makes sense. I think his character came around rather quickly, much quicker than I thought he would, and he seemed to change in a way that was expected and needed but also a little surprising. In an age where a woman is expected to conform to the views of society, it was perfect to see Lyon make adjustments for Adeline rather than the other way around. One small step for feminism!

One part that also set this book apart is Adeline’s school. That changed a lot in this story…not only in the way Adeline was viewed by Lyon and society itself, but it also became the catalyst for advancement in Adeline and Lyon’s relationship. I absolutely loved the girls and I wish there would have been more about them. Maybe in future books?

One small issue I had with this was the ending. Though I feel like this book ended as it should have, and I don’t have any real complaints, there is a part of me that wishes there would have been more to it. Without giving anything away, I think I would have loved to have seen the same events but a different scenario maybe? I do understand why what happened, happened….I was just a tiny bit disappointed I guess. It is what it is….not the end of the world for me.

The Earl Next Door is a captivating and refreshing story that brings historical romances to a new light. Amelia Grey has written a captivating and engaging story that you won’t want to put down but will want to read again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my own, honest opinion.

I loved this synopsis and was quite eager to jump into this story. Sadly, I struggled right from the start.

Adeline and Lyon are okay. They’re both decent and loyal people...they’re just boring as hell. It seemed like they just butted heads every time they met and nothing was every accomplished. I couldn’t see the jump from irritation to lust to love. The other widows do have promise, but I’m not sure their stories will be for me

Plot wise, it was fairly lackluster. The writing was filled with pages and pages of inner monologue and it got old. I wanted banter and dialogue and flirting and I got none of it. The best part was the first meeting of Adeline and Lyon. I did truly love that scene and was disappointed to see it fell so flat for me.

Overall, this different {to me} premise and the promise of hate to love drew me in, yet it lacked a spark I was expecting.

**Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Paperbacks for providing the arc free of charge**

Lyon mistakes Adeline for a lady of the night and their relationship gets off to a bad start. He wants to lead an orderly and neat life and she is throwing it into chaos with her very presence. Their battle of wills is magnificent to watch. They both have fiery tempers and are matched in ranked and social scale. The cast of characters are wonderful and all add flair to the story. Lyon has to help Adeline overcome her past hurts and accept the love he is offering her to have a happy future.