Amelia Grey has a talent for writing strong female characters. In this book Brina is a widow who has created a fulfilling life for herself. I liked the interaction between Brina and Zane. They had a lot of chemistry and the love was believable.

Excellent! Their first meeting was new and fresh.

What an original approach to a HEA and a fantastic final twist!!

Too often the women must fight against society, but she (Brina) found a way to work within the strict societal confines and become her own woman!!! A woman of purpose, grace, and respectability. She managed to weather the torrential storm Zane brought down on her and come out , not only with what she wanted, but having put the gambling ton in their place.

Zane was used to women falling at his feet and not having to work for any of them....enter Brina. Zane has agreed to Brina's demands for her to agree to his. He never thought he would have to exert so much energy and time to a woman. His transformation is fun to watch.

His family adds a layer of fun, for the reader, and stress for Zane. They have been disappointed by him so often they worry for their futures. They seem oblivious to his changing ways.

Disclaimer: I received a complementary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in anyway.

I enjoyed this book! It wasn't my favorite historical romance, but I do want to read more by her! I enjoyed the premise of the book, and I felt that it was executed really well! I enjoyed their romantic relationship, I enjoyed their chemistry with each other, and I felt they had great banter with each other. I loved the competitiveness between them both. I will say I felt that this book wasn't as fast paced as I liked in the beginning. I felt it started off kind of slow, and it took me a bit to really get invested in the storyline. I also want to mention that this book is a clean romance, so if you're really into spicy romances like I am, just be warned this isn't really that spicy. While I enjoy clean romances, I find that I enjoy spicy more. Overall I liked this book, and while it wasn't a favorite like others, it was still really enjoyable and I cant wait to go back and read the previous books in this series, and also to check out more of Amelia Grey's previous and future books! Highly recommend this book! It was a fun read!

This is book three in the First Comes Love Series. Brina Feld has a happy and contented life after being widowed. She doesn't want or need a man in her life. Zane was never supposed to be an Earl. When he realizes that he need to be an upright citizen, he knows just the woman to help him. Can he convince her that he is ready toi change and that his love is true, or will she turn him away?

How to Train Your Earl starts off with a bang and the meet cute between Brina and Zane is pretty funny. The overall story is a cute premise and there is some good banter between Brina and Zane but for some reason, I just didn't love this book. It was just ok for me. I think it felt a bit slow and just didn't connect as well to the characters as other books. I felt the same way about the first book I read by this author and I'm guessing it's just something about her writing style. I think if you're a fan of Amelia, definitely read this but if you're not there are better HR books out there.

One of the best historical romances I've read in a while. How to Train Your Earl is packed with entertainment on every page. Full of heartwarmingly unforgettable characters, the author makes it so easy to fall in love the story and keep the pages turning. Grey proves once again she's a delightfully talented writer. Looking forward to more of her books!

Great steam and kept me turning pages. Enjoyed the characters. Excellent dialog and tension. Easy to recommend.

Complementary copy given for my honest review and opinion.
This was a great historical romance. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. The author’s writing style was smooth flowing with great story buildup.

Brina Feld is a widow. In a deed of heroic bravery, her husband lost his life when a ship called The Salty Dove wrecked. He saved several lives, but lost his. Brina swore never to marry again, instead plans on dedicating her life to help others. Although still in mourning, at her aunt's insistance, she attends a ball in Paris, looking utterly beautiful. Her aunt assured Brina that no one would recognize her, so she could let her hair down - literally and figuratively - at least for one night. By so doing, Brina inadvertantly catches Zane's eye.

Zane didn't even want to be at the Ball, but now he is the Earl of Blacknight because two months ago his uncle and cousin perished when a bridge gave way, thus his title. Now he has a title and responsibilities he never wanted or expected, and one of the things Zane must now think about is marrying so that he can get an heir. If Zane doesn't have an heir, his errant cousin Robert could indeed become the Earl.

Brina and Zane meet under unusual circumstances. She never wants to marry again. He needs to marry. Then there is a bet, a bet that involves Brina. The bet is that she will accept Zane's proposal and marry him by the end of the Season. Quite naturally, conflicts arise and then the game begins. What an enjoyable read and my favorite book in the trilogy. I enjoyed the banter between Brina and Zane as well as how their feelings for one another grew the more time they spent together.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This year I've been dipping my toes more and more into the world of historical romance novels (thanks, Bridgerton). When I read the description for How To Train Your Earl, it sounded different to all the historical romances I had read - it featured a widow, which I expected would create more emotional complexity. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

This. book started out promising - Brina met Zane in bizarre circumstances and clearly was a headstrong woman. However, her character really lost this stubbornness and bravery as the plot went forward. The whole premise of the book revolves around Brina entering a bet with Zane - that he won't be able to win her hand in marriage. I expected more stubbornness on Brina's side, but she really rolled over and bent to Zane's will quickly. The whole book felt like it was on autopilot after the first quarter. The couple really didn't have any friction or much to make their relationship interesting. They just kind of fell in love and that was that. I also was hoping for more emotional complexity from Brina - who had previously lost her husband at sea. While there were some mentions of her widowhood and her lost husband, it really didn't weigh heavily in the story.

Zane was just bland to me - he lacked a lot of character definition. He fell in instant love with Brina (which I did not enjoy) and by the end of the book all I really knew about him was that his main pass times were drinking and gambling and that he was bummed to not be able to do them. I would have liked a bit more out of his character than that. I also would have liked to see a bit more of his family - they seemed like the fun kind of trouble.

Overall, How to Train Your Earl was a historical romance flop for me. I wanted more tension and friction on Brina and Zane's path to love, but instead it was a pretty generic love story.

Brina & Zane are they really made for each other? Brina is meek and reserved and she isn't too sure about Zane as he is a betting man and she doesn't know if she can really trust him. Can Zane win her over and show her that he is worthy of her love?
It is was a good read did find some of the book a bit hard to read at times.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

**Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

This is the 3rd and final book in the "First Comes Love " series by Amelia Grey. I love this author so much! She creates such great characters. I swear each new series she writes just keeps getting better and better.

I hate to say that the best was saved for last but it's the actual truth. Brina and Zane are my absolute favorite couple. The first time they meet each other is under some pretty entertaining circumstances and the sparks start flying just as soon as the witty banter does. I refuse to give any spoilers but I laughed out loud and may have even squealed in delight over some of the dialogue between them. The best HEA of the whole series hands down.

The characters are absolutely my favorite part of this novel. They are so endearing and fun to read about. I didn't want the book to end!

How to Train Your Earl is the third title in the First Comes Love series, and it delivers a fun, sizzling, engaging romance between one rogue who never thought he’d have to be a pillar of society but could continue his rakish ways forever and one woman who continues to grieve the death of her husband and has reestablished her life as one where she helps others in need. Present me with one of the most engaging openings to a story in a long time and you have me hooked from the very beginning of this unusual romance between Zane and Brina.

Zane makes an unfortunate decision early on in his bid to win the lady of his dreams… he places a bet on the books at Whites. Bad Move. And wonders why she’s denying their intense attraction after she learns of that foolish bet. I liked both of these characters, for different reasons, but I will always fall for a bad boy changed by the love (or for the love) of the woman he’d give his heart to.

Brina leads him on a merry chase all the while having to change her own thoughts about how she’s believed she’d spend the remainder of her life as a widow doing good for those she can. She never expected the explosive attraction to Zane or really ever considered falling in love again, let alone marrying. Fate had something different in mind for this unlikely couple, and it was pure fun to watch them work their way to that happy ending for all.

We’ll run into familiar faces as couples from the previous books make appearances. I’ll always suggest reading a series from the start whenever possible, yet you could pick up How to Train Your Earl and enjoy it immensely (and be tempted to go back for the earlier ones). I had fun with this one, and if you love a good Historical Romance with engaging characters, a bit of the unexpected, and a story that will keep you flipping pages then you’ll want to pick up Zane and Brina’s story right now.

I absolutely love the color combination on that cover!

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

How to Train Your Earl is the third and final book in the First Comes Love series by Amelia Grey and it was a wonderful story to cap it off. It started with an unusual meeting between the hero and heroine and continued with an intriguing storyline to the very end. Brina Feld has been a widow for the last 5 years and never plans to fall in love or marry again. Zane the Earl of Blacknight is dreading his new role as a new earl after years being the black sheep of the family, and sets his eyes on Brina to help him mend his rakish ways.

This story was very engaging and I couldn’t put it down. When Brina ante up the stakes on the wager that Zane proposes, all eyes are on the two of them to see if he’s going to step out of line, and lose the bet. Also, their two cousins were up to no good, and you knew somehow it was going to play a big part on Zane and Brina’s relationship. The storyline unfolded with ease and with every new encounter, Zane and Brina were slowly falling in love. Brina was trying to show him the gentlemanly way of courting a woman, and he just had to put his own twist on things and kept her on her toes. Both characters were very likeable and I was cheering for Brina to give Zane a chance and see him for what he is and not what he is expected to be. Brina also had to come to an understanding with her grief and move on with her life. Zane made her feel alive again and it scared her to think she might want to share her life with someone again.

How to Train Your Earl was highly entertaining and I would say it was the best story of the three in the series. It is a sweet romance with an enthralling storyline for the main characters. The twist in the plot and ending, the likeable characters and the romance made this a very entertaining romance.

How to Train Your Earl by Amelia Grey
Subgenre: Regency romance
Release date: 27 Apr 2021
Publisher: St Martin’s Paperbacks
Format: ebook and print
Length: 350 pages
RRP: $7.98 (ebook); $17.75 (print)

It started with a wager. He wagered in the betting book at Whites that she would consent to marry him at the final ball for the season. However, she has conditions of her own. And the whole ton knows them!

Brina Feld was widowed five years ago, and her husband died when his ship sank. She never wants to re-marry and has set her life now doing good works. She initially meets Zane in Paris where he is tied up by a woman who was seducing him, while he was trying to find his nephew who was trying to elope. Okay so he was probably side-tracked by the woman’s allure. When Brina unties him, they share a kiss. One neither will forget.

Zane Howard Veldon Dormer Browning, the eighth Earl of Blacknight, is a newly minted earl. His bad luck, according to him, was the previous earl and the next two heirs were killed in a carriage accident. He accepts his fate and has done what he can to learn how to be a good earl. Initially, he is overwhelmed by the role, but he knows that with Brina by his side, he can make it. But how to convince her?

The conditions that Brina insisted on include no alcohol, no gambling, and no women. Each time Zane is tempted by the cards or a drink especially after he has to deal with his uncles and the continual pleas from family members for the earl’s largesse, he takes that moment to think that it means the loss of Brina. When the pair can no longer contain their feelings, the no women does prove to be an issue. The biggest misunderstanding comes when Zane has to play cards to secure the release of his nephew, Robert, and Brina’s nephew, Harper, from a crimp who has entrapped the two men, intending to force them to join the army or navy. The whole ton is talking about how he is playing cards. When Harper spills the information about why Zane was playing cards, Brina changes direction and meets with Zane, in front of the ton, and does something totally not in keeping with ton expectations. What was it? I think you will have to read the book for yourself as this is a spoiler.

This is the final book in the series. The three woman who were brought together by tragedy, a shipwreck, founded a school to help the children of the sailors lost, and then other girls who would not normally receive an education. Brina’s two friends find their HEA as does Brina in this story. It is a HEA that Brina was not expecting.

Even though Zane thinks he was in control, it was actually Brina who held the upper hand in the relationship. This has been a thoroughly enjoyable series with some unique woman and their ability to work within the society and system in which they lived.

reviewed by Heather

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

There are few things I love better than a good game of "I bet you can't/I bet I can" in a romance novel. I love the tension it can give to the interactions between hero and heroine, and usually it's a great way to create stakes in a novel where no one is being abducted/murdered/or otherwise threatened. So I was sad to find that Grey's How To Train Your Earl, with its excellent premise of "heroine dares the rakish hero that there's no way he can reform", just didn't live up to my hopes for its plot.

Readers of softer romances, with lower stakes where the emphasis is heavily placed on the slow development of one or both main characters, will probably love Grey's undeniably funny, witty newest romance. And my personal need for high stakes drama should in no way be taken as anything more authoritative than the bias that it is - it's a matter of preferences. Both Brina, our heroine, and Zane, our hero, are clever and endearing characters who find a much deserved happy end, but unfortunately one that they were more enthusiastic about than I was.

I am grateful that I was given a chance to read the First Comes Love Series for free. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the wonderful invite. I am always included to your list of ARC readers, and I am truly thankful.

This is the last story from should I say the widowed series because the main characters are all widows and their former husbands died with the sinking of Salty Dove.

The scandalous deal led Brina and Zane to the fight of who is going to win at the end. Yet, it is the heart that really determine the winner.

Such a great way to end this lovely series. I enjoyed that no one wanted to lose with the wager and how eager the ton waited for someone to make a mistake.

Thank you to Netgalley too for the ARC.

This is my first time reading a book by Amelia Grey and I’ll be honest, I was drawn in by the beautiful colors of the cover. I definitely got sucked in because of the elegant look, but then quickly realized that this is actually the third book in the First Comes Love series.

In the end, I actually didn’t have much trouble following this story at all despite not reading the other books in the series. Each book does standalone very well. But I did feel like it took me a while to get into the story. Grey pens really great stories, but I did feel like the chemistry between the hero and heroine started off a bit slow. It did pick up toward the end of the book and I was happy with the ending.

I think I will definitely try reading the other books in the series based on my experience with this one. I know I even have Grey’s other series sitting on my bookshelves too, so I’m glad to have found another Historical Romance author to enjoy. I look forward to reading more books from Amelia Grey.

Yes, can we all take a moment to appreciate Zane! And Brina is definitely no shy heroine! I love the outspoken and charismatic duo they make! Author Amelia Grey has succesfully written a historical romance that will stay on my 'to read again' shelf! I recommend this book to all readers of the romance genre!