I thoroughly enjoyed this final book in the First Comes Love series. Zane and Brina s story is humorous, romantic and very emotional. Zane inherits an Earldom he never expected nor wanted after a family tragedy. Brina is a widow quietly atoning for what she sees as her shortcomings by helping others. They meet under unusual conditions in Paris and reunite by chance in London. An outrageous bet, and equally outrageous challenge and “game on!” Delightful read!

How to Train Your Earl by Amelia Grey is the third book in “First Comes Love” trilogy. This trilogy is about three widows who come together in their shared motivations to help the less fortunate and become best friends. While part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone.

I have been following this series from the start and was so happy to get Brina’s story at last. Brina lost her husband in a ship sinking tragedy and has been determined to remain a widow. She has rebuffed any male attention and devotes her time to her school for less fortunate girls, and other charitable endeavours. She meets Zane during a masked party and share a brief kiss. Months later, he suddenly calls on her with a marriage proposal!

Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, has suddenly acquired an Earldom and is in dire need of a respectable woman to show his family that he is a reformed man. When he sees Brina, he immediately recognizes her as the masked woman who has been haunting his thoughts. What better candidate to wed than the woman he can’t seem to forget! Even better, she is a respected widow.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance. A rake whose idea of proposal is to put a bet on his successful proposal and a prim and proper widow who wants to help people, I thoroughly enjoyed this historical romance. Zane and Brina are so perfectly matched despite being poles apart in their behaviours in public. I loved how Zane works so hard to win over Brina and laughed in pure delight when she challenged him with her own bet before accepting his proposal!

A fun, heartwarming, and engrossing regency romance this book is everything pleasurable to spent a leisurely afternoon lounging with a hot cup of tea. The banter, dialogues, character development, narration and romance everything is perfect.

All in all, I absolutely enjoyed reading this romance full of heart and entertainment. With lovable characters, Njkinny recommends this breezy regency romance to all romance lovers. 4.5 super shiny stars out of 5 to it from me.

I received an ARC for review from the author and the publishers and I am very thankful to them. The above is my honest and unbiased review.

It started at a masquerade in Paris. Running from unwanted attention at the party, she finds him tied to a chair. It took a while for him to convince her to free him, but she does, and receives a kiss.
A quick adventure, no harm, they will never see each other again. Right…

Zane Howard Veldon Dormer Browning, eighth Earl of Blacknight, was not supposed to be the earl. He doesn’t want to be the earl. This handsome, typical self-centered rake has come into the title by default. All the other heirs died, the last two in an accident together. To quiet his selfish demanding family, at least for a while, he agrees to find a wife. When he sees Brina walking near the park and recognizes her, Zane decides she is the one. Brina Feld is the third widow of the Salty Dove tragedy. She is quite lovely, intelligent, kind, and gentle. She is content to help with the school she and her friends established and aid the Sisters at Pilwillow Crossing with their work. She does not wish to marry again, and she tells Zane just that. And then there was the bet. Zane put a bet in the book at White’s that Brina would agree to marry him by the last ball of the season. Irritated, Brina fires back. She will take his bet under a few conditions: no drinking, no gambling, and no women for the duration of the bet. If she wins, he is to apologize at the ball in front of all for causing such a stir. Zane courts Brina. The attraction grows and both he and Brina think he is changing. It looks like the courtship might succeed, when something goes terribly wrong. Brina is furious. His bet is lost. Can it be as bleak and bad as it seems? Then her trouble-making cousin brings her news that she is not expected. What will happen at the ball? This story and its characters are fun. It was interesting to watch Zane learn the ins and outs of being an earl (with the help of his uncles), and Brina finding a way to let go of the past. The story is fairly straightforward with a couple of twists and a beautiful epilogue. It is a nice ending for the series. I enjoyed and recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Zane Browning is the black sheep of the very respectable Blacknight family and was never supposed to become the Earl and henceforth the head of said family. Now he’s back in London looking down a road of duties and responsibilities he didn’t want for himself.
Brina Feld is a young widow, content with her situation and determined not to marry again. She’s happy with her charitable works, friends and family until the man she met in Paris shows up at her home and disrupts her life.
Wagers and counter demands will fuel the courtship of the widow Feld while she tries to turn the new Earl into a respectable gentleman ready to take his place among his peers.
The book started out as highly entertaining and fun to read, but I became bored with the way the story evolved and Brina’s hung ups. I found the final conflict and resolution anticlimactic and it took from my enjoyment of the story.

A man gambles it all for a chance at love with the woman of his dreams. Will she call his bluff?

“If I am to make you mine for all time, I must not make you mine today. We have a bargain. Tempting though it is right now, I’m not going to break our pact.”

Brina Feld has worn her widow’s weeds for five years since her husband perished at sea spending her days helping those less fortunate than herself. She has no desire to wed again after losing the husband that she loved so much. Zane, the newly minted Earl of Blacknight, places a bet that he can persuade her to accept his proposal by the end of the season. Brina counters this with an ultimatum. If Zane can cease cursing, drinking, gambling, and women for the remainder of the season then she will accept his proposal. Brina’s expectation is that he will fail spectacularly, but what will she do if he truly does earn her hand?

I was underwhelmed by this story to say the least. The characters, the romance, and the writing really let me down when the story had so much potential to be great. Firstly, I did like Zane. I am all for a man who actually changes to be with the heroine. He was such a trooper with all of Brina’s conditions to win her hand in marriage even though he had to change his entire life. I can’t say that I enjoyed Brina’s character. You are told how perfect she is through the entire book, and it’s only in the last fifteen percent that you get any indication that she isn’t as perfect as she seems to be. I want a heroine to be flawed. It’s those flaws that make her so real and relatable to me as a reader. I couldn’t connect with her, and then I couldn’t connect with their love story. Passion and chemistry are the two most important ingredients in a romance. There has to be some fire in their interactions or their conversations. There just wasn’t. I felt like I was being told that the characters desired and loved each other, but I never felt those emotions.

Sadly, the connections between all the characters felt lackluster. Brina’s friends hardly make any meaningful contribution to the story, and Zane’s family is extremely demanding and annoying. He is constantly made to feel like he isn’t good enough, Brina included, that I wish he had stood up more for himself. I felt that watching him grow into being the Earl was one of the best parts of this book. He tries to make everyone happy, follow all of Brina’s rules, and navigate this new position he has been thrust in. He deserved a happy ending but getting there proved to be a rather difficult journey.

If you’re a fan of sweet stories like Ella Quinn’s where the angst is very low then give this book a chance.

~ Michelle

As a lover of romance, I love reading Historical Romance. So when I was offered the opportunity to read ‘How To Train Your Earl’ I was immediately excited. This is the third book in the First Comes Love series, but it can be read as a standalone. And this was my first Amelia Grey read.

In ‘How To Train Your Earl’ we read the story of the widow Brina Feld. After losing her husband years ago, she is determined to stay a widow and to spend her days helping others. Brina is content with her life as it is, but this all changes when she meets Zane, the Earl of Blacknight. Zane is no gentleman and he never expected to become the Earl. And the ton definitely agrees with him since Zane never does things the way a gentleman should. But Brina might be the one who can help him.

Unfortunately for me, this book ended up not being the book for me. I just couldn’t really get into the story, and I didn’t really like the two main characters all that much. Sure, this book was unlike your ‘usual’ Historical Romance since Brina is no innocent debutant looking for a husband so and I enjoyed that. But it also made me didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two main characters.

Zane’s character was kind of funny of times. I enjoyed how he always did what he wasn’t supposed to do as a gentleman. But I also didn’t really understand how he could have loved Brina so suddenly. For one who usual spends his days surrounded with woman and gambling, he sure changed his ways easily.

The friendship between Brina and two other ladies who lost their husbands was fun to read about. And I definitely became curious about their stories in the previous books, but I’m not sure I will be reading those. I just missed the romance and chemistry with this one.

Dueling wagers lead to love

What happens in Paris doesn't stay in Paris....she was kissed by a masked rake and she'd never felt anything so wonderful in her life!  When they meet again in London, the wagers are on!

Brina Feld is a widow and one of a trio of ladies who run a school for surviving children of the crew from a shipwreck.  Her husband had been on the ship and had died saving others.

Zane Browning, eighth Earl of Blacknight, had been the a rogue and the black sheep of the family and inherited the title after three relatives who were in line to inherit before him died in a tragic accident.  His uncles want him to settle down, marry and start a family.

Amelia Grey's third installment in her First Comes Love series is a well-written  romance, and the chemistry between Brina and Zane is palpable and will draw you in from the beginning.  Brina needs to let go of the past and allow herself to love Zane.  He knows Brina is the one for him and is willing to do anything to win her..

I heartily recommend this book and the entire series!.

Brina Feld is the last of our widows from the sinking of the Salty Dove to get her happy ending. Brina has been content still mourning her husband Stewart for the past five years. She has no plans to ever get married again and everyone knows it. One night while in Paris with her aunt, Brina comes upon a man, tied to chair at a party. Not just any man, but Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, and a known rake. Known for his gambling, drinking and women, Zane never expected to be the Earl, but now he's faced with having to change his ways and knows just the proper lady for that task.....Mrs. Brina Feld. He even ends up placing a bet to the fact that she will agree to marry him at the last ball of the season. Brina then counters that he has to give up gambling, drinking and women during that time and if he does she will marry him.

The more time Brina and Zane spend together, the hotter their chemistry gets. They are both having to deal with a life that they never expected or wanted and together they are learning that they may be the answer to each others prayers.

Just when it looks like Zane is going to win the bet, a surprising circumstance happens and blows everything up. A surprising person will help put everything back into prospective and then Brina and Zane will finally get their perfect happy ending!

I just adored Brina and Zane. They both are really trying to live a life they never really wanted but they also are trying to do the right things. Together they brought out the best in each other and deserved to have their happy ever after. I'm sad to see this series end. I have thoroughly loved all three books in this series.

How To Train Your Earl is book #3 in the First Comes Love series, but it can be read as a stand-alone story, which was my case.
Brina Feld has been a childless widow for a long time and wishes to remain so, especially because she's more interested in helping the others than getting entangled in a relationship. Things change when Zane, the Earl of Blacknight asks for her help to change his rakish way and become a respectable gentleman.
I liked the story, but I believe chapter 1 finished before it should have, making me feel like I'd missed something. Another thing that bothered me it was how Zane "recognizes" Brina on the street, after having met her only once and when she was wearing a mask. Apart from these, this story was enjoyable and provided good entertainment.

Brina Feld was a very young widow who devoted herself to social causes, and shied away from any commitment to a new marriage.
People thought it was because she loved her husband so much, and she would not replace the memories of the man who died being a hero, by saving strangers from a sinking ship.
But the secret she kept was not that noble...

Zane Browning, the new Earl of Blacknight, had led a life of rake and now he needed to leave his wanton life in Paris, return to London and not only be responsible for his Earldom, but to find a bride as well.
A totally unusual encounter caused his path to cross with the austere widow, and he decides in the worst possible way (through a wager) to win her over as his future wife.

Two strong personalities, two different reasons to seek (or escape) love.
Which one will be the winner?
5 stars

Brina is a widow and determined to stay that way. But Zane, an Earl who never expected to inherit, decides to persuade her to change her mind. It's definitely a tale of opposites attracting — she's serious and devoted to duty and he's just a guy who wants to have fun (and has had most of his life). But now that he's the Earl, Zane is plagued by a family who wants more of him (and more for themselves; they are greedy little relatives) and begins to see the value of settling with one true love.
Their meeting is adorable -- at a Paris masquerade ball -- where Brina leaves her serious persona behind, and ends up with a kiss. When they meet again in London, Zane is shocked to see his Paris vision is the widow of a man who died in the Salty Dove shipwreck. A pillar of society, she is someone who can help the somewhat ramshackle rake become a perfect Earl. In the process, they discover each other, and the story from first kiss to HEA is a fun ride and fitting end to an enjoyable series. (ARC from NetGalley. Opinions mine)

How To Train Your Earl by Amelia Grey is the third book in the First Comes Love Series. This is the story of Zane Browning, the Earl of Blacknight and Brina Feld. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Brina is a widower who has chosen to not remarry and has turned to helping others. But on one outing she happens to meet Zane in a unusual way. Zane has been a rogue who now has inherited a title. When he happens to spot Brina a few months later he has settled in his mind to acquire her help and along the way win her over. As always I totally enjoyed Ms. Grey's writing. I do recommend this book and of course this author's writing.

The widow and the rogue.

Brina met Zane when he was tied up and bound by another woman who was seducing him (at a masked ball). She unties him and for her trouble, he kisses her before he's one his way.
A few months later, Zane is an Earl, fighting being respectability like its a dirty word.
Of course when one's sole pastimes are drinking, gambling and women, he makes a bet that he will wed the widow. Who just so happens to be Brina. Right off the bat, the steam is prevalent throughout and let's face, Brina's resolve isn't very strong.

This book opens with Brina in Paris at a masked ball. She's avoiding a man who wants more from her than she's willing to give. All she has to do is find a place to hide until the time her Aunt is retrieving her.

Zane has found himself in an embarrassing situation when Brina stumbles onto him. He has to convince her he's not a criminal and save his cousin from making a serious mistake with his life. When she releases him from his bonds he shouldn't have kissed her, but he did and he'll never know who she was.

Now back in England taking on the title of Earl of Blacknight, one that never should have been his, Zane spots the woman he never thought to see again. What he didn't expect is that she is a widow, one who has no interest or desire to change that status.

Zane's family thinks he needs a lot more lessons on how to be a proper Earl and while they may be right, the way he decides to go about it is extremely unconventional. He makes a very public bet and Brina's responding terms stun him but he doesn't back down or away.

This is such a fun read with laughter, tears and a touch of heat.

This was an enjoyable and wonderful story. Sometimes when you want something bad enough you have to give up something. Zane finds this out when he wants Brina to marry him to change his image. She reluctantly agrees with stipulations, he must give up liquor, gambling, cursing and women for a month. It was fun how Brina had so much control over Zane and how he really falls in love with her. But her widowed past has her holding back her feelings and when he has to break a rule to help someone can she find it in her heart to forgive him.

Another great book by Amelia, she knows how to draw you into a story! Her characters are so real and believable. That makes the story so much more fun to read! I could drag this review out and go on and on and tell you how fantastic it is but I just did. You need to read it! Thank you for writing such a great book Amelia!

Brina Feld has devoted her life to helping others since the sinking of the Salty Dove left her widowed. She has no need for any one in her life. When the handsome Lord Blacknight returns and and places a bet that they will marry her peaceful life is disrupted.

Zan was never supposed to inherit the earldom so when tragedy struck and he became the Earl of Blacknight he has to set aside his usual pursuits of fistfights, card games, and drinking. He’s determined to change for the better and he knows the lady who can help him. He places a bet that she’ll marry him by the end of the Season but unfortunately the lady in question has no desire to do so.

This is a true reformed rake story for those who enjoy them. The hero was a tad on the meek side at times and the heroine was a little shrewish but all in all a good story.

Brina has decided her life will be all about how she can serve others since the death of her husband. Lord Blacknight was never supposed to inherit the earldom so has lead a life of debauchery instead. Enter the trope of the widow and reformed Rake. He makes a bet that he can win her hand before the season is over.

I absolutely am in love with this cover, it's one of the prettiest of 2021 in my opinion. And I really loved the premise of this book. It sounded like just the right amount of dark and broody and sweet and sexy.

And while this was a cute read I do wish there had been more of an emphasis on the emotional aspect of the relationship instead of feeling like insta love. And the middle portion of this book felt off pace, sone stretches dragging out much too long.

I received an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Brina is a widow who lost her husband of three months. He lost his life saving others from drowning. She declares she will never marry again. She instead has devoted her life to helping others. She also started a school for girls that lost their fathers to the sea. While in Paris, she attends a masquerade party with her aunt figuring no one would know her with her mask on. As a drunken man wants to chase after her, she slips into a room and locks the door. Figuring she was along, she finds a handsome Zane, the Earl of Blacknight, tied to a chair. As she releases him after questioning his character, he chases after his cousin who plans to elope with a much older woman. Zane in now back in London to take over the earldom after the top three members of his family were killed in a terrible accident. Might I add that he is also known as the Black Sheep of his family as he figured he would never be Earl and didn’t want to be. As he seems Brina walking down the sidewalk, he knows it is the mystery lady from Paris and knows he has to meet her. He ends up betting he can get her to marry him by the end of the season. Little did he know how that bet would spread faster than lightening and before long bets were placed all over London. Can he show her he truly loves her and will be true to her. I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy from NetGalley.

Final Score - 4 Stars

This was a wonderfully, entertaining story - once it gained steam. There was just a bit too much slow burn for my liking that I almost DNF'd the book. I did push thru and was glad that I had. The ending was what I had been waiting for! Now, I will try to read the first two books of the series.

A perfect story for any romance enthusiast and if you are fan of the extra slow burn - this the one for you. This is a clean romance - no gratuitous sex here - that ebbs and flows in a rhythm that will set you in a tizzy of a mood. You will either be left extremely satisfied in the end or withered away into pool of frustration.