Fun and entertaining read. I always like to read governess falls in love with employer.
looking forward to reading sisters stories. My new favorite author. I like her writing.

This is a cute little story of a destitute wallflower turned governess who falls for her wealthy employer. There wasn't anything wrong with this story per se, it just seemed completely flat to me. What drama we did experience was minimal, and I've read enough to know that little bit of drama would have been horrifically scandalous in the era in which this story takes place, it just wasn't enough to keep my attention. Sorry.

MY BROWN-EYED EARL - Anna Bennett

#1 in the Wayward Wallflowers Regency romance series

Entertaining Interactions - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - When Meg's parents are killed in a carriage accident, she and her sisters go to live with their uncle. Unfortunately he has limited funds, so they have few prospects. To help out, Meg decides to become a governess. Coincidentally, the man who hires her happens to be the boy who lived next door to them growing up, the one her parents tried to marry her off to back when they were kids. Despite her growing attraction to him, she is determined to make her own way and resist his charms. He is equally determined to make her his.

Writing - 4 stars - This is a new-to-me author, and I will definitely look for more from her. I was captured right from the first page. Bennett writes in a smooth and easy style that fits the period. The characters are built with enough history to make them believable but not so much that they become encumbered.

Characters - 4 stars - Meg is a strong and opinionated woman, despite the time period she's living in. She resisted marrying the man her parents had chosen, but now she's forced to take a job as governess for his wards. Which, of course, puts them in close proximity, much to her chagrin. Will, for his part, is a handsome earl who has learned to live with responsibility after the death of his ne'er-do-well father. They are actually a well-matched couple, despite their difference in station. Their clashes are entertaining and fun, with some very steamy scenes between them as well.

Title - 3 stars - Well, the earl definitely has brown eyes, but I'm not really sure that this is a particularly important detail. That was never how I thought of him, so I don't think the title is particularly apt.

Cover - 3.5 stars - Lovely cover, but very typical of this genre. Nothing particularly noteworthy to catch the eye, although the color is nice.

Overview - 4 stars - This is a very enjoyable first book of what I anticipate to be a fun series. The plot set the stage nicely, putting together these two disparate (but well-matched) people. And the additional twist of Will's cousin's twin daughters as his wards adds a lot of interest and intrigue as we discover who is working against them. I became very engrossed in the story right from the beginning because of the characters and Meg and Will's entertaining interactions. Then I was caught up in the action surrounding the twins and the household. Secondary characters of Meg's sisters and uncle added nice warmth and family feelings.

I really enjoyed Meg and Will's story. I always love a good reunion story and this one was a pleasure to read. The twins and their antics were an added bonus!

I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series to see how Meg's sisters get their HEA!

William Ryder, the Earl of Castleton, has had a thing for Miss Margaret Lacey since they were young, so he was astonished when she staunchly rejected their fathers attempt to arrange a marriage between them (not that he was pleased that his disreputable dad was choosing his bride-to-be). Now, seven years later, he finds Meg in his home applying for a job as governess for the set of six year old twins recently dropped off at his door. The precocious Valerie and Diana are the illegitimate offspring of his cousin who died in a freak accident. Their mother, his cousin's mistress, threatened to place them in an orphanage if he wasn't willing to provide for them. The honorable Will would never abandon his best friend's children to such a fate, but the rambunctious girls obviously needed a steady hand. The Earl, whose own father has been indifferent, fears he doesn't have the ability to be a good parent, so he turns to what he hopes is "professional" help. Unfortunately, Meg has zero experience, just a need to earn some money to keep her sisters and uncle out of the poorhouse. Of course, once she realizes the potential boss is her former jilted fiancé, she is ready to decline the position. Yet, Will is intrigued and makes her an offer she can't refuse, so Miss Lacey finds herself wrapped up in the lives of her two charges as well as garnering the attention of the distinctly handsome Castleton.

My Brown-Eyed Earl by Anna Bennett is book one in The Wayward Wallflowers series. Meg and her younger sisters Elizabeth and Juliette have been living with their Uncle Alister, Lord Wiltmore, the only family member willing to offer a home to all three girls after the tragic death of their parents (killed in a storm on that fateful night Meg rejected the marriage proposal). Full of guilt, Meg stoically believes it is her obligation to care for the family. While the somewhat oblivious Uncle Alister has provided them a loving home, his limited funds do not allow for luxuries like fancy gowns. That's why the sisters have been dubbed The Wilted Wallflowers by The Ton and despite their beauty, their drab attire brings them nothing but scorn and ridicule.

Set to remain a spinster, Meg is determined to earn enough to provide some luxuries for her siblings. With kindly attentions, while visiting the dressmaker to add to the twins wardrobe, Will offers to purchase her a new gown as well, but the proud Meg refuses to even consider the idea. Luckily, the Earl looks beyond her attire and his former feelings are rekindled. Meg is not immune to his charms and they quickly find themselves romantically involved. Encouraged by his mother to take a wife, Will wonders if Meg has the capacity to fill the role of Countess. A series of misadventures seem to indicate otherwise, but first impressions can be deceiving. Whether the Earl can convince his lovely governess to put aside her guilt and find her own happiness is the ultimate goal.

While I loved the witty repartee between Will and Meg, along with the lovable characters Bennett has created (especially the twins), there were some definite flaws in this Regency Romance. In fact, if you like your historical novels to accurately reflect the era, then this is not the book for you. The author plays fast and loose with the mores of the time, ignoring the high standards for maintaining a spotless reputation - such as a current debutante living unchaperoned with a bachelor. Even if all was innocent (which it wasn't) the scandal would be far reaching. Then Meg's friend Charlotte, also a governess, openly appears in society with her employer, seemingly as a couple. Neither a likely scenario! In addition, the conversations, although witty, were full of vernacular unbecoming for polite conversation. Despite these and other discrepancies, this book was not without its charm. Yes, there were the muddled accounts of the lovers past as well as a clumsy attempt to provide a little excitement via an inquisitive mystery man, but there were also some interesting interactions, often comical, which compensated for all the flaws.

With a little better attention to the appropriate details, a more complete backstory, and some fine tuning to the plot/climax, this could have been a four+ star book. Still, I'll give it three and a half stars for its easily readable writing style and humor.

A thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh I really enjoyed this one! You have to like Margareth! I mean she is a very likeable character and its a nice enjoable storyline. Quickly you get connected to the leads-.

A delightful first book in this series by Anna Bennett.

When Meg shows up for an interview for a governess position. She has no idea that she will be interviewing with an old acquaintance. The only one more surprised then her is Lord Castleton. Never did he imagine that the lady for the governess interview would be Meg. The woman who * years earlier had vehemently denied the opportunity to marry him.

Meg is desperate. She need this job to help keep her uncle out of debtor's prison and when Will offers her a small fortune in salary, she accepts against her better judgement. Plus she cannot help that her heart goes out to the twin girls in his care.

As the two try to ignore there past and come together to make the girls happy they find themselves drawn to each other more and more. But Meg cannot get past the guilt over her parents death and if Will cannot find a way to get her to realize that it is not her fault then how will he ever convince her to marry him.

Great story about two people that truly need each other to make them complete. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

I received this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's nice but a bit boring... it feels shallow, with no real plot

There has never been a man placed between so many rocks and so many hard places in such a short time-span
1. His mother is demanding that he marry before HER birthday.
2. His cousin dies, leaving him guardianship of 6-year old twin girls.
3. He has given his longtime mistress the boot. In favor of another woman.
4. He has fallen hard and fast for the beautiful and spirited governess that HE hired to instruct the twins.
5. Said governess is also the childhood crush who spurned a betrothal orchestrated by their parents.
6. She, Miss Margaret Lacey, is also...the only woman that he, William Ryder could ever love.

Authoress, Anna Bennett, brings a fresh fire, brash banter, and even a bit of wit and whimsy to Regency Romance. In this, the first offering in her Wayward Wallflower series.
Leading lady, Margaret Lacey makes quite the splash. As a downtrodden debutante, and the eldest of the "Wilting Wallflowers". Miss Lacey is a woman determined to do whatever she can to reverse the fortunes of herself, her sisters, and her eccentric yet lovable uncle Alistaire, The Viscount Wiltmore.
Even if "whatever" means putting herself in the employ of the one man that she once vowed she would...
"Sooner shave her head and enter the convent than marry."

But you know what they say about beggars being choosers, and with the threat of debtor's prison becoming more of a possibility for her uncle with each day that passes. Margaret Lacey understands that while she may object to marrying The Earl of Castleton, her family's coin poor coffers will be quite welcoming of his money.

William Ryder may be all grown up, able to summon the best and brightest beauties of the ton to his bed with nothing more than a look. But he never forgot her. The young, coltish, and free spirited young girl, whom he longed to see every time his father's temperamental tirade would drive him out of the house.
Now...after all this time. She's here and she needs him. More to the point however, he and the twins need her. In their lives. In their hearts. In their world.

My Brown-Eyed Earl is a story brimming with dilemma, heart, and a ferocity of spirit that makes the story and its characters come more alive for readers with every turn of the page. Though both the tale's leading man and lady circulate within social spheres of immense wealth and privilege; they are possessed of a grit, and drive to live life on their own terms, that readers cant help championing.

Further sweetening the ever simmering plot pot. Their tragedy laden past ties, and the equally emotional bonds of their shared concerns for the futures of Will's young twin charges serves to provide a solid emotional playing-field for the two. A playing-field which quickly morphs into a minefield, when weapons of the heart come to bear.

It is those weapons of the heart and the heat of the passionate fight, which serves to make this nearly perfect tale of love complete. With both of adult hearts open to the precocious, but unadulterated adoration that Valerie and Diana provide. It is only fitting that the shared desire that they share for each other be brought to the fore...to shine in its own right.

In short. If you love your ladies smart and full of snark. Your men soulful and strong.
And...
your happily
SPECIAL.
Look no further than
My Brown-Eyed Earl

I received an electronic reading copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

How can you tell you read a very superficial book? When you finally find the time to review it about a month after you've put it down and you can't really remember anything worth talking about.

My Brown-Eyed Earl is the story of William Ryder and Margaret Lacey. Margaret Lacey and her two sisters have lost their parents in a tragic accident and are now living with their uncle, a man whose fortune has been depleted and his social status dwindling. Feeling the need to bring in some form of compensation for her family, Margaret looks for work as a governess. Unfortunately, her first interview happens to be with William Ryder - a handsome Earl whose hand in marriage she turned down when she was a younger girl. But William doesn't hold a grudge. He hires Margaret to take care of the two girls he's recently taken in.

It's only a matter of time before the two are drawn to one another, but with Margaret's dwindling social status, could she ever be the right match for such an important man?

Come on, this is a romance novel. Of course she can.

I just couldn't lose myself in this book. While it was certainly entertaining enough to finish, it just felt like the whole story glossed over everything that happened. It lacked true depth. The characters lacked any sort of dimension and I didn't really feel connected to them in any sort of way. William Ryder was a cookie cutter historical romance heartthrob, and I will admit he had a few lines that made me smirk. But Margaret just made me frustrated. She is not the strong female lead that I keep hearing her described as. I think it was fantastic that she decided to break apart from her family and start earning a living wage, but mostly she was whiny. And she didn't really face her problems very often, mostly she was running away.

This book was light and fluffy, but it lacked anything worthwhile to make me really feel like I had enjoyed the read.

Oh dear! What is a girl to do when the job you desperately need is with the person eight years ago you told you rather shave your head and join a convent before you would marry him. This is the dilemma Miss Margaret Lacey finds herself in. Unfortunately, the day she refused William Castleton was also the day her parents were killed in a carriage accident leaving she and her two sisters alone. Fortunately they were given a place to live with their slightly eccentric uncle. Since his funds are running out and the sisters are dubbed wallflowers with no prospects, Meg takes a job as a governess to Lord Castleton's twin wards. Meg and Will find they are attracted to each other. The first half of this storyline is slow going making it difficult to get through. However, podding through the first half to get to the more fast paced second half. Here the action picks up with a very satisfactory ending. The read was enjoyable enough for me to look forward to the next book in the series.

MY BROWN-EYED EARL is book one in Anna Bennett's Wayward Wallflowers series. This is a story that will appeal to readers who enjoy governess-themed romances, as well as stories in which the hero and heroine have a shared past.

When she was fifteen, Margaret "Meg" Lacey spectacularly refused her parents demands that she marry William Ryder, the Earl of Castleton, their pick for her potential groom. Years later, when circumstances force Meg to look for employment, fate has a sense of humor when she's faced with having Will for an employer. Meg's pride and stubbornness, combined with Will's initial teasing is reminiscent of the relationship between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe, from Lucy Maude Montgomery's Anne Shirley series. There is a tension that runs throughout MY BROWN-EYED EARL as Meg works through her internal struggle and questions her right to find happiness.

I love Gothic romances, and while MY BROWN-EYED EARL might not qualify, Meg reminded me of many noble Gothic heroes. Likewise, Will takes on the more romantic and hopeful role that most heroines generally do. Meg is haunted by the sudden death of her parents when she was a teenager and that event has shaped her life up until she meets Will again. Meg's sense of honor and responsibility for her family make her an admirable heroine, but also blind to her own needs. The tragic irony of falling for the man she refused so many years ago, thus making her parents' ill-fated carriage ride pointless, floods Meg's mind with guilt that eats away at her. This guilt prevents her from planning a happily ever after with Will. I like how, early on, Will is smitten with Meg and tries to plan for a future together and plot out how they can make their lives mesh. Will's fragile romantic optimism makes him different from just about any other guardian that I've ever read about in a romance.

Diana and Valerie, Will's six-year-old wards, are precocious without being obnoxiously so. I like the parallels between Diana and Valerie's situation and Meg and her sisters. Anna Bennett does a splendid job of slowing building the emotional connection between the little girls and the adults thrust into their lives. I like how, although feeling very ill-equipped in the role of caretaker, Will tries to look after the girls the best way he can without making them feel unwanted.

MY BROWN-EYED EARL by Anna Bennett takes a conscientious and caring heroine, a romantic and idealistic hero, and makes magic. Uncle Alistair and Will's former mistress Marina add texture to this story, and their interactions with the hero and heroine help define who Meg and Will are. I hope to read more about Meg's sisters, as well as her friend Charlotte, in future books.

Very cute story. Anna Bennett was a new historical author to me and I really enjoyed the characters she created and her voice. I look forward to more from this series.