Cocky Earl

Julian is in no hurry to marry. Charley is dead set against it. Though she's visiting her English grandparents, her heart lies with her American father's whiskey distilling business. When a card game goes awry, Julian's honor requires that he make good on his wager with her father to convince Charley to marry him. She feels betrayed. Becoming a nobleman's wife isn't her dream. Will their forced courtship lead to true love?

This is a well-written book with strong characters and a well-paced plot. I enjoyed Charley and Julian, especially her cleverness and his honesty. The tone is upbeat, though I prefer a little more emotion. Overall, it's a refreshing, original story and an entertaining read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Rich, titled, and with his debauched days (mostly) behind him, Jules' primary form of amusement is outlandish and costly wagers with his close-knit group of friends. When he includes a visiting American distiller in the action, he finds himself with a losing hand and the obligation to pay court to the man's daughter, who is very much out of place among the titled and well-heeled aristocrats of his circle. He finds, however, that her uniqueness is refreshing...and captivating.

This is very much a slow burn romance and, along the way, the reader is treated to information about whiskey distilling, Jacksonian politics, and the tensions between England and its recalcitrant former colony. It's always interesting to get a little depth and knowledge over the course of a story. The MCs have chemistry, but the story is, if not closed-door, door ajar at most. This would be a great pick for anyone interested in a the history of this time period who likes a romance that is solid but not overwhelming.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Cocky Earl is the first book the Regency Cocky Gent series by Annabelle Anders. It follows Miss Charley Jackson who is the only child of the American Whisky King, Mr Daniel Jackson. A woman only concerned with her distillery and making whisky, she finds herself courted by Julian Wellstone, the Early of Westerley. When Jules spends time with Charley, he finds that their relationship is more than just honouring a bet. As a man born to privilege, he finds he is always questioning his ability as an earl. Together he and Charley, have to reassess their initial assumptions and beliefs of the other, and find that together they have the makings of a wonderful relationship.
A romance built with two strong characters and this is also supported by several great secondary characters. I found this an enjoyable read, with plenty of witty dialogue.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Miss Charley Jackson arrives in England to meet her dead mother's family. She and her father are American and in the business of making and selling whiskey, Charley has followed in his footsteps to learn the business. Whiskey is her life. Invited to a country house party, everything changes with her father's wager with the Earl of Westerly in a game of cards. If he loses, he must marry Charley, only Charley doesn't want to marry a stuffed shirt Englishman. The Earl will prove her wrong. It will take another wager for her to get the life she wants. Funny and clever. I like this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I got a copy of this from the publisher, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first read by Anabelle Anders and I was very pleasantly surprised. The writing was good, the characters were engaging and the story didn't lag. It's a classic "house party/ reluctant girl vs overconfident man" with a rather unlikely premise - the hero loses a bet and has to woo the lady but he falls for her in the process. The one thing I didn't care for (but understood why it was there to support the credibility of the plot) was all the betting and how it was weirdly related to honor. I'm guessing readers who are not that good at suspending disbelief will take great issue with that. Otherwise, pleasant, fast read, very low in angst.

Such an compelling storyline. Greatly enjoyed the romance and the characters. I really liked Charley and was glad of the HEA.

I really enjoyed this story. It's the first one by Annabelle Anders I've read and I'll have to read the rest of the series soon, it's so good. I've met Annabelle at the HRR - Historical Romance Retreat, and really liked her as a person so I was delighted to stumble on this on NetGalley even though I have purchased a copy at both Nook and Kindle. The cover and title alone drew my interest. Then I discovered it was a book about an Earl who lost a poker bet with an American heiress's Dad and I was intrigued. This was a delight to read. The characters are real and fleshed out. I really liked the comradery of the guys and how they had each other's back while giving each other playful trouble. I found the story believable and fun to read watching how Jules and Charley come to know and appreciate each other. She also set up the next few books well and I can't wait to read their stories.

Julian Wellstone, Earl of Westerly is riddled with guilt over his father's death. Because of his own recklessness his father died as his second in a duel. Julian failed to appear in time, probably because he was drugged to sleep, and his father died in the duel. Now he has the responsibility of the family much sooner than he expected. His mother is not helping by using the guilt card frequently to make him measure up. During his mother's house party, attended by his best friends from school, he meets Mr. Daniel Jackson, an American Whiskey King and his daughter Miss Charlotte.

Daniel married an English Lady, who's has now passed away, and they've come to England to visit his In-Laws who are appalled at her behavior. They promptly start trying to turn her into a Lady so as to not embarrass them during her Season debut. Charly just wants to tour the distilleries in Scotland with her Dad and go home to make world class whiskey. Dad is determined she'll be married to a titled Englishman as her mother wished. He traps Julian into it with a carefully crafted game of poker. He has to court this woman and get her to marry him. Poor Julian thought with a royal flush in hearts he couldn't lose! Dad had the same in spades, he cheated of course. His only child Charlotte, Charly, is his shadow and all she wants is to make whiskey and take over her father's company someday. Her dad wants to fulfill his deceased English wife and see her married.

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

4.5 stars

Cocky Earl was a pleasant surprise for me. I didn't expect to love Charley and Jules as much as I did. Overall, the book is both sweet and a touch sentimental without ever becoming saccharine or cheesy.

Charley is the intelligent, flame-haired American heiress of her father's whiskey empire. She's come to England with her father ostensibly to first meet her late mother's parents and then to to enjoy a grand tour of Scottish distilleries. Instead, she finds herself left alone at an earl's house party while her father takes the journey alone.

Having lost in cards to Charley's father, Jules is required to propose to Charley before the end of the house party. He imagines it will be easy--after all, he's a wealthy, handsome earl--and is therefore surprised when Charley rejects him outright. Intrigued more than he ever expected, Jules throws himself wholeheartedly into the task, determined to win her hand.

The basic storyline is not an uncommon trope, but the author's handling of it is surprisingly fresh. Not much time is wasted on peevishness or lies; Jules is honest with Charley about his determination to marry her, and Charley is kind but firm in her decision to return to the States. Their conflicting plans do not prevent them from becoming friends and confidants. The story spans only a week, but their growing affection for each other is believable because of the quality time they spend together.

The book loses a half star for me mostly because of the circumstances that led to Jules' father's death three years before. It wouldn't be much of a spoiler to share it here as we learn the story early on, but I'll be vague anyway: Jules' immature behavior played an integral though inadvertant role in what happened. For me, three years was not enough time for Jules to have recovered enough to find peace with anyone, let alone Charley. There is some alluding to the idea that there might have been some foul play; if that rumor had panned out, perhaps I'd feel a little less yuck. However, the allusion never gains much traction. (I hold out hope that it will be revisited in a future Cocky Gents novel.)

I also would have liked the epilogue to give us a glimpse further into the future so we could see Charley making a success with her own distillery. Earlier in the novel, she shares some of her own whiskey creations with Jules, and her brilliance and creativity is clear. I feel like some of her productive intelligence gets sacrificed for wily intelligence on order for the storyline to resolve. But perhaps we'll get to see more of it as a secondary character in future novels.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

Compelled by a losing hand of cards, the Earl of Westerley has promised to court the only daughter of the American Whiskey King. And, as a man of honor, the earl woos her wholeheartedly.When I started reading I couldn't put it down. Annabelle Anders is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book

The Cocky Earl by Annabelle Anders is a tantalizing and provocative story that begins her entertaining series — Regency Cocky Gents. If you haven’t ever read a story from this author get ready to meet the naughty side of Regency romance where rouges and rakes fall under the spell and lose their hearts to headstrong, intoxicating ladies who don't always follow the rules.

I enjoyed this story from beginning to end, the story is well paced and keeps the reader engaged in the plot. I really enjoyed that the author did not waste a lot of the story on misunderstandings, failure to communicate, or lies - instead the story moves nicely and isn’t full of frustrating situations. The MCs are Julian Wellstone, the Early of Westerley, and Miss Charley Jackson heiress of an American Whiskey King. With a unique setup between them including gambling, risqué wagers, and losing a bet - Julian & Charley may have the odds stacked against them.

Although the story timeframe is only a week the development of Julian & Charley’s relationship is realistic and based on actual time spent between the MCs versus an instalove romance, loved it!

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚I received a review copy from the publisher and this is my freely given honest review. 📚