The Earl Next Door (First Comes Love #1)

Adeline, Dowager Countess of Wake, the heroine in this flimsy First Comes Love Regency series opener, is determined to keep her independence, no matter how diligently the handsome Lyon Marksworth, Earl of Lyonwood, tries to win her hand. Adeline, recently widowed, is young enough to remarry, but her marriage was anything but blissful, so a replay is not in the cards. She’s dedicated her life to establishing and running the Seafarer’s School for Girls and believes marriage would make her and the school too vulnerable to her husband’s whims. When Lyonwood mistakes her for a lady of the night, she is both appalled by his assumption and intrigued by his looks. Lyonwood admires her fire and boldness, and after their passionate first encounter, he knows she’s the only one for him. They begin a battle of wits as Lyonwood woos Adeline and she fends him off. Grey (The Rakes of St. James) rushes the central relationship without developing it; a shocking revelation and the eventual declaration of love feel like nothing more than genre boxes to check off. Grey’s prose is strong and her characters are fun, but the romantic side of this romance is a disappointment. (June)