St. Martin's Press
Featuring: Miss Margaret Lacey; William Ryder, Earl of Castleton
352 pages ISBN: 1250100909 EAN: 9781250100900 Kindle: B01CXON78M Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List
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.
William Ryder, Earl of Castleton, is at the end of his noble
rope. Not only has he broken ties with his longtime
mistress, his mother has publicly announced her wish for him
to marry a suitable young lady―if only to help him
raise the
twins left in his care. Hiring a governess should solve some
of Will’s problems…but when he meets the candidate in
question, he finds himself in an entirely new predicament.
TO DO A WALLFLOWER’S JOB
Miss Margaret Lacey is brainy, beautiful, and, once upon a
time, Will’s betrothed. But she bowed out of the
engagement―and, since then, has never been the same. A
tragic accident robbed her of everything, and now, at age
twenty-three, her marital prospects are slim to none.
Penniless but not without pride, Meg convinces the vexingly
handsome Will to hire her for the job. What neither of them
could have expected from this arrangement, however, is an
attraction that burns stronger than ever. Are these two lost
souls finally ready to be schooled in the art of love?
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