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.