Arriving from America to claim the earldom he never expected to inherit, Thomas Havers finds himself responsible for not only a huge estate full of servants and tenants, but also several female relatives. A countess to help him negotiate the unfamiliar intricacies of his new position is essential, and sooner rather than later, but how is he to choose? The beautiful Lady Louisa is born and bred … for the role, but Thomas finds his heart pulling him in another direction entirely.
Orphaned and penniless, the best Ellen Bentley can hope for is a respectable position as a governess or companion. She has nothing to tempt any potential suitors, until the new earl takes an interest in his distant cousin and invites her to join the family in London.
Encouraged to find suitors of her own by her aunt, Ellen realises quickly that the only man she wishes to marry is Thomas, but he only has eyes for Lady Louisa. How can a parson’s daughter hope to compete with a diamond of the Ton?
An Earl For Ellen is a clean historical romance suitable for readers of all ages!more
“I am being thrown from the only home I have ever known”, was the only thought Ellen Bentley had as she was asked to vacate the Vicarage. She had only buried her father that morning and was alone. What to do? She was able to stay with friends until she could speak to the New Earl of Havers, the only distant relative she had left.
Thomas Havers, who had been living in America, could not believe it when he received work his uncle in England had died and he was the new Earl of Havers! Arriving at the estate, he finds himself a little overwhelmed with all his new responsibilities and his aunt, the Dowager Countess Clarissa and her lovely daughter Lady Louisa. But when he finds out about Ellen and how she is without a home, he takes he in as she is family, albeit distant.
Of course that throws the scheming Countess in a temper because she wants Thomas to marry her daughter!
Let the adventure begin! The plan is to go to London and find Ellen a husband. But fate has another direction!
This was a delightful story with humor and the way Thomas and his American upbringing and is looking to make changes where he sees wrongs being done. Loved him and his sense of honor and treating people right.
Can these two come together or will the schemes of the evil Countess come to fruition? Almost a Cinderella story that only made me smile as I turned the pages. The first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it! Looking forward to reading more!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Thomas Havers is the new Earl of Havers from America. Once he reaches Haverford Hall, he is infatuated with his distance cousin Lady Louisa. Another Havers relative lives in the village, Lady Ellen ignored by the deceased Earl of Havers, his wife Lady Caprice and daughter Lady Louisa. Ellen and Thomas become friends, until other gentlemen show their interest in Ellen. When Thomas almost loses her, he can’t deny that she’s his countess. A sweet, clean romance of Cinderella finding her happily ever after. This novella is included in ROMANCING THE PAST anthology.
This sweet Cinderella story touches all the right spots when it comes to romance. Arriving in Britain upon inheriting the Havers Earldom, Thomas discovers that life in the upper echelons of society is disappointing, especially given the equality between people he has experienced in America. When he discovers that the late vicar’s daughter is a distant cousin, albeit destitute, he determines to ensure that she is well protected and looked after. Unfortunately, his only other family members are not of the same mind. Ellen Bentley is grateful to Thomas for his support, but it comes at a price. Without expending much energy, Ellen quickly becomes a firm favorite in the household amongst the servants and to her surprise, she is welcomed with open arms by society as well. However, it is only when Ellen’s life is threatened that Thomas recognizes his own feelings for her. The novel comes to a sweet and joyful conclusion. I received a copy of this novel as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
” An Earl For Ellen- A Sweet Regency Romance (Blushing Brides Book 1)” by Catherine Bilson is a tale of one overwhelmed male …. Thomas Havers…who having newly acquired his Earldom is in desperate need of a Countess. And his distant cousin … Ellen Bentley…is the only woman who even remotely interests him….but as a lowly vicar’s daughter ..Ellen has little hope of ascending to the position of Countess to an Earl. This is a clean romance in which a sweet woman…Ellen …takes on the Ton’s marriage mart and wins the heart of an Earl. Much enjoyed and Highly Recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
He arrives in England to take the earldom he was.not expecting to get. Now he has a lot to deal with and what he needs is a wide to help him. She has been told to find someone but she did not expect to be after him. He is looking at another instead. Who will he have? See who gets his hand
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A really emotional and sweet story. I like the author has made a bit of research before writing the story. A very captivating storyline and nice plot. I like the characters and they are well defined and develops nicely through the story. Sometimes the story lacked a bit depth and got confusing but that did not spoil it.
I liked the writingstyle.
A story with mystery, jealousy, twists and emotions mixed up to make it an amazing read.
No, I’m not that old that I remember these times! However, it does bring back a lot of memories as a child growing up in England, I read a lot of historical romance novels and this one reminded me of those. It reminded me in a fantastic way, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed endless hours sitting and reading this type of novel, that is now-a-days referred to as clean romance, we just called it historical romance! It’s so wonderfully written, the plot, the characters, all so wonderful, if this is the caliber of her work I can’t wait to read more by this author. I can’t thank her enough for helping me remember those wonderful novels and childhood memories!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Very good with a twist at the end.
A new series called Blushing Brides a well-written moving story, it kept me turning pages I had to know what was going to happen! Ellen Bentley had so much to go through, first the day he Father who was the Parson died she is told to leave the home she is in. Then she meets Thomas Havers an American who is the new Earl after the old one dies. When he finds out what has happened to Ellen he asks her to live with the other two women who are in his home, They are Lady Louisa and her Mother Clarice, the Dowager Countess. But all is not right with Lady Louisa. A story that has suspense, drama, danger, and romance. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ellen has always been ignored by her only family after her parents died. She was evicted from the place she has always considered her home and she is looking for a position as a governess or a companion.
Thomas is the new Earl of Havers and unlikely his uncle, he is not a mean person. He worries about his servants and tries to be fair with everybody. He can’t believe the behaviour of his family towards Ellen.
It’s a beautiful story about some wrong-doing getting right. I loved the compassion and respect of Thomas towards other people, especially to those considered under his position. I loved Ellen’s intelligence and honesty.
The book has twists and turns I never see coming. Very interesting and easy to read. A good start for a new series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
an American Earl
Americans always shake things up in these period pieces. They just don’t know how to follow all of the “rules”. The new Earl of Havers is no exception. This story is thoroughly enjoyable. Thomas is a charming hero, and Ellen, is a sweet and likable girl. The story reminded me a little bit of Mansfield Park, with Ellen in the role of Fanny Price.
This is a sweet story and definitely one to read if you like sweet Regency romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this book. It had me glued to each page and held me in suspense. There are unpredictable twists and turns in the story that you will not believe. The romance between Thomas and Ellen was well written. The characters are so realistic that it was easy to imagine each scene of the story. From the haughtiness of the Countess of Havers, Lady Clarice and her hostile and unfriendly daughter Lady Louisa. Louisa was a poisonous snake making out like a lamb. Ellen is such a wonderful character. So kind, thoughtful and charitable that she endeared herself to all around her. That is except Clarice and Louisa. Thomas on the other hand grew up in America, New York before moving to England to become the next Earl of Havers. He was brought up by his grandfather who was born and grew up in England. He taught Thomas how to care and take responsibility for those who worked for him. Since Thomas did not grow up with the autocracy of English society, he held on to the values of his grandfather taught him. Thomas is a fair minded, kind and thoughtful man always looking for ways to improve the lot of those around him. A wonderful story, a quick read and I highly recommend it. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
New Earl from America Lord Thomas Havers is blinded by his cousin Louisa’s outside attractiveness. He doesn’t see that she and her mother the countess are treating their poor relation Ellen horribly and that Louisa is selfish and cruel. It isn’t until Ellen starts to have suitors that he realizes how attractive she is inside and out especially with her thoughtfulness about the servants and those less fortunate. Louisa is jealous and tries to push Ellen on someone else especially after she realizes Thomas is falling for her. Thomas and Ellen’s romance ends up being sweet, but he was a fool in the beginning.
Ellen Bentley was staying at the vicarage, but the new vicar was ready to move in and she has two weeks to vacate. A distant cousin, the Earl of Havers, had made it plain that he would not do anything to help her by writing a letter of recommendation for a position as a governess or companion. She had nowhere to go and no prospects for a job. Her father had been buried just that morning, and her mother died two weeks before that. Overwhelmed, she sank to her knees and cried.
Thomas, the new Earl of Havers, had just arrived from America. His trunk would arrive the following day, but he was eager to see the estate he had heard so much about. His horse went lame and he fell to the ground, dust-covered and looking the worse for wear. His horse could not be ridden, so he left it and took the only available horse they had – an old swayback. He was thinking the staff would turn him away, thinking him an imposter. Fortunately, his features looked much like the family relatives whose portraits hung in the hall and he was recognized immediately.
Thomas’ Aunt Clarice and beautiful cousin Louisa also live at the estate. Both ladies are plotting to get Thomas married to Louisa who looks like an angel but is manipulative, cruel, and deceitful. Their plan is almost ruined when generous Thomas learns he has another cousin in his tiny family, Ellen Bentley! He is upset that his family never helped her when her parents died. He invites her to live in the estate where he feels she belongs. Her open and honest personality is perfect for him – if only he could see past Louisa’s deceit and find the true worthy female!
Instead, the family goes to London to give Ellen the opportunity to find a good husband. Thomas finds that he is actually jealous as she is noticed by other men. Will he realize how he feels and trust it? Or will he let a woman, whose beauty is only on the outside, lead him into an empty life?
I absolutely loved this book! Thomas was so different from the others. The reader could have picked him out as American just by his actions. He was wonderful and my favorite character! The humor provided by his staff getting to know him was excellent! Ellen was also a favorite character. She was strong and never wanted to be a burden. The story line was well-paced and enjoyable. I definitely enjoyed this author – she has a gift of writing for this genre and I appreciate her stories very much. Grab a copy of this one and enjoy!
The American and the Upper Ten Thousand
What a delightfully different Regency romp! The story starts off with a rather sad scene of the heroine, Ellen, being told she must vacate her home. Literally on the day of her parson father’s funeral, the earl who gave him the living (a distant relative of Ellen) has his man tell her this! Ellen had just lost her mother due to the same disease that took her father a few weeks back. Now an orphan, she must figure out the path of her life. While she’s getting herself sorted out, she lives with some friends nearby and helps take care of their children.
Eight months after her father’s death, the old earl dies, and the new earl arrives in the area, the American cousin of the old earl–the only male left in the family line. One rarely sees an American as the hero in a Regency romance, and it sets the book apart from others of the genre. Thomas brings his innate American-ness with him and cannot understand some of the social constructs and distinctions that are made in British society compared to America. He is determined to right what he perceives are wrongs, like assuring that the servants’ quarters will be warm enough for the winter. Ellen is actually a distant cousin of the new earl, and he is rather appalled that the earl’s family not only kicked her out so soon after her father’s death but also didn’t welcome her into their home since she is a part of the family. He decides to invite her to live in the manor house. Thomas and Ellen build a comfortable friendship, enjoying discussions of current events and other topics of substance.
The Dowager Countess and her daughter, Lady Louisa, are none too pleased about this and have plans for the new earl. Clarice, the Dowager Countess, hopes that he will marry her daughter. In fact, the two are intent on their scheming, and Lady Louisa deliberately decides not to show her true spiteful self to her cousin, planning to be herself after they are wed. She even pretends to befriend Ellen to make herself look better. Will Thomas fall for it?
The entire household moves to London for the Little Season, and things get more complicated for everyone. This story definitely has a Cinderella feel to it.
I quite enjoyed this story, more than I thought I would. Thomas is an excellent hero, his open American style at times at odds with English society. He is kind and considerate, though he is stupid where Lady Louisa is concerned. Ellen is a sweet girl with no expectations or demands. She’s also smart. They make a wonderful couple. Will they both realize that in time?
I had a funny feeling when I got to chapter 6 there was something that will happen be a cause for my concern as more I read the gut was right, someone is very disturbed in the head. Ellen and Thomas are 3rd or 4th cousins their great grandparents were siblings, and her side was recently been disowned by the family until Thomas changes Ellen’s status. But their other cousin Louisa is like a snake will strick when you don’t expect it.
I really enjoyed this sweet and clean romance! Thomas, the new Earl of Havers, arrives in England from America just in time to rescue his cousin Ellen from entering a life of service as a governess. Moving the daughter of the local vicar into Haversford Hall with his uncle’s widow and daughter causes some tension, despite them all being related, but Thomas is determined that Ellen should find happiness, and plans for her to attend the Little Season in London with her snobby, but beautiful cousin Louisa. Thomas seems to be enthralled with Louisa’s beauty, but enjoys spending time with Ellen whose loving and intelligent character endears her to all. Ellen finds the ton a bit overwhelming and difficult to navigate, and when suitors begin to call on her, Thomas starts to understand his true feelings. Louisa, however, is not about to let the chance of being a countess slip through her fingers and she’ll do just about anything to achieve her goal.
Well-written and enjoyable with an unexpected twist. Read this. You won’t be disappointed!
This is a delightful clean historical romance which I read in a couple of hours. Thomas Havers is an American who has inherited an earldom and arrives in England to take over his duties as the new Earl. His aunt Clarice and cousin Louisa reside at the estate and he’s quite taken by Louisa’s beauty. Little does he know what that beauty hides and the plans his aunt has up her sleeves!!
He learns that he has another cousin, Ellen Bentley, who has been orphaned and lives in poverty and once he meets her, he convinces her she belongs at the estate to be with the rest of the family. He vows that he will find her a good husband so that she can be settled the way she deserves. As soon as she does get attention from other men, though, he finds himself feeling jealous!
What follows is quite intense and Ellen finds herself in danger!! Can Thomas save her in time? A well written story that had my full attention right to the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Ellen Bentley is the vicar’s daughter. She lost her home when her father passed.
Thomas is the new Earl of Havers, a distant cousin.
He invites Ellen to live at Havers Hall.
Which his aunt and cousin Louisa disapprove of.
He’s infatuated with Louisa.
Except Louisa is off her rocker and violent.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.