Once upon a time three young ladies vowed to record their first London seasons…and to fill in the gaps of their finishing school educations. Thus began The Debutante Diaries—and London will never be the same… daring proposal. An earl who’s determined to resist her. And a love that just might be written in the stars, in First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett.
Recently jilted by his fiancée, David Gray, Earl of Ravenport is not in the market for a wife. Even if Gray didn’t have his hands full renovating his crumbling country house, it would take more than a bold marriage proposal from a headstrong young beauty to thaw his frozen heart. Gray is confident that spending a week at his ramshackle estate will change her mind about marriage, but every passionate moment he spends with her tempts him to change his…
A talented artist, Miss Fiona Hartley desperately needs her dowry money to pay off a blackmailer set on ruining her sister. The handsome earl seems a sensible choice for a husband…if only she can convince him that romance will play no part. But marrying in name only may prove difficult for Fiona. Gray can’t help but be dazzled by her genuine warmth. Yet as their feelings deepen, Fiona’s deadline looms. Will her secrets destroy them, or is true love their final destiny?
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I would like start off by giving a huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press for sending a review copy and letting me be apart of the book blog tour for this book. I thought this story was really good, I’m looking forward to the next book in this series to come out. I wouldn’t mind revisiting this world again.
I thought the story was very well written and I was able to follow along easily. I thought the pacing of this story was just right. I didn’t think it was to fast or slow. I liked the overall plot to this story, at first i was not thrilled by the blackmail plot. I thought it would turn me off to the main character. But I turned out to be wrong. I really like the twist at the end in regards to who the blackmailer was. I thought it was a daring choice on the authors part.
I thought all the characters were well written. I love the pairing of Gray and Fiona. I like how Gray by the end of the story was able to put aside his insecurities and was able to give Fiona his heart. I liked that Gray realized that not everyone was materialistic and that you can find beauty in unexpected places. Though I was kind of annoyed at Fiona’s handling of the blackmailer, I soon realized that her actions was based on protecting her loved ones. Plus, I love how her protective instincts by the end of the story went to Gray.
Overall, great story, I highly recommend picking this one up.
David Gray, Earl of Ravenport may be an Earl, but having just been dumped by his fiance because of the state of his property, he has sworn off love and marrying. Instead he is concentrating on fixing everything up to its former glory so his Grandma can enjoy it before her sight completely goes.
Miss Fiona Hartley is not titled, but she comes from money and has a very large dowry to offer the right man. Too bad none are calling. When Fiona gets a letter blackmailing her regarding her younger sister, she must take matters into her own hands. If Fiona can find a man who is willing to marry her in the next 2 weeks, in exchange for her nice dowry, she will enter into a marriage of convenience, as long as they give her the money she needs to pay off the blackmailer. Of course who comes to mind, Gray, the Earl who was just dumped.
Gray thinks Fiona is nuts but agrees to think about her offer. He even invites her and her family to his house thinking that she will change her mind once she sees just how bad of shape the property is in. Instead, this ends up backfiring on him. Gray also finds the more time he spends with Fiona, they more he is starting to realize that he is developing feelings for her. It takes a huge leap of faith for these two to trust each other because they both are hiding secrets. In the end, love wins out and Gray and Fiona get their happy ending!
I loved both of these characters. Fiona is such a strong force and so dedicated to her family. Gray’s only purpose in life is to make his Grandma happy….he doesn’t care about himself….but deep down he is loyal and loving, even if he doesn’t always show that side of himself to other people. Overall, I loved this book. It was fun, entertaining and swoon worthy.
A desperate debutante, Fiona Harltley needs to marry quickly so she can get her dowry. Her sister is in trouble and being blackmailed and that is the only funds she can get to!! What to do? David Gray, Earl of Ravenport is not in the market for a wife. He has been jilted by his fiance’ and it would take a strong force to make him succumb. But he never expected Fiona, a determined young beauty to step into his life. Focused on repairing his crumbling estate, when he receives a marriage proposal he decides to invite her to his country house to let her see how his estate needs significant repair. Good plan you say? Well that is only the beginning for these two. As they interact it made me laugh with some of the humor and banter back and forth.
Can these two truly come together with Fiona wanting their marriage to be in name only? With a handsome man and a beautiful lady, I sincerely doubt that would hold!
A wonderful start to a new series, this one will keep you entertained until the end!
First Earl I See Tonight
by Anna Bennett
The Debutante Series book One
Earl of Ravenport and Miss Fiona Hartley, their road to happiness and bliss was a bumpy one, full of witty humour and banter, they’re perfect together and not so perfect. Hilarious moments between them kicked up the pace nicely! Well written and engaging secondary characters keep the reader entertained.
Plenty of humour, a title grasping step-mother, secrets, blackmail, intrigue and sizzling romance. The characters are believable and well rounded, the romance nicely developed.
I look forward to reading the next in this series.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.
A startling funny story. Fiona and Gray are the perfectly mismatched couple. Fiona has a problem and a husband is her solution. She grabs the bull by the horns, proposes to Gray and sets out to convince him that marrying her is an excellent idea. In a series of hilarious incidents in which they attempt to get to know each other, there are mishaps, mayhem and accidents. The road to love was not smooth but it sure was fun and enjoyable.
First Earl I See Tonight (Debutante Diaries, #1) by Anna Bennett … I loved all the characters in this book …well except for a couple… thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview this book. Gray (Earl of Ravenport) and Fiona (trying to protect her sister from a blackmailer) These two have a wonderful story.. he needs money to restore his country home for his grandmother,,, she needs to get to her dowry to pay off the blackmailer. There are plenty of laughs, tragic pasts, tears, love, mystery and steamy sex on our way to a HEA. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Awesome Regency romance with enjoyable characters and plot that keeps the readers attention. Gray is a basically impoverished Earl who is struggling to bring his estate back to its original magnificence. He desperately wants to do this for his aging grandmother. Fiona believes the Earl has potential but she needs a groom in order to gain access to her dowery. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters banter for the time period. I received a complementary copy via Net Galley and chose to write a review. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Bennett in the future.
4.5 Stars
First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett is book One in the Debutante Diaries series. This is the story of David Gray, Earl of Ravenport and Fiona Hartley.
David had a harsh childhood with the only highlight was his Grandmother. David lost his parents and having to take over the family Title around 12 years old. David try to take a chance at love but his fiancée broke up with him not to long after seeing the run down family home. David has moved past finding that kind of happiness but has moved forward with fixing up the home for his Grandmother. Fiona is a awkward, accident prone women but also is a artist who works to protect the family. Fiona’s father is a wealthy mill owner but Fiona has no access to money other than if she was to marry. When she starts to get a blackmail letter forcing her to pay them or have her family secrets revealed that would impact her sister…she goes forward to find a way to marry. When she starts to make a list of men the David comes to the top of her list after he helps save her from a mishap at a ball. Fiona goes forward to write him a letter with her offer of marriage and what the business side would be about. Thinking to discourage her, David invites her and the family to his home but what first was meant to turn her away has now drawn him in.
Enjoyed watching their story play out in this book. I can’t wait for the other books in this series.
A blackmail note! How am I going to come up with the money to save my sister, Lily’s reputation and the reputation of my family? My only recourse is to marry and use my dowry money. But I only have two weeks to accomplish this. What to do, what to do? Hmm… The Earl of Ravenport was recently jilted by his fiancee, is in a desperate financial situation and he was so kind to me when I tripped on the dance floor recently and landed among the musicians. The gallant Lord Ravenport extended a hand to help me up. I’m sure I will be fine married to such a courteous gentleman. My decision is made. Now to pen a proposal of marriage and send it to Lord Ravenport.
This is exactly what Fiona Hartley, daughter of a wealthy merchant does in this story. Needless to say the Earl is not overjoyed at this proposal and has no intention of considering marriage but it has piqued his curiosity. So Fiona and David Gray meet again at the Northcroft ball. From this point the progression of their interactions and relationship is a great to story to read. The author, Anna Bennett has woven a fun tale with this mysterious background of who the blackmailer is and how Fiona solves her problem. Anna Bennett has delightful characters, a fascinating storyline and a perfectly paced story in this book. I look forward to reading about more of her Debutante Diaries ladies in future books in this series.
I did not want to put this one down! Fiona was a wonderful character with her love and loyalty to family, determination to keep everyone safe, and brave enough to take those steps. As I learned about Gray’s past, I cared more about how this story ended. He started as a self-absorbed man but found his way into the world. I loved the interactions between Fiona and Gray, and enjoyed the love between the secondary characters. This is a story that I highly recommend, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.
Fiona and Gray have no idea how much they need each other!
Fiona needs cash, now, to silence a blackmailer that threatens to destroy her family. The only option she has is to access her dowry, but to do that, she needs a husband. Right away. The only man she knows that needs her money more than she does is David Gray, an earl whose estate is hanging on by the slimmest of threads.
But Gray isn’t ready to align himself with just any female, especially after his ex-fiance showed her true colors. So he sets out to demonstrate to her every reason why she can’t consider him as a suitable husband, since he can’t seem to find it within himself to directly tell her No.
This delightful romantic comedy finds Fiona a heck of a lot more resilient and resourceful than Gray gave her credit for. And he discovers a protectiveness and possessiveness that surprises him at every turn, as he falls for her charms and discovers the reason behind her urgent proposal.
The resolution of this story has quite a few surprises along with its HEA for David and Fiona. The enchanting characters come to life instantly, and the writing quickly teleports us back a couple hundred years to an idealized England with its foundation built on the rules of society. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable romance, and I recommend it to every reader of historical romance. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
“First Earl I See Tonight” by Anna Bennett
A delightful Regency Romance novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with Miss Fiona Hartley… and David Gray, the Earl of Ravenport (and their supporting cast of characters). I cheered, worried, laughed and sighed my way through this story. I was gifted an ARC of this story by the publisher via NetGalley.
A blackmail letter throws Fiona Hartley into a spin, the only way she can see to pay the sum involved is to obtain access to her dowry. However there is no suitor on her horizon; so giving up on a love match she reviews the acquaintances she has made since her come out the month before. There is one man who seems the ideal candidate but how does one go about proposing, to a man to whom you have not been formally introduced and get him to agree to a marriage within a fortnight? I thoroughly enjoyed this story which kept my attention throughout.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I received First Earl i See Tonight written by Anna Bennet from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This is the first book in her Debutante Diaries series and I have never read any books from Anna Bennet but have greatly enjoyed this first book and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Fiona Hartley, klutz extraordinaire, needs access to her dowry money to pay off a blackmailer in order to save her family. She sets her sights on David Gray, Earl of Ravenport who was recently jilted and is in need of funds to repair his home. With only two weeks to work with, she writes a marriage proposal to Gray and then,
The last thing Gray needs is a head strong lady willing to propose to a man. In an attempt to scare her away, he invites her and her family to his crumbling estate for a week. But what begins as an attempt to scare her, ends up with him being dazzled by her warmth, and artistic abilities. But he has secrets as well. Will their secrets keep them apart?
Wonderful romantic and slow burn love story that dealt with wonderful characters. Gray, a grouch, slowly comes around and Fiona, a shy caring person, begins to put up walls. The secondary characters were wonderful as well. Bennet wove a wonderful story that was multi-dimensional and quite enjoyable. The ending was kinda sad (no give aways) but I really hope that Bennet writes a story to resolve this. #FirstEarlISeeTonight #NetGalley
Recently jilted by his fiancée, David Gray, Earl of Ravenport is not in the market for a wife. Even if Gray didn’t have his hands full renovating his crumbling country house, it would take more than a bold marriage proposal from a headstrong young beauty to thaw his frozen heart. Gray is confident that spending a week at his ramshackle estate will change her mind about marriage. A talented artist, Miss Fiona Hartley desperately needs her dowry money to pay off a blackmailer set on ruining her sister, Lily. The handsome earl seems a sensible choice for a husband if only she can convince him that romance will play no part.
I was immediately drawn into the book especially with Fiona’s letters & her clumsiness.
I did wonder why a blackmailer was targeting an unmarried woman for payment when she had no ready money, why not her father who had access to funds? The characters are well fleshed & the pace is good & flows well. I really liked Gray & Fiona & how they came to like each other & then realise they’d fallen in love. There were some inconsistencies & inaccuracies but I forgave the inaccuracies about suicides as I presumed the blackmailer was trying to frighten Fiona into submitting to their demands. This is the first book in a new series & I hope Lily & Sophie have their stories. I would have liked an epilogue just to finish the story.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I thoroughly enjoyed this read even though a few things puzzled me. It was fast-paced and kept me reading well past my bedtime. I enjoyed the characters and wanted to see them have their HEA and to see the villain punished.
David Gray, Earl of Ravenport inherited his earldom when he was much too young, twelve to be exact. He had a traumatic childhood and his father’s, and then his mother’s passing were tragic as well. Now, he’s an adult with a bankrupt earldom. He’s taciturn, dark, cold and more guarded than most. Given the way he was raised and the horror he witnessed, he knows that he will never give his heart to anyone. He’d even tried that once only to have the woman break the betrothal. His one goal at the moment is to refurbish the Fortress – the name Gray had given his manor house. He needed to do that for his grandmother who was the one bright light in his otherwise dark world and now, she’s losing her eyesight. Gray wants to restore that cherished childhood home before she loses her sight and can’t see it at all.
Miss Fiona Hartley is the very lovely, caring daughter of an insanely rich mill owner. She loves her sister and her father beyond measure – and well – maybe her step-mother a bit as well. Fiona is a bit gangly and accident prone which seems to keep her suitors away. As a gifted artist, she usually sees through to the real person underneath the one that is shown to the world. Now, there is trouble, big trouble, in her world. Someone is blackmailing her and if she doesn’t pay, they’ll reveal a family secret that would ruin Fiona’s family and her sister in particular. She has no access to those kinds of funds, so how can she pay him? Well, she decides her only choice is to very quickly find someone to marry her. She only needs to find an impoverished peer who will marry her for her very sizable fortune.
Fiona has considered and eliminated a number of men of the ton and has finally settled on the Earl of Ravenport. He was sweet and considerate to her when she had a mishap at a ball – and when he gripped her hand to help her up, she felt a jolt of electricity. So, she writes him a very businesslike letter outlining terms and conditions and proposes marriage. You can surely imagine his reaction when he received that letter. He tells her no, but she is persistent and he has to find some way to dissuade her. So, what does he come up with? He decides to invite her, her family and a friend to visit his home for a house party. He is sure that will do the trick because the last fiancé he took to his home jilted him promptly.
I loved watching them come to care for each other and realize that each wanted only the other. I would have loved to see an epilogue in this book. Something set a couple of years into the future — with the Fortress all restored, maybe a baby and a wonderful relationship with Fiona’s father restored.
You noticed that I said there were some things that puzzled me – weren’t right – or just bothered me. Obviously they didn’t bother me a lot because I gave the book a 4-star rating, but still, they are puzzling. What are they – well here are some of them. (1) Why would a blackmailer choose to black Fiona? She’s rich but has absolutely no access to actual funds. Why wouldn’t the blackmailer blackmail either the father who does have access to money or the sister who would be directly affected by the revelation – even though she doesn’t have access to funds either? (2) Why would there be a gratuitous appearance by the former fiancé? It added nothing to the story and just annoyed me. Why she would do that wasn’t explained or even hinted at. Just made no sense. (3) When a peer commits suicide their title and property are NOT forfeit to the crown unless there are no heirs. Treason was about the only reason the title and lands would be forfeit. (4) During the Regency period, when people committed suicide, they weren’t required to be buried at a crossroads with a wooden stake through their heart. They probably couldn’t be buried in consecrated ground, but that would be the only thing. (5) ** Possible Spoiler here. When Gray has foiled the blackmailer and prints the sketch, Fiona is ready to jump into his arms and marry him right then – but – SHE doesn’t know he’s foiled the blackmailer and the blackmailer specifically said he’d ruin Gray if she didn’t stay away from him. (6) The way the blackmailer was dealt with. He was pummeled and told to leave town and never come back or there would be a duel. Say what? How does that foil him? All he has to do is mail the letters to the newspaper, just as he threatened – and he can do that from anywhere.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
This story was delightful. I haven’t read one with a premise quite like this so it was refreshing. The heroine was extremely naive, but that was more charming and funny than irritating. Gray was fabulous once he started coming out of his shell and he actually wound up being a really great, romantic hero. Fiona could’ve handled some of this situation differently but everything worked out well in the end so I can’t complain. There was a bit of intrigue here and a good old fashioned house party to bring it out. I enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!