London society is cruel for a young woman whose father is an avid gambler. Miss Grace Ashton is not one to stand idly by while her family becomes destitute. Donning a mask, she slips into the night and attends the infamous Raven Club to confront the proprietor. But nothing prepares her for the sinfully attractive and wealthy Ian Swift. Ian is intrigued when Grace walks into his gambling club but … gambling club but refuses her offer of a few jewels to pay her father’s large debts. Unbeknownst to anyone, Ian has inherited the Earldom of Castleton, and he must reluctantly take his place in Society. But Ian’s manners as a gentleman have suffered. He needs a tutor, and he knows the exquisite lady standing before him is the answer.
But soon tutoring turns to flirting, which unfortunately lands both of them in…marriage?
Each book in the Raven Club series is STANDALONE:
* How to Tempt an Earl
* How to Best a Marquess
more
Loved it!
Grace Ashton and Ian Swift, the Earl of Castleton, meet when Grace goes to the Raven to confront Ian.
Grace’s father, Baron Newbury has been gambling and has left his family on the brink of ruin. If not for Grace’s indomitable spirit and her keen intelligence, her family would have been destitute long ago.
Ian Swift has no desire to be earl, but at his mother’s insistence and for his younger sister’s sake, he agrees to try and take his place in society. But after ten years of living as he pleases outside the ton, he knows he needs help acclimating to polite company. Unable to forget the spitfire who demanded she refuse to let her father gamble at his club, he hatches a plan. He offers her a deal, she tutors him and he will forgive her father’s considerable debt. With no other choice, Grace accepts.
They meet in secret and she instructs him, they are drawn to each other, but Grace hates gambling and would never be with a man who owns a gambling club. And Ian is married to his club, no woman could ever compare and he will never give it up.
When these two are caught in a heated kiss by his mother and one of the tons biggest gossips, his mother demands that they marry. Ian knows Grace won’t marry him as long as he owns the club, so he tells her he will sell the club. But at the wedding breakfast, Grace overhears Ian and his mother arguing and she learns the truth – Ian will not sell the club, he didn’t want to marry her and if she gives him any trouble, he will ship her off to the country.
Enraged, Grace tells Ian that theirs will be a marriage in name only. He leaves her to go to his club, but returns to find her in his library – looking at the ledgers for the club. He seduces her and asks her to visit the club. She agrees and when they go, she understands the allure of the club, but she still hates gambling. Ian becomes concerned with his feelings for Grace and begins to distance himself during the day.
Things come to a head when Grace’s father is brought to the house bloodied and beaten. Grace loves Ian, but can no longer live this half life with him and issues an ultimatum – Grace or the Raven.
These two have a rough road to their HEA. They are both stubborn in their beliefs and nether is willing to give up their ideals for the other, secrets will be revealed, choices will be made and more than one tear will be shed before they finally decide love is worth the sacrifice. This book is a page turner, there are steamy love scenes, engaging secondary characters, secrets, lies and finally a HEA with an epilogue.
I enjoyed this story, but I think Grace caved to Ian way too quickly. But overall, it was a very good story and I would happily recommend it.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
How to Tempt an Earl by Tina Gabrielle is book One in The Raven Club Series. This is the series of Grace Ashton and Ian Swift.
Grace’s father has a gambling addiction that is starting to hurt the family. Grace puts on a disguise and goes to confront the owner of the Raven and offer some jewels for payment of her father bills. But he wants something more from her. Ian has inherited a title, the Earldom of Castleton. Ian thinks Grace would be the perfect tutor to get him where he needs to be for the title….but they both might end up more from the deal.
Really enjoyed this book….could not put it down.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For Grace, the cupboard is bare. Her father has drank and gambled away their funds and her dowry. She secretly begins keeping the ledgers for a widow for extra money. When her father’s gambling continues, Grace, in disguise, visits The Raven Club where she meets Ian, the club’s owner. Ian never allows himself to desire a proper miss but he is attracted immediately to Grace. Unknown to most, Ian has recently inherited a title. He makes a deal with Grace to repay her father’s debts. She will teach Ian gentlemanly manners but quickly realizes that Ian was raised a gentleman and only needs a bit of refreshing.
As they meet in secrecy, their attraction continues until they’re caught in a compromising kiss. They must marry!
This is a wonderful short story, my first book by Tina Gabrielle. I wished at times that some areas of the story could be expanded. Grace and Ian were richly developed as well as the support characters. The story was well written. I enjoyed How to Tempt an Earl and would definitely recommend it.
Grace Ashton is desperate to stop her father from gambling everything away. There is only one person who might be able to stop him, the owner of the club he gambles in. She already secretly works to help pay the bills, but it’s not enough to save them from ruin.
Ian Swift the new Earl of Castleton has owned and run “The Raven” casino for years. He doesn’t see why he needs to change his life just because his brother died.
This is an amusing and at times emotional story. The characters are fun and not above using guilt to get their own way.
Family, and what we will do for them is the mainstay of the story. Our intelligent heroine will try anything to save her family from ruin. Our stubborn hero is determined to have his cake and eat it.
I thoroughly enjoyable read.
This fast paced adventure held me spellbound.. From the very beginning I was intrigued that a proper young lady was masked and entering a gambling hell, the Raven Club to bargain with the owner over her father’s gambling debts. What you say? It is the old story of gambling away all their funds but with a definite twist as Grace Ashton, seemingly an innocent is determined. What she finds is Ian Swift, the recently titled Earl of Carleton, not giving an inch. Indeed he is amazed at her audacity but will not take her jewelry as payment. Grace really begs him to not let her father in the club but as Ian pointed out he would just go elsewhere.
Ian was suffering his own problems with his mother pushing him take his place in polite society so that his sisters could have their come out. He has been doing what he wanted for years and was really not fit to be seen. So he develops a plan to have Grace get him into shape to be what he needs to be to help his sisters. Can the plan work?
Tina Gabrielle has an amazing writing style that actually kept me up into the night until I turned the last page. I truly could not put it down once I started. The characters came to life and I felt for Ian and Grace and in the end they needed to save each other. One of my favorite trope. This was the first book by the author I have read but I have to say, I cannot wait to read more!!
London society is cruel for a young woman whose father is an avid gambler. Miss Grace Ashton is not one to stand idly by while her family becomes destitute. Donning a mask, she slips into the night and attends the infamous Raven Club to confront the proprietor. But nothing prepares her for the sinfully attractive and wealthy Ian Swift. Ian is intrigued when Grace walks into his gambling club but refuses her offer of a few jewels to pay her father’s large debts. Unbeknownst to anyone, Ian has inherited the Earldom of Castleton, and he must reluctantly take his place in Society. But Ian’s manners as a gentleman have suffered. He needs a tutor, and he knows the exquisite lady standing before him is the answer.
A delightful read Ian & Grace are immediately attracted to each other but the divide that is the Ravens Club separates them. They both see things as black & white & it’s only after Brooke’s intervention that they start to see the grey. The characters are well portrayed & very likeable, Grace is a whiz at maths & uses her book keeping skills to help keep her household solvent following her father’s downfall into drink & gambling following her mother’s death. Ian has had to survive after he left his home, he’s now a very successful businessman but his use of his profits is unusual.. I loved the way the pair ‘s attraction sizzled & then how they both learned what made the other ’tick’. I found that I was engrossed & read into the early hours to finish this very good start to a new series, I hope Brooke has his HEA
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This was a fun start to a new series! I do love my bad boys who have hidden depths, so I really enjoyed our hero Ian. Ian has recently come into an (unwanted) earldom, which doesn’t mesh too well with being the owner of a gaming hell. He can use a refresher course in gentlemanly behavior. So who can assist him? That would be Grace, whose father is a gambling addict. Uh-oh. The sparks begin to fly!
This was a fun, sensual and ultimately sweet Regency romance. If you enjoy stories with a gaming hell locale and fast moving plots, you will definitely enjoy this book. I can’t wait to read more about the Raven Club….especially Brooks!
I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.
This was a fun story. I just did not like the cover art, but the book as sweet.
I fell in love with this story and its characters! It was so different and original.
I read all of Tina Gabrielle ‘s books. They are historical romance at its best.
LOVEly!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Grace and Ian had to deal with undesirable situations for themselves. Coming together helped each other as well as some in their immediate circle. I loved Grace’s determination and hope that things would improve. Ian’s misplaced guilt kept him a bit cold, but when things became clearer for him, I cheered. This story had me laughing, cringing, and crying. I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, and it is a Book Obsessed Chicks Review Team selection. This is my unsolicited review.