I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. How to Train Your Earl is the third book in Amelia Grey’s First Comes Love series. I think you will enjoy this book more if you have read the first two. Zane Browning, Earl of Blacknight, was never supposed to be the Earl, a series of tragic deaths have left this black sheep, his family’s leader, and he’s finding it a struggle. Briana Feld, widowed when the Salty Dove sank, has devoted her life to good works to cope with the guilt she feels for being angry at her husband for saving others but not himself. Zane makes a bet that he can win Briana’s hand, and his gamble to win her heart has him trying to make himself a better man to deserve her, but it will only work if she realizes that she deserves a HEA as well. I enjoyed reading this opposites attract story very much. Steam Level: Medium. Publishing Date: April 27, 2021. #HowToTrainYourEarl #AmeliaGrey #StMartinsPress #StMartinsPaperbacks #HistoricalRomance #HistoricalRomanceSeries #OppostitesAttract #bookstagram #bookstagrammer ( )

** 3.5 Stars **

Zane Howard Veldon Dormer Browning, eighth Earl of Blacknight, didn’t want to be an earl – never expected to be an earl – and chafes at all of the new expectations suddenly thrust upon him. He is the black sheep of his family because he has no use for most of the social protocols, he loves to gamble (he always wins), and he loves ladies. His family sees him as a useless, uncaring fribble – but he really isn’t. Zane cares about his family – but in small doses – and once you meet them, you’ll see why. Zane’s family is pressuring him to curb his lifestyle, take up his seat in parliament, and find a wife. My personal opinion is that Zane is remarkably tolerant of a very selfish, self-centered, and demanding family. I’d have cut off all of their allowances and told them they had to earn them back by giving to the family as well as taking from it. His two uncles, Syl and Hector should just fall in a hole somewhere. Anyway, Zane is hyper-focused on any goal or objective he sets for himself. He moves forward with remarkable calm and good humor, but nothing deters him from his goal. Once his focus has turned on Mrs. Brina Feld, she has no chance of winning against him – even with the draconian restrictions she’s put on him.

Mrs. Brina Feld has been an absolutely perfect widow for the last five years. She is a perfect lady, a perfect friend, a perfect daughter – you name it and she is perfect. Well, everyone, except herself, thinks she is perfect. She’s knows she’s not a good person and she knows how much she suffered – and still suffers – at the loss of her husband, Stewart. She fully expects to – is determined to – remain a widow for the rest of her life. She’ll devote herself to good works in order to make up for her sins. No man has ever stirred her interest even slightly in her widowhood and she doesn’t expect any to ever do so. Until … That blasted earl is now in pursuit of her and won’t just quietly take no for an answer. When he placed a scandalous wager in the betting book at White’s, that is just the final and last straw for her. She lays down a stringent set of demands for him to meet if he wants to marry her – that will shut him up. But – he agrees to each and every one of them. Of course, there is no way he can live up to that agreement.

I absolutely adored Zane. He lived his life on his own terms and was so much more honest about himself than anyone else in the ton. He knew how to have fun, and he taught Brina that it was okay to enjoy life. He was so focused on her and wanted to do his best for her and his family. He is just a good guy. I liked Brina, but I didn’t GET Brina. When her big secret was revealed, I thought – what? Five years wasted because of that. I was expecting some huge, dark thing – and it just wasn’t.

This is the final book in a series that has been remarkably consistent – at least to me. I have given the same 3.5-star rating to all three of the books even though I rounded this one up to 4. I don’t believe I have ever had that happen with a series. I enjoyed the story, the writing, and the characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )