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HOW TO TRAIN YOUR EARL - Amelia Grey England - 18th Century Brina Feld is thoroughly regretting being talked into attending a masked ball in Paris. A widow of five years, Brina has vowed never to marry again, for the pain of loss and her behavior afterwards still haunts her. But she and her friend felt it was time for her to have some fun, so she agrees to go to the event. However, one inebriated masked male has been pursuing her, so Brina hurries to hide from him. As she bolts into a room and locks the door behind her, she hears a voice behind her. Whirling around, she sees a man tied to a chair. He orders her to untie him, but she's a careful person. After discussing the intent of the man to "save his cousin", Brina finally unties him. With that, the brute kisses her and flees. After her return to London, Brina continues with her two charitable projects. Her husband's death after the sinking of the Salty Dove (in which Stewart, her husband, rescued many people before drowning) weighed heavily on her and, with two other widows, Brina has opened a boarding school for the daughters and sisters of the crew on the ship who died. She also works closely with the women at a nearby abbey. So, when the man she freed in Paris shows up at her door, Brina is stunned at her emotional reaction to this bold, handsome rogue. Zane Browning, the new Earl of Blacknight, never in his wildest dreams thought he would be in the position he is in now. After the deaths of the previous earl, his son, and the third in line for the title, Zane is stunned to now have that title. And he hates it. All he wants to do is gamble, drink, travel, and enjoy himself, and now he has other uncles on his case, demanding that he start behaving like an earl, and take responsibility for his family. Then he spies the very luscious young woman who released him in Paris. If he must marry, this lovely specimen should be his. His uncles, however, assure him that she has made it very clear to the ton that she has no plans to remarry, despite being pursued by many. Brina and Zane verbally spar over his intentions. But it comes to a head when Brina is told that Zane has made a bet at Whites men's club that he will get the elusive widow to agree to marry him by midnight of the last of the Season's balls. Furious, Brina confronts Zane and gives him her own orders. Zane must give up alcohol, cursing, and women for the four weeks to the last event, and then she will agree to marry him. Brina is very certain that this known rogue will not be able to complete that challenge. Zane assures her that he can abide by her rules, and that in order to prove it, they will have to see more of each other so that Brina can teach him how to be an earl. Jani Brooks |
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