Defying the Earl

Flawed individuals in search of redemption and feeling unworthy of love. Erica Riddle manages to remind us that love is always an option through the story of Titus and Mathilda - an early and his ward. the theme of being born into a station and the knowledge that the individual goodness of the individual far exceeds the way society judges worth, beauty and competency. It is worth the read.

OH MY GOSH!!! Have I mentioned I love grumpy sunshine?? Because I totally do!! And this is the grumpiest sunshine-iest every. Matilda is so lovely, so warm and open and wanting to explore the world around her and make friends. And Titus is as closed off as anyone could possibly be, scarred on the inside and out and determined to suffer through the next three weeks with his ward and be done with her. Watching them clash was so much fun and I may or may not have cried a bit at the end (spoiler alert, I totally did). Can't wait to read the next in series!!

Here we are again with the Lords in Love. Defying the Earl by author Erica Ridley is the 4th entry in this wonderful series. We’re back in Marywell at the marriage fair and see some familiar faces, but this time it’s more of a handover than a young girl trying to find a handsome, rich, titled husband.

Titus Noble, the Earl of Gilbourne, is all three of those things. Well, he was handsome until the accident when he was a child but look closely and you can still see it. He is in Marywell to take charge of Miss Matilda Dodd until she reaches her majority in three weeks. Lady Stapleton, the woman who raised Titus after he was orphaned, is Mathilda’s aunt. Mathilda has proven to be quite a handful and Aunt Stapleton can’t manage anymore and has asked Titus to step in for the next three weeks. There is nothing he would like to do less – but – he would do anything to Lady Stapleton.

So here he is, lurking among the plants at the Marywell Ball, impatiently waiting, when through the leaves the spies the most beautiful and beguiling creature he has ever seen. He can’t take his eyes off her; he’s mesmerized, on autopilot. She catches him staring and feels that same pull. They are like two magnets, approaching, approaching, an irresistible force pulling them together. There is some conversation, maybe a little flirting, and – gasp! – a kiss. Which of course should never have happened because this is the Regency, after all.

Titus hears Lady Stapleton’ voice, they pop apart, and she soon introduces the Earl of Gilbourne to his new ward: Mathilda Dodd. Didn’t see that coming. Half of his brain tells him to just win her for his own; the other half, the logical half, reminds him that he is damaged goods and cannot expose anyone else to the danger that surrounds him so he must get her married off ASAP. Mathilda, for her part, never intended to even consider marriage, but she just might have to change her mind if Gilbourne (Gilly-Gil-Gil??) would be the husband.

Author Ridley puts a lot of fun and laughter and tension and heat into those three weeks. Both Titus and Mathilda have tragic pasts clouded in secrecy. Titus believes he was the cause of the accident that cost the lives of his family and ever since has been a recluse. He takes his duties as Earl and his position in Parliament seriously and takes good care of his staff and those dependent upon him. But what he learned from the accident was “nothing ventured, nothing lost.” He is sure disaster is just around the corner and he will not risk love or marriage and the loss of another person that would become dear to him. He was disfigured in the accident and young ladies of the ton are repelled by his appearance but quite willing to marry for his fortune. He'll have nothing to do with them. Mathilda lost her family and suffered greatly as well but her takeaway was “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and she vowed to always do all she could for people, to be an independent woman but make friends wherever she goes. So Guardian and Ward, although only 5 years apart in age, are like oil and water. Except for that attraction, that pull, the inevitability that author Ridley so expertly weaves into their adventures and encounters and arguments – and spicy, warm, tender, heart-stopping moments.

Thanks to the author for providing an advance copy of Defying the Earl for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. What a pleasure it was. I swooned through every minute of it and cannot wait for the next installment in the series from authors Erica Ridley and Darcy Burke. I voluntarily leave this review and all opinions are my own.