Smitten by Books

An Earl To Enchant
Author: Amelia Grey
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pub. Date: April 6, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1402217616
Retail: $7.99
352 pages

HE’S DETERMINED NOT TO BE A HERO . . .

Lord Morgandale is as notorious as he is dashing, and he’s determined no woman will tie him down. But from the moment Arianna Sweet appears on his doorstep, exhausted after a grueling journey, he cannot resist the lure of the fascinating beauty, her exotic wardrobe, or tempting green eyes . . .

SHE HAS A DEADLY SECRET . . .

Arianna Sweet never imagined the significance of her father’s research until after his untimely death. Now she is in possession of his groundbreaking discovery, a discovery that someone would kill for. She can’t tell Lord Morgandale her secret, but she knows she needs his help, desperately.

~*~*~

Lucas Randolph Morgandale, the Earl of Morgandale, has fled London to his estate Valleydale to avoid the marriage noose. His two cousins and best friends, Blake and Race, have both managed to fall in love and get married and Morgan has no intention of following in their footsteps. Lucas may not want marriage but that doesn’t mean he giving up women all together. He invites a lady of the evening come out to Valleydale to spend some quality with him. Just when he is about to give up that she’s coming, a woman shows up.

Miss Arianna Sweet has just returned from a trip abroad from India and immediately sets out to Valleydale to enlist the help of Lady Elder despite being ill. She travels through a storm and arrives late in the evening only to be greeted by a slightly intoxicated Lord Morgandale. Morgan mistakes her for the courtesan he is expecting while Arianna thinks he is the butler. A rather improper and funny conversation ensues which ends in Morgan realizing that Arianna is not a courtesan and Arianna fainting from exhaustion.

Arianna is strong willed and stubborn woman who has witnessed her father’s murder and comes for help only to discover that Lady Elder is dead and Lord Morgandale is there instead. She is reluctant to tell Morgan the whole truth about what has brought her home from India, only telling him that it is to finish her father’s work for The Royal Apothecary Scientific Academy. Morgan insists—well demands—that she stay and recover before she sets off to London. What Morgan doesn’t know is that the man who murdered Arianna’s father and stole his formula is in England looking for Arianna.

Morgan is known for always thinking things through. He is not impulsive and is always very careful in what he says. That is until Arianna comes into his life. Arianna is the opposite. She doesn’t think before she speaks and can be reckless at times. She’s also embraced some of the Indian culture by wearing saris and belly dancing, which tends to get her in trouble, like when Morgan’s cousins show up unannounced. His cousins, Blake and Race, come to Valleydale to enlist Morgan’s help in keeping an eye on, Gibby,  an old friend of their grandmother, Lady Elder. As the men are walking back to the house, they spot Arianna through the window belly dancing seductively. Of course Blake and Race refuse to leave until they know who she is and of course have fun at Morgan’s expense.

While I think this is a great book and I loved the characters, there are just some things that got to me. Arianna, in the beginning, does not trust Morgan, which I understand. She thinks he’s arrogant and brusque and just wants to get London. Even as the book goes on and Arianna finds her self attracted to Morgan, she still can’t believe it because she doesn’t like him. Then she does a complete reversal and not only likes him but loves him. Morgan also falls into the cliché of a typical man. He refuses to acknowledge his feeling for Arianna even though he wants her. I did enjoy watching Arianna and Morgan’s interaction. Their conversions are lively, and although Morgan is used to having the final word, Arianna was not having it. She says what she pleases and Morgan’s earl title, doesn’t stop her.

An Earl to Enchant is the third book in The Rogues’ Dynasty but can be read as a stand-alone book if you choose to. A Duke to Die For is the first in the series and features Blake, and A Marquis to Marry is about Race. If you are a reader who loves series this is one I would recommend.

There are a lot of crossover characters from the first two books such as Sir Randolph Gibson, or Gibby as he is affectionately know by the men, who is always getting into some outrageous trouble, and Constance Pepperfield, a widow and friend of the family who is there to help when need be. Also, one cannot forget Lord Chesterfield though he never really appears. Every chapter starts with a letter from Lady Elder and includes a quote from Lord Chesterfield. Lord Chesterfield is also the bane of cousins’ life always interfering somehow.

Amelia Grey is a great storyteller who lets you into the mind of her characters.To Enchant an Earl is not to be missed if you like witty dialogue, mystery and intrigue, and most importantly romance.

Rating: 7 (Good )

Heat-Level: 4 (Hot)