First Earl I See Tonight: A Debutante Diaries Novel

Anna Bennett

Oct 2018 · Debutante Diaries Book 1 · Sold by St. Martin's Paperbacks

About this ebook

Once upon a time three young ladies vowed to record their first London seasons...and to fill in the gaps of their finishing school educations. Thus began The Debutante Diaries—and London will never be the same...

“Fans of Regency romance authors Eloisa James, Tessa Dare, and Mary Jo Putney will go wild.”—Booklist

An heiress with a daring proposal. An earl who’s determined to resist her. And a love that just might be written in the stars, in First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett.

Recently jilted by his fiancée, David Gray, Earl of Ravenport is not in the market for a wife. Even if Gray didn’t have his hands full renovating his crumbling country house, it would take more than a bold marriage proposal from a headstrong young beauty to thaw his frozen heart. Gray is confident that spending a week at his ramshackle estate will change her mind about marriage, but every passionate moment he spends with her tempts him to change his...

A talented artist, Miss Fiona Hartley desperately needs her dowry money to pay off a blackmailer set on ruining her sister. The handsome earl seems a sensible choice for a husband...if only she can convince him that romance will play no part. But marrying in name only may prove difficult for Fiona. Gray can’t help but be dazzled by her genuine warmth. Yet as their feelings deepen, Fiona’s deadline looms. Will her secrets destroy them, or is true love their final destiny?

Ratings and reviews

David Gray, Earl of Ravenport may be an Earl, but having just been dumped by his fiance because of the state of his property, he has sworn off love and marrying. Instead he is concentrating on fixing everything up to its former glory so his Grandma can enjoy it before her sight completely goes. Miss Fiona Hartley is not titled, but she comes from money and has a very large dowry to offer the right man. Too bad none are calling. When Fiona gets a letter blackmailing her regarding her younger sister, she must take matters into her own hands. If Fiona can find a man who is willing to marry her in the next 2 weeks, in exchange for her nice dowry, she will enter into a marriage of convenience, as long as they give her the money she needs to pay off the blackmailer. Of course who comes to mind, Gray, the Earl who was just dumped. Gray thinks Fiona is nuts but agrees to think about her offer. He even invites her and her family to his house thinking that she will change her mind once she sees just how bad of shape the property is in. Instead, this ends up backfiring on him. Gray also finds the more time he spends with Fiona, they more he is starting to realize that he is developing feelings for her. It takes a huge leap of faith for these two to trust each other because they both are hiding secrets. In the end, love wins out and Gray and Fiona get their happy ending! I loved both of these characters. Fiona is such a strong force and so dedicated to her family. Gray's only purpose in life is to make his Grandma happy....he doesn't care about himself....but deep down he is loyal and loving, even if he doesn't always show that side of himself to other people. Overall, I loved this book. It was fun, entertaining and swoon worthy.

Full review appeared at Reader's Edyn on 03/21/20 Fiona - is in a pickle. Recently given an ultimatum in the form of blackmail, she has limited time in which to decide how to respond to the blackguard. Considering the sensitive information will ruin her sister, she has little choice but to concede to the payment demanded. An heiress of fairly new money, she has several options for advantageous matches she could make. But she wants to try and choose the best man possible for this unorthodox proposal. Satisfied she’s chosen wisely, she sets out to seal the deal. Except Gray is not a willing target. But the spark between them is undeniable and before too long, her plan to marry for convenience and access to her dowry has her heart on the line as well. Unwilling to tell Gray the entire truth, she provides as much information as is comfortable without compromising the damaging truth. Problematic, Gray is now demanding full disclosure despite his continued refusal to marry her. Fiona has reeled him in up to a point, but he’s still fighting what is plain to see. If she can’t trust him with her heart, can she really trust him with the full truth? David Gray – Earl of Ravenport – recently jilted. Having absolutely no intention of falling to the charms of another heartless woman, he refuses to go along with Fiona’s scheme. However, she convinces him to at least take some time getting to know her prior to announcing a betrothal. Gray sees this as an opportunity. Since his crumbling estate sent his previous fiancé running for the hills, it should work wonders on Fiona. Plan in hand to end this debacle, he arranges a weeklong party at his home. Despite desperately needing funds to repair said home and holding the title of Earl that Fiona seeks, all he sees is red flags where the vixen is concerned. But the more time they spend together, the more she draws him in – quite literally. She finds beauty in places others never would or could. So much for the estate ending her scheme. Before too long, Gray has ferreted out most of the details surrounding Fiona’s rushed desire to marry quickly. But the blackmailer is most unexpected and just might be the final blow. Can Gray discover the truth, appropriately deal with the shocking revelation without compromising the Hartleys, and confront his deep emotions for Fiona without losing her in the process? What a charming beginning to this whimsical series! Fiona comes from new money, her father very recently making his fortune. As the eldest sister and heiress, Fiona is expected to make an advantageous, titled match in order to strengthen the family name, which currently isn’t entirely accepted. The match is desired more by her stepmother than anyone, but Fiona has no real objection and understands the importance, so goes along with the expectation. But a blackmailer somehow discovers a dark family secret which would ruin the chances for not only Fiona’s sister at a good match but any chance of the family being welcomed into society, wealth notwithstanding. A talented artist, Fiona is accustomed to deciphering the character of people and decides on Gray for her husband. Convincing Gray of that, though, will be one heck of a feat to accomplish. Despite their fierce attraction, he is adamant that he will be unable to give her the kind of marriage she deserves. Utterly enchanting! Getting to know Fiona, Gray, and several other family members was a pleasure. This book not only gives a wonderful story of love breeching carefully constructed walls of protection but also set up what appears to be a fantastic series as the stories continue. I was lucky enough to obtain all three books in the series. While I did not get the first two installments read prior to release, I will have the third and final book in the series completed well before release day and I am looking forward to it immensely. The perfect mix of everything expected within a beautifully crafted historical romance, Ms. Bennett easily moves toward recognition as one of the best in HR; at least ...

First Earl I See Tonight by Anna Bennett Debutante Diaries #1 Blackmail is a dirty business and Fiona Hartley needs a way to pay off the blackmailer to keep her family happily as it is. Her decision to access her inheritance through marriage sees her writing a wedding proposal to a man she believes might be interested in her money little knowing that what she expects and what will happen will be quite different. David Gray, Earl of Ravenport, thinks that Fiona is mad at first but does meet and talk to her. The two grow closer to one another at a house party on his crumbling estate but there is always the blackmailer lurking in the background to cause turmoil in Fiona’s mind…and life. My thoughts: *Well written if somewhat predictable *Storyline highly unlikely *Liked the characters *Enjoyed the interactions between Gray and Fiona *Some will find this book highly entertaining while others will want more substance Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review. 3-4 Stars

About the author

Anna Bennett started swiping romances from her mom’s bookshelf as a teenager and decided that books with balls, dukes, and gowns were the best. So, when she had the chance to spend a semester in London she packed her bags—and promptly fell in love with the city, its history, and its pubs. She dreamed of writing romance, but somehow ended up a software analyst instead.

Fortunately, a few years and a few careers later, Anna found her way back to writing the stories she loves and won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart®. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children, who try valiantly not to roll their eyes whenever she quotes Jane Austen.

Anna's books include the Wayward Wallflowers series and the Debutante Diaries series.