First Earl I See Tonight

Starred review from September 24, 2018
A kind, funny heroine is the perfect match for a stoic, brooding hero in Bennett’s delightful first Debutante Diaries Regency romance. David Gray, Earl of Ravenport, needs funds to restore his family’s manor. In order to pay off a blackmailer and save her family, the vivacious Miss Fiona Hartley needs to marry within a fortnight so she can gain access to her dowry. This would be a match made in monetary heaven if the recently jilted Ravenport weren’t so dead set against marriage. His reluctance doesn’t stop Fiona from proposing. At first, Ravenport is shocked, but the more time he spends with her, the more his mind and heart adapt to the idea of spending his life with her. Surrounded by spirited, loving family members and a host of witty friends, the duo tries to make the most of their situation, but their dreams of wedded bliss are threatened by the blackmailer’s unrelenting schemes, and Ravenport must convince Fiona to trust him enough to put her family’s reputation in his hands. This sexy, clever historical suspense will bring smiles to its readers and garner Bennett (the Wayward Wallflowers series) a host of new fans. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary.

November 1, 2018
Miss Fiona Hartley always hoped for a love match, but those dreams are dashed when a letter arrives revealing a scandal that could ruin her family. To pay off the blackmailer, Fiona must have access to her dowry in two weeks' time, which leaves her with one option: propose marriage to the only man in the lordly class who remotely appeals to her, David Gray, the impoverished Earl of Ravenport. Gray wants more than anything to restore his family's estate to its former glory, and his initial instinct is to say no to the clumsy heiress, but when he attempts to dissuade her by inviting her to see his ramshackle estate, Gray is surprised to find Fiona overlooking the cracks and instead seeing the beauty within. Family secrets, the threat of scandal, and the mutual desire to protect one another brings this unlikely couple together, turning a pragmatic business proposal into a passionate love match. The first Debutante Diaries novel in Bennett's new Regency romance series will appeal to fans of Sophie Jordan and Tessa Dare.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)