The only thing I enjoyed about this book was the students enrolled in the school. The hero came straight out of central casting (Rogue with Heartbroken Backstory), and the heroine had only a modicum more personality. And the both of them insisted on making the most idiotic decisions, a level of stupidity that could only be overlooked due to the overwhelming unpleasantness of nearly every other adult in the book.

Of these, the worst has to be the hero's almost-fiancée, a woman depicted as almost comically villainous, even though the only reason she's in the position to twirl her mustache and threaten dire threats is because of the hero's feckless selfishness. And, of course, by the end of the book, she's meekly tamed by yet another feckless, selfish Rogue. Ugh.

As for our hero and heroine, they squeak through all their flaunting of propriety and reckless disregard for the reputation of the heroine's beloved fledgling school to proclaim the shallow depths of their hearts and love forevermore. How and why they love one another, I have no idea. Just...suddenly!...from one page turn to the next, the hero is Feeling Things and the heroine is In Love...and, apparently, that's all we need to know?

The most convincing relationships are amidst the students and between the students and the heroine. They spend time confiding in one another and noticing things about what matters most to each other, so when they hug tearfully and proclaim they're family, I believe them. ...It probably helps, too, that each of the students has an actual personality. Perhaps the rest of this series will be about the girls finding their own love stories, but I do not think I can bring myself to read them. Criminy, what a mess. ( )

I quite enjoyed this. It's my first by this author and I will seek out more by her. I liked the main characters, and generally the larger cast as well. Both main characters grew as people, which I appreciate. They could have done one or two things more wisely and saved themselves some bother, but they weren't at all fools. And there were some nice, genuinely romantic, moments.

My favorite aspect though was how *intentional* the author seemed to be about laying the groundwork for future events. A lot of authors stick things in willy-nilly just because they're convenient, and don't really care if they make sense or not. Many times while reading this story something would happen and I would think 'ah, she planted those seeds way back when...', or 'nice, she's been building to that all along'. I cannot express how much I approve of this very thoughtful approach. I couldn't quite round up to 5 stars on this, but it is a very strong 4 stars, and I would recommend this book to other historical romance lovers. If her other books are as intentionally crafted she will definitely become an author I follow.

I received this book as an advance copy to review, but all of this my honest opinion. ( )

Girls Before Earls is a delightful read from start to finish. Characters you can’t help but love, laugh out loud humor, romance with just the right amount of heat, and of course tragedy and sad history that must be overcome if this steamy attraction between Hazel and Blade is to become anything more than stolen moments and unfulfilled longing.

Hazel Lively is living her dream. Well, part of it, anyway. She has finally been able to open her own school for girls. She is serious, solemn, prim, proper (except for some of her reading material) but has hidden depths and desires. Orphaned as a child, she yearns for family and someone to love her, but she is afraid of another devastating loss and keeps herself closed up. That is, until she meets Gabriel Beckett, Earl of Bladenton. He, however, does not want family. His experience and memories of family broke his heart and he doesn’t believe he can ever love again.

All Blade wants is for Hazel to accept his niece Kitty as a student. Kitty has been expelled so many times Hazel’s school seems like his last hope. Of course neither of them expects the immediate, instant, irrefutable attraction between them. And of course as readers we do expect it and love every minute of it.

Girls Before Earls is another wonderful read from author Anna Bennett, filled with unexpected events and situations, rules and mores of the time that threaten to derail everything Hazel has worked for, and will they/won’t they right until the end. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Girls Before Earls via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest review. I loved it. I recommend it and everything Anna Bennett writes without hesitation. Read it, you won’t be sorry. All opinions are my own. ( )

This was a very nicely written opener for a new series. The plotting and pacing are well done and I really liked the characters. I will mention that the quick and easy social acceptance between classes is anachronistic. Those characters all add greatly to the story, but I can’t picture the young woman who makes her living by catching and selling fish being invited to a grand ball being given by a countess. That isn’t the only anachronism, it is just the one that was foremost in my mind at the moment.

Hazel Lively was born into a very loving family whose father was a butcher. As the only child, there was love and hugs aplenty. Her father called her ‘his little hazelnut’. Then, at the age of nine, she lost them both (I don’t think we learned how) and she was thrown onto the mercy of the world. It appeared she was headed for the hard life of a foundling home until her lively, brilliant mind, and obsession with books won her a place at Miss Haywinkle’s School For Girls – as a charity student. Now, at the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Hazel has finally brought a long-held dream to reality. She’s moved to Bellhaven Bay and opened the Bellhaven Academy of Deportment. It is her dream to have enough students who can pay for their schooling so she can take on more ‘charity’ students. To be a success in all of that, she knows that she, her school, and even her students must keep their reputations beyond reproach. The slightest touch of scandal could cause parents to begin withdrawing their daughters. So, when an earl approached her about accepting his niece, who was his ward, as a boarding student, she was happy – until she heard the history of this young woman, encountered her attitude, and encountered the attitude of the earl. No, Hazel didn’t think Kitty Beckett would be a good fit for the school. Even when the earl offered to triple the tuition, she didn’t think it would be a good fit. Then, things happened, and she realized Kitty was a tragically lost young woman and needed her help.

Gabriel Beckett (his name was never used in the book, but it was in the blurb), Earl of Bladenton, known as Blade, was stunned to discover he had a niece and that she was now his ward. He and his younger brother had been estranged for many years and Blade had no idea his brother had a fifteen-year-old daughter. He had no idea what to do with a young woman other than put her in a boarding school – so that is what he proceeded to do. Kitty managed to get herself kicked out of school after school after school because of her bad behavior. By the time Blade got around to Bellehaven, he’d exhausted all of his other options and was willing to pay whatever he had to pay in order to get them to accept her – and KEEP her. However, those additional demands the Headmistress put on him – well, he’s not sure he can agree to those. Those demands would interfere too much with his life in London – particularly in his pursuit of Lady Penelope as his wife.

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Hazel come to slowly (VERY slowly) realize there was life and happiness outside her school. Then, to see Blade come to realize (less slowly) that the life he was pursuing was a cold and ultimately lonely one and perhaps his chance for true love and happiness wasn’t in London at all.

Kitty was a delight to read. Watching her grow from a lost young lady to one who has opened herself to others, who accepts others, and who has come to truly love her uncle, was truly heartwarming. When Kitty and the other students at the school put their heads together – things happen – some good things, some not so good things – but happen they do.

I can definitely recommend with book and hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

This was a traditional, trope-filled fast reading, a book that hits the right notes for historical romance lovers. Just a tad too "sexy" for my taste, but I know that others will love this about this book.

We have the mentally tortured hero.

We have a hero that will eventually make the obvious choice.

We have the ambitious and miss understood heroine.

We have a dislikable youngster that changes.

We have lovable youngsters.

And we also have a bitchy female tertiary character.

So, all in all, as I said, this book hits all the notes of an erotica romance.

*ARC supplied by the publisher. ( )