Defying the Earl (Regency Charms #1) by Anabelle Bryant

His estate is almost in ruin. Valerian St. David, the handsome Duke of Dashwood is in dire straights after having inherited his title and all the debt along with it, as well as a spendthrift gambling, inventor of a brother who always sees the bright side of things instead if facing the problems head on. Putting their heads together to find a solution to their problems, Jasper suggests that Valerian become an anti-matchmaker for money. He would break apart the budding matches of the ton's sons and daughters at the bidding of their rich mamas and papas. Very inventive!

After having lost her parents in a carriage accident that also maimed her beloved sister, Wilhelmina Montgomery decides that becoming a matchmaker will help to pay for the costly treatments her sister needs in order to get well, and her first job would be any easy one since she is sure that the pair already are close to an engagement and they only need a slight push. Only problem is the handsome man she met on the street prior to a dinner party where the man, Valerian St, David now is trying to thwart her efforts with the couple. 

Never wanting to marry himself, Valerian does not fully see the implications of what he is doing, only the pounds that will go to repair his home and pay the help's wages. Honestly, what would a poor aristocrat have to offer a wife? When Valerian actually opens his eyes and truly sees the beauty and intelligence before him in the form of Wilhelmina, who is so aptly nicknamed Whimsy, he knows he could be in trouble in more ways than one. 

Whimsy holds Valerian at arms length at first, not knowing his true intentions, but once she opens her lonely heart to his, his acceptance of that it half the battle. Can two wayward souls with two seemingly different agendas that inevitably hope for the same outcome see what is in front of them? Read the clever and fast-paced tale that answers those questions, Defying the Earl by Anabelle Bryant. 

This first tale by skillful storyteller, Anabelle Bryant, in her Regency Charms series, Defying the Earl is thoroughly entertaining with it's twists and turns. Poor Valerian is at the mercy of the would-be groom's father and his political ambitions. When the father flip flops on the wanted outcome of the anti-matchmaking efforts Valerian has devised, the game changes completely, leaving Valerian in the middle of a mess on one end and with a potential romance on the other. I do so like him, even in his emotional ignorance, which actually makes it more adoring when he wakes up. Whimsy is one hell of a heroine, with guts, a big heart and loads of determination. Defying the Earl is yet another notch in Anabelle Bryant's buckle that deserves a resounding yes in the must read territory.

~KIMBERLY~ 

LET'S PLAY 20 QUESTIONS WITH ANABELLE BRYANT

1.       Morning, noon or night?   

     Morning

2.       How do you like your steak?

  Never (sorry)

3.       Last film that you saw?

  Cinderella

4.       TV Show?

 Naked & Afraid and Married at First Sight (bet you didn’t see that coming – Lol)

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?  London with frequent visits to Paris

6.       What was breakfast today?

      Coffee & toast – damn, I’m boring.

7.       Favorite cuisine?

      Mexican

8.       What kind of car do you drive? 

   Mercedes

9.       Favorite clothing accessory? 

   Bracelets (lots of them)

10.   Weapon of choice? 

     Sarcasm

11.   Gemstone? 

  Diamond…are there others?

12.   Sport? 

     Baseball

13.   Nickname? 

    Anabella

14.   Pets?

   No – but I really want a golden lab

15.   Alcoholic beverage? 

   Mojito

16.   Color?  

  Pink

17.   Pet peeve?

  Not getting what I ordered, discovered after I leave the drive-thru

18.   Flower?

 Daisy

19.   The one thing you can’t live without?

 Internet service

20.   Last words?

 I wish I could have listed more pet peeves…