The Earl of Zennor

Written by Lauren Smith

Narrated by Nathaniel Priestley

She’s no fair lady…he’s a wild rogue…

When Trystan Cartwright, the Earl of Zennor is bored he makes wagers…dangerous ones. One night in a grimy little tavern in Penzance, he and his friends stumble upon a wild, hellcat of a woman masquerading as an ill-tempered lad. Unable to resist the temptation of such a challenge, Trystan wagers he can turn the little hellion into a lady in less than one month. To win he’ll have to present her at a ball in London and fool the beau monde. But he never imagines that his lady lessons will lead to love…

Bridget Ringgold believes her worst nightmare has come true when three handsome gentlemen abduct her from the stables where she secretly lives. The devilish man who calls himself Trystan tells her she’s part of a wager and that she’ll learn to be a lady within the next thirty days and if she succeeds, she’ll be given the means to live a life she’s only ever dreamed about. But it’s easier said than done with Trystan drives her mad with his endless lessons, yet the moment she waltzes in his arms, she realizes she’s in danger of losing her heart...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lauren Smith
• Release date: May 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960374288

Reviews for The Earl of Zennor

[NNEAMAKA PAYNE · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a charming take on Pygmalion. Trystan Cartwright, Earl of Zennor is at a loose end and bored. Finding himself in a tavern on the way to his ancestral home he bets his friends that he can take any woman from the lowest rungs of society and teach them to be a lady. Discovering a scruffy urchin masquerading as a boy he wagers that within a month she will be hailed as a success and fool the beau monde at a high society ball. He whisks her away from her abusive stepfather and the challenge begins. Trystan quickly realises Bridget is not the pitiful creature he thought she was and starts to lose his heart but can he take the risk of discovery and make her his countess?
Bridget Ringgold has few options when the three gentlemen decide to involve her in some mad wager. Realising this is an opportunity to escape her present circumstances she resolves to play along till she can form some sort of escape. But along the way she realises that she can better her circumstances by seeing it through – but will she be able to leave when she has fallen in love with her instructor?
I enjoyed this novella very much. Trystan was at first breathtakingly arrogant in his assumptions about Bridget and women in general but he did evolve in his thinking towards the end and the author made of a point of articulating that in his inner monologues. He had his sweet moments and he was definitely a charming rogue but he treated Bridget with all honour. Bridget was a wonderful lead. She is sweet, clever, resourceful and manages to confound and keep the gentlemen on their toes from the start. She blossomed into a confident and true lady and I loved that she kept her independence and didn’t bow to Trystan’s edicts – especially towards the end when he behaved like a bit of an idiot in my opinion.
I loved Trystan’s friends and there are hints that Graham will be getting his story soon but personally loved how caring and honourable Phillip, Earl of Kent was and will be waiting for his story.
Overall this is a delightful read with plenty of charm, humour and steam.

[sarinhamac48 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this one...

I love that it acknowledges the little nod to Pygmalion/My fair lady at the very end...

I really liked the narrator & his Trystan voice is sexy as hell... those 2 little "ride me"... lordy, I had to rewind it a few times ;)

Overall, I really enjoyed this story as unlike the others, there wasn't any villain, contrived plot or really implausible scenarios!

One of my fave rogues from the series & I liked this "Eliza" ?

[claire · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it. A version of My Fair Lady but with a bit of spice.
The narrator was very good, now one of my favourites. He actually acted each part not just read the book.