THE GOVERNESS GAME is the second book in Tessa Dare's
Girl
Meets Duke series. Chase Reynaud is a rake --
specifically he's Alexandra Mountbatten's "Bookshop
Rake." One chance meeting at a bookshop and Alex was
struck speechless by Chase's natural magnetism. Whether
serendipity or fate, Alex is engaged by her Bookshop Rake
as governess to his two wards. Chase has trouble getting
a permanent governess for his two hellions. What starts
out as a relationship born out of desperation, turns out
to be a stroke of good luck for Chase as the new
governess knocks him for a loop. THE GOVERNESS GAME is
full of Tessa Dare's usual witticisms and romantic
speeches designed to make readers and heroines go wild.
At the start of THE GOVERNESS GAME I was unsure how much
I would enjoy it because I was skeptical of the rake
hero. I generally prefer Clark Kent/nice guy next door
types rather than suave rakish heroes. One should not
underestimate Tessa Dare. I ended up being totally amused
and enchanted by Chase and fell for him just as Alex
does. Alex is a professional woman, earning a living and
indulging her passion for astronomy. Chase winds up
inflaming passions of an entirely different variety when
she takes on the role of governess. Chase tries to ignore
his attraction to Alex. He tries to protect her from
himself because of his misguided notion that he's somehow
a kind of bad luck charm for anyone who cares for him.
His loving ways have both Alex and the girls caring for
Chase, in spite of his intention to distance himself. The
vignettes with the children are alternately entertaining
and endearing. I like how Alex is able to relate to the
girls because she's an orphan as they are. Chase, Alex,
and the girls make a quirky little family with strong
affection for each other that is uplifting to read about.
THE GOVERNESS GAME is full of heart-thumping, swoon-
worthy cliches, and superb character-driven storytelling.
The children in this story account for a lot of the humor
along with the emotional punch. THE GOVERNESS GAME has
characters who are flawed, but fabulous and unforgettable.
I look forward to reading the next book in this Girl
Meets Duke series.
He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess
to teach him a lessonThe accidental governess
After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra
Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair
of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls
don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling
that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the
streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have
tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra
must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.
The infamous rake
Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule:
no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to
reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure.
That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more
than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She
refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around
Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of
falling, hard.