Miss Alexandra Mountbatten was knocking on doors, looking for more
wealthy customers who needed their clocks set. And that's how she
came face to face for a second time in six months with the man of her
dreams: Chase Reynaud, who is even more of a rake than she could
ever have imagined. Along with being catapulted into becoming the heir
to a dukedom, Chase also inherited two wards who make his life -- and
that of countless governesses -- miserable. He mistakes Alexandra for
the next governess, he hadn't expected anybody to call and shocks
Alexandra to accept the post. And because of a little mishap as well,
Alexandra doesn't have much choice for the time being. But who needs
discipline the most: the guardian or the wards?
With the recent proliferation of books about governesses, I had my
misgivings about reading yet another one, but given how I had enjoyed
the first installment in this series, I decided to give it a try anyway. And
THE GOVERNESS GAME, book
two in the Girl Meets Duke
series, nears the top of the governess romances, apart from two
incidents that marred my full enjoyment a tad. The latter part dragged
on a little too much, mostly because I didn't see the need for a bit of
unpleasantness near the very end; I felt it nullified some previous
wonderful gestures. I'm also wondering if I am the only one who resents
insinuations of BDSM; this is a pet peeve of mine, and I will reiterate my
sentiments regarding this topic every time it bothers me. On the other
hand, I very much appreciated how Chase is sexually responsible,
which was very nice for a change; he put his money where his mouth
was, so to speak.
Chase's wards, ten-year-old Rosamunde and seven-year-old Daisy, are
a riot. They are the obligatory mischief-makers, and Tessa Dare
exploits every syllable to create some of the funniest moments I have
read when children feature in a romance. Some hilarious moments with
Chase and the girls also really make us appreciate that there is more to
him than his rakishness. The dialogues are stupendous all around, even
if a touch modern at times; it suited the tone of the book. There is no
ick factor as to the imbalance of power in Chase and Alexandra's
relationship: she was already infatuated with him before she started
working for him, and he resists seducing her, even though he is so very
tempted. I liked that he does really respect her, and my goodness, is he
ever a true rake! Alexandra is a fabulous character, and her backstory is
just splendid: she's an astronomer, she's a working woman who uses
her intellect, she acts rationally, and she is part Filipina! If THE GOVERNESS GAME did not fulfill
all my expectations, I had a jolly good time while reading up until the
latter stages of the book, but the lovely epilogue salvaged some of the
little missteps. THE GOVERNESS
GAME is a quick and fun story, and I won't forget Rosamunde and
Daisy's antics anytime soon!
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.