While I have thoroughly enjoyed some of Laura Lee Guhrke's
books, alas, GOVERNESS GONE ROGUE, book 3 in the Dear
Lady Truelove series left me feeling lukewarm at best.
GOVERNESS GONE ROGUE is a cross-dressing romance, which, to
me, is fraught with lots of chances for a squicky feel to
the story. Jamie St. Clair, the Earl of Kenyon, has a moment
when he realizes that he is attracted to his boys' tutor,
and then realized, a-ha, she is really a woman! This
literary device always feels problematic to me unless it is
explicitly made clear that the hero is bi or otherwise not a
traditional (read typical Historical Romance Hero TM)
character.
Amanda Leighton likewise feels not really real. She's plucky
and smart, sure. But she's been ruined by being found in
flagrante delicto with a young man, buck naked, in the
middle of the school grounds where she was teaching. You
can't have me possibly believe that she's ever going to be
rehabilitatable in society. The concept of her pulling off
acting like a male tutor and being convincing as a hirable
person (by an earl, no less!) while masquerading as a very
young 17 years old, is just ridiculous as well. The
consequences of many of Amanda's numerous poor decisions,
both during the story and before the book begins, seem
relatively easily overcome. This proves highly unsatisfying
to me.
Nothing about this book hangs together well. It's all
slightly awkward and very unbelievable. They fall into bed
too easily, and I found myself annoyed when they went to bed
the first time. I'm pretty sure that's not what the author
was going for! Jamie realizes all of a sudden that he's in
love with Amanda in what feels like an abrupt manner, rather
than a slow slide into love being shown throughout the
story. This whole book went back and forth between annoying
me and boring me, in turns. The best that can be said is
that the earl's twin eight year old sons are not irritating
plot moppets, but reasonable well-done children with
understandable feelings. Oh and also that the book went
fairly quickly so that I didn't have to slog through it
rolling my eyes for days at a time.
Guhrke's GOVERNESS GONE ROGUE is not a good representation
of the author's skills, and readers new to Guhrke would be
better served to read one of her more appealing books, such
as SCANDAL OF
THE YEAR or AND THEN HE
KISSED HER. Fans of Guhrke may choose to look forward to
her next offering, which hopefully will be back up to her
usual standards.
Dear Lady Truelove . . .My twin brother and I need a new mother, though Papa
insists he’ll never marry again. Must be nice, brainy, and
fond of cats . . .
Lady Truelove may be London’s most famous advice columnist,
but James St. Clair, the Earl of Kenyon, knows his wild
young sons need a tutor, not a new mother. They need a man
tough enough to make his hellions tow the line, and James is
determined to find one.
Miss Amanda Leighton, former schoolteacher and governess,
knows she has all the qualifications to be a tutor. And
while female tutors are unheard of, Amanda isn’t about to
lose the chance at her dream job because of pesky details
like that. If Lord Kenyon insists on hiring a man, then she
has only one option . . .
Jamie isn’t sure what to make of his new employee, until he
realizes the shocking truth—beneath the ill-fitting suits,
his boys’ tutor is a woman. An unconventional, outspoken,
thoroughly intriguing woman. Despite Amanda’s deception, he
can’t dismiss her when his boys are learning so much. Yet
Jamie, too, is learning surprising lessons—about desire,
seduction, and passionate second chances . . .
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