Category: Regency Era (1811-1820)

The Regency in Great Britain was a period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent. On the death of George III in 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV. The term Regency can refer to various stretches of time; some are longer than the decade of the formal Regency which lasted from 1811–1820.
Preceded by: Georgian era
Followed by: Victorian era
Monarch: George III, George IV, William IV

Desiring the Governess by Jane Charles

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Desiring the Governess (To Love a Governess, #1)Desiring the Governess by Jane Charles

Tracy’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: To Love a Governess, #1

Release Date: February 22, 2022

Miss Althea Claywell has spent four years on the marriage mart and has only ever been attracted to one man, Major Ambrose, but he only danced with her twice and never asked to court her before leaving town. Althea assumed that her uncle/guardian would let her inherit her trust when she turns 25 and go quietly into spinsterhood, but when she overhears him speaking to his friend and learning that he means to marry her off to Mr. Smith who is old enough to be her grandfather, she panics and runs away.

Major Preston Ambrose left town last year after learning that his brother and his wife died in an accident, making Preston the new Viscount Melcombe and the guardian of 5 young girls. His cousin Alec Winters, the Earl of Harwich suggests that he marry, but the only woman he ever wanted is Althea and he was so nervous around her he was never able to ask to court her. Alec suggests having their uncle, Mr. Smith help by arranging a marriage with Althea’s uncle, who is his good friend. But when he sees Althea in the village near his estate, he knows something is wrong and a letter from his uncle confirms it – Althea misunderstood the marriage terms and bolted. He is still tongue-tied around her and too embarrassed to admit the marriage proposal was from him, so instead asks her to be his new governess, thinking that he will be able to spend time with her and court her and hopefully marry her.

Althea agrees to be his governess for one month, she was going to travel to her mother’s family in Scotland but knows that is the first place her uncle will look for her, so staying with Preston is perfect and she hopes that they can get to know each other better and see if what she felt in London was real. But their courtship is plagued with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a heavy dose of inappropriate lust between a governess and her employer, with all this working against them, will they ever manage to clear the air and find their HEA?

This was a well-written story with two very likable characters and a great supporting cast. The story starts out well and the initial misunderstanding is well done and works perfectly, but as the story moves on, the misunderstanding and miscommunications begin to cause the story to drag and Preston’s inability to talk to her becomes unbelievable when he seems to lose all self-control when he sees her. Overall, I liked the idea of the story and the characters, it was a fun read and had some spicy love scenes, but I just wish the miscommunication/misunderstandings had been cleared up sooner. This is the first book in a new series and I am looking forward to the next installment.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher.

The Most Eligible Bride In London by Ella Quinn

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)1 Comment

The Most Eligible Bride in London (The Lords of London, #3)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Lords of London #3
Publication Date: 2/22/22
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 320

A heartwarming story of redemption and acceptance that will turn you into a thorough believer in love at first sight. I loved that there weren’t any ‘grand epiphany’ moments, just a steady movement from an exciting first meeting through a most delightful HEA. When I learned who the male lead was, I wondered how the author was going to redeem him. You see, he was the villain in When a Marquis Chooses a Bride from the Worthingtons series. He was a misguided villain, but a villain nonetheless. However, he’s spent the last four years changing himself from the useless fribble he was to a caring, honorable man who is absolutely nothing like the man who existed four years ago. All of that has occurred off-page between the previous book and this one. So, redemption has already occurred – we are only dealing with forgiveness and making amends – and falling in love.

Nathanael (Nate), Viscount Fotherby, has spent the last four years living on his country estate because of a vile thing he did. He has used those years to learn and grow as a human. He has spent the time learning to manage his estates, learning to appreciate and care for those who are dependent on him – especially his tenants and neighbors, and learning that he really wasn’t who he thought he was. He was who his father had made him into and now that he’s been on his own all this time, he’s realized what it is to actually appreciate others – no matter their rank – to be useful, and to help others whenever he can. Helping a neighbor is what has brought him back to London and it is how he came to be in the time and place to help rescue a young woman who was being threatened by thugs. She was the most arresting woman he’s ever seen and he’d surely like to see her again. He doesn’t even learn her name.

Miss Henrietta Stern is very much a forward-thinking young lady. She is about to begin her second season but hasn’t seen anyone at all who piques her interest. Well, she hadn’t until that handsome man came to her aid as she was trying to rescue a baby. There was just something about him and she just really wishes she had learned his name.

Nate and Henrietta meet and are attracted before they learn that she is the sister of the woman he had abducted. Henrietta has heard all of the tales and descriptions of that dandified fribble and the man she met seems nothing like that at all. They can work out their differences, but can they get her family – especially her sister – to forgive?

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing these two come to care for each other and work together to bring about their own HEA. The story is well-written, well-plotted, and excellently delivered. I hope you will give it a try and that you will love it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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