Top Pick – Highly Recommended – Page 92 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Girl Meets Duke, #2

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Alexandra “Alex” Mountbatten met Chase Reynaud six months ago when he ran into her in a bookshop – literally – they did not exchange names but she never forgot him and he was the star in many of her fantasies. Secretly she hoped that he was thinking of her and they would met again.

Be careful what you wish for! They do meet again, but it is clear Chase doesn’t recognize her and mistakes her for a governess applicant. Chase is heir presumptive to his uncle, the Duke of Belvoir and as his uncle is incapacitated, Chase has taken over his duties, including the care and guardianship of two young hellions. He is desperate for a governess to teach the girls enough that they will be accepted into school. Chase is a rake and refuses to form attachments or make promises. When Alex takes him to task, he knows she is the perfect person to get the girls ready for school. He drags her up to meet them, but upon entering the room and seeing what appears to be a gruesome murder scene, Alex flees. Chase follows and offers her an outrageous amount of money to stay, but Alex refuses.

Later when a panic attack causes her to lose her chronometer and therefore her livelihood, she returns to his house and accepts the job. She starts the next day and immediately realizes two things, one, Rosamund and Daisy are not going to be easy and two, Chase is not going to be easy to ignore. She tries to bond with the girls, but quickly recognizes their pain, for she has been in their shoes. When she is awoken the next morning to attend the funeral of Millicent, Daisy’s doll, she learns that this is an almost daily occurrence and one Chase is also part of. Chase is called to perform the service and tries his best to make Alex laugh.

They all settle into a routine, the girls ignoring Alex, pulling pranks, Alex using Chase’s telescope to try and find a comet (her new profession) and daily funeral services with Chase officiating. Alex begins to see the real Chase and tries to include him in the girls lives. But Chase just seems to want to complete his Cave of Carnality and get back to his rakish ways. Slowly they get to know each other and kisses follow. She wonders what happened to make such a loving man keep everyone at arms length.

When the truth is revealed, Alex tries to make Chase see that he can move on from his past and help the girls, but Chase doesn’t believe he can be trusted and keeps pulling away. When Alex finally finds a comet, Chase is by her side and helps her face her own fears. They both confess their love and it seems like their HEA is well in hand. But when the unexpected happens, words are exchanged and hearts are broken. Can Chase finally conquer his demons and win back the only woman he has ever loved?

This was an extremely well written, witty, fast paced novel, that was nearly impossible to put down. Alex and Chase are wonderful leads, they both have things in their pasts that affect them, but they are incredibly supportive of each other, the secondary characters are great and highly entertaining, the love scenes are steamy, the story grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t let go until the last word. I highly recommend this book, it is the second in the Girl Meets Duke series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone with no problem.

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

A Marriage Made in Scandal by Elisa Braden
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Rescued from Ruin, #9

Release Date: August 3, 2018

Phineas Brand, the Earl of Holstoke and Lady Eugenia “Genie” Huxley met 6 years ago when Phineas was courting her sister Maureen. When Maureen turned him down and the awful truth about his mother came out, Phineas took his half-sister Hannah and retired to his estate. But now he is back and looking for a wife.

They reunite when Phineas comes into the shop that Genie is working in. Genie created a huge scandal a couple of years ago when she was found in a compromising situation with a footman at ball. She has spent the last two years in the country and has decided that she will learn to be a milliner, so she doesn’t have to be a burden to her family. Phineas is surprised to see her in the shop and is upset that she is working, but Genie ignores his outrage and can’t help but tease him a bit. The interchange is brief, but it costs Genie her position.

They meet again later when he comes to her house to speak to her father about her work and finds her upset and intent on tracking down a co-worker who was dismissed because of her. Phineas is bewildered by her, he is a man who has spent a lifetime repressing his darkness and yet Eugenia seems to be a magnet for the darkness. He doesn’t understand it and certainly doesn’t like it.

When a series of murders similar to those committed by his mother happen, Phineas becomes the prime suspect. He is upset by the murders and wants to help find the true culprit, but Genie with her sweet, impulsive heart tries to help and ends up married to Phineas.

Genie is not the wife Phineas wanted, she makes him a slave to the “darkness” and that will not do, he tries to control it, but ends up hurting Genie with careless words. Genie is a bit of a Pollyanna, she is not easily defeated nor does she wallow in self-pity, she is falling in love with Phineas, but believes he is still in love with Maureen, a belief that is amplified when finally reach his castle. But she is determined to make the best of things and will make him forget Maureen. She seems to be succeeding, until a misunderstanding between them escalates and the murderer pays a call too close to home.

This was such a gripping story, it is well written and fast paced, has a very good mystery, steamy love scenes, delightful characters, some laugh out loud moments, some sweet tender moments, a few terrifying situations, a few twists, some revelations, a lot of hats and finally a very sweet and touching ending. I loved this book and would happily recommend it, I do think this book could be read as a stand alone, but for the best reading experience, I would highly recommend reading Book 7 Confessions of a Dangerous Lord and Book 8 Anything but a Gentleman before embarking on this story.

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