Book Rating: 5/5 stars
Spice Level: 4/5 flames
The Governess Game by Tessa Dare is the second novel in Girl Meets Duke series that I’ve read out of order. I found the book available for audio on Scribd, and that’s how I read it. Tessa Dare is excellent, and I can always rely on her novels to be a positive experience.
Synopsis: Alex has had a long-running unrequited crush on a handsome Duke who happens to call her for an interview at his estate. Once there, she realizes it’s not for her actual position but as a governess to his nieces who have come into his care. She finds him intolerable and the children terrifying, so she rejects the job. That is until circumstances force her to reconsider.
Chase is an infamous rake with a reputation for being excellent in the bedroom. He wants no attachments, but he must ensure his nieces are domesticated enough to go to boarding school and live some semblance of a good life. Too bad the girls are conniving mini-criminals who drive each governess away. Once Chase meets Alex and is thoroughly chastised by her, he realizes she’s the only one brave enough to do the job. He just has to convince her first.
This book was adorable in so many ways. The FMC had a crush on the MMC at the start of the book before meeting him in person and realizing he was a “reckless rake.” He believed himself to be so as well. Once she reluctantly agrees to be the nanny of the orphans in his care, they slowly develop feelings for one another.
Review:
Their banter was entertaining and charming, and their interactions with the children made me laugh hard. The children were unhinged and created the funniest antics. The stakes remained relatively level throughout the book, but there were specific points when the main characters had to step up and be the hero.
The sex scenes were spicy and explicit but also very different than typical M/F romances. You’ll have to read it to understand what I mean, but they play it very safe for a time period when birth control was highly unreliable. They grew closer and became more intimate until the 3rd act conflict put their dynamic into perspective.
The HEA was great, and I recommend this book to any rom-com or historical romance readers.
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Madison Diaz Writes 