Customer Reviews

The Improper Governess (Zebra Regency Romance)

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3 star:		(1)
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Another of the genre in which the hero or heroine are not what they seem. Lord Ashe has his eye on Lissa Findlay (not Lisa), an opera dancer, and invites her to a private dinner so that he can offer her _carte blanche_. He is piqued - and appalled - to discover that she has accepted only because she is starving and has seized the opportunity to get some food for her brothers and herself.

His conscience pricked, Ashe arranges a job for Lissa as governess to his nephew and ward, thus providing a home for her and her brothers. This appears to be a satisfactory solution, except that Lissa's past leads members of Ashe's family to leap to other conclusions as to why he has installed her in his household. Ashe himself eventually comes to the conclusion, after (one would have thought) more than enough hints from members of the Findlay family *and* the obvious fact that Lissa is well educated, that she is not what she pretends to be.

Well written, amusing in many parts, and ! Dunn manages to convey in a subtle manner Ashe and Lissa's gradual falling in love. I found the ending and tidying up of loose ends somewhat abrupt, which was disappointing, but otherwise a gently enjoyable book.

Escaping from a sadistic stepfather with her two young, stepbrothers, Lissa Findley, a gently-bred woman, is forced to become an opera dancer in order to support herself and her stepbrothers. From the stage of the Royal Coberg Theatre, Lissa excites the interest of Lord Ashe, an attractive, young rake, who is determined to get Lissa under his protection and into his bed. To his chagin, Lissa rejects his offer. Not bred to suffer rejection, the astonished Lord Ashe offers Lissa employment in his home as governess to his young nephew. Scarcely able to earn enough from the stage to properly feed herself and her stepbrothers, Lissa accepts Lord Ashe's offer. The situation becomes dicey as both Lissa and Lord Ashe must keep the facts of her real profession from becomming known to the ton and Lord Ashe's family. The second half of the story consists of Lissa's struggle to become a proper governess, avoid scandal, and beat down her own growing attraction to the seductive and charming Lord Ashe.

The author of this delightful regency romance obviously knows what she is about. The main characters are well-drawn, and the regency period is well-researched, i.e., Lord Ashes refers to his horses as "cattle," which is the proper nomanclature for the period. I should have preferred to have seen more emphasis placed on sensual conflict between the two main characters. As the story developed status differential as the main source of concern appears to have taken hold. When Lissa's true identity is disclosed she is too readily accepted by the family as suitable goods as wife for Lord Ashe. Of course she will have to visit her prospective sister-inlaw's modiste for a new wardrobe. That Lissa is not offended by her prospective in-laws superficiality causes one to question her values. That she doesn't throw down the gauntlet at this point and make Lord Ashe and his family eat a little crow suggests the author ran out of steam and went for an early finish.

I THOUGHT I HAD FINALLY BURNT OUT ON REGENCY ENGLAND PERIOD STORIES UNTIL I READ THIS BOOK.IT HAD EVERYTHING; NAUGHTINESS, GOODNESS, INTEGRITY, LOVE, MYSTERY, IT MADE ME MAD, SAD AND BROUGHT FORTH LAUGHTER AS WELL. LORD ASHE IS MASCULINE AS WELL AS SENSITIVE, LISSA IS IN A NEEDFUL SITUATION BUT IS STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, HER YOUNG BROTHERS ARE TRUE LITTLE GENTLEMEN WHO BECOME A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON HER YOUNG CHARGE. ALL THE MAIN CHARACTERS ARE STRONG AND I FOUND MYSELF ROUTING FOR THEM. IF YOU LIKE THIS PERIOD YOU'LL ENJOY THE BOOK! PAM W. from LEXINGTON

This was a nice light romance. There are only about a hand-full of kisses here but the heroes dont need to have sex to make a book enjoyable to me so I didnt mind this. I liked the story overall, it was interesting and I liked Ashe and Lissa and their very proper behavior throughout the novel. Lissa's brothers as well as Ashe's nephew were delightful. The story was really fleshed out up until the end where everything was rushed and just when they confess their love, it is over! I would have liked to see his reaction at her declaration or at the very least an epilogue for a more satisfying close. Nevertheless, i enjoyed the story. I'll definitely be picking up another novel by this author.