Customer Reviews

Rules of Engagement

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Queen Victoria threatens to blackmail Lord Kerrich unless he becomes respectable. Having no plans to marry, Kerrich decides to pretend to adopt an orphan. He goes to the financially struggling Distinguished Academy of Governesses to make his demands, which include any ugly spinster as the governess. Part owner Pamela Lockhart dresses in a disguise to hide her beauty and accepts the job.

Pamela finds Beth at the orphanage. Kerrich, who has a super-ego when it comes to women, thinks Pamela is perfect, but has doubts about a girl. Kerrich also is trying to uncover the head of a counterfeiting ring that includes his cousin. To his shock, Kerrich is attracted to Pamela and she to him after he kisses her. However, she wonders how he will react to her when he learns the truth about her deception. Additionally, she worries about his tossing Beth out of his home.

Christina Dodd, author of sixteen wonderful romances, which include SOMEDAY MY PRINCE and THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS, has written an interesting historical romance. The Victorian love story provides an intriguing look at the era's gender relationships, especially how males stereotyped females. The two ethical lead characters struggle with the seeming lack of commitments and honor by his still living mother and her now deceased father, which adds to the fun of their developing love for one another. Beth is a fabulous secondary player who deserves her own Victorian romantic tale hopefully told soon by the always-entertaining Ms. Dodd.

Harriet Klausner

The earl of Kerrich was careful to employ only an unattractive, strict governess who wouldn't try to entrap him into marriage. When his grandfather seems to see her differently, Devon finds himself looking at her with a critical eye. Is she REALLY as old as she pretends to be? Is her astonishing figure the result of tight corsets? Could he really be attracted to such an odd character? No, his grandfather must be getting senile.

Miss Pamela Lockhart of the Distinguished Academy of Governesses has no wish to attract a man. She saw what loving a man with a roving eye was like with her own mother and father's disastrous marriage. Although society frowned on single women at the time, she is determined to make her own in life rather than become the chattel of some faithless man.

But she has sadly underestimated the effect that being with an attractive man could have on her resolution, especially when that man shows himself to be a loving father for a penniless orphan. It would be enough to turn any woman's head, and Pamela has not succeeded in completely eradicating her natural woman's desire to have a husband and family. Perhaps it is time to move on to a new position.

And now, ironically, the earl of Kerrich finds himself fighting an uphill battle to win the hand of the governess he chose specifically for her unattractive qualities. How can he get through her ironclad defenses?

One of Christina Dodd's best! I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance with a healthy dose of humor thrown in!

In order to restore Queen Victoria's favor, Devon Mathewes, scoundrel, rake and enjoying his life being single must do something meaningful with his life to make him respectable again. His plan in adopting an orphan along with hiring a governess that must be plain and must be able to resist his charms backfires when Pamela Lockhart from The Distinguished Academy of Governess enters his home, his life and his heart. 

Pamela Lockhart takes on the challenge. Disguising her beauty under plain and drab clothing, a severe hairstyle, glasses and powder she becomes the governess Devon wants her to be and goes along with his plan and adopts an orphan from the orphanage.

Rules of Engagement with a twist of "Annie" is a book with lots of tender, romantic and laugh out loud moments and love scenes that will scorch your senses and leave you breathless for more.

Rules of Engagement made me fall madly in love with the wit of Christina Dodd! This is by far one of her best book yet and the story of Pamela Lockhart, governess extraordinaire and Devon Mathewes, earl of Kenrich, arrogant, good looking and a hero to definitely drool over in spite of his vanity is, a story worth reading, worth sighing about and a book definitely worth buying! I truly recommend this one!

This is a variation on the "ugly duckling blooms into lovely swan" theme. Except that the swan has always been a swan and is deliberately making herself unattractive to assure the vainglorious Lord Kerrich that she's an aging, unattractive spinster long past hoping for romance in order to secure a position as governess.

Dodd's books are diverting, but not riveting like the Regency Masters: Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney or Jo Beverly. She doesn't have enough emotional depth for her characters to have searing encounters. In fact, they're barely believable encounters. When Pamela seduces Kerrich as a form of vengeance against horny men, I actually had to go back and reread the book to that point to see if I'd missed some important exposition of her character. Her character wasn't developed as resentful and reckless enough for her motives for seducing the man to seem creditable.

Ms. Dodd does have a nice ability to create likeable characters. Lord Reynard and Beth are charming. Again, however, I found them saying and doing things which seemed more like plot devices than insight into the complexities of human nature. I suppose I am so critical of her work because she is wittier and more inventive than most writers are of this genre and shows real promise. I would encourage her to refine her skills by adding depth to her characters and by adding a bit more reality to her scenarios.

This was one fun book. While I didn't think too much of the previous book in this series (the hero was a big child), I thoroughly enjoyed both of these characters. Kerrich begins as a typical, stuffy, arrogant aristocrat. Pamela is sick to death of them and when Kerrich says he wants a homely, older governess for the orphan he plans to adopt to get back in the Queen's good graces, Pamela disguises herself to fit the bill. After all, he just can't abide another woman falling in love with him. Kerrich, being male and believing himself superior, falls for her get-up. When he kisses Pamela for the first time, it's when she's dressed as the schoolmarmy Miss Lockhart, frumpy dress and all. Why? Kerrich likes her and respects her mind. Pamela is equally torn because Kerrich is not the arrogant hind end she originally thought him to be. The adopted orphan Beth provides additional spark, as she's neither cute nor helpless. Her sharp mind provides a little extra something throughout the book. As Kerrich and Pamela's relationship progresses, she must overcome a fear of committing herself to a rake like her father. Kerrich is hiding something from her, but I won't spoil it for you. All's well that ends well, but it's an entertaining ride. Don't miss out.

The second book in the Distinguished Academy of Governess series, we meet Pamela Lockhart- another proprietor of the governess school. When she gets robbed at knife point of her hard earned money as a governess, she is desperate to make ends meet for her school. Enter Devon Mathewes, self absorbed Earl of Kerrich, desperate to repair his reputation as a rake. Or else, the Queen of England (who happens to be his good friend) may divulge his long kept embarrassing secret from his youth! All he wants is a well-behaved orphan boy with a dour middle-aged governess that won't try to seduce him. What he ends up with is a precocious little orphan girl named Beth with huge hopes and Miss Pamela- an infamous beauty with a past that has scarred her adult life. She's not too thrilled with his plans but she really had no other options. In order to get the job, however, Miss Pamela dones a disguise to fool Kerrich and everyone else in the household. Unfortunately, the disguise doesn't last very long and Miss Lockhart's situations changes... rather drastically. Amongst the unknown charade, Kerrich also tries to solve the mystery of the counterfeit money in his bank... all at the same time keep it a secret and appease his all-knowing grandfather.

What can I say? The things that go on behind closed doors for Devon and Pamela is... sizzling HOT! The attraction between these two is amazing. Why, Devon was even attracted to her when he thought she was just a plain and ugly governess!

Christina Dodd continues to bring us entertaining historical novels with original characters and new plots. In tradition to her other great books (such as "That Scandalous Evening" and "Runaway Princess"), Rules of Engagement is funny, heart warming and utterly wonderful. Kudos Ms. Dodd! I can't wait to read the third in the series!

Blythe and Linda recommended this recent release in their "Pandora's Box" on one of the web's romance review sites. Although, I can't recommend it quite as highly as they did, this is a very enjoyable romantic comedy and a good evening's entertainment. What readers will appreciate best is its combination of LOL humor with quite steamy sex. The heroine disguises herself as an ugly, much older governess to enter the employ of the titled, wealthy hero. He is trying to shore up his reputation for the good of his bank. His unique method is to adopt an orphan and hire a governess to make himself appear noble, unselfish and sentimental before Queen Victoria, who is fed up with his bachelor, unfettered existence. I liked this comedy almost as much as Dodd's earlier "That Scandalous Evening" about a heroine who sculpted the nude statute of a prominent nobleman but was all off on the size of what a man really looked like because she didn't know any better. That was a hilarious premise also and Dodd is especially good at taking the wind out of the sails of puffed up male aristocrats in both books. I've read some other books of hers and these two are her best because she sticks with what she does best, romantic comedy.

After reading Christina Dodds first book in the Governess Series: Rules for Surrender, I have been anxiously waiting for the second book and here it is! I have to admit when I started reading this one I thought of Lil Orphan Annie and sure hoped that things would change and not follow that same storyline for the entire story and I wasn't disappointed. I found this book Rules for Engagement great. I loved the little tidbits that she gave regarding Charlotte and Wynter from her first book, Rules for Surrender. I thought the characters in this book were very well written, the love scenes were great and I really loved the entire plot. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I can't wait til the next one!!

This second installment in the governess series was a delite. I read it in one day. The characters were rich and well rounded. Devon and Pamela were well matched. I enjoyed Devon's grandfather and the orphan Beth was a refreshing voice of reason to the battling Devon and Pamela. Devon and Pamela's shared past added depth to the story. The only thing that didn't fit quite right was the suspense element regarding Devon's cousin. It seemed to be thrown in. It really wasn't needed. In fact I barely gave it notice. I was so involved with the other characters. I am looking forward to Dodd's next installment "Rules of Attraction" and she said in the author's note that there will be a fourth installment too. I can't wait.

Pamela Lockhart of Distinguished Academy of Governess was a no nonsense woman. She accept the offer of Devon Mathewes, Earl of Kerrich., to find an orphan to educated so he can restore his good name in front of the Queen. She also disguise her beauty look into an old spinster cause the Earl wanted to find an ugly governess who didn't fall in love with him.

As if she would. After her playboy father stunts, she vowed never to fall for rakes in her life. So two proud and stubborn personality that hated each other at first sight. How come they can't help the attraction that pulled them together? Specially for the earl who never in his life like an ugly woman before. Not to mention her cut razor tongue that can slices you to pieces.


This is the second of the Governess series and it was a TRIUMPH! The characters are witty, funny and believable. Cleverly written by Mrs Dodd with vivid detailing of the 1800 era. I can't put the book down since I read the first pages. It was my first try of Mrs Dodd book and it surely wouldn't be my last.

After this one, I decided to bought all the other 5 books in the Governor series. Hope they were as delicious as this one.