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The Governess Game: Girl Meets Duke (Girl Meets Duke, 2) Mass Market Paperback – August 28, 2018
| Tessa Dare (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson
The accidental governess
After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.
The infamous rake
Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of falling, hard.
- Print length384 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAvon
- Publication dateAugust 28, 2018
- Dimensions4.19 x 0.96 x 6.62 inches
- ISBN-100062672126
- ISBN-13978-0062672124
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Alex and Chase are playful, intense and stubborn--their flaws make them a magical match, not perfect but perfect for each other.” — New York Times Book Review
“If historical Regency romances are all the inevitable inheritors of the work of Jane Austen, Dare is undoubtedly the lady’s clearest successor when it comes to her wit.” — Entertainment Weekly
“A sprawling cast of delightfully eccentric characters adds texture and depth to a captivating love story. Dare continues her splendid, quirky Girl Meets Duke series with wit, heart, and humor.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A ducal heir who dreads failure and a comet-obsessed sea captain’s daughter with her own ghosts to slay finally give in to romance in an affecting gem enhance by laugh-out-loud humor, scorching passion, and sparkling repartee. Pure reading joy!” — Library Journal (starred review)
“From the very first page of this whimsical and wryly inventive masterpiece, the latest in her fetching Girl Meets Duke series, RITA Award–winning Dare reels readers in and then keeps them firmly hooked with her distinctive blend of exuberant characters, lively dialogue, buoyant wit, and bone-melting sensuality.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Romance doesn’t get more delightful than Tessa Dare’s The Governess Game...a standout romance that readers won’t want to miss. — BookPage Top Pick
From the Back Cover
He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson
The Accidental Governess
After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.
The Infamous Rake
Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of falling, hard.
About the Author
Tessa Dare is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen historical romances. A librarian by training and a book-lover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a pair of cosmic kittens.
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Product details
- Publisher : Avon (August 28, 2018)
- Language : English
- Mass Market Paperback : 384 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062672126
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062672124
- Item Weight : 6.7 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.19 x 0.96 x 6.62 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #407,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,426 in Humorous American Literature
- #2,659 in 20th Century Historical Romance (Books)
- #4,172 in Fiction Satire
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Tessa Dare is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty historical romances. Her books have received numerous accolades, including Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA® award (twice) and multiple RT Book Reviews Reviewer's Choice Awards. Booklist magazine named her one of the "new stars of historical romance," and her books have been contracted for translation in a dozen languages.
A librarian by training and a booklover at heart, Tessa makes her home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband, their two children, and a trio of cosmic kitties.
More information available at www.TessaDare.com
To sign up for Tessa's email list, please copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://tessadare.com/newsletter-signup/
Customer reviews
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I HATE rakes! They are overdone, boring, morally bankrupt, and disrespectful of women. I don’t know why romance writers continue to write rakes as heroes. Promiscuity is NOT romantic. I just have a hard time believing that they will remain faithful. Chase was immature to the extreme. He only had one night stands with different women every night. Yuck! Chase did improve as the story went along, but I hate to think about just how many women in London he had pleasured before Alex. She will be forced to socialize with these same women who have all had her husband between their thighs. Ugh. (Sorry for being so blunt, but it must be said).
Furthermore, while there were numerous humorous parts to this book (mostly involving doll funerals;), this was not nearly as funny as The Duchess Deal. I did like Chase’s brother though.
The heroine Alex could have been amazing if she ended up with someone better. The supporting characters were great as well. Not Dare’s best, but not her worst either. Definitely not one that I will be rereading though.
Heroine Alexandra Mountbatten is singularly unique for her time. In Regency England she stands out among the English roses. She is an American, and Filipino and Spanish. She is smart and longs for security, she already is independent but she lives with her two friends and her dream is her own little cottage. Alex is logical and romantic. She has harbored a secret yen for a handsome man who knocked the books out of her hand at the bookshop. She never thinks she will ever see him again but she does and he becomes her employer.
Chase Reynaud will one day inherit a dukedom. He is a libertine and unapologetic for it. He is also guardian to two girls who have run off many a governess. He believes Alex to be applying for the position of governess (she's isn't, she is there to fix his clocks). He is desperate and offers her quite a bit of money to take charge of the girls for the summer, just until they can be sent away to boarding school.
From the first moments Alex enters Chase's home, there is a sense of wonder and joy that Alex and her charges feel when they are together. Indeed, some of the best moments in this book are between Alex and the girls. Her kind, compassionate nature is a driving force in her relationship with the orphans who are hilariously funny. I simply adored these young girls who were fiercely loyal to each other.
Alex's relationship with Chase is logical and incredibly emotional. Alex is gentle and insightful when it comes to her dealings with Chase. Alex is a constant surprise and the dialogue between the leads is also written well, especially when the two are emotionally honest with each other. Her background was so unique and interesting that I wish I could have known her as a young girl, standing side by side with her father on the high seas. One of the drawbacks of this novel, and it is a small one, is that I wanted more background on all the characters.
Chase is a typical and not so typical rogue. He was so attracted to Alex and the reader sees it in his actions and his words. His point of view describes his inner life so well that the reader understands his conflicted feelings for Alex. Chase is a good man who just cannot accept that his past mistakes do not have to define him. Fortunately, he has three females living in his home to remind him just how precious love is. I rooted for everyone of these characters as soon as I met them. I wanted them to be a family, I wanted Chase to lower his guard, I wanted Alex to work some magic with her thoughtfulness. That all happens and the end of this novel just comes way too soon. I wanted to know more about their life together. I sincerely hope that Ms. Dare writs sequels about the girls, Rosamund and Daisy.
Now, my favorite part of this book is definitely Chase. He's just soo... snarky, witty, devilish, perfect? All of the above. I RARELY laugh out loud at books, but many of Chase's lines had me lol'ing. And Alex gave me a few giggles too. Her more deadpan sense of humor definitely adds to the feeling that she and Chase are made for each other. At times I felt the chemistry was a little bit off, but I think that's only because the book felt a bit rushed in the second half. All the cuteness with his wily nieces more than made up for the bad bits.
My only, small, complaints were the weird 21st-century nods to the reader. I don't appreciate anachronisms in my historical fiction, especially when they're tired internet memes that were never funny to begin with. Nor did I think the scenes with Ash felt natural, and while bits of them were funny, on the whole they seemed overly forced.
Overall, though, I loved this book and will most definitely continue on with the Girl Meets Duke series.
Hero ~ 5/5
Heroine ~ 5/5
Humor ~ 5/5
Heartache ~ 3/5
Steam ~ 4.5/5
Top reviews from other countries
I think I need to rethink my ideas about regency romance on the strength of this book.
I understand many devotees of classic regency might find it too modern but that's precisely why it appealed to me.
Alexandra (Alex) is no wallflower, forging her own path in society. She actually works for a living and has a deep knowledge and understanding of astronomy. I loved the spin she put on the accidental job she procured as a temporary governess. No deportment lessons here!
Chase for his part is a very reluctant Duke in waiting. He tries to cultivate a reputation as a cad but Alex easily sees through this facade to the kind hearted, decent man he really is.
The scenes of them together are full of longing and banter and the slow dance into falling in love. I believed in them as a couple and routed for them as things took the inevitable downturn.
Hugely enjoyable.
Chase, a libertine has unhappily inherited a dukedom (he is next in line) and two wards – due to feeling responsible for the death of someone he cared for/was responsible for, he feels he is unable able to take care of anyone, and so refuses to marry and is planning on sending his two young wards to boarding school – but until he does he needs a governess who won’t be cowered or frightened away by the girls’ antics. Alex in an attempt to teach the girls but also bring them out of their isolation/shells decides to give them lessons in being pirates – and her lessons pay off.
Some of the best components of the book involved all the ways in which Millicent became sick, died and was eulogized (seriously entertaining). Daisy and Rosamund, Chase’s wards were a delight and enjoyable secondary characters. Part of me wishes we had seen some of their antics with the different governesses they had chased away rather than being told about them (that being said the telling was enjoyable).
I really loved the glimpses we got of Penny and Nicola in this book and am looking forward to reading their stories.
Overall, a nice read, although it’s not my favourite, I can see myself re-reading this, even if it’s not as prolifically as the book that came before this.
The story concerns Alexandra, an erstwhile clock calibrator turned governess and Chase Reynaud,, heir to the Duke of Belvoir, guardian of two young girls, a fairly standard scenario for a historical romance.
The initial interactions between Alex and Chase were about the children’s educational needs but each time they met to discuss them it became apparent that there was an attraction between them which descended into sexual encounters in Chase’s study or Cave of Carnality. These encounters seemed devoid of any romance, more about satisfying Alex’s sexual curiosity and re-inforcing Chase’s determination to remain unattached without any family. Add to that Alex’s friends, who were strange in the extreme, not originals just excessive. It just seemed there were lots of different stereotypical historical romance themes cobbled together in this story.
I found the use of language unlikely for middle-upper class England of that time period. It’s almost as though the author thought that throwing in some slang English terms for body parts would make it seem more authentic. I found it irritating.
The plot did appeal but everything seemed very extreme and in the end, overdone. Sorry not to my taste
I admit I don't remember the whole of The Duchess Deal as much as I thought I did because when I started reading I'd totally forgotten about Alex's chance meeting in the bookshop. Once I got remembering everyone from the last book, though, I was all kinds of happy. I loved Alex and her total misunderstanding in meeting Chase for the second time. Her swift put down of him and his behaviour was awesome and the names she gave his man cave were awesome. I adored Chase and Alex together from the very beginning. Especially when he chased her and offered her his coat when she was dripping wet and accepting a job offer as a governess for his unruly wards.
Another win for this book was the fact I enjoyed it despite there being children involved! I'm not normally one for books with children in. Sometimes the kids are cute in books and sometimes they just feel like a plot device and don't get fully fledged personalities. That was definitely not the case when it came to Rosamund and Daisy. That pair had so much personality it was bursting off the page with every scene they were in. They were hilarious little troublemakers and they were awesome. From the daily funerals of poor Millicent (a doll) which were hilarious to the petty thievery of Rosamund. They were not good, sweet little girls. They were beasts and I loved them. Especially when they started their lessons in piracy. They stole, they were dramatic, and they weren't afraid to talk back when necessary (or tip some water out of a window when Chase needed to cool off with his womanising).
I admit a little bit more of the cute romance between Alex and Chase would have made me happy, we got plenty of good scenes with them together but I would always be happy for more. Especially as when they were together I felt like they bounced back and forth from being head over heels (and in denial) to acknowledging their love but denying themselves because it's not the done thing. I hate that back and forth in romance and the ending was then dragged out because of it. But I did adore the two of them and was happy with every page we got with them on it. And their grand romantic finale was pretty amazing. I couldn’t help but swoon at Chase’s grand romantic gesture and Alex deserved to be swept off of her feet just a little.
It was a fantastic read. I loved Alex and Chase and their book was amazing I cannot wait for what the next one will be. I will spend my time contemplating rereading Tessa Dare because I know I’ve not read some of her earlier books, like the Stud Club books. She always has me laughing whilst reading her romances and they are the kind of books you want to hug close upon finishing because you are always happy to see her characters got their happily ever after.











