Seducing the Governess

Jan 04, 2013 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Seducing the Governess by Margo Maguire held much akin to Bronte's Jane Eyre, only this is a much steamier retelling of the story. I found myself relating to key plot points from Jane Eyre in the story. I was a fun read that I overall enjoyed very much.

There is another storyline in London that is interspersed among Mercy's storyline which got a bit confusing at times. I realize that that storyline is part of what leads to the sequel, but it became a bit confusing to me. I did not really understa...more

like · see review

Jul 09, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed this book. Its a 3 1/2 star book. I wanted to give it 4 stars but its few flaws just held it back.

I wont bother with the good bits which are the characters and the story line. I will explain however what held it back from being a 4 starrer.

This book was just a little too repetitive for me. The author would repeat characters thoughts or feelings all throughout the book, it was almost like she wanted readers to be able to pick up the book and open it...more

like · see review

Jun 10, 2012 Cathiecaffey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved SEDUCING THE GOVERNESS by Margo Maguire! Mercy Franklin and Nash Farris are now one of my favorite couples! I felt so strongly for them both with a past and history that had so much healing needed, that they needed each other to heal. Even though Nash dealt with physical pain still from the burns from the war, the joy and comfort that Mercy brought from being into his life even healed that physical pain mentally.
Mercy who slowly is learning her past and more will be told in t...more

like · see review

Dec 26, 2011 Virginia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, mystery

"Seducing the Governess" has all the right ingredients for a richly romantic layer cake, but it lacks the extra touch of frosting to hold it all together and make it a true lovers' treat. Margo Maguire offers intriguing characters, a mystery or two, and a definite segue into a sequel. There is a scarred hero, a spirited heroine, and a child in need of loving care. Mercy Franklin, a vicar's daughter, finds herself penniless and without a home after the death of her parents. She accepts a position...more "Seducing the Governess" has all the right ingredients for a richly romantic layer cake, but it lacks the extra touch of frosting to hold it all together and make it a true lovers' treat. Margo Maguire offers intriguing characters, a mystery or two, and a definite segue into a sequel. There is a scarred hero, a spirited heroine, and a child in need of loving care. Mercy Franklin, a vicar's daughter, finds herself penniless and without a home after the death of her parents. She accepts a position as governess as Ashby Hall, where nothing is as she expects it to be. Nash Farris, Lord Ashby, inherits his title and properties after the suspicious deaths of this two older brothers. A younger son who planned on a military career, his life is turned upside down with career-ending war wounds and the loss of his brothers. He returns home to a run-down, debt-ridden estate and the responsibility of caring for his orphaned young niece. Sparks immediately fly between Mercy and Nash, and she is unfazed by his scarred visage. Nash finds great enjoyment in bringing out the fire in the plain-dressing and beautiful Mercy, who shows him no mercy when she frequently takes him to task. In order to restore the family estate and fortune and produce a rightful heir, Nash must woo and wed a suitably proper and plush-pursed society miss. However, it is Mercy who captures his interest and imagination and sparks his passion. She is equally smitten with the roguish Nash, and wars with herself and her strict upbringing as she fights an overwhelming attraction to her employer. Revelations about Mercy's true heritage shake her to the core and leave her with many unanswered questions. The more Nash investigates the deaths of both his brothers, the more he doubts those around him. This was a promising story line with interesting lead characters, a definite opposites-attract romance, and more than one element of mystery. Even the richest of layer cakes needs frosting, and a generous touch of chocolate buttercream would have well-served this somewhat lackluster love story. The sequel, "Brazen", features Mercy's twin sister, who has her own romantic adventure to experience and mysteries to solve. I look forward to reading "Brazen" to see if everyone gets their "just desserts"! (less)

like · see review

Apr 21, 2011 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance-regency-england, suspense

SEDUCING THE GOVERNESS by Margo Maguire is an exciting historical romantic suspense set in 1816 England.The plot is written with depth and details,The characters are interesting,engaging,and will capture your heart. While this story is ultimately about love,tenderness,romance it is also about betrayal,deceit,murder,sweet sensuality and finding someone who sees beyond the scars to the beauty beneath. The hero,Nash,the new Earl of Ashby by default of his two eldest brothers within a year of each o...more SEDUCING THE GOVERNESS by Margo Maguire is an exciting historical romantic suspense set in 1816 England.The plot is written with depth and details,The characters are interesting,engaging,and will capture your heart. While this story is ultimately about love,tenderness,romance it is also about betrayal,deceit,murder,sweet sensuality and finding someone who sees beyond the scars to the beauty beneath. The hero,Nash,the new Earl of Ashby by default of his two eldest brothers within a year of each other,he is a veteran war hero who has a scarred face that goes deeper than the surface,but into his soul also,most can look like in the face,he also has a damaged eye,which is cloudy.Enter Emmaline,she has just found out she was adopted,being told on her mother's deathbed,
she was left penniless and seeks employment at Ashby Hall.When Nash and Emmaline,first meet sparks fly for Emmaline does not back down and looks Nash straight in the face as through she doesn't see his scars.Emmaline becomes not only attached to Nash's eight year niece but is attracted to Nash himself.Nash is immediately distracted by Emmaline,although he knows he need to marry rich to get Ashby Hall back on its feet,he can not bring himself to do that.He wants Emmaline and she him.Along the way Nash has his suspicions that his brother did not die accidental as he was told but where both murdered along with his second brother's wife.In the meantime Emmaline's grandfather who is a wealthy duke is looking for her and her sister and sends Captain Briggs,a trusted former Army officer of the Crown.When her true parents died he sent the two sisters away,for he had disowned their mother for marrying their father and wished to have anything to do with them.They where a merely three years old and adopted out.After twenty years Emmaline will find out not only is she and her twin sister in danger but they will have money and land.Their grandfather is dying and wishes to set things right.His distant cousin's son has other ideas.The deception about the Nash brother does not reveal itself until the last few chapters,and Emmaline is not found until the very last.While I would have liked to seen some into their future,what happened next...We will have to wait until the next installment which is Wicked and will be released at the end of November, 2011, and features Captain Briggs as the hero.This is a suspense romance on every corner and will keep the reader wanting more and turning pages. It will keep every historical and romance readers on their toes. This book was received for the purpose of review from Net Galley and details can be found at Avon,an imprint of Harper Collins and My Book Addiction Reviews.(less)

like · see review

Mar 27, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea

Date reviewed: 10th March 2011

Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=4928

I was still in the mood for some sizzling romance that will either burn you with pleasure or send you to seventh heaven, and therefore, I picked up another good read from Harper Collins. This time, it’s ‘Seducing The Governess’ by Margo Maguire.

Margo Maguire did a fine job in giving the readers a sense of escapism and the fantasy of having a scandalous affair with one’s employer in ‘Seducing The...more

like · see review

Mar 02, 2011 Juli rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Margo Maguire book I've read, but it won't be the last. In fact, I'm impatient for the book that MUST follow this one. That's one sign of how this book got to me -- there's an ongoing plot in which I was really caught up, and I'm glad the author is taking a whole additional book to tell the rest of this story.

Although there's quite a bit of intrigue in this book, which I enjoyed, it's the characters who stand out for me. The main male character, Nash, is dealing with a lot of u...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 Karyn Gerrard rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Margo Maguire has written a wonderful tale that is small parts Jane Eyre, and Beauty and the Beast all mixed together to make a delectable read.

Mercy Franklin is on her way to the Ashby estate to care for the new Earl of Ashby's young, recently orphaned niece. Mercy herself just lost her parents, who, she shockingly finds out, were not her parents at all. Near destitute, Mercy has no choice but to seek employment. While waiting for the mail coach, Mercy is almost run down in the street by a bunc...more Margo Maguire has written a wonderful tale that is small parts Jane Eyre, and Beauty and the Beast all mixed together to make a delectable read.

Mercy Franklin is on her way to the Ashby estate to care for the new Earl of Ashby's young, recently orphaned niece. Mercy herself just lost her parents, who, she shockingly finds out, were not her parents at all. Near destitute, Mercy has no choice but to seek employment. While waiting for the mail coach, Mercy is almost run down in the street by a bunch of ragtag looking soldiers. Behind them, is a horseman, who has to draw up quick to avoid her, and falls from his horse. Shades of Jane Eyre. The man is large, imposing, and badly scarred on one side of his face. He is also quite rude. But Mercy finds herself giving it right back to this imperious looking man.

Imagine her surprise when she is brought in to meet the master, Nash Farris, The Earl of Ashby, and he turns out to be the man on the road. The estate is in deplorable condition, as Nash has been away at war, only returning home because of the untimely, and ultimately suspicious deaths of his two older brothers within a year of each other.

Nash is a wonderful hero. Still trying to come to terms with his war injuries, the loss of both his older brothers is also hard to bear. And what does he do with his 8 year old niece, a withdrawn, quiet child? Then there is that governess, who sparked his desire out on the road with her pert comebacks. Now, she was under his roof. Close.
I also like that Nash brought a lot of his ex-soldiers with him and put them to work at the estate so they would have a roof over their heads. The man is compassionate, and turns out, very passionate, an honorable man.

Mercy was very likable. The compassion she feels for charge, Emmaline, is palatable and real. And that compassion extends to Nash, his scars do not put her off in any way, a fact Nash find astounding. Watching the two of them try and fight the physical pull between them makes for a great read. Mercy had a stern upbringing in a vicar's home, and she is determined that Emmeline is not subjected to such an environment. However hang-ups linger, Nash has ignited such desire in her, it can only be sinful, she surmises, her father's teachings ringing in her ears.

A sub-plot concerning an ailing Earl who hires a solider, Colonel Briggs to try and find his two granddaughters, who were orphaned out as toddlers is interlaced through the book. I wonder who one of the granddaughters is?

Regardless, Nash realizes he must find some heiress if he is to ever get Ashby Hall back to its former glory. How convenient one of his neighbors has a marriageable, pretty daughter. Too bad this young lady, Helene Carew, who can barely look Nash in the face, does nothing for him at all. Not like Mercy.

I started to suspect who might be behind the possible murders of Nash's brothers, but not the reason. The ending was well played out, and the plot points satisfactorily addressed. But enough is left open for another book easily.

The yearning and heartbreak felt by the hero and heroine is well done, and a lot of the secondary characters add to this story nicely. A fully realized love story filled with real emotion, and two lonely people torn between desire and duty.

I recommend this book very much.

Review at THE ROMANORUM(less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 17, 2011 Jacqueline rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, historical-romance, kindle-reads, regency, netgalley

This was a cute little regency romance. It had the potential to be much more than what it was however. The hero, Nash, was a third son who inherited an earldom after the suspicious deaths of his older brothers within a year of each other. Ashby, the estate that he inherits is incredibly run down. More so than I think would be realistic from one year of mismanagement by the second oldest brother and one additional year of being looked after by only a steward, a housekeeper and a child's nurse. Th...more This was a cute little regency romance. It had the potential to be much more than what it was however. The hero, Nash, was a third son who inherited an earldom after the suspicious deaths of his older brothers within a year of each other. Ashby, the estate that he inherits is incredibly run down. More so than I think would be realistic from one year of mismanagement by the second oldest brother and one additional year of being looked after by only a steward, a housekeeper and a child's nurse. The descriptions were more in line with a house and estate which had been standing empty for 10 or more years.

Nash was wounded at the Battle of Waterloo and his face and shoulder were burned. Here the author was brave enough to say that the man's face was burned including his cheek, over his eye and up to his forehead and his eye was damaged and is cloudy. Many times a man who is scarred is only scarred a little and then we are told that he is horribly disfigured. I get frustrated when an author tries to tell me that a rich titled man is turned away from in disgust because a bit of the fleshy part of his cheek might be scarred. Have the courage of your convictions. But the author did carry it a bit too far. No woman had looked at him without disgust in so long that he had begun to despair that none ever would find him attractive again. Is it really that uncommon for a man to go without any nooky for a year? I'm not feeling very sorry for you. He is not written as a libertine particularly. He's an earl. Surely he knows that women will overlook the face. Particularly women who might be getting a monetary benefit from it. Like say a prostitute or even a bar maid to whom he would be going to toss a coin.

The heroine is a woman who was raised as a vicar's daughter but finds out she was a foundling when her mother dies. She comes as a governess to Nash's house to take care of his little niece. Obviously she is going to turn out to be the long lost granddaughter of the duke whom we know is looking for his granddaughters from the preface to the novel. Her actions are not true to those of a strictly brought up girl. She has spent her whole life being quite and demure but has no trouble acting sassy etc. Except that her level of sassyness is not very high even then. She is not a strongly written character.

Problems with the book. There is not a lot of interaction between the hero and the heroine. The conversations are short and not that interesting. Then they seem to spend pages thinking in convoluted circles about each other. I don't know why they fell in love. I certainly didn't see enough there. She is a properly brought up young virgin yet she gives in to him sexually with maybe one obligatory thought of maybe she shouldn't have done that. She gives no thought to her reputation while living with 6 or 7 men with not another female in the house. She gives no thought to her reputation while sleeping with the hero. She gives no real thought to maybe getting pregnant.

He keeps thinking I can't take advantage of her. But he does so with very little emotion shown. No angst and very little self condemnation that he shouldn't have done it. I expected him, as a gentleman, to offer marriage the very next day. This is a regency after all. But no, he blythely sleeps with her again and again. I didn't have much respect for him.

In the end she decides to chase after him and persuade him to marry her. That just gave me a yucky feeling like he done her wrong and she shouldn't run after him. He should have been begging her to marry him. In fact, he almost leaves it too late to be acceptable.

The ending is very rushed. Expose the bad guy, propose marriage while running down some stairs after she had pleaded with you to love her. Find out about the duke looking for her. Elope. Done.

Whoa, I really expected a scene where she meets her grandfather.

I felt like there were several bits of story that started and then just went nowhere. The letter to the old suitor. The seeds and interest in gardening. The painting abilities of the young girl. The let's get the house ready for a party we're never going to have. The lets find out who all was at the hunting party where the oldest brother was shot but not actually talk to any of them. The book in general needed more focus, a stronger sense of being in the regency period, more interaction between the hero and the heroine during which interaction their love develops. Less actual love scenes and more falling in love and yearning to be with each other.

The love scenes were nothing special. There was no feelings involved on the part of the hero or the heroine and thus no real feeling on the part of the reader. I don't read a regency for smut or explicit scenes. I want to experience the couple falling in love. There was great potential for angst but it just flew right by. Denial of the physical expression of love is stronger than just giving in to it. So all int all it was cute but not memorable.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, netgalley, historical-romance, margo-maguire

Mercy Franklin was brought up believing that the vicar and his wife were her true parents but after the death of them, her mother reveals that she was adopted by them because her birth mother had unfortunate circumstances, leading Mercy to believe she was a wanton woman. Realizing she has no funds, she accepts the request to become governess to the niece of the Earl of Ashby, Nash. Upon arriving in a rainstorm and walking towards Ashby Hall, Mercy is run off the road twice, the second time throw...more Mercy Franklin was brought up believing that the vicar and his wife were her true parents but after the death of them, her mother reveals that she was adopted by them because her birth mother had unfortunate circumstances, leading Mercy to believe she was a wanton woman. Realizing she has no funds, she accepts the request to become governess to the niece of the Earl of Ashby, Nash. Upon arriving in a rainstorm and walking towards Ashby Hall, Mercy is run off the road twice, the second time throwing a man off his horse and twisting his ankle. She is startled by his scarred face but it does not throw her and she offers her assistance to the man. He accepts and has her remove his boot which leads to a few interesting moments that stiffen Mercys back.

However, much to Mercys dismay, when she arrives at the dreary, run down Ashby Hall she realizes the man is Lord Ashby and the first group of men are the servants. Even though Mercy is attracted to Nash, she must stay and be Emmalines governess. Emmy has had two tragedies befall her in her young life. First her father, the first Earl, was shot 'accidentally' at a hunting party and then later, her uncle, the second Earl, perished in a carriage accident. Naturally she is very reserved and a bit frightened of her big uncle with his scarred face but Mercy draws out the little girl. However, she is a bit surprised that there is no housekeeper or nursemaid in the house, just men that are from Nashs army days and in need of work.

As the story progresses and the fiery snaps between Mercy and Nash grow, Nash is investing his brothers deaths because even though they were ruled accidental, he just can't shake the feeling that they are not. Mercy has her mothers journal that she does not want to go through but one rainy day she reads it and is once again devastated and hurt. She keeps shoving down her feelings for Nash as she does not want to be a wanton woman like her birth mother and as she realizes that Nash is in dire needs of funds to survive, and she has none, she knows they can not be.

Now, this is where the beginning of the book comes into focus. Mercy, and her twin, were daughters of a lovely married couple, the woman being the daughter of a duke who disinherited her due to her choice of husband (who was wealthy in his own right, just not of noble blood). The duke is now on his deathbed and wants to find the girls and bequeath them a large sum of money. So there is a man, Captain Gavin Briggs, out searching for her and realizes that he is being tailed and knows Mercys life could be in danger. This is a running side story and I am happy to see Gavin is the hero in the next book in this series as he continues his search for Mercys sister.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. This was my first novel by Margo Maguire and I am very interested in continuing this story. There were a few looses ends that were left dangling and the suspense around the brothers death was interesting, if a bit predictable in some spots. I really enjoyed the premise of long lost twin sisters finding each other and look forward to reading that happen in the next book. If you are in the mood for a feisty heroine and a slightly scarred hero with a sweet child thrown in, curl up with this one. 3 1/2 stars

I received this ebook via netgallery.com (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 12, 2012 Gerrie marked it as gave-it-a-try-and-then-gave-up

This book started out with so much promise. The different plot lines were all ones I really enjoy. The book opens with a dying duke, who's hired an investigator to find the two granddaughters the duke literally gave away 20 years earlier. The duke's heir, a total blackguard, may not want the investigator to find the two girls.

Then we switch to Nash, the hero. Nash, a former army officer, was wounded and badly scarred at Waterloo. While he was in the army both his older brothers died under suspic...more This book started out with so much promise. The different plot lines were all ones I really enjoy. The book opens with a dying duke, who's hired an investigator to find the two granddaughters the duke literally gave away 20 years earlier. The duke's heir, a total blackguard, may not want the investigator to find the two girls.

Then we switch to Nash, the hero. Nash, a former army officer, was wounded and badly scarred at Waterloo. While he was in the army both his older brothers died under suspicious circumstances, and Nash suspects that they were murdered. He returns, as an earl, to his rundown and impoverished estate. He also has the care of his young niece, so he hires a governess. And he continues to investigate his brothers' deaths.

The heroine, Mercy, learns after her parents' deaths that she's not their daughter. And she doesn't know how they came to raise her. That's a mystery she wants to unravel. Since she's penniless, she becomes the governess to Nash's niece. So, all the pieces for an interesting story (with beauty and the beast overtones), two mysteries, and a romance are in place.

The author writes well, and clearly can tell a good story. So, why didn't I finish the book? From the moment Nash and Mercy meet, they are totally overcome by lust. Whenever he sees her, his groin stiffens. When he's doing estate business, at dinner with neighbors, or meeting with the magistrate about his brothers, all he can think about is Mercy and his groin hardens. Mercy thinks about Nash every waking minute - when she's with her pupil, when she's reading a book, etc. And whenever she thinks about him, her body tingles. It got so repetitive, boring, and annoying, that I kept putting the book down. Then I'd pick the book up again, hoping the author would get on with the story, and not detail the hero and heroine's lustful yearnings every other paragraph.

I feel that the author ruined her own book by interrupting the story so often with these lust fantasy fests. I'm a romance reader, so I want to see the hero and heroine falling in love. Lust is certainly a part of romantic love, but too many authors substitute only sex and lust for any genuine love, and never show the emotional connection between the two lovers. I didn't see any emotional connection here. If the author had confined these to a few long scenes here and there, that would have been all right. But since every scene that involved either Nash or Mercy stopped in the middle for each one to think about about how much they wanted sex with the other, I just gave up. I want more from my romances than that.

(less)

like · see review

Apr 09, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance

The only parents she has ever known are dead and now Mercy must take a job as a governess to make her way in life. Her prospects are limited, so when she is offered a position teaching the niece of the Earl of Ashby, she takes the job. Things are nothing like she anticipated though. The manor is in poor condition, the child is terribly withdrawn and the staff of the home is filled with former soldiers who once served Nash, the earl. Nash, himself, is even a bigger issue. Mercy met him on the way...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 28, 2011 Alex rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance, book-fail, for-review, net-galley

At First Sight: After the death of her parents, Mercy Franklin has no other option but employing herself as a governess to the nice of the Earl of Ashby. On her way to Ashby Hall, she's nearly run over 2, the second time by a young man who starts to tease her even as she tries to assist him back to his horse.

Upon arriving to Ashby Hall, she quickly realizes that the man was her new employer, Nash, and that Ashby Hall is a decaying great house, staffed with various of men who served under Nash i...more

like · see review

Feb 07, 2011 Laura de Leon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, nook, historical-fiction, romance, review-copy, blogged

I did enjoy reading this book. But not as much as I'd hoped. This is skirting fairly close to the 2.5 star line.

I liked the setup-- The governess (actually an heiress disowned by her grandfather when her parents died when she was three) starts work for an earl that newly inherited the title, estate & young niece (who is trying to figure out what went wrong to put him in this position). There's mystery on both sides of the couple-to-be.

Unfortunately, neither party ever quite worked for me as...more

like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 Addictive rated it 5 of 5 stars

The first in a two book series finds Mercy Franklin on a lone road walking to her next employment when she has no choice but to dash to the side of the road when ex army officers careen around a bend in the road at breakneck speed on their horses. When she thinks the road is clear, Mercy steps out to continue on her way when a straggling horseman brings up the rear. When Mercy frightens the horse, the rider is unseated and sprains his ankle, thus the meeting of the heroine and hero.
Nash Farris,...more

like · see review

Feb 28, 2011 Nicole rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, review, read-in-2011

Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: February 22, 2011
How I got this book: NetGalley

I’m a big fan of Regency era Historical Romances, so the premise of this one sounded great to me, a woman struggling to survive after the death of her parents takes on the role of serving as governess to the new Earl’s young niece. Having never served as a governess before, Mercy is unsure of proper protocol, but is fairly sure that the Earl and his merry men of former soldiers are not doing things correctly.

The Earl, N...more Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: February 22, 2011
How I got this book: NetGalley

I’m a big fan of Regency era Historical Romances, so the premise of this one sounded great to me, a woman struggling to survive after the death of her parents takes on the role of serving as governess to the new Earl’s young niece. Having never served as a governess before, Mercy is unsure of proper protocol, but is fairly sure that the Earl and his merry men of former soldiers are not doing things correctly.

The Earl, Nash, was horribly injured at Waterloo, and the burn disfiguration on his face has led him to be somewhat cynical. But the fire and passion in his new governess awakens feelings he didn’t know he could possess. With the failing state of his lands and home, the Earl has some hard decisions to make. Does he pursue the beautiful governess, or take a wife who can provide a large dowry and save him home?

I really wanted to like this book, but when I say that I’m just glad I was able to finish it, it’s disappointing. The beginning held promise. An old Duke is on his deathbed, looking for the grandchildren that he disowned years ago. We then cut to Mercy, daughter of a vicar and his wife who have just died. She is on her way to her new potential home, working as the governess to the young Emmy. I liked Mercy at first. She was just the right mix of strong will and innocence. But as the story progressed, she drove me more and more crazy. As the vicar’s daughter she had never been kissed, and only courted twice. But suddenly she is letting Nash steal kisses, flirt inappropriately, and even make love before even determining if he likes her. What happened to that strong will? She just fizzled out as a character for me.

Nash on the other hand started off poorly, and while his character was a little more agreeable for me, I still wasn’t completely sold on him. As a war vet, he was in many a battle, and was injured horrifically. His scars make him angry and bitter, and he lets that bleed over into his whole life. While he wants Mercy with something fierce, he also wants to make sure his home succeeds, and to do so would mean courting and marrying a rich neighbor’s daughter. I hated that Nash was still planning on courting the heiress, even as he was ruining Mercy’s future.

Even the romance between the two seemed off. I thought Mercy was going to remain strong in her values to be a good vicar’s daughter and marry properly. But she became more of a swooning impressionable heroine that was irrevocably changed into a wanton with only one kiss. I just couldn’t believe that. Likewise Nash wanted to pursue Mercy, to the point that he even mentioned wanting to be with her if his financial situation was different. However, at the same time seemed completely amicable with the thought of marrying another. It was hard for me to be on board with that.

The only thing I enjoyed about this book was the mystery surrounding the mysterious death of Nash’s two older brothers, and the ongoing investigation of the dying Duke’s granddaughters. Those two plot lines kept the story moving more than the romance between Nash and Mercy, and were (in my opinion) the only believable parts to the story.

All in all, I give Seducing the Governess 2 out of 5 fallen governesses!
(less)

like · see review

Jun 30, 2011 Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review

I was very excited to read this book. I had heard a lot of great things about it and I just love the premise of the Lord of the Manor falling for the governess. Boy was I disappointed. This book started off so good and then kind of just fizzled out. I loved the beginning of the book and seeing the banter between Nash and Mercy, but once I got towards the middle of the book everything seemed to slow down immensely. It actually was a bit boring. I just kept reading waiting for something to happen....more

like · see review

Feb 12, 2011 Daisy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

Mercy hasn't had the most amazing homelife and after both her adoptive parents have passed away, she is left with not other option than to find a way to make a living for herself. She accepts a post as a governess and on the way to her new job is nearly run down by several men on horses. After the group has passed, a lone rider follows, who falls from his horse. Mercy escorts the man to the manor, he turns out to be her new employer.
Her charge is an emotionally traumatized little girl and Mercy...more Mercy hasn't had the most amazing homelife and after both her adoptive parents have passed away, she is left with not other option than to find a way to make a living for herself. She accepts a post as a governess and on the way to her new job is nearly run down by several men on horses. After the group has passed, a lone rider follows, who falls from his horse. Mercy escorts the man to the manor, he turns out to be her new employer.
Her charge is an emotionally traumatized little girl and Mercy has to employ every trick she can think of to pull her out of her shell. Meanwhile, she's growing more and more attracted to Nash.
Nash needs to marry a girl with a huge dower in order to fix up his property, but he doesn't seem to be able to focus on this task when Mercy is around.
Meanwhile unbeknownst to Mercy, her birth family is trying to track her down, how will this all play out?

This book had two distinct parts in it, the part before and after Mercy and Nash consumated marriage before the marriage (trying very hard to keep things tastful). Before, there was tension, tension, TENSION.
And after... well... let's just say that it kind of fell flat to me.

I mean, there were heated glances and stolen kisses under moonlit skyes and angst on Mercy's side that she should leave, because this can't be going anywhere. And Nash is trying to find himself a wealthy wife and doesn't really need a distraction in the form of an attractive woman in his household.

And then there's after and the tension is MIA. Even when Mercy discovers Nash has been courting the wealthy lady next door, there is no tension. **SLIGHT SPOILER**I was hoping she'd leave and he'd have to chase after her or something, but this did not happen.**

And the whole thing with falling of a horse and the earl being physically marred by a fire felt a bit too Jane Eyre for me and though I LOVE Jane Eyre, it felt to much like a deja vu. And the fact that Mercy seemed to be the only one not completely horrified by his scars bothered me a bit, especially since she 'didn't even notice' them, which is weird if they're so gruesome to other people. I mean, I can see not really seeing them anymore once you know someone longer and love them, but not right from the moment you meet them.

There was a lot of promise in the story, but it somehow didn't reach its full potential for me.

My rating: 2 stars (less)

like · see review

Mar 06, 2011 Anaiz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

3.5 Stars. Mercy Franklin is the new governess at Ashby Hall. After her mother's recent death and the death of her father (a Vicar) years earlier she is now an orphan with no money. She is forced to find employment where she can. Unbeknownst to her, she is actually the granddaughter of the Duke of Windermere. He is on his deathbed and is seeking to make amends for disowning Mercy's mother and not taking care of her two daughters after she died with her husband in an accident. When the girls were...more

like · see review

Apr 05, 2011 SidneyKay rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Where is Spock when you need him? Seducing the Governess was a s-l-o-w read and it shouldn't have been, because every once in a while there was some pretty emotional writing. However, it's always a bad sign when I can't tune out the nattering coming from the left side of the room. My husband's voice breaking through my Romanceland reading fog is my barometer as to whether I'm going to like a book or not.

The plot is an old one...the aristocrat and the governess, in fact, their meeting is a standa...more

like · see review

Apr 06, 2011 Meredith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, chick-lit, historical-fiction, romance, mystery

Originally published on The Librarian Next Door:

Raised by austere parents and shocked by the revelation of family secrets after their deaths, Mercy Franklin leaves home to take a position as a governess to a young girl at a remote estate. Nash Farris, Earl of Ashby, was never supposed to be the earl – he’s the third son, after all. Scarred both by battle and the premature deaths of his two brothers, he’s returned to Ashby Hall to try to restore the physically and emotionally devastated family ho...more

like · see review

Feb 11, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historicalromance

This is not your typical governess story. At all. And that is what makes it so refreshing. Mercy’s world has changed dramatically in the past year – her father, the vicar, passed away, and so did her mother. Only, the life she led until then wasn’t the life she should have had...Nash has inherited after his brothers both passed away, and this means both the manor and a young child. A war hero who has returned with his men, they live in a woman-less household, until Mercy arrives to take charge....more

6 likes · like · see review

Apr 04, 2013 Lover of Romance rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, regency, avon

Mercy, after her mother dies she knows that she needs to find some work, so she finds a position as a governess with the only staff as retired soldiers....oh boy...Mercy has no idea what she has gotten herself into. Mercy however is charmed by her young charge, a shy and reserved girl who has recently lost both her parents and now lives with a uncle who has barely spoken a word to her. In the beginning when Mercy arrives, there is a spark between herself and Nash her employer, and after they sh...more

like · see review

Feb 14, 2011 Anitta rated it 1 of 5 stars

I was very disappointed in Margo Maguire's "Seducing the Governess." Mercy Franklin is new to her post as a gorverness. On the way to Ashby Hall, she meets a stranger on the road. Of course, there is no surprise when "the stranger" turns out to be her employer, Nash Farris.
I must confess that the story showed a lot of potential and promise. However, there was nothing fresh in the story. It was the same old story with rather flat characters. Having said all that, I still might be interested in he...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 30, 2012 Rowena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

This was a really fast read for me and I really enjoyed it. The book follows Nash Farris as he tries to bring his childhood home back from the poor house. While he was fighting at Waterloo, his brothers were being dying, leaving Nash (who is the youngest son) to inherit the family title and try to fix things up. They also left him to find out what the heck is going on. When Nash returns home from the war, he finds out that he's got a lot of work cut out for him. His childhood home is falling dow...more This was a really fast read for me and I really enjoyed it. The book follows Nash Farris as he tries to bring his childhood home back from the poor house. While he was fighting at Waterloo, his brothers were being dying, leaving Nash (who is the youngest son) to inherit the family title and try to fix things up. They also left him to find out what the heck is going on. When Nash returns home from the war, he finds out that he's got a lot of work cut out for him. His childhood home is falling down around him, his brothers are both dead and he's got a whole lot of questions and no answers in sight.
He's also got his brother's daughter, Emmaline to worry about as well. He kicked her nurse out of the house because he couldn't stomach her so the only people around to help him raise her are the men he brought home from the war. The soldiers that didn't have anywhere else to go.

Enter Mercy Franklin.

Mercy just lost her parents and found out that they weren't her true parents so along with not having anywhere to go, she's also got a whole lot of questions herself but the difference between her and Nash is while Nash wants those answers and is willingly going about trying to find those answers, Mercy is scared of what the answers to her questions might lead. She's got her adopted mother's journals and from the brief reading that she did of it, she doesn't like what she saw and she's not quite ready to face the music where all of that is concerned so she throws herself into her job as the governess to Lady Emmaline Farris.

Emmy is a very shy young girl who has lost much so Mercy throws herself into making sure Emmy knows that she's not alone any longer and it was her relationship with Emmy along with Mercy's relationship with Nash that I thoroughly enjoyed about this book.

Both Nash and Mercy are chasing different things but the one thing that is constant between the two of them is the mutual attraction that they're fighting. Nash needs funds and the only way that he can get that is by marrying rich but how can he think about marrying someone else when the one woman he wants lives under his roof already? Then there's Mercy. She's fallen in love with Nash against her better judgment but how can she love him and let him go off to marry someone else? It will kill her.

What I liked about this book was the way that the romance between Nash and Mercy is written. They were great characters apart but together is when I enjoyed them most. Nash is a soldier through and through, he's having recurring nightmares from when he almost died and the scars from the war are evident on his face. Because of these scars, he feels that he's so ugly that no woman could ever come to care for him because of his ugly face.

This part of the book was my least favorite part of the book. The way that Nash saw himself. I mean, if they dug deeper into why he thought the way that he did or if they showed how he had ample reason to think the way that he did then maybe it would have worked but because it wasn't dealt with, I felt like it fell flat and didn't fit with the Nash that I had built up in my head.

Overall, the story was great. It was easy to fall into, the characters were easy to relate to but there were some things that I wish were fleshed out more. Nash's issues with his face, Mercy's issues with her grandfather and the ending. The ending felt a bit rushed with everything coming to a head within a few pages but it wasn't enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book as a whole. It was a solid story, one that I enjoyed and would recommend to historical fans out there. It's a good read.(less)

like · see review

Apr 27, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-regency

This book is more like 3 3/4 stars for me. Not quite a four star, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. I'll break it down. Let me preface, though, by saying that although these aren't revealed on the back blurb they are by no means spoilers. Within the first two chapters you know exactly how the storyline will go. BUT, if you are worried you won't see the path then please don't read on. Just in case.

Likes: I liked the characters and the plot. Nothing new or unpredictable. As I said above, you kn...more This book is more like 3 3/4 stars for me. Not quite a four star, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. I'll break it down. Let me preface, though, by saying that although these aren't revealed on the back blurb they are by no means spoilers. Within the first two chapters you know exactly how the storyline will go. BUT, if you are worried you won't see the path then please don't read on. Just in case.

Likes: I liked the characters and the plot. Nothing new or unpredictable. As I said above, you know from the very beginning exactly how it's going to end up. There are a few details you aren't sure of, like why he's the bad guy, but you know who the bad guy is from the beginning, how the H&h will get together, etc. But it was nice seeing them struggle against what they were feeling not because they didn't want to admit it, but because they were trying to do what was best for the title, estate, niece, etc. I liked that Mercy was spunky without being from another time. She didn't say anything outrageous, but she spoke her mind. Based on her upbringing, it was quite unusual for her, and the earl gets a big kick out of provoking her to do it.

Liked not so much: In the beginning, every other paragraph literally read the same. She should write the reverend so she can leave. She should read her mother's journal, but she just can't face it yet. She should stay away from the earl. And she will. Just not yet. UGH!! Seriously annoying for me. I guess that sums up my dislikes entirely: the writing. Not that Ms. Maguire is a bad writer because I have enjoyed another of her books, and I plan on reading more. But in this book, it just seemed as if she had a great idea, but needed filler. Then, after hundreds of pages of filler, the ending was wrapped up in two chapters. Very serious.
****the minor spoilers section I mentioned above****
She finds out she is the duke's granddaughter, a man is after her and her sister, the earl proposes, they catch Lowell, Carew and his daughter all in the last two chapters. And then the book ends. You don't get to see her go to the duke for her inheritance. You don't get to see them married. It just ends with the promise that all of that will happen. I can only assume we will get to see this in the sister's book?

I guess I just felt that after so much buildup between the characters, the entire book being focused on needing money for the estate and her identity, we should have gotten to see those things actually resolved not just the plan to resolve them. I'm not sure how publishing works. Maybe there is a page limit and she got edited down and was unable to include more information. However, she could have definitely eliminated some of the dozens of paragraphs about the journal and the reverend to give her ample room at the end for a better resolution to the story.

Overall: I liked the book. It was easy with just enough angst, and the glimpses of the niece and earl were sweet. I plan on getting her backlist, and reading the sister's book. But I can't say I was wowed.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 07, 2011 Jaime West rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Mercy Franklin, Vicar's Daughter, Orphan and newly appointed Governess at Ashby Estate. Lord Nash, scarred from War, is left to care for his niece, his elders brothers recently dead (in suspicious circumstances) with no money and no idea what to do with a little girl who is scared of him. Nash's comrades work in exchange for there lodging, but know only what War has ingrained into them.
I liked the idea for the story, but found there was not enough groundwork for the relationship between Mercy a...more

like · see review

Mar 08, 2011 Tiffany rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was torn between 2 and 3 stars. I gave it 2 stars because it lacked something. I felt the bulk of the book was repetitive. I cant help but feel the author's original draft came up, more than a few, chapters short of a novel. How many times do we need to be reminded that Mercy was an orphan, or that she didnt want to read her mother's journal?

like · see review

Jun 26, 2012 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

A similiar plot to Jane Austen's Jane Eyre which is one of my favourite books but this story has erotic moments.

I liked it very much and recommend that anyone who likes Jane Eyre to read this one. The heat between the two characters made me just want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen between them.

like · see review

Mar 01, 2011 Stella rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, for-review, historical, romance

I have to admit I did not finish reading this one. The reason for that is more personal that critical: I read about 16% and it was exactly like a steamier retelling of Jane Eyre: down to the way the hero and heroine meet (the heroine startling the hero's horse and thus causing him to fall and injure his ankle), the auster looking manor, the gruff hero, etc.

I did not find it engaging or interesting to read on, so I gave up. There are so many great exciting romances I thought I wouldn't waste mor...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Seducing the Governess
avg rating	preview: Seducing the Governess Goodreads rating: 3.40 (173 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9653854-seducing-the-governess?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1296672128l/9653854.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9653854-seducing-the-governess?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Seducing the Governess by Margo Maguire[/url]

Seducing the Governess (The Regency Sisters)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Margo Maguire

Books by Margo Maguire

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Seducing the Gove...