A Very Unusual Governess

by Sylvia Andrew

Edward Barraclough's happy bachelor existence is thrown into a spin when he is forced to look after his two orphaned nieces. Employing the right governess is vital. Miss Petrie has the girls' support, while he has reservations. Unassuming and a little dowdy she may appear, but Edward suspects she's neither so humble nor respectful underneath!

Independently wealthy Lady Octavia Petrie is on the verge of confessing that Edward has mistaken her for someone else. In a moment of sheer madness, prompted by his cynical attitude, she finds herself accepting the temporary position. From Lady to simple Miss—what has she let herself in for?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency, Harlequin

298 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Sylvia is a great reader, whose preference in fiction is for thrillers and historical romances. She married Simon Andrew, the boy next door, and they have one daughter, Catherine, who is married and works in London. Catherine lives in Maidenhead quite near the river, and they have a small house in Normandy, which they visit whenever they can. They are great travelers — from a shopping weekend in Paris to a three week tour of Vietnam on a bicycle!

They both took early retirement and now live in the West Country with their dog and cat. Simon is an active town councillor in Crewkerne, and very well-known there. Until Sylvia retired she was busy to write, Teaching full-time as vice principal of a large comprehensive sixth form college, while also running a house and a family didn't really give her much time. She never attempted to have anything published before she sent in her first historical romance to Mills & Boon, in the days when the series was called "Masquerade." She was somewhat flabbergasted — though absolutely delighted — when it was accepted. Perdita first appeared in 1991, and she is still surprised at the idea of herself as a writer.

Reviews

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh! A potential 4* but rounding it off to 2.5* just for making me angrier and angrier, and then not leaving me any better at the end.
I think an uplifting ending, a satisfactory or timely wrap up or a good grovel is what adds or takes away from a book.

I was in mood for governesses and so was juggling two governess books these past two days. This one and Lord John's Dilemma. Both books have hs as governess, hs who don't really need to work as they are actually heiresses and daughters of earls. While the other h is on the run from an evil guardian, this one starts governessing as a lark after being mistaken for one.
And yes, they are both petite.

Pace wise, plot wise, characters wise and writing wise, this seemed a superior book. And it was rolling out to be a really good story.
The author has built detailed backgrounds for both the h/H (22/30).
The H, Edward Barraclough's family, though genteel/noble are not titled but are enormously wealthy (especially the youngest son, the H) with their Antigua and banking connections. While his two brother and their families live in Antigua, he prefers London.
The h, Octavia Petrie comes from an old and very well connected noble family, her father being an earl and her older sisters married well, respectively - to a duke, a marquis and a count. The h, youngest of 8 children (with an elderly widowed father) has recently inherited an estate with a house, Wychford from an eccentric aunt. The place is near London and she's rented it to the Barracloughs, a family from Antigua who are coming to England for a daughter's come-out.

The book actually opens on Edward - quite pleased with his life as a wealthy, carefree bachelor and commiserating with a recently engaged friend. His 'baser' needs being seen to by the lovely Louise, his mistress, he sees no need to marry - ever.

As it happens, his oldest brother and wife die and it's left to the (childless) middle brother Henry and wife Julia to accompany the two girls, 17 yo sweetly biddable Lisette and 10 yo energetic Pip to England. Then, Julia breaks her leg and the girls are sent to Edward to settle till Julia and Henry join them in 6-8 weeks.
Edward is furious at this upsetting of his life, bachelor fun morelike, much as he loves his nieces.*eyeroll* He rents Wychford for six months and takes the girls there along with their formidably dour governess, Mrs. Froom. The governess as you can foretell gets the boot after one too many transgressions against the irrepressible Pip.

Meanwhile, not knowing that the Barracloughs are already in residence, Octavia sets out to see her inheritance and see if any changes/repairs are needed before the tenants arrive. And gets mistaken for a person applying for the newly vacant post. She tries to clear the misconception (not too hard) but then somehow agrees to the job.
Why you may ask? Maybe because she's tired of looking after her demanding father, her 22 yo spinsterly existence seems lacking or she falls in love with the two orphan girls - and their uncle?
The H is intrigued by the pretty, opinionated and dauntless governess who doesn't really act like a typical governess. But the girls adore her. Lisette comes out of her quiet melancholia and Pip finally finds affection and moorings.

Many escapades and incidences fill the first half and the books flows easily.
As also a secondary romance.
Harry, the youngest Petrie son also comes a-visiting. One look at Lisette and he's besotted. So much so, he agrees to give up his commission in the Army, a demand made by his family but one which he never heeded before. As Arthur, the oldest Petrie son and heir has 5 daughters but no sons, Harry is his heir presumptive - apparent almost as the wife cannot bear more children. Harry and Lisette's romance also gets entangled in the h's said subterfuge, and he introduces himself as Harry Smith. The H remains unaware of this Harry/Lisette development but this is not the only hindrance. A mysterious and supposed ex-fiancé from Antigua (a Ricardo Arandez) also puts a shadow on the romance. Another long story.

Second half is when Julia lands in London. Julia is another Mrs. Froom like character and moreover is jealous of the attention and deference Octavia gets. She sets to do mischief and becomes successful. In a (first but not last) jumping of guns, Edward heaps biting accusations on Octavia's head and she leaves without telling the whole truth about herself.
Loving the girls as she does, she sets out to make their lives better, even from afar - arranging a nice governess for Pip and planning to make Lisette's season a success. For this, she takes help of her eldest sister, the duchess of Monteith, Augusta/ Gussie.
When the h/H meet again, he's already gleaned the truth about her true background and remains suspicious and cutting in his interactions as he cannot forgive her making a fool of him.
Actually there's no satisfying this fellow. But at least Julia is won over by the h's true identity and they become friends/friendly.
The whole story has a run of about seven months in 17 chapters.

Also, Wychford. The house is presented as a living thing with feelings and opinions, and certainly saves the day more than once. And of course, the dead aunt/'witch' was matchmaking from beyond the grave. I don't know how I feel about this paranormal element.

After this (not so) basic plot introduction, let me tell you about the few things that I disliked/ hated/ barfed over
I don't mind an alphahole and he may do his worst and keep 'active' mistresses but he/ the author should know when to stop moving full sail and turn the boat around. Many a H begin this way, seemingly commitment-phobic but know when to reform. But this one turns out to more rigid than most and this ruined the book for me.
“he would not think of marrying Octavia Petrie! He had never liked the Cinderella story.”

In a 'normal' book, the H gets smitten by the h and the mistress gets the congè/ boot after a while - i.e. in the first few chapters, midway or not later than 60%ish of way. But our man here doesn't drop Louise (thankfully off-pages) till the end of the penultimate chapter And that too weeks after the h has given up on him and gone away.
Apart from the 'when' of dropping the ow, my strongest peeve is when a good long kiss or a passionate cinch with a h doesn't make the H to stop sleeping with the ow. Here even after three such 'incidents', he doesn't give up the mistress. She seems 'boringly possessive' now but that doesn't stop him from “plunging into a determined round of pleasure.” So, he's lusting about two women and confusing the two in his mind as well? Let's be realistic.

Worse? Just before the h leaves, they both kinda accept that what they have is love! That only makes him act worse as the man-boy doesn't wish to be domesticated and end his fun perhaps. She leaves and he gets more determinedly dissolute. He stopped being a hero to me here.

Okay, another thing that occurs to me and maybe I should mention it. The mistress is never mentioned between the two. The H isn't aware that she even knows about Louise. Louise is mentioned in the h's presence once in the beginning by Pip and later after the breakup, by Julia (in chapter 16)
- “ he is spending a fortune on that…that harpy of his!”
And at the end too, he never mentions how he has dumped his mistress. And she too keeps mum and just warmly embraces the 'returning hero'. So, I wonder if the h is the 'accepting sort' if you know what I mean. Like a true Regency Miss?
Just to be persnickety - he never says he'll never look at another woman ever again. Yes, she's the one etc. but not that.

Okay. Barf-worthy? Chapter 14 - He finds her 40 yo sister attractive and wonders how "in other circumstances, he would have spent an enjoyable hour or two's flirtation with the Duchess of Monteith” and the duchess recognizes the look. So, a silent communication happens that the innocent h, standing right there, is unaware of. All this might have been couched in 'of course not now' because of the h etc. but! The sister (of the open marriage) is actually a good sort, by the way but that doesn't make it any better.

As a reader, reading and imagining a book and characters as 'real', we won't be privy to their future and for us 'hea' and their love/devotion is but faith - and also depends on the behavior of the mcs especially in the later part and the last scenes. I always find myself picking the littlest nuances and this guy here puts out big red flags.
So, but for the 'few things' that sunk the book and my mood, I was kinda enjoying it. :/

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros: The budding romance between our leads when Octavia was a governess, as well as the supernatural element involving the house.

Cons: Unfortunately, this book, along with many others, chose to drag out the misunderstanding caused by Octavia's deception, but what's worse is that the hero downright refused to consider marriage - not because he isn't in love, but because he doesn't want to give up his bachelorhood. It takes a climatic scene with the villain (*rolls eyes*) to wake him up to marriage and love, but that is very rushed and somewhat unrealistic.

Verdict: A good read when you're bored and have the patience to deal with a boorish hero, or the inclination to start skimming through the pages to the end.

[LadyAileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

La strega di Wychford è un romance autoconclusivo ambientato nel 1820 che vede protagonisti La Contessa Octavia Petrie e il tenebroso Edward Barraclough. Edward ha appena affittato una casa dove stare con le sue nipotine rimaste orfane nell'attesa che arrivi sua cognata a prendersene cura. Per un equivoco Octavia proprietaria della casa viene scambiata per un'istitutrice e finisce per accettare l'incarico.
La storia sicuramente ha parecchi cliché e sa tanto di già visto ma resta comunque una lettura piacevole.
Mi piace leggere libri in cui il protagonista maschile deve prendersi cura di qualche bambino (vedovo o tutore come in questo caso), il problema è che molte autrici spesso non sono in grado di caratterizzarlo in maniera realistica (nei discorsi che fanno il più delle volte sembrano più grandi dell'età che hanno) invece in questo caso l'autrice è stata brava a rendere Pip (dolce ma un vero terremoto.)
Cosa interessante è che il protagonista maschile stavolta non è un nobile ma comunque ricco e rispettato. Peccato però che inizia a comportarsi con una testardaggine assurda (Si accorge di amare la protagonista ma per non perdere il suo status di scapolo non vuole sposare Octavia.)
Octavia è interessante anche se credo si faccia un po' troppe paturnie per un paio di baci scambiati con l'affittuario.
Il livello di sensualità è davvero bassissimo. Anche il finale è il solito cliché, il protagonista si rende conto di voler stare con la protagonista quando crede che sta per perderla. Il "cattivo" che per gran parte del romanzo si è solo sentito nominare, balza fuori nell'ultima parte del romanzo solo per spingere il protagonista a capitolare.
Leggerei qualche altro libro di quest'autrice solo se la trama dovesse rispecchiare i miei gusti.

[Vidya Palepu · Rating 2 out of 5]

My middle-aged aunt recommended me this book and I don't fault her for indulging in this kind of escapism. This book is littered with Regency Romance clichés but it was fun to read nonetheless.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars ~ In this pleasant romance, Lady Octavia has inherited a country estate from her godmother, and desperate for a break from her family she decides to inspect her inheritance. When she arrives, there's a delightful young girl climbing trees. Seems the new tenants for the Autumn have arrived, only this child seems to think Lady Octavia is to be her new governess. Lord Edward has accompanied his nieces to the countryside, after his brother and sister-in-law have been detained in the West Indies. Lisette has just turned 16 and is ready to be introduced to society, and Phillipa is the 10 year old tree climber, who sweeps Octavia into the house to meet her uncle. Edward too assumes Octavia is there for the position of governess, and something in Octavia keeps her from correcting his assumption. Before she knows it she's agreed to the position for two months. Edward doesn't give the new governess much thought but he does notice she's got an air about her unlike any governess he'd met before. The girls and Octavia get on famously and soon even Edward finds he enjoys spending time with them all. He's disconcerted by his attraction and growing affection, and is greatly relieved when his sister-in-law arrives to take charge. Julia takes an instant dislike to the Octavia, and discredits her to Edward, forcing Octavia to leave. When they all arrive in London for the beginning of the Season, Edward finds that Octavia has used her influences to make Lisette a social success. Now her identity well known, even Julia is happy to have Lady Octavia take an interest in the girls. No longer a hired governess, Octavia is completely free to have her opinions as Edward finds out.

There is a great deal of narrative in this story which tended to slow the pace. Ms. Andrew made the country house a character with a changing personality depending on the moods of the residents. This was a charming device. It's obvious to Octavia that Edward adores his nieces. Edward is surprised that he actually is enjoying his time in the country. Their common caring for the girls brings them closer, and their attraction grows. The pacing picks up considerably when they go on to London, and there is a threat from an undesirable suitor for Lisette.

[Lori Long · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book, the author repeated too much information. Some of the characters in this book were very likable, but I really didn't care much for the Hero. He continued to see his mistress well into the book, and did not want to give up his bachelor status even though he had told the heroine that he loved her.

In the last part of the book, it seemed more like the author was summarizing new parts of the story. Then in the last 2 pages, the hero decides that he cannot live without her, and she accepts him after just a few (literally, a few) minutes of grovel. I think she should have kicked him to the curb.

What I liked most about this book, however, was the animation of the house. It smiled, laughed, looked dark and sad, and punished people who deserved it.

[Zouaghi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Unusual Governess is exactly what you hope a Harlequin will be — light and quietly dramatic, with just the right touch of conflict, a spirited side character, a dash of spice, and an enchanted house.
Soft, simple, and a little magical. I genuinely enjoyed it.

[Debbie Dodd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading.

[Kasandra See · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique. As a lady becomes a governess unintentionally but done a good job for her charges.

[Maram · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of regency cliches and an annoying ml to boot.

[Patrizia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una lettura leggera e divertente. Ovviamente non un capolavoro, ma una storia molto ben scritta, con personaggi coerenti e senza strafalcioni storici o linguistici.

[Linda C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edward Barraclough's bachelor lifestyle is disrupted when his sister breaks her leg and is unable to accompany his nieces from the West Indies. The girls arrive safely under the auspices of another traveling party, but are now his responsibility. The hired governess proves a terror and is dismissed. The girls have been promised a 6 month stay at a friend's manor in the country although the friend has passed away and a niece now owns the estate. They decide to go there a week early and look for a new governess to get the older girl ready for her season. Olivia Petrie, new owner of the manor is also on her way there to make the manor ready. When Edward mistakes Olivia for a governess, his cynical attitude and her desire to stay away from home for 2 months to give her father and his lady neighbor a chance to further their relationship, prompt her to accept the temporary position. Of course, Edward will meet Olivia again under her real status in London and there is a nasty character from the girls' past who shows up to give the story drama. Well done.

[Sabrina (Soter) Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lei alzò gli occhi e sorrise. Per un attimo lui scordò la musica, gli altri ballerini, dimenticò tutto quello che non fosse l'incanto di averla tra le braccia.
«Octavia» mormorò."

Una storia davvero carinissima, la prima parte alla "Jane Eyre" molto scorrevole con i due protagonisti che imparano a conoscersi e si avvicinano nella magica casa che sorride ai suoi ospiti XD Insieme a loro le due nipoti, la vivace Pip e la dolce Lisette (che troverà il primo e unico amore! ;D) alle quali la nostra lady si affezionerà moltissimo tanto che anche nella seconda parte, quando svelata la sua identità e rientrata nel bel mondo, mentre il rapporto con l'affascinante (ex) padrone sembra destinato ad un disastro, sarà l'interesse per le due ragazze a riavvicinare i due innamorati! ;D Sul finale poi c'è anche un bel colpo di scena, con un cacciatore di dote respinto e furibondo che diventa violento e da la spintarella finale alla storia d'amore, con la tanto sospirata dichiarazione! *ç*

[Maggie Hesseling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes you find yourself in the most unusual situations. Like, being the owner of a house and finding yourself the governess to one of your tenants. But who could have been better than this level headed woman? She's kind and warm too. A full package, that Edward doesn't know what has hit him when he starts paying attention to Octavia.

warm and fun, you'll laugh at Pip's antics and Edwards attempt to get some control over himself and the situation.

[Christelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

C'était une histoire relativement divertissante (une jeune lady qui se fait passer pour la gouvernante de deux jeunes filles arrivant à Londres sous la tutelle de leur séduisant oncle) mais j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait quelques longueurs et que l'obstacle principal au rapprochement des deux héros (le refus ferme du héros de se marier et de renoncer à son statut de célibataire) était un peu léger.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lady who is also a landlord, is mistaken for a governess and stays on in the post because 1) its a lark 2) it gets her out from under her father's thumb and 3) her "employer"/"tenant" is cute (and unmarried).

No suprises.

[Zette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book even though there were a few corny moments when I rolled my eyes a little :0) I like to read clean romances and this did not cross my invisible line so I will be looking for more books by Sylvia Andrew.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say, I like romances sometimes.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. Highly recommend it!

[Terrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story, but it's in desperate need of a good editor.

[Usagi Tsukino · Rating 1 out of 5]

Because of the sh*tty book I have read prior to this, I was not in the mood to read another abominable book, so I didn't even bothered to finish (or even go past chapter one) this.
Did not finish.

[gwen_is_ reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not loose myself in these characters, could not like Edward.

[Emily]

Very entertaining

Good story line with interesting characters...quick and easy reads. Looking forward to more from this author. Although it wrapped up rather quickly all ends were neatly tied up.