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A Year of Scandal #6
The Governess Heiress
Hiding from society, heiress Eleanor Hancourt must live as ordinary governess Nell Court to escape her family's scandals. But when the new estate manager arrives, her quiet existence is disrupted. He may be unspeakably arrogant, but he's also irresistible!
Fergus is really the Earl of Barberry, undercover to investigate his own estate. Instead, he discovers the new governess is an illicit temptation, a match that can never be! Yet when Nell's secret inheritance puts her in peril, Fergus will do whatever it takes to save her...
Fergus is really the Earl of Barberry, undercover to investigate his own estate. Instead, he discovers the new governess is an illicit temptation, a match that can never be! Yet when Nell's secret inheritance puts her in peril, Fergus will do whatever it takes to save her...
384 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2017
About the author
Elizabeth Beacon
123 books30 followersELIZABETH BEACON lives in the beautiful English West Country, and is finally putting her insatiable curiosity about the past to good use. Over the years Elizabeth has worked in her family’s horticultural business, become a mature student, qualified as an English teacher, worked as a secretary and, briefly, tried to be a civil servant. She is now happily ensconced behind her computer, when not trying to exhaust her bouncy rescue dog with as many walks as the Inexhaustible Lurcher can finagle. Elizabeth can’t bring herself to call researching the wonderfully diverse, scandalous Regency period and creating charismatic heroes and feisty heroines work, and she is waiting for someone to find out how much fun she is having and tell her to stop it.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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July 24, 2017Miniseries: A Year of Scandal
November 6, 2017
Typically romance books are more self-contained than this one. I really felt like I had to go back and reread the previous book several times to really understand the players and the people who were involved. I'd read the first book long enough ago, and read enough books in between times, that I really felt like I was missing vital pieces.
I liked the story and the characters, but I was annoyed the resolution. I felt like her father had gone to such lengths to preserve the diamonds, it was kind of disrespectful of her to decide to dispose of them so carelessly. I understand that she felt more of an emotional attachment to the broach, but...and "the poor," had not been given much background as a cause in her life. We don't see many episodes of her volunteering her time or her money previously to enrich the lives of the poor, so now, suddenly she cares? I would understand more if she wanted to contribute to the emancipation of women, given her background and her charges -- rather than just generically giving the money to "the poor" who would face tough times ahead, -- a focus on providing a place where women were wanted and educated and promoting that would have echoed where her passions truly were focused. Also, why sell the diamonds to give the money away, why not just give away her money? Her fiance has plenty of it, so she doesn't need her dowry. She doesn't have to reset the diamonds into a single piece, she could divide it up into pieces as an inheritance for her brother's children and her own. It just didn't follow logically for me, particularly after all the fuss over the diamonds and instead of being left with the impression of, "Oh what a sweet story," I was left with questions about how the girls would react to Nell marrying their guardian, how they would take to being a family, and being annoyed over the disposition of the stupid diamonds.
I liked the story and the characters, but I was annoyed the resolution. I felt like her father had gone to such lengths to preserve the diamonds, it was kind of disrespectful of her to decide to dispose of them so carelessly. I understand that she felt more of an emotional attachment to the broach, but...and "the poor," had not been given much background as a cause in her life. We don't see many episodes of her volunteering her time or her money previously to enrich the lives of the poor, so now, suddenly she cares? I would understand more if she wanted to contribute to the emancipation of women, given her background and her charges -- rather than just generically giving the money to "the poor" who would face tough times ahead, -- a focus on providing a place where women were wanted and educated and promoting that would have echoed where her passions truly were focused. Also, why sell the diamonds to give the money away, why not just give away her money? Her fiance has plenty of it, so she doesn't need her dowry. She doesn't have to reset the diamonds into a single piece, she could divide it up into pieces as an inheritance for her brother's children and her own. It just didn't follow logically for me, particularly after all the fuss over the diamonds and instead of being left with the impression of, "Oh what a sweet story," I was left with questions about how the girls would react to Nell marrying their guardian, how they would take to being a family, and being annoyed over the disposition of the stupid diamonds.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2017
Slow paced, cumbersome writing, excessive descriptions of the characters inner thoughts & misgivings. There seemed to be a double standard here. The governess was attracted to the Earl b/c of his manliness and expensive wardrobe yet she didn't want to marry anyone that pursued her based on her fortune. This made her appear shallow. Whereas the Earl was attracted to her skills as a governess and her prim and proper demeanor. He continually teased her and tried to provoke her.
I checked it out at the library. I ended up skimming it. Two stars.
I checked it out at the library. I ended up skimming it. Two stars.
February 25, 2018
So sorry, I wanted to like this. The story is a good one but the writing is a total mess. Could do with some really good editing as it was at times impossible to work out what was being said about whom. I had to abandon it as I literally couldn't read it.
April 5, 2026
the story of the book has nothing to do with my rating. English is my 3rd language so the older english words were kind of hard for me and for that reason i couldn't enjoy the story at all. overall maybe one day i will get back to this book and finish it.
October 23, 2017
3.5* An engaging story of mistaken and hidden identities. Fergus and Nell both have issues in the past with which they have to come to terms. A bit of scandal, a bit of mystery..what's not to like?
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August 24, 2017"Beacon’s second spin-off to her A Year of Scandal series is an entertaining battle between duty and desire. Throw in a pair of stubborn lovers, mistaken identities and lost diamonds, and Beacon has herself another winner" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews).
Miniseries: A Year of Scandal
Miniseries: A Year of Scandal
August 25, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. The heroine was engaging and the hero intriguing.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews