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.

I will read anything Tessa Dare puts out. I absolutely adored The Duchess Deal, the first book in the Girl Meets Duke series and I was not disappointed by The Governess Game. It's full of tropes I love--falling in love beyond class barriers; nannies/governesses; reformed rakes, book nerd heroines--and I was excited in general to read Alex's story. I love all the women in this friend group, and can't wait to read all their stories.

With all that said, I did not love The Governess Game as much as book one in the series, and certainly not as much as other Tessa Dare books (the Spindle Cove and Castles Ever After series will forever remain in my heart). To be honest, I felt more pushed along in the story than immersed in it. Don't get me wrong, I liked the characters fine, and enjoyed their story (and it was also steamy as hell), but I didn't particularly care about them. I also was taken aback by some of the anachronistic modern pop-culture references ("Paint me like one of your French girls"). In general, the pacing of this one felt a little off.

Should you read it? You know, The Governess Game is still a fun, sweet, sexy, quick read, and perfect for any fans of the genre and Tessa Dare in particular. Tessa remains on my autobuy list..

3 1/2 Stars

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication August 28, 2018 by Avon

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