Tag: Georgie Lee

Guest Review: The Cinderella Governess by Georgie Lee

Posted August 22, 2016 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: The Cinderella Governess by Georgie LeeReviewer: Tracy
The Cinderella Governess by Georgie Lee
Series: The Governess Tales #1
Also in this series: The Governess's Secret Baby
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: August 23rd 2016
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Once upon a time…

Joanna Radcliff has always dreamed of the day when she'd become a governess and finally be part of a proper family. Except, instead of a warm welcome, she's given a frosty reception by her employers—and her charges! The only person who pays her any attention is the dashing Major Preston…

Despite their stolen conversations and tantalizing glances in the ballroom, Luke and Joanna know that their stations in life are just too different. But when this Cinderella governess's life is transformed and their roles are reversed, will they risk everything to be together?

Joanna is leaving Madame Dubois’s School for Young Ladies and going off to her first post as a governess.  She is sad to be leaving everything she’s ever known and her friends.  She was left on the doorstep of the school when she was just an infant and was raised there.  Her friends Rachel, Grace and Isabel are also off to their respective posts but they will all be very far away from each other.  Despite this Joanna is secure in her ability to be a wonderful governess to the Huntford children.

Once Joanna gets to the Huntford estate, however, she finds that the Huntford children are ridiculously spoiled and certainly not afraid to be cruel and mean to her.  She does act as chaperone to the eldest daughter, Frances, but she’s a nightmare all on her own.  She is acting as chaperone at a ball at a neighboring estate when she meets Luke.  She’s not quite sure how to tell him that she’s a governess so they have a wonderful conversation before Frances quickly puts Joanna in her place and lets Luke know that Joanna is far beneath him and should not be spoken to.

Luke has been brought home from the Army against his will.  He has worked his way up the ranks and loves what he does.  His family, however, needs him home so that he can marry and produce an heir, even though he isn’t the heir.  His older brother Edward is the heir but he and his wife haven’t been able to conceive in the 10 years they’ve been married The family fears the family name will die out if Luke doesn’t come up to snuff.  To save he’s peeved about this is a huge understatement and he wants nothing more than to go back to the army.

Once Luke meets Joanna he can’t get her out of his head.  He knows that she’s wholly inappropriate and that his family will never approve of the match as they need him to marry someone with money but he can’t keep himself away.  When Joanna learns of who her family is – Luke thinks he may have a chance but he didn’t count on Joanna’s grandfather and his hatred of Luke’s family to get in the way.

This was an entertaining story.  There weren’t any surprises in the story as the reader pretty much can guess what will happen.  Despite that it was a sweet romance.  I loved how Luke came to love Joanna despite her station in life.  He tried to turn from her a couple of times as he knew his family wouldn’t approve but he just couldn’t do it. He was a pretty stand-up guy, and loyal to his family, so going against their wishes was a pretty big thing.

Joanna had had a good life at the school.  No, she didn’t have parents and had no idea who they were but she couldn’t say that she wasn’t provided for.  When her true family comes for her she is thrilled but she’s so used to doing things that everyone else wants her to do that it’s hard to stand up for herself and what she wants.  That includes wanting Luke and believing that he wants her too.  She’s too afraid of angering her grandfather to tell him how she truly feels until a bit of sage advice from a trusted friend.  I was happy all was worked out in the end as I love my HEA’s.  No, the story didn’t hold any surprises and was predictable but it was still a good one in the end.

Rating: 3.5.out of 5

three-half-stars

1 Comment

Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Guest Review: A Too Convenient Marriage by Georgie Lee

Posted January 19, 2016 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: A Too Convenient Marriage by Georgie LeeReviewer: Tracy
A Too Convenient Marriage by Georgie Lee
Series: Business of Marriage #2
Publisher: Harlequin Historical
Publication Date: January 19, 2016
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Late one night, Susanna Lambert, the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Rockland, bursts uninvited into a stranger's carriage, turning both their worlds upside down. Suddenly, fun-loving Justin Connor finds himself forced to consider marriage!

For Susanna, marrying Justin is a chance to finally escape her cruel stepmother and forget about the rake who ruined her. But as wedding bells begin to chime, Susanna discovers she's carrying a huge secret…one that could turn to dust all promises of happiness as Justin's wife!

Susanna is the illegitimate daughter of a Duke and wants nothing more than to get out of his house! She was raised by her mother who loved her dearly and never hesitated to show her. Her maternal grandmother was also quite loving. Everyone else in her life – was disdainful and mean. Once her mother died, Susanna moved to her father’s house with his wife and 2 children and was treated like a piece of furniture only with more disdain. When Susanna suddenly meets Justin Connor she sees a way out. She can marry him and they can have a marriage of convenience. She may not get the love and family she’s always wanted but she wouldn’t have to live with her step-family any longer.

Justin is trying to start a business as a wine merchant and he sees an attachment to the Duke of Rockland as a good thing. He is under the impression that marrying Susanna will get him connections through her father so he accepts the terms of the marriage contract and marries her. Of course he doesn’t realize that Susanna is already pregnant by another man when he does so. Susanna had tried to tell him before the wedding but Justin didn’t want to hear about any other men.

As the marriage goes on they get the business off of the ground and do well. They also fall in love and have a wonderful marriage – that is until Justin finds out about the pregnancy and is so angry the marriage might be done for good.

I know that secret babies are always a good story trope but I can’t say that I love when the people are together and the woman doesn’t tell the man. I mean, yes, when she tried to tell him he told her he didn’t want to hear about any other man, but come on! She should have spit it out at some point. Did she think he’d never know? Really? Ugh. Of course once Justin found out I didn’t particular care for the way he handled things. He realized that he had told her he didn’t want to know but that didn’t make him happier. I guess their love was too new but frankly if you love someone you should love them unconditionally.

Now, that being said, I liked the rest of the book. Yes, things happened quickly and it was a fast moving story but it was engaging. The author also made me feel sad for Susanna’s predicament prior to marrying Justin and despite Justin’s douchiness after the pregnancy discovery I really liked him. Yes, he may have gone into the marriage for all the wrong reasons but he did try his best with Susanna and because of that found the love of his life.

The story kept my attention and was a great marriage of convenience/secret baby book.

Rating: 3.75/4 out of 5

three-half-stars

0 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Guest Review: Mask of the Gladiator by Georgie Lee

Posted February 2, 2012 by Ames in Reviews | 0 Comments

Ames’ review of Mask of the Gladiator by Georgie Lee.

Rome, 41 AD

Livia Duronius is driven to seek out a gladiator after watching him triumph in the Colosseum. His touch arouses a sense of hope she hasn’t felt since Rome fell under the tyrannical rule of Caligula—and her late husband betrayed her. Though in danger of losing more than her heart, she vows to see him again, even after she learns her uncle has arranged her marriage to a senator.

Senator Titus Marius cannot resist indulging in a passionate encounter with the veiled woman who waits for him after the games, though he faces execution if his true identity is discovered. Bound by honor to wed another, and embroiled in a plot to free Rome from madness, he never expects to see the mystery woman again.

When the fates reunite them in the marriage bed, Titus vows to protect Livia at all costs—even from the lecherous eyes of the emperor…

There was a good story here, but I felt that it suffered because of it’s short length.

Livia Duronius is a widow – and her uncle is trying to marry her off. After her husband betrayed her before his death, Livia cannot trust men again. She finds the men of the upperclass to be cowards who talk big but their actions show their true feelings. So she doesn’t want to be shackled to a coward.

One day when she goes to see the Games, she’s intrigued by her primal response to the fierce gladiator in the arena. She decides to offer him a reward after his bout, a financial reward, but things quickly spiral out of control and before you know it, she’s been thoroughly seduced! Titus and Livia both keep their faces concealed from the other, for Livia it’s her reputation on the line, and for Titus, it is his life. A Roman senator cannot be a gladiator. But Titus is working to overthrow the tyrant Caligula.

Both are thrown by their meeting – Livia doubly so because she is being forced to marry and she knows she can never see the gladiator in private again. Titus as well is going to be married and fears he will never see his mystery woman again.

All right. Obviously from the blurb Titus and Livia are going to marry each other. One their first official meeting, Titus quickly realizes that Livia is his mystery woman, but Livia has no clue. And Titus wants to tell her but in his plot to overthrow Caligula, he’s not sure he can trust Livia. Livia is afraid to marry Titus because she doesn’t want another sniveling weakling for a husband. But Titus talks a good game and she feels that she can trust him, that he will stand up for her and protect her from the emperor.

Like I said above, there’s a good story here but I felt that things would have been a bit smoother with some more length. Livia and Titus have an explosive first meeting, but I don’t believe the emotion they’re feeling for the other right from the get go. They’re strangers. And then Livia goes from not wanting to marry Titus to marrying him in the next chapter. I wish there had been some inner dialog to explain why she’d marry him despite her fears. Despite the length, I foudn this to be an enjoyable read and I do look forward to reading more from the author.

3 out of 5

This book is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here.

0 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , ,