Rules of Engagement

Governess Brides #3

by Christina Dodd

The Rules of Engagement:

Choose a bride from this year's debutantes.
Decide on a proper settlement.
Send an announcement to The Times.
Inform the bride of her good fortune.

Rules of Respectability

Devon Mathewes, earl of Kerrich, has a plan that is sure to restore him to the Queen's favor.First, he must hire a sensible, unattractive governess. Next, he will see to adopting a properly grateful orphan, which will surely lend him a patina of respectability. Finally, he must obtain a guarantee that his orphan and the governess will better his character and reputation without unduly disturbing his life--love life or otherwise.

Rules of Passion

As a condition of accepting the governess position, Miss Pamela Lockhart of the Distinguished Academy of Governesses has a few rules of her own. Devon at all times must behave with propriety, an unlikely accomplishment that would delight the ton and completely astonish Pamela herself. She must be allowed to choose a suitable orphan at her own discretion. Most important, Devon must vow to neverever delve into Pamela's background, or her appearance, lest he discover the truth behind the deepest secrets of her heart. But of course, all rules are made to be broken . . .

Rules of Engagement

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Regency, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Victorian

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Upcoming:
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.

(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )

Reviews

[Vintage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where the last hero in My Favorite Bride was a good man, but a bad hero, here we have a bad man (rake) who is a great hero. When we first meet the H he is arrogantly demanding the Agency to find him an orphan that will make him look respectable, and a Governess old enough and plain enough that won’t fall in love with His Awesomeness. He is so tired of coming home to find naked women in his bed. He plans to coldly ditch the orphan as soon as he proves his respectability to a young Queen Victoria. His coldness lasts about three pages although thankfully he maintains enough arrogance and charm to stay interesting.

The heroine happily disguises herself to look downright ugly and middle-aged since she’s a man-hater. The H reminds her all too much of her philandering father that broke her mother’s heart. Some nice banter where the h tries to reform the H in regard to the female orphan she brings home in defiance of his request for a boy.

There are some amusing scenes with the H’s charming grandfather and the usual shallow social butterflies that exist in fictional upper crust British society, and there is a mystery over counterfeit money concerning the H’s bank that has to be solved. The mystery/suspense angle is a little phoned in and bland. All in all an okay story, but the four stars are for the hero and to some extent the heroine. She’s strong and feisty and fights for her orphan girl who wins the H’s heart as does the heroine, but the hero wins the book as he simply can not keep his cold facade up or his desire for a loveless society marriage once he falls for the heroine. In a nice touch, he actually is attracted to her before her disguise comes off.

The romance/sex scenes are pretty incendiary without too much insert tab A.

And, we have one of the better proposals in romance fiction.

[Alba Turunen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Estrellitas. Al igual que el anterior libro, he quedado muy satisfecha con ésta historia y el estreno con las Institutrices me está gustando mucho.

"Comprometida" es el segundo libro de la serie Institutrices de Christina Dodd, y en él tenemos como protagonista a Pamela Lockhart, la jefa de la Distinguida Academia de Institutrices.

El negocio empieza a marchar justo cuando una de las fundadoras, Charlotte, se casa. Así que solo quedan Pamela y Hannah y el poco personal de la casa. Es final de mes y Pamela acaba de cobrar el salario que les permitirá vivir el mes siguiente; pero de camino a casa la atracan llevándose toda su ganancia.

La situación es desesperada y si quieren seguir manteniendo la academia necesitan dinero. Su salvación vendrá de la mano de Devon, lord Kerrich, un calavera disoluto que necesita redimirse de cara a la joven reina si quiere ser aceptado socialmente (y que un vergonzoso secreto sobre él no se sepa).

A Lord Kerrich, para dar la imagen de respetabilidad, lo único que se le ocurre es adoptar a un huérfano, y contratar a una institutriz, lo más vieja, fea y severa que pueda. De éste modo, Pamela ideará un disfraz y dará el pego de mujer imperturbable para no ser una de las muchas que caen rendidas ante lord Kerrich.

Lo sorprendente será cuando Pamela aparezca con la pequeña y adorable Beth, que hará que caigan las defensas de lord Kerrich.

Cierto es que en principio lord Kerrich se sentirá engañado, él quería un niño, no una niña. Además, la vieja, fea y severa institutriz le discute todo lo que dice y no se deja avasallar por él, y por mucho que le pese, lord Kerrich no sabe por qué le intriga esa fea mujer y lo que esconde bajo sus ropas y su aspecto.

Pamela también tiene mucho que ocultar de cara a la sociedad, pues también tuvo un pasado y lord Kerrich estuvo en él. Por eso es tan importante que él no la reconozca.

La verdad que las conversaciones de los protagonistas te mantienen en vilo y son de lo mejor de la novela. Quizás por eso lo he visto tan parecido al primer libro, su punto fuerte son sus personajes y cómo chocan, sus conversaciones y ésa química palpable en cada frase.

Ninguno de los protagonistas quiere enamorarse, ni mucho menos. Pamela sólo quiere una vida tranquila y sin estrecheces y dedicarse a lo que más le gusta, la enseñanza y los niños. Hace años que no sueña con el amor, desde que su padre destrozó su vida. Por su parte, lord Kerrich piensa igual, no quiere una esposa y lleva una vida licenciosa que le gusta, de hecho, sólo espera que la adopción del huérfano y la institutriz sea temporal; cuando se restablezca su respetabilidad podrá despedir a la institutriz y al huérfano buscarle algún trabajo en su casa o en el banco de su familia.

Pero la relación será más complicada, la niña, Beth, en seguida se meterá en el corazón de los protagonistas, y la autora complicará la trama metiendo un problema en el banco de la familia de lord Kerrich, alguien les está robando y parece apuntar a su propia familia.

La trama en general está bien trazada y elaborada. El libro se lee solo y el romance me ha gustado bastante. Quizás lord Kerrich es algo canalla para mi gusto y me habría gustado verle algo más humillado o calzonazos. Pero no puede pedirse todo.

Ahora, me he quedado con ganas de conocer la historia de Hannah, la tercera amiga fundadora de la academia, y los siguientes libros, que imagino que serán de las chicas que están formando para convertirse en institutrices.

[kilty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining hero who was a parody of himself!

If your mind needs a vacation, your heart needs a skip.. read this book for an eye-rolling, lip-quirking, 'detach-your-brain sensual' experience (usually an oxymoron in my dictionary).

What kept the pages moving was the constant itch to push the hero down from the lofty heights of his inflated self-importance but luckily this sentiment was echoed by the other characters in the book such as the heroine, the h's governess friend, the kid H adopted (sort of), H's grandfather, the Queen, the butler, the dog.. infact if his mirror could speak, it would crack! just to say, give me a break from all the preening, will you?

The story was about the ridiculous plan that the H devised to gain respectability as unlike his gentlemen peers who were married and had only one mistress, he was single and liked to sleep around.. although it was his sincere belief that he was a human deity spreading his favors to his favorite subjects or should I say objects...women! So he decided to 'temporarily' adopt a kid, specifically a boy whom he could 'respectably' take with him to the races & fights.. and also hired a governess to take care of the kid, specifically a plain, older spinster who didn't dare desire him like every other woman he had known! (are you rolling your eyes yet?) Only the boy he adopts turned out to be a girl and the plain spinster governess was ofcourse our beautiful heroine. Now the heroine herself didn't much care for posturing, vain men who appreciated her for her outer beauty which certainly ruled out the shallow-as-a-puddle-after-a-drizzle hero...only, he doesn't initially see through her plain-old-spinster disguise and yet ends up kissing the heroine in an I-tripped-on-my-giant-ego-and-fell-on-her-lips moment (ergo! a satisfying kiss for us to read)

There were other minor "revelations" (the first time the H met the h) and even a parallel suspense plot probably to elevate the H's status from a pouting big boy to a responsible adult.. yes! you can skip through these pages..thats not what endears him to us, atleast not to me. You see, there were times when I found myself laughing with the hero and not just at him for despite his idiotic ways there was a certain charm and mischief that appealed to my "inner-child" even if it meant dealing with a certain amount of embarrassment..just like the hero! By the way, he does take his adopted child to the races and loses to her in the betting pool:)

Forgettable but fun.. my first book by Dodd, will probably read a few more before I form a decided opinion about the author's style of writing.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the first book in the Governess series, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. However, this second book is much improved upon the first. In fact, Dodd seems to have avoided most of the pitfalls that caused her first book in this series to fall flat.

The heroine has both wit and humor, which makes for an enjoyable read. Her interactions with Beth made the orphan plot work throughout the novel, without bogging down the romantic story. Furthermore, she's written to honestly be the hero's equal, able to stand toe-to-toe with him and give as good as she gets. She is no chess piece, to be moved around and manipulated as the hero sees fit; rather, she is very much a mistress of her own destiny. Her determination to earn money to support the Governess School causes her to compromise her scruples and make decisions she recognizes she'll regret, but even still, she remains sympathetic, and the moment of realization in terms of her regret over this moral compromise shines through.

The hero is arrogant and conceited, but Dodd cleverly uses supporting characters (first the grandfather, then gradually the orphan, Beth, as well) to show his softer side. In doing so, the hero becomes more engaging, his romantic progression more compelling. Too often, authors write this archetypal hero as being TOO self-centered, TOO arrogant, without giving this glimpse into the softer side of him, leaving the audience to wonder why we should want to root for him to end up with the heroine at the end. Dodd deftly avoids falling into that pitfall here, so even when the hero is at his MOST insufferable, the reader is given cause to want to root for his happy ending.

That said, the story has its flaws. The sub-plot is a convenient mechanism to weave the grandfather into the story, which improves the hero's character, but isn't terribly interesting and wasn't woven throughout the novel as well as it might have been. Though in retrospect, it seems to have been mentioned fairly frequently throughout the book, the only real progress made in solving the "mystery" seems to happen very late in the book. Dodd is rather perfunctory in dealing with the counterfeit plot and wipes her hands of it as quickly as possible. However, the author cleverly takes advantage of societal assumptions and stereotypes that were prevalent at the time period this book was set.

I will say that the story does seem to go on a little longer than it should. The hero's preoccupation with a childhood embarrassment was a little ridiculous, his rush to judgment at the end seemingly done for no reason other than to add a little needless angst. Similarly, the heroine's aversion to going before the ton and the Queen was absurd - even trite, done for no other reason than to justify the hero stripping her. (She was so incredibly worried that the ton would remember her family history and use it to mock her that I was left wondering why she hadn't been using a false surname all along, to avoid ANYONE she met making the connection.) It was, again, needless angst that dragged the story on a bit longer than necessary.

There is also a suggestion of "kidnapping" thrown in at the end - which normally wouldn't have even registered with me, except that the author's reliance on it in the first novel was one thing that left a bad taste in my mouth. I would have been perfectly happy if it had not been suggested as a viable alternative (even if it was quickly shot down) in this novel.

However, all in all, it was an enjoyable read. It may not be the strongest piece of romance fiction out there (maybe not even the best work this author has done, though I'll wait until I re-read her other work to judge), but it was LEAGUES above the first novel in this series.

[SidneyKay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes 18 years shows its age.

Isn’t it funny how some books age well and some books don’t? Have you sometimes questioned your taste? Have you sometimes asked yourself – did I really like books like this? In the overall scheme of things and the overall history of books, 18 years isn’t such a long time. But in the case of Rules of Engagement, 18 years is a long long time. As I read this book I harkened back to the romance books from the 1970s and as much as I love the unique world of Romanceland and have some fond memories of a few of the old books, I have learned to put to put them in their historical perspective. In fact, I would probably have a real hard time making it through Sweet Savage Love if it were published brand new today.

So, I reread Christina Dodd’s Rules of Engagement, and I must have read it in 2000 because she used to be one of my auto-buys – until she turned to the dark side and began writing contemporary. I must have liked it when I first read it, but this time around I didn’t and I can tell you the reason in one word – Kerrich – what a bonehead hero.

The whole problem, or as we say in the business, the reason for our couple to be together, is as follows: Kerrich has made a young Queen Victoria mad. She wants him to be respectable, so for some reason this selfish guy thinks that he will borrow an orphan and pretend to adopt that child. This will show what a wonderful guy he is and then he’ll be back in Victoria’s good graces and he’ll be able to…what will he be able to do? I have no idea. What being back in the Queen’s good graces would do for him I have no idea. Besides that, once his graces were restored his intention was to put the orphan back in the orphanage – I guess the Queen would not question that or ask – where’s that child you were showing off a few weeks ago?

Anyway, he hires an ugly governess. She’s really not ugly, she’s in the world famous Romanceland ugly-disguise. The reason he wants an ugly governess is because he’s tired of pretty women falling in love with him. What a conceited moron. I guess “ugly” women don’t feel. So he hires a governess who used to be a beautiful aristocrat, Pamela Lockhart – in fact she was so beautiful that a young Kerrich fell in love with her, followed her around until one night he lost his balance and was hanging upside down outside her bedroom window with his winky-dink hanging out. He was embarrassed. Anyway her disguise is so good, he doesn’t recognize her. She recognizes him though. And that’s just the beginning. Thrown into the mix of the conceited-bonehead-adopt-an-orphan plot is a suspense story about a counterfeiting ring – I use the term suspense loosely. Besides the wise Victoria and her noble husband Albert, there is the standard wise-beyond-her-years adorable orphan and a know-all-see-all grandfather who spouts wisdom at the drop of a hat.

Even with all the outdated Romanceland plots there is one more bright hero-making moment when Kerrich confesses he didn’t use a French sheath because he wanted Pamela to become pregnant so she would be forced to marry him. Doesn’t that just make your heart go pitter-pat? Doesn’t that make you all warm and fuzzy inside? Swoon with delight? What a guy! What a hero!

Bottom line – Rules of Attraction shows its age; in fact if appeared to be older than what it was. I was surprised that such a dreadful hero was in a book written in the year 2000. I thought we had moved beyond such slimy actions in men a long long time ago. I guess not. I cannot recommend this story.
KaysBlog

[Sally Jask-eh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. Emotion driven characters, big laughs, minimal angst. Lord Kerrich needs respectability, Ms. Lockhart the Governess has it in spades. Kerrich hires her to pick out an orphan child and create image he is seeking. Backdrop of mystery fraud. Supporting characters of grandpa and orphan Beth are awesome. Definitely one of the best reads so far in 2024

[HR-ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victorian. 1840. Sexy, had lightness & seriousness.

Devon an earl +banker, wanted to impress Queen Victoria
showing he was a steady man. By borrowing an orphan &
an unattractive governess. Far fetched? Beautiful governess
Pamela, wore an ugly disguise IE frumpy clothes, specs,
a hat, face paint & knitting needles in her tightly bound
hair. Dev thought of her as a sour puss. The H's Grandpa,
visited, & saw through her disguise. Grandpa stole the
story with his charm and good sense.

Devon wanted a male orphan, but Pam brought back a girl.
He had no intention to keep the orphan. Devon and Beth
grew close, as Pam insisted that he get to know the girl.

Devon & Pam were cynical RE love as his mom deserted
him and her da, her. Dev bragged most women fell in love
with him inside of one week! It was fun to see overbearing
and charming Dev value/ love Beth + grow to love some-
times annoying Pam. He wanted to fulfill Pam's simple
dream (he finally listened).

Queen Victoria summoned Dev + Beth + Grandpa to
Buckingham Palace.

There were 2 side stories a 'full moon' incident 12 yrs
prior ( just silly) & a current day counterfeiting scheme.

[*CJ* · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Rules of Engagement" is the story of Devon and Pamela.
When Miss Pamela Lockhart of the Distinguished Academy of Governesses is hired by Devon Mathewes, earl of Kerrich to be his governess- she never expects the reasoning to be so absurd!
He wants to show Queen Victoria, his childhood friend and nemesis that he is a changed man- and wants a towdy and unattractive governess to hire a suitable orphan whom he can sponsor and support- so he can meet the Queen and show he is a changed man with responsibilities.
Thus begins a game filled with disguises, as Pamela takes on an unattractive appearance, engages in a battle of wills, and hires a girl child Lucy to be his ward. Initially exasperated, things take a drastic turn when rainfall washes away the masquerade- and Devon comes across a face that is haunting his dream. But many more truths are yet to be revealed..
Honestly this was a great read until the second half. I love characters in camouflages, and was loving it until the reveal...then things took a turn to bleh.
The hero came off as shallow, self absorbed and pretty dense, the heroine insolent and stubborn- and these two were a mismatched pair at the very end who couldnt communicate at all.
Pretty disappointed in this one.
SWE h and H have seen each other from childhood- H has always lusted after her- her identity is unknown to him- but has other mistresses. Safe after they meet again .
2/5

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, but I'm noticing a trend in Dodd's books which I'm not a massive fond.

Admittedly I've only read two books by her, but in both she has the hero behave like an arsehole for almost the whole book. Then, at the very end, he does OTT grovelling, like getting-down-on-his-knees type grovelling. That's great, but it lasts for only about a page before the moronic heroine throws herself into his arms.

It was particularly galling in this book because the hero repeatedly tells the heroine that he wants to marry her, but also wants to keep mistresses on the side. The heroine falls in love with him even while he's still proclaiming his interest in mistresses, and he only changes his mind about this because the heroine gets shot and nearly dies. Even though there was no actual drama with an OW in the book, it annoyed me so much I've tagged it OW drama anyway.

There was also wildly unrealistic dialogue (at one point the villain is described as a 'bad guy', which is hardly Victorian) and a weak suspense plot. This only gets two stars because it had some momentary flashes of humour.

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[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. Basically, this is Annie set it Victorian England. Rich man decides it will make him look good to temporarily adopt an orphan. He hires a governess to choose one. She even chooses a girl instead of a boy and they go to meet the queen (similar to going to meet the president). I did enjoy the appearance of actual historical figures (ie Queen Victoria).

But to be honest, this book didn't make a lot of sense. I'm really not sure why he decided to adopt an orphan. I'm not sure why they fell in love with each other. When he figures out that she's not old and ugly (she takes the job in disguise because he demands a governess who won't be tempted by his charms), he suddenly decides to marry her and I have no idea why, nor how the subsequent intimacy came about (on either one of their parts).

I recommend this if you like Christina Dodd.

[Kaity ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and entertaining! I enjoyed the first part of the book, but I took a few days break from reading and when I went back to it, I just felt it got rather silly. There was the orphan plot, Pamela’s secret plot, the counterfeit plot, the Queen Victoria plot, and I was like ???? By the middle of it. Also I kept getting confused with all the characters but that was my fault lol. So overall by the end - dramatic as it may have been-, I liked it, but I wished I would have liked it more. I loved the orphan plot with little Beth, it was sweet. 3.5 stars! 💜

[MountainKat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story! It just worked for me. Well narrated by Karen Cass.

[Dana Burda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romanul autoarei Christina Dodd a aparut in limba romana sub titlul " Logodna in inalta societate"scos de editura Litera in anul 2013 in colectia " Iubiri de poveste" . Subiectul romanului chiar este o iubire de poveste. Domnisoara Pamela Lochart impreuna cu prietena ei, domnisoara Setterington au infiintat o Academie de guvernante menita sa ofere celor din inalta societate guvernante, insotitoare si instructoare de inalta calificare. Dar sunt abia la inceput si probleme financiare ameninta din plin activitatea lor mai ales ca in drum spre casa Pamela este atacata de un talhar care ii fura banii luati de la clienti. In acest moment dificil apare ca o salvare pentru academia guvernantelor Devon Mathewes conte de Kerrich cu o cerere destul de neobisnuita. Dorea o guvernanta mai in varsta, urata si capabila care sa-i gaseasca un baiat orfan pe care contele sa-l ia pentru un timp sub ocrotirea lui. Guvernanta trebuia sa educe copilul pentru a-l face prezentabil in inalta ocietate inclusiv in fata reginei Victoria care asftel sa fie convinsa ca lord Kerrich nu era un libertin, un crai, neportivit sa fie intre oameni decenti. Uratenia si varsta guvernantei erau strict necesare penru ca lordul sa fie ferit de avansuri nedorite si deranjante cum i se mai intamplase. Hannah este indignata de modul cinic in care contele Kerrich dorea sa se foloseasca de un copil dar probleme financiare ale Academiei erau prea serioase ca sa nu fie luata in calcul oferta lui baneasca mai mult decat atragatoare. Cat despre guvernanta ea trebuia sa fie " o femeie strearsa, una care sa nu viseze cu ochii deschisi, care sa fie cu picioarele pe pamant. O femeie mai in varsta care nu mai spera sa se casatoreasca si sa nu mai viseze la povesti de dragoste." Pamela isi convinge partenera sa fie de acord ca ea sa indeplineasca functia de guvernanta chiar daca era tanara si foarte frumoasa. Doar ca era si foarte inteligenta si o buna cunoscatoare a inaltei societati din care de altfel provenea. Asa ca se deghizeaza intr-o femeie in varsta, usor ridicola prin machiaj si imbracaminte, scortoasa si intransigenta atunci cand vine vorba de maniere si comportare eleganta. Astfel patrunde Pamela in casa lordului Kerrich care inca de la inceput se simte atras si oarecum fascinat de aceasta guvernanata ce parea a fi exact asa cum comandase. Pamela il determina sa ia in grija o fata si nu un baiat, il determina sa fie mai atent cu oamenii din jur, sa fie mai putin arogant si mai dornic sa cunoasca si nevoile celor din jur. Lordul Kerrich nu are numai grija de reintra in gratiile reginei pe cap ci si grija de a descoperi cine facuse bani falsi punand in pericol banca de renume pe care o intemeiase bunicul lui. Si toate aceste probleme va ajunge sa le rezolve cu ajutorul guvernantei de care se indragosteste in ciuda aspectului ei, atras de intelepciunea raspunsurilor si solutiilor ei, de curajul ei si de stilul ei inteligent de a conversa. Un roman placut, alert, atragator plin de evenimente frumos impletite intr-o poveste de dragoste. Romanul este plin de replici cuceritoare care merita sa fie retinute. " -Trebuie ca aveti niste visuri marete. - Nu sunt marete, dar sunt ale mele!" ( p.28), " La varsta mea, sa-mi surprind rudele e singurul fior pe care il mai pot indura." ( p.60), "- Un barbat in varsta, ca mine, trebuie sa supravietuiasca din amintiri." (p.66)," _ Anumiti barbati ar avea doar de beneficiat de pe urma lectiilor de rabdare si blandete care se invata odata cu tricotatul."(p.80). Restul dialogurilor savuroase le las sa fie descoperite de cititori.Romanul " Logodna in inalta societate" este o lectura perfecta si fara prea mari provocari pentru orice cititor dornic de cateva ore de liniste, amuzament si incredere in puterea inteligentei.

[Oleta Blaylock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has several unusual plots twists and ideas that are not normally seen in historical romances. The first of these is that the villain is a woman. She is a bored aristocrat that just wanted to see if she could fool the authorities. I found that quite refreshing that the author would consider such a thing. The next thing is that the mystery that is trying to be solved is a counterfeiting ring printing pound notes. I hadn’t realized that counterfeiting went back to the Victorian Era. I guess it is possible that printing money would seem the easy way to come into much needed cash; especially if the villain was clever enough to get away with it. It isn’t as if security was that great during this time period. We stilled have counterfeiting and there is some of best security available to prevent it. So I guess it just requires a clever mind and the people good enough to pull it off. The last unusual aspect of this story is that the hero of the piece is a working nobleman. Lord Devon Mathewes, Earl of Kessler is from an old and distinguished line that never had been rich. They lived well from the income generated with the entitled lands but until Devon’s grandfather started working in a bank which he eventually took over the family was never rich. Devon loves his grandfather and takes protecting his family seriously. When the Queen threatens to take her money out of his bank is makes plans to fulfill her requirements for his modification of his rakish ways. Devon is arrogant, conceited, intelligent and more than a little overbearing. But he is also caring and loving and very honorable in his own way.

Pamela Lockhart Ripley is one of the characters that we all love I think. She is caring, compassionate, honor and very loyal. She has been badly hurt by her womanizing father. He left Pamela and her sick mother to fin for themselves while he chased very beautiful woman in his path across Europe and England. As such Pamela has no trust of the male of the species. Since she works as a governess there has been much to improve her opinion about men. She is driven to make the Distinguished Academy for Governesses profitable and that is how she gets mixed up on Lord Kessler’s scheme. I did love how she was able to keep Devon at bay for so long.

There are two other characters that deserve mention in this story. Beth Hunter is the girl that Pamela buys at the orphanage. Beth is smart, witty and well mannered. She is also charming and endearing. It would be interesting to see what happens when she becomes a young lady looking for her husband. The next person of mention is Lord Reynard. He is Devon’s grandfather. It is a crusty old man that is still sharp enough to keep Devon and all the rest on their toes. He is also charming and capable of humor which there is much of in this story.

Ms. Dodd has written another wonderful story that will grab your attention and keep you reading right to the end. The interaction between Pamela and Devon is worth the price of the book alone. Add in Beth and the grandfather and you have a rich and engaging story. There are also some steamy love scenes that I found very satisfying. If you enjoy the historical romance genre you can’t go wrong with Christine Dodd.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules of Engagement
5 Stars

Synopsis:
Devon Matthewes, Earl of Kerrich, is in trouble with the Queen who views his rakish ways as an affront. To restore himself into her good graces, Kerrich decides to adopt an orphan and hire a dowdy governess who will not be tempted by his charms. Little does he know that behind Pamela Lockhart’s plain exterior is hidden a magnificent beauty with a mind and a tongue of her own. It would seem that the Earl has met his match…

Review:
Absolutely loved this book ... great characters and a clever plot.

The story is well-written and reminded me of one of my favorite childhood movies – Annie, about an orphan girl adopted by a wealthy millionaire. The subplot revolving around the counterfeiting of bank notes adds a suspenseful touch to the romance.

With her scalding tongue, fierce devotion to the little orphan Beth and her high spirits, Pamela is a truly engaging heroine and Devon, despite his rakish way, is both gorgeous and vulnerable in his own way. The chemistry and witty banter are the highlight of the book.

Rules of Engagement is an enchanting and enjoyable book with some decidedly funny moments (“a full moon on a foggy night”). It is highly recommended for lovers of light and sweet historical romances.

[Miss Rail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pamela Lockhart founded with Charlotte and Hanna the Distinguished Academy of Governesses.

They teach girls in desperate need of honest work, like they were, and provide governess services and lessons on subjects such as music, needlework and dancing.

After Pamela is robbed on the streets of the money for the month's expenses, the new endeavor is at risk of failure and the crazy demands of a certain Duke are the only chance to avoid the worst.

Devon Mathewes, the earl of Kerrich, needs a child and a governess to gain respectability in Queen Victoria’s eyes or the Bank founded by his grandfather will go bankrupt.

Does he care about the orphan's future after his purpose is served? Nope.

He's a selfish and self entitled rake that only cares about himself until... the new governess Pamela shows up on his doorstep!



The earl of Kerrich is so OTT arrogant I actually had fun from the very beginning whenever didn't prevail in me the urge to strangle him for what he actually said about women:

Women had dreams? About what? A new pair of shoes? Seeing a rival fail? Dancing with a foreign prince? But Miss Lockhart wasn't speaking of the trivial, and he found himself asking, "What are your dreams?"
"You don't care. Until I spoke, it never occurred to you that a woman could have her dreams."

He's self-entitled, he's offensive and he's obnoxious but there's a reason for his beliefs when it comes to women and love.
Gradually, he learns how wrong he is and that's one of the most important things I look for in novels: Character Development

At the beginning of the book he claims, among other things, he's a "chick magnet"...

I am sick of being the object of lovelorn sighs. I have to put up with it in my own household—one needs scullery maids, the housekeeper assures me. But if I must spend time with a governess, and I will have to, then I want to be assured she will not be making cow eyes at me or, God forbid, sneaking into my bedchamber and peeling down to nothing. Which just happened with the senior upstairs maid who one would think knew better."

...hence his request for a plain older woman "not given to fantasizing".
He's a selfish prick but Pamela knows how to handle him right from their first official meeting:

She wore tinted spectacles, he noted, a sign of weak eyes and excessive learning. Her complexion was bloodless and her lips pale. Her brown hair was pulled back so tightly from her face that any sagging around the chin and neck had been reduced—another feminine trick, and one that would scarcely fool a connoisseur such as himself. A tangled, spidery thin net of gray lace covered her hair, and she sported an absurd decoration that looked like nothing so much as two knitting needles stuck in right angles through the knot at the base of her neck.
He dropped his monocle and seated himself. "Perhaps you'll do," he said.
She nodded and without waiting for an invitation, seated herself in the old-fashioned Hepplewhite chair before his desk. The style fit her. "I was going to say the same for you."

He doesn't know it at first but none of his requests are fulfilled!
Our heroine is definitely NOT what he asked for and the child isn't what he envisioned.

At the orphanage Pamela picks 8 years old Beth and…a “manly lad” she's not!
She's soft-spoken and has manners because she received an education prior to her parents’ death.

After a bit of resistance, Lord Kerrich is convinced by Pamela and, little by little, his life changes.

From appalling reasoning such as this..

She rolled up her sleeve and held out her arm where a ripple of purple marred the skin. "I got burned."
Standing, Lord Kerrich kicked his chair away. "Miss Lockhart, I can't do this!"
Miss Lockhart lifted her dark brows. "My lord?"
"This is too hard. What if I get fond of that child and she sticks another coal in her pocket? What will happen to me then?"

… to genuine fondness for the child.

Pamela evolves too.
She doesn't belive men capable of being faithful and she's afraid she'll end up with a broken heart just like her mother.

Both Pamela and Devon are disillusioned about love for similar reasons but there's a major difference: Pamela is not selfish.

By the end of the book Devon, with the help of his grandfather Lord Reynard, finally realizes how selfish, presumptuous and unreasonable his fears are:

Kerrich and Lord Reynard leaned against the rail and watched the horses start around the track.
Into the silence, Kerrich burst out, "I wouldn't care what anyone thought, if I could have her on my terms. I want to know I'm going to be happy."
"So you're looking for a guarantee of happiness, are you? You think as long as you're the man in command you'll be happy? What about her? What if she's not happy?"
"I can make her happy."
"Boy, if you think you can make that woman do anything, you don't know her at all."

I very much enjoyed the story even with:
-  Pamela’s OTT descriptions of how virile, handsome and sensual Lord Kerrich is.
-  His obnoxious and misogynistic beliefs regarding women and fidelity, his selfish behavior at the beginning.
-  His belief it was somehow acceptable to forsake contraception so that, through a pregnancy, he could convince her to marry him.

This book was far fom a perfect read for the reason I mentioned but still, I was entertained, I LOVED the MC's banter...

"You're a governess. You do not recognize a mature man."
"Lord Kerrich, I am a governess. I recognize that most males do not mature, they simply grow taller." Unwise, of course, to retort so wittily, and she waited, interested to see if he would behave like a typical roue and pout or threaten.
He surprised her; he nodded soberly. "Yes. When you look at what some women marry, you realize how much they must hate to work for their living. However, when it comes to my cousin, try not to put too much stock in your own infallibility. You don't like listening to 'I told you so.' "

...and the easy humor between them:

Finally Miss Lockhart admitted, "I can ride."
"Then I will mount you appropriately." Realizing what he had said, he wavered between laughter and horror.
She stiffened, and in the most stifling of tones said, "You are the epitome of graciousness, my lord."
Laughter won.

I ended up forgiving Devon because he ACTUALLY evolves A LOT throughout the story .


AND I believe Pamela is the perfect gal to keep him in check! 


Devon's confession at the end is beautiful (except the "I hoped I could shackle you by getting you pregnant" part), I'll just give you the very end of it because it's a long conversation😍

[...]For the touch of your hand I would crawl through a horse stable on my stomach. If you wished, you could be the worst kind of tyrant and I would love it, and you. I had to realize that I trusted you not to do that, and submit myself to your rule. Please marry me. I'll always be faithful, and I can never be happy without you."

I'm glad I got to experience Christina Dodd's talent and I'll definitely read more of her books😊

⭐ 3.5 Stars rounded up ⭐
* Rules of Engagement by Christina Dodd is book #3 in the Governess Brides series. Can be read as a Standalone.

~ MY RATINGS~
Writing: 4 /5 story written with 3 PoV (Pamela, Lord Kerrich, Beth)
Plot: 4 /5
Hero: 3 /5
Heroine: 4 /5
Secondary Characters: 4 /5
MC's chemistry: 3.5 /5
Steam: 3.5 /5
Triggers: One time she says no while thinking yes. He isn't a mind reader so… dubious consent.
Also, he believes somehow acceptable to forsake contraception so that, through a pregnancy, he could convince her to marry him. Explicit scenes.

Recommended to: Historical Romance Readers looking for a heroine in disguise that very much knows her worth, a hero that begins as the worst kind of rake but grows out of it and good banter .

Are you looking for a specific mix of ingredients for your next read?

[Katherine 黄爱芬 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devon, Lord Kerrich membutuhkan seorang governess yg sudah berumur utk mengasuh anak asuhnya. Pamela Lockhart terpaksa menyamar menjadi wanita sepuh perawan tua dan tidak menarik demi uang tsb. Miss Lockhart ini mengabaikan perintah Kerrich utk mencari anak asuh laki-laki, alih-alih dia membawa pulang anak gadis yg nakal, Beth.

Kerrich dan Miss Lockhart ini selalu bertengkar dan bertolak belakang dlm berbagai hal. Hingga suatu hari Kerrich mencium Miss Lockhart yg jelek tsb. Dan saat samaran Miss Lockhart terbongkar, kedua insan ini tidak bisa menahan diri lagi. Saya menyukai cara Devon yg memeras Pamela dgn seksualitasnya. Ada yg menggemaskan saat mereka bercinta krn karakter Pamela yg tidak mudah ditundukkan.

Pamela dan Kerrich sama-sama punya masa lalu yg tidak menyenangkan ttg orangtua mereka. Pamela trauma dgn ayahnya yg hobi selingkuh dan membuat ibunya sengsara, membuat Pamela tidak pernah percaya pada kaum pria. Kerrich juga mengalami hal yg sama terhadap ibunya, yg langsung pergi dgn laki-laki lain sepeninggal ayah Kerrich. Jadilah pertarungan alot keduanya, dgn masing-masing luka batin mereka, utk menurunkan gengsi masing-masing terhadap satu sama lain. Saya suka Pamela dan Kerrich ini sama tandingannya, mereka sama-sama good-looking, sama-sama cerdas tetapi bisa melengkapi satu sama lainnya.

Saya suka sekali dialog Kerrich dan kakeknya mengenai masa lalu Kerrich dan cara kakeknya mengkritik perlakuan Kerrich terhadap Pamela. Oya, ada sidekick story ttg pencurian di bank milik Kerrich. Juga ttg skandal memalukan Kerrich saat di masa remajanya yg berujung dirinya diperas oleh Ratu Victoria. Apakah itu? Silakan baca sendiri.

[Chiara 🍂 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟
ZERO ASPETTATIVE, non so nemmeno se ho mai letto altro dell’autrice ma cavolo se sono rimasta colpita!
Volete ridere? Volete del romance con due testardi che si fanno la guerra solo perché si piacciono? LEGGETELO

Zero aspettative e mi ritrovo ad averlo finito in pochissimo tempo (per i miei standard)e che guardo il muro e mi chiedo che cosa leggo adesso? Quanto cavolo è difficile trovare un libro che ti faccia dimenticare il tempo e lo spazio o anche solo il fatto che stai leggendo?
Non mi capitava da un po’ ,non così e onestamente Per me è assurdo che ormai le emozioni migliori me le facciano provare questo tipi di libri haha

La storia è molto divertente, perfetta per un film ed è un libro leggero e spensierato, pieno di frecciatine e testardaggine con tre protagonisti che ti fanno inevitabilmente affezionare a loro.
La storia è super banale, molto prevedibile ma è la chimica tra tutti che ti fa andare avanti. Direi che mi sono innamorata de devon e Pamela ma soprattutto di Beth e anche il nonno ha avuto il suo bel ruolo !
Poi empatizzi con alcuni personaggi e niente, il gioco è fatto. Penso sia la prima volta che leggo un libro dove la regina vittoria e consorte sono addirittura presenti e attivi nella storia haha

Concludendo il libro in se non è un capolavoro, la trama è banale anche se molto divertente, ho amato “il travestimento” ma ci sono anche altri temi *possibile spoiler* (si sono conosciuti da molto giovani, primo amore quasi) e anche se il loro rapporto sembra scoppiato un po’ all’improvviso e le scene spicy sono state un po’ troppo concentrate e vicine tra loro io niente, l’ho amato !
Bello!

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
This is another book where I've read it YEARS ago and loved it then. Read it recently, and I don't hate it but I for sure don't love it anymore.
The hero is very unlikeable. He doesn't ever quite redeem himself--not sure how one redeems themselves from wanting to adopt a child simply to make them look better to society and the queen, and then planning to put the child up for adoption again. I mean, he ends up loving the child...but still, he was thinking that was an ok thing to do. That's disgusting.

[Lita Bouquard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of reviews disliked the hero in book 1 of the series. I sound it difficult to like this arse of a male who finally recognized he didn't like the person he was about 3/4 of the way through the book. Hiring a governess to adopt a child - because he needs to become respectable is quite low even for an alpha male. Christina Dodd success with this series is making the secondary characters irresistible. Pamela-, the governess guiltily agrees to this scheme because the academy is desperate for funds. She wears ill-fitting garments, make up, spectacles and an unpleasant expression her face to present an unattractive appearance as demanded by Lord Kerrick who is tired of women falling for him. She finds a girl orphan, as gender wasn't specified. Little Beth is likable, clever, and grateful. She and Kerrick's grandfather are delightful and provide some of the humor in this novel. Pamela breaks the first rule of governessing and begins to care for Beth. Kerrick's pride is excessive and an incident from the past haunts and influences his behavior. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert figure in this series and provide a very human and humorous side to the monarchy.
Can love for an orphan, desire for a governess inspire Kerrick to do the right thing? Sort of. But he does change from a character I love to hate, to one I hate to love.. because He still needs a kick in the rear from his grandpa to see what a self absorbed jerk he has been.

[Patria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pamela and Devon. This is the one where she adopts a kid for him (temporarily) and becomes the (old and ugly) governess with her disguise. The premise here was pretty awesome, Devon, despite his shallowness, starts to fall in love with Pamela and ends up kissing her while she is still "ugly". Her secret is revealed when she goes looking for Devon and Beth at the horsetrack and her disguise was washed away in the rain.

She is the woman of his dreams and his grandfather had seen right through it. They did have someone of a shared past together...he was "the full moon on a foggy night" trying to moon her in front of the royal family at the palace years ago and he almost got caught but ever since then he dreamt of her.

Her story: her mom died after her father had left them...he was a womanizer. Devon, his father died and the mom went off with a lover less than a year after his death so he is very suspicious of women. Pam feels all men are the same. He works at the bank that his grandfather founded and is looking into some counterfitting that is going on there by his uncle. In the end, Pam ends up getting shot when they are at the palace presenting Beth and the uncle and his lady accomplice start arguing.

He finally admits to her that he loves her, they keep Beth...very cute story.

[Caroline · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had a strong negative reaction to this finely crafted historical romance from a prolific and usually consistent author.

Nothing new about the hoary governess-with-a-secret trope, but Ms Dodd succeeds in teasing an amusing and intriguing story from hand-me-down material.

I'll skip the usual plot summary because the novel is ruined by a flaw so serious as to make the details irrelevant. Devon, Earl of Kerrich, the romantic lead in the story, is a complete and utter asshole. Many romances start with descriptions of total jerks, but the genre requires these losers to change and develop over the course of the story, paving the way for a happy ending.

Ms Dodd throws in a few shows and tells that hint at some trace of humanity in Kerrich's egotistical and manipulative personality—a control freak if ever there was one—but right up until the last two or three pages he's still the same old asshole, wondering why his manipulative plans aren't working out.

The sudden metamorphosis at the end is risible. From devil to angel in one easy step stretches credulity to the limit. The revelation that he deliberately had unprotected sex with Pamela so that he could use pregnancy as leverage in one of the fallback plans of his unsavory seduction left a very bad aftertaste.

A disturbingly unromantic romance.

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

da www.sognipensieriparole.com

Il secondo romanzo della serie, FUOCO DI PASSIONE, è uno dei miei romance preferiti.
Siccome all’inizio per l’Esclusiva Scuola scarseggiano sia le referenze che i mezzi, le governanti devono darsi da fare per procurare clienti anche con un qualche piccolo “trucco”: così Pamela arriva a spacciarsi per un’orrida ed accidiosa bruttona, anche se ha ventisei anni e un corpo che non si dimentica. E un po’ un Bello e la Bestia, romanticissimo e scoppiettante che non può non far battere il cuore.
La scena della biblioteca, quando lei esce dal paravento e si trova Devon già nudo davanti al camino che si tampona i capelli dopo il temporale..., wow, secondo me regala più emozioni di tante scene erotiche che vanno di moda attualmente.

E gli occhi… marroni era una parola troppo banale, ma erano marroni. Marrone scuro. E le ciglia, anch’esse scure, sottolineavano l’autorevolezza del suo sguardo persuasivo.
Se un colore poteva essere definito peccaminoso, i suoi occhi possedevano quel colore.

[Thenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another governess finds her happily-ever-after with her arrogant employer.

Devon Mathewes, Earl of Kerrich, has a far-fetched plan to get back in the Queen's favor and he needs an orphan and a governess to achieve his goal. Pamela would normally refuse to even consider his proposition, but after getting mugged she feels she has no choice but to take the position, disguising herself to fit the impossible earl's requirements. The two have met before, but Devon cannot recall where and Pamela does not want him to.

A caring, confident heroine, an intelligent, extremely arrogant, yet endearing hero and sparks flying from their clashing wits made this a fun book to read. The secondary characters were also very likable and gave more substance to the story, with Beth, the orphan and Lord Reynard, Devon’s grandfather, the most notable among them.

Next in the series comes Rules of Attraction and Hannah's story.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

UGH. I tried. I really tried. I got about halfway through the book, to the big sex scene, and I just got so lost. Where is the attraction between these two? He's an ass, an utter ass. She really could do better and deserves better. I skimmed the rest. I know how it ends. I still didn't feel anything for any of the characters. Beth, the foster child, was too adult. Pamela the Governess was smart, witty, and beautiful far more than Kerrich deserved. Kerrich the hero was just a let down. Nothing redeemable about him. And the flow of the book lost me, 0ne minute you're reading about a rain storm and the next they're naked and sexing. I mean I know that in romance books being trapped in the rain is the same as the pizza man showing up in a porn. . . someone is having sex soon, but dang, surely there could have been a bit more dialogue. The whole thing did not feel believable to me. I would not recommend this book.

[Madara · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This book was great! I loved both main characters so much - their personalities, their past emotional scars, their dialogues, everything. I enjoyed their relationship so much! At last there wasn't love (and/or) lust from the first sight, they became closer and closer through their interactions (oh, those clever and witty dialogues!), through talks, through getting to know each other - just the way I love it. And only then came the passion, and it felt so natural then.

And then there were those past traumas, which messed up with their relationship and made my heart ache for both of them. And how finally they overcame it all and opened up to each other.

I also loved side characters, Grandpa and Beth - they were wonderful! And they forced Kerrich to see the truth he did not want to see.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise. I could imagine Georgette Heyer writing a plot like this (even though her books aren't set during Victoria's reign).

In order to prove to the queen that he is a responsible adult, Devon Mathewes, earl of Kerrich decides to take an orphan into his household and hire a governess to take care of the child. Things don't go according to plan when the governess, Pamela Lockhart, chooses a girl instead of a boy. A sub-plot has to do with counterfeiters and the Bank of England.

However, this is in the "romance with explicit sex" genre. I didn't feel that the sex scenes added to the story and in some cases seemed to actually take away from the characterization and the plot.

Not my cup of tea.

[Belinda Kroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've seen the musical Annie, you basically know the plot of this book. However, I like Annie, and I liked this book because of the heroine, Pamela Lockhart. She values her mind before her looks, and in order to obtain a governess position that will secure her future finances, she dresses and wears make-up to look like an old maid.

The banter between Pamela and Devon, the hero, was entertaining and interesting, actually, because for once the hero didn't have looks to distract him. In fact, he forgets the way she looks because she's so engaged his mind! Just my kind of romance. Read this for fun banter, but don't expect a lot from the reasons why these two have trouble coming together. That was the weakest part of the story for me. Still, an enjoyable read.

[Miranda Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny premise though similar to the rest in the series, a self-seeking, manipulative lord in need of royal favor hires himself a governess and deputizes her to shop for an orphan to demonstrate his better nature to Queen Victoria, who famously and prolifically demonstrated her family values. All goes awry, he's hoisted on his own petard.

The author is so prolific many her books suffer from blending together in my memory -- esp. the governess series -- but this one stood out. Still wouldn't be tempted to re-read so three stars it is.

[Jaden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became infatuated with the characters of this book and how well they adapt - or do they? - to their surroundings, the whole situation and to each other. However this time apart from the obstinate, arrogant man, we also have a hurt and proud woman, who will not yield for the sake of it. She holds his reins, chastices and reprimands him should need arrise, and makes them both fall irrevocably and madly in love. They both manage to hold on to their feelings and dignity, while reaching an understanding of each other and exploring the possibilities that lay between them.