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The Poor Governess
In this dramatic 311th book by Barbara Cartland, Lara takes the place of a friend as governess to the niece of the Marquis of Keyston. She finds a hidden talent in the child and becomes involved with the awe-inspiring, dominating Marquis.
232 pages, Hardcover
Published December 1, 1989
56 people are currently reading
1345 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Cartland
1,057 books837 followersBorn in 1901, Barbara Cartland started her writing career in journalism and completed her first book, Jigsaw, when she was just 24. An immediate success, it was the start of her journey to becoming the world’s most famous and most read romantic novelist of all time. Inspiring a whole generation of readers around the globe with her exciting tales of adventure, love and intrigue, she became synonymous with the Romance genre. And she still is to this day, having written over 644 romantic fiction books.
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 19 reviews
January 17, 2026
An impoverished but spirited parson's daughter "poses" as a governess to help her friend out of a bind. The friend is a maid at the great manor home of a high ranking Duke. She is being sexually harassed by a frequent guest of the Duke. If she complains about it to the Duke, she will likely get fired, without a reference. If she remains silent, the guest will eventually find a way to trap her and rape her. So our heroine promptly packs her gun (lol) and sets out to hunt the hunter. In the midst of the intrigue, she manages to win over her charge (the Duke's somewhat difficult niece) and fall in love with the dashing Duke himself.
The heroine eventually shoots the would-be rapist but sadly misses. Thankfully, he gets so frightened that he dies of a heart attack: It's a win after all! The Duke is in love with her too and wins her hand in marriage.
This story stood out among Barbara Cartland's many identical books because the plucky heroine in this one has dreams of becoming a writer, not of marrying her knight in shining armor. Lucky for her, she gets to do both. Win-win!
The heroine eventually shoots the would-be rapist but sadly misses. Thankfully, he gets so frightened that he dies of a heart attack: It's a win after all! The Duke is in love with her too and wins her hand in marriage.
This story stood out among Barbara Cartland's many identical books because the plucky heroine in this one has dreams of becoming a writer, not of marrying her knight in shining armor. Lucky for her, she gets to do both. Win-win!
July 12, 2013
I can read her books in one day they are so addicting and carry you effortlessly right to the end. This book was no different!
May 19, 2009
barbara cartland is my guilty pleasure... on the second thought, why do I have to feel guilty? well, I'm not :)
May 20, 2021
This book started on a good note a heroine who is not scared to take risks for her friends, ambitious, eager to write and publish a novel.
When she arrives as a governess in place of her friend at the Marquis house she is quite stunned at the grandeur and it’s richness, she slowly befriends her pupil and they get on very well but I felt there was hardly any indication of her falling in love with the Marquis or vice versa until they confess in the end, they hardly spent time with each other barring early morning horse rides. I would understand heroine falling Ivor with Marquis but he who has the best of women around him falling for a poor governess looked far fetching and unbelievable
The story started on a good not but then got boring and unreal
When she arrives as a governess in place of her friend at the Marquis house she is quite stunned at the grandeur and it’s richness, she slowly befriends her pupil and they get on very well but I felt there was hardly any indication of her falling in love with the Marquis or vice versa until they confess in the end, they hardly spent time with each other barring early morning horse rides. I would understand heroine falling Ivor with Marquis but he who has the best of women around him falling for a poor governess looked far fetching and unbelievable
The story started on a good not but then got boring and unreal
December 5, 2012
Cute, better than her other books that I've read, but suffers the same problems, simplistic writing and overly naïve heroines
****Spoiler Summary****
Lara takes the place of her friend Janet as governess to Georgiana, the niece of Marquis of Keyston, when Janet shows up about to have a nervous breakdown due to the constant harassment of Keyston's friend Lord Montgue. Lara's intelligent ways, draws Georgiana out of her shell, and gathers the interest of Keyston, who steals a kiss, then pretends to call her by another woman's name (best scene!). Unfortunately, Lara also draws the attention of Montgue. When she locks her doors one night, Montgue comes back the next and steals the keys. When Montgue revisits, Lara shoots him, thinks he's dead and runs to report to Keystone. Keystone takes Montgue (who wasn't hit, merely fainted due to a heart attack) away. Ashamed, Lara runs home and sends Janet back. After interrogating poor Janet, Keyston arrives, kisses Lara and asks her to marry him.
****Spoiler Summary****
Lara takes the place of her friend Janet as governess to Georgiana, the niece of Marquis of Keyston, when Janet shows up about to have a nervous breakdown due to the constant harassment of Keyston's friend Lord Montgue. Lara's intelligent ways, draws Georgiana out of her shell, and gathers the interest of Keyston, who steals a kiss, then pretends to call her by another woman's name (best scene!). Unfortunately, Lara also draws the attention of Montgue. When she locks her doors one night, Montgue comes back the next and steals the keys. When Montgue revisits, Lara shoots him, thinks he's dead and runs to report to Keystone. Keystone takes Montgue (who wasn't hit, merely fainted due to a heart attack) away. Ashamed, Lara runs home and sends Janet back. After interrogating poor Janet, Keyston arrives, kisses Lara and asks her to marry him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 12, 2013Cannot excess your books easily so it not worth to read it
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October 10, 2013good
January 9, 2023
Ketemu Novel Barbara Cartland ini ga sengaja karena pas mau order komik di e- commerce lihat judul novel ini kok menarik langsung aja pesan, novel historical romance yang ditulis tahun 1983 (39th yang lalu), ternyata setelah cari tahu tentang Barbara Cartland ini adalah penulis spesialisasi novel historical romance sejak tahun 1922 dan fakta menariknya adalah anaknya yg bernama Raine merupakan Ibu tiri Lady Diana, kebetulan Lady Di saat remaja adalah penggemar novel Barbara Cartland..
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Beralih ke cerita novel iniy, Lara gadis piatu yang tinggal bersama sang ayah yang berprofesi sebagai pendeta ini mengalami kesulitan keuangan, dia harus menjalani hidup dengan amat sederhana walaupun mendiang sang ibu adalah keturunan bangsawan namun kekayaan keluarganya habis disebabkan gaya hidup boros kakeknya, ketika Jane sahabat masa kecilnya yang berprofesi sebagai guru private mengunjungi Lara dan mencurahkan isi hati dan keadaannya selama bekerja, awalnya jane baik2 saja bekerja di rumah bangsawan tersebut, sang tuan rumah dan sang murid sangat menyenangkan walaupun menurutnya muridnya kurang cerdas, namun kenyamanannya terganggu ketika Jane mengalami godaan dan pelecehan dari lord magor pria hidung belang sehingga dia begitu takut kembali ke rumah tsb, dari sinilah cerita lara berawal karena bermaksud membantunya lara memberikan ide agar jane berpura2 terkena campak dan selama 3 minggu Lara dapat menggantikannya, kebetulan karena lara sedang membut novel dia amat sgt butuh informasi lengkap kehidupan bangsawan, dengan surat rekomendasi yg dibuatnya sendiri lara memberanikan diri ke sana.
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Kalo kalian suka dengan cerita Jane Eyre pasti suka dengan novel iniy, karena kisahnya agak mirip hanya saja tidak begitu banyak konflik dan lebih ringan namun cukup romantis,cara penulisannya saya suka karena vibesnya terasa baca novel klasik abad 19, jadi tidak terkesan modern sama sekali.
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Saya berikan 4/5 🌟 untuk The Poor Governess.
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Beralih ke cerita novel iniy, Lara gadis piatu yang tinggal bersama sang ayah yang berprofesi sebagai pendeta ini mengalami kesulitan keuangan, dia harus menjalani hidup dengan amat sederhana walaupun mendiang sang ibu adalah keturunan bangsawan namun kekayaan keluarganya habis disebabkan gaya hidup boros kakeknya, ketika Jane sahabat masa kecilnya yang berprofesi sebagai guru private mengunjungi Lara dan mencurahkan isi hati dan keadaannya selama bekerja, awalnya jane baik2 saja bekerja di rumah bangsawan tersebut, sang tuan rumah dan sang murid sangat menyenangkan walaupun menurutnya muridnya kurang cerdas, namun kenyamanannya terganggu ketika Jane mengalami godaan dan pelecehan dari lord magor pria hidung belang sehingga dia begitu takut kembali ke rumah tsb, dari sinilah cerita lara berawal karena bermaksud membantunya lara memberikan ide agar jane berpura2 terkena campak dan selama 3 minggu Lara dapat menggantikannya, kebetulan karena lara sedang membut novel dia amat sgt butuh informasi lengkap kehidupan bangsawan, dengan surat rekomendasi yg dibuatnya sendiri lara memberanikan diri ke sana.
.
Kalo kalian suka dengan cerita Jane Eyre pasti suka dengan novel iniy, karena kisahnya agak mirip hanya saja tidak begitu banyak konflik dan lebih ringan namun cukup romantis,cara penulisannya saya suka karena vibesnya terasa baca novel klasik abad 19, jadi tidak terkesan modern sama sekali.
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Saya berikan 4/5 🌟 untuk The Poor Governess.
April 29, 2023
In this dramatic 311th book by Barbara Cartland, Lara takes the place of a friend as governess to the niece of the Marquis of Keyston. She finds a hidden talent in the child and becomes involved with the awe-inspiring, dominating Marquis.
Lara, the beautiful red-headed daughter of Lord Hurlington, a country Parson, is horrified to hear that her friend, Jane, is on the verge of a breakdown after being horribly pursued by the lecherous Lord Magor, a regular guest at The Priory, the fabulous stately home of the Marquis of Keyston, to whose niece Jane is Governess.
Determined to teach Lord Magor a lesson and to seek out ideas for the novel she is writing about contemporary Society, Lara takes Jane’s place as Governess to ten year old Georgina.
But, although Lord Magor is every bit as predatory as Jane had described, the Marquis is awe-inspiring, handsome and, as she soon discovers, much kinder and considerate than she or Jane had ever imagined.
Just as Lara realises that she has fallen in deeply love with the Marquis, the wicked Lord Magor traps her in a locked room —
Only her great-grandfather’s duelling pistol can save her.
And on the spur of the moment, it seems that Lara has killed her cruel pursuer and will be taken away by the Police to prison for murder as well as dashing all hope of a second kiss from the magnificent Marquis who has stolen her heart.
Lara, the beautiful red-headed daughter of Lord Hurlington, a country Parson, is horrified to hear that her friend, Jane, is on the verge of a breakdown after being horribly pursued by the lecherous Lord Magor, a regular guest at The Priory, the fabulous stately home of the Marquis of Keyston, to whose niece Jane is Governess.
Determined to teach Lord Magor a lesson and to seek out ideas for the novel she is writing about contemporary Society, Lara takes Jane’s place as Governess to ten year old Georgina.
But, although Lord Magor is every bit as predatory as Jane had described, the Marquis is awe-inspiring, handsome and, as she soon discovers, much kinder and considerate than she or Jane had ever imagined.
Just as Lara realises that she has fallen in deeply love with the Marquis, the wicked Lord Magor traps her in a locked room —
Only her great-grandfather’s duelling pistol can save her.
And on the spur of the moment, it seems that Lara has killed her cruel pursuer and will be taken away by the Police to prison for murder as well as dashing all hope of a second kiss from the magnificent Marquis who has stolen her heart.
January 11, 2022
Now I remember why I did not read much Cartland when I was in High School. Too melodramatic over the top dialogues during the love scenes... to incredible concepts on the carnal vis~à~vis the spiritual... too drastic an epiphany given the Marquis' coterie. The main plot is alright as always for escapism given the time when these books were written but the conversations during the love scenes and the heroines internal dialogues?... EWW
September 10, 2020
A sweet story, as always.
October 4, 2020
3.5 stars. Enjoyable, but the romance was a bit rushed on the hero's part.
May 18, 2021
the first story was okay, the second one was bad.
January 30, 2023
Much feistier heroine than usual. She's even a redhead.
September 25, 2024
Typical Cartland but the vibes in this one were great.
January 18, 2025
Si bien me gustó el desenlace es muy rápido, no hay ni epílogo
February 5, 2026
Favourite heroine so far.
June 15, 2022
Titolo in lingua italiana La trama di un sogno
Displaying 1 - 18 of 19 reviews