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Winner Takes All #1
The Game and the Governess
Trading Places meets Pride and Prejudice in this sexy, saucy romance—first in a new series from the author of YouTube sensation The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
Three friends. One Wager. Winner takes all.
The Earl—‘Lucky Ned’ Ashby. Pompous, preening, certain that he is beloved by everyone.
The Miller—John Turner. Proud, forced to work as the Earl’s secretary, their relationship growing ever more strained.
The Doctor—Rhys Gray. Practical, peace-loving, but caught in the middle of two warring friends.
Their wager is simple: By trading places with John Turner and convincing someone to fall in love with him, Ned plans to prove it’s him the world adores, not his money. Turner plans to prove him wrong.
But no one planned on Phoebe Baker, the unassuming governess who would fall into their trap, and turn everything on its head…
Three friends. One Wager. Winner takes all.
The Earl—‘Lucky Ned’ Ashby. Pompous, preening, certain that he is beloved by everyone.
The Miller—John Turner. Proud, forced to work as the Earl’s secretary, their relationship growing ever more strained.
The Doctor—Rhys Gray. Practical, peace-loving, but caught in the middle of two warring friends.
Their wager is simple: By trading places with John Turner and convincing someone to fall in love with him, Ned plans to prove it’s him the world adores, not his money. Turner plans to prove him wrong.
But no one planned on Phoebe Baker, the unassuming governess who would fall into their trap, and turn everything on its head…
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 22, 2014
63 people are currently reading
1917 people want to read
About the author
Kate Noble
17 books498 followersaka
Kate Rorick
Kate Noble is the national bestselling, RITA-nominated author of historical romances, including the acclaimed Blue Raven series and the Winner Takes All series. Her books have earned her numerous accolades, including comparisons to Jane Austen, which just makes her giddy.
In her other life as Kate Rorick, she is an Emmy-award winning writer of television and web series, having written for NBC, FOX, and TNT, as well as the international hit YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Kate lives in Los Angeles with her family, and is hard at work on her next book.
Kate Rorick
Kate Noble is the national bestselling, RITA-nominated author of historical romances, including the acclaimed Blue Raven series and the Winner Takes All series. Her books have earned her numerous accolades, including comparisons to Jane Austen, which just makes her giddy.
In her other life as Kate Rorick, she is an Emmy-award winning writer of television and web series, having written for NBC, FOX, and TNT, as well as the international hit YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Kate lives in Los Angeles with her family, and is hard at work on her next book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
August 3, 2014
This was not for me at all.
Took more than halfway through for the hero and heroine to meet, hero was immature and unlikeable for 90% of story. Never felt the main couple had any passion together and the overall story fell flat because of lack of anything going on. Really, the main problem was the hero, if you can even call him that. I was never interested in his redemption and that being the main point of the story, well you see why it didn't work for me. I ended up speed reading because I didn't care about anyone or anything. Hope others have better luck with this one.
Took more than halfway through for the hero and heroine to meet, hero was immature and unlikeable for 90% of story. Never felt the main couple had any passion together and the overall story fell flat because of lack of anything going on. Really, the main problem was the hero, if you can even call him that. I was never interested in his redemption and that being the main point of the story, well you see why it didn't work for me. I ended up speed reading because I didn't care about anyone or anything. Hope others have better luck with this one.
August 20, 2016
I liked the story and its execution, but I have a quibble.
I prefer a good-looking heroine. This one was not.
I did not care for the narration.
The voices the narrator used were annoying and some of them weren't varied enough for me.
I will conclude by saying that I liked this title well enough that I intend to obtain a copy of the next book in the series as none of the libraries that I use have it in their collections.
I prefer a good-looking heroine. This one was not.
I did not care for the narration.
The voices the narrator used were annoying and some of them weren't varied enough for me.
I will conclude by saying that I liked this title well enough that I intend to obtain a copy of the next book in the series as none of the libraries that I use have it in their collections.
May 13, 2014
4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars
Brilliant. Marvelous (this is a bit of an inside joke). While the romance was slow to start, the characters were given much room to develop. The setup, too, needed time to be properly introduced.
The romance aspect (beginning hero and heroine interaction) started at ~30%, yet it was quite well done and enjoyed the story immensely, though I do feel compelled to point out its rushed ending, and its dire need of an epilogue.
Still, this is a very good read...Review to come
Brilliant. Marvelous (this is a bit of an inside joke). While the romance was slow to start, the characters were given much room to develop. The setup, too, needed time to be properly introduced.
The romance aspect (beginning hero and heroine interaction) started at ~30%, yet it was quite well done and enjoyed the story immensely, though I do feel compelled to point out its rushed ending, and its dire need of an epilogue.
Still, this is a very good read...Review to come
July 22, 2014
3.5 Stars - A Heroine to Love
At the age of seventeen, Phoebe Baker experienced a change of fortune. It led to the loss of her father and left her nearly without means to survive -- all this due to one earl’s inaction. Employed as a governess, Phoebe works toward changing her circumstances. She will build a new life in America with the money she has saved. If only her hostile words in an old letter don’t return to haunt her.
Lord Edward Granville, the Earl of Ashby, also experienced a change of fortune. At the age of twelve, Ned was whisked away from genteel poverty to become the old Earl of Ashby’s heir. His uncle’s stifling upbringing led to Ned joining the army to fight the French where he became known as ‘Lucky Ned.’ Everything happens so effortlessly for him, and without a scratch. Ned becomes a bit conceited.
A friend, with motivations of his own, bets it is Ned’s title and money people love. A wager is made. A woman must fall in love with Ned in two weeks.
It will be a woman of great dignity and pride who will change Ned’s life.
[Do not fear! Within this historical romance is a praise-worthy heroine! She is brave, shrewd, and - in her own quiet way - formidable.]
The Game and the Governess involves a wager, deception, and the ways love can change a person. I must confess that I’m still in awe of the heroine’s quiet dignity and the way she found joy in the little things. The wager had me worried. The level of deception was cruel and insensitive, but the perpetrators, namely Ned and his friend John Turner, are the players with the most to lose no matter who wins the wager.
Ned’s metamorphosis from the frivolous noble to the person he became was rewarding. He gained more depth of character than what I had expected. Phoebe, the heroine, remained steadfast. She not only surprised the hero with her admonishments, she caught me off guard too. Phoebe Baker outclassed every character in this book! As you can tell, I truly loved her.
John Turner, an essential secondary character, had moments where he fit in seamlessly. Yet, there was too much backstory and set-up for John’s story thread in this book, but this is common for a first-in-series book. Other readers may be able to overlook this. There are also mundane details that others may forgive, but I felt they were unnecessary and slowed the novel’s pace. The story set-up, John’s motivations, and Ned’s experience as a commoner made up nearly one-third of the book before the romance truly began and became addictive. Overall, The Game and the Governess was an enjoyable historical romance. It’s light. It’s poignant. (I cried.) Its heroine is unforgettable.
*****
"Trading Places " meets "Pride and Prejudice" sounds fun! :)
Buddy read with Dee.
At the age of seventeen, Phoebe Baker experienced a change of fortune. It led to the loss of her father and left her nearly without means to survive -- all this due to one earl’s inaction. Employed as a governess, Phoebe works toward changing her circumstances. She will build a new life in America with the money she has saved. If only her hostile words in an old letter don’t return to haunt her.
Lord Edward Granville, the Earl of Ashby, also experienced a change of fortune. At the age of twelve, Ned was whisked away from genteel poverty to become the old Earl of Ashby’s heir. His uncle’s stifling upbringing led to Ned joining the army to fight the French where he became known as ‘Lucky Ned.’ Everything happens so effortlessly for him, and without a scratch. Ned becomes a bit conceited.
A friend, with motivations of his own, bets it is Ned’s title and money people love. A wager is made. A woman must fall in love with Ned in two weeks.
It will be a woman of great dignity and pride who will change Ned’s life.
[Do not fear! Within this historical romance is a praise-worthy heroine! She is brave, shrewd, and - in her own quiet way - formidable.]
The Game and the Governess involves a wager, deception, and the ways love can change a person. I must confess that I’m still in awe of the heroine’s quiet dignity and the way she found joy in the little things. The wager had me worried. The level of deception was cruel and insensitive, but the perpetrators, namely Ned and his friend John Turner, are the players with the most to lose no matter who wins the wager.
Ned’s metamorphosis from the frivolous noble to the person he became was rewarding. He gained more depth of character than what I had expected. Phoebe, the heroine, remained steadfast. She not only surprised the hero with her admonishments, she caught me off guard too. Phoebe Baker outclassed every character in this book! As you can tell, I truly loved her.
John Turner, an essential secondary character, had moments where he fit in seamlessly. Yet, there was too much backstory and set-up for John’s story thread in this book, but this is common for a first-in-series book. Other readers may be able to overlook this. There are also mundane details that others may forgive, but I felt they were unnecessary and slowed the novel’s pace. The story set-up, John’s motivations, and Ned’s experience as a commoner made up nearly one-third of the book before the romance truly began and became addictive. Overall, The Game and the Governess was an enjoyable historical romance. It’s light. It’s poignant. (I cried.) Its heroine is unforgettable.
*****
"Trading Places " meets "Pride and Prejudice" sounds fun! :)
Buddy read with Dee.
July 27, 2014
Phoebe Baker has reason to despise the Earl of Ashby. She feels he is to blame for her change of fortune that causes her to be forced to find a position as a governess. So when the Earl of Ashby, aka Lucky Ned, and his friend/secretary, John Turner, turn up at her employer's home she is less than enthused. However the Earl and Mr. Turner have switched places. Mr. Turner believed that the Earl's position and rank make it easy for him to attract the fairer sex. So a wager is put in place. The Earl, as Mr. Turner, must find a woman to fall in love with him within two weeks.
While this started out slow for me, it sped up finally and I ended up loving it. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars. I will give it 4 because I did enjoy it overall. It is told from both Phoebe and Ned's viewpoint but seemed to focus more on Ned's than Phoebe's. I ended up liking both the hero and heroine but I wasn't too fond of John and I wonder if Ms. Noble has plans to tell his story next. I love Ms. Noble's writing so I will read it no doubt. I have to admit I peeked at a few other reviews and I see mixed feelings about this book. I, however, will have no problem recommending this book to Historical Romance lovers.
I got this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
While this started out slow for me, it sped up finally and I ended up loving it. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars. I will give it 4 because I did enjoy it overall. It is told from both Phoebe and Ned's viewpoint but seemed to focus more on Ned's than Phoebe's. I ended up liking both the hero and heroine but I wasn't too fond of John and I wonder if Ms. Noble has plans to tell his story next. I love Ms. Noble's writing so I will read it no doubt. I have to admit I peeked at a few other reviews and I see mixed feelings about this book. I, however, will have no problem recommending this book to Historical Romance lovers.
I got this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2014
The Earl of Ashby is a very lucky man. This has made him arrogant, thoughtless, and a bit of a bully. When his secretary and former army buddy challenges him to a wager, the two trade places for two weeks. If Lucky Ned can successfully woo a gentlewoman, he wins Turner's damaged mill. If not, Turner wins enough money to restore said mill and leave Ned's employ. Neither of them has any thought for the consequences.
I don't think one is supposed to spend the first half of a romance novel eagerly awaiting the hero's well-deserved comeuppance. Although Ned does belatedly develop a sense of shame, he still behaves badly toward the blameless governess on whom he fixes his attention. Phoebe Baker already holds the Earl of Ashby in contempt for contributing to her father's bankruptcy and death. The deception would seem to compound the error; the forced happy ending is not entirely convincing.
Noble is a good writer, and I have enjoyed others of her novels. This one leaves a bad taste.
I don't think one is supposed to spend the first half of a romance novel eagerly awaiting the hero's well-deserved comeuppance. Although Ned does belatedly develop a sense of shame, he still behaves badly toward the blameless governess on whom he fixes his attention. Phoebe Baker already holds the Earl of Ashby in contempt for contributing to her father's bankruptcy and death. The deception would seem to compound the error; the forced happy ending is not entirely convincing.
Noble is a good writer, and I have enjoyed others of her novels. This one leaves a bad taste.
December 24, 2024
Starts a bit slow but picks up quickly! Well planned plot. Brilliant character arcs.
January 12, 2016
First off, I prefer Edward, or even his title Ashby, over Ned because all I see is Ned Flanders when I see that.
Anyway, I liked that the author showed the change between Edward at the beginning and Edward at the end. He was so insufferable at the beginning and I totally got Turner's frustration with him.
A good portion of this book is groundwork for the next one. Edward doesn't even start to pursue Phoebe until just under the halfway point. Their romance is rather sweet, if a little boring, and it wasn't anything extraordinary. I felt the conflict happened too late and things were resolved far too quickly.
I also could've used more scenes with the residents of Puffington Arms in which they react to finding out the man they'd been ignoring and mistreating was the earl. I was looking forward to those reactions, because of how they were through the whole book, and was rather disappointed it wasn't there.
I know the next book is Turner's, and I'm going to read it, but he wasn't anything special. In fact, I quite disliked him. I didn't find him to be at all likable even once throughout the whole book. Letitia was no better either so I don't think it helps that she's his heroine. She's either a gold digger or a title hunter, neither of which reflect well on her, and she wasn't a nice person otherwise, either. Fanny, Lady Widcoate, invites women to Puffington Arms on behest of her sister, Letitia. She wonders why Letty had her invite all these people...
So...yeah, I don't like her.
Also, I don't think it's likely (because I'm assuming this'll be a trilogy about the three friends), but I hope Danson gets a book. I think his story would be far more interesting than the rest of the guys. Not only did Danson play more of a part in the story than Gray, but he was also far more likable and interesting than Turner. I think he deserves an HEA for having to put up with Edward and Turner in this novel.
Anyway, I liked that the author showed the change between Edward at the beginning and Edward at the end. He was so insufferable at the beginning and I totally got Turner's frustration with him.
A good portion of this book is groundwork for the next one. Edward doesn't even start to pursue Phoebe until just under the halfway point. Their romance is rather sweet, if a little boring, and it wasn't anything extraordinary. I felt the conflict happened too late and things were resolved far too quickly.
I also could've used more scenes with the residents of Puffington Arms in which they react to finding out the man they'd been ignoring and mistreating was the earl. I was looking forward to those reactions, because of how they were through the whole book, and was rather disappointed it wasn't there.
I know the next book is Turner's, and I'm going to read it, but he wasn't anything special. In fact, I quite disliked him. I didn't find him to be at all likable even once throughout the whole book. Letitia was no better either so I don't think it helps that she's his heroine. She's either a gold digger or a title hunter, neither of which reflect well on her, and she wasn't a nice person otherwise, either. Fanny, Lady Widcoate, invites women to Puffington Arms on behest of her sister, Letitia. She wonders why Letty had her invite all these people...
“Which is why I don’t know why you had me invite them,” Fanny huffed.
“Don’t you?” she asked. “Silly Fanny—it is because they make me look good by comparison.”
So...yeah, I don't like her.
Also, I don't think it's likely (because I'm assuming this'll be a trilogy about the three friends), but I hope Danson gets a book. I think his story would be far more interesting than the rest of the guys. Not only did Danson play more of a part in the story than Gray, but he was also far more likable and interesting than Turner. I think he deserves an HEA for having to put up with Edward and Turner in this novel.
April 3, 2024
The first third of the book had very little interaction between the hero and the heroine. Although I would typically not prefer this, it gave me time to get to know a little about each of their personalities. It also set up "the game."
I do not like lying heroes and have a hard time forgiving them. The Earl "Lucky Ned" was a selfish fraud, but he totally redeemed himself for me. He discovered his own flaws and owned up to them. Plus, I like a good role reversal and/or mistaken identity.
The heroine Miss P. Baker had one of the best traits. She could always appreciate the good in life. Although there was nothing in her physical description that made me visualize her as not attractive, she was described as plain. I think this inherent joy and ability to humanize anyone are the qualities most plausible to allow a physical catch of a hero to become attracted to and ulimately fall in love with.
A secondary love story was introduced between Mr. Turner and the Countess. I definitely plan to read the second book.
I do not like lying heroes and have a hard time forgiving them. The Earl "Lucky Ned" was a selfish fraud, but he totally redeemed himself for me. He discovered his own flaws and owned up to them. Plus, I like a good role reversal and/or mistaken identity.
The heroine Miss P. Baker had one of the best traits. She could always appreciate the good in life. Although there was nothing in her physical description that made me visualize her as not attractive, she was described as plain. I think this inherent joy and ability to humanize anyone are the qualities most plausible to allow a physical catch of a hero to become attracted to and ulimately fall in love with.
A secondary love story was introduced between Mr. Turner and the Countess. I definitely plan to read the second book.
dnf
February 14, 2016DNFed at 10%
Tried this in audio, tried this in ebook and just couldn't take it. The hero is a clueless buffoon with a bitter "friend" who seemed more envious than anything.
Tried this in audio, tried this in ebook and just couldn't take it. The hero is a clueless buffoon with a bitter "friend" who seemed more envious than anything.
December 12, 2014
เป็นงานของเคท โนเบิ้ลเล่มแรกที่เราอ่าน และจะไม่ใช่เล่มสุดท้ายแน่นอน เรื่องนี้อาจจะไม่ได้ถึงกับโดนใจ ทำให้เราชอบมาก แต่การเขียนน่าสนใจ การเล่าเรื่องมีมิติ ตัวละครที่เป็นมากกว่าที่ตาเห็น เราชอบในสิ่งที่ได้อ่านไปค่ะ
เนด แอชบี้เชื่อมันในโชคของตัวเองเป็นอย่างมาก เขารู้ว่าตัวเองเป็นคนโชคดี จะมีสักกี่คนที่เป็นทายาทอันดับท้าย ๆ ของบรรดาศักดิ์ท่านเอิร์ล แต่ทุกคนตายหมด จนกร��ทั่งถึงเขา นั่นทำให้เขาถูกพาตัวออกจากหมู่บ้านเล็ก ๆ ไร้ความเจริญ ไปสู่ความมั่งคั่งของบรรดาศักดิ์ ได้รับการเลี้ยงดู การศึกษาเป็นอย่างดี กระทั่งไปรบในสงครามที่หลายคนเสียชีวิต เนดก็รอดตายอย่างปาฎิหารย์ เขาเชื่อมั่นในโชคของตัวเองมากพอที่จะรับการท้าพนันของจอห์น อดีตเพื่อนสนิท อดีตผู้บังคับบัญชาสมัยที่ออกรบ แต่ตอนนี้ทำงานเป็นเลขานุการส่วนตัว
การท้าที่พนันว่า ถ้าเนดสลับตัวตนกันกับจอห์น ไม่บอกให้ใครรู้ว่า เนดคือท่านเอิร์ล และจอห์นเป็นแค่เลขานุการ เนดจะทำให้หญิงสาวในชนบทอันห่างไกลตกหลุมรักเนดผู้เป็นแค่เลขาได้
พล็อตนี้ไม่ได้ถูกใช้เป็นครั้งแรก ไม่ได้มีอะไรใหม่ เราคิดว่า เคยดูในหนังไทยสมัยก่อนหลายครั้งนะคะ นั่นเป็นเหตุให้เราไม่ได้หยิบเล่มนี้มาอ่านสักที จนกระทั่งเราได้อ่านบทแรก ซึ่งเล่าถึงนางเอกของเรื่อง และมันทำให้เราติดพันอ่านต่อ
จุดเด่นของเรื่องนี้ก็คือ ไม่มีอะไรเป็นอย่างที่ตาเห็น
จากพล็อตเราคิดว่า จะเป็นเรื่องแนวโรแมนติกคอเมดี้ ซึ่งมันก็เป็น แต่มีอะไรซ่อนอยู่มากมาย ในคาแร็คเตอร์เนด มันลึกซึ้ง หลายจุดทำให้เรานึกถึงอินส์วูดจากเรื่อง The Last Hellion แต่เราคิดว่า เนดมีความลึกมากกว่านั้น (ลึกขนาดตัวเนดเองก็ยังไม่รู้ว่า ตัวเองมี) เรื่องนี้ถ่ายทอดความโดดเดี่ยว การแสวงหาความรัก และการกลบเกลื่อนความรู้สึกทั้งปวงภายใต้เสียงหัวเราะ และการมองชีวิตด้านบวกที่มากเกินไป
ในแง่นึงเรื่องนี้เป็นการเล่าเรื่องราวของเนด แต่ฟีบี้นางเอกของเรื่องก็มีความน่าสนใจ (แต่ปฏิเสธไม่ได้นะคะว่า เรารู้สึกว่า เธอเป็นตัวประกอบอยู่ไม่น้อย) ชีวิตของเธอตกต่ำจากลูกสาวของผู้ดีมีอันจะกิน กลายมาทำงานเป็นครูพี่เลี้ยง ส่วนหนึ่งก็เพราะการกระทำที่ไม่เอาใจใส่ของเนด ซึ่งเธอไม่รู้ว่า เขาคือชายคนนั้น (เนื่องจากการสลับตัวกัน) เธอเป็นหญิงสาวที่สมอง และเป็นเหตุเป็นผล เธอรู้ว่า ไม่ควรยุ่งเกี่ยวกับเนด เพราะแค่การที่เขาเป็นเลขาของชายที่ทำลายชีวิตเธอก็มากพอแล้ว ที่เธอจะหลีกเลี่ยงเขา แต่ก็ยากที่จะทำได้ในเมื่อเขาก็ตื้อเธอเหลือเกิน
เรื่องนี้น่ารัก พร้อมกับมีความลึกในแง่ของคาแร็คเตอร์ ชอบค่ะ
เนด แอชบี้เชื่อมันในโชคของตัวเองเป็นอย่างมาก เขารู้ว่าตัวเองเป็นคนโชคดี จะมีสักกี่คนที่เป็นทายาทอันดับท้าย ๆ ของบรรดาศักดิ์ท่านเอิร์ล แต่ทุกคนตายหมด จนกร��ทั่งถึงเขา นั่นทำให้เขาถูกพาตัวออกจากหมู่บ้านเล็ก ๆ ไร้ความเจริญ ไปสู่ความมั่งคั่งของบรรดาศักดิ์ ได้รับการเลี้ยงดู การศึกษาเป็นอย่างดี กระทั่งไปรบในสงครามที่หลายคนเสียชีวิต เนดก็รอดตายอย่างปาฎิหารย์ เขาเชื่อมั่นในโชคของตัวเองมากพอที่จะรับการท้าพนันของจอห์น อดีตเพื่อนสนิท อดีตผู้บังคับบัญชาสมัยที่ออกรบ แต่ตอนนี้ทำงานเป็นเลขานุการส่วนตัว
การท้าที่พนันว่า ถ้าเนดสลับตัวตนกันกับจอห์น ไม่บอกให้ใครรู้ว่า เนดคือท่านเอิร์ล และจอห์นเป็นแค่เลขานุการ เนดจะทำให้หญิงสาวในชนบทอันห่างไกลตกหลุมรักเนดผู้เป็นแค่เลขาได้
พล็อตนี้ไม่ได้ถูกใช้เป็นครั้งแรก ไม่ได้มีอะไรใหม่ เราคิดว่า เคยดูในหนังไทยสมัยก่อนหลายครั้งนะคะ นั่นเป็นเหตุให้เราไม่ได้หยิบเล่มนี้มาอ่านสักที จนกระทั่งเราได้อ่านบทแรก ซึ่งเล่าถึงนางเอกของเรื่อง และมันทำให้เราติดพันอ่านต่อ
จุดเด่นของเรื่องนี้ก็คือ ไม่มีอะไรเป็นอย่างที่ตาเห็น
จากพล็อตเราคิดว่า จะเป็นเรื่องแนวโรแมนติกคอเมดี้ ซึ่งมันก็เป็น แต่มีอะไรซ่อนอยู่มากมาย ในคาแร็คเตอร์เนด มันลึกซึ้ง หลายจุดทำให้เรานึกถึงอินส์วูดจากเรื่อง The Last Hellion แต่เราคิดว่า เนดมีความลึกมากกว่านั้น (ลึกขนาดตัวเนดเองก็ยังไม่รู้ว่า ตัวเองมี) เรื่องนี้ถ่ายทอดความโดดเดี่ยว การแสวงหาความรัก และการกลบเกลื่อนความรู้สึกทั้งปวงภายใต้เสียงหัวเราะ และการมองชีวิตด้านบวกที่มากเกินไป
ในแง่นึงเรื่องนี้เป็นการเล่าเรื่องราวของเนด แต่ฟีบี้นางเอกของเรื่องก็มีความน่าสนใจ (แต่ปฏิเสธไม่ได้นะคะว่า เรารู้สึกว่า เธอเป็นตัวประกอบอยู่ไม่น้อย) ชีวิตของเธอตกต่ำจากลูกสาวของผู้ดีมีอันจะกิน กลายมาทำงานเป็นครูพี่เลี้ยง ส่วนหนึ่งก็เพราะการกระทำที่ไม่เอาใจใส่ของเนด ซึ่งเธอไม่รู้ว่า เขาคือชายคนนั้น (เนื่องจากการสลับตัวกัน) เธอเป็นหญิงสาวที่สมอง และเป็นเหตุเป็นผล เธอรู้ว่า ไม่ควรยุ่งเกี่ยวกับเนด เพราะแค่การที่เขาเป็นเลขาของชายที่ทำลายชีวิตเธอก็มากพอแล้ว ที่เธอจะหลีกเลี่ยงเขา แต่ก็ยากที่จะทำได้ในเมื่อเขาก็ตื้อเธอเหลือเกิน
เรื่องนี้น่ารัก พร้อมกับมีความลึกในแง่ของคาแร็คเตอร์ ชอบค่ะ
June 27, 2016
So I picked this book up before I read The Lie and the Lady and after reading it, I was going to get rid of this one, I had it on the to get rid of pile, I was so disgusted with Lettie. But my book OCD picked up and wouldn't let me do it. So I started it and if I just focus on Ned and Phoebe then it wasn't bad and yes the wager is stupid as heck. But we need a vehicle so Ned and Phoebe can meet, so I don't put the onus of the book on that part of it. But then there is the horrible Lettie and her evil sister and I must VENT!!! OMGosh, so you invite ladies to the house because they are less attractive then you and therefore put yourself in a better light? You have a party and then abandon the preparations and leave your guest to finish it up. Your sister poisons another guest, just enough to make them violently ill. John Turner even acknowledges that he is aware that Lettie is a gold-digger. Now here is the thing, I get the era, what were her choices, if she was going to survive, she had to find a husband. Because as we find out in the end when her evil sister just casts her off. It is just to do such nefarious things and think that is ok, I just don't get John's attraction, she is an evil woman. So that was why I had a hard time focusing on Net and Phoebe because I was busy hating on Lettie and her sister. I am going to pick up Rhys book, but prey that Lettie and John have sailed to America or something and have no page time in his book. I would like to hear about Ned and Phoebe, they did make a sweet couple.
June 18, 2019
This was more like a 3.6
There are good things but the fact that through most of the novel the male protagonist was so deceitful and manipulative for basically selfish reasons didn't resonate well with my enjoyment of the story. There is redemption but this wasn't as smoothly solved as I could imagine.
There are good things but the fact that through most of the novel the male protagonist was so deceitful and manipulative for basically selfish reasons didn't resonate well with my enjoyment of the story. There is redemption but this wasn't as smoothly solved as I could imagine.
September 21, 2016
The premise is...well I honestly want to kick Ned and John in a very private place. The game was a really crappy thing to come up with.
They change places, John Turner pretends to be an Earl. But he will start to fall for someone and he is just a miller (but his book is book 2.) He does seem like a good person except when he tries to ruin things for Ned.
Ned, oh yes, he is way too sure of himself and is all look at me. Now he has to pretend to be a secretary. And win the hand of a lady of birth. But how he bumbles along. Still, he does learn not to be so arrogant. But you know, he is an ass at first.
Pheobe then, she is a governess. Her dad died after losing their money. She is angry at a certain lord and drama!
I still liked it cos Ned does change and he genuinely likes her. It was a sweet book.
They change places, John Turner pretends to be an Earl. But he will start to fall for someone and he is just a miller (but his book is book 2.) He does seem like a good person except when he tries to ruin things for Ned.
Ned, oh yes, he is way too sure of himself and is all look at me. Now he has to pretend to be a secretary. And win the hand of a lady of birth. But how he bumbles along. Still, he does learn not to be so arrogant. But you know, he is an ass at first.
Pheobe then, she is a governess. Her dad died after losing their money. She is angry at a certain lord and drama!
I still liked it cos Ned does change and he genuinely likes her. It was a sweet book.
July 24, 2014
The story of Ned and Phoebe, just okay.
This was a hard book to get into. The set us is of an Earl who swithes positions with his secretary. All to prove a point of who can really woo a woman (Position or personality) and a wager was set.
Ned, I thought was okay, but I had a difficult time liking him. He just didn't seem authentic and a shallow character.
Phoebe, she was somewhat boring, somewhat sweet, but boring. Also, she just didn't seem very happy (I know her circumstances where not the greatest but still). She was just an all right heroine.
The plot at times was difficult to follow and confusing too. So I couldn't really recommend this unless you really didn't have anything in your TBR pile.
NetGalley
This was a hard book to get into. The set us is of an Earl who swithes positions with his secretary. All to prove a point of who can really woo a woman (Position or personality) and a wager was set.
Ned, I thought was okay, but I had a difficult time liking him. He just didn't seem authentic and a shallow character.
Phoebe, she was somewhat boring, somewhat sweet, but boring. Also, she just didn't seem very happy (I know her circumstances where not the greatest but still). She was just an all right heroine.
The plot at times was difficult to follow and confusing too. So I couldn't really recommend this unless you really didn't have anything in your TBR pile.
NetGalley
June 27, 2014
This is well-written and has an authentic feel for a Regency romance, but the male lead, Ned, isn't very likable for a significant portion of the book, and Phoebe's personality seemed too buried under governess reserve, so I didn't bond as much to either of them. For that reason, I would have to give this one a 3.5/5.0 star rating.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the August 2014 issue. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the August 2014 issue. http://affairedecoeur.com.
September 7, 2016
I've given this a B for narration and B for content at AAR.
The Game and the Governess is a very strong start to Kate Noble’s new series, wherein she takes a seemingly trite plot and turns it into a compelling story which is by turns funny, charming and poignant.
The story opens upon Miss Phoebe Baker on her final day at the exclusive school where she has been a pupil for the last few years. Her father’s fortune has been lost in an ill-advised business deal, and his demise followed shortly afterwards, leaving Phoebe unprovided for. A friendly schoolmistress has helped her to find a position as a governess, and Phoebe must learn to adapt to her reduced circumstances and her new situation as neither master nor servant.
Edward Granville, Earl of Ashby – known as “Lucky Ned” – was plucked from obscurity at the age of twelve, having been discovered to be the sole heir to an earldom. He really does seem to have everything - wealth, good looks, and an inordinate amount of good luck whether it be with women, cards, or anything else. Given the ease with which everything he wants falls into his lap, he’s sure it’s due to his luck and has nothing to do with the fact that he’s an earl. With the carefree self-absorption of youth, he is quite happy to leave the management of his affairs and estates to John Turner, his friend-turned-secretary, who, we discover, left his own business concerns in order to help Ned out of a tight spot some five years previously.
Their friendship began during the war, when Ned, then a raw recruit, joined Captain Turner’s regiment; they have remained friends, although from some of Turner’s dryly ironic comments, it’s clear that their friendship has become somewhat strained of late. Eventually unable to listen to any more of Ned’s paeans to his incredible luck, Turner snaps and points out that it’s Ned’s money and title that ensures him plenty of female attention, good seats at the opera, and whatever else he wants. Ned doesn’t believe him, and the pair makes a wager which leads to them switching places during a business trip into the country. Turner bets Ned that he won’t be able to woo a woman without benefit of his title and all its trappings – in the guise of a humble secretary, for instance - and Ned is instantly determined to prove him wrong.
Of course, something like this is immediately headed for disaster, not least because we’ve already learned that Phoebe holds the Earl of Ashby responsible for her father’s ruin. But Ms Noble’s writing is so engaging and her characterisation so strong, that the rather clichéd nature of the plot was a minor consideration and I was quickly hooked and keen to listen to the story unfold.
Unusually for a romance these days, the hero and heroine don’t really start interacting until the second quarter of the story, but I didn’t feel that as a deficiency as it allows the author time to establish her characters and to have a little fun at Ned’s expense. When he and Turner arrive at the house party in Hollyhock in Leicestershire, Ned tries to charm everyone by being his cheeky-chappie-self and is astonished to discover that not only is nobody charmed, but he’s barely noticed.
At the beginning of the story, Ned isn’t a particularly attractive hero. He’s selfish, overconfident, and shirks his responsibilities, but Ms Noble redeems him admirably, gradually bringing him to recognise his arrogance and ignorance of the true workings of the world in which he lives. He grows up during the course of the book, gaining a determination and steadiness of character which make him worthy of the love of Phoebe, who is one of the most engaging heroines I’ve come across in a while. It would have been easy to have made her into a downtrodden, cowed-under-the-weight-of-her-tragedy sort of character but Ms Noble hasn’t gone down that path, and a most welcome change it is, too. Rather than spending her days hating the man she holds responsible for her straightened circumstances or chafing at the treatment frequently meted out to her by the mother of her charges, Phoebe has instead made the decision to be happy. She has a goal in life along with the determination to achieve it and is sensible enough to see that the only person who would be disadvantaged by hatred is herself.
The relationship which develops between her and Ned is charming and sweet, and listening to them getting to know each other and fall in love is a real delight. There is also a well-drawn secondary cast, an affecting back story for Ned, and the writing is confident and full of humour and insight.
Beverley A. Crick is a new-to-me narrator and although I have a few quibbles about her performance, overall, she does a very good job. Her voice is easy to listen to and sounds appropriately youthful for a heroine in her early twenties, and she differentiates well between all the characters. Lady Widcoate sounds as though she’s looking down her nose all the time and her sister Leticia is given a smoothly seductive tone which sounds suitably false, given the fact that she’s on the hunt for a husband and determined to snare an earl. One of my quibbles is that Ms Crick doesn’t portray the male characters by means of pitch differentiation, which meant that the first time I heard Ned speak, I was a little worried that I would find it difficult to tell the men from the women. But I stuck with it, and it soon became clear that my fears were unfounded, because while it’s true that Ms Crick performs all the characters in the same vocal register, she differentiates between them all by using a variety of accents and timbres, so that I was never confused as to who was speaking. She is suitably gruff for Lord Widcoate and Mr Fenwick, and the accent she has chosen for Turner is applied consistently and works very well for him, particularly when he’s being ironic or sarcastic. And while it’s true that Ned doesn’t sound especially “manly”, Ms Crick captures the essence of him – his youthful impetuosity and his innate charm – very well indeed.
My personal preference is for a narrator who acts, and Ms Crick is certainly a very skilled vocal actor. Her narration is well-paced and very expressive, especially in the more emotionally charged moments towards the end of the story, and she also has the ability to bring out the humour and irony in both dialogue and narrative. In this, her delivery reminds me somewhat of Carolyn Morris, another narrator with a deft touch for humour and who differentiates by means of tone and accent more than by pitch.
There are a few times when Ms Crick trips over a particular word, or is about to trip over one, but apart from that and the other issues I’ve mentioned, hers is a very enjoyable performance, and I will definitely be seeking out more of her work.
The Game and the Governess is a very strong start to Kate Noble’s new series, wherein she takes a seemingly trite plot and turns it into a compelling story which is by turns funny, charming and poignant.
The story opens upon Miss Phoebe Baker on her final day at the exclusive school where she has been a pupil for the last few years. Her father’s fortune has been lost in an ill-advised business deal, and his demise followed shortly afterwards, leaving Phoebe unprovided for. A friendly schoolmistress has helped her to find a position as a governess, and Phoebe must learn to adapt to her reduced circumstances and her new situation as neither master nor servant.
Edward Granville, Earl of Ashby – known as “Lucky Ned” – was plucked from obscurity at the age of twelve, having been discovered to be the sole heir to an earldom. He really does seem to have everything - wealth, good looks, and an inordinate amount of good luck whether it be with women, cards, or anything else. Given the ease with which everything he wants falls into his lap, he’s sure it’s due to his luck and has nothing to do with the fact that he’s an earl. With the carefree self-absorption of youth, he is quite happy to leave the management of his affairs and estates to John Turner, his friend-turned-secretary, who, we discover, left his own business concerns in order to help Ned out of a tight spot some five years previously.
Their friendship began during the war, when Ned, then a raw recruit, joined Captain Turner’s regiment; they have remained friends, although from some of Turner’s dryly ironic comments, it’s clear that their friendship has become somewhat strained of late. Eventually unable to listen to any more of Ned’s paeans to his incredible luck, Turner snaps and points out that it’s Ned’s money and title that ensures him plenty of female attention, good seats at the opera, and whatever else he wants. Ned doesn’t believe him, and the pair makes a wager which leads to them switching places during a business trip into the country. Turner bets Ned that he won’t be able to woo a woman without benefit of his title and all its trappings – in the guise of a humble secretary, for instance - and Ned is instantly determined to prove him wrong.
Of course, something like this is immediately headed for disaster, not least because we’ve already learned that Phoebe holds the Earl of Ashby responsible for her father’s ruin. But Ms Noble’s writing is so engaging and her characterisation so strong, that the rather clichéd nature of the plot was a minor consideration and I was quickly hooked and keen to listen to the story unfold.
Unusually for a romance these days, the hero and heroine don’t really start interacting until the second quarter of the story, but I didn’t feel that as a deficiency as it allows the author time to establish her characters and to have a little fun at Ned’s expense. When he and Turner arrive at the house party in Hollyhock in Leicestershire, Ned tries to charm everyone by being his cheeky-chappie-self and is astonished to discover that not only is nobody charmed, but he’s barely noticed.
At the beginning of the story, Ned isn’t a particularly attractive hero. He’s selfish, overconfident, and shirks his responsibilities, but Ms Noble redeems him admirably, gradually bringing him to recognise his arrogance and ignorance of the true workings of the world in which he lives. He grows up during the course of the book, gaining a determination and steadiness of character which make him worthy of the love of Phoebe, who is one of the most engaging heroines I’ve come across in a while. It would have been easy to have made her into a downtrodden, cowed-under-the-weight-of-her-tragedy sort of character but Ms Noble hasn’t gone down that path, and a most welcome change it is, too. Rather than spending her days hating the man she holds responsible for her straightened circumstances or chafing at the treatment frequently meted out to her by the mother of her charges, Phoebe has instead made the decision to be happy. She has a goal in life along with the determination to achieve it and is sensible enough to see that the only person who would be disadvantaged by hatred is herself.
The relationship which develops between her and Ned is charming and sweet, and listening to them getting to know each other and fall in love is a real delight. There is also a well-drawn secondary cast, an affecting back story for Ned, and the writing is confident and full of humour and insight.
Beverley A. Crick is a new-to-me narrator and although I have a few quibbles about her performance, overall, she does a very good job. Her voice is easy to listen to and sounds appropriately youthful for a heroine in her early twenties, and she differentiates well between all the characters. Lady Widcoate sounds as though she’s looking down her nose all the time and her sister Leticia is given a smoothly seductive tone which sounds suitably false, given the fact that she’s on the hunt for a husband and determined to snare an earl. One of my quibbles is that Ms Crick doesn’t portray the male characters by means of pitch differentiation, which meant that the first time I heard Ned speak, I was a little worried that I would find it difficult to tell the men from the women. But I stuck with it, and it soon became clear that my fears were unfounded, because while it’s true that Ms Crick performs all the characters in the same vocal register, she differentiates between them all by using a variety of accents and timbres, so that I was never confused as to who was speaking. She is suitably gruff for Lord Widcoate and Mr Fenwick, and the accent she has chosen for Turner is applied consistently and works very well for him, particularly when he’s being ironic or sarcastic. And while it’s true that Ned doesn’t sound especially “manly”, Ms Crick captures the essence of him – his youthful impetuosity and his innate charm – very well indeed.
My personal preference is for a narrator who acts, and Ms Crick is certainly a very skilled vocal actor. Her narration is well-paced and very expressive, especially in the more emotionally charged moments towards the end of the story, and she also has the ability to bring out the humour and irony in both dialogue and narrative. In this, her delivery reminds me somewhat of Carolyn Morris, another narrator with a deft touch for humour and who differentiates by means of tone and accent more than by pitch.
There are a few times when Ms Crick trips over a particular word, or is about to trip over one, but apart from that and the other issues I’ve mentioned, hers is a very enjoyable performance, and I will definitely be seeking out more of her work.
November 24, 2021
Povestea incepe cu un pariu si cu un schimb de roluri.
Mi-a plăcut ce dovezi a cerut Turner, cele trei dovezi incontestabile care să arate intr-adevar ca Ned a cucerit o femeie, si una din înalta societate chiar.
Phoebe il considera vinovat de moartea tatălui ei pe contele Ashby, si a jurat sa se răzbune, pentru ca viata ei s-a schimbat dupa ce si-a pierdut tatal si a fost nevoită să se angajeze ca guvernantă pentru a supraviețui.
Ei bine, Ned si Phoebe vor da savoare cartii , ea neștiind adevarul despre Norocosul.
A fost interesant schimbul de replici dintre Ned si Turner pe tot parcursul schimbului de roluri, a fost interesant cum Ned si-a dat seama ca majoritatea oamenilor il acceptau doar pentru titlu, nu pentru omul care era el.
Incet Ned realizeaza ca nu a facut bine când a avut incredere in prieteni, o data cu aflarea secretului lui Phoebe si a unei scrisori pe care chiar contele ar fi trimis-o.
Este o poveste frumoasa despre falsitate si prietenie in acelasi timp, despre acceptare, răzbunare, secrete si desigur, dragoste.
Mi-a plăcut în mod special cum a decurs relația dintre Norocos și Phoebe, mai ales dupa aflarea adevărului. Recomand cu drag!
Mi-a plăcut ce dovezi a cerut Turner, cele trei dovezi incontestabile care să arate intr-adevar ca Ned a cucerit o femeie, si una din înalta societate chiar.
Phoebe il considera vinovat de moartea tatălui ei pe contele Ashby, si a jurat sa se răzbune, pentru ca viata ei s-a schimbat dupa ce si-a pierdut tatal si a fost nevoită să se angajeze ca guvernantă pentru a supraviețui.
Ei bine, Ned si Phoebe vor da savoare cartii , ea neștiind adevarul despre Norocosul.
A fost interesant schimbul de replici dintre Ned si Turner pe tot parcursul schimbului de roluri, a fost interesant cum Ned si-a dat seama ca majoritatea oamenilor il acceptau doar pentru titlu, nu pentru omul care era el.
Incet Ned realizeaza ca nu a facut bine când a avut incredere in prieteni, o data cu aflarea secretului lui Phoebe si a unei scrisori pe care chiar contele ar fi trimis-o.
Este o poveste frumoasa despre falsitate si prietenie in acelasi timp, despre acceptare, răzbunare, secrete si desigur, dragoste.
Mi-a plăcut în mod special cum a decurs relația dintre Norocos și Phoebe, mai ales dupa aflarea adevărului. Recomand cu drag!
July 13, 2016
It’s been several years since I have read a book by Kate Noble, and I had forgotten how much I enjoy her writing style and unique storylines. When an opportunity came up to purchase the audio version for a great price, I took advantage of it. I am so glad I did. The Game and the Governess is an enchanting love story.
Phoebe Baker lost everything at seventeen and is now a governess instead of a debutante. Years later, she’s still a governess, but she still has her dream of going to America where her cousins live.
Edward “Ned” Granville, the Earl of Ashby, is always looking for a good time. When his friend, John Turner challenges him, stating that Ned cannot get a woman to fall in love with him if he isn’t the earl, he’s determined to prove his friend wrong. Thus a wager is made. He has two weeks to win the heart of a lady.
Ned soon finds out it’s not be as easy as he expected. Since he’s impersonating his secretary, and his friend is pretending to be the earl, the women at the house party pay him no mind and fawn over John.
When Ned learns Phoebe is a lady, of reduced circumstances, he sets out to win her and the wager. He doesn’t count on emotions getting in the way. Are his feelings for Phoebe strong enough to get him to lose the wager, or will Ned’s competitive personality have him throwing away a chance at true love?
The Game and the Governess has sparkling wit, plenty of emotionally-charged writing and unforgettable characters. It is fast-paced with an engaging story that pulled me in from the start. This is a charming Regency romance, and I truly enjoyed it.
Phoebe is a wonderful heroine and she stole my heart in the prologue, and I fell further in love with her as the story unfolds. While life certainly has not been kind to her, she is able to rise above that and maintain a positive attitude toward life, and is an excellent governess to the sweet little children in her care.
Ned is an intriguing, complex character. At first, I did not expect to like him. He seemed too much of a careless fellow, who didn’t take anything serious. Once he settles on Phoebe, things begin to change, but not immediately. The scene with the blackberry tart did not show him in a favorable light, but his remorse helped to turn me around. From that point on, I began to fall in love with him and understand why he was so careless in the beginning of the story.
Ms. Noble is brilliant at building sexual tension between Phoebe and Ned, and it continues to grow throughout the book. The chemistry between the pair can only be called dazzling. While the love scenes may not be very explicit, they more than make up for that in emotion and sensuality. Their kiss in the lane sizzles.
I listened to the audio version performed by Beverley A. Crick and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ms. Crick reads with just the right amount of emotion, bringing the character to life. She does an excellent job with distinguishing the various characters. I will definitely want to listen to future recordings narrated by her.
If you enjoy a good Regency romance with an intriguing plot and a heroine that will pull at your heart-strings, then you will love The Game and the Governess as much as I did. I plan to read John’s story in the near future. Happy reading!
Phoebe Baker lost everything at seventeen and is now a governess instead of a debutante. Years later, she’s still a governess, but she still has her dream of going to America where her cousins live.
Edward “Ned” Granville, the Earl of Ashby, is always looking for a good time. When his friend, John Turner challenges him, stating that Ned cannot get a woman to fall in love with him if he isn’t the earl, he’s determined to prove his friend wrong. Thus a wager is made. He has two weeks to win the heart of a lady.
Ned soon finds out it’s not be as easy as he expected. Since he’s impersonating his secretary, and his friend is pretending to be the earl, the women at the house party pay him no mind and fawn over John.
When Ned learns Phoebe is a lady, of reduced circumstances, he sets out to win her and the wager. He doesn’t count on emotions getting in the way. Are his feelings for Phoebe strong enough to get him to lose the wager, or will Ned’s competitive personality have him throwing away a chance at true love?
The Game and the Governess has sparkling wit, plenty of emotionally-charged writing and unforgettable characters. It is fast-paced with an engaging story that pulled me in from the start. This is a charming Regency romance, and I truly enjoyed it.
Phoebe is a wonderful heroine and she stole my heart in the prologue, and I fell further in love with her as the story unfolds. While life certainly has not been kind to her, she is able to rise above that and maintain a positive attitude toward life, and is an excellent governess to the sweet little children in her care.
Ned is an intriguing, complex character. At first, I did not expect to like him. He seemed too much of a careless fellow, who didn’t take anything serious. Once he settles on Phoebe, things begin to change, but not immediately. The scene with the blackberry tart did not show him in a favorable light, but his remorse helped to turn me around. From that point on, I began to fall in love with him and understand why he was so careless in the beginning of the story.
Ms. Noble is brilliant at building sexual tension between Phoebe and Ned, and it continues to grow throughout the book. The chemistry between the pair can only be called dazzling. While the love scenes may not be very explicit, they more than make up for that in emotion and sensuality. Their kiss in the lane sizzles.
I listened to the audio version performed by Beverley A. Crick and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ms. Crick reads with just the right amount of emotion, bringing the character to life. She does an excellent job with distinguishing the various characters. I will definitely want to listen to future recordings narrated by her.
If you enjoy a good Regency romance with an intriguing plot and a heroine that will pull at your heart-strings, then you will love The Game and the Governess as much as I did. I plan to read John’s story in the near future. Happy reading!
July 25, 2014
Originally posted at The Bookaholic Cat
The Earl of Ashby also known as Lucky Ned, believes his luck with the ladies has everything to do with his charm and not his title. One of his best friend and secretary (John Turner), wants to prove him wrong and challenges him to a wager, in which they will change places for two weeks, two weeks for Ned to pretend to be Mr. Turner and make a gentle woman fall in love with him.
The stakes are high, but Ned is sure that will be an easy win and accepts gladly.
What they never consider was that they both could lose greatly with this bet.
It took me a long time to get into the story, almost 60%. After that the story picks up and it was more enjoyable. I think this has a lot to do with Ned. On the beginning he’s not a very likeable character; he’s pompous, shallow and selfish. He gets better towards the middle of the book, but still, at times it wasn’t enough to like him.
Turner wasn’t bad at all. He was better than Ned, that’s for sure. I wish I could have seen a resolution in his story.
The heroine, Phoebe Baker was my favorite character. I really liked her; I liked that despite her circumstances she continues to find things to smile.
The story is entertaining, but as I said before, the beginning is very slow and it drags at times. The writing is good, but if I’m honest this book didn’t impress me.
The Game and the Governess was my first book by Kate Noble and most probably it will be my last.
To rate this book I have to use math. The first part of the book deserves a 2 ½ Stars and the second part 3 Stars. That will give the book 2 ⅔ Stars, but I feel generous today and I’m rounding it to 3 Stars.
The Earl of Ashby also known as Lucky Ned, believes his luck with the ladies has everything to do with his charm and not his title. One of his best friend and secretary (John Turner), wants to prove him wrong and challenges him to a wager, in which they will change places for two weeks, two weeks for Ned to pretend to be Mr. Turner and make a gentle woman fall in love with him.
The stakes are high, but Ned is sure that will be an easy win and accepts gladly.
What they never consider was that they both could lose greatly with this bet.
It took me a long time to get into the story, almost 60%. After that the story picks up and it was more enjoyable. I think this has a lot to do with Ned. On the beginning he’s not a very likeable character; he’s pompous, shallow and selfish. He gets better towards the middle of the book, but still, at times it wasn’t enough to like him.
Turner wasn’t bad at all. He was better than Ned, that’s for sure. I wish I could have seen a resolution in his story.
The heroine, Phoebe Baker was my favorite character. I really liked her; I liked that despite her circumstances she continues to find things to smile.
The story is entertaining, but as I said before, the beginning is very slow and it drags at times. The writing is good, but if I’m honest this book didn’t impress me.
The Game and the Governess was my first book by Kate Noble and most probably it will be my last.
To rate this book I have to use math. The first part of the book deserves a 2 ½ Stars and the second part 3 Stars. That will give the book 2 ⅔ Stars, but I feel generous today and I’m rounding it to 3 Stars.
February 24, 2016
Whenever I read a romance where the plot hinges on a secret I find myself bracing for the emotional upheaval of the reveal. This was no exception. The reveal is rather late in the book, and most of the emotional backlash happens off the page, meaning I'm still mad at him, but she's ready to forgive.
Kate Noble's lovely writing always elevates the experience of reading her books, however in this case it didn't elevate it quite enough. The hero, Ned, is selfish, privileged, self-centered, and oblivious. I spent the first part irritated by this last quality, and while I found him more appealing as he learned how much of his good fortune was due to his title, I still found him a bit annoying. In contrast to Ned, Phoebe had fallen from priveledge and spent her life affirming that there was happiness in the everyday. I could see how she would be attracted to the cheery nature of Ned if to his brains. This is probably another example of me preferring the slightly broody hero.
Kate Noble's lovely writing always elevates the experience of reading her books, however in this case it didn't elevate it quite enough. The hero, Ned, is selfish, privileged, self-centered, and oblivious. I spent the first part irritated by this last quality, and while I found him more appealing as he learned how much of his good fortune was due to his title, I still found him a bit annoying. In contrast to Ned, Phoebe had fallen from priveledge and spent her life affirming that there was happiness in the everyday. I could see how she would be attracted to the cheery nature of Ned if to his brains. This is probably another example of me preferring the slightly broody hero.
September 26, 2014
Just didn't work for me. Disappointing because I generally like the works of this author. Having built up a big dislike of the hero in the early chapters, I never could swing forward to rooting for him. As others have written, there was lackluster chemistry between the protagonists and little believable romance.
September 8, 2014
reviewed for AudioGals. Link: http://www.audiogals.net/2014/09/the-...
February 17, 2021
I really enjoyed the last series of Noble's that I read and this likely suffered by comparison. Standard trope-y romance setup but I was hoping for really likeable characters that developed throughout the novel. While they did somewhat change and grow, I felt like it was very slow to get underway and so while the characters grew individually, the story of the couple wasn't that enticing. I do love how strong her women are though and it was never really cringey and never actively made me angry, which seems like a low bar but comes up kind of often in the wrong romance novels. Probably 2.5 stars.
March 1, 2017
dnf at 50% because I just don't care about a single one of these characters.
June 29, 2019
Dear Ms. Noble,
An egotistical hero doesn’t usually spark my interest. I didn’t need another narcissistic Prince Charming. Seen it all a million times, and my immediate reaction is: Meh. However, the success of an overused archetype is due to an author’s treatment of it. The way you painted Ned in words, you made him vulnerable in his egotism, and that is why it worked.
His friends harbored a veiled resentment for him, believing he was only well-received because of his title. His exasperation at that thought was tangible. He wasn’t naive enough to think that everyone would like him to the same degree if he were lower class, but he was genuinely confident of his appeal as a good friend and person.
“And by the by, I resent the implication that I am nothing more than my title.”
“Now, Ashby, he didn’t say that,” Rhys began, but Turner strangely kept silent.
“Yes he did. He said that life is different for an earl than it is for a secretary. And while that is true, it implies that any good thing, any bit of luck I may have had in my life, is incumbent upon the fact that I inherited an earldom. And any lack of happiness Turner suffers from is incumbent upon his recent bad luck. Whereas the reverse is true. He is serious and unsmiling, thus he has bad luck. With his mill, with women, with life. I am in general of a good nature and I have good luck. It has very little to do with my title. It has to do with who I am.”
I could tell he was in for a kick in the pants when he proposed the swap with his secretary. I admit: I am a huge fan of the nobleman-in-disguise trope. From my first favorite, Man of My Dreams by Johanna Lindsey (not a great novel, but cherished in my memories), I have been an absolute sucker for this concept. It gets me almost every time, and it got me here.
Ned is privileged, and knows he is, but he’s not fake. He is a real person (insofar as a fictional man can be called real) who’s very aware he’s afforded attention and luxuries by virtue of his title, and he has the audacity to think he’d do well even without that title.
When his role is reversed with his secretary, people do not treat him well, and the marvelous thing is that he doesn’t get upset with them. He forgives them immediately and shrugs and tries again. He’s so amiable that I found myself charmed by him, very suddenly and surprisingly. Of course, he got his comeuppance on a number of occasions, and acted with blindingly foolish assurance of his own appeal, and he was immediately and repeatedly called out on it. Until then, he never truly comprehended the liberties he could take as a nobleman that no one would dare take as an untitled secretary. It was a rude awakening but he managed it well after admitting how stupid and disrespectful he’d been. The appeal for me was in the fact he was willing to apologize and admit fault. We need more heroes who accept defeat with grace.
I also enjoyed his backstory. Ned didn’t join the world of the nobility until he was nearly a teenager, when his uncle’s heir died. He and his mother lived in neither comfort nor privilege. He hauled water from the well like any normal citizen. It wasn’t something he talked about, really ever, but I think his formative years made a huge impact on his personality. This is why, although he’s admittedly egotistical, he was never insufferable. He was grounded in the reality of his former upbringing. I loved him.
And I loved Phoebe, our heroine, as well. In her youth, she wrote the earl a furious letter, saying in no uncertain terms that he was to blame for her father’s death. It’s an impassioned, pained letter with zero subtlety. A genteel lady with the nerve to damn a nobleman to hell in a personal letter? I’m so there.
But even better, we see her years later, when she’s rid herself of that anger. I could see how she matured and I liked the result. She just wanted to disappear and be unnoticed by the earl. She hadn’t forgiven him, but she no longer wanted to make him suffer for the pride he maintained that inadvertently ruined her father. Thank goodness for heroines who reflect on their actions and who do what’s right for their own mental health from the get-go. The tension of their history is still palpable without any need for a silly vendetta.
At first, she didn’t give this jumped-up secretary a moment’s notice, but he kept coming back. He obviously liked her from the start, and the inevitable happened: she started to like him back, just as I liked him. They fell in love so naturally.
No matter what, his life would have led to this moment. If he had stayed in the village and never been made the old earl’s heir, they would have met here. He would have owned his mother’s cottage, had some sort of profession, and he would have known Phoebe Baker as the governess of the Widcoate children. They would have danced here.
Or, if he had still been the earl, but a better one–one who had caught Mr. Sharp and prevented him from ever meeting her father, they would have met in London, during her season. He and the light-haired girl with dimples and laughing eyes would have danced at Almack’s, or in some other elegant ballroom.
The main antagonist was Mr. Turner. If I met him in real life, I would slap his face. He started as Ned’s best friend and destroyed their friendship because he needed to win the bet, because his entire family’s livelihood was riding on it. Okay, so your whole fictional family depends on the mill, but does that mean you become a complete bastard? Why not just be honest and let Ned know the great significance of the mill in your life, rather than play this silly game and betray the friend who has helped you for years?
Ned’s fatal flaw was that he did not understand how much the mill meant to Mr. Turner. He trusted in him as his friend and faithful secretary, never imagining how far Mr. Turner was willing to go in order to save his family’s mill; how malicious and unethical he would turn. One action of his near the end of the novel upset me so much that I could barely enjoy the lovely subsequent scene with our hero and heroine. I was angry at both you as an author and at Mr. Turner, that swine. But then I reminded myself that it would be okay, that they would love each other sincerely and that there would be a happy ending, and I was able to focus.
There were a number of things that frustrated me about the book: the whodunit villain in the end with flimsy reasons, the ruthless actions of an unlikable antagonist (but then, I suppose he’s supposed to antagonize), and the general way things seemed rushed near the climax. The timing could have been better for many things, with a more paced redemption and reconciliation.
But I really, truly enjoyed this book. I would give it a B except for the fact that I read it all in one go, in a few hours’ time, and that makes it a B+ for me. I couldn’t put it down. I had a lot of fun reading it. I loved the hero and heroine both, especially the hero, who had a lot of room to improve and was just so relentlessly optimistic the whole way through that I couldn’t help but appreciate who he was as a character and person. I’d fall in love with him, too, and he wouldn’t have to be an earl.
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/o...
An egotistical hero doesn’t usually spark my interest. I didn’t need another narcissistic Prince Charming. Seen it all a million times, and my immediate reaction is: Meh. However, the success of an overused archetype is due to an author’s treatment of it. The way you painted Ned in words, you made him vulnerable in his egotism, and that is why it worked.
His friends harbored a veiled resentment for him, believing he was only well-received because of his title. His exasperation at that thought was tangible. He wasn’t naive enough to think that everyone would like him to the same degree if he were lower class, but he was genuinely confident of his appeal as a good friend and person.
“And by the by, I resent the implication that I am nothing more than my title.”
“Now, Ashby, he didn’t say that,” Rhys began, but Turner strangely kept silent.
“Yes he did. He said that life is different for an earl than it is for a secretary. And while that is true, it implies that any good thing, any bit of luck I may have had in my life, is incumbent upon the fact that I inherited an earldom. And any lack of happiness Turner suffers from is incumbent upon his recent bad luck. Whereas the reverse is true. He is serious and unsmiling, thus he has bad luck. With his mill, with women, with life. I am in general of a good nature and I have good luck. It has very little to do with my title. It has to do with who I am.”
I could tell he was in for a kick in the pants when he proposed the swap with his secretary. I admit: I am a huge fan of the nobleman-in-disguise trope. From my first favorite, Man of My Dreams by Johanna Lindsey (not a great novel, but cherished in my memories), I have been an absolute sucker for this concept. It gets me almost every time, and it got me here.
Ned is privileged, and knows he is, but he’s not fake. He is a real person (insofar as a fictional man can be called real) who’s very aware he’s afforded attention and luxuries by virtue of his title, and he has the audacity to think he’d do well even without that title.
When his role is reversed with his secretary, people do not treat him well, and the marvelous thing is that he doesn’t get upset with them. He forgives them immediately and shrugs and tries again. He’s so amiable that I found myself charmed by him, very suddenly and surprisingly. Of course, he got his comeuppance on a number of occasions, and acted with blindingly foolish assurance of his own appeal, and he was immediately and repeatedly called out on it. Until then, he never truly comprehended the liberties he could take as a nobleman that no one would dare take as an untitled secretary. It was a rude awakening but he managed it well after admitting how stupid and disrespectful he’d been. The appeal for me was in the fact he was willing to apologize and admit fault. We need more heroes who accept defeat with grace.
I also enjoyed his backstory. Ned didn’t join the world of the nobility until he was nearly a teenager, when his uncle’s heir died. He and his mother lived in neither comfort nor privilege. He hauled water from the well like any normal citizen. It wasn’t something he talked about, really ever, but I think his formative years made a huge impact on his personality. This is why, although he’s admittedly egotistical, he was never insufferable. He was grounded in the reality of his former upbringing. I loved him.
And I loved Phoebe, our heroine, as well. In her youth, she wrote the earl a furious letter, saying in no uncertain terms that he was to blame for her father’s death. It’s an impassioned, pained letter with zero subtlety. A genteel lady with the nerve to damn a nobleman to hell in a personal letter? I’m so there.
But even better, we see her years later, when she’s rid herself of that anger. I could see how she matured and I liked the result. She just wanted to disappear and be unnoticed by the earl. She hadn’t forgiven him, but she no longer wanted to make him suffer for the pride he maintained that inadvertently ruined her father. Thank goodness for heroines who reflect on their actions and who do what’s right for their own mental health from the get-go. The tension of their history is still palpable without any need for a silly vendetta.
At first, she didn’t give this jumped-up secretary a moment’s notice, but he kept coming back. He obviously liked her from the start, and the inevitable happened: she started to like him back, just as I liked him. They fell in love so naturally.
No matter what, his life would have led to this moment. If he had stayed in the village and never been made the old earl’s heir, they would have met here. He would have owned his mother’s cottage, had some sort of profession, and he would have known Phoebe Baker as the governess of the Widcoate children. They would have danced here.
Or, if he had still been the earl, but a better one–one who had caught Mr. Sharp and prevented him from ever meeting her father, they would have met in London, during her season. He and the light-haired girl with dimples and laughing eyes would have danced at Almack’s, or in some other elegant ballroom.
The main antagonist was Mr. Turner. If I met him in real life, I would slap his face. He started as Ned’s best friend and destroyed their friendship because he needed to win the bet, because his entire family’s livelihood was riding on it. Okay, so your whole fictional family depends on the mill, but does that mean you become a complete bastard? Why not just be honest and let Ned know the great significance of the mill in your life, rather than play this silly game and betray the friend who has helped you for years?
Ned’s fatal flaw was that he did not understand how much the mill meant to Mr. Turner. He trusted in him as his friend and faithful secretary, never imagining how far Mr. Turner was willing to go in order to save his family’s mill; how malicious and unethical he would turn. One action of his near the end of the novel upset me so much that I could barely enjoy the lovely subsequent scene with our hero and heroine. I was angry at both you as an author and at Mr. Turner, that swine. But then I reminded myself that it would be okay, that they would love each other sincerely and that there would be a happy ending, and I was able to focus.
There were a number of things that frustrated me about the book: the whodunit villain in the end with flimsy reasons, the ruthless actions of an unlikable antagonist (but then, I suppose he’s supposed to antagonize), and the general way things seemed rushed near the climax. The timing could have been better for many things, with a more paced redemption and reconciliation.
But I really, truly enjoyed this book. I would give it a B except for the fact that I read it all in one go, in a few hours’ time, and that makes it a B+ for me. I couldn’t put it down. I had a lot of fun reading it. I loved the hero and heroine both, especially the hero, who had a lot of room to improve and was just so relentlessly optimistic the whole way through that I couldn’t help but appreciate who he was as a character and person. I’d fall in love with him, too, and he wouldn’t have to be an earl.
https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/o...
August 25, 2014
The author does a wonderful job infusing humor and heartache in this story and I am excited for more of these three friends.
Phoebe Baker is about to change her life, she has spent the last five years at school but now that her father has died, she must leave. Without her father to champion her, the head of the school knows she does not belong and as she begins a new life as a governess she blames one man for the monetary losses her father encountered that led to her fall from society, the Earl of Ashby.
Edward Granville, the Earl of Ashby is called Lucky Ned; because if you look at his life he has luck on his side. As a distant relative of the former Earl he inherits the Earldom and leaves the countryside, his mother and poverty for a new life at the age of twelve. He seems to have it all but boredom sets in early and he purchases a commission in the army and meets two men (John Turner and Dr. Rhys Gray) that become lifelong friends. One fateful night the three set forth events that will change their lives forever as Ned and John (his secretary) change places for two weeks in a wager.
This is an engaging story that shows us that things can get very tangled when we deceive, as these friends innocently make a wager to prove a point.
I thought when I read the blurb that Ned was not going to be my favorite person in the beginning, he sounded spoiled and a little too selfish be likable, but there is something about him, even in the beginning that I liked, it might have been the way he treated his two friends or just his sense of humor that caught my interest. What did surprise me was how I felt about John; I did not expect to dislike him and got angry with him several times before circumstances and background knowledge changed my mind. The two are good friends, at least on the surface but the selfishness between both Ned and John fuels underlying anger. I like the dynamics of their friendship and although the wager causes problems for others, it does bring their issues to the forefront and I like how things end with them.
Complete review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from publisher for an honest review
Phoebe Baker is about to change her life, she has spent the last five years at school but now that her father has died, she must leave. Without her father to champion her, the head of the school knows she does not belong and as she begins a new life as a governess she blames one man for the monetary losses her father encountered that led to her fall from society, the Earl of Ashby.
Edward Granville, the Earl of Ashby is called Lucky Ned; because if you look at his life he has luck on his side. As a distant relative of the former Earl he inherits the Earldom and leaves the countryside, his mother and poverty for a new life at the age of twelve. He seems to have it all but boredom sets in early and he purchases a commission in the army and meets two men (John Turner and Dr. Rhys Gray) that become lifelong friends. One fateful night the three set forth events that will change their lives forever as Ned and John (his secretary) change places for two weeks in a wager.
This is an engaging story that shows us that things can get very tangled when we deceive, as these friends innocently make a wager to prove a point.
I thought when I read the blurb that Ned was not going to be my favorite person in the beginning, he sounded spoiled and a little too selfish be likable, but there is something about him, even in the beginning that I liked, it might have been the way he treated his two friends or just his sense of humor that caught my interest. What did surprise me was how I felt about John; I did not expect to dislike him and got angry with him several times before circumstances and background knowledge changed my mind. The two are good friends, at least on the surface but the selfishness between both Ned and John fuels underlying anger. I like the dynamics of their friendship and although the wager causes problems for others, it does bring their issues to the forefront and I like how things end with them.
Complete review at: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
Copy from publisher for an honest review
November 11, 2014
This book is a fun twist on the plot about trading places. A bored earl and his best friend travel for a stay to the earls birth place for business and decide on a little wager. Sounds harmless, in the beginning. The author takes this to a new level with a look at the boredom of the entitled with plenty of twists along the way.
There are some things about this book that annoyed me. For one, I did not like the main male character, Ned, at all. For most of the book, I wanted to smack him. It was hard to see him actually begin to fall for the female heroine since all of the windup was about only a conquest. But the author has created her with a backbone, ethics and a way to control situations and people unassumingly so that was a saving grace. She was funny in a subtle way and added some levity to the story.
I also did not care for all of the other characters that were added. It is hard to keep track of everyone, especially in a historical based book, when you are trying to get through the back story and details. When someone like me wants to fly through a book and I have to keep going back to see if this person is of consequence to the storyline, that gets me. Most of the added people (women) were not necessary in my eyes, but I can see what the author was offering to Ned and John in terms of choices for their wager. But that added more details to follow in the storyline.
I did enjoy the story and book, but for me waiting until the very, very end to find the outcome was frustrating. I itched to be able to read faster and get through the book, which I guess is a good thing. The author is talented and crafted a good story. I just wish the hero was more likeable. That would have made this book for me.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review published in full on Two CLassy Chics
There are some things about this book that annoyed me. For one, I did not like the main male character, Ned, at all. For most of the book, I wanted to smack him. It was hard to see him actually begin to fall for the female heroine since all of the windup was about only a conquest. But the author has created her with a backbone, ethics and a way to control situations and people unassumingly so that was a saving grace. She was funny in a subtle way and added some levity to the story.
I also did not care for all of the other characters that were added. It is hard to keep track of everyone, especially in a historical based book, when you are trying to get through the back story and details. When someone like me wants to fly through a book and I have to keep going back to see if this person is of consequence to the storyline, that gets me. Most of the added people (women) were not necessary in my eyes, but I can see what the author was offering to Ned and John in terms of choices for their wager. But that added more details to follow in the storyline.
I did enjoy the story and book, but for me waiting until the very, very end to find the outcome was frustrating. I itched to be able to read faster and get through the book, which I guess is a good thing. The author is talented and crafted a good story. I just wish the hero was more likeable. That would have made this book for me.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review published in full on Two CLassy Chics
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