Κόμισσα κατά Λάθος

by Annie Burrows

Μία παρεξήγηση, μία απαγωγή… και δύο άγνωστοι βρίσκονται ξαφνικά παντρεμένοι!
Στην προσπάθειά του να εμποδίσει τον ακατάλληλο γάμο που ετοιμάζεται να κάνει ο προστατευόμενός του, χωρίς την έγκρισή του, ο κόμης του Γουέζλι αρπάζει άρον άρον τη μέλλουσα νύφη και την τσουβαλιάζει στην άμαξά του. Μόνο και μόνο για να ανακαλύψει το επόμενο πρωί ότι έχει κάνει ένα τρομερό λάθος. Η γυναίκα είναι στην πραγματικότητα η νεαρή γκουβερνάντα μις Ντόροθι Φίλιπς –της οποίας τη φήμη κατέστρεψε άθελά του! Ο μόνος τρόπος για να επανορθώσει είναι να την παντρευτεί αμέσως… Μπορεί να έγινε κατά λάθος η κόμισσά του, αλλά η δυνατή έλξη που νιώθει ο Γουέζλι για τον Ντόρα μοιάζει απολύτως σωστή!

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Regency, Historical, Marriage Of Convenience, Regency Romance, Harlequin Historical

352 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 2024

About the author

I've been published by Mills & Boon since 2007..but I'd been making up stories in my head for as long as I can remember. It was a long walk home from school, and there were no ipods in those days to keep you amused! When I wasn't daydreaming, I had my nose stuck in a book. My parents used to take me to the library every Saturday, until I was old enough to get there on my own, and my house was always full of books.

During school holidays, the whole family loved to visit stately homes and castles. As soon as we got home, my older sister and I would either dress up as lords and ladies, and romp around the garden, or, if it was raining, retreat to our bedroom where we would draw intricately detailed plans of our very own imaginary stately home, complete with secret tunnels, dungeons, and usually, a maze in the extensive grounds.

When I was old enough to go to university, I studied English literature, with Philosophy. I was not sure what I wanted to do after that, but meeting a handsome student of maths, who was the owner of a very powerful motorbike helped me make up my mind. Reader, I married him.

For many years I felt it was important to stay at home to raise our two children, but one day, when the youngest had gone to senior school, I began to wonder if all those stories I made up to occupy my mind whilst attending to mundane chores, would interest anyone else.

I started to write some of them down, and eventually decided that one of them was "deep" enough to merit attention from publishers. It took me almost two years to complete, mainly because I kept tearing it up and starting all over again. And having to keep going out to work to help pay for school fees, then university tuition, slowed progress down as well.

Needless to say, this masterpiece was rejected by every single publisher I sent it to, but by this time, writing had become an addiction.

Four more stories got rejected, before Mills & Boon bought "His Cinderella Bride", a regency romance.

I do have some other interests, besides writing! I love spending time pottering in my garden. And recently I've taken up ballroom dancing as a way to try and keep fit (and keep the romance alive in my marriage!)

Reviews

[♡ Martina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐
Un libro breve ma che mi ha emozionata oltre ogni mia aspettativa.
BELLO. BELLO. BELLO

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book, with two people who are used to being in charge and must learn when to give a little. Dora is the oldest of five siblings and ran the family after her mother's death when Dora was ten. After her vicar father's recent death, the only way to keep the family together was to use their inheritance to send the younger children to school while Dora takes up a governess post. She's on her way to her first post when her journey is rudely interrupted. While comforting a young runaway couple, the young man's guardian arrives, determined to stop the elopement. Lord Worsley grabs the woman he believes has led his ward astray and abducts her without stopping to check his facts.

Worsley is so intent in his purpose that he doesn't listen as both Geoffrey and Dora try to tell him he has the wrong woman. It isn't until the next morning, when he attempts to return the young woman to her parents that he discovers the truth. Worsley is naturally horrified and apologetic and tries to return her to her original location to resume her journey. Unfortunately, her reputation is thoroughly compromised by now, and he insists on marrying Dora to make it right.

The abduction is the first of many misunderstandings that are both funny and heartbreaking. Dora is a practical young woman who has frequently been accused of being "managing." She doesn't suffer fools gladly and has no trouble speaking her mind. I loved how she didn't get hysterical during the abduction; she simply settled down and waited for the truth to come out. That's not to say she didn't have some choice words for Worsley when the opportunity arose. Worsley, an earl, is used to saying what he wants and having people follow through. He rarely stops to think about the effect of his words.

I liked both Worsley and Dora though they also frequently frustrated me. Worsley doesn't relate well to people. He doesn't understand them and how they say one thing and do another. He'd much rather spend time with his horses. He's well aware of his failings but has never tried very hard to overcome them. However, it does affect Worsley's confidence in himself when dealing with women, and he spends a lot of time castigating himself for his words and actions.

Dora has zero confidence in herself as a woman. I blame this entirely on her father. She is taller than the average woman, and her father constantly told her that she wouldn't appeal to many men. He also told her to give up any ideas of marriage until all of her siblings were settled as they were her responsibility. She spends most of her time convincing herself that Worsley doesn't really want her.

I enjoyed most of their interactions. Both Worsley and Dora believe in honest speech, so they don't play silly games with each other. Unfortunately, Worsley is so verbally awkward that he seems to make matters worse every time he opens his mouth. He wants Dora to know how much he likes and admires her, but he frequently ends up insulting her instead. Meanwhile, because she refuses to believe that he could want her, Dora hesitates to make her feelings known. On those rare occasions she starts to feel something happens (usually Worsley putting his foot in his mouth) that makes her pull back again.

Things got a little better when Dora brought her siblings to live with her. Working together to deal with the children forced Dora and Worsley to talk to each other. When he instigated a move to another property, Worsley hoped that Dora would begin to feel more like his countess. I loved seeing Dora finally overcome some of her reticence and let him know that she wanted to be a real wife to him. At last, they seemed to be getting past some of their communication issues. I laughed out loud at the one scene where Worsley played the neglected lover.

Not everything is smooth-sailing, however. Gregory and his new wife have been living at this estate since their elopement. Pansy is a spoiled brat and managed to alienate most of the estate staff with her attitude. She is also a master of snide little digs that appear intent on making things difficult between Dora and Worsley. Matters come to a head when she does something that endangers Dora's life, and the kids witness it. It's an eye-opener for Worsley as he realizes his feelings for Dora, and I loved seeing him face her with those feelings. Dora's happiness, as she finally believed, was terrific. I loved when she told him: "Stop talking. You know that is not where you excel. Show me how you feel, instead. You are very good at that." I liked the solution they came up with for Gregory (who I did like) and Pansy (who I'm still on the fence about).

#netgalley

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dora and Toby are so good together!
Loved it!
Full review soon.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

He thought he was preventing his ward's elopement, but he got it all wrong!

His Accidental Countess is a fun and romantic historical romance about a socially awkward Earl and a determined governess.

Our thanks to the author, Harlequin, and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy.

Dora's father died, and because he was a clergyman, her family had to vacate their home to make room for the new vicar.

Forced to become a governess to keep her siblings at school, Dora spent the night in an inn, midway to her new position. At the inn, she met a young couple in trouble and offered her help, but in doing so, she got mistaken by the eloping bride-to-be.

Toby, the young man's guardian, stressed and wishing to avoid scandal, dragged Dora to his carriage and drove her to what he thought was her home.

I loved how Dora was in complete control of her emotions, even after being forcibly removed from the inn. She was so clever and witty!

Toby was adorably awkward. He was terrible at communicating his intentions, and it was fun to watch the mess he put himself into. He was so sorry for what he did, yet his attempts to atone for his mistake led him into even more trouble.

I loved Dora's siblings and their relationship with Toby.

His Accidental Courtship is a funny and romantic story with a good dose of unrequited (or believed so) love—my first book by this author, but certainly not the last.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*For more reviews, book art, and book-related articles, please visit https://lureviewsbooks.com *

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

His Accidental Countess is a Regency romance. Dora is on her way to be a governess when she is mistaken for one half of an eloping couple. She’s bundled into a carriage and driven from the inn that she had planned to stay in overnight.

Lord Worsley believed that he was saving his ward, by delivering the girl he was eloping with, back to her parents. However, Worsley’s impatience made him pick up the wrong woman. In one day he’d ruined the reputation of Miss Phillips and all he could do was make amends in the best way possible.

I did enjoy these two hard headed characters and the situation that they found themselves in. I also liked Dora’s mischievous side, especially the cricket episode. An easy and pleasant read.

[Jessica Grogan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book was absolutely fantastic. And then Dora’s siblings arrived and things slowed way down between her and Toby. I’m just not a fan of reading about children in romances.

[Somia · Rating 3 out of 5]

99p on amazon

Light and fluffy historical romance.

An easy one time read, the baddy was ridiculous and had me rolling my eyes

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

If these books were soup I’d be slurping them all day

[☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun, and I loved all the characters. I would have preferred more angst, of course, but the hero and heroine are far too sensible for that. This was funny, too, which I appreciate. (3.5 stars)

[HistoricalHussy]

Love it when someone is accidentally compromised and the parties must marry but I feel like in this case a marriage could have easily been avoided (not enough of the right sorts of witnesses) and like lol kind of weird attempted murder twist near the end.

[Luz T · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a great start, but it got kind of boring and I felt that not much happened. It was a little too slow paced for my taste and when her siblings arrived it got a little too crowded.

[Vonetta Augustine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story took place mostly in the characters heads which I found frustrating and I skipped over to get to the minimal dialogue.

[Katy Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contessa per errore è un romanzo godibile e a tratti divertente. Amo questo genere perché mi regala sempre dei momenti di puro relax e questo titolo non è stato da meno.
Non è il primo romanzo di Annie Burrows che leggo e con lei so di andare quasi sempre sul sicuro.
Il suo stile di scrittura è scorrevole, diretto e attento alle regole del ton, abbastanza dinamica e riflessiva. I suoi personaggi hanno sempre un certo carattere, difficilmente si lasciano mettere i piedi in testa e non le mandano di certo a dire. Un aspetto che non mi fa impazzire del suo stile di scrittura è che lo spazio dedicato alle riflessione dei protagonisti è molto e, di solito, ruotano quasi sempre attorno allo stesso punto. A lungo andare potrebbe diventare noioso. È però giusto sottolineare che è molto brava a caratterizzare i suoi personaggi e i due protagonisti di questo libro sono descritti bene e la loro psicologia è chiara.
Il ritmo narrativo è abbastanza buono anche se è un po’ rallentato dalle continue riflessioni dei due protagonisti, tuttavia trovo che sia davvero brava a mostrare il loro turbamento e l’evoluzione dei sentimenti che è lento e ben ponderato. I dialoghi sono frizzanti e a tratti divertenti, i battibecchi tra Toby e Dora mi sono piaciuti, entrambi hanno un carattere tutt’altro che facile e sono indipendenti e caparbi.

La trama corre veloce e il romanzo si legge in pochissimo tempo, verso la fine del romanzo accadrà qualcosa di interessante e forse sarebbe stato bello se l’autrice vi avesse dedicato qualche momento in più, magari anche mettendo un epilogo; mi sarebbe piaciuto scoprire qualcosa sul loro futuro. Gli epiloghi sono importantissimi e devo ringraziare la mia amica Susy se ho iniziato a notare la loro importanza, danno sicuramente un senso di completezza alla trama, esaltandola ancora di più.
I romanzi di Annie Burrows seguono sempre un certo schema e devo dire che la cosa mi rassicura, perché so cosa aspettarmi, Contessa per errore mi ha regalato qualche risata e, in generale, mi ha permesso di trascorrere delle ore piacevoli e rilassanti. Non è un romanzo perfetto, ma il fatto che mi faccia pensare che potrei rileggerlo in futuro lo rende, in qualche modo, familiare e rassicurante.

Recensione completa: https://virtualkaty.blogspot.com/2022...

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capitano periodi in cui si ha voglia di staccarsi dalle solite letture, da quelle più complesse e che ci coinvolgono troppo. E in quei casi abbiamo bisogno di letture leggere, semplici che ci rilassano. Questo libro può far parte di questa categoria, solo che poteva essere sviluppato in maniera migliore.

Lord Tobias Spenlow è arrivato a prendere la ragazza sbagliata pur di salvare il suo pupillo dal commettere una sciocchezza. Il suo piano era semplice per evitare i danni che avrebbe causato questa fuga d'amore. Riportare la giovane a casa e far ragionare il suo pupillo che l'unione non avrebbe portato a nulla di buono. Peccato che la ragazza che si carica in spalla non sia quella giusta ma bensì un istitutrice che doveva andare presto in servizio. Miss Dorothy Phillips si ritrova suo malgrado vittima di un errore e rovinata agli occhi della Società. Per fare ammenda, il Lord le propone il matrimonio che lei dovrà accettare per forza. Nonostante l'inizio non sia dei migliori, i due impareranno ad apprezzarsi e il loro diventerà un grande amore.

La protagonista Dorothy ha un carattere fermo e pragmatico. Molto riflessiva e capace. Non è una che si piange addosso e, nonostante la reticenza nel doversi sposare uno sconosciuto e diventare contessa, accetta la situazione e fa del suo meglio per rimanere la roccia su cui fa affidamento la sua famiglia.
Tobias è un uomo orgoglioso e con un gran senso del dovere quindi era scontato per lui prendersi le proprie responsabilità dell'errore e proporre il matrimonio, pur amando la sua libertà. Questi due caratterini andranno a scontrarsi varie volte ma la vicinanza e la passione che nasce in loro trasformerà il loro matrimonio riparatore in una promessa d'amore eterno.

Come si può dedurre dalla trama, è tutto molto semplice, senza particolari colpi di scena. I dialoghi sono divertenti e i due protagonisti caratterizzati molto bene ma è stato tutto così banale che ha portato alla noia, sopratutto verso metà del libro. Del finale non ne parliamo che è stato così frettoloso da lasciarmi confusa e insoddisfatta. Qualche pagina in più e un epilogo non avrebbero fatto di certo male, avrebbe aiutato a capire molte cose e a migliorare la qualità della lettura.
Questo libro è utile per staccare la spina, senza dubbio, ma poteva essere una lettura migliore.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dorothy (Dora) Phillips has recently lost her father, a vicar. Having raised her brothers and sisters after her mother passed away, she is faced with accepting a position as a governess and placing her siblings in boarding schools. Waiting for a carriage at an Inn to take her to her new job, she helps a young woman who has fainted. She lets her stay in her own room along with the young man with her. Then a huge, angry man comes into the inn, throws Dora over his shoulder, and says he is taking her back to her home. He says that the young man is his ward and heir and is eloping with a young woman whose parents are from trade. After hours in the carriage, they arrive at they young woman’s home only to find that what Dora was trying to tell him is correct. She is not the young woman eloping with his heir.

When Dora finally gets him to listen to her, he is embarrassed and says that since they were alone together, they will have to marry. It turns out that he is Toby Spenlaw, Earl of Worsley. Dora reluctantly agrees. After they wed, Toby leaves for his family estate leaving Dora to live in her own home. Delighted to have a new home and money given to her, she brings her siblings home to live with her.

After some weeks, Toby decides to visit Dora, meeting and liking her siblings. He plans to take here to his family estate where they will host a large house party so she can be introduced to his friends. As she has never done something like that, she is nervous but agrees. She and her siblings love his estate and the room it allows for the children to play. But when Dora thinks that he doesn’t want anything to do with her physically, he lets her know differently.

This was an OK story, but I don’t like it when characters play games with one another. Dora sat back and let him take her in the carriage all night where he made a fool of himself. She should have insisted that he listen to her. Cat and mouse games are too common in some historical romance novels.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Rod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly steamy story, predominantly clean but a couple of bedroom door open passages. This features two strong willed characters who are used to speaking their minds and managing things. The ‘managing things’ means the Earl does not think and abducts Dora so they end up having to marry. I liked the characters and the misunderstandings and delays before they realise they are suited. I was not sure about Pansy’s role besides being responsible for the situation where they would have to marry, and I think it was a shame we did not get to meet his other sisters and those at the house party to see how they reacted to Dora and she to them. Likewise there were numerous references to her brother Tim and how he had helped her go through the families finances and was assisting her to become a governess. She told him what had happened and I expected him to appear, if only to check she was alright. Similarly as her relatives seemed to have reluctantly agreed to help with the younger children, it would have been nice to hear and see their reaction to her becoming a countess. But it was an enjoyable easy read nonetheless, and these points did not unduly detract.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

When his heir elopes, Tobias chases down the couple and hauls the prospective bride into his carriage, hoping to return her to her family in time to avoid a scandal.

Except the woman isn't his heir's betrothed, but a governess whom Tobias has now ruined. He does the honorable thing and offers to marry Dora. With younger siblings dependent on her, Dora has no choice. As a countess with a substantial allowance, she can offer them a secure future. But can she ever forgive her husband for his brutish behavior?

I love this author's writing style, but I was skeptical about how she would manage to redeem Tobias. Fortunately, he turns out to be a big teddy bear. Far from being the arrogant lord he first appears, he's socially awkward but has a heart of gold. He and Dora have a lot of obstacles to overcome to reach a point of trust and open communication, but they both act with a kind heart and unselfish motives. This turned out to be a really fun book.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Della Streat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off fun and lively, then turns dithery as they try to decide how to share their feelings for each other. They claim to be proponents of "honest speaking" but are rarely really honest with each other. I found the children entertaining and their presence livened up the story, but otherwise it left me somewhat impatient.
Perhaps I might have liked it better if--against my better judgement--I hadn't listened to it as an "AI narrated" audiobook. I found the AI narration so bad I could barely finish the book. Odd pauses, no appropriate inflection, stilted phrasing, mispronounciations, no real emotional quality, no change of tone for different speakers and most importantly--no personality. I listen to many books because I love the narrator. As some narrators can make a work better, this AI narration ruined the book for me. It was an apple audiobook so you'd think they'd have the $s to make it as good as AI narration can get. If this is as good as it gets...yuck. It just made me cringe. NEVER AGAIN!

[ayiruh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book, expecting absolutely nothing but got a wonderful and delightful story instead!

Dora is the typical responsible older sister and I love her, this type of character is actually one of my favorites, maybe because it is relatable. But Dora starts off as a strong independent woman with a kind heart and steadies on as the very same. There are moments when she falters out of character but she comes back even stronger!

Toby is an absolute sweetheart! He already had an instant attraction to Dora but wanted to develop his relationship with her even when he had no idea how to!

The moments of them two alone were my absolute favorite. Especially the ending scene, just awe worthy. There was no epilogue and I would have liked this to be a series with all the Philips Siblings! They would make such interesting characters!!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toby Spenlow and Dorothy Phillips meet when she is mistaken for the young lady Toby's nephew is eloping with. Having realized his mistake in kidnapping Dorothy, but having taken her out of town, Toby realizes he must right his wrong - by marrying her.

Dorothy was on her way to start her governess job when her chance meeting with Toby occurs. Not really having wanted to be a governess, she doesn't know if she wants to be a countess either. How can she become Toby's countess when she's led a quiet life outside of the ton, in a lower class?

Can Dorothy come to fulfill her duties as a countess, and can Toby learn how to stop staying the wrong thing at the wrong time?

This was a delightful book with extended family members about, some humorous occurrences, and two people trying to find their way with each other.

[GG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toby and Dora are two people who jump to conclusions then 2nd guess each other through most of the book. Dora is raising her siblings, who to a certain extent see things clearer then she does. In one of Toby's conclusion jumps, he compromises Cora, and at the halfway point in the book, marries her.

It takes sometime before they actually talk to each other. Then their relationship gets so much better. It is mildly steamy without the details. The ending is a bit rushed, and the villain of the piece did not get their just desserts.

Dora has a favorite line: "Toby, stop talking," she said in an exasperated fashion. "You know that is not where you excel." Her lips curved into a wicked smile. "Show me how you feel, instead. You are very good at that." And so he did.

Recommended

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tobias has made a terrible mistake. Which is ironic because he was trying to keep his ward from making the very same terrible mistake. With the same woman. Or so he thought.

Confused? That's the point. This entire book begins in hilarious confusion, delighting the reader all the way through to the finish.

Dorothy only wants to take care of her siblings. Going into service seems the most sensible way. Being kidnapped and made a countess...well that's quite another. Forced marriage ensues for the sake of honor. Love grows from this...well, because it can.

I absolutely loved this book, and honestly can't recommend it enough if you like fun and playful Regency romps. This is a cute couple, one I really enjoyed getting to know.

[Georgina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the introduction. Abduction.

Tilly is a new favorite of mine.

Dora is annoying.
She never complements him. She shows gratitude but doesn't give it back.

I'm not a fan of introducing children/siblings since it often takes away from the love story. And, the author brings in 'the over-bearing sister trope.'

The whole ordeal of extending the marriage consummation annoys me beyond belief. It cheapens the love story.

I am on page 134 and I have decided to give up.

DNF
1 Star

[Laura J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great main characters

Dora/Dorothy was on her way to a governess position when she meets an eloping couple at an inn. Dora is a take charge, no nonsense person. Toby inadvertently abducts Dora thinking she is the scheming woman after his young ward. Toby is a gruff Earl who is not very tactful. They are a perfect fit and the story moves along well until their insecurities and the author’s repetition slows the story to a crawl.

[Karen Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just really like our heroes in this book. I believed in them and cheered for them. The story isn’t exactly unique, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and especially after I just suffered through a book I did not enjoy, this one I just happily sped right through.

[juanita dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Accidental Countess

This was hilarious in the beginning and then turned serious. Thoughts towards others well-being came to the forefront of their actions. Even a threat to life was forgiven.

[Thomas Or Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical romance

I loved his instant attraction. I also liked how he tried to give her some choice. He could have pressed himself on her and no one would have had objections. It was a sweet, sometimes silly romance.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Miss Dorothy Phillips is abducted by Tobias Sponlow, her plans on becoming a governess are destroyed.
Burrows plot has some elements similar to Shakespeare's Taming of the shrew.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Liked the characters. Just a tad frustrating sometimes with the couple. 4☆

[Norma Escobedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Loved the story, but ended too abruptly. Easy to see how muddled situations become when no one will just state what they are feeling or thinking.