The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses

The Parasol Academy #2

by Amy Rose Bennett

Mary Poppins meets My Fair Lady in a feel-good blend of cozy fantasy magic, historical romance, humor, and Victorian era charm, as a recent graduate of the Parasol Academy for Exceptional Nannies and Governesses finds herself at sea on a ship commanded by a captivating Irishman.

For readers of India Holton, Heather Fawcett, Allison Saft, Katherine Arden, Freya Marske, and Olivia Atwater’s Regency Faerie Tales series.

Hermina Davenport can hardly believe the audacious exploit she is about to attempt. To protect an orphaned young viscount, the prim and proper governess feels she has no choice but to break the rules of the Parasol Academy Handbook! When the lad’s guardian, a ruthlessly ambitious explorer, ensorcelled by the evil Fae Queen, spirits him away on a dangerous North Pole expedition, Mina employs an invisibility spell to snatch him from the ship. But a magical misfire whisks Mina and her charge onto a different vessel, that of a ruggedly handsome Irishman—a strapping prizefighter from Dublin’s backstreets—and Mina finds she’s at sea in more ways than one . . .

Phineas O’Connell, Lord Kinsale, can no more explain the arrival of this English Rose than he can adapt to his newly-inherited title—though his disgruntled pet pug clearly has “thoughts” about the fair stowaway. But their enchanted encounter sparks an irresistible offer: Phinn enlists the polished Miss Davenport to transform this misfit marquess into a mannered gentleman ready for his seat in Parliament. No magic required, just enticingly intimate lessons in etiquette and elocution to smooth all his rough edges including a stammer. . .

But when enemies—both earthly and supernatural, past and present—threaten, a confrontation begins, where Mina’s nondescript umbrella is just one of her powerful weapons . . .

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Romantasy

432 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 31, 2026

About the author

Amy Rose Bennett is an award-winning Australian author who has a passion for penning emotion-packed historical romances and more recently, historical rom-coms with a dash of fantasy. A former speech pathologist, Amy is happily married to her very own romantic hero and has two lovely, exceedingly accomplished adult daughters. When she’s not creating stories, Amy loves to cook up a storm in the kitchen, lose herself in a good book, and when she can afford it, travel to all the places she writes about.

Reviews

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨☂️ Bookish Thoughts
Magical Mary Poppins?! I was immediately obsessed with this book! This was the coziest fantasy read. The kind of feel good book you read on a rainy day with a comfy blanket. I was very much in need of a low angst story and I cannot wait for the audiobook to be released.

The relationship between Mina and Phinn was so sweet and heartwarming 💞 Phinn, Lord Kinsale, was truly the biggest sweetie. And I loved how patient Mina was with helping him through his stutter. Including when she found out kissing helped with stutters 😏😏
In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the spice 🔥🔥🔥 in this book!

I loved the inclusion of the fae in this book. Including the Evil Fae Queen 👑✨ It was a more subtle cozy fantasy but I still really enjoyed it. I also loved that the pup Brutus was able to speak with Mina 🥰🥰

Oh one last thing. I would like words with Mina’s mother! Her fat shaming throughout the entire book was icky! 😒

🪄 What to Expect
• Cozy historical fantasy
• Governess FMC
• Lord MMC
• Manners & etiquette lessons 🎩
• Slow burn💞
• Subtle magic
• Evil Fae Queen 👑
_ _ _

⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: March 31, 2026
📝 Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, charming, and ever so lovely, I so enjoyed this second book of the series. I had trouble with book one, which is an uncommon experience for me with with Amy Rose Bennett books, so I’m beyond delighted to have devoured this book. Thanks to Kensington for the ARC.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think of this novel as being in a world where Mary Poppins was not unique, and there was a whole school of women being trained to be governesses in her style, with fae magic, and trained in martial arts to protect their charges.

Hermina is one such graduate of the Parasol Academy, and is protecting her former student from his guardian, because he wants to take the 8-year-old boy to the Arctic. She spirits him away, with her magic, but, as so often happens, things don’t quite go as planned, and instead of getting to her mother’s home, Hermina finds herself on another boat with a Lord who just happens to be very handsome. Oh my. Well, besides fantasy, this is a romance, a very slow-burn romance in fact. Lord Kinsale and Hermina dance around their attraction to each other from the first moment he lays eyes on her, to the ultimate conclusion. All, while trying to keep Alexander, her charge, safe.

This is the second book in the series, though you would not have to read the first, though the first was fun as well. The writing is clever and the characters are believable, including the bulldog, who she can think at, and they can think back.

There is a little bit of deus ex machina involved, but instead of god in the machine, it is the fae, but that’s fine, because that is built into the story. In fact, there is something that all nannies and governesses have, which is a magic pocket where when they need something, it will appear, from spells, to wands to treats for the dog.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 31st of March 2026

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. I love when authors have a niece specialty in their “regular” life and that pours into their writing and style. Discovering the author drew from personal experience to create Phinn and his stutter, gave him so much more depth and made him infinitely more likable. Sometimes male main characters have a persona of strength or perfection, and let’s be honest, no real human man is like that. Phinn is not. He’s beyond kind, understanding, and most of all, incredibly endearing. I absolutely loved seeing Mina grow into herself as well and adored seeing them fall for one another.

The issue I had with book one was the foundation of the magic system. While highly interesting, I wanted to know more. This book cleared that all up. We hear more about the Parasol Academy’s magic origin story in this book and I loved it!

Found family, taking animals, magic, romance, a big teddy bear of a man, what more do you want?

Plot: 9.5/10
Spice: 2/5
Magic system: 9/10

[dessie*₊⊹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very whimsical!! With a cast of lovable characters, the dog was the least (but still!!) lovable, if you can even believe it.
This is a very slow burn romance, but the Mary poppins shenanigans felt sufficient enough to keep me invested. The addition of fae queens, magical pockets, and potions elevate this series among the other governess’ histroms. The fantasy elements are creative and well balanced with the romance and action. The ending did feel about 100 pages long and could’ve been wrapped up more smoothly, but eh.
I understand Mina struggles some with self esteem but it was kinda humorous to me how she’s like ‘my lowly governess self could NEVER be entangled with Kinsale.’ Meanwhile her governess friend JUST became a duchess.
I did appreciate the authors note regarding Phinn’s stammer.
Overall I enjoyed this, it’s appears there’s some interesting things to look forward to with this series! Count me in.

[Ashley Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley & Kensington Publishing for providing a digital copy to review*

I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and this one has the same whimsical magic that just feels so nostalgic. Mary Poppins was and will always be one of my comfort movies.

This story follows Mina, who is the best friend of Emmerline, the FMC in the first book. I loved how dedicated she is to her chargers, and she just wants to protect them as well as a certain Irishman. Phinn is the absolute sweetest man ever, and he really wants to do good with the new power he finds himself with.

Once again, my favourite parts are the magical side of things, with the fae having a more central role in the story. I loved the whole plot with the evil Fae Queen, and it had me wanting to learn more about that side of things, particularly with how the relationship between the Fae & the Parasol Academy started.

This is a sweet, cosy romance with a bit of spice. It’s a fun read, and I really hope there’ll be more books in the series.

[Milena Ognjanovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a lovely experience. I loved the world and the characters. I loved how in both this book and the first one main male characters are different then what we usually see in romance novels. I would recommend this if you're looking for a sweet romance with a dash of magic and some great characters.

[Bonnie]

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this story and this is my freely given opinion.

I am loving this series so far - historical romance with a paranormal/cozy fantasy mash up.

In this story, Mina, a fellow Parasol Academy governess, and best friend of Emmeline from book 1, is caught in an ethical and professional conundrum. She has been discharged from her last position as governess to a young viscount, by his guardian. But she has made a deathbed promise to the boy's godmother to protect him from a danger the godmother has forseen. In order to protect the young boy, Mina makes the decision to kidnap him from his current guardian, who has suddenly arranged a trip to explore the Artic, and to take the young boy with him. Using her Fae-given powers, as a Parasol Academy employee, she steels young Christopher away, but instead of landing back on British shores, she and her charge end up in the wardrobe in a cabin of another ship, owned by the new Lord Kinsale, Phinn O'Connell.

Phinn is an ex-prize fighter, and Irishman, who grew up as a commoner, and knowing the suffering of poverty and loss. He never expected to inherit the title of Marquess and the wealth and influence that would come from it. Because of his experiences, he wants to use his newfound influence for good, but his path is stymied by peers who look down upon him for his common background and manners, as well as his unfortunate stammer. After his run in with the unusual and intriguing governess, he cannot get Mina out of his mind, and comes up with an idea to involve her in his life again, when he becomes involved with a young streetwise pickpocket.

A warm, cozy story with My Fair Lady vibes and Phinn is a lovable cinnamon roll hero that I absolutely loved. There is a sweet romance and friendship that quickly develops between Mina and Phinn, but Mina is greatly conflicted. For one, there is her dedication to caring for her charge and the inherent lies that eat at her to do so, both to Phinn and to the Parasol Academy - she is fully aware that not only is she breaching rules, but also breaking the law! Then let's not forget - Phinn is a Marquess, and she is merely a vicar's daughter, and governess - as well as a criminal! But she is dedicated to helping him achieve his goals of fitting into Society more and being able to use his voice and influence in Parliament to achieve a better future for others, by overcoming his speech impediment. As well, she is determined to protect her young charges from the influence of the evil Fae queen and her human servants.

A fun cozy historical cozy romance and fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed, with what appears to be a building story arc involving opposing Fae? I hope so.

4.25 stars out of 5

[Just Blue Through Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and to Kensington Publishing for the ARC of The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses by Amy Rose Bennett.

I stumbled upon the first book in The Parasol Academy a few months ago, and was excited to receive a copy of the second book. It is definitely recommended to read the first book, The Nanny's Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes, prior to this one as there is a major storyline thread between the two that it helps to have knowledge from both books to understand.

This book starts about 4 months after the end of The Nanny's Handbook, as Parasol governess Mina saves her former charge, a young viscount, from a journey to the arctic with his erratic uncle. In rescuing the child, Mina accidentally meets Phineas O’Connell, the former Irish boxing champion and now Lord Kinsale, and there is instant chemistry. From there the story grows in its cozy fashion, allowing Mina and Phineas to join together professionally to help his acquired ward and his own manners and speech, as well as to unknowingly assist her in hiding her exploits in kidnapping all while their romance develops.

This book is definitely as cozy as the first, and it pushes the envelope of the story a bit further -- while the first book had mentions of the fae and their powers, this one really opens the door to how the Parasol Academy and the fae are linked, and if there is a third book, that plot is going to open up a lot more in some really interesting ways. .

I think my only hardship with this novel was the very 1 dimensional butler and housekeeper. The first book suffered from the same issue with Xavier's family -- these villains are so obvious and so obviously meant to get their comeuppance that their actions feel like they take away from the story instead of add to it. Xavier's family was a much larger issue in that plot, but in this one it seemed like Phin could have easily fired them instead of letting them act as they did, and so, when we get to the crescendo moment of the book it felt like this cheapened it a bit. I know in a cozy story things can be obvious and that's super normal in the genre, but with this very interesting subplot developing about the fae, and with all the other subplots occurring around it about kidnapping and romance, etc. I just wanted the story to dig a bit deeper.

I'll also add, the author has a lovely note at the end of the book about her career as a Speech Language Pathologist and her entire subplot of Phin improving his stutter. I appreciated that it acknowledged the skill it takes to overcome a speech barrier, and acknowledges it so that Phin's stutter/his management of his stutter doesn't feel like erasure.

[lindsey's_literary_likes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley and hadn't heard of this author so I went in blind. What drew me in was the cover and the title.
I decided to DNF this book at about 75%. I was really enjoying the storyline, the plot and the characters but I decided to DNF due to sexual content which I'll go into more detail about.
This book combined some of my favorite genres which are regency, and fantasy. It gave Mary Poppins vibes with the added fantasy of fae magic. The characters were intriguing and lovable and at times I found them quite hilarious. Mina Davenport is a Parasol Academy Governess who "kidnaps" the godson of Lady Grenfell in order to save him from his "sorceled" uncle who is trying to deliver the boy to an evil queen. Along the way, Mina accidentally teleports herself and Christopher (the boy) onto the ship of newly named lord Kinsale who is a dashingly handsome hulk of a man and previous boxer who recently inherited a title and stature from a deceased relative. Lord Kinsale decides to hire Mina as a governess to help him and his newly acquired charge get acclimated to polite society. Thinking that this would be a good way to hide Christopher as well as spend more time with the handsome lord, Mina accepts the potion and to lord Kinsale's delight begins lessons of proper etiquette and speech. Lord Kinsale wants to teach a lesson of his own, one that involves giving Miss Davenport her very first kiss.
There were a few instances (maybe 4 that I can recall) where the author decided to add in the fact that the MMC got erections when he thought about the FMC and one instance were the FMC mentions needing to satisfy herself when having thoughts of the MMC. These mentions were not detailed and lasted only a sentence or two which is why I decided to continue reading since it was an ARC from the publisher. I decided to DNF during a heated and detailed kissing scene which happens about 75% in. Since the material was getting more detailed I personally grew uncomfortable with the direction the book might be heading.
The language was minimal in my opinion with use of the D word and the F word was replaced with "feck" throughout.
I honestly enjoyed the storyline and thought that the book would have been just as good if not better if it had not been nearing vulgar in some areas. Again, from what I've read up until 75%, these were minimal in frequency so other readers might be ok with reading it.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Even though I did not completely finish, I feel I read quite a large portion of the book to offer my honest thoughts.

[NariaS · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like cozy, historical romance with a little magic, you should definitely read this one!

Mina has to break some rules to protect her recent ward Christopher who has been turned over to a guardian that's being controlled by evil. In order to save Christopher Mina technically kidnaps him. While trying to teleport the boy to safety Mina accidentally teleports them both onto the ship of Lord Kinsale. Mina and Lord Kinsale are immediately attracted to each other, but obviously can't act on it.
Mina and Lord Kinsale may be able to help each other. Mina needs a safe place for Christopher and Lord Kinsale wants someone to help him with his stammer, a beautiful governess might also be able to help him navigate London's upper class.

There is a constant threat that Christopher might be discovered by his evil guardian, despite that this book does feel cozy. The pacing is pretty even throughout. It's not fast paced, but it doesn't ever drag. There are a couple things the author did really well that make me love this book even more. The characters each have their own speech patterns and personalities, which I appreciate. I thought Lord Kinsale's stammer was handled very well. The author was a speech pathologist, so that makes sense.
There is also no detail left unaccounted for. Anytime my brain started to go, What about..., it was pretty much immediately addressed. The story was very well thought out and executed.

My one complaint, and I think I would have known this if I'd read the first book, was that I was confused about who knew about the existence of fae and their magic and how the whole thing worked. I figured it out by the end, and it was hinted from the beginning that the regular world didn't know about fae and magic, but I wish I would have clearly known from the beginning. The governesses of the Parasol Academy are granted magical powers from the fae in order to protect their charges, and voilà, Marry Poppins!

The love story was great! They're obviously a great match, but they have to figure it out on their own. And like I said, the attraction for each other is there from the very beginning. There is some spice as well.

I love this author's style, can't wait for more!

I received this ebook as an ARC from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Karolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Fae sometimes move in mysterious ways'

This is a story of bravery, kindness and love with a dash of magic.

The story is told from two POVs. Hermina Davenport, a prim and proper governess of the Parasol Academy and Phineas O’Connell, a prizefighter who unexpectedly inherited a great fortune.

Hermina was a governess for Lord Fitzwilliam, but after his godmother's death his new guardian fired her. Upon her deathbed Lady Grenfell asked Mina to protect the boy from any dangers whatever it takes. When Sir Bedivere tries to take the boy on an expedition to the North Pole, she uses her magic abilities to save him. Unfortunately, her teleportation spell didn't work properly. Mina was a very likeable character. She was willing to sacrifice everything to keep little Lord Fitzwilliam safe. She was very clever and brave evading the boy's guardian and his men but also knew when to ask for help from others.

Phineas O’Connell, an Irish prizefighter, unexpectedly becomes Lord Kinsale. He doesn't know the proper etiquette of English society and his stammer makes him a laughing stock among the peers. Having seen how hard life can be in Ireland he wants to use his position and wealth to change the labor laws but to do that he has to make a speech that would impress the English nobles. After meeting Mina he decides to ask for her help. I loved Phinneas, he wanted to make a change and didn't let the peer's disregard put him down. He was always kind and respectful to everybody. Even though he helped Tom Fleet as a means to employ Mina he genuinely cared for the boy.

This is a second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. The plot was very interesting and the pacing well balanced. I loved the slow burn romance and yearning between the characters. All the characters were believable and well fleshed out. I liked the secondary characters, the pug Brutus was hilarious.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read with characters you can empathize with. If you like found family, slow burn and lots of yearning this is a book for you.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a Victorian world, especially one with fae magic involved. I really enjoyed the first book in this series “The Nanny’s Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes,” so I couldn’t wait to return to this fun world of magical nannies. It’s like Mary Poppins meets Brigderton with a healthy dose of fae and magic. In this book, we learn more about the newly minted Marquess of Kinsale (formerly a prize fighter) and Emmeline’s bff Mina. The fae (good and evil) take a far more active role in this story and we get a bit more of the backstory of the magical child-minding agency. I love how quickly Mina was taken with her employer (and really, who wouldn’t be…) and how their refusal to admit it moved the story along. The conflict in this one was also completely unexpected. The Governess's Guide was overall spicier than I expected it to be and I liked it. I look forward to more books in this series… it’s seems likely that the third musketeer Lord Hartwell will fall prey to the marriage bug next!

I love a Victorian world, especially one with fae magic involved. I really enjoyed the first book in this series “The Nanny’s Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes,” so I couldn’t wait to return to this fun world of magical nannies. It’s like Mary Poppins meets Brigderton with a healthy dose of fae and magic. In this book, we learn more about the newly minted Marquess of Kinsale (formerly a prize fighter) and Emmeline’s bff Mina. The fae (good and evil) take a far more active role in this story and we get a bit more of the backstory of the magical child-minding agency. I love how quickly Mina was taken with her employer (and really, who wouldn’t be…) and how their refusal to admit it moved the story along. The conflict in this one was also completely unexpected. The Governess's Guide was overall spicier than I expected it to be and I liked it. I look forward to more books in this series… it’s seems likely that the third musketeer Lord Hartwell will fall prey to the marriage bug next!

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Margie Bunting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #2 of the Parasol Academy romantasy series by Amy Rose Bennett is a worthy successor to the first in the series, set in the Victorian era. This time the governess trained by the Parasol Academy is the intrepid Mina. Her charge is 7-year-old Lord Fitzwilliam (Christopher), an orphan whose new guardian is motivated by the large amount of money he will receive by taking on the task, allowing him to finance his explorations. But when he fires Mina and boards a boat to the Arctic with Christopher on board, Mina can't bear the thought of the dangers the young lad will encounter. So she uses the magical skills she has acquired through her training to spirit Christopher off the boat and--unexpectedly--onto another boat. This one is owned by an appealing Irishman, an ex-prizefighter who has inherited an aristocratic title and all of the riches that come with it. But if he is to successfully use his new role as a Member of Parliament to make changes that will help the Irish people, he needs to tone down his Irish brogue and somehow conquer a stammer that has plagued him all of his life.

How Finn is able to secure Mina's services as a governess and speech therapist without having a child and to protect her and Christopher at the same time makes for a fun read. Of course there is romance, although the Victorian culture doesn't allow too many intimate scenes. And Mina must deal with her fear of being accused of kidnapping and the disapproval of the head of the Parasol Academy, whom she worships. There is also bad Queen Mab, who is apparently helping the explorer find his ward for nefarious purposes. This is a charming book, not to be taken seriously but enjoyed for what it is.

My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of the book,

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and charming book, just like the first in this series. I adored every second of it!

It has kept the fun of the previous book, as well as the splash of ‘danger’ and tension. I adored all of the characters but especially young Tom Fleet! This book also kept that Mary Poppin’s style of ‘Britishness’ - that is to say, over exaggerated but funny and this British reader found it charming once again. It matches the fun style of the book.

The story also tackles (outside of the central romantic plot):
• how Irish people were viewed by British,
• the famine and touches upon the impacts this had on families,
• class divisions,
• living with a stammer

The author was a speech therapist and she uses her background as a professional in the book to portray Marquess and his therapy as he navigates society with a stammer. This was a really unique and interesting storyline to me.

It is, perhaps, a little repetitive of basic logic within the “world” (e.g., repeating of the te-ley-grams etc). To an extent this works to keep the books interconnected but readable as stand alones. But, it is occasionally over repetitive in the book itself; it didn’t affect me much reading as I genuinely really enjoyed the story.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and Amy Rose Bennett for giving me a chance to read this as an eARC. This is a series I’m really loving and will potentially become comfort reads!

General warnings or story info:
- bigotry / racism (towards Ireland)
- potential fatphobia (the mother of the FMC at times is said to comment on the FMC’s love of cake and weight)
- Spice (explicit 2-3🌶️)

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only qualm with this series is that the titles are so long I always have to look them up to make sure I'm recommending them correctly. Otherwise, they're a complete delight!
While this book could stand alone, it seems to be setting up a larger plot for the rest of the series, so it seems best to start from the previous book, just to get the proper flow of events, along with better basis for some recurring characters.
While I didn't connect with the characters in this book as much as the first, I still adored watching their journey. Mina is a great character. A perfectionist who follows the rules to a T (usually), she's fiercely independent and a governess to be reckoned with. Which made her perfect for the job of protecting Christopher, along with dealing with the unruly Tom. I only wish we had delved deeper into her issues brought on by her mother, and how those were being resolved.
Lord Kinsale is new to his title, and happy to go against the grain despite his struggles to be taken seriously by his peers. It was lovely watching him try to improve himself in a way that would help him be better heard in society without fully changing himself.
The magic in this story was fun, the romance was lovely, and of course, the children were hilarious. Though I worried for the fate of a plush rabbit one too many times, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The ending also left me very intrigued about the next installment. I can't wait!

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was fun and fantastical and full of mischief and romance. It takes place in 1871 London, so is definitely a historical romance. Mina is a governess to Christopher, a very young viscount who is under the guardianship of a baron. When he decides to take the young lad on a journey to the arctic, Mina knows that something is wrong, so she kidnaps the young boy off his guardian’s ship by using her magic. But instead of landing where she hoped, they land on another ship - this one owned by a rather large Irishman turned Lord.

Through a series of events, Mina becomes a governess to Phinn’s ward and safely adds Christopher to the household, pretending he’s her cousin (or sometimes illegitimate child). In addition to the boys, she also takes on the task of teaching Phinn how to speak (he has a stutter), how to dance, and how to be a lord of the manner. While doing this, the two of them become closer. Much closer.

But there is more than a disgruntled guardian after Christopher as Mina tries hard to keep him safe using all her Fey magic at her disposal. The evil Queen Mab is after the boy and it will take all her training and help from her friends to save the boy and thwart the evil queen. Oh, and meanwhile, falling in love with Phinn.

So much fun. And magic. And romance (which gets very heated at the end).

Recommended.

Thanks to Kensington and Netgalley for providing this book.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses by Amy Rose Bennett

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 1/5 🌶️

Thank you to Kensington Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses is a fun and whimsical cozy mystery featuring a delightful historical romance, a magical academy, a wonderful heroine, and plenty of heart!

Hermina Davenport finds herself having to break the rules of the Parasol Academy Handbook in order to protect an orphaned young viscount. When his guardian spirits him away on a dangerous North Pole expedition, Mina employs an invisibility spell to take him from the ship. But, Mina and her charge find themselves on the vessel of an Irishman.
Phineas O’Connell, the new Lord Kinsale, decides to enlist Miss Davenport to help him transform himself into a gentleman prepared for his seat in Parliament. But when enemies from past and present begin to cause trouble, they’ll have to truly work together and become close to triumph.

The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses is so warm, cozy, and full of heart! Mina is a strong, determined FMC and Phinn is a super charming MMC. The entire story from start to finish feels genuine and is so cute!

From the slow burn romance to the fantasy elements to the cozy vibes, The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses is the perfect read for fans of cozy fantasy!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read book one in The Parasol Academy series early, and somehow I lucked out again with book two — this series just keeps getting better.

Hermina “Mina” Davenport breaks academy rules when she attempts a spell to save the young viscount in her care… only to find herself quite literally landing on the ship of Phineas O’Connell, a newly minted marquess who is completely unprepared for his new life and title. What follows is an unlikely partnership when Phinn asks Mina to help him become a proper gentleman — and of course, sparks begin to fly.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the representation. Phinn has a stutter, and it’s portrayed with such care and authenticity. Knowing the author is a former speech pathologist really shows — this felt thoughtful, respectful, and genuinely well done.

This story is a delightful mix of magic and romance, with just the right amount of charm and intrigue. Mina, a governess from the Parasol Academy, is determined to protect her latest charge from a truly unsettling, bewitched guardian, and the magical elements blend beautifully with the growing romance.

If you enjoy historical romance with a magical twist, strong characters, and meaningful representation, this one is an absolute treat.

💫 Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 💫

[Library of J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairy Dust and Aristocratic Lessons

What an enchanting read! This Victorian-era romance set in 1871 London perfectly blends magic, adventure, and passion.

The story follows a governess trained in fairy magic who must rescue her young charge, a viscount, from his suspicious guardian. Using her powers, she teleports them away—but lands on the wrong ship, one belonging to a newly titled Irishman. She quickly secures a position in his household, claiming the boy as her relative while teaching the lord how to navigate aristocratic society and overcome his stutter before taking his seat in Parliament.
But danger follows them. The wicked Queen Mab wants the boy, forcing our heroine to use every magical ability she possesses—teleportation, animal communication, and her enchanted pocket—
to keep him safe. Meanwhile, sparks fly between her and the Irish lord, leading to some genuinely steamy moments by the end.

The characters are wonderfully good-hearted, and the humor is delightful throughout. I'm definitely getting a copy for my friend—she'll absolutely love this as much as I did!
And who doesn't want A Governess, Her Magic, and an Irish Lord?!!!!!

So grateful for this ARC by Netgalley and Kensington Publishing! Instagram posts featuring the book coming soon

[Ali Bunke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses continues The Parasol Academy series with another charming, magical adventure. Hermina Davenport breaks academy rules when she attempts a spell to save the young viscount in her care, only to land on the ship of Phineas O’Connell, a newly minted marquess completely unprepared for his new life.

Phinn soon asks Mina to help him become a proper gentleman, and their unlikely partnership deepens as they work together. But danger from both the human world and the Fae realm closes in, leaving Mina to rely on her magic, her courage, and even her unassuming umbrella to protect them all.

This story is a lively and charming addition to the series. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of Phinn’s journey as he navigates society with a stammer and seeks therapy to manage it. It felt fresh and thoughtfully handled. While the books connect through the academy and its governesses, this one can easily be enjoyed as a standalone. The writing is engaging and playful, with historical elements woven in that highlight the tensions between the British and the Irish, the effects of the famine, and the realities of class divides. There is also a touch of spice, making it an all‑around enjoyable historical romance.

[Hannah Rowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I adore this series! I loved the first book so much and was so excited to find out there was going to be a sequel. The book is pitched as Mary Poppins meets My Fair Lady and I can see why. We have a semi-magical governess teaching an Irish man who is a little rough around the edges how to be a nobleman. This was such a fun, witty story. I adore the children as side characters as well as the (kind of) talking pug. In the first installment there was another talking animal of sorts. I really love the light use of magic in the series and that it connects to fae. I appreciated the representation in the story. Our MMC has a stutter and is represented very well. The author is a former speech pathologist and you can tell she took great care into portraying him. I also appreciated that our FMC is plus sized, as we don’t see this as often as we should. I pray there is another book in the series and this element is present! I have a feeling this series isn’t over yet! If the next book is about the two characters I think it will be, it is sure to be my favorite yet!

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in the Parasol Academy series, this story focuses on Hermina (Mina) Davenport and her charge Lord Christopher Fitzwilliam. When trying to fulfill Christopher's previous guardian's dying wish by saving him from his current guardian, she happens to wind up on the ship of Lord Kinsale, Phineas O'Connell. Cue the sparks flying and Phinn making the rash decision that he needs to find a ward so he can keep Mina in his life to help with his stammering... though maybe that's not all of why he wants her near.

I enjoyed this second book - it kept up the mysteries of the Parasol Academy similar to the first book and I liked both Mina and Phinn, as well as Christopher and Phinn's ward Tom. Honestly, the part I liked least was Mina's mother's comments and Mina's internal monologue regarding food, though I appreciated Phinn's rebuttal. I'll be interested to read the next book in the series (I'm assuming that's coming given the set up that the end of this book gave) and hearing more about the Fae and Parasol Academy link.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this as an advanced reader copy!

[Lauren Bayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You're a wonder, Mina Davenport, and I'll nev-never regret the day that fate or the Fae or the north wind sent you into my life."

Another utterly charming novel from Amy Rose Bennett! I adored the first book, following Emmeline, and this book is just as magical and silly and delightful. The author, who has a speech pathology background, takes a lot of care in writing Phinn's stutter and his desire for fluency (though it does kind of veer into "kissing cures stuttering" territory at parts, which is a little bit yikes). The My Fair Lady inspiration is so fun and allows for the love to develop so naturally. The author clearly has a love for children as well, and both Christopher and Tom are written well; their brotherhood is a highlight. Bennett adds more to the Parasol Academy lore and magic, which will definitely please fantasy fans, but the romance itself keeps everything grounded. Keep the Parasol Academy stories coming, please!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kelsey L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was wacky and whimsical in a wonderful way! I’m not sure how I feel about the whole kidnapping plot, but it turned out okay by the end. These are the kind of books where you go in knowing there’s going to be a guaranteed happy ending. There were a whole lot of cringey moments in this story that I wasn’t a super fan of. And if you’re reading it for the spice, you’ll be waiting until the last couple of chapters. I wish we got to learn more about Tom and Christopher. It’s crazy that a book about a governess barely talks about the children. If you like the idea of Mary Poppjns with less children and more spice, then this is the one for you. If you want more day-to-day details in your plot and less big events, then this isn’t the one for you.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for providing this eARC for me to review.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very entertaining mix of magic and romance as Mina, a governess from the Parasol Academy, tries to protect her latest charge from a bewitched guardian. Mina has access to fairy magic, which includes teleportation, being able to share thoughts with animals and having a pocket from which useful things appear when needed. Her hero is an Irishman who has recently and unexpectedly become a nobleman; he hires her to help him learn the rules of the English aristocracy and to minimize his stammer so he can proudly take his place in Parliament. I appreciated the gentle humor in this book as well as the goodness of the characters. Although this is book 2 of the Parasol Academy series, I have not read book 1 and perfectly understood the magic and plot while reading this as a standalone.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as the first one. While I do admire FMC, Mina, because she clearly cares about her (former) charge, I disagreed with a lot of her decision making. The pacing was also much too slow, with the climax of the book coming at the very end; maybe at 90%. Even then, it ended up being fairly anti-climactic.

Still, this is a sweet fantasy with more spice than book 1. I think all the longing and "impure" thoughts happen a lot earlier.

The found family aspect of this was heartwarming. I love that MMC is fighting for Irish farmer rights, on top of his battle of being an outsider. Add to that his accent and stuttering, I can only imagine how much pressure he was feeling. The HEA made up for a lot of my complaints!

Thank you Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Kerryiscurrentlyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Kensington Publishing and Amy Rose Bennett for providing me with a free copy for review. The following is my opinion, freely given.

A lovely, sweet and joyful cosy fantasy. I haven't read the first Parasol Academy, which I will be rectifying shortly!
This was a lovely "Bridgerton with magic" read. Amy Rose Bennett has created a lovely and magical world that is as warm and satisfying as a mug of hot chocolate on a cold winters day.

Mina and Phinn are delightful well developed characters and while this book won't surprise regular romance readers, it is a lovely light read that is entertaining and heart-warming.
A read in one sitting, make you feel warm and tingly and ready to believe in the magic of love book.

Totally Wizard!

[rebeccareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Poppins meets My Fair Lady meets magic! I loved this return to the wonderful world of the Parasol Academy. Equally fun, funny, and sweet, The Governess's Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses is perfect for fans of India Holton's whimsical fantasies, or for fans of historical fiction looking to dip their toes into the more fantastical. Mina is a strong, fierce FMC, and Phinn is a charming, lovable MMC with a stutter - the representation here is genuine and heartfelt. Their world is so special and highly memorable, and it was great to see it expanded beyond what we learned in the first book. Both the stakes and the spice hit just right in this one, too. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC :)

[Taylor Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received as a NetGalley ARC.

***

I don’t really know what to think. I really liked the cute, cozy vibes and the Mary Poppins-inspired world building, but the frequent insertions of comparatively oversexualized thoughts/descriptions kept pulling me out. It largely read like it was for younger readers, with repetitive exposition and plainly spelled out character motivations, then we’d be thrown into a paragraph about how the MMC kept getting erections at dinner or told how often the FMC was masturbating at night. The juxtaposition of that with what was otherwise a very PG, fluffy story was just too jarring for me to really enjoy the reading experience fully.

If that sort of thing doesn’t bother you, it was otherwise a solid story plot-wise.