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The Duke's Legacy #3
When She Was a Governess
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2026
About the author
Tess Thompson
107 books1,766 followersTess Thompson Romance...hometowns and heartstrings.
Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical Romantic Women’s Fiction with over 60 published titles. When asked to describe her books, she could never figure out what to say that would perfectly sum them up until she landed on, Hometowns and Heartstrings.
She’s married to her prince, Best Husband Ever, and is the mother of their blended family of four kids and five cats. Best Husband Ever is seventeen months younger, which qualifies Tess as a Cougar, a title she wears proudly. Her Bonus Sons are young adults with pretty hair and big brains like their dad. Daughters, better known as Princess One and Two, are teenagers who make their mama proud because they’re kind. They’re also smart, but a mother shouldn’t brag.
Tess loves lazy afternoons watching football, hanging out on the back patio with Best Husband Ever, reading in bed, binge-watching television series, red wine, strong coffee and walks on crisp autumn days. She laughs a little too loudly, never knows what to make for dinner, looks ridiculous kickboxing in an attempt to combat her muffin top, and always complains about the
rain even though she chose to live in Seattle.
She’s proud to have grown up in a small town like the ones in her novels. After graduating from the University of Southern California Drama School, she had hopes of becoming an actress but was called instead to writing fiction. She’s grateful to spend most days in her office matchmaking her characters while her favorite cat Mittens (shhh…don’t tell the others) sleeps on the desk.
She adores hearing from readers, so don’t hesitate to say hello or sign up for her newsletter:
http://tesswrites.com/. You’ll receive an ebook copy of her novella, The Santa Trial, for your
efforts.
Much to her father’s horror, you can find her everywhere on social media.
BookBub: http://bit.ly/2esOcrn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTessTh...
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2vClTfX
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tesswrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tesswrites
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tessielouwrites
Please note: Tess is not affiliated with the writing duo of Charlene Tess and Judi Thompson.
Tess Thompson is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary and historical Romantic Women’s Fiction with over 60 published titles. When asked to describe her books, she could never figure out what to say that would perfectly sum them up until she landed on, Hometowns and Heartstrings.
She’s married to her prince, Best Husband Ever, and is the mother of their blended family of four kids and five cats. Best Husband Ever is seventeen months younger, which qualifies Tess as a Cougar, a title she wears proudly. Her Bonus Sons are young adults with pretty hair and big brains like their dad. Daughters, better known as Princess One and Two, are teenagers who make their mama proud because they’re kind. They’re also smart, but a mother shouldn’t brag.
Tess loves lazy afternoons watching football, hanging out on the back patio with Best Husband Ever, reading in bed, binge-watching television series, red wine, strong coffee and walks on crisp autumn days. She laughs a little too loudly, never knows what to make for dinner, looks ridiculous kickboxing in an attempt to combat her muffin top, and always complains about the
rain even though she chose to live in Seattle.
She’s proud to have grown up in a small town like the ones in her novels. After graduating from the University of Southern California Drama School, she had hopes of becoming an actress but was called instead to writing fiction. She’s grateful to spend most days in her office matchmaking her characters while her favorite cat Mittens (shhh…don’t tell the others) sleeps on the desk.
She adores hearing from readers, so don’t hesitate to say hello or sign up for her newsletter:
http://tesswrites.com/. You’ll receive an ebook copy of her novella, The Santa Trial, for your
efforts.
Much to her father’s horror, you can find her everywhere on social media.
BookBub: http://bit.ly/2esOcrn
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTessTh...
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2vClTfX
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tesswrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tesswrites
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tessielouwrites
Please note: Tess is not affiliated with the writing duo of Charlene Tess and Judi Thompson.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5
This was a cute, clean historical romance that worked surprisingly well as a standalone despite being the third book in a series. One thing I really appreciated was the way the author wove prior events and characters into the story without making it feel like I was missing huge pieces of information. I understood enough about the Ashford siblings and their history to follow along comfortably, though I will admit there was a fair amount of repetition both when revisiting those past events and within the current storyline itself.
That said, there were definitely a few areas where this book didn’t quite meet my expectations.
The biggest issue for me was the romance between Henry and Sophia, because the insta-love happened way too fast for me to fully buy into it. They go from employer and employee, (who from what we’re shown, barely seem to interact outside of conversations regarding his ward and we don't even really see those conversations), to agreeing to a practical marriage of convenience, to suddenly being deeply in love after essentially one meaningful dinner conversation. And all of this unfolds within the span of days. I would have much rather seen their feelings develop gradually while they were pretending to be in love for the sake of convincing her brothers and the household staff. The setup had so much potential for slow-burn tension and forced proximity, but instead it skipped straight to emotional declarations before I ever felt invested in them as a couple.
I also felt like the villain storyline never lived up to its potential. Early on, it seemed as though there was going to be a genuine threat involving Henry’s ward and the possibility of someone trying to gain custody, which could have added real stakes to the story. Instead, that aspect is brushed aside fairly quickly, and the later attempts to damage Henry and Sophia’s reputation feel oddly half-hearted. By the time everything wrapped up, the resolution felt so anti-climactic that I genuinely questioned why the conflict had been included in the first place.
Then there were the technical inconsistencies, which unfortunately, happened often enough that they repeatedly pulled me out of the story.
For example, right near the beginning, Henry refers to Sophia as “Miss Ashford”, only to immediately go back to calling her “Miss Ford,” the false name she had been working for him under. I thought maybe she had already told him the truth, except… she hadn’t. Which made the entire exchange not only incredibly confusing, but also unintentionally highlighted just how rushed their relationship was supposed to be.
Later on, after Henry goes to visit with his cousin Charlotte and she puts the idea of marriage to Sophia in his head, Henry is at home, sitting in his chambers as his valet helps him to undress for the evening. Nothing uncommon there right? So Henry sits down so that his valet can begin the process of removing his boots. He gets one boot off and reaches for the second. Except Henry chooses that moment to get up and move to the window, looking out over the grounds as he explains who Sophia really is. The truth bomb is dropped, and then suddenly the valet’s hands are stilling on the second boot and Henry is back in his chair. Or at least I’m assuming this is the case as at no point in time did the valet move to the window to finish what he had been doing. But then, just when I think I have it figured out, Henry is turning from the window, which means he couldn’t have been in the chair, so how did his valet get the second boot off? Honestly, I spent far too much time trying to mentally choreograph where everyone was standing (or sitting) instead of focusing on the actual conversation.
Another inconsistency that stood out involved Henry discussing the terms of his uncle’s will. He claims his uncle probably assumed the marriage clause would never come into play because Henry would marry the woman he previously loved. Except… his uncle attended that woman’s funeral with Henry. Meaning he would have known perfectly well that marriage was no longer possible.
And finally, there’s the lady’s maid timeline, which completely fell apart under even the slightest scrutiny. A woman described as being in her “late thirties” later claims she was twenty-two when Sophia’s mother was pregnant with Sophia. Unless everyone in this book has discovered the secret to time travel, the math simply does not work.
There were a few other moments that pulled me out of the story, but those were the ones that stood out the most. Still, despite all of my complaints, I did enjoy this enough that I’d be interested in going back and reading the earlier books in the series to get a fuller picture of the Ashford siblings and their history. And overall, this certainly wouldn’t stop me from picking up another book from this author in the future.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
This was a cute, clean historical romance that worked surprisingly well as a standalone despite being the third book in a series. One thing I really appreciated was the way the author wove prior events and characters into the story without making it feel like I was missing huge pieces of information. I understood enough about the Ashford siblings and their history to follow along comfortably, though I will admit there was a fair amount of repetition both when revisiting those past events and within the current storyline itself.
That said, there were definitely a few areas where this book didn’t quite meet my expectations.
The biggest issue for me was the romance between Henry and Sophia, because the insta-love happened way too fast for me to fully buy into it. They go from employer and employee, (who from what we’re shown, barely seem to interact outside of conversations regarding his ward and we don't even really see those conversations), to agreeing to a practical marriage of convenience, to suddenly being deeply in love after essentially one meaningful dinner conversation. And all of this unfolds within the span of days. I would have much rather seen their feelings develop gradually while they were pretending to be in love for the sake of convincing her brothers and the household staff. The setup had so much potential for slow-burn tension and forced proximity, but instead it skipped straight to emotional declarations before I ever felt invested in them as a couple.
I also felt like the villain storyline never lived up to its potential. Early on, it seemed as though there was going to be a genuine threat involving Henry’s ward and the possibility of someone trying to gain custody, which could have added real stakes to the story. Instead, that aspect is brushed aside fairly quickly, and the later attempts to damage Henry and Sophia’s reputation feel oddly half-hearted. By the time everything wrapped up, the resolution felt so anti-climactic that I genuinely questioned why the conflict had been included in the first place.
Then there were the technical inconsistencies, which unfortunately, happened often enough that they repeatedly pulled me out of the story.
For example, right near the beginning, Henry refers to Sophia as “Miss Ashford”, only to immediately go back to calling her “Miss Ford,” the false name she had been working for him under. I thought maybe she had already told him the truth, except… she hadn’t. Which made the entire exchange not only incredibly confusing, but also unintentionally highlighted just how rushed their relationship was supposed to be.
Later on, after Henry goes to visit with his cousin Charlotte and she puts the idea of marriage to Sophia in his head, Henry is at home, sitting in his chambers as his valet helps him to undress for the evening. Nothing uncommon there right? So Henry sits down so that his valet can begin the process of removing his boots. He gets one boot off and reaches for the second. Except Henry chooses that moment to get up and move to the window, looking out over the grounds as he explains who Sophia really is. The truth bomb is dropped, and then suddenly the valet’s hands are stilling on the second boot and Henry is back in his chair. Or at least I’m assuming this is the case as at no point in time did the valet move to the window to finish what he had been doing. But then, just when I think I have it figured out, Henry is turning from the window, which means he couldn’t have been in the chair, so how did his valet get the second boot off? Honestly, I spent far too much time trying to mentally choreograph where everyone was standing (or sitting) instead of focusing on the actual conversation.
Another inconsistency that stood out involved Henry discussing the terms of his uncle’s will. He claims his uncle probably assumed the marriage clause would never come into play because Henry would marry the woman he previously loved. Except… his uncle attended that woman’s funeral with Henry. Meaning he would have known perfectly well that marriage was no longer possible.
And finally, there’s the lady’s maid timeline, which completely fell apart under even the slightest scrutiny. A woman described as being in her “late thirties” later claims she was twenty-two when Sophia’s mother was pregnant with Sophia. Unless everyone in this book has discovered the secret to time travel, the math simply does not work.
There were a few other moments that pulled me out of the story, but those were the ones that stood out the most. Still, despite all of my complaints, I did enjoy this enough that I’d be interested in going back and reading the earlier books in the series to get a fuller picture of the Ashford siblings and their history. And overall, this certainly wouldn’t stop me from picking up another book from this author in the future.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
May 20, 2026
The Duke’s Legacy trilogy by author Tess Thompson has been such a satisfying journey from devastation and heartbreak to survival and rebuild and finally joy. I am sorry to see this series end, but Sophia Ashford’s story was worth waiting for and is the perfect ending to this exciting, romantic tale.
In the first book, When He Was a Duke, oldest son Sebastian kept his family together after their father was falsely accused of murder and hanged. He boldly managed to prove the accusations false, clear the family name, restore his father’s reputation as an honorable man – and find true love in the most unexpected place.
In the second book, When He Was a Rogue, middle sibling James set about restoring the family estate, re-establishing positive relationships with the villagers and reinstating household staff that had been abruptly dismissed – and he also found true love in the most unexpected place.
In this, the third and final book, When She Was a Governess, Sophia, youngest sibling and the only daughter, has made a place for herself under an assumed name as a governess to the orphaned baby niece of Lord Henry Montrose. Before their fortune and place in society were restored Sebastian, James and Sophia lived simple lives, providing for themselves as best they could. But now, having become well-known and well thought of in the ton, it’s time for Sophia to take her rightful place in society and find a husband of suitable title and rank. She doesn’t hold out much hope that she too, like her brothers, will find true love in the most unexpected place. But read on and see.
Sebastian and James had no attachments when they began their journey back to society and finding true love was an unexpected blessing, but Sophia has been governess to little Amelia since she was six months old. Amelia is now almost three years old and Sophia cannot bear the thought of leaving her. This child feels like her own and Sophia is the only mother figure Amelia has ever known. But this being the Regency, where rules are rules and men are in charge, Sophia must follow her brothers’ wishes and move to London at the beginning of the Season – or the meat market as it might more accurately be called. Sophia is comfortable at Montrose Manor and already heartbroken at the thought of leaving, but sees no path other than fulfilling her responsibilities and her brothers’ wishes.
Again, the Regency being the Regency, Lord Henry Montrose is also facing a dilemma. He, too, must go to London to the meat market – aka the Season – and find a suitable wife or he will lose his estate. Complicated, but that’s the way things were. His uncle left him the estate but the proviso was that he be married by age 30, which is creeping up fast.
Henry and Sophia haven’t had much interaction during the past two-and-a-half years. He’s the lord, she’s the staff. She wants to stay under the radar. He lost his fiancée several years ago and does not want to expose himself to that kind of devastating loss ever again. But wait. When Sophia gives her notice and reveals who she really is and why she must leave, a possible way to satisfy Henry’s late uncle’s demand and Sophia’s brothers’ wishes starts to take shape. As Lady Sophia Asford she is indeed a suitable candidate for a Lord’s wife. With a marriage of convenience between them, Henry can keep the estate, Sophia can remain with the little girl she loves and in the place she feels at home, although naturally in a different role. Simple, right? Well, not really, and this is where author Thompson shines, making your heart beat fast and your pulse race because obstacles of course pop up.
As Henry and Sophia spend time in the same orbit with adorable little Amelia, their regard and affection for each other grow in leaps and bounds. Sophia’s heart wants him, but he is still afraid to let his guard down and admit feelings. How they really feel about each other is not clear. But when Henry’s bitter, hateful mother tries to interfere as she did with his fiancée years ago and attempts to ruin their reputation in society and take Amelia away from them, they must face their emotions and decide it they will face their fears, admit their feelings and fight for this little family that feels so right.
I received an advance copy of When She Was a Governess from the author. It was thrilling and heartwarming. And just the right amount of spicy: Thompson has a knack for showing you heat, desire and yearning and then gently shutting the door in your face and leaving what happens next to Sophia and Henry and your imagination. Perfectly done. I recommend this book without hesitation and can’t wait to see what Thompson has up her sleeve for us next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
In the first book, When He Was a Duke, oldest son Sebastian kept his family together after their father was falsely accused of murder and hanged. He boldly managed to prove the accusations false, clear the family name, restore his father’s reputation as an honorable man – and find true love in the most unexpected place.
In the second book, When He Was a Rogue, middle sibling James set about restoring the family estate, re-establishing positive relationships with the villagers and reinstating household staff that had been abruptly dismissed – and he also found true love in the most unexpected place.
In this, the third and final book, When She Was a Governess, Sophia, youngest sibling and the only daughter, has made a place for herself under an assumed name as a governess to the orphaned baby niece of Lord Henry Montrose. Before their fortune and place in society were restored Sebastian, James and Sophia lived simple lives, providing for themselves as best they could. But now, having become well-known and well thought of in the ton, it’s time for Sophia to take her rightful place in society and find a husband of suitable title and rank. She doesn’t hold out much hope that she too, like her brothers, will find true love in the most unexpected place. But read on and see.
Sebastian and James had no attachments when they began their journey back to society and finding true love was an unexpected blessing, but Sophia has been governess to little Amelia since she was six months old. Amelia is now almost three years old and Sophia cannot bear the thought of leaving her. This child feels like her own and Sophia is the only mother figure Amelia has ever known. But this being the Regency, where rules are rules and men are in charge, Sophia must follow her brothers’ wishes and move to London at the beginning of the Season – or the meat market as it might more accurately be called. Sophia is comfortable at Montrose Manor and already heartbroken at the thought of leaving, but sees no path other than fulfilling her responsibilities and her brothers’ wishes.
Again, the Regency being the Regency, Lord Henry Montrose is also facing a dilemma. He, too, must go to London to the meat market – aka the Season – and find a suitable wife or he will lose his estate. Complicated, but that’s the way things were. His uncle left him the estate but the proviso was that he be married by age 30, which is creeping up fast.
Henry and Sophia haven’t had much interaction during the past two-and-a-half years. He’s the lord, she’s the staff. She wants to stay under the radar. He lost his fiancée several years ago and does not want to expose himself to that kind of devastating loss ever again. But wait. When Sophia gives her notice and reveals who she really is and why she must leave, a possible way to satisfy Henry’s late uncle’s demand and Sophia’s brothers’ wishes starts to take shape. As Lady Sophia Asford she is indeed a suitable candidate for a Lord’s wife. With a marriage of convenience between them, Henry can keep the estate, Sophia can remain with the little girl she loves and in the place she feels at home, although naturally in a different role. Simple, right? Well, not really, and this is where author Thompson shines, making your heart beat fast and your pulse race because obstacles of course pop up.
As Henry and Sophia spend time in the same orbit with adorable little Amelia, their regard and affection for each other grow in leaps and bounds. Sophia’s heart wants him, but he is still afraid to let his guard down and admit feelings. How they really feel about each other is not clear. But when Henry’s bitter, hateful mother tries to interfere as she did with his fiancée years ago and attempts to ruin their reputation in society and take Amelia away from them, they must face their emotions and decide it they will face their fears, admit their feelings and fight for this little family that feels so right.
I received an advance copy of When She Was a Governess from the author. It was thrilling and heartwarming. And just the right amount of spicy: Thompson has a knack for showing you heat, desire and yearning and then gently shutting the door in your face and leaving what happens next to Sophia and Henry and your imagination. Perfectly done. I recommend this book without hesitation and can’t wait to see what Thompson has up her sleeve for us next. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
May 22, 2026
When She Was A Governess
Lady Sophia Ashford has a wonderful story to tell. Her family had been disgraced when her father was falsely accused of murder. When the true killer was found, her two older brothers picked up the mantle of their father’s legacy. Sophia continued to work under an assumed name as a governess because she had fallen in love with the young child. Now her brother has called for her to return to society so she needs to tell her boss who she really is and resign her position. Lord Henry Montrose has a dilemma of his own because he must marry in the next few months or lose the estate he has run since his uncle’s death. He does not need the headache of finding another governess for his niece. Will a marriage of convenience work for these two? Read the book to find out.
Lady Sophia Ashford has a wonderful story to tell. Her family had been disgraced when her father was falsely accused of murder. When the true killer was found, her two older brothers picked up the mantle of their father’s legacy. Sophia continued to work under an assumed name as a governess because she had fallen in love with the young child. Now her brother has called for her to return to society so she needs to tell her boss who she really is and resign her position. Lord Henry Montrose has a dilemma of his own because he must marry in the next few months or lose the estate he has run since his uncle’s death. He does not need the headache of finding another governess for his niece. Will a marriage of convenience work for these two? Read the book to find out.
May 20, 2026
I could not wait to start this book. I loved the prior 2 and even though I was not asked for a review I couldn't wait to read it.
This was a stunning end to this trilogy. I wasn't sure how this story would unfold, but it was the best. I loved the secrets of the characters past, that made them more believable and more realistic.
I am always so amazed with how the world worked in this era. The world has changed so much since and this book is a wonderful escape into the era. One I had trouble putting down.
Then there is a sweet little girl, Amelia, and she absolutely steals your heart from her first moment.
Dive into this entire series, it is totally binge worthy and you won't regret it.
This was a stunning end to this trilogy. I wasn't sure how this story would unfold, but it was the best. I loved the secrets of the characters past, that made them more believable and more realistic.
I am always so amazed with how the world worked in this era. The world has changed so much since and this book is a wonderful escape into the era. One I had trouble putting down.
Then there is a sweet little girl, Amelia, and she absolutely steals your heart from her first moment.
Dive into this entire series, it is totally binge worthy and you won't regret it.
May 19, 2026
When she was a governess
I loved this sweet and delightful story. Sophia is hired to take care of Amelia, the niece of Henry (Lord Montrose). After 2 years they decided it would benefit them both to get married. I loved how much Sophia came to love Amelia, how she could see past the brokenness that Henry felt about himself. The way they stood strong and together against his mother's wrath was beautiful. I felt like this story was beautiful, heartwarming and showed the strength of the characters individually and stronger together. I liked hearing about the characters from the previous books and how it all ties together, I have loved reading this series.
I loved this sweet and delightful story. Sophia is hired to take care of Amelia, the niece of Henry (Lord Montrose). After 2 years they decided it would benefit them both to get married. I loved how much Sophia came to love Amelia, how she could see past the brokenness that Henry felt about himself. The way they stood strong and together against his mother's wrath was beautiful. I felt like this story was beautiful, heartwarming and showed the strength of the characters individually and stronger together. I liked hearing about the characters from the previous books and how it all ties together, I have loved reading this series.
May 21, 2026
Five stars
Tess Thompson has a great talent as an author. Her characters are very realistic and there is always true compassion in every story. Her ability to go from historical western to Regency and then modern cozy romance stories is almost unique is as many authors tend to stick to one particular genre. I have read most of Tess Thompson's books and have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Thanks, Tess!
I highly recommend this series of books. They are refreshingly different than most Regency novels. However, I must admit to loving most historical novels, particularly Regency era.
Tess Thompson has a great talent as an author. Her characters are very realistic and there is always true compassion in every story. Her ability to go from historical western to Regency and then modern cozy romance stories is almost unique is as many authors tend to stick to one particular genre. I have read most of Tess Thompson's books and have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Thanks, Tess!
I highly recommend this series of books. They are refreshingly different than most Regency novels. However, I must admit to loving most historical novels, particularly Regency era.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A deep and delightful story. Sophia has faced many trials which make her incredibly strong. Henry considers himself broken. The story delves into trauma and abuse which can be painful to read about, but it was handled in a gentle manner as a means to show the growth of the characters and how they can be strong independently, but also by being together. I would rate the story a 4.5 as I wanted a little more detail in the conflict resolution of the story.
May 24, 2026
Enjoyed
A lovely gentle romance which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the first book I have read by this author and enjoyed it so much that I’am now going to read the previous books in the series.
A lovely gentle romance which I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the first book I have read by this author and enjoyed it so much that I’am now going to read the previous books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews