Governesses are not supposed to fall in love. Governesses are not supposed to marry. Governesses don't always follow society's conventions.
Til’ All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack It has been six years since Dina left London and David and whatever fantasy she had allowed to grow in the months of flirtation that had nearly overtaken them both. Now, David is getting married and he and his fiancé are guests at the home where Dina works as a governess. Convinced the connection they felt was nothing more than childhood fancy, Dina is taken by surprise to find that her feelings have not changed, and, she fears, David’s have not either. Still, she is determined not to interfere with the life he has worked so hard to build … until she realizes that his fiancé is not nearly as committed to him as he is to her. No one will trust her motivations for revealing the truth, not even David, and she could ruin everything she had built here, but if it spares David heartbreak, is it worth the sacrifice?
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore When Emmeline Finch's best friend becomes betrothed to the man Emmeline had picked out for herself, she decides she needs to get away for one year. Her aunt has the perfect solution. Become a governess for two children who are under the guardianship of their uncle, Captain Jasper Ridout. But when Emmeline arrives at the home, she finds the Captain not at all ancient as she assumed, but a man only a handful of years older than she, and most certainly single.
Visible by Julie Daines Orphaned at a young age, Sarah Woolsey’s prospects for a meaningful future are grim, especially as a housemaid in the home of the handsome but aloof Arthur Selwood. When an abandoned child is left at Mr. Selwood’s door, Sarah is elevated from housemaid to governess in the blink of an eye. But with a man she’s running from closing in, Sarah is desperate to escape. Leaving would mean breaking the trust of the child she’s come to love, not to mention her growing attachment to Mr. Selwood.
From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Regency Romance: To Love a Governess is a Timeless Romance Anthology® book
Timeless Regency Collections: AUTUMN MASQUERADE A MIDWINTER BALL SPRING IN HYDE PARK SUMMER HOUSE PARTY A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS A HOLIDAY IN BATH FALLING FOR A DUKE A NIGHT IN GROSVENOR SQUARE ROAD TO GRETNA GREEN WEDDING WAGERS AN EVENING AT ALMACK'S A WEEK IN BRIGHTON
Timeless Romance Anthology® is a registered trademark of Mirror Press, LLC
I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child in 1998 and haven't stopped. My most recent books have been Historical Romance through the Proper Romance line with Shadow Mountain Publishing.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
I know, I'm a broken record when it comes to these Timeless collections but I love them and this one...quite possibly my favorite of them all! See what I mean...broken record! But I'm ok with that. I'll happily admit when I read a book and it just makes me extremely happy, and this collection certainly did that! But heavens I smiled so much while reading these three novellas. I'll admit that some of the emotions of them touched me and I cried a little too. I laughed a lot. Chuckled. Giggled. Guffawed a time or two as well. Shook my head. Ached. Felt fear and sorrow. I ached for these characters. I know that all might sound silly to some people but I think I feel these emotions through reading stories because even though they may be stories, there are grains of truth in them. Knowing that people experience those grains of truth touches me. Sometimes in positive ways and sometimes it makes me sad and ache for their sufferings. I'll put just a couple little thoughts about the individual novellas for you.
Til’ All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack This was a great friends to lovers story. And I love the title reference to the Scot Robert Burns. Dina and David grew up together for weeks and sometimes a couple months at a time. Dina encounters David again after 6 years at a house party. There are some fun plot twists in this one. Some scheming and conniving characters. But mostly there's Dina a wonderful character with a beautiful and sweet heart. I absolutely adored this novella. It's hard to say that I have a favorite in this collection because they truly were all fabulous but if you asked me to pick one, this would be the one! The romance...swooooooooooooony! And David! Wowsers, look out for him! True love stands the test of time in this one. I couldn't set it down until I had read from the opening sentence to the final happily ever after! Fabulous!
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore This one had some sadder emotions scattered throughout but was still a fabulous read. Emmeline Finch and Captain Jasper Ridout find their paths crossing when they both have a need. Emmeline needs to escape home for a year and Jasper needs a governess. Luckily they can help meet each other's needs perfectly! Emmeline becomes a healing balm in the lives of her two young charges and inadvertently for Jasper as well. I loved the wooden toy soldiers. Such a fun little addition to the story and one that added charm as well as helping create a great connection between the reader and Captain Ridout. This was a sweet and gentle love story that captured my heart. I loved the gentle ways that the characters helped each other and their developing friendship. And oh my that kiss!
Visible by Julie Daines You know when you start reading about a character who isn't perfect but they completely endure themselves to you because of their personality traits? Well, Sarah Woolsey quickly became one of my favorite characters to read about. I loved her spunk and inability to contain saying what needed to be said. I giggled so much every time she started talking when she ought to have been quite or invisible! Especially her first encounter with Arthur Selwood. Oh. My Heavens!!! And from that moment on it just kept getting better and better. These two characters were fabulous as well. Honestly, so hard to pick a favorite between these three novellas. I think my words for this review are, "Love" and "Fabulous!" And those are very fitting words for all three of these novellas. I keep picturing all the different scenes from this one and can't help but grin and giggle, maybe sigh a little. Oh yeah! There are some unexpected moments, and a moment of peril but it was such a sweet ending. And the little Rose in the story...go read it now! You'll thank me later, I'm pretty sure of it! Just saying!
Content: Clean. Sweet romance with nothing further than some sweet kisses. A couple very mild innuendos and one novella has a scene of peril. A kidnapping and attempted rape but nothing happens and it is not graphic in anyway.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
I've always been a little fascinated with a good governess story, especially because of The Sound of Music. In TIL' ALL THE SEAS GANG DRY, we are treated to a Scottish governess who meets up with her childhood friend, turned first love, once again and the sparks are still there. I loved the twists and turns that emerged in this sweet friends-to-lovers story and found myself smiling a lot at the great characters and swoon. This was the perfect start to the set.
This collection continues with THE ONE-YEAR GOVERNESS, which was the scrumptious middle filling of the book. Emmeline is looking for a break and forces her way in as governess for a newly retired naval captain who has inherited two children. I loved the sweet and matter-of-fact interactions that resulted and these characters all stole my heart. Emmeline completely wormed her way into everyone's heart, including mine and I couldn't get enough of her unexpected romance.
The icing on the cake was VISIBLE. Sarah has a way of talking too much, which inadvertently lands her in some sticky, yet adorable, situations. She was quickly raised from housemaid to governess, and her heart and desires quickly shift with that change. I loved Sarah's character and, once again, swooned with her romantic whispers. This whole collection was purely delightful and I enjoyed it all immensely.
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Every time a Timeless Regency collection comes out I say how much I love them. What’s not to love? Three novellas by different authors with their take on the theme
TIL’ ALL THE SEAS GANG DRY by Josi S. Kilpack—Dina and David spent summers together when they were younger, but haven’t seen each other for 6 years. Dina’s feelings for him run so deep she still hasn’t read the letters he sent her 6 years ago! They’re together again only because a David and his betrothed are attending a house party where Dina is the governess. Does David’s betrothed have feelings for another? Dina comes across evidence that says that’s more than a possibility, but she wants David to be happy.
Dina is a great character. She’s self-sacrificing as proven when she left London to go back to Scotland six years ago. As she said “Sometimes the right thing was not the least painful one, and sometimes you took all the pain upon yourself to spare someone you cared about from having to feel it too.” David is also a wonderful character who’s followed the path his mother laid out for him, but he wants a love that will stand through time, not a business arrangement. I wanted a final scene with his mother whom I really didn’t like.
THE ONE YEAR GOVERNESS by Heather B. Moore—Emmaline Finch decides to be a governess to escape the pain of her best friend marrying a man she thought might care for her. It won’t be forever, just until her next birthday when Emmaline will inherit the small cottage left to her by her father. After 10 years in the Royal Navy, Captain Hudson Ridout is ready to retire to a quiet life, but instead, finds himself the guardian of a nephew and niece he’s never met. This man could definitely use a governess.
Emmaline was just what this broken family needed. She was like a breath of fresh air after the six months Hudson had spent trying to take care of the children without a governess. I loved picturing Hudson carving figure after figure, after figure for the army and all its support personnel. His escapades with the available women he encountered at his first soiree made me laugh. I really enjoyed this tender love story.
VISABLE by Julie Daines—Sarah Woolsey is a housemaid at the home of Mr. Selwood, and she admits she’s not a very good one. When she happens to answer the door to find an abandoned child with a note pinned to her jacket, Mr. Selwood promotes Sarah to the position of governess when he learns of her formal schooling.
Sarah is a great character. She really doesn't fit as a maid because she can't seem to remain "invisible". She can't seem to stop herself once she starts talking which gets her into a couple of situations, but then there's the tender side of her when she's taking care of the child, Rosie. Mr. Selwood's no slouch either and I loved how Sarah's able to get Mr. Selwood to reveal things about himself.
I loved these novellas and couldn't pick a favorite as they're all different. I received a complimentary copy, all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Three amazing authors have teamed up to bring these sweet stories of love that go against the rules of society. Who doesn't love rooting for the underdog? All three of these stories had young women who were gentle but strong and yet still what I would label as an underdog. I loved watching love come softly to them from men who were willing to "see" them for who they really were. Each story was ever so sweet and made me happy. I loved each one.
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Another wonderful collection of stories from some of my favorite authors! Each is unique and full of vibrant and interesting characters, with dilemmas and struggles and sacrifices. The position of a governess in society is kind of a floating middle ground between the upper and lower classes, and their future could go either way, depending on their connections. The stories were each long enough to feel more substantial than a regular novella, and I loved the way both the characters and plot had space to develop. I enjoyed them all equally, and plan to re-read this collection again in the future when I'm in a reading rut ;)
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
I really enjoyed this Regency Collection. It has three pleasant stories that throw conventions to the wind in a fun way that is an enjoyable read.
Til' All the Seas Gang Dry -A cute story of two long time friends who grew up together. They developed a budding romance, that was cut short. Dina and David are reunited unexpectedly and find that things are not so changed as they thought... but are more complicated due to David's engagement and Dina's situation as a governess. The story is well developed, I enjoyed the characters, even those you are not supposed to like. The ending was a bit of a spin off of a modern day soap opera and most likely would not have happened in the time period, but oh it was fun!
The One-Year Governess - This story had me laughing out loud in places! I liked the characters and storyline very much! Hudson has a bit of hard time returning to life after the Royal Navy and finding out home had changed a great deal. Emmeline is a young lady who speaks her mind and is in need of waiting out her family and her inheritance. They find out that they are able to help each other out in more ways than one.
Visible - Another story that is quite descriptive and funny. I enjoyed the characters and their development as they find themselves together in a common place with Rose. Mr. Selwood is quiet and kind gentle man... Sarah is a character in more ways than one! There is a point in the story that was a bit disturbing due to an attempted attack, but all ends well and still a good story.
I would recommend this book for a fun, easy read where the "underdog" is able to rise above!
These were great stories, the last one especially. I loved the quirky governess who spoke (rambled) out of turn. Short and clean with happy endings, as usual...
Another great collection in the Timeless Regency Collection! I highly enjoyed all three of the stories. Til’ All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack This is a second-chance love story, with Dina reconnecting with the man she loved years before. Unfortunately, he's now engaged to someone else--and yet, her feelings are as strong as ever. My heart hurt for Dina, as she knew she isn't the right person for David but loving him all the same.
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore I loved both the lead characters in this story and seeing how, as Emmeline tried to find happiness in her own life through being a governess, she also brought happiness to Captain Ridout and his niece and nephew. Captain Ridout was favorite of the three men in this collection; there was just something really endearing about him.
Visible by Julie Daines Sarah and Mr. Selwood were such an interesting pair to watch, with him saying barely anything and her blurting out all the wrong things. She just made me laugh, while at the same time I loved how caring she was and how she, through all the things she did "wrong," made a difference for those around her.
These three sweet romances were a pleasure to read!
I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I love this series and am always so excited when a new anthology is released. I thoroughly enjoyed the 3 stories in this book. The stories are well-written and engaging. My favorite part about this series is that I don't just get to read selections from authors I love, but am introduced to new authors. Thanks so much for a wonderful reading experience.
To Love a Governess was a fun collection. It featured heroines who were poor relations or orphans, who had taken the opportunity to teach.
I enjoyed how Til' All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack was about Dina and David Macarthur reuniting while she worked as a governess. They had fallen in love six years ago, then Dina left unexpectedly. Now David is engaged to Fiona Johansson, and Dina is the governess for their hosts' children. Can anyone say awkward? I loved each stolen moment where more and more of Dina and David's history was revealed.
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore was my favorite! In this story Captain Hudson Ridout returns from 10 years in the navy to visit his brother, and finds on his arrival that his brother and sister-in-law have died in a carriage accident. He now has an estate to manage and two children to raise. Emmeline Finch is tired of her interfering sisters-in-law criticizing her and trying to marry her off. She seeks a post as a governess for one year until she can get her inheritance when she turns 25. I loved Emmeline and the captain with the children, and each other. They both brought out the best in each other and the children, and the chemistry between them was sweet, but impressive.
Visible by Julie Daines was different in that the governess, Sarah, was working as a maid when a child was unexpectedly dropped off at the manor. Mr. Selwood immediately promoted her to governess. The child, Rose, was sweet, shy, and pulled at my heartstrings. The romance was a little unusual given the differences in class, but I loved the was Sarah and Mr. Selwood gradually grew closer together, and how she spoke her mind.
Content: clean (a few kisses, no language, an attempted abduction)
This collection of three regency era novellas was DELIGHTFUL! Each story was well written. The characters were varied and wonderful. After each story, I thought, "That was so great! How can the next one measure up?" But they were all AMAZING! FANTASTIC!
I absolutely loved it! The timeless anthologies are always some of my favorite books to read and this one did not disappoint. Each story had wonderful storylines and great character development. If you love regency romances like I do this book will be one you will have a hard time putting down and you will be sad when it ends.
I really enjoyed this collection of novellas based around governess. Each story was unique and well written. The first story was about childhood friends who had unjustly been split apart. The second one was about two people adjusting to new circumstances and making the best of them. The last one made me laugh. Sarah says the funniest things and quiet Mr Sellman seems to take it in stride. Great collection. I highly recommend this book.
To Love a Governess is another sweet release from the Timeless Regency Collection. This collection includes the following stories: Til All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S Kilpack The One year Governess by Heather B Moore Visible by Julie Daines This collection has three of my favorite authors. All three stories are fantastic and should not be missed. Five stars.
The stories by Kilpack and Moore were lovely and enjoyable. The one by Daines was kind of darkly melodramatic and seemed a bit disjointed. All three had the requisite happy ending. Some violence, no sex, mild language. The Daines one has an attack on the female main character that is darker than usual for this series.
I thought it might be helpful to share the definitions I use for my ratings. To start with, a 3 is a really good rating. It means the story fully met my expectations for an enjoyable romance read and that I’ll happily read it again. A rating above a 3 is beyond my expectations, and a 5 means it affected me on a deeper level. I rarely give anthologies a rating of 5 because they’re usually too short to get that reaction from me. A rating below a 3 means I will avoid reading it again. If it’s a 1, I will absolutely never read it again.
Til’ All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack—4 out of 5 From the opening paragraph, this story was told in a way that drew me in and enabled me to relate to Dina, the heroine. I totally empathized with her feelings at the house party celebrating David’s engagement, her childhood friend who became her sweetheart that she left because she loved him enough to want him to reach his full potential. Not only did I empathize, but I respected her mature, even wise, actions without the frustration I sometimes feel for heroines with more “ninny-like” tendencies.
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore—3.5 out of 5 A story of a bachelor brother unexpectedly inheriting the estate with two children, and the governess who helps him through. Told from the point of view of both main characters, it’s a good read.
Visible by Julie Daines—2.5 out of 5 Whenever I read a book by Julie Daines, I think she would be good at writing children’s books. There is something juvenile about the way she tells a story that does not fit a good romance. This particular plot had some unnecessary melodrama with a kidnapping and near rape. The story could have been told well without that. All in all, a good start, but more work needed to make this a story I would want to read again.
I usually like at least one story a bit less than the others when it's an anthology, but I really enjoyed the whole collection. All three are good, strong women (although Sarah was a little odd, and came across as very young), and the men...aren't jerks! lol I loved how each were able to open up and be honest with their feelings, whether it was dealing with loneliness, betrayal, or just not knowing where they fit in.
All three were well-written (although the first had a few more typos, thus the 4-star), kept my attention, and had different messages to share.
I was given a free copy and this is an honest review.
This was a fine collection. I liked the Moore story the least. The house would have gone to the son after his parents’ death not to the uncle. Contains an intense kidnapping scene and kisses.
I will begin this triple-review by saying that the crossing of social classes is not a trope I enjoy. Awkwardness and/or some modern glossing over of the reality of past times will be the result.
These stories all did a very good job of being believable despite the trope of crossing social lines in the regency.
Til’ All The Seas Gang Dry by Josie Kilpatrick (4 stars)
The character of Dina was drawn exceedingly well and hers are the thoughts we hear in this narrative. Her inner struggle to do what she has been told is best for the man she loves is admirable.
Luckily, she loves a man who is honorable and not afraid to socially confront his fiancé in front of an entire house party and his controlling mother.
Definite social awkwardness with a promise that it will continue to a certain degree throughout their lives, balanced by the promise of happiness as a married couple who will be faithful and loving to one another.
Ms. Kilpatrick succeeded in making this difficult trope believable. She is a talented writer who writes characters who cope with serious troubles. She gives her characters their HEA’s but there are struggles and personal growth before the reward. (Her writing is so much more complex than that, but that short blurb will have to suffice.) I highly recommend her full-length novels, as well as shorter stories like this one.
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore (4 stars)
This story was much easier to read because the master and the governess were basically equal in social standing. They both unselfishly work to help his niece and nephew, who lost their parents in an accident, to heal.
I wondered about the suitability of the two of them alone so often with only the children as chaperones and many times not even them. There was the occasional word choice that felt too modern and the whole set up at the house with this single man and single woman with a very small staff felt like it wouldn’t have happened back then without raising gossip. (But I could be wrong, Ms. Moore does tend to do her research.)
A delightful story! Ms. Moore is a favorite author of mine. She doesn’t have too much angst and we get to spend more time with a couple in love, which is why I enjoy romance!
Visible by Julie Daines (5 stars)
What a main character! Sarah Woolsey and her rambling dialogues, both internal and spoken, are adorably sweet and wise, all at the same time! Her caring soul and sympathetic observations are the epitome of a nurturing personality; something both Rose and Mr. Selwood need. Her slightly humorous observations and situations are a delight to read. (In fact, I enjoyed this story so much I read it twice in a row!)
Sarah’s personality was uniquely written and was a breath of fresh air. Well-done, Ms. Daines!
Ms. Daines has always been a favorite author of mine and so whenever I see a new book out by her, I grab it!
*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special
1. Til' All The Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack ~ A beautifully written almost lyrical (some parts were really poetic with WOW moments) Romance novella worthy of the poignant and "Encompassing" love between David and Dina that was deeply intertwined with the avowed celebration of infinite love mentioned in Robert Burns' famous poem A Red, Red Rose. Though I could not understand the betrayal of David's friend... oh, but then "life's a bitch" and "shit happens" as sometimes quoted in Lee Child's Jack Reacher books. Also remembering primary crossover singer Shania Twain at the height of her success with all those hit songs of Love and Fidelity while her husband was having an affair with her PA... a dagger to the heart plus after that ignominious episode she even lost her voice.
2. The One~Year Governess by Heather B. Moore ~ Spinster and 'well~educated' Emmeline Finch had only one year to wait for her 25th birthday and then she would be free to live her own life at a cottage with an annual income on the family's estate willed to her by her late father. Given that whom she thought to be her suitor was marrying her best friend (a pathetic misconception she wholly admitted was a product of her own delusion)... with hurt pride yet ever the pragmatist she wrote her tactlessly loud gossipy spinster Aunt Julia to help her find a position as governess for a year. It so happened that her eccentric Aunt could indeed help... and so both went to Branhall where the ex~navy Captain Hudson Ridout and new guardian had dismissed in total disgust the whole tribe of applicants for governess as extremely unsuitable for his orphaned nephew and niece. It was up to Emmeline to change his mind, given that she had no formal training as a governess except for her experience while looking after her 3 rambunctious nephews... she let her heart and natural love for children guide her and got the job.
3. Visible by Julie Daines ~ A little girl was left in front of Banwick House believed to be a Selwood by~blow given her sudden clandestine appearance and the presence of a handkerchief with the Selwood crest embroidered on it found with the child's meager possessions... and Sarah (the orphaned daughter of a wool merchant), because at her own admission that she was a graduate of Harleigh's School for Girls... and Mr. Selwood, beset by the girl's sudden arrival, promptly promoted her from invisible housemaid into the girl's governess. Of the 3 novellas, this is the least in terms of a solid plot and in terms having too many loose ends ~ like the reappearance of the philandering suitor given that he already had a mistress and had already made a laughing stock of Sarah as far as the altar... who was Rose's father since both Selwoods (present heir and his deceased sire) could not have been either one?... also, the servants at Branwick House seemed to be a disloyal lot... what with a groom doubling as a gambling promoter of vice like cockfighting and a corruptible valet as Ruddiman... why? when old family retainers such as the Walkers were in place, could they not have protected their master and their fellow servants? given the 'famous' servants' grapevine?
The first 2 stories in this set are by authors known to me. 'Til All the Seas Gang Dry' by Jodi S Kilpak, and 'The One Year Governess ' by Heather B Moore, were both delightful and entertaining. Both Governesses appeared to be having up hill struggles with their lives as well as their feelings for the lead males. The second book was quite amusing at times particularly when the Governess Emmeline allowed her mouth to run away with her, often leaving Hudson the lead character at a loss as what to say and make of her. The third book, 'Visible' by Julie Daines, an author unknown to me and I must say I felt the book to be a little odd. Sarah the Governess in this story was hastily promoted through the ranks when an orphan arrived on the door step at the house where she works. The male character Mr Stelwood was definitely odd, and portrayed as such, but I couldn't really like him. The story wasn't written as a typical Regency Romance I felt, the language was modern at times and to my mind a female in the time frame wouldn't say 'yeh' instead of 'yes' (well no one would really!!) The last paragraph in this story also left me feeling 'off' and thoughtful in the way the couple had treated the child, I felt it to be quite abrupt. Hence the reason for my giving 4 * never the less 2 out of 3 isn't bad and I would therefore recommend this set. In all fairness to Julie Daines her style of writing is unknown to me and I will probably read another book before passing judgement.
Til all the seas gang dry 5 stars (Kilpack) This is a usual Regency plot as former young friends, with a once romantic connection have been separated by time. Dina is now a governess and low and behold, Mr. Once-Wonderful ends up being a guest of the household. His almost fiancé is going to show up too. It was a pleasant story up to the dinner scene...and then the fireworks started to explode! Boy, that was fun to read - I read it twice! Even though it probably wouldn’t have really happened in Regency times, it was incredibly entertaining! I loved it!
One-year governess 4 stars (Moore) Enjoyable story! Emmeline Finch leaves town after the guy she has set herself for discovers he’s more interested in her friend. Her aunt sets her up as a governess to two children who live with their uncle. Old uncle turns out to not be as old and disagreeable as she assumes.
Visable 2 ½ stars (Daines) Not my favorite of the three stories obviously. Sarah was a pleasure to read about, but I never quite warmed up to Mr. Selwood who seemed grumpy and cold for most of the story. He eventually breaks through, but I needed more warmth, even luke-warmth sooner in the story to like him. Julie Daines is an awesome writer, so this is not a big deal. I’ve liked many of her books.
A collection of three novelas, each one centered around a governess who finds love. The first story explores the lost love of a man and woman who were separated by their rank, and find each other again six years later - however, he is engaged to be married.
In the second story, a sea Captain returns home only to discover his brother and sister-in-law have died, and now he is the sole guardian for his niece and nephew. When an unexpected woman shows up at his home, hoping for the post of governess, he hires her. Little does he know, however, that she only intends on working for a year - a year to get away from her home.
The final story was a very cute story about a girl who gets a job as a housemaid to earn her passage to America, but when she finds a very young girl on the front steps of the manor home she is working at, her employer immediately promotes her to governess. Unfortunately, the threat that is her reason for fleeing to America is still looming over her head.
I really enjoyed them, but I thanked I liked the third story best, but they were all great. My problem with type of book is always that I wish there was more to the story. Novellas just aren't long enough.
To Love a Governess is one of the best anthologies I have read in the Regency genre. The first story, "Til All the Seas Gang Dry," by Josi S. Kilpack, is about a homesick pair of Scots who once were in love. The difference in station between them parts them. Dina to becomes a governess for an English cousin, while David became an English lord. They met after many years at a house party given by her cousin to celebrate the announcement of David's engagement to an English woman of high social standing. The prose and characterization in the first part of the story is literary and enticing. I did feel that the quality fell after the new fiancée arrived. She seemed a rather stock villainess.
The second story, "The One-year Governess," by Heather B . Moore, is charming from start to finish. A less - than - beautiful young woman seeks refuge from cold and distant relatives by taking a position as governess to a retired ships' captain who has unexpectedly inherited his brother’s estate and two young children. Hudson and Emaline draw close over the love they both come to feel for the two orphans. There is no high tension or conflict here, just a slow process of falling in love by two people who deserve a happily ever after.
The third story is "Visible," by Julie Daines. A young maid, an orphan with a good education but no connections to help her seek a better position than maid - of - all -work, is abruptly promoted by her enigmatic employer to the rank of governess when a young girl appears on his doorstep with a note pinned to her chest. A series of events, some comical and some tragic, lead to our heroine Sarah, becoming indispensable to Mr. Selwood.
As for rating these stories, I would give the first a rating of 3.5 because of its failure to live up to the promise of the first few chapters. The other two are solid 5's. As a whole , I have given the collection a 5.
Although I received a review copy of this book , this is my true and independent opinion. If you enjoy Regency Romances with heroines who occupy lowly positions in society and find true love with men above their station, you will enjoy To Love a Governess as much as I did .
I love these Timeless Regency collections! I sometimes find it difficult to put down a book (ok, most of the time). These collection novellas are great for a quicker read when you don't have tons of time. The stories are great and I love having the same theme for the collection, while still getting to read unique stories. While I miss the greater character and relationship development that comes from a full novel, I still love to grab the Timeless collections!
Til’ All the Seas Gang Dry by Josi S. Kilpack Dina and David have an all encompasing attraction. You see the spark. You feel the pull. You understand their reasoning for being apart. You still hold your breath waiting for love to win.
The One-Year Governess by Heather B. Moore Emmaline and Hudson both find themselves in a situation they didn't plan. Emmaline is talented at pulling out the joy for Hudson and his neice and nephew. I love that even though Hudson is trying to find his new way, he makes time for the children. Emmaline and Hudson learn to depend on each other. Very sweet story.
Visible by Julie Daines Sarah is a humorous character who always speaks before thinking. Mr. Selwood is an honorable man who has more than one situation happen on his property that shows his integrity. The story was great, but there could have been more instances to show there was interest or attraction between the two. It almost seemed like a surprise.
5 stars: "Til' All the Seas Gang Dry" by Josi Kilpack Two people in love, one decides to leave the other "for his/her own good" and they run into each other years later. What makes this an outstanding story is that the main characters aren't stupid about it.
3 1/2 stars: "The One-Year Governess" by Heather Moore He comes back from war only to discover his brother & brother's wife just died, leaving him 2 kids. She decides to be a governess for (guess how long) one year. I liked the main characters. The kids were fun. It was strange to me that none of the servants lived-in, so it was just the 4 of them each night. Seems highly unlikely during that time/place.
4 stars: "Visible" by Julie Daines She is a chatty maid, promoted to governess due to the unexpected arrival of a small girl. I love all the main characters. Add a couple suitably smarmy bad guys for a great story.
In the newest release of a Timeless Regency Collection, authors Josi S. Kilpack, Heather B. Moore and Julie Daines share memorable short stories about finding love in service. Dina, Emmeline and Sarah find themselves unexpectedly employed as governesses.
From false pretense to unfortunate encounters to unexpected miracles, David, Captain Hudson and Mr. Selwood try to make the most of frustrating and unexpected situations. Full of great characters, unique plots, romance and humor, To Love a Governess is a collection of charming tales about life taking unplanned routes to happily ever after. I received a complimentary copy of To Love a Governess: Timeless Regency Collection for my candid review.