The Bachelor and The Governess

by L. Leigh Lent, Teri Jones (Illustrator), Christine Garrison (Editor)

Lily Davenport has a plan. After the sudden death of her father, she is given a choice – use her wits and intelligence to gain employment as a governess, or marry the only suitor in her small country town who bothered to offer for her. An easy choice when one considers that her sole marital prospect happens to be nearly three times her age and wholly incapable of raising his gaze any higher than her décolletage. However, the path to being a successful governess is proving to be fraught with obstacles that are nearly insurmountable. And when an irresistible book seller enters into the equation, life gives her an all too tempting third option. Alexander Crowden is deeply in love...with his beautiful book shop. Which is only appropriate for a man who has dedicated his life to avoiding the parson’s noose. After witnessing the disastrous marriage of his parents, and the plentiful examples of unhappy matrimony that surround him in the heart of late Victorian London, Alex has determined that the only romantic connections he’s interested in are the ones that don’t include a ring. However, when a fascinating and thoroughly unconventional governess walks into his shop, an attraction builds that no amount of determination can suppress, and gives way to a love that surpasses all of his expectations.

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2020

About the author

L. Leigh Lent has been writing fiction of one sort or another for over thirty years. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio and has only recently started publishing her work.

Currently, she is working on a historical romance series that centers around a London bookshop called Crowden's. The first book in the series, The Bachelor and the Governess was published in June of 2020, and the second book should be ready for publication in late 2020/early 2021.

For information on upcoming releases, appearances and more, go to her website at https://www.lleighlent.com.

Reviews

[Kim Knight, · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic, exciting, sexy!

Loved it! Great story and solid writing. I could just imagine being curled up at Crowden’s with a good book for days. Alex and Lily are great characters and this romance fun. Can’t wait for book 2!

[Elena J · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bachelor and The Governess by L. Leigh Lent is a beautifully wrought Victorian romance that balances charm, intelligence, and quiet rebellion.

In Lily Davenport, Lent gives readers a heroine who refuses to let circumstance dictate her destiny. Faced with the prospect of marriage without affection, Lily chooses independence and in doing so, steps into the wider, uncertain world of self-determination. Her encounter with Alexander Crowden, a principled bachelor who loves books more than people, ignites a slow-burn romance built on wit, intellect, and undeniable chemistry.

Lent’s prose evokes the texture of late Victorian London the scent of rain-soaked cobblestones, the hush of a bookshop after hours, the ache of choices made too soon. Yet beneath its historical grace lies a thoroughly modern heart. This is a love story not of rescue, but of recognition two people discovering that freedom and affection need not be opposites.

A captivating read for fans of Evie Dunmore, Mary Balogh, and historical romances that celebrate both heart and intellect.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I giggled, I cried, I felt joy, and lots of other beauty reading this novel. I could almost smell the Victorian era bookstore (wood, leather, paper)... can't wait to read the sequel!!