I loved The Duchess Deal, book one in this series, so much I did something I almost never do and immediately requested book #2 from Overdrive on audio. I am seriously the worst at following a series.

The Governess Game was a decent read but I didn't fall in love with it as much as I'd hoped. The characters are fun, their banter decently amusing but it didn't have the certain thing that I cannot describe that makes me want to keep listening even when I should probably be doing other things.

What it did have was some pain in the butt misunderstandings/miscommunications/doubts/insecurities/separations and some "I'm not worthies" to top it all off. Those things aren't really my favorite. But the humor was good. Major points for the humor. It also featured two morbid little girls and I loved them. I don't typically (ok like NEVER) enjoy kids in a book but these two were little darklings and I couldn't help but enjoy their scenes. And that's about all I've got to say about this one.

"I don’t care if you’re gently bred, roughly bred or a loaf of brown bread with butter."

Some wallflowers bloom at night…

Violet is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. The gentlemen aren’t beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet’s feet. He’s wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he’s not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable… Love.

Task 1: Find a redeeming quality in a book you read this year and didn’t like.

I don't want to say anything nice about the book I liked least this year, but I don't have to. I went with a different book I disliked this year, A Night to Surrender. Even though I disliked the story and the romance overall, it did amuse me at times. It made me laugh repeatedly.

Izzy father wrote fairytales. When he dies, she is left with nothing except a castle she inherits. When she arrives at this castle she finds someone living there. It turns out Ransom Vane Duke of Rothbury owns the castle...or does he? Ransom was injured in a sword fight, scarring his face and losing his vision (most of it).
I love Beauty and the Beast stories and I think this is one of them. I enjoyed both Izzy and Ransom and could believe their interest and later romance as they got to know each other. The band of people that help out Ransom later are interesting characters. I did think it strange that once Izzy started reading his correspondence and they both realized something was fishy, neither of them acted on it.
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For Ripped Bodice Bingo- I'm using this for the free space