This is the second in a series of 4 books. Alexandra Mountbatten is a clock setter. Every two weeks she gets her chronometer set by Greenwich. On her way to get it set she loses it in a panic. Prior to this she was offered a position as a governess to two young orphans for the summer to prepare them for school. Following the loss she decides to take up the position to make the money she needs to replace it. What she does not expect is to fall in love with their guardian who has a reputation for being free with the women.
I read the first book before this one and thoroughly enjoyed both. It kept me interested despite it being a historical romance which isn’t normally my type of book. I highly recommend it and cannot wait to read the next two books in the series.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Good
* Pretty much everything. I really liked this book, it was super readable and hard to put down.
* The characters were amazing. Alex was one of the best female characters I have read this year. Independent, intelligent and stubborn she was everything I want and more in my main characters. I loved her quirkiness and her sense of humour.
* I adored Chase. He was amazingly witty and charming yet deeply flawed. Whilst he was the main driver of all the conflict in this book it was never too much and he was never unlikeable.
* The two girls were hilarious and adorable. I loved how morbid and tough they were.
* This book is genuinely hilarious. From the witty banter to the constant and gruesome funerals held for a doll, this book was laugh out loud funny.
* Tessa Dare is a wonderful writer. Her work is always rich and warm and I never struggle to get lost in her prose. I admire the way she writes about people other than lords and ladies. She is one of the only regency romance authors I know that is brave enough to stay away from the ton. It was refreshing to have no seasons, no balls and no husband hunting.

The Bad
* My only negative was that I wanted Chase to pay a little more for being such a doofus. He deserved to suffer a touch longer. Other than that I have nothing bas to say about this book.

A really enjoyable read. There are a lot of the standard regency romance tropes but I thought it was an interesting twist to have the heroine be half Filipino- definitely not something I’ve ever encountered in a regency romance. It was a great story with plenty of witty banter which also had some emotional depth to it too.

I very much enjoy Tessa Dare as an author, and while this is not her best piec of work, it is none the less a good book. Well written and fun. I think I care less about the current collection of characters, in comparison to her previous series, but they are an interesting dispparet lot and I'm am still keen to continue reading this series, to find out more about what happens to them.

I used to always read Mills and Boon books when I was younger so decided to get back into them again. They are not like I used to remember this one certainly isn't for the prudish.
It is a love story between a humble lower class young woman called Alexandra and Chase who is a Duke but by nature a ladies man. . He is ward to two young children that he tries to keep at a distance. Can she tame him where no other woman has and show him that he needs the love of children in his life.

Received a free copy from NetGalley

This book was not my cup of tea, the plot sounded promising enough and caught my attention but i felt the book didn't deliver

The writing is beautiful but I struggled to buy into the story. People who truly hate themselves and have problems with unresolved abandonment (especially those who self-sabotage as much as Chase) don't just turn a new leaf and suddenly overcome all their insecurities in a blink, which is how I felt it was presented here.

Thanks to netgalley and for sending me a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: sex, mentions of death, panic attacks

My first Tessa Dare novel did not disappoint. All the people I follow on twitter who read romance say Dare is one of the best for good historical romance, so I was intrigued and then I saw this book on netgalley and immediately clicked request. I'm currently reading the first book in the series so I've done it all wrong but that's the good thing with Romance books with sequels is most of the time it doesn't really matter greatly which order you read them in.

Alex Mountbatten is a clock setter and runs between houses to make her daily appointments of making sure people's clocks are correct to Greenwich Mean Time. One of these clients is a Duke by the name of Chase who offers her to become a Governess for the tearaway children he has inherited. She says no as she already has a job... then she loses her clock setting gear in the Thames. So she goes back to the house, tail between her legs, and agrees to become the governess. Alex and Chase do not get on, on account of him being a man about town and not really caring for the children. But this is a romance book and we all know that won't last long.

I really loved how much of a focus there was on the plot of this novel. Of course there was a lot of steamy moments and the romance definitely isn't lacking. It isn't all romance all the time and I really began to love these characters who were all a little bit broken. The girls ending up with no family and having to live with Chase, driving away every Governess because they'd been let down so many times made my heart hurt.

Alex is half Filipina mestiza with a white father and she grew up with him on his boat until a fatal crash, and she is left dealing with this trauma and these parts of her character are very well woven throughout the story. Dare wrote Alex with such depth and I loved her as the main character. She was so determined and intent to not let things hold her back.

In terms of pacing, I did think things moved fairly well, though there were times it dropped off a little bit, but on the whole, it was good. I think for me the stand out was the children, they were so entertaining and got up to such jackanapes that they became my favourite part. Yes, I did just use the word jackanapes. I just found the story entertaining and fun on the whole and a good beach read when I was in St. Lucia.

A strong heroine, not afraid to stand up for what she wants, or what's right. Pleasing amount of twists and turns before a happy ending!

A woman who has her own business in London, only to lose the main part in the River, finds herself a job as a governess to two youngish girls, who have seen of all other governesses. Involving clocks, pirates and Greenwich. A romance, with an interesting background, and a lovely story.

Tessa Dare writes how I would love to. Witty, interesting, and with a thread of what if all the way through. A perfect curl up, read and and forget the world story.

Tessa Dare is such a delight. Her writing is so effortless; fun and funny to balance out the inevitable drama of the romance. Her heroines are always women you can admire and her heroes are well-rounded enough that, even with the rakes, you don’t feel (too) guilty rooting for them. Alexandra and Chase are no exception, she’s the clever clock-setter that collides with him in a bookshop (extra points for that) he’s the obligatory duke who accidentally hires her as a governess to his two young wards with their odd penchant for funeral rites. It’s silly and predictable in the best possible way with all the banter and the charm that makes Dare so readable.

The balance she strikes between characters and moods is what makes her the best of the genre, In this she’s the rightful heiress to Georgette Heyer.

I have to confess that I haven’t read a Mills and Boob book since I was a teenager, so I was curious to see if they had changed at all. And I was pleasantly surprised the characters were likeable and the story of the 2 girls being Chase’s wards made this much more than a love story!!

If this is the standard of Mills and Boon now then I would definitely read another one!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

This is a wonderful humorous romance with great characters making it a easy read.
Highly recommended for a enjoyable read.

The Governess Game is Regency romance set in 1817 London.

Alexandra Mountbatten dreams about the handsome womaniser that she met at a bookshop, but, alas, he must remain just a fantasy for girl of her station in life. An astrology enthusiast and clock-setter to the wealthy, Alexander is quite prepared to remain a spinster.

Chase Reynaud is heir to the Duke of Belvoir, a title he’d rather not accept, but a past accident thrust it upon him. Added to his troubles, he’s guardian to two young hellions: Rosamund and Daisy have been continually moved between family, resulting in them becoming wilful and rebellious.

When Alexandra calls in search of new clock-setting work, Chase fancies her as the next governess for his wards. Her refusal of his absurd request, however, sees her back on his doorstep later that day. Alex faces a challenge; years of rejection, blame and hurt have built high walls around the girls' young hearts. But can Alex’s unorthodox methods and beliefs work magic before a threatened boarding school deadline is reached?

For me this storyline had a little sprinkle of Mary Poppin’s magic which made it a fun read. There is still plenty of hot romance to set the book firmly in the intended genre, but I did like both Rosamund and Daisy and the roles they played. I’ve not read any of this author’s books before, but I shall look forward to more in the future.

This is not my usual read but it was very sensual and very good. I loved reading about Alex's life she seemed such a strong and independent woman. I loved Chase, what a character he was. So very honest about himself. It was very funny at times and I couldn't put it down. I could just imagine have two wards like Rosamund and Daisy around there would never be a dull moment. A great read.

Provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a very light and quick read. I love romances and this is a new to me series. I’m glad I read it!

The main characters are strong and yet flawed. Just the way I like them. The writing was good and the story itself was enjoyable. I felt for each character and that made me really connect with them. Even the two young wards!

The ending felt a little rushed to me and that’s why it only gets the four stars.. but otherwise, a very enjoyable read and I’m going to try and get the first in the series now.

Tessa Dare’s ‘The Governess Game’ is a thoroughly enjoyable read that made me laugh, cheer, heart catch in my throat, and so much more; it is a story about love, about acceptance, about being true to yourself and the ones you love.
Alex and Chase’s story is simply delightful, from miscommunication, to witty dialogue, to debauchery, and let’s not forget, piracy. Chase needs a governess, and Alex unexpectedly finds herself in a position to be that governess. With wards that don’t know how to love and be loved, a guardian facing the same issues, and a governess that is at times entirely to realistic and practical for her own good, only through their experiences together will they find out the true meaning of family, and whether there’s hope for them to ever have one. Tension runs high as half-truths and misguided attempts to teach and change up how to move forward, and love might be what costs them everything in the end.
This story ticked every single Tessa Dare box, and she did it once gain. This Girl Meets Duke series has me so excited for Nicola and Penelope’s stories; it had me going back and rereading Emma’s as well. The narrative is excellent, the character development on point; you simply want to spend time with these people, either enjoying their company or reminding them that they’re being fools to let their pasts get in the way of true love and acceptance, just as they are. Everyone should read Tessa Dare, and hopefully you will love this story as much as I did! After all, it’s a pirate’s life for them; who wouldn’t want to learn those lessons?

I thoroughly enjoyed this light, funny story, just what I needed after reading a very intense book. Alex bumps into a man in a bookstore, and the pile of books she is holding fall everywhere. He helps her pick them up, then leaves the shop. She fantasises about him for weeks, then unexpectedly meets him again when she is out seeking clients for her clock-setting business. She is a very unusual girl, she has not had a conventional upbringing, she sailed the world on her father's ship until a dreadful accident when the ship perished, and her father along with it.

Chase, doesn't particularly need someone to deal with his clocks, he needs a governess for his two wards, until such time as they can go off to school. Alex does not have the experience and turns the job down, but suffers adisaster on her way home, she loses her timepiece so her business is finished, and xshe returns to his house and accepts the job as governess. Chase is able to talk to her like he has never been able to talk to women before, she is very straightforward, even blunt, she always speaks her mind. He is a serial womaniser, he will be a Duke and she is so far below his standing!

The two girls make life exceedingly difficult, they have already disposed of fifteen governesses, some haven't even lasted a day! Alex win she them round, and persuades Chase to take them on outings. Between her and his wards Chase finds his life turned upside down. It all works out well in the end, for all of them. A delightful read for a lazy day?

I'll start by saying that this is the best historical romance I've read in a long while. The writing is very smooth, the plot flows along at a good pace, and the characters are very likeable and fun to read about, with the secondary characters seeming just as well developed as the main pair. Beyond that, it does a few particular things which I enjoyed reading about.

Alexandra, or Alex as she's known to her friends, works for a living and is lucky enough to know a trade: she maintains clocks for wealthy customers in London. She's very practical, but that hasn't stopped her from daydreaming about the man who literally bumped into her in a bookshop several months ago. When they meet again, he thinks she's there to fill the vacancy of Governess to his two wards. The encounter leaves her flustered, and she ends up losing the mechanical piece she needs for her clock-setting business. Instead of accepting help from her close friends, she returns to Chase and takes up his offer of the governess position.

Right from the start, there is a lot of sexiness between them. She's very attracted to him, and he to her, and all of their interactions sizzle. In the last few years, I've become much more aware of the significance it can have on a 'relationship' when one person has power over another. Although Chase is employing Alex, none of their kisses (or beyond, and there is *plenty* of beyond-kissing) felt like Alex was in an uncomfortable position. She can leave this job if she wants to; her reputation isn't watched as closely as it would be if she was on his social level.

That ties in nicely to one of my other favourite things in The Governess Game: consent. There is a lot of emphasis on her consenting to things. Chase even says "I need to hear you say it" at one point, when Alex has just nodded. I love that Tessa Dare included things like that, and made it sexy in itself.

The final aspect I want to mention is Alex's friendship group. I gather that there may have been a previous book with one of these women as the main character, who is married in this book, and I'll be looking out for that to read it as well. The women are from slightly different societal backgrounds, but they haven't let that get in the way of their friendship. There is a hugely deep loyalty between them all, and they're very protective of each other. They are slightly unconventional for their time, without it ever coming across as there being a 'you're not like other girls' aspect to it in Chase's relationship with Alex.

The Governess Game was a really lovely, sexy book, and a perfect example of Regency romance. Beyond the romance, the importance of family, and building a found-family, is such a key theme and brought me to tears several times as it looked at the bonds being built between the wards and Alex and Chase. I highly recommend this to all fans of the genre, and will be looking for more Tessa Dare books to read soon. I'm giving it 9 out of 10.