Olivia, the daughter of a poor vicar, finds herself penniless and alone when her father dies. She answers an ad for a servant and becomes a governess to a young woman about to make her debut. While befriending his ward, Olivia finds herself attracted to her employer Grayson Grier. Though book intelligent, Olivia has led a sheltered life in the vicarage caring for her father. Attracted by her innocence, Grayson helps her experience new adventures. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

First, I love seeing more mature couples having stories in historical romance. Not that the two main characters are old, they just aren’t in their twenties. After reading the author’s notes I felt that Sophie did this story justice. No rushing the love story but letting it grow organically. There is a good bit going on in the story but it flows really well and you can see the progression of the characters in becoming better people. I loved all of them from Grayson and Olivia to Juliana and Nathan. Bucket lists are a fabulous tool to encourage us to become more adventurous and I loved Sophie’s use of a bucket list in this story. Be warned tissues may be needed. Just saying.

WONDERFUL FEMALE LEAD, BUT LACKING IN CHEMISTRY

While reading this book I was instantly attracted to Juliana, who is the female lead. But while she carried the book far, the lack of chemistry between her and the male lead, Grayson, made the book fall short in my opinion. Coupled with the fact that it contained a handful of my least favourite HR tropes and I found myself with a 2⭐ read...

👍 What I Liked 👍

Juliana: Juliana was such a great female lead. She had spunk, she was hard working and very forthright in her manner. I loved her desire to help others, even while she had very little herself. She lost a lot but pulled herself up. Her intellect carried her far and endeared her to me.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Chemistry: While Juliana was great, I didn't quite get close enough to Grayson. I couldn't truly see or feel his motivations, especially not when it came to Juliana. Their attraction towards one another wasn't explored deeply enough in my opinion. It felt very shallow and instalusty, only without the delicious sizzle of lustful chemistry. Their conversations and their interactions weren't loaded enough to convince me, that they actually had a romantic connection.

Tropes: After reading as much HR as I do, you come across some common tropes that you just aren't a fan of. Sadly, this book contained several of them. One of them is instalust. Another is the misunderstanding trope, where someone jumps to an erroneous conclusion without having all the facts. In stead of seeking out more information or clarification, the character decides to create drama. It just doesn't feel very realistic in my opinion, it feels like drama for the sake of drama. A simple "I overheard this, what did you mean?" conversation could fix it all.

Olivia has given everything to her family. Took over running the vicarage when her mother dies…nursed her beloved sister as she slipped away far too young…cared for her cold and unyielding father until he dies and the house that she grew up in was no longer hers. In her early thirties with no prospects but an unusually well rounded education, Olivia travels to Sutton Hall to answer a help wanted ad for a maid. That job has been filled but her impressive education leads her to become the governess for the young ward of the owner of Sutton Hall, Grayson Grier. Lots on intrigues and longing ensue but this fun read ends with a HEA.

The daughter of a vicar, Olivia Poole finds herself accepting the role of governess to Mr. Grier's ward, Juliana. She is determined to keep her vow to her sister, that she would live her life to the fullest. With the list they created together, Olivia finds herself wanting to fill one challenge, to experience her first kiss with Mr Grier, her employer. Whilst Grayson Grier wants to marry only for love, at forty and five, he is unsure whether that will happen until he meets Olivia. Soon he finds himself tempted by her presence. However, there are other women trying to coerce him into marriage, yet Olivia is always on his mind, even though as a governess, she is beneath him in society.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, especially with two characters who are older. Whilst Michael is more mature, Olivia at 35 is still innocent yet strong in character. The secondary characters and their interactions with Olivia, added to this story. A great addition to this series; however, my favourite is still Book 1, Mr. Dale and The Divorcée. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie Barnes has long been a insta read for me. I have really enjoyed her books in the past and while this is the second in the series this can be read as a stand alone.
Olivia is alone in the world now that her father has passed. Armed with a education not found in most women and a list her sister created before her death of things to accomplish, Olivia sets out as finding an ad for a housemaid.
Greyson must manage his estates now that his father has died as well as care for his ward Juiliana.
I liked the relationship between greyson and Olivia it felt very organic as did both of their individual growth.
I do feel like the book was a little slow and could have been shortened somewhat but overall I liked the story.

This story is the second in a series, but it is very much a standalone. Vague references are made to the protagonists of book 1, but there is no actual crossover. In fact, they occur concurrently. Anyway, this book is okay but a little unnecessarily slow paced.

The conflict is basically that Grayson and Olivia are star crossed because a rich (but not titled) gentleman could never marry his ward's governess. Olivia is, however, a vicar's daughter, and though yeah, she's technically a servant, it's not like she's a young scullery maid or that he's a duke. Grayson's refusal to see that being together is really very feasible was a little off-putting for me, and I really needed him to make a Grand Gesture for me to fully redeem him. (I had a similar gripe and the same desire for book 1's hero, but where James nails the GG, Grayson doesn't really pull it off.)

I do like that both Grayson and Olivia are older, and also like with book 1, there's a satisfying epilogue set several years down the road. However, while James' and Mina's ages are a part of their story (each a parent to a grown child), the interactions in this novel didn't seem any different from one where the protagonists are twentysomethings.

Overall, it's a nice book but not one I'd choose to reread. And honestly, I'm not entirely sure that I want to read the third book in this series.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm leaving this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this book. It only took me two days to finish it. The leading lady, Olivya Poole, is a woman who devoted her life to her family until they all passed away. Then, she needed to find her way, without many funds. Ms. Poole saw an ad in a newspaper and decided to go interview for the position. While the first did not work out, the household was able to find her suitable employment. The household master is Mr. Grayson Grier. He is an intelligent man, but holds close to his vest that he wants to marry for love, not station.

Throughout the main story, there is a side story within the house staff. I do wish there was a bit more in that story, but maybe a sequel or a mini.

In the end, the lead characters get their HEA and it is satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Sophie Barnes for allowing me to read this advance eBook.

Olivia is great, so strong, talented and practical character that engages heartfelt emotions. I like Grayson too and thinks he's fair and although he's caught up in a whirlwind of regency must-do's, his predicament tugs the heartstrings as well. Very interesting scenario and enjoyable battle of wits which are humorous, as they try to resist temptation while getting to know one another and learning how to work together. I'm glad they could build a new beginning and have a well-deserved and more encouraging perspective.

Olivia Poole is thirty five & when her father dies she has to find employment, so she accepts the position of governess to Mr. Grier’s ward. However, she cannot reject the vow she once made her sister – that she would live her life to the fullest. Armed with a list they created together, she determines to honour her promise. Grayson Grier mourns the loss is determined to do right by his ward Juliana. But when he meets Miss Poole, the prim and proper governess seeking employment, something about her begs to be challenged. Ignoring his better judgment for once, Grayson hires her on the spot
This is the second book in the series & could easily be read on its own. I’m not a lover of the master & the governess trope but this book didn’t feel like Olivia was the woman with no choices. To begin with she was in her mid thirties & Grayson in his forties, yes she was innocent & naïve but also highly intelligent & gave Grayson quite a few tongue lashings. Also Juliana was his teenage ward being prepared for her season not his daughter. I loved both Grayson & Olivia & loved how their relationship changed & grew, especially after Grayson found the list. There were misunderstandings & assumptions as well as two women determined to marry Grayson. I really liked the secondary characters especially Juliana & hope she someday has her story. There were also two secondary romances, which also had happy outcomes. A well written slow burn romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

From gentlewoman to despair!

Forced by her strict and unloving father’s death to leave the vicarage she’s grown up in, Olivia Poole catches a coach into an unknown future. Boarding the public transport with nothing but a small travelling bag stuffed with a paltry assortment of belongings and keepsakes, Olivia is bound for a place called Sutton Hall, and hopefully a job as a housemaid. Nothing to take with her but a good education and the LIST.
When Grayson Grier found himself his beloved father’s heir before his time he was shattered. When he found his heirdom included guardianship of a very young girl, he was dismayed. Yet he did his duty by her, leaving her in the care of his superior Butler and Housekeeper. He’d employed a governess for Juliana lately to make sure knew how to go on in society, and was prepared to have her make her come out. Grayson rarely visited Sutton Hall. Too many memories.
But when the situation changes at Sutton Hall he hurries down there to put things in good order.
(I loved the confrontation between Olivia and Juliana’s governess BTW. Heroic even.)
That’s when Grayson meets Olivia and his calmly ordered life is thrown into disarray. And let’s not forget Olivia has a LIST!
An interesting twist on involvement across the class boundaries, with a few spanners thrown into the works. Seeing how the fair Olivia would handle each challenge that’s thrown her way kept me interested. Grayson just kept getting in his own way, and at times I utterly despaired of him. There were some lovely moments in the novel, especially the hints of a December romance between the rather charming butler and delightful housekeeper, beautifully done.

An Independently Pub. ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was beautifully written and so charming! I loved how in depth all of the characters were and enjoyed the dual perspectives of two romances - both eternally sweet in their own ways!

I'm a big Sophie Barnes fan so I have somewhat high expectations with each of her books and this one did not disappoint! I was a little skeptical early on because of the whole "single father falling in love with the governess" plot, but I found this was done in a way that it was believable and not creepy. Part of it was the fact that Olivia was older (although still somewhat naive and isolated) and that Juliana was not Grayson's daughter. Olivia also showed her own mettle by regularly standing up to Grayson and not being intimidated by him. That said, the one time I really wanted her to do that she ran away rather than confront him. I did feel bad for Grayson that he was basically being blackmailed into marriages by two women but it did make me like him all the more for not giving into that and going for who he really wanted. I could not understand why Daniel continued to be cordial with Delilah knowing that she was using a secret about him to blackmail his brother - but the resolution between them made sense and gave him a happy ending of his own. You don't have to have read book one in the series in order to enjoy this, but some of the scenes between Grayson and his friends make more sense if you have.

This was a long read but very enjoyable. It gave a few Jane Eyre vibes at the start but then lightened up to be a really well written light romance with great character development. The length of the book gave it chance for more depth to the characters and a more interesting plot and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

I truly enjoyed this story. I love a good, solid romance.
Spoiler alert:
This story opens with the heroine in the graveyard. Her father, the vicar, has just passed away and she is at the gravestone where her sisiter, mother and father are buried. She is 35 years old and her father has been a harsh, unloving, strict guardian. She is unmarried because her and her sister were not allowed to look in mirrors, have pretty clothes or ribbons because that is vanity. The vicar gives both of his daughters an education that any boy would be envy, yet they were girls. The heroine's older sister died in her mid-teens and her mother shortly before that. She is left to support her father. He did not want to spend any money on a curate or to support another wife, so the heroine is raised to do all of the household, congregational and housekeeping duties. She is extremely well education and able to speak French, German and Latin fluently. She has been kicked out of the vicarage because a new vicar is coming and she sees an advertisement for a household maid at an estate about 4 hours away. She spends her money on a ticket and in the rain makes her way by stage coach, then walking to the estate. She arrives and is taken care of with love and warmth. There is no position, it had already been filled, but the housekeeper will help her find a job. The young lady of the house and her governess are combative due to the governess' evilness. During an altercation, the heroine steps in to protect the young lady that she just met and tells the governess off. The housekeeper and butler have permission to dismiss the governess, which they promptly do and offer the heroine the job. The young lady is the ward of the hero. She is a friend's child, but his friend and wife have passed away. So he is responsible for raising her. He hires the evil governess, but doesnt know she is evil and goes to London to do his work and help his mother through her grief of his father passing.
Phew, and that was just to bring the reader up to where you need to be to start reading the story.
This was a good (gud) book. I enjoyed every story line and character. There is a little intrigue, but a lot of emphasis on "raising a young woman to be the lady he wants to her be, while becoming the woman she wants to be". This was a very good summation of the outlook the heroine has towards her student. .
What I enjoyed about this book was how women had to hide their intelligence at that time. It boggles the mind that a man wanted to marry an idiot at that time period. Woman were given responsibilities but were not allowed to show their actual acuity. This book does a good job at showing how a man can change his views on what is expected of his female relatives.
I give this book 5 stars even though there were a few composition errors where different words would have worked better. I recommend reading this book, but I also reach out to the author to engage a proofreader that will actually critique what is written and not just agree to everything.

This was an absolute treasure! I thought at first it might be a little long, but after thinking about it, I realized it had to be so that all the characters could grow into their better selves. Olivia, fresh from a very sheltered life has to find the strength to find her way in life and finds herself helping a young ldy come into her own. Her employer has much to learn himself, not the least of which is to forgive himself for perceived wrongs. I loved the dilemma he found himself in with two women trying to get their claws on him and the one he really wants keeps backing away. It is a story of a sweet love and acceptance. WELL worth the time!

I received this book for free as an ARC copy and these are my own views

I enjoyed this book. It was well written and an easy read.

Olivia Poole has spent her entire life serving her family. And now that her father. a poor vicar, has passed away, she must venture out on her own adventures. Determined to find those adventures and to live to the fullest for her deceased sister, Olivia sets out to find a position as a house maid.
Greyson Grier is a reformed rouge, well, at least he's "outgrown" it. He will never marry and he is okay with that prospect. He is too old, too past his prime, to find a love match. He job is to look after his ward, Julianne, and her upcoming debut and to run his estate. He is "content." That is until a gorgeous new housemaid, turned governess, enters his employ.

The book had very good development on the characters and it had enough heat in the end when they finally get on to it.

Mr. Grier and the Governess, is a lovely romance novel. I loved that Olivia is so highly educated and knows how to use it. She has a bucket list that her sister made before passing away years ago that she is fulfilling. It was fun to see what adventure she was going to try next and how Grayson is going to help her out. .

Mr. Grier and the Governess by Sophie Barnes was your typical Regency romance. Olivia Poole has been evicted from the parsonage after the death of her father and has nowhere to go. She finds an ad for a maid but finds when she gets there that the position has been filled. The only position left is that as governess to the Master’s ward. Mr. Grier is high on the social scale but is not nobility.

Of course, Olivia and Grayson Grier fall in love even though each knows that their positions in life do not accommodate this liaison. They have an affair although Olivia would like it to be more than that. There are many complications because Grayson is a catch and two other women have their eye on him and his money.

I have to say that although this was an easy read, it was very predictable. I didn’t have to think about it, however, it was entertaining.