Exceptional. I could not put this book down. Alexandra Weston is a brilliant new voice in historical fiction.
The characters are well drawn, complex and real, and the story made for a compelling read.
I loved the style of the writing and the attention to detail.
Brava! I cannot wait to read what comes next from this author.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This is a historical romance set in the 1930s.

The protagonist, Hester, leaves her home in Yorkshire to accept a post as a governess in Hollywood, California. Her pupil is Erin, the daughter of a Hollywood actor named Aidan, who is still coming to terms with the death of his wife.

I felt an immediate connection with Hester, and that connection grew stronger as I carried on reading. She was a wonderful character, and there were some elements of her personality that I identified with. I thought Erin was a lovely character too, and liked what she brought to the story.

At times, I felt the references to Hollywood added an air of glamour to the story, and I quite like that. I became emotionally invested in Hester's story, more than I initially expected, and I did enjoy reading this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

The Hollywood Governess is the dazzling historical fiction debut from a writer with a bright future ahead of her – Alexandra Weston.

Hester Carlyle might be a highly-sought after governess, but she is sick of looking after the spoilt and pampered offspring of the rich and famous. She is desperate for a fresh challenge, but with a frail father to look after and a derelict cottage to maintain, when she is offered a placement in Hollywood, she finds herself with no other choice but to accept the job of being a governess for Tinsel Town heartthrob Aidan Neil and his daughter, Erin.

Aidan and his wife Dinah Doyle had once been Hollywood royalty – until a tragedy had left the Hollywood hunk widowed and with a young daughter to raise on his own. In desperate need of help, Aidan hopes that Hester will be Erin’s shoulder to cry on as he navigates the heart-breaking grief that has consumed him since his wife’s death. Aidan is brooding, aloof and reclusive, yet Hester finds herself unable to shake off this feeling at the pit of her stomach that the movie star might be hiding a dark secret from her…

Hester cannot help but wonder whether Aidan and Dinah’s marriage was the perfect love story everyone thought it to be. Was Dinah’s death an accident? Or something much more sinister? When the truth comes to light, Hester is shocked as she wonders whether the family she has grown to love will ever recover from these devastating revelations – and whether Aidan’s Hollywood dream will be destroyed forever…

It’s hard to believe that The Hollywood Governess is Alexandra Weston’s debut novel. Written with such flair, panache and assurance, this atmospheric, enthralling and emotional rollercoaster ride is a sparkling and seductive tale of secrets, lies and deception with a strong and redoubtable heroine it is impossible not to care about and root for.

Alexandra Weston writes so well that she immediately immerses her readers into a world full of style, glamour and pathos that will keep them turning the pages late into the night. A fantastic read that will stay with readers long after the last page is turned, Alexandra Weston’s The Hollywood Governess is not to be missed.

In this fascinating historical fiction novel, readers follow English governess Hester as she embarks on a new position as governess to Erin, the daughter of movie stars Aidan Neil and the recently mysteriously deceased Dinah Doyle, in Los Angeles. Worried about her return to the United States and the separation from her sisters and father in England, Hester discovers that this family, famous and glamorous though they seem, struggles with their grief, and she does her best to help Erin at minimum. Aidan, not the picture-perfect movie star that he seems, seems to struggle with something darker -- an unknown secret which could destroy his career -- that Hester cannot help him with. With a fascinating cast of realistic, complex, and dynamic characters, Weston’s novel is an incredible insight into the Golden Age of Hollywood and the difficulties of film contracts and careers during this time. Hester is a relatable heroine with her own challenges and insecurities which adds to her charm as a protagonist and narrator. Erin, Aidan, and the other minor characters in this novel are also complex, with big and human emotions which add to the plot and emotionality of this fantastic historical fiction novel, and have excellently developed relationships with each other and Hester.

I absolutely loved this novel. It is well written, with rich descriptions of Hollywood in the golden era and a marvelous cast of characters. The story kept me enthralled from start to finish. I look forward to more work from this author

After I finished reading this book, I had one overriding thought – that I didn’t know if I could put into words how it made me feel. The emotional depth and complexity it offered were far beyond the typical romance novel, and it was all set against the backdrop of a gorgeously realised – and well-researched – Hollywood movie making scene.

The novel’s first person perspective is Hester Carlyle – a governess for wealthy families, but whose own is considerably worse off. A collapsed roof and her father’s worsening health force Hester to look for work once more in a profession she feels she’s given everything to. Her assignment is as a governess for Erin, the seven year old daughter of film star Aidan Neil – in California.

I’ve never been to the USA – but with Weston’s talent for creating a sense of place, I didn’t need to. “There are cars everywhere,” Hester describes on one of her early journeys into the city, “much bigger ones than at home, painted in bold reds, blues and racing green. A yellow tram rattles past. In empty plots, weeds like spears grow high as eight-year-olds..”

As readers, we immediately get the sense that Hester may be out of her depth in California. Upon meeting Aidan Neil in person, that increases.

I’ve always said that I’ve loved slow burn romances. However, I’ve struggled to put my finger on exactly why this is – at least, until reading this novel.

Aidan Neil is, at first, a standoffish enigma of a man who sees Hester’s attempts to bond with Erin as a threat to her safety. As he bluntly puts it himself in an early conversation, “I lost her mother. I will not risk losing my daughter.”

This protectiveness colours much of Hester and Aidan’s early interactions – Aidan is a man with a wall around his heart, and Weston does a remarkable job at showing it.

However, it’s what lies behind this protective nature – grief – that begins to bring employee and employer closer. When they share their experiences of it with each other, “a silent sympathy” is felt, “bigger than any words we could have spoken.”

Indeed, it’s actions that make this slow-burn romance so tantalising. Whether it’s a tap on the shoulder, or hands brushing against each other as a drink is passed, the moments of fleeting connection ratchet up the romantic tension so much that it’s almost unbearable. Though the payoff may come a little late for some, to me it felt satisfying and entirely earned.

This romance is intercut with the novel’s other big plot thread – Dinah Doyle, and the mystery surrounding her death. The untimely passing of the actress leaves a chasm in the family home, one that Hester can’t help but fall into. A combination of chance encounters, and conversations with Aidan, Erin, and others help her start to slowly unravel the threads of her life. Dinah’s reality was far from what people saw in her films – as Aidan puts it, “we were both better actors than anyone gave us credit for.” What ultimately transpires about her is something I won’t reveal here, but it was equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking.

For a novel with an acting family at its core, it’s no surprise that Hollywood itself plays such a pivotal role. Weston vividly captures the reality behind the movie industry. There is the glamour that Hester’s younger sister Rosie loves so much – but also misogyny, prejudice, and a sense of ownership over its stars. “It takes a pretty girl and convinces the world she’s beautiful,” Aidan explains. “Takes an average Joe and turns him into a star. But it’s all an illusion. Don’t let the bright lights fool you.”

With scars both mental and physical, Hester struggles throughout to heed this advice. “What does he see as he looks at me?” she asks herself at one point. “My fingers go to my scarred cheek. Stupid question! I know what he sees. What all men see when they look at me.” A lot of her internal monologue is like this – centred around how little she believes she fits into the Hollywood circle – and while this is a completely believable part of her character, the amount of time it comes up is the one thing I’d change about this novel.

One thing I definitely wouldn’t change is the supporting characters, especially Aidan’s daughter Erin. Her grief is as deep as her father’s – perhaps even deeper – but with her love of fairytales and penchant for slang, she provides a very sweet counterpoint to some of the heavier moments of the novel. Not to mention that Erin herself is who brings Aidan and Hester closer together – helping him realise where his priorities lie, and showing her how she doesn’t need to hide herself for anyone.

In the end, Weston’s debut novel is as much about embracing one’s true self as it is about finding love. Like the best movies, its glitzy surface hides layers of complexity – amounting to a story I simply didn’t want to let go of.

This book was amazing! Even though this was my first time reading something from this author, I know this won't be my last!

The tag line for this book is pretty on point
“A governess bound by her own strict rules, a movie star tormented by grief, a forbidden love story you won’t forget.”

This book seamlessly weaves a tale with historical fiction, mystery and romance elements. Erin is definitely the star of this story - the poor little girl who lost her mother and whose father isn’t really all that emotionally available.

I loved the Old Hollywood setting, the juxtaposition between Hester who comes from a downtrodden family on the other side of the pond and Aiden Neil who has the world in the palm of his hand with unlimited wealth to boot.

Slowly Hester seems to be a balm to Aiden’s grief but when the mystery surrounding his wife’s death is revealed it’s more shocking than she ever could have imagined.

I loved this book so much - I was hooked from the first page - and it’s hard to believe this could be a debut.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of this book, for my kindle in return for my honest review…

The Hollywood Governess is the brand new, gorgeous, romantic story of forbidden love in Golden Age Hollywood and i absolutely loved everything about it…

This book is a perfect escapist read, good for relaxing with and curling up with a book, some chocolate and a cuppa tea.

The author has a wonderful way with words and the way that they described things in such detail was breathtaking and i honestly felt as though i was there, immersed in all of the Hollywood magic…

The Hollywood Governess captured my heart from the very first page and i loved how each chapter, very easily, pulled me along to the next one and before i knew it i had devoured it all…..

Can we just take a moment to admire that classy, evocative cover? I love it!

This is a book which reminded me a lot of some of my favourite films or books. A widower with very strict rules hiring a governess for his child who feels she doesn’t want one has echoes of The Sound of Music. The glamour of 1930s Hollywood put me in mind of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and the lingering presence of the deceased wife with the loyal housekeeper had shades of Rebecca, although Mrs Walsh was a much kinder character than Mrs Danvers. So this book really had a lot going for it and it didn’t disappoint.

Hester was a wonderful character, dedicated to her own family in England and, because they were in dire financial straits, willing to move to America to take up a position as a governess for the child of a widowed Hollywood actor. Hester had worked in America before but her position and relationship had ended after some dramatic events and she had never wanted to go back there. Her relationship with her young charge Erin was so sweet to read about and it was lovely to see how she came to care for Erin while also always doing her best for this grieving little girl. I enjoyed reading the little snippets at the beginning of many of the chapters relating the rules of Padgett Governesses, rules which one by one Hester seemed to break!

The book gave a good insight into just how controlling the big studios of the 1930s could be. Acting life wasn’t at all as glamorous as it appeared. Actors under contract had to behave in exactly the way the studio bosses told them. Anything that was considered to bring the studio into disrepute was completely prohibited. We hear through a few characters just how much that impacted their lives and how they couldn’t be true to themselves.

There is a lot about forbidden love in this book which I won’t go into much as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. What the author makes clear though is that you can’t choose who you fall in love with. The slowly developing romance throughout the book was beautifully written and felt very sincere. This is a book which will have you hoping the characters find the happy endings which actors portray in the Hollywood films and you won’t be disappointed.

The Hollywood Governess is a book full of Hollywood glamour but which also lets us see the real people beneath the façade. I was transported to 1930s America in this engaging and satisfying read. I look forward to seeing what this author writes next and hope it is more of the historical fiction which she obviously has a flair for writing.

I enjoyed this golden age of Hollywood tale that takes the reader from Wensleydale in Yorkshire to Hollywood, Los Angeles. It's a story of breaking rules and what happens when you do. The death of a film star leads to a chance of a lifetime governess post for Hester. However, she is still recovering from a terrible accident and betrayal, which means returning to America is not something she wants. Her love of family means that she does, and she meets Erin, the daughter of a glamorous Hollywood couple who has lost her mother and needs a governess. Hester is a lovely woman who is caring and willing to overcome her anxieties to help Erin recover from her bereavement. Aiden, the grieving husband, is a mystery, but Hester is drawn to him and risks getting hurt to help him. There is glamour, mystery and romance in this engaging story. I like the characters, the mystery and the believable golden-age Hollywood setting. It's perfect holiday reading.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Hester is offered a governess job in Hollywood. Going back to America is the last thing she wants to do. However they need a new roof and have very little other options. Aiden and Erin are still mourning their loss and trying hard to move on.
I thought it was a good book. Some unexpected secrets come out and a new romance blossoms.
Definitely recommend

I love a bit of old-school Hollywood glitz and glamour, and this book gave us that, as well as peeling back a few layers to see what hides under that sheen.
Hester Carlisle is a much sought-after British governess who is requested to work for a family in Hollywood. This is a tough task, considering the painful memories she associates with the States and New York in particular. Physically scarred and suffering from PTSD, she is unsure whether she can do this. However, a much-needed wage packet is promised to help her family back home.
Aidan Neill is a 30s Hollywood heartthrob. He's carved his career from simple beginnings and is a huge success, but he cannot enjoy it due to a huge personal tragedy.
This is where Miss Carlisle comes in to teach his young daughter, Erin, who is now motherless.
But she uncovers secrets that change her way of thinking and sets her on a journey of discovery to discover the truth.
A third character, Maria Calvez, a scriptwriter for one of the big studios, makes up the trifecta of POVs in the book, and her slant gives food for thought.
All the characters are well formed and you feel for Aidan, as well as Hester, and their respective worries. Erin is a real sassy character, with her American 30s slang, that Hester tries desperately to curb, to no avail!
Is there romance? Well, of course there is but it doesn't come as expected.
Really enjoyed reading this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

A delightful read . A governess sets off for America to help her family keep their home weatherproof. She has to face her own demons linked to New York and refind herself in the hurly burly of Hollywood where her employer has his own issues that need to resolved

I find this book delightful.
Although a little predictable (hence 4 stars), I really liked the story and read it in couple of sittings.
I found the characters charming and I am unable to shake them off several days later! I believe this book will stay with me for a long time.
It's a great summer read, transporting you to 1937, from a grey, cold yet familiar Wensleydale, around a loving family to a lonely, sun drenched Hollywood surrounded by secretive strangers.
I will definately be looking out for this author again.

Hester Carlye is a highly sought-after governess but when she is asked to be the governess of a famous American actor, she is close to refusing. However, with her elderly father frail, and the roof of their rundown cottage falling in, she has no choice but to accept a dazzling new placement. Movie star Aidan Neil is struggling to care for his daughter Erin, after the tragic death of his wife Dinah Doyle, hence the request for Hester. On arriving in Hollywood, it becomes instantly clear to Hester that both Erin and Aidan are grief stricken. She finds herself immersed in helping Erin but Aidan is reclusive. She begins to wonder what secrets he may be hiding, especially when she meets Marie who shines a new light on what really happened to Dinah. However, the truth is more shocking than Hester could ever have imagined.
This was such an amazing story that held my attention from the first chapter. I loved Hester and her ability to embrace Erin, when she was in pain after the death of her mother. Similarly, her ability to put her own pain aside to make this family rise above the death of Dinah, was truly admirable and showed how unique she was amidst the Hollywood glitter. Whilst Aidan seems at first brusque, his pain is evident but from the beginning, it is obvious that he is an honourable man. Erin was delightful and such a natural. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hester moves to Hollywood from Yorkshire in England, to care for the daughter of a movie star, Aidan Neil, whose wife, and his partner in films, died a year ago in circumstances which are not quite clear. Erin, the daughter, is a delight and Hester comes to love her dearly.
Hester has her own inner demons. She was left with a scar on her face and arm after an accident in New York on a previous job. After an initial aloofness from Aidan they slowly become friends and she becomes indispensable to the family. She meets a wide variety of people and learns a lot about the acting world in Hollywood, which is not all as glamorous as it appears.
I loved reading about Tinsel Town as it's sometimes called and appreciated real actors names being dropped into the story. Hester and Aidan's story was good but at times Hester annoyed me with her pity parties. She spent a lot of time feeling sorry for herself and changed her mind quickly and immediately at times and we were off again with 'who'd want a scarred woman like me' ! It got a bit repetitive. Aidan's character developed wonderfully but he was a bit too good to be true in the looks department and it was mentioned many, many times. I would also have liked a bit more about the movie business.
Saying that this is a very good debut historical novel and I would definitely read another by this author.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

California dreaming...

All that glitters is not gold. Hester is a governess with some past trauma. In need of funds, she's working for Aidan, a sort of beauty to her beast. He's reclusive and over protective of his child. If you have that much fear, just move to a house with no pool. Just saying. His wife drowned under mysterious circumstances, (reminiscent of Natalie Wood). California is a character, as is this specific period in Hollywood. There's a bit of mystery to go along with the Hollywood setting.

I loved this book. It is the perfect 'put your feet up and head off to Hollywood for a lovely escapist read.' The characters are well drawn, and you can't help but care about them, which is the magic ingredient in any book. With beautiful descriptions depicting a bygone age, I devoured every page. This book got me out of a reading lull, and I thank the author and publisher for the ARC and for a fabulous read. More, please.

Oh, my bursting heart! I don’t know where to begin to review and rave about The Hollywood Governess by Alexandra Weston as I absolutely adored this novel from start to finish! The characters were so well defined, delightfully real and exquisitely portrayed. Their progressive developments were noticeable during their personal journeys so it was good to see them grow over their many experiences. I felt as if they had become dearest friends and at the closing of the novel I did not want to say goodbye to them. This is a must read novel for historical fiction lovers. It was such a pleasure to read as the language flowed like silk across the pages. I never once lost touch with the plot or characters and was completely engaged, eager to see what happened next, which was not always the expected. So, yes, there are some good surprises and big reveals.

The story’s main focus is on Miss Carlyle (Hester) who is suffering from a form of PTSD. She has been emotionally and physically wounded by an accident that created real havoc in her life. In the aftermath, she is rejected by her fiancé and bore the brunt of heartless jeers because of the scars on her face (and other body parts which she continually hides in her clothes). This has dampened her spirits and kept her from various activities she previously loved. I felt great empathy for her and how she suffered from such cruel responses. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time on a bus that crashed in New York but it continued to colour her views of herself in the public's eyes. And it certainly injured her self-esteem.

Miss Carlyle is an English Governess hired to move to Los Angeles to teach a child whose mother and father are famous actors (Aidan Neil and Dinah Doyle). But a year earlier the mother has drowned under suspicious circumstances (though it has been deemed as an accident). Hester is reluctant to move there for many reasons but the main thrust that pushes her forward is the love she has for her father and sisters. They are unable to pay for major repairs needed on their home (her father is ill). She feels she is the only hope her family has so she takes the job, even though it will put her in uncomfortable circumstances. Her love, though, is greater than her fears. And she has been trained well. Considered by many to be of highest standing. She goes to Hollywood, not being a movie goer or lover of stars (that is her youngest sister’s passion) so is unfazed by what she encounters initially.

Of course, what is to follow is not what Hester expects once meeting her employer: a famous actor and father of the girl she must teach. Aidan is not initially very amicable and has many strict rules. He wants his daughter Erin protected at all costs. Hester begins to believe his fear is due to the loss of his wife who drowned. As a result, he is fiercely paranoid of Erin being around the pool without someone attending her at all times. This unhealthy state of worry, though, extends beyond the pool to many areas. His seven year old is banned from having any fun or be involved in activities normal to a child her age. But, Miss Carlyle will transform his ideas and eventually he will overcome his fears. (And she will conquer her self image issues— with his help). Little Erin plays an excellent role, too, and is a delight. She reminds me somewhat of Shirly Temple (who is mentioned along with other famous actors of the era).

Yes, a romance develops (I won’t give anything away) and it is so beautifully delivered piece by piece until the glorious ending swept my heart into its whirlwind and then left me in a puddle of happy tears! Besides unexpected and forbidden love, transforming and transformed characters, there is a mystery that is solved. It touches on the unfair treatment of women at the time and those not deemed ‘normal’. The power and control of Hollywood leaders over their actors comes into play as well. The author handles everything with such skill, respect and kindness that we are able to see the picture clearly. Again, all of it is beautifully rendered and concluded with a magnificent outcome of hope, healing, second chances and new friendships. You might even say there are brush strokes of modern day fairy-tale Beauty and the Beast elements throughout and in the ending!

I cannot say enough of how much I loved this novel and I will forever sing this author’s praises! I will also be dying to read more by Alexandra Weston as she is an amazing writer that captured my attention from the first paragraph with her exceptional word artistry, riveting plot and believable characters (with their warts and all). 5 Plus stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+ from me!

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC.