The one woman he wants, is the one woman he can never have. Seven years after the death of her beloved sister, Miss Eleanor Grace McCormick learns the roguish brother-in-law she has never met, Captain Asherton Dorrill, has given up the sea and brought her late sister’s son to London. With the help of Sir Stirling James, using the name of Miss Grace, she obtains the position of governess to her … governess to her nephew. Her plan is simple—earn the child’s trust and take him from his father, who tore her family apart when he eloped with her sister. What she doesn’t plan is her growing fascination with Captain Dorrill, a man so handsome, her thoughts of him grow more wicked by the day. A man so haunted, he breaks her heart. A man so desperate to become the father his son needs, he keeps on the worst governess in London. How can she run away with his child, when she risks leaving her heart behind?
Captain Asherton Dorrill has sailed ships for Dorrill Shipping for over ten years. After his young son’s near fatal drowning accident, he vows to give up the sea. He moves to London to help run the family business and get to know the child his wife died bringing into the world. He is determined to be the father Matthias needs. Hiring a proper governess seems the best way to start until the boy runs off three imminently qualified women in rapid succession. The fourth candidate comes highly recommended, but he quickly discovers that she is the most unconventional governess he has ever encountered, she is hiding a secret, and she is far more beautiful than is good for him. He has a strict rule against dallying with any woman in his employ no matter how fierce, kind, and wonderfully infuriating she is. Can he discover her secret before he consigns his strict rule to the devil?
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This is an interesting, romantic and charming story. Ash fell in love with and married Bella McCormick. He left her at home to captain a ship, and when she died in childbirth, he stayed away for 6 years. Then he came to get his son to bring aboard his ship. Bella’s family abandoned her after she married, and when they asked to see Bella’s son, Ash said no. Now the boy is 7 and Ash has left the sea. He still refuses Bella’s family, and his son is a terror. Bella’s sister Eleanor decides to infiltrate Ash’s house as a governess to see her nephew, and separate him and Ash. But Ash is nothing like Eleanor thought he was, and she finds it harder and harder to hate him. They do fall in love, much to Eleanor’s chagrin, but fate isn’t on their side. Ash is lonely and lost. Eleanor is bold and determined. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
This is my first time reading this author and I enjoyed this short historical story. The two main characters are related through marriage but only one of them knows this. They are both wanting the same thing for a young boy, Matthias to be safe and happy but they think differently when it comes to providing this for him. There are some twists and turns in this story and it’s an enjoyable historical romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story centered around Captain Ash Dorrill and Lady Eleanor who is masquerading as Matthias governess when she is actually his Aunt, and has plans to become closer to her 7 year old nephew and perhaps take him away from his father who has alienated the entirety of his dead wifes family. Captain Ash Dorrill is clearly not in control of his life , since giving up the sea nor his son, and it is this information which brings Eleanor to apply for the position of governess, knowing how many governesses Ash has had to hire and lost due to Matthias behavior. She has no idea of the situation she is about to encounter, and certainly not her feelings towards her hated brother in law, but perhaps her first glimpse of Matthias running naked away from a bath and out into the private park adjoining the residence should have prepared her. Her first of many tongue lashings directed to her brother in law in fact occur at this the first meeting, BEFORE she is even hired. She is a spitfire of a character and each of the characters in this story are believable and fun to read about.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Two people with opposite agendas, yet the same goal, the protection of young Matthias. Seven years ago Grace’s sister died in childbirth after eloping with a Captain Asherton Dorrill. He had torn their family apart. Now that he has brought his son to England, she devises a plan to take the child away. She posses as a nanny. Asherton just wants to raise his son and grow close to him. With attraction growing between them, can Grace let go of the past and can Asherton discover her secret?
What a wonderful, fun and heartwarming historical romance. The characters are so alive, filled with passion, flaws and interesting personalities that draw you into the story. You can not help but want them to get together. The storyline is full of surprises and unexpected twists. The characters go through emotional drama as they deal with their past experiences and prejudices, their insecurity and fears along with the events thrown at them. It is an amazing historical romance with a bit of heat. I recommend this book to those love a great romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
His Temptress, His Torment is Book thirty in The Marriage Maker series and is a fun historical romance. The characters are well developed and interesting. The storyline is well written and entertaining, with secrets, humour, and a sweet romance. This short story captured my interest from the beginning.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When is a lizard a snake?
This was such a charming story about what a young woman would do just to know her sister’s child and in the end, find something so very precious. I loved every minute I spent reading the book. It was full of humor, a bit of sadness, the feeling of being unworthy, and that need to just be loved. This was a wonderful, quick, and entertaining read that I highly recommend. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Lady Eleanor wants to steal away her nephew after her sister dies in childbirth and has left the child with her husband Captain Dorrill so with the help from a friend she gets hired as the governess to her nephew. Miss Grace as she is known is not a very good governess and as time passes she finds that Captain Dorrill loves his son which leaves her questioning what she should do as she has grown fond of not only her nephew but also his father.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a quick read story . I wished it would not end. This is the first time I read books from Louisa Cornell. I definitely recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wonderful
I loved this book from beginning to end. Oh what a way to meet ones nephew. My only complaint is it was too short. Although I thought the ending was very lovely I would’ve enjoyed an epilogue. As if the description of his tailored buckskins and polished Hessians weren’t enough to do me in, Ash’s declaration of love for Eleanor in chapter ten definitely made me swoon. Captain Asherton Dorrill is now one of my Heroes. Bravo Ms Cornell
Book thirty in The Marriage Maker series a well written story that held my interest throughout. Miss Eleanor Grace McCormick is one very determined woman when she sets her mind to something. She wants to take her nephew Matthias away from his Father Captain Asherton Dorrill, so she poses as a governess to get near them. These two will have so much to overcome, before they can be together.I want to read the next book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved This Story
Oh, my gosh! Did I ever enjoy this story. The novel is slightly different than typical Regency romances. The heroine, who believes herself to be firmly on the shelf, decides that she must find out how her estranged nephew is doing. The boy is seven but has been separated from his mother’s branch of the family because his father didn’t like the way his bride’s family treated the couple, which caused them to elope. She has heard that her nephew nearly drowned with his father at sea, and she is concerned for his welfare. So she decides to act as his governess for a few weeks so she can see his living circumstances, make sure he is healthy and well, and get to know him.
I love that the heroine is a super strong character. While, of course, she had no experience as a governess because she is actually from a wealthy family, having grown up with several brothers, she knows how to interact with young men and boys. Having had several stern governesses, she hopes to mimic them. She questions herself so much along the way, but seeing her through the hero’s eyes, especially in the beginning, makes you see her strength as seen by others (but not by herself).
The meet-cute of the couple is one of the best that I’ve read. As she approaches the door of the townhouse where the boy and his father live, she hears shouts inside, and all of a sudden, a young boy is streaking naked across the street to the small park that’s in the middle of this tony neighborhood. She doesn’t want to lose her governess job on day one, so she drops her bag and chases after him. The father, too, is hot on his son’s heels but behind the would-be governess. He gets to the small park just in time to see her try to struggle her way over the railing, and he gets quite a view as she tries to climb the fence and scramble over the top. It was very humorous. Then when he actually made it inside the park, she doesn’t know who he is—and he doesn’t tell her—so she very firmly puts him in his place repeatedly, definitely coming across like a very stern governess. I absolutely loved this scene and its witty dialogue.
When they actually get to the townhouse, she puts an important member of the staff in her place. I just loved these moments, even though she was sure she was going to be fired every minute! I quite enjoyed, too, the heroine’s evolving relationship with her nephew, who is a very troubled little boy.
This is a relatively quick read, and honestly, I wished it wouldn’t end. It was a book that took to a restaurant to read as I ate my dinner. One of the things I ordered was a bottomless salad bowl, and I think I ordered the last salad round so that I could sit and continue to read this book. I just didn’t want to stop reading. If you enjoy Regency romances that are just a little off from the normal—and with a lot of humor and sparkling scenes between the hero and heroine and her charge—pick up this book. I don’t imagine you’ll regret it.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
Sisterly Love
Can two sisters fall in love with the same man? Can a man fall in Lovewith two sisters?
One sister eloped with a wealthy sea captain, and dies in childbirth, while the Captain, Ash Dorrill, is at sea. The boy is raised for a while by an aging nanny, but finally, Capt Dorril, has to take him to sea with him.
Captain Dorrill tries to keep the young boy, Matthias, safe, but one day he is swept off the deck. He nearly drowns before being saved. It greatly affects his life, and he is afraid of his father, deathly afraid of water, and becomes a rude, out of control boy.
In the meantime, Miss Eleanor, the surviving sister, and a confirmed bluestocking, has never seen the child and is extremely angry at her brother in law for her sisters estrangement from the family and then her death. She wants to take Matthias away from his father.
Captain Dorrill finally retired from the sea, and takes a big home in St James Square. Matthias runs through governesses like water, and Eleanor sees this as her way to get involved in the boy’s life. With some help and an assumed name, she becomes the boy’s most unusual governess. She puts up with the boy’s pranks and tricks, because she knows he is desperate for attention.
When Eleanor finally hears Ash’s story about nearly losing Matthias, and his resulting anguish, her heart begins to soften towards him……
ARC Received from Booksprout
I also got this ebook with KU.
I really enjoyed this well written, sweet, ADULT Regency Romance. Great story!
Eleanor McCormick has been described as firmly on the shelf and as a dull as dishwater, this does not upset her it allows her more freedom being able to fade away when she wishes and she wishes to do that now. She has a mission to get access to her nephew a child she has never met and if his father has his way she or her family ever will. Her sister had eloped with Captain Dorrill never to be seen by her family again, then she passed away in childbirth alone her husband away at sea. The Captian had just retired and moved to London with his son Matthias, Eleanor planned to get into the home pretending to be a governess. She tells her brother that she is going to visit their aunt in Bath so he will not question where she is for the next six weeks. Her plan is to gain Matthias’s trust then whisks him away. to Scotland hiding him from his father. Plans never work out as you plan, and there is always the other side of the coin that both the Captain and Eleanor will find for themselves and hopefully along the way help a very troubled little boy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Eleanor McCormick’s sister Bella died seven years ago alone giving birth to her son. Eleanor comes up with a plan to meet her young nephew and possibly get him away from the man that took Bella away, Captain Asherton Dorrill.
Ash is enchanted with his sons new governess, Miss Eleanor Grace, from the moment he sees her climbing a fence in pursuit of his naked son.
What will happen when Ash finds out who Eleanor really is. Will both their hearts be broken or is it possible for them to be together?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this story of a spirited spinster who uses her reputation for bluestocking dullness to escape from her bossy brother’s notice and take a job as a governess in the hopes of rescuing her nephew from the widowed brother-in-law whom she despises.