She’s the mistress of illusion; How can he trust her lessons on love?Lady Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves is a viscountess, a widow, a governess, the adoptive mother of a disabled toddler—but above all else, she is a survivor. When the father of the young children she’s been caring for arrives on Christmas Eve, drunk and ranting, his aura and her own sad experience tell her he’s dangerous.Heart … he’s dangerous.
Heart hardened after the murder of his beloved wife, Simon Blair is an industrialist who has no use for another psychic Malcolm. His late wife’s weird family is more than enough interference. But his twin daughters are talking to their mother’s ghost, his son and heir is floating objects that shouldn’t float, and he’s beleaguered by aristocrats who refuse to acknowledge his plebeian existence.
When Simon learns that Lady Olivia is in a position to help him obtain the land he needs for his business, and she recognizes that by helping him, she might regain the home she’s lost, they must fight their respective prejudices and forge an uneasy alliance. It might take a ghost, an army of children, and a criminal gang to force them to recognize that they want far more than real estate.
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I absolutely love this book as is the series wonderful to find love twice so good to read it. has adorable children , passion ,supernatural and a happy ever after. I highly recommend this book I look forward to all of them, she’s a wonderful author.
Series: School of Magic #2
Publication Date: 5/26/20
Number of Pages: 339
I have loved every book I’ve ever read featuring the Malcolms. What an intrepid and intriguing lot they are! In the first book, Lessons in Enchantment, we met most, if not all, of the characters in this book. I loved Olivia and Simon – she’s the calm port in his storm and he’s the strength and courage she needs. When you add all those lovely children into the mix, you have an absolutely delightful read. Additionally, we get to meet the stars of the next book – and that seems like a really intriguing match!
In the previous book, we learned of The Association and their controlling and manipulative ways. Nothing is beyond them – even murder and they wanted Letitia Blair and her children dead. When the Association managed to murder Letitia, Simon, her husband, went wild in grief and revenge. He placed his children in the care of his cousin Andrew and went about hunting down the murderers. Little did he know they’d still be coming after those babies. Simon, Andrew, and Phoebe (Andrew’s wife) stopped the villains but sent the children into the care of another relative until they could assure the children would be safe.
Things are safer now and Simon is collecting his children – and what a trip it has been. Then he meets the very disapproving governess and his temper flares. You see, Letitia had ‘gifts’ and she passed ‘gifts’ along to her children as well. Simon wanted to stamp out those gifts – deny them – but here was this governess teaching them how to use them. He certainly doesn’t want that wicked woman around his children.
Olivia has fallen in love with the children in her care and wants very much to teach them how to control their gifts so they don’t harm themselves or others – and so they don’t inadvertently use them and call unwanted attention to themselves. What a drunken oaf their father is! How can she turn these lovely children over to him when he is in total denial of their gifts?
Simon and Olivia circle each other each bound and determined to have their own way. Then the trouble starts and things get dangerous. Can Olivia and Simon work together to keep themselves and the children safe? Can they thwart the villains? Can they prove that oil and water do mix? You’ll just have to read this delightful tale to find out that and more.
I highly recommend this author, this series, and this book. It is well-written, well-plotted, well-paced, and filled with delightful characters you’ll quickly love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Let me tell you first, I’m not a reviewer, I am a reader! From that vantage point, I’m happy every time a new Patricia Rice book comes out. She writes characters that I just feel connected to early on. In this book, we meet Lady Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves, a woman who has had many losses, but still does all she can to help others. She has an adopted disabled daughter, and is caring for three children whose mother was killed in an accident. When their father Simon Blake comes to retrieve them, he’s had a terrible journey, and is a little in his cups. Olivia is very reluctant to release the children to him, based on her childhood experiences.
This was a wonderful book, watching two hurt and saddened people begin over time to realize that there might be happiness again in their futures.
Olivias’ late husbands relatives may have cheated her of her husbands provision for her, and Simon is struggling to acquire land that Olivia may be able to help him gain access to. That is the beginning of their relationship. This is a wonderful story and I wish I could read it again for the first time. I pretty much read it thru in one day. Just couldn’t quit turning the pages!
Lady Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves has suffered serious losses in the last two years but she will make sure that Simon Blair’s three gifted children are well cared for and so agrees to return to their estate in her former hometown. Simon does not want to be attracted to another woman with magical powers but Olivia has the ability to smooth his troubled spirit. The household continues to grow as new servants come over to work with Olivia instead of the present Lord Hargreaves. Olivia is very resourceful and does learn to stand up for herself and be brave against great odds.
This is the second story in a new series, but can be read easily as a standalone story.
Believable characters, excellent dialogue and a story line designed to keep me reading well past bedtime. The only reason I stopped reading was that the book ended.
Another great book by Patricia Rice. She has created a magical family (Malcolms) that spans many generations. This book is set in the 1800’s and is a sequel to Lessons in Enchantment, which I recommend reading first, but not required. (I also recommend reading her other series where you learn about the family in various time periods). You can read the summary elsewhere. I loved these characters. They have depth, personality, issues – everything you want to hold your interest in a novel. While of course there is a HEA, there are still several surprises along the way to keep you guessing and rooting for the hero and heroine.
4 stars
This is the second installment of The School of Magic series. In this story, Simon Blair has done what he could to thwart the Association, who are responsible for the death of his first wife. Simon has left his children in the care of distant relatives and a governess for much of the past year, while he ties up loose ends with the Association and does everything he can to ensure the safety of his children. He has a precocious 6-year-old son, and two twin 4-year-old daughters. All three of them have special magical gifts that their present governess is teaching them to use. Simon is a day late and he’s had the worst luck trying to get home to his children before Christmas. He is half frozen and covered in mud when he walks in the door late on Christmas Eve. To stay warm, he had several sips from his flask, so he smells like liquor when he finally arrives. Olivia, the governess, is not impressed. She was raised by a man who drank too much and gambled, and is very sensitive to the way it changes people. She is worried about the safety of the children, and is afraid to leave them in his care. Olivia ends up going back with him to the village of Greybridge, where she used to live with her husband, before he died. Her estate was stolen from her under false pretenses by her in-laws, and it hurts her heart to see the shape that it is in now.
These characters are flawed, yet endearing. The children bring a lighthearted joy to this book, and the way they use their gifts and their intelligence to right some wrongs is a delight to read. There is a backstory that must be told, and there are events that have to unfold. The events portion moves somewhat faster than the backstory portion, but it is all pulled together perfectly by the end of the story. There is a strong sense of community in this story, and a sense of creating the family that you want if the one that you used to have is no longer possible. Both of these protagonists have lost their spouse through death, and both must come to terms with trusting and loving someone else. It’s a bumpy ride at times, and the reader is not at all certain how it will end up, but somehow Ms. Rice makes it work. Simon is afraid to risk his heart again, while Olivia won’t settle for anything less than love. This is a fun and magical story that will delight most readers.
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Malcolm story!
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2020
I absolutely love the characters in this story – from the children to adults! Each adds something particular to the story. The story is well written with plenty of twists and obstacles to overcome to reach the HEA. I really like how the series is so connected, having read the first one, but I believe it could also be read as a stand-alone as enough background is given. I recommend this to everyone! I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Book Two in the the School of Magic Series by Patricia Rice – A Bewitching Governess
Lady Olivia Malcom Hargreaves and Simon Blair find themselves at odds with each other from the beginning, yet they need to work together to get what they each individually need. Another spell binding book in the Malcom Family series. One of the things I love best about this author is you do not need to read earlier books in the series to follow the current book completely!
In this book characters from the first book are carried forward in a way that makes sense without the need to read book one first. Set in Victorian times, Olivia is a young widow who has been cheated out of her home. Simon, a widower with three young children who left them in the care of his cousin, comes to retrieve them, meets Olivia, who as been retained as their governess. In their first meeting, Simon presents himself drunk and dirty from his wet and wild travels, something Olivia can not tolerate due to her difficult past. Olivia refuses to give Simon care of his children in his current state and travels with him to his home, which she learns is in the same town as the home that was stolen from her. At odds with each other over everything from child care to neighbors, Olivia and Simon must find a way to work together.
No giveaways in this review, but I will say it was a book I could not put down! If you love magic, intrigue, romance, a bit of danger and an HEA, you will be sure to love this book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
A mixture of romance and magic.
Good book and characterization.
A Bewitching Governess
School of Magic #2
by Patricia Rice
This is the second in the School of Magic series by Patricia Rice and I can tell you it’s magical writing! Patricia Rice has brought this story to life. We finally get Simons HEA and it’s a well deserved one. After his wife’s untimely death he needs someone to take care of his rambunctious children.
Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves is a widow and a Viscountess, but her late husband’s father treated her unfairly. In her grief and worried for her small son she takes a position as governess, but Simon wasn’t what she expected he was a whirlwind that just pulled her in! Looking forward to Emma’s story!
An enjoyable read that didn’t disappoint! This is my honest unbiased opinion freely given. Copy gifted by the author.
I liked how the author brings two contrary people together. Simon is trying to come to grips with his three children who have Malcom talents and to keep them safe from anti industrial men who had succeeded in killing his wife. Simon and Olivia start out at loggerheads but both of them come together while protecting the children.
This is Book #2 of “The School of Magic Series” and Simon Blair and Lady Olivia (Liv) Malcolm McDowell’s story. While Olivia and Simon do not start off with the best introduction, they realize they need to work together to get the kids safely settled in there old home which also happens to be the only town Olivia ever considered home. There is a lot going on in the story as Olivia’s arrival stirs up mixed feelings with the town. It was nice to see Simon’s kids again and see them reunited with there father Simon. This book takes a lot of twists and turns, but it has a satisfying ending.
If you are new to the “Magic” series, you can read this book without too many spoilers. If you prefer to start at the beginning, please check out Andrew Blair and Lady Phoebe Malcolm Blair’s story in Book #1 “Lessons in Enchantment”. Both are great introductions to the “Magic” series that I am sure will lead you to want to read the rest of the “Magic” series.
If you are a fan of the “Magic” series, this book does not disappoint. It is unique and fresh with just the right hints and references to know these characters are linked to the “Magic” characters that came before.
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DISCLAIMER: I received an advance reader copy of this book provided by the author in exchange for a fair, objective, and honest review.
A Bewitching Governess is another visit to all things wacky and magical that follows the unusual Malcolm family. Lady Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves lost her husband, then her rightful home followed by the death of her son. Olivia is now an adoptive mother to a special little girl and governess to a group of extraordinary children with some unusual abilities. Simon Blair is a widower who knows that the fear of the extra that his wife and children are apart of, led to his wife’s death. He wants his children to grow up normal but his governess has other ideas. Olivia is teaching the children how to use their powers and winds up teaching Simon a thing or two. Olivia and Simon take on the tasks of getting back Olivia’s rightful home, the land Simon needs, and taking down some really bad guys in the process. A little slow to start but woah doggies does it draw you in when the action begins and Olivia and Simon find their hearts back on the line. Sweet and action backed, the story brings everything I love about the Malcolms. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy.
A Bewitching Governess by Patricia Rice
The School of Magic #2
A Father due home
Caught in a storm
Arrives Late
Horrifies his children’s governess
Misperceptions and Misconceptions
On both sides
By Industrialist and Governess
Can they overcome them
Do they even want to?
This is a tale of prejudice, bigotry, theft, loss, family, gifts, paranormal abilities, and romance. There are hurdles to overcome, rights to be wronged, children and adults to be cared for and a true love to be claimed. As expected, when picking up a book by this autho, I was pulled into the story, felt I was there and thoroughly enchanted.
What I liked:
* Olivia: Loving, kind, generous, caring, and capable of much. She saw to the needs of others and was not as docile as some thought she might be. She was perfect for Simon.
* Simon: Smart, focused, wealthy, passionate, and devoted to his children. He was perfect for Olivia
* The children: all of them. They added so much to the story
* The plot, story and writing
* The setting was perfect
* That both Olivia and Simon were adults and behaved as adults
* The dichotomy of viewpoints on paranormal abilities
* The animals that added as much as the children
* Growth that occurred in Simon
* Sinking into the story and savoring it – it was a great way to spend the day as I returned to see how the Malcolm family was doing
What I did not like:
* The bad guys…they were thoroughly reprehensible and deserved what they got.
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely!
Would I read more in this series? Without a doubt
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
I love every Malcolm tale. This is set in Victorian times and is a continuation of sorts of Book 1. That is not to say that it cannot be read as a stand alone. The main characters are Simon Blair , a widower and wealthy industrialist, his twin girls Clare and Cat, his son Enoch and Lady Olivia Malcolm McDowell Hargreaves. If you are familiar with the series, you know when you see the name Malcolm,you know there is some kind of the “supernatural” to appear. To add to the the drama, Simon’s late wife was also Malcolm , so her children also have “powers”. Olivia is displaced or rather thrown out of her home on the death of her husband. She is now governess to Simon’s children.
Most of the plot involves Simon and Olivia’s attempts to restore her good name and her home.
There are ghosts, schemes, poison, a big reveal and a whole host of other goodies in this page turning romance with a big dose of “magical” through in. (I couldn’t stop reading!!) Can’t wait to see if there is something in store for Simon’s sister-in-law Emma down the road.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I just love all of the Malcolm series and this one is no exception. I also love that it’s set in the Victorian era, which provides so many fabulous opportunities for “magic” to interact with “technology” and all of the fun combinations that provides. I also like the continuity of characters from book to book, which makes it feel like you can really get to know the family and the communities in which they live. If you haven’t met the Malcolms yet, you really should give them a try.
Patricia Rice continues the magic in this second book. Olivia is acting governess to Simon’s children and distant cousin to his late wife. Both Olivia and Simon’s children have psychic “talents”. Simon looks upon these as abnormal and the reason his wife was killed. All the characters are very well written. I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book and this is my voluntary, honest review.
love it as always
This was a lovely story featuring Lady Olivia Malcolm Hargreaves and a mundane, Simon Blair. Simon is trying to get back to his kids, a set of twin girls and a boy, in time for Christmas a year after his beloved wife was murdered for her witchy Malcolm ways. Now, all Simon wants is normal. He’s scared that the group that killed his wife and nearly him, will come after his children too. Lady Olivia has been acting as the children’s governess for the past year and has not only been encouraging their gifts but helping them learn to use them wisely. Simon arrives at the castle drunk and Olivia has history with a drinker and decides she won’t leave the children in his care. Needless to say, their first meeting is not a pleasant one. The next morning Simon awakens to find that Olivia has everything in hand for the trip north. There begins the slightest thawing in their fractious relationship. As the kids gifts come in handy and Simon has odd moments, Olivia starts wondering if he is a mundane after all. I have to say that the author writes the greatest kid characters ever. I love reading them. One thing I didn’t care for, Simon would suddenly switch to a heavy brogue (which was hard to read due to odd phonetic spelling for certain words). Now, the brogue would be find if it had been explained that it happens when Simon gets upset (A mention was made of this but way too late in the book). So, I was trying to figure out why he would speak normally and then his dialogue was spelled weird, back and forth. So, if you know that going in, I think it will help.