A governess in jeopardy . . . and the marquis’s son who goes undercover as a housemaid to protect her.
Lord Octavius Pryor leads a carefree and untroubled life, until the night he visits Vauxhall Gardens in the guise of a woman.
At Vauxhall, Octavius discovers that being a female is very different from being a man. Annoyingly different, unpleasantly different, and—when he encounters the lecherous … he encounters the lecherous Baron Rumpole—dangerously different.
Determined to teach the baron a lesson, Octavius infiltrates Rumpole’s household, where he meets the woman of his dreams: Miss Toogood, governess to the baron’s daughters.
Suddenly Octavius has three pressing tasks. 1) To teach the baron to keep his yardstick in his breeches. 2) To keep Miss Toogood safe. 3) To convince her to marry him.
A word of caution: This novel is a bodice ripper, and I mean that quite literally. Bodices are ripped in this book—and not in a playful or sexy way. However, I promise you that all rippers of bodices receive their just desserts.
Q & A with the author
How would you describe this series?
It’s Regency England with passion, danger, adventure, humor, romance—and a dash of magic. The stories are emotional, but not sweet. There’s sex, and my heroes do swear at times!
Hang on. Did you say magic?
I did. But don’t worry—the books are first and foremost historical romances. Only a few characters have magic, and it’s a deep, dark secret, and no one else knows.
But … do magic and Regency England go together?
Definitely! Many years ago I read Sorcery and Cecelia (or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot) by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, and totally loved it and ever since then I’ve thought that Regency England and magic go very well together.
How would you describe your writing?
Several reviewers have likened my writing to Georgette Heyer, which is the hugest compliment ever. I adore Georgette Heyer! She’s why I write historical romance, and I reread her books over and over. (If you’ve not read The Grand Sophy, please do so!) I’ve also had readers compare my writing to Courtney Milan and Mary Balogh, which are also massive compliments.
Who would like this series?
This series will appeal to readers who enjoy the historical backdrop and humor of Georgette Heyer, the sensual ‘noir’ feel of Anna Campbell, the emotion of Mary Balogh or Courtney Milan, and the magic of Patricia Rice and Mary Robinette Kowal. Quite a broad range, really!
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Emily Larkin has penned a wonderful historical romance. This was a delightful book with some fun magic.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
As reviewed at Roses Are Blue: https://wp.me/p3QRh4-1fN
Do you believe in fairies? How about a fairy godmother? For the men of the Pryor family, there is no doubt that they are real. A long ago ancestor performed a service for a fairy, and in exchange, was awarded a family blessing, or, curse, depending on how you view it. Each male, on their twenty-fifth birthday, will be visited by the fairy they call Baletongue, due to her charming personality and actual dislike of humans. She will reluctantly grant the men their wish of having a certain power or ability. They just have to be very careful and selective as to how they word their request, or the snarky fairy will be happy to twist it in a way it was never intended to be.
Octavius “Otto” Pryor has just lost a silly bet to his cousin Ned, and is about to be told his forfeit. Ned knows that Otto’s gift is the ability to change his shape to that of any existing creature, so he demands that Otto change into an attractive woman and visit Vauxhall Gardens. Otto soon realizes how it feels to be leered at, have indecent comments made, and even to be accosted. As he’s separated from his cousins, he becomes the target of a drunken Baron Rumpole, who is determined not to let Otto get away. Otto, whose feminine body doesn’t have the strength or bulk to defend himself, finds out what it feels like to be at the mercy of a man. Thankfully, he is able to escape, but comes away determined to teach the lecherous baron a lesson.
Otto has a friend who has connections to the baron, thus enabling a way for him to become ensconced in the baron’s household for an extended stay. When Otto meets Philippa “Pip” Toogood, the governess to the baron’s young daughters, he is almost instantaneously smitten. (Don’t you love that she’s Miss Toogood?) As Otto works on his plan to change the baron’s ways, he also works on charming Pip, hoping she’ll return his regard. It’s not long before Otto decides that he wants Pip in his life forever, and he is anxious to get her out of the household where all of the female servants are fair game.
Otto and Pip are extremely likeable characters, totally honorable, and their romance is sweet. There is some doubt to their future together when Pip inadvertently finds out about Otto’s “gift” before he had a chance to try to explain it. OCTAVIUS AND THE PERFECT GOVERNESS is a light and amusing romance, which at the same time actually makes you think about the precarious position female subordinates are in. I admire Otto’s determination to try to right a wrong situation, and his battle to protect women, by using his power to “educate” transgressing men, one at a time. Previous books by Emily Larkin have depicted women of certain families as having the fairy godmother’s gift, so it was both fun and interesting to see how men handle it. I enjoyed reading this latest installment in the Baleful Godmother series, and recommend it for those who enjoy a touch of magic in their romance.
Another one in a wonderful series by this entertaining author. Devoured this and can’t wait for the next.
A five-star wonder
A five-star wonder waits for you so I recommend you pick up this book right now. This was so good when the author said it was a bodice ripper she was so right. Octavius lost a race and had to pay a forfeit. Now that was cute but it leads to something a whole lot more. The author has made this such a fun book to read the characters had wonderful depth and I simply adored the plot. The author did tackle some serious issues that faced women during this time and she did it in such a grand manner. Kids the only other thing I can say is pick this one up it is worth it! I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
In one word: original!
There’s a bit of that magical power bestowed by the baleful grandmother – in this series to the males of the Pryor family. The opening scene is of a wagered race; I thought it was a bunch of boys, and was surprised they were grown young men! Fulfilling his imposed forfeit leads to an epiphany for our empathetic hero. And plays a big role in shaping the story.
As an orphaned daughter of a vicar, Miss Philippa Toogood has the requisite background for a governess. She’s competent, empathetic, and determined to make a difference in her wards’ lives. I very much enjoyed how she chose her replacement.
While there is the dark topic of abuse of dependents, either familial or servants, there is also much joy and humor here. This is a great, skillfully woven story; I’m looking forward to the next in this series!
I received a free ARC copy; the thoughts expressed are my own.
Lord Octavius Pryor Otto leads a carefree and untroubled life, until the night he visits Vauxhall Gardens in the guise of a woman. At Vauxhall, Octavius discovers that being a female is very different from being a man. Annoyingly different, unpleasantly different, and—when he encounters the lecherous Baron Rumpole—dangerously different. Determined to teach the baron a lesson, Octavius infiltrates Rumpole’s household, where he meets the woman of his dreams: Miss Philippa Toogood, governess to the baron’s daughters.
I’m so pleased that there is another Baleful Godmother story albeit in a spin off series featuring the Pryor cousin’s. You might be asking yourself how the male cousins have powers? Well the author has written some short prequels, which set the scene for this series & they are available on her website. A very well written book that drew me in from the start, I particularly loved the mix for light hearted & more serious aspects & how the author handled the plight of women. This was done with sensitivity. I loved both Otto & Pip, both strong characters who have depth. Otto’s view of the world is changed dramatically after his visit to Vauxhall Gardens & I loved how he matured. I also loved Bunny & how he changed throughout the book, he certainly gained more than his bay horses! A lovely start to a new series & I can’t wait for more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read