A traditional Regency romance, drawing room rather than bedroom. When Mr Edmund Winterton of Woodside dies, his daughters find themselves penniless and homeless. What can they do? Unless they wish to live on charity, they will have to find genteel employment for themselves.Annabelle becomes governess to the daughters of the recently bereaved Earl of Brackenwood. She has no idea how to teach, but … how to teach, but her pupils can learn all they need from books, so how difficult can it be? She’ll need all her ingenuity to cope with the rebelliousness of her charges, and the unwanted attentions of their father. But when her past returns to haunt her, she has to make a difficult decision.
Allan is slowly getting used to life as a widower, but his mother is determined that he must marry again and produce an heir. He is determined that he won’t, although the new governess is just the sort of woman he could fall in love with. But when a face from long ago reappears and stirs up suspicion, he has to consider the possibility that his wife’s death was not natural. What is worse, he himself is the obvious suspect. If he can’t prove his innocence, he may lose everything – his home, his new love and even his life.
Book 1 of the 5-book Sisters of Woodside Mysteries series, each a complete story with a HEA, but read all of them to find out all the family secrets!
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Book Review by Pauline Reid The Governess by Mary Kingswood
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Genre – Regency – Hisorical Romance
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This book is set in England during the Regency period of the early nineteenth century.
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Book 1 of the 5-book Sisters of Woodside Mysteries series, each a complete story with a HEA.
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What Is This Book About?
The Will is the first chapter and sets the scene on how the Woodside sisters need to seperate to lead all different lives. Annabelle takes up a job as a Governess. Governess in a town called, Charlsby. Governess to 3 girls in the Brakenwood residency. Lord Brakenwood, owner of the house, wife deceased, but his mother lives in the house. His mother is quite a bit of a dragon, who partakes in matchmaking and inviting prospective wives to the house. She is a also a bit of a schemer and we are left loathing her in her underhanded ways. Love is blooming else in the house, Lord Brakenwood feels divided. So can Lord Brakenwood break through his consciousness and soothe his soul? Eloise, Lord Brakenwoods deceased wife has left a mystery letter. Containing what? And why was it left so long after her death? Was it an accident or was there foul play? An offical investigation begins.
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My Thoughts On This Book.
This was a free book from Bookbub. I loved how this book pans out. The main female character is actually Annabelle, The Governess to 3 girls of Lord Brackenwood. Annabelle is a feisty character. So feisty, that I learnt a new word in this book, as Mr Keeling said she was a “termagant”, but she did not reveal that side of her, until three quarters of the way through the book, giving the story the edge it needs for me, the reader, to eagerly carry on. The mystery and plotting in this book was cleverly done, it kept me guessing. The passion and love in this book was also set for this era and I was comfortable with it.
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Quotes
“Better service is provided to those of higher rank, so Miss Nobody of Nowhere-in-Particular is left to wait, like that poor widow in the milliner’s shop, who was quite neglected while three ladies attended to me.”
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“Yes, one must approve of a house with a staircase. And a oriel window, apparently. What is an oriel window?”
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Rating System
5 stars
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Recommendation
This book comes highly recommended by me and will suit anyone who is interested in the Regency period, who loves the old English mannerisms, countryside and old manors, for example, drawing rooms, the Italian room, morning rooms. Anyone who loves the older style of falling in love and the politeness and etiquette that goes with it, for anyone who likes happy endings and for anyone who loves a mystery and If you like Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer books then this is in tune to these two authors.
Kingswood brings forth another excellent Regency series with The Governess, instilling the reality of four well-bred daughters impoverished when their gentlemanly father dies and leaves them with only debts. The characters in this novel are very well portrayed, and the time period is authentically and wonderfully described, as are the manners and severe distinctions in class at the time.
The romance is probably one of the most subtle I have read, but extremely sweet on the Earl’s part, and a total delight. You’ll also find Kingswood’s mystery’s conclusion to be a very satisfying one, and one that you may have considered at some point during the final fourth or fifth of the book.
I would definitely recommend that anyone loving a good, clean, and charming Regency mystery read this novel, and I look forward to reading the next one in this new series!
A well developed story. Good characters and real lives. Would read iut again
Delightful! Can’t wait to read another book by Mary Kingswood.
Another unusually well-written and carefully plotted series from Ms Kingswood. She is an author I can confidently read, knowing the characters will be sympathetic, historically accurate, and the plots well laid out. The pace is gentle, and creates a lovely sense of immersion in their world.
I enjoyed this book thoroughly!
A very clean, sweet story. Romantic tension. Story is plausible. Writing is pretty good. The stories of all the characters are happening at the same time–it is more fun to read them all in order, to see each one get her own best outcome.
I enjoyed this book, but it left me wondering. I like books that tell a little more. I hope it comes in the next book as I got Kendal unlimited as a early Christmas present.
The main story begins as 5 sisters lose a father and decide how to move on forward with the debts he has left behind. Thankfully, one is married – but the other four are forced to search for employment to survive. One of them, the protagonist of the book, decides to become a governess because she is well-read. Well… I think it is a little less realistic than Jane Eyre; Jane has been studying at school for a while, and she had actual teaching experience. The heroine goes from complete naivete and expecting her charges to just read everything to becoming quite a capable teacher out of nowhere. Though I do like her teaching moments and approaches. Also, the attitude of the people around her are of course a teeny tiny bit different from actual governess employers. But it is a fantasy, after all, and quite a pleasant one, with a good ending and a nice mystery to add to the fun. A good read.
When the description said “drawing room, not bedroom” I knew I’d like the book. It was a very well-written Regency novel, more in the line of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer than the more recent steamy Regency romances (which are fun, too). I loved the characters, especially the family of sisters around whom subsequent books are written – which I intend to read. Also heroes are not the usual gorgeous, silent types – so unrealistic. This was just a very pleasant, engaging novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I love reading about the regency period, but I’m a mystery buff, so Regency + Mystery is a win-win for me. I enjoy everything about Mary Kingswood’s Woodside series and look forward to reading the rest of her series.
A staple of Regency Romances is the ne’er-do-well father who leaves his family, particularly if the family consists mainly of daughters, penniless and deep in debt. Annabelle Winterton of Woodside Manor and her three sisters find themselves in such a situation. Rather than wringing their hands and moaning or aggressively trying to find a rich man to wed, they devise plans to maintain their independence while still being able to live adequately.
Annabelle is the more scholarly sister, so she will become a governess. The Earl of Brackenwood, a friend of a friend, needs a governess. His wife died recently and left him with three daughters that he has no idea what to do with – another staple.
But Mary Kingswood has not written a cliched Regency Romance. The story is enliven by her writing style. Her characters are complex and realistic. The Earl is not over six foot and extremely handsome; he’s just a nice if somewhat stressed gentleman. While Annabelle, is lovely, it’s her personality and heart rather than her appearance that is her most attractive feature. Love of course ensues.
Then there’s the mystery surrounding the Earl’s wife’s death. Everyone is a suspect but the twists and turns kept me reading much longer into the night than I should have. I look forward to seeing how the other three sisters fair in their quest for a better life than what their father left them.
Although it drags at times I enjoy the happily ever after part. It is a mystery but also romantic. I am reading the series.
This is a great story that is somewhat atypical but very fulfilling for lovers of clean romance. Very satisfying!
Predictable romance story but entertaining
I enjoyed it and checked out her other books.
I enjoyed getting acquainted with this varied group of sisters and their struggles against challenges in their life. I read all of the books in the series and enjoyed the varied stories of each one.
i enjoyed this story because the Hero was an ordinary man with ordinary looks. It was refreshing to read.
Loved it…couldn’t put it down!
I enjoyed this book. The heroine is strong and smart. The hero is not tall, handsome or strong, except when it comes to protecting his lady. She brings out his strength. This is not a great romantic love story, but it’s a love story.