Thursday, February 10, 2011

Seducing the Governess-Margo Maguire

Seducing the Governess
Margo Maguire
Avon, Feb 22 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780062018212

In 1816 having served on the continent during the war where he suffered an eye injury, Nash Farris returns home to learn he is the Earl of Ashby and has become guardian to his orphaned niece Emmaline following the suspicious death of his brother. He has never expected to be the earl as he was the third son so he lacks the necessary skills. Worse he has no idea how to raise a child, especially a female.

Nash hires Mercy Franklin to be a governess to his niece. Their first meeting on the road to his dilapidated home sets the gauntlet as a gender war is declared. He is attracted to mouthy Mercy, but feels his first mission is to learn what happened to his sibling Arthur and his sister-in-law as well as their oldest brother Hoyt earlier in the year. Deadly accidents have occurred too frequently; so Nash, surrounded by veterans he fought with and trusts with his life, increases his efforts to find who is behind the incidents. As he falls in love with Mercy, Nash knows he should wed the girl next door but wants the governess.

Seducing the Governess is a wonderful Regency romantic suspense with two investigative subplots (the other not mentioned above). The story line is fast-paced as Nash and Mercy argue, detect and fight while falling in love; at the same time a captain Briggs is also conducting an investigation. With a strong cast and a fabulous whodunit as well as the other mystery, sub-genre fans will fully relish Margo Maguire’ magnificent historical while waiting for the second part of Brigg’s inquiry.

Harriet Klausner

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