Friday, June 10, 2011

The Secret Desires of a Governess-Tiffany Clare

The Secret Desires of a Governess
Tiffany Clare
St. Martin’s, May 24 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780312381844

In 1848, Abby Hallaway arrives at the castle in Northumbria to start her new position as governess to the eight year old son of the Earl of Brendall Widower Elliot Wright. Abby needs the job so she internally vows to behave herself while taking care of young Jacob. However, she loses her good intentions of prime and proper deportment at their first meeting when in the rain she had to walk fifteen miles because he failed to arrange for a carriage to transport her to his abode. He thinks the wet female wants a tryst until she informs Elliot she is the governess.

Elliot is attracted to the intelligent, diligent and feisty governess. Abby is attracted to the intelligent, brooding and enigmatic Earl. As they begin to fall in love, she hears stories about Elliot’s mom and wife, but needs to know what caused the dark emotional chains he carries that has him in knots. However, Abby is unaware that someone watches them; which places her in danger.

This is an entertaining throwback to the Virginia Holt legendary Gothic tales as Tiffany Clare employs all the elements from the innocent female, to the foreboding castle to the brooding hero inside a romantic suspense thriller. Abby and Elliot are terrific lead characters while the support cast especially his son, the villagers, and her family make for a wonderful Victorian Gothic romance.

Harriet Klausner

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