The Game and the Governess

Noble’s Regency series opener woos readers as a bored aristocrat meets his match in a clever governess. When the Earl of Ashby, Ned Granville, and his secretary, John Turner, travel to the small town of Hollyhock to examine Ned’s deceased mother’s property, they wager that if Ned poses as John he’ll be unable to seduce a lady within two weeks. While staying at the home of Sir Nathan and Lady Widcoate, the deceivers meet a houseful of marriageable women, and Ned quickly learns how unimportant he appears as a mere secretary. He becomes intrigued by the governess, Phoebe Baker, initially seeing her as a means to win the bet but soon realizing that he is completely enamored of her. Readers will adore Phoebe, a once wealthy woman who has learned to put the past behind and find happiness in everyday life. The subtle development of romance between the devil-may-care earl and the proper governess is the impetus behind this winning novel, complete with rich characters and a multi-dimensional plotline. (July)