Monday, June 29, 2009

Rules of Engagement


Title: Rules of Engagement
Author: Christina Dodd
Series: The Governess Brides (Book 2)
Genre: Romance



Christina Dodd is another of my favorite authors. I picked up Rules of Engagement at the library because it was a book by her that I hadn't read before. I usually look really close at books I pick up off a shelf randomly to make sure they aren't part of a series. If they happen to part of a series I make sure to start with the first book because I hate reading out of order, and I love series. I thought I had given this book my scrutiny, but apparently not, because this is Book 2 in the Governess Bride series, and I haven't read the first one. I intend to remedy this quickly, and then continue to the other 7 or so books in the series.

The series overall is about 3 ladies who are trying to start a successful Governess placement agency/school. In this book we meet Pamela, Miss Lockheart. She is one of the three founders of the school.

Devon, the Earl of Kerrich, is being blackmailed by Queen Victoria. She expects him to become respectable so he hatches a plan to acquire an orphan (for as long as needed for her to think he's respectable, then back the orphanage they go), and a Governess to teach the child and keep it out of his hair. He has hopes of doing this instead of getting a wife.

He comes to the Distinguished Academy of Governesses and tells them exactly what he needs, an unattractive, old governess who has no fancy notions of making him fall in love with them or trying to get him to marry them. Pamela overhears his demands and decides to do it herself because they desperately need the money. She wears ill fitting old dowager clothing, paints her face with rice powder, wears heavy rouge, and colored glasses. She fools the Earl easily.

She brings him home a girl from the orphanage when he asked for a boy, but they seem to get along alright. Then one rainy day, her disguise washes away and he sees her true beauty. There is arguing, misunderstanding and most important - Love.

Rules of Surrender is next for me (Book 1) and Rules of Attraction after that (Book 3)

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