| Title | : | The Governess and Mr. Granville (The Parsons Daughters, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0373829329 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780373829323 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2012 |
The Governess and Mr. Granville (The Parsons Daughters, #2) Reviews
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4.5 (This author now goes on my to buy automatically list as I said when I first read this...but it seems this series doesn't continue though it looked as if the author was setting it up for such. :( )
I like how this book was a simultaneous book with the first book and yet totally stands alone, just a fun thing for readers that read both. I'm impressed with how much conflict is in this thing that believable kept the leads "apart" - Again, the author's male lead isn't the most perfect, but I like the man becomes a better man for falling in love trope. I certainly liked how the story was set up to never be the kind of "if they'd just talk" everything would be better, for they said everything they could say honestly. I liked the 2nd romance in the background too, also a man highly flawed that becomes redeemed and a woman who is not pretty and which a makeover doesn't fix. So for any who are "romances just set up unrealistic standards for men" and "beautiful people" read an Abby Gaines book and tell me that's always so. :) You can have a satisfying romance with really flawed characters, I assure you, and enjoy it. Also, totally enjoyed the children's musical scene--just a really well-written scene for lots of reasons. I can't comment on the historical accuracy of Regency here, but these two books made me glad I didn't live it, I like to speak my mind way too much have lived comfortably in any social class back then I think. -
Loads of factors–widower gruff hero, young governess, loads of children, a promise of romantic tension– helped in making me read a clean romance. The funny and emotional shenanigans of heroine with the kids are adorable. Her taking the hero to task for ignoring his duties and Love for his children makes you love her more. Despite being clean there are decent sparks to feel the heat.
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The Governess and Mr. Granville was a fun, good, clean and inspirational regency romance that I enjoyed very much. Serena was a spirited and instantly likable character. The banter between Dominic and Serena was very entertaining. There were many moments during this book where I found myself laughing out loud. This was a book that made me feel good and left me with a smile on my face. I highly recommend The Governess and Mr. Granville to anyone looking for an enjoyable historical romance.
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3.5 stars
The feeling of doubt as to who will end up with who (well, we all would know which is which, but maybe a little suspense could flavour up the story) but as the title has given us the answer even before we read the first sentence, there you have it.
Quite an entertaining story, but the feel of contemporary keep surfacing now and then, especially the using of first name basis between the governess and the employer. -
Dominic dan Serena ini awalnya kelihatannya ceritanya bakalan lebih seru drpd buku yg pertama. Ternyata malah lebih mengecewakan, apalagi endingnya.
Dengan tema persilangan antara Mary Poppins dan Emma by Jane Austen, kita dibawa ke suasana Regency dimana Serena bekerja sbg governess lima anak kecil dari seorang duda tampan dan kaya, Dominic. Serena ini berkepribadian bak Julie Andrews di The Sound of Music, selalu ceria, sangat memahami anak-anak, dan jatuh cinta pada majikannya yg kaku ini.
Serena sempat nyaris diberhentikan sbg governess sblm naik pangkat menjadi pendamping bagi Marianne - adik Dominic - yg memiliki masalah rendah diri akut, spinster yg gampang merona, dan belakangan kepincut dgn tetangganya, si pewaris baru.
Dominic menyadari dirinya tidak bisa mengandalkan adik perempuannya sbg pendamping anak-anaknya pada saat debut. Jadi dia mengalah utk mencari istri baru walaupun sangat enggan, mengingat dia hanya mencintai almarhumah istrinya.
Jadilah cerita berputar-putar disana, hingga kedatangan Alistair Givens, tunangan diam-diam Serena yg dikira sudah mati dlm perang, ternyata masih segar bugar dan menyatakan masih mencintai Serena. Dominic sendiri sudah melamar Hester, teman baik almarhumah istrinya.
Serena dan Dominic ini menderita fall out of love syndrome. Mereka membuat pihak lain menderita akibat keputusan gegabah mereka yg plin plan. Dan saya GAK SUKA dengan mereka.
Ditambah lagi krn novel ini clean romance yg christianity, makin membuat saya mual dgn "kemunafikan" yg ditampilkan novel ini, krn tabrakan antara karakter kristiani yg puritan itu gak sesuai dgn anakronistis. Contohnya, Serena yg anak pendeta, digambarkan taat pada ayat-ayat alkitab, tetapi kenapa dia mau saja bertunangan diam-diam dgn Alastair di usia 16 thn? Dan masih banyak contoh yg lain yg membuat saya malah jadi sebel, apalagi yg menjelang ending. Yasudlah, ini terakhir kali baca clean romance yg malah bikin saya migren. -
So sweet! Suka dengan interaksi seluruh tokoh dalam cerita ini (Dominick, Serena, adik beserta ke-5 anak Dominick, plus tokoh2 lainnya). Plot sederhana tapi menyentuh. Karakter setiap tokoh seolah nyata. Penulisnya keren ni, pandai mengaduk2 perasaan pembaca.
Tanpa adegan roman berlebihan, kisah Dominick mencari istri atas usulan Serena, terasa pas di hati.
Ada momen absurd (klo boleh dibilang seperti itu) terjadi di antara mereka, yakni saat Dominick berniat pedekate dgn wanita2 pilihannya, Serena malah berusaha menggagalkan usaha tersebut sekuat tenaga. Padahal Serena yg mengusulkan Dominick utk menikah lagi demi keseimbangan keluarga dan kondisi psikis ke-5 anaknya.
Perbedaan prinsip antara Dominick dan Serena juga turut menambah gregetan cerita ini. Jika Dominick ingin menikah lagi dengan alasan "menikah demi kemudahan", itu berbanding terbalik dengan Serena yg lebih mengutamakan cinta. Nah, dari prinsip aja udh beda, bisa ketebak dong gimana gregetannya cerita ini?
Momen mengharu-biru tentunya saat melibatkan Thomas-Hetty-Charlotte-William-Louisa. Mereka anak2 Dominick yg terlupakan oleh Dominick sendiri. Ketiadaan figur ibu membuat mereka "sedikit" susah diatur. Untung ada Serena, governes yg luar biasa dan tak lazim 😄 meski begitu die ternyata alim juga. Setiap perbuatan selalu diiringi firman Tuhan.
Adegan paling berkesan itu saat anak2 menyatakan pendapatnya tentang siapa sosok yg pantas menjadi ibu baru mereka plus saat mereka mengungkapkan alasan kenapa Serena harus tinggal. Manis bangeet! -
Serena gadis yang menyenangkan, sekaligus blak-blakan. Setelah mengetahui bahwa adiknya menikah dengan seorang Earl, dia tidak bisa lagi menjadi governess di rumah keluarga Granville. Oleh karena itu, Dominic memintanya menjadi pendamping adiknya, khususnya karena dia akan mengadakan pesta jamuan untuk mencari seorang istri.
Ide pencarian istri ini awalnya datang dar Serena, yang menginginkan hal terbaik bagi kelima anak Dominic yang masih kecil. Karenanya Serena merasa perlu ikut campur dalam menentukan kriteria istri untuk Dominic. Ada beberapa kejadian lucu, termasuk ketika anak-anak Dominic menyanyi untuk menghibur tamu. Bukannya terhibur, para tamu malah menunjukkan tampang horor karena nyanyian anak-anak Dominic jauh dari merdu.
Selain Dominic-Serena, kisah Marianne-Bemmerton juga layak untuk diikuti. Marianne memiliki kekurangan wajah yang selalu merona membuatnya menutup diri karena tidak ingin lebih dipermalukan oleh orang lain. Tapi kehadiran Bemmerton membuatnya bisa mengatasi ketakutannya.
Masih bertemakan kristiani, novel ini lebih mengutamakan bagaimana seorang Serena menghadapi konfliknya tanpa mengabaikan kisah romantisnya. Cocok untuk kemu penyuka hisrom tapi nggak pengen baca yang vulgar. -
I was completely ready to not give this one a triumphant read, but wow! for a Love Inspired/Christian-faith-based Historical Romance this was surprisingly right up Abby Gaines's contemporary alley, and right up my own want in an HR.
I recall I have liked plenty of her HQ novels before, but for some reason, the last two have left me feeling lackluster. But this one, again-wow! I am pleasantly gobsmacked to say that I wish I could break this book in two and give BOTH romances that this encapsulated 5-stars because it seems unfair to have enjoyed the main and sub-minor romance without being able to say they both had superb stories unfolding to an eventual wonderful, highly deserving and fantastic HEA. I want to commend Gaines for being able to counterbalance so much detail and intricacies to keep each romance from faltering or failing in some manner.
Gaines did it - and I think maybe it's her signature ideal because for the last two books by her I have encountered, the 2nd romance pair either took away much needed time for the main couple [Whose Lie is it Anyway?] and then just recently [The Earl's Mistaken Bride] the 2nd romance was the one I wanted to bring front-and-center. For this one it becomes a smooth change of pace and storytelling because Gaines got that formula right and perfect, which is almost impossible. Not enough of THIS ONE or TOO MUCH of the other and it never seems to fall on that you get more of the one you like most. Nah, the one you hate becomes the focused couple and the one you like and want more of just withers away into paltry seconds.
And frankly, I hate Harlequin titles because this is such a weak explanation for a genuinely spectacular book; I wish they'd return to those days where they weren't quite so LITERAL in their descriptions. And I now believe I know the mystery behind why so many readers have cropped up out of nowhere to recommend this book when it's BOOK 2!!! That seems odd, ya know, especially for a stickler like me who likes to read book series in order even when it's not pertinent.
We only knew about Serena - The Governess, in the periphery in the first book. Constance really didn't seem to harp so much on losing contact with her sisters once she married, but I think she could've done well with corresponding with someone of Serena's caliber and forethought. A sister can be a best friend in a truly lonely world, and Constance had that in spades since she basically walked into a hostile marriage and then an even more hostile household. But of the five sisters, I also think Serena and Constance were the most mature and stable-minded when their younger siblings are pretty much like Mary, Lydia & Kitty of the Bennet sisters clan. Serena would be Lizzie, though...and Constance would be Jane. And we only "saw" Serena in the first book when Marcus wanted to surprise his wife by inviting her long-lost sister home.
I cannot recall how or why Serena has been given this job as Governess to Mr. Granville's children - five in total [twin boy & girl, another boy & girl - not twins - but maybe apart in 1-2yrs of age and then a toddler girl]. We open the book where Serena has been working for Mr. Granville for quite some time, hired by his sister, Marianne, who lives in his household and has become somewhat a hostess and also a social recluse since Mrs. Granville passed away. It almost doesn't matter much how Serena came about knowing this position existed but from what we learn of her past life at home, she may have been attempting to escape a form of gossip and quite possibly running from a heartache of her own. Anyway, Serena is in trouble with Mr. Granville, because she is quite the hands-on Governess and she adores and loves all the children, but Mr. Granville is prepared to fire her on the spot, no discussion.
When you look back on it, it is rather masterminded of Serena - but at the time it feels put-upon and overly exaggerated for a Governess or a member of the household staff to talk to Mr. Granville the way Serena begins to open dialogue with him. In fact, HE becomes outraged as well. At first Serena seems quite outspoken and stubborn or bull-headed, also she is quite the dog with a bone sort of person who won't let go of an issue especially when it's on someone she cares deeply for. She fakes an interest in the fact Mr. Granville needs a wife, which is kind of where her second phase of employment comes thru...once she is certainly FIRED from her original.
Serena has befriend Marianne, Mr. Granville's dearest sister. And Marianne is a participant in our sub-minor romance with a Mr. Beaumont. There is a moment where Marianne practically saves Serena's employment and she is re-hired as a Lady's Companion to Marianne, but really they are so close in age and rank and disposition that they could be sisters. Marianne has a skin condition, one that is never called out or given a name to...but I want to say it's like what today we would term Rosacea...where heat, stress and certain heat triggers [like spicey foods] can cause the immediate red flush to overtake the skin - like a constant BLUSH. In Marianne's case it is her entire face, especially around the cheekbones and down her neck. She has tried so many medical cures that now she is seeking herbal to froo-frooey holistic cures. In fact, when we first meet Marianne she is taking off an Aloe Vera leaf to see if this might give her some comfort or she is doing something with an Aloe vera plant for future purpose.
This is where the story gets pretty good as we split apart folks and yet still manage to bring them back into one another's lives. When one moment you think... insufferable Mr. Granville so exhausted by his battle of wills with Serena...is finally free of her...she reels herself back into almost become HIS matchmaker for a wife. And she has some particular stunning realities for every young female Marianne seems to want to bring into her brother's vicinity. We know absolutely, Serena is truly looking out for the best interests of the dear children, but oftentimes, it is clear to readers she is secretly harboring emotions for her employer. And certainly the more time they allow themselves to peel back each of their individual onion layers, the more down-deep their feelings for one another grow.
What I loved, eventually, about Serena and Mr. Granville, who we will now call, Dominic, is that when they both have bonded, growing closer, especially in dealing with his children...once layers are peeled back -BOTH are attempting to overcome deep heartache. One we know on the surface with Dominic losing his childhood sweetheart wife, but the one with Serena is deeply embedded in her and it's not until Dominic further explores his want of a wife that we learn of Serena past with love.
And it is an interesting dichotomy to explore because Dominic's precious love for his soulmate prevents him from wanting to love a 2nd time around. And Serena pesters and pesters and she will never take anything less than LOVE...love from her and love from the man who proposes. It is much, much later when we find out that Serena lost her first, deep love at the mere age of 15-16 to an 18yr old town boy who defied her parents' wishes - well, her father's wishes, really, and asked for her hand in marriage. They kept it secret and this 18yr old boy went off to fight in the wars - Napoleonic - and proved MIA and then eventually they simply believed he had perished since he never returned home.
But I enjoyed how the story shows how diverse Dominic and Serena were in what they both deeply believed was "great love" and what is possible when you move on from that great loss, letting go of the past. I do not know if Gaines meant for this to be seen or shown so subtly but I liked that we can see two people who have loved and lost...one willing to stop-gate emotions and simply marry to gain a wife and another who is hopeful for another great ardent love of her life. Eh, some might argue Serena never got to experience an honest and genuine love, since she had to hide hers, but it is no more false than Dominic's.
This will come back to pass for Serena - which I did and didn't expect - and I am so glad it did come back to haunt Serena and Dominic's growing feelings for one another, because it put them both in the position of being "taken" or "spoken for" by another - thinking Serena is lost to him, Dominic proposes to an old friend of his wife's...and then Serena's MIA lost love returns and her father logically gives them 3-months to rekindle their love. But what stunned me to utter quiet and admiration was how awesomely ADULT and MATURE Serena was in explaining how grief worked for her in letting go of her MIA lost-love, even though he had not moved on. For a young woman surely looked at for being a dunderhead and too set-in-her-ways for her age...Serena might be abrasive and exhausting but she is clear-minded and smart, but also witty and child-like...and she has a penchant for knowing what others need, certainly with the children. She feels like their "mother" or what a mother should be to Granville's children.
In Marianne's case, she has spent countless of times finding men in want of a wife with beauty and perfection, which she knows she doesn't have. Half the time Dominic has had to chase off these greedy buggers because all they have wanted is Marianne's dowry, never her. Until they get a new neighbor in Mr. Geoffrey Beaumont who is the nephew of the man who owns the house beside Granville's; Beaumont has a shady past that still continues to haunt him, prone to drink and lose women, plus possibly a gambler, of sorts. Geoffrey and Marianne have a wonderfully, charming interaction when she always stumbles upon with Serena chaperoning, and they have a verbal, then a written Chess Match they keep playing until the very end. On their walks, Marianne is always in search of herbs or really...weeds growing in the foliage that she will simply grab, never knowing if it's on her property or Geoffrey's. Their interactions are sweet and heartbreaking because you can detect Marianne's growing feelings and see that Geoffrey can SEE the skin condition for himself, but he often is helpful in his advice, giving Marianne some remedies that his Uncle...a once-wishful Apothecary who has lists and notebooks of some things he had attempted with ailments.
Of course, Dominic does his sneakiness of inspecting Geoffrey's past and finds some mysterious problems that could still be there, or not. He tells Serena first, so she is made aware to ease Marianne into being informed. And it happens at the moment when Serena is brought back home to surprise Constance, and everyone is invited. To show Geoffrey that she CAN handle being seen in public, in society... Marianne uses Serena's surprise party to her sister as a means to unveil herself, despite her skin condition. In a very gutwrenching yet fascinating moment, BOTH Serena and Marianne overhear a private conversation Geoffrey has with an old male friend and he shows his somewhat true colors. And both women are heartbroken for allowing Geoffrey to charm them, but all is not what it seems, except...Marianne doesn't let Geoffrey so easily off the hook when he excuses and apologizes which was wonderful to see. She made him work hard for that HEA with her, no doubt.
These women were awesome as individuals and together as sisters - soon to be sisters-in-law. Both do get their well deserved HEAs...and man, Dominic, and Serena both kind of start off on the low rung of awkward personalities that will grate or annoy a reader, but along the way, thru the eventual story and bond they have, they become quite the comical pair and often enjoy getting the other's comeuppance, which eventually gives us a pretty great ending. -
At first, I didn’t think I would like this one. The heroine, Serena, just rubbed me the wrong way. I thought she was a bit self-righteous and definitely a busybody. However, somewhere along the way her personality calmed down and I ended up really liking the story. There was a bit of preaching in the beginning as well, but that also became a lot more subtle as the story progressed, so the second half was definitely better for me. I liked our hero, Dominic the entire time. He probably is the reason I kept reading. I actually liked the two together quite a bit; they have some nice moments together and had good chemistry. I am really enjoying this series and am looking forward to reading more from Ms. Gaines. If you like regency stories then I recommend this one.
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Lovely story! At first I was hesitant to read it when I saw that the hero had 5 kids. I personally prefer it when a romance is focused on the hero/heroine. However, my mom recommended it and I enjoyed the first one in the series, so I took a chance. Gaines did a fabulous job keeping the focus on the couple. Stern and stuffy Dominic's reaction to free-spirited, big-hearted Serena kept me entertained throughout. And I came to care about the secondary characters, as well. Stayed up late to finish this one. Looking forward to the next installment!
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Nice story but bland
Serena was too brazen for her position as governess/lady companion and Dominic was too passive. Sometimes I think Marianne and Beaumont's story was better than the main storyline
The children were adorable but they played too little role in Serena and Dominic's romance when they should be the center of it.
For those who love to read the better version of The Sound Of Music theme, I would recommend "Sustained" by Emma Chase -
Cute and fun reading. Quite short as I finished it in one day. 5 Granville children is a delight
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DNF due to boredom at the end of sample.
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The Governess and Mr. Granville – The Parson’s Daughters Book#2 of 2
Abby Gaines
•°o•:*:•.Romantic and Fun in a historical setting.•:*:• o°•
I don’t normally purchase Harlequin novels, but this one was available from my favorite Christian retailer, and the story-line sounded interesting, plus the price was good. Turns out, this is a really fun book, filled with faith, tension, misunderstandings, social class structure, romance, judgment, forgiveness, 5 wonderful children, and Regency era settings. Definitely worth the read, if you can get over having your left margin crammed into the binding so you really have to spread your book open, and some lack of editing issues.
Opening Scripture: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!” –Isaiah 43:18-19
Leicestershire, England, 1816 –
Serene Somerton is the recent governess on a mission to help a family dealing with the loss of wife and mother about 4 years prior. She is unconventional and used to growing up in a family where spirited debates are the norm. Dominic Granville is reserved, professional; a “gentleman”.
Miss Somerton’s presence seems to upset his routines almost daily, and he finds himself having to reprimand her frequently. However, his sister Marianne hired the most recent governess following a long line of unsuitable candidates who have come and gone through Woodbridge Hall, and she seems to like her. Marianne has an unfortunate affliction that causes constant reddening of her face in various degrees (-maybe what we would call rosacea today), which is exacerbated when she interacts with new people or exerts herself. With 5 children in the mix there is plenty of mischief, unusual problems, tenderness and even a scene similar to The Sound of Music (you can google the song Scarborough Fair Celtic Woman for a lovely rendition if you wish).
I enjoyed the bantering between the 2 main characters, and feel the author has a good handle on blending humor and tenderness into the story. However, there are a few times when the point of view changes mid-page and I found myself saying, “huh? – wait, who’s speaking/thinking now?” But, I quickly got back to enjoying the story.
Sadly, there are only 2 books in the series, and after that the author goes on to write modern fiction from what I can find on harlequin dot com, which is not my thing.
I give this book 4 out 5 stars for the technical issues previously mentioned.
I purchased this copy. My opinion is my own.
© 2012 Harlequin-Love Inspired Books
282 pages
Read: 2/23&24/15
Reviewed: 2/25/15 -
Serena enjoys her job as governess to Mr. Granville's five children. They enjoy adventures of chasing butterflies and lizards. But when Mr. Granville learns that her station in life is higher than he'd first though, he tries to send her away. Then he decides to let her stay as a companion to his sister, which fits her status. Although they have both loved and lost and have no desire to do so again, life throws a few curves at them and they finally get everything straightened out and figure life out. This was an enjoyable book to read. Since there are more sisters, I'm sure there will be more books to the series and I look forward to reading them all.
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A delightful read right from the lively opening scene. Gaines is a skilled writer, and admirably blends humor with emotional tension. The latter half had a musical chairs feel that wasn't to my taste - I wish there were some other way to bring the story to its proper conclusion than what was chosen - - and I think that structural flaw brings the book down a bit. I did like the secondary romance, which upturned my expectations at every turn. Overall an engrossing read, with plenty of drama and just the right dash of mischief to make it a fun few hours.
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Incredible novel!! It was so inspirational and heartfelt while being realistic and brilliant- often hard to achieve! I've been so excited to read this other novel to Gaines's miniseries and was not disappointed. I started and finished reading it in one day and not a single page was tedious. The characters were very well developed and even the children each had their own personality and were not annoyingly cheesy (as most books often portray them). Really a lovely and romantic novel complete with lessons on redemption and second chances.
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A rather cold hearted Mills&Boon type regency romance. Two innocent people left heart-broken at the end because of the thoughtlessness of the two main characters, but we are meant to think that's ok because anything is allowed for love? In fairness it was a fairly standard but nice romance until the end. Also, in spite if my deep personal faith, I found the frequent religious references uncomfortable, but that is perhaps due to growing up in extremely secular Australia where religion is private. Overall it was ok.
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Serena is another interesting daughter with a strong personality which I enjoyed. I admit to the rosy cheek Marianne and the bumbling Mr. Beaumont being my favorites to read about. There might have been a little too much indecisiveness going back and forth between Dominic and Serena but I still enjoyed this installment of the Parson's daughters. If Abby Gaines chooses to take on the next daughter's story I will be sure to pick up a copy.
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I don't care for the 'love inspired' series from Harlequin, and this book was preachy and moralistic at times. I got this book by mistake, However, it was still a decent story and I liked it more than I thought I would. I don't think Marianne deserved the "Gentleman "she ends up with, however. I did feel that character got the proverbial short end of the stick.
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The Governess and Mr. Granville is a good, clean, romantic, humorous and enjoyable inspirational historical romance. It made me laugh out loud sometimes. I wish there would be more books in The Parson's Daughters series.
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Miniseries: The Parson's Daughters
Category: Inspirational Romance -
Miniseries: The Parson's Daughters
Category: Inspirational Romance -
I wish I could give it 3 1/2 stars. It was entertaining.
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This is the sequel to "The Earl's Mistaken Bride" - also very good. This is about Constance's sister Serena, who is a governess at the Granville's estate.
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This was a delightful, even humorous romance. Something light-hearted that I needed today.
