Temptation of a Proper Governess [Mass Market Paperback]

Setting - England 1804 --- When governess Isabel Halloran found that her 17-year-old wayward, promiscuous charge was missing from her bed, she roused the nanny to help her locate the chit before she did something foolish and have the staff blamed for her mischief. Finding her charge lying naked in one of the wealthy visiting gentlemen's bedroom, she and nanny hauled her off and locked her in her bedroom. When the willful teenager taunted Isabel that she purposely left her bracelet in the bed in order to effect a forced marriage, Isabel rushed back to the room to retrieve it, only to be caught herself.
Unknowingly, Michael Severson came back to his room and found an intoxicatingly lovely woman who he was immediately attracted to. He began to seduce her and Isabel who was mesmerized by him was a willing participant until his host, and her employer, came along with witnesses to barge into his room, expecting to see his daughter being compromised and not the governess.

Initially refusing but then through a series of events and good intentioned friends, Isabel is finally persuaded by Michael to marry him - innocently putting a great deal of trust in a man who she'd only just met. Unfortunately, Michael had ulterior motives in his proposal once he'd discovered that she was the bastard child of Lord Elswick, a man who ten years earlier had attempted to have him convicted for murder. A deed Michael believed Elswick's son Henry had committed and Michael was determined to prove. However, Michael soon falls in love with Isabel about the same time she discovers the real reason he married her, but too late - for although Isabel had lost her heart to him, she had also lost her trust.

Once again, Cathy Maxwell, the mistress of unforgettable and sweet romances, hits a homerun with her latest novel having all the elements I've come to expect from her - vision, integrity, fabulous characterizations and all kinds of heart. She writes with intelligence and enormous feeling as these two wonderful protagonists come to terms with each other taking a leap of faith to accept the gift of a once in a lifetime love. The mystery of the murder was deftly handled and neatly tied up at the end. Additionally, she teases the reader with unforgettable characters that one can only hope to see revealed in greater detail in future sequels to this grand beginning. Bottom Line - This goes on my keeper shelf with spaces next to it for the sequels I pray come as soon as possible. --- Marilyn Rondeau (...)---

I really enjoyed this book (it's not a keeper-shelf 5-star read, but it's close). This is the second book by Maxwell that I've read, and she's certainly going to remain a prominent feature on my "to buy" list. If you're looking for a well written, entertaining story with characters who are fully realized and not merely cardboard cutouts, I highly recommend you pick this novel up.

The heroine (Isabel) is strong and sure of herself (even when she shouldn't be, as she realizes as she grows and develops during the novel's progression). The hero (Michael) is fabulous, a real charmer (in the good sense). I love a reformed bad boy. Especially one who reformed himself . . .

Even the titular bad guy in this novel (Riggs) has serious potential as a hero for a future novel. It's so refreshing when the secondary characters have enough life of their own that you find yourself wondering what they're up to when they're not front and center in the story.

The story I'm looking forward to is that of the hero's best friend Alex. Being half Native American myself, I usually cringe when I see novels with buff "Braves" on the cover, but for Alex I'm willing to make an exception.

This is my first novel from Cathy Maxwell. I thoroughly enjoy Lowell and Barton, two excellent authors. However, Cathy Maxwell seems afraid of love scenes. They're over pretty quickly with little description and seem rushed. The plot/story was good. I was wondering how she would alter a Jane Eyre-esk story and make it new and exciting. Maxwell, your readers want more love and more steaminess in a novel.

Thanks,

LILRE1