The Governess and the Duke (Renegade Dukes, 2)
Viola Winslow falls in love twice in the same day: first with James Montagu, Duke of Huntington, then with the Duke of Ashworth’s ward, for whom she has just been hired as governess. Yet by the end of the novel, she, the daughter of a tenant farmer, becomes the Duchess of Huntington. How did it happen?
This is the Cinderella story, and it is enlivened by an eccentric cast of characters, most notably Felicity (the irrepressible ward) and James’s two sisters and grandmother. They initiate a series of bizarre, but entertaining, events. By contrast, the trajectory of the lovers is predictable. He is attracted initially by her physical appearance, then by her personality, eventually falls deeply in love and proposes; despite her own strong feelings and their frequent steamy encounters, she resists, concerned about the impact of social disapproval.
While eccentric English aristocrats are not uncommon, the socially progressive attitude of most of the main characters is rather convenient, especially given class attitudes during the Regency period. Though the message that people should be judged on their thoughtfulness towards others rather than their position in society is valuable, the happy resolution feels highly unlikely outside the pages of romance.
