After reading the other reviews, I sort of feel like I was reading an entirely different book than everyone else.

Rachel, a governess who has lost the last ten years of her memory, is sent to a new assignment where the uncle of her new charge appears to know her. So initially, Timothy had no interest in helping Rachel recover her memory. I found this really confusing. He loves her, and misses her, but when he realizes she doesn't remember her, he's like oh better stay away. And it's even worse when you get to the twist at the end. Once again he's ready to abandon her.

And then all of a sudden in the ending and epilogue, it's like oh, Timothy never gave up on Rachel. Well, actually he did, about three times. There's a whole spy backstory that's never really fully explored other than in conversation and internal dialogue. I think this story had a lot of promise but it didn't really deliver.

Another great addition to the Governess Bureau. Kudos Emily!!!
Rachel, suffering from amnesia that wiped out memories of the last 10 years of her life, takes a job caring for a child not realizing she has history with the man of the house. While not understanding why he acts the way he does, she feels an inexplicable connection. Timothy tries everything to get the woman he has loved for years to remember their time together on the continent. I loved the premise of this book. It made for a very enjoyable reading experience.
Thank you Emily E K Murdoch, Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

A Governess of Unusual Experience was a book I quite enjoyed. After requesting this book on Net Galley, I went back and looked into the series it is a part of and read the previous book in the series before reading A Governess of Unusual Experience. While the previous book was a bit clichéd, and it was easy enough to figure out the end about halfway through, the writing style and the fast pace of the book kept me reading. On the other hand, A Governess of Unusual Experience had a far less clichéd plot but was more slow-paced. Rachel, the governess in question, has lost her memory of the past ten years after recovering from a near-death illness, and the plotline is primarily focused on her recovering her identity and her love. My curiosity, and Murdoch’s slow drip of information on Rachel’s past kept me interested in the first several chapters, however, I started to get bored about a third of the way through. Rachel and Timothy’s interactions, while built up well in the overall scheme of the book, seemed to drag when I was reading it. About halfway through, when I was about to give the book a break for a few days before coming back to, the story picked up, with more involvement of Timothy’s sister and niece in the plot. When Rachel’s past was finally revealed, it was a significant story, although hinted at through Timothy’s experiences. I wish it was elaborated on more however, because when combined with the slow pace in the middle of the book, the ‘grand reveal’ and the climax/epilogue seemed rushed. Overall, I would give this book 4 stars, because the story was well formulated, but the inconsistent pacing took it down one star.

Rachel’s confusion because of her amnesia is well written. We see her hesitate, wondering how some knowledge or other things come easily when she has no memory of having met them before. She’s also frustrated by the little flashes of memory that come and go without helping her solve the puzzle of her lost years. Her meeting with the hero troubles her but she avoids him for a long time, refusing to ponder the feelings that arise.

Timothy feels guilty for something that happened before Rachel’s illness. We know they were spies in France, we also know he thought she was dead, but even if we have his thoughts the author wrote in order for us not to know much more than the heroine about their common past, even if we learn little details here and there through his thoughts or the titbits he lets slip. I’ve read lots of reviews deploring the hero doesn’t explain plainly everything to the heroine, but every amnesia romance I’ve read were the same (most of the time because a doctor said to let the memories come back on their own).

As for the secondary characters we have the teenager Rachel cares for and her mother, who are the hero’s niece and big sister. The novel follows the evolution of two other relations: the one between Rachel and the teenager, and the one between Timothy and his sister who never really see each other before because of the age gap and the hero’s activities.

The rhythm of the couple relationship, and of the novel in its whole, is slow, and we see them both falling in love (again), her because she doesn’t have any memory of the first time, and he because she’s different from the woman he knew. Unfortunately this slow rhythm is weighed down by too many monologues and introspections for me.

Several other points bothered me: why does the hero’s sister wants to marry her 15 yo daughter so fast, how did the sick heroine came back to London from France, and why use the same plot device two times on the same character? Yes it’s a fiction, but I’m too down-to-earth to accept that.

However in spite of these points I liked this novel and I recommend it to people who love slowburn romances.

Overall a nice read but I did get a bit frustrated with the many far-fetched plot lines. This is part of a series, but can easily be read as a stand alone. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

The synopsis of this book caught my attention: a historical romance with both the amnesia trope and a heroine who's a governess. I think this book delivers on its synopsis, and I enjoyed the concept of the book overall. I also liked the conversations and chemistry between our two main characters.

However, overall, the writing style wasn't for me. There's a lot of angst and pining from both of our main characters that got tiring to read. I'm not a fan of melodramatic and angsty romances. The book is also slow-paced. It takes a long time for our main characters to finally open up to each other, and I didn't fully believe our main characters' motivations for not communicating honestly with each other.

Overall, I think this book is a solid historical romance, just not the kind I like. I wanted the book to dive more into some of its exciting and unique aspects. For example, I liked the backstory our heroine was given and wish we had gotten some more flashbacks. If you like pining and drama and a slow burn in your historical romance though, I think you might enjoy this book.

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book to review!

A Governess of Unusual Experience is the fifth in a series but only the second I have read. I was not overly impressed with the one I did read, but the description for this one was too interesting to pass up... And I'm glad that I didn't. The storyline flirts with both the second chances and governess/master tropes, but it never relies solely on those overused plots, which helps make this plot highly unusual (hence, a well-named novel).

Rachel wakes up in London after a fever with no memories of the previous 10 years. She only knows that she's been a governess because Miss Clarke of the Governess Bureau comes to find her and grants her the opportunity to serve as governess for a girl on the cusp of her come out. She arrives and is soon pulled into an unexpected embrace by her employer's brother Timothy. He seems to know her though she has no inkling who he is.

In Timothy's chapters, we learn that he and Rachel have been spies and lovers for years and were only parted in France when a mission went wrong (the mission that caused her to lose her memory). After searching desperately, he finally accepted that she must be dead; seeing her at his sister's is a miracle. He sets about wooing her anew, though he stops short of filling in the blanks in her memory. It frustrates Rachel, though she sees the honesty and goodness in him and is willing to go along with it. What is uncertain is if Rachel will ever remember the past ten years and if so, if she will forgive Timothy for (what he feels was) abandoning her.

Amnesia a fairly common plot twist in historical romance; a female spy for a heroine is less so. I found myself a little frustrated that present-day Rachel was so much more cautious that the Rachel of Timothy's memories, though I would imagine losing a decade of one's life would make anyone vulnerable. I also feel we needed a more definite glimpse into the past; we know how Rachel came to be a governess but never how she got into spying on the first place. I think a prologue might have been helpful in this regard.

I also found Timothy's choices somewhat frustrating. He seems far too clumsy and awkward in the current situation to be a spy, though at the same time, I appreciated his cautious approach toward Rachel, a woman he clearly adores and who he had grievously mourned. Still, he comes close to giving up a time or two, and that just ticked me off a little.

The story is somewhat slow paced but is never boring, and it will definitely give anyone with a heart the feels. It also renewed my interest in the Governess Bureau series for sure.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this to preview; this is my freely given opinion.

Sometimes I do not like reading series, especially those that are longer than three books, because they can get a bit stale, or the stories get too prolonged, and too convoluted and really the story could have been finished much more cleanly and sooner (Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series comes to mind).

But I have to admit that I have enjoyed the various Governess Bureau books so far. This is number 5 of the series. By this point, the Governess Bureau's reputation is pretty tainted, with at least 4 of the previous governesses breaking one of the cardinal rules, falling in love, and marrying their employer, or someone in their household.

Rachel Herriot was a member of the Governess Bureau, and has returned to the office of Miss Clarke to seek employment. Her situation is slightly different because of the fact that she had a recent illness and when she recovered, she found that is is missing large chunks of her recent memory - about 10 years. Miss Clarke somehow found her and offered her a chance at employment, as she apparently has no family, or friends, and is rather at a loss with her amnesia.

She ends up in the employ of Moira Quintrell, a recent widow, who needs help with her 15 year old daughter, Violet, to prepare for her come out. Moira herself, is just coming to the end of her mourning after the sudden loss of her husband. Her brother, Timothy, is staying with her to offer some support for awhile. He is stunned when he learns who his niece's governess is, as Rachel was someone intimately involved with him for several years recently. Unfortunately, she does not remember him as it was within the time of her lost memory.

There were a lot of little holes and unanswered questions in the plot, such as how Rachel ended up back in England and Miss Clarke finding her. But I really enjoyed this story of lost love, second chances, and the sweet angst of the story of Timothy and Rachel. There was also a sweetness to the relationships with Violet, and Moira too, with their smaller stories of young love, familial love, and lost love also. Timothy had an interesting dynamic there too - being a younger and mostly absent brother/uncle, but there is an obvious love there, and a developing appreciation for what he has missed with his family. Perhaps adding to his appreciation of what he lost with Rachel? There was also a couple of twists that happened later on that I found interesting, in how it changed the relationship dynamics. I did not like how it negatively affected, at least perhaps temporarily, the relationships of the females in the family. But it added a bittersweet edge to the redevelopment of the relationship between Rachel and Timothy.

As such, I did really enjoy this book for twist of Rachel's lost memories and her rediscovery of herself, and then her relationship with Timothy. There were also hints as to the next story, with Miss Clarke, which I am looking forward to.

Four stars out of 5.

I had a hard time getting through this one. I needed something to grab my attention and hold onto it and that just didnt happen early enough for me. Sorry. Usually the author is a hit or miss for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What made this book a standout read was the unusual storyline, a person losing their memories of the past 10 years only to find someone who actually knows them is a great idea for a book.
What took it down a star for me was that because the hero knows our governess he withholds information about her, even though she begs him. Instead of helping her, he sort of teases her in a way although he thinks he is protecting her. This premise is fine once or twice but the majority of the book is nothing but this and it went on far too long.
I also did not like how Moira seems to just want to pawn off her daughter but then insinuates that she'll be all alone. The daughter is only 15!
I gave 4 stars mainly as I really have liked this series and I feel Emily Murdoch is a super strong writer, I really did like the storyline in this one but a few things could have been better. The characters have development and of course it is a sweet love story with just a little steam.
I still recommend this book and encourage reading it.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my review

This is the fifth installment of The Governess Bureau series. Ms. Murdoch has done a nice job crafting a romance that includes some mystery and intrigue where the heroine is concerned. Rachel doesn't remember the last ten years of her life. The only thing she does know is that she works for The Governess Bureau. She is sent to be governess for Timothy's niece. Timothy shares a passionate past with her, one that she has no recollection of. He knows her from his time working for the Crown and they had fallen deeply in love. Then two years ago he thought he had lost her forever. Timothy is initially shocked to see her alive and well. He is still very much in love with her and is determined to make her fall in love with him again, regardless of her memory loss. This is a slow-burn, second chance romance, and you really have to be patient as they re-discover their love. The story was achingly sweet and I kept rooting for them the whole time. The plot was cleverly put together and I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. This is a great addition to the series!

I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I wanted to like this book as it has all of my favourite things - strong female lead, historical, a bit of daring…. But sadly I felt inundated with more and more unbelievable plot points and way too many traumatic brain injuries for one character. I wanted to love this book, but every time I felt like the plot was settling into itself in terms of believability, it would almost whisper “hold my beer/tea” and it would pile on more unbelievable head trauma. I felt like I was overwhelmed with unconvincing injuries and yet underwhelmed with the story progression. It felt like a historic retelling of 50 First Dates but lacking the charm.

Rachel Herriot has lost her memory of the last ten years. She doesn’t know how Mrs. Clarke of the Governess Bureau knows her, but she accepts an assignment as governess to Violet Quintrell, the daughter of a recent widow. Violet’s uncle, Timothy Astor, recognizes Rachel. In the years she can’t remember, they were colleagues and much more. This well-written story is about Rachel’s journey back to herself, and Timothy and Rachel’s back to each other and their happily ever after. How much will Rachel remember? How much will she accept? The story is quite different from the others in the series. The circumstances are truly unusual, as are the characters. An interesting addition to the series. I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

A Governess of Unusual Experience by Emily EK Murdoch is part of a successful series, and yet has a plot as different as different can be. The story unfolds slowly. Timothy Astor recognized the governess. Not his governess, of course, but his sister's, or rather his niece's. He knew her, very well. She didn't seem to recognize him. He had believed her dead. He had been a spy for the crown, in France. He had lost her, he thought. He looked everywhere. Now her she was. He was there only because his sister's husband had died. She did not really need his support. She was strong. But how could her leave now, having seen Rachel.

This was a clever story. The plot was different and quite good. The characters were well written and interesting, even Rachel, who didn't quite know who she was. Sometimes the plot unfolded too slowly, but eventually paid off. This was a very clever entry into a series that is slowly destroying the Governess Bureau and it's proprietor, Miss Clarke, who had only three rules, one of which was to never fall in love. Rachel was innocent. Apparently she had been in love for years.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Governess of Unusual Experience by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #dragonblade #emilyekmurdoch #agovernessofunusualexperience

A Governess with Lost Memories

Rachel lost her memories for the last ten years, but the woman in charge of The Governess Bureau tells her that she was a governess in her employ. She sends her to a house, where she is in charge of a young woman, almost fully grown so that she can recuperate. However, the house where she goes has a mysterious, yet familiar stranger. Who is Timothy Astor, and why does he kiss her as if he knows her? What are Rachel’s lost memories hiding? If they come back, what hopes and agonies will they bring with them? This story is full of romance, intrigue, secrets, and emotions that may cause you to shed a few tears. Will Rachel forgive the deception that she discovers? Will she listen to the truth? Can she trust again so that she can let love into her heart once more? I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to those who like Regency romance with secrets and intrigue.

"Rachel Herriot....It couldn't be. It was. ...How was she alive?... He needed time to think."

Timothy could not believe it was Rachel, who had been gone ten years, and now she was a governess for his niece? He thought her playing the role of not knowing him when they were introduced.

She had lost her memory for the last ten years.... would it ever come back? She took a job as a governess and hoped it would be a calm, quiet atmosphere so she could relax..

These two knew each other and they had been in the same business working for the crown. But now, how was he to make her realize who he is and what they were to each other?

A great addition to the wonderful series!

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Very entertaining and enjoyable read from Emily, a great series that has ever changing characters in a similar role but with such different circumstances.

Timothy Aster is a spy of the highest order, one who’s never suspected because of his station in life, he looses the love of his life and finds the unsuspecting lady in the employ of his sister as a new governess.

Rachel doesn’t understand her pull towards the gent, he can’t explain to her because she’s lost he memories of their time together. He doesn’t want to put her at risk.
When the past meets the present and passion blooms again will they be able to wether the storm.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

4 stars

An unusal read. Another in the Governess series but I don't think it's necessary to have read the rest. This story is interesting in that Rachel has lost her memory and is allocated a straighforward task of a pupil nearing the end of her education. This means the lessons are fairly straight forward and she can work on her recovery. Timothy is the girl's Uncle and it's clear from the start that he knows Rachel and can help her fill in the gaps. He chooses to only give her tha bare minimum. It's not difficult to surmise who he is in relation to Rachel and why he chooses to act in this manner. Many romances are girl mets boy, girl looses boy, girl gets boy back but this seems to go round that loop a few times and I was beginning to think it wouldn't be resolved. There's quite a lot of passion/sex.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would recommend A Governess of Unusual Experience to any fan of the genre. It's the 5th book of The Governess Bureau Series by Emily EK Murdoch.
This was a very sweet but fairly sensual slow burn read about a governess with amnesia.
Rachel woke up without a clue of what happened in the past 10 years. Her employer sends her to a manor house with one little girl to "rest" while working in hopes of her recovering her memories. Then it gets really interesting because the little girls brother Timothy seems to know her. Thing is Timothy thought she was dead! There's so many secrets and revelations surrounding their acquaintance. It was sometimes frustrating.
The story did draw me in. This book was very consistent, well written and engaging.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC through Dragonblade Publishing and Netgalley

3.5 Stars
Miss Rachel Herriot has lost all memories of the past ten years she is sent to a quiet manor house as governess to fourteen year old Violet. A little governessing and recuperation, that’s all she needs. Unfortunately, that’s not what she’ll get. Waiting for her at Quintrell Hall is not the idyllic quiet country life she was promised, but a gentleman called Timothy Astor. Mysterious, frequently absent from his home, and kissing her passionately in corridors with no introduction, Mr. Astor is not what Rachel expected. As Timothy watches the woman he knew and loved attempt to recognize him, there’s nothing for him but to quietly pretend their clandestine love affair – and their completely illegal adventures in France never happened.
This is the fifth book in the series & a well written book with well portrayed characters. I really liked Timothy & Rachel but I did get annoy with Timothy for withholding secrets, which could have aided Rachel's recovery. I found the book to be slow paced & I did skim pages until something happened – I would have preferred a shorted faster paced read. Not my favourite book of the series but still an enjoyable read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read