Historical drama with good and bad characters. Reunited after many years our star struck lovers face danger and intrigue. The diaries are a bit muddled throughout.

I would like to thank netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A little too much going on in the book.

If you love mystery, drama, twist. The Governess Diaries is an engaging romance with touches of danger, laughter, mystery, and heartache. Through diary entries, and a few timeslip moments, we get an idea of how events happened for both Effie and Nicholas and how those lies and threats tore them apart. The villain here is evil and vile in the worst possible way. The threat to Nicholas and everyone he loves is very real – and I loved that Effie was right beside him, ferreting out the truth. Great secon chances love story.

It took a few chapters to get into the rhythm of the story. Entries into diaries didn't fall into order by date. Ellie is the illegitimate daughter of a duke and lives on one of his estates in the country. Lord Nicholas Montford lives on the neighboring estate. Secret meetings between them inevitably lead to a closer relationship. At seventeen and nineteen, all they want is to be together, but the man Nicholas calls father, the Duke of Clarendon, has other ideas. Kept apart for almost twenty years, Nicholas is determined to tie up loose ends working for the crown to get what he wants. Unfortunately, it puts Ellie in danger. More books to read in this series with connecting characters. Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This is the seventh book of The Hellion Club series. I have just recently started this series and am loving it and this book is no different. Ellie is the illegitimate daughter of a duke and she lives on one of his estates in the country. At a very young age, she met and fell in love with Nicholas who lived on a neighboring estate. All they wanted was to be together, but Nicholas' father, the Duke of Clarendon, had other ideas. Nicholas then left to join the army, breaking Ellie's heart. But Ellie didn't waste her time longing for what could have been. She started a school for illegitimate girls like herself, which gave her a purpose. Fate brings the two together again after twenty years. Nicholas is now a spy for the Crown. When he sees Ellie, he is still captivated by her, but he did break her heart all those years ago. Is it possible these two might have a second chance?
This was an entertaining and enjoyable read which kept me completely engaged from start to finish. The storyline flowed smoothly and the characters were well-developed and interesting. The chemistry between Ellie and Nicholas was strong, and though their separation was too long, I enjoyed seeing them meet again.
I received a complimentary copy from Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

The Governess Diaries is the seventh title in The Hellion Club series – and although I have not yet read the previous titles in that series, I wasn’t left feeling completely lost by picking it up at this point. Of course, I would always suggest going back to the beginning when possible (it wasn’t realistic for me to do that this time), but I was able to pick up the nuances and history of this couple from the cover description and their story itself. And to be frank, Effie and Nicholas’ story is enough to entice me to go back to discover the other stories and to follow whatever comes next in this particular fictional world.

The Cover Blurb paints such a detailed picture of this couple’s difficulties that I don’t feel I need to mention any lead-up to my thoughts about The Governess Diaries. My heart broke for young Effie, who had given her heart only to have the man she loved seemingly walk calmly away off to his military obligations. Of course, she didn’t know the entire truth and wouldn’t for several years, but that heartbreak set her on a path that would help so many other girls that one can almost wonder if it wasn’t fate that Effie and Nicholas would love, separate, and find each other once again years later.

The Governess Diaries is an engaging romance with touches of danger, laughter, mystery, steaminess, betrayal, and heartache. Through diary entries, and a few timeslip moments, we get an idea of how events happened for both Effie and Nicholas and how those lies and threats tore them apart. The villain here is vile in, to me, the worst possible way. The threat to Nicholas and everyone he loves is very real – and I loved that Effie was right beside him, ferreting out the truth. She will not sit back and let her future happiness be fought for by someone else, that’s for certain. I enjoyed this story, it is well-written and emotional, plus gave me the desire to learn more about this world – which means going back through six stories to get to this point. That’s quite a feat, in my opinion.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

If you enjoy a story with mystery, intrigue, secrets, emotions, spies, viillains, romance,dysfunctional families, murder, innocent children, betrayal, kindness, friendship, loyalty, romance and love, then this is a must read for you. Euphemia Darrow, the illegitimate daughter of an earl, has only loved one man her whole life. Nicholas Highcliff, the not second son of a duke who has only loved one woman. The 11th Duke of Clarendon has kept these two apart, but finally they are in period of life where what he wants no long matters. You will be turning page after page to see what happens. Thankfully the end of this book may not be the end of their story.

A wonderful second chance love story Chasity!
It was hard to imagine the hatred and disdain the Duke of Clarenden felt not only for Nicholas, but also Sutton. Definitely a very vile man. The Duke may have separated Nicholas and Effie when they were young, but I was thrilled they got their HEA.
I hope we will soon be able to read the Hound and Ettinger's stories.

Readers I was blown away by the romance between Nick and Effie. Two people who remain best friends up until their adult age. The writer did a great job of telling these two main characters background story that leads them to where they stand at the thresh hole of danger and suspense. With Nick being a Duke helped Effie and her team track down the evil people who wanted to see Nick destroyed. These scenes were splendidly written.
I was entertained and totally wrapped up into uncovering the unexpected tragedies that would befall Effie and her efforts of protecting her girls. As much as I love a good crime mystery as the next reader, it was the romance. The very steamy romance between Effie and Nick that I was excited to read. These steamy moments was very hot. Needless to say the entertainment these two brought was well played in the book.
I give this book two snaps and a twist. Until next time my fellow readers… read on!

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting from the description - not in a bad way, just not what I had expected. The author does a great job of balancing the romance and murderous psychos coming after the main characters. My only problem with this book was that having not read many of the other books in the series I often felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a story with the author expecting me to know more about the main characters than I actually did. The time jumps were sometimes a little confusing too because it wasn't always clear when the story went from the past back to the present. I also wasn't a fan of Effie's quick reaction when she thought Highcliff I abandoned his child - she automatically thinks the worst of him and doesn't even take a moment to think there may have been an alternate explanation. I often felt like she was so used to being in charge that she forgot that she's not always right about everything.

I liked the premise of the story. At first, my attention was fully caught. However, I can admit that the flashbacks and the diary entries caught me off guard; I had to readjust my attention a bit when those occurred. Furthermore, I do believe this book needs to be read in order. I have not read the series, and I believed I could just read this one as a stand-alone. Unfortunately, I was mistaken. There are several components to the story that I think would have benefited from prior knowledge. Knowledge that I would have attained if I had read the previous books in order. As such, I was left confused throughout my reading and never seemed to find a place where I could seemingly catch up.

I do think the writing is enjoyable. There were elements within the story that only added to the overall plot. It’s just, I could not get the full enjoyment of it at present.

*ARC provided by Dragonblade Publishing via Netgalley, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.*

Excellent Historical Romance with Intrigue and Mystery That Will Keep You Turning the Pages

I absolutely loved this book. I have been waiting for Effie and Nicholas's book for several years, and it was worth the wait. Why did it take these two so long to get married? They were mentioned throughout this series, but we never truly knew their story. It was always shrouded in mystery. Now, we get to find out how it all began and how it would end. This story is full of romance, suspense, mystery, and intrigue. I was enthralled from the first page, and I could not put the book down until the very last page. This story was a true pleasure to read. I recommend it to those who like historical romance with suspense, mystery, and intrigue. I recommend this entire series to those who enjoy historical romance. The books are standalone, but I prefer reading series in order. Effie is the schoolmistress, and the series follows her students as they fall in love. She is mentioned throughout the series, and this final book tells her story.

This book started EXTREMELY slow. However, I remembered other books by Chastity Bowlin and kept reading. The first third is slow but once you get past that it really is a good book. The last 2/3 is a really moving and kept me intrigued.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

If you hadn't read the previous book, like myself, you might be lost in the first chapter. It seemed to be a continuation to the end of the previous book and made it difficult to follow the story without knowing all the history.

The MC's are childhood sweethearts but the MMC's father does not approve and threatens the FMC. He then sends his son away so they are parted. Once reunited they form a new friendship which turns into love again. There are villain's and misunderstandings and long-lost family to contend with but in the end a family is formed.

Euphermia (Effie) Darrow is the bastard daughter of a Duke and has survived by the grace of her father. Even with the support from him, he does not include her with his current wife and children. She has grown up by herself on one of his estates with her only friend the neighbor’s youngest son Nicholas Montford. His father is also a Duke and is a very cruel man that buys him a commission in the Army with instructions to give him the most dangerous of jobs; so, he does not set foot on English shores again. Time passes, both survive and find work that provides a reason to keep living. I found the plot of this book keeps you reading to find out just how and if they could survive and come to terms with what life has put in their path. Love seems just always a touch away from what they need and want. I enjoyed this book and even reread some of the past series. I eagerly await the next Hellion Club and the adventures Chasity Bowlin gives us to enjoy.

Miss Euphemia Darrow is the illegitimate daughter of a Duke . She had her heart broken and now runs a school for unwanted girls, to help them find good employment.

Nicholas Montford received news on the death of his mother that shattered his life. He will have a lot of danger to face from then for many years.

This action packed historical romance covers many years. If you have read any of the previous books in the series you will have met most of the characters, and may know their stories. Although you could read this book on its own ( because the diary entries help set the story) I personally think the series is better read in order.

There is a lot of emotion and danger for all our characters to face. Political espionage and vengeance are the key to finding the villains behind all the problems.

A very interesting read.

Nicholas and Effie were kept apart when they were young by his cruel, abusive father. When next they meet, he is a spy for the Crown and she is Headmistress of the Darrow School. An old enemy threatens Nick, and their second chance is fraught with danger. I loved the way the story unfolds, their past and present. The reader learns of the couple’s history through Effie’s diaries, and follows them as they work toward their happily ever after. This is a well-written interesting story with characters who pull you in, an awesome addition to the series.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily reviewing it.

A wonderful second chance to find love as two people are pulled apart when young, due to the manipulations of a terrible man.

Now years later they meet again, he a spy for the crown and she, running a girls school when danger and intrigue intrudes.

Don't miss a minute of this addition to a great series!

A compelling story of intrigue & mystery! The Governess Diaries proved to be much more suspenseful than I imagined. The intrigue of threats surrounding Nicholas & Effie kept me on the edge of my seat. Each new threat created a turn in the story’s direction that left you guessing and anticipating. Despite being left to her own by her Duke father, Effie used her status as dukes daughter (even if not legitimate) and the money her provided her with to turn her singular life into one of great purpose. Having lost the love of her life when Nicholas left for the war, she picked herself up and opened a school for low-born girls. She gives them all the love she has, and teaches them how to value themselves and build a better life. With Nicholas back in her life, many threats pop up to jeopardize their happy future. Their romance is definitely a very bumpy road, but it is all worth it in the end. The new family they create is all the more beautiful for the unexpected inclusions into it. This book is made up of many unlikely friendships, being able to see the good behind the shade. A true story of inclusion and love.

I need to preface my review with the fact that this is the first book that I have read of this series. I'm surmising that the relationship of Effie and Nicholas has been simmering on the backburner during the years that the earlier books take place. That being said, this is one of the saddest romances that I have read. It didn't make me cry but it did make me angry. I was frustrated with all of the circumstances that kept the couple apart for 18 years. I was especially angry at the father of Nicholas. In the end, I was annoyed with Effie. She had everything she had ever wanted in her grasp, but she just wasn't sure! Thankfully, after such a long wait, Nicholas wasn't going to take no for an answer.
I strongly recommend not repeating my mistake and reading this series in order. This book has all the makings of a five-star read. I gave it four stars because the long separation of the lead couple was a bitter pill to swallow.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.