Governess Miss Elizabeth Fletcher is an expert on twins, yet this is a fact that she does not promote to all. When she is assigned twins to a duke whose marriage appears to be suffering, Elizabeth is uncertain how she will tackle the twins. To make matters complicated, she has only been hired by Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest, who is friends with the duke. Stuart dubs Elizabeth ‘the mouse’ but he soon realises that maybe Elizabeth is not all that she appears on the surface. Unbeknownst to the twins, she also speaks many languages, a fact that helps her to uncover many secrets.
I really enjoyed Elizabeth whose self-talk and witty dialogue, was quite refreshing. However, it took some time to warm to Stuart, who at first, doesn’t seem to take the whole situation seriously. Yet as the storyline progressed and largely due to the cleverness of Elizabeth, I felt that they were a lovely pair. Whilst I have so enjoyed this series, this book was not as wonderful as the first two books.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book in the Governess Bureau series by Emily E. K. Murdoch. I rather enjoyed the first two.

This was not a bad read, but I definitely found that I had some more problems with this story. Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest, was a very annoying character to me. He came across as quite a superficial gadabout and frivolous in his thinking and relationships - really, a bit of a twit. There was a lot of mourning over his lost boyhood fun with this friends and blaming it on the boredom of marriage.

He goes and engages a governess from the bureau for his friend's twins, who are his godchildren - as a gift. While the intent behind it seems nice on the surface, is quite thoughtless ultimately, not taking into consideration that his friends may not have wanted a governess, that he is pushing a stranger into their household, and putting the governess, Miss Elizabeth Fletcher at risk, because if she was rejected, she would be jobless and potentially lose her position in the bureau.

Elizabeth is a governess who "specializes in twins" and knows many languages, but she is hired by Galcrest because he sees her as mousy and not a threat to the household, and thinks that he is doing his friend, a duke married for 10 year to his duchess, with twin children who are rather wild and more than a bit mischievous. Galcrest seemed to think that his friends seem very unhappy and do not understand why, thinking that as he has heard them complain about the children in some way, a governess. Elizabeth Fletcher seems to go along with this. For a seemingly intelligent woman, why would she even go along with such a scheme when she finds out about it?

Anyways, she is dropped in the middle of a volatile household, with the two prankish children who seem to resent her presence, and a duke and duchess at odds with each other, and who did not want her. The duchess seems to outright hate her. Not only that, but it seems to be that they are about to host along house party with several other people, as well as Galcrest. Sounds a a chaotic mess, and I would have thought that a sensible woman who has worked as a governess in other households would have looked at all this and ran screaming into the hills - then add onto that the fact that Galcrest seems to find her attractive and accosts her several times, but also makes obvious to everyone his aversion to marriage... well, it did not come across as very romantic to me. I wanted to slap him through the pages for the first third of the book and probably for a good chunk of the rest as he just seems to put his foot in it in several ways, several times.

Also, what is with Miss. Clarke? For such an intelligent and enterprising woman who has such exacting expectations of her business and her employees, to allow the situation to occur to begin with - a lord with no children coming into to engage a governess as a gift for another household - that sounds pretty off kilter to me.

Anyways, there is ultimately many questions answered in the end and a HEA, but I really did not enjoy the story of Stuart and Elizabeth as much as the previous two books, and I found myself rooting for Elizabeth to just punch Stuart in the nose several times. Maybe he redeemed himself in the end, but really, not enough for my satisfaction.

So probably closer to 2.5 stars for me.

I got a free copy of this from NetGalley for review and this is my freely given opinion.

I voluntarily received a copy of "A Governess of Many Languages" via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Dragonblade Publishing and the author!

A wonderful character driven read for fans of the Governess trope.

"A Governess of Many Languages" is the third book in the Governess Bureau series by Emily E.K. Murdoch. Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest, is an impulsive man with the appearance of a carefree man. Despite the fact he never wants to marry he hopes to make his dear friends marriage happier. Thus he comes up with a crazy, and not well thought out plan, to hire a governess as a gift. Not only without their consent but he also ends up choosing one that captures his eye. Miss Elizabeth Fletcher may appear young and meak but underneath the surface she has an undeniable fire. Just enough to handle two rambunctious twins and maybe enough to tame a lord as well?

This was quite an enjoyable read. I loved their interactions with eachother so much. Stuart may appear more worldly but it comes very apparent that he doesn't understand relationships or women at all.

I really enjoyed the twins and I found some of the scenes with them were my favourite.

What I liked is though the author incorporated the miscommunication trope it was used with everyone at the house party and not just the two main characters. It made for lots of fun moments cause no one seemed to know what was really going on.

I do not know if it is like that for everyone but each time I open a new book, I settle into the couch with a sight and high hope for an entertaining few hours of reading.
Am I more demanding when I like the author?
Probably as I know what to expect. Why maybe I persisted with this story. I had it marked in my calendar from the moment I knew its release date, I passed by other books to read this one.
So why I was even more saddened this one did not work for me.

I confess I was a bit unsettling by the contrasting and opposite personas of the main characters.
The governess is presented as a mouse but in a short afternoon, she snaps and questions her employer. The hirer looks like a fickle being with a Peter Pan syndrome, entirely egoistical and unaware of commoners struggles, only looking for the fun side of life without thinking about others’ hardships nor the weight of his actions. And worth than mercurial he is wicked and vicious, enjoying Elizabeth’s debacle, laughing of her failings.
So here they are, in the wolf’s den, a woman without clues of her unwelcome arrival and too self assured she would be able to tame her charge easily and a lord who wants to continue to behave like he was still ten. Why perhaps he is so attuned to the children’s demeanor.

I was close to DNF the book when upon her first day of work, it was expected for Elizabeth to have tamed the twins she has in charge now and everyone berated her for the wildness of those kids when nobody never ever did try to stop their mischiefs. And what use has she to hide her knowledge in French language, it would have helped with the children.
And to add cherry on the top, Stuart, as he is unable to stop thinking of Elizabeth decides to seduce her, when she is his employee, paying her wages, under his thumb and will.
In what world did I have landed!

There were also many things that did not sit right, a Duke’s couple with close to ten children without a governess, so who taught them to read? Is there no nanny? After as the father of the children is French, so is he a duke or a duc?

I interest was finally roused when Elizabeth give a set-down to Stuart, but it looks like it has fallen into deaf ears. As he continues to follow his usual path of meaningless entertaining, horrified at the simple thought of matrimony.

So I am sorry to say this book did not work for me.
2.5 stars

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋

Entertaining and enjoyable read from Emily.
I really find her books very satisfying to read, they are full of intrigue and passion, I frequently wish I could write like this.

This follows the journey of a governess sent to a Dukes family, as a gift, to look after his twins.
But its more the relationship between her and the Dukes friend that is the premise of the story.

Fun and addictive reading and characters.

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



Sent from my iPhone

3.5 Stars
Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest, goes to the Governess Bureau to find his best friends le duc & duchess d’Allaire a governess for their nine year old twins. There he finds Elizabeth Fletcher giving her the nickname ‘the mouse’ when he hires her as a joke for his friends, he’s never taken life seriously and doesn’t want to start now. But when they arrive, bickering, at the home of the duc d’Allaire, everything changes. There’s a mysterious rift between their hosts, and both Elizabeth and Stuart are plunged into situations neither can control. What they don’t know, of course, is that Elizabeth speaks many languages. Assuming she cannot understand, secrets are spoken before her, which start to hint at something scandalous. Unable to untangle why her mistress loathes her, and forced to entertain her master’s guests, Elizabeth grows increasingly furious with the man who brought her here.
This is the third book in the series & is very easily read on its own. I really liked Elizabeth who bit her tongue for quite a while & I loved it when she finally let rip. I had mixed feelings about Stuart, he didn’t charm me at all & I was annoyed with him most of the time. I couldn't see much chemistry between the pair. There is also the conflict between the duc & duchess, which was there for much of the book. I did enjoy the book but not my favourite of the series
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is book three in the Governess Bureau series.

Miss Elizabeth Fletcher is a governess with a talent for twins. So when Lord Galcrest hires her as a “gift” to his best friends the Duke and Duchess d’Allaire, he thinks he’s helping them out with their 9 year old twins William and Jane.

The d’Allairs have other problems. Marriage problems, that did get a bit weird and were added for a side story.

I did like Elizabeth’s character and how she and didn’t take Lord Galcrests BS and countered with her own witty remarks. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest. He felt a bit immature at times and it was hard to root for him and Elizabeth.

I like the writing style of the author and the other books in this series. This book wasn’t my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy of A Governess of Many Languages by Emily EK Murdoch.

I requested this book because of the trope. I have a weakness for governesses, you can blame the Brontës for that I guess. This book had a lot of potential, it truly had it, but it didn’t meet my expectations. It was a book I enjoyed reading because it is not bad, but it was just OK for me, let me explain.

The premise was unlike any I’ve heard of before. The book is about Stuart, lord Galcrest, whose best friends, le duc and the duchess d’Allaire, struggle with the education and the behavior of their twins, William and Jane. The children are absolute terrors and with reason, their home is a mess. So Stuart goes to the Governess Bureau and hires a little mouse of a governess, Elizabeth Stuart, who speaks many languages fluidly (which is a plot device because one of the children refuses to speak in English)

Elizabeth was my favorite character. She is a “gift” to the d’Allaire. She is shy and doesn’t really speak her mind because she was educated not to and because being a governess it is not her place to speak out about herself. But she has spirit and she will show later in the book.

Now, the d’Allaires don’t take well that Stuart went and hired someone in their place. Mary is acting strange lately, firing woman after woman in the household. So she feels instant hate for Elizabeth, being a woman and not hired by herself. The husband, Philippe, doesn’t know what to do with his family anymore so he has given up trying. Still Stuarts meddling is not taken well on his part.

Now the real problem for me was Stuart himself. I didn’t like him. Sometimes heroes grow in me, but Stuart didn’t. It’s not that he was always awful, he was not violent in the slightest and he was very clear about consent and the word ‘no’ which was great, but he was an asshole and sometimes borderline humiliating towards Elizabeth. Stuart has a very high degree of the ‘Peter Pan Syndrome’ for most of the book, he never grows out of his immaturity. He’s spoiled, selfish (he did what he did so he could play with his friends) and he doesn’t learn a thing when Elizabeth tells him about his privileges and her lack of ‘plan B’. He even takes matters into hand without consulting her at the end…

So the romance didn’t work for me just because Stuart has the mentality of a child of 10, I didn’t understand the foundations of their love, especially on her part since she is such a great character.

The conflict between the d’Allaires took most of the book and it fell a little long. But I could go with that no problem. The house party felt as boring as the characters felt in the end… thankfully we had Elizabeth and the twins to save the book. Their shenanigans were a lot of fun so, in the end, I didn’t dislike the book, it was fine.

4.5 stars

An enjoyable read. I liked the heroine and I wanted a bit more banter from her. In lots of cases she had to keep mum to be able to keep her job. It was delicious when she was able to let rip at the hero. The hero seemed to be a mischievous layabout most of the time. His character was well drawn and this reader didn't find him all that charming. Though he was probably a realistic example of his type of the era and he comes good towards the end of the book. He meant well with his actions but his attitude and decisions meant that he was often the source of the trouble that Elizabeth had to solve. I liked her interaction with the twins.

It's a good addition to the series.

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

Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest, lives a carefree life. No wife and no children for him. He seeks a governess for his godchildren. Perhaps hiring a governess to handle the twins with bring his best friend and wife back together. Only Stuart has misjudged the reception of his "gift."
Miss Elizabeth Fletcher strives a be one of the best governesses from the Governess Bureau. Stuart is fascinated by Elizabeth and pursues her at his friend's house party. One false step and Elizabeth will be out of her job and no longer a governess with the Governess Bureau. I didn't care for Stuart in the beginning. He seemed immature, selfish and irresponsible to others' feelings. Always thinking he was able to fix things when he hasn't got a clue what is really going on. It has funny and painful moments. Eventually Stuart redeems himself.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

When a governess of many languages is required, there is only one place the nobility of England go: the Governess Bureau.
Of course, Miss Elizabeth Fletcher doesn’t broadcast that information – nor that she is an expert in the care of twins. Constantly under-estimated and treated like the children she’s responsible for, all she wants is a duke assignment and the respect of her peers.
Stuart Morton, Lord Galcrest, is having none of it. Giving her the nickname ‘the mouse’ when he hires her as a joke for his friends, he’s never taken life seriously and doesn’t want to start now. But when they arrive, bickering, at the home of the duc d’Allaire, everything changes. There’s a mysterious rift between their hosts, and both Elizabeth and Stuart are plunged into situations neither can control.
Stuart and Elizabeth are an awesome pair, funny and just witty enough to make this an exciting read.
This is the third book in the Governess Bureau romance and the best one yet. I look forward to additional books in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I'm not sure where to start. First off, I love the story line and the previous books in the series. I also really enjoyed Elizabeth's character. She has so much going on in her mind, but finds it hard to speak her mind when she should. The part that made it difficult for me to like is Stuart. He is so immature it makes is so hard to like him. However, he did grow some throughout the book, it couldn't make up for the beginning.

I will say that I'm not going to let this book deter me from reading future Murdoch books, but I just couldn't make myself care for this one.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A governess, Elizabeth, is hired by Stuart for his friends’ rambunctious twins. He is hoping to help save their marriage. While spending time with Elizabeth, confirmed bachelor Stuart begins to change his mind about marriage. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for my honest review.