After Jane Halliwell’s father died, her family lost the societal respect they once had in addition to any fortune, and she now works as a Governess for an old family friend. But when the host of a dinner party is discovered murdered, Jane must step back into the world she once belonged in as temporary hostess while the investigation proceeds. Lord Adrian Fielding is an old friend of Jane’s and a colleague of the deceased at the Foreign Office. As he and Jane track down clues and reignite their old friendship, they discover this death may be linked to a much bigger crime spree.

I’m a big fan of this cozy murder-mystery historical romance series! I love seeing old beloved characters come back as friends, and hunting down clues with the couple. This book felt more focused on the murder than the love story but I didn’t mind, and the ending leads me to believe we can expect at least one more book in the series! This is definitely a comfort genre for me, as it always feels semi-low-stakes paired with a capable heroine and often smitten and slightly overwhelmed hero!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I've loved the rest of this series and this book was no different! these books are so much fun and i love the romance!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Jane and Aiden are a delightful couple learning to work together to solve a mystery. Jane has loved Aiden for years, but he has only recently realized his love for her. Overall a fun and endearing romance.

This series just keeps getting better! I loved Jane's competence and how smitten Adrian was. Collins deftly manages to keep each book fresh while giving glimpses of past couples.

Such a delight! This might be my favorite one! The banter and longing between Jane and Adrian is chefs kiss!!! I can’t wait for more in this series!! I want to see where it’s going to go now! I would always be down for more of these mysterious adventures!!

A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril by Manda Collins. Pub Date: March 26, 2024. Rating: 4.5 stars. In this installment of this regency romance series, the authors takes the friends to lovers trope and develops it into a story that is unputdownable, fun, sassy and swoon worthy. Add a little bit of murder mystery and the pages just keep turning. I really enjoyed the main character, Jane, who was dealt a rough hand when her father passed away. She was a woman of prestige, until she wasn't but she made the most out of it and ultimately it worked in her favor. She reunites with a man who was in her father's work circle, but she always had a crush on. I absolutely adored this novel, felt the storyline was very well paced and I wanted to keep reading until the end! Thanks to #netgalley and #forever for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

A governess’s guide to passion and peril
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I really enjoyed this murder mystery/romance which is the fourth Manda Collins book that I have read. There was a lot of intrigue and a politically motivated plot but it still wasn’t a heavy read.

Jane and Lord Adrian have known one another for years, since they were together with her family in Rome. But after her father’s untimely death, Lord Adrian disappears into his job working for the foreign secretary. Jane chooses to become a governess rather than move to Scotland with her mother to escape being g shunned by the ton for the manner for her father’s death. When Jane and Adrian meet up again a murder takes place and they are bound together by circumstance and passion to solve it.

This story was a great read. The plot moved quickly and was well planned and executed. I would certainly read more books by this author in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books/Forever for the free e-arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

"A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril" by Manda Collins is an exhilarating romance mystery that will sweep you off your feet and keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page!

In this captivating tale, we meet Jane Halliwell, a governess whose dreams of a happily-ever-after were shattered along with her father's demise. Now, she navigates the complexities of society as she prepares her charge for a future she can only dream of. But when tragedy strikes during a lavish house party, Jane finds herself thrust back into the world of the ton, facing not only a murder mystery but also the resurgence of old feelings for Lord Adrian Fielding.

Lord Adrian, consumed by his duties at the Foreign Office, had once considered Jane a friend, but now he's baffled by her frosty demeanour. Yet, as they are drawn together to solve the murder and ensure Jane's safety, sparks fly, and old flames reignite. The chemistry between them sizzles, and despite lurking dangers, they cannot resist each other's charms.

The perfect blend of passion and peril makes this novel genuinely irresistible. Collins masterfully weaves a gripping mystery with a swoon-worthy romance, keeping readers guessing until the end. From the luxurious backdrop of a house party to the dangerous intrigue of a murder investigation, every page is filled with excitement and allure.

But it's not just the thrilling plot that makes this book a must-read; it's also the depth of the characters and their journey toward love and redemption. Jane is a heroine with intelligence and vulnerability, while Adrian is a dashing hero with a heart of gold. Their banter is witty, their chemistry is undeniable, and their love story is utterly captivating.

this was such a fun read!! i loved their connection and i found myself laughing out loud which i rarely do in books 😭 and this cover?? absolutely stunning! please give this one a shot if you have the chance.

I did not like this book but it was well written. In general I do not enjoy governess books but I do like Manda Collins.

This is a nice cozy mystery and I really enjoyed it. Going in I didn’t know this was book 4, but reading it I don’t feel that I missed much from previous books. I’m loved the mystery and the possible rekindling romance being that the two are working together. I would like to go back and read the first 3 though to get the history of the main characters as I can tell that it would help with how I see them now. Looking forward to the previous books!

As always, I adored this new bit of historical romance/cozy mystery mash-up by Manda Collins. This one follows Jane, the daughter of a diplomat whose status fell when her father died and she lost her fortune. Now working as a governess in the household of one of her late father's colleagues, who is hosting a diplomatic event that brings her back into the orbit of her girlhood crush, Lord Adrian. When the host turns up murdered, she and Adrian are sucked into an investigation that turns their diplomatic circle upside down.

The mystery at the core of this book didn't feel as novel as some of the others in the series, but I loved the aesthetic throughlines that tied it together.

The romance between Jane and Lord Adrian was so earnest and tender. He is protective of her from the very first, while ultimately respecting her agency and autonomy. It was a delight to see them come together.

The strongest critique I can offer is that I wish there was more! More tension, more intrigue, more everything.

Loved this book, and will definitely read any others that come out in this series. (Seems like a certain young viscount might be getting one?)

I really enjoyed Jane and Adrian's story. I loved that they worked together to solve the mystery of the murders.

I love historical romance and once I started this I quickly remembered the mystery aspect of this series and knew I was in for a treat!

We met this couple in our last book and it seemed they had a misunderstanding. Jane was not a fan of Adrian because of the past. Adrian wanted desperately to keep her safe and repair the rift between them.

On top of that, there's a murder at the house party they are all attending which has eerily similarities to her late father's suicide a couple years back. The same suicide that caused the ton to turn their backs on Jane and her mother.

This is such a fun series and I'm happy I finally say down and read this one. It's not your typical historical read and I found myself wanting to keep reading.

4/5

I love this series and I am so happy there were so many other characters we have already met in this one! Adrian and Jane have been reaquainted and her school girl crush never really went away. She is a governess now, after her father died, and they lost their station. While working, the man of the house dies and Jane is the one to find him. Adrian and Jane are working trying to figure out a scheme that looks like it has been going on for longer than they even knew about.
While Adrian and Jane are working with police, they uncover so much more than they thought they would and it looks like they are in danger too. Adrian won't let Jane out of his sight and he is seeing so much more than he ever expected in Jane and he knows he can't let her go.
I really enjoyed the two of them falling for one another and the thrill of the mystery. I think that is why I keep coming back to this series. I love the suspense and the romance all tied up in one book.
Thanks to Forever, Manda Collins and Netgalley for an early copy.

AHHHHH!!!! I still cannot believe I was accepted for an arc!! I have the first three in this series and I just adore them so much! I feel like I was screaming forEVER! Everything about this book had me stuck in it from the first page! I’m so obsessed with Manda Collins and I fear I may never recover! Can I give it 1000/5 stars?

Very cute. I enjoyed the friends to lovers story with the added twist of a murder mystery. Poor Adrian didn't know what he was getting into with this strong minded woman!

I've loved every moment of this wonderful series! Each book is such a perfect combination of mystery and romance without either one lacking. It's really my dream niche book genre as it includes everything I love about both mystery and historical romance.

The mystery in this book was intriguing, and the romance was wonderful! Jane and Adrien were fantastic together! I'm sad this series is coming to an end, but I look forward to whatever Manda Collins has in store for her readers next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Quick and Dirty
-Regency Era cozy mystery
-romance subplot
-🌶️🌶️/5 open door
-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
-fun murder mystery
-fourth in a series

Swipe for the full synopsis!

What Worked
I seem to have a bad habit of starting series out of order, which is exactly what I did with this Manda Collins novel. Yes, I own all the rest of the series but haven’t gotten around to reading them yet. That, however, did not stop me from jumping right into this novel and enjoying it immensely. Though it’s the fourth and final in the series, I never felt lost. Though romance plays a part in this fun read, it’s definitely not the primary focus. Solving the mysterious murder of her employer is Jane’s primary goal; it just so happens that she reconnects with her girlhood crush and falls in love with him while doing so. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the mystery more than the romance in this book. I was very caught up in the whodunnit drama and wanted to know more about all the possible suspects. The cast of characters made this quick read so much fun! I loved getting to know Jane, Lord Adrian, and all the other supporting roles. Lastly, the romance wasn’t too steamy, which I appreciate!

What Didn’t Work
Given that this is my first Manda Collins book, I didn’t really know what to expect. I thought I was reading a romance when, in fact, I was not. The romance was on the side and didn’t develop until much later in the (rather short) book. Sure, there were flirtations and swoon-worthy moments along the way, but not much in the action department until much later. Still, the romance was believable and quite enjoyable. Though some funny moments had much chuckling, don’t expect much hilarity or banter. This is much more of a murder mystery than anything else.

Read This If
Folks who enjoy a good whodunnit with Bridgerton-era vibes should read this!