The Silent Governess

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

KLASSEN, JULIE

THE SILENT GOVERNESS

Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything -- his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

My Review:

This is my third read through of this novel -- well, really a 'listen through' -- and I absolutely adored it just as much the first and second time. In fact, I might have enjoyed actually listening to it a wee bit more.  Elizabeth Jasicki did an amazing job with her narration. Felt like listening to a BBC mini-drama. 

Stunning! I get breathless just thinking about how good this is! I grieved when it was over.

Klassen has an exquisite command of the English language and she isn't afraid to use it. Rich descriptions paint a vivid picture and carry the reader away into an Austen-like setting. "The autumn air was crisp, the wood a colorful fresco of flaming brown and orange beechwood trees..." (p.96) Doesn't that conjure up a reaction in all your senses? I can smell the musty scent of decaying leaves, hear them rustling under the children's feet, see the brilliant colours in contrast to the blue sky...It's passages like these that elevate Klassen's writing into the sublime.

In case you haven't guessed by now -- I LOVED this book, as I have every other one this author has written. Her characters are richly developed, the plot is complex and full of surprises and the romance --- be still my heart! How can you resist a man such as this:

"She stretched her legs out before her, and Edward glimpsed a sliver of stocking and tapered ankle. He averted his gaze. He was not a man to sneak a look at a woman's leg." (p.177)

But the course to true-love is never straight and Klassen sends her hero and heroine along a very crooked, perilous road indeed! And every moment of their romance is to be savored and copious scenes to be read over for the sheer thrill of it!

Klassen's bio says that she loves "all things -- Jane -- Jane Eyre and Jane Austen" and I certainly got a feel for that and yet her own distinctive voice is not lost in similarities. Rather she has crafted a unique epic of her own that will be cherished by fans for years to come.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Silent Governess, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 18 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!