From Governess to Countess by Marguerite Kaye
4 stars
From Governess To Countess is a regency style romance set in St. Petersburg, Russia. It is book #1 of the Matches Made In Scandal series.
The book opens in London 1815; a woman known as The Procurer has been asked to find a herbalist. Allison Galbraith is currently hiding after being made a scapegoat by those who call themselves doctors, and who disapprove of her herbal remedies. With her confidence and her reputation in pieces, she accepts the Procurer’s job offer.
Count Aleksei Derevenko has requested, ostensibly, a governess for his three young wards; in reality he wants a herbalist, who is unknown to his Russian peers, and who can solve a mystery. He suspects that his brother was poisoned, but with no witnesses, no obvious motive and his brother’s wife dying just days after her husband, it seems like the perfect crime.
Set amongst the palaces and the privileged of a city known as ‘Venice of the North’, this book is filled with ornate architecture and grandeur, but the story also mixes the more simplistic art of apothecary and I enjoyed Allison’s herbalist elements. Whilst working closely with Aleksei a special bond forms almost immediately between them, which neither can deny. But with such differing backgrounds, surely they can never be together?
Recommended for those who enjoy this genre of romance, with a delightful setting giving it a lovely touch.
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The scandalous truth about the count’s new mistress! A Matches Made in Scandal story Count Aleksei Derevenko has hired governess Allison Galbraith for her skills as a herbalist, not a mistress! But when rumors spread, Allison is more shocked by her wanton reaction to Aleksei–inscrutable and impossibly handsome, his icy blue eyes promise white-hot nights of sin. She knows too well how fragile her reputation is, but will the price of their passion be worth paying?
Rosie Amber 
I’m not a big romance reader, but the setting and the background story make it sound very appealing. Thanks, Rosie.
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Thank you Olga.
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Sounds appropriately swoon worthy 🙂
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