I’m reading a nonfiction book, a novel, and just starting a mystery right now. And, yet I read four historical romances over the weekend. So, I’m going to talk about Tessa Dare’s three books, although the fourth in the series, The Bride Bet, won’t be out until August.

Dare’s Girl Meets Duke series focuses on four friends. Emma Pembroke, a seamstress, is featured in the first in the series, The Duchess Deal. The Duke of Ashbury has returned from war disfigured. Although he had a fiancee when he left, once she saw him, she dumped him. But, someone still owes Emma for the wedding gown she made. When Emma shows up at Ashbury’s house to ask for payment, he decides she’ll do for a wife. He needs an heir. He has a few terms, including no romance. Emma has other ideas if she’s going to marry a man she doesn’t even know and bear his child.

In The Governess Game, an infamous rake, Chase Reynaud, is desperate for a governess for his two wards. He admits the two girls “were incorrigible, morbid hellions” who hold daily, sometimes twice daily, funerals involving dolls and jam. Alexandra Mountbatten is mistaken for the new governess, but she’s desperate for a job. She knows Chase isn’t a proper gentleman, but she should be able to educate his wards.

Gabriel Duke owns the property next to Lady Penelope Campion’s in The Wallflower Wager. Once he renovates it, he knows he’ll make a tidy profit because people will pay to live next to Lady Penelope. However, that also means they’ll have to live next door to a goat, a steer, hens, a hedgehog, and assorted other animals because Penny loves all creatures. He demands that she get rid of them. She insists he find them all homes. Not so easy.

The August release, The Bride Bet, will feature Nicola Teague, the fourth friend, and I’ll certainly pick that up. The three books are all funny and steamy with hot sex scenes. They also feature interesting characters. The women are supportive of each other, although they come from different strata in society. While not all the men are noblemen, they do all have money. And, once they get to know the heroines in the books, they are supportive of the women who become their wives, and supportive of their wives’ interests, whether the interests are animals or books. But, there are issues in their lives that, interestingly, Dare mentions on her website.

On her website, https://tessadare.com, Dare has a new feature, “Content Advisories”. She started it in August 2019.  I haven’t seen these on authors’ websites before, but perhaps they are on other sites for authors of historical romances, or romances in general. Since I read many more mysteries than romances, I’ve never seen this before. But, it’s worth mentioning. At one time there was a romance site that ranked sexuality in the books. It was quite helpful for librarians assisting patrons. Dare’s “Content Advisories” are interesting. (If someone has seen them elsewhere, please let me know.)

I’m going to quote Dare’s website so readers understand why, as a librarian, I’m interested in this feature. She writes, “These content advisories are offered for readers who want or need to avoid distressing content. Examples include (but aren’t limited to) physical or sexual assault, domestic violence, pregnancy loss, character death, PTSD, child abuse, and other kinds of trauma.”

Let me say, I have not read any dramatic examples of any of these in the three books I read. However, some of this content has been referred to, and characters suffer as a result, but it has not been dramatized in the three books I’ve read.

Dare goes on to say, “General notes: To varying degrees, all of my books include descriptive sexual content, drinking, and profanity. The occasional punch is thrown. Weapons are brandished. Attempted robberies and minor carriage accidents are not uncommon.”

Are you still curious as to what specific Content Advisories are? Here the one for The Wallflower Wager.

“This book has lots of animals in it. None of them die.”


“Potentially distressing elements include:
     Heroine with a history of child sexual abuse (discussed and remembered, but does not happen on
     the page)

     Heroine confronts her abuser (happens on the page)

     Hero with a history of abandonment and extreme poverty in childhood (mentioned)

     A duel is planned, but no shots are fired.”

Actually, I’m impressed. Without having read any of Tessa Dare’s previous books, I suspect she is an author who knows her audience and their concerns.

Not quite what you expected with today’s review? That’s okay. It’s been a few years since I read historical romances. The books by Tessa Dare and Sarah MacLean aren’t what I remember of historical romances. As I said, I’m impressed.

Tessa Dare’s website is https://tessadare.com