Rating: 
Summary: Clever, but...
Review: I subtitle this book, Little Orphan Annie Does Queen Victoria. Ms. Dodd makes the orphan sub-plot work fairly well; it doesn't distract from the 'main event', i.e. aristocratic babe disguised as dowdy governess reforms rake and lives happily ever after. (I can't say as much for a business intrigue sub-plot, though it did support a role for a memorable grandfather and serve as a flimsy excuse for Someone to get shot.) Overall, this book set out to be clever and witty, and it succeeds in places - though I can't say I ever LOL. The erotic passages are up to par, but could have been more affecting if they'd reflected more fully developed and believable main characters. To be fair, this book recalled Wilde's 'An Ideal Husband' and probably deserves another star for meeting its limited goals, but I read the genre for a different kind of escape - and never quite got there.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining
Review: In a word entertaining. Adopting an orphan to win back the Queen's favor sounds a little far fetched as a story line, but Ms Dodd actually makes it believable. Not her best work, but very enjoyable.
Rating: 
Summary: Miss Dodd at her best!
Review: In order to restore Queen Victoria's favor, Devon Mathewes, scoundrel, rake and enjoying his life being single must do something meaningful with his life to make him respectable again. His plan in adopting an orphan along with hiring a governess that must be plain and must be able to resist his charms backfires when Pamela Lockhart from The Distinguished Academy of Governess enters his home, his life and his heart. Pamela Lockhart takes on the challenge. Disguising her beauty under plain and drab clothing, a severe hairstyle, glasses and powder she becomes the governess Devon wants her to be and goes along with his plan and adopts an orphan from the orphanage. Rules of Engagement with a twist of "Annie" is a book with lots of tender, romantic and laugh out loud moments and love scenes that will scorch your senses and leave you breathless for more. Rules of Engagement made me fall madly in love with the wit of Christina Dodd! This is by far one of her best book yet and the story of Pamela Lockhart, governess extraordinaire and Devon Mathewes, earl of Kenrich, arrogant, good looking and a hero to definitely drool over in spite of his vanity is, a story worth reading, worth sighing about and a book definitely worth buying! I truly recommend this one!
Rating: 
Summary: This is Jane Eyre¿on crack
Review: It starts out okay. Pamela, an ambitious governess dresses as an older, uglier woman because the guy Devon doesn't want some the governess to lust after him. She's a funny creature, admonishing him as "Young man" and criticizing his "animal tendencies". The plot is a bit of a stretch. Why the hell did Devon get the idea that he would need to adopt an orphan to become respectable? I don't know. Devon's character includes affinity to children (did you expect anything less). Seems coincidental that all the leading men in romance books like children, eh? The real weakness is the orphan itself. Gosh, that annoying brat killed the heat, damnit! Of course that kiddo Elizabeth was liked by Devon. If you prefer the usage of office equipment for matter of consummation, well, here's a treat for you. But how they do it.. well, it made me skim and wish it was done quickly.
Rating:
Summary: Rich, arrogant male seeks older, unattractive governess
Review: Lord Kerrich wants respectability, so he develops a hare-brained plan to adopt an orphan and have himself glorified as a philanthropist. But an orphan requires a governess and he knows all women find him devestatingly attractive, so he hires Miss Pamela Lockhart of The Distinguished Academy of Governesses. He doesn't realize she's actually young and attractive, and willing to play the crone for the salary he's offering. Rules of Engagement made me LOL at Kerrich's incredible arrogance, and I couldn't wait until Pamela was revealed. Great fun. A definite buy.
Rating:
Summary: Passionate AND heartwarming
Review: Pamela Lockhart has a problem - she's much too beautiful to be a governess. So she hides under frumpy clthes and an excess of cosmetics to be governess to the ward a handsome young Earl had fetched from an orphanage solely to prove to Queen Victoria that he was respectable and responsible. It doesn't take long for Devon to discover the beauty that is more than skin deep - and to discover that Pamela is that rarest woman of all - one whom he can love forever. This is the second in Dodd's series about the founders of the Distinguished Academy of Governesses. I am looking forward to the third!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Queen Victoria threatens to blackmail Lord Kerrich unless he becomes respectable. Having no plans to marry, Kerrich decides to pretend to adopt an orphan. He goes to the financially struggling Distinguished Academy of Governesses to make his demands, which include any ugly spinster as the governess. Part owner Pamela Lockhart dresses in a disguise to hide her beauty and accepts the job. Pamela finds Beth at the orphanage. Kerrich, who has a super-ego when it comes to women, thinks Pamela is perfect, but has doubts about a girl. Kerrich also is trying to uncover the head of a counterfeiting ring that includes his cousin. To his shock, Kerrich is attracted to Pamela and she to him after he kisses her. However, she wonders how he will react to her when he learns the truth about her deception. Additionally, she worries about his tossing Beth out of his home. Christina Dodd, author of sixteen wonderful romances, which include SOMEDAY MY PRINCE and THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS, has written an interesting historical romance. The Victorian love story provides an intriguing look at the era's gender relationships, especially how males stereotyped females. The two ethical lead characters struggle with the seeming lack of commitments and honor by his still living mother and her now deceased father, which adds to the fun of their developing love for one another. Beth is a fabulous secondary player who deserves her own Victorian romantic tale hopefully told soon by the always-entertaining Ms. Dodd. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A solid 4 & 1/2 stars
Review: Read out of order, but it's one of my favorites in the series. Devon is so full of himself, so conceited, so vain....it's both exasperating and amusing. When he's considering all the reasons Pamela ought to marry him, he happens to catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror and adds, "Handsome. Dashing." to his mental list. He's right, but he knows it in the most concetied way. He was not, however, raised that way as we see from his wonderful grandfather. So, over the course of the book, Devon's eyes are opened about the state of his heart and he matures greatly. He and Pamela suffer from the same emotional turmoil: an inability to trust in the fidelity of the opposite sex because of the actions of a parent. This, more than his conceit, is the obstacle they must overcome. We see multiple aspects of Pamela's personality: the warm, idealistic young woman who loves children and just wants peace & security, the no-nonsense governness who is prim and proper and completely willing to look down her nose at her unfeeling employer, and the woman of passion who loves despite the walls she has built around her heart. Pamela is freed more than she grows as a person. And her character and kindness help guide Devon's reformation. Beth is a delightful child, though she sometimes seems old for her age. I would like to have seen more of why Devon's best friend was his best friend. I thought the counterfeiting mystery could have had more depth. Motivations could have been stronger, and the characters involved could have been better defined. But the romance is marvelous, and as several reviewers have noted, hot. An excellent book, rated down from 5 stars only for the superficiality of the counterfeiting plot.
Rating:
Summary: Nobody does it better than Christina Dodd...
Review: Rich and arrogant, Devon Mathewes, earl of Kerrich, enjoys his rakish lifestyle, and has no wish for change. However, he has recently fallen out of favor with Queen Victoria, his friend since childhood. She wishes him to give up his roaming, and settle down to a respectable life with one woman, or she will reveal an embarrassing indiscretion he has kept secret for years. To get back in her good graces, Devon has devised a plan. He approaches the Distinguished Academy of Governesses to hire a governess. There are a few stipulations for her employment. She must be plain, dowdy, past her prime, and have given up on all possibility of marriage. Because he is just fed up with women showing up naked in his bedchamber, and throwing themselves at his handsome, irresistible self. This governess must also procure a male orphan for him to sponsor, therefore giving the illusion he has changed into a stable, respectable person, without resorting to marriage. The young and beautiful Miss Pamela Lockhart does not meet these requirements, but she'll have to do. Disguising her beauty beneath large plain clothing, makeup and ugly glasses, she fools Devon, but not his wiley old grandfather who keeps her secret. Devon finds himself attracted to Pamela's mind, if not her appearance. And the orphan, Beth, is becoming more important to him than she should. Devon is finding it hard to concentrate on the other problems plaguing him and his family. Somebody is counterfeiting money, and it's threatening the family bank. In the end, this person may end up a threat to those he now finds he can't live without. Especially when he "uncovers" the real Pamela. This second book of the Governess Bride series is not only one of my series favorites, but one of my all-time favorite romances as well. The strong, independent and pragmatic Pamela has aristocratic roots, but has purposefully avoided marriage thus far. The fact she basically seduces Devon the first time was refreshing, and perhaps one of the steamiest love scenes I've ever read. I love the fact Ms. Dodd's heroines are frequently not above a little assertive seduction of their own! Devon was wonderful also - he came off as being so arrogant and sure of himself, but underneath he had a big heart. But probably the best character of all was Devon's grandfather who provided so much of the humor in this book. He was a riot! The intrigue was a nice extra also, although we knew who the culprit was. So to sum it up, this book was funny, sexy, well written, and difficult to put down. An all around winner from one of my favorite authors!! Don't miss it!
Rating:
Summary: An Engaging Novel with Wonderful Characters
Review: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, Dodd's second book in her "governess" series, is probably better than anything she has written so far -- the characters, most particularly the hero, are well-drawn and likable, and the novel practically vibrates with humor and intelligence. The Distinguished Academy of Governesses isn't doing so well, financially speaking, when Devon, the Earl of Kerrich, strolls in one day and arrongantly demands a governess, along with an orphan for her to take of, so that Queen Victoria will declare him respectable -- after which, he'll promptly drop the orphan, of course. For this duplicitous scheme, he's willing to pay the D.A.G. an obscene amount of money, so the question of their compliance is, naturally, a non-issue (to him). As far as the governess goes, he only has one requirement: that she be too old and matronly to come on to him (the Earl's had several bad experiences with women showing up naked in his bedroom before, and he's beginning to find it tiring). Although her business partner expresses grave doubts as to the wisdom of this scheme, Pamella Lockhart is much too fond of money to let this opportunity pass her by, so, disguising herself as an old spinster, she moves into the Earl's house and proceeds with her job. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT was entertaining and funny and an all-around good book. The counterfitting plot was a little weak -- not to mention completely unnecessary -- but, oh well. I could certainly understand why Pamella would fall in love with Devon, and her doubts about the relationship were completely logical. Devon, meanwhile, was humorous simply because he was so conceited, arrogant, and self-centered. The only thing I didn't like about R. of ENGAGEMENT was the last fifty pages or so, which were way too melodramatic and self-pitying, but all in all, I liked this book and the characters in it. The love scene in the library alone is worth the cost of this book! If you haven't read Christina Dodd before, I'd recommend starting with RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. If you're a Dodd fan, I think you're in for a treat.
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