I wanted to write the book with an old-world romance style but in a contemporary setting. My goal was to maintain a classic tone reminiscent of some of the treasured books I'd grown up reading Emma, Sense & Sensibility. I hope readers love Sophie and Sebastian as much as I enjoyed creating them.
Book Description
Sophie Baird is looking for a way to escape the painful reality of her parents' deaths. Unable to live in their home any longer, she takes a job as a live-in tutor to Anastasia Shipley to remove herself from her painful memories and the feeling that God has abandoned her. Anastasia has an illness that has prevented her from ever attending school and makes her father, Sebastian, over protective. When Sophie first meets Sebastian, she cannot deny the intense attraction she feels toward him. When an unexpected romance begins between them, she starts to rebuild her relationship with God, with the help of a certain little girl.
From the Author
It's exciting to bring my characters to readers' lives for them to enjoy their story. I wanted to write a tale of love and inspiration with a romantic hero, and a heroine in need of "rescuing." Now, this is not a damsel-in-distress tale per see, like a knight in shining armor rescuing the imprisoned princess. However, this is more of a modern day twist. The hero, Sebastian Shipley is a well-to-do business man who has a daughter with an illness. She is in need of a live-in tutor. Into the picture comes the heroine, Sophie Baird. So what does she need rescuing from? A few months earlier, her parents died in a car accident and she needs to escape the pain of their death and be rescued from her life.
One of my favorite authors is Jane Austen. I love her books, my favorites--Emma, Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice. I thought it would be neat to include some Austenesque elements into the book and my heroine is also a huge Austen fan. I wanted to write the book with an old-world romance style but in a contemporary setting. My goal was to maintain a classic tone reminiscent of some of the treasured books I'd grown up reading. I hope readers love Sophie and Sebastian as much as I enjoyed creating them.
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Excerpt
Since Sebastian had given Anastasia a reprieve from schoolwork, Sophie had the rest of the day to herself. They’d just returned from their excursion to the park and Sophie was glad to be nice and cozy inside. Earlier, she had heard Anastasia’s giggles as she bantered with her grandfather. Apparently, they had been discussing which movie to settle in for that afternoon. She figured Sebastian and David had buried themselves under mounds of paperwork in the study. Left to her own devices, Sophie had taken a twenty-minute power nap. Now the restlessness set in and she decided to take a private tour of the London townhouse. Sebastian had given permission to explore to her heart’s content. However, she still felt like Belle from Beauty and the Beast and hoped her wanderings remained free of any hidden discoveries—like the Beast’s covered rose.
Sophie stepped out of her room and began roaming through the upstairs hallway. She found a narrow staircase at the end of the hall, which looked like the passageway to the servants’ quarters of a bygone era. As she climbed her way to the top, she reached another doorway. Hoping it opened, she turned the knob. Cobwebs and dust met her senses and she coughed as she entered. Now she truly felt like Belle, ready for Sebastian to come up after her growling that she’d intruded on sacred family ground.
Realizing she stepped into the attic, she moved slowly, groping for a light switch. Noticing a string hanging from the ceiling, she pulled it. A single light bulb illuminated the room. She saw at once that she’d come upon a treasure trove of family heirlooms and memories. Sensory overload halted her progress and then a large, worn-looking brown leather book caught her eye. Gingerly stepping on the floor boards, she mentally thanked the person that had placed the wooden planks across the rafters.
Sophie reached for the book and opened the cover, as dust filled her nostrils, causing her to sneeze. One by one, she began slowly turning the faded pages and saw a younger version of Alexander and, she assumed, his wife. Continuing to peruse the book, she noticed their two young sons. As she reached the middle pages, she observed Sebastian on his wedding day. Sophie gasped—she already thought he was handsome—but in the photo, his happiness shone through. Suddenly overwhelmed and saddened for all that he and his daughter had lost when Katherine passed away, she started tearing up. Closing the book, she held it to her chest. She wanted to find love someday with someone, hopefully Sebastian—like he had shared with his wife.
Professional Reviews
A charming inspirational romance By Jackie
Love, in all its shades, is featured in Joanne Troppello’s charming story Mr. Shipley’s Governess. From loss to found, bleak to blooming, selfish to generous, and everything in between.
If Mr. Shipley’s Governess was a painting the nuances of light and shade would be amazing. Mr. Shipley’s Governess is an Inspirational romance and the character’s faith and attitude towards God is an integral party of the story. Ms. Troppello offers up three main characters two adults and a child, Sebastian Shipley, his daughter Anastasia and Sophie Baird, all with flaws, emotional and/or physical, and weaves a delightful story of how loss turns to discovery and then belief and reaffirmation, both in love of each other and in their faith and their God.
The author’s writing style carried this reader right into the events of her characters. Family is all, and the inclusion of the governess changes the dynamics for all of them in ways none anticipated.
Sebastion Shipley is a believable mixture of strong and vulnerable, but someone who can easily allow himself to be lead down the wrong path long enough to throw a major spanner in the works.
Ana, Anastasia, is a child, who, from circumstances and faith, is wise beyond her years. The author wove the essence of Ana into and through the story with charming skill and integrity of the child. But, Ms. Troppello never allows the reader to forget that Ana is still a child, and includes some wonderful cameo scenes for her.
Sophie Baird is what in Regency times would be called a ‘watering pot’, she’s a crier. If I have a niggle with this story it is the number of times Sophie cries. But then, in real life, I have seen men who love a fragile woman they can protect, and you see this blossom in Sebastion.
Sentences such as …‘Sophie locked his kind words in the bank of her heart and savored them.’ …is a wonderful insight to Sophie’s yearning to belong, while…‘More than he cared to admit, he’d thought about Sophie often.’ .. caught me off guard and caused an interruption in an otherwise beautifully smooth and delightful read.
Ms. Troppello vivid writing takes her readers from America to London and Bath before crossing the waters to Ireland. Every setting came across as immediate and realistic. I have read stories, many of them, set in places I’ve never visited, and have gone along with the descriptions, but in Mr. Shipley’s Governess I felt as though I was a member of their party, sharing the experiences as her characters saw them.
Mr. Shipley’s Governess is written with depth of character, intense emotions, and an awesome dexterity to carry the reader to several different destinations with equal vibrancy, all of which show the author’s characters in every facet of their personalities.
If you enjoy stories that include family, romance and travel then Mr. Shipley’s Governess is a book worth reading. If you enjoy a well written book, then why not consider reading Mr. Shipley’s Governess before finding more books by Joanne Troppello?
Old world romance, with a modern flair! By Marianne T. Evans "Marmo"
Mr. Shipley's Governess features old-world romance told in a unique, courtly voice. The setting and circumstances surrounding the love story of Sebastian Shipley and Sophie Baird are thoroughly modern, but the author's style of description and the evolution of the plot are very reminiscent of the classics we've all grown to love and treasure: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights to name but a few.
Ms. Troppollo packs drama and emotion into the pages of this novel, telling a captivating story of love lost and found. Sebastian Shipley is a widower. Sophie Baird lost her parents to a tragic accident. Their story begins as Sophie is hired as teacher and governess to Sebastian's charming little girl, Anastasia.
The references to faith and God are powerful. Though circumstances conspire against them in the form of wounded hearts beginning to heal, Anastasia's fragile health, terrifying accidents and would-be romantic entanglements from the direction of a socialite with an eye on Sebastian , the references to faith and holding fast to God's hand are powerful for both the hero and heroine and make the book a warm-hearted pleasure to read.
Mr. Shipley's Governess is a must for fans of classic-style romance. Kudos, Ms. Troppollo, on a book well written and lovingly created! Five-Stars.
The author provided this reviewer with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Enjoyable read by Jenni at Romancing the Book
Sebastian Shipley is a businessman, widower and an over-protective father of a young girl whose health prevents her from attending school. Seeking to find a tutor for Anastasia, Sebastian places an ad, praying that the right person will come into their lives.
Sophie Baird is still mourning the recent loss of her parents but answers a newspaper ad for a live-in tutor, hoping for a change of scenery and the time to heal. Practically hired on the spot, Sophie begins to get settled in her new home (which happens to be a huge, beautiful mansion) and finds her charge to be the perfect, proficient student. As Sophie and Ana grow closer as friends, the story gathers speed on a trek that aims to redirect Sophie's heart toward trusting God. But while Sebastian sees Sophie as an answer to his prayers for Ana, he realizes that God may be offering him a second chance at love at the same time.
Drama begins to unfold when Ana's health takes a turn for the worse while Sebastian is on business in Europe. But when Sebastian's life becomes threatened as he makes his way home, will he trust God to watch over Ana and Sophie until he can make it home safely? And will Sophie find the strength to trust God to see her through the challenges she faces with caring for Ana and a growing attraction to her employer?
Mr. Shipley's Governess is a sweet and comforting contemporary story that I really enjoyed. It has a fast-paced, easy flow that keeps the pages turning with some nice twists and turns but, as a result, lacks any real depth with regard to detail. The story's editing also lacks a spit-shine polish (i.e. pairing one character's movement with another character's dialogue in the same paragraph, or not designating enough dialogue) which might confuse readers a bit. Some passages I needed to reread a time or two to keep the characters straight. But all that aside, the story reads a lot like a period piece thanks to a lavish setting and travels to England and Ireland. A few mild innuendos add to the fun and romantic tension between Sebastian and Sophie as we watch their friendship build into a touching romance. Sebastian's romantic side is sure to make readers sigh with a smile.
While definitely a romance with moderate inspirational tones, this story did not strike me as being too preachy, nor too heart-wrenchingly tragic, which is often my gripe within spirational fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and recommend it to those looking for a nice, cozy and comforting romantic read.
Erotic Interracial/ Reincarnation/ Suspense]
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