What happens when love walks into a home haunted by grief? In All About Genevieve, Shana Galen closes out the Misfortunes Favorites series with a romance that is quiet, mature, and utterly moving.
A widowed father. A strong-hearted governess. And a curse that demands a sacrifice. This finale delivers emotional closure with warmth and depth.
New to the Misfortunes Favorites Series?
While each book can be read standalone, the Scottish curse storyline connects all three. Reading order: The King and Vi → My Fair Katie → All About Genevieve
Title: All About Genevieve by Shana Galen
Series: Misfortunes Favorites #3
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Pages: 296 pages (paperback) | 316 pages (Kindle)
Publish Date: July 18, 2024
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Steam Level: Moderate
Content Notes: Grief, loss of spouse/child, Scottish curse elements
Reading Time: Approximately 5-6 hours
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
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Book Description
Emory (Rory) Lumley, younger son of the Duke of Tralee, was cursed at the age of thirteen by a Scottish witch. As preordained by the witch, on his thirtieth birthday, tragedy strikes, claiming the lives of his wife and infant son and leaving Rory consumed with guilt. He flees to the Continent, abandoning his young daughter. A half year later, he returns to find his once-docile daughter is now a willful, spoiled child prone to tantrums. She's sent numerous governesses packing and attempts to do the same with Rory. But Rory isn’t going anywhere. Frances is his only family now, and he needs a governess who can take Frances in hand while he attempts to rebuild his life.
At thirty, Genevieve Brooking has been a governess almost half her life. Genevieve takes the position of governess to Frances Lumley at nearby Lilacfall Abbey. Frances is a challenge, but Genevieve knows how to manage wayward, grieving children. What she isn’t prepared for is the wayward, grieving master of the house. Rory is cold and distant at first, then grudgingly appreciative, and when she marries him out of convenience, she sees a side of him she could love.
But Rory’s past interferes with their budding romance when he is given a counter-spell. With his family and friends, Rory returns to the scene of the crime, where the witch’s sister appears again. She tells Rory what he’s always feared—he can reverse the curse but only by offering a sacrifice.
Rory must search his heart and soul to choose between love or redemption.
My Review
This final installment in the Misfortunes Favorites series is more introspective than the first two, but every bit as rewarding. Rory is a man flattened by grief, shaped by guilt, and terrified to trust in hope. Watching him reconnect with his daughter and cautiously open his heart again is deeply satisfying.
Genevieve is a phenomenal heroine. She's grounded, emotionally intelligent, and used to navigating difficult households. Her presence brings calm and strength, and the way she anchors both Rory and Frances is as romantic as it is heroic. The progression from mutual duty to genuine love is beautifully paced, never rushed.
This emotional finale builds beautifully on the foundation set in The King and Vi and the character growth explored in My Fair Katie. While each book stands alone, reading the series in order enhances the emotional payoff of the curse resolution.
Perfect for Readers Who Love
- Widower hero historical romance with emotional depth
- Governess heroine stories featuring strong, capable women
- Marriage of convenience with children dynamics
- Scottish curse romance series with supernatural elements
- Slow burn Regency romance with mature themes
- Single father romance novels exploring grief and healing
The marriage of convenience trope works especially well here because it’s built on compassion rather than convenience. Genevieve doesn’t save Rory—she reminds him he’s still capable of saving himself. Their dynamic is one of mature, earned affection, not dramatic declarations.
The Weight of the Curse
In All About Genevieve, the curse that has loomed over all three books reaches its final reckoning. The twist involving a counter-spell and sacrifice adds weight to Rory’s choices and ties the entire trilogy together in an emotionally satisfying way.
Rather than using the curse as a gimmick, Galen uses it as a lens for loss, fear, and redemption. In this story, Rory must decide whether breaking the curse is worth risking the life he’s finally beginning to rebuild. It’s no longer about fate—it’s about what kind of man he wants to be.
My Favorite Quote
“I love you too, Genevieve. Now stop crying”—he caught one of her tears of happiness on his fingertip—“and kiss me.” She did.
Why I Think You Would Like This
If you enjoy quieter, emotionally complex romances with slow-burn intensity, All About Genevieve is a must-read. It’s tender without being saccharine, and Rory’s arc from shut-down widower to devoted husband is one of the most rewarding of the series.
If You Love This, Try These
Fans of widower hero historical romance will enjoy Mary Balogh's Someone to Hold or Grace Burrowes' The Soldier. For more governess heroine stories, try Lisa Kleypas' Then Came You or Tessa Dare's When a Scot Ties the Knot.
📚 Explore More from the Misfortunes Favorites Series
My Final Thoughts
Shana Galen delivers a beautiful, emotionally grounded finale with All About Genevieve. It offers both romantic resolution and thematic closure for the series. Whether you came for the curses or stayed for the characters, this ending will leave you deeply satisfied—and maybe a little teary.
Sometimes a curse could be a blessing. And he had been blessed beyond measure.
This one’s going on my keeper shelf. If you haven’t started the Misfortunes Favorites trilogy yet, it’s time.
About the Author
Shana Galen is a three-time RITA Award nominee and the bestselling author of fast-paced, witty, and adventurous Regency romances. Her books have been praised by Kirkus as "intense, conflicted, suspenseful and fun," and RT Book Reviews calls them "lighthearted yet poignant, humorous yet touching." Before writing full-time, she taught English for over a decade in Houston's inner city schools. Today, she's a full-time author, wife, and proud mom to a daughter who may just grow up to be a romance heroine herself. Learn more at shanagalen.com.
Join the Conversation
Have you finished the Misfortunes Favorites series? Which book was your favorite? I’d love to hear what you thought of Rory and Genevieve’s story—or how you felt about the curse’s conclusion. Drop your thoughts in the comments or explore more historical romance reviews here on the blog.
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