The youngest daughter, with 4 older siblings, finds her life being planned for her as if she had no desires of her own although she is only two weeks from turning 30. Having cared for her aging parents until their demise a year previously she knows she must rebel if she is to have any life to call her own. So she announces her intention to become a governess to a Dukes young sister. This is a Duke that she shared a blossoming romance with 15 years earlier. But the Duke has not been home for 15 years. Will fate intervene and true love find a way to come to the forefront? That is what makes this story a delightful read to enjoy from beginning to end.

I have rated this book 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

I was really excited to read this book, as the synopsis made it sound super interesting and engaging. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the expectations it set, and I found myself putting the book down. A lot. It was a struggle just to finish it. Mostly because the two main characters had zero chemistry. Honestly, I felt like the relationship between them was forced to make the story work. They supposedly have this big connection from when they were teenagers, but it's not described enough to make the reader feel that the connection is still there. It's been 15 years, and during that time the hero has gone through a string of mistresses and is well known for his scandalous exploits. Not only that, but he brings his next would-be mistress to the same home as his teenage sister, along with his companions, who are not much better than he. Max seemed like a man who doesn't really care about anything but getting what he wants, and I was amazed at how much he allowed the Elisa woman (his would-be mistress) to get away with it. He actually allows his sister to socialize with this woman, as well as her friends, and it made no sense for that time period. He HAD to know how inappropriate that was. Abby deserved better, and as she was taken advantage of by her family, she was also taken advantage of by Max.

I received a free copy of The Duke I Once Knew in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and easy read. Even though there were a lot of characters, the author, Olivia Drake, did a good job of differentiating them. The plot was intriguing, and I enjoyed the history and the chemistry between Max and Abigail.

I would definitely nrecommend this book to friends.and family.

Abigail is at a crossroads in her life. Having been the caretaker for her elderly parents until their deaths the previous year, Abby wants to make a life on her own. She decides to apply for the position of governess at a nearby estate. Max was stunned when he saw that Abby was his sister’s governess. He had never gotten over her rejection of him 15 years earlier. But, he is drawn to her in a way that he isn’t drawn to most women. Will there be a chance at second-hand love? Or will Max slip through Abby’s fingers yet again?

I had mentioned in my WWW Wednesday post that I didn’t care for The Duke I Once Knew. When I had posted that, I was about 50% through the book. I wasn’t lying. I didn’t care for the book at that point. I did like the main characters and their storyline. I didn’t like the extra drama. Like I mentioned in that post, I just about lost my eyes because they were rolling so hard. Weirdly enough, I did like the last half of the book. All the drama was pushed to the back-burner and I got to enjoy the book for what it was. Abby and Max rediscovering each other.

I thought that Abby gave up a lot in her life. To take care of her parents, Abby gave up any chance of marriage. At 30, she was considered a spinster. And guess what, she was fine with that. What she wasn’t fine with was her brothers and sisters arguing about what to do with her. I didn’t blame her for deciding to go and apply for that governess position. Even though she thought that Max hated her, she still went and became his sister’s governess. I loved how sarcastic Abby was. Her zingers at Max had me laughing.

I liked Max even though I thought he was a tool. Who brings a woman he wants to seduces to a house he hasn’t been to in 15 years? Max does. But, for all his faults, he was a good guy. He went out of his way to help Abby when he shouldn’t have. He treated his house servants like family. He was willing to do the right thing by Abby when they had sex by the lake. He made hero status in my eyes with what he did with his wannabe mistress. I cheered when that happened.

I loved that this was a second chance romance. I liked seeing Abby and Max rediscover their romance. It was sweet. Second chance romances are some of my favorites to read. I like seeing people rediscover what made them fall in love. Of course, they had obstacles to overcome. Mainly the witch that Max brought home with him.

There was sex in this book. But what I liked was that it wasn’t graphic. The author left enough unsaid where I had to use my imagination. What I liked also was that Abby was comfortable enough in her own skin to own what happened. I liked that she didn’t want Max to offer for her because they bumped uglies. She wanted him to offer for her because he loved her. Not because he felt he was honor-bound because he popped her cherry.

I couldn’t stand Lady Desmond. She was a despicable human being. She was so jealous of Abby that she was willing to hurt her to take her out of the picture. She was also willing to put Max’s younger sister in situations that young women shouldn’t be in. And with people that they should be around. I was wondering if Max was ever going to come to his senses about her. I was disappointed it took almost the entire book for him to actually do something.

I didn’t like the end of the book. It seemed rushed. I didn’t like how Abby jumped to conclusions about Lady Desmond and Max. It went against everything that I had read about their relationship. It also ended suddenly. There was the HEA and then nothing. I was expecting an epilogue or something that showed what happened after the “I love you” was said. Also, seeing that this was book 1 in the Unlikely Duchesses series, I couldn’t pinpoint who the next story was about? Was it Abby’s niece? Or Max’s sister? Again, usually, there is a hint about who the next book is about.

I gave The Duke I Once Knew a 3.5-star rating. I enjoyed reading this book but it fell flat for me in some areas. I loved how Abby was an independent woman in an era where a woman was expected to be seen but not heard. It was the extra drama involving Lady Desmond that lowered my rating. While it did add some depth, I felt that her storyline went on for too long. Other than that, I enjoyed the book.

I would give The Duke I Once Knew an Adult rating. There is sex. There is violence. There is no language. There are triggers. They would be suicide. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Duke I Once Knew. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Paperbacks, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Duke I Once Knew.

All opinions stated in this review of The Duke I Once Knew are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

This was my first Olivia Drake book and I really enjoyed it. It was a second chance romance. Abby and Max, the heir to a Dukedom, share a secret romance as teenagers. They are torn apart when Max is forced to leave his country estate for London following his mother’s death. He goes on to become the intimidating Duke of Rothwell—one of London’s most eligible bachelors and notorious rakes. Abby is forced to stay in the country to nurse her ailing parents.

Fifteen years after leaving his country estate, Max returns to find Abby serving as a governess to his sister. Sparks immediately fly between the two of them as they deal with a mutual distrust of each other.

I thought this book was well written. There were maybe too many plot lines (the boxing match) and secrets at times. But, in general, the book was engaging, fast paced, steamy, and filled with interesting secondary characters. I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical romances.

5 Bramble ⭐️

I received this book via NetGalley.

This is a second chance romance with a spinster and a rake which is my catnip. Rothwell was a rake, and I loved him. It was hard putting down this book (when life interrupted) because I was so vested in these characters. I believed in Rothwell’s and Abby’s HEA. I enjoyed all the secondary characters and am looking forward to the next book in the series. I am hoping for books for Ambrose, Lady Gwen, and Valerie.

3.25*
I’ve received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

So… I’m not the biggest fan of the second chance trope, but this book was great. I really enjoyed it, maybe because the thing that had separated the couple the first was handled… well, not right away, but almost. Which meant they didn’t really had much stopping them from getting back together.
Abigail reminded me of… me, in a way. And I liked how she finally took the reins of her life and started making her own decisions. Go Abby! You can’t let your family make all the decisions – especially if they’re bad for you.

Max, on the other hand, is our typical moody, secret-y hero. Because talking never helped anyone, right? Abigail is good for him. She tries to keep her distance, but she really likes her new job as Max’s sister’s governess, so it’s hard to be away from him for a long time.

The love they once shared is still there, even if different, since they are now changed people.

I just didn’t like that Max didn’t really consider his sister – he always says he’s worried about her, and cares for her, but he rarely sees her, and then takes a group of strangers – with bad reputations – to his house, where his sister lives. The excuse he uses is okay in the beginning, but… it wasn’t credible enough for me.

Apart from that, I enjoyed this book, it was romantic and sweet, I just wished it had a more developed plot.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this novel.

Abigail Linton is a spinster who was first taking care of her parents then her brother’s and sisters children. She longs for the chance to live on her own and make her own choices. She gets a job on the neighboring estate the belongs to Maxwell, the Duke of Rothwell. Rothwell had broken Abigail’s heart but he’d not been to the estate in years and she didn’t expect he would ever return. Rothwell does end up back at his estate with some friends and their paths cross again. Abigail and Maxwell wrestle with their attraction and feelings for each other despite the years that have passed.

I thought the pacing was pretty good throughout except for a few places where I felt it could have been tighter. The various characters were unique and I really liked that some of the minor characters experienced some internal change. The descriptions of the settings and characters were done well.

Overall, this is a well written, enjoyable story.

Such a sweet story with a duke and a governess who met again after 15 years and a lot of misunderstandings. I enjoyed the whole story a lot and was happy to read Olivia Drake and her story because she was unknown to me and now I have some of her other books to read :)

Storia molto romantica, con un duca ed un'istitutrice che si rincontrano dopo 15 anni ed un sacco di fraintendimenti dopo. La trama non era particolarmente complessa, ma mi é piaciuto ed ho scoperto cosí una nuova autrice, Olivia Drake, che non conoscevo e della quale ho molti libri nuovi tra cui scegliere :)

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

“The Duke I Once Knew” was a good read. I liked the main characters and the secondary characters as well. It was great to see Abby and Max get a second chance at love.

Miss Abigail Linton, Abby meets Max, the Duke in a coach.
Drama over another woman, plenty of angst and steam.
Fasted paced read.

Abby has devoted her life to her parents after her mother had a debilitating fall from her horse. Abby was now approaching her 30th birthday and her parents having passed away the previous year all that awaited her was the expected roll of looking after her family’s young children. Abby needed to escape so took up a position as governess to the Duke of Rothwell sister. You are taken on a delightful journey with Abby realising lost love and becoming a spirited individual who will make her own decisions in life.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I've been on a very good historical romance streak lately, reading many enjoyable romances and The Duke I Once Knew by Olivia Drake continued the said streak. I loved both Abby and Max, and I loved their relationship and their chemistry. Abby's meddling family drove me crazy and they certainly added some drama to the story. Not to mention some of Rothwell's friends who tried to come between him and Abby. But, of course, this is a romance novel, so Abby and Max got their HEA despite all the interferences. This is the first Olivia Drake's book that I've read but it won't be the last. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, even though I can't figure out whose story it will be. Maybe Valerie's?

*I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley and chose to leave a voluntary review. Thank you!*
This was the first time I have read an Olivia Drake book - now I am trying to find all the previous series. Character development and a real story that catches your attention. Terrific historical romance fiction. Highly Recommend!

It was a pretty quick read. I like Abby when she finally got a little backbone and stood up to her family as well as when her sister came to visit. I loved Max and how some things change when it's pointed out that his sister is at the house and how his actions would affect her standing. The only part I wished was different was that we could see what was done to the person who hurt Abby in the end. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

Mac and Abby where in love when they were young and after years of being apart they are reunited again when Abby becomes his sister's Governess. Mac is determined to go d a replacement for her but when old feelings start appear again he is not so sure he can let her go again.

Both Mac and Abby must overcome old hurts to find true love in each other again .

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

“For what are star-crossed lovers but a soul for another soul meant.” –R A I N

Rating: MA: mature, due to sexually explicit scenes

Our story opens with 29-year-old Abigail Linton cloistered in the bosom of her family. Abby was the youngest child of five, born late to her parents, whom she lovingly cared for until their deaths. At a family gathering, Abby watched her sibling in a heated debate as to which family Abby should live. Her eldest brother [heir to the estate] needed a companion for his wife. Her other brother, the vicar with the living on the estate, needed help [secretary] transcribing his notes and sermons. A sister needed help [a nanny] with her rowdy children. Abby’s other sister’s daughter, making her curtsey in the spring, needed help [governess] preparing for her coming out. Everyone needed Abby’s help with one thing or another.

Abby, suddenly seeing the rest of her life as an unpaid servant to her siblings, took matters into her own hands and applied for the governess position to Lady Gwendolyn Bryce. At least this way she would be paid. Rothwell Court, the neighboring estate was his estate. Since Maxwell Bryce, the Duke of Rothwell, had not set foot on the property in fifteen years, she felt like she would be safe. Famous last words.

“I’d lost myself in the abyss of someone else’s tyranny… again.” –Cassandra Giovanni, Love Exactly

During flashbacks, we learn of young love between our main characters. At the tender age of sixteen and fifteen, they pledged their love to each other and he asked her to marry him and to wait until he reached his majority when he would come for her so they could wed. They promised to write to each other in the meantime. Neither would receive a single letter.

“She’s my best friend, and I’m hers. Nothing needs to change between us.” He was afraid, not because he thought she wasn’t the one. He was terrified, because he knew she was.” –Mirella Muffarotto, Every Boy is a Book

You can only guess what happened to those lost letters. This was a story of enduring love and redeeming the life of a confirmed bachelor and rake. ‘Max’ was tortured with lost love and family secrets he had been forced to keep since he was too young to be under such a mandate. He compensated by riotous living, multiple mistresses, rakish ways, women, gaming, women, prizefighting, and… did I mention women?

Lady Elise Desmond reminded me of Blanche Ingram from ‘Jane Eyre’ and Caroline Bingley from ‘Pride & Prejudice.’ While His Grace might consider the widow Desmond as mistress material, that brass strumpet had one goal in mind, and one only, Duchess of Rothwell. Once Max was reacquainted with Abby, he had another thought entirely.

It is not very often that we see romance stories with an older heroine. I found this very refreshing.

I volunteered to read an uncorrected digital galley from the publisher St. Martins Paperback via NetGalley. The views expressed are my own. Projected publication date: Dec 21, 2018.

While the premise sounded charming I knew from the first few pages that this was not going to be a good fit for me as I do not care for this particular style of florid writing. I also did not really like either of the characters. Abby is judgmental and fond of drawing incorrect conclusions. Max has no real substance to him. My favorite parts of the book were the scenes where Abby's family appeared. I did enjoy the depictions of their thoughtless self involvement. Otherwise I did a lot of skimming,

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good second chance at love story with a rakish duke and his lovely neighbor, reunited around her sudden freedom from caring for elderly parents and his visit back to the estate to sponsor a boxing match. Throw in interfering relatives, irresponsible teenaged girls, a catty, social climbing widow and you have a path which forces them to earn a HEA.

I love a reunited lover story. It is one of my favorite tropes in romance. I haven't read much by Olivia Drake, but this book has made me realize that I need to.

From the beginning this tale was filled with emotion. The chemistry between Abby and Max jumped off the page and I was cheering for them to let go of their past and embrace their future.

I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series to come out.