I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review 

Cute enough. Didn’t sizzle. Characters were sweet.

London During the Regency

Working in a millinery shop after growing up in an orphanage, Tessa James has mastered the skill of making beautiful hats for the very rich. She is determined not to toil much longer for an employer, as her goal is to open her own shop. But first, she must save enough money for that venture. On this day, however, after being scolded by her employer and told that she would lose some of her pay for a simple mistake, Tessa quits. She had heard two customers discussing the Duke of Carlin's loss of yet another governess for his four-year-old daughter, and Tessa plans to present herself at his home and convince him to hire her. All this despite the fact that Tessa has had no formal education. 

At the tender age of six, Tessa had witnessed the tragic death of her mother under the wheels of a carriage. As she lay dying, her mother put a necklace over her head and whispered that she must find her father. Tessa always believed that her mother had been treated badly by an employer, and the necklace had an insignia. If Tessa could find what family it belonged to, she could ask for help to finance her shop. But, first, she must somehow convince this duke that he needs to hire her. 

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, had never thought he'd be the duke. But over the past five years all of the previous heirs, as well as the last duke, had died, some after strange accidents. Guy, who had traveled the world collecting plants, exploring different countries, has returned home to assume the role as head of what remains of his family. He had sailed away shortly after the death of his wife in childbirth, leaving their baby daughter with her mother's parents. Now, after firing yet another governess who had deigned to discipline Sophy after the child bit her, he must somehow find someone who can handle the unruly girl. When one young woman shows up a day early for an interview, Guy hires her, despite some misgivings. She is very young, and some of her mannerisms are suspect. 

Tessa is shocked at how much Lady Sophy has been able to get away with. But, having helped with the little ones at the orphanage, Tessa is sure that the child is frightened of her father, whom she barely knows, and has been spoiled by her grandparents and former nanny. When Guy sees almost immediate improvement with his daughter's behavior, as well as getting some advice from the governess that he needs to spend more time with Sophy, he's relieved. Still, there are things he's finding out about Tessa that have him on edge. Guy is convinced she is not who she claims to be. 

WHEN A DUKE LOVES A GOVERNESS is a romance, yes, but it's also a mystery. Exactly what did happen to all of those family members? And why? Also, what is Tessa's real background? Guy is mystified by his governess, and her common sense recommendations for his daughter. She is lovely, smart, and yet Guy suspects she's hiding something. He is beguiled by her, though, and she seems to feel the same. 

A sweet story with a surprising conclusion. Don't miss WHEN A DUKE LOVES A GOVERNESS, an Unlikely Duchesses book.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Tessa James applies to ge a governess to a Duke with no prior experience    She hopes that she can figure out who her father is. I enjoyed the cast of characters and the chemistry between Tessa and the Duke

Ever wonder who you are?  How much are you willing to give to attain your dream?  Do you prefer to earn your way or have your future pre-determined?  The heroine in this story is an orphan who has been on her own since she was six years old.  She has a dream and the skill and desire to attain it.  Before her mother died, she gave her daughter a pendant and instructions to find her father.  There is sufficient ambiguity in that statement to misdirect her search.  She decides to interpose herself as a governess to search for her father in the hope that she can convince him to loan her money to start a business.  Along the way she finds herself, who both her parents were, and finds love for a troubled child and that child’s father.  A sweet story.

3.5 stars

An unusual book in some way.  I was surprised that a milliner's assistant from the east end would gain an interview for a governess position with the Duke himself. I liked the fact that Guy, the Duke, was a botanist and adventurer and that he hired an unusal valet.  The heroine, Tessa was keen to find her father's family and in the course of the book she actually meets her mother's as well.  There's a sub plot about a Carlin Curse which actually comes to the fore towards the end.

The passion was Ok and I read it quite quickly. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 to 5 Stars!! I really enjoyed this book! It’s got a few surprising twists that had me shocked & appalled at times! Ha! 
This is book number 3 in the ‘Unlikely Duchesses’ series. I read book 1 but missed book 2. They can all be read as standalone books. I love when I can’t guess at the twists in a book & this one didn’t disappoint. Mystery, intrigue, love, a bratty little girl, a supposed curse & a killer, oh my! I definitely recommend this one y’all!
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!*

This was a good book, not great but good and worth reading. There was a good romance between Guy and Tessa and little Sophy was a treat to read. I wish there was more of her in the book.

Tessa has been raised in an orphanage after the death of her mother. Before she died, her mother gave her a necklace with a coat of arms as a clue to her identity. When she is fired from her job as a milliner, Tessa decides to apply for a job as governess to a difficult child, to see if she can find the family matching the coat of arms. There is the usual romance with the master of the house and a HEA, but it is enjoyable getting there. It was a fun read.

What a lovely tale! Tessa I s an orphan-her mother died when she was six, and she grew up in a foundling home. She is working at a millinery shop when she hears a Duke needs a governess to keep his unruly daughter in line.,Tessa hatches an involved plot to apply for the position. The Duke, Guy,  is unaccustomed to being a Duke since he was way down to inherit. However, a series of misfortunes have killed everyone else included by his grandfather. He was forced to return from his scientific journey around the world to deal with everything including a four year old daughter.
Tessa and Guy’s story is an fun read as the father gets to know the child with help fromTessa. There is mystery and intrigue and delightful characters as Tessa and Guy find their HEA.

This is one of those books I never wanted to end. Lovely Tessa is the right woman for man out of the ordinary, someone who is unconventional for the English aristocracy. A great story built page after page with great ability. A romance that depicts perfectly that period with all its rules. Overall this is an interesting portrait of two people that come from different backgrounds but very alike in nature..

Enjoyable romance with a delightful twist of mystery and some real mayhem!  I loved reading Tessa’s adventures. I admired her resilience and determination to make her way in the world.  Her intelligence and kindness made her stand out from the usual  Regency heroine. Her compassion and understanding of a frightened four year old, lashing out at the world, also captured me.  Well worth the read and I hope we will get to read Lord Haviland’s story next.

I really enjoyed this story, couldn’t put it down. Guy is a handsome Duke and he hires Tessa as governess for his five year old daughter. The little girl is a little demon who goes through governesses at the speed of light. Tessa is not having any of that, she feels for the lonely little girl. Tessa has a locket with a family crest, her reason for taking this job was to find her father. But she finds herself falling for the Duke, not something someone in her station should do. This story has love, mystery, murder, romance and love. I recommend this book highly.

The final book in the Unlikely Duchesses series.

Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Tessa James grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and decided to find her father with the knowledge of his coat of arms on a necklace from her mother. She really wants a small loan to open her own millinery shop from her father - that is all, nothing else. To find him, she decides to pretend to be an experienced governess to a child that sends governesses away weekly.

With tough love, Tessa wins over Sophy, an angry five-year-old girl, and then also manages to win over Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin. 

There is a mystery involving treasure maps and the Carlin men's unlikely deaths as a secondary storyline.

Overall, it was a good romance, I enjoyed it and read it in one sitting, but I felt the characters were flat.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and St. Martin's for an honest review.

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake.  Unlikely Duchesses #3.  St. Martin's Press, 2021.

Readers will enjoy encountering many favourite plot elements in this engaging regency romance about Guy, the new Duke of Carlin, a widower with a small daughter and  Tessa, a well-spoken seamstress.  Guy is a naturalist recently back from world travels while  Tessa is a talented hat designer who secures a governess job as step toward funding  her own hat shop.  

Tessa and Will are attractive characters, intelligent, reasonable, and easy to like.  Although light on development of supporting character, setting description and  historical details, the book is well written, easy, and pleasant to read.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of When a Duke Loves a Governess for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.    #NetGalley

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake, published by St. Martin's Press, is book three in the
Unlikely Duchesses series. This new to me author manged to keep me in suspense from start til the last page.
Tessa and Guy are splendid characters set in an outstanding storyline with easy to connect with characters. A great read, 4,5 stars.

Miss Tessa James loves creating hats. Working with constant criticism from the owner, she will never make enough money to purchase her own shop. Overhearing two ladies discussing a Duke needing a governess, she quits and applies for the job. Faking her credentials, she has one week to turn around a four year old with extremely bad behavior. Falling in love with an extraordinary Duke, his really charming daughter and discovering her family, makes her life complete...almost. When the Duke's life is at stake, Tessa does not hesitate to save him. The Duke of Carlin is a definite heart throb and Tessa is one strong resourceful lady who isn't afraid to speak her mind. A delightful 5 STARS read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

This book was not memorable.  You have a one-dimensional Duke and a one-dimensional governess with a cast of characters that felt as if they were afterthoughts. It was an okay bread but needed to be fleshed out more. The writing felt choppy at times

When a Duke loves a Governess is a excellent witty and light hearted historical romance. 

Both main characters are quite wonderful and the story is well paced. Unlike other books where the plot is show moving and chapters go on without any progress, this story had something happening around every corner! 

Guy Carlin and Tessa James make a wonderful pair, and Tessa shines as a strong willed heroine with a rough past and a girl just working towards her dreams. She's a wonderful governess to the delightfully impish Sophy and its as she helps to build the bond between a 4 year old and her father, and Tessa and Guy fall in love. Guy is also a great hero, not your typical arrogant duke but a scholar and a traveler who often shuns the rules of the haute ton. 
And that's not all, there's a whole subplot with mysterious murders, treasure maps, and not to mention long lost relatives! 

I highly recommend this book for any lovers of historical romance!

I received an  ARC of this book and all opinions are my own

I got approved for this this afternoon, and immediately dove into the book! Tessa and Guy are such a great couple! And to say I loved Sophy is an understatement. I appreciated the multiple plots going on, from their romance, to Tessa's search for family, to the mystery about Guy's family mishaps. The book does a good job of slowly building up the tension. What starts as relatively light and breezy builds as odd events keep happening. I also really appreciated how relatively early a certain deception plot was resolved. I hate when a ruse is kept up until like the 90% mark, and so I was glad this didn't do that.