The governess and the duke
Yessssss I’m so excited for Miss Winslow’s story!! For once a governess romance where she isn’t falling in love with her boss!! Felicity, the child co conspirator, is such a fun character. I really enjoyed this one, and seeing what would finally come to pass!

"Romance isn't falling in love with a lie. It's seeing the truth of a person and loving them for it, not despite it."

"One thing you should know about women, Your Grace. We often find the ordinary terribly stifling."

"It's so easy to love what's new, but to find the beauty in something that escapes most people's notice takes a special quality. Real love."

It seems this series is my guilty pleasure series!! A regency romance series with spinsters and dukes, with impossible loves but oh so good ones. And oh so spicy! This time it was James and Viola’s time and I enjoyed my time so so much!!! It was a fun book and an entertaining one. I was extremely bothered and frustrated half the time while reading about their tension and addiction for one another. But the facade they had to put up was insane !!!! And the little girls in these books were absolutely marvellous and ingenious in creating the perfect atmosphere for these two to make the romance blossom. So we have forced proximity, she falls first but he falls hardest. And when the “who did this to you” moment hit … guys, I was done for good!!! I was lost in James’ arms and his behaviour and his inner thoughts!!! Loved every second of reading this book and I can’t wait for another instalment in this series !!

“ He'd never known desire like this in his life. He hadn't believed a man could feel this way, not truly. Lust was common, but infatuation like this felt impossible. He wanted to spend hours worshipping her body. Merging with her, making them as one. He wanted to touch her, to be the only man who ever would.”

"To know you is to love you." He kissed his wife, his duchess. "And I know you so very, very well, Viola."

What a great secret romance story! Governess Viola Winslow has had a major crush on the Duke of Huntington for years. Her charge, Felicity Berridge, knows of the crush and hatches a great plan to try and get them together. Once the Dukes little sister gets involved the hijinks get more dramatic. I laughed out loud at some of the things they got into. Great, quick read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

1807

Miss Viola Winslow, 20, is one her way to Lynton Park, home of the Duke of Ashworth. She is to be the governess to Felicity, 4, the duke’s ward. Felicity turns out to be quite a willful and wild girl.

James Montagu, the Duke of Huntington (Hunt) is a friend of the Duke of Ashworth and his estate is just a few miles from Ashworth’s.

1817

Felicity is now age 14 and wilder than ever. While they are out painting landscape scenes near Huntington’s estate, Felicity takes a fall. The duke himself brings her to his home. As the weather is bad, they feel it’s best for Viola and Felicity to stay there for some days until she heals.

Hunt’s grandmother wants him to marry but he prefers the quiet life at his estate rather than the town life. Being around Viola, he finds himself enjoying her company to his grandmother's chagrin because she is a governess. However, nature cannot be denied nor can true love. But will Viola be accepted by the ton as she is “only” a governess?

This was a good book but I think I could have kept up with the characters better had I read the first books in the series. While Felicity is a hold terror in her own right, the Raven is so funny! Yes, a talking Raven. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a fun, historical romance
Where a governess's charge is taking a chance
She's matchmaking for her governess, you'll soon see,
Hoping the Duke she secretly loves will agree!

Her charge is touring to learn to sketch from life
Unaware of Viola's previous times of strife.
Near the Duke of Huntington's home her charge has a nasty fall
So the Duke goes to rescue them all.

His home is where the Duke retreated
After romantic dreams were defeated.
He finds his attraction to this governess grows
But it isn't allowed, he already knows.

Miss Viola Winslow is a governess who escaped her past
But is returning near her childhood home at last.
Her memories of her father are dire at best
But her sister she adores better than the rest.

But watch out for the matchmaking teens
And their cahoots creating opportunities and scenes.
Can this teens really give them the chance
Or will revelations from the past quash this romance?

A great read with laughter along the way,
I really enjoyed it, I have to say!
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

If you’re looking for a low angst, fairytale-like historical romance, The Governess and the Duke will satisfy your needs. James, Duke of Huntington has always been the most handsome, most desirable man Miss Viola Winslow could ever want. It only takes TEN YEARS for him to notice her, when Viola’s charge, Miss Felicity Berridge has an accident upon the grounds of the Duke. As luck would have it, the weather is abominable and in Felicity’s condition, she and Viola are given temporary residence in Hunt’s home, Moorcliff Castle. It doesn’t take long before he notices Viola is a woman, with a capital W, even if she is from a different class than him. This is a Cinderella adjacent story, with the younger, less stationed, less wealthy girl falling in love with the titled man. The Dowager Huntington is the obvious naysayer to their relationship (like Cinderella’s stepsisters and stepmother), and Hunt’s sisters and Felicity are like the mice, except this time they help the Duke try to win favor with Viola, doing everything in their power to push the two of them together. The only other foil is Viola’s father, a wretched man who cannot seem to see Viola’s worthiness as a daughter.

As stories go, a romance always has an HEA so it is never in question that Hunt and Viola will get together, and if you’re a fan of fairytale-like stories then this slowburn will be sweet and worthwhile. I actually found the romance to be less intriguing than Felicity and Isabelle’s narrative. It was always sure to be a fun time when precocious Felicity was in the page and I never knew what to expect from her (making me really enjoy her scenes). Lydia Drake also writes believable enemies and both the Dowager and Mr. Winslow were necessary evils to arguing for an unsuitable romance among different classes. I think I would’ve liked more dynamic between Hunt and Viola; okay, he’s attractive, but what else draws you to him, Viola? And Hunt, why are you just now noticing her? I just needed more from these two to believe there was more substance between them and less instalust. I received an early copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Governess and the Duke by Lydia Drake is the third historical romance in a series called Renegade Dukes. The book can be read as a standalone, despite it being in a series.

In this series, Viola Winslow has had a crush on James, The Duke of Huntington forever. However, she clearly knows that he is off limits for her. As a governess, it is not her place to be noticed or noticeable to the occupants of the house except to the children. It wasn’t like he really knew her. Until her ward fell down a mountain and sprained her ankle right near the home of the Duke of Huntington’s estate. Too bad she needs to stay there while the ankle is healing.

The Duke of Huntington, James Montague really noticed Viola this time. He finds her intriguing, intelligent and very pretty. Too bad, she is not an appropriate woman for him to marry. Although as a Duke, he should be able to marry who he wanted.

The storyline of two people who are in different classes spark is always a great trope. Viola is interesting and charming. Her secrets from her background are bound to come out being so close to where she grew up. The Governess and the Duke by Lydia Drake is a good read.

Governess Miss Viola Winslow is quite familiar with the rules of society, and her place in it. Still, it hasn’t stopped her from being horribly in love with James the Duke of Huntington for ten years. But while the duke knows little of her foolish passions, the same cannot be said of Viola’s charge Felicity,a precocious fourteen-year-old obsessed with her governess’s secret romance. James is a confirmed bachelor with no interest in marriage, preferring his estate at Moorcliff Castle to the hustle, bustle, and utter nonsense of London society. Then his peace is shattered by the enchanting Viola, and her injured young charge.
Unable to travel or leave, Viola has no choice but to remain at Moorcliff.
The third book in the series & it could be read on its own but to fully appreciate it I’d recommend reading the earlier books. A delightful romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed I really liked both James & Viola & loved their journey to a HEA helped along the way by Felicity. The chemistry between the couple just grew & grew the more time they spent together, I loved how James’ feelings grew & deepened
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Truly enjoyed this series continuation with Hunt and Viola.
Such faithful unrequited love gave angst to my heart.
Tough class difference between the two of them: a governess in love with the lofty Duke.
Felicity the governess’s charge gives everyone a run for the money with her antics.
I greatly anticipate a book of her own.

A difference in class doesn't keep Viola from falling in love with the Duke of Huntington. It's been ten years from the time she met him. Her charge arranges the.opportunity for her and the duke to be together. All it takes is a push in the right direction for them fall in love. Many obstacles with stand in their path. Will the lonely duke finally find his Duchess?
One of my favorite tropes, Drake takes the reins of creating pain and laughter.
Descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

You are going to love this book. Lydia Drake is a new-to-me author and I am so glad to have found her. Her writing was so wonderful and easy flowing. It really captures you and makes you a part of the story. I felt so attached to all the characters. Drake creates amazing characters that steal your heart.
In this adventure we find Miss Viola Winslow who has run from a terrible childhood. Lucky for her she received an education and taught how to be in society and is now a Governess to a free and wild 14 year old who adores her. When the Duke of Huntington visited the estate she works for she fell madly in love, only he doesn’t know she exists. He wants to live the life away from society and just follow his duties and responsibilities. On a chance trip outside his home a few incidents lead to Viola being unable to leave for a while. That’s when fate and passion take over and keep these two fated for destiny.
You will love the wit, the characters' charisma, and how everyone is connected.I love how included in society Viola is even though she shouldn’t be. Most of all is the passion and loyalty. I really loved this story and I can’t wait to read more from Drake.
Thanks to NetGalley for the Ebook ARC. I will be grabbing the paperback to start my Lydia Drake collection.

Miss Viola Winslow knows her place in society as a governess but since the day she first met the Duke of Huntington, she has been in love. Yet her other love for her charge, Felicity, has kept her in her role for ten years without revealing her secret love. Hunt, has been a confirmed bachelor in that time, staying removed from London society, preferring his estate Moorcliff Castle. A recent rejection of his marriage proposal has left him more alone and isolated so when he comes across an injured Felicity and Viola, he finds himself revived. He enjoys spending time with Viola and despairs of her leaving. When her past comes crashing at their doorstep, any chance of a future seems painfully slim.
I really enjoyed these two main characters of Hunt and Viola but also found myself captivated by Hunt’s two sisters and Felicity. Together, they all conspire to bring this couple together, making for an entertaining read. Despite the difference in their background, Hunt makes it all seem possible. With his eccentric family, I found myself constantly smiling as the antics pile up in an attempt to bring together a ‘happily ever after’ story. A great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautiful story with a different twist. Viola is a governess and James is a duke. We know that never should the two become entangled in that time period however this story pushes the boundaries out of the way with humor, creative characters and a haunting. Felicity is my favorite character and I spent lots of time chuckling at her antics. The beginning of the story is definitely unique. This unique quality carries throughout the story in amazing ways that keep the reader surprised and engaged. There are two other stories related to this one that I will be going back to read as I'm confident they will both bring me great reading pleasure.

Years ago, Miss Viola Winslow, fell in love at first sight with her employer’s best friend, James Montagu, the Duke of Huntington, but as the governess of the Duke of Ashworth’s ward, not to mention a woman with secrets, Viola was in no position to make her feelings known, so she hid them and silently loved him from afar. That would have been the end of the story, had her charge been anyone other than the incorrigible Felicity Berridge. Because Felicity loves Viola as much as Viola loves her and she wants Viola to be happy and have her heart’s desire, but in Felicity’s opinion, Viola is taking way too long and clearly needs assistance. And Felicity is up to the task. So begins the convoluted matchmaking scheme of a very wiley fourteen-year-old and her accomplices. Little does she know that her plan is going to stir up more than amorous feelings.

James, the Duke of Huntington has been hiding (and brooding) at his ancestral home, Moorcliff Castle for the past fifteen months, following the humiliating rejection of his marriage proposal to Miss Susannah Fletcher. But all that changes when Viola and Felicity need assistance and become guests at the castle. For the first time, James really “sees” Viola and wonders how he had been so blind the last ten years. It isn’t long before he realizes he is in love with Viola, but convincing her may be a losing battle, luckily for him, he has help and won’t give up easily. But when secrets come out and hard truths are faced, will duty and family honor supersede his heart’s desire?

This was a very fun read, with a dash of angst thrown in to keep it interesting. I liked Viola and James, but in my opinion, Felicity stole the spotlight in this book. The story is filled with secrets, scheming teenage girls, a chatty raven, vile family members, seances, ghosts, some lies, steamyish love scenes, wonderful secondary characters, a bit of angst, martyr-worthy sacrifices, cameos from previous characters, and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I enjoyed this story, but in complete honesty, I had a hard time with the notion that James and Viola knew each other for ten years, and yet in all that time, he never noticed her and then in just a matter of days, fell head over heels in love with her. Other than that, it was a great story and one I would be happy to recommend to my fellow historical romance readers. This is the third book in the series, and I hope not the last – because I really want to read Felicity’s story!!!

4 stars

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

BOOK: THE GOVERNESS AND THE DUKE
AUTHOR: LYDIA DRAKE
PUB DATE: 26 DECEMBER 2023
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
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First of all, I loved all the characters in this books, they were so fun and quirky! Including Gran, but most especially Felicity and Isabelle, thet were the funnier and loveliest.
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Our governess, Viola has been in love with the Duke of Huntingdon for over ten years. The Duke is at his estate getting over his broken engagement. Because of their forced proximity, they were able to discover themselves and fall in love. I loved everything about relationship, it was what I expected in a cross class Lovers trope.
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I liked this book, it was easy to read and there were no boring chapters. If you're a fan of historical romance, you should read this!
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I have loved this series so much! I’ve been dying for the Hunt and Viola story since Julia and Ashworth’s story when we met her as Felicity’s governess.
I loved the mischief the ladies in Hunt’s life caused for so many reasons but mostly to get Hunt to do what they want.
I think the scene that will live rent free in my head is Ashworth and Rafe and Hunt in the drawing room. I laughed so hard. I was so glad I read Rafe’s story first and then this one.
What’s next?!

The Governess and the Duke is the second book in the Renegades Duke series and can be read as a standalone.

Viola Winslow has been the governess to the Duke and Duchess of Ashford’s ward for ten years and in love with Ashford’s best friend, the Duke of Huntington for just as long. When Viola and her charge, Felicity, go on a sketching journey across the north of England they then find themselves invited to stay at Moorcliff Castle, Huntingdon’s ducal estate while Felicity recovers from a sprained ankle she received after tumbling down a hill at the end of a sketching session of the castle. James Montagu, Duke of Huntington, has been hiding at his Northumberland estate for the last year and a half after his marriage proposal was rejected. He’s known Viola for ten years but never really noticed how beautiful she was before she started ordering people around to assist Felicity. The more James can bring Viola to voice her opinions the more he finds he’s not only attracted to her but likes her as well. When the past she has hidden from everyone comes to light, Viola knows that they’ll be asked to leave and James will understand why nothing more can come from their budding romance. When the opposite happens and James asks her to marry him, Viola cannot believe it’s real. With some help throughout from meddling siblings, a charge, and a vulgarly talking raven they might be able to convince Viola and James that they can be together despite all challenges.

I enjoyed this book and thought it had so many of the things I enjoy in historical romance. I have a weakness for heroines who’ve had to fend for themselves their whole lives and for the first time in her life she has someone that is in her corner and cares about her. I enjoyed that James didn’t stay hung up on duty and promises for very long. Viola was very aware of her station in life and it caused her to take the longest to overcome this barrier despite her love for James. Felicity and James’s sister, Isabelle are both young teenagers who are both obsessed with gothic and ghost stories and they brought silliness and hijinks that was entertaining. There are also a few other happy endings for other side characters too that added to the all’s well that ends well ending.

There are three encounters that while not super steamy they are detailed and fit with the feel and tone of the story. I did find it refreshing in one of the encounters that the MMC didn’t apologize for the pleasure he wanted. While it’s usually done in consideration for the FMC, it was nice to see it written differently this time.

Overall, it left me feeling happy, warm and fuzzy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an advanced ecopy of the book. All opinions are my own.

The Governess and the Duke was such a fun new romance from Lydia Drake. It had all the elements you want in a romance including good banter, romance, a great couple that you root for, and of course an HEA. Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the ARC and I cant wait to read more by this author.

Lydia Drake's recent romances have done an amazing job of avoiding the dreaded miscommunication tropes, and The Governess and the Duke is no exception. Viola has been in love with her employer's friend, James Montagu, a DUKE, for a decade. He knows she exists, but that's about it. Viola's charge, Felicity, HAS noticed, and she's decided it's time to do something about it. She fakes a sprained ankle and gets them stranded at the duke's estate. This is both amazing (Viola and James finally get to spend time together!) and fraught (Viola's father is actually one of James's tenants!). Drake includes one of my least-favorite HistRom tropes: the vow made to the MMC's dying father about what kind of woman to marry. However conflicted James feels, though, he is not deterred for long by his oath to marry "a real lady." Aside from the appealing main couple, the side characters are all believably eccentric (except, perhaps, for Viola's father, whose villainous back story is a bit farfetched). In summary: I was rooting for James and Viola, teared up at one point in the text, and had a ton of fun with the two teenaged characters. Recommended!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thoroughly enjoyable read.

I really liked The Governess and the Duke.
Miss Viola WInslow is a governess. On her first day with her new charge, she fell hopelessly in love with James Montagu, the Duke of Huntington, or Hunt.

James, or rather "Hunt" sowed his oats, had his fun and was ready to wed. Only, his offer was rejected. He's been happy hiding out at his country estate when Felicity, Viola's now fourteen year old charge hurts herself on his property and Viola has to stay there as well. Forced proximity, a major class divide (governess, duke) and her ten year infatuation all come into play.

The characters are lively and fun and the dialog and writing are engaging.
Recommend.