
Member Reviews

Suzanne Enoch is yet another of those authors who've been on my radar for a while, but I hadn't read any of her books up until now. But this one has definitely put her in my sights and made my already-ridiculous TBR even longer. But based on this one, it will be worth it. This had so much of what I love in a historical romance - resistance to the idea of an arranged marriage, a reluctant duke, assumed identities, and a good dose of humor. I enjoyed watching the relationships between the characters develop, and getting to know them and how their pasts informed their current attitudes and personalities. The audiobook was a nice production, and the narrations by Kimberly M. Wetherell and Jay Myers were excellent - they did an excellent job of giving characters voices distinctive enough to avoid confusion about who was speaking.
My thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Hearts: 5
Review: Two romances for the price of one. Well written with interesting characters and a fun storyline.

This story is Regency romcom perfection, brimming with sparkling wit, mistaken identities, and just enough slow-burn tension to keep you hooked from the very first chapter. If you love your historical romances with a side of chaos and clever heroines who refuse to play by society’s rules, then this novel is for you.
Lady Meg Pinwell is determined not to blindly enter into marriage with the supposedly charming, possibly rakish Duke of Earnhurst. Her solution is to disguise herself as a maid and do a little firsthand reconnaissance. What she doesn’t know is that James Clay, the new duke, has done some role-swapping of his own, posing as his butler to dodge meddling relatives and curious guests. The result is a deliciously tangled comedy of errors where everyone is falling in love with exactly the wrong person—or so they think.
The audiobook narration adds an extra layer of charm to the story, bringing out the humor, heart, and sparkling dialogue with flair. The chemistry between Meg and James crackles, the supporting characters (especially the endlessly entertaining Aunt Clara) steal scenes left and right, and the pacing never drags.
This is a joyfully clever romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, while still delivering plenty of heart. With its irresistible mix of sharp banter, mistaken identities, and genuine emotional stakes, A Duke Never Tells is the perfect romantic comedy that actually make you laugh out loud.
Highly entertaining and thoroughly endearing!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and am voluntarily leaving my review.

A Duke Never Tells almost sounds like a comedy of errors. Lady Meg Pinwell wants to find out if the rumors of her husband to be, the Duke of Earnhurst, are true or not, so she disguises herself as her aunt's maid/companion. However... the duke has had a similar idea to escape the perceived marriage hunter and has traded places with his former Butler.
This is one of the tropes that I really enjoy, and this book did not disappoint. There is just something so fun about it, and it doesn't take itself too seriously either, which makes it even better.
I was given access to an audio copy of this book and I really enjoyed the narrators as well.
Thank you to Suzanne Enoch, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the set up for this story and we got multiple perspectives of the 4 characters living as others as they fell in love.

Lady Meg, and her Aunt Clara, travel under fake names to learn more about Meg's fiance, but when they arrive at his estate, they are surprised to learn he is also there. James, the duke, has no interested in helping tour two ladies around his home, so he pretends to be the butler while his man of business pretends to be the duke. When Meg sprains her ankle, they're all stuck in their roles and begin falling for the wrong people.
I thought this was a very fun book, and I was glad that all the main characters got chapters from their own perspective. I also really enjoyed the handful of chapters from other side characters.

A light, fun romance, perfect for a beach read or a day by the pool.
Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my new favorite Suzanne Enoch. I love a good mistaken identity, but multiple? It made for one of the funnest and most delightful historical romances I've read. And in a historical romance, this trope works so well; when the characters have such chemistry between them that they fall in love and choose each other, despite perceived social and hierarchical differences make they story so much more heartfelt and heartwarming. And the side characters, too? Mistaken identity and romance for all! I'm usually a big fan of spice and an advocate for it in romance novels but this book didn't even need it. The story was so exceptional that it didn't feel lacking in the slightest.
I don't think I've listened to narrators Kimberly M. Wetherell and Jay Myers before but they were an absolute dream! I'd love to hear more from them; between they're lovely voices and exceptional comedic timing I'd say they were nigh on perfection.

It took me a little while to really get into this one, but I’m glad I stuck with it because, overall, it turned out to be a really cute and enjoyable listen.
The premise is a fun case of double mistaken identity, which is always a favorite of mine when done well. Lady Meg Pinwell and her aunt Clara are clever, witty, and not afraid to bend the rules a bit, so naturally, they go undercover to scope out Meg’s arranged suitor, the elusive Duke of Earhearst, James Clay. But James, being thoroughly uninterested in entertaining guests, decides to pretend he’s the butler and ropes his poor employee into pretending to be him. It’s chaotic in the best way.
What I loved most was the layered dynamic between the characters, both main and secondary. The dual romances added charm, and while some of the plot was a slow build, the payoff was worth it. The banter had a great energy, and both narrators brought the story to life with a good balance of humor and heart.
I wish there was an alternative cover, because this one wasn’t my favorite.

Thanks to @Dreamscape_Media and NetGalley for the advance listener copy! I enjoyed the narration and the premise was promising. Overall, I enjoyed the book but the multiple points of view and uneven pacing detracted from the story. I enjoyed the humor, banter and mistaken identities!

This was a lovely light read after some very dark ones. I liked the characters a lot, and I enjoyed how they changed and grew through the story. While this is mostly a typical misunderstanding plot, it played out well and made you really like the characters involved.
This book is great for anyone looking for a light and fun romance.
Thank you for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun, lighthearted book. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to care about half of it. Of the two main couples in this novel, I did not have two figs to give about one of them. Clara and Riniken were a compelling pair, and at a certain point, I started skimming past the goofier young couple for them.
Beyond that, there were just so many anachronisms. So many. It sort of felt like at a certain point, period-appropriate dialogue became more of a suggestion than a practice. But it certainly does sidle up to Bridgerton in that way.

⭐3
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
This audiobook was so well narrated! And it was a really nice lighthearted read. The story follows characters Meg and Clara, niece and aunt, who plan to snoop around the estate of the Duke of Earnhurst. Unless they find incriminating evidence that the rumours of his bad character are true, he is to be Meg's future husband. What happens next is a whole bunch of switching identities and falling in love with the wrong person.
This is a very sweet romance, perhaps leaning towards a more juvenile story. There is absolutely no spice in this book, which was unexpected for this genre to be honest. But I don't mind, it gave this read more of a historical rom-com feel. Some of the plot is a bit unrealistic for its time but I think it fits the kind of story this book is trying to be.

This historical romance follows four people, each of whom are pretending to be someone else, and the chaos that ensues. This was a cute book with a cute premise. It was compared to Bridgerton, but this book is low spice without progressing past kissing.
Great audio narration.

A rake turned brand new duke inherits a crumbling country seat and a betrothal to a stranger. His man of business is trying to convince him to care about it all, but he feels reticent and frustrated. The young lady he’s betrothed to (and her spinster aunt) decide to go undercover to discover what they can about the duke and his properties… what ensues with their arrival is a true comedy. Each pair has pretended to be someone else, there’s a mild accident that causes the “lady” and her “companion” to take advantage of whatever hospitality the “duke” and his “butler” can muster up in the house that’s literally falling apart. Forced proximity, multiple POVs, a lot of hilarious miscommunication, a dandy of a valet causing all sorts of mischief, and two couples falling in love?! Sold!
I will say this was a bit confusing at the beginning to understand exactly who I was hoping would fall in love - but the answer turned put to be everyone! And I loved it. If you start out and aren’t sure, just keep going a little while longer. The humor makes it worth it, and the tone is so light and fun the whole way through!!

This is for the Oscar Wilde and PJ Woodhouse fans everywhere. This is a fun romp that I absolutely cackled my way through. I continuously smiled from chapter 28 through to the end. I have enjoyed the author's books in the past but this was fantastic. I found myself looking for extra housework just so that I could keep listening. I want to stress that this is not a miscommunication trope but a mistaken identity trope which is nowhere near as frustrating and so much more hilarious. I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrators were fabulous. I think it was listening to how each of the characters grew into their roles, learnt new ideals and fell in love was just delightful. I want more!
Big thanks to @netgalley and @suzanneenochwriter for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

This Regency romance is a fun, clever story packed with hidden identities, misunderstandings, and a good dose of screwball comedy. The dual POV keeps things interesting, and the audiobook really brings it all to life—Kimberly M. Wetherell and Jay Myers do an amazing job with the humor, emotions, and even the slightly tipsy moments.
The side characters are a highlight, especially the secondary romance, which in some ways feels more fleshed out than the main one. There’s no steam, but the story still works thanks to the charm and great character dynamics.
That said, the way the book handles historical issues might not sit right with everyone. Some characters who clearly have a lot of power and make questionable choices are treated a bit too kindly, while others with more modern values are written off as quirky or overly idealistic. It’s definitely entertaining and well-written, but if you're looking for a romance that digs deeper into the realities of the time, this might feel a little too light.

I didn’t get an opportunity to finish this book as it archived itself. I enjoyed what I read. I need to meet the minimum character limit.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received the audio/book for my honest opinion.
What would you do if you were preparing to have your Debut season, only to be told by your parents that they have arranged marriage for you and with a Duke? Most girls would be fainting, crying with joy, but not Meg. She doesn’t know how to feel about this and to top it off now that she is engaged, she must spend a year mourning for a man’s father she never knew. The Duke never wrote to her during that year and all she knows about this man is what the gossip pages have said, and they do not paint him that great.
I loved the plot and getting to know the characters. I love that you see a strong independent MFC character, who knows how to have fun, make life interesting and is always up for some fun. You will meet James who is now the Duke after his father has passed away, he didn’t think that he would become the Duke so fast and now he isn’t sure that he is the right man for the job. He is unsure of himself and just wants to act like a young adult rather than taking charge of the estate. I thought the author did a great job with this book. I love that you will find hidden identities, miscommunications, romance and not just with the main characters. You will find great banter throughout the book and a few moments I found myself laughing out loud. The book is such a fun and easy read, the pace of the book was perfect to get to know the characters and still have some exciting drama happen throughout it. I loved that we didn’t just have 1 romance plot, but the readers also got another subplot of romance. I found the character's development to have been done and it’s throughout the book. I didn’t mind the closed-door romance that you will find, and you find the comedy throughout the book will help you forget that you don’t have any scenes like that. I found the hiding who they really were to have added to the book and helped with the chemistry between the characters.
I received the audio as well, and I thought the dual POV narration was done great with Kimberly Wetherell and Jay Myers. They really helped to add the voices to the characters and bring them to life and I think with their help while reading the book made me laugh even more. I would highly recommend this book and/or the audio to anyone who likes historical romances.
I want to thank NetGalley, Tor & Dreamscape media for the opportunity to review this book.

The best word I can think of to describe this book is, delightful.
I really enjoyed the dual narration. This was a very fun, light, romantic story. I found myself often times smiling while listening to the dialog between the main characters.
I have a social media post planned and will share a link once that is up.