Forever My Duke

Forever My Duke is the second book in Olivia Drake’s the Unlikely Duchesses series. It grabbed my attention at the beginning and held it all the way to the end. It was well written and paced perfectly. The main characters were charming and fun.

Wonderful Regency romance! But with a twist - it also takes a look at the idea of social equality in the newly formed America vs the very intrenched class system in Britain. Fun, exciting and enlightening read.

This was my first book by Olivia Drake and as a diehard historical romance reader, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an opposites attract story with the heroine a strong willed American named Natalie Fanshawe and the hero, Hadrian Ames, the Duke of Clayton, British aristocracy . Oil and water who are undeniably attracted to each other. There was a small child named Leo, thrown into the mix. Witty banter was most enjoyable. It kept me turning pages to see what happened next. I highly recommend this book to romance lovers. I will give it five stars for her development of the characters and the enjoyment of reading this book. There were lol moments as well as some tender romantic ones. I was gifted this book from NetGalley and the publisher for which I thank. This review is my own non biased opinion.

Forever My Duke is a Romance that defines all that there should be in a historical novel! I loved reading this story and watching as the characters evolved into what everyone hopes for in their lifetime. Great book that I recommend to every adult romance reader.

I’m not much of a historical romance reader but this one was great. I enjoyed the strong, smart heroine..Natalie. Hadrian is a great and plays of Natalie so well.. you will root for them from the beginning.

What a sensational and exciting tale, Natalie and Hadrian and let’s not forget little Leo, led us on. Natalie and Hadrian found love when they least expected to, and the combustion that occurs every time they are together. Leo that little minx made this tale all the more fun to read, with his curiosity and his runaway methods. A fun entertaining and yes exciting package, I enjoyed reading it, it sizzles and I like that.

Can an American commoner and a english peer find a mutual ground when everything seems to set them apart...

This is my first read by Mrs Olivia Drake and once I began my reading, it was quite impossible to put this book down.
Sure I have a few reservations but I was quickly engrossed in this story, and needed to see what would come after.

The first chapter introduced Hadrian as a haughty person, but how wrong I was.
What an arse he appears at the beginning when in fact he is just the result from his upbringing and he could have been much more worse. His requirements for the perfect bride is what was imprinted in him since his childhood, he had known nothing else, and is expected to follow the society’s rules.
He might be lofty but never conceited, plus he is kind too. From the very beginning, he shows respect to Natalie, always trying to help her when he could have turned his back to her troubles. At every turn, he is there to support Natalie, his overbearing presence is only due to his breeding. And rather quickly, he sets his cap on winning her over, she a woman who has very few to recommend her. He even fears he might fail.
Natalie in fact is the one bearing a grudge against him, she faults him for his birth. While he can’t change it, he tries to show her she can relate on him.
She is a strong willed woman, what she went through made her tougher, but she is still a caring woman with dreams to help the weaker and poorer. Her main flaw is she needs time to see beyond the facade. Not every commoner is good nor every peer bad.
So when Hadrian realized he has no interest in a perfect bride and is much more enthralled by the very woman who might reject him for his rank, she learns the world is not white nor black.
I liked that for a change, the arrogant duke was in fact from the beginning a fair man with a noble heart. He just needed the right woman to open himself and let his true self free.

I do love Leo, he is a fun little boy and for once not presented as a precocious child, he acted like a little boy of 6 and was quite a naughty sweetheart.

My reservation is during the first part of the story it looked out of character for them to lust so much after one another. I do prefer when there is an attraction which evolves to a slower pace than insta-lust rendering the women knees-weak and the men driven by the brain in between their legs. So I was glad when at a time, when together they were finally able to think straight.

Mrs Blake has drawn up a spirited tale of fighting one own biases to comprehend the true power of love.
4.5 stars

I was granted through Netgalley by the publisher an advance copy, but also purchased my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.