I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THIS 3.5

Abigail is the youngest daughter in a large family. She has spent the past 15 years caring for her parents while her siblings got on with their lives. Abby has been a doormat for her family. But 15 years ago, Abby had been in love with her neighbor, Max and she believed he had been in love with her.

Max is a now a duke who left home fifteen years ago and became a man with a reputation. His reputation is that of a rake and a libertine who has no regard for anything but his pleasure. Max has spent little time with his younger sister since she was a very young girl.

Abby has taken the job of governess for Max's younger sister. She believes that she will never come in contact with Max, because he never comes home.

She is mistaken. Max comes home with a potential mistress, some gambling friends and a prize fighter in tow.

Max is not happy to see Abby. Abby is not certain how she feels about Max. Both of them are very uncomfortable.

I am a sucker for second chance stories. I wanted to like this book. I found that difficult.

Abby spent a good portion of the story jumping to wrong conclusions. Not only did she always assume the worst of other people, but she was happy to verbally accuse others on a regular basis. She was kind enough to apologize for her errors and she had many opportunities to practice her apologies.

Max is an adult who is unable to figure out that he is not happy living his life with no actual affection or caring from anyone or toward anyone. When he arrives at home, he is surprised to see that the people who were kind to him when he was young inspire affection in his heart.

Neither one of them was especially appealing to me. I wanted to like both of them, but I really had to work at it.

The story is well written. The only plot complaint I would have is the fact that there was much more discussion about events than the actual events.

Ms Drake is a new to me author. Since this is the first in a series, I look forward to liking her next story.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

The Duke I Once Knew (Unlikely Duchesses, #1) by Olivia Drake Can I only give this beginning to a new series by Olivia Drake five stars? Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book. This a second chance love story between Maxwell Bryce (Duke of Rothwell) and Abigail Lenton (Abby..his first love and governess to his sister Gwen) His is a now the Duke and a Rake ... she is turning thirty and tired of being use by her family(but she loves them all) When the meet again she is in his home and they both feel betrayed as the letters they wrote each other were held from them...... They both have a hard time denying their feelings... there are laughs, tears, treachery, misunderstanding, and steamy sex all leading to a very HEA. I am looking forward to FOREVER AND A DUKE the next book in the series.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Romantic Entertaining Witty Happily Ever After Wonderful characters Great world building Page-turner Easy-to-read Funny Steamy

The Duke I Once Knew is fifty percent lovely reunion romance – and fifty percent misogynistic stereotyping nightmare. It seems fitting that what will probably be my last review of 2018 is for a book that features the themes I hope to not read about in 2019 – or ever again:



To make matters worse, he was tramping through the woods with a prissy female who squealed at the sight of caterpillars and played dumb…

Women. Aren’t. Like. That.



Firstly: what I liked.

This book combines two of my absolute favourite things: a reunion romance, and the Regency era. It also features another theme I love to pieces: the slightly older heroine who’s waking up to the fact life is passing her by (sort of like Jane Austen’s Persuasion).

Olivia Drake has a wonderful writing style that keeps you turning the pages, and it’s an easy style that works well with the light themes of the book.

On the other hand…

Firstly, in 2019 I want to see no more books where the hero thinks, ‘she was not like other women.’ Insulting all other women to praise the heroine is sexist, not good.

Additionally, people negatively stereotyping blonde women? Sexist. People negatively stereotyping attractive women? Sexist. Putting the two together? Something I wish authors gave up years ago, but too many readers still eat it up.

It’s especially infuriating when an “other woman” character jealous enough to try and cause another woman physical harm is created to illustrate how virtuous (read: a virgin), intelligent – and non-“blonde” – the heroine is.



It didn’t help that Elise kept up a continuous brainless chatter in his ears, so that he couldn’t enjoy a moment’s peace. Or that she kept trying in that gratingly sultry tone to convince him to stop and rest when it was obvious she was angling for a kiss. Refusing to think about why the prospect held such little appeal, he forged onward.

…

‘Oh! Forgive me. Your Grace, there must have been a rock in the path. I daresay you saved my life!’

As she flapped her lashes in coquettish distress, Max suspected he’d been hoodwinked.



Because I was enjoying the writing, I was willing to overlook the first little misogynistic jibes here and there. I kept telling myself it didn’t matter that much, even though it’s my #1 pet hate in books.

However, as the story went on it became worse and worse, to the point it was the main theme.

By the end I couldn’t take it anymore. I was pretty furious.

Your mileage may vary, but I sure hope more women – writers and readers – will develop a zero-tolerance policy for this sort of thing in the coming year.

I loved "The Duke I Once Knew" by Olivia Drake. A well-developed and written historical romance. I liked how the main characters were able to meet and fall in love. Excellent.

I just couldn't connect with the story. When you present us the hero I don't think that he being with another woman is the better choice. I know this is historical romance but I didn't like how he and the heroine talked about his mistress (who wasn't actually his mistress) like she was some "temptress". I don't like woman on woman hate.



Positive:

I liked that the heroine wanted to be independent and that she wanted to work and earn her own money as a governess.



Overall, Not my cup of tea.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*flexing my fingers* Alright, here goes:

The Duke I Once Know should be an easy read for the weekend, with unavoidable cliches that I love such as: miscommunication, rakish duke, strong-headed lead female, and a blast from the past. Like, yeah, I shake my head at how these people communicate, but I also love it.

Pros:
+ I love Abigail, she can be a stubborn mc but still justifiable
+ the plot, it's a quick and easy read

Cons:
- I dislike how author made the other woman soooooo evil
- I want a more pull and tug from Abby and Max, I know they love each other but it lacks something imo

A beautifully written story. Max and Abby get a second chance at love. As teenagers they are torn apart by his father and now they once find themselves in each other’s company. This time they have to deal with a conniving woman and their fears of being hurt. The more time they spend in each other’s company the more they are able to recapture the friendship and feelings they had shared before. Love overcomes all fears and is enough to remind them of the important things and set them on the path of forever together.

I was looking forward to reading this book and I wasn't disappointed at all. This is a very fast pace story. It was powerful at the beginning when Abby stood her ground against her family and is now fending for herself. Max was a Rake . But it was cool to see them getting reacquainted. Very nice read.
Thanks Netgalley for this ARC. All the thoughts and opinions are all mine.

Life seemed to get in the way of me reading this fast but whenever I had the chance to read this I jumped right in enthusiastically. This book follows Abby and Max who are suddenly reunited after being apart for many years. They had been friends and somewhat more (even thinking about marrying each other when Max is taken to London after his mother's death. They are both not happy to see the other as they are both under the impression that the other didn't really want to be with them.

I really liked both Abby and Max. I liked how Abby in the beginning broke away from her family to go off and work on her own. I really liked getting to learn more about Max's past. I did enjoy the chemistry between the two and enjoyed that they struggled a bit before they couldn't resist each other anymore.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

What happens when the love of your youth, who happens to be a Duke, returns to his manse and discovers you are now his sister's nanny? Furthermore, you have been hurt by him because he never responded to the letters you sent him many years ago. A delightful read.

Enjoyable story of Abigail, a spinster whose family takes advantage of her, and her first love Max, whom is now a Duke. I am not always a fan of second chance stories but this one worked well.

Exciting and entertaining, this book had my full attention.

Abby is a spinster who has been helping her family since she was old enough to do so. On the verge of thirty, she realizes she wants more out of life. So, she decides to become a governess at the disproval of her family.

Her charge is Maxwell Bryce, the Duke of Rothwell’s, sister. Max is also her former friend and flame.

She believes she is content with her new lot until, to her dismay, Max returns to Rothwell Court.

Max is entitled and his reputation precedes him. He is known as a libertine and a rake, taking his pleasures where he may. When he must reluctantly detour home, he is not happy to see Abby. She brings back memories of past hurts. She also brings fond memories that are better left in the past.

Will these two be able to let go of past hurt and finally grasp the love that was meant to be theirs?

This is a second chance as well as a friends to lovers romance that I enjoyed.

Abby was meek in the beginning, accepting her lot. However, as the story progressed, she gained strength and started creating the life she wanted. She was, however, frustrating with her prejudices against Max.

Max was a wonderfully caring character if not a little hard headed. He changed ever so slowly, realizing his mistakes and then making amends.

The passion between these two was a slow burn and it suited this story. As a personal preference however, I would’ve enjoyed more intimate scenes with this couple. Not just the carnal but time spent together alone. In my opinion, their scenes with only each other are too few. I also would have loved an epilogue. The end felt a little bit abrupt without it.

I received an ARC via NetGalley of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I likes this book. I have never read any books by this author, but will put her on my list. The story was good. I liked how the heroine stood up for herself with her family. The characters were developed, the conflict was realistic. Overall I would recommend.

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.