A relatively fast read. Abigail Linton finds herself a spinster nearing the age of 30 after years of devoting herself to the care of her parents (now recently deceased) and assisting her older siblings with their housekeeping and children. She decides in a rare self-serving moment of impulsiveness to take on the position of governess to the sister of the absent Duke of Rothwell in the neighbouring estate. Maxwell Bryce has been absent for 15 years in fact, since the death of his mother when his father took him and his baby sister to London. He and Abby became acquainted in the summer before his mother passed on and in fact their friendship turned romantic with promises of love and devotion pledged by both. It all ended acrimoniously and Max left for London after angry words were said - words that he longed to retract almost as soon as they were uttered. But fate and family events conspired against them and before long, fifteen years have flown by. To Abby's shock, Max is no longer the absent lord. He is back, reluctantly so and with a would-be-mistress in tow, but after encountering Abby again he soon finds himself reluctant to leave his estate ever again, although keen to rid himself of the clingy widow.

Abby got to me a bit with her tendency to jump to conclusions as well as her doormat mentality around her family. She also lacked discretion and repeatedly divulged way too much information to random people. Max was rather neglectful of his little sister, which was a strike against him. He also was quite condescending towards various lesser ranked people. The MCs were 15 and 16 years old respectively when they first romanced, and so I'm not quite convinced of the endurance of such a youthful attachment. The writing was okay, if not quite inspiring and just lacked nuances and subtleties I generally prefer. I have read better books by this author, her older books when she went by the name of Barbara Dawson Smith.

This was a great second chance romance. I have never read any of this authors work, and was pleased with this story. I think it will be a great new series. Abigail and Max both have their flaws but the storyline was enjoyable. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book, first ever by this author. Abby and Max were two very likable, feisty, charming and passionate characters. The scenes between them crackled with tension, attraction, and affection. This book was heartwarming and romantic, tender and steamy. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

Can you go home again? Max, Lord Rothwell did and found his first love as the governess of his young sister, Gwen. Abigail is tired of everything being decided for her. She is being taken advantage of by her much older siblings. Being pulled different ways to be used as a spinster aunt is getting to be, too much. She is almost thirty, and needs something for herself. She goes to Rothwell Court as a governess to Lady Gwen, not expecting Lord Rothwell to be there.. When he shows up with a woman who may be his mistress and a few of his other London friends, both are surprised to see each other. Max and Abigail had been childhood friends and more. The promise of what they were to each other should have been forgotten years ago, but it comes back with an ache of what could never be. The attraction is still there, but Max has secrets. Will he be able to reveal his most private thoughts? What about his reputation as a rake? I loved this book and the story was more complex than many others I have read. I received this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.The opinions expressed are my own.

My heart always goes out to the couple whenever there could have been more if only they'd been given a chance. 15 years they were denied a relationship. Even now there are some trying to come between them.

A good read for lovers of the regency romance genre. A tale of many strands, well written and very enjoyable.

The Duke I Once Knew (Unlikely Duchesses, #1)
by Olivia Drake

A definite buy book.
This author is one that I enjoy reading. While I cannot say this was her best work, it felt a little up and down at times, it is definitely an enjoyable read. I like her characters and plots. Though in this one, the hero is dense and needed to be refined maybe a little more! It kept my interest but at times it felt slow. I was not captivated but I was entertained. So all in all a nice enjoyable read. ! I was given this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are my own. Regards, Anna

The Duke I Once Knew⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️by Olivia Drake

This book to me had everything. Love letters lost, a love lost and found. The characters each appraised each other after fifteen years of separation. Could they still find that love.

Ms Drake has captured the readers heart with this endearing tale. The spinster Abigail Linton completely taken advantage of by her family tries to escape for a life of her own. She becomes a governess for the sister of the Duke of Rothwell.
He has been absent from his estate for years and surely when he surprises all by arriving home, Ms Linton believes he will not recognize her.

How could the Duke not remember his heart. Abigail is etched in his heart and soul. This is a true tale of romance not forgotten but delayed by interference. A wonderful read.

Abigail Linton has taken care of her parents all her life. She has been a help to her six much older siblings. She has always taken care of her family. So when they start arguing over who she will be staying with for the upcoming season without her consent, she informs them she will be taking a position as a governess. The position is to the sister of Maxwell Bryce, Duke of Rothwell. He was her childhood love.
When Abby didn’t respond to any of the letters Max sent her, he became a rake to ease the sting of rejection. He comes home to Rothwell Court after fifteen years away he finds Abby there as his sister’s governess and immediately dismisses her from her post. He reluctantly lets her stay for the week because his friends are there.
Max and Abby both think the other didn’t respond to each other’s letters. Once they realize that the letters went missing, this opens up the long buried feelings they had for each other. Abby just wants to be valued as a person. Max and Abby are torn between exploring their feeling and afraid of being hurt again. The story was entertaining and I recommend it.

I could not put this book down, it was that good. The story flowed through out the story and the characters are easy to connect with. I have never read any of the books by the author Olivia Drake but I will now.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

A good romantic Historical story.
Really liked Abbigail and Max they once cared for each other.
Max went away after a tragedy and each thought they forgot about each other and felt hurt.
After 15 yrs they were reunited in an employee employer situation and discovered that they still have feeling for each other but have to come to an understanding of what really happen 15 yrs ago.
Some very good dialogue,situations,and romance.
Enjoy reading.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Abigail Linton was madly in love with Max Bryce when she was 15. Suddenly, his mother died and, his father took Max and his little sister to London. She never heard from Max again. In those 15 years, Abby has been pushed around to help everyone in her family and, spent the past few years caring for her ailing parents until they died within months of each other. She's finally had enough and decided to apply for the governess position for Max's little sister for the independence. Little does she know that Max will be returning home a few weeks later with an entourage of his friends and, his mistress. When Max returns home and, realizes that his little sister's new governess is no other than the only woman he has ever loved, the woman who never returned his letters. It's been 15 years but, Max is furious that, apparently, his mind and body have never forgotten Abby! Abby is sitting in the corner of the library when Max comes in with his mistress and, proceeds to ravish her until Abby makes a noise and he realizes they are not alone. That makes Abby realize that all of those rumors about what a rake Mac is are, true!
How is Abby going to keep the first job that has taken her away from her smothering, needy family? How is Max going to do everything he needs to do to fix up the castle, keep the strumpet he brought with him from constantly fawning over him and, deal with the unwanted feelings for Abby that just won't go away!!!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
.

So, Abigail's family is loving, well meaning, and incredibly insensitive when it comes to her. I think I was supposed to like them, but they were so blatant in their complete disregard for her, that they really came across as very very black and white. But they weren't the main characters. In order to escape from them, and their insensitive plans for her future, that are so very self serving, Abigail decides to take a job as a companion. The reader is supposed to believe that Abigail is taking this job so she can "see the world", but I am not sure what part of the world she is planning to see as a companion to a girl on a country estate bordering her own. Anyway, Abigail used to be friends with Max even though he is nobility and she is not, and they were sort of engaged, but then one day he fell off the planet. They both wrote to each other, but the letters got lost, so they both think the other abandoned them. Max hasn't been home in almost 15 years, but he just happened to show up there about a week after Abigail starts working there. OK. Sure. That isn't contrived at all. It was nice to see them find their way back to each other.

I started this book eay this morning and couldn't put it down. The sweet romance between Abby and Max was fun and compelling. The author was talented enough to let me believe i was transported back in time to an English countryside watching this couple fall over each other and in love. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and family.

Abigail Linton has known no other life beyond that of caring for her ill and aging parents and helping raise her numerous nieces and nephews. But when her parents pass on, she becomes the topic of discussion amongst her siblings as to who will take her into their home. Each demands her attention for various reasons of need, but not once asking what Abigail wishes. Having arrived to the conclusion that she should embrace her spinsterhood, Abigail shocks her family when she announces she will become the governess of the Duke of Rothwell’s sister. But Abigail hides a secret she has long held close to her heart, years ago, before Maxwell Bryce became the notorious Duke of Rothwell, Abigail and Max were young and in love, but something happened that she could never bring herself to forgive…he broke his promise to her.

Maxwell Bryce, Duke of Rothwell, has learned to spurn love, considering the emotion weak and easily confused with lust. But when he returns to his family’s country estate, he is shocked to discover the one that broke his heart so many years ago is now working for him as his sister’s governess. Max is furious but also curious as to why she never answered his letters all those years ago.

Abigail and Max have spent the better part of 15 years apart, but when they are offered a second chance at love, can they put time and petty emotions to the side to make it work, or will they allow their stubborn constitutions cost them a chance at true love.

While I enjoyed this second chance romance, I had a few problems with Abigail’s character. In one chapter she’s upset over how her family is dismissing her feelings and treating her like an unpaid servant, yet when Max attempts to defend her, she gets mad at him for berating her family. I thought the beginning and end were the best parts of the story, and I figured out the secret of the letters long before our couple. Overall, The Duke I Once Knew was an enjoyable historical romance, and I would read more from this author.

Spinster Abigail Linton spent the years she should have been having her seasons, caring for her elderly parents.
After she came out of mourning to find her siblings fighting over her would get her for free labor, she had had ENOUGH!
Abigail applied for a governess position at the home of her one and only love, it being safe because he was not in residence, but was in London.
She was enjoying working with Lady Gwendolyn, when the errant ex...The Duke of Rothwell arrives to host a boxing match with a questionable retinue.
Well developed characters and situations make this historical enjoyable reading. I would recommend it highly to historical or romance fans.

Almost a year after her parents’ deaths, Abigail Linton finds herself the subject of her siblings’ discussion to decide where she’s going to live next. Distraught by this, she informs them of their decision to seek a position as a governess in the nearby estate of the Duke of Rothwell.
Maxwell Bryce, Duke of Rothwell, hasn’t set foot in Rothwell Court for the past ten years and that was only overnight. When he comes unexpectedly to find his nearby neighbor and childhood friend working as his sister’s governess and being that she was hired without his consent, he’s fast to dismiss Abby.
A looming prizefight, a handful of unsavory guests to keep away from the young innocent Lady Gwendolyn, quite a few schemes and glimpses of first love will be the backdrop to the story of Max and Abby.
This was my first read by Ms. Drake and I came of it quite satisfied. I really enjoy historical romances, but I’ve recently been plagued by stories that miss the mark from their period which was not the case with this book. Ms. Drake is a great storyteller and knows her chosen craft well meeting the mark for the period she’s writing about. Further to that, she gives a great plot with engaging characters and the result is a very nice, hard to put down read.

The Duke I Once Knew is a phenomenal historical romance by Olivia Drake. Ms. Drake is treating readers to a well-written book populated with an outstanding cast of characters. Abigail is tired of her family making her decisions for her without asking what she wants. She decides to take a governess position instead of what her family decides is best for them. Max is now the Duke of Rothwell and is shocked to discover his childhood sweetheart, Abby, acting as his sister's new governess. Max and Abby's story is loaded with drama, humor, sizzle and action. I enjoyed reading The Duke I Once Knew and look forward to reading more from Olivia Drake in the future. The Duke I Once Knew is book 1 of the Unlikely Duchesses Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

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

The Duke I Once Knew is a steamy historical novel of second chances. I really enjoyed this one and found myself devouring the story in one sitting. I am so happy the it's the first book in a brand new series by Olivia Drake as I plan to read more as they are released.