tl;dr review: While this wasn't my favorite book in the series, it wrapped up nicely with really lovely, subtle thematic work. Also, I was little less into the romance than I usually am with a Jess Michaels book (which doesn't say much, since I usually like her pairings and chemistry more than most), but I still shipped enough to enjoy it.

When Christopher “Kit” Collins’ father dies, he is devastated, but he must swiftly take on the title of Duke of Kingsacre and all the responsibility that comes with it. Including the care of his very young illegitimate half-sister, who is now his ward. He is very upset when he discovers the governess his father hired for the child just before his death is Sarah Carlton.
Sarah is equally disturbed by the arrival of her new employer, as she and Kit once had an unpleasant encounter when she was at her lowest point. But since she has no other place to go, she can only hope he will not sack her. Thanks to the adoration of his sister, he does not and the two enter into a wary truce because they both care for the child.
This was a pretty good story. I really liked Kit and Sarah as well as the side characters. I enjoyed following them on their journey. I look forward to reading more from this author.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

The Last Duke is perhaps the best Duke of all. It is a wonderful goodbye to the ten Dukes in the 1797 club and their wonderful wives and children. They are all featured and catching up with them is lovely. This book isn’t as fast-paced and exciting as some of the others, but, I think that is perfect because, well, goodbyes are sad. The writing is excellent, it is well-plotted, well-written and the characters are absolutely lovely.

It is the saddest of times. Christopher Collins, Kit, and all of his friends are gathered at his father’s country estate to say goodbye to the Duke of Kingsacre, Kit’s father. The Duke is loved and admired by all the members of the 1797 club because he was kind to them and helped guide them when their own fathers would not. He showed them love and kindness and how to manage their holdings with compassion and caring while still making them profitable. He was just a good, good man. The Duke’s health has been failing for quite some time, and his long fight is about to end.

The goodbye scenes between Kit and his father and Phoebe and her father were sweet, poignant and very, very sad. The author wrote them beautifully. Kit and Phoebe’s profound love for their father was palpable throughout the book – as was their love for each other. There was just no way around it, I fell in love with both Kit and Phoebe. So, I can certainly see why Sarah would as well.

Sarah Carlton had committed a terrible faux pas three years ago at a ball. In frustration, she had said some unkind things to Meg who is now the Duchess of Crestwood (Read Her Favorite Duke for their story). What she said was overheard by Kit and he called her to task for it and said some unkind things of his own. Kit has never forgotten what Sarah did and has sat in judgment of her since then. Now, he has to deal with her as the governess to his illegitimate 5-year-old sister. His sister loves Sarah, can he just dismiss her?

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Kit trying to fight his attraction to Sarah because, after all, he hated her. Then, when she almost died saving his sister – well – maybe he didn’t hate her so much. Then, when the villain appears and Sarah almost dies saving Phoebe again – well – that does it. He can’t fight it any longer.

This is really the perfect wrap-up for this series. Normally, I’m not pleased with a series wrap-up because they don’t really seem to let us say our goodbyes and see that each of our heroes/heroines still have their happy endings, so this one was a delightful surprise. Everyone is featured and everyone has a role and I loved catching up with all of them.

I can certainly recommend this book, but I do hope it goes through at least one more proofreading before publication.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

The Last Duke is the tenth, and last, book in the 1797 series by Jess Michaels. I have read some, but not all, of the books in this series. While those that have read them all will get more out of each book because of the character building and past situations, they can all stand up well on their own.

When Christopher “Kit” Collins’ father dies, he is devastated, but he must swiftly take on the title of Duke of Kingsacre and all the responsibility that comes with it. Including the care of his very young illegitimate half-sister, who is now his ward. He is very upset when he discovers the governess his father hired for the child just before his death is Sarah Carlton. Sarah is equally disturbed by the arrival of her new employer, as she and Kit once had an unpleasant encounter when she was at her lowest point. But since she has no other place to go, she can only hope he will not sack her. Thanks to the adoration of his sister, he does not and the two enter into a wary truce because they both care for the child. A truce that explodes one passionate night after a nearly tragic accident. Comfort leads to more and soon the two are engaged in an affair. But when danger comes to threaten the child they both love, they must overcome their deeply rooted mistrust and work together to keep her safe. And perhaps find a way to make a family together.

The Last Duke is a story about second chances, and paying attention to your own heart and mind, not just your responsibilities. Kit has spent his whole life preparing for the day he became Duke, although he would much rather have his father beside him. Over the years he has had friends, but has spent most of his energy on being who he should be. Sarah has spent most of her adult life trying to guarantee her survival while still fitting the expectations of those around her. When they are thrown more closely together they discover what both had hidden from for years, but expectations and assumptions are the biggest obstacles. I liked the characters, and found them well constructed. I think their growth and interactions were also very well done. My only real issues is that I would have liked Sarah to show the backbone in standing up to Kit that she shows elsewhere in the book. I really wanted her to stand up for what she wanted more, rather than being the perfect 'good girl' and trying to fit into the niche that society would have her stay in.

The Last Duke is a solid conclusion to this series, and a fun read.

The day has come that the Dukes hoped would never come but...we all knew that it would as he has been ailing for a while: Kit's father has died and Kit is now the last of our band of dukes to take his title. As his father was the one all of those (former) boys (turned dukes) looked up to and respected, all of them come to the funeral of the former Duke of Kingsacre. All of them stand behind Kit and lend him their strength and it's their friendship that pulls him through when his grief becomes too much.
As a surrogate father to his young illegitimate sister, he is often confronted with her governess Sarah now - and with his feelings for her. Maybe there is something more than just the memory of an unpleasant encounter in their past, maybe there is a future for them...if he finally stops refusing to see what everybody else sees...

I liked the way his friends care for him and make him see that his feelings are real and that he is allowed to feel that way despite everything else going down. And of course, our dukes being the way they are, I loved to see how welcoming they are and how much they support Sarah and never hold her social status against her. As meddlesome as those guys (and girls) are, it is probably no wonder that Sarah and Kit...well.

Once again this is a beautiful and captivating story with twists and turns that draws you in right from the start and won't let go till the end. As this is the last book in this series, I was a bit anxious to see if it would live up to my expectations because I really loved each and every one of those books in this series. And I must say - it didn't disappoint. It was exactly what I had hoped for and I really enjoyed reading it. And now I can't wait for the next books by the author to come out! I've read almost all of her books by now and up to now, I haven't found a single one that I didn't like.

This is Sarah and Kit’s story, the 10th and last in the 1797 Club series; a standalone, happily ever after, no cheating, historical romance with sizzle.
This story involves two people who are re-evaluating their perception of one another, looking inside one’s self, then, finding love. The romance between Sarah and Kit develops nicely as they deal with danger in different forms, they also, come to terms with their true emotions.
The Dukes, from previous stories, and their wives play a part in the plot, however, it is not necessary to read their stories in order to enjoy this book. This story is 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed the series from the first book on. This book was kind of different because of its storyline. It's about a young man - Kit - who absolutely adores his father and doesn't want him to die but the sick Duke dies and leaves him with the title and a much younger halfsister.
Years before this event at a ballroom in London he gets into a quite unpleasant encounter with a young Lady - this encounter was the end of her life in society. After her mother dies she has no place to go that's why she becomes a governess.
The governess to Kit's younger sister.

Sarah is afraid that she will be fired within seconds of the old dukes death because of what has happened in the past, she is even afraid of Kit. On the other hand, she adores the little girl and the girl loves her.
...

It's a story about the past, about prejudice, society, and friendship. It's about a young woman who was part of all of it once before her mouth was quicker than her brain. It's about a young Duke who loved his father dearly, who had the best relationship with him.

I really enjoyed reading it thou it had a little too much drama towards the end for my taste.

A perfect ending to the Duke club! This book had it all for me, smiles, laughs, tears, and romance! If you have read the rest in the series you will be completely satisfied with this wrap up of the series. You get to spend so much time with all the dukes and duchesses, plus get a happy ending for Sarah and Kit. Can't wait to read what Jess has in store next for us! Highly recommend!

Publisher's Description:

When Christopher “Kit” Collins’ father dies, he is devastated, but he must swiftly take on the title of Duke of Kingsacre and all the responsibility that comes with it. Including the care of his very young illegitimate half-sister, who is now his ward. He is very upset when he discovers the governess his father hired for the child just before his death is Sarah Carlton.

Sarah is equally disturbed by the arrival of her new employer, as she and Kit once had an unpleasant encounter when she was at her lowest point. But since she has no other place to go, she can only hope he will not sack her. Thanks to the adoration of his sister, he does not and the two enter into a wary truce because they both care for the child.

A truce that explodes one passionate night after a nearly tragic accident. Comfort leads to more and soon the two are engaged in an affair. But when danger comes to threaten the child they both love, they must overcome their deeply rooted mistrust and work together to keep her safe. And perhaps find a way to make a family together.

My Thoughts:
Jess Michaels has never disappointed me with this 1797 series. I am loath to see it come to an end, but what a remarkable ending.
The last Duke is just that, the end of this wonderful series.
This well written and characterized end to this series is one that draws the reader in and wants for nothing.
Near tragedy is what it takes to bring this couple together.
I gave this final book of the series a 5 star rating. What intimacy there is, is a sizzling part of this novel.
I am ready for a new series of equal worth.
Thank You Jess Michaels for entertaining us with this wonderful cast of Dukes.
I read a purchased copy of this book due to missing the archive date on NetGalley.

This is the tenth book and the last one in The 1797 Club series. It is about Christopher "Kit" Collins, the Duke of Kingsacre and Sarah Carlton. I loved how the author has portrayed the relationship in between Kit and his father. It was heartbreaking to fell his loss. I feel like this relationship overshadowed the romance and the bond in between Kit and Sarah. The romance felt secondary to the father son relationship, their love and loss. I adored Phoebe's character and really wish we get to read her own story soon. This series ends with this book and if you want to start, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning with "The Daring Duke".

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

Not my favorite of the series, sadly it’s the last. This story has an h that came across as bitchy in a prior book in the series, and though her behavior is explained, she is still a difficult person to like because of it. The H disliked her because of her behavior, and always made sure she knew it, unfortunately, his father hired her as a governess to his younger sister, so they see one another frequently, which can be quite uncomfortable. Upon his fathers death, he must see even more of her and the relationship is strained. I really had a hard time accepting this story, and therefore, these two as a couple. Parts of the story just didn’t come together for me. I do like this author, and the writing is good, just not a likeable couple for me. I received a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute story and a lovely completion to the series. Any fan of Jess Michaels will enjoy finding out what happens in this book. The drama was enough to keep you turning the pages, and the romance was as sweet as ever! Jess Michaels does no wrong.

Christopher "Kit" Collins, the Duke of Kingsacre, has just lost his father and to make matters worse, his father hired Miss Sarah Carlton as governess to Kit's half-sister a few months before his death. Kit has disliked Sarah because of a momentary faux-pas to his friend Meg 3 years ago. Kit has had nothing but disdain for Sarah, but it's Sarah who offers Kit the most comfort on the loss of his father. Sarah's fall from grace of the ton culminated after her mother's death. Destitute and without any other options, she entered service. Now the man who loathes her holds her life in his hands. Will he dismiss her without a reference?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ms. Michaels invites the reader's into the innermost feelings of both Kit and Sarah and it makes them so relatable. While there's not a lot of action in the book, the plot moves along well as Kit tries to unravel his complicated feelings toward Sarah. It takes a near tragic accident for him to see clearly, but there are still obstacles to overcome. Kit and Sarah's path to each other is a bit rocky, but when they finally examine their feelings, they will realize that true love was only a heartbeat away.

This was a goos book. I was a little disappointed regarding the billed up of these two lovers. I never really got how the hero loved the heroine from a far. But it a great wrapped up of the series.

Duke of Kingsacre, Christopher “Kit” Collins, is the last of the Dukes to inherit his title after his father dies and leaves him and his young sister Phoebe morning his loss. The old Duke took Sarah Carlton under his wings after her fall from society became Miss Phoebe’s governess. It heartening to see all the Duke’s Club gather and support Kit when his father was dying, but it was sad to see the old Duke die he was a great supporter, mentor and a guiding influence to all the Dukes.
Ever since Kit witnessed her mishap at a ball he’s judged and kept her at a distance ever watchful she doesn’t harm his family. Phoebe adores Sarah and the two enter into a truce for her sake. Kit’s view of Sarah changes when Phoebe, child they both love, is in danger. He tries to overcome his deeply rooted mistrust and work together to keep her safe even as his desires for Sarah come to light. I love these two together, Sarah needs some to heal her, love her and make her feel safe again and Kit needs and deserves the undying love of Sarah. This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

Kit becomes the Duke after his father dies and his shocked his father hired Sarah as his sister’s governess. The chemistry is steamy but what will happen as Kit’s friends begin to arrive for the funeral. I loved this series and this is an amazing ending to it. The story is steamy with plenty of drama and suspense. Not to mention you get to see the characters from the previous reads. I loved it!

A tear just fell as I said goodbye to an incredible series by Jess Michaels. She ended in a strong note with the story of Christopher “Kit” Collins’ and governess, Sarah Carlton. I have loved hearing about Kit's relationship with his ailing father. Knowing that the former Duke sought to take care of his son, even after his death, warmed my heart. Kit and Sarah were a perfect pairing and now I am desperately waiting for a new series to begin with hopes that this wonderful band of Duke's will make an appearance every now and then.

Kit and Sarah’s story is the end of the Dukes series but can be read as a stand alone. Kid and Sarah had to overcome a conversation Kit overheard when Sarah was in a desperate situation. When they encounter each other later, Sarah is the governess to Kits half sister. His father has died and he is the duke. As Sarah and Kit come to know each other, that overheard conversation becomes a huge obstacle for Kit. But a threat to Sarah helps Kit realize what she means to him.
Sorry to see then end of the dukes but looking forward to the next series!

Another awesome story and the final one in the 1797 Club series. Sad to be ending, but what a way to wrap everything up! Finally we have Kit who is really have a hard time with the passing of his father and taking responsibility of the dukedom. Supported by his friends he tries to cope but then then he finds Sara Carlton as governess to his half sister. These two have a past and Sarah knows that Kit does not like her but she needs her job and loves her ward. Sarah has her own grief with the loss of her mother and somehow, Kit is drawn to her and even asks for her advice. Both are reeling from their own grief and it seems they might help each other if they can just find their way.
There was so much emotion in this story I felt sad at times, but then it seemed you could feel their attraction as being almost palpable coming off the pages. What a way to end a series that left me satisfied as I turned the last page. Cannot wait to see what is next for this author and know I look forward to anything she writes!

The Last Duke by Jess Michaels is book 10 in The 1797 Club series. This is the story of Christopher 'Kit', The Duke of Kingsacre and Sarah Carlton. I have read the previous books, but feel this can be a standalone book. Kit's father had died, so in addition to that loss he has to take the Title of Duke and deal with a illegitimate half-sister who he learns his father hired Sarah to be her governess. Kit once overheard Sarah saying something he didn't like to a friend. Sarah was hurt to loose Kit's regard due to a time in her life where she had been a a all time low and lasted out. Now Sarah is to be Phoebe's governess if Kit will allow her to stay...which he does. This starts them working out their issues and feelings.