I have a thing for governess books. I blame imprinting on Jane Eyre at a young age. So I had high hopes that were ultimately deflated.

Tessa has a tragic backstory - her mother was killed when Tessa was six, she grew up in an orphanage/workhouse, now she toils as a hatmaker. And she has a single clue to the identity of her noble father. The Duke of Carlin has a young daughter who is prone to trouble making and tantrums, and no governess can govern her. Until, perhaps, Tessa...

This book is fine. It's a solid enough book with a mystery/danger element that emerges partway through. I enjoyed that, though I wish there's been a bit more clue scattering (or that I had better picked up on them if they're there). I like a bit of action/danger/mystery in my books.

Tessa is searching for her father to fund a business of her own. She does eventually locate her relations, but it almost feels too easy? Like their acceptance doesn't necessarily seem earned. There's a story thread about her previous employer accusing her of stealing that feels like it was forgotten/unresolved.

I found the romance underwhelming, and there was less steam than I like. I also found the ending super abrupt - I guess I'm spoiled by epilogues these days.

It's a perfectly fine historical romance - low heat, with a bit of a mystery, but ultimately forgettable.

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

When a Duke Loves a Governess is a solid historical romance. It serves my want for a romance that moves fast and is light and fun. There is a little bit of intrigue to it and while I usually like some mystery or challenge to the story, this one almost distracted from the romance. I wanted him to have more faith in Tessa and the conflict just kept giving him reasons to doubt or disbelieve her. Good story, but I wanted a little more.

This story is a complete standalone in the series. It's a Cinderella retelling with a widowed duke, father of a four-year-old girl, and the governess he hired in hopes of shaping his daughter into a well mannered lady.

Guy Whitby became the Duke of Carlin after a series of death of the previous heirs. As a botanist, he sailed across the globe collecting specimens for his scientific studies, leaving behind his infant daughter Sophy in the care of her maternal grandparents. Upon his return to assume the dukedom, he was helpless with his daughter's wild behaviors and desperate to find a governess to tame her.

Growing up in a foundling home taking care of younger girls and then working as a hatmaker, Tessa James knew all about children's behaviors and hard work, and dreamed of having her own millinery shop. Determined to find her noble biological father, she ended up in Carlin's house as Sophy's governess. She was intelligent, compassionate, and patient with Sophy. She understood the child's source of problems and took time to build her trust. And Carlin slowly realized the effects Tessa had on Sophy and on himself!

While I love a well-built cast, I wish there were more romantic sparks between Carlin and Tessa, or more bonding time for the three of them. There are some repetitions in the text that made it seem like dragged on. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the mystery with surprised twists, and love Tessa's tough-as-nails character and the overall Cinderella vibe.

*Special thanks to St. Martin's Press Romance for sending me the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Release date: July 27, 2021.

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake is the third in the Unlikely Duchesses series. I have only read this and the second book and had no trouble following along with either, the stories standalone. This is the story of Tessa James looking for information on who her father may be, along with her dreams of opening a hat boutique. She takes the position of governess for the daughter of the new Duke in town, Guy Whitby, hoping to find clues to her father. Nevermind that she has completely fibbed to obtain this job, Guy does not care because he is highly attracted to her. This book is full of surprises that will keep you interested from start to finish.

What can I say? This book was an intriguing one and so very much appreciated.
I started it while I was in the mood to read some Regency story and what a brilliant one it ha​d​ been.
While you would think those all are the same, this one was quite different. The heroine was from an orphanage but her willingness and inner power led her to achieve her goal, which was to find her ​aristocratic ​father​ to get a loan to start her own millinery shop.​
When there finally arise a chance to get into a circle of the Ton as a governess, she doesn't hesitate and goes for it. What she hadn't planned on was to close Guy and the little girl into her heart.

When Guy´s 3 years old daughter drives another governess away, he seeks for another more suited one. He meets the lovely Tessa, although without a letter of recommendation but with a heart of gold and strangely positive influence on his daughter, so he decides to give her a try.
What he has not known is that she will charme his and his daughter´s heart.
Tessa and Guy´s story is unique and entertaining with lots of turns and edges. I loved every single word of this beautifuly and deliciously written book.

I enjoyed getting to know Tessa & Guy (the Duke of Carlin) in this story. I liked that there were a lot of twists & turns to the story as well as the forbidden romance. Highly recommend reading this book!

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

This was an enjoyable romance though a little involved. Always a good plot when there is a potential family in waiting for an orphan, a governess, and a duke learning his role and also how to be a father. It starts out well with adversity forcing a change in careers and potential stations in life. There is a mystery in the middle though it seemed like there was a bit too much going on even for a true lover of Cinderella. In the end, things to tie up rather nicely though wishing I was a bit more engaged in the romance side of things - with a little bit more relationship building between the 2 main characters. I would read this author again as there are a couple secondary characters I'd like to see in the future.

Olivia Drake develops her characters in such a brilliant way, slowly pacing their growth and revelations throughout the book. This gives the main relationship room to breathe and be more believable. No insta-lust here, thank goodness! It’s been so long since the release of the previous Unlikely Duchesses book that I’d forgotten how much I’ve enjoyed this series, and When a Duke Loves a Governess is definitely not to be missed!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I received an arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of crossing lines in the regency social structure as seen in books by Christi Caldwell this is a book to check out.
There’s a precocious small child who needs love and attention that only our heroine can provide and model to her father a nontraditional duke.
The premise is fun and mostly light though there are a few different mysteries to unravel and adventure does ensue. While it could have felt angsty it did not feel overly so.
Personally I did feel like the word “Lud” was overly utilized but to each their own.
This is a solid B level regency romance. It is not up there with Julia Quinn but if you’re not expecting that level of book it is enjoyable and worthwhile.

4/5 stars

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake is the third stand alone in her Unlikely Duchesses series. I'll be honest when I started reading this I'm not sure that I was in a historical romance mood, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Tessa James dreams of discovering who her birth father is and of opening her own millinery shop. When she learns that The Duke of Carlin is in dire need of a governess for his daughter, she decides to take a shot at the position. She alters her background and surprisingly gets the job. She so quickly displays a knack for dealing the young girl that even when The Duke finds out her lies, he keeps her own as governess. There is also a chemistry between Tessa and The Duke that they try to ignore, but they eventually give into desires. When her parentage turns out to be nobility, will she be able to trust that The Duke's proclamation of feelings to be genuine.

This was a pleasant read with characters I liked, but nothing that made them stand out to other historical romances. I did really enjoy little Sophy though, my heart broke for the young girl who just want to feel loved. There were some great interactions between the three of them as Tessa helped mend the relationship between father and daughter. As for Tessa and The Duke individually they were unmemorable, but together they had been a pleasure.

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake is a slow burn, low steam, high angst historical romance with a side of mystery. This is my first time reading Olivia Drake and i'd be interested in reading more by her in the future.

Even though this is the 3rd book in this series, it stands perfectly fine on its own. This is the first book I have read by this author and it won't be the last. It drew me in from the start and the drama and suspense kept me engaged throughout. Enjoyable!

ARC received via NetGalley.

When a Duke Loves a Governess by Olivia Drake is the third book in her Unlikely Duchesses series. I really enjoyed this book's storyline. The characters are fascinating. I loved how strong and feisty heroine Tessa James is. It's great to see a duke as a hero who isn't really into the crazy social scene at the time. There are a couple of mysteries that are solved and there's plenty of action too. This is a super addition to the series.

I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Tessa and Guy's story! I loved the concept of a young woman who has had to fend for herself her whole life, and now finds herself in a position she never dreamed of. All she wants is to find the father she never knew, someone of nobility, and ask him for a loan to start her own Millinery shop. She never imagined when she makes the rash decision to apply for a Governess position that she would end up falling for the new Duke Carlin.

Olivia does a great job of balancing the budding romance between Tessa and Guy with the mysteries threaded throughout. I say mysteries, because not only is the Duke trying to help Tessa figure out who her father is, she in turn is helping him try to figure out who ransacked his office and stole his journals.

I very much liked the headstrong and independent Tessa, who for the most part, kept a level head, except for those time that the Duke focused all his attention on her. And Guy was quite enigmatic, having traveled the world in pursuit of scientific research on plants, instead of lounging around in a life of privilege and excess. These two suited each other perfectly.

I enjoyed the mystery aspects, and I tried to connect the dots as to who was targeting the Carlin family. I guessed a couple of things and then others were a surprise to me.

As I said, I really enjoyed this story, but wish the ending had been expanded upon just a little more, as I was left wanting to know so much more about Tessa. Does she settle into being a Duchess? Does she ever realize her dream of opening a Millinery shop? Perhaps she and Guy will appear in a future story and we'll get those answers.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I happened to read two historical romances featuring governesses and lords falling in love. WHEN A DUKE LOVES A GOVERNESS by Olivia Drake was by far the better story. It was better plotted, had an interesting mystery (actually, two) and was more believable.

Tessa James has a goal in life and won’t let her present position keep her from solving the mystery of her past. Guy Whitby has a hellion for a daughter and buried wounds from his first marriage. Tessa is no Mary Poppins, but she does have the common sense needed to bond with young Sophy and help her soften and grow.

The journey that Tessa and Guy travel together — and with Sophy — as well as the two mysteries I mentioned kept me turning the page to the HEA, brought on by some creativity on Drake’s part.

This is the first book I’ve read by Olivia Drake. And as the third book in her Unlikely Duchesses series, I can assure you that you can read this as a standalone.

Now, I’m off to hunt down other Olivia Drake titles.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted my view.

I am so happy I got to read this advanced copy because it was just a joy to read. I loved the twists that the author managed to balance with lightheadedness and wonderful characters. I am pretty picky in terms of historical romances, and this one did not disappoint!

Well, if my Goodreads library is up to date, When a Duke Loves a Woman is my first read from Olivia Drake, and I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to discover this author. This book is the third in the Unlikely Duchesses series, but I couldn’t tell. In fact, I’m not sure how it’s connected to any other books.

Interestingly enough, I really enjoyed this book even though I’m not a fan of the romance with the boss trope. I think it was because I was rooting for Tessa so much. Tessa is an interesting character. She’s been working in a hat shop, barely scraping by a living when she overhears a duke needs a governess for his unruly child. She decides since she looked after the younger kids at the orphanage where she grew up, she could do it, and it might give her the chance to find her father. I thoroughly enjoyed Tessa’s backstory and her growth throughout the story. And Guy was a good match for her.

Guy was never supposed to be a duke. But after his grandfather, father, and uncles all passed away, the title is his, and he has to return to England. Guy had been traveling around the world, following his passion for learning about wildlife and plants in more remote places. He’s widowed with a young daughter who has been left with his in-laws. He’s at wit’s end with how to handle being duke and dealing with a daughter he just doesn’t know—enter Tessa.

I liked both Tessa and Guy, and I wanted them together once I got past the fact that he’s her boss. There’s a definite spark when they meet and a gradual building of the romance. Alongside that romance, Tessa gets some gaps in her family history filled that I didn’t see coming but were satisfying.

I got sucked into When a Man Loves a Governess and couldn’t put the book down until I got to The End. I found the book to have a solid romance and good character development. It looks like I have a backlist to start reading.

Mystery and murder tangle with this lovely love story. Tessa has a goal to find her father. Guy has become a duke with a daughter he doesn’t know. When Guy hires Tessa as a governess the adventure begins. This story kept me on the edge of my set.

When a Duke Loves a Governess
Book 3 in the Unlikely Duchesses series
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

When a Duke Loves a Governess is exactly what this story is about. Tessa James ends up at Guy Whitby, Duke of Carlin home as a governess. She's not really one, but due to that she just lost her job as a milliner this was her last resort. She arrives at his house and is ready to serve as governess to his 4 year old daughter who has been a handful ever since he came back from his travels and picked her up from her maternal grandparents.
Carlin immediately realizes that Tessa is not being honest about who she really is and gives her a week to prove herself. Meanwhile Tessa, besides earning money to open up her own shop, is determined to find her father. I thought this was a little naive of her that after so many years of not knowing her existence her father (whoever he is) will give her the money (even if it's a loan) to open up her shop.
The romance between them seemed more of a physical attraction between them. They are very attracted to each other, but sadly realize that due to their social status they could never be together....until the day she finds her family is that Carlin seizes the chance to have her but things go wrong with his proposal.
To add to the story we find ourselves trying to figure out the mystery of who is responsible for the series of accidents/murders of Carlin's family.
This was a good story, the reason for the 3 stars is that I think too many things were happening around Tessa and Carlin. They spent most of the time dealing with certain situations that took away from them really getting to know one another.

When a Duke loves a Governess is the third volume in the Unlikely Duchesses by Olivia Drake. It’s the second book I read by this author I’ve known before under her real name Barbara Dawson Smith.
I read the second volume in the series: Forever my Duke and this plot appealed to me enough for me to want to read it when I received the ARC offer in a mail from the publisher.
I must say this book was a very good draw and I really preferred it to the previous one. I loved the story, the characters, and the suspense was well done.

The story begins when Tessa James, our heroine, an orphan and a millinery, after an nth from her boss, decides to quit her job. She’d really like to create her own millinery shop but the little salary she had isn’t enough to fund this project.
Then she has the idea to look for her father; her mother, upon her death, gave her clues to find him. However, her father seems to be from the English Ton. After hearing a conversation in which she learns Guy Whitby, duke of Carlin, has just lost a nth governess for his daughter, she decides to apply for the job.
Guy Whitby has just come back urgently from his world tour after discovering he has inherited the Duke title. At the same time, he has taken back his daughter who was with his in laws after his wife’s death. However, there’s no communication between father and daughter, especially as she is mad at him for taking her from her home. So she gives a hard time to the diverse governesses hired by her father.

The story will center on the evolution of the relationship between our heroes, the heroine winning the hero’s daughter heart, the hero and his daughter making up, and of course the search of the heroine’s past. Besides that, we have a suspense linked to our hero but I won’t say more in my review.

I can say there are a lot of unexpected events in this book, and I was really surprised by most of them. I was caught by the story from the very first pages and I almost read it in one sitting.
I really liked the trust that happens between Tessa and Guy, in spite of the circumstances and some misunderstandings that don’t last. I liked the relation that develops between the main or secondary characters. I loved the hero’s daughter. In spite of her behavior, we feel she’s a fragile person who lost her bearings.
What’s more, having read the previous volume, I appreciated that WADLAG can be read as a standalone. No word is said about the previous heroes when the red hearing is women who become duchesses by chance.

The heroes are attracted to each other from the start and they take time to yield. The author began the intimacy only when it’s necessary and I liked that.

As a consequence When a Duke loves a Governess is a very beautiful story I recommend.

When A Duke Loves A Governess, by Olivia Drake. Well, I must say that this was a good book to read. The drama and the suspense captivated my attention. I liked that the writer wrote a story of a father and daughter’s bond. It was great to read how Guy was willing to do anything to gain just a little affection from his daughter.
I think that the writer did a great job depicting four-year-olds acting out a temper tantrum. I also have to say that the entertainment was very exciting to read. I give the writer five stars with the wonderful writing in regards to Guy and Tessa’s love affair. The scene in the study was a joy to read. I look forward to reading more great writing from this author.
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