Lots of twists and turns with great characters. I was a bit disappointed about the abrupt ending but hopefully there will be a sequel to explain the outcome.

Good story and great characters. Tessa is a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it herself. She never accounted for a handsome Duke and his wild but darling daughter.

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

Tessa James wants to find her aristocratic father, who abandoned her mother while pregnant, and ask him for a loan so she can start her own millinery business, rather than being at the beck and call of others. She has scrimped and saved for years, and has a small savings pot, but needs to speed it up. The problem is, the only link she has to her father is a locket her mother gave her before she died, with a heraldic emblem on it. When Tessa overhears that the Duke of Carlin needs a new governess for his young daughter, Sophy, Tessa decides to try and blag her way in, and hopefully use the time to find her father. However, the growing attraction between herself and Guy, and the love and affection she feels for Sophy, soon make Tessa want more than just her own millinery business, and will the 'Carlin Curse' come back to haunt them?

This book was definitely my favourite of the series, even though I enjoyed all of the others. As soon as I had started it, and met Tessa, Guy, and Sophy, I was hooked, and one thing I will say for Olivia, she knows how to write families, and romances. Tessa and Sophy may have had a difficult start, with Sophy feeling unwanted by her father, hating being taken from her grandparents and elderly nursemaid when Guy returned from overseas, and had been running all her other governesses out of the home with her behaviour. She didn't want to like Tessa, and didn't make it easy for her, but with Tessa's history of living in an orphanage, and looking after the younger girls, she knew how to gain her trust, and later, her affection.

For Guy, he never expected to be duke, as the son of one of the younger sons, but when his uncles, father, and elder cousin died, his grandfather made him heir, and he had to return home for his travels looking at botany and wildlife abroad. All of his relatives seem to have died in weird or strange circumstances, and when his aunt proclaims that there is a curse on the family, Guy, with the help of Tessa, start to investigate it further. I will admit that I had guessed that the culprit was involved somehow, but not to the full extent of it all. Even so, I loved the mystery, and the resolution of it all, as well as how the truth of Tessa's heritage was. I never expected it all, especially when more is revealed about her mother's past, but it fit her perfectly, and, more importantly, fit the story. Tessa and Guy had a fantastic relationship, and I really appreciated the growth in their friendship first, then romance. They both truly cared for Sophy, and that brought them a kinship, which helped them realise their love for one another, and that they could be together. I can't wait to see what Olivia releases next!

All Tessa wants is to be able to own her own hat shop, where stylish, yet tasteful designs can be found, but after quitting her previous employer on a not so good note she needs to find a new job to raise money and fast. Using a bit of gossip she overhears at her old job she decides to apply for a governess position for the new Duke of Carlin’s incorrigible daughter, because how hard can it be right? Unfortunately the spoiled little miss is a tough nut to crack, but no match for Tessa, too bad her somber and staid father, the Duke is not so easily swayed. Although adventurous in spirit Guy, the new Duke, is a stickler for rules and hates liars, but even he can see the positive changes Tessa has brought about, as there’s more to Tessa than meets the eye and through a few mysterious events events the two start to fall for each other. Unfortunately their end goals don’t seem to match until a bit of intrigue pulls them closer together. This was a nice, quick historical romance, with a bit of secrecy for both lead characters , a twist about the family curse that has you wanting to find out who the “villain” is, and lots of amusing supporting characters. 4 stars. I received an arc copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

Tessa James dreams of owning her own millinery shop where she can create beautiful hats for her patrons and not the monstrosities that she helps with at Madame Blanchet’s. However, when she and Blanchet have a falling out, she must come up with a different way to make her dream come true. She hears of a position in the Duke of Carlin’s home as a governess to his unruly 5 year old daughter, Lady Sophy. Lucky for Tessa, she knows how to handle young girls with difficult temperaments. Perhaps she can use this opportunity to find her father, who appears to be of noble blood, and demand a loan from him. However, first she needs to tell a few white lies in order to convince the Duke to hire her on.


Guy Whitby has just returned from four years traveling the world collecting botanical samples after the death of his late wife, a trip cut short by the passing of the previous Duke of Carlin. Since his return and subsequent adjustment to his position, he has gone through many, many governesses due to his daughter’s temperament. When Miss James shows up to apply for the position, he is reluctant to hire the pretty miss who doesn’t seem to have any references to speak of. However, hearing her tale, he decides to give her a chance.

As Sophy takes to Tessa, Guy finds himself taking to her as well. She is unlike the usual women who travel in his circles of society and she lights up when he talks to her of his travels. As they strain against their obvious chemistry, events turn dangerous as a thief destroys Guy’s study in the middle of the night. Tessa and Guy find themselves in an interesting position as truths are revealed and the Carlin Curse appears to become a real possibility. Can Guy and Tessa figure out what’s really going on before everything is upended? Or will they find themselves permanently unrequited?

I enjoyed this read. It had many delicious passionate scenes and plenty of intrigue. However, there were a couple of loose ends and the perspective seemed to change from paragraph to paragraph. The ending, although somewhat satisfying, felt very rushed and unfinished. I would have liked a little more detail or an epilogue. Nonetheless, it was a fun ride!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really liked this book! The plot and the characters were great. I just wish there had been an epilogue. I want to know more! Hopefully there will be another about Avis.

This was my first read from Olivia Drake, I had high hopes going in but found myself struggling with the storyline. I think I should go back and read some of her backlist and try again. I think those who love governess tropes in historical romance would really enjoy this one! DNF for now.

I enjoyed this book very much. The author did a good job with the storyline and her characters. Guy the Duke of Carlin whom has a daughter in need of a governess who can manage her and Tessa know she is the one for the job. But her reason is so she can find who her father is and she plans on asking him for a loan for her dream of owning her own shop.

Guy is desperate to find his daughter whom he just retrieved from his deceased wifes parents a governess. When Tessa shows up without an appointment or a reference he will give her a chance to prove herself even when he believes she is not completely honest. But while all this is happening there is someone waiting to destroy the Dukes of Carlin and thefts and accidents start to occur and Guy is looking for the person responsible.

I received this book for an honest review.

ARC received for review

Hi. It's me the person who likes to not read the first books in a series. But no worries, this is a stand alone. The previous couples aren't even mentioned in this book.

Tessa wants to get out of the back room and open her own hat shop. She overhears customers talking about a Duke who needs a governess. She takes a chance and it pays off. Duke/Carlin/Guy hires her and she starts working miracles with his daughter. His former in-laws are jerks for the highest order plus there's concern that all his male relatives maybe didn't die through natural causes or freak accidents. Plus Tessa is trying to find her father who is high borne and the only clue she has is a locket her mother left her. Guy falls for her and helps her in her search. Then the bad guy tries to get rid of both of them. True love wins in the end.

Olivia Drake has written another delicious historical romance. Tess and Guy are quite an entertaining couple. Good plot and writing. Totally enjoyed it!

A great read overall. Olivia Drake is one of my favorites and she delivered a delicious romance. The child acted just like a child experiencing tragedy would act and the other characters were good too.

An enjoyable addition to the historical romance genre! I enjoyed Tessa’s can-do attitude and work ethic!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tessa James has had a rough life. Born to a nobleman that doesn't even know she exists, she loses her mom at a young age and is forced into an orphanage and workhouse for most of her childhood. She spends her life in the cramped back room of a millinery shop, working for next to nothing for a mean boss. One day, she's had enough. She quits with dreams to find her highborn father, get a loan from him and open her own hat shop one day. In the meantime, she has to find a way to feed herself.
She stumbles upon a job as a governess to the Duke's misbehaving daughter, and with a little bit of deception and hard work is able to get the position. Along the way, can she resist her feelings for the Duke while deceiving him and also find her real family?

This was a fun read for me. Was it anything super original? No, but it was still enjoyable. I loved the main characters and immediately wanted to know more about their story. There were just enough plot twists at the end to keep the ending from being completely predictable and the author did a great job of not dragging the story on for too long. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to others in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinions.

This was a really cute story. I enjoyed it a lot. A perfectly pleasant way to spend an evening. I highly recommend it to everyone. The story is adorable. It was also a bit of a nail biter. I was so worried that her house of cards was going to collapse! It was amazing though. I loved it!

This was a fun story about a Duke and the governess. I hadn’t read anything by Olivia Drake before but I will definitely try out more of her books in the future!

Tessa is a hat-maker who is the bastard daughter of an unknown aristocrat. She dreams of owning her own shop one day and finding her family to help secure a loan for this purpose. When she overhears that the Duke is having trouble keeping a governess, she jumps at the chance to insert herself into the household and see if she can find information on her family.

Guy Carlin came back from a world tour voyage to many deceased relatives making him Duke and a child who hates him. His little girl is out of control and can't keep a governess. Enter Tessa! He knows something is off about Tessa immediately. Tessa works wonders on the little girl, finds her family including two half siblings and they all live happily ever after.

This book was a quick read for me which I enjoyed after reading a man killer book. I love a good historical romance about the governess! The romance had great tension but we don’t get most of it until the end of the book. We needed more Carlin and Tessa time! It ended rather abruptly and we could have used more in terms of how she came to accept a relationship with him and more of her new family but overall still a fun read.

This was a really lovely romance to read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It was long enough for a great storyline to develop and the mystery element had me guessing until the author revealed their identity. The leads were given enough depth to make them enjoyable characters. The only down part for me as an English reader was the American words, but overall it was a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book.

3.5 stars

Tessa is working in a millinery shop when she overhears that a certain Duke can't keep a governess for his spoiled four year old daughter. She shows up and introduces herself as from the agency. Guy is a very down to earth guy who never thought he would become Duke. Tessa is an orphan of questionable parentage and I honestly was torn between liking and disliking her. I never like a heroine who repeatedly lies to the hero. I understand why she did, but it always puts a bad taste in my mouth.

This was a slow to burn novel with great character development. I liked getting to see the Duke become a good father. The romance had great tension between Guy and Tessa, but it was definitely a little on the tame side for my tastes. There was a mystery element to the book that I felt started too late into the story and then dragged on too long. I felt like I never got to see the hero and heroine really come together and then suddenly after he is injured protecting her, their physical relationship just seemed to come out of left field.

When a Duke Loves a Governess is the third installment to Olivia Drake’s Unlikely Duchesses series, but may be read stand alone. The tropes are single father and governess/aristocrat romance.

Tessa James is determined to open her own millinery shop, and when she overhears that the Duke of Carlin is in desperate need of a governess for his unruly 4-year-old daughter, Tessa jumps at the chance of not only earning more money to achieve her goal, but perhaps to discover the identity of her father. The only clue her mother left was a pendant with his family crest, and by working in the Duke’s household Tessa hopes it could help in ascertaining her father’s family. Tessa tells little white lies to earn the governess position, but never did she imagine that the Duke of Carlin and his daughter would tempt her with the hope of being part of a family…

Guy Whitby is now the newly appointed Duke of Carlin. Each heir to the title has befallen a tragic accident, so Guy has been summoned to leave his life of traveling around the world to pick up the responsibilities of being in charge of his family’s massive wealth and properties. Guy’s daughter, Sophy, has been spoiled beyond reason in his absence, and he’s desperate for a governess that won’t run at the first tantrum, so when Tessa shows up without a reference but seems to be able to handle his little girl, he gives her a chance. As the days pass and he grows closer to his daughter thanks to the love and attention shown by Tessa, Guy begins to see her not as his daughter’s governess, but perhaps something so much more…

When a Duke Loves a Governess is the third installment to Olivia Drake’s Unlikely Duchesses series, but may be read stand alone. I found the story well written and ticked off all the boxes one would expect when reading this genre. My only complaint is that the romance, as well as the little side plot mystery were predictable…pleasant, but predictable. Overall an enjoyable read, and would recommend to fans of regency romance.



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

A really sweet read - I enjoyed it a lot. It must have been an instant attraction or else the story would not have flowed as well, as Tessa was not governess material at all, even with cultured speech. I did love how the story grew, though, and created a realistic environment for Guy's daughter to finally take hold of her father to feel secure and loved. That was a beautiful description of children, once they are shown love and given an environment in which to trust, they respond very quickly. I think Guy and Tessa's love story was very sweet, realistic, and her finding family in both the grandfather and half brother was a lovely way to give her family and to make it acceptable for them to marry. Overall, I really enjoyed the book. Thank you for letting me read it.

I hadn't read this author before but when St Martin's Press offered me an advance copy through NetGalley, I quickly went back and found and read the first two books in this series. I quite enjoyed both, so I felt encouraged about this one. And I quite like it as well. All three books are 4 stars for me. This one teetered on being able to round up to 5 stars a few times, but overall I think 4 is most accurate.

Governess/employer stories can be a little bit tricky. I like the built-in reason for having to try to resist someone, but obviously in a romance they're ultimately going to end up failing at it, so you have to ward against making the man seem like a creep preying upon his staff. I think this one balanced that well. Also the setup- a woman applying for a job she's not nearly qualified for and lying and being hired anyway, etc., all of that is inherently terribly unlikely! But the book does a good job of acknowledging that, it's a very risky move and the chance of pulling it off is tiny, but not entirely impossible! I appreciated that much more than a book just trying to pretend like everything's normal. It made it much easier to go along with it!

I liked the hero and heroine individually and as a couple. They made mistakes here and there, but they were pretty believable and understandable ones. The steam was about average in quantity and detail, but I felt like their chemistry was a notch above average. The supporting cast was good. It didn't go into great detail about most of them, but I don't think it was necessary to do so. What was there was enough of an outline that they didn't feel like nameless stick figures.

I solved the mystery early on, but that's fine, I don't read historical romance for the mysteries. A couple clues felt like the characters were being a bit oblivious not to consider, but, that happens sometimes in real life as well. And it didn't feel *painfully* obvious as some do, so I appreciated that.

I enjoyed reading this and was entertained throughout. I look forward to reading more books by this author.