This was such an entertaining book. Viola, a governess first meets James, Duke of Huntington when she becomes the governess to his friends' 4-year-old ward.
Fast forward 10 years and Felicity, the ward is 14. They are out sketching near the duke's estate when Felicity falls down a hill. He invites them to stay until Felicity's' ankle heals. Viola has secretly had a crush on him since they first met.
The chemistry was wonderful between the two main characters. There was a lot of humor, sadness about Viola's past and the whole class difference issue.
There were a lot of interesting, strong women side characters in the story, including the dowager duchess.
This is the third book in the series but could be read as a stand-alone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Viola Winslow is governess to a precocious ward of a Duke. On her first day of employment she met the Duke of Huntington, a friend of her employer. For ten years she’s had a secret crush on him as she sees him on his visits. While taking her now 14 year old charge on a sketching trip they end up being guests of the Duke at his estate called Moorcliff Castle. He can’t believe he never noticed her beauty. She knows her place and believes nothing can happen between them.

Now her charge is trying her hand at matchmaking and neither Viola or James is resisting spending time together. There is of course a busybody dowager grandmother, a ghostly romantic legend, secrets half truths and a family pet raven that can recite bawdy limericks. I’ve enjoyed each romance in the Renegade Dukes series. Hunt is introduced in the previous book where he was a bit clueless and pompous. Here he is a little more humble and looking for love not a Duchess.

I’ve enjoyed all three books in the Renegade Dukes series. They can be read as stand alone novels but it is fun to read them in order as the other main characters make appearances. Drake’s writing includes good humor, follows the general rules of the time period and includes spicy times too. I like that the author is inclusive by having Hunt’s sister wanting companionship with her friend, another spinster. I am assuming this ends the series unless it continues with the ward. But I will be waiting for Drake’s next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Don’t know if ravens can talk, but the one in this story can and has a few cute phrases. The heroine has secretly been in love with her employer’s friend for 10 years. Her charge has figured it out and gets them together. The hero likes the countryside as has been rejected by a noble lady. As he gets to know the governess, he can’t imagine why he didn’t see her true self before. I did get a little tired of them both fantasizing so much about the other. The heroine does have a secret that may or may not interfere with their relationship, plus his grandmother is very much of the stay with your own class mentality. It was a good read. I was given an ARC for an honest review.

I discovered Lydia Drake this year and I've really enjoyed her books. Her heroines are determined yet kind, her heroes are big hunks with gooey centers, and she writes the dreamiest dialogue. I really enjoyed The Duchess and the Wolf this fall and The Governess and the Duke was a stellar sequel. I felt so badly for the Duke of Huntington in the previous book and I was overjoyed when he finally got his happy ever after. He seemed like such a sweetheart and deserved so much better. Viola and Hunt were absolutely darling together and I was immediately cheering for them from the sidelines.

The Governess and the Duke was a really sweet romance. They were so tender towards each other and I loved watching them develop feelings for each other. They met a decade previously and Viola held a torch for the duke over the years. My only complaint was there were a lot of secondary characters and it was difficult to keep track of the roster. Viola was a governess to a minor and thankfully she was a clever teen instead of the usual brats who haunt the pages of nanny romances. I really loved Lydia Drake's writing and I want to read more from her catalog. Her characters are so inviting and it's not difficult to see why they fall in love so easily.

I had a wonderful time reading The Governess and the Duke and I'm currently reading the first book in the series I missed, Cinderella and the Duke. Historical romances are my ultimate comfort reads and I'm so pleased to have discovered a new author to add to my repertoire. I don't know if there will be future installments in the Renegade Dukes series, but I'll take any publication from the talented Lydia Drake. I have really enjoyed her books and will actively search for her work going forward. I'm not crazy about children, but I wouldn't mind ending up like The Governess and the Duke!

I don't always love the aristocrat/servant trope but Lydia Drake did it well in "The Governess and the Duke". I like how clear it is that Viola's feelings for James are long-term infatuation that develop into love once she really gets to know the man himself. I love the teenagers managing the lives of their adults and how once James sees who Viola really is, he doesn't expect her to be anything else. The duo have great sexual chemistry and his unwavering support of her truly is lovely.

4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

I wanted to like this book because I've read other books by this author and thoroughly enjoyed the stories. This one fell a little flat for me. The first thing that turned me off was the ten year time period between the MCs first meeting and then when the duke finally notices her. I didn't really feel much chemistry between these two as the story progressed although I did like how protective the duke was of her.

I do like this author so I'll definitely read her next story.

This book was such a fun, swoony ride. James and Viola have great chemistry. She’s loved him from afar for years, while the attraction is newer for him and kind of hits him over the head. It’s very much a story of two characters who think they shouldn’t be together but can’t resist one another. And it’s more than just physical attraction, they bring out the best in each other.

But more than the romance, the supporting characters are so so much fun. Viola is governess to Felicity, who is hilarious and wild and comes up with the best meddling plot I’ve seen in historical fiction in ages. Even more fun ensues when she gets James’ youngest sister, a writer of maudlin poetry, in on the madness. They’re a great duo, and I would read a series about their adventures, because they’re sure to wreak havoc on society and come out triumphant in whatever they do.

There are a few serious moments that give the story more depth, and overall, it’s just a great read.

— 4 ⚝

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc of this book.

this was my first book by this author and definitely won't be my last. although, i felt the ending to be a little stretched out and parts of it to be unnecessary, i thoroughly enjoyed this book. the characters feel well rounded and are extremely fun to follow along. if you like a very well mannered, proper governess who prioritises everyone over herself, a gentle and kind duke who is besotted with her, an eccentric and unusual pet, a meddling charge and an extremely pure relationship between the governess and her charage, pick this one up immediately.

my only qualm with this one apart from how long it felt for me was that we didn't get to know in depth how the trauma in viola's life affected her. i feel like we got snippets of it but not as much as i would have liked to understand what makes her who she is. same with hunt, i feel like we didn't fully get to know why he is the way he is and how his broken engagement affected it. a lot of that was telling rather than showing.

what i loved was how certain scenes were written in this book, they really felt crafted with a lot of care and passion. i enjoyed seeing hunt, the duke, enlisting the help of the governess' charge, felicity to woo Viola. it was so fun to see all the shenanigans they plotted. i was so smitten with how tender hunt was towards viola. it was a joy to see viola get to know the man she's loved for years in his entirety. hunt, finally noticing and taking an interest in getting to know her. it was so so delightful to see him fall so hard for her once he got to know who she is on the inside. AND OMG THE PROTECTIVE STREAK HUNT HAS AND HOW FIERCELY HE CARED FOR HER WAS SO BEAUTIFUL 😭😭😭

so excited to read more from lydia drake!

While I liked the characters and the storyline, I wasn't in love with them. Viola was a very good governess. And the Duke, Hunt, was a very responsible and a true gentleman. I just didn't feel the chemistry at all.
I thought Viola being in love with the Duke of Huntington for 10 years before he even realizes she exists was just too long a period of time to elapse. And then when he sees her outside of her role as governess, he literally falls immediately in love. I'm not a fan of Love at first sight romances. But there was no heat, no chemistry between the two of them.
I did like the two younger girls in the story and hope one day they get their own book.
⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

4.25/5 stars
2/5 spice

This book managed to take a trope I don't like and had me truly invested in the outcome. An entertaining historical romance that challenges duty over true love.

Tropes:
Acquaintances to Lovers
Class differences
Insta love (Unrequited)
She falls first, he falls harder
Forced proximity
Protective hero
Strong-willed FMC
Dual POV

So normally I cringe at insta love, especially if it is outside of the paranormal/fated mates realm. So when the FMC, Viola, claims to be in love after the first encounter with the MMC, James, I literally rolled my eyes. I am so glad I kept reading, though, because it proved to be a roller coaster of events and disastrous matchmaking schemes that were hilarious. And when Viola admits that she was in love with a shadow of a man and grew to love the real James, it made up for the insta-love cringe. It was honestly refreshing to read a story where the MMC wasn't immediately enchanted by the FMC and grew to love her when he was able to get to know her true personality.

There was definitely some angst, and I was hurting with the 3rd act breakup, but overall, it was a very enjoyable story. Highly recommend for historical romance and friends to lovers fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Mentions child abuse/violence towards a child (as memory), violence, emotional abuse, sexual content

I will never get enough of period romance novels ever. I absolutely loved this story and how fun the characters were. I giggled so much throughout this entire book. Between the FMC and her little snippets of sass that she would let out on accident to the two teens and all of their plotting and chaos, this story and its characters were an absolute blast. I also loved the MMC and his plotting, too cute & hilarious.

An entertaining and heartwarming romance!

To begin this book, the author gives us a superb prologue that enchants us from the beginning and piques our interest in the rest of her story. And she does not disappoint us in the pages that follow. We happily embark on this romance between Viola and James. We are entitled to plenty of tender moments between the two.

I loved the two teenage girls' secondary characters, especially Felicity, who is mischievous, full of life, and loving. They provide us with amusing moments.

I loved this book, and its characters are endearing.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Rating: 4,5/5
Spice: 2/5

The third book in the Renegade Dukes series and the first book I read by Lydia Drake. You can easily read this as a standalone.

Tropes:
Class difference
Pining for years
Forced Proximity
Matchmaking family members
Governess FMC
Duke MMC
‘Who did this to you’

I really enjoyed this one a lot! It was such a wholesome lighthearted read and it felt like a hug when reading it. The release date is perfect for this one since I just wanted to curl up with some hot chocolate next to the christmas tree and reading by the hearth.
Viola has been pining for over a decade for Hunt, ever since they met she has admired and ‘loved’ him from afar. Usually I am not a fan of one of the mc’s pining for someone for years, but Viola was so different in more ways then I expected. Hunt finding out the spark behind Viola’s eyes and you are taken with him on this journey of getting to actually know her, in stead of her always being there in the background.
What I also liked about this is that it isn’t your typical widowed father with a kid they can’t seem to handle or the typical duke who’s gotten a ward and he now needs a governess. I mean, it is the latter situation, but the duke isn’t the main character here! It’s his best friend! That gave the story a unique spin on a typical historical romance trope which made it very refreshing.

This story wouldn’t be what it is though without the amazing side characters with whom I fell in love with. Cornelius the raven who you can always count on to get on page randomly croaking ‘Knickers!’, or the dowager duchess who is very rigid, but also very reasonable. Then Isabelle and Felicity added into the mix causing mayhem all around, I did find the seance scene a bit too cooky and it didn’t really feel like it belonged here. I didn’t expect it to get bonkers all of a sudden and then back to lighthearted wholesomeness.

If you don’t like angst in your books this is definitely one to put on your TBR. I liked the writing style a lot and I will definitely go back to the other two books in this series!

A beautifully crafted historical romance with some of the best fictional characters I have encountered. As an avid reader of historical fiction, it has become difficult to come across original novels, and I'm so glad that this book is an exception. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to all romance fans. It's a slow-burn romance between a governess and a duke, a close friend of her employer. There are enough fun moments to make you smile. I especially loved the two young girls, always looking for their next adventure.
Miss Viola Winslow has resigned herself to love the Duke of Huntington from afar. After all, their circumstances are so far apart that imagining a union between them would be stupid. That is until her charge, Felicity, decides to play the matchmaker. Suddenly, the class difference doesn't seem as big of a problem, and she begins to hope for a happy ending. But some things just aren't meant to be...
After being rejected, Hunt hasn't left his castle. It's less because of the heartbreak and more because of the embarrassment. He is beginning to believe there is no happily ever after for me until Miss Viola Winslow appears at his doorsteps along with Felicity. The unexpected guests might be just the thing to take his mind off his problems. What he doesn't expect is to fall for the prim and proper governess who never says what's on her mind and only what she thinks others want to hear. Can he ruffle her feathers enough to make her speak the truth? Only time will tell.
Overall, it's an enjoyable read, and I'm glad I picked it up.

I thought this book was so much fun. I love how each story is its own, yet has characters from the previous books. In this book, we learn more about Viola Winslow, Governess to the Duke and Duchess of Ashworth. She is responsible for the education and well-being of Miss Felicity. Viola is passionate, loyal, disciplined, patient, bold, and mysterious. We've met James Montagu, Duke of Huntington in the other books as well, but this one let's us see more of his home life. He is loyal, generous, chivalrous, and yet confused and conflicted. The two main characters are well developed, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the side character's interactions. Some situations had me laughing so hard. It was playful and silly yet sad and unnerving. I was taken on a wild ride and was sad when it ended. I can't wait to see which characters may end up in the next books. Will definitely keep reading books from this author!

This was a good class difference romance.

Do you remember Mrs. Bennet sending Jane to Bingley’s house knowing she’d have to stay because of the rain/her getting ill? Well this has a similar premise haha. Olivia has had a crush on the Duke for years and in this story they are forced together due to her young charges.
I thought the idea was cute. I think the character relationships were well done and entertaining. The dialogue is fantastic. The romance is a bit rushed but it still worked for me.

The story was very sweet, almost too sweet. I felt that nothing really happened. While I like both of the main characters, I didn’t fall in love with them, or hate them at some point either. I know a lot of people will love this story because of the low angst and the characters personality but I need more. Maybe it is that I have been reading so long that sugary stories just don’t hold my attention. I hate to lower my rating but for me this story was such a let down from the previous two by Lydia. I felt they were so much better. I really like Lydia’s style of writing. It flows so well and is an easy read. So, if you like sweet, almost no angst stories, this will be the story for you.

The Governess and the Duke by Lydia Drake is a captivating and well-crafted historical romance novel. With its intelligent and enterprising female protagonist, a kind and caring male lead, engaging teenagers, and even an unusual pet, this book offers a delightful blend of wit, humor, and heartwarming moments. The story is filled with secrets, family drama, and a satisfyingly romantic conclusion that will leave readers with a smile.

As the third installment in Ms. Drake's enchanting Renegade Dukes series, The Governess and the Duke can be enjoyed as a standalone novel. However, loyal readers will be delighted to encounter beloved characters from the previous two books, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience.

Miss Viola Winslow falls in love twice in one day, one love is hopeless the other ties her to a place where she will be constantly yearning for something she cannot have. However in the years that follow her wild charge hatches a plot to give her beloved governess her heart’s desire. An interesting story with outlandish characters and a talking raven.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this story from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a good discovery this book is. You can not help yourself than to fall for Viola and to root for her HEA with James. She was so sweet and very resilient. There is not a lot of drama going on and the book has enough steamy scenes to get it going.
I voluntarily review this ARC and the opinion expressed here is my own. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for this.