Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this story and this is my freely given opinion.

This is book 3 of the series, with several characters crossing over from the previous stories. It likely can be read as a stand alone, but probably better enjoyed as both main characters were side characters in the previous books; especially book 2, where James, the Duke of Huntingdon, had a significant presence as secondary character.

This story starts off about a decade in the past when Viola Winslow leaves an unhappy home situation, gains and education, and seeks independence and employment as a governess in the household of the Duke of Ashworth, looking after his wild young ward, Felicity. But on the way, she first meets the Duke's good friend, James Montagu, whom she falls in love with - a love she hides for the next 10 years as best she can.

This story occurs after book 2, and James has been exiling himself at his country estate, with his sisters and grandmother, after his perceived embarrassment after his failed courtship of Susannah Fletcher. It sounds like he took off to navel gaze and wallow in self pity.

Viola has spent 10 years helping to raise the other love of her life, Felicity, a tempestuous, wild, headstrong child, and master manipulator. Felicity tests the boundaries and Viola's creativity in teaching her. In their latest efforts, they have embarked on a sketching holiday, and ended up in Northumberland, sketching the ancient Moorcliff Castle, which happens to be the family seat of the Montagu family.

Viola and Felicity end up inadvertently being houseguests of James and his family. While spending time with the much-put upon governess, James is startled to realize there is much more to her than he has appreciated in the past, and he becomes quite attracted to the quiet, intelligent beauty. Viola however is anxious and fearful - despite having loved James all those years, she is very aware of the disparity in their social status, and even worse, she hides secrets about her past that she is fearful of ruining everything if they were to come to light, including her relationship and work with Felicity and the Ashworths.

This is a sweet, slow burn romance with some unrequited love that becomes - well... requited - between two people from very different backgrounds. They have to deal with meddling family and loved ones, including manipulative teenagers and snobbish, small minded matriarchs. There is also a background of abuse and assault in Viola's background, and when her secrets come to light, she deals with her feelings of shame over the same, though what it reveals is her strength and fortitude to James.

This has a very dark thread through it with the history of drunken abuse. But it is lightened by some humorous bits such as a thieving crow, and the eccentricities of the family.

4 stars out of 5

A Duke falling in love with a governess is one of my favorite tropes and I really enjoyed it in this book, especially with the little twist of the governess's not directly working for the man she's falling in love with.

I loved Felicity the young woman Viola takes care of, she is a firecracker who won't let anyone put her into a box. She is curious, and loves taking things apart and reading gothic novels and she stole all the scenes she was in. Viola has been through a lot and I love how strong she is, and how much she loves Felicity.
I liked Hunt and both his sisters quite a lot, and I loved when Felicity and Isabell met and became fast friends, getting into all kinds of shenanigans.
I liked seeing Viola and Hunt fall in love, I thought their chemistry was great, and when they finally professed their love for each other it was very satisfying.

I received a free copy of the ebook from NetGalley since I love the first book so much. This is my honest review.
This is giving me so much Jane Eyre vibe with the class difference and governess heroine. I love Felicity! She gives so much levity to this story and I can’t wait for her own book.
The book was a bit slow in the beginning but picked up the pace after Felicity exposed her scheme to Hunt. I love the quiet strength that Viola has, she endured and survived so much that she guarded her heart so closely.
And Hunt, what a perfect hero! I love that he's down bad for Viola, as she is so stubborn in her conviction that she cannot be a duchess.
I enjoyed the book very much and I can’t wait to read more from Lydia Drake.

I wasn't sure whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. In the end, I settled on 3. This was my first time reading this author. Overall I liked the strength of the heroine, the eccentric and strong welled girl she was governess too and I liked the overall personality of the hero and his sisters. There was just a little something missing in this for me. I never got so drawn into the book that I felt compelled to keep reading. It seemed a little disjointed and unrealistic. The hero had been bound by duty to his family to only marry a true lady. He had designed his entire life around this promise he'd made to his father. Still, in the book, he quickly threw this promise away for love. Of course I want the hero to put aside his misplaced sense of duty to love the heroine but I want him to walk away from that promise, that duty a little more thoughtfully. The way this piece was done seemed inauthentic to the character. Overall, if you like historical romance, this is worth the read. I hope it's a page turner for you, it wasn't for me.

I have really enjoyed this author and this series so far. I adored how sweet the MMC was throughout the whole book! Viola is a great governess that’s sweet but finally finds herself in this one! I think Viola and James were perfectly matched. Viola has had a crush on James for some time and I enjoyed her getting to know him fully and falling for him all the more! I liked that James finally opened himself more for Viola and his baser side as well! This kids in this were so fun as well! All in all a great read! Can’t wait for what’s next from the author!

Very sweet and enjoyable romance! I particularly liked the two teenage charges of the leads, they were a lot of fun and their Gothic-loving shenanigans added a much-needed strand of humour to the plot. Overall I really like this author!

The Duke of Huntington finally notices Viola Winslow, who has been in love with him for 10 years. Her charge fakes injury to bring them together at his family home. The sparks fly, but her father and his grandmother make their romance very difficult.

The Governess and the Duke is a fun and entertaining historical romance with dynamic characters and an electric romance. I enjoyed reading about Viola and Hunt and their road to finding love. They have amazing chemistry, and their romance is my favorite part of the story.

Viola has crushed on Hunt since she met him years ago, but as a governess, she has always lived in the background. Hunt never noticed her until he offered shelter to her and her charge during a storm. But once he has the chance to get to know her, he is captivated.

Viola’s charge is a lovable hellion and a fun secondary character. She is one of the few who see how wonderful Viola is, and she charmingly works behind Viola’s back to find her love. It’s very sweet and sometimes funny to see the lengths she goes to to pair Viola and Hunt. Viola’s charge also befriends Hunt’s younger sister, who is much more reserved and introverted. I love their friendship! They are polar opposites, yet they quickly forge a lovely connection that complements both of them.

Hunt and Viola have great chemistry, though their relationship seems doomed considering they are from vastly different social circles. Also, Viola has some secrets in her past, and she struggles with her conscience and her trauma quite a bit. However, their connection is obvious and hard to deny.

Special thanks to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Loved this story of a woman strong enough to say no to what her heart really wants and a man strong enough to change her mind. Viola and Hunt (James, "Fluffy") fall in love despite their best efforts to avoid doing so and thus the fun commences. I adored Felicity and Isabella who tried so hard, along with Hunt's Aunt Agatha, to foster the romance. Lots of fun to read. This is a keeper and I heartily recommend it to others! Although I received an ARC, my opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this book.

Wow!! This book was much more than a hot romance. It is humorous, light hearted a fun adult romance.

This historical setting was well chosen. I loved the authors descriptions of the various setting and the clothingofbthe time period.

The conversations between the characters is superbly done. Fell in love with Violas Witt and humor.

I loved getting to know Viola and James and reading their story!

The book is a fast read and left me wanting more in this series.

Highly recommend.

This is the third book in the Renegade Duke series by Lydia Drake and I have read all of them and although this one isn’t my favorite it was still very entertaining and as always funny this this one has a grumpy Duke forced approximation and a pubescent girl Who is obsessed with the goings on. I really enjoyed this book and sometimes I wonder how is the author going to get these two to turn what looks like the steam into love but as always she accomplished is it with class and again this one wasn’t my favorite it would still be at the top of many of my favorite list. Because bad for Lydia Drake is still oodles better than most other authors. I want to thank entangled publishing and net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I want to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I thought this was an entertaining historical romance for the most part; however, nothing really stood out for me. I thought the characters were ok, but just nothing stood out.

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in two days. The Duke of Huntington is nursing a broken heart and embarrassment from getting his marriage proposal got turned down (in the previous book). His best friend’s governess and charge happen to be in the area and the charge gets hurt near his home. He just happens to see it all happen while looking out his window and goes to help. They end up staying at his home, Moorcliff Castle. Viola is treated as a guest and not a servant, all to the chagrin of the dowager. The way they fall in love and Hunt tries to get to know Miss Winslow is so lovely. The scene where they finally give into their temptations after she tells him about her past that she’s been hiding is so lovely. If you enjoyed any books in this series so far or like Regency/historical fiction from the early 1800’s this is a book I think you’ll really enjoy.

I received the ARC for this book via NetGalley.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars.

With a Duke loves governess trope, this is a very enjoyable classic Regency romance.

For me, I didn’t give it a higher rating just because the story unfolded in a fashion so typical of this trope that nothing really seemed unexpected. That being said, the twist of the young ward being the one to try to get the two main characters is cute and fun.

The side characters may be the best part of this book. The two teenager girls, Felicity and Isabelle, are singular young women, fascinated by ghosts, maudlin romance, and bad poetry.

For fans of low angst, Regency romance, this is a well written and pleasurable
option. .

Loved this story. I was really looking forward to read the story of Viola and Huntington.

I like stories with Dukes and Duchesses but I like it even more when a Duke falls in love with a commoner. It really makes you swoon.

Viola’s charge, Felicity, wants her governess to be happy. She knows that Viola is in love with Huntington for years and she won’t let her give up on him. When Felicity tricks them both that she has a fake injury, Viola and herself are forced to stay over at the Duke’s house. During their stay, Huntington is getting to know a completely different Viola. She is strong, fierce and has a mind of her own. He likes that. He’ll do whatever it takes to show her, that even though they are coming from a different class, that he loves her and they are strong to get through it. But does Viola think the same?

I love Viola’s personality. She always thinks about other people before putting herself first. But she will always stay true to herself and her beliefs. And Huntington… well it is fair to say that I was smitten by him since the previous book. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was Felicity. I have to admit, Viola really couldn’t control this girl. Even though, Felicity had really good intentions for Viola and Huntington, she was so annoying. I couldn’t stand her arrogant and rude behaviour sometimes. But it was really the only thing that bothered me.

This book was an easy and pleasant read. A real page turner.

Viola is the governess to one duke’s rambunctious ward with a long-standing crush on that duke’s best friend. When traveling with her charge, the teenage girl falls and sprains her ankle, forcing the pair to stay at James’ ducal castle. Although James has been hiding away in the country after the embarrassment of a rejected proposal, he finds himself intrigued and attracted to Viola and wondering why he had never noticed her before. Both James and Viola try to fight their attraction to each other at first, being of different social standing, but that doesn’t last for too long. Viola’s charge and James’ sister become fast friends and cause all sorts of trouble, which is humorous to read. When we find out about Viola’s past and the secrets she’s been keeping, she’s pleasantly surprised by James’ reaction. Overall, this was a pretty straightforward social class difference romance, made more interesting by the antics of the teenage ward and sister.

Lydia Drake, where have you been all my life?

This story was fantastically entertaining from start to finish. There were several times that I laughed out loud. This is the first of Drake's books that I've ever read, so I was not prepared for how witty her prose and how lively her characters would be. I will definitely be checking out other books by the author, starting with the first story in this series.

What I enjoyed in this book:
- The hero and heroine have a great meet-cute, that not only sets the scene for their romance but also introduces Felicity, the titular governess' charge who will play a central role in the story.
- The hero's family are prominent characters in the novel, and they're all well-developed and play their own roles within the story instead of fading into each other. I loved the friendship that James' sister Isabelle formed with Felicity. Their hijinks made for some great endearing entertainment. The heroine's found family also made some great cameos that convinced me to read the first book in the series so I could read more about their characters.
- The heroine has been pining over the hero for a decade, but like any girlish infatuation between strangers, she is in love with the ideal she's created in her head rather than the real man. As the novel progresses, Viola comes to learn and love the man underneath the ideal, flaws and all.
- Sexual tension that progresses and heightens as the characters become closer; the sex scenes were hot and explicit.
- Lots of strong female characters in this one, even the grandmother, who is meant to be disliked. She had plenty of great lines and brought character to all her scenes.
- This is a "duke falls for a working-class woman" novel. Refreshingly, the hero is willing to stand up for the heroine from the start of the novel. As soon as he realizes he's falling for her, he is willing to marry her despite their class gap and defends her ardently to his grandmother, who is set in the old ways and is determined to see him married to a member of the peerage.
- The rambunctious family pet is a raven of all things and a great source of entertainment. He showed up the perfect amount throughout the novel. Ka
- The "other woman" (the hero's previous fiancée) is not demonized, which I always appreciate. She even has a nice heart-to-heart with the heroine near the end of the novel.
- The heroine has a confrontation where she doesn't want the Duke to fight her battles for her. She's sick of feeling helpless and doesn't want to feel like a damsel in distress. It was a great combination of scenes as we got to see the Duke being all protective of her, but also saw the heroine stand up for herself and assert her independence.
- Some good commentary on the limitations placed on women during this time, especially those in the working class.

I honestly could not find fault with this novel. It was a fantastically hilarious and steamy read with a great HEA.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.*

One of my favorite types of historical romance books is the class difference, which, thankfully, is also one of the most commonly written. This can be problematic at times, when the stories all start to blend together and seem alike...but that's not the case here. Lydia Drake has written a romance between a governess and a duke that I was surprised by, in the best of ways. There were layers to the differences between the two, there was one-sided pining for years, and there was matchmaking done by teenagers. The set-up makes for a hilarious read, one which I found to be quite fluffy in nature while also highlighting some serious themes, such as classism, childhood trauma, and adoption. There is something in this story for everyone, and if you haven't read historical romance before, this series is a great place to start.

Ten years. That's how long Olivia Winslow has been in love with James Montague, Duke of Huntington and her rescuer who let her ride his horse on her way to her first governess position. Of course, she knew nothing could come from it, given her station, but being just five miles away from the man and seeing him at her employer's home constantly throughout the years has done nothing to diminish her love from afar. When her young charge becomes injured during a sketching expedition in the countryside, they are rescued once again by the duke and taken to his home to recover. James has been sequestered at his country home for over a year, ever since he made an offer to a young lady that was rejected. Acting the part of a monk has left him bereft of female companionship, so at first, he thinks perhaps that's what causes him to finally notice Olivia. But as they spend more time together, and he sees the inner spark she rarely lets anyone else see, he realizes his affection is born from more than just a general lack of females in the area. He admires her, body and soul, and he will not rest until he has made her his, ring and all. If only Olivia would get on board with the plan.

I adored these two so much! It's been a while since I have spent so much time highlighting my favorite parts of a book as I'm reading. My digital copy is basically one giant highlight. Olivia was so relatable and a breath of fresh air to read, with her generosity of spirit, her quiet strength, and her ability to see the best in people. She had been head over heels for James for such a long time, it was painful to me as it was to her charge to see her go quietly into the shadows in his presence. Thankfully, once he had her in his home, he was able to draw her out of the shadows and into the light where she belonged. James was such a sunshine-y character, which at times felt a bit over-the-top, but you know...I need more of this type of character in my life! A veritable golden retriever, he was. And once he realized he loved Olivia, he had absolutely no intention of letting society get in the way. It was refreshing to read about a title gentleman in historical romance who doesn't immediately think a woman of a lower station could simply be his mistress. Instead, James would Olivia for his wife, or he would die a bachelor. I love him. And standing up to his awful grandmother? I wanted to stand up and cheer.

Never a dull moment reading a Lydia Drake romance, and I hope to read more from her in the future! If I could put in a request, I'd love more heroes like James. He was adorable, sensitive, sexy, and above all, a true gentleman. Just as Olivia was a true lady. IYKYK.

Governess Miss Viola Winslow is quite familiar with the rules of society, and her place in it. But her crush on James, Duke of Huntington, hasn’t gone unnoticed by her scheming young charge who fakes a timely injury. Unable to travel or leave, Viola has no choice but to remain at the Duke’s estate and avoiding each other becomes impossible.

This is the second book in the Renegade Dukes series. I would recommend reading in order. Viola is governess to the first book’s couple and there are some events from book one that carry over.

I was really excited about the premise of this book, but the execution didn’t end up working for me. The relationship felt a bit too superficial, and James seemed to jump from lust to love without enough development. I did like how he defended Viola to his grandmother and against Viola’s father.

Tropes: Governess, Class Difference, Children as a Plot Point, Secret Crush

Steam: 3

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

This was my first Lydia Drake read, and it will not be my last. Viola and James, and their families, were such a lovely change of pace from the usual regency romance. The writing felt fresh and new, and did not feel like it was stale or overdone as regency can often feel. I felt like the storylines in The Governess and Duke were emotionally deep without feeling contrite and at times I often found myself smiling and laughing out loud.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book - I’ll be reading the rest of Drake’s catalog.