What a hilarious and fun Regency romp through a crumbling estate with all kinds of mishaps, secrets, and all the love. I laughed so many times and felt some legit emotional pull and feelings too.

High-spirited, smart, and independent-minded Lady Margaret is none too pleased that her dad signed a contract for her to marry James, Duke of Earnhurst, without even asking her. And she’s never even met the guy who—btw—has a horrid reputation. What’s a girl to do? Well, if she has a like-minded, creative aunt only a few years her senior, she comes up with a creative solution: pretend to be her aunt’s companion and go undercover at James’ estate to learn about him…

Frustrated James REALLY doesn’t want to deal with the crumbling estate. At all. He’s bitter at his now-deceased dad, drunk, and has no tolerance for ladies who just show up at his door for a tour. What does he do? Pretend he’s the butler, of course! They’ll be gone in a couple hours, right? Only Meg sprains her ankle and has to stay for two weeks (who knew sprained ankles could be so serious).

This book is SO MUCH FUN. The secret identities bring chaos and havoc, and there are tons of laughs. But in between, true feelings develop not only between Meg and James, but also between other characters. The four points of view really worked for me—I loved getting to see things from everyone’s point of view and kind of see how it would all come together. Overall, a lighthearted, no-spice, bit of fun in Regency England. Enjoy!

Rating: 4
Themes and Tropes: Arranged marriage, secret identity, multiple points of view, close proximity, English estate
Steam: None

This book was cute, the multiple POVs were a bit confusion. The couple was sweet. I enjoyed the setting and the story.

This book is light and fun. Plenty of secrets and romance to keep the story going. This author always does a great job of spinning an entertaining read.

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**TL;DR**: This was very fun, a unique premise for a historical.
**Source**: NetGalley, thank so much to the publisher!

**Plot**: Meg and her Aunt Clara change identities to find out more about the Duke she’s arranged to marriage. But they aren’t they only ones lying about their identities.
**Characters**: They were all pretty good but honestly the men were the strongest for me. Though James seems to be very alcoholic and I did NOT care for that.
**Setting**: It stays inside the Duke’s manor, so the setting isn’t the strongest here.
**Romance:** This was cute, I had no idea for a minute there how this would work but I enjoyed seeing the relationships come together.

**Thoughts**:

The premise on this one is super fun. Meg is setup in an arranged marriage, much to her and her aunt’s dislike. Immediately after the father of the man she was to marry dies, and the necessary time of mourning has to pass before the wedding occurs. So over a year later the two hatch a plan to hide their identities and scope out the lands of the now Duke to see what he’s like, because the papers and gossip doesn’t seem to paint a good picture. At the same time James, the Duke, is finally returning to his estate and butting heads with his man of business. When two society ladies show up on his doorstep he pretends to be the butler and forces Elliot to play the part of duke.

With everything going on you’d think this would be a difficult one to pull off but our author did a great job and it ended up being very fun. We bounce between the four points of views (with one or two new views occasionally popping up) so we get the full story and character thoughts. While Meg and Clara are focused primarily on the duke and his personality, the men are wrapped up not only in the women but the restoration of the estate. I think maybe that was my only big issue with the book is that I was WAY more interested in their stories and the estate. What was it like for the Duke to work with the servants, how did he feel having done that and realizing what it was like, what did the servants think of pretending he was a butler? I loved that portion.

I found this fun, yes. For me ultimately though the best part of the story was the surrounding estate and the two men. I also truly did not like James very much as he seemed alcoholic, downing multiple bottles of wine in the first few chapters. He grows a bit on you but still Elliot was the far more ‘romantic’ hero in this. If you like the premise it is fun! Give it a go.

First of all, I want to address something in the synopsis that isn't true. Riniken is not, nor has he ever been the butler. He was the former (and now the current) Duke's man of business. The former butler quit which was the entire reason James was downstairs and opened the door to the two women to begin with.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about the novel itself. For me, it was a solid middle of the road kind of story. Entertaining, but nothing that (for me) really made it stand out against any of the other historical romance books that I've read recently (other than the downright confusing plot).

Don't get me wrong, I don't fault Meg for wanting to learn more about the man she is supposed to wed, but her plan seems rather lacking. She intends to dress and act the part of companion to her aunt who is pretending to be a lady so that they can gain access to the Duke's home (and seriously was showing up at someone's home and getting to tour it really a thing), but had she found nothing to complain about, had she found that everything she had read about the Duke had been grossly exaggerated, then what? How would she explain herself to the servants when she arrived weeks later as Lady Meg, their soon-to-be mistress? She says over and over that no one pays any attention to the servants and therefore no one would remember her, but not only was she pretending to be a servant herself, but she also seems to have very recognizable raven dark hair and blue eyes.

Speaking of Meg, I found her instant dislike of Elliot to be a bit off-putting. It was like she clung to her belief that he was this horrible person and no matter what anyone else told her, she would not entertain the idea that her preconceived notions were wrong. In fact, I honestly would have liked to have seen more of her and Elliot together just to watch him win her over as a friend, especially once it became obvious that he had an interest in Clara.

Don't get me wrong, there were moments between the characters that I found to be endearing if not downright entertaining (especially the banter between the would-be couples), and it was easy to see how they would start to fall for one another. I also liked how Clara and Meg unknowingly pushed both Elliot and James to become better men, and also helped to mend the rift between them by getting to the core of the dislike and animosity. However the constant shifting between all of the different points of view (mainly that of James, Elliot, Clara and Meg, but with two chapters thrown in from the valet's perspective, two from the villain of the piece, and one from the perspective of Meg's mother), at times was hard to keep up with.

I honestly believe that the chapters as told from the valet, the villain and the mother could have been eliminated altogether as they were not necessary to the plot at all and could just as easily been reworked to fit the perspective of one of the four others. As an example, when the valet overhears a conversation he shouldn't have? There is no reason James or Elliot couldn't have been the one to overhear it. The chapter of him internally complaining about how under appreciated he is? Not needed at all. The chapters from the villain? What was the point? We knew from discussions between Elliot and James what they were after, we could have had a discussion about what they had chosen to do, and a critical moment in the book still could have happened as a result. The same with the POV of the mother, once she and Meg's father showed up, they could have easily explained why they were there.

Despite all of that, as I said I did enjoy the banter between the characters, and I do think this book will appeal to other people who enjoy historical romances. I would read more from this author.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

DNF at 52%. I’ve read 17 chapters and I’m finding this a slog. I don’t think sticking it out is going to grip me (confession: I went ahead to skim through the last three chapters and yeah, nothing to compel me to stick with it). The premise is great - Shakespearean chaos as Jamie Clay, the new Duke of Earnhurst, infamous for his gambling and many dalliances pretends to be his own butler. His betrothed Meg Pinwell pretends to be a lady’s companion to find out more about the man her father organised to marry with Jamie's late father.

The problem is, I didn’t expect we’d also be treated to four points of view (Meg’s aunt Clara and Jamie’s man of business Elliott) and it’s just so slow and repetitive at times as there’s some overlap from the previous person’s chapter. I’m all for slow burn as characters get to know each other, but adding Clara and Elliott dragged this out longer than it needs and I really can’t buy their chemistry. I’m also squicked out by all the age gaps (10 and 15 years) even if it’s historically accurate. Clara is also bewildering for defending fake Jamie as soon as they visited Earnhurst after trying to get Meg to refuse the arrangement for a year. Plotwise I’m not a fan of the ankle injury forcing them to be there (or the fact they spent a year in mourning and no contact). I thought this would be a fun romp featuring Jamie and Meg working as servants and being kinda crap at their jobs in some sort of Upstairs/Downstairs comedy.

This book is missing good banter that would keep me turning pages. Oh well. I’m sure this will be fun and frothy for someone else. I’m afraid not me.

Thanks to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

A Duke Never Tells is a lighthearted historical romance. Thanks to Tor Publishing Group/Bramble and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
This novel is the story of a an affianced couple who meet under false pretenses. Meg, the future bride, wants to meet her fiance and get to know him without him realizing who she is. James, the new Duke of Earnhurst, is her fiance and has a poor reputation as a rake and a gambler. Meg and her aunt Clara set out to the Earnhurst country estate in disguise, and soon find themselves stuck in the home for several weeks. When they arrive, the Duke claims to be Riniken, the butler. So the butler is now the Duke. The Duke (actually the butler) spends a lot of time with Aunt Clara, helping to plan the many needed repairs to the estate, and they fall in love, but aren't aware of each other's actual identity. Meg, who is injured early in the visit, is bedridden with a badly sprained ankle, and must rely on the butler and other servants in the estate for her care. The butler, who is actually her fiance, the Duke, is attracted to and interested in her. Meg initially plans to gather information on the Duke in an effort to convince her parents to break the engagement, but changes her mind as she gets to know the Duke. The more she gets to know the butler (actually the Duke), the more she likes him.
I enjoyed this book, and thought the premise humorous, but I was often confused about the characters. The two female main characters had different names to hide their true identities, and I honestly hard a time following the story. I also found some parts of the novel to be repetitive. It felt like all of the characters would question what to do, and discuss a great deal, and it felt that the plot moved slowly. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and the plot had a fun premise, if a bit hard to follow.

I really enjoyed this as a historical romance novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the description. Suzanne Enoch has a strong writing style and was engaged with what was going on in this world. I was engaged with the characters and thought it had that feel that I was looking for.

Suzanne Enoch is back! "A Duke Never Tells" is a delightful Regency rom-com that blends humor, charm, and heartfelt romance. With mistaken identities, secret disguises, and a cast of eccentric characters, this standalone story is a great example of why Enoch remains a beloved voice in historical romance.

The premise: Lady Margaret “Meg” Pinwell isn’t about to dive headfirst into an arranged marriage with James Clay, the new Duke of Earnhurst, without doing her due diligence. Rumors about his rakish behavior have reached her, and she’s determined to find out the truth before committing her heart—or her future. With her lively Aunt Clara as her partner in crime, Meg heads to Earnhurst Manor under the guise of a maid/companion. But James, equally uninterested in this matchmaking scheme, swaps identities with his butler to dodge the visitors' prying eyes. As roles reverse and secrets pile up, chaos ensues—and so does chemistry between the four pretenders.

This is a book that leaves you smiling and wishing for more. I can’t wait to see what Suzanne Enoch has in store next!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

A disappointment. I was on chapter 10 and i was still of what the couples were. I always felt that Enoch had difficulty showing different points of view. While this book tries to amend that, it does not do so effectively.

Lady Margaret “Meg” Pinwell learns about the advantageous match her parents made for her. She knows nothing about her ducal betrothed except for what she has read in the papers. With her aunt’s help, Meg masquerades as a lady’s companion and visits his country estate. However, an accident forces both women to continue their disguises. Meg finds she prefers the duke’s rapscallion butler than him. Which man will Meg ultimately choose? The aristocrat? Or the butler?

James Clay, the Duke of Earnhurst, has no interest in restoring his ancestral home. He enjoys annoying his man of business - that he inherited from his late father. When two women show up, unannounced, James introduces his employee as the duke. However, an unfortunate accident forces James and Elliott to continue the ruse. He never expected to fall in love with a lady’s companion. She becomes James’ reason in fixing up his home. Will his guests learn of his and Elliott’s true identities? But at what price?

I could not connect with either Meg or Clara. There were moments when both women annoyed me. I understand Meg’s concern about the validity behind the rumors surrounding James. Any sheltered young woman would be. What I disliked the most about Meg is the opinion she formed about Elliott. She had already made up her mind about him. Meg did not want to see his good points, just the bad.

I did not care much for James’ attitude. However, he slowly endeared himself to me. I understand some of James’ anger towards his late father and jealousy of Elliott. It is just a shame that he and his father could not have made amends.

A DUKE NEVER TELLS is a standalone historical romance by Suzanne Enoch. This book contains two romances. It did feel like it centered more on Clara and Elliott’s romance than Meg and James. For some reason, this book did not grab me like the author’s past works.

This delightful Regency rom-com follows Meg, an heiress betrothed to a Duke, and her plucky young aunt Clara, as they attempt to learn more about her mysterious match.

What begins as an innocent “fake sightseeing excursion” snowballs into a delightful comedy of mistaken identity and intrigue as nobody in the castle is who they seem to be. Sparks fly, letters are sent, and kisses are stolen in A Duke Never Tells.

Thanks to Tor/Bramble for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a fun romp! A tale of mistaken identities, falling in love with the wrong person, and living in a ramshackle manor. Chaos ensues when Lady Margaret wants to visit her betrothed’s manor to see what kind of person he is. When she arrives with her aunt, who have taken assumed identities, she is greeted by a drunk Duke. However, that drunk Duke doesn’t want to be bothered, so he introduces his man of business as the Duke. The actual Duke becomes the butler!! This was a fun HR, clean, with great characters and charm.

Enoch’s writing is as charming as ever, mixing humor and heart with ease. The characters are both endearing and frustrating in the best way, keeping me hooked. It is a perfect blend of lighthearted fun, a dash of intrigue, and a happily-ever-after that’s as heartwarming as it is inevitable.

This was a really cute story of two couples finding love even though there was confusion in their roles. I liked this a lot, but not quite as much as the previous book I read by Enoch, Every Duke Has His Day.

This is a kind of book that fills your heart and makes you smile in the best way possible. What I adore about this book is how Enoch captures the moments of vulnerability amid the laughter and mistaken identities. There’s a beautiful balance of wit and depth in the writing that keeps you hooked. You’re not just turning the pages for the drama (though there’s plenty of that); you’re craving the emotional moments where Meg and James start to see each other for who they truly are.
The writing is sharp and light, but there’s also this wonderful undercurrent of tenderness. You can feel the connection growing between them, even as they navigate their identities and the charades they’ve created. If you love historical romances that blend laughs, swoon-worthy moments, and characters who make you feel like you’ve found old friends, this is a must-read.