This was such a fun nod to Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, but set during the regency. Lady Meg Pinwell is betrothed to renowned rake James Clay, the new Duke of Earnhurst, without ever having met him. Intending to spy on him with her Aunt Clara to see if the rumors are valid, Meg and Clara assume fake identities as traveling companions. It’s just that when they arrive, the Duke and his butler seem to be a little different from what Meg imagined. They’re also thrown for a loop when Meg’s visit becomes extended unexpectedly—can Clara and Meg sustain their charade? And just who is the actual Duke of Earnhurst?

I highly recommend listening to this one. The comedic timing and humor best play out when reading with your ears and I absolutely adored Jay Myers as the voice of James Clay and Riniken. Seriously fantastic. Kimberly M. Wetherell is also a lovely addition for Clara and Meg. This book is so fun because the characters get more and more twisted up in their own farce that as a reader I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop, revealing everything. Enoch brilliantly creates an unexpected DOUBLE romance with lovable characters that despite their secrets and identity swapping, I just wanted to see happy at the end.

For readers that are interested in spice level, this is a closed door romance which suits the novel perfectly (it would seem out of place for high steam given the plot). I’m really curious to see what types of romances Enoch writes in the future since she can write anything from traditional histroms to screwball comedy. I’ll say that if she’s writing it, I’ll read it. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 1/2🪭 (closed door but intimacy and lots of kissing is mentioned)
Humor: 🪛⚾️🪛⚾️
Narration: Dual 📣📣📣📣

Such a fabulous romantic comedy! This is funny and silly, slapstick almost and works a treat. Author Suzanne Enoch plays tribute to Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest and this should be enough for the reader to know that it’s a farce. So much fun, and as a romance, there’s tenderness amid all the comedic elements and ridiculous details. There’s two romantic plot lines that are closely interwoven. Meg is betrothed to a Duke - a known rake and her marriage has been organised without her even meeting her fiancé. She and her aunt Clara disguise themselves and set of to secretly visit the home of Meg’s betrothed to find out if he is as dissolute as he’s rumoured to be.

Meanwhile …. The new Duke, James, who is Meg’s betrothed, finds himself back at the Ducal residence which he has ignored for six years while Elliot, his father’s man of business has been trying to keep the estate afloat. When Meg and Clara (in disguise) come visiting, James pretends to be the butler and forces Elliot to pretend to be the Duke. Meg promptly sprains her ankle, and next thing, Clara and Meg are staying on the estate for two weeks. Shenanigans multiply, with lies on lies, confused staff, and many muddles.

I listened to the audiobook and it was fabulous! Narrators Kimberly M. Wetherell and Jay Myers both do a brilliant job and they are working hard. There's four main characters, plenty of minor characters, both male and female, different ages and accents and both narrators have to voice everyone. My favourite is Jay voicing the man of business - it's deep and proper and perfectly matches my vision of Elliot.

Of course with this much subterfuge, plus Meg's family, and a subplot about stealing from the estate and all the layers, it's a bit repetitive, but probably necessary so the reader can keep up with who is who.

I love Suzanne's darker historicals (England's Perfect Hero is the best) but this is charming and fun. It's closed door, which is appropriate given all the subterfuge and the high stakes for everyone. Oh, and I love the cover - it's mischievous and tells the reader this it's not at all serious. Delightful!

Thank you Suzanne Enoch, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I listened to it in two days! The story was humorous and I love the romance. I think I need to look into reading more books from this author.

I really enjoyed listening to Suzanne Enoch's audiobook of A Duke Never Tells. I'd classify it as a sweet historical romance, with plenty of comedic moments and charming characters. The older I get, I want more story and fewer sex scenes and this one was perfect! It reminded me of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" with confusion on who the involved parties fall in love with, but the two couples end up perfectly matched at the end of the story. I especially enjoyed listening to the Duke's transformation from an irresponsible rakehell to a man proud to work the land and restore his dilapidated property back to its former glory. The narrators, Kimberly Wetherell and Jay Myers did an excellent job providing different voices for the four main characters to my great satisfaction. I can't wait to listen to the next Suzanne Enoch audiobook!

I'm a "Wild Wicked Highlanders" spicy romance girl, but Suzanne's been KILLIN' it lately with these sweet historical rom-coms, emphasis on the COM. "Every Duke Has His Day" was one of my favorite books last year and this one is just as good. It's a little long, but the audiobook has dual narrators and is a FANTASTIC listen. I wish the cover was more like the illustrated ones for Enoch's other latest rom-coms, this one is bright, but I can see it being overlooked by genre readers.

In the vein of of Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," and Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," mistaken identities and forced proximity lead to love, laughs and so many shenanigans on a rural England Estate.

Meg finds out in one day that her father has arranged her marriage to a Marquis and that her fiancé's father has just died making him a Duke. Now she has to miss her debut season and go into mourning for a year instead. A year later, she's still never met or even received a letter from her fiancé and decides to go on a secret mission with her Aunt Clara to assess the character of her betrothed.

When the ladies arrive at the duke's estate, he's having a fight with James, his late father's man of business (and he's a little drunk) so he introduces himself as the butler and James as the Duke. A comedy of errors ensues when Meg sprains her ankle, and the ladies must stay at the rundown estate with the two mysterious men. Each falling in love with the man she believes is the WRONG one and vice versa.

This was a pure delight. I had to keep listening to find out how the truth would be discovered. You have to pay close attention or all the names and points of view can confuse you pretty fast.

The plot reveals itself early in Enoch’s A Duke Never Tells and, even though the reader can clearly see the path ahead, it is a delightful journey as we get to know the four main characters.

The writing is excellent and the plot is detailed enough to entertain with a likable cast of characters. The audiobook narrators added a formal tone, underlining the period.

I definitely recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley, I can now add Ms. Enoch to my must read list.

A Duke Never Tells was a solid 3.5 stars for me. It had Enochs hallmark funny style and confusion and a two in one romance, but my main gripe is that identity mix-up went on a bit too long.

The narration was well done, and I agree with a previous reviewer that this cover is meh.

#netgalley

This book is a delightful read for fans of Bridgerton and Regency-era stories, especially those who enjoy strong female protagonists. With two romantic storylines, secret identities, and a humorous twist, it offers plenty of intrigue and comedic relief. The narrators did an excellent job bringing the story to life, and I found the listening experience especially engaging.

However, I did feel that the book could have been shortened by at least half, as it dragged a bit until the plot finally picked up. Initially, I would have rated it a three-star read, but the satisfying conclusion definitely bumped it up to a four-star experience. Overall, this is a book that’s best enjoyed as an audiobook, where the pacing felt just right.

This book was so funny.

While preparing for her societal debut in London, Meg’s mother informs her that her father has arranged her betrothal to a Marquis, so she will be wed in sixth months. Unfortunately, on the same day that the engagement is announced in the papers, the family receives news that the Marquis’s father, the Duke, has died, leaving Meg’s betrothed, one Mr. James Clay, as the new Duke.

After the sufficient mourning period has passed, Meg and her aunt Clara engage in a bit of espionage to discover the character of this new Duke so that Meg may decide if she really wishes to marry the man, known in London as “The Pirate” for his reputation of stealing maidens’ virtues.

This book is filled with mistaken identities and loads of shenanigans. I was riveted at every turn and the chemistry between the characters is so funny. If you enjoyed The Importance of Being Ernest, you will love this book.

What a cute book. Four characters, all pretending to be someone they’re not, find love in the English countryside. This is the first time I’ve read Suzanne Enoch, but it won’t be the last. The narrators did a lovely job with the dialogue, keeping everything lighthearted and amusing.

A hilarious historical romp around mistaken identities.

Overall: 4.5
Spice: 1.5 (only kissing on the page, but references wishing for other activities)
Narration: 4

Lady Meg has been betrothed for a year to a Duke she has never met. When he sets a date for their wedding, she enlists her friend and aunt Clara to help her visit the Duke's estate in disguise to learn more about him while he is still in London. Meg doesn't realize that the Duke of Earnhurst has recently finally returned to his estate, but is still trying to avoid all Duke-ish duties much to the chagrin of his Man of Business, Riniken. When the ladies stop by unannounced, the Duke points to Riniken as the Duke and himself the butler. This is no problem for a tour of the property the ladies are requesting, but when Meg is injured and their stay is extended, can everyone keep up the act?

I had been in a reading slump the last few days and didn't want to read any of the things I had cued up, but then I remembered to check my NetGalley list and had this historical romcom available. I always enjoy this genre and this one exceeded my expectations. I was giggling as the ruse was set-up and then anxiously awaiting the crux of the story that Enoch had perfectly teased. All four main characters are delightful with good character arcs and progressive points of view. The narrators voices worked together seamlessly which contributed to the enjoyment of the story. Highly recommend to any historical romance fans.

Side note - the cover design had me checking the publishing date and my daughter looked at it and said he looks like a mash-up of Anthony & Benedict Bridgerton and now that's all I see.

4.5 stars
This is such a fun, lighthearted read. I enjoyed James and Meg’s romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. Their time together is sweet, romantic and has their funny moments. The growth of the characters is fitting for the story and romance. It’s one of the aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrators.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It’s a funny and adorable book. Pure fluff, no spice. However, there’s a redundant and boring subplot that should have been cut the parents arrive minutes later and would have easily resolved the mistaken identity no need for the gun attack, the horse poop bag, or not calling the authorities plots. There are four main characters and two romances, with well-handled POV changes. I liked every character except the Duke.

The Duke’s redemption arc didn’t work for me. There’s a lot of I can fix him energy and not like other girls/guys tropes. He’s an alcoholic and a gambler who never directly apologizes to the butler or the rest of the staff for how he treated them. Instead, toward the end, he gives a speech calling the butler a friend and "saves" him, but it feels unearned. Clara bursts in with a gun, and the butler takes the gunman's firearm away. All the duke did was make the gunman laugh. He's lucky the man didn't shoot them. He’s still a manchild who treats the servants as if they’re unreasonable, throws money at his problems, and refuses to take responsibility for the issues he’s caused.

I feel bad for Meg. She didn’t get to debut, had no say in her marriage, and had to mourn a man she never knew. When she finally takes control of her situation, she gets injured and ends up stuck in a nightmare. Her aunt is easily the best character, followed by the butler. She’s witty, a feminist, and gives off strong Lady Whistledown vibes. I wish there was a subplot about writing a pamphlet or going to a rally. That said, she’s not untouchable. Her family rightly calls out her privilege. The butler, exhausted by the Duke’s nonsense, remains committed to fulfilling the late Duke’s last wish. While the other staff flee, he stays, concerned about the harm the Duke is causing and determined to make things right.

I received the audio book version, actually both versions I requested. I loved this book. It was so cute, and a really easy listen. The narrators did a really good job! I found myself chuckling at some points! I also enjoyed the different point of views. I will be getting my hands on the actual book once it comes out. It is something I will re-read, just because how easy and cute it was. I would love to see this as a movie!

4.5⭐️

This was such a charming and delightful book. It's not over the top but I really had lot of fun with this book.

An arranged marriage that neither party wants. I girl getting ready to debut and a rake of duke. It's not what either expected. This was a really easy read and I really liked all four main characters. I really also appreciated that we got the four separate POVs. Each character were unique and I appreciated that each had their own growth and character arc by the end of the book.

The pacing was also well done. There was times in the middle it may have drag some in the middle but overall it went along at a decent pace,

I thought the story was pretty cute with the switched identities of both the main FMCs and MMCs. Although it was a cheesy at times. Not a perfect read but really enjoyable.

The narration of this book was really well done. Choosing for this to have dual narrators was a great choice. They both did a great job bringing the c characters to life. I really loved the male narrator's voice.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

This book was absolutely hilarious! The dedication compares it to The Importance of Being Earnest and it definitely lives up to the hijinks in that story. The mistaken identity plot led to an absolute romp of a plot. The story rotates between the perspectives of the four main characters and I found myself coming to care about all of them and rooting for them to untangle the hilarious mess they were in. Among all the humor and the mishaps the author also wove a good amount of heart into this story. The chemistry was palpable between the characters and because the book's tone leaned towards screwball comedy I didn't miss having open door scenes. Real life can be so stressful so this hilarious escape came at the perfect time. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a good laugh.

The narrators did a fantastic job bringing out the situational humor in the story as well as all the quips of the main characters. I laughed so hard listening to this book and I definitely want to hear more from these narrators.

I really enjoyed this book! It had "The Importance of Being Earnest" vibes and was thoroughly entertaining. At first I was nervous about it being closed-door, but that actually fit the book very well. Open-door would have been out of place. Anyway, the characters were likeable, compelling, and the story came together well. The relationship that the real-Duke had with his servants was really funny and I enjoyed seeing how he came into his own as the new duke. I loved the relationship development between the man-of-business and Clara, as they seem perfect for each other. This is a really fun book, so I definitely recommend it.
In terms of the audio narration, it was done really well and they chose the correct voice actors. There was nothing cringey to note.

This is a review of the audiobook.
The narrators did a great job! I really enjoyed that the men were (mostly) spoken by a man and the women (mostly) by a woman. That makes the listening experience much more enjoyable and very suitable to the different POVs from which the story was told.
The four stars are thus for the story. Although the plot is based on popular classics, I couldn't really start caring about the both heroines. They as well as the male characters were a bit too forced in their descriptions. Forced-bluestocking-ish, forced-rakish, forced-independent, etc. But that is probably just me.
A light and fun listening experience thanks to the two great narrators.

Thanks to netgally for the alc. This is my independent review.

ALC Review: A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch
Pub Date: April 1, 2025
Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell & Jay Myers

For the last year, Meg Pinwell has been betrothed to a man she hasn't met. Before their marriage, she and her beloved aunt Clara don disguises and go to his ducal home to find out what kind of duke this James Clay is. They don't expect to find the duke at home, and the duke doesn't really want to entertain a fine lady and her companion so pretends he is the butler and his man of business is the duke. What transpires from there is 4 cases of mistaken identity and everyone falling in love with the wrong person!

I love a silly book that doesn't take itself seriously! This one is truly a romp and never feels like high stakes because both parties are lying about who they are so the central conflict isn't really a conflict at all once the truth comes out. I thought both relationships were very cute and loved seeing how they progressed. I laughed out loud a few times and just overall had a great time and didn't want to stop listening - like came up with more housework to do so I could keep listening!

The audio was fabulously done by Kimberly M Wetherell and Jay Myers. I don't believe I've listened to either of them before but their performances really added to my enjoyment and the overall fun tone of the book.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Fun, silly and farcical, this book was a very enjoyable read. Everyone is pretending to be someone they’re not, they were only planning on assuming these false identities for an hour or two and get stuck with them for over a week. While under these false identities, all the people seem to be falling for the wrong person (or the right-wrong person, perhaps?). This book didn’t take itself too seriously, and it was just what I needed for a temporary escape from reality. There was also dual narration and both voice actors did a great job.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ARC!