Wednesday 4 August 2021

When a Duke Loves a Governess (Unlikely Duchesses #3) by Olivia Drake (2021)


A stunning new Regency from beloved author Olivia Drake, When a Duke Loves a Governess...!


Tessa James has worked and planned tirelessly to open her own millinery shop. All she needs now is a loan from the lord who sired and abandoned her. The only problem is, she doesn’t even know his name. What’s a woman to do to find him but enter the aristocratic world by becoming a governess?

Guy Whitby, the new Duke of Carlin, has returned to London after years abroad to discover that his young daughter Sophy has become a wild-child known for scaring away every governess who's crossed his doorstep. When Tessa James applies for the job, he hires her in desperation despite his misgivings that she’s too bold and beautiful–and that she might be fibbing about her qualifications.


Their blooming attraction leads them on a completely unexpected path to love that neither wants to deny. But when an old enemy threatens Guy's family, their forbidden romance goes up in flames. Can they still learn to love and trust each other as forces try to tear them apart?
 





Done well, there is something comforting about reading a book with a cliché historical romance trope. You know what to expect and so you can simply relax into a dreamy world for a few hours.
This story hit the mark with Tessa, a likeable and modern heroine who would rather open a shop than join the nobility. The story is fast-paced which kept me reading on. The villain of the piece was nicely plotted out and not obvious at all. I didn't have that figured out until it was revealed. 

There were a few eye-rolling moments for me. Tessa and Carlin decided after only a week that they would dispense with formalities and use first names with each other. Tessa got tipsy after one glass of wine and threw herself at the Duke. And one of the side characters was constantly referred to as a leprechaun!




No comments:

Post a Comment