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Writer's pictureMia Evans

The Governess and the Duke Review

By Lydia Drake

Renegade Dukes Book 3

Star rating: ★★★☆☆



Blurb

A hilariously engaging romp of a romance, where a sensible governess must learn how to defy the rules…


Governess Miss Viola Winslow is quite familiar with the rules of society, and her place in it. Still, it hasn’t stopped her from being horribly in love with the Duke of Huntington for years. But while the duke knows little of her foolish passions, the same cannot be said of Viola’s charge—a precocious fourteen-year-old obsessed with her governess’s secret romance.


As a confirmed bachelor with no interest in marriage, the Duke of Huntington prefers his estate at Moorcliff Castle to the hustle, bustle, and utter nonsense of London society. He’s far more content with a glass of excellent whiskey and the calm of the country. Until his peace is shattered by the enchanting Miss Viola, and her injured young charge.


Unable to travel or leave, Miss Viola has no choice but to remain at Moorcliff—where avoiding the duke is all but impossible. Somewhere between late night run-ins and a fake date in the most unlikely of places, their chemistry stops feeling one-sided. But when he discovers the secret she’s been hiding all along, there’s nothing that will save them from scandal.


Genre: Historical Romance

Read if you Like:

👻 Governess romance

👻 Matchmaking children

👻 Possibly haunted manor

👻 Meddling family


My Thoughts:

I picked the Governess and the Duke because I love a governance romance! I really enjoy children as part of a romance and this book was no exception.


Felicity and Isabelle who are the Duke's sister and the heroine's charge were my favorite part of this story. They quickly bond over a pension for gothic things and create general mayhem. I liked that Felicity truly wanted her governess to be happy and wasn't above a little match making to make it happen.


Another interesting aspect of this story was that Viola was not working for the Duke of Huntington who she falls for. He lives at a neighboring estate. I think this is the only governance romance I have read where that is the case. Unfortunately, the actual romance didn't fully work for me. I felt like the Duke did a 180 and fell for Viola too fast after not noticing her. Then the obstacles between them felt a little contrived. I ended up feeling like this book was really long when it really wasn't because I think it was just a bit longer than it needed to be.


I overall enjoyed aspects of this story and am curious about the rest of the series. I loved the secondary characters the last part of the book was just a bit slow paced for my taste.


Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with this book in order to review it. All opinions are my own.


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