Title: Forever My Duke

Author: Olivia Drake

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Page Count: 384

ISBN: 1250174392

Goodreads Rating: 3.91

“I find Miss Fanshawe to be quite charming—for an American.”—The Prince Regent Hadrian Ames, the Duke of Clayton, needs a bride. He even has the perfect one picked out. That is, until he meets the lovely, free-spirited Natalie Fanshawe. She’s the opposite of what a man of his high rank should desire in a wife—an outspoken American who has never even set foot in a London ballroom. But Natalie doesn’t have time to be swept off her feet by a handsome duke who must be a spoiled scoundrel like every other British lord. And she couldn’t care less about Hadrian’s title. After all, it’s not as if he actually worked to attain his wealth and status. He surely can’t understand what it’s like to be a busy woman, planning to open a school while trying to reunite a six-year-old orphan with his English relatives. Nevertheless, Hadrian launches his campaign to win her heart. Can the utterly delightful American beauty ever find a way to love him…despite his being a duke?

I’m a big fan of Historical Romance novels, although I haven’t been reading a lot of them lately. So when I got the opportunity to read ‘Forever My Duke’, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. Although ‘Forever My Duke’ is the second book in the Unlikely Duchesses series, it can be read as a standalone. This was my first Olivia Drake book.

In ‘Forever My Duke’ we meet the American Nathalie. Nathalie has travelled to Britain to take her best friends son to his family. Nathalie is determined to get Leo save and sound to his family, but life in Britain is very different than her life in America. Here there are so many ‘rules’ and woman are apparently less than man. Well, not if you ask Nathalie. So when Nathalie meets the Duke Hadrian, she isn’t at all impressed by him. He can be handsome, but nothing in his life was earned because he worked for it. Or is Nathalie wrong about him?

I truly enjoyed ‘Forever My Duke’. I love Historical Romance novels simple because I always find them to be so romantic. There’s just something about that era, the gorgeous gowns and that charming British way of life that makes me swoon. And although Nathalie’s character is definitely a little different I loved her. And I loved how she affected Hadrian.

Since  it had been a while since I last read a Historical Romance novel, I simple loved the slow wooing in this book. It took Hadrian awhile, but when he finally realized he wanted Nathalie as his wife I loved the way he took care of her and slowly wooed her. He was definitely my favorite character in this book. He was the perfect British Duke if you ask me.

The chemistry between Nathalie and Hadrian was definitely I felt flying of the pages. And I loved reading their story from the beginning till the end. Although the beginning might have been a little slow, I think it fitted this story perfectly.

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Shortly after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, Olivia Drake sold her first novel two weeks after sending it to a publisher. She now lives in Texas in a cozy cottage with two feisty cats and a photographer husband. Her two daughters have flown the nest, but still come back whenever they want a home-cooked meal! Olivia Drake is the author of 35 romance novels. Her most recent series is called ‘Unlikely Duchesses’ and began with THE DUKE I ONCE KNEW. Many of you also knew Olivia as Barbara Dawson Smith. She is a New York Times bestseller and winner of numerous honors, including the Golden Heart Award and the coveted Rita Award for excellence in the historical romance genre. For more information about Olivia please visit her website. Or visit her on Twitter.

Maureen Bakker

Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always!  Facebook | Instagram