A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch (ARC Review)

Title: A Duke Never Tells
Author: Suzanne Enoch
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Historical Romance
Publisher: Bramble Romance
Date published: April 1, 2025

A complimentary physical copy was kindly provided by Bramble Romance in exchange for an honest review.

Before entering into a supremely-advantageous arranged marriage with James Clay, the new Duke of Earnhurst, clever, independent Lady Meg Pinwell has to see if he’s really the rake he’s rumored to be. But how is a well-bred young lady going to make sure he’s all that he seems? With the help of her Aunt Clara, they plan some discreet reconnaissance at the Duke’s country estate. Meg will pretend to be her aunt’s maid/companion to see the true state of affairs at Earnhurst Manor.

But Meg isn’t the only one pretending to be someone she isn’t. In order to escape Clara (who is surely a marriage hunter!), James has traded places with the excellent Riniken, the former Duke’s butler. Soon everyone is falling in love with the absolute wrong person! They say the course of true love never does run smooth… at Earnhurst, it’s running amuck!

⤖ My Review ⬻

Oh my gosh. It’s been weeks since I finished A Duke Never Tells, but I still think about it. For me it was the best mix of Bridgerton and Twelfth Night (my second favourite Shakespeare play)! I went in expecting a charming historical romance, but what I got was so much more—layered comedy, mistaken identities, and cute romance that had me completely wrapped up in the story.

I absolutely loved A Duke Never Tells and I’ll try to contain my excitement and stick to only what the synopsis reveals. There are cases of mistaken identity (intended and otherwise), lots and lots of banter, funny mishaps, and other encounters that made me giggle. The banter was witty and would have kept me entertained all on its own, but the story also had just the right balance of heart and drama to keep me emotionally invested.

The characters were so memorable and fun—I can still picture them quite clearly (even the side characters)! The four romantic leads (yes I consider there to be four, even though two of them might technically be considered side characters) had wonderful chemistry, and their back-and-forth dynamic made me grin so many times.

I audiobooked portions of A Duke Never Tells and have to say that I really enjoyed the show that was put on by the narrators! I could tell that they really embraced the era as well as the comical and romantic tones of the book. All in all, five glowing stars from me! And I will definitely be picking up more books by Suzanne Enoch—old and anything new that might come out in months and years to come!