I loved this book! It had great banter with a believable shift from friends to enemies to lovers. Aspen and Viper have excellent chemistry and I loved their exchanges . It was funny and swoony with beautiful romantic moments and on page declaration of fidelity . I enjoyed it so much.

i remember being excited for this ARC because historical romance is one of my favorite cozy genres, but this is an easy DNF. the mmc is despicable. i hate him. his thoughts, words, and actions to the fmc are truly mean. and yet the memory of his lips makes her "core throb". no thanks.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

You know sometimes there are authors that you don't even have to look at the synopsis to buy and read the book? Well, Howard is like that for me. Her historical romances are almost never disappointing. I am always looking forward to her next release even before finishing the current read.

I read the first book in this series and loved it and so when this second one came out I was so excited to read it. I loved the writing in this book and how it ended. I love being able to follow all the characters and their story lines in this series.

Never Met a Duke Like You is a fun childhood friends to enemies to lovers romance.

I enjoyed this one a lot, but it felt a little disjointed. The main characters sway back and forth between hate and attraction almost every chapter, and I would have preferred a more progressive build to attraction and then love. The narrative didn't seem as tight as in the authors' other books.

Telling me a book is a Clueless meets Bridgerton in a spicy opposites-attracts Regency romance is an automatic YESSSSS for me, but knowing it was the second book in the TAMING OF THE DUKES series by Amalie Howard would have made it an automatic yes anyway! NEVER MET A DUKE LIKE YOU follows another member of the Hellfire Kitties, Lady Vesper Lyndhurst, and the Duke of Greydon. It all starts when they are accidentally trapped in an attic together after years apart!

I laughed so hard at this book. It was a delight! The first book (ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS) was as well. I always get nervous that only some books in a series will hold up with the romance and banter, but Howard did an excellent job of keeping the entertainment going in this book. I laughed out loud again. I swooned. The spice was fantastic. And I absolutely loved the Hellfire Kitties - they are a fantastic group of girlfriends!

The books are standalone but are more fun if you read them all and get to know the side characters. Definitely can’t wait for the next book!

Thanks, Forever and Netgalley, for my arc!

Always Be My Duchess was the first book by Amalie that I had read and I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Never Met a Duke Like You and continue with this series! I've said it before and I will keep saying it but I trust Amalie to write a fun, diverse, and well-researched romp every single time. From the delectable tension that Aspen and Vesper had to the always loved friendships I flew through this. Many authors will provide beginning of banter but the follow through just doesn't cut like it should, and when this two were trading barbs I felt like I was watching a tennis match, edge of my seat, who would get the last word.

I especially appreciated how much effort and care Amalie put into exposing the abhorrent treatment of the mentally ill as well as the different ways that these laws were wielded without oversight. I wish we had gotten a little more follow up with the Dowager Duchess as well as how things played out in parliament. But not enough historical romance will explore this side of history, especially if we look at the institutionalization rates amongst minorities and marginalized peoples of this time. I cannot read ignorant historical romance and Amalie will not disappoint in this regard.

I cannot wait for Briar and Lushing's book!

Thank you Netgalley and Forever for my eArc!

This book will be going down as one of my favourites.

Summary:

Vesper Lyndhurst, a charming and savvy duke's daughter, revels in luxury and matchmaking, despite her own disinterest in finding love. Meanwhile, the Duke of Greydon, burdened by a failing estate, reluctantly returns to England and the high society he despises, including the infuriating yet captivating heiress next door. A twist of fate locks these two opposites in an attic, igniting an undeniable attraction and challenging their resolve. Despite their differences and disjointed lives, fate might just have its own romantic designs for them.

Thoughts:

This is my first time reading a historical romance book. The banter between Lady Vesper and Aspen had me swooninggggg.

The way that Vesper and Aspen are introduced to each other after spending years apart was too good. The tension of being stuck in a small room with the boy you had feelings for while growing up and seeing the man he’s become - TENSION at its finest.

I loved reading about Vesper and how misunderstood she was. She was stubborn and fierce but felt the need to mask these qualities of herself. The author did an amazing job at showcasing the emotions of Vesper and the need for her to hide certain pieces of who she is.

I enjoyed reading about the mixed emotions of Aspen and him coming to terms that Lady Vesper was the one for him. The story line of mental illness with his father and in these times were interesting to read about. Reading about Aspen discovering the layers of Vesper and watching him fall harder and harder for her while she secretly did the same was beautiful. I was rooting for them and felt truly connected to the characters.


The Cat was a good one. Making sure to bring these two loves together!!

I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this one!


Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

I mostly enjoyed this book! It was a bit slow for me at the beginning but I enjoyed the tension between the main characters. I’ve added this one to my lists of fun period romances. I loved the wit and sass some characters had. It was a fun book over all!

Clueless meets Emma/Breakfast At Tiffany's in this historical romance novel. I originally didn't know this was based on Clueless, but I picked out some Emma and Breakfast At Tiffany's references that I thought were really fun! I loved the cat named Cat and the MCs having to go out in the rain to find it. <3

ANYWAY, this is a childhood friends to dislike to lovers. Aspen was giving me big nerd boy energy. I loved how much Vesper talked about his glasses. It did irk me that he was still portrayed as a ladies man who could get whoever he wanted. I think it would've made sense for his character to not be promiscuous. I know it's a trope in hisrom, but I don't love it. Vesper was a very strong, fun character and I liked her matchmaking.

Their romance felt real but also went back and forth a lot. I wish it was more linear because their thoughts didn't always match up with their actions.

The spicy was SPICYYYYY. Like... outside, guys. OUTSIDE.

This was the first adult romance book I have read from Howard and I can't wait to go back and read the first book in this series! There were a lot of side characters in this story that confused me, but I don't think I would have been as confused if I had read the first book first. XD

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I've been pondering on my review for a little while. It's not my first Amalie Howard book and certainly not my last, but this wasn't my favorite by her. I felt the chemistry between the characters, but I struggled to connect with the characters to the point where I ended up DNFing it a little over halfway through. The writing was good and I love Amalie's humor, so it may have been a personal preference or the mood I was in at the time, but I just couldn't get through it!

Excited for the next one, though!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in return for my honest review.
I unfortunately had a lot of trouble recalling the first book of this series (which I had read last year), but that did not deter from my enjoyment of this book. It was witty and funny. Good level of spice too. I am looking forward to more books- there are two more unwed ladies in the Hellfire Kitties, and I hope to read about both of them!

This was a fun and quick historical romance. I really enjoyed following the Duke of Greydon and Lady Vesper's journey to happily ever after. I really do wish there had been a few more areas the author had wrapped up with a bow but overall a good read. I look forward to reading more from Amalie Howard in the future.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

This “enemies to lovers” had a touch too much immature bickering for my taste. I didn’t really feel it was necessary. I would have preferred this to be friends to lovers or brothers friends as more the focus as those tropes felt more natural in the story. This also didn’t give Clueless vibes at all. I actually caught the nod to Breakfast at Tiffany’s when the MCs are out in the rain looking for her cat named Cat.

I love second chance stories. This historical has groveling, and unique characters. This is Lady Vesper Lyndhurst, known as "Cupidella" who as given up on love for herself but loves helping others find the true love. She matches wits with Aspen Drake, Duke of Greydon who has returned to England after spending years as a paleontologist in America. They grew up together as they were neighbors in the country. Each of them has grown since her coming out and find themselves thrown together because of family. Each has a task ahead of them and are hiding secrets from others.

Aspen is back when he hears his mother is planning on declaring him dead and setting up his cousin Eustice as the new Duke. He knows she's after control the dukedom's purse strings and regaining control of the ton. She's been exiled to Bath by her son but is back in London for her ward Judith's coming out. Aspen returns to stop his mother's manipulations and to be there for Judith and her coming out. He also is determined to find the doctors who lied to help his mother have her father committed to an asylum. He asks Vesper as her role of matchmaker, to aid in finding a husband for Judith. But first he has to mend fences with Vesper as he believes he gave her the "cut direct" when she came out. It truth he was tongue tied and couldn't talk to her.

Vesper Lyndhurst is 23 and almost "on the shelf" being still single. She is poised, polished and perfect in society. When she's alone, she riddled with doubt and fights to respond to people appropriately. She's cultivated a persona that covers her insecurities. She and Aspen have history. She punched him in the nose when there were children and have been estranged ever since. Aspen is her brother-in-law's best friend so they rub shoulders now that he's returned to town. When he approaches her about aiding in finding a match for his ward Judith, she agrees. As they interact they begin to see the hidden secrets and grow to understand and rekindle romantic feelings.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amalie Howard's retellings of classic or popular media are always so much fun to pick up. Often, I find they can be a hit or a miss in terms of the development of the characters, particularly in the final third of the book. As usual, this one took me a bit to get into, but the concept of Emma / Clueless meets Bridgerton is just so much fun. Is it just me or does the mmc on the cover look a bit like Anthony Bridgerton?

Anyways, Emma is one of my favourite classics and I was so excited to pick this one up. However, as usual, I don't think I liked anyone apart from the main character? The mmc just wasn't serving the swoony romantic hero the way I expected. One thing it has just like Emma is longing and banter in spades which is always a winning factor for me! The mains have so much pride but also find themselves unable to stay away from each other. I love that tension and the drama of "when will they?".

The author always seems to do really extensive research on the historical period and does a great job writing witty dialogue! I'll be making sure to go back and read 'Always Be My Duchess".

This was another good historical romance novel from Amalie Howard!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

✨Never Met A Duke Like You by Amalie Howard✨

Genre: Romance
Pages: 384
Series: Taming of the Dukes, Book 2

📚Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is beautiful, clever, and popular. Afforded every luxury as a duke’s daughter, she fills her days with friends, intrigues, and a self-professed knack for matchmaking. She may have sworn off love for herself, but she is rather excellent at arranging it.

Faced with an insolvent estate, the Duke of Greydon has no choice but to return to England in a final attempt to revive his family’s fortunes. He’s been gone for years, happy to have escaped his mother and the petty circles of the ton. To his dismay, not much has changed, including the beautiful and vexing heiress next door.

But when an accident of fate traps the friends-turned-enemies in an attic together, the explosive attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore and even harder to resist. They are total opposites and their lives don’t align in the slightest, but fate, the ultimate matchmaker, appears to have other plans . . .

📝This is the second book I’ve read by Amalie Howard and I’ve enjoyed them both. Our MCs, Aspen and Vesper, had great chemistry and snarky banter. The trope is enemies to lovers - my favorite - and there was definitely some spice!

This book also highlights mental health: Vesper has ADHD.

💫Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for my egalley💫

Non-stop bickering between the two main characters and a plethora of unenjoyable events in this book have led me to rate it 2 stars.
I tried so hard to be invested in this storyline but I just couldn’t get with it. It is cute if you’re into historical romance / clueless vibes with argumentative bickering and asylums. Also a villain who does not get justice whatsoever.

Thanks to netgalley, the author and publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review 🎉