I love Vasti's quick wit and was completely smitten! She is a fresh voice on the histrom scene and I can't wait to see what she puts out next. Selina is a top favorite FMC of 2024 and beyond.

Fun Regency romance that I hope will become a standalone series! I really enjoyed this book and read it an almost a day loved the main characters. This is the perfect summer read and if you're not sure about getting into historical romance this is a good one to start with there was lots of humor and a good amount of spice. Rating this 3.5/4 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

For a historical romance novel this was super fun! I wanted a little bit more tension from the romance, rather than just their physical attraction to each other. Their 'I love yous' came out of nowhere for me personally, I felt like I needed to see a bit more of them getting to know each other personally. Otherwise, really fun read.

“Ne'er Duke Well” by Alexandra Vasti
A Fun Regency, but a bit Spicy
For me, I was definitely hooked on this story by the end of the first chapter. Yes, I shed a few tears, and enjoyed some laughs, and deemed a few scenes too detailed for my reading palette. So I skipped over those scenes to read the rest of the story that I enjoyed witnessing. I am glad I spent my time spent in this story. And I did enjoy reading the author’s notes, too! Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this story via NetGalley

This was so much fun. I know a lot of people think the Regency and Jane Austen and think romance, but to me it is very much the era of the comedy of manners. What I like so much about this book is that it delivers on both of those fronts. Skewering society while watching two interesting characters you can’t help but root for dance around one another was spectacularly entertaining. I laughed. I smiled. I just genuinely enjoyed myself the entire time I was reading this novel. A well rounded cast of supporting characters makes the world that much more colorful, and a historically reasonable plot about correcting the education and miseducation of women makes this one a winner in my eyes. My favorite part may have been learning that every one of the unusual and fascinating books mentioned by title is real.

Another positive point to add, is that despite the location and time period, the novel takes a Bridgerton tv series style route of representation. While slavery is a plot point, specifically support for the abolitionist movement, the ton is not solely an Anglo society and the diversity is matter of fact rather than an obvious exception or plot point.

So many romances end on a wedding like that’s the end of the story rather than the beginning of one so I very much enjoyed the fact that the novel’s major wedding takes place about halfway through and life (with its joys and its challenges) continues on. Some unresolved plot threads, nothing major, make me feel like this must be the start of a series. If that’s the case, I would love to see more of these characters and very much look forward to it.

What a great Regency novel with all the levels of romance, laughter, and steaminess. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. It was impossible not to root for the pairing of Lady Selina and the Duke of Stanhope Peter Kent from the first few pages. Their chemistry was off the charts hot. All of the supporting characters in this novel brought so much more to the story, which I don’t always feel happens successfully.

I would love for the author to continue the stories of these friends with a follow-up book for Lydia!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martens Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review; all opinions are my own.

Ne’er Duke Well is a charming little romance laden with feeling and a surefooted, breezy writing style… which also has a heavy shellacking of wallpapery behavior on it, with a plot that has way too many moving parts. Still, it’s a fun read, and those plot points do make sense – eventually.

Louisiana native and abolitionist Peter Kent is known for his radical politics and total inability to behave in a proper manner in his home country. He is stunned to learn that he’s inherited a dukedom. Once he lands in England, he takes on the mantle of Duke of Stanhope, meets with the crumbling and possibly haunted estate and discovers his reputation has not endeared him to his neighbors. He also spends more time than he ever has before with his younger, illegitimate half-siblings, the sword fight enthusiast Lu and animal-loving Freddie. To secure the custody of the children he turns his eyes toward the marriage mart and asks the seemingly much more staid Lady Selina Ravenscroft for help securing a match.

Only there’s something that Peter doesn’t know about Selina, who seems to be a moralistic debutante – she runs a circulating library intended for women only – a library laden with erotica and educational material related to sex. Though she herself is a virgin, naturally. Selina tries to help Peter find a proper bride, but one incident leads to another, which ultimately leads to Selina and Peter being caught in flagrante delicto. They’re forced to marry, but is it real love?

Oh, will you have to bite your lip just a bit with this one. The author tries her best to make Selina’s library seem like a credible move for a young lady of the aristocracy and, in an author’s note, ends with the notion that a woman of nobility could probably get away with running such a book service due to her status as the wife of a peer. But it’s hard to believe that, honestly.

The book suffers a bit from extraneous plot details – and really, between the library and Peter’s custody fight for the kids, there’s too much plot that has little to do with the romance. I have no idea why Peter is American, but his Louisiana life barely factors into the novel and it ought to; he and Selina already have a friendship rolling before the book, and it’s frustrating we miss out on that because it feels like the reader is missing a step.

And yet this is still a touching, charming book. I liked Selina’s brains, I liked Peter’s moral fiber and I loved how much they adore the children. I enjoyed the kids’ antics, though they read a little bit younger than they ought to for twelve and ten. The banter and humor are all fun, the sex is spicy. The way the author handles the notion of Peter and Selina not wanting to have kids is well thought out (though someone should warn them about the effectiveness of the rhythm method). Ne’er Duke Well is entertaining enough to make me look for more for the author, while noting the flaws in this first full-length effort.

If you enjoy historical romance then you will enjoy this book. I really liked the main characters but also the side ones as well. I hope to read more from this author soon.

This was such a cute story! Right away I felt like I was sucked in and loving the main characters and their chemistry. It almost felt like we thrown into the story but not really in a bad way. I feel like it made it go quick because they had a backstory. I will say I didn't expect some of the steam but I should have since it says a steamy rom-com. It wasn't too bad but honestly I feel like I would have loved for it to have been more closed door or less details scenes or maybe just one or two scenes. But I really adored this and it just made me so happy!

I love the kids and the main characters. I also really enjoy that there wasn't any crazy drama and they actually communicated. *GASP!* NO THIRD ACT conflict, PRAISE BE!

It was just a very happy book and honestly if it had been less steamy I probably would have gave it five stars. But this is just super cute and definitely one that should be on your TBR if you like a historical romance that is super light-hearted and fun!

A very delightful Regency romp that incorporates contemporary themes and sensibilities in a creative and empowering way. Like the books of India Holton or Evie Dunmore, Ne'er Duke Well features Strong Female Leads, Steadfast Love Interests, and Moppetry. It does not accidentally stumble into a weird racist subplot, which is not unheard of in this particular age! The love story is almost never in question — the marriage plot is humorously executed — and I did enjoy that the last half of the book was devoted to resolving the B (non-romance) plot, but YMMV there.

Peter is the new Duke of Stanhope, living in New Orleans. He just learned he has a half siblings, 10 and 12 and wants guardianship. He arrives in London hoping to win custody. Selina finds him attractive and believes he will have better luck as guardian if he is married. She prepares a list of women and encourages him to choose one. The only one he wants is Selina herself, but she has secrets that would ruin his chances if people found out what she has done. I loved this book. Peter wants a family so badly, and Selina wants him to be happy. I loved Peter’s siblings. It took awhile for them to trust him, and it was fun watching him win them over. Selina and Peter’s romance was sexy and sweet. They wanted the best for the family. I liked that Selina took care of most of the problems but when it came to her own secret, Peter rallied her friends and creatively protected her. Great characters and love story.

I will be honest with you all. When I read the blurb for Ne’er Duke Well, I almost didn’t accept the widget. I was drowning in ARCs and barely getting ahead with my reviews (I often do this to myself). What ultimately made me accept was that I love Regency romances. I am glad that I accepted because this book was a good read.

The plot for Ne’er Duke Well was medium-paced and centered around Selina and Peter. I liked that Selina and Peter knew each other before the book started. Their gradual falling into love seemed like an obvious next step instead of being forced upon them.

The plot for Ne’er Duke Well was a dual plotline. One branch followed Selina and her running of the erotic circulation library. The other branch followed Peter as he fought to become his half-sibling’s legal guardian. In the middle of the book, both storylines merge, and that is when the chaos starts to happen. I loved it!!

The storyline with Selina was well-written. The evolution of the erotic circulating library had good roots. Selina’s best friend had found herself pregnant a couple of years earlier, and she did not know how it had happened. Selina took it upon herself to try to educate the ladies of the ton with this library. And, surprisingly, it took off. I wish I could have gotten more glimpses into the material used because it seemed very pornographic (from what Selina read). Selina did her best to keep her ownership of the library secret, but secrets have a way of coming out, and oh boy, did Selina’s.

The storyline with Peter was also well-written. He wanted to get custody of his siblings but got in the way of himself. He was a little scandalous (he said and did things that the proper British ton didn’t like), but he was a good person. But, and this comes up later in the book, Peter does have his demons. Those demons come out in full force when Freddy (his brother) becomes deathly ill. I felt awful for that poor man; he was terrified and was willing to do anything to keep Freddy alive.

Ne’er Duke Well has strong and memorable secondary characters. These characters added much-needed depth (and, in some situations, levity) to both storylines.

As stated in the blurb, the romance angle of Ne’er Duke Well was steamy. The author gradually builds up the sexual tension between Selina and Peter. By the time their wedding night comes around, everything explodes. And it keeps exploding with every sex scene. While the sex scenes were good, the relationship between Selina and Peter caught my attention. They were true partners and stood by each other’s sides during two critical scenes in the book. Selina was even willing to go as far as to annul the marriage so Peter would have a better chance of gaining custody of his brother and sister.

The end of Ne’er Duke Well was an HEA. I liked how the author resolved both storylines. I hope she writes more books in this universe. I am keen to see how various characters find their matches.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Alexandra Vasti for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Ne’er Duke Well. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I love regency romance! It’s been a while since I’ve read one and this hit the spot! I loved Peter, the unrespectable almost duke, and Selina is determined to help him find a wife so he can get custody of his newly found younger brother and sister.

I was SO excited to receive this early and it did not disappoint! I cannot wait to buy a copy for my shelf!

Fans of Bridgerton: this one is for you/us.

Spice Level: Season 1 (which is to say, very spicy).

I love a regency romance and Ne’er Duke Well delivered a refreshingly different spin on the genre. NOLA born and raised, this story follows seemingly carefree Peter Kent as he inherits a dukedom. After moving to England, he discovers he has a younger brother and sister. In his quest to gain custody (by increasing his respectability), Lady Selina Ravonscroft attempts to find him a wife. Things don’t…go to plan.

Respectability is not Peter’s forte. Or his goal.

I dare say Peter Kent is one of my favorite regency MMCs.

Real life or fiction, we love the funny guy. The one that can make you laugh, anytime but especially when you’re worried.  That’s Peter. Irreverent in many ways, but ultimately has his priorities straight. I shared in Selina’s anxiety and her relief multiple times throughout this story. Vasti's book is unique, her writing is strong, and her story is well researched - she's one to follow!

I'll definitely be recommending this one and purchasing a copy when it's released. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this work.

Ne'er Duke Well is a story of family, grief, and strong women. Peter, Duke of Stanhope, is uninterested in the specific trappings of the ton. What he is interested in is getting custody of his two half siblings. Enlisting herself to help is Lady Selina Ravenscroft, and her brilliant solution to making Peter more respectable is to get him married to a respectable woman. Due to her own secrets the woman cannot be Selina, but she will introduce him to all of her most respectable friends in hopes of making a match. Unfortunately, as she gets to know the Duke and his rowdy siblings, one thing becomes perfectly clear: she is the only woman for the job. Will she find a way to have the man and her dreams?

I have been reading Regency romance for as long as I can remember. I have very specific memories being young and hiding a bodice ripper in a cupboard so my mom wouldn't find out I'd been reading her stash. It has been probably a decade since I found a regency author I truly love.

This is the first book of Alexandra's that I've read but I will definitely be going back and reading her full catalog, and also obsessively follow her new releases. This book manages to be heartbreaking, heartwarming, and funny all in the same package. The characters are dynamic and charming, beautiful in how imperfect they are. The cast of characters is fairly large for this type of book - we have our main couple and the aforementioned half siblings but there are also three other strong female characters that serve as Selina's troupe of misfit friends (presumably we will be getting books for all? I sure as hell hope so), Selina's grandmother figures (not outright stated as lesbians, but... they're lesbians and it's adorable), and many others.

The characterization of our FMC and MMC are of particular note - we have a grumpy/sunshine duo where Peter is our sunshine, and I can't quite describe him much further than he is sunshine personified. Selina is a strong, independent woman with good intentions who reminds me some of Jane Austen's Emma in that she is a "fixer" and wants to solve peoples problems (via matchmaking in this specific case, but she also goes about life managing and fixing other peoples problems). Their chemistry and interactions are some of the most entertaining content. Peter does something goofy. Selina side eyes him for doing the wrong thing. Selina admits that she runs an erotic library. Peter immediately just tells her that he's so proud of her, that she's amazing and a goddess, and of course she does. Both characters have trauma and grief they are experiencing and they support each other in a really beautiful way.

If you love regency romance and want something that tilts towards modern sensibility without leaning too far, give this book a try. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this one and look forward to reading more from this author.

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti is a truly entertaining tale of a Misfit Duke and Daring Debutante. Louisiana born Duke Peter has some major family issues and needs a wife, but can Selina, who has her own huge secret to deal with, help him find the perfect match? There are lots of surprises and entertaining adventures as we see where the wind blows these two. Such a fun read, I highly recommend checking out Ne’er Duke Well!

#Ne'erDukeWell #AlexandraVasti #NetGalley #regencyromance

I was needing a historical romance and loved Vasti's novellas. I adored the romance and the connection between the two main characters. I thought that their proximity and his attraction to her created just right amount of tension. However, everything that I wanted to happen did before 65% and we are left with a custody battle and a martyr situation from the heroine. The writing was great. The love story is good. But I would have been content for the story to wrap up a little sooner.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! I've been a huge fan of the Halifax Hellions, and was so excited to read this full length novel set in the same world!

I love a steamy regency romp! Enter Peter Kent, the newest Duke of Stanhope. A fish it off water, Peter was never meant to become the Duke. He grew up, raised by his mother, in New Orleans. After his father's passing, he inherited the dukedom, and finds out about his two half siblings! On a mission to gain guardianship of them, despite his terrible reputation (thanks in part to his radical politics) he enlists the help of Lady Selina Ravenscroft - a most proper lady of unimpeachable characters...

Or so everyone thinks! But Selina has a secret! She runs an erotic circulating library -The Venus Catalog - exclusively for women - but no one knows she's in charge.

On a mission to find the perfect bride for Peter, Selina tries her matchmaking skills with 3 of the most upstanding ladies she can think of, but can they each get past their mutual Attraction to each other?

Scandal after scandal, I really enjoyed this novel. At times it did feel a little long, but the last third of the book really picked up. I couldn't put it down! Definitely check this one out if you like a lot of steam (there's more steamy moments than I was expecting!), loveable characters who get into sticky situations, a great cast of secondary characters, and a couple twists and turns along the way!

4.5 stars rounded up!

An enjoyable, charming piece of historical romance. I will admit that regency romances and the like are my go-to "guilty" pleasure - a fun way to escape when I'm feeling overwhelmed with life. Never Duke Well checked all the boxes I look for in these escapes - heart, humour, and chemistry. It had it all!