Wow - I was not expecting anything near what this book ended up being. It was absolutely incredible, a joyride, so many highs and lows in emotions, and a lot of diversity and some really great adversity rolled into it in a fantastic way. It was completely brilliant - so much more than I thought I was getting and I 1000% recommend this to everybody, even if you don't normally read historical romance!

Amalie Howard was able to bring in some really great neurodiversity in our hero without being too over the top, and have our leading lady able to overcome any beliefs of the time period and figure out how to first become a friend to him, and second to be in a "relationship" with him (being a fake engagement trope, hence the quotes). They overcame a lot of ridicule and gossip and helped each other through a number of obstacles that the regency era presented, and it was so well done.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Stone (Lord Blackstone, Duke) and Neve (Genevieve), and how they grew from being someone she saved on the street from ruffians to forming a bond to save each other in life. Super well written, beautiful chemistry, perfect steam level, and I look forward to reading Amalie Howard's back catalogue.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback!

Pretty Woman inspired historical romance?! Yes, please!

I'm having trouble with this one--because it was just so darn good, I don't want to just sit here and gush.

I'll start by saying that I typically read up to ten books at a time. I schedule my reading so that I finish them all by the time I'm supposed to review them. So I sat down to start this one--and read the two chapters that were on plan for the day--and then I couldn't stop. 

The draw of Lysander and Neve was just too much! They just sparked off the page. Both of them in their own ways, drew me in. And they were the perfect pair, to the point of I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why it took so long for them to get their acts together?!

Lysander, especially, tries so hard to keep things professional with Neve--to keep her at a distance. But can he? Ummm, no. And that just made the story all the more wonderful. 

Neve helps Lysander by pretending to be his fiancee... Lysander help Neve by paying her for it. It's a mutually beneficial transaction... In SO. MANY. WAYS. 

Also the friendships between Neve and the other ladies that she meets through Lysander were BRILLIANTLY done. And now I want to read any stories those ladies get!

Always Be My Duchess is a delightful story about Lord Lysander Blackstone, the Duke of Montcroix, and Genevieve Valery, a ballerina looking for work. If Bridgerton and Pretty Woman combined to make a novel-child, this book would be it!

The tropes in this book give me life. Fake engagement, grumpy/sunshine, and opposites attract mixed with a Victorian setting, great banter, and steam merge to create a book that I could not put down!

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance, especially those who like the above tropes!

So happy that Always Be My Duchess is the first book in a series, because I look forward to more from this author!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an e-ARC of Always Be My Duchess.

The pretty women inspiration in this book had me HOOKED. WOW. I absolutely loved their banter, the spice, and the pining under fake engagement circumstances!!! This book was such a fun read and has sent me on a historical romance binge. I loved how fast this book was in the beginning. It set the stage for the rest of the story up so nicely. I cannot wait to read the next books in this romance series! I wonder who's love story will be next!

Light, seductive, and fun!

Always Be My Duchess is set in London during 1865 and features the spirited ballerina Geneviève Valery who may have unexpectedly found the short-term answer to her money woes, as well as the hardworking, handsome Duke of Montcroix, Lord Lysander Blackstone, who may have conveniently found the perfect woman to help him secure an important business deal without having to give up his heart.

The prose is witty and sharp. The characters are passionate, resourceful, and loyal. And the plot is a tantalizing mix of family, friendship, heartbreak, societal expectations, secrets, tricky situations, awkward moments, attraction, and unconditional love.

Overall, Always Be My Duchess is an adventurous, enticing, delightfully steamy read by Howard that is an absolutely wonderful start to a new series, Taming of the Dukes, which now has a permanent place on my must-read list.

“𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲.”
“𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝.
𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬. “𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧.”
“𝐈’𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝.”
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬. “𝐈 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐭.”
“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡.”

________________________

This book was absolutely everything I hoped it would be and MORE!! A historical, Victorian era, rom-com that reads like the Bridgerton style love child of My Fair Lady and Pretty Woman, this story is entirely binge worthy and I couldn’t put it down. With just enough spice and banter and a double helping of heart, trust me when I say you need to read this book!!

Neve Valery is a ballerina who was ousted from the opera in Paris after a vicious rumor was started by a lord whose advances she had rejected. Still struggling to find a place to dance in London in order to make enough money to support herself and her injured sister, Neve finds herself caught up with a Duke late one night in a square while quite comically evading robbers. Lord Lysander Blackstone, the Duke of Montcroix who lives, eats, sleeps, and breathes business is on the brink of securing the most lucrative deal that will solidify the strength of his family name and possibly prove his late father’s expectations of him wrong. But when a chance encounter causes his path to collide with Neve’s he finds himself literally wrapped up in her and unable to let her go. In a last ditch effort to not lose her, Lysander offers Neve the opportunity to masquerade as his love interest for one night in an effort to prove to his potential business partner that he is in fact capable of love and marriage so that he will divest the property Lysander needs to purchase. Neve accepts for just one ball and an exorbitant amount of money, however when the plan suddenly goes awry they find themselves playing the part of engaged lovers for the remainder of the season. What ensues is a witty, entertaining, sweet, beautiful, and nuanced love story that will captivate you from the very first to the very last page!!

Neve is strong and my GOSH the amount of confident and powerful feminism she brought to the page was refreshing. Given the full historical and societal background, it was fitting for the story itself but also resonates strongly for women in the current day and age. Watching her defend and learn to be confident in her worth, and seeing how she approached even the hardest times with grace and candor was inspiring and I loved ever second of her fiery personality.

Lysander being neurodivergent was a pleasant surprise. I loved that his representation was not used as a plot device to make him weak but was instead used as an asset to make him stronger. The forces in his life, combined with an abusive and hateful father and being very misunderstood overall, led him to build extremely unhealthy coping mechanisms, but seeing him embrace who he was and reconnect with the things that truly helped him find security and ultimately calm was so well done. I absolutely loved how Neve became such a source of strength for him as well, especially in light of him being such a hardened character.

The side characters were nearly as iconic as the main characters and seeing as how this is listed as book 1 of the Taming of the Dukes, I desperately hope we get to see more of them in future books!!

Overall I could not get enough of this story and never wanted to put it down. The romance was slow burn but burning hot, the spice was definitely a three alarmer but was also passionate and stayed true to the characters, the setting and the history wrapped itself around the fictional characters so wonderfully that they felt real, and in the end it all came together in the perfect balance of period piece and modern romantic comedy. I 10 out of 10 HIGHLY recommend this book!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Forever Publishing, and the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Always Be My Duchess is a cute historical romance that retells Pretty Woman. Lysander hires Neve to pose as his fiancee in order to make a big business deal. Their proximity and both of their personalities add heat and tension and fun banter through the entire book. I enjoyed so much how fierce she is and how much he likes it. I adored the cast of side characters and am grabby hands for all of the hints of other couples that we see in this story. If you like Pretty Woman, you are going to think this is so fun. If you like Bridgerton, you are going to love it. If you just like a cute story that reads easily and holds your heart waiting for this HEA, you need this book.

I adored this fiercely feminist fake-engagement historical romance. Neve and her Duke, Lysander, were so lovely together. My favorite characters have to be Neve’s new friends - hopefully there is more to come on them in future books!
Thank you to Forever - Grand Central Publishing for the advanced reading copy. Review contains my own thoughts and opinions.

2.5 Stars. I’m at a bit of a loss about this book. While reading it I mostly enjoyed it, but after finishing it and thinking about it a bit more I like it less and less. This book is advertised as a Pretty Woman retelling and the cover makes that connection very clear, but other than Lysander paying Nève to be his companion for a few weeks there is nothing in common with the movie. It also feels disingenuous to call this a Pygmalion retelling (the source material for Pretty Woman) because it’s not really that either. Yes, Nève was a ballerina but she was also the daughter of a viscount and she did not have to learn the ways of high society, so she was never a fish out of water. This book was just a standard run-of-the-mill fake dating / relationship of convenience story, with a cute cover.

I did like Néve. She was confident and a protagonist I could really root for, however I think it was a missed opportunity to not have her be a sex worker. The most notable fact of Pretty Woman is that Vivian is a prostitute. It’s common knowledge that most ballerinas at the time would have been mistresses, so to have it be revealed the Néve was a virgin just felt wrong for the story that was being told. This could have been a very good opportunity for representation of sex workers, but the author wouldn’t go there, and the result was the book felt slut-shamey at times.

Speaking of representation, both the content guidance and the authors note discussed the hero’s neurodivergency. As far as I could tell, the only time his disability was on the page was when he was acting like a jerk. It felt like only negative and stereotypical aspects of his disability were on display, and I wouldn’t call negative representation actual representation. It also appeared that the negative aspects of his disability magically disappeared when he fell in love with Néve, which just feels icky and ableist. To top off the disability rep off, the heroine was magically able to change two things and her infertility disappeared in the epilogue so she could be pregnant, which is just annoying.

I also do not believe in these two as a couple. They never speak to one another. I think Néve was closer to Lysander's aunt than she was with him. They were in lust with each other and called it love. I also don't get why there was angst / drama about them being together. Yes she was a ballerina, but again, she was literally the daughter of a viscount which makes her a peer. So why the drama about them being together? It was just angst that didn't make sense.

The writing style was easy to read but this was a book where the modern language became distracting. For example, the idiom “the ball’s in your court” were said, which wasn’t a phrase until the mid-20th century. As someone whose preferred book is a historical romance, I’m usually very forgiving about things like this but something about how modern the language was gave it a weird tone. My overall conclusion is that this book was a historical romance for people who don't read historical romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC and gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did I think I needed a Victorian reimagining of Pretty Woman? No, no I did not. Was I wrong? Soooooo wrong.

Neve is a ballerina who can't find work after spurning the icky advances of a patron of her previous ballet theater in Paris. In London to try to find work away from his skeeviness's influence, she rescues a drunk Lysander (aka Stone aka Duke of Montcroix) from some wannabe thugs. Their attraction is immediate, and Lysander proposes that she pose as a potential fiancee for the night to convince a landowner that he is suitable enough to be sold the property. Naturally, one night turns into the entire season as his fake fiancee, as Lysander is uninterested in dealing with the scheming mothers of the ton and their daughters. Neve warily agrees, knowing how nobility can treat women in her station (despite her being the daughter of nobility, she is now looked down upon as a dancer).

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book. It dragged a little after the initial encounter, but once it picked up again I was very invested. Neve and Lysander gave the best banter, and worked through their demons to find their way to each other in a way that was just so swoony. And the sexy scenes when we got there were very nice.

I also really loved the depiction of Lysander as a neurodivergent hero. As someone who is also neurodivergent, I think the author did a great job of depicting the way his mind works and how he overcame some struggles (and a truly detestable father) to be very successful, but also suppressed his emotions in a way that made him seem cold to others. He definitely doesn't always say the right thing, and doesn't know why he's said the wrong thing, but seeing him work to get in touch with his feelings and learn to understand Neve was wonderful to watch.

I similarly loved Neve, who is a sufficient, enterprising woman who chooses her convictions over what was expected of women of the time/occupation. I liked that the author went with a profession in this reimagining that was often viewed as scornfully as prostitution was, and had the women treated not much better than a courtesan. I would have been fine if she was a courtesan, but I also liked the dichotomy of her pragmatism, bluntness, and naivete when it came to certain things. Her lines were great, and the way she interacted with and befriended everyone she encountered was delightful. I also loved how she was able to see past Lysander's stony exterior and see there was more to him than meets the eye.

My only quibble with the book is Neve's reaction to Lysander in their conflict before their big separation. She was understandably upset with his actions, but she also didn't give him a chance to explain much of anything, and he was clearly declaring very big things. I thought she should have given him more of a chance to explain things before leaving.

However, that's a minor thing, and I guess it set up a great reconciliation scene. I would absolutely recommend this book, and can't wait for the rest of the series!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. This review is honest and reflects my opinions.

CW: past parental abuse, sexual harrassment, misogyny, off-page violence against women

Always Be My Duchess was fun, a bit spicy, and had the two main characters, Lord Blackstone and Genevieve had chemistry for days. Both of the main characters were written so well. The stern, cold Duke that needs to complete a business deal, and Neve, the warm ballerina who cares about her family and friends. This had two of my favorite tropes..opposites attract and fake dating. I was enthralled from the beginning and found myself reading late into the night just so I could see what was going to happen. Even the side characters were great, especially the women that Neve befriends while "dating" the Duke. I loved that the women in this story had personalities all their own, and the banter between the women, and Neve and Blackstone was fantastic. There were definitely some villains in this story and I do wish we had learned more about their fates. This was a great read and I can't wait to read the next one in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC of this book to review! All opinions are my own.

Lord Lysander happens upon the beautiful ballerina Nève in dire straits. Blacklisted from the ballet after an interaction with an odious patron, Nève is desperate. Lysander requires someone to be his fake fiancée in order to seal a land deal. While Nève is initially skeptical, her desire to send money to her injured sister prevails. As Nève and Lysander get to know each other, what happens when their feelings become real?

Always Be My Duchess is a charming and witty romance. Nève is a fantastic heroine; she has an extremely strong backbone and is unwilling to allow rank to dictate her actions. I also loved the inclusion of the Hell’s Kitties, a group of women that befriend Nève who I’m sure we will see in future books. Nève and Lysander are a delightful couple, bringing out each other’s true personalities that hide behind society masks. This was a fast-paced, fun romance and I’m looking forward to seeing what Amalie Howard writes next.

Always Be My Duchess would be a great book for those who love the Bridgertons, the twisted world of ballet, and fierce heroines. Thank you to Amalie Howard, Forever, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not sure if it's just my mood right now, but I had the hardest time getting into this book. Going of of the description and cover I was expecting a romantic comedy. It was very lite on the comedy and romance was a little bland. It did get better in the second half and I'm glad I finished it. The second half bumped it up from a 2 star read to a 3 star read.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Books, and Ms. Howard, for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This book is definitely inspired by Pretty Woman. Yes, one could argue "My Fair Lady" or Pygmalion, but there were so many things about this book that were beat-for-beat reminiscent of the movie. I kept picturing Pretty Woman and scenes from the movie, reinterpreted into historical romance. For me, it worked. I LOVE Pretty Woman and it was fun to see things reinterpreted through a historical lens into fresh characters. Howard has a clear, amusing writing voice and the side characters are very entertaining. It's clear that several of them will feature in future books and I'll be at the front of the line to read them :)

Several recognizable scenes from PW made it into the book (I won't say which) but of course, my two favorite did not; I think it was for the best as including them would have made it an exact copy instead of a fun remake.

This book was a lot of fun, with charming characters and a plot I couldn't help but love. I can't wait for Ms. Howard's next.

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard was just the book I needed to read right now. It was a breath of fresh air and I loved every minute of it. Neve is a wonderful female character that has had a rough start but she is touch and strong. She had feminist qualities that I enjoyed to read in a period book. Lysander was also tough and a hard shell but the way the writer wrote what he was thinking, it was a simple way to show his emotions. I've just recently have gotten into books in a more period piece style and this one is the first one I finished. I could not put it down and had to force myself to take a break and get some sleep. It was funny but had a tad bit of angst. I also loved the side characters so much. Her group of friends were lovely and I cannot wait until their books come out, especially Lushing and Briar. Each character had great chemistry with each other and the book flowed so well. I will be purchasing the audible version of this, as well as the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the ARC.

Historical romance inspired by the 90s romcom Pretty Woman? Say less because I’m sold. I really enjoyed this one! I often feel Victorian Era romances can be very one and the same but this one was refreshing with its fake dating trope, a neurodivergent male love interest, and an extremely strong-willed, former aristocrat turned ballerina leading lady. The banter between the characters was excellent, plenty of pining, a couple steamy scenes, and a well-done spin on the one bed trope: one piano. I also loved the female friendships Nève made with the Hell-Kitties Club. The epilogue sets up the next book wonderfully with what seems will be a second-chance romance with a character introduced in this book, the meddling, matchmaking, Lady Vesper (who is hilarious). I see Howard has an extensive backlist of historical romance books and while it’s not a genre I’m really drawn to, I’ll at least definitely be continuing with this series. Highly recommend to fans of Julia Quinn and Evie Dunmore.

Favorite Quotes:
“Perhaps there was some correlation between opposites and attraction. Or perhaps she was inventing a hero where one did not exist.”

“Woman’s intelligence. The dread of the patriarchy and the scourge of the aristocracy. Provocative at best, deadly at worst.”

“Choices come at a price. It just depends on what one is willing to barter or give up. One’s body . . . or one’s soul. One could argue that the latter is a far greater cost.”

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you're a fan of Evie Dunmore or Manda Collins, here is another writer who understands the assignment of what you're looking for.

This is a fun and readable escapist treat. You will enjoy one ducal hero who is just neurodivergent enough that it's believable he's still single. He will meet and fall in love at first sight with a part-French, part- English former aristocrat dancer. Both will initially mistake this for mere lust because that's way less scary. The duke comes up with the plan to pay the dancer to be his fiancee for the season to keep all the annoying people away from him and help him close a land deal. She agrees because money is survival and sex is clearly off the table (at least initially and never without consent). Over the course of the novel, the two give in to both lust and love, learn they're better together, heal some old wounds, overcome obstacles, and are on the course for a pretty charmed life together. There is also a group of suffragette-type aristocratic women who befriend the dancer, are already friends with the duke, and are no doubt about to have adventures of their own in future books. I look forward to reading them and catching up with the duke and his dancer.

Move over Julia Roberts. Maybe I don't remember "Pretty Woman" that well, but I have a hard time with reviews that compare this book to that film. This book is WAY sexier and more romantic with WAY better dialogue, plot and characters. Plus, a piano scene I was swooning over, but I digress...

When Genevieve "Neve" Valery, an out of work French ballerina, saves the life of Lysander Duke of Montcroix after he wanders into the wrong the side of town at night (meet-cute achieved) he makes her a deal. If she will pretend to be his fiancée until he can secure a land deal for his railroad scheme, he'll pay her enough money to set her and her injured sister up for life!

Challenge accepted.

What obstacles do they face on the way to their HEA? Class difference, past hurts, their deal itself and the ton finding out about their fake engagement (just to name a few). Stick around for the BEST flirty piano scene and the grandest of all grand gestures from a truly swoony hero.

I loved this book and devoured it swiftly. It's open-door steamy with at least three hot scenes. A fun addition to your beach tote this summer!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Always Be My Duchess is a fun, romantic read with passion, depth, and heart. I always enjoy Amalie Howard’s books. Lysander and Genevieve are lovely characters; I was instantly drawn to the couple. Lysander is an extremely wealthy Duke and a highly successful businessman. Lysander is brilliant and has a mental-behavioral disorder. Lysander has difficulty discerning and expressing emotions, among other challenges. People underestimate Lysander and perceive him as cold and stern. Lysander is a fantastic character. Lysander’s favorite novel is Wuthering Heights, something we have in common!

Genevieve is a ballerina down on her luck. Genevieve has integrity, intelligence, and a big heart. Genevieve is feisty and has a temper. She is Lysander’s exact opposite. Genevieve’s passionate nature confuses Lysander and frustrates her. I love Genevieve’s fire; she is Lysander’s opposite but takes effort to try to understand him.

Lysander and Genevieve set the page on fire. The couple’s chemistry is off-the-charts. Lysander and Genevieve’s romantic journey is rocky at best, but I loved going on this exciting path with them. The plot flowed well and was a page-turner. I read this book quickly, not wanting to put it down. The story has elements of the movie “Pretty Woman,” which gives the novel sparkle. Always Be My Duchess is the first book in the Taming Of The Dukes series. I am excited about this series; many secondary characters are introduced, and I can’t wait to read their stories. I eagerly look forward to the next installment! Amalie Howard creates passionate, romantic magic!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book exceeded my expectations! I liked the two main characters and the competitive, challenging dynamic between them, and I especially liked the humorous interactions sprinkled throughout the pages. The supporting characters were also very good (Hellfire Kittens, I’m looking at you), but I wish we had gotten more interaction and explanation of the railway plot and Treadway’s actions in this book. I also wish that we had been given a scene where Lysander and Nève actually talked about his childhood with his father, because all we got was Nève being told minimal information from others and Lysander trying to repress it. Other than that, I really liked how this book progressed, and will certainly be looking for the next Amalie Howard book!