In the past, I haven’t been a fan of historical romances. This started changing more recently and this book was part of the reason why I enjoy them now! It has Bridgerton/Pretty Woman vibes, has strong MC’s, and is an altogether delightful read. Try it for yourself if you enjoy fake dating, slow burn novels starring royalty that are set back in time.

Always Be My Duchess is the perfect book for fans of Bridgerton - it combines that fun Regency era we all know and love plus a dash of Pretty Woman. I liked the characters and the story, the spice level was good and the chemistry was great. The women that are part of her circle of friends are so great and i want a story for each and every one of them.

i requested this while i was still coming down from my bridgerton high. cute romance but the characters fell a bit flat from what i was expecting. it's extremely well written, but i found myself struggling to connect to the characters and see a true connection/good chemistry in their relationship.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Lysander Blackstone, Duke of Montcroix, has only one objective and that's to increase his fortune. He wants to purchase a piece of property, but the owner refuses to sell to Lysander because of a promise to his beloved wife. A chance meeting with Genevieve Valery, a struggling ballerina, offers the solution to his problem. He will hire her to pretend to be his fiancé and convince everyone that he has had a change of heart.

I really have come to expect a lot from Amalie Howard especially since the last few of her books have all been excellent, but this missed the mark and left me wanting. No one can deny that she is a good writer, and it's possible this story will appeal to many readers, but to me it lacked real passion or any sense of deep intimacy between two leads. I felt the whole time that I didn't really possess any knowledge about either of the characters. Therefore, I cared even less about their relationship than if I was invested in each of them separately. I have always thought Amalie has done a great job at making her characters relatable and unique. Not these characters. They felt like imitations of so many other heroes and heroines that I have seen before. All of the things that make Amalie's novels different and exciting were sorely missing from this one. I know that she will come back in her next book and make me forget all about the one book of hers that I didn't love.

DNF @ 69%

I think there is definitely an audience for this book, because it is very readable, not poorly written--there are no real reasons I can give as to why I didn't connect with it, but I just didn't.

I started this book months ago, and I have been picking it up and putting it down ever since. I am personally not a fan of insta-lust, which this book has in abundance, and I just found there was nothing to draw me to the characters. There were a number of historical anachronisms, but historical romances are not always known for any true accuracy.

I am not one to accept defeat, but I think I have to in this case. It's just not for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Looking for some lighthearted escapism? Maybe you are wanting a book to easily sink into and you liked Bridgerton? If yes, definitely give this title a look.

Readers need to suspend their disbelief as they get to know a duke with a desire for money and a reputation for not being a people person, to put it mildly. Fate puts a young woman in his path. She, Genevieve, is down on her luck when he makes her an offer. What will happen from here? It is a romance so readers can be pretty sure of the answer. The fun is in watching the story unfold.

Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this title. All opinions are my own.

I’m putting this one down for now. I was having a hard time connecting with the characters, and I’m not sure if it was the mood I was in or what, but I’m open to giving it another try down the road. I’m a fan of this author’s so I’m sure it was just me!

I took a little detour back into historical romance to read this ARC from @netgalley and @grandcentralpub — and I am glad I did. @amaliehoward wrote such a fun, steamy romp about a former ballerina brought low by a patron and a Duke so cold they call him “Stone.” But only when you’re his friend can you call him Stone, so that should tell you how glacial he is.

But underneath that gargoyle-like behavior, Stone (Lysander) is brimming with passion (that he’s learned to stifle) and emotion (that he’s learned to hide). Stone is neurodivergent, a concrete thinker with little innate ability to process his own emotions, let alone other people’s easily, and any of his attempts to try were met with violence at the hand of his deceased father. He’s got a head for math and a ruthless desire to make money off the railroad business.

By happenstance he meets Neve while wandering around drunkenly in Convent Garden, and she saves him from being robbed and maybe killed. They strike up a fake-engagement deal with rules because Stone likes rules — but the rules are no match for the powerful and curious attraction running between them. Um, desperate longing is hot. Horny and desperate longing is extra hot, and that’s what we have here from both sides. Miscommunication is a given, as Stone struggles to consider things that aren’t concrete and good business.

Neve’s background as a former ballerina was new and refreshing, as was her new girl group of friends. Stone’s aunt is a trip, and I’ll never get tired of a seemingly batty old lady dishing out truths.

I particularly enjoyed how Stone learned to process his never before felt feelings of lust, friendship, and love — and how Neve learned that though she is smart, capable, and self sufficient to the extent she can be during the time period, that she can trust people again.

This was a quick, fun read — I’ve read Amalie Howard before and enjoyed her works, so I was definitely pleased to get an early copy.

4.25/5

I haven't gotten this swept away by a historical romance in a while. Amalie weaved a beautiful tale that explored prejudice and heartbreak but also new beginnings and redemption all with chemistry to die for. I have always been a sucker for a "he falls first" but with the added layer of "there's no way I'm in love, I'm the stoic duke". Neve was a wonderfully complex and layered character and Lysander was a frustrating lovable man and it was so fun to watch as they both realized that what they always thought they wanted was not in fact what they were meant to have. Also: he bought out a ballet theatre for her and I almost swooned on the spot. Amalie is definitely on my autobuy list for historical romance now, and I cannot wait to see who else in the Queens Club gets their happy ending.

content warnings: explicit sexual content, implied and threatened sexual assault, slut shaming, difficult pregnancy and implied fertility issues (in the epilogue).

I have a thing for books like Bridgerton, so I knew I had to read the first in the Taming the Dukes series that Amalie Howard wrote.

Lord Blackstone needs a faux-fiance to secure a land deal, and he stumbles upon the perfect partner in out-of-work ballerina, Geneviève. We all know what happens in faux-dating romances, and yet, it’s still satisfying when the couple falls in love EVERY TIME.

I’m looking forward to the next one in this series!

Thank you so much Netgalley and forever publishing for the arc of this book.

So yeah. I sadly did not continue this book. I tried my very best but Historical romances are a hit or a miss with me. Depending on my mood I am either really into it or I just don't. Please do not take my review as a reason to not read this book. I've heard wonderful things about it.

I really enjoyed Lysander and Genevieve's story! It was so much fun watching their pretend romance to to one in truth!

Always be my Duchess by Amalie Howard

Q.O.T.D: What is your last, current and next read

A.O.T.D: Last : Heart Bones.
Current: Maybe Not
Next: Author Seeking Mountain Man (novella to wrap up the month).

Description:

Lord Lysander Blackstone, the stern Duke of Montcroix, has only one interest: increasing his considerable fortune. After a series of betrayals, he keeps his emotions buried deep. Money, after all, can't break a man's heart—or make promises it can’t keep. But when his reputation for being heartless jeopardizes a new business deal, he finds himself seeking a most unusual—and alluring—solution . . . 

Once an up-and-coming ballerina, Miss Geneviève Valery is now hopelessly out of work. After refusing to become a wealthy patron's mistress, Nève was promptly shown the door to the streets. When she accidentally saves the life of a handsome duke, she doubts the encounter will go any better than her last brush with nobility. But instead of propositioning her, Montcroix makes Nève an offer she would be a fool to refuse: act as his fake fiancée in exchange for fortune enough to start over.

Only neither is prepared when very real feelings begin to grow between them. They both stand to win . . . but only if they’re willing to risk their hearts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for a review

This was such a fun read with fun characters. I loved the book and couldn't stop reading! This is fake dating at its best! Definitely a book worth picking up.

Always Be My Duchess was a play on the Pretty Woman movie with Julia Roberts. Though there were some similar elements such as Stone's hatred for his deceased father and his need to tear down everything his Dukedom built, other features such as Neve's background as a French ballerina and aristocrat were new.

Stone initially hires Neve for one night to act as a potential love interest after he finds the ballerina in Covent Garden. His attraction to her leads him to hire her for a more extended period of time as a fake fiance for a business deal and to detract debutants. This is where the book very clearly takes a turn from the movie's original plot. It becomes clear to Stone's friends and sometimes his inner monologue that he keeps Neve around because he is attracted to her and wants to keep her around permanently. Neve is also drawn to Stone and fights her attraction till around the 55% mark when the steam picks up.

Howard includes a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that Stone has a mental and behavioral disorder but it's unclear as to what this could actually be. I also feel like it detracted from the story because I spent half the book trying to figure out what was wrong with him. I also feel for Howard as she has had a lot of criticism directed at her for prior books that she now feels the need to put a disclaimer at the beginning of her books. In this instance, it was unnecessary. Plenty of authors allude to sex workers in their historical romance novels and it's clearly stated throughout that Neve is not a sex worker but a ballerina.

Overall, this book was masterfully done. It had just enough of the Pretty Woman architecture and then filled in with new characters from Howard's imagination. Personally, I had a hard time getting through it, as I have reached middle age, I have found Pretty Woman to be deeply problematic, and am not a huge fan of that movie. It was hard for me to drop that association once made and I couldn't immerse myself in Howard's masterful world-building.

Let me start by saying that HE PLAYED HER LIKE A CELLO. Naked. As foreplay.

I loved this book. I would have given it 5 stars but I think there were some pacing issues at the beginning. It is also possible that it was a me problem and not with the book. I plan on re-reading it when the next book comes out, so maybe I will change my rating then. Either way, I loved this characters, the MCs and the side characters. I loved that Blackstone's friends, family, and even his staff accepted Neve into their group and were rooting for them to be together. The relationship progression was perfect, especially considering how closed off Blackstone was due to his history with his family. He was also neurodivergent, so seeing him come to accept himself and his differences was so sweet. I also loved Neve; she knew what she wanted and spoke her mind. As different as these two were they made sense together, and I was rooting for them every step of the way. The chemistry and the pinning were just *chef's kiss*

I can't wait for the rest of the series, and I will be digging into this author's backlist because if her other books are anything like this one then I will love them too.

CWs: Loss of parents off page, parental abuse, fertility issues (ends with pregnancy), sexual harassment.

I am a BIG fan of both the #Bridgerton book & TV series, so this caught my eye right away! Add in the #PrettyWoman comparison & I was sold!!

It was so cute 🥰 and exactly what I wanted 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 also, just look at the cover 😍😍😍

I loved Neve’s independence & tough attitude throughout, she stuck to her gut, & her loyalty to her friends & sister were great to see. I loved their little group! And I loved how each of them was unique in their own way 💕 I enjoyed the tension, banter, & fun filled dynamic between the characters 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 And I may be hoping for some more from the girl group 😉❤️

I haven’t read a whole lot of historical romance, but I’m slowly building it up 📚 with this being a fabulous addition.

Overall verdict: A fun filled, swoony story, loaded with laughable moments, & loveable characters 💕

Thank you to @netgalley & @readforeverpub for the advanced copy 🥰 this lovely book is OUT NOW!!!

Pretty Woman inspired combined with historical fiction? YES PLEASE! I loved this. It was fun, sweet, and well executed. Absolutely heartwarming and delightful.

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard

When I saw this book's description as "Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons" I was sold. I am a lover of both regency and modern romances, so I had high hopes for the mix of two of my favorite genres and all the fun accompanying tropes. I was interested in the setup and the premise from the beginning but the middle had me putting it down before eventually coming back to finish it a few weeks later.

I really enjoyed regency take on the Pretty Woman/Pygmalion/My Fair Lady storyline, although it felt more like the typical fake dating trope than a true retelling of any of those, considering Neve's upbringing and familiarity with the titled classes. However, the chemistry between Neve and the Duke, and it was fun to see some of my favorite tropes played out (fake relationship, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, etc). Also, while I enjoyed seeing a neurodivergent hero in a passionate relationship, and the steamy scenes were written decently well, I had higher hopes for the overall plot, which was fun but predictable, and felt that the ending and the final conflict between Lysander and Neve felt a bit weak for two characters who really had such strong feelings for each other.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

It was such a delight to read this book. My attention was gripped by it from the very first chapter. The story is great: each one of the main characters has their own depth, their own reasons to make the deal, and, most important of all, they are likable. I wish some topics had a deeper discussion, for example Lyssander being neurodivergent, but it's understandable given the fact that the story occurs centuries ago. Overall, it is a great book. I definitely recommend it.