This is a very entertaining read. The author has made.the characters come alive. Peter is a Duke and a bit wild. However he knows he is going to have to change and become respectable in order to get custody of his half siblings. So he ask for assistance from Selena who is very respectable in the ton but she has a secret and scandal is just right around the corner. Selena suggest he marry and suggest three of her friends to chose from, but Peter only feelings for the one Lady she did not list. But when they are.caught in a comprising situation they marry and will need to trust each other to fight a unknown foe to insure Peter is awarded custody of his half siblings.

Fun read you.

This book was just plain fun to read. The two main characters were multidimensional and beautifully written. Their chemistry was perfect. And the quirky characters in both their families added a lot to the story. I loved how strong the FMC was and how much the MMC respected her. I think my favorite thing about this book (And this could be a minor spoiler, so you've been warned.) was that the author managed to tell a story with secrets at its heart without using the miscommunication trope! That made me so happy. The connection between the two main characters was strong enough that they didn't keep secrets from each other and worked together to solve their problems. Relationship Goals!
Overall this was a well written and memorable romance.

First off - I really enjoy Alexandra Vasti's writing. Her Halifax novellas were cute and cheeky, just like this full-length novel!

Pros - I hate an 'I need to sacrifice my happiness for my love' trope, and for a while, this book was heading in that direction before it was promptly nipped in the bud. Thank goodness! Instead, the main characters could tackle their challenges as partners - a refreshing change of pace for a Historical. I didn't mind the child characters and actually wished there was more of a focus on the newfound family aspect of the story.

Cons - There were a lot of mentions of other people and characters who we weren't introduced to in this book, but that had something to do with the main character's backstories. At times this was a bit confusing and had me looking at Goodreads to confirm there weren't previous books in the series.

3.5 stars

A new Duke looking for a wife, his wacky matchmaker might find the right person was her all along.

We have a familiar setting and story but this story is not traditional. It’s a little quirky. If you like that, you’ll like this. The chemistry is there as well as the love to root for.

I think the story was well written and a good addition to any bookshelf.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

What a breath of fresh air! Historical romance readers often find comfort in tried-and-true tropes and a somewhat formulaic format. While Ne'er Duke Well uses a familiar setting, it skips the expected format. This feels new while still being an excellent addition to a beloved genre.

Our couple formally gets together somewhat quickly. They support each other and communicate well (though there's just a smidge of miscommunication, it is handled beautifully). There is no third-act break up. The stakes in the conflict are high and there is a villain to deal with. The tension is broken during sweet (and funny) scenes between the main characters and the male main character's younger siblings.

There is so much material here for a series that I can't help but assume one is in the works. I could even be a multi-generational series.

This was a promising debut from an author I've been excited about ever since reading her novellas. The concept of a secret erotic circulating library for women is great, the cast is filled with likable and diverse characters, it brought the emotion, and the sex and banter were really hot where they needed to be! I did think the plot could use some work; specifically, the main obstacles to the romance could've easily been overcome with just a little more common sense and insight on the part of the heroine, or were things it was made so clear to the reader weren't really obstacles, that when the hero reacted exactly the way you'd expect him to react and/or he or the heroine's friends and family pointed out the obvious, it was a flaw that detracted from all the other ways the book was very strong. Despite that, it frequently called to mind other authors I love, such as Evie Dunmore, Julia Quinn, Mary Balogh, and Loretta Chase, and if it felt a bit like a pastiche or first sketch of one of those authors at their best, that's already still so much better than the vast majority of historical romance out there that I can't wait to see future Alexandra Vasti titles.

This book was AMAZING! Peter and Selena are such vivid, realized characters, and I think they compliment each other so well. Conflict is handled nicely (no third act breakup!), and there is a lovely found family element.

Charming and well-done romance novel. The conflict was a little slight, but I liked the resolution. Writing was clear and engrossing, and the characters were well done. I was intrigued by the side characters and would like to read more stories in this world!

Lovely rompy story with likable characters, some mystery and a good dose of sizzle! Peter and Selina make a good pair and the siblings are simply hilarious

Wow! I absolutely LOVED Ne’er Duke Well! What an engaging book, with a unique storyline, lovable FMC and MMC, adorable supporting characters, delicious spicy moments, no third act breakup, great chemistry and so much more! I could not put this book down, almost rushing to the next page to see what would happen next. Selina is so relatable. Always worried about everyone else, trying to solve their problems, seeing herself all alone in her personal adventures so as not to burden others. All the while, because of her fierce desire to help others and show them their worth, she had been building (outside her knowledge) a group of supporters that would be there for her at the drop of a hat. Peter on the other hand, had been through so much and was convinced he had the opposite of the midas touch, he was so afraid to be just another thing for Selina to fix. It was clear that they had a connection and a desire to be together but they were stubborn and unwilling to act on those actions because they were afraid of how it would affect the other. THANK GOODNESS for compromising situations, am I right?! I’m so glad that these two found each other, that they complimented each other, that they brought out strength and good and the best in each other. This book was an absolutely GEM and Alexandra Vasti has secured a place in my must-read authors category! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC.
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P.S.- I’m crossing my fingers that Georgiana will have a chance at love in a future book? She is so interesting and would make a great second book in the series ;)

I adore a cinnamon roll hero. Peter was a perfect balance of radical and progressive. I'm never disappointed with an Alexandra Vasti read and was so happy with her first full-length novel.
Selina herself is a woman worth idolizing for her daring act of running an erotic literature circulating library. These two have great chemistry. I appreciated that Peter's younger siblings did detract from the hero/heroine. I'm not the biggest fan of kids in romance novels, so I thought the author handled this well.
I also think that Alexandra Vasti writes some of the best steamy scenes in historical romance.

Read this. You'll love it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a hoot! Peter and Selina are so likable and so well matched. I love how they were a united front against everything that came their way.

There were a few times when I thought things were going one way, and they went another better way instead. The basic premise is that Peter is trying to get custody of his illegitimate brother and sister. Selina decides to help him by finding him a respectable wife. Of course, she realizes she wants him for herself, but she has a secret that will cause a scandal and doesn't want Peter to lose his chance of getting custody.

There are tons of side characters and tons of series potential here! I know I'd love to see Lydia and Georgiana find their people. And we need to know more about Will!

While I'm not typically a huge fan of kids in romance, watching Peter try to bond with them was sweet and sometimes hilarious. And they are actually written as kids instead of the weird Stepford kids you find in books way too often.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was sweet, spicy, and funny, which is a wonderful combination.

I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a lovely debut from Alexandra Vasti— it was sweet and light-hearted, but still got across some very important messages, and I'd recommend it to any historical romance reader. This was a charming romance with some excellent, if not timely messaging regarding censorship and sex education. I appreciated the diverse characters and absolutely fell for them. Thank you for the opportunity to read this beauty of a book.

Fun and steamy historical romcom with a fun cast of characters. Selina and Peter had great chemistry, I just wish we would have gotten more backstory. I felt at some points like I missed a first book in the series that had some of those past scenes. I really loved the premise of the Venus catalog and I hope something like this existed back then for all those naive women. I hope we get more books in the future with Selinas friends!

Although entertaining, this isn’t really a book that I would enthusiastically recommend to friends. I enjoyed the author’s novellas and thought they were fun to read so I was excited for this one to come out. Unfortunately, there was very little chemistry between the MCs and it felt like I was missing part of their story. The way they got together felt very sudden even though the plot involved the FMC trying to find a wife for the MMC. There was no build up to their relationship or even their friendship. The spicy scenes were also meh. It was kinda in-between a closed-door romance and a semi-explicit one so it was fairly anti-climactic. I wish the author spent more time developing their relationship so I could’ve given this 4 stars.

ARC was provided by Net Galley.

Ne'er Duke Well. I liked it. I didn't love it.
It's a historical romance with a little steam, lots of quirks, and typical friends to lovers romance. I read the book in a day. It was quick paced, the characters were likable, it was sweet, sexy and funny.

There's nothing bad I can say about it. It's not a book I'll remember, but it was a book I read in a day because it was so enjoyable at the moment.

Thank you Alexander Vasti, St Martins Press, and Netgalley for the chance to read this arc for an honest opinion.

Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti is a hot Regency romp!
I adored this gorgeous story. Ne'er Duke Well is a delight of a historical romance and reminded me why I love this sub-genre so damn much.
It has a really sparkly, enchanting almost fairy-tale feel to it, that I really enjoyed. The characters are brilliantly written and the chemistry is perfect, overall a fun and utterly romantic book that any historical romance reader will love to get their teeth into.
Alexandra has written a charming historical romance and I can’t wait to see what she creates next!
This is definitely one of my favorite historical romances I've read recently, and I cannot wait for everyone to read it when it comes out.

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book felt like three books in one- the first part was a romance between Selina and Peter, the second part was about a scandal and a book publisher, and throughout the whole thing there was a custody battle. I don’t know if it’s because I primarily read romances, but I felt like the romance between Peter and Selina was so short- I wanted more from them and their backstory. It’s implied that they know each other before the events of this book, and I wanted to know more about that. The rest of the book however, kept me hooked. I was so interested in Selina’s involvement at Belvoir’s and the impending scandal that could drop at any second. Georgiana’s character was one of my favorites and I loved what part she played in the end of the book (Although I wish we had more of her!). Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see more from this author.

What an absolutely delightful read. One of the best historical romance books I've read lately. Friends to lovers trope executed perfectly.I enjoyed the antics and the humour. I was also pleasantly surprised with the spicy scenes. Honestly a great fun read and I think you should definitely pick it up and give it a go.You won't be disappointed!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

thank you St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review

solid historical romance with a friends to lovers storyline. in my opinion, it was so fast-paced that we lost sight of the depth of the characters.

✧ 3 stars