I loved this read. I loved the time period it was set in and thought that the characters were well composed, with depth. Definitely a good read!

This was amazing! Definitely one of my top reads for the year and I'm so glad it can get into other's hands! Every single read from Vasti has been a hit and I'm so excited to see what else she comes out with.


Full disclaimer that I know the author personally.

Im not usually one for historical romance but this might be the book that turns me!! So well written and the development of the relationship was amazing.

I have been a huge fan of Vasti’s historical romances ever since I stumbled across the Hallifax sisters’ novellas via her newsletter, and in her first full length regency romance, we encounter yet another delightful romance in Peter and Selina's story - a perfectly matched pair of strong willed and charming protagonists.

While NE’ER DUKE WELL is definitely first and foremost a romance, both sweet and steamy, this is also a story of family, both found and by blood, loyalty, and standing up in the face of adversity - because it wouldn’t be a regency romance without scandal in the ton! Vasti is masterful in crafting conflict that doesn’t rely on the tired tropes of miscommunication and third act breakups, instead utilizing a larger storyline of impropriety and legal maneuverings which allows room for for the characters to grow together.

I'm eager for the second installment of the Belvoir's Library series, with Earl Crush expected January 2025!

Special thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy of Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti - out now!

Thanks to Alexandra Vasti, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Ne’er Duke Well in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on July 23rd and I cannot wait to see what other people think!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this! My first historical romance did not disappoint. Selina Ravenscroft is eager to find Peter Kent, the Duke of Stanhope, a suitable wife so that he can gain custody of his two younger half siblings. Selina sets Peter up with 3 eligible bachelorettes, but his dates prove to be lacking something. Peter soon realizes that it’s Selina he really wants. Selina has been running an underground library category to help educate the women of the ton, and if she were found out, it would ruin Peter’s already somewhat stained reputation. Peter and Selina’s chemistry was cozy, sweet, and spicy 🌶️ with the perfect amount of humor and found family. Definitely give this a read if you’re looking for a cute historical romance 💗

DNF - I was sad to DNF this one because I've loved the other novellas from this author, but this book just didn't work for me.

Thank you NetGallery for the ebook!

This book: I really liked both characters and the banter. I wish they had more of a slow burn but enjoyed it! Some of the plot was predictable but a good historical romance book!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC of Ne'er Duke Well! All opinions in this review are my own.

I liked the set up of this book, that Selina is trying to help Peter get custody of his half-siblings, but I felt like the pacing was off. Selina has the brilliant idea to match Peter with a respectful lady of the Ton to help improve his reputation, but very quickly realizes she would rather be with him. They marry pretty early on in the book and are living in wedded bliss until her secret threatens to be exposed. Despite the pacing, I loved Selina and her library! This series shows promise and I would still like to read the second one!

This was my first but not last Alexandra Vasti. There are a lot (too many) characters for me to keep straight in this book. It’s an introduction to the series which I get but it was overwhelming.

It was very cute and very funny. Can’t wait for more in this series.

MF
Sassy women
Supportive MMC
Historical romance

Rating: 3/5 - this isn't one that I'll reread but I had a good time reading it
🌶️: 3/5 - there were a handful of explicit intimate scenes

TLDR: cute historical romance featuring sassy women

This was a very cute historical romance. I enjoyed all of the sassy women in it. Lu was my favorite character and I honestly would have liked her to be in more of the book. The romance was sweet. The historical setting was enjoyable. I highly recommend that you check out the author's Instagram videos lots of historical facts that are fascinating and knowing she has all this knowledge of the time period makes the book even more interesting in my opinion. Ultimately, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical romance.

Thank you to SMP for the review copy, my opinions are my own.

This was my first Alexandra Vasti book, and it will not be my last, I really enjoyed the story and am looking forward to more stories set in this world. I loved the Emma'esque story and the fact that the main character runs a library.

I have no complaints about this book, I loved it.

Peter Kent has unexpectedly become the Duke of Stanhope. An outsider from Louisiana, with a fondness for radical politics 🫠, he occasionally finds himself embroiled in minor scandal. He seeks out the help of Lady Selina Ravenscroft to help rehabilitate his reputation in order to obtain custody of his 2 siblings. Selina is extremely clever and efficient fixer of all things. She also very secretly runs the most popular circulating library in London that includes a private library of erotic and scandalous novels as well as pamphlets on feminist philosophy. Selina decides the best way to fix Peter’s problem is to find an acceptable match and marry in six weeks. But not to her, of course.

Some things I really liked:

- Peter and Selina's chemistry. From the beginning Peter is utterly gone for Selina but he still goes along with her matchmaking scheme and Selina tries to ignore her feelings for Peter by hyper fixating on finding a suitable match for him. This, of course, does not go at all according to her plan.

- Both MCs have deep anxieties and fears about losing the people they love; Selina is surrounded by family but keeps the truth about her library secret from almost everyone. And Peter’s past includes deep loss and instability. There are lovely moments when they build trust - sharing their anxieties and providing support for each other.

- I am always going to appreciate a good library and the fact that that the titles in Selina’s circulating library are real is excellent detail.

At times the pacing was a bit off and I felt the conclusion to the guardianship and Selina’s library scandal was slightly chaotic and drawn out. However, I really enjoy Vasti’s writing and her Halifax Hellions novellas, so am excited to see more from her.

I DNF'd and I am so sad about it! I am sorry to the publisher but it just wasn't my personal vibe! Thank you for giving me an opportunity to try this genre for the first time. I think I got swept away in the Bridgerton magic of summer but the regency era isn't my reading escapism.

Lady Selina Ravenscroft is a fixer. Lord Peter Kent, the new Duke of Stanhope, needs help to attain custody of his two natural siblings. Her solution is to have him marry to give stability. She even has a list of ladies for him to pursue. Peter doesn't want any other lady. He wants Selina. Even though she wants him for herself, she must protect Peter and his siblings, because of her secret. Peter has a gentle, positive outlook of being able to work things out. Breaking down Selina's barriers was unsuccessful, until she realizes she can't live without him. Funny, heartbreaking and fuzzy warm hearts, the solution to her problem works out better than anticipated.
Descriptive sex, slightly erotic.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

So excited for Vasti's traditional debut!

Our duke has a heart of gold but everything comes out wrong but he needs everything to come out right in order to gain custody of his siblings. Selina only wants to help him right his image by finding him a wife, meanwhile hiding a secret that could ruin her reputation.

First of all, did Vasti just make me care about kids?! As high as the stakes are in this book, it never feels dire or heavy. You really do want the best for Peter and want to help him yourself. I really liked his potential matches and can't wait to read their books. I think the only thing that bothers me is the reason for Selina's secret, I get it but it just feels a little off.

“You cannot solve every problem, Selina, no matter how hard you try.”

ARC REVIEW: Ne’er Duke Welll by @alexandravasti

Release: July 23, 2024 (OUT NOW!)
Genre: Regency Romance
Format: eBook/Audiobook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book # for 2024: #76

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

SYNOPSIS: Lady Selina Ravenscroft wants to help Peter Kent, Duke of Stanhope, find a respectable wife to help his chances of being granted custody of his younger sister and brother, Lu and Freddie. The problem is she is beginning to think she may be the right woman for the job; however, Lady Selina has a secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. If that secret were to get out, it would ruin any chance of Peter winning custody.

MY THOUGHTS: I LOVED this book so much. I read a good potion of this ARC in July, but hadn’t had time to go back and finish it. This week there was a bundle on Chirp of this book and the Halifax Hellions novellas. I couldn’t pass it up! I’ve finished this book, the first Halifax Hellions novella, and 75% of the second Halifax Hellions novella. It is taking everything in me to not drop everything and read the ARC of the next book in this series!

I adored all of the characters in this book. They were all so well rounded. Lu, especially, is a favorite of mine. She is headstrong and not afraid to speak her mind.

I’m obsessed with this version of regency England. The author uses a lot of more modern language, which I feel makes the book more accessible. The characters also have more modern views. For example, many are feminist and Peter, specifically, campaigned against slavery. It’s refreshing to see a regency romance with more modern ideals while still feeling like a regency romance.

I 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves regency romances!

By the way, the picture is of the packaging for the preordered copy I got from @blue_cypress_books! We got our very own book from Belvoir’s!

somewhere between 3-4 stars. i feel like i was just dropped in the middle of this book, and would have enjoyed a little more set up and background

Truly loved this book, the closest thing to Bridgertons I’ve read in a while! A fresh, modern voice with a true regency romance storyline

Alexandra Vasti is one of the authors I consider responsible for getting me to read historical romance. It's never been my jam and yet, here we are. Now I'm a convert and I'm not even mad about it.

This book is hilarious. Peter's an American duke who would much rather not but he's there so he will. He's a progressive abolitionist which is the sexiest thing you can be in Regency England, imho. Selina is a wonder. She runs a secret feminist library to teach the ladies of the ton a thing or two. And she somehow thinks of everything. She's playing 3D chess while the rest of society's playing cornhole. I want to be her when I grow up.

One of Alexandra's (many) strengths is her character development. Every side character is multi-faceted and no one feels like a caricature/placeholder. With most characters in this book, I had a moment where I thought "I need his/her story." There's so much depth to the world and characters she's created.

I absolutely loved Ne’er Duke Well! The storyline was heartwarming and fun, and the characters leapt from the pages! With a friends to lovers mixed with a trope I absolutely love but don’t want to say for spoilers, this book was so easy to love! I found myself laughing, smiling, and even sobbing too. If you’re looking for a historical romance novel to read, definitely let this be the one you pick up!

Selina was convinced that Peter Kent needed to be married, so he would be able to win custody of his half siblings. Btw, I absolutely adored half siblings, Freddie and Lu! They made me laugh so much! Lu was feisty and hilarious without even trying and I just wanted to scoop Freddie into a ball and give him the biggest hug ever. Peter having his hands full with them is an understatement lol. With Selina overseeing Peter’s prospective options for whom to marry, I couldn’t put this book down!

While the interactions between Peter and Selina had me laughing out loud, Peter couldn’t help but be pulled to Selina. As he went along with her plans, I loved watching that friendship solidify. And Peter realizing that he was slowly falling for her. And while Selina couldn’t help but fall for his siblings, and all of their adorable antics, she couldn’t help but be charmed and fall for Peter too.

Selina was thoughtful, had the most fabulous family ever, but she had a huge secret. One that could ruin Peter’s chances at getting custody of his siblings. Which was why her being a viable option as his wife wasn’t feasible. As the story alternated between the two of them, you couldn’t help but love them both so much. Peter with his considerate, caring and good guy ways, and Selina with her heartfelt nature. Yet they could never be, or could they….

The story unfolded in the most entertaining and hilarious way. The scandals kept piling up. And with steamy kisses, scorching hot detailed scenes, and confessions, this book pulled us along in the most wonderful journey. The side characters added so much heart. And I loved how this book had little extras, like at the beginning of the chapter the little sentence or two from a letter added so much depth to the story. I’ll be reading whatever this author releases next and that happily ever after was absolutely perfect!