This was one a joy of a read in 2024, I can't believe I had never reviewed it!

This was also a wonderful introduction to my historical romance journey! Alexandra Vasti is amazing and will definitely be an author on my continuous radar!

I don't remember much about this book, but I do remember that everyone made things way more complicated than they needed to be (which is the standard for romance novels, so I shouldn't be too surprised).

I always like to give Victorian era novels a chance to see if anything makes me feel the way that Bridgerton does and sadly... nothing yet. I felt like Selina and Peter had no real chemistry and we were just forced to believe that these two work perfectly together and that we should root for them to fall in love. I appreciated that they tried to make Selina an original feminist, but it all just felt a bit overboard for me.

Overall, I think I should just leave romance novels in 2024... but we know I won't learn my lesson.

I really enjoyed Ne’er Duke Well which is not surprising because I have enjoyed this authors novellas and I love historical romances/regency romances! The plot was fun and touching. The pace was quick and kept me reading. The tropes worked with the plot and did not feel like a random trope for trope sake. I love forced proximity, friends to lovers, and marriage of convenience. The characters were a delight. Peter is an American who inherited dukedom and relocated and is actively trying to get custody of his half siblings and Selina is a lady running an underground sexual education feminist library while trying to make Peter more parent-y by finding him a wife really did it for me. I will say I have never read a custody battle book before but I enjoyed it. I highly recommend picking this one up and I can happily say I cannot wait to read Earl Crush!

I don't usually read historical romances, but this book was so much fun! I was drawn in by the cover, and this book did not disappoint.

Murphy's Law is live and well in this utterly delightful historical romance!

Recommend | historical romance | explicit

Alexandra Vasti is becoming one of my favorite historical romance writers. Vasti can weave a tale and add such wonderful characters with heart (and steam) that it's perfection to read.

Peter is a new Duke and wants to keep his two half siblings, but has to go to court to keep them. Selina knows she can assist him in finding the perfect bride to win over the conservative judge -- but not her of course because she has an explicit library.

Through many trials and tribulations I think you know how it goes. But the JOURNEY. THE JOURNEY.

Let's get into it:
-adorable wild children
-caring friends
-emotional turmoil
- feelings
-walks in parks and dogs in need of rescue
- empty rooms
-scheming plans

Selina and Peter are perfectly and equally matched with each other. They lift one another up and are so concerned with making sure the other is doing well. Their team work and balancing things was perhaps the best part of the entire novel.

Emotionally, I may not be the same from all the squealing I was doing while reading this.

All in all, I highly recommend this novel! I already have the next one on hold and am eyeing that third one already.

Well, I whipped through this one because it was so Bridgerton’s Colin and Penelope coded at first (she’s a gently bred lady with a scandalous job, he’s a bumbling but good-hearted Duke trying to get used to his circumstances - also he has dark curls!). I loved that they were past acquaintances thrown together by a chance meeting, and that grew because Selena was just so damn meddlesome, and Peter so dogged and such a rule-breaker. It’s adorable. The dialogue is sparkling per Vasti’s previous novellas, and I enjoyed the plotting a lot. I think where it fell down for me was that the story slowed significantly after Peter and Selena get together - and the final third just seem to throw in obstacles to keep the story going. Overall, though, this is damn funny and solid historical romance.

I love this historical fiction rom com! All my Bridgerton lovers out there will love this! It's super fun and a great read

Peter Kent, the Duke of Stanhope, arrived from New Orleans to take his title and discover that he has two younger siblings. He wants to raise them, but the reputation he's (mostly mistakenly) built for himself makes it an iffy thing. Enter Lady Selina Ravenscroft and her plan to see him wed to the most respectable English lady she can find. What Selina refuses to accept is that she'd like to be that English lady, but her secret job as publisher of erotic and sexually informative novels is one secret that won't last for long and she worries that it would upend everything Peter is doing to get the children.

I sat down with this one and couldn't put it down. The characters are fun and passionate so you get sucked into the story as soon as you meet them. I couldn't wait for Peter and Selina to realize that they were perfect together, even the predictability of some of the plot points wasn't enough to make them less interesting. They have to face a lot of obstacles even after they marry and I really enjoyed the supportive ways that they help each other face them. It adds a nice extra level to their relationship.

Overall, it's not the most original or innovative story, but Vasti's writing brings the characters to life and pulls you in for a highly entertaining read.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the wonderfully entertaining read!

Ah! I loved this book! NE’ER DUKE WELL by Alexandra Vasti is such a joy! This historical romance hit all the right notes.

The plot centers on Peter Kent, Duke of Stanhope, and his request for guardianship of his young half-siblings. We learn that Peter’s father was a right arse, who sired and abandoned children on two continents. Peter, an American from Louisiana, was summoned to England by his grandfather when he became the family heir. Still very new to the title and power he wields, Peter enlists the help of Lady Selina Ravenscroft to make him appear more favorable to the barrister judging his guardianship appeal.

Selina is a delight! She’s observant, smart, and cunning. She’s also the secret operator of a lending library. A lady running any business is scandalous. If the ton were to learn that she was responsible for The Venus Catalogue, a set of erotic books published for and only available to women, it would ruin her and those she loves.

Peter, the abolitionist, and Selina, the feminist, are a brilliant and supportive pair. Lou and Freddy - Peter’s spirited young siblings - and Selena’s friends and relatives round out a fun cast of characters.

Those who like their romances spicy won’t be disappointed. But the book also has plenty of heart and humor. There were many scenes that had me laughing out loud.

Im looking forward to reading more romance from Vasti!

This book was so incredibly delightful! There were so many hilarious lines and moments, I couldn't stop laughing. And the chemistry between Peter and Selina was gorgeous and palpable! This was my favorite matchmaking romcom yet, and my new favorite historical romance. I loved every second!

I am SO sorry for the delay in my feedback. I have loved everything from Alexandra Vasti. The Halifax girls are especially incredible. I really liked Ne’er Duke Well and the matchmaker trope is one of my favorites. 5 stars!

This was such a fun lighthearted read! Loved the romance between Selina & Peter! They had such a great relationship and worked well for this story! A great story that I recommend reading!

Hot, delightful, with as many tender beats as hilarious ones, NE'ER DUKE WELL secures Alexandra Vasti as one of my favorite Regency writers of today. I love a matchmaking scheme gone awry, and while the final dramatic turn felt a teensy bit over the top on the angst-scale for me, Peter and Selina had such superb chemistry that I didn't care. I have no idea if such a circulating library would be anachronistic, but--also don't care! I loved the side cast of characters involved in the endeavor so much, and can't wait for the next entry in this universe if another awaits us.

I really enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters in this book and I liked their unique qualities. They appreciated what made the other special and I liked that there was a level of trust and respect even while they were just friends. Peter's younger siblings were great and a nice addition to the story. I listened to the audiobook and it was very well done and a great way to enjoy this regency novel.

This was such a surprising read! I requested Ne’er Duke Well on NetGalley because I was drawn to the cover, and the premise sounded really cute. Peter, the newly inherited Duke of Stanhope, is trying to gain guardianship of his half-siblings and turns to Lady Selina Ravenscroft for help. She suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation but things don’t go according to plan.

I haven’t seen many reviews of this book, which is a shame because it’s a wonderful historical romance. The banter and chemistry between Selina and Peter was fantastic, and I also adored Peter’s siblings. Selina’s family was equally amazing, with their unconditional support for her. This has quickly become one of my favorite historical romances of the year, and I’m so excited to have found a new historical romance author. I have an advanced copy of the next book in the series, Earl Crush, which I won in a Goodreads giveaway, and I can't wait to read it!

I love a good contemporary romance, and the progressive political bent of this one added a bit extra. I enjoyed Peter and Selina's story so much and will look forward to more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I started this ARC and was immediately sucked into the narrative and witty dialogue. I will be leaving my full review on the audio ARC copy I received.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was fun. A great new voice in historical romance. Excited to read more from the author in the future.

I loved this right from the very beginning! I adored both Selina and Peter, as well as all the side characters. I also really loved that Selina ran Belvoir's, and LOVED how she was so theoretically knowledgeable about sex but also still had some insecurities--that was so realistic. Overall Ne'er Duke Well was a lot of fun and I can't wait to read more by Alexandra Vasti!

I was a huge fan of the author’s indie works, and was so excited to read her read review. It didn’t disappoint! It’s funny, romantic, and heartfelt, everything I want in a historical romance.