I think it says a lot when every note I took on this book involved the characters’ sexual appetite. This book is hot in a way that two people can be with each other when they both have little experience giving and receiving pleasure beyond their own hands. Evangeline and Gage are so horny for each other and the transformation they go through from start to finish is my favorite kind of evolution from forced interaction to all-consuming desire.

If you enjoyed the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, you will adore this historical rendition. It has everything I loved; a doting father, annoyingly sweet younger sister, heart throb of a hero, and a smart heroine who “thinks she” knows what she wants. Evangeline is the best kind of heroine; she’s sharp, extremely loyal to her family and friends, possibly to a fault putting her sister’s needs before her own. She also loves wounded and homeless creatures of all kinds and runs a shelter with her own pin money that houses them before adoption. And yet to the ton and polite society Evangeline is a termagant, “Lady Ghastly” who has been on the shelf too long.

So when the Duke of Vale leaves Scotland to tie up some of his late father’s and brother’s gambling debts, a mutually beneficial arrangement between him and Lord Huntington is enacted. Huntington will forgive his brother’s debt if Gage will make sure Evangeline comes to London with her sister during the season so that he may court Lady Viola.

I love love loved the banter between Gage and Evangeline. They are each from nobility, yet on the outskirts of society (her with her opinionated tongue and him with his extremely broke dukedom). They have a few meet-disasters involving kittens and mud that create the most delicious opportunities for each of them to be at the other’s mercy. It’s from this that Gage realizes Evangeline is more than just an overbearing sister and his teasing and flirtation puts Evangeline on edge in the most spectacular way. I enjoyed every moment they were on page together because I never knew just what would come out of their mouths!

The other extremely fun part of this book is the sexual chemistry. Evangeline and Gage have it in spades and when a secondary mutually beneficial arrangement is put on the table between them, the kinks come out. This book is HOT with a capital H and more than one scene will live rent free in my head. If I could convince you to read a book based on one moment alone, Evangeline breaks (3!) fans at a ball because Gage has her so worked up physically and emotionally. The tension is palpable!

I received an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Heat: 🪭🪭🪭🪭

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining but a bit OTT

Lady Evangeline Raine prefers animals to humans, especially the little ones she rescues and cares for in her animal shelter. Her young sister, Viola, wants nothing more than a season in London and marriage. However, the season will happen if Effie (Evangeline) is also willing to attend.
Duke of Vale, Gage Croft, was happy being a Highlander until his brother’s death made him the duke and dumped a ton load of debts on his head. He needs to settle a debt and agrees to charm Evangeline to bring her to London. However, he soon realizes that the bargain could be costly indeed!
Can Effie and Gage find what they want, or will the secrets tear them apart?
The story comes in Effie and Gage’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
The book starts with a short content warning note by the author, mentioning the possible triggers (and their intensity) in the story.
Right away, we are thrown into the drama around the main characters. Reading the previous book (Never Met a Duke Like You), made it easy to follow the FMC’s character arc. This should still work as a standalone read (the others make an appearance a few times). However, I did find all that talk a bit preachy. We know what the issues are, right? No need to repeat them so often.
The MMC is quite easy to like even if some of his decisions are bad. But that’s necessary for the plot to progress, so can’t say much.
This is a steamy romance (4.5ish), and there are a lot of sexual innuendos throughout the book. This may not suit everyone. I didn’t mind most of it. The writing style was fun (when not preaching, so it suited the tone).
There’s a teeny mystery as well, though it is never the main focus. Acts like seasoning and helps bring things together in the climax.
And yes, we have a third-act breakup. I knew it would happen very early in the plot (almost after the first chapter). Being prepared helps, folks!
We have an epilogue (yay!) that not only gives us HEA but also hints at the next book. I am waiting for that, though I suspect the spice will be all-time high, based on what we know about the characters.
Effie’s sister isn’t easy to like, but she manages to get to the right side and show decent growth. I like that there’s no drastic change, but shows a sign of improvement. I do wish to get to know William a little more. A nice guy!
The pacing dips in the middle but picks up again in the last quarter. It didn’t really drag or feel boring. However, some scenes are a bit OTT and take to liberty, given the historical setting. While I no longer expect proper historical romances, this one could have toned it down a little.
The author’s note is detailed and informative, providing a glimpse into her research, which supports her plotline and character arcs.

To summarize, The Worst Duke in London is a fun read with a high dose of spice and many contemporary sensibilities. Read it if you want something light and fluffy.
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

10 Things I Hate About You set in a spicy historical setting?? What more could a girl want. Lady Evangeline Raine has had bad season after bad season after openly speaking out against a misogynistic lord who then gave her the name Lady Ghastly and had her snubbed by society. This is all fine to Evangeline as she'd prefer animals to people and is fine with being a spinster... the only problem is her younger sister Viola who is flirty and wants nothing more than to jump back into the London season to marry the very lord that snubbed Evangeline. Their father won't let Viola go alone and if Evangeline won't go, then Viola can't either... cue Gage Croft, Duke of Vale. Gage has been left with all his brother's huge debts and is determined to fix his estate... and if that means accepting a payout from a lord he owes a debt to in exchange for him charming Evangeline for the season while Viola is courted... who could it hurt. Gage is unprepared for the absolutely enchanting Evangeline and finds himself falling for the woman he's lying to. Evangeline finds herself attracted to Gage and makes a scandalous arrangement... but when the truth comes out will Evangeline forgive Gage or will he break her heart? THIS BOOK WAS FANTASTIC. I was completely blown away by just how fun and spicy this book was. Its such a fun adaptation and take on 10 Things I Hate About You and I loved this couple so much. Evangeline and Gage have such great chemistry and their romance was FANTASTIC. Seriously, pick this book up immediately, it'll have you smiling all throughout it!

Release Date: September 24,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I loved book one and two.
So I was excited to read book three in Taming of the Dukes series The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard.
This is such a heartwarming and utterly delightful feel-good romance, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
A fun, spicy enemies-to-lovers Regency romance with the best characters.

Triumphant “love conquers all” tale!

Lady Evangeline Raine didn’t want to go anywhere near London. During her season she ran afoul of the supercilious Lord Huntington who snidely labeled her Lady Ghastly.
Effie is a forward thinking intelligent woman who believes women should be accord the same rights as men, should be able to be heard without being denigrated. She has a small group of powerful but different friends, two are duchesses. They call themselves the Hellfire Kitties.
Effie’s mother had left her father and gone abroad. Effie has a younger sister Viola who’s lived in Paris with their aunt until now. Viola wants to go to London for the season but unless Effie goes to chaperone her it’s no deal.
Effie’s arch enemy Lord Huntington has decided to woo Viola. However without Effie’s consent he’s shot. He inveigles the impoverished Lord Gage Croft now the Duke of Vale to persuade Effie to go to London. Gage inherited the title when his brother Asher was killed in a cuticle race against Lord Huntington. The dukedom was in a bad way. Gage had done all manner of things to bring about the solvency of the estates. The last debt of his brother’s he has to pay is to Lord Huntingdon. That debt will be cleared if he agrees to Huntington’s terms. The problem is that Effie is quite happy in Chichester focusing on her true calling, saving forgotten and injured strays of all sorts.
The coming together of Gage and Effie is truly a romp with vigor, empathy and hilarity.
It seems Effie wants to sample moments of passion and maybe Gage is the man for that dalliance?
What happens when love enters the equation, and Gage’s true undertaking is exposed? Mmmm!
Savvy, witty and wonderful, with a hint of mystery.

A Forever (Grand Central Pub.) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Gage,The Worst Duke in London, gets his title because he has inherited an indebted duchy and is flat broke. Effie, his neighbour, runs a shelter and is resolved to never marry because of the bullying of Lord Huntington who has titled her Lady Ghastly. As fate would have it Huntington is after Effie’s hand in marriage and holds the vowels for Gage’s last debt. He makes Gage a deal, woo Effie and keep her in London so he can court the sister. Gage never counted on how smart, kind and spicy Effie can be. Things heat up quickly but Gage is playing with fire and might just get burned by love.

I loved this book, it was done in three days and I never had to force myself to pick it up. The chemistry between the two MC’s was incendiary from the beginning. The ending for me was good, the third act break up is never my favourite but it wasn’t drawn out and the way they made it back to each other was perfection. I loved that we got updates about the two previous MC’s from the first book and I found Effie’s sister, Viola, to be a really interesting character. A great read and I would highly recommend the entire series!

This was a fun one! I didn't read the plot before going into it so I was pleasantly surprised that it was 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU inspired! I like historical romances but sometimes they feel a bit modern to me; when I read something historical, I like it to feel different in language, setting, and overall environment. I think I've said this same thing about the other books in this series. There wasn't too much to set this apart from the other historical romances I've read, but I'd recommend it as a quick and enjoyable historical romance!

“Historical romance inspired by 10 Things I Hate About You”?! Yeah, I’m gonna read that!

The Worst Duke in London follows Lady Evangeline - an older, unmarried heiress who runs an animal shelter and prefers the company of her furry friends to members of the ton - and Gage Croft - the flat-broke Duke of Vale trying to keep his estate afloat. The two cross paths after an offer to Gage from the dastardly Lord Huntington, who’s set on courting Evangeline’s younger sister Viola.

This was so much fun! Super entertaining couple, lots of chemistry, and - in classic Amalie Howard fashion - the spice was spicin’! Vale being an enormous, Scottish virgin was a big selling point, not gonna lie. Effie had this poor man malfunctioning every step of the way and I loved that for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!

After reading the blurb for The Worst Duke in London I was looking forward to it, but I never became fully invested. Though this could be due in part to not reading the previous books in the series first. I suspect there may be some missing backstory. Particularly regarding the friendship of the hellfire kitties, which I found more engaging the romance between the two main characters.

I have read one other in this series and it was wonderful too. The books don’t have to be read in order. Evangeline had a horrible event at her coming out and was left with a nasty nickname. She hates London, society and all the rules that go with it. She loves living in the country where she can save and take care of unwanted animals tame and wild. To the dismay of her very flirty, social-minded sister, Viola. Their father will only let Viola have a season if Evangeline goes with her to London. Vale/Gage never thought he would be a Duke, till his brother is killed in a racing accident. He loves living in Scotland with his mother. Now he has all the debts his brother left plus a falling down manor and estates in bad shape. All of the ton knows he is broke and not duke like. He is a Hugh man use to working outdoors. When the person who his brother owes the most to make him an offer to clear the debt, he has no choice but to take it. He has no idea what he is in for. All he has to do is get Evangeline to London for six weeks. Lord Huntington wants to court Viola; he is also the person who hurt Evangeline in the past. As our couple met and enjoy witty banter, after Vale saved her twice, she makes him an offer he can’t say no to either. It’s a very unladylike offer that has Vale questing if he has lost his mind. Oh, my this two will have you laughing, needing a cold drink and almost in tears before the book is over. What a hoot it is, you don’t want to miss it but be prepared to read it straight thru as you will not be able to put it down. There are twist and turns along with secrets. I also love how Viola grows and sees what is important during the story. All the characters are great and loved all the animals of course. I received and ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest option and am freely giving it.

Evangeline Raine is adamant that she will spend her days as a spinster with only her shelter pets to care for, but now that her younger sister Viola has returned from Paris, Viola is intent on spending the season in London to look for a husband. Evangeline is tasked to be her chaperone, but after the ridicule she suffered during her first season, she's not keen on returning to society.

After his brother's death in a curricle race, Gage Vale unexpectedly inherited a dukedom and is working to pay off all the debts left behind. When Huntington comes to him and promises to forgive his debt if he can convince Evangeline to come to London for at least six weeks so Huntington may pursue Viola, Gage is hesitant to agree. But after their first meeting, their mutual attraction is obvious, and they agree to pursue it once they arrive in London.

This was a fun little Regency era romance. Gage and Evangeline were such fantastic characters. There is no doubt the author knew exactly who these characters were and she executed their arcs so well. I enjoyed watching these two idiots fall in love. The 10 Things I Hate About You aspect of it was perfect and so much fun. I liked the sub-plot with Viola, but I feel it may have needed a little more page time, but I do enjoy the way it was resolved. The plot with Huntington was actually crazy, and I'm glad that things worked out for the worst with him.
There was one scene in particular that confused me and also felt so implausible I had to take a break from reading this for a few minutes. I went back and reread it and still felt so confused. (It's the scene when they're playing cards, for those of you who have read it) It genuinely took me out of the book, but I continued through. I will say, every other intimate scene in this book was brilliant. I loved the way the intimate scenes were interspersed and spread throughout the book.
Evangeline's humor was the highlight of the book for me. She was so silly, and I love that we see that more when Gage is around. The way he values every word out of her mouth, and worships the ground she walks on is lovely.

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || THE WORST DUKE IN LONDON [thank you to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: The Worst Duke in London
Author: Amalie Howard
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Lady Evangeline Raine, more interested in animals than suitors, has no desire to marry. But her father insists her younger sister, Viola, can only be courted if Effie has a suitor as well.

Enter Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, who needs money to save his estates. He’s offered a fortune to court Effie for the season, even if it means faking romance. But when Effie proposes a scandalous deal—he pretends to court her while secretly becoming her lover—things get complicated. As their fake relationship turns into real passion, they must decide if their arrangement will last beyond the season.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
My first thought: This book is SPICY. You don’t often expect a lot of spice in historical romance, simply due to the nature of the time period, but this one knocks all of those expectations on their butt!

Other than that, this was a lot of fun! Amalie Howard always writes with a lot of banter and heart, and Effie and Gage are no different! I really enjoyed their relationship as it went from competitive, to attracted but still combative, and then just jumping each other’s bones.

But not only that, I loved seeing the characters I’ve come to know and love from Howard’s previous books in this series. It’s always interesting to see how one love story compares to the following - they’re all different, but they’re all special!

I would read this if you’re looking for an excellent Shakespeare interpretation with ample steam.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Taming of the Shrew
10 Things I Hate About You
Female Friendships
Thwarting Society Expectations
Adorable Animal Companions
Bridgerton

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.01 ⭐️
# of Pages: 384
Pub Date: September 21, 2024

I always love a good recency era romance and this story didn't disappoint. The author (at least in the Taming of the Dukes series) has made all the female heroines extremely strong and they don't fit the standards of the ton. Effie and Gage definitely had chemistry and it was delectable to read. Can't wait to read the next story in this series.


Rating 3.5 Stars
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was originally hesitant to read this book for two reasons. First of all, I do not like illustrated covers. They do absolutely nothing for me. Secondly, I was worried that there would be an overabundance of feminism in the book. I was greatly relieved in that regard. "The patriarchy" was only mentioned a couple of times. Other than that, the book had a heroine who was able to think for herself and a hero who respected her. There is certainly nothing wrong with that! So, on with the review!
Effie's younger sister was a diamond of the first water. Any man that was interested had to get around Effie. Villainous Lord Huntington manipulated Gage into keeping Effie occupied so that Huntington would have free reign with her sister. Over time, Effie and Gage began to develop genuine feelings. Of course, the relationship would be at great risk if Huntington ever decided to reveal the truth.
I really liked this book! The relationship of Effie and Gage was quite original. There was banter and lots of funny innuendo. Effie's group of girlfriends was outrageous. Animal rescue was Effie's passion, but she did not allow it to ruin her own happiness.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This is book 3 in the Taming of the Dukes series. I personally did not read the previous 2 and didn't feel lost at all. So this definitely can be read as a stand alone.
This story is about Gage, the Duke of Vale, also known as the Destitute Duke. He is a 2nd son who was previously a boxer. But when his brother dies, he inherits a bankrup dukedom.
It's also about Lady Evangeline, or Effie. She is on her 3rd season and is done with the ton, after all she's been nicknamed , Lady Ghastly. Why? Because she is highly intelligent and speaks her mind like a man would, not like a debutante.
When the two meet, there is an instant attraction. And even though they don't like each other, they both feel this pull. Effie, having decided that she will never marry decides to propose an affair.
I thought the premise for this story was good but I found the story was more about sex than romance. And I wasn't a fan of the vulgar language and cursing.
3⭐⭐⭐

I really wanted to like this story as I did the first two in the series but this one just didn’t work for me . I’m hoping the. Next book redeems the series for me

10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favorite movies from my teen years. Unfortunately that may be why I didn't love this book as much as I had hoped (along with proximity to a recent reread of Ten Things I Hate About the Duke).

Plot based readers will likely find this a lot of fun. As a character based reader, I struggled with inconsistency in character motivations. Effie's and Gage's actions didn't always match their inner monologues.

🐈‍⬛ARC Review🐈‍⬛

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was excited when I got the ARC of this book as I had already read the first book in the series and purchased the second and now was going to get to read the ARC of the third!

I love a good historical romance. Though a lot of them seem to have the same premise of a woman who does not want to marry approaching a man with a proposal to learn and experience the physical aspects to satisfies curiosity and desire in secret. There are a lot of books with this premise in historical fiction and it can be very overdone.

That being said, I did enjoy this one despite that. It took me a little while to get into it but it was well written, interesting and a different take on this plot line. I did enjoy seeing the other characters from previous books in the story too. That’s always fun.

Wasn’t my favourite in this series but definitely an enjoyable read!

The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard releases on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

📚The Worsr Duke in London by Amalie Howard: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 ~ 3.5 stars (4 on goodreads)

The Worst Duke in London is a well-written and sexy historical romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked the main heroine, strong-willed Lady Evangeline, and I adored her love interest, Gage, a strapping Scottish Duke. They had great chemistry, their banter was entertaining, and the love scenes were hot! I also enjoyed revisiting characters from the previous books, Effie's and Gage's friends. Even though The Worst Duke in London is the third book in the Taming of the Duke series, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Effie has no desire to marry, she is content in the countryside tending to her animal shelter. Her younger sister Viola is anxious to get to London for a Season. When Gage inherits he is burdened with paying off family debt. When someone offers him money to get Effie and, consequently. her sister to London he takes it. Can Effie trust Gage is truly interested in her? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for my honest review.