The Worst Duke in London has everything you could possible want,,,witty banter, romance, cute animals, great supporting cast, and a main couple you really root for! If you are fans of this author, this one doesn't disappoint!
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Evangeline (Effie) doesn’t fit in with the ton and doesn’t want to spend another season in London; however, her father will not allow the younger Viola a season unless Effie is her chaperone. Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, needs to clear the debts left by his deceased brother, so when Lord Huntington offers to waive the debt in exchange for getting Evangeline to London for six weeks, he agrees.

The Worst Duke in London is Howard’s third book in her delightful Taming of the Dukes series, with each book a retelling of a 90s romcom movie. This time around, Howard tackles 10 Things I Hate About You (aka Taming of the Shrew). It’s been a hot minute since I’ve seen the movie, so I can’t comment on how well it sticks to the original plot, but as a standalone romance, I found it completely enjoyable.

Effie is a strong woman who is not afraid of going after what she wants. Gage truly loves her banter, wit, and body. I loved watching Effie and Gage fall in love. They find so much joy and pleasure in one another. The author does a fabulous job getting the reader inside the heads of both MCs and portraying strong emotions. And even though we know the secret of the deal with Huntington is out there, it doesn’t hang over Gage’s every action and thought. We see him genuinely fall for Effie, and that is the strongest plot of the book.

One of the best things about this series is the Hellfire Kitties, a group of five women who are very forward-thinking (and acting) for the period. Their camaraderie while supporting one another with often blunt advice adds much to the tales. Effie also navigates her relationship with Viola. I struggled with Viola for at least half of the book. Sure, she’s the pampered younger sister, but she is also manipulative. She uses her tears and Effie’s emotions to get her way, and then puts down Effie or blows her off. Yet Effie’s one wish is for her sister’s happiness. Howard brings Viola around overtime, making her story engaging.

In the end, I enjoyed The Worst Duke in London as both a standalone romance and the continuation of a fun series. Next up should be Briar and bad boy Lushing… I cannot wait!

My Rating: B+

I’m a huge fan of Amalie Howard but was hesitant about reading The Worst Duke in London because I don’t normally pick books where the hero and heroine start with a lie between them. And it was what started their relationship and was what brought them together. It takes me longer to read books with this plot because it feels like I’m just dreading when she finds out and her heart is broken. Gage and Evangeline are such likable characters that you just want him to come clean before she finds out and is devastated.. Ms Howard handled it so well that it made the angst worth it and thankfully, Gage does know how to grovel and Effie was ultimately smart enough to realize what she wanted and it’s Gage. I loved the humor of their interactions but was a little removed from the historical perspective with the sex talk, especially between the lady friends. I know that there was plenty of sex going on in the 1800’s but I’m not sure the discussion amongst ladies enjoying tea would rival the discussions of drunk sorority girls at a rave.

This is a great series! The Worst Duke in London has the same humor and 90s romcom vibes as the others in the series. It also has cute animals, an important and sweet sibling bond, and a supportive friend group. Did I mention the spicy lessons? The source material is 10 Things I Hate about You. You can see some of those scenes mirrored in the book, but it is so much more.

I love reading the notes at the end of historical romances. Amalie delivered and shared her research on animal advocacy and sexual liberation. It made me love the story even more.

I did think there were sections that dragged and overall think it could have been shorter.

Thanks you to Forever and NetGalley for this eARC!

The Worst Duke in London, the third book in the Taming of the Duke series by Amalie Howard and is described as a mash up between Bridgerton and the classic 90s movie 10 Things I Hate About You, aka Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. And I have to I agree!

Lady Evangeline Raine is too opinionated for the ton in her first season. She runs a foul of one of the leading gentlemen resulting in the unflattering nickname of lady ghastly and her subsequent unsuccessful seasons… she’s done with London, and she has settled herself for a life of spinsterhood with her animal sanctuary in the country.

Too bad everyone seems to be wanting to get her back to London for this year season! Her sister can’t go if she doesn’t go back, her arch nemesis wants her back there so that he can court her sister!!! Her friends want her there for her companionship, and lastly, the destitute Duke, Gage Croft needs her to go so that he can pay off a debt!

Gage and Effie meet and grow their relationship under false pretenses, but from the moment, these two characters are in the space together the sparks fly!!! I loved the banter and camaraderie develops between these characters. Gage definitely starts his interactions with Effie for his own benefit, but in the end she makes her own bargain as well…

A relationship built from secrets and falsehoods become real?

The series has been a lot of fun and Effie’s bad attitude set aside, this book is no different! I had a lot of fun with the main character romance, but the side characters and friends and family were just as entertaining! I can’t wait for the next book for the last Hellfire Kitty to succumb to her own HEA!

This book leans more heavily on the 10 Things I Hate About You version of the Taming of the Shrew, which is fine for us 90s girlies but know that you are looking at an interpretation of an interpretation.

The book had genuinely funny banter which I enjoyed although occasionally took me out of the period. Likewise it was spicier than I expected which again I don’t mind, but the speed of it did feel unearned.

All in all if you enjoying steamy regency romance that never skims too deeply below the surface, it’s not bad. I enjoyed the historical research related to the founding of the RSPCA

The Worst Duke in London

Another adorable installment in the Hellfire Kitties brigade! A delightful romance adventure with fun and feisty banter, amazing supportive friend group, plenty of spice and a naughty kitties 🐱

Check this one out for:
- 10 things I hate about you vibes
- adorable, mischievous animals
- 🌶️ positive FMC vibes
- A Scotsman Duke

Thank you to Forever for the ARC! My thoughts are my own.

Lady Evangeline Raine has resigned herself to being a spinster, SHe is not interested in marriage, and only cares about animals, and dedicating her time to providing shelter and sanctuary to strays and abuse animals.

Her younger sister Viola on the other hand wants to be married and be a wife and the only way to do that is be in London for the season. Their father will only allow Viola to do so if Evangeline goes with her and puts in an effort to find a match.

In comes Duke Gage Croft, he has inherited his family's estate in tremendous debt after both his father and brother gambled and drank away their fortune, died, and left Gage to pick up the pieces. He is given a deal with a creditor, his debt will be forgiven if he can seduce Evangeline into going to London for the Season so that the creditor can court Viola.

Both Evangeline and Gage are not what the other expects, and they somehow end up in an agreement to be lovers. They both quickly fall into a relationship of mutual respect, genuine friendship, and unexpected passion. Real feelings follow suit but the secrets Gage has been keeping may come back to haunt what could be a future neither of them ever expected to have.

As with the other books in this series, I absolutely loved this one. Amalie has such a way of writing Historical Romance so it feels sexy and flirty, feminist, witty, and unputdownable. It really is a master class. Her heroines are always people I aspire to be, and her heros are always so swoon worthy, and a perfect balance to the fireines of the heroine. The banter is always on point and entertaining, the romance and chemistry palatable, and the love and tenderness real.

10 Things I hate about you meets Bridgerton.

This has everything and more that you could want. Cute animals, check; strong female friendships, check. Sexy Party, Check. Wallflower, Check. EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE HISTORICAL ROMANCE. BRIDGERTON GIRLIES. RUN.

-Book 3 in Taming the Dukes Series
-He falls First
-Grand Gesture
-Animals

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amalie Howard continues to shine in this series. Evangeline hates the ton, her sister has dreams of marrying well. her sister can't marry unless she chaperones her sister for the season. The Duke of Vale is destitute and makes a deal to court the infamous "lady ghastly" in exchange for wiping his brothers debts clean. this was a 10 things I hate about you retelling and just as the rest of the series it follows the movie closely. I absolutely loved Evangeline and Gage. this book was just a fun read and this author can almost do no wrong for me.

complimentary copy provided by netgalley, though all thoughts are my own.

One thing's for certain-- 10 Things I Hate About You is a classic (yes yes, Taming of the Shrew blah blah), and you need to love it to do it justice. And honestly, I was pretty happy with the direction that Amalie Howard took this third book in the series. While I'm still not fully sure how all these women are friends, I'm happy that they are, and I'm happy that this version of England has so many goofy dukes just looking for love. Evangeline was a gem, and Gage was the absolute perfect Scottish counterpart. If you enjoyed the first books in the series, this next one will be a good fit as well.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for my copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is the third book in the Hellfire Kitties series and my least favorite to date. I loved that it was loosely based on 10 Things I Hate About You and the banter was fun to read. But Effie was hard to lilke at times. She seemed to do a lot of "mansplaining" to Gage and at times showed the same attitude she always accused men around her of having. I also think that while it's nice to see some modern elements in historical romances, this book was over the top with them and I think it would have worked better if the author had picked a few to focus on instead of so many topics included.

I loved it! Another homerun for this utterly delightful series. Evangeline and Gage's story is funny, emotional, dramatic, poignant, spicy and filled with heart. This book gave my heart a solid workout and left it feeling much lighter when I was done.

The Worst Duke in London, with a premise pitched as Ten Things I Hate About You meets Bridgerton, was incredibly promising. Although, I can’t say for certain that it hit the mark.

I was so excited to find this book in my inbox, and absolutely couldn’t wait to dive in, but I admit I found myself pushing myself through it at times. I almost find it difficult to pinpoint precisely what didn’t work for me, especially with a synopsis that was so utterly suited to my tastes.

Feminism was a central and integral part of the plot and personality of the main character, but I couldn’t help but find that it wasn’t naturally integrated into her internal monologue or the dialogue, leaving some scenes feeling unnatural and out of place, which was unfortunate because it isn’t and shouldn’t be, even in— or especially in— a historical romance. I consider it to be a nonsense criticism when people pretend that historical romances shouldn’t be written progressively, or with the understanding that while minorities were certainly treated very differently, we were still there, as were the activists who stood for and with us, so my own reservations certainly don’t derive from a warped sense of wanting “accuracy”, but in flaws regarding the execution. It made moments between the main characters feel stilted when it felt like one of them was so often soapboxing to a man who, seemingly, was in agreement with her. Important things were and should have been being said, but not in a way that suited the established tone of the story. Women’s rights, animal protection, and sexual agency weren’t casually interwoven into meaningful conversation, but rather it felt as if on occasion entire conversations and scenarios were constructed to convey a message, with the substance of such scenes not strong enough to carry the weight of the topics and their delivery. I think it came down to too much of it being too on the nose, too directly stated. Effie was written to be an unorthodox character, out of place in the stifling societal expectations of the ton— but we could have figured that out for ourselves through her witty disregard for etiquette in conversation with her friends, family, and the male lead, and through her hands-on care for animals, rather than making consistent note of it within the prose. Trust your audience to read the writing on the wall, not just the writing on the page.

While I did enjoy the chemistry between the main leads, the insta-lust did feel a bit over the top at times, and seemed to only devolve from there, producing lines and scenarios that bordered on being so ridiculous that I couldn’t tell for certain whether it was intended to be hot or comical. In cases, this can make a read more fun, but there were admittedly some word choices that took me out of any sense of enjoyment. Some turns of phrase felt out of place in a sexual or romantic context, even within the settings of a historical romance, leaving a grimace of distaste on my face. In some instances, less is more! If it produces an uncomfortable visual— “melting” undergarments, “dewiness” between the legs, sucking her earlobe into his mouth, "tender lady bits”— it may be worth considering a synonymous alternative.

That being said, I did enjoy the emphasis on female sexual agency, even when it was sometimes too spelled out, and I especially enjoyed the inclusion of menstruation and contraception, both very normal things that authors in the genre tend to overlook or disregard completely. Such things being introduced also allowed for the showcasing of historical menstrual pads and contraceptive measures, information which I found to be incredibly fascinating. As a whole, the sprinklings of historical understanding and research really shined throughout the novel, even if I myself can’t speak on the accuracy of it all. The passion that went into the formation of this book and its world was clear, and that continued on beyond the acknowledgements and into the curated book club questions, which were a pleasant find at the end of the novel.

My only other real critique on the romance itself was that as their arrangement was formed and their connection deepened, they seemed to be running out of feasible reasons why they couldn’t be together— but that certainly didn’t stop them from reminding each other and themselves of that very “fact” regularly. If they truly did care for each other beyond their sexual encounters as they seemed to think they did, their insistence felt out of place or forced when there was so little to reinforce the argument. Their emotional reservations so often hindered their interactions (which also lead to a sense of disconnect between the two at times, which was certainly of no help to the believability of their love story) and felt like a barrier between them, which can lead to a very fulfilling, angsty arc with a satisfying resolution… But I was too caught up questioning their somewhat flimsy reasons for not just getting together at the midpoint of the book. The will-they-won’t-they-while-they’re-doing-it dragged on for a bit too long when there were other plotlines that were present that could have taken precedence.

I found said additional plot points to have enriched the roundedness of the story, and I would have loved to see more of them, especially those revolving the male lead. Gage’s brother, for example, and all of the grief and troubles that it brought to him, was an incredibly interesting add-on that I would have felt far more invested in had it been more present. For a subplot unique from the source material, I wish it had been explored more! As the book progressed, I kept finding myself thinking “But wait, what about ___?” Overall, I found that the clues and investigation could have been spread throughout the book, to add emotional depth to our MMC as well as provide him with a more solid plotline outside of his romance with Evangeline, while also uniting them against a common adversary. The setting and subplots set it apart from Ten Things I Hate About You, as well as other literary adaptations of it, but it wasn’t quite taken far enough to stand out.

The author’s writing style truly shined in a place I didn’t expect— the action packed moments. The boxing match, the races, the moments of quick thinking and excitement. It was a pleasant surprise to find such moments in a romance outside of the fantasy genre, and found myself completely and thoroughly engaged. I would absolutely love to see a romance from the author with further focus on such scenes! I also loved the moments with both main characters’ friend groups— while one-on-one dialogue wasn’t always as strong, I found that the author often did an excellent job balancing multiple characters in conversation, showcasing personality and humour.

Overall, I’m aware that this review will read as rather criticism-heavy, but that it because I found there to be so much promise and potential within the premise and tucked away in the prose. I think that in more naturally weaving in her themes of importance, putting the same level of care into her romance/sexual scenes and plot lines as she does the research behind her world, and allowing herself to lean into the subplots that may deviate from her source material, the author would have a unique and brilliant romance on her hands that would reach and please more readers.

As always, thank you to Forever and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy for review, and I will certainly keep an eye out for the next instalment.

This is book 3 in the Taming of the Dukes series and it follows one of my favorite 90s movies 10 Things I Hate About You. And that is a retelling of my favorite Shakespeare play Taming of the Shrew. The intelligent, fiery, independent female is always my favorite. Especially when all of the men around her despise her for those qualities except that one man that can appreciate a brain and banter.
Evangeline and Gage were fire together! He was cleaning up his father and brothers' mess and had been raised in Scotland. She was brilliant and had been deemed Lady Ghastly by one of the worst bullies in the bunch. They were both a bit unconventional for the ton.
Loved everything about this! The romance, the animals, the friend group. The lessons and steamy time cause there were a lot of firsts for them. You don’t see that often in a Duke.
Loved getting to see the couples from the previous books as they are pretty close knit group of friends.
Definitely check out this series, they are all retelling of 90s favorites!
These two ate and left no crumbs.

Lady Evangeline (Effie) Raine, 21, is the daughter of the Earl of Oberton. After 3 failed seasons in London, she has no interest in repeating the process and prefers to stay home. She is occupied with running her animal shelter. Her younger sister, Viola, 18, is anxious to have a season in London, however, her father says she may go but only if Effie accompanies her.

Viola has her eye on Lord Huntington whom Effie despises. They once had a discussion about women’s rights and he was very nasty to her calling her Lady Ghastly. This embarrassed Effie so much that she does not want another season.

Lord Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale, is impoverished from paying off his late father’s and late brother’s debts. He enjoys boxing which many people frown upon. Knowing he needs money, he considers a season in London in hopes of finding a rich wife. His last debt made by his brother is to Lord Huntington for 2,000 pounds. However, the man says he will waive the debt if Gage will seduce Effie so he can court Viola and, hopefully win her hand and her money.

Effie is not interested in marrying. Instead, she would like to explore the intimate side of marriage so she can live with those memories. She chooses Gage to be her partner in that endeavor. Thus, the story begins with their very explicit love affair that threatens to set fire to the pages of this book. Whew. I’m not fond of this type of story, but I have to admit that there was so much humor that laughing was the best part of the book. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Worst Duke in London (Review)

When the only way to court one daughter is to find the older sister a suitor, Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale's late brother's debt is called on to be paid. Reluctant Gage is forced to try and convince Lady Evangeline 'Effie' Raine to go to London for six weeks. And he soon finds that the woman deemed 'ghastly' by society is a passionate, animal rescuer who Gage finds himself falling for. Even more so when Effie brings up a mutually pleasurable scandalous arrangement.

Goodness I loved this novel! I will go so far as to say that I love how it was inspired by the movie 10 Things I Hate About You but I loved where Amalie Howard took the movie premise and turned it into a novel that I loved way more than the movie it inspired. I felt she did such an amazing job making me connect with Effie and to showcase her strengths and vulnerabilities. I loved her wilfulness to enjoy pleasure and how Effie got Gage to succumb to what they both desired.

And Gage! Welcome to book boyfriend status you hot Scot. Goodness, the hot Scot commentary between Effie and her friends felt like it was pulled from the DMs of my highlander loving IG friends. It made me laugh so hard. I love how Gage was pressured into the arrangement with Huntington, but how quickly he fell for Effie. How he wanted to tell her the truth but didn't know the best way to go about it. How the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. And even more so, I loved what he did to try and make it up to her.

Amalie Howard creates such great stories which weave a lightheartedness with some real world feelings. It is always an adventure and an enjoyable one to get to the HEA.

After being left the laughing stock and endless joke of her season, Effie has prided herself on being a comfortable spinster. She has her recuse animals and best friends that make her happy after all. But when Effie’s sister Viola is granted a season under the stipulation that Effie be her chaperone. What she doesn’t know is that the Duke of Vale has been paid to convince Effie to go to London for the season so that Lord Huntington can court her sister. What the Duke doesn’t expect is to be completely enamored by Effie’s spitfire and forward thinking feminist ways. But what will happen if she finds out his arrangement with Huntington?

Since I have an attachment to 10 Things I Hate About You this may be my favorite installment of the Taming of the Dukes series but there is still one more left so I will have to wait and see!

Amalie Howard has established herself as a diverse writer in this genre, so, if you have never read historical romance, please pick up one of her books.
The Worst Duke in London is book three in a series called Taming of the Dukes, however, it could be read as a stand-alone. I personally enjoy the appearances of characters from the first two books and knowing their backstories and personalities. For me, it makes each book more enjoyable. This series is absolutely delightful.
Do you love a headstrong FMC? You’ve got it. Lady Evangeline Raine was spurned by most of the ton during her first season due to an extremely hateful, self-absorbed man’s remarks, and all but sworn off men. (Note: It is a great author who can write a character you really want to hate.) Evangeline, Effie, to her friends and family, prefers animals to people. She rescues animals and has procured a shelter, as well as, the help of a local veterinarian. This is Effie’s real passion in life. She does not intend on marrying. However, she has a younger sister, Viola, who needs to make her debut in London society and Evangeline makes this hefty sacrifice solely for her sister.
Our MMC is Lord Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale who hails from Scotland. Sadly, he is destitute due to paying off his deceased brother’s debt, as well as, the manse being in desperate need of repair. The honorable Duke had to make things right. Lord Vale, Gage to friends and family, is most comfortable in his regular clothes, does not mind getting dirty and loves his peaceful life in Scotland. I really enjoyed this character. He is unlike other Dukes. Very unassuming. But he will soon meet his match with Lady Evangeline. These main characters have their own ideas about what they want, and don’t want. The situations these two find themselves in are interesting, to say the least. This Duke is definitely kept on his toes by the FMC.
Evangeline and her group of friends, known amongst themselves as the “Hellfire Kitties” are absolute gems. Out of all of my readings, this may be my favorite friend group. These women are of their own voice and mind, particularly for the time, and supportive of one another, always. All of the characters in The Worst Duke in London are authentic and compelling and you will be rooting for them throughout the book.
The progression of the story is smooth. The chemistry between the main characters is fantastic, the wit and banter are unmatched. Consistent dialogue keeps the story moving. The author’s writing is so vivid, I felt like I was there in London with the rest of them. The Worst Duke in London is an enemies-to-lovers trope, which just so

happens to be my favorite. There is palpable tension in parts, and this story covers serious topics so please check TW at the beginning of the book.
Tucked away at the end of the book is an unexpected, yet welcome surprise. The author provides us with real data from the Victorian times, with references. Authenticity at its finest. Readers, you will find this section of reading quite interesting. I urge you not to skip out on this section. I was squealing with delight at the ending for the two main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ms. Howard, you continue to impress.

This is my first Amalie Howard book, but it won't be my last. I love a good Regency romance romp, and when I heard that 10 Things I Hate About You inspired this book, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. This is the third book in the series and reads as a stand-alone. But after meeting the couples from Amalie's past books, I now want to go back and read the rest of the books in this series because they are delightfully fun characters I want to spend more time with. I am so impressed with Amalie's writing and her ability to create such a fun and spicy romance. Amalie masterfully took the movie 10 Things I Hate About You and made it into a Regency romance. I was blown away by how she took this contemporary rom-com and made it her own. She nailed it!

Gosh, I don't know where to start with what I loved about this book. First, let's talk about the story. This was a fun and fast read. I was always entertained with what was happening in this book. Everything was perfectly timed to hook me in even more. I read this book in one sitting, and it's addictive. This story has it all: those swoony unforgettable moments, sharp, witty banter, plenty of spice, drama, and a heroine who isn't afraid to take what she wants. Everything was balanced perfectly and worked together to create a swoontastic love story. Another great thing about this book is that you get to spend time in two prominent Regency settings. In the book's first half, we are in the English countryside, where we get moments when the heroine is stuck on a path, or the MCs are at a garden party. Then, in the second half, we are in London during the season, which includes balls, concerts, and visiting the less reputable parts of London. It was like you got the best of both worlds in this book.

The characters were fabulous! I loved Evangeline and Gage. They were perfect for each other. It was great watching them interact. They constantly kept each other on their toes and left each other befuddled and bemused. It was great. Evangeline was a wonderful heroine. She is smart, compassionate, and doesn't take crap from anyone. Her sharp tongue has landed her in hot water a few times in London society. Her passion for helping animals leapt off the pages, and I loved how she often found herself in sticky situations because she was rescuing an animal. She has no desire to marry. She sees marriage as something that will take away her freedom and ability to help animals. Gage is that tall, dark, and broody hero who just wants to return to the Highlands. He hates everything to do with London society and doesn't want the responsibility of being a Duke. I like him; he is a reluctant Duke who has found himself thrust into a great deal of responsibility. On top of that his brother has left the Dukedom in heaps of debt. Gage agrees to try and court Evangeline in order to forget the last bit of debt tied to Gage's family.

The romance in this book is banging! I knew that it was going to be spicy just from the sparks that were going off between Evageline and Gage. It was just pure lusty tension. What surprised me was that both characters were virgins, but fear not, they figure out what is what pretty quickly. This is a very spicy, slow burn, and I loved all those secret moments between Evageline and Gage. There is something so wonderful about two characters doing something naughty in a dark corner or out in a garden. The notion that they could be caught just heightens those emotions and makes for such a damn fun reading experience. Besides, for all the lusty bits, these two have some pretty sweet and quiet moments. I loved watching as the connection grew deeper between them. And the grand gesture at the end of the end of the book was amazing. If you are a fan of forced proximity and sex agreement, both MCs are virgins, alpha males, and a hero makes a deal to woo the heroine, then you are going to love this book.

The Worst Duke in London is a must-read for anyone who loves Regency romances.