From the moment I met Lady Evangeline Raine, I was hooked. A heroine who prefers the company of animals over people? Sign me up! Effie's fierce independence and unconventional spirit had me cheering for her from the start, especially as she navigates the pressures of society alongside her flirtatious sister, Viola.

Enter Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale, who is as charming as he is burdened by debt. The premise of a “game” where he must woo the impenetrable Effie to allow Viola to find a suitor had me intrigued. Their dynamic is electric, filled with witty banter and delicious tension that had me flipping pages late into the night.

What I loved most was how the story turned the usual courtship tropes on their head. Effie's proposal to Gage was scandalous yet refreshing, and it set the stage for a fake relationship that quickly evolves into something much deeper. The emotional growth both characters experience is beautifully crafted, making their journey feel genuine and heartfelt.

Everything Amalie Howard does is magic and this is no exception. How does she keep writing these fantastic books that just speak to me, I also love a good virgin hero trope so this was right up my alley, big time. Great retelling of a classic, my only complaint was that Effie could have been more of a shrew,she was so lovable.

Definitely on the steamier side for a historical romance, but done so well. This was hilarious, fun, and had me kicking my little feet. I think Effie is my favorite FMC of this series. I loved that she was steadfast in her convictions, but so soft with her friends. I also really loved how she and Viola came together in the end, I just love sister relationships. If you liked Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew or the modern adaptation 10 Things I Hate About You, this is for you.

I’m not usually a historical romance lover, but this was an entertaining enemies to lovers that I found myself fully invested in. Fans of both Bridgerton and 10 things I hate about you will likely adore Effie and Gage.

Did you like "10 Things I Hate About You"? Do you enjoy historical romance? Then you'll enjoy this regency retelling of the popular movie!

Lord Huntington wants to to court Viola, but the only way to do that properly is to ensure she has a season in London. And Viola's father has proclaimed that the season will ONLY happen if Viola's sister, the patriarchy-smashing social pariah Effie, comes with her. Effie isn't interested, preferring the company of her rescue animals to "polite" society. But Huntington knows how to get her there. Gage is a Scotsman down on his luck, desperate to get his debts forgiven, and the last debt happens to be to Lord Huntington. Huntington agrees to do away with Gage's debt on one condition: Gage seduce Effie and convince her to spend six weeks in London with Viola. Should be easy...it's anything but!

I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. The shenanigans are top notch, especially in the first third. I loved how confident Effie is, completely unwilling to let the status quo affect her beliefs. She's well-matched with our hero Gage, who discovers very quickly how incredible she is. The way this book reflected the hit 90s movie was fun as well!

This book is very spicy. Personally, this book felt almost more like erotica than romance, because so much of it was about "sexual congress," as Effie put it, exploring and trying new things in a variety of settings. It just wasn't as interesting to me as the main plot device. I found myself hard-pressed to really care about any of the characters.

Bottom Line: If you like strong heroines, plenty of spice, and hilarity, you should definitely pick this up!

I'd like to thank Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I love all of Amalie's books I have read and this series is fantastic. I was laughing and smiling and loving every page I read.
I love the focus on animal rights and all the animals in the books.
It was great to catch up with the characters from the previous two books in the series.
This was a great take on 10 Things I Hate About You.

I really hope we get a fourth book with Lushing and Briar!!!!! Please!!!

Effie & Gage are one of my favorite couples of the year and it’s banter like “that kilt is indecent,” that really makes them so lovable.

This is also my favorite of Amalie Howard's Taming of the Dukes series. If you love 10 Things I Hate About You then you absolutely must read this! There were so many times I laughed out loud reading this book. The shenanigans, the banter, the animals - just everything is top notch.

You will not regret picking this one up!

Special thanks to Forever for the ARC.

we love 10 Things I Hate About You over here, so of course I loved this, especially with a virgin hero and heroine, ughhhhhh. i’m so used to the rakish men in historical romances but seeing him slowly become feral for her!!!!!!! SCREAMING!!! Effie was such a strong fmc and it showed, her strength, her attitude towards the ton, her disdain for the marriage mart, and her selflessness in regards to the shelter all made her such a lovable character and i instant felt a sort of kinship to her. she’s so brave to stand up for what she believes and as an older sister, watching her strength rub off onto her younger sister made me so happy to see. now Gage, man oh man, i love a scottish man who isn’t afraid of a woman who speaks her mind when women weren’t supposed to. he encouraged Effie to use her brain and be proud of the things most men despise in a woman, which was so amazing to see.

As someone who was, in my youth, obsessed with both the actual Shakespearean Taming of the Shrew, and 10 Things I Hate About You, I found this book tremendous fun. I adores the main characters. Effie was feisty, intelligent and independent, whilst Gage was strong, kind and thoughtful.

Effie, after three horrible seasons in London, is happy to stay at home in the country life, content with a quiet life spent rescuing animals. Viola, her beloved younger sister, wants nothing more than to have her London Season. Their father gives permission for Viola to travel to London on the condition that Effie accompanies her.

Lord Huntington, wanting to court Viola, needs to find a way to get her to London. He offers Gage, Duke of Vale, a deal he cannot refuse if he can get Effie to London.

This book is definitely modern in its tone. I enjoyed it a lot, but occasionally found it jarring just how thoroughly modern the thinking of some of the characters was.

First thing you need to know is that this is basically regency Ten Things I Hate About You. Still need more convincing? Proceed below.

The way these books are immersed in feminism… 🤌🏻

“That acceptance was more precious to her than any arrangement between them.”

The way this resonated with my soul. 🥹

I’ve read the other two books in this series and have to say this was definitely the lustiest of them all (not complaining!). I loved that Briar was empowered to both feel and act out of her feelings. Her effect on others (her friends and her sister, for example) is what I aspire for all. We all deserve someone who is willing to be herself at all costs.

Continuing to recommend this series!

This book includes some foreshadowing that I think I’ve figured out and I cannot wait for Briar’s book!

I keep getting excite for these blurbs for this series and reading them and being disappointed. I want to love this book and this series more than I do but I would be lying if I said anything other than I have been disappointed by every single one.

Wow wow wow. I truly loved this book. Amalie Howard just keeps getting better in this series. This is the second book, and our main character is a strong, ready to be a spinster, animal lover. Lady Evangeline is the responsible older sister of Viola, who desperately needs her older sister to take her to London for the season. The disgusting Regency trash who is wooing Viola has already treated Evangeline poorly, so he needs to rope in Gage, the Duke of Vale, to pretend to court Evangeline. Since Gage owes Viola's suitor money (via his dead brother's debt), he agrees to the scheme. Of course, Gage and Evangeline have off the charts chemistry, and he immediately questions whether he should tell her the truth. OF COURSE HE SHOULD, but he doesn't. They make each other laugh, they argue, they are really lovely together. I love that Howard hasn't written such a strong character in Evangeline, who is the one to proposition Gage first because she knows what she wants. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. 4.5 stars and 4 chili peppers for spice. Another amazing book from Amalie Howard! This was probably my favorite book in the series. I loved that the MMC and the FMC were both virgins. It created a complex sexual tension and emotional hurdles for the characters. I also loved that the FMC was s*x positive. She wasn’t shy about her body and confident in what she wanted. The spice was two thumbs up. I absolutely love this series and can’t wait for the next book!

I have never highlighted a historical romance more than I did this one. I will always love me a man absolutely gone for his woman and Gage was so far gone it had me kicking my feet and giggling the entire time. Amalie writes some of the best historical heroines and Effie was no exception. She was fierce, unapologetically a spinster. I love how she genuinely was prepared to just Be Alone but not in a sad way. Effie my muse how I would have loved to run the shelter with you but alas I missed out due to his grace. I'll survive. The Worst Duke in London may be my favorite of this series just because of how irresistibly perfect these two were for each other. I was cackling and then stressed and then swooning and then fanning myself. The Taming of the Dukes series just keeps getting better and better. GIVE ME MOREEEEEEEE and by more I mean Dawson and Viola.

This book is literally 10 Things I Hate About You set in 1800-something London society with a dash of The Kiss Quotient. It’s not the most historically accurate, but it’s a wild romp of a rom com and a fun read.

Romance Steam Rating: Full Boil [3 out of 5] (Open Door)

Note: This is book 3 in the Taming of the Dukes series. I read it as a standalone and didn’t have any trouble following the plot.

Amalie Howard's Taming of the Dukes series has been super fun since the beginning, and this installment was no different. It's a 10 Things I Hate About You retelling featuring a penniless Scottish duke and a prickly animal-loving earl's daughter. And if you know the plot of 10 Things, you know the story of this book: 2 sisters, a good suitor and a bad one, an offer to keep the older sister occupied, a change of heart, fake dating that turns real, etc.

Overall, this was a pretty solid adaptation (of an adaptation lol), and I enjoyed the twists Howard put on the characters, including Effie's animal shelter and Gage's background. Towards the end, the book gets a bit chaotic, with lots of different plot elements stuffed in (which has been the case for previous books in this series, too), but this was a quick, fun read that was packed full of nostalgia for an excellent teen movie.

3.75/5

The only bummer I have to say is for me for waiting so long to read this. It was a delightfully fun book to read and I appreciated the homages to 10 Things I Hate About You as well as the completely new spin that the author put on a well known story. It was the perfect balance of old and new and didn't feel forced but played so nicely. Both Gage and Effie stand as their own characters with real baggage and flaws, but such strong personalities I loved them both even when they made the worst choices. I really enjoyed the interwoven commentary on animal rights and sexual liberation of the time. The author clearly did the research and it added so much to the book.
This series just keeps getting better and I cannot wait for the next one!

The cheeky heroine seduces the inexperienced hero who is hiding his own secrets.

Lord Huntington’s request that Gage keep Effie occupied started out innocuous enough, until his true nature was revealed. He was truly icky. Viola didn’t present as very endearing herself and I was mostly annoyed by her.

Effie and Gage were very likable characters. They were nothing like you’d expect from their positions in society and clearly they surprised each other as well. I enjoyed their banter and interactions, but they didn’t stir any overwhelming sweeping feelings.

The overall tone and dialogue were more what you’d expect from modern times, but it didn’t bother me. This book was interesting enough, and would work well for lovers of light-hearted, steamy historical romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm learning to accept that Amalie Howard is going to be one of those authors that consistently writes books that scratch my itch.
This 10 Things I Hate About You inspired romance is full of Howard's signature wit, steam, and relatable characters. Highly recommend!

I found this book to be a bit slow. That’s not saying it wasn’t a ok read. There was moments of humorous banter that was enjoyable.
Is it a steamy historical romcom? Definitely it is!
The story was just a little over the top for me.
I am sure others may feel differently and thats fine. We all like what we like :)
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.