Reviews

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard

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foiblesandfiction's review

i remember being excited for this ARC because historical romance is one of my favorite cozy genres, but this is an easy DNF. the mmc is despicable. i hate him. his thoughts, words, and actions to the fmc are truly mean. and yet the memory of his lips makes her "core throb". no thanks.

webbsusa's review against another edition

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4.0

After reading Always Be any Duchess, I was excited to read the second book in the latest series from Amalie Howard. What I
enjoyed about this one: great banter, the Hellfire Kitties, and Vesper—I love her character so much. What I didn’t like so much: the hero (he really was Lord Ass and didn’t atone enough for his asshattery) and the over-the-top villain—just too cartoonish for me.

This wasn’t my favorite of Amalie Howard’s books, but I did enjoy it and am glad I read it. Excited for the next one in this series!

Thanks to the author for providing an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

cobaltbookshelf's review

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2.0

I liked the premise, but I found it to be unnecessarily long-winded and with some of the modern language didn’t belong in the story in my opinion and kind of pulled me from the scenes. People will enjoy this book, however, it just wasn't for me.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

thebookishnarwhal's review

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If you're in the mood for a passionate Regency romance that defies conventions, this story awaits you. Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard blends the charm of Clueless with the allure of Bridgerton.

Meet the Duke of Greydon. A palaeontologist (so cool). He is faced with an insolvent estate, so he reluctantly returns to England after years abroad. His escape is short-lived when he discovers that not much has changed. This includes the beautiful and vexing heiress next door.

Meet Lady Vesper. A neurodivergent matchmaker. Despite her self-imposed vow to avoid love, she excels at arranging it for others. When fate traps them together in an attic, their explosive attraction becomes…

Howard tells a tale of opposites attracting and readers will root for their love to conquer societal norms and personal insecurities. The Regency setting comes alive, complete with ballrooms, secrets, and scandalous encounters.

We can’t end the review without talking about the characters. They’re complex, flawed, and utterly endearing. Vesper's determination and Aspen's vulnerability create a perfect balance. Howard's prose captures the essence of longing and desire, making this a page-turner for historical romance enthusiasts like myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

pipercurrywilladsen's review

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

jinxei's review

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4.0

I loved Always Be My Duchess last year. The MMC was fantastic and swoon worthy and I knew that I needed book 2. Where book 1 blew away my expectations, Never Met a Duke Like You was slightly under. Where Duchess gave us Pretty Woman, Duke gives us a Clueless retelling.

First, reading the prior book is NOT necessary. They're connected but can be read as standalones.

Enemies to Lovers is a favorite trope of mine, and friends to enemies to lovers? I love it. The romance is a slowburn, showing the reasoning for their fallout and then coming back together while resolving those issues. Because of this, my least favorite trope, miscommunication, is rampant. The chemistry between the two, their witty banter, and the humor kept me engaged.

There's fantastic supporting cast, and I can only hope some of them like Judith get a book later in the series. There's a "villain," but that plot luckily does not overtake the relationship and romance aspect of the book. However, there wasn't a real resolution with this? I wanted to see more repercussion for the blackmail, but there wasn't.

Thank you to Amalie Howard and Forever for the ARC!