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A review by gall007
Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this regency romance as, while it utilized a number of romance tropes, it did it in a unique and unpredictable way. This feels new while still being an excellent addition to a beloved genre. Selina, the female main character, runs a secret library, with a secret collection of books that only women are allowed to take out to either amuse or educate themselves - which even as the sister of a Duke, is a risky move for a woman of that time. When the newly inherited Duke of Stanhope, Peter Kent, goes to her family for help with his own familial issues, Selina dives head first into problem-solving (aka finding him a wife to make him "respectable enough" to put a case forward to get guardianship of his half-siblings) while clearly harbouring feelings for him. It was a nice mix of tropes with two-thirds focusing on the love story, and one-third focusing on the guardianship and the impacts it has on Selina and Peter's relationship. The only gripe I had about the love story is that there appeared to be some history between the main characters that the readers are just dropped in the middle of, rather than seeing it progress from the first day they meet.
Overall, though, I'd definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a historical fictional romance with amazing chemistry between main characters.
I really enjoyed this regency romance as, while it utilized a number of romance tropes, it did it in a unique and unpredictable way. This feels new while still being an excellent addition to a beloved genre. Selina, the female main character, runs a secret library, with a secret collection of books that only women are allowed to take out to either amuse or educate themselves - which even as the sister of a Duke, is a risky move for a woman of that time. When the newly inherited Duke of Stanhope, Peter Kent, goes to her family for help with his own familial issues, Selina dives head first into problem-solving (aka finding him a wife to make him "respectable enough" to put a case forward to get guardianship of his half-siblings) while clearly harbouring feelings for him. It was a nice mix of tropes with two-thirds focusing on the love story, and one-third focusing on the guardianship and the impacts it has on Selina and Peter's relationship. The only gripe I had about the love story is that there appeared to be some history between the main characters that the readers are just dropped in the middle of, rather than seeing it progress from the first day they meet.
Overall, though, I'd definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a historical fictional romance with amazing chemistry between main characters.