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A review by ghostsmoocher
Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
4.0
3.5/5 ⭐️
I'm surprisingly conflicted about giving this book a formal "rating." I found myself going back and forth on my feelings throughout each chapter while reading, and it's incredibly hard to decide whether I should weigh the things I love or find tedious more heavily.
On the surface, the book is a fun romance with a warm heart for family -- both chosen and given by blood. In this novel, Alexandra Vasti has created an excellent cast of side characters (who sincerely I hope will be written about in the future; I'm looking right at you, Lydia & Iris!) and composed sex scenes that managed to make even this historical romance veteran reader blush.
However, I couldn't help but feel like several chapters of this novel were only intended to kill time between major story beats. Certain elements felt crammed in to remind readers of character insecurities that already felt well demonstrated, and it could make the intended emotional core of each of the leads feel a touch repetitive. I was also a bit disappointed in the informal conclusion of the novel's legal plot, though more romcom-focused readers may love it!
One component that particularly endeared this novel to me, though, is Vasti's ending notes, which contextualize some of the historical books, people & legal considerations referenced in her writing. The inclusion of these notes demonstrates a real consideration for the reader's understanding of the history that this book is inspired by, which I sincerely appreciate!
Ultimately, this book is an enjoyably imperfect read that hints at better things to come with further releases from its author. I'll be keeping an eye out for Vasti's work in the future!
I'm surprisingly conflicted about giving this book a formal "rating." I found myself going back and forth on my feelings throughout each chapter while reading, and it's incredibly hard to decide whether I should weigh the things I love or find tedious more heavily.
On the surface, the book is a fun romance with a warm heart for family -- both chosen and given by blood. In this novel, Alexandra Vasti has created an excellent cast of side characters (who sincerely I hope will be written about in the future; I'm looking right at you, Lydia & Iris!) and composed sex scenes that managed to make even this historical romance veteran reader blush.
However, I couldn't help but feel like several chapters of this novel were only intended to kill time between major story beats. Certain elements felt crammed in to remind readers of character insecurities that already felt well demonstrated, and it could make the intended emotional core of each of the leads feel a touch repetitive. I was also a bit disappointed in the informal conclusion of the novel's legal plot, though more romcom-focused readers may love it!
One component that particularly endeared this novel to me, though, is Vasti's ending notes, which contextualize some of the historical books, people & legal considerations referenced in her writing. The inclusion of these notes demonstrates a real consideration for the reader's understanding of the history that this book is inspired by, which I sincerely appreciate!
Ultimately, this book is an enjoyably imperfect read that hints at better things to come with further releases from its author. I'll be keeping an eye out for Vasti's work in the future!