Thanks to NetGalley for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Always be my duchess is a book I started, put down, started again, put down again, and then finally buckled down and finished. It is my genre, I always enjoy good banter; however, it just took me a little longer than usual to really get into it. About 60-70% in I finally did but I never really got fully invested in the characters and wasn’t particularly interested in the HEA. Solid 3 stars for me.

I am not a big historical romance girlie but this was a cute time! Definitely felt very Bridgerton and had a lot of humor!

I liked the premise but ultimately this didn't become a new favorite for me. I have enjoyed previous books by this author but I wasn't completely sold on the couple. I didn't feel the chemistry the way I'd hoped, but I still think this would be enjoyable for those who love historical romance .

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard. Pub Date: July 22, 2022. Rating: 3 stars. If you're looking for a fun read that was inspired by Pretty Woman, but has the vibes of historical romance where the Lords and Dukes of the world ruled then this is the book for you. I really enjoyed the setting of this novel, I have a soft spot for historical romance. This book is more than just a romance though. It has themes of family and growth in it too. If you're looking for a quick, fun read and enough historical romance then I would recommend. Thanks to #netgalley and #foreverpublishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book had it all: originality, sexiness, humor, and intrigue. I loved it from the first page to the last. It is well written and worth reading and savoring. Both characters are incredibly interesting; she is vivacious, and he is tough, but their mutual connection makes the book appealing and uniquely enjoyable. Their conversations truly kept me riveted. I read many historical romance books, and while many are okay, they often lack the qualities that this one possesses. I highly recommend reading it.

This is a historical romance with the ever popular fake relationship trope. He needs to portray a settled life to secure a piece of property. She needs money to support herself and her sister because they have been blackballed in the ballet world because of a scoundrel spreading lies. The Duke learns to love after having it beaten into him that love makes him weak, and the ballerina learns to trust a man. Everyone lives happily ever after.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book. This just wasn't the book for me. I found Lysander and Nève to be a bit annoying. I found myself skimming to get to the end and couldn't really enjoy the book.

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard is a perfect fit for readers who adore historical romance, emotional depth, and fake dating, and are eager to be swept away by a poignant tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the transformative power of love.

I love a good historical romance, and this checked all the boxes for me!

In some ways it reminded me of a grumpy/sunshine, but more like grumpy/sassy. The FMC was sassy and witty; the banter between the two main characters was well written. I'm excited to read the next book in the series. Neve and her friends all deserve their own books!

This book reminded me a lot of the movie Pretty Woman, and it was such a fun read! There was a lot of witty banter and you could feel the character's energy/chemistry through the pages. I love that Neve was able to bring out more emotions from Lysander and was patient with him. For a book written in third-pov, the narration was well written and allowed me to follow along easily.

Thank you @readforeverpub @netgalley for my review copy!

📖When Neve, a ballerina, finds herself jobless after refusing a proposition from a wealthy patron, she doesn’t know how she’ll make money to provide for herself and her sister. After accidentally saving the life of a handsome Duke, she’s surprised when he gives her a proposition of different sorts. Pretend to be his fake fiancée and in return, she’ll receive a fortune big enough to start her life over.

💭This was a fun one. I switched between listening to the audio and my kindle and I really enjoyed the audio for this one. The characters were my favorite part of the book. Neve’s friend group was so fun. I love when books have strong female characters who support one another unconditionally. There were some slow parts, but overall I enjoyed it.

📚Read this if you like…
Slow burn romance
Fake engagement
Regency romance
Grumpy/Sunshine
Dual POV
Open door romance

Lord Lysander Blackstone finds himself in need of rescuing when he wanders the wrong way after a night our with his friends. Lucky for him Genevieve Valery isn't the damsel in distress she first appears to be. After running for their safety he comes up with what he's sure will be a mutually beneficial arrangement. All she has to do is pretend to be his fiancé to keep the women on the marriage mart away and he'll provide her with enough funds to be able to plan her next steps.

The premise, plot, and writing were all great. The narration was excellent. Genevieve is feisty, the banter between her and Blackstone is hilarious. For some reason it just didn't grab me. I do recommend it if you love historical romance and the fake fiancé trope.

✨ Review ✨ Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard

Thanks to Forever and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This was my first introduction to Howard's romance writing and I had some mixed feelings.

Things I loved:
⭕️ strong powerful women, including Nève, the FMC
⭕️ fake courtship/engagement
⭕️ the banter and laughter between the main characters

Things I was less excited about:
⭕️ the pacing of the story
⭕️ the duke was kind of a jerk at times, and the male characters in the story in general ranged from kind of meh to just awful

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it didn't really stand out for me like I hoped it would.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: historical f/m romance
Setting: London
Pub Date: 2022

I just finished devouring 'Always Be My Duchess' by Amalie Howard, and oh boy, what a regal romp!

First off, can we talk about the characters? They're like the perfect blend of charm, wit, and just a hint of scandal. Howard knows how to craft characters that jump off the page and into your heart.

And the romance? *Swoon*! The chemistry between the duchess and her love interest is so palpable that you can practically feel the sparks flying off the page. Plus, the slow burn? Delicious.

But what sets this book apart is the setting. Howard's attention to detail brings the Regency era to life in vivid technicolour. From the lavish ballrooms to the sprawling estates, you'll feel like you've been transported back in time.

Now, fair warning, this book isn't all fluff and frills. Some juicy plot twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. Isn't that half the fun?

Overall, 'Always Be My Duchess' is a delightful romp through high society that'll leave you with a big smile. So grab a cup of tea, settle in, and prepare to be swept off your feet!

This was billed as Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons and that's a spot on elevator pitch! I liked both Neve and Lysander as leads, and especially loved that they were both competent adults. Recommend for anyone who loves banter filled historical romance!

Lysander Blackstone, the Duke of Montcroix, thinks he has life all figured out. He’s completely focused on his business plans and the next great deal. He also does this all while being apparently emotionless (for a variety of reasons, definitely read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book). But his latest business deal is with someone who wants to see Lysander as more of a family man.

A chance encounter has the once up-and-coming ballerina Geneviève Valery saving Lysander’s life. He sees an opportunity and asks her to act has his fake fiancée in exchange for enough money to let her have a new life. Neither of them is prepared when they start to feel real feelings.

review

First off, Always Be My Duchess is exactly what the blurb pitched it to be: Pretty Woman meets Bridgerton. It’s a fun set up and I think we really got to see Lysander and Nève at their best (and their worst). Their characters are also very well written and we understand all the conflicting emotions they are feeling as the story progresses and they get to know one another better.

Although it is not mentioned in the story itself (but it is in the trigger warnings at the beginning), Lysander clearly has difficulties processing social cues in a way that would be recognized by doctors now – probably on the autism spectrum, but I definitely can’t know for sure! But he was just ridiculed during the time these characters are from. It was sometimes hard to read, but it also felt like an authentic representation of someone who is very high-functioning and powerful in society, but misses some things that other people might notice.

In terms of things I don’t love as much, I struggled a bit with reading about how stuck they both were in their ways. I think they didn’t really try to understand one another. While I can see how their pasts have led to these current difficulties, it still got a bit frustrating for sure. I also think the caretaking type behavior was very one-sided, with Lysander doing all the gestures and Nève just kind of going along with things. I think she could have been a more active participant in moving their relationship forward.

in conclusion

Overall, I did really enjoy Always Be My Duchess it captured my attention well enough that I finished it quite quickly. I think it honestly would have been a great book for me to bring on my next vacation, so I definitely recommend that if you’re interested in this story! I really can’t wait to see what happens with the other ladies in the friend group, since we got some hints about who they might end up with. Hopefully Briar and Lushing are up next!

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. Please disregard the star rating as I do not rate books I haven't read.

Thank you so much to Forever Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of Always Be My Duchess, Taming of the Dukes #1. This book was such a delight to read! I can see the similarities between Pretty Woman and this novel. I loved the spin of Regency Era and I was envisioning everything that was happening! I was rooting for Lord Lysander and Miss Valery!

Their banter is cute, sweet, witty, and with some spark! I'm glad that Miss Valery kept her true self throughout the book. She knew exactly what she wanted and wouldn't settle for less. Also, poor Lord Lysander, all the trauma his ex and dad gave him!

I also heard the audio of this book and loved the narrators.

This wasn't for me. I found it to be a bit convoluted and boring. I didn't feel any chemistry between the characters. I did like however that his ex fiancé became his stepmother. That is the first time I read that in a historical romance. I would have liked more of the back story.

DNFed - I requested this before I was an influencer and familiar with NG and how it works. I didn't get a chance to read it, and it's no longer downloaded on my Kindle.

A historical romance take on Pretty Woman? This one was high on my anticipated reads list and started out really strong - I loved that we got straight to our MCs meeting and the deal at the heart of the premise and they had great chemistry from the get go. Unfortunately, I felt like the chemistry faded quickly and I wanted more from them. There were some bits of writing that were extremely over the top for my taste (such as the "so. hard. (etc)" and all of the "dieus" and I felt there was too much inner dialogue in relation to actual dialogue. In the end I found it the story to be a bit boring and predictable and was left feeling disappointed.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.