This book was an absolute joy!

The story grabbed me from the first chapter. I was hooked and I knew these two were going to fill my heart so full! The feels! OH THE FEELS! This fake relationship was so full of pining and longing. And we have an extremely smart and strong heroine. I gruff and grumpy hero... what more could you ask for! The plot was great, the characters were great and the feels set my heart on a wild fluttering hurricane. I even loved all the friends, I can't wait to hopefully get their stories in the future!

This one is a definite must read, even if historical romance isn't your go-to favorite, this book will grab your heart right away and not let go!

I.... don't really know what to do here. I am not autistic and I don't have ADHD, but I have a learning disability that some classify as neurodivergency (this word is very squicky and non-specific and zeitgeisty so it can be hard to pin down a specific definition for it). The hero in this book is described as being neurodivergent in all of the promo and in the author's note and I just felt really uncomfortable with how it was portrayed. Again, my neurodivergence is in a different lane than what I think the author was trying to portray with this hero, but awkward, impenetrable, distant, and unfeeling are all pretty harmful stereotypes of neurodivergent folks that this book really took hold of and ran with. And of course, he was "saved" by a heroine who helped him to open up and become fun and feeling and "normal." I just didn't feel good about it.

Besides this representation, I don't remember much about this book other than it was very much a My Fair Lady/Pygmalion story, with perhaps a degree too much slut-shaming for my liking? There was also some of my least favorite trope, red herring infertility, where the heroine ends up pregnant anyway and a terrible ex mistress which yuck. I didn't really find the heroine or the romance particularly compelling.

This was my first Amalie Howard book and I'm just not sure after reading this one I trust her enough to read any more.

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC.

CWs: death of a parent (past), abuse in the past, sexual harassment, fertility issues

Bridgerton and Pretty Woman fans will enjoy Amalie Howard's latest, Always Be My Dutchess.

Nieve has recently been kicked out of the ballet for turning down a man's proposition. Walking the streets she runs into man who happens to be the gargoyle like Duke of Martcroix. Lysander needs a lady on his arm to earn land to build his railway. Nieve needs money to help her sister out and not be in poverty. Lysandra proposes that Nieve stay on his arm for a night for a large sum of money. But will one night be enough for the pair to settle affairs?

Always Be My Dutchess starts out with content warnings that made me immediately want to read more of Howard's work. The plot and characters for the story definitely fit in with the "pretty woman" storyline. It was interesting to read and get mixed in with both characters emotions as each chapter featured dual point of views. It was enjoyable to see Nieve blossom throughout the story. I cannot wait to see what Howard does next with this series.

I was sold from the moment I saw Pretty Woman (one of my all time favorite movies) meets Bridgerton (one of my all time favorite shows), and I was not disappointed (thank god)!

Historical romances and I aren’t usually friends, but oh my stars!!! I loved this book so much. Seriously, from the premise, to the wonderfully written characters, to the very much unexpected spice… Neve & Stone are everything *sigh*

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all opinions expressed are my own. Always Be My Duchess was 3.33 stars rounded down to 4. I really enjoyed the fact that the heroine, Neve, was a serious ballet dancer and not just the standard member of the ton, but I found Lysander, the Duke of Montcroix, a little harder to warm up to. The author provided fascinating details around ballet and ballet dancers during the time period. After agreeing to be Lysander's fiancé in name only after failing to secure a role, Neve is surprised to learn that he is more than just a Duke with only business on his mind. Overall, the romance was allowed to develop and deepen over the course of the book and didn't feature "insta-lust" like is common in many books these days. I was frustrated with Lysander's inability to recognize how much Neve meant to him, but his motivation makes sense in the circumstances given his childhood and relationship with his father. This was the first book that I've read by the author, but it certainly won't be the last. I'm looking forward to future titles featuring other members of the Queen's Club.

I always love a good regency romance, and Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard delivered! I enjoyed the neurodivergent rep with Lysander and the harsh realities of being a ballet dancer from Neve's point of view. Neve could hold her own and doesn't hold back on saying what she thinks and I love that in a heroine in a book. The friendship among the ladies in the Queens Club reminds me of the friendships between the women of the "A League of Extraordinary Women" series by Evie Dunmore, one of my favorite regency romance series!

The only things I would say I didn't like about the book were the insta-romance between Lysander and Neve and how there were a lot of side plots and a lot of villains/bad guys/antagonists in the story. It made the book somewhat confusing and difficult to follow at times with all the moving parts in the background and the main storyline of Neve pretending to be Lysander's betrothed to get him through the London season. Other than that, I enjoyed reading this and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pretty Woman meets Regency Romance. Honestly, what more of a review does this book even need?

But just in case, here's a bit more: Always Be My Duchess was a delight, full of nods to Pretty Woman and regency tropes, but also managing to be something new. Nève and Lysander are a sparkling lead couple, pushing each other's buttons and making each other laugh in turn. Their back-and-forth was a delight to read, as was their slow and reluctant fall into feelings for each other. The quiet moments between them were equally lovely. I also adored the other members of Nève's Queens Club (or Hellfire Kitties) and am so so excited for each of their presumably upcoming installments.

My main issue with the book was that there were too many villains. Lysander's stepmother/former fiancee, Viscount Treadway, Dumont. Because there were so many of them, I never quite understood why any of them were quite so terrible towards Nève and Lysander, beyond just sort of being awful people. Any one of them could have been jettisoned and it would have allowed the other baddies to breathe a little.

Still, that feels like a minor issue compared to how much I enjoyed the rest of this book. Extremely fun - and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series!

4.25/5

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Always Be My Duchess!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Historical Romance
Pub Date: July 12, 2022

This book had many of the elements I'm usually wild for in a historical romance - fake dating, resisting love, and of course, some Pretty Woman/Bridgerton elements. On paper, this book should have been perfection for me.

There were many things I liked. The story moved along pretty quickly, and the plot flowed nicely I thought. I also really liked the characters. I was invested in the outcome from start to finish.

What didn't work for me, though, was the mixing and the mashing of just...too much stuff. I felt like the book took on too many avenues, and that meant it really didn't do any of them very well. It was a fun read, sure...but not one I will re-read or continue the series TBH. I think this was a one-off for me.

If you're looking for a historical fiction to pass the time, you might like this one. If you're looking for a book to execute well on all fronts...this is probably not the one for you. It entertained me, but it didn't wow me.

Nevé is a ballerina down on her luck. Lysander is a duke looking to seal the deal on some critical property. When she saves him one night, he asks her to be his fake fiancée to see his business deal through. But will love blossom from this arrangement?

I always love Amalie Howard. She is one of the authors I always point to when people want to try romance. It’s fresh and modern and I always appreciate her take.

What I liked:
- strong heroine
- neurodivergent hero
- steam
- great chemistry between Nevé and Lysander
- dual POV
- Pretty Women vibes
- unflinching look at the reality of being a ballerina

What I didn’t like:
- nothing!

I see how this book can be marketed as Brigerton meets Pretty Woman (albeit a very loose Pretty Woman comparison). Nève is a ballet dancer in London to raise money to support her family when she runs into Lord Lysander Blackstone while he is being pickpocketed on the street. When Néve steps in to help, Lysander offers to help her in return. I thought this book was interesting. It was a fun use of the grumpy/sunshine trope. It was very much an instant connection between the two, and I wish we saw it grow a little bit more than we did. I feel like the two protagonists balanced each other out well while also supporting the other. Lysander is noted to be neurodivergent at the beginning of the book, and I thought it was interesting how the author handled it within the constructs of the period.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The “fake fiance” theme is common, but the chemistry between the two main characters was off the charts. I enjoyed the supporting characters too. I look forward to reading more.

3.5 / Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy on exchange for an honest review!

CWs: parent death, childhood emotional abuse, injury, sexual harassment, gendered violence, anti-SWer sentiment
***
I liked this book a lot, because I am a historical romance girlie at heart, but the marketing is very confusing on this one. A nod to 90s romcoms? The Pretty Woman comparisons? That did not come through for me at all!! He is rich, yes, and she is not. He is paying her for a service, okay yes. But she is not a sex worker and speaks adamantly about not wanting to be associated with sex workers in any way. Hmm. Anyway! TBH this book needs a clinch cover hehe. There is not a laugh to be had, but it’s extremely swoony and romantic, and it does insta-love very well.

Lord Lysander Blackstone, the Duke of Montcroix, wants to focus on making money, not the marriage mart. In fact, he’d like it if the eligible women and their mothers would leave him alone so he can focus on his damn business! Enter: reputationally challenged and impoverished French ballerina, Geneviève Valery. In a chance meeting that had them both surprised at their interest in the other, a plan is hatched that solves a number of problems for them both. They will pretend to be courting, and Montcroix won’t have to beat the ladies off with a stick (and will convince and investor he’s a family man), and Nève will walk away with a handsome sum to help her sister and buy her some time in between jobs. The two play their parts a little too well, and soon find themselves wondering what a relationship looks like for people from two totally different worlds.

Despite the - in my opinion - odd marketing choices, this is a compelling historical romance which hits on a lot of our favourite tropes. Fake dating! Insta love (on his part)! Duke with a heart of stone who finds himself softening for that One Someone Special! Grand gestures! I find the author handles the power imbalance well - Nève is a well written character who more than holds her own in every room and situation. Montcroix is not my favourite Duke, but he won me over when he (spoiler) kept the castle.

While this is decidedly not a romcom, the intensity of the relationship, the banter, and the compatibility between the characters that jumps off the page make this a solid historical romance read.

Palpable chemistry, quick witted and quick tempered heroine, stoic hero that we watch soften + fake dating … say less. Very much Pretty Woman esque and such a cute read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so fun. It was said to be a mix between Pretty Woman and Bridgerton and that is one hundred percent what it is. The romance was so cute and wholesome and I loved the characters so much. It's definitely one of my new favorite historical romances.

I love love LOVE Lysander. He is everything I want from the love interest in a historical romance. And i loved Nève too, she was strong and independent, something I feel like women aren’t usually portrayed as in historical romance. However, there was a lot of dialogue and descriptions that were way too much. A lot of it made me cringe. Anyways, that didn’t really outweigh the rest of the story for me. Historical romance is a favorite genre of mine and this one was so much fun!

Calling all Bridgerton fans! Amalie Howard has created a cast of characters with personality that draws you into their days facing the pressures from the Season and the Ton. In Always Be My Duchess, Neve is a ballet dancer who has come to London to earn money to help provide for her and her sister back in France. She encounters Lord Lysander Blackstone, Duke of Montecroix saving him from a bandit of pickpockets late one night. In need of a lady to escort to a ball the next night, Stone makes Neve an offer she can't refuse!

This loose retelling of Pretty Woman contained a few of my favorite tropes: grumpy/sunshine paired with a fake dating situation wrapped up with witty banter and quirky side characters. Always Be My Duchess is the first book in the Taming of the Dukes series. You can count me in for book 2!

Rating: R for language and sexual content
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

Love this historical romance with a ballerina heroine - not something I see often! The author's note is well worth a read as well. The characters were strongly developed, and I loved watching their walls come down and them letting each other in. The set ups for the side characters have me very excited for the rest of this series!

An enjoyable delight. Always Be My Duchess is the first in the new Taming the Dukes series. Lord Lysander Blackstone, the Duke of Montcroix meets Miss Genevieve Valery one evening. She is a ballerina and looking for work. She has returned to England from France after a titled man hurt her sister and blocked her dancing for rebuffing his advances. Lysander proposes an arrangement where she poses as his fiancé for two months. Being a soon to be family man instead of the stone workaholic he is known as will give him the edge he needs for his next business deal. The money she will make will set up her and her sister in starting a dance school.

This is a very typical fake relationship, close proximity troupe. It is extra fun as it is a loose retailing of Pretty Woman. Unlike the movie she is not a prostitute but is instead the daughter of a titled Viscount whose family disowned him for marrying beneath him. After the deaths of her parents she has turned to dance to support her and her sister. Lysander is interesting too as he is neurodivergent. (His condition isn’t diagnosed or named because it wouldn’t have been known at the time.) Genevieve loves to watch him process things.

One of the best things in the book is the female friend group who eventually decide on The Queens Club as their name. I’m sure the other members of the group will be featured in future books in the series. This is a steamy, fun, romp and is a breeze to read. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

Thanks to @readforeverpub for an advance copy of Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard, out July 12th!

When @andkellyreads shared this on her stories and I saw that it was pitched as Pretty Woman meets Bridgerton, I had to request it. I simply had to.

We stan an author’s note at the start of the book with content warnings/explanations and I’m glad this is becoming more normalized!

I will say that I don’t think that the comparison to Pretty Woman is apt…..like, at all. I read @aliciaclarereads review after reading and heartily agree with her assertion that the book sidesteps dealing with sex work pretty much entirely. If you’re looking for a movie comparison, I felt it was much more like The Wedding Date, which also has fake dating after a character experiences a breakup as a central trope. It’s giving “I’d rather fight with you than make love with anyone else.”

I took a lil reading break at 46% so it didn’t keep me riveted - Genevieve and Lysander’s story definitely takes a while to unfold - and while I ended up enjoying it, it won’t be making my yearly favorites. The Queens Club was my favorite element, which is fun because Always Be My Duchess clearly lays the groundwork for further books in the series. NGL, I’m excited to see Vesper tied up in knots over this mystery man!

What to know:
-Neurodivergent MMC
-Starchy Duke, feisty dancer
-Fake dating

CW: ableism, verbal abuse, loss of a loved one, sexual content

High stakes meet cute when running from footpads, Lysander and Neve have an instant connection. He hires her to pretend to his escort for an evening (which then turns into the rest of the season). He's cold and doesn't show emotion well, prioritizing business over relationships. Neve is just trying to survive and care for her injured sister, without sacrificing her integrity. The level of angst and longing and realizations of love in this book are so good!