This is a pretty one-to-one retelling of Pretty Woman, swapping out a sex worker for a ballerina (who, yes, historically could likely have been a sex worker but this one is not) and therefore saving the author the complicated work of having a sex worker heroine. It's fine! It's a fine book. I didn't always buy the chemistry, and Lysander is kind of a flat character.

There were two elements where I think Howard was making an attempt at increasing representation in the novel that really didn't work for me. In the author's note and, like, three brief statements in the book, there are allusions to the fact that Lysander is neurodivergent. None of that is ever explored, and honestly I'm tired of this kind of disingenuous representation where someone is *insert marginalized identity* simply because the author states that they are once and it's not ever brought up or thought about. Something similar happens when Neve and Lysander discuss children - her periods are irregular from dance, which is a real thing! But it feels yucky to be like "oh my periods are irregular because I'm soooooo slim and slender from ballet" and not because "I work really hard to keep my body at both peak performance and peak aesthetics and sometimes that means I don't nourish myself adequately," you know?

Anyways, I suppose those are maybe minor issues. But I do feel like they're worth bringing up. I think a lot of people will enjoy this book - I just like others of hers more.

Genevieve is a passionate ballerina trying to find work in London in an effort to support her injured sister. Lysander is a seemingly cold-hearted duke who fears showing any emotion and is totally focused on business in an effort to prove to his now-dead father that he is not a worthless idiot. They meet when she saves him from a sketchy situation when he's lost in an unsavory part of town. And then the sparks fly between them. He persuades her to have a fake engagement so that he can close a business deal that will enable him to move ahead building a railroad, totally denying the chemistry that exists. She accepts the contract because she needs the money offered, but refuses to become a mistress/bought woman because she's seen too many other dancers get burned in that situation. The strong, well-drawn characters and peek into the world of dance are wonderful and how this self-possessed woman and self-doubting man grow stronger together makes for a very satisfying story.

I was provided an ARC by NetGalley for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

I WAS DELIGHTED by this regency romance. I have been looking for something that was equally romantic and funny, and set in in regency times. It was a little later, than for example the Bridgertons, (more towards later in the 1800s) but it didn't disappoint with wit, romance and lovable characters.

The story follows a french ballerina, Neve and a cold, heartless duke, Lysander (Duke of Montrcroix). They met under special circumstances, and after she lost her job, and was in desperate need of income, and the duke was looking to portray himself as a family man, he hires her to portray as her fiance. And let me tell you, fake dating is one of my FAVORITE tropes in the history.

It took me about 5 chapters to really get into the story. I wanted the funny moments right away, and I was thinking maybe the book wasn't gonna scratch the itch for my regency novels that I have been trying to find. But quickly after we mett the Hellfire Kitties....(you will know when you read), everything just went up from there. I found myself captivated by the friends dynamic. A group of misfit women, in these times, so strong, capable and wanting more for ther sex than what was socially accepted.

Genevive, was a very outspoken, true to herself and with a beautiful outlook in life. i found myself rooting for her right away. i adore when sisters do anything for each other, and her doing whatever she could for her sister, while still maintaing her morals was inspiring. The Duke was also someone I loved, (his neurodivergent representation was great) and of course with a past that was haunting and not letting himself enjoy everything life was offering him, but content with it, until he met Neve. I loved seeing his journey of growth, it took him so much to open his heart but once he did, it was her forever.

Trope found in this book:
-Fake dating
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Found family
-Different social standing

Vesper freaking stole the show, and I DESPERETALEY NEED her story and Briar with the duke's BFF because we know that is happening. So needless to say I cannot wait for the rest of the books. (i may be assuming that is the direction where this is going).

Special thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of Always Be My Duchess.

I LOVE Bridgerton and Downtown Abbey so I knew I had to read this book (plus the cover was eye catching). Im a sucker for a good rom-com too; this book definitely has Bridgeton vibes with Pretty women type trope. Our MC Ne've is rejected by multiple ballet companies and is force to join a foreign company - cue music and hot man.....as he happens up Duke Lysander. Ne've helps him out of a tough situation during a business deal. They both need work - she helps him by posing as his pretend date to the ball, leading to a pretend engagement....but "false feelings" turn into more....releases in July - good summer read!

I have been so pleased to read several books of late with very strong female characters, and this one was no exception. I loved how even though the female lead was poor and had to do a job she was not proud of, she still maintained her independence and dignity. I'm not sure how realistic that would have been for the time, but it sounded like she had paid the price for this behavior at other points, so perhaps some women did behave in this way at the time. Either way, it totally worked for the story, and I very much enjoyed it.

This book was a fun treat! I loved it! It was a good reset after I read a heavier book. It kept me flipping pages well past my bedtime!!

A historical romance with the flair of a 90s romcom, yes please. Grumpy sunshine, arrangement of convenience, a neurodivergent male main character, & all the spice. Loved this book!

This was fine. I liked the story, but it didn't really do that much for me. I thought parts of it were really cute, but nothing really stuck out to me as being great. The best part of this for me was definitely the female friend group and I will definitely continue with this series to read each of their stories.

I’m not usually a fan of historical books, but this one won me over. The main characters were so developed and I liked them right from the start. I loved Neve’s bravery and her determination to survive and do what she loves. I loved Lysander’s humanness, how he could have chosen to be lazy or cruel due to his upbringing and status, but he didn’t. The push and pull between these two was so well written. And I loved the group of friends Neve makes, I so hope this becomes a series and they all get their own books! I started and finished this book in one day, it was a very enjoyable read. I received an ARC from netgalley, and this is my honest review.

This is the first book in a new series and I look forward to the books that follow! I thought Lysander and Neve were a great couple who had chemistry from the start. I liked that they both had artistic passions and were strong in their beliefs. Their banter was quite enjoyable and the sex hot! The secondary characters are fun too. There was a little too much angst toward the end, but not enough to ruin it. Overall a fun read.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was really into this book until the 85% mark, then I was just so stunned and couldn’t recover. The beginning of the book was romantic and interesting. Nève was obviously a very strong female considering the time period and not ashamed of her station as a ballerina. She was also a kind, understanding, and loyal woman. She comes to understand that Lysander has some social and emotional difficulties and is supportive of him. Then suddenly, when she and Lysander are thrust into a situation that would be very difficult for Lysander to navigate, she suddenly gets upset that he does not say the exact perfect thing and acts irrationally. What happened to the woman who was strong and confident and understood Lysander’s social difficulties?! Then she turns their friends against him?! You can be a feminist AND have some compassion and understanding. So frustrating. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

If you're looking for a cure to your Bridgerton hangover, this is it.

I love more modern historical romances that omit many of the prejudices and standards of society at the time, and this one is perfection! I was a bit wary of the Pretty Woman comparison, thinking that the class differences would be a major point of conflict, but I was glad to be proven wrong.

Summary
Nève is a former member of the French aristocracy who's families financial misfortune led to their downfall. Nève, who's is left alone with her ailing sister, is an out-of-work ballerina supporting the both of them. She comes to London looking for work, but is unfortunately out of luck. But one night, after saving a drunk Duke in the wrong side of town from a group of men, her luck turns around when he offers her a large sum of money in exchange for her posing as his fiancée. Lysander Blackstone, Duke of Montcroix is a stern and successful man who keeps others at a distance due to past betrayals. This has always worked in his favour, but the acquisition of a new property depends on him proving to the owner that he's a family man. Never one to back down from something he wants, when he's saved by Nève, he proposes an arrangement that will be of great benefit to them both; he gets to buy the property and continue expanding his wealth, and Nève gets enough money to pay for her sister's expenses and open a dance studio to keep them afloat. All they have to do is pretend to be engaged for a few nights, and convince the ton that they are happily in love. But real feelings come into play as their time together is coming to an end.

Thoughts
I've been reading more historical romance than normal lately, and if this genre is anything, it's consistent in the type of stories it tells. I feel like most authors try to stay true to history, but that usually involves just having all white, aristocratic characters. And similarly, there isn't much variety in terms of what stories are being told. I think that Bridgerton (the show), really opened up the possibility of expanding the defining features of historical romance. Namely, that it doesn't have to reflect the society of the time, it can be more inclusive. If we can ignore that most rakes probably had syphilis - and gave it to their poor wives - then we can pretend that society, and the aristocracy, were diverse in race and more accepting of those from different classes. Always Be Duchess does just that. Howard has created a world which is diverse and doesn't shy away from characters of all different backgrounds, although the main couple is white. This is the first historical romance that has included diversity and it made the story so much more enjoyable. Even the side characters stood out from one another and had rich characteristics that helped them stand out.

I really enjoyed this story, especially because we got to see some of the struggles Nève faced as someone in the working class, who was vulnerable to the exploitation of others and was navigating the world on her own after being raised in the aristocracy. I liked reading about her independence a lot as women in historical fiction are often reliant on the men in their life, one way or another. The main reason as to why I'm not giving this book 5 stars is that I feel like Lysander's neurodivergency could have been explained better. I felt like it was kind of hinted at and swept to the side, but it was never clear what his disorder was. I understand that at the point in history there wasn't a name for it, but I feel like it should been included in the author's note - I assume she's alluding to him being on the autism spectrum - but Howard just skirted around giving an actual name for it. This left me feeling confused after finishing the book, when the reader should be left with a sense of satisfaction, happiness, or another positive emotion upon closing the novel.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to new historical romance lovers, and also old ones looking to get something new out of the genre.

Rating: 4.5/5
Spice: 1.5/5

Characteristics
- Historical romance
- Fake engagement
- Duke/ballerina
- Neurodiverse H
- Victorian era
- Third person, duel pov

Thank you Netgalley!

Trope: fake engagement

Always Be My Duchess is the first book to a new series: Taming The Dukes. This book was entertaining, funny, and I look forward to the reading the next book in this series. I love it when opposites attract, and seeing their relationship buid up was so satisfying. Neve and Stone faked a relationship for self gains but end the end fall hard hard. . For her it was for money that she desperately needed. For him it was to ward off all the match making mamas but it was also to paint a picture in the eyes of the ton. Especially to a landowner who wouldn't budge selling a peice property to him. The landowner wanted to see his property sold off to someone who would live and raise a family there. It's what his late wife wanted and he wants to honor it her wishes. Therefore Neve and Stone fake a engagement. While faking everything their feelings become reality, and they fall deeply in love. I highly recommend this book if you want to laugh, and to witness two stubborn characters fall madly in love.

Our story begins with a desperate and drunk duke lost in the streets of London who happens upon a ballerina. After being chased through the streets of London by a gang of drunken locals and forced into hiding in a very, very tight alley they discover they work well together! Maybe they can help each other through some special circumstances?!

This is your classic fake dating/fake fiance love story mixed with a bit of feisty sunshine/grump trope. The storyline hinted at ties to Pretty Woman, but not so much that interrupted the authenticity of the story or at any point got annoying. This was such a fun read with lovable main and side characters. I really appreciated the dimension that Amalie Howard gave to her main characters and how they provided different perspectives on their passions.

I highly recommend this story, it is definitely worth a read!

This arc was kindly provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Beautifully written story. It was nice that the author put in the effort into discussing Stones inner struggles and emotions. You don’t often see it written in books like that. The development of other characters is a sneak peek as to what’s to come from this author….I hope!

This book is so cute. A Victorian Pretty Woman. I love the fake dating trope. An “emotionless” duke faking dating a witty ballerina? Umm yes, please. I love the way Amalie describe the characters and scenes. I can’t wait for the sequel.

After being rejected by several companies, Parisian ballerina Nève is left with no options for employment in this foreign country. A chance encounter with Lysander Blackstone, the Duke of Montcroix, one night leads to an opportunity she can't refuse. The Duke asks Nève to pretend to be his fiancée to help with a deal he is trying to make in exchange for the money she desperately needs to help support herself and her sister. As Nève and Lysander spend time together, they begin to fall for each other even though each of them have reasons to resist their connection.

The synopsis of this book begins with "Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons" - Um, YES, PLEASE! I didn't even read the rest of the synopsis, I just went ahead and requested the book. I know I am not alone in being a huge fan of both Pretty Woman and Bridgertons so I know this book is going to be very popular.

Retellings are tricky. You don't want the same exact story, but you also want your beloved story to be recognizable in the retelling. There were many recognizable pieces that made me feel nostalgic for all the hundred times I've watched Pretty Woman. The dress on the cover for one. And there were also many snippets of dialogue that was very similar to dialogue in the movie. I thought this retelling was done very well and I was delighted to be able to read a Pretty Woman story set in the Regency era.

Just like in the movie, the chemistry between Nève and Lysander was clear from the start. They had an exciting and interesting first encounter and Amalie Howard brought the steamy tension in that first scene. As their relationship progressed, they began to connect on other levels and that made their eventual physical coupling even more enjoyable. They had fiery and passionate sexual chemistry and their interactions were delectably sensual!

This was a delightful, fun, witty, and swoon-worthy fake engagement historical romance that I really enjoyed!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: mention of child abuse & death of a parent

What a fun read! I was definitely getting Bridgerton vibes while reading and I had no complaints! There’s nothing I enjoy more in a rom com than great banter and this book had it in excellent abundance! My favorite trope is grumpy/sunshine and this story delivered!! I loved it!!

This was such an unexpected, fun read for me! I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this one but WOW I loved it!

I love a good grump/sunshine trope & the banter was just so entertaining. Plus, the friendship between the women was so much fun!

I couldn’t put this one down!

Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and Forever, it was such a fun read!

The historical Pretty Woman/Pygmalion inspired romp of my dreams!
This was seriously so good. Lysander, our hero, is so starchy! But when the gloves come off? Woowee was that man on fire.
Lysander hires Genevieve, ballerina and ray of sunshine, to be his fake fiancé to get everyone off his back about settling down. What ensues is opposites attract, starchy hero, grumpy/sunshine, class difference, steamy deliciousness that I devoured in one sitting! Absolute 5 star read!

CW: past parental abuse, parental loss, fertility issues