My first by this author - this was a fun gender swapped, Pretty Woman inspired story!
I enjoyed the nature of the romance because I love a starchy MMC and a vivacious and fun FMC. We love to see the MMC just come undone. A perfect amount of steam, and still lighthearted enough for me because I don’t always want the high end of the angst scale.
Also - the background baes!!!! Excited to see where this series goes!

This was an average book for me. It was entertaining and kept me engaged, but after reading it I wasn’t dying to gush about it and generally forgot about it alrogether. Overall a fun but unmemorable read!

I really enjoyed this book as I have most of Howard's and hope the series continues! I liked the meet cute!

I loved this book so much. I fell in love with both characters and their journeys as individuals and as a couple. I thought the storytelling was very compelling and enticed me all the way through. It had beautiful romantic moments, as well as great comedic timing, and I could sense the points which were inspired by Pretty Woman. I look forward to continuing this series and happily anticipate the next installment, where I will hopefully also get glimpses of Neve and Lysander's relationship after this story has ended.

This book was Pretty Woman meets Bridgerton - two of my favorite movies/series! I loved how powerful and confident Neve's character was and how she didn't take sh*t from anyone, including those that controlled her career. I also loved how the Duke wasn't put off by her wit and strong mind, but was attracted by it. He respected her opinions and made her feel heard during a time where women were just used a means to have children. This book was also very spicy and made reading it even more enjoyable.

I've always had a weak spot for historical romances, and Amalie Howard's always hit the spot when I've got an itch that needs scratching. ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS feels like classic Amalie - it's passionate, swoon-worthy in the romance, has a great storyline and characters, good chemistry, and all the banter between the MMC and FMC that I could possibly want.

I should point out that if you're looking for something historically accurate, you may wish to look elsewhere - there's definitely contemporary influence here, but I feel like that's what adds to the book's charm.

Super fun and easy read! Amalie never disappoints :)

this book had some Bridgerton vibes!! it is living rent FREE in my head, and it’s so good. the spice, the pining, the plot…. i really enjoyed reading about Lysander & Genevèive (also the names?! amazing in itself!!)

i haven’t really done a historical romance before, but let me tell you, this book sold me on them!!

This isn't the first "feminist victorian romance" book I've read, and I enjoyed it. Fake dating is one of my favourite romance tropes, and I thought Neve and Montcroix's chemistry was fantastic.

What an amazing book, absolutely did not disappoint! I am such a sucker for enemies to lovers, and this was a great one. The storyline felt real, and relatable in so many ways!

Highly recommend

I’ve always been a great fan of period romances, and this is absolutely no exception. A steamy enemies to lovers romance with a historical play on the fake dating trope, Always Be My Duchess was a light and fun read with an intriguing writing style that utilized language of the time period in a way that was both engaging and entertaining.
I can’t say the relationship between the two leads was instantly romantic by any means, but it was certainly charged from the start, complete with banter and flirtation from the get go. While the two were a compelling pair and easy to root for, those beginning moments did come off a bit strong, but I am never one to complain about good old fashioned sexual tension— and in a high stakes chase, no less.
Both leads were so engaging and relatable in their own ways. Opposites attracted and I am greatly attracted to both of them, so what does that say about me?
I’m definitely looking forward to reading the rest of this series and seeing what else the universe and author have to offer, and I would absolutely recommend this fun, fresh, and flirty romance.

I love a grumpy hero! So Lysander was perfect. And I can't remember ever reading a historical where the FMC is a ballerina. Loved it. I also loved that this book made me slow down and enjoy it. I loved the couple's back and forth and the angst.

this had so much potential but was just way too drawn out and boring, I had high hopes as I have enjoyed other Amalie books in the past but this one was not for me

This book is just fantastic. It's billed as an ode to 90's rom coms, Pretty Woman meets Bridgerton, but I would throw in a touch of Center Stage as well. Nève is one of my favorite heroines I've read so far this year, she's the perfect match to the seemingly stoney hearted Lysander "Stone" Blackstone, Duke of Montcroix. Their banter, the tension between them? Whewie, it's amazing the pages on this book don't burn up when you read it.

It does touch on some potentially distressing subjects (mostly alluded to or off page), but I loved Amalie's author's note at the front letting the reader know.

Really enjoyed this one! I’m glad I listened to the audiobook because Mary Jane Wells can make ANY story come alive. This was funny and romantic; I’m always a sucker for a cold Duke. I will say there was too much chatting during the sex scenes (pls don’t make small talk in the middle of sex) and I wasn’t the biggest fan of the heroine. Overall a good start to a new series!

Technically I had an ARC of this, but I got the audiobook from the library instead.

Geneviève Valery's feistiness and Lysander Blackstone's steeliness are a great combination and perfectly matched The premise that brings them together is somewhat generic, but it soon gives way to a passionate love story. Geneviève's dance backstory could have used some restraint, but the nod to classic Heathcliff about Lysander was a nice touch. The epilogue is unneeded as it ended on a perfect note.

This was so cute! I've been reading a lot of heavier books recently, so I really wanted something that was light, cute, steamy, and well-written. This checked off all the boxes! I was invested in the relationship between Lysander and Nève, which is understandably what makes a romance for me. The progression of their relationship felt really natural and lovely, past their physical attraction for each other. I'm never a fan of the third act conflict, but that's not really this story's fault as it's a pretty classic romance trope. The character development was satisfying, and overall it gave me happy, fluffy feelings which is what I was looking for. I finished it in two sittings, and couldn't put it down. I'll definitely be reading more by Amalie Howard.

The hype of this book is there for a reason. This is to a point, nostalgic. It's the retelling (in a very historical romance way) of Pretty Woman. Full of spice, laughs, banter and love. I absolutely adored this book. I had so much fun reading it, laughing out loud and getting concerned looks from the husband, swooning over them, etc. Give the book a chance. That's all you need to do.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity.

I read the first 30% of the book and picked it up many times over a two month period but unfortunately I found it wasn’t retaining my interest.

I love the premise of a Pretty Women meets Bridgerton experience, but I found it to be unnecessarily wordy and some of the modern language didn’t belong in the story in my opinion and kind of pulled me from the scenes. I didn’t find the characters had compelling chemistry, and unfortunately I wasn’t able to continue reading the book. Historical fiction is not one of my go-to genres, so this book was pushed me out of my comfort zone… but I think readers that enjoy historical fiction may feel differently about the book!

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. Receiving an ARC did not impact my thoughts, feelings and comments on the book.

Amalie Howard does it again! This is an instalove with money for companionship read. I am thrilled that her hero is neurodivergent. Her heroine is spectacular and a beautiful foil to the hero.

Lord Lysander "Stone" Blackstone is pragmatic and sensible. Numbers, business, and calculated risks are his bread and butter. He is (unsurprisingly) very single and happy about it... Until a potential business opportunity could slip through his fingers without him "settling down."

Genevieve "Neve" Valery is an out of work ballerina who desperately needs funds to pay rent and her sister's medical bills. Aftering rescuing Lysander from theives in Covent Garden, he proposes she help him for one night to secure his business deal. One night turns into months, and the flames of passion run high for these two.

Their banter from the start is scathing in the best way possible. There is a lot to unpack for these characters, as they each have their own baggage to deal with. Lysander has been misunderstood his whole life, and Neve has reasons to be feisty and desires to live free.

This is a wonderful read. I was truly transported into their world and lives. There are some endearing grand gestures as part of the ruse and, later, as groveling.

Well worth reading!

I really wanted to love this book, and for the most part I did really enjoy it. The humor and the banter were phenomenal. The pining and tension burned through the pages. The plot was intriguing and the characters so easy to fall in love with.

My one issue with it is the resolution. Lysander was written to be nuerodiverse, an aspect that made me even more excited to read it. And Amalie did such a great job coding him. My problem, is that even though Genevieve came to love him, it seemed to be *inspite* of his brain being different. And at the end, when he didn’t react in the way she wanted him to, because that’s just not how his brain works, she blamed it all on him, taking none of it herself. HE was the one who had to apologize, who everyone was told was in the wrong, when all he did was react the only way he knew how. It felt very patronizing and damaging toward people who might think and act the way he does. I wish he had been shown more Grace. I wish they would have talked instead of her blaming him and him being forced to grovel while she was the gracious one and “forgave” him for his wrong doings. This is made even worse by the fact that Amalie is not nuerodiverse herself, and wrote Lysander this way for her ND son, hoping for a world with more acceptance for ND people, while writing a story that ended in the only ND character needing to change himself to be worthy of the MC’s love.

I will definitely read the next books in this series, because Amalie’s writing is beautiful and her characters are so much fun. But I hope she heard and took in some of the feedback about the way she handled Lysander into consideration if she decides to write another ND character in the future.