What a delightful book!! I really enjoyed Amalie Howard's second book in the Taming of the Duke series.
This book can definitely be read as a stand-alone, so for those who haven't read the first, don't feel like you need to go read it in order to enjoy this one! (but do go read it because it is excellent!)

This childhood friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, second chance, Neurodivergent rep is wonderful, not only in the love story and the HEA, but also in the social issues that are touched on in the book that give light to Regency life being far more than balls and teas and soirees.
I love that Vesper defies social norms to go and support those in need. I love how Greydon is determined to undermine his mother in light of what she did to her husband and Greydon's father.

Howard continues to write fantastic books with humour, fill it with love and also emphasize the importance of friendships.

Love this book and will continue to read more by her!

Out Tuesday (11/14)! [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC to review!]

Rating: 4/5 stars

Lady Vesper is a matchmaker who has sworn off love for herself, but the return of her first love turned nemesis may just have her rethinking everything.

I adored ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS last year, so this one was one of my most anticipated books of the year. It was super cute and such a fun historical romance with great elements of feminism, found family, and mental health/neurodivergence rep!

This is also a loose retelling of Clueless (which is a loose retelling of Emma)—I’m not overly familiar with either but fans will probably spot a lot of parallels!

Also, if you needed a bit more convincing, there’s a kitten named Cat. You don’t want to miss that, right? Right.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: friends to enemies to lovers; historical feminism; rom com retellings

CW: Mental health; commitment to psychiatric facility; death of parent; sexism; insecurities relating to neurodivergence

The story told in this book was wonderful. I found that the author wrote a great story that was fun and an easy read. I would recommend this book to others.

What an absolutely enjoyable read. I loved this book for its great main characters with wonderful banter, the tension, and not only that, but this makes a comment about the treatment of mental health at the time and women’s place in society during this time. I really enjoyed this book, but also left knowing more about this time period in terms of mental health treatment, which the author speaks about more in the author’s note at the end. This book felt like a quick, fun, romantic read to me. And can I just say again, the banter between the two main characters was great! What a classic enemies to lovers with their bickering that was going on and I loved how that added to the tension they had.

Format - EARC (Netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶

Series- Taming of the Dukes #2

Troupes- Childhood Friends to enemies to lovers, Opposites attract, forced proximity, brothers best friend

Representation- ADHD

CW- off page death a parent, threats of institutionalization.

This is my first book by Amelie Howard but it defiantly will not be my last! This series has the potential to be so interesting, impactful and so much fun!

Vesper is a heiress with a neurodivergent brain, undiagnosed in her time she is forced to learn very quickly how to mask her differences and hide them behind a socially acceptable facade in order to fit in. She’s a philanthropic matchmaker with a life long crush on her childhood neighbor and brothers best friend Aspen.

Aspen is a reluctant duke with a love of paleontology, much like Ross from “Friends” it is his whole personality, and while he’s been away his mother has been scheming to have him committed and his best friends little sister is all grown up and seemingly untouchable.

When this two get locked in an addict forced to amuse each other until rescue, all their old long buried feelings come up, and with them lots of hilarious and witty banter!

I love a historical romance with a neurodivergent character! I love the shared history and animosity of old friends who have been pinning for each other, and I love a nerdy hero who is unashamed of his nerdy pursuits! If any of that speaks to you then this book is for you!

First, this book needs some editing. There were numerous words missing, misspellings, or weird grammar.
As for the story, I loved Always Be My Duchess, so I was excited for this, but it fell flat. While Vesper and Aspen were likable enough, their verbal sparring got tiresome. Further, the book seemed to drag at the beginning, and then was too quick at the end (even rushing a plot point).

Friends, enemies and lovers!

Two childhood friends (well Lady Vesper Lyndhurst was challenging and never wanted to be lady anyway) meet some time later at her come out ball where Aspen Drake, the Duke of Greydon, gave her the cut direct! She’s mortified and resolved to always remain cool, dispassionate and unmarried.
Aspen disappears to America hunt dinosaur bones.
Years later Aspen returns to London to upend his mother’s plans to have him declared dead, to see to having his mother’s ward Judith settled, and to uncover the truth of his father being confined to a mental asylum. (Of course there’s a wicked mother figure!)
His reappearance spirals into a standoff between himself and Vesper (whom he calls Viper), a concern for his mother’s ward, and a confrontation with his despicable mother, the Dowager Duchess of Lyndhurst.
The sparks fly and the tension ratchets the two main protagonists, Vesper and Aspen, with some rather steamy moments. Vesper has a reputation as a successful match maker and Aspen persuades her, well challenges her really, to take on presenting Judith to society.
Underneath this romantic historical romp real issues are raised, including mental illness and treatments, women’s suffrage and marriage, women’s sexuality, accessible education for children and charity schools.

A Forever (Grand Central Pub) ARC invitation via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Everything you need to know about how Amalie Howard writes an Enemies to Lovers romance is in how she nicknames her characters. Aspen, our MMC is “Lord Ass” and our FMC Vesper is Lady Viper. This tongue-in-cheek you-drive-me-crazy-but-I-can’t-get-enough-of-you drama that these two knuckleheads put each other through had me laughing, groaning, and definitely sweating 🥵. I haven’t had this much fun with two characters in awhile and absolutely loved the playfulness Vesper and Aspen brought out in each other. This book has some of the best dialogue and Howard will take you from fanning yourself one minute to laughing hysterically the next at the way the MCs interact.

I will say this definitely felt like a slowburn. When you have two people who are VERY strong willed and see each other myopically, it does take a while for them to change their opinions about each other. One thing that never changes is how attracted Vesper and Aspen are to one another, and have been even after many years. The only thing that sometimes got a sigh from me was that everyone sees how much these two should be together except for themselves. I wanted to shake them a little and say, “just bang already!” (Don’t worry, they eventually do!). There’s an oh so hot scene on a billiards table that delivers the heat, and the banter after the first intimate encounter is utter perfection. I loved every minute Lord Ass and Lady Viper were forced to interact due to proximity (oh the locked attic room!) and social rules (all the balls). Amalie Howard definitely knows how to write tension. I can’t wait to see where she goes next in this series. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.5 ⭐️

A fun and entertaining story. Vesper and Aspen are opposites and they definitely attract. Trapped in an attic, the matchmaking goes astray and their journey leads all the way to an unexpected and undeniable love.

4.5 stars

This was so good! Amalie Howard is a new to me author and I like her writing style. I had no idea what to expect with this story so I was thoroughly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.

I loved Vesper and Aspen. They reminded me so much of Kate and Anthony from Bridgerton. Vesper and Aspen are childhood friends. Aspen has been away from his family for awhile now for work and decides to come back home to oversee his responsibilities as Duke. Vesper as an heiress, she is well sought out for her matchmaking skills. I loved their funny banter, sizzling chemistry and verbal sparring. It was never a dull moment with these two. Vesper knew how to rile Aspen up so easily.

The spice was really good too. I laughed and swooned so much. Also I loved the kitten, Cat. She had some funny moments in the book. I also loved how we got a glimpse into Aspen and Vesper's future. I would have liked to see them together as a couple much longer in the story. Overall though I loved it and would recommend!

I had a lot of fun reading this one. I really enjoyed the banter and sass between Vesper and Aspen, and with every interaction, their chemistry just explodes.

I also really loved Vesper's relationship with her family and friends, they accept her for exactly who she is. They are all so supportive of everything she wants to do.

I can't wait to see which one of the friends is going to get their HEA next!

And we're all misfits in our own ways. What matters is whether we find a way to accept who we are, flaws and all.
~
Amalie Howard has done it again. I was so thrilled to be able to grab this early in an ebook, and I will tell you guys right now that you need Vesper and Aspen in your life. And CAT! YOU WILL LOVE CAT! Amalie is my go-to when I want a good historical romance, and this rendition full of nods to Clueless did not disappoint. Vesper drew my attention so much in book one of this standalone series and I am ecstatic that we finally get to see her story. And what a story it was. I feel as though Amalie painted Vesper in a way that so many of us can relate to, the feeling of ourselves not being quite enough or not what society wants and having to put on a mask. And seeing her walls finally come done was a beautiful journey. I implore you guys to pick this one up!
~
One day, Vesper darling, you'll learn that love is the sweetest and most sinister of lies.
~
In this life, things are never certain. If we are given a chance at finding love, we should go after it with everything inside of us because life without love is no life at all.

Never Met a Duke Like You is a Clueless update set in Victorian London. If you are a fan of historical romance and a friends to antagonists to lovers story, with strong found family thrown in, Amalie Howard has written the book for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vesper and Aspen, Duke of Greydon were childhood buddies until they were teens, when their friendship deteriorated. Vesper hasn’t seen the Duke in years, since he’s been traipsing around the world looking for fossils. She’s been spending her time matchmaking for her friends and living life as part of the ton, while secretly supporting charitable works. As soon as she finds Aspen again, though, the pair end up trapped in an attic at his estate. But a few hours of forced proximity shows that their animosity and electric chemistry haven’t disappeared. As they are pushed together again and again, will they be able to ignore their feelings? Or will many, many misunderstandings get in their way?

I have a love hate relationship with Emma/Clueless retellings, and for a while I couldn’t decide which category this book falls into. There is a find line between bickering and just being mean. But I eventually came around to why Vesper and Aspen behave the way they do. It’s understandable that Vesper hides her true interests from everyone but those closest to her; the price for not being seen as a proper lady is high. I also found the experience with asylums interesting, and how Aspen’s father’s experience shaped his life.

The pace picks up once Vesper starts going after what she wants. And Aspen’s attempts to woo her after making some mistakes are a lot of fun. My favorite part, though, are Vesper and Aspen’s friends and their role as a supportive found family, who can also share hard truths when their friends need a reality check.

Never Met a Duke Like You is an interesting take on Clueless, and definitely one worth reading. Amalie Howard creates intriguing characters, and I can’t wait to see whose story is up next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

** 2.5 Stars Rounded Up **

So, it isn’t often that a book gets me this worked up and aggravated – especially when I had such high hopes for it. I seriously considered giving it one star, but I did like Vesper (Lady Viper) and Aspen (Lord Ass). I’ve looked through the reviews and mine is in the minority, so I assume what bothered me didn’t bother others. To each his own. This book contained one of the vilest, most heinous, hateful, wretched, miserable, unrepentant villains I’ve read – believe me when I tell you it is really vile – and they are basically given a free pass. What they did would have seen anyone else hanged – yet – this villain will still live in the lap of luxury, and be revered and respected by society – basically, not much punishment at all – especially given what they did and what they tried to do. Another thing that put me off was that it was so highly improbable.

Vesper and Aspen had grown up together and were fast friends – until she grew up and he saw her at her come-out ball. His tongue hung from his mouth and he was totally speechless. Losing his total thoughts caused him to just turn his back and walk away from her – which, of course, meant he gave her the cut-direct. Since he was a young, very marriageable Duke at the time, that ruined her season – and her feelings for him. Shortly afterward, he left England. However, he’s finally returned to England to assure the world he is very much alive and well.

Aspen never plans to marry – he’s seen his parents’ marriage and he wants no part of anything like it. While his libido functions perfectly, he doesn’t want any woman anywhere close to him regularly – they all seem to be like his viperous mother and he can’t stand her. Yet, when he comes face-to-face with Vesper again – the draw is still there.

I enjoyed the banter between Vesper and Aspen as well as the fact that they had been childhood friends. I thought they made a good couple and I enjoyed them getting together and him discovering more about who she really is. However, this just isn’t the book I thought it would be from the blurb. I thought it would be an errant duke finally deciding to come home, set his estates right, and settle down to his duty with the right woman by his side. His estates didn’t appear to be in serious financial difficulties and he made more than enough to increase his coffers by a simple off-hand investment. What I thought the author handled well was the delicate topic of mental health in the Victorian period. Being committed by force was a very common thing in that period and I thought the author did a good job of researching the topic and I liked the author’s notes. It just wasn’t the story I was looking forward to and I would not read it a second time. From other reviews, I’m sure it will appeal to other historical romance readers, it just didn’t appeal to this one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is pretty, popular and secretly nursing a broken heart. Once upon a time, she fell in love with her best friend and neighbor, Aspen Drake but a falling out when they were children and his shabby treatment of her during her debut, followed by his departure from England, effectively quashed any hope she might have still held for a happily ever after with him. But instead of turning her back on romance, she has embraced her love of love and plays matchmaker for her friends. She is happy with her lot in life, content to be a spinster, and dedicate herself to charitable works and match-making. But when Aspen returns and asks her help in finding a match for his ward, how can she say no, even if he is still an arrogant ass.

Aspen Drake, the Duke of Greydon has reluctantly returned to England after spending years in America leading archaeological digs. He knows he has neglected his duties for too long, but the loss of his father and his mother’s betrayal cut him deeply and kept him away. But upon learning the duchess planned to have him declared dead, he was finally forced to return and now he is on a mission, to find the proof of his mother’s evilness and to change the Lunacy Acts that made it too easy for her to carry out her dastardly plan. He has a plan, he has goals and he won’t be distracted, but when he finds himself trapped in an attic with her he realizes several things, she is even more beautiful than she had been the last time he saw her, she is even more annoying and he is in trouble.

Sigh, I had high hopes for this book, since Emma is my favorite Jane Austen book and I love a good retelling. Sadly, this book fell short for me. Personally, I felt that there was too much modern verbiage, too many contemporary ideals, and miscommunications to make this an enjoyable historical read. And don’t even get me started on the fact that the villainess wasn’t punished anywhere close to enough. But those things aside, I will give the author credit for taking on difficult issues and I found that part of the book to be well-researched and handled appropriately. I also enjoyed the snarky banter between Vesper and Aspen, the steamyish love scenes as well as the author's notes. Overall, it wasn’t the story I hoped for and not a book I would read again, but I didn’t hate it and I’m sure it would appeal to many HR readers. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title.

2.5 stars, rounded up.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Never Met a Duke Like You was ok. It has some good points, such as the women supporting each other, the mental health history and neurodiversity. The banter was good at times too, but I had a hard time connecting to the story. A good deal of the conflict could have been solved by a discussion or two. The MMC’s tendency for riling up the FMC for his enjoyment left a bad taste in my mouth. It’s not a horrible book, but it’s not one that left me enthused either.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a fun Emma retelling! While this is the second in the Taming of the Dukes series, it's a standalone that had me invested in the characters from the start!
Vesper was independent and strong and had such great ideas and it was a shame that she had to hide so much of herself to be accepted by the ton. Aspen was a little broody and determined to make changes to ensure what happened to his family would never happen again, he didn't come home to fall in love with his childhood best friend!I loved Vesper and Aspen's dynamic - their's was clearly a relationship where EVERYONE ELSE could tell they were in love with each other while they hovered in denial and instead just saw how many of the other's buttons they could push. While the villain didn't get their due in my opinion, it explained a lot about the way Aspen treats Vesper until they finally break down all those walls and stop having all the miscommunication. Overall, this was a great regency romance with great characters and I can't wait to see how the rest of the Dukes series goes! 
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was fun! Even though it was a bit dark at times, I did laugh quite a few times and the banter/chemistry between Aspen and Vesper was on fire from basically their first meeting!!

I loved how they bickered and their bickering was actually flirting and everyone around them was like “why don’t you stop, but also get a room!”

I think I would have loved it even more if we got any glimpses of them from the past since it was clear they fell in love when they were younger and then drifted apart because of reasons.

This is a very mixed emotions story of two adults who were childhood friends until a bad breakup. Interestingly, each keeps his/her actions and emotions under tight control for different reasons. Vesper follows the strict rules of society to keep herself from ruinous spontaneity in speech and actions. Aspen controls his emotions and demeanor very carefully to protect himself from his mother. This is actually a very lively story despite all the care taken as Lady Vesper and Lord Aspen live to antagonize each other. Or Lady Viper and Lord Ass, as they refer to each other.

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is beautiful, clever, and popular. Afforded every luxury as a duke’s daughter, she fills her days with friends, intrigues, and a self-professed knack for matchmaking. She may have sworn off love for herself, but she is rather excellent at arranging. Faced with an insolvent estate, the Duke of Greydon has no choice but to return to England in a final attempt to revive his family’s fortunes. He’s been gone for years, happy to have escaped his mother and the petty circles of the ton. To his dismay, not much has changed, including the beautiful and vexing heiress next door. They are meant for each other but they don't know it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no means affects my opinion of this book..