If you're a fan of Bridgerton or Clueless then Never Met a Duke Like You is for you.

This novel is an Emma retelling of sorts with a matchmaker for the ton who is hired by her ex, who is also her great enemy, to help his cousin find a suitor. Their bickering reminds me a lot of Anthony and Kate from Bridgerton, more the show than the book. I absolutely loved this book and the fierceness of Lady Vesper Lyndhurst and how the Duke of Greydon loves that quality about her.

I haven't read Amalie Howard's previous book in this series, Always Be My Duchess, but I will be remedying that in the future. Obviously these books can easily be read out of order and enjoyed.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

I can always count on Amalie Howard to deliver a heartfelt romance that will make you swoon while also shining a light on different topics that are often avoided in historical romance. As soon as I started reading Aspen and Vesper's story, I quickly became obsessed with their witty repertoire and hate-to-love-you antics that slowly evolved into heated kisses and undeniable sexual tension. Both Aspen and Vesper struggled to hide their emotions as they feared that any outbursts or vulnerabilities could be used against them. However, it was their pride and stubborn resolve that caused them the most strife as they each fought against the inevitability of their attraction for both selfish and noble reasons.

I cannot even describe how much I enjoyed following along as Aspen and Vesper slowly and finally admitted their true feelings towards one another! As many of their close friends pointed out, it seemed as though everyone but Aspen and Vesper could recognize the longing and admiration behind each of their heated exchanges, and I loved seeing their explosive interactions when they finally succumbed to their desires. Aspen was adorable even through his oafish behavior while I enjoyed Vesper's tenacity despite her cavalier attitude. I honestly loved these two so much, and I cannot wait for the rest of the Hellfire Kitties' stories🖤

Tropes: frenemies-to-lovers, secondchance romance, scholarly hero, misunderstood heroine, hate-to-love-you, "it's always been you" vibes, witty banter, matchmaker heroine, scorned hero, found family, slow burn, STEAMY🔥

Loved the premise but was disappointed by the execution.
Always Be My Duchess was one of my favorite romances when it came out so I was super excited to get to read this book. Unfortunately it just didn’t captivate me. The beginning was very slow paced and seemed drawn out. I also couldn’t get on board with the romance. I liked the trope but couldn’t understand what happened in the past to make them dislike each other in the present. I think we needed more context. The banter they had was good and I liked their nicknames for each other. However those things weren’t enough to make me swoon. I was also not a fan of their names.
I thought the villain needed more punishment. It felt like justice wasn’t done and she got to live happily ever after which left a sour taste in my mouth.
Overall, had high hopes but was disappointed. Perhaps the next one will be better.

I really enjoyed the first of this series but this one was not my favorite. May be a case of right book wrong time. I didn’t love either character and didn’t find myself desperate to pick this back up. This won’t deter me fr picking up another Amalie Howard book however

Wow did I love this book, historical romances can be a hit or miss for me. However, this one was phenomenal for me, and I loved reading this book. Vesper and Aspen are childhood friends turned enemies after Aspen rejected Vesper and their friendship never recovered. Aspen is back in town and they find themselves always together for their friends or own events, and the chemistry that flows between them cannot be ignored.

The spice is so good and placed so well for a historical book, the banter is some of the best I’ve read this year, and the characters are so easy to root for! I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Vesper and Aspen were fire! It was a little slow for me at first, but as soon as Aspen got super irritated with the feelings he had for her (which had been going on for so, so many years) I really got into this story. Aspen knew there was more to this girl than met the eye, and she was so selfless. Vesper was a matchmaker to all of her friends but never wanted love for herself. It was clear that no man would ever live up to the void that Aspen left when they were kids. They were the only one's for each other and it was clear that no one else measured up. Their chemistry was scorching and their banter was on point. Aspen annoyed me a bit at first fighting feelings he clearly had, but as soon as he gave in, I was all in on them.
Thank you to Forever, Amalie Howard and Netgalley for an early copy.

Review copy kindly provided through NetGalley but the honest review below is all mine.

I'm a huge stan of Amalie Howard's books but this one just didn't hit for me. This is a childhood friend's, to antagonists, to lovers story based on Emma/Clueless. I am just not super fond of the matchmaking scenarios and the MC's really weren't working for me. This is definitely not the books fault but certainly a me thing.

I did like their needling of each other back and forth but the rest I just found myself not interested in. still gonna read every book Amalie puts out because she's a fantastic writer. this one truly just wasn't for me.

A new historical take on Emma featuring a matchmaker who had a crush on her ex best friend who rejected her but is back years later to ask for her help in finding a partner for his sister... yet the more time they spend together the more their own complicated feelings begin to grow. Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is beautiful, smart, and popular. She's found a passion in matchmaking but has sworn off love for herself. Her main reason for swearing off love? Her first love who so coldly rejected her and broke her heart, who just also happens to be her next door neighbor and ex best friend, Aspen, the Duke of Greydon. Aspen is reeling from the passing of his father who he knows was wrongfully put into an insane asylum by his mother and short of being declared dead himself, he has come back to look after the dukedom and find a marriage partner for his ward, but that also means coming back and facing the one woman he's been avoiding, the one woman who gets under his skin, Vesper. Aspen and Vesper had a falling out when he came back from school and found her to be popular and social and couldn't talk to her so he avoided her, making her think he hated her and so she in turn avoided him. They both think the other dislikes them and they can't help but want to argue every single time they meet. Aspen knows he shouldn't want Vesper but he can't help but want to get under her skin and keep pushing her. Vesper knows she shouldn't let herself be rejected by Aspen again but the heart wants what the heart wants. This one sounded like something I would like, I love the classic story of Emma and always adore retellings of it, yet for this one the one thing that didn't really work for me was Aspen. I never grew to like him at all, I really found him to be kind of a judgmental insufferable guy and yeah I get that he's based on Knightley but come on, at least Knightley was likable while it was hard to like Aspen. Vesper was really sweet though and I liked how much she tried to make everyone happy and was really trying her best out here. Overall it's a fun take on the classic story and I would recommend it for fans of the classic because it's always fun to read a new take on it.

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Had a great time reading. The characters had wonderful chemistry. I felt all the feels. Highly recommend.

Never Met a Duke Like You is the new release from Amalie Howard whose historical romance blends spice with my favorite trope of childhood friends to enemies to lovers.

Aspen, Duke of Greydon, is back in London after touring the US on archeological digs. Lady Vesper is firmly on the shelf and enjoying her time helping those less fortunate and matchmaking her friends. When these two are locked in a attic their banter and angst is reignited.

There were some parts of this book I really liked. The steam- there is a billiards room scene that will live rent free in my head. The research that Amalie Howard did into the Lunacy Act and how those with mental issues were treated in that time period were well done. I thought Aspen was a great romance hero- forearms and glasses, academic but a dirty talker.

This wasn’t a bad book, I just was kinda bored. I found my mind drifting during large chunks of it and the end was predictable. Vesper’s lack of self awareness grated on me, while doing things for the less fortunate is valiant her trying to set up people as a reason for money was petty.

Thank you to the publisher (Forever) and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Never Met a Duke Like You has a publish date of November 14, 2023.

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #NeverMetaDukeLikeYou in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun Clueless (or more correct, Austen's Emma) retelling. I really enjoyed both Vesper and Aspen as characters and as a couple. Their friendship turned animosity was believable in a way that not all authors capture. It was easy to see how these two went from being childhood friends, into enemies, back into lovers during the span of the book. I also really liked the use of Cat to help progress the story - sometimes authors miss the mark with pets or small children but Ms. Howard did a great job here. I was disappointed by the 1st book in this series but this one made me excited for the rest of the series!

Vesper and Aspen were childhood friends meeting up again as adults and the sparks were flying! First of all, I found the names distracting, not sure why but I had to stop and remind myself who Vesper and Aspen were through most of the book. I really had to make myself read the first half, but it got better in the second half.

I’m happy I got this from review I love all of Amelia‘s books but this one just didn’t do it for me. I love how they got trapped together and like an attic but like I love this love scenes as well and her chemistry between the Duke, but everything else is just a little bit boring for me. I did finish it, but I’m just gonna give it two stars cause I was bored..

The second book in the Taming of the Dukes series is inspired by the movie Clueless. The Hellfire Kitties are back and Lady Vesper is our heroine. She was childhood friends with Lord Aspen and she loved him. When they saw each other again for their first season, he spurned her and then later left for America to be a paleontologist. A few years later, he is back and is now the duke.

The longing and the attraction jumped off the page while I was reading this. The banter, their nicknames for each other - Lady Viper and Lord Ass - you wonder why were they so foolish in their younger days to ignore all this chemistry.

Never Met a Duke Like you is out on November 14 - so next week!! While it is part of a series it can definitely be read as a stand alone. Read this historical romance if you enjoy:
💖 Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
💖 Forced Proximity
💖 Open Door Romance
💖 Clueless and Emma retellings

Thanks for Forever and Netgalley for the advance readers copy. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed the first one in this series but this one didn't have the same joy for me. Seemed to lack the same character development and story line as the first book. Had cute aspects but this was just okay for me.

Passion vs. pragmatism

I loved this book. Vesper and Aspen, the two main characters, are colorful. Their first encounter, which we witness, is humorous and tense. It's a very good, promising start, and the author does not disappoint us.

I loved all these spats between Vesper and Aspen. We constantly feel their emotions on edge, and we want more and more because each of their exchanges is endearing to us readers. There aren't two people that provoke each other more than these two, and yet their intense chemistry is always on point. A romance to read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Lots of banter and bickering here between Vesper (daughter of a duke) and Aspen (the duke next door and former childhood friend). Somehow these two had a falling out as teenagers, grew apart, and then Aspen spurned Vesper at her debut ball. Now it’s many years later, Aspen has been off looking for fossils and back in England to deal with his wretched mother. Despite multiple offers of marriage, Vesper is still unwed and ruling society with her perfect poise. Aspen believes Vesper to be a spoiled society miss and tries to avoid her, even though he needs her help in preparing his mother’s ward for the Season. Despite Vesper’s outward appearance and reputation, she’s still the same outspoken and fiery lady she’s always been in the presence of her trusted friends. There’s a lot of push-and-pull between Aspen and Vesper as they fight, and kiss, and push each other away.

Never Met A Duke by Amalie Howard is hands down one of the best novels of 2023. Witty banter, humor, romance, spice, and a historical romance that is relevant to 2023. I enjoy a historical romance but they are generally not as romantic or witty or spicy enough for me and this hit all of my favorite pieces of a modern romance but give the fun of a historical romance. The storyline and characters are brilliant and well developed and intriquite.

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is a single woman who spends some of her time as a single woman matchmaking and she is quite good at it. She end up stuck in an attic with a childhood friend and current enemy of sorts and he requests a favor of her. He also calls her lady Viper. On top of all of these things the chemistry and sexual tension is palpable. Lady Vesper is working to avoid the Duke who once broke her heart and now he is asking favors of her, calling her names so she returns the favor. Does the tension turn to romance between the Lady and the Duke or does it stay between the matchmaking "clients" of Lady Viper, er Vester. Does Duke Greydon aka Ass admit his feelings for anyone or does he grow old alone?

Read this brilliant novel to find out all the amusing spicy adventures of Lady Vesper aka Viper!

When they call each other Lady Viper and Lord .Ass, you know the story will be full of teasing, witty and goading remarks. Although she puts on the mask of a perfect lady, she is fierce, independent and fiery in her commitments. He just loves to rile her like a boy pulling his crush’s pigtails but first, he has to find justice before he can see the future. Lovely tale, not easy to put down even for a short break like dinner!

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

I’m a marketing and publicity associate Forever, so I am reading this for work! Aaaaaaand there's a character limit on reviews here are some more words