I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.

Never Met a Duke Like You is the second book in the Taming of the Dukes series by Amalie Howard.
Oh my gosh, how much I LOVED this historical romance!

A retelling/reimagining of Clueless which is brilliant.

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst and Aspen, Duke of Greydon are frenemies. Love the frenemies to lover's trope. I love that Lady Vesper is fine matchmaking for others but has sworn off love for herself.


I loved the forced proximity trope, and the book starts out with the two trapped together.

Such strong, dynamic characters and a wonderful sexy romance.

Engaging read between neighbors becoming friends and lovers.
Aspen is a returning Duke form his worldwide travels.
Vesper becomes ensnared with him in an attic while visiting his estate.
They are entwined in a fun battle of wits with banter and good dialogue.
Enter his difficult interfering mother with a marriage plan of her own to complicate their lives.
Truly enjoyed this book and even laughed during the epilogue.

This is a funny historical romance, with two characters that make their own way. This is the second in a series, but I would say it is a standalone so new readers would have no problem jumping in here - although I think the first one is still my favorite for this series.

So maybe I don't know Clueless as well as I thought because I didn't find a lot of parallels to the movie in this book. It is still a fun historical romance, but I feel like I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop and see the comparisons. I personally don't love an angsty book, since they tend to have a lot of miscommunication and this book is solidly in that camp. Their romance seemed to stutter-step, for every step forward there were multiple steps back and additional miscommunication and misunderstandings which I find frustrating (I know many many people don't).

I really enjoyed that it spoke about mental illness of the time, and I feel handled it very well which added a depth to a historical romance I don't typically see. I also enjoyed the portrayal of Vesper, who has what would have been modernly diagnosed as ADHD. I give the author a lot of kudos for her deft handling of the topics, especially in a book you wouldn't typically see them in. I felt that the author did a great job working them into the story in an authentic way.

I’m so sorry but this was a disappointing and frustrating read.
So first, this is barely a Clueless retelling. It takes a bit of inspiration involving the matchmaking idea, and then there’s a very recognizable scene from the movie that was replicated (a scene that did not work to me and was unrealistic based on the participants), but that’s kind of it. Vesper and Aspen have a ton of chemistry in a “I hate you, you hurt me, but I want to bang you right now” sense. But a ton of their tension relies heavily on miscommunication and his deliberately irritating her. And I hate when men do that. No, it’s not “adorable” when you make me mad! And another thing, we are constantly told Vesper is a paragon of etiquette and propriety. But we never actually see it. And I didn’t like the storyline with Aspen’s mom. Gah most of the issues the characters had could have been solved with a couple of conversations and just talking to each other. Plus we got a super cliché epilogue.
I feel like 3 stars is very generous right now and it’s really closer to 2.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced look at the book to review. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5 (rounded to 5)
Spice: 3/5

Bridgerton meets Clueless in this regency romance about childhood friends, turned enemies, turned lovers. It was so cute and VERY comical. I could not stop laughing. Aspen and Vesper have incredible chemistry and the banter is *chefs kiss*.

Duke of Greydon, Aspen Drake, and Lady Vesper Lyndhurst have both sworn off love and marriage for their own reasons. But Vesper enjoys matchmaking for others, so she agrees to help Aspen launch his mother's ward for the season. Despite a falling out from their teenage years, their attraction to one another is undeniable. Will they set aside their preconceived notions of one another and give in to temptation?

What I love most about this book is the fact that Vesper is so incredibly independent and feminist. This book is not like other regency romances. The women are not docile or submissive, they are loud, brass, and confident. The Hellfire Kitties (the name that Vesper and her friend group have given themselves) defy societal rules and don't let men tell them what to do. It is so refreshing to read a historical romance like this one. Mental health is a big theme for all the characters involved, and I loved the portrayal of it in this book.

Being that I haven't read Book 1 of this series, I can honestly tell you that you can read this as a standalone. Howard does a great job explaining the events that took place in Book 1 without giving too much away. That being said, I WILL be reading Book 1 since this one was so good. I've heard people comparing this book a lot to Emma, but I can't say for certain because I haven't read or watched it.

Read if you love:
Childhood friends
Frenemies
Enemies to lovers
Semi-slow burn
Witty banter
Forced Proximity
Mutual Pining
Spice
Clueless
Bridgerton
Dual POV

Never Met a Duke Like you is an enthralling story, and Aspen and Vesper are endearing, intelligent, and passionate! Their passion for each other was blistering, but their passion for their causes was equally passionate and added a touching layer to their story. Their sparring was wicked and fun, as were there love scenes! I loved these characters as a couple, while I also appreciated who they were separate from each other! Great historical romance book!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

I don't think I have ever read an Amalie Howard book I have not liked... I know there are some who do not like the stories for whatever reason - maybe they are too anachronistic, perhaps too diverse, whatever. I personally like the diversity, and can forgive the anachronism - in this case, this is apparently her period take on Clueless, much like the last one was a Regency romance inspired by Pretty Woman. Odd that would appeal to me as A) I hated Pretty Woman (sooooooo hated it - so much so I held a hate on for Julia Roberts and Richard Gere for years) and b) never watched Clueless - despite being of that generation.

Anyways, Lady Vesper is a shining, glittering force in Society; attractive, witty, charming, dynamic, and popular. It is a facade that she dons to keep up with Ton expectations, and cope with it, while still doing the things she enjoys including her hidden charitable endeavours. She has no cares to marry, being a wealthy, privileged woman, well indulged and supported by her father, the Duke of Harwick. She has no expectations of love or marriage for herself, and lives vicariously through her friends and the matches she has successfully helped with in the past.

She does not care to think about a match for herself after having her heart crushed by her childhood friend and infatuation, Aspen, the Duke of Greydon, after incidents severing their childhood friendships and then being publicly rejected and cut by him at her come out years prior.

Aspen shuns London Society, sickened by the false fronts, and hypocrisy of Society, epitomized by his own, devious mother, and, so he thinks, Lady Vesper. For years he has been away from England engaging in his love for paleontology, an interest he shared with his beloved father, the previous Duke. He lost his father at a young age because he was incarcerated in an asylum because of his own mother's duplicity. His parents story was publicly a grand love affair and his mother fosters the image of the aggrieved wife of a dangerously unstable man who had to be put in an asylum because of the risk he posed to her and her son. However, Aspen is aware of the truth, even though he does not have the evidence. He was forced to return though because his mother's extravagant lifestyle has drained his coffers, and he was warned that she was engaged in having her own son declared dead so that his heir, a cousin, could be put in his place, and within the managing grasp of his mother. Also, he has an obligation to a young ward, Judith, who is out in Society and at risk of being mismanaged by the Duchess.

He remembers Vesper, and also misses the young girl she was; he feels that the current day Lady Vesper is too much like his mother, a popular, polished facade, hiding a scheming duplicitous center, and reviles her for that, despite his underlying desire for her.

This is a very steamy second chance, enemies to friends (again) and then to lovers romance with a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication between the two lovers. Add onto that a lot of family angst between Aspen and his mother, and her continued evil manipulations of all the players, and his work to uncover her past misdeeds and prevent them from happening again. Also, I found the secondary relationships and interchanges in the story - like the friendships between the Hellfire Kitties (a ridiculous yet ADORABLE name), Judith and Aspen, the Duke of Harwick and his son, with Vesper, and with Aspen, very charming and appealing.

Relationship drama fraught with misunderstanding, miscommunications, and misperceptions, with the addition of third-party manipulations, leading to some sense of love triangles. Toss in an evil villainess pulling the strings of many of the players involved, and tries to threaten/steal from orphans (!!B!TCH!!), and add to that a fluffy cute unwanted pet that causes occasional mayhem, and this was a very entertaining story. There is also a hint of romance to come between two other characters and a nod to the past with appearances by Stone and Neve, from book 1.

4.5 stars out of 5

A new Regency-era, Clueless/Emma-inspired love story? I was all in from the start. However, I had a really hard time getting into (and staying into) this one. The characters felt a bit recycled (which, I suppose they are), and the dialogue and overall pacing seemed almost Gilmore-Girlishly rushed? (if you know, you know.)

Don't get me wrong, this story had it's moments, and it was comical, for sure, it just felt off-the-mark. I think there is a huge audience that will absolutely love it, it just wasn't for me. It's definitely more Clueless than Emma, and I was expecting the opposite since it's Regency-era based.

I did enjoy that it touched on some themes of mental illness and neurodiversity for the time period. I think this was handled tactfully and respectfully and I give A.H. major props for that.

3/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars – This was such a funny story! I think it sits better if you know up front that it’s based on Emma and the movie Clueless. The banter between the main characters is engaging but does get a little mean between Aspen and Vesper – almost a step too far sometimes really. Overall, the characters are funny and very supportive of one another. This was a quick, fast read. I began and finished it in one day. I am looking forward to the next one in this series.

Also, mental health is a big component of the book and it is dealt with well except for the punishment of the antagonist. She should have received a more of a slapdown in my mind.

Finally, I really enjoyed reading the Discussion Questions from the author at the end of the book.
A big “Thank You” to NetGalley and Forever Books for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for an independent, honest review.

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst may have sworn off love for herself, but she enjoys matchmaking for others...so she'll help her duke-next-door, Aspen, Duke of Greydon, launch his mother's ward. But Vesper and Aspen have always had an attraction for each other. Can they put their preconceived notions aside and follow their hearts?

This is the second book in the Taming of the Dukes series, based on movie reimaginings. This story takes inspiration from the film Clueless. The heroine likes to play matchmaker and has a combative but flirty relationship with her childhood neighbor, who is mentored by her father.

The book gets off to a strong start, with the characters accidently getting trapped together. I liked that this forced proximity jumped into the action and gave the reader a little backstory of their previous relationship. The author lets the reader know that Vesper has ADHD and focuses her energy into how she presents herself to society. Aspen, however, has family trauma and is turned off of tonnish behavior. As much as he wants Vesper, he's afraid she's just as artificial as his mother.

** Trigger warning for mental health abuses ** - In the story, Aspen's father was wrongfully committed to an asylum. I was really interested in this aspect of the story and I wish it had been an even bigger focus. While forced (and often improper) commitment was common at this time, I found it unlikely that a powerful duke could find himself in that situation. Aspen feels the same way, and sets out to find proof.

I think the story would have been much stronger if the focus was on Aspen's journey to right the wrongs done to his father and his waffling about his feelings for Vesper since she personified so many of the characteristics he was suspicious of (rather than wasting some time trying to make movie connections fit the theme). But overall, there was more to like than not in this book. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Tropes: Childhood Friends, Frenemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Matchmaking, Secret Crush

Steam: 3.5 (three full, one interrupted)

* I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

Histfic romance fans will adore this steamy and very romantic tale of Lady Vesper and the Duke of Greydon, once friends, then enemies, as they find their way back to one another. Will leave you breathless!

I would like to thank Forever (Grand Central) Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Vesper Lynhurst doesn't think she'll ever love. Not after her heart was shattered by her childhood friend and crush Duke Aspen Greydon. But when Greydon appears after years away, and they reconnect. sparks begin to fly. Vesper must soon decide what is more important, her happiness, or keeping the Duke from meeting a terrible fate.
I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of Taming of the Dukes. I"m a huge fan of Howard's works and this one was no exception. I know every time I pick up a book from Amalie, I will fall into the story and love every second of it. The world she has built for this series is so much fun. I'm not a huge historical fiction reader but Howard makes being immersed with the dukes and duchess' of England a pleasure. It's obvious she has done her research and knows exactly how to write to show what she has learned.
I enjoyed the dual POV in this story. I love being able to get into each main character's head and watch their inner thoughts and turmoils. The characters in Howard's books are always so well developed. I loved Vesper and her confidence which was often overshadowed by her inability to quiet her mind. Despite this, she still manages to give herself selflessly to her causes. She's tenacious and vibrant and not afraid to lay her thoughts out for everyone to see. She's aware of her neurodivergence, even if she does not have a name for it. Aspen, on the other hand, is much more reserved. He holds back, a lot. And we see many familiar faces from Always Be My Duchess, reappear in this story: The Duke of Montcroix, Neve, and others. Plus the introduction of new characters like Cat (IFYKYK).
The pacing was easy with this book. I really didn't want to put it down, but work did call. I enjoyed the transitions from chapter to chapter. I also enjoyed how Howard pushed this book to be more modern in many of the thought processes of the characters. The FMC is definitely a feminist and often speaks of the in-equlity woman encounter. And the MMC is forging the way for humane treatment of people with mental disabilities. These were nice inclusions in the story. Plus Howard lends some nice spice to the story which was actually a little surprising with exactly how it took place, but exciting at the same time.
Overall I truly enjoyed this story and can't wait to see what characters' story Amalie tells next.

I am always down for an Emma retelling. Clueless is one of my favorite movies and I’ve seen every Emma adaptation I liked Vesper from the minute she was introduced and she didn’t deserve any of Aspen’s nonsense. Her friend group is what every girl wants and needs. I was rooting for Vasper from the beginning, and only began to like Aspen when he got his act together. Overall I thought she deserved better than him until he started working for it.

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a bit of a miss for me.
I couldn't connect with the characters at all, and I didn't particularly see any chemistry between them. They were both a lot more coarse than I prefer in my romances, with their "flirting" being rather base.
I know there were certain themes the author was trying to portray (I skimmed the discussion questions at the end) and kudos for trying, but they didn't really hit. Just made the story seem disjointed.

Final quibble, I didn't care for the portrayal of the animal companion. Grudging acceptance of an animal doesn't endear you to me. Perhaps I would like Effie's story better?

I loved Howard’s Always Be My Duchess, so I knew I wanted to check out the sequel. However, it didn’t live up to my expectations.

I think the biggest issue with this book was the pacing, which is what ultimately brought it down from a 4 star read to a 3 star book. I loved the dynamic of childhood friends to enemies to lovers, and I really liked the main characters, Aspen and Vesper. Aspen was a hot nerd, and Vesper had a heart of gold. The banter was awesome! But there were a lot of times I had to force myself to read because I felt like nothing was happening. I felt like this book could’ve been a lot shorter, and I think some of the scenes were overwritten. There were multiple chapters that would cover a single day, and then another chapter would start out weeks later. The whole pacing was off, and it really hurt what could’ve been a great romance. I think some major editing and condensing would have done this one wonders.

However, I’m still looking forward to the next adventures in the series, and I still plan on exploring Howard’s backlist. Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.25/5. Releases 11/14/2023.

Vibes: childhood best friends to enemies (Iite) to lovers, nerd in the streets freak in the sheets, actual factual social issues, and a very good cat/kitty joke.

This is a retelling of Clueless, which is a retelling of Emma, which in theory sounds very messy but ultimately worked out in a historical romcom I really liked. It touches on some serious problems of the time (heads up: a lot of discussion of asylums and their abuses) and there's a great chemistry between our leads. She's a flighty eye-catching popular type, he wants to hunt for dinosaur bones, and they haven't seen each other for years but have been building up to this since childhood. It's a good mix.

Quick Takes:

--I was honestly a little "why do we need this" when I first understood the concept. Yes, the previous book in the series, Always Be My Duchess, is a retelling of Pretty Woman, which is a retelling of My Fairy Lady (and MFL is a retelling of Pygmalion). But Emma is an Austen novel, and such a clear precursor to historical romance subgenre of today. I was a little worried about how that would work.

But here's the thing. Clueless is very much not a direct retelling of Emma, and you change a lot in the Emma/Knightley dynamic when you switch it up from a girl and her neighbor/friend who's like 17 years her senior and held her when she was a baby, to a girl and her somewhat older former stepbrother (no shade, Emma is my favorite Austen and I adore Clueless). If you like Cher and Josh, that's the sweet spot Vesper and Aspen hit. It's very much that sequence in The Swan Princess wherein Derek and Odette bug each other as kids, then realize as adults that they wanna bang it out--but with a bit more of a friendship slant. In the childhood days. When they're adults, there's an edge added by their years of separation and misunderstandings. And I'll admit, I eat a "childhood friends separated and reunited as adults" dynamic right up. If that's your itch, this book will definitely scratch it.

--Aspen is really into DINOSAURS, and I personally loved that angle. He was nerdy enough for me to call him a nerdy hero (and Vesper does love his glasses) but he wasn't a cliche nerdy hero. Yes, he loves to look at fossils and discourse over prehistoric creatures, but he's also confident, snarky, and quite prone to putting it down. Honestly, I arguably could've used more dinosaur content (though Howard definitely uses it at just the right moment).

--A big part of this book is mental illness and the absolutely horrible was in which it was addressed at this point in time. Aspen's father was confined to an asylum and abused in that asylum--exactly how that happened is a major point in the book. Additionally, its specter hangs over Aspen's head, his father's "diagnosis" (I hesitate to call it legitimate) a potential means through which his own committal could be justified. It's rough, dude.

And I will say, I suspect that some readers will be dissatisfied with the comeuppance the villain of this book receives. For me, it worked--because it was realistic, and because I really couldn't think of any way through which the issue could be resolved without taking away from Aspen and Vesper's relationship. The point of this story isn't really punishing the bad guy--it's making it so Aspen and Vesper can have a healthy relationship without this threat in the midst of it all.

As an added note, Vesper has ADHD, which isn't a massive part of the novel but does figure into her character and journey. I thought it was a nice touch--people with ADHD didn't just suddenly pop into existence in the twentieth century, and the rep is good to see.

--The thing I really liked about Aspen and Vesper's dynamic is that there really was this undercurrent of childlike... knowledge, and playfulness. They've changed a lot, and there are a lot of confused feelings between them; but you still get the sense that at one point, these people really knew each other. And that sense of knowing and affection remains.

I also really loved the moments when the childhood besties jumped out--there's a teasing vibe to the relationship, this sense that they kind of want to kiss each other and kind of want to poke each other (non-sexually). It makes the tone of the book a bit bubblier, which is key, I think, when you're dealing with subject matter as dark as Aspen's backstory could be.

The Sex:

It's hot. These two have a very clear physical connection, and it's immediately noticeable. You get a lot of double entendres in this book, a lot of teasing that goes just over the line--like when Aspen casually tells Vesper she looks like she's just had an orgasm in public. Very normal thing to say to the former childhood friend you're not interested in! At all!

One sex scene in particular was so delightful--the perfect mixture of hot and funny, which sums up the tone of the book pretty well. I mean, this dude is really about his fossils, and they definitely play into the... plot. More than you might think. (Not in that way, in THAT way. Don't worry about it. Read the book.)

Frothy yet not without substance, Never Met a Duke Like You is another enjoyable entry from Amalie Howard. If I'm being real, I think I liked it a bit more than Always Be My Duchess (also a good book). Would recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute and funny historical romance. I liked the characters and felt for them through the tough moments and the romantic ones. The story was enjoyable too.

Thank you for this eARC! I am the first to admit that historical romance always takes me a little bit to get into the swing of things. Lots of names to remember, lots of titles to memorize. But something that never ever gets old is the draw of two people who think they hate each other when they really are so crazy about each other it's a little bit maddening. Once we did get to the point there they realized they liked each other, things got FUN. It took a bit too long to get there but I had a good time once we did. For sure a worthwhile read.