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.

I was really enjoying this historical romance and thought the premise had a lot of potential, until the drama just got silly and I could barely finish the second half. Aspen and Vesper were childhood friends until Aspen spurned Vesper at her coming out, and it became a big gossipy thing. I liked that part. But then there’s an extraordinarily evil mother, an insane asylum, frustrating miscommunication and fervent matchmaking. First half gets 4 stars, second half 2 stars.

I was excited to read this book because a. Amalie Howard is always a wonderful writer and b. I really liked the first book in the Taming of the Dukes series. Howard delivers on swoony emotions, sexy steamy scenes and plenty of carefully researched historical detail. There is a subplot that I felt was over the top and the way that the main characters interacted with the people involved felt odd to me, which took me out of the story a little. And the use of contemporary language and attitudes was occasionally jarring in the midst of such a historically nuanced book. That said, I read it in one sitting, staying up way past my bedtime because I couldn't put it down! Vesper was a complex FMC that I wanted to be happy, and Aspen's character arc felt real and moving. Recommend for fans of Howard (and that should be everyone!).

This was a cute book, a historical version of Clueless. In this story the Hellfire Kitties are reunited for Vesper’s story. Vesper is a high society princess who has worked hard to hide her true nature to act like the proper lady everyone expects her to be. Except when she is around her childhood best friend, turned crush, turned enemy Aspen. Aspen is a Duke who has been away for years exploring the world in search of dinosaur bones, anything to keep him away from his bad memories of home. When Aspen comes home to help his mother’s ward Juliet try to find a husband, he goes to Vesper for help. Sparks fly whenever these two are around each other. This was a cute book, with a lot of spice. Do read the trigger warning/disclaimer at the beginning of the story to make sure the book is not going to trigger you, some very dark topics are included in this cute story. Another great book from Amalie Howard. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Can we start with how cute the cover is? The cat on the stairs tied into this book so perfectly, the small details truly do make the impact.

Never Met A Duke Like You had big shoes to fill, being the second in the series and boy did they fill them. Lady Vespar is such an independent, strong woman and was perfect as the heroine. She gave as good as she got to Aspen, which made their antics toward each other definitely seem fair.

I'm personally not a huge fan of second chance romance and this book definitely gave the vibe, but it wasn't quite which I appreciated. I loved the frenemies to lovers vibe, the wicked mother and the feline companion who sure knew how to make an entrance.

Truly the book to beat this year so far.

I loved this book. A historical version of Clueless (so Emma) with a wicked mother and a charitable FMC.

Aspen and Vesper were friends, until they weren’t. Now they love to vex each other. They do not love one another. She is to help him find his ward a husband and she’s help him work with her dad on a new bill for parliament. Between heated exchanges and looks feelings thaw and they realize what was in front of them all along.

I throughly liked this book. It was fun. It was sexy. Just enough bickering so it wasn’t annoying. The chemistry was good and the story was just enough that you were yelling at them to get it together but it a good way.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Described as Clueless meets Bridgerton, Never Met a Duke Like You is the second book in Amalie Howard’s Taming of the Dukes historical romance series. It follows Vesper, a neurodivergent matchmaker, and Aspen, a paleontologist forced to return to England and take his rightful place as Duke. Friends when they were children, they are now estranged until a mishap forces the pair together.

There’s a lot to love in this new addition to the series. The writing style and pacing are great, and the characters are layered and interesting. Vesper is such a fabulous protagonist, and Aspen is the grump to her sunshine. I also liked many of the secondary characters, especially Vesper’s brother and father and some of Vesper’s friends. And I can’t forget Cat, the lovable feline who wins everyone’s heart by the end of the book. So cute!

I was a little disappointed about a couple of things. First, the antagonist’s punishment felt anti-climactic. I was definitely hoping for more repercussions than what the person received. Second, her friends didn’t seem as supportive of Vesper as she’s been for them, though it was understandable under the circumstances.

Vesper and Aspen are the kind of couple that is totally in love, and everyone but them knows it. That aspect of the love story is comical. I also generally enjoyed their banter. They have so much chemistry, and their teasing and antagonizing, which is filled with sexual innuendos, is great. However, I didn’t like how Vesper and Aspen spoke to each other at times. They seemed to enjoy riling each other up, which was great, but I felt they sometimes took it to the extreme and became personally insulting. They have strong enemies-to-lovers vibes, but there were instances when both went too far in their hurtful barbs. Childhood friends turned enemies, the reasons for their estrangement hurt both of them, and pride and fear of rejection definitely get in the way, but I like how they slowly find their way back to each other.

At times, Aspen frustrated me when he unfairly judged Vesper, especially knowing how much his rejection years ago scarred her. However, I think his past, most especially the vile actions of his mother, skewed his feelings toward love, vulnerability, and influential women. This made some of his hurtful comments and actions more forgivable, as did his more tender and loving moments. This is not a closed-door romance, and all of that back and forth leads to some emotionally charged and spicy scenes!

There are also some strong messages about neurodiversity, the awful treatment of institutionalized people, and the ease with which one could institutionalize another during this time. Be sure to check out the author’s note to learn more about the research that went into writing about these topics.

Overall, this was a decent read, though I have to admit, I preferred the first book in the series. That being said, I will continue the series, as I’m eager to see which characters will find romance next. Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

It has been a while since I’ve read a historical romance, but when I saw this was a Clueless-inspired regency romance: I knew I had to read Never Met a Duke Like You! Lady Vesper has sworn off love for herself but has dedicated herself to giving back and matchmaking—until her childhood best friend and current nemesis Aspen, the Duke of Greyson, comes back and shatters her perfect facade. This enemies to lovers is engaging, but is more loosely Clueless than I hoped for. Even so, there was good steam and witty banter and I loved the development of these two finding each other again. I feel like the subplot of what Aspen’s father went though could have used a little more fleshing out and maybe that’s because it felt like there were a lot to subplots going on throughout. I did love Vesper and her spitfire/bold energy and it was a delight watching Aspen fall for the real version of her, who I also just wanted to get to know more. There is so much love and friendship in this book and it’s just a very heartwarming read overall filled with pet antics, mystery, and laughs

This was fun! We follow Vesper and Aspen who were friends as children, estranged as teenagers, and now make their way back into each other's lives. Despite the 1860s (I think) setting, this didn't feel historical to me--there were inconsistencies with language and how formal/casual it was, which threw me off a bit. There were some historical tidbits here and there, which I enjoyed seeing. There were also some loose ends about Vesper's matchmaking with her friends, some of which could be pursued in future books, but one in particular reached a conflict and was never mentioned again; this hobby in general was here-and-then-gone rather than being consistent throughout the book. The romance was fine, but nothing about it really stood out to me. All in all, this book was fairly entertaining, but there wasn't much to set it apart from any other of its kind.

I enjoyed Amalie Howard’s new book, Never Met a Duke Like you, and I can’t wait to read more of this author!