Amalie Howard is a writer I usually enjoy, and "Never Met a Duke Like You" did not disappoint, Vesper and Aspen are a classic enemies to lovers trope (with a dollop of childhood friendship thrown in) but Vesper manages to make the trope her own. She is smart and caring and strong - she has to be to conceal what we now know as ADHD from the ton. She does not hide from her friends, though, and as Aspen slowly becomes part of her circle, he sees her true self and loves her for it.

The secondary characters here are great - love the Hellfire Kitties and will go back to catch up on the previous related stories. The love scenes are on fire. I did find the blurb a bit misleading - Vesper and Aspen do get locked in an attic but it happens at the very start of the book and is quickly resolved.

4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard welcomed us back to a friendship group that becoming one of my favorites to Hellfire Kitties. I loved book one of the Taming of the Dukes series, Always be my Duchess, so I was happy to get this arc. Lady Vesper and Aspen the Duke of Greyson was a second chance romance that I very much enjoyed. Aspen and Vesper grew up together and Vesper had love him for a long time until he broke her heart. But after all these year he comes back. Aspen spends most of his time as an archaeologist digging up fossils. He has been gone so long his mother is ready to declare him dead. But being back in England trying to marry off his ward and try and find out the truth about what happen to his father has him very close to Vesper. At 23, Vesper is a former diamond still unwed and loves love for other people. Mostly for those she plays Cupid for. But she can’t seem to open her heart to love for herself. Will that change when the one that broke it is back and right next door.

One of my favorite things about them was their banter. The banter/dialogue was funny and passionate. Good banter is one of my favorite things to read and this had that. The miscommunication is one of the reason this is only a four star. But the romance had some moments I liked like with Cat the cat and the aftermath of the accident. The pining was also good.

The Hellfire Kitties friendship for me often times steals the show in this book for me. I just love that friendship group and their dynamic. I loved the setup for Briar’s book and glad to learn more about her and Evie in this one. These women also are also tried to warn Vesper about how here matchmaking may have some negative affects. Nice to see the guys friendship as well slowly building. I did love Vesper relationship with her dad. There one scene near the end was actually my favorite in this book. Loved Judith as well and her relationship with the hero and heroine.

I did like the topic of unlawful institutionalization. Will say Vesper is one of my favorite heroines I read so far this year. She isn’t perfect by any stretch. In fact she made a ton of mistakes on this book. But I connected with her so much.

I did find the transitions from storylines a little diss jointed and not paced well. Like I was surprise at the first love scene was taken place or one minute she is mad at him and it felt resolved in the next page. I have read guide a few of Amalie Howard’s books and this is the first time I ran into this. It was just in a few places but didn’t deter my enjoyment of the book.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a fun read. If you’re looking for a second chance romance with great banter between the core couple and love seeing a fabulous friendship group, Never Met a Duke Like You is a must read. I gave this book 4 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing for this arc.

Content warning for death of a parent (off page), mental health issues (author’s warning indicates heroine in this has undiagnosed ADHD), institutionalization (also one in an asylum by force, as well as being abuse and drugged in by caretakers there), and mentions of sex work.

I *adored* this book - thanks to NetGalley for this ARC so I can gush.
First, Vesper is the heroine for any woman who has ever felt like she is “too much.” She has these same insecurities that really effect her confidence but at the same time she puts on a brave and secure front
Aspen is the hero that Vesper needs/deserves - he has real reasons to not trust in love, but he never feels like Vesper is too much - rather, he is frequently tongue tied by her very presence.
In this book you’ll find - friends to enemies to lovers, girl gang, she seduces him — all of these done really artfully. I can’t wait to read Amalie Howard’s next book in this series.

I loved this! It is funny, sweet, and swoony. A retelling of Clueless set in the time of Bridgerton. Vesper is a proud matchmaker who is adamant that she is not searching for her own match. The Duke of Greydon is back in London after spending years abroad working as an archeologist. Vesper and Aspen are neighbors and former childhood best friends. Vesper and Aspen are reunited on the mission of finding a match for Aspen's ward. Vesper and Aspen's chemistry is topnotch. Both of them were complex and interesting characters in their own right which I feel is a real sign of strength and richness in any romance novel. I did not adore the first book of this series but I felt so much more connected and invested with Vesper and Aspen's story. I really did love Aspen's character. he is so motivated to right past injustices and also so confident and self-assured. His bond with Vesper's brother and father was also really lovely. Vester's story is really special - living as a neurodivergent woman in this time period was a difficult and even potentially dangerous fate. Vesper's struggle with being her authentic self while having lived governed by these strict and rigid rules of propriety.

Amalie Howard has done it again with the second book in her Taming of the Dukes series. Lady Vesper has grown up struggling with ADHD. However, the ton does not take kindly to anything outside of the carefully meticulated social norm. When her childhood friend turned enemy, Aspen Drake, returns from America, Vesper finds herself struggling to keep away. Especially when he continues to show up!
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a journey of self discovery, philanthropy, romance and of course- the cat named Cat.

I was super excited about this book! The blending of Clueless and Bridgerton had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see if I was approved for this and it did not disappoint. This was very cute and so fun. I normally don’t go towards historical fiction but this I could not turn away.

Thank you netgalley and forever for this free e-Arc in exchange for my honest revie I am participating in the #23for23 and this duology came highly recommended. Although it doesn't technically meet the requirements I am glad I picked these books up and looking forward to seeing what she does next.

Side-note I really appreciate the diverse and inclusive books forever does.

I always love an Amalie Howard book! These two were very fun to read, they had great banter. It feels like an enemies to lovers, but that's not quite right. Most enemies to lovers annoys me, but I felt like these two appreciated each other. I liked how the story showed their friends as well, it made everything seem real. Very Clueless-vibes, and I mean that in the best way.

"Never Met a Duke Like You" by Amalie Howard was a delightful read that left me enchanted. An historical fiction with a touch of romance, the book's engaging plot and endearing characters made for an irresistible combination. Amalie Howard's storytelling transported me to another era, and the chemistry between the characters kept me hooked from start to finish.

Never Met a Duke Like You is a childhood friends turned enemies turned allies romance with Clueless vibes and plenty of banter. Basically, a fun and delightful read from start to finish.

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst loves to matchmake for her friends, but has no interest in love for herself. Not since her childhood crush Aspen, the Duke of Greydon, gave her the cut direct at a party during her first season. But when fate throws them back together, they end up reluctant allies... and maybe eventually something more.

There's a lot going on in this book - matchmaking, parental scheming, mental health reform, etc. - but the romance at the core of it was the strongest element of the book by a long shot. Vesper and Aspen (weird as their names are together) have tons of chemistry, and their banter kept me entertained for the entire book. That said, the plot is a bit overstuffed at times, and while I appreciated the depth that Aspen's quest to reform asylums brought to the book, it also felt like a tonal mismatch with the much of the plot, as did his genuinely terrible mother.

Still, an easy book to devour and a great way to keep myself entertained on a long plane ride!

4/5

A neo-historical with modern sensibilities that can't be missed! It is so easy fall in love with the characters, and want the best for them on their own, and as a couple!

Another adorable Historical Romance! With a dash of Frenemies to lovers, forced proximity, and a great friendship group I fell deep into the world of Lady Vesper and Aspen. The banter and energetic pull between them mixed with an honest eye opening for Lady Vesper really melted my heart. I LOVED this book!

If you like Clueless and Bridgerton, Never Met a Duke Like You is sure to sweep you off your feet.

Aspen and Vesper are the king and queen of pining and longing and misunderstandings, and did I mention pining? A highly enjoyably and swoony love story, this second installment of the "Hellfire Kitties" is a home run. I am breathless with anticipation for the rest of the series.

Thanks to Forever, Netgalley, and the author for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I finished this book in a day. I loved the witty banter between Vesper & Aspen. It was sizzling. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

Aspen and Greyson grew up together as best friends. Greyson snubs Aspen at her first ball of her first season, breaking her heart and making him an enemy. When they are reunited years later, they can't seem to stay away from each other.

What a fun read! Clueless meet Regency romance. Aspen was easily to love and cheer for! Friends to enemies to friends to lovers. It's not strictly Regency as the characters aren't quite as prim and proper as may be expected from the genre but I found that enjoyable!

Such a fun, light-hearted, and charming read perfect for fans of Bridgerton and other historical romances! It is clear the amount of research that Amalie put into this keeping the language and references accurate throughout.

What I loved:
- This was a slow burn, but when we got there - the spice be spicin'!
- I think childhood friends, to enemies, to lovers may be my new fave.
- I adored Vesper and Aspen's characters. Separately, they were both smart, strong-willed, and passionate individuals. Together they sizzled. Their chemistry was off the charts and don't get me started on the banter!
- Vesper's entire friend group seems amazing and we need more of them. Oh and more of Judith too!
- CAT!

What I didn't love:
- The Duchess is literally the worst, but that was by design!

I enjoyed this second in the series from Amalie Howard. I enjoy quirky, strong female characters and Vesper fit the bill. In addition to the romance I really like the continued focus on the friendship between the ladies. It’s a nice counterpoint to the romance and gives another side of the characters. The Duke is swoony as he should be and the enemies to lovers is very steamy as well. I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.

Never Met a Duke Like You definitely carried the same wit, charm, and steam as the first book in this series. However, I didn't fall for the characters quite as hard as I did for the first book.

Fabulous read for fans of Bridgerton, Jane Austen and anything Regency era related! I loved the two main characters. I was invested immediately and had to know the outcome. Such an entertaining read!

Never Met a Duke Like You is a hot, romantic tale of friends to enemies to friends to lovers. This book is definitely a slow burn-it took me a while to get into it. But I am glad I stuck with it-Lady Vesper and Lord Aspen are certainly worth the wait! This is a second book in a trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.