I love regency romance and this didn’t disappoint me. I recommend it and it’s a wonderful book very entertaining-

Love it!

The steamy is HOT in this book. It's everything you love in a historical filled with loveable characters.

Something always gets me when they are willing to give up their own happiness to keep the other safe. It's the perfect way to show that their relationship is going to stand the test of time.

I would say this is a must-read for historical romance lovers who like it steamy.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a chance to review this book.

A fun cute time but wasn’t a perfect read for me. Childhood friends turned enemies turned lovers! I liked the premise but it was a bit longer than necessary.
Loved that book club discussion questions were included at the end!

“I’ve always been here, waiting for you”

“Never Met a Duke Like You” is the second ‘Taming of the Dukes’ novel by Amalie Howard after “Always Be My Duchess.”

First, I love Amalie Howard and have been reading her books for years. I did not like “Always Be My Duchess” and I find this second novel to be similar in many ways.

I know it is petty, but I dislike the new cartoon covers for historical romance novels. I also really dislike the character’s names: Vesper and Aspen.

Like the first book in the series, I found the novel too short, too disconnected, and lacking in the lyrical development of character psychology and romantic entanglement that Howard usually excels at. I feel as though the publisher wants to create historical romance for the masses for people who don’t read the genre and don’t know this is a poor example of the usually complex, beautiful works so many authors produce (include previous Amalie Howard titles).

I also think to call this a Clueless / Emma inspired novel is completely wrong as I am not sure what part of Howard’s book is similar to either movie or novel beyond Vesper’s alleged gift of matchmaking (which does not cause the major conflict or self-reflection for Vesper, nor does it permeate the plot in any meaningful way). Vesper is not home alone with a hypochondriac father, Aspen is not her brother-in-law, Aspen’s evil mother and deceased father is not in Emma (or Clueless), and I think book summaries do this book a disservice by references that don’t exist.

Instead, you have Vesper Lyndhurst whose name evokes the James Bond movie character Vesper Lynd. Vesper is gifted a kitten who she names “Cat” like Holly Golightly, complete with a scene in which the romantic couple searches for the missing animal in the rain just like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” I found this all eye-rolling and unnecessary, but maybe another reader would like it.

I also find there are new types of historical romance novels being produced that use the trappings of historical settings for a modern story – complete with people swearing, demanding orgasms, and behaving in all types of present-day ways. I don’t need stuffy romance, and romance/sex are nothing new, but my enjoyment of historical romance comes from the rules, the clothes, the social mores, the subtle ways of feminine resistance, that I did not find present here.

There is meant to be “banter” that I found came across as overly antagonistic in many instances. A paraphrased group conversation: ‘I liked your publication on fossils Aspen’ is met with Vesper’s rude ‘no one cares about fossils because they are so boring and dumb.’

The instances of romance seem to come out of the blue as a result, and the pacing is uneven as a result.
I think dropping any kind of false enemies-to-lovers in favour of a true second-chance romance would have been much better for these characters.

There were some great elements to this book, but those were lost in these silly pop culture references, a muddled plot, and a love story that could have been amazing. I hope this series manages to find better direction and focuses less on commercialism than good historical romance writing I know Howard can produce.

The first book in this series was one of my favorite reads last year and I pushed it on everyone I could. To say I had high hopes for this one was an understatement.

Unfortunately this one fell a bit flat. I just was expecting something a bit different I think.

Thank you for the chance to read this early.

Never Met A Duke Like You is the latest installment in the Taming of the Dukes series. While they were best friends in childhood, Vesper and Aspen have become estranged in adulthood. One night, Lady Vesper gets caught in a rainstorm near Aspen’s estate. She seeks shelter and becomes reacquainted with the Duke of Greydon in a rather unconventional manner. They strike a deal- Vesper will help Aspen as he tries to hold onto his family fortunes. When Vesper and Aspen start to fall for each other, will they follow their passion or society’s rigid rules?

Never Met A Duke Like You was a delightful romance! Amalie Howard uses some of my favorite tropes, including: forced proximity, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, and witty banter. I enjoyed book one in the series, but loved this sequel even more! Aspen and Vesper know exactly how to push each other’s buttons and their dynamic is hilarious. They have serious chemistry and Howard expertly draws out the tension between them. I definitely caught themes from Emma and enjoyed seeing Vesper as a matchmaker.

Both Vesper and Aspen are involved in interesting endeavors- Vesper is very passionate about raising money for charity and Aspen is invested in preventing a grievous wrong from being committed again. I did not know about the Lunacy Acts and was extremely glad to see Aspen working to get an amendment passed to prevent them. Howard weaves in serious themes of mental health and privilege, while creating a captivating romance.

Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers, witty banter, and forced proximity will love this romance! I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to Amalie Howard, Forever, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

After loving the first book in this series so much I was very very excited to continue with Vesper’s romance. Childhood friends to enemies is a trope I usually like but I admit I don’t quite understand where their friendship went bad. I feel like some flashbacks would have helped with the buildup. Aside from this, I also struggled to see the development in their romance. I saw the attraction because it was super obvious how much they liked each other, but I didn’t see the key points that usually make you say “these two are falling in love”, if that makes sense. Whenever something romantic happened, it felt to appear out of nowhere for me. Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace and everything is a me problem! What I’m sure it not a just me thing is how terrible Aspen’s mother was. She deserved way worse than what she got. I also would’ve loved to see Vesper doing everything she does for the orphans instead of just mentions of it.

Amalie’s writing was as great as always. I enjoyed reading this book, especially the friendship moments between the girls, but the romance didn’t resonate with me.

Rating: 3.5/5
Steam level: Open door, 2-3 scenes, medium level of detail

ARC provided by Forever and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

This was the Emma movie with Anya Taylor Joy just a modern retelling of the original book. I enjoyed it and I loved the characters. I would love a spin off where Vesper is matching other couples. It could be a cute Bridgerton type series.

A wildly sexy childhood friends to enemies to lovers romance inspired by Clueless! Vesper and Aspen have CHEMISTRY, y'all, and this was a rare "will they, won't they" that I enjoyed the tension and suspense of instead of screaming at my book for them to get their shit together. My only criticism is that the tone of this book is a bit confusing: like its inspiration, much of this book is fluffy and frothy and fun, and that's when the book succeeds. But Aspen's backstory of his mother's conspiracy to have his father institutionalized so that she can have full control of his estate is very serious and grim, and while it is handled sensitively, it's a incongruous with Vesper's whole energy. The tonal disparity there threw me off, especially when his mother gets off very light at the end of the book. I'm a fan of Amalie Howard's and I wouldn't let this review stop you from reading if you enjoy her work! But if you're looking for a purely silly Clueless romance, go in expecting some darker notes.

Never Met a Duke Like You is a historical retelling of Clueless that follows two childhood friends turned enemies. Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is an image of beauty, grace, and intelligence in the ton with unparalleled matchmaking skills. She has success pairing others together but has yet to find a suitable match for herself. While the Duke of Greydon, Aspen Drake, doesn’t quite share the same interests as Vesper and the ton. But after being accidentally locked in an attic together, it’s hard for them to ignore the sparks that fly.

Even though this was an interesting read with great characters, I wasn’t really captivated by this book. I found myself struggling to get through the first couple of chapters. Although, it did get more entertaining as the book progressed. Vesper and Aspen had PALPABLE chemistry and great banter. I loved it when Aspen called Vesper “Viper”. I ate it up every time honestly.

Mental health is also a huge aspect of this book for both our main characters. And its great that the author included this, highlighting undiagnosed mental health disorders during this era and how society also weaponized mental illness.

If you like Bridgerton, Clueless, and Emma, this book might be for you! 3 ⭐️

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for this eARC.

I've been looking forward to reading Vesper's book since I love the notion of her being a matchmaker and having some rivalry with her childhood friend Aspen, who has returned after 7 years of being away. I loved how the book opened and you see their chemistry after all these years. It was a promising start but it became really frustrating to see them keep coming together and pulling back, especially Aspen.... I've seen this in other books I have read recently too but for some reason it really irked me when he did it. Maybe it was his rationale for pulling back? I'm not totally sure but I felt really bad for Vesper and the fact she felt the need to hide who she was and the good work she was doing. Maybe in the light of some of the other women and the fact that they were supposedly Hellfire Kitties, it seemed odd that she felt the need to hide her charity work. It felt a bit contrived for some reason. I did love the little scenes that were very similar to the movie Clueless, and I also love Vesper's relationship with her father and brother. It's so nice to see that sort of relationship with a father and daughter. In any case, I am still looking forward to the next book and continue to be a HUGE fan of Amalie Howard.

I received an advance copy of this book but the opinions are my own.

Steam: 🔥🔥
Heart Flutters: ❤️

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.