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.

This was another really solid regency romance from Amalie Howard. I didn't love this one quite as much as I loved the Beast of Beswick and the Rakehell of Roth, but I did really enjoy it, and I read it incredibly quickly, which speaks to its easy readability.

I liked that so much of this conflict in this book hinges on what I would imagine is a difficult issue for men and women in this time period, which is the struggle to discern the difference between the illusion a woman puts on for society and the way societal expectations shape her behavior, and the reality of that woman's personality and what she really wants. I felt for both characters because Vesper is so much more than she appears to most of her peers, but she doesn't always get the chance to show it, while Greydon is clearly affected by his past, but does allow this to impact unrelated things, to his detriment.

This was also somewhat spicy for a regency book, as I would say Howard's other books have been too, which I appreciate. The final showdown was a bit dramatic, but I think that the issues this book touches on are really important, and overall it's a strong romance.

Hold onto your corsets, fellow readers, because this book is like a sidesplitting comedy night that leaves you in stitches and shimmying with glee! It's not just about the author's nose-deep research—no, siree—this gem is a sidesplitting riot that had me chuckling like a mischievous imp and doing the most undignified feet-kicking dance!

Vesper and Greydon, folks, brace yourselves! These two are strutting around with egos the size of zeppelins, yet they're like magnets drawn to each other in a magnetic storm of epic proportions. Cue the confetti cannons because this is the good stuff, folks! The thrill of their electrifying dance is a symphony to my bookish heart, the kind of thing that puts that goofy grin on your face.

But wait, there's more! Tucked within the comedic extravaganza are moments so sweet they could give a candy shop a run for its money. These two aren't just hilariously at odds, they're also vulnerable and passionate, unveiling layers that are as soft as marshmallows under the blazing bonfire.

And oh, Vesper, you gem of a character! She's like a starburst in a room full of static, dazzling with authenticity while parading around in her society-approved façade. Talk about a powerhouse with spunk! She stands tall, holds her ground for all the right causes, and twirls through the narrative with a spirit that’s contagious.

And let's not forget the Duke of the myriad names—Aspen, for brevity's sake. Sparks are igniting left, right, and center with this one! Their repartee could fuel a rocket ship, and their chemistry? It's the sort that'd make chemists blush. Scenes between them sizzle and pop, leaping off the pages like fiery confetti.

So, history buffs and romance aficionados, gather 'round! If you're into frills, thrills, and a dash of scandalous allure, "Never Met a Duke Like You" is the treasure map you've been waiting for. Amalie Howard's tale of love and longing waltzes through Regency England, a world where elegance and intrigue take center stage, and the aristocratic society becomes a playground of complexities. Trust me, dear reader, this quirky escapade is one you won't want to miss.

Vesper and Aspen were childhood friends that through the years unknowingly fell in love with each other. They reconnected after some time. Aspen had been away but returned due to duty. Aspen also had to deal with demons that had resulted from his mother’s actions. Vesper was able to help him through it and realize that she was also afraid to love.

TW: Parental death, unlawful psychiatric commitment, manipulation

Wow, I thought I liked Always Be My Duchess a lot but Never Met a Duke Like You just blew it out of the water! Amalia Howard continue on with her Hellfire Kitties and we get Vesper's love story now. Vesper was admittedly a wild child in her youth, always traipsing around with her neighbor the future Duke of Greydon, Aspen. As their childhood went on and they grew up it was no longer cool for Aspen to be hanging out with a girl but he makes his way back when she debuts and is agog at how stunning she is. He can't form words and she takes that as a cut and their whole relationship turns to bitter enemies until Aspen heads to America to study fossils, where he's been the last seven years until his mother is about to declare him dead. The reuniting of Vesper and Aspen is everything you want it to be!

I really love Vesper, she was fierce and fearless when she needed to be and still managed to appear polished and poised. I love how close she was to her dad and brother, they were such a caring family. And I got Holly Golightly vibes from her naming her cat, Cat. Aspen was the epitome of hot nerd and I loved how Vesper got all hot and bothered over his gold rimmed spectacles lol. I really adored how much Aspen wanted to change the mental health laws, he worked so tirelessly! These two had such explosive chemistry, I didn't want to put the book down at all!

I have to mention I really love the way the author always includes factual events in her stories, especially this one with the Lunacy Act and the information about the children's charity. Amalia also includes mental health representation, not just in the laws that are mentioned but also in Vesper being ADHD and she includes a little bit of LGBTQ rep as well.

I'm definitely going to be continuing the story as I find them so entertaining and a great escape when I'm feeling loaded down by the fantasy genre. Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending me an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Howard’s book was cheeky and charming and kept my interest from page one all the way until the end! In fact, I think I read this in 24 hours… it definitely filled in my Bridgerton void. Loved the spice, tension and characters. Easy read and I enjoyed her writing style! This was my first of hers, and it most definitely won’t be my last!

Never Met a Duke Like You is a captivating follow-up to Always Be My Duchess, the first book in the Taming of the Dukes series. This novel follows Lady Verper Lyndhurst, as her former childhood friend and first infatuation, Aspen, Duke of Greydon, returns to the ton after a six-year absence.

The chemistry between Vesper and Aspen was 10/10. Every interaction heightened the tension and left me wanting more. Their bickering and banter were also very entertaining and made their vulnerable moments that much more heartfelt. Despite it not actually being a slow burn, it felt like a sloooow burn. As the reader I felt their longing, I longed along with them, the tension between them was so intense at some points that I had to put the book down and relax myself.

I appreciate Howard's effort to subvert the classic HR formula and introduce relatively modern neurodevelopmental disorders into the context of a historical romance. I also really like that more complex issues relevant to the time period are addressed - in this case, Aspen's efforts to revamp the Lunacy Act and implement more regulations surrounding the treatment of mentally ill patients.

I'm also loving how each book in the series is a retelling of a classic 90s chick flick, though, I did have a more difficult time identifying how this book paralleled Clueless in comparison to Always Be My Duchess and Pretty Woman. Regardless I am fond of the mesh between historical romance and contemporary girl movies.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series and other works by Amalie Howard.

Rating: 4.5/5
Spice: 2.5/5

What to expect
- Historical romance
- Childhood friends to lovers
- Banter
- Frenemies to lovers
- Mutual pining
- Jealousy
- Tension

does amalie howard ever miss? i dont think so. Never Met a Duke Like You was so wonderfully fun to read that i nearly forgot i was supposed to be working. Greyson/Aspen/Lord Ass was everything i think ive ever wanted in a hero and vesper/viper was a strong and well written heroine in control of her own destiny. the friend/family dynamics of this story truly shine despite vitorias efforts to bring greydon to heel. i cant wait for the next book!

This book was giving so many Bridgerton vibes, I loved it! Thank you so much Net Galley & Amalie Howard for this ARC. This book had the perfect amount of spicy romance that kept you wanting more, but didn’t make you uncomfortable. The friends to enemies vibes were throughly enjoyed and make the book perfect

Content warnings: torture (mentioned), being committed to a mental facility while sane

Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is a charming, exemplary duke's daughter that other young ladies in society can look up to. She wears her perfection as a mask to keep outsiders from getting too close. When she was shunned in romance by her childhood best friend, she decided to never marry. But when the handsome Aspen, Duke Greydon returns to his estate, she will come face to face with her past.

The female friend group Vesper tries to call the "Hellfire Kitties" return in this novel, each with her own causes and decidedly unhistorical feminist mindset.

Filled with witty banter and steamy romance, this enemies-to-lovers novel will thrill fans of historical romances like the Bridgerton series.

It's no secret that I've loved Amalie Howard's adult and YA novels, and she's become one of my favorite new authors. This outing delivers as much fun as the first entry in the series and is recommended for readers of historical romance.

Representation: neurodivergent main character