After reading Always Be My Duchess last year, I couldn't wait to see what came next in the Taming of the Dukes series - and Never Met a Duke Like You did not disappoint! If the first novel was Pretty WomanThis romance was a little bit Jane Austen's Emma mixed with Clueless and a dash of Bridgerton (but, let's be honest, there's a lot of historical romance that aims for Bridgerton vibes these days).

This book has great banter, an excellent friend group (please tell me that Vesper's brother and Briar are getting the next book because I need it), and important neurodivergent rep.

The ending felt a little bit rushed, in my opinion, and Vesper's character development left something to be desired, but all in all I really enjoyed this novel! I'd recommend this book for people who like romcoms, like historical romance, and like steam...but maybe aren't invested in their HR being totally accurate. (To go from being the belle of the ton to some of these steamy scenes seems...unlikely?)

Read if you like:
- Books with neurodivergent MCs
- Open door romance
- Friends-to-Lovers
- Bridgerton or Other Historical Romance

Childhood best friends turned enemies Lady Vesper and The Duke of Greydon haven’t seen each other in years and are now reunited and trapped in an attic together right off the bat so you know it’s going to be good! Despite their animosity there is an underlying sexual tension that can’t be denied and Vesper and Aspen are forced back into each others lives. Lady Vesper is kind, generous and has a heart as big as the ocean but Greydon can’t get past her facade that suggests she is just a spoiled debutante obsessed with propriety, appearances and meddling in other peoples affairs. Vesper can’t get over the way Greydon gave her the cut direct at her debut and thinks he is a pompous ass who is better than everybody else, but Greydon needs her help launching his ward Judith into society and no one is more popular than Vesper! After much forced proximity, steamy kisses and talking out their issues, Vesper and Greydon figure out they have been madly in love this whole time and their chemistry is explosive!

Pick up a copy if you are looking for a witty historical romance with fresh dialogue and colorful characters. It has some Clueless/Emma vibes, enemies to lovers, an evil Mother’s blackmail attempt, forced proximity a steamy garden folly scene and of course a HEA! 💗📚💗

This was an interesting read. It was definitely an original story with some really awesome characters, and I enjoyed getting to know them. I loved all the quips and the hate to love romance in this story.

Aspen (the duke) and Vesper were so fun and adorable together. The book starts pretty much with a former friendship, and they now hate each other and then they finally find a friendship again and that turns to love again.

In this story we also have a very evil mother of the duke who wants the duke to marry her ward because she really wants to control her son. This part of the story and this storyline while I thought was very original it was not my favorite part of this story.

All in all, I really ended up enjoying this story and I loved the two main characters.

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard was a fabulous read.
I had no idea this was book two in Taming of the Dukes series. Now I need to read Always Be My Duchess. Because I adored her newest title.
Clever and whimsical and a joy to read! Howard’s writing, simply put, makes me incredibly happy.
I swooned when I read this charming, wonderfully executed histfic romance.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing ebook!

This story was a delight! When I saw that this was written with inspiration from Clueless and Bridgerton, I knew it was a must read. The romance was dreamy and the side characters were fun. And of course the matchmaking is always a part of the enjoyment.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Delightful play on Emma and Clueless

Vesper is a dedicated matchmaker, regardless of whether her efforts are appreciated by the targets. However, she can't seem to sort out her own love life, especially when the man she wants is the last man she wants.

Friends since childhood, Aspen spurned her years ago at her debut, and she's been smarting from the rejection ever since. Now, however, his mother is recruiting her to help match him to her young ward, Judith. Regardless, Aspen is determined to avoid marriage at all costs. Their complicated relationship alternates between friendship and enmity and I absolutely adored their witty, clever, sarcastic banter. Their nicknames for each other are my all-time favorites!

Aspen's mother is one of the worst sort of villains I've ever read, and thwarting her plans is a truly risky business. There's a lot of backstory - make sure you pay attention to the content warnings - and it's easy to see why Aspen turned out the way he did. I appreciated the care taken with Vesper's issue and how it informed her actions and decisions. It couldn't have been easy to deal with such a condition in the days when such things were largely misunderstood. I also loved the secondary storylines for Vesper's brother, Aspen's best friend, and the ladies in Vesper's circle. There's a lot going on in this book and the author brings it all together very nicely.

I was drawn out of the story a couple times by the author's use of very 21st century slang in a 19th century setting, but those were minor and I was quickly brought back by the delightful dialogue and soul-deep connection between Aspen and Vesper. Their HEA was beautiful, and I especially loved how it included an update on Judith. The author's note at the end was an important addition and demonstrated the extensive research that was behind this story.

This is a wonderful story with compelling characters and captivating complications. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical romance, especially that of the Victorian era. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

“You’re you. An anomaly. Brave, beautiful, infuriating. Where did you come from?” “I’ve always been here, waiting for you,”

This was such a good read. It’s a nice balance of fun, romance, character development and steamy scenes. There’s great banter and chemistry, matchmaking, and a strong neurodivergent(ADHD) fmc. I especially liked the character arc/development for the heroine Vesper as she became more self aware. The ending felt like much was happening too fast but overall a really good read. If you like Bridgerton, Martha Waters and Sarah Maclean books you should definitely give this a try.

Tropes/themes:
- Neurodivergent rep
- Matchmaking
- Steamy scenes
- Clueless retelling
- Dislike to love

I didn’t like Never Met a Duke Like You as much as I enjoyed the first book in the Taming of the Duke series. Emma is my least favorite Austen book yet I liked Vesper - but I did not like Aspen. He wants her, he hates her, he desires her, he rejects her, he admires her, he misjudges her. Too much hot and cold and vacillating back and forth with Aspen for me.
Amalie Howard did create a really great villain in this book. Aspen’s mother was so over the top evil. Learning how easily people could commit others to asylums in the past was scarily enlightening.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Friends, if you know me at all, you know that Clueless is a formative movie for me (hello Paul Rudd! Also, let’s be honest, hello Alicia Silverstone). This book is loosely based on Clueless which is loosely based on Emma, which means this book was specially meant for me. Happy 28th anniversary to Clueless, and happy book reading to me.

This book is a delight. Vesper is a self appointed matchmaker and meddler, like Cher and Emma, a fact she’s proud of until she isn’t. She’s also been jilted by her childhood best friend Aspen in the very worst of ways, a cut direct, when she was hoping for something more than friendship. Stupid, stupid Aspen.

Aspen has *severe* and rather rational mommy issues. He’s a paleontologist and a historical advocate/activist for the rights of the mentally ill (swoon), which makes him a little more like activist Josh than morality police Knightley. His mentor is Vesper’s father. He’s a bit socially awkward, unaware of how hot he is in his spectacles, and completely bowled over by how pretty and vivacious Vesper is (“you think I’m pretty?” “you know you’re beautiful”).

Vesper, meanwhile, hides her true self behind a disguise because her true self struggles with ADHD symptoms like impulsivity and thinking without speaking, and the inability to relax without something to do. Bonus for me, because this is an accurate depiction of social masking when we’re self aware enough to know we don’t quite fit but not know why.

Vesper hates Aspen but doesn’t hate him because he’s back from his travels and always in her orbit, and Aspen similarly doesn’t hate her as much as he claims to, so you know the tension is out of control.

Also there’s an interlude with a sculpture of a dinosaur, so. 😏🔥This is not a book to be missed. I am so happy I got an ARC from @amaliehoward and @netgalley because this was the perfect summer read, a cross between an enemies to lovers and second chance romance, with some hat tips to both Jane Austen and Amy Heckerling, and again, some added visual vibes from Alicia and Paul never ever hurt anybody.

Aspen Drake, the Duke of Greydon, returns to England to reassume his ducal responsibilities. He finds himself trapped in an attic with none other than Lady Vesper, his childhood friend and nemesis. Aspen believes that she is like his callous mother and the rest of their peerage. However, he soon discovers there is far more to the beautiful, headstrong heiress than he thought. Can Aspen and Vesper settle their differences? Or will something else stand in their way?
Lady Vesper Lyndhurst is a paradigm for other women in their social class. She is rich, beautiful, and sought after. Vesper has no interest in marriage; however, she does enjoy playing matchmaker for others. Aspen is the only person who can crack her ladylike mien. The man infuriates her, and Vesper cannot ignore the strong attraction between them. Can Aspen change Vesper’s stance on marriage? Or are there other things that will keep them apart?
Aspen is a hit and miss with me. I like that Aspen has scholarly pursuits. It is his way of connecting and honoring his late father. What I admire the most about Aspen is how he uses his ducal influence for good. He wants to keep others from sharing his father’s sad fate. Aspen knows to prevent that he first needs to take his responsibility in the House of Lords seriously. The only thing that irked me about Aspen is how he handled his mother. I will mention below my nitpicks on that subject.
I am on the fence about Vesper. There were moments when I liked her, and then there were instances when she just annoyed me. I love Vesper’s camaraderie and interaction with her friends, the Hellfire Kitties. It is evident that each of the women care and look out for each other. What I admire the most about Vesper is her desire to help the less fortunate, especially children. She does not do it to look good to her peers. Instead, Vesper does it because of the satisfaction it brings her.
NEVER MET A DUKE LIKE YOU is the second book in Amalie Howard’s historical romance series, TAMING OF THE DUKES. The story can easily stand alone. There is no on-going plot or villain spilling over into the next book. Stone and Nève, the couple from ALWAYS BE MY DUCHESS, do show up intermittently throughout the story. I have a feeling (fingers crossed) that Lushing and Briar are next. I love their chemistry, in this one and the prior one.
I do have one nitpick. Aspen’s mother (Spoiler. Read at your own peril) Throughout the book, she is painted the heartless villain. It feels like she got off WAY too easy. Perhaps I am bloodthirsty… I wanted her peers to learn about her villainy and ostracize her as she rightly deserves. Not to mention being incarcerated. That she did not really dampen my enjoyment of the book.

This was very cute but some of the modern phrases definitely took me out of the story! It’s actually a big pet peeve of mine, whether it’s historical or fantasy - wording is everything! 3.5 stars

**Vague Spoilers Below**

Tbh there weren’t asylums and blackmail in Clueless for a REASON. I was super excited for this one, and I liked a lot about it (!!!), but terrible parent is one of my least favorite tropes, especially how it was handled (or not handled????) here. The book had a very dark undercurrent and I just don’t understand why…especially because the villain did NOT get properly punished.

I was literally like, well, if the villain gets it then we can round up to four stars but NOPE. She got to save face and not go to jail when her crimes were HEINOUS, so really, what’s the point of everything Aspen did throughout the book to prove her guilt??? I just think if she’d been a man, she’d have been swinging from those gallows…and rightfully so!!! If you want to commit to a terrible villain who committed terrible crimes, please god commit to ruthless punishment. It’s all I ask.

In my opinion, Never Met a Duke Like You is more like Emma than Clueless. It’s not a perfect match for either, but Clueless has such specific vibes and I just don’t think it met them. I love Clueless so much, so comparing the two was probably a detriment to the book as well. I will say, the enemies to lovers was amplified in the book as well as the steam (obviously), and there were other change-ups from the Emma/Clueless plot that I definitely liked.

Overall, I’m quite devestated that this one didn’t work for me. If you say Clueless, I am THERE, but the blackmail and other crimes committed were just so bad that they overshadowed the rest of my enjoyment. I do feel like Howard wrote about everything with care, and the book is clearly well-researched. I also still love her writing and am incredibly excited for the next books she teased in this one. I still loved her father so much. And I do like the thought of Clueless with banging lol.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5


**Less Vague Spoilers below**

To backtrack, I’ve gotta be honest that as soon as I read the content warning about asylums, I nearly tapped out before even reading the first page 😭 I just do not like reading about them for personal reasons, but I already had the eARC. I could’ve handled it if the villain had gotten properly handled! I just really don’t think it’s that hard to throw her ass in jail or in the Thames let’s be real.

Aspen literally said she could still save face by going to the country, so to me that’s not a victory. I don’t care if she thrived off being in London, because she already had been banned by him before the book even started! So yeah, by the end he was able to prove she literally as good as murdered his father by falsely committing him to an asylum (WHICH HE ALREADY KNEW JUST DIDN’T HAVE PROOF OF) but her punishment was the same as what she’d already experienced before the book started! What’s the point of including all of that plot if she didn’t go to jail or change anything from before???


Thanks to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc! This was such a fun and cute read. We love a good historical romance here, and this didn’t disappoint, especially with the nod to Jane Austen’s Emma and the more modern Clueless!

I’d definitely recommend this for any fans of those and/or Bridgerton, Evie Dunmore, etc. This was such an easy, lovely read, and I loved the characters!

3.5 ⭐️ but the excellent banter pushes it to 4⭐️
It’s been a while since I read a historical romance and this was a fun one to get back into the genre. The banter between Vesper and Aspen (can’t say I love these names) which is heavily innuendo laced was delightfully funny, witty and fast paced- truly the best part of the book. Amelia Howard wrote GREAT banter! This enemy(ish) to lovers story seems to be a take on Clueless/ Emma given Vesper’s matchmaking schemes and is the second book in a series. I haven’t read the first and this was obviously written so it could be read as a standalone as I never felt like I was missing something like some historical series.
I thoroughly disliked the Dowager Duchess (as you’re meant to) but appreciated that that the tactics she uses to get rid of her husband and threaten her son with are not ones I’ve read in a book before. If you’ve seen Harlot’s, what she does to the previous Duke will be familiar. I also liked Vesper’s father. Oftentimes in historicals the fmc’s father is pretty uninterested in her which is not the case here. The Duke of Harwick truly only wants his daughter to be happy. I enjoyed the side characters and really hope Vesper’s brother gets a book.
While I did find a few parts overly long and the use of current phrases caused me to pause, I enjoyed the book and may go back and read the first.
I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest review.

The Hellfire Kitties are back in this second installment of Amalie Howard's latest series and it was so good! This book was sweet and sexy and I loved the tension. The banter was first class and the longing between characters made me seriously swoon. I love a good friends to enemies to lovers trope and this book hit the mark! The friend group is perfection and one you wish you could be a part of. A must read!

Thank you to Forever Pub and NetGalley for my copy!

Hello reader!

Today, I’m reviewing Amalie Howard’s next novel in her Taming of the Dukes series. In this second installment (and hopefully not the last) we have feisty Lady Vesper Lyndhurst and the broody Duke of Greydon. These two used to be best of friends as kids, but as adults, they are far from the word.

Romance readers will be ensnared by the first chapter, featuring forced proximity, an almost kiss, and the intro of friends-to-enemies-to-maybe-lovers, and as the story continues to unspool into a story of yearning, banter, and spice. These two must face the very clear chemistry or succumb to the whims of the villainous Dowager Duchess who would keep them apart.

Definitely add this one to your TBR!

Happy Reading ~ Cece

so some parts of this worked for me while other fell flat. for instance, i felt like the chemistry was certainly there but it took too long for the build up to be worth it almost? also the occasional modern language came a little bit out of left field and took me out of the story

this was very well written and i would definitely check out this authors work in the future

Never Met a Duke Like You by Amalie Howard is a great historical fiction and romance that is the second book in the Taming of the Dukes series.

This book is as cute, if not cuter, than its predecessor, Always Be My Duchess, and I just really got into this one.

I liked the fire and the chemistry between the main characters, Vesper and Aspen, and I also liked the sass, banter, and the flaws/“imperfections”, that the author incorporated into our “hero and heroine”. It made them relatable, real, more authentic, and gave them pizazz.

Looking forward to the next book!

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/14/23.

I sort of assumed that by the cover, blurb, and the fact that this was a Clueless inspired story that we were going to end up with a lighthearted Regency romp where Cher and Josh, I mean, Aspen and Vesper snip and snap at each other until they admit they’re googly eyed for each other. And to some some extent that is what happens. It’s definitely more of a beat for beat retelling than the first book in the series. The nods to Clueless were SO FUN and I squealed every time I connected a movie to book scene! Had that been the way the entire book played out, this would have been a solid 5 stars.

Unfortunately I had two glaring issues that really knocked this down several notches on the fun scale. I am so not a stickler for historical accuracy to the point where I’m combing every sentence for accurate details. Modernisms here and there or an incorrect term don’t bother me because the average reader probably won’t care. I did care that we had SUPER modern phrases like “calm your tits” that felt so jarring amid balls and the ton and the Season. Even I had issues with how modern this got.

And I just don’t think this needed a villain? I mean the bad human in this one wasn’t just doing some like mild pranks that can be forgiven later.


SPOILER!!!!!

Aspen’s mom had his dad committed to an asylum where he was horrifically tortured and eventually died. And she intended to do the same to Aspen. All because she wanted to be out and about in society and Aspen’s dad was a quiet guy who loved fossils. It was so jarring and horrifying and she essentially gets away with it because Aspen has the option to prosecute her (and win) but instead banishes her to the country? Yikes.

END SPOILER

This had so much potential in the beginning and I really did have a good time with the nods to Clueless (what a classic film) but the anachronisms and random traumatizing evil Big Bad was horrifying and did not belong in what’s essentially billed as a historical romcom.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Rating: 3.5/5
Heat Level: 3.5/5

Summary:

A historical romance inspired by Clueless; Vesper Lyndhurst is a popular society lady who is known for her matchmaking skills. Aspen, Duke of Greydon was her childhood friend, until he wasn't and he went abroad for several years. Now they're reunited after Aspen returns from his latest archeological dig in order to take his rightful place in society as a duke. He asks Vesper to help find a match for his ward Judith. And although his scheming mother would prefer that Judith and Aspen marry, it's Vesper he can't help being drawn to...

My review:

Here's what worked for me in this book: First, Vesper is a Hot Girl (in the grand tradition of Emma and Cher in Clueless; also, is there a Vesper Lynd connection in here somewhere?) which I do appreciate after reading one too many wallflower in historical romances. I also like the girl-gang vibes of her friend group the... "Hellfire Kitties". Vesper ready to matchmake anyone and everyone (sometimes to suit her own ends), which is fun.

In addition, I'm always curious to see how HR authors include politics in their romances, and I think Amalie did a pretty good job here, especially by making the amending of the Lunatic Asylums Act so personal to Aspen because of what happened to his father. There's also Vesper's pet cause, education for the poor by way of ragged schools, for which she volunteers and fundraises.

Regarding Vesper and Aspen's relationship— they had chemistry, though I felt it was a little hindered by the will-they-won't-they aspect. Like, it got to the point where they had sex and all but admitted their feelings for one another, but then two chapters later they're still denying that they're even friends. I thought it was interesting the author chose to make Aspen only two years older (rather than the 16 year difference between Emma and Mr. Knightley) and not related to Vesper in any way (unlike Josh and Cher in Clueless, who were ex-step-siblings). Instead, their childhood friendship was played up a lot; and then they became enemies (in the mildest sense) because of a childish misunderstanding compounded by teenage dramatics. So this puts Vesper and Aspen in a place where they know each other well (and her father is his mentor— a throwback to Clueless, including that scene where Josh and Cher are helping Mel with documents), but dislike one another for pretty superficial reasons. It's this, along with Aspen's mother's scheming, that keeps them apart for most of the novel.

The sex:

The most interesting thing about the sex scenes in this one were probably the locations. There's a near-sex scene at the billiards table (exhibitionist kink unlocked for Vesper lolol). The standout moment for me was probably when they have sex in the Crystal Palace (always a delight to read; Prince Albert would be so proud) literally in the corner of a dinosaur exhibition— like, I think she's gripping onto a fossil leg while he rails her from behind.

Overall:

I'd recommend this book for anyone looking for romcom vibes in their historical romances along with cute banter and a solid cast of characters who have their own compelling arcs so you know they'll be getting their own books in the future!

Thank you to Forever(Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.