Excellent! Exactly what I look for in historical romance. The dialogue is immersive and witty. Period details are rich without being cumbersome. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti is a witty and delightful historical romance that blends scandal, clever banter, and sizzling chemistry. Peter Kent, the newly minted Duke of Stanhope, is trying to change his reputation after a series of ill-advised antics—including interrupting a royal wedding with a flock of sheep. His goal? To become the guardian of his unruly half-siblings and prove that he’s more than just his wild past. To do so, he enlists the help of the sharp and proper Lady Selina Ravenscroft.

Selina, though the epitome of high society, hides a delightful secret—she runs an erotic circulating library for women, a fact that adds layers of intrigue to her character. When Peter turns to her for help, she suggests a sensible courtship with a respectable lady, but of course, things don’t go as planned. Chaos ensues when Peter’s siblings wreak havoc and Selina finds herself unexpectedly caught up in the excitement.

But the true heart of the story lies in the sizzling attraction between Peter and Selina. Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching them navigate the tension between propriety and passion is an absolute joy. Vasti’s writing is full of humor, charm, and clever twists, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

Ne’er Duke Well is a perfect choice for fans of historical romance with a dash of scandal and a lot of heart. The characters are complex and endearing, and their journey from mutual respect to undeniable love is both heartwarming and entertaining. This is a fun, fast-paced read that will leave you smiling long after the last page.

Apologies for the late review, but this was such a lovely read!!! I've read Alexandra Vasti's Halifax novella's, so I already knew I would adore this book. I have nothing but high praise for Vasti's work--she's right on par with Sarah Maclean and Johanna Shupe AKA the greats of historical romance. The tension between Selina and Peter had me on the edge of my seat, not to mention the high stakes for their relationship. One of my favorite micro tropes in HR is marriage of convenience/we must find the duke an eligible bride, and this definitely hit the spot. What I love most about HR, however, is watching the main characters fight against an oppressive world and building a community that helps them fight for what's right. I'm so glad I finally got a chance to read this one, and I cannot wait to read more from Alexandra Vasti!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy of this title.

This book was a fun read. Not the best thing I’ve read but was enjoyable.

I ADORED this and everything Alexandra Vasti writes. There are few authors that are able to easily capture my heart within the first few pages but she did it so effortlessly and flawlessly.

Ne’er Duke Well was DELIGHTFUL. The premise was wonderful and everything I love in a historical romance. It was funny, witty, & swoony with characters that were as intriguing as they were charming. Peter and Selina’s story was the perfect blend of humor, sharp banter, simmering tension and heartfelt dialogue making it one of my favorite reads of last year. I can’t wait to read more from this series!

Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana aka the American Duke is trying to win custody of his brother and sister. Lady Selina Ravenscroft aka businesswomen and librarian to the ton has an idea- marriage to one of her cool -fun friends. This doesn’t work out as Peter wants Selina- but she can’t. This has some great funny parts with the dates and kids as well as radical abolition and feminist for the win side plot.
This one gets steamy and just overall super cute. As Peter is an all in type of duke and Selina is the perfect new mom/big sister.

I can’t wait for more of this series- which is why I picked this one up. The side friends in this one I hope all get HEAs. Progressive HR with strong FMC!

I liked this a lot, funny and fresh, there were a lot of layers but my favorite part was how Peter never really let Selina run away. Her instinct, like many romance heroines before her, was to disappear to save the people she loves from harm, but he was there at every turn, telling her that he would stand by her no matter what.

Thank you so much to the publisher and author for my copy!

This book was fun escape. I loved the friends group as well as Peter's siblings! I liked the marriage of connivence too. I like Vasti's writing style and am looking forward to her next book. I would love to know if there is evidence of more citizens of this era having the same views as Selina and Peter (sex ed and abolitionist) or if this was wishful thinking on Vasti's part. Either way, I liked being about to escape into the book, the humor, and the era of the story.

As my first Alexandra Vasti book I was so pleased with the historical setting accompanied by a strong FMC. This historical romance contained the perfect mix of historical context, humor and conflict. This book was a quick and easy read that made you feel cozy and complete. I will and have suggested this historical romance to fans of the genre and members of our book club. I look forward to Vasti's next installment!

This was a hit for me! I did not expect the emotions that this story would evoke in me. The found family/sibling storyline was arguably my favorite part, although the romance was a close second. As someone who cares for others and not herself a little too much sometimes, I related to Selina. She was a wonderful female character and I loved the way her storyline played out.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was one a joy of a read in 2024, I can't believe I had never reviewed it!

This was also a wonderful introduction to my historical romance journey! Alexandra Vasti is amazing and will definitely be an author on my continuous radar!

I don't remember much about this book, but I do remember that everyone made things way more complicated than they needed to be (which is the standard for romance novels, so I shouldn't be too surprised).

I always like to give Victorian era novels a chance to see if anything makes me feel the way that Bridgerton does and sadly... nothing yet. I felt like Selina and Peter had no real chemistry and we were just forced to believe that these two work perfectly together and that we should root for them to fall in love. I appreciated that they tried to make Selina an original feminist, but it all just felt a bit overboard for me.

Overall, I think I should just leave romance novels in 2024... but we know I won't learn my lesson.

I really enjoyed Ne’er Duke Well which is not surprising because I have enjoyed this authors novellas and I love historical romances/regency romances! The plot was fun and touching. The pace was quick and kept me reading. The tropes worked with the plot and did not feel like a random trope for trope sake. I love forced proximity, friends to lovers, and marriage of convenience. The characters were a delight. Peter is an American who inherited dukedom and relocated and is actively trying to get custody of his half siblings and Selina is a lady running an underground sexual education feminist library while trying to make Peter more parent-y by finding him a wife really did it for me. I will say I have never read a custody battle book before but I enjoyed it. I highly recommend picking this one up and I can happily say I cannot wait to read Earl Crush!

I don't usually read historical romances, but this book was so much fun! I was drawn in by the cover, and this book did not disappoint.

Murphy's Law is live and well in this utterly delightful historical romance!

Recommend | historical romance | explicit

Alexandra Vasti is becoming one of my favorite historical romance writers. Vasti can weave a tale and add such wonderful characters with heart (and steam) that it's perfection to read.

Peter is a new Duke and wants to keep his two half siblings, but has to go to court to keep them. Selina knows she can assist him in finding the perfect bride to win over the conservative judge -- but not her of course because she has an explicit library.

Through many trials and tribulations I think you know how it goes. But the JOURNEY. THE JOURNEY.

Let's get into it:
-adorable wild children
-caring friends
-emotional turmoil
- feelings
-walks in parks and dogs in need of rescue
- empty rooms
-scheming plans

Selina and Peter are perfectly and equally matched with each other. They lift one another up and are so concerned with making sure the other is doing well. Their team work and balancing things was perhaps the best part of the entire novel.

Emotionally, I may not be the same from all the squealing I was doing while reading this.

All in all, I highly recommend this novel! I already have the next one on hold and am eyeing that third one already.

Well, I whipped through this one because it was so Bridgerton’s Colin and Penelope coded at first (she’s a gently bred lady with a scandalous job, he’s a bumbling but good-hearted Duke trying to get used to his circumstances - also he has dark curls!). I loved that they were past acquaintances thrown together by a chance meeting, and that grew because Selena was just so damn meddlesome, and Peter so dogged and such a rule-breaker. It’s adorable. The dialogue is sparkling per Vasti’s previous novellas, and I enjoyed the plotting a lot. I think where it fell down for me was that the story slowed significantly after Peter and Selena get together - and the final third just seem to throw in obstacles to keep the story going. Overall, though, this is damn funny and solid historical romance.

I love this historical fiction rom com! All my Bridgerton lovers out there will love this! It's super fun and a great read

Peter Kent, the Duke of Stanhope, arrived from New Orleans to take his title and discover that he has two younger siblings. He wants to raise them, but the reputation he's (mostly mistakenly) built for himself makes it an iffy thing. Enter Lady Selina Ravenscroft and her plan to see him wed to the most respectable English lady she can find. What Selina refuses to accept is that she'd like to be that English lady, but her secret job as publisher of erotic and sexually informative novels is one secret that won't last for long and she worries that it would upend everything Peter is doing to get the children.

I sat down with this one and couldn't put it down. The characters are fun and passionate so you get sucked into the story as soon as you meet them. I couldn't wait for Peter and Selina to realize that they were perfect together, even the predictability of some of the plot points wasn't enough to make them less interesting. They have to face a lot of obstacles even after they marry and I really enjoyed the supportive ways that they help each other face them. It adds a nice extra level to their relationship.

Overall, it's not the most original or innovative story, but Vasti's writing brings the characters to life and pulls you in for a highly entertaining read.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the wonderfully entertaining read!

Ah! I loved this book! NE’ER DUKE WELL by Alexandra Vasti is such a joy! This historical romance hit all the right notes.

The plot centers on Peter Kent, Duke of Stanhope, and his request for guardianship of his young half-siblings. We learn that Peter’s father was a right arse, who sired and abandoned children on two continents. Peter, an American from Louisiana, was summoned to England by his grandfather when he became the family heir. Still very new to the title and power he wields, Peter enlists the help of Lady Selina Ravenscroft to make him appear more favorable to the barrister judging his guardianship appeal.

Selina is a delight! She’s observant, smart, and cunning. She’s also the secret operator of a lending library. A lady running any business is scandalous. If the ton were to learn that she was responsible for The Venus Catalogue, a set of erotic books published for and only available to women, it would ruin her and those she loves.

Peter, the abolitionist, and Selina, the feminist, are a brilliant and supportive pair. Lou and Freddy - Peter’s spirited young siblings - and Selena’s friends and relatives round out a fun cast of characters.

Those who like their romances spicy won’t be disappointed. But the book also has plenty of heart and humor. There were many scenes that had me laughing out loud.

Im looking forward to reading more romance from Vasti!

This book was so incredibly delightful! There were so many hilarious lines and moments, I couldn't stop laughing. And the chemistry between Peter and Selina was gorgeous and palpable! This was my favorite matchmaking romcom yet, and my new favorite historical romance. I loved every second!