Ne’er Duke Well is a historical romance that starts pretty mild but the last half of the book really heats up the pages. Peter Kent, Duke of Stanhope, is an American who never thought he would inherit a title. Now he wants custody of his siblings but his birthplace is a cloud over his name. Enter Lady Selina Ravenscroft who is determined to find him a proper bride to help him win custodianship even if she can’t help help dreaming of him herself. A comprising position finds Selina and Peter engaged and wed. Selina is facing a scandal of her own and is prepared to give up everything to protect her Duke and his siblings. The characters are unconventional, fun, and way more than meets the eye. The story is romantic and compelling with a little bit of heat for a satisfying historical romance with the expected HEA. My voluntary, unbiased, and non mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

Arc provided by netgalley.

This book wasn't what I expected, however it was so much more! The historial aspect alongside the these funny, witty and sometimes spicy characters was very enjoyable. Even with the time and place the characters were extremely relatable and was hard to put down because you had to know what other shenanigans they were going to get into..

hope to see more of this from this author in the future.

My first book by Vasti though her Halifax Sisters series has been on my shelf for a while - this one was very cute and I really enjoyed it so I’ll be moving those up to the top! (Yes, I already bought them before reading this one, her first full-length novel!)

I enjoy adding a historical romance into my contemporary reading now and then, and this one was a perfect pick - definitely unique with a newly inherited duke who has to come to England from Louisiana. His first task is to petition for guardianship of his younger half siblings who had been given to some random, distant (very elderly and uncaring) relative. Second, to fight to abolish slavery. Third? Win over the girl he had a bad first impression with a few years before when he first came to England… he has his priorities straight but life has other plans.

I really enjoyed their chemistry and all of the side characters, especially the children. Peter and Selina were a great pair and they really compliment each others qualities - her and her library endeavors, him and his siblings and specific demands in parliament. The banter, steam, and everything here was just really good. I’m looking forward to more from the author. I definitely recommend it!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and this is my honest feedback.

This is a very solid 3.5 star debut historical romance, featuring Peter Kent, the new Duke of Stanhope with a scandalous reputation, he comes from America (gasp!). To become the guardian of his half-siblings, he turns to Lady Selina Ravenscroft for help. But when they fall in love, it could lead to the ultimate scandal.

This book has a lot going on. I enjoyed the more modern take on historical romance tropes. Selina, tired of ladies going into marriage blindly, secretly owns and runs a erotic lending library. The first part of the book is all about Selina trying to find Peter a bride, although they both really have eyes for each other. The second half is a custody battle alongside drama regarding the lending library, because how could a woman run such a thing?. I think all of this overshadowed the characters, and there were way too many extraneous details and characters. I loved them but kept wanting more information and waiting for them to become relevant to the plot. I am assuming this is intended to be the start of a series where these characters will be, hopefully, more explored. To add to this point, Peter and Selina meet several years before this book begins, and it feels like you are being dropped into a romance already in progress, and I felt their story was missing something. Please do let Selina's twin brother, Will, have his own book.

I will definitely read more Alexandra Vasti in the future! I like her characters and her writing style is engaging.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a big fan of Alexandra Vasti's novellas (have read all of them!) and jumped at the chance to read her debut novel ARC. This is a delightful story and serve as a great introduction to a new series. Ne'er Duke Well tells the story of Peter, an American duke, and Selina, sister to a duke who runs a secret erotic library. Peter needs to be a respectable duke to ensure that he wins the custody rights of his half siblings, and Selina aims to help Peter with this.
.
Now, as a big reader of historical romance, I'm quite surprised that this novel has so much modern sensibilities woven into it. The good thing about this is that the characters feel refreshing. It also touches upon social issues not normally brought up on other historical romance books (e.g. Peter is an abolitionist of slavery). However, at times I do feel that some details feel like a throwaway and unnecessary. There's a couple of occasions where these details just completely took me out of the story. For example, Peter is a duke, but he openly told Selina that he's not sure if Selina wants a child and it's okay to not want a child. I understand he's an American, but even so, someone in the early 18th century, let alone a high ranking peer, wouldn't even have this thought crossing their minds. I like historical romance for the extremely limiting social confines and seeing how a character maneuver around it. If there's no any limitation to this, I felt that the appeal and the stake is lower for me.
.
Moreover, I feel that the central conflict here is not very convincing. I just don't think that a duke will have any problems gaining custody for his half siblings. There's also a good portion of the book dedicated to circumvent this by pushing Peter into a hasty loveless marriage, which again, I don't think it's necessary.
.
Despite that, the writing is sharp and witty, just like what you'd expect if you have read her novellas. The pace dragged a bit in the middle, but it's getting better as we go towards the end. I really appreciate that the conflict doesn't go to a cliche like I dreaded. In fact, the resolution was quite smart and it's written charmingly. I also really enjoyed most of the characters. The side characters especially really shine for me and I really look forward to Selina's friends books!

It’s release week for Alexandra Vasti’s trad debut, Ne’er Duke Well.

This is a story in which Selina plays matchmaker for Peter, and whoopsie daisy, they fall hard for each other. Unfortunately, Selina thinks she is likely bring scandal on Peter, because she runs a lending library with scandalous materials (to make sure young ladies have the opportunity to learn about bodies and intimacy before they find themselves in bad situations). Peter is trying to get custody of his half siblings, so an impeccable reputation would be helpful!

I really enjoyed this story with flawed but very lovable main characters. And the lovely Halifax Hellions get a nod.

I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this. Thank you to the publisher for early access. My thoughts on the story are my own.

I adored Alexandra Vasti’s Halifax Hellion novellas and I think she’s doing some COOL things in historical romance (normalizing historical queerness, showcasing women’s independence, the way she writes sex positive stories). But I didn’t love this one as much as I expected to (even though I still recommend it!)

An American raised in Louisiana inheriting a dukedom is fresh and unique and I really loved Vasti’s take on a newly minted Duke. Peter and Selina are loveable characters with crackling chemistry. And I adored that Selina owns a secret erotic library for women.

But I didn’t feel like we got enough of them together on page as a happy unit and it led to boredom during the middle half of the book. Don’t get me wrong. Vasti’s prose and writing is phenomenal and her historical detail is spectacular. But I wasn’t charmed by this one the way I was with her novellas, unfortunately.

Ne'er Duke Well is a wonderful friends-to-lovers story! Peter Kent, is the new Duke of Stanhope and if he hopes to be named guardian of his young siblings he needs to convince the Court of Chancery of his worthiness. His friend Lady Selina proposes that he would improve his chances if married and offers to help him find a bride. What follows is a sweet, and funny story filled with misadventures as Peter comes to realize that Lady Selina is his perfect match. Wonderful dialogue, and plenty of steam!

I don’t read a ton of historical romances but when ever I read a book that I love as much as this one, it reminds me that I need to read more of them. It took me years to read a historical romance and now I definitely need to read way more, as I love all the tropes in them. Usually, they take me a little bit longer to read to get used to the language and the stuffiness of the older English language, but I didn’t struggle at all with that in this book. The writing was the perfect balance of feeling older, but not as historically accurate as it has to be and I loved it for that!

Selina and Peter have some great chemistry from the start and I love how well Selina and Peter get along from the moment they meet on the page. Peter is reckless with his love and it gets him in trouble a lot, I specifically loved the stolen alcohol story I was dying and I won’t forget that anytime soon. He loves hard and once he set his mind on Selina, her secrets won’t ever be enough for him to let her go.

Peter with Lu and Freddie was just adorable. Lu is a spitfire and I hope we get her book soon cause I know she’d have the most spectacular story! There are so many things I just adored about this book and I can’t wait to see what this author does next!

Much like the rest of romancelandia, I was super excited to read Alexandra Vasti’s first full length novel after reading her Halifax Hellions novellas (spoiler—they’re mentioned in her newest!). Ne’er Duke Well is within the same universe as Matilda and Margo and takes place just before either of them have settled down. We have a bit of an Emma story with Lady Selina Ravenscroft attempting to be a matchmaker for Peter Kent, the 9th Duke of Stanhope. Peter is a different sort of Duke hailing from Louisiana and only recently inheriting the Dukedom, making the mistake in the ton of accepting his father’s illegitimate offspring as his own siblings. Selina hopes to help secure a match for Peter that will elevate his capabilities of taking care of his siblings as their rightful brother. Oh course this matchmaker is bested when she assumes she knows whom Peter desires most, never expecting it to be herself!

This was a tricky read for me. I think overall it was because of the pacing. Perhaps I was expecting the speed of Vasti’s past novellas, and this one felt slow to start. The matchmaking attempts by Selina were fun and the book picked up when Peter reveals it’s Selina who’s been occupying his thoughts instead of his other possible paramours. However the couple gets together and we aren’t yet to the halfway point. The second half of the book read as more of a custody battle for the children than as a love story. Although this didn’t bother me and I don’t mind children in romance, I think I wanted more romantic tension and pull between Peter and Selina prior to the second plot. There are also LOTS of things that happen in this book, some of which I wish were more front and center. Selina runs an erotic library and although the consequences of this are explored, the fun bits of what this means weren’t really touched upon. Perhaps I was hoping to be scandalized? I did like what Vasti did with one of Peter’s love interests (even if I anticipated this storyline early on). I have to say though that this novel wasn’t as memorable as Vasti’s earlier works and somewhat forgettable. I know there was steam, but unfortunately can’t remember enough of it to feel excited for. I am sure Vasti will continue to hone her writing with time as she truly has a knack for historical romance, and even though this wasn’t my favorite from her, I look forward to reading more in the future. I received an advanced copy from St. Martin’s. All opinions are my own.

3.5 🌟 rounded up to 4

This was a pretty good read by a new author I found. The story held my attention from the first chapter and never let go. The characters were fully developed with thoughts and feelings of their own. I really enjoyed the story with lots of funny quips and tender moments.
Peter Kent, the new Duke of Stanhope is an American from New Orleans who is a radical with views that other don't like. He wants to adopt his siblings who were not acknowledge from their father or in his will. He will have to portray a steady demeanor and not upset Lord Eldon who is the justice of the High Court. Peter will have to be in the good graces of the Lord who will handle the case.
When Peter literally bumps into a woman who is a matchmaker by the name of Selina Ravenscroft.
She is a lady with good insights in getting people together in marriage. Selina decides to help Peter in his search for respectability and a wife. But things don't go as planned when she finds herself falling in love with him. Peter falls in love with her too. Lots of kissing and sexy happenings to make this a wonderful romance.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

I had high hopes for this one and it was a bit of a let down. It started interestingly enough but then rushed through the romance plot and left much to be desired.

A steamy regency romance in the vein of Bridgerton. Highly enjoyable. The characters were delightful. Peter Kent inherited the dukedom of Stanford from his late father. He comes from New Orleans and he's trying to do the right thing by his half-siblings. Lady Selina is the sister of a duke who wants to help Peter secure guardianship of his siblings. She feels a wife would help him accomplish this and convince the House of Lords that he is responsible and capable. She comes up with a list of fine English ladies who would all suit. Only Selina wishes she herself were on the list. And this wouldn't be a problem, as she is a fine upstanding Lady. However, she is also running a secretive library business of erotic novels for the ton. Hijinks and romance ensue.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this e-arc.*

In this regency era steam fest of a book, we meet 2 characters who are complete opposites at first and turn into so much more sooner than just at the end of the book.

I really enjoyed the banter between Selina and Peter, who have the typical enemies to lovers set up. Add a marriage of convenience, he falls first and hard, and you’ve got the perfect match. I ultimately wish I could live within the pages of this book. The setting, the modernized thoughts that are trickled within are just wonderful.

I can not wait for more.

If you're looking for a Regency romance with humor, heat, and heart, check out NE'ER DUKE WELL, which has all three in abundance.

Both leads are good people who are trying their best, which makes it easy to like and sympathize with them, even if they sometimes make hilarious mistakes. Better still, the tension in the book primarily comes from outside influences rather than from misunderstandings, miscommunications, or bad decisions on the part of the leads. There's conflict, of course, but not a ton of unnecessary angst, and I appreciated that. Drama and angst can be very rewarding, but sometimes I enjoy the comfort of reading a story about two good people realizing how great they could be together. NE'ER DUKE WELL really delivers that!

The book also feels surprisingly timely. Because we live in an era of book bans and legal challenges to women's reproductive rights, Selina's desire to help the women of her society learn more about their bodies and desires comes across as particularly important. This novel underscores the importance of having information, even if (or precisely because) it's the kind of information that gatekeepers don't want young women to know.

A delightfully hot and funny debut historical romance. A perfect follow-up to season 3 of Bridgerton with extraordinarily steamy romance and a hard won and heartfelt HEA.

Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti is a feel good, fun read full of heart! This is my first book by Vasti and I was s completely engaged from the beginning chapter. Peter Kent, an American who has inherited the Stanford Dukedom is an endearing character with his easy smile, caring manner. and good looks. He has a depth of character with his emotional scars and insecurities. As the female main character, Lady Selina Ravenscroft, is intelligent, driven to solve others problems and can work the ton like no other. These two join forces in a plan that will determine Peter's future and give him his heart's desire. The story if filled with wit, humor, angst and secret longings. There were twist and turns, unexpected surprises and an ending that will touch your heart! Her supporting characters are as well developed as her main characters and are woven seamlessly into the whole. The trope of found family is very evident in the relationships between the characters!
Ne'er Duke Well is Alexandra Vasti's debut novel and I loved it! I am hoping that she will write stories for the supporting characters that I met withing the pages of her novel!
I received an Advanced Readers Copy and am leaving a voluntary review based solely on my personal reading experience.

A solid debut novel from Alexandra Vasti. I enjoyed the central romance between Peter and Selina and loved even more the broader storylines introduced, including the subplot mystery/drama with Georgiana, Selina’s work around Belvoir’s and the clear lines to future romances for supporting characters. I loved seeing the way Peter and Selina both showed their love for their families — and the way they’re going about building a new one together. There were a few areas I wish were fleshed out better and were more show than tell, such as the past first meeting between Selina and Peter; it’s mentioned a few times and briefly outlined, but I think a flashback scene with some more detail or something would have been better there. Overall an enjoyable romp with meaningful layers to it. I would definitely be willing to explore her other books, and I’m interested in her previous novella collection.

I've been intending to read more historical romance, so I was eager to read this one. The title and cover caught my attention and the story did not disappoint! I flew through this book! I loved Selina and Peter's chemistry, and I found myself laughing out loud through much of the story. The story was very refreshing. The romance was center stage, but largely without conflict. Selina and Peter were supportive of each other, communicated well, and there was no third act breakup. Instead, they had to manage largely external conflict: Peter working to get custody of his two siblings and Selina trying to prevent scandal due to her secret business. Speaking of, I really loved that Selina was a savvy business owner who curated accessible erotic and informative content for women, as well as her motivations for why she started it. I love a strong FMC, and Selina was top tier.

I am excited to read more from Alexandra Vasti! I believe Selina's friend Lydia is next, so I am thrilled we get to continue reading about this world and cast of characters.

This was an enjoyable and lighthearted read.

With an American born duke that wasn’t raised on aristocratic conventions and has a different perception than most of society of what matters the most of all. And a heroine that in the eyes of the ton is the epitome of respectability for a sister of a duke. Which has allowed her to secretly run a scandalous library for two years.

This story is filled with supportive side characters that are endearing and provide understanding and unconditional love. Along with some hijinks and comedic relief that always kept the story light and hopeful even when all seemed lost.

There are four encounters that are detailed and steamy.