This was such a cute story! Right away I felt like I was sucked in and loving the main characters and their chemistry. It almost felt like we thrown into the story but not really in a bad way. I feel like it made it go quick because they had a backstory. I will say I didn't expect some of the steam but I should have since it says a steamy rom-com. It wasn't too bad but honestly I feel like I would have loved for it to have been more closed door or less details scenes or maybe just one or two scenes. But I really adored this and it just made me so happy!

I love the kids and the main characters. I also really enjoy that there wasn't any crazy drama and they actually communicated. *GASP!* NO THIRD ACT conflict, PRAISE BE!

It was just a very happy book and honestly if it had been less steamy I probably would have gave it five stars. But this is just super cute and definitely one that should be on your TBR if you like a historical romance that is super light-hearted and fun!

A very delightful Regency romp that incorporates contemporary themes and sensibilities in a creative and empowering way. Like the books of India Holton or Evie Dunmore, Ne'er Duke Well features Strong Female Leads, Steadfast Love Interests, and Moppetry. It does not accidentally stumble into a weird racist subplot, which is not unheard of in this particular age! The love story is almost never in question — the marriage plot is humorously executed — and I did enjoy that the last half of the book was devoted to resolving the B (non-romance) plot, but YMMV there.

Peter is the new Duke of Stanhope, living in New Orleans. He just learned he has a half siblings, 10 and 12 and wants guardianship. He arrives in London hoping to win custody. Selina finds him attractive and believes he will have better luck as guardian if he is married. She prepares a list of women and encourages him to choose one. The only one he wants is Selina herself, but she has secrets that would ruin his chances if people found out what she has done. I loved this book. Peter wants a family so badly, and Selina wants him to be happy. I loved Peter’s siblings. It took awhile for them to trust him, and it was fun watching him win them over. Selina and Peter’s romance was sexy and sweet. They wanted the best for the family. I liked that Selina took care of most of the problems but when it came to her own secret, Peter rallied her friends and creatively protected her. Great characters and love story.

I will be honest with you all. When I read the blurb for Ne’er Duke Well, I almost didn’t accept the widget. I was drowning in ARCs and barely getting ahead with my reviews (I often do this to myself). What ultimately made me accept was that I love Regency romances. I am glad that I accepted because this book was a good read.

The plot for Ne’er Duke Well was medium-paced and centered around Selina and Peter. I liked that Selina and Peter knew each other before the book started. Their gradual falling into love seemed like an obvious next step instead of being forced upon them.

The plot for Ne’er Duke Well was a dual plotline. One branch followed Selina and her running of the erotic circulation library. The other branch followed Peter as he fought to become his half-sibling’s legal guardian. In the middle of the book, both storylines merge, and that is when the chaos starts to happen. I loved it!!

The storyline with Selina was well-written. The evolution of the erotic circulating library had good roots. Selina’s best friend had found herself pregnant a couple of years earlier, and she did not know how it had happened. Selina took it upon herself to try to educate the ladies of the ton with this library. And, surprisingly, it took off. I wish I could have gotten more glimpses into the material used because it seemed very pornographic (from what Selina read). Selina did her best to keep her ownership of the library secret, but secrets have a way of coming out, and oh boy, did Selina’s.

The storyline with Peter was also well-written. He wanted to get custody of his siblings but got in the way of himself. He was a little scandalous (he said and did things that the proper British ton didn’t like), but he was a good person. But, and this comes up later in the book, Peter does have his demons. Those demons come out in full force when Freddy (his brother) becomes deathly ill. I felt awful for that poor man; he was terrified and was willing to do anything to keep Freddy alive.

Ne’er Duke Well has strong and memorable secondary characters. These characters added much-needed depth (and, in some situations, levity) to both storylines.

As stated in the blurb, the romance angle of Ne’er Duke Well was steamy. The author gradually builds up the sexual tension between Selina and Peter. By the time their wedding night comes around, everything explodes. And it keeps exploding with every sex scene. While the sex scenes were good, the relationship between Selina and Peter caught my attention. They were true partners and stood by each other’s sides during two critical scenes in the book. Selina was even willing to go as far as to annul the marriage so Peter would have a better chance of gaining custody of his brother and sister.

The end of Ne’er Duke Well was an HEA. I liked how the author resolved both storylines. I hope she writes more books in this universe. I am keen to see how various characters find their matches.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Alexandra Vasti for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Ne’er Duke Well. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

I love regency romance! It’s been a while since I’ve read one and this hit the spot! I loved Peter, the unrespectable almost duke, and Selina is determined to help him find a wife so he can get custody of his newly found younger brother and sister.

I was SO excited to receive this early and it did not disappoint! I cannot wait to buy a copy for my shelf!

Fans of Bridgerton: this one is for you/us.

Spice Level: Season 1 (which is to say, very spicy).

I love a regency romance and Ne’er Duke Well delivered a refreshingly different spin on the genre. NOLA born and raised, this story follows seemingly carefree Peter Kent as he inherits a dukedom. After moving to England, he discovers he has a younger brother and sister. In his quest to gain custody (by increasing his respectability), Lady Selina Ravonscroft attempts to find him a wife. Things don’t…go to plan.

Respectability is not Peter’s forte. Or his goal.

I dare say Peter Kent is one of my favorite regency MMCs.

Real life or fiction, we love the funny guy. The one that can make you laugh, anytime but especially when you’re worried.  That’s Peter. Irreverent in many ways, but ultimately has his priorities straight. I shared in Selina’s anxiety and her relief multiple times throughout this story. Vasti's book is unique, her writing is strong, and her story is well researched - she's one to follow!

I'll definitely be recommending this one and purchasing a copy when it's released. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this work.

Ne'er Duke Well is a story of family, grief, and strong women. Peter, Duke of Stanhope, is uninterested in the specific trappings of the ton. What he is interested in is getting custody of his two half siblings. Enlisting herself to help is Lady Selina Ravenscroft, and her brilliant solution to making Peter more respectable is to get him married to a respectable woman. Due to her own secrets the woman cannot be Selina, but she will introduce him to all of her most respectable friends in hopes of making a match. Unfortunately, as she gets to know the Duke and his rowdy siblings, one thing becomes perfectly clear: she is the only woman for the job. Will she find a way to have the man and her dreams?

I have been reading Regency romance for as long as I can remember. I have very specific memories being young and hiding a bodice ripper in a cupboard so my mom wouldn't find out I'd been reading her stash. It has been probably a decade since I found a regency author I truly love.

This is the first book of Alexandra's that I've read but I will definitely be going back and reading her full catalog, and also obsessively follow her new releases. This book manages to be heartbreaking, heartwarming, and funny all in the same package. The characters are dynamic and charming, beautiful in how imperfect they are. The cast of characters is fairly large for this type of book - we have our main couple and the aforementioned half siblings but there are also three other strong female characters that serve as Selina's troupe of misfit friends (presumably we will be getting books for all? I sure as hell hope so), Selina's grandmother figures (not outright stated as lesbians, but... they're lesbians and it's adorable), and many others.

The characterization of our FMC and MMC are of particular note - we have a grumpy/sunshine duo where Peter is our sunshine, and I can't quite describe him much further than he is sunshine personified. Selina is a strong, independent woman with good intentions who reminds me some of Jane Austen's Emma in that she is a "fixer" and wants to solve peoples problems (via matchmaking in this specific case, but she also goes about life managing and fixing other peoples problems). Their chemistry and interactions are some of the most entertaining content. Peter does something goofy. Selina side eyes him for doing the wrong thing. Selina admits that she runs an erotic library. Peter immediately just tells her that he's so proud of her, that she's amazing and a goddess, and of course she does. Both characters have trauma and grief they are experiencing and they support each other in a really beautiful way.

If you love regency romance and want something that tilts towards modern sensibility without leaning too far, give this book a try. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this one and look forward to reading more from this author.

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti is a truly entertaining tale of a Misfit Duke and Daring Debutante. Louisiana born Duke Peter has some major family issues and needs a wife, but can Selina, who has her own huge secret to deal with, help him find the perfect match? There are lots of surprises and entertaining adventures as we see where the wind blows these two. Such a fun read, I highly recommend checking out Ne’er Duke Well!

#Ne'erDukeWell #AlexandraVasti #NetGalley #regencyromance

I was needing a historical romance and loved Vasti's novellas. I adored the romance and the connection between the two main characters. I thought that their proximity and his attraction to her created just right amount of tension. However, everything that I wanted to happen did before 65% and we are left with a custody battle and a martyr situation from the heroine. The writing was great. The love story is good. But I would have been content for the story to wrap up a little sooner.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! I've been a huge fan of the Halifax Hellions, and was so excited to read this full length novel set in the same world!

I love a steamy regency romp! Enter Peter Kent, the newest Duke of Stanhope. A fish it off water, Peter was never meant to become the Duke. He grew up, raised by his mother, in New Orleans. After his father's passing, he inherited the dukedom, and finds out about his two half siblings! On a mission to gain guardianship of them, despite his terrible reputation (thanks in part to his radical politics) he enlists the help of Lady Selina Ravenscroft - a most proper lady of unimpeachable characters...

Or so everyone thinks! But Selina has a secret! She runs an erotic circulating library -The Venus Catalog - exclusively for women - but no one knows she's in charge.

On a mission to find the perfect bride for Peter, Selina tries her matchmaking skills with 3 of the most upstanding ladies she can think of, but can they each get past their mutual Attraction to each other?

Scandal after scandal, I really enjoyed this novel. At times it did feel a little long, but the last third of the book really picked up. I couldn't put it down! Definitely check this one out if you like a lot of steam (there's more steamy moments than I was expecting!), loveable characters who get into sticky situations, a great cast of secondary characters, and a couple twists and turns along the way!

4.5 stars rounded up!

An enjoyable, charming piece of historical romance. I will admit that regency romances and the like are my go-to "guilty" pleasure - a fun way to escape when I'm feeling overwhelmed with life. Never Duke Well checked all the boxes I look for in these escapes - heart, humour, and chemistry. It had it all!

In this regency matchmaking story,the new Duke of Stanhope, Peter Kent, has inherited and would like his father’s natural (illegitimate) children to become his wards. The great-aunt they have been living with may be willing to turn them over to their brother’s loving care, but the judge who the outspoken Duke has managed to piss off on a number of occasions to comical proportions, and who has say over the custody matter, may not be so eager. To improve his reputation and avoid scandal, he asks a lady of society whom he believes of wisdom and discerning taste to advise him on his situation. Lady Selina suggests he marry to offer a two-parent home to his young brother and sister; after meeting Peter, she somehow finds every lady that she puts forth unsuitable. Their chemistry and friendship quickly add up to Selina being the only choice for him, but she has a secret of her own that will result in scandal if her identity as the woman behind a popular circulating library of erotica for women were to get out.

Peter is delightfully awkward, and Selina curious, lusty, and in turmoil; I was rooting for them, hard. This charming debut novel reads like part of a series, with backstory for all supporting characters, any number of whom would be a welcome next read. Vasti’s fully realized eighteenth century London is thrilling, feminist, and sex-positive. Her literary and historical credentials back up the great storytelling.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #Ne’erDukeWell via #NetGalley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press.

What a fun and heartfelt read! The quality of the writing is GREAT and the story line, characters, and plot points were interesting and enjoyable. I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and getting lost in this world. This was my first read by this author and it won’t be my last!

NE'ER DUKE WELL by Alexandra Vasti had my attention from the excellent title alone, but it's also really good!

The marketing blurb promises a Regency romp, and there is definitely some romping (including the scene captured on the cover!) but there's also tenderness, the love of found family, trusting the people you love, and trusting the people who love you to show up for you.

Peter needs to convince the court to give him custody of his half siblings, and Selina's plan is for him to find a respectable wife. But he doesn't want anyone from her list of prospects, he wants...her! But of course, she has A Secret that could ruin all their plans. I liked that the marriage hunt didn't drag out too much, because just smooch already! It was very precious how much they admired each other, how they saw strengths that the other thought of as weaknesses. It's very sweet. (In an emotional sense; it is also spicy in a "women's underclothes of that era were two unconnected pant legs" sense.)

NE'ER DUKE WELL comes out July 23, and I already am chomping at the bit for book 2!

If I had to describe Ne’er Duke Well in a word, it would be “charming.” Vasti has two exceptionally likable leads in Peter and Selina. He’s an unexpected duke, an American by birth, so he doesn’t know the ins and outs of Regency society. He needs all the help he can get to claim custody of his half-siblings, and he decides that Selina, the sister of a duke, is the perfect person to advise him how to succeed in his goal. Her solution? Find himself a wife to show that he’s settled and ready to raise children.

This leads to a delightful read. Peter is earnest and open, if a bit too easily politically correct, and he’s blissfully ignorant of Regency rules. Selina knows them all and follows them scrupulously due to her secret circulating library (hey, the blurb tells you about it) and her resulting need to appear utterly disassociated from it. I loved in particular Peter’s “courting” scenes, where Selina sets him up with perfectly suitable women who are perfectly unsuitable for him.

Ne’er Duke Well is light and fun and frothy. If things go a bit too swimmingly at times, I took that in the joyful spirit in which it was written. I especially liked the allusions to Harriette Wilson and her memoirs, which this book parallels nicely. And I hope Vasti makes some of Peter’s rejected prospects heroines of their own books!

I've decided to DNF this title. Review witheld due to the SMP boycott. I will not be releasing a review until SMP makes a statement. Thank you.

I love this book! Like many of us I was introduced to this author via the free Halifax Hellions novellas. I really enjoyed them and was excited for this debut, and it completely lived up to the hype. A historical romance where the MMC isn't a rake and is hilariously awkward, yes please. Add to that he loves the heroine because she is the most clever woman in his acquaintance. Amazing. Can't wait to see what this author writes next.

His voice was steady, his eyes on hers. "You bring the morning with you. You're the light, sweetheart. When you walk into a room, I can't see the shadows. There is nothing in this world that could persuade me to send you away if I thought you wanted me half as much as I want you."
Nobody touch me I'm crying. I loved this book and want to read it again and again and again.

This was a marvelous Regency romance; there were a few moments where I felt like I was walking into the middle of a series, but mostly it just made me want another book about every single side character (maybe especially the lesbian aunts).