I went into this with very medium expectations, and it exceeded them all. Was it a bit silly at times? Of course, and that's part of the point. I wasn't expecting it to be like LADY WHISTLEDOWN HAS A CONSCIOUS y'all (I mean not that Lady Whistledown is not not also making a point, I just think our lead's actions here are more commendable). Anyway, it was heartfelt, I really liked all of the characters, and I would definitely generally recommend to romance readers, especially those who like their romances to be of the regency variety. My only real complaint was the "my repuration will ruin you so I must leave you for your own good nonsense" but otherwise, it was pretty perfect for me. 5 stars - I loved it!

3.5 stars

A fun regency romp com featuring two adorably sunshine love interests. Peter Kent, the Duke of Stanhope, is seeking guardianship of his younger half siblings, but the man who'll decide dislikes him for being American and holding radical views. Determined to help, Lady Selina Ravenscroft suggests she'll find him a suitable wife, except none of her candidates could hold a candle to her. And despite Selina's own heart beating for Peter she knows he can't get involved with her because of the the scandal if her secret ownership of a women's only erotica library is revealed.

At times, I did find the pace dragged, especially in the first half which focused on Peter's wife search. I do wish that the resolution to Peter's problem was less predictable and a conscious decision made given how the whole point of the story was about having control over their lives. The second half, however, was stronger as it focused on Selina and her library.

This was a lot of fun. Selina and Peter were adorable together, and, refreshingly, Selina's family was supportive and progressive. I loved that she used her privilege to help other women be informed of their sexuality and bodies. I also adored Peter and how he loved his siblings and didn't want to control his fiesty tomboy younger sister Lu. His final solution for Selina was also just sweet and supportive, he loved her for the very things she feared would hurt him.

If you like low angst, witty characters that are fun, progressive and upbeat with a sizzling chemistry, you could do no wrong than this book. I hope we get to see more books featuring Selina's friends.

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely adored Alexandra's novellas about the Hellifax sisters. That was my first foray into recency romance. I don't know if it was because it was much longer than those stories, but this one was missing some of the magic. The storyline dragged a bit when there was an obvious answer for the dilemma. I did enjoy the characters and it definitely had some good steam. Overall, it was a cute romp and I will definitely read more by Vasti!

I would call this modern historical (regency) fiction with a side of romance. Modern because of the historical inaccuracies regarding women's rights, severity(lack their) of consequences, men seeking the counsel of women, life expectancy, as well as a few other notions that made it really hard for me to get that "historical" feel. I had trouble figuring what the rules were in this made up historical setting where the author truly did pick and choose perhaps only the savory pieces; clothes, dukedom, cute things like sitting around and writing letters, that gossip life.

I think fans of the TV show Bridgerton, not necessarily the books, but the show for sure, would be interested in this. As well as people that don't want to read historically accurate fiction. This is for people that maybe don't realize, acknowledge or understand how bad women used to have it or those whom romanticize history/the past.

Ne'er Duke Well is a witty & fun historical fiction by Alexadra Vasti. The novel is also a beautiful romance written into a great storyline that'll make your heart swoon. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book on #NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own, but hopefully, you'll put this on your TBR list.
The characters in Ne'er Duke Well are strong, hilarious, & not exactly what you'd expect for early 1800s England. Such a wonderful storyline with friends, family, drama, passion, & one-liners that'll make you laugh. I very much hope Alexandra Vasti continues writing a second novel because there are a few characters in Ne'er Duke Well that you barely get to know, but make an impression that leaves you curious about what their story might be.

An adorable little regency read that had well developed characters, and kept me twirling my hair the entire time. I felt that the amount of love scenes was just right. I'm the type of reader that tends to start skipping through them when they're repetitive and don't do anything to progress the relationship, and I didn't feel the need to do so with this one.

It had some romcom vibes to it as well but also had a lot of genuine moments and depth to keep the relationship gripping. Such a fun summery read.

I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. It was very interesting the twist and turns that the FMC was willing to go to, to ensure that our MMC was betrothed in time. I appreciated the fact that she was a feminist, and wanted to educate the ladies of the world about things that they should know about. I think my favorite part was the fact that the MMC supported her and found delight in her strength.

Selena is a very intelligent FMC. She somehow figures out how to fix things, matchmaker, and help people all without hurting her own reputation. She is also very much attracted to the Duke of Stanhope even if he tried to take her horse lol. Now the Duke has come to her for help. She is determined to help him gain guardianship of his siblings, but it won’t be an easy road. Her solution is to marry him off before court now if she could only get the Duke of Stanhope and her prospects to fall in line.

Peter, the Duke of Stanhope, really does need her help. However, he is finding it difficult to stay away from the woman who is trying to set him up with other women. Selena is someone he has always been drawn to. He admires her intelligence, her wit, and her bravery. It doesn’t hurt that he also thinks she is stunning. If only he could get her to see that they are meant to be together and not everyone who she is trying to set him up with.

This was a lovely and empowering story about bucking societal norms in favor of what is right. I really enjoyed this book and intend to look up other books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this early copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a classic historical romance with a unique twist! I enjoyed the covert bookstore aspect and the idea of a well-bred, naive society taking matters into their own hands to gain the information they need. It was a fun concept. The only big thing I struggled with was the introduction of characters and past situations that wasn't very fluid. Things that happened outside of the book were mentioned in a way that felt like I should've read a previous book in a series and been aware of these people and connections in a more detailed way. Other than that, it was overall a decent read.

Set in the same world as her Halifax Hellions novella trilogy, I was really looking forward to this full length debut and it didn't disappoint! I love the way Vasti writes the banter between her characters, it's light and fun but still has heart.

New Duke of Stanhope Peter Kent needs a well bred bride to be respectable in Parliament; Lady Selina Ravenscroft thinks she can find him the perfect wife but she's keeping a secret of her own that could be scandalous. As the two spend more time together, sparks fly and suddenly everything gets complicated.

The plot sort of veers one way and then the next and Selina's hiding of her secret gets a little tiresome but the ending is wonderful and I'm really looking forward to the next story set in this world!

This is a unique historical romance and I enjoyed it immensely. Peter Kent, former citizen of New Orleans, is Great Britain's newest duke. His family consists of himself, and two young illegitimate half-siblings. Peter is bent on becoming their legal guardian, and to make them respectable and accepted by society. For that, he needs a wife beyond reproach.

Lady Selina literally runs into Peter and his siblings on the street. She likes Peter and his family, and sets out to introduce him to respectable young women of the ton. Unfortunately for Peter, the woman he is most attracted to is the woman introducing him to eligible ladies.

Lady Selina has her own secrets, secrets that could ruin her, and reflect badly on her family if they were revealed. She knows that she is the last woman that Peter should ally himself with, as he needs to marry a woman of utmost respectabiilty to help make his siblings acceptable.

I'm looking forward to the author's next book. I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. It was my pleasure to voluntarily read and review it.

This was a fun book to read, my first from Alexandra Vasti. A historical romance, set in Regency England, the story is about Peter Kent, the new Duke of Stanhope, and Lady Selina Ravenscroft. Peter spent most of his life in New Orleans, Louisiana, and he's a little lost in the social mores of the Ton, while Selina is a lady of the Ton who is a closet bluestocking running a secret library that specializes in lending erotic literature to ladies of the Ton. Peter enlists Selina's help in procuring guardianship of his half-brother and half-sister.

The overall story of Peter's attempt to get guardianship is very sweet, and the romance between him and Selina was cute and steamy, I found the first third of the book slow. There was a lot going on: Peter's feelings of ineptness, stemming from his father's abandonment of him and his mother; Peter's fears of not getting guardianship of his brother and sister; Selina's concern of keeping her library a secret; and Selina's intent to ensure that Peter was granted guardianship by "matching" him with three prospective duchesses. It got a little silly, and then a little heavy. It was a mixed bag. It settled down at the midway point, thankfully.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, and I look forward to reading more of Vasti's stories.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for access to this E-ARC! This was one of my first historical romances and I really enjoyed it. Loved the characters & the way the story flowed. Will read more from this author.

I LOVE THIS BOOK - it is my favorite read this year so far and I don't see anything knocking it off it's pedestal so far.

Thank you for the chance to read this one early!

If I could have skipped work to read this, I would have.

A mix of my two favorite Bridgerton stores, Penelope and Eloise. There’s also a quick reference to Alexandra Vasti’s Halifax Hellions novellas that made me giggle. (Which if you haven’t read those, so it now before Ne’er Duke Well comes out. You won’t be disappointed!)

I've loved Alexandra Vasti's Halifax Hellions novellas, so I was super excited to read her full-length debut Ne'er Duke Well, and I was not disappointed. Selina and Peter are some of my favorite characters I've encountered in historical romance. Peter is the "American Duke," raised in Louisiana, and he is trying to make himself more respectable in order to gain custody of his half-siblings, Freddie and Lu. Freddie and Lu are delightful, the rare children who add to a romance novel. Lu in particular is a total spitfire and a kindred spirit with Selina. Selina's family and friends are full of wonderful secondary characters. I don't want to spoil any of the action, but most of the conflict is external, which I really enjoyed, because it allowed the pair's feelings for each other to really shine through the whole book. This is also a hot historical. Really hot. The end made me teary in a good way, without ever worrying about the fate of our couple, and the conflict was resolved in a truly wonderful way I didn't see coming and which let Peter shine. I loved this book and if yyou're looking for a summer beach/lake/pool read, this should be at the top of your list.

4.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this regency romp! It is sweet, it's spicy and it has heart! I loved how progressive the characters were for the time.

Our FMC, Selina, fancies herself a bit of a matchmaker and problem solver. When the Duke of Stanhope, Peter Kent, confides his dilemma to her, Selina decides marriage is the solution. As she sets out to find him the perfect wife, they both try to hide their feelings. Because his perfect wife might just be her.
I also found it refreshing not to have our MMC be a rake completely opposed to marriage. Nothing wrong with that trope, but it's a bit overdone in my opinion.

There is no third act break up here. I loved this book!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

This was easily one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 so when I say that I am incoherent with how much I loved it, its really saying something because my expectations were already sky high. Vasti's lifetime of reading and loving romance shines throughout this novel, especially how she uses and subverts classic tropes and zigs where you expect her to zag in the plot. Selina and Peter are our central couple, and their chemistry--physical, intellectual, and emotional--is so special. But Vasti does not just rely on a strong romance to captivate us. The plot and pacing work equally well here, taking the "rakish rapscallion who needs a wife" premise as a mere jumping off point for a plot that encompasses ideas about family, propriety, and partnership that feel universal. Really just exceptional, I cannot wait until this releases in July so I can force it into every single person's hands. I already cannot wait to re-read it. The perfect combination of fun, smart, moving, and sexy!

Whenever I am going through something stressful, I tend to binge on romance novels. One thing that I am finding lately is that sometimes, even romance stories can be stressful. Yes, you are pretty much guaranteed a happy ending but the road to the happy ending often includes too much angst-filled miscommunication. This book, though, is PERFECT for those times. Peter and Selena are wonderful characters and their romance is swoony, steamy and so, so sweet. There are definite obstacles but they work them out together. I loved this book so much and now want to read through the rest of this author’s books. I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

4.5/5⭐️
3/5🌶️

2024 so far has been the year of Regency Era romances for me, and I am loving it! Ne’er Duke Well is unlike any other period romance that I’ve read before. It had an emphasis on women being involved in things that would have been considered scandalous at the time, and I think that the topic was handled really well.

Throughout this book, I loved the different relationships between characters, especially between Peter and Selina / Selina and Peter’s siblings. On this note, I do wish that there had been a bit more information given as to how Peter and Selina had met/how their very initial relationship started. With characters in mind, I also felt as though some of the side characters were two-dimensional and lacked memorable qualities.

I read this book quickly; it only took me about five days from start to finish. It had a fast moving plot that kept me interested, and the spicy scenes were tastefully done. I’m excited for this book to release and to own a physical copy for my personal library. I will definitely recommend this novel for both Regency Era lovers and those wanting to try a new subgenre within romance.

My favorite quote from this book was in the dedication: “To librarians, to booksellers, and to every reader who’s ever handed someone else a boon and said, ‘Try this- I think you’ll love it.’ You change lives.”

My favorite quote apart from the dedication was: “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.”

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to enjoy this advanced reader copy.

What a pleasant surprise! I would never have believed this was Alexandra Vasti's first novel as it is clever, entertaining and absolutely on target. Selina and Peter are an unusual but well-matched (eventually) pair and Peter's interactions with his siblings, or half-siblings to be exact, are just plain wonderful. Peter's desperate struggle to gain the guardianship of his two siblings is endearing and totally outside the realms of most peers. Selina's misguided attempts to find a wife for Peter are doomed to failure or are they? Twists and turns and a delightful finish to an entrancing tale told well! Although I received an ARC, my opinions are my own. I heartily recommend reading this book.