I'm so puzzled by this book. It's incredibly charming and I loved the idea of the Venus catalog, but it was also so easy to set aside!

The characters were a lot of fun; I especially appreciated having such a strong female lead. I also enjoyed Selina's collection development work on creating a library for women. But the plot may have been a little too silly and without depth to live up to the characters.

I was slow to read the first half and tried twice after that to finish the book and just didn't have enough interest. It felt like the overwhelming plot conflict was resolved too soon and there wasn't a believable risk for the rest of the issues to be resolved.

Vasti seems like a fun writer, this one just didn't hold me.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Too beautiful for words. Alexandra Vasti has a way with words, her style is compelling and engaging. I loved all the characters and their development. Can't wait for the next book in the series, Earl Crush, that I already requested.

Great book!

I learned of Alexandra Vasti through her FLAWLESS Halifax series and was excited for her new full length novel. This is a beautifully written book with her spin on so many historical romance classic tropes - plucky orphans, compromising positions and secrets that can get our characters kicked out of polite society. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC! This review contains my honest opinion where the words are mine and mine alone!

This was a cute, fluffy summer read! I am not a big fan of historical romances so colour me surprised when this went well! I had fun as much as the kiddos in the book as well loll they were the cutest and even cuter was the chemistry between our MCs!!! Thank you Vasti for this surprisingly delightful experience!

If you're a fan of Vasti's novellas you're obviously going to love this one. If you're a fan of historical romance I THINK you're going to love this one. If you loathe miscommunication or secret keeping or "setting my partner free by leaving him" tropes in romance, I think you'll appreciate that this book pointedly avoids those traps. I did.

I will say that the writing is a bit confusing - we jump into this world like we're supposed to know every side character's back story and the main characters already know each other so we don't really get a meet cute type exchange and then the falling in love part was rather fast. I think it could have benefitted from a better editor.

All that being said, this book was refreshingly enjoyable and entertaining to me. The chemistry and dialogue was great, the characters were great, the plot is decent, the spice is great. I was having a great time.

Funny, spicy, historical rom-com with a matchmaking twist. Loved the secret erotica library for women. Very witty and humorous!

This was a pleasant surprise. This is such a well done historical romance. And for a debut romance it's a chef's kiss!
I really recommend picking this one up you will not regret it.

I really wanted this to work for me but I was starting to skim (which in audio meant that I was getting up to 2.5x speed) and then roll my eyes from time to time so I had to call it and DNFed at 60%.

I think this book is good but boring? I found that I wasn't worried for a moment that everything would work out find and I just didn't really care to find out how.

I almost pushed through partly because it was an ARC but also because I was genuinely intrigued by how Lydia's story will work out and I wanted to see what role she plays in this book. But I know that when I start feeling ambivalent, it's a sign to stop reading.

What I liked:
• The main and secondary characters were charming and interesting
• The connection and tension between the two main characters
• Everything about the Belvoir library

I do think the writing was solid and I remain intrigued by Lydia so I will give Earl Crush a try. And the narration was well done. Also I still keep meaning to go back to the Halifax novellas because those seem to be universally loved.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Alexandra Vasti for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’m a big fan of this author and was super excited for this one, but sadly I couldn’t really get into it… I’m not sure why and it may just be because I’m not really in a historical romance mood lately. I still recommend picking it up though because she’s a great author!

I ADORED THIS BOOK!!!

I was so lucky to have this author recommended to me last year when I read her three novellas back-to-back. I requested her full-length novel as soon as I heard about it, the premise was so cute.

This book was impossibly endearing from start to finish, but of course, the characters were the best part. Vasti writes such vibrant, fun characters that are all so complex and full of their own stories. Her heroines are strong and stubborn and witty, and her heroes are obsessed with them (plus all their great characteristics yadda yadda). Even the children (not really my cup of tea) were such a sweet addition to this story.

I've also loved about newer historical romances, that authors are having more fun with them. They do what they want with characters and plots without worrying as much about historical accuracy. I love knowing that I will get a book full of queer characters and people of color and some scandal that's out of the box!! And this is from someone who loves histroms in general and has fun with even the most basic, repeated plotlines.

I cannot WAIT for the nest book in the series, and I hope that one of the characters from this book has a more complete storyline moving forward in the series!

I would recommend this to those who love Cat Sebastian books or other historical romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I found a new favorite author!

This book was so much fun to read! The author has a delightfully whimsical writing style, yet goes beyond the delicious banter to give us fully developed characters with strong emotional depth. Peter and Selina are so perfectly matched, yet they have to get out of their own way in order to find their future together.

I adored the dog rescue scene, and laughed out loud at the cognac story. I loved how the young siblings were portrayed as authentic children, and I cheered for Selina as she managed her very private bookstore.

This book has everything a reader could want in a Regency romance, and I highly recommend it. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun reading a book. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

4 1/2 Stars! I really liked this book. I like my historical romance with a little spice and this book was perfect! Cute story about Peter and Selina who end up being perfect together.

I loved this read. I loved the time period it was set in and thought that the characters were well composed, with depth. Definitely a good read!

This was amazing! Definitely one of my top reads for the year and I'm so glad it can get into other's hands! Every single read from Vasti has been a hit and I'm so excited to see what else she comes out with.


Full disclaimer that I know the author personally.

Im not usually one for historical romance but this might be the book that turns me!! So well written and the development of the relationship was amazing.

I have been a huge fan of Vasti’s historical romances ever since I stumbled across the Hallifax sisters’ novellas via her newsletter, and in her first full length regency romance, we encounter yet another delightful romance in Peter and Selina's story - a perfectly matched pair of strong willed and charming protagonists.

While NE’ER DUKE WELL is definitely first and foremost a romance, both sweet and steamy, this is also a story of family, both found and by blood, loyalty, and standing up in the face of adversity - because it wouldn’t be a regency romance without scandal in the ton! Vasti is masterful in crafting conflict that doesn’t rely on the tired tropes of miscommunication and third act breakups, instead utilizing a larger storyline of impropriety and legal maneuverings which allows room for for the characters to grow together.

I'm eager for the second installment of the Belvoir's Library series, with Earl Crush expected January 2025!

Special thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy of Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti - out now!

Thanks to Alexandra Vasti, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Ne’er Duke Well in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on July 23rd and I cannot wait to see what other people think!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this! My first historical romance did not disappoint. Selina Ravenscroft is eager to find Peter Kent, the Duke of Stanhope, a suitable wife so that he can gain custody of his two younger half siblings. Selina sets Peter up with 3 eligible bachelorettes, but his dates prove to be lacking something. Peter soon realizes that it’s Selina he really wants. Selina has been running an underground library category to help educate the women of the ton, and if she were found out, it would ruin Peter’s already somewhat stained reputation. Peter and Selina’s chemistry was cozy, sweet, and spicy 🌶️ with the perfect amount of humor and found family. Definitely give this a read if you’re looking for a cute historical romance 💗

DNF - I was sad to DNF this one because I've loved the other novellas from this author, but this book just didn't work for me.

Thank you NetGallery for the ebook!

This book: I really liked both characters and the banter. I wish they had more of a slow burn but enjoyed it! Some of the plot was predictable but a good historical romance book!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC of Ne'er Duke Well! All opinions in this review are my own.

I liked the set up of this book, that Selina is trying to help Peter get custody of his half-siblings, but I felt like the pacing was off. Selina has the brilliant idea to match Peter with a respectful lady of the Ton to help improve his reputation, but very quickly realizes she would rather be with him. They marry pretty early on in the book and are living in wedded bliss until her secret threatens to be exposed. Despite the pacing, I loved Selina and her library! This series shows promise and I would still like to read the second one!