The very beginning of the novel was a tad bit slow, but the pace quickly picked up after the second or third chapter. I was surprised that the romance was established so early in the novel, as I figured it wouldn’t happen until the third act, or even until the very end. In doing so, I believe some of the spark was lost (at least on my part) and I didn’t feel as compelled to keep reading, since the obstacle of the guardianship of Freddie and Lu seemed very stereotypical and it was obvious that Peter would win his case in the end.

However, the characters played well against each other and were sufficiently fleshed out as well, which made it easier to finish the novel in spite of the lack of narrative drive.

A lusty and joyful love story between a newly appointed duke who's desperate to win custody of his young half-brother and sister, and a savvy society lady who runs a secret library full of bawdy texts aimed at reducing ignorance about sex among young women, and the pitfalls that can come with that ignorance. The prose is brisk and the scenes are full of light situational humour and sharp, wry banter as the heroine initially tries to set the duke up with one of her three friends, and later becomes focused on hiding her connection to the library, lest the scandal ruin the duke's custody case. The two are already well acquainted at the start of the story, so their bond develops quickly, and soon what everyone else can see becomes too hard for the duo to resist. Vasti blends popular romance tropes with the emotional weight of the legal struggle that propels the plot, along with lots of sweat-inducing steamy scenes and a refreshing inclusion of some of the darker politics of the time. The story never gets bleak though, as both leads are full of determination to achieve their goals, and not so full of determination to resist each other in the bedroom. The children also add humour and extra heart, while a bevy of fun side characters helps establish a broader world that's bound to expand into several sequels to come. Buoyant. Sexy. And tons of fun.

I've been trying to get more into historical romance and this one delivered. It had a nice flow and light humor which made it not have the seriousness some historical novels have. Selina is a more modern thinking woman of society trying to maintain her independence and willing to help those she really care about by any means. She saw the need and lack of sexual education among other women and decided to do something about it, risking discovery and scrutiny from society. Peter was also a more like minded and forward thinking character, standing up for others and seeing that there was more to some of the other characters like Georgina and Iris. He supported Selina's decisions and was also willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the well being of his siblings, really appreciate that about his character. There were very good spice scenes that showed the chemistry between Selina and Peter. Overall great romance and story.

Thank You to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and Alexandra Vasti for the opportunity to read this ARC and leave and honest review.

Loved it! The wider cast of characters were lovable and fun. I prefer romance books where the main storyline isn't only the romance between the two leads, and Ne'er Duke Well hits the nail on the head. The author also skips the third act break up trope that I usually dread.

As a fan of Alexandra Vasti’s Halifax Hellion novellas, I was excited to read her full length historical romance debut. The characters and premise of Ne’er Duke Well were satisfying and felt fresh/ different from what I’ve read in historicals before, but the pacing felt a bit uneven. Overall, I enjoyed the book and hope to see more from this author! Thank you to St Martin’s and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy.

Title: Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
Publication Date- 07/23/24
Publisher- St. Martins Press
Overall Rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Man, I do love a good regency romance and this hit the spot. There’s something about the scandal and rules of society that just makes these romances better in my opinion. The story is very compelling, we have a young man suddenly in charge of his two younger siblings and with that he needs to find a partner in order to get custody of them. So, there’s some marriage of convenience in there. The first half of the book was SO funny. In particular there is one scene about 4 percent into the book that I will never forget, it just had me rolling. When you get to it all you need to know its “hells bells,” I was gone.

I loved the characters in this story. Both MC’s are very likable and socially progressive for their time which was interesting to read about. There is also a strong sense of found family. The only reason this wasn’t a full five star is because I felt like after the first half of the book we didn’t get as much of the humor and connection with the kids. I will own this is a personal preference for me and I just felt like the first half really nailed and I would have loved to see more of that.

This is a promising new author in the regency space and I honestly can’t wait to see what else she puts out. As far as spice goes, the first half is pretty clean but as the two MC’s get closer it does ramp up. I would say it was pretty spicy for my taste and probably about mid for everyone else.

Thanks netgalley for allowing me to review this book!

Peter is an American thrust into british aristocracy and all its manners and trappings after the death of his grandfather, and dead beat absentee dad. He also is stumbling into siblinghood- finding that he has a brother and extra sassy little sister who need tending. He desperately wants guardianship if his siblings, but has angered the judge in their upcoming case and is desperate to show he would be a respectable and acceptable caregiver for his siblings. Enter Celina, a friends and fellow aristocrat, clever and cunning and with a plan- nothing makes one so respectable as a dazzling marriage. But through selling Peter on the marriage market, Celina finds she may want to be more than a matchmaker....

This book was just so utterly charming it defies belief. It was witty and delightful and features A SECRET EROTIC LIBRARY AVAILABLE TO EDUCATE WOMEN!? WHAT? What a damn treat. And the spice be spincin'. Vasti created characters i truly cared about, and wanted to desperately be friends with. Just an all around fantastic time. I look forward to reading many more of her books.

I discovered Alexandra Vasti last month thanks to Alix E. Harrow's "Third Annual Alix E. Harrow Gift Guide" newsletter. Harrow, who is another very talented writer, recommended Vasti's Halifax Hellions series in one of the newsletter sections, listing it as "a capital-R romance with strikingly sharp prose, a sense of humor, and a genuine love for messy bastards of all genders...recommended for: people who are sweet enough to want a happy ending for everyone, but mean enough to want them to really go through it, first; your aunt who claims she skips "those parts" but absolutely does not". I read all three of the Hellions' novellas and was anxiously awaiting Ne'er Duke Well. Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the world of the Hellions (perhaps before/during the adventures of the twins), Peter Kent is new to being a Duke. after having been born and raised and abandoned in New Orleans by his aristocratic father, This makes Peter's recent relocation to London and inheritance of the Duke title difficult to navigate and understand. He is constantly creating social faux pas and unintentional errors, and recognizes that the continued muddling of social norms will be the reason he is unable to take custody of his two younger half-siblings, whom were never recognized by their father. Selina Ravenscroft steps in to help Peter find a wife , a representation of a stabling force in a man. She cannot volunteer herself as she has her own buried scandal, one that would prevent Peter from keeping the children if discovered.

The story is so much more than the above blurb, which only covers the first 50% of the novel. From there we see both Peter and Selina reckon with their pasts and their future and what it means to find family, to love openly, and to face hard, impossible moments. Vasti also throws in a bit of spice here and there while still maintaining character depth (and hilariously explaining victorian sex imagery).

You can tell Vasti has fun with her characters and her stories and her plots - this was such an enjoyable read. I truly hope Vasti is planning more stories for the strong women Peter temporarily courted and for the return of Selina's twin brother.

This is my first book by Vasti though I've heard positive things about her Halifax books. Five star books are special to me, they offer something different in a genre that can tend to be formulaic. I was impressed by how much I enjoyed the comedy, often times I find comedy in HR to be cringy. The difference here is that the manner of writing was comedic, it wasn't just the exchanges with other characters. The inner monologue of the MC was really organic and self aware. The emotions translated well because of that.

It's one thing to create two MCs who are likable and want to root for, it's another feat all together to create a world and multiple characters that are interesting in their own way. I particularly liked Georgiana, her empty-headed routine was perfection. Some people would say that's distracting and that the novel should concentrate on the MCs, I disagree, I appreciate a fully developed cast and setting. I don't think that the intimacy and romance suffered at all.

There are a number of encounters between the MCs that we never see. Does it leave me wanting? Yes, a little. Although it doesn't spoil anything for me.

It's got heart, comedy, a great cast, and sex. I laughed and I cried, I couldn't have asked for more!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Exceeded my expectations and more!

I found this story to be an entertaining read filled with two main characters who are relatable and, more importantly, realistic. Outside of the love story, I loved the dynamic of the entire Ravenscroft family. "Ne'er Duke Well" portrayed "Family comes first" in the best way possible by showing unconditional love and acceptance (while still being hilariously relatable). I am coming off my "Bridgerton" kick, and when I was given the chance to read this book before its release, I JUMPED at the opportunity. I was NOT disappointed. The only thing I found (slightly) lacking was the romantic build-up of the two mains. We didn't receive a lot of backstory of the two together, just glimpses, and I wanted more time with them. Maybe some of the banter that I just know happened when they fell into the mud, & similar things like that. I am so thankful to have been given the chance to read this and hope to see a second book in the series for Will <3

If I could give this more star I would. As an avid romance reader I am always looking for characters that seem relatable. I was overjoyed to meet Selina and Peter. She a smart lady and him a loyal man. But more importantly they saw each other as more than looks but brains, personality, and okay maybe a tiny bit of looks.

Read this if: you think intelligence is sexy.

In this adorable new romance, Alexandra Vasti weaves together the perfect mix of fluff, scorch-your-face steam, and laugh-out-loud humor! Thank you, NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.

While I enjoyed the book, some of the characters annoyed me, Selina [The FMC] being the worst, Selina was too overbearing, and I still fail to see how absolutely no one realized what she was doing. Do they lack ears? Eyes? Minds? Peter was ridiculously adorable, and his last name? Kent? I spent the whole book imagining him going to visit Kent, and I couldn't stop laughing.
And Peter's siblings were so cute! I mean, mischief makers with absolutely no idea what the words right or wrong mean? SIGN ME UP!
But while I enjoyed the book, some of the parts dragged on for a bit, and I feel like the whole length of the book could have been cut if some of the miscommunications were solved as easily as they appeared. In romances, the only reason I usually quit the book is if the miscommunications appear out of nowhere for no specific reason, simply because they can.

I have to rate this book a 3/5 for Selina and the dragging lack of communication, but otherwise, I loved it! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good 1800s romance, perfect for fans of Shana Galen and Sabrina Jeffries.

This book was so much FUN to read! Vasti has a way of incorporating humor and wit into every line, and I completely adore it. Full of longing and pining, Selina and Peter are complete simps over each other, even while Selina is trying to marry him off to someone else! The spice was PERFECT and even in those scenes, there was a bit of humor sprinkled in. I just love a couple that can laugh with and at each other 🥰

All in all, the hijinks, the scandals, and the sexual education of the women of the ton was some excellent undercurrent to carry the romance along. I cannot wait to see what Vasti has in store for the side characters of this novel, too! The found family aspect (for both Selina and Peter) was so wonderful, fleshed out with characters I wanted more of. Five easy stars for this one!!

I loved reading Alexandra Vasti's novellas and was so excited to read Ne'er Duke Well. I was not disappointed. Her heroines are always well rounded and spunky. I liked the interplay between all the characters. A good first novel.

A fun and fabulous read! I'd been looking forward to this after the Halifax Hellions and it certainly didn't disappoint. Alexandra Vasti's writing remains sharp and funny, and she excels at creating a cast of delightful eccentrics. It's a bit <i>Forever Your Rogue</i> by Erin Langston, a bit Courtney Milan, and all its own.

The book is packed with things I love. Secret scandalous business venture? Yes! Volunteering to be your friend's matchmaker? Absolutely! Characters talking about their problems before actually going through with their plans to run off into the night? Love it! Grumpy/sunshine older lesbian aunts who are just disgustingly in love? Pour it into my veins!

I love the way that Selina and Peter learn to communicate with each other. Each of them is full of anxiety and insecurity, and watching them not just support each other but also come to realize that the other thinks they are fantastic will have their back is heartwarming beyond measure. Selina is the real star of the show, and I found Peter's character a tad thin, but the pair of them together is fantastic.

You can feel the setup for a series and I am here for it. I desperately want Lydia, Georgiana, Iris, and Will. Maybe even Nicholas/Daphne and Faiza/Clermont! The whole ensemble is a delight. Selina's family and friends are a fantastic crew that I just want more of. Aunt Judith and Thomasin are too perfect to live.

My only real complaint? The two major conflicts are wrapped up so quickly and neatly in a way that's a bit anticlimactic. The custody battle also starts to lose its teeth about halfway through the book when <spoiler>Aunt Rosamund dies. Peter now has de facto custody and there's no longer an obvious alternative. What is the other option we are supposed to think Lord Eldon might go with?</spoiler>

Fanastic overall, wonderful characters, somewhat less excellent plotting, but a great read.

I'll keep this simple -- I think Alexandra Vasti is about to become a very big deal in historical romance. This is a near-perfect novel (btw, her Halifax Hellions novellas are also well worth checking out -- subscribe to her newsletter!) and practically a shoo-in for a book club pick in 2025. It's funny, spicy, and endlessly charming. I can't wait to see what else she has in store!

A delightful, steamy, slightly silly regency romance with a social conscience, Ne'er Duke Well has two well-developed romantic leads with convincing chemistry, a number of entertaining and well-developed side characters (I'm already hoping for sequels), and plenty of both laughs and feels. An excellent read.

What a fun read! Ne’er Duke Well was a delightful romp, and I especially enjoyed the unique premise of the story. Selina is the perfect romance heroine for this generation of readers, and the erotic library she owns was a neat way to demonstrate Selina’s revolutionary thinking. Peter is so supportive and kind, and I immensely enjoyed the “found family” aspect of the book. All of the secondary characters were well done and had their own stories that really rounded out Vasti’s narrative, and I enjoyed how the conflict resolved itself in the end. Anyone who enjoys Regency romances with a socially conscious undertone will absolutely love Ne’er Duke Well!

Twirling my hair and kicking my feet the whole time reading this. Vasti writes a damn fun romance, and this does not disappoint!

I honestly had a really hard time reading this. I don’t think it was because of the storyline but more so of the regency literature aspect. I think Bridgerton was about as far as I could go into this specific genre without completely losing interest.