If Bridgerton was also your gateway drug to Regency romance, I absolutely IMPLORE you to pick up this one by Alexandra Vasti! It was funny, sexy, and full of heart.

Lady Selina, promising debutante and younger sister of the Duke of Rowland, has a little secret - she runs an erotic lending library, the Venus catalog, which allows women of the ton to take it upon themselves to be educated on all things proper ladies shouldn't be well-versed in and that's... well, sex. The scandal!!! 🫢

Peter Kent, the ninth Duke of Stanhope, is also not one to avoid scandal. Originally from New Orleans and a radical politician with a less than stellar reputation, he only wants one thing- to obtain guardianship of his two half-siblings. The last thing he wants is a marriage, but it may be just what he needs to gain favor from the conservative judge set to proceed over his guardianship hearing.

He enlists the help of the ever clever Lady Selina. Her solution = a courtship and marriage to a proper English woman with an impeccable reputation that rivals his own, and that's definitely not herself.. And well, you know what they say about the best laid plans... 🤭

I loved that the book was easy to read and hold my attention, especially for me, a very beginner historical/regency romance reader. I especially loved the modern and progressive tones in a time period that is easily frustrating. But I will say it was an interesting choice to have missed the entire first 2 years of Peter and Selina's acquaintance. What may feel insta-love was a culmination of friendship, chemistry, and attraction for years that we unfortunately did not get to really see play out. Thankfully, I've found out this may be available as bonus material in Vasti's newsletter.

Thank you to Netgalley & SMG for the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Ne'er Duke Well is the first full-length historical romance from Alexandra Vasti, and it is set in the same universe as her Halifax novellas. Dear reader, I wanted to love it, but I really struggled from the start. While I adored the novellas about the Halifax twins (less so the Halifax brother), as a former editor, I had some serious quibbles about this foray. First, there wasn't really any conflict between the main characters, Peter Kent (a newly arrived New Orleans native who has inherited a dukedom trying to secure guardianship of his illegitimate half siblings) and Selina Ravenscroft (daughter of a duke, and secret proprietress of an erotic lending library). We are told at the outset that there was a muddy meet-cute interaction but we NEVER get the real details of it, and they are already in deep like with each other. So unfortunately I was never sucked in. It was actually very weird, like I was missing a scene. And it was an *even like* with each other, so no tension that one of them was surprised that they liked each other, or really had a true concern that the other person didn't like them! Er, ok. Instead we were treated by the tediousness of being told as a reader how great the characters were. The tension was over Peter trying to secure guardianship, and Selina trying to marry him off because she isn't suitable because of said lending library.

Thus we were treated to Peter meeting several other female characters that Selina has picked out, and frankly, I was more entertained by the chemistry between Peter, and one of the prospects pretending to be an idiot that Peter and Selina. At last! Some tension!!

Moreover, while Selina seemed a more fleshed-out character, Peter appeared in his book actions to be everything fairly boring and honorable, but we are told by the author that he is Reckless! That He Takes Want He Wants! Except there's ZERO action showing this. It's bizarre. He very nobly and constantly tries to do the right thing over and over and over again. In fact, he's kind of cardboard. We're told him many interesting things about him (never knew that his illegitimate brother was his brother until he died [actually that raises another issue that his character seemed to act until that moment like he always knew he was he was his brother until that scene, argh!]; that he was really raised by a servant and not his mother; that he grew up in New Orleans; that he is an abolitionist), but he doesn't seem to embody any of these traits. Mostly I read and thought: Really likes Selina, really wants to get those kids. That was it. That was the sum total of Peter, Duke of Stanhope.

Last, Peter's half-sister Lu was incredibly annoying. It seemed to make NO sense that she was so resistant to go from what sounded like a horrible home environment to her half-brother's. Her attitude went on and on, far too long, and seemed there to be disagreeable and create conflict, and not because it made sense. She was not cute in wanting to fence or see boxing. It seemed there to make her character tween cool, instead of her character actually being cool.

I have to rate this on a scale, because the overall quality of writing is excellent, and Vasti is good at writing humorous bits very well. But if I scale it against her best work (five stars for In Which Mathilda Halifax Learns Restraint), this is a three-star read. Compared to most of the rubbish out there on the market, it's a four-star read. I will average it to 3.5 stars, and select four here because I want Vasti to keep writing and being supported! But perhaps get better beta readers and a better editor to point these things out next time.

Ever since reading Vasti's short novellas last year, I knew I had to get a hold of this book! I fell head over heels for her writing style and steam level. Unfortunately, while these were highly present in the book, there were some parts of the plot I didn't like. Please refer to my pros and cons below.

3 stars.

The American, Duke Of Stanhope wants to gain guardianship of his father's children, and Lady Selina Ravenscroft helps aid him by finding him a match.

Pros:

- Fast pace writing style
- Strong heroine / Funny Duke
- Steamy scenes (3+ major ones, 1 especially hot)
- Friends to lovers trope
- Forced proximity trope

Cons:

- I'm not a fan of kids in books. The kids are 10 and 12. They are in about 15% of the book.
- Not enough depth/story telling and a lot of chatter between the characters
- While it was fast-paced, I found myself bored, I wish the MCs had more of a spark in the beginning.
- The hero is sweet and not an alpha. (I'm thinking I don't like cinnamon rolls heroes), but he did have his moments that made me swoon.

Like I said, I loved Vasti's previous novellas, especially the 2nd one, and this full-fledge book fell short. I couldn't get invested fully. The steamy scenes' are what saved this book from being 2 stars. I'm still a fan and look forward to her next one!

Thanks to Netgalley and its publisher for this arc, all of my reviews are my own.

What a delightful read! It’s such a refreshing change of pace to have a male lead who is just a solid, pleasant, lovable dude instead of having to get through all of the layers.

Peter just can’t help but find trouble. He’s like a golden retriever who doesn’t notice his wagging tail is knocking things off of the coffee table. He’s loyal and he means well, but sometimes his choices have unintended consequences. Selina, on the other hand, is a fixer. She enjoys the challenge of solving problems, and she’s good at it.

It’s nice that this book wasn’t just a series of big misunderstandings (which it easily could have devolved into), but Selina tells Peter about the issue before they wed. When it seems like it’s going to blow up in their faces anyway, she TALKS to him instead of proceeding with her exit plan and leaving us with several chapters of should he go after her? Does she want him to come after her? Why hasn’t he come after her yet? etc etc.

My favorite parts: when Peter doesn’t know if he’s just become betrothed, Peter’s declaration when Selina thinks he’s “practicing.”

The only thing I would’ve liked to see was a little bit more of their connection before they got together, maybe a few more stolen moments when they’re starting to realize what they mean to each other before it all comes to a head. That’s what made this more of a 4.5 for me.

“It was a perfectly dazzling, perfectly Peter sort of plan … No subterfuge or secrets. Everything out in the open, a kind of reckless honesty.”

Peter Kent is the least ducal Duke around. But he somehow needs to pull it together in order to be granted guardianship of his younger siblings, Lu and Freddie. He reaches out to his friends for guidance. Selina devises a plan to have him caught up in a whirlwind romance with the “perfect” lady. To all around her, Selina should be included in that group; however, Selina is hiding something… She runs an erotic library!

The sparks fly and the shenanigans are plenty in this steamy historical romantic comedy. It tugged at my heart strings, had me laughing out loud and fanning my face! Definitely an enjoyable read!!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. Below are my honest thoughts on this book.

Ne’er Duke Well was one of my number one most anticipated reads for 2024 and it did not disappoint. The story follows Peter Kent who is trying to win guardianship of his 2 younger half siblings. Selina attempts to assist him in this endeavor by finding him a wife. The more she plays matchmaker the more these 2 realize they were meant to be. However Selina has a secret, she runs a circulating library with erotic material section strictly for the use of women. Selina fears that once her ownership of the library gets out, Peter’s chances for guardianship will be ruined.

I loved how empowering Selina was, especially given the time period the book takes place in. Selina constantly uplifts the women in her life, from Peter’s younger sister Lu, to her friends and family, accepting each of them as they are. I also loved that once Selina came clean to Peter about her library, he only had positive things to say about the library. He took her seriously as a business woman, listened when she needed someone to listen and gave input when she wanted ideas.

The communication between Peter and Selina also made this book more enjoyable. There’s nothing more frustrating to me as a reader when the character takes it upon themselves to leave for the better of their significant other, without talking to them first. Have a conversation for crying out loud! When Selina was planning to leave she still went and talked to Peter about, allowing them to figure out a solution together.

The writing style of this novel was easy to read and engaging. I laughed along with the characters, and became invested in their stories. It had been awhile since I read a historical romance, but this book definitely got me out of that reading slump. Plus, this book had one of my favorite historical romance tropes, a rushed wedding because the couple was found in a comprising position.

To sum up my feelings on this book: Peter is regency romance husband goals, Selina is a bad ass, and you should most definitely read this book.

I was really excited to read this book when I was notified about it through the author’s newsletter. To my knowledge the author has been writing novellas so far, and I think it’s great that she’s jumping into full-length novel territory. The concept of this book was really fun and unique. I liked the element of the circulating library and the addition of Peter’s siblings into the mix to provide some humor and heart. With that being said, I thought that the characters fell flat a little bit. I didn’t actually feel there was a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. It felt like they were telling the reader they were really into each other, but not showing it as much. It just didn’t grab me or make me eager to keep reading. I think the author had a really good concept though and I’m eager to see how she improves as time goes on.

This book has my heart. Absolutely no notes - I loved everything about it from beginning to end!

I cannot express how excited I was to get an ARC of Ne’er Duke Well. Alexandra Vasti’s writing is top tier and I’m so glad she is finally getting published.

This story has so much heart, humor, and historically accurate sexual references. All of Vasti’s characters (both main and side) are incredibly lovable and dynamic. I so hope we get more of their stories!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

I have been wanting to find a book that would give me the same feelings I had while watching Bridgerton, and this book was the perfect fit. It scratched that historical romance itch I had! It was so fun, so sweet, and also spicier than I was expecting - the total package.

Peter Kent and Selina Ravenscroft are two characters who seem to fit into neat boxes you typically find in historical romances, but once you scratch the surface of their characters, you realize there's so much more to them than meets the eye. Peter is a loving older brother who is doing everything in his power to gain custody of his half-siblings. Selina is single handedly changing the fates of women in their ton with education and protection. When these two characters come together, they become a force to be reckoned with, and it's so fun to see them stand up for what's right and for each other.

I loved that there was a modern, progressive tone to this book while still maintaining a lot of the historical contexts for the time period it takes place in. This book balances that dynamic very well. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I couldn't put it down once I started it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the early copy!

A fun, romantic comedy that is perfect for fans of bridgerton or any historical romance. This seems like more of a light-hearted rom-com on the surface, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. There’s vulnerability, women empowerment, custody hearings, and abusive relationships that are big topics in this story. There’s also a wet rescue mission for a dog, a sex library educating women on… sex, and some (failed) plans to set up Peter on a path to find his wife.

Peter Kent, otherwise known as the American Duke, has taken on the role of the duke quite suddenly. His new title doesn’t change his reckless behaviour and the favours it isn’t doing for his reputation. His younger brother and sister are all he’s focused on. He wants custody of them, but natural children are not looked at the same by law. To gain guardianship of them, he will need to convince Lord Eldon and the Chancellor that him and his reputation are able to handle it. Enter Lady Selina, a cunning woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to get it. She declares that his reputation will uphold better with a duchess by his side and devises her plan. Peter agrees but doesn’t realize that his attraction to Selina would be what’s getting in the way. He’s a man that isn’t afraid to go after what he wants, and what he wants is her. What’s stopping her?

This was a delight to read! I haven’t read a historical romance in quite a while and I forgot how much I loved them. This one in particular, I really loved the deeper topics and the focus on women feeling shamed for doing exactly what men do. The characters were all so charming and unique in their own ways, including the side characters. Georgiana, Lydia, Lu, Freddie, Thomasin, Lady Judith… they all played a role in the story and brought their own personalities and love for each other. Selina was so selfless and badass. I loved her as an FMC! Her caring nature didn’t dull her kindred spirit or the reason she created the Venus Catalog. Peter was a man who had a whole lot of love to give. His traumatic past and vulnerable side added to his depth as a character and he always was so supportive of Selina. Peter and Selina were one of my favourite couples, and the SPICE??? a whole different level🥵

The ending was my favourite part! Lots of character development and some found family action happening. The pacing of this book was good, although I found it a little slow in the middle. It still kept my attention and engaged in the story. I loved that there was no 3rd act breakup and lots of honest and open communication, we love to see that!!

This was an absolute delight to read! Thank you NetGalley, Alexandra Vasti, and the publisher for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Ne’er Duke Well releases July 23rd ‼️🎀

I discovered Alexandra Vasti through her first novellas about the Halifax twins. They were only available through her email list, though soon they’ll be published too. And boy, what a force they were! Writing the perfect novella takes skill and she had that in spades. They’re spicy, fun, and perfectly paced.

Ne’re Duke Well is her first published full length novel, and it’s a good one. It’s spicy and smart with interesting characters and flips some of the old tropes upside down. I really enjoyed it.

I do believe that this book suffers from what I call “First Book Syndrome” (referring to the first book in a SERIES, not first book published) because the pacing in this book was a bit off, and things slogged in a few places. I wanted the characters to just tell each other everything already (they did eventually!) so that they could work together to save the day. It felt like they were holding back (which they were) for a little too long. I consider First Book Syndrome to be the fact that usually the first book in a series is not my favorite of the series because it has more work to do: it has to set up the world and make me interested in the other characters that are to come later in the series! And oh boy, did this book do that! I counted at least 5 characters (The FMC’s twin brother Will, her best friend Lydia, Lydia’s brother the doctor, another tonne member Georgiana, and another I can’t remember at the moment!) that I am desperate to find out more about! I’m definitely hooked.

Overall, this is a great book despite my small quibbles with it. Alexandra Vasti is an excellent writer and going to be a force in the Historical Romance world. And I can’t wait for what’s to come!

A very fun regency romance about a newly minted Duke who is trying his best but still continues to end up in the scandal sheets and a headstrong sister of a Duke with a secret occupation that prevents her from getting too close to anyone.

Peter Kent has just returned to London to claim his title -- a title he never expected to have. He doesn't love the stodgy rules of the ton but he does love his younger brother and sister -- natural children of his father that were not provided for in his will. He desperately wants guardianship over the children but he will need to convince Lord Eldon he's up for the challenge at his upcoming guardianship hearing, and his reputation isn't doing him any favors.

Enter Selina Ravenscroft, a cunning women used to solving situations and getting her way. She thinks Peter will fare better with a duchess by his side and tries to find him a match above reproach but her pesky attraction to him keeps getting in the way. And Peter knows exactly who he wants as his partner and cannot understand why Selina won't just marry him already.

I loved Selina's character so much, and not just because she is the owner of an erotic circulating library aimed at educating women on the important matters of "bedsport". This relationship felt a tad "insta-love" rushed to me, but it was still very enjoyable. I can't believe I am saying this but I wish we got more of the kids, Lu and Freddie. They + their huge personalities played less of a role than I thought they would.

Overall, a fun read and I hope this isn't the last we see of this cast of characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Vasti since reading her novellas so I was excited for Ne'er Duke Well! I think Vasti's strength is creating well developed, lovable characters. I even loved . This story is about a newly inherited duke who is trying to gain guardianship of his 2 half siblings and teams up with a well of lady, Selina, to accomplish his plan. Peter was a great MMC who gave off golden retriever vibes and Selina was a strong, feminist FMC who had a great plot of her own. Overall, loved this and I am hoping this turns into a series with the side cast.

4.5 rounded up

Ne'er Duke Well is a *delight*

There's so much love in this story--romantic, familial, friends. I loved the use of dual POV, and both had unique voices so it was easy to distinguish between the two. The humor and banter were also great. There are charming characters, sex education for the ladies, human and cat Peter, a dog rescue, heart and spice. A great addition to regency romances! Alexandra Vasti had quickly become an insta-read for me

If you’re a regular reader of historical romance, you already know broadly what you’re getting into. But did you know you ALSO get custody hearings and a sex library with this one?

The first half of the book is an absolute delight that regularly had me laughing out loud. The version of the ton Vasti created is made up of some wonderful young ladies, including Lydia (whose response to social pressures is vomiting in planters), Georgiana (who declares salad to be her first passion), and of course Selina, the secret proprietress of the aforementioned sex library.

We also have (human) Peter, who never expected to be Duke, and (cat) Peter, who did not get nearly enough screen (page?) time. Both are understandably attached to the duke’s newfound half-siblings, Freddie and Lu.

(Lu is not as salacious as Vasti’s Halifax Hellions but is nonetheless a hellion in the more traditional sense, especially when given a rapier unsupervised.)

The second half, while spicier, did have some issues with pacing and didn’t quite manage to maintain the humour of the first, but remained an enjoyable read nonetheless.

📖 𝙉𝙚'𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙪𝙠𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙮 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖 𝙑𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞

“𝘏𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦-𝘰𝘩, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳-𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘦, 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺.“

Lady Selina Ravenscroft is a well respected member of the ton. As the sister to a Duke, she grew up protected. When she realizes there were so many things about sexual relations and society not taught to woman, she takes it upon herself to create a circulating library to help educate women. When the newly appointed Duke of Stanhope, Peter Kent, asks for her help, she quickly agrees.

Known as the “American Duke”, Peter is unfamiliar with the new high society he is thrown into. His one goal is to make a better life for his half siblings and makeup for the failings of their father. Unfortunately, in order to get custody of them, he must become an upstanding Duke. He enlists the help of Selina. She believes if he gets married he’ll get custody. As she tries to find him the perfect bride, she slowly starts to realize it might just be her.

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! Peter and Selina were perfect for each other from the very beginning. Selina is a serious badass FMC. Her reasonings for creating the Venus Catalog were so pure. She single handily educated the woman of the ton. She was selfless and caring, and just the perfect lead. Peter was a walking heart and I loved him so much. His past trauma and his vulnerabilities just added to the depth of his character. I really appreciated the lack of a 3rd act breakup. Just when I thought it was going to happen, Peter refused to let it. The side characters in this story were so well done, and added so much to the story. I can’t wait for more books set in this world!

Overall Rating: 4.5⭐️

Tropes:
🫖 Regency Romp
🔥 Spicy Historical Fiction
💞 Dual POV
🫠 He’s Completely Mad for Her
🌻 No 3rd Act Breakup
🥵 Spicy Romance (2🌶️)

I HIGHLY recommend this story to all lovers of a great steamy regency romp! 𝙉𝙚'𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙪𝙠𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡 will be available on July 23rd. Thank you to NetGalley for my early copy of this book so that I could share this honest review! 💛

I’ve devoured every one of Alexandra Vasti’s Halifax novellas, so it’s not surprising that I did the same for her debut, NE’ER DUKE WELL (out 7/23)! Like everything she does, this book is filled with brilliant banter, hysterical hijinks, and tension and spice that will have you fanning yourself! Selina and Peter have joined the ranks of the best romance couples of all time!

Peter, an American who expectedly stumbles into his role as a duke, asks for Selina’s help in winning guardianship of his brother and sister. Since the children, born out of wedlock, were never recognized by his father, Peter has an uphill battle. Selina contrives a plan to find him the perfect British wife to prove he could provide them with a loving, stable home.

Through all the set ups, Peter and Selina keep being drawn back together. While society darling Selina seems a perfect choice, her secret life running a lending library—including an erotic catalog for women—is the exact sort of scandal Peter can’t afford. But sometimes matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan, and some temptations are too hard to resist.

I love them. So much. You can see right from the start how perfect suited they are. The way they move through the story, laughing and challenging and encouraging each other, was stunning. And hot. So, so hot 🥵 Peter was incredibly lovable with his golden retriever energy, and I’m obsessed with Selina, who was equal parts brilliant, tough, and achingly soft with the people she loves.

I was obsessed with all of the characters. Their families? The different women Selina tries to set him up with? I’d read a book about every single one of them. They were all unique and interesting, which is so hard to accomplish with big cast without overwhelming the reader. Alexandra balanced it perfectly, and I’m dying for the next book!

Adult historical romance with marriage of convenience and found family tropes. I enjoyed this book! It was emotional, steamy, and hilarious! I loved the main characters chemistry and their progressive ideologies. Then, Lu and Freddie were so funny and lovable! The support and found family in this book was so heartwarming. I definitely recommend checking this one out!



⚠️⚠️⚠️
Trigger/content warnings: childhood illness, death of loved ones, mention of slavery, domestic violence, and one slur.

Vasti’s novel was the perfect combination of traditional regency era romance and the strong feminist lead that we need in historical romances. I loved the interaction between Selina and Peter; it was delightfully charming and modern!

In a nutshell, an exceptionally-written nice guys wins tale! I loved it!

Peter becomes a duke after living in New Orleans his whole life. He’s not used to the pampered peer lifestyle, so he’s labeled as reckless since he doesn’t follow society’s strict guidelines. But there is not a whiff of him being anything less than a wonderful and caring man. He loves his half siblings and fights to care for them. He knows the woman he loves, and he fights to win her, even though he tries to honor her wishes and suggestions. He was just utterly endearing. HR novels tend to have heroes who are hard or edgy and become soft for their ladies, but rarely do you see an all around kind man who is engaging and fun.

Selina was a great FMC as well. She was independent, capable, caring, and not stuffy or stupid. She and Peter were perfect for one another.

The whole book was a delight. There were laugh out loud moments with children, touching moments with family, and 🔥 moments between Selina and Peter. There was angst, but it wasn’t overdone and it felt natural. I so appreciated how the main characters tried to do extreme things out of desperation, but their desire to stay together was stronger and led to honesty and communication with one another. It was beautiful!!

Bravo, Ms. Vasti and Thank you!! Please give us more!

I read an arc and this is an honest review.