3.5 rounded to 4 stars. I really like Amalie Howard’s work, but this book didn’t work for me as well as I had hoped. What I liked: I loved the concept of a 10 Things I Hate about You re-telling (which of course was a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew). I loved that Evangeline was devoted to animals and founded her own animal shelter. I really appreciate it the research that Ms. Howard put into this book, as evidenced by her substantial author’s note. This is a strength of all of her books; they are well-researched, and she really dives into the period she’s writing about. Having read the previous books in the series, I always love seeing the Hellfire Kitties together and really appreciate how this series emphasizes strong friendships between women.

Unfortunately, what didn’t work as well for me was the couple. Maybe it’s because recently I’ve read a couple books in a row where the plot is the FMC approaching the MMC for sexual exploration/education, but I’m not feeling the instalust. I’d like to see more of a relationship at first and more build up to the sex.

4.5 stars – The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard is Ten Things I Hate About You with a historical perspective with lords, ladies, tons of rules and beastly kittens. Howard hit the ball out of the park with this one! This book was entertaining and riveting. Lady Evangeline (Effie) and the Duke of Vale (Gage) meet and develop this hate you/love you relationship full of sarcasm, chemistry and banter but skirting honesty. I love how brave Effie is an advocate for animal rights and welfare. As a former kitty foster parent, I know that animal rights are still a big issue today. The story is a fun one and book #3 in the Taming of the Dukes series. While the book can be read as a standalone, you understand more about the characters and their relationships if you read the earlier books first. I am looking forward to Book 4!

A big Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Books for allowing me to read an ARC. The opinions here are my own. Also, thank you to Amalie Howard for creating such a wonderful series!

Content warnings: poorly animals, blackmail

Lady Evangeline Raine isn't interested in marriage and prefers to spend her time caring for animals at the shelter she started in Chichester. Her younger sister wants to go to London for the season, but their father refuses to let Viola be out in society without her elder sister present.

Gage, Duke of Vale, is a duke in name only as he sells off everything not nailed down to pay his late brother's debts. Fellow peer Lord Huntington is determined to marry Viola, but he needs someone to court Evangeline. He enlists the help of the "worst duke in London" to convince Evangeline to go to London for the season.

Sound familiar? The novel is based on 90s cult hit 10 Things I Hate About You, which in turn was loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. No surprises here, but it's still an enjoyable ride.

Recommended for fans of historical romance, especially Regency-era.

This book was SO GOOD! It was so spicy and sexy but also full of heart. I absolutely loved reading their love story and their little adventures. Big fun!

Erotic historical
Ms. Howard's tale of an unlikely pair of lovers, a broke duke and a Lady who refused to follow the ton's ridiculous rules. The story chronicles family ties, a lively courtship and a villain or two. It is an engrossing read.
I received a NetGalley arc gratis and give my opinion in the same.

As always, Amalie Howard did not disappoint! So many times I have giggled and enjoyed while reading this book. I love how the characters are so straight-forth and bold. The sarcasm and raw honesty is my favorite, I love the back and forth between the main characters. Effie is a force of nature and her own true self! And Gage literally could have my babies. He's so dreamy 😍 Perfect Book Boyfriend! This has quite a bit of spice, which I was all for it! Loved the friends of Effie as well plus Effie's sister Viola's character development throughout the story. Such a wonderful read with a beautiful ending!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Forever to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

✨Apparently 2024 is the year of 10 Things I Hate About You romance retellings??? The Ms-Perkification process has begun!✨

This is the third 10 Things I Hate About You romance I’ve read recently—Ten Things I Hate About the Duke, 10 Things I Hate About Prom, The Worst Duke In London—and I’ve been truly delighted each and every time. This one was a pretty loose version, but I still had fun picking out things from the movie.

I really enjoyed her animal shelter and all of the adorable animals, especially Beasty Buttercup omg!!! Give me a hero being completely overrun by tiny furry hellions any day of the week! Better yet, make that hero a virgin who has had a pretty easy time staying a virgin until the heroine ruins his life (and celibacy)!!! Delicious. Also the grand gesture was absolutely perfect.

✨

I do, however, run into issues when a book is compared to a movie: I just can’t shake the comparisons, sometimes to the detriment of the book. It’s totally a selling point!! but I also maybe oversold it a bit in my head? Like I still enjoyed this book immensely and had a great time, but I couldn’t fully turn my brain off.

- I wanted Effie to be more of a shrew! She was so nice??? To everyone! I needed a bit more edge, but I still definitely loved her. I really enjoy reading about heroines who are a bit “unlikeable” or truly don’t care what others think, and I just don’t think that was Effie. Plus, Viola steamrolled her at the beginning—and I was getting annoyed because Kay Stratford was a brick wall—but I did end up loving their bond by the end.

- And while I LOVE a virgin hero—BARK BARK BARK—I maybe wanted Effie to be experienced? She was a bit of a shy virgin and again it just kinda threw me off. Like the book felt a bit too safe—especially when I had Kat Stratford and Patrick Verona in my brain. But I really did love her propositioning him. That man was glitching, buffering, malfunctioning!! And it nicely raised the stakes for both of them when having sex, not just Effie.

- I do also love a good head-hopping moment, and I think that could’ve been a really fun way to play with the movie in the book. The POVs were only of Effie and Gage, so I would’ve loved to get a few from the “Bianca” and “Michael” characters to elevate the secondary romance a bit more.

✨

Overall, Amalie Howard made 10 Things I Hate About You truly her own with nothing less than a very large and very virgin Scottish duke and lady who vastly prefers the company of semi-feral animals to the fully feral ton. I also ate up the cameos of the past couples. I think I might know the direction book four is going, and I’m SO excited. This is a great series for those just getting into the genre or those who want a bit more modernity in their histroms.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.75/5



I received an eARC from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.

Thank you Amalie Howard for knowing what the world needed was a Bridgerton and 10 Things I hate About You crossover. If anyone was going to successfully attempt this surely Howard, whose ability to write tension in an enemies-to-lovers story is frankly unmatched, could pull this off. This story is spicy, unconventional and unexpected. Effie believes herself to be destined for the life of a spinster after she earns the ire of the most popular member of the ton. Unfortunately, he’s now set his sights on her sister. To win the sister Effie must be distracted. He calls in a favor from the newly minted and financially desperate Duke of Vale to distract Effie, only Effie ends up distracting him. The two are inexperienced lovers who come together for a mutual awakening and education, an aspect of the plot which was by far the most endearing.

The hate is instant but the love… well that takes time but boy was I okay with that because I could have just kept endlessly reading about these two. Who wouldn’t love an animal lover and advocate who speaks out about women’s rights and a man who is willing to save the animals she loves from danger? I was simply puddy in Howard’s hands.

The worst part of finishing an Amalie Howard book is that now what am I supposed to read? The book hangover is real. In all seriousness, I’m starting to get a little afraid though. The series is about taming dukes and this is the third in the series. What are we to do when there are no more Dukes to tame?!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Lady Evangeline “Effie” Raine has no interest in marriage or the ton’s rivalries. She prefers animals more than people except for her friends in the Hellfire Kitties. Effie encounters Gage at the shelter she dedicates to abandoned and wounded animals. She does not trust the man’s attention or his compliments. However, Effie cannot ignore her attraction to the brawny duke’s body. She proposes a licentious yet limited arrangement. Will Effie’s trust be misplaced with Gage? Or will the season end in another disaster?

Gage Croft is known amongst his peers as the half-Scottish Destitute Duke. He intends to repair his crumbling estates and to settle his late brother’s debts. When the man his brother owes money to offers to forgive the debt for a favor, Gage agrees. The lady he is supposed to distract proves to be more interesting than Gage expected. Then she surprises him by offering a proposal he cannot ignore. Will Gage’s deceit come to light? And will it end his relationship with Effie?

I understand (and empathize with) Evangeline’s reasons for disliking London and aristocratic festivities. Effie being ostracized by her peers reminds me of high school and the power cliches have. However, she refused to allow their belittling to defeat her. I admire that about her! What I love the most about Effie is her care for wounded and abandoned animals. She treated all animals, even annoying rodents, with the same care. Effie allowed them to have a second chance at finding a forever home.

Gage surprised me! I never could resist a tall and brawny Scot (even if he is only half). But a virgin one. That threw me for a loop but in a good way. It was a nice change-of-pace than an overly experienced one. I like that Gage wanted to find honesty ways to rebuild his estates and improve his tenants’ lives. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty and do the work himself. What I admire most about Gage is his determination not to follow in his late father and late brother’s footsteps. He learned second-hand the destruction that alcohol and gambling can bring.

THE WORST DUKE IN LONDON is the third book in Amalie Howard’s historical romance series, TAMING OF THE DUKES. This fun story can stand alone. I do recommend reading the prior novels to fully enjoy the closeness and camaraderie of the ladies in the Hellfire Kitties. The couples from the prior books do play parts throughout the story, especially Vesper. It is nice to see how each of their happy-ever-afters continues.

I have a feeling that Briar and Jasper will be next. Or that they will eventually have a book. I cannot wait and see if my hunch is correct.

Lady Evangeline (Effie) does not want to marry. The Duke of Gage wants to court her sister, but her father forbids it unless Effie is courted by an eligible suitor too. When Gage and Effie engage in a fake romance ... you guessed it ... it evolves into something more. A spicy fun tale.

Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “The Worst Duke In London” by Amalie Howard

Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.

After being mocked by the ruthless Lord Huntington in front of the ton a few seasons ago, Lady Evangeline Raine would rather spend her time tending to stray animals than be courted by a potential suitor. Gage Croft is a Duke trying to rebuild his estate in Scotland, but is burdened by debt. When Evangeline is told that she is to be courted before her sister, Viola, can have the chance to do so and Gage is given a proposition by his debt collector to court Evangeline so he can court her sister, the two cross paths and sparks begin to fly! Can this duo fulfill their obligations through their unlikely chemistry or will the tension be more than what they bargained for? Things are about to get “fur-isky”!

From the author that brought you “Always Be My Duchess” and “Never Met A Duke Like You”, Amelie Howard delivers another exciting installment in the “Taming of the Duke” series! Like the previous installments before it, “The Worst Duke in London” effectively incorporates representation in a Regency setting that provides an ethnographic background on the perception and navigation of disability and the expression of intimacy and sexuality during the mid 1800’s compared to the knowledge of said topics in today’s current climate! The chemistry between Evangeline and Gage was also quite the page-turning read! The two characters perfectly balance each other as their gradual connection comes from how in-sync and supportive they are of each other’s passions, especially when Gage supports Evangeline’s passion for animal rescue and exploring independent and intimate hobbies that goes against the outdated, conformist standards placed onto women by the ton! If you’re looking for a “purr-fect” Regency Romance that pays homage to “Bridgerton” and the classic 90’s Rom-Com “10 Things I Hate About You”, then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online and in-store shelves on September 24, 2024!

Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 4/5 🌶🌶🌶🌶

-Tropes to Expect: Enemies-to-Lovers, Friends-With-Benefits-to-Lovers, Fake Courtship, Regency Romance, Animal Rescue Narrative, Slow Burn Romance, He Falls First, Dual POV, Self-Discovery Narrative, Luxurious Balls, Neurodiverse Representation, and Retelling.

-Trigger Warnings: Discussions of Sexism and Intimacy Shaming, Depictions of Bullying, Discussions of Toxic Masculinity, Miscommunication, Relationship Anxiety, and Toxic Courting (Supporting Characters).

It’ll make you laugh and it’ll make you cry and it’ll make you want to hug yourself and your best friend too. I highly recommend it. It’s absolutely beautiful. And wonderful•

I didn't know the blurb going in, and I was very pleasantly surprised to see it was a 10 Things I Hate About You (and hence Taming of the Shrew) retelling! The angst in this one was legit heart wrenching, I was feverishly binging this on my flight (and shedding a few tears too 🥲).

Also, the animals in this book and the MCs' interactions with them were sooo cute <3

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I stopped after chapter 1 (5%). The prose solidly feels historical romance, and it feels like a good setup for a solid 3-4 stars from the target audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC.

I LOVE this series from Amalie Howard - which I can best describe as remaking awesome romcoms in the Bridgerton world. The Worst Duke in London is an excellent addition to the shelf. Gage can GET.IT.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my review.

In her anger, she'd been magnificent, all cold fire and wintry fury.
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You can only be true to purself Anything else leads to misery.
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My favorite. My favorite Taming of the Dukes novel so far, truly. This was utter perfection. I was insanely excited for Effie’s story and Amalie absolutely knocked it out of the park. The banter. The swoon. The sexual tension. The animals! The slow burn. The stakes in so many different ways, everything was just absolutely spot on and I couldn’t put it down. This was a masterful weaving of historical romance in the way only she can, and the 10 Things I Hate About You melding made it even better. Effie truly takes a journey and stops letting her own demons win. And the Duke. THE DUKE! An English-Scottish Duke with his own vices is something I never knew I needed and now I want to read them all. Vale is utterly incredible, even in his misguided omissions, and the lengths he goes for what or who he cares about? Chef’s kiss. September cannot come soon enough because I just want to scream about this with all of you! Do you need anymore coaxing? Read the next quote from the Duke, trust me.
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I'm certain I can perform exceptionally well on my knees.

Effie and the Hellfire Kitties are back. This is a fun story, with a great MMC, a horrible, and believable villain, and Effie is a great FMC with a love of animals and a plan to be a spinster. The MMC does some wrong, and there's groveling when it counts.

"The Worst Duke in London" is the latest book in the "Taming of the Dukes" series. I really enjoy author Amalie Howard's unique ability to write regency romances using modern language and situations in a way that doesn't give me the cringe. Lady Evangeline is a homebody-- until she meets Gage. He pays attention to her interests and helps her expand them. I liked the pacing of the book a lot. I didn't enjoy the storyline of Mary Tealby, it felt very forced.

I already had high hopes for this because it's Amalie Howard and then reading the synopsis knowing it was a 10 Things I Hate About You I was fully invested. But my expectations were exceeded. I am truly obsessed with this book and I don't know when I'm going to find another book that makes me feel like I did after reading this one. I was obsessed with the characters and I loved that there was a virgin hero. What a great time.

As someone who grew up in the height of romcoms, this was a BLAST from start to finish. With memorable characters, a steller romance, and delectable dialogue, The Worst Duke in London had my attention from start to finish, and will be one I remember for a long time.