10 Things I hate about you meets Bridgerton.

This has everything and more that you could want. Cute animals, check; strong female friendships, check. Sexy Party, Check. Wallflower, Check. EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE HISTORICAL ROMANCE. BRIDGERTON GIRLIES. RUN.

-Book 3 in Taming the Dukes Series
-He falls First
-Grand Gesture
-Animals

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Amalie Howard continues to shine in this series. Evangeline hates the ton, her sister has dreams of marrying well. her sister can't marry unless she chaperones her sister for the season. The Duke of Vale is destitute and makes a deal to court the infamous "lady ghastly" in exchange for wiping his brothers debts clean. this was a 10 things I hate about you retelling and just as the rest of the series it follows the movie closely. I absolutely loved Evangeline and Gage. this book was just a fun read and this author can almost do no wrong for me.

complimentary copy provided by netgalley, though all thoughts are my own.

One thing's for certain-- 10 Things I Hate About You is a classic (yes yes, Taming of the Shrew blah blah), and you need to love it to do it justice. And honestly, I was pretty happy with the direction that Amalie Howard took this third book in the series. While I'm still not fully sure how all these women are friends, I'm happy that they are, and I'm happy that this version of England has so many goofy dukes just looking for love. Evangeline was a gem, and Gage was the absolute perfect Scottish counterpart. If you enjoyed the first books in the series, this next one will be a good fit as well.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for my copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is the third book in the Hellfire Kitties series and my least favorite to date. I loved that it was loosely based on 10 Things I Hate About You and the banter was fun to read. But Effie was hard to lilke at times. She seemed to do a lot of "mansplaining" to Gage and at times showed the same attitude she always accused men around her of having. I also think that while it's nice to see some modern elements in historical romances, this book was over the top with them and I think it would have worked better if the author had picked a few to focus on instead of so many topics included.

I loved it! Another homerun for this utterly delightful series. Evangeline and Gage's story is funny, emotional, dramatic, poignant, spicy and filled with heart. This book gave my heart a solid workout and left it feeling much lighter when I was done.

The Worst Duke in London, with a premise pitched as Ten Things I Hate About You meets Bridgerton, was incredibly promising. Although, I can’t say for certain that it hit the mark.

I was so excited to find this book in my inbox, and absolutely couldn’t wait to dive in, but I admit I found myself pushing myself through it at times. I almost find it difficult to pinpoint precisely what didn’t work for me, especially with a synopsis that was so utterly suited to my tastes.

Feminism was a central and integral part of the plot and personality of the main character, but I couldn’t help but find that it wasn’t naturally integrated into her internal monologue or the dialogue, leaving some scenes feeling unnatural and out of place, which was unfortunate because it isn’t and shouldn’t be, even in— or especially in— a historical romance. I consider it to be a nonsense criticism when people pretend that historical romances shouldn’t be written progressively, or with the understanding that while minorities were certainly treated very differently, we were still there, as were the activists who stood for and with us, so my own reservations certainly don’t derive from a warped sense of wanting “accuracy”, but in flaws regarding the execution. It made moments between the main characters feel stilted when it felt like one of them was so often soapboxing to a man who, seemingly, was in agreement with her. Important things were and should have been being said, but not in a way that suited the established tone of the story. Women’s rights, animal protection, and sexual agency weren’t casually interwoven into meaningful conversation, but rather it felt as if on occasion entire conversations and scenarios were constructed to convey a message, with the substance of such scenes not strong enough to carry the weight of the topics and their delivery. I think it came down to too much of it being too on the nose, too directly stated. Effie was written to be an unorthodox character, out of place in the stifling societal expectations of the ton— but we could have figured that out for ourselves through her witty disregard for etiquette in conversation with her friends, family, and the male lead, and through her hands-on care for animals, rather than making consistent note of it within the prose. Trust your audience to read the writing on the wall, not just the writing on the page.

While I did enjoy the chemistry between the main leads, the insta-lust did feel a bit over the top at times, and seemed to only devolve from there, producing lines and scenarios that bordered on being so ridiculous that I couldn’t tell for certain whether it was intended to be hot or comical. In cases, this can make a read more fun, but there were admittedly some word choices that took me out of any sense of enjoyment. Some turns of phrase felt out of place in a sexual or romantic context, even within the settings of a historical romance, leaving a grimace of distaste on my face. In some instances, less is more! If it produces an uncomfortable visual— “melting” undergarments, “dewiness” between the legs, sucking her earlobe into his mouth, "tender lady bits”— it may be worth considering a synonymous alternative.

That being said, I did enjoy the emphasis on female sexual agency, even when it was sometimes too spelled out, and I especially enjoyed the inclusion of menstruation and contraception, both very normal things that authors in the genre tend to overlook or disregard completely. Such things being introduced also allowed for the showcasing of historical menstrual pads and contraceptive measures, information which I found to be incredibly fascinating. As a whole, the sprinklings of historical understanding and research really shined throughout the novel, even if I myself can’t speak on the accuracy of it all. The passion that went into the formation of this book and its world was clear, and that continued on beyond the acknowledgements and into the curated book club questions, which were a pleasant find at the end of the novel.

My only other real critique on the romance itself was that as their arrangement was formed and their connection deepened, they seemed to be running out of feasible reasons why they couldn’t be together— but that certainly didn’t stop them from reminding each other and themselves of that very “fact” regularly. If they truly did care for each other beyond their sexual encounters as they seemed to think they did, their insistence felt out of place or forced when there was so little to reinforce the argument. Their emotional reservations so often hindered their interactions (which also lead to a sense of disconnect between the two at times, which was certainly of no help to the believability of their love story) and felt like a barrier between them, which can lead to a very fulfilling, angsty arc with a satisfying resolution… But I was too caught up questioning their somewhat flimsy reasons for not just getting together at the midpoint of the book. The will-they-won’t-they-while-they’re-doing-it dragged on for a bit too long when there were other plotlines that were present that could have taken precedence.

I found said additional plot points to have enriched the roundedness of the story, and I would have loved to see more of them, especially those revolving the male lead. Gage’s brother, for example, and all of the grief and troubles that it brought to him, was an incredibly interesting add-on that I would have felt far more invested in had it been more present. For a subplot unique from the source material, I wish it had been explored more! As the book progressed, I kept finding myself thinking “But wait, what about ___?” Overall, I found that the clues and investigation could have been spread throughout the book, to add emotional depth to our MMC as well as provide him with a more solid plotline outside of his romance with Evangeline, while also uniting them against a common adversary. The setting and subplots set it apart from Ten Things I Hate About You, as well as other literary adaptations of it, but it wasn’t quite taken far enough to stand out.

The author’s writing style truly shined in a place I didn’t expect— the action packed moments. The boxing match, the races, the moments of quick thinking and excitement. It was a pleasant surprise to find such moments in a romance outside of the fantasy genre, and found myself completely and thoroughly engaged. I would absolutely love to see a romance from the author with further focus on such scenes! I also loved the moments with both main characters’ friend groups— while one-on-one dialogue wasn’t always as strong, I found that the author often did an excellent job balancing multiple characters in conversation, showcasing personality and humour.

Overall, I’m aware that this review will read as rather criticism-heavy, but that it because I found there to be so much promise and potential within the premise and tucked away in the prose. I think that in more naturally weaving in her themes of importance, putting the same level of care into her romance/sexual scenes and plot lines as she does the research behind her world, and allowing herself to lean into the subplots that may deviate from her source material, the author would have a unique and brilliant romance on her hands that would reach and please more readers.

As always, thank you to Forever and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy for review, and I will certainly keep an eye out for the next instalment.

This is book 3 in the Taming of the Dukes series and it follows one of my favorite 90s movies 10 Things I Hate About You. And that is a retelling of my favorite Shakespeare play Taming of the Shrew. The intelligent, fiery, independent female is always my favorite. Especially when all of the men around her despise her for those qualities except that one man that can appreciate a brain and banter.
Evangeline and Gage were fire together! He was cleaning up his father and brothers' mess and had been raised in Scotland. She was brilliant and had been deemed Lady Ghastly by one of the worst bullies in the bunch. They were both a bit unconventional for the ton.
Loved everything about this! The romance, the animals, the friend group. The lessons and steamy time cause there were a lot of firsts for them. You don’t see that often in a Duke.
Loved getting to see the couples from the previous books as they are pretty close knit group of friends.
Definitely check out this series, they are all retelling of 90s favorites!
These two ate and left no crumbs.

Lady Evangeline (Effie) Raine, 21, is the daughter of the Earl of Oberton. After 3 failed seasons in London, she has no interest in repeating the process and prefers to stay home. She is occupied with running her animal shelter. Her younger sister, Viola, 18, is anxious to have a season in London, however, her father says she may go but only if Effie accompanies her.

Viola has her eye on Lord Huntington whom Effie despises. They once had a discussion about women’s rights and he was very nasty to her calling her Lady Ghastly. This embarrassed Effie so much that she does not want another season.

Lord Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale, is impoverished from paying off his late father’s and late brother’s debts. He enjoys boxing which many people frown upon. Knowing he needs money, he considers a season in London in hopes of finding a rich wife. His last debt made by his brother is to Lord Huntington for 2,000 pounds. However, the man says he will waive the debt if Gage will seduce Effie so he can court Viola and, hopefully win her hand and her money.

Effie is not interested in marrying. Instead, she would like to explore the intimate side of marriage so she can live with those memories. She chooses Gage to be her partner in that endeavor. Thus, the story begins with their very explicit love affair that threatens to set fire to the pages of this book. Whew. I’m not fond of this type of story, but I have to admit that there was so much humor that laughing was the best part of the book. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Worst Duke in London (Review)

When the only way to court one daughter is to find the older sister a suitor, Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale's late brother's debt is called on to be paid. Reluctant Gage is forced to try and convince Lady Evangeline 'Effie' Raine to go to London for six weeks. And he soon finds that the woman deemed 'ghastly' by society is a passionate, animal rescuer who Gage finds himself falling for. Even more so when Effie brings up a mutually pleasurable scandalous arrangement.

Goodness I loved this novel! I will go so far as to say that I love how it was inspired by the movie 10 Things I Hate About You but I loved where Amalie Howard took the movie premise and turned it into a novel that I loved way more than the movie it inspired. I felt she did such an amazing job making me connect with Effie and to showcase her strengths and vulnerabilities. I loved her wilfulness to enjoy pleasure and how Effie got Gage to succumb to what they both desired.

And Gage! Welcome to book boyfriend status you hot Scot. Goodness, the hot Scot commentary between Effie and her friends felt like it was pulled from the DMs of my highlander loving IG friends. It made me laugh so hard. I love how Gage was pressured into the arrangement with Huntington, but how quickly he fell for Effie. How he wanted to tell her the truth but didn't know the best way to go about it. How the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. And even more so, I loved what he did to try and make it up to her.

Amalie Howard creates such great stories which weave a lightheartedness with some real world feelings. It is always an adventure and an enjoyable one to get to the HEA.

After being left the laughing stock and endless joke of her season, Effie has prided herself on being a comfortable spinster. She has her recuse animals and best friends that make her happy after all. But when Effie’s sister Viola is granted a season under the stipulation that Effie be her chaperone. What she doesn’t know is that the Duke of Vale has been paid to convince Effie to go to London for the season so that Lord Huntington can court her sister. What the Duke doesn’t expect is to be completely enamored by Effie’s spitfire and forward thinking feminist ways. But what will happen if she finds out his arrangement with Huntington?

Since I have an attachment to 10 Things I Hate About You this may be my favorite installment of the Taming of the Dukes series but there is still one more left so I will have to wait and see!

Amalie Howard has established herself as a diverse writer in this genre, so, if you have never read historical romance, please pick up one of her books.
The Worst Duke in London is book three in a series called Taming of the Dukes, however, it could be read as a stand-alone. I personally enjoy the appearances of characters from the first two books and knowing their backstories and personalities. For me, it makes each book more enjoyable. This series is absolutely delightful.
Do you love a headstrong FMC? You’ve got it. Lady Evangeline Raine was spurned by most of the ton during her first season due to an extremely hateful, self-absorbed man’s remarks, and all but sworn off men. (Note: It is a great author who can write a character you really want to hate.) Evangeline, Effie, to her friends and family, prefers animals to people. She rescues animals and has procured a shelter, as well as, the help of a local veterinarian. This is Effie’s real passion in life. She does not intend on marrying. However, she has a younger sister, Viola, who needs to make her debut in London society and Evangeline makes this hefty sacrifice solely for her sister.
Our MMC is Lord Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale who hails from Scotland. Sadly, he is destitute due to paying off his deceased brother’s debt, as well as, the manse being in desperate need of repair. The honorable Duke had to make things right. Lord Vale, Gage to friends and family, is most comfortable in his regular clothes, does not mind getting dirty and loves his peaceful life in Scotland. I really enjoyed this character. He is unlike other Dukes. Very unassuming. But he will soon meet his match with Lady Evangeline. These main characters have their own ideas about what they want, and don’t want. The situations these two find themselves in are interesting, to say the least. This Duke is definitely kept on his toes by the FMC.
Evangeline and her group of friends, known amongst themselves as the “Hellfire Kitties” are absolute gems. Out of all of my readings, this may be my favorite friend group. These women are of their own voice and mind, particularly for the time, and supportive of one another, always. All of the characters in The Worst Duke in London are authentic and compelling and you will be rooting for them throughout the book.
The progression of the story is smooth. The chemistry between the main characters is fantastic, the wit and banter are unmatched. Consistent dialogue keeps the story moving. The author’s writing is so vivid, I felt like I was there in London with the rest of them. The Worst Duke in London is an enemies-to-lovers trope, which just so

happens to be my favorite. There is palpable tension in parts, and this story covers serious topics so please check TW at the beginning of the book.
Tucked away at the end of the book is an unexpected, yet welcome surprise. The author provides us with real data from the Victorian times, with references. Authenticity at its finest. Readers, you will find this section of reading quite interesting. I urge you not to skip out on this section. I was squealing with delight at the ending for the two main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ms. Howard, you continue to impress.

This is my first Amalie Howard book, but it won't be my last. I love a good Regency romance romp, and when I heard that 10 Things I Hate About You inspired this book, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. This is the third book in the series and reads as a stand-alone. But after meeting the couples from Amalie's past books, I now want to go back and read the rest of the books in this series because they are delightfully fun characters I want to spend more time with. I am so impressed with Amalie's writing and her ability to create such a fun and spicy romance. Amalie masterfully took the movie 10 Things I Hate About You and made it into a Regency romance. I was blown away by how she took this contemporary rom-com and made it her own. She nailed it!

Gosh, I don't know where to start with what I loved about this book. First, let's talk about the story. This was a fun and fast read. I was always entertained with what was happening in this book. Everything was perfectly timed to hook me in even more. I read this book in one sitting, and it's addictive. This story has it all: those swoony unforgettable moments, sharp, witty banter, plenty of spice, drama, and a heroine who isn't afraid to take what she wants. Everything was balanced perfectly and worked together to create a swoontastic love story. Another great thing about this book is that you get to spend time in two prominent Regency settings. In the book's first half, we are in the English countryside, where we get moments when the heroine is stuck on a path, or the MCs are at a garden party. Then, in the second half, we are in London during the season, which includes balls, concerts, and visiting the less reputable parts of London. It was like you got the best of both worlds in this book.

The characters were fabulous! I loved Evangeline and Gage. They were perfect for each other. It was great watching them interact. They constantly kept each other on their toes and left each other befuddled and bemused. It was great. Evangeline was a wonderful heroine. She is smart, compassionate, and doesn't take crap from anyone. Her sharp tongue has landed her in hot water a few times in London society. Her passion for helping animals leapt off the pages, and I loved how she often found herself in sticky situations because she was rescuing an animal. She has no desire to marry. She sees marriage as something that will take away her freedom and ability to help animals. Gage is that tall, dark, and broody hero who just wants to return to the Highlands. He hates everything to do with London society and doesn't want the responsibility of being a Duke. I like him; he is a reluctant Duke who has found himself thrust into a great deal of responsibility. On top of that his brother has left the Dukedom in heaps of debt. Gage agrees to try and court Evangeline in order to forget the last bit of debt tied to Gage's family.

The romance in this book is banging! I knew that it was going to be spicy just from the sparks that were going off between Evageline and Gage. It was just pure lusty tension. What surprised me was that both characters were virgins, but fear not, they figure out what is what pretty quickly. This is a very spicy, slow burn, and I loved all those secret moments between Evageline and Gage. There is something so wonderful about two characters doing something naughty in a dark corner or out in a garden. The notion that they could be caught just heightens those emotions and makes for such a damn fun reading experience. Besides, for all the lusty bits, these two have some pretty sweet and quiet moments. I loved watching as the connection grew deeper between them. And the grand gesture at the end of the end of the book was amazing. If you are a fan of forced proximity and sex agreement, both MCs are virgins, alpha males, and a hero makes a deal to woo the heroine, then you are going to love this book.

The Worst Duke in London is a must-read for anyone who loves Regency romances.

Although this is part of Amalie Howard's Taming of the Duke series, it can be read as a standalone because the series is more interconnected than dependent on the previous books. I have only read only one other Howard book, but this by far was my favorite. Based on the movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, this book was engaging and had a compelling story with a HEA ending. It was truly historical regency romance at its finest and would be perfect for any fans of Bridgerton. Also as a historian, I really appreciate Howard's note at the end displaying some of the extensive research that went into the book! Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A retelling of 10 Things I Hate About You which is of course a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew? Put it into my grabby lil hands thank you! Thank you to @grandcentralpub and @amaliehoward for this free copy, I remain super excited about this entire series that gives a nod to my favorite 90s movies.

Evangeline, or “Effie,” as her friends and family call her, is far too erudite for the ton, and her plans for her dowry are singular: save as many animals as possible. The problem for her is that her sister Viola is this year’s diamond, being courted by the odious Lord Huntington, a blowhard peacock who once gave Effie the moniker “Lady Ghastly.” Well, Lady Ghastly with her fae Julia Styles-esque looks, her spinsterhood, her irrigation systems and her rescue kittens will NOT be going to London to assist in Viola’s love life.

Enter Gage, freshly in England from his home in Scotland, and a destitute Duke no less, needs to pay back a debt to a creditor so that he can finally make the repairs to his estate that have not been done in decades under his philandering father or gambling problem brother. Huntington offers him a reprieve on the debt if he can just entice Effie to London so he can court Viola. It doesn’t hurt that he’s as big as a barn and a redhead to boot.

Seems simple enough, but picture this: what if we fell in love beneath the scratch of baby cat claws? 🤗🐈

🚨What if they’re both virgins? 🚨

What if there’s a sex pact, a regatta, multiple balls (the dancing kind, geez), l a Regency sex toy, a weird bulldog mix, a barn fire AND a sink hole?

This series has been so fun, and @amaliehoward hits the 10 Things high points on the head with this story, and Effie and Gage are definitely as fun as Kat and Patrick were on screen. I’ll always be a little nostalgic for Heath Ledger, but Gage was a welcome distraction. It’s available to read now, so if you haven’t already, put it on your TBR!

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #TheWorstDukeinLondon by Amalie Howard in exchange for an honest review.

If you like Ten Things I Hate About You, you will have a good time with this steamy retelling! In this one, we have a strong, independent heroine who doesn't want to get married but instead she just wants to take care of all the animals in need and a destitute Scottish Duke who just wants to clean up the mess his brother left behind and get back to Scotland so he can find a good Scottish lass to marry. These two start out not liking each other but things change quickly as they can't ignore the chemistry between them. It was a lot of fun seeing the couples from the first two books in this series as well as get more of Briar and Lushing. I truly cannot wait for their story and I am so excited to see what movie retelling will be theirs! Anyway, this is a fun and steamy story! Enjoy!

The Worst Duke in London plays with the old “taming of the shrew” plot—a woman whose beautiful younger sister can’t be courted until the elder is won. But Howard works more directly with the plot of that 90s romcom 10 Things I Hate About You in that Evangeline has to agree to come to London for the season before her sister Viola can accept suitors. So one of those potential suitors makes an offer to a duke in debt to him: convince Evangeline to come to London and stay there for six weeks, and the debt will be erased.

Howard has a lot of fun with this plot, particularly in her creation of Evangeline, a woman scarred by cruel labels who has drowned herself in charitable care of abandoned animals. And her hero Gage is a genuinely nice person caught in a cycle of inherited debt (some of which I didn’t quite understand, as Gage’s brother’s debt seemed to be personal and not tied to their estate).

The secondary characters are also great, from the slimy suitor for Viola’s hand to Gage’s friends and their predilections. I loved Evangeline and Viola’s father for being the rare sympathetic parent.

There was one continuity error that just threw me out of the book for a while. But I came back and loved how Howard made this story work out. There were some special twists in here that made me, a great fan of the original Shrew story, smile in delight.

The Worst Duke in London was the first book of Howard's of mine to read and it certainly won't be the last! I'm a sucker for historical romances and retellings of Shakespeare's works and this book definitely did not disappoint. I enjoyed the witty banter and steamy interactions between our FMC Effie and MMC Gage and longed for more even after I read the final pages, This book is out now, so don't hesitate to pick up a copy for yourself! Thank you NetGalley and Forever for an ARC of this book!

Evangeline is a social outcast and prefers country life with her animal shelter, but her younger sister Viola is itching for a London Season. Their father insists that Viola is only allowed to go if Evangeline does too. Viola’s terrible suitor decides to use the debt he’s owed by the destitute duke, Gage, to tell him to convince and distract Evangeline. It’s a messy deal that gets even messier when Gage turns out to actually like Evangeline’s outspoken personality. Also, these two people are attracted to each other to the point of distraction, and Evangeline is the one to propose a scandalous affair. Super steamy flirty banter. Loved it.

Another excellent regency romance from Amalie Howard! I love all of her books, and especially the Taming of the Dukes series… sigh! How absolutely fantastic and brilliant!

The nod to 10 things I hate about you, where the older, uninterested sister has to start dating (aka, attend the season in London, even though she doesn’t wish to return again this year after the horrific experience the previous years and the terrible nickname she received from the gentleman now trying to pursue her sister)… before the younger, flirty and carefree one is allowed to, by the father… and the guys having a deal with one agreeing to distract the older sister so the other can court the younger, which is a really nice touch! Yes, I know that this plot has Shakespearean roots.

Add in an animal shelter, and the bookish gentleman with a failing Scottish dukedom, and Evangeline (Effie) and Gage are some really special characters! They are trying their hardest to keep their friend/sister apart and get them together at the same time because of their conflicting goals, with a lot of great hijinx throughout. A great, fun read, and as with every Howard book, it’s a story you won’t want to put down until you find out how it all plays out, and about how the mismatched pair that can’t stand each other to start, winds up together... especially when she’s not ever going to marry. Definitely a high recommendation from me! 4.5-stars!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and this is my honest feedback.

The Taming of the Dukes has been such a fun, contemporary take on Regency romance, and The Worst Duke in London is the newest confection in this delightful series, telling the story of animal-loving Evangeline and financially-troubled Gage as they embark on a fake dating with benefits situation that has the potential to be the talk of the ton. I enjoyed getting glimpses of characters we've gotten to know in previous books and seeing the affection bloom between these two feisty protagonists. I highly recommend this series for those who enjoy Bridgerton and their tea hot!

Thank you to Forever for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.