ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || THE WORST DUKE IN LONDON [thank you to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: The Worst Duke in London
Author: Amalie Howard
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Lady Evangeline Raine, more interested in animals than suitors, has no desire to marry. But her father insists her younger sister, Viola, can only be courted if Effie has a suitor as well.

Enter Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, who needs money to save his estates. He’s offered a fortune to court Effie for the season, even if it means faking romance. But when Effie proposes a scandalous deal—he pretends to court her while secretly becoming her lover—things get complicated. As their fake relationship turns into real passion, they must decide if their arrangement will last beyond the season.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
My first thought: This book is SPICY. You don’t often expect a lot of spice in historical romance, simply due to the nature of the time period, but this one knocks all of those expectations on their butt!

Other than that, this was a lot of fun! Amalie Howard always writes with a lot of banter and heart, and Effie and Gage are no different! I really enjoyed their relationship as it went from competitive, to attracted but still combative, and then just jumping each other’s bones.

But not only that, I loved seeing the characters I’ve come to know and love from Howard’s previous books in this series. It’s always interesting to see how one love story compares to the following - they’re all different, but they’re all special!

I would read this if you’re looking for an excellent Shakespeare interpretation with ample steam.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Taming of the Shrew
10 Things I Hate About You
Female Friendships
Thwarting Society Expectations
Adorable Animal Companions
Bridgerton

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.01 ⭐️
# of Pages: 384
Pub Date: September 21, 2024

I always love a good recency era romance and this story didn't disappoint. The author (at least in the Taming of the Dukes series) has made all the female heroines extremely strong and they don't fit the standards of the ton. Effie and Gage definitely had chemistry and it was delectable to read. Can't wait to read the next story in this series.


Rating 3.5 Stars
Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was originally hesitant to read this book for two reasons. First of all, I do not like illustrated covers. They do absolutely nothing for me. Secondly, I was worried that there would be an overabundance of feminism in the book. I was greatly relieved in that regard. "The patriarchy" was only mentioned a couple of times. Other than that, the book had a heroine who was able to think for herself and a hero who respected her. There is certainly nothing wrong with that! So, on with the review!
Effie's younger sister was a diamond of the first water. Any man that was interested had to get around Effie. Villainous Lord Huntington manipulated Gage into keeping Effie occupied so that Huntington would have free reign with her sister. Over time, Effie and Gage began to develop genuine feelings. Of course, the relationship would be at great risk if Huntington ever decided to reveal the truth.
I really liked this book! The relationship of Effie and Gage was quite original. There was banter and lots of funny innuendo. Effie's group of girlfriends was outrageous. Animal rescue was Effie's passion, but she did not allow it to ruin her own happiness.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This is book 3 in the Taming of the Dukes series. I personally did not read the previous 2 and didn't feel lost at all. So this definitely can be read as a stand alone.
This story is about Gage, the Duke of Vale, also known as the Destitute Duke. He is a 2nd son who was previously a boxer. But when his brother dies, he inherits a bankrup dukedom.
It's also about Lady Evangeline, or Effie. She is on her 3rd season and is done with the ton, after all she's been nicknamed , Lady Ghastly. Why? Because she is highly intelligent and speaks her mind like a man would, not like a debutante.
When the two meet, there is an instant attraction. And even though they don't like each other, they both feel this pull. Effie, having decided that she will never marry decides to propose an affair.
I thought the premise for this story was good but I found the story was more about sex than romance. And I wasn't a fan of the vulgar language and cursing.
3⭐⭐⭐

I really wanted to like this story as I did the first two in the series but this one just didn’t work for me . I’m hoping the. Next book redeems the series for me

10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favorite movies from my teen years. Unfortunately that may be why I didn't love this book as much as I had hoped (along with proximity to a recent reread of Ten Things I Hate About the Duke).

Plot based readers will likely find this a lot of fun. As a character based reader, I struggled with inconsistency in character motivations. Effie's and Gage's actions didn't always match their inner monologues.

🐈‍⬛ARC Review🐈‍⬛

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was excited when I got the ARC of this book as I had already read the first book in the series and purchased the second and now was going to get to read the ARC of the third!

I love a good historical romance. Though a lot of them seem to have the same premise of a woman who does not want to marry approaching a man with a proposal to learn and experience the physical aspects to satisfies curiosity and desire in secret. There are a lot of books with this premise in historical fiction and it can be very overdone.

That being said, I did enjoy this one despite that. It took me a little while to get into it but it was well written, interesting and a different take on this plot line. I did enjoy seeing the other characters from previous books in the story too. That’s always fun.

Wasn’t my favourite in this series but definitely an enjoyable read!

The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard releases on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.

📚The Worsr Duke in London by Amalie Howard: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 ~ 3.5 stars (4 on goodreads)

The Worst Duke in London is a well-written and sexy historical romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked the main heroine, strong-willed Lady Evangeline, and I adored her love interest, Gage, a strapping Scottish Duke. They had great chemistry, their banter was entertaining, and the love scenes were hot! I also enjoyed revisiting characters from the previous books, Effie's and Gage's friends. Even though The Worst Duke in London is the third book in the Taming of the Duke series, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Effie has no desire to marry, she is content in the countryside tending to her animal shelter. Her younger sister Viola is anxious to get to London for a Season. When Gage inherits he is burdened with paying off family debt. When someone offers him money to get Effie and, consequently. her sister to London he takes it. Can Effie trust Gage is truly interested in her? I received an ARC from NetGalley and Forever for my honest review.

Taming of the Shrew reboot - if you like 10 Things I Hate About You and Bridgerton, this will be right up your alley.

My favorite of the series so far! When you do a retelling of "The Taming of the Shrew," you need biting, witty banter, loveably flawed characters and an expert build of sexual tension. Howard DELIVERS! Spicy and sensual - this was a page-turner I forced myself to savor slowly.

Evangeline "Effie" Raine has problems. Her little sister Viola has a heinous suitor, her animal shelter is running out of support, and she's been shunned by the ton for being an outspoken GIRL BAWSE! Gage, the Duke of Vale, has problems too. He's just inherited his brother's title and used all his savings paying off his family's enormous debts. When Viola's evil suitor offers to waive his debt if Gage can get Evangeline to accompany her for a London season, Gage has no choice. He must woo the intriguing Evangeline.

Plot twist - BOTH leads are virgins in this book! After several cute interactions, they become friends, and Effie suggests they explore their sexuality together by having a fling during the London Season. There are many spicy, open-door encounters. Did I mention he's a hot Scot?! I loved these characters so much I'd read another book about them, but there's one couple left to go in the series. It's going to be very hard to beat Effie & Gage's chemistry. Lushing & Briar ... You're Move!

As soon as I saw that this was a 10 Things I Hate About You retelling, I knew I had to read this. I didn’t need to know anything else about the book, that alone was enough. I’m so happy to say this book lives up to that standard. I love that Effie doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. She’s over the ton and is content to support her heart’s passion, her animal shelter. This love of animals leads to several great moments between Effie and Gage especially with a certain Beastie Buttercup. Meanwhile Gage is in dire straights to wipe out his family’s remaining debt, so when faced with a proposition he can’t refuse, he’s placed firmly in Effie’s path. The two have amazing chemistry together and aside from a certain bribe, I love how their relationship develops. I especially love how the traits that have set Effie apart from the ton are the exact ones that Gage loves. I also love that Effie takes control of her own body and desires regardless of societal expectations. Overall, I found this to be a great regency twist on the beloved movie, and I would recommend checking it out.

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and the summary of this one sounded interesting but I really didn’t enjoy this one . All the vulgar / sexual talk was to my liking - I do like some spice in my books but this one was just … well all about it and it felt like anything else was secondary at best

My rating 2.5 ⭐️

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Gage Croft is the “Destitute Duke” when he receives an offer to convince spinster Effie Raine to come to London for the season in exchange for his brother’s debts being forgiveness…but their arrangement soon becomes more than either of them expect.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this entire series, and this installment might be my favorite yet! I LOVED Effie and Gage—something about a Scottish hero just hits different, and he was a delight and a thoroughly exceptional book boyfriend throughout. One of my favorite hyper-specific microtropes is when the FMC goes by a nickname but the MMC is the only one who calls her by her full name because he loves the way it sounds, so suffice to say this one was a hit from the very beginning. This is also super spicy and sex positive, and I think all fans of historical romance will enjoy it!

As always, I also loved the feminism and sisterhood and friendship of this book, and seeing glimpses of the past couples is always fun. I am also absolutely feral for Briar and Lushing and I desperately need their book immediately please and thank you.

CW: Mild violence/physical abuse; sexual harassment; some animal peril/cruelty; mentions of death of a loved one

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amalie Howard for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Worst Duke in London coming out September 24, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve read another book in this series. I enjoy this author’s books because they feature diversity, but this book was a little too modern in mindset for the time. I love a strong, intelligent heroine, but I felt like Evangeline was a little too modern for my liking. I love historical fiction for the escape into the past and how things were or might’ve been during that time. I wanted more of that. Gage was a good character. I liked the book, but wanted a little more substance.

Heavily inspired by ‘Ten Thing I Hate About You’ and its inspiration, ‘Taming of the Shrew’, this was such a fun read.

Lady Effie (Evangeline) Raine just wants to remain single and be left alone to run her animal rescue shelter. Her younger sister Viola is eager to make her London season debut. Much to their horror, their father agrees Viola can go but only if Effie goes with her. Determined to court the Viola for her money, the odious Lord Huntington (or Cuntington as Effie calls him) strikes a secret deal with the impoverished Duke of Vale, Gage Croft to wipe his late brother’s debts if he woos Effie to London so he can court Viola. Except what Gage doesn’t count on is Effie wanting him to be her friend with benefits.

Effie is the sort of person you'd want to be friends with. She's determind, super smart and she tells it like it is, which unfortunately makes her an outcast. Yet Gage finds it refreshing and views Effie as his equal. I loved their banter and chemistry which made me laugh so many times. They were so good together from the first time they meet. They both supported and just got each other, I also loved how sex positive and progressive the characters were. As evidenced by her author’s note, Amalie Howard did a lot of research on progressive women and men of that era.

Overall, this book was a solid and fun feminist romp with charming characters and one of the best grovels I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait for the next book, which I assume will be Briar and Lushing. Bring it on!

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Worst Duke in London is book three in Amalie Howard’s Taming of the Dukes series.

Although this is book three in the series it is easily read as a standalone.

Lady Evangeline (Effie) Raine was made a social pariah after an encounter with a Lord Huntington in her first season. Since then she has cultivated a small circle of friends, and has put all of her energy into the animal rescue she set up in the village near her home.

Gage Croft, the Duke of Vale, inherited the dukedom after the untimely death of his brother. Gage is determined to restore the dukedom to its former glory after his father, and older brother gambled away the family fortune. Lord Huntington gives him the opportunity to get out from under the debts, but he must deceive Evangeline to do so.

I really looked forward to reading this book, I thought the premise sounded great, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed.

I love a historical romance with an independent, forward thinking heroine, but Evangeline was really over the top for an unwed young woman. No unmarried young woman would have the freedom she had to traipse all over London without a maid, much less take a hansom cab to a duke's home, while wearing only a cloak!

And then there was the dialogue, which while it was witty at times, was also full of sexual innuendo to the point that it felt like I was reading the dialogue of a teenage boy, not a regency or Victorian era (I'm still not sure which) young woman. Evangeline's speech, especially, was over the top, including her calling Lord Huntington, Lord Cuntington several times, and while it was admittedly not announced loudly, it was in public where people nearby could have overheard. It just felt like her speech and actions were meant to show us how much ahead of her time she was, but it felt forced and unnatural.

And speaking of sex, there was a lot of it in this book. I'm not a prude, and I love a spicy romance. I read everything from sweet to erotic romance, so reading sex scenes doesn't bother me. I think either I just wasn't in the mood to read all the spicy scenes, or maybe it was Evangeline's attitude towards sex which was much more modern than would have been expected from the period.

I think anyone who loves spicy, more modern historical romances, and who doesn't care about whether or not the story reflects the societal norms of the time will probably enjoy The Worst Duke in London. If you're more of a stickler for the "rules" and prefer a more traditional historical romance, then this may not be the book for you.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Worst Duke in London is the third book in The Taming of the Dukes series by Amalie Howard and if you haven't read the first two, you don't necessarily have to but I would recommend that you do as the other characters do play a part in this book. Of course, they aren't the main characters so it isn't necessary.

In this book, our fmc is Lady Evangeline Raine. She prefers animals to people and definitely has no interest in marriage...unfortunately for her younger sister Viola. Because Viola wants to spend the season being courted in London and in order to do that, according to her father, Effie needs to agree.

Enter Gage Croft, Duke of Vale. He is determined to rebuild his estates and when the owner of the last remaining debts his brother had offers to write them off if he wins over Lady Evangeline and gets her to go to London and stay there so Lady Viola can be courted by him, he decides to take the offer. What he didn't count on was that he would actually like Effie and despise everything the gentleman he made the deal with stands for.

This was a great story and the way these two characters come together was wonderfully done. Effie at first not interested in Gage but he eventually captures her attention and when she proposes that she will go to London but only if he agrees to be her lover (she sees this as her chance to experience passion), she throws him for a loop. Eventually all those feelings turn into something more but with all the lies, Effie has to wonder if Gage was just doing it for the money. And nevermind that it was for the worst man of the Ton.

I have to admit, I didn't love Viola at first. I know that was probably intentional but the way she treated Effie wasn't my favorite and the fact that she even wanted to be around the man who treated her sister the way Huntington did, didn't make me like her any more. That said, of course I loved that Vesper, Briar, Neve were here support system throughout.

If you're looking for a historical romance retelling of 10 Things I Hate About You, this does a decent job of it. I enjoyed the story and I have to admit, I hoping for Briar's story next so fingers crossed that one is coming up soon. Consider picking this one up if you're looking for something new in the historical romance genre that is a quick and easy read.

Wonderful enemies-to-lovers Regency romance. Fake courtship and indecent proposals, two wily characters Gage and Effie have undeniable chemistry. Great writing and story that kept me engaged all the way to happily ever after.

Read if you like: enemies to lovers
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Evangeline is a spinster who doesn't plan on getting married, but she is asked to supervise her little sister during the London Season. Gage is a new Duke to a broke estate who is trying to figure out how to pay his staff properly. The two butt heads but can't deny the attraction they have to each other.
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I actually loved this book so much. I loved Evangeline and Gage and how they had to figure out what they wanted. I was a little unsure about the conflict but I like how they resolved things. Overall a fun book!