Adored Selena. She's brilliant, and she actions her brilliance by making actual progressive change in fancy society; and I LOVED how she was with the children. She and Peter were maybe a bit too insta-lovey? They had enough chemistry to run a small town though, so it was really fine.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was wonderful. She even does voices. Did not expect that southern accent, I can tell you that. Ne'er Duke Well is just the right mix of funny, mildly dramatic, romantic and slightly predictable read that the world needed. Adored it.

I've been following Alexandra Vasti on Instagram for a while so I was so excited to see that she was being traditionally published. The premise sounded promising too so I couldn't wait to read it.

Ne'er Duke Well delivers on its promise. It's fun, steamy and has loveable characters. Peter and Selina are a delightful pairing. He's always in a scandal and she's his Olivia Pope. They were a lot of fun to read about and I enjoyed their dynamic. I also thought their romance was well developed. It's romantic and incredibly sexy. I truly loved this couple.

The plot was fun and interesting. The children here are but and never overshadowed the romance which I appreciated.

I was expecting this to be steamy based on the author's self-published novellas and this book did not disappoint! Peter and Selina were hot!

The narrator delivered here too! She was great and brought a lot of fun & life to the story.

Overall, would recommend!!

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti tells the story of Lady Selina Ravenscroft and Peter Kent, the ninth Duke of Stanhope.

Selina, the sister of a Duke herself, is well liked and respected. She’s popular, kind, and devoted to her friends and family. Selina, in true Vasti fashion, is much more than her reputation. Years ago she discovered a suitor’s less than honorable intentions and later helped a friend in a compromising situation. Inspired by her experiences, she founded and manages (secretly) a circulating library, with a section devoted to educating women about sex.

Peter is a bit of a rogue and (gasp) American, from New Orleans specifically. He’s wealthy, handsome, and fun. He, like Selina, is more than meets the eye. Peter has been through traumatic familial losses and is determined to become the guardian of his much younger brother and sister, his father’s unacknowledged natural born children. Both children are an absolute delight, but young Lucinda, Lu, really steals the show, repeatedly. 🤺Peter is also an outspoken abolitionist.

When Selina learns of Peter’s upcoming guardianship hearing she applies herself to finding him the perfect aristocratic wife. (Selina has major eldest daughter vibes, must protect everyone at all costs, sometimes a little too much. Your honor, I LOVE HER!)

As Selina “helps” Peter find a wife she finds herself imagining it was she and not one of the three women* she selected, but is terrified her secret would destroy his chances in the guardianship hearing. The attraction is mutual and things get physical. They are caught and Peter immediately does the right thing, what he’s always wanted to do really.

*All three candidates are five star characters and I am very much looking forward to seeing what Vasti does with their stories.

Before they are wed, Selina goes to Peter and tells him everything. He is surprised, supportive, kind, and enthusiastic. Eventually the secret becomes a significant burden and decisions must be made. As Peter and Selina navigate their new life together, the rumors, the children, villains, family, and the courts, they fall for each other. It’s angsty and sexy (there’s a scene in Selina’s office that whew, 😮‍💨), funny and romantic, and adventurous.

What I loved best about this story is Peter’s obvious respect for Selina’s life choices. From motherhood to career, he makes sure he knows what she wants and how to help her get it. Women’s choices being respected and nurtured by the men in their lives is evergreenly poignant but feels especially appropriate at the moment.

p.s. Morrison (the narrator) knocks this one out of the park!

Title: Ne’er Duke Well
Narrator Mhairi Morrison

I cannot explain how much fun this book was. I laughed so hard in certain scenes and absolutely fell in love with the characters. Selina is strong, independent and intelligent during a time period where women weren’t allowed to thrive. She loves and cares unconditionally about Peter, her family, her friends and her library. Peter is a great representation of childhood trauma and wanting to break the cycle. His mention of childhood reminds us what it would be like during this time period and how someone could just vanish never to be heard of again.

Mhairi Morrison CRUSHED this audiobook. The fact that she was able to show all the different sides to not only Peter and Selina but capture Georginna’s airiness and humor so perfectly. I absolutely loved this narration and can’t wait to find more by this narrator.

Ne'er Duke Well- a standalone

By Alexander Vasti- new to me author

Publication 7-23-24, Read 7-20-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Dreamscape Media for the e-ARC & ALC💙 ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Historical Romance, Rom-Com, Women's Fic

Tropes: marriage, contains children, erotica, matchmaker

⚠️TW: death of sibling, slavery mentioned, child illness, h is a virgin, wealthy H/h

🏃🏾‍♀️Run Time: 12:03

🗣️Narration: Mhairi Morrison reads all the characters. The narrator's voice fit the characters with standouts from Peter and Selina. Peter had a southern, Louisiana accent while Selina had a British accent. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story that was over too quickly. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

Summary: Lady Selina Ravenscroft plays the matchmaker for the ton and corresponds with her twin brother William in the army. In the shadows Selina runs Belvoir- a circulating library with erotic novels for women. Duke of Stanhope Peter Kent left New Orleans two years ago for England to take his new position. He discovers he has two half siblings Freddie and Lu, and he wants to become their guardian. He's already been labeled scandalous because of his abolitionist beliefs, so he needs a wife to make him respectable. Selina agrees to help him find someone, but they fall for each other.

🤔My Thoughts: This was a great Regency matchmaker romance where Selina helped Peter court potential wives Lydia, Georgina, and Iris. Peter already knew he wanted Selina but when she refused him, he needed to know why. Selina's secret life was to educate women about sex and help them enjoy themselves. It was necessary as women were told nothing about being a wife and having children. I thought about The Bridgertons series where Daphne, Eloise, and Penelope weren't told anything about marital relations. I loved Peter and Selina's interactions with the children. Lu was the MVP!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommendation: I loved the audiobook and would recommend it because you can adjust the speed and skip (when desired).

This was my second read of this book, first time on audio, and I loved it even more than the first!! Mhairi Morrison is unrivaled in her narration and even Peter Kent’s lousiana drawl!

Vasti manages to put everything you could ever want in a romance into this book, and I couldn’t love it more!

I loved Alexandra Vasti’s Halifax Helions novellas so I was very excited to read this new full length debut. I loved it. The story was a delight, the characters were excellent, and the romance was swoon worthy. I’m absolutely a fan and will be reading her work going forward no questions asked!

Newly inherited Duke of Stanhope, is in need of a respectable wife, in order to secure the guardianship of his siblings. Lady Selina is determined to use her skills to find him the perfect match, she just doesn’t expect it to be herself.

📚 regency romance
📚 match maker
📚 found family
📚 dual POV (single audio narrator)

🌶️🌶️🌶️

|Thoughts|
Was an enjoyable historical romance and particularly the role Selina secretly played in society, being the publisher of scandalous books for women.

Loved the banter and chemistry between Selena and Peter and his interactions with his siblings were a highlight for me.

“He’d been afraid if he did get them…How could someone like him deserve the keeping of two small, fragile, beloved children?”

Glad that strong communication was prominent amongst the conflict in this story. And felt it had a strong ending.

“I will follow you…you are the heart of us Selina. There is no family without you”

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fans of the Bridgerton series do not want to miss this sizzling Regency marriage of convenience romance that sees an unexpected Duke from America needing to find a wife in order to win guardianship of his younger half siblings.

Steamy, full of heart and with strong female characters, this is the first book in a new series and its perfect for those who enjoy books by authors like Evie Dunmore, Suzanne Enoch, Erica Ridley or Julia Quinn. This was also great on audio narrated by Mhairi Morrison.

I loved Selena, the FMC in this book, who secretly runs a scandalous library for women of the ton that helps publish titles intended to both titillate and educate those ladies with little to no knowledge of sex, conception or contraception.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! I thoroughly enjoyed my first book by a new to me author and will eagerly be waiting for the next volume in the Halifax series!

I really enjoyed this one! I don’t read a lot of historical romance, but this one had me hooked! I will definitely be looking at more from this author. The story had good pace, was funny, steamy, and was overall a fun read.

Fantastic historical fiction! The characters stole my heart. It’s sweet, swoony, funny and a great time start to finish. The writing is fresh, humorous and the historical aspects feel well researched. Fabulous audio! I’m picky about narrators and I loved this.

I loved this audiobook! The voices that the narrator created for each character were perfect and really allowed the reader/listener to get into the story more! This clumsy Duke means well but has a knack for getting stuck into scandalous situations, I wasn't sure of Peter at first but he grew on me as the story went on, however, Selina definitely runs this household! I did feel like I was almost missing a previous book with these two characters, as they had a backstory that was referenced but not fully explained, leaving me to wonder if I missed something or if I just wanted more knowledge of that beforehand. I liked that Selina was progressive and had her secret library to run, it added to the plot of the story and was a fun addition to a historical romance... I did think (in the beginning) that the sexual tension between Peter and Selina was a bit odd though. Overall, this was a fun historical romance that had multiple storylines to follow, which was a nice break from the romance!

Review to Goodreads 7/18, Instagram @evelynlainebooks 7/17 and in the future.

Super cute regency romance with what feels like a progressive tilt. I enjoyed the main characters and how they help each other with their situations (no spoilers). Side characters were good and there was a little twist that was fun at the end.

Narrator was good. I had to get used to the southern accent for one of the characters but an enjoyable listen.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Dreamscape Media, and Libro FM for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

I’m not sure I have enough words to adequately describe how much I loved this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and didn’t want to put it down. Peter, the new Duke of Stanhope and Lady Selina become more than mere acquaintances when she steps in with a plan to help him gain custody of his step siblings. She develops a plan for him to wed and choose a respectable bride which should help his chances in the upcoming hearing. Peter is from Louisiana and has only recently moved to England to assume his title of Duke.

Oh this book! Selina tried so hard not to fall for Peter. She didn’t want her erotic library to hurt his respectability and guardianship, but she just couldn’t help falling for him. Peter had me swooning. He was so gone for Selina and so determined to support her no matter what. I loved how they built a family together. There were moments that had me crying and others where I was laughing out loud. This is without a doubt, my favorite historical romance in quite some time.

I adored the narration by Mhairi Morrison, especially her voice for Peter. I loved this enough that I immediately preordered Ne’er Duke Well and Earl Crush. I absolutely cannot wait for more books from Alexandra Vasti!

"Ne'er Duke Well" by Alexandra Vasti is a refreshing take on modern historical romance. Vasti's debut novel shines with her unique voice, effortlessly blending whimsy, humour, and deep romantic emotions with richly nuanced characters.

The characters in this novel are vibrant and full of life. My favourite is Lu, Peter's 12-year-old half-sister, who knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. Her spunk and personality leap off the page, making her utterly captivating. All of Vasti's characters are bursting with energy, making it impossible not to be drawn to them. Selina, the female protagonist, embodies a modern take on historical romance heroines in the best possible way. She exudes confidence, always fixes others' problems, and runs the highly successful Belvoir library, which features a specially curated collection of saucy and scandalous books for women in the Venus collection. Despite her confidence, Selina has a poignant sense of sadness and loneliness, as she often puts others' needs above her own and keeps Belvoir a secret from everyone in her life. Peter, on the other hand, is not your typical Duke. Raised in New Orleans, he is a bit of a walking scandal and a fierce abolitionist, which ruffles feathers within the Ton. Peter's character is brimming with heart. His devotion to his half-siblings, Lu and Freddie, drives him to do whatever it takes to secure their guardianship, even participating in a matchmaking marriage scheme arranged by Selina. His determination in the custody battle is captivating, even though, being a romance, we know it will end well. Peter's unwavering support and unexpected reactions to Selina add depth to his character, making him endearing and memorable.

The chemistry between Peter and Selina is electric. The matchmaker setup creates all the right feelings as they gradually realize that the person they want to be with is the one they're trying to marry off to someone else. Their history of antagonism adds a perfect touch. Watching their relationship progress throughout the book is a rollercoaster of humour, romance, emotion, and heartwarming moments—with a generous dash of sensuality.

"Ne'er Duke Well" is an exceptional and charming debut historical romance from Alexandra Vasti. With its refreshingly modern take on Regency England, a swoon-worthy romance, vivid characters, and an engaging story centred around family and love, this book is a must-read. I’m eagerly counting down the days until her second novel, "Earl Crush," hits shelves in January 2025!

What a delightful historical romance that had heart, depth, chemistry, spice, and lots of laughs. I could not stop smiling reading Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti.

What happens when the matchmaker is unsuccessful because he falls for her!!! Lady Selina has the biggest hart and wants to help the new Duke of Stanhope get custody of his brother and sister. In trying to set him up, she fails miserably because he falls deeply and madly in love with her.

I loved how Selina was independent, smart, and ambitious in the best way. Peter valued all those qualities in her, even when Selina thought that she would cause him scandal. The beautiful found family that developed between them, was so wonderful to read about. I loved the kids and their unique personalities and how much Peter embraced them and loved them because of it, not in spite of it.

The entire business Selina created was amazing. The fact that Peter was gone for her for it was also top tier book boyfriend material. The two of them together worked as such a lovely team problem solving their issues and figuring out the best and creative ways to make sure they became the children's guardians.

I soaked up this story in just a few days because it was unbelievably captivating and kept me wanting to come back for more. I was so sad it ended but everything was wrapped up perfectly for them to live their HEA like they both deserved!

I think the narrator did a fabulous job on this one and I enjoyed her voices for all the characters.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

5 stars if you like Bridgerton, Beverly Jenkins, and other historical romances like I do you will love love love this one! Peter Kent is Lousiana sweet as honey and the perfect book boyfriend. Close proximity, a marriage of convenience, he falls so hard first, she's running an erotic literature shop for the TON, scandal, family, and love that's all that needs to be said amazing first novel!

This was such a fan, steamy historical romance with compelling characters and a interesting plot. Similar to Bridgerton so I would pick this up if you like the show/books.

I listened to the audio arc but didn’t love the narrator - you keep hearing her swallow which grossed me out a bit.

The new duke of Stanhope has developed quite a scandalous reputation that wont be helpful in his quest of gaining guardianship of his half siblings. He enlists Lady Selena Ravenscroft, one of the most brilliant women he’s acquainted with to aid him with this issue. Selena has a fabulous reputation and is perceived as a very proper debutant but if her secret were to come out she would be wrapped up in scandal. She runs a library containing erotic litterature for women, he men allowed. Selena suggests courtship and marriage and starts looking for potential women for Peter to marry. She can’t be on the list under any circumstance despite the blooming chemistry between them.

Historical romance is great but I’ve been obsessed with the regency era in particular after the new Bridgerton season dropped no this one filled that craving. Its Bridgerton esque in a good way with the beautiful scenery, strong female lead and spicy scenes but it has a unique storyline that sets it apart. I love Selena and admire her so much for going after her dreams and educating her fellow women during a point in time when men held all the power.

In my experience you could divide this book into three parts. The first one being denial, Selena was dead set on finding Peter another woman. Then the inevitable happens and the two of them enter in holy matrimony and finally the big scandal comes out. It felt slightly dragged out by the end, i thought it was ending shortly after what seemed like their hea but there was hours left of the union book by that point.

The narrator is really good, super easy to listen to and her accent is great. I really enjoyed this one and hope there will be more books with characters from this universe in the future.

Read this one if you like
🫖The regency era
💚Historical romance
💪🏼Strong fmc’s
🥰Forbidden love
🔥Spice

Vasti has officially become an auto buy author for me. I am obsessed with her regency era romance novels. I love that she includes characters that aren’t free from scandal and Ne’er Duke Well fits perfectly into the mix. I mean what’s not to love about a woman who has single handedly taken on the task of teaching women of the ton about sexual and reproductive natures. Selina has officially become one of my favorite female main characters ever. She is particularly efficient at completing tasks all while harboring a heart of gold. On the flip side, the male main character, Peter, has such adorable golden retriever energy. I love how he went out of his way to do what he felt was right to help someone even if it landed him in the scandal sheets. I also adored how much he loved his siblings and how he was willing to do anything to gain custody of them. Selina and Peter were so well matched and balanced that their relationship development was perfection. I also loved the banter between the two. It’s my favorite thing, and it was expertly utilized between the two MCs. I also really enjoyed the little Halifax Hellions name drop. While they weren’t featured, it was fun seeing them mentioned and then promptly discarded as a suitable match for Peter. There were so many memorable moments too that will stick with you from the dog rescue, to the book store show down, to the court room. This book will send you through a rollercoaster of emotion and leave you wanting more. I highly recommend adding it to your TBR pile.

I’ve already read this once, but when the audiobook became available, I had to listen to this again. It was even more delightful than the first time around, since I was able to pick up on details I missed out on the first time. Mhairi Morrison is an absolute delight to listen to especially for regency era books. I would highly recommend this book but especially the audiobook. You’ll want to binge read it in one sitting.