Ne'er Duke Well

Belvoir's Library #1

by Alexandra Vasti

In this steamy Regency romp, Lady Selina is determined to find the Duke of Stanhope the perfect wife―the only problem is she's starting to think that might be her.

Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana―must become respectable. Between his radical politics and the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep―not his fault!―he’s developed a scandalous reputation at odds with his goal of becoming guardian to his half siblings. For help, he turns to the cleverest and most managing woman of his acquaintance, Lady Selina Ravenscroft.

Selina is society’s most proper debutante, save one tiny secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. When Peter asks for her help, she suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation. (Which is to say, definitely not herself.)

But matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan. Peter’s siblings run rampant on Bond Street. Selina ends up in the Serpentine. And worst of all, the scorching chemistry between Peter and Selina proves impossible to resist. For the disreputable duke and his unpredictable matchmaker, falling in love just might be the ultimate scandal.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Audiobook, Regency

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2024

About the author

Alexandra Vasti is a British literature professor by day and USA Today bestselling romance writer by night. After finishing her PhD at Columbia University, she moved to New Orleans with her family. Her books have received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, BookPage, and Kirkus, and have been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, and elsewhere.

Reviews

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

His voice was steady, his eyes on hers. "You bring the morning with you. You're the light, sweetheart. When you walk into a room, I can't see the shadows. There is nothing in this world that could persuade me to send you away if I thought you wanted me half as much as I want you."

Oh man, I loved this book. There were small issues here and there, but this was so enjoyable and funny and heartwarming.

Peter was an amazing MMC. He was adorable, a little awkward, funny, and surprisingly spicy 🌶️
And Selina was a great FMC as well, with great support from other side characters.

I hope there is the possibility of more books with these characters. Would love to see Lidia bloom 🥰

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely wonderful read, unbelievably Vasti’s first novel, with charming characters, a beautiful plot, and a very touching story. This is quite simply the best historical romance I have read this year! Need I say more? I should hope not, and you should be devouring this book posthate! However, since you are still here, wow let me tell you, this is everything you could possibly look for in a historical romance: slowburn, he falls first, blind to love, found family tropes meets a great mixture of humour and heart – and (arguably best of all, aside from the exquisite spice), no third act breakup. Highly recommended for lovers of Netflix’s Bridgerton and Austen’s Emma.

He loved her. He loved her so much he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. Could do nothing but watch and memorize her face as she laughed. He kept the sight of her in his heart even as she pulled him from the room...He kept it safe, a perfect pane of glass, crystalline and fragile.

[ Contains some spoilers ]

PLOT SUMMARY
29-year-old Peter Kent, the new Duke of Stanhope, priorly from New Orleans, Louisiana, desires to be the legal guardian of his half-siblings, 12-year-old Lucinda “Lu” and 10-year-old Frederick “Freddie” Nash. Unfortunately, his cruel late father never acknowledged them as his own nor mentioned them in his will. And even more unfortunately, Peter does not have the best of reputations, what with his general clumsiness, radical political views, and upsetting his rival Lord Eldon on a matter of cognac – who happens to be chancellor of the High Court and the man Peter must plead his case to. But how fortunate that he should happen upon (or, rather, literally bump into) 23-year-old Lady Selina Ravenscroft.

Selina, renown for both her love and skill of matchmaking, decides to help Peter. She believes that if he marries a respectable woman in the ton, this will cast a positive reflection on his character and convince Eldon he is a suitable guardian. Thus, Selena lists three possible candidates: Lydia Hope-Wallace (her best friend), Iris Duggleby (wallflower) and Georgiana Cleeve (considered the Diamond of the Season).

The more Selina helps Peter find a match, the more she realises she is in love with him herself. And the more Peter spends time with Selina, the more he believes there is no one else for him but her. But Selina has a huge secret: she is the owner of Belvoir’s, a scandalous library teeming with erotic literature. She cannot marry him, for if word were to get out about this, there goes his chances at keeping Lu and Freddie.

However, a certain compromising circumstance occurs, forcing them into wedding. Though all seems promising, Selina’s beloved secret of Belvoir’s threatens to come to light. As she tries to solve who is responsible for the threat in the hopes of delaying the inevitability of being exposed, Selina has to decide to either risk ruin together or avoid tarnishing their names by leaving.

This is told from the third-person past-tense dual POV of Selina and Peter.

OVERALL OPINIONS
Honestly, any time I read the name Selina – and this was a lot – I thought solely of the Mr. Malcolm’s List film (another book that is on my ever-growing TBR list) when Julia Thistlewaite says “Oh Selina, what an astute observation!”.

From the start, I could tell this would be a good story. The title itself is rather clever. Ne’er Duke Well is a pun on the phrase “ne’er-do-well” which is a derogatory term for a person who good-for-nothing, worthless, or without means of support. This is how Peter Kent sees himself as, thanks to memories of his horrid father reminding him he was reckless, thoughtless and weak. As a child, his father left the family with literally no means of support monetary-wise, but Peter also has no support in an emotional sense: someone to comfort him, be there for him. He finds this eventually in Selina, which is lovely!

The descriptions are so good that you can imagine scenarios and scenes clearly. One such description I love is of Selina’s friend Lydia Hope-Wallace’s family: “They were richer than Croesus” – Croesus was the last King of Lydia who was considered the richest man on earth, and of course her name is Lydia so therein lies the comparison. It is so subtle, but so very clever.

Aside from the excellent romance, I love that the whole premise of the story is Selina and Peter’s fight to keep Lu and Freddie. The found family element to this story was absolutely heart-warming! It is sweet that Peter cares so much about his half-siblings and wants to look after them, and from the get-go calls them his “siblings” not “half siblings”. Then Selina begins to care a lot for them to the extent that the obstacles in her love for and eventual marriage to Peter are all because she wants what is best for the children and worries her reputation will ruin this. The kids also being brave enough to stand up for themselves and their beliefs that Peter is the right guardian for them is beautiful to see (and the way in which they storm Westminster is hilarious!).

There is just so much fun yet far more depth to this story. We have relationships, families, friendship and breaking the cycle of toxic relationships and families. Here I want to focus on the latter. The main toxic people are Peter’s father and Georgiana’s father. When Freddie becomes ill, it is admirable that Peter does not want to leave his side, and becomes a fatherly figure to them far better than the man who actually was their father. Through this, Peter heals his own inner child who lost his other half-brother Morgan through Consumption. Georgiana’s father moulds his children into the standard he wants and I like that Georgiana challenges that.

Vasti, interestingly, is from New Orleans and it is nice that she used this as the place where Peter comes from.

<< Setting (Location/Year) >>
The setting is London and the year is 1815.

While it is explicitly mentioned, there are a few clues within the text as to the year that can help the reader guess:
🠚John Scott, Lord Eldon, was an actual person, who was born in 1751 and passed away 1838.
🠚William Pitt is mentioned in past-tense. He was prime minister 1783-1801. Therefore, it had to be a year after this time (Robert Jenkinson would have been the current prime minister at the time of the book, 4 prime ministers after Pitt).
🠚Napoleon is mentioned concerning events from 2 years ago when Peter is meant to have inherited his title of Duke (which we can work out is 1813). The Napoleonic wars took place between 1803-1815. This really helps to narrow down the years.
🠚Lord Elgin’s removal of the Parthenon marbles from Greece is mentioned. This took place between 1801 and 1812 (the final shipment took place happened in 1812). The year had to be some time after this, but before the end of the Napoleonic wars (1812-1815).

<< Accuracy? >>
I am not usually fussed on whether a book is historically accurate or not but for those who are curious about this, I am pleased to inform you that it is reasonably accurate. Vasti really tried to do her homework about various events, people and novels mentioned within.

I really respect that in the Author’s Notes, as I was also going to explain, Vasti clarifies that Harriette Wilson’s memoirs The Courtesan’s Revenge was published later. In fact, it was in 1825, which is a decade out from the year this book is set. This I feel is fair enough as both the author acknowledges this, and the book/story it is used as part of the driving force behind Selina’s decision to start up Belvoir’s so more women are not so naïve.

Vasti says in her Author’s Notes the publication of the work Lady Bumtickler’s Revels is 1786, though a general Google might say 1872. For those confused about the year in which this was released, I think I can clarify: it was first written in 1770s-1780s along with other works though the authors are unknown. They were then republished a century later by George Peacock as a series under the title The Library Illustrative of Social Progress. Lady Bumtickler’s Revels is Volume 3.

<< Positives >>
🠚The cover is so aesthetically pleasing and depicts an actual scene from the book where Selina dives into the Serpentine to save a dog and Peter in turn saves Selina’s reputation by pulling up in a boat.
🠚The whole story about Selina setting up the bookstore Belvoir’s to help provide women with knowledge about sex and protection is very moving and selfless of her to do. I am glad she eventually sees the store as being something more powerful than something to be ashamed of.
🠚The amount of emotional depth in this book, as previously mentioned.
🠚The humour throughout was excellent. My favourite moments have to be: firstly, of course when Selina bumps into him and hopes he doesn’t recognise her and, upon his quick recognition she thinks “Oh blast!”; secondly the recount of the cognac incident; thirdly, when Peter is so confused and thinks Selina is proposing to him; fourthly, when Selina lists all the incidents on dates that have caused Peter to be in the papers; fifthly, when Selina saves the dog; finally, her family when she reveals her secret.
🠚The spice was everything! I was giggling and kicking my feet.

<< Negatives >>
There are a few misleading things as part of the book’s promotion, as well as missing scenes that I would have preferred included:
🠚The cover, though depicting the scene where Selina saves the dog, is a little misleading to have the dog in it as it made me think she would end up keeping the dog as her own.
🠚The blurb (and briefly in the book via the quote above) mentions “the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep―not his fault!” and:

I do remember Peter Kent. He knocked you into a mud puddle at Broadmayne, didn’t he? And stole your horse. And wasn’t there something about a wedding at St. George’s, two sheep, and a duel?

I have to say, this was something that I laughed out loud about when reading the blurb alone, and I really wanted to read this moment. I was, I admit, rather disappointed.
🠚There is also the mention that Selina and Peter met two years ago, and he had tossed her into a puddle:

On one memorable occasion he had offered to carry her portmanteau—perhaps offer was not the right word; he’d practically wrestled with the cursed stubborn woman— and accidentally knocked them both onto their asses in a slick patch of mud.

Again this was so funny, I would have really loved something like a prologue chapter where we had this encounter. It does say at the end of the book if you sign up to her newsletter you can get bonus content including a bonus chapter of their meet-disaster but girl please put this in the book itself!

CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Selina꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ She is so selfless and kind, but I love that she is always matchmaking and is full of wonderful ideas. She gives a lot of Lady Whistledown vibes with her secrets and Emma Woodhouse vibes for her love of matchmaking. It is great to see the growth she has, going from worrying about the future and afraid all she will do is disappoint her husband Peter to no longer hiding her secret and allowing Peter to support her.
🠚When she is told she does not need to take care of everyone, I felt that. This is just like me.
🠚I hope she gets to see her brother Will again. It might be interesting to have a relationship between Will and Georgiana. A widowed man and a clever author, might make an interesting match. Oops, I’m turning into Selina!

Society had cast the women of her generation adrift— they were meant to be playthings, meant to be innocent and empty headed and leave practical knowledge to the men who controlled their lives. To hell with that. Selina had read books. She had learned. And she had taken it upon herself to change the way the women of the ton saw their own place in the world.

-ˋˏ ꒰ Peter꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ My heart bursts for Peter, he has been through so much and endured much loss. His mother and his half-brother Morgan, made to feel that he is foolish and weak by his father. I got so sad and he feels like he has nothing to offer Selina.
🠚I am so glad he finally gets the love he deserves and a family to care for! And wow, what a man. He listens, makes her laugh, protects her, encourages her. And he is so sexy too! A magnanimous green flag I wave!
🠚And of course he had a Mr Darcy moment where he wanted to flex his fingers when she touched the back of his hand!

“You bring the morning with you. You’re the light, sweetheart. When you walk into a room, I can’t see the shadows. There is nothing in this world that could persuade me to send you away if I thought you wanted me half as much as I want you.”

-ˋˏ ꒰ Other characters꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ Georgiana is such an interesting character. I like that she is not as idiotic as one thinks, and her idiocy is in fact a façade so her father never suspects she is a bestseller author. I predicted she would be the one who discovered Selina’s secret. There is an implication from the Acknowledgements section that she will have her own story and I really hope so, looking forward to that.
🠚Lydia is so sweet, I am glad she builds up her confidence and helps stand up for her friend Selina. As is Thomasin, also a lovely person, very motherly.

FAV QUOTES
• Then she looked up, and that fierce tawny gaze caught his, and he knew down to his bones that he’d been right to think of her. And he had the strangest thought then: that he’d been right *every* time he’d thought of her.
• She wanted love. She wanted someone who wouldn’t be afraid of her connection to Belvoir’s. She wanted someone to look at her and see more than just the sister of a duke or the recipient of a substantial dowry. More than difficult and prickly and too opinionated and too much.
• “I think about you. All the time. Even when I shouldn’t think of you, I do.”
• He respected her, more than any man she’d known except perhaps her twin. He asked her questions and really listened to her answers, his gaze so steady and absorbed upon her that she felt like the center of his world. He made her laugh. He made her burn.
• He looked at her the way he always did. Warm, and sure, and so intent upon her that the rest of the world could have faded away, and she thought he might not notice.
• “You are spectacular. You are a bright, brilliant light on this benighted country.”
• God, she was so beautiful it hurt. He wanted to touch her, and he was afraid to touch her at the same time. Touching her made him start to imagine a different kind of a marriage, not a patched- up affair in an empty house designed to save them both from scandal.
• “only you would turn up your nose at embroidery and resolve to overturn society in its stead.”
• He huffed a little laugh. “I would have liked to have seen you then.” | “You wouldn’t. I would have made you fence with me. Or tried to punch you in the nose.” | He looked at her then, truly looked, all the force of his gaze trained upon her face. She felt heat rise in her cheeks at the intensity of his regard. “I have always wanted to look at you.”
• How could he protect them from any kind of hurt? He couldn’t. He saw that now... They would be hurt. They would get sick. They would be afraid. And he would love them through it.
• “You’re making a mistake.” She heard herself say the words and knew she was lost… “Sweetheart,” he said. “Loving you is not a mistake.”
• No secrets. No hiding. Not any longer. And she wasn’t alone. That was the part that pulled at her heart, that made her eyes burn as she thought of it.
• “If it works, it is because of you. Because of the way you turn what could be a crisis into a victory. A flaw into a strength. You see this world and imagine it better, Peter, and I— I think you are remarkable.”
• “A hairbreadth from catastrophe and loving every minute of it.”

══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Alexandra Vasti, Atlantic Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

[PlotTrysts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, so when I got a chance to read it in 2023, I dropped literally everything else on my TBR and jumped in. I will admit a few things up front: I was nervous about this American duke from Louisiana. A lot of historical romance handwaves away the source of their nobleman characters' fabulous wealth; adding in an American origin story from a Southern state doesn't exactly solve the issue. I shouldn't have been nervous: Peter is a radical, and his first speech in Parliament was all about abolition and how the movement hadn't gone far enough. And Selina! She's all Society Darling on the outside, Feminist Sex Educator on the inside. Yes, I would like a library card for your sexy library, Selina, thx! So yeah, basically Peter is one of the best romance heroes I've read in a long time, and Selina is a great addition to the list of historical romance heroines who both like to read and who use their influence to further a feminist cause.

Peter asks Selina for help in getting custody of his two younger siblings. (He's not the automatic guardian because they're illegitimate and were never acknowledged by his father.) Selina's solution? Find Peter a respectable wife to show that he would provide a stable home for them. (Also, she's done research on the judge who will rule in the case, and she knows that a love match will make him more sympathetic to Peter's cause.) The problem with the solution? Selina wants to be Peter's perfect match ... but because of the potential scandal of her lending library, a union with her might cause more issues than it would resolve.

The book is super sexy, includes a pair of cute kids who never overshadow the main relationship, and ends with one of my favorite mini-tropes: the courtroom drama finale. If you like historical romance, you really have to pick this one up.

38-Word Summaries:

Laine: The obvious solution to questions of custody is to shore up home life to remove any whiff of impropriety. Peter is impropriety made manifest, and Selina is in denial about their sparkling chemistry because she's a secret scandal.

Meg: Peter needs to provide the image of a family man for Reasons. Selina suggests marriage. He suggests marriage (def not fake engagement) to Selina. She’d be into it except she’s not the best choice for a non-scandalous bride.

Full disclosure: we social media mutuals with Alex, and she is also the cohost of a limited series on the podcast. In addition, we received a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher. This did not affect our review of the book.

[Hannah B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update: I tried the audiobook and good lord the narrator’s New Orlean’s accent for this man is terrible atrocious horrible. I can’t tell if I just don’t enjoy it in general or if the narrator did a poor job, but I recoiled so fast. It sounded like I was watching Scooby Doo on Zombie Island and the hero was that dude named Jacques 😭 another review said the accent was off putting and I totally agree. The put is officially off. I think the audiobook needed a man to read his chapters because it was just too weird having a British woman make this sound at all natural. Also Selena calls his voice “lightly accented” and let me tell you the narrator did not get the memo. She did sound good for the heroine however.

I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts on this one for a while now. It was a fun book for sure, but it was missing a bit of something for me. Each of the Halifax novellas were unlike anything I’d read in the genre before. Unfortunately, Ne’er Duke Well didn’t stand out from the rest. It was still charming, but it had some weird editorial choices that messed with the pacing.

Maybe it was a fluke that I’d read a few different custody battle books before getting to this one, but the plot just didn’t really speak to me. Again, it was fun, but it didn’t make me feel much. Everything felt a bit squeaky clean by the end; it all just felt a bit too easy? So while I had a good time, I just wasn’t emotionally invested because there wasn’t much tension. Even with a custody battle! The sex even got to be a bit rote by the end.

The editorial hand also felt a bit off—I don’t know, however, if it was too heavy (removing scenes) or not heavy enough (not adding scenes). When I started to get into the stride of the story, scenes I was excited for just weren’t there!! Some of this was personal preference on my part, but some of it just felt a bit clunky. The novellas, on the other hand, had a very masterful control of the scope and pacing of scenes.

I was SO excited for the scene where Nicholas confronted Peter after the ruination. I love those scenes so much!! And then not only were we shut out from that scene, but we were also never told even a bit about how that conversation went? Nothing was ever mentioned!! I wanted that comedy. The same thing happened with their wedding day and marriage vows. We got a bit and then the rest was cut and never really recounted by the characters.

While this book was fine, I’m way more excited for what Vasti does next. The setups for the next books seem very intriguing and right up my alley, more so than the setup of Ne’er Duke Well. I also just think Peter—while hot and sexually gifted—just wasn’t MY preferred hero. Honestly, he seemed rather exhausting lmao. I love him for Selina, but I’m more interested in who’s to come.


⭐️⭐️⭐️.25*/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5

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

[Ali L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kent has inherited a dukedom, which uproots him from New Orleans and plops him into England. No one is super thrilled by this, least of all Peter, but he tries to make the best of it by attempting to get guardianship of his illegitimate half-siblings, one of whom is very sweet and one of whom is showing signs of Tiny Psychopathy. To gain custody, he attempts to make himself look more parent-y by getting married but unfortunately all the eligible ladies in London are, like, total weirdos, so he just marries the matchmaker which is fine because he’s super horny for her anyway. Selina runs an underground erotic library to educate women on their own bodies and has a sad tragic twin I’m very interested in. Can they make their marriage of convenience work? Will Lu end up actually killing someone? Did this book inspire me to buy a copy of Fanny Hill? (Yes.)

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 5 out of 5]

No genre does yearning quite like historical romance.

excuse me while I binge the rest of Alexandra Vasti's backlog now.

🌶️ - Plenty of it and open door

4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid debut romance, featuring Peter, who grew up in Louisiana but inherits an old dukedom, and Selina, who secretly runs a lending library filled with erotica. If that sounds like a mad lib, you're not that far off, but Peter and Selina have great chemistry and the book is genuinely funny—some of the lines made me laugh out loud.

Unfortunately, there's way too much going on, and the plot is all over the place. The first half of the book is a marriage subplot where Selina tries to find Peter a bride, and then the second half is a custody battle alongside bookselling drama. I think all of this overshadowed the characters, and there were way too many extraneous details (like did it even end up mattering that Peter was American, specifically?). The other unfortunate thing is that Peter and Selina met ~3 years before this book was set, and I would have much rather read about their first meeting and why they initially liked each other. It feels like you're dropped in to a romance in progress, and I wanted the beginning of the story.

I will definitely read more Alexandra Vasti in the future! I like her characters. I just want them to have a little more room to breathe.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining, steamy, historical romance novel. It has a likable female protagonist, a kind and caring male protagonist, adorable children, wit, humor, some laugh out loud moments, a bit of intrigue, and a satisfying conclusion. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Ms. Mhairi Morrison, has a lovely voice and does an excellent job voicing the characters.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Seemed right for the period with all the ‘my skirts’ this and ‘my skirts’ that and lift up my skirts. Seems like it was a lotta work to get to the steamage back in the day 🤣🤣

These hoopla bonus borrows get me listing to stuff I normally wouldn’t.

Narration notes:
She did fine, I suppose, but hate that it’s dual POV and only one narrator. She really slowed down her speaking when it was a male part and oye with her Southern accent.

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read all of this author's novellas with me enjoying each of them, but definitely liking some more than others. This first full length novel by her falls somewhere in the middle of that spectrum where I liked it a lot and I'm glad that I didn't sit on it, but I'm not head over heels for these characters either. Selina (h) and Peter (H) had many strengths and excellent scenes, but I don't know if either of them truly grew beyond having a couple realizations later in the book. For every scene that I was smiling hugely at their chemistry or how adorable the character was, there was another where I wanted to firmly shake them and ask why they were being hard-headed. Still, this is an overall lighter historical read with a hefty dose of humor and fun, while still tackling emotional upheavals for its characters and building a lovely romance that doesn't skimp on the steaminess factor. Also, special shoutout to the author for mentioning other debut authors in her author's note because authors supporting other authors is one of my favorite things.

So the book begins with Peter trying to figure out how he can ensure that he's approved for guardianship of his half siblings. He happens to bump into Selina (who he knows more peripherally but is fascinated with and admires greatly) while out with the kids and she's charmed by them and wants to help, since she's a fixer to her core (she's also drawn to the H's charm herself). The children are delightful, even though they're also suspicious of their brother. The complication of why the judge might rule against Peter on principle was hilarious. A plan forms though for him to court a couple of eligible ladies, with the idea that if he hits it off with one of them, a marriage before the hearing would make him more appealing. Except that the hijinks that ensue are more romp than romance and to top it off, he just wants Selina and she feels inner turmoil over the possibility of him being with someone else. This part isn't a trope I typically enjoy, but I did laugh a lot and you know from his POV that he only feels interest in the h so it went better than I expected.

Selina however doesn't view herself as eligible because she's secretly running a library that includes a whole section on non-"lady appropriate" books to help educate women and is a breath away from discovery and scandal at any given time. The reasoning for why she started this endeavor was some solid character development btw, I just didn't understand why she also hid it from those she loved. We all know things are going to happen though and how it comes about that Peter and Selina are FINALLY a couple was good, esp that she confesses to him before the wedding and he's so dang proud of her, my heart just melted. So the rest of the book is fun marital shenanigans, whether or not the library does create a scandal, and what happens at the hearing.

Written in third person, dual POV. I don't really consider this to have ow drama but technically the h does feel jealousy, no om drama, and the h is inexperienced while the H has some experience (the details are vague, but since the H's father was a rogue, the H has been with women but not to the extent that his father displayed).

I adored the side characters and I know at least two are getting their own stories, but hopefully more will too. Selina's twin brother's story broke my heart and I'd love to see him get a HEA, as difficult as that would be. I'd also like to add that I needed him to make an appearance and for those that might feel the same way as they read, he does not. The support system surrounding Selina was amazing though and I was flummoxed at why she didn't lean on them from the start, esp when the way they rally around her and Peter when needed was so incredible. Peter's siblings were so fierce and adorable at the same time. I did feel like some of the tales about the side characters (like Selina's friends that don't appear on page but are mentioned) gave the feeling like more had come before this book, when this actually takes place prior to at least the novella series that the author did. It was an odd feeling.

The third act tackles a lot, including the emotional vulnerability of the main characters and seeing them have to depend on each other and those around them that love them. But it was also super well done and I straight up cheered at the hearing scene, then laughed with a little bit of tears in my eye. The ending is them living their HEA with the children (you know they're going to get the kids guys, it's a spoiler that's not really a spoiler) being as precocious as you'd expect. I'm excited to read the first book about Selina's friend that releases next year and I'll continue to try whatever this author puts out.

[Tina | readinginbliss · Rating 3 out of 5]

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-paced writing style
- Strong heroine / Funny Duke
- Steamy scenes (3+ major ones, 1 especially hot one)
- 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/storytelling 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, but 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 reviews are my own.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti
Historical romance.
Peter Kent is a surprise Duke reluctantly accepted by the ton since he has both money and the title. He’s found out that he has a young brother and sister that his father never acknowledged but Peter wants custody of the two to be part of his family. His reputation is suffering because he often acts without thinking how it would look to the London high society so he turns to Lady Selina Ravenscroft for help. He’s noticed her clever, hidden manipulations at parties and events such as pulling an extra pair of gloves from somewhere to help another with protocol. Selina agrees to help Peter find a wife among the ton and introduces three women to him. Peter tries but he really only has eyes for Selina. She won’t consider herself since she manages an erotic circulating library for women and doesn’t want that ownership to be exposed. Oh but, watching Peter and those three ladies socialize doesn’t sit too well with Selina either. Could there be another solution?

Charming and steamy romance as Peter and Selina try to ignore their feelings until the inevitable happens. The children are precocious, especially Lu who seems to be planning a pirate future for herself. I really loved Selina’s mission to teach the women about themselves, both in high society and the servants behind the doors. Lots of humor, banter and romance.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

[Katie Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first historical romance in a while and what a delight! This was a lighthearted, fast read with fun characters and a great setting. I am wondering if it will become a series because of everyone we might, but that might just be wishful thinking on my end.

Peter Kent has just been named Duke of Stanhope. he has relocated from New Orleans to England and is on a mission to get custody of his younger brother and son who said father never acknowledged. He has a bit of a problem though because he is creating unintentional scandals. He has a differing opinion from most of the people in the House. He hasn't made any effort to get a wife. He doesn't really get the way of life as a Duke. And to top it off the man who he needs to convince to allow him guardianship doesn't have a fond opinion of Peter at all. Somehow his "friend" Selina Ravenscroft gets wind of this and decides to help him. The same Selina who continue to catch Peter's eye and intrigue him. He is summoned to the Ravencrosft mansion to discuss options and when Selina throws out that Peter needs to get married he immediately think she means to her and he finds himself ok with that. Then she pulls the rug out from under him and says no not her, she will make a list of eligible women for him to court. So Peter goes along with it, and it is one disaster after another.

Selina also finds herself surprised by the possibility of her and Peter getting married but she has a secret. She runs a library in the ton that holds some very salacious material. Material that almost the entire ton of women read! So she she can't marry Peter because that scandal would hurt him in this instance, but they find themselves in a predicament and Selina thinks on her feet and says that Peter is her newly fiance. She is determined to help him get guardianship of his family. Now that she is his wife, she finds herself wanting to explore this HOT chemistry that they can't seem to ignore. One thing leads to another and she realizes that she doesn't want this to be fake anymore. She wants to tell Peter how she really feels, and she hopes that he feels the same.

Like I said, this was a light easy read. I liked the chemistry between Selina and Peter which was almost instantaneous. The spicy scenes were great. I liked the dynamics with his younger siblings. I also liked when some of Peter's past trauma came into play and how Selina and Peter honestly handled it. It helped solidify their feelings for one another and felt genuine. I do hope that this becomes a series- I could see us getting a story about Will, Selina's brother whose heart is broken. As well as Selina's friends that played a part in the beginning of their relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is my first book by Alexandra that I have read, but it will not be my last.

[sydnee · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first 20% of the novel, I felt like I was missing something. Is this a stand alone novel in a romance series and I missed the first book? There’s so many characters it feels like I should already know, terms and places that feel like they should be familiar, but they aren’t. Did I miss something, or is this simply how the book is written? I literally had to look at this series on Goodreads because I thought I missed a book before Ne’er Duke Well.

Additionally, it feels like Selina and Peter’s attraction grows at a crazy rate despite having very little face-to-face in front of the readers in favor of their interactions being described past tense. This felt like an odd decision and like 1. their relationship is very whirlwind, 2. their relationship isn’t very deep and is surface level, and 3. like they don’t really know each other.

And then for Selina to use such flimsy excuses not to marry him when he proposes in that closet… GIRL. Honestly, the entire concept of the Venus library is just annoying to me and it’s mentioned like, every other page. It’s just used as a flimsy excuse to keep Selina and Peter apart and to be a super! feminist! historical rom com! and I don’t! care! maybe this is really shallow of me, but sometimes I hate how feminist all modern historical-fiction romantic comedies are becoming. obviously as a woman I understand that misogyny, sexism, and racism were rampant back then, but I don't necessarily need a fictional romcom to detail how the FMC is tackling systems of oppression or how the MMC is such a good guy because he's dismantling slavery. It's fiction!! I already know women contain multitudes !! I already know slavery is bad!!! sometimes I just want a fun little rom com that focuses on romance and not my own oppression!

Not to mention, the first kiss AND marriage proposal happens at ~36%. what happened to YEARNING? Ultimately, this book is just forgettable and easy to stop reading. DNF at 50% because I feel like that was an adequate enough stopping point and nothing would evolve from there.

[Read With Delanie ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honesty, this book just lost my interest. *SPOILERS AHEAD* I enjoyed the tension, but I felt like they got together too soon, and then there was so much of the book left, and I no longer felt motivated to finish. From the beginning, I felt like I was missing something. The main characters already knew each other and had a history together, which I knew nothing about. I looked into the author's other books to see if I had unknowingly jumped into the middle of a series but I couldn't find any evidence that I had. The plot is adorable, and I love feisty Selina and swoon-worthy Peter, but it just wasn't enough. Maybe I'll try to finish it at another time.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the eARC!

[emtee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fresh, modern take on historical romance, which is (usually) decidedly not my thing. But I knew the author’s voice going in, having read and loved In Which Winnie Halifax is Utterly Ruined, and I think the tone the author brings to her writing may draw in readers who normally don’t read historical romance.

What I Loved

Peter Kent
I’ll always be Team Antihero and not Team Cinnamon Roll. I gotta say, though, that Peter Kent is such a delicious cinnamon roll that I just wanted to take a bite out of him. A truly nice guy, earnest and supportive and open with his feelings but still so very, very sexy. And oh, did he have it baaad for Selina.

She laughed and squirmed, and he meant to let her go, but when he looked at her face, she was staring at him. Her eyes were bright as morning.

“You have this way of looking,” she said softly, “as though you cannot see enough of me.”

“I cannot.” He lifted the rumpled sheet, smoothed it over her bare shoulders, then slid his hands down slowly, caressing the sides of her breasts, her rib cage, the curve of her waist through the thin linen. A flush bloomed on her cheeks again.

“I can’t touch enough of you either. I’d thought to spend the morning on it. Touching you. Tasting you. But mere morning won’t suffice.”

The Ravenscroft Family
So nice to read about a loving, supportive family rather than a cruel, toxic one!
I want more of this family.

The Humor
Oh, the scene when Selina introduces Peter to potential brides was priceless. Especially Georgiana! I just knew there was more to her than meets the eye. I found myself smiling often while reading and even though the main plot could have been insanely angsty, it wasn’t. It was just angsty enough without becoming dark.

The Chemistry
Chemistry between the MCs is always my jam and this book did not disappoint. It was so intense and swoony. The sexytimes were hot (especially their first time together), but greedy me wanted a few more scenes.

I could see this book being the start of a series. I need more books that take place in the Ravenscroft family world and I would absolutely love to read Will’s story (pretty please). And OMG Georgiana, too. What an intriguing character. The author’s notes mention that she will be writing Georgiana’s story… maybe she will be paired with Will? One can only hope!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a breath of fresh air! Historical romance readers often find comfort in tried-and-true tropes and a somewhat formulaic format. While Ne'er Duke Well uses a familiar setting, it skips the expected format. This feels new while still being an excellent addition to a beloved genre.

Our couple formally gets together somewhat quickly. They support each other and communicate well (though there's just a smidge of miscommunication, it is handled beautifully). There is no third-act break up. The stakes in the conflict are high and there is a villain to deal with. The tension is broken during sweet (and funny) scenes between the main characters and the male main character's younger siblings.

There is so much material here for a series that I can't help but assume one is in the works. I could even be a multi-generational series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. Reviews are for readers.

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: soon in, the end of chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, six months later
Format: I listened to the audiobook version from my library (Hoopla) though I did receive an advanced reader copy through NetGalley (but sucked and didn’t read it in time for publication haha)
Why I chose this book: I loved Vasti’s Halifax series and couldn’t wait for a longer novel!
(Descriptions found at end of my review)

Should I read in order?
This is the first in the Belvoir’s Library but there is brief mention of the Halifax characters.

Basic plot:
Selina helps Peter stay respectable and find a worthy wife to gain custody of his siblings.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1815
- American hero (Louisianian), English heroine pairing
- Duke hero
- pets in the story – the hero’s siblings have a cat
- children in the story – the hero is fighting for guardianship
- heroine runs a naughty circulating library
- compromised heroine
- matching making
- mid to higher steam – 4ish full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 23, hero is 29

First line: (Taken from audio, might be butchered)
Peter suspected the project was doomed.

My thoughts:
I actually thought I wasn’t going to like this one! 😆 I saw a few people say they weren’t in love and then I heard there were kids...and I put off the ARC. But I grabbed it on audio and listened and just adored it!

First of all, I thought this narrator was fantastic – Mhairi Morrison. I really adored her narration and thought she did so well with both mains and I loved her southern accent for Peter.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but soon in I was finding so many of my favorite tropes – a matchmaking aspect, longing from the hero, and adding a compromised heroine I was totally in love. I loved the heroine and her naughty library. I loved Peter and his zeal for life and his siblings and what’s right in the world. I loved them together! The banter was so cute and playful and their longing and spiral towards each other was just swoony. The steam was perfection. Super, super sweet. I felt the love in this one – a believable HEA that just felt true 😍

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 4
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- parental death
- sibling death
- hero is a ‘radical abolitionist’ and slavery is discussed
- toxic parenting (hero’s father) – he is abusive and abandons his family in need
- childhood illness happens on page
Author content warnings? Yes – this book contains childhood illness and death of a sibling as well as references to slavery and domestic violence. Also one use of a slur for sex workers.


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: Hero pulls out
Hows the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) The hero has younger siblings that he is trying to get custody of so children are a plot point and characters in the story. I can’t recall if there is talk about wanting children together – I want to say there might have been a thought here or there but it’s not a major plot point at all. (Sorry I’m writing my review quite a bit after I finished the book!)
Chapter 10 – kisses
Chapters 13 – kisses
Chapter 14 – 🔥kisses, fingering for her

He groaned again. “You-that’s-God, I have to-”
His pelvis rocked, and she recognized suddenly the hard line of his arousal pressing into the soft flesh of her hip. Oh. Oh.

Chapter 17 – 🔥oral for her, wall sex

“To hell with it,” he said. “To hell with the bedroom.” And then he looked up and met her gaze, his eyes dazed and wild, his mouth curving into a grin. “Lean back. I’ve got you.”

Chapter 19 – 🔥mutual masturbation

“Selina,” he said hoarsely. “I have to touch you.”
A dark thrill rose in her. Unhurried, was he? Always so easy, so slow and teasing. Two could play at that game.
“No,” she said. “But you may touch yourself.”

Chapter 24 – 🔥bath sex

“Stand up.” His voice came out low, harsh with demand.
When she stood, water cascaded down her body. He wanted to follow each rivulet with his hands, his mouth, his tongue.
He took her hips between his hands and urged her out of the bath, then pressed her down to sit on the ledge. Water pooled on the floor around their feet. He knelt between her thighs, and the water soaked his trousers, his knees pressing into the slippery marble.

TOTAL CHAPTERS: 29 (plus an epilogue)


Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs


Full break down on what my ratings above mean here:
Overall: How I felt about it everything considered!
Readability: How ‘readable’ was the book? Did I fly through it? Did I have to tell myself to pick it back up repeatedly? Were any passages confusing? (I will probably score like (1) is literally unreadable due to formatting/typing errors, etc (2) There were lots of errors that made it difficult to read OR It was extremely confusing and I had to reread passages to make sense of it OR I disliked it so much I had to bribe myself to keep reading (3) I didn’t really want to keep reading and would have preferred to abandon the read and start something else OR some minor continuity issues/confusion (4) I liked it fine, maybe a minor error or 2. I was happy to pick it up when I had time. (5) I never wanted to put this down. I thought about it when I wasn’t reading it. I hid in the bathroom from my kids to read. I threw inappropriate food at my children for dinner so I could read instead.)
Feels: Totally subjective to each person but did the book give me any tingles? Any butterflies? Did it rip my heart out (in a good way?)
Emotional depth: How well do I feel I know the characters at the end? How much did I feel their emotions throughout the story?
Sexual tension: Again, subjective, but how strong was the wanting and longing to me between the characters? A book might have strong sexual tension without a single touch.
Romance: Was there romance? Did romantic things happen? This can be actions/words/thoughts of the characters and again is subjective.
Sensuality: This is how the intimate scenes are written. Kisses and sexual scenes – how sensual were they? Were they on the mechanical side? Was there emotional pull tied in? Were the details explicit or flowery? These are subjective but generally (1) too short to get a good judgement (2) not all what I'm looking for - very vague or flowery prose (3) either not explicit enough or not enough emotional pull (too mechanical/physically descriptive without the emotions) (4) what I love in a scene (5) absolute perfection - perfect balance of emotional longing and explicit descriptions
Sex Scene Length: How long the bedroom scenes are (generally (1) is 1-3 sentences (2) is a few paragraphs to a page-ish (3) is about average, a few pages (4) more well developed scenes, quite a few pages with descriptions (4) the majority of the book takes place in the bedroom. This is always hard to tell for me on audio!
Steam Scale: Generally, each flame is a scene. If scenes are super close together I sometimes combine them. If a scene is super short or so vague I don’t know what’s happening, I don’t count it. There’s some levels of grey but generally the number of flames is how many sex scenes there are (I max out at 5 so I’ll put a + after if there’s more than that)


Find me
Instagram || The Storygraph || Bookbub ||

Book Clubs
The Ton and the Tartans (Historical Romance)
Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (Historical Romance with Steam Requirements)
A Love Less Ordinary (Science Fiction, Paranormal, Monster, Fantasy)
Modern Manuscripts (Contemporary Romance)
Words for the Wicked (Contemporary Romance with Steam Requirements)
Vintage Romance (Old School Romance – published 2000 and prior)

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one and I’m excited to read more books by Alexandra Vasti!

In my opinion, it’s hard to write historical romance with non-cringe worthy characters and a solid plot. It was a different time back in 1815.

Vasti did a great job with making our main female character independent and forceful along with still staying relevant to customs and society expectations back then.

Both main characters were great!

The steamy parts in the book were well done and I enjoyed how Ne’er Duke Well didn’t fall into the miscommunication trope that some romance books like to resort too.
That’s one trope that I can do without!

[Angela Hates Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed the novellas from this author so I’m disappointed that this full length fell short for me.

The beginning of this book is great. The Duke wants custody of his siblings, Selina is a fixer and she’s gonna fix this for Peter and obvs that means finding him a wife. The bummer is that he wants her for a wife but she’s got some stuff going on that will 100% ruin his custody chances.

There’s tension, there’s wanting, how are they gonna get together?! What’s gonna happen?!

Oh wait, this is all gonna wrap up fairly quickly and now the romance aspect is over. Now the only driving force in this story is a custody battle.

There wasn’t enough moving the story forward for me at that point and found myself skimming the remainder of the book.

I received an eARC, review is my own.

[guiltless pleasures]

I hate to do this because I’m a fan of Alexandra Vasti’s novellas and the woman herself, but it’s a DNF at 21% (on my second attempt).

I just wasn’t getting much tension and lost interest. It was clear from the get-go that Selina and Peter were perfect for each other, the other “candidates” for his wife were completely unsuitable, and the erotic library Selina runs wasn’t enough of a presence to feel like a true obstacle to their being together. I don’t know how Vasti would have spun out the remaining 80% and there are too many books on my TBR for me to want to stick it out.

It’s well written but the stakes were too low for me.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has one of the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing cover I have seen in my entire life.

[Mazey Eddings · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALEXANDRA VASTI DOES NOT MISS I CANNOT TAKE IT!!!!

[Zsu · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded down

Occasionally I wander into the world of romance books, and when I do, regency romances are my usual picks. This particular one by Alexandra Vasti was sadly very average and isn’t a standout one of the genre. It was fun in parts, and the star ratings are higher due to the actual historical research she’s put into it (explained in the author’s note) but overall I felt she didn’t build tension very well and the characters were too 2D for me to really like them.

The premise of the book is that Peter, an American with British heritage inherits dukedom and has two young half siblings who he’s desperate to be a guardian of out of love and due to some past family trauma. He enlists Selina’s help, who thinks he should marry a proper upstanding lady to strengthen his case at the hearing. It can’t be her as she secretly runs an erotic library, and therefore is a hairbreadth away from a scandal.

Below is a more detailed review, with some mild spoilers, so please only read on accordingly:

💟 Despite Selina’s objections in the blurb, it’s very clear from the start that the characters like each other. Even from chapter 3 or so we get an insta-love vibe. This doesn’t provide much of a delicious tension for the reader, as you can inevitably see that they will get together. For starters, whilst Selina has a good (albeit secret) reason for not suggesting herself as a marriage prospect, I didn’t understand why Peter didn’t court her if he already liked her? It felt like it was just for the sake of the plot. Not to mention the said ‘marriage prospects’ are just girls that the author is planning to write about in her sequels, and the MMC
had no interest in them … it was such an obvious set up!

💟 Because of all the blatant love between the two, they get together around the 55% mark of the book. I was like ‘????!!!! what is the rest of the novel going to be about ???!!!’. The answer was a very dragged out dilemma on Selina’s part on “what will happen when people find out about my library, oh dear” and Peter’s guardianship hearing and “what will happen if he doesn’t get the children, oh dear”

Both of these supposedly ‘tense’ issues are resolved within one chapter at the end, quite easily, may I say. It was all rather anti climactic.

💟 Other than issues with the pacing of the plot, I found I didn’t feel that much for either FMC or MMC. I just wasn’t rooting for them, even though I felt like I should like them, I didn’t.

A very similar regency book that was executed miles better with an American MMC and a likeable FMC is Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas. It has actual high stakes tension that makes for a great page turner.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kent is a recently titled peer of the realm, having been plucked from New Orleans and plunked in England to inherit the Dukedom of his deadbeat father. The estate came with two illegitimate children, one of whom is giving major redrum vibes, but he’s applied for guardianship nonetheless and shall charm the courts to gain approval. Aware that his radical politics and reputation for scandal do him no favors, he must become incomparable, a feat that requires aid from the most clever and connected woman of the Ton, and the object of his most burning desires.

Selina Ravenscroft likes hats with outlandish brims, which she wears to disguise herself as she enters and exits the erotic library she’s been secretly managing for over two years. She’s a rare breed of debutante, having never taken heed to needlepoint or courting, and when she’s not circulating titillating memoirs and salacious pamphlets to educate the female populace of London, she dabbles in matchmaking, scandal evasion, and noticing Peter’s lush yet manly lips.

Desperate to keep his new family together including a cat the children named Peter, Peter (the Duke, not the cat) agrees to take a wife from Selina’s carefully curated list of desirables that, to his chagrin, do not include her and her grabbable rump. It’s a foolproof plan, as Selina’s usually are, until the fires of lust win out and they’re caught in a carnal embrace. To salvage Peter’s chance at custody, they wed and proceed to have more steamy relations throughout the ducal residence where he nibbles her neck and calls her bubbies stupendous. The marriage of convenience becomes a loving partnership of shared familial responsibility and genuine respect, which is a wholesome complement to Peter’s lascivious inner monologue, where his cock “vibrates like a tuning fork” whenever Selina’s nearby.

Between Thomasin’s sweetmeats, Lady Bumtickler’s Revels (a real book btw), and Peter the fuzzy monstrosity, I laughed so hard I cried. If you’re into regency erotica (you are), phallus euphemisms (you are), and progressive male feminism (you should be), you must make haste and read this book.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my giddy aunt! I have discovered a new fav hist-rom author in Alexandra Vasti, whose humorous intelligent style now places her books atop my teetering TBR.

And what phenomenal characters in her latest (out 7/23/24): Lady Selina, a highly ranked member of society who has a secret erotic circulating library for women; and the Duke of Stanhope, originally from NOLA but already firmly ensconced in Parliament as a radical voice for England. Plus he wants to have his two illegitimate siblings under his care, but needs a respectable wife to raise them with him.

When the sparks fly between the Lady and Duke as she helps him search for said wife, will they ever be able to leap daunting hurdles to true love?

Ah hist-rom fans, you MUST read this intriguing spicy tale. I promise you will thank me!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.25 stars)
Fans of historical romance will adore this book and this series. I’d read the second book (Earl Crush) and loved it, before going back to read this first one, Ne’er Duke Well. Alexandra Vasti writes strong female characters who have to work within the confines of their times. And the times (1815 or so) were definitely confining for women! (See also the situation in The Secret Book Society which takes place near the end of the 1800s.)

Lady Selina Ravenscroft is not married and doesn’t plan to get married. Her financial situation is comfortable so she doesn’t need to wed for that reason, as many women had to do. She is hiding a huge secret, one that will ruin her reputation in “the ton” if it gets out. She runs a lending library called Belvoir’s, which is bad enough for the times, but she also has a secret “Venus catalog” of erotic and informative books available to library members, which will enlighten them on all things intimate. Her twin brother is the official owner but Selina runs the place. In secret. I loved that she started the Venus catalog after learning what a “mistress” was and after a young woman of her acquaintance found herself pregnant with absolutely no idea how that had happened. Selina was determined that no other English woman would be so ignorant.

Peter Kent was born and raised in New Orleans but is now the Duke of Stanhope - due to deaths in his extended family. He is having trouble adjusting to life as a wealthy duke, and is trying hard to fit in to English society. He also is trying to get custody of his young half-brother and half-sister, who are currently living with their great-great-aunt. To do that, he needs to be above reproach, which is a difficult goal for him. Selina thinks he should marry quickly so that he presents a stable home life to the court, and will more likely gain the desired custody.

There were a lot of very funny moments in this story, as Peter tries to court the women chosen for him by Selina. But of course, he really only has eyes for Selina. And vice versa. But she’s afraid that if her secret comes out, she will ruin Peter’s chances at custody forever. Peter’s young siblings were great: Freddy and Lu. They provided a lot of comic relief as well as poignant moments.

Warning: there are some steamy moments once Peter and Selina get together.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ Historical Romance but make it feminist!
Thank you so much Net Galley for the eARC!*

The FMC in this book runs a secret library, with a secret collection of books called the 'Venus Catalogue' that only women are allowed to take out to either amuse or educate themselves. I cannot begin to describe how much I wish that could've been a real thing. And in this book, we can see a little of what that could've looked like.

Selina is the sister of a Duke, and as such, she is awarded certain liberties most other women don't. In her case, she quickly discovers as a young woman that there are realities of the world that are hidden from women, even at her station. When a good friend falls pregnant, with no idea how she could have remedied it or what to do next, she decides to dedicate her life to facilitating women's sexual education and anatomy. When the newly inherited Duke of Stanhope, Peter Kent, goes to her family for help with his own familial issues, Selina dives head first into problem-solving, without realising just how easy the solution could be.

This book was both cute and infuriating. Most of the fury comes from the fact that this is not only a slow-burn, but it's also an are-you-both-blind-come-on-you're-so-into-each-other, and although I don't love this trope in particular, I can read it on occasion. But seriously, there's denial and then there's trying to get your best friends engaged to the guy you're into! Selina was something else here. And Peter! He said the most cheesy things about her, and then he was like 'welp, off to find myself a wifey'. I wanted to scream into the book and tell them both to stop playing!

It was so extremely entertaining, and although I would've liked to see an epilogue with a little further into their lives, the epilogue we get was ok. The only issue I truly had with this book was just how much the author used the 'telling instead of showing' technique. There are crucial plot points that are completely skipped (like the wedding), and we don't get to see it, we just know that it happened and now we've made a time jump and we're on to something else. It was confusing and it took away from those important moments.

Overall, though, I'd definitely recommend this boom if you're looking for a historical fictional romance with amazing chemistry between MCs.

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Sarahcophagus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, silly and not that deep. Everything works out extremely neatly which is exactly what I needed to read right now.