Take a photo of a barcode or cover
suria21's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
i loved it! i absolutely love a found family story so i loved this book! loved Peter and Selina together and was very glad that they did not have a third act breakup of any kind!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
binevolentbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
“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.”
i have been a huge fan of Vasti’s historical romances ever since i stumbled across the Hallifax sisters’ novellas via her newsletter, and in her first full length regency romance, we encounter yet another delightful romance in Peter and Selina’s story - a perfectly matched pair of strong willed and charming protagonists.
while NE’ER DUKE WELL is definitely first and foremost a romance, both sweet and steamy, this is also a story of family, both found and by blood, loyalty, and standing up in the face of adversity - because it wouldn’t be a regency romance without scandal in the ton! Vasti is masterful in crafting conflict that doesn’t rely on the tired tropes of miscommunication and third act breakups, instead utilizing a larger storyline of impropriety and legal maneuverings which allows room for for the characters to grow together.
i’m eager for the second installment of the Belvoir's Library series, with Earl Crush expected January 2025!
special thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy of Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti - out now!
special thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy of Ne'er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti - out now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Domestic abuse, Racism, Slavery, Medical content, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism
samchase112's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An absolute delight of a historical romance! I wish we’d seen more of Selina and Peter’s history, especially their first meetings, but altogether I had a great time with these characters and their troubles. I’m definitely going to be following the rest of this series :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content
overflowingshelf's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
CW: Death of a sibling; childhood illness; death of a parent; grief; references to death in childbirth; slavery; and domestic violence
I have put off reading Alexandra Vasti’s debut novel for as long as possible because I wanted to savor it and knew I would only get to read it for the first time once. But I also know her stories are ones I will return to, and that’s undoubtedly true for Ne’er Duke Well. A refreshingly modern historical romance, Vasti’s debut shines thanks to her unique voice, which seamlessly blends fun and a bit of whimsy with soaring romantic feelings and richly nuanced characters. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. This book had everything I wanted from a historical romance and left me feeling so giddy at the end.
The characters were the heart and soul of this book for me. I adored every single one – from our main characters, Selina and Peter, to those who don’t physically make an appearance, like Selina’s twin brother Will. But my favorite character is Lu, Peter’s 12-year-old half-sister, who knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get it. She has so much spunk and personality that it’s bursting off the page. I absolutely love her. Hands down, she’s my favorite, and she stole every scene she was in. All of Vasti’s characters are so bursting with life and energy that you cannot help but be captivated by them. I loved all the layers and complexities Vasti instills within her characters, and I cannot wait to see how she explores some of these characters in future books in the series.
Selina felt like a more modern historical romance female main character, and I mean that in the best way. I love how sure she is of herself – she gives off confidence and seems to always be fixing others’ problems. She also runs a highly successful Belvoir library, which has a specially curated collection of saucy (and scandalous) books for women in the Venus collection. However, there is also a sense of sadness and loneliness to her as she’s always putting other people’s needs above her own and has been keeping Belvoir a secret from everyone in life except her twin brother Will. She’s so worried about everyone else and wants to help them, she’s not great at prioritizing herself. I can totally relate to that, even if it also ended up being the same thing that frustrated me a bit with her. She’s so selfless when it comes to her plans around Belvoir and Peter, as she cares so much for those she loves, and she doesn’t want them to feel hurt. She would rather prioritize their feelings over her own.
Peter is not your typical Duke. First, he was raised in New Orleans and is a bit of a walking scandal. He’s also a fierce abolitionist, which pisses off some members of the Ton. But I absolutely loved Peter because he had so much heart. He’s SO devoted to his half-siblings Lu and Freddie and will do whatever it takes to secure their guardianship – including becoming part of a matchmaking marriage scheme arranged by Selina. His relationship with them was my favorite, and I truly loved seeing all their interactions, as there is so much love there. He’ll fight tooth and nail to become the guardian of his younger half-siblings, and I was so invested in the custody battle, even if I knew it would end well since this is a romance, after all. I also loved how supportive and enraptured Peter was by Selina – he always acts the complete opposite way Selina expects. They’re a perfect match, and you can see that they bring out the best in each other.
The romance in this was PERFECTION. The chemistry between Peter and Selina was killing me! I love a good matchmaker setup, as that always leads to all the feelings as they come to realize the person they want to be with is the one they’re trying to marry off to someone else. Sprinkle in a little history of antagonism, and it’s absolutely perfect. All I wanted was for Peter and Selina to get together, which does happen quickly, but Vasti does such a great job with the development of their romantic relationship. She hit all the right beats at the right times, dragging out the sexual tension perfectly that left me swooning and feeling all the things! It’s so obvious how much Peter and Selina love each other, and I loved watching them demonstrate their love in different ways before they actually say the words. Watching their relationship progress throughout the book was funny, romantic, emotional, and heartful – and also very sexy. I swear, Alexandra Vasti can write some of the sexiest sex scenes out there, and this book is no exception!
Vasti’s writing continues to shine. After loving her novellas, I’m not at all shocked by that. She can make familiar tropes feel new and is one of the few people who can make me go from crying to laughing within the span of the page. But she is also so good at conveying emotions, and I find myself getting so wrapped up in the story and the feelings.
Ne’er Duke Well is an exceptional, charming debut historical romance novel from Alexandra Vasti. Perfect for fans of Tessa Dare and Julia Quinn, or even those new to the genre, readers will delight in this story that offers a refreshingly modern take on Regency England filled with a swoon-worthy romance, characters that jump off the page, and an engaging story centered around family and love. I’m already anxiously counting down the days until her second novel, Earl Crush,hits shelves in January 2025!
Thank you to the publisher/Netgalley for the ARC! All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Domestic abuse and Slavery
carolineann's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Medical content, and Pregnancy
I absolutely loved this book. I have only a handful of historical romance authors that are on my I-will-read-anything-they-write list, but Vasti has been on it since I read her Halifax Hellions novellas, and I was so lucky to win an ARC of this book in a giveaway. I purposely waited to read this book until I had a free evening, because I knew that once I started reading I would not want to put it down. It did not disappoint, and I read it in one sitting. Although this book dealt with themes of grief and healing, I loved what a hopeful and uplifting book it was. Peter, Selena, and so many of the other characters were so desperately trying to do what they felt was best for others, even at their own detriment, and made me think about how I want to live in a world where people are, at there core, good. I loved the found family aspects of the story, and I am a sucker for the inclusion of some animals— this book has a dog and a cat.