Review By Kayleigh

This debut historical romance romp is my read of the summer.

Favourite Quote:

He frustrated and unsettled her – but in a way that challenged her carefully controlled life. 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 warm brown eyes so intently focused on her that she felt like the center of his world.

Goodreads Synopsis: 

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.

I first discovered Alexandra Vasti on Instagram. An author recommended her and she had a free novella trilogy to download on her website. Reader, I devoured them. The Halifax Hellions stole my heart and I became obsessed with Alexandra’s writing. Ne’er Duke Well is her first full-length published novel, and with it she has now become an autobuy for me. If you, like me, are missing the release of a Sarah MacLean novel this summer then you need to pick up Ne’er Duke Well. 

Alexandra’s writing is sharp, swoony and crystal clear. She’s a strong writer who balances the historical with the modern and builds a fascinating plot with engaging and delightful characters. It should be no surprise that Alexandra has a PhD in British Literature. If you follow her on social media she’ll often share interesting insight behind the history of words, romance stories and how we ended up with some interesting words to describe…. Body parts. 

Peter and Selina are a delightful power couple. I loved watching them learn to be vulnerable with each other. Both are used to being in charge and both have their own traumas. Together they explode (in so many ways, smirk smirk) and are stronger from their pairing. He falls first, which I absolutely love. Peter is patient with waiting for Selina to open up to him and wants nothing more than to see her bloom. Selina is a smart, savvy and vulnerable woman. She’s used to fixing everyone else’s problems, and is darn good at it. She’s not used to having people help her. She’s really a classic eldest daughter. When trouble finds her, however, she is shown just how much everyone cares for her and that they don’t just look for her to fix their problems. There were a couple of scenes that really made my heart melt. Alexandra builds the most delightful cast of characters who are funny, kind, devious and flawed. I loved spending time with the characters and thought about them and what they’d be up to long after I finished the book. These are characters I can see myself revisiting again and again. 

This is the first in a series, and I already can’t wait for the next one, which focuses on Selina’s delightful BFF Lydia. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.