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A review by momwithareadingproblem
Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard
5.0
I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard is the first in her historical romance series Taming of the Dukes. Following a ballerina barely making ends meet and a duke in need of a fiancé, the story is reminiscent of classic 90s romcoms and would make Nora Ephron proud. There is so much to love about this story: fake relationship, grumpy-sunshine trope, neurodivergent main character, and banter.
The story opens on the Duke of Montcroix, Lysander Blackstone, on his way home from a night of drinking, theater, and failed attempts to buy a piece of land needed to expand his railroad when he comes across a beautiful specter of a woman upset and muttering things that would make a sailor blush. Never let it be said that the duke is not a gentleman. Intrigued he stops to make sure she is alright, and quickly the pair become tangled with a group of street thugs. The woman aids in his escape, and as he doesn’t quite want to let her go just yet, he makes a proposal: she attends a ball with him the next evening, pretending to be his fiancé and he pays her an ungodly amount to do so. Pretty Woman vibes?
I fell in love with Lysander nearly immediately. His quirks are endearing, and my heart broke for him on several occasions. The author beautifully illustrates a type of neurodivergence with him that will resonate with readers familiar with it. Lysander thinks literally and takes things as at face value, a black and white version of events with no grey middle. This makes it hard for him to relate to others on an emotional level. His upbringing also taught him to hide his feelings behind an uncaring mask. Though when a smile breaks through it is beautiful.
Nevé is a wonderful character to complement Lysander. She has an emotionally driven, artistic soul which can often clash with the duke’s line of thinking. It’s hard for her to understand how cold and oftentimes callous he is. However those little glimpses behind his mask endear him to her. I love her passion and her loyalty to those she loves. She also takes a moral stance and pushes for those things during a time when most women would have been ridiculed for doing so.
Overall, I really enjoyed Always Be My Duchess. I loved the banter and sweet relationship that builds between Nevé and Lysander. They are easy to root for. Highly recommend this steamy historical romance for readers who enjoy romcoms.
Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard is the first in her historical romance series Taming of the Dukes. Following a ballerina barely making ends meet and a duke in need of a fiancé, the story is reminiscent of classic 90s romcoms and would make Nora Ephron proud. There is so much to love about this story: fake relationship, grumpy-sunshine trope, neurodivergent main character, and banter.
The story opens on the Duke of Montcroix, Lysander Blackstone, on his way home from a night of drinking, theater, and failed attempts to buy a piece of land needed to expand his railroad when he comes across a beautiful specter of a woman upset and muttering things that would make a sailor blush. Never let it be said that the duke is not a gentleman. Intrigued he stops to make sure she is alright, and quickly the pair become tangled with a group of street thugs. The woman aids in his escape, and as he doesn’t quite want to let her go just yet, he makes a proposal: she attends a ball with him the next evening, pretending to be his fiancé and he pays her an ungodly amount to do so. Pretty Woman vibes?
I fell in love with Lysander nearly immediately. His quirks are endearing, and my heart broke for him on several occasions. The author beautifully illustrates a type of neurodivergence with him that will resonate with readers familiar with it. Lysander thinks literally and takes things as at face value, a black and white version of events with no grey middle. This makes it hard for him to relate to others on an emotional level. His upbringing also taught him to hide his feelings behind an uncaring mask. Though when a smile breaks through it is beautiful.
Nevé is a wonderful character to complement Lysander. She has an emotionally driven, artistic soul which can often clash with the duke’s line of thinking. It’s hard for her to understand how cold and oftentimes callous he is. However those little glimpses behind his mask endear him to her. I love her passion and her loyalty to those she loves. She also takes a moral stance and pushes for those things during a time when most women would have been ridiculed for doing so.
Overall, I really enjoyed Always Be My Duchess. I loved the banter and sweet relationship that builds between Nevé and Lysander. They are easy to root for. Highly recommend this steamy historical romance for readers who enjoy romcoms.