Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard

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Title: Always Be My Duchess
Author: Amalie Howard
Series: Taming of the Dukes #1
Published by: Forever
Release Date: July 12, 2022
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Mary Jane Wells
Length: 9 hours and 43 minutes
Genres: Retelling, Historical Romance
Source: Kobo Audio, NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2022 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2022 COYER Fall, Lenoreo's 2022 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ IndieBound ✩ iTunes ✩ Book Depository ✩ Libro.FM ✩ Chirp
My rating:

Blurb:

Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons in this witty, vivacious historical take on 90s romcoms by USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard: 

Lord Lysander Blackstone, the stern Duke of Montcroix, has only one interest: increasing his considerable fortune. After a series of betrayals, he keeps his emotions buried deep. Money, after all, can't break a man's heart—or make promises it can’t keep. But when his reputation for being heartless jeopardizes a new business deal, he finds himself seeking a most unusual—and alluring—solution . . . 

Once an up-and-coming ballerina, Miss Geneviève Valery is now hopelessly out of work. After refusing to become a wealthy patron's mistress, Nève was promptly shown the door to the streets. When she accidentally saves the life of a handsome duke, she doubts the encounter will go any better than her last brush with nobility. But instead of propositioning her, Montcroix makes Nève an offer she would be a fool to refuse: act as his fake fiancée in exchange for fortune enough to start over.

Only neither is prepared when very real feelings begin to grow between them. They both stand to win . . . but only if they’re willing to risk their hearts.

My Review:

3.5 stars — There were so many things I enjoyed, but the frustration with certain things was strong my friends!

Loved Ms. Wells’s accents, it really added to the character of Nève when she was speaking.  Occasionally I’m not sure if I would have read certain passages differently, and maybe would have warmed up to Lysander more.

Lysander had one too many opportunities to show growth, even in his own head, and just didn’t take them…it was frustrating to me.  I guess I just wasn’t as patient.  I think particularly I didn’t understand his turnaround on a particular issue, as it wasn’t explained what made him change his mind.  He was just too good at turning to stone.  And while I understood what was behind that, I needed something more from him to truly connect with him and to feel like he was connecting with Nève.  Or maybe it was just me, I don’t know.  It’s like, I would see these moments, but then he would shut himself down, and even in his head I didn’t always understand the whys of it all.

In general I loved Nève.  She was so forthright and sassy, and I appreciated how unusual that was for a lady of those times.  I loved how she called Lysander out on his bullshit, how she saw beauty and joy in so many little things, how she in general tried to stay on the positive side of life despite her circumstances.  She was a great foil for Lysander, because she shook him up in a multitude of ways.   Occasionally she was almost too light, but that could have been choices made by the narrator, you know?

I LOVED their bantering with one another, and the subtle chemistry you could feel between them for the first half of the book.  I was torn when we finally got to the steamy scenes — some parts were unbelievably hot, but I also felt less connection between them.  But was that the book, or was that just me?  I genuinely have no idea.

I adored Nève’s new group of friends, they were absolutely hilarious and delightful.  I am always drawn to a historical series featuring misfit heroines and their love stories, so I’m definitely looking forward to more.  I also loved Aunt Millicent.  She took on the Barney role in many cases, and she played it well.

Loved the little Pretty Woman nods all over the place.  It wasn’t a direct retelling, but you could see its influence in big details and small ones.  And as a fan, I was also a fan of these touches.

COYER Community: I buddy read this book with Brandee, and she gave it 3.5 stars as well (her review coming soon).  It was nice to have someone to discuss the little nuances with.