Always Be My Duchess

Amalie Howard

Jul 2022 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

A Cosmopolitan Best Romance of 2022
 
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.

Ratings and reviews

A charming tale that will delight the romance in all of us and bring a smile as the author weaves her spell into a journey well worth taking!! She is an out of work ballet dancer, needing to support her and her sister. An unexpected encounter with a duke, seems to change her luck! He needs her to act as his fiance' so that he can make his deal. But it seems she may be more than he bargained for!! So much fun with humor, villains, wonderful characters and an attraction that will not be denied!

Lysander and Neve are a delightful pairing! An extremely inconveniently erotic meet cute unexpectedly turns into a rather convenient opportunity for both the Duke of Montcroix and the talented but cash-strapped ballerina. Despite her talent, Neve has been blacklisted because she wouldn't submit to a theater patron's demands. Lysander needs someone to pose as his fiance to help land a deal and to fend off all the unwanted young ladies and their mothers. The deal struck, the process is much more complicated as Lysander seeks to change Neve's outward situation while she attempts to change his inward disposition. I loved Neve's bawdy sense of humor and how her unconventional style challenged Lysander on several levels. I really loved his dogged determination and and laser focus on the things that mattered to him. They really are terrific together, and I really enjoyed reading their story. The writing is terrific as usual, but there are a few points that slipped past a competent editor that either left me scratching my head trying to understand where the plot went or left me wondering why that particular word was misused instead of another that would be more appropriate. The one thing she seemed most offended by didn't make sense to me, because either her connection to that place was too brief to instill that level of devotion, or there's more to that connection than what we were told. Lysander and Neve have a wonderful HEA and we're given quite a few insights into future couples should the author continue with their stories. I always enjoy this author's historical romances, and this was no exception. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Once I saw the blurb and saw the Pretty Woman meets the Bridgertons, I knew I had to read this book and I'm very glad I did. I thought that this book was really quite clever, endlessly fun, delightfully surprising, heart meltingly sweet, temperature rising hot and impeccably swoon worthy. I absolutely loved Lysander and Genevieve. They made an amazing couple that not only had me basking in the feels and swoon, but I just genuinely found them likable.

About the author

Amalie Howard is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling novelist of “smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance” (Sarah MacLean). The Beast of Beswick was one of Oprah Daily’s Top 24 Best Historicals to Read. She is also the author of several critically acclaimed, award-winning young adult novels. An AAPI/Caribbean-born writer, she has written articles and interviews on multicultural fiction that have appeared in the Portland Book Review, Ravishly magazine, and Diversity in YA. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found reading, being the president of her one-woman Harley Davidson motorcycle club #WriteOrDie, or power-napping. She currently lives in Colorado with her husband and three children.