Book Review: The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard

Title: The Worst Duke in London
Author: Amalie Howard
Series: Taming of the Dukes #3
Pages: 384
Publication Date: Sept. 24, 2024
Publisher: Forever
Genres: Fiction / Historical
Synopsis:

Bridgerton meets 10 Things I Hate About You in this spicy enemies-to-lovers Regency romance from a “must-read author” (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Lady Evangeline Raine prefers animals to people and has no interest in marriage–much to the dismay of her flirty younger sister, Viola. Because their father has one rule: Viola may be courted, only if Effie has a suitor as well.

Saddled with debt, Gage Croft, Duke of Vale, is determined to rebuild his estates. When the owner of his vowels offers him a fortune to charm the impervious Lady Evangeline for the season so Lady Viola can be courted, the game is on, even if it means pretending to seduce an unconventional wallflower.

But Gage gets much more than he bargains for in an adversary who wants to make her own scandalous arrangement. Effie will go to London for the season, but only if Gage agrees to be her lover. Yet when their fake courtship leads to passionate feelings, will their indecent proposal end with the season or be the start of something real?

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Bookshop.org

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This is a fun twist on the film 10 Things I Hate About You, which is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. The story follows a wallflower who is not liked by the ton and a Scottish Duke who is struggling financially after the death of his brother.

Effie’s a great fmc, though she isn’t as shrewish as I expected. She’s so nice! She dedicates much of her time and energy into her animal shelter, which I totally loved! And Gage is fabulous too. He’s stuck in a terrible situation and has so much responsibility weighing on him. His determination to do better than his brother and father drives him, and he proves to be a great match for Effie.

Of course, my favorite part of the story is the romance. Some of their conversations are hysterical, and there are several great laugh-out-loud moments between the pair. Their banter is fantastic and their chemistry sizzles off the page. Both characters are virgins, which I haven’t seen much in historical romances. I did wish Gage revealed the scheme a bit earlier than he did, but I tend to feel that way when secrets like these are introduced in a love story.

The story also has a great cast of secondary characters, some of whom I loved and others I loved to hate. Effie’s sister Viola is probably my least favorite of them all. She is so selfish and superficial. She preys on Effie’s guilt to get her way, and her crying temper tantrums more resemble a petulant child than a woman ready for marriage. I hate how manipulative she is with everyone. She definitely contrasts Effie well. But as much as I disliked her sister, I loved Effie’s father. He is kind and supportive, and his unconventional views and unconditional love for his children are endearing.

I’m really enjoying this series, though that’s no surprise. I’ve liked every historical romance I’ve read by Amalie Howard. Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

The romance.

The humor.

The animals!

“If I waited for the animals I rescue to thank me, I would be here a very long time.” She gave a small shrug. “But even so, I’d much rather their mute ingratitude than dealing with those who have tongues and use them for sport to wound others.”

“The biggest part of injustice is walking by without doing or even saying something about it.”

“Nothing good can come of a million truths built on a lie.”

AMALIE HOWARD is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, most notably of The Beast of Beswick, “a smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance,” and one of O-The Oprah Magazine’s Top 24 Best Historicals to Read. She is the co-author of the #1 bestsellers in regency romance and Scottish historical romance, My Rogue, My Ruin and What A Scot Wants, and has also penned several young adult novels, critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Kid’s INDIE NEXT selection. Of Indo-Caribbean descent, she has written articles on multicultural fiction for The Portland Book Review and Ravishly magazine. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.