Title: Always Be My Duchess
Author: Amalie Howard
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Historical, Romance
Publisher: Forever
Date published: July 12, 2022
A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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 ⬻
Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard was an entertaining historical romance read for me that delivers on all fronts. It was fun and kept me engaged from start to finish. The plot is well-paced and balanced, with just the right amount of character development, setting description, and spicy romance scenes.
One of the best things about this book is the vividly described settings. The characters were also well-rounded and interesting to read about. The side characters are just as engaging as the main ones, and I actually liked some of them the same as the main couple!
Speaking of the main couple, the romance between them is definitely the heart of the novel, and it is a joy to read about their relationship developing and growing throughout Always Be My Duchess. The chemistry between the two was almost palpable—the author did a great job of building tension and anticipation between them.
Overall, Always Be My Duchess is a fantastic historical romance novel that was a delight for me to read. The characters are well-developed, the setting is richly described, and the romance is both steamy and heartwarming. I definitely recommend this book and hope the author will write more books like this!