2 stars
OVERALL: As a romance, the relationship development was poor and any feelings that happened were not believable to me. I wanted more of Amelia's character and honestly less of the too-noble Thomas. Plus 1/5 on steamy-ness.

Amelia started out with a lot of promise--she does the unexpected and leaves the duke on the dance floor and is thrilled about it. She also has a sympathetic point of view: she isn't looking for love, but wants her future husband to maybe care just a tiny bit about her as a person.
And in chapter two, Thomas is intrigued by her and they have a kiss that is surprisingly pleasant to them both.
But then... I get that most of the plot is happening to Thomas, and that he has a right to be upset about the sudden instability of his life. But ultimately, this book doesn't give enough time to Amelia for me to care about her very much--she develops feelings way too quickly and on essentially zero interaction or knowledge of Thomas. And Thomas is too focused on the other ways his life is in upheaval to really be caring about Amelia or developing feelings for her. And neither of them spends enough time together for any feelings to be believable or warranted, imho.

audiobook narrator did a nice job.

Thomas literally at one point says he wants to kiss Amelia to make HER feel better and into him so that it'd be easier for HIM to control her....
Amelia's only personality trait is... politeness? And a fondness for maps?
Thomas is all about doing the right thing, at every single moment of his life. He has been born and bred, raised to become the duke and run the dukedom and do it well--when there is concern that he isn't the duke and will have to give it all up, he's obviously upset and also at a loss as to who that makes him and what does he want? I couldn't tell, as the reader if he was secretly yearning to be free of the title and responsibilities, or if he hated the idea. I don't think Thomas knew for sure either. But when he's sort of longing for the freedoms that will come with not being a duke, that part hadn't been fleshed out enough to be believable.

The one and only sex scene happens at 95% of the book: they're arguing and suddenly he launches himself at her and suddenly he's hiking up her skirts and thrusting inside of her. They are OUTSIDE, in essentially the backyard of this house where their friends/family are, she is a virgin who is into the moment but gives a scream of pain that breaks him from his sex haze. While INSIDE HER he realizes 'what have I done?? I'll have to marry her now for sure. But that's good, because I love her, she's so lovely' It was just super cringey to me and not believable, and not good enough. I want the love realization moments to always carry more heft and be touching.