My full review is available on my blog Wine Cellar Library and Reedsy Discovery

Tropes:
contemporary romance, billionaire romance, virgin FMC, online dating, hidden identity, romantic suspense, love triangle, fated mates, tragic past, he falls first

Launched into the spotlight due to her high-profile relationship with a billionaire, paparazzi aren’t the only ones she’ll be running from

While marketed as a dark romance, Julian’s Rose would be better classified as romantic suspense. The romance between Julian and Lucie is sweet and their intimacy is not explicit, nor does it explore dark or taboo acts. The dark themes are limited to the suspenseful aspects, such as someone stalking Lucie. Nonetheless, the love that grows between Julian and Lucie is heartfelt and magnetic. The main characters' development is well-crafted, and even minor characters like Bradley have depth. There are a few clues that lead me to wonder if this story is a fictionalized account of author Lucie Benton’s own life, such as the main character sharing the same name, the name of the magazine publisher in the book being similar to the novel’s publisher, and a claim in the synopsis that this is a “deeply personal story.” I would also wager that some inspiration was drawn from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series based on the plot and a few easter eggs in the novel. (Update: The new synopsis confirms this point!) I am very curious to find out whether one or both of these are true.

Julian’s Rose is a strong opener to the My Red Desire series, especially as a debut. New adult and adult readers of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and love triangles will enjoy this story of navigating a relationship under public scrutiny and enduring love despite separation.