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adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine (but I’d say more so from the hero)
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in (6% but only about 5 pages into the actual story)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes. The first epilogue is a few months after. There is also a second epilogue 18 years in the future available as a newsletter sign up.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary but there is definitely mention of other characters in the Bed Me series. Also it’s interesting seeing George from book 2 (Bed Me, Baron) during the middle of his story from Phineas’ eyes.
Basic plot:
Caro feels life has passed her by – as a quiet spinster she takes advantage of her brother’s friends attending a house party to have a night of passion.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- London and country settings
- tall heroine/short hero (...or at least ‘average height’ ;))
- friends sister
- bespectacled hero with silver in his hair
- heroine has a stutter and lisp
- soldier hero – he was in the Navy when he was younger
- beloved pets – heroine has a bloodhound named Lavinia that is the best service dog
- hero falls first
- higher steam – 7 scenes (a couple may be on the short side)
Ages:
- Heroine is 29, hero is 35
First lines:
Mmmmm. Phineas Edge, the Earl of Burchester, was content. More than content, he was wholly gratified. If he were a cat, he would purr.
My thoughts:
What a first meeting! I was immediately in love with this book. Immediately! It’s has been awhile since I’ve been sucked in so completely within the first chapter.
These characters were so real, raw, and had such depth – I know I will be thinking of them long after I finish this review. Phin is SUCH a unique hero. I’ve never read anyone like him. And I just adored him. Utterly charming, adorable, fun, you cannot help but love him. But also a bit arrogant in an unassuming way, maybe a touch self centered, a bit flighty – gosh I just really adored him and all his faults. I never knew how much I needed a chatterbox hero. I would have always said NO. I love my strong, silent type. Wordless dark looks. But...but….I actually needed THIS so, so badly. The way he talks through all the situations, especially the bedroom, is appreciated. He wants her. He fantasizes about her for months. He eagerly awaits her arrival in London months away. With another kiss he decides he must marry her. There is no other conclusion to this – he needs those kisses every morning of his life. He begins thinking of her as his future wife in his head and IT’S SO FUCKING CUTE I SWEAR TO GOD...The fact that this man is on his knees promising to let her come if she just agrees to marry him? Utterly melted.
Caro is..probably my favorite heroine of Niven’s so far. I just melted for her. My heart fucking broke for her worries, her desire for a friend. It takes some time to get to know Caro – and I think she’s getting to know herself as well over the course of this book. She has been basically a prisoner in her home for so many years, she has to explore her new found freedom and gain confidence.
How did Niven take a story that had a bang right at the beginning and immediately build up that longing and tension that I crave so badly in romance? Usually for me it’s broken after the first sex scene or at least dampened quite a bit more I don’t feel much tension at all. But in this one the longing somehow got stronger and stronger as they went on. Every scene got more and more emotional until I was so wrapped up in these two.
Most random thoughts but thank you for acknowledging that he blew it all over his sheets in his guest room at the country house and also on the book store floor and the resolution to that lol. I STILL think about one book (another author) where the hero masturbates on a couch at a house party and there was no mention of the semen. Where IS IT? Those poor servants..
I am just adoring the way this series is coming out. Can’t wait for more!
Endearments
The hero calls the heroine ‘darling’ and ‘sweetness’
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
How very sweet. Such sweet little kisses. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. She stopped kissing him, but kept her mouth on his. So he did it again. She pulled her head back and looked at him.
“Open up for Phin, there’s a good little darling.”
---
“You like that, darling?”
She gazed at him with her green eyes and nodded.
“Wait until you feel my mouth.”
---
He knew who she was now, but he still didn’t know what she was. And she must make sure he never did. She wanted to stay his lovely girl. Not deformed, not slow-witted, not evil, not cursed. She didn’t know why she cared since she would never see him again. But she wanted to be lovely for him. And for herself.
---
“She is shy, you know.”
Again. The shyness. It was an abominable falsehood.
“But how is she to meet gentlemen when she is cloistered like a nun on your father’s estate? Doesn’t she need Seasons like every other young lady? To show herself off?”
And to make herself available to Phineas again. He didn’t want to wait another decade for an invitation to come to Sudbury Manor so he could be seduced by the quiet Amazon. He wanted to seduce her himself, at his leisure, in his own bed, with no brother or father nearby.
---
“Good news for you. There are no gaming hells in Burchester.”
“Yes. Good news,” William said weakly.
“And we’ll find something else to do in the evenings besides cards. We’ll talk.”
“Do you ever do anything else, Phin?”
---
A little kiss. Not too short, not too long. He did not suck at her tongue as he longed to do. He kept his own tongue in his mouth.
He came away from her lips just a bit, and pressed his forehead to hers. Yes, she was trembling. Her breath was ragged.
“Maybe one more little one, darling?”
She nodded, her head going up and down only a fraction of an inch. Yes.
And this time, her lips parted slightly and he could feel the heat of her mouth. Oh, his cock was so stiff now with just two kisses. But he had said a little one and he kept his word. And it was just as delicious as the first little one. But now he was greedy.
“And darling, maybe, a bit bigger one?”
She nodded and parted her lips and he held her chin between his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger and kissed her deeply, softly, his tongue tasting her gently, swirling over her tongue.
---
She was incredible. Incredibly beautiful. Unbelievably arousing.
And she didn’t want him to be good. Could anything be more idea? Because Phineas Edge was very good at being bad.
---
He had both her wrists pinned to the wall on either side of her and he was pressing into her.
He whispered, “Phin has to make sure this is what you meant, darling. When you said you didn’t want me to be good? Is it?”
---
That could never happen again.
She had to end this.
But she had found no way to resist his touch, his words. If Phineas crept up behind her right now and whispered lovely girl in her ear, she wouldn’t put it past herself to lift her skirts and offer herself to him like a harlot.
And, in fact, wasn’t that what she had just done?
So. Fucking. Cute.
After he had read the letter five times, he folded it carefully and put it in the cedar box which held a silk nightdress trimmed in Brussels lace.
---
Instead, she gasped.
The rage on her face melted and he saw the same look in her eyes he had seen when he had first nuzzled her tidbit with his cock in Sudbury. What was that look? Some kind of wonderment, he supposed. Perhaps a thrill? He could only hope.
//
What had made her melt? She reached out with her free hand and he was so prepared for a slap that he flinched. Her hand went to his face and touched his spectacles.
Damn it. He had forgotten he still had the spectacles on, pushed down to the end of his nose, and he had been looking at her over them this whole time, quite like some harassed and underpaid clerk.
He reached up to take them off, but she pushed his hand roughly away and stepped toward him, her eyes on his.
“You...w-wear thpectacleth,” she choked out.
Her pink tongue flashed to the front of her mouth, behind her teeth, as she said spectacles. His cock turned to iron in his breeches.
---
This was freaking adorable to me.
“We could still be friends.” Frendth.
There was a long silence.
“Well,” Phineas said. He continued to walk at the same pace. He reached out with his free arm and snapped off a twig from a shrub next to the gravel path. “I think you’re a very intelligent woman. Far more intelligent than I am. I deeply respect your thinking. And what you say. And I want you to say more things to me. A great deal more. I want to hear everything you think. So it is with great regret that I, as your friend, have to tell you what you just said is a cartload of rubbish. Complete and utter rubbish.”
He crushed the twig in his hand, threw it away, and stopped walking and turned to her, taking both of her gloved hands in his. “I know a great deal about what will make me happy, Caro. My own happiness is really the only thing I’m expert in. And I have arrive at the conclusion that the thing that will make me the most happy is you. And making you happy.”
---
“Spectacles.” Thpectacleth. She pushed his waistcoat over his shoulders.
“For you, darling.”
And then she couldn’t believe herself, she was clawing at him, moaning into his mouth just as she had in the library when she had first seen him in his spectacles.
---
MISS NIVEN. YOU ARE BREAKING MY HEART.
He had known. He had known she didn’t want to put her tongue on his cock.
“You can tell me anything. I want you to tell me everything.”
She couldn’t tell him everything. She had been silent for too many years. She had too much locked up inside of her.
But she could kiss him.
---
“Ungh. Phineas.”
“Yes?”
“T-t-talk to me.”
“About how you’re such a good girl and you’re going to come for Phin again?”
Oh, my God.
---
My freaking heart
She would seduce him the way he seduced her.
“Caro w-w-wants her Phin.” She released her grip on his back and trailed her hands up and down his flanks. “Caro needs Phin.”’
---
He didn’t think. There was no time to think. And thinking was not what he did best.
---
One of my favorite things – when the hero keeps little trinkets from the heroine
It was a box of her. Her husband had a secret box of her, tucked away in his closet.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- emotionally abusive father regarding heroine’s speech challenges
- remembrance of mother falling down the stairs and dying (heroine) when she was 17
- alcoholism (heroine’s mother)
- death of father (heroine) from illness
- mention of side character’s gambling addiction
- hero’s ex-mistress spits in his face, slaps him and blackmails him
- heroine is bullied by hero’s ex-mistress
- scene of threatening with a knife
- knife violence on page (attempted suicide)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: These include some quotes that might be repeated from above
Safe sex: Hero pulls out
6% - 🔥 kisses, breast play, cock touches, fingering for her, missionary (V loss for her) in the bed at a country house party
How very sweet. Such sweet little kisses. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. She stopped kissing him, but kept her mouth on his. So he did it again. She pulled her head back and looked at him.
“Open up for Phin, there’s a good little darling.”
14% - kiss
28% - kisses, cock touches
32% - 🔥 - standing up fuck inside the third floor of the bookstore
She experienced two seconds of panic as she was backed into a wall by a sturdy force until she heard “Darling, you did say you didn’t want me to be good,” and she started to throb from his voice alone.
41% - kiss
47% - 🔥 kisses that lead to oral for her on the couch in the drawing room/sitting room
“That’s right, darling. Don’t worry about a thing. Just let Phin be close to you. It makes him feel so good to touch you. Even this way. With all our clothes on. Standing up. In your brother’s drawing room.”
54% - kiss
57% - 🔥 kisses, missionary followed by another missionary scene and then fingering for her
“Ungh. Phineas.”
“Yes?”
“T-t-talk to me.”
“About how you’re such a good girl and you’re going to come for Phin again?”
Oh, my God.
65% - kiss
66% - 🔥missionary scene that is pretty short
She would seduce him the way he seduced her.
“Caro w-w-wants her Phin.” She released her grip on his back and trailed her hands up and down his flanks. “Caro needs Phin.”’
71% - kiss
72% - start of a blow job that is ended
85% - 🔥her on top
“Yes, that’s right, ride me, Caro. As rough as you want. You won’t hurt me.”
92% - 🔥blow job
”Oh, God, yes. You can do whatever you want to me.”
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine (but I’d say more so from the hero)
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in (6% but only about 5 pages into the actual story)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes. The first epilogue is a few months after. There is also a second epilogue 18 years in the future available as a newsletter sign up.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary but there is definitely mention of other characters in the Bed Me series. Also it’s interesting seeing George from book 2 (Bed Me, Baron) during the middle of his story from Phineas’ eyes.
Basic plot:
Caro feels life has passed her by – as a quiet spinster she takes advantage of her brother’s friends attending a house party to have a night of passion.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- London and country settings
- tall heroine/short hero (...or at least ‘average height’ ;))
- friends sister
- bespectacled hero with silver in his hair
- heroine has a stutter and lisp
- soldier hero – he was in the Navy when he was younger
- beloved pets – heroine has a bloodhound named Lavinia that is the best service dog
- hero falls first
- higher steam – 7 scenes (a couple may be on the short side)
Ages:
- Heroine is 29, hero is 35
First lines:
Mmmmm. Phineas Edge, the Earl of Burchester, was content. More than content, he was wholly gratified. If he were a cat, he would purr.
My thoughts:
What a first meeting! I was immediately in love with this book. Immediately! It’s has been awhile since I’ve been sucked in so completely within the first chapter.
These characters were so real, raw, and had such depth – I know I will be thinking of them long after I finish this review. Phin is SUCH a unique hero. I’ve never read anyone like him. And I just adored him. Utterly charming, adorable, fun, you cannot help but love him. But also a bit arrogant in an unassuming way, maybe a touch self centered, a bit flighty – gosh I just really adored him and all his faults. I never knew how much I needed a chatterbox hero. I would have always said NO. I love my strong, silent type. Wordless dark looks. But...but….I actually needed THIS so, so badly. The way he talks through all the situations, especially the bedroom, is appreciated. He wants her. He fantasizes about her for months. He eagerly awaits her arrival in London months away. With another kiss he decides he must marry her. There is no other conclusion to this – he needs those kisses every morning of his life. He begins thinking of her as his future wife in his head and IT’S SO FUCKING CUTE I SWEAR TO GOD...The fact that this man is on his knees promising to let her come if she just agrees to marry him? Utterly melted.
Caro is..probably my favorite heroine of Niven’s so far. I just melted for her. My heart fucking broke for her worries, her desire for a friend. It takes some time to get to know Caro – and I think she’s getting to know herself as well over the course of this book. She has been basically a prisoner in her home for so many years, she has to explore her new found freedom and gain confidence.
How did Niven take a story that had a bang right at the beginning and immediately build up that longing and tension that I crave so badly in romance? Usually for me it’s broken after the first sex scene or at least dampened quite a bit more I don’t feel much tension at all. But in this one the longing somehow got stronger and stronger as they went on. Every scene got more and more emotional until I was so wrapped up in these two.
Most random thoughts but thank you for acknowledging that
I am just adoring the way this series is coming out. Can’t wait for more!
Endearments
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
How very sweet. Such sweet little kisses. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. She stopped kissing him, but kept her mouth on his. So he did it again. She pulled her head back and looked at him.
“Open up for Phin, there’s a good little darling.”
---
“You like that, darling?”
She gazed at him with her green eyes and nodded.
“Wait until you feel my mouth.”
---
He knew who she was now, but he still didn’t know what she was. And she must make sure he never did. She wanted to stay his lovely girl. Not deformed, not slow-witted, not evil, not cursed. She didn’t know why she cared since she would never see him again. But she wanted to be lovely for him. And for herself.
---
“She is shy, you know.”
Again. The shyness. It was an abominable falsehood.
“But how is she to meet gentlemen when she is cloistered like a nun on your father’s estate? Doesn’t she need Seasons like every other young lady? To show herself off?”
And to make herself available to Phineas again. He didn’t want to wait another decade for an invitation to come to Sudbury Manor so he could be seduced by the quiet Amazon. He wanted to seduce her himself, at his leisure, in his own bed, with no brother or father nearby.
---
“Good news for you. There are no gaming hells in Burchester.”
“Yes. Good news,” William said weakly.
“And we’ll find something else to do in the evenings besides cards. We’ll talk.”
“Do you ever do anything else, Phin?”
---
A little kiss. Not too short, not too long. He did not suck at her tongue as he longed to do. He kept his own tongue in his mouth.
He came away from her lips just a bit, and pressed his forehead to hers. Yes, she was trembling. Her breath was ragged.
“Maybe one more little one, darling?”
She nodded, her head going up and down only a fraction of an inch. Yes.
And this time, her lips parted slightly and he could feel the heat of her mouth. Oh, his cock was so stiff now with just two kisses. But he had said a little one and he kept his word. And it was just as delicious as the first little one. But now he was greedy.
“And darling, maybe, a bit bigger one?”
She nodded and parted her lips and he held her chin between his thumb and the knuckle of his forefinger and kissed her deeply, softly, his tongue tasting her gently, swirling over her tongue.
---
She was incredible. Incredibly beautiful. Unbelievably arousing.
And she didn’t want him to be good. Could anything be more idea? Because Phineas Edge was very good at being bad.
---
He had both her wrists pinned to the wall on either side of her and he was pressing into her.
He whispered, “Phin has to make sure this is what you meant, darling. When you said you didn’t want me to be good? Is it?”
---
That could never happen again.
She had to end this.
But she had found no way to resist his touch, his words. If Phineas crept up behind her right now and whispered lovely girl in her ear, she wouldn’t put it past herself to lift her skirts and offer herself to him like a harlot.
And, in fact, wasn’t that what she had just done?
So. Fucking. Cute.
After he had read the letter five times, he folded it carefully and put it in the cedar box which held a silk nightdress trimmed in Brussels lace.
---
Instead, she gasped.
The rage on her face melted and he saw the same look in her eyes he had seen when he had first nuzzled her tidbit with his cock in Sudbury. What was that look? Some kind of wonderment, he supposed. Perhaps a thrill? He could only hope.
//
What had made her melt? She reached out with her free hand and he was so prepared for a slap that he flinched. Her hand went to his face and touched his spectacles.
Damn it. He had forgotten he still had the spectacles on, pushed down to the end of his nose, and he had been looking at her over them this whole time, quite like some harassed and underpaid clerk.
He reached up to take them off, but she pushed his hand roughly away and stepped toward him, her eyes on his.
“You...w-wear thpectacleth,” she choked out.
Her pink tongue flashed to the front of her mouth, behind her teeth, as she said spectacles. His cock turned to iron in his breeches.
---
This was freaking adorable to me.
“We could still be friends.” Frendth.
There was a long silence.
“Well,” Phineas said. He continued to walk at the same pace. He reached out with his free arm and snapped off a twig from a shrub next to the gravel path. “I think you’re a very intelligent woman. Far more intelligent than I am. I deeply respect your thinking. And what you say. And I want you to say more things to me. A great deal more. I want to hear everything you think. So it is with great regret that I, as your friend, have to tell you what you just said is a cartload of rubbish. Complete and utter rubbish.”
He crushed the twig in his hand, threw it away, and stopped walking and turned to her, taking both of her gloved hands in his. “I know a great deal about what will make me happy, Caro. My own happiness is really the only thing I’m expert in. And I have arrive at the conclusion that the thing that will make me the most happy is you. And making you happy.”
---
“Spectacles.” Thpectacleth. She pushed his waistcoat over his shoulders.
“For you, darling.”
And then she couldn’t believe herself, she was clawing at him, moaning into his mouth just as she had in the library when she had first seen him in his spectacles.
---
MISS NIVEN. YOU ARE BREAKING MY HEART.
He had known. He had known she didn’t want to put her tongue on his cock.
“You can tell me anything. I want you to tell me everything.”
She couldn’t tell him everything. She had been silent for too many years. She had too much locked up inside of her.
But she could kiss him.
---
“Ungh. Phineas.”
“Yes?”
“T-t-talk to me.”
“About how you’re such a good girl and you’re going to come for Phin again?”
Oh, my God.
---
My freaking heart
She would seduce him the way he seduced her.
“Caro w-w-wants her Phin.” She released her grip on his back and trailed her hands up and down his flanks. “Caro needs Phin.”’
---
He didn’t think. There was no time to think. And thinking was not what he did best.
---
One of my favorite things – when the hero keeps little trinkets from the heroine
It was a box of her. Her husband had a secret box of her, tucked away in his closet.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- emotionally abusive father regarding heroine’s speech challenges
- remembrance of mother falling down the stairs and dying (heroine) when she was 17
- alcoholism (heroine’s mother)
- death of father (heroine) from illness
- mention of side character’s gambling addiction
- hero’s ex-mistress spits in his face, slaps him and blackmails him
- heroine is bullied by hero’s ex-mistress
- scene of threatening with a knife
- knife violence on page (attempted suicide)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: These include some quotes that might be repeated from above
Safe sex:
6% - 🔥 kisses, breast play, cock touches, fingering for her, missionary (V loss for her) in the bed at a country house party
How very sweet. Such sweet little kisses. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. She stopped kissing him, but kept her mouth on his. So he did it again. She pulled her head back and looked at him.
“Open up for Phin, there’s a good little darling.”
14% - kiss
28% - kisses, cock touches
32% - 🔥 - standing up fuck inside the third floor of the bookstore
She experienced two seconds of panic as she was backed into a wall by a sturdy force until she heard “Darling, you did say you didn’t want me to be good,” and she started to throb from his voice alone.
41% - kiss
47% - 🔥 kisses that lead to oral for her on the couch in the drawing room/sitting room
“That’s right, darling. Don’t worry about a thing. Just let Phin be close to you. It makes him feel so good to touch you. Even this way. With all our clothes on. Standing up. In your brother’s drawing room.”
54% - kiss
57% - 🔥 kisses, missionary followed by another missionary scene and then fingering for her
“Ungh. Phineas.”
“Yes?”
“T-t-talk to me.”
“About how you’re such a good girl and you’re going to come for Phin again?”
Oh, my God.
65% - kiss
66% - 🔥missionary scene that is pretty short
She would seduce him the way he seduced her.
“Caro w-w-wants her Phin.” She released her grip on his back and trailed her hands up and down his flanks. “Caro needs Phin.”’
71% - kiss
72% - start of a blow job that is ended
85% - 🔥her on top
“Yes, that’s right, ride me, Caro. As rough as you want. You won’t hurt me.”
92% - 🔥blow job
”Oh, God, yes. You can do whatever you want to me.”
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes – a bit of a one liner style of humor with sarcasm
Perspective: First person from the heroine only
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately in
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with happy ever after for the couple
Epilogue: No
Format: bought audiobook
Should I read in order?
So, I started with this one, not realizing it’s a spin off series. So it can be enjoyed alone, but you’ll definitely realize the story doesn’t quite start here. If you want the whole story, you’ll want to start with Bridges’ House of Kaimar series.
Basic plot:
Makayla has been kidnapped twice – now she must prove she can survive the wilderness while her new alien clan watches and decides her fate.
Give this a try if you want:
- Science fiction romance
- alien setting
- fated mates/heart mates
- never been kissed
- other woman drama
- language barrier
- hero feeds and bathes the heroine
- shorter novel
- Higher steam – 3 full scenes in a lower page count
My thoughts:
I thought this one was a decent read. It’s short so I tolerated some things that might have annoyed me in a longer book. I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the prior series – so that’s definitely something to keep in mind.
What I loved here was the kind of ‘all in’ vibe from the hero. I loved the possessiveness and ‘I’m taking you’ mentality. I enjoyed when the mains were together.
I can’t say I loved the writing style though. There were a lot of weird one liners that I think others might find funny but I just didn’t enjoy. I liked the narrator okay but didn’t love her. For some reason I felt like I could hear here swallow a lot and it was really distracting, haha!
I personally was not a fan of the other woman plot line here. I think I am a bit tired of the catty, jealous, evil ‘other woman’.
I’d try this author again though! The steam was pretty fun.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
He snatches my wrist, bringing my fingers back to his mouth. He licks my index finger while keeping his gaze locked on mine. My knees go weak and I straighten my spine to keep from toppling over.
“You’ve lied to me too,” he says, before nibbling on my finger. “You didn’t tell me how delicious your cunt would smell, or how enticing your curves would look. I would have fucked your sweet body on Nashia had I known.”
Cock/Hero Stats:
- 7 feet tall with wings, fangs, and claws
- yellow cat-like eyes
- Cock is huge and compared to a forearm including the fist.
- tongue has tiny ridges like a cat’s but softer
- hero has a heart but it’s encased in stone and only breaks open for his fated mate
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- heroine has been kidnapped twice
- slavery
- forced marriage vibes
- mention of war and illness
- scenes of fighting, danger, animal danger, and survival themes
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Chapter 5 – bathing scene with touches
Chapter 6 – 🔥 fingering for her and hero comes (in his pants? On the ground?) outdoors with tail play on the breasts
“Are you going to bite me?” I ask, grinding against his hand at the thought. Then he does.
Chapter 10 – 🔥 oral for her, missionary in the tent
“For however long my heart beats, that is the length of time I will be faithful to you.”
Chapter 11 – there’s a mention of sex but it’s like a continuation of the last scene and a bit vague towards the end.
Chapter 11 – first kiss
Chapter 14 – 🔥 missionary
“Vivian and Yani are right outside.”
“Then you’d better be quieter than you were last night.”
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes – a bit of a one liner style of humor with sarcasm
Perspective: First person from the heroine only
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately in
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with happy ever after for the couple
Epilogue: No
Format: bought audiobook
Should I read in order?
So, I started with this one, not realizing it’s a spin off series. So it can be enjoyed alone, but you’ll definitely realize the story doesn’t quite start here. If you want the whole story, you’ll want to start with Bridges’ House of Kaimar series.
Basic plot:
Makayla has been kidnapped twice – now she must prove she can survive the wilderness while her new alien clan watches and decides her fate.
Give this a try if you want:
- Science fiction romance
- alien setting
- fated mates/heart mates
- never been kissed
- other woman drama
- language barrier
- hero feeds and bathes the heroine
- shorter novel
- Higher steam – 3 full scenes in a lower page count
My thoughts:
I thought this one was a decent read. It’s short so I tolerated some things that might have annoyed me in a longer book. I do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the prior series – so that’s definitely something to keep in mind.
What I loved here was the kind of ‘all in’ vibe from the hero. I loved the possessiveness and ‘I’m taking you’ mentality. I enjoyed when the mains were together.
I can’t say I loved the writing style though. There were a lot of weird one liners that I think others might find funny but I just didn’t enjoy. I liked the narrator okay but didn’t love her. For some reason I felt like I could hear here swallow a lot and it was really distracting, haha!
I personally was not a fan of the other woman plot line here. I think I am a bit tired of the catty, jealous, evil ‘other woman’.
I’d try this author again though! The steam was pretty fun.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
He snatches my wrist, bringing my fingers back to his mouth. He licks my index finger while keeping his gaze locked on mine. My knees go weak and I straighten my spine to keep from toppling over.
“You’ve lied to me too,” he says, before nibbling on my finger. “You didn’t tell me how delicious your cunt would smell, or how enticing your curves would look. I would have fucked your sweet body on Nashia had I known.”
Cock/Hero Stats:
- 7 feet tall with wings, fangs, and claws
- yellow cat-like eyes
- Cock is huge and compared to a forearm including the fist.
- tongue has tiny ridges like a cat’s but softer
- hero has a heart but it’s encased in stone and only breaks open for his fated mate
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- heroine has been kidnapped twice
- slavery
- forced marriage vibes
- mention of war and illness
- scenes of fighting, danger, animal danger, and survival themes
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Chapter 5 – bathing scene with touches
Chapter 6 – 🔥 fingering for her and hero comes (in his pants? On the ground?) outdoors with tail play on the breasts
“Are you going to bite me?” I ask, grinding against his hand at the thought. Then he does.
Chapter 10 – 🔥 oral for her, missionary in the tent
“For however long my heart beats, that is the length of time I will be faithful to you.”
Chapter 11 – there’s a mention of sex but it’s like a continuation of the last scene and a bit vague towards the end.
Chapter 11 – first kiss
Chapter 14 – 🔥 missionary
“Vivian and Yani are right outside.”
“Then you’d better be quieter than you were last night.”
funny
fast-paced
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: A bit in (18% in but it’s a novella – it’s the end of chapter 2)
Cliffhanger: No this ends on a happy ever after
Epilogue: No
Should I read in order?
This book has crossover characters from Pier’s Good Dukes series. If you’re a completionist, start with Good Guke Gone Cold. (Margaret and Jonathan from Good Duke Gone Hard and Adeline and Luke from An Ember for a Duke make appearances)
Basic plot:
Rose meets Andrew while singing in the woods
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1816)
- England setting
- Fairy tale retelling – Sleeping Beauty
- nanny heroine
- widow heroine
- Christmas theme
- author heroine
- Duke hero
- beloved pets – hero owns a dog named Dodger
- isolated hunter’s cabin
- must undress you to save your life (come on...it’s hypothermia!)
- novella length
Ages:
- Heroine is 32, didn’t catch hero
First line:
“Wake up!” followed by a swat to the knee jolted Rose out of her reverie.
My thoughts:
What a meet cute! This is the third fairy tale installment by Piers for her holiday novellas and it was pretty fun.
This is a quick read that has some instalust just like the Disney version. There were a lot of really cute scenes in this one and I did like it quite a bit. My big complaint is it ended so abruptly, I was actually looking for the rest of the book. I think this is my second favorite of the series, book 1 still had a lot of swoony thoughts and quotes I adored the most.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own. More quotes under steamy scene details for my dirty steam stat posts
“I’ll do anything to warm you up.” He placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. Those delicate lips left their mark there. She would never want to clean that shoulder again.
---
He would protect her now. No matter what.
He shot to his feet, grabbed her midair, and pulled her into her arms. To safety. The thumping of his heart could be heard for miles, he was sure. He didn’t care. She was in his arms. Where she belonged. Where he belonged. With her. Holding her. Tenderly caring for her.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- remembrance of a slightly unhappy marriage
- death of spouse (heroine is a widow)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Hero pulls out
47% - 🔥 kisses, missionary in the empty cottage
His hairs tempted her by disappearing under his breeches, and for a second she knew he was doing the right thing by keeping them on.
But then they dropped a bit, catching on his thick thighs. With a final tug, they slid down to the floor.
75% - 🔥 oral/fingering for her, missionary
“I need to have you.”
He growled his desire. “You will. But first.” He trailed his tongue down her stomach. “This.” The trail continued down through her lane and stopped at the notch that he knew would give her so much pleasure.
“Andrew! God, what are you doing to me?”
“I’ve asked the same of you.” But he didn’t wait for her reply.
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: A bit in (18% in but it’s a novella – it’s the end of chapter 2)
Cliffhanger: No this ends on a happy ever after
Epilogue: No
Should I read in order?
This book has crossover characters from Pier’s Good Dukes series. If you’re a completionist, start with Good Guke Gone Cold. (Margaret and Jonathan from Good Duke Gone Hard and Adeline and Luke from An Ember for a Duke make appearances)
Basic plot:
Rose meets Andrew while singing in the woods
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1816)
- England setting
- Fairy tale retelling – Sleeping Beauty
- nanny heroine
- widow heroine
- Christmas theme
- author heroine
- Duke hero
- beloved pets – hero owns a dog named Dodger
- isolated hunter’s cabin
- must undress you to save your life (come on...it’s hypothermia!)
- novella length
Ages:
- Heroine is 32, didn’t catch hero
First line:
“Wake up!” followed by a swat to the knee jolted Rose out of her reverie.
My thoughts:
What a meet cute! This is the third fairy tale installment by Piers for her holiday novellas and it was pretty fun.
This is a quick read that has some instalust just like the Disney version. There were a lot of really cute scenes in this one and I did like it quite a bit. My big complaint is it ended so abruptly, I was actually looking for the rest of the book. I think this is my second favorite of the series, book 1 still had a lot of swoony thoughts and quotes I adored the most.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own. More quotes under steamy scene details for my dirty steam stat posts
“I’ll do anything to warm you up.” He placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. Those delicate lips left their mark there. She would never want to clean that shoulder again.
---
He would protect her now. No matter what.
He shot to his feet, grabbed her midair, and pulled her into her arms. To safety. The thumping of his heart could be heard for miles, he was sure. He didn’t care. She was in his arms. Where she belonged. Where he belonged. With her. Holding her. Tenderly caring for her.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- remembrance of a slightly unhappy marriage
- death of spouse (heroine is a widow)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
47% - 🔥 kisses, missionary in the empty cottage
His hairs tempted her by disappearing under his breeches, and for a second she knew he was doing the right thing by keeping them on.
But then they dropped a bit, catching on his thick thighs. With a final tug, they slid down to the floor.
75% - 🔥 oral/fingering for her, missionary
“I need to have you.”
He growled his desire. “You will. But first.” He trailed his tongue down her stomach. “This.” The trail continued down through her lane and stopped at the notch that he knew would give her so much pleasure.
“Andrew! God, what are you doing to me?”
“I’ve asked the same of you.” But he didn’t wait for her reply.
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emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 - There’s a mix but I found a lot of them just a touch short, or already started when we enter the scene
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (I didn't note this, but I want to say it's chapter 1 or 2??)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 8 months later
Format: bought audiobook
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Chase’s Royally series.
Basic plot:
Nicholas goes to New York City to fetch his rowdy brother and meets a waitress that he instantly wants in his bed. Instead he gets a pie in the face.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- hero has dimples!
- royalty
- flying lessons
- summer fling
- New York City / country of Wessco setting
- class difference – prince and the pie making waitress
- higher steam – 5 full scenes plus a few extras, fades, and shorts scenes
First line:
My very first memory isn’t all that different from anyone else’s.
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one. I did the audio and really adore Shane East as a narrator. The first ¾ of the story for me was just really sweet and cute. Big Cinderella/fairy tale vibes and a lot of fun. I liked the character development revealed through their discussions together. I loved how they spent the majority of the book together. If it had kept on that track, I would have been happy I read it and rated 4 stars...BUT. BUT! The ending ohhhh my gosh. It was so angsty and good to me. The ending just had me on the edge of my seat. My eyes were watering and I almost cried. I was angry – ANGRY – when people talked to me and made me stop listening. So, so good. I love that bite of all of is lost, a bit of cruelty, hurt, angst.
I don’t usually read contemporary but I really had fun with this one. I’ll be continuing with this series!
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- loss of parents remembered (plane crash)
- death of mother of heroine and emotional withdrawal of father
- alcoholism
- collections pressure and harassment by collection agency
- stalker behavior
- so there’s no infidelity here because the hero is not engaged yet to anyone but there is talk of a coming marriage the whole time they are in a relationship
- domestic violence/fighting – hero and his brother get into a fight, punching, etc but it’s not too rough (no lasting injuries)
- remembrance of hero’s girlfriend getting pregnant and 17 and miscarrying
- mention of attempted suicide
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Yes, condoms used but eventually they rely on heroine’s birth control only
Chapter 9 – kiss
Chapter 10 – 🔥kisses, mention that she’s NOT hairless and he loves it, breast play, oral for her, missionary, and a blow job that fades
Chapter 11 – remembrance of sex
Chapter 11 – kisses
Chapter 13 – 🔥we enter an already started scene that ends up in a titty fucking scene
Chapter 18 – 🔥on a vanity, hero shaves the heroine’s legs and quim, oral for her, sex on the vanity with no condom
Chapter 19 – blow job that’s very short
Chapter 19 – 🔥brief bj, missionary
Chapter 20 – her on top (short)
Chapter 22 - 🔥missionary
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 - There’s a mix but I found a lot of them just a touch short, or already started when we enter the scene
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (I didn't note this, but I want to say it's chapter 1 or 2??)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 8 months later
Format: bought audiobook
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Chase’s Royally series.
Basic plot:
Nicholas goes to New York City to fetch his rowdy brother and meets a waitress that he instantly wants in his bed. Instead he gets a pie in the face.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- hero has dimples!
- royalty
- flying lessons
- summer fling
- New York City / country of Wessco setting
- class difference – prince and the pie making waitress
- higher steam – 5 full scenes plus a few extras, fades, and shorts scenes
First line:
My very first memory isn’t all that different from anyone else’s.
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one. I did the audio and really adore Shane East as a narrator. The first ¾ of the story for me was just really sweet and cute. Big Cinderella/fairy tale vibes and a lot of fun. I liked the character development revealed through their discussions together. I loved how they spent the majority of the book together. If it had kept on that track, I would have been happy I read it and rated 4 stars...BUT. BUT! The ending ohhhh my gosh. It was so angsty and good to me. The ending just had me on the edge of my seat. My eyes were watering and I almost cried. I was angry – ANGRY – when people talked to me and made me stop listening. So, so good. I love that bite of all of is lost, a bit of cruelty, hurt, angst.
I don’t usually read contemporary but I really had fun with this one. I’ll be continuing with this series!
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- loss of parents remembered (plane crash)
- death of mother of heroine and emotional withdrawal of father
- alcoholism
- collections pressure and harassment by collection agency
- stalker behavior
- so there’s no infidelity here because the hero is not engaged yet to anyone but there is talk of a coming marriage the whole time they are in a relationship
- domestic violence/fighting – hero and his brother get into a fight, punching, etc but it’s not too rough (no lasting injuries)
- remembrance of hero’s girlfriend getting pregnant and 17 and miscarrying
- mention of attempted suicide
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Chapter 9 – kiss
Chapter 10 – 🔥kisses, mention that she’s NOT hairless and he loves it, breast play, oral for her, missionary, and a blow job that fades
Chapter 11 – remembrance of sex
Chapter 11 – kisses
Chapter 13 – 🔥we enter an already started scene that ends up in a titty fucking scene
Chapter 18 – 🔥on a vanity, hero shaves the heroine’s legs and quim, oral for her, sex on the vanity with no condom
Chapter 19 – blow job that’s very short
Chapter 19 – 🔥brief bj, missionary
Chapter 20 – her on top (short)
Chapter 22 - 🔥missionary
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 4.5 to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 - this is generous – the last couple are on the shorter side but I still counted them
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Not long at all 3% in the prologue
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, ten months later
Format: listened to the audiobook from the library (Hoopla) but also have a very old and neglected e-book version from NetGalley….
Should I read in order?
It’s not tooootally necessary but I think reading at least the prior book, The Wrong Marquess, will give you some of this heroine’s background. And I adore that book so you should read it! I didn’t read book 1 of the series but did read book 2. They are all loosely connected by a group of heroines that are friends.
Basic plot:
Prue is out to steal back her inheritance and finds help in a relationship bargain with Lord Savage.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (?)
- Marquess/rake hero
- ruined heroine
- mistress
- Vauxhall
- bargain – hero will help the heroine steal back her inheritance if she becomes his mistress
- character focused
- mid steam – I have 4 full scenes but the last 2 are on the lighter side
Ages:
- I don’t recall them mentioned. If I had to guess I would say late 20s/early 30s for hero and early to mid 20s for heroine?
First line:
Prudence Thorogood drew the hood of her tattered mantle over her head and reached for the lion’s head door knocker.
My thoughts:
Oh I just love Vivienne Lorret. I love the time she takes on the little romantic things. I love all the little touches, and the back and forth banter and the emotional build up of her scenes. I just adored this book so much.
I was worried with it being a mistress theme I might not get into it because I find the tension can kind of dwindle for me with a ‘business transaction’ feel going on but I loved how it played out there. It even feels like more of a slow burn (the steam is definitely later in the book) but I appreciated that because it let the tension build up for me.
Leo is smitten, everyone. He is head over heels, obsessed with Prue and I ate it up! The time he takes with her. The gentleness. The playfulness. Ahhhh I was swooning left and right over him.
And Prue is just the best. I loved her as a heroine. Her strength and recovery and her journey to healing was really heart warming to me.
I just found myself loving so many lines in this one. I found it really romantic and sweet and I loved it.
Endearments
Hero calls the heroine moonflower, my sweet, my darling, and my dear
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
“And I never know what to do with my hands,” she added nervously.
He draped the tired garment over the back of a chair and faced her. “Then simply give them to me.”
Her brow furrowed as she looked skeptically at his waiting palms. “What do you intend to do with them?”
“Merely take you -”
“Here?” She balked. “Now?”
“- to the study,” he concluded with a slow grin. “However, if you’d prefer to put this table to better use…”
---
“Two things have become patently clear, my dear,” he continued and stepped toward her. “First of which is the fact that I’m going to have to murder my valet. And second, I’m not paying Madame LeBlanc nearly enough for her services. There,” he said, settling his coat over her shoulders in a gesture that surprised her.
She blinked in confusion. “You...you’re giving me your coat?”
“Aye. Now we can go down to dinner without inciting a riot among the footmen. I’m simply too weak from hunger to fend them off for your sake.”
---
She fit him perfectly, her body willowy but strong and supple. He couldn’t wait to take her.
But he would wait, nonetheless. At least for now.
She was quiet as he settled her against his side, blinking to keep her eyes on full alert. “I imagine these bedcurtains have seen a great deal.”
“So much wickedness. That’s why they’re black, you know. They were virginal white once upon a time.”
---
He nibbled lightly over her bare shoulders, all the way to the beribboned edge of the sleeve perched on the crest. “Oh, but he will think about it. With all this creamy skin to tempt him, how could he resist?”
“I’m wearing the necklace now and it doesn’t seem to be deterring you. So, I am hardly to blame for the things he does.” She felt him smile against her skin and it caused her stomach to flip.
As if he knew this, his large hand stole around her waist and splayed across her midriff. “He cannot help himself when you taste so sweet.”
“Clearly, something ought to be done about this man and his wicked ways.”
“You think this is wicked? Oh, my dear Miss Thorogood, he hasn’t even begun.”
He chuckled, the low sound sending a shiver of gooseflesh over her skin. And as the heat of his tongue touched her, a mewl rose in her throat.
The next thing she knew, she was turned in his arms, his gaze like molten jade as his hand stole to her nape and he sealed his mouth over hers.
She yielded instantly. Blindly, she reached for him, gripping a fistful of his linen shirt.
----
This scene just grabbed my heart so much – he is fingering her, already promised not to take it further for himself that night and HE is the one wrecked by it – HIS breath is the one fracturing – ahhhh so swoony!
He kissed her again, murmuring against her lips about how wet and warm she was. Wicked things about wanting to taste her and fill her and feel the tight grip of her body over his manhood...only manhood wasn’t the word he used. The actual word was too scandalous even to think, especially when she couldn’t think at all as the tip of his finger slowly entered her.
His breath fractured, broken and hot against her cheek. She felt the collection of perspiration on the forehead pressed to her temple. Felt the hardness of him pressed to the curve of her hip.
---
He spoke with such audacious valiance that it brought a laugh to her lips. It bubbled out before she could think of holding it back, and ended with a small – albeit embarrassing – snort.
“You have the best laugh,” he said, his pupils darkening, his gaze hungry.
He caught her lips with his own and kissed her.
---
“I don’t know. I merely fell on my backside. I’m clumsy, I suppose. Just one of my many flaws.”
“Now, I know something is the matter because you have no flaws. Not a single one.”
A watery, self-depreciating laugh escaped her. “You don’t mean that. Everyone has flaws and I have more than my share.”
“Well, if you insist, then you belief that you have a flaw is your only one. You are perfect in every other regard.”
She was ready to refute that, too. But when she saw that there wasn’t a teasing smirk on his lips and no laughing glint in his eyes, she couldn’t speak at all for a moment, he look at her with tender, enduring warmth as if he believed it down to his soul. He touched her as if she were a gift, precious, cherished. And her heart was so full it was choking her.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- hero was abandoned by his mother
- hero was poisoned
- sexual assault remembered by heroine
- family abandonment and judgment
- mention of family member having dementia
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: Some of these are on the shorter/lighter side. There’s also some alluded to scenes/fading scenes.
Safe sex: I can’t recall now but I don’t believe so?
26% - kiss
34% - kisses and touches while sleeping together in bed
45% - 🔥 fingering for her
”You’ll like this, moonflower. It’s just a small surrender, really. I only want to feel you come apart in my hands.”
62% - 🔥 bath scene – fingering for her, then missionary (she loses her virginity, which she thought she lost during her prior experience), then oral for her, then missionary
A mewl of protest left her as he turned her unfulfilled body onto her back.
He stalled her argument with a kiss, his powerful form pressing down on her. “This time, I want to feel you come apart.”
70% - 🔥 mirror play and missionary (?) it’s a touch light
”I need...more,” she heard and was shocked that that whimpered entreaty had fallen from her own lips. She clung to him with something akin to desperation.
“What do you need, my sweet?”
“You,” she answered without hesitation and heard the catch in his breath as her lips peppered his chin, jaw and neck with frantic kisses.
His grip on her tightened. “Show me.”
80% - 🔥 her on top – it’s a touch light
”Easy,” he crooned against her lips as he held her face, his fingertips tracing the delicate shell of her ear, featherlight caresses along her brow, through the disheveled wisps of her hair. “Shh...We have all the time in the world.”
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 - this is generous – the last couple are on the shorter side but I still counted them
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Not long at all 3% in the prologue
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, ten months later
Format: listened to the audiobook from the library (Hoopla) but also have a very old and neglected e-book version from NetGalley….
Should I read in order?
It’s not tooootally necessary but I think reading at least the prior book, The Wrong Marquess, will give you some of this heroine’s background. And I adore that book so you should read it! I didn’t read book 1 of the series but did read book 2. They are all loosely connected by a group of heroines that are friends.
Basic plot:
Prue is out to steal back her inheritance and finds help in a relationship bargain with Lord Savage.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (?)
- Marquess/rake hero
- ruined heroine
- mistress
- Vauxhall
- bargain – hero will help the heroine steal back her inheritance if she becomes his mistress
- character focused
- mid steam – I have 4 full scenes but the last 2 are on the lighter side
Ages:
- I don’t recall them mentioned. If I had to guess I would say late 20s/early 30s for hero and early to mid 20s for heroine?
First line:
Prudence Thorogood drew the hood of her tattered mantle over her head and reached for the lion’s head door knocker.
My thoughts:
Oh I just love Vivienne Lorret. I love the time she takes on the little romantic things. I love all the little touches, and the back and forth banter and the emotional build up of her scenes. I just adored this book so much.
I was worried with it being a mistress theme I might not get into it because I find the tension can kind of dwindle for me with a ‘business transaction’ feel going on but I loved how it played out there. It even feels like more of a slow burn (the steam is definitely later in the book) but I appreciated that because it let the tension build up for me.
Leo is smitten, everyone. He is head over heels, obsessed with Prue and I ate it up! The time he takes with her. The gentleness. The playfulness. Ahhhh I was swooning left and right over him.
And Prue is just the best. I loved her as a heroine. Her strength and recovery and her journey to healing was really heart warming to me.
I just found myself loving so many lines in this one. I found it really romantic and sweet and I loved it.
Endearments
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
“And I never know what to do with my hands,” she added nervously.
He draped the tired garment over the back of a chair and faced her. “Then simply give them to me.”
Her brow furrowed as she looked skeptically at his waiting palms. “What do you intend to do with them?”
“Merely take you -”
“Here?” She balked. “Now?”
“- to the study,” he concluded with a slow grin. “However, if you’d prefer to put this table to better use…”
---
“Two things have become patently clear, my dear,” he continued and stepped toward her. “First of which is the fact that I’m going to have to murder my valet. And second, I’m not paying Madame LeBlanc nearly enough for her services. There,” he said, settling his coat over her shoulders in a gesture that surprised her.
She blinked in confusion. “You...you’re giving me your coat?”
“Aye. Now we can go down to dinner without inciting a riot among the footmen. I’m simply too weak from hunger to fend them off for your sake.”
---
She fit him perfectly, her body willowy but strong and supple. He couldn’t wait to take her.
But he would wait, nonetheless. At least for now.
She was quiet as he settled her against his side, blinking to keep her eyes on full alert. “I imagine these bedcurtains have seen a great deal.”
“So much wickedness. That’s why they’re black, you know. They were virginal white once upon a time.”
---
He nibbled lightly over her bare shoulders, all the way to the beribboned edge of the sleeve perched on the crest. “Oh, but he will think about it. With all this creamy skin to tempt him, how could he resist?”
“I’m wearing the necklace now and it doesn’t seem to be deterring you. So, I am hardly to blame for the things he does.” She felt him smile against her skin and it caused her stomach to flip.
As if he knew this, his large hand stole around her waist and splayed across her midriff. “He cannot help himself when you taste so sweet.”
“Clearly, something ought to be done about this man and his wicked ways.”
“You think this is wicked? Oh, my dear Miss Thorogood, he hasn’t even begun.”
He chuckled, the low sound sending a shiver of gooseflesh over her skin. And as the heat of his tongue touched her, a mewl rose in her throat.
The next thing she knew, she was turned in his arms, his gaze like molten jade as his hand stole to her nape and he sealed his mouth over hers.
She yielded instantly. Blindly, she reached for him, gripping a fistful of his linen shirt.
----
This scene just grabbed my heart so much – he is fingering her, already promised not to take it further for himself that night and HE is the one wrecked by it – HIS breath is the one fracturing – ahhhh so swoony!
He kissed her again, murmuring against her lips about how wet and warm she was. Wicked things about wanting to taste her and fill her and feel the tight grip of her body over his manhood...only manhood wasn’t the word he used. The actual word was too scandalous even to think, especially when she couldn’t think at all as the tip of his finger slowly entered her.
His breath fractured, broken and hot against her cheek. She felt the collection of perspiration on the forehead pressed to her temple. Felt the hardness of him pressed to the curve of her hip.
---
He spoke with such audacious valiance that it brought a laugh to her lips. It bubbled out before she could think of holding it back, and ended with a small – albeit embarrassing – snort.
“You have the best laugh,” he said, his pupils darkening, his gaze hungry.
He caught her lips with his own and kissed her.
---
“I don’t know. I merely fell on my backside. I’m clumsy, I suppose. Just one of my many flaws.”
“Now, I know something is the matter because you have no flaws. Not a single one.”
A watery, self-depreciating laugh escaped her. “You don’t mean that. Everyone has flaws and I have more than my share.”
“Well, if you insist, then you belief that you have a flaw is your only one. You are perfect in every other regard.”
She was ready to refute that, too. But when she saw that there wasn’t a teasing smirk on his lips and no laughing glint in his eyes, she couldn’t speak at all for a moment, he look at her with tender, enduring warmth as if he believed it down to his soul. He touched her as if she were a gift, precious, cherished. And her heart was so full it was choking her.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- hero was abandoned by his mother
- hero was poisoned
- sexual assault remembered by heroine
- family abandonment and judgment
- mention of family member having dementia
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: Some of these are on the shorter/lighter side. There’s also some alluded to scenes/fading scenes.
Safe sex:
26% - kiss
34% - kisses and touches while sleeping together in bed
45% - 🔥 fingering for her
”You’ll like this, moonflower. It’s just a small surrender, really. I only want to feel you come apart in my hands.”
62% - 🔥 bath scene – fingering for her, then missionary (she loses her virginity, which she thought she lost during her prior experience), then oral for her, then missionary
A mewl of protest left her as he turned her unfulfilled body onto her back.
He stalled her argument with a kiss, his powerful form pressing down on her. “This time, I want to feel you come apart.”
70% - 🔥 mirror play and missionary (?) it’s a touch light
”I need...more,” she heard and was shocked that that whimpered entreaty had fallen from her own lips. She clung to him with something akin to desperation.
“What do you need, my sweet?”
“You,” she answered without hesitation and heard the catch in his breath as her lips peppered his chin, jaw and neck with frantic kisses.
His grip on her tightened. “Show me.”
80% - 🔥 her on top – it’s a touch light
”Easy,” he crooned against her lips as he held her face, his fingertips tracing the delicate shell of her ear, featherlight caresses along her brow, through the disheveled wisps of her hair. “Shh...We have all the time in the world.”
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine (probably more from the heroine)
When mains are first on page together: Chapter 11 of 81 for them to truly be together on page (It felt like forever to me)
Cliffhanger: Yes and as of this review, the next book is not out yet.
Epilogue: No
Format: bought audiobook (audible)
Should I read in order?
This is the first book of William’s The Tether Series so start here, but yes read in order as this is the beginning of the story and it ends on a cliffhanger.
Basic plot:
Willow is having dreams of a man who can read her thoughts, and is eventually pulled into his dimension.
Give this a try if you want:
- Fantasy romance (split between a contemporary Earth and a fantasy world with mixed technology)
- heroine describes herself as thick (though it’s not mentioned or talked about much)
- one room at the inn (not a big part)
-celibate hero – it’s been 6 months
- hero can’t abide being touched by anyone
- tethered mates (fated!)
- telepathy – they can hear each other’s thoughts and talk in their minds to each other
- pets – both hero and heroine get wolves they connect with
- mid steam – 3 full scenes but they are towards the end of the book and might feel like a slower burn
Ages:
- Hero is 112, didn’t catch heroine but want to guess mid to late 20s?
First line:
The gun is not my enemy.
My thoughts:
I wanted to love this one, but just never got full invested in Willow and Caz as a couple.
This one felt pretty slow to me – and I get that could just be me because it’s fantasy and I don’t usually read a ton of fantasy. I know they can be a bit slow, time spent on world building, the relationship slowly progressing and maybe ending on a cliffhanger and taking multiple books to complete. But the world building and relationship growth didn’t grab me so it felt even slower than what it was. I found myself wanting to start something else but told myself to stick it through to the end.
I did like some parts towards the end more, so I’m glad I did. The steam here was by far my favorite part, and the only time I really felt the mains were connecting (ahhhh, figuratively of course). In between that, I felt like they just kept pushing each other away, pushing each other apart. Trying to keep themselves separated and I wanted them together more and want to be together. I feel like they really seemed to hone in on them being apart being the answer to everything when I don’t see how it would keep either of them safe. Or even why the heroine would want to go back to her life on Earth.
There’s a bit of mystery going on around their cold tether and the danger to them regarding it. It’s so rare they can’t get good answers. I felt the ending revelations were kind of a let down. I also wished there had been more of a build up to the heroine being able to touch the heroine. Sure, it took forever, but I wanted more of a...gut wrenching moment about it. Maybe more from his mind wanting and longing for her to touch him?
So I am not sure if I will continue this series. I’d consider it. I did like parts of this book, but I wasn’t in to the world building here or the society structure necessarily. So I think I’d like to try a different one of William’s books and see if I like that one more.
World building
- There is a link between the hero’s world and Earth.
- People have been linked through the two worlds and traveled back and forth (if they are a tethered mate.)
- Cold tethers have to be together or they die
- Cold tethers are much more rare than a regular tether.
- In a cold tether, the two mate’s mind and body are instantly drawn to each other.
- Their senses are heightened.
- When separated they have great pain and misery.
- Something hunts cold tethers for their bond, joy, and love and sucks them dry.
- The people in the hero's world can drink potions to keep themselves young
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- the heroine’s twin brother went missing while traveling 2 years ago
- abusive relationship
- scenes of alcohol, weed/bloom, and anti-depressant and other drug usage
- murder and gun violence on page
- remembrance of heroine’s mother ‘losing her mind’ and becoming suicidal when she was 3
- child rape – mentioned of happening to a side character and scenes of interactions with a character that committed it
- attempted rape on page
- forced drugging on page of heroine
- racism on page experienced by the heroine
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Hero pulls out and has been celibate for 6 months
Chapter 49 of 81 – kiss
Chapter 64 of 81 – kiss
Chapter 65 of 81 – 🔥 oral for her, doggy style, oral for her to finish at the cabin in the woods
”Turn over,” he commands, after wiping his come off my back with a towel.
“What?”
“Turn onto your back.”
“I thought we were finished.”
He cocks a brow. “Did you finish?”
I start to tell him no, but he grabs my hips and drags me towards the edge of the bed. To his knees he drops.
Chapter 70 of 81 – 🔥 fingering for her, counter sex in the armory, then he picks her up and holds her to fuck her, light praise, light holding/hand necklace, makes her beg
Her fingers comb through my hair and I reel her in by the hips, my tongue colliding with hers. She reaches down, groping my dick through my pants and I groan into her mouth, "Oh, your touch."
I groan, "Fuck, Willow, how am I so weak for it?" I unzip my jeans and lower them
Chapter 74 of 81 – 🔥 telepathy sex – mutual masturbation
”I can’t stop thinking about you, Willow.” His words make my heart hammer in my chest. I feel myself lowering my guard, anticipating his next words.
“Will you do me a favor?”
“What?” I wonder, as if bored.
“Slide your fingers into your panties and play with yourself.”
“Are you serious right now?”
“I’m dead serious.”
I fidget in the bed, then shake my head. “No. Why should I?”
“I want to try something.”
“Well, whatever it is, I’m not doing it.”
Caz is quiet again, and I think he’s not going to say much else, but then I feel a sensation down below and I squeeze my thighs together gasping.
“What the hell are you doing?” I whisper.
“You felt that, aye?”
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine (probably more from the heroine)
When mains are first on page together: Chapter 11 of 81 for them to truly be together on page (It felt like forever to me)
Cliffhanger: Yes and as of this review, the next book is not out yet.
Epilogue: No
Format: bought audiobook (audible)
Should I read in order?
This is the first book of William’s The Tether Series so start here, but yes read in order as this is the beginning of the story and it ends on a cliffhanger.
Basic plot:
Willow is having dreams of a man who can read her thoughts, and is eventually pulled into his dimension.
Give this a try if you want:
- Fantasy romance (split between a contemporary Earth and a fantasy world with mixed technology)
- heroine describes herself as thick (though it’s not mentioned or talked about much)
- one room at the inn (not a big part)
-
- hero can’t abide being touched by anyone
- tethered mates (fated!)
- telepathy – they can hear each other’s thoughts and talk in their minds to each other
- pets – both hero and heroine get wolves they connect with
- mid steam – 3 full scenes but they are towards the end of the book and might feel like a slower burn
Ages:
- Hero is 112, didn’t catch heroine but want to guess mid to late 20s?
First line:
The gun is not my enemy.
My thoughts:
I wanted to love this one, but just never got full invested in Willow and Caz as a couple.
This one felt pretty slow to me – and I get that could just be me because it’s fantasy and I don’t usually read a ton of fantasy. I know they can be a bit slow, time spent on world building, the relationship slowly progressing and maybe ending on a cliffhanger and taking multiple books to complete. But the world building and relationship growth didn’t grab me so it felt even slower than what it was. I found myself wanting to start something else but told myself to stick it through to the end.
I did like some parts towards the end more, so I’m glad I did. The steam here was by far my favorite part, and the only time I really felt the mains were connecting (ahhhh, figuratively of course). In between that, I felt like they just kept pushing each other away, pushing each other apart. Trying to keep themselves separated and I wanted them together more and want to be together. I feel like they really seemed to hone in on them being apart being the answer to everything when I don’t see how it would keep either of them safe. Or even why the heroine would want to go back to her life on Earth.
There’s a bit of mystery going on around their cold tether and the danger to them regarding it. It’s so rare they can’t get good answers. I felt the ending revelations were kind of a let down. I also wished there had been more of a build up to the heroine being able to touch the heroine. Sure, it took forever, but I wanted more of a...gut wrenching moment about it. Maybe more from his mind wanting and longing for her to touch him?
So I am not sure if I will continue this series. I’d consider it. I did like parts of this book, but I wasn’t in to the world building here or the society structure necessarily. So I think I’d like to try a different one of William’s books and see if I like that one more.
World building
- There is a link between the hero’s world and Earth.
- People have been linked through the two worlds and traveled back and forth (if they are a tethered mate.)
- Cold tethers have to be together or they die
- Cold tethers are much more rare than a regular tether.
- In a cold tether, the two mate’s mind and body are instantly drawn to each other.
- Their senses are heightened.
- When separated they have great pain and misery.
- Something hunts cold tethers for their bond, joy, and love and sucks them dry.
- The people in the hero's world can drink potions to keep themselves young
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- the heroine’s twin brother went missing while traveling 2 years ago
- abusive relationship
- scenes of alcohol, weed/bloom, and anti-depressant and other drug usage
- murder and gun violence on page
- remembrance of heroine’s mother ‘losing her mind’ and becoming suicidal when she was 3
- child rape – mentioned of happening to a side character and scenes of interactions with a character that committed it
- attempted rape on page
- forced drugging on page of heroine
- racism on page experienced by the heroine
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Chapter 49 of 81 – kiss
Chapter 64 of 81 – kiss
Chapter 65 of 81 – 🔥 oral for her, doggy style, oral for her to finish at the cabin in the woods
”Turn over,” he commands, after wiping his come off my back with a towel.
“What?”
“Turn onto your back.”
“I thought we were finished.”
He cocks a brow. “Did you finish?”
I start to tell him no, but he grabs my hips and drags me towards the edge of the bed. To his knees he drops.
Chapter 70 of 81 – 🔥 fingering for her, counter sex in the armory, then he picks her up and holds her to fuck her, light praise, light holding/hand necklace, makes her beg
Her fingers comb through my hair and I reel her in by the hips, my tongue colliding with hers. She reaches down, groping my dick through my pants and I groan into her mouth, "Oh, your touch."
I groan, "Fuck, Willow, how am I so weak for it?" I unzip my jeans and lower them
Chapter 74 of 81 – 🔥 telepathy sex – mutual masturbation
”I can’t stop thinking about you, Willow.” His words make my heart hammer in my chest. I feel myself lowering my guard, anticipating his next words.
“Will you do me a favor?”
“What?” I wonder, as if bored.
“Slide your fingers into your panties and play with yourself.”
“Are you serious right now?”
“I’m dead serious.”
I fidget in the bed, then shake my head. “No. Why should I?”
“I want to try something.”
“Well, whatever it is, I’m not doing it.”
Caz is quiet again, and I think he’s not going to say much else, but then I feel a sensation down below and I squeeze my thighs together gasping.
“What the hell are you doing?” I whisper.
“You felt that, aye?”
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine (And I think some side characters? Like Reaver?)
When mains are first on page together: I think almost immediately (going to double check later!)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes – last chapter is a bit in the future (few months maybe?)
Format: borrowed audio from library (Hoopla)
Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. Especially Colin’s story, which comes into play here – that is book 3. But to enjoy book 3 you should read books 1 and 2 because they set up Colin’s character. And REALLY you should read the prequel novel because I love it. So yeah.
Basic plot:
Henry secretly longs for Maureen, but must keep her at a distance to keep her safe. At least until he can solve the danger posed to anyone he gets close to...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- heroine wants a family – a husband and children
- heroine loves to cook
- hero with a dark, mysterious past
- unrequited love – soooo strong!
- friends to lovers
- VERY protective hero (and possessive and a touch jealous)
- angsty!
- hero wears flamboyant colored waistcoats
- medium to higher steam – 4 full scenes
First line:
Most men saw poorly in the dark.
My thoughts:
Ohhh my goodness, I just LOVED this book!!!! I think it surpassed Ever Yours, Annabelle for me (book 0.5) and I swooned for that one.
This novel has so much unrequited love, the longing, the angsty pining – so perfect. I loved the tension building, the moment when the hero’s self control breaks and he finally shows her how he feels…
I adored how much Henry loved Maureen. Her safety is his priority even at the cost of his own desires. The fact that we start this story with one of the most adorable friendships ever made me love it even more. I adored how he couldn’t stay away from her. And I also loved that he refused to let anyone else near her.
Maureen is so sweet and I actually loved that she just really wanted a family. I know most of our heroines end up with families and children but rarely do I see it as one of the driving focuses of a heroine. I loved that she enjoyed cooking too!
I loved the dark side of Henry too. The kind of hero that will rip people apart to protect his woman. I loved it. I loved it!
Endearments
Hero calls the heroine pet
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
“I thought you were sotted,” she murmured, “but it is worse. You are mad, through and through.”
He laughed, his chest expanding until he thought his ribs might crack. Good, she was beautiful, even when she was a mess.
“Mad for you, perhaps.”
---
Satisfaction surged as she responded with a little flicker of her tongue. He smiled against her and returned the favor. “I will spend every day on my knees begging your forgiveness pet.”
---
Obviously, she needed to be higher. He gladly obliged, grasping her thighs and lifting, setting her backside on the table as she yelped against his mouth.
---
He shoved her skirts higher, forced her thighs wider to accept his hips, and ground himself against the heart of her.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death and murder on page
- attack with weapons on page of hero
- murder of parent in front of a child (remembered)
- poisoning
- hostage situation/gun violence and death by gun
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
19% - kiss
40% - 🔥 kisses, breast play, fingering/oral for her
53% - 🔥 kisses, bath fingering for her, missionary (V loss for her)
68% - 🔥 breast play, oral for her, doggy
86% - kiss
96% - 🔥 her on top
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine (And I think some side characters? Like Reaver?)
When mains are first on page together: I think almost immediately (going to double check later!)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes – last chapter is a bit in the future (few months maybe?)
Format: borrowed audio from library (Hoopla)
Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. Especially Colin’s story, which comes into play here – that is book 3. But to enjoy book 3 you should read books 1 and 2 because they set up Colin’s character. And REALLY you should read the prequel novel because I love it. So yeah.
Basic plot:
Henry secretly longs for Maureen, but must keep her at a distance to keep her safe. At least until he can solve the danger posed to anyone he gets close to...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- heroine wants a family – a husband and children
- heroine loves to cook
- hero with a dark, mysterious past
- unrequited love – soooo strong!
- friends to lovers
- VERY protective hero (and possessive and a touch jealous)
- angsty!
- hero wears flamboyant colored waistcoats
- medium to higher steam – 4 full scenes
First line:
Most men saw poorly in the dark.
My thoughts:
Ohhh my goodness, I just LOVED this book!!!! I think it surpassed Ever Yours, Annabelle for me (book 0.5) and I swooned for that one.
This novel has so much unrequited love, the longing, the angsty pining – so perfect. I loved the tension building, the moment when the hero’s self control breaks and he finally shows her how he feels…
I adored how much Henry loved Maureen. Her safety is his priority even at the cost of his own desires. The fact that we start this story with one of the most adorable friendships ever made me love it even more. I adored how he couldn’t stay away from her. And I also loved that he refused to let anyone else near her.
Maureen is so sweet and I actually loved that she just really wanted a family. I know most of our heroines end up with families and children but rarely do I see it as one of the driving focuses of a heroine. I loved that she enjoyed cooking too!
I loved the dark side of Henry too. The kind of hero that will rip people apart to protect his woman. I loved it. I loved it!
Endearments
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
“I thought you were sotted,” she murmured, “but it is worse. You are mad, through and through.”
He laughed, his chest expanding until he thought his ribs might crack. Good, she was beautiful, even when she was a mess.
“Mad for you, perhaps.”
---
Satisfaction surged as she responded with a little flicker of her tongue. He smiled against her and returned the favor. “I will spend every day on my knees begging your forgiveness pet.”
---
Obviously, she needed to be higher. He gladly obliged, grasping her thighs and lifting, setting her backside on the table as she yelped against his mouth.
---
He shoved her skirts higher, forced her thighs wider to accept his hips, and ground himself against the heart of her.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death and murder on page
- attack with weapons on page of hero
- murder of parent in front of a child (remembered)
- poisoning
- hostage situation/gun violence and death by gun
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
19% - kiss
40% - 🔥 kisses, breast play, fingering/oral for her
53% - 🔥 kisses, bath fingering for her, missionary (V loss for her)
68% - 🔥 breast play, oral for her, doggy
86% - kiss
96% - 🔥 her on top
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (chapter 2, about 6% or so)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to audiobook checked out on Hoopla
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes because the family is large and intertwined and overlapping in books. But I also think this one is fine for a rebel reader to pick up and read alone. Most of the book is focused on the mystery and Rosalind and Chase working together.
Basic plot:
Chase gets a message summoning him to a mysterious meeting and the last person he expects is Rosalind, a woman from his past.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- mystery focused – hero and heroine work together to find the heroine’s missing sister
- widowed heroine
- teach me
- naughty paintings
- a hero that has a passionate hatred for puppets 😂
- captain hero
- mid steam – 3 full scenes – slower burn and the last scene is on the light side
Ages:
- hero is ‘30-something’, and heroine is not yet 30
First line:
Banished.
My thoughts:
I swear when I started this and realized it was second chance, I was still going to give it my all. But combined with the mystery and me disliking the hero most of the book, this book wasn’t a favorite for me.
Our first interaction between Chase and Rosalind set the tone for me for the hero and I never really got over it. We know they have a past, and something happened to destroy their relationship. (Which, when I found out what it was, I didn’t think it was nearly as drastic as it was made to seem and no reason for Chase to treat Rosalind the way he did). Rosalind is desperate to find her missing sister and Chase basically smirks, belittles and condescends to her and I kind of hated him.And the scene in the past where he smells her husband’s soap on her and acts like a jealous child? Bleh.
I got a bit bored in the first half and wanted the mains together more. But then when they were together it was very mystery focused – mystery plot wise in finding the sister and mystery with their past relationship which is slowly revealed throughout the book.
I liked the heroine, but never grew to love either of these characters. This one wasn’t for me but I think if you enjoy second chance and a mystery aspect this will be a much smoother read for you.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- some possible problematic phrasing (small part) of ‘exotic girls that are dark and free’ from time in other countries
- human trafficking
- possible feelings of infidelity – hero goes to a brothel where he’s drunk and pretends the girl is the heroine but I don’t think anything happens with the girls. Also, their first kiss was when the heroine was married to someone else.
- remembrances of war and death
- scenes of attempted murder, violence
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
22% - kiss (in the past)
32% - fingering for her behind some bookshelves, with other people right next to them (risk of getting caught), partial scene
73% - 🔥 sex against a bureau
82% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, 69
99% - 🔥 her on to in a chair (it’s pretty short but I counted it)
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (chapter 2, about 6% or so)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to audiobook checked out on Hoopla
Should I read in order?
Ideally yes because the family is large and intertwined and overlapping in books. But I also think this one is fine for a rebel reader to pick up and read alone. Most of the book is focused on the mystery and Rosalind and Chase working together.
Basic plot:
Chase gets a message summoning him to a mysterious meeting and the last person he expects is Rosalind, a woman from his past.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- mystery focused – hero and heroine work together to find the heroine’s missing sister
- widowed heroine
- teach me
- naughty paintings
- a hero that has a passionate hatred for puppets 😂
- captain hero
- mid steam – 3 full scenes – slower burn and the last scene is on the light side
Ages:
- hero is ‘30-something’, and heroine is not yet 30
First line:
Banished.
My thoughts:
I swear when I started this and realized it was second chance, I was still going to give it my all. But combined with the mystery and me disliking the hero most of the book, this book wasn’t a favorite for me.
Our first interaction between Chase and Rosalind set the tone for me for the hero and I never really got over it. We know they have a past, and something happened to destroy their relationship. (Which, when I found out what it was, I didn’t think it was nearly as drastic as it was made to seem and no reason for Chase to treat Rosalind the way he did). Rosalind is desperate to find her missing sister and Chase basically smirks, belittles and condescends to her and I kind of hated him.
I got a bit bored in the first half and wanted the mains together more. But then when they were together it was very mystery focused – mystery plot wise in finding the sister and mystery with their past relationship which is slowly revealed throughout the book.
I liked the heroine, but never grew to love either of these characters. This one wasn’t for me but I think if you enjoy second chance and a mystery aspect this will be a much smoother read for you.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- some possible problematic phrasing (small part) of ‘exotic girls that are dark and free’ from time in other countries
- human trafficking
- possible feelings of infidelity – hero goes to a brothel where he’s drunk and pretends the girl is the heroine but I don’t think anything happens with the girls. Also, their first kiss was when the heroine was married to someone else.
- remembrances of war and death
- scenes of attempted murder, violence
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
22% - kiss (in the past)
32% - fingering for her behind some bookshelves, with other people right next to them (risk of getting caught), partial scene
73% - 🔥 sex against a bureau
82% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, 69
99% - 🔥 her on to in a chair (it’s pretty short but I counted it)
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 3.5 rounded ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person I think only from the hero’s point of view
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Should I read in order?
It’s not necessary for a rebel reader – there’s character overlap and some light page time with the mains from book 1, but each romance does stand alone.
Basic plot:
Julian is holding out for true love – and wonders if he’s found it when he meets the cook of the boarding house he’s staying at out west.
Give this a try if you want:
- Not 100% sure on time frame here, but I think it’s late 1800s? The hero’s family is a part of the upper echelons of New York society
- American west/New York setting (maybe half and half or a bit more in the Western setting)
- American mains (?) – Julian has mixed heritage (he is the son of a Union solder and a free Black woman and a part of the upper 400 in NY), and Violet has a Mexican accent (but I’m not 100% sure on her family history)
- consent is a focus
- instalust/instalove (on the hero’s part) that kind of leads into friends to lovers because he distances himself
- class difference – hero is rich and a respected member of society and heroine was a maid/cook at a boarding house in the West
- cartographer/artist heroine
- marriage of convenience
- cinnamon roll hero
- mid steam – 3 full scenes but they are on the light side (details and length)
Ages:
- Hero is 21, didn’t catch heroine but would guess a similar age?
First Line
Julian stepped inside the boarding house and cautioned a look around him.
My thoughts:
I liked this one okay. I love the narrator – sped up a bit, his voice was perfection. So I had a fun time listening to this while doing some other things around my house, but the romance wasn’t strong enough for me to want to really love this one.
I also think this one was only from the hero's perspective, which I love!
I think maybe I had in my head ‘mail order groom’ and honestly this didn’t fit that for me. Yes, there’s a mail order groom aspect to it, but it was more the hero rescuing her from mail order grooms 😆 So I might have set myself up for certain expectations and was disappointed.
This one starts with a bit of instalust for the hero, but he distances himself. So it’s more of a slow burn with them getting to know each other and becoming friends. There was lot of plot drama in this one to me – lots of society catty behavior that I struggled with a bit. And then they move on to New York in the second half and the angst picked up a bit and I appreciated that (loooove my angst), but also the miscommunication came in.
I think I struggled with this one a bit, because while the mains were on page quite a bit together, I wanted more bonding between them. More alone time where they were really getting to know each other. There was some tension building. But it all felt a bit slow. It was cute though. It was pleasant. I’m definitely going to read more in the series and hope I find something I love a bit more.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- some scenes of racism and judgmental attitudes – ‘gangs of Sioux’ is used by side characters ignorant about Indigenous culture, intolerance to poly relationships (the hero’s sister is in a MFM relationship and there’s comments)
- death of parents mentioned
- bullying and harassment (lots of ‘mean girl’ drama)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: Her scenes are a bit on the light side – like foreplay was decent but actual penetration/orgasm was lighter
Safe sex: I don’t believe so, but they are married
Chapter 12 – kisses
Chapter 13 – 🔥kisses and oral for her
Chapter 16 – 🔥kisses in a storm in the river, her on top
Chapter 19 – 🔥her on top
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: Third person I think only from the hero’s point of view
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Should I read in order?
It’s not necessary for a rebel reader – there’s character overlap and some light page time with the mains from book 1, but each romance does stand alone.
Basic plot:
Julian is holding out for true love – and wonders if he’s found it when he meets the cook of the boarding house he’s staying at out west.
Give this a try if you want:
- Not 100% sure on time frame here, but I think it’s late 1800s? The hero’s family is a part of the upper echelons of New York society
- American west/New York setting (maybe half and half or a bit more in the Western setting)
- American mains (?) – Julian has mixed heritage (he is the son of a Union solder and a free Black woman and a part of the upper 400 in NY), and Violet has a Mexican accent (but I’m not 100% sure on her family history)
- consent is a focus
- instalust/instalove (on the hero’s part) that kind of leads into friends to lovers because he distances himself
- class difference – hero is rich and a respected member of society and heroine was a maid/cook at a boarding house in the West
- cartographer/artist heroine
- marriage of convenience
- cinnamon roll hero
- mid steam – 3 full scenes but they are on the light side (details and length)
Ages:
- Hero is 21, didn’t catch heroine but would guess a similar age?
First Line
Julian stepped inside the boarding house and cautioned a look around him.
My thoughts:
I liked this one okay. I love the narrator – sped up a bit, his voice was perfection. So I had a fun time listening to this while doing some other things around my house, but the romance wasn’t strong enough for me to want to really love this one.
I also think this one was only from the hero's perspective, which I love!
I think maybe I had in my head ‘mail order groom’ and honestly this didn’t fit that for me. Yes, there’s a mail order groom aspect to it, but it was more the hero rescuing her from mail order grooms 😆 So I might have set myself up for certain expectations and was disappointed.
This one starts with a bit of instalust for the hero, but he distances himself. So it’s more of a slow burn with them getting to know each other and becoming friends. There was lot of plot drama in this one to me – lots of society catty behavior that I struggled with a bit. And then they move on to New York in the second half and the angst picked up a bit and I appreciated that (loooove my angst), but also the miscommunication came in.
I think I struggled with this one a bit, because while the mains were on page quite a bit together, I wanted more bonding between them. More alone time where they were really getting to know each other. There was some tension building. But it all felt a bit slow. It was cute though. It was pleasant. I’m definitely going to read more in the series and hope I find something I love a bit more.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- some scenes of racism and judgmental attitudes – ‘gangs of Sioux’ is used by side characters ignorant about Indigenous culture, intolerance to poly relationships (the hero’s sister is in a MFM relationship and there’s comments)
- death of parents mentioned
- bullying and harassment (lots of ‘mean girl’ drama)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes: Her scenes are a bit on the light side – like foreplay was decent but actual penetration/orgasm was lighter
Safe sex:
Chapter 12 – kisses
Chapter 13 – 🔥kisses and oral for her
Chapter 16 – 🔥kisses in a storm in the river, her on top
Chapter 19 – 🔥her on top
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 2.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (This was short, and that helped the readability for me. If it was longer I would have struggled to finish)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (There was not a big emotional pull for me here. Plenty explicit, but I felt it was a bit mechanical and not emotionally devastating like I wanted it)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (Might be 3? But I think it’s a 2, I didn’t take good notes)
Humor: A touch of family banter
Perspective: First person from Duke and Kaitlyn (I can’t recall if Jed has POV too, he might)
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happy for now
Format: listened to the audiobook (bought)
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Vale’s Grade-A Beefcakes.
Basic plot:
Jed and Duke have massive dicks that meant for just one woman – they just have to find her.
Give this a try if you want:
- Contemporary romance
- M/F/M relationship
- small town romance vibes
- instalove
- medium steam – at least 2 full scenes (my notes weren’t the best) in a shorter page count and light praise kink
Ages:
- Duke is 32 (I’m assuming Jed is similar age since they were in the same grade), and Kaitlyn is mid 20s
My thoughts:
This one….okay so I wasn’t expecting anything super sophisticated. I just wanted some good threesome sex. But I couldn’t get into this one.
When you meet the characters, the heroine is very much not like other girls. She goes to a bar with her friend and her friend is just too much, too forward, dressed too slutty – and they are OKAY with that – but NOT for the one. Kaitlyn is dressed cute, she’s more reserved. And from this, they can tell she is perfect. Oh, I haven’t stated yet that these two, Jed and Duke, their giant, massive, semen filled cocks are searching for THE ONE. It was mentioned so much I started thinking (especially Duke) they had no personality other than what their cocks want. They talk about them a lot, how giant they are, how badly they want to fill one woman with their semen. THE WOMAN.
Side note. My friend and I were recently talking about helicopter dicks (anyone read Slave by Cheryl Brooks??) and how big they would have to be before a man could actually take flight. These men could accomplish it, I am sure.
And, okay I was cringing a bit, but still like maybe I would still enjoy parts of it! But then Duke does something that to me was so asinine, childish and unforgivable, I would have never given him another chance. This is called out in the story by his friends and family and then he’s like oh you’re right. So I was glad it was addressed but I just couldn’t like him after that. And how he had to be explained to about how to behave...it’s big cock little brain usage syndrome I know, but still. Maybe once he empties the massive storage of semen he will be able to think clearer.
Anyway, I liked Jed. I wish Jed and decided his partner was an idiot and ran away with Kaitlyn in a MF relationship. Or took her fun ‘slutty’ friend and lived FFM happily ever after…
(Another random side thought – these two knew in seventh grade they wanted to share everything and wanted to fuck together. Am I just old? That seemed weird to me. And someone in their life (father?? I can’t recall and don’t care) told them to wait until college. So they practice and fucked their way through school and then in college were able to come together in all the ways)
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- stalking remembered and on page, harassment of heroine by a date that takes things too far
- mention of drunken driving that results in injuries and jail time
- death of a parent
- heroine is mentally and emotionally abused by a parent
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Chapter 5 (of 16) – kiss with Jed
I STOPPED TAKING GOOD NOTES SORRY I SUCK
Fingering for her scene at the bar soon after that (with Duke and Jed), then she gives them hand jobs
Chapter 14 oral for her by both, blow job
(I don’t have anymore notes but I know that there is a MFM penetration scene – vaginal and anal. I’m not sure if it’s with the scene above or another scene? I think it’s with the chapter 14 scene though
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (This was short, and that helped the readability for me. If it was longer I would have struggled to finish)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (There was not a big emotional pull for me here. Plenty explicit, but I felt it was a bit mechanical and not emotionally devastating like I wanted it)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (Might be 3? But I think it’s a 2, I didn’t take good notes)
Humor: A touch of family banter
Perspective: First person from Duke and Kaitlyn (I can’t recall if Jed has POV too, he might)
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happy for now
Format: listened to the audiobook (bought)
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Vale’s Grade-A Beefcakes.
Basic plot:
Jed and Duke have massive dicks that meant for just one woman – they just have to find her.
Give this a try if you want:
- Contemporary romance
- M/F/M relationship
- small town romance vibes
- instalove
- medium steam – at least 2 full scenes (my notes weren’t the best) in a shorter page count and light praise kink
Ages:
- Duke is 32 (I’m assuming Jed is similar age since they were in the same grade), and Kaitlyn is mid 20s
My thoughts:
This one….okay so I wasn’t expecting anything super sophisticated. I just wanted some good threesome sex. But I couldn’t get into this one.
When you meet the characters, the heroine is very much not like other girls. She goes to a bar with her friend and her friend is just too much, too forward, dressed too slutty – and they are OKAY with that – but NOT for the one. Kaitlyn is dressed cute, she’s more reserved. And from this, they can tell she is perfect. Oh, I haven’t stated yet that these two, Jed and Duke, their giant, massive, semen filled cocks are searching for THE ONE. It was mentioned so much I started thinking (especially Duke) they had no personality other than what their cocks want. They talk about them a lot, how giant they are, how badly they want to fill one woman with their semen. THE WOMAN.
Side note. My friend and I were recently talking about helicopter dicks (anyone read Slave by Cheryl Brooks??) and how big they would have to be before a man could actually take flight. These men could accomplish it, I am sure.
And, okay I was cringing a bit, but still like maybe I would still enjoy parts of it! But then Duke does something that to me was so asinine, childish and unforgivable, I would have never given him another chance. This is called out in the story by his friends and family and then he’s like oh you’re right. So I was glad it was addressed but I just couldn’t like him after that. And how he had to be explained to about how to behave...it’s big cock little brain usage syndrome I know, but still. Maybe once he empties the massive storage of semen he will be able to think clearer.
Anyway, I liked Jed. I wish Jed and decided his partner was an idiot and ran away with Kaitlyn in a MF relationship. Or took her fun ‘slutty’ friend and lived FFM happily ever after…
(Another random side thought – these two knew in seventh grade they wanted to share everything and wanted to fuck together. Am I just old? That seemed weird to me. And someone in their life (father?? I can’t recall and don’t care) told them to wait until college. So they practice and fucked their way through school and then in college were able to come together in all the ways)
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- stalking remembered and on page, harassment of heroine by a date that takes things too far
- mention of drunken driving that results in injuries and jail time
- death of a parent
- heroine is mentally and emotionally abused by a parent
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Chapter 5 (of 16) – kiss with Jed
I STOPPED TAKING GOOD NOTES SORRY I SUCK
Fingering for her scene at the bar soon after that (with Duke and Jed), then she gives them hand jobs
Chapter 14 oral for her by both, blow job
(I don’t have anymore notes but I know that there is a MFM penetration scene – vaginal and anal. I’m not sure if it’s with the scene above or another scene? I think it’s with the chapter 14 scene though