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adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (This started really strong for me but my interest waned about halfway through)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I wanted just a bit more emotional aspect when compared with the details)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (a lot of these felt lighter/short – the beginning ones were the longest I think)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes
Perspective: First person perspective from both hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, several months later (plus a bonus scene that takes place 2 weeks before the epilogue)
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (chapter 2)
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
I think this is the first in the series? Some other relationships are started in this one so might be best in order for this series.
Basic plot:
Stevie is trying to survive the alien apocalypse with her sorority sisters when aliens arrive. Luckily, Marrec and his companions seem to be on their side.
Give this a try if you want:
- post apocalyptic Earth and alien setting
- human heroine/alien hero pairing
- sorority involved heroine
- huge hero/tiny heroine – this hero is at least 2 feet taller than our heroine
- protective hero
- hero nurses hero back to health (light)
- aliens bring higher technology
- fated mates
- virgin hero
- lower angst
- hero cooks for the heroine
- mid to higher steam – there’s a number of scenes but some were short or on the lighter side
Ages:
- heroine is 22, hero is 28 in Earth years
First line:
An apocalypse did this to me.
My thoughts:
I adore the inclusion of playlists with books! I love that Mann included this in the beginning of the novel.
I really loved the first half or so of this novel. I thought it was a more unique spin on scifi romance – kind of a post apocalyptic Earth where a virus has created zombies and the last thing you’d expect is an alien spaceship arriving ready to eat them all and help you out. And as absurd as that sounds I just loved that idea! I thought the beginning was quite funny and I was very curious about getting to know the aliens and see what would happen.
Right around the fated mate reveal though (which I thought was rather anticlimactic? It seemed like a really big deal for the secondary couple, then how it happened after with our mains just felt like ‘oh, us too? Cool’ – and how when they had spent more time together??) I started to lose a bit of steam for this read. Part of it is probably it’s a bit lower angst – which is really great for a lot of readers, but I tend to eat it up. Without the angst I needed something else to really pull on me. Things were happening but a lot of it was pretty smooth sailing through the book. The second half kind of felt like a nice, peaceful extended epilogue to me. This could totally be my mood too though.
The sex started off great to me but seemed to get quite a bit lighter as we went on. I appreciated the bonus scene though, very much ;)
Endearments
The hero calls the heroine ‘little blossom’.
Heroine calls the hero ‘baby’ and ‘honey’.
Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:
- aliens are called Aprixian (of planet Aprix)
- aliens have English language implanted
- 2 feet taller than heroine
- Marrec has a red, metal left arm
- bright green eyes
- understands english but struggles with nuances and some words
- long red hair with sides shaved
- hero has each ear pierced twice
- bullet proof
- gray skin
- many males are not mated and die alone due to the population being mostly male
- cock is distinctly larger than human, no foreskin, and hairless
- he can have an orgasm without risk of getting her pregnant – to breed he must stay inside and warm her with his cock “My seed must be heated deep within your cunt to latch. It will make your stomach shake, and your temperature rise.”
- semen tastes like vanilla ice cream
- when pregnant, the mother’s stomach will glow with their ‘life seed’
Quotes/thoughts: (Any mistakes are my own)
“You can set me down now,” Stee-vee whispers. Her cheeks have turned nearly as red as her blood, and I’m worried that perhaps setting her down is not the best idea. I can continue to cradle her. I will walk where she needs me to walk, and stay where she needs me to say.
---
Shifting my hands to brush her hair over her shoulders, I nod. The back of my knuckles brush along her collar. “I would make my pledge of devotion closer to the powerful organ in your chest. Treasuring the peaks beneath your coverings that I am so curious about. I wish to put my mouth on them too.”
She swallows, her small neck shaking once like a heartbeat. “Wow, that’s uh, are you sure?”
I have never been more sure. “Shall I show you, my mate?”
“Um, if you’re positive that you want -”
I have her on her back, knees parted in the air and feet planted before she can finish speaking.
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- scenes of zombies
- mention of parents most likely dying in the outbreak
- mention of slavery
- harassment of heroine by a male side character
- violence (fighting, sword)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? No but hero is a virgin and he can choose if he wants sex without pregnancy risk or 'breeding' sex
36% - 🔥kiss leading eventually to breast play and fingering/oral for her, hero comes in his pants
48% - 🔥 missionary
58% - kiss
61% - 🔥blow job (incomplete) followed by sex that only has light details and is a few sentences
64% - 🔥 oral for her (it’s a bit light)
74% - blow job (incomplete), shower sex (it’s very light…)
76% - 🔥her on top
89% - 🔥fingering for her, light anal play/oral for her, missionary
95% (in the bonus scene) - 🔥 sex on a bookshelf
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (This started really strong for me but my interest waned about halfway through)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I wanted just a bit more emotional aspect when compared with the details)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (a lot of these felt lighter/short – the beginning ones were the longest I think)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes
Perspective: First person perspective from both hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, several months later (plus a bonus scene that takes place 2 weeks before the epilogue)
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (chapter 2)
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
I think this is the first in the series? Some other relationships are started in this one so might be best in order for this series.
Basic plot:
Stevie is trying to survive the alien apocalypse with her sorority sisters when aliens arrive. Luckily, Marrec and his companions seem to be on their side.
Give this a try if you want:
- post apocalyptic Earth and alien setting
- human heroine/alien hero pairing
- sorority involved heroine
- huge hero/tiny heroine – this hero is at least 2 feet taller than our heroine
- protective hero
- hero nurses hero back to health (light)
- aliens bring higher technology
- fated mates
- virgin hero
- lower angst
- hero cooks for the heroine
- mid to higher steam – there’s a number of scenes but some were short or on the lighter side
Ages:
- heroine is 22, hero is 28 in Earth years
First line:
An apocalypse did this to me.
My thoughts:
I adore the inclusion of playlists with books! I love that Mann included this in the beginning of the novel.
I really loved the first half or so of this novel. I thought it was a more unique spin on scifi romance – kind of a post apocalyptic Earth where a virus has created zombies and the last thing you’d expect is an alien spaceship arriving ready to eat them all and help you out. And as absurd as that sounds I just loved that idea! I thought the beginning was quite funny and I was very curious about getting to know the aliens and see what would happen.
Right around the fated mate reveal though (which I thought was rather anticlimactic? It seemed like a really big deal for the secondary couple, then how it happened after with our mains just felt like ‘oh, us too? Cool’ – and how when they had spent more time together??) I started to lose a bit of steam for this read. Part of it is probably it’s a bit lower angst – which is really great for a lot of readers, but I tend to eat it up. Without the angst I needed something else to really pull on me. Things were happening but a lot of it was pretty smooth sailing through the book. The second half kind of felt like a nice, peaceful extended epilogue to me. This could totally be my mood too though.
The sex started off great to me but seemed to get quite a bit lighter as we went on. I appreciated the bonus scene though, very much ;)
Endearments
Heroine calls the hero ‘baby’ and ‘honey’.
Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:
- aliens are called Aprixian (of planet Aprix)
- aliens have English language implanted
- 2 feet taller than heroine
- Marrec has a red, metal left arm
- bright green eyes
- understands english but struggles with nuances and some words
- long red hair with sides shaved
- hero has each ear pierced twice
- bullet proof
- gray skin
- many males are not mated and die alone due to the population being mostly male
- cock is distinctly larger than human, no foreskin, and hairless
- he can have an orgasm without risk of getting her pregnant – to breed he must stay inside and warm her with his cock “My seed must be heated deep within your cunt to latch. It will make your stomach shake, and your temperature rise.”
- semen tastes like vanilla ice cream
- when pregnant, the mother’s stomach will glow with their ‘life seed’
Quotes/thoughts: (Any mistakes are my own)
“You can set me down now,” Stee-vee whispers. Her cheeks have turned nearly as red as her blood, and I’m worried that perhaps setting her down is not the best idea. I can continue to cradle her. I will walk where she needs me to walk, and stay where she needs me to say.
---
Shifting my hands to brush her hair over her shoulders, I nod. The back of my knuckles brush along her collar. “I would make my pledge of devotion closer to the powerful organ in your chest. Treasuring the peaks beneath your coverings that I am so curious about. I wish to put my mouth on them too.”
She swallows, her small neck shaking once like a heartbeat. “Wow, that’s uh, are you sure?”
I have never been more sure. “Shall I show you, my mate?”
“Um, if you’re positive that you want -”
I have her on her back, knees parted in the air and feet planted before she can finish speaking.
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- scenes of zombies
- mention of parents most likely dying in the outbreak
- mention of slavery
- harassment of heroine by a male side character
- violence (fighting, sword)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex?
36% - 🔥kiss leading eventually to breast play and fingering/oral for her, hero comes in his pants
48% - 🔥 missionary
58% - kiss
61% - 🔥blow job (incomplete) followed by sex that only has light details and is a few sentences
64% - 🔥 oral for her (it’s a bit light)
74% - blow job (incomplete), shower sex (it’s very light…)
76% - 🔥her on top
89% - 🔥fingering for her, light anal play/oral for her, missionary
95% (in the bonus scene) - 🔥 sex on a bookshelf
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I think I struggled with this purely because this book is a bit darker in themes – sad feelings. And I am having a really rough couple weeks – purely personal and not the writing)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch. I wouldn’t think of this as a humorous book, but there’s a few playful scenes
Perspective: third person perspective from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately 3%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after.
Epilogue: Yes, 10 months later.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary if you’re a rebel reader, but I think book 1 at least would give a great setup for this story as there is some character and event cross over.
Basic plot:
Cybil and Will meet at a wedding and begin an affair...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1820)
- Scotland setting
- brother’s best friend
- hero has dimples!
- class difference – working class hero (he works at a mill) and baroness heroine
- instalust
- celibate hero
- pregnancy
- author heroine
- medium steam – 3 full scenes with some role playing
Ages:
- heroine is 35, didn’t catch hero
First line:
Cybil ventured into the forest looking for inspiration, and she found it.
My thoughts:
Mayberry is a master at really infusing historical romance with facts and characters that feel raw and real. This book has some heavier themes running through it, and tells the story of love overcoming some insurmountable odds.
Overall this book isn’t one I gravitate towards. I am not big on ‘unavailable’ mains that are married or engaged and tend to avoid pregnancies and children. But, there was something about this one that just gutted me. I had to know what would happen and how it would work out. And the ending really made my heart happy.
Something I loved about this one was that we get the beginning of their story too. Most of the book shows Will and Cybil as they have been in a relationship for 4 years. And Mayberry could have jumped there with some flashbacks but I was so, so glad she gave us The Past. It was sweet, funny, and gave me the best tingles as Will and Cybil circled each other and I found myself loving their love.
My struggles with this book were mostly purely personal and probably a bit in line with my moodiness the past few weeks. I found this book quite stressful and was also having some real life stress so I didn’t find myself eager to pick it up. But once I got back into it about the halfway mark, I was on edge wondering how it would all work out. I was frustrated with both mains at some points of the story. I didn’t feel like they were fair to each other at some points. Time was limited and they need to have some good, honest discussion about what their options were.The fact that Cybil was trying to find a family (of strangers, basically) that would maybe take the baby, but was so angry at Will for find a way to keep the baby in his house was so sad to me. Why should Will be separated from the baby if she was going to hand it out for adoption? Eventually they get there, but I was frustrated in the beginning of their journey there.
This is a pretty unique book in the HR world – just like I feel about her other books in the series too. I think I liked her steam the most in this one. I feel like Mayberry is really getting her confidence in the bedroom scenes. I adored the role playing aspect.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of dangerous mill work
- mention of recovering from a bullet wound
- mention of slaughterhouse
- pregnancy
- remembrances of having to leave young children alone while the hero went to work
- thoughts of abortion
- mention of heroine suffering physical abuse
- abduction of heroine and forced drugging (not by hero)
- physical abuse of a child by a man (villain)
- heroine’s husband talks of forced breeding between heroine and a servant
- threats with a gun
- domestic violence (physical attack to the face) of the heroine from her husband (not the hero)
Author given content warnings: unhappy marriage, an illicit affair, unplanned pregnancy, discussion of abortion, physical and psychological abuse, infidelity and the terrible prospect of two parents being forcibly separated from their newborn child
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: [First time hero pulls out, but then 4 years later the affair continues but the heroine is pregnant so obv something happened without safe sex (hide spoiler)]
9% - mention of hero masturbating
10% - 🔥kisses, role playing (from Effie and Ruthaven in The Vampyre), some levels of dominant hero behavior, roughness, mirror play, sex bent over the table
30% - 🔥 bath scene – blindfolded heroine, fingering for her, oral for her with light anal fingering,
46% - 🔥kisses in a cemetery leading to sex against a tree
96% - start of a scene
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I think I struggled with this purely because this book is a bit darker in themes – sad feelings. And I am having a really rough couple weeks – purely personal and not the writing)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch. I wouldn’t think of this as a humorous book, but there’s a few playful scenes
Perspective: third person perspective from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately 3%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after.
Epilogue: Yes, 10 months later.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary if you’re a rebel reader, but I think book 1 at least would give a great setup for this story as there is some character and event cross over.
Basic plot:
Cybil and Will meet at a wedding and begin an affair...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1820)
- Scotland setting
- brother’s best friend
- hero has dimples!
- class difference – working class hero (he works at a mill) and baroness heroine
- instalust
- celibate hero
- pregnancy
- author heroine
- medium steam – 3 full scenes with some role playing
Ages:
- heroine is 35, didn’t catch hero
First line:
Cybil ventured into the forest looking for inspiration, and she found it.
My thoughts:
Mayberry is a master at really infusing historical romance with facts and characters that feel raw and real. This book has some heavier themes running through it, and tells the story of love overcoming some insurmountable odds.
Overall this book isn’t one I gravitate towards. I am not big on ‘unavailable’ mains that are married or engaged and tend to avoid pregnancies and children. But, there was something about this one that just gutted me. I had to know what would happen and how it would work out. And the ending really made my heart happy.
Something I loved about this one was that we get the beginning of their story too. Most of the book shows Will and Cybil as they have been in a relationship for 4 years. And Mayberry could have jumped there with some flashbacks but I was so, so glad she gave us The Past. It was sweet, funny, and gave me the best tingles as Will and Cybil circled each other and I found myself loving their love.
My struggles with this book were mostly purely personal and probably a bit in line with my moodiness the past few weeks. I found this book quite stressful and was also having some real life stress so I didn’t find myself eager to pick it up. But once I got back into it about the halfway mark, I was on edge wondering how it would all work out. I was frustrated with both mains at some points of the story. I didn’t feel like they were fair to each other at some points. Time was limited and they need to have some good, honest discussion about what their options were.
This is a pretty unique book in the HR world – just like I feel about her other books in the series too. I think I liked her steam the most in this one. I feel like Mayberry is really getting her confidence in the bedroom scenes. I adored the role playing aspect.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of dangerous mill work
- mention of recovering from a bullet wound
- mention of slaughterhouse
- pregnancy
- remembrances of having to leave young children alone while the hero went to work
- thoughts of abortion
- mention of heroine suffering physical abuse
- abduction of heroine and forced drugging (not by hero)
- physical abuse of a child by a man (villain)
- heroine’s husband talks of forced breeding between heroine and a servant
- threats with a gun
- domestic violence (physical attack to the face) of the heroine from her husband (not the hero)
Author given content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: [First time hero pulls out, but then 4 years later the affair continues but the heroine is pregnant so obv something happened without safe sex (hide spoiler)]
9% - mention of hero masturbating
10% - 🔥kisses, role playing (from Effie and Ruthaven in The Vampyre), some levels of dominant hero behavior, roughness, mirror play, sex bent over the table
30% - 🔥 bath scene – blindfolded heroine, fingering for her, oral for her with light anal fingering,
46% - 🔥kisses in a cemetery leading to sex against a tree
96% - start of a scene
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (So I lost all my notes for this one but this is what I think it is)
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. This relationship has been in the background of a couple books.
Basic plot:
Charles has been attempting to woo Julia for years and the winter hunting party will provide the perfect opportunity to corner her into accepting.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- country setting
- winter romance
- novella length
- widowed heroine/widower hero
- bargain – heroine agrees to spending 12 nights in his bed to determine that they aren’t suitable
- hero pursues
- well-endowed hero
- mid steam – 2 scenes (I think) in a novella length
My thoughts:
I was almost done with this book and I ended up losing all of my notes on it. So there’s something things I’m not 100% sure on, like the steam, but that’s okay. I won’t have content warnings for this one either, because if there were any, they were saved in my notes :(
I really enjoyed this one. I am such a fan of Mary Sarah’s narration. I just fall into her stories with a soothed smile on my face. I am always shocked by how much dislike she gets in the romance community. (*holds Mary Sarah comfortingly*)
Anywayyyy we get the story of Julia and Charles who have been in the background in a number of scenes throughout the series, as well as Charles mother, the intimidating prelude to every chapter, the dowager Marchioness. I’ll admit I didn’t pay much attention them, but I ended up really loving their story!
I think the heroine’s whole reason for her hesitancy and push back was a bit silly, but I am able to forgive that. I eat up hero pursues and he pursues her so hard in this one. So I was just happy as a clam reading this entire novel with it’s angsty chase.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No, but the heroine believes she is barren.
I want to say there is a doggy style scene – he wants to take her like this because he’s obsessed with a freckle or something on her neck??
And maybe her on top?
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (So I lost all my notes for this one but this is what I think it is)
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. This relationship has been in the background of a couple books.
Basic plot:
Charles has been attempting to woo Julia for years and the winter hunting party will provide the perfect opportunity to corner her into accepting.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- country setting
- winter romance
- novella length
- widowed heroine/widower hero
- bargain – heroine agrees to spending 12 nights in his bed to determine that they aren’t suitable
- hero pursues
- well-endowed hero
- mid steam – 2 scenes (I think) in a novella length
My thoughts:
I was almost done with this book and I ended up losing all of my notes on it. So there’s something things I’m not 100% sure on, like the steam, but that’s okay. I won’t have content warnings for this one either, because if there were any, they were saved in my notes :(
I really enjoyed this one. I am such a fan of Mary Sarah’s narration. I just fall into her stories with a soothed smile on my face. I am always shocked by how much dislike she gets in the romance community. (*holds Mary Sarah comfortingly*)
Anywayyyy we get the story of Julia and Charles who have been in the background in a number of scenes throughout the series, as well as Charles mother, the intimidating prelude to every chapter, the dowager Marchioness. I’ll admit I didn’t pay much attention them, but I ended up really loving their story!
I think the heroine’s whole reason for her hesitancy and push back was a bit silly, but I am able to forgive that. I eat up hero pursues and he pursues her so hard in this one. So I was just happy as a clam reading this entire novel with it’s angsty chase.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
I want to say there is a doggy style scene – he wants to take her like this because he’s obsessed with a freckle or something on her neck??
And maybe her on top?
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person perspective from both heroes
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (I think it’s the first chapter?)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to the audio version on Hoopla
Should I read in order?
I think this is a stand alone novel
Basic plot:
Hawk kidnaps Nathaniel aboard his pirate ship and decides it’s the perfect revenge against his father.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian time period (1710)
- M/M romance
- bit of height difference – Hawk is well over 6 feet and Nathaniel is 5’7”
- revenge plot
- privateer turned private
- virgin hero
- kidnapped/captive hero
- pirates!
- on a ship most of the book
- higher steam – 8 scenes
Ages:
- Hawk is 41, Nathaniel is 18
First line:
If pirates would have been the bloody savage end of Nathaniel Bainbridge, he wished they’d get on with it.
My thoughts:
This romance has so much that I love! I am always up for a kidnapped/captive vibe and this starts off with a bang with Hawk taking Nathaniel, hoping for sweet revenge against his father. Add in an emotional tug, most of it taking place on a ship (lots of forced proximity), great steam and I am totally sold.
I love that this one didn’t take too long for Hawk to be seeing Nathaniel different. I loved how vulnerable they both were with each other. I loved the forbidden love aspect. I also love Cornell Collin’s narration so that just made this book all the more delightful for me.
There was a bit of separation at the end but it was rather angsty and I was uncertain about what would happen, so I was fine with it. Even with the hero engaged to someone else – that sometimes can get to me too – but it was done in a way that it was just a minor plot thing to me.
This was my first by Keira Andrews, but I’ll definitely be searching out more from them.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- dubious consent – Hawk kidnaps Nathaniel and holds him aboard his ship
- scenes of danger, violence, and murder
- alcohol use and over indulgence
- possible feelings of infidelity – Nathaniel is engaged to someone most of the book
- mention of mother dying in childbirth
- mention of slavery and Nathaniel’s father using it in the New World though it was outlawed elsewhere
- some elements of roughness (Hawk grabs Nathaniel by the throat to scare/subdue him in the beginning)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Not really
17% - 🔥 Nathaniel self pleasure scene
34% - 🔥 Nathaniel on top with a handy for him
38% - 🔥 light praise, desk sex with Nathaniel’s wrists held down
mention of Hawk using a glory hole on prior ship voyages
47% - 🔥 mutual blow jobs
54% - 🔥 Nathaniel gives Hawk a blow job then masturbates
61% - 🔥 sex on the beach – Hawk takes Nathaniel doggy style on the beach
70% - 🔥 thank god you’re alive tree humping sex (no penetration?)
94% - kiss
97% - 🔥 Hawk walks in on Nathaniel masturbating, Hawk gives anal oral to Nathaniel, missionary with Hawk on top
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person perspective from both heroes
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (I think it’s the first chapter?)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to the audio version on Hoopla
Should I read in order?
I think this is a stand alone novel
Basic plot:
Hawk kidnaps Nathaniel aboard his pirate ship and decides it’s the perfect revenge against his father.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian time period (1710)
- M/M romance
- bit of height difference – Hawk is well over 6 feet and Nathaniel is 5’7”
- revenge plot
- privateer turned private
- virgin hero
- kidnapped/captive hero
- pirates!
- on a ship most of the book
- higher steam – 8 scenes
Ages:
- Hawk is 41, Nathaniel is 18
First line:
If pirates would have been the bloody savage end of Nathaniel Bainbridge, he wished they’d get on with it.
My thoughts:
This romance has so much that I love! I am always up for a kidnapped/captive vibe and this starts off with a bang with Hawk taking Nathaniel, hoping for sweet revenge against his father. Add in an emotional tug, most of it taking place on a ship (lots of forced proximity), great steam and I am totally sold.
I love that this one didn’t take too long for Hawk to be seeing Nathaniel different. I loved how vulnerable they both were with each other. I loved the forbidden love aspect. I also love Cornell Collin’s narration so that just made this book all the more delightful for me.
There was a bit of separation at the end but it was rather angsty and I was uncertain about what would happen, so I was fine with it. Even with the hero engaged to someone else – that sometimes can get to me too – but it was done in a way that it was just a minor plot thing to me.
This was my first by Keira Andrews, but I’ll definitely be searching out more from them.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- dubious consent – Hawk kidnaps Nathaniel and holds him aboard his ship
- scenes of danger, violence, and murder
- alcohol use and over indulgence
- possible feelings of infidelity – Nathaniel is engaged to someone most of the book
- mention of mother dying in childbirth
- mention of slavery and Nathaniel’s father using it in the New World though it was outlawed elsewhere
- some elements of roughness (Hawk grabs Nathaniel by the throat to scare/subdue him in the beginning)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
17% - 🔥 Nathaniel self pleasure scene
34% - 🔥 Nathaniel on top with a handy for him
38% - 🔥 light praise, desk sex with Nathaniel’s wrists held down
mention of Hawk using a glory hole on prior ship voyages
47% - 🔥 mutual blow jobs
54% - 🔥 Nathaniel gives Hawk a blow job then masturbates
61% - 🔥 sex on the beach – Hawk takes Nathaniel doggy style on the beach
70% - 🔥 thank god you’re alive tree humping sex (no penetration?)
94% - kiss
97% - 🔥 Hawk walks in on Nathaniel masturbating, Hawk gives anal oral to Nathaniel, missionary with Hawk on top
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
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: Yes! Some truly delightful humor in this one.
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Format: checked out the audio version from Hoopla
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
You could but I don’t think it’s entirely necessary between books 1 and 2.
Basic plot:
Cynthia is attempting to recover from a scandal that has decimated her marriage prospects and attending a house party is the perfect husband hunting opportunity. Miles agrees to help her find a husband – at the price of a single kiss.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- house party setting
- beautiful heroine
- class difference
- entomologist hero (interested in bugs)
- gifts given to the heroine by hero
- big family feel
- relationship focused romance (not a big mystery to solve or villains)
- lower to mid steam – 2 full scenes and a hot partial
Ages:
- hero is nearly 30, heroine is 22
My thoughts:
I had such wide ranging thoughts about this one! Overall I enjoyed it, especially the humor and emotional and angsty aspect to the ending.
I wasn’t a big fan of book 1, so going into this the bar was a bit lower. And I found myself really loved the house party setting and focus on the characters interacting. There were some extremely humorous scenes that had me laughing in pure delight (the drinking game in this one had me rolling!). But I think what I struggled with most was the hero.
I didn’t grow to love Miles. I loved Cynthia, even though there’s some aspects of her not being entirely truthful. (That stuff usually really bothers me, but I am doing better about understanding reasoning and driving factors behind that…) I just felt like I couldn’t help but like her. She was fun to be with as a character. I liked her humor and bit of fun she likes to have. But Miles...their relationship kind of drove me bonkers. I wanted Miles to want Cynthia more than he did – or at least to the point where he wouldn’t schedule an assignation with someone else as late in the book as he did (nothing comes of it, but it was disappointing to me).
There were a few parts that drug a bit for me. There are some scenes of building other characters, which I know is expected in a big family series and a lot of people love that (I don’t, but that’s just me).
I did find some things super romantic. I loved the angst at the end. I love Long’s ability to write emotional scenes throughout the book. The characters really come to life and don’t feel two dimensional. The emotions and steamy pull of the first partial scene between Cynthia and Miles was amazing. So, overall I liked this one, but was frustrated a bit with Miles and probably wouldn’t reread this one. Still, it was fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than book 1.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of death of parents, parental abandonment
- some aspects of antiziganism (anti-Romani judgements and assumptions), ‘gypsy’ used
- hunting
- smoking
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: I don’t believe so but can’t recall
16% - kiss
49% - kisses, breast play, cock touches
69% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, hand job
91% - 🔥 kisses, missionary, her on top and mirror play
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes! Some truly delightful humor in this one.
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Format: checked out the audio version from Hoopla
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
You could but I don’t think it’s entirely necessary between books 1 and 2.
Basic plot:
Cynthia is attempting to recover from a scandal that has decimated her marriage prospects and attending a house party is the perfect husband hunting opportunity. Miles agrees to help her find a husband – at the price of a single kiss.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- house party setting
- beautiful heroine
- class difference
- entomologist hero (interested in bugs)
- gifts given to the heroine by hero
- big family feel
- relationship focused romance (not a big mystery to solve or villains)
- lower to mid steam – 2 full scenes and a hot partial
Ages:
- hero is nearly 30, heroine is 22
My thoughts:
I had such wide ranging thoughts about this one! Overall I enjoyed it, especially the humor and emotional and angsty aspect to the ending.
I wasn’t a big fan of book 1, so going into this the bar was a bit lower. And I found myself really loved the house party setting and focus on the characters interacting. There were some extremely humorous scenes that had me laughing in pure delight (the drinking game in this one had me rolling!). But I think what I struggled with most was the hero.
I didn’t grow to love Miles. I loved Cynthia, even though there’s some aspects of her not being entirely truthful. (That stuff usually really bothers me, but I am doing better about understanding reasoning and driving factors behind that…) I just felt like I couldn’t help but like her. She was fun to be with as a character. I liked her humor and bit of fun she likes to have. But Miles...their relationship kind of drove me bonkers. I wanted Miles to want Cynthia more than he did – or at least to the point where he wouldn’t schedule an assignation with someone else as late in the book as he did (nothing comes of it, but it was disappointing to me).
There were a few parts that drug a bit for me. There are some scenes of building other characters, which I know is expected in a big family series and a lot of people love that (I don’t, but that’s just me).
I did find some things super romantic. I loved the angst at the end. I love Long’s ability to write emotional scenes throughout the book. The characters really come to life and don’t feel two dimensional. The emotions and steamy pull of the first partial scene between Cynthia and Miles was amazing. So, overall I liked this one, but was frustrated a bit with Miles and probably wouldn’t reread this one. Still, it was fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than book 1.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of death of parents, parental abandonment
- some aspects of antiziganism (anti-Romani judgements and assumptions), ‘gypsy’ used
- hunting
- smoking
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
16% - kiss
49% - kisses, breast play, cock touches
69% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, hand job
91% - 🔥 kisses, missionary, her on top and mirror play
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, great banter!
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately – Chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No this ends on a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes. The last chapter is 6 months later
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’s some minor character cross over. The series is so unique and fun though!
Basic plot:
Henry agrees to escort Princess Isabel on a visit to Spain to diffuse political tensions.
Give this a try if you want:
- Luis I reign - 1872
- Lisbon, Portugal and Spain setting
- royalty – heroine is a princess
- scientist hero
- bathing machines at the beach!
- house party/vacation vibes
- class difference
- political intrigue/light mystery
- romantic and poetic prose
- strip trivia
- Rapunzel vibes
- protective hero (and maybe a bit of jealousy)
- hero falls first
- bodyguard vibes – the hero is roped into escorting the princess
- mid to higher steam – I counted 5 full scenes – some I combined together as they were very close and it is a longer novel (details at end of review). There is something a bit light about her scenes – more emotional than explicit.
Ages:
- Hero is 32, heroine is 22
First line:
The garden door was enchanted.
My thoughts:
I adore Siniscalchi’s writing!! She has such a beautiful writing style that just pulls me in and gives me all the feels. I find myself lost (in the best way) in her unique settings. Plots that are interesting and lead me on mini research sessions because I’m so curious. Characters that are so memorable and lively that I feel like I know them personally as they nestle in my heart. I find her stories carry a level of romance I don’t find every day.
Princess Isabel is someone I thought I wouldn’t like. She’s a bit prudish and very focused on morality. Her duty is to her brother, the king, and her country. She wields control with an iron fist over what little she dominates being a woman. But, I just loved her. I adored her slow realization that maybe she can open up, explore, embrace life, and stop suffocating herself. She’s such an honorable and strong female lead.
Henrique is the classic rake – a bit playful, teasing, always up for fun. But we get a depth here that really anchored my heart to him. I loved his emotional turmoil over knowing what he wants but shouldn’t have.
Something that shines through in this book is the research that goes into it. The Portugal and Spain backdrops are gorgeous. One scene I really appreciated were the bathing machines. I have only seen them mentioned a couple times in HR, but this scene I felt like I could actually feel how it was to experience one. (If you haven’t seen them before, look up pictures!)
I’ve read this whole series so far and each book is so special and unique. I think I’m still most attached to Pedro and Anne’s story (book 2) but this is a very close second. So much to love about this novel.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Isabel crossed her arms above her chest. “Careful. Words enlighten the spirit, while the senses can lead you astray.”
He came closer. “I’ve been allowing the senses to lead me astray for a long time now, but I would gladly give you the reins.”
---
His hand descended on her. Before the blow connected, he was flung backward. From the blur of shadows and limbs emerged Viscount Penafiel. Isabel staggered back from the melee. The viscount punched the drunkard’s face. His devil-may-care insolence slipped, exposing a swarthy stranger, his shirtsleeves doing a poor job of concealing menacing muscles.
All of a sudden, it seemed to her that Viscount Penafiel understood a thing or two about handling a crisis. His fists were quite...diplomatic. Perhaps she had been too hasty in condemning her brother’s choice.
The viscount’s white teeth flashed against his bronzed skin. “Your Highness, please lead the lady from here. The chat I’m about to have is inappropriate for women.”
---
“Today is your lucky day.” He made a flourish with his right hand and bowed. “I’m ready to squire my Dom Quixote to all her earthly desires.”
Isabel gasped. “I’m in no need of a Sancho Panza.”
He chuckled. “Not Sancho. I’ll be your handsome and more experienced knight.”
She scoffed. “You, a knight? More likely a knave-”
He shushed her with a finger on her lips. With a firm leash on herself, she restrained the urge to bite him. She glowered at him instead.
---
He opened his shirt and flung the dripping garment atop the porch. Isabel blinked, riveted by the expanse of bronzed skin and taut muscles. So this was a male chest. Had the temperature increased several degrees? Men swam bare-chested all the time, and she wore the most modest gown possible, but still... The moment felt too intimate. How could it not? The same water lapping her torso caressed his male nipples. Gasping, Isabel tore her gaze from his salacious body to his unrepentant grin. He winked and plunged headfirst. With fluid movements, he lifted his head above the surface, kicking his legs and pulling with his arms in perfect cadence, as if he alone listened to the ocean's music.
He flashed her a conceited smile.
“Come here.”
---
Reverently, Sophie touched Isabel’s cheek. “But she will always be my queen.”
She had become his queen as well.
---
“Rafaela was inside and willing, but I sent her away. She craves more passion from her marriage than the dutiful Canastra wants to provide...That night, she decided to-”
“Stick her tongue up your throat?” A sob escaped her chest, her eyes green pools of disdain and hurt. “Why didn’t you let her?”
He held her face. “Because after my tongue was inside you, it was ruined for every other taste.”
Isabel gasped, and the hand she barricaded against him became limp. Henrique meshed their lips.
---
“Impudent wench. You will steal all the credit?” He slapped her buttocks.
Isabel squealed. How dare you slap the royal rump, sir?”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of domestic violence against a side character and an attempted attack against the heroine
- disordered eating - there’s elements of withholding and restraint the heroine goes through – she believes refraining from the pleasures of life helps with morality (there is a scene where her corset and clothes are so tight to repress her curves and she hasn’t eaten that she faints)
- feelings of infidelity – the heroine opens the door and finds the hero kissing another woman (you find out she kissed him without consent and he didn’t want it)
- the hero does drug the heroine with ether to get her out of a dangerous situation and protect her
- I want to note a scene for those sensitive to consent – the hero takes the heroine to protect her and essentially locks her in a tower on his property. She initiates intimacy but part of it is to get the key to get out. We know from reading the story, she has feelings for the hero and it’s consensual but I think it could cross into dubious consent
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Pg 135/405 (33%) - kiss
Pg 167/405 (41%) - kiss
Pg 201/404 (49%) - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her
Pg 242/404 (59%) - 🔥 kisses, oral on a bench outdoors
Pg 299/404 (74%) - kisses
Pg 314/404 (77%) - 🔥 kisses, missionary followed by another scene (doggy?)
Pg 329/404 (81%) - 🔥oral for her, cock touches, sex on a table (This is pretty close to the last scene so I decided to combine), followed directly by another time, followed not long after by another scene.
Pg 390/404 (96%) - 🔥her on top to missionary
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, great banter!
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately – Chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No this ends on a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes. The last chapter is 6 months later
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’s some minor character cross over. The series is so unique and fun though!
Basic plot:
Henry agrees to escort Princess Isabel on a visit to Spain to diffuse political tensions.
Give this a try if you want:
- Luis I reign - 1872
- Lisbon, Portugal and Spain setting
- royalty – heroine is a princess
- scientist hero
- bathing machines at the beach!
- house party/vacation vibes
- class difference
- political intrigue/light mystery
- romantic and poetic prose
- strip trivia
- Rapunzel vibes
- protective hero (and maybe a bit of jealousy)
- hero falls first
- bodyguard vibes – the hero is roped into escorting the princess
- mid to higher steam – I counted 5 full scenes – some I combined together as they were very close and it is a longer novel (details at end of review). There is something a bit light about her scenes – more emotional than explicit.
Ages:
- Hero is 32, heroine is 22
First line:
The garden door was enchanted.
My thoughts:
I adore Siniscalchi’s writing!! She has such a beautiful writing style that just pulls me in and gives me all the feels. I find myself lost (in the best way) in her unique settings. Plots that are interesting and lead me on mini research sessions because I’m so curious. Characters that are so memorable and lively that I feel like I know them personally as they nestle in my heart. I find her stories carry a level of romance I don’t find every day.
Princess Isabel is someone I thought I wouldn’t like. She’s a bit prudish and very focused on morality. Her duty is to her brother, the king, and her country. She wields control with an iron fist over what little she dominates being a woman. But, I just loved her. I adored her slow realization that maybe she can open up, explore, embrace life, and stop suffocating herself. She’s such an honorable and strong female lead.
Henrique is the classic rake – a bit playful, teasing, always up for fun. But we get a depth here that really anchored my heart to him. I loved his emotional turmoil over knowing what he wants but shouldn’t have.
Something that shines through in this book is the research that goes into it. The Portugal and Spain backdrops are gorgeous. One scene I really appreciated were the bathing machines. I have only seen them mentioned a couple times in HR, but this scene I felt like I could actually feel how it was to experience one. (If you haven’t seen them before, look up pictures!)
I’ve read this whole series so far and each book is so special and unique. I think I’m still most attached to Pedro and Anne’s story (book 2) but this is a very close second. So much to love about this novel.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Isabel crossed her arms above her chest. “Careful. Words enlighten the spirit, while the senses can lead you astray.”
He came closer. “I’ve been allowing the senses to lead me astray for a long time now, but I would gladly give you the reins.”
---
His hand descended on her. Before the blow connected, he was flung backward. From the blur of shadows and limbs emerged Viscount Penafiel. Isabel staggered back from the melee. The viscount punched the drunkard’s face. His devil-may-care insolence slipped, exposing a swarthy stranger, his shirtsleeves doing a poor job of concealing menacing muscles.
All of a sudden, it seemed to her that Viscount Penafiel understood a thing or two about handling a crisis. His fists were quite...diplomatic. Perhaps she had been too hasty in condemning her brother’s choice.
The viscount’s white teeth flashed against his bronzed skin. “Your Highness, please lead the lady from here. The chat I’m about to have is inappropriate for women.”
---
“Today is your lucky day.” He made a flourish with his right hand and bowed. “I’m ready to squire my Dom Quixote to all her earthly desires.”
Isabel gasped. “I’m in no need of a Sancho Panza.”
He chuckled. “Not Sancho. I’ll be your handsome and more experienced knight.”
She scoffed. “You, a knight? More likely a knave-”
He shushed her with a finger on her lips. With a firm leash on herself, she restrained the urge to bite him. She glowered at him instead.
---
He opened his shirt and flung the dripping garment atop the porch. Isabel blinked, riveted by the expanse of bronzed skin and taut muscles. So this was a male chest. Had the temperature increased several degrees? Men swam bare-chested all the time, and she wore the most modest gown possible, but still... The moment felt too intimate. How could it not? The same water lapping her torso caressed his male nipples. Gasping, Isabel tore her gaze from his salacious body to his unrepentant grin. He winked and plunged headfirst. With fluid movements, he lifted his head above the surface, kicking his legs and pulling with his arms in perfect cadence, as if he alone listened to the ocean's music.
He flashed her a conceited smile.
“Come here.”
---
Reverently, Sophie touched Isabel’s cheek. “But she will always be my queen.”
She had become his queen as well.
---
“Rafaela was inside and willing, but I sent her away. She craves more passion from her marriage than the dutiful Canastra wants to provide...That night, she decided to-”
“Stick her tongue up your throat?” A sob escaped her chest, her eyes green pools of disdain and hurt. “Why didn’t you let her?”
He held her face. “Because after my tongue was inside you, it was ruined for every other taste.”
Isabel gasped, and the hand she barricaded against him became limp. Henrique meshed their lips.
---
“Impudent wench. You will steal all the credit?” He slapped her buttocks.
Isabel squealed. How dare you slap the royal rump, sir?”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of domestic violence against a side character and an attempted attack against the heroine
- disordered eating - there’s elements of withholding and restraint the heroine goes through – she believes refraining from the pleasures of life helps with morality (there is a scene where her corset and clothes are so tight to repress her curves and she hasn’t eaten that she faints)
- feelings of infidelity – the heroine opens the door and finds the hero kissing another woman (you find out she kissed him without consent and he didn’t want it)
- the hero does drug the heroine with ether to get her out of a dangerous situation and protect her
- I want to note a scene for those sensitive to consent – the hero takes the heroine to protect her and essentially locks her in a tower on his property. She initiates intimacy but part of it is to get the key to get out. We know from reading the story, she has feelings for the hero and it’s consensual but I think it could cross into dubious consent
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Pg 135/405 (33%) - kiss
Pg 167/405 (41%) - kiss
Pg 201/404 (49%) - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her
Pg 242/404 (59%) - 🔥 kisses, oral on a bench outdoors
Pg 299/404 (74%) - kisses
Pg 314/404 (77%) - 🔥 kisses, missionary followed by another scene (doggy?)
Pg 329/404 (81%) - 🔥oral for her, cock touches, sex on a table (This is pretty close to the last scene so I decided to combine), followed directly by another time, followed not long after by another scene.
Pg 390/404 (96%) - 🔥her on top to missionary
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-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: A bit
Perspective: Mostly third person from hero and heroine but there are a number of scenes from side characters
Cliffhanger: No, it ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Can't recall for sure but I don't believe so.
Format: checked out audiobook version from hoopla
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series.
Basic plot:
Madeleine has been hired to rescue Colin from the gallows. When someone tries to assassinate her, they bond together to solve the mystery surrounding Colin’s imprisonment.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- soldier hero
- light heroine nurses hero back to health
- on the run
- widow heroine
- lower steam – 2 full scenes towards the end of the story
My thoughts:
I ended up not getting into this one. There were quite a few perspectives in the beginning that was pulling me all over. There were a lot of characters I was introduced to and I felt overwhelmed.
But, as the story really started and we met Colin and Madeleine, I liked it more. I loved the on the run vibes where they were together most of the book. But, honestly I didn’t care much about the mystery. I wanted more tension between them. There were a few scenes where it could have developed for me but it was cut short or something happened.
I also struggle when there’s other love interests in the story sometimes. The hero thinking about Louisa for much of this story really made me think he was using Madeleine as a back up relationship.
I loved the ending revelations between the two feuding families. But the actual ending of the love story I wasn’t a fan of – the way they separated and came back together...meh.
I just found this couple forgettable and I wanted to start something new well before it was over. I definitely will read this whole series though! I really like Long’s writing style – I think she will have some books I love. She’s great with poetic descriptions and adding in an emotional aspect I crave.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of wrongful imprisonment, violence, murder, attempted murder, gunshots, and explosions
- hero is almost put the death by hanging
- talk of body snatchers, body exploration by medical students on bodies taken from graves
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
36% - light breast touches while hiding in a closet
72% - 🔥hand job, sex (missionary?) in a loft in a barn where they must be quiet
75% - kisses
80% - 🔥oral for her, missionary
Readability: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Mostly third person from hero and heroine but there are a number of scenes from side characters
Cliffhanger: No, it ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Can't recall for sure but I don't believe so.
Format: checked out audiobook version from hoopla
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Julie Anne Long’s Pennyroyal Green series.
Basic plot:
Madeleine has been hired to rescue Colin from the gallows. When someone tries to assassinate her, they bond together to solve the mystery surrounding Colin’s imprisonment.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- London setting
- soldier hero
- light heroine nurses hero back to health
- on the run
- widow heroine
- lower steam – 2 full scenes towards the end of the story
My thoughts:
I ended up not getting into this one. There were quite a few perspectives in the beginning that was pulling me all over. There were a lot of characters I was introduced to and I felt overwhelmed.
But, as the story really started and we met Colin and Madeleine, I liked it more. I loved the on the run vibes where they were together most of the book. But, honestly I didn’t care much about the mystery. I wanted more tension between them. There were a few scenes where it could have developed for me but it was cut short or something happened.
I also struggle when there’s other love interests in the story sometimes. The hero thinking about Louisa for much of this story really made me think he was using Madeleine as a back up relationship.
I loved the ending revelations between the two feuding families. But the actual ending of the love story I wasn’t a fan of – the way they separated and came back together...meh.
I just found this couple forgettable and I wanted to start something new well before it was over. I definitely will read this whole series though! I really like Long’s writing style – I think she will have some books I love. She’s great with poetic descriptions and adding in an emotional aspect I crave.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of wrongful imprisonment, violence, murder, attempted murder, gunshots, and explosions
- hero is almost put the death by hanging
- talk of body snatchers, body exploration by medical students on bodies taken from graves
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
36% - light breast touches while hiding in a closet
72% - 🔥hand job, sex (missionary?) in a loft in a barn where they must be quiet
75% - kisses
80% - 🔥oral for her, missionary
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (They jumped into it a bit fast for tension to build for me but there was some build up)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 🔥+
Humor: Yes, a bit I mean, the heroine carves penises into the hero’s paintings on his yacht, which was hilarious
Perspective: third person perspective from both the hero and heroine, alternating chapters
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (5%)
Cliffhanger: No, it ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No, but I think there will be a bonus epilogue available on Spark’s website! I think it’s 8 months later or so
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
I think you could – it’s not totally necessary but you’ll understand the family dynamics a bit more and there’s some character cross over.
Basic plot:
Kit and Annabelle have a past but each tells a different story of betrayal – when they reconnect after 16 years Kit is determined to get the truth from her.
Give this a try if you want:
- Interwar Years
- enemies to lovers
- huge hero/tiny heroine
- English heroine/Scottish hero
- second chance romance
- astronomy
- established mains (both are in their 30s)
- light off page epistolary
- LGBT positive features side characters is a positive light
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- high steam – 8 full scenes along with some kink elements
Ages:
- Hero is 37, heroine is 32
First line:
It was just her luck to miss her own bloody coming out ball.
My thoughts:
I ended up absolutely loving this novel! I would say I don’t even like second chance that much but this book made me love it. I got so many of my favorite romance things – I got all the firsts. The first meeting, The first kiss. And that made me feel their separation that much more keenly and long for a reconciliation.
What really grabbed me about this one was how angsty it was. How badly each of them were hurt and convinced they were right when they both had to give and admit faults. I thought their love was so strong and able to overcome some giant hurdles and I was rooting for them the entire time.
Once they come together again, I adored Kit’s dedication to the cause. His passion and love for Annabelle was so palpable and had me burning up inside. I adored Annabelle and her astounding strength with everything she has overcome.
Something that I also loved and was heartbroken over in this novel is how much time a side character is in it as a family member. If you read book 1, this won’t be a surprise, but I appreciated this part and it made the family feel that much more real to me.
I think this book flowed a lot better for me than book 1. (Book 1 had a bit of a busy plot for me, but that’s just a personal preference I have) I do wish some of the things had been just a bit more developed for our mains. I think Kit had his exploring and adventuring background and that was detailed – but I wanted a more about his recovery with alcoholism and his fear of death. Once he is with Annabelle, it diminishes greatly with Annabelle so I think some more time just spend noticing how he didn’t have these fears as much and the reason why would have made his recovery more complete for me. I also wanted a bit more depth for Annabelle – like her interest in the women’s social and political movement. It was so interested and such a big part of her early character, I would have loved for her to have continued something with it in the later parts of the book to give her a bit more depth.
Sparks is still a newer author, but with 3 books under her belt now (one being dark contemporary). I am really excited about her journey and can’t wait to see what else she comes out with. She’s quickly becoming my go to recommendation for steamy historical romance.
Endearments/Nicknames
Hero calls heroine little queen and mo chridhe.
Heroine calls the hero Sir Prig.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
But the naive young lady in front of him was clearly only focused on one thing. “Your head between her legs?”
Kit’s frustration morphed into something else as they stared at each other, until the heat inside him bubbled to the surface. Lady Annabelle was no less affected, refusing to break their connection, even as her chest heaved.
She spoke first. “What...what exactly were you doing there?”
“Licking.” His tongue brushed over his lips involuntarily, his eyes raking her body. “Sucking,” he rasped. “Drinking.”
---
“When I touched myself last night, I closed my eyes and pretended it was you touching me.” Her hand pressed against his chest, meandering upwards. “I thought of your fingers, your face.” Lady Annabelle pulled his head down, until her lips were at his ear. “Your cock.”
That was it. Kit manhandled her backwards, pushing her up against the thick trunk of the oak tree sheltering them and grabbing her cheeks with both hands. “I thought of you too.”
---
“Mark my words, however, I will take it.”
“When?” she whispered, her words throaty with desire.
“when I can give you more than just a quick fuck,” he said against her lips in a brief kiss. When I can give you everything I have.
----
“The first time I call you Kit will be when I’m moaning your name in pleasure.”
---
“We’re leaving port?”
He nodded. “Sound travels over water,” he began, moving about the wheelhouse so competently that it was almost alluring. “I want to be far enough away that no one hears you scream.”
//
“Screams of pleasure – I would like to clarify.”
---
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.” His words were a whispered curse as he seized her lips, holding her face in his hands to keep her steady.
---
“My soul has been tethered to you for so long. If you were to leave this earth…”
---
Instead, he bowed his head until his lips landed over her heart. He savoured everything; the feel of her skin, the scent of her body – and the touch of her hands as they slid into his hair, holding him against her chest.
And then her gentle touch turned into a rough yank, tearing his face back up to eye level. “I despise you,” she hissed, her eyes flicking down to his lips as she sharply pulled on his hair once more.
Kit wasn’t proud of the lustful noise that left him. His cock hardened, trapped between the two of them. “You have no idea what I want to do to you when you talk like that.”
Her brow arched, but even she couldn’t hide that bite of her lip. “Tell me.”
“I want to hold you down and fuck those words right out of your mouth,” he smirked, running his thumb across her bottom lip. He bent down, until his own lips brushed against her ear. “Do you remember what my cock tastes like? Because I remember exactly what you taste like.”
Annabelle gasped, clutching him closer. “Go fuck yourself, Aylesbourne.”
The sound of his own name coming from her lips almost had him combusting there and then. “I’d rather fuck you.”
---
“That’s it. Come for me. Come for my cock. Soak me. Soak me while I worship you, because I never want to leave your cunt again. Because no matter what I do to you, what I reduce us to, it will never be enough. I’ll never have enough of you. Because this is a fucking privilege to have you like this. Because you’re my queen, Annabelle.”
---
“Never leave me again,” he pleaded against her skin, drawing her scent into his lungs before kissing a path up to her ear. “I’ll hunt you across the seven seas, if I must.”
---
Kit hoisted her into his arms, her shrieking giggle music to his ears. He spun her round, burying his face into her hair to conceal his relief. “I love you,” he swore hoarsely. He couldn’t get enough of her, holding her so tightly it was a wonder she could breathe. “I love you. More than anything. More than everything. You’re my heart, my soul, mo chridhe, mo bhanrigh.”
Content warnings: THESE INCLUDE SPOILERS. These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- remembrance of a horse accident with minor injuries
- difficult childbirth mentioned
- mention of death of parents by illness (Russian flu?)
- unplanned pregnancy
- mention of women dying during abortion procedures
- mention of heroine being jailed and imprisoned (off page, remembered)
- death of brother (this is revealed in book 1 if you read that)
- affairs – all parties are in agreement
- scenes of roughness in sex (that’s agreed upon – example – the heroine slaps the man she’s having an affair with and he gives it to her rough
- PTSD from an avalanche
- hero purposefully showcases the heroine in her affair by turning on the lights
- scenes of fighting and violence
- hero falls asleep with an ashtray on his bed and almost sets his bed on fire
- stillbirth remembered on page with details
- masochism/BDSM elements
- alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal on page
Author given content warnings:
abortion, maternal death, infertility, pregnancy, childbirth, stillbirth, miscarriage, baby loss, alcoholism, avalanches, drug use, prostitution, physical violence, war, and mention of a deceased cat.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No and the first time results in unplanned pregnancy but the next penetration scene uses condoms
11% - kiss
14% - 🔥blow job to 69-ing, her on top (V loss for her), missionary
16% - implied more sex
21% - heroine is having an affair with a man (the wife of the man supports it) and they have outdoor sex against the bandstand pillars (You could count it as a flame, I stick with only counting the main couple of the story as flames)
23% - hero masturbates to watching the above scene, but it’s fairly short
36% - 🔥 BDSM – heroine slaps the hero and it turns him on, she ties the hero to the bed and blindfolds him, female dom, oral for her (her on top)
39% - 🔥 kisses, blow job (complete), breast play, fingering for her, heroine bound to the bed
45% - 🔥 hero takes her from behind while bent on the billiards table with some nipple roughness (rubbing on the cover)
50% - 🔥heroine blindfolded, nipple play, oral for her, light anal fingering, missionary
54% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, she plays with herself then he denies her orgasm and brings her to a chaise lounge with some light primal play (running, grabbing, biting), tied to the column, orgasm denial, then oral for multiple orgasms
71% - 🔥 mention of trying anal dilators on Annabelle in the past, then Kit agrees to try them with her on himself as well. He has one with a handy for him and dilator usage. Oral for her
80% - 🔥missionary
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 🔥+
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person perspective from both the hero and heroine, alternating chapters
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in (5%)
Cliffhanger: No, it ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No, but I think there will be a bonus epilogue available on Spark’s website! I think it’s 8 months later or so
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
I think you could – it’s not totally necessary but you’ll understand the family dynamics a bit more and there’s some character cross over.
Basic plot:
Kit and Annabelle have a past but each tells a different story of betrayal – when they reconnect after 16 years Kit is determined to get the truth from her.
Give this a try if you want:
- Interwar Years
- enemies to lovers
- huge hero/tiny heroine
- English heroine/Scottish hero
- second chance romance
- astronomy
- established mains (both are in their 30s)
- light off page epistolary
- LGBT positive
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- high steam – 8 full scenes along with some kink elements
Ages:
- Hero is 37, heroine is 32
First line:
It was just her luck to miss her own bloody coming out ball.
My thoughts:
I ended up absolutely loving this novel! I would say I don’t even like second chance that much but this book made me love it. I got so many of my favorite romance things – I got all the firsts. The first meeting, The first kiss. And that made me feel their separation that much more keenly and long for a reconciliation.
What really grabbed me about this one was how angsty it was. How badly each of them were hurt and convinced they were right when they both had to give and admit faults. I thought their love was so strong and able to overcome some giant hurdles and I was rooting for them the entire time.
Once they come together again, I adored Kit’s dedication to the cause. His passion and love for Annabelle was so palpable and had me burning up inside. I adored Annabelle and her astounding strength with everything she has overcome.
Something that I also loved and was heartbroken over in this novel is how much time a side character is in it as a family member. If you read book 1, this won’t be a surprise, but I appreciated this part and it made the family feel that much more real to me.
I think this book flowed a lot better for me than book 1. (Book 1 had a bit of a busy plot for me, but that’s just a personal preference I have) I do wish some of the things had been just a bit more developed for our mains.
Sparks is still a newer author, but with 3 books under her belt now (one being dark contemporary). I am really excited about her journey and can’t wait to see what else she comes out with. She’s quickly becoming my go to recommendation for steamy historical romance.
Endearments/Nicknames
Heroine calls the hero Sir Prig.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
But the naive young lady in front of him was clearly only focused on one thing. “Your head between her legs?”
Kit’s frustration morphed into something else as they stared at each other, until the heat inside him bubbled to the surface. Lady Annabelle was no less affected, refusing to break their connection, even as her chest heaved.
She spoke first. “What...what exactly were you doing there?”
“Licking.” His tongue brushed over his lips involuntarily, his eyes raking her body. “Sucking,” he rasped. “Drinking.”
---
“When I touched myself last night, I closed my eyes and pretended it was you touching me.” Her hand pressed against his chest, meandering upwards. “I thought of your fingers, your face.” Lady Annabelle pulled his head down, until her lips were at his ear. “Your cock.”
That was it. Kit manhandled her backwards, pushing her up against the thick trunk of the oak tree sheltering them and grabbing her cheeks with both hands. “I thought of you too.”
---
“Mark my words, however, I will take it.”
“When?” she whispered, her words throaty with desire.
“when I can give you more than just a quick fuck,” he said against her lips in a brief kiss. When I can give you everything I have.
----
“The first time I call you Kit will be when I’m moaning your name in pleasure.”
---
“We’re leaving port?”
He nodded. “Sound travels over water,” he began, moving about the wheelhouse so competently that it was almost alluring. “I want to be far enough away that no one hears you scream.”
//
“Screams of pleasure – I would like to clarify.”
---
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.” His words were a whispered curse as he seized her lips, holding her face in his hands to keep her steady.
---
“My soul has been tethered to you for so long. If you were to leave this earth…”
---
Instead, he bowed his head until his lips landed over her heart. He savoured everything; the feel of her skin, the scent of her body – and the touch of her hands as they slid into his hair, holding him against her chest.
And then her gentle touch turned into a rough yank, tearing his face back up to eye level. “I despise you,” she hissed, her eyes flicking down to his lips as she sharply pulled on his hair once more.
Kit wasn’t proud of the lustful noise that left him. His cock hardened, trapped between the two of them. “You have no idea what I want to do to you when you talk like that.”
Her brow arched, but even she couldn’t hide that bite of her lip. “Tell me.”
“I want to hold you down and fuck those words right out of your mouth,” he smirked, running his thumb across her bottom lip. He bent down, until his own lips brushed against her ear. “Do you remember what my cock tastes like? Because I remember exactly what you taste like.”
Annabelle gasped, clutching him closer. “Go fuck yourself, Aylesbourne.”
The sound of his own name coming from her lips almost had him combusting there and then. “I’d rather fuck you.”
---
“That’s it. Come for me. Come for my cock. Soak me. Soak me while I worship you, because I never want to leave your cunt again. Because no matter what I do to you, what I reduce us to, it will never be enough. I’ll never have enough of you. Because this is a fucking privilege to have you like this. Because you’re my queen, Annabelle.”
---
“Never leave me again,” he pleaded against her skin, drawing her scent into his lungs before kissing a path up to her ear. “I’ll hunt you across the seven seas, if I must.”
---
Kit hoisted her into his arms, her shrieking giggle music to his ears. He spun her round, burying his face into her hair to conceal his relief. “I love you,” he swore hoarsely. He couldn’t get enough of her, holding her so tightly it was a wonder she could breathe. “I love you. More than anything. More than everything. You’re my heart, my soul, mo chridhe, mo bhanrigh.”
Content warnings: THESE INCLUDE SPOILERS. These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- remembrance of a horse accident with minor injuries
- difficult childbirth mentioned
- mention of death of parents by illness (Russian flu?)
- unplanned pregnancy
- mention of women dying during abortion procedures
- mention of heroine being jailed and imprisoned (off page, remembered)
- death of brother (this is revealed in book 1 if you read that)
- affairs – all parties are in agreement
- scenes of roughness in sex (that’s agreed upon – example – the heroine slaps the man she’s having an affair with and he gives it to her rough
- PTSD from an avalanche
- hero purposefully showcases the heroine in her affair by turning on the lights
- scenes of fighting and violence
- hero falls asleep with an ashtray on his bed and almost sets his bed on fire
- stillbirth remembered on page with details
- masochism/BDSM elements
- alcoholism and alcohol withdrawal on page
Author given content warnings:
abortion, maternal death, infertility, pregnancy, childbirth, stillbirth, miscarriage, baby loss, alcoholism, avalanches, drug use, prostitution, physical violence, war, and mention of a deceased cat.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
11% - kiss
14% - 🔥blow job to 69-ing, her on top (V loss for her), missionary
16% - implied more sex
21% - heroine is having an affair with a man (the wife of the man supports it) and they have outdoor sex against the bandstand pillars (You could count it as a flame, I stick with only counting the main couple of the story as flames)
23% - hero masturbates to watching the above scene, but it’s fairly short
36% - 🔥 BDSM – heroine slaps the hero and it turns him on, she ties the hero to the bed and blindfolds him, female dom, oral for her (her on top)
39% - 🔥 kisses, blow job (complete), breast play, fingering for her, heroine bound to the bed
45% - 🔥 hero takes her from behind while bent on the billiards table with some nipple roughness (rubbing on the cover)
50% - 🔥heroine blindfolded, nipple play, oral for her, light anal fingering, missionary
54% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, she plays with herself then he denies her orgasm and brings her to a chaise lounge with some light primal play (running, grabbing, biting), tied to the column, orgasm denial, then oral for multiple orgasms
71% - 🔥 mention of trying anal dilators on Annabelle in the past, then Kit agrees to try them with her on himself as well. He has one with a handy for him and dilator usage. Oral for her
80% - 🔥missionary
emotional
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 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖(I struggled in the beginning but then was riveted)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (varies, one is very long and one is on the shorter end but most are decent size!)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Immediately
Cliffhanger: No, ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few months later. Also a second, longer epilogue is available as a newsletter subscriber that takes place 6 years later.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author
Should I read in order?
It’s not necessary. There’s a few mentions of characters from the prior book but nothing extensive.
Basic plot:
Phoebe decides to take another offer of marriage when she believes George will never see what is in front of him.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- mix of London and house party settings
- chess
- childhood friends to lovers
- Baron hero
- bald hero
- sex lessons
- loud in bed hero
- friend’s brother
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- jealous and possessive hero
- bargain (bet?) If the hero wins a chess match, he can have a copy of her first edition Table Alphabeticall by Cawdrey and if the heroine wins, she wants the hero to bed her
- all the angst
- higher steam – 6 full scenes and some shorter ones I didn’t count
Ages:
- Heroine is 22, hero is 26ish
First line:
George found Phoebe in the blackness of the priest hole.
My thoughts:
This book. This book! This is definitely my favorite Niven I have read yet. It ripped my heart out. And then it went back in and took out what was left. Stomped on it. Kicked it around. I felt Phee and George’s pain so badly!
I did struggle in the first half a touch. I loved the beginning, seeing them together as friends and opening to that sex lesson bargain. But as we went on, I found George a bit, well, annoying. A bit of an idiot. And when my guard was down, this entire book wrapped itself around my heart and SQUEEZED. Before I knew it, I was gutted over these characters. I was so dang invested in what was going to happen. How George was going to pull this off, make up for the things he did. He was so raw, and real and flawed and I didn’t like him until I adored him and was rooting for him as my heart ached.
Phee is a bit lost in her own world sometimes, late to things, losing gloves...but so delightful. George calls her Bumblephee because she was a buzzing thing, flying and never still and maybe a bit clumsy and messy. Again, the uniqueness and flaws in these characters gave them such depth, made them so memorable and relatable.
This book took me emotionally all over. I was worried about the ending making me feel it was all okay – but it did. I’m very excited to read the 6 year after epilogue to really experience that happy ever after (grab it as a newsletter subscriber!)
Endearments:
The hero calls the heroine ‘phee’, ‘bumblephee’, ‘lovely girl’, ‘sweetheart’
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
It’s so beautiful!
He stared at her mouth which suddenly looked like the most fragile of roses. Delicate and lush, at the same time. Full-blown. One touch and a petal would fall.
---
“Goodness.” Her tongue darted out and ran over her lips. “George, you’re beautiful.”
He grunted. Some very male noise of denial, he hoped. His face felt warm. “Men aren’t beautiful.”
“Oh, no, you’re wrong.” She hopped off the bed and took a few steps toward him. “You’re wrong, dear teacher,dear friend.” And then her fingers were running over his abdomen, his chest, his shoulders, his arms. “Look, you have hair here. And you’re so hard. All these muscles. Did you get all these just from riding? You’re like some delicious village blacksmith.”
---
Oh, the pleasure, the pleasure of being inside her.
Not, that was wrong.
Because pleasure was a totally inadequate word to describe being inside Lady Phoebe Finch.
The paradise of being inside her.
He supported himself with both hands and bent his head down to her. “Kiss me, Phee.”
---
He closed the door behind him. The very vile man in him closed the door. Yes, he wanted the door closed. Definitely.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” He crossed to her, forcing his voice to be gentle instead of predatory. He would take her in his arms, feel her soft body against his, let her cry. And after a bit, he would pull her face away from his chest and kiss her. Tenderly, at first. Sweetly. And then with a bit more force. Show her his desire for her. Like a lover. So she would know his intentions. No more brother George. No more teacher George. He was George, the ravisher.
---
“Oh. So you weren’t here to see me?”
I’m not here to see you, Phee. I’m here to kiss you, year your clothes from your body, and take you here on the sofa in the drawing room of your father’s town house.
---
“That’s right, lovely girl, just relax. I’ve got you. And don’t worry about the perspiration. You smell divine. Like Phoebe times ten.” He put his nose and mouth against the side of her neck and she could feel her nipples hardening and aching under her chemise as he held her breasts. “And I intend to make you perspire a bit more.” A long, soft lick of his tongue on the side of her neck and she shuddered as his fingers very lightly scraped over her erect peaks.
“You taste even better than you smell. And I’m going to taste you everywhere.”
---
I am laughing because of all the alien romance I read as well
“Oh, George, wouldn’t it be wonderful if men had a little tongue just above their cocks?”
---
Filled with fury, George stood.
He would not tell Alice off in his most imperious manner. Thunder at her that she was a meddling, conniving bitch of a sister who knew nothing about Phoebe. About him, About what was between the two of them.
He was shocked when his knees buckled and took him to the floor and his words came out in a pitiful bleat.
“Tell me what to do, Alice. Tell me what to do. I love her. I love her. I lover her.”
---
George went on. “He doesn’t care for you like - “
“Shut up. Put me down.”
“No, I won’t shut up. Ever. And I won’t put you down. And I won’t stop kissing you. Ever.”
---
“We will say exactly what I told you.” William grinned. “And certainly, if you prefer, we will not mention any kissing.”
“I prefer you do not.”
George must have come out of his swoon because he opened his eyes and raised his head at that point. “And I prefer you do. Lots of kissing. Tell that pusillanimous arsehole there was lots of kissing. Between me and Phee.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- possible feelings of infidelity – the heroine asks (and follows through on) the hero to bed her while engaged to another
- mention of death of parents
- death of a parent on page THAT WAS BELOVED AND I WILL NEVER GET OVER IT. NEVER. EVER.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Hero pulls out in all the scenes except for the last few
9% - 🔥kisses leading eventually to fingering for her, missionary
25% - heroine kisses her fiance (not the hero)
26% - heroine masturbation (short)
30% - hero masturbation (short)
33% - 🔥blow job (complete), oral for her twice
47% - 🔥doggy style
69% - kiss
75% - 🔥kisses, her on top
79% - kiss
86% - 🔥sex (missionary?) but it includes the orgasm where your emotions are so riled you just bawl after you have an orgasm
89% - 🔥missionary (a bit short)
Readability: 📖📖📖📖(I struggled in the beginning but then was riveted)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 (varies, one is very long and one is on the shorter end but most are decent size!)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Immediately
Cliffhanger: No, ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few months later. Also a second, longer epilogue is available as a newsletter subscriber that takes place 6 years later.
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author
Should I read in order?
It’s not necessary. There’s a few mentions of characters from the prior book but nothing extensive.
Basic plot:
Phoebe decides to take another offer of marriage when she believes George will never see what is in front of him.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- mix of London and house party settings
- chess
- childhood friends to lovers
- Baron hero
- bald hero
- sex lessons
- loud in bed hero
- friend’s brother
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- jealous and possessive hero
- bargain (bet?)
- all the angst
- higher steam – 6 full scenes and some shorter ones I didn’t count
Ages:
- Heroine is 22, hero is 26ish
First line:
George found Phoebe in the blackness of the priest hole.
My thoughts:
This book. This book! This is definitely my favorite Niven I have read yet. It ripped my heart out. And then it went back in and took out what was left. Stomped on it. Kicked it around. I felt Phee and George’s pain so badly!
I did struggle in the first half a touch. I loved the beginning, seeing them together as friends and opening to that sex lesson bargain. But as we went on, I found George a bit, well, annoying. A bit of an idiot. And when my guard was down, this entire book wrapped itself around my heart and SQUEEZED. Before I knew it, I was gutted over these characters. I was so dang invested in what was going to happen. How George was going to pull this off, make up for the things he did. He was so raw, and real and flawed and I didn’t like him until I adored him and was rooting for him as my heart ached.
Phee is a bit lost in her own world sometimes, late to things, losing gloves...but so delightful. George calls her Bumblephee because she was a buzzing thing, flying and never still and maybe a bit clumsy and messy. Again, the uniqueness and flaws in these characters gave them such depth, made them so memorable and relatable.
This book took me emotionally all over. I was worried about the ending making me feel it was all okay – but it did. I’m very excited to read the 6 year after epilogue to really experience that happy ever after (grab it as a newsletter subscriber!)
Endearments:
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
It’s so beautiful!
He stared at her mouth which suddenly looked like the most fragile of roses. Delicate and lush, at the same time. Full-blown. One touch and a petal would fall.
---
“Goodness.” Her tongue darted out and ran over her lips. “George, you’re beautiful.”
He grunted. Some very male noise of denial, he hoped. His face felt warm. “Men aren’t beautiful.”
“Oh, no, you’re wrong.” She hopped off the bed and took a few steps toward him. “You’re wrong, dear teacher,dear friend.” And then her fingers were running over his abdomen, his chest, his shoulders, his arms. “Look, you have hair here. And you’re so hard. All these muscles. Did you get all these just from riding? You’re like some delicious village blacksmith.”
---
Oh, the pleasure, the pleasure of being inside her.
Not, that was wrong.
Because pleasure was a totally inadequate word to describe being inside Lady Phoebe Finch.
The paradise of being inside her.
He supported himself with both hands and bent his head down to her. “Kiss me, Phee.”
---
He closed the door behind him. The very vile man in him closed the door. Yes, he wanted the door closed. Definitely.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” He crossed to her, forcing his voice to be gentle instead of predatory. He would take her in his arms, feel her soft body against his, let her cry. And after a bit, he would pull her face away from his chest and kiss her. Tenderly, at first. Sweetly. And then with a bit more force. Show her his desire for her. Like a lover. So she would know his intentions. No more brother George. No more teacher George. He was George, the ravisher.
---
“Oh. So you weren’t here to see me?”
I’m not here to see you, Phee. I’m here to kiss you, year your clothes from your body, and take you here on the sofa in the drawing room of your father’s town house.
---
“That’s right, lovely girl, just relax. I’ve got you. And don’t worry about the perspiration. You smell divine. Like Phoebe times ten.” He put his nose and mouth against the side of her neck and she could feel her nipples hardening and aching under her chemise as he held her breasts. “And I intend to make you perspire a bit more.” A long, soft lick of his tongue on the side of her neck and she shuddered as his fingers very lightly scraped over her erect peaks.
“You taste even better than you smell. And I’m going to taste you everywhere.”
---
I am laughing because of all the alien romance I read as well
“Oh, George, wouldn’t it be wonderful if men had a little tongue just above their cocks?”
---
Filled with fury, George stood.
He would not tell Alice off in his most imperious manner. Thunder at her that she was a meddling, conniving bitch of a sister who knew nothing about Phoebe. About him, About what was between the two of them.
He was shocked when his knees buckled and took him to the floor and his words came out in a pitiful bleat.
“Tell me what to do, Alice. Tell me what to do. I love her. I love her. I lover her.”
---
George went on. “He doesn’t care for you like - “
“Shut up. Put me down.”
“No, I won’t shut up. Ever. And I won’t put you down. And I won’t stop kissing you. Ever.”
---
“We will say exactly what I told you.” William grinned. “And certainly, if you prefer, we will not mention any kissing.”
“I prefer you do not.”
George must have come out of his swoon because he opened his eyes and raised his head at that point. “And I prefer you do. Lots of kissing. Tell that pusillanimous arsehole there was lots of kissing. Between me and Phee.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- possible feelings of infidelity – the heroine asks (and follows through on) the hero to bed her while engaged to another
- mention of death of parents
-
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
9% - 🔥kisses leading eventually to fingering for her, missionary
25% - heroine kisses her fiance (not the hero)
26% - heroine masturbation (short)
30% - hero masturbation (short)
33% - 🔥blow job (complete), oral for her twice
47% - 🔥doggy style
69% - kiss
75% - 🔥kisses, her on top
79% - kiss
86% - 🔥sex (missionary?) but it includes the orgasm where your emotions are so riled you just bawl after you have an orgasm
89% - 🔥missionary (a bit short)
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
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: 🍑 (based on kisses, which were short)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 0
Humor: Yes!
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: A few chapters in (about 14% but this is novella length)
Cliffhanger: No, ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from NetGalley that isn’t an advanced copy anymore because I let it languish on my kindle for years and years...in e-book form.
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I don’t think it’s necessary? But it might be fun! I have only read books 10 and 12 of this series and enjoyed them both.
Basic plot:
Cynthia Louise is determined to get her cousin Gertie married at the matchmaking house party the Duke of Nottingvale is hosing...determined to push aside her own feelings for the duke.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1814)
- Christmas/Holiday romance
- novella length
- Duke hero
- class difference (Duke and an ‘inappropriate’ Miss pair)
- matchmaking house party
- hero wants a wife
- putting on a play
- unrequited love
- no steam – just kisses on page
Ages:
- both mains are 30
First line:
As her cousin’s carriage rounded another hairpin turn up the snow-covered mountain, Miss Cynthia Louise Finch did her best to keep the playing cards and gambling chips from sliding off the squab in front of them.
My thoughts:
This book was so utterly delightful to me. I just loved it! It’s such a cute novella.
There was so much humor and heart in this story. I had so much fun while reading it. Cynthia was a true delight. Just a bright star of a heroine, joyful, spontaneous and one of those people you cannot help but feel the life exuding off of her. Alexander needs some help coming out of his starchy ducal shell and she is the perfect person to do that to him. I love how in awe of her he is – how he just basks in her presence. You cannot help but love Cynthia Louise and while the ending was a bit abrupt I feel like these two will be perfect for each other.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Gertie’s face was pale. “All of the young ladies will be well-mannered debutantes from good families, just like me. And they won’t turn into a potato with all eyes and no mouth if the duke happens to glance in their direction.”
“You’ll be the prettiest potato the duke has ever seen,” Cynthia assured her.
---
“You’re a duke, not a gear in a pocket watch. You can change the pace once in awhile. Not everything has to be controlled down to the second.”
It was Alexander’s turn to look appalled.
Belle burst out laughing. “I suppose the snowstorm had you in a tizzy.”
“Dukes don’t tizzy,” he informed her.
---
“Your cousin is terrifying,” he told Lady Gertrude.
She brightened. “Cynthia Louise will be delighted to hear that.”
---
“One moment…” She and Max slipped into her guest chamber.
She closed the door behind them.
He tensed.
From the corridor, all Alexander could hear was what sounded like his very expensive furniture scraping across his equally expensive floors, followed by excited yips from the puppy, and a peal of laughter from Miss Finch.
She was out of breath and disheveled when she slipped back out of the door and closed it tight behind her.
“There,” she said, the word husky and breathless. “What now?”
Now, Alexander was going to shove his hands behind his back and perform any magic necessary to keep himself from kissing her.
She grinned at him. “Cat got your tongue?”
There were many, many things Alexander would like to do with his tongue, none of which were appropriate thoughts toward Miss Finch.
---
It might have resulted in nothing more than that, except Alexander had chosen that exact moment to start walking away from her. His stride bent his arm at such an angle that instead of nudging him with her knuckles, her fingers tangled with his.
They were now holding hands.
In the middle of his guest corridor.
“Er,” Alexander said.
He should have let go of her hand by now.
He was going to.
Any second.
---
She increased her pace, reaching her closed bedchamber door in less than a dozen brisk strides.
“Thank you for seeing me safe to my door,” she said. “Goodbye.”
He didn’t leave.
She didn’t flee into the safety of her bedchamber.
Her heart beat faster.
“I should have kissed you,” he murmured.
---
He gestured at the ivory keys. “I’m ready to hear your inappropriate alternative lyrics.”
She folded her hands in her lap primly. “Guests are asleep, Your Grace. It would not do to wake them up to the sound of my skill with rhyming ‘rocked me fore and aft’ with ‘the length of his shaf-”
Nottingvale closed the lid of the pianoforte.
“You’re right,” he said hastily. “They’re not prepared for the nuance of your lyrics.”
She shook her head in resignation. “No one ever is.”
Nottingvale cleared his throat. “Speaking of-”
“Turgid shafts?” she supplied hopefully.
---
“Do you always do what you’re supposed to do?”
“Yes,” he answered simply.
She patted his hand. “That’s too bad.”
“Almost always.” He trapped her hand in his.
She stared at him.
He lifted her fingers to his lips. Slowly. Deliberately.
---
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be entertaining guests at your party?”
“You’re a guest at my party,” he reminded her. “And you’re not there. I came to...chastise you.”
“You’re not there, either,” she pointed out.
---
“A cousin of yours did something impractical?” Alexander murmured. “I am agog with shock.”
She grinned at him. “He launched himself ten feet into the air, flying over the dumbfounded gazes of his fellow soldiers. He was instantly infamous, and only became more talented and daring after that. He’s the one who taught me everything I know.”
“Wonderful,” said the duke. “I feel so much safer. Didn’t you break your leg? Twice?”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “And I won a two-hundred-pound wager.”
“Two...hundred…”
She adjusted her poles. “Ready?”
“I am not ready. I will never ready.”
---
Doctor Quinney kept up a cheeful patter as he sliced through Cynthia’s layers to expose her shoulder. He paused before be cut over her chest.
“Shall we ask His Grace to exit the room?” he asked softly.
“He can stay,” Cynthia croaked. “I was going to show him my bosom anyway.”
Alexander covered his fire-red face with one hand.
“She’s jesting,” he assured the doctor.
“You slide down on skis a second time.” She gave Alexander a wobbly smile. “I promised you’d earn something.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of family member passing
- injury by bow and arrow on page
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No on page sex
51% - kiss
59% - kiss
66% - kiss
70% – kiss
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑 (based on kisses, which were short)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 0
Humor: Yes!
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: A few chapters in (about 14% but this is novella length)
Cliffhanger: No, ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from NetGalley that isn’t an advanced copy anymore because I let it languish on my kindle for years and years...in e-book form.
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
I don’t think it’s necessary? But it might be fun! I have only read books 10 and 12 of this series and enjoyed them both.
Basic plot:
Cynthia Louise is determined to get her cousin Gertie married at the matchmaking house party the Duke of Nottingvale is hosing...determined to push aside her own feelings for the duke.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1814)
- Christmas/Holiday romance
- novella length
- Duke hero
- class difference (Duke and an ‘inappropriate’ Miss pair)
- matchmaking house party
- hero wants a wife
- putting on a play
- unrequited love
- no steam – just kisses on page
Ages:
- both mains are 30
First line:
As her cousin’s carriage rounded another hairpin turn up the snow-covered mountain, Miss Cynthia Louise Finch did her best to keep the playing cards and gambling chips from sliding off the squab in front of them.
My thoughts:
This book was so utterly delightful to me. I just loved it! It’s such a cute novella.
There was so much humor and heart in this story. I had so much fun while reading it. Cynthia was a true delight. Just a bright star of a heroine, joyful, spontaneous and one of those people you cannot help but feel the life exuding off of her. Alexander needs some help coming out of his starchy ducal shell and she is the perfect person to do that to him. I love how in awe of her he is – how he just basks in her presence. You cannot help but love Cynthia Louise and while the ending was a bit abrupt I feel like these two will be perfect for each other.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
Gertie’s face was pale. “All of the young ladies will be well-mannered debutantes from good families, just like me. And they won’t turn into a potato with all eyes and no mouth if the duke happens to glance in their direction.”
“You’ll be the prettiest potato the duke has ever seen,” Cynthia assured her.
---
“You’re a duke, not a gear in a pocket watch. You can change the pace once in awhile. Not everything has to be controlled down to the second.”
It was Alexander’s turn to look appalled.
Belle burst out laughing. “I suppose the snowstorm had you in a tizzy.”
“Dukes don’t tizzy,” he informed her.
---
“Your cousin is terrifying,” he told Lady Gertrude.
She brightened. “Cynthia Louise will be delighted to hear that.”
---
“One moment…” She and Max slipped into her guest chamber.
She closed the door behind them.
He tensed.
From the corridor, all Alexander could hear was what sounded like his very expensive furniture scraping across his equally expensive floors, followed by excited yips from the puppy, and a peal of laughter from Miss Finch.
She was out of breath and disheveled when she slipped back out of the door and closed it tight behind her.
“There,” she said, the word husky and breathless. “What now?”
Now, Alexander was going to shove his hands behind his back and perform any magic necessary to keep himself from kissing her.
She grinned at him. “Cat got your tongue?”
There were many, many things Alexander would like to do with his tongue, none of which were appropriate thoughts toward Miss Finch.
---
It might have resulted in nothing more than that, except Alexander had chosen that exact moment to start walking away from her. His stride bent his arm at such an angle that instead of nudging him with her knuckles, her fingers tangled with his.
They were now holding hands.
In the middle of his guest corridor.
“Er,” Alexander said.
He should have let go of her hand by now.
He was going to.
Any second.
---
She increased her pace, reaching her closed bedchamber door in less than a dozen brisk strides.
“Thank you for seeing me safe to my door,” she said. “Goodbye.”
He didn’t leave.
She didn’t flee into the safety of her bedchamber.
Her heart beat faster.
“I should have kissed you,” he murmured.
---
He gestured at the ivory keys. “I’m ready to hear your inappropriate alternative lyrics.”
She folded her hands in her lap primly. “Guests are asleep, Your Grace. It would not do to wake them up to the sound of my skill with rhyming ‘rocked me fore and aft’ with ‘the length of his shaf-”
Nottingvale closed the lid of the pianoforte.
“You’re right,” he said hastily. “They’re not prepared for the nuance of your lyrics.”
She shook her head in resignation. “No one ever is.”
Nottingvale cleared his throat. “Speaking of-”
“Turgid shafts?” she supplied hopefully.
---
“Do you always do what you’re supposed to do?”
“Yes,” he answered simply.
She patted his hand. “That’s too bad.”
“Almost always.” He trapped her hand in his.
She stared at him.
He lifted her fingers to his lips. Slowly. Deliberately.
---
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be entertaining guests at your party?”
“You’re a guest at my party,” he reminded her. “And you’re not there. I came to...chastise you.”
“You’re not there, either,” she pointed out.
---
“A cousin of yours did something impractical?” Alexander murmured. “I am agog with shock.”
She grinned at him. “He launched himself ten feet into the air, flying over the dumbfounded gazes of his fellow soldiers. He was instantly infamous, and only became more talented and daring after that. He’s the one who taught me everything I know.”
“Wonderful,” said the duke. “I feel so much safer. Didn’t you break your leg? Twice?”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “And I won a two-hundred-pound wager.”
“Two...hundred…”
She adjusted her poles. “Ready?”
“I am not ready. I will never ready.”
---
Doctor Quinney kept up a cheeful patter as he sliced through Cynthia’s layers to expose her shoulder. He paused before be cut over her chest.
“Shall we ask His Grace to exit the room?” he asked softly.
“He can stay,” Cynthia croaked. “I was going to show him my bosom anyway.”
Alexander covered his fire-red face with one hand.
“She’s jesting,” he assured the doctor.
“You slide down on skis a second time.” She gave Alexander a wobbly smile. “I promised you’d earn something.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of family member passing
- injury by bow and arrow on page
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
51% - kiss
59% - kiss
66% - kiss
70% – kiss