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adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (There’s more scenes that are on the shorter/poetic side so this might feel hotter to you with more scenes :) )
Humor: Yes! Niven’s writing is really delightful in the humor woven throughout.
Perspective: Third person from the hero, heroine and some side characters including Roger Siddons and the Marchioness of Painswick but these are at the beginning and don’t happen again.
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, it starts 3 days later but continues over the next weeks and months later
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary, but fun all the same! (You can get the prequel novella as a newsletter grab! And book 1 is Convergence of Desire and is delightful)
Basic plot:
Catherine thinks her love filled days are over, but she can’t get the friend of her daughter’s suitor out of her mind...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1818/1819)
- widow heroine (5 years widowed)
- Marquess hero, heir to a dukedom
- age gap (older heroine)
- instalust
- spy/government work
- actress heroine
- tall hero/short heroinethere is a scene where he has her stand on a stool so he can fuck her standing up and she’s still almost too short
- epistolary siege, as the hero coins it
- touch of class difference
- emotionally strong hero (hero cries)
- hero loves first
- medium steam – at least 2 full scenes, plus extra (some I didn’t count but you might!)
Ages:
- Hero is 28, heroine is 45 I believe (”You should know that I last played Viola when I was nineteen. The company had difficulty finding a short-enough man to play my twin Sebastian and make the role-swapping and mistaken identity convincing. That was the end of my time in the part. You were two then, were you not?”
First line:
There were two sets of the plans.
My thoughts:
There is so much delight to be found in Niven’s prose! I really love her writing style. It’s just special and unlike anything else I’ve read. Something about her actually gives me Mary Balogh vibes, but also not. She’s just really fun!
These characters in this novel were really delightful. James has been involved in government work, but when he meets Catherine, he just falls for her so fast. And my heart wrenched for his chase of her and Catherine’s returning blossoming love. Catherine struggles with believing in being worthy of a relationship at all, but especially with a man so young. I enjoy age gap romance, especially with an ‘older’ heroine.
The thing I struggled with in this romance, and this is purely a personal thing for me, was I wanted them together more. I felt at the beginning I was waiting forever for them to be on page together (from about 3% to 14% they are apart) and when they were together I enjoyed it but then they would part again. They had a lot of time apart in this book (I counted and they are on page/writing letters to each other for about 58% of the book. This probably won’t bother anyone else I’m just...it’s my thing. I need them together. If they aren’t, I whine about it. I think I noticed it more too because some of the time they were together was spent in dangerous situations or with other people present and I really just wanted the two of them to be able to focus on each other.
Niven has some interesting author notes at the end of her book that are really fun. I also appreciatedthat they couldn’t decide what to name their baby. My husband and I had a similar issue and my son actually had ‘no name’ written on all his Christmas presents by my mom because she was so impatient for us to pick one haha. (We didn’t wait as long as our hero and heroine though).
I’ll definitely be completing this series because I really loved Dr. Andrews is book 1 and am super curious how it will go! Also, very VERY excited for her new series to be released!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
Twenty-eight. Older than she had thought but still far, far, far too young.
Far too young. Far too silly. Far too drunk.
And she was far, far, far too aroused by him. Already, she could hear the alarms in her head.
Content warnings:
- death of family
- remembrance of an abusive relationship and facing said abuser
- fire, gunshot wounds, and death on page
- suicide
Author listed content warnings steamy sexual material, course language, physical and sexual assault
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
5% - the start of a scene between James and another woman
19% - heroine masturbation (a bit short)
24% - kiss
45% - 🔥 kisses at the inn, blow job (incomplete), fingering for her, missionary followed after by a her on top scene
59% - 🔥 her standing on a stool and holding a bedpost followed by a fingering scene
80% - missionary (a bit short and lacking on details)
90% - kisses and sex – a more vague and poetic scene than explicit
Amount of time mains are together on page (with overcounting a bit and including letters written to each other)
1%-3% 3
14%-18% 5
23%-26% 4
28%-34% 7
39%-42% 4
44%-49% 6 (29%)
53%-59% 7 (36%)
61% 1 (37%)
64%-65% 2 (39%)
70%-74% 5 (44%)
79%-92% 14 (58%)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (There’s more scenes that are on the shorter/poetic side so this might feel hotter to you with more scenes :) )
Humor: Yes! Niven’s writing is really delightful in the humor woven throughout.
Perspective: Third person from the hero, heroine and some side characters including Roger Siddons and the Marchioness of Painswick but these are at the beginning and don’t happen again.
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, it starts 3 days later but continues over the next weeks and months later
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary, but fun all the same! (You can get the prequel novella as a newsletter grab! And book 1 is Convergence of Desire and is delightful)
Basic plot:
Catherine thinks her love filled days are over, but she can’t get the friend of her daughter’s suitor out of her mind...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1818/1819)
- widow heroine (5 years widowed)
- Marquess hero, heir to a dukedom
- age gap (older heroine)
- instalust
- spy/government work
- actress heroine
- tall hero/short heroine
- epistolary siege, as the hero coins it
- touch of class difference
-
- hero loves first
- medium steam – at least 2 full scenes, plus extra (some I didn’t count but you might!)
Ages:
- Hero is 28, heroine is 45 I believe (”You should know that I last played Viola when I was nineteen. The company had difficulty finding a short-enough man to play my twin Sebastian and make the role-swapping and mistaken identity convincing. That was the end of my time in the part. You were two then, were you not?”
First line:
There were two sets of the plans.
My thoughts:
There is so much delight to be found in Niven’s prose! I really love her writing style. It’s just special and unlike anything else I’ve read. Something about her actually gives me Mary Balogh vibes, but also not. She’s just really fun!
These characters in this novel were really delightful. James has been involved in government work, but when he meets Catherine, he just falls for her so fast. And my heart wrenched for his chase of her and Catherine’s returning blossoming love. Catherine struggles with believing in being worthy of a relationship at all, but especially with a man so young. I enjoy age gap romance, especially with an ‘older’ heroine.
The thing I struggled with in this romance, and this is purely a personal thing for me, was I wanted them together more. I felt at the beginning I was waiting forever for them to be on page together (from about 3% to 14% they are apart) and when they were together I enjoyed it but then they would part again. They had a lot of time apart in this book (I counted and they are on page/writing letters to each other for about 58% of the book. This probably won’t bother anyone else I’m just...it’s my thing. I need them together. If they aren’t, I whine about it. I think I noticed it more too because some of the time they were together was spent in dangerous situations or with other people present and I really just wanted the two of them to be able to focus on each other.
Niven has some interesting author notes at the end of her book that are really fun. I also appreciated
I’ll definitely be completing this series because I really loved Dr. Andrews is book 1 and am super curious how it will go! Also, very VERY excited for her new series to be released!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
Twenty-eight. Older than she had thought but still far, far, far too young.
Far too young. Far too silly. Far too drunk.
And she was far, far, far too aroused by him. Already, she could hear the alarms in her head.
Content warnings:
- death of family
- remembrance of an abusive relationship and facing said abuser
- fire, gunshot wounds, and death on page
- suicide
Author listed content warnings
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
5% - the start of a scene between James and another woman
19% - heroine masturbation (a bit short)
24% - kiss
45% - 🔥 kisses at the inn, blow job (incomplete), fingering for her, missionary followed after by a her on top scene
59% - 🔥 her standing on a stool and holding a bedpost followed by a fingering scene
80% - missionary (a bit short and lacking on details)
90% - kisses and sex – a more vague and poetic scene than explicit
Amount of time mains are together on page (with overcounting a bit and including letters written to each other)
1%-3% 3
14%-18% 5
23%-26% 4
28%-34% 7
39%-42% 4
44%-49% 6 (29%)
53%-59% 7 (36%)
61% 1 (37%)
64%-65% 2 (39%)
70%-74% 5 (44%)
79%-92% 14 (58%)
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (at least. I combined 2 scenes together for a flame and it’s possible I missed one)
Humor: Yes a bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, 5 years later
Should I read in order?
I think this might be a stand alone?
Basic plot:
Mina is desperate to help her brother and when an employment opportunity lands in her lap she can’t refuse.
Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian time period
- ruined heroine
- Earl hero
- heroine dresses as a man
- hero needs a wife (grandmother is pushing)
- work place romance (heroine is the hero’s secretary)
- duel
- hero gets books on the sensual arts so he can please her
- hero isn’t overly experienced
- medium to high steam – at least 4 scenes
- bluestocking hero and both mains enjoy discussing politics and making changes for a better society
- rags to riches
- heroine loves ice cream, and hero buys it for her repeatedly
Ages:
- heroine is 24, hero is 28
First line:
The only way to satisfy temptation is to yield to it.
My thoughts:
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. You can all throw tomatoes at me for not loving this story :( This is my second full length Reid and I didn’t like either. I did listen to both so I’m going to try reading my next one and see if it was a narrator disconnect. For me, I just wasn’t into the story telling and I didn’t connect emotionally with much of anything in this story.
Adorable things happened. The characters were likable. But my heart was just not engaged in any way. I didn’t care about it and I’m sad about that. I can see why so many loved this story but overall I just was ready to be done. So I think it was just something personal for me going on, and nothing you should judge the book by.
Something that did frustrate me was how the heroine seemed to be perfect at everything. I loved the fencing plot line – she was fabulous at fencing and so good she took her brother’s place in the duel that starts the whole story. I loved that. But then she continued to be amazing at literally everything. She can take on highwaymen. She can beat the best chess master in the world. She is a gambling genius and increases her gambling earnings by 3000% the first time she tries. It was all tiring for me. I didn’t connect with the hero either. I think, I was told a lot of maybe how I should feel and what they were doing but I didn’t get to feel it. The sex too wasn’t emotional for me at all. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
Content warnings:
- Remembrance of physical abuse in heroine’s previous relationship
- Carriage abduction and threats of violence from highwaymen
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
- I could have missed some scenes, I tend to be lazy with audio
Safe sex: the hero pulls out
35% - kisses
48% - 🔥 kisses and fingering for her
55% - kiss
60% - 🔥 kisses, missionary (pulls out)
62% - against a wall sex (it’s pretty close to the last scene)
63% - remembrance of additional scenes
67% - kisses
72% - 🔥 oral for her, wall sex
92% - 🔥 her on top
99% - kiss
100% - starts a sex scene
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (at least. I combined 2 scenes together for a flame and it’s possible I missed one)
Humor: Yes a bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, 5 years later
Should I read in order?
I think this might be a stand alone?
Basic plot:
Mina is desperate to help her brother and when an employment opportunity lands in her lap she can’t refuse.
Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian time period
- ruined heroine
- Earl hero
- heroine dresses as a man
- hero needs a wife (grandmother is pushing)
- work place romance (heroine is the hero’s secretary)
- duel
- hero gets books on the sensual arts so he can please her
-
- medium to high steam – at least 4 scenes
- bluestocking hero and both mains enjoy discussing politics and making changes for a better society
- rags to riches
- heroine loves ice cream, and hero buys it for her repeatedly
Ages:
- heroine is 24, hero is 28
First line:
The only way to satisfy temptation is to yield to it.
My thoughts:
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. You can all throw tomatoes at me for not loving this story :( This is my second full length Reid and I didn’t like either. I did listen to both so I’m going to try reading my next one and see if it was a narrator disconnect. For me, I just wasn’t into the story telling and I didn’t connect emotionally with much of anything in this story.
Adorable things happened. The characters were likable. But my heart was just not engaged in any way. I didn’t care about it and I’m sad about that. I can see why so many loved this story but overall I just was ready to be done. So I think it was just something personal for me going on, and nothing you should judge the book by.
Content warnings:
- Remembrance of physical abuse in heroine’s previous relationship
- Carriage abduction and threats of violence from highwaymen
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
35% - kisses
48% - 🔥 kisses and fingering for her
55% - kiss
60% - 🔥 kisses, missionary (pulls out)
62% - against a wall sex (it’s pretty close to the last scene)
63% - remembrance of additional scenes
67% - kisses
72% - 🔥 oral for her, wall sex
92% - 🔥 her on top
99% - kiss
100% - starts a sex scene
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Roberts’s Dark Olympus series
Basic plot:
This a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone – After being betrothed to Zeus without her permission, Persephone flees to the River Styx and meets a man she was told was a myth...Hades.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary style fantasy myth retelling (Hades and Persephone)
- “ruin me”
- scarred hero
- high steam with some kink elements – exhibitionism, voyeurism and 10ish scenes
Ages:
- Persephone is 24, not sure about Hades but ‘older’
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one! I listened the audio and thought it had great narration.
I’m not super familiar with mythology- I know only the very brief basics of the idea behind Hades and Persephone’s story. So I liked this retelling and including the contemporary aspects to it (I’m not sure how close/far it stuck to the original mythology). It was a bit strange to me that the gods, the 13, were more of a placemarker role...like when one dies, another takes their place and changes their name.
I love ‘ruin me’ tropes and this one had a lot of scenes that really delivered. I appreciated the amount of time I got in Hades head and his thoughts and emotions about having Persephone with him. Exhibitionism isn’t my personal favorite kink, but it was hot here and I loved a lot of their intimate scenes. Overall I thought this was great and I’m definitely eager to try more from Katee Robert. (this was my first!)
Content warnings:
- Some scenes of fear, violence, death on page
- Mention of Zeus killing Hades family in a fire
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: I believe condoms are mentioned/used
I could have missed some I tend to get lazy on note taking with audio
Chapter 7 – kiss
Chapter 8 – 🔥 fingering for her
Chapter 10 – 🔥 mutual masturbation
Chapter 14 – 🔥 voyeurism scene where Hades brings Persephone to watch others. Fingering for her that becomes an exhibition scene with throat grabbing and her on top
Chapter 16 – 🔥 Hades cuts her clothes off her, oral and fingering for her, sex
Chapter 17 – 🔥 blow job followed by oral for her
Chapter 20 – 🔥 oral/fingering for her, throat grabbing, sex bent over a couch
Chapter 21 – 🔥 no protection, her on top
Chapter 23 – 🔥 blow job
Chapter 24 – 🔥 her on top while he stands, changing to dresser sex
Epilogue – 🔥 fingering for her, bent over a chair with exhibitionism
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Roberts’s Dark Olympus series
Basic plot:
This a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone – After being betrothed to Zeus without her permission, Persephone flees to the River Styx and meets a man she was told was a myth...Hades.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary style fantasy myth retelling (Hades and Persephone)
- “ruin me”
- scarred hero
- high steam with some kink elements – exhibitionism, voyeurism and 10ish scenes
Ages:
- Persephone is 24, not sure about Hades but ‘older’
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one! I listened the audio and thought it had great narration.
I’m not super familiar with mythology- I know only the very brief basics of the idea behind Hades and Persephone’s story. So I liked this retelling and including the contemporary aspects to it (I’m not sure how close/far it stuck to the original mythology). It was a bit strange to me that the gods, the 13, were more of a placemarker role...like when one dies, another takes their place and changes their name.
I love ‘ruin me’ tropes and this one had a lot of scenes that really delivered. I appreciated the amount of time I got in Hades head and his thoughts and emotions about having Persephone with him. Exhibitionism isn’t my personal favorite kink, but it was hot here and I loved a lot of their intimate scenes. Overall I thought this was great and I’m definitely eager to try more from Katee Robert. (this was my first!)
Content warnings:
- Some scenes of fear, violence, death on page
- Mention of Zeus killing Hades family in a fire
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: I believe condoms are mentioned/used
I could have missed some I tend to get lazy on note taking with audio
Chapter 7 – kiss
Chapter 8 – 🔥 fingering for her
Chapter 10 – 🔥 mutual masturbation
Chapter 14 – 🔥 voyeurism scene where Hades brings Persephone to watch others. Fingering for her that becomes an exhibition scene with throat grabbing and her on top
Chapter 16 – 🔥 Hades cuts her clothes off her, oral and fingering for her, sex
Chapter 17 – 🔥 blow job followed by oral for her
Chapter 20 – 🔥 oral/fingering for her, throat grabbing, sex bent over a couch
Chapter 21 – 🔥 no protection, her on top
Chapter 23 – 🔥 blow job
Chapter 24 – 🔥 her on top while he stands, changing to dresser sex
Epilogue – 🔥 fingering for her, bent over a chair with exhibitionism
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: It’s a pretty heavy book so not much
Perspective: First person with chapters in both hero and heroine’s perspective
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, a touch in future (not far into the future)
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone (or at least the first story in the series)
Basic plot:
With his brother dead, Gabriel takes his nephew into the folds of the Saint family – he doesn’t plan on taking the mother but once he sets eyes on her, he knows she’s his as well
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary mafia romance
- Redhill, California setting
- you’re okay with a darker, mafia story line including abduction and forced marriage and plenty of violence and death on page
- artist/fashion designing heroine
- instalove (on behalf of the hero)
- enemies to lovers
- light praise kink
- highter steam – at least 6 full scenes and some light kink
Ages:
- didn’t catch either...would guess late 20s? Possibly early 30s?
First line:
My fingers curl at my side, the only emotion that’ll show on my body.
My thoughts:
I did like a few things about this book. I like darkish romance with kidnapped themes and the hero kidnaps the heroine pretty early in. I liked how in the hero was from the beginning. I enjoyed how dominating and possessive the hero was from the beginning – but also tried to be respectful of her. I appreciated that there was a build up of their relationship over the course of the book and they didn’t dive into everything sexually right away. I think that helped build some tension for me.
But I also struggled with this book. I think it was just a personal thing and maybe I watched 365 Days too recently because that movie just kept playing through my head while reading this. Like any scene that was similar I was seeing the movie and it drove me bonkers (which is obviously a personal problem – sorry everyone! 😆 )
I had a couple issues with the writing – a few things sounded a bit conflicting like about the hero’s mother’s character. I also thought the villain was quite predictable (though I don’t really care about that – I don’t read romance to be shocked and surprised). I wanted their character depths developed a bit more. I loved that the heroine was an artist and fashion lover and wanted a bit more of that. I also could have used more character depth for the hero. I felt by the end I didn’t really know him that well other than he led a cliché mafia life. Some of the scenes just seemed to get a little crazy/gory just for the sake of it. I can’t believe how many people repeatedly broke into this house!
I tried to read the synopsis of Wilde’s books and find one that wasn’t second chance and didn’t have kids and I took a chance on this one and there is a child here 😆 so that lessened by love a bit (again, just personal).
The sex in this one was great though. It was hot and steamy and while I could have used a touch more of the emotional side (especially after the heroine just kind of broke down and capitulated to him), overall I loved it.
So, while this wasn’t a favorite for me, I would try Wilde again!
Quotes/thoughts:
“You dirty fucking girl,” he growls, “You’re going to come, aren’t you? Already.”
He jerks his cock harshly before he lets it go and slams his hand down on the shower button, switching off the water. And then the powerhouse of a man, skin radiating heat from the shower and eyes darkened with lust is coming for me.
---
There were a couple things that didn’t flow the best for me. Like in the beginning it was set up that Gabriel’s mother didn’t like the twins that were Gabriel’s half brothers because it showcased his father’s infidelity. That she resented them.
I glance towards the younger of the twins, born an hour after his brother, Asher. They were the result of infidelity by my father. My mother had never forgiven and hated that they remained and reminded her of his infidelity. The twins knew she despised them, but they remained nonetheless and growing, we had had a good relationship.
But then later in the book we’re told
My mother was the best there was with children, having raised me, my brother and then the twins after my father took them. She helped with my men’s kids, treating them like family, their mothers too. She was a family type through and through so when I finally look at her, see the exhaustion, the loss of fight, I know she’s been trying to keep Lincoln happy far longer than healthy.
It’s just not believable that she treated them like family knowing the prior sentence was said. I get what the author is saying, but stuff like this bothers me.
Content warnings:
- Murder, violence and threatening behavior on page
- Mafia behavior should cover it all…
- Forced marriage/abduction (and her child)
- Remembered physical abuse and sexual abuse/trafficking by the heroine’s stepfather that in one scene induces a panic attack
- Drowning
Author given content warnings: forced marriage themes, captor/captive romance, graphic sexual content, forced marriage, previous childhood abuse, violence and gore, mentions of alcohol and drug use, attempted SA, anxiety and panic attacks
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? No but the sex is consensual and the hero does pull out
18% - hero masturbation in the shower (it’s pretty short)
21% - wedding kiss
36% - kiss
44% - kiss
50% - kiss
51% - 🔥 heroine walks in on the hero masturbating in the shower and turns into oral for her then then move to the bedroom for missionary to doggy style
68% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her
74% - 🔥 shower sex
79% - 🔥 pool sex
84% - 🔥 fingering/oral for her, blow job that leads into another scene back at the house with toys and bondage
97% - 🔥 oral for her, sex
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: It’s a pretty heavy book so not much
Perspective: First person with chapters in both hero and heroine’s perspective
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes, a touch in future (not far into the future)
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone (or at least the first story in the series)
Basic plot:
With his brother dead, Gabriel takes his nephew into the folds of the Saint family – he doesn’t plan on taking the mother but once he sets eyes on her, he knows she’s his as well
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary mafia romance
- Redhill, California setting
- you’re okay with a darker, mafia story line including abduction and forced marriage and plenty of violence and death on page
- artist/fashion designing heroine
- instalove (on behalf of the hero)
- enemies to lovers
- light praise kink
- highter steam – at least 6 full scenes and some light kink
Ages:
- didn’t catch either...would guess late 20s? Possibly early 30s?
First line:
My fingers curl at my side, the only emotion that’ll show on my body.
My thoughts:
I did like a few things about this book. I like darkish romance with kidnapped themes and the hero kidnaps the heroine pretty early in. I liked how in the hero was from the beginning. I enjoyed how dominating and possessive the hero was from the beginning – but also tried to be respectful of her. I appreciated that there was a build up of their relationship over the course of the book and they didn’t dive into everything sexually right away. I think that helped build some tension for me.
But I also struggled with this book. I think it was just a personal thing and maybe I watched 365 Days too recently because that movie just kept playing through my head while reading this. Like any scene that was similar I was seeing the movie and it drove me bonkers (which is obviously a personal problem – sorry everyone! 😆 )
I had a couple issues with the writing – a few things sounded a bit conflicting like about the hero’s mother’s character. I also thought the villain was quite predictable (though I don’t really care about that – I don’t read romance to be shocked and surprised). I wanted their character depths developed a bit more. I loved that the heroine was an artist and fashion lover and wanted a bit more of that. I also could have used more character depth for the hero. I felt by the end I didn’t really know him that well other than he led a cliché mafia life. Some of the scenes just seemed to get a little crazy/gory just for the sake of it. I can’t believe how many people repeatedly broke into this house!
I tried to read the synopsis of Wilde’s books and find one that wasn’t second chance and didn’t have kids and I took a chance on this one and there is a child here 😆 so that lessened by love a bit (again, just personal).
The sex in this one was great though. It was hot and steamy and while I could have used a touch more of the emotional side (especially after the heroine just kind of broke down and capitulated to him), overall I loved it.
So, while this wasn’t a favorite for me, I would try Wilde again!
Quotes/thoughts:
“You dirty fucking girl,” he growls, “You’re going to come, aren’t you? Already.”
He jerks his cock harshly before he lets it go and slams his hand down on the shower button, switching off the water. And then the powerhouse of a man, skin radiating heat from the shower and eyes darkened with lust is coming for me.
---
There were a couple things that didn’t flow the best for me. Like in the beginning it was set up that Gabriel’s mother didn’t like the twins that were Gabriel’s half brothers because it showcased his father’s infidelity. That she resented them.
I glance towards the younger of the twins, born an hour after his brother, Asher. They were the result of infidelity by my father. My mother had never forgiven and hated that they remained and reminded her of his infidelity. The twins knew she despised them, but they remained nonetheless and growing, we had had a good relationship.
But then later in the book we’re told
My mother was the best there was with children, having raised me, my brother and then the twins after my father took them. She helped with my men’s kids, treating them like family, their mothers too. She was a family type through and through so when I finally look at her, see the exhaustion, the loss of fight, I know she’s been trying to keep Lincoln happy far longer than healthy.
It’s just not believable that she treated them like family knowing the prior sentence was said. I get what the author is saying, but stuff like this bothers me.
Content warnings:
- Murder, violence and threatening behavior on page
- Mafia behavior should cover it all…
- Forced marriage/abduction (and her child)
- Remembered physical abuse and sexual abuse/trafficking by the heroine’s stepfather that in one scene induces a panic attack
- Drowning
Author given content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? No but the sex is consensual and the hero does pull out
18% - hero masturbation in the shower (it’s pretty short)
21% - wedding kiss
36% - kiss
44% - kiss
50% - kiss
51% - 🔥 heroine walks in on the hero masturbating in the shower and turns into oral for her then then move to the bedroom for missionary to doggy style
68% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her
74% - 🔥 shower sex
79% - 🔥 pool sex
84% - 🔥 fingering/oral for her, blow job that leads into another scene back at the house with toys and bondage
97% - 🔥 oral for her, sex
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit especially with their banter
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: The last chapter takes place 1 month in the future
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary but I would suggest yes. You come into this story with the mains knowing each other and I felt like I was missing out a bit on their relationship from prior books.
Basic plot:
Poppy escaped her home years ago to avoid an unpleasant marriage, but upon hearing her sister is being accused of murder she returns to help prove her innocence. She runs into Joshua at the station and he agrees to help her if she pretends to be his bride-to-be to get his grandmother off his back.
Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian (1867)
- Buckinghamshire setting
- mystery to solve
- Duke hero
- secret identity (plays a small part)
- fake betrothal
- hero suffers from claustrophobia
- touch of class difference
- lower steam lovers – 1 full scene
Ages:
- Heroine is 25, didn’t catch hero
First line:
Violence, regrettably, was out of the question.
My thoughts:
I ended up really enjoying this mystery. Mysteries aren’t usually my favorite in romance because I want my characters focused on each other instead of something else – but in this one they did that! And spent almost all their time together which I really appreciated.
Collins’s writing really pulled me in on this one and I found this book a pleasure to read. Joshua and Poppy’s banter was endearing and funny. I liked that Poppy had a bit a of a prickly personality – I wouldn’t say it was sunshine and grump necessarily but it gave me a touch of those vibes – Joshua maybe enhanced Poppy’s grumpiness sometimes haha but them together just really felt like perfection.
I was a bit sad I didn’t read the first two books, only because it seemed like these characters already had their minds made up about each other from page 1 and I didn’t get to experience that. (I’m unsure how much page time they actually have together in the prior books)
I could have used a touch more steam, but I recall from reading her prior that I wasn’t going to get hot and heavy. The scene was lovely, but a touch light on explicitness and not super long.
Overall though I really enjoyed the story and writing, the characters were a delight, and it does make me want to try the first two books in this series!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
“Do friends do this?” she asked lightly, lifting her hand to his shoulder. From this angle, she could see a patch of whiskers, his valet must have missed when shaving him before dinner, and the site endeared him to her as no polished façade could have done. He was, despite his elevated title and great wealth, simply a man. The warmth of his body so near here told her as much.
“Our kinds of friends do,” he said, in a low voice that made her heart quicken. “We even do other things when we choose to.”
“Like what?” she whispered, hearing the tremble in her voice, but not caring.
“We kiss when we want to,” he said softly. “So, the real question, Poppy, is, do we want to?”
Content warnings:
- Mention of death of heroine’s father at a young age
- Abusive family
- Corrupt police
- Heroine is thrown down a cave and hurts her ankle and is taken by the villain
- Scenes of eating an animal heart
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? The hero pulls out
Pg 164 – kiss (for a distraction)
Pg 223 – kiss, fingering for her, her on top (virginity loss) while in a locked folly
Pg 325 kiss that leads to an implied scene
Total pages 325
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit especially with their banter
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: The last chapter takes place 1 month in the future
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary but I would suggest yes. You come into this story with the mains knowing each other and I felt like I was missing out a bit on their relationship from prior books.
Basic plot:
Poppy escaped her home years ago to avoid an unpleasant marriage, but upon hearing her sister is being accused of murder she returns to help prove her innocence. She runs into Joshua at the station and he agrees to help her if she pretends to be his bride-to-be to get his grandmother off his back.
Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian (1867)
- Buckinghamshire setting
- mystery to solve
- Duke hero
- secret identity (plays a small part)
- fake betrothal
- hero suffers from claustrophobia
- touch of class difference
- lower steam lovers – 1 full scene
Ages:
- Heroine is 25, didn’t catch hero
First line:
Violence, regrettably, was out of the question.
My thoughts:
I ended up really enjoying this mystery. Mysteries aren’t usually my favorite in romance because I want my characters focused on each other instead of something else – but in this one they did that! And spent almost all their time together which I really appreciated.
Collins’s writing really pulled me in on this one and I found this book a pleasure to read. Joshua and Poppy’s banter was endearing and funny. I liked that Poppy had a bit a of a prickly personality – I wouldn’t say it was sunshine and grump necessarily but it gave me a touch of those vibes – Joshua maybe enhanced Poppy’s grumpiness sometimes haha but them together just really felt like perfection.
I was a bit sad I didn’t read the first two books, only because it seemed like these characters already had their minds made up about each other from page 1 and I didn’t get to experience that. (I’m unsure how much page time they actually have together in the prior books)
I could have used a touch more steam, but I recall from reading her prior that I wasn’t going to get hot and heavy. The scene was lovely, but a touch light on explicitness and not super long.
Overall though I really enjoyed the story and writing, the characters were a delight, and it does make me want to try the first two books in this series!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
“Do friends do this?” she asked lightly, lifting her hand to his shoulder. From this angle, she could see a patch of whiskers, his valet must have missed when shaving him before dinner, and the site endeared him to her as no polished façade could have done. He was, despite his elevated title and great wealth, simply a man. The warmth of his body so near here told her as much.
“Our kinds of friends do,” he said, in a low voice that made her heart quicken. “We even do other things when we choose to.”
“Like what?” she whispered, hearing the tremble in her voice, but not caring.
“We kiss when we want to,” he said softly. “So, the real question, Poppy, is, do we want to?”
Content warnings:
- Mention of death of heroine’s father at a young age
- Abusive family
- Corrupt police
- Heroine is thrown down a cave and hurts her ankle and is taken by the villain
- Scenes of eating an animal heart
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? The hero pulls out
Pg 164 – kiss (for a distraction)
Pg 223 – kiss, fingering for her, her on top (virginity loss) while in a locked folly
Pg 325 kiss that leads to an implied scene
Total pages 325
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine, as well as some scenes from Valencia and Cordelia (the heroine’s friend and daughter)
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue? Yes, 11 months later
Should I read in order?
This is the first book of Jordan’s new series, The Scandalous Ladies of London
Basic plot:
Tru is trapped in an unsatisfying marriage. The only thing that she lives for are her children, but her can’t stop seeing her daughter’s suitor in the wrong light.
Give this a try if you want:
- Late Regency (1821)
- Both mains are parents
- Class difference – heroine is a countess and hero is a working class hotel owner
- Taboo – heroine is married when she meets the hero (view spoiler)
- (view spoiler)
- Instalust
- Working class hero – he owns various inns and hotels
- Lower steam – I believe there’s only 1 full scene
Ages:
- Heroine is 37, hero is 33
My thoughts:
So, I do love the idea behind this one. I enjoy the thought of a group of established women finding their HEAs. These are women in their 30s and not new debutantes. Many are parents of young adults. It felt like a totally new read from my usual plot set ups.
But this one ended up not working for me. Basically, the hero felt rather skeevy to me and I never grew to love him. I felt bad for Tru and thought she deserved better. Also the steam was a bit disappointing in this one, but I do think it fit what was happening in the plot.
Specifics about what didn’t work for me – these are specific things that happen in the book and are spoilers!
So the hero never wanted to marry and had an affair with someone out in the stable because he couldn’t bring her into the inn. He cared too much that his mother slept there. But he did the right thing and got married when she got pregnant. This is the background we’re given on the hero. It just feels like he’s not the best from this. We find out he has a daughter too but she doesn’t have any page time so we don’t really know their relationship. It seems like it is important for him to find someone to help her with society and nurturing, but I wasn’t getting fabulous single dad vibes from either. So getting to know im, I feel like he didn’t have anything to offer my heart.
Then there’s a preview section of him looking for a wife and already sets his sites on Cordelia. But still he propositions Tru after he’s made this decision. Of course he doesn’t know who she is but he’s obviously fine with having fucks whenever and with whoever he wants.
THEN when he meets them all he says hes going to go forth with courting her daughter but still baits Tru. This is where he just couldn’t recover for me. It was like he found it funny, silly, endearing to get her all riled up. She’s protecting her child from a life with a skeevy man. She is currently living it – has been cheated on since the beginning – why wouldn’t she want better for her daughter? Why would she want a guy for her daughter that tried to spend the night with her mother and doesn’t seem to care or feel awkward about it? He was giving me vibes of smirking and basically tapping her on the nose saying ‘you’re so cute when you’re mad’.
As a reader, we know he doesn’t actually plan on pursuing a marriage with her daughter. But the fact that he found it enjoyable to basically torture her with this to make her emotional (so what, she would kiss him again? Bleh) just made me dislike him so much. He recovered a bit in the second half of the book but honestly it was just too little, too late. These two get together physically at almost 80% of the book and I’m still feeling like he’s using her. Some books I don’t believe in the HEA and this is one, sadly. I felt like Tru deserved so much better than she got.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
“Do not laugh at me, sirrah.”
He sobered. “My apologizes. It only strikes me that interest is such a mild word for the feelings you are inspiring in me.”
“What word would you use then?”
“Something not nearly as polite.”
Oh, he was indeed a rake.
He leaned forward then, all levity absent from his features as he looked her over solemnly. “What is the word for wanting to remove you from this place...take you to the nearest bed and strip you of that gown?”
---
She marveled that she could feel things everywhere when only their mouths melded. Every nerve ending was on fire, vibrating and singing and shooting sensation directly to the aching center between her legs.
It was too much.
One of her hands was still pinned against the wall. Her fingers curled, lacing with his. Her nails dug into his skin...clinging to him rather than shoving him away.
He growled into her mouth and opened his hand wider, locking, fusing, their palms together. Their hands, like their mouths, were bonded, and she relished every bit of it – the hard press of his length against her, the sink of him into her softness.
Content warnings:
- Scenes of an unhealthy marriage
- Infidelity – (view spoiler)
- Heroine slaps the hero for saying something inappropriate
- Death (view spoiler)
- Spousal abuse (view spoiler)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? No? I don’t believe the hero pulls out the first time and she’s still married
Pg 146 – kiss
Pg 194 – kiss
Pg 214 – kiss
Pg 226 – kiss (during a house party game)
PG 229 – 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary
Total pages: 281 (on my pdf version)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine, as well as some scenes from Valencia and Cordelia (the heroine’s friend and daughter)
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue? Yes, 11 months later
Should I read in order?
This is the first book of Jordan’s new series, The Scandalous Ladies of London
Basic plot:
Tru is trapped in an unsatisfying marriage. The only thing that she lives for are her children, but her can’t stop seeing her daughter’s suitor in the wrong light.
Give this a try if you want:
- Late Regency (1821)
- Both mains are parents
- Class difference – heroine is a countess and hero is a working class hotel owner
- Taboo – heroine is married when she meets the hero (view spoiler)
- (view spoiler)
- Instalust
- Working class hero – he owns various inns and hotels
- Lower steam – I believe there’s only 1 full scene
Ages:
- Heroine is 37, hero is 33
My thoughts:
So, I do love the idea behind this one. I enjoy the thought of a group of established women finding their HEAs. These are women in their 30s and not new debutantes. Many are parents of young adults. It felt like a totally new read from my usual plot set ups.
But this one ended up not working for me. Basically, the hero felt rather skeevy to me and I never grew to love him. I felt bad for Tru and thought she deserved better. Also the steam was a bit disappointing in this one, but I do think it fit what was happening in the plot.
Specifics about what didn’t work for me – these are specific things that happen in the book and are spoilers!
So the hero never wanted to marry and had an affair with someone out in the stable because he couldn’t bring her into the inn. He cared too much that his mother slept there. But he did the right thing and got married when she got pregnant. This is the background we’re given on the hero. It just feels like he’s not the best from this. We find out he has a daughter too but she doesn’t have any page time so we don’t really know their relationship. It seems like it is important for him to find someone to help her with society and nurturing, but I wasn’t getting fabulous single dad vibes from either. So getting to know im, I feel like he didn’t have anything to offer my heart.
Then there’s a preview section of him looking for a wife and already sets his sites on Cordelia. But still he propositions Tru after he’s made this decision. Of course he doesn’t know who she is but he’s obviously fine with having fucks whenever and with whoever he wants.
THEN when he meets them all he says hes going to go forth with courting her daughter but still baits Tru. This is where he just couldn’t recover for me. It was like he found it funny, silly, endearing to get her all riled up. She’s protecting her child from a life with a skeevy man. She is currently living it – has been cheated on since the beginning – why wouldn’t she want better for her daughter? Why would she want a guy for her daughter that tried to spend the night with her mother and doesn’t seem to care or feel awkward about it? He was giving me vibes of smirking and basically tapping her on the nose saying ‘you’re so cute when you’re mad’.
As a reader, we know he doesn’t actually plan on pursuing a marriage with her daughter. But the fact that he found it enjoyable to basically torture her with this to make her emotional (so what, she would kiss him again? Bleh) just made me dislike him so much. He recovered a bit in the second half of the book but honestly it was just too little, too late. These two get together physically at almost 80% of the book and I’m still feeling like he’s using her. Some books I don’t believe in the HEA and this is one, sadly. I felt like Tru deserved so much better than she got.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
“Do not laugh at me, sirrah.”
He sobered. “My apologizes. It only strikes me that interest is such a mild word for the feelings you are inspiring in me.”
“What word would you use then?”
“Something not nearly as polite.”
Oh, he was indeed a rake.
He leaned forward then, all levity absent from his features as he looked her over solemnly. “What is the word for wanting to remove you from this place...take you to the nearest bed and strip you of that gown?”
---
She marveled that she could feel things everywhere when only their mouths melded. Every nerve ending was on fire, vibrating and singing and shooting sensation directly to the aching center between her legs.
It was too much.
One of her hands was still pinned against the wall. Her fingers curled, lacing with his. Her nails dug into his skin...clinging to him rather than shoving him away.
He growled into her mouth and opened his hand wider, locking, fusing, their palms together. Their hands, like their mouths, were bonded, and she relished every bit of it – the hard press of his length against her, the sink of him into her softness.
Content warnings:
- Scenes of an unhealthy marriage
- Infidelity – (view spoiler)
- Heroine slaps the hero for saying something inappropriate
- Death (view spoiler)
- Spousal abuse (view spoiler)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? No? I don’t believe the hero pulls out the first time and she’s still married
Pg 146 – kiss
Pg 194 – kiss
Pg 214 – kiss
Pg 226 – kiss (during a house party game)
PG 229 – 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary
Total pages: 281 (on my pdf version)
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes!
Perspective: First person from the heroine only
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: No but the last chapter jumps ahead a touch.
Should I read in order?
This is Green’s debut!
Basic plot:
Our heroine is ready to get over someone by getting under someone and joins a dating app
Give this a try if you want:
- ‘monster’ romance – this is a contemporary world filled with fae, elf, orcs, humans, goblins, demons
- Scottish orc hero, fae heroine
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- mistaken identity
- scarred hero
- heroine brushes and braids the hero’s hair
- well-endowed hero
- hero washes the heroine’s hair
- dirty talking hero
- hero buys her sexy underwear then later rips them off
- anxiety rep (heroine)
- delicious angst!
Ages:
- Heroine is 33, didn’t see hero mentioned
First lines:
Hey u up?
I always considered myself levelheaded, especially as I barreled towards my mid-thirties at increasing speed. I often found comfort in there being very few things left in this world that could send me into a tizzy.
Except for my ex-boyfriend.
My thoughts:
This book right here….is currently my top read of the year. Green has taken my orc virginity and I’m so glad it was her *sniff. She has immediately become an autobuy author for me and now I have to foam at the mouth until she releases another book since this was her full length debut! I was so in love with this book.
I really enjoyed the build up of sexual tension in this book. I think it was really well done and one of those things I am always chasing in romance. Make me want it. Give me feels. I want to feel that longing and have it so good when they finally come together. And I had it here and it’s one of the reasons I will treasure this book!
This is one of those stories that captured my heart pretty quickly. It was hilarious. Skye was endearing. Ansel was stunning. I was lost. I spent all my spare minutes trying to escape my children and family and read this novel.
Skye works in IT and is trying to recover from her last relationship. I really loved Skye. My heart broke for her as we worked through her issues and her need for love. I think her and Ansel are perfection together. I can see why people got so annoyed with Skye – she’s obsessed with her crappy ex-boyfriend, who, it’s clear to us is a total asshole. But, haven’t we all been fools for love? She comes from what seems like a somewhat neglectful family. Her mother spends all her time talking about other people and herself and doesn’t even ask about Skye. We know Skye has a sister but they don’t seem close. She has been with Carter for 8 years – almost a decade of her life! I feel for her and understand her insecurities. We know she deserves better OF COURSE and it was such a great point in the book when Skye realizes that too.
Ansel is just *swoon. He says the perfect things. He builds Skye up so well and I adored his fall for her. He could communicate better, sure, but I think overall it wasn’t too much held back. Coming from a place of trying to protect her it was understandable. I just adored him – he put her first and gave her as many orgasms as she needed. When I found out he knew she was unscrewing the window bars I love him. When I knew he was awake listening to her masturbate I loved him even more!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- Hero is an orc with long hair and white tusks
- cock is a darker green than his body, very large, but otherwise quite human
- 7 ft tall
Quotes/thoughts:
“Go on, lass. I’ll stay here. Just promise me you’ll stay on your side of the city. It’s much safer.”
I bit back a snarky comment about him sounding just like my eighty-year-old neighbor because, unlike my neighbor, he was big enough to squash me like a bug.
“Hurry, Before I change my mind and decide to keep you forever,” he added with a dark chuckle.
---
“Sweetling, please. You have to be careful or you’re going to hurt yourself,” Ansel spoke in such a soft voice as if he was coaxing a wild animal. I yanked my arms away as he reached for my wrists. But I had nowhere to go; he had me backed into a corner. I flailed for a few moments until he caught my arms.
---
He made a sound of displeasure that came from deep within his throat. “That’s what I was worried about,” he said under his breath. His expression hardened as he regarded me. “If you’re ever put in a position like that again, Skye, I need you to promise me you will never sacrifice yourself for me. Your life is more important than mine. You are worth saving, I am not. Never forget that.”
---
“Skye,” he said in a soft voice that brought a new batch of tears close to the surface. “Are you okay? How many times do I have to tell you that a man who can’t make you come is not worth crying over? Actually no man is worth crying over. We’re all assholes.”
---
“Come here,” he rasped, motioning for me to move closer to the end of the bed. “I am going to make you feel so good that not only will you forget the bastard’s name, but everything else wrong in your life.”
---
“That little pussy of yours had gotten you into a lot of trouble now, hasn’t it? Just think, if you had someone fucking you properly, you wouldn’t have wandered into the alley that night.”
“No one has ever fucked me properly,” I said.
He smirked. “Well, you’re in for a real treat. Because fucking properly is the only thing I’m good for.”
Content warnings:
- Mention of drug usage (black rock)
- Racism
- Scenes of the heroine recovering from a breakup where she feels unloved (and he continues to take advantage of her)
- Unsolicited dick pics
- Heroine is held and threatened with a gun/assaulted
- Heroine is taken by the hero (for her safety)
- Death (view spoiler)
- Torture
- Hero is a smoker
- Infidelity (view spoiler)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? (view spoiler)
7% - cock touches (interrupted)
29% - 🔥 kisses, breast play, fingering for her
36% - heroine masturbation (short)
45% - kiss
50% - 🔥 oral for her
62% - 🔥 oral and fingering for her
65% - 🔥 blow job in the shower
78% - 🔥 kiss that leads to sex under an overpass. Oral/fingering for her. Him holding her against a ledge/wall
87% - 🔥 her on top, then missionary
99% - playing with vibrators, missionary (It fades a bit to the end – you might count it)
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes!
Perspective: First person from the heroine only
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: No but the last chapter jumps ahead a touch.
Should I read in order?
This is Green’s debut!
Basic plot:
Our heroine is ready to get over someone by getting under someone and joins a dating app
Give this a try if you want:
- ‘monster’ romance – this is a contemporary world filled with fae, elf, orcs, humans, goblins, demons
- Scottish orc hero, fae heroine
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- mistaken identity
- scarred hero
- heroine brushes and braids the hero’s hair
- well-endowed hero
- hero washes the heroine’s hair
- dirty talking hero
- hero buys her sexy underwear then later rips them off
- anxiety rep (heroine)
- delicious angst!
Ages:
- Heroine is 33, didn’t see hero mentioned
First lines:
Hey u up?
I always considered myself levelheaded, especially as I barreled towards my mid-thirties at increasing speed. I often found comfort in there being very few things left in this world that could send me into a tizzy.
Except for my ex-boyfriend.
My thoughts:
This book right here….is currently my top read of the year. Green has taken my orc virginity and I’m so glad it was her *sniff. She has immediately become an autobuy author for me and now I have to foam at the mouth until she releases another book since this was her full length debut! I was so in love with this book.
I really enjoyed the build up of sexual tension in this book. I think it was really well done and one of those things I am always chasing in romance. Make me want it. Give me feels. I want to feel that longing and have it so good when they finally come together. And I had it here and it’s one of the reasons I will treasure this book!
This is one of those stories that captured my heart pretty quickly. It was hilarious. Skye was endearing. Ansel was stunning. I was lost. I spent all my spare minutes trying to escape my children and family and read this novel.
Skye works in IT and is trying to recover from her last relationship. I really loved Skye. My heart broke for her as we worked through her issues and her need for love. I think her and Ansel are perfection together.
Ansel is just *swoon. He says the perfect things. He builds Skye up so well and I adored his fall for her.
Cock/Hero Stats:
- Hero is an orc with long hair and white tusks
- cock is a darker green than his body, very large, but otherwise quite human
- 7 ft tall
Quotes/thoughts:
“Go on, lass. I’ll stay here. Just promise me you’ll stay on your side of the city. It’s much safer.”
I bit back a snarky comment about him sounding just like my eighty-year-old neighbor because, unlike my neighbor, he was big enough to squash me like a bug.
“Hurry, Before I change my mind and decide to keep you forever,” he added with a dark chuckle.
---
“Sweetling, please. You have to be careful or you’re going to hurt yourself,” Ansel spoke in such a soft voice as if he was coaxing a wild animal. I yanked my arms away as he reached for my wrists. But I had nowhere to go; he had me backed into a corner. I flailed for a few moments until he caught my arms.
---
He made a sound of displeasure that came from deep within his throat. “That’s what I was worried about,” he said under his breath. His expression hardened as he regarded me. “If you’re ever put in a position like that again, Skye, I need you to promise me you will never sacrifice yourself for me. Your life is more important than mine. You are worth saving, I am not. Never forget that.”
---
“Skye,” he said in a soft voice that brought a new batch of tears close to the surface. “Are you okay? How many times do I have to tell you that a man who can’t make you come is not worth crying over? Actually no man is worth crying over. We’re all assholes.”
---
“Come here,” he rasped, motioning for me to move closer to the end of the bed. “I am going to make you feel so good that not only will you forget the bastard’s name, but everything else wrong in your life.”
---
“That little pussy of yours had gotten you into a lot of trouble now, hasn’t it? Just think, if you had someone fucking you properly, you wouldn’t have wandered into the alley that night.”
“No one has ever fucked me properly,” I said.
He smirked. “Well, you’re in for a real treat. Because fucking properly is the only thing I’m good for.”
Content warnings:
- Mention of drug usage (black rock)
- Racism
- Scenes of the heroine recovering from a breakup where she feels unloved (and he continues to take advantage of her)
- Unsolicited dick pics
- Heroine is held and threatened with a gun/assaulted
- Heroine is taken by the hero (for her safety)
- Death (view spoiler)
- Torture
- Hero is a smoker
- Infidelity (view spoiler)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex? (view spoiler)
7% - cock touches (interrupted)
29% - 🔥 kisses, breast play, fingering for her
36% - heroine masturbation (short)
45% - kiss
50% - 🔥 oral for her
62% - 🔥 oral and fingering for her
65% - 🔥 blow job in the shower
78% - 🔥 kiss that leads to sex under an overpass. Oral/fingering for her. Him holding her against a ledge/wall
87% - 🔥 her on top, then missionary
99% - playing with vibrators, missionary (It fades a bit to the end – you might count it)
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. The world building and exploration of Not Hoth happens over the course of the series.
Basic plot:
This book features Lila, a hard of heroine human that has just discovered her cochlear implants have been removed and she’s on an alien planet far from Earth, and Rokan, who comes to the abandoned space ship to help rescue the survivors.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- Alien setting – this entire story takes place on Not Hoth
- primitive setting – homes are made in caves and main source of food is hunting
- a very light touch of age gap – there is some humor between the hero being 40 and the heroine being 22
- fated mates that resonate with each other
- hard of hearing rep
- language barrier – the heroine can’t hear without her cochlear implants and has a hard time lip reading the Sa-Khui due to their fangs and different pronunciation of sounds
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- road trip feel – these two travel to various places on the planet together
-hero has never kissed/virgin hero
Ages:
- Heroine is 22, hero is 40
My thoughts:
I really loved this book. So so much. I adored book 1 when I read it – the humor, the steam, the world introduction that was just so thrilling...and while I’ve liked a lot of the books in the series, none really grabbed by heart again until this one.
I really loved Lila. I loved her finding herself on this ice planet and getting strength and confidence in her abilities. I could relate to her a lot (especially her being nervous and possibly a bit of a ninny in the beginning lol) and just really loved her.
Rokan is just the sweetest. The SWEETEST! The way he is so, so gentle with Lila the entire time. He takes the time to understand where she’s coming from, what she’s facing, and how to make it easiest for her. It’s not just about protecting her because he’s protective, he really seeks out her heart and safe guards the whole thing for her happiness. I was just so in love with him. I love how he never limited her, or bowled her over, he listened to her, truly listened to her, and that was so important for her.
I also enjoyed the way the ending rounded out – it wasn’t quite what I was expecting as sometimes the khui seems to lead to an easy fix and I enjoyed the work put into this one.
Language barrier is always my jam too. The way the characters have to focus a little more to get to know each other!
Definitely a favorite for me. Adored this story.
Cock/Hero Stats:
- The men are 7 feet tall, horned, tailed and blue.
- They have 4 fingers instead of 5
- They have a pinky sized bony protrusion at the base of their cock called a ‘spur’ used for clit or anal stimulation depending on position.
- Their cocks are hairless with velvety skin and darker blue than their blue skin.
- Before they resonate, their semen is thinner and not as apt for baby making
Content warnings:
- Scenes of hunting/animal death and usage/eating/etc
- Some scenes of violence and danger (hero is almost eaten by a giant bird)
- Heroine is abducted by another barbarian unwillingly (not the hero)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
35% - masturbation (short)
45% - bathing scene that leads to a kiss
54% - 🔥 kisses, touches and exploration, fingering for her, hand job
59% - 🔥 oral for her
81% - 🔥 kisses, blow job
96% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. The world building and exploration of Not Hoth happens over the course of the series.
Basic plot:
This book features Lila, a hard of heroine human that has just discovered her cochlear implants have been removed and she’s on an alien planet far from Earth, and Rokan, who comes to the abandoned space ship to help rescue the survivors.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- Alien setting – this entire story takes place on Not Hoth
- primitive setting – homes are made in caves and main source of food is hunting
- a very light touch of age gap – there is some humor between the hero being 40 and the heroine being 22
- fated mates that resonate with each other
- hard of hearing rep
- language barrier – the heroine can’t hear without her cochlear implants and has a hard time lip reading the Sa-Khui due to their fangs and different pronunciation of sounds
- heroine nurses hero back to health
- road trip feel – these two travel to various places on the planet together
-
Ages:
- Heroine is 22, hero is 40
My thoughts:
I really loved this book. So so much. I adored book 1 when I read it – the humor, the steam, the world introduction that was just so thrilling...and while I’ve liked a lot of the books in the series, none really grabbed by heart again until this one.
I really loved Lila. I loved her finding herself on this ice planet and getting strength and confidence in her abilities. I could relate to her a lot (especially her being nervous and possibly a bit of a ninny in the beginning lol) and just really loved her.
Rokan is just the sweetest. The SWEETEST! The way he is so, so gentle with Lila the entire time. He takes the time to understand where she’s coming from, what she’s facing, and how to make it easiest for her. It’s not just about protecting her because he’s protective, he really seeks out her heart and safe guards the whole thing for her happiness. I was just so in love with him. I love how he never limited her, or bowled her over, he listened to her, truly listened to her, and that was so important for her.
I also enjoyed the way the ending rounded out – it wasn’t quite what I was expecting as sometimes the khui seems to lead to an easy fix and I enjoyed the work put into this one.
Language barrier is always my jam too. The way the characters have to focus a little more to get to know each other!
Definitely a favorite for me. Adored this story.
Cock/Hero Stats:
- The men are 7 feet tall, horned, tailed and blue.
- They have 4 fingers instead of 5
- They have a pinky sized bony protrusion at the base of their cock called a ‘spur’ used for clit or anal stimulation depending on position.
- Their cocks are hairless with velvety skin and darker blue than their blue skin.
- Before they resonate, their semen is thinner and not as apt for baby making
Content warnings:
- Scenes of hunting/animal death and usage/eating/etc
- Some scenes of violence and danger (hero is almost eaten by a giant bird)
- Heroine is abducted by another barbarian unwillingly (not the hero)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
35% - masturbation (short)
45% - bathing scene that leads to a kiss
54% - 🔥 kisses, touches and exploration, fingering for her, hand job
59% - 🔥 oral for her
81% - 🔥 kisses, blow job
96% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both heroes, alternating chapters
Should I read in order?
I’m going to hesitantly suggest yes? I didn’t and this one is okay as a stand alone but I wonder if I might have understood a bit more about the world and the lifestyle of the characters (cupids and santanas) if I read that one first? I will give it a try sometime and try to check back in!
Basic plot:
Pyro and Valentine meet up at a kinky masquerade.
Give this a try if you want:
- Monster romance? (or maybe fantasy?) Not 100% sure how to classify this one – it’s contemporary feel with a variety of characters (mains are a cupid and a dragon)
- Masquerade
- Shorter novel – goodreads has it at 168 pages
- M/M pairing – Valentine is a cupid and Pyro is a dragon
- High steam – 5 full scenes packed into this smaller novel
- Kink – praise kink, some levels of D/s and punishment, spanking
- Consent and safety are at the forefront
My thoughts:
Overall I think this is a pleasant, hot read that checks a lot of fun fantasy elements.
Pyro and Valentine have a burning instalust that comes into play at a masquerade. Tons of steam, push and pull, and a bit of angst wraps up their relationship. Valentine is definitely more apprehensive about love and that comes into play quite a bit with Pyro having to do the convincing and chasing.
Their relationship was great to me – what I struggled with more here was the world building. I felt like I didn’t really understand it the best (which is why I’m wondering if book 1 will help with that). I felt a bit thrown into their lifestyles and careers and wanted to understand that a bit better.
This was my first Maeve Black and I’ll definitely be trying more from them!
Cock/Hero Stats:
Valentine is a lean cupid with strawberry flavored semen and a pierced cock.
Pyro is a blue, muscular dragon with cinnamon flavored semen and his cock is ‘ridged and twisted like a tree trunk’. He salivates and his incisors elongate when he wants to give mating bites.
Quotes/thoughts:
Leaning into my ear, his hot breath sent shivers down my spine. “Good boy,” he praised, and my entire body lit up at the simple words. “Ah, you like that.” He stroked my jaw with a look of interest flaring in his eyes. “Now, proceed.”
---
“You’re being so open with me, pet, I’m so proud of you.” His words caused a stir in my jeans. A pulsing throb straight to my dick. My physical reaction to his words only reaffirmed my need for praises within this arrangement.”
---
“You can touch me when you’re a good little pet and come for me. You’ll do that for me, won’t you, Valentine?”
---
His groan urged me forward, and I continued, laving at him, and making sure to dig my fingertips into his thighs. Knowing that tomorrow, when he was alone, he’d know it was me who marked him. Me who owned him.
---
The best holiday is and always will be Halloween. Anyone who argued could get fucked.
---
“Your punishment is coming down my throat without being able to touch me,” he explained, his burning eyes making me whimper. Pyro knew my need for touch would be an ample punishment.
---
“You’re mine, Cupid. Today, tomorrow, and every day after that. You will kneel for me again, and I’ll prove to you that running is fruitless.
---
Turning toward Pyro, humor lined his smile. Well, fuck him, and fuck his perfect smile. “I hate you.”
“Keep telling yourself that, pet. Maybe it’ll make fucking you that much hotter.”
---
“Yes, back. Because the moment you fell to your knees and offered me your freedom, I was yours. I love you, your petulance and subservience. I love the anger and sass. I love the kisses and every touch you offer me. I love your sighs and all the fucking moans you give. But most of all, I love your fight, your passion, and the love you pretended didn’t always exist right here.”
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
20% - 🔥 (Valentine’s POV) spanking for Valentine, hand job/blow job for Valentine followed by (Pyro’s POV) another blow job for Valentine while Pyro fingers him then it switches again to (Valentine’s POV) missionary with Pyro on top penetrating Valentine, then he flips him over for doggy
40% - 🔥 (Valentine’s POV) outside against a tree, Pyro gives Valentine a blow job while fingering him
62% (Valentine’s POV) kisses, (Pyro’s POV) Pyro gives Valentine a hand job and kisses in a store while glamoured to hide them from view
71% - 🔥 (Pyro’s POV) he asks Valentine to suck his cock while he’s on the phone. If he makes him come while still on the phone, he’ll reward him and if he doesn’t he’ll punish him. (he gets a reward ;), Pyro on top being penetrated by Valentine
89% - 🔥 (Pyro’s POV) kisses, mating bite, Pyro penetrates Val, then switches to (Valentine’s POV) to finish the scene.
96% - 🔥 (Pyro’s POV) –Valentine on top and switches (Valentine’s POV) to finish the scene
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both heroes, alternating chapters
Should I read in order?
I’m going to hesitantly suggest yes? I didn’t and this one is okay as a stand alone but I wonder if I might have understood a bit more about the world and the lifestyle of the characters (cupids and santanas) if I read that one first? I will give it a try sometime and try to check back in!
Basic plot:
Pyro and Valentine meet up at a kinky masquerade.
Give this a try if you want:
- Monster romance? (or maybe fantasy?) Not 100% sure how to classify this one – it’s contemporary feel with a variety of characters (mains are a cupid and a dragon)
- Masquerade
- Shorter novel – goodreads has it at 168 pages
- M/M pairing – Valentine is a cupid and Pyro is a dragon
- High steam – 5 full scenes packed into this smaller novel
- Kink – praise kink, some levels of D/s and punishment, spanking
- Consent and safety are at the forefront
My thoughts:
Overall I think this is a pleasant, hot read that checks a lot of fun fantasy elements.
Pyro and Valentine have a burning instalust that comes into play at a masquerade. Tons of steam, push and pull, and a bit of angst wraps up their relationship. Valentine is definitely more apprehensive about love and that comes into play quite a bit with Pyro having to do the convincing and chasing.
Their relationship was great to me – what I struggled with more here was the world building. I felt like I didn’t really understand it the best (which is why I’m wondering if book 1 will help with that). I felt a bit thrown into their lifestyles and careers and wanted to understand that a bit better.
This was my first Maeve Black and I’ll definitely be trying more from them!
Cock/Hero Stats:
Valentine is a lean cupid with strawberry flavored semen and a pierced cock.
Pyro is a blue, muscular dragon with cinnamon flavored semen and his cock is ‘ridged and twisted like a tree trunk’. He salivates and his incisors elongate when he wants to give mating bites.
Quotes/thoughts:
Leaning into my ear, his hot breath sent shivers down my spine. “Good boy,” he praised, and my entire body lit up at the simple words. “Ah, you like that.” He stroked my jaw with a look of interest flaring in his eyes. “Now, proceed.”
---
“You’re being so open with me, pet, I’m so proud of you.” His words caused a stir in my jeans. A pulsing throb straight to my dick. My physical reaction to his words only reaffirmed my need for praises within this arrangement.”
---
“You can touch me when you’re a good little pet and come for me. You’ll do that for me, won’t you, Valentine?”
---
His groan urged me forward, and I continued, laving at him, and making sure to dig my fingertips into his thighs. Knowing that tomorrow, when he was alone, he’d know it was me who marked him. Me who owned him.
---
The best holiday is and always will be Halloween. Anyone who argued could get fucked.
---
“Your punishment is coming down my throat without being able to touch me,” he explained, his burning eyes making me whimper. Pyro knew my need for touch would be an ample punishment.
---
“You’re mine, Cupid. Today, tomorrow, and every day after that. You will kneel for me again, and I’ll prove to you that running is fruitless.
---
Turning toward Pyro, humor lined his smile. Well, fuck him, and fuck his perfect smile. “I hate you.”
“Keep telling yourself that, pet. Maybe it’ll make fucking you that much hotter.”
---
“Yes, back. Because the moment you fell to your knees and offered me your freedom, I was yours. I love you, your petulance and subservience. I love the anger and sass. I love the kisses and every touch you offer me. I love your sighs and all the fucking moans you give. But most of all, I love your fight, your passion, and the love you pretended didn’t always exist right here.”
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
20% - 🔥 (Valentine’s POV) spanking for Valentine, hand job/blow job for Valentine followed by (Pyro’s POV) another blow job for Valentine while Pyro fingers him then it switches again to (Valentine’s POV) missionary with Pyro on top penetrating Valentine, then he flips him over for doggy
40% - 🔥 (Valentine’s POV) outside against a tree, Pyro gives Valentine a blow job while fingering him
62% (Valentine’s POV) kisses, (Pyro’s POV) Pyro gives Valentine a hand job and kisses in a store while glamoured to hide them from view
71% - 🔥 (Pyro’s POV) he asks Valentine to suck his cock while he’s on the phone. If he makes him come while still on the phone, he’ll reward him and if he doesn’t he’ll punish him. (he gets a reward ;), Pyro on top being penetrated by Valentine
89% - 🔥 (Pyro’s POV) kisses, mating bite, Pyro penetrates Val, then switches to (Valentine’s POV) to finish the scene.
96% - 🔥 (Pyro’s POV) –Valentine on top and switches (Valentine’s POV) to finish the scene
hopeful
mysterious
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: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and the heroine
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary. You’ll get a touch of character depth for the heroine, Eliza, in book 1 but nothing extensive.
Basic plot:
Nathaniel, her late husband’s friend, asks Eliza’s help in launching a young widow close to him into society.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1812)
- London setting
- Best friends spouse
- Child in the story – a side character has a young son that pops in and out of page time
- A touch of instalust here
- Widow heroine (didn’t have a good marriage)
- Former soldier (Earl) hero
- Working women – heroine owns a business with her sisters called Elegant Occasions
- Medium steam – it’s a 2 steam but the page count felt shorter in this one?
Ages:
- Hero is 30, heroine is 27
My thoughts:
I have read a lot of Sabrina Jeffries (This is my 21st novel by her!) and I generally do really like her. But, I find that a lot of her heroines and heroes just feel the same. Especially her heroes. And even though it’s been awhile since I have read her, I thought this one was kind of par for a lot of her other books and nothing really stood out to me or grabbed me.
I’m not a huge fan of secret keeping, or instalust really (it makes the books lower on tension and feels for me usually) so I think if those things are your jam you will enjoy this one quite a bit more than me. As it was, it was a pleasant read, but I don’t see myself returning to this novel. I liked the first book in the series quite a bit more than this one.
I also saw something about the title being changed and it was going to be An Earl for Eliza? Or something like that? I’m kind of sad about the title change. I think it works better (yay alliteration) and matches with the title from book 1. But those are just random thoughts!
I think there was quite a bit of side characters at play here with Nathaniel’s widow he’s trying to sponsor and the baggage from the past, I think the couple and their romance just got a bit lost for me here.
Content warnings:
- Brief mention of death of hero’s mother the past autumn and mention of other side character deaths (one in childbirth)
- Some scenes of violence remembered from war
- Heroine didn’t have the best marriage (her husband lied to her and kept things from her, and said things to her like her breasts were vulgar)
- Toxic family members – she has a run in with her father who disowned her years ago
- Infidelity (view spoiler)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Pg 36 – kiss but it’s done to see if someone else actually has feelings for him (he doesn’t have feelings for her, she’s more of a sister to him)
Pg 39 – another kiss
Pg 64 – kiss
Pg 103 – 🔥 kisses, her on top in a carriage
Pg 155 – 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary
Total pages: 218
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and the heroine
Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary. You’ll get a touch of character depth for the heroine, Eliza, in book 1 but nothing extensive.
Basic plot:
Nathaniel, her late husband’s friend, asks Eliza’s help in launching a young widow close to him into society.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency time period (1812)
- London setting
- Best friends spouse
- Child in the story – a side character has a young son that pops in and out of page time
- A touch of instalust here
- Widow heroine (didn’t have a good marriage)
- Former soldier (Earl) hero
- Working women – heroine owns a business with her sisters called Elegant Occasions
- Medium steam – it’s a 2 steam but the page count felt shorter in this one?
Ages:
- Hero is 30, heroine is 27
My thoughts:
I have read a lot of Sabrina Jeffries (This is my 21st novel by her!) and I generally do really like her. But, I find that a lot of her heroines and heroes just feel the same. Especially her heroes. And even though it’s been awhile since I have read her, I thought this one was kind of par for a lot of her other books and nothing really stood out to me or grabbed me.
I’m not a huge fan of secret keeping, or instalust really (it makes the books lower on tension and feels for me usually) so I think if those things are your jam you will enjoy this one quite a bit more than me. As it was, it was a pleasant read, but I don’t see myself returning to this novel. I liked the first book in the series quite a bit more than this one.
I also saw something about the title being changed and it was going to be An Earl for Eliza? Or something like that? I’m kind of sad about the title change. I think it works better (yay alliteration) and matches with the title from book 1. But those are just random thoughts!
I think there was quite a bit of side characters at play here with Nathaniel’s widow he’s trying to sponsor and the baggage from the past, I think the couple and their romance just got a bit lost for me here.
Content warnings:
- Brief mention of death of hero’s mother the past autumn and mention of other side character deaths (one in childbirth)
- Some scenes of violence remembered from war
- Heroine didn’t have the best marriage (her husband lied to her and kept things from her, and said things to her like her breasts were vulgar)
- Toxic family members – she has a run in with her father who disowned her years ago
- Infidelity (view spoiler)
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Pg 36 – kiss but it’s done to see if someone else actually has feelings for him (he doesn’t have feelings for her, she’s more of a sister to him)
Pg 39 – another kiss
Pg 64 – kiss
Pg 103 – 🔥 kisses, her on top in a carriage
Pg 155 – 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary
Total pages: 218