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emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖 (It took me a touch to get into this but once I got to about chapter 9 or so I didn’t want to put it down)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋 (soooo angsty in some parts! My heart was clenching!)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes!
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, about 6 months later
Format: voluntarily read a physical copy of the book gifted to me by the author
Why I chose this book: I was sent a paperback from the author and the blurb on the back sounded super cute and fun!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I believe this is a stand alone/first in series.
Basic plot:
Anna finds out she will lose everything up on her grandfather’s death – unless she gets married. And her guardian, Lord Ramsay is taking his responsibility to her very seriously.
Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance (Georgian?)
- Earl hero
- best friend’s brother
- guardian/ward
- hero has a sweet tooth
- waltz lessons
- light vibes of ugly duckling (some elements of heroine makeover – mostly clothes that flatter her shape more)
- enemy to lover elements
- he gifts flowers to her horse
- lower steam – slow burn with 2 full scenes somewhat close together within the page count
Ages:
- I didn’t catch their ages! I think maybe 20s?
First line:
Lady Anna Reston stood at the bottom of a wide stone staircase, wearing a borrowed dress and a grim expression.
My thoughts:
Oh my goodness – I have found a new fave author. This book was so freaking fun to me – I adored it.
This is my first by her (and her debut into the HR world) and I am already so eager for the next book. Some writers really just shine and Griffith’s writing style was absolutely my jam. She is one that the humor was so good, and genuine, the characters were delightful and memorable – the side characters really bringing life to this book too - and I loved the mains. I found myself swooning over so many lines and wanting to take down so many quotes. I found myself smiling to myself and wanting to kick me feet in glee during this story.
Ramsay has some issues with love and in some ways comes off as the classic emotionally constipated hero – which I am totally guilty of consistently loving. Love is hard for him to admit and we find out the issues in his past that have sculpted him into that man. But it makes his falling that much more delightful to me to watch him floundering with Anna, whom he just cannot seem to do anything right with except kiss her. Jealousy and uncertainty eat him up and I was utterly in love with him.
The all is lost moments within this book just gutted me. I LOVED the tumultuousness of their relationship. The push and pull, the uncertainty mixed with the passion and the hurt. Ugh I was amazing. This whole ride of a book I just loved.
Anna was delightful and I adored getting to know her – I have read a fair amount of horse loving mains in historical romance but not like this – I felt Anna’s love and care for her ‘hobby’ (her life!) and Griffith’s really brought it to light in a way that was engaging and breathtaking. The excitement and wonder really came through to me.
The tension was layered so well between these mains. And I just melted – absolutely melted – when Ramsay starts the gift giving to woo Anna in the most unique way. So, so sweet.
Funny, bright, delightful – I didn’t want to put this book down once I got into it.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: This one!
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
Julian turned his attention to another grievance, the sweetest and yet the most vexing.
Petit fours.
Two whole tables full, taunting him.
Little pink petit fours wrapped up like presents and filled with strawberry cream. Tempting white domes, each finished with a twist of sugared lemon. And of course the chocolate ones, each topped by a single pouting raspberry, calling to him like a dark addiction.
His sister was a fiend.
---
Charlotte doesn’t need me and -
Anna smacked hard into what seemed to be a solid wall of white linen. Impossibly well-muscled white linen that sent the oddest thrill shivering over her skin and carried the irresistible scent of -
Strong hands clamped down on her upper arms. “Lady Anna?”
Anna’s gaze swept up, way up. Over a warm, wide chest, up a strong column of neck and over the sharp curve of a jaw, up again past the dip of a rather stern mouth until she finally encountered a pair of bronze eyes, remarkably keen and clear.
Lord Ramsay.
Oh god.
---
Finally, a genuine response. An opening he could use.
“And yet you barely say a word to me, Lady Anna. You’ll make me jealous.” He let the word linger in the darkness of the carriage.
---
“Lady Anna?” His voice was impossibly deep. She had the strangest urge to lean her cheek against his chest and listen to it rumble.
“Yes?” she squeaked.
“If I call on you tomorrow, will you go walking with me?”
Anna had to remind herself to blink. “Because you insist that you’re my guardian?”
He smiled. “That, and other reasons.”
The harnesses jingled outside, the carriage rocked and swayed. Night air slipped in through a chink in the window and brushed against her collarbone, waking up her skin. “I suppose I have no objection to a walk.”
He leaned closer still, and all her senses stirred and shivered.
“Such progress,” he said softly. “It might go to my head.”
His words teased, but his eyes didn’t. Even as Anna watched they grew darker, more intent.
Her heart began to thrum, as if her blood was running too fast. She was in a carriage, making her way home at a sedate pace, so why did it feel like she was racing?
Julian held her gaze and lowered his head toward her. Slowly, so slowly.
“Lord Ramsay?” she breathed.
He was so close that she could almost feel his lips curve when he smiled.
“Yes, Lady Anna?”
“What are you doing?”
Those impossible eyes of his glittered. “I’d better show you, don’t you think?”
---
Julian couldn’t resist. He gave in to the temptation to take up her hand, raise it slowly to his mouth, and press a kiss to the inside of her wrist. Her pulse fluttered against his lips.
A lick of anger still flared within him and he wasn’t sure what to do with it, except press Anna against a tree. Taste her fierceness with his mouth.
Lashes veiled her eyes, but nothing could conceal the heat in her cheeks. “Are you done trying to agitate me?”
“Quite the opposite,” he said softly. “I’m just getting started.”
---
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Did you bring your handkerchief?”
Anna nodded weakly.
Charlotte sighed dramatically and thrust her hand into the gap where the upholstery met the carriage wall to pull out a small flask, which she shoved at Anna.
Anna unscrewed the top and sniffed the contents. “What’s this?”
“Scotch.” Charlotte widened her eyes when the Dowager sputtered. “What, Gran? I know you and your garden club drink it when you think on one’s looking. Tonight’s such a special night I thought you might like to share?”
The Dowager went pink. “Really, Charlotte!”
Anna took a large swig of the stuff and thrust the flask back to Charlotte, but the Dowager swept it out of her hands.
“I’ll take that!” The Dowager took a quick swig of her own and thrust the flask into her reticule just as a footman opened the carriage door.
---
Anna frowned and looked down at her card. “If you say so. Which one are you?”
“James Marby, my lady.” He shot a puzzled look at Charlotte.
“Oh yes! The one who helped us place our bets.” Anna passed Charlotte her empty champagne coupe, put her hand in the young man’s, and gave a shrug. “God help your feet!”
“What was that, my lady?”
Charlotte choked back a laugh. “She said, ‘What a treat!’”
“I believe she said, ‘I prefer to dance with my fiance,’” came a deep voice from behind them.
---
“Tell me, my lord, do people really pack in like this for entertainment?”
He barked a laugh, a strange, harsh sound. “More polite conversation? If I were your fiance, we wouldn’t talk about the crowd. I’d tell you I lost my sanity the moment I met you. I’l say you stole it, just as you stole my reason and my-”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death of a grandparent
- alcoholism remembered from parent
Author content warnings? Didn’t see any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: Hero uses french letters and talks about letting them choose when to have kids
How’s the consent? It’s good!
Pregnancy/children in story? No pregnancy or children in the story (It’s assumed they will try for kids in the future when they are ready
Chapter 10 – kiss
Chapter 15 – kiss
Chapter 17 – kiss
Chapter 18 – kiss
Chapter 31 – kisses
Chapter 32 – kisses
Chapter 39 – 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary (v loss for her)
Down over her toes and then off, tossed over his shoulder and onto the floor. He lifted one of her feet to plant a kiss on the dip of her ankle, and rolled down to settle between her legs.
Anna’s eyes went wide and she gasped. He gave a growl of satisfaction.
“You’re so heavy.” She rocked against him.
That wiped the smirk right off his face.
“You’re so perfect,” he said, and it was her turn to smirk.
Chapter 41 – 🔥 oral for her, start of a bj for him that fades
”Are you all right?”
His eyes were closed, his jaw clenched. He seemed to be somewhere far away. Somewhere sharp and stony.
Anna pushed herself up on her elbow, snatching up her chemise when his eyes snapped open and she saw where he was looking. She could hear his teeth grind.
“Julian! What’s wrong?”
“Special. Fucking. License.”
Total chapters – 45 plus an epilogue
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖 (It took me a touch to get into this but once I got to about chapter 9 or so I didn’t want to put it down)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋 (soooo angsty in some parts! My heart was clenching!)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes!
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, about 6 months later
Format: voluntarily read a physical copy of the book gifted to me by the author
Why I chose this book: I was sent a paperback from the author and the blurb on the back sounded super cute and fun!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I believe this is a stand alone/first in series.
Basic plot:
Anna finds out she will lose everything up on her grandfather’s death – unless she gets married. And her guardian, Lord Ramsay is taking his responsibility to her very seriously.
Give this a try if you want:
- historical romance (Georgian?)
- Earl hero
- best friend’s brother
- guardian/ward
- hero has a sweet tooth
- waltz lessons
- light vibes of ugly duckling (some elements of heroine makeover – mostly clothes that flatter her shape more)
- enemy to lover elements
- he gifts flowers to her horse
- lower steam – slow burn with 2 full scenes somewhat close together within the page count
Ages:
- I didn’t catch their ages! I think maybe 20s?
First line:
Lady Anna Reston stood at the bottom of a wide stone staircase, wearing a borrowed dress and a grim expression.
My thoughts:
Oh my goodness – I have found a new fave author. This book was so freaking fun to me – I adored it.
This is my first by her (and her debut into the HR world) and I am already so eager for the next book. Some writers really just shine and Griffith’s writing style was absolutely my jam. She is one that the humor was so good, and genuine, the characters were delightful and memorable – the side characters really bringing life to this book too - and I loved the mains. I found myself swooning over so many lines and wanting to take down so many quotes. I found myself smiling to myself and wanting to kick me feet in glee during this story.
Ramsay has some issues with love and in some ways comes off as the classic emotionally constipated hero – which I am totally guilty of consistently loving. Love is hard for him to admit and we find out the issues in his past that have sculpted him into that man. But it makes his falling that much more delightful to me to watch him floundering with Anna, whom he just cannot seem to do anything right with except kiss her. Jealousy and uncertainty eat him up and I was utterly in love with him.
The all is lost moments within this book just gutted me. I LOVED the tumultuousness of their relationship. The push and pull, the uncertainty mixed with the passion and the hurt. Ugh I was amazing. This whole ride of a book I just loved.
Anna was delightful and I adored getting to know her – I have read a fair amount of horse loving mains in historical romance but not like this – I felt Anna’s love and care for her ‘hobby’ (her life!) and Griffith’s really brought it to light in a way that was engaging and breathtaking. The excitement and wonder really came through to me.
The tension was layered so well between these mains. And I just melted – absolutely melted – when Ramsay starts the gift giving to woo Anna in the most unique way. So, so sweet.
Funny, bright, delightful – I didn’t want to put this book down once I got into it.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: This one!
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
Julian turned his attention to another grievance, the sweetest and yet the most vexing.
Petit fours.
Two whole tables full, taunting him.
Little pink petit fours wrapped up like presents and filled with strawberry cream. Tempting white domes, each finished with a twist of sugared lemon. And of course the chocolate ones, each topped by a single pouting raspberry, calling to him like a dark addiction.
His sister was a fiend.
---
Charlotte doesn’t need me and -
Anna smacked hard into what seemed to be a solid wall of white linen. Impossibly well-muscled white linen that sent the oddest thrill shivering over her skin and carried the irresistible scent of -
Strong hands clamped down on her upper arms. “Lady Anna?”
Anna’s gaze swept up, way up. Over a warm, wide chest, up a strong column of neck and over the sharp curve of a jaw, up again past the dip of a rather stern mouth until she finally encountered a pair of bronze eyes, remarkably keen and clear.
Lord Ramsay.
Oh god.
---
Finally, a genuine response. An opening he could use.
“And yet you barely say a word to me, Lady Anna. You’ll make me jealous.” He let the word linger in the darkness of the carriage.
---
“Lady Anna?” His voice was impossibly deep. She had the strangest urge to lean her cheek against his chest and listen to it rumble.
“Yes?” she squeaked.
“If I call on you tomorrow, will you go walking with me?”
Anna had to remind herself to blink. “Because you insist that you’re my guardian?”
He smiled. “That, and other reasons.”
The harnesses jingled outside, the carriage rocked and swayed. Night air slipped in through a chink in the window and brushed against her collarbone, waking up her skin. “I suppose I have no objection to a walk.”
He leaned closer still, and all her senses stirred and shivered.
“Such progress,” he said softly. “It might go to my head.”
His words teased, but his eyes didn’t. Even as Anna watched they grew darker, more intent.
Her heart began to thrum, as if her blood was running too fast. She was in a carriage, making her way home at a sedate pace, so why did it feel like she was racing?
Julian held her gaze and lowered his head toward her. Slowly, so slowly.
“Lord Ramsay?” she breathed.
He was so close that she could almost feel his lips curve when he smiled.
“Yes, Lady Anna?”
“What are you doing?”
Those impossible eyes of his glittered. “I’d better show you, don’t you think?”
---
Julian couldn’t resist. He gave in to the temptation to take up her hand, raise it slowly to his mouth, and press a kiss to the inside of her wrist. Her pulse fluttered against his lips.
A lick of anger still flared within him and he wasn’t sure what to do with it, except press Anna against a tree. Taste her fierceness with his mouth.
Lashes veiled her eyes, but nothing could conceal the heat in her cheeks. “Are you done trying to agitate me?”
“Quite the opposite,” he said softly. “I’m just getting started.”
---
“Oh, for heaven’s sake! Did you bring your handkerchief?”
Anna nodded weakly.
Charlotte sighed dramatically and thrust her hand into the gap where the upholstery met the carriage wall to pull out a small flask, which she shoved at Anna.
Anna unscrewed the top and sniffed the contents. “What’s this?”
“Scotch.” Charlotte widened her eyes when the Dowager sputtered. “What, Gran? I know you and your garden club drink it when you think on one’s looking. Tonight’s such a special night I thought you might like to share?”
The Dowager went pink. “Really, Charlotte!”
Anna took a large swig of the stuff and thrust the flask back to Charlotte, but the Dowager swept it out of her hands.
“I’ll take that!” The Dowager took a quick swig of her own and thrust the flask into her reticule just as a footman opened the carriage door.
---
Anna frowned and looked down at her card. “If you say so. Which one are you?”
“James Marby, my lady.” He shot a puzzled look at Charlotte.
“Oh yes! The one who helped us place our bets.” Anna passed Charlotte her empty champagne coupe, put her hand in the young man’s, and gave a shrug. “God help your feet!”
“What was that, my lady?”
Charlotte choked back a laugh. “She said, ‘What a treat!’”
“I believe she said, ‘I prefer to dance with my fiance,’” came a deep voice from behind them.
---
“Tell me, my lord, do people really pack in like this for entertainment?”
He barked a laugh, a strange, harsh sound. “More polite conversation? If I were your fiance, we wouldn’t talk about the crowd. I’d tell you I lost my sanity the moment I met you. I’l say you stole it, just as you stole my reason and my-”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death of a grandparent
- alcoholism remembered from parent
Author content warnings? Didn’t see any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
Chapter 10 – kiss
Chapter 15 – kiss
Chapter 17 – kiss
Chapter 18 – kiss
Chapter 31 – kisses
Chapter 32 – kisses
Chapter 39 – 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary (v loss for her)
Down over her toes and then off, tossed over his shoulder and onto the floor. He lifted one of her feet to plant a kiss on the dip of her ankle, and rolled down to settle between her legs.
Anna’s eyes went wide and she gasped. He gave a growl of satisfaction.
“You’re so heavy.” She rocked against him.
That wiped the smirk right off his face.
“You’re so perfect,” he said, and it was her turn to smirk.
Chapter 41 – 🔥 oral for her, start of a bj for him that fades
”Are you all right?”
His eyes were closed, his jaw clenched. He seemed to be somewhere far away. Somewhere sharp and stony.
Anna pushed herself up on her elbow, snatching up her chemise when his eyes snapped open and she saw where he was looking. She could hear his teeth grind.
“Julian! What’s wrong?”
“Special. Fucking. License.”
Total chapters – 45 plus an epilogue
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡ (I feel like this book sadly had no tension for me – maybe it was the quick-ish jump into sex, but I didn’t feel it here)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I don’t love Balogh’s language for her intimate scenes. It’s more emotional and poetic than explicit but also a bit more...clinical feeling to me than actually grabbing? This is just subjective to me!)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (maybe 2-3 – they are pretty short)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: It doesn’t take too long – about 9%, chapter 3 of 23
Cliffhanger: No, this is a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I started the series years ago and never finished – I am trying to finish some of the series I have started.
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
This one stands alone pretty well (the mains are on page together for most of the book without the family – but the series is very nice in order and I think it would be pleasant to do so and get to know the whole family.)
Basic plot:
Rachel and her 4 brothel working friends come across a naked and injured man. As he recovers and has no memory, he agrees to help Rachel gain her inheritance from her uncle with a fake marriage.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (my assumption)
- diplomat/soldier hero
- she nurses him back to health
- fake marriage
- delicious side characters
- surprise virgin
- hero teaches her how to ride a horse and how to swim
- amnesia – hero loses his memory at the beginning of the story
- lower steam – 2ish full scenes that I counted but they are light and vague and on the short side
Ages:
- hero is about 25 and I think heroine is 22
First line:
Having spent almost all of his twenty-five years in England, and therefore isolated from most of the hostilities that had ravaged the rest of Europe since the rise to power of Napolean Boneparte, Lord Alleyne Bedwyn, third brother of the Duke of Bewcastle, had no personal experience of pitched battles.
My thoughts:
Okay I will admit it – I like Mary Balogh but I don’t love her. And I felt the same about this one. I still have lots to read so I’m sure I’ll find more that I do really like. Slightly Scandalous so far is the only book I really enjoyed and would come back to.
There was a lot that I liked about it – I did like the plot even though amnesia can be a bit...awkward...the side characters in this one were SO amazing. The 4 brothel worker female friends were just the highlight of this story for me. They were delightful and hilarious and fun. I did like the mains too. And I liked the plot – I enjoy fake relationship and this one was really well done and very immersive.
I think Balogh can be really, really romantic in her writing and feelings. But there were some things in this book I found really unromantic too. I didn’t like how the hero repeatedly tells the heroine after being intimate with her (and continuing to be intimate with her) that he might have a wife and family and children but he just can’t remember. We as readers know it is fine (that’s why we read romance right???) but it just felt icky to me and tainted their relationship.
I also just really dislike Balogh’s sex. At least in this novel. I know I’m never going to get super hot and explicit scenes, but there was just something here that didn’t grab me at all. But I’m sure that’s just me being picky. And I was like totally not ready for them to be intimate in this book when they were. It felt so out of place to me and it really destroyed any tension I was starting to feel.
So, those things brought it down for me a bit but I did enjoy listening to it overall. It’s not a fave of the series, but there were others I have liked less for sure.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 11
Average rating: 3.63 stars
Favorite book: Slightly Scandalous
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of war, war injuries, recovering from a gunshot
- talk of robbing the war corpses, the hero has everything taken from him while unconscious
- we as the reader know it’s fine, but the hero has amnesia for almost the entire book. He fucks the heroine while openly admitting a few times that he could have a wife and family and not know it
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch anything
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? I think there might be talk of future babies?? But no pregnancy or kids in the story
26% - 🔥fingering for her, sex (missionary?) It’s pretty short and the heroine is left very unimpressed
67% - 🔥kisses, fingering for her, missionary
79% - sex but no real details and it’s very short – a few sentences
I think there’s another scene towards the end that is a few sentences without details
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡ (I feel like this book sadly had no tension for me – maybe it was the quick-ish jump into sex, but I didn’t feel it here)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I don’t love Balogh’s language for her intimate scenes. It’s more emotional and poetic than explicit but also a bit more...clinical feeling to me than actually grabbing? This is just subjective to me!)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (maybe 2-3 – they are pretty short)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: It doesn’t take too long – about 9%, chapter 3 of 23
Cliffhanger: No, this is a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I started the series years ago and never finished – I am trying to finish some of the series I have started.
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
This one stands alone pretty well (the mains are on page together for most of the book without the family – but the series is very nice in order and I think it would be pleasant to do so and get to know the whole family.)
Basic plot:
Rachel and her 4 brothel working friends come across a naked and injured man. As he recovers and has no memory, he agrees to help Rachel gain her inheritance from her uncle with a fake marriage.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (my assumption)
- diplomat/soldier hero
- she nurses him back to health
- fake marriage
- delicious side characters
- surprise virgin
- hero teaches her how to ride a horse and how to swim
- amnesia – hero loses his memory at the beginning of the story
- lower steam – 2ish full scenes that I counted but they are light and vague and on the short side
Ages:
- hero is about 25 and I think heroine is 22
First line:
Having spent almost all of his twenty-five years in England, and therefore isolated from most of the hostilities that had ravaged the rest of Europe since the rise to power of Napolean Boneparte, Lord Alleyne Bedwyn, third brother of the Duke of Bewcastle, had no personal experience of pitched battles.
My thoughts:
Okay I will admit it – I like Mary Balogh but I don’t love her. And I felt the same about this one. I still have lots to read so I’m sure I’ll find more that I do really like. Slightly Scandalous so far is the only book I really enjoyed and would come back to.
There was a lot that I liked about it – I did like the plot even though amnesia can be a bit...awkward...the side characters in this one were SO amazing. The 4 brothel worker female friends were just the highlight of this story for me. They were delightful and hilarious and fun. I did like the mains too. And I liked the plot – I enjoy fake relationship and this one was really well done and very immersive.
I think Balogh can be really, really romantic in her writing and feelings. But there were some things in this book I found really unromantic too. I didn’t like how the hero repeatedly tells the heroine after being intimate with her (and continuing to be intimate with her) that he might have a wife and family and children but he just can’t remember. We as readers know it is fine (that’s why we read romance right???) but it just felt icky to me and tainted their relationship.
I also just really dislike Balogh’s sex. At least in this novel. I know I’m never going to get super hot and explicit scenes, but there was just something here that didn’t grab me at all. But I’m sure that’s just me being picky. And I was like totally not ready for them to be intimate in this book when they were. It felt so out of place to me and it really destroyed any tension I was starting to feel.
So, those things brought it down for me a bit but I did enjoy listening to it overall. It’s not a fave of the series, but there were others I have liked less for sure.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 11
Average rating: 3.63 stars
Favorite book: Slightly Scandalous
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of war, war injuries, recovering from a gunshot
- talk of robbing the war corpses, the hero has everything taken from him while unconscious
- we as the reader know it’s fine, but the hero has amnesia for almost the entire book. He fucks the heroine while openly admitting a few times that he could have a wife and family and not know it
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch anything
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
26% - 🔥fingering for her, sex (missionary?) It’s pretty short and the heroine is left very unimpressed
67% - 🔥kisses, fingering for her, missionary
79% - sex but no real details and it’s very short – a few sentences
I think there’s another scene towards the end that is a few sentences without details
adventurous
emotional
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:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from hero and heroine (and a bit from Violet, a side character)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, maybe 1-2 months later
Should I read in order?
Overall I would say yes because the family dynamics really involve over the course of the series and you will really fall in love with these families...but the romance itself does stand alone and I think it would be okay to pick up by itself because most of the book is really focused on the couple.
Basic plot:
Jonathan is doing everything to avoid matrimony and the dreaded ten children a fortune teller informed him were in his future – but as he gets roped into an adventure with Thomasina, he finds himself not worrying about falling...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- hero’s father wants him to marry
- class difference
- investor minded hero
- forbidden love – Jonathan’s father forbids the match
- medium steam but a slower burn – 3ish full scenes (one was longer with a few acts but they were together so I combined the flame) with 2 being very near the end of the book
My thoughts:
I have been really loving Long’s writing style. She does such a good job of immersing in the character’s world and making me care about the mains. She has such fantastic character depth. And I love a good slow burn and she does such a good job of building up the tension layer by layer and making you really care when they actually touch each other and I love that.
This read was really pleasant – I liked it and went through it fast. I was surprised by all we learned about Thomasina’s past and I adored how hard Jonathan was falling for her. I loved how protective he was. I loved how much he cared. And I loved the ending.
But when I look at the book compared to my other favorites of the series, this one is just lacking a bit. There’s just something missing in it – some level of heartbreak or angst I’m not sure. But I just didn’t feel like it was one I would come back to overall in the series. So, a very pleasant read overall!
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from hero and heroine (and a bit from Violet, a side character)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, maybe 1-2 months later
Should I read in order?
Overall I would say yes because the family dynamics really involve over the course of the series and you will really fall in love with these families...but the romance itself does stand alone and I think it would be okay to pick up by itself because most of the book is really focused on the couple.
Basic plot:
Jonathan is doing everything to avoid matrimony and the dreaded ten children a fortune teller informed him were in his future – but as he gets roped into an adventure with Thomasina, he finds himself not worrying about falling...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- hero’s father wants him to marry
- class difference
- investor minded hero
- forbidden love – Jonathan’s father forbids the match
- medium steam but a slower burn – 3ish full scenes (one was longer with a few acts but they were together so I combined the flame) with 2 being very near the end of the book
My thoughts:
I have been really loving Long’s writing style. She does such a good job of immersing in the character’s world and making me care about the mains. She has such fantastic character depth. And I love a good slow burn and she does such a good job of building up the tension layer by layer and making you really care when they actually touch each other and I love that.
This read was really pleasant – I liked it and went through it fast. I was surprised by all we learned about Thomasina’s past and I adored how hard Jonathan was falling for her. I loved how protective he was. I loved how much he cared. And I loved the ending.
But when I look at the book compared to my other favorites of the series, this one is just lacking a bit. There’s just something missing in it – some level of heartbreak or angst I’m not sure. But I just didn’t feel like it was one I would come back to overall in the series. So, a very pleasant read overall!
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I LOVED the spice scenes in this novel – the touches of dom hero had me swooning but I wish it had gone just a bit farther...)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: 25% in - It takes forever for them to be on page together, because Maxu is imprisoned at the beginning but….(view spoiler)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few weeks later
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: My friend Heather has repeatedly recommended the series, and I enjoyed a lot about book 1 when I read it a few years ago so I’ve been making my way through the series
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet human heroine and alien hero
Should I read in order?
I think yes – this series really shines if you read in order and get to know the culture and world building here.
Basic plot:
Maxu senses his mate from afar but is separated from her – and he pursues.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting (Clecania)
- alien hero / human heroine
- fated mates
- he pursues
- there was the lightest touch of dom hero (like...a few sentences...I wanted MORE), and again like 3 seconds of primal play 😆 and some light bondage
- mid to higher steam – 4ish full scenes
Ages:
- didn’t catch them on audio
First line:
Dead.
My thoughts:
I loved so much about this one. I think it was my favorite of the series so far. But, like all the others in the series, it was just missing a little something to me. It had soooo much of what I loved but I wanted more. Like the the intimate scenes – they were so good but they just barely teased at these primal play and dom aspects, like a few lines, and I was just hoping for this super developed scene that would make me melt.
Overall though I did really enjoy this one. It had so many of my favorite things in romance and I am always a fool for hero pursues so I think this one is my fave of the series.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 6
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- I think it was all pretty normal here! The hero has mating marks and his eyes turn black sometimes, he purrs...I didn’t take good notes on this one...
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- heroine is in a bad relationship at the beginning of the book
- purity culture mentioned and heavily pressured marriage because of premarital sex (not with the hero)
Author given content warnings: Didn’t catch any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? overall it’s good though the hero is a bit pushy
Pregnancy/children in story? I don’t remember any pregnancy or talk of children in this one
13% - kiss between Meg and a side character
15% - 🔥Meg starts to self pleasure, and urges of Maxu take over – he takes her from behind in a fantasy
28% - hero self pleasure while holding her pillow (it’s short)
53% - 🔥kisses, dry humping
69% - 🔥kisses, bj (incomplete), oral for her, doggy
78% - 🔥must be quiet, he takes her from behind in the pool
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I LOVED the spice scenes in this novel – the touches of dom hero had me swooning but I wish it had gone just a bit farther...)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: 25% in - It takes forever for them to be on page together, because Maxu is imprisoned at the beginning but….(view spoiler)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few weeks later
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: My friend Heather has repeatedly recommended the series, and I enjoyed a lot about book 1 when I read it a few years ago so I’ve been making my way through the series
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet human heroine and alien hero
Should I read in order?
I think yes – this series really shines if you read in order and get to know the culture and world building here.
Basic plot:
Maxu senses his mate from afar but is separated from her – and he pursues.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting (Clecania)
- alien hero / human heroine
- fated mates
- he pursues
- there was the lightest touch of dom hero (like...a few sentences...I wanted MORE), and again like 3 seconds of primal play 😆 and some light bondage
- mid to higher steam – 4ish full scenes
Ages:
- didn’t catch them on audio
First line:
Dead.
My thoughts:
I loved so much about this one. I think it was my favorite of the series so far. But, like all the others in the series, it was just missing a little something to me. It had soooo much of what I loved but I wanted more. Like the the intimate scenes – they were so good but they just barely teased at these primal play and dom aspects, like a few lines, and I was just hoping for this super developed scene that would make me melt.
Overall though I did really enjoy this one. It had so many of my favorite things in romance and I am always a fool for hero pursues so I think this one is my fave of the series.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 6
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- I think it was all pretty normal here! The hero has mating marks and his eyes turn black sometimes, he purrs...I didn’t take good notes on this one...
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- heroine is in a bad relationship at the beginning of the book
- purity culture mentioned and heavily pressured marriage because of premarital sex (not with the hero)
Author given content warnings: Didn’t catch any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
13% - kiss between Meg and a side character
15% - 🔥Meg starts to self pleasure, and urges of Maxu take over – he takes her from behind in a fantasy
28% - hero self pleasure while holding her pillow (it’s short)
53% - 🔥kisses, dry humping
69% - 🔥kisses, bj (incomplete), oral for her, doggy
78% - 🔥must be quiet, he takes her from behind in the pool
adventurous
emotional
tense
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: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit, Niven has a deliciously witty writing style
Perspective: third person from the heroine and hero (and a bit from the heroine’s mother)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: It takes quite a bit – though they have a light history upon starting the story (a prior 10 minute meet up), they aren’t actually on page together until chapter 12 (of 35)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a number of years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of the boxset The Collection which included this novel
Why I chose this book: I was gifted Niven’s box set for The Collection and had always been meaning to read book 3 of the series (I read books 1 and 2 years ago) so I took the opportunity to do so!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I think you should! You will get a much better establishment of these characters and their personalities and relationships. All the characters from the prior books are in this story so it’s helpful to know them. But at its heart the romance does stand alone.
Basic plot:
Arabella starts a new life in Scotland after being ruined. Years settled, the first crush of her heart, Doctor Alasdair Andrews comes to bring her home to assist with her sister’s pregnancy.
Give this a try if you want:
- 1820 for the first few chapters, then 1823
- English heroine / Scottish hero
- age gap – he’s older by 10 years
- dimpled hero
- strong family ties
- unrequited longing from both
- teacher heroine
- road trip
- never been kissed virgin hero
- doctor hero
- snowed in
- fake marriage
- short heroine
- low to mid steam with a slow burn – 2ish full scenes
Ages:
- heroine is almost 18 at the start of the story but for the ‘main’ part of the story, she is almost 21, hero is 31
First line:
Twenty-five-year-old Mary Lovelock Vaughan, the Viscountess Tregaron, leaned over and picked up a flat stone from the shingle.
My thoughts:
My god Niven can really pull on the heartstrings. I have never read a book with a ruined heroine that gutted me like this set up did. The entire first section of chapters was so, so emotional and such a deep set up for our heroine, Arabella.
I really loved both of these main characters. They were so real and I was rooting for them so hard. When the focus was on them I was sooo happy. I think my favorite was the carriage ride before they get snowed in because it was all about them.
My struggle with this book was the things that pulled us away from the mains. It takes a long while before the mains are on page together and then for the latter half of the book they are snowed in and together, but at a country manor with other guests that for me took away from the story a bit after awhile. I loved the twist of Arabella coming back to face her tormentor and coming out on top though. This was another totally unique HR read.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 9
Average rating: 4.67 stars
Favorite book: Bed Me Baron but don’t hold me to it.
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
He should find a way to sharpen his razor. In case, just in case, there was the slightest chance she might ever put her cheek to his again, he did not want to scratch her. He must have a smooth jaw for her.
And then he realized he was about to spend seven or more days in a carriage with Arabella Lovelock.
He must think of something to say to her.
He sat up.
Perhaps he should make some notes.
---
He shifted in his own seat. Foolishness. He would never have license to do what he wished. Not with her.
He attempted to read a letter in a medical periodical about a bladder stone surgery. He leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs, head down, trying to make sense of the words.
The air in the carriage suddenly seemed charged. His skin tingled.
He looked up.
Arabella’s eyes were open, and she was looking at him.
He looked back.
A smile curved her lips.
---
What did he want to be?
There could only be one answer to that.
“I want to be the man who exceeds yer expectations.” He was startled by how strong his voice was.
He willed himself to get up and was equally surprised to find his will had overcome his writhing intestines and he was, in fact, moving across the short distance between them.
“And I dinnae.”
He sat beside her.
“Want.”
He took both of her hands.
“To be appropriate.”
---
“We’re going back to Scotland.”
“Why?”
“Because in Scotland there isnae need for a license or banns or permission from yer mother. I am going to marry ye today, Mrs. Andrews, and then I am going to bed ye today, Mrs. Andrews, and give ye the beginning of a redheaded baby, and the issue will be decided.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- we get detailed scenes of a man taking advantage of Arabella – its all consensual but he knows what he’s doing and she’s innocent…
- death of a friend of the hero
- parental death
- estranged parent/child
- facing your abuser
- poisoning of a side character
- surgery performed on page
Author content warnings? I believe Niven has content warnings on her website
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: Hero pulls out
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? A side character might be pregnant in the story. Toward the end, his POV says he wants a child with her and they will try in the future
Chapter 3 – kiss between Arabella (heroine) and Giles
Chapter 4 – kisses between Arabella and Giles that lead to sex in the carriage
Chapter 15 – kisses between Arabella and Alasdair
Chapter 16 – she touches him in the carriage and he spends VERY quickly (short)
Chapter 20 – kisses
Chapter 24 – kiss
Chapter 30 – 🔥 missionary, fingering for her, missionary again
Chapter 33 – 🔥 oral for her, bj for him, missionary followed by another scene
Total chapters - 35
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit, Niven has a deliciously witty writing style
Perspective: third person from the heroine and hero (and a bit from the heroine’s mother)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: It takes quite a bit – though they have a light history upon starting the story (a prior 10 minute meet up), they aren’t actually on page together until chapter 12 (of 35)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a number of years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of the boxset The Collection which included this novel
Why I chose this book: I was gifted Niven’s box set for The Collection and had always been meaning to read book 3 of the series (I read books 1 and 2 years ago) so I took the opportunity to do so!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I think you should! You will get a much better establishment of these characters and their personalities and relationships. All the characters from the prior books are in this story so it’s helpful to know them. But at its heart the romance does stand alone.
Basic plot:
Arabella starts a new life in Scotland after being ruined. Years settled, the first crush of her heart, Doctor Alasdair Andrews comes to bring her home to assist with her sister’s pregnancy.
Give this a try if you want:
- 1820 for the first few chapters, then 1823
- English heroine / Scottish hero
- age gap – he’s older by 10 years
- dimpled hero
- strong family ties
- unrequited longing from both
- teacher heroine
- road trip
- never been kissed virgin hero
- doctor hero
- snowed in
- fake marriage
- short heroine
- low to mid steam with a slow burn – 2ish full scenes
Ages:
- heroine is almost 18 at the start of the story but for the ‘main’ part of the story, she is almost 21, hero is 31
First line:
Twenty-five-year-old Mary Lovelock Vaughan, the Viscountess Tregaron, leaned over and picked up a flat stone from the shingle.
My thoughts:
My god Niven can really pull on the heartstrings. I have never read a book with a ruined heroine that gutted me like this set up did. The entire first section of chapters was so, so emotional and such a deep set up for our heroine, Arabella.
I really loved both of these main characters. They were so real and I was rooting for them so hard. When the focus was on them I was sooo happy. I think my favorite was the carriage ride before they get snowed in because it was all about them.
My struggle with this book was the things that pulled us away from the mains. It takes a long while before the mains are on page together and then for the latter half of the book they are snowed in and together, but at a country manor with other guests that for me took away from the story a bit after awhile. I loved the twist of Arabella coming back to face her tormentor and coming out on top though. This was another totally unique HR read.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 9
Average rating: 4.67 stars
Favorite book: Bed Me Baron but don’t hold me to it.
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
He should find a way to sharpen his razor. In case, just in case, there was the slightest chance she might ever put her cheek to his again, he did not want to scratch her. He must have a smooth jaw for her.
And then he realized he was about to spend seven or more days in a carriage with Arabella Lovelock.
He must think of something to say to her.
He sat up.
Perhaps he should make some notes.
---
He shifted in his own seat. Foolishness. He would never have license to do what he wished. Not with her.
He attempted to read a letter in a medical periodical about a bladder stone surgery. He leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs, head down, trying to make sense of the words.
The air in the carriage suddenly seemed charged. His skin tingled.
He looked up.
Arabella’s eyes were open, and she was looking at him.
He looked back.
A smile curved her lips.
---
What did he want to be?
There could only be one answer to that.
“I want to be the man who exceeds yer expectations.” He was startled by how strong his voice was.
He willed himself to get up and was equally surprised to find his will had overcome his writhing intestines and he was, in fact, moving across the short distance between them.
“And I dinnae.”
He sat beside her.
“Want.”
He took both of her hands.
“To be appropriate.”
---
“We’re going back to Scotland.”
“Why?”
“Because in Scotland there isnae need for a license or banns or permission from yer mother. I am going to marry ye today, Mrs. Andrews, and then I am going to bed ye today, Mrs. Andrews, and give ye the beginning of a redheaded baby, and the issue will be decided.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- we get detailed scenes of a man taking advantage of Arabella – its all consensual but he knows what he’s doing and she’s innocent…
- death of a friend of the hero
- parental death
- estranged parent/child
- facing your abuser
- poisoning of a side character
- surgery performed on page
Author content warnings? I believe Niven has content warnings on her website
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
Chapter 3 – kiss between Arabella (heroine) and Giles
Chapter 4 – kisses between Arabella and Giles that lead to sex in the carriage
Chapter 15 – kisses between Arabella and Alasdair
Chapter 16 – she touches him in the carriage and he spends VERY quickly (short)
Chapter 20 – kisses
Chapter 24 – kiss
Chapter 30 – 🔥 missionary, fingering for her, missionary again
Chapter 33 – 🔥 oral for her, bj for him, missionary followed by another scene
Total chapters - 35
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
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: 💋💋💋 (The scenes were...fine – I know how Laurens can be (WORDY AF) but these were just kind of bleh to me – they lacked an emotional aspect I have felt in some of her other books)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow AF
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, about 1% in (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No but the last part kind of wraps everything up
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I started the Bastion Club series awhile ago and eventually want to finish
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I wouldn’t say it’s totally necessary but there’s some minor character overlap and mention of previous events.
Basic plot:
Penelope and Charles come together to solve a mystery after a 13 year separation.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1816
- Earl hero
- hero wants a wife
- former soldier hero (a spy during the war against France)
- second chance
- higher steam – she’s a bit euphemistic but you know what’s going on - 8-9 full scenes
Ages:
- heroine is 29, hero is about 33
First line: (Taken from audio, may be off)
Crack. A log shattered in the grate.
My thoughts:
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
I thought this book would never end. Literally every percentage felt like days.
I had a disconnect with the narrator on this one. She didn’t have a bad voice at all but there was just something...it didn’t feel like romance. I don’t know, I felt like I was listening to Judge Judy in a way 😆 It was very like….abrupt? I don’t know. I might have to read the next book and see if it helps.
This had a bunch of things I don’t love in romance. Spies. Mystery. Second chance. And with Laurens way of saying the same sentence 3-5 times I thought I was going to die.
I can really love Laurens writing when it’s got my favorite things. Then it’s like triple the amount of sentences of my favorite things. 😆 But that wasn’t this one sadly. I’m hoping I like the later Bastion Club books a bit more! In this one, they already had a relationship 13 years prior. So when they meet again there just wasn’t a good tension build up for me because they kind of fell into each other again. There wasn’t that uncertainty that gives me butterflies. And then with the mystery plot taking over and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages of sex I didn’t care about I was just ready for it to be dooooooone.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 16
Average rating: 3.5 stars
Favorite book: probably The Lady Chosen
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of family deaths (brothers/parents)
- their first time together she was 16 and he was 20 and then he left her to go to the war…
- murder, violence and death on page
Author content warnings? None listed
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? I don’t recall children or pregnancy in this story for the mains but there is a mention of a side character having children and a mention of stillbirth
18% - kisses
23% - kisses and breast play
28% - kisses
32% - kisses
40% - kisses, touches (I think she has one???)
46% - kisses, fingering for her
52% - her on top
59% - missionary? Maybe?
67% - sex – a bit light compared to prior scenes
72% - sex
76% - sex
84% - sex
99% - sex
Readability: 📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (The scenes were...fine – I know how Laurens can be (WORDY AF) but these were just kind of bleh to me – they lacked an emotional aspect I have felt in some of her other books)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: A touch
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow AF
When mains are first on page together: very soon in, about 1% in (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No but the last part kind of wraps everything up
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I started the Bastion Club series awhile ago and eventually want to finish
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I wouldn’t say it’s totally necessary but there’s some minor character overlap and mention of previous events.
Basic plot:
Penelope and Charles come together to solve a mystery after a 13 year separation.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1816
- Earl hero
- hero wants a wife
- former soldier hero (a spy during the war against France)
- second chance
- higher steam – she’s a bit euphemistic but you know what’s going on - 8-9 full scenes
Ages:
- heroine is 29, hero is about 33
First line: (Taken from audio, may be off)
Crack. A log shattered in the grate.
My thoughts:
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
I thought this book would never end. Literally every percentage felt like days.
I had a disconnect with the narrator on this one. She didn’t have a bad voice at all but there was just something...it didn’t feel like romance. I don’t know, I felt like I was listening to Judge Judy in a way 😆 It was very like….abrupt? I don’t know. I might have to read the next book and see if it helps.
This had a bunch of things I don’t love in romance. Spies. Mystery. Second chance. And with Laurens way of saying the same sentence 3-5 times I thought I was going to die.
I can really love Laurens writing when it’s got my favorite things. Then it’s like triple the amount of sentences of my favorite things. 😆 But that wasn’t this one sadly. I’m hoping I like the later Bastion Club books a bit more! In this one, they already had a relationship 13 years prior. So when they meet again there just wasn’t a good tension build up for me because they kind of fell into each other again. There wasn’t that uncertainty that gives me butterflies. And then with the mystery plot taking over and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages and pages of sex I didn’t care about I was just ready for it to be dooooooone.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 16
Average rating: 3.5 stars
Favorite book: probably The Lady Chosen
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- mention of family deaths (brothers/parents)
- their first time together she was 16 and he was 20 and then he left her to go to the war…
- murder, violence and death on page
Author content warnings? None listed
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
18% - kisses
23% - kisses and breast play
28% - kisses
32% - kisses
40% - kisses, touches (I think she has one???)
46% - kisses, fingering for her
52% - her on top
59% - missionary? Maybe?
67% - sex – a bit light compared to prior scenes
72% - sex
76% - sex
84% - sex
99% - sex
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (I loved a lot about this novel, but it did feel like it went on longer than I wanted)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? I feel like it was a really balanced mix – first half is more character and the latter half is more plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in – chapter 1 of 31
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, and it’s so cute – it’s done through letters throughout the following years (1819, 1821, 1821, 1824, 1826, 1826
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla) and read an e-book version through NetGalley (switched between the two)
Why I chose this book: I love Vasti and want to read all her books!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I think this okay to pick up alone! But you do get to meet the heroine in book 1 of this series.
Basic plot:
Lydia goes to Scotland to offer marriage to the Earl of Strathrannoch – but when she arrives, she finds she’s been terribly misled...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (didn’t catch a date but this takes place after book 1 in the series, which is 1815)
- Scotland setting
- English heroine / Scottish hero
- politically minded heroine
- must kiss you to avoid discovery
- fake marriage
- some road trip vibes with one bed and one horse
- heroine has social anxiety
- mystery to solve together
- mid to higher steam – I might be off a bit because my notes were sketchy but at least 4 full scenes
Ages:
- heroine is 26, didn’t catch hero but think he’s around 30?
First line:
“Based upon our respective financial situations, our mutually agreeable political interests, and the general compatability of our persons,” Lydia Hope-Wallace said, “it seems to both our advantages that we unite in holy matrimony.”
My thoughts:
There was so much I adored about this book. Vasti’s writing is really wonderful. I love her dialogue and how she develops her mains. I really fell in love with both of these main characters. Lydia is just adorable, I feel for her so much (and understand) her social anxiety. And Arthur was just the best. I love how he slowly lost his mind and heart over Lydia. I fell for him hard the moment he grabbed Lydia up and rescued her from the zebra stampede.
My favorite parts of this book were more centered in the first half of the book. I wasn’t super into the mystery-ish/spy plot of this one – I did like it overall but thought it drug on a bit too long for me and I found myself ready for the book to be over before it was...but when the mains were together and focused on each other I was so in love. The spice was super delightful to me – Arthur was so emotional and obsessed with Lydia and he just melted my heart repeatedly.
So definitely a fun read but the espionage plot took it down a bit for me.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 5
Average rating: 4.8 stars
Favorite book: In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
He was an enormous fellow, tall – considerably taller even than Jasper, the tallest of her brothers – and probably twice as broad about the shoulder as Jasper as well. His hair was a goldfish sort of brown, curly and rumpled, and his face was obscured by a haphazard growth of whiskers.
---
“I am here,” she said, “to marry you.”
No, that wasn’t how she’d written it out. Strathrannoch made a faint choking sound, and, at her size, Georgiana did as well.
“I have money,” Lydia said desperately.
---
“My name is Lydia-Hope-Wallace,” she said finally, “and this is my friend Lady Georgiana Cleeve.” She looked down and gestured at the dog. “And this is Sir Francis Bacon.”
Arthur did not know what to do with that information. He elected to nod.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- some minor scenes of violence
Author content warnings? This novel contains non-graphic threatened violence and historic firearm usage, as well as brief references to homophobia and past parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? No children or pregnancy in the story, but babies in the epilogue
Chapter 12 – kisses
Chapter 13 – kisses
Chapter 16 – 🔥 fingering for her, dry humping against a door
Instinctively, she spread her legs, and then moaned as his tongue made a hot swipe down the side of her neck.
“Hush,” he said. She felt his fingers bunched in her night rail, the silk pulling right across her hips, and then one hand was beneath, sliding up her inner thigh. “Lydia, my love, you cannot be so loud – ah God you feel – ah fuck -”
Chapter 19 - 🔥 fingering for her, handy for him outside
He dragged his teeth along her skin and yanked her bodice down, baring her glorious breasts. “You’ve no idea the things I want to do to you.”
“Do them,” she gasped. “All of them. Don’t stop.”
Fuck, he thought, oh fuck, because her nipple was in his mouth and she was making those sounds again, eager and frantic as he flicked the taut nub with his tongue and then sucked.
Chapter 22 – 🔥 her on top while she holds the headboard
”I will never regret it,” she whispered. “Never, Arthur. I want everything you said – Strathrannoch Castle and the meadowsweet and your hands in mine. I want you. I care for you. I -”
He surged forward and pressed her up against the wall.
She gasped. His body was large and hard. His hands went to her waist, pulling her up, his knee sliding between her legs.
“Thank Christ,” he rasped. “God forgive me, Lydia, but it would have killed me to let you go.”
Chapter 24 - 🔥 oral for her, her on top
”Say my name,” he said hoarsely.
“Arthur,” she murmured.
The sound of his name on her lips felt almost like a release in itself – a physical pleasure, a throb of need.
He pulled his fingers from her body and she made a wordless sound of protest. Her lashes fluttered open, her eyes all dazed dark blue as she found his face.
“Say it again,” he ordered.
“Arthur.”
He thrust his fingers into her and heard a groan, a gasp, hers, his – he did not know.
Chapter 29 - kisses
Total Chapters: 31
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (I loved a lot about this novel, but it did feel like it went on longer than I wanted)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? I feel like it was a really balanced mix – first half is more character and the latter half is more plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in – chapter 1 of 31
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, and it’s so cute – it’s done through letters throughout the following years (1819, 1821, 1821, 1824, 1826, 1826
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla) and read an e-book version through NetGalley (switched between the two)
Why I chose this book: I love Vasti and want to read all her books!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I think this okay to pick up alone! But you do get to meet the heroine in book 1 of this series.
Basic plot:
Lydia goes to Scotland to offer marriage to the Earl of Strathrannoch – but when she arrives, she finds she’s been terribly misled...
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (didn’t catch a date but this takes place after book 1 in the series, which is 1815)
- Scotland setting
- English heroine / Scottish hero
- politically minded heroine
- must kiss you to avoid discovery
- fake marriage
- some road trip vibes with one bed and one horse
- heroine has social anxiety
- mystery to solve together
- mid to higher steam – I might be off a bit because my notes were sketchy but at least 4 full scenes
Ages:
- heroine is 26, didn’t catch hero but think he’s around 30?
First line:
“Based upon our respective financial situations, our mutually agreeable political interests, and the general compatability of our persons,” Lydia Hope-Wallace said, “it seems to both our advantages that we unite in holy matrimony.”
My thoughts:
There was so much I adored about this book. Vasti’s writing is really wonderful. I love her dialogue and how she develops her mains. I really fell in love with both of these main characters. Lydia is just adorable, I feel for her so much (and understand) her social anxiety. And Arthur was just the best. I love how he slowly lost his mind and heart over Lydia. I fell for him hard the moment he grabbed Lydia up and rescued her from the zebra stampede.
My favorite parts of this book were more centered in the first half of the book. I wasn’t super into the mystery-ish/spy plot of this one – I did like it overall but thought it drug on a bit too long for me and I found myself ready for the book to be over before it was...but when the mains were together and focused on each other I was so in love. The spice was super delightful to me – Arthur was so emotional and obsessed with Lydia and he just melted my heart repeatedly.
So definitely a fun read but the espionage plot took it down a bit for me.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 5
Average rating: 4.8 stars
Favorite book: In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
He was an enormous fellow, tall – considerably taller even than Jasper, the tallest of her brothers – and probably twice as broad about the shoulder as Jasper as well. His hair was a goldfish sort of brown, curly and rumpled, and his face was obscured by a haphazard growth of whiskers.
---
“I am here,” she said, “to marry you.”
No, that wasn’t how she’d written it out. Strathrannoch made a faint choking sound, and, at her size, Georgiana did as well.
“I have money,” Lydia said desperately.
---
“My name is Lydia-Hope-Wallace,” she said finally, “and this is my friend Lady Georgiana Cleeve.” She looked down and gestured at the dog. “And this is Sir Francis Bacon.”
Arthur did not know what to do with that information. He elected to nod.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- some minor scenes of violence
Author content warnings? This novel contains non-graphic threatened violence and historic firearm usage, as well as brief references to homophobia and past parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
Chapter 12 – kisses
Chapter 13 – kisses
Chapter 16 – 🔥 fingering for her, dry humping against a door
Instinctively, she spread her legs, and then moaned as his tongue made a hot swipe down the side of her neck.
“Hush,” he said. She felt his fingers bunched in her night rail, the silk pulling right across her hips, and then one hand was beneath, sliding up her inner thigh. “Lydia, my love, you cannot be so loud – ah God you feel – ah fuck -”
Chapter 19 - 🔥 fingering for her, handy for him outside
He dragged his teeth along her skin and yanked her bodice down, baring her glorious breasts. “You’ve no idea the things I want to do to you.”
“Do them,” she gasped. “All of them. Don’t stop.”
Fuck, he thought, oh fuck, because her nipple was in his mouth and she was making those sounds again, eager and frantic as he flicked the taut nub with his tongue and then sucked.
Chapter 22 – 🔥 her on top while she holds the headboard
”I will never regret it,” she whispered. “Never, Arthur. I want everything you said – Strathrannoch Castle and the meadowsweet and your hands in mine. I want you. I care for you. I -”
He surged forward and pressed her up against the wall.
She gasped. His body was large and hard. His hands went to her waist, pulling her up, his knee sliding between her legs.
“Thank Christ,” he rasped. “God forgive me, Lydia, but it would have killed me to let you go.”
Chapter 24 - 🔥 oral for her, her on top
”Say my name,” he said hoarsely.
“Arthur,” she murmured.
The sound of his name on her lips felt almost like a release in itself – a physical pleasure, a throb of need.
He pulled his fingers from her body and she made a wordless sound of protest. Her lashes fluttered open, her eyes all dazed dark blue as she found his face.
“Say it again,” he ordered.
“Arthur.”
He thrust his fingers into her and heard a groan, a gasp, hers, his – he did not know.
Chapter 29 - kisses
Total Chapters: 31
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine with alternating chapters
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in – 4% (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happy for now for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, a few months in the future
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book format
Why I chose this book: I have loved Maggie Sims (her historical name) and was eager to try more in her contemporary books!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
You can start here! But there is a prequel novella that you can get as a newsletter freebie.
Basic plot:
Cam finds a dance course to keep him limber during his off days from hockey – and he’s head over heels for his instructor. Who also happens to be co-owner of his team...
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- Texas setting
- hockey romance – Goalie hero
- he’s tall – 6’ 3” – there is a small size difference (heroine is around 5’ 9”/10”) but she is also tall for a woman
- found family
- heroine is a financial investor, hockey team owner, and dance instructor
- endometriosis rep
- he takes dance to stay limber
- he’s younger than her
- celibate heroine
- hero has a dimple
- medium steam – 3ish full scenes (I could be a bit off, so I’d take this as a minimum)
Ages:
- hero is 24, heroine is 30
First line:
The sliding glass doors of the terminal open to a wall of heat, and I stagger back a step.
My thoughts:
Yay for playlists! I love when books include them and this one has one – it was especially fun to check out with the dancing scenes in the book.
I adored this novel so, so much. It was so fun. I loved both our mains right away. Their backgrounds have complex issues, but the way they come together and are so vulnerable and open with each other was so heart melting. There were a handful of forbidden love aspects to their relationship and I adored how they fell for each other so hard anyway.
This book had a great mix to me of character focused interactions. I loved the hockey scenes – especially from a goalie perspective. But I especially adored the dancing scenes – I sometimes have a hard time picturing scenes in books and their practices together were so well done. I could feel their tension building and it’s just such a perfect set up for a romance.
They had real issues on a few fronts, and I loved how they resolved them. This was such a steamy yet sweet read that I utterly loved.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my 2nd for Debbie Charles. If including her HR name, Maggie Sims, then this is 11.
Average rating: 5 stars. If including her HR name Maggie Sims, 4.9 stars
Favorite book: For Debbie Charles pen name, this one! For all books from Maggie Sims/Debbie Charles….maybe Charlotte’s Control?
Endearments
The hockey team calls the hero ‘Prancer’ and he calls the heroine ‘Dancer’
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
As he’s getting unwanted attention...
“No.” I fold my arms and of course her gaze goes to the bulge of my biceps against my ribs. That’s the only bulge she’ll be seeing.
---
In the next moment, my mouth goes dry. I swallow.
In the front of the house, a woman in a leotard and dancer’s wrap skirt is demonstrating a pivot to a pair of dancers. She’s my perfect...everything. I’d guess she is five-nine or -ten, wearing dance shoes with straps across the inset and a two-inch heel that would bring her to nose height on me.
---
He’s wearing dance shoes. Yes, please. Dance with me.
But social hour is almost over. Clearing my throat, I step toward him. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. Christina?” He holds out a bear-paw-sized hand. At my nod, he adds, “I’m Cam.”
I shake his hand, my breath stuttering at the warm dry calloused skin engulfing mine.
---
He pulls my arm, stepping into a close hold and circling us in a tight position.
I lose my breath at the sensation of his length against me. And I do mean his length.
---
YES. Nod to HR
I’m starting to understand those bodice rippers’ references to heaving bosoms.
---
I grin. I can hold a squat for two hours – most of my game time is spent in that pose. I widen my feet and drop low.
Standing, she rotates one leg from the hip in a circle, toe pointed and knee straight. Her foot is on par with her head at the top.
I mirror it, my foot also even with my considerably higher head at the top.
Her mouth drops open.
I arch a cocky brow.
---
I’ve never been full-length against him like this. I close my eyes and enjoy his post-practice soap and deodorant scent. Under my hands, his back muscles shift and flex. His pecs are like steel against my cheek and I want to bite them, but they’re so hard I probably couldn’t get purchase.
He sucks in a huge breath, and his shirt and muscles rasp against my leotard-covered breasts.
---
I can’t remember a single one of the many reasons I thought this was a bad idea. All I can process is this magnificent mountain of muscle under me.
I sigh against his lips. They’re lush and plush and I really, really need to stop with the rhyming.
---
My mouth goes dry as her luscious peach of an ass passes my head. I want to bite it. Then I want to lay her on the desk and worship her with my lips and tongue. Or play teacher and naughty student who she takes to his knees. Or -
She’s back around the desk and tilting her head. “You seem flushed. Are you warm?”
---
I am shameless and over this lesson almost before it’s begun.
I don’t spin around and instead shimmy my ass against him.
His hand tightens around my waist as he pulls me even closer. We breathe in unison. My back brushes his chest with every inhale.
“Christina?” he asks into my hair. I’m sweaty and horny and I don’t care about resisting anymore.
I whisper, “Cam. Please.”
Spinning me around, he responds with a husky, “Thank fuck,” as his hands go to my head and his lips meet mine.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- infertility / child free as a possible choice due to pain discussed
Author content warnings? Didn’t see any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: Condoms used, and then discussion on BC
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? There is the talk of the possibility of adoption in their future, but the heroine has had painful endometriosis and cannot have children due to it – she has tried accepting being child free.
31% - kiss in the dance studio
40% - 🔥 fingering/oral for her, her on top
He twists his finger inside me a fraction, then bends it and shortens his pistons as his tongue speeds up.
“Cam!” My shout echoes off the glass and wood.
“Yes, baby. Let go for me,” he hisses against me.
47% - 🔥 sex on a couch
“You don’t need to be slow tonight. Seeing you play made me so hot I could barely wait the hour for you. Changing into this didn’t help. The cool fabric sliding against me when I waned the roughness and heat of your hands? Please, Cam.”
57% - 🔥 kisses, mirror sex while squatting at the barre
He squats with his legs behind mine to align our hips. Those delicious hockey quads allow him to hold me rather than the barre, pressing his naked chest to my back above the low scoop of the bodysuit. I stare at us in the mirror.
His eyes are hooded as his gaze roams over me, and his hand is massive over my lower ribcage and stomach. “You’re gorgeous.”
I’m sucking wind like I just tried to race him on skates. “Cam. Please. Your skin feels so good against mine. I need more.”
“You’ll get it,” he promises.
68% - the start of a scene that is short and kind of fades
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine with alternating chapters
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in – 4% (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happy for now for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, a few months in the future
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book format
Why I chose this book: I have loved Maggie Sims (her historical name) and was eager to try more in her contemporary books!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
You can start here! But there is a prequel novella that you can get as a newsletter freebie.
Basic plot:
Cam finds a dance course to keep him limber during his off days from hockey – and he’s head over heels for his instructor. Who also happens to be co-owner of his team...
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- Texas setting
- hockey romance – Goalie hero
- he’s tall – 6’ 3” – there is a small size difference (heroine is around 5’ 9”/10”) but she is also tall for a woman
- found family
- heroine is a financial investor, hockey team owner, and dance instructor
- endometriosis rep
- he takes dance to stay limber
- he’s younger than her
- celibate heroine
- hero has a dimple
- medium steam – 3ish full scenes (I could be a bit off, so I’d take this as a minimum)
Ages:
- hero is 24, heroine is 30
First line:
The sliding glass doors of the terminal open to a wall of heat, and I stagger back a step.
My thoughts:
Yay for playlists! I love when books include them and this one has one – it was especially fun to check out with the dancing scenes in the book.
I adored this novel so, so much. It was so fun. I loved both our mains right away. Their backgrounds have complex issues, but the way they come together and are so vulnerable and open with each other was so heart melting. There were a handful of forbidden love aspects to their relationship and I adored how they fell for each other so hard anyway.
This book had a great mix to me of character focused interactions. I loved the hockey scenes – especially from a goalie perspective. But I especially adored the dancing scenes – I sometimes have a hard time picturing scenes in books and their practices together were so well done. I could feel their tension building and it’s just such a perfect set up for a romance.
They had real issues on a few fronts, and I loved how they resolved them. This was such a steamy yet sweet read that I utterly loved.
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my 2nd for Debbie Charles. If including her HR name, Maggie Sims, then this is 11.
Average rating: 5 stars. If including her HR name Maggie Sims, 4.9 stars
Favorite book: For Debbie Charles pen name, this one! For all books from Maggie Sims/Debbie Charles….maybe Charlotte’s Control?
Endearments
Quotes any typos are my own! I am bad with typos, I apologize
As he’s getting unwanted attention...
“No.” I fold my arms and of course her gaze goes to the bulge of my biceps against my ribs. That’s the only bulge she’ll be seeing.
---
In the next moment, my mouth goes dry. I swallow.
In the front of the house, a woman in a leotard and dancer’s wrap skirt is demonstrating a pivot to a pair of dancers. She’s my perfect...everything. I’d guess she is five-nine or -ten, wearing dance shoes with straps across the inset and a two-inch heel that would bring her to nose height on me.
---
He’s wearing dance shoes. Yes, please. Dance with me.
But social hour is almost over. Clearing my throat, I step toward him. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. Christina?” He holds out a bear-paw-sized hand. At my nod, he adds, “I’m Cam.”
I shake his hand, my breath stuttering at the warm dry calloused skin engulfing mine.
---
He pulls my arm, stepping into a close hold and circling us in a tight position.
I lose my breath at the sensation of his length against me. And I do mean his length.
---
YES. Nod to HR
I’m starting to understand those bodice rippers’ references to heaving bosoms.
---
I grin. I can hold a squat for two hours – most of my game time is spent in that pose. I widen my feet and drop low.
Standing, she rotates one leg from the hip in a circle, toe pointed and knee straight. Her foot is on par with her head at the top.
I mirror it, my foot also even with my considerably higher head at the top.
Her mouth drops open.
I arch a cocky brow.
---
I’ve never been full-length against him like this. I close my eyes and enjoy his post-practice soap and deodorant scent. Under my hands, his back muscles shift and flex. His pecs are like steel against my cheek and I want to bite them, but they’re so hard I probably couldn’t get purchase.
He sucks in a huge breath, and his shirt and muscles rasp against my leotard-covered breasts.
---
I can’t remember a single one of the many reasons I thought this was a bad idea. All I can process is this magnificent mountain of muscle under me.
I sigh against his lips. They’re lush and plush and I really, really need to stop with the rhyming.
---
My mouth goes dry as her luscious peach of an ass passes my head. I want to bite it. Then I want to lay her on the desk and worship her with my lips and tongue. Or play teacher and naughty student who she takes to his knees. Or -
She’s back around the desk and tilting her head. “You seem flushed. Are you warm?”
---
I am shameless and over this lesson almost before it’s begun.
I don’t spin around and instead shimmy my ass against him.
His hand tightens around my waist as he pulls me even closer. We breathe in unison. My back brushes his chest with every inhale.
“Christina?” he asks into my hair. I’m sweaty and horny and I don’t care about resisting anymore.
I whisper, “Cam. Please.”
Spinning me around, he responds with a husky, “Thank fuck,” as his hands go to my head and his lips meet mine.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- infertility / child free as a possible choice due to pain discussed
Author content warnings? Didn’t see any
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
31% - kiss in the dance studio
40% - 🔥 fingering/oral for her, her on top
He twists his finger inside me a fraction, then bends it and shortens his pistons as his tongue speeds up.
“Cam!” My shout echoes off the glass and wood.
“Yes, baby. Let go for me,” he hisses against me.
47% - 🔥 sex on a couch
“You don’t need to be slow tonight. Seeing you play made me so hot I could barely wait the hour for you. Changing into this didn’t help. The cool fabric sliding against me when I waned the roughness and heat of your hands? Please, Cam.”
57% - 🔥 kisses, mirror sex while squatting at the barre
He squats with his legs behind mine to align our hips. Those delicious hockey quads allow him to hold me rather than the barre, pressing his naked chest to my back above the low scoop of the bodysuit. I stare at us in the mirror.
His eyes are hooded as his gaze roams over me, and his hand is massive over my lower ribcage and stomach. “You’re gorgeous.”
I’m sucking wind like I just tried to race him on skates. “Cam. Please. Your skin feels so good against mine. I need more.”
“You’ll get it,” he promises.
68% - the start of a scene that is short and kind of fades
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium to fast
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: listened to an owned audiobook (audible)
Why I chose this book: I cannot remember how I found this and had it in my library, but it ended up being our book of the month in one of our contemporary groups so I decided to give it a listen!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I picked this one up alone and found it very readable! Not sure how the series flows together exactly.
Basic plot:
Cara and Travis meet again, years post summer fling. She can’t get him out of her head so she presents a bargain to get him out of her system.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- California setting
- longing between the mains...
- dog training heroine
- fire fighter hero
- fling with a time limit
- second chance (they had been together at 18 during a summer relationship)
- feels like a shorter page count (I think goodreads has it at under 200)
- higher steam – 7ish full scenes within a shorter page count
Ages:
- hero is 29, I didn’t catch heroine but I think it’s similar
First line:
The dress she wore was pure torture.
My thoughts:
Ahhh I really need to stop going in blind so I can avoid second chance for awhile. It’s not a favorite trope for me – though this one was better to because there wasn’t a ton of built up animosity (which I usually struggle with). They do dive into things pretty soon in, so for me there wasn’t as much tension building.
I did like a lot about this one though to just have on as a quick listen audiobook. It’s not very angsty and is an easy read. I was a bit disappointed in the ending though because I thought the hero’s reasons for avoiding relationships was a bit far fetched and something I really dislike is when they have this life consuming goal (like the hero never being in a relationship) that is quickly resolved with a simple conversation of someone else giving a few sentences of life advice. This was something that seriously affected the hero, but when told that his reasoning wasn’t really that logical, he immediately switches his perspective. I would rather read about him sobbing on the floor with his loss and him coming to the realization himself that he messed up... 😂
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating: 3.5 stars
Favorite book: This one
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- light alcohol usage
- heroine has been adopted
- parental death and grief
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any on audio
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: Condoms used
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? I don’t remember any pregnancy or children mentioned in this story (A side character is pregnant and I think there’s a small mention of heroine wanting a family/children in the future)
Chapter 2 – 🔥 fingering for her at the bar
Chapter 7 – 🔥 oral for her on the table
Chapter 10 – 🔥 bj
Chapter 13 – kisses
Chapter 14 – 🔥 missionary
Chapter 15 – kiss
Chapter 16 – 🔥 spanking, missionary to him holding her
Chapter 18 – 🔥 dry humping, oral for heroine outside, missionary in the bed
Chapter 22 – 🔥 her on top
Total Chapters: 27
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium to fast
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: listened to an owned audiobook (audible)
Why I chose this book: I cannot remember how I found this and had it in my library, but it ended up being our book of the month in one of our contemporary groups so I decided to give it a listen!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I picked this one up alone and found it very readable! Not sure how the series flows together exactly.
Basic plot:
Cara and Travis meet again, years post summer fling. She can’t get him out of her head so she presents a bargain to get him out of her system.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- California setting
- longing between the mains...
- dog training heroine
- fire fighter hero
- fling with a time limit
- second chance (they had been together at 18 during a summer relationship)
- feels like a shorter page count (I think goodreads has it at under 200)
- higher steam – 7ish full scenes within a shorter page count
Ages:
- hero is 29, I didn’t catch heroine but I think it’s similar
First line:
The dress she wore was pure torture.
My thoughts:
Ahhh I really need to stop going in blind so I can avoid second chance for awhile. It’s not a favorite trope for me – though this one was better to because there wasn’t a ton of built up animosity (which I usually struggle with). They do dive into things pretty soon in, so for me there wasn’t as much tension building.
I did like a lot about this one though to just have on as a quick listen audiobook. It’s not very angsty and is an easy read. I was a bit disappointed in the ending though because I thought the hero’s reasons for avoiding relationships was a bit far fetched and something I really dislike is when they have this life consuming goal (like the hero never being in a relationship) that is quickly resolved with a simple conversation of someone else giving a few sentences of life advice. This was something that seriously affected the hero, but when told that his reasoning wasn’t really that logical, he immediately switches his perspective. I would rather read about him sobbing on the floor with his loss and him coming to the realization himself that he messed up... 😂
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating: 3.5 stars
Favorite book: This one
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- light alcohol usage
- heroine has been adopted
- parental death and grief
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any on audio
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
Chapter 2 – 🔥 fingering for her at the bar
Chapter 7 – 🔥 oral for her on the table
Chapter 10 – 🔥 bj
Chapter 13 – kisses
Chapter 14 – 🔥 missionary
Chapter 15 – kiss
Chapter 16 – 🔥 spanking, missionary to him holding her
Chapter 18 – 🔥 dry humping, oral for heroine outside, missionary in the bed
Chapter 22 – 🔥 her on top
Total Chapters: 27
adventurous
medium-paced
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋 (The scenes are quite light, more poetic than explicit – I tend to prefer more explicitness and emotional pull in my ideal scenes but these were very sweet)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 (scenes are short – a few paragraphs and not many details)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (There’s quite a few scenes but they are so light I settled at a one flame)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: mostly third person from heroine and hero (and a bit from the villain and her adoptive father)
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium to fast
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, chapter 2 of 41 (pg 24 of 268)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read a paperback copy sent to me by the author (thank youuuu!!!!)
Why I chose this book: I want more medieval in my life and @imromanticallyinvolved sent me her info
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I believe this stands alone.
Basic plot:
Meghan enlists Auricks help getting back to her home town.
Give this a try if you want:
- Medieval romance – 1193
- England setting
- beautiful heroine
- size difference – he’s taller
- touch of road trip
- she nurses him back to health and a touch of he nurses her back to health
- instalust
- light other woman drama
- secret identity
- class difference – hero is a Lord and heroine is a peasant
- light steam – there’s a few on page scenes but the language is quite light and the scenes are short
Ages:
- I believe the heroine is 18, not sure about hero. Would guess late 20s, maybe early 30s?
First line:
Moira’s dirty frock helped her blend into the darkness of the forest.
My thoughts:
Yay for more medieval! I have really missed this setting and think I need to search out more from this time period. I still love Regency but it really dominates my reads lately and this just felt so refreshing.
I will be honest – there was a point about 1/3 to ½ of the way through the book that I was SO mad at the hero. I didn’t think he was going to be able to come back from it – but he did! I was so happy with the outcome…
Overall this is a pretty easy read. There was a bit of an angsty middle I appreciated but most things were solved pretty easily. There was a lot of sweetness in this story, and so much love between the mains. The steam was a bit light for what I usually prefer, but overall this was really cute!
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death by illness in war
- kidnapping of an infant
- murder both mentioned and on page
- parental death
- mention of kidnapping of heroine from her home by a merchant, but we start the story with her having escaped and trying to get back home
- mention of infertility (the heroine’s adoptive parents)
- men discussing sexual assaulting the heroine
- poisoning that results in miscarriage of the heroine
- possible feelings of infidelity - the hero does fuck the heroine while still engaged to another
- there are some minor religious overtones – speaking of god, thanking god, minor talk of the Crusades, and a scene where the heroine sees people dead in her life and she’s told to return to the land of the living basically before she becomes conscious again after being poisoned.
Author content warnings? None listed
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex: No
How’s the consent? It’s good
Pregnancy/children in story? The heroine does get pregnant and then miscarries due to a poisoning event
Pg 56 (chapter 7) – kisses in the woods
Pg 72 (chapter 9) – missionary sex in the woods
Pg 168 (chapter 23) – sex
Pg 173 (chapter 24) – implied sex
Pg 177 (chapter 25) – implied sex
Total Pages: 268
Total chapters: 41
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋 (The scenes are quite light, more poetic than explicit – I tend to prefer more explicitness and emotional pull in my ideal scenes but these were very sweet)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 (scenes are short – a few paragraphs and not many details)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (There’s quite a few scenes but they are so light I settled at a one flame)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: mostly third person from heroine and hero (and a bit from the villain and her adoptive father)
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium to fast
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, chapter 2 of 41 (pg 24 of 268)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read a paperback copy sent to me by the author (thank youuuu!!!!)
Why I chose this book: I want more medieval in my life and @imromanticallyinvolved sent me her info
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
I believe this stands alone.
Basic plot:
Meghan enlists Auricks help getting back to her home town.
Give this a try if you want:
- Medieval romance – 1193
- England setting
- beautiful heroine
- size difference – he’s taller
- touch of road trip
- she nurses him back to health and a touch of he nurses her back to health
- instalust
- light other woman drama
- secret identity
- class difference – hero is a Lord and heroine is a peasant
- light steam – there’s a few on page scenes but the language is quite light and the scenes are short
Ages:
- I believe the heroine is 18, not sure about hero. Would guess late 20s, maybe early 30s?
First line:
Moira’s dirty frock helped her blend into the darkness of the forest.
My thoughts:
Yay for more medieval! I have really missed this setting and think I need to search out more from this time period. I still love Regency but it really dominates my reads lately and this just felt so refreshing.
I will be honest – there was a point about 1/3 to ½ of the way through the book that I was SO mad at the hero. I didn’t think he was going to be able to come back from it – but he did! I was so happy with the outcome…
Overall this is a pretty easy read. There was a bit of an angsty middle I appreciated but most things were solved pretty easily. There was a lot of sweetness in this story, and so much love between the mains. The steam was a bit light for what I usually prefer, but overall this was really cute!
Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: This one
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- death by illness in war
- kidnapping of an infant
- murder both mentioned and on page
- parental death
- mention of kidnapping of heroine from her home by a merchant, but we start the story with her having escaped and trying to get back home
- mention of infertility (the heroine’s adoptive parents)
- men discussing sexual assaulting the heroine
- poisoning that results in miscarriage of the heroine
- possible feelings of infidelity - the hero does fuck the heroine while still engaged to another
- there are some minor religious overtones – speaking of god, thanking god, minor talk of the Crusades, and a scene where the heroine sees people dead in her life and she’s told to return to the land of the living basically before she becomes conscious again after being poisoned.
Author content warnings? None listed
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:
Safe sex:
How’s the consent?
Pregnancy/children in story?
Pg 56 (chapter 7) – kisses in the woods
Pg 72 (chapter 9) – missionary sex in the woods
Pg 168 (chapter 23) – sex
Pg 173 (chapter 24) – implied sex
Pg 177 (chapter 25) – implied sex
Total Pages: 268
Total chapters: 41