Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5 rounded to 4
Plot/Storyline:

This is a series that should be read in order. There is a series long mystery going on that really picks up in this book. If you don't care about the series mystery, or only plan on reading this book then it's probably okay as a stand alone....there's characters from previous stories in this one and the mystery isn't super overwhelming or confusing.

This book takes place in 1809. Some in London and some at Grey's (Thorn's half brother) estate.

Olivia is a chemist. She's not interested in having a season and finding a husband. But when an innocent drink spilled on Thorn leads to her ruined reputation, she's facing a decision she wasn't ready for.

Give this book a try if you're looking for
-enemies to lovers – after their initial encounter, they dislike each other. Olivia thinks Thorn is a scoundrel rogue with zero principles and Thorn thinks Olivia is a scheming liar.
-second chance – these two share a kiss and are compromised and reunite 9 years later.
-working women/bluestocking heroine – while not a stable job, Olivia is a chemist and works to have her studies published
-murder/mystery – it really picks up in this book with the series long murder suspicions
-moderate steam – 2 full scenes with one being decently explicit, multiple short fondling scenes, and 2 kisses.


This has been my favorite book of the series so far I think. The mystery for the series (someone has murdered people close to Grey (book 1), Gwen (book 2), and Thorn's (this book) mother) starts really picking up in this book. I would say most of the plot points revolve around this. Grey has some suspicion about his father being poisoned so Olivia is asked to test his organs for arsenic. This is what brings Thorn and Olivia back together after 9 years apart. I liked that the heroine was a chemist, it was a bit different. I liked the talk about the plays written, those were some of my favorite scenes.

Yet, I just don't seem to be into this series. This book was a decent way to pass the time, it didn't make me angry, but it also didn't inspire any strong feelings either. It was a bit of instalust with the early kiss and the second kiss was pretty early too. I found Thorn as a hero quite similar to a large number of other Jeffries heroes. He just didn't stand out to me. I didn't feel a strong tension between the characters or fully get their pull to each other. And while I'm usually bored or annoyed with mystery plots, I didn't find that here. But I also wasn't super into it. I did think the whole beginning reaction by Thorn was over dramatic and ridiculous. The whole *hand to forehead* I can never love or trust because I was wronged! He took way too far. And I also hated how Olivia seemed to just forgive him and puckered up for his kisses. It just didn’t make SENSE. It didn’t seem like logical behavior. So that’s part of why stars were lowered.

Possible spoilers – including the kisses and sex scenes and what percentages they are found.

Spoiler

First kiss – 5%
Second kiss – 19%
Light fondling – 36%
Mutual fondling – 44%
First full sex scene – 61%
Second full sex scene – 90%

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts an opinions are my own.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
Plot/Storyline:

Another amazing, emotional and heart wrenching story. Our hero, Liam, is the Demon Highlander, laird to his clan and father of two children. The heroine, Mena, has a horrifying past she is running from and poses as a spinster governess to escape London.

Both these characters have so much emotional turmoil they are working through and healing from. I love that they find each other. Mena helps bring light and warmth to their fractured family. Liam protects Mena and allows her to find herself in ways her past has never allowed.

Definitely loved this book, but it wasn’t quite as good to me as the prior two in the series. To me, it didn’t quite reach the emotional level that the others have, I felt the steam was a tad less (although still really good), and I also felt I didn’t quite get as much time in Liam’s head or as deep of character connection. Highly recommend still.

I can see why people suggest this series in order. While not completely necessary, you see prior characters in the book and also get glimpses of future characters and some of what makes them who they are.

This book was wonderful. I feel like it’s my favorite Tessa Dare. I felt it had more feels and was way sexier than the others I’ve read by her

I loved both the main characters. They were perfect for each other. They were very real with mistakes and regrets along the road. Honestly I didn’t know how I would feel about Colin the first few chapters in. Everything from his build, to his carefree personality, his inability to remember Minerva’s name just was NOT my thing. But oh, Colin. He totally stole my heart. My heart was wrapped tight when they were laying the field with bluebells and his insecurity surfaced. How much he wanted Min but didn’t fully understand the whole of it. His ridiculous stories he made up and the fact that the villain in every story was named Sir Alisdair Kent had me laughing. His desire and need to be loved was buried so deep and his perfect heroine Minerva brought it all out. I just loved it.

This book is hot. When a first kiss scene can you make you feel like that, feel the excitement, the butterflies, the anticipation, oh it’s wonderful.

Yup, I loved it. Only a few things I would have liked, but they were pretty minor:
1. WHY can’t a character that wears glasses ever have them on in the cover??? I pictured them so clearly in the book and I would like to see them. I mean, they are obviously in bed on the cover but maybe if she had her glasses on they wouldn’t have needed up in the weird uncomfortable reverse plank sandwich position? Just a thought...
2. Strongly disliked the chapters where the heroine from the following book took her perspective. I don’t like being out of the main characters heads unless it’s going to add something amazing to the story. I felt like most of this was unnecessary and only set the stage for the next book, not with the current story. I don’t love Eloisa James over much but I do feel like her Wilde’s of Lindlow Castle series does great setting up the curiosity of the future characters without taking away from the main characters.
3. I would have liked an epilogue, or at least gotten to see Minerva’s mothers reaction. I haven’t read any other Spindle Coves so I’m not sure how much page space they get in future books.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline:

Beatrix is our heroine and she’s sweet and fun, an animal lover, adventurous.
Our hero is Christopher, who is fighting in a war during the beginning of the story. Christopher writes to Prudence, and Beatrix writes in her place.

The exchange of letters was so wonderful. Just lovely to see two people share bits and pieces of themselves, slowly getting deeper entwined. I felt the love forming in those letters. Totally loved that part.

After that, the story moseyed along slowly. Christopher returns and has serious issues from the war. He begins to realize the letters have not come from Prudence.

Their story was enjoyable. And had some sweet parts. But I guess I just wanted more...of something. It wasn’t steam. I think it was more the feels. This book didn’t make me feel much. I just didn’t come to love the characters as much as others. I found parts rather boring. I did like when he professed his love for her, but at the same time it happened so early in the book (not that I minded that specifically) but the way it was done, there just wasn’t much story after that. Even though there were pages and pages left. A few PTSD issues that kind of resolved out of nowhere.

However, I think most people would really enjoy this story. There’s nothing really wrong with it.

I gave 3.5 stars rounded to 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Wow! Married By Morning by Lisa Kleypas was a game changer for my interest in the Hathaway series. Loved it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the 4th book of the Hathaway series (which follows the Wallflowers series). Our hero, Leo, is the supposed cursed Lord Ramsey, inheriting after a long line of disasters. Our heroine, Cat, is the family’s hired companion for the youngest sisters. She has a mysterious past and is trying to hide. While this can be read as a stand-alone, you will get a much better feel for Leo and his past if you read the entire series. I can’t remember what book Cat comes in, it might have been from the beginning but I know I remember her in the second and third.

I didn’t know how I’d like Leo. Personally I thought he quite an ass and annoying while he was possessed in the first book 😂 I didn’t get a strong feeling for Cat in the prior books. But it did set up that enemies to lovers feel. These two fight like cats and dogs from the beginning and I found their interactions quite funny and perfect for that trope.

This book is all about the wonder of someone becoming something to you that you don’t expect. They hate each other, right? Or has something been building underneath that tension of anger? I love this trope when done right and this fit it for me.

I really loved both characters in this book but Leo stole the show (ahem, story) for me. He was just such a wonderful surprise with his humor and his naughtiness. I loved it. This book doesn’t carry the belly laugh passages of Tessa Dare but I found quite a few hilarious and witty remarks that I adored.

The scenes where Leo exchanges a kiss and a question challenge with Cat I found so adorable and funny.

And if you read the story in order and are vested in the characters it’s nice to continue to see their relationships and families grow.