Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (There is one scene that was really nicely developed, the others are a mix)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): Between🔥 and 🔥🔥🔥 depending how you count...I usually count no orgasm scenes as ‘partials’ and not as flames...and Langston liked to write really nicely developed scenes that fade right at the end. So one definitely full complete scene and 2 more that are pretty lengthy but end up fading at the very end... I feel like giving this 1 flame would be deceiving, but some might be disappointed in the fade to black at the end of scenes
Humor: A bit
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? a mix, but maybe a touch more character?
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: It took a bit – Chapter 5 or so
Cliffhanger: No, this end with a happily ever after
Epilogue:  Yes, 20+ years later
Format: listened to bought audiobook

Should I read in order?
I believe this was Langston’s debut, but there is a prequel novella now titled A Day Until Forever you could read.

Basic plot:
Cora is at risk of losing custody of her children and relies on an old connection providing her with the security of appearing betrothed.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- widow heroine
- bit of an ugly duckling hero vibe
- children in the story
- prior acquaintances – they knew each other briefly before heroine was married
- fake betrothal/marriage of convenience
- the best love declaration!
- repairing family bonds
- medium steam feels – there’s 1 ‘full’ scene as I count them and a few partials that are really lengthy and nice except they fade for final explosions

Ages:
- hero is 27, I didn’t catch heroine but think she’s a similar age, maybe a touch younger

First line: (Taken from audio, probably butchered)
In Cora Danes estimation, this seemed the sort of occasion that called for whiskey, or at the very least the sort of occasion that called for the pageantry of whiskey.

My thoughts:
I ended up just loving this book so much!

I didn’t know much about it before diving in. And I will admit as the story started to unfold – I was NOT feeling it. I do get extremely angry about toxic family relationships/aggressive family situations due to my own history, and Cora’s husband’s relatives are just awful. I also am not a huge fan of children in my romance.

And let’s just say Nate definitely leaves a lot to be desired when we meet him.

But, Langston took all these things that I shy away from, and ended up making me so invested in it all. She took a story that in her hands, created these in depth relationships, longing and tension that I crave.

She made me like the kids! Gasp!

I adored Nate’s turn around in this one. I loved his budding relationship with Cora’s children. I loved how he fell in love with Cora and went all in even at risk to his own heart.

The children didn’t take over the plot for me which was great. It was also kind of nice that they didn’t appear for the first ¼ of the book so I really started to get attached to Cora and Nate first. I loved Nate’s turn around for his character.

My only complaint is all the fading to black at the very end of scenes! A lot of scenes still felt full because they were so detailed, but I wanted it all haha.

After this, I definitely have Langston’s other novels on my TBR!

As for the narration, I have really liked Justine Eyre in a few novels (Vivienne Lorret's come to mind) but I didn't like her in this book. I'm not sure what was going on but I thought she sounded really raspy and gravelly. Will M Watt however is a new favorite! I will absolutely be seeking out more books with his narration because his voice is super swoony.

Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.

- mention of heroine being cheated on in her marriage
- custody battle with toxic relatives is a main plot point with lots of on page content
- talk of hunting

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:

Safe sex: 

I think the hero pulls out? I can’t recall 

Hows the consent? 

  It’s good! Explicit/implied 

Chapter 9/10 – there’s a pastry scene that builds some great tension
Chapter 10 – kiss
Chapter 13 – kiss
Chapter 14/15 (carries over) – kisses outside against a tree, then they move to the empty hunting shack, oral/fingering for her, missionary

“Tell me exactly what you want.” He pressed the words to her ear as he gripped her hips. “I can have you any way you want me, as many ways as you want me.” His kiss ghosted over her brow, to her cheek, along her jaw, back to her closed, burning eyes.

Chapter 18 – oral for her but it fades
Chapter 23 – kisses, hand job/BJ for him that fades
Chapter 31 – fingering for her, cock touches that fade
out of 31 total chapters plus an epilogue