Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: Third person from the hero and heroine
When mains are first on page together: Almost immediately (chapter 1)
Cliffhanger: No, ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author

”You are gorgeous. And mine to do with as I’d like.” When her gaze locked with his again, he continued, “Stop thinking. Just feel. You aren’t in control here, so relax and enjoy.”

Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary, but the prior characters do make appearances. This book happens concurrently with the prior book (Althea’s Awakening) and it’s really fun seeing the events happening in both books (especially the theater scene!)

Basic plot:
Beth is intrigued by Robert’s shy demeanor and very curious about his hobby in leather...

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (didn’t see a year listed but I have the prior book, Althea’s Awakening, which happens the same time as this novel at 1817)
- bisexual (pansexual?) heroine
- reversed rake and the wallflower
- shy/self conscious hero
- bubbly/extroverted heroine
- artist/crafting hero – he draws designs for and makes leather bondage apparel
- light touch of unrequited longing – the hero saw the heroine a year ago and has been thinking of her since
- bearded hero
- overall it’s a lower angst read
- naughty house party (strip whist, blindman’s bluff)
- heroine pursues
- full figured heroine – she has a round figure with a full middle
- higher steam – 6 full scenes with detailed bondage gear and leather toys/apparel, edging, aspects of power/control/punishment, play with ginger oil, light praise kink

First line:
Beth Jenkins extended her legs and arms in a languid, satisfied stretch.

My thoughts:
I was so excited to read Beth’s story! She’s been a bubbly and fun personality through this series and I couldn’t wait to see her romance match.

This was a really fun take on the rake and wallflower pairing. Beth is extroverted, social, and up for anything – especially naughty games at house parties. She’s never been one to shy away from the limelight, exhibitionism and voyeurism included. Robert is quite the opposite. Shy, withdrawn he definitely doesn’t want the spotlight on him. He has no problem proving his prowess behind closed doors, however.

The thing I loved about this one was the time and detail spent on the bondage scenes. I have read a few here and there with someone tied to the bed with a cravat but this was deliciously different. Robert works with leather to make all sorts of toys, apparel, and bondage apparatuses that were a delight to explore in this story. Sims added such great detail to be able to picture the different apparel used.

I ended up loving both characters. Beth is one of those heroines that I just adore and want to be friends with. She seems like she’s very easy to interact with and it calls to my introverted heart. Robert, I loved having a shy hero. He’s even self conscious about his body, which I don’t think I’ve ever had a hero like that. This was a rewarding read watching them both have to open up to their insecurities and become vulnerable with each other.

I can’t recall if this is the last in the School of Enlightenment series – but this series has been spectacularly fun. I think my favorite is still Althea’s Awakening but each book really features fun steam!

Endearments

Hero calls the heroine peaches 

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

- mention of heroine’s parents dying at the age of 17

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:

 
Safe sex: 

Yes, condoms used 

 
12% - 🔥 Beth tries on some of Ford’s leather bondage gear, oral for her, sex on a couch
25% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, tied to the bed sex
40% - 🔥 Beth wears a leather strap for punishment that sexually arouses her in a tortuous way and then has to sit through a dinner, fingering/oral for her, missionary with her tied to the bed
45% - 🔥 kisses, bondage with her head down on a pillow and hips raised, doggy-ish style sex
53% - spanking testing and implied blow job
58% - implied bondage to a table at the inn (it fades)
59% - 🔥 ginger oil play in the carriage – Ford challenges Beth to stay still after using a small amount of ginger oil on her holes, anal fingering. This leads to them arriving at the inn and a very short mention of sex followed by another scene where Ford finally shows her his body and her on top sex (short)
72% - 🔥 sex at the theater – fingering for her, blow job for him (complete)