rjordan19's reviews
943 reviews

Overall: 2.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖 (It was short, which worked in its favor!)
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (You don’t know much about either of these characters by the end of the book but it is a shorter novel)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡ (They meet and fuck so not much tension)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I didn’t love the way these scenes were written – I wanted more emotional pull and the scenes just didn’t go in a direction I wanted. But they are explicit)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: It takes awhile – about 23% or Chapter 3 (though it’s a short story so it’s not THAT long waiting)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, at least a year later
Format: read the e-book version on kindle unlimited
Why I chose this book: I found it while trying to build a Halloween reading this – I think it came up in a halloween romance search, or under a ‘similar’ book list when I was searching for pumpkin spice latte porn

Should I read in order?
I wonder if you should? I started here but you don’t get much background about the alien/Earth situation or the alien race. But it does stand alone as a romance. (I know she has more Bolan books so I wonder if it would help to read in order though?? Let me know what you think if you’ve read them)

Basic plot:
Samantha’s one night stand turns into a fated mate encounter

Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- futuristic Earth setting – I am not sure how far in the future this is, but there’s new technology and alien contact with Earth (and even alien dating shows on tv!)
- alien hero / human heroine pairing
- shorter novel
- celibate heroine
- fated mates
- Halloween!
- curvy heroine
- higher steam – 3 full scenes within a shorter page count

Ages:
- heroine is 26, didn’t catch hero

First line:
The faint metallic ping of liquid hitting my flask as I fill it with rum gives me more satisfaction than it should.

My thoughts:
His body tenses, and he groans right before the hot spray of his seed coats my cave walls.

I just could not get into this book. I had a disconnect with the writing. But I think those looking for some alien Halloween fun in a shorter novel for an October read might enjoy!

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first
Average rating: 3 stars
Favorite book: I guess this one

Cock/Hero Stats:

- Female Bolans don’t have as pronounced boobs as humans
- when a Bolan meets their life mat, they experience the ‘Bara’
- The average Bolan is 7 feet tall
- blue skin
- two small horns on their head and long hair
- Bolans have wide mouths, narrow noses, and the tips of their ears are pointed
- forked tongue
- cock has ridges
- Bolans don’t have hearts, but have an organ in their chest that vibrates on different frequencies
- Bolan’s cocks don’t decrease in size after they come
- Bolans marry for life and don’t divorce

Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)

- scenes of drinking
- mention of awful ex

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
Hows the consent? 

  It’s good 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? 

  No children in the story, but there is talk of breeding the heroine and having children 

 

23% - 🔥 they meet at the Halloween party – kisses, fingering for her and sex in the pantry
38% - 🔥 D/s elements, edging, vibrator play, praise/degradation – hero tells the heroine to self pleasure but forbids her to orgasm, missionary (?)
83% - kiss
83% - 🔥 epilogue sex – bent over the kitchen table 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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
When mains are first on page together: soon in, the end of chapter 1
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, six months later
Format: I listened to the audiobook version from my library (Hoopla) though I did receive an advanced reader copy through NetGalley (but sucked and didn’t read it in time for publication haha)
Why I chose this book: I loved Vasti’s Halifax series and couldn’t wait for a longer novel!

Should I read in order?
This is the first in the Belvoir’s Library but there is brief mention of the Halifax characters.

Basic plot:
Selina helps Peter stay respectable and find a worthy wife to gain custody of his siblings.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1815
- American hero (Louisianian), English heroine pairing
- Duke hero
- pets in the story – the hero’s siblings have a cat
- children in the story – the hero is fighting for guardianship
- heroine runs a naughty circulating library
- compromised heroine
- matching making
- mid to higher steam – 4ish full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 23, hero is 29

First line: (Taken from audio, might be butchered)
Peter suspected the project was doomed.

My thoughts:
I actually thought I wasn’t going to like this one! 😆 I saw a few people say they weren’t in love and then I heard there were kids...and I put off the ARC. But I grabbed it on audio and listened and just adored it!

First of all, I thought this narrator was fantastic – Mhairi Morrison. I really adored her narration and thought she did so well with both mains and I loved her southern accent for Peter.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but soon in I was finding so many of my favorite tropes – a matchmaking aspect, longing from the hero, and adding a compromised heroine I was totally in love. I loved the heroine and her naughty library. I loved Peter and his zeal for life and his siblings and what’s right in the world. I loved them together! The banter was so cute and playful and their longing and spiral towards each other was just swoony. The steam was perfection. Super, super sweet. I felt the love in this one – a believable HEA that just felt true 😍

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 4
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint

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

- parental death
- sibling death
- hero is a ‘radical abolitionist’ and slavery is discussed
- toxic parenting (hero’s father) – he is abusive and abandons his family in need
- childhood illness happens on page

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: 

  Hero pulls out 

Hows the consent? 

  It’s good 

Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  The hero has younger siblings that he is trying to get custody of so children are a plot point and characters in the story. I can’t recall if there is talk about wanting children together – I want to say there might have been a thought here or there but it’s not a major plot point at all. (Sorry I’m writing my review quite a bit after I finished the book!) 

Chapter 10 – kisses
Chapters 13 – kisses
Chapter 14 – 🔥kisses, fingering for her

He groaned again. “You-that’s-God, I have to-”
His pelvis rocked, and she recognized suddenly the hard line of his arousal pressing into the soft flesh of her hip. Oh. Oh.

Chapter 17 – 🔥oral for her, wall sex

“To hell with it,” he said. “To hell with the bedroom.” And then he looked up and met her gaze, his eyes dazed and wild, his mouth curving into a grin. “Lean back. I’ve got you.”

Chapter 19 – 🔥mutual masturbation

“Selina,” he said hoarsely. “I have to touch you.”
A dark thrill rose in her. Unhurried, was he? Always so easy, so slow and teasing. Two could play at that game.
“No,” she said. “But you may touch yourself.”

Chapter 24 – 🔥bath sex

“Stand up.” His voice came out low, harsh with demand.
When she stood, water cascaded down her body. He wanted to follow each rivulet with his hands, his mouth, his tongue.
He took her hips between his hands and urged her out of the bath, then pressed her down to sit on the ledge. Water pooled on the floor around their feet. He knelt between her thighs, and the water soaked his trousers, his knees pressing into the slippery marble.

TOTAL CHAPTERS: 29 (plus an epilogue) 
 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (It took me a little bit to get into it, but I really loved after 30% or so)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
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: Pretty soon in, about 5%, or chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, two years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy in e-book form through NetGalley
Why I chose this book: I saw on NetGalley and was intrigued by a time travel where the hero goes back in time

Should I read in order?
I believe this is a stand alone novel

Basic plot:
When Tuck gets into an accident and falls into a frozen pond, he finds himself pulled into early 1800s England

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency? Jane Austen is writing Pride and Prejudice...so that’s a guess
- time travel – contemporary hero goes back in time
- hockey player hero – goalie (Michigander hero, but lived in Texas a number of years)
- author heroine
- road trip
- marriage of convenience
- celibate hero
- one bed
- bit of a size difference – hero is 6’2” and a head
- Gretna Green
- child free HEA
- higher steam – 5ish full scenes and some praise

Ages:
- heroine is 27, hero is 30

First line:
Tucker Taylor walked across the sticky floor carrying a second round of drinks for the table.

My thoughts:
I was so curious about this one! A hockey player that goes back in time?? I had to try it. I thought maybe it would be a bit TOO ridiculous….but this one totally took my heart by surprise.

It took me a little bit to get into it. I struggled a bit when they were initially meeting and accepting each other’s circumstances. It does feel very modern and the hero does talk about contemporary times pretty frequently. But..once these two had a plan and were together...I totally fell in love with them.

Lizzie is so sweet and fun. I love her personality and strength despite her unlikable family. But Tucker really stole the show for me. He is just the sweetest. I adored him. The way he falls for Lizzie, and the way he protects her and loves her and the way he talks to her in the bedroom just all made me melt!

I loved the humor in this book. Their relationship was so cute and adorable and genuine. It took me by surprise how much I adored the latter half of this novel.

My one complaint – I hate that he called her Pocket Rocket. Eww. lol

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first by this author!
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: This one!

Endearments

The hero calls the heroine ‘Pocket Rocket’ and ‘babe’. 

Quotes any typos are my own!

Lizzy’s breath caught in a sharp exhale as she pushed her arms into the bulrushes, shoving them apart. Her gaze fell, locking with the piercing eyes of a brutal-looking man. The blood smeared across his angular features added a raw, dangerous edge to his appearance that intensified the darkness of his stare as he glared up at her.
---
American.
And gads, he was big. She’d wager once standing he’d rise a head taller than herself, and she was by no means a delicate violet.
---
Lizzy let out a sound that was a cross between stepping on a dog’s toy and letting the air out of a balloon.
Tuck glanced down to see if he’d grown a third nipple in the day’s chaos, but everything appeared as usual – dark hair whorling across his chest. “What?”
“You’re in a...a...a….” She craned her face skyward, a pulse fluttering in her throat as she flapped her arms like a hyperactive hummingbird.
He cocked a brow. He wasn’t imagining things. Lizzy might seem as prim as a nun, but she’d just checked him out. So what if he wasn’t as shredded as when he was in peak NHL shape, his muscles had been responding to his recovering workouts.
“You’re in a state of nature,” she blurted.
---
Her curiosity was piqued. “And you can make a living doing this hockey?”
A small smile played on his lips. “I do all right.”
“Because you stop a disc from going in a net. Fascinating.”
“Look.” His ears tinged pink. “There’s a lot more to it, all right? The plays, the arena, the crowd, the lights. It’s physical. It’s aggressive. It’s a highly structured competition.”
“How positively gladiatorial.” It wasn’t difficult to picture Mr. Taylor in the midst of the Colosseum, almost too vividly. Those big corded muscles slick with sweat. His chest heaving. A wild sort of primitive bloodlust in his eyes. She swallowed nervously.
---
He sat in the chair beside her. “A man dressed me upstairs,” he murmured, for her ears only. “Like I was a little child.”
---
“Back it up. You go to a barber for teeth? I don’t understand.”
“Well, here in the country, we can’t keep a full-time tooth puller employed That’s for the city and towns. Of course, there could be the blacksmith.”
The damn blacksmith again. It sounded like those guys could do everything from making a horseshoe to yanking out a rotten incisor to marrying you in a border town.
---
“How do you take your tea?” she asked, pouring two porcelain cups.
“Not sure. Can’t say I’ve drunk much before coming here. Why don’t you give me the works?”
She was torn between the urge to laugh and the desire to scream, compromising with a gasp. “Milk and lemon?”
“Sure. Sounds good. And sugar.” His gaze trailed around the room’s unpretentious interior as if he wasn’t being infuriating.
“One can have milk and sugar. Or sugar and lemon. But not all three.”
---
“This feels more romantic to me than…” She inclined her head to the couple busy cooing. “Out there, I can imagine feelings get very stark, almost painful. There are no distractions to your thoughts, so it’s you and your ugly heart against the horizon.”
“Ugly heart? That doesn’t sound very poetic.”
“But it’s true.” She pressed her lips to his ear. “Real hearts aren’t happy all the time. And they aren’t perfect. They get angry, envy, hunger for more, and still crave. But we are all beautiful in our ugly little ways as well. At least that is what I think.”
---
“Am I doing it right?” she murmured into his mouth.
“You’re perfect.” He pulled back, and his breath ghosted across her cheek. “Would you like more?”
“Yes. Teach me.”
“That’s a good girl.” This time, he opened his mouth, coaxing her to do the same; she responded and, with slow, almost arching deliberation, he stroked his tongue against hers.
---
Tuck tried to take it all in. This dude was going to shoot him for marrying his sister? And do so wearing those neck ruffles? The past was way more hardcore than he gave it credit for.
---
Tuck braced her against the tree and stood between her legs, his big hands gripping her bottom as he looked down at her, a muscle feathering in the place where his jaw met his temple.
“You’re so smart, Lizzy,” he growled. “But sometimes you’re so smart that it also makes you a little stupid.” She shivered as he dipped his head, his breath warm against her throat. “Trust me, you have no problem bewitching a man.”
Her hands, which had been pushing against his shoulders, did a sudden reversal, even without conscious thought; she was now gripping him, driving him closer.
“All I can think about is doing this to you,” he rasped, rimming his tongue along the curve of her neck before drawing the skin between his teeth for a soft nip. She bowed, her center arching into him. “This and nothing else.”
---
He hiked her skirts to her waist, nudged her legs apart.
“Open for me,” he ordered. And God help her, she did. Was he going to make her his wife in truth here against a willow on the edge of an out-of-the-way Gretna Green sheep paddock?
But he wasn’t removing his breeches, he was sinking to his knees in the wet grass.
---
“Please put me down,” she whispered.
He cocked a brow, let his gaze travel leisurely to her mouth and longer. “And if I don’t?” He wasn’t serious. But he wanted to see what she’d do.
“I’d consider screaming, but I wouldn’t want to make myself a spectacle. So maybe I’d purse my lips like that. And then when you get close, I’d…” She arched up, snapping her teeth.
“Christ.” He startled, setting her back on her feet. “You’re a wild animal.”
---
“Husband,” Lizzy breathed a few minutes later as he entered the carriage. “My dear wicked husband. Are you here to have your evil way with me? I tried to find you everywhere, but only ran into grouchy old Henry.”
“Lizzy. Baby. I can see you have had too much to drink. I think it would be best if you sat still and we cracked a window to let in some air.”
“You can crack my window,” she purred, reaching over to brace her hands on his knee. “Because tonight I will ride on St. George all the way to where dragons live.”
 

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

- hero gets into a car accident on page to avoid hitting a boy and dog and goes underwater in a pond
- hero has had cancer in the past and there is discussion and remembrance of it, though he’s now recovered
- parental death
- unlikable parents/family
- death of a side character
Author content warnings? Didn’t see any

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: 

  No, but the hero is sterile 

Hows the consent? 

  It’s good! 

Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  There is no pregnancy or children in the story. The heroine doesn’t want children and the hero is sterile so this is a child free HEA 

41% - 🔥 heroine self pleasure

Her hips began to rock. What would it be like if someone else were to touch her like this? She bit her lip hard enough to taste a vague copper tang.
Imagine Tuck’s thick strong fingerings here on her delicate, wet softness.

43% - 🔥 hero self pleasure in the stables

“Fuck.” He muttered after a long pause. There wasn’t a choice. He needed release.

49% - kiss
56% - 🔥 oral against a tree

She didn’t know why he kneeled or looked at her like a man starving. “What do you want?” Her question was a half whisper, half plea.
“To taste you.” He nodded at her exposed center that he still held open. “Can I?”
“D-do people really do such things? It’s not just in books.”
“If they see a pussy like yours? They’d beg to. Do you want me to beg, Lizzy?”

61% - kiss
78% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary, followed soon after with her on top

“You love it when I touch you.”
She opened her mouth to reply and he nipped her lower lip. “That wasn’t a question.” Her hips jerked as he slid his palm down, capturing the weight of her breast. With a thumb, he teased her nipple, growling when it peaked even through the layers of fabric. “And you like that.”
A hitched gasp.
“Good girl.”

85% - kiss
88% - 🔥 fingering for her, oral for her, missionary

“Oh no, I don’t think so.” The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Look down and see what I’m doing to you.”
She liked her lips before opening one eye and then the other.
“That’s it,” he growled. “I want you to know who is taking you so good.”

96% - kiss 
 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (This is a shorter novel, so it was easy to fly through. If it was a longer book I would have struggled I think)
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (There’s some established but being a short novel details are left out and some of it just didn’t make the best sense to me)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞 (In the theme of things – obsessive, stalking hero – there’s some romantic things (you know...the toxic kind but I like that haha) but he was also initially going to kill her and overall the romance was just lacking a bit to me)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I wanted more of an emotional pull from these scenes. They were explicit but more mechanical to me)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
Perspective: First person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? mmm plot? It’s hard to say, it’s more sex focused haha
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately – towards the end of the prologue. They are together again as adults at 22% in (chapter 4)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Not labeled as such, but the last 2 chapters take place 2 months later
Format: read an e-book version through kindle unlimited
Why I chose this book: I came across it on one of my searches for masked men 😆 – I think it was on one of the ‘similar as’ lists on either Amazon or Goodreads

Should I read in order?
I believe this is a standalone novel

Basic plot:
Aster is getting on her with life at college when she comes face to face with her stalker

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- college setting
- Halloween!
- dark elements – please check your content warnings for safety!
- second chance-ish feels
- taboo – they were steb siblings but not raised as children together (15/17 when they met) and reunited as adults)
- tattooed hero
- secret identity – the hero pretends to be the heroine’s boyfriend at first
- revenge plot – the hero wants revenge on the heroine for what she did to his father
- higher steam – 6ish scenes including various kink elements like praise, degradation, masked sex, knife play, blood play, throat play

Ages:
- I don’t think they are specifically mentioned as adults, but from context clues regarding events I’d say the heroine is 20/21 and the hero is about 22/23 (He’s two years older than her)

First line:
Before my mom announced that we were moving in with her new husband, I didn’t even know she was married.

My thoughts:
Yay for a book playlist!!!

So I am very into certain dark elements. But very not into others. And unfortunately the books I’ve been picking have been including all those elements and some of it goes too far for me. I like a little darkness, but not too much. I don’t mind murder but I don’t love gore. I love dubcon and even noncon but don’t want blood used as lube. I’m not in love with reading about sexually cruelty or pain.

So this novel had some elements I really liked. But overall I had a little bit of a disconnect with the writing and some of the plot elements. There were a few things I just didn’t understand.  Our intro to the hero makes him seem like an arrogant (NOT in a good way) brat. Smirky and just….irritating. So I could have done without the prologue because it honestly kind of ruined the hero for me.


Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first by this author
Average rating: 3 stars
Favorite book: This one?

Endearments

The hero calls the heroine ‘darling’ and ‘doll’. 

Quotes Any typos/mistakes are my own

Here’s some lines from the beginning that I get what they were trying to get the reader to feel but it just was cringey to me. This was our first meeting of the hero.

He smirked before leaning forward, placing his palms on my cheek, and bringing my body toward his. He smashed his lips against mine, and I melted inside. I had never been kissed before. My first kiss was with my new stepbrother. Once the shock subsided, I pulled myself away and slapped him.
///
“I was proving a point. You’re a virgin, and you kiss like one. Don’t worry; I’ll change that eventually. For now, save all your firsts for me. Or else.”
---
“Once you orgasm again, I’ll relent and let you breathe.” My eyes widened. What if I couldn’t breath? I’d die? “And if you don’t, you’ll die being fucked, and you’ll like it like the good little slut you are. I’ll make use of your corpse, through.”
---
I dunno, it’s just not doing it for me

“I won’t say I love you, Aster. It’s overrated. It goes past love. I’m obsessed with you. I crave you. I need you. I hunted you down for years to find you again, and I won’t let you go. If I have to say I love you to keep you, I’ll tell you every fucking day, but you know it goes beyond that. I would kill for you. I have killed for you. I’d let you keep killing just to keep you satiated. I’d kill everyone on this goddamn planet if it meant having you.”
 

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

- toxic parenting – the heroine’s mother puts her in dangerous situations and is a bit neglectful
- mentions of domestic abuse and abuse on page – the heroine’s current boyfriend abuses her
- cheating – the heroine’s boyfriend cheats on her
- stalking of heroine by hero
- scenes of drinking
- drugging – the heroine is drugged at a party (E)
- murder on page
- torture including cutting off a person’s fingers

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No 

 
Hows the consent? 

  This is not a good novel for consent. Various elements of dubious and non-consensual acts occur so if consent is important to you in any way I would bypass this one 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  No children in the story but the heroine does get pregnant within the last few chapters. 

 
6% - kiss (as children 15 and 17)
22% - 🔥masked sex – the heroine thinks the hero is her boyfriend and he follows her into a bathroom at the party and fucks her on the counter then they move to the door – throat play, praise/degradation
36% - 🔥forceful blow job – praise, blood and knife play
38% - 🔥kiss that leads into blood play, fingering for her, DP sex with the knife handle anally
48% - 🔥anal sex
76% - 🔥primal play, sex in front of a kidnapped victim (heroine’s cheating boyfriend) then fucking in front of said boyfriend
96% - 🔥oral for her, vibrator play, DP with with the vibrator 

 

Overall: 2.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I wasn’t in love with the writing)
Feels: 🦋🦋 (I was more annoyed than anything)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (It was more focused on the present actions, not a lot of character depth)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (I didn’t feel much tension because the hero was with another woman throughout most of the story and I felt the majority of interactions were between the heroine and her spectral helper)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I didn’t take good notes but I think there’s a full scene at the end a partial before that)
Humor: Yes, this is a lighthearted story with humor
Perspective: first person only from the heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character-ish
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: very soon into the story
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: listened to the audiobook from my library (hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I have this one my spooky TBR list for October but I can’t recall how I came across it...I feel like maybe on a goodreads recommended list when I was looking at other books? I was sucked in by the cover, which looked cute.

Should I read in order?
I believe this is a stand alone novel.

Basic plot:
Adelle sees her platonic roommate in an enchanted mirror and is told he is her soul mate.

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance with some light paranormal magic
- Halloween vibes
- love triangle – the hero has another love interest when the heroine decides to fight for him
- roommates/friends to lovers
- camping
- shorter story
- average steam – I think there’s 1 full scene and a partial in this short story

Ages:
- didn’t catch either

First line: Taken from audio. Probably butchered.
Adelle Hendrix glanced down at the filmy peasant shirt, ruffled brown skirt, and colorful scarf tied around her waist.

My thoughts:
I just couldn’t get into this one! I think I had a bit of disconnect with the writing style. There was a lot of ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’ and it was all from the heroine’s POV. I wasn’t in love with the way the Romani fairy godmother was depicted and the focus on her droopy boobs (though meant for humor, it just didn’t strike me as funny). The hero was with someone else most of the book which usually drives me nuts. I’m glad this was a shorter novel.

But I think others could like it – it’s light hearted, and shorter and I do hope you enjoy if you give it a go.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This was my first
Average rating: 3 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.

- the heroine was left at the alter when she found out her fiance had a wife and 3 kids (happened 4 years ago in this story)
Author content warnings? Didn’t hear any on audio

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  I don’t recall...I don’t think so? I’m didn’t pay close attention... 

 
Hows the consent? 

  It’s good 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  No children in the story and I don’t think there’s any mention of children. No pregnancy. 

 
There’s a bj and sex scene at the end of the book 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖 (It took me a bit to get into this one and I was annoyed in the beginning, but after about 30% I didn’t want to stop reading!)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (There’s more for the heroine, but Is till feel like this story focused a lot on the present, plot events, and not much background for the characters – Z especially you don’t know a ton about him)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡ (I loved the tension build up in this one – it has some slow burn feelings with them taking awhile to be on page together, but a build up of events)
Romance: 💞💞💞 (I mean….I thought some things were romantic but obviously TOXIC AF – but for fictional things….there were things I liked)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I loved these intimate scenes. I thought there was a good mix of ‘in the head’ emotional feels and explicit details
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Yes? There’s humor sprinkled out...there’s dark elements. It’s not really a humorous or lighthearted book but I was definitely getting some Dead Pool vibes
Perspective: First person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? A bit of a mix but maybe more plot? There were a lot of meandering scenes and thoughts, and a lot about trying to solve the mystery of the great grandmother’s death
How did the speed of the story feel? slow
When mains are first on page together: It took forever! I think it was chapter 11 of 42 when they are first on page together and chapter 15 with their first interaction. But there were some interactions before then – mention of her seeing him at a book signing, scenes of him stalking her, but they weren’t actually on page together interacting until well into the story
Cliffhanger: Yes, this ends on a big cliffhanger and is concluding in book 2 (Hunting Adeline) with a HEA
Epilogue: No
Format: listened to audiobook (owned)
Why I chose this book: Because it’s everywhere and I had to have an opinion too

Should I read in order?
Yes! This is book 1 but please start here.

Basic plot:
Adeline catches the eye of Z and her world will never be the same.

Give this a try if you want:
- Dark romance! Plenty of content warnings, including murder on page, torture, death, child/human trafficking, as well as toxic relationship elements like severe stalking and codependent relationships
- stalker hero!
- author heroine (not a huge part of the story)
- mystery to solve – the heroine finds her great grandmothers diaries in the house she inherits and tries to solve the mystery of her murder
- spooky/gothic vibes – the heroine lives in basically a haunting mansion
- hero has heterochromia
- scarred and tattooed hero
- Seattle setting
- higher steam but it had a little bit of a slower burn feel – primal play, ravishment fantasy, dominating hero with biting and bruising, throat play, bondage, brat elements and 10ish full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 26, hero is 32

First line:
The windows of my house tremble from the power of thunder rolling across the skies.

My thoughts:
So, obv I’ve seen this book all over, forever. And I was a little scared to read it. I didn’t really hear a lot of specifics about it, just that it was dark and fucked up. But I like to have opinions on things, so when my friend said she was reading it, I made the dive in!

This book is way too long for me right now 😝 and I’m struggling with long books. I grabbed it on kindle unlimited but saw I could get the audio for cheap so I grabbed it there and I’m really glad I did! I really loved the narration here and I think it helped me like the book more.

I was a bit annoyed in the beginning. It felt slow and meandering and I was basically rabid for the mains to have some kind of interaction. But when they do, I was totally hooked. I wanted to be reading this all the time.

The hero – I can’t even say I liked him. But I loved him? He was very toxic, of course, and arrogant and said such cringy stuff...but I don’t know if it was just giving me Dead Pool vibes or just giving me all my toxic fantasies lol. I have read a number of books with similar elements recently and I can’t help but feel like they were taken with inspiration from this story but this story just made it better. I had better tension building with this one and I loved being in the heros POV so much.

I love those jerky, arrogant, pushy, dominating heroes and Zade delivers that in spades. Stalking, jealous and possessive he gave me everything I wanted in that regard. I loved this book for that, though some of the plot and the scenes went a little out of my comfort zone.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first by this author
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: This one!

Endearments

Hero calls the heroine ‘little mouse’. 

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

- god, lots of them. I’m sure I’m going to miss a bunch.
- the hero stalks the heroine and doesn’t take no for an answer. He rapes her with a gun handle but it’s very ravishment fantasy in the way it’s written. She is coerced, but there’s feelings of want there. If consent is important to you I would never touch this novel
- there’s a lot of death, murder, torture on page. The hero has a torture chamber and has murdered plenty of people and it happens on page multiple times
- there’s a human trafficking/child murdering ring that’s a big plot point. There’s mention of children kidnapped and killed. There’s mention of cannibalism and drinking children’s blood and child rape.
- there’s elements of parental toxicity and death of family members
- mention of a past fire, where people died in the house and their ghosts haunt it
- some brief thoughts of suicide while standing on a cliff
- scenes of smoking and alcohol

Author content warnings? Didn’t hear them in the audiobook but I think they are in the e-book

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No, but I think the heroine is on birth control 

 
Hows the consent? 

  Oh, its so bad. No consent here. 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  No children in the story, but there is some mention I think of the hero wanting to get the heroine pregnant? But there is no pregnancy on page or mentioned in this story. 

 
Early chapter – there’s a kiss with Grayson that’s interrupted
Chapter 8 – fingering for her with a man she brought home from a club
Chapter 15 – 🔥 biting and bruising, a non-consensual gun fucking scene
Chapter 17 – mention of heroine self pleasure
Chapter 18 – 🔥 bondage and mouth taped, oral for her, biting, fingering
Chapter 21 – 🔥 kisses, hero slaps her with his cock, bj
Chapter 22 – kiss
Chapter 23 – 🔥 bj, throat play with a belt
Chapter 25 – 🔥 daddy/little girl dirty talk, fingering for her during a movie
Chapter 27 – kisses
Chapter 29 – 🔥 kisses in a house of mirrors, forceful bj, sex against the mirror, well endowed hero
Chapter 33 – 🔥 kisses, primal play, heroine self pleasure in front of the hero, sex against a tree
Chapter 34 – 🔥 oral in the car with seatbelt bondage, her on top
Chapter 38 – 🔥 heroine self pleasure
Chapter 40 – 🔥 her on top, primal play, missionary
Total chapters: 42 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️ (I ended up liking some of the steamy scenes or else this would be 1 star)
Readability: 📖 (I ALWAYS finish my reads. And god this book tempted me to break that streak. I didn’t want to read it. And every time I picked it back up, I continued not wanting to read it)
Feels: 🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (There’s a lot of recovery for the heroine in the latter half, and some more family elements introduced for the heroine but overall not a ton of character depth here. And I still don’t really have an idea how Zade can literally have and do whatever he wants. He’s like a gazillionaire with infinite replenishable resources)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡ (There is some build up once the mains are together again. But since I was just coming off book 1 a lot of that tension was broken)
Romance: 💞💞💞 (Some things there toxic and over the top but I still found them romantic that the hero said and did 😅
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I loved these intimate scenes. I thought there was a good mix of ‘in the head’ emotional feels and explicit details)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+ (I didn’t keep track this time but there’s a plethora in the latter half of the book)
Humor: Not much – this book was a lot darker than book 1 in some ways because so much happened to the heroine. There might be some lines of line humor but it’s not a humorous book. I do like Zades one liners when he’s murdering people though...
Perspective: First person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium? Slow? I felt like I was stuck in places forever….
When mains are first on page together: I just thought book 1 took forever. Half the freaking book before the mains are on page together and I am so salty over it and will never get over it. Bleh.
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with an HEA
Epilogue: I don’t remember and don’t care to check
Format: listened to audiobook (owned)
Why I chose this book: Because I loved book 1 and was so eager to read more.

Should I read in order?
Yes! Please read book 1 first as this is a direct continuation of the story and all the plot is remainder from the actions of book 1.

Basic plot:
Adeline is taken and Zade works to rescue her.

Give this a try if you want:
- Dark romance! Plenty of content warnings, including murder on page, torture, death, child/human trafficking, as well as toxic relationship elements like severe stalking and codependent relationships (remnants from book), and some extreme torture and rape on page for the heroine – 200+ pages worth
- stalker/jealous/protective/possessive hero
- revenge on your rapists
- hero has heterochromia
- scarred and tattooed hero
- Seattle setting
- higher steam but it had a little bit of a slower burn feel – you get to read about the heroine getting tortured and raped for the first 200 pages, then the latter half does have a number of sex scenes between the hero and heroine. I didn’t count them.

Ages:
- heroine is 26, hero is 32 in book 1, so maybe they aged a year if that

First lines:
Smell. The first of my senses to trickle in.

My thoughts:
I hated this book. I am so betrayed. After my high of book 1, I guess I was expecting to like this one similarly but that was not the case.

The mains aren’t together for the first half of the book. And that entire first half was so awful for me to read. It was just pages and pages and pages….hundreds of pages...of rape and torture. I hated it.

When they come together, I liked a few elements here and there – the revenge on the rapists was satisfying and some of the sex scenes were fine but I was so fucking annoyed and salty over the first 300 pages I read that I barely cared. Not a fan.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating: 3.5 stars
Favorite book: Book 1, by a lot

Endearments

Hero calls the heroine ‘little mouse’. 

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

- god, lots of them. I’m sure I’m going to miss a bunch.
- elements of dubious/non-consent between the hero and heroine. They have a stalker relationship where the hero didn’t take no for an answer
- there’s a lot of death, murder, torture on page. The hero has a torture chamber and has murdered plenty of people and it happens on page multiple times
- there’s pages….hundreds of pages...of reading about the heroine being abused and raped and tortured and tormented and beaten and it’s fucking awful
- I don’t want to relive any more...if you have a specific question just send me a message and I’ll see if I know!

Author content warnings? Didn’t hear them in the audiobook but I think they are in the e-book and on Carlton’s website

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

  No, but I think the heroine is on birth control 

 
Hows the consent? 

  The heroine is raped on page multiple times by multiple people in the first half. The sex with the hero is more consensual but if you’ve read book 1 you know their whole relationship is based on dubious consent at best. These novels are not for the consent seeking. 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  No children in the story, but there is some mention I think of the hero wanting to get the heroine pregnant? But there is no pregnancy on page or mentioned in this story. He also talks about removing her birth control without her consent 

 
I didn’t take notes. The first 200 pages has the heroine being raped repeatedly. The latter half of the book has a plethora of scenes with the hero. Higher steam but slow burn for the mains again. 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+ (I think there’s 7 full scenes but my note taking was sloppy AF)
Humor: A bit
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: I didn’t note this, but I want to say it took a little bit, maybe 10% or so? Around chapter 6.
Cliffhanger: no, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: yes, two years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form (thank you!) that I am very, very late on..

Should I read in order?
This is part of Glen’s Forged Alliances series. While there is some minor character mention from book 1, I found this one very readable completely alone!

Basic plot:
Hannah is presented with a very taboo bargain from her husband...

Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian romance – 1863
- mix of English countryside and London settings
- taboo / forbidden romance – the heroine is married and the hero is her husband’s bastard
- breeding – heroine makes a bargain with her husband about letting another man impregnate her
- former soldier hero
- overcoming a villain
- masquerade
- higher steam – 7 full scenes with kink elements like breeding, edging, lactation, bondage

Ages:
- both mains are around 33, hero might be 34

First line:
The Earl was home.

My thoughts:
I LOVED the premise of this one. I thought it was fun and different, and had lots of forbidden things we don’t usually see in historical romance.

I was very into the beginning of this story. I liked both mains, I liked the tension building...I had a few issues with how the whole ‘secret meetings’ were carried out but I liked the steam so overall didn’t care that much 😆

I liked the first half of the novel more than the second half but that’s not surprising considering the shift in plot points and my preferences.

I think Glen just keeps getting better with her novels. I have liked her books more and more as she publishes. Higher steam, some dirty talk, angst and emotions all wrapped up...love.

Quotes Any typos/mistakes are my own

“Maybe I want it complicated. Maybe I want to inconvenience myself, as you so eloquently put it. Maybe I want to touch you and take my time stroking your desire. And trust me, darling. When I’m done with you, your oil won’t be necessary. You will be dripping wet for me.”
---
“You are toying with me,” she accused.
His twisted half smile was sinful. “I haven’t even started toying with you. When I’m through, you will beg me for more.”
Oh, he was wicked.
---
He reached the door and planted a hand on it before she could escape. His large body caged her. Not touching, but she could feel the warmth emanating from him all along her back. She should have felt alarm. Yet all she felt was cherished, protected.
---
“I understand. And I approve. Just…be careful with her heart, will you?”
Gabriel stilled for a few heartbeats. “Have you considered, sir, that my heart may be in as much danger as hers?”
 

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 5
Average rating: 4.6 stars
Favorite book: Probably The Marquess and His Muse

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

- attempted assault/rape of the heroine by evil side character (interrupted by hero)
- remembrance of child abuse from hero by his father including beating and whipping
- mention of animal abuse – hero’s father used riding crops with metal ends and pointed spurs
- heroine was 18 when she married her husband (not the hero) at 58, but their marriage grew into a friendship and was not an abusive marriage
- baby in danger (only a few pages)

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

Safe sex: 

  No 

Hows the consent? 

  It’s good 

Pregnancy/children in story?  (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  Yes, pregnancy is a major plot point here and the heroine does fall pregnant and give birth within the story. 

14% - kiss
17% - touches
28% - kisses
35% - kisses
43% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her

“Shhh. Be quiet if you dno’t want people coming over to watch.”
Oh, goodness gracious. How was she supposed to keep quiet when he did that?

47% - 🔥 him standing, her on the bed

Gabriel reached out and lifted Hannah, maneuvering her to lie on her back, on the edge of the bed.
“I’m sorry Hannah. I wanted to go slower for our first time. But I underestimated the effect you have on me.”

49% - 🔥 hero asks the heroine to self pleasure for him and edges her, sex

“Stop,” he commanded and her eyes opened, fixing their unfocused gae on him. As if she couldn’t comprehend his words. Her fingers did not obey, so he reached out and removed her hand. The frustrated whimper she emitted had him chuckling.

53% - kiss
56% - 🔥 her on top

“Straddle me,” he said in a hushed tone, already maneuvering her skirts into position.
Her eyes widened even as a thrill ran down her spine. “Here?” she whispered.
His eyes held hers full of lambent desire and wicked promise. “Here. Now.”

61% - 🔥 blow job (complete), followed by sex

Fuuuuck, Hannah. I can’t resist you. That feels so damned good. That’s it, darling, take a bit more.

83% - lactation scene
85% - 🔥 her on top

Reaching between their bodies, she grabbed the waistband of his trousers and started undoing his buttons.
He lay passive beneath her. Not helping, but not stopping her, either. When at least she had freed his member, she closed her hand around it, tearing a strained grown from his chest.
“Take me,” he whispered, flexing in her hand.

99% - 🔥 hero ties up the heroine (epilogue sex), oral for her, lots of edging, light spanking, sex

“Tut, tut, don’t struggle, you’ll only make the knots tighter. You are at my mercy now, and I’m about to have my wicked way with you. Maybe if you are a very good girl, I’ll let you come.” 

 

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (There were things I didn’t love about this book, but there were still some scenes that grabbed my heart! I felt the angst and had some heartbreak and longing with the characters)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (While I did get frustrated with the hero, I thought both characters did romantic things for each other and there was a lot of sweet moments in this story!)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I -LOVE- Bradley’s kisses and intimate scenes. Love love love. This book was a bit lighter than some of her others I’ve read, but still had so much I crave in romance scenes)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑 ( I love how much time Bradley spends on her kisses and intimate scenes. They get so emotional and I get so wrapped up in them – LOVE!)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (I might have missed one??? I only have one in my notes but it’s weird to me there wasn’t a penetration on page...)
Humor: A bit – more if you like that enemies to lovers banter play
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: pretty soon in, about 3%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: yes, about 2 years later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in e-book form (thank you!) that I’m a bit late on.
Why I chose this book: I LOVE Anna Bradley. She’s one of my favorite writers so I will always read her books!

Should I read in order?
I don’t think it’s necessary. The mains from the other 2 books are at the house party within this book, but the main focus is on the main couple. Maybe you get a better feel for Grantham (the hero) if you read the series in order -I’ll admit I didn’t pay a lot of attention to him in book 2 when I read it haha.

Basic plot:
Maxwell Burke wants Hammond Court back after his father wagered it away – except he isn’t ready for the feisty Rose St. Claire that is within residence.

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1819
- English countryside setting – Gloucestershire
- class difference – hero is a duke, heroine is an adoptive daughter of a gambler
- sunshine (her) and grump (him) vibes
- close proximity – the hero and heroine were each given half of a house and also are together at a house party
- bespectacled hero
- house party
- holiday vibes – this has a winter/snowy country backdrop and includes Twelfth Night and Christmas celebrations – ice skating and sleigh rides too ;)
- bit of a size difference (taller hero)
- rags to riches
- lower steam – I believe there’s a few kisses and one full scene?

Ages:
- hero is around 31, heroine is 21

First line:
He shouldn’t have come here.

My thoughts:
Sadly, I was a bit disappointed in this one – I adored book 2 of this series.

This one, I loved the idea of it – I like revenge plots (this hero was enemies with the heroine’s father), and I love the close proximity of being in a house that both characters want. But, the beginning felt really repetitive to me and I got a bit bored. I struggled with the hero – he was a bit of a jerk, which I can get behind, but he held onto it a bit too long for me.

But still, this one had elements that I loved in it. Some of the scenes gave me those angsty feels I am always chasing in Bradley’s books, and I really appreciated the all is lost ending and make up.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 16
Average rating: 4.19 stars
Favorite book: Maybe Lady Eleanor’s Seventh Suitor (with Way to Win a Wicked Earl a close second)

Quotes - any typos are my own! I also am reviewing an early ARC copy so there may be minor differences from finished publishing

Bradley is one that describes her characters in ways I love!

Whoever was inside felt no urgency to alight, but left his coachman standing on the drive, his greatcoat flapping about in the wind, and snowflakes gathering on his shoulders, until finally, finally, a long leg encased in a pair of fitted, dark gray pantaloons appeared, ending in a shiny black boot with handsome gold tassels.
A large, immaculately gloved hand landed on the top edge of the door, and then the rest of the man unfolded himself from the carriage. He turned to say something to his coachman, then marched up the drive until he was standing directly belowh her window.
Rose sucked in a breath. The man was undoubtedly the owner of the carriage.
He was...goodness, she’d never seen anything like him before. His face was partially obscured by the brim of an elegant beaver hat, but she caught a glimpse of a straight, aristocratic nose and a mass of thick, dark hair. He was exceptionally tall and broad-shouldered as well, perhaps the largest and most ideally formed gentleman she’d ever laid eyes on, the power of his body tightly leashed, like a coiled spring.
---
Especially men the size of the Duke of Grantham, whose sheer magnitude made her perfectly serviceable kitchen feel as if belonged in a doll’s house.
Why, the man’s legs alone seemed to stretch for miles.
---
They stared at each other, the moment going on and on, heavy with the crackling tension between them. He was dimly aware of the room falling silent, of his servants’ curious glances, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the curve of her parted lips. Heat thrummed through his veins, unfurling in his belly. He flexed his fingerings, digging his nails into his palsm to keep from reaching for her, and dragging the back of his knuckles across the soft, warm skin of her cheek.
What would her lips taste like?
Cinnamon and sugar, sweet, dark teacle -
“Your Grace?” She swallowed, her slender throat rippling. “The t-tea cakes?”
 

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

- father being an alcoholic and wagering family items and property away is a plot point
- parental death/adoptive parent death and grief
- scenes of gun use and firing (no injuries)
Author content warnings? No

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes, safe sex aspects, consent, pregnancy/child in the story:

 
Safe sex: 

I don't recall any penetrative sex

 
Hows the consent? 

It's good!

 
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  There’s some minor scenes with a child side character, but pregnancy isn’t talked about and doesn’t occur on page 

 
48% - kiss
64% - kiss
72% - kisses, fingering for her 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (I really loved James’ writing style)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (There is a lot of focus on the mains and plenty of kisses and I loved that!)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (I loved the push and pull of their relationship! I felt like they truly cared about each other)
Sensuality: 💋💋 (It’s very sweet but very vague and short and I prefer my scenes longer and with more details and explicit language)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 (one open door but very short/vague scene and 1-2 brief mentions of implied sex)
Humor: A bit
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 took awhile! I think they are first on page at about 14%, or chapter 4
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever for the mains
Epilogue: Yes, a bit less than a year later
Format: read through kindle unlimited subscription in e-book form

Should I read in order?
This is the first book in James’ The Beaumont’s series, but I believe you get to know Priscilla in her first series, The Reluctant Lords. I found myself wishing I had started there.

Basic plot:
Priscilla and West are perfect for each other according to their parents – so of course they must not give in. They do strike a bargain of a fake relationship though to keep family off their backs...

Give this a try if you want:
- late Regency - 1821
- Northamptonshire and London settings
- bespectacled hero
- widow heroine
- fake relationship
- heroine wants an affair
- refreshing communication between the mains – including hero apologies!!!
- hero wants to marry for love
- lower steam (1 short open door scene that’s a few sentences without details) but plenty of kisses, tension and longing sprinkled throughout the book

Ages:
- Hero is 32, heroine is 23

First line:
Out of the corner of his eye, West could see his brother’s shoulders visibly relax, moving an inch further away from his ears as the first mount of dirt hit the coffin with a resounding thud, piercing the crisp air around them.

My thoughts:
I am so glad I tried this book! So I actually started this book quite awhile ago. I was absolutely in love with James’ writing immediately. But it was in the middle of a really chaotic time in my life – we were moving and my reading time was really chaotic and inconsistent and I was super grumpy and stressed. (and of course reading like 10 books). I knew I wanted to be able to savor these words and I set it aside for when things calmed down and that was this week! I read this one quickly and added all her others to my TBR.

I found these characters and some things in the plot really refreshing here. This whole story I thought was so sweet, with so many nuances I appreciated. Some writers have a prose that just grabs you, and I am finding that in James.

This one is a lower steam read, which I will admit I love more steam in my books. But – I knew that going in which helped me, but also – this book still had great tension! There is longing between them, and build up and kisses and sweetness and I still felt their love.

I really loved so many things about this book. Romance can get a bit...repetitive in some ways, which I don’t really mind necessarily but it’s wonderful to be surprised. To have things said allowed that you have wished characters would say. To have some tried and true tropes executed just a bit differently than you have read 50 times prior and it makes you smile in the best way. These relationships and side characters were so bright and engaging….I plan on going back and reading her debut series as well!

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: This is my first!
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: This one

Endearments

Hero calls the heroine ‘Cilla’ 

Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own

I rather loved the realism of travel here! So many books present Scotland as an afternoon visit haha

“It is being applied to a new kind of transport called the railway. The steam engine will power a locomotive that moves across tracks, pulling compartments behind it. Materials, as well as people, will be able to move across the country much fast. If the early estimates are to be believed, and I find them reliable, one could move from the southern end of the country to Scotland in just over a day.”
West’s eyes bugged at John’s statement. Drastically cutting down travel times across the country could have limitless implications.

And I also appreciated the acknowledgment of how hard carriages actually are to get intimate in!

She strained forward in an attempt to be closer but stumbled and had to catch herself as her backside slid off the edge of the bench. Pushing herself back up, she sent her forehead straight into West’s chin, and he burst into laughter.
“I suppose a carriage isn’t the most convenient of places for sharing intimacies, though I’m sure many have tried,” he said through gasps of laughter. Priscilla was mortified but soon found his mirth at the situation contagious and joined him, laughing at herself.
 

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

- parental death with some remembrance of an abusive father
- slavery is discussed (as an abomination) and expressions of racism on page (not by the mains, by dis-likable side characters)
- light moment of body shaming – heroine’s mother tries to snatch a pastry while saying she won’t fit in her wedding dress.
- mention of heroine’s husband becoming ill soon into their marriage and she became a type of caretaker for him before he passed

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:

 
Safe sex: 

  hero pulls out 

 
Hows the consent? 

  It’s good! 

 
Pregnancy/children in story? (Please note this is the best to my memory/note taking. If you see something I missed please feel free to message!) 

  A side character (from Saving the Viscount) falls pregnant in this story. There’s also mention of this heroine trying for an heir with her now deceased husband. I don’t think children were really a talking point for this couple – It’s implied it might happen as West presented a marriage contract that would let the fortune go to future children they had, but no pregnancy on page or mention of wanting children. 

 
23% - kiss
37% - kiss
39% - kiss
65% - kiss
73% - kiss
75% - sex but it’s too vague to know any positions, but it is mentioned the hero pulls out