Scan barcode
rjordan19's reviews
951 reviews
Why Cheese? by Ellen Mint
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I had to tell myself to keep picking it up to finish it)
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (these were explicit but a bit too...corny for me?)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first person from the heroine only
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, about the end of chapter 1, about 4%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: yes
Format: bought e-book
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone novel.
Basic plot:
Vi inherits a cheese shop and is shocked when she finds 4 cheese were-shifters in the basement...
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary paranormal-ish
- why choose (with some M/M love) – our heroine has 4 boyfriends
- OCD rep (heroine)
- were-cheese – these heroes shift into cheese during the daylight hours
- soooooooooooooo cheesy...like literally and figuratively and any other way I can say it
- medium to higher steam – 4-ish scenes
Ages:
- Heroine is 25. The heroes seem to be ‘frozen’ at the ages they were cursed, which I would guess is 20s, possibly early 30s? Though at least some of them have been alive for hundreds of years
First line:
On the corner sits a cheese shop full of painful memories, dark shadows, and the unfortunate name of Goudafellas.
My thoughts:
I was thinking I would love this one! But sadly it didn’t work for me. I think the humor wasn’t my thing – it was too cheesy (! Yes, I said it!) and I think others that like this style of humor will appreciate this book way more than me! It was a bit too slap stick and too many one liners.
“Climb aboard the cheese train,” he cries out and I laugh.
“Now departing for ‘Umph, oh god,’ station,” Cam adds.
“Are you ready?” I ask
“Choo-choo!” he shouts and I guide him inside me.
It also just felt really long to me. And that is probably just a personal thing, because I’m liking short books right now. And when I read novels like this, I am used to them being a much lower page count. I think I was hoping for more depth, but I didn’t get to know any of the characters super well in this novel. Not as well as I wanted to. So the page count just felt really long to me and I kept sitting it down and picking it up.
Don’t let my thoughts deter you though! If you have been craving 4 hot men in your bed and also adore cheese, why not give this one a go? 😂
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
On top of random piles of clothing rest three cheeses. Two are white rounds and the third is the hard yellow rectangle from last night. “Brie?” I whisper to the softest cheese. “Cam?” to the one with a rind. They don’t answer.
They can’t, because they’re cheese.
---
“Did I…?” Brie glances down to where his cock is spilling into the neon green condom., then stars are me. “Die?”
I laugh and wrap him in my arms. “I don’t think so. Why?”
He brushes the tips of his fingers down my cheek. “Because I’m inside of Heaven.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- abusive parenting
- heroes are cheese shifters that were trapped as cheese for decades?
- heroine has OCD struggles – they include intrusive thoughts about bad things happening to people she cares about
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: condoms used
Hows the consent? It’s good
26% - kisses with Cam and Vi
30% - 🔥 kisses with Brie and Vi, fingering for her, missionary followed by a kiss with Cam and Vi
41% - 🔥 threesome with Cheddy and Cam – her on top with Cheddy then her on top of Cam while Cheddy self pleasures
56% - 🔥 heroine has a cheesecloth knotted over her eyes, threesome between Vi, Cheddy and Brie (Brie doggy and bj for Cheddy), then doggy with Cheddy while she falls into Roq’s lap, the Cam takes over, oral for her. Then Roq grabs Cam and starts jerking him off
95% - 🔥 sex with all of them
Readability: 📖📖📖 (I had to tell myself to keep picking it up to finish it)
Feels: 🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (these were explicit but a bit too...corny for me?)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first person from the heroine only
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, about the end of chapter 1, about 4%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: yes
Format: bought e-book
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone novel.
Basic plot:
Vi inherits a cheese shop and is shocked when she finds 4 cheese were-shifters in the basement...
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary paranormal-ish
- why choose (with some M/M love) – our heroine has 4 boyfriends
- OCD rep (heroine)
- were-cheese – these heroes shift into cheese during the daylight hours
- soooooooooooooo cheesy...like literally and figuratively and any other way I can say it
- medium to higher steam – 4-ish scenes
Ages:
- Heroine is 25. The heroes seem to be ‘frozen’ at the ages they were cursed, which I would guess is 20s, possibly early 30s? Though at least some of them have been alive for hundreds of years
First line:
On the corner sits a cheese shop full of painful memories, dark shadows, and the unfortunate name of Goudafellas.
My thoughts:
I was thinking I would love this one! But sadly it didn’t work for me. I think the humor wasn’t my thing – it was too cheesy (! Yes, I said it!) and I think others that like this style of humor will appreciate this book way more than me! It was a bit too slap stick and too many one liners.
“Climb aboard the cheese train,” he cries out and I laugh.
“Now departing for ‘Umph, oh god,’ station,” Cam adds.
“Are you ready?” I ask
“Choo-choo!” he shouts and I guide him inside me.
It also just felt really long to me. And that is probably just a personal thing, because I’m liking short books right now. And when I read novels like this, I am used to them being a much lower page count. I think I was hoping for more depth, but I didn’t get to know any of the characters super well in this novel. Not as well as I wanted to. So the page count just felt really long to me and I kept sitting it down and picking it up.
Don’t let my thoughts deter you though! If you have been craving 4 hot men in your bed and also adore cheese, why not give this one a go? 😂
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
On top of random piles of clothing rest three cheeses. Two are white rounds and the third is the hard yellow rectangle from last night. “Brie?” I whisper to the softest cheese. “Cam?” to the one with a rind. They don’t answer.
They can’t, because they’re cheese.
---
“Did I…?” Brie glances down to where his cock is spilling into the neon green condom., then stars are me. “Die?”
I laugh and wrap him in my arms. “I don’t think so. Why?”
He brushes the tips of his fingers down my cheek. “Because I’m inside of Heaven.”
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- abusive parenting
- heroes are cheese shifters that were trapped as cheese for decades?
- heroine has OCD struggles – they include intrusive thoughts about bad things happening to people she cares about
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
26% - kisses with Cam and Vi
30% - 🔥 kisses with Brie and Vi, fingering for her, missionary followed by a kiss with Cam and Vi
41% - 🔥 threesome with Cheddy and Cam – her on top with Cheddy then her on top of Cam while Cheddy self pleasures
56% - 🔥 heroine has a cheesecloth knotted over her eyes, threesome between Vi, Cheddy and Brie (Brie doggy and bj for Cheddy), then doggy with Cheddy while she falls into Roq’s lap, the Cam takes over, oral for her. Then Roq grabs Cam and starts jerking him off
95% - 🔥 sex with all of them
hunt me darling by Maree Rose
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖 (This is one I was very eager to get back to – I haven’t been this into a book in a while)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (Some things weren’t romantic to me, they were too gory or over the top – but the things I did love and find romantic were super swoony to me. I love the over the top possessiveness of these heroes)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Just a touch
Perspective: first person from all 3 characters, but only briefly from each hero. This is mostly from the heroine’s POV
More character focused or plot focused? character, the plot/mystery is quite light
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: first interaction through text is 11%, but physically on page is about 24%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 2 years later
Format: read e-book through kindle unlimited subscription
There is a figure in the opposite doorway, leaning against the frame. The figure is dressed completely in tight black clothes all the way from their feet to the hood that’s raised over their head, even black gloves cover their hands. With a tilt of their head, the filtered light hits their face and all I can see is the detailed skull mask that covers from the nose down.
Should I read in order?
This is book 1 in Rose’s The Darling Games series.
Basic plot:
Alexandra is searching for serial murderers when they involve her in a game she can’t refuse
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- M/F/M pairing (no M/M)
- heroine is an FBI forensic profiler
- you don’t mind the plot being very light – this is mostly about the relationship
- Dexter vibes – vigilante serial killers
- secret identity (heroes)
- over the top possessive and jealous mains
- pierced heroes
- truth or dare texts
- very ravishment fantasy
- higher steam – 10 scenes or so
- kinks include masked identity, praise kink, pain play, knife play, blood play, throat grabbing, bondage, DP – heroes also do caretaking on the heroine afterwards
Ages:
- The heroine is around 28, because she was 8 when she lost a family necklace and it’s been missing ‘for twenty years’, and the heroes a bit older than her I would guess, though ages aren’t stated in the book
First line:
The dimly lit room envelops me as I stand in silence, surrounded by the haunting echoes of my thoughts.
My thoughts:
Yay for a book playlist!
So I looooooved so much about this novel. This had so much that I was craving and had no idea that I wanted it so badly. Yes to masked men. Yes to primal play. Yes to the dubious consent and stalking and over the top heroes. Yes yes yes. Yes to kinky throat grabbing and forceful acts and also the aftercare and gentleness afterwards. YES. I want to read more like this book for sure. I was sooo anxious to get back to this book when I wasn’t reading it. My parents had to come over during my read and help with a house issue and all I wanted to do was hide and read about Alex getting railed by two masked men.
The book has a few issues but I am here for how books make me feel and this book made me feel THINGS. I loved it. I’d read more from this author for sure, but hoping to find something like this with less….blood?? Not my favorite thing.
Things that didn’t work for me:
- detailed murder acts as dirty talk/foreplay. I’m here for all the other dirty talk but not that.
- the plot was a farce for the most part – I didn’t mind because I am here for the characters and the fucking and don’t actually care about a good mystery lol but the repeated scenes like ‘we need to keep digging’ ‘there’s something we’re missing’ were rather unsatisfying
- the fucking while murdering people on page and flopping around in their blood and using it as lube? It’s too far for me. Luckily there were only a few scenes of that...
Endearments
The heroes call the heroine ‘Little Darling’
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts: Any mistakes/typos are my own
showcasing the toxic jealousy….I generally like it but some of this went a bit too far for me.
She would learn soon enough not to get close to other men. Not to talk to them so intimately. Not to smile at them likeshe did. She really shouldn’t even be breathing the same air as anyone but us. Her pretty perfect skin should never be touched by anyone but us. She belongs to us.
---
“We will kill anyone who touches you, Little Darling. If they even breathe on you too closely I will slit their throat and fuck you in their blood while it’s still hot. You are ours. Do you understand?” my voice is harsh as I grit out my question.
//
“This pussy belongs to us, if anyone else even thinks of touching it, I’ll cut off their hands and make them eat them one finger at a time.”
Ugggggh the partial mask lift just gets me
Leaning down I lift my mask enough to kiss her parted lips, my voice is a gravelly rasp as I breath against her skin. “You will never leave me again, Little Darling.”
---
“I think there is something else more important going on here than how hot you think I look.”
He leans closer to me and I still my movements. “Let me make something clear, Little Darling, nothing is ever more important than you.”
---
My hands are moving before I even think about it, shoving at his chest. But instead of moving backward he moves into me, picking me up and continuing until my back hits the wall behind me.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- murders discussed on page (work place)
- murder on page and done by the main characters – including sexual activities while murdering and in blood of the victim…
- stalking of the heroine by the heroes
- injections done on the heroine, gas emitted into her house to make her pass out…
- knife play, cutting, marking
- blood play, licking, cutting, fucking in a dead person’s blood…
- somnophilia – sex with a sleeping person
- this is a m/f/m relationship with no sword crossing. The male mains are brothers
- parental death and drug use
- child abuse/neglect alluded to in the mains past
- brief mention of murder, child endangerment, and trafficking by villains
- pedophilia mentioned of a villain
- heroine experiences repressed memories from the past, a form of protective amnesia due to her trauma
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Hows the consent? [ If you need consent, I would not read this. While the heroine is willing for most acts, there are definite elements of dubious consent, stalking, and feeling of threats of violence to give in to the sex. I went into this with a ravishment fantasy vibe (hide spoiler)]
9% - 🔥 heroine self pleasure (on the short side)
I could visualize Derek’s strong physique, his muscular shoulders and arms, his blue eyes filled with intensity.
14% - 🔥 shower self pleasure for heroine (it’s pretty short)
It conjures another body pressed to my back, one of their gloved hands wrapping around my throat from behind and squeezing hard as their other gloved hand moves between my legs.
26% - some light touches
31% - 🔥 heroine awakens to oral while blindfolded, then hands are bound behind her back and bj for both men
I whimper and gasp again as something brushes the side of my face, a modulated voice then speaking close to my ear. “Awake now, Little Darling? How do you like this for interaction?”
40% - 🔥 knife play while the heroine is at the sink, watching the reflection of one of the heroes. Hero grabs her throat and marks her with the knife, fucks her with the knife handle, then sex bent over the sink then the other hero takes over, binding her hands and fucking her against a wall
“I really need better locks,” I snark.
He chuckle and the closeness of his body behind me has me feeling it against my skin. The way his voice is modulated gives the sound a sinister edge. “Pretty Little Darling. Do you think a lock would stop us.”
56% - 🔥 somnophilia scene – hero puts a sedative in the air to keep the heroine asleep and gives her oral and begins to fuck her
I slowly drag myself out then push back in again. Her moan this time is louder. I can tell the sedative is starting to wear off, I can see the flutter of her pulse in her neck, stretched before me, is starting to flutter faster against her skin.
61% - 🔥 primal play in the forest that leads to sex against a tree, then to the ground with her on top and the other hero does her ass (DP)
A chuckle echoes around me. “We feel like it’s time for some role playing, Little Darling. Instead of you hunting us, we are going to hunt you. Through this forest. In the dark.”
//
“I’m going to fuck you so hard, Little Darling.” His voice is a low, modulated groan.
76% - 🔥 the heroine and heroes murder someone on page and one of the heroes starts fingering the heroine during it, bj for one, then he goes to his knees so the other can fuck her from behind
“Do you want to know what I thought when I saw your lips like this?” he asks, his black eyes focused completely on my lips.
“What?” I question him in response. He is affecting me more than normal this time, and I have to put it down to all the emotions I’ve been feeling lately starting to get to me.
He hums again, “That I can’t wait to see how that color looks smeared on my cock.”
79% - 🔥 her on top, missionary
His breath is hot against my ear as he breathes, “Cum for me, and scream my name.”
82% - 🔥 wall sex, then desk sex
My lips part and his tongue sweeps into my mouth to tangle with mine. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he uses the leverage to reach down to open his pants.
95% - 🔥 another murder sex scene – the heroine murders someone then fingering o for the heroine, then oral for her while she sits on T’s face and give a bj to D, then doggy, then her on top and anal with the other (DP)
“I’m getting impatient too, Little Darling. End it or I’ll fuck you while he’s still watching and bleeding out.”
Readability: 📖📖📖📖📖 (This is one I was very eager to get back to – I haven’t been this into a book in a while)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (Some things weren’t romantic to me, they were too gory or over the top – but the things I did love and find romantic were super swoony to me. I love the over the top possessiveness of these heroes)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥+
Humor: Just a touch
Perspective: first person from all 3 characters, but only briefly from each hero. This is mostly from the heroine’s POV
More character focused or plot focused? character, the plot/mystery is quite light
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: first interaction through text is 11%, but physically on page is about 24%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 2 years later
Format: read e-book through kindle unlimited subscription
There is a figure in the opposite doorway, leaning against the frame. The figure is dressed completely in tight black clothes all the way from their feet to the hood that’s raised over their head, even black gloves cover their hands. With a tilt of their head, the filtered light hits their face and all I can see is the detailed skull mask that covers from the nose down.
Should I read in order?
This is book 1 in Rose’s The Darling Games series.
Basic plot:
Alexandra is searching for serial murderers when they involve her in a game she can’t refuse
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance
- M/F/M pairing (no M/M)
- heroine is an FBI forensic profiler
- you don’t mind the plot being very light – this is mostly about the relationship
- Dexter vibes – vigilante serial killers
- secret identity (heroes)
- over the top possessive and jealous mains
- pierced heroes
- truth or dare texts
- very ravishment fantasy
- higher steam – 10 scenes or so
- kinks include masked identity, praise kink, pain play, knife play, blood play, throat grabbing, bondage, DP – heroes also do caretaking on the heroine afterwards
Ages:
- The heroine is around 28, because she was 8 when she lost a family necklace and it’s been missing ‘for twenty years’, and the heroes a bit older than her I would guess, though ages aren’t stated in the book
First line:
The dimly lit room envelops me as I stand in silence, surrounded by the haunting echoes of my thoughts.
My thoughts:
Yay for a book playlist!
So I looooooved so much about this novel. This had so much that I was craving and had no idea that I wanted it so badly. Yes to masked men. Yes to primal play. Yes to the dubious consent and stalking and over the top heroes. Yes yes yes. Yes to kinky throat grabbing and forceful acts and also the aftercare and gentleness afterwards. YES. I want to read more like this book for sure. I was sooo anxious to get back to this book when I wasn’t reading it. My parents had to come over during my read and help with a house issue and all I wanted to do was hide and read about Alex getting railed by two masked men.
The book has a few issues but I am here for how books make me feel and this book made me feel THINGS. I loved it. I’d read more from this author for sure, but hoping to find something like this with less….blood?? Not my favorite thing.
Things that didn’t work for me:
- detailed murder acts as dirty talk/foreplay. I’m here for all the other dirty talk but not that.
- the plot was a farce for the most part – I didn’t mind because I am here for the characters and the fucking and don’t actually care about a good mystery lol but the repeated scenes like ‘we need to keep digging’ ‘there’s something we’re missing’ were rather unsatisfying
- the fucking while murdering people on page and flopping around in their blood and using it as lube? It’s too far for me. Luckily there were only a few scenes of that...
Endearments
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts: Any mistakes/typos are my own
showcasing the toxic jealousy….I generally like it but some of this went a bit too far for me.
She would learn soon enough not to get close to other men. Not to talk to them so intimately. Not to smile at them likeshe did. She really shouldn’t even be breathing the same air as anyone but us. Her pretty perfect skin should never be touched by anyone but us. She belongs to us.
---
“We will kill anyone who touches you, Little Darling. If they even breathe on you too closely I will slit their throat and fuck you in their blood while it’s still hot. You are ours. Do you understand?” my voice is harsh as I grit out my question.
//
“This pussy belongs to us, if anyone else even thinks of touching it, I’ll cut off their hands and make them eat them one finger at a time.”
Ugggggh the partial mask lift just gets me
Leaning down I lift my mask enough to kiss her parted lips, my voice is a gravelly rasp as I breath against her skin. “You will never leave me again, Little Darling.”
---
“I think there is something else more important going on here than how hot you think I look.”
He leans closer to me and I still my movements. “Let me make something clear, Little Darling, nothing is ever more important than you.”
---
My hands are moving before I even think about it, shoving at his chest. But instead of moving backward he moves into me, picking me up and continuing until my back hits the wall behind me.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- murders discussed on page (work place)
- murder on page and done by the main characters – including sexual activities while murdering and in blood of the victim…
- stalking of the heroine by the heroes
- injections done on the heroine, gas emitted into her house to make her pass out…
- knife play, cutting, marking
- blood play, licking, cutting, fucking in a dead person’s blood…
- somnophilia – sex with a sleeping person
- this is a m/f/m relationship with no sword crossing. The male mains are brothers
- parental death and drug use
- child abuse/neglect alluded to in the mains past
- brief mention of murder, child endangerment, and trafficking by villains
- pedophilia mentioned of a villain
- heroine experiences repressed memories from the past, a form of protective amnesia due to her trauma
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent? [ If you need consent, I would not read this. While the heroine is willing for most acts, there are definite elements of dubious consent, stalking, and feeling of threats of violence to give in to the sex. I went into this with a ravishment fantasy vibe (hide spoiler)]
9% - 🔥 heroine self pleasure (on the short side)
I could visualize Derek’s strong physique, his muscular shoulders and arms, his blue eyes filled with intensity.
14% - 🔥 shower self pleasure for heroine (it’s pretty short)
It conjures another body pressed to my back, one of their gloved hands wrapping around my throat from behind and squeezing hard as their other gloved hand moves between my legs.
26% - some light touches
31% - 🔥 heroine awakens to oral while blindfolded, then hands are bound behind her back and bj for both men
I whimper and gasp again as something brushes the side of my face, a modulated voice then speaking close to my ear. “Awake now, Little Darling? How do you like this for interaction?”
40% - 🔥 knife play while the heroine is at the sink, watching the reflection of one of the heroes. Hero grabs her throat and marks her with the knife, fucks her with the knife handle, then sex bent over the sink then the other hero takes over, binding her hands and fucking her against a wall
“I really need better locks,” I snark.
He chuckle and the closeness of his body behind me has me feeling it against my skin. The way his voice is modulated gives the sound a sinister edge. “Pretty Little Darling. Do you think a lock would stop us.”
56% - 🔥 somnophilia scene – hero puts a sedative in the air to keep the heroine asleep and gives her oral and begins to fuck her
I slowly drag myself out then push back in again. Her moan this time is louder. I can tell the sedative is starting to wear off, I can see the flutter of her pulse in her neck, stretched before me, is starting to flutter faster against her skin.
61% - 🔥 primal play in the forest that leads to sex against a tree, then to the ground with her on top and the other hero does her ass (DP)
A chuckle echoes around me. “We feel like it’s time for some role playing, Little Darling. Instead of you hunting us, we are going to hunt you. Through this forest. In the dark.”
//
“I’m going to fuck you so hard, Little Darling.” His voice is a low, modulated groan.
76% - 🔥 the heroine and heroes murder someone on page and one of the heroes starts fingering the heroine during it, bj for one, then he goes to his knees so the other can fuck her from behind
“Do you want to know what I thought when I saw your lips like this?” he asks, his black eyes focused completely on my lips.
“What?” I question him in response. He is affecting me more than normal this time, and I have to put it down to all the emotions I’ve been feeling lately starting to get to me.
He hums again, “That I can’t wait to see how that color looks smeared on my cock.”
79% - 🔥 her on top, missionary
His breath is hot against my ear as he breathes, “Cum for me, and scream my name.”
82% - 🔥 wall sex, then desk sex
My lips part and his tongue sweeps into my mouth to tangle with mine. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he uses the leverage to reach down to open his pants.
95% - 🔥 another murder sex scene – the heroine murders someone then fingering o for the heroine, then oral for her while she sits on T’s face and give a bj to D, then doggy, then her on top and anal with the other (DP)
“I’m getting impatient too, Little Darling. End it or I’ll fuck you while he’s still watching and bleeding out.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
Pounded by Poseidon by Thea Masen, Holly Wilde
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first 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: The hero (sentient sand) observes the heroine immediately, but they don’t interact until 26%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes ‘many years later’
Format: read an e-book version from kindle unlimited subscription
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone romance.
Basic plot:
Isla is desperate to win the sand sculpting contest this year after her daddy’s despicable behavior the year before, when her sculpture comes to life and wants to be her new ‘daddy’.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary sentient object romance
- Mountcastle Cove setting – a sleepy seaside village
- sentient sand hero
- medium to higher steam – 2 full scenes within a short page count including some kink elements
Ages:
- didn’t see them mentioned
First line:
The roar of the sea crashing onto land startles me awake, and I watch as the blue-green comforts surrounding me turn foamy white.
My thoughts:
I overall enjoyed this short sentient story! I will admit my expectations were high, because Stiff by Masen was AMAZING and one of my favorite books recently and definitely my favorite paranormal-ish/sentient-ish romance. And Stiff still has my heart! But still this one is fun.
It’s a shorter story, so you don’t get a ton of background. I liked the set up for this and thought the ‘miscommunication’ of the first couple chapters was so funny. I loved Poseidon as a hero and the spicy scenes are perfection. Always happy to give these a read!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- the hero is sentient sand. He’s sculpted into Poseidon, and struck by lightening to glaze him over.
- his tentacle cock is rough but not gritty – a cocktacle!
- he tastes of salt water taffy
Endearments
Hero calls the heroine ‘little island’
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- sex on the beach with a sand monster – possibility of being discovered
- spanking, tentacle holding…
- talk of breeding
Author given content warnings: disappointing father figure, daddy kink, dom/little sub, breeding, tentacle play, impact play (spanking), bondage, degradation, oral, anal, sex in public, sandy sex on the beach
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Hows the consent? It’s good
37% - 🔥 bj, tentacles and suckers grabbing the heroine make her come, throat play with tentacles, hero comes on the heroine’s neck, giving her a pearl necklace
63% - 🔥 oral for her, her on top-ish, spanking, anal fingering, anal with the trident
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: first 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: The hero (sentient sand) observes the heroine immediately, but they don’t interact until 26%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes ‘many years later’
Format: read an e-book version from kindle unlimited subscription
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone romance.
Basic plot:
Isla is desperate to win the sand sculpting contest this year after her daddy’s despicable behavior the year before, when her sculpture comes to life and wants to be her new ‘daddy’.
Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary sentient object romance
- Mountcastle Cove setting – a sleepy seaside village
- sentient sand hero
- medium to higher steam – 2 full scenes within a short page count including some kink elements
Ages:
- didn’t see them mentioned
First line:
The roar of the sea crashing onto land startles me awake, and I watch as the blue-green comforts surrounding me turn foamy white.
My thoughts:
I overall enjoyed this short sentient story! I will admit my expectations were high, because Stiff by Masen was AMAZING and one of my favorite books recently and definitely my favorite paranormal-ish/sentient-ish romance. And Stiff still has my heart! But still this one is fun.
It’s a shorter story, so you don’t get a ton of background. I liked the set up for this and thought the ‘miscommunication’ of the first couple chapters was so funny. I loved Poseidon as a hero and the spicy scenes are perfection. Always happy to give these a read!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- the hero is sentient sand. He’s sculpted into Poseidon, and struck by lightening to glaze him over.
- his tentacle cock is rough but not gritty – a cocktacle!
- he tastes of salt water taffy
Endearments
Hero calls the heroine ‘little island’
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- sex on the beach with a sand monster – possibility of being discovered
- spanking, tentacle holding…
- talk of breeding
Author given content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
37% - 🔥 bj, tentacles and suckers grabbing the heroine make her come, throat play with tentacles, hero comes on the heroine’s neck, giving her a pearl necklace
63% - 🔥 oral for her, her on top-ish, spanking, anal fingering, anal with the trident
Marrying the Gargoyle by Lilith Leana
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (This is a very short story)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (It’s a short story, most of the latter half is sex)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from heroine POV only
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately (the first page)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the couple
Epilogue: Yes, a few months later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form.
“But you have just saved me from a group of men with ill intentions.”
“What if I did that so I could have you all to myself?” he asked as his voice grew darker.
Should I read in order?
You could because the series is about 3 sisters that marry monsters but it’s certainly not necessary.
Basic plot:
A gargoyle comes to collect his debt from the heroine...
Give this a try if you want:
- monster romance
- Regency-ish setting (like a historical fantasy vibe)
- gargoyle hero / human heroine
- marriage of convenience
- rags to riches
- child free HEA
- higher steam – 3 scenes in a very short story
Ages:
- heroine is 27, hero is 150
First line:
Men with ill intentions surrounded me.
My thoughts:
Another short and steamy read under my belt from Lilith Leana! This one features a Gargoyle hero and has some marriage of convenience elements I really loved.
I think this is my favorite of the series, which follows three sisters who all marry monsters. This had a lot of elements I tend to love in my regular historical romance reads, including a debt owed between the heroine’s family and the hero that ends in a marriage. Lots of fun with these mini romps!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- hero is a purple gargoyle
- claws, horns, and hooks on his wings
- his skin is cold to the touch
- hero does not sweat (mentions when the heroine is bathing)
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
[
- scene of physical violence against the heroine (she is uninjured other than pain to her arm while punching a man)
- parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Pg 14 of 43 – brief wedding kiss
pg 19 of 43 – 🔥 kisses, her on top (v loss for heroine), hero teaches the heroine about self pleasure,
pg 29 of 43 - 🔥 on the desk oral for her, desk sex
pg 36 of 43 - 🔥 her on top
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (This is a very short story)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (It’s a short story, most of the latter half is sex)
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from heroine POV only
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately (the first page)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the couple
Epilogue: Yes, a few months later
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form.
“But you have just saved me from a group of men with ill intentions.”
“What if I did that so I could have you all to myself?” he asked as his voice grew darker.
Should I read in order?
You could because the series is about 3 sisters that marry monsters but it’s certainly not necessary.
Basic plot:
A gargoyle comes to collect his debt from the heroine...
Give this a try if you want:
- monster romance
- Regency-ish setting (like a historical fantasy vibe)
- gargoyle hero / human heroine
- marriage of convenience
- rags to riches
- child free HEA
- higher steam – 3 scenes in a very short story
Ages:
- heroine is 27, hero is 150
First line:
Men with ill intentions surrounded me.
My thoughts:
Another short and steamy read under my belt from Lilith Leana! This one features a Gargoyle hero and has some marriage of convenience elements I really loved.
I think this is my favorite of the series, which follows three sisters who all marry monsters. This had a lot of elements I tend to love in my regular historical romance reads, including a debt owed between the heroine’s family and the hero that ends in a marriage. Lots of fun with these mini romps!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- hero is a purple gargoyle
- claws, horns, and hooks on his wings
- his skin is cold to the touch
- hero does not sweat (mentions when the heroine is bathing)
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
[
- scene of physical violence against the heroine (she is uninjured other than pain to her arm while punching a man)
- parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Pg 14 of 43 – brief wedding kiss
pg 19 of 43 – 🔥 kisses, her on top (v loss for heroine), hero teaches the heroine about self pleasure,
pg 29 of 43 - 🔥 on the desk oral for her, desk sex
pg 36 of 43 - 🔥 her on top
Seasonal Habits of Husbands and Honeybees by Emmaline Warden
funny
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
4.5
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (Harrison is VERY sweet and romantic, at least to me)
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? maybe a touch slow
When mains are first on page together:
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the couple
Epilogue: Yes, doesn’t state how much after but maybe a few months?
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
You could, because this hero was in love with the heroine from book in the series. You should because book 1 is fucking delightful. But I cannot say you must...it’s very readable alone.
Basic plot:
Harrison must marry to appease the title of Earl, Phoebe would love to beekeep in the country instead of attend balls and a marriage of convenience is struck.
Give this a try if you want:
- late Regency – 1822
- demisexual hero
- autistic rep – heroine
- potter hero – at least he attempts!
- beekeeping heroine
- the sweetest hero – very gentle, caring, and thoughtful with our heroine
- pets in the story – they adopt a kitten (and she is their princess!)
- hero isn’t afraid of apologizing
- strip snap (a game)
- mid to higher steam – 4 full scenes
Ages:
- hero is around 30, heroine is 21
First line:
“Phoebe, you simply cannot ask a gentleman if they are aware of the mating habits of bees.”
My thoughts:
This novel is SO SWEET. So, sooooo sweet. It’s like having the best cup of tea with biscotti. The warmest hot cocoa with fluffy marshmallows. Melting into a bubble bath of deliciousness. Sweet yet steamy perfection.
Harrison has loved and watched his love get married to someone else. And he decides if he marries, love won’t be in the picture. So this leads to a fun marriage of convenience, where both have minimal expectations of the other, but fall more in love every time they are together anyway.
I adored Phee in this novel. Phee quickly became one of my favorite neurodivergent mains I have read. There was something about her I just connected with, and I just want her to soar. I thought the beekeeping was a fun pursuit she had.
For me, I love my angst in my books. It’s what I live for. And this novel is very, very low angst. So I did find myself wanting so much more of that, especially because I felt it in her first book and I thought her first book was perfection. I did like that one more than this one. This one is more of a solid 4 star for me, but as I reread through my notes there were sooo many cute scenes and just so much sweetness that I decided to bump it up. Yes, I want my heart kicked around all the time, but you know what, I kinda needed something like this too. This is such a cozy, warm read and it’s turning out to be such a great series. I cannot wait for the next!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
“My sweet-honeyed wife,” he said, his soft voice velvety smooth. “If only you could hear my heart every time it is in your vicinity, hear how desperately I long for you. The beating alone is so furious I’m certain I’ll combust.”
---
“I want you so desperately,” he said with a whisper, his eyes closed as he rubbed his stubbled skin against the palm of her hand. “I can’t even begin to describe the things I want to do with you.”
---
“Is it good, Phoebe?” he asked, dropping a final kiss on her neck. “Do you want more?”
More. There was that word again, trying to prove that she would never have enough of him. Cupping his jaw, Phee looked at him, her body in flames, burning for him. “I want everything.”
---
“And what does my darling wife need this morning? More sleep? Some tea and breakfast in bed?” he asked.
---
“I’m filled with you, not nonsense. Your smile, your scent. The way you scoawl at the book as you read it. It’s left me overflowing with want of you, Phoebe. Greedy to soak up every sun-soaked inch of you, to gather every laugh that escapes your lips so that I might save them for a cloudy day. To return to our bed so that I may continue to hold you in my arms as you sleep, your breathing soft against my neck, your thigh wrapped around my hips.”
---
“Phoebe, I’m not sure I’ll ever have my fill of you.” Cupping her face, he kissed her lips, her cheeks. “Tell me to stop. To go to bed,” he said between kisses.
“No.”
“I’m going to make you scream, Phoebe. I’ll make you scream my name until you’re hoarse. Do you understand?” he asked wit ha growl.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Yes? They are married and they discuss preventative measures and her pulls out during penetrative sex
Hows the consent? It’s perfect
44% - kisses
52% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, hero asks heroine to touch herself and he teaches her how, sex without penetration (sliding against the outside)
“Grab the bedpost,” Harrison said, his voice low as he his hands skimmed up her calves, pulling the nightdress with them.
//
“Rest your foot on my shoulder.” It was a command; one Phee would happily comply with.
67% - kisses
71% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, dry humping, then an implication of more that fades
When his lips reached her ear, he kissed the shell, his teeth tormenting and soothing. “You need to grab the headboard.”
84% - 🔥 kisses, missionary
“I want you. Please, I want you.”
“Since you asked so nicely,” he said.
98% - 🔥 pottery sex scene
“The bowl,” she said with a gasp.
“Fuck the bowl.” Taking his free hand, Harrison gripped her thigh, lifting it over his, opening her wider while his other hand rubbed at her cunny, circling the swollen bud as she squirmed against him. Her hands, covered in clay, lifted to his hair and he bit down gently on her shoulder has he fucked her with his hand.
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (Harrison is VERY sweet and romantic, at least to me)
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? maybe a touch slow
When mains are first on page together:
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the couple
Epilogue: Yes, doesn’t state how much after but maybe a few months?
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
You could, because this hero was in love with the heroine from book in the series. You should because book 1 is fucking delightful. But I cannot say you must...it’s very readable alone.
Basic plot:
Harrison must marry to appease the title of Earl, Phoebe would love to beekeep in the country instead of attend balls and a marriage of convenience is struck.
Give this a try if you want:
- late Regency – 1822
- demisexual hero
- autistic rep – heroine
- potter hero – at least he attempts!
- beekeeping heroine
- the sweetest hero – very gentle, caring, and thoughtful with our heroine
- pets in the story – they adopt a kitten (and she is their princess!)
- hero isn’t afraid of apologizing
- strip snap (a game)
- mid to higher steam – 4 full scenes
Ages:
- hero is around 30, heroine is 21
First line:
“Phoebe, you simply cannot ask a gentleman if they are aware of the mating habits of bees.”
My thoughts:
This novel is SO SWEET. So, sooooo sweet. It’s like having the best cup of tea with biscotti. The warmest hot cocoa with fluffy marshmallows. Melting into a bubble bath of deliciousness. Sweet yet steamy perfection.
Harrison has loved and watched his love get married to someone else. And he decides if he marries, love won’t be in the picture. So this leads to a fun marriage of convenience, where both have minimal expectations of the other, but fall more in love every time they are together anyway.
I adored Phee in this novel. Phee quickly became one of my favorite neurodivergent mains I have read. There was something about her I just connected with, and I just want her to soar. I thought the beekeeping was a fun pursuit she had.
For me, I love my angst in my books. It’s what I live for. And this novel is very, very low angst. So I did find myself wanting so much more of that, especially because I felt it in her first book and I thought her first book was perfection. I did like that one more than this one. This one is more of a solid 4 star for me, but as I reread through my notes there were sooo many cute scenes and just so much sweetness that I decided to bump it up. Yes, I want my heart kicked around all the time, but you know what, I kinda needed something like this too. This is such a cozy, warm read and it’s turning out to be such a great series. I cannot wait for the next!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:Any mistakes/typos are my own
“My sweet-honeyed wife,” he said, his soft voice velvety smooth. “If only you could hear my heart every time it is in your vicinity, hear how desperately I long for you. The beating alone is so furious I’m certain I’ll combust.”
---
“I want you so desperately,” he said with a whisper, his eyes closed as he rubbed his stubbled skin against the palm of her hand. “I can’t even begin to describe the things I want to do with you.”
---
“Is it good, Phoebe?” he asked, dropping a final kiss on her neck. “Do you want more?”
More. There was that word again, trying to prove that she would never have enough of him. Cupping his jaw, Phee looked at him, her body in flames, burning for him. “I want everything.”
---
“And what does my darling wife need this morning? More sleep? Some tea and breakfast in bed?” he asked.
---
“I’m filled with you, not nonsense. Your smile, your scent. The way you scoawl at the book as you read it. It’s left me overflowing with want of you, Phoebe. Greedy to soak up every sun-soaked inch of you, to gather every laugh that escapes your lips so that I might save them for a cloudy day. To return to our bed so that I may continue to hold you in my arms as you sleep, your breathing soft against my neck, your thigh wrapped around my hips.”
---
“Phoebe, I’m not sure I’ll ever have my fill of you.” Cupping her face, he kissed her lips, her cheeks. “Tell me to stop. To go to bed,” he said between kisses.
“No.”
“I’m going to make you scream, Phoebe. I’ll make you scream my name until you’re hoarse. Do you understand?” he asked wit ha growl.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
44% - kisses
52% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, hero asks heroine to touch herself and he teaches her how, sex without penetration (sliding against the outside)
“Grab the bedpost,” Harrison said, his voice low as he his hands skimmed up her calves, pulling the nightdress with them.
//
“Rest your foot on my shoulder.” It was a command; one Phee would happily comply with.
67% - kisses
71% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, dry humping, then an implication of more that fades
When his lips reached her ear, he kissed the shell, his teeth tormenting and soothing. “You need to grab the headboard.”
84% - 🔥 kisses, missionary
“I want you. Please, I want you.”
“Since you asked so nicely,” he said.
98% - 🔥 pottery sex scene
“The bowl,” she said with a gasp.
“Fuck the bowl.” Taking his free hand, Harrison gripped her thigh, lifting it over his, opening her wider while his other hand rubbed at her cunny, circling the swollen bud as she squirmed against him. Her hands, covered in clay, lifted to his hair and he bit down gently on her shoulder has he fucked her with his hand.
The Painter Takes an Earl by Misty Urban
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (with some extras – see notes at the end)
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: almost immediately (1%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, maybe 8 or so months in the future
Should I read in order?
This is the third book in Urban’s Ladies Least Likely series, but I think it’s fine alone.
Basic plot:
Harriette desires to establish herself as a portrait artist, so she makes an arrangement with her childhood friend, the Earl of Renwick.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian time period – 1776
- childhood friends
- hero doesn’t have a ton of sexual experience
- disability rep – hero has a club foot and stammer
- artist heroine
- some ‘ruined’ heroine vibes within society functions
- duel
- bit of instalust vibes
- medium steam – 2 full scenes and multiple partials
Ages:
- I believe the heroine is 21 and the hero is 24
First line:
Harriette Smythe was the first girl Renwick met who could make a boy cry.
My thoughts:
This was my first by Misty Urban and I’m so glad I gave her a try!
First, I love that she’s writing in Georgian time period instead of Regency. There’s just something about those years that I am loving – maybe I am a bit burnt out on Regency, but I rather love these earlier Georgian years right now!
This novel had a lot I enjoyed about it. I loved the writing and dialogue and fell into the story pretty fast. I enjoyed both mains and their struggles they faced.
It had some very light second chance feels since they were childhood friends...they were young and it wasn’t developed into a relationship, but I was still a bit sad because it seemed like they had one summer together and then we separated for a number of years. When they see each other again I felt like they jumped back into each other pretty fast and I missed some of the good feelings I crave with a relationship developing, but overall it was pretty light. It was a bit of instalust and I didn’t feel tension developing as much as I wanted to. I did want them together a bit more in the novel too but I’m always whiny about that.
I liked that this story felt different than a lot of what I’ve been reading lately. I enjoyed the class difference struggles in the beginning and the trials of her coming to terms with her mysterious past. Overall am very curious to try more by Urban.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- parental death
- bullying on page
- hero suffers from a clubfoot and stutter as a child
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: Hero doesn’t pull out, or thing of birth control methods until afterwards but the heroine mentions she took care of it
Hows the consent? It’s good!
17% - kiss
26% - kisses
35% - kisses
40% - brief kiss
44% - kiss
48% - some light breast play, kisses and dry humping that’s interrupted
55% - kisses, touches and dry humping (no o’s)
79% - 🔥kisses, her on top
82% - 🔥oral for her ,missionary
85% - mention of sex, but it’s short and not many details
88% - implication of sex
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (with some extras – see notes at the end)
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: almost immediately (1%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, maybe 8 or so months in the future
Should I read in order?
This is the third book in Urban’s Ladies Least Likely series, but I think it’s fine alone.
Basic plot:
Harriette desires to establish herself as a portrait artist, so she makes an arrangement with her childhood friend, the Earl of Renwick.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian time period – 1776
- childhood friends
- hero doesn’t have a ton of sexual experience
- disability rep – hero has a club foot and stammer
- artist heroine
- some ‘ruined’ heroine vibes within society functions
- duel
- bit of instalust vibes
- medium steam – 2 full scenes and multiple partials
Ages:
- I believe the heroine is 21 and the hero is 24
First line:
Harriette Smythe was the first girl Renwick met who could make a boy cry.
My thoughts:
This was my first by Misty Urban and I’m so glad I gave her a try!
First, I love that she’s writing in Georgian time period instead of Regency. There’s just something about those years that I am loving – maybe I am a bit burnt out on Regency, but I rather love these earlier Georgian years right now!
This novel had a lot I enjoyed about it. I loved the writing and dialogue and fell into the story pretty fast. I enjoyed both mains and their struggles they faced.
It had some very light second chance feels since they were childhood friends...they were young and it wasn’t developed into a relationship, but I was still a bit sad because it seemed like they had one summer together and then we separated for a number of years. When they see each other again I felt like they jumped back into each other pretty fast and I missed some of the good feelings I crave with a relationship developing, but overall it was pretty light. It was a bit of instalust and I didn’t feel tension developing as much as I wanted to. I did want them together a bit more in the novel too but I’m always whiny about that.
I liked that this story felt different than a lot of what I’ve been reading lately. I enjoyed the class difference struggles in the beginning and the trials of her coming to terms with her mysterious past. Overall am very curious to try more by Urban.
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- parental death
- bullying on page
- hero suffers from a clubfoot and stutter as a child
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
17% - kiss
26% - kisses
35% - kisses
40% - brief kiss
44% - kiss
48% - some light breast play, kisses and dry humping that’s interrupted
55% - kisses, touches and dry humping (no o’s)
79% - 🔥kisses, her on top
82% - 🔥oral for her ,missionary
85% - mention of sex, but it’s short and not many details
88% - implication of sex
TKManAteHer - A Sentient Robot Erotic Romance by Sky Robert
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (it’s a shorter story)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (I settled on counting it as 3 scenes but most of the latter half of the story is sex)
Humor: A bit
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, 24% into the short story (chapter 4 – though they are talking through messages from the beginning so it doesn’t feel quite this long)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: bought e-book
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone short story.
Basic plot:
A robot goes back in time to save humanity by making contact with Amanda Fullerhound.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction novel
- robot hero / human heroine
- time travel – hero comes from the future to stop the heroine in contemporary times
- contemporary Earth setting
- shorter novel
- forbidden love
- size difference – hero is 6’ tall, heroine would come to his chest
- higher steam – I decided to count 3 full scenes but most of the latter half of the novel is sex
Ages:
- Heroine is 30, hero looks around that age but is a robot
First line:
The hum of my circuit boards flickered to life for long enough to hear a name, “Amanda Fullerhound.”
My thoughts:
I loved so, so much about this novel!!! I’ll be honest, I got it as a bit of a lark – I was wanting a fun and steamy short story. But this one provided so much more.
I adored the beginning of this novel so, so much. The first half was like...romance catnip to me. I fell in love with both these mains and just loved the premise of this. The first scenes had great build up for being a shorter page count.
I really enjoyed the whole book, except the epilogue vibes. I just thought they were a bit sad, but overall I am not a fan of those long term epilogues/extended epilogues. I just want to live in the moment and enjoy that hahah and not think about the future.
Overall though this was such a fun read and I’m so happy I gave it a try! Please write more of these, Sky!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- The hero is a robot (serial number TK-009_prototype5147-STFUALTPLAGB) and is a thrust king
- something in his saliva makes her nerves more sensitive
- he tastes like vanilla coffee
- he has all sorts attachments he can add on. His cock can heat up and vibrate, as well as his tongue.
- ribbed cock – she wonders if he has subdermal implants in
/spoiler>
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- mention of side character death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Hows the consent? It’s good
41% - 🔥 dry humping/play in the bookstore O for her
58% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary
71% - 🔥 fingering for her while using an attachment on her ass, followed by oral for her, then followed by her on top
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (it’s a shorter story)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (I settled on counting it as 3 scenes but most of the latter half of the story is sex)
Humor: A bit
Perspective: first person from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, 24% into the short story (chapter 4 – though they are talking through messages from the beginning so it doesn’t feel quite this long)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: bought e-book
Should I read in order?
This is a stand alone short story.
Basic plot:
A robot goes back in time to save humanity by making contact with Amanda Fullerhound.
Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction novel
- robot hero / human heroine
- time travel – hero comes from the future to stop the heroine in contemporary times
- contemporary Earth setting
- shorter novel
- forbidden love
- size difference – hero is 6’ tall, heroine would come to his chest
- higher steam – I decided to count 3 full scenes but most of the latter half of the novel is sex
Ages:
- Heroine is 30, hero looks around that age but is a robot
First line:
The hum of my circuit boards flickered to life for long enough to hear a name, “Amanda Fullerhound.”
My thoughts:
I loved so, so much about this novel!!! I’ll be honest, I got it as a bit of a lark – I was wanting a fun and steamy short story. But this one provided so much more.
I adored the beginning of this novel so, so much. The first half was like...romance catnip to me. I fell in love with both these mains and just loved the premise of this. The first scenes had great build up for being a shorter page count.
I really enjoyed the whole book, except the epilogue vibes. I just thought they were a bit sad, but overall I am not a fan of those long term epilogues/extended epilogues. I just want to live in the moment and enjoy that hahah and not think about the future.
Overall though this was such a fun read and I’m so happy I gave it a try! Please write more of these, Sky!
Cock/Hero Stats:
- The hero is a robot (serial number TK-009_prototype5147-STFUALTPLAGB) and is a thrust king
- something in his saliva makes her nerves more sensitive
- he tastes like vanilla coffee
- he has all sorts attachments he can add on. His cock can heat up and vibrate, as well as his tongue.
- ribbed cock – she wonders if he has subdermal implants in
/spoiler>
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- mention of side character death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
41% - 🔥 dry humping/play in the bookstore O for her
58% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, missionary
71% - 🔥 fingering for her while using an attachment on her ass, followed by oral for her, then followed by her on top
Once Upon a Marquess by Courtney Milan
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I was left wanting a bit more from the steamy scenes – they were fine but maybe some more explicitness and emotional pull overall? The first scene was pretty short)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (I listened to audio, so it’s harder to tell scene length, but the first scene was quite short, not sure if I’d usually count it)
Humor: Yes! She’s delightfully witty
Perspective: Third person POV from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium to fast (on audio to me at least)
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, I think about 3%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the romance. There is a bit of a continuation of the family story that leaves off on a suspenseful note at the very end (like a teaser for the next book)
Epilogue: Yes, 14 months later
Format: listened to the audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Milan’s Worth Saga.
Basic plot:
Judith is working to keep her family afloat after their father’s fall from society, when the catalyst of her problems, Christian, comes back into her life.
Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian – 1866
- childhood friends
- second chance-ish – 8 years since seeing each other
- bit of animosity between the mains – the hero proved the heroine’s family were traitors to the crown and ruined them socially and financially
- class difference
- brother’s best friend
- heroine makes geared trinkets (clockwork devices)
- lower steam – 1-2 full scenes towards the end
Ages:
- didn’t catch them...maybe late 20s, early 30s?
First line:
If it could have spoken, the tea table would have groaned.
My thoughts:
It has been forever since I have read Milan! The last I’ve read from her was her first two books and I wasn’t in love with them – but this one had so much more that I enjoyed!
The writing in this one was really delightful. Milan covers plots and unique characters that I don’t see anywhere else. Her dialogue was so fun and witty. The humor was amazing and the character depth was amazing. I loved a lot about this one!
But, I felt like the romance was lacking here :( This is second chance, which I generally dislike so that was a downer for me. I always feel like I’m missing all the feels with second chance and I’m just left reading about the mess. It wasn’t too bad in this one because they never had a full relationship, and there was a lot of background coverage.
I just felt like the actual romance started pretty late in this one and was quite light when we got there. Overall it was a really good story and I’m definitely curious about the rest of the series and have moved it up a bit on my TBR!
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- grief over death of a friend
- ruined family – the heroine is trying to raise and take care of her siblings
- suicide of heroine’s father
- opium addiction
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: I don’t believe so
Hows the consent? It’s good
52% - kiss
72% - kiss
81% - fingering for her (I felt like this was brief on audio)
92% - oral for her, missionary
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I was left wanting a bit more from the steamy scenes – they were fine but maybe some more explicitness and emotional pull overall? The first scene was pretty short)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (I listened to audio, so it’s harder to tell scene length, but the first scene was quite short, not sure if I’d usually count it)
Humor: Yes! She’s delightfully witty
Perspective: Third person POV from both hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium to fast (on audio to me at least)
When mains are first on page together: Not too far in, I think about 3%
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the romance. There is a bit of a continuation of the family story that leaves off on a suspenseful note at the very end (like a teaser for the next book)
Epilogue: Yes, 14 months later
Format: listened to the audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Milan’s Worth Saga.
Basic plot:
Judith is working to keep her family afloat after their father’s fall from society, when the catalyst of her problems, Christian, comes back into her life.
Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian – 1866
- childhood friends
- second chance-ish – 8 years since seeing each other
- bit of animosity between the mains – the hero proved the heroine’s family were traitors to the crown and ruined them socially and financially
- class difference
- brother’s best friend
- heroine makes geared trinkets (clockwork devices)
- lower steam – 1-2 full scenes towards the end
Ages:
- didn’t catch them...maybe late 20s, early 30s?
First line:
If it could have spoken, the tea table would have groaned.
My thoughts:
It has been forever since I have read Milan! The last I’ve read from her was her first two books and I wasn’t in love with them – but this one had so much more that I enjoyed!
The writing in this one was really delightful. Milan covers plots and unique characters that I don’t see anywhere else. Her dialogue was so fun and witty. The humor was amazing and the character depth was amazing. I loved a lot about this one!
But, I felt like the romance was lacking here :( This is second chance, which I generally dislike so that was a downer for me. I always feel like I’m missing all the feels with second chance and I’m just left reading about the mess. It wasn’t too bad in this one because they never had a full relationship, and there was a lot of background coverage.
I just felt like the actual romance started pretty late in this one and was quite light when we got there. Overall it was a really good story and I’m definitely curious about the rest of the series and have moved it up a bit on my TBR!
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- grief over death of a friend
- ruined family – the heroine is trying to raise and take care of her siblings
- suicide of heroine’s father
- opium addiction
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
52% - kiss
72% - kiss
81% - fingering for her (I felt like this was brief on audio)
92% - oral for her, missionary
Marrying the Minotaur by Lilith Leana
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (being a sex focused short story, there’s not much character development)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (they fall pretty fast)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I prefer a bit more emotional pull in my scenes but that’s hard to build in such a short story)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from the heroine’s POV only
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in, only a few pages (20% but it’s a very short story)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years later
Format: voluntary read an ARC from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
This is fine as a stand alone. There’s some brief references to the first book in the series, but it’s not a lot or important to the story, overall.
Basic plot:
Lilly needs a husband, and the new earl seems the perfect candidate.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency-ish (fantasy monster world)
- monster historical romance
- minotaur hero / human heroine
- put a baby in me
- size difference (tall heroine)
- instalust
- higher steam – most of the story is sex
- short story
Ages:
- didn’t see them mentioned
First line:
I was looking for a husband.
My thoughts:
I did struggle a bit with the fantasy aspect of women having their sons carrying on their father’s lands/name – things like the heroine’s father being with a male heir, and that being able to pass to her male child. It’s hard to adjust to something like that after reading more factual historical focused novels where women didn’t have rights like that, but I was able to let it go and find it kind of refreshing. I read so many of the hero’s having this kind of drive and pressure to have a son, but it was interesting having a heroine focused on that!
This is a very short story that is focused on the intimate scenes between Lilly and Ian. Fun, quick, and steamy with breeding vibes, I enjoyed this minotaur romp 😄
Cock/Hero Stats:
- minotaur hero with blue eyes
- cock is covered with the same fur as his body except the tip that is round and pink
- he has horns and they are a bit sensitive
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- mention of parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No
Hows the consent? It’s good!
Pg 14 of 44 – kiss
Pg 17 of 44 – 🔥 touches, kisses, breast play, oral for her, missionary (v loss for heroine)
Pg 26 of 44 – 🔥 immediately following prior scene, but next morning, oral for her, doggy wit ha pillow under her hips
Pg 32 of 44 – 🔥 oral for her, standing sex? The details are a bit light on position
Pg 36 of 44 – 🔥 oral for her, missionary?
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (being a sex focused short story, there’s not much character development)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (they fall pretty fast)
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I prefer a bit more emotional pull in my scenes but that’s hard to build in such a short story)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
Perspective: first person from the heroine’s POV only
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in, only a few pages (20% but it’s a very short story)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few years later
Format: voluntary read an ARC from the author in e-book form
Should I read in order?
This is fine as a stand alone. There’s some brief references to the first book in the series, but it’s not a lot or important to the story, overall.
Basic plot:
Lilly needs a husband, and the new earl seems the perfect candidate.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency-ish (fantasy monster world)
- monster historical romance
- minotaur hero / human heroine
- put a baby in me
- size difference (tall heroine)
- instalust
- higher steam – most of the story is sex
- short story
Ages:
- didn’t see them mentioned
First line:
I was looking for a husband.
My thoughts:
I did struggle a bit with the fantasy aspect of women having their sons carrying on their father’s lands/name – things like the heroine’s father being with a male heir, and that being able to pass to her male child. It’s hard to adjust to something like that after reading more factual historical focused novels where women didn’t have rights like that, but I was able to let it go and find it kind of refreshing. I read so many of the hero’s having this kind of drive and pressure to have a son, but it was interesting having a heroine focused on that!
This is a very short story that is focused on the intimate scenes between Lilly and Ian. Fun, quick, and steamy with breeding vibes, I enjoyed this minotaur romp 😄
Cock/Hero Stats:
- minotaur hero with blue eyes
- cock is covered with the same fur as his body except the tip that is round and pink
- he has horns and they are a bit sensitive
Content warnings: (This should be taken as a minimum because I could have missed some!)
- mention of parental death
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
Pg 14 of 44 – kiss
Pg 17 of 44 – 🔥 touches, kisses, breast play, oral for her, missionary (v loss for heroine)
Pg 26 of 44 – 🔥 immediately following prior scene, but next morning, oral for her, doggy wit ha pillow under her hips
Pg 32 of 44 – 🔥 oral for her, standing sex? The details are a bit light on position
Pg 36 of 44 – 🔥 oral for her, missionary?
Wrath: The Devil Duke by Christi Caldwell
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (This might feel hotter than this to some because there’s quite a few partials, and kisses, and focus on the steam even if the actual flames aren’t there)
Humor: Not really
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: not too long, about 5% (chapter 2, I think)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: read e-book version through Kindle Unlimited subscription
“Shy all of a sudden, sweeting?” he whispered.
She bit her lower lip. “It is wrong.”
He nuzzled at her neck. “Why?”
“Because...good ladies do not go about doing naughty things with men who aren’t their husbands.”
“Good ladies are vastly overrated,” he said, sucking on the shell of her ear.
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Caldwell’s Seven Deadly Sins series.
Basic plot:
Edith requires the assistance of someone unafraid of doing dark deeds to help avenge her sister’s death and she contacts Malden, who has built his life around sin and ruthlessness.
Give this a try if you want:
- late Georgian - 1831
- dirty talking hero (lots of good girls, but not much else for praise)
- future Duke hero / miss heroine
- possessive/jealous hero
- gaming hell owning heroine
- size difference (taller hero)
- bit of a bargain vibe – the heroine asks the hero for help in punishing her sister’s murderer
- medium steam – this is a 3 steam with some strong partials and kiss scenes, some elements of edging and voyeurism
Ages:
- I believe heroine is 24, hero I’d guess is around 30
First line:
Nothing made Edward de Vesy, Lord Malden, the future Duke of Craven, harder or got him off faster than savage, merciless revenge against the foolish ones who dared wrong him.
My thoughts:
This is the kind of hero I can really love. Definitely toxic AF, growly, aggressive...he’s all rasping whispers and grabbing hands, punishing…..threatening. And so angry at the world. Gives me alllll the nostalgic feels of those old school reads I snuck in at the age of 12 😂 Maybe even a bit too much of a jerk to me? I can’t say I was sold on him by the end of the book. And the fact that he was still yelling in the heroine's face at 70% that he has multiple women that will spread their legs for him...became a bit of a turn off. I love those jerky heroes but I need to them be losing their minds for the heroine at that point in the book…
And compromised heroine is one of my favorite plot points! So I really did enjoy parts of this book. And the way Caldwell upped the steam?? Very impressive. I had given up on her books because I was usually sooo disappointed in the lack of steam (the ones I tried were usually like a 1 steam with the scene at the very end). So I love that she was experimenting with that and think I might really like some of her newer releases if she keeps this up.
So, the sex was a big improvement (to me) but there was something about it that just felt a bit, I don’t know, clinical to me? Like there were ‘good girls’ sprinkled in without giving me that real praise feel. There were hints at control from the hero, but nothing concrete. There was just something missing for me here.
I can’t say I ended up loving either character, which lessened my enjoyment. I’m curious about the bad men side characters that will be future heroes….
Endearments
Hero uses quite a few….sweeting, sweet, love
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of poisoning and opium usage (kind of forced on the heroine – she wasn’t aware)
- death of sister is a plot point with grief from the heroine
- hero threatens the heroine with a knife
- there’s elements of dubious consent/nonconsent – the hero is very pushy
- remembrance of thoughts of self harm/suicidal thoughts
- there were a few scenes that bothered me of...like a slut shaming attitude? Women that basically worked for him, entertaining men, play acting in virgin auctions, the hero judges them harshly and kind of has a virgin on a pedestal mentality (purity culture vibes)
- there is a scene of the heroine kissing another man other than the hero about halfway through the book (possible feelings of infidelity for some that prefer the hero/heroine are ONLY involved with each other
- scenes of jealousy/anger – when the heroine is with another man in his house the hero punches the carriage multiple times in rage
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex: No, but they are married
Hows the consent? I’d say there’s questionable consent through this entire novel. If explicit consent is a must for you, I would personally bypass this novel. There are plenty of scenes of the hero pushing the heroine, creating debts the heroine owes him, a scene of another man drugging her with opium and kissing her, forced married…..etc
3% - mention/implication of hero with someone else (not heroine)
8% - kiss
13% - kiss
29% - 🔥kisses, fingering for her
36% - kisses, breast play
51% - kisses between the heroine and another man
64% - kiss
70% - kisses
75% - fingering for her, oral for her that leaves with everyone unsatisfied as a partial
91% - 🔥kisses, missionary
99% - mention of sex
99% - 🔥fingering for her (epilogue sex) (it’s pretty short compared to some prior scenes)
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 (This might feel hotter than this to some because there’s quite a few partials, and kisses, and focus on the steam even if the actual flames aren’t there)
Humor: Not really
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: not too long, about 5% (chapter 2, I think)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, 6 months later
Format: read e-book version through Kindle Unlimited subscription
“Shy all of a sudden, sweeting?” he whispered.
She bit her lower lip. “It is wrong.”
He nuzzled at her neck. “Why?”
“Because...good ladies do not go about doing naughty things with men who aren’t their husbands.”
“Good ladies are vastly overrated,” he said, sucking on the shell of her ear.
Should I read in order?
This is the first book in Caldwell’s Seven Deadly Sins series.
Basic plot:
Edith requires the assistance of someone unafraid of doing dark deeds to help avenge her sister’s death and she contacts Malden, who has built his life around sin and ruthlessness.
Give this a try if you want:
- late Georgian - 1831
- dirty talking hero (lots of good girls, but not much else for praise)
- future Duke hero / miss heroine
- possessive/jealous hero
- gaming hell owning heroine
- size difference (taller hero)
- bit of a bargain vibe – the heroine asks the hero for help in punishing her sister’s murderer
- medium steam – this is a 3 steam with some strong partials and kiss scenes, some elements of edging and voyeurism
Ages:
- I believe heroine is 24, hero I’d guess is around 30
First line:
Nothing made Edward de Vesy, Lord Malden, the future Duke of Craven, harder or got him off faster than savage, merciless revenge against the foolish ones who dared wrong him.
My thoughts:
This is the kind of hero I can really love. Definitely toxic AF, growly, aggressive...he’s all rasping whispers and grabbing hands, punishing…..threatening. And so angry at the world. Gives me alllll the nostalgic feels of those old school reads I snuck in at the age of 12 😂 Maybe even a bit too much of a jerk to me? I can’t say I was sold on him by the end of the book. And the fact that he was still yelling in the heroine's face at 70% that he has multiple women that will spread their legs for him...became a bit of a turn off. I love those jerky heroes but I need to them be losing their minds for the heroine at that point in the book…
And compromised heroine is one of my favorite plot points! So I really did enjoy parts of this book. And the way Caldwell upped the steam?? Very impressive. I had given up on her books because I was usually sooo disappointed in the lack of steam (the ones I tried were usually like a 1 steam with the scene at the very end). So I love that she was experimenting with that and think I might really like some of her newer releases if she keeps this up.
So, the sex was a big improvement (to me) but there was something about it that just felt a bit, I don’t know, clinical to me? Like there were ‘good girls’ sprinkled in without giving me that real praise feel. There were hints at control from the hero, but nothing concrete. There was just something missing for me here.
I can’t say I ended up loving either character, which lessened my enjoyment. I’m curious about the bad men side characters that will be future heroes….
Endearments
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
- scenes of poisoning and opium usage (kind of forced on the heroine – she wasn’t aware)
- death of sister is a plot point with grief from the heroine
- hero threatens the heroine with a knife
- there’s elements of dubious consent/nonconsent – the hero is very pushy
- remembrance of thoughts of self harm/suicidal thoughts
- there were a few scenes that bothered me of...like a slut shaming attitude? Women that basically worked for him, entertaining men, play acting in virgin auctions, the hero judges them harshly and kind of has a virgin on a pedestal mentality (purity culture vibes)
- there is a scene of the heroine kissing another man other than the hero about halfway through the book (possible feelings of infidelity for some that prefer the hero/heroine are ONLY involved with each other
- scenes of jealousy/anger – when the heroine is with another man in his house the hero punches the carriage multiple times in rage
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Safe sex:
Hows the consent?
3% - mention/implication of hero with someone else (not heroine)
8% - kiss
13% - kiss
29% - 🔥kisses, fingering for her
36% - kisses, breast play
51% - kisses between the heroine and another man
64% - kiss
70% - kisses
75% - fingering for her, oral for her that leaves with everyone unsatisfied as a partial
91% - 🔥kisses, missionary
99% - mention of sex
99% - 🔥fingering for her (epilogue sex) (it’s pretty short compared to some prior scenes)