Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞 (There’s something really romantic about an enduring love like this – the obstacles this couple overcomes is rather astounding)
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit but overall it’s a heavier book
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? a mix but maybe more plot?
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: almost immediately – Chapter 1 (about 2-3% in)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, a few months in the future (4 months or so)
Format: listened to the audiobook from the library (Hoopla)

Should I read in order?
I think overall this series would be better in order as there’s some character cross over and events referenced, but overall this one does focus mostly on the main couple so rebel readers will probably be fine.

Basic plot:
Sophia finds herself in a total muddle when she realizes she doesn’t love her betrothed, but his cousin instead...

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (?)
- forbidden love/taboo vibes – heroine is engaged to hero’s cousin
- affair
- captain hero
- pets – heroine has a dog
-

pregnancy 

- LGBT positive
- low to mid steam – 2 full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 20, didn’t catch hero

First line:
Sophia tugged at the leading string to draw Peaches closer to the hem of her dress.

My thoughts:
I think I said the first book of this series put me on a roller coaster and I had a variety of feelings about it – I feel similarly about this book! I think I liked it a bit more than book, but it’s still such a unique story and a bit crazy.

I don’t mind the ‘adultery’ aspect here, but I think the plot points and separations of the mains dwindled my enjoyment a bit. This couple had so much working against them and I was on my toes the whole time and was left wanting to just have the time to get to know the mains well and enjoy some longing between them.

I cannot help but think that this series would make absolutely amazing TV.

I did really love both main characters! I think I wouldn’t reread this one, but again another really memorable book unlike anything else I’ve read in HR.

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

- parental death
- heroine was raped by a family member when she was 13 (off page, remembered)
- confrontation with rapist in heroine’s bedroom while she’s under laudanum
- mention of homophobia and anti-LGBT legislation
- possible feelings of infidelity – the heroine marries the hero’s cousin and they continue their affair

Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:

Safe sex: 

No

and it does result in pregnancy 

 
Hows the consent? 

It’s good/implied 

3% - kiss
25% - kiss
39% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, missionary

“Dev, please, please kiss me.”
“I would kiss every inch of you Sophia,” he whispered and his lips trailed lower, his hands at her back, loosening her gown.
“I would touch every inch of you. Taste every inch of you.”

49% - kiss
57% - 🔥 fingering for her, must be quiet, missionary

Keeping her gaze focused was difficult, nearly impossible. But his own would not allow hers to waver. She licked the palm of his hand. Now it was she who watched his eyes cloud with arousal.
“Wench,” he whispered, removing both of his hands to unfasten his falls.

62% - kiss
70% - kiss