rjordan19's reviews
930 reviews

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔 (We do get a bit more background about them and their history in this novel)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (There’s a lot of fucking and there has been a lot of fucking in this series, so not as much tension, but there was still some for me in regards to the emerging relationships between all the characters)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I like the way her scenes are written – I feel like it’s a good mix of explicitness and emotional pull for me)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: not much
Perspective: first person from the heroes (Jack, Caden, and Silas) and the heroine Harlow
More character focused or plot focused? it’s kind of hard to say...character??
How did the speed of the story feel? meidum
When mains are first on page together: Pretty much immediately (this is a continuation of book 2, where they are together in a scene)
Cliffhanger: This ends with a happy for now for all characters (there is an epilogue that makes it feel more complete)
Epilogue: Yes, 2 years later
Format: I read the combined Ghosts of Halloween book on Kindle Unlimited
Why I chose this book: Because the lovely @imromanticallyinvolved sent it to me on instagram!

Should I read in order?
Yes, this story picks up immediately after book 2 ends, so definitely read in order.

Basic plot:
Caden, Silas, Jack and Harlow’s last night together comes to a close

Give this a try if you want:
- contemporary romance – this is the culmination of the series and ends with a happy for now for everyone (there is also an extended Christmas epilogue)
- brother’s best friend
- disability rep (heroine has a prosthetic arm
- pierced heroes
- M/M, M/F, and MMMF scenes
- praise
- higher steam – 6ish full scenes

Ages:
- Harlow is about 22, Jack is 28, Caden is 41 and I didn’t catch Silas

First line:
I struggled against Silas, grunting from effort, but he lies on top of me, pinning me to the ground with his full body weight.

My thoughts:
Overall I liked this one – I liked getting to know a bit more about the characters background and the history of what drove all these actions.

The sex was a bit hotter to me because they were all opening up to each other (heh heh) and it just felt more emotional to me. But it also got pretty dark towards the end, and I’m never really that eager to read graphic murder scenes.

The whole ending was a bit weird to me! I’m not sure how I feel about it….but overall I still liked the ending result of this story.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 4
Average rating: 4.5 stars
Favorite book: Jacked

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

- panic attacks on page
- remembered rape
- murder on page

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

 
Safe sex: 

  Yes??? 

 
Hows the consent? 

  This whole series is noncon/dubcon with revenge plotline so if you need consent in your books I would maybe bypass this one – it’s darker. But at this point (book 3 in the series) it’s consensual between them) 

 
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 or pregnancy. They use protection when needed (the heroine doesn’t want unprotected sex) 

 
Chapter 40 (this is in the box set) – 🔥 Silas fucks Caden
Chapter 42 – scene with Jack and Harlow (memory)
Chapter 43 – 🔥 wall sex between Jack and Harlow
Chapter 45 - 🔥 Harlow gives Caden a BJ while Silas fucks Caden and Jack fucks Harlow
Chapter 50 - 🔥 Jack goes down on Harlow in front of their victims
Chapter 55 – 🔥 Jack fucks Harlow while she’s sleeping and Silas praises him
Chapter 56 – 🔥 foursome sex 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes, 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: Takes a bit – about 12% or chapter 4
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: was given an e-book copy through NetGalley but didn’t get to it in time, so I grabbed on Kindle Unlimited
Why I chose this book: I have loved Maggie Sims books and want to read them all!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary here – this book is happening at similar time to Charlotte’s Control. This is in the same world as Sim’s Control series and School of Enlightenment (start with her newsletter freebie, Roslynn’s Rebellion, to start at the very beginning. (It is also a part of the loosely connected Lyon’s Den series, which can be read in any order)

Basic plot:
The Black Widow engages Belle in restoring Luke to his full potential while promising her matchmaking services...

Give this a try if you want:
- If I had to guess, I’d say late Regency/Georgian (this is after the events of The School of Enlightenment series, which was about 1817/1818)
- age gap – but she’s older
- hero is taller than her by several inches
- class difference – hero is an earl’s son and heroine is a retired courtesan
- lots of focus on recovery – this hero starts the story as an alcoholic and with the heroine’s help attempts to overcome
- close proximity – these two stay together at the heroine’s house for much of the book
- furry chested hero
- mid to higher steam – full scenes

Ages:
- heroine is 32, hero is 22

First line:
Isabella Rossi, Belle to her closest friends, was a master at controlling her expressions.

My thoughts:
Ok, first I have to say how much I love this cover! I mean, I am always a fool for Floyd but with the chest hair tease...mmmmmm.

Anyway, this is my first book of the Lyon’s Den world and I am loving the idea of a loosely connected plot that authors can play around with. I am really curious to see what other authors have done with this! (If you have a fave of the series so far, let me know so I can give it a try sometime!)

I have really liked Sims books in the past, especially Charlotte’s Control (which Charlotte and William are side characters in this one). And this one I also found fun – we have an older heroine that knows what she wants in some ways, but also is struggling with truly appreciating her own worth due to her past. And Luke has plenty of his own demons to overcome. These two together are really delightful – they balance each other out. I loved how Luke really took the time to let Belle figure out who she was and what she wants – she didn’t need to perform for him.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 9
Average rating: 7 are 5 stars, 1 4 star plus this book
Favorite book: Maybe Charlotte’s Control???

Endearments

  Wellll maybe not an endearment but the heroine calls the hero ‘clodpage’ and the hero calls the heroine ‘wench’. 

Quotes

Look at it this way, Clodpate, you’ll get lots of practice begging for the next few weeks.”
---
Reaching for his fork, he broke off a piece of cake and brought it to his mouth. His stomach did not protest. Ginger and flour and sugar and...cinnamon? So many flavors burst on his tongue, but all somehow still soothed. He moaned.
She closed her eyes on a long blink at his overt enjoyment.
---
He placed her foot in his lap.
When he poured more oil and paused to admire her other foot, she chewed on the inside of her cheek to avoid lifting her skirts and telling him exactly where and how to rub her to better effect.
---
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the slick of his oil-covered hands, saw the club outlined by his trousers, recalled the line of fur down his stomach.
---
He wanted to celebrate. He’d conquered the pull of the bottles of liquid gold behind the bar, and was more than ready to return to her preoccupation with his chest hair.
As he rounded the house to the kitchen door, he grew excited about the potential of her following that T.
---
“No, thank you. I know what I want. I want to touch you.” Since before he held her feet in his hands, he’d wanted to see all of her, touch all of her. He stalked toward her. For every one of his steps, she retreated a step. The back of her knees hit her bed, and she lost her balance, sitting hard. Dropping to his knees before her, he put his hands on her ankles.
She looked nervous, but played it off with a blasé tone. “Another foot rub? ‘Tis rather unimaginative of you, Clodpate. But I suppose I can live with it.”
“Hmm. Unimaginative? I dare say, I can do better, my Belle.”
She glared at his use of that name.
Undoing his cravat, he began unfastening his shirt.
“What are you doing, Clodpate?”
“Given your interest last night, I thought to offer you visual stimulation whilst I take my pleasure.”
---
“Clod – Luke, yes, there.” She corrected herself. It did not seem fair to call him by a derogatory nickname when he was doing such a good job at pleasuring her.
 

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

- parental death
- alcoholism and addition and recovery on page
- brief mention of a side character having a laudanum dependency
- mention of domestic abuse of a side character resulting in death
Author content warnings? 

  This work contains depictions of addition and recovery. 

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

 
Safe sex: 

  Condoms used 

 
How’s 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!) 

  Both want children – the heroine is interested in having a baby because her biological clock is ticking – so there’s talk of future babies but con 

 
33% - 🔥 hero self pleasure but she interrupts him, tells him to stop and then self pleasures herself
36% - hero self pleasure (it’s a bit short)’
55% - 🔥 oral for her
63% - 🔥 oral for her, missionary 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋 (I will say her scenes were a bit on the mechanical side to me – maybe just the verbage and my preference – I can prefer some flowery, emotional language haha
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Not much, this has some darker factors at play
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: immediately
Cliffhanger: This ends with a happy for now
Epilogue: No
Format: read on kindle unlimited
Why I chose this book: fellow facebook member of Upturned Petticoats and Undone Cravats (DESDAMONA) convinced me to do a buddy read!

Should I read in order?
This is book 1 in Schone’s The Lover series.

Basic plot:
Anne is free from being her parents caretaker, and she has the funds to request the time and pleasure of famous prostitute Michel des Anges...

Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian
- violet eyed HERO
- height difference – hero is 7 inches taller than hero
- older mains – 40 and 36
- some unrequited longing – the heroine has wanted the hero since she saw him 18 years earlier
- murder mystery elements
- higher steam – at least 5 full scenes

Ages:
- hero is 40, heroine is 36

First lines:
Death.
Desire.
Michael did not know which of the two had brought him back to London.

My thoughts:
So Schone has been on my list to try forever and ever and I finally did it!

This book maybe isn’t one I would usually go for? There’s definitely some instalust at play and they jump into some beginning scenes almost immediately. But...there was something about this book. Something that just pulled at me. The beginning scenes were still so good with tension to me even though usually the tension is broken for me a bit when they fully give in to each other. Maybe it was because they were still learning about each other, and slowly opening to each other emotionally. I just felt it!

And I am also not usually into murder mystery kind of things. But this book was just done so differently – I really found Schone’s writing unique – that I was so intrigued. I was so gripped by this story in some parts. Kind of horrified??? But I just HAD to know what happened and how it was going to work out. This book just really clenched my heart as the mystery unfolded.

I will definitely try more from Schone!

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

Quotes

“One month. Of pleasure.” Michael pushed his glass across the table. It connected with the base of the heavy silver candle holder with a crystal ring of finality. “I will do anything you wish. However many times you wish it.”
---
“How deeply will you penetrate me, monsieur?”
“Nine and one half inches, mademoiselle.”
---
“Don’t say you’re sorry.” Shadow engulfed his face. “Don’t ever say you’re sorry. Not to me. Not ever. I want you to scream. And moan. And groan. I want you to lose yourself in what I do to you. I want you to want me.”
 

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

- brief mention of parental death
- death on page
- arson
- drugging of heroine by villains including being paralyzed and buried alive with worms
- remembrance of child abuse
- murder on page
Author content warnings? Didn’t see any given

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

 
Safe sex: 

  Both have and discuss condoms and the heroine goes to a physician for a diaphram 

 
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!) 

  I can't recall children discussed??? Maybe but no children or pregnancies within the story 

 
10% - 🔥 kisses, fingering/breast play orgasm, oral for her, missionary
20% - 🔥 sex with anal play?
28% - oral for her (fades)
46% - 🔥 bj
64% - 🔥 her on top (? I think? While sitting?)
86% - 🔥 food play with chocolate and a banana, oral for her, missionary 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (I wasn’t feeling this book in the beginning but then it turned around for me)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A bit
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: Fairly soon in. I didn’t note it but they are imprisoned together and the heroine catches site of the hero almost immediately
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: yes, one month later
Format: listened to an audiobook from the library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: My friend Heather has strongly encouraged me to read the series!
Mains: this is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero (alien) and heroine (human)

Should I read in order?
Ideally, yes. This series has events that unfold in order and you’ll understand the world and culture better if you read in order. If you’re okay with being thrown into the plot, the romances do stand alone though.

Basic plot:
Alice and Luka are held captive together and when they have the opportunity to escape they take it together.

Give this a try if you want:
- science fiction romance
- alien setting (Clecania)
- alien hero / human heroine
- fated mates
- some miscommunication elements
- size difference – hero is over 6 feet tall
- males go to husband school to learn to please their partners
- he can smell when she’s turned on
- researcher/scientist hero
- language barrier in the beginning
- medium steam – I think there’s 2 full scenes?? I might have missed something

First line:
Am I being carried?

My thoughts:
I am conflicted about this one! I think this one had a rough start for me. I was really uncomfortable with the beginning of the book with both of the mains being imprisoned and any kind of sexual tension that was kind of cringe because of the whole situation...once they left that setting, it got better for me.

This book had some aspects of miscommunication in the middle that worked for me because it created this uncertainty in their relationship and made them more uncertain of each other and I ate that up. The latter half I loved...the steamy scenes in this one were really great to me and hooked me.

So, overall I wish this one had gone a bit differently in a few parts, but overall I liked it!

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating: 4 stars
Favorite book: Choosing Theo

Cock/Hero Stats/World Building:

- Heroine was kidnapped from Earth and cannot go back because they are a class 4 planet that has been left to discover and evolve at their own pace
- There was some kind of illness on the planet that devastated their female population. This has lead to the culture of getting married in 3 month bouts and having children. (many of the children are male) and then separating and repeating the process to help boost the population. Mates haven’t been seen in many years, but book 1 establishes the first mate between male and female.
- There’s some higher tech on the planet, including machines that can heal them quickly, fix scarring, etc, food prep machines, absorbent towels that dry immediately, etc
- He has vibrations and can purr (vibrating tongue!)

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

- scenes of death and violence on page
- imprisonment and experimentation of hero and heroine by villains including forced drugging
- some remembrances of cheating/bad relationships in the heroine’s past
Author given content warnings: I didn’t hear any on the audio

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

 
Safe sex: 

  I don’t believe so 

 
How’s the consent? 

  So the beginning of this one has questionable consent from the environment – both the hero and heroine are imprisoned in a hospital thing and basically experimented on. So the villain forces the heroine to touch the hero to make his mating marks appear. But nothing sexual happens between them and acts later in the book are consensual.

  Pregnancy/children in story? 

  I think there’s some mention of wanting children/having children in the future? But no children or pregnancy on page 

 
21% - vibrating mouth kisses and nuzzles
55% - kiss
64% - fingering/oral for her
85% - bondage, her on top 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (might feel hotter to you – there were 2 scenes that were close together and I combined for a flame and another scene that was short and I didn’t count as a full flame)
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 (prologue, about 4%)
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: No
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy in e-book form through NetGalley
Why I chose this book: Vivienne Lorret is one of my favorite authors! I adore so many of her books and want to read them all.

Should I read in order?
It’s not completely necessary – most of this focus is really on these mains, but there are a few scenes that are from the first book (It Had to Be a Duke) that take place here (it’s like some of the latter half of book 1 are happening during this story) so you might get more enjoyment of that with reading in order.

Basic plot:
Oscar arrives in the guise of Honoria’s missing fiance – using the ruse to lay low from his demons chasing himg

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (my assumption)
- meet cute in Paris, but rest of the story in England
- English countryside setting
- bit of an antihero – he’s a swindling scoundrel that blackmails the heroine
- kind of a twist of fake relationship
- beautiful heroine
- hidden identity
- hero loves biscuits
- enemies to lovers but it turns quite playful
- heroine disguised as a lad
- medium steam – I settled as a 2 flame book but might feel hotter to you – there’s 2 scenes that are close together and I combined, and another that was short and I decided not to count

Ages:
- hero is 28, heroine is 23

First line:
Oscar Flint raked the razor down the hollow of his cheek, dispensing with the beard that had been part of his identity for the past six cities.

My thoughts:
Oh, how much adore Lorret’s writing. She really delivers so many things I just adore in romance. I really loved this novel!

We can say Honoria and Oscar are enemies to lovers but the playful, fun way Lorret presents it is my favorite form. More of a frenemies...they torment each other in the best ways while slowly circling towards each other in an inevitable collision. The tension building in this one was so lovely. The humor was so sweet and delicious. The gentleness and tenderness of Oscar while also having possessive and protective urges – there was no help for me in falling utterly in love with him.

But there was also emotional elements in this one that really got me. Both Oscar and Honoria’s character depth was lovely and I just fell in love with both of them. The setting of this series is wonderful in a way that small town, English countryside can provide. And the side characters and family just round everything out into this bright and lovely story that I adored falling into. I am left wanting more Vivienne Lorret immediately. LOVE.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 9
Average rating: 4.44 stars
Favorite book: Ten Kisses to Scandal

Endearments

Hero calls the heroine ‘Signore’. 

Quotes Any typos or mistakes are purely my own

“Done and dusted,” she muttered when she finished. Oh, and she was so finished with him!
Standing, she snatched up her pail and went to the door.
But just as she reached it, a hand fell on the wooden frame above her. Then a steely arm snaked around her waist and turned the key in the lock.
“You aren’t fooling anyone, Miss Hartley.”
“Dunno any Miss ‘artley. Just goin’ about me work. That’s all.”
His responding chuckle was low and deep in her ear and sent a shiver trampling through her as his warm body pressed against her. She drew in a breath, his scent invading her nostrils in a dizzying rush.
---
“Ha! I wouldn’t kiss you if you were the last man on earth. You are like an apple that rots from the core out. It may look perfectly tempting on the outside, but once you take a bite, you’re sure to come back with half a worm in your teeth.”
The desire – no, the bloody need – to slide his hand to her her nape and draw her mouth to his was almost unbearable. But he’d be damned if he would reveal any more of his cards to her.
---
Spurring the horses up a rise, his urgency mounted, burning in his veins. This was his doing. His fault. If anything happened to her, he’d -
Relief washed over him in a flood the moment he crested the hill. Honoria was just up ahead with her maid.
But they were not alone.
His relief quickly transformed into something nameless and darker when he saw she was brandishing a stick, trying to fend off the advances of two men, while a third watched from the perch of a phaeton.
---
So as his jaw clenched, he was almost ready to bare his teeth in a grin and allow her to continue this new game of hers. Alone. As he rode on without her.
But Vandemere? Well, Oscar was fairly certain that the viscount wouldn’t take too kindly to his fiancee traipsing along the countryside, where anything might have happened, only to find her coyly flirting with other men.
No, Vandemere wouldn’t like it. At all.
There must have been some shred of that emotion on his countenance, because Honoria’s smile faltered as he approached.
Her throat constricted on a swallow. “Need I remind you that you are a gentleman? And gentlemen do not make primitive displays.”
He’d been about to offer a semblance of a greeting to the men, then politely escort her and her maid back to the carriage. Yet, after Honoria’s muttered warning and the way she brandished that stick of hers, he decided to show her just how primitive he could be.
“Don’t you d-aaaare!” she shrieked, wide-eyed as he tugged her off balance by seizing control of her sword, then scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder.
---
Tucking those thoughts away, she focused on removing her gloves...only to discover that two of her pearl buttons were already unfastened.
The scoundrel!
Her accusatory gaze flew to Oscar. He arched a brow in response. Then his gaze slid down the front of her ice-blue dress with indecent deliberateness. The wicked way his lips curved in a slow grin caused a rush of heat to creep to her cheeks, her skin tingling where he’d touched her as he’d handed her down from the carriage.
---
When she tried to scramble away, he held her close. “Shhh...Whatever it is, you know you can tell me. I am the keeper of your secrets, after all. And you are the keeper of mine.”
---
“Try again, Signore. You love me. Say it.”
“Stop. Stop it.”
“Say the words,” he commanded, shaking his head when she tried to cover his mouth with her hands. “Tell me you love me as much as I love you.”
 

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

- parental death and abandonment
- remembrance of parental sickness and death
- remembrance of abuse in prison for hero
- sibling death and grief
- groping and threatening of heroine by villain

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

Safe sex: 

  hero pulls out for the first few times but doesn’t when the heroine asks him to stay within her 

Hows the consent? 

  It’s good – there’s a few scenes that the heroine is pushing back on the hero due to the frenemy relationship but we see from her POV how she is feeling in regards to the act 

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 few minor children side characters, a scene of worry over pregnancy from heroine when hero blows it in her... 

6% - kiss
34% - kiss
47% - kiss
62% - kiss, fingering for heroine
81% - kisses, oral for her, missionary
”Are you wet for me, Honoria?” he asked against her lips as his fingers skated in leisurely patterns along her inner thigh. “Have you thought about me touching you when you’re alone in your bath?”
85% - bj (incomplete), missionary
”As your prisoner, I would beg you to wrap your hand around the base...yes, like that...and a long, smooth stroke...aye, that’s the way,” he gritted, eyes screwing shut from exquisite pleasure.
94% - her on top but it’s pretty short 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 (I thought Knight did a really great job of letting us get to know the mains in a short amount of pages!)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: A touch
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:
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever
Epilogue: yes (not too far in the future)
Format: voluntarily read an advanced reader copy from the author in e-book form
Why I chose this book: I absolutely fell in love with A Lord’s Guide to Mutiny, Marriage, and Mistletoe almost a year ago from Knight and couldn’t wait to try more by her!
Mains: This is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
This is fine to pick up alone.

Basic plot:
Sir Dennis gets trapped in a rail car with Blanche only to find her uncle is desperate to marry her off to the next man that walks through the door – and as a Bishop, he can do just that.

Give this a try if you want:
- Victorian – 1856
- road trip – most of this book takes place on a train from London
- holiday romance – this takes place on Christmas Day
- some elements of instalove
- knighted hero
- ruined heroine
- forced proximity
- hero has a dimple!
- hero has been celibate for awhile
- heroine has very long hair – to her knees
- disability rep – hero (view spoiler)
- shorter novel
- medium steam – 2 full scenes for a shorter novel

Ages:
- heroine is 20, hero is about 25

First line:
Dennis Fairplace was very lucky the trains were running on Christmas Day.

My thoughts:
I was so curious how this one was going to play out – the blurb sounded very unique.

This forced proximity novel had so much heart – these mains will just make you melt. Their triumphs in life despite adversity make them such a wonderful couple together. I found myself adoring them both and really believing in their happily ever after even though this is a very quick paced Christmas romp – taking place over the course of only a couple days.

I have really loved what I’ve read from Knight so far – eager to grab all her books! She also had fantastic author notes.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 3
Average rating: 5 stars
Favorite book: A Lord’s Guide to Mutiny, Marriage and Mistletoe

Quotes

Blanche’s eyes widened. How terribly casual to go without a coat. Men only did that in their own homes. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, exposing his forearms. Her breath caught in her throat.
He resumed his position at the lock and bent his head to the task.
Blanche couldn’t help but notice his strong, thick arms as he wrestled with the hairpin and the lock nor his broad shoulders. Whatever he’d done in the army had treated him quite well.
 

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

- parental death
- remembrances of war and death (hero)
- abusive and toxic family members
- domestic violence on page – the heroine’s uncle slaps and coerces her
- kidnapping and forceful marriage by heroine’s relative of the hero and heroine
- heroine remembers abusive schooling
- heroine was taken advantage of by a man who implied marriage and left her ruined

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

Safe sex: 

  hero pulls out 

How’s 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 or pregnancy (though the possibility of pregnancy is presented as the heroine’s former beau didn’t bother to pull out before leaving her) 

53% - kiss
67% - 🔥breast play, fingering for her, missionary

“So sweet,” he murmured. “So fucking sweet. I knew it.”

86% - 🔥kisses, oral for her, her on top
”That’s it, come for me. Let me feel how much you want this. I want to drink you up, so give it to me.” 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (This is a fast paced, steamy romp!)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔 (This is a shorter novel focused on the adventure so not a ton of character depth)
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I loved the steam in this one – I think Piers picked it up a bit compared to her prior novels and I am totally here for it!!!! These scenes felt a bit more explicit than her prior novels)
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? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? fast
When mains are first on page together: very soon in
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after for the mains
Epilogue: Yes
Format: was given an advanced reader copy of the book, but didn’t get to it by publishing so I grabbed it from kindle unlimited
Why I chose this book: I was given an ARC by the author and I was curious how this series plays out
Mains: this is a M/F relationship between a cishet hero and heroine

Should I read in order?
There is some minor mention of some of the characters in the series, but this is very readable as a standalone.

Basic plot:
Agatha needs experiences….and who better to give them to her but the mysterious pirate at the masquerade ball?

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency – 1816
- author heroine
- privateer hero
- heroine wants an adventure
- one bed on the ship
- road trip
- “Good pirate.”
- masquerade
- higher steam – 3 full scenes within a shorter page count

Ages:
- hero is 30, I didn’t catch the heroine (maybe early 20s)

First line:
The End.

My thoughts:
Wow Piers went in a direction I wasn’t really ready for compared to her prior books – in a very good way! I think she upped the steam in this one and I adored it – lots of fun and playful banter, tension, and longer scenes in this book had me adoring that aspect to it.

And I did really like the story overall – fast paced and fun, this was a delightful read that had me smiling and melting. I think I wanted a bit more character background and story development ideally – they fell into each other rather fast and the heroine certainly kept the hero on his toes until the end of the story. But overall really loved this steamy and quick read.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 21
Average rating: 4.28 stars
Favorite book: Probably The Blighter and the Bluestocking

Endearments

The hero calls the heroine ‘Siren’. 

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

- scenes of drinking
- the heroine drugs the hero
Author content warnings? None

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

Safe sex: 

  No 

How's the consent? 

  It's...okay. There is some alcohol usage and drugging of the hero by the heroine but sexual acts are both all in 

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 or pregnancy 

25% - 🔥 kiss that leads to dry humping o for her, hero comes in his pants

“Open for me,” he whispered into her ear. And the words trickled through her, as if lighting a hidden pathway that she had to discover on her own.
And as much as she wanted to set the pace and be in control, her body wasn’t entirely her own. At his command, her body obeyed, so she brought her other leg up onto the desk.

56% - 🔥 oral for her, blow job (incomplete), her on top

“The desire in her eyes flamed an unknown piece of his soul as he climbed over her.
“You need to be taught who’s in charge, don’t you?”

92% - 🔥 kisses, missionary, her on top

“Do you think you can take me again, Siren?”
“I think I can take you as many times as you’re willing to give me.”
“That’s what I want to hear.” 

 

Overall: 3.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (I felt like I was expecting these to be longer – they felt abrupt to me after the buildup)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Not much
Perspective: third person from the hero and heroine and a side character Henry
More character focused or plot focused? plot
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: pretty soon in, end of chapter 1, or about 6%
Cliffhanger: It ends that it’s obvious there will be more to come but it does feel happy for now.
Epilogue: No
Format: bought e-book
Mains: this is a M/F relationship with a cishet hero and heroine
Why I chose this book: Kirsten Blacketer did a takeover in A Love Less Ordinary and I was curious about her alternate pen name!

Should I read in order?
This is book 1 of this series, but yes read it in order!

Basic plot:
Crispin is banished from the castle and sent to a learn a lesson when he is saved by the Lady of the Forest.

Give this a try if you want:
- 1442 time period
- fantasy-ish – Meradin setting (a country set connecting Ireland, Scotland and England)
- you want a jerk antihero that must do the work to turn around his character
- brief heroine nurses hero back to health
- road trip
- secret identity
- Robin Hood vibes – from the heroine
- royalty
- chastity belt (this is the first romance I think I’ve read with one!)
- mid to higher steam with some light kink elements (some praise, light edging, blindfolds, elements of control/punishment) – 4 full scenes with one of those including (view spoiler)

Ages:
- heroine is 19, didn’t catch hero

First line:
The hooded man stepped from the dark forest shadows.

My thoughts:
Oof am I conflicted about this one! First of all – don’t expect the full story in this one book. It does end with a happy for now and doesn’t have a dramatic cliffhanger which is nice but the hero starts out as a jerk and is working on his turn around – you see it starting here but I am hoping for more development as the books continue!

There was a lot I liked about this book too – the light kink exploration and steamy scenes were fun, even though I was left wanting to kick the hero a time or two...and I loooooved the chastity belt at play – I was a bit disappointed there wasn’t more of a lingering scene on that because I thought the build up was pretty good.

Overall I am left curious about the rest of this series. I did want the steamy scenes to be a bit more developed? They had pretty good build up but then the actual act felt a bit fast. But I am wondering how Crispin’s character arc plays out and we are left with some plot cliffys we need answers for so I think I will be returning to this at some point.


Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: Under this author name: 1. Under both this name and Kirsten Blacketer: 3
Average rating: 4.67 stars for all titles (both names)
Favorite book: Death and Desire

Endearments

  The hero calls the heroine ‘sweeting’.

Quotes

Ugh it’s so toxic and I fucking love it

She raised her hand to strike him again, and his grip encircled her wrist firmly.
Within a breath, he straddled her thighs, his hand around both wrists, pinning her against the tree. The bark dug into the flesh, pinching against the braces on her forearms. Ruby jerked against his hold, trying to free herself. His grip tightened.
“Get off me,” she ground out between her teeth.
“I told you.” He leaned closer, his breath whispering across her cheek. “You could not take me.”
---
“I am your king.” Chrispin captured her chin in his hand and held her steady, peering into her soul. “Kneel before me.”
Ruby jerked from his grasp and hesitated momentarily before dropping to her knees with a grunt. “If I am for the block, for heaven’s sakes, drop the blade. I have no desire for your riddles and games.”
“Oh, my sweeting, you shall be punished for your crimes; be sure of that.” He sat down on the velvet padded throne. “When you rise, you will do your duty to your king. You shall be mine in every possible way. Surrender to me, Ruby, and I shall give you what you deserve.”
 

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

- violence – a woman at a brothel is hit in the face by a man/4 men attack the hero outside of a brothel
- death
- the hero is a hard character to love – misogynistic and selfish. It’s mentioned he may have impregnated women without thought to the children
- brief mention of a couple that is infertile (they adopt the baby of one of the women that had the prince’s child)
- there’s a mention of heroine possibly being a virgin and equating it to ‘unspoiled goods’
- murder/death on page
- parental death
- remembrance of sibling death in a fire
- confronting your parent’s murderers
Author content warnings? Didn’t catch any

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

Safe sex: 

  hero pulls out in the first scene, but not after 

Hows the consent? 

  It’s...questionable. The hero is arrogant and pushy. If you need strong consent in your books I might bypass this one but if you’re okay with strong characters both demanding...you’ll be okay with this. (some dubious consent elements) 

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!) 

  I don't recall any children discussed and no pregnancy in this one. 

1% - the start of a scene with the hero and an ‘ale wench’ (whipping) but it’s interrupted
20% - kiss
27% - 🔥 kisses, oral for her, her on top but the heroine binds his hands against his will

“Close your eyes.” Her whispered request made him pause.
“Why?”
“I beg of you.”
The sound of her plea, hoarse and broken, made him relent. Crispin closed his eyes. The soft slide of her fingers teased his flesh as she grabbed his wrists and brought them together. Crispin’s body twitched in anticipation. His eyes flew open at the unrelenting tug of leather tightening around them.
//
“Hush now, wicked girl.” Tristan cupped her breast. “Is this not what you wanted? A man to fuck you, to take you hard and fast without mercy? Would you rather I show you gently, showering you with tenderness and sweet words?” His hand cupped her chin and held her steady as he trailed his mouth along the column of her neck. “Shall I show you the difference?”

40% - 🔥 missionary followed shortly after by anal fingering/heroine self pleasure

“You. Are. Mine. Every fiber of your being belongs to me. Do not avert your gaze.” Her eyes opened wide. “Face your king, your master, your lover. Night after night, I shall treasure you until you shatter from the overwhelming pleasure only I can give you.”

47% - kisses between heroine and Henry
56% - kisses between Henry and another woman that leads to sex though it’s a bit short
59% - sex scene (a bit brief) between Henry and a side characters
71% - mention of hero self pleasure
77% - kisses
89% - 🔥 blindfolded (heroine) when Henry walks in and they both attempt to get her to beg. Oral for her, missionary, bent over the bed sex
”Tell me you want me. Confess your desire. Beg for me.”
99% - 🔥 kisses, fingering for her, him behind her sex
”I should take you right here, bend you over the cool stone, and let your moans of pleasure echo through the bailey.” He pulled her arms down, gripping her wrists in his hands. Spinning her around, he wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her skirts up. 

 

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋 (This one really grabbed me emotionally in the latter half)
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡ (very slow burn, but I could have used a bit more burn...)
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋 (I really enjoy Long’s steamy scenes – good mix of emotions and explicitness)
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both hero and heroine (there might have been a brief section of side characters POV)
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? slow to medium
When mains are first on page together: Very soon in, chapter 1
Cliffhanger: This ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes
Format: listened to the audiobook through my library (Hoopla)
Why I chose this book: I have slowly been making my way through the Pennyroyal Green series! Books 5 and 6 really solidified my love of Long’s writing and eventually want to read all her work.

Should I read in order?
It’s not totally necessary, but there’s character overlap and nuances within the series that build on each other. So ideally in order, but the romance itself will stand alone.

Basic plot:
Evie moves to a manor house to escape the rumors and judgment from London society

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency
- English countryside setting
- widow heroine
- vicar hero
- celibate hero
- Irish heroine
- slowwwww burn – no action until after 80%
- lower steam – 2 full scenes towards the end

Ages:
- didn’t catch them

First line: (taken from audio)
She was confident no one would ever expect to find her in a church.

My thoughts:
So, I REALLY loved books 5 and 6 of this series, and this book just didn’t quite match my love. I did like it though!

I love the idea of the vicar and the former courtesan. And Long’s writing shone through with her endearing side characters, humor, and emotional depth created in the relationship. This one took me awhile to get into though. I found this one really, really slow, and ultimately I just wanted a bit more from it by the end. But the second half was way more emotional and I did fall in love with them. I will say though in this one I loved the heroine more than the hero. I think I wanted him to crumble more for Evie than he did haha.

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 8
Average rating: 4.25 stars
Favorite book: What I Did for a Duke

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

- side character mentions the loss of a child
- there are some scenes of bullying of the heroine (because she was a ‘mistress’)
- domestic violence and neglect remembered
- domestic violence on page (side characters)
- very brief mention of previously smoking
Author content warnings? None given

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!) 

  There are some scenes with children as side characters – playing with children, rocking a baby, etc. but no pregnancy 

 
65% - kiss
82% - 🔥her on top
93% - 🔥oral for her, sex, bj 

 

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖(and a half maybe – I was pretty captured by this book and found myself wanting to read it and resenting my responsibilities hah)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥 (the scenes are rather close together so might not feel this hot to others
Humor: Yes, a bit
Perspective: first person from both the hero and heroine (alternating chapters)
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, chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, it takes place about 35 years after the couple meet
Format: bought e-book
Mains: This is a M/F novel with cishet hero and heroine
Why I chose this book: I loved Blacketer’s release titled Death and Desire and wanted to try more of her writing. I was intrigued by a time travel back to the 80s!

Should I read in order?
This is the first in Blacketer’s Craving 1985 series.

Basic plot:
Katherine is mourning her life at the top of the Empire State Building when she finds herself going back in time to 1985.

Give this a try if you want:
- time travel – back to 1985
- contemporary (2020) heroine and...less contemporary (1985) hero
- shorter novel – it didn’t feel short to me but goodreads has it at 153 pages
- father’s boss
- workplace romance with employer/employee vibes – the hero hires the heroine as his assistant
- hero nurses heroine back to health
- play on amnesia trope
- architect hero
- hero cooks for the heroine
- silver fox
- heroine has heterochromia
- medium steam – it’s a slower burn and the spicy scenes are close together but I settled at a 2 steam within a shorter page count. One scene does have some light spanking and there’s light praise.

Ages:
- heroine is 32, hero is 40

First line:
This year sucked.

My thoughts:
I was SO curious about this one. Being born in 1985, I was so intrigued by a time travel that goes back – sounded fun seeing it through a contemporary heroine’s eyes instead of picking up a contemporary published in 1985 hehe.

I had a few conflicting thoughts about this one. It had so, so much that I absolutely loved. I loved so many of the scenes and lines, and the setting and the side characters really grabbed me too (and make me want to come back for more).

But I was a bit frustrated with this hero...He’s kind of a jerk and that also might be why I loved him (you know me, I love them jerky 😆 ). I thought his turn around was a bit too abrupt in a few parts. There is a part where he chooses not to talk to the heroine and then turns it around and is pursuing attention from her and it didn’t feel authentic. And when the hero needs help from his friends instead of wallowing in his self loathing and kicking my heart around I’m always kind of sad haha.

Still, I loved so, so much about this book. I’ll probably be returning to this series at some point!

Few random reading stats for this author
# of books read: 2
Average rating: 4.5 stars
Favorite book: Death and Desire

Quotes

on cue, Arthur steps out of the far room. My heart stops at the sight of him. His shirtsleeves are pushed up exposing strong forearms. The vee of skin at his throat draws my attention upward to his angled jaw and full lips. Oh God, he’s hotter. How is that possible?
---
I pick up my fork and take a bite. The buttery crust and sweet tang of apple filling melts in my mouth along with the decadent vanilla ice cream. The combination wrenches a moan from my throat.
Arthur pauses mid-bite and stares at me with an arched brow. “That good?”
“Better than sex,” I murmur before stuffing another forkful in my mouth.
He chokes, and I meet his gaze across the table. In their stormy depths I see his hunger, and it has nothing to do with apple pie and coffee.
---
Mine
No. I shake my head at the strange possessive thought. She’s not mine. The irrational thought makes me recoil in horror. What would make me think such a thing?
The way she moaned while eating her pie. The way she so innocently claimed it was better than sex. The way my clothing caresses the sweet curves of her body. Her in my apartment. Naked in my shower. In my bed.
I pace the length of the room and rest my forehead against the cool glass of the window.
 

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

- parental death and grief (one parent dies of cancer)
- thoughts of suicide
- minor scene of alcohol to the point of sickness
- brief remembrance of a bad breakup/relationship

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

Safe sex: 

  Condoms used 

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. Side characters announce a pregnancy within the story. Children are mention in the epilogue (the epilogue takes place 35 years in the future) 

51% - kiss
73% - 🔥 oral for her, followed quickly by missionary, then a blow job in the shower

“I thought you were resting?”
“While you’re in here all naked and wet?” She slides her slick body against mine and wraps her hand around my cock.
“Damn it, Kate.” Her hand gives enough pressure to make me see stars. I brace my weight against the wall and the water sluices over us both. I swear again when she strokes twice and drops to her knees.
79% - 🔥 sex against the windows of the hero’s high rise apartment with spanking

"I told you not to move." He wraps his hand around my throat and strokes with a hint of pressure.
"Why did you spank me?" My outrage dims at the caress. It's difficult to remain outraged when it's what I crave.
"Did you lie to me?" He takes the lobe of my ear between his teeth and tugs.