Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Sous l'Emprise du Désir

The tag line claims this book is "the most sensual romance of the year" and you know what? Pretty much.

I wanted so badly to give this book 5 stars but it suffers from a complete lack of external conflict which causes the plot to sag a bit in the middle. I felt there were some missed opportunities for rich conflict in Jack's background, which we hardly touch on, and we don't know much about Amanda's background at all. It's just that the book gives you the impression early on that it's going to be a bit of swashbuckler, but it's not.

That said, this book did continue to delight me at the turn of every page. The set up for the book is truly a chefs kiss moment, and I appreciate that Kleypas wants to shield these two from the plot because they make a wonderful pair. They have burning hot chemistry in all aspects of their lives, and seeing how Jack is devoted to and admiring of Amanda's body and intellect is swoony. A man who is obsessed with his wife and believes in/encourages her ambitions wholeheartedly is catnip to me. "Set the world on fire. Just let me hand you the matches" is a line I will never ever forget.

So despite all the issues I mentioned up top, I still think book is a sincere pleasure to read and well worth your time if you love to see two smart horny people fall into love and genuine partnership.

Content Warnings

ylime620's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

Content Warnings

asha_m's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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