Reviews

The Awakening of Ivy Leavold by Sierra Simone

megatza's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

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

3.5

 

I picked up Ivy Leavold as an ALC from NetGalley. I'd read it previously, so was curious to see how this erotic novella played out in my ears. Honestly, I don't prefer first person erotica. Ivy is a penniless virgin sent to live with her late cousin's husband, Julian Markham. She's immediately attracted to him despite the fact that he's now had two wives die within a month of marriage to him. It's an exploration of sexuality in the Victorian era for a poor country girl. It's 5🔥 but essentially the first in a serial, rather than something that can be read alone. There's instant-lust for sure and a bit of mystery. Because it's first person POV, we have Ivy's very naive perspective, but that gives the book an intriguing air, though, not my favorite stylistically.

The narration is solid - at first I wasn't sure how Zara Hampton-Brown's narrative style would work, but she gives Ivy the innocence of a young girl learning how to want.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an ALC for review. The audiobook for The Awakening of Ivy Leavold is out 2/29/24. The ebook and print are available now.

 

alana1987's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

eviemiller's review

3.0

Quick read. Writing is good. For me, I just didn’t connect with the characters enough to love the story. The initial physical interactions between the two leads was very abrupt and just left me asking “but why?”, which hung on for the remainder of the story. Just wasn’t for me. 

yeahorneighreviews's review

4.0

Another steamy sensation from Sierra!

I went into this one blind and couldn't stop once I started. I loved the historical feel, mystery element, and most of all the chemistry between Ivy and Julian was scorching.

The narrators were great and brought the heat right off the pages. This was a quick and steamy listen, and I'm looking forward continuing their story in the next Markham Hall book!

bookishlifeofjess's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Thanks to Dreamscape Select & NetGalley for an advance audio copy of the first in the Ivy Leavold series. This was a super quick listen at only 4.5hours and was well done. Just didnt do much for me overall though! 

bookscellarhaunts's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

illstoptheworldandreadwithyou's review against another edition

3.5

This short and spicy novella from Sierra Simone kicks off the Markham Hall series. It's 1879, and Ivy Leavold's brother has just passed. With nowhere else to go, she finds herself at Markham Hall under the care of her cousin's widower, Julian Markham. Ivy is young and inexperienced. Julian is dark and drawn to her. Things quickly become physical between them, but the unsolved mysteries surrounding the deaths of Julian's two wives hang over the house like a shroud. Was he responsible for their deaths? Is Ivy safe in his arms? 

 

Sierra Simone always delivers the spice, and you can find plenty of heat in this one. Julian is rather torn about whether he should give into his attraction to Ivy, so expect lots of back and forth behavior on his part. And there are some—ahem—unconventional party games when his guests come to visit. 

 

This one is high on the heat factor but not as invested in the character and plot development. 

 

Zara Hampton-Brown's narration brings Ivy's apprehension, curiosity, youth, and naïveté to life. I enjoyed her vocal choices for Ivy and many of the other characters but was not as enamored with her voice for Julian. 

 

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Dreamscape Select and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own. 

alrightieaphroditie's review against another edition

3.0

three stars! ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ i kind of randomly decided to pick this series up, and it definitely started off strong!

i’m not a huge fan of the instalove aspect, but i do like the historical setting and sierra simone’s writing is perfect, as always. i’m also completely imagining cillian murphy (specifically thomas shelby cillian murphy) as markham and i’m living for it! the rest of the series is pretty short, so i’m hoping to breeze through them sometime today!

ipariszara's review against another edition

2.0

two out of the other couple thousand kindle books i have to finish this month

klo14726's review against another edition

dark

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0