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alexandramilne's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
leslielikesthings's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
readingwithstardust's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty sure I picked this one up solely bc I knew there was pegging (plus it's by Olivia Waite who is one of like, 3 historical romance authors I will trust implicitly at this point). And it did not disappoint! I admit I did not love the twist of infertility for Anne, as a personal preference I just don't like infertility as a storyline in general and in a novella it is hard to satisfyingly cover that full arc. BUT I did love Simon supporting her, giving her space to work through that pain, and when in doubt providing her with a tool to work around that pain. Get you a man who buys a dildo you can fuck him with when you get bad news. Helluva therapy strategy.
shomarq's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
elenajohansen's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as its predecessor, mostly because it felt unbalanced as a story. The beginning started off with a not-love-match marriage gradually turning passionate, which was great, I was hooked. But then partway through the subject matter turned extraordinarily heavy as the heroine dealt with infertility issues. (Which, to be fair, their was a content warning about for those who wish to avoid it.) I have no problems reading about it, but I was disappointed by how that's the only thing the story became about, and everything else bent to make infertility the main plot line--which sacrificed the more dynamic and lighthearted "married first, falling in love second" story that it seemed we were promised in the beginning.
I think there would have been room for both of these plot if this had been a full novella rather than a novella, and if the second half of the story had given the hero more to do than show up for a sex scene but be almost entirely absent otherwise.
And the epilogue...honestly, it felt trite, because this is by no means the first story where the infertile heroine contrives some way to fill her life with "replacement" children, and this result for this story felt like it hadn't been foreshadowed properly--again, a lack of space in such a short narrative, I'm assuming.
I think there would have been room for both of these plot if this had been a full novella rather than a novella, and if the second half of the story had given the hero more to do than show up for a sex scene but be almost entirely absent otherwise.
And the epilogue...honestly, it felt trite, because this is by no means the first story where the infertile heroine contrives some way to fill her life with "replacement" children, and this result for this story felt like it hadn't been foreshadowed properly--again, a lack of space in such a short narrative, I'm assuming.
jessreads137's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Anne's cousin Hecuba just experienced a major scandal before a rushed marriage to John Rushmore and she is about to approach the Earl Simon Rushmore to seek retribution for the damage his actions had on her marriage prospects. She proposes they enter a marriage of convenience and the Earl immediately accepts. Simon is enamoured by his new bride and has a desire to submit to her every want and need but Anne has a secret that may impact their hopes for a future.
This was a satisfying interpretation of BDSM in a historical context and was a compelling romance for two characters who are not well liked after the first book. Both are offered a satisfying conclusion to consequences of their actions in the previous book.
pastelwriter's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed this short novella! Considering the fact that I picked it up because I was looking for a book with a female dom and a male sub, this definitely scratched that itch.
I would say that my one major complaint about this novella would be the pacing. I thought the beginning was dry, abrupt, and lacked tension between the protagonist and the love interest. Precisely because the beginning was so thin, it also meant that once an actual plot started developing in this novella, it felt a little out of place. It didn't feel like it flowed naturally.
However, ultimately I did find myself enjoying this story. I thought the plot was engaging. I found the characters funny and entertaining. Furthermore, the smut (especially in the beginning of the novella) was absolutely delightful. It has made me want to find more stories with a similar dynamic because the vibes were just impeccable.
Ultimately, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this considering I have read a more recent Olivia Waite release and found it lackluster. Do I think this novella is perfect? No. But I certainly found it engaging, and that's all I really ask from books in this genre.
I would say that my one major complaint about this novella would be the pacing. I thought the beginning was dry, abrupt, and lacked tension between the protagonist and the love interest. Precisely because the beginning was so thin, it also meant that once an actual plot started developing in this novella, it felt a little out of place. It didn't feel like it flowed naturally.
However, ultimately I did find myself enjoying this story. I thought the plot was engaging. I found the characters funny and entertaining. Furthermore, the smut (especially in the beginning of the novella) was absolutely delightful. It has made me want to find more stories with a similar dynamic because the vibes were just impeccable.
Ultimately, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed this considering I have read a more recent Olivia Waite release and found it lackluster. Do I think this novella is perfect? No. But I certainly found it engaging, and that's all I really ask from books in this genre.
princeluffy's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book. There is a decided lack of female domination in fiction, especially written by women. I was hoping for a tad more domination and a bit more roughness to the primary couple's sex, but I still got the air that Anne was both in control and considerate of her husband.
I appreciated that unlike most erotic fiction of the same genre written by men, Anne was a fully fleshed out character and not simply a cruel stand-in for a hapless male submissive with no real personality or motivations of her own.
The addition of Anne's PCOS as well as her actually NOT having children by some miracle was appreciated. These kinds of novels often present this issue, but it resolves itself if only with one pregnancy or the character becomes incurably bitter. It was nice to have a woman who wanted to be a mother actually not have biological children and rather formulate a found family and adopt. As someone with PCOS as well as other issues where I cannot have children, the representation is long overdue and much appreciated.
I appreciated that unlike most erotic fiction of the same genre written by men, Anne was a fully fleshed out character and not simply a cruel stand-in for a hapless male submissive with no real personality or motivations of her own.
The addition of Anne's PCOS as well as her actually NOT having children by some miracle was appreciated. These kinds of novels often present this issue, but it resolves itself if only with one pregnancy or the character becomes incurably bitter. It was nice to have a woman who wanted to be a mother actually not have biological children and rather formulate a found family and adopt. As someone with PCOS as well as other issues where I cannot have children, the representation is long overdue and much appreciated.
rashbrook's review
2.0
A pleasant enough story with a marriage of convenience turned passionate, with an odd note of a dominant wife. I generally like a story that includes dominance however the introduction of it in this text felt a little off. It was a pleasant quick read that certain won’t keep me from reading other books from this author; I just didn’t love this one.