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aliu6's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
Laurie Halcombe has had a rough few years, but things are starting to look up as she manages to score a job at a prestigious law firm, even if it does mean she's personal assistant to the icy Diana Parker. If only Laurie could stop thinking about how hot Diana is and remember that she's her boss. And married. To a man. As Laurie struggles to rein in her attraction, she begins to wonder whether Diana is holding back too.
This was a really fun read. It kept me engaged the whole way through, and whew, were those sex scenes hot. There were also some nice pieces of angst that hit me by surprise. I will say, don't go in expecting a masterpiece. The characters are kind of one-dimensional and a lot of stuff seems unrealistic and/or doesn't make sense.
But this was an enjoyable book, and I'd recommend.
Laurie Halcombe has had a rough few years, but things are starting to look up as she manages to score a job at a prestigious law firm, even if it does mean she's personal assistant to the icy Diana Parker. If only Laurie could stop thinking about how hot Diana is and remember that she's her boss. And married. To a man. As Laurie struggles to rein in her attraction, she begins to wonder whether Diana is holding back too.
This was a really fun read. It kept me engaged the whole way through, and whew, were those sex scenes hot. There were also some nice pieces of angst that hit me by surprise. I will say, don't go in expecting a masterpiece. The characters are kind of one-dimensional and a lot of stuff seems unrealistic and/or doesn't make sense.
But this was an enjoyable book, and I'd recommend.
retronoix's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
keydib's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Lots of 🌶️🥵
But verrrrryyy slow.
The beginning and end was worth it. But it was slow going.
But verrrrryyy slow.
The beginning and end was worth it. But it was slow going.
hsinjulit's review against another edition
5.0
Content warnings: non-consensual kissings between the main characters, one instance of bi-erasure from a minor character, underlying misogyny from antagonists. Note that ableist language is also present in the book (crazy, insane, mad, blind).
Sinclair definitely surprised me with The X Ingredient. I don't normally do well with ice-queen, age-gap, office romance, but I wanted to try anyway. And I am so glad I did.
Part-time student Laurie Holcombe (25, lesbian) is not like previous PAs Diana Parker (43, half-Vietnamese), S.J.D. had hired. There is something about the young woman that piques Diana's interest. Then jealousy burns in Diana when Laurie openly admires another older woman. But Diana is straight, married, and Laurie's supervisor. There is nothing she could do, right?
The story is told in both Laurie's and Diana's first person viewpoints. Both of them are very intense characters and I absolutely love that. Diana is a workaholic ice queen who shows no emotion to anyone, including her husband. And Laurie is very direct, passionate, and speaks so genuinely my heart aches.
"You'd be lucky to have me." This single sentence issued from a twenty-five-year-old to a senior partner in a law firm is powerful, self-assured, and determined. It shows what kind of person Laurie is, and though sometimes reckless, she is a very capable PA. Then we have Diana, the supposedly put-together superior who is struggling with her own sexuality at the age of forty-three. The unconventionality of Laurie pricked a hole in Diana's armor, and we see both women make a lot of questionable but totally understandable decisions.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, in this book feels contrived. The plot flows perfectly and the sex scenes are off-the-charts hot. Immediate attraction between main characters seldom translates well on paper for me, but this time, I really feel Laurie and Diana's tension and love.
I love the power balance between the mains. Their dynamics during work and sex are very different, and it works wonderfully. I also love all the detailed descriptions in non-sexual settings as well as sexual ones.
The only confusing thing of this book is its title. With "X" showing up exactly once, I am still unsure if that is why it is named so.
The X Ingredient is the ice-queen, age-gap, office romance with morally gray leading ladies I did not know I need. After finish reading this one, I am very interested in trying out its audiobook version. I think it would work amazingly, even though I have never listened to wlw romance before. If you want hot sex scenes with dominance and submission (D/s) scenes, this is a good one.
I have yet to read Sinclair's debut The Lily and the Crown, but if it is half as good as The X Ingredient, she will be on my list of auto-read authors.
I received an electronic review copy from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Sinclair definitely surprised me with The X Ingredient. I don't normally do well with ice-queen, age-gap, office romance, but I wanted to try anyway. And I am so glad I did.
Part-time student Laurie Holcombe (25, lesbian) is not like previous PAs Diana Parker (43, half-Vietnamese), S.J.D. had hired. There is something about the young woman that piques Diana's interest. Then jealousy burns in Diana when Laurie openly admires another older woman. But Diana is straight, married, and Laurie's supervisor. There is nothing she could do, right?
The story is told in both Laurie's and Diana's first person viewpoints. Both of them are very intense characters and I absolutely love that. Diana is a workaholic ice queen who shows no emotion to anyone, including her husband. And Laurie is very direct, passionate, and speaks so genuinely my heart aches.
"You'd be lucky to have me." This single sentence issued from a twenty-five-year-old to a senior partner in a law firm is powerful, self-assured, and determined. It shows what kind of person Laurie is, and though sometimes reckless, she is a very capable PA. Then we have Diana, the supposedly put-together superior who is struggling with her own sexuality at the age of forty-three. The unconventionality of Laurie pricked a hole in Diana's armor, and we see both women make a lot of questionable but totally understandable decisions.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, in this book feels contrived. The plot flows perfectly and the sex scenes are off-the-charts hot. Immediate attraction between main characters seldom translates well on paper for me, but this time, I really feel Laurie and Diana's tension and love.
I love the power balance between the mains. Their dynamics during work and sex are very different, and it works wonderfully. I also love all the detailed descriptions in non-sexual settings as well as sexual ones.
The only confusing thing of this book is its title. With "X" showing up exactly once, I am still unsure if that is why it is named so.
The X Ingredient is the ice-queen, age-gap, office romance with morally gray leading ladies I did not know I need. After finish reading this one, I am very interested in trying out its audiobook version. I think it would work amazingly, even though I have never listened to wlw romance before. If you want hot sex scenes with dominance and submission (D/s) scenes, this is a good one.
I have yet to read Sinclair's debut The Lily and the Crown, but if it is half as good as The X Ingredient, she will be on my list of auto-read authors.
I received an electronic review copy from Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
emily095's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
dadjumper's review
4.0
This one is... interesting. As far as lesbian smut dynamics go, this is right in my wheelhouse. Love a D/s relationship, especially a role reversal. The chemistry is excellent.
The problem I have is how closely it hits the line of being unethical. The whole relationship just feels like a constant abuse of power in the workplace, and especially with Diana being married it's just a little... skeezey. I was constantly taken out of the narrative to stop and go "yeahhhh this is kinda weird."
Overall I still loved it but that stops it from being an all-timer for me.
The problem I have is how closely it hits the line of being unethical. The whole relationship just feels like a constant abuse of power in the workplace, and especially with Diana being married it's just a little... skeezey. I was constantly taken out of the narrative to stop and go "yeahhhh this is kinda weird."
Overall I still loved it but that stops it from being an all-timer for me.
aberthold's review against another edition
3.0
This was a quick and easy read. While I didn't love it, overall it was a decent story. Very spicy. The pacing was a little off and I found issue with the power dynamics.
I would read from this author again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I would read from this author again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.