A modern twist on Emma by Jane Austen, If I Loved You Less brings together two people who have always been in each other’s orbit but never imagined the quiet, familiar thread between them could ignite into something far more intense.

26 year old Em Woodson, is a vibrant, compassionate, and fiercely loyal daughter to her dependent father, and quite used to managing everyone’s lives—except her own. In contrast, 39 year old Ward Knightley, her longtime neighbor and her father’s close friend, has always been the calm in the storm—blunt, steady, and somewhat aloof and a rather critical presence in her life at times. But everything shifts when the low thrum of awareness between them begins to rise into something neither can ignore.

Neither Em no Ward start off pining for each other—this is no case of unrequited love on either side. Rather, it is a slow build-up of awareness between the two that seemingly springs out of nowhere, forcing them to confront their burgeoning feelings for one another. Em, who has sworn off marriage because it is not for the likes of her, but still hangs a wedding dress in her room, and Ward who has never thought beyond his failed marriage to moving onto greener pastures—neither is ready for the avalanche of feelings that catches them unawares.

While Ward is older, controlled, and more mature when it comes to Em, who at certain times comes off as rather bratty in my opinion—beneath that restraint is a man who has been waiting, even if he did not know it. He does not fall in love with Em because she has been in his life since childhood, but rather because of the woman she became: generous and thoughtful—even though at times, her meddling nature does more harm than good. Even if Em feels as if he does nothing but criticize her for her life choices, in truth, Ward has admired her long before desire entered the equation.

Em, for her part, is one of those heroines who gets under your skin without even trying. She’s loving but not naïve, self-aware but not jaded. Though she tells herself that she is not spoiled, there is a part of her that is, and seeks to get away with what she wants—the way she wants it. She may have never broken free of her family’s grasp, but she has carved out a life full of purpose for herself as much as she can under the circumstances. Her relationship with Ward feels like a natural extension of who she is—it grows organically from admiration, banter, comfort… and then something hotter and far more dangerous.

The real tension when it comes to how Em and Ward’s relationship evolves lies in the emotional shift—the moment they start to see each other differently for the first time. Neither of them pursues the other outright; instead, the tension builds through shared moments, moments in which they are caught unawares, which blooms slowly and then there is no forcing back the tidal wave that hits. It’s restrained, but thrilling—and somehow more electrifying for that matter.

I enjoyed the second installment in the Pemberly House series on so many levels. I loved both Em and Ward individually and together — how they both just fit right in with each other as if they had been waiting to call each other their home. I loved that both Em and Ward got the emotional space and attention they deserved. Their connection wasn’t a lightning bolt—it was the kind of slow ignition that feels inevitable and completely right.

Ward was definitely the highlight of the story. He was a man who had put his romantic life to sleep and suddenly found it stirred awake by a woman who had always been there. I loved that Ms. Adams did not try to fix Em’s family situation to make her more “available.” Instead, Ward fit himself into her world, accepting and embracing what mattered to her, and offering his love without conditions.

And the heat? Subtle, steady, and so well-done. That quiet, simmering sexual tension was better than many full-blown steamy scenes—it pulsed under every conversation, every look. And when it finally boiled over? Perfection.

Recommended for: Readers who love slow-burns that truly burn, age-gap romance done with emotional depth and maturity, and heroes who fall in love with the woman as she is, not as he wants her to be.

Final Verdict: Simmering tension, emotional richness, and a quietly magnetic hero who didn’t know what he was missing until she lit the spark. Ward makes this one unforgettable.

Favorite Quotes

He dropped his hand. “Why do you try to lie to me? I’ve known you since you were in diapers.”
She scowled since she hated being reminded of that fact. “Your being thirteen years more ancient than me doesn’t mean you can read my mind. There are things about me that you’ll never know.”
He stared at her, and there was something full and deep and slightly conflicted in the gaze.
Something that left her breathless.
“What don’t I know?” he asked in a low, rough voice.

Instead of turning the knob, he stood like a statue for several seconds.
“Ward?” Em prompted, confused by his behavior.
“I don’t always find fault with you,” he said, not turning around. “I think you’re amazing. The most amazing person I’ve ever known. And nothing is ever going to make me feel differently.”
Em’s mouth dropped open, and she stared at his stiff back. She couldn’t make her voice work, and she had no idea what to say anyway.
After another moment, Ward opened the door, stepped into the hall, and closed it behind him—leaving Em alone with a flurry of emotions that weren’t anything like she used to feel for Ward.
At all.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple