Category / Widowed Hero

by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Deal at the Altar by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Marriage by Command, #2
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Sergios Demonides
Heroine: Beatriz Blake
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: March 16, 2012
Started On: January 07, 2026
Finished On: January 10, 2026

A Deal at the Altar is one of those vintage Lynne Graham romances that reminds you exactly why this author has ruled over the marriage-of-convenience trope for decades. Set against a backdrop of wealth, power, and emotional damage, the story follows a pragmatic arrangement that quickly becomes anything but simple. A ruthless Greek billionaire in need of stability for his household crosses paths with a woman who never imagined herself bargaining her way to the altar, and what unfolds is a slow, emotionally charged collision of duty, desire, and vulnerability.

Sergios Demonides is very much the larger-than-life hero Graham excels at writing. He is domineering, closed-off, deeply scarred by his past, and utterly convinced that control is the only way to survive relationships. There is nothing soft about him at the start, and that resistance is precisely what gives his arc such weight. Beatriz Blake, on the other hand, is a quiet revelation. She is nurturing, intelligent, and understated, with a spine of steel beneath her calm exterior. Her lack of artifice, coupled with her fierce sense of responsibility, makes her stand out sharply in a world that prizes glamour and submission.

What drives the story is not just the marriage arrangement itself, but the emotional standoff that follows. Sergios enters the marriage determined to keep his heart locked down, drawing clear lines between obligation and intimacy. Beatriz, meanwhile, is pulled between her own emotional needs and the responsibility she has taken on, knowing full well that loving a man like Sergios comes with risks. The tension lies in watching two people negotiate trust when one of them has spent a lifetime equating vulnerability with loss.

What worked exceptionally well for me was the emotional development. This felt more layered and satisfying than the third book in the series which I reviewed earlier. Beatriz’s maturity grounds the story, and her kindness becomes a quiet but powerful force that challenges Sergios in ways no confrontation ever could. Sergios’s journey from emotional isolation to genuine connection is slow, resistant, and believable, which makes his eventual transformation deeply rewarding. The angst is well-paced, the chemistry is undeniable, and the emotional beats land exactly where they should.

What stayed with me most is how fully realized Beatriz and Sergios felt as individuals and as a couple. Their emotional development was layered and deliberate, with Sergios’s slow, reluctant movement toward a happily ever after feeling entirely earned. Beatriz is just the right dose of femininity, beauty, sexiness, classiness, and kindness that does the magic in healing the wounded soul of Sergios. In short, Beatriz was love!

Sergios begins the story as raw sex appeal and ruthless control personified, but watching him confront his own emotional limitations and choose vulnerability in the safe space that is Beatriz was immensely satisfying. This book delivers angst without excess, growth without melodrama, and a romance that feels grounded in a way that does wonders. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the wounded and commanding Sergios unravel under the steady presence of Beatriz.

Recommended for: readers who love marriage-of-convenience romances, emotionally scarred alpha heroes, nurturing but strong heroines, and a solid dose of well-earned angst.

Final Verdict: One of Lynne Graham’s most emotionally satisfying takes on the marriage of convenience trope. Rich character development, palpable chemistry, and a beautifully executed reluctant-to-love arc make this an easy 5-star read!

Favorite Quotes

‘Nectarios was very patient. It must’ve been even harder for him. I was poorly educated, bitter about my mother’s death and as feral as an animal when he first employed me. But he never gave up on me.’
‘You were probably a more worthwhile investment of his time than the father you never met,’ Bee offered.
Sergios surveyed her steadily, his stunning gaze reflecting the sunlight as he slowly shook his arrogant head in apparent wonderment at that view. ‘Only you would think the best of me after what I’ve just told you about my juvenile crime record, yineka mou.’

As she knelt he closed a hand into her chestnut hair and lifted her head, searching her oval face with brooding eyes. She gazed back at him with a bemused frown. ‘What do you want from me?’ she questioned in frustration.
‘Right now?’ Sergios released a roughened laugh that danced along her taut spine like trailing fingertips. ‘Anything you’ll give me. Haven’t you worked that out yet?’

‘I’ll take you out sailing tomorrow morning,’ he announced with the air of a man expecting a round of applause for his thoughtfulness.
‘Lucky me,’ Bee droned in a long-suffering voice.
‘Later this week, I’ll take you over to Corfu to shop.’
‘I hate shopping—do we have to?’
The silence moved in again.
‘When I married you I believed you were a reasonable, rational woman,’ Sergios volunteered curtly over the dessert course.
‘I believed you when you said you wanted a platonic marriage,’ Bee confided. ‘Just goes to show how wrong you can be about someone.’

‘I don’t want anyone else seeing you dance like that,’ Sergios spelt out. ‘It’s too sexy—’
‘But that’s how I keep fit—it’s only exercise.’
‘It’s incredibly erotic,’ Sergios contradicted, wrenching off the shorts with impatient hands.
‘We really ought to be discussing this,’ she told him anxiously.
A heart-breaking smile slashed his beautiful mouth. ‘I don’t want to talk about it…we’ve talked it to death.’

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

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Only December by Noelle Adams

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Douglas Saxon-Barrington
Heroine: Mona Paulson
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: November 21, 2025
Started On: November 25, 2025
Finished On: December 05, 2025

I lived in drought for so long before she became my rain.

Only December is one of those quiet, deceptively gentle romances that slowly works its way under your skin. The story unfolds over the course of a single month, when Mona Paulson takes on a temporary housekeeping assignment in a lakeside mansion owned by Douglas Saxon-Barrington, a reclusive philosopher who has deliberately withdrawn from life. What begins as a strictly professional arrangement soon becomes something far more intimate, something neither bargained for when each agreed to the terms.

Mona is thirty-two, self-sufficient, emotionally grounded, and quietly confident in who she is. She values her independence deeply and has never been interested in settling for a relationship that does not genuinely add to her life. There is a warmth to her that is not loud or performative, and her curiosity about people feels organic rather than intrusive.

Douglas, on the other hand, is fifty-two, widowed, and exquisitely controlled. He lives a carefully structured life shaped by loss, discipline, and intellect, believing that his most meaningful days are behind him. He is thoughtful, restrained, and unexpectedly tender, with a depth that makes every interaction with him feel deliberate and weighted.

As December progresses, their worlds begin to overlap in small but meaningful ways. Mona gently disrupts Douglas’s rigid routines, encouraging him to step outside his library and engage with the world again, while Douglas sees Mona in a way few people ever have. Their connection grows through shared walks, conversations about joy, grief, purpose, and the quiet intimacy of being truly seen. The tension lies not in whether they want each other, but in whether they are willing to risk reopening doors they believed were firmly shut, especially when time is clearly limited.

What I loved most about this story was Douglas. He is one of those rare heroes who is swoon-worthy not because of dominance or bravado, but because of kindness, self-control, and emotional honesty. The way he listens, the way he speaks, and the way he loves feels deeply intentional. Mona complements him beautifully, not by diminishing herself, but by standing firmly in who she is. Their physical connection mirrors their emotional one, slow, meaningful, and surprisingly powerful. The age gap becomes a non-issue and I literally swooned because Douglas was that hero for me.

That said, this is a quieter romance, and readers looking for high drama or rapid escalation may find the pacing too gentle. The story leans heavily into introspection and emotional nuance, which worked wonderfully for me (perhaps I was in the mood for one), but it may not be for everyone. I would have loved just a little more time with them beyond December, simply because their connection was so lovely to sit with.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy mature romances, introspective storytelling, age-gap relationships done with care, and heroes who lead with intellect and emotional depth than force.

Final Verdict: A tender, thoughtful romance about grief, joy, and the courage it takes to open your heart again. Quietly beautiful and deeply satisfying.

Favorite Quotes

“I disagree. A lot of people might want to be as authentic as you, but they’re too deeply swayed by making the right impression on the world or pursuing a strategy to get what they want or finding the easy way through the harder parts of life to live life as truly as you do. Why do you think you were able to break through all my protective barriers?”
My mind whirls. I can’t believe this is happening. He’s saying so much of what I desperately want to hear, expressing an appreciation of me—the real me—that no one else ever has. “I… I don’t know. I guess I just assumed because I was here and always around.”
He lets out a breathy laugh. “That’s not it at all. You’re right about me at heart. I have been hiding from life. And then suddenly you breezed into my world, all that’s best and most beautiful about life embodied in one warmhearted, intelligent, and spirited woman. How could I not wake up?”

He reaches out to take my hand. “Do you not want to sleep with me?”
“Of course I do. But I wasn’t sure if you… I mean, since we’re not together for real, I thought…”
He shakes his head. “Sweetheart, be serious. People are different. I know they are. But I will always be me. And I can’t imagine ever—ever—wanting to do what we just did with someone and not wanting to wake up with her beside me in the morning.”
I make a helpless, sobbing sound. Far too much emotion coming out in one burst.
Then I let him pull me back into bed beside him.

“Do you often get headaches this bad?”
He shakes his head. “Not anymore. They’re migraines. I used to get them at least a couple of times a month, but for the past several years I only get them occasionally.” His eyes are closed as he talks. It looks like he can barely even open them.
“What set this one off, do you know?”
“The weather change, I think. Shifts in pressure sometimes do it to me. I was hoping to stave it off.”
“Do you have any other medication you can take?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Why the hesitation?”
“Because it makes me fuzzy and out of it for hours.”
“Isn’t that better than being in pain?”
“I guess. I just didn’t want to…”
“To what?” He so seldom trails off in conversation I assume he’s in too much pain to get the words out.
But then he finally goes on. “To lose the day.”
He didn’t want to lose the day.
I place a hand on my aching chest.
It’s December 17. We only have two weeks left.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Brood by Claire Kent

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Romance
POV: First Person, FMC
Series: Standalone
Publisher: After the End
Hero: Will
Heroine: Cadence
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: October 07, 2025
Started On: November 11, 2025
Finished On: November 11, 2025

I went into Brood expecting a shorter, palate-cleansing post-apocalyptic novella from Claire Kent. Instead, I got a full, layered, emotionally gripping novel that reminded me why this author remains unmatched when it comes to exploring intimacy, survival, and the quiet ferocity of human bonds in the bleakest worlds.

Set decades after the asteroid strike that reshaped humanity, the story unfolds within the suffocating walls of an underground bunker where order is maintained through rigid rules, controlled breeding, and the suppression of emotion. In this realm exists Cadence, twenty-one, earnest, sensitive, and designated “too emotional” by a society that fears feeling more than it fears extinction.

Cadence has spent her life preparing to marry her childhood best friend, but a sudden decree from the ruling council upends everything. Instead, she is ordered to wed Will, a thirty-something newly widowed Chief, and the very definition of stoic restraint. Their marriage is meant to be functional, practical, dutiful. She is to “breed.” He is to guide, protect, and contribute to the dwindling population. But beneath his quiet exterior, Will is a man shaped by grief, loyalty, and a deeper humanity than anyone gives him credit for. And beneath Cadence’s supposed fragility is a resilience the bunker has never understood.

What unfolds between them is exactly the type of slow, emotional unravelling Claire Kent does best. The forced marriage sets the stage, but the true heart of the book lies in how these two strangers learn to care for each other in small, tender ways, guarding each other’s vulnerabilities, finding comfort in stolen touches, and building trust where logic insists there should be none. As their intimacy deepens, the sexual connection becomes a catalyst for emotional awakening, each encounter intensifying the bond forming between them. Will, especially, is the kind of hero I have been missing from Kent’s more recent works; quietly dominant, emotionally contained until he isn’t, and protective in a way that hits straight in the gut.

All the while, the bunker looms as its own antagonist, its rules, its manipulations, and the horrifying treatment of mothers and babies in order to do what is “best” for the system, and the chilling belief that emotion itself is a liability. The plot twist towards the end was one I did not see coming, and grounded the narrative in both tragedy and hope. I only wish certain villains had met more satisfying ends, but the overall arc remains powerful nonetheless.

Brood is everything I want in a post-apocalyptic romance; high stakes, oppressive world-building, quiet rebellion, and a love story that blooms despite the darkness around it. Will and Cadence are beautifully matched in their vulnerabilities and strengths, and their journey felt raw, intimate, and deeply satisfying. The emotional beats hit the right notes. The sensuality builds naturally. And the epilogue? Perfect.

Recommended for: Readers who love intense, emotionally intimate post-apocalyptic romances; protective older heroes; forced marriage done right; and Claire Kent at her atmospheric best.

Final Verdict: A gripping, sensual, emotionally charged dystopian romance that proves even in the darkest worlds, love can be the strongest form of rebellion.

Favorite Quotes

“Why were you talking to Grearson about me?”
“I ran into him, and he was asking how you were and how married life was for us.”
“Oh. How did you answer him?”
Will pauses only briefly. “I said you were as good a spouse as anyone could hope for.”
A shiver of pleasure fills me, temporarily distracting me from my crushing disappointment. “You said that?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know. I thought you might say that I was prickly.”
His body shakes with breathy amusement. It’s subdued like mine—still tempered. “Of course I wouldn’t say that.”
“But you think that.”
“Sometimes.” He nuzzles my neck. “But that’s private. Just between us. No one else gets to know about your prickles.”
For some reason, I almost start crying again. My body shudders as I hold them back.
He brushes his lips against my hair again and murmurs something. I can’t hear it well, but it almost sounds like he says, “They’re mine.”

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Substitute Bride by Noelle Adams

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Beaufort Brides, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: James Harwood
Heroine: Rose Beaufort
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: August 22, 2015
Started On: September 08, 2025
Finished On: September 11, 2025

Substitute Bride by Noelle Adams had everything that could have made it a deeply emotional, slow-burn romance; widowed single father, devoted nanny, and a simmering forbidden attraction, but somehow the execution never quite matched its potential. Yet despite the promising premise, the story feels like it’s missing the spark that usually makes her understated writing sing.

Rose Beaufort has been nanny to James Harwood’s two young daughters for more than two years, quietly holding the family together since the death of his wife. She is patient, kind, and almost too self-contained; a caretaker in every sense, both to the children and to the man she has never allowed herself to want. James, for his part, is a man trapped between grief, obligation, and guilt. He is engaged to a woman who seems perfect on paper but whose manipulative charm barely hides her selfishness. When that engagement implodes and he begins to really see Rose, what unfolds is a push and pull between propriety and passion, duty and desire.

James is perhaps quite the emotionally restrained hero, controlled to the point of frustration. His attraction to Rose builds with the kind of quiet inevitability that should have made for exquisite tension. Yet even as he begins to unravel, the story somehow feels too neat, too muted. Rose, despite being the heart of the novel, is written with so much restraint as well that her emotions never quite land with the impact they should. She feels more like an observer of her own love story rather than its participant. And while the fake engagement and later emotional confessions promised the sort of angst I live for, the delivery feels like it stops short of what I needed.

What works, as always with Adams, is her delicate portrayal of care and connection. The scenes between Rose, James, and the girls are some of the most genuine parts of the novel, quiet moments of tenderness that feel deeply lived-in. The way Rose tucks the girls into bed or helps James manage his stress speaks more of love than the words either of them can say aloud. And when Adams allows the emotion to break through, when the control finally slips, the intimacy is beautiful, both sensual and real.

Still, for all its sweetness and emotional potential, Substitute Bride never fully takes flight. The chemistry simmers and the resolution comes too easily when it should have hurt a little more. By the end, you are left satisfied but not moved, and that feels like the greatest loss in a story that had all the makings of a quietly devastating romance.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy single-dad romances, nannies with hidden strength, and gentle domestic love stories with a touch of southern charm.

Final Verdict: Sweet and restrained, Substitute Bride delivers a soft love story that’s easy to read but misses the emotional punch Noelle Adams usually masters.

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

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Winter Bride by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Hero: Leo Demetrios
Heroine: Angie Brown
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: October 01, 1997
Started On: May 20, 2024
Finished On: May 21, 2024

When Leo wanted something, he wanted it yesterday. And, just below that sophisticated and cool cosmopolitan surface, Leo was as shockingly domineering and unashamedly primal in his appetites as a sixteenth-century pirate marauding the seven seas.

Lynne Graham’s The Winter Bride takes readers through her signature world of intense emotions, complicated family ties, and the kind of passionate entanglements that keeps the reader hooked till the very last page. This story blends all the classic Graham elements—misunderstandings, possessiveness, jealousy, and a love that refuses to be denied—wrapped in a Christmas setting that heightens both the drama and the intimacy.

Leo Demetrios is every inch the larger-than-life hero, a Greek billionaire with the commanding presence that Graham’s readers like myself expect. Beneath that ruthlessness lies a man who finds himself completely undone by Angie Brown, a heroine who has quietly lived in his world’s periphery as the butler’s daughter.

Angie is far younger than Leo, just nineteen when their paths first intertwine, and the years and circumstances between them only serve to heighten the storm brewing when they come together again. As a single mother, Angie has built a life for herself, but her lingering vulnerability and the secret she carries makes her relationship with Leo combustible from the very start.

The story brims with conflicts born out of pride, jealousy, and half-truths. Leo’s cousin Drew plays a pivotal role in fanning those flames, his own feelings for Angie creating rifts that push Leo into all the wrong conclusions. Watching Leo wrestle with his possessiveness and helpless jealousy, so convinced she loves another, makes for high-octane angst, the kind that only Graham seems to deliver so well. Dialogue dominates the novel, and it works in untangling the mess of misunderstandings that pile up between Leo and Angie.

A departure from the classic Garaham style, especially for a story published in the 90’s, what stood out to me is how talk-heavy the book was. While it gave space to develop the tangled family dynamics, it did feel at times like it robbed readers of the kind of exquisite passion that the tension between the main couple so richly promised. That said, when Graham does deliver, the connection between Leo and Angie is scorching and deeply emotional. Leo is magnificent in his intensity, and Angie, despite her youth and moments of insecurity, proves to be his equal in every sense, meeting his fire with her own strength.

For me, this story captured everything I love about Lynne Graham’s older romances: the larger-than-life hero, the vulnerable heroine who has an inner backbone of steel, the messy entanglements of pride and love, and the undeniable heat between them.

Recommended for: Fans of Lynne Graham’s vintage style who enjoy jealousy-fueled angst, powerful alpha heroes, and heroines who give as good as they get.

Final Verdict: An angst-filled romance brimming with family drama and fiery passion, The Winter Bride delivers the kind of emotional ride that reminds me why Lynne Graham remains a timeless favorite in the genre.

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

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Homestead by Claire Kent

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Romance
POV: First Person, Single
Series: Kindled, #7
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jimmy Carlson
Heroine: Chloe
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: May 17, 2024
Started On: May 16, 2024
Finished On: May 18, 2024

Drawing closer to the conclusion of the Kindled series by Claire Kent is bittersweet. With the publication of Haven, the debut book in the series, Ms. Kent opened to readers a world of chaos following a catastrophic event that effectively ended life as we know it today. It is a series that has made me think beyond the romance, witticism, and eroticism that Ms. Kent pens so effectively. What would happen to us when (and not if), the world meets such a fate? I believe that what Ms. Kent has outlined through each of her books in the series brings to light varied different circumstances under which the most vulnerable would fare in a world where survival of the fittest becomes the center theme.

With the seventh installment in the series, Homestead takes us back into the raw, stripped-down world as mentioned above. This story is about Chloe, a young woman left with nothing after the loss of her family, who finds safety through an arrangement with Jimmy Carlson, a widower whose quiet strength and steady presence offers her not only shelter but also a chance at a new life. Their partnership begins as one of survival and convenience but slowly transforms into something deeper, more tender, and unexpectedly intimate.

Jimmy is not your typical romance hero. He is gruff, practical, and a man of few words, but beneath that stoic exterior lies loyalty and decency that make him a quietly compelling character. Widowed and experienced, he knows the cost of loss and the value of stability.

Chloe, in contrast, is young and untested, her adult years shaped by the collapse of modern civilization. She starts out with no skills, resources, and no real sense of her place in the harsh new world. What makes her journey resonate is that she does not suddenly morph into a fearless survivor; instead, she builds on her own strengths and learns to carve out her space in a way that feels authentic.

Their arrangement comes with inherent conflict. Chloe feels the imbalance in power between them; Jimmy as protector and provider, she with little to give but herself, and yet Jimmy continually proves that he is not a man who takes advantage. Instead, as feelings emerge between them, the dynamic shifts into something more equal, rooted in choice and growing trust. Watching them move from uneasy strangers to genuine partners added weight to the romance, even amidst the bleakness of their world.

What I appreciated most about Homestead is how realistic the characters felt. Jimmy may not be the forceful alpha typical of post-apocalyptic romance, but his quiet authority was just as magnetic. Chloe’s vulnerability and her gradual steps toward finding her own kind of strength gave her a dimension I found refreshing.

The story delivered exactly what I expect from Kent: a balance of danger, survival, and scorching intimacy. And yes, there were a few unexpected surprises with Jimmy that made me smile. The narrative also underscores how, in a world where most pleasures have been stripped away, physical intimacy becomes one of the few remaining ways to feel alive—and that theme struck with me long after the last page was turned.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy slow-burn survival romances, realistic heroines finding their place, and protective but quietly commanding heroes.

Final Verdict: A grounded, tender, and intimate addition to the Kindled series—Homestead blends grit, realism, and heat—showing how love can grow even in the harshest worlds.

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Aurelia by S.M. LaViolette

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: The Bellamy Sisters, #4
Publisher: Crooked Sixpence Press
Hero: Roland Montgomery
Heroine: Aurelia Bellamy
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: April 09, 2024
Started On: May 04, 2024
Finished On: May 06, 2024

With the fourth installment in The Bellamy Sisters series, S.M. LaViolette, aka Minerva Spencer, brings to readers the story of the eldest daughter in the Bellamy family. Having fallen into desperate times, each of the sister’s set out to do what they can to restore the family’s finances, at often perilous cost to themselves.

As is signatureS.M. LaViolette, Aurelia is a sensual, atmospheric historical romance that pulls the reader into its lushly detailed setting and makes you root for two unlikely lovers who could not be more different. Aurelia Bellamy, the ever-responsible eldest daughter of her family, is ready to finally step out of the mold that has defined her. When the chance arises to work as an artist for one of England’s most renowned naturalists, she seizes it, even if it means traveling to a remote island to work for Roland Montgomery, the Eighth Earl of Creew, a man infamous for his rakish past and rumored moral ruin.

Roland is a man both physically and emotionally scarred, carrying the ghosts of his two failed marriages and a cynicism that runs deep. He has long convinced himself that love is not for the likes of him. Aurelia, on the other hand, is a prim, spirited young woman whose innate curiosity, artistic eye, and quiet strength makes her stand out in ways Roland never anticipated. Their attraction, once sparked, builds steadily into something far more complicated than either expects.

While Aurelia represents hope, beauty, and a certain innocence of heart, Roland embodies the disillusionment of a man who has seen too much betrayal. It is this push and pull—the idealism of a woman who believes in love against the jaded certainty of a man who believes it only destroys—that fuels the heart of the story. Watching them slowly surrender to what grows between them is both tender and steamy, with an intensity that lingers long after the last page is turned.

I found Aurelia to be an engaging heroine; witty, brave, and determined to carve out a life beyond the quiet sacrifices expected of her. She is ambitious without being reckless, and her compassion shines even when Roland tries to push her away. Roland himself is undeniably sexy, though a touch tamer than I had expected for such a notorious rake. His inner struggles and scars were compelling, but at times I wished for a little more raw angst to heighten the emotional stakes.

As always, LaViolette’s prose is beautifully layered, and her take on historical settings is refreshingly modern (a bit too much at times perhaps). The sensuality is woven seamlessly into the narrative, the sex scenes passionate yet meaningful, and the chemistry between Aurelia and Roland undeniable. Still, I would have liked just a touch more bite to their conflict—it felt as if the story could have pushed further into the darker, more tortured depths hinted at in Roland’s past.

Recommended for: readers who love age-gap romances, heroines who are quietly daring, and rakes who discover that love may not be the ruin they fear.

Final Verdict: Refreshing, intimate, and quietly powerful—Aurelia proves even the most jaded rake can be undone by love.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Sanctuary by Claire Kent

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Post Apocalyptic Romance
POV: First Person, Single
Series: Kindled, #6
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Aidan
Heroine: Breanna
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: December 29, 2023
Started On: March 09, 2024
Finished On: March 18, 2024

With Sanctuary, the seventh book in the Kindled series, Claire Kent perhaps takes on the most challenging of tropes thus far in this series—writing about a female protagonist who has undergone unimaginable horror and trauma in her bid for survival in the new world order that emerges from the ashes of the asteroid that hit the Earth.

How does such a character find strength to go on? How do they move past the shame and guilt that must be a continuous loop in their minds? How do you put them in a situation where they are able to find love and experience physical intimacy that actually acts as a healing balm in the face of their nightmares? All this and more, Ms. Kent takes on as she writes about 25 year old Breanna, the elder sister that we come across in Citadel, the sixth book in the series.

Breanna as one can imagine, is a woman hardened by survival in a brutal world shaped by those that survived the aftermath of the Impact. Since then, for the first time, Breanna is no longer bound to protect her sister Del, who has found love, security, and a future with the man who loves her to distraction. For the first time in years, Breanna is free to make her own choices, to live for herself. But freedom in this new world does not come without danger, and her job as a courier pits her against another lone operative—Aidan—who threatens not only her livelihood but her careful emotional distance. What starts off as a clash of wills slowly reveals an intimacy neither of them expected.

Breanna is a fierce character. She has to be in order to survive the ordeals she has been put through. She is the woman who has endured every kind of pain, degradation, and dehumanization the world can dish out and emerged standing—if not whole, then unbroken. Her body was the currency she used to buy safety for herself and her younger sister, and though she has long since escaped that life, the shadows linger. She is determined to remain independent, never to depend on a man again, and never to relinquish the control she clawed back from a world that took so much from her. As a a result, I admired her strength, even when I couldn’t always feel her. Her trauma was heavy and deeply personal, and though I understood her, I failed to fully connect with her on an emotional level.

Aidan, by contrast, is a slow burn of a hero. Less overtly intense than others in the series, his strength is quieter, wrapped in dry wit and carefully concealed wounds. He is a widower, a father who lost everything, and a man who lives by his own moral code—even if that means taking on jobs others won’t. He is frustrating, charming, a bit cocky, and ultimately more tender than I anticipated, and what Breanna exactly needed. While I did not end up falling headlong for Aidan the way I did with Cole or Travis, I appreciated how well-matched he was to Breanna. A hero with too much intensity might have broken her spirit further, but Aidan—with his patience and understanding, gave her the space to heal on her own terms.

Their relationship is not a sweeping romance but a gradual, sometimes stumbling, reconciliation with their pasts and their own worth. The emotional intimacy builds slowly, cracking open Breanna’s defenses, allowing her to confront the shame and grief that she has buried for years. Ms. Kent writes trauma with unflinching clarity; never sensationalized and grounded in a way that makes it all too real. The conversations between Breanna and Aidan, especially about consent, submission, and power, are some of the most emotionally naked scenes in the book.

And yet, Sanctuary didn’t hit quite as hard as others in the series. While I respected Breanna’s journey and empathized with her pain, I found myself detached from most of the story. It was not just Breanna, it was Aidan as well. The pacing felt more muted, and the romantic connection, though believable, lacked the raw magnetism that defined Last Light or Citadel. It is not that the story lacked heart; it just did not punch me in the gut the way I had hoped.

That said, Ms. Kent remains unmatched in the world of romance writers. Her ability to create varied, distinctive characters across a shared world, each marked by different losses, hopes, and shades of resilience is what keeps me coming back. Sanctuary may not be my favorite in the series, but it is perhaps a necessary one.

Even though Sanctuary can be read as a standalone, I would advise reading Citadel first as they are loosely connected.

Recommended for: Readers who appreciate trauma-informed storytelling, fierce heroines who you can only admire, and romances built on earned trust with slow burn heroes!

Final Verdict: Sanctuary is a quiet, difficult, and necessary journey through trauma and healing. Breanna’s story deserved to be told—and more importantly, to be heard.

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Lovely Return by Carian Cole

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, Multiple
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Alex Fox
Heroine: Penny Rose
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: November 29, 2023
Started On: January 20, 2024
Finished On: January 27, 2024

A soul-deep, time-defying love story wrapped in themes of loss, reincarnation, and evocative, The Lovely Return is one of those books that reads more like a fever dream than a conventional romance. The story begins in a most lighthearted fashion, with Alex Fox and his wife Brianna, deeply in love, happily married, and on their way to the hospital to welcome the arrival of their first child. Tragedy strikes in a way that sucker-punches the reader and then some, and the story continues some years later with Ms. Penny Rose coming into the picture.

Penny has always been a child who doesn’t seem to quite fit in—tormented by dreams and visions of a life she had not lived but feels intimately tied to. As a little girl, she draws pictures of a red-doored house and a faceless man who lives there. Her mother chalks it up to an overactive imagination. But the older she grows, the more impossible it becomes to dismiss.

Following the tragedy that befalls him, the new Alex is the broody, reclusive artist; the kind of man who seems frozen in time. Six years following the tragic accident that upended his life, he remains suspended in a private world of grief, clinging fiercely to his stubborn refusal to move on. But everything begins to shift when a wide-eyed, curious little girl wanders up to his house—and recognizes it. From there, a quiet and rather strange connection builds between Penny and Alex that defies logic and grows deeper with time.

Told in multiple perspectives—Alex, Penny, and her mother’s—this story does not shy away from the impossible. The story navigates through the huge age difference between Alex and Penny (a 21-year gap), the disorienting nature of past life memories, and the complicated journey of finding their way back to each other—which is obviously easier said than done.

There is much to admire in Carian Cole’s lyrical writing. I am a fan because she has proven how well she can write, especially when it comes to the May-December trope. This story is no exception to that rule, with the tone almost poetic at times, the emotions visceral, and the bond between Alex and Penny that builds slowly—from companionship, to friendship, to undeniable longing shaking you to your very core. The simmering awareness that develops between them is electric in its restraint—those near-touches, memories that flicker to life, and emotions they cannot or dare not put into words. Some scenes sizzle without a single explicit act, simply because of how known and felt their connection is.

That said, I am not entirely sure how I feel about this book. There is a part of me that was completely swept away in the aching romanticism of it all. But there were moments where I wished Alex had been more assertive in his love—especially when Penny, newly 22 and emotionally fragile, needed him the most. The one character that perhaps I understood, was Penny’s mother—her wisdom and open hearted nature is the one reason why Penny escaped being institutionalized for life. I for one cannot fathom how society would react, if this were to actually happen—I know that I would probably believe that person to be cuckoo and I would not be alone in that way of thinking.

The story is one that definitely demands suspended disbelief—and if you give yourself to it, it works. It IS haunting, tender, weird, and just shy of magical realism, and somehow, Ms. Cole makes it work. It is definitely not for everyone, but for the romantics who believe that souls find their way back—again and again.

Recommended for: Readers who love emotionally complex, deeply romantic stories with a twist of the metaphysical; fans of reincarnation tropes, brooding artist heroes, and age-gap dynamics that are handled meticulously.

Final Verdict: Haunting, lyrical, and boldly unconventional; The Lovely Return is a second-chance romance that transcends lifetimes and lingers long after the final page.

Favorite Quotes

“I’m not sure I know how to love anymore,” he admits quietly.
I look up into his tormented face. “Yes, you do. You love perfectly.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Hyacinth by S.M. LaViolette

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: The Bellamy Sisters, #2
Publisher: Crooked Sixpence Press
Hero: Sylvester Derrick
Heroine: Hyacinth Mary Bellamy
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: February 28, 2023
Started On: October 22, 2023
Finished On: October 25, 2023

“Your mouth has been tormenting me and giving me… ideas.”
Hy wanted to beg him to describe those ideas, but she couldn’t make herself speak.
“I want to do unspeakable things to you… Hy.”

In Hyacinth, S.M. LaViolette crafts a deeply engaging tale set against the opulent and yet at times suffocating backdrop of London’s high society. The novel revolves around 36 year old Sylvester Derrick, the eighth Duke of Chatham, a man whose rugged exterior and cynical demeanor mask the scars of a tumultuous past. Haunted by the loss of his wife Mariah a decade prior, Sylvester is a complex hero—embittered by life’s harsh realities and yet unexpectedly stirred by the unusual 22 year old Hyacinth Mary Bellamy.

Hyacinth, or Hy, is anything but ordinary. As the second daughter of the Earl of Addiscombe, her striking orange hair and spectacles sets her apart from her conventionally beautiful siblings. But it is her bold choice to cross-dress as “Hiram” for nightly escapades that truly makes her character stand out, first out of a need for independence and later to alleviate her family’s financial burdens.

The novel deftly explores the stark contrast between Sylvester’s aristocratic world and the darker, illicit corners of the city that Hy and Sylvester converge. Their interactions are fraught with a simmering tension, as Sylvester, oblivious to Hy’s true identity, is drawn to her intelligence and charm, unknowingly flirting with the very essence of what he has long denied: love and vulnerability.

Ms. LaViolette masterfully intertwines themes of loss and regret, allowing Sylvester’s emotional scars to surface as he grapples with his burgeoning feelings for Hy. Hy is a wonderfully crafted neuro-divergent heroine, whose mind works distinctively differently from her peers. The scars that she carries, especially due to her mother who had found her tiresome in the extreme is one that makes your heart break for the younger version of Hy. It is also this very essence of her character which allows her to compete with men at high stake games of gambling at which she excels.

The gradual build-up of romantic tension between Hy and Sylvester evolves beyond mere physical attraction, culminating in a profound connection that highlights the strength of two seemingly disparate souls coming together. Their conversations reveal insecurities and desires, rendering their relationship not just a romantic entanglement, but a journey of self-discovery for both. It also leads Sylvester to gradually reevaluate his life, bringing him to conclusions about his past actions that does not sit very well with him and makes him understand how they could have hurt the very people who are important to him.

I loved both Sylvester and Hy. Sylvester because he was unabashedly male in a way that was breathtaking. Bored with his lot in life as it happens to most amongst the peerage with their excesses, Sylvester finally finds the solace and excitement that he seeks in Hy. It is only someone like Hy, who can stir his heart, body, and mind that would do for Sylvester and that is exactly what happens.

As mentioned earlier, Hy is an unusual heroine in many aspects. Her sense of curiosity and her lack of self-consciousness are perhaps the most alluring. It is most often our self-consciousness regarding what society demands and expects from us, that makes women hesitate most often when seeking our rightful place in society. While Hy knows her own mind and is fully cognizant of what she wants, a long-term relationship and marriage, especially to a Duke is not something she believes she is suited for. But of course, Sylvester is more than well suited and able to change her mind, with persuasive reasoning that proves to be Hy’s undoing.

Ms. LaViolette is an amazing writer and every single book she has penned to-date serves as a testament to that fact. The writing in this book too, is lush and evocative, painting vivid scenes that lives rent free in my head. One other factor when it comes to Ms. LaViolette’s writing is how rich her vocabulary is, and I always end up noting down a ton of words which I look up and learn from. This story is special for one other reason; the fact that Ms. LaViolette herself is touch averse as is Hy, and I believe her own experiences too have helped shape this book into what it is.

Hyacinth is a novel that ends up being more than just a romance; it is a profound exploration of identity, duty, and the transformative power of love. Sylvester and Hy are two halves of one soul, each challenging and complementing the other in ways that resonates deeply with the reader. Ms. LaViolette’s skillful storytelling and rich characterization makes this novel standout, making this a great second installment to The Bellamy Sisters series.

Recommended for fans of historical romances and for those who enjoy emotional depth and nuanced character dynamics in their romances.

Final Verdict: Hyacinth is a story that offers a refreshing perspective on the complexities of the human heart and mind, with characters that are deeply flawed and all too real!

Favorite Quotes

Ever so gently she caressed the thick fan of lashes that rested against his cheeks before lightly grazing the bony hardness of his nose, the velvety softness of his eyebrow, and the pulsing blue veins beneath the thin skin of his temples, not stopping until her fingers carded the fine, soft hairs near his ears. She was interested to discover that the gray hairs were slightly rougher than the glossy brown ones.
Hy saved the scar until last, careful not to touch the baby-soft skin too roughly.
She tried to imagine what he must have looked like before the injury but found that she could not picture him without the scar. It seemed so much a part of who he was. Had it changed him as much inside as it had externally?
How could you ever ask a person such an intimate question?

“My God you feel good.” His eyes closed as he took a moment to allow her to adjust, the pulse at the base of his throat throbbing so hard she couldn’t resist tonguing it.
He groaned as she licked him again and again. Hy lowered her mouth over the thin skin and sucked.
He gave a low chuckle. “Are you going to leave your mark on me?”
She nodded, using her teeth to graze the skin. When she pulled away, she smiled at the purpled, swollen skin.
“Proud of yourself?”
“Yes.”

He hissed, his jaws clenching and nostrils flaring as his eyes lowered to her lips. “I’ve dreamed about your mouth,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.
Hy lowered her head until she could reach the slit in his crown with her tongue.
His body shook as she probed the tiny opening with the pointed tip of her tongue, teasing him until several vulgar, desperate words slipped from his lips.
Not until he whispered, “Please,” one more time did she take the fat head in her mouth and commence to wreck him.

Sylvester flung open the door to the connecting room and then grabbed Hy, who was in the process of shrugging out of her coat, by the upper arms and pinned her against the wall.
He claimed her mouth like a starving man falling on a banquet, more than a little pleased when she responded with equal hunger. She shoved her fingers into his hair, knocking off his hat and tightened her hands into fists.
“Mmmm,” he groaned, relishing the oddly pleasurable pain as she flexed her fingers, tugging hard enough to pull out more than a few hairs. “I thought the evening would never end,” he said when he came up for air.
“I noticed your playing was off tonight, Your Grace. Were you distracted by something?”
He nipped her lower lip. “You find that amusing, do you?”
She gave a throaty chuckle as Sylvester bit her chin.

Sylvester studied her from beneath lowered lashes, a sudden ball of anxiety pulsing in his belly.
She was clever, resourceful, loyal, sensual, adventurous—and more.
She was perfect for him—not just the perfect lover or companion, but the perfect person to share the rest of his life.
Perfect except for one, single, insurmountable obstacle: she was a stablemaster’s niece.

Purchase Links: Amazon