Falling for the Recluse

by Liv Prescott

When Josie Bennett is selected for a once-in-a-lifetime undergraduate penguin research opportunity on an isolated island in Antarctica, she can’t believe her luck. The one catch is she’ll need to room with renowned ice scientist Dr. Gavin Stark—the reclusive, famously bad-tempered glaciologist called the “Ice Prick” by, well, everyone. As if she'd let something like that stop her. This is her dream internship, and the man can't possibly be that bad...

Turns out, he’s worse.

When Gavin finds out he has to mentor a bright-eyed college girl he already knows is too damn sweet for his inhospitable surroundings (and personality), he can’t believe his luck. Cranky is his default for a reason, and all his pain-filled memories are simply a reminder of why he can’t be around, well, anybody. Especially not a hard-working ray of sunshine who’s as smart as she is scrappy.

And ten times cuter than he was dreading…

How’s a man like him supposed to deal with that kind of incessant warmth every day--or the inexplicable, inescapable chemistry that soon has them burning up the sheets every night?

Worse, what the hell is he supposed to do when all that heat and warmth is gone from his life after Josie’s internship comes to an end?

Note: This is a standalone steamy short between a hardened grump and the one woman who somehow cracks his icy exterior by being nothing he expects, and everything he’s not. It’s all the HOT insta-fun sparks, yummy tension, and falling-hard-and-fast swoon for the busy reader looking for some quick & dirty schmexy good times, with a sweet, feel-good HEA to boot. Enjoy!

Genres: Novella, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Forced Proximity, Ebooks, Age Gap Romance

ebook

Published March 20, 2023

Reviews

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)



Josie Bennett is a college student in California in her junior year at Stanford University. She’s a marine biology major that was recently chosen for an internship that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. She’s been fascinated with penguins since she was six years old, and wants to be a penguinologist. She’s thrilled about getting to do penguin research from a field house in Antarctica, and is headed to Needle Island where she will room with one of the most renowned scientists in the world. He has a reputation as a lone wolf and is often referred to as the “ice prick”, but she’s going in with an open mind, a positive attitude and lots of enthusiasm. Suddenly she’s on a remote island sharing space with the brilliant, gorgeous glaciologist, and there’s no place she’d rather be. The instant attraction between them is out of control, and she’d never felt anything like it before. Soon all of her dreams are coming true.

Dr. Gavin Stark is a recluse that has lived alone on an island in Antarctica for the last five years. He’d retreated from the rest of the world and was enjoying his solo expedition while doing long term research on the Castille glacier. He liked the solitude and isolation, but then his life is turned upside down when he is required to mentor a beautiful undergrad for the next month. He’s instantly drawn to her and completely intrigued. He didn’t do feelings or emotions anymore, but he couldn’t deny how badly he wanted her. Technically he’s her boss, but will he break all the rules to have her?

Falling for the Recluse is a sexy standalone short story by Nina Lane writing as Liv Prescott. It’s a super, super, super steamy, insta love, age gap, grumpy/sunshine romance full of sizzling chemistry and lots of deliciousness!!! I can’t wait for more from Liv Prescott!!! 🔥🔥🔥



***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BY9NXTTW?...

[april ♡ probably reading smut - safety reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 🌟 1.5/5 🔥

Maybe I just needed glaciers, penguins, and an ice scientist to discover the truth about myself.

Josie was selected to travel to Antarctica to study her lifetime love - penguins! The only problem? Gavin "the Ice Prick" is going to be there also, as an ice scientist. He's lived there remotely for five years and he's not happy about the sudden company.

This was instalove at it's finest! Not too long after they meet, they... get down to business. ;) I really enjoyed this novella and I'm excited to read more by this author!

SAFETY:
Ages: 20h, 30sH
Virgin/celibate: virgin heroine, celibate hero
Tropes: instalove, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity
HEA?: yes!

My bookshelves may contain spoilers.

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine
Angst: 😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥

Super cute and smexy! This was my first book by this author so I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved it! Well written and fast paced, it was a lot more than I expected from such a short novella. I’ll definitely be reading her again!

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've decided to expnd on this review. I got to say that this was insta everything. Bur I don't really know how it could have been writtten differently.

It's well written and it has strong characters but at the end of the day I'm the problem it's me.

[Read What I Like Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

FALLING FOR THE RECLUSE

Release Date: 03/20/22
Kindle Unlimited: [X]YES [ ]NO
Stand-alone: [X]YES [ ]NO
Author: Liv Prescott
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Spiciness rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶/5
POV: Dual, first person
Main Characters: Josie & Gavin
Genre: Contemporary (Dirty) Romance
Tropes: grumpy-sunshine; age-gap; insta-lust; forced proximity

Review:

I chose this book because the blurb promised it to be a steamy, short, insta-fun one. It happens it’s more. When I choose these novellas I’m not expecting much of the plot, but I really liked this one.

Gavin was known to be a grumpy recluse researcher who had been living alone in Antarctica making studies about glaciers. Then it comes Josie, a sunshine college student who is going to spend one month there studying the penguin colonies. I’m no scientist, but the info Liv added here sounded legit to me and added to the story. It seemed I was there myself.

The MCs chemistry was amazing and things developed really fast, it totally had potential to be a full length novel, I would totally read it! This was definitely a hot, swoony, romantic read.

*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ***

[Jatana Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author amazes me with the way she makes you fall in love with the characters and the profession they specialize in because who would have thought a Penguin ologist and a Glaciologist would be steamy and oh so sexy. Josie and Gavin were the perfect mixture of grumpy and sunshine. I also loved that we got two epilogues to show that their hot, spicy love continued.

I received an ARC eBook in exchange for an honest review.

[Edlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina Lane is back as Liv Prescott with Falling for the Recluse, a super steamy novella.

I have been a big fan of this author for many years, and she never disappoints. Falling for the Recluse was a fun, fast paced, grumpy/sunshine, and super spicy novella with insta-lust that still exuded romance and checked off all of the right boxes.

I really enjoyed Gavin and Josie's story and loved their HEA ending.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short read, novella length, that is steamy and entertaining. Gavin is described as The Ice Prick, and while he is definitely grumpy, he is decidedly attracted to Josie when she arrives on Needle Island in Antarctica.

Josie is attracted to the hot older glaciologist who has been doing research in Antarctica for the last 5 years. He’s hot and sexy with quite the dirty banter.

Steamy, sexy scenes abound in this story along with descriptions from f the beauty of Antarctica. The story is engaging and enjoyable with a modest amount of angst to keep you invested in the end. I loved that the author gave 2 epilogues - one a year in the future and the second 10 years later. These give a sense of closure to Josie and Gavin’s relationship and confirm they have very happily ever after.

received a free ARC from the author and 1852 Media; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

[Mahoganie Gaston · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. It was just so ridiculous. Just met literally an hour ago and already having sex..couldn’t there have been some warm up, getting g to know each other?

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novella, a quick read. It’s also what we used to call in college, a “horny book.” You read it for the sex and little else. If that’s what you’re looking for, then this book will fill that bill. BUT! The best part of the book is not the sex, but rather the descriptions of Antarctica and the glacier shelf, as well as the penguins. Top notch. AND it’s a well written book.

The plot is thin. Josie Bennett, a perky twenty-year-old undergraduate student, has been chosen by the PRG (Penguin Research Group) to travel to Antarctica to research a penguin colony, then present her findings at a symposium. She’ll be living with world-renowned scientist and glaciologist, Dr. Gavin Stark, on desolate Needle Island (it really exists, by the way). That in itself sounds exciting with lots of potential for a friendship that grows into something substantial. Mmmm, not quite. But close.

Dr. Stark is thirty-three-years old, thirteen years older than the perky student who intrudes on his solitude. Age-gap romances generally leave me cold because they are contrived and the age-gap is just a device, rather than a real barrier that needs to be breeched. Here, Dr. Stark, who has been alone for five years, turns out to be a real fireball in the sack and Josie, the perky virgin, knows little about sex, but is oh, so eager to learn. He’s a bit of a controlling jerk some of the time, and engagingly sweet at other times.

As mentioned, the best part truly is the way Antarctica is portrayed. A reader could almost wish to go there to take in all the deadly beauty that is described. There are some excellent observations that detail the immense problem of global warming. Dr. Stark has created models that forecast glacial loss. He has this to say about the “Doomsday glacier” he’s been studying: “…the ice shelf attaching the Doomsday glacier to land is shattering and breaking apart. Within a few years, the shelf will collapse, sending the Florida-sized glacier into the ocean. The glacier’s plunge will raise sea levels, change coastlines, create countless environmental issues, and affect other glaciers. It will cause fracturing, melting, and weakening. …there’s no stopping it. When a massive, unimaginable weight is about to crash down and change everything, there’s not a goddamn thing anyone can do about it.”

What the writer describes is real. And really scary. I’m impressed that it is included in a book that I initially thought of as just another “horny book.” While the book’s main purpose remains sexual, the addition of pertinent and fascinating intel is totally absorbing. I like that a lot. And another pleasant surprise is the way the main characters are developed. They are three-dimensional and full of life. And, yes, the sex is well-written, too. There’s a lot of genuine chemistry between the two and it makes the sex absolutely sizzle.

Additionally, there are no errors to throw a reader out of the story to wonder what the writer was trying to say. So, kudos to the editing and proofreading that was performed. There is just one reference that made me pause. It’s the word, “gaiter,” which is used to mean a neck warmer. I believe gaiters are placed on shoes to protect them, kind of like spats only more protective of one’s shoes.

I rated this book 3.5 stars and rounded up because I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent writing style, the character development, and the inclusion of the problem with glaciers falling away from land. The descriptions of glaciers and the penguins that make their home on them is delightful. I am definitely going to look for more books written by Ms. Prescott.

[⭐Adèle⭐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review contains A LOT OF SPOILERS
!! Please read at your own discretion !!

Stars ⭐⭐⭐

Overall Opinion: Thin, unpretentious little book, ideal for reading a few pages in between to fill your empty moments. To give you an idea, I read it during a music festival, every time my friends went to see a performance I was not interested in, I read a few pages (Kindle online on my phone). Not much happens, so it was easy to put it away and pick it up again.

World building: Is OK. She is a student who gets to go to Antarctica for a few weeks to study penguins in their natural habitat, he is the researcher who lives at the research station and has a reputation as a recluse. There is not really any more world building, but that is OK, it is unnecessary in this little story.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Josie and Gavin's story.

Point Of View (POV): POV of a omniscient narrator.

Overall Pace of Story: Was OK, I did not skim any scenes, nor did a reread any of them.

Insta-love: insta-lust

H (Hero) Dr. Gavin Stark (33) : ⭐⭐⭐
He's brilliant, but he's also been described as "a snarling bastard who refuses to actually collaborate with anyone" (he won't video call with other academics). It is important to note, however, that while he may not enjoy video calls with other scientists, he is always willing to read a student's essay, dissertation or thesis and provide detailed and constructive feedback. So just because he is not sociable does not mean he is a bastard, quite the opposite.
Although he is not enthusiastic about having a housemate for a few weeks, his resistance melts away like snow the moment he sees her for the first time. He realises that her playfulness and bubbly personality will add colour to his grey, dull life.

h (heroine) Josie Bennett (20): ⭐⭐⭐
She is the sunshine of the house. She zooms through life and her enthusiasm is contagious.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes When she is unexpectedly picked up a week early, Josie wants to stay, but Gavin won't have any of it and sends her back. It turns out that he did this for her and her career, not because he didn't want her to stay with him.

Heat level: OK
There are a few scenes, but the story is too short to work out their mutual attraction. I missed the nervousness when they look at each other, the anticipation of something happening between them. Josie is a virgin of 20, and he is a renowned scientist of 33. Josie looks up to his professional achievements. I would have liked some of this to have contributed to her insecurity towards him. Surely, especially on an intimate level, he has more experience than she does.

Descriptive sex: Yes

Safe sex: NO. Only after the first time does he tell her that he has no condoms. She informs him that she is on the pill, so there is no need to worry about an unwanted pregnancy, to which he replies dryly that he has never worried about it.

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: They are separated shortly, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

[Sandy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars--FALLING FOR THE RECLUSE by Liv Prescott is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, erotic, romance novella focusing on twenty year old, Stanford University student Josie Bennett, and thirty-three year old, professor Dr. Gavin Stark, a doctor of glaciology.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Gavin and Josie) FALLING FOR THE RECLUSE follows the rapidly building relationship between twenty year old, Stanford University undergraduate Josie Bennett, and thirty-three year old, professor Dr. Gavin Stark. Alone, for five years, Dr. Gavin Stark has been researching the ice and the glaciers at the Needle Island Research Station in the Antarctica, and doesn’t want to be disturbed, especially by a ‘perky and perpetually happy’ twenty-year old university student whose study is the Antarctic penguin. Gavin Stark has a reputation, known as the ‘Ice Pr*ck’, and our heroine is quick to point out all of his faults as Gavin immediately begins to intimidate the woman with whom he will fall in love but Gavin is hiding a heart breaking, guilt-ridden past, a past he is hoping to forget in the ice and the cold. What ensues is the insta-lust/love relationship between Gavin and Josie, and the potential fall-out as Josie’s time on Needle Island comes to an early close.

The age gap, forced proximity relationship between Gavin and Josie begins immediately when Gavin demands Josie obedience and more. Gavin has been alone for close to five years, and his need for Josie is instant and insistent. Josie is a virgin; an innocent with no experience in life or $ex, and Gavin is about to teach Josie everything and more. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense.

The secondary and supporting characters are limited to a few of Josie’s fellow grad students, and the men who brings supplies, and shuttle people in and out.

FALLING FOR THE RECLUSE is a quick read; an erotic tale of insta-lust, sexual attraction, need and want. The premise is enchanting but focuses mostly on the sexual aspect of the couple’s relationship; the romance is provocative; the characters are desperate and determined. I would prefer a little more world building but such is the nature of the short story/novella presentation.

[Sharon Thérèse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5-Stars

Nina Lane writing as Liv Prescott, turns up the steaminess in her debut novella, Falling for the Recluse. Easy to read, this sizzling bedtime story will either set your e-reader on fire, make you blush or get you grabbing a fan. 

A prickly hero who is certainly not a people person and a future penguinologist intern—hang on a min—I wasn’t even sure this birdish word existed; comes into his solitary life to what? Conquering his heart didn’t even enter the equation; learning more about a waddle of penguins at a remote research station did. Having been obsessed with these adorable aquatic sea creatures since childhood, it won’t only be Josie Bennett’s work that renowned expert in glaciers Dr Gavin Stark evaluates.

These two’s intense feelings and off-the-charts banter touched my heart, but their insta-love isn’t all arctic sun and sea life. There’s a storm brewing, and I’m not just talking about the weather. I loved how Prescott portrayed her protagonists' emotions, and although my knowledge of Antarctic life isn’t that brilliant, her descriptively detailed writing helped me understand it more.

The author’s play with words had me laughing out loud, and I don’t doubt that the ending will bowl new readers over. Such a lovely surprise; however, a longer story wouldn’t have gone amiss. A couple of words regarding this love story’s cover before I go. Simply stunning. And Prescott, I do hope there’s more where this came from. Bravo!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE Nina Lane’s writing so had to pick this one up written in a new pen name!! The story is definitely insta-love and it works! The descriptive writing transported you to a different place!! And what a place to be!! This was a quick steamy read with an alpha dirty talker! I would have LOVED it to be a full length novel, since I quickly fell in love with the characters and the setting!!! The setting was described perfectly & I could picture being there amongst the ice!! Gavin’s gruff exterior melting around her, and Josie’s bright outlook on life were truly an opposites attract scenario! They were both so driven which I also loved!! The epilogues were EVERYTHING!!! I am SO glad those were included as I needed/wanted more!!!

Thank you to the author for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. I can’t wait to read more under this new pen name!

“A girl who sounds so upbeat and perky she probably believes in leprechauns, unicorns, and happy endings.” Gavin

“And I still have so many first times ahead of me. It’s like my life is just opening up.” Josie

“I’m constantly aware of her. Like she’s a heartbeat.” Gavin

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Unique Experience . . .

Josie Bennett, a sophomore at Stanford, was selected by The Penguin Research Group to intern at the Needle Island Research Station in Antarctica with Dr. Gavin Stark. Gavin has a reputation for being grumpy and unwelcoming, which Josie discovers is well earned. But she is so happy to be there and to work with him and perhaps she can change his attitude.

Gavin actually tries to remain grouchy and snarling, but there is something between them that won’t go away. They soon fall into a relationship. And his thoughts now bring up a more serious question. How he will react when her internship is over and he is once more alone?

The author gives the reader a good feel for what it’s like in that isolated location. Being isolated sounds brutal! The characters’ personalities are well-presented so the reader can better understand how they react with each other. And, of course, we can see their emotions and what each is going through in their short time together. Is there a way to find happiness? Or is this going to end in a major heartbreak for both of them?

[Barbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Bennett is a sophomore in college and is selected for an internship that is an unimaginable opportunity of a lifetime in Antarctica. She has has a lifelong love of penguins and now will make her childhood dreams come true. In her excitement, her friends make her quickly aware of the scientist she will be staying with, Dr. Gavin Stark, also known as the "Ice Prick" for his grumpy and unwelcoming behavior. Josie decides to try and remain positive because he can't be that bad, right?

Gavin prefers the solitude of his research in Antarctica and is not looking forward to having an excitable young college girl invading his space. Despite his attempts at remaining cranky and scaring her away, there is a tremendous amount of chemistry between Gavin and Josie. Their relationship blossoms and the end of her internship comes too quickly with an abrupt ending.

This was a quick read with instalove and lots of chemistry. 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a free ARC from the author and 1852 Media; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

[SpeedReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heat & steam on the ice 🔥🧊🔥

• Story/Plot: 📖📖📖📖 /5
• Characters: 🫂🫂🫂🫂
• Drama/Angst: 😰😰😰
• Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
• POV: Dual
• HEA? ✔️
• Would I re-read? ✔️

Good grief this story is HOT 🔥 It features the FMC, a college student, who wins the opportunity study penguins in Antarctica for a month at a research station with an enigmatic and well-known jerk, the MMC who has lived there studying for 5 years alone. When she the sparks ignite immediately. She’s got the hots for the handsome grump and he’s charmed by the bubbly ray of sunshine although he tries to deny it and keep up his walls.

I enjoyed them getting to know one another (in and out of the bedroom) and to see his icy heart start to thaw.

There was steam, sweetness, angst, heartbreak and love. I enjoyed the story and the epilogues were sweet. 🥰

I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good age-gap romance ❤️

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. The opinions above are 100% my own & 100% genuine!

[A79senlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Gavin Stark has lived alone at a polar research station for years, and that’s exactly how he likes it. Until the arrival of Josie Bennett, who has come to study the penguins living in Antarctica. The two quickly fall hard for each other, and what follows is some deliciously dirty exploration of each other’s bodies and hearts. As Josie’s internship deadline looms, Gavin has to decide whether to remain in his isolated, icy world, or follow Josie into the sunshine.

This book is Insta-love at its best. Lots of spice and steam, and a possessive alpha to boot. But contrary to what you might expect, there’s more to the story than sex: Discussions about their research, descriptions of the environment, even details on day-to-day life in a polar climate. Both characters feel like real people, not one-dimensional. Gavin is rough and tender all at once, and his declaration of love is just as good as his fabulously filthy talk. Their HEA is sweet and beautiful and I love the epilogues. This is a story that will warm your heart … and a few other areas as well!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Bennett is a bubbly college student fueled by her passion for penguins to earn her degree and score an internship. Gavin Stark is a grump that prefers to live a life of solitude. He’s annoyed that little miss sunshine who talks to much is going to be his live-in intern. Luckily, Josie won’t let Gavin’s poor attitude distract her from her goals. She’s going to get through this internship no matter what.

Josie was a fun heroine and Gavin was a typical reclusive grouch. I love the grumpy/sunshine trope! It doesn’t take long for things to heat up and Josie to thaw out Gavin’s cold hardened heart. It’s quick, super sweet, steamy, and a happily-ever-after.

Tropes: Contemporary romance, grumpy/sunshine, age gap, om/yw, happily-ever-after
Heat: 3/5.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MeaganRyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew a story with so much Ice could be so Damn HOT!! We have Josie (our Badass heroine) and Dr. Gavin Stark (our broody alpha Hero) that take us on one hell of journey. I was first interested in reading this book because I love age gap stories. However, it was so much more than I could have imagined. Age Gap. Insta Love. Dirty Talk. Intense Passion. Combustible Chemistry. It tugged all my heart strings and about brought me to my knees! So… YES, I Loved It! The added bonus is no cheating, ow/om drama, and a heart-warming HEA! Can’t wait to see what comes next from this amazing author. ♥️♥️♥️

Overall Rating: 4.5
Smut Rating: 5🔥

***ARC read & honestly/volunteered review***

[Shana W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an instalove (or instalust!), grumpy/ sunshine, close proximity romance that takes place in Antarctica. Josie, while researching penguins there, does her best to melt Gavin's cold heart. He has been researching glaciers in relative isolation for the last 5 years; it takes Josie's sunshine to thaw him out. The book is a quick read with lots of steamy scenes. I particularly enjoyed the 2 epilogues that give us insight into the characters' HEAs.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falling for the Recluse is a novella length story about Josie and Gavin who have to live and work together while both doing research on a remote Antarctic island. While they do very quickly give into their mutual attraction, I liked that there was a real relationship built between them. You can see the chemistry and connection they share and how it changes them both. I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading more from Liv Prescott!

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.

[Marj Cinqualbres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ice meets heat

I loved this book. Gavin Starks aka The Ice Prick lives alone on an island in Antarctica studying and researching the Castillo Glacier and other projects. He loves what he does and tries to avoid people as much as he can. Josie is a college junior at Stanford who has had an interest in penguins ever since she received a stuffed one as a child. She it s studying them in college and has a chance to live and study the colony on Needle Island Dr. Starks research station
The minute she lands on the dock sparks fly and Gains heart begins to melt

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
Release Date: 3/20/23
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨Recluse
✨Age-Gap
✨Virgin Heroine
✨Grumpy/Sunshine
✨Forced Proximity

Stand-alone Book
Dual POV

WOW! This was my first book by Liv Prescott and I couldn’t put it down! It was THAT GOOD! The story detail of Gavin & Josie and their work with penguins and glaciers was so interesting! Combine that with the heat of their relationship and you have an amazing book! I loved this so much and can’t wait to read more by this author! 😍❤️‍🔥

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The grumpy sunshine trope is a new favorite of mine and this quick read is a perfect example of why I love them! 

Josie Bennett (our sunshine) is selected for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Antarctica. A month studying penguins, her passion in life. Dr. Gavin Stark seems to be the only hitch in her dream job.  He is the reclusive glaciologist grump in residence on the tiny icy island. 

Dubbed “Ice Prick” the man by reputation is an ahole. And being the resident ahole, Gavin is none too thrilled to be mentoring the overly cheerful undergrad, until he gets a look at her.  Struck by her beauty, Gavin quickly shifts from ornery to horny and bam! The icy island gets hot and steamy with a quickness.  

Penguinologist + Gaciologist = Chemistry. 

(Sorry, couldn't help myself!)

These two fall fast and hard, but when a storm shuts down Josie's internship, Gavin is left behind feeling a little cold. I enjoyed the way this short standalone warmed back up to end with an HEA and the epilogue was a nice little bonus.  4 star read for me. 

[MJLovestoRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick, sexy read featuring an older scientist and the wide-eyed intern who blows up his world. Both Gavin and Josie fall hard and fast for one another and together with detailed scenes of their shared time in Antarctica, Liv Prescott presents a love story for the senses, at times beautiful and other times wildly steamy.

A good respite from a heavier kind of book, this is a well-written debut and a nice departure for Nina Lane.

3 stars.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gavin aka Dr. Stark and Josie's story was alright. I found for me it was a bit too much insta-lust/instalove and Gavin was not as grumpy as I thought he was going to be. I loved Josie's interest in the penguins and thought it was cool how her hair was black with a white streak to match them. The one thing that really took me out of the story the most was the dirty talk between the two, it was a bit juvenile for me.

[Chronic Chihuahua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casually Lying About His Power

Ugh, can the world stop making their hoarders of wealth, ie a lot of power for a lot of people, and thus he's causing excess deaths and trauma, stop doing Alms To The Poor like its generosity? Please. Its really insulting to the vast majority of victims of trauma. Her new partner is causing the destruction of most biomass on this planet by simply acting as he does with his economic power, but yeah, penguins.

[Rachel Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie and Gavin are a wonderful perfect match. She is bubbly and bright and sunshine and joy. He has been nicknamed Ice Prick, and he tries to live up to his reputation. He is closed off, and guarded and a severe loner who lives alone on an island off the coast of Antarctica.

Josie shows up to research penguins and from the first minute, these two are falling for each other.

Not too long of a story, plenty of spice. It was a cute story. Well written.

[Becky Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling for the Recluse by Liv Prescott was a fabulous romance. It had the feel of a 1940's black and white movie with some terrific Technicolor hotness added. Dr. Gavin Stark was indeed an icy hunk of hotness. Josie was his perfect match. I loved the epilogues. It blew me away. I definitely need more from this very talented author. Kudos!