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Lake Lenora #2
What Was Meant to Be
Home is where the heart is...
There's nothing Wes Sorenson cares about more than restoring his family's lost legacy—a Northwoods cottage resort that's been handed down from one generation to the next since the late-1800s until it was stolen from them by unscrupulous business partners, dismantled, and sold in pieces. Bit by bit, over the course of years, Wes has managed to restore the family business, except for one piece: the crucial lakefront acreage necessary to the resort's success. But after years of dead ends, he's finally figured out how to secure to the last piece of the puzzle: marrying the woman who owns the land.
Rain Kateb has never really belonged anywhere. After losing the only place that ever felt like home, she spent the rest of her life as an unwanted guest in her father's household. So when a stipulation in her late father's estate proposes to send her to yet another strange home, accepting seems the sensible choice. Marriage to a stranger might be too odd for some, but Rain already spent most of her life feeling like an intruder in somebody else's home. This would just be more of the same.
But Wes Sorenson is far from the cold, detached keeper Rain's father had been. And Rain Kateb is nothing like the spoiled heiress Wes had expected. Pretty soon, their platonic marriage-of-convenience is starting to feel like the real thing—and neither of them wants that.
Or do they?
There's nothing Wes Sorenson cares about more than restoring his family's lost legacy—a Northwoods cottage resort that's been handed down from one generation to the next since the late-1800s until it was stolen from them by unscrupulous business partners, dismantled, and sold in pieces. Bit by bit, over the course of years, Wes has managed to restore the family business, except for one piece: the crucial lakefront acreage necessary to the resort's success. But after years of dead ends, he's finally figured out how to secure to the last piece of the puzzle: marrying the woman who owns the land.
Rain Kateb has never really belonged anywhere. After losing the only place that ever felt like home, she spent the rest of her life as an unwanted guest in her father's household. So when a stipulation in her late father's estate proposes to send her to yet another strange home, accepting seems the sensible choice. Marriage to a stranger might be too odd for some, but Rain already spent most of her life feeling like an intruder in somebody else's home. This would just be more of the same.
But Wes Sorenson is far from the cold, detached keeper Rain's father had been. And Rain Kateb is nothing like the spoiled heiress Wes had expected. Pretty soon, their platonic marriage-of-convenience is starting to feel like the real thing—and neither of them wants that.
Or do they?
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2023
49 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
About the author
Heather Guerre
13 books1,014 followersHeather Guerre writes sexy-sweet fantasy, sci-fi, and contemporary romances. A hopeless romantic and an unapologetic nerd, Heather loves everything to do with romance, aliens, shifters, monsters, magic, and outer space.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
May 6, 2024
4 Disobedient Men Need To Be Tamed Stars ⭐
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of anything this author writes. And I really enjoyed What Was Meant to Be, but it was unexpected. Umm it was shockingly kinky and I was not prepared yet pleasantly surprised. Slow burn angst, then bam!!
“Rain,” he pleaded.
Her coy smile had a slightly feral edge to it. A veil of magic seemed to fall over her, transforming her from soft-spoken, cautious Rain, to the fierce woman who had so easily bent him to her will.
She has been married off in exchange for a parcel of land. Because Rainstorm Thuraya Kateb needs a keeper. Now 30 years old, why not pass on that responsibility to a husband who doesn't want her?
It was bloody awkward. Wes Sorenson desperately wanted that land to fulfill a family legacy. So the first half of this story is about Wes and Rain coexisting and leading separate lives. In between unfair judgements being passed.
Admittedly I adored Rain; Wes not so much! She was quirky and naive, yet not necessarily by her own doing. Rain was talented, kind and misunderstood. Unfortunately Wes was too busy working and drawing wrong opinions in his head.
When it comes out that Wes likes being dominated in bed and Rain's good at it; it's not a bad arrangement until she realizes that she deserves better. I could not put this down. Although it felt a little disconnect between the first and second half, it tied in well at the end. And fortunately Wes redeemed himself. 🩵
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of anything this author writes. And I really enjoyed What Was Meant to Be, but it was unexpected. Umm it was shockingly kinky and I was not prepared yet pleasantly surprised. Slow burn angst, then bam!!
“Rain,” he pleaded.
Her coy smile had a slightly feral edge to it. A veil of magic seemed to fall over her, transforming her from soft-spoken, cautious Rain, to the fierce woman who had so easily bent him to her will.
She has been married off in exchange for a parcel of land. Because Rainstorm Thuraya Kateb needs a keeper. Now 30 years old, why not pass on that responsibility to a husband who doesn't want her?
It was bloody awkward. Wes Sorenson desperately wanted that land to fulfill a family legacy. So the first half of this story is about Wes and Rain coexisting and leading separate lives. In between unfair judgements being passed.
Admittedly I adored Rain; Wes not so much! She was quirky and naive, yet not necessarily by her own doing. Rain was talented, kind and misunderstood. Unfortunately Wes was too busy working and drawing wrong opinions in his head.
When it comes out that Wes likes being dominated in bed and Rain's good at it; it's not a bad arrangement until she realizes that she deserves better. I could not put this down. Although it felt a little disconnect between the first and second half, it tied in well at the end. And fortunately Wes redeemed himself. 🩵
August 28, 2023
I loved this at first but somewhere around 50% it began to feel super lazy. I loved Rain but the relationship here was just so poorly written. Wes, her love interest, treats her terribly. He carries hurtful assumptions about her throughout the entire book. What bothers me is that he acts like that beyond the point where it was logical for him to do so. There were several points throughout the book where it's clear there's more to Rain than he thinks. But he keeps treating her dismissively, at best. Also, Rain's dad straight up told Wes that Rain is autistic. Even so, he still refuses to view her "coldness" as anything but her being spoiled and rich (or something).
Also, I feel like a chunk of Rain's backstory was missing. Or maybe not even considered. She's spent her entire adult life completely isolated but is somehow super sexually experienced. It's not that I expected a virgin heroine, here. It just felt like after a certain point, the author stopped caring about fleshing out how being autistic affected Rain and her relationships, both past and present.
Also, I feel like a chunk of Rain's backstory was missing. Or maybe not even considered. She's spent her entire adult life completely isolated but is somehow super sexually experienced. It's not that I expected a virgin heroine, here. It just felt like after a certain point, the author stopped caring about fleshing out how being autistic affected Rain and her relationships, both past and present.
September 11, 2023
If Rain has a million fans, then I'm one of them.
If Rain has one fan, then I'm THAT ONE.
If Rain has no fans, that means I'm dead.
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Rainstorm “Rain” Thuraya Kateb (30) | Wesley “Wes” Sorenson (~36)
FEATURES
∘ femdom
∘ marriage of convenience/forced marriage
∘ “my wife” (once)
∘ small town
∘ misconceptions
REVIEW
Wesley (especially in the beginning) is hands-down the least likable main character Heather Guerre has ever written.
In initial conversations with Rain’s father, Wes is told Rain is on the spectrum. In his internal monologue, he says his brother Aiden is autistic, and Wes used to get in physical fights with the people who bullied Aiden.
So, KNOWING she is autistic (and having an autistic brother, so it’s not like he’s just ignorant), he still scoffs at her attempts to learn and her difficulty with socializing with strangers. At one point she asks if she can go along with him to add a phone to his plan so she can learn about it, and he’s annoyed by it.
I already dislike when people belittle others (whether with words or reactions) for not knowing how to do something “basic”—we all have to learn at some point; some people are just taught later than others—so even if Wes hadn’t known Rain was autistic, it still would’ve been a side eye moment. However, the fact he was told by her father (in a rude ass way, mind you) that Rain was on the spectrum, made his irritation with her that much worse. So while I could understand his frustration and dislike of the situation, I could not understand his hostility toward Rain. There just wasn’t enough time in the novel to properly redeem him.
That being said, for as much as I disliked Wes, I loved Rain. Her charm, musings, humor, and thoughtfulness easily makes her one of my favorite heroines. I already adored her from the moment we met her, and then she went and bought the kind of yogurt Wes liked with her limited money, even after he was rude about giving her the money in the first place.
The development of feelings between Rain and Wes was abrupt. They were in love, but I did not feel it. Wes had a lot of maturing to do and misconceptions left to clear up. He had sweet moments, of course, but so much of the novel was Rain taking care of Wes, and I didn’t see much reciprocation on his end. Usually, tenderness comes from both sides, but it seemed one-sided here; he didn’t seem to give anything close to what Rain gave.
The writing, as always, was engaging and immersive. In fact, just how much I disliked Wesley speaks to Heather Guerre’s ability to write fully-realized characters. Although Wes’s behavior made me question if I was going to like the book, I did end up truly enjoying it (despite what my review may indicate).
OW/OM DRAMA none
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes
ENDING HEA — very near future
POV dual / third person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4 / 5
MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Rainstorm “Rain” Thuraya Kateb (30) | Wesley “Wes” Sorenson (~36)
FEATURES
∘ femdom
∘ marriage of convenience/forced marriage
∘ “my wife” (once)
∘ small town
∘ misconceptions
REVIEW
Wesley (especially in the beginning) is hands-down the least likable main character Heather Guerre has ever written.
In initial conversations with Rain’s father, Wes is told Rain is on the spectrum. In his internal monologue, he says his brother Aiden is autistic, and Wes used to get in physical fights with the people who bullied Aiden.
So, KNOWING she is autistic (and having an autistic brother, so it’s not like he’s just ignorant), he still scoffs at her attempts to learn and her difficulty with socializing with strangers. At one point she asks if she can go along with him to add a phone to his plan so she can learn about it, and he’s annoyed by it.
I already dislike when people belittle others (whether with words or reactions) for not knowing how to do something “basic”—we all have to learn at some point; some people are just taught later than others—so even if Wes hadn’t known Rain was autistic, it still would’ve been a side eye moment. However, the fact he was told by her father (in a rude ass way, mind you) that Rain was on the spectrum, made his irritation with her that much worse. So while I could understand his frustration and dislike of the situation, I could not understand his hostility toward Rain. There just wasn’t enough time in the novel to properly redeem him.
That being said, for as much as I disliked Wes, I loved Rain. Her charm, musings, humor, and thoughtfulness easily makes her one of my favorite heroines. I already adored her from the moment we met her, and then she went and bought the kind of yogurt Wes liked with her limited money, even after he was rude about giving her the money in the first place.
The development of feelings between Rain and Wes was abrupt. They were in love, but I did not feel it. Wes had a lot of maturing to do and misconceptions left to clear up. He had sweet moments, of course, but so much of the novel was Rain taking care of Wes, and I didn’t see much reciprocation on his end. Usually, tenderness comes from both sides, but it seemed one-sided here; he didn’t seem to give anything close to what Rain gave.
The writing, as always, was engaging and immersive. In fact, just how much I disliked Wesley speaks to Heather Guerre’s ability to write fully-realized characters. Although Wes’s behavior made me question if I was going to like the book, I did end up truly enjoying it (despite what my review may indicate).
OW/OM DRAMA none
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes
ENDING HEA — very near future
POV dual / third person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4 / 5
August 25, 2023
I’m sad because I really wanted to like this. I loved Rain and her character. She’s literally amazing and so talented. And I love the fact that she’s the top in the bedroom. But, I really can’t stand Wes. He was honestly an A hole to her. Never gave her the benefit of the doubt or tried to get to know her. He just made these snap judgements about her and ran with it for most of the book. Rain deserved so much better. A happy ending for me would’ve been Rain leaving him and becoming wildly successful. I know it was an arranged marriage situation but he hid the marriage from everyone while saying she was renting a room. Wtf. I can’t stand him. I love all of Heather’s other books but I am so irked by this male lead. He needs to grow up and leave Rain alone. Please and thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2023
So disappointing! The hero was incredibly selfish and self-absorbed, he used the heroine in every way possible and there was no redemption or grovel. He even used her for sex while refusing to go out in public with her. Pig.
And what was with our autistic, introverted, socially-anxious heroine being a dominant in the bedroom? How on earth did she get that experience with men when she'd been isolated all her adult life? It felt strange that that wasn't explored.
And it was gross that the zero-hero was all about being dominated, kicks her out of bed after the first time, and later that same frigging day is all submissive and boss-me-around again.
She was absolutely nothing but a stress reliever for him.
And what was with our autistic, introverted, socially-anxious heroine being a dominant in the bedroom? How on earth did she get that experience with men when she'd been isolated all her adult life? It felt strange that that wasn't explored.
And it was gross that the zero-hero was all about being dominated, kicks her out of bed after the first time, and later that same frigging day is all submissive and boss-me-around again.
She was absolutely nothing but a stress reliever for him.
August 25, 2023
ashlyn teaching rain to do taxes is the girl-power-sisterhood content i didn't know i needed <3
August 28, 2023
Ahhhhh... A sweet and cozy small town romance with a side of mild femdom. Wes is desperate to rebuild his family's resort and needs one last parcel of land to make it happen; Rain's billionaire father made sure Wes could only get it if he agrees to marry Rain and take care of her for five years. See, she's neurodivergent and her father thinks she's useless and unable to care for herself. (Why not just leave her some actual money so she can hire people to help her? Well, her dad's a dickhead who thinks she'll waste it or something and she was an affair baby and blah blah toxic masculinity.)
If there's a flaw, it's that I found Wes incredibly aggravating with his assumptions that she's a spoiled heiress. I mean, her dad literally tells him she's autistic and Wes has an autistic brother, yet he still mistakes her confusion and awkwardness as haughty disdain. He goes on with this piggish behavior for far too long, in my opinion, and I would have liked more of a grovel.
If there's a flaw, it's that I found Wes incredibly aggravating with his assumptions that she's a spoiled heiress. I mean, her dad literally tells him she's autistic and Wes has an autistic brother, yet he still mistakes her confusion and awkwardness as haughty disdain. He goes on with this piggish behavior for far too long, in my opinion, and I would have liked more of a grovel.
August 31, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. This is the second femdom book by this author. I also love that Guerre writes about neurodivergent characters. I LOVED Rain. She is by far one of the coolest characters this author has written, IMHO. I loved-to-hate Wes. The angst and the grovel were delicious. It was hard to believe that Wes actually deserved redemption, but I’m glad this couple found their HEA. I will for sure reread.
August 26, 2023
All of the conflict in this book basically boils down to a failure to communicate, which is my absolute least favourite kind of conflict. It’s made worse by that fact that all of Rain’s misunderstandings about Wes are attributed to her autism, so the conflict is really just him being an asshole and having a bunch of misconceptions about her. I don’t know have enough experience with autism to say whether Rain is realistic, but her lack of agency within the story makes her pretty boring and leaves her with very little to do; if all the fault is Wes’s than all the growth has to be his as well. Which is both pretty boring and makes for a pretty asymmetric relationship.
I appreciated that Rain wasn’t a virgin, so the sex wasn’t as weird as Cate Wells’s Heavy, but the fact that Rain and Wes were into exactly the same thing and basically fell into a perfectly negotiated kink relationship without actually negotiating anything just felt very convenient and boring, like the author missed out on a really good opportunity for some character growth. The lack of buildup to the sex, something I never before thought I would accuse Heather Guerre of, also makes it feel pretty blah and uninteresting.
I appreciated that Rain wasn’t a virgin, so the sex wasn’t as weird as Cate Wells’s Heavy, but the fact that Rain and Wes were into exactly the same thing and basically fell into a perfectly negotiated kink relationship without actually negotiating anything just felt very convenient and boring, like the author missed out on a really good opportunity for some character growth. The lack of buildup to the sex, something I never before thought I would accuse Heather Guerre of, also makes it feel pretty blah and uninteresting.
September 25, 2023
3.3 stars
This was a really surprising read. In a good way. It is an MOC story but with original layers. Most of my stars are because of Rain. She was such an interesting and captivatingly fresh character. I never read a romance involving a main character on the autism spectrum. The book is in no way heavy and deep on the subject but the depiction of Rain and her inner musings was a discovery that felt right and believable. The writing was swift enough that I did not realise that I already reached the end of the book.
It was not a bad romance but I certainly loved Rain much much better than Wes. He came across 90% of the time as a really obtuse guy whose basic common sense ought to be questioned. His very persistent assumption that a spoilt rich heiress (as he believes) would agree to live 5 years with him in a 'normal' life, at the end of which he would get to own some beach land is very ludicruous. But I do get that he was a guy overstressed by all the challenges he had understaken so that what remained of him was dense enough to resist asking the real, hard questions. Still, with him having members of his close family with neurodivergent diagnostics, I am very surprised and quite disappointed that at no point (until she rightfully gave him a wake up figurative slap) he sought to understand her and her way of thinking. No, he boorishly just treated her as either a burden or a comfortable convenience. He did up his game in the end but his glaring lack of sensitivity and emotional intelligence for most of the book was appalling.
What surprised me still was the sudden introduction of kinky sex about half way into the book. It is not the kink itself that surprised me (though having a submissive H and a dominant h was indeed an atypical trope in contemporary romance books), but rather that there was no prior indicators of this cropping up. I liked it but there was certainly a sort of sudden disconnect between their uneasy relationship building to suddenly loads of lusty kinky sex. Now, after reflection, I kind of get the psychology behind: she has always been made to felt inadequate and therefore she loves control in the bedroom (though my question would be when did she discover and relish in that side of her since she spent most of her life as a social reject 🤔?), while he was a laser focused, ambitious but overwhelmed guy who was chasing to recreate a family dream and therefore enjoys ceding control in bed. A match made in kinky heaven. I get it. But the story would have been even better if these aspects were properly explored and explained on page. It would have added so much grit and character development to the story. As it is, on the surface, it only appears as a sudden alluring trope thrown in midway to energise the plot.
Also, a longer (and more far in the future) epilogue would have been welcomed to enjoy how Rain and Wes finally settled together. Overall, I liked the book for its freshness and its charming heroine but it could certainly have been elevated into higher grounds in some aspects.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2025
I NEED HIM TO DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
October 27, 2023
"Too many coincidences brought us together. We were meant to be."
Ugh...where do I even begin with this one.
Wes has got to be one of the worst MMCs I've read recently. There is just the briefest whisper acknowledging that he may possibly be on the spectrum, but there just wasn't enough time to provide any depth to his character. His actions and assumptions towards Rain were beyond dickish. His own brother is autistic, and Rain's father mentions that Rain was diagnosed (albeit mentioned in a rather dickish way as well) but Wes kept going back to the assumption that she's a frigid rich girl looking down her nose at him, whom he then just basically used as a convenient sex doll.
I enjoyed Rain for the most part, but her characterization was a bit of a hodgepodge. While I do love me some femdom, I didn't find their chemistry believable, and their first kiss/sexual encounter felt forced and icky. Again, it was too rushed and really could have used some fleshing out to make it just the slightest bit believable.
The standout character for me was Ashlyn - I loved her in What Could Have Been and she is such a great, supportive friend to Rain here. Also looks like it's setting up a 2nd chance romance in a future book with Noah's twin James and the meek Quinn, who seems rather sweet.
Wes's actions at the end of the story were commendable, so I'll give him that, but still not a commensurate level of grovel for my liking.
Book 1: What Could Have Been - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book 2: What Was Meant To Be - ⭐⭐
Ugh...where do I even begin with this one.
Wes has got to be one of the worst MMCs I've read recently. There is just the briefest whisper acknowledging that he may possibly be on the spectrum, but there just wasn't enough time to provide any depth to his character. His actions and assumptions towards Rain were beyond dickish. His own brother is autistic, and Rain's father mentions that Rain was diagnosed (albeit mentioned in a rather dickish way as well) but Wes kept going back to the assumption that she's a frigid rich girl looking down her nose at him, whom he then just basically used as a convenient sex doll.
I enjoyed Rain for the most part, but her characterization was a bit of a hodgepodge. While I do love me some femdom, I didn't find their chemistry believable, and their first kiss/sexual encounter felt forced and icky. Again, it was too rushed and really could have used some fleshing out to make it just the slightest bit believable.
The standout character for me was Ashlyn - I loved her in What Could Have Been and she is such a great, supportive friend to Rain here. Also looks like it's setting up a 2nd chance romance in a future book with Noah's twin James and the meek Quinn, who seems rather sweet.
Wes's actions at the end of the story were commendable, so I'll give him that, but still not a commensurate level of grovel for my liking.
Book 1: What Could Have Been - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book 2: What Was Meant To Be - ⭐⭐
March 7, 2025
I loved Preferential Treatment and was super excited to check out something else by the same author, but this missed the mark for me. Everything felt insanely rushed, no explanation was given for the things I really wanted explained, and Wes—though described many, many times as being a charmer—was anything but. This entire book felt hastily cobbled together.
August 25, 2023
Once again, Heather Guerre pls never stop writing. Also adding I need all your novels to be at least 400+ pages.
I took off one star because it felt too short and for Wes’ misinterpretation/miscommunication lasting basically the entire book.
I took off one star because it felt too short and for Wes’ misinterpretation/miscommunication lasting basically the entire book.
October 6, 2023
I love everything this woman writes. Seriously. This was missed the mark for me (relatively). I LOVED Rain but I found that she was fleshed out at the expense of the MMC. He almost felt like a prop. The standard, small-town male romantic lead. Either way, still better than 99% of the stuff on KU
September 2, 2023
Book 2 of the Lake Lenora series was a flawless addition to Guerre’s catalog. And I remain utterly devoted to her.
This story was an opposites-attract, soft femdom, small town romance. I appreciated the representation in this book, admired the personal struggles and adored the banter. What pushed it over the edge for me and made it a 5-star read for me was the way Guerre was able to completely express self-doubt and anxiety. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I loved the ride.
This story was an opposites-attract, soft femdom, small town romance. I appreciated the representation in this book, admired the personal struggles and adored the banter. What pushed it over the edge for me and made it a 5-star read for me was the way Guerre was able to completely express self-doubt and anxiety. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I loved the ride.
December 4, 2023
The way that I inhaled this! I seriously could not put it down. Guerre’s writing tends to have that effect on me. In this case, Rain was the star of the show. She’s an enormously talented seamstress who has never had anyone support or recognize her talent. She’s autistic, which was fine when she was growing up in an art commune with her mom but not accepted after her mom died and she had to go live with her dad. She’s been dependent on him as an adult, largely because he wouldn’t let her pursue a fashion career and failed his conventional, ableist expectations. To the degree that he decided to arrange a marriage behind her back instead of, you know, giving her an actual inheritance and letting her become independent.
Ableism aside, normally this is the kind of premise I’d be really into. But Rain’s intended is Wes and boy did I struggle with him. He could be very single-minded about the resort, not taking a moment to consider how he’s coming across or how it was impacting his relationships. He was also led by his biases. Now that’s not unusual but in this case, it was perplexing. Wes’s brother is autistic and yet he never once considers how Rain’s autism affects her or even asks her about it. Instead, he defaults to the way her toxic father talked about her and decides she’s just an entitled heiress, even though she hasn’t given any indication that’s the case. Why did he believe anything her dad said about her??? This wasn’t ever addressed and it was a huge oversight.
I had a hard time understanding why things turned sexual between them when Wes was still being so awful to Rain. I wanted her to stay in that little cabin, watch her sewing empire expand, and then find a partner who didn’t belittle her for months instead of asking her even one question about her life pre-Lenora. Rain was the reason I kept reading and while I enjoyed this overall and appreciated the way Wes eventually groveled, there's a part of me hoping she eventually breaks up with him. She deserved so much better and I continued to believe that to the very end.
Characters: Wes is a white brewery manager of operations, resort owner, and submissive in his mid-30s. His brothers think he might be neurodiverse but he doesn’t agree. Rain is a 30 year old 6’ tall autistic white Algerian American seamstress and Domme. This is set in Lenora, WI.
Content notes: anxiety, autistic FMC, ableism from FMC’s family, death of FMC’s emotionally abusive father, financial abuse, past death of FMC’s mother (heart defect), past parental infidelity , past bullying, migraine, autistic secondary character (MMC’s brother), past death of MMC’s grandparents, unsafe sex practices (no condom during penetrative sex without discussion of STI or pregnancy prevention), on page sex, D/s, orgasm control, 69, bondage, alcohol, inebriation, casual ableism, gendered pejoratives, ableist language
Ableism aside, normally this is the kind of premise I’d be really into. But Rain’s intended is Wes and boy did I struggle with him. He could be very single-minded about the resort, not taking a moment to consider how he’s coming across or how it was impacting his relationships. He was also led by his biases. Now that’s not unusual but in this case, it was perplexing. Wes’s brother is autistic and yet he never once considers how Rain’s autism affects her or even asks her about it. Instead, he defaults to the way her toxic father talked about her and decides she’s just an entitled heiress, even though she hasn’t given any indication that’s the case. Why did he believe anything her dad said about her??? This wasn’t ever addressed and it was a huge oversight.
I had a hard time understanding why things turned sexual between them when Wes was still being so awful to Rain. I wanted her to stay in that little cabin, watch her sewing empire expand, and then find a partner who didn’t belittle her for months instead of asking her even one question about her life pre-Lenora. Rain was the reason I kept reading and while I enjoyed this overall and appreciated the way Wes eventually groveled, there's a part of me hoping she eventually breaks up with him. She deserved so much better and I continued to believe that to the very end.
Characters: Wes is a white brewery manager of operations, resort owner, and submissive in his mid-30s. His brothers think he might be neurodiverse but he doesn’t agree. Rain is a 30 year old 6’ tall autistic white Algerian American seamstress and Domme. This is set in Lenora, WI.
Content notes: anxiety, autistic FMC, ableism from FMC’s family, death of FMC’s emotionally abusive father, financial abuse, past death of FMC’s mother (heart defect), past parental infidelity , past bullying, migraine, autistic secondary character (MMC’s brother), past death of MMC’s grandparents, unsafe sex practices (no condom during penetrative sex without discussion of STI or pregnancy prevention), on page sex, D/s, orgasm control, 69, bondage, alcohol, inebriation, casual ableism, gendered pejoratives, ableist language
October 1, 2023
First of all shout to Isabella for the loveliest review. She really is the real mvp🫀
Second, this was the cutest shit ever?? I am so obsessed with Rain. It’s like on another level. I need her to be real so we can be besties. Ughh, she was so well constructed. She was smart, thoughtful, kind, so brave, extremely talented and her character had immense depth. Loved how the writer showed her character in a beautiful light for a way that others find it hard to understand. My heart goes out to her ❤️🩹
You don’t need to convince me much to read marriage of convenience but when you add GROVELING!!! Huni, SIGN. Me. UP.
Wes, the man that he is was a little asshole in beginning so absorbed in his workaholic lifestyle and his perceived judgment about Rain he didn’t pull his head out of his ass until he was forced to open his eyes. Although I would have loved to know more about how his mind worked and his perspective on things. He seemed to be interesting enough to be beside Rain.
Smut had me blushing for a minute there I wasn’t really feeling the connection and it felt kind of too…forced upon us. But the more we knew the characters nature the more this pair grew on me. What can I say I love love🥹
so cute.
Second, this was the cutest shit ever?? I am so obsessed with Rain. It’s like on another level. I need her to be real so we can be besties. Ughh, she was so well constructed. She was smart, thoughtful, kind, so brave, extremely talented and her character had immense depth. Loved how the writer showed her character in a beautiful light for a way that others find it hard to understand. My heart goes out to her ❤️🩹
You don’t need to convince me much to read marriage of convenience but when you add GROVELING!!! Huni, SIGN. Me. UP.
Wes, the man that he is was a little asshole in beginning so absorbed in his workaholic lifestyle and his perceived judgment about Rain he didn’t pull his head out of his ass until he was forced to open his eyes. Although I would have loved to know more about how his mind worked and his perspective on things. He seemed to be interesting enough to be beside Rain.
Smut had me blushing for a minute there I wasn’t really feeling the connection and it felt kind of too…forced upon us. But the more we knew the characters nature the more this pair grew on me. What can I say I love love🥹
so cute.
January 25, 2024
Sigh. I do love this author's writing and she's capable of creating great characters. Wes was just...not it.
I hated him, to be honest. He was such a presumptive asshole and treated Rain like shit for no reason. He's incapable of communicating, whether that's to Rain or to his family. The big, main conflict in his relationship is based on miscommunication. He never bothered to get to know her and treated her like a spoiled child. I would shut down and not say anything to him either, I think a lot of people would. Rain is not at fault for not telling him about herself because he would 100% assume things and be judgmental.
Her father even told him she was autistic PLUS he has an autistic brother! He never stopped to think, hmm, maybe she's having a hard time adjusting and I should try to be more accommodating?
But no, he'll eat her cooking and have sex with her, while trying to ban her from going to her quilting class, the ONE thing she's enjoying. Oh yeah, and he never wants to be seen in public with her.
When he refused to eat her cooking at first, it didn't make sense to me either. He didn't want to eat what she made because...he would start liking her? The woman he married?
Rain 100% deserved better. I liked her character a lot more, but there were a few things that didn't make sense with her either. She has a lot of anxiety around social interactions, but didn't seem to have any issue just calling up the number for the quilting class? I'm not on the spectrum but I do have some phone anxiety, so that was a bit jarring to me. Also while I love that she's dominate in the bedroom, it was weird to see her slip into that role so easily the first time with Wes. She diminishes herself and avoids him because he always thinks the worst of her, but as soon as there's sexual tension, she's got all the power? IDK, it didn't seem realistic for a first time.
TL;DR: This book pissed me off.
I hated him, to be honest. He was such a presumptive asshole and treated Rain like shit for no reason. He's incapable of communicating, whether that's to Rain or to his family. The big, main conflict in his relationship is based on miscommunication. He never bothered to get to know her and treated her like a spoiled child. I would shut down and not say anything to him either, I think a lot of people would. Rain is not at fault for not telling him about herself because he would 100% assume things and be judgmental.
Her father even told him she was autistic PLUS he has an autistic brother! He never stopped to think, hmm, maybe she's having a hard time adjusting and I should try to be more accommodating?
But no, he'll eat her cooking and have sex with her, while trying to ban her from going to her quilting class, the ONE thing she's enjoying. Oh yeah, and he never wants to be seen in public with her.
When he refused to eat her cooking at first, it didn't make sense to me either. He didn't want to eat what she made because...he would start liking her? The woman he married?
Rain 100% deserved better. I liked her character a lot more, but there were a few things that didn't make sense with her either. She has a lot of anxiety around social interactions, but didn't seem to have any issue just calling up the number for the quilting class? I'm not on the spectrum but I do have some phone anxiety, so that was a bit jarring to me. Also while I love that she's dominate in the bedroom, it was weird to see her slip into that role so easily the first time with Wes. She diminishes herself and avoids him because he always thinks the worst of her, but as soon as there's sexual tension, she's got all the power? IDK, it didn't seem realistic for a first time.
TL;DR: This book pissed me off.
August 25, 2023
4.5 stars
I love Heather Guerre’s writing and the settings she chooses for her books. Coming back to Lake Lenora was lovely and I can’t wait for the other stories set in this charming and moody lake town.
Rain was one of my favorite heroines I’ve read this year so far, very unique in both her interests, personality and backstory. And I really enjoyed her journey to more independence and confidence.
This could have been a 5 stars if not for 2 things. First, and I would say this for a lot of Heather’s books, I would have loved to have 50-100 more pages. Her characters are always very complex and the topics she discusses are important, so a few more pages would give those things a little more room to breathe and develop. And secondly, Wes. I did like him in the end but he was so oblivious to everything and always chose the worst possible read on anything related to Rain.
Despite my misgivings about Wes, I did love the way the ending was constructed and found it realistic and romantic at the same time.
Can definitely recommend this series! If you haven’t read the first book yet, consider starting it in November/December because it is set in Winter/around Christmas.
I love Heather Guerre’s writing and the settings she chooses for her books. Coming back to Lake Lenora was lovely and I can’t wait for the other stories set in this charming and moody lake town.
Rain was one of my favorite heroines I’ve read this year so far, very unique in both her interests, personality and backstory. And I really enjoyed her journey to more independence and confidence.
This could have been a 5 stars if not for 2 things. First, and I would say this for a lot of Heather’s books, I would have loved to have 50-100 more pages. Her characters are always very complex and the topics she discusses are important, so a few more pages would give those things a little more room to breathe and develop. And secondly, Wes. I did like him in the end but he was so oblivious to everything and always chose the worst possible read on anything related to Rain.
Despite my misgivings about Wes, I did love the way the ending was constructed and found it realistic and romantic at the same time.
Can definitely recommend this series! If you haven’t read the first book yet, consider starting it in November/December because it is set in Winter/around Christmas.
September 28, 2023
Ugh
Wes was awful. He spent fully 85 percent of the book, including while they were sleeping together, thinking horrible things about her and making assumptions without actually asking questions or having real conversations. The FMC's dad who set up the marriage of convenience even told him she was autistic and Wes never considered that caused the old man's other judgements. He just forgot the autism and held on to the lazy and spoiled or whatever. And let that form the basis of his treatment of her even when he has an autistic brother and should be able to clue in.
Their first kiss made me physically recoil in discomfort. There was no connection leading up to it, no relationship being built. Wes is actively hurting her feelings and rejecting her constantly, trying to keep from building a relationship because he thinks she's a spoiled heiress and then he just kisses her aggressively? I wish I could unread this book.
Wes was awful. He spent fully 85 percent of the book, including while they were sleeping together, thinking horrible things about her and making assumptions without actually asking questions or having real conversations. The FMC's dad who set up the marriage of convenience even told him she was autistic and Wes never considered that caused the old man's other judgements. He just forgot the autism and held on to the lazy and spoiled or whatever. And let that form the basis of his treatment of her even when he has an autistic brother and should be able to clue in.
Their first kiss made me physically recoil in discomfort. There was no connection leading up to it, no relationship being built. Wes is actively hurting her feelings and rejecting her constantly, trying to keep from building a relationship because he thinks she's a spoiled heiress and then he just kisses her aggressively? I wish I could unread this book.
August 30, 2023
Like all of Heather Guerre’s books I gobbled this one up. I loved Rain. As a fellow sewist I may be biased but she was a fantastic character. Wes was completely frustrating, I was really annoyed with how long it took him to realize he was making all the wrong assumptions about Rain.
I guess the saving grace for me was the writing, and I really loved how Wes’s family held him accountable. He started to realize that he wasn’t just making assumptions about Rain but about his family as well. And the whole vibe of the town made me so happy. Also the sex, fabulous. I loved that Wes was like, please yes take control. That was hot. Love this series and looking forward to the next book.
I guess the saving grace for me was the writing, and I really loved how Wes’s family held him accountable. He started to realize that he wasn’t just making assumptions about Rain but about his family as well. And the whole vibe of the town made me so happy. Also the sex, fabulous. I loved that Wes was like, please yes take control. That was hot. Love this series and looking forward to the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2023
Not as good as the first book. I thought the story was pretty cliche and the characters were underdeveloped. The story just felt rushed.
I also couldn’t wrap my head around Rain. A thirty year old woman that had to marry her self off to survive? Surly the formative years living in the hippy commune would have prepared her for the reality of the outside world. I also did t like how her character went from meek and introverted to dominating in the flip of a switch. That just didn’t match up with her character at all.
Wes was also a pretty disappointing character. Talk about selfish and oblivious. Again, I didn’t buy the overbearing alpha who likes to be dominated in the bedroom.
I also couldn’t wrap my head around Rain. A thirty year old woman that had to marry her self off to survive? Surly the formative years living in the hippy commune would have prepared her for the reality of the outside world. I also did t like how her character went from meek and introverted to dominating in the flip of a switch. That just didn’t match up with her character at all.
Wes was also a pretty disappointing character. Talk about selfish and oblivious. Again, I didn’t buy the overbearing alpha who likes to be dominated in the bedroom.
September 7, 2023
I never felt like any of this was convincing. Not the characters, not the premise, not the depiction of autism, not the physical attraction, not the emotional connection, not the end. None of it. The only thing I found interesting was the descriptions of Rain’s clothing and sewing makes. Everything else felt like too little and too unlikely.
August 13, 2024
Like its main character, What Was Meant to Be is far more than the cover blurb would have you believe: a thoughtful alternative-lifestyle romance that masks itself as a mainstream arranged-marriage romance. In fact, were it not for a recommendation from Miss Pearl – who also turned me on to His Secret Illuminations – I would have never given this a second glance.
Heather Guerre’s small-town romance not only features a neurodivergent (autistic) main character, but also incorporates a gentle femdom relationship, and manages to do both with absolute perfection. Three pages into meeting her, just nine pages into the book, and I knew Rain and I were going to connect.
Boom! I felt seen and heard, right there. I saw myself on the page, and I knew that somebody out there understood. And it’s not just one thing, one token gesture towards incorporating autism, but the first of a long and lovely pattern woven throughout the entire book.
I want this on a shirt so, when I’m forced to socialize, people know what they’re getting into!
Personally, I don’t like almost croissants, but I do know the horror of texture. Something can look, smell, and even taste magnificent, but if the texture makes me cringe or gag, we’re done.
Again, yes! Texture isn’t just about what’s in my mouth, but about what’s touching my skin. It’s precisely why I’d rather watch my skin turn blue on a cold, snowy day than suffer a pair of pants.
I could go on and on. Seriously, I have so many other examples of finding myself in the story, but show a little more patience than Rain, stop hyperfixating, and try to get back to a ‘normal’ review.
Given how much the book hinges on the arranged marriage aspect, I thought Guerre did a wonderful job of explaining it, justifying it, and exploring it. For Wes, it’s all about a land transaction, and for Rain, it’s all about giving her time and space to find her way in the world. It’s so incredibly awkward, with a major clash of personalities, that the personal conflict would normally be too much for me, but I loved Rain so much that I wanted (needed) it to work. Perhaps that’s why I got so angry and frustrated with Wes, so impatient with his ignorant assumptions and snap judgments. He was told by Rain’s father that she’s autistic, and his brothers are on the spectrum, so he should be so much better at all of this, and it upsets me that he’s not.
Fortunately, Rain develops a support system, managing to find a best friend, a new friend, a mother figure – not bad for an autistic woman, coming from a sheltered life, who admits to being horrible at making friends. I’d love to have someone like Ashlyn or Renee to lean on and confide in, and the fact that Guerre makes them so loveable is fabulous.
Getting back to the gentle femdom aspect, I was shocked by how suddenly it came on, yet delighted by why it developed. It’s almost exactly halfway through the book (give or take a few pages) where the hints we’ve seen of the steel within Rain finally come to the surface – and where Wes’s need to be confronted with that steel is revealed.
Given I spent so much of the book not liking Wes very much, I have to give Guerre credit for exploring his need for submission with compassion and understanding. I saw something of myself in him as well, a craving to put the stresses and worries and anxieties and responsibilities of the day aside and embrace that quiet, and I can tell you it rings as true as Rain’s autism. That being said, he doesn’t deal at all well with this turning point – in fact, he’s rude, cold, and belligerent the day after – and that swings me right back to aggravation. The erotic power exchange is what ultimately leads to the realization of feelings, which is where the real challenge comes in, but getting there did try my patience at times.
What Was Meant to Be isn’t quite perfect, but it’s damned good, and for all Wes’s faults, the story is already destined for my books-to-revisit shelf when I feel the need to walk hand-in-hand with Rain all over again.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/...
Heather Guerre’s small-town romance not only features a neurodivergent (autistic) main character, but also incorporates a gentle femdom relationship, and manages to do both with absolute perfection. Three pages into meeting her, just nine pages into the book, and I knew Rain and I were going to connect.
“She wasn’t very social, and she was unavoidably weird. She didn’t like change. She didn’t like unknowns. She didn’t like upheaval.”
Boom! I felt seen and heard, right there. I saw myself on the page, and I knew that somebody out there understood. And it’s not just one thing, one token gesture towards incorporating autism, but the first of a long and lovely pattern woven throughout the entire book.
“She wasn’t very social, and she was unavoidably weird. She didn’t like change. She didn’t like unknowns. She didn’t like upheaval.”
I want this on a shirt so, when I’m forced to socialize, people know what they’re getting into!
“She liked almond croissants; she just didn’t like the texture contrast of random little stabby bits of almond mixed in with flaky pastry and soft frangipane filling.”
Personally, I don’t like almost croissants, but I do know the horror of texture. Something can look, smell, and even taste magnificent, but if the texture makes me cringe or gag, we’re done.
“The feeling of a serged edge made her want to peel her own skin off.”
Again, yes! Texture isn’t just about what’s in my mouth, but about what’s touching my skin. It’s precisely why I’d rather watch my skin turn blue on a cold, snowy day than suffer a pair of pants.
“Rain didn’t have the patience to play at being normal today.”
I could go on and on. Seriously, I have so many other examples of finding myself in the story, but show a little more patience than Rain, stop hyperfixating, and try to get back to a ‘normal’ review.
Given how much the book hinges on the arranged marriage aspect, I thought Guerre did a wonderful job of explaining it, justifying it, and exploring it. For Wes, it’s all about a land transaction, and for Rain, it’s all about giving her time and space to find her way in the world. It’s so incredibly awkward, with a major clash of personalities, that the personal conflict would normally be too much for me, but I loved Rain so much that I wanted (needed) it to work. Perhaps that’s why I got so angry and frustrated with Wes, so impatient with his ignorant assumptions and snap judgments. He was told by Rain’s father that she’s autistic, and his brothers are on the spectrum, so he should be so much better at all of this, and it upsets me that he’s not.
Fortunately, Rain develops a support system, managing to find a best friend, a new friend, a mother figure – not bad for an autistic woman, coming from a sheltered life, who admits to being horrible at making friends. I’d love to have someone like Ashlyn or Renee to lean on and confide in, and the fact that Guerre makes them so loveable is fabulous.
Getting back to the gentle femdom aspect, I was shocked by how suddenly it came on, yet delighted by why it developed. It’s almost exactly halfway through the book (give or take a few pages) where the hints we’ve seen of the steel within Rain finally come to the surface – and where Wes’s need to be confronted with that steel is revealed.
“But then Rain’s hand slid up the back of his neck to fist in his hair. She tugged, hard, and the chaos in Wes’s mind went totally quiet.”
Given I spent so much of the book not liking Wes very much, I have to give Guerre credit for exploring his need for submission with compassion and understanding. I saw something of myself in him as well, a craving to put the stresses and worries and anxieties and responsibilities of the day aside and embrace that quiet, and I can tell you it rings as true as Rain’s autism. That being said, he doesn’t deal at all well with this turning point – in fact, he’s rude, cold, and belligerent the day after – and that swings me right back to aggravation. The erotic power exchange is what ultimately leads to the realization of feelings, which is where the real challenge comes in, but getting there did try my patience at times.
What Was Meant to Be isn’t quite perfect, but it’s damned good, and for all Wes’s faults, the story is already destined for my books-to-revisit shelf when I feel the need to walk hand-in-hand with Rain all over again.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/...
October 21, 2024
4 stars for the heroine, Rain. A less-than-satisfying romance from one of my favourite authors. Wes is a completely undeserving hero. I deeply wished he would exit the story so a new hero could show Rain the care, concern and respect she deserves, but I couldn’t rate this any lower because I adored Rain. Also, Heather Guerre is a great writer, and while I was disappointed in the hero and the romance, this was just as compulsively readable as I expected— I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I always look forward to her unique premises, strong character work, and the way she makes familiar tropes feel fresh. Her writing is intelligent and insightful. She crafts romances where both the heroine and the hero are strongly written, engaging, imperfect humans who get me invested in them as individuals and as a couple. Rain and Wes’s marriage-of-convenience story contains much of what I love about Guerre’s writing, but even Guerre’s skillful hand could not shift my deep dislike of Wes.
As other GR reviewers have said, Wes is an asshole, and not in a pseudo-charming grumpy boss kind of way. His thoughtless, and many times, cruel, treatment of Rain was infuriating. Is it a failure of a romance if I’m hoping the heroine will leave the hero, forget he exists, and live her best life with a fulfilling career and her loyal friends? I held the futile hope that Rain would leave Wes permanently, but I adored her so much that ultimately I was content she got her HEA—even if that happy ending is with an undeserving jerk.
Wes fails to connect Rain’s neurodivergence (and overbearing neglectful father) and its significant impact on her life and career. He believes, as her father did, that she’s simply lazy and spoiled. I was confounded - and infuriated - by his ableist attitudes, considering one of his brothers is autistic. It seemed to me that he reserved his prejudice exclusively for Rain. He doesn’t exhibit any curiosity about her autism, and ultimately I think he simply did not care; it’s more convenient for him to avoid looking at her closely. There’s a moment when Rain calls him out for his lack of interest in her as a person, and he lays some of the blame at her feet because she closes herself off from him—WHY would she make herself vulnerable to a guy who always assumes the worst of her?? (And I disliked the author’s choice to have Rain agree with his assertion.) For a satisfying HEA, I expect and require the hero to redeem himself after something like this, but he never apologizes for his ableist treatment of her. I was confused as to why they never address her autism, especially during Wes’s campaign to learn more about her and win her back.
Also, Wes is completely aware Rain’s father is a massive asshole, and yet he still believed everything her father said about Rain?
I couldn’t overcome the impression that Wes is supremely self-centered. While they’re sleeping together, he only thinks about the ways she enriches HIS life and fulfills HIS needs, all while continuing to view her with derision. He’s using her as an emotional and physical “outlet” (yes, his word). Rain shows him care and concern and gives him heaps of support, while Wes never even considers ways he can reciprocate. He doesn’t extend kindness or understanding. He’s embarrassed to be seen with her in public. Why does Rain even catch feelings for this guy?? The romantic development really let me down.
Even after Rain moves out and he’s realized he’s fucked up, it’s all about how Rain makes him feel and what she does for him. He came across as holding a sense of entitlement in a way that felt (sadly) realistic. Wes realizes he’s been a judgmental, condescending, self-centered asshole (AFTER Rain leaves him…) and sets out to earn Rain’s trust and love, but by that point the damage was done for me as a reader. We’re meant to believe that Wes was blinded by his hyper-focus on the resort, that his behaviour towards Rain was out of character for him. What a lame excuse. Maybe a more compassionate reader could see him as a good guy who made some big mistakes, but he never earned my trust and never won me over.
It’s a credit to Guerre’s writing that I believed Wes was sincere, but his sudden turn-around still gave me whiplash. Overnight he becomes sensitive and full of reciprocity?
I couldn’t get into Wes and Rain’s sex scenes. I wasn’t sure why they began a sexual relationship in the first place—it felt like it came out of nowhere. The author is usually excellent at laying the emotional tracks that lead to sex, but I didn’t see that here. The scenes are hot but I had a pervasive feeling of dread once they began having sex; every time they hooked up I felt less invested in their HEA.
I keenly felt their power differential in a way that made me uncomfortable and a little sad for Rain—and “Mutually Beneficial” and “Preferential Treatment” are at the tippy-top of my favourite books. Rain is a Domme but I still felt like Wes held the power in more significant ways. Rain has basically no avenues available to her that would allow her to gain independence, no real choices and no support. She’s been forced into this marriage of convenience and is dependent on Wes.
Most significantly, Wes doesn’t respect Rain. I hated seeing Rain fuck the brains out of a guy who holds her in such low regard. He’s treats her so shabbily and never really sees Rain until near the end of the story. I couldn’t shake the feeling that, deep down, Wes felt he was lowering himself by having sex with her. When I’m reading romance (and even erotica), I need the sex to advance the story and the growing intimacy between the MCs. Wes doesn’t meaningfully grow or change as they become more intimate. He doesn’t really care about her or become genuinely curious about her as a person until after she leaves. He doesn’t examine whether his assumptions about her might have been wrong.
I can see how a different interpretation of Wes might be that he loves Rain for who she is and not her accomplishments - or he loves her despite her lack of material success - but none of his efforts and gestures to win her back altered my impression of him as a deeply selfish guy. Even with his grand gesture, he doesn’t have to sacrifice anything and he still gets everything he wants.
So why 4 stars? I fell in love with Rain. The best parts of the book are centered around Rain courageously taking risks as she forges a new life for herself. Watching her blossom brought me so much joy. Also, Guerre’s character work is on-point. For as much as I disliked Wes as a hero, he’s well-drawn as a realistically flawed character.
Rain is the heart of this story. My heart broke for her when learning of how little control she had of her life, of how few avenues (if any) for independence are available for her, and of her profound loneliness as a result of being marginalized, overlooked and uncared for. She engendered all my compassion and sympathy without being a pitiable figure, and I couldn’t help but like and admire her. She’s internalized the messaging that she’s incapable and lazy, yet she fiercely holds on to her passion and creative spirit. I never viewed her as a doormat; this was the rare occasion when I viewed the heroine’s generosity towards the undeserving hero as an indication of her strength. She quietly possesses a strong sense of self. Everyone who was supposed to care about her failed her, yet she never loses her essential integrity and goodness. I still marvel at how the author brought Rain to life and made me fall in love with her.
I loved that Rain realizes she deserves more and leaves Wes. She forgives him way too easily, and again, I never entirely bought why she loves him. I STILL wish she hadn’t ended up with Wes. For the majority of the story, Wes doesn’t really know Rain and treats her so shabbily. I needed more relationship development and definitely more redemptive actions from him.
As other GR reviewers have said, Wes is an asshole, and not in a pseudo-charming grumpy boss kind of way. His thoughtless, and many times, cruel, treatment of Rain was infuriating. Is it a failure of a romance if I’m hoping the heroine will leave the hero, forget he exists, and live her best life with a fulfilling career and her loyal friends? I held the futile hope that Rain would leave Wes permanently, but I adored her so much that ultimately I was content she got her HEA—even if that happy ending is with an undeserving jerk.
Wes fails to connect Rain’s neurodivergence (and overbearing neglectful father) and its significant impact on her life and career. He believes, as her father did, that she’s simply lazy and spoiled. I was confounded - and infuriated - by his ableist attitudes, considering one of his brothers is autistic. It seemed to me that he reserved his prejudice exclusively for Rain. He doesn’t exhibit any curiosity about her autism, and ultimately I think he simply did not care; it’s more convenient for him to avoid looking at her closely. There’s a moment when Rain calls him out for his lack of interest in her as a person, and he lays some of the blame at her feet because she closes herself off from him—WHY would she make herself vulnerable to a guy who always assumes the worst of her?? (And I disliked the author’s choice to have Rain agree with his assertion.) For a satisfying HEA, I expect and require the hero to redeem himself after something like this, but he never apologizes for his ableist treatment of her. I was confused as to why they never address her autism, especially during Wes’s campaign to learn more about her and win her back.
Also, Wes is completely aware Rain’s father is a massive asshole, and yet he still believed everything her father said about Rain?
I couldn’t overcome the impression that Wes is supremely self-centered. While they’re sleeping together, he only thinks about the ways she enriches HIS life and fulfills HIS needs, all while continuing to view her with derision. He’s using her as an emotional and physical “outlet” (yes, his word). Rain shows him care and concern and gives him heaps of support, while Wes never even considers ways he can reciprocate. He doesn’t extend kindness or understanding. He’s embarrassed to be seen with her in public. Why does Rain even catch feelings for this guy?? The romantic development really let me down.
Even after Rain moves out and he’s realized he’s fucked up, it’s all about how Rain makes him feel and what she does for him. He came across as holding a sense of entitlement in a way that felt (sadly) realistic. Wes realizes he’s been a judgmental, condescending, self-centered asshole (AFTER Rain leaves him…) and sets out to earn Rain’s trust and love, but by that point the damage was done for me as a reader. We’re meant to believe that Wes was blinded by his hyper-focus on the resort, that his behaviour towards Rain was out of character for him. What a lame excuse. Maybe a more compassionate reader could see him as a good guy who made some big mistakes, but he never earned my trust and never won me over.
It’s a credit to Guerre’s writing that I believed Wes was sincere, but his sudden turn-around still gave me whiplash. Overnight he becomes sensitive and full of reciprocity?
I couldn’t get into Wes and Rain’s sex scenes. I wasn’t sure why they began a sexual relationship in the first place—it felt like it came out of nowhere. The author is usually excellent at laying the emotional tracks that lead to sex, but I didn’t see that here. The scenes are hot but I had a pervasive feeling of dread once they began having sex; every time they hooked up I felt less invested in their HEA.
I keenly felt their power differential in a way that made me uncomfortable and a little sad for Rain—and “Mutually Beneficial” and “Preferential Treatment” are at the tippy-top of my favourite books. Rain is a Domme but I still felt like Wes held the power in more significant ways. Rain has basically no avenues available to her that would allow her to gain independence, no real choices and no support. She’s been forced into this marriage of convenience and is dependent on Wes.
Most significantly, Wes doesn’t respect Rain. I hated seeing Rain fuck the brains out of a guy who holds her in such low regard. He’s treats her so shabbily and never really sees Rain until near the end of the story. I couldn’t shake the feeling that, deep down, Wes felt he was lowering himself by having sex with her. When I’m reading romance (and even erotica), I need the sex to advance the story and the growing intimacy between the MCs. Wes doesn’t meaningfully grow or change as they become more intimate. He doesn’t really care about her or become genuinely curious about her as a person until after she leaves. He doesn’t examine whether his assumptions about her might have been wrong.
I can see how a different interpretation of Wes might be that he loves Rain for who she is and not her accomplishments - or he loves her despite her lack of material success - but none of his efforts and gestures to win her back altered my impression of him as a deeply selfish guy. Even with his grand gesture, he doesn’t have to sacrifice anything and he still gets everything he wants.
So why 4 stars? I fell in love with Rain. The best parts of the book are centered around Rain courageously taking risks as she forges a new life for herself. Watching her blossom brought me so much joy. Also, Guerre’s character work is on-point. For as much as I disliked Wes as a hero, he’s well-drawn as a realistically flawed character.
Rain is the heart of this story. My heart broke for her when learning of how little control she had of her life, of how few avenues (if any) for independence are available for her, and of her profound loneliness as a result of being marginalized, overlooked and uncared for. She engendered all my compassion and sympathy without being a pitiable figure, and I couldn’t help but like and admire her. She’s internalized the messaging that she’s incapable and lazy, yet she fiercely holds on to her passion and creative spirit. I never viewed her as a doormat; this was the rare occasion when I viewed the heroine’s generosity towards the undeserving hero as an indication of her strength. She quietly possesses a strong sense of self. Everyone who was supposed to care about her failed her, yet she never loses her essential integrity and goodness. I still marvel at how the author brought Rain to life and made me fall in love with her.
I loved that Rain realizes she deserves more and leaves Wes. She forgives him way too easily, and again, I never entirely bought why she loves him. I STILL wish she hadn’t ended up with Wes. For the majority of the story, Wes doesn’t really know Rain and treats her so shabbily. I needed more relationship development and definitely more redemptive actions from him.
March 6, 2024
Now that I’ve finished the book, I can just say overall, nor the best. I think the pms hormones were really getting to me because I was straight up DEPRESSED PVER Rain and how she was perceived in the beginning. The spicey scenes tho…. WTH was that!?!? It was just so bad and awkward and made my view on this book changes😭
September 6, 2023
Too short for the story it told. The whole book felt rushed. Wes is a complete jackass until like, the 85% mark. Her falling for him feels totally unearned. Her sleeping with him feels unearned! There’s no chemistry before it happens! He really wants her and it is 100% her looks. Maybe 99% looks and 1% her cooking. And frankly, the way her past is explained as deeply sheltered with crippling social anxiety means that the reveal about her robust sexual knowledge doesn’t really scan either. I fully expected her to be a virgin once the two of them started hooking up. It felt like the author wanted to write a story about a dominating woman but this wasn’t the one it belonged in.
Heather Guerre is such a smart and capable writer but this missed the mark for me. I think if this book had like, 30% more story to really let it breathe and let Wes mature and become less of an asshat, it would have been a better. I was actually convinced it was going to end up being a TBC until the ride came to an abrupt stop at a HEA.
Also the descriptions of her original clothing creations…..good god. 😬 “A dress over a dress”?? It’s giving Magnolia Pearl.
Heather Guerre is such a smart and capable writer but this missed the mark for me. I think if this book had like, 30% more story to really let it breathe and let Wes mature and become less of an asshat, it would have been a better. I was actually convinced it was going to end up being a TBC until the ride came to an abrupt stop at a HEA.
Also the descriptions of her original clothing creations…..good god. 😬 “A dress over a dress”?? It’s giving Magnolia Pearl.
Read
December 22, 2023
Trigger & Content Warnings
Ableism
Anxiety
Emotional child abuse recounted
Parental infidelity & divorce recounted
Alcohol consumption
Physical illness (migraine)
Death of grandparents mentioned
Death of a father
Death of a mother from a heart defect recounted
Ableism
Anxiety
Emotional child abuse recounted
Parental infidelity & divorce recounted
Alcohol consumption
Physical illness (migraine)
Death of grandparents mentioned
Death of a father
Death of a mother from a heart defect recounted
September 20, 2025
Nah einde wel nice. Begin te zwak 3.7
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