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Private Arrangements #1
His Scandalous Lessons
He is London's most notorious rogue.
Richard Grey is renowned for his escapades in the bedchamber. But he's hidden the truth for that wicked reputation is a public front to hide his political machinations.
She is a politician's daughter.
Anne Sheffield's life is dictated at the whims of her domineering father. Considered an asset for her remarkable memory, Anne is privy to top-secret intelligence – so he's determined to keep her close. Desperate to escape, she presents Richard with a help her seduce a husband of her choosing in exchange for political secrets.
Love and scandal are a dangerous combination.
As Anne learns Richard's scandalous ways, she finds herself on the verge of losing her heart. And as it turns out, sharing secrets can lead to dangerous consequences…
Richard Grey is renowned for his escapades in the bedchamber. But he's hidden the truth for that wicked reputation is a public front to hide his political machinations.
She is a politician's daughter.
Anne Sheffield's life is dictated at the whims of her domineering father. Considered an asset for her remarkable memory, Anne is privy to top-secret intelligence – so he's determined to keep her close. Desperate to escape, she presents Richard with a help her seduce a husband of her choosing in exchange for political secrets.
Love and scandal are a dangerous combination.
As Anne learns Richard's scandalous ways, she finds herself on the verge of losing her heart. And as it turns out, sharing secrets can lead to dangerous consequences…
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2018
443 people are currently reading
920 people want to read
About the author
Katrina Kendrick
7 books160 followersKatrina Kendrick is the romance pen name for fantasy author Elizabeth May.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
May 5, 2024
Take nothing at face value!
Anne Sheffield is the daughter of Stanton Sheffield, a powerful politician whose ideas are ultra conservative, where women are seen as the property of fathers and husbands. Anne’s been betrothed to a much older man, the Duke of Kendal since she was twelve years old. Definitely sleazy connotations, cohesive control, and abuse—both physical and mental are part of her life from her father and the Duke.
She has six weeks to find an alternative to her marriage to the Duke, but how to dodge her father’s decrees?
Who better to help her than Richard Grey, a dedicated politician opposed to all her father stands for. A thorough rogue to train her in the art of flirting and help find someone else to wed. Anne’s bar is not high.
In return Anne will give Richard the names of politicians whose vote her father has obtained by manipulation and blackmail. Anne trades her lessons for that damaging political information.
Anne has had to maintain an empty facade, concerned only with new gowns and hats. In reality she is highly intelligent with an astute mind, and gifted with a phenomenal memory.
A Bill is about to be introduced into parliament for the right to vote for all men. Grey of course champions this. Stanton Sheffield is vitriolic in his opposition.
Anne and Richard’s relationship grows, sparked by the attraction between them. A pull that is both illicit and troubling. After all rakes don’t reform! Sensuality comes to the fore. A redeeming quality of Richard’s is his kind heart and unswerving loyalties to friends.
What follows is a novel that tackles age old issues of power, wealth, dominance, and all matters in between. As I said in an earlier review of the ebook edition this is an oftentimes fun read with intrigue and romance, in a taming of the rake and quasi enemies to lovers vibe.
A Bloomsbury (Aria) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Anne Sheffield is the daughter of Stanton Sheffield, a powerful politician whose ideas are ultra conservative, where women are seen as the property of fathers and husbands. Anne’s been betrothed to a much older man, the Duke of Kendal since she was twelve years old. Definitely sleazy connotations, cohesive control, and abuse—both physical and mental are part of her life from her father and the Duke.
She has six weeks to find an alternative to her marriage to the Duke, but how to dodge her father’s decrees?
Who better to help her than Richard Grey, a dedicated politician opposed to all her father stands for. A thorough rogue to train her in the art of flirting and help find someone else to wed. Anne’s bar is not high.
In return Anne will give Richard the names of politicians whose vote her father has obtained by manipulation and blackmail. Anne trades her lessons for that damaging political information.
Anne has had to maintain an empty facade, concerned only with new gowns and hats. In reality she is highly intelligent with an astute mind, and gifted with a phenomenal memory.
A Bill is about to be introduced into parliament for the right to vote for all men. Grey of course champions this. Stanton Sheffield is vitriolic in his opposition.
Anne and Richard’s relationship grows, sparked by the attraction between them. A pull that is both illicit and troubling. After all rakes don’t reform! Sensuality comes to the fore. A redeeming quality of Richard’s is his kind heart and unswerving loyalties to friends.
What follows is a novel that tackles age old issues of power, wealth, dominance, and all matters in between. As I said in an earlier review of the ebook edition this is an oftentimes fun read with intrigue and romance, in a taming of the rake and quasi enemies to lovers vibe.
A Bloomsbury (Aria) ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
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February 22, 2024
4 ⭐️ A ditzy politician's daughter and an incorrigible rake... and neither of them is what they seem.
I got an ARC a while ago for the first book of this series, and that very same day I saw this book in my grocery store. I know, I hadn't even read the first one! But I had a good feeling, and I got it. And I was right! This book was surprising in almost every way. I loved both MCs, and I LOVE the extremely unrealistic MMC! I know men like Richard did not exist in the 19th century. I would love to think that they did, but delusion can only take me so far.
I would recommend taking into account the triggers for this book because seriously, there are TWs for... everything really. The cover looks so sweet but omg, there's so much here. I'm going to leave the ones I can remember/shocked me the most here:
🌶🌶🌶 / 5 - There're only a handful of steamy scenes, but they are great! There's also so much tension too, especially in the beginning. That delicious slow-burn feeling is definitely there.
I got an ARC a while ago for the first book of this series, and that very same day I saw this book in my grocery store. I know, I hadn't even read the first one! But I had a good feeling, and I got it. And I was right! This book was surprising in almost every way. I loved both MCs, and I LOVE the extremely unrealistic MMC! I know men like Richard did not exist in the 19th century. I would love to think that they did, but delusion can only take me so far.
I would recommend taking into account the triggers for this book because seriously, there are TWs for... everything really. The cover looks so sweet but omg, there's so much here. I'm going to leave the ones I can remember/shocked me the most here:
🌶🌶🌶 / 5 - There're only a handful of steamy scenes, but they are great! There's also so much tension too, especially in the beginning. That delicious slow-burn feeling is definitely there.
December 20, 2021
Prime Minister's daughter, Anne Sheffield, is at the mercy of her domineering father. Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, she approaches Richard Grey to help her learn how to attract a man and make a different match. Anne is willing to pay him in political secrets and Richard seizes the opportunity to gather information against his corrupt political rivals.
This is the first book in the Private Arrangements series, but there are breadcrumbs sprinkled in that tie into the prequel novella about Richard's brother, James. I really liked this book; and, for some reason, it gave me an old school Johanna Lindsey type storyline vibe. There was a good amount of chemistry, intrigue, and heat.
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Lessons, Matchmaker, Revenge
Steam: 4
This is the first book in the Private Arrangements series, but there are breadcrumbs sprinkled in that tie into the prequel novella about Richard's brother, James. I really liked this book; and, for some reason, it gave me an old school Johanna Lindsey type storyline vibe. There was a good amount of chemistry, intrigue, and heat.
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Lessons, Matchmaker, Revenge
Steam: 4
February 16, 2025
So much darker than I thought it would be. It's a good story and I liked the pacing but it's heavier than expected. Be warned of cruel enemies and awful people!
April 23, 2024
This is a short, straightforward, sexy historical romance. Anne is betrothed to an awful man; her father is an unscrupulous politician on the wrong side of history. Using impeccable romance novel logic, she approaches his political enemy, Richard Grey, to help her find a husband. Richard is the perfect man to do this because he can seduce any woman he wants, so obviously he can teach her to seduce any man she wants! So he gets her invited to a house party where she receives plenty of successful lessons in seduction. But the lessons work too well, because now they've been mutually seduced!
We love a book with lessons, decent characters, and external relationship conflicts, and this book gives all three. There are some major content warnings (see below) but honestly this was pretty rompey for a book that deals with such dark themes. This one is a ton of fun where the bad guys get their comeuppance and the good guys come out on top. The book also sets up at least three other romances, so we might be headed for a deep Katrina Kendrick dive...
CW:
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
We love a book with lessons, decent characters, and external relationship conflicts, and this book gives all three. There are some major content warnings (see below) but honestly this was pretty rompey for a book that deals with such dark themes. This one is a ton of fun where the bad guys get their comeuppance and the good guys come out on top. The book also sets up at least three other romances, so we might be headed for a deep Katrina Kendrick dive...
CW:
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
August 19, 2018
Nice prose, but the story didn't work for me.
Ms. Kendrick is a strong writer, and this story sounded interesting, but the pieces never quite came together for me, and even though the story wasn't that long, it felt super long and there was a section in the middle where I was very bored.
Anne Sheffield is the daughter of the prime minister and is soon to be married to a much older and very cruel man. Seeking any way to get out of it, she turns to her father's opponent, Richard Grey for help. In return for teaching her how to seduce and win over a man, she'll give him some of her father's political secrets. Richard agrees. With the help of one of Richard's friends, they escape to a house party where Richard teaches her seduction, and she puts his lessons to use.
This sounds like the setup to a steamy book, but honestly, it wasn't. The number of sex scenes was pretty average, and the scenes weren't that hot imo. Admittedly, this probably wasn't helped by the fact that I had recently reread my favorite historical erotica series, so it made this look worse, but even without that influencing me, I still think I would have found the sex scenes to be average at best.
I was also hoping for more political wrangling as well. There wasn't a whole lot of political wrangling, and I wish we had seen more. Kendrick is clearly well versed in the politics of the era, so I liked reading about some of the issues of the day, but I wish we had seen more political grappling. The hero and the antagonist are both involved in politics and both use dirty tactics, so I would have liked to have seen more of that on page especially since political characters aren't that common in historical romance.
I wish that there had been less of the Granby character. In books where the hero is helping the heroine find another man, there's always a sense of false tension because we know that the hero and heroine are going to end up together, unless there's a legitimate love triangle going on. This is a particularly bad case because Granby has no redeeming factors aside from his title, but the reason Anne actually breaks things off with him is because he is opposed to women's suffrage and a misogynist. Which is a valid reason not to get with someone, but is such a minor flaw compared to what a monster her actual fiance is and felt like the author was just lumping on too many bad qualities on a character all the readers knew wasn't going to matter. At the very least, this character could have had reduced page time, if not been cut all together. Instead, I think more page time should have devoted to Anne's fiance. I didn't like him, but I think seeing more of him would have given a deeper understanding of Anne and her suffering.
Speaking of her fiance, I don't find it realistic that he wanted to wait until their wedding to consummate things. He's a pedophile, they've been engaged since she was 12, and her dad is apparently okay with anything happening to her, so honestly, it is out of character that he didn't take things further than he did sooner. I'm glad obviously that he didn't rape her, but I think it is out of character and we're only given a spurious reason for why he hadn't. Trigger warning for everyone: it's not explicitly spelled out, but I did read it as he had molested Anne, and there is a scene where he tries to rape her during the story.
I did like both Anne and Richard. Richard was a wonderful hero, very kind and supportive towards Anne. He was your stereotypical rake with a heart of gold, but we did get treated to a few scenes where you can see how he earned his darker reputation. I enjoyed that because it's so rare to see a hero step out of line, but I liked that he was willing to play dirty to achieve his goals. I also liked Anne. She had clearly suffered but was also an intelligent and clever heroine who used the resources she had to save herself. I think that Richard was exactly what Anne needed.
I also liked a number of the side characters, and the stories Kendrick was setting up for them. I wish we had seen more of the fallout from Sheffield revealing Alexandra's secrets, but I'm sure that that will happen in her book.
I think Kendrick has an engaging style of writing, even if her stuff doesn't line up exactly with what I like; however, in this book, I think there were a couple of missteps in terms of plotting and pacing and that her sex scenes were lackluster. I think the quality of the writing and the historical information made this more enjoyable for me than it typically would have been. I'm willing to try her books again because the upcoming stories intrigue me, but I'm not entirely sold on her work so far.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
Ms. Kendrick is a strong writer, and this story sounded interesting, but the pieces never quite came together for me, and even though the story wasn't that long, it felt super long and there was a section in the middle where I was very bored.
Anne Sheffield is the daughter of the prime minister and is soon to be married to a much older and very cruel man. Seeking any way to get out of it, she turns to her father's opponent, Richard Grey for help. In return for teaching her how to seduce and win over a man, she'll give him some of her father's political secrets. Richard agrees. With the help of one of Richard's friends, they escape to a house party where Richard teaches her seduction, and she puts his lessons to use.
This sounds like the setup to a steamy book, but honestly, it wasn't. The number of sex scenes was pretty average, and the scenes weren't that hot imo. Admittedly, this probably wasn't helped by the fact that I had recently reread my favorite historical erotica series, so it made this look worse, but even without that influencing me, I still think I would have found the sex scenes to be average at best.
I was also hoping for more political wrangling as well. There wasn't a whole lot of political wrangling, and I wish we had seen more. Kendrick is clearly well versed in the politics of the era, so I liked reading about some of the issues of the day, but I wish we had seen more political grappling. The hero and the antagonist are both involved in politics and both use dirty tactics, so I would have liked to have seen more of that on page especially since political characters aren't that common in historical romance.
I wish that there had been less of the Granby character. In books where the hero is helping the heroine find another man, there's always a sense of false tension because we know that the hero and heroine are going to end up together, unless there's a legitimate love triangle going on. This is a particularly bad case because Granby has no redeeming factors aside from his title, but the reason Anne actually breaks things off with him is because he is opposed to women's suffrage and a misogynist. Which is a valid reason not to get with someone, but is such a minor flaw compared to what a monster her actual fiance is and felt like the author was just lumping on too many bad qualities on a character all the readers knew wasn't going to matter. At the very least, this character could have had reduced page time, if not been cut all together. Instead, I think more page time should have devoted to Anne's fiance. I didn't like him, but I think seeing more of him would have given a deeper understanding of Anne and her suffering.
Speaking of her fiance, I don't find it realistic that he wanted to wait until their wedding to consummate things. He's a pedophile, they've been engaged since she was 12, and her dad is apparently okay with anything happening to her, so honestly, it is out of character that he didn't take things further than he did sooner. I'm glad obviously that he didn't rape her, but I think it is out of character and we're only given a spurious reason for why he hadn't. Trigger warning for everyone: it's not explicitly spelled out, but I did read it as he had molested Anne, and there is a scene where he tries to rape her during the story.
I did like both Anne and Richard. Richard was a wonderful hero, very kind and supportive towards Anne. He was your stereotypical rake with a heart of gold, but we did get treated to a few scenes where you can see how he earned his darker reputation. I enjoyed that because it's so rare to see a hero step out of line, but I liked that he was willing to play dirty to achieve his goals. I also liked Anne. She had clearly suffered but was also an intelligent and clever heroine who used the resources she had to save herself. I think that Richard was exactly what Anne needed.
I also liked a number of the side characters, and the stories Kendrick was setting up for them. I wish we had seen more of the fallout from Sheffield revealing Alexandra's secrets, but I'm sure that that will happen in her book.
I think Kendrick has an engaging style of writing, even if her stuff doesn't line up exactly with what I like; however, in this book, I think there were a couple of missteps in terms of plotting and pacing and that her sex scenes were lackluster. I think the quality of the writing and the historical information made this more enjoyable for me than it typically would have been. I'm willing to try her books again because the upcoming stories intrigue me, but I'm not entirely sold on her work so far.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
September 2, 2020
Kendrick's historical romances skew a bit on the heavy side from my usual romance tastes, so I'm a bit surprised at just how much I've enjoyed them. They feature heavy, dark things—so much so that at one point I literally put the book down and said out loud "damn, this is dark"—but they do so to make points about abuses, of women and the political system. Elements of this very much feel borne out of feminist rage about what's going on in the world right now, and there's major appeal to that.
TW:
The romance between Anne and Richard is surprisingly sweet. I wasn't sure what to expect from his scenes in the novella. Right off, I was into it, because I really love the trope of the heroine asking the hero for seduction lessons to get some other man. Also, I like that the whole plot wasn't him realizing he could handle love; in fact that was basically a non-issue, which was super refreshing.
On top of the main couple, I adored all the side-ships. I'm totally looking forward to Alexandra's book, but I'm also very much hoping for books about the Duke and Duchess of Hastings and Miss Cecil and Montgomery, because omg I shipppp it.
TW:
The romance between Anne and Richard is surprisingly sweet. I wasn't sure what to expect from his scenes in the novella. Right off, I was into it, because I really love the trope of the heroine asking the hero for seduction lessons to get some other man. Also, I like that the whole plot wasn't him realizing he could handle love; in fact that was basically a non-issue, which was super refreshing.
On top of the main couple, I adored all the side-ships. I'm totally looking forward to Alexandra's book, but I'm also very much hoping for books about the Duke and Duchess of Hastings and Miss Cecil and Montgomery, because omg I shipppp it.
September 2, 2018
I enjoyed the HELL out of this. I had a feeling I would, given that Katrina Kendrick is a pen name for Elizabeth May, the author who wrote one of my all-time favorite series. I loved the romance in that, so I knew I had to read this. And it didn't disappoint me, though it was kind of insta-lovey. I'm more into a slow burn, but I loved the relationship between Anne and Richard, and how caring and respectful he was of her when no other man in her life was. This book wasn't light; Anne was abused and sexually assaulted by her fiance since she was a preteen girl, and her father's a right bastard. She'd been through a lot, and it wasn't finished when she realized the love of her life was the man she'd requested give her lessons on how to catch a kind husband. But Richard was oh so lovely; a rake, to be sure, but so damned good and wonderful. I loved the secondary characters too, and I must know everything about them. Caroline and her duke, Alexandra and her criminal, James and his Emma (gonna read their book this weekend, for sure). I want all the stories, and I want more of these people!
Rating: 3.5 stars
Rating: 3.5 stars
May 6, 2024
An engaging romance with fantastic characters and some darker undertones. Deals with social issues and love equally well. I need a Caro book as well as Alexandra’s story.
March 7, 2025
- Historical romance. Kindle Unlimited read.
- Author is a pseudonym of Elizabeth May (author of The Falconer)
- SO GOOD! I read it in a day (would have been a single sitting if I didn't have to finish another review book)
- Great writing that keeps you reading. Fantastic characters! Even the side characters were intriguing! I want books about the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, Leo, and Montgomery and Celia please and thank you.
- Plot extends beyond the romance! Especially in the second half.
- Author is a pseudonym of Elizabeth May (author of The Falconer)
- SO GOOD! I read it in a day (would have been a single sitting if I didn't have to finish another review book)
- Great writing that keeps you reading. Fantastic characters! Even the side characters were intriguing! I want books about the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, Leo, and Montgomery and Celia please and thank you.
- Plot extends beyond the romance! Especially in the second half.
March 20, 2024
Anne Sheffield has never owned her life. The only daughter of a cruel politician, she spends her days keeping her father’s secrets and trying to avoid her impending marriage to a duke. Enter Richard Grey, her father’s fiercest political rival and a well-known rake. Sensing an opportunity, Anne makes a scandalous offer: Richard will teach her how to seduce a husband in exchange for her father’s political secrets. But the course of love (or seducing a stranger into marrying you) never did run smooth and as Anne and Richard begin their instruction, the chemistry between them may be too much to resist.
His Scandalous Lessons were two almost entirely separate books smushed together. The first half of the relatively short novel was your traditional historical romance with scenes swoon-worthy enough to take place in Bridgerton. The second half of the novel was a harrowing tale of domestic abuse, crimes against young children, and sexual assault. The issue was that neither arc was given enough time to develop, and while I liked both stories separately, I didn’t sense a connecting thread as much as I would’ve liked.
Regardless, Anne was a delightful main character. Despite living in a time when women, even those of the upper crust, enjoyed few rights, she managed to maintain agency even in the face of outward signs of passiveness. I liked that while she felt strong, it was a strength grounded in the period in which the novel was set rather than a 21st-century definition of feminism.
Richard was the perfect combination of rake and daring politician. He had healthy friendships with numerous people (imagine that! A support network in a period piece), a good head on his shoulders, and a mind that could match Anne’s blow for blow. He also cared so much about making her feel comfortable, and I loved that consent was obvious, asked for, and could clearly be withdrawn at any time for any reason (another historical romance rarity). While physical seduction obviously plays a huge role in the novel’s plot, the way these characters fall in love through conversation was by far my favorite part.
All in all, His Scandalous Lessons is a great novel to escape into for a little while. Though the plot and pacing are far from perfect, the prose is engaging and easy to follow, Richard says the sweetest and sexist things, and Anne shines with quiet strength. I look forward to exploring more novels in the series (especially Alexander and Nick, and hopefully Caroline sometime in the future).
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
His Scandalous Lessons were two almost entirely separate books smushed together. The first half of the relatively short novel was your traditional historical romance with scenes swoon-worthy enough to take place in Bridgerton. The second half of the novel was a harrowing tale of domestic abuse, crimes against young children, and sexual assault. The issue was that neither arc was given enough time to develop, and while I liked both stories separately, I didn’t sense a connecting thread as much as I would’ve liked.
Regardless, Anne was a delightful main character. Despite living in a time when women, even those of the upper crust, enjoyed few rights, she managed to maintain agency even in the face of outward signs of passiveness. I liked that while she felt strong, it was a strength grounded in the period in which the novel was set rather than a 21st-century definition of feminism.
Richard was the perfect combination of rake and daring politician. He had healthy friendships with numerous people (imagine that! A support network in a period piece), a good head on his shoulders, and a mind that could match Anne’s blow for blow. He also cared so much about making her feel comfortable, and I loved that consent was obvious, asked for, and could clearly be withdrawn at any time for any reason (another historical romance rarity). While physical seduction obviously plays a huge role in the novel’s plot, the way these characters fall in love through conversation was by far my favorite part.
All in all, His Scandalous Lessons is a great novel to escape into for a little while. Though the plot and pacing are far from perfect, the prose is engaging and easy to follow, Richard says the sweetest and sexist things, and Anne shines with quiet strength. I look forward to exploring more novels in the series (especially Alexander and Nick, and hopefully Caroline sometime in the future).
An e-ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
December 20, 2025
Anne Sheffield approaches Richard Grey to request his help in "seducing" a husband ASAP because her father and her fiance are monsters. So he agrees to help, gets the bones for her, and they fall in love! Then there's a third act action/horror novel taped onto the end for the nightmares or something, the end.
1. So many of the potentially interesting plot points are just summed up which is frustrating. Kendrick seems to like summary exposition to get to the "good bits" (the boning, I think?) which results in a weirdly uneven narrative that zooms past emotional development, conversations, growing attachments, major plot elements (like the villain announcing his blackmail material before going to prison????), etc., leaving us with a lot of heavy breathing and nipping and groping.
So if you're in the mood for a grope, here you go!
2. That action/horror bent was something.
3. I liked the development of relationship at the Duchess of Hasting's house party: there was some very nice groundwork laid for Richard and Anne's teamwork and understanding of one another and general attachment. But then Anne learns to say "Fuck" and lo, a descent unto boning.
Like, the thing is that I like horny heroes and heroines, but I dislike it when the horniness gets in the way of logic or good ideas or what-have-you. Like, you know, breaking into the home of Anne's abusive father in order to get laid, for example? Absolutely have sex in the middle of a house filled with people who have repeatedly been portrayed as loyal to their paychecks vs. Anne herself! Sure, make all kinds of gasping moaning whimpers without ANY THOUGHT TO THE FACT THAT THE MAIN ANTAGONIST IS IN THE HOUSE TOO. Is this NOT the perfect time to get your freak on, I ASK YOU?
(And it's all mixed up in the fact that Anne was literally just assaulted by her uber-gross fiance and there's just no space for comfort or togetherness or connection that isn't about the bone? And I kind of just want everyone to CHILL OUT and STOP HUMPING?)
((Also, Richard undresses Anne out of her nightgown but also removes her pins which is. Just poor scene-management. SORRY NOT SORRY.))
4. I definitely liked the first part of this much better than A Touch Wicked, but the latter half had enough sex-in-place-of-brains that it sank this thing quite a bit.
1. So many of the potentially interesting plot points are just summed up which is frustrating. Kendrick seems to like summary exposition to get to the "good bits" (the boning, I think?) which results in a weirdly uneven narrative that zooms past emotional development, conversations, growing attachments, major plot elements (like the villain announcing his blackmail material before going to prison????), etc., leaving us with a lot of heavy breathing and nipping and groping.
So if you're in the mood for a grope, here you go!
2. That action/horror bent was something.
3. I liked the development of relationship at the Duchess of Hasting's house party: there was some very nice groundwork laid for Richard and Anne's teamwork and understanding of one another and general attachment. But then Anne learns to say "Fuck" and lo, a descent unto boning.
Like, the thing is that I like horny heroes and heroines, but I dislike it when the horniness gets in the way of logic or good ideas or what-have-you. Like, you know, breaking into the home of Anne's abusive father in order to get laid, for example? Absolutely have sex in the middle of a house filled with people who have repeatedly been portrayed as loyal to their paychecks vs. Anne herself! Sure, make all kinds of gasping moaning whimpers without ANY THOUGHT TO THE FACT THAT THE MAIN ANTAGONIST IS IN THE HOUSE TOO. Is this NOT the perfect time to get your freak on, I ASK YOU?
(And it's all mixed up in the fact that Anne was literally just assaulted by her uber-gross fiance and there's just no space for comfort or togetherness or connection that isn't about the bone? And I kind of just want everyone to CHILL OUT and STOP HUMPING?)
((Also, Richard undresses Anne out of her nightgown but also removes her pins which is. Just poor scene-management. SORRY NOT SORRY.))
4. I definitely liked the first part of this much better than A Touch Wicked, but the latter half had enough sex-in-place-of-brains that it sank this thing quite a bit.
October 1, 2024
In a world where political machinations and societal expectations collide, Anne Sheffield, the rebellious daughter of a conservative Prime Minister, finds herself in a perilous predicament. Betrothed to a cruel and abusive Duke, she knows she must act fast to secure her future. In a bold move, Anne seeks out Richard Grey, the enigmatic second son of an Earl, hoping he can help her with her plan to escape this unwanted marriage - entice a man into defying her powerful Father and betrothed and eloping with her.
Anne and Richard strike a deal - he’ll teach her to seduce a husband and in exchange she will provide him information to help take down her Father. From there, the plot thickens as the sparks between Richard and Anne fly.
Anne and Richard do fall into the insta-love trap, but there was still much more to this novel than the romance - qith the layers of political intrigue, dark secrets, lively families and friends, His Scandalous Lessons was a great start to this series!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Rating 3.75
Anne and Richard strike a deal - he’ll teach her to seduce a husband and in exchange she will provide him information to help take down her Father. From there, the plot thickens as the sparks between Richard and Anne fly.
Anne and Richard do fall into the insta-love trap, but there was still much more to this novel than the romance - qith the layers of political intrigue, dark secrets, lively families and friends, His Scandalous Lessons was a great start to this series!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Rating 3.75
June 29, 2022
Exaggerated tropes didn't work for me. The h's father is the Prime Minister and he's truly evil. He sells her to evil OM who hated her. But the PM uses her special skills so why would he sell her? He's tricksy so he could have taken other actions? They were so OTT and for me, the plot devices didn't make sense.
Read
November 6, 2025Only read the sample, but the setup as to why Anne picks this particular MMC for seduction advice seemed kinda flimsy to me. She'd only heard of him by name in polite society, yet chooses him? Ok, sure.
May 29, 2025
Tú sabes qué, me terminó gustando. Aunque me interesan más las otras parejas.
February 26, 2023
I seriously considered DNFing this several times but I hate leaving books unfinished, so I pushed through and wasted even more of my time.
The novella atleast had the excuse of being a novella for its weird pacing, but this being a novel does not get a pass. The pacing is just so strange. The premise of the book made it so yeah maybe it will need to be a little rushed, but my lord that did not have to mean the characters are in love two days after meeting! Instalust was off the charts as well, and the premise could've been interesting with the lessons, if the lessons were even remembered about. We maybe got two very short ones that just turned into horny fests, and then I guess fuck the lessons cause these two already wanna marry? If they were dragged out more and there was space for yearning and some angst this could've been so much better, but the story was racing somewhere, where I have no idea cause nothing really seemed to be the main storyline..? This might not make sense, but quite frankly that's how I felt with this book cause I had no clue what was the purpose of it. I would think maybe this book just wanted an excuse for smut scenes, but those were barely there too and when they were, also quite brief. So I really don't know. Also the romance felt so forced. I felt zero chemistry, and like Anne barging into his room randomly to force a scene was ??? Nothing flowed right.
The random paedophile catching storyline felt like a weird saving grace to make the book seem deeper than it is, but I just found it odd. Especially since like with the rest of the book, it was so rushed.
I didn't care for any of the characters; they felt two-dimensional and plain boring; I only remember them as being pretty or handsome. Anne being in an abusive situation once again felt like a way to deepen the story.
I bought the whole boxset of this series unfortunately, so I most likely will end up reading the next one. Maybe third times a charm?!
The novella atleast had the excuse of being a novella for its weird pacing, but this being a novel does not get a pass. The pacing is just so strange. The premise of the book made it so yeah maybe it will need to be a little rushed, but my lord that did not have to mean the characters are in love two days after meeting! Instalust was off the charts as well, and the premise could've been interesting with the lessons, if the lessons were even remembered about. We maybe got two very short ones that just turned into horny fests, and then I guess fuck the lessons cause these two already wanna marry? If they were dragged out more and there was space for yearning and some angst this could've been so much better, but the story was racing somewhere, where I have no idea cause nothing really seemed to be the main storyline..? This might not make sense, but quite frankly that's how I felt with this book cause I had no clue what was the purpose of it. I would think maybe this book just wanted an excuse for smut scenes, but those were barely there too and when they were, also quite brief. So I really don't know. Also the romance felt so forced. I felt zero chemistry, and like Anne barging into his room randomly to force a scene was ??? Nothing flowed right.
The random paedophile catching storyline felt like a weird saving grace to make the book seem deeper than it is, but I just found it odd. Especially since like with the rest of the book, it was so rushed.
I didn't care for any of the characters; they felt two-dimensional and plain boring; I only remember them as being pretty or handsome. Anne being in an abusive situation once again felt like a way to deepen the story.
I bought the whole boxset of this series unfortunately, so I most likely will end up reading the next one. Maybe third times a charm?!
December 10, 2018
Check out this review and more on my blog!
This isn’t the kind of book I’d usually pick up in a million years. I’m not a huge fan of the title or the cover or even the wording of the blurb, but as I’ve been chatting about quite a lot recently I wanted to give the Romance genre a chance after being a snob about it for far too long, and I ended up enjoying this novel a lot.
Judging by this and The Kiss Quotient which I read and reviewed earlier this year, I’m clearly a fan of the ‘one character teaches the other character the art of seduction’ trope in Romance. There’s something undeniably fun about watching two characters fall in love when they didn’t mean to.
Anne Sheffield is the daughter of Britain’s (fictional) Prime Minister, a power-hungry man who will stop at nothing to make sure the elite stay elite and the working classes remain trodden on. Anne has been betrothed to a much older man, and ally of her father’s, since she was twelve, and she’s desperate to escape her abusive household. She approaches known womaniser and her father’s political rival, Richard Grey, with a proposition: if he can teach her to seduce a husband of her own choosing, she’ll help him bring down her father.
I wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy this book, despite having a lot of fun with A Touch Wicked , purely because I’m not the biggest fan of the womanising man meets virginal woman trope. So often in novels, often historical fiction and traditional fantasy, romances include men who are/have been sexually active and women who never have been, and it gets a little tiresome after a while. Thankfully, I ended up really liking the way this relationship was handled.
Richard doesn’t simply coerce Anne into bed and consider his job done. He teaches her how to flirt and talk to men after she’s spent her life thus far under her father’s watchful eye, and also makes it clear to her that any man who doesn’t take consent and her comfort into consideration, no matter the circumstance, is not a man worth having. Of course women in the 19th century didn’t always have a choice when it came to turning down men who were clearly horrid, but having someone else acknowledge that no one should treat her the way her father and her fiance treat her gives Anne more courage to stand up to them.
I think that’s what’s lovely about Anne and Richard’s relationship: they become friends first.
I will say that this novel does include sexual assault and mention of child sex abuse, just in case that’s something that would make you too uncomfortable to read. I think Kendrick handles the darker elements of the novel well; it’s not a disrespectful ‘you’ve been abused but now you have a handsome man to heal you’ story, but a love story in which one half of the romantic couple learns that the things she has experienced don’t make her less worthy of love.
Kendrick’s style is easy to read and both Anne and Richard are a likeable pair, and strike that important balance of being interesting characters together and apart. The ending was a little rushed for my taste and I would have liked to have seen more of certain characters getting their just desserts rather than being told the information after it had happened, but this was an enjoyable novel and Kendrick is definitely an author whose work I’ll be keeping an eye on.
After one of the revelations in this book, I’m particularly looking forward to a story about Richard’s sister which I believe is being released in 2019.
This isn’t the kind of book I’d usually pick up in a million years. I’m not a huge fan of the title or the cover or even the wording of the blurb, but as I’ve been chatting about quite a lot recently I wanted to give the Romance genre a chance after being a snob about it for far too long, and I ended up enjoying this novel a lot.
Judging by this and The Kiss Quotient which I read and reviewed earlier this year, I’m clearly a fan of the ‘one character teaches the other character the art of seduction’ trope in Romance. There’s something undeniably fun about watching two characters fall in love when they didn’t mean to.
Anne Sheffield is the daughter of Britain’s (fictional) Prime Minister, a power-hungry man who will stop at nothing to make sure the elite stay elite and the working classes remain trodden on. Anne has been betrothed to a much older man, and ally of her father’s, since she was twelve, and she’s desperate to escape her abusive household. She approaches known womaniser and her father’s political rival, Richard Grey, with a proposition: if he can teach her to seduce a husband of her own choosing, she’ll help him bring down her father.
I wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy this book, despite having a lot of fun with A Touch Wicked , purely because I’m not the biggest fan of the womanising man meets virginal woman trope. So often in novels, often historical fiction and traditional fantasy, romances include men who are/have been sexually active and women who never have been, and it gets a little tiresome after a while. Thankfully, I ended up really liking the way this relationship was handled.
Richard doesn’t simply coerce Anne into bed and consider his job done. He teaches her how to flirt and talk to men after she’s spent her life thus far under her father’s watchful eye, and also makes it clear to her that any man who doesn’t take consent and her comfort into consideration, no matter the circumstance, is not a man worth having. Of course women in the 19th century didn’t always have a choice when it came to turning down men who were clearly horrid, but having someone else acknowledge that no one should treat her the way her father and her fiance treat her gives Anne more courage to stand up to them.
I think that’s what’s lovely about Anne and Richard’s relationship: they become friends first.
I will say that this novel does include sexual assault and mention of child sex abuse, just in case that’s something that would make you too uncomfortable to read. I think Kendrick handles the darker elements of the novel well; it’s not a disrespectful ‘you’ve been abused but now you have a handsome man to heal you’ story, but a love story in which one half of the romantic couple learns that the things she has experienced don’t make her less worthy of love.
Kendrick’s style is easy to read and both Anne and Richard are a likeable pair, and strike that important balance of being interesting characters together and apart. The ending was a little rushed for my taste and I would have liked to have seen more of certain characters getting their just desserts rather than being told the information after it had happened, but this was an enjoyable novel and Kendrick is definitely an author whose work I’ll be keeping an eye on.
After one of the revelations in this book, I’m particularly looking forward to a story about Richard’s sister which I believe is being released in 2019.
April 13, 2024
Genre: historical romance
London, 1872
Anne Sheffield has a very limited time frame in which to seduce a man so thoroughly he will procure a special license and marry her before her father weds her to a much older duke. Anne’s father is a powerful MP, and relies on Anne’s memory to keep his secrets (mostly of blackmail) safe. Anne takes her future into her own hands and bargains with Richard Grey, notorious rake, by trading lessons in seduction for the secrets her father has been keeping. Richard arranges for the reputable Duchess of Hastings to host a house party, where Richard and Anne can meet. The threat of Anne’s father looms large, though, and it’s becoming clear that there may not be anyone more suitable for her than Richard himself.
I picked this up because Katrina Kendrick is a pen name for Elizbeth May, whose book To Cage a God has one of my new favorite anti-heroes. Knowing her ability to bring sizzling chemistry to the page, I wanted to read some of her historical romances as well. And let me tell you, this did not disappoint. This is high heat, and while Anne is innocent, she’s also attuned to her needs and never a wilting miss. Richard is immediately gone for her when she sheds the public persona she wears under her father’s control, and there’s nothing hotter than a man who has promised to help a woman find another husband but falls hopelessly for her first.
Because she also writes fantasy, Kendrick shines with politically entangled plots that don’t bog down the storyline. The driving plot is Anne’s father’s blackmailing scheme, and not only Anne’s opposition, but also Richard’s opposition to the way he bullies tenants and servants, and strong-arms men into quivering at his power. The villains are on the overstated side, both father and duke are smarmy men against whom you desperately want to seek vengeance, but it makes the payoff all the more satisfying.
Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for an eARC for review. His Scandalous Lessons is a republication, and is out now!
London, 1872
Anne Sheffield has a very limited time frame in which to seduce a man so thoroughly he will procure a special license and marry her before her father weds her to a much older duke. Anne’s father is a powerful MP, and relies on Anne’s memory to keep his secrets (mostly of blackmail) safe. Anne takes her future into her own hands and bargains with Richard Grey, notorious rake, by trading lessons in seduction for the secrets her father has been keeping. Richard arranges for the reputable Duchess of Hastings to host a house party, where Richard and Anne can meet. The threat of Anne’s father looms large, though, and it’s becoming clear that there may not be anyone more suitable for her than Richard himself.
I picked this up because Katrina Kendrick is a pen name for Elizbeth May, whose book To Cage a God has one of my new favorite anti-heroes. Knowing her ability to bring sizzling chemistry to the page, I wanted to read some of her historical romances as well. And let me tell you, this did not disappoint. This is high heat, and while Anne is innocent, she’s also attuned to her needs and never a wilting miss. Richard is immediately gone for her when she sheds the public persona she wears under her father’s control, and there’s nothing hotter than a man who has promised to help a woman find another husband but falls hopelessly for her first.
Because she also writes fantasy, Kendrick shines with politically entangled plots that don’t bog down the storyline. The driving plot is Anne’s father’s blackmailing scheme, and not only Anne’s opposition, but also Richard’s opposition to the way he bullies tenants and servants, and strong-arms men into quivering at his power. The villains are on the overstated side, both father and duke are smarmy men against whom you desperately want to seek vengeance, but it makes the payoff all the more satisfying.
Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for an eARC for review. His Scandalous Lessons is a republication, and is out now!
March 31, 2024
Gearing up for the few weeks of freedom she has before she’s married to a man thrice her age, Anne Sheffield approaches the notorious rake Richard Grey to do the impossible: help her find a different husband. As her father’s political rival, Grey can hardly pass on the promising political secrets Anne’s gathered from her overbearing father in exchange for lessons on how to seduce a man.
This book was so much more than I was expecting: house parties, clandestine meetings, subterfuge, and murder come together to weave a story bigger than I could’ve imagined. The romance had me questioning if this was love or lust at times, but ultimately they got their HEA. The last 30% was a rollercoaster and definitely entertaining.
You can tell Kendrick was setting up several other novels: Montgomery/Miss Cecil, Alexandra/Thorne, and Caroline/Hastings, and it’ll be interesting to see where she takes all of their stories.
TW: parental abuse, sexual assault, violence, pedophilia
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the chance to read and review this ARC.
This book was so much more than I was expecting: house parties, clandestine meetings, subterfuge, and murder come together to weave a story bigger than I could’ve imagined. The romance had me questioning if this was love or lust at times, but ultimately they got their HEA. The last 30% was a rollercoaster and definitely entertaining.
You can tell Kendrick was setting up several other novels: Montgomery/Miss Cecil, Alexandra/Thorne, and Caroline/Hastings, and it’ll be interesting to see where she takes all of their stories.
TW: parental abuse, sexual assault, violence, pedophilia
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the chance to read and review this ARC.
September 9, 2020
Political rivals?
Richard is in politics and fights hard in Parliament for the under served and under class of London! Anne is the daughter of the Prime Minister with a total Recall memory of dates, times people even the clothes they wear! Her father is abusive and her evil fiance even more! Secrets are exposed and Anne realizes her father and fiance are involved in horrible crimes against orphans! Anne is determined to expose her father and refuses to be his puppet any longer! But her father threatens Richard and his family Anne returns home to fight within the enemy camp! Richard has uncovered the brilliant mind and beauty of Anne and knows she worthy of care and love in this life and beyond! Secrets are exposed as these two fight for HEA can they win against their enemies! Hold on this one is nonstop!!!
Richard is in politics and fights hard in Parliament for the under served and under class of London! Anne is the daughter of the Prime Minister with a total Recall memory of dates, times people even the clothes they wear! Her father is abusive and her evil fiance even more! Secrets are exposed and Anne realizes her father and fiance are involved in horrible crimes against orphans! Anne is determined to expose her father and refuses to be his puppet any longer! But her father threatens Richard and his family Anne returns home to fight within the enemy camp! Richard has uncovered the brilliant mind and beauty of Anne and knows she worthy of care and love in this life and beyond! Secrets are exposed as these two fight for HEA can they win against their enemies! Hold on this one is nonstop!!!
August 28, 2018
A new historical romance favourite series (and author) for sure! I adore how feminist and sexy these books are, and such great humour along with the more serious and maybe triggering events in this one, along with some amazing geeky references! All in all, amazing book & utterly captivating, I just couldn't stop reading! Cannot wait for the next one!
February 11, 2024
It was an enjoyable enough story for what i wanted after a couple of intense books. It felt a little uneven in parts with some parts feeling rushed and others a bit drawn out. The ending was rather sudden and I was left a bit surprised (although now realise this is a series of books). I did enjoy the main characters and I thought there was an interesting backdrop against the politics of the day but I wanted more of this.
November 23, 2024
This book would have benefited from a bit of editing and I wish it was longer so that it could have been a bit more slow-burn, but all in all I'm giving it major points for making me feel something. Props for being poignant at times!
March 16, 2022
3.5
Really enjoyed this story but the ending felt too crammed with plot.
Really enjoyed this story but the ending felt too crammed with plot.
May 2, 2024
Such a fun read, Anne and Richard were well matched
September 18, 2024
4.25⭐️
Not my favourite cause nothing beats a good second chance romance like the other one I read from this series but I adored the characters and can't wait to read the other books in this series
Not my favourite cause nothing beats a good second chance romance like the other one I read from this series but I adored the characters and can't wait to read the other books in this series
July 24, 2019
I liked Richard & Anne's story. Good characters. Lots of suspense to keep you guessing. Good book. This was a new author for me. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review for a copy of the book via hidden gems.
April 25, 2024
3.5/5.
Vibes: seduction lessons, gentle hero/traumatized heroine, instalove
Heat Index: 7/10
Anne needs help finding a husband--it's the only way she can escape her abusive father and worse fiancee. She offers notorious rake and political blackmailer (and enemy of her father) Richard a deal: if he teaches her how to seduce a husband, she'll give him information he needs. The problem? She may be, however unintentionally, seducing Richard.
This is an interesting one. It got off to a really good start. I like the characters, and they have good chemistry. I'm definitely intrigued about the rest of the series, and will most likely be checking it out. But it went by very quickly. This would have benefited from more page time, and for that matter, more time luxuriating in the romance. Anne and Richard get together fast, and the story takes a pretty dark turn from there--one I expected, but even then it felt tonally dissonant from the frothy, heady love story I'd read up until then.
I know this book was published in a different form earlier, and I wonder if it was any longer. As it is, this is compelling and makes plenty of good points about nineteenth century politics and the abuse suffered by women. But it's pretty rushed.
Quick Takes:
--Just as a heads up... when I say this gets dark, it gets pretty dark. Emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse are discussed and occur (and it has been occurring for a very long time). I didn't think this was over the top, and I feel it was sensitively handled. However, read with caution.
--One thing I really enjoyed was Richard's friend Caro (not because of the name similarity, but it helped) and all of the nude paintings she did... starring Richard. More books where the heroes pose for nude paintings! More books where the heroes have female friends and it's cool and chill and nobody is weird about it! I definitely want to read Caro's book, which I think comes out next year. Marriage in trouble? Yes please.
--I hate the term "instalove", because I often feel that what people are referring to is instalust. I honestly don't mind instalust when done well; it's the love part I want to see happen gradually. Because the first half of this book, when the falling in love part takes place, is SO quick, this did feel pretty instant. Richard is really, really soft with Anne--and yes, he's a nice guy, but it kind of feels like he's falling for her super fast. And if there had been more to the relationship, more trouble and friction, that may have worked. But the love story itself is pretty smooth.
--On another note, I will say... for a nOTORIOUS ROGUE, Richard is pretty sweet. Not that a notorious rogue has to be the worst person ever, but at points this book seemed SO aware of its publication date. Richard is super talky about consent, and like--I want this book to have good consent politics. I do not need the hero explaining consent. It felt awkward.
That said, otherwise he was very hot, and I enjoyed the fact that he got weird and cranky when he hadn't been laid in a while. More of this behavior please.
--This all sounds very critical, but honestly--if you want a good romance and you're okay with things being a bit fast, you'll probably love this. The writing is good. It's hot. It's tender. I liked a lot of it. I'll be reading more. I just think that this installment could have used a bit of work.
The Sex:
Speaking of, this was good. It obviously begins pretty early, and there are several scenes that aren't RIDICULOUSLY explicit, but are very much explicit. And it begins with a gazebo moment that is QUITE impetuous. The best part is that he's very grumpy and fucked up about it after because they aren't together and he's trying to help her find a different man, but he can still taste her in his mouth!!! DAMMIT!!!
A flawed but nice read, I think this book shows Katrina Kendrick's talent, but would benefit from some expansion and a bit of further development.
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Vibes: seduction lessons, gentle hero/traumatized heroine, instalove
Heat Index: 7/10
Anne needs help finding a husband--it's the only way she can escape her abusive father and worse fiancee. She offers notorious rake and political blackmailer (and enemy of her father) Richard a deal: if he teaches her how to seduce a husband, she'll give him information he needs. The problem? She may be, however unintentionally, seducing Richard.
This is an interesting one. It got off to a really good start. I like the characters, and they have good chemistry. I'm definitely intrigued about the rest of the series, and will most likely be checking it out. But it went by very quickly. This would have benefited from more page time, and for that matter, more time luxuriating in the romance. Anne and Richard get together fast, and the story takes a pretty dark turn from there--one I expected, but even then it felt tonally dissonant from the frothy, heady love story I'd read up until then.
I know this book was published in a different form earlier, and I wonder if it was any longer. As it is, this is compelling and makes plenty of good points about nineteenth century politics and the abuse suffered by women. But it's pretty rushed.
Quick Takes:
--Just as a heads up... when I say this gets dark, it gets pretty dark. Emotional, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse are discussed and occur (and it has been occurring for a very long time). I didn't think this was over the top, and I feel it was sensitively handled. However, read with caution.
--One thing I really enjoyed was Richard's friend Caro (not because of the name similarity, but it helped) and all of the nude paintings she did... starring Richard. More books where the heroes pose for nude paintings! More books where the heroes have female friends and it's cool and chill and nobody is weird about it! I definitely want to read Caro's book, which I think comes out next year. Marriage in trouble? Yes please.
--I hate the term "instalove", because I often feel that what people are referring to is instalust. I honestly don't mind instalust when done well; it's the love part I want to see happen gradually. Because the first half of this book, when the falling in love part takes place, is SO quick, this did feel pretty instant. Richard is really, really soft with Anne--and yes, he's a nice guy, but it kind of feels like he's falling for her super fast. And if there had been more to the relationship, more trouble and friction, that may have worked. But the love story itself is pretty smooth.
--On another note, I will say... for a nOTORIOUS ROGUE, Richard is pretty sweet. Not that a notorious rogue has to be the worst person ever, but at points this book seemed SO aware of its publication date. Richard is super talky about consent, and like--I want this book to have good consent politics. I do not need the hero explaining consent. It felt awkward.
That said, otherwise he was very hot, and I enjoyed the fact that he got weird and cranky when he hadn't been laid in a while. More of this behavior please.
--This all sounds very critical, but honestly--if you want a good romance and you're okay with things being a bit fast, you'll probably love this. The writing is good. It's hot. It's tender. I liked a lot of it. I'll be reading more. I just think that this installment could have used a bit of work.
The Sex:
Speaking of, this was good. It obviously begins pretty early, and there are several scenes that aren't RIDICULOUSLY explicit, but are very much explicit. And it begins with a gazebo moment that is QUITE impetuous. The best part is that he's very grumpy and fucked up about it after because they aren't together and he's trying to help her find a different man, but he can still taste her in his mouth!!! DAMMIT!!!
A flawed but nice read, I think this book shows Katrina Kendrick's talent, but would benefit from some expansion and a bit of further development.
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 12, 2025
This series is really good. I flew through three books. They were all good. I’m calling all
Of them 4.5/5 stars.
Of them 4.5/5 stars.
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