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The Orchid #2
When Hearts Collide
An icy, broody professor, a sweet, kind-hearted student, and a forbidden love that changes everything.
The first time I met Ryland Anderson, I sprawled at his feet in his classroom. His glare burned right through me and turned my world upside down.
He was a storm, and I was caught in his pull, a whirlwind where we collided. Every stolen glance and charged silence defied the boundaries set before us, blurring the line we couldn’t cross.
It was all kinds of wrong, and we both knew it. Yet, the pull between us made right or wrong irrelevant, as if our hearts knew something our minds refused to admit.
Then, an impossible choice tore us apart before anything could happen between us. I thought my decision would calm the storm and Ryland Anderson would just become a memory.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Because the storm never stopped. It was merely gathering strength.
When Ryland crashes back into my life again, the spark between us turns into an inferno.
Still off-limits and still my professor, the storm we thought we escaped is now impossible to outrun. But the stakes are higher—his reputation, my future, and everything we stand for hang in the balance.
How can I resist when the whirlwind refuses to let go of my heart? And what will happen when it all comes crashing down?
Tropes:
• Professor/Student
• Primal Play
• Billionaire
• Age gap
• Forbidden
• Excellent grovel
• Tons of Angst
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Tortured Hero
• Found Family
• Bromance
• Dual POV
The first time I met Ryland Anderson, I sprawled at his feet in his classroom. His glare burned right through me and turned my world upside down.
He was a storm, and I was caught in his pull, a whirlwind where we collided. Every stolen glance and charged silence defied the boundaries set before us, blurring the line we couldn’t cross.
It was all kinds of wrong, and we both knew it. Yet, the pull between us made right or wrong irrelevant, as if our hearts knew something our minds refused to admit.
Then, an impossible choice tore us apart before anything could happen between us. I thought my decision would calm the storm and Ryland Anderson would just become a memory.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Because the storm never stopped. It was merely gathering strength.
When Ryland crashes back into my life again, the spark between us turns into an inferno.
Still off-limits and still my professor, the storm we thought we escaped is now impossible to outrun. But the stakes are higher—his reputation, my future, and everything we stand for hang in the balance.
How can I resist when the whirlwind refuses to let go of my heart? And what will happen when it all comes crashing down?
Tropes:
• Professor/Student
• Primal Play
• Billionaire
• Age gap
• Forbidden
• Excellent grovel
• Tons of Angst
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Tortured Hero
• Found Family
• Bromance
• Dual POV
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2024
436 people are currently reading
1666 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Lum
11 books337 followersVictoria is a lover of all things romance, including movies, books, and television shows. A hopeless romantic since childhood, she is always dreaming up stories and happily ever afters. Caramel lattes are her fuel in the morning and she can usually be found reading anything she can get her hands on. She lives with her family and a beautiful Siberian husky in sunny California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
May 29, 2024
This was my first encounter with the author Victoria Lum, but I was definitely impressed and will be reading more by her!
What I loved about the book:
1. I LOVE PROFESSOR x STUDENT / AGE GAP BOOKS!!!! They are definitely one of my favorites and I ate this up!
2. FURTHERMORE, I loved that he was her ETHICS teacher and they were working on a project involving a real life professor x student relationship! The whole class they were trying to argue that the world isn’t black and white, while he was trying to fight his feelings for her and refused to apply the same thought process to their budding relationship. It was phenomenal!
3. I really enjoyed both of our MCs.
Millie was my girl! After her mom died, even though she was the youngest sibling, she ended up taking care of everyone and pretending everything was fine. She took care of her dad instead of the other way around and she acted like she wasn’t impacted by her brother moving on with his life away from them. I loved this grit established for her character up front, which really made her not feel young. This on top of her career aspirations being to help those like her younger self and her character development where she would no longer hide her feelings (aka act like everything was ok when it definitely wasn’t), made her such a brilliant FMC.
Ryland had so many faces it was insane! From his smiling public persona to the hardass teacher to giving in to being vulnerable with Millie, he was such a rich character that I felt so bad for at so many times. He was so stuck in his head that I was happy when he relinquished the leash on himself and went after her. I was happy to see him get his happy ending.
4. Millie acted so much more mature than her young age, after everything she had been through, which really helped with not feeling like there was a power imbalance. Especially with how many times she stood up for herself and how often she kept him away in order to make sure she was being treated fairly, it was so perfectly done! Also, can’t stress enough how much I loved that she wasn’t a virgin!
5. I loved the family and friend groups, as well as how everyone was connected! The map the author provided was super helpful!
At this point in the story, Grace / Steven and Emily / Adrian have already had their books, but there are still plenty more possible and I can’t wait for them!
Here were/are my predictions:
• Maxwell and Belle – marriage of convenience
• Taylor and Charles – enemies to lovers
• Lana and Elias – friend’s little sister
• Rex and ??? – I’m not sure but he’s a playboy so he’s FOR SURE going to fall hella hard
• Ethan and ??? – Also not sure, but I cannot wait for him to find his kink 😈
6. I loved the overall hierarchy and trust issues associated with the Anderson family, as well as the unavoidable “curse”. This added so much intrigue to the story and was so well fleshed out for the different family member’s backgrounds!
7. The grovel was *chef’s kiss*
8. The steam in this was…yeah, it was very good. The breath play, the chasing, the dirty talk all had me willing to bend the knee for Ryland Anderson. I also love, love, love that Millie had some dirty talk of her own!
Here are some of my favorite quotes of Ryland’s:
- Yes, sir, I need you badly!
- PLEASE, PROFESSOR
Here is one of my favorite quotes of Millie’s:
Thank you to Victoria Lum and TrulyYoursPR for the opportunity to read a copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
What I loved about the book:
1. I LOVE PROFESSOR x STUDENT / AGE GAP BOOKS!!!! They are definitely one of my favorites and I ate this up!
2. FURTHERMORE, I loved that he was her ETHICS teacher and they were working on a project involving a real life professor x student relationship! The whole class they were trying to argue that the world isn’t black and white, while he was trying to fight his feelings for her and refused to apply the same thought process to their budding relationship. It was phenomenal!
3. I really enjoyed both of our MCs.
Millie was my girl! After her mom died, even though she was the youngest sibling, she ended up taking care of everyone and pretending everything was fine. She took care of her dad instead of the other way around and she acted like she wasn’t impacted by her brother moving on with his life away from them. I loved this grit established for her character up front, which really made her not feel young. This on top of her career aspirations being to help those like her younger self and her character development where she would no longer hide her feelings (aka act like everything was ok when it definitely wasn’t), made her such a brilliant FMC.
Ryland had so many faces it was insane! From his smiling public persona to the hardass teacher to giving in to being vulnerable with Millie, he was such a rich character that I felt so bad for at so many times. He was so stuck in his head that I was happy when he relinquished the leash on himself and went after her. I was happy to see him get his happy ending.
4. Millie acted so much more mature than her young age, after everything she had been through, which really helped with not feeling like there was a power imbalance. Especially with how many times she stood up for herself and how often she kept him away in order to make sure she was being treated fairly, it was so perfectly done! Also, can’t stress enough how much I loved that she wasn’t a virgin!
5. I loved the family and friend groups, as well as how everyone was connected! The map the author provided was super helpful!
At this point in the story, Grace / Steven and Emily / Adrian have already had their books, but there are still plenty more possible and I can’t wait for them!
Here were/are my predictions:
• Maxwell and Belle – marriage of convenience
• Taylor and Charles – enemies to lovers
• Lana and Elias – friend’s little sister
• Rex and ??? – I’m not sure but he’s a playboy so he’s FOR SURE going to fall hella hard
• Ethan and ??? – Also not sure, but I cannot wait for him to find his kink 😈
6. I loved the overall hierarchy and trust issues associated with the Anderson family, as well as the unavoidable “curse”. This added so much intrigue to the story and was so well fleshed out for the different family member’s backgrounds!
7. The grovel was *chef’s kiss*
8. The steam in this was…yeah, it was very good. The breath play, the chasing, the dirty talk all had me willing to bend the knee for Ryland Anderson. I also love, love, love that Millie had some dirty talk of her own!
Here are some of my favorite quotes of Ryland’s:
“My dirty student. A good girl on the outside, but a wh*re on the inside. Just for me. God you’re so f**king tight. You need more, don’t you, baby?”
- Yes, sir, I need you badly!
“I’m not f**king you. But your little pu**y needs me, doesn’t it? I bet you’re dripping wet, needing release. And I wouldn’t be a good professor if I didn’t take care of my student now, would I?”
- PLEASE, PROFESSOR
Here is one of my favorite quotes of Millie’s:
“I’m addicted to you and your f**king c*ck. Professor. You want to come in my hot, wet pu**y? Because I want your c*m. All of it. I want you to stuff me full of yourself so I’ll leak whenever I walk.”
Thank you to Victoria Lum and TrulyYoursPR for the opportunity to read a copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
June 6, 2024
Since reading “When hearts ignite” I couldn’t wait to read Ryland and Millie’s story. If I have to be honest, I knew that I would be reading it when I saw the professor/student trope.
Based on their previous interaction when Grace and Steven got together, I knew that Ryland would be our tortured hero and his duty to his family would be the problem. At least in his head. The first thing I liked about this couple was that their story was developing somewhat in parallel with the previous book. So, when their main story started unfolding, they already knew each other for a while.
I have to warn you, this will be a long review. I will start with Millie. My heart honestly broke for her when I found out how difficult her life was when she lost her mother – her greatest supporter. I loved the letters she was writing to her even though she wasn’t there anymore. I was so proud of how much she grew as a person and how big of a fighter she was. After she met Ryland she was literally captivated by him. Somehow she knew he was like her – a person who’s been through a lot, but is still being hunted by his own demons. Every single time she sees him in class, she is drawn to him with an invisible string. I admired her stubbornness, because despite everything she wanted him in her life and was not afraid to fight for him, because she was madly in love. Even though he couldn’t fight for himself.
In this story, Ryland was the tortured soul. He had so many things on his mind, things that were stopping him from being with Millie. The primary one was that he was her professor. The other things are his responsibilities to his family and not feeling worthy enough of loving Millie. He wanted her so badly, but he was afraid to let go of his demons and succumb fully to her. He was a really complex character. Driven by obligations to his family, he is not able to fully chase his dreams by being a fully appointed professor. That first time she saw him standing in the rain, when their eyes caught up… this was the moment they realized that nothing would ever be the same. She was like a bright, little spark that stormed into his lonely and gray everyday life. A spark that turns out to be his greatest love.
Their story was definitely a slow burn, but, If I have to be honest at one point, I wanted him to fight harder for their happiness. Because restraining himself, he only managed to hurt Millie even more.
But now, let me tell you about the spicy parts of this book. I’ve not read a lot of books with primal kink, but I can definitely say that I loved it so damn much. The thrill, the chase, the freedom he felt when he was giving up to his desires... It was so exciting. Ryland was the hunter and Millie was the prey. A prey that won’t go without a fight. The love scenes were just so, so hot and full of smut. Them being together was like a summer storm that was not going away anytime soon.
I was really satisfied when their whirlwind was disturbed and the tables turned. This time he was the one chasing her, because she was worth fighting. Millie was his true love, and he wasn’t giving up on his new-found happiness. She loved him deeply, but she needed to be sure that he really wanted to be with her and fight for their love. She proudly stood her ground and made him sweat. As a reader, I finally got that epic groveling I was waiting for so long. Seriously, my heart sang seeing him beg for forgiveness.
Ryland and Millie’s story kept me on my toes and I couldn’t stop turning page after page, wanting to know what happened next. Victoria Lum’s stories are wonderful and they were definitely worth it. She wrote their love story so beautifully and made me fall in love with those two.
We did get a little glimpse of the next book and I already know that it will be intriguing and as good as this one.
***I received ARC copy of this book from the author and my review is given voluntarily.***
Based on their previous interaction when Grace and Steven got together, I knew that Ryland would be our tortured hero and his duty to his family would be the problem. At least in his head. The first thing I liked about this couple was that their story was developing somewhat in parallel with the previous book. So, when their main story started unfolding, they already knew each other for a while.
I have to warn you, this will be a long review. I will start with Millie. My heart honestly broke for her when I found out how difficult her life was when she lost her mother – her greatest supporter. I loved the letters she was writing to her even though she wasn’t there anymore. I was so proud of how much she grew as a person and how big of a fighter she was. After she met Ryland she was literally captivated by him. Somehow she knew he was like her – a person who’s been through a lot, but is still being hunted by his own demons. Every single time she sees him in class, she is drawn to him with an invisible string. I admired her stubbornness, because despite everything she wanted him in her life and was not afraid to fight for him, because she was madly in love. Even though he couldn’t fight for himself.
In this story, Ryland was the tortured soul. He had so many things on his mind, things that were stopping him from being with Millie. The primary one was that he was her professor. The other things are his responsibilities to his family and not feeling worthy enough of loving Millie. He wanted her so badly, but he was afraid to let go of his demons and succumb fully to her. He was a really complex character. Driven by obligations to his family, he is not able to fully chase his dreams by being a fully appointed professor. That first time she saw him standing in the rain, when their eyes caught up… this was the moment they realized that nothing would ever be the same. She was like a bright, little spark that stormed into his lonely and gray everyday life. A spark that turns out to be his greatest love.
Their story was definitely a slow burn, but, If I have to be honest at one point, I wanted him to fight harder for their happiness. Because restraining himself, he only managed to hurt Millie even more.
But now, let me tell you about the spicy parts of this book. I’ve not read a lot of books with primal kink, but I can definitely say that I loved it so damn much. The thrill, the chase, the freedom he felt when he was giving up to his desires... It was so exciting. Ryland was the hunter and Millie was the prey. A prey that won’t go without a fight. The love scenes were just so, so hot and full of smut. Them being together was like a summer storm that was not going away anytime soon.
I was really satisfied when their whirlwind was disturbed and the tables turned. This time he was the one chasing her, because she was worth fighting. Millie was his true love, and he wasn’t giving up on his new-found happiness. She loved him deeply, but she needed to be sure that he really wanted to be with her and fight for their love. She proudly stood her ground and made him sweat. As a reader, I finally got that epic groveling I was waiting for so long. Seriously, my heart sang seeing him beg for forgiveness.
Ryland and Millie’s story kept me on my toes and I couldn’t stop turning page after page, wanting to know what happened next. Victoria Lum’s stories are wonderful and they were definitely worth it. She wrote their love story so beautifully and made me fall in love with those two.
We did get a little glimpse of the next book and I already know that it will be intriguing and as good as this one.
***I received ARC copy of this book from the author and my review is given voluntarily.***
June 6, 2024
I finished this book within like 12 hours, annnnd I ate it up. (this is gonna be a spoiler free review)
note: this book does deal with power dynamics and includes discussions of the ethics of them in an academic scene in the book (as part of the h's class course content) and so I'm just gonna preface this review by saying so.
the story follows ryland and millie, and if you've read the previous orchid book (which you don't have to), you've seen the scene of ryland and millie at the end when millie was on the arm of another man and him being jealous and honestly that was the scene that made me want to read their story LMAO.
the characters:
↳ Ryland Anderson (H) is the "tortured" brooding hero of the story and becomes Millie's professor in her class where they first meet and from there he tries his hardest to fight his attraction to Millie. He's a bit of a grump which is attributed to his jaded view of his family legacy, and role.
↳ Millie Callahan (h) is his better half in all ways. She is such a strong female heroine and IS NOT ANNOYING. She's smart, ambitious and sweet and while she pursues her desires strongly, she knows when to fall back.
and if you know me...you know I love a grovel and thats what we get and i was pleased with it.
AND YOU GUYS:
I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT AT THIS FOR NOW. ITS ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS.
tropes
➢ forbidden romance/relationship (professor/student)
➢ forced proximity
➢ age gap
➢ primal play
➢ push pull
note: this book does deal with power dynamics and includes discussions of the ethics of them in an academic scene in the book (as part of the h's class course content) and so I'm just gonna preface this review by saying so.
the story follows ryland and millie, and if you've read the previous orchid book (which you don't have to), you've seen the scene of ryland and millie at the end when millie was on the arm of another man and him being jealous and honestly that was the scene that made me want to read their story LMAO.
the characters:
↳ Ryland Anderson (H) is the "tortured" brooding hero of the story and becomes Millie's professor in her class where they first meet and from there he tries his hardest to fight his attraction to Millie. He's a bit of a grump which is attributed to his jaded view of his family legacy, and role.
"God, she takes my breath away."
↳ Millie Callahan (h) is his better half in all ways. She is such a strong female heroine and IS NOT ANNOYING. She's smart, ambitious and sweet and while she pursues her desires strongly, she knows when to fall back.
and if you know me...you know I love a grovel and thats what we get and i was pleased with it.
AND YOU GUYS:
"Dearest Millie,"
I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT AT THIS FOR NOW. ITS ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS.
tropes
➢ forbidden romance/relationship (professor/student)
➢ forced proximity
➢ age gap
➢ primal play
➢ push pull
June 4, 2024
⭐️: 3.5
🌶️: 3/5
🖤: 2/5
Slow burn, forbidden, age gap, professor/college student, primal play
I was definitely interested in reading this when I saw it was professor/student lololll. I haven’t seen this trope yet and jump on this when I saw it.
I got to e-Arc read this so thank you to Victoria and her team for this opportunity! BOOK IS OUT TOMORROW JUNE 5th! 🖤🖤🖤
Love the banter between Ryland and Millie. Sometimes they both drove me crazy with how obstinate and stubborn they were.
They were freaking me out about getting caught 🙈🙈🙈
🌶️🌶️🌶️ the smut scenes were 👏🏻👍🏻🥵🫠🌶️ I think I just wanted more of them 😂😂😂
🌶️: 3/5
🖤: 2/5
Slow burn, forbidden, age gap, professor/college student, primal play
I was definitely interested in reading this when I saw it was professor/student lololll. I haven’t seen this trope yet and jump on this when I saw it.
I got to e-Arc read this so thank you to Victoria and her team for this opportunity! BOOK IS OUT TOMORROW JUNE 5th! 🖤🖤🖤
Love the banter between Ryland and Millie. Sometimes they both drove me crazy with how obstinate and stubborn they were.
They were freaking me out about getting caught 🙈🙈🙈
🌶️🌶️🌶️ the smut scenes were 👏🏻👍🏻🥵🫠🌶️ I think I just wanted more of them 😂😂😂
January 23, 2025
Both main characters drove me nuts with how stupid they were. This is pretty close to insta- love, which is boring imo. But the writing is meh, not a lot of character development, and honestly...I am not buying the fact that they're in love. They barely know each other. It's lust only. They don't know each other enough to be in love. And neither of them are particularly likeable. For all of the h raving at how great of a professor he is, he's a horrible teacher, a total jerk to nearly all of his students, and extremely unprofessional (I'm not even taking into account their stupid affair that was done all so incredibly stupidly (is like they were TRYING to get caught!). I skimmed the last 40% of the book to get to the end. Some of the sex scenes were hot, the primal kink was seemingly out of nowhere and touched on only one or twice. This whole book was underdeveloped. It had the makings of a good book, but the lack of any emotion (the blurb promised me angst... where was said angst? There was more angst in reading about her period symptoms than anything else).
June 6, 2024
You have read this book before.
June 7, 2024
No words! 🥹❤️
May 26, 2024
Alexa: play Illicit Affairs and I can do it with a broken heart by Taylor Swift
Omg I was SO excited for this one because I’ve been in my forbidden era so the professor x student trope DID IT for me. I had so much fun reading this book. I love the found family aspect with the girls, guys, and mixed group together.
Honestly the true MVP of this book was Millie. Such a queen, did not back down, was not a push over when it came to what she want, unlike someone (cough baby back b Ryland🤣).
RYLAND MF ANDERSONNNNN 😈😈😈 My sweet tortured a**hole man finally figured it out. The angst and tension was there, and the grovel was done very well done, which is why my man redeemed himself.
✨Tropes✨
- Professor/Student
- Primal Play
- Billionaire
- Age gap
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Tortured Hero
- Dual POV
I love that Victoria is always leaving us crumbs of the next book/couples and I can’t wait for brother Maxwell to break the curse and get his turn at love 🥰🖤
Omg I was SO excited for this one because I’ve been in my forbidden era so the professor x student trope DID IT for me. I had so much fun reading this book. I love the found family aspect with the girls, guys, and mixed group together.
Honestly the true MVP of this book was Millie. Such a queen, did not back down, was not a push over when it came to what she want, unlike someone (cough baby back b Ryland🤣).
RYLAND MF ANDERSONNNNN 😈😈😈 My sweet tortured a**hole man finally figured it out. The angst and tension was there, and the grovel was done very well done, which is why my man redeemed himself.
✨Tropes✨
- Professor/Student
- Primal Play
- Billionaire
- Age gap
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Tortured Hero
- Dual POV
I love that Victoria is always leaving us crumbs of the next book/couples and I can’t wait for brother Maxwell to break the curse and get his turn at love 🥰🖤
June 11, 2024
Victoria Lum books just BLOW MY MIND! 🤯 another 10 star ⭐️ rating for me.
It seems I am yet again on an age gap trope streak (another 16 years gap) but my oh my oh my.
This is my second book but Victoria Lum and let me tell you her books are pure perfection! 👌 *chef’s kiss*
Her writing is so captivating as she uses lots of elements that make her novel a cannot-put-down one.
It’s filled with so much angst, emotional turmoil and sexual tension that it is borderline painful but oh so beautiful.
There’s so much character development in her books. You can literally see how her MCs grow with each struggle, with each confrontation that they end up the better version of themselves at the end of the book.
I am in awe of this author, truly!
I have to admit I am not a fan of kinks though! But his obsession with her is heart gripping. 🥰
I personally feel that she forgave him to easily. After all he was planning to sleep with someone else, planning being the key word here, even if he changed his mind at the last minute but she didn’t know that! As far as she knows he was just going through with it.
The novel was missing the confrontation between Millie and her brother and Ryland and Millie’s brother as well. After the third act breakup Adrian was nowhere in sight! That was a slip from Victoria Lum. I expected Adrian to bring down the roof on Ryland and raise hell for everything that transpired.
But as always it all works out at the end and the MCs get their HEA in such a beautiful dreamy way.
What a ride!! 🩷
It seems I am yet again on an age gap trope streak (another 16 years gap) but my oh my oh my.
This is my second book but Victoria Lum and let me tell you her books are pure perfection! 👌 *chef’s kiss*
Her writing is so captivating as she uses lots of elements that make her novel a cannot-put-down one.
It’s filled with so much angst, emotional turmoil and sexual tension that it is borderline painful but oh so beautiful.
There’s so much character development in her books. You can literally see how her MCs grow with each struggle, with each confrontation that they end up the better version of themselves at the end of the book.
I am in awe of this author, truly!
I have to admit I am not a fan of kinks though! But his obsession with her is heart gripping. 🥰
I personally feel that she forgave him to easily. After all he was planning to sleep with someone else, planning being the key word here, even if he changed his mind at the last minute but she didn’t know that! As far as she knows he was just going through with it.
The novel was missing the confrontation between Millie and her brother and Ryland and Millie’s brother as well. After the third act breakup Adrian was nowhere in sight! That was a slip from Victoria Lum. I expected Adrian to bring down the roof on Ryland and raise hell for everything that transpired.
But as always it all works out at the end and the MCs get their HEA in such a beautiful dreamy way.
What a ride!! 🩷
June 22, 2024
This book was a journey, a good one but with more downs than ups and slow, but slow that makes you read and read just to know how these two end up together.
Something about Victoria’s books is that they all end with their “HEA” but (or at least to me) the journey to get to them is full of bumps, love, sadness and joy (not in that order) and I liked this book as much as the previous ones.
From the beginning we know that all this between Ryland and Millie is forbidden but my god, here they took it to another level and I’m here for that. From the small glances, the tension, the fact that he couldn’t have her and she wouldn’t give up on him, simply perfect. Ryland had a lot to lose if he gave free rein to his desires, his only “freedom” and his longing to be a teacher, being part of one of the richest families in New York obviously comes with restrictions, and Millie just wanting to be herself, wanting to help others and that’s why she is so focused in class. These two when they are together are dynamite, I liked that although all that feeling of forbidden was there she did not back down with him, and that he when he finally gives free rein to everything with her also did not back down, although like all Victoria’s books make me cry this was particularly the one that made me cry the least (and that’s already a win) but I will say that it is the spiciest I have read from her and I think that with the primal kink it is understood.
The relationship between the two was beautiful, of course when everything finally comes out there is a drama that left me without emotional stability and even more when the path of forgiveness was slow (but let’s go, that's it had to be that way) Without a doubt I liked this book, I devoured it in almost one night and I can’t wait for the next one that if my suspicions are correct I will like it much more than this one.
📌 I received an e-arc, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
---
Este libro fue un viaje, uno bueno pero con más bajadas que subidas y lento, pero lento pero que te hace leer y leer solo para saber como terminan estos dos juntos.
Algo de los libros de Victoria es que todos terminan con su “feliz para siempre” pero (o por lo menos a mi) el viaje para llegar a ellos está lleno de baches, amor, tristezas y alegrías (no en ese orden) y este libro como los anteriores me gusto.
Desde el principio sabemos que todo esto entre Ryland y Millie está prohibido pero mi dios, aquí lo llevaron a otro nivel y estoy aquí para eso. Desde las pequeñas miradas, la tensión, el que no podía tenerla y ella que no se rendía con el, simplemente perfecto. Ryland tenía mucho que perder si le daba rienda suelta a sus deseos, su única “libertad” y su anhelo de ser profesor, siendo parte de una de las familias más ricas de New York obviamente viene con restricciones, y Millie solo queriendo ser ella misma, queriendo ayudar a los demás y por eso es tan centrada en clases. Estos dos cuando están juntos son dinamita, me gusto que aunque todo ese sentimiento de prohibido estaba ella no se echó para atrás con el, y que él cuando por fin da rienda suelta a todo con ella tampoco se echó para atrás, si bien como todos los libros de Victoria me hacen llorar este fue en particular el que menos lo hizo (y eso ya es un ganar) pero sí diré que es el más spicy que he leído de ella y creo que con lo del primal kink se da a entender.
La relación de los dos fue hermosa, claro está que cuando por fin todo se destapa hay un drama que me dejó sin estabilidad emocional y aún más cuando el camino del perdón fue lento (pero vamos que tenía que ser así) Sin duda este libro me gusto, me lo devore en casi una noche y no puedo esperar por el siguiente que si mis sospechas son ciertas me gustara mucho mas que este.
Something about Victoria’s books is that they all end with their “HEA” but (or at least to me) the journey to get to them is full of bumps, love, sadness and joy (not in that order) and I liked this book as much as the previous ones.
From the beginning we know that all this between Ryland and Millie is forbidden but my god, here they took it to another level and I’m here for that. From the small glances, the tension, the fact that he couldn’t have her and she wouldn’t give up on him, simply perfect. Ryland had a lot to lose if he gave free rein to his desires, his only “freedom” and his longing to be a teacher, being part of one of the richest families in New York obviously comes with restrictions, and Millie just wanting to be herself, wanting to help others and that’s why she is so focused in class. These two when they are together are dynamite, I liked that although all that feeling of forbidden was there she did not back down with him, and that he when he finally gives free rein to everything with her also did not back down, although like all Victoria’s books make me cry this was particularly the one that made me cry the least (and that’s already a win) but I will say that it is the spiciest I have read from her and I think that with the primal kink it is understood.
The relationship between the two was beautiful, of course when everything finally comes out there is a drama that left me without emotional stability and even more when the path of forgiveness was slow (but let’s go, that's it had to be that way) Without a doubt I liked this book, I devoured it in almost one night and I can’t wait for the next one that if my suspicions are correct I will like it much more than this one.
📌 I received an e-arc, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.
---
Este libro fue un viaje, uno bueno pero con más bajadas que subidas y lento, pero lento pero que te hace leer y leer solo para saber como terminan estos dos juntos.
Algo de los libros de Victoria es que todos terminan con su “feliz para siempre” pero (o por lo menos a mi) el viaje para llegar a ellos está lleno de baches, amor, tristezas y alegrías (no en ese orden) y este libro como los anteriores me gusto.
Desde el principio sabemos que todo esto entre Ryland y Millie está prohibido pero mi dios, aquí lo llevaron a otro nivel y estoy aquí para eso. Desde las pequeñas miradas, la tensión, el que no podía tenerla y ella que no se rendía con el, simplemente perfecto. Ryland tenía mucho que perder si le daba rienda suelta a sus deseos, su única “libertad” y su anhelo de ser profesor, siendo parte de una de las familias más ricas de New York obviamente viene con restricciones, y Millie solo queriendo ser ella misma, queriendo ayudar a los demás y por eso es tan centrada en clases. Estos dos cuando están juntos son dinamita, me gusto que aunque todo ese sentimiento de prohibido estaba ella no se echó para atrás con el, y que él cuando por fin da rienda suelta a todo con ella tampoco se echó para atrás, si bien como todos los libros de Victoria me hacen llorar este fue en particular el que menos lo hizo (y eso ya es un ganar) pero sí diré que es el más spicy que he leído de ella y creo que con lo del primal kink se da a entender.
La relación de los dos fue hermosa, claro está que cuando por fin todo se destapa hay un drama que me dejó sin estabilidad emocional y aún más cuando el camino del perdón fue lento (pero vamos que tenía que ser así) Sin duda este libro me gusto, me lo devore en casi una noche y no puedo esperar por el siguiente que si mis sospechas son ciertas me gustara mucho mas que este.
June 19, 2024
When Hearts Collide
by Victoria Lum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars!
“His name is Ryland…and I think…he’s my whirlwind.”
Five stars all the way. This book had everything I love: the professor billionaire GRUMPY trope, heartwarming family moments, and a touch of mystery with ‘The Orchid.’
Adrian from ‘The Harshest Hope’ still has my heart, and I couldn’t help but see some similarities in Ryland. The instant spark between Ryland and Millie was perfect. And those letters Millie writes to her mom? So sweet and touching. I love how she keeps that connection alive; we all have our ways of dealing with grief and I just thought it was so special.
The whole family aspect throughout this book universe is amazing. It adds so much depth and warmth to their stories.
One of my favorite moments was when Millie gets all flustered during the audiobook scene. I mean, I would totally be the same way with the type of books I listen to. I thought it was super funny!
If you’re looking for a romance that hits all the feels, “When Hearts Collide” is a must-read.
Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down and you’ll need to check out book one ‘When Hearts Ignite’ and ‘The Harshest Hope’ from the LA Hearts series. Every book can be read as a standalone, but you’ll absolutely fall hard for these characters. Angst is Victoria Lum’s jam— and if you’re into that, check her books out asap!
by Victoria Lum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars!
“His name is Ryland…and I think…he’s my whirlwind.”
Five stars all the way. This book had everything I love: the professor billionaire GRUMPY trope, heartwarming family moments, and a touch of mystery with ‘The Orchid.’
Adrian from ‘The Harshest Hope’ still has my heart, and I couldn’t help but see some similarities in Ryland. The instant spark between Ryland and Millie was perfect. And those letters Millie writes to her mom? So sweet and touching. I love how she keeps that connection alive; we all have our ways of dealing with grief and I just thought it was so special.
The whole family aspect throughout this book universe is amazing. It adds so much depth and warmth to their stories.
One of my favorite moments was when Millie gets all flustered during the audiobook scene. I mean, I would totally be the same way with the type of books I listen to. I thought it was super funny!
If you’re looking for a romance that hits all the feels, “When Hearts Collide” is a must-read.
Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down and you’ll need to check out book one ‘When Hearts Ignite’ and ‘The Harshest Hope’ from the LA Hearts series. Every book can be read as a standalone, but you’ll absolutely fall hard for these characters. Angst is Victoria Lum’s jam— and if you’re into that, check her books out asap!
Read
June 6, 2024Hi Friends,
Forbidden romance has always been one of my top favorite sub-genres to read about as a reader. There's something about the illicit that keeps me wanting to stay up all night and turning the pages. Ryland's and Millie's complex relationship holds a special place in my heart. It's a story of two broken souls who find each other and help each other heal. I think it also shows how age sometimes is just a number and even when two people are thrusted in a similar situation, their actions and reactions may be completely different. That, as an author, was very interesting for me to explore.
I hope you enjoy Ryland and Millie's story. They are flawed, but they try their best to live the life they're dealt with and ultimately triumph over the challenges being thrown at them.
For those who are dealing with difficult circumstances in life, keep fighting, warriors. The dawn of a new day is just around the corner.
Thank you for being on this journey with me and I hope you enjoy their story.
Xoxo,
Victoria
Forbidden romance has always been one of my top favorite sub-genres to read about as a reader. There's something about the illicit that keeps me wanting to stay up all night and turning the pages. Ryland's and Millie's complex relationship holds a special place in my heart. It's a story of two broken souls who find each other and help each other heal. I think it also shows how age sometimes is just a number and even when two people are thrusted in a similar situation, their actions and reactions may be completely different. That, as an author, was very interesting for me to explore.
I hope you enjoy Ryland and Millie's story. They are flawed, but they try their best to live the life they're dealt with and ultimately triumph over the challenges being thrown at them.
For those who are dealing with difficult circumstances in life, keep fighting, warriors. The dawn of a new day is just around the corner.
Thank you for being on this journey with me and I hope you enjoy their story.
Xoxo,
Victoria
June 5, 2024
Victoria earned herself another fan! This student professor age gap delivered the angst and pining I've been craving from a book. Millie has this soft mature spirit and I see why it calls to the grumpy Ryland. I love how she sees into his and despite their age she can be a safe place for his weary soul. Ryland is protective and feels compelled to sacrifice his dreams for others. I can definitely see why he felt that way given his past and empathized with him being stuck in his own way. Ryland gives us a meaningful grovel while Millie shows a necessary backbone amidst her longing. These two had such chemistry! I felt that instant sizzle from their first touch to the excitement of when they give into their attraction. I absolutely will read more in this series and find myself excited for what's hinted at next.
May 22, 2024
4.25 stars on this book!
They way I absolutely could not stop reading this ARC because of how invested I was in the story! I loved watching Millie and Ryland both try to fight their attraction for one another, but enjoyed seeing their story develop. The chemistry between them was HOT and I can't even begin to describe how much I loved the spicy scenes...DAMN! Ryland also knows how to grovel...I'll just leave it at that.
This book includes some of my favorite tropes: forbidden love, forced proximity, billionaire, age gap, grumpy sunshine, and primal play. It is set to release June 5th. While it is the 2nd book in the Orchid series, I read it as a standalone and was able to follow along just fine. But I'll definitely be going back to read the first book asap!
Thank you so much to Victoria Lum and her team for the chance to read and review an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
They way I absolutely could not stop reading this ARC because of how invested I was in the story! I loved watching Millie and Ryland both try to fight their attraction for one another, but enjoyed seeing their story develop. The chemistry between them was HOT and I can't even begin to describe how much I loved the spicy scenes...DAMN! Ryland also knows how to grovel...I'll just leave it at that.
This book includes some of my favorite tropes: forbidden love, forced proximity, billionaire, age gap, grumpy sunshine, and primal play. It is set to release June 5th. While it is the 2nd book in the Orchid series, I read it as a standalone and was able to follow along just fine. But I'll definitely be going back to read the first book asap!
Thank you so much to Victoria Lum and her team for the chance to read and review an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
May 30, 2024
4/5 stars
you know this is my first professor x student romance and i (surprisingly) wasn’t disappointed.
tropes:
- professor x student
- forbidden romance
- grumpy x sunshine
- forced proximity
- age gap (16 years )
- she falls first, he falls harder
- billionaire romance
nickname: little lark
this is the second victoria lum book i’ve been fortunate enough to read, and i will say this (by far) was my favourite. it’s angsty, has maturity in solutions, and overall keeps you wanting more.
you’ve got grovelling, you’ve got proclamations of love, and you’ve got a happy ending. truly i expected to dislike this book because i was afraid of the professor trope, but it truly was so interesting and well done.
fantastic as always. thank you to victoria’s team for providing me with this arc for an honest review.
you know this is my first professor x student romance and i (surprisingly) wasn’t disappointed.
tropes:
- professor x student
- forbidden romance
- grumpy x sunshine
- forced proximity
- age gap (16 years )
- she falls first, he falls harder
- billionaire romance
nickname: little lark
this is the second victoria lum book i’ve been fortunate enough to read, and i will say this (by far) was my favourite. it’s angsty, has maturity in solutions, and overall keeps you wanting more.
you’ve got grovelling, you’ve got proclamations of love, and you’ve got a happy ending. truly i expected to dislike this book because i was afraid of the professor trope, but it truly was so interesting and well done.
fantastic as always. thank you to victoria’s team for providing me with this arc for an honest review.
May 31, 2024
I received an ARC thanks to Truly Yours PR, and wow, what a ride! Usually, I don’t go for age gap romances, but this one grabbed me from the start with forbidden love and kept me hooked. The slow burn and angst between Millie and Ryland was off the charts, and their backstories added so much depth and relatability. I loved how the build-up and tension made the spicy scenes even more rewarding. The strong found family vibe surrounding both characters was heartwarming and made me also really enjoy the side characters.
Millie and Ryland’s chemistry was electric, and their journey from intense attraction to navigating the boundaries of their relationship was captivating. The writing style and dialogue were on point, making this a fun and engaging read.
This was my first book by Lum, but it definitely won’t be my last. I'm excited to dive into more from The Orchid series and see what else she has in store!
Millie and Ryland’s chemistry was electric, and their journey from intense attraction to navigating the boundaries of their relationship was captivating. The writing style and dialogue were on point, making this a fun and engaging read.
This was my first book by Lum, but it definitely won’t be my last. I'm excited to dive into more from The Orchid series and see what else she has in store!
June 3, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
I loved Ryland and Millie's relationship. I felt there was so much growth between them. Millie although being young is a strong smart FMC. I really enjoyed her character. I felt myself rooting for them the entire time. The spice was great, and I love the primal play scenes. The tension, the lust, the love, the need, everything was felt between Ryland and Millie were wonderful. I loved the added touch of the letters. I swooned hard for Ryland at a few different points in the book.
🔒 Forbidden Romance
🗝 Age Gap
🔒 Primal Play
🗝 Forced Proximity
🔒 Professor / Student
🗝 Groveling
🔒 Mild Degradation
🗝 Billionaire
Thank you Literally Yours and Victoria Lum for the ARC
🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
I loved Ryland and Millie's relationship. I felt there was so much growth between them. Millie although being young is a strong smart FMC. I really enjoyed her character. I felt myself rooting for them the entire time. The spice was great, and I love the primal play scenes. The tension, the lust, the love, the need, everything was felt between Ryland and Millie were wonderful. I loved the added touch of the letters. I swooned hard for Ryland at a few different points in the book.
🔒 Forbidden Romance
🗝 Age Gap
🔒 Primal Play
🗝 Forced Proximity
🔒 Professor / Student
🗝 Groveling
🔒 Mild Degradation
🗝 Billionaire
Thank you Literally Yours and Victoria Lum for the ARC
June 6, 2024
Huge thank yous go to @authorvictorialum and @trulyyours.pr for the advanced copy of “When Hearts Collide”. In this *whirlwind* romance story, an emotionally unavailable college professor/billionaire and his much younger student find themselves in the middle of a forbidden and taboo relationship.
There are so many tropes in this story including:
💎 Professor x Student
💎 Age gap
💎 Forbidden romance
💎 Billionaire
💎 He takes care of her while on her period
There is also some consensual non-consensual play in here as well. Lots of spice. Very well written! Both Ryland and Millie are kind of massive idiots and you wanna hit them both at times but I think that’s what makes it more believable. Sometimes you feel like you know what’s best for others but in the end, you should really listen to what the other person is actually trying to say. I really, really enjoyed this, and might have to pick up Maxwell’s story now too 😍 500 pages does make for a long story but the end result was satisfying.
“We’ll always have tomorrow” will live with me for quite a long time.
There are so many tropes in this story including:
💎 Professor x Student
💎 Age gap
💎 Forbidden romance
💎 Billionaire
💎 He takes care of her while on her period
There is also some consensual non-consensual play in here as well. Lots of spice. Very well written! Both Ryland and Millie are kind of massive idiots and you wanna hit them both at times but I think that’s what makes it more believable. Sometimes you feel like you know what’s best for others but in the end, you should really listen to what the other person is actually trying to say. I really, really enjoyed this, and might have to pick up Maxwell’s story now too 😍 500 pages does make for a long story but the end result was satisfying.
“We’ll always have tomorrow” will live with me for quite a long time.
June 2, 2024
This book ugh THIS BOOK!!!! Ryland is a whole mood. I think he is the most dramatic one out of all the Andersons and Kingsleys. So mysterious, so broody, so sexy. His heart literally bleeds throughout the book and I was here for all of it. His and Millie’s story is a tough but beautiful one, it pulled at my heartstrings the entire time, the story sucked me in from the very first page.
Beautifully written, I love how well Victoria was able to capture Ryland and his cracked heart in this book. We now also know about the tragedy that surrounds the Anderson family…
Beautifully written, I love how well Victoria was able to capture Ryland and his cracked heart in this book. We now also know about the tragedy that surrounds the Anderson family…
May 29, 2024
Ryland and Millie have completely stolen my heart! The tension between these two was insane and I absolutely loved it.
💜Billionaire romance
💜Age gap
💜Forbidden
💜Professor x student
💜Grumpy x sunshine
💜Found family
💜Primal play
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Angst level: 💔💔💔
Ryland and Millie meet during a class he is teaching at her college and they both are instantly attracted to one another. But they stay away as long as they can to avoid conflict for both of them.
The problem is that they seem to be seeing a lot of each other in and out of the classroom. So the sexual tension is high. And when they finally do something about their attraction, it is piping hot! WOAH VICTORIA. I wasn’t expecting the holy hotness of this book!
Millie and Ryland’s is as forbidden as they come and I think that’s one of the reasons that I was rooting for them so hard. Millie is sunshine, while Ryland is the grumpy grump. There were so many scenes of Ryland lashing at because of his possessiveness that I shouldn’t have loved IRL, but in this book it made me fall harder and deeper in love with his character.
There are so many brothers whose stories need to be told next and I can’t wait!
💜Billionaire romance
💜Age gap
💜Forbidden
💜Professor x student
💜Grumpy x sunshine
💜Found family
💜Primal play
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Angst level: 💔💔💔
Ryland and Millie meet during a class he is teaching at her college and they both are instantly attracted to one another. But they stay away as long as they can to avoid conflict for both of them.
The problem is that they seem to be seeing a lot of each other in and out of the classroom. So the sexual tension is high. And when they finally do something about their attraction, it is piping hot! WOAH VICTORIA. I wasn’t expecting the holy hotness of this book!
Millie and Ryland’s is as forbidden as they come and I think that’s one of the reasons that I was rooting for them so hard. Millie is sunshine, while Ryland is the grumpy grump. There were so many scenes of Ryland lashing at because of his possessiveness that I shouldn’t have loved IRL, but in this book it made me fall harder and deeper in love with his character.
There are so many brothers whose stories need to be told next and I can’t wait!
June 5, 2024
4.5 stars ⭐️
This was an excellent story. Millie and Ryland, both wounded souls, discovered love and tranquility together. I didn't anticipate getting teary-eyed at the end, but I did. The challenges they faced and the risks they took in loving each other made their happily ever after even more satisfying.
This was an excellent story. Millie and Ryland, both wounded souls, discovered love and tranquility together. I didn't anticipate getting teary-eyed at the end, but I did. The challenges they faced and the risks they took in loving each other made their happily ever after even more satisfying.
June 11, 2024
i had really high hopes for this. the writing and characters really hooked me in the beginning. the plot had so much potential but alas it didn’t deliver.
for starters, there were too many similes and metaphors that it started distracting me from what was actually happening in the story.
I like both main characters separately. they were well rounded and had goals and aspirations. but when they got together it was a let down.
it was insta lust from their first meeting. i found that strange. it’s one thing for Millie to be attracted to him at the beginning considering he’s attractive, but it was weird of Ryland to even notice her when she’s his student. he literally met her in class.
i’m usually all for taboo, forbidden romances. but typically the characters meet in a different setting that doesn’t reveal their age/profession. however, in this instance, ryland met her as his student and immediately started lusting after her. they barely had two conversations before he was shoving his thump in her mouth. for a long book, they could’ve had a better connection.
I kept reading though, thinking their lust will eventually turn into something deeper. but it never did. Ryland and Millie kept claiming that their connection was more than physical but in every scene they were together, they were either lusting after the other or having sex. there was one scene that they weren’t focused on lust, but i couldn’t tell you what happened bc it was all described in riddles.
i didn’t understand their connection to be honest. Ryland claimed that Millie saw through his facade. bitch what facade you’re a spoiled rich man. stop having this victim mentality bc your future wife has to be a stay at home mom bffr. it was purely physical for them.
also why were Millie’s friends supportive of her relationship with him?? like not a single person thought it strange she was dating her professor who’s 15 years older than her. im obviously all for the age gap since i picked up this book knowing about it, but her friends could’ve at least attempted to dissuade her from him, not be in support.
i wished they had more cute scenes and an actual connection that wasn’t them both losing their mothers. because in that case, Millie could’ve fallen for any Anderson son, since they all lost their mom. like cmon.
It was also annoying how she kept licking her lips. i think i read that 20 times.
i would’ve rated this higher had there been less fucking and more of them actually dating and getting to know each other.
for starters, there were too many similes and metaphors that it started distracting me from what was actually happening in the story.
I like both main characters separately. they were well rounded and had goals and aspirations. but when they got together it was a let down.
it was insta lust from their first meeting. i found that strange. it’s one thing for Millie to be attracted to him at the beginning considering he’s attractive, but it was weird of Ryland to even notice her when she’s his student. he literally met her in class.
i’m usually all for taboo, forbidden romances. but typically the characters meet in a different setting that doesn’t reveal their age/profession. however, in this instance, ryland met her as his student and immediately started lusting after her. they barely had two conversations before he was shoving his thump in her mouth. for a long book, they could’ve had a better connection.
I kept reading though, thinking their lust will eventually turn into something deeper. but it never did. Ryland and Millie kept claiming that their connection was more than physical but in every scene they were together, they were either lusting after the other or having sex. there was one scene that they weren’t focused on lust, but i couldn’t tell you what happened bc it was all described in riddles.
i didn’t understand their connection to be honest. Ryland claimed that Millie saw through his facade. bitch what facade you’re a spoiled rich man. stop having this victim mentality bc your future wife has to be a stay at home mom bffr. it was purely physical for them.
also why were Millie’s friends supportive of her relationship with him?? like not a single person thought it strange she was dating her professor who’s 15 years older than her. im obviously all for the age gap since i picked up this book knowing about it, but her friends could’ve at least attempted to dissuade her from him, not be in support.
i wished they had more cute scenes and an actual connection that wasn’t them both losing their mothers. because in that case, Millie could’ve fallen for any Anderson son, since they all lost their mom. like cmon.
It was also annoying how she kept licking her lips. i think i read that 20 times.
i would’ve rated this higher had there been less fucking and more of them actually dating and getting to know each other.
August 2, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
When Hearts Collide is the second book in The Orchid series. My first book by the author, and I really enjoyed it. Ryland and Millie had firsthand experience with grief, but they perceived the world in quite different ways. It's a steamy forbidden romance with a slow burn. I really like Millie's development throughout the book. I enjoy angst, but the frequent push-and-pull dynamic between them was sometimes frustrating.
Overall, the writing was great, and the secondary characters were enjoyable to read about. The entire familial part of the story is wonderful. It does offer a lot of depth to it. I will definitely go back and read the first book in the series, and I look forward to reading more from The Orchid Series.
What to expect:
💥 Professor/Student
💥 Primal Play
💥 Age Gap
💥 Forbidden
💥 Grumpy/Sunshine
💥 Broody Hero
💥 Billionaire
💥 ANGST and Steam
Thank you to author Victoria Lum and her team for providing me an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
When Hearts Collide is the second book in The Orchid series. My first book by the author, and I really enjoyed it. Ryland and Millie had firsthand experience with grief, but they perceived the world in quite different ways. It's a steamy forbidden romance with a slow burn. I really like Millie's development throughout the book. I enjoy angst, but the frequent push-and-pull dynamic between them was sometimes frustrating.
Overall, the writing was great, and the secondary characters were enjoyable to read about. The entire familial part of the story is wonderful. It does offer a lot of depth to it. I will definitely go back and read the first book in the series, and I look forward to reading more from The Orchid Series.
What to expect:
💥 Professor/Student
💥 Primal Play
💥 Age Gap
💥 Forbidden
💥 Grumpy/Sunshine
💥 Broody Hero
💥 Billionaire
💥 ANGST and Steam
Thank you to author Victoria Lum and her team for providing me an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
June 5, 2024
**6 Stars**
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
When Hearts Collide is the 2nd book in the Orchid series by one of my favorite new-to-me authors I discovered this year. I was so excited when Victoria Lum teased a student x teacher romance in her previous book, When Hearts Ignite. This is one of the BEST and angstiest student/teacher romances I have ever read. I could not put it down!
Ryland Anderson is the COO and face of the Anderson empire. He is forced into this role due to the trust and expectations set on him for the family, but his dream was to be a tenured professor. He is the broody and controlled billionaire of the family until Millie crashes into his classroom and changes everything. Millie is a devoted and intelligent student who is very mature for her age. She is extremely focused on her education, and she works extremely hard to prove herself to Ryland. They share an immediate connection and bond over the death of their mothers. They have insane chemistry, and Ryland has to work really hard not to give in to the temptation. There was so much tension and angst reading their interactions with barely there touches and the longing looks. It was killing me.
Something happens at the L.A. school that leads to a separation for a couple of years. Millie is now starting an important program at the New York school, and Ryland is her new teacher. This time, it is even more difficult to deny their connection, but there are so many reasons they can not be together. I loved how strong Millie was and how she would not let him get away with pushing her away. She eventually gets to become his prey at his club since he is into primal play, and let me tell you... those scenes were so hot!
I loved Millie's group of best friends, who also had ties to the Anderson family. They are such an amazing, supportive group of girls.
This book got me so emotional, and I loved Ryland's nicknames for her and all the beautiful letters! I was not expecting to feel so much in a student/teacher romance. Victoria did such a phenomenal job with the character development and the slow burn in this book. The relationship was perfectly crafted, and I was deep in my feels and angst throughout this book. The sexual tension and angst in this book are next level, but in such a good way.
Ryland makes some mistakes that may make you super frustrated when it comes to their relationship near the end, but he has one of the best grovels I have ever read. It was so well done, and he had me swooning. I love Ryland and Millie and truly felt like they were soulmates. I am so impressed with Victoria's writing, and I can't wait to read his twin brother's book next.
TW: animal death/hunting, death of a parent.
Kinks: Primal play, spanking, choking, breath play, toys, butt play
Thank you to Victoria Lum for providing the ARC.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
When Hearts Collide is the 2nd book in the Orchid series by one of my favorite new-to-me authors I discovered this year. I was so excited when Victoria Lum teased a student x teacher romance in her previous book, When Hearts Ignite. This is one of the BEST and angstiest student/teacher romances I have ever read. I could not put it down!
Ryland Anderson is the COO and face of the Anderson empire. He is forced into this role due to the trust and expectations set on him for the family, but his dream was to be a tenured professor. He is the broody and controlled billionaire of the family until Millie crashes into his classroom and changes everything. Millie is a devoted and intelligent student who is very mature for her age. She is extremely focused on her education, and she works extremely hard to prove herself to Ryland. They share an immediate connection and bond over the death of their mothers. They have insane chemistry, and Ryland has to work really hard not to give in to the temptation. There was so much tension and angst reading their interactions with barely there touches and the longing looks. It was killing me.
Something happens at the L.A. school that leads to a separation for a couple of years. Millie is now starting an important program at the New York school, and Ryland is her new teacher. This time, it is even more difficult to deny their connection, but there are so many reasons they can not be together. I loved how strong Millie was and how she would not let him get away with pushing her away. She eventually gets to become his prey at his club since he is into primal play, and let me tell you... those scenes were so hot!
I loved Millie's group of best friends, who also had ties to the Anderson family. They are such an amazing, supportive group of girls.
This book got me so emotional, and I loved Ryland's nicknames for her and all the beautiful letters! I was not expecting to feel so much in a student/teacher romance. Victoria did such a phenomenal job with the character development and the slow burn in this book. The relationship was perfectly crafted, and I was deep in my feels and angst throughout this book. The sexual tension and angst in this book are next level, but in such a good way.
Ryland makes some mistakes that may make you super frustrated when it comes to their relationship near the end, but he has one of the best grovels I have ever read. It was so well done, and he had me swooning. I love Ryland and Millie and truly felt like they were soulmates. I am so impressed with Victoria's writing, and I can't wait to read his twin brother's book next.
TW: animal death/hunting, death of a parent.
Kinks: Primal play, spanking, choking, breath play, toys, butt play
Thank you to Victoria Lum for providing the ARC.
June 11, 2024
4 ⭐️
2.5 🔥
Forbidden Romance
Professor & Student
Billionaire MMC
Age Gap
Angst & Tension
Grumpy & Sunshine
Tortured Hero
Found Family
Duel POV
Primal Play
Written Notes
Groveling
⚠️This book does the loss of a mother & the grief that goes along with it, which can be triggering to some. Please check content warnings. ⚠️
This is book 2 of The Orchid series, but can be read as a standalone. This book is about icy, broody Ethics Professor & Billionaire Ryland Anderson & sweet, kind-hearted Millie. Ryland is extremely unhappy in his life as the face of the Anderson family. They come from old money, with lots of restrictions & regulations, along with a curse. Ryland loves his family & will do anything for them, but selfishly he wants to be a full time Professor, hunt & birdwatch. He carries resentment towards his family & ancestors, & punishes himself for this. Professor Anderson shows up as a guest Professor for Millie’s Ethics Business class & they get off to a rough start. Let’s just say, Professor Anderson is MEAN! But he is taken by the younger, intelligent, blue eyed beauty that he feels can see right through to his soul. Millie is determined to get a letter of recommendation from Professor Anderson to get into an Honors program. She is chasing her dreams, but also feels a connection to the icy, stone cold Professor Ryland. She sees past all the anger & self-loathing. They connect on a soul-deep level, but with the forbidden nature & the Anderson family pressure their story is filled with complications & conflict. This one is full of angst & tension!! If you like toured hero, age gap, forbidden romances, this one is for you!!
Thank you Victoria Lum for the ARC!
2.5 🔥
Forbidden Romance
Professor & Student
Billionaire MMC
Age Gap
Angst & Tension
Grumpy & Sunshine
Tortured Hero
Found Family
Duel POV
Primal Play
Written Notes
Groveling
⚠️This book does the loss of a mother & the grief that goes along with it, which can be triggering to some. Please check content warnings. ⚠️
This is book 2 of The Orchid series, but can be read as a standalone. This book is about icy, broody Ethics Professor & Billionaire Ryland Anderson & sweet, kind-hearted Millie. Ryland is extremely unhappy in his life as the face of the Anderson family. They come from old money, with lots of restrictions & regulations, along with a curse. Ryland loves his family & will do anything for them, but selfishly he wants to be a full time Professor, hunt & birdwatch. He carries resentment towards his family & ancestors, & punishes himself for this. Professor Anderson shows up as a guest Professor for Millie’s Ethics Business class & they get off to a rough start. Let’s just say, Professor Anderson is MEAN! But he is taken by the younger, intelligent, blue eyed beauty that he feels can see right through to his soul. Millie is determined to get a letter of recommendation from Professor Anderson to get into an Honors program. She is chasing her dreams, but also feels a connection to the icy, stone cold Professor Ryland. She sees past all the anger & self-loathing. They connect on a soul-deep level, but with the forbidden nature & the Anderson family pressure their story is filled with complications & conflict. This one is full of angst & tension!! If you like toured hero, age gap, forbidden romances, this one is for you!!
Thank you Victoria Lum for the ARC!
June 2, 2024
When Hearts Collide by Victoria Lum 🖤
The Orchid, Book 2
Interconnected Standalone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
528 pages
🗓️ June 5th
🖤 forbidden romance
🏫 college professor/student
🖤 age gap
🏫 billionaire romance
🖤 grumpy/sunshine
🏫 found family
🖤 dual POV
📌 “I see you, Ryland Anderson. I see you and I’m not afraid of you.”
📌“You set me free.”
I’m writing you incredibly sleep deprived. But I couldn’t go to sleep without knowing Millie and Ryland would be okay. So what if I can barely function now?! I have zero regrets. Except perhaps I should have been sleep deprived yesterday instead of today because then I would’ve known how this story ended sooner, something my little bruised heart so deeply craved 🖤
The book starts when the events in When Hearts Ignite were also just starting and those cameos of Steven gave me both immense happiness and despair… knowing the long road still ahead of him. Yes, I’m a Steven girlie 🫣
The same way I knew Ryland had his own journey ahead before he could have it all. And by that I mean Millie. That girl is the whole package and some more. Perfect in all the ways that fit Ryland. I was rooting for them something fierce.
But I can’t go without mentioning something I can’t really disclose 🫣 Victoria Lum has this very original way of telling a story. For those who’ve read When Hearts Ignite… you know. For those who haven’t yet, I won’t spoil it for you. Alas, I just wanted to say that I love the collapse (let’s call it that) in the story. It’s angsty and heartfelt. It always gets me crying but in a refreshing way. As a heavy romance reader, refreshing is something I’m always seeking and this was just perfect 🤌🏼
The Orchid, Book 2
Interconnected Standalone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
528 pages
🗓️ June 5th
🖤 forbidden romance
🏫 college professor/student
🖤 age gap
🏫 billionaire romance
🖤 grumpy/sunshine
🏫 found family
🖤 dual POV
📌 “I see you, Ryland Anderson. I see you and I’m not afraid of you.”
📌“You set me free.”
I’m writing you incredibly sleep deprived. But I couldn’t go to sleep without knowing Millie and Ryland would be okay. So what if I can barely function now?! I have zero regrets. Except perhaps I should have been sleep deprived yesterday instead of today because then I would’ve known how this story ended sooner, something my little bruised heart so deeply craved 🖤
The book starts when the events in When Hearts Ignite were also just starting and those cameos of Steven gave me both immense happiness and despair… knowing the long road still ahead of him. Yes, I’m a Steven girlie 🫣
The same way I knew Ryland had his own journey ahead before he could have it all. And by that I mean Millie. That girl is the whole package and some more. Perfect in all the ways that fit Ryland. I was rooting for them something fierce.
But I can’t go without mentioning something I can’t really disclose 🫣 Victoria Lum has this very original way of telling a story. For those who’ve read When Hearts Ignite… you know. For those who haven’t yet, I won’t spoil it for you. Alas, I just wanted to say that I love the collapse (let’s call it that) in the story. It’s angsty and heartfelt. It always gets me crying but in a refreshing way. As a heavy romance reader, refreshing is something I’m always seeking and this was just perfect 🤌🏼
July 2, 2025
⭑⭑⭑.75
The story follows the connection between Ryland Anderson, a cold and closed-off professor, and a student who’s gentle, resilient, and emotionally strong. Their relationship starts off in a flurry—literally—with her tripping into his classroom and right into his world. From there, the tension simmers through silent glances, emotional restraint, and all the inner turmoil of wanting something you shouldn’t have.
I loved how she continued writing letters to her late mother—it gave the story a grounded, heartfelt layer that really connected with me. Watching her grow, fight for herself, and push through grief was moving. Her love for Ryland was bold, maybe even reckless at times, but I admired her tenacity. She saw the broken pieces inside him and wasn’t afraid to fight for what they could be, even if he wasn’t ready to do the same.
Ryland, on the other hand, was more difficult for me to fully connect with. He’s layered—no doubt a tortured soul haunted by personal demons and familial obligations—but sometimes I found myself frustrated with how long he lingered in emotional limbo. He wanted her, but constantly held back. I understood his reasons, but it also made their love story feel stuck at times, like it was always almost there, but never quite took flight.
There were moments that definitely shone—especially when the emotional walls cracked and their connection flared. The spark between them was real, and I could see why she couldn’t walk away. She was the bright light in his otherwise dark and predictable world.
The story follows the connection between Ryland Anderson, a cold and closed-off professor, and a student who’s gentle, resilient, and emotionally strong. Their relationship starts off in a flurry—literally—with her tripping into his classroom and right into his world. From there, the tension simmers through silent glances, emotional restraint, and all the inner turmoil of wanting something you shouldn’t have.
I loved how she continued writing letters to her late mother—it gave the story a grounded, heartfelt layer that really connected with me. Watching her grow, fight for herself, and push through grief was moving. Her love for Ryland was bold, maybe even reckless at times, but I admired her tenacity. She saw the broken pieces inside him and wasn’t afraid to fight for what they could be, even if he wasn’t ready to do the same.
Ryland, on the other hand, was more difficult for me to fully connect with. He’s layered—no doubt a tortured soul haunted by personal demons and familial obligations—but sometimes I found myself frustrated with how long he lingered in emotional limbo. He wanted her, but constantly held back. I understood his reasons, but it also made their love story feel stuck at times, like it was always almost there, but never quite took flight.
There were moments that definitely shone—especially when the emotional walls cracked and their connection flared. The spark between them was real, and I could see why she couldn’t walk away. She was the bright light in his otherwise dark and predictable world.
June 2, 2024
"My heart... It clamors for her. It beats for her. It hungers for her... My perfect match. The right person, but the wrong time and the wrong circumstances. Losers in a game of fate." - Ryland
"My heart won't let me quit him." - Millie
Professor Ryland Anderson and University Student Millie Callahan meet in the worst of ways and have a sudden and overwhelming - forbidden - attraction. The story follows them over 2 years. Fighting their attraction until the tethers snap 🫰🏼
This book had me sobbing at the end, in the BEST way!! 😭 And a few times throughout as well. That's not to say I didn't have plenty of swoony kick-my-feet moments and tons of laughs! And the spiiiiice 🥵 The tensiiiiiion. The longing glances and expressions you could FEEL while reading 🔥💖
What a "whirlwind."
This Professor/Student story was like none I've ever read. The book was lengthy but the characters were interesting and their arcs were superb. The flow was steady. The writing was fabulous! I have 12 pages of highlights on my Kindle. - from some truly thought provoking and profound moments to the absolute filthiest dirty talk 😜
This was my first read of hers, and Author Victoria Lum really delivered! I'll definitely be back reading and continuing The Orchid series as the books release.
"My heart won't let me quit him." - Millie
Professor Ryland Anderson and University Student Millie Callahan meet in the worst of ways and have a sudden and overwhelming - forbidden - attraction. The story follows them over 2 years. Fighting their attraction until the tethers snap 🫰🏼
This book had me sobbing at the end, in the BEST way!! 😭 And a few times throughout as well. That's not to say I didn't have plenty of swoony kick-my-feet moments and tons of laughs! And the spiiiiice 🥵 The tensiiiiiion. The longing glances and expressions you could FEEL while reading 🔥💖
What a "whirlwind."
This Professor/Student story was like none I've ever read. The book was lengthy but the characters were interesting and their arcs were superb. The flow was steady. The writing was fabulous! I have 12 pages of highlights on my Kindle. - from some truly thought provoking and profound moments to the absolute filthiest dirty talk 😜
This was my first read of hers, and Author Victoria Lum really delivered! I'll definitely be back reading and continuing The Orchid series as the books release.
June 5, 2024
“When Hearts Collide” is my first Victoria Lum story, and it happens to be a forbidden age gap professor/student trope. When Author Victoria Lum told me I would need tissues for this book, I brushed that aside. My heart is way too hard for that. The story has several “pull the heartstrings” moments that I was unprepared for. Millie’s a sweetheart, and Ryland’s groveling did me in.
Dear Millie is a 19-ish college student in Ryland’s Ethics class. Ethics, you say? What a coincidence—considering that Millie and Ryland end up throwing all ethics out the door—and against it, too. Ryland, who is 36ish, has family trauma and drama that play a role in his relationships or lack thereof. Millie has her past, which they can connect with. They do a lot of connecting if you know what I mean.
Victoria Lum can write spicy scenes with dirty talk that can set the pages on fire. The primal shmink scenes were excellent. And I did like that. Though Millie came across as sweet, she wasn’t the innocent girl all the time with Ryland, especially during their intimate time. I loved this story!
Dear Millie is a 19-ish college student in Ryland’s Ethics class. Ethics, you say? What a coincidence—considering that Millie and Ryland end up throwing all ethics out the door—and against it, too. Ryland, who is 36ish, has family trauma and drama that play a role in his relationships or lack thereof. Millie has her past, which they can connect with. They do a lot of connecting if you know what I mean.
Victoria Lum can write spicy scenes with dirty talk that can set the pages on fire. The primal shmink scenes were excellent. And I did like that. Though Millie came across as sweet, she wasn’t the innocent girl all the time with Ryland, especially during their intimate time. I loved this story!
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