Brontë Lovers

by Angela Pearse

When Lizzy Doyle visits the Brontë Parsonage in Haworth, she meets charismatic guide Dain. Handsome, friendly and happy to discuss the Brontës for hours, he’s everything her boyfriend isn’t and the perfect distraction while she’s in town.

As Lizzy and Dain bond over the Brontës’ lives and books, her interest in him deepens and questions arise. What happened with his ex-girlfriend who works in the cafe? And why does he dress like he’s stepped out of the pages of a Victorian novel?

But when Lizzy’s friendship with Dain causes a rift with her boyfriend, the past begins to creep back in and her true feelings become difficult to ignore. With a storm brewing out on the bleak and beautiful moors, can Lizzy find the courage to follow her wild heart?

A spicy treat for Brontë fans. This steamy, contemporary standalone delivers a slow burn romance with all the feels and a perfect happily ever after!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Chick Lit, Rom Com

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2024

About the author

ANGELA PEARSE writes contemporary and historical romcoms, and has recently added paranormal romance to her lineup. Known for her quirky humour, Angela’s books are often described as "page-turners", ranging from lighthearted escapades to darker satire.

A freelance editor with an MA in English, Angela is originally from New Zealand but now calls Edinburgh home, finding endless inspiration in its rich history and atmospheric streets.

Dive into her new vampire romance series - Fanged and Flirty!

Book 1: Flossed In Love - available now (read for free with Kindle Unlimited)

Book 2: Enthralled By You - available now (read for free with Kindle Unlimited)

Book 3: Biting My Knight - coming 4 February 2026 (available for pre-order)

* Sign Up To Mailing List

* Visit Website

* Book Playlists

* Follow on Amazon Author Page

* Follow on BookBub

* Follow on Instagram

* Follow on Threads

* Follow on Tiktok

Reviews

[Ptolemeusz · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be honest, Lizzy's reaction to Dain's secret really threw me off. There were a few things that I didn't necessarily like, but that one was the biggest.

[Katy Hristova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️, Romance 5/5 ⭐️

Lizzy feels stuck in a long-term relationship with her overly ambitious, judgemental, and not-too-emotional boyfriend Klint. When they visit Haworth for his PhD research, she decides to pursue a dream of her own: immerse herself in the Bronte atmosphere and seek inspiration for a PhD research topic of her own. This is when she bumps into Dain, a fellow Bronte lover, who works at the Parsonage. Their literary discussions soon turn into something more and Lizzy is faced with a choice - work on her relationship with Klint or risk it all and follow her heart and the mysterious Dain.

The worldbuilding in this book is very immersive. I felt back in Haworth, back in the time of the Brontes, back to remembering some of my old favourites of their books. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter added an extra touch of authenticity and atmosphere. There were some great laugh-out-loud-moments too. Generally, the book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, from rooting for Dain, to hating Klint, to being suspicious of Dain...

Very different and fun read, highly recommend to anyone who doesn't mind a spicy romance.

[Day Ravenstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by this author and OMG I loved it as much as I did the the first. Having watched Victoria Wood's dinnerladies more times than is necessarily healthy, the name Kilt gives me war flashbacks which were entirely justified. I'd call him a rude word for a body part but body parts have their uses.

I love the slow brun. THERE WAS ONLY ONE SLEEPING BAG!!!

Also the cover is gorgeous.

[Heaven Aughton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to have received an ARC for this review but all opinion is my own!

You definitely need knowledge of the Brontë sisters and their books when reading!
It is a nice hybrid to reach fans of both historical and contemporary romance. Well paced and pleasant reading, the author managed to balance hard-hitting topics with silly comedic moments. The messages to the reader are a fun touch. I went into the book after reading the trigger warnings, and as someone with depression currently mid episode (albeit high functioning) I wasn't affected by topics raised in the book but read at your own risk. The spice was nice, but not the filthiest I've read. The pacing of the sex scenes was different from the main story, leaving me feeling like I'd rudhed through it. The story would still hold its own without the sexy bits, honestly.

Admittedly, some of the language throughout made me rather thankful that my Kindle has a dictionary function.

Lizzy is a morally grey female main character who, at times, I struggled to root for, but she was well rounded and entertaining. She definitely has a penchant for making mistakes and holds some awkward/misinformed opinions.
Dain is the mysterious being who wears victorian inspired outfits and has the answer to everything our FMC wants. Or is he? (I spent half the book thinking he was a ghost for gods sake)
Klint.. the stable, "sensible" life partner of 4 years or the walking epitome of sunk cost fallacies?

As a Burnley girl (East Lancashire but also on the West Yorkshire border), the mentions of Keighley (Keith-Lee for all you not in the know) and Haworth made me feel right at home. But imagining Dain with his well-read and olden day vocabularies talking Yorkshire definitely cracked me up.

Btw does anyone else want to read Tabitha Lavish's books now?

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall enjoyable. I struggled with Lizzy's attitude and decisions sometime. Especially since I don't really feel like she addressed her unhealthy attachment/relationship with Klint at all. The best parts were Dain and his surprises throughout. I feel compelled to read and learn more of the Bronte sisters.

[Manon.ReadsForTheFunofit · Rating 5 out of 5]

A while ago I saw a Tiktok with a request for ARC readers, so obviously I signed up. I received an e-ARC and for that I thank Angela Pearse. Even though an ARC copy was provided to me, this review and my opinions are all of my own.

A romance novel about the Brontë sisters, but in the here and now!
Lizzy Doyle is visiting Haworth with her boyfriend. When she visits the Brontë Parsonage, she meets Dain. A handsome, charismatic, maybe a little excentric, but oh so charming guide.
They start talking anout the Brontë sisters, their lives and the books, and Lizzy gets so intrigued in this friendly and attractive man who dresses like he just stepped out of one of Emily's novels.

Lizzy's boyfriend Klint, gets more and more jealous as Lizzy and Dain's spark is sparking. It's leaning to a storm, in their relation aswell as on the Moors.

---------------------

I found this such a cute romance. The descriptive writing and worldbuilding pulled me right into Haworth myself. And I loved that!
Dain is so sweet, attentive and caring, Lizzy was well-written, however not always as likeable. At some point, She stumbles onto some sensitive information about Dain, and her reaction is just not it. But she turns around later on.

The chapter starts with little quotes from the Brontë books are lovely. And Lizzy making remarks to 'reader', I loved that so much!

Sometimes it was a bit hard to understand some words, but using my Kindle dictionary helped me out with that!
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Spice 🌶️,5

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Angela Pearse for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Favourite Quote: "Men in the villages are never as exciting as book boyfriends"

I had quite high hopes for this book when I initially began it. I'm a huge Bronte fan (Emily in particular) so a book circling around two individuals with a love for the sisters seemed promising. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me. Although the Bronte references and acamdemic humour had their moments overall the story just didn't flow particuarly well. It was a little jumpy and skirted around an issue of clear absue between the FMC and her ex-boyfriend which irked me. The spicy scenes were a little stilted and strangely written, and I found it strange there wasn't more discussion about rocking up to the MMCs home and it was basically from the Victorian age with no plumbing or electricity. But what really pushed it down for me was "the big reveal", now being honest I thought Dain was going to be a ghost, instead he was just bi. What followed this revelation were a lot of bi-phobic responses and reactions from multiple characters in the book which as a member of that community I really didn't enjoy. Unfortunately this all happens towards the end of the book as well so I'd made it so far before this all occurred.

So although it had a good, unique basis it just didn't hit the mark for me!

2 Stars.

[Isabella May · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great thing about indie romance authors is the way they buck the trend of churning out book after book with the same old formulaic pattern. The freedom to surprise diehard fans is a wonderful artistic gift. This is the fifth book (I think!) that I have read by Angela Pearse and it is the perfect example of a story that takes you on a very unexpected journey with a truly satisfying ending. Reader: it is so damn clever! I just loved the way that the author wove the most inspiringly perfect Bronte quotes into the start of every chapter. I am ashamed to say that I have never read any of the Bronte sisters' work (something that I now aim to remedy), but that didn't stop me whipping through the pages of this unique love story, part of me wanting to devour the book (especially the spicy bits), the other part begging myself to slooooow it right down and savour every moment. Reader: beware, you will probably end up with a similar book hangover!

[A J Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I adore Dain and absolutely want to find my own Dain one day. It's a fun, easy read. Kept me interested the whole time. I found myself wanting to be reading it instead of working or doing anything else. One of the surprise parts did leave me with my mouth open for a minute. I ate this up.

[Ash · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was the hardest read of the year. lizzie finds her self on the list of MCs that are so unbelievably intolerable. didn't like the weird innuendos for sex (like the one about the ink pot...). there were less than a handful of parts in this book that made me happy to be reading this. it gave big quirky millennial vibes because of the amount of times i cringed and put it down needing a break.

[Sabetha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spice: 3/5 The first more than half of the book is rather clean. The last half has about 3-4 scenes not counting the spicy book inside the book. Descriptive words, descriptive emotions.

There are a lot of weird things happening in this book but honestly they work. The weirdness meshes together into a HEA. There's growth, healing and sooo much historical information. If you love Brontë you are going to enjoy the love letter that is this book to the sisters. Let's dive into it.

Lizzy is lost. She can't pick a thesis topic, and doesn't even know if she wants to pursue it. Her self esteem is rock bottom. No one in her life has told her that she is worthy, that she is enough. The abuse she receives from her boyfriend is intense, sometimes hard to read. She has the most personal growth through out the novel, and it's well written. We experience her moments of clarity, her lows and her highs. It's not all about a romance but also about the pain she has experienced throughout her life, and her wanting to be stronger for herself.

Dain is quirky as they come. I don't want to spoil any of his character so I'm just going to say, like Lizzy he has been hurt in past relationships and is hesitant to open himself up to anyone else. The dance that he takes Lizzy on while he 'courts' her is respectful and allows them both to heal from their past while building the future.

Klint as a villain is A+. We all know that guy. While he likely has his own Demons his entire personality is gaslighting and malarkey. He says so many awful things through out the novel you'll hate him within the first chapter. Villains suck, but when they are shining light on people that really exist in our lives. . . it reminds you to check on your friends. Don't let friends abusive lovers push you out, check on them, be there. Lizzy needed her friends to step up, not step back. This whole relationship hit home hard.

Since I've experienced that moment when you cross someone and you just know they are the other half of your soul, I wouldn't consider what happens here instant love. But a universe aligning, and two people following their gut while still being cautious. I did a bit of googling something of the Brontë facts and it seems pretty accurate with obvious expansions for the plot. Again, no spoilers. There are a lot of metaphors and such but come on, it's a book about literary readers.

While I see how one of the reveals could be viewed as a negative on Lizzy's character, I think that is taking her words at their face value and not understanding exactly where her fear and pain were coming from that she wasn't able to articulate. History repeating itself. Dain was acting like a stereotype, and as a member of this community, I am glad that honest reactions are portrayed in books. We can't expect everyone to understand everything, but we can hold them accountable to wanting to learn. Open communication and space to process all aspects are the key points in this novel. Lizzy hardly trusts herself, all she knows is mind games and abuse. She could see herself as the next ex-girlfriend. But when it's all on the line, she knew exactly what was true and where the trust / true was. It's not hard to learn and adapt misconceptions.

The 4th wall breaks and sometime stilted writing still is another quick. But I enjoyed the plot enough that it wasn't as weird as it could have been. It fit in with the time period it was honoring, and all the other weirdness floating around.

The end is perfection, so much discovery and wrap up. I loved it. You're going to love this book if you've ever wanted to dive into your favorite classic, and discover someone that is just as obsessed as you are. If you love broken people healing together, and a bit of spice you're going to want to pick this up!

TW: Relationship Abuse, Cheating, homophobic comments, mentions of suicide.

Thank you to Hidden Gems for a copy of this book.

[Lynn_G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite a ride! Lizzy is in Haworth with her lackluster boyfriend Klint on a quest to lock down her PhD thesis about the Brontë sisters, with a particular focus on mental illness. Dain is the dashing, clever curate of the Brontë manor who dresses in period clothing and to whom Lizzy becomes quite attracted.

As their paths cross, through both natural and contrived circumstances, Lizzy realizes she can’t continue her relationship with Klint while wanting Dain.

Dain offers a living arrangement for Lizzy, in his most unusual dwelling. As feelings grow, uncomfortable truths are revealed - sometimes clawed out - and complicated barely describes the knotty situation between the two.

I must confess about two thirds of the way into the book I wanted to knock some sense into Lizzy. At a critical moment not long after this, I was truly agitated at her rather brutal kneejerk reaction to a very sensitive issue with regard to who Dain is at his very core.

Additionally, there’s so little interaction on Lizzy’s part with anyone other than Dain over the course of her stay at Dain’s home. It seems improbable and unnatural to be so isolated in such a small, walkable community. While I appreciate that this serves the author’s purposes, one wonders at the incurious nature of Lizzy about her new housemate and his neighbors.

A satisfying conclusion made up for some of the head scratching elements, and as ever Angela Pearse is a gifted, accessible author.

I was privileged to receive an advance reader copy from the author and booksirens, and I’m pleased to share my honest review.

[Eloise Retief · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book!!
This is a cute, cosy read but has a lot of depth to it at the same time. The characters and their relationships are complex and nuanced, and both Lizzy and Dain have flaws, which I really enjoyed.
The story kept me engaged and wondering what was going to happen even when I wasn't reading, and I found myself really thinking about the characters, their actions, and how they thought. This is a testament to how well written the characters were, in my opinion, and makes the reading experience so much richer.
There were some great twists and plot points that kept me hooked to this book and gave the story so much depth!
The romance also really hooked me - it was emotional, and their connection really made their intimate moments shine and feel authentic, especially since they weren't perfect. I loved seeing how Lizzy communicates and confronts problems head-on, which was extremely refreshing. This helped it so that it didn't seem so dramatic and completely world-ending when something went wrong, which I think shows maturity in the characters that I seldomly see in romance books.

I also really enjoyed the style of writing! It was clear, and considering the depth of the story and its characters, concise and really gripped me. The nods to the Brontë's style were also a really nice touch! The worldbuilding was so clear and immersive in so few words, which is always something that very few authors can do.

I can not recommend this book enough, especially if you have read any of the Brontë sisters' books and are looking for a cosy, heart-warming read!

[Hannah Louise Catherall · Rating 5 out of 5]

TRUE LOVE GETS STORMY ON THE YORKSHIRE MOORS.

When Lizzy Doyle visits the Brontë Parsonage in Haworth, she meets charismatic guide Dain. Handsome, friendly and happy to discuss the Brontës for hours, he’s everything her boyfriend isn’t and the perfect distraction while she’s in town. If you’re a fan of the Brontës and like contemporary rom-coms with all the feels then you'll enjoy Brontë Lovers. Expect love-triangle angst, morally grey characters, quirky humour and a steamy emotional romance.

The world building of this story is incredible, I completely felt immersed in Haworth and could see everything as if living the Brontë lifestyle, each chapter starts with a Brontë quote and I really felt that kept with the theme of the story and throughout the book scenes and quotes were mentioned. The spice level in this story was fantastic and the twists with the characters were great.

Highly recommend if you enjoy your spice and your historical romance references.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lucy Dunphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just going to start by saying how much I love the cover of this book. Seriously, it's gorgeous.
Brontè Lovers isn't your typical contemporary romance. It's dark in places, quite atmospheric and creepy. Dain and Lizzy are both strong characters who are very interesting, I liked them a lot. With a few surprises throughout the book it kept a decent pace and held my interest. The quotes from different books by the Brontes at the start of each chapter was a nice touch too. Dain is rather swoonworthy (a man who likes classic literature and has a cat is pretty much perfect to me). I'd like to revisit these characters again, perhaps there'll be another book focusing on other characters? Joelle, Gareth and Bridget would make for some interesting reading. A worthy read for Chick Lit and classic literature lovers.

I received a copy of this book from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[mrsljgibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to the author, who very kindly forwarded me an arc copy of her book, for my kindle, in return for my honest review.

When I first read the blurb for this book, I was instantly pulled in to it. It is described as a contemporary romance with a Brontë twist, which honestly, sounded wonderful…

This book was full of all the feels and was also quite emotional too and I was all here for it!

Lizzy and Dain were very interesting characters and I absolutely loved getting to know them both and finding out how their story slowly unfolded. I also loved Dain’s eccentricities, these just added to how much I fell in love with him!!

I loved that at the beginning of each chapter we get a little Brontë extract, I really enjoyed reading those and looked forward to them before I read each chapter.

Brontë Lovers was such a fun and emotional, romantic read, with just the right amount of spiciness and I loved it………

[Amy B Garratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 star read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I really enjoyed this story, with all the vivid and detailed descriptions of Haworth, the Brontes/Parsonage, and the moors/village, it had a great atmosphere of gothic charm. Lizzy is an interesting FMC who doesn’t seem entirely sure about a lot of aspects in her life, in particular her partner Klint (abit of a ‘damp squib’ with trust issues!) Meeting dashing Dain gives her pause for thought, and think about what she really wants out of life (particularly with his expert knowledge of all things Emily Charlotte and Anne related, and sexy writing style!) and what she wants in love. The only downside I found to the book, is the quite judgmental reaction to the LGBTQ storyline and the characters reactions to the revelations are quite harsh to read. Overall though it’s a really cosy read, with some spice/smut thrown in, and plenty to appeal to bookish fans! Thanks to Angela for an ARC copy of this book. 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

[Chloë Blyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, I loved Brontë Lovers soooo much!!! From the initial set up with Lizzy in an (unfortunately very relatable) bad relationship, to ghostly tickles (lmao), and not a "single bed" trope but a single SLEEPING BAG, this book has it all. Lovely quotes from the Brontë sisters, relationship drama with unpredictable twists, oh and did I not mention things get rather steamy?? Lizzy and Dain are brilliant (even if he is super eccentric and full of surprises!)

I also now have the urge to retrieve my Brontë classics from my mum's loft... I'm sure she'll be thrilled 😆

If you love contemporary romance with a lovely literary twist (one for those English lit geeks like me) you need this book in your life.

[Natalie (Novels__&__Needles) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC in return for my honest review.

💜 English village
💜 Gothic inspired
💜 Love triangle angst
💜 Morally grey characters
💜 Forced proximity
💜 Sexy banter
💜 Quirky humour

This was my first read from Angela and I truly enjoyed her writing style, it was a refreshing take on a gothic inspired contemporary romance that had me hooked from the get go.

I’m not normally a love triangle fan but this one worked and was traversed well. I loved Lizzy (caveat that I wasn’t keen on how she reacted to what she learnt about Dain), hated Klint and I adored Dain. The relationship between Lizzy and Dain was quite realistic in the way they communicated through things which was refreshing for the most part, my point above aside.

I would definitely read more from Angela in the future.

[Aaliyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:
This was a lot more dramatic than I expected!
I loved the references to the Brontë sisters and their lives since I don’t know much about them. It was an easy and enjoyable read especially as the secrets/ mysterious parts started to unfold.

I wasn’t a massive fan of Lizzie, she was often judgmental, a bit delulu and seemed to rush into things.

Dain was sweet, albeit secretive - we learn more about him and his life as the story goes on and the way he communicates is refreshing to see and he’s always there for lizzy while she navigates the changes in her life.

[Dawn Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly loved this book , read it in one sitting and didn't put the book down , it is a slow burn with a fantastic ending . I loved history mixed with classic literature feel to the book. Dain is a quirky character but I absolutely adore him his and Lizzy's love story was an amazing one to follow . Angela the author has amazing writing that puts you in between the pages as if it's your own story and I truly love that .

[Dana Sessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a Brontë fan since I was a teenager, this book immediately spoke to me. I knew I had to read it. Boy, am I glad I did! It was excellent. It was a smooth read with great character interaction, quotes and hot scenes between both Dain and Lizzy. Once I started the book, I couldn’t put it down. A must read!

[Elena Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kindly sent the ARC of this wonderful book by Angela herself! I wasn’t really sure how much I would be able to get into the book as I don’t know too much about the Brontë sisters however I really enjoyed it! A fun and easy read for sure.

[Charity Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was so charming with its old time affect.

I absolutely adore Lizzy and meeting Dain and watching their story unfold.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all - I love the Bronte sisters; Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Shirley, are some of my all time favorite books - they are beautifully written, they are still relevant today, and they are just so lovely and beautifully well done.

That being said - the idea of this book truly just won me over! Visiting their parsonage, the area - it's all so well done and is beautifully immersive. Lizzy comes to Haworth with her long time boyfriend, Klint, for his PhD research and she decides that she can do some research and see if she would like to pursue her own PhD about the Bronte sisters.

Right away I couldn't stand Klint - his attitude, his behavior, the way he treated Lizzy was all just vile and I immediately disliked him. Loved getting to see him really be the asshole that I initially thought, but I also just wish that Lizzy had never been with him to begin with! He and his mommy issues and bizzare behavior need loads of mental health before he may ever be able to be a decent human.

Lizzy... oh Lizzy. I found myself just completely wondering why on earth she was with this man... her self confidence was so low, and I felt that we really got to see her grow and flourish within these pages - she had a really good arc!

Once in Haworth, she met Dain - a Bronte sisters expert and such an interesting man. From the start - the first peak of him, I knew he would be important, and I knew that he was many layers deep. I was also right about this - and the more that was unveiled, the more sure I became that he still had many layers to go. He had some quirks - his house is a major one!

My one dislike was Lizzy's behavior towards Dain once she learned his true secret. It was so disappointing to me, and so hard for me to really see as being believable - it just felt wrong and against how she had behaved otherwise. The ending was worth it, and I do believe that the chemistry was well done, as well as the romance aspect overall.

I also will say that for all the buildup about the marks on her arms - it was just never mentioned again later on? She had to get medical supplies... somehow Dain never saw these marks? He never commented? That was a really hard thing for me to grasp also!

I'm really glad I read this one - as I really did love it all for the most part!

[Tabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay I’m not usually a goodreads reviewer but I gotta get this off my chest. I enjoyed this book. It was fun. It knew what it was and I had a great time with the spice and the tropes and the romance and for something I got on stuff your kindle day it was a good time. However I almost didn’t finish it, because I was so incredibly infuriated about how this book handles Dain’s sexuality.

As a bi person, the whole situation was so upsetting. Lizzy’s reaction was so completely biphobic (which I could get over, I can see it being used for character development) but it’s very much treated by Dain and the book as a whole that that was an OK reaction to have. When it 100% WAS NOT. It also doesn’t help that Dain was turned into a bisexual stereotype with the whole Joelle and Gareth situation, which implies to me that this is a fault in the book and the story rather than just the characters in it. There are A MILLION OTHER WAYS you could have added conflict in to make that climax do what it had to do, that was SO NOT the route to take. If Dain was going to be bi, that is totally fine, we love representation and a bi male love interest. But it feels like it exists for shock value and to place conflict where there doesn’t need to be that is rooted in outdated stereotypes and prejudice surrounding bi people.

Anyways. It was a fun read, other than that, thus the three stars. Just wish I had a little bit of a warning.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could have been so good. The beginning of this book got me hooked and the slow burn romance kept my attention. But overall this book felt very rushed. The beginning was a bit painfully slow at times with the narrator constantly going back and forth between staying with her current abusive boyfriend and breaking up with him to be with her new attractive intellectual mentor. But during all of this back and forth the story really did not move forward at all. Then the main "action" of the story takes place about three different times but each plotline did not feel fleshed out properly they kind of seemed like rough ideas that the author couldn't choose between. Each started and ended so fast that it was really difficult to get into any of it. I will give the author credit, she did a great job at creating Dain he was very complex and she did as good job of illuminating each aspect of his as a character as the book went on. Overall I think the story idea is good but it needed more time for each plotline to feel believable. I will definitely look forward to future works from this author but I just think a bit more practice and peer review is needed.

[Becca B · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an English Major and a lover of literature (Austen mostly, but I do enjoy the Bronte sisters), this book was a cute mixture of romance and mystery as well as spice and travel lust.

Vibes:
💜 Love-triangle angst
📖 Morally grey MCs
💜 Gothic feels
📖 Sexy banter
💜 Quirky humour
📖 Forced proximity


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Overall I really enjoyed Lizzy realizing what a dud her current BF was and the development she had over the course of the novel. I liked the banter between Lizzy and Dain. The chemistry was there and I kept turning pages yelling at the characters to kiss on the mouth already! I also felt Lizzy having chemistry with the other femaie characters, but that could have been me projecting my own feelings.

The steamy spicy bits were very well done and just enough sprinkled in that it didn’t overpower the rest of the story or plot points.

I had a few issues, but only enough to drop it down a star in the rating. I felt that the time jumps were a bit unclear and choppy. It wasn’t as smooth of a transition through text as some other novels I’ve read, but it wasn’t a huge deal breaker.

SPOILER

The big secret is that Dain is bisexual. And I felt that Lizzy’s initial reaction was very ignorant and immature. It wasn’t like bi people didn’t exist or they were taboo, and it seemed extra for her to use his sexuality as means to amp up her insecurities and anxiety. As someone who identifies as bisexual and has many many friends and family in the Queer Community, it definitely made me uncomfy. While I understad the dramatic effect the author was going for, it wasn’t my favorite. HOWEVER, it didn’t take place till the last 50ish pages, so it wasn’t a huge deal and didn’t taint the rest of the book.

[Gem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book up until around 80%... Then it became a little uncomfortable to read.

"You don’t want to be with a bi-confused person. He’ll switch on and off like a light switch, and you’ll end up like Gareth—completely f***ed in the head about him.’"

After the reveal, as a member of the LGBTQ community, the bi-phobic comments made me feel very uncomfortable. I carried on reading just to see if the FMCs views became more accepting, with clear prose on the fact that her perception of bisexual people was wrong... But I was left feeling let down.

I love the male main character. He's respectful but also delicious, and I just feel really bad that in this piece of fiction he was made to feel less than because of his sexuality.

My other issue was the lack of accountability for an abusive ex boyfriend. His behavior isn't addressed or 'punished' in any way.

I enjoyed the romance, especially reading about a flawed woman. She felt entirely human and realistic, but the bi-phobia just kind of ruined it for me.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the writing style, the plot… questionable.
I enjoyed the spice a lot, it was well written and not super cringey. The only thing that really bothered me was the fact that they referred to spicy books as spicy 😭 idk something that modern always sends me into a shock when i’m reading and it threw me off. I’m just ylsd they didnt say it more than a couple of times.

I fear (and please dont judge me) i would have been way more into this book, had I previously read ANY of the Brontë sister’s writing. I think I would enjoy them, but unfortunately i havent and i didnt quite understand everything they refered to. However that didnt stop me from understanding the book and some things they talked about.

I think there were a lot of over- and under- reactions to different things. I think Lizzy definitely needed a reality check sooner on her feelings about Klint and toned down on her feelings about Dain’s past. But thats the type of character she is, and she is not me. Anyway

I enjoyed the story, and the writing. I may look into this authors other books at some point.