Audiophile: A Steamy & Healing Romance

by Emerie Hart

A woman terrified of intimacy because of an experience that still torments her. An erotic voice actor, jaded from years of being objectified. When sparks fly, they’ll have to choose: live haunted in darkness, or help each other find their way to dawn?

After an unbearable loss and an unwanted move from Los Angeles back into her childhood bedroom, Petra is buried in grief. She closes herself off from reality in favor of her headphones, spicy audios, and imagination. When her favorite fictional boyfriend walks into her life, will she shut him out like everyone else, or take a chance on a stranger whose voice is intimately familiar?

After Reed’s life takes a horrible turn, he abandons his home, his friends, and his audio empire. He's on the run from his past, and someone who refuses to be left behind. When a stranger recognizes his voice, will he slam the door on their connection? Or can he find the courage to trust again, and lead Petra out of her head and back into the real world?



A small town, strangers to lovers, spicy romance. Audiophile features supportive family relationships, reaffirming self worth, rediscovering sensuality, and finding love and a new path after thirty. Audiophile is a standalone romance with guaranteed HEA. While this book handles strong themes and a healing journey through grief, this is not a dark romance.

Content includes: consensual intimacy 18+, depression, stalking, death, SA. Please check warnings if needed to protect your mental health. Visit the author's website for a full list.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Smut, Emotional, Slow Burn, Mental Health

332 pages, Paperback

Published August 17, 2024

About the author

Emerie began writing in her thirties, yearning for sex-positive, complex stories that center firmly around adults, the challenges they face, and the pain they're recovering from.

She takes the sensual themes of adult romance and expands on them with beautifully messy connections in the form of friendship, family, and community. Her novels live in the gray margin, where nothing is cut and dry, good or evil, truth or lies.

Just as likely to make you giggle, sigh, and cry, Emerie's novels spark thought and empathy, and will stay with you long after the pages shut.

A California girl at heart, Emerie soaks up the sunshine with her fur companion, BB, as often as she can. She's a lover of iced coffee, Danish pastries, Sunday waffles, big families, and kayaking. You can reach out to her on Instagram or Threads @emerie.hart . If you love her books, she'd love to hear from you!

Reviews

[Janni (theladysparks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An erotic audio creator who is jaded after years of selling sex and being objectified. A woman terrified of being intimate because of an experience that still haunts her. What happens when sparks fly between two people who love orgasms but distrust people?

After an unbearable loss and an unwanted move from the big city back into her childhood bedroom, Petra is buried in grief. She rejects any attempt to move forward, closing herself off from the real world in favor of her headphones and imagination. When her favorite fictional boyfriend walks into her life, she’s faced with a decision: shut him out like everyone else? Or take a chance on a stranger whose voice is intimately familiar?

After Reed’s life takes a horrible turn, he abandons his home in Los Angeles, his friends, and his erotic empire, Daddy Knight Productions. He's on the run from his past and the people in it. When Petra recognizes his voice, Reed is torn. Will he slam the door on a connection with Petra because of her link to his past? Or can he learn to trust her, and stay in one place long enough to lead Petra out of the dark?

“You see my scars and I see yours, and I will do all I can to help you heal them.”

If you only read one part of this review, let it be this paragraph. Audiophile is one of the best books I've read this year. It is equal parts heartbreaking, hopeful, adorable, hot, hilarious and emotional. Emerie Hart really dropped this book, making an entrance as a debut author with a bang. I will forever be thinking about this beautiful book and the way that it made me feel from start to finish.

Please do check trigger and content warnings before diving in, this one does deal with some heavy topics and it's important to take care of yourself! I'll include them at the bottom of my review but the author also has them listed in the book itself as well as on her website!

The story follows Petra and Reed, two people who are at a really dark place in their own lives. Petra is suffering from an immeasurable loss and she's stuck in the darkness of depression. Reed is dealing with a really traumatic event and is basically on the run from a lot of things. But the two come together in Petra's small, hometown and a chance encounter reveals that Reed is the man behind the erotic audio that Petra is a subscriber to. A bit of a hiccup during their meet-cute has Reed unable to leave town like he originally intended and so he comes back and that's where the story begins.

This love story is one of the most beautiful ones that I've ever read. I think that Emerie Hart did a phenomenal job navigating really difficult and painful topics in such a careful manner while also showing us the sort of effects that these things can have on people, their lives and those around them. Petra & Reed have phenomenal chemistry and banter from the get go and I'm actually obsessed with these two as a couple. This one is a blend of fast and slow burn, depending on how you look at it and I think that the way this story progressed was just absolutely beautiful and perfect for each of them.

Thank you so much Emerie Hart for giving me the privilege of being an ARC reader, I cannot wait to see what you come out with next!

- small town romance
- strangers to lovers
- emotional scars
- mcs over 30
- big, nosy families
- close sibling relationships
- individual growth
- they've sworn off love
- he has a stalker ex
- open door romance
- he's a voice actor with a spicy subscription
- she's a patron to his spicy audios

Content & Trigger Warnings: Current Issues discussed include Death, Depression, Stalking, Violence, Gun Violence. Past Issues discussed include Sex Addiction, Sexual Assault, Drug Use, Mental Illness, Death, Forced Pregnancy, Postpartum, Miscarriage/Infant Loss.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Loved the first part, struggled with the second part


"I'd recognize your soul anywhere."


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ Portland setting
✨ small town romance
✨ he's a voice actor who does erotic audios
✨ she's one of his subscribers
✨ they've sworn off love
✨ strangers to lovers
✨ aural fetish
✨ 3.5/5 spice (open door, explicit)
✨ hurt/comfort
✨ healing journeys
✨ MCs in their 30s
✨ fun Italian family dynamic
✨ both have traumatic past romantic relationships
✨ TW: depression, grief, miscarriage, forced pregnancy, postpartum, divorce, purity culture, r4pe (past), stalker, gun violence, topics of alcoholism, estranged father


My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the story overall. It's heartfelt, fun, deep, and sexy - so if you like a story that can make you feel, this is a good one.

I LOVED the MCs, Petra and Reed. Both characters have been through so much shit, and in this story we get to witness them help each other heal. 🫶 I truly felt their pain, sadness, and loneliness in my soul, so kudos to the author being able to convey deep feelings and navigate complex emotions.

The spice was delicious. They have instant chemistry and, at first, only want to focus on the physical side of things. However, once they slowly start getting to know one another, their relationship becomes much more intimate and so does the sex. There's a lot of spicy scenes and they explore a lot of different sexual scenarios/interests, so buckle up! 🥵

Also, Petra's Italian family was such a riot and provided a lot of light moments throughout the story.

Okay, so here's what I didn't like . . .

This is a small thing but Reed calling Petra "precious" is such an ick. Okay, Gollum. This ain't Lord of The Rings. Him calling her precious is gross - gollum anyone?

Petra has only had vanilla sex and is very cautious about her sex life because of past trauma, but after a week or so with Reed, she's not only exploring different kinds of sex, but also seems to enjoy everything they try. I in no way am annoyed or upset with the things they try or new kinks discovered. What irks me is that I just don't think it's realistic that she would have been so open to doing all these things in such a short amount of time, considering how closed off and guarded she's been because of her past. I would expect this type of development to happen over a few months, not days.

Also, the fact he doesn't discuss using a safe word for some of their scenarios, but then legit afterwards goes, "I didn't even ask for your safe word baby" was not responsible and not safe.


***SPOILERS AHEAD***

My biggest issue was the drama surrounding his stalker ex. The story heavily focuses on this during the last 35% mostly because the couple is together and seemingly all is well. So naturally, there needs to be a conflict. And to me, the stalker ex was too much. It felt like I was reading two different stories - a meaningful romance and then a thriller/mystery. The conflict with the ex messed up the romantic tone of the story.

It was obvious throughout the story that there was going to be drama with the ex (lots of foreshadowing), but it went from zero to sixty really fast. The fact she shows up to their house, pulls a gun on them, and tries to kill them was insane. I get that's the point, but again, not the type of energy I wanted towards the end of my hurt/comfort healing story.

I don't know if it was the change in tone, the conflict with the ex starts ramping up, or maybe the story is just too long, but around 75% I started to skip a bit.

I think if the story was a bit shorter and the conflict with the ex wasn't so dramatized, I would have given this 4.5-5 stars. It might not be perfect, but I definitely think it's worth the read if you can handle the triggers.


Favorite Quotes:

"It's okay to have dreams that never come true. The dreaming is the fun part.
_______

"Sex can be beautiful and fulfilling, despite the past. Because the last person who touched you should never be the person who hurt you."
_______

"Sometimes love is fleeting. Sometimes grief changes us to need different people than before."
_______

"My heart is walking around in your body. It's yours, Reed. All of me is yours."
_______

[Maddie Elam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in one day. This is 100% one of the best reads of the year. The story is unique compared to many romances while still having some of the common tropes we all love- meddling families, mental health rep, lots of spice, etc.. Reed and Petra managed to make me cry, laugh, and cry some more. They’re so caring and it was so much fun to get to read their story. There’s a bit of a suspense aspect in here too, which managed to make a sweet, emotional story have some action as well. This has something for everyone. Read at your own risk- you will fall in love with Reed. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 🫣

Thank you so so much for allowing me to ARC read this. It was a favorite and I can’t wait to re-read my favorite Reed & Petra scenes. ❤️

[ThatNerdViolet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reed & Petra have my WHOLE heart. This was an emotional but spicy read about two people working through devastatingly traumatic life events together. I loved the side characters/families so much and they really expanded on our character's individual backstories. I removed a star due to the whiplash at the end with Reed's stalker--it went from Hallmark to Criminal Minds fast and took me out of the story.

[Kate Foliage_and_Fiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 star, 3.5 spice

Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-arc and a PR box!

"You don't just deserve dawn, you deserve sunny afternoons, with the heat of day warming your skin. You deserve vibrant sunsets that make your heart blaze in their reflection. You deserve hot summer nights under a full moon that makes the world shine silver and keeps any shadows at bay."

I really liked the premise of this book. It will definitely appeal to many of romance readers - especially to readers like me that love audiobooks and may have had erotic audio subscriptions at some point (Quinn iykyk)

I really appreciated the uniqueness of both of the main characters.
I felt that their jobs, and struggles were unlike other characters I’ve read before. We have Petra who has recently moved back home and is working at a grocery store and is writing children's fantasy on the side, and Reed who is an erotic audio producer. Both are dealing with pretty rough things from their past (this is a contemporary romance with some trauma, be sure to check your triggers! Her past includes trauma around infant loss, miscarriage and forced pregnancy and both of them have trauma around sexual assault )

Overall their relationship was a bit faster than I prefer - They fall in love in less than a week. They both have depression and find a reflection of themselves in the other. There is this exciting new spark that neither has had for a long time.

The spice was good - I think it would be even better if this story was available on audiobook! And much of the spice is before they ever have penetrative sex. Love to see it.

I found the pacing to be a bit jarring. We start out with all of these intimate scenes between Reed and Petra and sweet scenes with their families (Loved the familial support in this) and then it's like a switch is flipped and the whole vibe of the story changes. It goes from purely character driven to purely action driven. This change seems well received in most of the reviews, so this may or may not bother you!

My main issue with this story revolves around the villian, Reed's ex. For a story so centered around characters working through their mental health I was frustrated at how the ex's mental health struggles are either ignored or villainized.

(want to note prior to the ending this was sitting around a 3.75 star, so if what I have listed below won't bother you, then you may really enjoy this book)

Throughout the story we see how the police and the court system have failed to protect Reed and keep him safe. But there is no real commentary of the failure of this country to expand support for those who need mental health assistance. This comes to a head at the end which I can't talk about without including a spoiler. At the end the ex ends up physically attacking both main characters and is shot and killed by police. We are supposed to view this resolution as a positive. As our main characters being free of her. Given different views around police this is obviously going to be an okay resolution for many, but for me it made me pretty sick to my stomach. Especially because this story is all about finding your light again and working through mental health. Because of this ending I wasn't left at the end of the book feeling a positive way at all, it just made me think of all the people in the real world who needed help with their mental health but instead were gunned down my police

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I just want to say a HUGE congrats to Emerie. I've been waiting for here debut for what feels like forever, and she did not disappoint. Audiophile was beautiful, amazing, and just such a good book. It made me emotional, but also brought all the angst and spice you could ask for. Reed and Petra were absolutely wonderful characters and Em did a great job bringing them to life. Even though I had nothing to do with this book I'm so so proud of it (and Emerie).

If you like small town, spicy audio narrators👀, beautiful relationships, and healthy communication, then please please please give Audiophile a try

[Darian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of the best books I’ve read this year. It manages to be swoon worthy, romantic, heartbreaking, emotional, hopeful, hot, and cute; and it does it in a way that feels natural and human (and not a jolting emotional roller coaster that leaves you discombobulated). This is an absolutely stellar debut novel that yanked me out of my reading slump and reminded why I love reading.

That being said, it is definitely not one to be taken lightly as it deals with and tackles some very heavy topics so if you’re someone that needs TWs please mind those before diving in!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

[McKinsey Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reed and Petra.

There are no words.

Petra’s growth, Reed’s strength. As a reader, it fulfills every hope in a book. The individual stories coming together to make one amazing book, is the true talent of Emerie Hart. Thank you for this opportunity. Already wanting book 2 with Holly.

[Courtney Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow!!!! What else is there to even say?!

Was I surprised by how much I liked this book? Yes. Did I expect to fly through it in 2 days? No. Do I regret it? Not for one second!!!!

I do not even have words to explain how much this book meant to me! Just the privilege I feel for being able to receive this as an ARC and to be able to converse with the author throughout my read was insurmountable. But then to read the book and relate to it on the level that I do…. Loss for words. 💕

I relate to Petra on such a personal level that I felt like I was reading a book that was somehow written about me without my knowledge. Her depression, her insecurities, her lack of intimacy and fear of it, I feel all of that to my core!

And then we have Reed!!!😍😍 he is an actual angel and knowing everything he went through yet his number one priority throughout the whole book is to ensure Petra’s comfort and boundaries and it’s just perfect!🫶🏼

This is not your traditional romance book, these characters are flawed and their lives a little messy… but that makes it all the more relatable. They helped each other heal when neither of them even realized they were at a point where they needed it the most.

And the spice yall, it’s different than anything I’ve ever read… in the absolute best way possible. I unwittingly learned a lot about myself during some of the scenes🔥🔥


10000% needs to be on your immediate TBR!


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Tahnee W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off strong, I liked the first 40% or so. I skimmed the last 50 pages just to finish this one.

[Kay - kayreads_romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I stayed up until 4 in the morning reading this! I have not done that in so long oh my gosh. Please check the TWs but I cannot recommend this enough!!!!

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Small town
* Strangers to lovers
* One bed
* Touch him & 💀
* Open door spice
* Healing!!!
* Audio erotica ASMR
* Sassy depressed FMC
* Sweet anxious MMC


Spicy chapters:
4 (solo)
9 (solo)
14!!
21
22
23
26 (kinda)
28
29
39



My thoughts while reading:
🚨ALERT SPOILERS AHEAD🚨

Hehehehe I love a grocery store meet cute I’m gonna be so honest!!

Omfg no he did not take her notebook omgggggggggg

Okay I think this is gonna have to be added to the list of books that had me giggling and kicking my feet!!!!!

“I roll my eyes, abandoning my sushi for more wine. “I get myself off just fine.” “With my help.” His grin is so smug that I want to wipe it off his face. Preferably with my mouth. But I can’t, and worse, I’m agitated that he’s caught me staring. “They’re my hands!” I protest.” GIGGLINGGGG

This whole scene in Reed’s hotel suite is so SWEET and I’m giggling and now he’s tucking her in and I’m gonna cry

Ooof okay I’m unfortunately possibly predicting that there was a miscarriage in Petra’s past

Pleaseeee he made reservations at three restaurants and just canceled the two she didn’t want to go to my god swoooningggg

Chapter 14 is my favorite so far!

“Little doe, so forthcoming now.”
Ohhhh my goddd

I’ll tell you what - this book feels like nothing I’ve really ever read before especially the spicy scenes so far and I’m loving it!

“I break another rule, and switch to my private account to post them on my story. A simple, temporary banner that will show up again in a year—a reminder of a moment when the bruises I carried began to heal.  A moment where we are both brilliantly alive.” Oh god a very sweet moment but I have a bad feeling about this!!!!

“You don’t have to shut down to survive.” SOBBING

“I’m sorry you suffered through that alone, darling. I can’t change the past, but I want to ease your heartbreak. I’ll help you tell your story. You don’t have to do this alone anymore. Cry as much as you need. Hold on to me. I have you. I won’t let you drown.” It’s 2AM and I’m sobbing over this!!!!

“I’m serious, Reed. If she gets within the same city limits as you, I will end her.” Love love love Petra so much

“I bristle, but I’m saved from answering when an unfamiliar blonde rushes up to the register. “Sorry, but someone’s alarm is going off in the parking lot!” NOPEEEE IVE GOT A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS

“Sunday Mass comes to us, and church lives in our kitchen.” THIS IS VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!

“I knew you’d call right away!” Reed says, triumphant. “I’m completely serious. Deadly serious. I’ve already pushed my flight back twice because you refused to call me.” ITS NOW 3 AM and I’m crying again!
I need this book turned into a movie immediately

“Yes, sir. Under one condition—your hands are mine.” PETRA

“Bambi. Please. Bambi. I need us both to take a breath.” STOP MY HEART IS BREAKING

“I love you. I love you. I love you. All of me trembles with the effort of holding them back. “You know,” I whisper. “Darling Petra,” he murmurs, eyes molten. “I know.”😭😭💕💕

Bye Kinley ✌🏻

“Epilogue Reed Diamante” shut the fuck uppp 😭😭🥰🥰

Oh my god is she pregnant? I’m just guessing here you guys know I love to guess!!

I KNEW IT!!!!

[Rombookfanlove · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts off dark and mysterious, it really pulls you in. Not dark like dark romance though. It’s just heavy emotionally off the bat, sad, more than I anticipated. And some pretty tense parts too later on, I won’t say too much about that so as not to spoil, but my gut was in knots!

It was all perfect since I was feeling a bit melancholy today, really went with the vibes (ok that sounds funny 😆 but I also totally mean it seriously)

This is a romance for sure, but it’s also very much a journey through true grief and serious life events. About connection, hope, faith, family. I like books that have strong family ties and exploring those relationships a lot, so it really added something to the story for me.

This book is almost maybe a little more about that journey than the romance, though they are absolutely intertwined. It’s two people not really living who start to find that colour of life again in each other. A real healing through connection story. If you want a book that makes you ache in sadness for people in that beautiful way, this is a good one.

I also really liked that they’re in their 30s instead of younger, it made it all somehow more poignant. Maybe it shouldn’t, but it did for me anyway.

It’s not all sadness, it’s also real, deep joy from their connection and *a lot* of hot spice - especially if you’re an audiophile/aural k!nk person as the title suggests.

It’s also a little bit of a love story to Oregon, where I grew up, and I loved those bits and appreciation for Oregon sprinkled in throughout.

Reed is such a dream and Petra is such a love. I just felt completely inside this intensity/bubble they built with each other and it was lovely. On my bookstagram, I pulled more quotes from this to put in my photo review than usual - I just couldn’t help myself and there’s so many more I could have used. It’s just a lush book, the writing is superb.

It’s just a beautiful book, written almost poetically. It’s a change-your-heart-stick-in-your-gut type of book. It’s heavy but leaves you with love and warmth. Absolutely loved it, though it’s early I can imagine it will be in my top 10 for the year.

5/5 ⭐️

Do check content/triggers, it’s important with this one.

[Lumie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Emerie Hart for the ARC.

Plot 3.5/5
Characters 4/5

Ending 3.5/5
Interest 3.75/5



Overall 3.75/5

-I wasn’t really sure how the story was going to pan out when I first picked this up. It felt like I was about to read a love story like none other, and it was true. So many elements made this story unique and it was all so intriguing to read about. I found some parts a but too heavy on the sexual and lustful element but considering one of the characters’ job, I can understand.

-I never read a story like this because the characters and their pasts, their jobs, their personalities, really felt unique to the book itself and like I have never seen characters similar to these in any other book. Separately, they were such interacting characters and together, I found them really cute as a couple.

-The ending kind of came so abruptly and this is the only element that I felt could be linked to other books. The crazy ex who comes out all crazed with a gun or life threatening words. It was such a switch from the sweet and steamy book which kind of threw me off but I still expected it to happen considering the build up to that situation.

[Kimberly (Kimsbookaddiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the premise of this book! Makes you wonder if meeting your favorite narrator, like Jacob Morgan or Teddy Hamilton, in the streets would you recognize their voice? What kind of reaction would you have?

Reed and Petra had great chemistry! They were two people with a lot of trauma, please check your trigger warning darlings, but came together to heal! Their banter was funny and every innuendo was hot 🌶️

Such a great read! I need more people to read this book so we can talk about it!

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 40%. The books has themes that are rarely explored in romance, but the way its written is very chaotic. There's no build up of relationship, no sense of motivation behind the actions, this needed more conversations all around

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s taken me an excessive amount of time to write this. So the best I can say is that. This book not only had a unique take on spice, broke multiple gender stereotypes for traumatic events and made me laugh. There was also so much found family, open talks of therapy and a unique twist on “spice” up until about 90%. This was done amazing and written beautifully. I laughed , I cried, I felt the emotion coming off of the page between the stuff Reed/DK said and the things him and Petra both went through. Well done Emerie, im truly amazed🥹

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Kate Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give this book 10 stars? It’s easily one of the best I’ve read all year.

It had such a unique premise and the plot was so strong. I loved Petra and the way she grew as a character. Reed was so strong even through his own struggles. And the mouths on these two 🥵 This book had me crying, giggling, ugly crying, screaming, cheering, and crying some more. It has all the best tropes for romance and the mental health rep is so well done.

Reed’s gonna steal your heart

[Jaralee Metcalf · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was definitely a book. I don't think I've ever read a book where God and getting it on are mentioned in the same paragraph. 😂 it was cute in some ways. Waaay too insta-love for me. Also, predictable.

[RM · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's ok

It's a bit disjointed, especially in the beginning. Sometimes hard to follow. Scenes change without warning. A few missing words and a typo of a character's name. Needed better proofreading.

[jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

reed and petra <3 i hope your pillows are cold on both sides, you always find good parking, and you never struggle another day in your lives, you beautiful human beings.

[Nicoleta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

I was looking forward to this, especially because of the uniqueness of the story - an erotica narrator falling in love with a fan of his work? Considering the large amounts of audio erotica these days, I was surprised this hadn’t already been done, but beautiful idea nonetheless.

Things I liked

• the spirit of family - Petra’s big family, their loving spirit as well as showing the cultural differences, where Petra is in her 30s and still gets told off for sleeping over at a boy’s house.

• the way it broaches difficult topics, and the way both characters talk about their grief and work through their struggles

• this quote - “Her love lives in the corners of her mouth, in the wrinkles of her eyes, and the blush in her cheeks.”

Things that frustrated me

• the MMC has a terrifying stalker, whom he previously dated and has now become fixated with his audio erotica persona. She has gone as far as threatening his sister with a knife and despite a strong case, she avoids prison. The beginning of the book shows how scared the MMC is, and that he keeps moving every few days, making sure she cannot find him. He then meets the FM , and spoiler alert, with barely any qualms, he decides to stay in her town for a bit longer and ends up spending a week there. He finds out she’s also a fan of his work, and briefly steals her notebook to find out whether she’s going to become obsessed like his ex, but he sees a quote she wrote that shows she’s deep in a depression spiral and thinks “oh she’s nothing like my ex”

He then takes a week to realise he wants to be with her. This book has things moving quickly, and because it focuses on sex a lot (though yes they find their healing through sex in a way), so it just feels like they’re into each other because of the sex and not much else.

When the MMC leaves her town he says he’ll call her. He then sends her one text, and is surprised when she doesn’t answer / call him back, as if he wasn’t the one to say “I’ll call you, and you’ll answer”

The MMC’s sister shares a photo of her brother on social media, when she knows he has a stalker and she has been careful about not revealing his location before.

This then leads to his stalker breaking into about 6 cars to get into his and steal his belongings. You’re telling me that Kinley breaks into 6 cars in broad daylight by smashing glass near a play park and no one hears / sees her? Let’s be realistic.

Last but not least, the pacing was strange, at times it felt like it was going to be a fast paced thriller, with the focus on Kinley and the stalking plotline, others we were in sex town bliss with the two main characters.
The stalking almost seemed like a plot device to move things along, where the stalker would go from showing up at his sister’s house and finding more of the MMC’s numbers, to radio silence, to then near the end of the book oh yeah here she is she’s found us and she’s gonna kill us.

All in all, the spice was good, the romance had potential, but I did find it too rushed and not as fully developed as I’d have liked - and yes, they move in together after a month and he pretty much unofficially proposes then too - too fast man.

[Lal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly cozy-feeling book! I am honestly not the biggest fan of books where one of the characters is in the entertainment field because, usually, the characters' connection is predominantly physical, and the emotional connection is superficial. However, that was not the case here at all!

Here, we have Petra (an amazing name, btw) and Reed, who are both going through a depressive, low point in their lives because of their past relationships. If you are worried about any unresolved feelings for an ex, like I usually am when it comes to characters healing from their relationships, there is none of that here. It's mostly healing from what their exes have cost them, which is their self-confidence, sense of security, and so much more. Their initial meeting was amazing for me. The fact that there were no secrets between them and that they were so honest and direct with each other was such a breath of fresh air. I never had that feeling of stress where you know there will be unnecessary drama and separation because a character is hiding something. And believe me when I say these two had a lot they could have hidden from each other. Yet, they trusted each other right from their initial meeting, which did not feel like insta-love or lust; it just felt like a mutual understanding of pain. It reminded me of the phrase "pain attracts pain." They saw each other's pain immediately, but they both saw something more: a struggle to move past the pain, a yearning to have someone they could feel safe and supported with, without judgment. And I think that was the best part of this book. The characters never once judged each other. They were so trusting of each other's boundaries and always supported and listened to one another.

The book had a lot of spicy scenes, which I absolutely loved to read, but, like I said before, I am sometimes suspicious of them because they can prevent a deeper emotional connection between characters. Reed and Kinsley's emotional connection was so, so strong that I never felt that. It was simply wonderful how the spicy scenes were not just physical, but also a way for both of them to feel safe and just their authentic selves again.

Overall, an amazing read, and I definitely recommend it, especially if you are in a reading slump like I was.

[Mel (literaturelylost) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE READS THIS YEAR!

This book, melted my heart as soon as I read the dedication. I was hooked from the genuine raw emotions that swirled through this book.

Both of our characters have been through it. They're in their 30's and have lived a life and it has not gone to plan.

Reed is a voice actor for Daddy Knight Productions, a sexy subscription service for Audiophiles to listen. Though after a relationship with a fan goes horribly wrong, he leaves his family, friends and is on the run from his stalker ex girlfriend.

I really enjoyed how this book touched on the some of the inadequacies in our justice system, against anyone who works in the sex industry in ANY way. Though also how when a male is the victim of a domestic violence situation, it is not taken as seriously.

Petra has left a 9 year relationship, after being forced together after her Catholic family finds out she is pregnant. Needless to say, it does not end well.

I cried, I laughed. The spice vs storyline is absolute perfection, and it is so gentle written as close to what would be 'real life' responses, and not the flare that is sometimes written in romance novels. The pacing is also fast enough to keep you hooked, and there is more then spicy action in this book which I did not see it escalating too.

I love how these two characters, used their own struggles to heal each other and learn to trust again . There is so much to love about this book but please be aware of the trigger warnings before going in.

Congratulations Emerie, it is an absolute masterpiece.

[Cindy Henriquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has me head over heels for Petra & Reed. They have consumed me whole these past couple of days. I was unable to put it down and would fall asleep reading it every night. Unraveling Reeds messy, complicated, and broken past was a rollercoaster ride right until the very end. Watching Petra uncover her true self and come alive again was absolutely beautiful - the same way I loved watching Reed pursue, tease, challenge and love her. This story is so beautifully broken and healing and a total tug-a-war in such wonderful ways that I will never forget it.

Petra & Reed are out of this world because they fit perfectly together and it takes them some time to figure it out but in the end the plot twist breaks everything, it scatters the mind and leaves you holding your breathe for every page. #teamPETRAandREED 💓 I became obsessed with them and couldn’t wait to see what happens next. I loved how they helped each other become their true selves and I just simply loves their story sooooooo much.

This book is a perfect combination of heartbreak, swoon, mystery, hate, love and omg let me mention the SPICE 🌶️. I NEED this in AUDIO soon because I wish to experience this book the way that Reed made Petra experience their life.

I must say Emerie you are a romance queen, and a spice genius. This book had me in my feel and made me wish Reed and DKP was real. 😅😍💓

FAVORITE QUOTE: “ How could I ask anyone to love me when I couldn’t love myself?” - Petra 💓

[Emily Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet story with great characters

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, as this author is new to me and doesn’t have a large body of work (yet!) but it surprised me and is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Hart wrote a charming story about two kindred spirits who find each other when they are at their lowest, both dealing with trauma, grief and depression. Instead of relying on tropes, you have these two fall in love as they spend time together and battle their demons. As someone who has spent her entire life dealing with depression, Petra’s behaviors really resonated with me (I have a lot of text messages to respond to). Reed was a wonderful book boyfriend without the over the top golden retriever/he falls first/ instalove nonsense. It wasn’t the spiciest thing I’ve ever read but it had enough to satisfy. There was a fair amount of religion, more than I’ve seen in a spicy romance, but even my hardcore atheist self was not offended; it was thoughtful and a part of their characters, not preachy, and LGBTQ characters were present and accepted. Plus, I do listen to that kind of audio and live in a small town in the PNW, so I enjoyed the premise and setting immensely.

If you’re looking for a sweet romance with a bit of spice, realistic characters and an earned HEA that’s well-written, I would highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Lærke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible Eargasm

I was shunned to read that this book is Emerie Hart's debut novel because everything about this book is perfection.
Beautiful cover, amazing story with such relatable characters and everything is written so flawlessly and engagingly that I devoured the whole thing in one go.

It's the story of Petra, a woman who has been broken by loss and betrayal and is living back with her parents as a shell of herself. Her only bright spots in life are the fantasy stories she writes for herself and her twice-a-week subscription to an erotica narrator called Daddy Knight. His voice speaks to her long lost libido and provides a gentle reconnection to her body's needs.

But one day, while working her boring job at the cash register, she suddenly recognises the sexy voice coming out of the man across the conveyor belt. Reed is just passing through the tiny town and has scars of his own, but the sweet and clearly embarrassed woman in front of him awakens something in him he can't let go. Somehow, their broken souls both needed someone to see them for who they really are and not just the scars they bear. And this encounter starts an incredibly beautiful journey of healing spiced up with the most delicious, audio embracing dirty talking ever seen on writing. I really hope the author makes it into an audiobook as well because I have to hear everything Reed says narrated in a deep, sexy voice, and I bet we'll c@m just as easily as Petra 🔥

[rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

easiest 5 ⭐️ read. zero doubt. loved every single second of it. i LOVE a healing slutty romance. it never fails

it’s so hard to find a book where the mmc is the victim and it’s written well. damn..some of the trauma hit DEEP. and i think that’s why i loved it so much. i fell in love with this book starting with the first page. i couldn’t put it down. it literally took everything in me to put it down. i literally woke up in the middle of the night to read some of it. i snuck in a couple pages at work. i just couldn’t put it down. i even told my therapist about this book😭

it was so beautifully written. everything made sense. it didn’t feel long, every little detail had it’s purpose. i loved how both reed and petra trauma bonded?? i think that’s the right term. they both needed each other at their lowest. they were two lost souls needing to find the light. and gosh..their light shined and it SHOWS. the character development was amazing. i think i could talk about this book for days and not be sick of it.

i loved how well mental health was written. it wasn’t just thrown in there. i LOVED how therapy was a major factor in this book. it helped reed grow into the person he became. petra changed the way he saw the world. he wasn’t scared for the first time in who knows how long. it was so so so emotionally, beautifully, and well written. i feel like ive said that a million times but i really don’t care😭

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much heart *and* dirty talk. It was beautiful.

I was a little concerned about the baby loss situation because I've lost a child, and I never know when something is going to trigger me the wrong way. When it comes to fiction, that usually just means that the situation and how it's talked about feel false or like trauma porn (I don't know if that's an actual term, but I see it sometimes). This was not that. Whether the author has dealt with this specific loss or not, her handling of it sounded true. Grief is a large beast with many tentacles, but it can also be a dear friend. The way that Petra needs Natalia to be real for the people she loves hit me especially hard - in the best way. My daughter has been gone for 17yrs, but whenever friends text me on her birthday or mention they were thinking of her, it twangs the healing nature of grief.
I also started a fictional book with my daughter as a character, and although I never finished, it was another sweet point of connection with the FMC.

On another note, between the time Kinley talked on the phone with Petra (and mentioned knowing about the house in Portland), until she showed up at the house, I was having a hard time focusing on what was happening because I knew she was coming! The set-up needed to be there, but I'm bummed I couldn't really enjoy their first day in the house because I kept waiting for Kinley to pop up. Intense!!