What if being betrayed led to the best thing in your life?
Tiffany My perfect ten-year relationship? Shattered when I caught my fiancé screwing someone else the same night my grandfather had a heart attack. Talk about the Friday from hell.
When my friend Declan whisks me away to his Hamptons estate, I only want to escape the drama. I never expected the flirtatious comments I'd laughed off for years to suddenly set my body on fire.
I should be devastated about my broken engagement. Instead, I'm having the best sex of my life and wondering how I never noticed that the perfect man was right under my nose all this time.
Declan I want Tiffany Carter. I've wanted her since forever.
For ten years, I watched her with my best friend, hiding behind jokes while secretly loving her. When that idiot cheated, I stepped in to be her friend.
Just her friend.
But one touch changes everything.
Now that I've had her in my bed, tasted her, and made her come apart under me, I'm never letting go. This isn't some rebound fling or mistake. It's the love I've been waiting for all these years, and I'm done watching from the sidelines.
Black Lace is the first book in the Eternal Love Billionaire Series. It's a steamy romance novella about finding love in the most unlikely of places.
I'm an indie author that writes steamy romance novels about rock stars.
I live in Western Australia with my husband and two sons. Physically. Mentally, I live in a world of rock stars and romance where everyone is crazy hot and rich as heck.
My dad used to tell me that I lived in a fantasy world...now I get to share that world with other people. I hope that you enjoy entering the worlds I create and love my characters even half as much as I do.
💋 Successful CEO-in-training FMC 🤵♂️ Hot Golden Retriever Best Friend MMC 🖤 Billionaire Romance 💀 Infidelity 🖤 Friends-to-Lovers 🔥 Cliterature 🖤 Insta-love 👫 Strong friend group 🖤 HEA 📖 Novella
I got to ARC this novella in the Eternal Love Billionaire Series. It's a very quick and easy read. Because you don't get a full novel, there isn't a lot of room for character development and more because you have 124 pages to tell the story start to finish. It's extremely fast-paced and about what you expect for a novella.
Jumping in.... We have a strong friend group: Tiffany, Jasmine, and Crystal are sisters. Tiffany is engaged to Ben. Daisy and Declan are siblings. Jasmine and Daisy are besties. Tiffany and Declan are besties. Crystal is away at school because she said "fuck the family business". Teddy and Melanie are a couple. Melanie doesn't let Teddy come out a lot apparently. And when she does, she joins and looks like she loathes being out in public (but I've been out in the publics.... so relatable.) Ben is a douche. He likes to party and do drugs. He's the kind of guy you want to box to the canines or would cover your drink around. He just wasn't passing the vibe check at all.
Declan/Dec is Tiffany's best friend and has been for the last 10+ yrs. He's got golden retriever energy and has literally been in love with her for the longest. But because he's a gentleman, he watched her be with bullshit Ben.
Some bullshit goes down because Ben is dog shit on the bottom of a shoe. Tiffany is fighting for her life because ol' grampy is trying to take that dirt nap via a heart attack. She is unaware of Ben's bullshit. But he gets caught because whatever is done in the dark does come out into the light. He did have balls to own a small part of his shit the next day and tell her. But you know, "it's just a small mistake". But bad bitch Tiffany was like "get out of my building before I have you removed!" Yea, Tiffany owns a whole apartment building because she got money-money and Gramps said "Happy 21st".
Enter bff Declan. He whisks her to his family place in The Hampons because... money. She goes.
And well..... the only way to get over an ex is to get under his best friend and yours apparently..... 98278395 times in two days within the span of like 8 chapters. Sex. Feelings. Uttered I love yous. Promises of years together. Orgams galore. Awkwardness. Cleaning up. Showers. Sex.
Repeat.
They finally come back to reality. Ben is waiting. I'm thinking a WWE is about to happen. It didn't. She kicked Dec out. Hurt him. Talked to Ben. Ben has the whole audacity to be upset she got her guts and tonsils rearranged on repeat, but it's none of his damn business. He finally concedes to being the loser he is. Then she and Dec confess their love some more, talk marriage and moving in and tell all their friends.
I wanted to love this and I did enjoy parts of it. But some of the character dialog bothered me. It was more rushed in spaces than a typical novella, and the realized Insta-love between friends, where it went 0-100, friends-to-lovers was just too OTT for me.
I want to say I tend to read a lot of dark, enemies-to-lovers.... so there is a lot hate, forced proximity and more in the shit I typically read. So, I'm not accustomed to the love already there and acting on it. Maybe that colored my bias a bit, but I still struggled with the writing a little. The plot is there. It has potential even for the novella. The characters are there and could easily be developed on. I hope they are as the series progresses. The dialog has room to grow and flow more.
Overall, it was a good, quick read. If you're want a quick, smutty HEA then this is it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was like a spicy palette cleanser for me. It was a short fast paced story. Both main characters have known each other for many years are very good friends and run in the upper class circles. The MMC harbors, some unrequited love for the FMC who is in a relationship with another man from their friend group. As this quickie progresses feelings and realizations come to play and we get a lot of those spicy spicy scenes we all love.
It is a HEA story, which is what I go for. I did like the little snippets of side characters so looking forward to hearing more about them. Overall, really liked it for an in-between book with no heavy plot lines and brain overloading side characters.
Only wish it would have been a little longer so that we could get more of a relationship development from the two. It went from 0-60 within the same chapter. Since they were friends before it would’ve been nice to have more friend banter amongst the smutty times.
I just finished this so quickly I could not put it down 😏
I love a good little refresh after a fantasy read and I’m so happy I was able to get a copy of this one. It was so cute and spicy. I felt like a little teenager kicking my feet hiding my smut books all over again. The connection between the MCs is undeniable but it is bumpy as the FMC is having conflicting feelings as well, while dealing with few big life moments. The spicy scenes are pretty intense between them🌶️
🖤Friends to Lovers 🖤Close Proximity 🖤lovely lil Novella
I wanted to like this story so badly. Unfortunately, it just was not possible. First off, why does everybody have to have a backstreet boy name. And why does their entire name need to be used the entire book, including during intimacy. Then there is the fact of Declan calling Tiff by the nickname “sexy” during the entire book. Even when she is engaged to his best friend. Why did things have to move so fast. Her grandpa has a heart attack. The same night her boyfriend/fiancé of 10 years cheats on her. She breaks up with him. Goes away for a mini vacation while gramps, who she is SO worried about, is still in the hospital She gets together with the guy who has been pining after her for over a decade, they have sex no less than 10 times with no less than 40 combined orgasms between them. Then ends up dating him and discussing further engagement all between Friday at 9-10 pm and Monday at like noon. “I want to see the treat hidden beneath her jeans”. I almost DNF’d it right there. Along with “Blow me, Sexy” and “Do I need to go get a condom?” Did I mention everyone gets referred to by first AND their chosen backstreet boy last name, with the exception of the dr who gets an Nsync name, the ENTIRE story. Because it becomes horribly annoying. “ I had no intention of sleeping with Tiff, but when she begged me to do it, I couldn’t resist” WTAF!!!! This line PISSED ME OFF. Then as if that wasn’t all enough, the spice in the book read as if it had been written by a 17 year old boy and was horribly unrealistic while also being more bland and boring than unsalted crackers. I almost DNF’d this multiple times but I held out hope it would get better. Im sorry, but it didn’t.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2.5 stars - I really wanted to love this book but I just couldn’t. It is a cute story and has a lot of potential but just not executed well. I understand it is a novella and hard to get it all in a short story but it really did jump and move at light speed through all the emotions. I found the spicy scenes a bit awkward and the characters are meant to be billionaire professionals but come off as school/college kids with immature emotions.
First things first, I received this ARC for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Okayyyyy, so I wanted to love this book. Billionaires, smut, and friends to lovers. However, I feel like we never got a chance to "know" the characters, and it was immediately pedal to the medal. I know this is a novella, and it is meant to be shorter than a full novel, but I felt rushed reading it. Pacing was just a little fast for me.
This one is definitely cliterature if you know what I mean. We had a good plot going, and then it just devolved into smut that felt a little icky. Don't get me wrong, I love a good smut book, but this one just rubbed me the wrong way, and it may be because I wasn't connected to the characters? Also, the characters are supposed to be adults and a couple chapters in, I definitely felt like they gave off more college rich kid vibes.
Dean had it bad bad in the first chapter. I did love when his protective side came out. We love a bloodthirsty king who would burn the world for his queen. 😈 That being said, my dude has waited for ten years, and then, like a light switch, he can't wait anymore? 🙃🫣
All in all, this was a smutty little palette cleanser for me. 🤣 I'm definitely a reader who wants a more in-depth story. I think novellas aren't for me because I want more time with the characters to connect and live the story with them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was scrolling TikTok one day and i came across a post from Sian, she was so upset because she had lost all of her ARC Readers and wanted to get her new book out there, so of course i signed up. I love supporting Aussie Authors and willing to give my feedback.
Part of me just wants to say all of the positive feedback about this novella as I don’t want to offend anyone.
Ultimately, I enjoyed the story! I felt like it had some great bones…. But as a novella it was rushed, the timeline was unbelievable and i would have loved the story to be fleshed out some more.
I still read it in one sitting & I enjoy friends to lovers trope. I would definitely read more of Sian’s work.
Loads of spicy scenes. Betrayal, heartache and sex scenes we all love. The spice is that 'newthing' kind if love where the spark, desire and past longing are the focus... gotta love that!
This was a refreshing read for anyone with a few hours to kill. I know I did not put this one down at all!
I enjoyed this novella and plan to keep a copy close by. Looking forward to more from this author!
Found out about this ARC on tiktok, and I had to join in. It's definitely not my preferred genre or trope, but this friends to lovers will take you on a lovely quick journey.
Ladies, if your bestie keeps hitting on you, maybe it's not just a joke? 😁
I finished the novella in one day. It's short and fast-paced. Definitely a good palate cleanser if you need a quick read between books or genres!
Wow! My first Sian Ceinwen book. Short, sweet and sexy.
As a novella - the story was incredibly fast paced (takes place over a weekend) but you understood where everyone was coming from. Declan was ready from the jump and so was I.
You understood the two POV’s. Loved that Tiffany was the bad ass boss bitch billionaire. Declan is rich too.
Loved the communication - Declan while being in love since forever it wasn’t in a creepy way and just wanted what Tiffany could give.
Sex scenes were hot and felt like real people having sex.
The last names were hilarious once you realize what’s happening there.
Can’t wait for the rest of the series. I guess it’s the 3 Carter sisters. I hope Declan’s sister Daisy gets a book too. She deserves.
I really enjoyed this book… It was a story heart ache… friendship… spicy time... and happiness… this is a sweet romantic story that warms your heart and puts a smile on your face ... I can't wait to read the next book in this series
And it was a good fast read. I love this Novella. Everything moved so fast but I wasn’t upset about it. Might have been a little rushed in some spots but I liked the way it flowed. Falling or realizing you’re in love with your best friend and not the man you’ve been in a relationship for years sometimes just happens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book has me engaged from start to finish! Excellent amount of spice for all of you spicy readers, friends to lovers, some banter, billionaires.. 10/10 will recommend
I have to start off with the fact that this book had me kicking my feet all the way through. I was so happy to be able to receive this as an ARC read and man I am so glad I applied. This novella was perfect for a palette cleanser after coming out of a in depth fantasy read. I fell in love with our two MC’s one who has been in love with the other for years and the other not knowing until the right moment that they were as well. My heart broke for Tiffany when a betrayal that she never saw coming happens but I was giddy when it gave our main man Declan a chance. 😏 This is a novella of only 100 or so pages so if you need a happy light read then this is perfect for you! There is a scene that can be triggering for some so always before you read something like that check in with you and read the TW’s! 🩶
ARC Review. Black lace is a quick read with betrayal and heartbreak that leads to love and happiness. The conflict wasn’t drawn out instead it focused on healing and finding love that was always just out of reach. I finished this book in one sitting because I had to know what happened next and the amount of spice was perfect.
The only things that would make it better is if there was more in the story of their friendships and her relationship with her fiancé instead of a short piece. Maybe a little bit more about the main characters pasts with each other to really connect deeper with the characters. Overall I really enjoyed this story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
3⭐️ 3🌶 This was a fun, easy novella. You get just enough backstory to see why things progress the way they do. Tiffany and Declan are best friends who quickly accept a new reality for themselves. He has always wanted and loved her. She gets cheated on and realizes quickly she wants Declan. It's a spicy little palette clinsers. I'm intriguing to see where the next story in the series goes.
Thank you, Sian, for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was such a cute love story with the most adorable golden retriever mmc. I loved how devoted Declan was that no matter what Tiffany decided he would support her because all he wanted was her happiness. This is what all us romance girls want in our relationships.
This is a novella so it shouldn’t surprise me so much how FAST this book moved. And I mean FAST. I should also state that this is one of my least favorite genres of book - Contemporary Billionaire Romance - but let’s get into it. I rated this book 3 because, personally, I hated it but that’s almost exclusively due to the genre and not really because of the actual quality of the book. It definitely fits a certain niche that I know has a large fan base. If you enjoy fast paced billionaire romance then give this a try. You’ll probably enjoy it.
This went way too fast for me. And I don’t mean from heartbroken to sex, I mean heartbroken to healed and anointing someone the love of their life in 48 hours. Have fun and do what you got to do though.
Shortening EVERYONE’S named was an irritant. Calling Declan, Dec, was eh. His name is short enough and I don’t like the way Dec tastes when I say it.
What was even the point of “dramatic” Melanie and her boyfriend that played no part and never came up again? Gramps almost disowning his son because he became a surgeon instead of taking over the family business 🤨 ok. Does that actually happen with billionaires?
Quite a bit of action. It was pretty fun and a draw of the book. No argument, just a suggestion. it might have been fun to mix up what they do rather than an almost copy paste of each scene.
Not terrible just not for me! Also f*ck Ben. Tiff should have let Dec punch the moron. They can afford the legal fees. Stop trying to defend or protect him. Can we let our MMCs not always be so noble and just hate the bastards that wrong them?
Black Lace was a quick fast pace novella that was well written and easy to read! I read this book in an hour and 10 mins! I look forward to the rest of this Eternal Love Billionaires series!
The character development in "Black Lace" is a standout aspect of the novel. The protagonist is relatable and multi-dimensional, facing internal and external conflicts that resonate with readers. As she encounters various challenges and relationships throughout the story, her growth is both believable and inspiring. The supporting characters are equally well-developed, each contributing to the protagonist's journey in meaningful ways.
The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that keep readers engaged. Ceinwen skillfully balances moments of tension with quieter introspective scenes, allowing for a dynamic reading experience. Themes of love, loss, and the search for identity are explored with sensitivity and nuance, making the story both poignant and thought-provoking.
"Black Lace" also delves into the complexities of human relationships, examining how past experiences shape present connections. The exploration of love in its various forms—romantic, familial, and platonic—adds depth to the narrative and invites readers to reflect on their own experiences.
Overall, "Black Lace" is a captivating and emotionally resonant read that will appeal to fans of contemporary fiction and romance. Sian Ceinwen's ability to weave together rich storytelling with profound themes makes this novel a memorable and impactful experience. If you're looking for a story that beautifully blends romance with personal growth, "Black Lace" is definitely worth picking up.
Managed to read this book in about 2 hours and it was pretty good. I liked the fast burn and the story was good. As someone who has had an ex fiance cheat on them and ended up finding release in someone I considered a friend I definitely understand moving on quickly, however I did think that them basically getting engaged and planning their future while she still literally called him her ex's name two days in and her still mourning was really unrealistic especially when they told the friends and family and everyone was excited and also basically planning their future. All that said the absolute number one thing that almost made me not finish it was the constant mention of full names. I now officially know all the main characters first and last name because it was constantly mentioned by each character. There was no reason to use their full first and last name every single time they mentioned each other, I think they even said their full name during one of their spicy scenes. If someone ever said my full name that many times I'd probably lose my mind. Nicknames and first names are completely understandable but full government names every other sentence was annoying. They would use a nickname once and the full government name 5x more. Again you only got a say the first and last name when introducing the characters other than that it's excessive and not necessary. Again all in all a good read especially if you like a billionaire fantasy that is 80% sex, 10% people using full government names and 10% plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I wanted to love this book so much. It has everything I love in it (friends to lovers, billionaire romance, spice). It is a novella which I know means some things are going to be missing and things may go faster than a full-fledged book. However, I felt like there were big character pieces missing.
For instance, being a billionaire and CEO is only the tiniest part of the story. They talk about Tiffany being a CEO and a workaholic a few times, but that's it. They do go to stay in Declan's beach house in the Hamptons, but that's really the most billionairey thing they do.
I loved the friend group that Sian created for this story. I love seeing so many friends sticking up for each other and standing by each other. I think they are such a fun and supportive group of friends. I also love the addition of Tiffany's sisters its so fun having them so close.
Declan is an odd character. I think because he didn't tell anyone about his feelings for Tiffany it comes across as weird and not cute as you would want. I do love how supportive he is of his friends and how badly he wants to make sure she is okay. I will say I also wanted to see him punch Ben. He definitely deserved it.
Overall this is a good story. I think if it was not a novella and had some more pages to stretch out the details and add some more context it would be a great book. It has awesome bones!
*I was sent this as an ARC and my review is 100% based on my own opinion*
“Because I knew that your heart would have been shattered into a million pieces and I wanted to make sure that all of those pieces would be safely collected up and put back together someday.”
Black Lace is the first book in the Eternal Billionaires series. It is a steamy, best friends to lovers romance novella. It was a quick read but had good character development.
Tiffany Carter is the Vice President of Carter Group and destined to become a billionaire & CEO when her grandfather passes away. She has been with her fiancé Ben for 10 years and has a great group of friends. It would seem that she has it all until it all comes crashing down in one night.
Declan McLean has loved Tiffany from afar for as long as he can remember. If he can’t have her he just wants her to be happy. When her world comes crashing down he is there to help her pick up the pieces but can he continue to just be friends.
This books was both sweet and spicy. The story moves quickly without much depth since it is a novella. The side characters do add extra dimension to the story. I was not a huge fan of the MMCs nickname for the FMC but understood the purpose for it. Overall it was an enjoyable read and will plan to continue the series.
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Best friends to lovers Billionaire Romance Cheating (Not the MCs) Happy Ending
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Black Lace by Sian Ceinwen is a short, spicy romance and the first book in the Eternal Love Billionaires series.
Tiffany Carter and Declan McLean have been friends since their teenage years. Tiffany is engaged to Ben and set to marry him in a few days. However, after a night out partying, she learns that her grandfather had a heart attack, prompting her to rush to his side. The next day, she discovers that Ben has cheated on her, shattering her heart. Declan, ever the supportive friend, steps in to comfort her and suggests they get away for a while. That weekend changes everything—Tiffany begins to see Declan in a new, more intimate light, and he admits he has loved her for years. What will happen to their friendship after a weekend filled with passion and love confessions?
This is an entertaining, spicy novel with the main tropes of best friends-to-lovers and "he falls first." The plot is simple but captivating, focusing on finding love in a place you least expect. Their connection feels natural, and the chemistry between the characters is undeniable. The ending is sweet and heartwarming, with everyone being very accepting of the love that blossomed.
If you're looking for a spicy romance with great chemistry and an emotional journey, Black Lace is definitely worth checking out.
𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑳𝒂𝒄𝒆 offered a quick escape between fantasy reads and books on my tbrr pile. It’s a fast-paced friends-to-lovers story where Declan, long in love with Tiffany, finally gets his chance. The two have known each other for years, moving in the same elite New York social circle. The twist? Tiffany was in a long-term relationship with Declan’s best friend, Ben.
The premise is juicy, but the execution felt rushed. Tiffany ends things with Ben after he confesses to cheating—but immediately falls into Declan’s arms. There’s no time to process, reflect, or rebuild trust. The emotional whiplash made the relationship feel unearned. I also struggled with two major plot holes: why didn’t anyone address Ben’s obvious substance abuse issues, and why didn’t Tiffany get tested after learning about the infidelity? These missed details pulled me out of the story.
The writing had flow issues. Full character names were overused in text messages and dialogue, making scenes feel stiff and unnatural. The pacing left little room for character growth or emotional complexity. Still, I see promise in the author’s voice. With stronger emotional arcs and tighter editing, her next book could shine.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author. This review is purely from my perspective, and all opinions are my own. I am under no obligation to review the book.
Dec "Because I knew that your heart would be broken into a million pieces and I wanted to make sure that all of those pieces would be safely collected up and put back together someday."
I'd like to start by saying thank you to the author for providing me with an arc copy of this book. I love discovering authors that are new to me.
Black Lace is a short and spicy story. When Tiff and her group of friends are out on a night out, her best friend Dec catches her fiance cheating on her. Her world implodes as everything she thought she knew is suddenly up in the air. On the same night there is some family drama and he is too busy with someone else to be there for her.
Declan has been in love with Tiff for years and he has always hidden by hide jokes instead of revealing his true feelings for her. But when her world comes crashing down he offers to help take her away from the drama. He doesn't expect things to escalate but when they do, could they find that they have a future together?
I really enjoyed the story of friends to lovers and I liked the dynamics of the friendship group too. Dec was perfect and I liked Tiff too. I'll definitely read more by this author. It gave me a great introduction to her writing style and her type of books.
I came across this author on tiktok, explaining she'd had complications with her ARCs, so I offered to read and review for her.
Tiffany is engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Ben. Whilst on a night out with a group of friends, she receives a phone call from the hospital and has to promptly leave, but she can't find Ben to let him know.
Enter Declan, they've been friends forever, and he seeks out Ben to let him know Tiffany has left but finds him with another woman - yes, cheating is on page from the start.
Declan has come to terms with the fact that he and Tiffany will never be together, but that doesn't deter him from being an amazing, supportive friend. He offers to get her out of the city for some space whilst she processes.
They quickly realise that the feelings they have for eachother cannot be ignored.
One thing I can't overlook about this novella was the character names, I'm not sure why but everyone is referenced using their full name (first and surname) now whilst this bothered me personally that's not to say it would others.
If you're looking for something short, fast-paced, with a golden retriever mmc - this could be perfect for you.
It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but it is a book 1 to a series to come.
Please familiarise yourself with the content before you start.