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A Little Buzzed
If she builds it, they will come.
A sex toy engineer with one big secret finally meets her match, and together they’ll put their own products to the test in this steamy romantic comedy.
Scout Porter is screwed. Not literally, of course. Literally, she’s a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a relationship so disastrous she swore off love and sex for good. Metaphorically, she’s screwed because the entire office of BuzzCorp, the sex toy start-up where she’s head engineer, just found out. Scout needs her team to stay focused on their upcoming launch, not her lack of a sex life, so she finds the simplest lose her V-card—and fast—then get back to business as usual.
Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy and charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout’s latest creation. The only problem is, he’s as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Fortunately, he’s all too eager to learn, and they agree that one very educational, totally professional hook-up will solve both of their problems. All for research, obviously.
But their little experiment yields unexpected results—chemistry so off the charts Scout starts to think she might actually want more than just a one-time fling. When their budding relationship is threatened by the return of Scout’s notorious ex, both Scout and Hudson will have to decide if they’ve reached their climax as a couple, or if they’re willing to risk everything for a chance at true love.
A sex toy engineer with one big secret finally meets her match, and together they’ll put their own products to the test in this steamy romantic comedy.
Scout Porter is screwed. Not literally, of course. Literally, she’s a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a relationship so disastrous she swore off love and sex for good. Metaphorically, she’s screwed because the entire office of BuzzCorp, the sex toy start-up where she’s head engineer, just found out. Scout needs her team to stay focused on their upcoming launch, not her lack of a sex life, so she finds the simplest lose her V-card—and fast—then get back to business as usual.
Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy and charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout’s latest creation. The only problem is, he’s as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Fortunately, he’s all too eager to learn, and they agree that one very educational, totally professional hook-up will solve both of their problems. All for research, obviously.
But their little experiment yields unexpected results—chemistry so off the charts Scout starts to think she might actually want more than just a one-time fling. When their budding relationship is threatened by the return of Scout’s notorious ex, both Scout and Hudson will have to decide if they’ve reached their climax as a couple, or if they’re willing to risk everything for a chance at true love.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2026
182 people are currently reading
17848 people want to read
About the author
Alys Murray
15 books191 followersAlys Murray is an author who writes for the romantic in all of us. Though she graduated with a degree in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a Master’s in Film Studies from King’s College London, her irrepressible love of romance led her to a career as an author, and she couldn’t be happier to write these stories!
Her work as an author led to a flourishing career in screenwriting, where she has penned films and shows for Hallmark, ViacomCBS, Lifetime, and British television. An alum of RespectAbility, The Inevitable Foundation, and The Orchard Project, she is a tireless disability advocate.
Alys loves connecting with readers, so if you want to get in touch, you can find her at http://www.alysmurray.com or on twitter and instagram at @writeralys.
Her work as an author led to a flourishing career in screenwriting, where she has penned films and shows for Hallmark, ViacomCBS, Lifetime, and British television. An alum of RespectAbility, The Inevitable Foundation, and The Orchard Project, she is a tireless disability advocate.
Alys loves connecting with readers, so if you want to get in touch, you can find her at http://www.alysmurray.com or on twitter and instagram at @writeralys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 425 reviews
February 16, 2026
I cried during the pegging scene.
If that doesn’t tell you how much emotional intimacy is laced into the spicy scenes I’m not sure what else I could do you to convince you that, while this book is super spicy (12+ scenes), the spice never feels gratuitous.
A Little Buzzed is unapologetically spicy, sex positive, and STEM.
Did I love the spice? Yes.
Was some of it a little over the top (for me)? Also, yes.
Would I read it again and do I plan to make my way through Alys Murray’s backlist? Yes, and YES!
Did I also love the character development, growth, vulnerability, super STEM topics and themes, complicated family dynamics, and utterly relatable MCs? F-CK YES!
This book was a spectacular time. You’ll need to be in the mood for extra spicy to enjoy it to its full potential but don’t be surprised when you fall in love with these two idiots and cry during the spicy bits, bc they finally decide to open up to each other!
Some of the many things I loved about this book…
- set in Dallas
- STEM
- workplace romance
- he writes everything down
- ADHD + autism rep (although the autism isn’t expressly stated the FMC felt relatable to me as a AuDHD girlie)
- single POV
- self-discovery and finding your confidence
- “good boy” + “for science”
What might not work for some…
- skip if you’re not into spice. please. There are 12+ scenes!
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
If that doesn’t tell you how much emotional intimacy is laced into the spicy scenes I’m not sure what else I could do you to convince you that, while this book is super spicy (12+ scenes), the spice never feels gratuitous.
A Little Buzzed is unapologetically spicy, sex positive, and STEM.
Did I love the spice? Yes.
Was some of it a little over the top (for me)? Also, yes.
Would I read it again and do I plan to make my way through Alys Murray’s backlist? Yes, and YES!
Did I also love the character development, growth, vulnerability, super STEM topics and themes, complicated family dynamics, and utterly relatable MCs? F-CK YES!
This book was a spectacular time. You’ll need to be in the mood for extra spicy to enjoy it to its full potential but don’t be surprised when you fall in love with these two idiots and cry during the spicy bits, bc they finally decide to open up to each other!
Some of the many things I loved about this book…
- set in Dallas
- STEM
- workplace romance
- he writes everything down
- ADHD + autism rep (although the autism isn’t expressly stated the FMC felt relatable to me as a AuDHD girlie)
- single POV
- self-discovery and finding your confidence
- “good boy” + “for science”
What might not work for some…
- skip if you’re not into spice. please. There are 12+ scenes!
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I don’t even know how to neatly label what this book was. 😭 If I had to rename it in my head, I’d honestly call it The Experiment, because that’s what it felt like the entire time, two people testing limits, testing themselves, testing what happens when you stop hiding and just… try. It’s a fast burn that somehow still feels like a slow unraveling, which makes zero sense until you’re in it LOL. The physical side ignites quickly, but the emotional part takes its time, peeling back layer after layer until you realize that was the real story all along.
I found myself unexpectedly sad for Scout in a way I wasn’t prepared for. Not because of anything dramatic, but because of how small she had made her own world. 😔 She was so good at concealing parts of herself that she eventually disappeared from her own life too. The way she viewed herself, like she had no real potential outside of what she could produce or fix, hurt to read. She wasn’t just hiding from other people; she was hiding from herself. 💔💔
And then Hudson… I genuinely don’t know how to explain the comfort of his presence. He wasn’t loud about it, wasn’t trying to rescue her, just steady and kind and so intentionally attentive. The way he wanted to learn her, not just her body, but her thoughts, her hesitations, the reasons behind her walls, was honestly the sweetest part of the whole book. Their chemistry was obvious, yes, but what stuck with me more was how safe he made growth feel. He kept nudging her toward seeing herself the way everyone else already did, even when she fought it. 🫶🏼🫶🏼
What I loved most is that the story wasn’t really about experience or inexperience or even romance at its core—it was about self-sabotage and how easy it is to shrink your life because it feels safer than risking disappointment. Watching Scout slowly realize that she was the one standing in her own way felt more intimate than any of the steamy moments. 🥹 And Hudson, patient even when it was hard, kept showing up anyway.
I will say… there were a few things that didn’t fully work for me (hence 4 stars instead of 5), but they were more personal preference than actual issues with the story.
By the end, it left me with the reminder that we shouldn’t be afraid of what we want or who we are, even if sometimes it takes someone else holding up a mirror first. It’s messy and funny and surprisingly tender, and somehow both chaotic and comforting at the same time. I closed the book feeling weirdly emotional, which I definitely didn’t expect going in.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
”You're everywhere, Scout. You're in my work, you're in my head, you're in the empty spaces between my fingers.”
"Hudson, when I'm with you, I don't think about
anything or anyone else. I'm yours."
“We were two black holes.
Destined to merge.
Destined to rattle the entire cosmos with our
energy.”
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
💛 workplace romance
💛 fast burn
💛 virgin FMC
💛 teaching each other 🌶️
💛 self discovery
💛 single POV (hers)
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Alys Murray for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
spice rating:【 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️】
swearing: yes
⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read
pretty sure i accidentally signed up for this arc because it doesn’t sound like something i would have read the synopsis to and requested 🥲😭 wish me luck
I found myself unexpectedly sad for Scout in a way I wasn’t prepared for. Not because of anything dramatic, but because of how small she had made her own world. 😔 She was so good at concealing parts of herself that she eventually disappeared from her own life too. The way she viewed herself, like she had no real potential outside of what she could produce or fix, hurt to read. She wasn’t just hiding from other people; she was hiding from herself. 💔💔
And then Hudson… I genuinely don’t know how to explain the comfort of his presence. He wasn’t loud about it, wasn’t trying to rescue her, just steady and kind and so intentionally attentive. The way he wanted to learn her, not just her body, but her thoughts, her hesitations, the reasons behind her walls, was honestly the sweetest part of the whole book. Their chemistry was obvious, yes, but what stuck with me more was how safe he made growth feel. He kept nudging her toward seeing herself the way everyone else already did, even when she fought it. 🫶🏼🫶🏼
What I loved most is that the story wasn’t really about experience or inexperience or even romance at its core—it was about self-sabotage and how easy it is to shrink your life because it feels safer than risking disappointment. Watching Scout slowly realize that she was the one standing in her own way felt more intimate than any of the steamy moments. 🥹 And Hudson, patient even when it was hard, kept showing up anyway.
I will say… there were a few things that didn’t fully work for me (hence 4 stars instead of 5), but they were more personal preference than actual issues with the story.
By the end, it left me with the reminder that we shouldn’t be afraid of what we want or who we are, even if sometimes it takes someone else holding up a mirror first. It’s messy and funny and surprisingly tender, and somehow both chaotic and comforting at the same time. I closed the book feeling weirdly emotional, which I definitely didn’t expect going in.
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
”You're everywhere, Scout. You're in my work, you're in my head, you're in the empty spaces between my fingers.”
"Hudson, when I'm with you, I don't think about
anything or anyone else. I'm yours."
“We were two black holes.
Destined to merge.
Destined to rattle the entire cosmos with our
energy.”
-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-
things to know about the book ↓
💛 workplace romance
💛 fast burn
💛 virgin FMC
💛 teaching each other 🌶️
💛 self discovery
💛 single POV (hers)
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Alys Murray for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.
spice rating:【 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️】
swearing: yes
⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ pre-read
pretty sure i accidentally signed up for this arc because it doesn’t sound like something i would have read the synopsis to and requested 🥲😭 wish me luck
October 17, 2025
Have I read this? No. Will I update my review afterwards? Yes. Did I save it to my TBR specifically because Navessa Allen TOLD ME TO? Yes. Yes I did. I’m goo at following directions.
February 18, 2026
i am politely asking if they are looking for a third 👀
this book was pure fun from start to finish and i couldnt have loved it more if i tried and i want to start this review off by applauding how genius a virgin fmc who literally makes her living by creating sex toys is?!?!?! and then to pair her with the HOTTEST (good boy) man in fictional existence?!??!?! i mean my god alys murray the woman you are!!!
one thing about me is that i LOVEEE a sexy good nsfw workplace romance, even more so when we have the most beautiful genius woman in stem running the show and a NICE, silly goofy smart man in slutty little glasses that is so obsessed with said beauitful genius woman and wants nothing more than to please her and make her happy AND BOY DO SCOUT AND HUDSON DELIVER JUST THAT.
this book is SMUTTY, like over 10 dedicated scenes smutty BUT it was smutty with a purpose and still had the most insane depth emotional and otherwise. as someone who can tend to get a little bored when theres too much sex and not enough of everything else — there was not a single scene that didnt feel necessary to scout and hudson’s journey both together and finding themselves individually. there wasnt a point for me where it felt monotonous or like we were just repeating the same scene over and over. which is extremely impressive in my eyes.
reading this book i could feel just how much alys loved and enjoyed the story she was telling which in turn made it that much more exciting and engaging to read. i truly have not had this much fun reading a smutty book in god only knows how long and i think alys is so talented in the way she is able to create such a raunchy/sex positive yet powerful and romantic story at the same time. the duality is *chefs kiss* 🙂↕️
this book was pure fun from start to finish and i couldnt have loved it more if i tried and i want to start this review off by applauding how genius a virgin fmc who literally makes her living by creating sex toys is?!?!?! and then to pair her with the HOTTEST (good boy) man in fictional existence?!??!?! i mean my god alys murray the woman you are!!!
one thing about me is that i LOVEEE a sexy good nsfw workplace romance, even more so when we have the most beautiful genius woman in stem running the show and a NICE, silly goofy smart man in slutty little glasses that is so obsessed with said beauitful genius woman and wants nothing more than to please her and make her happy AND BOY DO SCOUT AND HUDSON DELIVER JUST THAT.
this book is SMUTTY, like over 10 dedicated scenes smutty BUT it was smutty with a purpose and still had the most insane depth emotional and otherwise. as someone who can tend to get a little bored when theres too much sex and not enough of everything else — there was not a single scene that didnt feel necessary to scout and hudson’s journey both together and finding themselves individually. there wasnt a point for me where it felt monotonous or like we were just repeating the same scene over and over. which is extremely impressive in my eyes.
reading this book i could feel just how much alys loved and enjoyed the story she was telling which in turn made it that much more exciting and engaging to read. i truly have not had this much fun reading a smutty book in god only knows how long and i think alys is so talented in the way she is able to create such a raunchy/sex positive yet powerful and romantic story at the same time. the duality is *chefs kiss* 🙂↕️
February 25, 2026
3.25 / 5 Stars
Boy, I had wanted to love this book because I love the sex positivity message and the general fun but my millennial brain just could not deal with the lack of firm work-life boundaries. Scout is an introverted, type A, prodigy engineer who got fired from her last job and now works for a sex toy company. Hudson is a sexy contractor and people pleaser (literally and metaphorically). Scout is a virgin, Hudson is a wham, bam, thank you ma’am solution. Add feelings and sex toys.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🍆 FMC in STEM (she’s an engineer)
🍆 Black cat FMC x Golden retriever MMC
🍆 Late-in-life V-card loss
🍆 Spicy lessons and spicy toy lessons
🍆 Research partners with benefits
🍆 Lots of spice
I love the general sex positivity of this book. Scout is not ashamed to be working at a sex toy company because it is important for everyone to have autonomy over their sexuality and and breaking down stigma around sexual health. Love! That is great. And that is why it was also confusing when she said that it would be a disaster if anyone found out that she was a virgin. Why? Virgins use sex toys. Scout can break down everyone’s stigma except her own? It just didn’t make sense in that context.
I also appreciated the vulnerability that Hudson showed in finally asking for the care and sexual experience that he wanted without shame. It was a beautiful moment. But otherwise, Hudson felt one dimensional. He was always focused on everyone else and didn’t want to talk about himself ever so I feel like I knew very little about him.
And Scout. Gosh, my heart broke for her. She literally hated herself. Which is such a real and human emotion but it is painful to read.
But what I had the hardest time with was the complete and utter lack of professionalism at the company. Scout’s boss tells her to sleep with Hudson. The new employee, who Scout wants to be friends with, tells Scout that she hopes Scout and Hudson have amazing sex and it was that new employee's SECOND DAY on the job. Ya’ll where is the HR department? I feel like there were ways for the other employees at the company to be friends with Scout without crossing so many lines. My millennial self could never.
If you are looking for a book with lots of spice and spice lessons and the work stuff doesn’t bother you, then you may really like this book.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
Boy, I had wanted to love this book because I love the sex positivity message and the general fun but my millennial brain just could not deal with the lack of firm work-life boundaries. Scout is an introverted, type A, prodigy engineer who got fired from her last job and now works for a sex toy company. Hudson is a sexy contractor and people pleaser (literally and metaphorically). Scout is a virgin, Hudson is a wham, bam, thank you ma’am solution. Add feelings and sex toys.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🍆 FMC in STEM (she’s an engineer)
🍆 Black cat FMC x Golden retriever MMC
🍆 Late-in-life V-card loss
🍆 Spicy lessons and spicy toy lessons
🍆 Research partners with benefits
🍆 Lots of spice
I love the general sex positivity of this book. Scout is not ashamed to be working at a sex toy company because it is important for everyone to have autonomy over their sexuality and and breaking down stigma around sexual health. Love! That is great. And that is why it was also confusing when she said that it would be a disaster if anyone found out that she was a virgin. Why? Virgins use sex toys. Scout can break down everyone’s stigma except her own? It just didn’t make sense in that context.
I also appreciated the vulnerability that Hudson showed in finally asking for the care and sexual experience that he wanted without shame. It was a beautiful moment. But otherwise, Hudson felt one dimensional. He was always focused on everyone else and didn’t want to talk about himself ever so I feel like I knew very little about him.
And Scout. Gosh, my heart broke for her. She literally hated herself. Which is such a real and human emotion but it is painful to read.
But what I had the hardest time with was the complete and utter lack of professionalism at the company. Scout’s boss tells her to sleep with Hudson. The new employee, who Scout wants to be friends with, tells Scout that she hopes Scout and Hudson have amazing sex and it was that new employee's SECOND DAY on the job. Ya’ll where is the HR department? I feel like there were ways for the other employees at the company to be friends with Scout without crossing so many lines. My millennial self could never.
If you are looking for a book with lots of spice and spice lessons and the work stuff doesn’t bother you, then you may really like this book.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
March 14, 2026
The FMC was annoying af 😒
but I'm a slut for when one of the MCs stand up to the other person's parents for them and make it a whole mic drop moment
but I'm a slut for when one of the MCs stand up to the other person's parents for them and make it a whole mic drop moment
December 14, 2025
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (literally)
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (figuratively)
𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨:
✻ Workplace romance that is VERY MUCH NOT SAFE FOR WORK
✻ Fast burn spice with slower emotional burn
✻ Sex positivity and educational content that somehow also makes you blush
𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙 ★★★★★ | 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠: came for the spice, stayed for the plot
𝒔𝒐, 𝒍𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕... 💫
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book and honestly? I'm glad, because it was one fun ride. This is the kind of book where you think you're picking it up for the smut, but you end up completely invested in watching someone learn to be vulnerable and believe in themselves.
🔬 Scout Porter is a sex toy engineer who has never had sex. The woman who designs products for everyone else's pleasure is a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a past relationship that made her swear off love entirely. When her entire office at BuzzCorp finds out her secret, Scout decides the solution is simple: experience it and get back to work. Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy, charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout's latest creation. But... He's as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Lucky for both of them, they're very eager to learn.
🚀 This book is H.A.W.T. Like, The Golf Club Scene will ruin mini golf for you forever hot. The spice level is high, the experimentation is plentiful, and the chemistry between Scout and Hudson is 📈. But here's what surprised me: it's not just spicy for the sake of being spicy. The physical vulnerability these two share actually allows them to build emotional intimacy in a way that feels organic.
🛠️ Scout's character growth is the real star here. When we first meet her, she's rigid, socially awkward, and completely walled off emotionally. Her inner monologue is funny and refreshing, and watching her realize she can hope for more, that she doesn't have to stay in the safe space she's built, was incredibly satisfying. She works hard to overcome her mental barriers, to be more approachable and actually enjoy her life.
📚 This book is extremely sex positive and genuinely educational. Murray doesn't shy away from the realities of sexual exploration, and there's something refreshing about a romance that treats sex as something to learn about, experiment with, and enjoy without shame. The STEM vibes are strong (ALERT ALI HAZELWOOD FANS), and the workplace setting at a sex toy startup adds layers of humor and authenticity.
🎯 The pacing is perfect. I wanted to devour this in a day but had to pace myself The romance moves quickly in terms of physical intimacy, but the emotional payoff is earned.
Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Publisher, and Alys Murray for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (literally)
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (figuratively)
☑️a woman who doesn’t know how to experience her feelings working in the sex toy industry
☑️ a man who has never used a sex toy asks for lessons from said woman
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (figuratively)
𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨:
✻ Workplace romance that is VERY MUCH NOT SAFE FOR WORK
✻ Fast burn spice with slower emotional burn
✻ Sex positivity and educational content that somehow also makes you blush
𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙 ★★★★★ | 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠: came for the spice, stayed for the plot
𝒔𝒐, 𝒍𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕... 💫
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book and honestly? I'm glad, because it was one fun ride. This is the kind of book where you think you're picking it up for the smut, but you end up completely invested in watching someone learn to be vulnerable and believe in themselves.
🔬 Scout Porter is a sex toy engineer who has never had sex. The woman who designs products for everyone else's pleasure is a twenty-six-year-old virgin, thanks to a past relationship that made her swear off love entirely. When her entire office at BuzzCorp finds out her secret, Scout decides the solution is simple: experience it and get back to work. Enter Hudson Bailey, the nerdy, charming software developer hired to build the app for Scout's latest creation. But... He's as inexperienced with sex toys as she is with sex. Lucky for both of them, they're very eager to learn.
🚀 This book is H.A.W.T. Like, The Golf Club Scene will ruin mini golf for you forever hot. The spice level is high, the experimentation is plentiful, and the chemistry between Scout and Hudson is 📈. But here's what surprised me: it's not just spicy for the sake of being spicy. The physical vulnerability these two share actually allows them to build emotional intimacy in a way that feels organic.
🛠️ Scout's character growth is the real star here. When we first meet her, she's rigid, socially awkward, and completely walled off emotionally. Her inner monologue is funny and refreshing, and watching her realize she can hope for more, that she doesn't have to stay in the safe space she's built, was incredibly satisfying. She works hard to overcome her mental barriers, to be more approachable and actually enjoy her life.
📚 This book is extremely sex positive and genuinely educational. Murray doesn't shy away from the realities of sexual exploration, and there's something refreshing about a romance that treats sex as something to learn about, experiment with, and enjoy without shame. The STEM vibes are strong (ALERT ALI HAZELWOOD FANS), and the workplace setting at a sex toy startup adds layers of humor and authenticity.
🎯 The pacing is perfect. I wanted to devour this in a day but had to pace myself The romance moves quickly in terms of physical intimacy, but the emotional payoff is earned.
Thank you to NetGalley, Forever Publisher, and Alys Murray for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (literally)
☑️ at least one rocket exploding (figuratively)
☑️a woman who doesn’t know how to experience her feelings working in the sex toy industry
☑️ a man who has never used a sex toy asks for lessons from said woman
Read
December 22, 2025put the golf club down…
going into this book, i was just excited to read a new release romance with an inventive idea. i did not know what i was getting into and thats kinda on me but holy shit. maybe it’s because berkley is publishing this book, or maybe it’s because i haven’t read an insane kindle unlimited book lately, but i feel truly scandalized after reading this book.
we’re following scout and hudson, scout is an engineer at a sex toy company and hudson does IT? marketing? something else? he does some type of freelance work for this company and the two strike up a relationship because he doesn’t have any experience with sex toys and she wants to have sex. yeah, i’m not sure why i was convinced their would be some really sweet underlying romantic moments in this but i was wrong. there is nothing wrong with any of the sex in this book or any of the moments between characters, i just wasn’t really convinced they had a lasting connection. hudson helped scout when it came to self confidence and i enjoyed seeing that aspect of her character grow but i was left feeling unsatisfied with the relationship development.
overall this book was just a shock to my system. maybe this is good, maybe i’ll get out of my slump right now, i literally don’t want to read so i’ve just been reading arcs that i need to read. in the end this wasn’t bad and if the synopsis speaks to you i’d definitely pick this up. it’s honestly a fun little valentine’s day book, it has nothing to do with said holiday but it’s a sex filled romance book that comes out in february… what more could you want on valentine’s day????
*thank you berkley and netgalley for the copy!*
going into this book, i was just excited to read a new release romance with an inventive idea. i did not know what i was getting into and thats kinda on me but holy shit. maybe it’s because berkley is publishing this book, or maybe it’s because i haven’t read an insane kindle unlimited book lately, but i feel truly scandalized after reading this book.
we’re following scout and hudson, scout is an engineer at a sex toy company and hudson does IT? marketing? something else? he does some type of freelance work for this company and the two strike up a relationship because he doesn’t have any experience with sex toys and she wants to have sex. yeah, i’m not sure why i was convinced their would be some really sweet underlying romantic moments in this but i was wrong. there is nothing wrong with any of the sex in this book or any of the moments between characters, i just wasn’t really convinced they had a lasting connection. hudson helped scout when it came to self confidence and i enjoyed seeing that aspect of her character grow but i was left feeling unsatisfied with the relationship development.
overall this book was just a shock to my system. maybe this is good, maybe i’ll get out of my slump right now, i literally don’t want to read so i’ve just been reading arcs that i need to read. in the end this wasn’t bad and if the synopsis speaks to you i’d definitely pick this up. it’s honestly a fun little valentine’s day book, it has nothing to do with said holiday but it’s a sex filled romance book that comes out in february… what more could you want on valentine’s day????
*thank you berkley and netgalley for the copy!*
March 6, 2026
oh i’m emotional
February 20, 2026
this was oh so delicious! such a fun concept and you are getting exactly what you think based off the summary. i actually need to read more from this author because she is GOOD!
January 24, 2026
I spent most of today trying to parse out my thoughts on this book. Initially, I’d given it 3 stars but upon further reflection, decided that maybe 2 stars was more accurate.
This book centers on a workplace romance and the workplace in question happens to be a sex toy company. So, one would think that a book about two employees of a sex toy company would be sex positive and less, I don’t know, judgmental. The FMC in this book is an engineer and also happens to be a virgin. Setting aside the fact that virginity is a social construct dreamed up by the patriarchy, there’s a lot of commentary in this book regarding how Scout’s virginity prevents her from truly excelling at her job as a sex toy designer, this despite the fact that she’s well versed in sex toys and how to use them and how to get herself off while using them. I’m not sure why the fact that a real human penis has never entered her vagina would keep her from being able to do her job and do it well…?
Secondly, while I applaud a trad pubbed contemporary published in 2026 for having multiple sex scenes AND a pegging scene (yes indeed!), the scenes read as very cold and almost clinical. Part of that is Scout harping on the fact that her deal with Hudson is temporary and will be over as soon as his job with the company ends. The pegging scene is actually the best of the sex scenes bc it feels like the only one (aside from the epilogue) with some emotional attachment between the 2 people.
I will say I think Scout’s backstory is super intriguing and kudos to this author for going someplace truly original as far as the baggage Scout carries. But I did spend a good bit of the book incredibly frustrated by Scout’s inability to stand up for herself bc as Hudson puts it, she hates herself and doesn’t think she deserves love. But WHY does she hate herself? That is really never explained to me all that clearly.
Hudson is ok but not very fleshed out and spends the bulk of the book just wanting to make Scout happy, even at his own expense. And when his own past is revealed (much too late in the book, by a minor third party), it’s not delved into deeply enough to really connect the dots on why Hudson is the way he is.
Ultimately, Scout’s inexplicable self-hatred and Hudson’s incessant people pleasing nature doesn’t make for a healthy combination and even if the two acknowledge their issues at the end of the book (which, Hudson really doesn’t), it doesn’t make me buy into the success of their HEA even with a 2 year time jump in the epilogue. It feels like there are way too many unanswered questions to make me fully believe in their relationship being a success.
This book didn’t work for me but I think there are people who will enjoy it.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
Content notes: toxic parental relationship with emotional and verbal abuse, toxic work environment in the past with toxic boss turned former romantic interest, unfair firing, inappropriate workplace behavior
This book centers on a workplace romance and the workplace in question happens to be a sex toy company. So, one would think that a book about two employees of a sex toy company would be sex positive and less, I don’t know, judgmental. The FMC in this book is an engineer and also happens to be a virgin. Setting aside the fact that virginity is a social construct dreamed up by the patriarchy, there’s a lot of commentary in this book regarding how Scout’s virginity prevents her from truly excelling at her job as a sex toy designer, this despite the fact that she’s well versed in sex toys and how to use them and how to get herself off while using them. I’m not sure why the fact that a real human penis has never entered her vagina would keep her from being able to do her job and do it well…?
Secondly, while I applaud a trad pubbed contemporary published in 2026 for having multiple sex scenes AND a pegging scene (yes indeed!), the scenes read as very cold and almost clinical. Part of that is Scout harping on the fact that her deal with Hudson is temporary and will be over as soon as his job with the company ends. The pegging scene is actually the best of the sex scenes bc it feels like the only one (aside from the epilogue) with some emotional attachment between the 2 people.
I will say I think Scout’s backstory is super intriguing and kudos to this author for going someplace truly original as far as the baggage Scout carries. But I did spend a good bit of the book incredibly frustrated by Scout’s inability to stand up for herself bc as Hudson puts it, she hates herself and doesn’t think she deserves love. But WHY does she hate herself? That is really never explained to me all that clearly.
Hudson is ok but not very fleshed out and spends the bulk of the book just wanting to make Scout happy, even at his own expense. And when his own past is revealed (much too late in the book, by a minor third party), it’s not delved into deeply enough to really connect the dots on why Hudson is the way he is.
Ultimately, Scout’s inexplicable self-hatred and Hudson’s incessant people pleasing nature doesn’t make for a healthy combination and even if the two acknowledge their issues at the end of the book (which, Hudson really doesn’t), it doesn’t make me buy into the success of their HEA even with a 2 year time jump in the epilogue. It feels like there are way too many unanswered questions to make me fully believe in their relationship being a success.
This book didn’t work for me but I think there are people who will enjoy it.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
Content notes: toxic parental relationship with emotional and verbal abuse, toxic work environment in the past with toxic boss turned former romantic interest, unfair firing, inappropriate workplace behavior
February 19, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶️
3.5/5 🌶️
December 29, 2025
Off the bat, I wasn’t connecting with the writing style, but I wanted to stick it out because I thought the premise was unique and I was intrigued.
But overall, I just didn’t enjoy the writing or the FMC. I found it odd that what seemed like it was attempting to be a sex positive story had a virgin FMC who was mortified of being a virgin. Sex positivity to me feels like being open to the spectrum of sexuality and experiences, including not having sex.
“I couldn’t be a crier and a virgin in front of my colleagues. One of those was bad enough. Both of them? Beyond humiliating.”
Like?? Is it, really?
She tried to make it seem like their new product would flop because she was a virgin…like…what?! Even after her ex said something 1. there is no way the general public would care that some random engineer who worked at the sex toy company had never had sex and 2. Losing your virginity would never be necessary or something you’d be talking to your boss about. Honestly this was just so insane. It felt like a runaway train of a plot.
“So you haven’t heard that we had sex this weekend at the conference?” “No, is that what the rumor mill is saying?” “Yes, and it’s not true.”
This conversation happens mere moments after the MMC asks the FMC if she has his sweatshirt that she borrowed, a conversation that happens in front of teammates. The FMC then panics because OBVIOUSLY her having his sweatshirt means everyone will think they slept together, right? No. I don’t know why anyone would think that, like are we 12? Rumor mill? Three colleagues heard you borrowed his sweatshirt…Call the priest because we have a whore who needs confession!!
There was something very forced about the dialogue and the FMCs thoughts.
Hudson was an endearing character, but I felt zero chemistry between these characters.
But overall, I just didn’t enjoy the writing or the FMC. I found it odd that what seemed like it was attempting to be a sex positive story had a virgin FMC who was mortified of being a virgin. Sex positivity to me feels like being open to the spectrum of sexuality and experiences, including not having sex.
“I couldn’t be a crier and a virgin in front of my colleagues. One of those was bad enough. Both of them? Beyond humiliating.”
Like?? Is it, really?
She tried to make it seem like their new product would flop because she was a virgin…like…what?! Even after her ex said something 1. there is no way the general public would care that some random engineer who worked at the sex toy company had never had sex and 2. Losing your virginity would never be necessary or something you’d be talking to your boss about. Honestly this was just so insane. It felt like a runaway train of a plot.
“So you haven’t heard that we had sex this weekend at the conference?” “No, is that what the rumor mill is saying?” “Yes, and it’s not true.”
This conversation happens mere moments after the MMC asks the FMC if she has his sweatshirt that she borrowed, a conversation that happens in front of teammates. The FMC then panics because OBVIOUSLY her having his sweatshirt means everyone will think they slept together, right? No. I don’t know why anyone would think that, like are we 12? Rumor mill? Three colleagues heard you borrowed his sweatshirt…Call the priest because we have a whore who needs confession!!
There was something very forced about the dialogue and the FMCs thoughts.
Hudson was an endearing character, but I felt zero chemistry between these characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2026
I struggled with how to rate this one. I REALLY liked it, there was much on the pro side - almost 5-star worthy! But unfortunately, there was just enough on the con side to knock off a star for me.
PLOT
Super, perfectly simple! Scout Porter is a genius level engineer who, after a disastrous relationship attempt and rocket ship attempt, has settled into a really nice job at a sex toy company, designing groundbreaking products to help people be their authentic selves and embrace their pleasure identity. While she loves her job, she's haunted by what she sees as her failure to people and engineer. Obviously (in her eyes), she can't carry out normal human connections, so she might as well throw herself fully into being the best sex toy engineer who ever lived.
The problem is that her lack of personal connection is the reason why, at 26, she's still a virgin... A virgin sex toy engineer. The shame!
Enter Hudson Bailey, the most golden retriever, green flag, cinnamon roll of an MMC I have EVER read, a software designer who's never used a sex toy. Scout has to design it, Hudson has to program it. Put the two together and boom goes the rocket ship.
Sorry, I'll stop (the book already has the best tagline: if she builds it, they will come. Freaking perfection!). So Scout and Hudson very easily and quickly decide to join forces. He'll give her all the sex she can handle, while she'll share her encyclopedic sex toy knowledge. Surprise surprise, they both rock each other's world!
CONFLICT
The issue is that Scout is 100% sure she cannot hold a functional relationship AND be an engineering prodigy. So she deliberately tries to keep Hudson at arms' length so she can focus on the launch of their revolutionary new product. As they get closer and closer, Scout gets dumber and dumber at accepting that there is more between them than just vibrators and dildos and programmable apps. Her hyper-logical brain constantly sets up hypothesis-based experiments for herself in order to understand social interactions, but constantly comes to the wrong conclusions when it comes to Hudson, her boss, her friends, her parents, her job prospects, etc... So the big climax (pun definitely NOT intended) sees the two part ways when she is convinced her dalliance with Hudson is going to ruin her career and her life, and that he doesn't love her anyway, so whatever. Such a boner killer (see, that's why the pun was not intended!)!
WHAT I LOVED
Freaking Hudson!! I mean... What a fucking catch! I want one!! Clara, perfect boss, I want one. This book about sex toys had a lot of sex and toys! Loved that!! Seriously, can't say enough about it. I could have used even more, even more detail, but it was really really close to perfection. I loved the idea that even though Scout was inexperienced with partners, she was fully comfortable with taking control of her own pleasure and she was very good at sharing her knowledge and experience with Hudson. The communication between the MCs was *chefs kiss* perfection. They bantered extremely well, they cared a lot about checking in and enthusiastic consent, they dirty talked goooood.
The conflict... not her freaking out and calling Hudson a coward because he wouldn't say he loved her BECAUSE SHE TOLD HIM NOT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER, but everything leading up to it, her product launch hitting a totally normal and ultimately fixable snag, her realizing her negative self-talk was the problem all along, her being confronted with her past - the boss's son who used and discarded her, THIS I liked a lot. The conflict being external always feels more real than the super dramatic internal conflicts that FMCs usually have where they must fall across their fainting couches lamenting their doomed love. Hate those. The product launch hits a snag, Scout being all 'ugh! I knew this would happen because I took my eye off the ball! I just need to be alone!' is totally on brand for her.
WHAT I HATED
Scout did not develop until the very end. She was the stupidest smart person ever put to page. I absolutely hate when smart people who have shown they can put together data and come to logical conclusions stop doing that when it matters. Because she had one bad experience with a man, she must not be able to have good experiences with men. Because she had one failed project, she will inevitably fail at all other projects. Because her parents say negative things, they must be right. Because she is awkward, she must not be able to make real friends. And right when it mattered most, she had a burst of clarity and stood up to all her bullies and saved her project and got her man back. Sorry, but I'm not rooting for her.
Also, EVERYTHING bad was just one-dimensionally bad. The conflict was so manufactured as to be completely unbelievable. Scout's parents were just unreal. Think of the worst negative self-talk you've ever self-talked... Acknowledge that almost no one would ever actually say the horrible negative things we say to ourselves to us... Now picture your parents saying all those horrible, damaging, absolutely despicable things to you... That was Scout's parents. Be so for real.
Similarly, picture a young early 20's female prodigy working for a rocket company as her first real job and real world experience, being manipulated by the boss's son, and being blacklisted when a project failed. Picture a room full of grown men reading her text messages (probably akin to Twilight fanfiction) aloud and then accusing HER of manipulating her supervisor... Picture her parents siding with the company... Picture the industry believing men (SADLY I KNOW THAT PART IS NOT HARD TO PICTURE, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF MY ARGUMENT... COME ON!!! WHO WOULD YOU BELIEVE?!?! WHOOOO DO WE REALLY THINK MANIPULATED WHOOOOOM?!?!?!?!)
The side characters weren't developed enough and I don't think they ever really addressed the "how do we market sex toys to men too?" question. Yes, men use sex toys, and the company Scout worked for had toys for me, but the issue was 'how do we market this new product that is designed to be worn by people with vagainas for men also?' and there was a scene that they could have used to explain to the public that penis-bearing people could and should get it to use with their vagina-bearing partners, but they didn't actually sell it that way... Missed opportunity. I actually WANTED more sex toy business talk!
Finally, the whole FMC realization of "I can do this on my own but it's so much sweeter having him with me" I just hate. I don't know why, I'm trying to put it into perspective, like in my own life. I am very good at negative self-talk. Having a partner who loves me did not cure that. Being with him or not with him does not make it better or worse for me. It's part of my DNA. I hate that every MF rom-com has to have a third act conflict that WILL NOT resolve until the FMC has some revelation where she stands up for herself or gets that dream job and then finally loves herself and that loving of herself includes realizing that the one person she wants to share it with is the MMC. I wanna' share everything with my husband. He sees all my rough and smooth edges. Again, he does not magically heal me, he just makes it so I have support when I'm in a bad place and a fun partner when I'm in a good place.
We actually did have a third act conflict but we never separated. We stuck by each other, and I like that better. And moreover, I never once was like 'oh, I'm a mess and I'm going to let him go because he deserves better' or 'I deserve better.' NOPE!! He was it for me and I was never letting him go. He's fully stuck with me whether he likes it or not.
Anyway, I could go on and it would be annoying but I guess what I'm trying to get at is I really want to see SOMEONE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!!!! I'm sorry to Alys Murray that you're the one enduring my wrath over this, but again, it's only worth a star off for me, I just want to explain myself, is all. I want to unearth the dead horse and beat it with a dildo, is all... Sorry.
TL;DR
And sorry this was so long. It was such an easy fun read. I laughed out loud A LOT. I will more than likely read it again. When it was sexy, it was sexy, and I really like these two MCs together. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Alys Murray going forward!
PLOT
Super, perfectly simple! Scout Porter is a genius level engineer who, after a disastrous relationship attempt and rocket ship attempt, has settled into a really nice job at a sex toy company, designing groundbreaking products to help people be their authentic selves and embrace their pleasure identity. While she loves her job, she's haunted by what she sees as her failure to people and engineer. Obviously (in her eyes), she can't carry out normal human connections, so she might as well throw herself fully into being the best sex toy engineer who ever lived.
The problem is that her lack of personal connection is the reason why, at 26, she's still a virgin... A virgin sex toy engineer. The shame!
Enter Hudson Bailey, the most golden retriever, green flag, cinnamon roll of an MMC I have EVER read, a software designer who's never used a sex toy. Scout has to design it, Hudson has to program it. Put the two together and boom goes the rocket ship.
Sorry, I'll stop (the book already has the best tagline: if she builds it, they will come. Freaking perfection!). So Scout and Hudson very easily and quickly decide to join forces. He'll give her all the sex she can handle, while she'll share her encyclopedic sex toy knowledge. Surprise surprise, they both rock each other's world!
CONFLICT
The issue is that Scout is 100% sure she cannot hold a functional relationship AND be an engineering prodigy. So she deliberately tries to keep Hudson at arms' length so she can focus on the launch of their revolutionary new product. As they get closer and closer, Scout gets dumber and dumber at accepting that there is more between them than just vibrators and dildos and programmable apps. Her hyper-logical brain constantly sets up hypothesis-based experiments for herself in order to understand social interactions, but constantly comes to the wrong conclusions when it comes to Hudson, her boss, her friends, her parents, her job prospects, etc... So the big climax (pun definitely NOT intended) sees the two part ways when she is convinced her dalliance with Hudson is going to ruin her career and her life, and that he doesn't love her anyway, so whatever. Such a boner killer (see, that's why the pun was not intended!)!
WHAT I LOVED
Freaking Hudson!! I mean... What a fucking catch! I want one!! Clara, perfect boss, I want one. This book about sex toys had a lot of sex and toys! Loved that!! Seriously, can't say enough about it. I could have used even more, even more detail, but it was really really close to perfection. I loved the idea that even though Scout was inexperienced with partners, she was fully comfortable with taking control of her own pleasure and she was very good at sharing her knowledge and experience with Hudson. The communication between the MCs was *chefs kiss* perfection. They bantered extremely well, they cared a lot about checking in and enthusiastic consent, they dirty talked goooood.
The conflict... not her freaking out and calling Hudson a coward because he wouldn't say he loved her BECAUSE SHE TOLD HIM NOT TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER, but everything leading up to it, her product launch hitting a totally normal and ultimately fixable snag, her realizing her negative self-talk was the problem all along, her being confronted with her past - the boss's son who used and discarded her, THIS I liked a lot. The conflict being external always feels more real than the super dramatic internal conflicts that FMCs usually have where they must fall across their fainting couches lamenting their doomed love. Hate those. The product launch hits a snag, Scout being all 'ugh! I knew this would happen because I took my eye off the ball! I just need to be alone!' is totally on brand for her.
WHAT I HATED
Scout did not develop until the very end. She was the stupidest smart person ever put to page. I absolutely hate when smart people who have shown they can put together data and come to logical conclusions stop doing that when it matters. Because she had one bad experience with a man, she must not be able to have good experiences with men. Because she had one failed project, she will inevitably fail at all other projects. Because her parents say negative things, they must be right. Because she is awkward, she must not be able to make real friends. And right when it mattered most, she had a burst of clarity and stood up to all her bullies and saved her project and got her man back. Sorry, but I'm not rooting for her.
Also, EVERYTHING bad was just one-dimensionally bad. The conflict was so manufactured as to be completely unbelievable. Scout's parents were just unreal. Think of the worst negative self-talk you've ever self-talked... Acknowledge that almost no one would ever actually say the horrible negative things we say to ourselves to us... Now picture your parents saying all those horrible, damaging, absolutely despicable things to you... That was Scout's parents. Be so for real.
Similarly, picture a young early 20's female prodigy working for a rocket company as her first real job and real world experience, being manipulated by the boss's son, and being blacklisted when a project failed. Picture a room full of grown men reading her text messages (probably akin to Twilight fanfiction) aloud and then accusing HER of manipulating her supervisor... Picture her parents siding with the company... Picture the industry believing men (SADLY I KNOW THAT PART IS NOT HARD TO PICTURE, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF MY ARGUMENT... COME ON!!! WHO WOULD YOU BELIEVE?!?! WHOOOO DO WE REALLY THINK MANIPULATED WHOOOOOM?!?!?!?!)
The side characters weren't developed enough and I don't think they ever really addressed the "how do we market sex toys to men too?" question. Yes, men use sex toys, and the company Scout worked for had toys for me, but the issue was 'how do we market this new product that is designed to be worn by people with vagainas for men also?' and there was a scene that they could have used to explain to the public that penis-bearing people could and should get it to use with their vagina-bearing partners, but they didn't actually sell it that way... Missed opportunity. I actually WANTED more sex toy business talk!
Finally, the whole FMC realization of "I can do this on my own but it's so much sweeter having him with me" I just hate. I don't know why, I'm trying to put it into perspective, like in my own life. I am very good at negative self-talk. Having a partner who loves me did not cure that. Being with him or not with him does not make it better or worse for me. It's part of my DNA. I hate that every MF rom-com has to have a third act conflict that WILL NOT resolve until the FMC has some revelation where she stands up for herself or gets that dream job and then finally loves herself and that loving of herself includes realizing that the one person she wants to share it with is the MMC. I wanna' share everything with my husband. He sees all my rough and smooth edges. Again, he does not magically heal me, he just makes it so I have support when I'm in a bad place and a fun partner when I'm in a good place.
We actually did have a third act conflict but we never separated. We stuck by each other, and I like that better. And moreover, I never once was like 'oh, I'm a mess and I'm going to let him go because he deserves better' or 'I deserve better.' NOPE!! He was it for me and I was never letting him go. He's fully stuck with me whether he likes it or not.
Anyway, I could go on and it would be annoying but I guess what I'm trying to get at is I really want to see SOMEONE DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!!!! I'm sorry to Alys Murray that you're the one enduring my wrath over this, but again, it's only worth a star off for me, I just want to explain myself, is all. I want to unearth the dead horse and beat it with a dildo, is all... Sorry.
TL;DR
And sorry this was so long. It was such an easy fun read. I laughed out loud A LOT. I will more than likely read it again. When it was sexy, it was sexy, and I really like these two MCs together. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Alys Murray going forward!
Want to read
March 23, 2026I’ve been interested in this book ever since it was announced to be published.
Now that’s it’s been officially out for a while I can’t wait to read it!
Now that’s it’s been officially out for a while I can’t wait to read it!
March 17, 2026
4 ☆
I went into this book pretty blind—really only having skimmed through a couple reviews on Instagram—and honestly I’m so glad I did because this story contains so much more that what’s on the back cover. From the title, cover, and general information I garnered before diving in, I knew it was going to be smutty. What I wasn’t anticipating though was just how much depth and complexity our two main characters Hudson and Scout brought to the table. Both of them were so damn relatable and watching them grow, trust, and discover new facets of themselves was honestly a really beautiful storyline. One of the major reasons I loved this book though was consistent concept of sex positivity. Having grown up in an environment that not only heavily curated but also ingrained it into your very being that anything tied to sex and/or sexuality is viewed negatively or “sinful,” this book was almost a way for me to take a breath of fresh air and fully commit to rejecting that ideology (love some good ole religious trauma🤩). It was healing. It was moving. It was funny. It was spicy. And all of those mixed together formed one lovely journey of a story.
I went into this book pretty blind—really only having skimmed through a couple reviews on Instagram—and honestly I’m so glad I did because this story contains so much more that what’s on the back cover. From the title, cover, and general information I garnered before diving in, I knew it was going to be smutty. What I wasn’t anticipating though was just how much depth and complexity our two main characters Hudson and Scout brought to the table. Both of them were so damn relatable and watching them grow, trust, and discover new facets of themselves was honestly a really beautiful storyline. One of the major reasons I loved this book though was consistent concept of sex positivity. Having grown up in an environment that not only heavily curated but also ingrained it into your very being that anything tied to sex and/or sexuality is viewed negatively or “sinful,” this book was almost a way for me to take a breath of fresh air and fully commit to rejecting that ideology (love some good ole religious trauma🤩). It was healing. It was moving. It was funny. It was spicy. And all of those mixed together formed one lovely journey of a story.
Did not finish
February 18, 2026 DNF @ 50%
Never mind, life’s too short.
Never mind, life’s too short.
Did not finish
February 28, 2026thank you to Berkley for access to the ARC
Soft DNF for now, this just isn't holding my interest and that airport scene was a major turn off
Soft DNF for now, this just isn't holding my interest and that airport scene was a major turn off
February 20, 2026
what i liked:
the chapter titles and the pegging scene. and the idea of what this could've been.
what i didn't like:
everything else?
scout is apparently a savant who went to college at 13 and now has dual phds. she regularly uses scientific language to describe things like what her brain is doing, but at the same time thinks that her hymen will be affected losing her virginity. GIRL YOU WERE USING A TOY CALLED "THE SPREADER" IN CHAPTER 1. YOUR HYMEN IS NOT INTACT.
and yes i know, some geniuses are really stupid about other things, but it just didn't make sense. her not being good at socializing or not knowing how to cook? yeah that tracks. but being a mechanical engineering genius who is perplexed by what a software engineer does? sorry, what? mechanical engineers are not computer illiterate. especially not ones with dual phds from this century.
she also has this history of hating herself and having major insecurities, which is actually nice to see sometimes, but her turn around on these issues is so quick. someone just has to have one short convo and she's like "oh okay, i'm different now". for example, it takes hudson pointing out her parents abusive behaviour and suddenly she's standing up to them? clara points out how she hates herself and she shouldn't, and suddenly she doesn't anymore? there was no real growth. you see her internal struggles, but it's the same repetitive thoughts, and then someone points out something and it's problem solved?
now onto hudson, who we barely get to know. he's been with the company for multiple weeks, but still doesn't know anything about the products? oh, and he's developing the whole app in the remaining 6 weeks. and it's obviously totally 100% working with no bugs or errors when they're still in the prototype phase? i would be less annoyed if these details had been more vague and open to interpretation, or if these things didn't tie directly into the plot. okay, so that's less about him and more about the illogical business behaviour.
the romance fell pretty flat for me. yeah, they have a lot of sex and he's good at it. but he also just pushes her away and no one, including scout, really gets to know him. when she gets to ask him all the questions about his past, we get his responses info dumped in one long paragraph before he bangs her with a golf club.
he's basically just a complement-giving human dildo until the last 10%.
one last thing before i stop ranting. is it just me or are things like "26 years without ever having a real d*ck in me" and "26 year long no-sex streak" weird to say WHEN THE CHARACTER IS 26? why are you counting your childhood in that?
okay, i'm done. i'm moving on.
thanks to berkley and netgalley for the arc.
the chapter titles and the pegging scene. and the idea of what this could've been.
what i didn't like:
everything else?
scout is apparently a savant who went to college at 13 and now has dual phds. she regularly uses scientific language to describe things like what her brain is doing, but at the same time thinks that her hymen will be affected losing her virginity. GIRL YOU WERE USING A TOY CALLED "THE SPREADER" IN CHAPTER 1. YOUR HYMEN IS NOT INTACT.
and yes i know, some geniuses are really stupid about other things, but it just didn't make sense. her not being good at socializing or not knowing how to cook? yeah that tracks. but being a mechanical engineering genius who is perplexed by what a software engineer does? sorry, what? mechanical engineers are not computer illiterate. especially not ones with dual phds from this century.
she also has this history of hating herself and having major insecurities, which is actually nice to see sometimes, but her turn around on these issues is so quick. someone just has to have one short convo and she's like "oh okay, i'm different now". for example, it takes hudson pointing out her parents abusive behaviour and suddenly she's standing up to them? clara points out how she hates herself and she shouldn't, and suddenly she doesn't anymore? there was no real growth. you see her internal struggles, but it's the same repetitive thoughts, and then someone points out something and it's problem solved?
now onto hudson, who we barely get to know. he's been with the company for multiple weeks, but still doesn't know anything about the products? oh, and he's developing the whole app in the remaining 6 weeks. and it's obviously totally 100% working with no bugs or errors when they're still in the prototype phase? i would be less annoyed if these details had been more vague and open to interpretation, or if these things didn't tie directly into the plot. okay, so that's less about him and more about the illogical business behaviour.
the romance fell pretty flat for me. yeah, they have a lot of sex and he's good at it. but he also just pushes her away and no one, including scout, really gets to know him. when she gets to ask him all the questions about his past, we get his responses info dumped in one long paragraph before he bangs her with a golf club.
he's basically just a complement-giving human dildo until the last 10%.
one last thing before i stop ranting. is it just me or are things like "26 years without ever having a real d*ck in me" and "26 year long no-sex streak" weird to say WHEN THE CHARACTER IS 26? why are you counting your childhood in that?
okay, i'm done. i'm moving on.
thanks to berkley and netgalley for the arc.
February 8, 2026
4.5/5.
Heat Index: 8/10
—ice queen business bitch meets golden retriever people pleaser
—a golden retriever this reviewer… actually… LOVES???
—sex isn’t emotional vulnerability (the second thing is a lot trickier)
—romcom classical tropes turned modern
The Basics:
Scout is a former STEM prodigy turned sex toy designing genius for BuzzCorp. She’s also a virgin, something her coworkers discover in the most humiliating way possible. All about finding solutions to problems, Scout discovers another one upon realizing that Hudson, the tech guy at BuzzCorp on a temporary contract to help perfect their upcoming wonder toy, knows very little about the merchandise… but a good bit about fucking. The deal? Hudson rids Scout of her virginity, and she’ll teach him about sex toys. Which will all be very EMOTIONLESS. And NOT WEIRD AT ALL.
The Review:
There have been a lot of valid complaints (many of them coming from me) in recent history about traditionally published romance, especially in the contemporary space, lacking heat. If it’s called a “romcom”? It probably won’t be that funny, and it probably won’t be that sexy.
Welp. Neither of those issues apply to A Little Buzzed—it’s funny, it packs quite a romantic punch, and it’s SUPER hot. Kinda filthy, actually. It even features That One Thing Many Of Us Would Love To See More Of In Romance. I even thought, when the book started alluding to That One Thing, it wouldn’t actually go through it the thing. Or it would subjugate The Thing to a bonus scene.
Uh! It Does The Thing! Which is really the general vibe of the whole book. Where many novels would hold back, this one goes full steam ahead on the emotion, the hijinks, and especially the sex. It’s a full steam ahead, sex positive novel about a woman who’s less “all about work” and more about her work because she’s still trying to prove to herself that she’s worth something. There’s a line in this book that I can’t spoil, but when it happened—oof, it hit me hard. I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to Scout. I sure did.
Not that she’s a stand-in for reader. Scout is refreshingly herself, and very much a heroine who rings true in today’s world. She’s a virgin, but not because she’s afraid of sex; that’s not really a thing at all. She sure does love her sex toys (and comes, pun intended, out the gate using them within the first few pages)… which makes a setup that doesn’t feel as relevant in many contemporary romances today make total sense. Like, of course she wants a sex deal to help her cast off her virginity. It’s basically a professional issue.
For all that Scout is prickly—though less awkward than she is aloof—Hudson is warm. I struggle with golden retriever heroes, and he definitely is one… technically. But Alys Murray gets at the issues that authors often skate over when constructing these heroes who serve as soft places to land for heroines who are often much messier and more complex. Hudson actually isn’t perfect! All that sweet, eager energy? He’s a people pleaser—to the point that he hurts himself, and to the point that Scout genuinely can’t tell if he actually wants her, or if he just doesn’t want to hurt her.
Although this is a single POV book, I still felt like I got to know Hudson, and that these two were growing together. He isn’t Manic Pixie Dream Boy-ing his way into Scout’s life. He’s a person in his own light, and one that Scout doesn’t initially want to get to know… but when she does, the payoff is great.
There are a lot of nods to classic romcom movies in this book, and they’re deeply satisfying, because this book actually feels like a modern update. it works because it goes for the big feelings. So many romances today seem to approach sex and feelings as “you can have a lot of sex, or you can have big feelings”. They seem to separate the sex from the romance. This one doesn’t. Scout’s realization of her feelings is such a win because of the buildup, and it truly made me feel warm. And at the same time, we have a celebration of sexual liberation and sex toys that’s desperately needed in this cultural moment.
Contemporary romance—more of this, please!
The Sex:
So it’s a hot book. There are a lot of sex scenes, solo and otherwise… and a couple on the creative side.
I mean, yeah. This book has pegging. And it’s REALLY good. Thank the gods.
But it also has a scene I won’t get into too much—just to say, wow! It never occurred to me to use that thing for that purpose!
There’s a lot of delving into the sex industry here, both in terms of the fact that Hudson and Scout are literally working on a revolutionary toy throughout the course of the novel, and through conventions, strip clubs, the like. There’s a real fondness and normalization going on, and it’s just… really nice. Seeing a book pull off both being sexy and treating sex as a normal part of life was just super refreshing.
Back to that pegging, though… I so appreciated how Hudson getting to express himself and learning how to do so without shame was an important part of the book. Like. Wow! Men being normal about what they want! What a concept!
The Conclusion:
A Little Buzzed is hot, romantic, and genuinely sweet without overdosing on the sugar. So refreshing!
Thanks to Alys Murray for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heat Index: 8/10
—ice queen business bitch meets golden retriever people pleaser
—a golden retriever this reviewer… actually… LOVES???
—sex isn’t emotional vulnerability (the second thing is a lot trickier)
—romcom classical tropes turned modern
The Basics:
Scout is a former STEM prodigy turned sex toy designing genius for BuzzCorp. She’s also a virgin, something her coworkers discover in the most humiliating way possible. All about finding solutions to problems, Scout discovers another one upon realizing that Hudson, the tech guy at BuzzCorp on a temporary contract to help perfect their upcoming wonder toy, knows very little about the merchandise… but a good bit about fucking. The deal? Hudson rids Scout of her virginity, and she’ll teach him about sex toys. Which will all be very EMOTIONLESS. And NOT WEIRD AT ALL.
The Review:
There have been a lot of valid complaints (many of them coming from me) in recent history about traditionally published romance, especially in the contemporary space, lacking heat. If it’s called a “romcom”? It probably won’t be that funny, and it probably won’t be that sexy.
Welp. Neither of those issues apply to A Little Buzzed—it’s funny, it packs quite a romantic punch, and it’s SUPER hot. Kinda filthy, actually. It even features That One Thing Many Of Us Would Love To See More Of In Romance. I even thought, when the book started alluding to That One Thing, it wouldn’t actually go through it the thing. Or it would subjugate The Thing to a bonus scene.
Uh! It Does The Thing! Which is really the general vibe of the whole book. Where many novels would hold back, this one goes full steam ahead on the emotion, the hijinks, and especially the sex. It’s a full steam ahead, sex positive novel about a woman who’s less “all about work” and more about her work because she’s still trying to prove to herself that she’s worth something. There’s a line in this book that I can’t spoil, but when it happened—oof, it hit me hard. I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to Scout. I sure did.
Not that she’s a stand-in for reader. Scout is refreshingly herself, and very much a heroine who rings true in today’s world. She’s a virgin, but not because she’s afraid of sex; that’s not really a thing at all. She sure does love her sex toys (and comes, pun intended, out the gate using them within the first few pages)… which makes a setup that doesn’t feel as relevant in many contemporary romances today make total sense. Like, of course she wants a sex deal to help her cast off her virginity. It’s basically a professional issue.
For all that Scout is prickly—though less awkward than she is aloof—Hudson is warm. I struggle with golden retriever heroes, and he definitely is one… technically. But Alys Murray gets at the issues that authors often skate over when constructing these heroes who serve as soft places to land for heroines who are often much messier and more complex. Hudson actually isn’t perfect! All that sweet, eager energy? He’s a people pleaser—to the point that he hurts himself, and to the point that Scout genuinely can’t tell if he actually wants her, or if he just doesn’t want to hurt her.
Although this is a single POV book, I still felt like I got to know Hudson, and that these two were growing together. He isn’t Manic Pixie Dream Boy-ing his way into Scout’s life. He’s a person in his own light, and one that Scout doesn’t initially want to get to know… but when she does, the payoff is great.
There are a lot of nods to classic romcom movies in this book, and they’re deeply satisfying, because this book actually feels like a modern update. it works because it goes for the big feelings. So many romances today seem to approach sex and feelings as “you can have a lot of sex, or you can have big feelings”. They seem to separate the sex from the romance. This one doesn’t. Scout’s realization of her feelings is such a win because of the buildup, and it truly made me feel warm. And at the same time, we have a celebration of sexual liberation and sex toys that’s desperately needed in this cultural moment.
Contemporary romance—more of this, please!
The Sex:
So it’s a hot book. There are a lot of sex scenes, solo and otherwise… and a couple on the creative side.
I mean, yeah. This book has pegging. And it’s REALLY good. Thank the gods.
But it also has a scene I won’t get into too much—just to say, wow! It never occurred to me to use that thing for that purpose!
There’s a lot of delving into the sex industry here, both in terms of the fact that Hudson and Scout are literally working on a revolutionary toy throughout the course of the novel, and through conventions, strip clubs, the like. There’s a real fondness and normalization going on, and it’s just… really nice. Seeing a book pull off both being sexy and treating sex as a normal part of life was just super refreshing.
Back to that pegging, though… I so appreciated how Hudson getting to express himself and learning how to do so without shame was an important part of the book. Like. Wow! Men being normal about what they want! What a concept!
The Conclusion:
A Little Buzzed is hot, romantic, and genuinely sweet without overdosing on the sugar. So refreshing!
Thanks to Alys Murray for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 11, 2026
This book made me want to scream. Scout is a self-flagellating, unbearable, pretentious doormat of a person. She treats the people who like her badly and then lets people who don’t like her walk all over her. Then, she cries “woe is me” when she doesn’t get what she wants… except she literally refuses to admit what she wants. Get tf outta here.
I am no prude when it comes to sex scenes (check my read shelf if you don’t believe me), but this whole book felt like it was trying too hard to be EDGY and sexy and subversive, and it didn’t work.
I am no prude when it comes to sex scenes (check my read shelf if you don’t believe me), but this whole book felt like it was trying too hard to be EDGY and sexy and subversive, and it didn’t work.
March 1, 2026
should’ve stopped reading at the mini golfing scene
February 22, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
This book is really hard to give a review for lol. I felt the spicy scenes were really well written and descriptive, while some of the more plot scenes felt rushed. I love the STEM representation but didn’t like that her being a virgin was a much bigger deal than necessary
This book is really hard to give a review for lol. I felt the spicy scenes were really well written and descriptive, while some of the more plot scenes felt rushed. I love the STEM representation but didn’t like that her being a virgin was a much bigger deal than necessary
January 31, 2026
Well, that cover coupled with a unique to me synopsis made me pick up this book.
I liked Scout and Hudson. She's super smart, but lacking social niceties. He's sweet, but lacking the ability to stand up for himself. Together they have instant chemistry and an interesting agreement turned into more. There are a few other characters, but this is firmly Scout's story.
Plot wise, it's okay. My main complaint is that it was mostly telling instead of showing. Every scene that wasn't a sex scene read as superficial and a stepping stone to just get the two of them naked again. I will say, there's a lot of sex positivity and character growth and I loved it.
Overall, I was invested in the characters; however I would have liked more in depth conversations between them.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Scout and Hudson. She's super smart, but lacking social niceties. He's sweet, but lacking the ability to stand up for himself. Together they have instant chemistry and an interesting agreement turned into more. There are a few other characters, but this is firmly Scout's story.
Plot wise, it's okay. My main complaint is that it was mostly telling instead of showing. Every scene that wasn't a sex scene read as superficial and a stepping stone to just get the two of them naked again. I will say, there's a lot of sex positivity and character growth and I loved it.
Overall, I was invested in the characters; however I would have liked more in depth conversations between them.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
March 23, 2026
3.75
เสวที่สุดเท่าที่อ่านมาปีนี้ละ
office romance ของพนง.บอสัดผลิตเซ็กส์ทอย
นางเอกเปน head of engineer มีแพสชั่นกับงาน ลองเซ้กส์ทอยมาทุกแบบแต่ technically virgin ไม่มีปสก.จริงกับคน
ส่วนพระเอกเปน part-time app developer ตัวท้อปๆ ของวงการ ทำงานมาให้หลาย industries แต่ยังไม่เคยใช้เซ้กส์ทอย ความรู้วงการนี้เปนศูนย์
เพื่องานนนนนอะนะ (เพราะโปรดักท์ที่ทำอยู่และกำลังจะเปิดตัวคือแบกความหวังบอสัดสุดๆ) ไม่ได้ชอบไรกันหรอกกก จีงงงง ก็เลยตกลงกันว่างั้นมาแลกเปลี่ยนความรู้กันปะ เดะไอสอนเซ้กส์ทอยให้ส่วนยูมาเปิดปสก.ให้ไอหน่อยฟีลงั้น
คือชอบหลายจุด reverse grumpy x sunshine ถึงพล็อตจะมินิม่อน แต่ character development ค่อนข้างจะเริ่ด ผมไม่เนิ้ดเท่านางเอกแต่พอรีเลทอยู่บ้าง อินหลายฉากเลยว่าไป๊
แต่โดยรวมเอนจอยไม่สุดเพราะส่วนหนึ่งเปน single POV ซึ่งด้วยจังหวะ reveletion หรืออะไรก็พอเข้าใจว่าทำไมเลือกเวย์นี้ แต่ผมก็อยากอ่านความคิดฝั่งพระเอกอยู่ดี55555 และเพซซิ่งมันไม่สมูธแฮะ แล้วก็มีหลายประเด็นที่นข.ก็ดูพยามจะปิดให้ครบแหละแต่เราก็ยังรู้สึกไม่สาแก่ใจพออะจ้า
spice 4/5
เสวที่สุดเท่าที่อ่านมาปีนี้ละ
office romance ของพนง.บอสัดผลิตเซ็กส์ทอย
นางเอกเปน head of engineer มีแพสชั่นกับงาน ลองเซ้กส์ทอยมาทุกแบบแต่ technically virgin ไม่มีปสก.จริงกับคน
ส่วนพระเอกเปน part-time app developer ตัวท้อปๆ ของวงการ ทำงานมาให้หลาย industries แต่ยังไม่เคยใช้เซ้กส์ทอย ความรู้วงการนี้เปนศูนย์
เพื่องานนนนนอะนะ (เพราะโปรดักท์ที่ทำอยู่และกำลังจะเปิดตัวคือแบกความหวังบอสัดสุดๆ) ไม่ได้ชอบไรกันหรอกกก จีงงงง ก็เลยตกลงกันว่างั้นมาแลกเปลี่ยนความรู้กันปะ เดะไอสอนเซ้กส์ทอยให้ส่วนยูมาเปิดปสก.ให้ไอหน่อยฟีลงั้น
คือชอบหลายจุด reverse grumpy x sunshine ถึงพล็อตจะมินิม่อน แต่ character development ค่อนข้างจะเริ่ด ผมไม่เนิ้ดเท่านางเอกแต่พอรีเลทอยู่บ้าง อินหลายฉากเลยว่าไป๊
แต่โดยรวมเอนจอยไม่สุดเพราะส่วนหนึ่งเปน single POV ซึ่งด้วยจังหวะ reveletion หรืออะไรก็พอเข้าใจว่าทำไมเลือกเวย์นี้ แต่ผมก็อยากอ่านความคิดฝั่งพระเอกอยู่ดี55555 และเพซซิ่งมันไม่สมูธแฮะ แล้วก็มีหลายประเด็นที่นข.ก็ดูพยามจะปิดให้ครบแหละแต่เราก็ยังรู้สึกไม่สาแก่ใจพออะจ้า
spice 4/5
March 4, 2026
”minds can defy god to send man to space and defy man to give women the best orgasms of their lives... yet you don't have imagination enough to think of yourself as valuable”
sometimes a 2.5 out of 5 star book is still a good book.. i can’t elaborate on that any further! probably the smuttiest coming of age-late bloomer romance novel to be published in the last couple of years. it’s fun and sexy. and its most definitely not a book i would recommend to anyone who didn’t grow up reading fanfiction.
sometimes a 2.5 out of 5 star book is still a good book.. i can’t elaborate on that any further! probably the smuttiest coming of age-late bloomer romance novel to be published in the last couple of years. it’s fun and sexy. and its most definitely not a book i would recommend to anyone who didn’t grow up reading fanfiction.
February 21, 2026
the biggest crimes this book committed:
not being sexy at all despite being entirely about sex
having a fmc who is a confirmed genius (potential prodigy) who runs a whole sex toy company and uses all kinds of toys regularly - be hung up about her virginity solely re: penetrative sex to the point where she genuinely sounded 14 years old in her inner monologue
doing a decent job of establishing hudson as a coworker/crush of scout’s and then forgetting to give him any personality or tangible arc within the story in favor of him simply being “wish-fulfillment-book-boyfriend” with NONE of the showing and all of the “telling” about how great he is
the character of jared - i actually busted out laughing when he randomly got written out in like chapter 3 (i’m sure he’ll return for drama) bc indeed his entire thing made it very difficult to tell why i was supposed to prefer hudson over him when they both were kinda hitting on her, she was just into hudson… ?
that brings me to the fact that i was ready to fully suspend disbelief and pretend this entire scenario wasn’t in fact RIPE for HR complaints but truly the way the book dismissed that (only for jared) made me kinda angry and not aboard with the unprofessional vibe that i think was supposed to be funny at times ?
the dialogue - i’m not always strict about characters “sounding real” but unfortunately everyone’s dialogue in this felt oddly stilted even when they were trying to be sexy :/ ahem hudson
despite dnfing at 35%, i was really looking forward to this book based on the premise so truly i was a little crushed by the execution
not being sexy at all despite being entirely about sex
having a fmc who is a confirmed genius (potential prodigy) who runs a whole sex toy company and uses all kinds of toys regularly - be hung up about her virginity solely re: penetrative sex to the point where she genuinely sounded 14 years old in her inner monologue
doing a decent job of establishing hudson as a coworker/crush of scout’s and then forgetting to give him any personality or tangible arc within the story in favor of him simply being “wish-fulfillment-book-boyfriend” with NONE of the showing and all of the “telling” about how great he is
the character of jared - i actually busted out laughing when he randomly got written out in like chapter 3 (i’m sure he’ll return for drama) bc indeed his entire thing made it very difficult to tell why i was supposed to prefer hudson over him when they both were kinda hitting on her, she was just into hudson… ?
that brings me to the fact that i was ready to fully suspend disbelief and pretend this entire scenario wasn’t in fact RIPE for HR complaints but truly the way the book dismissed that (only for jared) made me kinda angry and not aboard with the unprofessional vibe that i think was supposed to be funny at times ?
the dialogue - i’m not always strict about characters “sounding real” but unfortunately everyone’s dialogue in this felt oddly stilted even when they were trying to be sexy :/ ahem hudson
despite dnfing at 35%, i was really looking forward to this book based on the premise so truly i was a little crushed by the execution
February 21, 2026
I just realized that I don't care about the broody, morally grey guys. Just give me the gentle, sweet, caring guy!!
February 21, 2026
2.5 Stars
The spice was GREAT but the plot and the dialogue was a bit too cringey for my liking
The spice was GREAT but the plot and the dialogue was a bit too cringey for my liking
Did not finish
December 8, 2025DNF at 60%
While this is extremely readable, I can’t do it anymore.
This is smut before plot which is fine, but the plot surrounding Scout and Hudson’s romance wasn’t well developed. Scout is portrayed as the usual Woman in STEM without an attempt to show how that can be a harmful stereotype. Hudson is…he’s a people-pleaser with a great ass who doesn’t open up even with it being brought up multiple times on page and something is fishy there. I don’t like it and I don’t care to find out exactly what he’s hiding.
Also if we’re being honest, for a book that opens with Scout riding a dildo and using a vibrator, the actual copulation was nothing to write home about. Those scenes were the most detailed part of the book, but that doesn’t make them interesting.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eArc!
While this is extremely readable, I can’t do it anymore.
This is smut before plot which is fine, but the plot surrounding Scout and Hudson’s romance wasn’t well developed. Scout is portrayed as the usual Woman in STEM without an attempt to show how that can be a harmful stereotype. Hudson is…he’s a people-pleaser with a great ass who doesn’t open up even with it being brought up multiple times on page and something is fishy there. I don’t like it and I don’t care to find out exactly what he’s hiding.
Also if we’re being honest, for a book that opens with Scout riding a dildo and using a vibrator, the actual copulation was nothing to write home about. Those scenes were the most detailed part of the book, but that doesn’t make them interesting.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eArc!
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