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Victorian Decadence #1
Su cortesana: Una novela romántica histórica y sensual (Decadencia Victoriana nº 1)
¿Cuál es el error más grave que puede cometer una cortesana?
Enamorarse de su cliente…
Edward Fanshawe es todo lo que Nora Hudson desea en la cama... y todo lo que debería evitar fuera de ella. Le da el dolor, la humillación y la dominación que ella ansía de un compañero sexual, pero su búsqueda de la esposa perfecta, con sangre azul, significa que lo último que Nora debería hacer es enamorarse de él.
Excepto que… ya es demasiado tarde. Ya lo ha hecho.
Cuando Edward le propone convertirla en su amante, la idea de estar completamente bajo su dominio es tan aterradora como excitante. Por mucho que desee quedarse con Edward para siempre, teme que vivir con el hombre que ama, el hombre que toma todo lo que su cuerpo puede ofrecer y no quiere saber nada de su corazón, acabe por destruirla.
Pero entonces Nora conoce a la mujer con la que Edward planea casarse, y su situación se vuelve considerablemente más complicada.Y erótica…
SU CORTESANA es una novela de romance erótico histórico, independiente, oscura y cargada de angustia, que incluye escenas consensuadas de S&M, BDSM, relaciones M/F, F/F, tríos, voyerismo, exhibicionismo, escenas de amor explícitas y, ¡SÍ!, un final feliz.
Enamorarse de su cliente…
Edward Fanshawe es todo lo que Nora Hudson desea en la cama... y todo lo que debería evitar fuera de ella. Le da el dolor, la humillación y la dominación que ella ansía de un compañero sexual, pero su búsqueda de la esposa perfecta, con sangre azul, significa que lo último que Nora debería hacer es enamorarse de él.
Excepto que… ya es demasiado tarde. Ya lo ha hecho.
Cuando Edward le propone convertirla en su amante, la idea de estar completamente bajo su dominio es tan aterradora como excitante. Por mucho que desee quedarse con Edward para siempre, teme que vivir con el hombre que ama, el hombre que toma todo lo que su cuerpo puede ofrecer y no quiere saber nada de su corazón, acabe por destruirla.
Pero entonces Nora conoce a la mujer con la que Edward planea casarse, y su situación se vuelve considerablemente más complicada.Y erótica…
SU CORTESANA es una novela de romance erótico histórico, independiente, oscura y cargada de angustia, que incluye escenas consensuadas de S&M, BDSM, relaciones M/F, F/F, tríos, voyerismo, exhibicionismo, escenas de amor explícitas y, ¡SÍ!, un final feliz.
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2020
667 people are currently reading
807 people want to read
About the author
S.M. LaViolette
37 books618 followersWho is S.M. LaViolette?
S.M. (that’s short for Shantal Marie) writes super spicy historical romance and historical erotic romance. S.M. likes to write about heroes and heroines who don't fit the mold--that means heroes who aren't always dukes and heroines who aren't always virgins.
People have described S.M.'s style as dark, angsty, and dryly witty.
S.M. also writes historical romance under the pen name Minerva Spencer, and historical mystery under S.M. Goodwin.
S.M. has been a criminal prosecutor, college history teacher, B&B operator, dock worker, ice cream manufacturer, reader for the blind, motel maid, and bounty hunter.
Okay, so the part about being a bounty hunter is a lie.
S.M. does, however, know how to hypnotize a Dungeness crab, sew her own Regency Era clothing, knit a frog hat, juggle, rebuild a 1959 American Rambler, and gain control of Asia (and hold on to it) in the game of RISK.
S.M. (that’s short for Shantal Marie) writes super spicy historical romance and historical erotic romance. S.M. likes to write about heroes and heroines who don't fit the mold--that means heroes who aren't always dukes and heroines who aren't always virgins.
People have described S.M.'s style as dark, angsty, and dryly witty.
S.M. also writes historical romance under the pen name Minerva Spencer, and historical mystery under S.M. Goodwin.
S.M. has been a criminal prosecutor, college history teacher, B&B operator, dock worker, ice cream manufacturer, reader for the blind, motel maid, and bounty hunter.
Okay, so the part about being a bounty hunter is a lie.
S.M. does, however, know how to hypnotize a Dungeness crab, sew her own Regency Era clothing, knit a frog hat, juggle, rebuild a 1959 American Rambler, and gain control of Asia (and hold on to it) in the game of RISK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
June 19, 2020
Wow. This book was nothing like I expected, and that's a GOOD thing. Let me be clear up front. This book is NOT for everyone--not even your average lover of erotic romance. It might possibly contain every trigger that could exist in a book like this, yet is dealt with in such a way that none of it felt gratuitous. Everything the characters endure is a result of bad decisions, ill-timing, misunderstandings ... you know, the forces working against humans in every day life.
This is the story of Nora and Edward. Nora is a high-priced prostitute who has a favorite client. This client happens to be the wealthy businessman Edward, who also happens to be a dominant who can't get enough of Nora's submission. The problems come in while Edward can't seem to let go of his 'plan's for his grand life (a titled wife to go with all his hard-earned money, an heir, and all the things and possessions that will make him stand head and shoulders with the nobility. For Nora's part, she seems content in occupying a small part of Edward's life because she loves him, and some of him is better than none.
Or, is it?
I cannot really express much more without giving the story away, except to say that everything changes when Edward takes Nora on as his exclusive mistress. A high-stakes, passionate, and at times toxic, relationship forms between the two, and ... let's just say by the end all parties involve are made to face the error of the ways and suffer for wrongdoing.
Make no mistake, these characters aren't always likable. They are often awful to one another and others as well. Yet, some how S.M. Laviolette makes us root for them and like them. I think, in making them almost entirely unlikable (but still sympathetic), they become like mirror images of our true selves. Yes, this is an erotic novel, but there are such deep themes running through it. I could see myself going back to read it time and time again to delve deeper.
The character development is on point and masterfully done. There is real growth here, and not just lip service. By the end of the book the characters become likable people who have grown and changed, and now deserve their happily ever after.
This was my first read by this author, but definitely not my last. Even when it pushed me out of my comfort zone, I was riveted and unable to look away. It was sordid and dirty, and somehow still beautiful and poignant. It takes a rare talent indeed to pull off a work like this, and LaViolette has that in spades.
On to book 2!
This is the story of Nora and Edward. Nora is a high-priced prostitute who has a favorite client. This client happens to be the wealthy businessman Edward, who also happens to be a dominant who can't get enough of Nora's submission. The problems come in while Edward can't seem to let go of his 'plan's for his grand life (a titled wife to go with all his hard-earned money, an heir, and all the things and possessions that will make him stand head and shoulders with the nobility. For Nora's part, she seems content in occupying a small part of Edward's life because she loves him, and some of him is better than none.
Or, is it?
I cannot really express much more without giving the story away, except to say that everything changes when Edward takes Nora on as his exclusive mistress. A high-stakes, passionate, and at times toxic, relationship forms between the two, and ... let's just say by the end all parties involve are made to face the error of the ways and suffer for wrongdoing.
Make no mistake, these characters aren't always likable. They are often awful to one another and others as well. Yet, some how S.M. Laviolette makes us root for them and like them. I think, in making them almost entirely unlikable (but still sympathetic), they become like mirror images of our true selves. Yes, this is an erotic novel, but there are such deep themes running through it. I could see myself going back to read it time and time again to delve deeper.
The character development is on point and masterfully done. There is real growth here, and not just lip service. By the end of the book the characters become likable people who have grown and changed, and now deserve their happily ever after.
This was my first read by this author, but definitely not my last. Even when it pushed me out of my comfort zone, I was riveted and unable to look away. It was sordid and dirty, and somehow still beautiful and poignant. It takes a rare talent indeed to pull off a work like this, and LaViolette has that in spades.
On to book 2!
April 15, 2022
SOME THOUGHTS (10/26/21)
I was excited to read a historical romance that featured dark romance themes. But I kind of left feeling underwhelmed? It felt more like historical fiction than a historical romance, by the end.
The set-up is fresh enough: Nora is Edward's preferred brothel worker, because they both enjoy sex games with each other. In an initial scene, after Edward hasn't seen Nora for a few weeks because he's concerned about how much he wants to see her, he asks to see her and a more buxom and curvaceous worker. Nora is in the room together. Nora feels all kinds of ways because Edward is being serviced by the other worker, while she's just standing there, waiting to jump on, but to her shock, Edward dismisses her from the room.
This initial scene foreshadows the sex game that Edward and Nora like, which revolve around unsuspecting third parties and sexual humiliation on Nora's part. Edward decides to enter into a contract with Nora for her services at his home. With Nora installed in his home as his "relation", Edward ups the ante and marries a blueblood lady... and you can see where this is going, right?
The marriage is awful, by the way. Husband and wife hate each other. Edward only married her due to her bloodlines, and her family needs the money. The wife can't stand her working-class husband who's amassed quite the fortune for himself. But she does end up bonding with Nora, because of course Nora's got some blueblood of her own, and in their bonding time, they end up becoming physically intimate.
When Edward discovers the truth, it forces a crisis in the status quo. Nora is banished, and the marriage is on its last legs...
What made this story fall flat:
1. The sex games are twisted but it also didn't seem to get across how transgressive they actually were.
2. The resolution. When the scales fall from the wife's eyes, it's like everyone has to go atone for their sins. Pourquoi? It's like everyone scattering like roaches when the lights turn on at the end of the party.
Some points go towards Nora realizing she wasn't an innocent party to Edward's devious sex games, knowing that her passivity was just an excuse because she was just as eager to play.
While Edward writes Nora some letters, after an appropriate time has passed, that inevitably degrade into the lurid, when not focused on his biographical story, it's only when the wife informs them that she has made her peace with what happened to her via letter that Edward and Nora reunite.
I was sort of hoping for an in-person scene, or perhaps, more conversation between Edward and Nora about their sex games. Like, they don't need to be ashamed but it's like suffering silently away from each other was all the closure they needed. And I needed a little more.
His Harlot was ok, but I wanted to feel more from the characters than I got.
If you want to read a story where the hero does it dirty with someone else and it gives the heroine pain/jealousy/conflict, I would highly suggest:
Lindsay J. Pryor's series. It's an urban fantasy romance series and you should read all of them. Eden and Jessie's story, Blood Deep play heavily into this, and if you *really* want to torture yourself, read their follow-up in Blood Bound.
Otherwise, sticking to historical romance- there's perhaps 1-2 scenes of this in Never a Gentleman and I also feel there are similar vibes in Surrender to Ruin which I hated, overall, because of the doormat heroine. The psychology in Surrender to Ruin is well done, to be honest, because hero never cheats on her, but he constantly places her sister on a pedestal, and as a reader, it felt icky/painful reading it.
INITIAL THOUGHTS (10/3/21)
RTC. Some messed up shit here but also not that explicit, all things considered, if that makes sense.
I was excited to read a historical romance that featured dark romance themes. But I kind of left feeling underwhelmed? It felt more like historical fiction than a historical romance, by the end.
The set-up is fresh enough: Nora is Edward's preferred brothel worker, because they both enjoy sex games with each other. In an initial scene, after Edward hasn't seen Nora for a few weeks because he's concerned about how much he wants to see her, he asks to see her and a more buxom and curvaceous worker. Nora is in the room together. Nora feels all kinds of ways because Edward is being serviced by the other worker, while she's just standing there, waiting to jump on, but to her shock, Edward dismisses her from the room.
This initial scene foreshadows the sex game that Edward and Nora like, which revolve around unsuspecting third parties and sexual humiliation on Nora's part. Edward decides to enter into a contract with Nora for her services at his home. With Nora installed in his home as his "relation", Edward ups the ante and marries a blueblood lady... and you can see where this is going, right?
The marriage is awful, by the way. Husband and wife hate each other. Edward only married her due to her bloodlines, and her family needs the money. The wife can't stand her working-class husband who's amassed quite the fortune for himself. But she does end up bonding with Nora, because of course Nora's got some blueblood of her own, and in their bonding time, they end up becoming physically intimate.
When Edward discovers the truth, it forces a crisis in the status quo. Nora is banished, and the marriage is on its last legs...
What made this story fall flat:
1. The sex games are twisted but it also didn't seem to get across how transgressive they actually were.
2. The resolution. When the scales fall from the wife's eyes, it's like everyone has to go atone for their sins. Pourquoi? It's like everyone scattering like roaches when the lights turn on at the end of the party.
Some points go towards Nora realizing she wasn't an innocent party to Edward's devious sex games, knowing that her passivity was just an excuse because she was just as eager to play.
While Edward writes Nora some letters, after an appropriate time has passed, that inevitably degrade into the lurid, when not focused on his biographical story, it's only when the wife informs them that she has made her peace with what happened to her via letter that Edward and Nora reunite.
I was sort of hoping for an in-person scene, or perhaps, more conversation between Edward and Nora about their sex games. Like, they don't need to be ashamed but it's like suffering silently away from each other was all the closure they needed. And I needed a little more.
His Harlot was ok, but I wanted to feel more from the characters than I got.
If you want to read a story where the hero does it dirty with someone else and it gives the heroine pain/jealousy/conflict, I would highly suggest:
Lindsay J. Pryor's series. It's an urban fantasy romance series and you should read all of them. Eden and Jessie's story, Blood Deep play heavily into this, and if you *really* want to torture yourself, read their follow-up in Blood Bound.
Otherwise, sticking to historical romance- there's perhaps 1-2 scenes of this in Never a Gentleman and I also feel there are similar vibes in Surrender to Ruin which I hated, overall, because of the doormat heroine. The psychology in Surrender to Ruin is well done, to be honest, because hero never cheats on her, but he constantly places her sister on a pedestal, and as a reader, it felt icky/painful reading it.
INITIAL THOUGHTS (10/3/21)
RTC. Some messed up shit here but also not that explicit, all things considered, if that makes sense.
November 20, 2022
Wonderful start of an erotic Bohemian style series that held my attention to the very end. The best review is written below by Victoria Vale. The H/h are not romantic characters and there is cheating, prostitution and every style of preference so be forewarned by reading the book description. I rate it 4.5* I enjoy this author as she writes under 3 pen names each a very different style.
July 14, 2020
I love a dark read but this was mostly boring. And not a romance. It was so slow and with huge chunks of unnecessary and boring scenes that I didn't know how I finally finished it. It is also not a romance. While I say kudos to the author for not sugar coating the story of Edward, a Dom, who becomes obsessed with a prostitute Nora, a Sub, who loves when he hurts and humiliates her, the problem was neither of the characters were likable.
He is selfish and thoughtless and often cruel. Not for the things he does to Nora in the bedroom but how he treats her outside of it and how he treats another woman, girl really, a completely innocent one. The heroine allows it, so it's not possible to like either the H or h. I also didn't like how the author made another innocent and very young character, a bitch as if to make how Edward and Nora treat her okay. It seemed lazy and cliche and just not okay.
There are some issues with the writing, like missing words and wrong words used. The third person narrative is also very strange when giving the characters thoughts, first person pov would be better at those times because it's the character the reader is with at the time. For example, when Edward is walking home after leaving Smith with Nora it says, "It was all Edward's fault.. . If you had asked Edward about Smith... The only consolation was that Smith was a slip of a man compared to Edward...". Like Edward was referring to himself in the third person, it wasn't good.
More detailed review contains Slight Spoilers!-
Despite being obsessed with Nora and making her his mistress in his home, he goes on and marries a young girl of seventeen. He is forty one and should know better. I understand this is a time when girls were raised to be married off and have children, even to men they didn't love, and as Catherine says, her own mother was forced to marry a man she didn't want. I also know men of the time took mistresses when married for their more baser urges. But that's exactly why I didn't like this book, because it wasn't a romance fiction. It's more like the sad reality of what happened.
Edward keeps Nora his mistress in his home with his new bride, pretending she is his niece. The two become like sister's which is bound to hurt his young unsuspecting wife. Didn't like Nora for allowing that to happen when she is older and knows more about men and the world, and knows how it will humiilate and hurt Cat. Horrible characters.
Edward does not even try to make things easy for Cat on his wedding night or after. He is a very experienced man that knows pleasure could make it much less painful for the girl but he does not give her pleasure. His excuse is that she fights him. But he is still selfish enough to take her, so at least give her pleasure to ease it. Then the scene immediately after where he goes Nora, after taking Cat's virginity is disgusting. Theres no two ways about it. I have very few triggers, I love dub con books etc, but yuck! Gross!
They both selfishly practically destroy Cat and the author makes Cat a horrible selfish spoiled person when she gets rid of the baby, as if making her a lesbian and selfish makes it okay how they treated her. Which I didn't like. This was often just depressing and extremely boring for the majority of it. It's on KU so I feel bad giving 2 stars but I just can't give more with how boring it was. I'm not even sure I'll read any thing else by the author.
He is selfish and thoughtless and often cruel. Not for the things he does to Nora in the bedroom but how he treats her outside of it and how he treats another woman, girl really, a completely innocent one. The heroine allows it, so it's not possible to like either the H or h. I also didn't like how the author made another innocent and very young character, a bitch as if to make how Edward and Nora treat her okay. It seemed lazy and cliche and just not okay.
There are some issues with the writing, like missing words and wrong words used. The third person narrative is also very strange when giving the characters thoughts, first person pov would be better at those times because it's the character the reader is with at the time. For example, when Edward is walking home after leaving Smith with Nora it says, "It was all Edward's fault.. . If you had asked Edward about Smith... The only consolation was that Smith was a slip of a man compared to Edward...". Like Edward was referring to himself in the third person, it wasn't good.
More detailed review contains Slight Spoilers!-
Despite being obsessed with Nora and making her his mistress in his home, he goes on and marries a young girl of seventeen. He is forty one and should know better. I understand this is a time when girls were raised to be married off and have children, even to men they didn't love, and as Catherine says, her own mother was forced to marry a man she didn't want. I also know men of the time took mistresses when married for their more baser urges. But that's exactly why I didn't like this book, because it wasn't a romance fiction. It's more like the sad reality of what happened.
Edward keeps Nora his mistress in his home with his new bride, pretending she is his niece. The two become like sister's which is bound to hurt his young unsuspecting wife. Didn't like Nora for allowing that to happen when she is older and knows more about men and the world, and knows how it will humiilate and hurt Cat. Horrible characters.
Edward does not even try to make things easy for Cat on his wedding night or after. He is a very experienced man that knows pleasure could make it much less painful for the girl but he does not give her pleasure. His excuse is that she fights him. But he is still selfish enough to take her, so at least give her pleasure to ease it. Then the scene immediately after where he goes Nora, after taking Cat's virginity is disgusting. Theres no two ways about it. I have very few triggers, I love dub con books etc, but yuck! Gross!
They both selfishly practically destroy Cat and the author makes Cat a horrible selfish spoiled person when she gets rid of the baby, as if making her a lesbian and selfish makes it okay how they treated her. Which I didn't like. This was often just depressing and extremely boring for the majority of it. It's on KU so I feel bad giving 2 stars but I just can't give more with how boring it was. I'm not even sure I'll read any thing else by the author.
November 29, 2025
1st read: September 2020
This was a fascinating book... The hero was a complete asshole and he couldn't see past his ambition and selfishness, I still liked his oblivious ass. The heroine was really funny and I enjoyed her a lot. I didn't like the infidelity and her kink(one of them, her need to be humiliated) didn't really wok for me.
All in all, as it looks, I couldn't put it down. I really hope we see more of Smith and Charles in the other books, or that they get a story.
2nd read: February 2021
I liked it even more the 2nd time around. I love how SM created such flawed characters, but also made them so relatable.
3rd read October 2023
4th read November 2025
This was a fascinating book... The hero was a complete asshole and he couldn't see past his ambition and selfishness, I still liked his oblivious ass. The heroine was really funny and I enjoyed her a lot. I didn't like the infidelity and her kink(one of them, her need to be humiliated) didn't really wok for me.
All in all, as it looks, I couldn't put it down. I really hope we see more of Smith and Charles in the other books, or that they get a story.
2nd read: February 2021
I liked it even more the 2nd time around. I love how SM created such flawed characters, but also made them so relatable.
3rd read October 2023
4th read November 2025
April 11, 2020
“Nora felt deep, almost hypnotic, serenity-and had done-since the moment she’d signed his contract. There! The voice inside her head had declared. Now it is out of your hands. And what a relief it was. She didn’t care what was in the pages she’d signed; she would do whatever he wanted and enjoy it for as long as she could. Why not? So what if she ended up crushed and broken when he tossed her aside? She was already crushed and broken from months without him. Besides, pain was part of life, and she liked pain, didn’t she?”
Edward Fanshawe and Nora Hudson met at Madame Tosca’s exclusive establishment for gentlemen. Edward was a man whose whoring was legendary and who compensated well for his unusual tastes. Nora would have submitted to him without payment. Long ago she’d quit trying to explain why she felt pain so arousing. With Edward, she didn’t have to conceal the shameful thing she’d always tried to keep hidden. The gnawing hunger to be punished and humiliated. They’d done unspeakable things to each other. With him there was arousal, terror, and all- consuming lust. For Edward, Nora had become an obsession. Her unremarkable, reserved, and expressionless face called to him. He liked to elicit flickers of emotion from her. His burning need for those responses was interfering with his business and his search for a woman to marry. One who would advance his goals. One with connections to society. He had to exorcise Nora from his thoughts so he offered her a contract to be his mistress. At his mercy for a year. Once he possessed her body and soul, he’d send her on her way and get on with his life. Nora knew she’d be free from the brothel, but who would free her from him once she gave herself completely? She’d worked hard to control and conceal her feelings for Edward, never revealing her heart. But once he learned the truth, he could destroy her. No, their association would not end well, but oh, how she relished the journey.
This was not an easy read. It definitely pushed my boundaries. But it was a riveting story with extraordinarily complex characters. Some parts were brutal, some even violent, but there was a beauty in the process of these characters evolving. There was such deep love and need between the two. They were true emotional, real people with major flaws. I felt deep sadness for the characters and the choices they made at times. I shed tears for their anguish, loss, and loneliness. They were both helpless to their own needs. And I was enraptured in their chemistry and emotions. It was not a simple love story by any means. It’s layered, complex, and often left me squirming in my seat. The growth and evolution of these characters is raw but in tune with the phenomenally deep and well executed story line. It’s a darkly sensual, thrillingly emotional, multi layered story. The language and sexuality is raw and edgy. Definitely not your typical historical romance so it won’t be for everyone. The fact that it had so many elements that pulled me out of my comfort zone is part of the reason I enjoyed it so much. Everyone has a different path to freedom and fulfillment. While Edward and Nora’s unconventional romance made me uncomfortable in places, it kept me captivated till the very end of this beautifully written and compelling story.
Edward Fanshawe and Nora Hudson met at Madame Tosca’s exclusive establishment for gentlemen. Edward was a man whose whoring was legendary and who compensated well for his unusual tastes. Nora would have submitted to him without payment. Long ago she’d quit trying to explain why she felt pain so arousing. With Edward, she didn’t have to conceal the shameful thing she’d always tried to keep hidden. The gnawing hunger to be punished and humiliated. They’d done unspeakable things to each other. With him there was arousal, terror, and all- consuming lust. For Edward, Nora had become an obsession. Her unremarkable, reserved, and expressionless face called to him. He liked to elicit flickers of emotion from her. His burning need for those responses was interfering with his business and his search for a woman to marry. One who would advance his goals. One with connections to society. He had to exorcise Nora from his thoughts so he offered her a contract to be his mistress. At his mercy for a year. Once he possessed her body and soul, he’d send her on her way and get on with his life. Nora knew she’d be free from the brothel, but who would free her from him once she gave herself completely? She’d worked hard to control and conceal her feelings for Edward, never revealing her heart. But once he learned the truth, he could destroy her. No, their association would not end well, but oh, how she relished the journey.
This was not an easy read. It definitely pushed my boundaries. But it was a riveting story with extraordinarily complex characters. Some parts were brutal, some even violent, but there was a beauty in the process of these characters evolving. There was such deep love and need between the two. They were true emotional, real people with major flaws. I felt deep sadness for the characters and the choices they made at times. I shed tears for their anguish, loss, and loneliness. They were both helpless to their own needs. And I was enraptured in their chemistry and emotions. It was not a simple love story by any means. It’s layered, complex, and often left me squirming in my seat. The growth and evolution of these characters is raw but in tune with the phenomenally deep and well executed story line. It’s a darkly sensual, thrillingly emotional, multi layered story. The language and sexuality is raw and edgy. Definitely not your typical historical romance so it won’t be for everyone. The fact that it had so many elements that pulled me out of my comfort zone is part of the reason I enjoyed it so much. Everyone has a different path to freedom and fulfillment. While Edward and Nora’s unconventional romance made me uncomfortable in places, it kept me captivated till the very end of this beautifully written and compelling story.
December 23, 2020
This book did not go where I thought it would! I'm so glad an HEA was promised and the grovel was real good.
Loved seeing the heroine learn her worth and still get what she needed.
Beautiful but dark tale.
Loved seeing the heroine learn her worth and still get what she needed.
Beautiful but dark tale.
March 14, 2022
This is definitely more erotica romance rather than historical romance, but I’m not mad about it. 😌
February 27, 2024
I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It shocked me at points (like Edward going to Nora on his wedding night) with some of the actions the MCs would engage in. It’s not that the BDSM was so out there but it’s more the feelings and the mental games they play with each other, how much they long for each other and hurt each other that makes me uncomfortable.
I found the characters to be layered and complex. I found the revenge by the wife to be understandable in the face of what she experienced. I’m not saying I condone it but I understand that someone could act that way.
There was a lot of intimacy of different kinds so it qualifies as erotic IMO. But the acts are overlaid and imbued with such emotion they become weapons to hurt each other while they are simultaneously crying out for love and understanding.
A very interesting book to read, not your normal erotic HR. I’m still left with mixed feelings about it. I’m glad I read it but I don’t know if I can go on that journey with them again.
I found the characters to be layered and complex. I found the revenge by the wife to be understandable in the face of what she experienced. I’m not saying I condone it but I understand that someone could act that way.
There was a lot of intimacy of different kinds so it qualifies as erotic IMO. But the acts are overlaid and imbued with such emotion they become weapons to hurt each other while they are simultaneously crying out for love and understanding.
A very interesting book to read, not your normal erotic HR. I’m still left with mixed feelings about it. I’m glad I read it but I don’t know if I can go on that journey with them again.
avoid
April 15, 2022Self note 🤮🤮
January 17, 2023
The first part is about Nora as a prostitute and what drives Edward to make a deal with her. The second part was crazy; I remember laughing a lot and thinking, "WTF?" "What childhood trauma does Edward suffer from?"👀👀 The third part was about Nora's new life as well as Edward's.
Nora is a woman who doesn't cry because her only option in life is to give or take pleasure; she keeps painting as a hobby instead of spending money on futile things. Edward is a businessman with a knack for saving businesses and making a lot of money out of it. All the characters are quite sexual, not only the MC but also the secondary characters like Smith or Banks.
The warnings are done, and there is everything in this book: cheating, BDSM, voyeurism, MMF, FF, FFM, etc. I confess that during the first part, I thought this series would not be for me, not because of the dark romance thing but because of the slow pace of the story. From the second part on, the book got a better rhythm, and the third part was good with Edward's letters. The ending was satisfying but not too much considering the huge volume of the book.
Nora is a woman who doesn't cry because her only option in life is to give or take pleasure; she keeps painting as a hobby instead of spending money on futile things. Edward is a businessman with a knack for saving businesses and making a lot of money out of it. All the characters are quite sexual, not only the MC but also the secondary characters like Smith or Banks.
The warnings are done, and there is everything in this book: cheating, BDSM, voyeurism, MMF, FF, FFM, etc. I confess that during the first part, I thought this series would not be for me, not because of the dark romance thing but because of the slow pace of the story. From the second part on, the book got a better rhythm, and the third part was good with Edward's letters. The ending was satisfying but not too much considering the huge volume of the book.
May 5, 2020
This is a hot and delicious read.
I usually don't like romances where there is infidelity, but I must say I didn't mind that in this book: it fit the story perfectly.
Nora is a working in a brothel, so even if she is in love with one of her clients, she can hardly stop working. As for Edward: He's stubbornly refusing to see the truth and is in total denial for a long time.
The scenes between Nora and Edward are totally steaming and intense. I was completely hooked from the start and wanted to keep reading to see if these two could not only connect bodily, but if they would finally be able to find happiness together. Next to their delicious encounters there are a couple of really spicy scenes involving others and some really yummy kink scenes as well.
And this is indeed an Erotic Romance: there might be a lot of angsting, tension, and misunderstandings between these two, but there is the well deserved HEA that had me all happy and satisfied. You bet this book is a keeper.
And I'm totally looking forward to the next book in this series.
I usually don't like romances where there is infidelity, but I must say I didn't mind that in this book: it fit the story perfectly.
Nora is a working in a brothel, so even if she is in love with one of her clients, she can hardly stop working. As for Edward: He's stubbornly refusing to see the truth and is in total denial for a long time.
The scenes between Nora and Edward are totally steaming and intense. I was completely hooked from the start and wanted to keep reading to see if these two could not only connect bodily, but if they would finally be able to find happiness together. Next to their delicious encounters there are a couple of really spicy scenes involving others and some really yummy kink scenes as well.
And this is indeed an Erotic Romance: there might be a lot of angsting, tension, and misunderstandings between these two, but there is the well deserved HEA that had me all happy and satisfied. You bet this book is a keeper.
And I'm totally looking forward to the next book in this series.
May 6, 2020
Wow
There are many erotica books. There are some, but not many, erotica books in a period/ regency setting. Of those that I've found non are as good as this. I have found non even to compare it to. Perhaps that's because this is as the author states an EROTIC ROMANCE, it has a story, it doesn't just lead from one erotic scene to the next, it's about people and how sex has twisted their lives. It is so very delicious and so very clever. I think perhaps it will take me time to write a full review, but what I know for definate is I have been looking for a book like this for a while.
There are many erotica books. There are some, but not many, erotica books in a period/ regency setting. Of those that I've found non are as good as this. I have found non even to compare it to. Perhaps that's because this is as the author states an EROTIC ROMANCE, it has a story, it doesn't just lead from one erotic scene to the next, it's about people and how sex has twisted their lives. It is so very delicious and so very clever. I think perhaps it will take me time to write a full review, but what I know for definate is I have been looking for a book like this for a while.
May 5, 2020
BDSM, multiple partners, same sex partners, miscarriage, rape... this is no ordinary love story. I was absolutely mesmerized. Layer on top of layer is eventually peeled away to reveal the true depth of the characters in the story. It's not always easy to accept who they are. Definitely not for light reading. Be prepared to give yourself plenty of time to read from the first page to the last. I was gifted a copy of this book.
May 6, 2020
Addictive, a must read and yes a brilliant erotic Romance!
I really don’t want to say much. Just read. Very well drawn out characters. A perfect blend of erotic romance and intrigue and art. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series. Just fab writing by SM LaViolette/Minerva Spencer.
I really don’t want to say much. Just read. Very well drawn out characters. A perfect blend of erotic romance and intrigue and art. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series. Just fab writing by SM LaViolette/Minerva Spencer.
June 22, 2021
S.M. LaViolette’s foray into erotic romance comes in the form of the Victorian Decadence series, the debut book of which is entitled His Harlot. These books are unlike any erotic romance books I have read (not that my experience is that vast), but I like character driven erotic romance just as much as anyone who loves the sub-genre. Ms. LaViolette certainly pulls no punches when it comes to writing these stories, and irrespective of those things that I did not understand (perhaps due to my conservative nature that is inherent in me), I did enjoy the major arcs as the story unfolded for the most part.
41 year old Edward Fanshawe is a regular customer at the Madame Tosca’s exclusive establishment for gentlemen where Nora works. Though not exclusively, Edward had been visiting Nora for the last eight months, during three months of which he had seen her and no other. During the period their sexual games had intensified with every encounter. Nora is an odd creature, someone whose body is as lithe as a young boy’s and yet feminine in a way that drives Edward just a little crazy.
Edward is horrified at the mere thought of being too dependent and obsessed with Nora, something which he seeks to avoid at all costs. His need to see those rare moments during which Nora lets him see into her emotions, by driving her hard sexually is the one aspect of their sexual escapades that leaves Edward more scared than he lets on. Having grown up at an orphanage, steeped in poverty, Edward has worked hard to get where he is, and he has plans that points him in the direction of finding him a respectable wife and getting himself an heir.
Nora makes him want the impossible, and unlike in “normal” romance novels where the hero would reluctantly offer for the heroine’s hand in marriage, what Edward offers her is to become his mistress. For Nora who has been in love with Edward, it is not an offer that she has to think much about it. Accept it she does, and then she finds out that that Edward plans on achieving his life goals with her by his side.
Nora is someone who likes sexual depravity. Since she had been fourteen years old, Nora had known that she was differently wired. Wanting freedom from the shackles of marriage, she had left life as she had known it and made it on her own – working at the whorehouse had been a means to an end of sorts, where she knew her sinful nature served her well. Meeting Edward and falling in love had been the one thing that had made her question her life choices, but Nora knows that marriage and respectability are two words that would never be applied to her.
His Harlot is a novel that depicts how two people so lost in their depraved games to heighten sexual intimacy, each equally afraid of giving away the fragility of their feelings for one another, hurt other people in their lives to the extent that one might perceive it to be unforgivable. There is a lot of pain that both Nora and Edward undergo before things get better, a lot of growing up that each does as individuals to understand the ramifications of their decisions when it came to each other.
Being an erotic romance, there were plentiful scenes of sex involved of course, but Ms. LaViolette has achieved what few authors perhaps can in such a setting – given emotional wholesomeness alongside with development of secondary characters to a point that makes you want to learn more about them. But funnily enough, me being the book quote lover that I am, did not really find much affinity with the scenes of passion in the story as it unfolded, perhaps because most of it were to do with Nora and Edward finding sexual pleasure at the cost of someone else’s emotions.
Furthermore, I had a hard time understanding Nora’s life choices – I just could not perceive how a woman brought up in a loving household (there were no indications of it being anything but) could just be okay with servicing men for sexual pleasure. I know that we are all wired differently, but that was just something I could not wrap my head around. We all pursue the fulfillment of our baser desires to different extents; our life choices often get messed up along the way as a resultant effect of those desires as well. But I guess regardless of my personal opinion, everything did work out for Nora and Edward in the end. I even rooted for them from a certain point onward, the painful period of separation giving that right touch of penance perhaps for their earlier behavior.
One key takeaway from the series – was everyone sex crazed in the Victorian era? Or is that just me? I certainly did not understand the need to have sex with everything that moves, but that is how most of the characters came off in the story. But enticing they are, and I am definitely going to read more of where this came from.
Recommended for erotic romance lovers; Ms. LaViolette is certainly talented in writing plentiful when it comes to inventive sex scenes and delivering wholesome goodness while at it.
Final Verdict: His Harlot is unlike any erotic romance I have read, taking the reader on a journey of sensual depravity that meets a lot of hurdles on the road to the happily ever after.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
41 year old Edward Fanshawe is a regular customer at the Madame Tosca’s exclusive establishment for gentlemen where Nora works. Though not exclusively, Edward had been visiting Nora for the last eight months, during three months of which he had seen her and no other. During the period their sexual games had intensified with every encounter. Nora is an odd creature, someone whose body is as lithe as a young boy’s and yet feminine in a way that drives Edward just a little crazy.
Edward is horrified at the mere thought of being too dependent and obsessed with Nora, something which he seeks to avoid at all costs. His need to see those rare moments during which Nora lets him see into her emotions, by driving her hard sexually is the one aspect of their sexual escapades that leaves Edward more scared than he lets on. Having grown up at an orphanage, steeped in poverty, Edward has worked hard to get where he is, and he has plans that points him in the direction of finding him a respectable wife and getting himself an heir.
Nora makes him want the impossible, and unlike in “normal” romance novels where the hero would reluctantly offer for the heroine’s hand in marriage, what Edward offers her is to become his mistress. For Nora who has been in love with Edward, it is not an offer that she has to think much about it. Accept it she does, and then she finds out that that Edward plans on achieving his life goals with her by his side.
Nora is someone who likes sexual depravity. Since she had been fourteen years old, Nora had known that she was differently wired. Wanting freedom from the shackles of marriage, she had left life as she had known it and made it on her own – working at the whorehouse had been a means to an end of sorts, where she knew her sinful nature served her well. Meeting Edward and falling in love had been the one thing that had made her question her life choices, but Nora knows that marriage and respectability are two words that would never be applied to her.
His Harlot is a novel that depicts how two people so lost in their depraved games to heighten sexual intimacy, each equally afraid of giving away the fragility of their feelings for one another, hurt other people in their lives to the extent that one might perceive it to be unforgivable. There is a lot of pain that both Nora and Edward undergo before things get better, a lot of growing up that each does as individuals to understand the ramifications of their decisions when it came to each other.
Being an erotic romance, there were plentiful scenes of sex involved of course, but Ms. LaViolette has achieved what few authors perhaps can in such a setting – given emotional wholesomeness alongside with development of secondary characters to a point that makes you want to learn more about them. But funnily enough, me being the book quote lover that I am, did not really find much affinity with the scenes of passion in the story as it unfolded, perhaps because most of it were to do with Nora and Edward finding sexual pleasure at the cost of someone else’s emotions.
Furthermore, I had a hard time understanding Nora’s life choices – I just could not perceive how a woman brought up in a loving household (there were no indications of it being anything but) could just be okay with servicing men for sexual pleasure. I know that we are all wired differently, but that was just something I could not wrap my head around. We all pursue the fulfillment of our baser desires to different extents; our life choices often get messed up along the way as a resultant effect of those desires as well. But I guess regardless of my personal opinion, everything did work out for Nora and Edward in the end. I even rooted for them from a certain point onward, the painful period of separation giving that right touch of penance perhaps for their earlier behavior.
One key takeaway from the series – was everyone sex crazed in the Victorian era? Or is that just me? I certainly did not understand the need to have sex with everything that moves, but that is how most of the characters came off in the story. But enticing they are, and I am definitely going to read more of where this came from.
Recommended for erotic romance lovers; Ms. LaViolette is certainly talented in writing plentiful when it comes to inventive sex scenes and delivering wholesome goodness while at it.
Final Verdict: His Harlot is unlike any erotic romance I have read, taking the reader on a journey of sensual depravity that meets a lot of hurdles on the road to the happily ever after.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
December 30, 2022
Complex, yet spicy BDSM novel for the delightfully twisted reader
Dear Reader,
If you're looking for top-notch erotica to fulfill your inner deviant, look no further than "His Harlot" by SM Laviolette. FYI, if you're looking for vanilla romance, check out LaViolette's Academy of Love Series or Minerva Spencer's Outcasts series. Both great series, just without the BDSM & oodles of anal play.
*The following review is kink positive and most definitely rated Mature. Skip to the bottom if you're looking for trigger warnings.*
Initially, I was a tad concerned that I had wandered into reading 50 Shades of Victorian Smut. submissive prostitute Nora Hudson falls for Dominant titan of industry Edward Fanshawe. He gets off on her humiliation, degradation, and pain; she's the perfect sub who gives and receives more orgasms than seems anatomically possible. His social climbing requires a marriage to an impoverish peeress, and so the games begin when Edward marries the virginal Lady Catherine & brings her to live with him and Nora in their Den of Inequity. (Don't worry. He's sound-proofed their sex dungeon with cork so clearly nothing could go wrong.)
Less than a quarter of the way through the book, it becomes obvious than any comparison to 50 Shades of Nonsense would be doing LaViolette a great disservice. Her characters are incredibly interesting, intelligent, and far more complex than those found in the pages of an EL James novel. She also has a better understanding of D/s relationships and BDSM than most erotica writers who venture into the world of kink.
This novel is very kink positive and LGBTQIA+ friendly. Unlike some novelists, her queer characters aren't just their to be "queerbait". There's a sexual fluidity to most all of the main characters that I really enjoyed. If you love sex, I have a feeling you'll appreciate this book.
That being said, LaViolette doesn't rely solely on highly descriptive sex scenes, more than half of which depict saucy scenes of "tame debauchery" (if you want a well-written novel with some hardcore BDSM, checkout Tiffany Reisz's "The Siren"). When conflict drives the lovers apart, that's when the true complexity of her novel begins. LaViolette explores the thoughts and feelings of an *initially* problematic a D/s relationship in a highly thoughtful and interesting way. I found myself more drawn to the latter half of the novel with next to no sex scenes than the beginning, where out MCs are fucking or thinking about fucking on every single page.
So overall, I highly recommend because it fulfills my spicy requirements, but it's also a thought provoking read.
I do NOT recommend this book for anyone who has issues with the following: descriptions of lots of anal sex, oral sex, vaginal sex; group sex, homosexuality, bisexuality, BDSM, infliction of pain for sexual gratification, rape or sexual violence (these scenes are towards the end & aren't as descriptive the other sex scenes, but if you have a trigger, be warned), double penetration, etc.
I hope you found this review helpful, and if you feel so inclined as to discuss it, please give me a shout.
Until next time...
Dear Reader,
If you're looking for top-notch erotica to fulfill your inner deviant, look no further than "His Harlot" by SM Laviolette. FYI, if you're looking for vanilla romance, check out LaViolette's Academy of Love Series or Minerva Spencer's Outcasts series. Both great series, just without the BDSM & oodles of anal play.
*The following review is kink positive and most definitely rated Mature. Skip to the bottom if you're looking for trigger warnings.*
Initially, I was a tad concerned that I had wandered into reading 50 Shades of Victorian Smut. submissive prostitute Nora Hudson falls for Dominant titan of industry Edward Fanshawe. He gets off on her humiliation, degradation, and pain; she's the perfect sub who gives and receives more orgasms than seems anatomically possible. His social climbing requires a marriage to an impoverish peeress, and so the games begin when Edward marries the virginal Lady Catherine & brings her to live with him and Nora in their Den of Inequity. (Don't worry. He's sound-proofed their sex dungeon with cork so clearly nothing could go wrong.)
Less than a quarter of the way through the book, it becomes obvious than any comparison to 50 Shades of Nonsense would be doing LaViolette a great disservice. Her characters are incredibly interesting, intelligent, and far more complex than those found in the pages of an EL James novel. She also has a better understanding of D/s relationships and BDSM than most erotica writers who venture into the world of kink.
This novel is very kink positive and LGBTQIA+ friendly. Unlike some novelists, her queer characters aren't just their to be "queerbait". There's a sexual fluidity to most all of the main characters that I really enjoyed. If you love sex, I have a feeling you'll appreciate this book.
That being said, LaViolette doesn't rely solely on highly descriptive sex scenes, more than half of which depict saucy scenes of "tame debauchery" (if you want a well-written novel with some hardcore BDSM, checkout Tiffany Reisz's "The Siren"). When conflict drives the lovers apart, that's when the true complexity of her novel begins. LaViolette explores the thoughts and feelings of an *initially* problematic a D/s relationship in a highly thoughtful and interesting way. I found myself more drawn to the latter half of the novel with next to no sex scenes than the beginning, where out MCs are fucking or thinking about fucking on every single page.
So overall, I highly recommend because it fulfills my spicy requirements, but it's also a thought provoking read.
I do NOT recommend this book for anyone who has issues with the following: descriptions of lots of anal sex, oral sex, vaginal sex; group sex, homosexuality, bisexuality, BDSM, infliction of pain for sexual gratification, rape or sexual violence (these scenes are towards the end & aren't as descriptive the other sex scenes, but if you have a trigger, be warned), double penetration, etc.
I hope you found this review helpful, and if you feel so inclined as to discuss it, please give me a shout.
Until next time...
May 6, 2020
If you like erotic romance where nothing is off limits then you have found the right book. This book is hot. Edward and Nora are two troubled people who find love through pain and pleasure. There are times when you may think it is never going to work out for the two of them. Edward is an alpha male who can be a jerk, but Nora will turn the tables on him by the end of the book. Edward grows as a character when he realizes that he does not want to be without Nora, but the character with the most growth is Nora. The woman you meet at the beginning of the book and the Nora at the end of the book feel almost like two completely different women. Unlike most erotic romance that just trails off without an ending this book has an ending that was satisfying. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
August 27, 2020
Amazing story. The self discovery by the protagonists was not what I expected from this book and made me give it 5 stars. I wanted to not like it because of how ''broken'' the characters were, but LaViolette's writing is such that I was compelled to continue to the end. I think I put the book down once while reading it. It's very graphic. so if that's not your schtick, avoid it. Otherwise, run, don't walk, and grab it and the other two in the series.
April 14, 2020
Edward and Nora's story is amazing! There is some really beautiful love between the two buried in pain, suffering, betrayal and even some hatred. This is a tough book to read if you have delicate sensibilities but is wonderful if you enjoy sexy, erotically charged storylines. I will keep this one on my bookshelf to be read again!
May 20, 2025
WOW..what can I say? I love S.M. LaViolette. So Damn good. I love 50 Shades movies. I don't remember the books but I get the same feeling reading Edward and Nora's story. It is definitely a love story. I know some won't think that and concentrate on the kinky sex but so well written...
Can't wait for the 2nd book.
Can't wait for the 2nd book.
April 2, 2024
I LOVED this, it was everything I wanted!
The beginning kind of tricks you into thinking this is going to be just pure raunch but the story had wonderful character ARCs and had so much depth weaved in. I especially really liked how even tho this is Victorian setting, there was wonderful progressive commentary and scenes I appreciated!
Definitely recommend if you want compelling spice, emotional/mental/physical sadism, great character development, Bridgerton/bodice ripper-esque vibes, an FMC who is unashamed of her sexuality and you enjoy delicious scandals😌
The beginning kind of tricks you into thinking this is going to be just pure raunch but the story had wonderful character ARCs and had so much depth weaved in. I especially really liked how even tho this is Victorian setting, there was wonderful progressive commentary and scenes I appreciated!
Definitely recommend if you want compelling spice, emotional/mental/physical sadism, great character development, Bridgerton/bodice ripper-esque vibes, an FMC who is unashamed of her sexuality and you enjoy delicious scandals😌
June 26, 2025
DNF at 30%. Very graphic. This is way, way over my smut line. Worse, it’s boring. If I were Catholic I’d have to go to confession every day for a month to atone for putting these images into my head. I love everything else this author has written, but I can’t read any more of this series. Obviously, this is a personal taste issue for me. You may enjoy it. Also, what is up with this book cover? It does not in any way represent the characters in this book. Nora is tiny, blonde, and very light skinned. Fanshawe is large, brown haired, muscular, with light skin. I really hate it when publishers cater to the Woke crowd for no reason. It’s insulting to readers.
August 6, 2024
3.5 stars.
I liked how this felt like a vintage bodice ripper at first, and I was surprised (but not upset) at some of the directions it went in (protagonists having sex with so many people! he marries another woman who doesn’t die right away! etc.)
But I wanted more romance (not just obsession) before the ending bit where they were finally back together. The mains were apart for a large part of the end of the book and all the letters were kinda awkward/boring to read.
I liked how this felt like a vintage bodice ripper at first, and I was surprised (but not upset) at some of the directions it went in (protagonists having sex with so many people! he marries another woman who doesn’t die right away! etc.)
But I wanted more romance (not just obsession) before the ending bit where they were finally back together. The mains were apart for a large part of the end of the book and all the letters were kinda awkward/boring to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
3 stars because I’m not really a huge fan of infidelity in books... however this was another solid read from this author
November 28, 2025
3.5-ish, rounded up.
This one is undeniably erotica level spice with a surprisingly compelling plot that actually holds everything together. I was hooked, even when the pacing got a little wobbly and the HEA felt more sudden than earned. If you’re in the mood for intense heat with enough story to keep you turning pages, this one delivers.
This one is undeniably erotica level spice with a surprisingly compelling plot that actually holds everything together. I was hooked, even when the pacing got a little wobbly and the HEA felt more sudden than earned. If you’re in the mood for intense heat with enough story to keep you turning pages, this one delivers.
May 10, 2022
First erotic story I’ve read in years. I was drawn to the characters. I loved Nora. Great story and looking forward to reading more of the series.
April 26, 2020
Edward and Nora's love story contains graphic sex scenes but is an exquisitely written page turner with unexpected twists that will keep you reading.
August 22, 2022
Wow!!
Yikes🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I knew from reviews that this was a steamy story, but the depth of character and story, while still bring the steam, was amazing. But, I should not have been surprise as it was written by S.M. La Violette and she has consistently surprised me on how good of a writer and story teller she is.
Yikes🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I knew from reviews that this was a steamy story, but the depth of character and story, while still bring the steam, was amazing. But, I should not have been surprise as it was written by S.M. La Violette and she has consistently surprised me on how good of a writer and story teller she is.
May 9, 2020
I've read anything like His Harlot so far....
I'm not scared of erotica, but I've to admit that is not my regular genre, but when I read the description I was so intrigued, and the result was awesome.
Here is the story of and alpha male, lowborn who make himself a succesful man by pure pride and hard work, so we must imagine his dominant inclination in bedsport. His journey and evolution through is intense and in the end, swoon worthy to me, who would believe Edward to have such capacity to love? But the most interesting thing in the book, is Nora of course. Nora is a prostitute by choice, since she was a young girl she discover her very specific sexual deviations from norm, and she was brave enough to pursue her pleasure, when she met Edward she found her truly match, but that is just the beggining....
There is a lot of obscurity in the book, and is full of triggers, there is BDSM, SM, rape, prostitution, orgies an considerable age gape and even sex scenes with a seventeen year old girl.
I now that sometimes, when we read romance novels we are looking for comfort, this book is anything but comfortable, but in the hands of her masterful author, is a read very much worth reading, is a long and difficult journey for the main characters, but their evolution is beautiful. With all the previous warnings, I recommend this book to be read with an open mind, leave behind moralistic standars and judgamental prejudices. If you are not prepared to read ugly truths, this book is not for you....but if you are intrigued as me, and want to read something different from dukes and wallflowers, go ahead.
I'm not scared of erotica, but I've to admit that is not my regular genre, but when I read the description I was so intrigued, and the result was awesome.
Here is the story of and alpha male, lowborn who make himself a succesful man by pure pride and hard work, so we must imagine his dominant inclination in bedsport. His journey and evolution through is intense and in the end, swoon worthy to me, who would believe Edward to have such capacity to love? But the most interesting thing in the book, is Nora of course. Nora is a prostitute by choice, since she was a young girl she discover her very specific sexual deviations from norm, and she was brave enough to pursue her pleasure, when she met Edward she found her truly match, but that is just the beggining....
There is a lot of obscurity in the book, and is full of triggers, there is BDSM, SM, rape, prostitution, orgies an considerable age gape and even sex scenes with a seventeen year old girl.
I now that sometimes, when we read romance novels we are looking for comfort, this book is anything but comfortable, but in the hands of her masterful author, is a read very much worth reading, is a long and difficult journey for the main characters, but their evolution is beautiful. With all the previous warnings, I recommend this book to be read with an open mind, leave behind moralistic standars and judgamental prejudices. If you are not prepared to read ugly truths, this book is not for you....but if you are intrigued as me, and want to read something different from dukes and wallflowers, go ahead.
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