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Aristocrats of London #1
Law Maker
Clara
Invisibility has been my go-to survival skill since childhood. So I hide behind my thick glasses and heavy fringe, working as a teaching assistant at the exclusive Molton Prep, happy with my seven-year-old pupils and studiously avoiding their posh parents. My one secret indulgence? Watching the gorgeous but wildly intimidating Lord Sterling sweep into school to collect his son.
I’m ridiculous. Not only is Rafe completely terrifying, but he’s a high-profile barrister destined to be the UK’s youngest ever judge. A girl with a background like mine should stay out of his way.
Rafe
How dare the school insist that I can’t meet the Miss Clara, who told my son his brain “works differently”? Nobody refuses a meeting with me. But when I bulldoze my way past the school rules to confront her, I’m shocked by how much this shy woman affects me. She might be too scared to make eye contact, but when it comes to defending my son, she’s surprisingly fierce. And after I convince her to work as my son’s tutor and she gradually stops flinching in my presence, my obsession with her only grows.
As a rule, I get what I want, and after seeing glimpses of her humour, kind heart and surprising strength, I want Clara Morris with an intensity I’ve never felt before. But I should be careful what I wish for, because Clara Morris is not who she says she is.
In my arrogance, I push her away, not realising that her fear runs deeper than simple shyness, not seeing the danger she’s in until it’s too late…
LAW MAKER is an opposites attract, billionaire, single father, contemporary romance, perfect for fans of intense, protective heroes and heroines overcoming trauma to find their happily ever after.
Content warning: this book features scenes of domestic violence.
Invisibility has been my go-to survival skill since childhood. So I hide behind my thick glasses and heavy fringe, working as a teaching assistant at the exclusive Molton Prep, happy with my seven-year-old pupils and studiously avoiding their posh parents. My one secret indulgence? Watching the gorgeous but wildly intimidating Lord Sterling sweep into school to collect his son.
I’m ridiculous. Not only is Rafe completely terrifying, but he’s a high-profile barrister destined to be the UK’s youngest ever judge. A girl with a background like mine should stay out of his way.
Rafe
How dare the school insist that I can’t meet the Miss Clara, who told my son his brain “works differently”? Nobody refuses a meeting with me. But when I bulldoze my way past the school rules to confront her, I’m shocked by how much this shy woman affects me. She might be too scared to make eye contact, but when it comes to defending my son, she’s surprisingly fierce. And after I convince her to work as my son’s tutor and she gradually stops flinching in my presence, my obsession with her only grows.
As a rule, I get what I want, and after seeing glimpses of her humour, kind heart and surprising strength, I want Clara Morris with an intensity I’ve never felt before. But I should be careful what I wish for, because Clara Morris is not who she says she is.
In my arrogance, I push her away, not realising that her fear runs deeper than simple shyness, not seeing the danger she’s in until it’s too late…
LAW MAKER is an opposites attract, billionaire, single father, contemporary romance, perfect for fans of intense, protective heroes and heroines overcoming trauma to find their happily ever after.
Content warning: this book features scenes of domestic violence.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2026
5890 people are currently reading
7936 people want to read
About the author
Susie Tate
31 books2,529 followersSusie is a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author who writes addictive, feel-good contemporary romance with heroes who may make you a little ragey, but who always redeem themselves in the end! She’s been a doctor in the NHS for over twenty years and lives in beautiful Dorset with her wonderful husband, three gorgeous boys and an even more wonderful dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,331 reviews
March 6, 2026
Questioning my life choices right now. It’s 5AM and I just finished this in one sitting.
I fell in love with the premise of this novel the moment I read the blurb. At best it sounded deliciously scandalous, and at worst wildly unethical. Naturally, I had to read on for academic purposes (of course). And now my research is complete.
Story: ★★★★☆
Writing and pacing: ★★★☆☆
💘 My findings💘
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
This was my first book by Tate, and it came just shy of four stars for me. My complaints were pretty negligible though, so I rounded it up and gave it four anyway. At first, it felt like my favorite kind of junk food. Sweet, addictive, and impossible to stop even though you know it’s mostly empty calories. I kept reading because it was fun and and comforting, but somewhere along the way the story quietly turned into something heavier and more emotional than I expected.
Clara is a painfully shy teaching assistant who has perfected the art of making herself invisible. She keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. The only people she’s truly comfortable with are her students. Among them is seven year old Ozzie, a dyslexic student who absolutely adores her. When Ozzie’s father, Rafe, decides to meet the mysterious Miss Clara his son won’t stop talking about, things begin to change. Clara has had a crush on Rafe for months, though on his side it’s very much a case of insta-lust for the win 🤭 Their relationship develops quickly, a little too quickly if we're being honest. Personally, I liked it.
I don’t usually stumble on books like this, but I have to say that I liked that this was a real and comfortable age gap romance. Rafe is 37 and Clara is 27. So many books get labeled as age gap when the difference is barely five years and both characters are already past their late twenties. That never really registers as an age gap to me. Personally, if the younger character is over 26, I need at least a nine year difference for it to feel like one. Once both characters are in their thirties it stops feeling like an age gap and starts feeling like a generational difference instead.
What's interesting about this novel is that the age gap is mentioned, but it’s not really the main focus of the book. Clara’s story is. Beneath the shy exterior there is a woman who has been shaped by abuse and fear. The book doesn’t shy away from showing the long term effects of living in that kind of environment. The instinct to go rigid. The way your body prepares itself for the blow before it even comes. It was sad to read at times. I got annoyed with Clara’s behavior several times, and then I had to remind myself that it’s the result of growing up in a family like hers. Her whole family is a mess, but her father is a real piece of work. I had violent thoughts every time he appeared on the page.
But of course, there’s a silver lining to all of this and his name is Rafe. Rafe. R💗fe. I’m in love. This man is ridiculous and over the top and completely shameless in the way he loves. He’s the kind of hero who decides someone is his to protect and then refuses to back down from that decision. Tate pairs a MMC who is clingy, possessive, absurdly devoted, impatient and isn’t naturally gentle with a FMC who needs constant reassurance, care and patience. The result is simply satisying.
I loved Ozzie and Poppy as well. Ozzie is so stinking cute I wanted to bite his adorable fictional cheeks. He reminds me of one of my students. I didn't realise this was my weakness but men who are wonderful with kids have my heart. The way Rafe is with Ozzie...have mercy, my ovaries.
There was a lot of angst in the second part of the novel and Rafe disappointed me twice briefly, but he makes up for it a million times over. That said, I don't fully agree with the fact that this is marked as dark romance.
Tropes & Themes
🧑🏫 Teaching assistant FMC
👨👦 Single dad
📚 Child with dyslexia representation
🌪️ Tortured FMC
🧸 Grumpy but secretly soft MMC
🐻 Possessive but devoted MMC
💞 Protective / caretaking hero
🌍 Worlds apart dynamic
👫 Age gap (37 / 27)
🏠 Close proximity (same house)
🔥 Insta lust
🩹 Hurt / comfort
💔 Domestic abuse
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
A teaching assistant and her student’s dad? How unethical! I suppose I’ll have to read on for...uh research purposes 👀
I fell in love with the premise of this novel the moment I read the blurb. At best it sounded deliciously scandalous, and at worst wildly unethical. Naturally, I had to read on for academic purposes (of course). And now my research is complete.
Story: ★★★★☆
Writing and pacing: ★★★☆☆
💘 My findings💘
﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌
This was my first book by Tate, and it came just shy of four stars for me. My complaints were pretty negligible though, so I rounded it up and gave it four anyway. At first, it felt like my favorite kind of junk food. Sweet, addictive, and impossible to stop even though you know it’s mostly empty calories. I kept reading because it was fun and and comforting, but somewhere along the way the story quietly turned into something heavier and more emotional than I expected.
Clara is a painfully shy teaching assistant who has perfected the art of making herself invisible. She keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. The only people she’s truly comfortable with are her students. Among them is seven year old Ozzie, a dyslexic student who absolutely adores her. When Ozzie’s father, Rafe, decides to meet the mysterious Miss Clara his son won’t stop talking about, things begin to change. Clara has had a crush on Rafe for months, though on his side it’s very much a case of insta-lust for the win 🤭 Their relationship develops quickly, a little too quickly if we're being honest. Personally, I liked it.
I don’t usually stumble on books like this, but I have to say that I liked that this was a real and comfortable age gap romance. Rafe is 37 and Clara is 27. So many books get labeled as age gap when the difference is barely five years and both characters are already past their late twenties. That never really registers as an age gap to me. Personally, if the younger character is over 26, I need at least a nine year difference for it to feel like one. Once both characters are in their thirties it stops feeling like an age gap and starts feeling like a generational difference instead.
What's interesting about this novel is that the age gap is mentioned, but it’s not really the main focus of the book. Clara’s story is. Beneath the shy exterior there is a woman who has been shaped by abuse and fear. The book doesn’t shy away from showing the long term effects of living in that kind of environment. The instinct to go rigid. The way your body prepares itself for the blow before it even comes. It was sad to read at times. I got annoyed with Clara’s behavior several times, and then I had to remind myself that it’s the result of growing up in a family like hers. Her whole family is a mess, but her father is a real piece of work. I had violent thoughts every time he appeared on the page.
But of course, there’s a silver lining to all of this and his name is Rafe. Rafe. R💗fe. I’m in love. This man is ridiculous and over the top and completely shameless in the way he loves. He’s the kind of hero who decides someone is his to protect and then refuses to back down from that decision. Tate pairs a MMC who is clingy, possessive, absurdly devoted, impatient and isn’t naturally gentle with a FMC who needs constant reassurance, care and patience. The result is simply satisying.
I loved Ozzie and Poppy as well. Ozzie is so stinking cute I wanted to bite his adorable fictional cheeks. He reminds me of one of my students. I didn't realise this was my weakness but men who are wonderful with kids have my heart. The way Rafe is with Ozzie...have mercy, my ovaries.
There was a lot of angst in the second part of the novel and Rafe disappointed me twice briefly, but he makes up for it a million times over. That said, I don't fully agree with the fact that this is marked as dark romance.
Tropes & Themes
🧑🏫 Teaching assistant FMC
👨👦 Single dad
📚 Child with dyslexia representation
🌪️ Tortured FMC
🧸 Grumpy but secretly soft MMC
🐻 Possessive but devoted MMC
💞 Protective / caretaking hero
🌍 Worlds apart dynamic
👫 Age gap (37 / 27)
🏠 Close proximity (same house)
🔥 Insta lust
🩹 Hurt / comfort
💔 Domestic abuse
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
A teaching assistant and her student’s dad? How unethical! I suppose I’ll have to read on for...uh research purposes 👀
February 25, 2026
Not my favorite Susie Tate book, mainly because contrary to the others I’ve read, where characters have debilitating psychological/ mental issues that they must overcome in order to fall in love and gain the understanding and undying love of the MMC, in this one, the MFC’s issues stem from profound physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her father and an utter lack of agency on her part to save herself (and her brother).
The family abuse trope would normally not be a major problem for me (although it is a slight trigger due to issues with my own father as well as sooo many friends of mine suffering physical abuse at the hands of their (ex)husbands), but the fact that Clara was so incredibly timid and afraid throughout the first hundred pages, constantly flinching and stuttering was cringe-inducing for me. And the thing I keep coming back to is, if Rafe hadn’t forced a meeting with her in order to talk about his son’s dyslexia, Clara probably would have died at the hands of her father within weeks.
I just really hate a non-self actualized heroine with so little agency who does so little to save herself. And to be honest, the fact that Rafe initially seems attracted to and even turned on by her defenselessness so that he can be her white knight and protector was also off-putting.
Add to that the nonsensical string of events that create all their conflict—Rafe flaunting Ophelia in front of Clara ‘cause she’s being standoffish, Clara’s inexplicable decision to keep her identity a secret from him until the trial scene (I mean she KNEW that was coming and she CHOSE to reveal her identity in that manner???), and Rafe’s, what, ensuing embarrassment? that causes him to be such a complete dick when she begs for his help afterwards (his cruel denials almost leading, again, to her death). AND, if Rafe hadn’t met with Lily and Mrs. C. directly afterwards, then what?, he would have just gone home and stayed mad at Clara, also leading to her death? You see? There’s just too much frustrating idiocy on both their parts to justify a HEA.
That said, I read this book to the end in one sitting and even got sucked into the bonus epilogue. There’s no doubt that Ms. Tate is an engaging writer. I just wish Clara had had more of a backbone and Rafe had been less of an entitled douche.
The family abuse trope would normally not be a major problem for me (although it is a slight trigger due to issues with my own father as well as sooo many friends of mine suffering physical abuse at the hands of their (ex)husbands), but the fact that Clara was so incredibly timid and afraid throughout the first hundred pages, constantly flinching and stuttering was cringe-inducing for me. And the thing I keep coming back to is, if Rafe hadn’t forced a meeting with her in order to talk about his son’s dyslexia, Clara probably would have died at the hands of her father within weeks.
I just really hate a non-self actualized heroine with so little agency who does so little to save herself. And to be honest, the fact that Rafe initially seems attracted to and even turned on by her defenselessness so that he can be her white knight and protector was also off-putting.
Add to that the nonsensical string of events that create all their conflict—Rafe flaunting Ophelia in front of Clara ‘cause she’s being standoffish, Clara’s inexplicable decision to keep her identity a secret from him until the trial scene (I mean she KNEW that was coming and she CHOSE to reveal her identity in that manner???), and Rafe’s, what, ensuing embarrassment? that causes him to be such a complete dick when she begs for his help afterwards (his cruel denials almost leading, again, to her death). AND, if Rafe hadn’t met with Lily and Mrs. C. directly afterwards, then what?, he would have just gone home and stayed mad at Clara, also leading to her death? You see? There’s just too much frustrating idiocy on both their parts to justify a HEA.
That said, I read this book to the end in one sitting and even got sucked into the bonus epilogue. There’s no doubt that Ms. Tate is an engaging writer. I just wish Clara had had more of a backbone and Rafe had been less of an entitled douche.
April 28, 2026
On a Susie Tate reading spree, but Law Maker ended up being a slight disappointment. I was immediately sold on the premise and tropes—and, being entirely predictable, I picked it up without hesitation. Single dad, a tortured and shy FMC with quiet strength, a possessive yet devoted MMC, an age gap, and just a hint of damsel-in-distress energy. It had all the ingredients I love.
Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to that promise. The pacing felt uneven—there’s a noticeable lull in the middle where the story drags, making it hard to stay fully invested. Then, just as things pick up again, the ending feels rushed, as if everything had to be quickly tied together rather than naturally resolved.
That said, there’s still a lot to appreciate here. Clara’s quiet resilience was compelling, and Rafe’s growing obsession adds a satisfying emotional tension. The moments with Ozzie bring a warmth and softness that ground the story nicely, and those character dynamics are where the book really shines.
If anything, what I’m taking away most from this book is anticipation—I’m genuinely excited to meet Poppy. She already feels like a burst of sunshine waiting to collide with what I assume will be a grumpy, stoic rugby star, and that dynamic has me intrigued.
Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to that promise. The pacing felt uneven—there’s a noticeable lull in the middle where the story drags, making it hard to stay fully invested. Then, just as things pick up again, the ending feels rushed, as if everything had to be quickly tied together rather than naturally resolved.
That said, there’s still a lot to appreciate here. Clara’s quiet resilience was compelling, and Rafe’s growing obsession adds a satisfying emotional tension. The moments with Ozzie bring a warmth and softness that ground the story nicely, and those character dynamics are where the book really shines.
If anything, what I’m taking away most from this book is anticipation—I’m genuinely excited to meet Poppy. She already feels like a burst of sunshine waiting to collide with what I assume will be a grumpy, stoic rugby star, and that dynamic has me intrigued.
March 2, 2026
Law maker is about a lawyer single father and a teacher assistant coming from a very shady background who puts others (who deserve it) above her and tries to do the good thing.
I love how Tate's heroines are coming from drama but they are still strong and resilient despite the circumstances and the heroes are so into themselves that most of the time they cause trouble but eventually recognise their mistakes and have to grovel to gain the heroine's trust back.
I loved their interaction and how the heroine felt safe around him even though he was intimidating and in fact bulldozed his way to her life. My only objection is that I needed a little bit more in depth connection. Their first time together felt a little bit rushed and a little bit out of the heroine's character.
But otherwise the feelings were there and intense and I was touched by the hero's intentions to make everything right for her.
I love how Tate's heroines are coming from drama but they are still strong and resilient despite the circumstances and the heroes are so into themselves that most of the time they cause trouble but eventually recognise their mistakes and have to grovel to gain the heroine's trust back.
I loved their interaction and how the heroine felt safe around him even though he was intimidating and in fact bulldozed his way to her life. My only objection is that I needed a little bit more in depth connection. Their first time together felt a little bit rushed and a little bit out of the heroine's character.
But otherwise the feelings were there and intense and I was touched by the hero's intentions to make everything right for her.
March 12, 2026
4 ⭐️🎧
This book looked at me and said:
• intimidating aristocratic judge
• shy teaching assistant with a mysterious past
• single dad with feelings
• age gap tension
• one quietly formidable woman who will absolutely go to war for a child
And I, a predictable creature, pressed play immediately.
Law Maker delivered exactly the flavor of romance I tend to inhale: an intimidating, hyper-competent hero who thinks he understands everything… meeting a seemingly timid heroine who quietly dismantles that assumption brick by brick.
Was it perfect? No.
Was I still very invested in the emotional ride? Absolutely.
What Worked For Me
(aka: Lord Sterling, Unfortunately I Get It)
Rafe Sterling: arrogant, obsessive, catastrophically down bad
Rafe begins the story exactly as advertised: brilliant, intimidating, and very used to being the one in control.
Which means he is spectacularly unprepared for Clara.
What starts as curiosity about the quiet, nervous teaching assistant slowly turns into something far more intense as he realises she’s far stronger than he initially assumed.
Watching that transition - from mild interest to protective obsession - was one of the most satisfying character shifts in the book.
Once his protective instincts fully activate, Rafe becomes peak protective hero energy, and I was absolutely here for it.
Clara: quiet strength done right
Clara is the definition of a soft-spoken heroine with hidden steel.
She begins the story extremely withdrawn - avoiding eye contact, minimising herself, trying not to take up space - which makes sense once the book gradually reveals the trauma she’s been carrying.
What I loved most is how her strength appears in small but powerful moments, especially when it comes to the children she teaches.
Which brings me to one of my favorite parts of the book.
The dyslexia subplot added real depth
The storyline involving Ozzie and Poppy’s dyslexia added a really meaningful layer to the story.
It wasn’t just background - it genuinely highlighted how perceptive and skilled Clara is as a teacher.
Watching her advocate and help them understand how their brains work differently was a great way to show her strength. Those moments reinforced that Clara isn’t weak at all - she’s simply been conditioned to shrink herself.
Watching Rafe realise he’d underestimated her the whole time?
Excellent romance content.
The audiobook casting was half excellent
Since I listened to the audiobook, I have to mention the narration.
Shane East as Lord Sterling? Incredible.
His voice fits Rafe’s commanding aristocratic energy perfectly. The gravitas. The arrogance. The intensity. It all worked beautifully.
I could absolutely believe this man was an intimidating legal powerhouse.
What Didn’t Quite Work For Me
(aka: Minor Wobbles in the Courtroom)
The narration felt uneven at times
While Shane East was fantastic, Zara Hampton-Brown’s narration didn’t always land for me.
There were moments where the emotional delivery felt a bit over-acted, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did make the audiobook feel slightly uneven in places.
Rafe’s arrogance occasionally tested my patience
Look. I enjoy a confident hero.
But Rafe definitely spends a portion of the book in his “I am a powerful man and therefore always correct” era.
Which means he makes a few assumptions and decisions that had me side-eyeing him.
Thankfully the story does address this and he grows from it, but there were moments where I wanted to gently hand him a mirror and say:
Sir.
Please reflect.
The emotional payoff could have been pushed slightly further
The story builds strong emotional tension around Clara’s past and the danger she’s been living with.
While the resolution works, the final emotional payoff wrapped up a little quickly compared to how much buildup there was.
I wanted just a bit more time to sit in the aftermath.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read for me.
This was my first Susie Tate read, and I really enjoyed the vulnerable heroine paired with an intensely protective hero dynamic.
Clara’s quiet resilience, Rafe’s growing obsession, and the heartfelt moments with the kids gave the story a lot of emotional warmth.
Even with a few pacing and narration hiccups, I had a genuinely good time with this one.
A powerful aristocratic judge falling hard for the quiet woman he underestimated is exactly the kind of romance dynamic I’ll always show up for.
Final Verdict
4 stars.
Protective judge hero.
Soft-spoken heroine with hidden strength.
Single dad feelings.
Emotional healing arc.
Yes, I was absolutely seated.
Turns out the fastest way to destabilise a terrifying aristocratic judge is simply… a shy woman who refuses to let his son be underestimated.
Tropes and Vibes:
• age gap romance
• single dad MMC
• intimidating aristocratic judge
• shy / trauma-survivor FMC
• protective hero energy
• tutor / school proximity
• “she defends my child” moment
• quietly obsessed MMC
• hidden danger
• emotional healing arc
• soft FMC × powerful MMC dynamic
This book looked at me and said:
• intimidating aristocratic judge
• shy teaching assistant with a mysterious past
• single dad with feelings
• age gap tension
• one quietly formidable woman who will absolutely go to war for a child
And I, a predictable creature, pressed play immediately.
Law Maker delivered exactly the flavor of romance I tend to inhale: an intimidating, hyper-competent hero who thinks he understands everything… meeting a seemingly timid heroine who quietly dismantles that assumption brick by brick.
Was it perfect? No.
Was I still very invested in the emotional ride? Absolutely.
What Worked For Me
(aka: Lord Sterling, Unfortunately I Get It)
Rafe Sterling: arrogant, obsessive, catastrophically down bad
Rafe begins the story exactly as advertised: brilliant, intimidating, and very used to being the one in control.
Which means he is spectacularly unprepared for Clara.
What starts as curiosity about the quiet, nervous teaching assistant slowly turns into something far more intense as he realises she’s far stronger than he initially assumed.
Watching that transition - from mild interest to protective obsession - was one of the most satisfying character shifts in the book.
Once his protective instincts fully activate, Rafe becomes peak protective hero energy, and I was absolutely here for it.
Clara: quiet strength done right
Clara is the definition of a soft-spoken heroine with hidden steel.
She begins the story extremely withdrawn - avoiding eye contact, minimising herself, trying not to take up space - which makes sense once the book gradually reveals the trauma she’s been carrying.
What I loved most is how her strength appears in small but powerful moments, especially when it comes to the children she teaches.
Which brings me to one of my favorite parts of the book.
The dyslexia subplot added real depth
The storyline involving Ozzie and Poppy’s dyslexia added a really meaningful layer to the story.
It wasn’t just background - it genuinely highlighted how perceptive and skilled Clara is as a teacher.
Watching her advocate and help them understand how their brains work differently was a great way to show her strength. Those moments reinforced that Clara isn’t weak at all - she’s simply been conditioned to shrink herself.
Watching Rafe realise he’d underestimated her the whole time?
Excellent romance content.
The audiobook casting was half excellent
Since I listened to the audiobook, I have to mention the narration.
Shane East as Lord Sterling? Incredible.
His voice fits Rafe’s commanding aristocratic energy perfectly. The gravitas. The arrogance. The intensity. It all worked beautifully.
I could absolutely believe this man was an intimidating legal powerhouse.
What Didn’t Quite Work For Me
(aka: Minor Wobbles in the Courtroom)
The narration felt uneven at times
While Shane East was fantastic, Zara Hampton-Brown’s narration didn’t always land for me.
There were moments where the emotional delivery felt a bit over-acted, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did make the audiobook feel slightly uneven in places.
Rafe’s arrogance occasionally tested my patience
Look. I enjoy a confident hero.
But Rafe definitely spends a portion of the book in his “I am a powerful man and therefore always correct” era.
Which means he makes a few assumptions and decisions that had me side-eyeing him.
Thankfully the story does address this and he grows from it, but there were moments where I wanted to gently hand him a mirror and say:
Sir.
Please reflect.
The emotional payoff could have been pushed slightly further
The story builds strong emotional tension around Clara’s past and the danger she’s been living with.
While the resolution works, the final emotional payoff wrapped up a little quickly compared to how much buildup there was.
I wanted just a bit more time to sit in the aftermath.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read for me.
This was my first Susie Tate read, and I really enjoyed the vulnerable heroine paired with an intensely protective hero dynamic.
Clara’s quiet resilience, Rafe’s growing obsession, and the heartfelt moments with the kids gave the story a lot of emotional warmth.
Even with a few pacing and narration hiccups, I had a genuinely good time with this one.
A powerful aristocratic judge falling hard for the quiet woman he underestimated is exactly the kind of romance dynamic I’ll always show up for.
Final Verdict
4 stars.
Protective judge hero.
Soft-spoken heroine with hidden strength.
Single dad feelings.
Emotional healing arc.
Yes, I was absolutely seated.
Turns out the fastest way to destabilise a terrifying aristocratic judge is simply… a shy woman who refuses to let his son be underestimated.
Tropes and Vibes:
• age gap romance
• single dad MMC
• intimidating aristocratic judge
• shy / trauma-survivor FMC
• protective hero energy
• tutor / school proximity
• “she defends my child” moment
• quietly obsessed MMC
• hidden danger
• emotional healing arc
• soft FMC × powerful MMC dynamic
March 4, 2026
Rtc
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER:16, 19, 26, 41
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I received this arc a few days before its publication so I'm a tid bit late 👉🏻👈🏻 anyway... Thank you good girls PR for the opportunity to read this book ♥️💛
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER:16, 19, 26, 41
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I received this arc a few days before its publication so I'm a tid bit late 👉🏻👈🏻 anyway... Thank you good girls PR for the opportunity to read this book ♥️💛
April 5, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
"You were hurt, and I’ll never forgive myself."
i had 0 thoughts going into this so i was shocked when the first 50% was gen good!! then the stupid plot twist happened and it all went downhill.
"You were hurt, and I’ll never forgive myself."
i had 0 thoughts going into this so i was shocked when the first 50% was gen good!! then the stupid plot twist happened and it all went downhill.
Currently Reading
May 6, 2026* Pre-Read *
"She falls first, but he falls harder!"
Forced proximity, a wounded-bird heroine, opposites attract, and significant grovelling.
COUNT ME THE FUCK IN!
"She falls first, but he falls harder!"
Forced proximity, a wounded-bird heroine, opposites attract, and significant grovelling.
COUNT ME THE FUCK IN!
March 7, 2026
This book was completely toxic, and I don’t mean the abuse she suffered from her family.
I mean Rafe; Rafe was toxic.
He was toxic in the way he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was toxic in the way he would not listen to school protocol. He was toxic in the way that he harassed her in her place of work. He was toxic in the way he pressured her to not only tutor his son, but to move into his home. He threw tantrums when he didn’t get his way, and consistently made her feel threatened in the tone of his voice and is mannerisms when he knew that there was something going on in her life.
And he unforgivably threw her away like a piece of trash the second conflict arose.
Only AFTER he had the full story did he show concern, compassion and his form of “love” again.
Poor Clara went from one toxic relationship with her family to another with Rafe.
I mean Rafe; Rafe was toxic.
He was toxic in the way he wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was toxic in the way he would not listen to school protocol. He was toxic in the way that he harassed her in her place of work. He was toxic in the way he pressured her to not only tutor his son, but to move into his home. He threw tantrums when he didn’t get his way, and consistently made her feel threatened in the tone of his voice and is mannerisms when he knew that there was something going on in her life.
And he unforgivably threw her away like a piece of trash the second conflict arose.
Only AFTER he had the full story did he show concern, compassion and his form of “love” again.
Poor Clara went from one toxic relationship with her family to another with Rafe.
February 24, 2026
3-3.5 ⭐️
I was SOOO close to DNFing this book. Because the way the MCs get together is so unrealistic and it really annoyed tf out of me. I hated how they immediately started a physical relationship and made it seem like “love”.
But, the last 40% of the book was pretty solid in terms of angst and redemption. I live for a good angst moment. I want my mcs to be devastated. Definitely carried my rating for this book. If it hadn’t had that it would have definitely been 2 stars.
I was SOOO close to DNFing this book. Because the way the MCs get together is so unrealistic and it really annoyed tf out of me. I hated how they immediately started a physical relationship and made it seem like “love”.
But, the last 40% of the book was pretty solid in terms of angst and redemption. I live for a good angst moment. I want my mcs to be devastated. Definitely carried my rating for this book. If it hadn’t had that it would have definitely been 2 stars.
Review of advance copy
Susie Tate has written a book that I was able to literally binge in one sitting...yes it was all day but I just wanted to keep reading!
Clara's family was TERRIFYING! Poor Clara was the unfortunate daughter of a crime lord that seems to have many people in his pocket to do all his spying and dirty work. Clara is a sweet teacher's assistant that loves working with kids and has taken a special interest in Ozzie, a 7-year-old with dyslexia and also the son of the hot lawyer (soon-to-be judge) Rafe. Rafe exudes power and she has been noticing him and crushing on him for quite some time. That's not why she took an interest in Ozzie because Ozzie really need some help and Clara had all the right tools to lead Ozzie in the right direction which is why Ozzie deams Clara his faovrite person. Upon Rafe's demand to meet Clara, because Clara doesn't do meetings with parents, Clara describes Ozzie's situation and what he needs to catch up in class. Soon, Rafe requests that Clara becomes Ozzie's private tutor and since no one says no to Rafe, Clara finds herself at his estate many days a week tutoring and having dinners with them.
All of her secrets start to come out when she can no longer hide her bruises. While her and Rafe are helplessly attracted to each other, her father finds out who she's with and decides to use Clara to get to Rafe in a case that is supposed to be the pinnacle of Rafe's career. This is where it starts getting crazy and sooo good! You just have to read it to see for yourself! Rafe is such a bad ass!
Tropes:
🥊 Protective MMC
❤️🩹 FMC with Trauma
🍏 Aristocratic Barrister x Teacher
💖 Single Dad
She Comes From a Family of Criminals
🇬🇧 Takes Place in London
❤️🔥Slow Burn
💋 Dirty Talking MMC
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
Favorite Quotes:
💋"How did I do it in your dirty little dreams, darling? Hard, fast?"
🥊"Families like mine have been in charge of this country for 𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 … When it comes to extortion, you're lightyears behind us. You should have thought twice before you decided to yank the chain of a member of the aristocracy you stupid fuck. Your family's gangster activities are child's play compared to mine." BAM!
Thank you so much to Good Girls PR and Susie Tate for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
Clara's family was TERRIFYING! Poor Clara was the unfortunate daughter of a crime lord that seems to have many people in his pocket to do all his spying and dirty work. Clara is a sweet teacher's assistant that loves working with kids and has taken a special interest in Ozzie, a 7-year-old with dyslexia and also the son of the hot lawyer (soon-to-be judge) Rafe. Rafe exudes power and she has been noticing him and crushing on him for quite some time. That's not why she took an interest in Ozzie because Ozzie really need some help and Clara had all the right tools to lead Ozzie in the right direction which is why Ozzie deams Clara his faovrite person. Upon Rafe's demand to meet Clara, because Clara doesn't do meetings with parents, Clara describes Ozzie's situation and what he needs to catch up in class. Soon, Rafe requests that Clara becomes Ozzie's private tutor and since no one says no to Rafe, Clara finds herself at his estate many days a week tutoring and having dinners with them.
All of her secrets start to come out when she can no longer hide her bruises. While her and Rafe are helplessly attracted to each other, her father finds out who she's with and decides to use Clara to get to Rafe in a case that is supposed to be the pinnacle of Rafe's career. This is where it starts getting crazy and sooo good! You just have to read it to see for yourself! Rafe is such a bad ass!
Tropes:
🥊 Protective MMC
❤️🩹 FMC with Trauma
🍏 Aristocratic Barrister x Teacher
💖 Single Dad
She Comes From a Family of Criminals
🇬🇧 Takes Place in London
❤️🔥Slow Burn
💋 Dirty Talking MMC
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
Favorite Quotes:
💋"How did I do it in your dirty little dreams, darling? Hard, fast?"
🥊"Families like mine have been in charge of this country for 𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 … When it comes to extortion, you're lightyears behind us. You should have thought twice before you decided to yank the chain of a member of the aristocracy you stupid fuck. Your family's gangster activities are child's play compared to mine." BAM!
Thank you so much to Good Girls PR and Susie Tate for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!
April 7, 2026
hero saves heroine in danger 🤝🏽 vee
March 13, 2026
I ended up finishing this book out of spite. It was awful.
Poorly written, minimal plot, average smut and I’m so tired of cripplingly shy women who can’t speak to other human beings and are so tiny and eat a grape for lunch who need saving by the big rich man. If you’re going to write that at least write it well with good smut not whatever wet rag this was.
Poorly written, minimal plot, average smut and I’m so tired of cripplingly shy women who can’t speak to other human beings and are so tiny and eat a grape for lunch who need saving by the big rich man. If you’re going to write that at least write it well with good smut not whatever wet rag this was.
March 1, 2026
I love me a good Susie Tate book. These are my guilty pleasure reads - because its drama and over-protectiveness with a bit of the damsel in distress vibes. She likes for her FMCs to have vulnerabilities and insecurities. Flawed, but strong.
The wallflower and the lawyer. Clara is an education assistant, painfully shy, the only people she can really talk to are the children she teaches. She’s made herself a shadow, hidden away in plain sight to keep herself safe from her dangerous family. Until one day, when a bulldozer of a dad of one of her students calls her out into the light. Rafe is a lawyer, strong willed, outspoken and wealthy, the world has been kind to him in a lot of ways, but when he hears an education assistant is diagnosing his son with dyslexia - he’s got a lot of questions. Intimidated by Rafe, Clara is speechless, until he sparks a fire of anger in her and draws out her personality. Doesn’t hurt that Clara has had a crush on him for months, watching him from afar. But now that Clara is out of the shadows for Rafe, he can’t seem to look away. But Clara still hides a lot of herself and her family away from Rafe, and a true relationship can’t be built on lies.
The wallflower and the lawyer. Clara is an education assistant, painfully shy, the only people she can really talk to are the children she teaches. She’s made herself a shadow, hidden away in plain sight to keep herself safe from her dangerous family. Until one day, when a bulldozer of a dad of one of her students calls her out into the light. Rafe is a lawyer, strong willed, outspoken and wealthy, the world has been kind to him in a lot of ways, but when he hears an education assistant is diagnosing his son with dyslexia - he’s got a lot of questions. Intimidated by Rafe, Clara is speechless, until he sparks a fire of anger in her and draws out her personality. Doesn’t hurt that Clara has had a crush on him for months, watching him from afar. But now that Clara is out of the shadows for Rafe, he can’t seem to look away. But Clara still hides a lot of herself and her family away from Rafe, and a true relationship can’t be built on lies.
May 5, 2026
She is fragile in the way glass is—strong, but shaped by pressure.
He handles her like she matters.
The love here isn’t loud.
It’s careful. Intentional. Earned.
The story explores difficult topics—you may want to check triggers first.
5 🌟
2 🌶
Single Parent / Tragic Past / Commoner & Aristocrat / Hidden Identity / Who Hurt You?
He handles her like she matters.
The love here isn’t loud.
It’s careful. Intentional. Earned.
The story explores difficult topics—you may want to check triggers first.
5 🌟
2 🌶
Single Parent / Tragic Past / Commoner & Aristocrat / Hidden Identity / Who Hurt You?
March 14, 2026
Trigger Warnings:
I’m not gonna lie, I’m disappointed. I think it's because I’ve read quite a few Susie Tate books that it’s getting repetitive. I wasn’t a huge fan of the FMC, Clara, or the MMC, Rafe. The kid, Ozzie, was adorable, but I still felt meh about the whole thing. It was fun seeing Ollie and Lottie’s kid from Gold Digger. Mia from Unperfect also made an appearance near the end. I didn’t like Rafe since he came off as immature. Whenever things didn’t go his way, he was rude to Clara. And Clara had no backbone; she forgave Rafe so easily. So in terms of grovel? I didn’t see it that way since Clara wasn’t mad at Rafe. He did something that pissed me off, and she brushed over it (I’ll get into it later). I couldn’t buy their romance; they got together way too quickly. It felt like it was mainly based on physical attraction. And we never learn about the characters in depth, especially Rafe.
As a teaching assistant, Clara lives under the radar while helping kids. When a student’s dad insists on meeting with Clara, her whole life changes. Rafe often hears his son, Ozzie, talk about Clara and wants to meet her. But Clara refuses, so it makes him more determined.
Now for spoilers
Stay safe folks!
I’m not gonna lie, I’m disappointed. I think it's because I’ve read quite a few Susie Tate books that it’s getting repetitive. I wasn’t a huge fan of the FMC, Clara, or the MMC, Rafe. The kid, Ozzie, was adorable, but I still felt meh about the whole thing. It was fun seeing Ollie and Lottie’s kid from Gold Digger. Mia from Unperfect also made an appearance near the end. I didn’t like Rafe since he came off as immature. Whenever things didn’t go his way, he was rude to Clara. And Clara had no backbone; she forgave Rafe so easily. So in terms of grovel? I didn’t see it that way since Clara wasn’t mad at Rafe. He did something that pissed me off, and she brushed over it (I’ll get into it later). I couldn’t buy their romance; they got together way too quickly. It felt like it was mainly based on physical attraction. And we never learn about the characters in depth, especially Rafe.
As a teaching assistant, Clara lives under the radar while helping kids. When a student’s dad insists on meeting with Clara, her whole life changes. Rafe often hears his son, Ozzie, talk about Clara and wants to meet her. But Clara refuses, so it makes him more determined.
Now for spoilers
Stay safe folks!
Read
February 27, 2026Bazı sahnelerde Rafe o kadar tatlıydı ki 😍Tamam koruyucu bir tavrı vardı ama böyle sarılmalar, anlayışlı yaklaşımlar benim kriptonitim gibi bir şey 🤩
Rafe herkese haşin oğluna yumuş yumuş bekar bir baba. Başarılı bir avukat ve aynı zamanda aristokrat. ✅
Clara prestijli bir okulda asistan öğretmen, utangaç, ürkek ve sessiz ama çocuklar konusunda başarılı bir kadın.Bir de sırları var tabi. 😳
Ozzie sayesinde yolları kesişir çiftin. Oğlunun zihninin farklı çalıştığını söyleyen öğretmenle konuşmak Rafe'in en doğal hakkı.Tabi kadını bulabilirse.
Clara için gerçekten korkunç bir hayatta kalma sınavı olmuş.Buna rağmen ayakta durmaya çalışması çok güzel. Bazen bu kadar pasif olma, her şeyi kendi üzerine alma diyorsunuz ama yaşadıkları düşünülünce tavırlarında yanlış bir şey de bulamıyorsunuz.
Rafe ilk başlarda ön yargılı bir pislikti açıkçası. Mesleği gereği daha anlayışlı ve bazı şeylerin farkında olmasını bekledim. Ama inatla dar bir pencereden bakmaya devam etti.
Yaşam koşulları aynı ortamda bulunmalarını gerektirince işler değişmeye başladı.
Kitaplarda karakterlerden birisi mutlaka bir aptallık yapar ya hani...Burada Rafe'in yaptığına pek kızamadım ben.Adam sordu, ilgilendi.Müneccim değil ki. O durumda yaşananlar olabilecek bir şeydi.
Ben kitabı beğendim.İkincisi çıkınca mutlaka okumaya çalışacağım.
Poppy ve Rory cephesi merak uyandırdı 🔥
Rafe herkese haşin oğluna yumuş yumuş bekar bir baba. Başarılı bir avukat ve aynı zamanda aristokrat. ✅
Clara prestijli bir okulda asistan öğretmen, utangaç, ürkek ve sessiz ama çocuklar konusunda başarılı bir kadın.Bir de sırları var tabi. 😳
Ozzie sayesinde yolları kesişir çiftin. Oğlunun zihninin farklı çalıştığını söyleyen öğretmenle konuşmak Rafe'in en doğal hakkı.Tabi kadını bulabilirse.
Clara için gerçekten korkunç bir hayatta kalma sınavı olmuş.Buna rağmen ayakta durmaya çalışması çok güzel. Bazen bu kadar pasif olma, her şeyi kendi üzerine alma diyorsunuz ama yaşadıkları düşünülünce tavırlarında yanlış bir şey de bulamıyorsunuz.
Rafe ilk başlarda ön yargılı bir pislikti açıkçası. Mesleği gereği daha anlayışlı ve bazı şeylerin farkında olmasını bekledim. Ama inatla dar bir pencereden bakmaya devam etti.
Yaşam koşulları aynı ortamda bulunmalarını gerektirince işler değişmeye başladı.
Kitaplarda karakterlerden birisi mutlaka bir aptallık yapar ya hani...Burada Rafe'in yaptığına pek kızamadım ben.Adam sordu, ilgilendi.Müneccim değil ki. O durumda yaşananlar olabilecek bir şeydi.
Ben kitabı beğendim.İkincisi çıkınca mutlaka okumaya çalışacağım.
Poppy ve Rory cephesi merak uyandırdı 🔥
February 19, 2026
“How did I do it in your dirty little dreams, darling?”
Dare I say that this is my new favorite book by Susie Tate?! This audiobook was fantastic. I love Shane East, and Zara Hampton-Brown is a new narrator for me. Their duet narration was a true gem!
This story follows Clara, a teacher that truly loves her job and the kids she’s able to help overcome their learning difficulties. She’s spent her life trying to survive and distance herself from her dangerous & abusive family. She would do anything to get her younger brother safely away from them, and she does. Regardless of the consequences to herself. Clara is so insanely strong. She struggles talking to parents and men in general due to her trauma, but one parent wasn’t going to let that slide.
Lord Rafe Sterling comes from a family dynasty of powerful barristers. He is a single dad that would do anything for his son Oscar. Even if that means he needs to confront the teacher that is helping his son overcome his dyslexia.
“That’s my good, dirty girl.”
Rafe was a great grump in the beginning! He comes on STRONG and has to work to build trust with Clara. He becomes protective over her and I loved it. He is also a DADDY DOMMMM! 😮💨🔥
“Ask nicely, baby.”
In most of Susie Tate’s books, there is a scene where the guy absolutely MESSES UP and then has to grovel his way back into the FMC’s good graces. Rafe’s mess up is going to have you fuming but just know he does everything he can to make it up to Clara. Including putting her father in his place!
“You do understand you’re mine, don’t you, Clara?” Rafe said in that low, commanding voice. I gave a slight nod. “Yes,” I whispered. “And I’m yours too. Don’t forget that either,”
Special shoutout to Clara’s friend Lily & Missi Clayton. These two were not going to leave Clara to face her family alone! I loved them!
I truly loved this book and I am so excited for Poppy’s story next!!
Tropes:
🍏 Aristocratic Barrister x Teacher
💖 Single Dad
She Comes From a Family of Criminals
❤️🩹 FMC w/ Trauma
🇬🇧 London
🤭 She Falls First, He Falls Harder
🥊 Protective MMC
❤️🔥Slow Burn
💋 Dirty Talking MMC
🫶🏼 Therapy Rep
Dare I say that this is my new favorite book by Susie Tate?! This audiobook was fantastic. I love Shane East, and Zara Hampton-Brown is a new narrator for me. Their duet narration was a true gem!
This story follows Clara, a teacher that truly loves her job and the kids she’s able to help overcome their learning difficulties. She’s spent her life trying to survive and distance herself from her dangerous & abusive family. She would do anything to get her younger brother safely away from them, and she does. Regardless of the consequences to herself. Clara is so insanely strong. She struggles talking to parents and men in general due to her trauma, but one parent wasn’t going to let that slide.
Lord Rafe Sterling comes from a family dynasty of powerful barristers. He is a single dad that would do anything for his son Oscar. Even if that means he needs to confront the teacher that is helping his son overcome his dyslexia.
“That’s my good, dirty girl.”
Rafe was a great grump in the beginning! He comes on STRONG and has to work to build trust with Clara. He becomes protective over her and I loved it. He is also a DADDY DOMMMM! 😮💨🔥
“Ask nicely, baby.”
In most of Susie Tate’s books, there is a scene where the guy absolutely MESSES UP and then has to grovel his way back into the FMC’s good graces. Rafe’s mess up is going to have you fuming but just know he does everything he can to make it up to Clara. Including putting her father in his place!
“You do understand you’re mine, don’t you, Clara?” Rafe said in that low, commanding voice. I gave a slight nod. “Yes,” I whispered. “And I’m yours too. Don’t forget that either,”
Special shoutout to Clara’s friend Lily & Missi Clayton. These two were not going to leave Clara to face her family alone! I loved them!
I truly loved this book and I am so excited for Poppy’s story next!!
Tropes:
🍏 Aristocratic Barrister x Teacher
💖 Single Dad
She Comes From a Family of Criminals
❤️🩹 FMC w/ Trauma
🇬🇧 London
🤭 She Falls First, He Falls Harder
🥊 Protective MMC
❤️🔥Slow Burn
💋 Dirty Talking MMC
🫶🏼 Therapy Rep
April 22, 2026
في قصص كذا ما عرف كيف الأبطال يحبو بعض فيها، وخاصة أن مافي بينهم كيمياء أو تناغم أو شرارة. وهنا أحسهم أثنينهم باردين ومملين مع بعض.
وما افهم ليه كل شوية تخفض عيونها للأرض، ينرفز الوضع. يا بنتي ناظري عيونه، شخصيتها مُحبطة صراحة ومملة جدًا، بس اتفهمها.. خاصة مع خلفيتها وأنها تتلقى العنف من عايلتها القذرين.
الطفل كان لطيف.
القصة ما عجبتني صراحة لأني ما احب اقرا عن عنف منزلي. وحسيت أسلوب الكتابة قديم ما يجذبني. فيه شي مستفز. مدري وش، بس ما جذبني.
على أي حال، ما عرف مشاعري تجاه الرواية، حلوه بس مملة. ومطولينها على الفاضي صراحة.
صفحات كثير كثير كثير. مدري هو مني، لأني صرت أطفش من أوصل ٨٠٪ ولا من القصة نفسها.
وأبي أفهم شي واحد، الحين ليه لما يحطون العمل ما نشوف هالجانب منه أبدًا.. يعني البطل رجل قانون وما شفناه ولا بمحاكمة وحده؟ آه بس.
البطله دايم بكل فصل تكرر أن البطل مسيطر، ويخضع الكل من حوله، رغم ذلك كنت ما أشوف هالشي.
كنت أشوفه رجل عادي وممل كذلك.
وما افهم ليه كل شوية تخفض عيونها للأرض، ينرفز الوضع. يا بنتي ناظري عيونه، شخصيتها مُحبطة صراحة ومملة جدًا، بس اتفهمها.. خاصة مع خلفيتها وأنها تتلقى العنف من عايلتها القذرين.
الطفل كان لطيف.
القصة ما عجبتني صراحة لأني ما احب اقرا عن عنف منزلي. وحسيت أسلوب الكتابة قديم ما يجذبني. فيه شي مستفز. مدري وش، بس ما جذبني.
على أي حال، ما عرف مشاعري تجاه الرواية، حلوه بس مملة. ومطولينها على الفاضي صراحة.
صفحات كثير كثير كثير. مدري هو مني، لأني صرت أطفش من أوصل ٨٠٪ ولا من القصة نفسها.
وأبي أفهم شي واحد، الحين ليه لما يحطون العمل ما نشوف هالجانب منه أبدًا.. يعني البطل رجل قانون وما شفناه ولا بمحاكمة وحده؟ آه بس.
البطله دايم بكل فصل تكرر أن البطل مسيطر، ويخضع الكل من حوله، رغم ذلك كنت ما أشوف هالشي.
كنت أشوفه رجل عادي وممل كذلك.
March 2, 2026
3.5
This is the kind of drama filled angst I eat up with no regrets. It may have been cheesy at times but it’s so binge-able that I couldn’t put it down. While it was entertaining, it could have been even better if the author let us sit with it for a bit. There were a lot of time jumps and telling over showing. Times that could have helped show their relationship develop like the weeks after they first get together are skipped. Scenes that could have had a strong effect were instead summarized, taking out all of the emotion.
I really enjoyed both Clara and Rafe. But with the same issue, I wish they were more developed. It would have been nice to see more of Clara healing. Rage was a lot at times but luckily, came off endearing. He really was a spoiled man who expected to get what he wanted. It was fun seeing how that didn’t work when it came to Clara. He had to learn to be patient.
For the moments we did get, their romance was very sweet. I found myself wanting more though. The bonus epilogue gave me everything I was craving so although it’s not technically part of this book, it convinced me to round this story up to four stars because I genuinely cared and wanted to see their happy ending.
This is the kind of drama filled angst I eat up with no regrets. It may have been cheesy at times but it’s so binge-able that I couldn’t put it down. While it was entertaining, it could have been even better if the author let us sit with it for a bit. There were a lot of time jumps and telling over showing. Times that could have helped show their relationship develop like the weeks after they first get together are skipped. Scenes that could have had a strong effect were instead summarized, taking out all of the emotion.
I really enjoyed both Clara and Rafe. But with the same issue, I wish they were more developed. It would have been nice to see more of Clara healing. Rage was a lot at times but luckily, came off endearing. He really was a spoiled man who expected to get what he wanted. It was fun seeing how that didn’t work when it came to Clara. He had to learn to be patient.
For the moments we did get, their romance was very sweet. I found myself wanting more though. The bonus epilogue gave me everything I was craving so although it’s not technically part of this book, it convinced me to round this story up to four stars because I genuinely cared and wanted to see their happy ending.
March 14, 2026
2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The beginning and the H's son.
The Not-So-Good: The criminal family aspect wasn't my fave.
The Bad: The ending could've been much better.
Overall: This started out so good! Sadly, it went downhill from there for me. It never quite picked up the momentum that it started off with too. I really liked the idea of the class differences and the super shy teacher and grumpy powerful dad, but I guess I didn't so much like the criminal family secrets aspect that was revealed later and caused a turn in the overall feel of the book. It felt really repetitive in the inner dialogue, especially when it came to the h's meek behavior and feelings. So that made it get old, quick, and also made be feel like a jerk for feeling that way. I'm disappointed, because this really did have some good potential to start!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Clara and Rafe's story. Rafe, who is an important criminal prosecutor, is not used to being told no, so when he gets resistance when he wants to meet the teaching assistant that has his son convinced that he learns differently, he reacts poorly. Clara who is super shy but is harboring a mega crush on the Lord Sterling is petrified when he confronts her, but quickly changes her tune when it comes to defending his son. Rafe ends up offering Clara a job as his nanny/tutor and she also ends up moving in with them. There are some big secrets revealed, some sweet moments with the H's son, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Clara and Rafe's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good, I never skimmed and I thought it mostly flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Rafe. I appreciated how he acknowledged (at least to himself) his own character flaws and tried to be better, and I really liked his relationship with his son.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Clara. I liked her relationship with the H's son and how she became protective of others, but I struggled with her at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Mild. They have some mild tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not IMO but others might think so
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an alright place with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The beginning and the H's son.
The Not-So-Good: The criminal family aspect wasn't my fave.
The Bad: The ending could've been much better.
Overall: This started out so good! Sadly, it went downhill from there for me. It never quite picked up the momentum that it started off with too. I really liked the idea of the class differences and the super shy teacher and grumpy powerful dad, but I guess I didn't so much like the criminal family secrets aspect that was revealed later and caused a turn in the overall feel of the book. It felt really repetitive in the inner dialogue, especially when it came to the h's meek behavior and feelings. So that made it get old, quick, and also made be feel like a jerk for feeling that way. I'm disappointed, because this really did have some good potential to start!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Clara and Rafe's story. Rafe, who is an important criminal prosecutor, is not used to being told no, so when he gets resistance when he wants to meet the teaching assistant that has his son convinced that he learns differently, he reacts poorly. Clara who is super shy but is harboring a mega crush on the Lord Sterling is petrified when he confronts her, but quickly changes her tune when it comes to defending his son. Rafe ends up offering Clara a job as his nanny/tutor and she also ends up moving in with them. There are some big secrets revealed, some sweet moments with the H's son, and a few sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Clara and Rafe's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good, I never skimmed and I thought it mostly flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Rafe. I appreciated how he acknowledged (at least to himself) his own character flaws and tried to be better, and I really liked his relationship with his son.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Clara. I liked her relationship with the H's son and how she became protective of others, but I struggled with her at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Mild. They have some mild tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not IMO but others might think so
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an alright place with what I would call a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
April 15, 2026
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster that I still haven’t recovered from… I honestly don’t even know where to begin. With every page, I felt Clara’s pain, her fear, and her heartbreak as if I were the one living through it. I cried… and cried until I felt completely shattered, especially seeing the amount of suffering that poor girl endured suffering she never deserved.
Clara wasn’t just a heroine she was a wounded soul searching for safety, justice, and someone who could truly see her after everything she went through. Her healing journey was deeply emotional, filled with pain but also strength and hope until she finally reached the justice and happiness she deserved after everything she endured.
And Rafe 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳… this man truly deserves applause. He wasn’t just a romantic hero he was safety itself. A man who supported her without pressure, loved her without conditions, and stood by her every second, in her weakest moments before her strongest. I loved how he respected her wounds while also admiring her strength. The way he cherished her and treated her with such care and respect was incredibly touching. Him being a lawyer fighting for her justice added even more depth to his character he wasn’t only emotionally supportive, he was actively fighting for her and with her. We truly need more male characters with this level of maturity, respect, and compassion.
What made the story even more beautiful was the author’s mature and clear writing style. It was obvious that the author is experienced she handled the pain with depth without exaggeration, and wrote the emotions in a way that felt genuine without falling into clichés or cheap dramatics. The portrayal of abuse was handled sensitively and respectfully, never exploitative or superficial, which made the story feel more realistic and impactful. The pacing was balanced, and the emotions were written with sincerity, making it easy to fully immerse myself in the story.
This wasn’t just a love story it was a healing journey, a story about justice, and about a woman who survived abuse and finally found someone who saw her worth and stood beside her. The ending was incredibly satisfying… it made every tear worth it, and I felt genuinely happy knowing that Clara finally got the life she truly deserved.
Clara wasn’t just a heroine she was a wounded soul searching for safety, justice, and someone who could truly see her after everything she went through. Her healing journey was deeply emotional, filled with pain but also strength and hope until she finally reached the justice and happiness she deserved after everything she endured.
And Rafe 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳… this man truly deserves applause. He wasn’t just a romantic hero he was safety itself. A man who supported her without pressure, loved her without conditions, and stood by her every second, in her weakest moments before her strongest. I loved how he respected her wounds while also admiring her strength. The way he cherished her and treated her with such care and respect was incredibly touching. Him being a lawyer fighting for her justice added even more depth to his character he wasn’t only emotionally supportive, he was actively fighting for her and with her. We truly need more male characters with this level of maturity, respect, and compassion.
What made the story even more beautiful was the author’s mature and clear writing style. It was obvious that the author is experienced she handled the pain with depth without exaggeration, and wrote the emotions in a way that felt genuine without falling into clichés or cheap dramatics. The portrayal of abuse was handled sensitively and respectfully, never exploitative or superficial, which made the story feel more realistic and impactful. The pacing was balanced, and the emotions were written with sincerity, making it easy to fully immerse myself in the story.
This wasn’t just a love story it was a healing journey, a story about justice, and about a woman who survived abuse and finally found someone who saw her worth and stood beside her. The ending was incredibly satisfying… it made every tear worth it, and I felt genuinely happy knowing that Clara finally got the life she truly deserved.
March 23, 2026
3.8 ⭐️
November 2, 2025
Another masterpiece by Susie Tate. She writes such emotionally complex characters and then weaves them into a compelling story. I fly through her books and then am disappointed I have to wait so long for her next one. The Law Maker series starts strong with this one. Clara and Rafe’s story was easy to fall in love with. Two characters with such fundamentally different backgrounds that find and balance each other had me devour this book. I always appreciate the cameos from characters in her other stories as well. Once again a must read.
March 22, 2026
❀ “Bullshit was that woman not brave. She was a damn sight braver than half of east London, in my opinion.” ⚖️
This book put my heart through it; honestly, most of the time I was reading, I just felt for Clara. Her story was genuinely heartbreaking, and everything she endured in order to protect herself and her younger brother was intense and, at times, difficult to process. That aspect of her character felt raw and, in many ways, authentic.
⚖️ “You gave me colour back.” ❀
At the same time, though, Clara also frustrated me…a lot. I understood why she tried to stay small and blend into the background, given her past, that felt like a very real coping mechanism, but her constant choice to lie, even to people she claimed to care about, became hard to overlook. What really got me was how, after everything blew up, she suddenly realized that Rafe could have helped her all along. That felt like such an obvious conclusion that it was hard to believe it hadn’t crossed her mind sooner.
⚖️ “Ugh, tell me I’m a bossy prick, why don’t you? Tell me to f*ck off. Don’t just give in without a fight.” ❀
Rafe was another mixed bag for me. I liked him as a character in isolation, but I didn’t like him for Clara. He was far too volatile with her, and what made it worse was that he did suspect early on that her injuries were tied to abuse, even if he assumed it was from an ex. That context made his reactions and assumptions about her even harder to accept. And when things really fell apart, especially at the courthouse, his behavior crossed a line that, for me, required much more than what we got in terms of apology and redemption. If there had been more development on his side, more meaningful accountability and effort to truly make things right, I think I could have come around to their relationship more. But as it stood, it just didn’t feel like enough. At least he had his sister around to keep him somewhat in check and let him know when he was being an "absolute twatwaffle"!
❀ “I decided then and there that I was coming home early much more often from then on – and making Clara smile would be my new favourite pastime.” ⚖️
I also wouldn’t classify this as a dark romance. It read much more like a contemporary romance that explored heavy, dark themes rather than fully leaning into the genre. It sat in a very light gray area rather than anything truly dark. Regardless of its classification, this was an emotional read with strong themes and compelling moments, but the character dynamics, especially between Clara and Rafe, made it a more frustrating experience than I expected.
Spice: 2/5
Tropes:
⚖️ Single Dad x Teacher ❀
❀ Secret Identity ⚖️
⚖️ Age Gap (10 years) ❀
❀ Opposites Attract ⚖️
⚖️ “There was no way I was letting Clara go anywhere anytime soon. She was mine. This confession made her mine. The fact that I made her feel safe made her mine.” ❀
This book put my heart through it; honestly, most of the time I was reading, I just felt for Clara. Her story was genuinely heartbreaking, and everything she endured in order to protect herself and her younger brother was intense and, at times, difficult to process. That aspect of her character felt raw and, in many ways, authentic.
⚖️ “You gave me colour back.” ❀
❀ “All I did was love you.” ⚖️
At the same time, though, Clara also frustrated me…a lot. I understood why she tried to stay small and blend into the background, given her past, that felt like a very real coping mechanism, but her constant choice to lie, even to people she claimed to care about, became hard to overlook. What really got me was how, after everything blew up, she suddenly realized that Rafe could have helped her all along. That felt like such an obvious conclusion that it was hard to believe it hadn’t crossed her mind sooner.
⚖️ “Ugh, tell me I’m a bossy prick, why don’t you? Tell me to f*ck off. Don’t just give in without a fight.” ❀
Rafe was another mixed bag for me. I liked him as a character in isolation, but I didn’t like him for Clara. He was far too volatile with her, and what made it worse was that he did suspect early on that her injuries were tied to abuse, even if he assumed it was from an ex. That context made his reactions and assumptions about her even harder to accept. And when things really fell apart, especially at the courthouse, his behavior crossed a line that, for me, required much more than what we got in terms of apology and redemption. If there had been more development on his side, more meaningful accountability and effort to truly make things right, I think I could have come around to their relationship more. But as it stood, it just didn’t feel like enough. At least he had his sister around to keep him somewhat in check and let him know when he was being an "absolute twatwaffle"!
❀ “I decided then and there that I was coming home early much more often from then on – and making Clara smile would be my new favourite pastime.” ⚖️
I also wouldn’t classify this as a dark romance. It read much more like a contemporary romance that explored heavy, dark themes rather than fully leaning into the genre. It sat in a very light gray area rather than anything truly dark. Regardless of its classification, this was an emotional read with strong themes and compelling moments, but the character dynamics, especially between Clara and Rafe, made it a more frustrating experience than I expected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spice: 2/5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tropes:
⚖️ Single Dad x Teacher ❀
❀ Secret Identity ⚖️
⚖️ Age Gap (10 years) ❀
❀ Opposites Attract ⚖️
⚖️ “There was no way I was letting Clara go anywhere anytime soon. She was mine. This confession made her mine. The fact that I made her feel safe made her mine.” ❀
March 6, 2026
• She's his son's teacher
• Cinderella romance
• Billionaire romance
• Hate to love
• Age gap
• Shy and resilient FMC
• Possesive and obsessed MMC
• Adorable 7 year old
• "Who did this to you"
• Forced proximity
This book is Susie Tate perfection! It’s everything I LOVE about her writing all in one book! Her ability to take such an unapologetically assertive male character and make him so soft and possessive over the female main character is exactly why her books are always an automatic read for me!
When I found out about the direction she was taking this new series, I couldn’t have been more excited. With every teaser she dropped, I just knew I was going to love it. But she somehow exceeded every expectation I had for this book! I am so excited to see where she takes this series next! I AM COMPLETELY OBSESSED! So much so that after I finished the audiobook, I immediately restarted it. I’m not ready to leave the world she has created for these two!
Rafe was hands down one of the gruffest characters, which is definitely a common theme in all of Susie Tate’s books. She gives us these incredibly gruff MMCs and somehow still makes them the most vulnerable, and Rafe was absolutely that. Seeing his tender side come out for his son and for Clara was so well done. And then later, even for Clara’s brother. I loved how possessive and obsessed this man was with Clara! This man was completely gone for her and I absolutely ate it up!
So not only did Susie stay true to her ability to give us the best MMC, she also gave us the most beautiful FMC! Clara had been through so much, and watching her bloom into such a strong FMC was so well done. I love the growth Susie gives her female main characters, and Clara was so perfect. I honestly couldn’t have loved her tender and vulnerable personality more!
I am so excited for more in this series! I can’t wait!
🎧 Audiobook Review
• Duet Narration
• Narrated by Shane East and Zara Hampton-Brown
I love that Susie continues to use these two for her audiobooks! Not only are they an all time favorite duo, but they always do such an incredible job bringing her characters to life! Between Shane’s tender moments and his confidently assertive tone, and Zara’s ability to bring so much emotion and strength to each of Susie’s female characters, their performances were absolutely perfect for these roles!
I truly can’t recommend this book enough! Every Susie Tate audiobook I listen to performed by them, I swear it becomes my favorite. And then the next one comes along and I honestly don’t think I could ever pick just one!
• Cinderella romance
• Billionaire romance
• Hate to love
• Age gap
• Shy and resilient FMC
• Possesive and obsessed MMC
• Adorable 7 year old
• "Who did this to you"
• Forced proximity
This book is Susie Tate perfection! It’s everything I LOVE about her writing all in one book! Her ability to take such an unapologetically assertive male character and make him so soft and possessive over the female main character is exactly why her books are always an automatic read for me!
When I found out about the direction she was taking this new series, I couldn’t have been more excited. With every teaser she dropped, I just knew I was going to love it. But she somehow exceeded every expectation I had for this book! I am so excited to see where she takes this series next! I AM COMPLETELY OBSESSED! So much so that after I finished the audiobook, I immediately restarted it. I’m not ready to leave the world she has created for these two!
Rafe was hands down one of the gruffest characters, which is definitely a common theme in all of Susie Tate’s books. She gives us these incredibly gruff MMCs and somehow still makes them the most vulnerable, and Rafe was absolutely that. Seeing his tender side come out for his son and for Clara was so well done. And then later, even for Clara’s brother. I loved how possessive and obsessed this man was with Clara! This man was completely gone for her and I absolutely ate it up!
So not only did Susie stay true to her ability to give us the best MMC, she also gave us the most beautiful FMC! Clara had been through so much, and watching her bloom into such a strong FMC was so well done. I love the growth Susie gives her female main characters, and Clara was so perfect. I honestly couldn’t have loved her tender and vulnerable personality more!
I am so excited for more in this series! I can’t wait!
🎧 Audiobook Review
• Duet Narration
• Narrated by Shane East and Zara Hampton-Brown
I love that Susie continues to use these two for her audiobooks! Not only are they an all time favorite duo, but they always do such an incredible job bringing her characters to life! Between Shane’s tender moments and his confidently assertive tone, and Zara’s ability to bring so much emotion and strength to each of Susie’s female characters, their performances were absolutely perfect for these roles!
I truly can’t recommend this book enough! Every Susie Tate audiobook I listen to performed by them, I swear it becomes my favorite. And then the next one comes along and I honestly don’t think I could ever pick just one!
April 19, 2026
I don’t know how the author did it but she produced an arrogant and rude hero that completely hooked me. He was so out of touch with how an everyday average person lived and I didn’t even care. His love for his son, his sister and then later, his love for Clara sealed it for me. The kids helped as well. Ozzie and Margot were charming. I’ll be reading this one again.
March 3, 2026
I was so looking forward to this book, and I was a bit disappointed.
Clara works as a preschool aid who specializes in those with special needs. She is extremely anxious and shy, and was up front with the school that she not ever need to interact with parents (which is SO unrealistic and no school would hire an aid who refused to speak to parents!). She has developed a strong teacher/student relationship with young boy who is dyslexic, and his father happens to be Lord Sterling. A super rich hot dad, Rafe, who's a high profile barrister, who Clara happens to admire from afar as well.
When Rafe demands to talk to the aid who has been helping his son to have questions answered and to get ideas on how HE (the father) can help his son, everyone says no (again, NOT realistic). However, since he's rich he manages to talk to Clara and convince her to tutor his son. And romance ensues.
We find out early on the Clara has a pretty traumatic past, and the headmistress and other teachers know about it and try to keep it hidden. This is a past that could very much put the kids in the school at risk, so yet AGAIN, very unrealistic. The way Clara is written, there is no way she would want to put any kids at risk by working at a school. And no teacher would be ok with someone's who's past could be a risk to a student be ok with them working at their school. This could have easily be remedied if they didn't KNOW about her background, but they all do.
There is, of course, a 3rd act break up because this IS Susie Tate, and this author loves 3rd act break ups. By the time it happened, I was meh. I also could understand where Rafe came from. For him not to be mad or untrusting of Clara, he would have to be pretty much a mind reader, which is isn't.
This book was just so unrealistic for me that I didn't enjoy it as much as other Susie Tate's books. This read like one of her earlier books, rather than the books that were more recently published. I felt like the quality of her writing went down. I am still looking forward to the next book in this series, but I'm lowering my expectations for it.
2026 Bingo #52. Pickles--Clara is a HUGE fan of pickles and eats them a LOT. Rafe makes sure his fridge is always stocked with them. Actual pickles, no innuendos here.
Clara works as a preschool aid who specializes in those with special needs. She is extremely anxious and shy, and was up front with the school that she not ever need to interact with parents (which is SO unrealistic and no school would hire an aid who refused to speak to parents!). She has developed a strong teacher/student relationship with young boy who is dyslexic, and his father happens to be Lord Sterling. A super rich hot dad, Rafe, who's a high profile barrister, who Clara happens to admire from afar as well.
When Rafe demands to talk to the aid who has been helping his son to have questions answered and to get ideas on how HE (the father) can help his son, everyone says no (again, NOT realistic). However, since he's rich he manages to talk to Clara and convince her to tutor his son. And romance ensues.
We find out early on the Clara has a pretty traumatic past, and the headmistress and other teachers know about it and try to keep it hidden. This is a past that could very much put the kids in the school at risk, so yet AGAIN, very unrealistic. The way Clara is written, there is no way she would want to put any kids at risk by working at a school. And no teacher would be ok with someone's who's past could be a risk to a student be ok with them working at their school. This could have easily be remedied if they didn't KNOW about her background, but they all do.
There is, of course, a 3rd act break up because this IS Susie Tate, and this author loves 3rd act break ups. By the time it happened, I was meh. I also could understand where Rafe came from. For him not to be mad or untrusting of Clara, he would have to be pretty much a mind reader, which is isn't.
This book was just so unrealistic for me that I didn't enjoy it as much as other Susie Tate's books. This read like one of her earlier books, rather than the books that were more recently published. I felt like the quality of her writing went down. I am still looking forward to the next book in this series, but I'm lowering my expectations for it.
2026 Bingo #52. Pickles--Clara is a HUGE fan of pickles and eats them a LOT. Rafe makes sure his fridge is always stocked with them. Actual pickles, no innuendos here.
April 19, 2026
Duet style narration 5/5 🎧
Zara’s voice really fits the role of shy, meek, contemporary heroine and Shane can modify his voice to fit any character from a small child to an old and evil villain!
Story and characters 4/5⭐️
This wasn’t my first time reading a book written by Susie Tate but it was my first on audio and I enjoyed it!
Single dad (divorced) meets his son’s shy teacher (with a horrible family) and things progress from animosity to more!
No cheating, no sharing, no scenes with OP!
Check TW - heroine is assaulted several times by her own father! 😞
Zara’s voice really fits the role of shy, meek, contemporary heroine and Shane can modify his voice to fit any character from a small child to an old and evil villain!
Story and characters 4/5⭐️
This wasn’t my first time reading a book written by Susie Tate but it was my first on audio and I enjoyed it!
Single dad (divorced) meets his son’s shy teacher (with a horrible family) and things progress from animosity to more!
No cheating, no sharing, no scenes with OP!
Check TW - heroine is assaulted several times by her own father! 😞
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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