Apple Strudel

Naughty Desserts

by Tanja Longoria

Violet
Ever since Violet laid eyes on Jasper, she knew he was hers. With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, it seemed that the tattooed bear of a man wasn’t as bold as he looked. So, it was her time to shine.
Who’d have thought that their sweet date was only the first gift that Jasper had to offer?

Jasper
Violet was a storm this gamer hadn’t seen coming. The moment she asked him out, his world tipped on its axis–in the best way possible. All it took was a bouquet of orange roses to seal his future.

Don’t let the cute cover deceive you, this book is for an adult audience.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 3, 2026

About the author

Tanja is a spicy romance author who loves to write about strong female characters, loving love interests, and the occasional vampires and werewolves.

Besides writing she is a mother and nursing student, with a hectic life and an ever-changing work schedule. Writing is her escape from reality in which she can let go of all the stress that comes with managing a family of three and balancing work and private life.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You have asked me to trust you, so I ask you to trust me now. Your scars are nothing to be ashamed of and you have no reason to hide your beautiful and strong body. This house is a safe haven for you, along with every single person in it."

WOW. I've been reading this series since the very first book and this - this is what I've been waiting for!! Perfect plot, interesting characters and a fab representation of diabetes/mental health.
I enjoyed the idea that Jasper was the quiet shy one and Violet was the confident one - we don't see enough representation of strong willed, confident women yet so this was a breath of fresh air. Also thoroughly enjoyed seeing their interactions with each others family members and how Jasper's family took both Violet and her sister into their fold with no judgment or questions (I cried when Jesus asked Violet to dance as he dances with all his daughters). The gaming community representation was nice to see too and how Violet never made him feel like he had to choose between gaming and her and how Jasper always made sure she was loved and well cared for despite gaming with his friends - lovely to see a healthy relationship!


Favourite character: Jasper - shy, sweet, thoughtful and just an all round good guy. Also helps that he has a dog.

Thanks so much Tanja for letting me immerse myself in your stories, especially this one, Violet & Jasper have my heart <3

p.s also thank you for letting us choose with the NSFW artwork - no surprises on the bus this time haha!

[Lynn Sell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Violet and Jackson’s story. They meet at the gym where Jackson goes to work out in the evenings with his dog, Lila. Violet works the front desk of the gym overnight so that she can go to college to become a legal assistant. Violet is a strong female character who has been through a lot with her abusive parents as well as taking care of her sister who is graduating from high school. Victoria stuns Jackson when she asks if he is doing anything on Valentine’s Day and if he would be her date. From there, they begin dating and opening up to each other about their lives as the romance begins. Loved reading about these two falling in love. She has strong characters and usually one or both of the characters may have a disability. In this book, Jackson has type 1 diabetes which he educates Violet on how to help him. Violet had parents who were alcoholics and barely took care of her and her younger sister. This led to Violet to hang out with the wrong crowd and perform self harm and her wanting to be in charge. I loved how these issues were represented as well as each character’s growth throughout the story. Loved how accepting Jackson’s family was with both Violet and her sister.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

『••✎••』

｡˚. 🍎I was kindly sent an ARC Copy 🍎｡˚.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this book! Jasper and Violet were an utter joy to read and see where their relationship ended up and I’m so happy for them both! It’s my first read where diabetes is involved and I have to say I adored how it was written about and actually represented life with it and how it fits into everyday relationship scenarios. I really struggled to put the book down so I’d definitely recommend it to anyone!

Jaspers family were also wonderful to Violet and I really liked how with not only Jaspers help but his family it gave Violet a reminder of what a family should be like and gave her the safe space she always needed. Also Jaspers beautiful submission really took my breath away, I’m so used to reading about dominant men it was honestly such a pleasure to see it the other way round and boy does he do it so beautifully!

Overall, I really enjoyed this read, and will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

[Nika · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. The dynamic between the dominant female lead and the submissive male (who is also a virgin) is something you rarely see, and it felt incredibly refreshing. Their relationship is written with a lot of care, making it both engaging and emotionally convincing.

The writing style is light and easy to follow, which makes the book perfect for a quick, entertaining read. At the same time, it doesn’t shy away from exploring some more serious themes, and those moments add a surprising amount of depth. It’s a great blend of fun, humor, strong character chemistry, and thoughtful storytelling.

Highly recommended for readers looking for a unique character dynamic and a fast, enjoyable read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new addition to the Desserts series by Tanja Longoria. I haven’t seen a lot of the MMC as the inexperienced partner, so it was an interesting change. Jasper is so sweet to Violet and they really take care of each other. This was sweet and spicy but really romantic to see their love grow throughout the book. Jasper’s family was great to both Violet and her sister and welcomed them both with open arms. It was nice to see how diabetes was represented and how Violet wanted to learn so she could help Jasper. Overall a wonderful reading experience.
A couple of trigger warnings: self harm and parental neglect

ARC read from Booksirens and Tanja Longoria. All opinions are my own.

[Annie Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honored ARC review that is honest and my true opinion
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was the cutest romance. Sweet, emotional, and surprisingly deep, with a great balance of plot and spice. I loved the inexperienced MMC trope paired with a confident, eager FMC. It was refreshing and incredibly well done.

The story delivered heartfelt backstories, strong hurt/comfort, found family vibes, and genuine healing that actually felt earned. Emotional without being heavy, spicy without overpowering the romance.

Absolutely wonderful read, and I can’t wait to pick up the other standalone books in this series.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC and have read most of the others in this series, but that's not at all needed for this book.

This was a fun read!  I loved the diabetes and mental health representation; it was part of the story without overwhelming it.

The story itself was very low on conflict and uncomplicated. It kicks off with her asking him out, they explore some things together, and live their lives in a very relaxed, drama-free way. Everyone has good intentions. This book is basically like eating the dessert it's named after.

[Cyd Adger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! This is an amazing addition to this sweet and steamy series. I could not put this down! The characters are so vibrant and so relatable. Their personalities were well developed and the expressed emotions will bring out all the feels. Between the laughing-out-loud moments, the blushing behind my book moments, and the few tearful sniffs, you cannot find a better series. I really could not put it down once reading it.

I highly recommend grabbing a copy and immersing yourself in this wonderfully sweet, sensationally steamy and all around lovable world that the author created.

[PW · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of realistic scenarios. A man being a virgin, diabetes, dysfunctional family, self harm, resilience, determination, strength, and pure love. I know that sentence is a mouth full but necessary. The characters are flawed but genuinely likable. The storylines are seamlessly executed without missing a beat. This author is one of my favorites.

This free BookSierens ARC was a joy to read. The comments in this review are my feelings and thoughts about this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as an ARC and just want to say that I really enjoyed this short, sweet and spicy story and I absolutely loved Violet and Jasper and how they looked out for each other, with them both making sure they are loved throughout and incorporating into each other's family dynamic.

An fantastic little read to see out 2025.

🌶️ Spicy
💕 Strangers to Lovers
💉 MMC - Diabetic
💔 FMC - Past Family Trauma

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc read-
I absolutely loved this book. I was smiling like a fool and giggling the whole way through. I loved the MMC, he made me drool and blush. I related to the FMC to my core. She was perfection! This story is so romantic but has the right spice. I wanted to read forever. I will definitely be adding this to my personal library and I will also be reading the rest of the books!!!
Definitely go check this book out !!!

[Ohheyymorgan M · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚Spoiler Free Review📚

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely loved this book! The journey of Jasper and Voilet was well thought out, emotional in all the good ways, and heartwarming(with just the right amount of 🌶spice🌶)
I connected with both MCs on so many levels-from similar hobbies to their pasts and what they fought through.
Definitely worth the read! It wont let you down!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Age gap, awkward MMC who is also a virgin. FMC likes to take control in the bedroom. She does use the term “good boy” a lot which is a yuck for me, but that did not affect my rating. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book is sweet and spicy just like the others in the Naughty Desserts series. Definitely a lighthearted and easy book to read.

[Marie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a whirlwind of emotions
Our fmc is our strong willed woman who asks our mmc to go out we discover they’ve both had some wonky last with their own traumas but together they come together for the better and build each other up

[Amandaa Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing!!! A great mix of plot and spice. A FMC who knows what she wants and goes for it.