What do you think?
Joliet
Lovie Sinclair is on the run.
After narrowly escaping a volatile relationship, the former NFL WAG is a shell of herself. Her once glamorous life feels like a bad dream. Emotionally numb, broke, and desperate to disappear, she returns home to heal, but something about home feels different. She just can’t put her finger on what’s changed.
Then she meets Rich Lovelace.
Insular and intimidating, Rich is the embodiment of danger. He doesn’t know how to run from anything or anyone. Born into a family of rugged street fighters, he confronts all of his problems head on—well, all except for one.
When Rich catches Lovie in a compromising position, the two clash in an intense encounter. Afterwards, everything about Rich that should scare Lovie piques her curiosity, while everything Rich likes about Lovie keeps him holding her at arm’s length. Eventually, they find themselves tangled in a fiery, forbidden friendship that snowballs into a passionate love affair.
Together, they’re pulled into a dangerous web of lust, secrets, and extortion that threatens to shatter Lovie’s fragile healing journey and force Rich to confront the one problem he can’t fight. But when desire collides with danger, someone always pays a price.
Content Note: This is a standalone adult contemporary romance that contains mature themes and subjects that may be disturbing to some readers.
After narrowly escaping a volatile relationship, the former NFL WAG is a shell of herself. Her once glamorous life feels like a bad dream. Emotionally numb, broke, and desperate to disappear, she returns home to heal, but something about home feels different. She just can’t put her finger on what’s changed.
Then she meets Rich Lovelace.
Insular and intimidating, Rich is the embodiment of danger. He doesn’t know how to run from anything or anyone. Born into a family of rugged street fighters, he confronts all of his problems head on—well, all except for one.
When Rich catches Lovie in a compromising position, the two clash in an intense encounter. Afterwards, everything about Rich that should scare Lovie piques her curiosity, while everything Rich likes about Lovie keeps him holding her at arm’s length. Eventually, they find themselves tangled in a fiery, forbidden friendship that snowballs into a passionate love affair.
Together, they’re pulled into a dangerous web of lust, secrets, and extortion that threatens to shatter Lovie’s fragile healing journey and force Rich to confront the one problem he can’t fight. But when desire collides with danger, someone always pays a price.
Content Note: This is a standalone adult contemporary romance that contains mature themes and subjects that may be disturbing to some readers.
646 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 730 reviews
August 14, 2026
4/5
This book was so beautiful! Talk about soulmates!!! Got a little slow during the middle from 300-350 but picked up after that. This book has so much depth and the writing style literally makes you feel the yearning between these characters. LOVED this one and would recommend to anyone that was a story that feels like a movie!
This book was so beautiful! Talk about soulmates!!! Got a little slow during the middle from 300-350 but picked up after that. This book has so much depth and the writing style literally makes you feel the yearning between these characters. LOVED this one and would recommend to anyone that was a story that feels like a movie!
May 8, 2026
Wow this was deep. Rae that pen something serious!!! BEST INSTA LOVE IVE READ IN A WHILE. It’s always satisfying finding a 5-6 star read. Usually I have so much to say but it’s a lot but I enjoyed every moment of it. The story was beautiful the characters were beautifully flawed I really enjoyed this. One thing for sure Lovie was always a fighter. And where are the Pups in the world today WE NEED REAL MEN.
May 15, 2026
I need to stop getting influenced to read certain books bc wtf was this. 2.5 stars
That girl was getting on my last nerve begging for that man. This also did not need to be 600 pages
That girl was getting on my last nerve begging for that man. This also did not need to be 600 pages
April 23, 2026
This was phenomenal storytelling very thought-provoking, and in many ways it shined a light on some of my own personal blind spots concerning DV. I gave it 5 stars because the storytelling is something special. While I definitely have some issues with how certain things were handled, it’s a great story overall. I loved how real and raw Rae approached the dynamic between Lovie and almost all the men who weren’t Rich, but I also feel like the lens through which we viewed them was far less harsh than the one used for a few of the other characters.
My first and biggest issue is that while, yes, Lovie is a victim, it felt as if she never fully accepted responsibility for the other relationships in her life. Like with Faye sure, she could have been more motherly, but when and how would you have liked that to happen? Lovie was very critical of the women in her life. She constantly called Faye a liar while also being dishonest herself. Her and Terrica’s dynamic needed more development for me. I can hold space and extend grace because Lovie was deeply wounded and harmed, but I also feel like if you’re only looking through the lens of your own hurt, when do you acknowledge the devastation you’ve caused as well?
DV relationships are extremely volatile, and the nature of abusers often fosters isolation. As a friend, how do you expect people to show up if they are consistently met with resistance from the beginning? Without putting herself in danger, Terrica did all that she could while still navigating her own life changes. I think it’s unfair to expect people to fight for you while you’re not even beginning that fight for yourself. There were too many moments where Terrica was framed as the villain in Lovie’s story, and even then, Lovie offered her no protection or defense. There were a lot of assumptions that, as a reader, I felt we never truly saw play out.
Next, while I understand this is technically a romance, it did feel a little “white knight-ish.” Yes, Lovie eventually found her voice and gained some footing, but I have issues with the motivation behind it. No matter how good of a man Rich is, it felt like her growth was driven by a man, and given her vulnerable state, that didn’t fully land for me. I never really saw Lovie stand firmly on her own. Yes, Rich was everything, but I struggle when a female main character goes through so much and the end result is simply “love and a man.” Where are your dreams? Where are the things you want for yourself that aren’t tied to him? Like Rich was able to see you because he had experience with a traumatized woman just like you and because you opened up to him differently than anyone else in your life. I feel like she was vocal with Rich because he forced that whereas she expected everyone else to just know and see her trauma. When it’s like these ladies know you but it’s limited because the experiences they’ve had with you are small and minor. They saw who you were destined to be and then the tiny tattered pieces you became because of AJ, when they attempted to guide you and were ignored. She never revealed herself completely to the women in her life she scrutinized so viciously because of this alleged judgement that I personally don’t feel as if we saw enough on page to agree with.
I did love that Rich finally received the love he deserved and was prioritized. However, it was difficult to see so much grace and compassion extended to a man simply because he “saw” her, while she remained judgmental and harsh toward the women in her life. I expected her to be more and to do more. I also struggled with her dynamic with Arnez. Yes, they were mirrors of each other the only difference being that one saw her villain in his full, heinous truth, while the other was still in the early stages of denial. Still, it felt like she gave her longtime best friend and her aunt a lot of criticism, only to later attempt to form a connection with someone who clearly wasn’t interested. I did love the interconnected generational love stories and I’m glad we got a happy enough ending.
My first and biggest issue is that while, yes, Lovie is a victim, it felt as if she never fully accepted responsibility for the other relationships in her life. Like with Faye sure, she could have been more motherly, but when and how would you have liked that to happen? Lovie was very critical of the women in her life. She constantly called Faye a liar while also being dishonest herself. Her and Terrica’s dynamic needed more development for me. I can hold space and extend grace because Lovie was deeply wounded and harmed, but I also feel like if you’re only looking through the lens of your own hurt, when do you acknowledge the devastation you’ve caused as well?
DV relationships are extremely volatile, and the nature of abusers often fosters isolation. As a friend, how do you expect people to show up if they are consistently met with resistance from the beginning? Without putting herself in danger, Terrica did all that she could while still navigating her own life changes. I think it’s unfair to expect people to fight for you while you’re not even beginning that fight for yourself. There were too many moments where Terrica was framed as the villain in Lovie’s story, and even then, Lovie offered her no protection or defense. There were a lot of assumptions that, as a reader, I felt we never truly saw play out.
Next, while I understand this is technically a romance, it did feel a little “white knight-ish.” Yes, Lovie eventually found her voice and gained some footing, but I have issues with the motivation behind it. No matter how good of a man Rich is, it felt like her growth was driven by a man, and given her vulnerable state, that didn’t fully land for me. I never really saw Lovie stand firmly on her own. Yes, Rich was everything, but I struggle when a female main character goes through so much and the end result is simply “love and a man.” Where are your dreams? Where are the things you want for yourself that aren’t tied to him? Like Rich was able to see you because he had experience with a traumatized woman just like you and because you opened up to him differently than anyone else in your life. I feel like she was vocal with Rich because he forced that whereas she expected everyone else to just know and see her trauma. When it’s like these ladies know you but it’s limited because the experiences they’ve had with you are small and minor. They saw who you were destined to be and then the tiny tattered pieces you became because of AJ, when they attempted to guide you and were ignored. She never revealed herself completely to the women in her life she scrutinized so viciously because of this alleged judgement that I personally don’t feel as if we saw enough on page to agree with.
I did love that Rich finally received the love he deserved and was prioritized. However, it was difficult to see so much grace and compassion extended to a man simply because he “saw” her, while she remained judgmental and harsh toward the women in her life. I expected her to be more and to do more. I also struggled with her dynamic with Arnez. Yes, they were mirrors of each other the only difference being that one saw her villain in his full, heinous truth, while the other was still in the early stages of denial. Still, it felt like she gave her longtime best friend and her aunt a lot of criticism, only to later attempt to form a connection with someone who clearly wasn’t interested. I did love the interconnected generational love stories and I’m glad we got a happy enough ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2026
LOVED IT! THATS my review lol if i could give the book more than 5 ⭐️, i would. The story was perfect. Lovie and Rich are fictional characters that I’ll never forget 🥹🥰🫶🏽
May 13, 2026
DNF
The FMC was acting way too lost for me as if she didnt know what was happening to her and I've read alot of domestic violence books but this was written really weird and wasn't a great introduction to the author for me at least.
The FMC was acting way too lost for me as if she didnt know what was happening to her and I've read alot of domestic violence books but this was written really weird and wasn't a great introduction to the author for me at least.
July 24, 2026
I’m part of the small percentage of readers who did not like this book. The three stars was me being very generous.
May 27, 2026
I think I continued on this when I should have DNF'd it to write this review and post my Kindle comments.
She wants to touch me. She wants to jab her finger in my chest and do all the emotional shit that women do when they argue, but she can’t because he took that power away from her.
Lovie escapes back to her hometown by the skin of her teeth. Leaving an abusive NFL player she stayed way too long with, she heads back to Joliet, and meets man-about-town Rich Lovelace Jr. Trying to heal, Lovie and Rich are thrown in each others path, and when they are in each other's vicinity, their differences couldn't be vaster. Town politics and family histories threaten their safety and happiness. Can Lovie build back the pieces to herself before falling back again to something more deeper?
This was so BOOTY. I did not like ONE character in this book. The FMC is a whiny hack who would rather chase another man after leaving her abusive relationship, than focusing on long term plans and building a village.
While the story touches on some of the complexities of domestic violence, it almost paints a romantized picture of it under the male gaze.
Examples:
- After dropping her friendship while enduring abuse, Lovie fails to even attempt to re-build that trust with her friend. That friend did everything she could, but Lovie clearly wasn't ready to leave an abusive relationship. When that friend's mother had to go into life-threatening surgery, Lovie was radio-silent.
- Chasing a man that is emotionally unavailable and not SHOWING Lovie that she is the only girl in his world.
- Doing nothing that builds longevity for her career until Lovie and Rich get together....bc apparently a woman needs a man in her life to move on? What message does that send??
...and much, much more.
Ultimately, this was an egregiously horrible depiction of a domestic abuse survivor dealing with life after leaving.
She wants to touch me. She wants to jab her finger in my chest and do all the emotional shit that women do when they argue, but she can’t because he took that power away from her.
Lovie escapes back to her hometown by the skin of her teeth. Leaving an abusive NFL player she stayed way too long with, she heads back to Joliet, and meets man-about-town Rich Lovelace Jr. Trying to heal, Lovie and Rich are thrown in each others path, and when they are in each other's vicinity, their differences couldn't be vaster. Town politics and family histories threaten their safety and happiness. Can Lovie build back the pieces to herself before falling back again to something more deeper?
This was so BOOTY. I did not like ONE character in this book. The FMC is a whiny hack who would rather chase another man after leaving her abusive relationship, than focusing on long term plans and building a village.
While the story touches on some of the complexities of domestic violence, it almost paints a romantized picture of it under the male gaze.
Examples:
- After dropping her friendship while enduring abuse, Lovie fails to even attempt to re-build that trust with her friend. That friend did everything she could, but Lovie clearly wasn't ready to leave an abusive relationship. When that friend's mother had to go into life-threatening surgery, Lovie was radio-silent.
- Chasing a man that is emotionally unavailable and not SHOWING Lovie that she is the only girl in his world.
- Doing nothing that builds longevity for her career until Lovie and Rich get together....bc apparently a woman needs a man in her life to move on? What message does that send??
...and much, much more.
Ultimately, this was an egregiously horrible depiction of a domestic abuse survivor dealing with life after leaving.
May 8, 2026
Love in spite of....
Whew this was a slow burn, but an insta love at the same time.
Lovie aka Slim has been through a lot in her 24 years of life. After 2 years of pure hell in what on the surface seems to be a fairytale engagement, she finally escapes. She returns home, to a place that never quite felt like home, but she knows it's a safe place to put herself back together. When she runs into Rich aka Pup unexpectedly her feelings are still super raw. There is an immediate "connection" between them that neither of them is sure what to do with. Both of their lives are literally a chaotic mess.
Rae has a gift of peeling back the onion of her characters, their layers are so deep. Although the timeline is short on page, it feels longer because we learn so much about the mindset of the mcs. Rich was satisfied with taking care of his family and hell half the town without receiving hardly anything in return. No one cared to really get to know him as a man, and he was fine with that until Slim made him crave more. She scared him, because for the first time he wanted more out of life. More than being the town side heaux 🙈 He didn't want to go out like the men before him, he wanted to experience love and family with Slim even if it felt impossible.
I enjoyed feeling Slim and Rich fall, even if to some it was "too soon," I felt like they both deserved love. All that push and pull was crazy. Despite me predicting how Slim would handle their situation, it was still angsty and that scene was vividly wild. Even though I was scared for Slim I was happy she finally stood up for herself and showed she could "hit back" too and not just physically.
Another deep read from Rae.
Whew this was a slow burn, but an insta love at the same time.
Lovie aka Slim has been through a lot in her 24 years of life. After 2 years of pure hell in what on the surface seems to be a fairytale engagement, she finally escapes. She returns home, to a place that never quite felt like home, but she knows it's a safe place to put herself back together. When she runs into Rich aka Pup unexpectedly her feelings are still super raw. There is an immediate "connection" between them that neither of them is sure what to do with. Both of their lives are literally a chaotic mess.
Rae has a gift of peeling back the onion of her characters, their layers are so deep. Although the timeline is short on page, it feels longer because we learn so much about the mindset of the mcs. Rich was satisfied with taking care of his family and hell half the town without receiving hardly anything in return. No one cared to really get to know him as a man, and he was fine with that until Slim made him crave more. She scared him, because for the first time he wanted more out of life. More than being the town side heaux 🙈 He didn't want to go out like the men before him, he wanted to experience love and family with Slim even if it felt impossible.
I enjoyed feeling Slim and Rich fall, even if to some it was "too soon," I felt like they both deserved love. All that push and pull was crazy. Despite me predicting how Slim would handle their situation, it was still angsty and that scene was vividly wild. Even though I was scared for Slim I was happy she finally stood up for herself and showed she could "hit back" too and not just physically.
Another deep read from Rae.
June 1, 2026
rae has a phenomenal writing style and i’ve enjoyed other works by her; however, joliet didn’t give me what i was hoping for. i loved the idea of the plot surrounding a broken, battered girl meeting a broken man and they somehow help heal one another. however, i don’t think that i love how it was executed fully. there were moments where i felt lovie was essentially begging for rich despite just getting out a toxic relationship. i would have loved to see more of her healing journey and finding herself before jumping into a new relationship, especially considering the book is 600+ pages. i can wholeheartedly say that i don’t know what lovie is like OUTSIDE of being with a man.
as far as rich, it would have been nice to see him potentially branch out and find his own path contrary to what his father wanted for him. maybe explore some different career options. i also expected lovie to explore her dream career but we never got a chance to bc she was so wrapped up in rich. i unfortunately am not a big fan of novels where i feel the FMC doesn’t have an existence outside of her love interest :(
i also think rae let the main antagonists off the hook too easily and i don’t feel justice was really served for lovie. this was such a heavy topic to include in the book and i think it wasn’t treated as such. overall, i see why this novel has been a hot commodity in the book realm; nevertheless, this was not something i would write home about due to my opinion regarding a lack of character development across multiple characters.
as far as rich, it would have been nice to see him potentially branch out and find his own path contrary to what his father wanted for him. maybe explore some different career options. i also expected lovie to explore her dream career but we never got a chance to bc she was so wrapped up in rich. i unfortunately am not a big fan of novels where i feel the FMC doesn’t have an existence outside of her love interest :(
i also think rae let the main antagonists off the hook too easily and i don’t feel justice was really served for lovie. this was such a heavy topic to include in the book and i think it wasn’t treated as such. overall, i see why this novel has been a hot commodity in the book realm; nevertheless, this was not something i would write home about due to my opinion regarding a lack of character development across multiple characters.
May 18, 2026
DNF’d at 36%. It started off intriguing, and I really wanted to love it, but the FMC’s baby-like naivety became frustrating fast. The constant lying, sneaking around, and overall mindset just made her hard to connect with. The MMC was definitely the stronger character for me — consistent, intriguing, and honestly the main reason I made it as far as I did. I usually enjoy a slow burn, but this one felt painfully drawn out and mentally exhausting to get through.
That said, I’ve heard great things about this author overall, so I’m still interested in checking out some of her other books.
That said, I’ve heard great things about this author overall, so I’m still interested in checking out some of her other books.
April 25, 2026
4.5 stars
One thing about Rae Lyse is that she’s going to give a story that breaks us down but always puts us back together and Joliet is another banger that she’s given us.
We have Lovie who leaves her lavish life in New York as an NFL WAG to go back home to Texas to rebuild herself. While back home Lovie crosses path with Rich aka Pup. Rich is a fighter and the local community man who everyone comes to with their problems. Him and Lovie begin a friendship that brings them both the peace they were searching for.
I absolutely loved everything about this story even the parts that frustrated me. I admire Lovie finally finding her voice and gaining the strength to stand up for herself. I only wish she would’ve done it without a man telling her to but I understand that people in the world need that support to gain that strength. Rich I wasn’t too sure about. I definitely saw him as someone who was just gonna be complacent with everything he thought his life was going to be but he’s a fighter and I’m glad he fought for the life he truly wanted and deserved.
Overall this is another masterpiece by Rae and I can’t wait to see what else she puts out into the universe.
One thing about Rae Lyse is that she’s going to give a story that breaks us down but always puts us back together and Joliet is another banger that she’s given us.
We have Lovie who leaves her lavish life in New York as an NFL WAG to go back home to Texas to rebuild herself. While back home Lovie crosses path with Rich aka Pup. Rich is a fighter and the local community man who everyone comes to with their problems. Him and Lovie begin a friendship that brings them both the peace they were searching for.
I absolutely loved everything about this story even the parts that frustrated me. I admire Lovie finally finding her voice and gaining the strength to stand up for herself. I only wish she would’ve done it without a man telling her to but I understand that people in the world need that support to gain that strength. Rich I wasn’t too sure about. I definitely saw him as someone who was just gonna be complacent with everything he thought his life was going to be but he’s a fighter and I’m glad he fought for the life he truly wanted and deserved.
Overall this is another masterpiece by Rae and I can’t wait to see what else she puts out into the universe.
June 4, 2026
1 million ⭐️'s !!!!!
a book that I have seen all over my feed, it was inevitable that I was going to pick this one up. and WOW. just WOW.
**now, before we get on with this, please note: there may be spoilers ahead.
you've been warned.**
did I mention this book has changed my brain chemistry?
or that I don't know how I've been breathing before this book came out because it feels like I've been made new after reading this? LMAO it's giving dramatic, but CARE - this book was THAT GOOD.
"so, you saying you love a fighter?"
"unconditionally."
it has been a min since i've actually shed tears reading a book, but this had me BALLING.
the way rae lyse was able to write such a story is incredible. to have felt every emotion, to have felt like I was right there with the characters in every scene - it was just art on paper. I am so grateful to have picked up this book, it has been such an amazing read! I am so THANKFUL that everyone wasn't lying when they said I needed to read this, because I really did!
these characters have stolen my ability to find the right words. their connection was instant, and to have seen them experience a slow burn love in a world that wasn't built to support a love like this was beautiful. Lovelace men aren't made to find and experience love, and yet we see rich/pup out here breaking the generational chains that he grew up trapped by. lovie and rich have my whole heart. <3
now, let me just say (this may be a hot take) - but I loved lovie's character. I mean, who doesn't love a strong fmc that finds her feet and discovers her worth, whilst also finding a real love at the same time. seeing her come into her own and experience this all with rich, was everything I never knew I needed. I also love how her and aunty faye were able to reconnect as the book went on.
everything in this book just fell off the page so seamlessly. as soon as I was able to sit, I was HOOKED. being a mood reader, it took me a minute to get into this - but once I was in, sis was SAT. this book was just the best.
for any and every reader out there, thinking about reading this book or have seen this cover floating around, this is your sign: read the book. (but check tw's!)
this was such a great read, and I need everybody and their mama's to go and read it too! <33
a book that I have seen all over my feed, it was inevitable that I was going to pick this one up. and WOW. just WOW.
**now, before we get on with this, please note: there may be spoilers ahead.
you've been warned.**
did I mention this book has changed my brain chemistry?
or that I don't know how I've been breathing before this book came out because it feels like I've been made new after reading this? LMAO it's giving dramatic, but CARE - this book was THAT GOOD.
"so, you saying you love a fighter?"
"unconditionally."
it has been a min since i've actually shed tears reading a book, but this had me BALLING.
the way rae lyse was able to write such a story is incredible. to have felt every emotion, to have felt like I was right there with the characters in every scene - it was just art on paper. I am so grateful to have picked up this book, it has been such an amazing read! I am so THANKFUL that everyone wasn't lying when they said I needed to read this, because I really did!
these characters have stolen my ability to find the right words. their connection was instant, and to have seen them experience a slow burn love in a world that wasn't built to support a love like this was beautiful. Lovelace men aren't made to find and experience love, and yet we see rich/pup out here breaking the generational chains that he grew up trapped by. lovie and rich have my whole heart. <3
now, let me just say (this may be a hot take) - but I loved lovie's character. I mean, who doesn't love a strong fmc that finds her feet and discovers her worth, whilst also finding a real love at the same time. seeing her come into her own and experience this all with rich, was everything I never knew I needed. I also love how her and aunty faye were able to reconnect as the book went on.
everything in this book just fell off the page so seamlessly. as soon as I was able to sit, I was HOOKED. being a mood reader, it took me a minute to get into this - but once I was in, sis was SAT. this book was just the best.
for any and every reader out there, thinking about reading this book or have seen this cover floating around, this is your sign: read the book. (but check tw's!)
this was such a great read, and I need everybody and their mama's to go and read it too! <33
May 3, 2026
6⭐️
The way Rae breaks us down and slowly builds us up is amazing. This is easily the best book I’ve read so far this year.
The love, passion, gentleness between them two poured off the page. Rich is a mix of all my favorite Rae MMCs, even the traits that grow on you. Two lost souls that never received real love, only forced love, found solace amongst themselves.
This is a story I can reread multiple times and probably leave with another interpretation. Choosing to write this in 1st person was the best experience. Oh to live in the mind of Lovie or Rich. She just wanted to be the person he was for everyone.
The way Rae breaks us down and slowly builds us up is amazing. This is easily the best book I’ve read so far this year.
The love, passion, gentleness between them two poured off the page. Rich is a mix of all my favorite Rae MMCs, even the traits that grow on you. Two lost souls that never received real love, only forced love, found solace amongst themselves.
This is a story I can reread multiple times and probably leave with another interpretation. Choosing to write this in 1st person was the best experience. Oh to live in the mind of Lovie or Rich. She just wanted to be the person he was for everyone.
April 28, 2026
Already my best read of 2026
Rae Lyse has a way with words, character development and storytelling, she’s top tier and this story deserves all the stars.
Lovie and Rich man in sucker for a man who’s protective, provider and a lover that’s a combination that can’t be beat and Rich is that and then some. Lovie is just what a man like Rich needs, she’s soft, loving and she don’t listen 😂😂😂
I enjoyed this book so much, everything about pulled at my heart. The family, the love, the highs and lows. It’s over and I still want more. I was smiling and giggling so much reading this book and I couldn’t put it down .
Rae Lyse has a way with words, character development and storytelling, she’s top tier and this story deserves all the stars.
Lovie and Rich man in sucker for a man who’s protective, provider and a lover that’s a combination that can’t be beat and Rich is that and then some. Lovie is just what a man like Rich needs, she’s soft, loving and she don’t listen 😂😂😂
I enjoyed this book so much, everything about pulled at my heart. The family, the love, the highs and lows. It’s over and I still want more. I was smiling and giggling so much reading this book and I couldn’t put it down .
June 18, 2026
Um, where do I even begin? I got this recommendation from Tiktok so I went in kinda blind. I barely write reviews too but I just had to this time because imagine my surprise at the amount of glaze this book is getting?
Now, I will say I liked the author's writing style, this book had so much potential, but she ruined it.
Lovie has to be the most annoying and downright foolish fmc I've ever read about. She is the biggest pick me ever.
Miss girl gets out of an abusive relationship just to get into another toxic relationship.
Yes, toxic.
I don't even want to dive into the subtle misogyny spread throughout the book.
Also the pedophilic undertones? Rich carrying Lovie while she sobs and bouncing her up and down in his arms?
It's also not cute how the author manages to villainize every other person from Lovie's perspective apart from Rich. That's not healthy. Terrica did not deserve that.
Again, I cannot overemphasize how male centered the fmc is!!
And how she begged for him throughout? Barf!!
Miss girl just got out of an abusive relationship and instead of trying to find her footing and maybe get an actual source of income she decides to get again depend on another man (who she just met mind you) and center her entire life around him.
This book also seems to romanticise cheating and the inability to commit.
And I'm not even done.
This was just too disgusting to continue, I'm not quite sure if I'll finish it.
Ps: everything I've said barely scratches the surface of what is wrong with this steaming mess.
Now, I will say I liked the author's writing style, this book had so much potential, but she ruined it.
Lovie has to be the most annoying and downright foolish fmc I've ever read about. She is the biggest pick me ever.
Miss girl gets out of an abusive relationship just to get into another toxic relationship.
Yes, toxic.
I don't even want to dive into the subtle misogyny spread throughout the book.
Also the pedophilic undertones? Rich carrying Lovie while she sobs and bouncing her up and down in his arms?
It's also not cute how the author manages to villainize every other person from Lovie's perspective apart from Rich. That's not healthy. Terrica did not deserve that.
Again, I cannot overemphasize how male centered the fmc is!!
And how she begged for him throughout? Barf!!
Miss girl just got out of an abusive relationship and instead of trying to find her footing and maybe get an actual source of income she decides to get again depend on another man (who she just met mind you) and center her entire life around him.
This book also seems to romanticise cheating and the inability to commit.
And I'm not even done.
This was just too disgusting to continue, I'm not quite sure if I'll finish it.
Ps: everything I've said barely scratches the surface of what is wrong with this steaming mess.
May 12, 2026
Sleep was lost and fictional people were the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning. I already know this book is about to put me in a slump 🫠😮💨
This is only my second book by Rae Lyse, but her pen already feels so authentic and emotionally raw. The way she writes just sinks into you.
Can a book be both slow burn and insta-love? Because this felt exactly like that. A heartbreaking, beautiful experience from start to finish. Lovie has spent her entire life feeling unwanted and unprotected after enduring so much trauma, while Rich has only ever known how to carry the weight of everyone else’s problems, constantly protecting and providing no matter the cost to himself.
From the moment they meet, Rich sees straight through all of Lovie’s insecurities and hidden pain. Watching him slowly help rebuild her confidence and self-worth was genuinely beautiful. But what made me love them even more was the way Lovie cared for Rich in return. Everyone in his life seemed to take from him, while she truly saw him. They were exactly what the other needed. He had this power to make her say things she couldn’t out loud and she taught him to hope, love, and dream.
This is one of those books I instantly wished I could experience again for the first time. The trauma, emotion, love, and healing practically poured off the pages.
I could honestly keep talking about this book and these characters forever. I want to share every quote and relive all my favorite moments, but I refuse to spoil this story for you so just trust me and read it 😮💨🫠
This is only my second book by Rae Lyse, but her pen already feels so authentic and emotionally raw. The way she writes just sinks into you.
Can a book be both slow burn and insta-love? Because this felt exactly like that. A heartbreaking, beautiful experience from start to finish. Lovie has spent her entire life feeling unwanted and unprotected after enduring so much trauma, while Rich has only ever known how to carry the weight of everyone else’s problems, constantly protecting and providing no matter the cost to himself.
From the moment they meet, Rich sees straight through all of Lovie’s insecurities and hidden pain. Watching him slowly help rebuild her confidence and self-worth was genuinely beautiful. But what made me love them even more was the way Lovie cared for Rich in return. Everyone in his life seemed to take from him, while she truly saw him. They were exactly what the other needed. He had this power to make her say things she couldn’t out loud and she taught him to hope, love, and dream.
This is one of those books I instantly wished I could experience again for the first time. The trauma, emotion, love, and healing practically poured off the pages.
I could honestly keep talking about this book and these characters forever. I want to share every quote and relive all my favorite moments, but I refuse to spoil this story for you so just trust me and read it 😮💨🫠
May 14, 2026
This is quite literally the best book I’ve ever read. Wow
June 30, 2026
“I don’t hit women,” I whisper matter-of-factly. “I pay their bills when they can’t. I feed them and their kids when they’re hungry. I listen to them complain about their niggas. And I fuck them when they’re lonely. But I don’t hit ‘em. So ain’t no reason for you to be scared of me. You understand?”
If I didn't have to be an adult, I would've read this 600+ page book in one sitting with no regrets.
I usually struggle with FMCs because they're often written as weak or pregnant before they even have the chance to build a foundation for themselves, but there was something about Lovie that captivated me from beginning to end. There are so many trigger warnings throughout this book, but the ending had me shedding a tear.
In Joliet, we meet Rich and Lovie. They're from the same area but walked two completely different paths, yet what they have in common is loss and violence. After the death of her parents at an early age, Lovie is thrust into the care of her aunt Faye and her husband. Determined to make sure Lovie becomes bigger than her circumstances, Faye makes sure she's in all the right schools and excelling until she meets AJ, a college football star turned pro who is also an abuser. He cheats, stalks, and never lets his fists stay away from Lovie's face and body for too long. Broken and fragile, Lovie escapes, but her journey back home opens the floodgates to a whole lot of shit disguised with a coating of sugar.
Rich! Fine ass Rich lol.
He's a hard-shelled man who doesn't know what it means to cry, but he sure knows how to beat a man to a pulp with his bare fists. He carries the weight of an entire neighborhood on his shoulders, made up of the same people who bet on him in street fights, fear him, and carry a secret whenever his name comes up. Rich is indebted to a con man trying to rule the town. Between a brokenhearted sister, a father who's become a shell of the man he once was because of fighting but whose love for Auntie Faye never faded, and the debt hanging over his head, Rich has more on his shoulders than anyone should. Even though his father told Auntie Faye to move on, she can only give half of herself to her husband because her heart will always belong to Rich Lovelace Sr.
Rich has spent his entire life carrying everyone else's burdens until Lovie becomes the first person to see the man beneath them. He empowers her, and from the moment they lock eyes, he sees who she really is. In return, she sees him. Two broken people, one trying to put herself back together and the other being forced to let love find him.
Joliet is an emotional page-turner filled with hope and that constant need to know what happens next. These characters are tested in every way imaginable, and as the truth unfolds, you can't help but wonder how anyone comes back from all of it. Then you watch them slowly heal each other, and there's so much beauty in that. So much gentleness.
Rae Lyse did her biggest one with this, and now I want to read everything she writes.
If I didn't have to be an adult, I would've read this 600+ page book in one sitting with no regrets.
I usually struggle with FMCs because they're often written as weak or pregnant before they even have the chance to build a foundation for themselves, but there was something about Lovie that captivated me from beginning to end. There are so many trigger warnings throughout this book, but the ending had me shedding a tear.
In Joliet, we meet Rich and Lovie. They're from the same area but walked two completely different paths, yet what they have in common is loss and violence. After the death of her parents at an early age, Lovie is thrust into the care of her aunt Faye and her husband. Determined to make sure Lovie becomes bigger than her circumstances, Faye makes sure she's in all the right schools and excelling until she meets AJ, a college football star turned pro who is also an abuser. He cheats, stalks, and never lets his fists stay away from Lovie's face and body for too long. Broken and fragile, Lovie escapes, but her journey back home opens the floodgates to a whole lot of shit disguised with a coating of sugar.
Rich! Fine ass Rich lol.
He's a hard-shelled man who doesn't know what it means to cry, but he sure knows how to beat a man to a pulp with his bare fists. He carries the weight of an entire neighborhood on his shoulders, made up of the same people who bet on him in street fights, fear him, and carry a secret whenever his name comes up. Rich is indebted to a con man trying to rule the town. Between a brokenhearted sister, a father who's become a shell of the man he once was because of fighting but whose love for Auntie Faye never faded, and the debt hanging over his head, Rich has more on his shoulders than anyone should. Even though his father told Auntie Faye to move on, she can only give half of herself to her husband because her heart will always belong to Rich Lovelace Sr.
Rich has spent his entire life carrying everyone else's burdens until Lovie becomes the first person to see the man beneath them. He empowers her, and from the moment they lock eyes, he sees who she really is. In return, she sees him. Two broken people, one trying to put herself back together and the other being forced to let love find him.
Joliet is an emotional page-turner filled with hope and that constant need to know what happens next. These characters are tested in every way imaginable, and as the truth unfolds, you can't help but wonder how anyone comes back from all of it. Then you watch them slowly heal each other, and there's so much beauty in that. So much gentleness.
Rae Lyse did her biggest one with this, and now I want to read everything she writes.
May 13, 2026
I don’t even know where to began…
Minus the sound effects (so much sobbing, gulping, swallowing etc…) I like this NTM authors writing style and it’s why I didn’t DNF. I had high hopes for this book, but the overall story development just missed the mark for me.
It was an actual slow burn (which I love) but the direction was just off. Very few actions from the characters made sense.
This was also my first time reading about a begging ass FMC and I hope to never have that experience again.
Pup was cool.
Arnez can go to hell.
Minus the sound effects (so much sobbing, gulping, swallowing etc…) I like this NTM authors writing style and it’s why I didn’t DNF. I had high hopes for this book, but the overall story development just missed the mark for me.
It was an actual slow burn (which I love) but the direction was just off. Very few actions from the characters made sense.
This was also my first time reading about a begging ass FMC and I hope to never have that experience again.
Pup was cool.
Arnez can go to hell.
May 2, 2026
I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately because I don’t like age gaps I found the fmc very annoying. Yet the writing was beautifully written, and I can’t wait to read more from this author. I just hope for older female characters.
May 20, 2026
Oh BROTHER
August 9, 2026
650 pages just for them to fall in love in less than a month?? Giving a man 2 milly after ONE BLOODY MONTH AND FINDING OUT HE’S A MURDERER??!?? 😵💫 this was NOT a slow burn like TikTok recommendations suggested.
The storyline was alright, but it’s predictable. Definitely shouldn’t have been this long given that nothing really happened. Lovie, I can’t even fully hate you because now I see you were surrounded by idiocy and selfish people.
The storyline was alright, but it’s predictable. Definitely shouldn’t have been this long given that nothing really happened. Lovie, I can’t even fully hate you because now I see you were surrounded by idiocy and selfish people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2026
3⭐️ for the premise and a few genuinely buzzy moments. But I almost DNF’d this book several times because of the way it framed women and relationships.
Take this line:
“She wants revenge on little Jeremy, and I think I do too, but I don’t think Rich would have that because he’s a man and men don’t internalize all the innocuous little crap that women do.”
So… apparently men don’t internalize “innocuous little crap,” but women are uniquely wired to carry every slight forever? Okay, sureee.
I was constantly confused about the FMC, Lovie’s, age. Was she a grown woman or a teenager? Her actions swung between the two so often that it became difficult to understand who she actually was.
And then there’s Terrica.
Honestly? Terrica was well within her rights to be angry when Lovie came back. Yes, Lovie was in an abusive relationship, and that deserves compassion. But Terrica was also a whole person dealing with her own life—including caring for an amputee mother. She spent so long trying to help Lovie, only to get blocked because Lovie chose her abuser over the friend trying to save her. When Lovie finally returned, she somehow expected Terrica to carry the emotional labor of repairing the friendship too. And when Terrica understandably refused, she was treated like the villain. I couldn’t get behind that.
Also, Rich and Lovie’s codependency. I know the book wanted it to read as tender, but it mostly came across as unhealthy. Constantly carrying her around, cleaning up her vomit, being attached at the hip, treating her with this almost childlike fragility… none of it felt romantic to me. It felt like two deeply damaged people reinforcing each other’s dysfunction. And was with all the crying and drama in the street? Were they broken up? Taking a break? Just fighting? I couldn’t keep up! One minute he wanted her to go home to her auntie, the next he was begging her to look at him? One minute she was turning away from him, the next she was sending him voice notes every waking hour. *Cue heavy sigh*
They had chemistry, I’ll give them that. But chemistry isn’t the same thing as a healthy relationship, and I don’t think the ending convinced me they were. They just… left town.
By the end, the whole thing felt uncomfortably close to romanticizing relationships with misogynistic and pedophilic undertones through the FMC’s infantilization. Whether that was intentional or not, that’s how it read to me.
Oh, and the story dragged. So many scenes (and characters) were quite unnecessary bro.
Take this line:
“She wants revenge on little Jeremy, and I think I do too, but I don’t think Rich would have that because he’s a man and men don’t internalize all the innocuous little crap that women do.”
So… apparently men don’t internalize “innocuous little crap,” but women are uniquely wired to carry every slight forever? Okay, sureee.
I was constantly confused about the FMC, Lovie’s, age. Was she a grown woman or a teenager? Her actions swung between the two so often that it became difficult to understand who she actually was.
And then there’s Terrica.
Honestly? Terrica was well within her rights to be angry when Lovie came back. Yes, Lovie was in an abusive relationship, and that deserves compassion. But Terrica was also a whole person dealing with her own life—including caring for an amputee mother. She spent so long trying to help Lovie, only to get blocked because Lovie chose her abuser over the friend trying to save her. When Lovie finally returned, she somehow expected Terrica to carry the emotional labor of repairing the friendship too. And when Terrica understandably refused, she was treated like the villain. I couldn’t get behind that.
Also, Rich and Lovie’s codependency. I know the book wanted it to read as tender, but it mostly came across as unhealthy. Constantly carrying her around, cleaning up her vomit, being attached at the hip, treating her with this almost childlike fragility… none of it felt romantic to me. It felt like two deeply damaged people reinforcing each other’s dysfunction. And was with all the crying and drama in the street? Were they broken up? Taking a break? Just fighting? I couldn’t keep up! One minute he wanted her to go home to her auntie, the next he was begging her to look at him? One minute she was turning away from him, the next she was sending him voice notes every waking hour. *Cue heavy sigh*
They had chemistry, I’ll give them that. But chemistry isn’t the same thing as a healthy relationship, and I don’t think the ending convinced me they were. They just… left town.
By the end, the whole thing felt uncomfortably close to romanticizing relationships with misogynistic and pedophilic undertones through the FMC’s infantilization. Whether that was intentional or not, that’s how it read to me.
Oh, and the story dragged. So many scenes (and characters) were quite unnecessary bro.
May 24, 2026
Good read overall 3.7/5 …. But the FMC ( don’t get me wrong I love her , but her begging for a man ……. Not used to that one) . The characters are very well written. This is probably the first time i didn’t get super cringed out by the language that was used. Super corny tho, kinda reminds me of keke Palmer’s “southern fried rice” .. like the whole “ daddy always told me” thing people think black ppl say . The only reason this book isn’t getting a 4/5 from me is because the timeline was so LONGGGG , everything that happened literally happened within 2 months 🤣🤣. I think I woulda enjoyed it better knowing that it was a real slow burn but it in reality this bitch was begging DAY ONE . + rich was great loved him! Lovie….. not so much
July 12, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars.
okay, where do i even start?
first off, i love a good slow burn, and for some reason, this one didn't feel very slow to me. i think i enjoyed how attentive rich and lovie were to each other, which allowed them to truly get to know one another much faster than i expected. every interaction felt intentional. i also liked how, in the end, rich came to his senses and realized there was more out there for him than texas and street fighting. watching him slowly open himself up to the possibility of a different life was really satisfying.
i think what i would have wanted to explore more was who lovie was before aj and get a little more insight into who she was during that relationship. i wanted to understand the version of herself that existed before all of that hurt. with that being said, i really enjoyed seeing her slowly take her power back in the last few chapters. it wasn't perfect, but it felt like the beginning of something.
some may think that lovie was chasing rich throughout the story, which i can understand, but i view it differently. i like to think that she saw the potential in what they could have been, and she wanted to fight for it. could she have focused on rebuilding herself more? yes. but something really stuck out to me.
in the words of yesenia, "i think she'd say that maybe this guy holding onto a piece of you just like you're holding onto a piece of him. maybe the piece he's holding is the one you need to finish putting yourself back together."
i think that's so important to note. although she isn't whole again, why can't she have the luxury of having someone by her side while she rebuilds? healing doesn't always have to happen in isolation. sometimes the right person can help remind you of the parts of yourself that you've lost along the way.
on the contrary, i do hope that lovie begins to explore who she is outside of her relationships. i hope she continues to pursue her love for sewing and that something beautiful comes from it because she deserves something that's hers. as for rich, i hope he develops some sort of hobby or passion outside of boxing. i want both of them to have identities that exist beyond survival and beyond each other.
now i do want to mention aunt faye as well. the whole situation with her, uncle kenny, and senior felt like the blueprint for lovie and rich. seeing those parallels made me appreciate both storylines even more. i'm glad that faye eventually came to her senses and stopped playing with that man's heart. i know it's much easier said than done, but i was happy to see her finally make a choice instead of living in the middle.
overall, i really enjoyed lovie and rich's story. i think it captures the complexities of knowing what you need for yourself while also having the heart to want to help the people around you, especially someone you love. it explores how messy healing can be and how love isn't always enough, but it can still be a beautiful place to begin.
in every book that i read, i always find a piece of myself within the characters. in *Joliet*, i found the hard love of an empath, and that's something i see in myself too.
okay that's it, i'm gone lol.
okay, where do i even start?
first off, i love a good slow burn, and for some reason, this one didn't feel very slow to me. i think i enjoyed how attentive rich and lovie were to each other, which allowed them to truly get to know one another much faster than i expected. every interaction felt intentional. i also liked how, in the end, rich came to his senses and realized there was more out there for him than texas and street fighting. watching him slowly open himself up to the possibility of a different life was really satisfying.
i think what i would have wanted to explore more was who lovie was before aj and get a little more insight into who she was during that relationship. i wanted to understand the version of herself that existed before all of that hurt. with that being said, i really enjoyed seeing her slowly take her power back in the last few chapters. it wasn't perfect, but it felt like the beginning of something.
some may think that lovie was chasing rich throughout the story, which i can understand, but i view it differently. i like to think that she saw the potential in what they could have been, and she wanted to fight for it. could she have focused on rebuilding herself more? yes. but something really stuck out to me.
in the words of yesenia, "i think she'd say that maybe this guy holding onto a piece of you just like you're holding onto a piece of him. maybe the piece he's holding is the one you need to finish putting yourself back together."
i think that's so important to note. although she isn't whole again, why can't she have the luxury of having someone by her side while she rebuilds? healing doesn't always have to happen in isolation. sometimes the right person can help remind you of the parts of yourself that you've lost along the way.
on the contrary, i do hope that lovie begins to explore who she is outside of her relationships. i hope she continues to pursue her love for sewing and that something beautiful comes from it because she deserves something that's hers. as for rich, i hope he develops some sort of hobby or passion outside of boxing. i want both of them to have identities that exist beyond survival and beyond each other.
now i do want to mention aunt faye as well. the whole situation with her, uncle kenny, and senior felt like the blueprint for lovie and rich. seeing those parallels made me appreciate both storylines even more. i'm glad that faye eventually came to her senses and stopped playing with that man's heart. i know it's much easier said than done, but i was happy to see her finally make a choice instead of living in the middle.
overall, i really enjoyed lovie and rich's story. i think it captures the complexities of knowing what you need for yourself while also having the heart to want to help the people around you, especially someone you love. it explores how messy healing can be and how love isn't always enough, but it can still be a beautiful place to begin.
in every book that i read, i always find a piece of myself within the characters. in *Joliet*, i found the hard love of an empath, and that's something i see in myself too.
okay that's it, i'm gone lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2026
✨Book Review✨
6 MILLION STARS. No, I am not being dramatic.
Joliet is hands down the best book I’ve read in 2026, and I fear Rae Lyse may have officially given me a new favorite book from her catalog.
At its core, this is a love story about two people who have both been shaped by survival in completely different ways.
Lovie Sinclair returns home after leaving a deeply unhealthy relationship, trying to figure out what life looks like when the future she planned is no longer hers. Then she meets Rich Lovelace — better known as Pup — a neighborhood street fighter who has spent his entire life believing that love, loyalty and protection are all things you prove through action.
And BABY…the chemistry?!
This is a slow burn, but don’t hear “slow” and think nothing is happening. The intimacy between these two starts building almost immediately. It’s in the conversations, the observations, the tiny acts of care, the tension, the humor, the things they notice about one another before either of them is ready to admit why they’re noticing.
Rae Lyse writes romance in a way that makes you feel like you’re watching two people slowly learn each other’s language.
And what I loved most is that Joliet never reduces healing to “meet the right person and suddenly everything is fixed.”
Absolutely not.
This book asks some really beautiful and uncomfortable questions about love versus possession, protection versus control, loyalty, family, grief, masculinity, generational expectations, survival, vulnerability and what it actually means to choose a different life than the one you were taught to accept.
Both Lovie and Rich have to examine what they’ve been conditioned to believe love is.
And neither one of them comes out of that examination unchanged.
Rich especially?! Whew.
There is something so fascinating about watching a man whose entire identity has been built around strength slowly discover that vulnerability doesn’t make him less powerful. He is protective, intense, rough around every damn edge 😂, but underneath all of that is a man who genuinely does not know what to do when someone starts reaching the parts of him he was taught not to nurture.
And Lovie’s journey is equally beautiful because her story isn’t simply about being loved by somebody better.
It’s about finding herself again.
Her voice.
Her confidence.
Her choices.
Her joy.
Her ability to imagine a future that belongs to her.
And watching those two journeys intersect??? Yeah. I was COOKED.
But the romance is only part of why this book works so well.
The FAMILY DYNAMICS.
Rae gave these characters histories that existed long before the first page, and you can feel it. The sibling relationships, parental relationships, old wounds, neighborhood ties, inherited beliefs — all of it makes Joliet feel lived-in rather than constructed around a romance plot.
There are characters here who love each other deeply and still hurt each other.
People who mean well and are still wrong.
People who have spent years calling something “strength” when really they were just surviving.
And one of my favorite things about this story is watching what happens when one person finally says:
I want something different.
Because sometimes breaking a generational cycle doesn’t only change you.
It forces everyone around you to look at the lives they’ve been tolerating too.
😮💨
The writing itself is also some of Rae’s best.
The CALLBACKS.
The symbolism.
The little details that seem insignificant until they absolutely are not.
The humor tucked inside extremely emotional scenes.
The tenderness.
The domestic moments.
The dialogue.
Nothing felt overexplained. Rae trusted me to PAY ATTENTION, and I love when an author does that.
And please understand: this book made me cry an unreasonable number of times. 😂
Not because it’s misery porn.
Because the emotional payoff is EARNED.
There were moments where I had to stop reading because one sentence would connect to something from hundreds of pages earlier and I’d be sitting there like:
RAE. I SEE WHAT YOU DID. 😭
If you like:
* emotionally intelligent Black romance
* slow burns with REAL tension
* deeply developed characters
* complicated family dynamics
* protective MMCs
* healing that isn’t neat or linear
* generational themes
* intimacy that exists outside of sex
* characters learning how to love without losing themselves
* stories that give you something to discuss after the romance is over
READ. THIS. BOOK.
And if you’ve already read Rae Lyse before, I genuinely think Joliet shows just how much she continues to evolve as a storyteller.
This wasn’t just a romance I enjoyed.
This is one of those books I know I’m going to keep thinking about, revisiting, quoting and discussing long after the reading experience is over.
No notes.
No complaints.
No “I wish she would’ve…”
Nothing.
6 MILLION stars.
Read Joliet and come back when you’re emotionally compromised so we can discuss. 😂
Book: Joliet
Author: Rae Lyse
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🥵🥵🥵
6 MILLION STARS. No, I am not being dramatic.
Joliet is hands down the best book I’ve read in 2026, and I fear Rae Lyse may have officially given me a new favorite book from her catalog.
At its core, this is a love story about two people who have both been shaped by survival in completely different ways.
Lovie Sinclair returns home after leaving a deeply unhealthy relationship, trying to figure out what life looks like when the future she planned is no longer hers. Then she meets Rich Lovelace — better known as Pup — a neighborhood street fighter who has spent his entire life believing that love, loyalty and protection are all things you prove through action.
And BABY…the chemistry?!
This is a slow burn, but don’t hear “slow” and think nothing is happening. The intimacy between these two starts building almost immediately. It’s in the conversations, the observations, the tiny acts of care, the tension, the humor, the things they notice about one another before either of them is ready to admit why they’re noticing.
Rae Lyse writes romance in a way that makes you feel like you’re watching two people slowly learn each other’s language.
And what I loved most is that Joliet never reduces healing to “meet the right person and suddenly everything is fixed.”
Absolutely not.
This book asks some really beautiful and uncomfortable questions about love versus possession, protection versus control, loyalty, family, grief, masculinity, generational expectations, survival, vulnerability and what it actually means to choose a different life than the one you were taught to accept.
Both Lovie and Rich have to examine what they’ve been conditioned to believe love is.
And neither one of them comes out of that examination unchanged.
Rich especially?! Whew.
There is something so fascinating about watching a man whose entire identity has been built around strength slowly discover that vulnerability doesn’t make him less powerful. He is protective, intense, rough around every damn edge 😂, but underneath all of that is a man who genuinely does not know what to do when someone starts reaching the parts of him he was taught not to nurture.
And Lovie’s journey is equally beautiful because her story isn’t simply about being loved by somebody better.
It’s about finding herself again.
Her voice.
Her confidence.
Her choices.
Her joy.
Her ability to imagine a future that belongs to her.
And watching those two journeys intersect??? Yeah. I was COOKED.
But the romance is only part of why this book works so well.
The FAMILY DYNAMICS.
Rae gave these characters histories that existed long before the first page, and you can feel it. The sibling relationships, parental relationships, old wounds, neighborhood ties, inherited beliefs — all of it makes Joliet feel lived-in rather than constructed around a romance plot.
There are characters here who love each other deeply and still hurt each other.
People who mean well and are still wrong.
People who have spent years calling something “strength” when really they were just surviving.
And one of my favorite things about this story is watching what happens when one person finally says:
I want something different.
Because sometimes breaking a generational cycle doesn’t only change you.
It forces everyone around you to look at the lives they’ve been tolerating too.
😮💨
The writing itself is also some of Rae’s best.
The CALLBACKS.
The symbolism.
The little details that seem insignificant until they absolutely are not.
The humor tucked inside extremely emotional scenes.
The tenderness.
The domestic moments.
The dialogue.
Nothing felt overexplained. Rae trusted me to PAY ATTENTION, and I love when an author does that.
And please understand: this book made me cry an unreasonable number of times. 😂
Not because it’s misery porn.
Because the emotional payoff is EARNED.
There were moments where I had to stop reading because one sentence would connect to something from hundreds of pages earlier and I’d be sitting there like:
RAE. I SEE WHAT YOU DID. 😭
If you like:
* emotionally intelligent Black romance
* slow burns with REAL tension
* deeply developed characters
* complicated family dynamics
* protective MMCs
* healing that isn’t neat or linear
* generational themes
* intimacy that exists outside of sex
* characters learning how to love without losing themselves
* stories that give you something to discuss after the romance is over
READ. THIS. BOOK.
And if you’ve already read Rae Lyse before, I genuinely think Joliet shows just how much she continues to evolve as a storyteller.
This wasn’t just a romance I enjoyed.
This is one of those books I know I’m going to keep thinking about, revisiting, quoting and discussing long after the reading experience is over.
No notes.
No complaints.
No “I wish she would’ve…”
Nothing.
6 MILLION stars.
Read Joliet and come back when you’re emotionally compromised so we can discuss. 😂
Book: Joliet
Author: Rae Lyse
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🥵🥵🥵
September 14, 2026
6 ⭐️ OMG, this was EVERYTHING and more!!!!! I felt this one in my SOUL. The depth, the conversations, the emotions... whew! Soooooo beautiful! 🥹🤧
September 15, 2026
What Gets Me Is Lovie's Entire Healing Arc After Leaving AJ And Becoming Fully Dependent On Rich. In My Head, She Needed To Begin Her New Journey First , Then Meet Rich. But I Also Get It, They Were Meant To Collide. They Needed Each Other, So I Can't Fully Blame How It Happened.
Kenny (Certified Bozo), Faye (Trifling & Dishonest), Arnez (So Unfair It's Not Even Funny), AJ & Blake (BOTH Can Go To Hell).
And Can We Talk About This Grown Man Being Called Pup? Puppy? I'm Sorry, LOL. But Oh My Goodness, What A MAN!! He Loves And Sees Lovie, Through And Through. 🥺🤍
" My Baby" YES SIR!!! 🥺🤍
Kenny (Certified Bozo), Faye (Trifling & Dishonest), Arnez (So Unfair It's Not Even Funny), AJ & Blake (BOTH Can Go To Hell).
And Can We Talk About This Grown Man Being Called Pup? Puppy? I'm Sorry, LOL. But Oh My Goodness, What A MAN!! He Loves And Sees Lovie, Through And Through. 🥺🤍
" My Baby" YES SIR!!! 🥺🤍
September 20, 2026
There is an audience for this type of book and FMC…I can appreciate I am not it
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