A Clause on Love: A Steamy Emotional Slow Burn

by Artemis Watson

A simple deal. Roommates with benefits.

No strings. No feelings. No complications. Just sex. Bound by specific rules and a clear expiration date, but still. Strictly physical.

But living together has a way of blurring lines. Boundaries slip. Rules break. And suddenly, nothing feels casual anymore.

Or maybe it never was.

All she needed was a roommate. All he wanted was to be close to her.

Now he’s in too deep, losing himself in her while denying it means anything at all, and she's bending over backwards to misread the writing on the wall.

Because how are you supposed to keep things casual when she’s been buried deep under your skin for years? How can you believe you're worth the fight when all you've ever known was senseless aggression?

And most importantly, how do you put a clause on love when love was never part of the deal to begin with?

363 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2026

About the author

Artemis Watson is an evil author that thrives on the tears of her readers. Rumor has it she has custom buckets for the job.

Born and raised in Italy, Artemis never saw herself as a romance author, but she couldn't resist the pull of crafting swoonworthy spicy stories that mix heartthrobbing passions with deep emotions. Her books are packed with smoldering chemistry, intense feels, and enough spice to leave you crying, laughing and everything you don't want your mom to know.

Artemis believes in the healing power of love, using it to mend broken hearts, ignite fierce passions, and guide her characters to redemption, one sizzling page at a time.

When she's not plotting her next emotional rollercoaster, you can find Artemis reading, staring at the sky, lost in contemplation of Mother Moon, indulging in maladaptive daydreaming that may or may not result in new books, or pspspsps-ing at cats.

Reviews

[Kristen Steeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC. I started it July 20th and finished it August 13th. It wouldn’t let me add the dates.

Tara and Lukas are going to be the death of me in all the right ways. If you haven’t read the first book Hearts on Lease then this might have spoilers for you but only about that book.

The roommate agreement is now official and Tara and Lukas are going to do all the sexy time things they discussed. Lukas prepares an elaborate dinner that causes Tara to spiral a bit and think things she shouldn’t. Tara hasn’t had an easy life. Her mother barely tolerates her and always criticizes her. She was the plus size girl in high school and her “best friend” was her bully but in disguise. She’s done her best to be invisible but Lukas sees her. Like really sees her. He loves her body and shows her regularly. He is obsessed but Tara can’t quite bring herself to accept it.
I can see myself in Tara because I am plus size and have been all my life. I can relate to a lot of what Tara tells herself.
I hope there is way more to their story but if Lukas and Tara don’t end up together at the very end, it will break me.

[Aneesha Arshad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed A Clause for Love! Lukas and Tara had such amazing chemistry, and I loved watching their “no strings attached” arrangement slowly become something much more complicated. The tension between them was so good, especially as the lines between casual and emotional started to blur.

I also really enjoyed the emotional side of the story and seeing Lucas struggle with his feelings while Tara tried to make sense of everything. Their relationship felt messy, complicated and believable, which made me want to keep reading and finishing the book in 2 days.

Overall, this was a fun, emotional and addictive romance with plenty of chemistry and tension.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been captivating and eye opening, the Tara in this version of the book is so much more detailed and I can relate so much to how she feels in life.
I was captivated from the first page and read the entire book in 3 days or nights should I say, a few 2ams have happened just to finish this book.
The author should be so proud of the progress she has made since the first version.
Look forward to the next part of the series.
Kay 🤍🤍 X x x

[Moni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This part of the story was really heartwarming as both characters let their guard down and show their vulnerabilty to each other. I loved reading what is going on in their heads and see where their feelings are before they even recognise it themselves. I finished the book in 3 days as I was not able to put it down. I can relate to Tara in a lot of ways that it is scary. I can not wait for the next part. You did great Artemis, as usual.

[Fatma · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.75

ARC Review

Tropes:
Book2 in series
Roommates with Benefits
Yearning
Bad Boy x Good Girl
Anxiety Rep
Potential Love Triangle
Curvy FMC

This is the second book in the series, and it picks up right where book 1 left off.

I did enjoy this book, but I felt that there was little to no character development or progression. I believe there are three books in the series, and I’m interested to see how everything will come together in the third installment. Over half of the book was spent with Tara in her own head, trying to push Lukas away.

I loved that Lukas never gave up or mistreated Tara, but there were times when Tara tested my patience. This is the third version of this story I’ve read, and I do know there is a HEA, but the journey to get there is quite a long one!

Another potential love interest is introduced in this book, and while I like Sean, I’m not particularly interested in his character.

Although Lukas’ friends don’t get their own books, I absolutely loved them and would love to see spin-offs for them! Both Leo and Dion added so much to the story, and I appreciated that, even if they teased Lukas, they always stood by his side.

Overall, I’m excited for book 3!