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Gentle Giants #9
Rough Hands
He can crack stone with his bare hands. He takes his time with me.
He's six-foot-six. I barely clear five feet.
His hands can split stone. They can also take me apart one slow inch at a time, and I have the bruises to prove he's very good at it.
I'm the curator who cried over one of his sculptures. Alone, in a storage room, over a piece that isn't for sale and never will be. I've never told anyone.
Dorian Vance is the artist who noticed.
The first time I'm alone in his studio he stands behind me to show me how to work the clay, and my hands disappear inside his, and so does every sensible thought I have ever had. He's twice my size in every direction. He's spent his whole life being careful with a world that isn't built for him.
I don't want him careful.
I want to know what happens when a man who makes things for a living stops holding back — and it turns out what happens is the storage room of my own gallery, forty people drinking champagne one floor below us, catalogues all over the floor, and me finding out exactly how much of him I can take.
Turns out: all of it.
Then he shows me what he's been making in secret. It's small enough to sit in his palm. It has my stance and the lift of my chin and no face at all — because my face, he says, wasn't the part he was trying to understand.
He calls it Still Here.
A quiet giant who won't rush anything, a tiny curator with a sharp mouth, and a size difference that neither of them can stop thinking about. Ends with a bronze in the window and a baby on the way. He's enormous. He's careful. And he is completely, quietly hers.
He's six-foot-six. I barely clear five feet.
His hands can split stone. They can also take me apart one slow inch at a time, and I have the bruises to prove he's very good at it.
I'm the curator who cried over one of his sculptures. Alone, in a storage room, over a piece that isn't for sale and never will be. I've never told anyone.
Dorian Vance is the artist who noticed.
The first time I'm alone in his studio he stands behind me to show me how to work the clay, and my hands disappear inside his, and so does every sensible thought I have ever had. He's twice my size in every direction. He's spent his whole life being careful with a world that isn't built for him.
I don't want him careful.
I want to know what happens when a man who makes things for a living stops holding back — and it turns out what happens is the storage room of my own gallery, forty people drinking champagne one floor below us, catalogues all over the floor, and me finding out exactly how much of him I can take.
Turns out: all of it.
Then he shows me what he's been making in secret. It's small enough to sit in his palm. It has my stance and the lift of my chin and no face at all — because my face, he says, wasn't the part he was trying to understand.
He calls it Still Here.
A quiet giant who won't rush anything, a tiny curator with a sharp mouth, and a size difference that neither of them can stop thinking about. Ends with a bronze in the window and a baby on the way. He's enormous. He's careful. And he is completely, quietly hers.
79 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 20, 2026
There’s something slightly ironic about the title of this series, because the last thing any of the heroines in these books seem to want is for their gentle giants to be particularly gentle—and Pip Holloway is certainly no exception. Pip wants to know what Dorian Vance is like when he finally stops holding himself in check. Dorian is used to being careful. At six-foot-six and huge in every direction, he knows that even the smallest sharp or unplanned movement could be a disaster waiting to happen. Perhaps that’s why he works with unbreakable materials in his sculptures: nothing fragile, nothing that can be easily damaged. Pip was fascinated by Dorian’s art long before she ever met the man himself. She was so affected by one particular piece that she actually found herself crying over it in the storage room at her gallery and she can’t quite explain why. She simply sees something in Dorian’s work that other people miss, getting right to the heart of what he’s trying to express. It’s enough to draw the notoriously reclusive artist to the opening of his exhibition at her gallery, despite the fact that he rarely attends these events. And then there’s the size difference. It’s the first thing that strikes you, with Pip barely clearing five feet to Dorian’s imposing height. It’s one of my favorite tropes and I love all those little details that emphasized just how perfectly Dorian’s size just wrapped around her. His hands on her waist meeting at the back, how her entire hand disappeared into his palm when he held her hand, the way she fit against his chest when he wrapped those enormous arms around her at night. There’s something ridiculously delicious about that. This is a highly erotic story, and I loved the way Pip gives Dorian permission to let go of the careful restraint that has defined so much of his life. She doesn’t want him to be cautious or constantly worried about hurting her, she wants all that pent-up strength and intensity. And yes, his hands aren’t the only thing that gets a little rough, but that’s exactly what Pip wants. When Dorian shows her the little piece he’s been working on, it’s pretty clear exactly what—or rather, who—has inspired it. I loved that their connection wasn’t purely physical, either. There’s a real meeting of minds here, with Pip gradually becoming Dorian’s muse as much as his lover. My only criticism is that there’s quite a bit of repetition for such a short book, which occasionally made the story feel like it was circling the same points. But overall, this was an enjoyable opposites-attract romance with a wonderfully enormous hero, a heroine who knows exactly what she wants, and plenty of chemistry sizzling between them.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 14, 2026
He was built to break things. She’s the first thing he wants to keep.
Pip knows Dorian’s work intimately. She’s spent months studying the reclusive sculptor who skips his own openings, and one private piece affects her more deeply than she ever admits. Then he walks into her gallery, catches her correcting the lighting on his work, and realizes she sees what most people miss.
Dorian is six-foot-six, quiet, controlled, and careful with a world that rarely fits him. Pip is barely five feet, sharp, fearless, and uninterested in being treated as fragile. When he guides her hands through clay in his studio, attraction turns physical fast, and she makes it clear she wants the strength he usually keeps restrained.
Their size difference becomes part of the obsession, but the real intimacy is in how closely they study each other. Dorian learns what makes Pip surrender without ever making her feel small, while Pip discovers that his control isn’t distance. It’s attention, trust, and a choice to give her exactly what she asks for.
Then Pip discovers a small figure hidden beneath a cloth in his studio, shaped from the details Dorian noticed before either of them understood what was happening. He won’t finish it without her permission, and that restraint shifts their connection from fixation toward something more vulnerable.
As they keep choosing each other, Pip grows more willing to ask for what she wants without softening it, and Dorian begins letting desire, strength, and permanence exist without treating them as dangerous. Their chemistry stays intensely physical, but each encounter pulls them further into trust, creative intimacy, and commitment.
Kink-forward instalove erotica with extreme size difference, gentle giant intensity, careful dominance, eager surrender, and an artist-muse connection built on obsessive attention. It’s about trust, body awareness, vulnerability, and the freedom of being fully wanted without being treated as fragile.
The Elevator Pitch: A sharp-eyed curator who understands a reclusive sculptor’s work too well finds herself becoming the subject he can’t stop studying. Their attraction turns into an intensely physical exploration of trust, size, restraint, and what happens when careful attention becomes its own kind of surrender. As art and desire begin shaping each other, both are forced to decide whether being fully seen is more dangerous than being kept at a distance.
Heat Level: 🖤🔥 Erotica / Kink-Forward
Pip knows Dorian’s work intimately. She’s spent months studying the reclusive sculptor who skips his own openings, and one private piece affects her more deeply than she ever admits. Then he walks into her gallery, catches her correcting the lighting on his work, and realizes she sees what most people miss.
Dorian is six-foot-six, quiet, controlled, and careful with a world that rarely fits him. Pip is barely five feet, sharp, fearless, and uninterested in being treated as fragile. When he guides her hands through clay in his studio, attraction turns physical fast, and she makes it clear she wants the strength he usually keeps restrained.
Their size difference becomes part of the obsession, but the real intimacy is in how closely they study each other. Dorian learns what makes Pip surrender without ever making her feel small, while Pip discovers that his control isn’t distance. It’s attention, trust, and a choice to give her exactly what she asks for.
Then Pip discovers a small figure hidden beneath a cloth in his studio, shaped from the details Dorian noticed before either of them understood what was happening. He won’t finish it without her permission, and that restraint shifts their connection from fixation toward something more vulnerable.
As they keep choosing each other, Pip grows more willing to ask for what she wants without softening it, and Dorian begins letting desire, strength, and permanence exist without treating them as dangerous. Their chemistry stays intensely physical, but each encounter pulls them further into trust, creative intimacy, and commitment.
Kink-forward instalove erotica with extreme size difference, gentle giant intensity, careful dominance, eager surrender, and an artist-muse connection built on obsessive attention. It’s about trust, body awareness, vulnerability, and the freedom of being fully wanted without being treated as fragile.
The Elevator Pitch: A sharp-eyed curator who understands a reclusive sculptor’s work too well finds herself becoming the subject he can’t stop studying. Their attraction turns into an intensely physical exploration of trust, size, restraint, and what happens when careful attention becomes its own kind of surrender. As art and desire begin shaping each other, both are forced to decide whether being fully seen is more dangerous than being kept at a distance.
Heat Level: 🖤🔥 Erotica / Kink-Forward
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rough Hands by Piper Kane is the kind of read that makes you grin, sigh, and immediately want to tell a friend, “You have to pick this one up.” It has that wonderful mix of tenderness, artistry, and larger-than-life romance that feels both playful and heartfelt. From the very first setup, the story pulls you into a world of sculpture, quiet admiration, and two characters who fit together in the most satisfying way.
Piper Kane’s writing shines with warmth and confidence. The contrast between Dorian’s imposing presence and his careful, thoughtful nature is handled beautifully, and Pip’s voice brings just the right spark. Their connection feels vivid without needing to be overexplained, and the emotional details—especially around the artwork—give the romance a lovely depth.
I especially loved how the story celebrates being truly seen. The sculpture, the gallery setting, the careful hands, the quiet devotion—it all comes together in a sweet, swoony package. The author has a real gift for making small moments feel big, and big emotions feel wonderfully personal.
Five enthusiastic stars! This is a charming, feel-good romance with memorable characters, polished writing, and a happily-ever-after that left me smiling. If you enjoy gentle giants, clever heroines, and stories with heart, this one is an easy recommendation.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Piper Kane’s writing shines with warmth and confidence. The contrast between Dorian’s imposing presence and his careful, thoughtful nature is handled beautifully, and Pip’s voice brings just the right spark. Their connection feels vivid without needing to be overexplained, and the emotional details—especially around the artwork—give the romance a lovely depth.
I especially loved how the story celebrates being truly seen. The sculpture, the gallery setting, the careful hands, the quiet devotion—it all comes together in a sweet, swoony package. The author has a real gift for making small moments feel big, and big emotions feel wonderfully personal.
Five enthusiastic stars! This is a charming, feel-good romance with memorable characters, polished writing, and a happily-ever-after that left me smiling. If you enjoy gentle giants, clever heroines, and stories with heart, this one is an easy recommendation.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 18, 2026
Pip and Dorian . . .
The curator Pip Holloway is talking to a collector who again wants to know whether the artist is coming tonight. She has told him "no" several times now. She does so again. Then unable to ignore the wrong position of her favorite piece by Dorian Vance, which the hanging team had moved, she climbs up a stepladder to adjust the lighting on the bronze metal. A voice saying "You moved it!" startled her and she almost fell. He catches the ladder and not her, but it gave her time to step down. Dorian Vance is six-foot-six of black hair and olive skin standing there with an expression she can’t quite read because he’s not looking at her but instead looking at the piece. She answers, "Four degrees to the left. The lamp was throwing a shadow right across the best part of it. Look at it now." He told her he knows her because she had hung the last show, going by how the pieces feel, not by how big they are. Nobody else does that, but it was the right call. They stand close to each other, not seeming to want to move away. He is looking at her like she is something he’s trying to figure out. She is the curator who cried over one of his sculptures, one that is not displayed. She was alone, in a storage room, and cried over a piece that will never be for sale. Dorian Vance is the artist who noticed. Where will he take this now?
The story is well written, but very unusual. An acquired taste perhaps?
The curator Pip Holloway is talking to a collector who again wants to know whether the artist is coming tonight. She has told him "no" several times now. She does so again. Then unable to ignore the wrong position of her favorite piece by Dorian Vance, which the hanging team had moved, she climbs up a stepladder to adjust the lighting on the bronze metal. A voice saying "You moved it!" startled her and she almost fell. He catches the ladder and not her, but it gave her time to step down. Dorian Vance is six-foot-six of black hair and olive skin standing there with an expression she can’t quite read because he’s not looking at her but instead looking at the piece. She answers, "Four degrees to the left. The lamp was throwing a shadow right across the best part of it. Look at it now." He told her he knows her because she had hung the last show, going by how the pieces feel, not by how big they are. Nobody else does that, but it was the right call. They stand close to each other, not seeming to want to move away. He is looking at her like she is something he’s trying to figure out. She is the curator who cried over one of his sculptures, one that is not displayed. She was alone, in a storage room, and cried over a piece that will never be for sale. Dorian Vance is the artist who noticed. Where will he take this now?
The story is well written, but very unusual. An acquired taste perhaps?
September 21, 2026
Size difference is a relatively new trope to me, and intrigued me from the first one that I read, which was by this author. I enjoy Piper Kane’s work, and ROUGH HANDS is an excellent example of it. She writes interesting characters and we know the important things about them like how they approach the world and what they do with their hands, things like that. It’s a look directly at the character in situ rather than including details of their past.
Dorian is an artist in sculpture- clays, stone, bronze - while Pip owns a gallery that is showing his work when the story begins. Some would be intimidated by his size, but Pip looks at him and thinks Yum. I really liked this one a lot because it was character driven, which is total catnip to me. The story is very much a sensual one, with touch, sound, and sight being paramount. I especially liked how he cataloged the sounds she made when he touched or kissed her.
Cat’s Stats
Heat- explicit
Bechdel test- fail
Safety? Y
Triggers- N
Tropes- Size difference, Instalove good with his hands, that’s not my leg, it’s not a tree trunk either.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dorian is an artist in sculpture- clays, stone, bronze - while Pip owns a gallery that is showing his work when the story begins. Some would be intimidated by his size, but Pip looks at him and thinks Yum. I really liked this one a lot because it was character driven, which is total catnip to me. The story is very much a sensual one, with touch, sound, and sight being paramount. I especially liked how he cataloged the sounds she made when he touched or kissed her.
Cat’s Stats
Heat- explicit
Bechdel test- fail
Safety? Y
Triggers- N
Tropes- Size difference, Instalove good with his hands, that’s not my leg, it’s not a tree trunk either.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2026
Short but addictive slightly different so hang on you won’t put it down until the last page has been turned. Pip is an artist she studies one artist sculptor work he is such a recluse one of pieced affects her in a way that she can’t describe, and the moment he walks into her gallery watches her fix the lighting that show cases his work seeing post it all of it flaws despite its perfection. Dorian sexy as all get out recluse sculptor who really does the sculpting to easy with everyone around him due to his very larger size so he works with clay some so gentle yet so very tough it can withstand heat, coloring and more heat. The moment he walks into her art gallery his intentions are to just look, and he did at the most beautiful piece of art thing is it was her gallery the magnetic pull was there from the moment they met and the longer they are together the stronger the pull but will they learn what make each other work, what each other’s likes /dislikes, and with time will it lead them to happiness?
September 20, 2026
Rough Hands by Piper Kane was a fun and steamy size-difference romance that kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed the gentle-giant dynamic and the contrast between the hero’s intimidating size and his softer, caring side. The chemistry between the characters was strong, and I especially liked the moments of tenderness mixed in with the spice. The romance felt easy to get invested in, and the story had that enjoyable, escapist quality I look for in this kind of book. If you’re a fan of protective heroes, big men with soft hearts, size-difference relationships, and plenty of heat, this is definitely worth picking up. Overall, Rough Hands was an entertaining read with great chemistry, a lovable gentle giant, and just the right amount of sweetness and spice.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 20, 2026
'A quiet giant who won't rush anything, a tiny curator with a sharp mouth, and a size difference that neither of them can stop thinking about. Ends with a bronze in the window and a baby on the way. He's enormous. He's careful. And he is completely, quietly hers.'
The characters were very appealing and likeable and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Another great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The characters were very appealing and likeable and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Another great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2026
Gentle hearts by MeemsAngel82
This was a sweet and steamy story with two leads I loved right off the bat. The size difference thing is a great plot but also the small ones aren't weak by any means. The two had really good chemistry and I can't them for their lack of sleep.
She was a menace.
And he loved it. I loved that line, that was so fun for me. The two are good people and she cracked me up when they were getting intimate. That was too funny and all at the time where she is experiencing a life changing event with his very capable hands. A fun ,entertaining story and a great couple.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a sweet and steamy story with two leads I loved right off the bat. The size difference thing is a great plot but also the small ones aren't weak by any means. The two had really good chemistry and I can't them for their lack of sleep.
She was a menace.
And he loved it. I loved that line, that was so fun for me. The two are good people and she cracked me up when they were getting intimate. That was too funny and all at the time where she is experiencing a life changing event with his very capable hands. A fun ,entertaining story and a great couple.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 18, 2026
He is 6' 6" reclusive sculptor and she is a 5' 0" gallery owner who hosts an exhibition of his work. She manages to impress him by understanding just how his work should be displayed. After the initial meeting their mutual attraction blossoms into a full relationship.
I have often seen large men being attracted to much smaller women and this book deals with the ways in which this works for both parties. It is a sensitive gentle romance with increasingly erotic elements as the story progresses.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have often seen large men being attracted to much smaller women and this book deals with the ways in which this works for both parties. It is a sensitive gentle romance with increasingly erotic elements as the story progresses.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 20, 2026
The author's ability to make small, quiet interactions feel like monumental emotional shifts is pure magic! Watching a giant, intimidating sculptor handle Pip with exquisite softness—using his hands to translate his devotion into art where she feels completely seen and cherished—creates an utterly swoony reading experience. It is a tender, deeply personal romance that proves the quietest moments often carry the loudest devotion. A swoon-fest!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2026
Gentle Giant meets his delightful dimunitive match.
An endearing story of Pip and Dorian connection through his art. So romantic how he really sees her, and admires her and her generous appreciation of his art and talent to observe the unexpected. You can almost visualise his hands and some of the work he does. Very descriptive depiction of the studio, work in the gallery and their physical romance. Touching scene when he helps her with clay work. More than a bit of spice with the two becoming one and somehow perfect for one another regardless of their size. Sweet ending.
An endearing story of Pip and Dorian connection through his art. So romantic how he really sees her, and admires her and her generous appreciation of his art and talent to observe the unexpected. You can almost visualise his hands and some of the work he does. Very descriptive depiction of the studio, work in the gallery and their physical romance. Touching scene when he helps her with clay work. More than a bit of spice with the two becoming one and somehow perfect for one another regardless of their size. Sweet ending.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Rough Hands nails the beloved size-difference trope with a hero who looks intimidating on the outside but is completely devoted, gentle, and attentive on the inside. The contrast between his rough exterior and his tender treatment of the heroine creates non-stop swoon-worthy moments. The pacing is smooth, the emotional beats feel natural, and the warm, protective energy makes it an absolute page-turner for anyone needing a feel-good escape.
September 22, 2026
The story is a sweet, endearing and steamy too. This is a Gentle Giants story about Pip and Dorian. "A quiet giant who won't rush anything, a tiny curator with a sharp mouth, and a size difference that neither of them can stop thinking about. " It stands alone and is fairly short and quick to read. This is my favorite story in this series. I love these two! He is so perfect for her and vice-versa! I also love the ending.
September 21, 2026
Book 9 of the Gentle Giants series, this is about Pip and Dorian. I like that Pip sees meaning in everything around her, that Dorian’s lets Pip see his heart instead of hiding, and there is respect of choice and time between them.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2026
Review of an advance copy received from the author.
A delightful story with great characters who keep you glued to their narrative. A quiet, slow-burn novel that read smoothly. I read this story with pleasure.
I received an Advance Reader copy of this series and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A delightful story with great characters who keep you glued to their narrative. A quiet, slow-burn novel that read smoothly. I read this story with pleasure.
I received an Advance Reader copy of this series and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2026
Dorian and Pip’s story is an opposites-attract, wonderfully gentle enormous hero, tiny strong heroine, extreme size difference, careful dominance kink, eager surrender, artist-muse connection built on obsessive attention, trust, body awareness, vulnerability, freedom of being fully wanted without being treated as fragile.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 20, 2026
I loved the gentle giant of a male lead. The story had such a steady, gentle pace that made it incredibly easy to settle into. There was something almost relaxing and therapeutic about reading it, a lovely comfort read.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2026
The next Piper Kane book, Rough Hands was a size-difference romance. He's a big man but has a heart of gold. The chemistry between the MMC and the FMC was spicy with some tenderness. A solid entertaining book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews