Off Limits

Rose & Thorns #1

by Vanessa North

By day, Natalie Marshall is the Thorns Ladies’ Social Club’s perfect resourceful, observant, immaculate. But she turns her phone off when the night concierge arrives, and then she’s the raunchy lead singer of Vertical Smile—notorious for lewd lyrics and sexually-charged performances. Rebecca Horvath isn’t used to asking twice—for anything. As the scion of one of Hollywood’s most powerful film dynasties, she’s waited on, pampered, fawned over—spoiled. So when she asks the cute front person of her favorite queer punk band to be her date to a charity auction, she isn’t expecting the whispered “no,” or for the singer to disappear without even thanking her for the martini. For Natalie, two worlds colliding spells professional catastrophe–her on-stage antics definitely violate the club employees’ standards clause. For it to be Bex Horvath—a perennial gossip-pages feature—who discovers her secret is terrifying. When the focus of a criminal investigation at work brings Nat’s double life to the attention of her employer, everything spins out of control. Bex is there to prove there’s more to this party girl than meets the eye. Nat might have to trust her with her secrets, but her heart? That’s off limits.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, Queer, LGBT, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2018

About the author

Author of over a dozen novels, novellas, and short stories, Vanessa North delights in giving happy-ever-afters to characters who don’t think they deserve them. Relentless curiosity led her to take up knitting and run a few marathons “just to see if she could.” She started writing for the same reason. Her very patient husband pretends not to notice when her hobbies take over the house. Living and writing in Northwest Georgia, she finds her attempts to keep a quiet home are frequently thwarted by twin boy-children and a very, very large dog.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

**'Erotic literary fiction is not prescriptive,it is descriptive..Some writers are highly voyeuristic and indiscreet..'

4.5stars!
Such a good storyline: steamy sex scenes,great chemistry,a good supporting cast and it's well written. Recommended to everyone!

[Joc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nat, the lead singer of punk band Vertical Smile, loves the rush she gets from performing and the heightened desire she feels on stage with her band mates. Meeting a gorgeous, curvy blonde at the bar afterwards seems like the perfect way to end the evening until she discovers who she is. Rebecca Horvath is the daughter of ridiculously famous parents but she also a member of the exclusive Thorns Ladies' Social Club. Unfortunately, Natalie is the concierge of the club by day and cannot be seen to be fraternising with members or singing in a punk band.

The chemistry between Nat and Bex is tangible but what I enjoyed most about the story is the characterisation of the two mains. Nat has worked for Thorns since she moved in with her uncle as a teen and is terrified of losing the only job she's ever known. Bex comes from a place of money and getting whatever she wants. She doesn't understand life on the other side. Nat was well-written enough to completely empathise with the choices she's faced with.

I liked that it is written in first person alternating between Bex and Nat because you get both sides of the story. Given the chemistry between them I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't fall in love or into bed immediately which gave them a much stronger connection. I also enjoyed the diversity in body type and the recognition of the beauty of each other.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars for Off Limits (audiobook) by Vanessa North read by Felicity Hart and Brooke Hayden.

This was a great story. A couple interesting and edgy main characters. I really hope that the author revisit these characters.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a little difficult to rate because I had so many conflicting emotions when reading it. There were moments that I really liked and moments where I wanted to throw in the towel and give up on the book.

I had trouble getting into the story in the beginning because the relationship between Nat and Bex was very much lust at first sight with little else adding to it. Luckily this changed towards the middle of the book and there were more layers added to their characters making their relationship less shallow.

I liked that both main characters had their own flaws because it made them that much more relatable. However there were moments when they really were pushing the envelope with their sometimes childish behavior. These are supposed to be women who are 29 and 30 years old respectively but sometimes act like teenagers.

The final thing that really bothered me in the book is that there are some secondary characters who are in clear need of professional help and no one did anything. Yet these characters are considered family.

Overall this was an ok read about family (blood & chosen) and all the complexities that come with it. It ends in a 3* rating.

Trigger Warnings: homophobia, self harm, drug use.

[hubsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read by Ms. North and she's good! I liked this story, 3.5 stars. There were no real surprises and it was fairly predictable, but from start to finish it kept me interested. The two MCs had an interesting chemistry for such differing personalities.

I really didn't like Nat's bandmates though, that was a weak point for me. All came across as selfish and self-centered for people Nat considered "family." It's not a feel-good story throughout, as some intense drama runs through as well, so be aware that the story does go dark in places.

Great intimacy, some hot sexy-times! Heat meter a solid 4/5. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Kexx · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't get far enough to comprehend what it was all about. Sorry. I got it free - and it cost too much!

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really sexy, opposites-attract, rich girl/poor girl romance. Natalie's day job is as a concierge for an exclusive ladies; club; by night she's the front woman for a raunchy rock band. Bex is a member of the club, and it would be a bad idea for them to start anything, but after meeting at one of Nat's gigs, it seems inevitable. This was fun, but ultimately a little forgettable? I had a little trouble getting into the characters and the premise, and especially the idea of a morality clause that prevents Nat from doing certain things even when she's not at work. I don't know if that was conveyed really well? They both had interesting side stories, (Bex with her father's remarriage and Nat with the band) but it was all stuff that felt like it deserved more than a novella to explore. Especially since Nat's storyline got so heavy, and there was a lot of backstory that just got skimmed over. Even with Bex; I would have liked to know more about her relationship with her mother. The two main ladies had a hell of a lot of chemistry, but I'm finding it hard to think of things to say about the book? I just didn't get invested. Except for the part where Nat's bandmates were low key pressuring her to leave her day job, which got me really annoyed on her behalf. She had every right to stay and think more about it before she gave up her stable source of income. Obviously the music makes her happier, but I just feel like the narrative came down on the band's side, and that made me a little annoyed.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Felicity Hart and Brooke Hayden and liked it a lot. I really do think I'd have liked this more if it was longer, so that's kind of a shame. But it was still enjoyable.

Content warnings: cutting, suicide attempt (side character)

[iam · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I enjoyed this so much!

Content warnings include: self-harming, suicide attempt, fatphobia

Especially the first half of the book had me in a constant state of heart-eyes. I loved everything about it: the characters, the dialogue, the plot, the developing relationships and complicated family dynamics.

Truthfully, there isn't much of a plot to follow - no straightforward line makes up this story. Instead it's a bunch of losely connected threads of varying length and thickness, but they tie together beautifully!!

Off Limits is told in alternating POVs, the protagonists being Bex, daughter of two Hollywood legends and organiser of charity events, and Natalie, concierge at the exclusive ladies' club Thorns and secretly singer of a punk rock band.
They meet at a gig of the band and hit it off - but then it turns out that Bex is a member of the club Natalie works at, meaning that even if she didn't know Natalie's best kept secret, she is 100% off-limits.

The whole forbidden romance obviously plays a big part of the book, but I also really adored the various side plots, which include Bex's family, especially her father's upcoming wedding to a much younger woman who is nothing like what Bex expected; there's Natalie's family, too: her deceased Uncle who's rules are still on her mind a lot as well as her found family and best friends that make up her band, who have their own troubles.
All the side characters were amazing and I would love to read more of them, the glimpses we got into their lives through this were way too short!

I generally wish that the book had a bit more length to it. I would have enjoyed it even more had some things been wrapped up more neatly, as they partly felt a bit forgotten just to pop up again at convient times.

The characterizations of both Bex and Nat were great and felt real.
Natalie is under a lot of stress, frequently struggling to keep herself together with all the secrets she's keeping and jobs she has to juggle, and she's not always willing to lean on others.
Bex in the meantime has anything money could buy, and she isn't used to being told no. She unthinkingly pushes for what she wants, but she is quick to apologize and own up to her mistakes - but old habits die hard.
They both frequently fuck up in small and sometimes in big ways, but forgiveness is always in reach.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off Limits is told in the first person, alternating between Bex and Nat’s perspectives, which is especially effective for letting us get to know each character well. North tells us which perspective we’re following whenever it shifts and I loved that Nat’s chapters/sections are labelled “Nat” or “Natalie,” depending on where she is at the time.

Nat has the biggest arc in the story, since she has to evaluate her life and her priorities as she comes to terms with Bex’s presence in her life. Bex, on the other hand, works on things like family relationships and working within the parameters that Nat sets out, rather than changing how she fundamentally operates as a person. They’re so enjoyable to watch together and every interaction between them is just magic, so I was rooting for them all the way.

Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/off-...

[Meg Mardell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent high-intensity romance.
It felt very celebrity romance adjacent in that both MCs are around the rich and the famous (and one is on stage) but the realness of their lives, and the high stakes of their love affair, really came through. Both Nat and Bex are compelling characters and I was really biting my nails hoping things would work out for them - and that Nat would actually get to sleep!
My one complaint is that we are introduced to Nat's queer found family, experience a lot of trauma with them, and then... that's it? I think so. Because the other authors who pick up the series next don't seem to circle back.
*Content warnings for Nat's frequent panic attacks and a secondary character's off-page suicide attempt.

[Dannica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always kind of doubt myself when I'm rating something five stars--like, was it really that good? but you know what I can't really think about anything I disliked in this whole novel so yeah it's five stars.

The Premise
Nat (or Natalie, as she's sometimes called) sings with a raunchy band every week at a bar. It's when she feels the most herself. But she also works at a high-end club named Thorns and her singing with the band violates their morality clause. If anyone were to find out she could lose her job.
Of course the wisest thing to do in this situation is to start sleeping with one of the club members. (Namely, Bex Horvath.)

My Thoughts
What do you say when you don't actually have any criticism? I loved Nat, for one thing. Her crisis of living a double life hits home. I think you're always rooting for her to solve the crisis by just giving up on her job at Thorns, but also, I mean, you can't just casually quit your job, and besides, you really feel how much she cares about her job: She's had it for about ten years, she's frankly an amazing concierge, and she got it through her beloved uncle, who is now dead. So many reasons for it to matter to her. But her band matters to her too, and so does her new lover, Bex. Throughout the novel she has a stressed out mantra of "something's gotta give something's gotta give", and frankly, you feel that stress.

Meanwhile there's Bex, who has her own litany of problems. Not only is she involved with a woman who needs to keep their relationship secret but her dad is getting remarried to a much younger actress and she's expected to help with the wedding despite their somewhat dysfunctional relationship. Bex is always there for the people in her life, though, and does an amazing job of balancing her problems. I probably didn't empathize with her as much as Nat but I did love her.

What else? Uhh there was a lot of sex. I'm never that into smut so I don't know if it was any good but it's certainly there, so. It was probably good?

I'd say that overall, my favorite thing about this book wasn't any particular character or plot point but just the narrative voice. I never know how to describe a good narrative voice; it just gets you. Feels like a conversation, or like you can hear the author telling you the story. Vanessa North can do that.

Anyways I liked it. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[N.G. Peltier · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: self harm, cutting, suicide attempt (of secondary character)

I really enjoyed this first book in the Rose and Thorns universe. Nat and Bex are great characters. Opposites attract is a fave trope of mine. Bex is daughter to basically Hollywood royalty i guess you could say and Nat plays in her band and works as a concierge and the Thorns and she's not supposed to date members so of course their relationship is on the DL. That makes for some tension and conflict between Nat, Bex and Nat's bandmates.

Bex and Nat were really hot together daaaamn. I liked the build up to their relationship and the push and pull of that throughout the book.

I placed some warnings at the beginning there please heed them. one of Nat's band mates struggles with self harm and there is a suicide attempt. So proceed with caution.

The band dynamics were great. There's fights and conflict because they're a family and sometimes tempers flair. But in the end they got each others' backs.

I think this was a great start to the series. Vanessa's writing draws you right in and leaves you wanting sooo much more!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good, but predictable and a little repetitive with it. Nat has that common POV character flaw of not actually thinking a problem all the way through, either logically or emotionally, and thus repeats a pattern until forced out of it.

I (straight) have read some f/f sex scenes that were steamy even for me, but this one didn't manage that, so I skimmed those. Others are better judges, no doubt.

[Renée Dahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable hot read. It dealt with the social class difference between heroine and heroine really well.

[Sheryl Beesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy FF with a really great story.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

With OFF LIMITS, Vanessa North opens the ROSE & THORNS series with a bang! The novel is a lovely mixture of sexy fun and realistic angst, introducing the reader to a world of amazing characters without feeling as most First of a Series novels do. Which is to say it didn't read as a something that relies too heavily on worldbuilding but instead finds the perfect balance of immersing the reader in the environment around the exclusive club while being heavily character driven.

It's a great start to the series and I cannot wait for more from North and the other authors writing within the ROSE & THORNS world!

Read the full review on my blog!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since the announcement of a joint universe of woman-loving-woman romance written by authors Vanessa North, Brooklyn Wallace, Katey Hawthorne, Heidi Belleau, and Sam Schooler, I've been pumped for more juicy details, jonesing for cool covers, and awaiting the first volley of fresh f/f stories.

Off Limits by Vanessa North, the first book in the series, drops September 24th, and though I've got an ARC winking up from my phone, I'll be pre-ordering a final copy too. It's that tasty: angsty, steamy, pensive, and heartfelt in equal amounts, Bex and Nat's love song echoes after the last page. Love found-family stories? Here's not one but two, as Off Limits features significant, intertwined side plots involving Nat's relationships to her bandmates and work colleagues, as well as Bex's burgeoning friendship with her father's fiancee. Love rock-star heroines heavy on the musical details? Nat's shadow life as Vertical Smile's singer is raunchy, raucous, and real enough to smell the sweat and cigarette smoke. Love fraught family drama? (that's me!) Bex's dealings with her parents develop from arms-length near-estrangement to something more complex and cautiously hopeful.

Oh yeah--if you love dirty talk, melt-in-your-mouth love scenes, and women cherishing women, Off Limits has got it in spades.

The wider universe of the Rose & Thorns Social Club is developed through both protagonists, as Nat works as a concierge at the New York location and Bex is a member. The implications of their explosive relationship provide momentum for their plot, while their view of the clubs and membership and details of the Thorns' history creates interest for future books (along with some intrigue that I'm sure will be picked up in another installment...). The story is nicely balanced between the women's internal, family, and workplace drama, and their attraction to one another, leading to a satisfying embrace of a conclusion.

I always love seeing a variety of representation on display, especially in romances, and Off Limits centers bisexual women and men, lesbian characters, women of color, and autistic women. There is a significant subplot involving self-harm (largely in chapter 22) and descriptions of panic attacks, as well as reference to emotionally abusive family experiences. By and large, Off Limits hits an admirable balance of undeniably real queer experience and queer joy, growth, and fulfillment, all wrapped in a gritty-glam NYC package.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel almost unqualified to review this book. I grew up an introvert in a small town with over-protective religious parents. The first couple of chapters were disorienting to me: not because of the author but because my personal history hadn’t prepared me for the scene.

But in the end I really enjoyed it. I could feel the reality of their love, even though they were each different enough from me that I couldn’t identify too strongly with either of them.

I do slightly wish that a bit more of the resolution was shown. I know Nat was happy with the decision to leave her job, but I didn’t feel like the consequences of that were resolved, even if most of the story was

[Michele Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in one sitting

Nat/Natalie is a complex woman who leads 2 very different lives. One as Nat a wild & crazy punk rock singer in a band, whose members are her "family". As Natilie she is in control, managing a high scale Lesbian club by day where the employees here are also her "family". One common thread in both worlds is Bex, who is falling for Nat/Natalie. There is a constant push & pull in Nat/Natalie's life as she tries to keep her lives seperate, her girlfriend a secret and figure out what is going to finally make her happy without loosing those important to her.

[Alison Hine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful

Have you ever opened a book and known by the time you got to the end of the first page that you were in the hands of a master? That happened to me with this book. This story is incredibly engaging. The characters are people I'd like to know, even people I'd like to be. And the words sing on the page. Facile, vivid storytelling, wordsmithing second to none. I loved this book from beginning to end, and I couldn't put it down until I was done.

Thank you, Vanessa North. I strongly hope you write more wlw fiction. Soon!

[Candice Tawamba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was exceptionally hot! I won't lie, there were some aspects that got me really annoyed: we all love drama and a good filled angst book, but at some point it was a little too much for me.

I loved the fact that Nathalie lived such a double life, and still managed to get her dreams to work out at the end. Not forgetting Bex who had her back all the way throughout.

A happily ever after as we love.

[DFZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professional by day, punk by night, Nat is balancing her job, her life, and her passion for music. But when lust flares to life between her and posh, famous Bex, Nat's tenuous balancing act falls apart. Can she keep it all together and still get what she needs most?

**Sex positive, bisexual/queer characters, autism rep**

[aidni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this book super sophisticated? No, is it a easy, angsty, spicy read totally.
A angsty butch and a rich sweetheart, it was the perfect combo.
My only negative was there was too much of the dad and the girlfriend, but it was cute.
For the most part this was a fun and charming quick read that checked all the boxes.

[Fat Amy Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between 3.5 and 3.75. I enjoyed Nat as a character almost more than I loved the romance itself. She was a very authentic character with and her inner dialogue was fresh and relatable. This is my first Vanessa North title but I guess she doesn't do much lesfic. Here's hoping that changes!

[Doreen HOWARD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

Well written story but throughout something didn’t fit right. The concept of a punk rocker, part time concierge, meets daughter of Hollywood royalty and sparks fly did not seem authentic.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, raunchy lesbian romance with likable leads and a good supporting cast. My only real complaint is that it feels like it could have done with twenty more pages or so to properly round out the ending.

[Heather B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!

I absolutely loved Vanessa’s writing style. The push and pull between the characters was constant throughout this book. I couldn’t put it down.

[Cleo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just exactly the fluffy, angsty ff romance I wanted to read. Rich curvy femme falls for hot but struggling punk rocker.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. I really hope that Ms. North writes more for this series. I loved Bex and Nat’s love story.

Bought from kobo

[Natalya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Predictable but cute