Burn the Ships

by Niema Hunt

All editor Pippa Sinclair wants is to finish the impossibly last minute writing project she’s taken on in a desperate attempt to secure an early release from her work contract. However, the chances of meeting her deadline go from barely possible to all but impossible when work enemy Hadrian Hastings is assigned as her project editor. As someone with cerebral palsy himself, Hastings takes a dim view of her pro forma attitude towards the project she’s working a romance novel featuring a male hero with a similar form of CP. So a desperate and frustrated beyond belief Pippa challenges her rival to act as her sensitivity consultant only to discover, as Hadrian’s consultations become increasingly more intimate , that she may not hate the man quite as much as she thought… Burn the Ships is a sexy, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, workplace rescue romance featuring a sexy, slightly grumpy beta hero with cerebral palsy and spunky heroine determined to overcome her self-destructive Girl Friday ways. HEA Guaranteed. *This novel is part of a larger series but can be read as a standalone. *This novel contains open-door steamy sex scenes. *This Novel was previously published High Horse Bas**** under a different pen name.

Genres: Disability

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2022

About the author

Niema Hunt writes Austen-inspired romances set in the Royal Austen Space Fleet Universe and Regency London — stories where the wit, the social intrigue, the longing, and the slow burn stay the same. The setting changes. The humanity doesn't.
Jane Austen understood that the most compelling thing a man can be is kind, selfless, attentive, and honest about his feelings. Niema writes in that tradition — her heroes must become worthy of the women they love, and her heroines never settle for less. Her books portray disability, trauma, and mental health in all their messy reality — no miraculous cures, no pity, no skirting round the hard parts. The romance is real and complicated, the happily ever afters are earned, and the bedroom doors stay firmly open.
Off the page, she drinks the tea and does what her feline writing companion wants. The tea is usually Earl Grey. The cat has no comment.

P.S. — Niema keeps her best stories for her particular friends in the Scandal Set. Subscriber-exclusive novels, bonus scenes, and content that never appears anywhere else. 'Exclusive intelligence for Ardent Readers': www.NiemaHunt.com

Reviews

[Eleanore June · Rating 4 out of 5]

The good parts are GOOOOOD
But there are some editing issues and the interactions with her boss are just plain confusing to read.
That said, Hadrian is so sexy, especially when he's being honest about his needs.
I swear nothing is hotter than being vulnerable while still making needs clear.

[Jane]

Sigh. Oh, Niema/Kit/whatever you want to go by. You’re trying SO HARD. It’s better than the other version! It’s just not quite there. Still.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been a 4 star for me due to the amazing conversations around sex and CP BUT after all that incredible build up and discussion...we get FADE TO BLACK sex scenes?! Misery. Ugh. Such a bummer.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this lovely book in a day. I couldn’t put it down. It’s the perfect mix of closed door and open door for me. The communication is as sexy as the sex. I love these characters. The epilogue nearly did me in. So satisfying.

[Rebeca SC · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

What I liked:
This is what I expected to read from Bridgeton book one (The Duke and I). The protagonists are vulnerable but still confident in an attractive kind of way.

What I didn't like:
There's spice building up, and the story progresses slow, that the end just seems so abrupt and the epilogue gives you almost nothing extra.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book

So much spice! Fell in love with the characters and the way their relationship develops. Must read and love the inclusion of a MMC with CP

[Natasna]

I saw this book on booktok and decided to read it. It does have cute tense between Hadrian and Pippa. I would not trope this as enemies to lover but just like what it says in the title a grumpy hero romance. Be warned that the sexual tension is there and the first time is a fade to black. There are some scenes where Hadrian describes the things that he would do to Pippa and then it fades to black (my guess they actually do it). But this was an enjoyable read that I finished within one sitting, and I will be continuing the series.

[The Canadian Book Worm · Rating 3 out of 5]

My only complaint? They're working together on breaking barriers in romance books, writing one about a guy with CP.. the MC says at one point he'd love to see a book where they don't shy away from showing a disabled person have sex. And then every sex scene until the last one is fade to black?

Isn't that the exact opposite point they're trying to make?

Otherwise, it was so well executed, and informative without feeling like you were being lectured in a dry way. Everything fits so well into the narrative.

Finished it in one sitting, couldn't put it down.

[S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I rarely reread books in this genre, but this one is a definite keeper. This book could serve as a handbook for writers portraying disabled characters.

What is done right:

-forced proximity/ enemies to lovers/ HEA

-Cerebral palsy representation that is very accurate. (I have a slightly milder form of CP than the MMC) This book made me feel seen. I also love that “smaller” issues like the heightened startle reflex were mentioned- usually this is glossed over.
-All the criticism MMC offers about authors portraying disabled people is 100% accurate. (Example:” you can’t just write a 🌶️ scene between two abled characters and then just plop in disability- “

-FMC and MMC have some pretty direct and honest communication about navigating the logistics and implications of disability on dating and spicy activities.

- FMC handles a potentially mortifying medical situation with grace and dignity, and didn’t let it detract from her growing attraction for him.

-the banter between the two main characters was funny and well written.

-The MMC initially comes across as an asshole- but not the trope of “angry bitter cripple meets sunshine and rainbows” mess
- the main conflict of the plot was not the MMC feeling insecure about his disabilities and the FMC showing up to fix everything. (That specific trope is exhausting)

COMPLAINTS
-The author hasn’t written enough books in this series
-I have already read this book so I can’t go back and read it again for the first time.
- I wish it had been a little longer and the spice dialed up slightly.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good, looking forward to a reread.