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Vixens Rock #4
Encore
She spent a decade dreaming of him.
He'll risk the work of a lifetime to be with her.
Trapped in a thankless job with a manipulative boss, Elise craves excitement. Fate intervenes when she gets a call from her former tutor, Armand, informing her of a keyboardist vacancy with the band Vixen's Wail. At the sound of Armand's voice, the desires she has held at bay for ten years come crashing back. Armand was always the stern, mysterious subject of her fantasies; older, wealthy, and with a husky body built for filling door frames. But as Armand opens up to Elise, she finds the reality of the man far better and so much more vulnerably human than she ever imagined.
Virtuoso, mogul, and suspected vampire...
Unfortunately, for a man whose life revolves around music and bands, Armand craves quiet and solitude. But that changes when gifted and beautiful Elise walks back into his life and he quickly finds himself unable to keep his eyes, or his thoughts, from her. With Vixen's Wail competing for his financial support, it becomes impossible to avoid Elise and even harder to pretend he doesn't crave her. As business and pleasure become entangled, feelings Armand thought he was no longer capable of cloud his judgement. Giving into their desires could cost his and Elise's reputation in the music industry, and destroy the chances of Vixen's Wail ever being considered a legitimate success.
Then again, love is worth risking it all for.
He'll risk the work of a lifetime to be with her.
Trapped in a thankless job with a manipulative boss, Elise craves excitement. Fate intervenes when she gets a call from her former tutor, Armand, informing her of a keyboardist vacancy with the band Vixen's Wail. At the sound of Armand's voice, the desires she has held at bay for ten years come crashing back. Armand was always the stern, mysterious subject of her fantasies; older, wealthy, and with a husky body built for filling door frames. But as Armand opens up to Elise, she finds the reality of the man far better and so much more vulnerably human than she ever imagined.
Virtuoso, mogul, and suspected vampire...
Unfortunately, for a man whose life revolves around music and bands, Armand craves quiet and solitude. But that changes when gifted and beautiful Elise walks back into his life and he quickly finds himself unable to keep his eyes, or his thoughts, from her. With Vixen's Wail competing for his financial support, it becomes impossible to avoid Elise and even harder to pretend he doesn't crave her. As business and pleasure become entangled, feelings Armand thought he was no longer capable of cloud his judgement. Giving into their desires could cost his and Elise's reputation in the music industry, and destroy the chances of Vixen's Wail ever being considered a legitimate success.
Then again, love is worth risking it all for.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2022
33 people want to read
About the author
Marie Lipscomb
16 books99 followersMarie is a romance and fantasy author with a penchant for unlikely heroes, fantastical creatures, and finding romance in the midst of chaos. She has a particular fondness for big, squishy, cinnamon-roll heroes, especially if they're beardy.
She was born in Bolton, in the North West of England. After getting a bit taller, she attended The University of Cumbria, confusingly located in Lancaster, UK.
She studied Drama as her major, but needed to take a minor. In a spectacularly on-brand move, she left it to the last minute to look into things, and creative writing seemed the easiest choice (hahaha!)
Eventually, she realized drama was not for her, but loved creative writing. She went on to study creative writing at a postgraduate level and just never stopped setting herself homework.
Marie now lives in Virginia, USA, with her husband, Jacob, her dog, Alfie, Jacob's dog, Belle, and Merlin the bearded dragon. When she's not writing, she can usually be found playing the same three video games on a loop (*cough* Dragon Age)
She was born in Bolton, in the North West of England. After getting a bit taller, she attended The University of Cumbria, confusingly located in Lancaster, UK.
She studied Drama as her major, but needed to take a minor. In a spectacularly on-brand move, she left it to the last minute to look into things, and creative writing seemed the easiest choice (hahaha!)
Eventually, she realized drama was not for her, but loved creative writing. She went on to study creative writing at a postgraduate level and just never stopped setting herself homework.
Marie now lives in Virginia, USA, with her husband, Jacob, her dog, Alfie, Jacob's dog, Belle, and Merlin the bearded dragon. When she's not writing, she can usually be found playing the same three video games on a loop (*cough* Dragon Age)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 30, 2022
With Liz having left Vixen’s Wail to pursue her own dreams, the band needs a new keyboard player. Their potential new backer, Armand, suggests they contact his former piano student, Elise. Elise gave up lessons with Armand after he prevented her from making a pass at him. He was her teacher, too old for her, and in a relationship with someone else. Elise is in a thankless job with a boss who thinks she should be available 24/7. Elise feels guilty about her “little rock band” and then she feels guilty about the renewed attraction to Armand. This time it’s mutual and they are both single. There is some nice praise kink and conversation about power imbalance.
This is a really nice series that focuses more on rehearsal and band meetings than performance. Vixen’s Wail is mostly women, has been working hard for a decade, and is on the verge of a major break out. Unlike most rock star romances, they aren’t the biggest band on the planet and while there is some drinking, no major drug or alcohol story lines. The fans aren’t really a big part of the plots, so it makes for a refreshing absence of groupies being used interchangeably and no one seems like they aren’t like the other ‘hos. In other words, the internalized misogyny did not slap me in the face. The books are high heat though. It’s nice to have lots of sex and no accusations of whoring (sex work is work).
I love that there’s a sense that, physically, these are very normal people. They are gorgeous in their own very human ways with curving bellys and thick thighs. They are talented artists, but entirely relatable humans. Lipscomb mostly handles her characters with empathy and care, which made for a soothing, soft read.
This is a really nice series that focuses more on rehearsal and band meetings than performance. Vixen’s Wail is mostly women, has been working hard for a decade, and is on the verge of a major break out. Unlike most rock star romances, they aren’t the biggest band on the planet and while there is some drinking, no major drug or alcohol story lines. The fans aren’t really a big part of the plots, so it makes for a refreshing absence of groupies being used interchangeably and no one seems like they aren’t like the other ‘hos. In other words, the internalized misogyny did not slap me in the face. The books are high heat though. It’s nice to have lots of sex and no accusations of whoring (sex work is work).
I love that there’s a sense that, physically, these are very normal people. They are gorgeous in their own very human ways with curving bellys and thick thighs. They are talented artists, but entirely relatable humans. Lipscomb mostly handles her characters with empathy and care, which made for a soothing, soft read.
November 2, 2022
An upper 3.80 stars!!
✅ Chubby hero.
✅ Chubby heroine.
Yes yes!! I was so pleased about this.
I kind of wanted sizes because at one point the hero, who is said to have a belly, is in the bath and he is looking down at his pubes. If he had a gut, he wouldn't see them. Stupid detail to obsess over but I wanted to know how chonky the gorgeous man was
✅ Looots of PRAISE KINK.
✅ Good bants
There's something about a well placed "that's my good girl" that just makes me melt. And said from a brusque hero was delicious.
This started out really well! And kind of tapered off towards the end (for me anyway)
I loved being in the heroes head.
The heroine was a drip. Nice, but oh my god, she got walked all over and gaslit so bad by her bitch of a boss and I really wanted a showdown by the end, but it never came, so I felt a bit deflated with that.
Overall, super cute and smeggsy.
And did I mention so much praise? Yum.
I didn't even realize until this dropped on my kindle that I already have a previous book in the series! looking forward to reading that.
✅ Chubby hero.
✅ Chubby heroine.
Yes yes!! I was so pleased about this.
✅ Looots of PRAISE KINK.
✅ Good bants
There's something about a well placed "that's my good girl" that just makes me melt. And said from a brusque hero was delicious.
This started out really well! And kind of tapered off towards the end (for me anyway)
I loved being in the heroes head.
The heroine was a drip. Nice, but oh my god, she got walked all over and gaslit so bad by her bitch of a boss and I really wanted a showdown by the end, but it never came, so I felt a bit deflated with that.
Overall, super cute and smeggsy.
And did I mention so much praise? Yum.
I didn't even realize until this dropped on my kindle that I already have a previous book in the series! looking forward to reading that.
November 10, 2022
I received a complimentary review copy from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Encore is the fourth installment in Marie Lipscomb’s Vixens Rock series. It can be read as a stand-alone, although I recommend all the books in the series equally. Lipscomb consistently writes love stories where fat characters are portrayed positively, and are loved for who they are, even as they may battle demons.
Elise is immediately easy to root for, given the awful situation she’s in with her job. She also struggles with her self-esteem, which can be hard to navigate, especially when you incorporate larger bodies, but Lipscomb made it work, as well as creating a believable arc toward self-confidence for her, and works well with the overall message of body positivity.
And Armand is just wonderful. He’s exactly what Elise needs, in that he’s assertive, without walking all over her the way others in her life have done. He can be dominant (especially sexually) while still empowering her to be her best self.
This is a beautifully moving and hopeful romance, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for fat rep for both men and women.
Encore is the fourth installment in Marie Lipscomb’s Vixens Rock series. It can be read as a stand-alone, although I recommend all the books in the series equally. Lipscomb consistently writes love stories where fat characters are portrayed positively, and are loved for who they are, even as they may battle demons.
Elise is immediately easy to root for, given the awful situation she’s in with her job. She also struggles with her self-esteem, which can be hard to navigate, especially when you incorporate larger bodies, but Lipscomb made it work, as well as creating a believable arc toward self-confidence for her, and works well with the overall message of body positivity.
And Armand is just wonderful. He’s exactly what Elise needs, in that he’s assertive, without walking all over her the way others in her life have done. He can be dominant (especially sexually) while still empowering her to be her best self.
This is a beautifully moving and hopeful romance, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for fat rep for both men and women.
October 25, 2022
All the feels
Intense, but in a good way. Elise’s work situation is one of the most awful things I’ve ever read and pretty heartbreaking that bosses can actually be like that. Her lack of self-esteem was tough, but it was lovely to see her gain trust and confidence in herself. Loved the chemistry and steam level between her and Armond. The well represented fat positive characters are a joy as well. I do wish there was more on-page time with Elise and the band, but alas. They are such a lovable and accepting bunch.
Intense, but in a good way. Elise’s work situation is one of the most awful things I’ve ever read and pretty heartbreaking that bosses can actually be like that. Her lack of self-esteem was tough, but it was lovely to see her gain trust and confidence in herself. Loved the chemistry and steam level between her and Armond. The well represented fat positive characters are a joy as well. I do wish there was more on-page time with Elise and the band, but alas. They are such a lovable and accepting bunch.
November 14, 2022
Another Vixen Hit
I love this series. I was a little hesitant about how this book fit in with the larger Vixen story since Elise and Armand are both newish characters, but "Encore" is perfect. This story is spicy as hell, absolutely gorgeous with the angst, and overall a great addition to this series.
Tropes: age-gap, second chance, teacher/student (all adults), NO third act breakup, rockstar
I love this series. I was a little hesitant about how this book fit in with the larger Vixen story since Elise and Armand are both newish characters, but "Encore" is perfect. This story is spicy as hell, absolutely gorgeous with the angst, and overall a great addition to this series.
Tropes: age-gap, second chance, teacher/student (all adults), NO third act breakup, rockstar
November 1, 2022
This one hit all my personal romance novel ids. Stern brunch daddy hero, praise kink, lots of "that's my good girl", it just really, really worked for me. I adored the romance, the softness of it, the fat rep was great (with both the FMC and the MMC), and it was really really steamy. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
October 30, 2022
This is 100% theee best book I’ve read this year. Not just a damn good romance but also shows just how freaking hot a books can be with two plus size protagonists. You can write bigger bodies as desirable. You don’t need to talk about the “sleek planes of his pecs” or how “his hands can span the whole of her waist” for shit to be sexy. You can have lushness. You can expand, and still be loved.
November 1, 2022
Hands down one of the best praise kink books EVER! Tied for my top contemporary romance of 2022
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews