Review

Review: Shadowed Stranger by Carole Mortimer (1982)

Heat Factor: Bruising kisses, plus one scene where they remove all their clothes (but don’t get far because Rick has broken ribs)

Character Chemistry: They bring out the worst in each other

Plot: Robyn falls for an older man, and then discovers he’s not who he says he is

Overall: If you dig dubcon kisses and predatory age gaps, then this was a quick and oddly compelling read

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Rant, Review

Review: Four Seconds to Lose by K.A. Tucker (2014)

Ten Tiny Breaths, Book 3

Heat Factor: Sex is frequent but not super detailed; we get only the cursory information of what bits are naked and in contact. 

Character Chemistry: Girl with daddy issues + older man with white knight syndrome

Plot: Charlie needs money to disappear so she gets a job as a stripper and starts a thing with her boss. Also she’s reluctantly running heroin.

Overall: The purity overtones were unreal.

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Recommended Read, Review

Review: The Black Diamond by Bella Barnes (2022)

The Lost Boys of Hell’s Kitchen, Book #3

Heat Factor: It’s got everything! I-think-you’re-a-hooker sex, hate sex, building-trust sex, AND love sex

Character Chemistry: Forced proximity and some sass turns mistrust to love

Plot: Natalia and Connor are forced to marry, plus a bunch of mafia shenanigans

Overall: I’m not gonna lie—I was apprehensive about reading this book, but I loved it

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Back to Old School, Dueling Review, Rant, Recommended Read

Back to Old School: Devils Week

Devil’s Bride by Stephanie Laurens (1998)

Heat Factor: Devil is going to make the molten heat inside Honoria explode. In a cataclysmic starburst. For 25 pages.

Character Chemistry: You’re my perfect match because our bloodlines make us strong enough to tame each other. But Devil never says “I love you.”

Plot: Murder most foul.

Overall: Erin was tickled. Ingrid powered through. Holly hated it.


versus


Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas (2006)

Heat Factor: Billiards and blow jobs

Character Chemistry: Sebastian is such an asshole, but he’s also so soft for Evie.

Plot: Marriage of convenience, gambling hell edition.

Overall: Erin loved it. Holly tolerated it. Ingrid can’t remember the plot.

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Back to Old School, Dueling Review, Rant, Recommended Read

Back to Old School: Hottie McScottie Week

The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux (1980)

Heat Factor: It slipped in. Consent optional. Do you need consent if you’re married?

Character Chemistry: He is large, grumpy and swarthy, and she is fair, smol and pure. How can they not fall in love?

Plot: One damn thing after the next, caused by miscommunication and stupidity.

Overall: They’re mad at each other, but they don’t know why they’re mad at each other, and they won’t stop doing dumb things to each other.


versus


The Bride by Julie Garwood (1989)

Heat Factor: It’s the sexiest one we’ve read so far in the Old School read-a-thon

Character Chemistry: It’s The Taming of the Shrew, but who’s taming who?

Plot: Jamie’s like, “You told me to handle it! So I handled it.”

Overall: This book is absolutely delightful.


Content Note: These books contain rape, ablism, and racism and we discuss this content in our review. Also, sorry, Ranulf of The Black Lyon is not actually a Hottie McScottie, but he’s got highlander energy.

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