fbullock01's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a big fan of this author's work. She does her research and then some. I've read a few erotic historicals where it was put tab A into slot B. This book is so much more than that. There are real feelings and emotions intermingled with some really hot sex scenes including those which feature BDSM (so pass if that isn't your cup of tea, but give a try, you might be surprised). Amelia isn't an easy heroine to root for unless you know her backstory which we knew part of from reading her brother, Simon's book. She is bold, daring, and does what she wants. This is looked down upon by the ton, but she is still very much sought out as a potential wife because of her connections to her brother. Michael is not titled, but he does have all of the qualities that I love in a hero; kind, but not a pushover, loving, and very sexy. He was just what Amelia needed first for her need to be a mistress and a sexual dominant, and then for someone to come to love and care for her. I just loved this book and can't wait to read more books by Ms. Vale. I did receive this book free to review, but these thoughts and words are my own.
jessreads137's review
3.0
I wanted to love this book because it is about a young female domme in a historical setting learning about her desires and exploring her sexuality in a time when women were encouraged to be quiet and demure. That plot is something that should have been a home run for me. But the hero in this story was awful: he kept intentionally coercing and forcing the heroine to do things she didn't want to including tricking her into marrying him, exposing her childhood trauma despite her deliberately and explicitly setting boundaries regarding it, and then he never felt remorse for causing her this pain and distress even when she leaves him as a result of his actions.
The ending was sweet and compelling but I could never fully forgive the hero for the pain he forced the heroine to endure and the trauma she was forced to face without the proper support.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence
Childhood physical and emotional abuse to the heroine, mentions of witnessing childhood sexual abuse, PTSD
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