NJ

I read this book because I saw multiple reviews mention that it had some great grovelling. However, it felt a little flat for me. Even at the end, Alessandro was still a little too alpha for my tastes (probably a reflection of the time this book was written). Additionally, I felt like too much of the book was spent on their sexual chemistry and the rest of the relationship-building was glossed over. For example, after Alessandro wrangles 2 hours from her, I would have loved it if the author had spent a lot more page-space giving us examples of the quality time the two of them spent during that time. It was cute but ultimately a little disappointing.

There are a few things I must preface this review with.

1. I read this book when I was way too young to read this book
2. For a long time, it was one of my favourite books
3. I reread it recently because it occurred to me that it probably hadn't aged well. I was right.

The hero is an abuser and a rapist. No matter how hard the book tries to rehabilitate him, and it does try hard, nothing can take away from his abuse or the rape. Also, if this were any other author, I would probably have given the book 1 star, but SEP was one of the authors that led me to read contemporary romance as a young teenage girl, and thus I am a bit biased. Also, no one writes banter quite like SEP.

However, the fact that I read this as a young teenager is the exact reason why books which romanticize abuse suck. Young impressionable people may pick them up and use them as a blueprint for a relationship. The very thought gives me nightmares. I may be saying this because I spent a lot of my younger years loving SEP, but I have to point out that this book was written in the 90s. It doesn't excuse the abusive content in the least but it makes me a smidge less ragey about it.

Running the plot of a few more SEP books through my mind, I am coming to terms with the fact that a lot of books I have considered favourites may sour on a reread.

I am realising that just as I had to give up on my OG historical romance faves, Julia Quinn and Lisa Kleypas, I might have to give up SEP, and that breaks my heart because I do love her banter.

There were aspects of this that I really liked. In particular, I loved Duncan and his vulnerability. However, in a rare twist for me, I didn't like the heroine. At one point she justifies her lack of open affection for Duncan by saying that as a cat owner, he is used to getting scraps, and it really irritated me. Nobody should have to settle for scraps of someone else's affection. especially not when they have made their desire to be wanted as clear as Duncan does. He's open and sweet and vulnerable, despite appearances, and I felt like the heroine never fully acknowledged that or showed reciprocal openness.

The first line of Red Sister is impossible to forget. I read it first in a review of this book and I knew, I just knew that I had to read the trilogy. It doesn't disappoint. The concept of assassin nuns is intriguing in and of itself but Mark Lawrence does a good job of executing an interesting idea.

This book is not getting five stars for a few reasons; in the beginning, I found all the nuns and mistresses difficult to keep straight. Additionally, I struggled to visualise the first half of the book (particularly the first scenes). However, when I finally lost myself in the book it blew me away.

I greatly enjoyed Nona's character and her relationships. She latches on to people and absolutely refuses to let go and I have to admire that. I think now that I know the characters and the world, I will enjoy this book so much more on a reread.