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Plot Twist #1
Writing Her In
There’s room in a heart for more than one kind of love.
Dara and Adrien Valliere are soul mates and best friends…but they’re not lovers. Their marriage may be unconventional, but it’s satisfying and loving, and they’ve never needed anything or anyone else.
Until they met writer Stacia Leonard.
Stacia built a career on maintaining close ties with her fictional characters while keeping everyone else at arm’s length. She avoids intimacy, apart from a few one-night stands when the loneliness and need become too much. But when Adrien Valliere, her cover model and long-distance friend, invites her for drinks, she’s too fascinated to refuse.
Dara recognizes the physical attraction between her husband and Stacia and sees it for what it an opportunity to help Adrien get what he needs. Dara can breathe easy knowing that both she and her husband are happy.
Before long, though, it’s clear that Stacia’s connection isn’t just with Adrien… She and Dara have something special, and it’s something neither of them can—or want to—deny.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Dara and Adrien Valliere are soul mates and best friends…but they’re not lovers. Their marriage may be unconventional, but it’s satisfying and loving, and they’ve never needed anything or anyone else.
Until they met writer Stacia Leonard.
Stacia built a career on maintaining close ties with her fictional characters while keeping everyone else at arm’s length. She avoids intimacy, apart from a few one-night stands when the loneliness and need become too much. But when Adrien Valliere, her cover model and long-distance friend, invites her for drinks, she’s too fascinated to refuse.
Dara recognizes the physical attraction between her husband and Stacia and sees it for what it an opportunity to help Adrien get what he needs. Dara can breathe easy knowing that both she and her husband are happy.
Before long, though, it’s clear that Stacia’s connection isn’t just with Adrien… She and Dara have something special, and it’s something neither of them can—or want to—deny.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 26, 2019
22 people are currently reading
509 people want to read
About the author
Holley Trent
152 books301 followersHolley Trent is a romance author who spins campy yarns set in North Carolina. She has a wicked sense of humor and regularly puts her story characters into unexpected situations.
When she's not writing, she's reading or eating Twizzlers.
Her contemporary and fantasy romances have been published by Crimson Romance, Calliope Romance/Musa Publishing, and she has work due for release by Lyrical Press.
2013 brings a change of pace with her self-published series of paranormal novellas: Shrew and Company. Five women, five romances, one big bear of a problem. Check out boss-lady Dana's story in THE PROBLEM WITH PADDY, available now.
When she's not writing, she's reading or eating Twizzlers.
Her contemporary and fantasy romances have been published by Crimson Romance, Calliope Romance/Musa Publishing, and she has work due for release by Lyrical Press.
2013 brings a change of pace with her self-published series of paranormal novellas: Shrew and Company. Five women, five romances, one big bear of a problem. Check out boss-lady Dana's story in THE PROBLEM WITH PADDY, available now.
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April 12, 2019A hot contemporary poly romance. Adrien and Dara are happily married except for their total lack of sex life. She hates the idea, can't do it. She gives him permission to sleep with someone else, he propositions Stacia, all goes well, but then Dara finds herself attacted to Stacia too.
This is very much a story of messy people. In particular, Dara doesn't even mention her attraction to Stacia to Adrien until after they've had sex twice. That felt uncomfortable given he was completely open to her and made sure she was happy with his playing away, but it's because Dara has serious social issues due to a weird cult upbringing and any sort of attraction, particularly queer, is new to her. It worked for me: people don't always behave according to the high standards of advice columnists.
What I really liked about this was, it felt like it was going to be a story about Adrien plus two women, but in fact the f/f relationship becomes the main part of it. Adrien is not the centre of the world, and the situation is pretty much taken over and run by the others. Actually, Adrien mostly screws up, now I think of it, albeit in an endearing way.
Very well written indeed, lovely fluent style. The formatting isn't done well for epub though, which is disappointing considering this is a big publisher.
This is very much a story of messy people. In particular, Dara doesn't even mention her attraction to Stacia to Adrien until after they've had sex twice. That felt uncomfortable given he was completely open to her and made sure she was happy with his playing away, but it's because Dara has serious social issues due to a weird cult upbringing and any sort of attraction, particularly queer, is new to her. It worked for me: people don't always behave according to the high standards of advice columnists.
What I really liked about this was, it felt like it was going to be a story about Adrien plus two women, but in fact the f/f relationship becomes the main part of it. Adrien is not the centre of the world, and the situation is pretty much taken over and run by the others. Actually, Adrien mostly screws up, now I think of it, albeit in an endearing way.
Very well written indeed, lovely fluent style. The formatting isn't done well for epub though, which is disappointing considering this is a big publisher.
June 2, 2019
I really wanted to love this book. I really, really did. But there were just too many little annoyances that built up until I couldn't stand it.
Stacia, the author of a megapopular detective book series, currently in LA for a book signing, gets propositioned for a one-night stand by her cover model, Adrien, who is cheered on by his wife, Dara. Dara and Adrien have been together since high-school and married well over a decade, and they have a wonderful, healthy, honest marriage and adore each other. The only issue is that they are sexually incompatible- Dara seems to feel zero sexual attraction to Adrien and finds sex highly unpleasant. Seeing how Adrien has a libido and Dara is someone who tries to make everyone happy, she encourages him to hit up Stacia and take his chance with her, Dara's personal reservations on the subject. One night turns to two, to more, and all three people try to navigate falling in love while working together.
Right, that was the plot. Here we go into the details of what I had issues with. Spoilers beware.
* First of all, these three people are awful at communication.
SPOILER
Dara, realizing she might be sexually attracted to Stacia, has sex with her without telling Adrien. Once is fine, as she needs time to figure out what this means to her. But then, when she's in Stacia's city for a work thing, she goes over to Stacia's house and has sex with her again and then still doesn't tell Adrien, for weeks afterwards. Their marriage is presented as open and honest, so why does she wait until Adrien and Stacia are fighting to just throw this, might I say, VERY important information at him? And Adrien doesn't really react to it either. You'd assume that his wife telling him she's bisexual (or a lesbian? Demisexual? it wasn't clear from the book) would have him have at least some kind of reaction. Plus keeping secret the fact she slept with someone else, even if originally they said they are both okay with the other sleeping with someone else, felt almost like cheating.
SPOILER
* Dara and Adrien keep intruding on Stacia's comfort zone when she clearly said she doesn't want to see them. For plot reasons, Stacia and Adrien are fighting, so Dara just packs up and shows up on Stacia's doorstep the next day, basically forcing her to host her. And /then/ Adrien shows up as well. I'm sorry, what? That's absolutely unacceptable. How is this not a stalker behaviour?
* This is mostly on me, but when Dara is introduced, everything points to her being sex-repulsed/sex-averse asexual, which made me SO excited, so seeing how she turned out not to be ace was a bitter disappointment for me
* At one point when they're fighting, Adrien does the 'stops the heroine from speaking by making out with her' which always enrages me
* I couldn't like Raleigh, because there was just one too many 'bitches' thrown around by him. Seeing how this woman he keeps insulting is I'm assuming one of his future love interests means I'll not be picking up the next book.
* this is a nitpick, but when Stacia says the producers of the tv shows want to make a season per book based on her series, I laughed. You telling me some producers are out there saying they're already planning 10 series based on some books, when most tv shows with stars acting in them have to fight for every season they get? I'm sorry, but that's just too implausible.
* there are barely any scenes of the three of them being a unit. There's a lot of one-on-one action but by the time they are supposedly in love, we see them together only for one sex scene and that's it. That doesn't make me believe in HEA for these characters.
I enjoyed these characters, mostly. I enjoyed Adrien and Dara's interactions, I especially liked Dara as a character. But I couldn't enjoy them properly, because of all the unpleasant and bizzare things they pulled. I usually enjoy messy characters (in fact I love them), but none of these issues were even presented as issues, let alone worked through.
Stacia, the author of a megapopular detective book series, currently in LA for a book signing, gets propositioned for a one-night stand by her cover model, Adrien, who is cheered on by his wife, Dara. Dara and Adrien have been together since high-school and married well over a decade, and they have a wonderful, healthy, honest marriage and adore each other. The only issue is that they are sexually incompatible- Dara seems to feel zero sexual attraction to Adrien and finds sex highly unpleasant. Seeing how Adrien has a libido and Dara is someone who tries to make everyone happy, she encourages him to hit up Stacia and take his chance with her, Dara's personal reservations on the subject. One night turns to two, to more, and all three people try to navigate falling in love while working together.
Right, that was the plot. Here we go into the details of what I had issues with. Spoilers beware.
* First of all, these three people are awful at communication.
SPOILER
Dara, realizing she might be sexually attracted to Stacia, has sex with her without telling Adrien. Once is fine, as she needs time to figure out what this means to her. But then, when she's in Stacia's city for a work thing, she goes over to Stacia's house and has sex with her again and then still doesn't tell Adrien, for weeks afterwards. Their marriage is presented as open and honest, so why does she wait until Adrien and Stacia are fighting to just throw this, might I say, VERY important information at him? And Adrien doesn't really react to it either. You'd assume that his wife telling him she's bisexual (or a lesbian? Demisexual? it wasn't clear from the book) would have him have at least some kind of reaction. Plus keeping secret the fact she slept with someone else, even if originally they said they are both okay with the other sleeping with someone else, felt almost like cheating.
SPOILER
* Dara and Adrien keep intruding on Stacia's comfort zone when she clearly said she doesn't want to see them. For plot reasons, Stacia and Adrien are fighting, so Dara just packs up and shows up on Stacia's doorstep the next day, basically forcing her to host her. And /then/ Adrien shows up as well. I'm sorry, what? That's absolutely unacceptable. How is this not a stalker behaviour?
* This is mostly on me, but when Dara is introduced, everything points to her being sex-repulsed/sex-averse asexual, which made me SO excited, so seeing how she turned out not to be ace was a bitter disappointment for me
* At one point when they're fighting, Adrien does the 'stops the heroine from speaking by making out with her' which always enrages me
* I couldn't like Raleigh, because there was just one too many 'bitches' thrown around by him. Seeing how this woman he keeps insulting is I'm assuming one of his future love interests means I'll not be picking up the next book.
* this is a nitpick, but when Stacia says the producers of the tv shows want to make a season per book based on her series, I laughed. You telling me some producers are out there saying they're already planning 10 series based on some books, when most tv shows with stars acting in them have to fight for every season they get? I'm sorry, but that's just too implausible.
* there are barely any scenes of the three of them being a unit. There's a lot of one-on-one action but by the time they are supposedly in love, we see them together only for one sex scene and that's it. That doesn't make me believe in HEA for these characters.
I enjoyed these characters, mostly. I enjoyed Adrien and Dara's interactions, I especially liked Dara as a character. But I couldn't enjoy them properly, because of all the unpleasant and bizzare things they pulled. I usually enjoy messy characters (in fact I love them), but none of these issues were even presented as issues, let alone worked through.
October 30, 2019
Two disclosures before I start this review:
1) I'm not sure I'm able to be objective about it since my response is so strongly emotional
2) There's a bit of a spoiler in the second paragraph but not really a spoiler? You'll see.
Writing Her In is a polyamorous romance with a married couple and a woman they both fall in love with. It is not a menage in a physical sense, but it absolutely is in a romantic sense. Adrien and Dara have been in love since high school. In her words, Dara's family is essentially a cult without the followers - her father is a religious tyrant and her family disowns her for being with Adrien. (This is the history of trauma referred to in the tags above. It's not depicted on page, but his emotional abuse is referred to several times.)
Here's the wee spoiler...
As you can tell from the blurb, Stacia is a writer and Adrien is the model on a few of her book covers. What you can't quite tell until the morning after Adrien and Stacia sleep together (with all three parties consenting) is that Dara isn't asexual. I worried for a bit at the beginning that the book would be a bit ace-phobic, but as far as I (an allosexual) can tell, the ways Dara's sexuality is described aren't harmful to people who are ace. Dara and Adrien tried to have sex a couple of times and it just never really worked for Dara. She doesn't know why, but Adrien isn't an a-hole about it. They have a deep and true love, and Dara encourages Adrien to sleep with Stacia.
So what happens the next morning? When Adrien has left for work and Stacia is doing the awkward morning-after shuffle... Dara finds herself sexually attracted to Stacia. What follows is two complicated character arcs for the women and a more straightforward arc for Adrien. I don't want to spoil anything else for you, but let's just say Dara figures some things out that her restrictive religious upbringing didn't teach her, Stacia learns to receive love, and Adrien continues being a sexy marshmallow.
Now for the part where I blubber my feelings onto a digital page. Writing Her In is one of those very niche books that appealed to me for about a million reasons, but mostly because of the way Trent writes Stacia and Dara together. Adrien is lovely, yes, but he's just sort of there. He's not the star of the show and WOW am I tired of f/f/m that's really f/m/f. This book puts the women and their needs front and center, rather than the 1,000,000 porn and erotica plots that are not-even-thinly-veiled male power fantasies. Dara is biromantic and homosexual (and possibly also demisexual, she doesn't use the words) and she's allowed to be herself. Adrien just rolls with it. There's no "big scary reveal" scene, and the conflict mainly comes from Stacia worrying that she's extraneous to their relationship - that she'll be left behind.
So why was I crying while reading both the digital copy (provided by Carina Press) and the audiobook (thank you, public library/Hoopla)? Because Holley Trent wrote a triad that managed to not be fetishistic or queerphobic or unnecessarily harmful in any way.
None of this is to say that I loved this book simply because it didn't do bad things. It does a lot of wonderful things and they made my queer-but-not-visibly-so heart very, very happy. Stacia and Dara (and Adrien, fine) are complicated characters who start out in a good place and end in a better place. (There's also some very excellent f/f sex.) I could see myself in all three characters, and not even just the pieces I don't like. It was like a very sexy hug of a book, and I'm possibly going to go read it a third time now.
Content Warnings: terrible parents/history of emotional abuse, history of being used for career gains, intrusive media, borderline agoraphobia
Suzanne received a copy of this book from the publisher for review via NetGalley.
1) I'm not sure I'm able to be objective about it since my response is so strongly emotional
2) There's a bit of a spoiler in the second paragraph but not really a spoiler? You'll see.
Writing Her In is a polyamorous romance with a married couple and a woman they both fall in love with. It is not a menage in a physical sense, but it absolutely is in a romantic sense. Adrien and Dara have been in love since high school. In her words, Dara's family is essentially a cult without the followers - her father is a religious tyrant and her family disowns her for being with Adrien. (This is the history of trauma referred to in the tags above. It's not depicted on page, but his emotional abuse is referred to several times.)
Here's the wee spoiler...
As you can tell from the blurb, Stacia is a writer and Adrien is the model on a few of her book covers. What you can't quite tell until the morning after Adrien and Stacia sleep together (with all three parties consenting) is that Dara isn't asexual. I worried for a bit at the beginning that the book would be a bit ace-phobic, but as far as I (an allosexual) can tell, the ways Dara's sexuality is described aren't harmful to people who are ace. Dara and Adrien tried to have sex a couple of times and it just never really worked for Dara. She doesn't know why, but Adrien isn't an a-hole about it. They have a deep and true love, and Dara encourages Adrien to sleep with Stacia.
So what happens the next morning? When Adrien has left for work and Stacia is doing the awkward morning-after shuffle... Dara finds herself sexually attracted to Stacia. What follows is two complicated character arcs for the women and a more straightforward arc for Adrien. I don't want to spoil anything else for you, but let's just say Dara figures some things out that her restrictive religious upbringing didn't teach her, Stacia learns to receive love, and Adrien continues being a sexy marshmallow.
Now for the part where I blubber my feelings onto a digital page. Writing Her In is one of those very niche books that appealed to me for about a million reasons, but mostly because of the way Trent writes Stacia and Dara together. Adrien is lovely, yes, but he's just sort of there. He's not the star of the show and WOW am I tired of f/f/m that's really f/m/f. This book puts the women and their needs front and center, rather than the 1,000,000 porn and erotica plots that are not-even-thinly-veiled male power fantasies. Dara is biromantic and homosexual (and possibly also demisexual, she doesn't use the words) and she's allowed to be herself. Adrien just rolls with it. There's no "big scary reveal" scene, and the conflict mainly comes from Stacia worrying that she's extraneous to their relationship - that she'll be left behind.
So why was I crying while reading both the digital copy (provided by Carina Press) and the audiobook (thank you, public library/Hoopla)? Because Holley Trent wrote a triad that managed to not be fetishistic or queerphobic or unnecessarily harmful in any way.
None of this is to say that I loved this book simply because it didn't do bad things. It does a lot of wonderful things and they made my queer-but-not-visibly-so heart very, very happy. Stacia and Dara (and Adrien, fine) are complicated characters who start out in a good place and end in a better place. (There's also some very excellent f/f sex.) I could see myself in all three characters, and not even just the pieces I don't like. It was like a very sexy hug of a book, and I'm possibly going to go read it a third time now.
Content Warnings: terrible parents/history of emotional abuse, history of being used for career gains, intrusive media, borderline agoraphobia
Suzanne received a copy of this book from the publisher for review via NetGalley.
March 11, 2019
When best-selling mystery author and slight curmudgeon Stacia Leonard gets the chance to meet the super popular cover model she credits for helping launch her series into the big leagues, she hesitantly agrees. All she really wants to do is crawl into bed after a long day of book signing, but her publicist and she agree this is one photo-op she shouldn't miss, especially since her series is being optioned for TV.
Adrien Valliere has a bit of an ulterior motive in asking Stacia to visit him and his wife at their LA home. The Valliere's appear to be a beautiful, perfect couple, but while they are madly in love they have a secret.
Dara, Adrien's wife, hopes Stacia will be able to give Adrien what he needs, not realizing that Stacia may also be able to help Dara with the same.
A delicious unconventional romance story between a husband, his wife, and the woman they both fall in love with (don't worry, with happily ever-afters for all).
Besides being decadently sexy, the details of Stacia's life as a popular author, Dara's art, and Adrien's modeling career are exceptionally well-drawn, adding a lovely depth to an already stunning character study. I cannot wait to read more in this series!
Advance copy received in exchange for a fair review, thank you!
Adrien Valliere has a bit of an ulterior motive in asking Stacia to visit him and his wife at their LA home. The Valliere's appear to be a beautiful, perfect couple, but while they are madly in love they have a secret.
Dara, Adrien's wife, hopes Stacia will be able to give Adrien what he needs, not realizing that Stacia may also be able to help Dara with the same.
A delicious unconventional romance story between a husband, his wife, and the woman they both fall in love with (don't worry, with happily ever-afters for all).
Besides being decadently sexy, the details of Stacia's life as a popular author, Dara's art, and Adrien's modeling career are exceptionally well-drawn, adding a lovely depth to an already stunning character study. I cannot wait to read more in this series!
Advance copy received in exchange for a fair review, thank you!
April 23, 2019
Dara and her husband Adrien are perfectly compatible in every way but one. She loves and trusts him unconditionally, but she’s never been able to enjoy being intimate with him. So she makes a proposal: Adrien can seek fulfillment elsewhere, with her blessing. There are a lot of ways this setup could go wrong, but remember, in romance all will (eventually) be well, and fortunately Adrien picks Stacia, a mystery writer with a sexy pair of glasses and a delightfully snarky streak. As they get to know her, sparks fly all over the place, and not just between Adrien and Stacia. It struck me as I listened to this one that romance is the most generous genre--there really is room for everyone. I love how Trent develops Dara’s character, the way Stacia allows her to explore what she wants with no pressure or shame. Vulnerable people finding a safe space and blossoming into their true selves--I will never not love that.
March 18, 2019
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is a seriously steamy read! It’s the story of an author who agrees to hook up with the handsome cover model for her most popular series. It would be a simple story - except the cover model is married, his wife encourages the hook-up - and there’s also a whole lot of chemistry between the author and her cover model’s wife. Whew. It’s all a bit complicated but I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters.
I enjoyed the women in this story more than the men. Stacia is a successful author but her personal life is a bit messy. After a messy break-up, Stacia enjoys no strings hook-ups and an otherwise solitary life. I love her strength, her humour and her warmth. Dara is equally solitary - as an artist she works alone and past experiences have made her feel quite socially awkward. She’s also pretty sure she’s asexual. These two women compliment each other beautifully and I love the way Dara grows into her sexuality in this story. Adrien doesn’t feel quite as fully fleshed as the two women he cares for. He’s physically gorgeous but a little bit blander than Dara and Stacia.
I love well written polyamory and this is a really beautiful story about three people who try a more unconventional relationship after realising that their more normalised relationships just aren’t meeting their needs. At times this is a crazy sexy book - the scenes between Dara and Stacia are electric and there is wonderful chemistry between all three. The tone of this book is light and I love that there is very little angst in the story.
This is a seriously steamy read! It’s the story of an author who agrees to hook up with the handsome cover model for her most popular series. It would be a simple story - except the cover model is married, his wife encourages the hook-up - and there’s also a whole lot of chemistry between the author and her cover model’s wife. Whew. It’s all a bit complicated but I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters.
I enjoyed the women in this story more than the men. Stacia is a successful author but her personal life is a bit messy. After a messy break-up, Stacia enjoys no strings hook-ups and an otherwise solitary life. I love her strength, her humour and her warmth. Dara is equally solitary - as an artist she works alone and past experiences have made her feel quite socially awkward. She’s also pretty sure she’s asexual. These two women compliment each other beautifully and I love the way Dara grows into her sexuality in this story. Adrien doesn’t feel quite as fully fleshed as the two women he cares for. He’s physically gorgeous but a little bit blander than Dara and Stacia.
I love well written polyamory and this is a really beautiful story about three people who try a more unconventional relationship after realising that their more normalised relationships just aren’t meeting their needs. At times this is a crazy sexy book - the scenes between Dara and Stacia are electric and there is wonderful chemistry between all three. The tone of this book is light and I love that there is very little angst in the story.
December 23, 2019
I thought this book was fabulous. I adored the relationship between Dara, Adrien, and Stacia, how the three of them came together to form a whole, how the three of them, as messy and imperfect as they all were found a way to fit together and make each other better, not just in the sex department, but in the life department. Stacia adds a the balance to Dara and Adrien's marriage that it was missing, while they add the acceptance and attention that Stacia only sort seemed to understand her life was lacking. I loved everyone's arcs, but especially Stacia's and Dara's, how Dara goes from meek-seeming to being the one who fought for the three of them the hardest and how Stacia went from being so careful and protective of herself to being able to trust enough to accept help when she needed it. It was just all so, so, so, good.
August 19, 2019
I’ve never read a polyamorous relationship where a duo is already married because it feels like it would be too uncomfortably like cheating for me to enjoy the book. Holley Trent made it totally work. She does such a great job of making 3-dimensional characters who intensely love each other and yet need this arrangement to live their fullest lives. I believed in their good intentions, their complications, and I enjoyed their brains, their humor, and the intensely awesome sexiness. Looking forward to reading more from her!
December 12, 2020
I received a copy of Writing Her In from the publisher via Netgalley. All words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
December 11, 2020:
I’m honestly glad I gave this book another chance. Early in there’s definitely some casual acemisia and erasure of ace identities, but the romance? I really ended up enjoying the romance. And finishing the book changed some of my interpretations regarding Dara’s identity. I definitely think she’s on the ace spectrum, but I also think she may be lesbian sexually and biromantic or something along those lines. Her love for Adrien is undeniable and I think her upbringing made it hard for her to even imagine she could have relationships with non-men. I kinda wish that had been explored more, but it’s still an enjoyable romance once I kinda moved past those feelings. The development with Stacia and all three of them dealing with personal, internal conflicts was so well balanced. I think as I read more of Holley Trent’s books, the more I enjoy them. But also definitely need to be in specific moods for some of them, and this one required me to be able to kinda “ignore” the “sex is natural part of being human” (though that did get challenged immediately by other character! But Stacia also never really walks that sentiment back) mentality, though definitely if you are ace you may want to be cautious going into this book because that is a sentiment expressed.
March, 2019
DNF @ 19%
I was excited for this when I heard the premise and the cover is beautiful and I love most books I’ve read that Carina has published, but the moment MC says “You’re human darling [...] this is what animals are designed to do,” regarding sex, I’m done.
This book already had some acemisia and anti-ace microaggressions with Dara feeling broken/unworthy for not having/being interested in sex with her husband, but I was going to continue giving this a try. But straight up insinuating that asexual folks aren’t human? NOPE NOPE NOPE. Sorry, but I have heard enough similar sentiments in real life without having it proclaimed so strongly in romance.
Content Notes to 19%
📝 industry misogyny (“women-penned mysteries don’t sell”)
📝 casual ableism
📝 past toxic relationship
📝 called cheating (except it’s form of open relationship)
📝 possessiveness
📝 acemisia
📝 explicit on page sexual content
December 11, 2020:
I’m honestly glad I gave this book another chance. Early in there’s definitely some casual acemisia and erasure of ace identities, but the romance? I really ended up enjoying the romance. And finishing the book changed some of my interpretations regarding Dara’s identity. I definitely think she’s on the ace spectrum, but I also think she may be lesbian sexually and biromantic or something along those lines. Her love for Adrien is undeniable and I think her upbringing made it hard for her to even imagine she could have relationships with non-men. I kinda wish that had been explored more, but it’s still an enjoyable romance once I kinda moved past those feelings. The development with Stacia and all three of them dealing with personal, internal conflicts was so well balanced. I think as I read more of Holley Trent’s books, the more I enjoy them. But also definitely need to be in specific moods for some of them, and this one required me to be able to kinda “ignore” the “sex is natural part of being human” (though that did get challenged immediately by other character! But Stacia also never really walks that sentiment back) mentality, though definitely if you are ace you may want to be cautious going into this book because that is a sentiment expressed.
March, 2019
DNF @ 19%
I was excited for this when I heard the premise and the cover is beautiful and I love most books I’ve read that Carina has published, but the moment MC says “You’re human darling [...] this is what animals are designed to do,” regarding sex, I’m done.
This book already had some acemisia and anti-ace microaggressions with Dara feeling broken/unworthy for not having/being interested in sex with her husband, but I was going to continue giving this a try. But straight up insinuating that asexual folks aren’t human? NOPE NOPE NOPE. Sorry, but I have heard enough similar sentiments in real life without having it proclaimed so strongly in romance.
Content Notes to 19%
📝 industry misogyny (“women-penned mysteries don’t sell”)
📝 casual ableism
📝 past toxic relationship
📝 called cheating (except it’s form of open relationship)
📝 possessiveness
📝 acemisia
📝 explicit on page sexual content
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2024
I just... don't understand how you could possibly have a healthy long lasting polyam/ENM relationship when two people in a triad are having sex (repeatedly, over weeks/months) without telling the third, who has literally no idea this was even a possibility. When it finally is revealed to him, he doesn't react to it in any way, or even to the fact that his partner of 15 years is possibly a lesbian, but instead starts grovelling for some other random thing that doesn't actually seem like his fault much. The rank hypocrisy of calling him untrustworthy when his wife and their (eventual) mutual third partner have been lying to him since the start is baffling and so frustrating. Even more so because when Adrian first asks Stacia out, he is so careful of Dara's comfort with the situation, constantly checking in with her if she's still okay with him sleeping with other women. Dara, in turn, does not extend that same courtesy to him and it is apparently a non issue. She doesn't apologise, they never even discuss that or her possible queer awakening. What on earth are you doing here?
I'm so disappointed because I loved Working Title (book 3 in this series) and Holley Trent writes really good sex scenes, and I like these characters individually. This relationship seems completely fucking doomed though.
I'm so disappointed because I loved Working Title (book 3 in this series) and Holley Trent writes really good sex scenes, and I like these characters individually. This relationship seems completely fucking doomed though.
December 8, 2021
This is a take on a polyamorous romance that I personally haven’t read before. Dara and Adrien are married, they’re best friends, they love each other… but they don’t have sex. They decide to open up their marriage so that their sexual needs can be met elsewhere. When both parties separately fall into bed with Stacia, will things become too complicated or can they find a way to make it work out?
I liked all the different dynamics of the characters together. However, I felt like there wasn’t enough page time with all three characters interacting. Not even talking about sexual scenes, I just wanted more time with all three of them hanging out and working out how their new relationship would function.
It was an enjoyable romance. But there were just things holding it back from being excellent for me.
I liked all the different dynamics of the characters together. However, I felt like there wasn’t enough page time with all three characters interacting. Not even talking about sexual scenes, I just wanted more time with all three of them hanging out and working out how their new relationship would function.
It was an enjoyable romance. But there were just things holding it back from being excellent for me.
February 1, 2024
“Siren,” Stacia rasped. “I can’t even swim and yet I’m the one in the water.”
I've had my eye on this for a while and picked it up today on a whim, and I'm so happy it was such a big success for me. A poly m/f/f romance about a husband and wife who don't sleep together (they're still very much happily married; she just can't bring herself to do it), and the woman they both gradually fall for. It starts off as a pre-arranged affair that they both agree on, so that Adrien can experience the things that Dara can't give him, and it's supposed to be a one time thing. But then they both start falling for Stacia, which is especially confusing for Dara, who's never really questioned her sexuality before.
Some poly romances can end up feeling uneven, especially if it's one established couple inviting another person in, but I think this did a great job of giving a lot of care and attention to each leg of the triangle, and eventually, how they all work together as a triad. Actually, if one couple got a little more attention than the others, it was Stacia/Dara, which I wasn't mad about; I loved their romantic arc sooooo so much. But it's very much a poly romance. I especially really liked the unwavering friendship, love and communication between the married couple, and how that bond never faltered. I also really loved Dara's slow journey of revelation and discovery and acceptance. The moment where she realises that she's experiencing genuine attraction and lust for the first time... ah, that was so good. There's some mess and complicatedness in the plot, and a bit of miscommunication and misunderstanding, but it's the kind that really works well for the plot, that makes sense for the characters. And I just really enjoyed the romance here; a lot of it felt so swoony and intense.
That was an interesting word, “Attractive.” It didn’t mean very much to most people because they took it for granted. They attached it willy-nilly to things they’d seen in passing. It became a cheap synonym for comely, but they forgot all about the fact that there was a verb in that root. Attract.
I do wish that this had been a bit longer. Both the romantic plot and the B-plot could have used a bit more heft to them. And in general, there was just something about the writing that almost made me feel as if I was reading the second book in a series. There were a few moments I thought deserved to be lingered on a bit more. This could just be me; I know I'm in the minority because I'm always saying that romance books should be a liiiiittle bit longer. But this could have benefitted from it, I think. There were several points in the book where we'd discover that a few days or even a few weeks had passed, and I would always be disappointed. For example, I really wish we'd gotten to see more of the couple's visit to Stacia's house. A few more scenes like that would have gone a long way towards making this feel more well-rounded. But I still had a great time reading it; all the characters were so unique and well-written as people.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Sean Crisden, Natalie Eaton and Lila Winters. It was pretty good! I never really like Crisden's voices for female characters, so that was a bit of a pain. But otherwise, it was really good. My fave poly romance that I've read in a while. I'll prob continue the series at some point!
There was no roadmap for her to follow or a compass she could chart her way with. She had no idea how to get to where she needed to be, only that the end goal was just... both. Somehow, both.
March 11, 2019
3.5 stars. If you’ve ever wondered about the relationship between an author and their cover model, this is the book for you! Author Stacia doesn’t know her cover model Adrien but she sure enjoys looking at this Instagram photos and the way putting his photo on her book covers made her series really take off. But she doesn’t know much about him or his wife until she happens to be in town for an event and they extend an invitation.
I really enjoyed reading this story but it felt incomplete. It was too short and left me with so many questions, questions which easily could have been addressed had it had been a book instead of a novella. A triad relationship has many layers in and of itself but this one was more complex because Adrien and Dara are married but do not have a sexual relationship and this is the first time Adrien is acting on the fact that they have an open marriage so his sexual needs can be met.
It appeared at first Dara might be asexual. I wanted to know more about Dara and Adrien's relationship and sexual history. I just couldn't quite conceptualize how their relationship developed and then how they got married when she wasn't attracted to him. I get that it worked for them but at the same time it didn't since they were going to have an open relationship. Did they fool around at all before they got married? Is she okay with him kissing her? Adrien was upset at the thought of Dara being with other people even though he'd already slept with Stacia and that felt like a double standard but it also made me curious if they both made the arrangement thinking Dara would never act on it.
One of the most interesting parts of the book was watching Dara come to understand her sexuality, as she came to realize she was attracted to Stacia as well. Although, again,I would have liked more clarification. I know she grew up sheltered but had she really never considered liking women before? Was she asexual, lesbian, or is Stacia the exception to the rule? Maybe it’s supposed to be left open ended as she’s still processing everything but since the book ends with all three in a relationship, I would have liked to know at least how she views Adrien and how they’ll relate to one another.
As Dara is exploring her sexuality with Stacia, I struggled with her decision not to tell Adrien anything, especially not for so long, especially not to even say she saw Stacia when she was in Richmond. I was surprised he wasn't angry about her essentially lying to him. It felt like she got a free pass for behavior most partners or spouses would be really hurt by.
There was a lot of promise there but I wanted more. It would have been interesting to see how they function as a triad too, beyond making the decision to give it a try. It ends on a good note but I was left wanting more.
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Carina in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this story but it felt incomplete. It was too short and left me with so many questions, questions which easily could have been addressed had it had been a book instead of a novella. A triad relationship has many layers in and of itself but this one was more complex because Adrien and Dara are married but do not have a sexual relationship and this is the first time Adrien is acting on the fact that they have an open marriage so his sexual needs can be met.
It appeared at first Dara might be asexual. I wanted to know more about Dara and Adrien's relationship and sexual history. I just couldn't quite conceptualize how their relationship developed and then how they got married when she wasn't attracted to him. I get that it worked for them but at the same time it didn't since they were going to have an open relationship. Did they fool around at all before they got married? Is she okay with him kissing her? Adrien was upset at the thought of Dara being with other people even though he'd already slept with Stacia and that felt like a double standard but it also made me curious if they both made the arrangement thinking Dara would never act on it.
One of the most interesting parts of the book was watching Dara come to understand her sexuality, as she came to realize she was attracted to Stacia as well. Although, again,I would have liked more clarification. I know she grew up sheltered but had she really never considered liking women before? Was she asexual, lesbian, or is Stacia the exception to the rule? Maybe it’s supposed to be left open ended as she’s still processing everything but since the book ends with all three in a relationship, I would have liked to know at least how she views Adrien and how they’ll relate to one another.
As Dara is exploring her sexuality with Stacia, I struggled with her decision not to tell Adrien anything, especially not for so long, especially not to even say she saw Stacia when she was in Richmond. I was surprised he wasn't angry about her essentially lying to him. It felt like she got a free pass for behavior most partners or spouses would be really hurt by.
There was a lot of promise there but I wanted more. It would have been interesting to see how they function as a triad too, beyond making the decision to give it a try. It ends on a good note but I was left wanting more.
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Carina in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2019
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this book apart from the part that I was expecting something very different from the marketing. We have an author and non-monogamy as the main events of this book, which immediately put me in mind of The Siren by Tiffany Riesz.
The way that this was marketed said that this was a polyamorous book. I would agree so far that it was a book with non-monogamy in it, but it also had themes of don't ask, don't tell between the already existing relationship, and it was a physical only relationship that Adrien and Stacia were to embark on at the start. I had the feeling multiple times throughout that it was not something that Stacia probably would have accepted had she had any feeling that she deserved more than what they were offering for the first half of the book.
That said, the second half was much better in terms of themes. The main thing I had as a problem there was that it seemed a lot more rushed. Obviously we knew the characters at that point and they no longer needed to be quite so fleshed out, but I felt as though the problems that were brought up in the beginning of the story were either swept under the rug or resolved far too easily. I would have liked to see Stacia stand up for herself, rather than the two options we were given which was her running away or else being convinced of what she was worth by Adrien and his wife Dara.
I really did love Dara's part of the story, however. Her backstory particularly was fleshed out well and the reason she was so drawn to Adrien despite not having a sexual attraction to men made a lot of sense to me. As did the friends to lovers storyline that went between her and Stacia.
The way that this was marketed said that this was a polyamorous book. I would agree so far that it was a book with non-monogamy in it, but it also had themes of don't ask, don't tell between the already existing relationship, and it was a physical only relationship that Adrien and Stacia were to embark on at the start. I had the feeling multiple times throughout that it was not something that Stacia probably would have accepted had she had any feeling that she deserved more than what they were offering for the first half of the book.
That said, the second half was much better in terms of themes. The main thing I had as a problem there was that it seemed a lot more rushed. Obviously we knew the characters at that point and they no longer needed to be quite so fleshed out, but I felt as though the problems that were brought up in the beginning of the story were either swept under the rug or resolved far too easily. I would have liked to see Stacia stand up for herself, rather than the two options we were given which was her running away or else being convinced of what she was worth by Adrien and his wife Dara.
I really did love Dara's part of the story, however. Her backstory particularly was fleshed out well and the reason she was so drawn to Adrien despite not having a sexual attraction to men made a lot of sense to me. As did the friends to lovers storyline that went between her and Stacia.
March 17, 2019
I enjoyed this sexy menage relationship romance! Adrien and Dara are best friends who love each other and have a fulfilling though sex-less marriage due to Dara's lack of sexual interest. She's given her husband permission to find a sexual partner but he hasn't been interested in anyone, until a chance meeting with a writer for whom he's had success posing as a cover model for her books.
Stacia isn't sure what to make of the proposition from Adrien but with an understanding of the circumstances and clear permission from Dara they engage in a sexy and fun encounter. But even more interesting is that something about Stacia awakens Dara's dormant sexuality. The possibility of being a lesbian had never occurred to Dara, nor would her restrictive religious upbringing have ever allowed for it. But with a sexually open woman like Stacia, she gets the chance to explore this new discovery.
Of course figuring out how to navigate the feelings and emotions of three people is the tricky part that must be figured out in order to give this threesome an HEA. Complicating that is Adrien's new acting contract to be not just the face but the popular character in a TV adaptation of Stacia's books. Keeping their real relationship a secret is also important to protect their reputations and their privacy. The author does a great job of balancing sexy scenes with the realistic complications of a threesome. I'm looking forward to continuing this series, with Stacia's PR guy Raleigh up next!
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Stacia isn't sure what to make of the proposition from Adrien but with an understanding of the circumstances and clear permission from Dara they engage in a sexy and fun encounter. But even more interesting is that something about Stacia awakens Dara's dormant sexuality. The possibility of being a lesbian had never occurred to Dara, nor would her restrictive religious upbringing have ever allowed for it. But with a sexually open woman like Stacia, she gets the chance to explore this new discovery.
Of course figuring out how to navigate the feelings and emotions of three people is the tricky part that must be figured out in order to give this threesome an HEA. Complicating that is Adrien's new acting contract to be not just the face but the popular character in a TV adaptation of Stacia's books. Keeping their real relationship a secret is also important to protect their reputations and their privacy. The author does a great job of balancing sexy scenes with the realistic complications of a threesome. I'm looking forward to continuing this series, with Stacia's PR guy Raleigh up next!
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
October 22, 2021
I should have been writing my dissertation proposal. I should have been working late. I should have been putting away my laundry. I should have been doing something other than reading this book. But at a mere 63,000 words, how dangerous could it be?
Yup. It put me into the bad decisions book club … for two nights in a row! There was just something about it that kept me reading. Even though, per the rules of the romance genre, the novel was guaranteed to end happily, there were times when it seemed improbable. I mean, the book was about three different people trying to figure out how to make one relationship work. And people are messy and complex.
Conflict that arises solely from miscommunication is not really my jam. And the three main characters in this novel were so different that they were naturally bound to misjudge, misread, make assumptions, keep secrets, and so forth. But it was surprisingly low angst and low stakes miscommunication. Unfortunately, that miscommunication was the only source of conflict in the novel.
Of course, this poly romance was definitely out of the ordinary. There was asexual representation, bisexual representation, and heterosexual representation. So this novel won’t be for every reader because the sexual experience is viewed through each of those perspectives. Therefore, there is (lots of) sex on the page.
Yup. It put me into the bad decisions book club … for two nights in a row! There was just something about it that kept me reading. Even though, per the rules of the romance genre, the novel was guaranteed to end happily, there were times when it seemed improbable. I mean, the book was about three different people trying to figure out how to make one relationship work. And people are messy and complex.
Conflict that arises solely from miscommunication is not really my jam. And the three main characters in this novel were so different that they were naturally bound to misjudge, misread, make assumptions, keep secrets, and so forth. But it was surprisingly low angst and low stakes miscommunication. Unfortunately, that miscommunication was the only source of conflict in the novel.
Of course, this poly romance was definitely out of the ordinary. There was asexual representation, bisexual representation, and heterosexual representation. So this novel won’t be for every reader because the sexual experience is viewed through each of those perspectives. Therefore, there is (lots of) sex on the page.
March 27, 2019
The premise of this story was super interesting but in places it fell flat for me between the three of them. The wife isn't interested in sex ( we never do get concrete confirmation if she's bi-lesbian or demi-sexual and for this kind of story I really needed to know ) so she gives permission to the hubby to sleep with someone. That part goes fine. But then the wife sleeps with the same woman and doesn't tell hubby for the longest time. And for a pair who are SO open and loving with each other that part kept niggling me, especially when hubby barely reacted when he found out.
I liked it, but didn't love as much as I wanted to. And I'd read something else by this author.
I liked it, but didn't love as much as I wanted to. And I'd read something else by this author.
April 15, 2022
There's something very charming about this little poly romance! The relationships between all three protags are really sweet, and the bi, lesbian, and ace/demi rep is great. They felt like real people, with their own weird hangups and weird real lives, and that carried me through the story despite some issues.
Unfortunately, the book is riddled with minor errors and phrasing awkwardness that should've been caught by an editor. Typos and missing words abound, and the sex scenes are sort of painfully clunky----so while I wish I could have unequivocally loved this book... it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
Unfortunately, the book is riddled with minor errors and phrasing awkwardness that should've been caught by an editor. Typos and missing words abound, and the sex scenes are sort of painfully clunky----so while I wish I could have unequivocally loved this book... it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
June 16, 2019
It's an erotic novel but...not but...this is a by-three relationship with interesting and smart characters. Its brevity leaves me wanting more interesting things to happen between these 3, but maybe I'm missing the point but maybe not. Trent's writing is witty and self-aware, in a great way. I can't wait to read anything by her next.
May 6, 2024
I am utterly fascinated by this book. It's messy. It's queer in a way you don't really see often. It's surprisingly light on romance? More on that later.
Most of this will be spoilery but let's see what I can talk about that's not.
First up, I really think the ebook should have been formatted better for the text messages. There is no indicator at all when they are sending texts versus thinking thoughts and it's very annoying. Honestly, I am surprised for such an old book that it still hasn't been updated for the two spelling mistakes I found either.
Now, onto the story. It's a unique setup and does an excellent job at showing a married couple that does communicate great in a lot of ways yet still also makes mistakes. I particularly enjoyed how we are also included in the apology scenes. While I do think Trent tries to hide how, um, unlikely it is for Dara and Adrien to start with Stacia in their non-monogamy journey, I liked the attraction and general vibe we got.
For a 272-page long book though, we get very little on the romantic side of it all. There is definite sexual attraction, they clearly all like each other and it's going in that direction - but there is little focus on them building any romantic attachment, in fact, the book spares little detail on them talking at all. I found it frustrating how the characters kept saying "we need to talk about x" and then avoided it at all cost (not that it isn't realistic, but we can't even get a single full conversation?) or how massive of a life-change a romantic involvement would be. It doesn't help that Stacia's role (as the single, bisexual woman who gets involved with a married m/f couple) is a common trap in polyamory that people fall into in hopes of fixing or spicing up their relationship (unicorn hunting) and while this book sidesteps some of those issues, no other concerns are brought up either? We see Stacia be hesitant towards the end but the (very open-ended) finale does not truly address anything I was interested in seeing brought up.
(I also feel like this is a recurring theme with me and Trent that I am terrible at picking up her racial cues - I think Stacia is supposed to Black/biracial but I am not completely sure and it has no bearing on their dynamic which feels... odd at best.)
Now onto the details.
Most of this will be spoilery but let's see what I can talk about that's not.
First up, I really think the ebook should have been formatted better for the text messages. There is no indicator at all when they are sending texts versus thinking thoughts and it's very annoying. Honestly, I am surprised for such an old book that it still hasn't been updated for the two spelling mistakes I found either.
Now, onto the story. It's a unique setup and does an excellent job at showing a married couple that does communicate great in a lot of ways yet still also makes mistakes. I particularly enjoyed how we are also included in the apology scenes. While I do think Trent tries to hide how, um, unlikely it is for Dara and Adrien to start with Stacia in their non-monogamy journey, I liked the attraction and general vibe we got.
For a 272-page long book though, we get very little on the romantic side of it all. There is definite sexual attraction, they clearly all like each other and it's going in that direction - but there is little focus on them building any romantic attachment, in fact, the book spares little detail on them talking at all. I found it frustrating how the characters kept saying "we need to talk about x" and then avoided it at all cost (not that it isn't realistic, but we can't even get a single full conversation?) or how massive of a life-change a romantic involvement would be. It doesn't help that Stacia's role (as the single, bisexual woman who gets involved with a married m/f couple) is a common trap in polyamory that people fall into in hopes of fixing or spicing up their relationship (unicorn hunting) and while this book sidesteps some of those issues, no other concerns are brought up either? We see Stacia be hesitant towards the end but the (very open-ended) finale does not truly address anything I was interested in seeing brought up.
(I also feel like this is a recurring theme with me and Trent that I am terrible at picking up her racial cues - I think Stacia is supposed to Black/biracial but I am not completely sure and it has no bearing on their dynamic which feels... odd at best.)
Now onto the details.
August 9, 2019
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
I read Holley Trent's new book in this series - Three Part Harmony" yesterday and had to immediately get hold of this book. I loved it just as much - and I have to say it was not a problem reading them back to front!
This is a really lovely read - it is sexy, moving and full of unexpected love. Stacia is an author who has had such a run of poor dates that she has decided she is better off alone. However when Adrien, the very good looking model from her book covers invites her for a drink, a whole new situation develops. It is done with class, and love and lots of sweet sexiness.
Dara, Adrien's wife, discovers why her life has been lacking in lust when she and Stacia connect the morning after her time with Adrien. I thought that the revelation, the fact that Dara had such a sheltered upbringing, and her programming not to lead in any situation, was written so sensitively, and Stacia had a lovely way of allowing and encouraging without being in any way forceful or judgemental. The fact that it changed Dara's whole view of herself was absolutely clear. I found it slightly odd that she didn't share that fact with Adrien, as they clearly loved each other and trusted each other. I have spent quite a lot of time trying to work out why she didn't.
In many trio situations there is a question of there being a third, who is off to the side somehow ... and it is not difficult to imagine that Stacia would feel this way given the other two are married, yet the way that each has a different need for the others it rounds the circle in a very satisfying way (for them and us!)
I really would recommend this book (and the next one) to almost anyone who likes a story to have interesting characters, plenty of love as well as sex, and a very hopeful ending.
I read Holley Trent's new book in this series - Three Part Harmony" yesterday and had to immediately get hold of this book. I loved it just as much - and I have to say it was not a problem reading them back to front!
This is a really lovely read - it is sexy, moving and full of unexpected love. Stacia is an author who has had such a run of poor dates that she has decided she is better off alone. However when Adrien, the very good looking model from her book covers invites her for a drink, a whole new situation develops. It is done with class, and love and lots of sweet sexiness.
Dara, Adrien's wife, discovers why her life has been lacking in lust when she and Stacia connect the morning after her time with Adrien. I thought that the revelation, the fact that Dara had such a sheltered upbringing, and her programming not to lead in any situation, was written so sensitively, and Stacia had a lovely way of allowing and encouraging without being in any way forceful or judgemental. The fact that it changed Dara's whole view of herself was absolutely clear. I found it slightly odd that she didn't share that fact with Adrien, as they clearly loved each other and trusted each other. I have spent quite a lot of time trying to work out why she didn't.
In many trio situations there is a question of there being a third, who is off to the side somehow ... and it is not difficult to imagine that Stacia would feel this way given the other two are married, yet the way that each has a different need for the others it rounds the circle in a very satisfying way (for them and us!)
I really would recommend this book (and the next one) to almost anyone who likes a story to have interesting characters, plenty of love as well as sex, and a very hopeful ending.
March 11, 2019
Emotional Menage Story
I was reading a paranormal series written by this author a while ago, and in the back of the book was a preview of this book. I decided I had to pre-order it and completely forgot about it until it arrived in my library this morning. It was such a wonderful treat, I’m glad I forgot about it.
This is a contemporary romance written about the very successful mystery writer Stacia. She is in LA meeting about releasing her series as a tv series when she receives a message from her cover model, Adrien. They haven’t had much to do with each other but do stalk each other on social media. He wants to meet her and she agrees.
This meeting is not only the first time Stacia and Adrien meet, but also the first time for Stacia to meet Adrien’s wife, Dara. Dara is asexual and has been unable to provide the sexual part of her marriage, almost for it’s entirety. She adores her husband and wants him to have what he needs so she tells him to reach for what he wants so long as they can stay together. Stacia is the only one he has really wanted since their conversation three years ago and Dara wants him to have her. Dara is also a fan of Stacia’s work and is intrigued to meet her.
This initial meeting goes much easier than any of them expected and it starts a strange and wonderful journey as they all reach for what they want and hope that they can get it. They all think they can find what they need for total happiness, in the other two.
It’s a beautifully written book, with real and believable emotions experienced by all three characters. The reasons behind their actions are to not only reach for their own happiness but to also help the other two achieve theirs. It’s a wonderful romance.
I was reading a paranormal series written by this author a while ago, and in the back of the book was a preview of this book. I decided I had to pre-order it and completely forgot about it until it arrived in my library this morning. It was such a wonderful treat, I’m glad I forgot about it.
This is a contemporary romance written about the very successful mystery writer Stacia. She is in LA meeting about releasing her series as a tv series when she receives a message from her cover model, Adrien. They haven’t had much to do with each other but do stalk each other on social media. He wants to meet her and she agrees.
This meeting is not only the first time Stacia and Adrien meet, but also the first time for Stacia to meet Adrien’s wife, Dara. Dara is asexual and has been unable to provide the sexual part of her marriage, almost for it’s entirety. She adores her husband and wants him to have what he needs so she tells him to reach for what he wants so long as they can stay together. Stacia is the only one he has really wanted since their conversation three years ago and Dara wants him to have her. Dara is also a fan of Stacia’s work and is intrigued to meet her.
This initial meeting goes much easier than any of them expected and it starts a strange and wonderful journey as they all reach for what they want and hope that they can get it. They all think they can find what they need for total happiness, in the other two.
It’s a beautifully written book, with real and believable emotions experienced by all three characters. The reasons behind their actions are to not only reach for their own happiness but to also help the other two achieve theirs. It’s a wonderful romance.
February 10, 2020
Okay, so.
Love how it ended.
Love how things went once they finally started, you know, talking.
Hated everything before that having to do with feelings because no one talked to anyone. In fact, there was active secret-keeping and sure, part was an earlier agreement. But things changed. That means you talk. So this couple together a decade sucked at communication when it really counted, which means their relationship wasn't what it was claimed to have been, and that threw my trust in any of it out the window.
The first rule of relationship club is, you always talk about things, or something is amiss.
The other thing that I didn't buy is Dara being in the world a decade, exposed to women, but not understanding her own needs. Before I had sex, I knew boys did it for me even though the ones available weren't who I wanted. Are we saying she's Stacia-specific? Ehhh...
And I really didn't like what both women did to Adrien for awhile there. Particularly Dara. Again, you talk to your love, if your relationship's built on love/respect. It felt very much like disrespect all over the place.
So.
I liked where it ended. But I can't recommend this one, it's a poor example of ANY relationship, but particularly polyamory/ethical non-monogamy.
Love how it ended.
Love how things went once they finally started, you know, talking.
Hated everything before that having to do with feelings because no one talked to anyone. In fact, there was active secret-keeping and sure, part was an earlier agreement. But things changed. That means you talk. So this couple together a decade sucked at communication when it really counted, which means their relationship wasn't what it was claimed to have been, and that threw my trust in any of it out the window.
The first rule of relationship club is, you always talk about things, or something is amiss.
The other thing that I didn't buy is Dara being in the world a decade, exposed to women, but not understanding her own needs. Before I had sex, I knew boys did it for me even though the ones available weren't who I wanted. Are we saying she's Stacia-specific? Ehhh...
And I really didn't like what both women did to Adrien for awhile there. Particularly Dara. Again, you talk to your love, if your relationship's built on love/respect. It felt very much like disrespect all over the place.
So.
I liked where it ended. But I can't recommend this one, it's a poor example of ANY relationship, but particularly polyamory/ethical non-monogamy.
April 2, 2019
This is a great series opener and one of my favorite books from this author. The characters are very likable, they are at their core caring and thoughtful, which is what leads to their dilemma. Adrien Vallieres is the cover model for author Stacia Leonard's hit book series. His wife, Dara, is a reclusive portraitist. They have been together since high school and moved to California from Arizona to pursue his acting career. And though they love each other deeply and wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt each other, something is missing from their relationship, a big something. They come to an agreement about a solution and when Stacia comes to town for a book signing, they approach her with a proposition.
Stacia has grown cynical and guarded because of people close to her trying to change her and ultimately rejecting her. She sees Adrien as a beautiful person who is out of reach, even if he was single. But she quickly realizes Dara is on board with the plan, and even initiated the idea of a tryst. And there's no way she can say no, to either of them. I received a copy of this book with no expectation of a review. The opinions expressed here are voluntary and my own thoughts.
Stacia has grown cynical and guarded because of people close to her trying to change her and ultimately rejecting her. She sees Adrien as a beautiful person who is out of reach, even if he was single. But she quickly realizes Dara is on board with the plan, and even initiated the idea of a tryst. And there's no way she can say no, to either of them. I received a copy of this book with no expectation of a review. The opinions expressed here are voluntary and my own thoughts.
not-for-me
August 31, 2019DNFed at 9%. The single f heroine is very petite, doesn’t appear to realize that she’s incredibly beautiful, and at 28 is already mega-bestselling author with personal assistant and a publisher’s rep handholding her book tour. None of this appeals to me for various reasons including improbability and overtly gendered physicality.
The married m/f couple who she’s never met and only has a thread of an Internet acquaintanceship with are also physically beautiful. They push to meet her for the explicit purpose of the husband hooking up with her, but she doesn’t know it. I find this unpleasantly presumptuous.
Then we have extended reassurances and reminders that the husband really wants to be faithful to his wife, but she is pushing him to polyamory because she doesn’t like sex. I don’t like the way ‘faithfulness’ and monogamy are heavily implied to be better and used to signal he’s a ‘good’ man.
They all also feel young for their ages and are sooo sincere.
This was not for me.
The married m/f couple who she’s never met and only has a thread of an Internet acquaintanceship with are also physically beautiful. They push to meet her for the explicit purpose of the husband hooking up with her, but she doesn’t know it. I find this unpleasantly presumptuous.
Then we have extended reassurances and reminders that the husband really wants to be faithful to his wife, but she is pushing him to polyamory because she doesn’t like sex. I don’t like the way ‘faithfulness’ and monogamy are heavily implied to be better and used to signal he’s a ‘good’ man.
They all also feel young for their ages and are sooo sincere.
This was not for me.
February 23, 2020
2.5 stars. I just couldn't get past the weird communication issues and the fact that we were constantly being told what great relationship communicators A&D are but then not seeing them *actually* talk to each other about important things. Still shocked that Dara didn't SAY anything to Adrien for, like, weeks! Wtf?!?
Also... it's hard to imagine that A has nothing but positive feelings about D having a great sexual relationship with this new person so quickly.
And then I can't get over the fact that I REALLY don't think it's ok to show up on her doorstep like that without permission or a real conversation. I get the sense that all three of them could have a solid and loving relationship if they had a lot of dedicated therapy? But right now they are not getting there on their own.
Also... it's hard to imagine that A has nothing but positive feelings about D having a great sexual relationship with this new person so quickly.
And then I can't get over the fact that I REALLY don't think it's ok to show up on her doorstep like that without permission or a real conversation. I get the sense that all three of them could have a solid and loving relationship if they had a lot of dedicated therapy? But right now they are not getting there on their own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2020
The relationship in this one isn't one that I've seen repped before, and is super close to my heart. I need more stories like this! And I liked the overall set up and plot. Buuuuut, the characters were extremely thin and one dimensional, the sex was mediocre, and there was some extremely offensive "othering" going on.
January 23, 2024
I feel like I should have enjoyed it more, but it just felt… light. 2021 is the wrong year for me to read straight (ha!) contemporaries?
Updated from 3 to 5 stars in 2024 after 2nd read: Loved it! So sweet, so deep, so emotionally satisfying. So delightful—competent non-asshole adults in relationships, what's not to love? *happy sigh*
Updated from 3 to 5 stars in 2024 after 2nd read: Loved it! So sweet, so deep, so emotionally satisfying. So delightful—competent non-asshole adults in relationships, what's not to love? *happy sigh*
June 30, 2019
Great story with a unique premise.
I loved the dialogue in this story. I also enjoyed the unique premise of a couple who loved each other undyingly, despite their lack of physical connection, and the woman with whom they both deeply connected.
I loved the dialogue in this story. I also enjoyed the unique premise of a couple who loved each other undyingly, despite their lack of physical connection, and the woman with whom they both deeply connected.
August 21, 2019
I genuinely don't know how to rate this book. Wildly entertaining, utterly ridiculous. So I won't rate it.
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