Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
So this book was already on my radar from the catchy title but as you may know, I've been struggling with reading lately. Fortunately, I saw the audiobook on request and thought this might be the right time!
Synopsis according to GJ: Henry Mortimer hasn't had the easiest life. The son of a pipe fitter, he has gone to college and become the solicitor to the esteemed Spencer Halifax. He's also been in love with Margo Halifax (Spencer's sister) since he saw her tie a cherry stem with her tongue. Knowing their different social standings, Henry has accepted loving Margo from a distance for the past 7 years.
Margo, on the other hand, has spent those same 7 years scandalizing the ton with her twin sister, Matilda. As half of the Halifax Hellions, her antics range from drinking whiskey from hidden flasks at the opera to dressing up as Lady Godiva at a costume party and those are just her widely known adventures.
Margo shows up at Henry's home because Matilda has run off to Gretna Green, Scotland to elope with her lover, the possibly dangerous Lord Ashford. The two take off to Scotland in the hopes of stopping Matilda from making this grave mistake. Hopefully, they can stay focused on their mission and not fixate on Henry's surprisingly firm chest and thighs or Margo's freckles and her bosom!
Review: Okay, this might sound a bit mean but I swear, I mean it as a compliment: If I had to compare this book to a dessert, I'd pick a honey bun. Not a homemade one but one of those honey buns you see at the grocery store. The ones you see at the checkout and grab 3 because you know you're going to inhale the first one without realizing it.
And don't get me wrong, I love homemade food straight from the oven but there are just some days where you need that bite-sized, a little overly sweet treat because nothing else is gonna satisfy that craving. That's this book. At 3 and a half hours, this novella is a fun bite-sized book to get you over your book slump and a fun way to spend an afternoon.
This is probably the first romance novella I've read where it's also the first time I've met the characters. The novellas I've read are usually a few books into a series and I've already had hints of the blossoming romance between our leads. This time, nope! "Hi, these are our leads and you have 3 hours to believe this romance. Have fun!" (Note: I am by no means a romance expert so this is more telling of my own experience than the writer or the genre.)
Still, the book doesn't feel like Insta-love. You can feel their connection through their conversations and how openly Margo shares her secrets with him. Society sees the Halifax twins as glib, hotheaded airheads and the book takes its time to show just how deeply Margo feels and worries. Henry similarly has his moments to shine. Often seen as stoic and long-suffering, we quickly see just how much he's been struggling with his insecurity and love.
I also appreciate how Vashti balances the sense of urgency to find Matilda and our MCs' lusty exploits. There's nothing quite like reading our OTP feel in love while thinking "This is amazing but we have a deadline to get back to". It's very distracting, lol.
As for the narrator, Mharie Morrison did a phenomenal job. The story has two POVs and her voice for Henry was masculine enough that it didn't feel cartoonish. Paired with the light, airy voice Morrison uses for Margo, I enjoyed the performance. I also liked that she gave Matilda her own voice (SYMBOLISM!) and she sounded more forceful than her twin. That said, there were a few times when Morrison's accent went a bit wonky. Sometimes I think her accent went more Scots for a few minutes but it got back on track.
The novella did falter for me during the last 10%. I felt like things got a little jumbled in the rush to tie up the loose threads while being true to the characters. There are also a few scenes that felt a little too rushed and dramatic for my taste. That said, I don't think I would want the book to be much longer. Going back to my comparison, it's a powerful hit of all of the things you want from this genre: Good romance, good characters, and steamy spice. I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series. I can easily see adding Alexander Vashti to my "Need to get out of this book slump" rosters.
I give this audiobook 4 stars.
TW: Sexual content, carriage crash (Don't worry, the horses were fine),
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