Saffron A. Kent

I liked the other stories in this anthology, but these were my favorite.

Sidelined by Ki Stephens

I loved this story of best friends to lovers. After having recently binge watched One Day on Netflix, I was still feeling this vibe. Lila and Callum were giving me Emma and Dexter vibes. Lila fell first but Callum fell harder.

The flash backs to the leading up to the present were great. They really got me into the moments between these two. "You're already everything I've ever wanted and more."

In the Company of Darkness by Jay McLean

This story of Harlow and Jace got me excited to want to read more books from this author. It had fake dating and next door neighbor vibes. Jace and Harlow had some angsty vibes as well.

The build up was really good. I could not wait for these two to kiss. This line sums it up between these two..."I'll protect you, the way you have with me."

Call Me Teach by SJ Sylvis
This story is a quick and spicy one. Nolan and Hannah shared witty banter. This banter is what really made this story entertaining for me. It was like foreplay between these two.

When Nolan and Hannah were in the dark room together and she was explaining where her hands were! Yes, that was hot. I could have read a full length book about these two.… (mais)

I would've given this amazing book 5 stars if the heroine wasn't such a bitch at the end.

I can't accept any form of assault towards one of the main characters (from the other). And I hate so many books have normalised FMCs hitting the MMCs. Simon did not deserve to be scratched, slapped, and violated because she couldn't take his words. Unfortunately, this entire scene cost one of the stars in the book.

Everything else was lovely. The sex scenes were fire, the story was interesting and diverse. And the MMC was hot as hell.

Simon made me want to kneel in front of him and please him. And his character really proved my theory that all people with issues become psychologists.

I won't comment on Willow.

The end was satisfactory But I think Willow had to apologize for physically assaulting Simon, before their story progressed.… (mais)

I was wary going into this one, knowing it was going to take a lot for me to be okay with the power dynamics and the handling of such a sensitive subject. But Saffron Kent is a master at creating complex characters whose romances are so satisfying and full, and she I trust her ability implicitly. Willow and Simon are so flawed, but they strengthen themselves and each other throughout the book. I can count on one hand the amount of times I've related so much to a main character, and I read this one through some of my own dark days. It helped. A lot. And now it's 4:52am and I'm not asleep yet because I could not put it down. All the stars for Saffron Kent.… (mais)

Saffron A. Kent writing a steamy age-gap romance? I couldn't one-click this fast enough, because oh my goodness, this is ALL my jam.

This book started out pretty slow for me, and if I didn't have such trust in the author's skill I probably wouldn't have kept going. The characters' motivations didn't make sense, and there were so many details that just didn't ring true at all. (Like what high schooler doesn't actually know their school mascot? I don't buy the obliviousness Violet shows in the prologue at all.)

It wasn't until Part 2 that I really started to get into it. There's a lot that made me raise my eyebrows in skepticism, but there's a whole lot more that eventually won me over. Kent's descriptions of Violet's anxiety and panic disorder are spot-on. As always, she handles mental health issues so deftly and delicately, and there is so much care and empathy given to her characters' struggles. It's rare to see such complexity of character, especially in the romance genre.

If you're looking for blush-inducing steamy scenes, this is definitely a winner. I had to open the windows, turn on the fan, and walk away from the book several times to cool down. Yes, there are some awkward/unfortunate phrasings, but even I could overlook those and get lost in the chemistry. I don't think there's been a Saffron A. Kent book I've read yet that I haven't bookmarked a particular scene for easy future access...

Despite its flaws and super slow start, I fell for these characters and their love story. Seeing them grow together into more complete versions of themselves as individuals and as a couple was so rewarding.… (mais)