Reclusive Heroes
We love a lurker
They’re scarred, they’re scared, they’re holed up at home… reclusive heroes are an introvert’s dream, and are a top tier archetype! Honestly there’s not much to say here, these dudes don’t like to be seen or leave the house, so their heroines have to bring the light to them. This is a roundup for the girls who wanted The Beast to stay in beast form but with slightly better table manners at the end of every bookworm’s favorite Disney movie.
Sweet Agony by Charlotte Stein. Truly I don’t think I can do justice to this book in a summary, because it’s one of the funniest books I’ve ever read that is also one of the darker and weirder ones. I’ll do my best, if only so you go pick up a copy!
So we have Molly, who needs a job to escape her problematic family. She ends up as the new… housekeeper? Maid? Personal servant?… of rich, mysterious weirdo called Cyrian Harcroft who doesn’t really want to be seen ever, definitely doesn’t want to be touched, and yet despite being a huge weirdo he falls into a correspondence of notes and little back and forths with his new employee. They’re both weird, they’re both wounded, and clearly they both needed someone patient and a little bit silly to finally bring them out of their respective shells. There’s also Secrets ™ and lots of EXTREMELY sexy set ups. This is a short, not sweet but also kind of sweet erotic romance that scratches a particular contemporary gothic itch I sometimes get.
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Happily Ever... Maybe? by Hailey Shore. This straight up Beauty and the Beast adaptation finds Jolie at the mercy of a new billionaire resident of their small Maine town, Malcolm Bettencourt, aka The Beast of Calico Cove. He bought the old lighthouse/ nearby mansion and basically hasn’t been seen by anyone (because of the scary scar on his face and his Tragic Backstory), and after Jolie’s father can’t pay back a loan to him, he demands repayment, which comes in the form of Jolie (many years his junior but don’t ask me how many I can’t remember, probably like 12-15) moving in with him to cook and clean for a year. Oh, and of course she’s a virgin who needs that shit taken care of ASAP. Relevant to my interests….
Malcolm’s got PTSD and a lot of baggage besides which leads him to some very bad behavior, but Jolie won’t be cowed. There’s a great runner of her lightly tormenting him because he’s being such a jerk, which includes cooking him barely edible meals despite the fact that she’s a chef who’s always dreamed of culinary school and opening her own restaurant. I am also a big fan of books where the ending requires a level of separation to grow alone before returning to one another (if you love something, let it go, and if it’s meant to be… etc etc), so this one just really ticked a lot of boxes for me.
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare. One of my earliest reads, and I BELIEVE my first Tessa Dare, which I think you’ll agree is a real banger to begin my TD journey with. This is one of my all time favorite first chapters, which finds frustrated dressmaker Emma Gladstone wearing a ridiculously elaborate wedding dress to confront the reclusive (eyyy) scarred (EYYYY) Duke of Ashbury. He was supposed to get married, his bride had already commissioned the dress, but when the wedding was called off the dress wasn’t paid for. So Emma’s come calling to make a point, which I LOVE, and the duke’s like… well I need a wife and heir and you need someone to pay for this dress so what if we got married, like, right now.
They end up hashing out a deal, which on his side has a lot of Troubled Man stipulations (no kissing! no asking about my scars! once you’re pregnant, GTFO!) and on her side includes determined I Can Fix Him stipulations (we have to eat dinner together! and you have to talk to me!), and boom, marriage! How convenient! (also, a marriage of convenience with a contract negotiation? EXTREMELY relevant to my interests……..)
The duke is also Batman, if what I’ve already written isn’t enough for you. Which it should be. This book is GREAT!
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
Next week, I’ll be recommending books about murder in contemporary settings! You’ll see 😈
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!
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