#Alexandra Vasti

[triviareads]

What is your favourite "oops, I banged my brothers best friend and caught feelings" book?

I am looking for a fun read.

Here are my favorites and they're all fun :D

Historical:

Bed Me, Earl by Felicity Niven: Phineas is Caroline's brother's Edmund best friend (Edmund is a future hero with a worryingly large dick apparently); Caro shows up in Phin's bedroom in the middle of the night and wordlessly conveys that she'd like to have sex with him (and by wordlessly i mean she lets him grope a tit), and the way Phineas is so down and ready..... he's one of the true rake heroes I've recently read. ALSO the funny thing is he doesn't recognize her??? She's a recluse and she just lets him believe she's a maid or something when he deflowers her lolol.

Sold to the Duke by Joanna Shupe: Actually so underrated because how many historicals do you know begin with VIRGINITY AUCTIONS? Eliza has always had a crush on her dead brother's friend Lucien and he ends up "buying" her but refuses to sleep with her and obviously the logical thing for Eliza to do is to reject his charity and be very pissy about him not banging her until he agrees.

When The Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd: In which former slutty hero's best friend is *horrified* that his friend's sister has apparently lost her v-card and is all "HOW COULD YOU" but then when Henrietta asks Trem to sleep with her he hesitates for another half-second before agreeing. Guiltily.

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh: Biiiiig huuuuge enormous Dom Kilburn's sister Celeste agrees to help Dom's friend Kieran find a wife in exchange for him showing her the *scandalous* side of London and obviously witnessing borderline sex parties leads to fucking around, which leads to Feelings.

A Rogue's Rules for Seduction by Eva Leigh: Dom may be Willa's brothers' best friend but the dumbass brothers in question helped Dom jilt Willa on their wedding day for Reasons and now Dom's sooooo cut up about it and finds himself accidentally stranded on an island with Willa...... whatever will they do.......... So I guess the banging comes after feeling here but it's too good to not include.

In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti: Henry is a starchy lawyer who's always been in love with Margo, his friend's sister, and they're stuck on a road trip together to "rescue" Margo's fellow disaster twin Matilda. There's some erotic cherry stem knotting with one's tongue in this.

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan: Aurelia was actually friendly with her older broher's friend Max until she sees him with another girl at a party and now she's upset and draws a revenge cartoon that insinuates he has a small dick, making Max, uh, kind of unpopular for a minute. It's a light, zany enemies-to-lovers situation.

Sidenote I met Sophie Jordan the other week!?!?!? I was not expecting to but she was sitting like 2 rows behind me at a book event.

Contemporary:

Sinner by Sierra Simone: Sean is Zenny's MUCH OLDER brother's BFF :D; she's training to be a nun and asks him for sex lessons before she fully becomes a bride of Christ. So many "teach me daddy" moments it's so great.

Saint by Sierra Simone: And in an ironic twist of fate, Sean's brother Aiden dates, then breaks up with Sean's friend Elijah... who is also Zenny's brother. Now it's 5 years later, Aiden is a MONK and Elijah shows up engaged to a other man, ostensibly to write about trappist beer and they go on a European beer tour, together. Spoiler, cock cages and chastity are involved.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey: Georgie has always been in love with her older brother's friend Travis but he always saw her as an annoying little sister type. Now he's a washed up baseball player trying to get a commentating job that involves them fake dating to make him look "respectable" and to signal to the world Georgie is a big girl now lol.

The good thing about these books is that none of them do that obnoxious thing where they're all "your brother's gonna kill me" very much, but the age-gap ones lean into the taboo-ness more or less which is appreciated.

[monomatica]

Type Map for Ne’er Duke Well by Alexandra Vasti 💚🩵

A portrait of Lady Selina Ravencroft, one of my favorite clever and savvy Regency heroines. The Duke of Stanhope never had a chance.

Follow my Insta »

[hardcovernights]

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint

Alexandra Vasti

[readtilyoudie]

Working was out of the question. He had retrieved his spectacles and put them on to read through some reports from his estate managers -- and then he had caught a glimpse of Matilda's face.

Her mouth had fallen open. "You... wear spectacles?" she said faintly.

He glared at her through them. "Yes. To read. Because I am old."

He had, in fact, worn spectacles to read since he had first learned to read, but he did not tell her that.

She had nodded, her lips still parted, the daft woman. And then he'd felt the heat of her fixed stare as he'd tried to work. It was impossible not to feel it. He rubbed the back of his neck, stared blindly at the reports, and then yanked off his spectacles and shoved them brutally into his jacket pocket.

Matilda had let out the tiniest, breathiest sigh.

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint by Alexandra Vasti

[bettslovesromance]

I love when authors give us awesome stories in in shorter books and I bet it's not easy. Besides, novellas always save me from slumps or when I can't concentrate.

Here's a list of quick reads that I've loved and it's a mix of old and new favorites.

[jolieeason]

August 2024 Wrap-Up

Here is what I read, posted, won, received, and bought in August. Let me know if you have read any of these books and what you thought of them. Books I Read: Did Not Finish Books Reviewed: Ami (Guardians of the Dawn: Book 2) by S. Jae Jones—review here Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor—review here Shock and Paw by Cate Conte—review here The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki—review…

[overflowingshelf]

July 2024 Reading Recap

Well, August didn’t start off how I expected, which is why I’m a bit delayed in getting my recap up for July. Unfortunately, my cat Fox was unexpectedly hospitalized again last weekend with congestive heart failure, but she’s back home now with a new dose of meds to help keep that in check. But that’s putting her kidneys at higher risk as she also has kidney disease, so it’s a delicate balance. I…

[somewherelostinbooks]

Ne'er Duke Well- Review

Ne’er Duke Well By Alexandra Vasti Genre: Historical Romance Series: Belvoir’s Library Trilogy #1 Publisher: Corvus Publication Date: July 23,2024 Source: Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review Rating: 4.5 Stars Description: Step 1: Find perfect wifeStep 2: Save reputation from ruinStep 3: Do not, at any cost, fall in love with Selina RavenscroftPeter Kent, newly inherited Duke…

[blueysbookshelf]

2024: Book 29 - The Chemistry of Familiar Objects

The Chemistry of Familiar Objects by Alexandra Vasti My rating: 5 of 5 stars A virginal childrens book author and a chemist with a sharp tongue butt heads over and over and over, until the chemists laboratory is broken into and a dangerous item is stolen. This novella contained way more than I could have dreamed for the few pages it ran and I am not mad at it. The role reversals of the heroine being experienced and scientific and the hero being a sexually inexperienced creative was delightful. Sprinkle in some forced proximity due to dangerous circumstances, her eccentric family, some spicy spicy moments in a shed and you've got everything you need for a sweet and delightful romp. I use the CAWPILE Review method for my reviews (see explanation here), just to keep me honest and help me understand what exactly I liked/didn't like. My ratings are below. Characters: 9/10 Atmosphere/Setting: 9/10 Writing: 10/10 Plot: 10/10 Intrigue: 10/10 Logic/Relationships: 10/10 Enjoyment: 10/10 Total rating 68/70 divided by 7 = 9.7 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 🌶️ 🌶️ View all my reviews

[thebooklovebot]

Cover Reveal for Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti & Get a Sneak Peek

Cover artist: Petra Braun PUBLICATION DATE: January 21, 2025. GENRE: Historical Romance / Romance / Fiction Within the last year Alexandra Vasti has proven what a strong new voice in romance she is with her novellas following the Halifax Sisters and again with her debut–Ne’er Duke Well. I fell in love with her writing and the delicious tension and chemistry she builds between her main…

[mermaidsirennikita]

I've gotta say, as bleak as the convos surrounding the status of historical romance in traditional publishing have been lately, I've been so pleased by some of the recent books out and the books coming out

—The Beast Takes a Bride by Julie Anne Long is one of the best books I've read by her (and I've read... hmm... over 12, I think) and such a fabulous example of how to do something light without making it stakes-less

—Elizabeth Hoyt is back and absolutely up to her usual (high) standards with No Ordinary Duchess in December, with a really sensitive exploration of kink (and it's not heavy, which I personally think is something certain readers who've become used to a really casual usage of kink that honestly just exists there to titillate will ding her for, and it bugs me because "more kink on the page" is not inherently "good kink on the page" BUT WHATEVER) that's especially interesting when you compare it to Wicked Temptations, which by no means did it BADLY but did it in a more basic manner...

Just all around, a very sexy, character-based Hoyt, and I just want her to stick around and write for as long as she wants to.

—Lorraine Heath returning to her Scoundrels of St. James generational saga with A Tempest of Desire, which is another character-heavy angstfest (and I'm seeing a theme with all three of these authors being a bit less plotty than some of their novels have been, but avoiding the pitfall of "ain't shit happening") with a classic Heathian moment that made me go "NOOOOOOOOOO" out loud in the most forlorn way lol

—A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera, which I'm currently reading, being an easy knockout if she keeps this up (which I'm pretty damn sure she will) and combining social commentary with swoony romance in a way few authors can top

—TJ Alexander giving us a trans m/m historical romance with A Gentleman's Gentleman next year; haven't read, but I fully trust TJ and am so excited to see their work in the historical realm

—Alexandra Vasti continuing to make headway in her tradpub career with Earl Crush (on my list to read soon!), while she seems to be plotting a f/f historical next...?

—Vivienne Lorret finishing out her latest series with This Much is True, keeping that Tessa Dare-style romcom flag flying

—Enemy of My Dreams by Jenny Williamson taking us somewhere new (or, new for the first time in a while) with an Ancient Roman historical romance

—And honestly? The amount of influence and combination of historical romance with fantasy/paranormal I'm seeing. I've just started Kerri Maniscalco's Throne of Secrets, which is set, literally, in Hell... And we have ballrooms, we have lords and ladies, we have "I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW" Pride and Prejudice overtones. The Legend of Meneka taking us centuries back in a fantastical parallel world to India. When the Tides Held the Moon giving us gay mermaid action in 1910s New York. Hungerstone sending up Carmilla in a rapidly industrializing England.

There IS great stuff coming out, and it's interesting to see the continuing evolution of the subgenre.

[triviareads]

Hello, sorry to bother, can you recommend historicals where the hero or heroine play an instrument? Or even don't play but like music

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard: Montcroix a cellist and there's an EXCELLENT scene where he's hard after watching Nève dance and he's trying to play his cello to exercise his frustrations but then she shows up and he proceeds to play her like a cello, vibrato and all.

Theory of Earls by Kathleen Ayers: Maggie plays the piano so stirringly that apparently it borders on wanton for her Victorian audience. The hero Tony is also a gifted pianist and this book features piano fingering, piano oral, and a ruination... on a piano.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing A Rake by Sarah MacLean: Ralston is secretly a great pianist and he's playing very angstily when Callie sneaks into his house to request that he give her her first kiss.

Patience by Lisa Valdez: Both Matthew and Patience are cellists, I think they duet at some point, and there's a this super hot scene where she's in his lap with her legs spread and they're both playing his cello which leads to more.

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas: Helen is an accomplished pianist and plays for Rhys in the prior book while he's recovering from his injuries and he's *entranced*. In Marrying Winterborne, Rhys also tries to bribe her into sleeping with him by offering to buy her a new piano. It does work. Kind of.

An Island Princess Starts A Scandal by Adriana Herrera: I mean, they must enjoy the opera enough for Cora to go down on Manuela in their private box during a performance.

In Which Winnie Halifax is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti: Ditto for Spencer and Winnie ^^

And if you wanna read about endearingly shitty musicians, there's always the Smythe-Smith Quartet series by Julia Quinn.

EDIT:

M is for Marquess by Grace Callaway: Thea and Tremont first meet after she plays the piano and he's super stirred by it and he later admits he wanted to take her on said piano.

[monomatica]

Review : Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars

This is the 2nd Regency rom-com set in the world of Belvoir’s Library. The MCs are Lydia Hope-Wallace, who is one of Selina’s besties from London that you meet in Ne’er Duke Well, and Arthur Baird, the Earl of Strathrannoch in Scotland. Lydia is an heiress with a lot of money and no marriage prospects, and Arthur has a title, a rundown castle and a lack of funds to make repairs. After a miscommunication meet-cute, they develop the hots for each other.

💚 A FEW HIGHLIGHTS:

- Fake Married - Politics & Schemes - Longing & Lust - Vulnerability & Care - Love Letters - Can’t stop kissing - Only one bedroom - Too many brothers These two are so sweet together! Arthur understands her shyness and anxiety and wants to protect her. Lydia feels strength from him and loves his massive torso. He falls hard and is the biggest cinnamon roll. She is a smart politico with a talent for writing opinion pamphlets. Together they pretend to be married for “reasons” and they keep up the ruse for quite some time and is a lot of fun.

Aside from the romance I really loved getting cameos of characters from the 1st book when Selina & her besties put their wits together to solve the case. I honestly would watch a Masterpiece Theater series about the Belvoir’s Library and its female patrons solving crimes. Also, I may or may not have been teary-eyed at the ending.

I’ve read all of Vasti’s books so far and have liked every one, but am especially loving this Belvoir’s Library series. If you’re in the mood for a Regency rom-coms you’ll love this one too. I’m so excited for Georgiana’s book coming next! Her dog is named Sir Francis Bacon, Bacon for short, and I laughed so hard! 🥓

OUT: January 21, 2025

—Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC—

(No Zebras were harmed in the writing of this review 😉)

[hardcovernights]

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint

Alexandra Vasti

[readtilyoudie]

In Which Matilda Halifax Learns the Value of Restraint by Alexandra Vasti

[mtr-amg]

So I love that the uterine replicator is foundational to the Vorkosigan series and to her conception of the Vorkosiverse. Elizabeth Everett  58:40 And that she introduces it into that culture. Because it can finally give parity. I mean, the whole point of it is parity between females and males. People who get pregnant, they’re seen as less than. They have to be protected because they’re carrying children. Once you take pregnancy out of the equation, then what are you going to hang your misogyny on? What are you going to hang your sexism on? What are you going to hang your discrimination on? Alexandra Vasti  59:48 Absolutely. And separating out the sense of gender from the sense of biology. I think that is so powerful–to have the separation between this highly gendered view of women and then the biological aspect of gender. That is very satisfying to me, to see that separated out.

Transcript | My Word As Vorkosigan: Shards of Honor – Plot Trysts