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Halifax Hellions #1
In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation
The Halifax Hellions are the most scandalous, outrageous, ungovernable ladies in London. From the day of their debut—in which Matilda smoked a cheroot and Margo tied a cherry stem in a knot with her tongue—they’ve turned the ton upside down. But when Matilda elopes with a dangerous aristocrat, Margo must stop her twin before this new misadventure becomes a permanent marriage. For help, Margo turns to her brother’s best friend—because if anyone can get them to Scotland in time, it’s starchy solicitor Henry Mortimer.
Henry Mortimer has precisely one secret in his otherwise buttoned-up life: he’s been in love with Margo for seven wonderful, agonizing years. When she turns up at his doorstep, soaked to the skin and desperate for his help, he cannot turn her down. A week alone in a carriage with the object of his desires an arm’s length away? Surely he can survive that. He hopes.
But the road to Scotland is paved with disasters—caves and crashes and the bloody rain that keeps forcing Henry to hold a damp, shivering, dreadfully tempting Margo in his arms. Only an unstoppable force could drag the truth of Henry’s affection from his lips. Unfortunately for him, Margo Halifax has yet to be stopped.
Henry Mortimer has precisely one secret in his otherwise buttoned-up life: he’s been in love with Margo for seven wonderful, agonizing years. When she turns up at his doorstep, soaked to the skin and desperate for his help, he cannot turn her down. A week alone in a carriage with the object of his desires an arm’s length away? Surely he can survive that. He hopes.
But the road to Scotland is paved with disasters—caves and crashes and the bloody rain that keeps forcing Henry to hold a damp, shivering, dreadfully tempting Margo in his arms. Only an unstoppable force could drag the truth of Henry’s affection from his lips. Unfortunately for him, Margo Halifax has yet to be stopped.
131 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2022
419 people are currently reading
4169 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Vasti
9books1,050followersAlexandra Vasti is a British literature professor by day and USA Today bestselling romance writer by night. After finishing her PhD at Columbia University, she moved to New Orleans with her family. Her books have been featured in The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, and elsewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 890 reviews
March 8, 2023
came for:
- the road trip with the brother’s starchy virgin best friend
stayed for:
- the experienced queer fmc
- seven years of being in love/horny pining (HENRY MORTIMER THE MAN THAT YOU ARE)
- friends to lovers
- only one bed
- only one cottage
- only one horse
- the freckle obsession
- “i am a sensible and rational person except when i am near you and then i become insensible and irrational oh god help me�
because yES.
also, margo embarking on the aforementioned road trip with cheese in her reticule? that’s my wife right there.
a fucking delight.
- the road trip with the brother’s starchy virgin best friend
stayed for:
- the experienced queer fmc
- seven years of being in love/horny pining (HENRY MORTIMER THE MAN THAT YOU ARE)
- friends to lovers
- only one bed
- only one cottage
- only one horse
- the freckle obsession
- “i am a sensible and rational person except when i am near you and then i become insensible and irrational oh god help me�
because yES.
also, margo embarking on the aforementioned road trip with cheese in her reticule? that’s my wife right there.
a fucking delight.
February 24, 2023
i did not expect this to make me cry on a random Wednesday afternoon but here we are.
get you a man who loves you so painfully as Henry Mortimer loves Margot Halifax<3
the unrequited love. the pining. the tension. the angst. for a novella, this was so fleshed out and wonderful. i was thoroughly convinced of Henry and Margot’s relationship� the delivered in such a limited space.
Henry fr is the biggest blushing simp he made me wanna cry😭😩
”I bring irises to Number Twelve because they’re the color of your eyes. I didn’t take the position with Chatham’s in Bath because I didn’t want to move—not if you were in London. I buy the fruit-sellers out of cherries all summer long because they make me think of you, and most of the time I think of nothing else.�
get you a man who loves you so painfully as Henry Mortimer loves Margot Halifax<3
the unrequited love. the pining. the tension. the angst. for a novella, this was so fleshed out and wonderful. i was thoroughly convinced of Henry and Margot’s relationship� the delivered in such a limited space.
Henry fr is the biggest blushing simp he made me wanna cry😭😩
October 1, 2022
This novella is available from the authors website. I think this maybe her first book. The pluses were the writing and descriptions were enjoyable. The sexy parts were good. I am not sure what period the story takes place but since horses and carriages are in use, I am assuming Regency. The characters are what I would call Modern Historical Romance. The characters act and speak as though they are empowered woman of the 20th century as many of the actions would not have been in keeping with the time period.
February 6, 2024
Is this book basically a flawless HR novella? Well, yeah. What'll you get?�
�
So much pining!�
Brother’s best friend �
It’s always been you �
Virgin hero�
Friends to lovers �
Road trip romance�
�
And as if that weren't enough, an added dash of "it’s getting cold out there, let’s take off all our clothes."�
�
If we had one criticism (it's not a criticism, it's a wishlist) it's that this scorching hot novella didn't have one final spicy scene after our couple took a little bath!�
19-Word Summaries:
�
Laine: What constitutes “too ruined� for twins who have been deliberately scandalous? Eloping or hooking up with brother’s best friend?�
�
Meg: Look, Henry hasn’t been saving himself for Margo, he just hasn’t found anyone else who can compare, OK guys?�
�
So much pining!�
Brother’s best friend �
It’s always been you �
Virgin hero�
Friends to lovers �
Road trip romance�
�
And as if that weren't enough, an added dash of "it’s getting cold out there, let’s take off all our clothes."�
�
If we had one criticism (it's not a criticism, it's a wishlist) it's that this scorching hot novella didn't have one final spicy scene after our couple took a little bath!�
19-Word Summaries:
�
Laine: What constitutes “too ruined� for twins who have been deliberately scandalous? Eloping or hooking up with brother’s best friend?�
�
Meg: Look, Henry hasn’t been saving himself for Margo, he just hasn’t found anyone else who can compare, OK guys?�
January 30, 2023
ʚ🍓ɞ A ROAD-TRIP HISTORICAL ROMANCE NOVELLA WITH YOUR BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND?
When Nick (@theromancefiend) first talked about it, I was easily charmed. I wanted to know more about this author and her books. But in order to get this book, I had to sign up for her newsletter, and you know me, I am SO LAZY. Especially with signing up for stuff. But you know what? If Nick said it was fab, I believe her. So, I signed up and got this book. Soon after, Alexandra released the second book in the Halifax Hellions and that's also free by signing up, so I already had both. PERFECT.
I don't regret one thing.
This little novella is wonderful. It's a historical romance featuring a scandalous wealthy heiress who needs to retrieve her twin sister (the twin sister decided to elope and she's going after her before a bigger scandal happens) and she asks her brother's quiet and shy best friend for help. And so this road-trip begins.
If you're into heroes that constantly pin after the main character? READ THIS. He has been in love with Margo for seven years, but he has stayed quiet about it, because he feels that he isn't worth it. But this trip is definitely the opportunity to see if she feels the same. Only one bed? Only one COTTAGE? Yes. They have to take cover when it starts to rain and she starts to feel the cold and he carries her so she doesn't? HENRY, YOU ARE THE GREATEST, THE BESTEST, THE CUTEST.
This book is pretty steamy too, so if you want your books with a little bit of spice, read it.
When Nick (@theromancefiend) first talked about it, I was easily charmed. I wanted to know more about this author and her books. But in order to get this book, I had to sign up for her newsletter, and you know me, I am SO LAZY. Especially with signing up for stuff. But you know what? If Nick said it was fab, I believe her. So, I signed up and got this book. Soon after, Alexandra released the second book in the Halifax Hellions and that's also free by signing up, so I already had both. PERFECT.
I don't regret one thing.
This little novella is wonderful. It's a historical romance featuring a scandalous wealthy heiress who needs to retrieve her twin sister (the twin sister decided to elope and she's going after her before a bigger scandal happens) and she asks her brother's quiet and shy best friend for help. And so this road-trip begins.
If you're into heroes that constantly pin after the main character? READ THIS. He has been in love with Margo for seven years, but he has stayed quiet about it, because he feels that he isn't worth it. But this trip is definitely the opportunity to see if she feels the same. Only one bed? Only one COTTAGE? Yes. They have to take cover when it starts to rain and she starts to feel the cold and he carries her so she doesn't? HENRY, YOU ARE THE GREATEST, THE BESTEST, THE CUTEST.
This book is pretty steamy too, so if you want your books with a little bit of spice, read it.
January 16, 2023
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes! It’s delightful!
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from )
Should I read in order?
This is the first of Vasti’s Halifax Hellions series (and free when you sign up for her newsletter! Check it out
Basic plot:
Margo is on a mission to stop her twin from ruining her life, and convinces Henry to help her find them on the way to Gretna Green.
Give this a try if you want:
- Late Regency time period (around 1821)
- Mostly countryside setting on the way to Gretna Green
- Solicitor hero
- Unrequited love
- Brother’s best friend
- Delicious angst
- Opposites attract
- Hero loves first
- Novella length (goodreads has it about 90 pages)
- Virgin hero
- Road trip romance
- Left handed heroine!
- Bisexual heroine
- Medium steam � 2 full scenes within a short page count
Ages:
- Hero is 28 and heroine is 25
My thoughts:
Oh this novella was SUCH A DELIGHT! I really just fell right into it immediately and gobbled the whole thing up. Even being so short, I found it suffering from none of my complaints I sometimes have about shorter stories. It had humor! It had pining! It had angsty emotional pull that tugged my heart! All under 100 pages. It was amazing.
I am always a sucker for hero loves first and have really been loving unrequited love from the hero and it’s here in spades. Henry has loved Margo from afar for so long and seeing them come together really warmed my heart. Henry is a solicitor, a family friend, more stoic in personality, quiet. And Margo is the hurricane of chaos that has upended his life. I adored how opposite they were and how they came together so completely. The magnetic pull these two had had my heart singing and happy. And I still felt like we had a decent background on these characters even with it being so short. I just love them both so much.
Alexandra Vasti has solidified her place on my permanent TBR with this debut novel. So excited for Matilda’s novel coming out later this month!
Quotes/thoughts:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes! It’s delightful!
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from )
Should I read in order?
This is the first of Vasti’s Halifax Hellions series (and free when you sign up for her newsletter! Check it out
Basic plot:
Margo is on a mission to stop her twin from ruining her life, and convinces Henry to help her find them on the way to Gretna Green.
Give this a try if you want:
- Late Regency time period (around 1821)
- Mostly countryside setting on the way to Gretna Green
- Solicitor hero
- Unrequited love
- Brother’s best friend
- Delicious angst
- Opposites attract
- Hero loves first
- Novella length (goodreads has it about 90 pages)
- Virgin hero
- Road trip romance
- Left handed heroine!
- Bisexual heroine
- Medium steam � 2 full scenes within a short page count
Ages:
- Hero is 28 and heroine is 25
My thoughts:
Oh this novella was SUCH A DELIGHT! I really just fell right into it immediately and gobbled the whole thing up. Even being so short, I found it suffering from none of my complaints I sometimes have about shorter stories. It had humor! It had pining! It had angsty emotional pull that tugged my heart! All under 100 pages. It was amazing.
I am always a sucker for hero loves first and have really been loving unrequited love from the hero and it’s here in spades. Henry has loved Margo from afar for so long and seeing them come together really warmed my heart. Henry is a solicitor, a family friend, more stoic in personality, quiet. And Margo is the hurricane of chaos that has upended his life. I adored how opposite they were and how they came together so completely. The magnetic pull these two had had my heart singing and happy. And I still felt like we had a decent background on these characters even with it being so short. I just love them both so much.
Alexandra Vasti has solidified her place on my permanent TBR with this debut novel. So excited for Matilda’s novel coming out later this month!
Quotes/thoughts:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
January 29, 2023
This was so cute I’d totally read a full book between them 🥺 I also think a full book could’ve interwoven the twins stories even more, but either way I’m excited for Matilda’s book!!
February 15, 2024
Hot Mess Express Margo is on a quest to save her sister from potential happiness and recruits stuffy Henry to help. Henry, who starts off as a helpless shrug, stiffens his backbone and other parts as their journey deepens. Ever had sex amongst the loamy soil? Henry has. Ever seen a woman who thought herself very worldly tumble wide-eyed into love? You’re about to. What happened to the sister? I guess you’ll have to stay tuned. At one point Henry informs Margo that he likes it when she begs and my entire nervous system shut down.
May 5, 2025
Margo Halifax must stop her twin sister’s elopement and solicits aid from Henry down-bad Mortimer, who talks to cloaks because he’s gone batty after quietly pining for Margo these last 7-years. They head to Scotland with her reticule of cheese and he listens to her name cows while fantasizing of removing her dress with his teeth. When the carriage crashes, the only-one-horse becomes only-one-bed, which at last relieves Henry of his besotted cockstand and begets a lovelorn declaration that launched me off the precipice of bliss. Are reserved, semi-chaste gentlemen on the verge of expiring from unrequited adoration my new favorite romantic hero? Am I starting to not only tolerate, but actually fancy the term “apex� just because Alexandra Vasti wrote it? Can cheese get too wet? It does not signify. I am wrought with pleasure.
April 30, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
4 stars.
� What I liked :
Road trip romance.
A hero that is Not a aristocrat/nobleman but a working man (Solicitor)
Not a naive or inexperienced heroine.
Inexperienced hero.
Interesting main characters.
OK plot.
OK steam.
Good romantic build up and chemistry.
Bisexual heroine.
Funny/witty moments.
Opposites attract.
� What I disliked:
A little too anachronistic in many places of the story.
Somewhat formulaic characterization of the hero.
(The characterization of the hero in this book is a little bit too reminiscent of the hero in the book: The Chemistry of Familiar Objects.
They have different professions but other than that they are a little bit too reminiscent/similar of each other.)
Somewhat rushed ending even for a novella.
4 stars.
� What I liked :
Road trip romance.
A hero that is Not a aristocrat/nobleman but a working man (Solicitor)
Not a naive or inexperienced heroine.
Inexperienced hero.
Interesting main characters.
OK plot.
OK steam.
Good romantic build up and chemistry.
Bisexual heroine.
Funny/witty moments.
Opposites attract.
� What I disliked:
A little too anachronistic in many places of the story.
Somewhat formulaic characterization of the hero.
(The characterization of the hero in this book is a little bit too reminiscent of the hero in the book: The Chemistry of Familiar Objects.
They have different professions but other than that they are a little bit too reminiscent/similar of each other.)
Somewhat rushed ending even for a novella.
February 12, 2024
In the delightful novella entitled “In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation� the listeners are introduced to Margo Halifax, a spirited young woman in London who, along with her scandalous sister Matilda, lives a life defying societal norms. When Matilda plans to elope in Scotland, Margo sets out to stop her, accompanied by her friend Henry Mortimer, a lovelorn solicitor. Their journey is filled with humor, romance, and unexpected twists as they race against time to “save� Matilda from marriage.
The audiobook is a charming and quick listen that will appeal to fans of historical romance, particularly those who enjoy the Bridgerton series. The narrator, Mhairi Morrison, brings the story to life with her engaging performance, although some listeners may find it necessary to adjust the playback speed to fully understand her delivery. One of the novella's strengths lies in its well-crafted characters and believable character development, despite its brevity. Margo Halifax is a refreshingly unconventional heroine, fearless and endearing, while Henry Mortimer is portrayed as a perfectly imperfect love interest. Their dynamic and chemistry drive the plot forward, leading to satisfying and swoon-worthy moments that avoid popular clichés and cheese.
Author Alexandra Vasti succeeds in delivering a straight-through purposeful plot with humor and romance woven seamlessly throughout. The story strikes a balance between light-heartedness and depth, offering readers a brief yet fulfilling escape into Regency-era England. The introduction of the Halifax twins sets the stage for future installments, leaving readers eager to explore more of Vasti's world and characters.
Overall, the audiobook version of "In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation" excels in delivering a delightful historical romcom experience, with its engaging narration and entertaining storyline, it's a must-listen for fans of the genre. I eagerly await the audio adaptation of Vasti’s next stories!
Special thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #InWhichMargoHalifaxEarnsHerShockingReputation #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning
The audiobook is a charming and quick listen that will appeal to fans of historical romance, particularly those who enjoy the Bridgerton series. The narrator, Mhairi Morrison, brings the story to life with her engaging performance, although some listeners may find it necessary to adjust the playback speed to fully understand her delivery. One of the novella's strengths lies in its well-crafted characters and believable character development, despite its brevity. Margo Halifax is a refreshingly unconventional heroine, fearless and endearing, while Henry Mortimer is portrayed as a perfectly imperfect love interest. Their dynamic and chemistry drive the plot forward, leading to satisfying and swoon-worthy moments that avoid popular clichés and cheese.
Author Alexandra Vasti succeeds in delivering a straight-through purposeful plot with humor and romance woven seamlessly throughout. The story strikes a balance between light-heartedness and depth, offering readers a brief yet fulfilling escape into Regency-era England. The introduction of the Halifax twins sets the stage for future installments, leaving readers eager to explore more of Vasti's world and characters.
Overall, the audiobook version of "In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation" excels in delivering a delightful historical romcom experience, with its engaging narration and entertaining storyline, it's a must-listen for fans of the genre. I eagerly await the audio adaptation of Vasti’s next stories!
Special thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #InWhichMargoHalifaxEarnsHerShockingReputation #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning
dnf
April 1, 2024DNF @ 17% Could be fun, but I’m not feeling it. Also, I feel like a virgin hero paired with an experienced unmarried heroine in historical times is just a little over the top. Why even have this written as a historical if those are the characters? Plus, he’s been in love with her since they first met, so it’s just depressing that he pines from a distance FOR YEARS and she doesn’t look his way.
March 24, 2025
She loved Henry Mortimer, and she needed to tell him so.
Unfortunately, the rapidity with which she had come to this conclusion outmatched Henry’s walking pace from the waterfall back to the village, and he was not presently available for her declaration.
When her twin sister elopes to Scotland with an infamous Marquess, Margo Halifax asks her brother's best friend, Henry, to go after Matilda with her. The stiff, shy solicitor has been secretly in love with the inappropriate woman for years and reluctantly agrees to accompany her on the road trip. After a carriage accident, they end up in a crofter's cottage. It's quite cold and raining, of course, so they are soaked and chilled and shivering, and there's no way to avoid undressing and warming each other, and fate takes its course.
My first book by Vasti, and a decent one. The plot/romance is a bit shallow (no surprise here, it's a novella of about 130 pages), but the heroes are likable and the writing style is pretty amusing. All in all, it's a cute and entertaining book � if you're willing to ignore the anachronism.
It's actually one of those very modern HR books. The heroine in particular is way ahead of her time. At 25, she's not only known for her antics and disregard for the rules of society. She's also unmarried, but loves pleasure and has had liaisons with a girl at school, two widows, and a footman. A conversation with Henry also sparks her interest in spanking and other (mild) BDSM practices. All of this is dropped rather casually, as if it's pretty normal, but it's not, especially not in the 1820s, so it felt somewhat disturbing.
I'm going to read Margo's twin sister's book next, though I'm afraid I might have the same issues with submissive Matilda and the Marquess swinging a riding crop.
3.5
Unfortunately, the rapidity with which she had come to this conclusion outmatched Henry’s walking pace from the waterfall back to the village, and he was not presently available for her declaration.
When her twin sister elopes to Scotland with an infamous Marquess, Margo Halifax asks her brother's best friend, Henry, to go after Matilda with her. The stiff, shy solicitor has been secretly in love with the inappropriate woman for years and reluctantly agrees to accompany her on the road trip. After a carriage accident, they end up in a crofter's cottage. It's quite cold and raining, of course, so they are soaked and chilled and shivering, and there's no way to avoid undressing and warming each other, and fate takes its course.
My first book by Vasti, and a decent one. The plot/romance is a bit shallow (no surprise here, it's a novella of about 130 pages), but the heroes are likable and the writing style is pretty amusing. All in all, it's a cute and entertaining book � if you're willing to ignore the anachronism.
It's actually one of those very modern HR books. The heroine in particular is way ahead of her time. At 25, she's not only known for her antics and disregard for the rules of society. She's also unmarried, but loves pleasure and has had liaisons with a girl at school, two widows, and a footman. A conversation with Henry also sparks her interest in spanking and other (mild) BDSM practices. All of this is dropped rather casually, as if it's pretty normal, but it's not, especially not in the 1820s, so it felt somewhat disturbing.
I'm going to read Margo's twin sister's book next, though I'm afraid I might have the same issues with submissive Matilda and the Marquess swinging a riding crop.
3.5
December 30, 2024
This book should have been perfect for me, but sadly... it was kind of cringe? I don't think writing ever ruined a book for me quite as much, but it really did here.
What this book has?
- Besotted proper virgin hero (28) who has been in love with the MC for 7 years (sounds like a winner, right?)
- Bisexual female sexually experienced MC who is gleefully dismissive of social rules and society
- Forced proximity
- Historical setting (although, very inaccurate, but in a way that I didn't actually mind that)
So why it didn't work?
- The sex scenes were bad, meaning generic. If you promise me a virgin hero I'm here for adorably clumsy sex, not for a sex god. And I don't care which goes where, I care about the emotions! I didn't really feel that here. I felt like the author was trying, but... it didn't really work out.
- I officially hate the word "quim", idk. I googled it and it actually seems pretty appropriate to use it here, but... it just doesn't give me the right feelings. The worlds the author uses for the heroine's vulva are honestly all kind of cringy, although "cunny" takes the cake. Like cute cunt, you get it? I mean, I don't love the word cunt either, but I feel like that one is at least plain and honest, cunny is just... wtf?! Props to the author though, for experimenting with the word choices, I really appreciate that. Names we give to things (and body parts...) are important and I think it's conversation worth having. Sadly, it didn't work for me here. It might for other people though.
- The same cringe writing projected also into the not-sex scenes. Some word choices were just WEIRD and it took me right out of the book.
- I kind of liked the characters at the beginning but it felt to me like the more we got into the story, the more cardboard they became 🤷🏽♀�
- The initial lusting part of the story is very... stereotypically physical. This isn't really insta-lust/love because they knew each other for ages, but I prefer when the lust feels personal and when it focuses on the things that aren't usually sexualised. Here... at the beginning the hero thinks something about the lines that "he can't be with her in the carriage because her tits would bounce into his face the whole time" ugh... not... really, sexy? At least to me, again, this is really about personal preference. And she thinks the whole time, how fit and hard his body is, which... again, not very sexy to me, especially since she's using him as a pillow.
The takeaway from this it that Alexandra Vasti clearly isn't an author for me and I won't be reading more by her. It seems that the next book is sort of Bluebeard retelling with BDSM, which honestly... I'm not that interested in and I can't take more of this writing. (I'm bad at not finishing series, so I'm just persuading myself here to drop it, don't mind me...)
A lot of people clearly loved this though and I don't feel like it's a bad book, so... if the things I talked about wouldn't bother you, then go for it! But I can't really recommend it...
2,5� roundedup (edit: 6.3.) down, because looking back at this, I read so many great three star reads in February and this book just doesn't reach them at all.
What this book has?
- Besotted proper virgin hero (28) who has been in love with the MC for 7 years (sounds like a winner, right?)
- Bisexual female sexually experienced MC who is gleefully dismissive of social rules and society
- Forced proximity
- Historical setting (although, very inaccurate, but in a way that I didn't actually mind that)
So why it didn't work?
- The sex scenes were bad, meaning generic. If you promise me a virgin hero I'm here for adorably clumsy sex, not for a sex god. And I don't care which goes where, I care about the emotions! I didn't really feel that here. I felt like the author was trying, but... it didn't really work out.
- I officially hate the word "quim", idk. I googled it and it actually seems pretty appropriate to use it here, but... it just doesn't give me the right feelings. The worlds the author uses for the heroine's vulva are honestly all kind of cringy, although "cunny" takes the cake. Like cute cunt, you get it? I mean, I don't love the word cunt either, but I feel like that one is at least plain and honest, cunny is just... wtf?! Props to the author though, for experimenting with the word choices, I really appreciate that. Names we give to things (and body parts...) are important and I think it's conversation worth having. Sadly, it didn't work for me here. It might for other people though.
- The same cringe writing projected also into the not-sex scenes. Some word choices were just WEIRD and it took me right out of the book.
- I kind of liked the characters at the beginning but it felt to me like the more we got into the story, the more cardboard they became 🤷🏽♀�
- The initial lusting part of the story is very... stereotypically physical. This isn't really insta-lust/love because they knew each other for ages, but I prefer when the lust feels personal and when it focuses on the things that aren't usually sexualised. Here... at the beginning the hero thinks something about the lines that "he can't be with her in the carriage because her tits would bounce into his face the whole time" ugh... not... really, sexy? At least to me, again, this is really about personal preference. And she thinks the whole time, how fit and hard his body is, which... again, not very sexy to me, especially since she's using him as a pillow.
The takeaway from this it that Alexandra Vasti clearly isn't an author for me and I won't be reading more by her. It seems that the next book is sort of Bluebeard retelling with BDSM, which honestly... I'm not that interested in and I can't take more of this writing. (I'm bad at not finishing series, so I'm just persuading myself here to drop it, don't mind me...)
A lot of people clearly loved this though and I don't feel like it's a bad book, so... if the things I talked about wouldn't bother you, then go for it! But I can't really recommend it...
2,5� rounded
November 8, 2022
It wasn't a bad read. Just a bit too modern for my tastes. Furthermore, a promiscuous young lady (besides a courtesan, mistress or prostitute) in a historical setting isn't my thing because it isn't very plausible in my opinion.
August 10, 2023
In-Which-We-Learn-Margo-Is-More-Than-A-Handful
- New to me author
-Loved the writing & the plot
- Margo was difficult to digest, authentically speaking
- Henry was a marshmallow
- New to me author
-Loved the writing & the plot
- Margo was difficult to digest, authentically speaking
- Henry was a marshmallow
March 14, 2023
3.5 stars
This is one of two novellas on the author’s website following a pair of twins. Margo (h) and her twin have quite the reputation that they’ve cultivated for being wild, shocking, and unladylike. They’re still accepted at social events due to being heiresses. Margo’s twin has shocked even her though by eloping with an older man, who has some interesting sexual interests, so Margo enlists her brother’s best friend to help her chase after them. She doesn’t know that Henry (H) has been in love with her for years or that the forced proximity is going to push some limits and lead to realizations. Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and h is not a virgin but H is.
Henry was a very likable and sweet hero who didn’t feel good enough since he’s only a barrister, but who remained devoted in the background as a friend. Margo was less likable for me simply because her chaotic energy was just not my cup of tea. I liked her intentions, just not how she often went about things and how she jumped headfirst. I felt sympathy for the questions about her identity as a Halifax Hellion and with her twin running off though. But she has Henry, who’s supportive and caring. Including when an accident happens and they’re soaked to the bone, needing urgently to get warm. Which leads into this being a steamy book with a couple of scenes despite it being shorter in length.
The author’s writing style and pacing made the book flow really well, I flew through the pages. However, another reviewer pointed out how modern it felt and I agree, I don’t see how the twins would have still been accepted in society with the antics described.
Pretty much the whole book is them on the road chasing after the sister, which I won’t spoil. There is an impassioned declaration, questioning how to move forward, and an emotionally tense scene that caused me to shed a couple tears. The book ends in a HFN/HEA and even though this is a novella, I wanted just a couple more pages in an epilogue. What about their brother (who was in Wales when both twins went on the lam and whose best friend is now with his sister)? What will their daily life look like? How about their wedding? I’m going to try the sister’s book too because I’m curious.
This is one of two novellas on the author’s website following a pair of twins. Margo (h) and her twin have quite the reputation that they’ve cultivated for being wild, shocking, and unladylike. They’re still accepted at social events due to being heiresses. Margo’s twin has shocked even her though by eloping with an older man, who has some interesting sexual interests, so Margo enlists her brother’s best friend to help her chase after them. She doesn’t know that Henry (H) has been in love with her for years or that the forced proximity is going to push some limits and lead to realizations. Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and h is not a virgin but H is.
Henry was a very likable and sweet hero who didn’t feel good enough since he’s only a barrister, but who remained devoted in the background as a friend. Margo was less likable for me simply because her chaotic energy was just not my cup of tea. I liked her intentions, just not how she often went about things and how she jumped headfirst. I felt sympathy for the questions about her identity as a Halifax Hellion and with her twin running off though. But she has Henry, who’s supportive and caring. Including when an accident happens and they’re soaked to the bone, needing urgently to get warm. Which leads into this being a steamy book with a couple of scenes despite it being shorter in length.
The author’s writing style and pacing made the book flow really well, I flew through the pages. However, another reviewer pointed out how modern it felt and I agree, I don’t see how the twins would have still been accepted in society with the antics described.
Pretty much the whole book is them on the road chasing after the sister, which I won’t spoil. There is an impassioned declaration, questioning how to move forward, and an emotionally tense scene that caused me to shed a couple tears. The book ends in a HFN/HEA and even though this is a novella, I wanted just a couple more pages in an epilogue. What about their brother (who was in Wales when both twins went on the lam and whose best friend is now with his sister)? What will their daily life look like? How about their wedding? I’m going to try the sister’s book too because I’m curious.
November 8, 2022
Cute little romp. Novellas are tricky for me because I always want more. In this case I was much more interested in the delicious starchy do gooder Henry than in the scandalous Margo and the focus was squarely on her.
There just wasn't enough space to develop him and them more. Excellently written with a very modern voice which was a tad too modern for me at times. For fans of Eva Leigh and Joanna Shupe.
Tropes
Road trip
Pining hero
⭐⭐⭐�/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
There just wasn't enough space to develop him and them more. Excellently written with a very modern voice which was a tad too modern for me at times. For fans of Eva Leigh and Joanna Shupe.
Tropes
Road trip
Pining hero
⭐⭐⭐�/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Read
March 16, 2025Well this was a perfect read on a rainy autumn day. Absolutely love a pining starchy hero and Henry was that and was a super horny one. Margo was such a fun and funny heroine, with right mix of whimsy, pluck, and depth. Adored them both and the heat was also 🔥🔥🥵
I can’t wait to read more of Alexandra Vasti’s works (especially Matilda’s story!)
I can’t wait to read more of Alexandra Vasti’s works (especially Matilda’s story!)
Read
January 26, 2023Love this book, love this heroine, love this new voice in histrom. 💜
no-way-jose
May 4, 2024Note to self: non-virgin, promiscuous bi-curious heroine� a bit too modern for my historical romance tastes in heroines.
February 13, 2024
What an amazing novella! I’m so annoyed with myself for sleeping on this series. Alexandra Vasti packed a lot into this one and I fell in love with Henry and Margo right away. There are tropes galore (the pining is next level!!) and a reveal towards the end had me giddy and smiling like a fool. I was also very pleasantly surprised by the level of steam! *fans self* I wish it had been longer so the ending wouldn’t have felt quite so rushed, but I really loved this one and can’t wait to read the other books!
January 5, 2023
ahh to have a man be this devastatingly horny in love with a person the way henry is for margo halifax 🔥
reading this book felt like drinking ice cold water on a hot summer day. and it’s been hot for quite some time now, mind you. and by hot, what i actually mean is, i haven’t read something this refreshingly good in ages 😭
the romance glutton in me relished every morsel of this “pining hero� / “in love with her for years� / “will do anything for her� / “friends to lovers� sub trope-y goodness 🥵
seeing both of characters very visibly crave and pine for each other, featuring some top tier one bed forced proximity goodness at the crux of it all *nobody pinch me*. i just can’t get over how this man was so fixated with his love for her that he waited years to lose his virginity to her and the way he was dtf right from the get-go � man manifested this and can’t help but feel mad respect for the level of dedication. love a man who know what he wants and goes for it, consequences be damned 🤌🏽
i also enjoyed reading about margo so much. normally i find this kind of heroine a bit flighty and silly but i realised i would probably do the exact same things if i were in her position�
run off to the country side alone with my brothers hot friend whom i have some pre-existing feelings for? check. have hot dreams about aforementioned brothers hot friend, seduce said hot friend with my eyes/facial expressions and end up in an inn with one bed, only to bring the seduction to a raunchy x-rated climax? check. confess my love for said hot best friend whom all but admitted would move heaven and earth for me and elope with him to scotland? check. at this point queen isn’t just margo, she is margeux 💅
even tho this was only ~100 or so pages long, the chemistry between these two was hot and electrifying and oh so .. primal (esp the way henry described his needs 🔥). urgh alexandra vasti did such a wonderful job at convincing me how hot these characters were for each other and ye best believe i’m going to hire her to write my very own romance story 🥹
reading this book felt like drinking ice cold water on a hot summer day. and it’s been hot for quite some time now, mind you. and by hot, what i actually mean is, i haven’t read something this refreshingly good in ages 😭
the romance glutton in me relished every morsel of this “pining hero� / “in love with her for years� / “will do anything for her� / “friends to lovers� sub trope-y goodness 🥵
seeing both of characters very visibly crave and pine for each other, featuring some top tier one bed forced proximity goodness at the crux of it all *nobody pinch me*. i just can’t get over how this man was so fixated with his love for her that he waited years to lose his virginity to her and the way he was dtf right from the get-go � man manifested this and can’t help but feel mad respect for the level of dedication. love a man who know what he wants and goes for it, consequences be damned 🤌🏽
i also enjoyed reading about margo so much. normally i find this kind of heroine a bit flighty and silly but i realised i would probably do the exact same things if i were in her position�
run off to the country side alone with my brothers hot friend whom i have some pre-existing feelings for? check. have hot dreams about aforementioned brothers hot friend, seduce said hot friend with my eyes/facial expressions and end up in an inn with one bed, only to bring the seduction to a raunchy x-rated climax? check. confess my love for said hot best friend whom all but admitted would move heaven and earth for me and elope with him to scotland? check. at this point queen isn’t just margo, she is margeux 💅
even tho this was only ~100 or so pages long, the chemistry between these two was hot and electrifying and oh so .. primal (esp the way henry described his needs 🔥). urgh alexandra vasti did such a wonderful job at convincing me how hot these characters were for each other and ye best believe i’m going to hire her to write my very own romance story 🥹
January 13, 2023
I had the best time!
Margo is a young rambunctious woman who is finally, finally learning that sometimes you can go too far if you don't think your antics through. Henry is a family friend that's held a candle for Margo since he met her-- a starchy solicitor who can't seem to wrap his brain around the idea that he can speak his desires into existence. Henry is everything I want in an uptight character: rigid because he thinks that's the only way he can be, but putty in Margo's hands.
Margo enlists Henry in "rescuing" her twin sister Matilda from an elopement to Gretna Green, and close proximity brings confessions, inconvenient erections, and weather-related snuggling (it's for the body heat!). An absolute delight.
I got this novella by signing up for Vasti's newsletter, by the way! It's free if you do that.
Margo is a young rambunctious woman who is finally, finally learning that sometimes you can go too far if you don't think your antics through. Henry is a family friend that's held a candle for Margo since he met her-- a starchy solicitor who can't seem to wrap his brain around the idea that he can speak his desires into existence. Henry is everything I want in an uptight character: rigid because he thinks that's the only way he can be, but putty in Margo's hands.
"Henry found himself in his bedchamber, stuffing shirts into a traveling bag.
Devil take the woman. She made him insane. He liked things folded."
Margo enlists Henry in "rescuing" her twin sister Matilda from an elopement to Gretna Green, and close proximity brings confessions, inconvenient erections, and weather-related snuggling (it's for the body heat!). An absolute delight.
I got this novella by signing up for Vasti's newsletter, by the way! It's free if you do that.
May 31, 2023
The writing was exceptional. The storytelling had potential but failed to deliver for me.
Road trip, only one horse, brother's best friend, experienced heroine/virgin hero, and it was a VERY modern feeling historical romance (that didn't quite work for me).
It's available on the author's website. Her debut book comes out in 2024 with St. Martin's Press.
Road trip, only one horse, brother's best friend, experienced heroine/virgin hero, and it was a VERY modern feeling historical romance (that didn't quite work for me).
It's available on the author's website. Her debut book comes out in 2024 with St. Martin's Press.
January 31, 2023
Ummmm, excuse me!!! THIS WAS ADORABLE!!!! What a fun lil' ride (literally and figuratively)!!! Ugh Henry was just the sweetest man and Margo had so much heart. Many authors struggle to find the right balance with romance novellas, but this was perfectly paced and had all of the beats I wanted.
I can't believe we have to wait another year for Alexandra Vasti's full-length debut novel; I'm gonna get my hands on that damn ARC the second it's available.
I can't believe we have to wait another year for Alexandra Vasti's full-length debut novel; I'm gonna get my hands on that damn ARC the second it's available.
April 11, 2023
Well, that was unexpected. Unexpected in several ways.
First, that it’s actually erotica. I hadn’t realized that when I sought it out on a ŷ friend’s recommendation. (Thanks, Robyn!) Not that I wouldn’t have picked it up knowing that! That said, it’s quite well done and believable. It’s told from a 3rd person omniscient POV switching back and forth between the two main characters, who are the love interest.
I enjoyed the two MCs and their foibles and quirks and how they thought about the other. It almost threatened to become another love story of mistaken intentions and misunderstandings, but the author narrowly missed doing that and instead the couple actually talked truth to one another. How refreshing!
I’m looking forward to the 2nd novella, but I understand that there is mild BDSM, so I’m a little apprehensive. Not my cuppa. We’ll see.
First, that it’s actually erotica. I hadn’t realized that when I sought it out on a ŷ friend’s recommendation. (Thanks, Robyn!) Not that I wouldn’t have picked it up knowing that! That said, it’s quite well done and believable. It’s told from a 3rd person omniscient POV switching back and forth between the two main characters, who are the love interest.
I enjoyed the two MCs and their foibles and quirks and how they thought about the other. It almost threatened to become another love story of mistaken intentions and misunderstandings, but the author narrowly missed doing that and instead the couple actually talked truth to one another. How refreshing!
I’m looking forward to the 2nd novella, but I understand that there is mild BDSM, so I’m a little apprehensive. Not my cuppa. We’ll see.
February 2, 2023
Road trip plus pining male love interest plus brother's best friend PLUS forced proximity??
Say no more 😌
Also, I really liked the subversion of virginity here, don't see it much in historical romance (experienced female x male virgin anyway).
(And definitely reading book two after this)
Content warning: sex scenes, death of parents (mention), carriage accident
Say no more 😌
Also, I really liked the subversion of virginity here, don't see it much in historical romance (experienced female x male virgin anyway).
(And definitely reading book two after this)
Content warning: sex scenes, death of parents (mention), carriage accident
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2023
road trip with your brother's best friend who you've been in love with since forever? SAY LESS
one bed✔️
one horse ✔️
good smut ✔️
this short historical romance novella was EVERYTHING and under 100 pages? perfect for making your reading goal. I just wish it was longer cause I want more margo and henry 😩
one bed✔️
one horse ✔️
good smut ✔️
this short historical romance novella was EVERYTHING and under 100 pages? perfect for making your reading goal. I just wish it was longer cause I want more margo and henry 😩
September 20, 2022
Tear-inducing, laugh-inducing, ache-inducing in all the best ways. This novella will leave you with heart flutters and an overheated desire to bed the person nearest to you (ideally, one you love and pine for), and wanting still more from this incredibly talented author. The language is stunning and while of the period, still modern and cutting. The characters are heart-breaking, beautifully drawn, and exciting. Henry and Margo get their well-deserved happily-ever-after with so much tension, so much heartache, so much glorious spine-tingling sex, it really is hard to believe it is a novella, available for free with a newsletter subscription. And, here’s the best thing . . . there is more to come. There must be more to come from Ms. Vasti. I suspect a novel about Margo’s twin sister Matilda (the other Halifax Hellion) is on its way, one with some delicious BDSM undertones but truly a tale of tenderness and understanding and love between two souls separated by age. It can’t come soon enough. But meanwhile, I am going to content myself with re-reading this five-star story again in the next week. I’m jealous that someone else today is going to read it for the first time. Really, I cannot heap enough praise on Alexandra Vasti’s talent and on “In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation.�
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