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A review by rjordan19
Love And Other Perennial Habits by Emmaline Warden
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Warden’s Genus of Gentleman series
Basic plot:
As a widow, Margaret is left a run down manor and can’t wait to renovate and enjoy her freedom. There, she meets Oliver, a man that prefers toiling in the soil to taking up his role as Marquess of Greenwood.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- Country and London – heroine inherits a manor from her unappealing husband and settles there for the first half, the second half takes place in London
- consent is hot
- hero brushes the heroine’s hair
- medium to high steam – 4 full scenes plus kisses and a short scene
- hero nurses heroine back to health
- a touch of secret identity in the beginning
- hero takes care of the heroine on her period
- hero sings to his spinach plants
My thoughts:
Ohhhh, how I adored this book! It’s so fun trying new to me authors because you never know what voice is going to really grab your heart and I found Warden’s did that for me. I loved her writing style – the humor, the heat, how much I enjoyed both of these characters and just fell right into their story and devoured it in one sitting.
Meg is one of those heroine’s that I just connected to. I really loved her personality and watching her gain her strength and independence after a crappy marriage. I truly enjoyed her and was so rooting for her HEA.
Oliver is the hero of my dreams. He is so utterly sweet – so caring and loving in all the big ways and little ways that are romantic and heartmelting. He sings to his spinach plants! He takes care of Meg when she gets her period! He was just perfection.
I loved the first half of the story so much. It does have a touch of instalust feel but I felt like they were getting to know each other at the same time. It was just so delightful – low angst, steamy, delightful, a touch carefree. And then the second half came in and rather wrecked my heart with its delicious angst. I ate it up like a glutton. Refreshing character behavior in how they hold each other accountable and talk about the bad behavior. I love that don’t let the toxicity or miscommunication stand for long. I just really loved so much about this story. Warden has definitely become an author I stalk and I can’t wait for more of her work!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his palm, and Oliver’s breath caught in his throat at the touch. Soft lips trailed across his palm, her warm breath dancing on his skin, threads of bliss scattering at each press. She raised her uninjured hand and cupped his cheek. Sure fingers slid into his hair, nails biting against his scalp, as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. The touch was so soft, Oliver was certain he was dreaming, but her fingers tightened in his hair as she pulled back a bit to look at him. Her eyes were dark chocolate, and he wanted to drown in their sweetness. Instead, he whispered, “Again.”
Oliver detangles and brushes Margaret's hair
Smooth strokes raked across her head, thick fingers following behind and gently untangling the knots that had accumulated. Where she should have felt tugging and pain, instead there were only delightful tingles as coarse fibers met scalp.
The consent is so hot and well done in this novel
"Oliver, please."
"Tell me," he said, his voice a growl.
Margaret groaned, pulling herself up and nipping his lips with her teeth. "Kiss me."
Oliver is such an amazing hero. He's so steadfast and sweet and supportive. Margaret has trauma from her marriage and he's so gentle and understanding with her.
The wiry hairs on his chest tickled as she rubbed her nose against them, his scent stronger there, and his cock lay thick beside her thigh, its presence shaking the comfort she had found only moments before. Margaret pulled back to distance herself, but Oliver resisted. "Ignore it, Meg. It's a common occurrence around you, but it doesn't control me." He kissed the top of her head. "Sleep."
Oliver fucks her on a potting table
The man wasted little time, his hands wrapping around her thighs as he picked her up off the table, his mouth resuming its destruction to her nerves. When he let her legs slide down his hips, her feet returning to the floor, disappointment flooded her. "Turn around," he said with a growl.
Oliver spun her to face the table, grabbing her hands and placing them gently on the wooden top. The surface bit into her palms, but the sting was forgotten as he aligned his body with hers, his hard sex pushing against her bottom. Margaret pushed against him, whimpering at the need that took over, and he bit her neck, his fingers entwining with hers.
"Shh, love. I'll make it better."
And he cares if she wants one more orgasm
Oliver withdrew himself from behind her, and a handkerchief appeared between her legs, mopping up his mess. Margaret reached down to pull up her trousers, but Oliver's hand stopped her. "Not yet." He turned her around to face him, kissing her lips with aching tenderness, before placing his hands on her hips and lifting her onto the table. "You didn't finish."
Oliver takes care of her when she gets her period - brushes her hair, tucks her in bed, does her chores and gets a hot brick wrapped in a blanket for her cramps. HE'S LITERALLY THE BEST!
Content warnings:
- Unhappy marriage – heroine is married to someone 40 years her elder
- Mention of the hero’s brother having asthma and dying of influenza
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
33% - kiss
36% - 🔥 kisses in the grass then move to his cottage, kisses, breast play, fingering for her, hand job for him
41% - kiss
43% - 🔥 kisses with her on a potting table, then he bends her over the table and fingers her to orgasm, then fucks her thighs without penetration to his completion, then puts her up on the table and throws her legs over his shoulder for oral for her.
51% - a brief, vague scene outside in the grass
58% - 🔥 kisses, missionary
80% - kiss
91% - kiss
96% - 🔥 kisses, sex against a door
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: Third person from both the hero and heroine
Should I read in order?
This is the first in Warden’s Genus of Gentleman series
Basic plot:
As a widow, Margaret is left a run down manor and can’t wait to renovate and enjoy her freedom. There, she meets Oliver, a man that prefers toiling in the soil to taking up his role as Marquess of Greenwood.
Give this a try if you want:
- Regency (1819)
- Country and London – heroine inherits a manor from her unappealing husband and settles there for the first half, the second half takes place in London
- consent is hot
- hero brushes the heroine’s hair
- medium to high steam – 4 full scenes plus kisses and a short scene
- hero nurses heroine back to health
- a touch of secret identity in the beginning
- hero takes care of the heroine on her period
- hero sings to his spinach plants
My thoughts:
Ohhhh, how I adored this book! It’s so fun trying new to me authors because you never know what voice is going to really grab your heart and I found Warden’s did that for me. I loved her writing style – the humor, the heat, how much I enjoyed both of these characters and just fell right into their story and devoured it in one sitting.
Meg is one of those heroine’s that I just connected to. I really loved her personality and watching her gain her strength and independence after a crappy marriage. I truly enjoyed her and was so rooting for her HEA.
Oliver is the hero of my dreams. He is so utterly sweet – so caring and loving in all the big ways and little ways that are romantic and heartmelting. He sings to his spinach plants! He takes care of Meg when she gets her period! He was just perfection.
I loved the first half of the story so much. It does have a touch of instalust feel but I felt like they were getting to know each other at the same time. It was just so delightful – low angst, steamy, delightful, a touch carefree. And then the second half came in and rather wrecked my heart with its delicious angst. I ate it up like a glutton. Refreshing character behavior in how they hold each other accountable and talk about the bad behavior. I love that don’t let the toxicity or miscommunication stand for long. I just really loved so much about this story. Warden has definitely become an author I stalk and I can’t wait for more of her work!
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his palm, and Oliver’s breath caught in his throat at the touch. Soft lips trailed across his palm, her warm breath dancing on his skin, threads of bliss scattering at each press. She raised her uninjured hand and cupped his cheek. Sure fingers slid into his hair, nails biting against his scalp, as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. The touch was so soft, Oliver was certain he was dreaming, but her fingers tightened in his hair as she pulled back a bit to look at him. Her eyes were dark chocolate, and he wanted to drown in their sweetness. Instead, he whispered, “Again.”
Oliver detangles and brushes Margaret's hair
Smooth strokes raked across her head, thick fingers following behind and gently untangling the knots that had accumulated. Where she should have felt tugging and pain, instead there were only delightful tingles as coarse fibers met scalp.
The consent is so hot and well done in this novel
"Oliver, please."
"Tell me," he said, his voice a growl.
Margaret groaned, pulling herself up and nipping his lips with her teeth. "Kiss me."
Oliver is such an amazing hero. He's so steadfast and sweet and supportive. Margaret has trauma from her marriage and he's so gentle and understanding with her.
The wiry hairs on his chest tickled as she rubbed her nose against them, his scent stronger there, and his cock lay thick beside her thigh, its presence shaking the comfort she had found only moments before. Margaret pulled back to distance herself, but Oliver resisted. "Ignore it, Meg. It's a common occurrence around you, but it doesn't control me." He kissed the top of her head. "Sleep."
Oliver fucks her on a potting table
The man wasted little time, his hands wrapping around her thighs as he picked her up off the table, his mouth resuming its destruction to her nerves. When he let her legs slide down his hips, her feet returning to the floor, disappointment flooded her. "Turn around," he said with a growl.
Oliver spun her to face the table, grabbing her hands and placing them gently on the wooden top. The surface bit into her palms, but the sting was forgotten as he aligned his body with hers, his hard sex pushing against her bottom. Margaret pushed against him, whimpering at the need that took over, and he bit her neck, his fingers entwining with hers.
"Shh, love. I'll make it better."
And he cares if she wants one more orgasm
Oliver withdrew himself from behind her, and a handkerchief appeared between her legs, mopping up his mess. Margaret reached down to pull up her trousers, but Oliver's hand stopped her. "Not yet." He turned her around to face him, kissing her lips with aching tenderness, before placing his hands on her hips and lifting her onto the table. "You didn't finish."
Oliver takes care of her when she gets her period - brushes her hair, tucks her in bed, does her chores and gets a hot brick wrapped in a blanket for her cramps. HE'S LITERALLY THE BEST!
Content warnings:
- Unhappy marriage – heroine is married to someone 40 years her elder
- Mention of the hero’s brother having asthma and dying of influenza
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
33% - kiss
36% - 🔥 kisses in the grass then move to his cottage, kisses, breast play, fingering for her, hand job for him
41% - kiss
43% - 🔥 kisses with her on a potting table, then he bends her over the table and fingers her to orgasm, then fucks her thighs without penetration to his completion, then puts her up on the table and throws her legs over his shoulder for oral for her.
51% - a brief, vague scene outside in the grass
58% - 🔥 kisses, missionary
80% - kiss
91% - kiss
96% - 🔥 kisses, sex against a door