Blush (Black Rose 1) by Helen Hardt-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 24, 2023

What he wants from you will make you…Blush

Amanda Thomas is hopelessly in love with Jackson Paris, but he will never see her as anything more than his sweet and innocent bestie. After being virgin-adjacent for too long, Mandy is officially ready to move on. She wants to learn about hot, dirty sex, so she joins an online dating app where the enigmatic Mr. Dark promises to fulfill all of her wicked fantasies…

Jackson Paris has been keeping secrets from his stunning, too-innocent best friend—like forbidden sexual proclivities and his membership at the exclusive Black Rose Underground club. But Mandy has decided she needs an education—the filthy kind. As Mr. Dark, Jackson can safely give her a taste of what she wants—and deter her from pursuing more—without revealing his identity.

But in the dim, provocative atmosphere of Black Rose Underground, there are no secrets. Here, every wicked appetite is satisfied. And for the first time, Mandy will discover who her best friend really is…just in time to shock him with a secret of her own.

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REVIEW:Blush is the first in what I hope to be a very long series. Helen Hardt never lets her readers down, and this spicy treat lives up to its name. If you don’t blush, well, have you ever really read HH then?

Mandy has been in love with Jackson for most of her life, but he has her placed firmly in the “friend zone.” Knowing that Jackson is never going to see her as more than a friend, Mandy decides she’s going to try a dating app and gain herself some experience. This action was the push that Jackson needed to finally open his eyes.

Jackson is a dominant and a long time member of a sex club. When he hears what Mandy has planned he takes her to the club in the hopes that it will scare her back into her bedroom. It does not. In fact, it opens a world of wonder for her and she wants Jackson to show it to her.

Mandy is curious and open about what she wants, Jackson not so much. You can tell that they have chemistry, and after being friends for so long, you would think Jackson would know the type of person Mandy is, however it feels like he just wants to control her. That may just be the dom/bestie in him though. Throughout the entire story, their back and forth was slightly frustrating, Jackson couldn’t make up his mind on what he was feeling, and at one point it just felt like he was leading poor Mandy around. When it finally happens, it’s a fabulous scene!

Thankfully HH is one heck of a writer and knows how to weave a really good friends to lovers romance. Overall Blush is a really good read, similar to some of her other work, but non the less a really spicy adventure. Happy reading friends!

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

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#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.