Virgin Damsel and Manwhore Romance? Not Anymore! @LaceyWolfe Breaks the Mold with Virgin Cowboy

Full disclosure: Yes, I'm friends with the author. Yes, she posts regularly on this blog. Yes, she provided this book for my enjoyment--no strings attached. No, I'm not writing a fake-ass review.

One of the things that puts me off the romance industry, especially the older titles, is the virgin woman and man-whore hero. He's always super experienced and she's this delicate flower waiting for her cherry to get popped. It's annoying. I've said more than once that we need to turn the tables, but most authors balk because that's not the norm or they're afraid of making their heroine a ho. So huge thumbs up to Lacey Wolfe for giving us a slightly experienced heroine and a virgin male eager to please his lady.

I love that this is not an alpha male. I love this hero. If all heroes were like this guy I'd read more romance. Braden is the sensitive type who takes people's feelings to hear and wears his own on his sleeve. He's not cocky, but quite the opposite. The heroine is a single mom who doesn't stand down from adversity and in this case she gets it in spades--from Braden's mother. That's something else I appreciate in this story--family tensions. Family drama/disapproval in one's love choices is very common but rarely brought up in romance stories--I'm not talking those regencies when daddy frowns because the suitor is not from the right family or doesn't make enough money. I'm talking real life NOW type stuff. So this isn't just a sweet romance; it's got real-life issues thrown in. How many women have been ostracized by a lover's family because they already kids?

I also enjoyed the sex. There's a lot of nice build-up to the major event. And the daughter steals the show more than once, making me smile with her attitude and antics.

My only complaint is how very fast the heroine went from, "No, I don't want to date you" to "I'm madly in love with you and I want your bod." I'd have like the psychology delved into a bit more, or more conversation/flirtation/dating between them before they're suddenly think of marrying each other. But that's a difficult line to walk in romance. Too much and readers be like, "Just do it already!"

I felt the connection between the characters though.

Thank you for sharing this one with me, Lacey. I can't wait to see how you break the mold next.