4.5 stars

Great Book, heartily recommend. Its the second in the series and we are back to the promise of the book 0.5

Constantine is a bit stuffy and under the thumb of his domineering father. His wife Sabrina is shy and the marriage hasn't got off to a great start. Lucien and Cass, Cons siblings play their part as does Evie, the ex courtesan who helps mentor Sabrina in the dress and attitude that is expected of a Countess. We learn a bit more about the crusty father and potential love interests for Cassandra

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Impassioned is a lovely historical romance and the second book in The Phoenix Club series by Darcy Burke. This story is unique in that the main characters are already married. However, their relationship did not begin as a grand love affair. Theirs was an arranged marriage, and after two years, they are basically estranged. However, Sabrina wants a child and is desperate to connect with her husband, so she leaves their country home where she lives and comes unannounced to their home in the city where Constantine resides. There she demands that Constantine fulfill his husbandly duties and get her pregnant.

Constantine is shocked when Sabrina, his timid and shy wife, unexpectedly arrives, and he’s even more stunned when she demands sexual relations. Their encounters are always formal and awkward, and they are few and far between. What has accounted for the change in Sabrina? Can the couple get past their problems and find a happy future together?

Constantine and Sabrina are well-developed protagonists, and I enjoyed their love story. At the start of the story, Constantine is cool and aloof, and his dispassionate attitude is known by all. He is controlled and poised, and he rarely lets things get under his skin. He is a serious man involved in politics, and he bears a lot of responsibility. Throughout the story, he changes quite a bit as he realizes what he truly wants in life. Sabrina struggles with anxiety and has spent much of her time trying to blend in instead of standing out. Uncomfortable in social settings and in situations where she doesn’t know the other people involved, Sabrina has anxiety attacks and often retreats. However, throughout the story, she faces her struggles and tries to manage them. I like that the author introduced a smart, caring, and capable woman with a realistic issue that affects many people.

I love the romance between this married couple. They are both inexperienced and uncomfortable, yet it’s obvious that they both want the same things. Miscommunication, lies, anxiety, and family pose problems for Sabrina and Constantine, yet their chemistry is ever-present. Both Sabrina and Constantine have spent their lives doing what was expected of them. They are both very much defined by societal and familial expectations because they both yearned for approval and acceptance. However, Sabrina and Constantine both begin to act on their own needs and desires instead of the expectations of people who don’t really understand or know them. I love how they slowly get to know each other and fall in love despite the fact that they’ve been married for two years. Their attraction to each other is palpable, and their feelings are strong.

Constantine and Sabrina receive help from the owners of The Phoenix Club, one of which is Constantine’s brother. I love this club and its owners. They have such a desire to help others, and they work hard to provide and outlet for people who feel like they don’t belong. The Phoenix Club is the antithesis of the other social clubs in this town and is a great backdrop for some of the more spicy scenes in the story.

This is a wonderful addition to The Phoenix Club series, and I’m excited to see who will be the focus of the next story. There were hints of possible love connections in this story that I found particularly intriguing, and I’m hoping we’ll see more of these characters in future books. Though this is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. However, if you did read the first book, you’ll be delighted to know that many of the characters in it are also in this one. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Zealous Quill Press, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun, sexy book. Sabrina and Constantine have been married for two years, but living apart for most of those. Sabrina has always suffered from social anxiety, while Constantine has grown up with a dominating father who has shaped his life. After two years, Sabrina decides that she will approach her husband so that they can resume marital relations - for the sake of a child. Constantine also wants to make changes in his life, but he's not sure how to do it.

Sabrina and Constantine work through their issues with a little misguided help from their friends. What we most appreciated about this book was how the 3rd act conflict was handled: although there was a(n almost inevitable) fight, our MCs were able to take what they had learned about communication and work through their disagreement together. Also since there was the setup and potential for major angst through misunderstanding, it was great to have a couple work together to address their concerns.

Sabrina and the Earl of Aldington, Constantine, have been married for two years but might as well be strangers. Theirs was an arranged marriage and Sabrina spends her time at their country home until one day she shows up unexpectedly at their London townhouse demanding her marital rights.

Constantine has been groomed his whole life to be Duke. He is somewhat aloof and cold, especially when compared to his lighthearted and frivolous brother Lucien, the owner of the Phoenix Club. I love seeing a woman find her strength and go after what she wants. There were times that I wanted to kick both Constantine and Sabrina in the head, but that only goes to show that Darcy Burke's writing envelops the reader into this world.

Darcy Burke is an autobuy author for me and this book is no different than what I have come to expect from her. Fun characters with depth, wonderful descriptive plots and the escapism of Regency romance. This was a fantastic story of two people forging their own future with steamy, descriptive love scenes. The character development is one of my favorite aspects of Burke's writing and I cannot wait until Lucien finds his happy ending because it will take one helluva woman to keep his interest (and maybe we have already met her in this book?)

Thank you NetGalley and Zealous Quill Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

When passionless Constantine’s wife, Sabrina, comes to town demanding he fulfill his marital duties he is shocked. Finding he likes this uncharacteristically aggressive side of his wife, he turns to his scandalous brother for advice. Sabrina and Constantine both learn to communicate their desires. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Zealous Quill Press for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Zealous Quill Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

This was a steamy romance read that was a page turner from the beginning. Con and Sabrina had a fun relationship to explore. As Sabrina got to know Constantine we also got to know him. It was nice to learn about him as Sabrina did. I also enjoyed that they were both out of their element. We normally don’t see the male main character struggle with seduction. It was a fun plot line to explore.

I enjoyed watching Sabrina come out of her shell and into herself. She was aware of her insecurities and embraced them. I also enjoyed how she chased Con almost as much as he chased her. It was a fun romantic dynamic.

I think it would have been cool to see some more flashbacks of Sabrina and Constantine younger. Just to get a little bit more of an understanding of them. Or even have a prologue from their wedding day. I also would have loved to see some scenes at Hampton Lodge. As it sounded beautiful with the gardens she created. I loved the watercolor book description.

Overall really enjoyed it!

The romance of Sabrina and Con is different from most HR books in that the couple are married and their sex life is nonexistent. How they grow from this into a marriage of passion and communication makes for a great story. The only reason I am giving it 3 stars is because I found myself skipping sections and I am not fond of novels that spend a great deal of time in ballrooms.

Two people forced into a marriage they didn’t really want, learn to love each other, they are both novices in the world of sex and procreation, this is their journey of discovery of both their own and each other’s minds and body’s.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Sweet and spicy, with one of the more affable heroes and daring heroines I’d seen in a while. Can’t wait to read more from this author

I really enjoyed this! Earlier this year, I'd read Improper from the same series, and I wasn't impressed. When I noticed this was the same author, I'll admit I was a little wary. Thankfully, this ended up exceeding my expectations.

I think my favorite thing about this has to be the romance. I can't even describe why, I just loved it. At times, it was hard to read because both of our characters liked to sabotage themselves, but it definitely kept things entertaining. I also loved that our characters didn't just jump into bed together, they did get to know each other first.

I also really loved our characters. It was so nice to have two inexperienced/nervous characters. So often, we see the "rake" figure and the naive heroine in historical romance. I loved that Constantine definitely this stereotype, it kept this feeling fresh.

After thoroughly enjoying this one, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the rest of the books in this series! The plot for the next one already has me intrigued, so I can't wait to see what it brings.

Thanks to Netgalley and Darcy Burke for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an awkward historical romance with barely any real explosive chemistry. The hero desires his wife but thinks she doesn't want him. Then one day she decides she wants to be different and attempts to seduce her husband although it becomes these weird scenes where he barely touches her and miracously orgasms. Just not what I expected from this author. A disappointing read.