Let me just start by saying that Lexi Davis is becoming one of my “go in blind authors.” If her name is on it, I’ll more than likely read it! No synopsis needed. This spicy Novella was absolutely great from start to finish! And talking about a satisfying ending?!

When 2 broken strangers connect in the most unorthodox way possible, they lean on each other to fix the “issue” that they both have in common. What they don’t expect it for sparks to fly, potentially leaving them in more emotional turmoil than before they began this experimental treatment.

Overall a great read and Lexi’s writing style is always going to give you an epic experience. I will definitely be working my way through her entire catalogue, no matter the genre! Thank you Victory Editing, Lexi Davis and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Drawn in from the first page, can I just say, what a read! Kristi and T are so beautiful together, their broken pieces fit one another like a puzzle. This story is raw, bare-bones excellent and the spice was so hot (and I mean volcano hot!!). Fabulous writing and a thrilling novella!

I loved the premise of this book. Two people are led to a clinical experiment because they can’t “finish” when being intimate with other people. They both answered an ad from a doctor who claims to be able to cure them of their problem. They have each filled out several questionnaires about their likes and dislikes and are supposed to be compatible with each other.

I really liked that this book focuses on something that is a real problem for many people. The book was very well written, and though it was shorter in length it felt like a complete storyline with a fully developed plot and characters.

I would definitely recommend this book to others who enjoy spicy books focusing on real issues.

4.25 stars ⭐️ This is a super spicy dark romance short story! I’ve never read anything like this and I devoured it. Such an interesting concept! It’s emotional and intense. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lexi Davis for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

I’ve never read anything like this—equal parts scorching and deeply emotional. It made me smile and cry is was so raw. Kristi, desperate to understand why she can't orgasm with a partner which leads to her feeling broken, posts a plea online. A mysterious doctor responds, offering a radical solution: he’ll pair her with a man facing the same struggle. Enter T. What begins as an experiment quickly turns into something raw, intimate, and unexpectedly tender. Stripped of pretense—and eventually everything else—Kristi and T must trust a stranger's method and each other to find what’s been missing. They’re broken in different ways, but maybe, just maybe, they’re the cure the other needs. You’ll be hooked from the first touch to the final breathless page.

Hold Me For Now is a wonderfully well paced 85 page novella.
It is pitched as a dark romance however there wasn't anything particularly dark - we follow K and T, both willing participants in a sexual healing facility, occasionally prompted with advice from a doctor - it's unusual, but nothing sinister or twisted in my opinion. There's no coercion or shady manipulation, no kink or anything particularly taboo, and their relationship unfolds with genuine care and respect on both sides. It's a healing story, if anything.
What we are given is a short, emotional, sex-centered story about two people who perceive themselves as broken helping each other heal in a forced proximity, strangers to lovers program. Their connection is based on vulnerability and understanding, not only the intimacy, which is wonderfully sweet.

The novella format often can feel like everything has to move very quickly, but for this story I believe it is perfectly paced and works well. If you're looking for a quick read, I'd definitely recommend this emotionally tender, lightly angst-laced story.

Thank you to the author, Lexi Davis, for providing this arc read <3

This was alot shorter than my nornal reads but I devoured it in less than an hour. If you want spice and some frustration this is a go to read for you.

Wow, even though it was a short read, it was still good. I was wanting more to be honest. I hope there's more hahaha.......At first I was I had mixed reviews on it only the situation that both K and T were going through was weird at first until I kept reading and emotions came in and they started expressing themselves. It made more sense. I hope there's more to their story. I would definitely read it.

Hole Me For Now by Lexi Davis was such a cute novella!! It’s such a unique read! I have never read anything like this before ( in the best way possible) so my interest was peaked. It was quick an easy read.

There are some themes that are not for everyone so please as always read the trigger warnings!

Tropes:
Dark romance
medical romance
never been like this
taboo
forced proximity
one night stand to more?
spicy
one bed
strangers to lovers

That being said the spice level was 4 chili peppers. (the reason i rated it 4 chili peppers is because NOTHING has surpassed Deeply Examined by Lexi Davis as of yet this year! IYKYK!)

As stated before, this story was like nothing I’ve read before. While it is very spicy (which I loved) there were also a lot of emotions that the characters go through together. The story follows "K" who posted online seeking help because she’s unable to orgasm while having sex with someone else. So when a doctor reached out and says that he can help her with her BIG "O" problem, she accepts. Dr. Desire has a process in which you answer a questionnaire of sorts and he will make a compatible match based off of the answers. In order to help her achieve her "O" he pairs her up with a partner, "T" who faces the same issues and together they must find a solution or should I say ... find their "O" in this sex therapy/ experiment.

This story will draw you in instantly because true to Lexi Davis's style the pacing is fast, the spice is spicing, and the character's emotional connection keep you locked in.

K and T lay themselves bare (literally) to figure out what’s wrong. Both are broken in different ways and try to work through their issues with the help of Dr. Desire coaching them as well as reassuring one another. I loved how raw and real they could become with each other from the start. It helped with the build of their attraction and instant chemistry. They both have such different reasons for feeling broken, but they may each posses answers the other was looking for.

I like to remain spoiler free so I can't say much as this is a novella. I think this is a must read for fans of romance that's a little darker and are just dipping their toes into dark romance. Although the story does have a darker undertone and theme, the raw emotions and connections made this feel softer but deep and moving.

I found this story entertaining and gentle. I at times felt emotional reading this and devoured it while waiting for my child to come out of school. And that's what really stood out for me in this novella, the fact that it was deeply moving because of the emotional depth. There were scenes that genuinely hit hard and gave the book more weight.

If you like spicy, pleasurable, gentle romance then Pre-Order this novella NOW!
Hold Me For Now by Lexi Davis releases May 20, 29025, I highly recommend this to anyone who is trying to get out of a reading slump, as an in between read, or as a palette cleanser. It's just that good!

Did I mention the dedication?

“For the ones who never learned how to ask for what they wanted. For the people pleasers, the overthinkers, the ones who stay quiet even when they’re screaming inside. I see you. Please know you deserve someone who knows all of you—and stays.”

“Forever. What a beautiful word. It seems like something I should pay attention to, analyze, fear. But I don’t.”

I also recommend that you go out and get Deeply Examined by Lexi Davis if you liked Hold Me For Now.
Thanks to Lexi Davis and Netgalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest opinion!

Well ok, I loved this! I'm a bit shocked at how much I could love a short novella, but I really do! In the brief time with these characters, I truly felt for them and kinda instantly loved them. I'm not one for instalove and yet I totally fell for them in a heartbeat!

This managed to give me all the feels and bring the right spice in under 100 pages. It was such a unique story and I'm so glad that it caught my eye. I would love to read more about these two! I definitely recommend this novella and I'll for sure be reading more from this author.

Two people searching for something they have never been given. Hold Me For Now written by Lexi Davis is a short and spicy dark romance novella with only eighty-five pages of heart, vulnerability, and spice. I haven't read a dark romance story in quite some time, so of course I had to dip my toes back in and I'm so happy that I did because this spicy novella surprised me in so many different ways. I thought spice was supposed to make you blush and swoon, but let's be honest I actually had tears streaming down my face because this short story was so beautiful in so many ways that I can't even explain unless you read this precious little novella. I didn't know that the words inside of this spicy story could be so freaking beautiful, like damn y'all I was hiccuping trying to hold back my tears because who cries reading a spicy scene? This novella certainly isn't for everyone and that's completely okay, but for my dark romance girlies, THIS IS FOR YOU. I know some authors don't normally add in trigger warning's, but I appreciate and applaud Lexi for doing that with this one. If you do decide to read this spicy sweet thang, (which I hope many of you do) please check the trigger warning's, they will also be listed in my review down below. If you are looking for something short, dark, spicy, and sweet, I highly recommend adding Hold Me For Now to your to be read list immediately and mark your calendars for May 20th, 2025 for the publication date of this beautiful masterpiece. With that stunning cover, I was completely speechless with the beautiful and spicy words hidden behind the cover.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND VICTORY EDITING NETGALLEY CO-OP FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

Hold Me For Now is for the people pleasers, the over thinkers, the ones who stay quiet even when they are screaming inside, and for the ones who never learned how to ask for what they wanted.

TRIGGER WARNING'S
Vulnerable Explorations of Intimacy and Identity
Discussions about Sexual Dysfunction and Performance Pressure
Clinical Sex Therapy as a Central Setting
A Married Character Navigating Divorce/Separation
References to Past Toxic Relationships
Themes of Self Worth, Shame, and Learning to Speak Up for your Needs
Emotionally Intense, Open Door Sexual Content
Explicit Language
Emotional Manipulation (not by the main characters)
Voyeurism (for clinical purposes only, non arousing and professional)

~It was supposed to be a cure. Not a connection.~

"I have been the archer, I have been the prey. Who could ever leave me, darling? But who could stay?" -Taylor Swift

"Maybe experience doesn't mean shit when your body refuses to cooperate".

"Humor is my go to defense mechanism".

"It's easy to throw stones at other people's choices and ignore the glass walls that surround us".

After receiving an email that said: "I can get you to orgasm, one hundred percent guaranteed", Kristi finds herself in the "specialty clinic" which is a nondescript building in an industrial part of a city with one bed and a one way mirror inside being ran by Dr. Desire who uses a voice changer, who never reveals his face and name. Dr. Desire uses a speaker that's in the room to guide his patients through intercourse until they are cured. That can mean many different things for many people, but for the characters in this book, they can't have an orgasm during sexual intercourse with other people, but they can do it on their own. I loved Kristi, she was so real and vulnerable. Kristi is one for the girlies, she loves reading smutty fantasy. Kristi hasn't had a steady boy friend in over two years. Trevor and his wife or not sure what to call her are separated and the only chance Trevor has to get her back is to do this specialty clinic because she's tired of Trevor's lame excuses of why he can't have an orgasm with her. Trevor and this woman are high school sweethearts, he has never been with anyone else. Man oh man, does Trevor know how to kiss a woman, that was so sweet. Trevor is used to being a disappointment, he's not even sure he knows what love is, but let me tell you, this man has the biggest and softest heart known to exist.

Two broken people, thrown into a room together, expected to somehow fix each other. During their time in this room, Trevor and Kristi can't use their real names, so they use their initials- K and T. The vulnerability between these two was absolutely heart breaking, but yet so beautiful at the same time- K says: "I'm a fuck up. Who will ever want me? Someone broken like me?" but T says: "That's not true. You are not broken. You are beautiful and you are strong". These two amazing people literally had me in a damn choke hold. K and T were deliberately paired because they were both geographically separate- they wouldn't ever have to see each other after this day, they are both emotionally and physically compatible. These two broken people were so relatable to one another, they are both people pleasers that are willing to sacrifice themselves for other people. Despite being watched and monitored by Dr. Desire, T was so gentle, encouraging, and sweet towards K. Despite how spicy this novella was, I couldn't help but cheer on K and T as they navigated this journey together and helped each other out even though they didn't know too much about one another expect for the basic information that they can't orgasm with another person. Once again, the vulnerability was so strong and powerful I had to clutch my pearls and hold back my tears even though that didn't work out too well because like I said before, I ended up having tears pouring down my face. I wish the best to K and T on their personal journey's after their experience in this room.

If you are looking for a short novella that will have you on a roller coaster of emotions this book will be for you. You will find yourself rooting for these two “broken” individuals. Their words not mine. I love K and T together. I didn’t think a book at 85 pages would have me sucked in but it did. It started with the dedication:

For the ones who never learned how to ask for what they wanted.
For the people pleasers, the over thinkers the ones who stay quiet even when they’re screaming inside.
I see you.
Please know you deserve someone who knows all of you- and stays.

My only complaint about the book and I rarely say this but I do wish this book was a little longer. A added bonus would have been a chapter in T’s point a view after they left Dr. Desire.

Tropes:
Taboo
Dark Spice Romance
Forced Proximity
Never been like this
One night together to more

This was such a fun, quick read.
The story follows K and T who both struggle with intimacy issues and are brought together by Dr Desire to help them overcome their problems.
I loved how to 2 main characters formed a connection in such a short space of time that seemed very sweet and sincere. I would have loved to spend more time getting to know these characters and see what happens next.

I know this is a novella but I was actually impressed how much Lexi was able to squeeze into this book. I felt like we covered a wide range of emotions and none of them felt out of place or unnecessary. I think that's a real testament to her writing style, which is one I've enjoyed.

This is another book that is kind of crossing that line into taboo medical relationships, but it was done so well and in a way that doesn't make you feel uncomfortable. I found myself unsure where things were going in a plot sense and I was so intrigued that I just could not put this down.

When T and K enter a trial to learn more about their sexual preferences, they end up getting more than maybe they bargained for. They're hoping Dr. Desire is able to help them overcome their "issues", but it ends up becoming more of a self discovering journey than anything. I was afraid the book was going to end on a sad note after T and K go their separate ways, but I think the ending was wrapped up beautifully.

This is such a great read! It’s short, it took me about 4-5 hours to read it all the way through. It’s SPICY and I really like how T and K learn so much about themselves and each other in the time they have together. I only wish the book were longer! I could see myself being crazy about T and K- I would love to have more of them! It even had me laughing a few times because of the “awkward” encounters.

If you’re looking for a short dark spicy read that you cannot put down, I recommend this. Hopefully Lexi Davis will make a series out of this so we can get more of the characters, I loved their stories and connections!

A short, emotional, and spicy read that completely hooked me! Kristi enters an experimental healing program and unexpectedly bonds with T, a fellow participant. Their connection blurs boundaries as comfort turns to desire, with emotional depth that’s rare in a novella. The writing is beautiful, the premise refreshingly original, and the tropes, dark romance, forced proximity, one bed, and more! are absolute gold. Lexi Davis nails it again. Just be sure to check the trigger warnings!

4 ⭐️
If you like,
Short storys spicy, second chance vibes - this ones for you
I went into this with not knowing a single thing about the book! I was plesantly suprised!
The book is a short story, second chance vibes after the 2 main characters going through something intimate together. It follows two characters who in my opinion are not where they want to be in life and shows the character development throughout.
It was very short but did keep me reading until the very end! I feel i would of given this a 5 stars had the story been longer! I wanted more from the 2 main characters!
Overall, 4 stars. Very spicy and i did really enjoy the authors writting style!

3.5 Short, sweet, and SPICY. She packs a punch with her tiny frame. It’s an odd premise to start, but with a quick connection and sizzling spice, mixed with a free sex therapy session.

With the epilogue, this whole novella could almost be a prologue to a full story.

This book was not what I expected based on the summary/ description. I was here for a clinical patient romance with “Five Feet Apart” vibes. However, this was just straight up explicit content with no deeper plot going on anywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC 💕

This was a spicy novella following Kristi as she participates in an experiment to improved her sex life. She is partnered with T who is experiencing the same problem as her and they work together to try and resolve their issues.

This is a hidden identity, insta lust/love trope and as a novella there is little character development but I feel that the brief time spent with the characters was used well as we get a good idea as to what pushed Kristi and T to join the program and there is a 1 year later epilogue that leaves the story open ended for a potential follow on :)