Heather's review from Smut MattersThis isn't the first book by Victoria Dahl I've read, but it's the first historical. I was worried that her historicals wouldn't be as erotic and fun to read as her contemporaries (It's my own stupid thing. Even though I've read plenty of erotic historicals, I still have it stuck in my head that they're all kissing and no sex. It's ridiculous, really. I've read everything Courtney Milan has ever written. I'm working on it.) I should have known better, though. Victoria Dahl has never let me down. 
 This book was all my catnip. Childhood friends? Check. Long separation? Check. Both in love and both convinced they can't be together? Check check checkity-check. Caleb and Jess were so determined not to hurt each other any more than they already had that they couldn't do anything but hurt each other. From the opening scene, where they come face-to-face for the first time in more than two years, it was clear they were going to destroy each other. They were both so angry, at each other, at their circumstances, at how their lives had turned out. They were both so sure they were right, and they were both right and they were both wrong, which is perhaps the worst position to be in. 
 This story was so good. I loved seeing Jess and Caleb find their way back to each other. Both of them had been screwed over by other people, so thoroughly that they didn't even realize it until they were back together and comparing stories. This story is about forgiveness, of others and of yourself, learning that sometimes people do a lot of the wrong things for all of the right reasons, and you have to be ok with that if you want them in your life. It's definitely darker than most of Dahl's books, but it was every bit as good as what I usually expect from her. Preorder this one or pick it up immediately!