This was my first book from Felicia Grossman and I wasn't disappointed at all. Ursula and Jay worked well together. There was good banter and sexual chemistry there. This is an author that I will definitely read again.
Thanks the publisher and Netgalley for this book. All the opinions here are all my own.

I don’t read a ton of historical romance anymore, I stick pretty closely to paranormal or contemporary unless something in the blurb sticks out to me. So when I saw this one with a Jewish heroine and a libertine hero I thought okay this is one I haven’t read before! I want to read more inclusive books across the board so I was excited to start this one. The setting is also unusual in that it’s Philadelphia in the 1800s – my interest was piqued all over the place.



I love prickly heroines and this one is prickly in all the ways that I love. Ursula – okay and first how much do I love her name? A name that evokes the villain from The Little Mermaid who I love because of her fatness and embracing herself no matter what anyone thinks. Moving on…Ursula starts the book bound and determined to marry Hugh, who is not the hero, but is her best friend. It’s immediately clear this is not a love match, but one of comfort and of understanding. She feels that Hugh gets her and all her ways that she doesn’t fit in with society.



Oh how I love Ursula. What’s not to love?? She is super passionate about so much, she loves animals, she has large breasts and doesn’t give a F about what people think about that, and she is socially awkward – partly because she is so painfully honest about so much. I can’t speak to the Jewish representation as I’m not a part of that community but it felt very realistic and contained such nuance. Society shuns her for her Jewishness but wants to embrace her family’s money. I felt the author did such a wonderful job of weaving these aspects into the story and balancing them with the romance and lighter plot points.



I went in knowing the bare bones about Ursula but nothing about the hero and I was pleasantly surprised by Jay. I thought when he was introduced he would be kind of the playboy rich guy and was thinking okay, I can handle this since Ursula will be a good balance to him. But what I got instead was a delicate portrayal of addiction. I think almost everyone has been impacted by addiction in one way or another and this portrayal rang so true to me. His struggle was really beautifully done and Ursula’s reaction to his addiction brought me to tears a few times.



And while all of the above sounds very heavy, it just didn’t *feel* that way at all. Ursula and jay have a faux relationship – squee!- and then it turns into steamy fun times – more squee!- and of course it turns into even more than that. They manage to have a lot of laughter, a ton of chemistry, and sexual tension galore. They have this wonderful connection over being so misunderstood by literally everyone in their lives and their banter, which is my catnip, is excellent.



Combining these two portrayals of aspects that were undoubtedly a verifiable part of historical life – Jewishness and addiction – into one vibrant romance was a breath of fresh air in a subgenre that can sometimes feel very stale. I jump at historical romance that offers something different than the oh so white cishet ones we get so often. So Alyssa Cole, Jeannie Lin, KJ Charles – those are names I automatically trust to provide a different perspective and wonderful stories. I’m happy to have another name to add to the list with Felicia Grossman.

I received an earc of Appetites & Vices by Felicia Grossman from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book. 

I picked this one up on a whim. I had never read historical romance before, but it sounded like something I would enjoy. So I picked it up - and I adored it. Appetites & Vices was fun, heartbreaking and totally new to me. And once I started I could not put it down. 

Appetites & Vices follows Ursula Nunes who has always lived her life trying to fit into the Philadelphia’s upper class. But because of her Jewish heritage and her quick temper, she has never been welcomed. When her first plans are derailed, Ursula knows she needs to come up with something quick. It's then she runs into John Thaddeus Truitt. John "Jay" isn't the man that his family wants him to be. He wants to live his life away from all the worries that the high society life brings. And he thinks a fake engagement, with a fake break up, will be his ticket out. But you know what never works well and both Ursula and Jay they start to feel very different about each other. 

I adored this book, I can believe how much I did enjoy it. I feel in love with both Ursula and Jay and I become so invested in their story. Because I'd never read a historical romance going in, I didn't know what to expect, but if all the historical romances I read are going to be like Appetites & Vices, then I am in. 

I loved Ursula, she was a woman far too good for her time, she knows how to stand up for herself and speaks her mind. But because of these qualities, she doesn't know to live with her time. She struggles not only to make friends but also to have friendly acquaintances. Throughout the novel, the reader is able to see Ursula pushed and taken out of her comfort zone - but not in a bad way. I adored Ursula as a protagonist, she was tough and was always herself. I liked that as the novel went on the reader is also able to see Ursula grow.

Ursula is put through a lot in Appetites & Vices and some of the things that she has to face are heartbreaking. But she is able to get right back up and not let it keep her down. Even if she is hurting - so much inside. One of the things I loved about Ursula was that she didn't need anyone to save her. She needs a little help and guidance on the way, but she stands up not only for herself but also what she believes in. 

Jay, he hurt me so much. All the pain that he has felt, I could feel it all. Jay was such a raw character, that it was so easy to feel everything that he has felt. Jay also felt very real. That might be because of everything that he went through before the novel even started or the things that happened throughout Appetites & Vices. Jay has this barrier that he has put up, and as readers, we don't really know why. But as Ursula breaks down his walls we find out, little by little, everything that has torn him apart. And as Ursula gets to know him, so does the reader. Jay does do some things towards the end of the novel, that made me want to shake him about, but he redeems himself. 

The romance was amazing. I feel in love with Ursula and Jay from the very first moment. The banter between these two just added level to Appetites & Vices. I love the fake engagement/couple trope, so from the very start, I was into this romance. And even those this was a historical romance, it didn't feel like it - and that was really nice to see. Jay respected Ursula and vice versa. The romance was sexy, but classy at the same time everything just seemed to work. I liked that they both feel for each other, but didn't even realise it. It was all natural. They go through some rough patches and they were hard to deal with, but it was nice to see that both Ursula and Jay could show a lot of emotions and be vulnerable.

For my first historical romance, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved Appetites & Vices. But this one captured me from the start. Felicia Grossman is an exceptional writer, she was able to bring to life two very different characters, that have really good character arcs. 

Overall, I loved Appetites & Vices by Felicia Grossman. It was engaging, heartwarming and heartbreaking. Ursula was a fantastic protagonist who just wanted to be herself, even if it didn't fit with the times. Jay who had been through so much, and had to come to terms with it all. And together they just melled. The romance was great, the writing was fantastic and I can't wait to read more from Felicia Grossman in the future.

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

- Review to come

Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

I really, really wanted to like this one. And there were parts that glowed - I loved the heroine, for example, and her father - but overall, I felt the pacing was so laborious that I got lost in the lengthy internal monologues the author afforded each character. I think Ms. Grossman has incredible potential as a storyteller and I can't wait to see where she goes next, but this one simply didn't work for me.

First of all, I'm so angry with Carina for flat-out ignoring the need for TWs, especially in a story like this, so here's some. I had to drop to book quite early on, so this list is potentially incomplete: TWs for cancer, substance abuse, microagressions and antisemitism.

I had to DNF this book only few chapters in, which I've done only very occasionally when it comes to ARCs. But I just can't force myself to continue, and it's all the hero's fault. He's constantly disrespectful of Ursula, berates her for her personality, all the while downright sexualizing her in a leery manner that made my skin crawl. He jokes about her breasts and blatantly stares at them to make her uncomfortable, he complains she's wearing a cloak while traveling because it means she's wearing too much clothes and he can't ogle her, he calls her voice 'mewling' ("She mewled the question, through her nose. Like an oboe. Played off-key."), calls her barely a lady ("He resisted an impolite gesture. She was still a lady. Sort of."). I've heard he gets better later on, but honestly? If this is how he's introduced for the first several chapters, I already despise him so much, any future potentials are completely irrelevant to me.

The moment we find out Ursula's mother died of cancer, a cancer with zero TWs because Carina apparently just doesn't do TWs, I knew I had to bail. Even Ursula, who seemed like an interesting heroine, couldn't keep me reading. This is a huge disappointment, since I've been looking forward to this book.

I don't remember when exactly I learned about Appetites & Vices, but I do remember feeling this desperate desire to read it. Historical romance is one of my favorite sub-genres and fake-relationships is one of my favorite tropes of all-times. So a combo of two of my favorite things was bound to have me all pumped to read this book. Luckily for me, it turned out to be an engrossing story that I couldn't put away!

The heart and soul of Appetites & Vices are the characters. I particularly grew fond of the heroine, Ursula throughout the book. She was just the sort of main character that I could read on and on about with her thoughtfulness, her passion, and her cleverness. Even though she came from a well-to-do family, she hasn't always felt welcome in Philadelphia society because of her Jewish background. Urs is not the kind of person to let that get in the way of anything. I loved that she was so willing to go after what she wanted. She paved her own way and it was hard not to want to root for her. Add to all that her adorable animals and her very relatable love for sweets, she was quite the charming personality. I also really enjoyed Jay's character. He was complex and so well-layered. There were many facets to his personality, some of which may seem unpleasant at first glance, but the more you get to know him, the more you realize just how much depth there was to him. Like Ursula, he too had been shunned in life, which led to him being damaged and lonely. It was a sad situation and it was tough watching him be so hard on himself as he battled with his demons.

It was through Jay's interactions with Urs that we see the more flirty and sexy side of him emerge. The two of them make a deal to be in a faux-engagement for their own personal reasons. Of course, anyone who reads romance knows exactly how such a fake relationship will end. I've read countless books with this trope and I never seem to tire of it. I thought Felicia Grossman especially handled it with a lot of flairs. Urs and Jay's banter and sexual chemistry were outstanding. I loved watching them interact, flirt and eventually, become intimate with each other. They both manage to find the worth in each other, which as a reader was something of a delight to observe. I may have squealed a few times ... Then, there were the sex scenes which were some of the best I have ever read. They managed to be steamy and moved the relationship forward. The journey to their happily ever after wasn't straightforward, but it was worth it. Appetites & Vices had a lot more going on to it than just the romantic developments. This story had a surprising amount of twists to it. Before I wrap up this review, I also have to mention just how much I loved Ursula's relationship with her father. It was so touching and had my heart soaring!

Having read Appetites & Vices, I am so excited that Felicia Grossman has debuted into the world of romance. If this book is anything to go by, romance readers are going to blessed with some phenomenal books. Make sure this 2019 debut is at the top of your TBR lists, friends!

I really enjoyed Ursula and Jay's story! It took me a little while to get into the story, but it did eventually pick up. This story is different from most historical romances that I have read as it deals with the prejudice against people of the Jewish faith and with addiction to opium.

Ursula is determined to marry her best friend. Unfortunately, his family has other plans for him. She comes up with a plan to make herself more likable to his family. She becomes betrothed to a man belonging to one of the best families in the region. She wants him to help her become more accepted by society. But her plan doesn't go as expected when she starts to fall for her fake fiancee.

Jay decides to help Ursula as he believes that their plan will make him look better to his family. He didn't plan to fall for Ursula. Can this unlikely duo find their HEA with each other?

This is my first book by Grossman, but after the initial slow start, I really enjoyed it. It was a nice change from what I normally read.

I loved the main characters and the overall plot of this book. Ursala and Jay were both smart, sensitive and flawed. They were able to see the best in each other and eventually themselves. With that being said, I found the writing to be filled with holes. Quite a few times I would have to go back and re-read because I had no idea what was going on.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

A promising debut historical romance !

If only Ursula Nunes could be as sweet as the desserts she craves. Her temper and forthright attitude, along with her her Jewish heritage, have landed her on the outs with polite society. She wouldn't care, but the one man she'd even consider marrying cannot even consider proposing to her because of the fear of his family's unacceptance.

But, what if Ursula could show society she is in fact worthy of entrance to their ranks? Being seen on the arm of one of society's darlings may just be the key.

John Thaddeus “Jay” Truitt is back in society after battling some demons, demons that continue to tempt him. Despite his fear his past addictions will ruin him, Jay agrees to fake an engagement to the beguiling Ursula who he's known since childhood.

As Jay squires Ms. Nunes around society, he sees a woman who is strong in her convictions and may just be a worthy match for himself, if only he can convince her he is worth it.

I adored the setting of this historical, America in the late 1800s, and a refreshing change of pace from Regency/Georgian England and seeing how Ursula struggled and triumphed with her heritage in a place where she often met with ignorance. I'm excited to see how this author builds this series!

He’s her ticket into high society…....She’s his ticket out…
Banking heiress Ursula Nunes has lived her life on the fringes of Philadelphia’s upper class. Her Jewish heritage means she’s never quite been welcomed by society’s elite…and her quick temper has never helped, either.
Former libertine John Thaddeus “Jay” Truitt is hardly the man to teach innocent women about propriety. Luckily, high society has little to do with being proper and everything to do with identifying your foe’s temptation—an art form Jay mastered long ago.
Neither of these people are quite what they seem. She isn't really the true daughter of the man she thought of as her father all of her life and he isn't just a libertine.
Both of these people have their secrets but she isn't aware of hers.

Can either one help the other make a life that is truly hppy?

This book is an interesting take on the Gilded Age with the obvious prejudices involved that still exist in spite of the number of years gone by.
It was at times a difficult storyline to follow but the book still deserves a 4.25 of 5.0 stars. I received a complimentary ARC of this book to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this title which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I really loved the plot of this M/F romance set in Delaware in the early 1840s. Ursula Nunes of the wealthy Jewish banking family is a very attractive blonde with absolutely NO social skills. Jay Truitt is a broken man, a recovering opium addict. The two decide to pretend to be engaged so as to raise Ursula's social status so she will be deemed worthy to marry Hugh Middleton - not that she loves Hugh, but they sort of grew up together and figure marriage to each other will be better that being sold to the highest bidder. Jay plans to run off to Europe after the broken engagement and live a life free of his demanding family who find him a complete and utter failure.

I like the premise, but unfortunately I had a difficult time with the writing style throughout. Each MC spends a lot of time in their head pondering, mulling, agonizing, etc. (plus Ursula cries a lot - A LOT) plus there are loads of secrets that are foreshadowed for most of the book. At times the convoluted situations, plans and interactions felt like too much effort to decipher, and I'm still not certain about some plot points!

However, Grossman writes a great sex scene and the chemistry and relationship between Ursula and Jay is sizzling and very passionate. I also liked the character development and the way Jay uses poker to teach Ursula how to hide her emotions and get what she wants and deserves.

I liked the plot but the intensely convoluted writing style did not work for me personally. 3.5 stars

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this story and the authors writing. The hero, Jay, came with issues as did the heroine. Ursula seemed redoubtable. She has an envieable joie de vivre, probably applied and learnt because of the prejudice she encountered. There was plenty of jeopardy and I was certainly glad they got their HEA and will look out for the next book in this series. It's different in that it's set in America in Victorian times.

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

This Victorian-era historical romance set in America features a recovering opium addict and an intelligent, cake-loving Jewish woman. Both are determined to have a say in their futures, and what better way to ensure that than by having a fake engagement?

The "fake engagement" trope is brilliant twisted by having Ursula's family in on the secret, and I loved the sensitivity with which Grossman wrote about the Jewish struggle in early America. While many miscommunications occur in the novel, these mistakes are made out of love and a desire to fix a situation--it isn't overblown. Jay's addiction is heartbreakingly sad, and I appreciate that it is not magically cured by love.

Excellent characterization, and wonderfully heartfelt struggles with one's place in society. Author Felicia Grossman is one to watch!

Netgalley review.

Appetites & Vices is a wonderful debut by Felicia Grossman. Highly recommended for anyone who loves the fake relationships/marriages of convenience trope.

Banking heiress Ursula Nunes has lived her life on the fringes of Philadelphia’s upper class. Her Jewish heritage means she’s never quite been welcomed by society’s elite…and her quick temper has never helped, either. When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Felicia Grossman is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this book.Can't wait for the next book.

This review will be posted on 2/11/19 on the blog One Way Or An Author!

APPETITES AND VICES is a sweet start to a series based in historical United States! It follows the shy, quirky but rich heiress Ursula and a returning rake who is suffering from past opium addiction, Jay. Both characters were super fleshed-out and flawed, making the book an ultimately enjoyable read. While I thought their progressing romance was sweet, there was something a little messing for it, for me.

Although Ursula has the looks, brains, and wealth to be successful in society, her Jewish heritage closes up more doors than opens. Jay is known as a wastrel and useless, but his own heritage as an old family of the US opens more doors than closes. In the very first chapter, we see them set up a grand plan that may benefit them both: if they pretend to be engaged, Ursula could have access to society parties, and Jay could have a reason to leave the continent after being “jilted.” All’s well, ends well right? Not really.

“Society rewarded conformity. The woman was doomed. Ursula Nunes was a four-time deviant. Her Jewishness, her wealth, her near-aggressive beaut, and her charm - or lack thereof - made her almost hopeless.”

I really enjoyed the author’s poignant tidbits on how society worked, and how a smart woman like Ursula would have trouble navigating it. Ursula is also shy and has some anxiety around large crowds, which leads to her not knowing what to say or do sometimes. Even so, she’s very adamant and upfront about what she wants, which makes her a very endearing character to me. While Jay is known to be a scoundrel, he’s actually very sensitive. He cares a lot about what other people think about him, but also does nothing to negate rumors surrounding him. One thing I didn’t like about him at first was how judgemental he was about Ursula when he first saw her. Like the above quote was his description of Ursula, and I thought that was so rude (HAHA). It’s okay though, his feelings definitely change as he grows to love her.

“Jay lived in a world free of real consequences. His type paid a pittance, if anything, for their mistakes, while hers could execute flawlessly and still be denied even the smallest opportunities.”

I thought there was a good focus on both characters and their growth: for Ursula, it was how to navigate relationships and interactions, while for Jay it was how to stand up for what he wanted. The romance part was slowly led, and I kind of wish there was more of an emphasis on it. For the most part, Ursula and Jay’s romance was bogged down but plot twists at every turn in the latter half of the book, surrounding both characters. Like, a LOT was going on at that point. Readers had to switch quickly from Jay’s past, to Ursula’s family history, to present gossip about Jay, to the revelations about Ursula that would impact her life. Everything became a tad bit dramatic towards the end of the story, and that really bogged the book down for me. I think the characters would have been able to learn with or without those revelations, and one situation would have been enough - not two. Or if both were necessary, perhaps space them out a bit more because it really felt like we went through problems, back-to-back.

In the end though, we have a delightful HFN (although I would have loved an epilogue! Abrupt ending much?) and really great and satisfying conclusions for the main couple and their friends and family. While I enjoyed the book, I didn’t appreciate all the obstacles/problems being thrown left and right, and I really think the book would have been good (or better) without their addition. Even so, I think historical romance readers will still enjoy this one - especially with the nuances on Ursula’s character and the limitations she has due to her Jewish heritage. I thought those parts were really well-written, and will hopefully be revisiting the series again!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Trigger Warnings: addiction, sexy times (including bondage), grief/loss of loved one, anxiety, anti-Semitism

An interesting and diverse story, it was my first time reading about a jew heroine in a historical romance. With two fascinating main characters.

It made me laugh at loud (and that is rare) and I was fascinated by the MC's at first and I had so much fun reading their interactions but in the end I just found myself being annoyed by them.

I understand that in this genre is common to be harsher on the heroines than on the heroes. That's not something I do. I have to like both of the MC to actually like the book.

I wanted to love Ursula because I saw on Twitter that she was an "unlikable heroine" and she has low self esteem and that are my favourites kind of heroines because we get to see how they learn to love herself but in this case I couldn't connect with Ursula.

My problem was that I lost my interest quickly, the things I found funny or charming at first turned out to be annoying. And I think the book was repetitive and I think the MC were immature and I keep using that word but I was annoyed by them.

But that's just me.

If you like the trope "fake arrangements" and you would like to read about Jews in historical romance you should give this book a try.

I really loved this book. I don't often read historical romances and the genre is somewhat new to me but I really enjoyed this book and I feel like it had a good balance of everything a good romance has. It had lovable characters, chemistry, good story and it also had a steamy romance.

I loved this delightful, thoughtful historical romance! APPETITES & VICES is the story of Ursula and Jay, as they navigate an upper-class Philadelphia society that is hostile toward each of them for different reasons. Ursula, because she’s Jewish and outspoken like her late mother, and Jay because he has a reputation as a spoiled playboy. When these two strike a deal to get what they want, sparks fly, past mistakes are confronted, and everything goes awry in the best ways.

Ursula is the star of the book, in my opinion. I love her for so many reasons, and here are some: (1) she’s strong-willed, (2) she loves sweets, (3) she’s passionate, (4) she has a pet monkey (and other animals), (5) she tries really hard at everything, (6) she’s tough but carries a bit of insecurity, (6) she has giant boobs that she’s not afraid to show off, (7) she tells the truth as she knows it, in all situations, (8) she’s smart but awkward socially. Ms. Grossman gives her such an entertaining, thoughtful voice, that the reader is pulled in as an Ursula fan from page one.

Jay is my first historical book boyfriend. He’s handsome (of course), more honorable than everyone in their world seems to think, and charismatic. He’s also a generous, gifted lover, which makes for some steamy, sexy scenes. Jay’s got the Issues (capital “I” is not a typo there), and he struggles, but he powers through the best he’s able. One of my favorite scenes is when he’s confronted with one of the said Issues, and he actually listens to his parents and turns his own destiny around. And boy, oh boy, is he into Ursula.

These two don’t have it easy as they find their happily ever after, but eventually, they figure out that together they make a formidable team, able to get through just about anything. APPETITES & VICES is a wonderful debut by Felicia Grossman, which I highly recommend.