This book just was not for me. Thank you for granting me the opportunity to read it, if I come back to it I will edit the review.

I had to put this one down. The writing was not as polished as I expected it to be and I did not get invested in the characters like I hope to do when reading a story.

This is book 2 in the Black Rose series, and I would absolutely read the first book before reading this one. Under his touch, your every desire will… Bloom. Today is the day Francesca Thomas was supposed to get married. All she wants is a stiff drink and a whole lot of distraction…which is exactly when she meets him. Tall, dark, and deliciously disguised, the man known only as Phantom awakens her every sense. All Frankie really knows about him is the raw, untamed chemistry that makes her want to relinquish herself―body and soul―to his touch. Phantom has rules, all designed to protect his identity. No names. No personal information. But Frankie is a too-tempting ingenue who threatens all of his cautious, careful control. At the ultra-exclusive Black Rose Underground Club, he can explore each of her deepest, uncharted desires…so long as he keeps his public life―and his secrets―hidden. Frankie’s ready to explore what lies between them. The intensity, the darkness, and the unyielding pleasure of it all. But while the mystery of Phantom is thrilling, secrets are one game she won’t play. And if she’s going to explore the forbidden, she’ll begin with finding out exactly who’s under the mask.

I really wanted to love this book. I really, truly did-especially as I really liked the first book in this series. But I honestly couldn't stand Frankie. Like...to the point that at one point I thought of not finishing this book at all, just because she annoyed me so much. I pushed through, but I still don't like her. The sexy times were good, I liked the story itself to a point. But, for me anyway, Frankie just kinda wrecked it for me. Now, that is not to say others won't love it. The writing IS good. The story flows just fine. It's just my tastes and how she wasn't to my liking. So take that with a grain of salt, because you may love her!

*** 2.5 ⭐️ ***

While at dinner with her family, Frankie’s sister announces her engagement, on the same night Frankie was supposed to be married. To assuage her hurt and anger, she runs to the nearest bar and meets a man wearing a Phantom of the Opera mask. From there, the twists and turns go quickly downhill in this story.

“Phantom” (Hunter) has closed himself off from emotional relationships due to past trauma and will only indulge in physical “scenes” at a BDSM club.

The emotional capacities of the two MCs could not have been more minuscule, and the petulant, childish tantrums that they both exhibited toward each other and friends/family members was just too hard a pill to swallow from a 27yo FMC and 35yo MMC. The amount of mansplaining and repetitiveness about the BDSM culture and clubs was nauseating due to the FMC’s naïveté about anything outside of her sheltered/privileged life (which was in direct conflict with her being a magazine article writer by profession and the amount of research she would have had to do for any given topic). The MMC was condescending at best and, at worst, manipulative.

It’s been a couple of years since I read the first book in this series, and I’m not sure what happened between then and now, but this book was written in such a juvenile fashion as to depict cringy sex scenes to the point of humour. It’s a good thing this is a standalone book in this series, as I would not recommend it to anyone.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Second in the Black Rose Underground series, Bloom continues the theme of the initiation into an adult club. In this story, on the day that is supposed to be her wedding, On this day, Frankie's sister Mandy announces her engagement, which puts Frankie in a tailspin. She ends up at a bar where she meets the mysterious man only known as Phantom.

Frankie coincidentally takes on an assignment to write an article about adult clubs, of which the Phantom is a member. He agrees to teach her about the lifestyle, but is not excited by the prospect of the article in general. This leads to some strife between the two. Can they work this out and move forward with a relationship?

Overall, this is a very spicy book, heavy on adult topics. I did have some difficulties with Frankie as she was not very relatable to me.

Thank you to the entangled publishers team. This book had an intruiging plot but was hard to follow and I ended up not finishing it.

Frankie is having a rough day and stumbles upon a bat where she meets phantom.


Intrigued she agrees to explore the bdam life to review for her magazine. Bonus if she gets to explore phantom too

Bloom is the second book in the Black Rose series by Helen Hardt. It's a series of standalones set in an underground leather club where your deepest or darkest fantasies can come out to play. I didn't read the first book yet and I didn't feel like I missed anything.

This novel takes a little Phantom of the Opera role play and twists it with a little BDSM. Francesca is still feeling the sting of her ex's betrayal and when a family dinner triggers hurt feelings, she finds herself in a bar talking to a masked stranger.

This was a fast and fun read. The chemistry is quick and runs the gambit of insta-love/lust. The BDSM is more introductory since Frankie is new to Phantom's world and the scenes are limited. It left more time for the author to build the story between the two. I would've even enjoyed a longer book with more build, Frankie coming into the lifestyle and a slower connection.

I wasn't a huge fan of Frankie at certain moments. She had a selfish and childish side to some of her reactions. However, I loved when she had her proverbial world rocked by Phantom. I also loved the bookish quotes and references from the classics. There are themes of overcoming hurt and grief, being able to find comfort in someone new and being open to your own wants and desires. I liked that healing was a focal point for both characters.

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Bloom is forbidden/hidden/mystery type romance book. Francesca meets “Phantom” on the day she was supposed to get married. He is gorgeous and wears a disguise. These two have a lot of chemistry. Francesca has to learn and agree to the Phantoms rules in order to be allowed to enjoy time with him again. He protects his identity at all costs. The rules are no names and no personal information. She doesn’t love the mystery and she definitely doesn’t love secrets but she can’t seem to get enough of him.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.
This was a great book and I'll be purchasing it for the library.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

I'd heard great things about this author but this is the first of their books I've read
I will definitely be looking for more

Absolutely loved this

Shew, I thought I loved the first one was good but wow this exceeded all expectations. Helen really knows how to hook you in and keep you reeling for more.

I had a hard time getting into this book the first time that I tried to read it. However, I tried reading it a second time and was able to get into it much better. At times, the characters felt a little mismatched and would have loved more build up on their relationship. I did find Frankie to be annoying and selfish at times which caused me to struggle to like her. However, I did enjoy the book overall and the sex scenes were amazing. I would probably recommend it to others but mainly just for the smut.

In this romantic tale, Frankie, a junior editor recovering from a cheating fiance, met Phantom. Initially seeking a casual arrangement, they quickly find themselves entangled in a deeper connection. Phantom introduces Frankie to the world of BDSM, and she immerses herself in the experience, respecting his emphasis on privacy and trust. Despite facing obstacles, their relationship evolves with thrilling and sensual moments. However, the reader might find it challenging to connect with Frankie, who, post-breakup, appears self-centered and seeks sympathy rather than expressing gratitude for dodging a cheating partner. The story navigates the complexities of trust and emotions, offering an exploration of passion and obstacles in a BDSM context.

Everything in this book - the characters, the dialogue, the plotline - was just so cringe and ridiculous. Not for me.

This was another amazing book by Helen Hardt. The characters were amazing. The storyline kept me hooked the whole time. Definitely a 5 star must read.

I loved this second book in the series. Frankie and Phantom’s chemistry is beyond steamy. They delve into their deepest fantasies together. The mystery of Phantom was what Frankie was first drawn to. But he awakens something in her and now she wants no more secrets. They both discover what they want and need in each other, and their ride together is exciting. I loved every minute of this book. This author knows how to keep her readers glued to the pages.

The continuation of a story with a new character in the spotlight is definitely a favorite of mine. This time, we follow Frankie's introduction to the lifestyle, and the air of mystery that surrounds the Phantom she meets at a bar. Little does she know, her life is about to completely change.

Phantom realizes that his life is about to completely change as well, when he starts to want more from Frankie than simple submission. I feel like this one did a better job of addressing some of the messy situations people can find themselves in with any relationship, not just BDSM ones.

A great plot with sizzling chemistry. I loved the characterization.
Many thanks to Entangled and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

As always I have adored Helen Hardt's books and this one too is steamy/spicy as usual!! There are just some scenes that are pretty repetitive for me. The plots are crazy and wild in a good way, as it is a dark romance and of course who would never dig for some strangers to lovers trope? I love how it's dual POV. Gives me better view of the characters.

This has left me needing more, Helen. Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC!