Member Reviews

Blossom is the final book in the Black Rose series and without doubt my personal favouite for it's depth of emotion on both the characters' parts, but also for the wonderful snippets we get of life in New York as well as New Orleans. The descriptions of the food alone made me want to pack a bag and go! Ronan and Mary aka Blossom are both outwardly content with their lifestyle and being single. Yet it only takes one meeting for them to realize that there's something - or someone - missing. The HEA is very well-deserved and satisfying. While there is mention of the leading couples from the other books in the series, Blossom is a true standalone.

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The story of Mary and Ronan was a wonderful way to end this series. I had been waiting for Mary’s story and it was so beautiful. I enjoyed that their adventures took them outside of the Black Rose club, while still keeping it part of the story. Helen Hardt really created multidimensional and characters with unique backstories. I really want to be friends with Ronan’s grandma! I also applaud the author for taking on hard subject matters while intertwining the fate these two souls. I will miss all the characters from this series but can’t wait to see what see write next!

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This is book three in The Black Rose series and it Mary Ronan’s story. Mary loves spending time at The Black Rose Underground Club where she can be who she wants to be and then something happens that makes her question herself and she is ready to walk away until she meets Ronan who not only pushes all her buttons but also gives her what she craves. Ronan who is a dom and loves what he does and that is to give pleasure but outside of the club he is a different person and doesn’t do relationships but then he meets Mary and everything that he thought changes the more time that he spends with he. Wow Mary and Ronan have chemistry that is so hot that it sizzles off the pages and you will definitely need a cold drink at hand when you read this book because it is intense and hot. I loved the storyline as it pulled you in and kept your attention throughout and the characters were so well written that you felt like you were there with them and going through everything. I absolutely love this series because not only is it a BDSM story but also is a beautiful romance as well which I really love. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next and I look forward to reading it.

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Blossom by Helen Hardt is the third book in the Black Rose Series but can also be read as a standalone. This is my third book to read by Helen Hardt as I previously read the other two books in the series. Helen Hardt is one my new favorite authors after reading this series as she can tell a story and bring the right amount of spice.
#Blossom #NetGalley

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I couldn't get into it. The writing style didn't do it for me. I was really excited to read this one. Love the premises and the blurb. But it need a little more finition to hit the mark.

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Wow! The implied magical realism of the Big Easy was such a fun twist!
I really enjoyed this story of Mary's healing! My only complaint was how fast things wrapped up in the last 50 pages... I would have loved some resolution with Lucas and her past and the finale felt rushed!

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Known in the BDSM leather club as Blossom, aka Mary in her normal life, she is a submissive who is reevaluating her participation in the BDSM lifestyle after she experiences a bad scene with a dominant she was playing with. After some months, she decides to go back with her bestie to the club to see if she can get over her bad experience. She meets Ronan, who she immediately falls for, and who is smitten with her as well. Their romance begins and Ronan helps her to feel comfortable again and realize what her true wants are.

I liked the way the book incorporated the lifestyle of the characters both in and outside the club. It also did a great job of explaining consent for the lifestyle. If you love BDSM & leather club romances, then this book is for you.

I want to say thank you to Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and also to Entangled Publishing.

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Its complcated

I thought that Helen Hardt handled the story with a deft hand.
Mary is Blossom, a submissive that after a bad scene, she is reevaluating her needs and if she wants to stay at the club. Of course, she meets a Dom with very specific needs, in contrast to where Mary is at.
Recommend.

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I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is book 3 and Helen has done it again. Every single book just keeps getting better and better.

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Blossom follows Mary, an experienced submissive, who is navigating new hesitations about participating in the BDSM lifestyle following a bad scene she shared with someone. While she was unharmed, she is questioning whether or not she still wants to engage in the lifestyle when she meets Ronan, a half Scott half creole man who sweeps her off of her feet.

I really enjoyed the way this book handles the examination of consent as being enthusiastic & ongoing. I love that Mary grapples with the lifestyle not because she feels endangered or because it's unhealthy, but because her personal needs are changing as she ages, and that's OK. I loved walking with her and Ronan as they pursued a whirlwind romance.

I highly recommend this book for lovers of BDSM & leather club romances.

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I've loved the two previous books in the Black Rose Underground series, but I think Blossom may just be my favorite. I loved that our female main character is one that we've previously met and got to know a bit in her life outside of the club before we dove into her personal life in this book. And the fact that Ronan, our leading man, likes to wear a kilt doesn't hurt the spice factor any.

As this series progresses, it feels like more emphasis is put on the emotional relationship each couple has, rather than the physical. And despite the fact that parts of this book take place at the Black Rose Underground club, it actually makes the most sense that the relationship would focus less on physical sparks and more on the emotional connection; after all, the first book featured friends becoming more, so they already had the emotional connection and just needed to explore the physical side of things. But Mary's whole character arc would've seemed incomplete if she didn't first come to terms with her past scene failure before exploring a future with Ronan.

I thought Hardt did a great job balancing the emotional and the spicy within this book. Both main characters exhibited a lot of emotional growth within this story, from Mary learning to trust herself to Ronan learning to trust others with himself. I thought both the physical and emotional blended well together with these two, and I loved the path they both went down in this book.

Blossom was a highlight of the Black Rose series for me. Between fantastic character growth, great scenes in and out of the club, and some deeper discussions on the lifestyle itself, it was hard to put down Mary and Ronan's story.

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I was really surprised to read about Mary from Treasure Chest. I instantly loved her character and was rooting for her happiness. Helen Hardt does a fantastic job as always of showing us who the characters are. Ronan is a true gentleman but never thought he would want a typical life. Almost immediately after meeting Mary, he feels differently. They have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but with the help of Ronan's intuitive Meme, they are bound to end of happily together.

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This is a super interesting take on the underground club/BDSM lifestyle. I liked that there was more to the FMC than normal, she had a traumatic incident and it affected her and her life. I enjoyed seeing how she worked through it.
Scottish man in a kilt? Say less! I enjoyed Blossom and Ronan. Their romance as sub/dom seemed a little whirlwindish and out there but I went with it and it paid off! Another win for Hardt.

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New to me author Ms. Hardt continues with the kinky Black Rose Series with a reluctant submissive and a rich dominant. I am always on the look out for BDSM authors new to me. This book is probably more rosy colours kink than realistic. This is for the readers who want the spicy sexy without all the BDSM realities. This book can be read as a standalone.

My bet is that Ms. Hardt is not in the lifestyle or may have gone to a party or two. The kink in this story is what many vanillas believe the kink lifestyle to be. Can it be this way? Maybe. Have I ever seen it this way in real life? No. That's not to say that it cannot happen, just rather unlikely. Still, the heart of the story is less about kink and more about two people who found they need more than just sex.

Mary is a submissive who is experience ennui. Or is it? Her dissatisfaction with BDSM is coming across loud and clear. Even meeting a new sexy Scottish dominant doesn't jump start her kink. It may rev up her engine for other sexy shenanigans, but it doesn't quite convince her to submit. Ronan seems like the perfect dominant. He is sexy, rich, and wants to show Mary with gifts and expensive getaways. What more could a girl want?

Well... this is where I'm saying that Ms. Hardt may be missing a bit of the BDSM experience. What is clear to me, and maybe it's just how the author writes . . . erotic power exchange is missing. For specifically submission, the D/s in the BDSM, there is a greater need for that power exchange. It is missing throughout this book. Yes, there are submissive scenes or bottoming scenes. I get that Mary bottoms and serves Ronan. I did not however see any power exchange. This does take a certain amount of intimacy for it to feel great. That is what is missing for Mary and I believe even at the end of this book.

The romance between Ronan and Mary is a whirlwind of luxury and great food. The kink ads a bit of spice even if it feels a bit disjointed. This does take place in an exclusive expensive club hence the glitterkink category. This kinky tale is recommended to romance readers who like a bit of spice in their life.

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I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Blossom was struggling with herself after her last encounter and was scared to be in a scene again. Along comes Ronan, the great Scot, and he is captivated by Blossom. Would Blossom be able to get over her fears and be with Ronan?

As they learn about each other Blossom starts to trust again but danger is right around the corner for both of them. Can they heal for a life forever together?
3.5 stars

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If there’s one thing, this author knows how to do it is write a story that is steamy yet delivers a solid plot that is both intriguing and in-depth.

This book is about the BDSM scene, but it’s actually heavier on the romance side than the actual action of BDSM. The author dives into the topic of falling for your dom/sub and trying to work through that as a lifelong commitment.

One thing that Hardt also does well is create amazing characters and with Ronan, the main male character, she definitely has a winner. This guy is everything and he’s not afraid to show his feelings. Mary is strong, healing from past hurts, and trying to work through her feelings.

These two characters together are explosive and I really enjoy the fact that the plot is about the characters and their love for each other rather than the BDSM scene and figuring out the romance after the fact.

While there was a bit of repetition in conversation in the first portion of the book, these two characters shine. The plot is exciting, the steam is hot and heavy, and the connection between them is the bomb. The ending is so awesome too!

Definitely a wonderful, feel-good read with plenty of heat and interest you will devour!

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A thrilling story featuring the Black Rose Underground Club. Lots of spicy scenes featuring Mary and Ronan. Will Mary take Ronan's offer? Really enjoyed the book.

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This was technically book 3 in the Black Rose series, but each one can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I have read in the series and I didn't feel like I had missed any world-building or character development. "Blossom" explores the fine line between desire and control while taking place in the Black Rose Underground Club. Mary Sandusky is a seasoned submissive who is struggling with a scene that has gone awry, which makes her begin to question herself. Ronan O'Connor is a charismatic Highlander who throws Mary's world even more in chaos. The chemistry between them is definitely hot. I loved reading about how their relationship develops over the course of the book . The author's ability to delve into the complexities of submission and dominance adds depth to the narrative. The characters were engaging and the author did a wonderful job of exploring the complex emotions that were elicited in the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Blossom was equally as good as the others in this series. I love how this book showed a different side to the world of BDSM and how the characters built a genuine connection not solely based on their shared kinks. I love the cultural aspect tied into the book and the characters were so easy to love.

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A Hot and Steamy BDSM romance that is bound to keep you hooked from the beginning. This is the 3rd book in the Black Rose Trilogy which are all stand alone. Blossom is a seasoned submissive who is starting to second guess herself until she meets an Expert Dom Ronan O’Connor who flips her world upside down.

Helen Hardt has outdone herself again with this book. I feel as though every book gets better and I’m just hooked even faster every time I read.

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

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