This is my second time reading this book and upon a reread its a 4.5 star read. I truly love this retelling and always think about it. It is the perfect pallet cleanser. I fisrt read it in 2022 and gave it a 3.75 and rounded it up to a 4 star but now its really a 4.5 star read. It gave everything it needed to give. It was steamy and at the same time had an amazing plot and character development. It was so fun seeing all the illustrations and notes of the author.

Villians rule. PERIOD. This is book one in Katee Roberts Villians erotica series.

Yasmina is a QUEEN. Never would I of expected in a book that is face paced to have a character development like hers. Shes trapped like Rapunzel in the beginning but stands like a queen in the end. THE LETTER OPENER. Like come on, that was everything. Underestimated throughout the book, Yasmina made up for it in chapter 20.

Jafar, a power hungry second in command man, kills Yasminas father and stages a coup. He not only wants power but he wants Yasmina. The tension between these two is deadly but soooooo hot.

I love that Ali (Aladdin) is the bad guy. I love that even Hook, Tink, Hades and Meg are in this. I haven’t read the rest of the series but hopefully we get to see them again.

The new deluxe edition includes the authors footnotes throughout the book and I loved that touch.

I’ve read many of this authors series and I honestly think this one ranks as #1 for me solely based on the spiciness. I will definitely be continuing this series.

Warning: if you want smut this is it. But this is not a believable love story. That being said I still devoured this book and enjoyed reading it. The plot is all over the place but the spicy scenes made it worth it.

This is a must read if you love:
🥀 Disney Villians
🥀consensual nonconsent
🥀 mafia romance
🥀 spice 🥵

This was spicy. This was unique. I never thought I would be attracted to Jafar. Like omg yes. Please, so much. I am so interred to read the rest of the series. Like so much. I want more.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Second book I’ve ever read with author annotations in footnotes and I love it!!!

I hadn’t read Desperate Measures before, but booksta friends told me this special edition was Read Now on NetGalley so of course I had to come get it!

I’m not a dark romance reader, but this was such an enjoyable read!! I raced through it in one sitting, and I have no regrets.

This was the first Katee Robert book I ever read and I loved the spin on characters from Aladdin. In this version, Jafar is very very likeable. I loved this so much! This edition is going to be gorgeous with the sprayed edges and gorgeous cover. I'm excited to see if they do more of the series in this style!

The story was really a lot of fun. This is a quick read and the pacing is great. I loved that this was a retelling of Aladdin, but in this book Aladdin was not a good guy. Jafar wasn’t the best guy either, but he was a moral grey character and provided a lot of pleasure to Jasmine. This book is smut, with that I mean the sex scenes were more apparent than the plot, but plot is still there, and I did enjoy it. Katee Robert knows how to write a good spicy scene, and that is always first and foremost in her writing.

If you are looking for a fun book to just let go and get lost in a fun retelling, then this is the book for you. Check it out now.

I enjoyed this, it was a cute short retelling/imagination of Jafar and Jasmine from Aladdin. I like the idea of Disney villains' retellings. Because this is a short book I don't think there was much in-depth plot but the Aladdin story is well known so there is that. The book starts with the fmc being sold by her father and Jafar kidnapping her. There is a lot of bdsm and kinky time pretty early on as the author usually does. I really enjoyed it when the characters developed more feelings for each other and towards the end when when we saw the fmc showing her strength and being badass. This version is the deluxe edition with annotations from the author and art which was nice.
Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for this arc.

I've read the entire Wicked Villains series when they were originally published and Desperate Measures was allways one of my absolute favorites! Reading this deluxe version was such a pleasure! This book is so interesting, naughty, and delightfully wicked. I love how Katee Robert can write an intricate play scene that is exciting to read and well thought out. Power play dynamics in kink can be hard to write so that they don't come off offensive, but Katee Robert executes those scenes with perfection, even including aftercare and pre-scene conversations without making spicy scenes sound cliical.

I generally prefer my books with more plot than smut, but I absolutely loved this. A hot evil Jafar and a feisty Yasmina were all I ever apparently wanted to read about. This book made me realise certain things about myself hehe.
There isn't enough plot to write a review based on that, but if you like smut with an older evil MMC and a younger innocent FMC then this is your book. Jafar has been obsessed with Yasmina since she was 20, and Balthazar's plans to sell her to Ali (a psychotic upstart) nudge him into making a move to have her for his own, and so, he kills her father and takes her for his own.
It was short, fun, and makes me want to read more of whatever this was.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Sourcebooks Casablanca

Honestly would read anything by Katee Robert when I’m in the mood for something spicy.
I loved her other series so much, I had to give these villian re-tellings a try 🤪
Now listen, I read these books specifically when I’m in the mood for something dark and dirty. I’m not in it for the best plot I’ve ever read - but it does help that katee always has an awesome story line with well thought out characters to move the story along.
I was totally here for the Jafar/Jasmine re-telling and it was a really fun re-telling to read. I haven’t had a Jafar one before I definitely enjoyed Katee’s view on it 🤪

Would recommend trying the new special edition coming out to anyone in the mood for something darker (but not too dark) and smutty :)

This is the steamiest Disney reimagining I’ve ever read, and I love it! It’s dark, edgy, and perfectly over-the-top. My only concern is that the ending felt different from the rest of the story. Can’t wait to read more!

"Desperate Measures" by Katee Robert left me feeling underwhelmed. While the book promises a dark and steamy retelling of the classic Aladdin story, it falls short in several areas. The emphasis is overwhelmingly on the erotic elements, which, while well-executed, overshadow any semblance of a coherent plot.

Jasmine and Jafar's characters had potential, but their development felt shallow and rushed. The power dynamics between them, intended to be thrilling and intense, often came across as forced and lacking depth. The story does touch on themes of consent and control, but it fails to explore these concepts in a meaningful way, leaving the interactions feeling more gratuitous than engaging.

The world-building and secondary plotlines are almost non-existent. I was looking for a rich narrative or a deeper dive into the characters' backstories and was disappointed. This novella feels more like a series of loosely connected scenes rather than a cohesive story.

"Desperate Measures" may appeal to readers who prioritize spice over substance, but for those seeking a well-rounded retelling with strong character development and a solid plot, this book misses the mark.

By now anyone who knows me, knows how much I enjoy this author's books. This will be the second time I have read this book - it's been updated since its first publication. I still remember when I read it for the first time, I was blown away at how different it was from anything I had read before. There was kink, there was queer representation and the world-building drew me right in.

I became an avid fan.

I believe there are some minor tweaks in the story - I couldn't tell what they were. The artwork was beautiful, and added layers to this novel. Yasmina and Jafar's dynamic was as compelling as when I first met them.

I received an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love how Katee Robert reimagines well known myths and stories, such as Aladdin in this case. But Prince Ali, fabulous he, is not the male lead here. Instead, Yasmina is now dealing with Jafar, who has just taken over her father's empire, and he also has Yasmina as part of the deal.

The dynamic between these two is incredibly hot as they fight the growing feelings they have for each other - as well as the outside forces that threaten to tear them apart. Yasmina is strong-willed, tired of being kept in one cage or another her entire life, and a worthy foil to the cold and calculating Jafar, who can't seem to resist the woman he's wanted for years.

A quick paced and satisfying romp from the queen of spice.

I really enjoyed experienced this book in a new way with author footnotes, new illustrations, and bonus content that really make this edition feel luxe.

The Wicked Villains series were a really fun time when I first read them so I was very excited to see this book getting the Deluxe treatment. I think the additions to the story really elevate the reading experience and I can't wait to get my hands on this book physically!

Desperate Measures was one of the first few Katee Robert books that I read! It’s not my favorite of the Wicked Villians series but I am so excited for these new editions and for them to reach more readers. The dark romance and fairy tale retelling fans will enjoy it!

Thank you to netgalley for sending me an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Well that's one way to hook someone into a series, Katee Robert does it again. I loved this book and the romance. This is a Jasmine and Jafar AU, need i say anymore? This is the series where the villian is the actual villian and he does get the girl. Highly recommend to anyone who wants a spicy disney retelling with a twist.

I love all of Katee Robert's work, but I especially love this series. No one writes stories that are spicy but hold so much depth like Katee. Desperate Measures explores kink, but also explores relationships with family, friends, lovers, and ones self. The deluxe edition is a treat.

Katee Robert forever!

I love this series so I'm super excited for this special edition! The features are all fabulous and I'll be adding it to my collection for sure!

If you're new to Katee Robert just know that she is one hell of a spicy good time and Desperate Measures doesn't disappoint! It's a quick, entertaining read that I know I can pick up when I need something fun.

Can't wait for this one!

I am new to reading Katee Robert's work, but I loved the Neon Gods book. I found this Desperate Measures deluxe edition to be attractive, and I wanted to dive right into the story. I read fast because I needed to know more about the Princess and her fate! Having Katee's notes at the end of each chapter was a treat. Bravo! Thanks to NetGalley for this spicy ARC.