This is a fluffy bit of erotica taking place in the exotic bedrooms of the Forbidden Palace and has as much substance as gauze and smoke. That’s not to say it wasn’t a quick, effortless read … just that there’s not much more there beyond the romance. The world building of the palace, of the Chinese culture is thin and scant with the focus on the relationship between the two main leads.

If you’re just looking for some candy fluff to read, you might have fun with this. But if you want something richer or more substantial, or something that goes into greater depth and detail regarding China and it’s Emperor and his court, you’d need to look elsewhere.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me an ARC.

This is a great historical romance! I really enjoyed the setting! It was a less common setting and was a really well written romance!

Who do you trust?

I really enjoy Jade Lee's writing and this book is well written.
Chen Ji Yue is well skilled and trained in politics and knows her path to power.
The bump in that path is the only other non eunuch in the palace, besides the emperor, Sun Bo Tao.
Sun Bo Tao is the emperor's bf and the only other male with his bits intact that he trusts. Too bad he has a thing for a potential empress, Chen Ji Yue.
Recommend.

I feel really conflicted about this book! I appreciate historical romance set outside of the Western world, so this romance about a prospective Empress of China who falls for an unsuitable man is right up my alley. That said, all of the sexual encounters (even, from a certain perspective, the very last one) have some kind of dubcon element. In addition, the setting seems less based on history and more on historical stereotype. Honestly, this criticism could be leveled at many historical romances, but since this is written for consumption by a Western audience, I wish it had been handled more sensitively. Even an author's note explaining the historical setting - the emperor's harem - and the accuracy/chosen inaccuracies in portraying it would have gone a long way to addressing some of my concerns.

That said, the writing was high quality and I did enjoy how well-suited the characters were for each other. I'm looking forward to the third in the series, since it will take place far from Imperial Court politics and the inherent power differential there.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Temptress by Jade Lee is a third person dual-POV romance set in Imperial China around the time of trade with Europe and the lead-up to the Opium War. Ji Yue is the daughter of a lower scholar who was raised to be a political wife. When a man is found in her palanquin on her way to the Forbidden City, she kicks him out and continues on her way. But in the palace, she learns that the man she kicked out was none other than Bo Tao, the Emperor’s childhood best friend and the Master of the Festival and he holds Ji Yue’s fate in his hands.

One of the things I really liked was how the time period goes against the popular perception of the Forbidden City. I think many people who don’t have a strong background knowledge in Chinese history might view it as being a lot further in the past than it actually was, with the City opening in about 1450 and closing in the early twentieth century. Jade Lee also brought in aspects of how the Opium War began, particularly with Europeans bribing officials while the Emperor was trying to keep opium out.

Ji Yue and Bo Tao are a pair of star-crossed lovers who truly are fighting an almost impossible battle to be together. They start off on the wrong foot and keep making missteps around each other but there is an attraction there. Bo Tao is attracted to her intelligence and her combative personality while Ji Yue is initially into the more physical aspects and starts developing romantic feelings.

Bo Tao does break some boundaries but most of them are with Ji Yue’s permission and Tempetress includes a plot point that is a massive turn-off for some, namely that Bo Tao saves Ji Yue from being assaulted. I personally didn’t mind it because their relationship had progressed enough by that point that they were already aware of each other’s feelings and I’m comfortable with it once a relationship has been established. However, I know it can be triggering or is something that some readers just do not want to read because of the male power fantasy of saving a woman from being assaulted.

Content warning for attempted sexual assault

I would recommend this to fans of historical romances that do not take place in the Regency period and those looking for a Chinese historical romance that takes place in the Forbidden City

Temptress by Jade Lee revolves around the selection of Imperial Virgins for the Emperor, one of whom will become the Empress while the others a certain level of harem concubine. Ji Yue enters the competition in hopes of elevating her family's wealth and status, but becomes entangled with Bo Tao, the Emperor's best friend and person in charge of the competition. While an interesting look into Imperial China, the heavy sexual tension and interplay seemed a replacement for true romantic tension between the leads, and so did not work as well for me. However, if you are looking for high heat romance in a non-typical setting and historical period, this may suit you. I am intrigued by the teaser for the third book in the series, though.

Heat level: 5

Temptress by Jade Lee
Forbidden Pleasures series #2. Historical romance.
Emperor Xian Feng must choose a wife. All nobel virgins must come to the Forbidden City to compete to become Empress. Dozens will become part of the harems. But only if they are able endure three trials of purity, the dowager empress and the greedy eunuchs that can make a bribe disappear in the blink of an eye. Families chance everything for their daughter to be Empress and only that one family be rewarded with riches. Most will never see their daughters again. Even if they don’t make the final selection, most will never go home.
Sun Bo Tao is the emperor’s best friend and is trusted to oversee the tests and trials of the virgins. He doesn’t expect to fall in love with one of them himself. He faces possible death for touching one yet he can resist Ji Yue.
Chen Ji Yue has trained her whole life to become Empress. Her mother has given her advice to think smart and be aware. She’s trained to be a political wife and look beyond the obvious. But her ivory beads are barely enough for average and many of the other virgins will undermine at every opportunity. When Sun Bo Tao pushes and tempts, Ji Yue feels more than she even has in the past. How is that he makes her feel so much when her future is for another?

A sensuous story. A historical story of a dynasty. Sad, tempting, hopeful and a bit erotic.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

As I prepared to dnf this book at a dismal 20%, I wondered, HOW in the hell did I get from rating the first book in this series, VIXEN, a 5 star desert island keeper..... to here???

The answer is CONSENT. Book one had lots of consent. This book is dub con at best, non con at worst. This is gross. I'm appalled at what the MMC is going to do to the FMC. Immediately no.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Temptress is the second of Jade Lee's books in the Forbidden Pleasures series, set in 1851 Imperial China. Chen Ji Yue is among many women in the process of being selected for the Emperor's harem. The top candidate may become Empress, while others of the Imperial Virgins may be relegated to lower harems. Sun Bo Tao is the Master of the Festival, in charge of overseeing the virgins in the selection process. He's taken a strong interest in Ji Yue, even though her body should only be for the Emperor. Their mutual lust draws them together, and she asks Bo Tao to teach her the ways of seduction.

I always enjoy reading HR set outside of England, and when I do, I end up paying a lot of attention to the worldbuilding. This book makes me want to pick up some nonfiction on late Imperial China, only because the worldbuilding and premise feels sensational to me. I don't have as much of a reference point to fill in the gaps here, and always find myself wondering at the historical component vs the imagined.

Temptress is character driven erotica, and is entirely a play on power, with the emphasis that Ji Yue has almost no power to give consent in her position. Jade Lee does give Ji Yue the power of some choice, but the book gets darker with CW for forced drug use and dub-con. I found this book more interesting than enjoyable overall. But it's still a very steamy novella set in a place and era we don't get to read as much of!

The first 75% of this erotic romance was steamy, and an enjoyable read, and then we get a drug induced SA on page which was just so unnecessary to the story. What did it serve?! Ugh. I kept reading only because I wanted to confirm if the MCs got their HEA in the way I guessed they would (they did). I am looking forward to Li Fei's book, but this one was a let down. Without that scene it would have been a really great steamy forbidden love story set within the walls of the Imperial Palace in 1851 China.

I really liked this book. Lee balanced the tension between characters so well that I was glued to it. Every small action between the characters seemed thought out and with purpose because it was a huge game of chess. I love books like this because so many historical books focus on the emperor and what is happening between him and others that we forget how everyone in royal and high class circles are also all playing these games of chess and plotting. I love reading these types of books and I can't wait to see more from Lee.

Book two of this series is as fantastic as book one. An intriguing look into the forbidden City of China as the reader gets to step back in time and watch the emperor select a wife based on a culture that is thousands of years old. The mystery, intrigue, and political power struggle can be seen based on this author's extensive knowledge of a culture so opposite from European struggles. As Chen Ji prepares to step into the role of empress to a nineteen year old emperor, she finds herself in love with a different man. A move in that direction not only can cause her death but that of her entire family. Will she find her way to an hea or will her life be forfeitted due to family, A must read

This story kept me glued to the pages with their drama and had me cheering them on to finding their happiness! I would recommend this book to all my friends and family.

Chen Ji Yue is the daughter of a poor bannerman. Her family’s survival depends on Ji Yue becoming the next Empress. On the way to the Forbidden City, she discovers a man in her palanquin. Ji Yue discovers later the stranger’s identity. Sun Bo Tao has the power to destroy her chances of drawing the emperor’s notice. Will Bo Tao be Ji Yue’s downfall? Can she prevail in her goal?
Sun Bo Tao is the emperor’s best friend. He has been chosen to be the Master of the Festival – the person in charge of all the Imperial Virgins. Bo Tao searches through all the candidates to find the perfect bride for the emperor. His success guarantees him an official position. Chen Ji Yue stands out among all the virgins. Can Bo Tao complete his task? Or will he risk the emperor’s wrath to have Ji Yue?
I admire Ji Yue for not resorting to the other virgin’s cattiness and petty machinations. She tried to help a couple of the girls and befriend them with little success. I also like how Ji Yue did not endure their cruelty and the eunuchs’ passively. She fought only when necessary.
I admire how Bo Tao wanted an official position than continuing as a hanger-on. He strived to help both his friend and his country. Sometimes I questioned the friendship between the emperor and Bo Tao. I did not like how the emperor treated Bo Tao most of the time. It did not feel friendly. However, despite that, Bo Tao remained loyal to his friend.
TEMPTRESS is the second book in Jade Lee’s historical- Chinese romance series, FORBIDDEN PLEASURES. The story can easily stand alone or be read out-of-order. I found myself flying through this book much faster than the first. The storytelling is much smoother. I like how the author does not go too deep into the corruption or the politics of the harem. It is alluded to.

Emperor Xian Feng must choose a wife and all the noble virgins come to Forbidden city to compete. Su Bo Tao is the emperor's best friend and trusted to weed out the weak, spoiled or stupid. He falls for Chen Ji Yue who returns his feelings....

I love the chemistry between the main characters. :) I like their banter. It's also refreshing to have such intelligent characters. Terrific historic romance.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

This was a strong sequel in the Forbidden Pleasures series, it had that element that I was looking for in a historical romance novel. It had the element that I enjoyed from the first book and thought the overall feel worked. The characters had that element that I wanted and enjoyed going on this journey with them. Jade Lee has a strong writing style and can’t wait for more.