BOOKWORM REVIEW: Forbidden French by R.S. Grey

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
SPICE: 🔥🔥.5

I always enjoy R.S. Grey books, because you never know what you're going to get other than a great storytelling and a wonderful romance. The experience of reading Forbidden French reminded me a lot of my all-time favorite R.S. Grey books --  Arrogant Devil. I jumped into a read with a certain expectation and was completely surprised and emotional by the time I was done.

Elaine "Lainey" Davenport did not know her fate was intricately tied to Emmett Mercier's. After all, they could not be more opposite. The quiet girl in school vs. the big man on campus. The meek socialite vs. the elusive but focused businessman.

But they have more in common than they think: Both are completely suffering in the gilded cages built from family pressure and social expectations, and their only refuge seems to be each other's company.

I love the opulent aesthetic R.S. Grey creates in this world. She whisks us away into lavish locations with lush backdrops. Intricate yet precise details definitely made me feel like I was in the middle of it all.

Between the aesthetic and the storytelling, this standalone read is almost like a historical romance read in a rich modern-day setting. I love the angst and drama which create more tension in Lainey and Emmett's smoking chemistry. Classic historical romance tropes are given updated twists that left me giggling with giddiness.

Their romance is a slow burn, culminating in a wonderful steamy connection. 

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to R.S. Grey for providing an ARC. **

ABOUT THE BOOK

Once upon a time, Emmett Mercier was the golden boy of St. John’s Boarding School. The crown prince of his father’s vast business empire, unapologetically attractive…oh, and fluent in French.

At school, I kept a picture of him hidden beneath my pillow, a tiny token of my adolescent infatuation, but I might as well have been worshiping a distant demigod. He was hardly aware of my existence. I was far too young, and he was far too consequential—until one day we found ourselves alone together in the dark library and struck up a friendship…of sorts.

But in the years since leaving St. John’s, I’ve no longer bothered yearning for Emmett. What a useless dream. I would have gone crazy trying to keep up with his jet-setting life. Which Parisian hotel is he calling home now? Is there some new lithe model draping herself across his lap today?

My negligence comes back to bite me. I’m ill-prepared the day he strides into my art gallery. There’s only a mere trace of the boy I once knew. Self-assured, handsome, intoxicating—Emmett is more man than I can handle.

There’s no room for him in my gilded cage. My life is planned to a T. From where I go to how I dress, it all depends on the calculated whims of my grandmother. Soon, I’ll even dutifully walk down the aisle toward a man of her choosing.

Emmett can’t stand my obedience. Now that we’ve rekindled our friendship, he’s intent on unearthing my heart’s true motives.

And therein lies the problem: I was doing just fine without him, but now that he’s rattling the bars of my cage, I’m forced to acknowledge the truth.

Once upon a time, Emmett Mercier was all I wanted. The midnight wanderings, the whispered nothings, the unbearable longing—they etched indelible marks on my soul. Even now, after all these years, my heart is only fluent in one language.

Forbidden French.

Get Your Copy (Free with Kindle Unlimited) ➡️ https://amzn.to/3WTXHAh
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MEET R.S. GREY

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels. She lives in Texas with her husband and daughter, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com

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