Book Review: Sex, Lies, and Sensibility by Nikki Payne

About the Book:

Title: Sex, Lies, and Sensibility

Author: Nikki Payne

Page Length: 400

Publication Date: Feb. 13, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

Synopsis: Two sisters roll up their sleeves to run a dilapidated, beach town inn but must learn to work with the locals in this deliciously spicy Sense and Sensibility inspired rom-com by Nikki Payne.

There’s never a good time to learn you’re your father’s secret second family—especially not at the reading of the will. To add insult to injury, Nora’s racy leaked videos just went viral. Nora Dash has got no reputation, no dad, and only a forgotten beach house in rural Maine to her name. There are no other Black people for miles, the place is abandoned, but at least no one will recognize her O face in the backwoods. She and her free-spirited sister Yanne haven’t even knocked the traveling dust off last season’s designer boots when the first problem pops up: a fake park ranger giving tours of their property like it’s his own—and he’s hotter than the local lobster boil.

Ennis “Bear” Freeman is used to people showing up unannounced on his land. So when a beautiful city girl shows up with the deed to his unofficial headquarters in one manicured hand, he gives it a week before their whole crew packs up and leaves. But it isn’t long before they find out they work better together than apart. To his surprise, Nora’s damned good for Bear’s business, and his own secrets might turn out to be the thing that sends them packing.

LINKS:   Goodreads   |    Amazon

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My Review:

I really enjoyed Nikki Payne’s debut Pride & Protest last year, so I was super excited to read Sex, Lies, and Sensibility. It’s a modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility, but you don’t have to be a fan of the original story to appreciate this one. It pays homage to Austen’s classic while integrating fresh and relevant characters and situations that make for a layered and engrossing read.

Nora and her sister inherit an abandoned beach house in rural Maine and have a deadline to turn a profit. They meet Bear and his cousin, who are tour guides in the area and use the abandoned house as their unofficial headquarters. Bear assumes the city girls won’t last more than a week, but Nora and Yanne are there to stay. What begins as a bit of animosity and distrust between Bear and Nora slowly turns to friendship and more as they work together and realize they can both profit from a combined venture. But secrets in their personal lives threaten the blossoming feelings they have toward each other. 

The characters in this story are fantastic! I love Nora and Bear. Each has an interesting and traumatic backstory, and they have to deal with so much. Duty to his community, a past relationship, a fledgling business, and so much more plague Bear, and Nora faces the shocking revelations learned at her father’s funeral, family troubles, a dilapidated inheritance on the brink of foreclosure, and a viral video from her past that continues to haunt her. They and their stories are dynamic and nuanced, as is their love story.

The secondary characters are compelling too, and I particularly liked Nora and Yanne’s relationship. Nora and Yanne have a strong sisterly bond even though they’re very different, and I like how the author explored the benefits as well as the difficulties that come with a close-knit sibling relationship. These women are very different in personality, goals, and ambitions, and I didn’t always like or understand Yanne, but I loved how she served as kind of a foil to Nora. It made both of their personalities really shine. Even the antagonists are super fun to hate, and there are a few to choose from. 

Of course, my favorite part of the story is the romance. Bear is a delight. He’s so tortured and lovely, and his sense of loyalty, duty, and selflessness is incredible. Nora is a strong woman with a tremendous amount of grit and perseverance. And the two of them together have so much chemistry! I loved their friends-to-lovers, slow-burning romance and so rooted for this couple to take a chance on each other. They both have secrets and things that hold them back from being completely vulnerable with each other, but they both grow and change because of their relationship with each other. I loved it. On top of that, something I really liked was how Bear respected Nora’s privacy and never pushed her to give more than she wanted. I love that and the way their love story unfolds. And their sexy times are STEAMY!!! I may have swooned a time or two. lol

A fresh spin on Jane Austen’s Classic Sense and Sensibility, Sex, Lies, and Sensibility includes powerful themes especially the messages about sexuality, gender roles, the exploitation of women, preserving culture and the environment, and the healing power of community. It also includes diverse characters, and mental health and disability rep. It’s a thoughtful and thought-provoking read that is balanced well with humor, heart, and a swoon-worthy romance.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own. 

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Rating: 

Favorite Parts: 

• The love story.

• The messages.

• The banter.

• Bear!!!

Favorite Lines: 

Jealousy wasn’t a sharp and angry emotion, just longing in another form.

Tropes:

• slow burn
• friends to lovers
• opposites attract
• found family
• house renovation