I was completely consumed by this book - it's scorching hot! I rearranged my entire weekend because there was no way I was leaving my house until I had finished reading it. I had to know all about Savannah's sexual awakening and the steamy relationship between Emmaline and the commanding Duke.

The author does an excellent job of creating diverse characters. Savannah and her gamer boyfriend, Arcas, are both assertive and engaging. The way the author blends contemporary and Regency elements is impressive. Normally, I tend to skim dual storylines, but I was completely invested in both Savannah and Emmaline's journeys.

The Duke is incredibly captivating and Emmaline's own sexual awakening is a reflection of Savannah's. I'm eager to continue reading the series and discover more about both characters. There's a sense that there is so much more to Savannah's sexual awakening and Emmaline's journey with the Duke - I can't wait to see where the story goes. Emmaline certainly has a hold over the Duke, and I can't wait to see her take control.

Actual rating: 2.5 ⭐

This book was just okay for me. I found that although it says regency romance, it actually isn't. The regency romance part was the fantasies Savannah had role playing characters from her favorite romance novel, which was unique. I understand this is a novella, but there just wasn't any character development. I've read novellas where there's some kind of character development and I get to know the characters a little more. This was just filled with Savannah's fantasies and sex scenes. I don't mind sex scenes, but there was just something off about it. I even started to skim the sex scenes because I grew bored with them. I do appreciate the inclusion of alter-abled sexual partners and the alternating storylines between contemporary and regency. However, this just didn't hold my interest and fell flat for me. I will not continue with this series.

A quick read, that comes across as soft porn, more than any other genre.

There is very little story line, very little character development. Just porn.

Savannah is a highly sexed woman.  Although she has an active sex life with her boyfriend. Her mind often slips into fantasy to satisfy her needs. 
This was a quick read with not a bad storyline

Virtue by Ida Brady.
The Gamer's Girlfriend Book 1.
Savannah loves nothing more than a good romp in the sack. If she’s not doing it with her paraplegic gamer boyfriend, Arcas, she’s at the very least daydreaming about it, preferably with a duke from the 19th century. Her overactive imagination means she can’t help but fantasize about the R-rated pastimes of the peerage, adding her own scintillating scenes to her favorite historical romance, Love and Honor.
A good read.  Slow but readable. 4*.

This novella feels like somebody's therapy journal and I don't mean that in a negative way. There's a lot going on in this book. We've got our main character Savannah, or Van, and her paraplegic boyfriend, Arcas; the storyline of her reading a regency era romance novel with a Duke and a maiden that has been the source of her fantasies since she discovered it as a sheltered teen; and then there is the online journal that she keeps of her personal sexcapades And desires. So three different storylines happening within 81 pages of a novella and yet it works. 

Savannah and Arcas have a non-traditional open relationship, whether it is just who they are or because he is in a wheelchair, I don't know. And really it doesn't matter. It is who they are and the reader accepts it. They don't need to justify it to us. The character and their relationship opened my eyes to a diverse character and how he gives and receives sexual pleasure. 

Van's relationship with Arcas is very different from the way she was raised in a very strict, almost radically, religious home. I found this off-putting at first and thought, "here we go again, bashing religious people" but then the author expands and shows that her parents were not the typical Sunday-church goers but are actually verbally and emotionally abusive to Savannah in the name of religion and attempted to force her into an arranged marriage against her will. All of this is used to show her growth and depth. She has moments where she misses her family but knows they are toxic and abusive. And just like most children, she still desired their love and approval. 

This is written as erotica or an erotic romance.  There are multiple scenes that are very descriptive and explicit *and* arousing. But there's also depth and a story that looks to dive deeper in the following books. I would recommend reading this if you're looking for something short and sweet and a definite one handed read.  There is a lot going on with three different storylines but I suspect that they start to work better together as the series goes on. I hope to continue with the next book.

This was a very unique erotic short story centered around a lover of historical romance who wants to explore her sexuality and has the assistance of her paraplegic boyfriend. There is a lot going on between her fantasies based on her favorite historical romance and the blog where she shares each of her new sexual experiences. Well written, I would read more of this series and author.

Great (spicy!) novella! Despite being novella-length, the characters had depth, the plot existed, and self-discovery was had. Historical romance meets modern relationship, and everyone thrives. I really enjoyed this!

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this title. 
This was not for me. I am not sure what I was expecting, but this read more like porn than a romance? And even then, the only moments that weren't sex related were harassing the church, but what seemed like an old fashioned church? Overall, the most interesting part of this novella was that it was a mixed-able relationship. But even then, it didn't really go into a whole lot of detail on that (which would have been an AWESOME story, in my opinion). Basically, if you are looking for a lot of explicit sex and sexual liberation from the institution of an incredibly conservative church, this is for you.

“What we have together isn’t wrong. You’re sweet and kind and fun, and you’re entitled to live your life however the fuck you please. Even if you were the devil in disguise, you deserve to make your own choices because you’re an adult.” – Arcas

Virtue begins with the story of Savannah’s wild imagination running loose in her head about Emmaline and The Duke. It speaks of regency eras and wild nights of scandalous sinful desires. Savannah is a librarian that works part-time as a bartender to make ends meet. She ran away from an abusive house that was trying to push religion down her throat and convinced her that even thinking about reading books is a sin in itself! Her boyfriend, Arcas, helps her overcome her fears and explore her sexual desires. 

I loved this book because it had a mix of everything! Regency period? Emmaline and the Duke. Late-night raids with high stakes? Savannah and Arcas. Spicy scenes with a bit of threesome, DP, and BDSM? Yep. Blogging? Yes. Books? Hell YES! It combined everything juicy that we need in a book. I really enjoyed reading the scandalous scenes between Emmaline and the Duke, especially when he found her in the garden. What actually really impressed me was that Arcas is a paraplegic and the author wrote about his intimacy with Savannah in a way that I never read about before. The author showed us that not everything is about lust and penetration because Savannah was able to make him see stars because of some erogenous zones in his fingers. 🔥

Now on to the spice. I have to say that this book was extremely hot to the point where I was fanning myself after every chapter! 🥵 They were only 11! I want more, no scratch that. I need more! Can’t wait to read Voyeur and find out more about Savannah, Arcas, Emmaline, and the Duke!

The book delivered exactly what it was expected to. I love that it makes the effort to appeal to both contemporary romance lovers and those who love historical romances. 
Very spicy. Proceed at your own risk. Youngsters not allowed.

This was.... entirely bizarre. I couldn't finish it.  It's quite graphic and no character development. Then again, it is the first novella in a series so hopefully the future ones will have more development.

oh my god!!!

this was short and spicy. i genuinely blushed while reading it beacuse it was so shocking and like just so sexual. i feel like the main characters likes sex a lot, maybe a point to addiction maybe?? i think the book points outt hat because she was repressed during her like formative years that she had a high libido or wanted sex more because of that repression.  but either way, there was diversity. i feel that you don't genuinely see a lot of people in wheelchairs starring in an erotica, especially in a sexual male way. 

the writing was really strong especially when the story refrenced passages from an in-universe book. i felt that the characters of the story was very well portrayed.

I loved the idea behind this book but wish it was a little more planned out.  I would love there to be more detail on the characters.  The plot was a good idea but again I would’ve like it to be more fleshed out. I wouldn’t reread this book.

Not a bad book for the genre. I read plenty of bodice rippers when younger and my inspired imagination was often better than the real thing. A new twist on an age-old idea.

The unexpected merging of some of my favorite things. I loved how thorough Savannah's imagination was, playing out regency romances in her head. And, she's a nerdy gamer that enjoys spending time with her boyfriend - both partners who fully accept one another. A really great story that was the perfect length. I look forward to reading more in the series!

Virtue by Ida Brady is the first short story (80 pages) of three described as a contemporary meets regency romance series. It starts off well, and the characters are starting to take shape, only for the book to be finished.

Having finished this book in one go and wanting to find out what actually happen to the various characters I went looking for the other books in the series. 

At the time I looked they were twice the price (!!) of a full length printed book (currently the second book isn't available in the UK). For novellas of 100 ish pages, I'll not be getting them and I regret reading the first one (even if it was a free eARC via NetGalley). Why not put all three in ONE book, which would be normal ish length for a book, and sell it at a reasonable price?

This was actually a really good read. I like the way it flips back and forth between the FMC’s personal exploration and the romance novel she writes in her head! And the representation of her disabled partner is fabulous.

I was pleasantly surprised with how much character development this book managed to pack into 80 pages that are, let's face it, mostly spice. To me, the mark of really good spicy romance is that it uses sex scenes to further character development just as much as any standard scene, and I really felt that was the case here. I felt invested in Savanah by the end of the novella and kept thinking about where her story might go next after I put it down
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

The description is a good representation of the novella, but still it fell short for me. We are immediately thrust into Savannah's thoughts and world, but we aren't given the time or detail to really connect with her as a character. The chapter breaks/jumps feel choppy to me, and hinders the overall flow of the novella. The sex scenes did not capture me like I thought they would, but this goes back to not having that connection with the characters. There is also a scene with very dubious consent involving voyeurism, as in they don't as them, but were lucky that everyone was down for it.....that we know of.
I cannot speak directly on the disability representation other than to say I'm glad to see that representation be in the main male love interest. This is actually the first time I've seen representation in the male lead rather than the female MC themselves. Arcas is the boyfriend we all wish to have and deserve. He is the golden retriever gamer boyfriend we all want to balance out our black cat girlfriend ways. He treats Savannah like a queen, but also like a partner that he communicates healthily with and accepts her wishes to explore herself. This and the overarching storyline I would pick up the next installation.