It is a very enjoyable read for when you want something engaging, well-written, well-rounded, with a satisfying ending. I loved everything about it.

The Mistress Experience is such a funny and sweet romance story! I have read all three books in Scarlett Peckham's The Secrets of Charlotte Street series and I loved them all. While I definitely plan to read the first two in the Secrets of Sirens series, I could not resist jumping to this one first when I received the arc.

Thais is such a vibrant and lovable main character and I think starting with her story endeared me to the friend group in such a special way as I was able to view everyone through her perspective. She is so fiery and passionate and I love her zest for life.

Alastair is so gentle and compelling. I enjoyed reading his perspective and watching him work through his anxieties and childhood traumas that have impacted his adult life.

Their romance is adorable and of course very spicy! Definitely a 4/5 on the spice scale.

I highly recommend this for historical and contemporary romance readers alike. If you like to laugh and swoon, this is the author for you!

I have mixed feelings about this book. There were quite a few aspects that I enjoyed, including the fact that the FMC was experienced (as a courtesan) while the mmc was the inexperienced one, which is so rare. The fact that she was not shamed for her past by the mmc is even more rare. We rarely see this in contemporary romance, let alone historical, so it was quite a refreshing change. Both the mmc and fmc were likable to me. I loved how kind and sweet the mmc was; he cooked for her, washed her hair, and took care of her while she was sick. His love language was acts of service for sure. He also blushed so easily (men who do that are my weakness). But some things about the premise bothered me a little. I didn't like how often during their "lessons" they would bring up his potential future wife.There were a few instances where the hero opposed that and didn't want to imagine being with anyone else but not enough in my opinion. The fact that he was using her to learn things he would potentially use on another woman felt a little icky to me, like a means to an end. Thankfully it never happened. Though I would've loved to see him consider her for marriage earlier on and not let the bride searching go for so long, I totally get why he was reluctant considering his past. Overall, this was an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC copy.

I enjoyed a different take on a relationship, although I found Thaïs more grating than in previous books. And I actually really missed the relationship between the three female leads, because this one was so isolated. But hey, I'm never going to complain about a book series about women who use their charms and wiles to better the lives of other women, while not caring about what others think.

Peckham didn’t disappoint! I became immediately invested in both characters finding their way to some kind of happy ending since it’s obvious that both of them have dealt with some heavy stuff and deserve their very own version of a perfect happy ever after. I would highly be recommending this book to anyone who enjoys a good HR.

A bit of disappointment from me... the second book in the Society of Sirens thrilled me with its bisexual Duke and strong artist heroine. In contrast, Thais Magdalene comes across as abrasive and single-minded instead of strong, and Alastair Eden feels like a wilting wallflower who is very nearly accosted without consent. While the gender-swapping of the usual historical romances roles may have been interesting, the idea fell flat among all of Thais' dialogue, which seemed to be crass for the sake of shock value not because it helped develop her character.