The audio narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown, the blend of historical romance with thrilling eroticism, is captivating. Set in 1879 Yorkshire, the story follows Ivy Leavold as she moves in with her late cousin's mysterious and troubled widower, Julian Markham. Hampton-Brown's narration beautifully captures the escalating tension and romance between Ivy and Julian, set against dark secrets and a looming murder mystery. Her voice adds depth to the vividly written scenes, enhancing the gothic atmosphere and the intense, steamy encounters. This audiobook is perfect for those who enjoy a mix of suspense, seduction, and historical settings.

Sierra Simone quickly became one of my favorite steamy romance writers! This audiobook did not disappoint! 4 🌟
This story had me all the way through - elegance, romance, suspense, growth, and most of all sex!

This was okay for me. I liked the historical setting but I just had a hard time getting into the story,

I loved this so much. I love Sierra Simone's other books and when I saw this was available, I could not help myself.

This is a good historical romance book. Historical romance is not something.I read much of but this one did hold my interest. The FMC is lovable and relatable. I would definitely recommend for those that enjoy historical romance.

I usually love me some Sierra, but this one was just not for me. I feel like it’s missing multiple pieces and just disconnected? Idk it just doesn’t feel finished. It feels like just the bones of the book. And just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean someone else won’t absolutely adore it. Thank you for the opportunity to listen.

I love Sierra Simone and didn’t initially realize this is one of her earlier stories. I’m glad to see she has always been a phenomenal author and can write a huge variety of plots.

I didn’t know what this story would be about when I first started and was surprised that it’s a historical romance. I don’t typically go for historical romances, but this book was very easy to follow and didn’t use a lot of historical terms/wording. I like the mystery of the character’s backstories and personalities. Sierra has such a unique way of telling stories and creating characters that is always fun to read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and enjoyed it. It is a new narrator for me and I liked her storytelling.

Quick and fast read. A bit too fast on the instant lust turned love for me. I think the love part could have waited until later in the trilogy. The use of modern vocab for anatomical parts took me out of the story many times.

The narrator for the audiobook was great with female voices, but her voice for men didn’t work for me.

Thank you to Dreamscape Select and NetGally for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Loved how the narrator gives the feeling of the era the book is written in. Listened to this so fast, I want more. Would absolutely continue this series to find out what happens next!

I love Sierra’s books, and this didn’t fall short.

This series is one of my favorites, and this audiobook didn’t fall short. The narrators were terrific and truly captivated you, they made these characters come to life.
I’ll forever speak on how Ivy and Julian have my heart forever!! It’s about time I reread this series again!! I cannot recommend this audiobook enough, it was truly amazing!!!

“The Awakening of Ivy Leavold,” by Sierra Simone

This book was good. It has a Jane Eyre retelling vibe to the story. I didn’t think the sexual tension would be so great as it was, but there was a lot there. The narrator did a good job voicing all of it out in a way that still felt slightly innocent which fit the time period. It’s fast paced and had intrigue throughout the entire book. The things I didn’t like were the characters weren’t very loveable and there wasn’t a lot of character development in the book, it is book one of the Markham Hall series so that might be why. 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

Zara Hampton-Brown expertly narrates this introduction to Ivy Leavold's story.

Sierra Simone is an auto-buy author for me as I have yet to read a book from her that I haven't absolutely adored and this book was no exception. This book strikes the balance perfectly between a sizzling romance and a mystery about how Ivy's cousin really died.

Despite the short length of this book, it neither feels as though the events of the book move too quickly nor does it feel as though the reader is being robbed of more story. I thought this book was really well-crafted with great pacing and plenty of intrigue.

One of the hallmarks of Sierra Simone's writing is her ability to write spicy scenes and this book definitely does not disappoint.

Smol warning, this book does end on a cliffhanger so you are probably going to want to have the next book ready on-hand.

Narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story by Sierra Simone ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I went into this book blind.... Holy crap I was not expecting it to be so sexually charged.

It's difficult to review because it's more of a conversation piece so read it or listen to it then we'll talk.

The Awakening of Ivy Leavold by Sierra Simone is an erotic retelling of the classic Jane Eyre, told in three parts. As a retelling, or a story inspired by, this book does a good job, capturing many key elements of the original story, while still encapsulating the erotic storytelling you expect from Simone.

Narrator, Zara Hampton-Brown it’s not new to erotic romance, and she encapsulates the lonely ingenue. Her innocent in naïveté, and eventually her curiosity comes out in this work. Having heard Hampton-Brown’s work in contemporary erotic stories, before I was concerned that the historical element of this could cause a problem, but delivered an excellent historical portrayal.

Overall, this was an enjoyable audiobook to listen to. Readers need to note that this is only one part of a three part story in order to complete the overall story arc.

Thanks to Dreamscape Select, No Bird Press LLC and Netgalley for my review copy.

The Awakening of Ivy Leovold by Siera Simone is a story that centers around a young woman, Ivy, and Mr. Markham, a wealthy but standoffish man who isn’t one to let people into his private world. There’s something about Ivy that is so tempting, Mr. Mark can’t stay away. And Ivy, well let’s just say she is coming into her own and wants to explore her sexuality. This book is very risqué, so the fact that I was listening to this audiobook certainly made me want to ensure no one else could hear it! There were definitely plenty of scenes that made me blush, hearing them out loud!

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

An erotic Jane Eyre, it has been awhile since I pick up a book from Sierra Simone, and this is a good reminder how much I resonate with her writing—the way she articulates sexual tension and steam is like no other—bold, stimulating, but never steer into crass. The writing style also fits surprisingly well for a period piece (I've only read her contemporary romance in the past). All of this is elevated by Zara Hampton-Brown's emotive performance in the audiobook.

I'm a bit surprised for this re-release (the audiobook was produced in 2024, while the novella was originally published in 2015), the publisher didn't bundle the series together, as The Awakening of Ivy Leavold on its own is not really self-contained, ending abruptly on a cliffhanger. As much as I enjoyed the story, its close resemblance to the character and plot point of Jane Eyre made it more like an erotic fan fiction, rather than an entity that can exist on its own; without the knowledge of Charlotte Brontë's classic, the heroine and hero as described on page is rather shallow in personality.

There's something inherently alluring about combining gothic romance with explicit sex (physical isolation vs. eruption of emotion). This is a promising start to the series, and I'll be curious to see if it will move into more original territory after this familiar setup.

The awakening of Ivy labeled explored a journey of self discovery and resilience for Miss Ivy Leavold. It was set against the backdrop of the Victorian era and intricately weave together elements of romance, mystery, personal growth, creating a compelling narrative to keep readers engross until the very end. Author Sierra Simone is skillful in her protagonist character development and remarkable transformation. Wow it is a romance novel at the core, it does explore themes of identity, agency, and the pursuit of happiness. Readers are reminded of the importance of staying true to oneself, even in the face of adversity.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holy Forbidden Romance!

Sierra Simone knows how to craft perfect tales of larger-than-life characters who are tempted by their darkest carnal desires. Her writing never misses and always tugs at my heartstrings. The Awakening of Ivy Leavold is a tale of forbidden love. temptation, innocence, seduction, lust, and death. How Ms. Simone manages to combine these unlikely factors into a page-turner is a testament to her strength as a writer.

Let's talk about the audiobook component which I think played a huge role in my overall enjoyment of the book.

Audiobook narrator Zara Hampton-Brown hit it out of the park by creating the perfect persona for Ivy Leavold- her innocence, her wit, and her sass, are perfectly encapsulated. I believe the narrator nailed the slow-burn angst between Ivy and Mr. Markham. Ivy's emotional and mental journey from a recluse, all alone with no direct relatives, to adjusting to life with Mr. Markham, his charm, his charisma, and his flirtations had me on edge, gripping my steering wheel in after-work traffic. When I tell you, I felt courted, entranced, and seduced by the slow-burning flame of forbidden desire.

Warning- this book ends on a cliffhanger and it was much too short for my liking but it leaves you wanting more while questioning your morality.

Thank you to Sierra Simone, Dreamscape select, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review. You can connect with me via bookstagram @jessicareadsit

Thank you so much for this ARC! I was super excited to get my hands on this one. I love Sierra Simone. Her spicy books are phenomenal! This one was okay. I felt it lacked much of a plot but I guess that is not the point. WE WANT THE SPICE! I will definitley read the rest of this series as the audio comes out. I enjoyed the FMC alot and our main MC as well. I loved the fact it was like a period drama meets spice. You go Sierra.. :D

Listen.. if you like smut you need to discover this author.
This is a story about Ivy Leavold being placed in the home of Mr. Markham as his ward. This book loses a star becuase the concept of the book is historical romance but its not very historical in terms of accuracy haha. HOWEVER it gives Jane EYRE meets EROTICA vibes and that is delicious.

I absolutly was hooked on the parlor games being played and the hint of a larger story line filled with mystery which i presume will be told as the story progresses since this little guy was under 200 pages but there seemed to be a bunch of little 200 page books in the series.

“My soul was yours to take from the moment I met you, Julian.”