This book wasn’t really for me. I can see how other folks would like it. The story was a bit too slow and the plot points that seemed like they would be important were undeveloped and the twists were predictable. The romance part was cute and I liked the relationship between the MCs. I also felt like the characters were miserable a lot of the time which just isn’t my jam.

I found the story a little hard to get into, but it got better as I read more. The reason for keeping the heroine’s cousin and the hero’s brother apart wasn’t overly clear. The character could have been developed a little more, especially the major romance. The theme centering around art was interesting, but I really didn’t like the Shakespeare quotes at the beginning of each chapter as I didn’t always find them relevant. It is an enemy to lover short of romance

Violet has fallen in love with her painting instructor. When her liaison becomes exposed at an art show, Violet’s reputation takes a tumble. She can no longer expect a decent man to want to marry her. Alasdair is a serious, brooding art collector with a horrible mother and ne’er do well brother. He finds himself inexplicably drawn to Violet, whose family his mother has declared as their mortal enemies.

I enjoyed this (despite a couple of deplorable and irredeemable characters!). Violet and Alasdair have believable chemistry. Overall, a charming romance with Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice vibes. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This one just didn't get me hooked for some reason. It could have been the writing style or something else, but I just couldn't get through it.

Summary 📝
Aspiring painter Violet Arden escapes scandal in London only to clash with Alasdair Kerr, the man who publicly insulted her work—and whose family has long feuded with hers. As they try to keep their cousins’ secret romance under wraps and investigate a series of suspicious fires, Violet and Alasdair find themselves drawn together, forcing them to confront whether love can rise from the ashes of pride and past grievances.

Thoughts 💭
Little Women meets Bridgerton with a splash of Pride & Prejudice in this regency romance. The forbidden romance plot lines were absolutely perfect. This book honestly had me so surprised, I was not expecting I would enjoy as much as I did. I'm a lover of historical romance / regency romances, so I'm happy that I enjoyed this one. If you're looking for a good regency romance then this is for you!

Overall Rating : 4.25 ⭐️
Audio : N/A⭐️
Would I Recommend?
Yes!

Thank you to NetGalley & Dell for providing me an eARC of this novel!

These Violent Delights carries a hint of historical flair and weaves in classic tropes like forbidden romance and enemies to lovers. The story follows Violet, whose passionate, secret affair with her art instructor ends in scandal and heartbreak. Left devastated after he abandons her during her artistic debut, Violet unexpectedly reconnects with Alasdair Kerr - her childhood acquaintance and the son of a family her own has long despised. Their reunion sparks a slow-burning tension that simmers beneath every forbidden glance.

While I loved the setup and the emotional undertones, I found myself wishing for more character development and a deeper dive into the romance. Some moments didn’t quite hit with the impact I hoped for. Still, it’s a decent read!

I have read Madeleine Roux Asylum series years ago and they were all 5 ⭐️ for me, so I’ll definitely read from her again.

Would I recommend this book to you? Yes

Expected Release Date: 11/04/2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Did the Romeo and Juliet reference in the title get me to request this one? Absolutely. Did I then read the first book in the series because I did not realize there were other books upon requesting this one? Absolutely again. I did not love the first book, so I was nervous when I started this. This one picked up more and I enjoyed it! It was a breezy read. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

First of all this cover is so cute! I loved the purple cover so much. And the romance was so fun and full of banter.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I’m very pleased with this sequel - I gave the first book in the series a lukewarm review but knew Roux had the potential to really nail it with a few tweaks - and she did. Violet’s story is much more thought out and it feels like the characters have room to breathe and grow. The secondary plots all feel organic - although it’s still an overstuffed but relatively short book which is why it’s not a 5 star. Thankfully it never truly bothered me and I was able to enjoy this unique take on enemies to lovers/forbidden romance very easily. My one extra critique would be that it would have been nice to have a clearer picture of Alisdair’s childhood and history with art - I feel like we only learned a little bit beyond who his playmates/friends were and the house fire seemed to dominate his history. His relationship with his parents pre fire would have been cool to know more about, and how he really got into art beyond “through friends!”

I’m excited for Winny’s story and cant help but brainstorm which Shakespeare title/line it’ll be referencing in the name!

These Violet Delights: this period price kept me coming back for more. Enemies to lovers, mid/upper class status, feminism, scandal, banter, redemption, twists and HEA! Loved it and would re-read.

Thank you NetGalley!

4 🌟

This is the first book I've read from this author and so far I am impressed! It’s the second in a series about sisters and follows Violet, a developing artist, and Alaisdair, her neighbor and family enemy, who is an art collector.

The chemistry between Alaisdair and Violet was so genuine and palpable. It is less “enemies to lovers” and more “old childhood friends reuniting”, but the declarations of love in this book were SO SWEET ❤️. I also love the way that both characters talk about their relationship to art and how they view themselves in relationship to it: it added a really interesting layer of depth to the story.

My only note is that I could’ve used more of a good thing: give me flashback scenes to Violet and Alastair having a sweet puppy love crush on each other! Also, I would say that the actual plot of the book doesn’t follow super closely with the description, or it does for the first 20% and then turns into something else. Not bad, just different from the description!

this one was tough for me. while i liked it more than the previous title, i still felt like i was missing a connection to the characters. i felt as if i was reading a story that had very little surprise or depth, which in my opinion is what truly draws a reader in. i will continue the series as theyre very low stress and enjoyable enough, but i wish it had more umph.

A well done blend of Austen and Shakespeare. This was a fun read. I recommend to anyone who loves slow burn historical romance with a enemies to lovers and grumpy MMC. This was a little too slow burn for my liking but still and enjoyable read!

It was well-written but felt too rushed and forced. Especially the romance aspect was particularly sped up for no apparent reason

this was a first read for me by Madeleine Roux. I could not get passed chapter 4. the story-line did not catch my interest. Although I did not finish this book, I would definitely try others by the author because it is a time period I enjoy reading about. Free ARC from NetGalley for honest review.

After an affair with her art instructor, Violet is left heartbroken and at a loss at how to move forward, both personally and artistically. When Alasdair returns home to fix his family estate after the tragic fire that killed his father, he finds himself between his own family drama, the lure of Violet next door, and the backstory that keeps them apart.

I have read one of Roux's books before and enjoyed it, but this one seemed off. I had a hard time keeping up with the characters, the plot was confusing, and it just seemed convoluted. I found myself losing interest. However, maybe it was just my own mood! I think the author does a good job of grounding the reader in the setting, and I like her unconventional heroines! I will definitely give another of her titles a go in the future but this one was not my favorite.

2.75 rounded up

i enjoyed reading this but it was probably just okay, i’m not the hugest fan of shakespeare stuff in my historical fiction-romance so I was skeptical from the start (and the book did do that thing where the quotes at the start of the chapter barely related to the contents of the chapter which I booed aloud once I realized) but surprisingly I got pretty invested in the characters & story!

I did wish they maybe had a bit more time to spend together throughout the story but ultimately my biggest issue was that the ending felt slightly rushed after all the set-up (and long descriptive paragraphs) we had

the one narrative hiccup i had is i dont really understand why freddie and emilia couldnt be together other than the book not being about them (and i was like a little confused about the familial relations of all that ??? like would they be related by marriage ..?) so the explanations felt a little ….contrived (along with the whole feud but that was easier to stomach imo)

also you know when you can almost tangibly feel that an author was probably a little nervous about writing a sex scene? I kept getting that feeling (even though it was mostly fine just kinda wordy and overly descriptive at times) so that took me out of the book a bit but otherwise twas a fun read

i will say this was my first time reading this author and i would check out another story from her! (especially if theres a loosely related sequel or prequel idk i got that vibe)

thank you so much to netgalley and ballantine/dell for this arc to review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for a honest review.


This book was an overall nice read. I’d describe it as a light romance. Alisdair and Violent had good character development overall. Plot development was nice. I felt like it was more of a historical fiction rather than romance though. The family rivalry could have been fleshed out a little more to add to the overall plot.

I normally love historical romances and the title of this one definitely caught my interest when I applied for it on NetGalley. Unfortunately, it fell a bit short for me. The romance wasn’t really developed and I felt like the Shakespeare references weren’t really fleshed out enough. The characters motivations were a bit flimsy as well and I don’t even know what the family rivalry was over.

I was also expecting some set up for a sequel but we didn’t really get one. I see which characters would be best for a sequel but don’t really know if the story has enough potential for another book.

If it did become a series, I’d read the next book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Lush, Slow-Burn Romance with Intrigue and Heart

These Violet Delights is a beautifully crafted historical romance full of tension, mystery, and emotional depth. Violet and Alasdair’s slow-burn connection crackles with chemistry as they navigate family feuds, forbidden love, and the threat of an arsonist. With a strong heroine, a brooding hero, and a richly drawn setting, this story had me hooked from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!