I have read most of Sara Cate's books and this is a great addition to her series.
She keeps the book nicely paced and still throws enough erotic into it.
I would give it a 4 star.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!

5/5⭐️

I swear this lady never misses. When I tell you I could not put this book down.

I loved all the characters, and I think the way Cate set up the second generation was perfect. It wasn't at all what I expected and I could not be more excited. I can’t wait for her to explore their relationships in the rest of the series. The tension between Camille and Jack was insane and I found myself constantly itching to turn the page, to the point where the chapters weren't even stopping points for me I just blew through the whole thing. 10/10, will be adding it to my list of romance recommendations.

Overall, a good, spicy read. I didn't connect with Camille as much as I would have liked to. She was a bit immature and I found myself wanting the book to be solely from the POV of Jack. This was also a long read. It could have been about 2/3 of the length and still made an impact. I really liked the setting of Paris! You can't help but feel the romantic element in a city like that.

Man, this one took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I'm not sure how many times I cried, and I think that really speaks to how deeply this story portrays the realities of grief. As soon as I saw "long lost love letter" in the blurb, I knew I would be sold, and I definitely was. Camille came into Jack's life unexpectedly, but at the perfect time because he is absolutely drowning in grief. We experienced a whirlwind of emotional turmoil, and Sara did an amazing job of taking us through his journey. It was so nice to get the easter eggs from Salacious Players Club characters. This one was a good slow burn but still spicy, as to be expected from Sara. Can't wait for more!!

I hope there will be more of the 2nd and 3rd generations of the Salacious Players series. I really loved the Paris setting and the single dad, broody MMC mourning the loss of his wife the only way he knew how. I loved how the FMC got him to open up and find a healthy way to cope, and I loved the relationship with the FMC, aka nanny and the daughter of the MMC. It was so sweet to watch all of these relationships grow and blossom into so much love. 10/10 an amazing read. I loved the nicknames and the rope play. It wasn't overly done and more part of their relationship, which was an amazing way to depict their needs as individuals and as a couple.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I haven’t read Salacious Players Club yet, but as the next generation this story can be read with or without the previous series. Camille is a lovely, engaging character and when she finds a love letter and photo of a couple, she goes to return the letter but accidentally wants into an interview to be nanny to the daughter of a broken and grieving man.

The storyline was everything! The spice was perfectly balanced with the emotion, and the plot had me hooked from the start. The romance, the angst, the intensity—it all came together in a roller coaster of feelings centered around Jack, a widower who is beyond sexy. Grieving the loss of his wife, he copes by shutting out the world—until Camila unexpectedly enters his life as the nanny for his daughter, Bea.

Their chemistry is electric from the start. Jack's pain, especially the tension with his sister Elizabeth, was deeply touching and added emotional depth to the story. What made it even more intriguing was how Camila first found a heartfelt letter Jack had written to his late wife tucked in a book at the bookstore she works at in France. Her search for him leads to a case of mistaken identity, and suddenly, she’s living in his house, caring for his daughter—and falling hard.

The character development was spot on, making their connection feel real and intense. The slow burn, the raw attraction, and the emotional push and pull between them had me turning pages nonstop. And the spice? Off the charts. That first intimate scene—and especially the sex club moment—was 🔥🔥!

The ending wrapped everything up beautifully. I absolutely loved it!

Camille and Jack have a strong connection that is a deep, slow burn.
Spicy and a great backdrop of Paris!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for access to this eARC.

Broody widower + unexpected nanny + Paris backdrop = a book that had me hooked from page one.

Jack is grieving and prickly, while Camille is steady and quietly strong; together, they build a slow burn so tense that I felt like I was intruding on their stolen glances. The grief is messy, the spice is hot, and the Paris setting makes everything extra swoony.

What I loved:
- The grief in this story doesn’t get brushed aside. It’s heavy, it’s messy, and it makes Jack complicated.
- Camille as a character, snuck up on me. She's a bit quieter, steadier, but exactly the force needed to shake Jack out of his shell.
- The slow burn is painfully slow (in the best way - IYKYK). Every little glance or touch feels charged.
- And Paris as the backdrop? Honestly, it made me want to book a trip to sit in a café and reread the steamy chapters. (Ok, I'll be honest, I wanted to go to Paris even before reading this book - who doesn't?)

My only tiny wish?
Camille could’ve had a little more space to shine but honestly, this story still left me feeling wrung out in the best way. Emotional, steamy, and unforgettable.

The Good Girl Effect is a deeply emotional and surprisingly tender exploration of love, loss, and healing. From the first page, this novel pulls you into a story that balances vulnerability and sensuality with remarkable finesse.

When Camille Aubert stumbles upon a long-lost love letter in a library book, she’s determined to return it to its rightful owner. Her innocent mission leads her straight to Jack St. Claire—a grieving widower and co-owner of a Parisian sex club—where a simple act of kindness snowballs into a life-changing encounter. Through a case of mistaken identity, Camille finds herself hired as Jack's live-in nanny, a role she never intended to take but can’t seem to walk away from. Jack is a man buried beneath layers of pain, desperately trying to manage both his grief and a failing business. The dynamic between him and Camille is electric from the start—rich with emotional depth and a smoldering, slow-burn tension. As the two grow closer, Camille becomes more than just a caretaker. She becomes Jack’s mirror, his challenge, and ultimately, his salvation.

This book hits all the right notes: it's sensual without being gratuitous, emotional without being melodramatic, and it navigates BDSM elements with thoughtful care. It's not just a romance—it's a story about two broken people slowly putting each other back together. Highly recommended for readers who crave character-driven romance with layers of emotional complexity.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

Sara Cate takes readers on a dark and romantic tale of grief, longing, and BDSM.

This is a continuation of a series from her that I did not read, but you don't need the background going into this one-- it's a new series based on the next generations of those characters.

"Jack St. Claire is desperate. A grieving single father, he buries himself in his work—running a brand-new kink club in Paris. Instead of handling his grief, he's built a fortress around his heart, and it's time he hired someone to help him take care for his daughter before things get worse.

Camille Aubert wasn't looking for a new job. She just wanted to return a lost love letter she'd found within the pages of a book. But when she's mistaken for a job candidate and hired as Jack's live-in nanny, something tells her this is exactly where she needs to be."

As Cate creates this new world of characters, Jack and Camille are drawn to each other despite his desperate attempts to resist her. What follows is an exploration of family roles as Jack tries to find his way back to his life after losing his wife, and Camille tries to make her way in the world after the death of her father.

Together, they use an instant connection to explore BDSM and find a new way to live their lives together.

It's dramatic and very spicy, an entertaining read!

The Good Girl Effect is an intoxicating mix of passion, grief, and irresistible chemistry. Jack and Camille’s story is raw, tender, and deliciously seductive, pulling you into a world where heartbreak collides with desire. The emotional depth and steamy tension make this a read you won’t be able to put down—equal parts heart-wrenching and utterly addictive.

I absolutely devoured The Good Girl Effect in one sitting. Loved the storyline and the well-developed characters. The spice is just right and I loved the easter egg revisits from the characters we met in the first group of Salacious Players Club stories. I will definitely recommend for my spicy romance readers and I look forward to more from the next generation of Sara Cate's characters!

This is the first book in a spinoff series from Sara Cate's popular Salacious Player series. You don't need to read the original series first. I was surprised by what a slow burn this was. Don't get me wrong, it's absolutely spicy! But Cate takes her time developing the relationship and the plot beforehand. I do think that the characters could have been slightly more developed as individuals: Jack's entire personality is broodiness, and Camille apparently has no life outside nannying. Still, the tension between them was great and the bondage scenes were fun. If you're a Sara Cate fan, you'll enjoy this! If you've never read her books before but enjoy a spicy romance with some kink, you'll like this too.

Wow! Sara Cate did it again. Fans of her Salacious Players’ Club series will enjoy this.
When grief and loss change Jack he shuts down. It’s not until Camille arrives and is hired as a nanny to his young daughter. What Jack doesn’t know is the reason Camille is on his doorstep, isn’t the nanny job, but rather to return a letter he wrote to his late wife- which she found in a used bookstore.
Jack is one of 6 owners of a sex club. The connection between him a Camille is palpable and takes a deeper turn when she enters his world of kink.

This is the first book in the second generation series of The Salacious Player Club, and I loved getting back into this world. However it is not necessary to have read the parents' series in order to enjoy this. It can be enjoyed on its own as a standalone without any problems.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can't wait to read more from the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒚

When Sara announced the next gen in the Salacious Players series, I KNEW I would read it. Because come on, how could I not????

I loved being back in the world and seeing some familiar characters!!! It was so nice to see the kids all grown up and getting a peek into their lives and where this new series will take them!

Jack was such a hot and cold man, he gave me a little whiplash. I understand grieving his wife and feeling like he failed his daughter, but Jesus that man. Sometimes I wanted to smack him upside the head. You had a woman who was BEGGING to be with you in whatever way you wanted and you continued to push her away because you were scared? I get it, but like… come on man.

Camille…wasn’t my favorite. She felt a bit juvenile to me and incomplete. I felt like I could have learned so much more about her but the majority of her personality was all about Jack. Where was her character growth? Her backstory? Her hobbies, likes, dislikes? I didn’t know much about her and it put me off of her quite a bit.

The real winner of the story was Bea, honestly. Such a sweet little muppet!!! She was smart, adorable, and a little fashionista. How could I NOT love her?????

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and hoping to see more growth from Jack and Camille and the rest of the crew!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks for the ARC! 🫶🏻

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s good to be back!!! Honestly, diving into The Good Girl Effect felt like coming home. Sara Cate gave us the Salacious Players Club series (which I adored), and this felt like the perfect follow-up. It has that same addictive, emotional pull, but with a whole new vibe that still feels familiar in the best way.

The French imagery? Absolutely stunning. The way she described the streets, the atmosphere, the little details—it literally transported me straight back to France. I could see it, smell it, feel it. That backdrop added such a lush, romantic layer to the story and made everything feel bigger than just the romance.

What really stood out for me was how this book felt a little darker and deeper than SPC. The themes cut a bit sharper, the emotions hit harder, and it gave the romance this extra weight. And oh my gosh, was I rooting for the main couple. I needed them to find their way, and the journey was so worth it.

It’s also a touch less spicy than SPC, but honestly? The story is so strong you barely notice. The emotional intensity more than makes up for it, and the slower burn makes the payoff even sweeter.

All in all, this book reminded me why I keep coming back to Sara Cate. She knows how to balance heat, heart, and heartbreak like no one else. The Good Girl Effect is the start of something really special, and I can’t wait to see where this new series goes.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

It was so nice to be back into this universe. This delivered on Sara’s usual fast paced, entertaining, and spicy production.

This book follows Jack, as he navigates grief after losing his wife, and hires a nanny to help with his daughter.

I enjoyed seeing characters from the previous story. I believe Jack and Camille had several character flaws, and I just wish he gave her the chance to speak sooner, and Camille had actual…goals? Either way, I enjoyed the story, and will definitely be reading more.

"There will bе rules.
Rule #1 You cannot tell anyone about our lessons.
Rule #2 We will meet for one hour each night at midnight upstairs.
Rule #3: No sex."
Guess how many rules they are going to break? If you guess all of them, you'll correct. 😏

Brooding MMC, who is a single dad, say no more. I'm going to read it.

"The good girl efect" is second generation book, but you can read it even if you didn't read "The Salacious Players Club".
I can't wait for the audiobook so I can enjoy it again.
Tropes:
Single dad/nanny
Love letters
Rope play
Age gap
Forced proximity
He teaches her

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Mark your calendars for September 2 people.