Book Review
Title: The Casanova by T.L. Swan (The Miles High Club Book 3)
Genre: Erotic, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
I know I am reading these out of order but they are companion books so it doesn’t really matter what order you read them in. This is definitely an enemies to lovers romance since our main characters, Elliot and Kathyrn seems to absolutely despise each other. Kate works for Elliot in the family business, Miles Media, and he seems to be your typic playboy CEO and the pair engage in a lot of verbal banter. We soon learn that Kate has been going through a tough time since her parents were killed in a card accident and ever since then she has been hiding behind her grief which she does acknowledge until her new roommate, Daniel points it out.
As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, we see Kate and Elliot bantering with each other but both are seeming to find they are attracted to the other which is horrifying to both of them, considering their current relationship is less than pleasant. At first, Elliot thinks that Daniel is dating Kate and is really hostile towards him which was expected but Daniel knows exactly what is going on. Elliot has also fallen into a rut where despite dating many beautiful women none of them sexually excite him until Kate and he is determined to get her even if his way of going about it is completely awkward. There seems to be a shift in the relationship when Kate has a reaction to her medication and Elliot is the one to find her passed out on the floor, he ends up taking her home and staying with her until Daniel arrives. This is coupled with the fact both have fake dating profile which why are using to communicate although Kate is aware she is taking to Elliot but we don’t know if he knows he is talking to Kate. After this Daniel and Kate attend a party where Elliot is also present and he ends up coming onto Kate, kissing her only for her to leave him with cold balls, literally, which was hilarious to read.
As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, Kate and Elliot are obviously dancing around each other but neither wants to give in first. However, as Christmas approaches along with Elliot leaving for New York, Kate thinks that his crush on her will die out which she is a little disappointed by but completely expected. What she didn’t expect was for Elliot to turn up at her house and demand to speak with her, while she allows it she isn’t happy until he tells her the reason why. He explains that he doesn’t date because of the paparazzi and the harassment the women he has dated in the past have suffered, so it is just easier for him this way which Kate completely understands. He also explains that he isn’t going to ask her for more than he is willing to give himself meaning they will have an equal relationship even if it is only a casual one. They don’t sleep together her as Kate needs some time to process this and decides to see him after he returns from New York.
As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, seeing Kate and Elliot cutely texting each other and messaging their pen-pals off the dating website was so cute but Kate feels guilty knowing she is speaking to Elliot when it seems like he doesn’t have a clue he is actually talking to Kate. Elliot ends up returning from New York early in order to see Kate and this is when the pair finally fall into bed together and it is the most intense romp either of them have ever had and this seems to worry Elliot a little but he brushes it off. After this Elliot wants to take Kate away somewhere private for the final week of the holiday season so they can spend some quality time together and Kate agrees even though her roommates think it is a bad idea. Upon arriving Kate realises she is a submissive and what she was missing in her other relationships was a dominant which she has found in Elliot but she knows they don’t have a future together and begins preparing herself for heartbreak when the week is over.
As we cross into the second half of the novel, Kate and Elliot enjoy the rest of their vacations but the second they return home things immediately become awkward again. Kate isn’t sure how to act since Elliot has seemingly gone back to his colder self now they are back in London. At work, this only gets worse when Elliot explodes at Kate causing her to leave and not speak to him so he thinks the relationship is over. Through her messages with Elliot on the dating app, Kate learns he thinks it ended because he got too attached when it is actually the other way around so Kate ends up going to an art auction as an excuse to see Elliot and talk things through. The pair get over their argument and go to Elliot’s new house where he is chased by killer ducks in on of the funniest scenes I have read in a long time and everything seems to be looking up for the pair but it is clear to see that both of them are catching feelings when neither wanted that to happen in the first place.
As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Kate and Elliot end up going to a dinner party where a young man tries repeatedly to flirt with Kate causing Elliot to get jealous. However, since they aren’t public he flirts with another woman, one he had been photographed with before and Kate is furious, leaving the party and having a shouting match with Elliot and it seems like they are done for since he has no choice but to walk away or beg for her forgiveness. Elliot is weak for Kate and ends up begging and they get back together, finally admitting that this is more than what they originally planned. He also wants to take her to New York for a week, the week of his birthday and has secretly planned for her to meet his family but things don’t go according to plan because of his meddling brothers. Kate does go for dinner with Elliot’s mother and we can see she is the perfect fit for him as she doesn’t care for his money or fame and in New York they can be seen together unlike in London. However, Elliot has been obsessed with an artist for a long time and his private investigator has finally tracked her down and I have a funny feeling this is Kate’s sister, who wants to get her claws in Elliot for his money, fame and nothing else. Now, Elliot has to make the decision does he meets the artist in France and see if the connection he has to her art means anything potentially destroying his relationship with Kate or stay with her and miss out on the chance of knowing this woman he has felt so connected to for so long.
As we cross into the final section of the novel, Elliot does end up going to France breaking Kate’s heart but soon realises his mistake but it might be too late to fix it. Kate has quit her job and moved to Hawaii in order to find some peace and quiet and to sort out her own emotions from what happened with Elliot. However, he can’t let her go and begins writing her letters which reminds her of the kind, thoughtful yet completely stupid man she fell in love with. Eventually, Elliot comes to learn with Brad’s help that the artist calling herself Harriet is actually Kate’s sister, Elanor. Elanor stole Kate’s painting as was selling them claiming to be an elusive artist but she didn’t count on Elliot feeling a connection through those painting and it hits him that his connection was to Kate all along so he goes to bring her home. Kate has been waiting for Elliot and when he proposes to her she accepts, in the epilogue we get to see what happened to Elanor and the wedding which were both great. In terms of storytelling, T. L. Swan is masterful but the smut wasn’t to the level I was hoping for from such a hyped series but still a solid 4 stars.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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