[ARC Review] Bloom by Helen Hardt

Publisher's synopsis: Today is the day Francesca Thomas was supposed to get married. All she wants is a stiff drink and a whole lot of distraction…which is exactly when she meets him. Tall, dark, and deliciously disguised, the man known only as Phantom awakens her every sense. All Frankie really knows about him is the raw, untamed chemistry that makes her want to relinquish herself—body and soul—to his touch…

Phantom has rules, all designed to protect his identity. No names. No personal information. But Frankie is a too-tempting ingenue who threatens all of his cautious, careful control. At the ultra-exclusive Black Rose Underground Club, he can explore each of her deepest, uncharted desires…so long as he keeps his public life—and his secrets—hidden.

Frankie’s ready to explore what lies between them. The intensity, the darkness, and the unyielding pleasure of it all. But while the mystery of Phantom is thrilling, secrets are one game she won’t play. And if she’s going to explore the forbidden, she’ll begin with finding out exactly who’s under the mask…  

My thoughts: I never thought I'd be a total goner for a main character who spends his free time dressing up like the Phantom of the Opera, but leave it to Helen Hardt to give me those unexpected feelings. 

I could not put this book down - for the first half, at least. Hardt did something I haven't come across in any of my readings: she kept the reader in total mystery by keeping the male main character's identity from both us and the female main character. It was actually sort of thrilling to be getting a character's perspective, to be in his head, but not even know his real name. It brought a whole new level of intimacy and intrigue that is hard to get from a fictional character. 

Of course, Frankie was determined to find out her Phantom's real identity, and that's where the story lost a bit of steam for me. To me, it felt like there was a clear before and after. Before Phantom's real name was revealed, it felt like the story revolved around Frankie and getting over her ex; after Phantom's name was revealed, it felt like the story shifted from her problems to his. I enjoyed both parts of the story, but I definitely enjoyed the first half more than the second. 

I love Helen Hardt's writing style and the amount of spice to brings to her stories, and Bloom was no exception. Frankie and Phantom had chemistry off the charts, even when drama caused some bumps in their road to happily ever after. While this is the second book in Hardt's Black Rose Underground series, it is technically a standalone. However, Frankie's sister - who was the main character in the first book - does make several appearances in Bloom, and some of the events from the first book are referenced throughout. 

Overall, I enjoyed Frankie and Phantom's journey. There were definitely parts of the book I enjoyed more than others, but it all came together nicely and gave both main characters the happy ending they deserved. 

[Thank you to Entanged Publishing (Amara) for providing a review copy of Bloom. All opinions are my own.]

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Release date: 8/22/23

Format: eARC

eARC provided via: NetGalley widget