The Varlet and the Voyeur by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

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Title: The Varlet and the Voyeur
Author: L.H. Cosway, Penny Reid
Series: Rugby #4
Published by: Indie
Release Date: June 11, 2018
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 346
Genres: Sports Romance, Contemporary, Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 Beat the Backlist Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 Reading Assignment Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER With Friends
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:

Blurb:

He kept his salacious secret for years. But soon, everyone is going to be reading about it in their morning paper…
THE VARLET (and the VOYEUR) William Moore is a long way from home. A farm boy from Oklahoma, he’s now the most well-respected member of the Irish rugby team. But appearances are often deceptive, and Will isn’t the clean-cut, all-American good-guy everyone imagines him to be. He’s got a secret, one that will tarnish his reputation forever.
THE VOYEUR (and the VARLET) Josey Kavanagh is a self-proclaimed mess, but she’s finally get her shi…uh, act together. She’s set her sights on becoming a veterinarian, but there’s one teeny tiny road bump. Her living arrangements are coming to an abrupt end, leaving Josey homeless and in need of a job to pay her way through college.
THE PLAN What he needs is a companion to keep him on the right path. What she needs is an apartment with free rent. Will is convinced Josey will make the perfect companion, since she’s brutally honest and basically ‘just one of the guys.’ Josey is convinced she can ensure Will doesn’t succumb to his voyeuristic proclivities by keeping a scrupulous eye on him. Except, what happens when the varlet is tempted by the voyeur, and vice-versa?! Perchance something very, very volatile. And vexing.
The Varlet and the Voyeur is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the 4th (and last) book in the USA TODAY bestselling Rugby Series

My Review:

4.5 stars — Well phew.  I’ve only read book 1 in this series, and it just didn’t work for me personally.  In fact, I started to listen to the audiobook for a reread to see if my tastes changed, and I only got to chapter 2 before realizing I still wasn’t enjoying myself.  But I have the whole series, and I remember when this book first came out, THIS was the one I was most looking forward to (especially after a few excerpts).  So I really wanted to love it, but I was scared.  Hence the phew — because it was totally a Lenore book.

So what makes it a Lenore book?  You guessed it!  Characters!!  Josey was my kind of girl.  I absolutely adored her say-everything-that-comes-into-your-head awkward self.  I loved what Will called the “sunny, funny Josey” — that ability to try to see the bright side of things, and enjoy yourself even as you’re aware that other people think you’re strange.  I will admit to connecting with that particularly, and how being seen as strange still hurt her even as she liked herself.  She was the right combination of vulnerable and strong…of odd, yet compassionate.  Sure, she could be a bit childish and overdramatic at times, but for some reason I forgave her.

And gosh there was so much going on with Will.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to think about the voyeur aspect of this story, and it went in all sorts of different directions than what I was expecting.  Will really was affected by the things of his past, and he held onto them tightly.  I will admit to being kind of concerned for him, and kind of wishing he’d seen someone and talked about it…he definitely felt like he had some anxiety.  But I loved how accepting he was of Josey, how fascinated, how he saw all these things that others overlooked.  His possessiveness could be a bit overdone, but no one’s perfect.

And together?  They were all sorts of adorable.  I loved the way they teased one another, how they had fun and played almost.  I loved the way they appreciated one another for who they each were.  And their chemistry was all sorts of smoking hot.  I will admit that the lack of communication conflict is never going to be a favourite of mine, and is why I’m rounding down.  But at least when they got over that hump it was very satisfying.

Lots of fun secondary characters, and I am tempted now to go back and read the other stories.  I have a feeling this was always going to be my favourite though.  I am super intrigued by Ophelia and Broderick, and am stoked that they are in that Christmas anthology I picked up.  And obviously Rocky was all sorts of fabulous.

So yay!  Success!  It always makes me happy when I’ve looked forward to a book and it actually matches up for me!!  It wasn’t perfect by any means, but I will be thinking about some scenes for days…I’m looking at you boxes of tampons.