Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️
Skye Warren’s Strict Confidence starts right where the first book of her Rochester Trilogy, Private Property, left off. In true Skye Warren fashion, her newest book works her reader over in the best of ways. Jane and Beau struggle through the aftermath of the events in book 1. If you have yet to read that book, you should jump in now since both books are available.
Much of this book is pushing the narrative forward. However, Jane and Beau are more of the first book: one step forward, two steps back in their need for each other. In the midst of their tug-of-war of feelings and chemistry, there are clues that someone is after one of them. Beau, in all of his alphaness, feels the need to protect Paige, his charge, and Jane to an almost manic level, and Jane is drawn to giving Beau everything he needs to live. By the end of this book, you are a bit further along in this story, BUT you are once again left with a HUGE cliffhanger.
Since Strict Confidence is more story building, it doesn’t go too far. As such, it’s almost difficult to review. Beau Rochester is still that contradiction of feelings, while Jane is his salve. Their chemistry is off the charts fire, consistent with Skye Warren’s stories. However, they end where they started, so it will be up to the final book of this trilogy to mete out their happy ending.
There are underlying messages about mental health and privilege in this story. Through Jane’s story, Warren allows us to peek at socio-economic disparity and the broken foster care system. By the end of this trilogy, I am going to need for Jane to find her place, her family, after all that she has endured.
Skye Warren is once again world-building with this newest book, Strict Confidence. It has everything you love about her books: a broken hero, a heroine who will save him, a story that keeps you sitting at the edge of your seat, and a steaminess that makes your panties melt.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Professor Romance 