3.5 Engraved Watch Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

If you want a book that is basically just sex with a tiny sprinkling of plot, then this is the book for you. There is a lot of smut; it starts early and continues at an almost constant rate throughout the book.

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Sebastian is an 18-year-old Italian who has moved to London and taken a job as a chauffeur for Savannah Meyers, the wife of the very, very famous movie star Adam Meyers. Sebastian is instantly attracted to Savannah, and the more time they spend together, the closer they become. One day, he makes her pleasure herself in the backseat of the car while watching her. Not long after, Sebastian drops his screenplay (something he has been working on for years), and Savannah picks it up, reads it, and is instantly intrigued. She shows it to her husband, and Adam makes him a proposition: if Sebastian agrees to be their "third", they will help him make the right connections to turn his screenplay into a movie and catapult him to fame. So why would he say no to that?

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
This is a dual-POV story told primarily from Sebastian’s perspective, with occasional chapters from Adam. Savannah’s POV is left out, which to me felt super strategic and intentional. It almost seems as if she was meant to be "objectified" in the dynamic between Adam and Sebastian rather than being a fully developed character.

Sebastian is your stereotypical passionate and emotional Italian. He has this innocence about him, with rose-coloured glasses firmly in place, but he also has an intrinsic determination to succeed. He is intensely driven and fiercely loyal to the people he cares about. When Adam and Savannah become part of his world, he protects them as if they are his own, yearning to make them happy in the same way he craves his own success.

Adam, on the other hand is stoic, dominant, and fights to remain "controlled". He is closed off, which makes sense given his celebrity status and the need to guard himself against those who might use or manipulate him. It takes time for him to let his walls down and accept that he is developing feelings, especially because he has spent his life adhering to a traditional, heteronormative mould. Anything that deviates from that is a direct threat to his career, and reputation, and will not be tolerated. His internal struggle makes his story- arc compelling, even if it is frustrating to watch unfold and you just want to tell him, PEOPLE WON'T CARE IF YOU ARE BI!

Savannah… Savannah is selfish, manipulative, and greedy. She knows how to play the game, using Adam as a pawn to further her own ambitions. I struggled to get a proper read on her, and I think that was intentional. While this is technically an MFM romance, it almost feels like a bizarre love triangle. You’re constantly questioning whether this will develop into a fully functional throuple or if it’s merely the prelude to Adam’s coming-out story and Sebastian’s bi-awakening and their eventual MM relationship.

As I mentioned, a lot of this book is just sex. These characters have a raw, carnal desire for each other, and it is explored openly and relentlessly on the page. But at times, I found myself craving more plot. With so much focus on the sex, I wanted a little more substance to balance it out.
One thing that confused me was the side characters, specifically the dynamic between Sebastian and one of Savannah’s friend’s daughter - who is 16. Sebastian is 18, technically still a teenager, and because he’s an intrinsic flirt, I wasn’t entirely sure where their relationship was going. There were moments when it felt like it could become something, but at the same time, it never fully crossed that line. So it was a little confusing and weird since he was being sexually active with a 28 and 34-year-old.

The writing itself is stunning. The poetic prose, and the symbolism of the sun, moon, and stars… it was beautiful how it all ties into Sebastian’s romanticized view of love. Everything about his character is larger than life, and his emotions reflect that. His love isn’t simple; it’s epic!

And just when you think things are reaching some kind of resolution, the book hits you with a cliffhanger that will leave you reeling. Seriously, what the fuck kind of ending was that?!

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Billionaire Romance/Celebrity Romance
▶ MFM, MMF, FMM...??? OH I dunno if its a throuple, love triangle or eventual MM Romance
▶ Age Gap (18, 28, 34)
▶ BossXEmployee
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Marriage in Trouble

▶ Fourth Act Breakup

and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Cages her with his arms
▷ "Good Boy"
▷ Bi Awakening
▷ Hand Necklaces
▷ Degradation and Praise
▷ "Look at Me"

Overall, this is pure steamy escapism. It’s dark, sexy, and indulgent. If you’re looking for something thought-provoking or deeply emotional, this might not be for you. But if you want a messy, tension-filled, absolutely unhinged ride? Buckle up!!!

Thank you to ValentinePR and Giana Darling for the gifted copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.