Les Reads More

I'm Leslie, a bookworm and writer who loves stories that linger. I love cats, art, and writing. I’m currently learning French.

This blog is my reading journal. Here, you'll find my book reviews (spoiler-light, heart-heavy), photos from my book adventures, and the quotes that made me pause and reread.

I read across genres. However, I have a soft spot for romance, fantasy, and sci-fi.

I've read hundreds of stories, but I only recently decided to start a review blog to have a place where I can take a breather between reads and fully process my thoughts. I want to dive deeper into what worked, what didn’t, and what left me thinking long after I finished.

Links and Shortcuts:

✍︎ Reviews: All ✧ Contemporary ✧ Sci-fi ✧ Mafia ✧ Historical ✧ Fantasy ✧ Paranormal

☆ Rated: Five ✧ Four ✧ Three ✧ Two ✧ One ✧ DNF

☕︎ Goodreads, where I also update with my current reads and TBR.

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⭐⭐⭐⭐ 3.8 / 5

Chasing Cassandra is book six in The Ravenels Series by Lisa Kleypas, and the first book I read in the series, although I've read quite a lot of Miss Kleypas' works.

In this story, we meet Tom Severin, a handsome railway magnate, and Lady Cassandra Ravenel, the beautiful but somewhat overlooked third sister. Tom wants Cassandra because of her beauty, but he’s emotionally detached and struggles to connect with his feelings. Cassandra, on the other hand, longs for real love and a family to nurture.

Overall, I like it! It’s suggested that Tom might be on the autism spectrum, and he’s an engineer—which I absolutely love. (Also, um, men who are good with numbers are exactly my type. Lisa, how did you know!?)

The side plots are heartwarming, and the chemistry between the leads is undeniable. Idiot boy grappling with a new emotion called LOVE was entertaining. Cassandra is a wonderful heroine: genuinely kind, a passionate reader who introduces Tom to novels, and someone who helps humanize him.

Now, let’s talk about the cover. Based on Cassandra’s own descriptions, I imagined her as a curvy heroine—but the woman on the cover, though lovely, is quite slim. It would’ve been nice to see a more accurate portrayal of Cassandra’s figure.

If you enjoy sexy, character-driven historical romances with a thoughtful edge, you’ll probably fall for this one, just like I did.

I really loved the blurb, so I read this one first. While Chasing Cassandra can definitely be read as a standalone, I suspect it’s more rewarding if you’ve read the previous books and have the full context.