He kept his salacious secret for years. But soon, everyone is going to be reading about it in their morning paper… 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
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While I did enjoy this book, I was also a bit perplexed. Josey was definitely a bit qwerky. And Will loved that about her. The chemistry was HAWT. But the main conflict confused me. He wanted to date and she told him no. She wanted to do friends with benefits. But then wished he liked her so they could date? *scratches head* huh??
Always enjoy Penny Reid books with her quirky main characters.
Another good one from Penny & LH Cosway. Maybe not my favorite in the series, but it was still a good read 🙂
What an absolute sweet read! I’ve read the second book in this series and remember how hilarious the heroines were. And Josey was just that in her chatty and quirky way. She’s a friend that I would just love to have.
Something that I need to do ASAP is read one of L.H. Cosway’s books. I’m a huge of fan of Penny Reid’s work, so it was easy to pick out her awesome humor.
Josey! To read a book with such a relatable and solid heroine. She’s completely honest and I love her constant chatter. And a woman who is 100% comfortable with her sexuality and knows exactly what she wants. Bravo, we all need a Josey in our lives.
William was such a unique character to me. I can’t say that I’ve read a romantic comedy with the added topic of voyeurism. Everyone has their preferences and I pass no judgment whatsoever. I, so, so, so appreciated that Reid and Cosway made it known that it was all concensual (like it should be) between all parties involved. But whether people agreed with it or not, it’s not everyone’s preferences.
Along with Josey, I was completely in love with William. Truly a stand up dude and his personal take on relationships and porn (yes, you read that right) was so damn refreshing and honest.
Everything about these two made them so relatable. With Joey’s hilarious inner dialogue and banter between the both of them, it brings you plenty of laughs. And more of those mushy feels that everyone loves so much.
I forever love this writing duo and I hope they have more books planned for the future! It’s been a while where I’ve read a solid friends with benefits trope that didn’t seem redundant. And this one just puts all others to shame.
Highly recommend!
P. S. There is no voyeurism going on in this book. It was the hero’s preference, but no longer does it.
I absolutely LOVE this series! It’s smart, funny, sexy, and original. Every time I read the latest release, I want to immediately re-read the entire series. Josey is delightfully quirky and perfect match for stalwart and stoic Will. The Varlet and the Voyeur just might be my favorite!
wow what a great story.
this is the first book I’ve read by these 2 authors together and I loved it, I devoured this story and will now be going back to read the first 3 in this series.
The Varlet and the Voyeur by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid is the fourth co-written masterpiece in their Rugby series. A story of quirks and of kinks.
Josey Kavanaugh is the quirky girl, inappropriate comments, clumsy, blathering, she has said it all and put her foot in her mouth more times than she dare count. William Moore is the voyeuristic rugby player that gets caught up in a press scandal when a couple he “watches” spills the beans and begins a Will Moore smear campaign. The solution that comes out of the woodwork with the help of his teammates is for him to have a roommate to monitor his behavior and make sure he isn’t tempted to go in search of another couple to watch.
The thing is, as with all of the books in this absolutely fabulous series, people are not just one or two dimensions. Josey is more than the clumsy girl with verbal diarrhea and Will is far more than a voyeur. His kink stems from his need to never hurt a woman by leading her on and, leading her on, to him, means having sex. He chooses not to, and gets off by watching people be intimate. Josey finds a safe place to be herself with Will who appreciates her odd humor and together they both cultivate the better parts of each other.
I absolutely LOVED this story – Will’s kink was kinky, especially hen he translated all that energy and into the bedroom with Josey! Seeing Josey find ehr place was liberating. Enjoy!
Are you interested in ordinary sex? No, I’m interested in extraordinary sex. With you.
Warning! This is a long review because I had a lot to say! (Also, my views may be considered spoilery.)
With the Varlet and the Voyeur, Cosway and Reid write about a man who likes to watch others have sex and a woman who is socially awkward to the point it is embarrassing, if not painful, to watch.
Josey Kavanagh is the awkward friend of Eilish Cassidy (who we read about in the last book, The Cad and the Coed). Josey is sometimes clumsy, and usually speaks whatever is on her mind and then often regrets the words she speaks as soon as they are out of her mouth. She is the person people ignore with hopes she will go away. When her parents lose their home, she is forced to find a place to live and find a job so that she can continue with Veterinary school.
So clearly, Josey is intelligent or she would not be attending Veterinary school. But her behavior was at odds with her intelligence. Although common sense and tact do not go hand in hand with intelligence, I did feel like the authors tried too hard to make her odd, weird, different.
When William Moore’s private life becomes public, he and his team quickly move into damage control mode. Prostitutes and voyeurism, are not in line with his clean, good boy image. His teammates intervene and decide with him, that he needs to have someone keep an eye on him, to help him, should he be tempted to seek out these behaviors in the future. Like a sponsor. At the recommendation of Brian and Elish, Will agrees to meet with and ultimately hire Josey to live with and monitor him. It was her job to hold him accountable and make sure he didn’t fall back into his voyeuristic behaviors.
It was the need for a live-in monitor that confused me because I wasn’t sure why Will needed someone to watch him. He wasn’t hurting anyone and he hadn’t hurt himself. Also, he’d had two instances where he engaged in voyeuristic activities, and now he’s out of control and needed a babysitter? This didn’t make any sense to me. I was glad when later in the book, Josey challenged this notion of addiction.
I’ve been blogging for about four years. Since that time, I’ve met a lot of wonderful bloggers, whose opinions about books, I value. By this time, you know what they will like and vice versa. What I also love about being a blogger is that you also have the freedom of opinion.
I was raised in the ultra-conservative mid-west where sex wasn’t talked about. Sex with multiple partners and sex before marriage was wrong. You had sex in missionary position and you definitely didn’t watch pornography (or at least confess to it). So while I have read some reviews and opinions from others regarding their frustration with the way this book handled topics like sex, pornography, and prostitution etc, I feel like it was true to Will’s Oklahoma upbringing. He had strong views about sex and what was right and what was wrong and these influenced his guilt as he tried to reconcile his urges/desires with societal norms/ethics. He struggled with the fact that he wanted more than missionary position and while he liked watching others have sex, he also struggled morally with watching pornography. I totally understood where he was coming from.
Will was a good guy with rigid ideas of right and wrong. He valued rules and guidelines and couldn’t maneuver his life without them. He is so strict with his principles that when he deviates, and he does because they strictly confine him, he feels guilty and believes he’s done something wrong or bad. He and his brothers were raised by his grandfather and father. There wasn’t nurturing, there were rules and there was right and wrong.
The writing Duo of Penny Reid and L. H. Cosway is one of my favorites. This series has been so much fun! Each story is unique, filled with swoon-worthy moments, humor, sexual tension, and sexy times. The characters are funny, witty, and exchange sarcastic banter, all while falling in love with each other. I’m going to miss these characters!
The Varlet and the Voyeur by Penny Reid and L.H. Cosway is a great addition to the Rubgy series that they have. It’s Will’s story and I’ve been waiting for this one since the first book.
Thanks for a great read!!! The review is up at http://desireforlit.com/2018/06/25/the-varlet-and-the-voyeur-rugby-book-4-penny-reid-and-l-h-cosway/
Myn
I’m fully convinced anything Penny Reid writes is absolute gold. I’ve still yet to read one of L.H. Cosway’s solo efforts — I do own tons of them, I just need to make the time to read — but I echo my earlier sentiments in relation to the books they co-author. I’ve loved each and every one of the Rugby books so far and The Varlet and the Voyeur was no exception. It was funny, sexy and gave me plenty of the feels I want when I read.
I can’t even lie, I freaking loved Josey. I want to be friends with her in real life. She was (at times, unintentionally) hilarious and awkward and absolutely amazing. She was so very relatable in so many ways. I also liked how she owned her sexuality. More of this, please. Will was pretty much fantastic in his own right, too. Swoons for days with this guy. I wasn’t sure I’d be totally onboard with him because, well, the voyeurism thing is a bit of a turnoff for me. BUT, there was so much more to Will than this sexual preference. I couldn’t have been more wrong about him.
Josey and Will’s friends with benefits to more romance totally worked for me. I loved getting to know each character and spending time inside their heads made the story that much richer. I especially enjoyed getting to know more about Will, who was pretty closed off and secretive. Seeing him open up to Josey made me happy. Their banter was top notch, their chemistry intense, their journey not without bumps — which made it realistic, and their connection solid. I loved every little thing about this book.
FAVORITE QUOTES
Was I somehow defective, or did everyone get anxious in social situations? And if everyone did, how come my resultant verbal dysentery was so pronounced? Did I have some sort of vociferous diarrhea gene whereas others had vociferous constipation?
“You are a sexy male! I mean, you’re just very man-like. And sexy. You’re definitely a man, but you’re also a very… sexy man. Who is very male.”
“Are you interested in ordinary sex?
“No, I’m interested in extraordinary sex. With you.”
My brain parts were still a bit of a jumble, but my lady parts couldn’t wait.
@JoseyInHeels: When your life starts falling apart, cheese is the cement that will hold it together.
“You’re not nobody. You’re everything to me.”
Another amazing book for Penny Reid and LH Cosway! These two can’t do anything less than amazing! This book probably was my most anticipated release in a year, and it didn’t disappoint. I’m sad it’s the end of the series tho. I hope it’s not the end of these two amazing authors teaming up.
I have loved Penny Reid and LH Cosway’s Rugby series from the beginning and seriously could not wait to get my hands on this story. Will and Josey were so quirky and fun and I loved their story.
When Rugby player Will Moore finds himself in a predicament where he needs a “sitter”, enter Josey Kavanagh. Without giving away spoilers, I enjoyed this story immensely. I particularly loved Will as he had a quiet charm about him that I loved. This story was swoony and sweet and had laugh out loud moments. While I enjoyed Josey, I found her personality to be a little off putting at times. She was oftentimes a little too whiny but was such a sassy heroine that shocked and often stumped Will. I love that they were opposites as it brought out the best in one another.
But overall this series has been a consistent win and I hope we see more collaborations from these two writing superstars in the future. Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula
I have LOVED this series ever since I stumbled across The Hooker and the Hermit….. I do have to be honest and say that I was a little unsure due to the title but once I read the book it made sense to me. And that goes for all the books since. Since than I’ve been anticipating Will Moore getting his own book, and it did NOT disappoint!!! I just LOVED the quirkiness of Josey who brought out a more relaxed side of Will. I started this book around 1am last Friday night/Saturday morning and stayed up until 4:30am reading it! I ended up awake much earlier than I planned on a Saturday after being up half the night reading to get back to these characters. And I finished it Saturday afternoon and was at a loss on what to do with myself after. I’m going to miss all these characters, hopefully L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid choose to revisit these characters. Great read, well worth the loss of sleep!
This quirky and endearing romantic comedy is truly one of a kind — even its title is unforgettablely chimerical. Will and Josey are two characters you’ll fall HARD for, because they’re utterly unique and unconventional but also wonderfully relatable. Together, they are magical. Will’s stoic, serious and compassionate personality is the yin to Josey’s yang of loquaciousness, guilelessness and charming awkwardness. As they fall in love, they help each other to appreciate and accept their OWN idiosyncrasies, which they previously considered flaws, and seeing their evolution as a couple and as individuals is heartwarming. The Varlet and the Voyeur is a distinctive, sharply funny and emotionally satisfying character-driven romance with a premise that is equal parts gratifyingly conventional and gloriously peculiar.
ARC provided, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.
“We’re all the underdog in our own story.”
Josey Kavanaugh could not have explained life any better, and as the newest heroine in Penny Reid and L.H. Cosway’s co-written Rugby series, there’s definitely truth for her in that statement because regardless of how others see people’s quirks, oddities or strange behaviors, they’re always their own biggest critic, which is why her new living arrangement may be more difficult than she thinks.
Those who have been around Josey see a babbling, flustered, and embarrassing woman who doesn’t understand boundaries and who says stupid and sometimes inappropriate things when she’s in mixed company. They see someone who has a tendency of putting her foot in her mouth and annoying others with her non sequitur tendencies.
Those who have been around Will Moore, before information about his private life and sexual tendencies were released to the public, see a reserved, quiet, and pensive man with no social life but also an athlete who plays one hell of a good game of rugby. They see someone who’s a bit of a loner and a country boy due to where he’s from back in the States.
Those who have been around both Josey and Will see two people who couldn’t be more different, but it’s those differences that make them the perfect team in order to fix Will’s image issue and provide Josey with a place to live and a way to continue her goal of becoming a veterinarian. It’s Josey’s ability to fill the room with words and sounds that soothes Will and allows him to stay on the straight and narrow when it comes to his voyeuristic tendencies. Those who know both Will and Josey don’t see this arrangement working out, but that’s only because they don’t take the time to see how refreshing Josey’s honesty, curiosity, and uniqueness is for someone like Will…someone who needs to be distracted and kept an eye on so that his particular kink doesn’t compromise his position on his team or have him crossing boundaries that he’s not comfortable with, because regardless of the bad press he’s receiving lately, Will is definitely a man of principles…a controlled man who needs rules and clear expectations with minimal risks, or when it comes to Josey, he needs to feel like he can trust her and trust himself, which takes time and quite a bit of overthinking, but it definitely seems that these two together can be what the other one needs and maybe even what they never knew they wanted.
I really liked both Will and Josey. They both got stuck in their head a lot but given their quirks and people’s perceptions, it wasn’t surprising. As soon as Will proposed to hook up with Josey in Australia, I knew that it was going to be impossible for either of them to give only their bodies to one another because there was an attraction there from the beginning, which means feelings were bound to become a factor, sooner rather than later.
Will and Josey are definitely unique characters – ones whose quirky mentalities might not mesh well with some readers, but its their uniqueness that endeared them to me, especially Josey; in my opinion, she’s a very relatable heroine. I found myself embarrassed for her at times and also heartbroken because of the way she felt people’s judgments of her. I love that Will truly sees her from their very first interaction, and he accepts everything she is; in fact, he embraces her oddities, which is quite refreshing given the ways of society.
I’m so sad to see this series end; each story was extremely entertaining and I also say that Reid and Cosway write some of the best smart romance around. I sincerely hope they co-wrote another series sometime soon because I know I’m not the only fan who can’t get enough of the tales that they together.
4 Poison Apples
You’re not nobody. You’re everything to me!”
The fourth and final book in the INCREDIBLE Rugby series by one of my favorite writing duos is here and I’m happy and sad all at the same time. If you are a MAJOR FAN of this series than you know that you will have no choice but to fall in love with THE VARLET AND THE VOYEUR! If you’re a newbie to the series…WELCOME! Man, are you in for one hell of a treat! If you love smart, relevant, emotional, sweet, and sexy romances, then you are going to embrace Will and Josey with open arms and open hearts!
This is categorized as a romantic comedy and of course, this is something that these ladies do best. But it’s so much more than that. There is a realness to the plot and the characters that just capture your heart from the very beginning. Josey’s a freaking mess, but she owns it. Will has secrets but he can’t seem to close himself off completely to the spitfire that is his new roommate. I loved this couple! I adored their journey! There were lots of laughs, a few tears, and definitely TONS of feels all throughout! I’m absolutely brokenhearted to say goodbye to these characters and this series, but I can only hope that these two authors aren’t totally done with us yet!
I didn’t want this series to end; I’ve loved it since the moment I started to read it. But Cosway and Reid go out with an amazing story filled with a spunky heroine and a secretive hero. Will, one of our beloved rugby players, is caught amidst a sports scandal as his sexy secret comes to light: he’s a voyeur. But he’s determined to clean up his so called dirty act for the team’s image. In comes the klutzy and foot-in-mouth speaking Josey as his new roommate and pseudo-babysitter.
Josey takes up the offer to move in with Will as his live-in sober partner essentially. But as these two share space in the quietest of moments, new feelings arise that tempt their delicate balance. Will’s stoic nature is solid in Josey’s chaotic world. Where he’s an anchor to bring her happiness, Josey is a new light in Will’s life when he hasn’t expected to enjoy the warmth. Temptation and desire sparks a new deal between our two social awkward heroes: they give in to their lust and try friends-with-benefits. But as usual more feelings appear for both and hilarity ensues.
I absolutely loved Josey’s character; she’s brash and says the wrong thing EVERY TIME, she’s klutzy, she’s an all around adorable hot mess. And I have never related to a heroine more! Her understanding of Will is endearing. Will’s proclivities was definitely a new trait I haven’t seen in a hero before. I think his so called link was handle expertly and Cosway & Reid allowed it to come naturally as Will discovered his reasoning behind it as well as how he can use it with a woman he’s interested in. It definitely made for some steamy as hell scenes! These characters are just plain heartwarming and I found myself laughing hysterically throughout the whole book. A wonderful ending to an amazing series and that’s why it’s my next 5 Star read!
This duo never ceases to surprise me with their unique twists and delightful plots. The idea of Will being a voyeur had me overly excited to get my hands on this book and while I loved that part of it I found the story as a whole to be so much more than what I was expecting.
I fell hard for quirky Josey and her ability to make any situation slightly awkward. I laughed out loud at many of her antics and found my heartwarming to her instantly. Will’s soft heart and desire to not hurt anyone made his struggle heartbreaking and real. I ached for him and desperately wanted him to find some peace.
When these two writers get together they write wit and intensity like no other. Their stories are so unique and unpredictable and I hope that through this series is over they continue to work together again.
~miranda
“Wosey for the win!”
I absolutely adored The Varlet and The Voyeur!! It is the 4th (and final) story in the Rugby Series. And probably my very favorite! I just loved both Will and Josey… “Wosey for the win!”
“Don’t you feel angry?”
“How can I be angry when this mess brought you to me?”
Oh man.
He was good.
I endeavored not to die of swooning”
Will is an American player on the Irish rugby team. He has a good reputation that is about to be well and truly tarnished. He needs to hire someone to be a sort of live in companion, almost babysitter, to help keep things from getting even worse.
“I hesitated, or I meant to. I mean, my brain hesitated but my head nodded without consulting my brain. Stupid head.”
Josie is quirky, sassy and snarky and sometimes doesn’t know when to stop talking. She says what she thinks without always thinking ahead. But that is just what Will might need to keep him in line and curb his voyeurism.
“Well okay, but be warned. This mouth of mine is liable to make things very weird very fast.”
Now he smiled. I even saw a hint of teeth. “Your mouth is one of my favorite things about you.”
When these two authors put their heads together to write a story, we are treated to some really amazing magic disguised as a book!
“That was how Will made me feel.
Like a unicorn cupcake dipped in edible glitter covered in chocolate sprinkles.”
-6 Stars!!-
Favorite Quotes:
I wish speaking out loud came with a delete button. How awesome would that be?
I cried so much after you broke things off that night, that I used all the tissue in the hotel room? All the Kleenex, all the toilet tissue. I used all the towels, and was tempted to use the edge of my sheet… Think of the trees, Will! And now I need more tissue, you selfish, cowardly coward! You’re killing trees!
My heart shimmered inside my chest. I was sure if they opened me up they’d see it glittering. That was how Will made me feel. Like a unicorn cupcake dipped in edible glitter covered in chocolate sprinkles.
My Review:
I have enjoyed every book I have ever read by either of these two clever wordsmiths, whether as an individual effort or their collaborated labors. Singly or combined, their amusing arrangements of words are essentially a guaranteed promise to provide a smirk filled day of gleefully engaging and inescapable perusal as once I start one of their books I am rendered essentially incapable of stopping. I adored these devastatingly quirky yet highly endearing characters as well as the unique conundrums they caused themselves and each other. Written from a dual POV, the storylines were delightfully crafted, deviously insightful, swoon-worthily sexy, cheekily clever, and peppered with smart levity and gasp-inducing sensuality. I am always happiest when I can claim having learned a few vocabulary words, which is a boast I can yet again claim with my current new additions being the old-world words of varlet (an attendant, as well as a dishonest or unprincipled man), and muffin-walloper (a Victorian widow who spent her days gossiping and eating cake).