My Sex, Lies and Sensibility Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set on the rugged coast of Maine. After the death of their father, sisters Nora and Yanne Dash discover family secrets and inherit a broken-down inn that they must renovate to claim their inheritance. Far from home, they face culture shock and personal baggage—especially Nora, whose life was upended by a past sex tape scandal. Enter Bear Freeman, a charismatic Abenaki man with dreams of coaching and plenty of his own struggles. When the sisters try to turn the inn around and Bear leads his adventure tour group on the property, worlds collide. Tensions, heart, humor, and slow-burn romance follow as Nora and Bear are pulled together, forced to untangle secrets about their families, their futures, and the lives they truly want to build.
Why I Love This Book
I love how this book blends laugh-out-loud moments with real, deep issues. The writing pulls me right into Nora and Bear’s world—their chemistry feels fierce, awkward, and honest. I connected with Nora’s strength and her vulnerabilities, how she puts on armor but can’t quite shield herself from hope or love. Bear’s presence—steady, patient, with his own mess to sort through—makes the relationship messy and real. The banter made me smile, and the support they give each other felt sincere, never forced.
This story isn’t afraid to dig into complicated family histories, the burdens of grief, and the shame that can linger after public mistakes. I appreciate how the book doesn’t rush healing. Instead, it lets brokenness exist alongside hope. Yanne, Nora’s sister, brings so much life and color to the story, shaking up heavy moments and showing how found family can matter just as much as blood.
The setting works—this wild, isolated stretch of Maine, the inn on the edge of ruin, the sense of starting over. I love how even the renovation project becomes a metaphor for healing: hard work, patience, stubbornness, and a willingness to take risks. The slow-burn romance, kept me hooked, and when the payoff comes, it feels earned.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy retellings of classic books with a contemporary spin, you’ll like this. It’s a strong pick for fans of “slow burn” romance, found family stories, and broken-but-healing characters. The book touches on real-world issues—shame, mental health, grief, and navigating spaces where you might not fit in. If you like your romance to have depth, diverse representation, smart banter, and a dash of messiness, this is for you.
⚠️ Trigger warning: This novel deals with grief, death of a parent, trauma following a sex tape scandal, public shame, infidelity (not between the main couple), ableist encounters, and addresses mental health. The story examines these gently and with care, but if any of these are difficult for you, please take caution.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, retelling, sense and sensibility retelling, Maine, small town, found family, slow burn, opposites attract, friends to lovers, forced proximity, renovation, healing, grief, trauma recovery, diverse romance, mental health, strong heroine, cinnamon roll hero, quirky family, dual pov, indie romance, open-door romance, HEA, standalone, kindle unlimited
Steam Level
The book builds sexual tension with a slow burn and delivers steamy scenes that feel intense and emotional, but the real focus is on intimacy and connection, not just graphic detail.
