Review: Penny Aimes’s FOR THE LOVE OF APRIL FRENCH.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC & the former for the finished copy as well. All opinions provided are my own.

Penny Aimes’s For the Love of April French is a tender, sensual read told in an unconventional way.

Dennis Martin is a dominant who’s recently moved to Austin from Seattle & meets April, a trans woman & submissive who has a reputation for being “Mama April,” at kink club Frankie’s.

Dennis is still reeling from a relationship that went wrong (see CWs for this) & April has been ultimately rejected by so many people that she’s pretty much given up on the idea of a lasting relationship.

They know they have something special together but when the topic of exclusivity comes up, April says no, & they agree to an orgasm control “project” where they’ll have check-ins.

But that’s not the whole story, & we see both sides as the book progresses, as Dennis & April make more memories together & secrets are revealed.

This book touched my heart—as April’s insecurities & fears about her body are repeatedly met with Dennis’s undeniable attraction & care for her. As she grows more confident in herself & about what she deserves.

Dennis also grows throughout the book, having to process what happened in his past relationship & how to be the dom he wants to be through doing the work.

Not only is there steam—there are great discussions of limits & safe words & obvious respect & appreciation between leads. The conflict is compellingly developed & features one of my catnip: a MC who’s in it for the long haul, who wants to wait with hope for the other MC to change their mind.

On one hand the book’s set-up in showing the same timeline from both perspectives is such a cool way to give more insight into the respective characters, but on the other I did somewhat miss the extra opportunity to see them develop more new, in-person memories together.

Still, this is such a loving read & I rooted for this couple—for their own separate happiness & their happiness as a couple.

4.5 ⭐️. Release date: 08/31.


[CW: Transphobia. Dennis’s first experience as a dom was not done entirely safely—he & his then partner didn’t have appropriate measures in place to maintain limits & boundaries. DM for details. & April has an impact play experience with another dom while she & Dennis are involved in their orgasm control project, although she was “permitted” to do so per their agreement.]