Review for Out of Her League by Ava Archer Payne

Captain James Lancaster, formerly one of London’s most notorious rakes, returns to England a broken man after a brutal tour in the Crimea. He is wounded in body and spirit, his badly injured leg leaving him unable to walk without crutches.

Nurse Katherine Riley has spent her entire life caring for others, but lately she finds herself longing for more. On a whim she indulges in a secret cache of provocative lingerie—just a little something to make her feel beautiful beneath her drab gowns, even if no one else can see it.

When James glimpses the erotic beauty hidden beneath Kate’s prim and proper façade, he introduces her to a sensual array of forbidden delights. Healing takes on an entirely new meaning. As Kate nurses James to a full recovery, their liaison opens her eyes to an enticing new world. How will she ever return to the staid life she once knew?

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Out of Her League, for being a rather short and quick read, packs a lot of emotions and super hot sexual encounters amongst the pages.  From the likable characters to the nice balance between sexy encounters and character development this ends up being a satisfying read that will appeal to fans of the historical genre as well as erotica.

Katherine Riley's family used to socialize with the uppercrust until her father's passing and her brother's vices squandered their inheritance, forcing them to live in a more meager fashion.  The last ball she attended before their financial fall left her with many dreams of the handsome soldier she watched from afar all night.  Fate has brought her back into the company of that soldier to help heal his war wounds and this time around he gives Katherine his undivided attention and changes her life completely.  Changing her life is a big part of the story.  Katherine has taken care of her brothers for so long that she's lost herself and the possibilities for her future.  She's made them weak by not making them care for themselves and their responsibilities.  It's an unconventional impetus that makes Katherine stand up for herself and the scene where she finally declares her independence is not only humorous but empowering.  I admired her familial dedication at the start and admired her even more for asserting herself.

War hero James Lancaster seems depressed when we first meet him and desperate to get his body back to the way it was.  Stuck with an uncaring almost-fiance he's struck by his immediate connection to Katherine and the promise of future happiness he sees in her eyes.  He immediately turns on the charm and I can see why Katherine's immediately smitten and willing to carry on such an unconventional relationship.  She seems like the perfect match for him on many levels and the connection between them evolves quickly and intensely.  This leads to many creative and erotic encounters that are perfectly spaced throughout the story and keep the level of sexual tension running high.

My only issue with this story is how quickly it's wrapped up.  Considering their differences in social status I expected more problems from society regarding their relationship.  Their relationship seemed to progress too easily which didn't seem realistic.  The story is still immensely enjoyable and has me wanting to read more from this author.  Those wanting lots of steamy encounters from an extremely likable couple will find themselves wanting to pick this book up.

My rating for this is a B.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.