Aaliyah's Book Corner

Older men are either a hit or a miss. I can tell you that from experience. Silver Fox Grump reminded me of the talking stage that I had with an older guy from Louisiana; both my southern charmer and the MMC in the book were grumpy, protective, and could say the sexiest things that had me blushing like crazy. As I read the novella, I was equally annoyed with the characters playing games with each other and obsessed with the chemistry and the spicy moments between them.

*I received Silver Fox Grump as an ARC from Booksprout. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Plot

Severino Blackwood is known for being the ruthless and grumpy CEO of Morden, a front for mafia activities. He doesn’t do relationships, partly because he doesn’t trust anyone outside of his best friend and brothers. That changes when he meets Maisie Matthews, the daughter of his best friend Wes. Maisie begs Sev to allow her to keep her job to avoid an arranged marriage. Sev agrees but puts rules in place to appease Wes.

Two years pass and the attraction between the two main characters grows but neither realizes it. Sev stalks his obsession with nightly “visits” to her apartment while Maisie remains unaware, thinking that Sev dislikes her. One night changes everything when Maisie notices a change to her apartment and begins to have fun at the expense of her boss. The two engage in “lessons” spurred by Maisie’s burst of confidence and learn that the price for being together might be too high.

Tropes

Age Gap– this trope always has me SAT. I felt like Evie perfectly captured the feelings that arise in these situations. Sev is 46, twice Maisie’s age, and mentally berates himself for feeling the way he does about her. Maisie threw caution to the wind and initiates the relationship in a seductive manner. (No spoilers here)

Father’s Best Friend– This one had me on the edge of my seat because Sev knew that he was playing with fire. He and his best friend were both in the mafia, knowing that family members were off limits. Wes’ relatability as a parent shone through; he wanted to protect his daughter from being hurt but there were underlying motives as well.

Mafia romance– All the characters are tied to the mafia but Maisie refuses to be part of the world she was born into, taking the job at Morden to avoid marrying for her father’s benefit. Sev persuades her father to allow Maisie’s employment and he would keep a watchful eye on her. That turns into more obviously.

Stalking– Lights, camera, action. Sev watches Maisie a little too closely and when Maisie realizes the new “features” in her apartment, she has some fun with them.

Favorite Moments

The first “lesson”

The date that wasn’t a date 

The showdown between Sev and Wes

Rating

4 / 5 

It wasn’t as smutty as it’s marketed but there are spicy moments between Sev and Maisie that made me run to get my fan. As it’s a novella, it was fast-paced but also concisely written so it wasn’t off-putting. 

Sev was an okay character but I loved Maisie. There’s something to be said about women who know what they want and go after it. I’ll probably read the other two books about his other brothers.

I always want to know what your thoughts are so talk to me in the comments! What do you think of Silver Fox Grump, would you read it, etc. If you want more reviews and other bookish content, follow the Book Corner and find me on social media (IG, Threads, Goodreads).