The Spare by Elodie Hart

The Spare by Elodie Hart had a lot to live up to after The Heir, and somehow it managed to exceed my expectations. I enjoyed the first book, but this one completely won me over and quickly became my favourite of the two.

The story follows Benedict de Vere, the spare heir to a dukedom, and the woman who has spent years engaged to his older brother. When her fiancé abruptly ends their engagement just days before the wedding, Benedict steps in to save the situation. What follows is an arranged marriage filled with tension, longing, and years of unspoken feelings bubbling to the surface.

One of my favourite things about this book was the history between the characters. This isn't a romance where two strangers meet and instantly fall for each other. There's years of longing, missed opportunities, and hidden feelings that make every interaction feel significant.

Benedict was such a fantastic hero. On the surface, he's known as the carefree playboy brother, but underneath that reputation is someone far more complex. As the "spare," he's spent much of his life living in someone else's shadow, and I loved seeing the layers of his character revealed throughout the story.

The heroine was equally compelling. She's often viewed as cold and reserved, but the more you get to know her, the more you understand why she's built those walls around herself. Watching her slowly let Benedict in was incredibly satisfying.

And the chemistry between them? Absolutely undeniable.

Elodie Hart knows how to write tension, and this book is packed with it. Every glance, every conversation, every moment between these two felt charged with years of pent-up emotion. The spice was excellent, but what really worked for me was the emotional connection underneath it all.

I honestly found myself more invested in this relationship than I was in the couple from The Heir. The angst hit harder, the emotional payoff felt bigger, and by the end I was completely obsessed with their story.

❤️ What I Liked

The romance: The years of longing and unresolved feelings made this relationship impossible not to root for.

Benedict: Easily one of my favourite romance heroes this year.

The chemistry: So much tension from beginning to end.

The emotional depth: There's more vulnerability beneath the glamour and wealth than I expected.

The writing: Completely addictive. I flew through this book.

⚠ Things to Keep in Mind

This is a very spicy romance with explicit scenes throughout.

The story features an arranged marriage and a heroine who ends up with her former fiancé's brother.

Some readers may find the family dynamics and relationship complications messy.

✅ Would I Recommend It?

If you like:

Arranged marriage romance

The "wrong brother" trope

Years of pining and unresolved tension

Reformed playboy heroes

Spicy romance with emotional depth

Then absolutely add this one to your TBR.

I went into The Spare expecting another enjoyable Elodie Hart romance, but I ended up loving it even more than The Heir. The chemistry was stronger, the emotional stakes felt higher, and I couldn't stop turning the pages to see how everything would work out.

For me, this was the standout book of the Belvedere series so far, and one I'll definitely be recommending to fellow romance readers.

⭐ 5/5 for me