Valentine’s Heart is an Omegaverse contemporary romance and a standalone novella in The Billionaire’s Betasitter series by Merri Bright. By doctor’s order and some slight familial pressure, Valentine has placed herself in a situation she would never be in if her biology wasn’t fighting against the quiet life she craves. She must go through her first heat, and she has no choice but to do so now. Donovan, as her bodyguard, knows his role and knows his contract, but protecting Valentine is anything but a job; it’s an imperative need. He prioritises her safety above all else, providing her with everything she needs, but there is one thing he won’t give to anyone else. A scare places them both in a situation neither expected, but fate has a way of healing wounds. For two scarred hearts call for each other; with heat, heart, patience, and humour, a quiet life craved is found.
Valentine had perfectly crafted this life of peace where she could escape the public eye and avoid men at all costs, and this life has been afforded to her by the gentle handling of her family. Her family treats her like a fragile glass vase, ready to shatter at any unexpected movement. I understood the reasoning; she hasn’t had an easy life, with so many traumas that would make anyone want to isolate themselves, which makes every little wonderful thing she does so easily overlooked by her family. I will admit I did feel some rage against her family at points in this book—like the club and the contract—but I liked that she could phone them and that in the end, they did help this wonderful fated couple stay together. I think it was easy for me to fall in love with Valentine because I felt very close to who she was as a character; she has very real anxiety, trauma, desires, interests, and a quiet strength and fire to her that I just adored. But it was her fear that made her doubt her draw to Donovan, who she certainly shouldn’t want for so many reasons, and at the top of that list is him being an Alpha, but most of all because of how she thought he saw her; how that worried her made my heart ache, but with the trauma she has gone through, it was understandable where these worries came from and where her frustration with her sexual needs was rooted. This brilliant young woman who didn’t want anyone had been paying such close attention to Donovan and was oblivious to noticing how much he wanted her as well. However, this close attention is not for naught because Valentine’s body is literally fighting against her, and so she has no choice but to face her fear, which places her in a tough spot that I won’t lie and say didn’t make my heart race a little with fear for her, but naturally, she made it out, and the night wasn’t a complete washout—cue Donovan.
Valentine wasn’t the only one dealing with trauma in this novella, and I think that helped not only Donovan to understand (to a degree) and help her, but I think it made it easier for Valentine to help Donovan as well. They both treated each other with empathy without coddling, and this book became a journey of growth and healing from the past, which hit me straight in the emotional gut. My heart breaks for the innocence they lost so young and so out of their control, but I’m so pleased for what they found in each other. One of the things I loved was the fact that though the spice of this book was surrounding Valentine’s virginity, it also felt like when Donovan and Valentine were together, it was a real first for him as well, and in a way it was. Valentine came in and shook Donovan’s life so completely, so similar were they that he thought his life would be one of isolation until he took the temporary job of being Valentine’s bodyguard, and then both of their futures expanded so beautifully. Valentine’s Heart was such a powerful read for me.
It is clear from the very beginning that Donovan is all about consent from the way he checks in with Valentine from the very beginning of this novella and how this continues as he guides her through the saucier scenes throughout the rest of the book. I’m absolutely in love with him! Now this consent could be from him being in a constant fight for control within himself and due to the trauma he experienced, but I also just think it’s because of the wonderful man he is. Donovan is brave, strong, caring, fiercely protective, sweet, and soft, which you don’t see straight away from the persona he puts on at work, but when you are in his mindset, it’s so clear he centres around Valentine, which makes the dropping of his walls so easy when he’s with her—he’s not a man afraid of being honest. Being Valentine’s protector was his job, but noticing who she was and what she liked—that attentiveness was all about wanting to know her. In some ways, I think he saw her more clearly than her family did, but he also wanted her to have the peace of her hobbies, and these thoughts made me smile. Smiling was a constant effect of these two, as was tearing up and chuckling with glee. Even though Donovan is all about control, he has a way of not creating force through it because he is giving Valentine exactly what she needs; he is listening to her and guiding her while still holding control, which I loved because he gave her safety and pleasure, touching her with love as though she wasn’t fragile but precious. This is exactly what I imagine their quiet future to be like; in the bedroom, he may hold control in words, but the real, very quiet power will always be Valentine; Donovan will keep her safe and happy and take good care of her, and she’ll never be alone again, but this goes both ways, which brings me so much joy.
I loved that in this book neither of the main characters bothered to fight this; they just leaned into how their bodies were calling for each other and that the journey felt so natural and warm. While this book had a lot of vulnerability that pulled at my heartstrings, I did find a lot of humour and some great heat. For example, the sex toy purchase made me grin (and awe), and of course, knowing what books sweet Valentine reads was a great addition, all of which naturally led to some lovely heat. Donovan is the patient teacher Valentine never knew she needed, and Valentine is the understanding lover who could see the vulnerability behind the bravado of Donovan and knew exactly what he needed as well; they were made perfectly for each other. I’m so glad they both found and are relishing the quiet life they both dreamed of.
I’ve been looking forward to knowing more about Valentine since her introduction in Knotty New Year, and I wasn’t disappointed. Valentine’s Heart is my favourite of the series thus far; it felt completely new, and I was utterly engrossed in Valentine and Donovan’s story. This novella had so much emotion that I welled up more than once, smiled a lot, felt a little flushed, and my heart was warmed by the beautiful ending. Merri Bright does touch on some tougher topics, so please check your triggers, but this whole read felt like a healing journey for both main characters. I felt akin to Valentine, this sweet woman who has been through a lot, only craves peace, and has this way of making life easier for those around her, showering everyone she cares for in love in little ways that can be overlooked by anyone but Donovan. Donovan hasn’t had it easy—he also craves quiet—but on meeting Valentine, everything changed, and she became far more than a job; she became someone to orbit. I adored how similar these characters were and how well-matched and patient they were with each other. And while this read is beautifully touching, the heat in this is perfect! Daddy Donovan is the king of consent, and the way he let Valentine know every step of the way was exquisite. I think it’s clear I’m rating this read Five out of Five Stars, and I look forward to rereading this novella many times in the future.
If you love the Omegaverse but want it to have the feel of a contemporary romance, then The Billionaire’s Betasitter series is for you. As with every book in this series, Valentine’s Heart can be read as a standalone, and if you want to try out the genre, I suggest starting here. Everything about this novella was perfect; the relationship between Valentine and Donovan is so heartwarming and heated. How they communicate is purely on trust; every action and every word is spoken with compassion for the other, and this constant conversing—guidance from Donovan to Valentine—was beautifully sweet and still wickedly hot (I’ll take the punishments Donovan is giving out, thank you). Donovan is protective, giving, and warm, and Valentine is sweet, quiet, and loving. They are so connected to one another, so similar that their pairing is the perfect marriage; they know each other as they know themselves. Valentine’s Heart naturally hits a lot of tropes and kinks: the soulmate and age-gap trope, the breeding, praise kink, and a well-done Daddy kink. So while this novella is hot and sweet, Merri Bright still adds a touch of well-needed humour to the blend. As mentioned, Merri Bright also tackled harder topics in a way that fits these characters perfectly, as she gives them the mending of trauma in the form of the heart of another. I appreciated how this author didn’t give the characters a quick cure to their pain but created a natural journey for them to go on, with the happiest ending that they both greatly deserved.
Triggers for notice: mentions of past sexual trauma for both main characters when they were teenagers, mental health issues such as anxiety and panic attacks, mentions of past bullying and harassment, and mentions of past childhood abduction.
Favourite Quotes
“But I would do anything to make sure she never had to feel unsafe again.”
– page 15
“I didn’t have to wonder. Didn’t have to smell him. He was mine. He had to be.”
– page 34
“I want you. Those three words melted into me, soaking like water into my dried-up heart.”
– page 48
“I felt like I’d won every lottery in the world. Like I’d justified my existence on the earth. I’d given this perfect woman true pleasure.”
– page 70
““I need…” She dropped her gaze, shy. “You don’t need to tell me. I know what you need, baby.””
– page 85
““When I tell you I am unworthy, it is because no man could ever deserve your love.””
– page 96
Finer Details:
Title: Valentine’s Heart (The Billionaire’s Betasitter Series #2.5)
Author: Merri Bright
Pages: 140
Publisher: Bright & Dark Publishing
Publication: 2024
Language: English
Rating: 5/5