REVIEW: Mine for a Moment by Catharina Maura

In Mine for a Moment by Catharina Maura, Serenity Adesina thought she was on the cusp of seeing the majority of her dreams come true. She graduated college, won a prestigious internship, and is getting ready to move into an apartment with her best friend and secret crush, Theo. But her potential romance with Theo crashes and burns–as does her hopes of becoming roommates, if nothing else–when he chooses one of their other close friends to date. Reeling and feeling alone, Serenity turns to her art as well as drowns herself in work. But when her brother Ezra’s best friend and business partner, Archer Harrison, finds one of her many to-do lists with his name on it, a list of guys to potentially lose her virginity to, he offers her a deal. He’ll help her get over Theo and take care of things in the bedroom if she’ll paint for him and help him get over his previous girlfriend.

“You’re all I’ve dreamt of every single night since I found that list, Serenity. Do you have any idea what I’ve done to you in my dreams? What I’ll do to you tonight?”
“I want you to show me, Archer. Let me be your living fantasy.”
“You already are,” he whispers, and then he kisses me.

Archer should know better than to go behind Ezra’s back and start something–even if it’s something casual–with Serenity. He doesn’t want to damage one of the most important relationships in his life. But he can’t get Serenity out of his mind now that he’s read her blasted list. And Archer knows she’ll be safe with him. He’ll make sure she knows what true pleasure is and what it’s like to be cared for and cherished. The one thing he didn’t foresee was falling for Serenity. That wasn’t even on his radar. And boy doesn’t it complicate matters. Especially when someone from Archer’s past is thrown into his life again. Keeping his burgeoning romance with Serenity from everyone they know doesn’t sit well with him, even if it means it could potentially hurt the feelings of family and friends. But he isn’t sure he can let go of her after all.

“All I know is that I can’t stand the thought of you being with someone else.”
“No one would have to know,” she whispers… “It could be our little secret, Archer.”

A provocative brother’s best friend romance that pulled on my heartstrings with the soul-deep level of emotion and angst, MINE FOR A MOMENT took a no-win situation and turned it into a forever love.

‘Right here, right now, he isn’t my brother’s best friend nor is he my boss. He’s just mine.’

MINE FOR A MOMENT found Catharina Maura taking a secondary character from The Broken Vows, book four in the Windsors series–the heroine Celeste’s brother, Archer–and giving him his own HEA in this standalone. And everything about it worked. The drama, the friends to lovers aspect, the age gap, and boss/employee relationship. Not to mention the pact that Archer and Serenity, his best friend’s younger sister, made to help each other get over someone. It sounds like a lot going was on. But Maura spun it all together in the most decadent, sexy of ways.

Oh, there is so much I want to discuss but it will unfortunately pretty much all be spoilers. What I can say is that Serenity and Archer started their casual relationship so she could lose her virginity to someone she trusted–and to get over her best friend dating one of their other friends. And Archer needed to move on after a previous relationship failed, plus wanted Serenity to paint a certain subject for him. There was a definitive end planned for their deal. But the attraction only grew between them, and it was so very strong. I adored the way they took care of each other and how it felt like Archer and Serenity truly had this special mix of friendship and love.

Now, the plot twist might not have been the most earth-shattering of surprises, but it was effective. None of Serenity’s many to-do lists could help her or Archer figure out how to go public with their relationship without it hurting their loved ones or their careers. But Maura laid the groundwork for it all to end on a good note. It wasn’t easy or quick for them. Although Archer and Serenity’s HEA was all the better for being fought for and won.

QOTD: Like Serenity (and myself), do you use to-do lists or planners to keep yourself on track?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: October 15th, 2024 | Bloom Books |

*Preorder now to receive the limited edition first edition print run with gold foiling*

A brand new spicy, high-angst romance from Catharina Maura—the highly anticipated, standalone spin-off of the Windsors series.

When the man she’s always been in love with starts dating one of her friends, artist Serenity Adesina creates a to-do list that will help her get over him once and for all.

The first item on that list?

Losing her virginity to Archer Harrison, her older brother’s billionaire best friend…and her boss.

He’s the perfect choice—alluring, caring, and entirely emotionally unavailable.

Their deal was supposed to be Serenity will paint Archer anything he wants in return for a secret, no-strings-attached relationship.

Except each kiss leaves them both wanting more, tempting them to risk it all for what’s growing between them. That is, until a cruel twist of fate shows them that giving in to their feelings comes at a far higher cost than they could’ve imagined.