I read ‘Desperate Measures’ by Katee Robert so you don't have to
If you’ve spent any amount of time on BookTok or BookTube recently, you’ll probably have stumbled across a series of erotic villain-led Disney retellings. Yep, you heard me. Erotic villain-led Disney retellings.
Katee Robert is quickly becoming a BookTok darling and I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the premise for the ‘Wicked Villains’ series, so I obviously downloaded the first book, ‘Desperate Measures’, and gave it a whirl.
It was…an experience.
Once upon a time, I was a sheltered princess.
On the night Jafar takes everything from my father, he offers me a devil’s bargain—walk with my freedom and nothing else, or attempt to best him and regain my inheritance. In my arrogance, I play right into his hands. I foolishly assume I have a chance to come out on top. I’m wrong.
Now Jafar owns me, body and soul.
We fight during the day, but when night comes, we play out every fantasy I’ve never allowed myself to admit to having. I can’t hide them from Jafar, though. We know each other—and the dark desires we share—far too well. He sees to my every need, no matter how carnal or extravagant. It’s almost enough for me to be happy…
But a gilded cage is still a prison, and I’ll do anything to obtain my freedom—even betray the man I’m falling for.
I was really unsure how my Disney-loving heart would cope with this desecration of ‘Aladdin’, but other than the characters’ names - Jasmine and Jafar are the couple at the heart of the novel - and the other residents of Culver City who will make appearances throughout the ‘Wicked Villains’ series - Meg, Hades, Tink, Hook, Belle etc - there’s no other connection to the classic film of my childhood. Thank goodness!
This was my first Katee Robert book and as always with this type of book, I was hoping for at least some plot and passable writing along with the smut, and I got that from ‘Desperate Measures’. Of course, there is a whole lot of smut, too. And it was pretty full on. While for the most part, it was pretty good, but there were definitely some…18+ quirks to their relations that really didn’t do it for me and actually made me feel rather icky. From what I know of the rest of the series (I highly recommend watching Becca and the Books’ reading vlog the series for more info on the content), I think it’s going to move more and more into things I’m not a fan of. This type of erotic romance just isn’t for me, I reckon.
Even though I said above that I was scared of the Disney connections, one of the things I enjoyed the most about ‘Desperate Measures’ is the familiar names from the Disney universe and how Katee Robert adapted them to life in Culver City. I know one of the later books is all about Tink and Hook and even though my brain in screaming ‘no, thank you’, I can’t help but be a little curious…
I don’t think I enjoyed ‘Desperate Measures’, but I also didn’t not enjoy it. I’m a bit conflicted really, but ultimately I don’t think I’ll carry on with the series. I would really love to know what you guys think if you’ve read ‘Desperate Measures’ or any further books in the series.
If you’re curious about other dubious-sounding, spicy BookTok faves, check out Sarah’s reviews of ‘Ice Planet Barbarians’ By Ruby Dixon and ‘Dick Fight Island’ by Reibun Ike.
Written by Sophie
