--- title: "Blackberry Honey review" description: "Blackberry Honey gives its lesbian maid romance intimate sex and convincing chemistry, but repeated bullying and mishandled side stories interrupt the pleasure." language: en canonical: https://bestadultgames.io/en/games/blackberry-honey --- [Games](https://bestadultgames.io/en/games.md) / [Visual novels](https://bestadultgames.io/en/genres/visual-novel.md) / Blackberry Honey # Blackberry Honey A tender lesbian maid romance in a household that wears out its welcome [Visual novels](https://bestadultgames.io/en/genres/visual-novel.md) · ebi-hime ![Lorina and Taohua in full maid dresses, with the dialogue box and reading controls visible.](https://bestadultgames.io/images/edition/bf0ff6e6d29716810d1cd3424faaf4aee4c688cd4d9ab3ea2720a27aa0c104d8.webp) *[Official Blackberry Honey screenshot · ebi-hime](https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/)* Best Adult Games · Editorial review This review is a research-based synthesis of 11 published sources, last checked 5 October 2026. We have not played the game ourselves; the scores express our editorial judgment. [How we score games](https://bestadultgames.io/en/methodology.md) Blackberry Honey's appeal begins with the relief of being desired in a house that treats you like dirt. Lorina Waugh arrives at Bly after losing her previous job, works exhausting hours and endures constant humiliation. Taohua, an older maid with a private room and an unsettling reputation, offers attention Lorina has learned to distrust. For someone used to ridicule, desire is both a comfort and a risk. With the adult DLC installed, that attraction develops into sex. Tenderness and vulnerability give this focused lesbian romance its erotic pull. The difficulty lies in the surrounding story: workplace abuse keeps interrupting the intimacy, important revelations arrive late, and parts of the supporting cast get badly mishandled. ## Teasing, trust and an unequal courtship Lorina's defensiveness is earned. She is suspicious of kindness, conscious of her precarious employment and unsure what to make of her attraction to another woman. Taohua's teasing confidence is seductive, but her greater freedom within the household makes their courtship uneven. Their chemistry grows stronger when both women reveal the fears behind their behaviour. Religious guilt, class pressure, homophobia and racism directly affect their intimacy. Taohua's mixed Chinese and British background makes her a particular target for the household's hostility; Lorina has a livelihood to lose. Their desire offers an escape from a world that polices them. Taohua's history gives that hope substance, although holding so much of it back for late exposition slows the romance. ## Sex that deepens the attachment ![The adult maids Lorina and Taohua kiss while holding hands, fully dressed.](https://bestadultgames.io/images/edition/35e97af9dfe214e15bdd8ffb50c9ce462ff795e45e9f21fe6d6306a08205a12f.webp) *The central romance carries its own emotional payoff. [Official Blackberry Honey screenshot · ebi-hime](https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/)* The free adult DLC adds four uncensored sex scenes centred on Lorina and Taohua's relationship. Their appeal comes from the women wanting each other despite confusion, hurt and social pressure. Nudity follows emotional investment, and the writing allows vulnerability to sit alongside pleasure. That intimacy gives a small scene count more impact, provided the couple has already caught your interest. Still illustrations and written description carry the heat. Characters have no voiced dialogue, there is no sexual action to control, and you cannot change partners or steer an encounter through choices. A CG gallery and a Memories menu let you revisit scenes without another complete read. The piano music and vocal opening song give the surrounding story warmth. ## Lovely rooms, awkward proportions Frilly dresses, detailed rooms and a piano-led soundtrack make Bly look and sound inviting despite its miserable inhabitants. Taohua's composure and the couple's intimate illustrations sell the attraction particularly well. Lorina's standing sprite is the conspicuous weak spot: her oversized boobs and chest-supporting pose can crowd out subtler emotion. Even a vulnerable exchange can feel staged around her chest. The CGs and everyday sprites also vary in proportions and likeness. A tender illustration can be more expressive than the portrait that follows it, weakening the continuity between romantic highs. The presentation remains attractive, but its sexual appeal is strongest in individual illustrations and well-written exchanges. The everyday character art doesn't always sustain that intimacy. ## The household wears out its welcome ![Blackberry Honey title artwork shows the adult maids Lorina and Taohua kissing.](https://bestadultgames.io/images/edition/68dacab25c7abb10c10bece73fee657f81a96f7452026cc054b5fb855779bfc4.webp) *Blackberry Honey’s central adult couple. [Official Blackberry Honey artwork](https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/)* There are no choices, branches or competing routes. Reading advances the relationship, so you don't need a walkthrough to avoid missing the sex. The fixed progression gives the couple a deliberate arc and leaves the pacing entirely in the writer's hands. Too many days repeat the same cycle: Lorina is mistreated, reflects on it and seeks Taohua's comfort. Promising conversations sometimes give way to another date change before their implications can develop. The supporting cast adds to that frustration. Cruel senior maids make the lovers' refuge appealing, then become repetitive obstacles. The scene in which twelve-year-old Constance kisses Lorina is an uncomfortable use of a child character, especially when her subplot receives so little resolution. It undermines the adult framing without making the story more emotionally convincing. The central couple's warmer ending cannot tidy up every loose thread. ## Verdict Blackberry Honey is worth reading for the tender, uneasy attraction between Lorina and Taohua. Insecurity, teasing and mutual attachment give their sex scenes emotional weight, and the free adult DLC makes the explicit edition easy to justify at the reviewed price. The journey asks for patience: repeated humiliation and delayed exposition drag, while the younger-character subplot leaves an uncomfortable loose end. Static illustrations and unvoiced dialogue also limit the presentation. The couple's intimacy supplies a convincing payoff, but the story makes them work too hard for it. ### What works - \+ Convincing lesbian chemistry gives the sex emotional weight - \+ Free adult DLC and convenient scene replay - \+ Detailed illustrations and music create a rich Victorian atmosphere ### Drawbacks - − Repeated bullying and late exposition slow the romance - − Uneven character art and a child-character kiss weaken the adult framing ## Related guides - [Adult game playtime by genre: what our catalog's hours cover](https://bestadultgames.io/en/guides/documented-playtime-by-genre-in-our-catalog.md) ## Questions before you play ### Does Blackberry Honey include explicit sex on Steam? The base game has sexual themes and implied sex, but no explicit sex scenes. The free Blackberry Honey Adult Patch DLC adds four uncensored consensual sex scenes. This review covers the English desktop edition with that DLC installed. ### Can you choose a partner or miss a sex scene? There are no dialogue choices, branches or alternative romance routes. Lorina and Taohua's relationship follows a fixed progression, including the sex scenes when adult content is enabled. A CG gallery and scene replay make favourite moments easy to revisit. ### Are the sex scenes animated or voiced? The sex scenes use still CG illustrations and written description. Characters have no voiced dialogue, and there is no sexual action to control. Music sets the atmosphere; the opening song has vocals. ### Does the uncensored adult patch support Japanese? No. The uncensored patch does not support Japanese. ebi-hime's official page links a separate censored patch for that translation. That patch censors the adult illustrations across its supported languages. ### Which platforms and extras are available? The regular US Steam price was $12.99 in October 2026. Steam lists Windows, macOS and Linux; ebi-hime separately sells itch builds, including Android versions added in June 2026. The soundtrack is optional paid music, and the adult DLC is free. Bittersweet Blossoms is a separate later story with different leads. ### How long is the story, and how heavy does it get? The developer estimates roughly 7–10 hours for the main story; the adult DLC adds text. The central romance reaches a warm resolution, but repeated workplace bullying, racism, homophobia and religious guilt make the journey stressful. A younger-character subplot also includes an uncomfortable romantic boundary scene. This review is based on published sources. Its scores express our editorial judgment. [How we score games](https://bestadultgames.io/en/methodology.md) ### Sources & further reading - [Steam: current desktop package and edition facts](https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/) - [Steam: free Adult Patch and included sexual content](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1075720/Blackberry_Honey_Adult_Patch/) - [ebi-hime: alternate builds and Japanese patch distinction](https://ebihime.itch.io/blackberry-honey) - [ebi-hime: June 2026 fixes and separate Android builds](https://ebihime.itch.io/blackberry-honey/devlog/1546137/new-build-has-been-uploaded-android-build-added) - [The Lily Garden: patched romance, intimacy and replay menus](https://remyfool.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/blackberry-honey-visual-novel-review/) - [March 2026 owner: personal sex scenes and unresolved supporting cast](https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561199589140756/recommended/716340/) - [November 2025 owner: character writing and relationship-focused sex](https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198115086953/recommended/716340/) - [June 2026 owner: repetitive pacing and inconsistent artwork](https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970987565/recommended/716340/) - [December 2025 owner: late exposition and younger-character concerns](https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198127770377/recommended/716340/) - [WayTooManyGames: critical Switch account; story and age-boundary concerns](https://waytoomany.games/2022/02/13/review-blackberry-honey-switch/) - [PatientGamers: opposed account of tone and character consistency](https://www.reddit.com/r/patientgamers/comments/1uy2hrz/blackberry_honey_a_patient_review/) Last checked 5 October 2026. ## Editorial score 64 Erotic 78 Story 65 Gameplay 39 Visuals 70 Characters 78 Replayability 31 ## At a glance - **Rated edition**: English Steam desktop edition with the free uncensored adult DLC - **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux - **Release status**: Complete - **Genre**: Visual novels - **Basis**: Research-based; not played by us - **Sources**: 11, checked 5 October 2026 - **Evidence**: Medium confidence - **Release year**: 2017 - **Playtime**: Developer estimates 7–10 hours for the main story; adult DLC adds text - **Pricing**: Paid story; free adult DLC; optional paid soundtrack Complete linear romance. Explicit sex requires the free adult DLC on Steam; Japanese uses a separate censored adult patch. ### Game and store links [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/716340/Blackberry_Honey/) [itch.io](https://ebihime.itch.io/blackberry-honey) 18+ · Linked sites may contain explicit content. [How we score](https://bestadultgames.io/en/methodology.md) ## More games | | Game | Main genre | Release status | Overall score /100 | |---|---|---|---|---| | | [Making*Lovers](https://bestadultgames.io/en/games/making-lovers.md): Quick courtships, dirty jokes, and sex made sweeter by everyday chemistry. | Visual novel | Complete | 79 | | | [Our Red String](https://bestadultgames.io/en/games/our-red-string.md): Lena and Ian can chase plenty of sex. Their choices make trust harder to keep. | Visual novel | Early Access: Chapter 15.1 released | 81 | | | [Coming Out on Top](https://bestadultgames.io/en/games/coming-out-on-top.md): Hot men, tender sex and romance choices that can trip you up | Visual novel | Complete | 77 |