Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate
Series-Beyond #1
Reviewed by Anne

Disclaimer: I won a free copy of this book from the author.

OK, so I just finished reading Beyond Shame and I LOVED it!  I’ve been on a string of a bunch of A/A+ reads.  It’s not just that I’m in a good mood – I’ve genuinely liked all of these books.  Beyond Shame goes beyond like for me, and it’s going on my best of the year list for sure!

First off, let me say that this is a dirty book.  Reading it made me feel dirty in a very, very good way.  Back when I read Maya Banks’ short story in Cherished I had problems with the group sex and it made me feel dirty in a yucky way.  Not so in this book. 

 

There is m/f, m/m/f, f/f, m/f/f sex and some fairly big parties.  However, the heart of the story is the m/f relationship between Noelle and Jasper.  There’s also some kink, but the consent is never questionable, so I had no problems with it.

OK, let me back up a bit.  I think the right word for the setting of this book would be dystopian.  It’s a dark, post-apocalyptic world.  It reminded me of the Hunger Games world in feeling, and also in that it has one extremely rich city/center/region, Eden, that lords over the rest of the relatively poor ones.  This story has a very urban feel as well. 

Noelle is one of the privileged few.  As a daughter of a powerful politician she’s been raised in a repressed society that reminds me of historical romance.  There’s an emphasis on politics and purity.  However, the book begins with Noelle having been disowned and thrown out of Eden into one of the sectors surrounding it.  Luckily for her, she quickly is picked up by Jasper, one of the members of the gang that runs the sector she was abandoned in.  Oh, and I forgot to mention – why was she disowned and thrown out?  Fornication!  And drinking!  Noelle took it upon herself to find out what this sex stuff was all about.  She wonders if there was something wrong with her.  Everyone else seems able to resist their sexual urges, but she sought it out.

So, Noelle is abruptly banished from the home she’s known and thrown into a dangerous sector.  Thankfully, Jasper sees her and is feeling protective, and just like that, she’s being folded into their gang, the O’Kanes.  I will say, this quick acceptance was a weak plot point for me, but as the dystopian setting is fantasy to me, I can just blink and go with it in a way I wouldn’t be able to in a contemporary setting.  ‘Cause, you know, I am kind of a gang expert.  /<sarcasm>

So, the O’Kanes are a dangerous and powerful gang.  They are family to each other.  They run the sector – and maybe other sectors, too?  They make alcohol, which is how they make money.  Two of the very high ups in the gang are smitten with Noelle, so her protection continues and her entrance to the gang comes quickly.  Unlike any urban legend I’ve ever heard, there is no ritual killing or beat down required for joining the gang. 

So, where does the sex fit in?  Everywhere.  As repressed as Eden was, the sectors are in-your-face sexual.  They embrace their sexuality and aren’t shy about their bodies.  Noelle is both intrigued by and ashamed of her interest and attraction.  The gang is accepting of this, but they bring her into their world one experience at a time.  By that point I was fully accepting of this world and the gang and I found the sex to be incredibly hot.

Noelle is rescued by Jasper, but quickly taken in by Lex, girlfriend to the gang leader, Dallas.  Lex and Dallas have an interesting relationship which they haven’t formalized with the tattoo neck bands that are the symbol of permanent relationship in this gang.  (By the way, I really need to read more about Lex and Dallas.  Now.  I don’ want to wait until next year when their book comes out!)  So, Lex likes Noelle.  Actually, Lex like likes Noelle, so she really enjoys teaching Noelle all about her sexuality.  Jasper and Dallas are happy to be part of Lex's teaching program.  And while Noelle has a really strong preference for Jasper, she’s also very attracted to Lex.  And really to everyone. 

 

For her whole life Noelle was taught to suppress all her feelings and sexuality.  Now she’s being encouraged to embrace it all.  It’s overwhelming, and she still has feelings of shame, wondering if what she’s doing is really ok.  To top it off, Noelle finds out she gets off on pain and being ordered around.  That seems really dirty to her, and it’s confusing.  Jasper, luckily, understands that and is dominant himself.  However, he’s worried that Noelle will wake up one day and realize she was just trying everything out and was wrong.  She’ll decide it really is all bad and shameful and she’ll be mad at him for introducing her to it all.  So he encourages her to find her own way.  He’ll be there along the way, but how will she know what she likes and doesn’t if she doesn’t give it a try? 

So it starts with Noelle getting permission and encouragement from Jasper to spread her sexual, ahem, wings and see what she likes and how she really feels about it all.  That evolves into Noelle gaining confidence in herself and what she enjoys.  She comes to see she doesn’t need Jasper’s permission to do any of that, but at the same time she figures out that she really does enjoy being bossed around by him, and all the things that she likes, well, they are even better with Jasper.

At the same time all this is going on, we meet other gang members.   We see some of the politics going on in the world and how that affects the O’Kanes.  I’m not big on politics.  These seemed coherent, though and kept my interest.  There’s plenty of sequel bait and I was very distressed to realize this is a NEW series.  No!!!!  I have to wait for the next book!

The books are written by Kit Rocha, who also writes as Moira Rogers.  Interestingly, Kit Rocha is actually two authors who work together.

A final word about the BDSM aspect of this story, especially for Kay.  I’d give this a moderate kink rating.  There’s some bondage and some spanking.  There’s some bossing around.  But no blood, and it’s all very well written so that it’s clear that Noelle enjoys it.  That’s my sweet spot for kink.  I’m interested to hear what Kay thinks after she’s read it since my kink acceptance level is a little different than hers.

To wrap it up, I loved this book.   The flaws were easily overlooked.  The story sucked me in and made me sad when it was over.  It’s another one for my best of the year list!  I highly recommend it.

Kit Rocha's website
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Like a Wolf with a Bone by Shelly Laurenston (Howl For It)

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Pride #0.5
Reviewed by Anne

(Note: I only read Laurenston's story.)

So, I am a big Shelly Laurenston fan.  I’ve been reading her stuff for a while and I love it all.  It’s not often that you can say that about an author, but her stuff is ALL good to me.  It’s set in an alternate present day where shifters (that most full humans don’t know about) exist.  One of the things Laurenston does best with her shifters is bring their animal traits into their personalities and habits, whether in human or animal form.  She's amazingly good! Her stories are  over the top funny and over the top violent, and I just don’t want to put them down when I start them!

I just finished the novella Like a Wolf with a Bone in the anthology Howl For It.  I need to take a moment and mention just how much I appreciate those title.   There’s some nice double entendre along with a nod to the shifterness of the story.  Awesome.

So Like a Wolf with a Bone is a prequel to the current stories.  It takes place in the 70s and there’s some humor to be had from the references that come up.  Darla and Eggie are the parents of one of the most recent heroines, DeeAnn.  Like a Dog with a Bone tells the story of their courtship.  There’s so much to enjoy!

Darla is attacked by a group of full humans.  Eggie manages to fend them off, and by fend them off, I mean that he easily and efficiently kills them all.  However, Darla is hurt and unconscious when Eggie is done with the humans.  Without a whole lot of thought to it, Eggie takes her away from her home – she wasn’t safe there! – and takes her to his military base hospital for treatment.  When Darla wakes up she assesses the situation and after some initial shock, she’s fine with Eggie having rescued her.  So, the conflict in this book doesn’t really come from the two of them together, but from everyone else in the story.  And while there is a lot of humor between Eggie and Darla, it’s the squads of secondary characters that really had me cracking up!

See, Darla has lots of sisters, and Eggie has lots of brothers.  And they are all dating each other.  Yep.  In the rural area I grew up in this wasn’t uncommon.  We used to joke about the family tree growing up, but not out.  Anyway, Darla and Eggie’s siblings have a lot to say about Darla and Eggie being together.  Actually, Darla’s sisters have a lot to say.  They do most of the talking.  And then there’s Eggie’s momma.  She may not know a pacifist from a polygamist, but she's looking out for her boy.  It’s just all good!

This story was ridiculously funny and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.  I highly recommend it!  It’s probably best appreciated if you’ve read some of the other books in the series, especially the more recent ones where DeeAnn and Eggie are mentioned.

 

 

Favorite Authors by Genre for Kay

I thought if I told you which authors I love by genre maybe that might be helpful to you to decide if you trusted my reviews.  I have found that I enjoy and look forward to the reviews of people I trust so, here goes.

Contemporary romance-
Jami Alden, Bella Andre, Maya Banks, Shayla Black, Toni Blake, Jaci Burton, Olivia Cunning, Lauren Dane, Susan Donovan, Lori Foster, Lorelei James, Robin Kaye, Lora Leigh, Susan Mallery, Erin McCarthy, and Jill Shalvis.

Romantic Suspense-
Suzanne Brockmann, Lori Foster, Cindy Gerard, Lora Leigh, Shannon McKenna, Marliss Melton, and Lisa Marie Rice.

Historical Romance-
Jennifer Ashley, Maya Banks, Kresley Cole, Alexandra Hawkins, Jennifer Haymore, Lorraine Heath, Sabrina Jeffries, Nicole Jordan, Christie Kelley, Sarah MacLean, Margaret Mallory, Monica McCarty, Sarah McCarty, Jenna Petersen, Julia Quinn, Maggie Robinson, Michele Sinclair and Tracy Anne Warren.

Paranormal Romance-
Lara Adrian, Shannon K. Butcher, Kresley Cole, Alexandra Ivy, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Shelly Laurenston, Lora Leigh, Gena Showalter, and J.R Ward.

I hope that this is informative if not useful to you.

Shades Of Desire by Virna DePaul

 

 

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Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-SIG #1
Reviewed by Kay

Natalie Jones is a photographer who has recently become legally blind. She has many personal issue she is trying to overcome. With trying to become accustomed to her loss of sight, she is also being stalked by a killer. That brings in Special Agent Liam "Mac" Mackenzie to handle the investigation that is the suspense part of this story.

The suspense part of the story was better than the romance part. I used to read strictly mystery/suspense years ago so I hoped to enjoy this story. I also am a big fan of romantic suspense. This story had a lot of sexual tension but when it came time to close the deal so to speak, it was almost boring. There was explicit language and scene description but I just couldn't connect with the characters by that time. It was too far into the book(over 250 pages) for me. I expect more from a contemporary romantic suspense novel. I hate to say it but I won't be reading anything by this author which is sad because when it is done right, romantic suspense is a personal favorite genre of mine.

Riveted by Meljean Brook

 
Grade-A+
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Iron Seas #3
Reviewed by Anne

I have loved every Iron Seas story I've read, and Riveted was no exception.  I was hesitant about this story because it had no previously known characters, but that was no problem at all.  I loved it from start to finish.  Annika and David were delightful.

Before I read romance I read science fiction/fantasy, and I was always drawn to books that had a romance subplot.  This book reminds me that I still enjoy sci fi/fantasy.  There's a complicated plot and lots of fun and adventure.  And a mechanical whale.  I kid you not, there is a humongous mechanical whale in this story.

When David and Annika first meet it is while they are on their own quests, paths just crossing.  As the story progresses, and their paths happen to merge for a while, you see that they have more to overcome.  Annika has never been in love and is not sure that she wants to give it a try.  She doesn't want to be diverted from her guilt fueled quest.  David is handsome and wonderful as seen through Annika's eyes, but he has a lifetime of insecurity related to the prosthetic hand, eye, and legs he has.  Watching them overcome their issues and find each other is such a joyful journey.  That fact that it takes place in such a fantastical world is icing on the cake.  This is a best of 2012 read for me!

Cherished by Maya Banks and Lauren Dane

This book contains two novellas
Exiled by Maya Banks and Sway by Lauren Dane
Grade-DNF/A+
Hotness Level-Inferno/Inferno
Kink Level-moderate/moderate
Series-Sway is #1 of the Delicious series, a spin off of the Brown Siblings books
Reviewed by Anne

Exiled by Maya Banks made me feel dirty, and not in a good way.  I didn't like the way the heroine was coerced into spending what she thought would be 6 months with the hero and his 3 closest friends.  I might have been more accepting of this in a fantasy setting, especially if the heroine was less innocent and more aware of what she was getting into.  I didn't like the way it made me feel.  At Dear Author they've discussed reader consent as an important part of what makes coercion in a sexual setting seem ok or not.  I think that reader consent is what was missing for me.  I didn't finish reading the book.  I don't think it was bad, it just wasn't a story for me.

On the other hand, Sway by Lauren Dane pushed all the right buttons for me.  Daisy is a 24 year old artist, devoted friend and all around good person.  (She is one of Gillian's circle of friends we met in the book Never Enough.)  Levi is a 40 year old lawyer.  He meets her in a dance class his brother's fiance badgers him into attending.  They are instantly attracted to each other.  Here's one of the first passages that caught me.  Daisy has noticed Levi likes to be in charge as they dance and talk and she is commenting on it.

“Do you like telling people what to do? Just to see how they react?” …
“I prefer it when their reaction is obedience.” A flush roared through her, hot and wild.
 

They enjoy a few dances and then go their separate ways, but after bumping into each other around town a few more times they get together for supper.  They realize the chemistry between them is off the scales.  Daisy also realizes that playing submissive (though they never really discuss it in those terms) to Levi really turns her crank.  So as their relationship develops, they have D/s roles while having sex.  Outside of sex, Levi appreciates Daisy's maturity and independence.

This is a low conflict/no villian romance, which I really love.  The conflict comes from them figuring out how they can be together, and Levi working through some issues with his family.  That was very believable to me.  I can't wait for more of this series and look forward to reading the next story, Tart, soon!  Unfortunately this series is in trade paperback, which puts it out of my price range.  I borrowed this book from the library and have a hold on Tart.  If I get some book money for Christmas, I just might splurge and buy it, though.

Comfort Reads

So, I had this bright idea that we should do a joint post.  We haven’t had many books to review lately, because I’ve been reading what Kay is reading, but about a week behind, which doesn’t work well for review purposes.  Kay’s work schedule got a little more involved.  That’s the only excuse I can come up with.  Or maybe she just thought I was slacking?  I don’t know, but the result is that we haven’t posted any new reviews and I’m about 2 days (or more) away from finishing my current read.  (And, Oh Wow! I am loving Riveted by Meljean Brook.  So good.  And Kay won’t even read the series because it’s not hot enough for her.  Kay, you’re missing out!)

 
OK, so I was thinking a joint post about what our favorite, comfort read are would be fun.  One where we both contribute, talking about what we read again and again.  I was going to get Kay’s input and then rewrite everything, but after looking at our emails, I think you’ll get to know us better by seeing them as they were sent.

***
From: Anne
To: Kay
Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2012 12:30 PM
Subject: joint post

Hey, let’s do a joint post about comfort reads.  I’ll write it, but will you send me a short list of the books you read over and over for comfort and why they are a comfort read for you.

 For me, off the top of my head, it’s

 Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon, because I love the relationship between Vane and Bride.  I love that she’s a bigger woman and that’s a turn on for him.  I have to ignore the WTF time travel in the middle, though.

Irene’s story* in Shelly Laurenston’s series.  It’s just so over the top and perfect, I love it.

Laid Bare by Lauren Dane is one I’ve enjoyed multiple times.

Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward is a great re-read, and since you already know what happens you can totally skip the Lessers.

 I’ll think about it and may edit my list a bit, but if you want to send me your list I’ll make it into a post.

 ~Anne
***
From: Kay
To: Anne
Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2012 1:27 PM
Subject: joint post

Don't laugh, this is my short list:

If You Deceive-Kresley Cole
A Hunger Like No Other-Kresley Cole
Highlander Untamed-Monica McCarty
Dark Lover-J.R. Ward
Lover Eternal-J.R.Ward
Extreme Danger-Shannon Mckenna
Nauti Nights-Lora Leigh
Nauti Dreams-Lora Leigh
Nauti Intentions-Lora Leigh
Only Pleasure-Lora Leigh
Wild Card-Lora Leigh
Raising Kane-Lorelei James
The Mane Event-Shelly Laurenston
The Mane Atrraction-Shelly Laurenston
Miss Congenialty-Shelly Laurenston
Tucker's Claim-Sarah McCarty
Dance With The Devil-Sherrilyn Kenyon

All this did was upset me because now I wanna read these books and I'm too far behind. As usual!

***

So, first off you might notice that Kay’s definition of a “short list” of books is not very short.  That’s ok, I understand.  Upon reflection you might also notice that I can’t write a short email.  Nope.  I just can’t.  This one to Kay is one of the shortest I’ve ever written.  And it contains a list.  And I can’t just give a list.  No, I need to write out my reason for every entry on the list.  That’s just the way it is.

So, there you are, a little insight into Kay and me.

~Anne

PS *The Shelly Laurenston story I mentioned is Miss Congeniality by Shelly Laurenston.

Perfection by R.L. Mathewson

Grade-A-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Neighbor From Hell#2
Reviewed by Kay

Zoe has not had the easiest life but still maintains a fairly good outlook on life. She's just lost her job and while she likes her townhouse,  her neighbor always takes her parking space. There's also a water temperature and pressure issue to deal with. She doesn't want to lose this small sense of security and with the loss of her job, she is now facing that.

Trevor, who is the cousin of Jason in book one, is totally oblivious to his neighbor. She's actually his tenant but he keeps that on the down low for awhile. He doesn't want to lose her as a tenant so he offers to help her out. As their friendship grows, he starts to see her differently and he comes up with an arrangement. From this point on, the story gets exciting.

This novel starts off action packed and doesn't really slow down. I pretty much read it in one sitting. I did have to stop a couple of times to give my stomach muscles a break from all the laughing I was doing. This is one food obsessed family and one terribly talented author in my opinion. She is now a auto buy for me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Playing For Keeps by R.L. Mathewson

Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Neighbor From Hell #2
Reviewed by Kay

Haley is a high school history teacher who lives in what she considers her dream house. She has fixed the place up just the way she wants it inside and out. She takes pride in these accomplishments. So it really upsets her that her neighbor could care less about his home. That in itself is bothersome but then there's his former conquests having drunken screaming fits on his front lawn in the middle of the night. She's even handled that without a word of complaint to him but when he starting pulling up her flowers...it's on.

Jason is also a high school history teacher at Holly's school, in the room next door, in addition to being her neighbor from hell. He is a big guy with a even bigger appetite on all levels. His property is not kept up. He has wild parties and crazy exes. He has even used his front yard as a urinal. He's also totally oblivious to his offensive ways until he pisses off the petite firecracker from next door.


This story was fantastic! I laughed out loud so much my stomach hurt. Haley is so loyal and kind. Jason is boorish but lovable. I have never seen another man love food this much! He loves it even more than J.R. Ward's Rhage or Julia Quinn's Colin and believe me that's something. This would have had a A rating but there was a thought by the hero that offended me greatly and colored my view a little. That being said, I would recommend this book to anyone.

Heat Of Passion by Elle Kennedy

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Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Out Of Uniform#2
Reviewed by Kay

Holly has just gotten dumped by her boyfriend and is looking to lose herself for just a little bit. Carson is a SEAL that is watching his best friend fall in love and thinks maybe his casual sex lifestyle has lost some of it's luster. He thinks he ready for a relationship. Holly approaches Carson at a nightclub and their attraction is instantaneous and off the charts hot.

Holly wants a no strings attached fling and Carson wants a commitment. From there on a battle of wills ensues. I was thoroughly entertained with everything about the story. The only thing that kept it from an A grade was the fact that it's pretty hard to settle the relationship in a short story.

Heat Of The Moment by Elle Kennedy

Grade-B+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate
Series-Out Of Uniform#1
Reviewed by Kay

Shelby owns a coffee house/bakery near Coronado Island. Garrett is a SEAL stationed at Coronado Island. He and his buddies frequent Shelby's place mainly because Garrett is crazy about her. Shelby also feels the same about Garrett. The only problem is no one makes their feelings known, so they kind of circle around each other.

Shelby overhears Garrett and his best friend Carson talk about her being too vanilla for the likes of him. So she sets the stage to seduce and prove she's not vanilla. This short story is smokin hot and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The stories are short and easy to read. Enjoy.

Try Me by Olivia Cunning

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Moderate
Series-One Night With Sole Regret
Reviewed by Kay

This book marks the beginning of a new series by Olivia Cunning. Similiar to but different than her Sinners On Tour series which is an auto-read for me. It's about a rock group on tour. It starts with two women that followed the group Sole Regret from Wichita to Oklahoma. One woman wants to sleep with a group member and the other is going to be a good friend but not interested in sleeping with anyone.

This story is about Melanie and Gabe who ia also known as Force. He's the drummer for the band and everything Melanie never thought she wanted. I don't want to say too much about the story but it's a hot read and I mostly enjoyed it. The parts I didn't, Melanie was a bit annoying and Gabe had "toys" that I didn't like. I'm not sorry I read and look forward to the next one.

Reckless For Cowboy by Daire St. Denis

Grade-C-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Low
Series-Stampede Sizzlers Short Story
Reviewed by Kay

Her name is Brooke. His name is Cooper. She works as a waitress in a bar but starting law school soon. He is a bronc rider in the rodeo. They have an instant attraction at her work. They set up a date after a bet is lost by her. The bet was Cooper would kiss her best friend who's a gay man by the way. He did and it was a real kiss. Their date of course soon leads to sex and it's hot.

My problem was none of this meshed for me. A straight guy is not under any circumstances gonna kiss an openly gay man. I just don't buy it. The story seemed rushed and almost jumbled. I know this is a novella/short story but still. I will say it has a very nice cover.

Always Been Mine by Elizabeth Reyes

Grade-B
Hotness Level- Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Moreno Brothers Book Two
Reviewed by Kay


Valerie Zuniga has loved Alex Moreno for years and years. He's broken her heart for all those years. She has tried to move on and forward with her life. She's got a good job and even dates, but misses Alex terribly. Her cousin is marrying Alex's brother and she has to see him again to help with wedding details.

Alex Moreno has always regretted the way things ended between Valerie and himself. He sees her at a wedding function and all the memories of her come flooding back. He comes to the realization that he still loves her and takes steps to win her back.

Their journey is full of emotions and obstacles. I adore the story here and was happy with the ending. I can't really go anymore in depth with the description of this story without giving it away. Read and enjoy.

About That Night by Julie James

Grade-B+

Hotness Level-blaze
Kink Level- None
Series- FBI/US Attorney #3
Reviewed by Anne

Julie James should be not quite hot enough for me.  But what she might lack in heat, she makes up for with cleverness.  Seriously.  Kyle Rhodes, AKA the Twitter Terrorist refers to Rylann Piece, Assistant US Attorney, as Prosecutrix Pierce.  She thinks of him as Smug Dimples – a name she gave him when they met in a bar 9 years ago.  Their attraction was immediate then, and it returns in force when Rylann unexpectedly finds herself standing in a courtroom, subbing for another lawyer, recommending Kyle’s release from prison after time served. 

She might be tempted to act on this attraction, but when Kyle turns out to be a witness in another case she’s handling, she needs to set attraction aside and be a responsible adult acting like the professional she is.  And that’s one of my favorite things about this book.  They know they’re attracted to each other, but they don’t cross lines they shouldn’t cross.  Thankfully, the case doesn’t last forever, and then things get really interesting.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the cute and sarcastic humor. I also liked that they felt like real people.  They had friends.  Life was messy.  They were there for each other.  Yep.  Another no conflict/no villain contemporary.  Hooray!

 

One final word.  This is the 3rd in this series.  I think it would stand on it's own just fine, though there are several characters in common. The other books are really good, though, so I'd recommend reading in order.

All He Ever Needed by Shannon Stacey

Grade-B+

Hotness Level-blaze
Kink Level- None
Series- Kowalski #4
Reviewed by Anne

I love Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski series and this is another solid entry.  Mitch Kowalski returns to the small town he grew up in.  His younger brother, who manages the family inn, broke his leg and needs some help.  On his way back in the town he sees the diner has been reopened and stops by and meets Paige, the new owner.  He isn’t thrilled to be back in his small home town where everyone knows everything he ever did.  He’s attracted to Paige and hoping she’ll be interested in a no strings attached fling.

 Paige is immediately attracted to Mitch, but she’s not ready to break her man-fast.  However, she’s heard ALL the rumors about Mitch.  All the women he’s left behind.  All the very satisfied women.  None of them are unhappy.  As he pursues her, she starts to think maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be one of those women.  She’s not looking for a relationship, but that means Mitch is just the right man for her.

I love low conflict contemporary.  No one is trying to kill someone else.  There’s no villain.  It’s just two people finding their way to be together.  Paige and Mitch were a lot of fun.  The other inhabitants of the small town provided for a lot of humor.  My favorite thing throughout this book was meeting all the women Mitch had been with and hearing what local legend it had sparked.

The book does a nice job setting up the sequels.  I can’t wait! 

The Bilionaire of Bluebonnet by Jessica Clare

Grade-C

Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level- None
Series- Bluebonnet 1.5
Reviewed by Kay

This is a novella in the Bluebonnet series. It is about a woman named Risa Moore, who was a caregiver to an elderly woman and a man named Travis Jesson who was the elderly lady's grandson.

Travis returns to his grandmother's hometown to basically settle her estate. He hired her a caregiver a couple of years earlier because he's a workaholic and wasn't around to help. He is a very successful business man and has no time to handle the estate and the pet pig his grandma left him. Since he can't seem to find anyone to take the pig quickly enough, he ends up hiring Risa to help him.

The chemistry of this couple is hot if not a little rushed. No real development of the couple happened in this story. I realize it can be very difficult to pull off that development in a novella but that is the reason for only 3 stars. It is still a quick and cute enough read.

The Care and Feeding of an Alpha Male by Jessica Clare

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink-Level-Mild
Series-Bluebonnet #2
Reviewed by Kay

Let me start off by saying that this series is a whole lotta fun! I LOVE this series! It's funny and blisteringly hot. I loved the first book in the series and this one lived up to the original. I love the characters and so hope she makes this a long series.

Beth Ann Williamson is Bluebonnet's hometown sweetheart. Her family is well-to-do, her on again off again fiance is well-to-do and well thought of in the community. They have been together since high school. She recently opened her own salon and is trying to make a go of her life on her own terms. Her most recent and, according to her, final break from Allan Sundquist is difficult for the town to accept. She is constantly bombarded by townspeople who urge her to reconsider her break-up. She is also weighed down by familial obligations which leads her to a situation that involves someone from her past she's not crazy about.

Cole Waggoner helps run a survivalists camp in the town of Bluebonnet. He grew up there but was referred to as a white-trash Waggoner. He can't really get along with Beth Ann but is attracted to her, much to his own dismay. He is called into a situation with Beth Ann that he capitalizes on.

What ensues is a great ride on an emotional roller coaster. Touching, amusing and fiery. Everything I love is in this novel.  I slam dunked it in a day because I couldn't put in down. So pick it up, I dare ya!

All Afternoon With A Scandalous Marquess by Alexandra Hawkins

Grade-A-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series: Lords of Vice #5
Reviewed by Kay

The is Saint's book. His name is Simon Jefferes, the Marquess of Sainthill. He and his fellow Vice brothers have enjoyed lives of entitled gentlemen. Money, gambling and women. He's a rake and a scoundrel to be sure but he has done something totally out of character. Saint has fallen in love, with a Madame of a brothel.

Madame Venna or Catherine Deverall, is a woman with a past. Not all of that her fault. A true victim of her circumstances as a child, she is forced to reinvent herself and in doing that loses the girl she used to be forever. She runs the brothel with as much compassion as is possible and it has made her a wealthy woman.

These two set fire to the pages in the love scenes. This book was HOT! I always love the Lords Of Vice and eagerly await the next book. All the Lords are heard from in this book and that's always a plus. My only complaint is that it seemed to skip a part at the end of chapter thirty and pick up in the next chapter as if nothing happened. That was the only thing about this book that wasn't perfect.

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With This Ring, I Thee Wed edited by Alison Tyler

25 stories of ~10 pages each
Anthology of Contemporary Romance
Grade-B+
Hotness Level- Inferno
Kink Level-Low
Reviewed by Anne

I really enjoy short stories. This was a large collection of ~10 page stories centering on a wedding theme. As usualy with anthologies, it was a bit hit and miss. In the end, though I went with a grade of 4, because there were some real standouts for me. My favorites include: Racing to the Altar by Sommer Marsden A Lucky Wedding by Thomas S. Roche Forsaking All Others by Janine Ashbless- Strippers and Cigars by N.T. Morley Something Blue by Shanna Germain- Anniversary Waltz by Portia Da Costa Love, H...moreI really enjoy short erotica. I love that you can read a whole story in a short setting and explore things you might not be willing to spend a whole novel’s worth of time or price to see if you like. My favorites include: Racing to the Altar by Sommer Marsden – This story features a bride speeding on her way to her wedding, pulled over by a policeman who is NOT sympathetic to her cause.  This was one HOT story! A Lucky Wedding by Thomas S. Roche – A nice interlude alone in the bridal suite before the wedding.  Again, it’s hotness of it that gets me. Forsaking All Others by Janine Ashbless- This was a really interesting story about a couple who often had sex with another couple who were good friends of theirs while they were dating.  It follows their decision of what they would do after they marry.  I thought it was well written! Strippers and Cigars by N.T. Morley – He told his friends he didn’t want a stripper for his bachelor party, but she gave them different instructions.  The exhibitionism of this one is nicely written. Something Blue by Shanna Germain- What if your something blue was bruises and you liked it that way?  Yes. Anniversary Waltz by Portia Da Costa – This is an anniversary story.  She’s spent too much money this month, and the anticipation of what he’ll do when he finds out – on their anniversary, no less – makes for a great story.  I didn’t realize it was Portia Da Costa until I was writing up this review.  She’s becoming a favorite of mine! Love, Honor, and Obey by Rita Winchester – This is a bachelorette party.  The bride is getting a little nervous, but then she gets a call from her groom telling her “Just Say Yes”.  Another well done exhibitionism story. Taking Vows by Kristina Wright – This couple is getting ready to renew their vows, a ceremony their adult children have organized without realizing that their parents are ready to file divorce papers.  There are reasons they don’t want to tell their kids just yet, and they are believable.  This story is about the two of them the night before the ceremony.  I loved it.  As I get older I have a great appreciation for stories about couples who are already married and continuing to work through the different issues that come up and continuing to love each other. Mother of the Bride by Cheyenne Blue – This story really stood out for me because of its tone.  It’s about the mother and father of the bride right before the wedding.  Their mood is very bittersweet.  I thought it was a rare example of sex during a sad, tender moment.  As with the previous story, an older already married couple is the focus.  I loved that it was sexual and hot along with being about mature people at a day that was a little sad for them. One final mention is for the story Something Old, Something New by Sophia Valenti.  It features a young newlywed couple on a cruise ship where they meet a couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.  The younger couple happens to spot the older couple having sex on a desserted ship deck one night.  That particular scene was wonderfully hot, though the story itself was just a 3 for me. The ones I really didn't care for were about cheaters and cheating, which I really didn't enjoy.   All Romance Ebooks Amazon

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One Night Rodeo by Lorelei James

Grade-B
Hotness Level- Inferno
Kink Level-Low
Reviewed by Kay

This is Book Four in James' Blacktop Cowboys series. It would probably be best to read the series in order so you would know the other characters' stories as well.

Celia Lawson is a barrel racer and Kyle Gilchrist is a bull rider in the rodeo circuit. They've known each other since they were children. Celia has been half in love with Kyle almost that long but never really admitted it, even to herself. Kyle, who has earned quite a reputation with the buckle bunnies, has had his eye on Celia for a couple years. He was warned by Celia's brothers, his best friends by the way, to never try to date Celia. These two have constantly argued and bickered over the years, so it is a huge shock to them to wake up in Vegas one morning, married. Sadly enough, the alcohol- fueled evening before is not remembered very well.

Kyle is called home for a family emergency and Celia goes with him. They forge an alliance for six months. At the end of six months they will go their separate ways and end the marriage farce. Not to spoil the book, let me say the chemistry between these two is on fire. The love scenes are plenty and steamy. This is a Lorelei James' constant and one of the reasons she is an auto-read for me.

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Deep Desires by Charlotte Stein

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16038875-deep-desires
~100 pages
Contemporary Romance
Grade: A
Heat Level: Inferno
Kink: Low
Reviewed by Anne

Abbie is a plain and dull grocery store clerk, but she’s content in her boredom.  She’s recovering from and abusive relationship and has a lot of issues related to that.  So living every day on it’s own, boring as that may be, brings her a level of happiness and self worth.  Then one night out her apartment window she sees in the window of man she knows only as The Serial Killer.  Other people in the apartment complex have given him this name because he’s so reclusive and mysterious.  Watching him through the window she’s captivated as he strips and masterbates.  And she’s sure he can’t realize she’s watching, can he? 

And so starts this deliciously dark and erotic story.  It is HOT.  Charlotte Stein has an incredible style of writing.  She uses the first person and she really knows how to write erotica.  It’s amazing how she blends the dark moments between these two damaged people and at the same time makes it so hot and so emotional that you understand why it’s worth it for them to try to overcome their scars.

My only complaint would be that I wanted more.  It was about 100 pages on my Kindle and I wanted more.  I give it an A.

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We're Here!

We are Smut Reader Kay and Lusty Girl Anne and we read dirty books.  We're going to write here about what we really think about the books we read.