The Demon Lovers Boxed Set by Kate Douglas

Grade: D
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink (sex with a demon, rape)
Genre: Paranormal, menage, polyamory
Series: Demon Lovers #1-5

Reviewed by Anne

238 pages (5 stand alone novellas about the same characters)

Addie was a normal human being until a bite on the neck turned into one part of a three part demon hunting team.  Along with Locan and Jett Addie will take on demons intent on hurting humans.  

So, this was part wack-a-doodle fun and part WFT? Ultimately this read a lot more like erotica than it did erotic romance.  I enjoy erotic romance (with a story and character development) more than erotica (sex for the sake of sex).  This was my second time reading a Kate Douglas book. I liked the first one I read (Dark Wolf) enough to read her again, but this set of novellas didn't work for me.

I think I could have handled the over the top wackiness, but the relationship just wasn't really there.  There were also some inconsistencies of plot that bugged me.  By then end there were other elements (infidelity, kidnapping, rape, addition of a fourth to the relationship and team with absolutely no discussion about it) that just were too much for me.

I'll read more Kate Douglas, but I'll probably stick to her full length stories.

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand

Grade: A-
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Amour et Chocolat #4

Reviewed by Anne

287 pages

 

I know a lot of people are fanatical about reading a series in order.  I'm not really one of them.  Don't get me wrong, if I can, I'll definitely read a series in order, but I don't think much of jumping in to an established series.  That's what I did with The Chocolate Touch.   The only problem I ran into was that now I want to read all the books I missed!

 

Dominique (Dom) is a famous chocolate maker in Paris and a well known bad boy.  He finds himself drawn to a quiet woman who sits in his chocolaterie (a chocolate restaurant!) each day and savors his chocolate creations.  He's quite full of himself and he's drawn to her in part because of her mystery, but in part because he takes her love of his chocolates personally.

 

Jaime is the grand-daughter of an American chocolate mogul.  One that Dom would be very dismissive of if he knew who she was.  (it made me think of Hershey)  She used to be quite the black sheep of the family and political activist pushing for fair trade and honest labor practices for the family chocolate business.  But that was months ago and she's feeling really lost now.  She's taking each day one at a time and enjoying every little piece of it.  Her favorite part of the day is the time she spends enjoying Dom's chocolate creations.  

 

Dom has quite a way with women, but he is used to one night stands and women who pursue him.  He's actually quite nervous about going after Jaime, much to the delight of his staff.  Jaime feels like nothing special and can't even fathom that Dom wants to spend time with her.  The fumbling it takes for the two of them to come together was so sweet and fun!

 

This was a great story!  I felt like I was *in* Paris eating decadent chocolates. I loved how the back stories of Dom and Jaime unfolded. Their issues were very believable. I loved them both, but I especially loved Dominique. The chapters in his head were my favorites.

 

Here's Dom.  He's finally worked up the courage to approach her and is putting together a box of his chocolates for her.  He's also giving her samples as he fills the box. (I'm in love!)

"Here, have another." He pushed the square into her hand.  "No, try this one."

 

Her flush blurred her pale freckles, but she smiled and took it.  Her enthusiasm, or maybe even more the blush, tempted him to abandon this medium-size box and pull out his largest, fill it with everything of his and three time over.  But he caught himself.  He wanted her to run out.  He wanted her to have to come back here to get her next fix.  

This just makes me melt!

Dom and Jaime have real issues to overcome, but it's overall a low conflict romance.  (I love those!) This one is really good and I recommend it. I can't wait to read books 1-3!  How about you?  Does a tough guy hero who specializes in chocolate work for you?  Or is there something else you prefer?

Menage Monday - Training Their Mate by Vella Day

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High Kink
Series-Pack Wars #1
Genre-Paranormal/Shifter
Reviewed by Kate

When Liz makes a botched attempt to kill Harvey Couch(who raped her mother), Harvey sends some thugs after her. But not just any thugs, werewolf thugs. It's a good thing that Trax overhears Couch's orders and manages to save Liz from the attack, but not before she discovers the existence of werewolves. Trax takes Liz to the home he shares with his brother Dante do they can protect her from other attacks by Couch.

Trax and Dante recognize Liz is their mate(they're werewolves too-but good ones) but are afraid that if they reveal their furry selves, she'll run and be in danger. They decide to wait until she's fallen for them before they tell her the truth. we all see where this is going, don't we?

Liz's character is filled with the need for revenge, But surprisingly, she's smart enough to realize she's out of her league dealing with werewolves. So she leaves Couch to Trax and Dante. Of course, once she's no longer worries about revenge, she has nothing else to focus on except Trax and Dante. Trax and Dante are part of an organization who take out the bad werewolves like Couch. Dante is a bit of a softy as far as Liz is concerned. But Trax has a one track mind and can't pay much attention (or be nice) to Liz until after Couch is caught. Trax is a dominant, so when he does pay attention to Liz, it usually involves tying her up. I honestly pictured the pair doing a good-cop/bad-cop routine throughout the whole book. Trax was unfeeling and Dante was always there to soften the harshness of Trax's character.

My frustration with this book came not from the characters or the plot, but more from the world the author has created. I had so many questions that went unanswered until the very end ( if they were ever answered), even though they had no bearing on the plot. Questions like: How did Dante and Trax know that Liz was their mate? Was it normal for two males to share a mate? Could non-werewolf females be impregnated by werewolves? The list went on for a while. I feel part of the responsibility of a paranormal/shifter author is to make the reader aware of the rules in their world, because let's face it-each author's world is a unique. Not knowing the rules of this world really pulled me out of the story quite a bit.

I am an occasional reader of shifter romance. How about you? A huge fan or not so much?

Sky Runners by Fae Sutherland

 

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Space Opera, Sci-fi, m/m
Series: Skybound #2

Reviewed by Anne

151 pages

 

Here's my book club style recap: So, there is this ship and crew (which reminded me of the Millenium Falcon, minus the wookie and plus gay men) who are on a mission to rescue this kidnapped guy (his name is Neith) who is being forced to work in a brothel.  They do a daring rescue, and they succeed, but it turns out he's been given lots of drugs that make him horny (to the point of pain, of course) and thankfully there's a guy on board (big old guy with a heart of gold named Killian) who is willing to, ahem, help him out until the drug wears off.  (It's a long lasting drug!)  Action and adventure ensues.  Will the nasty pimp with a big space ship come after them?  Will they be able to tell really lust and love from drug fueled feelings?

 

What a great read! I have to go back and read the first book in this series now, because, as is usual for me, I started with book 2 in the series. It's an interesting space/future world set up. m/m vs m/f romance doesn't seem to be an issue at all in this world, which was interesting and nice. I was a bit nervous that the story would include a man who had been forced into prostitution.  That's a touchy subject and not one to be made light of.  I thought the repercussions of the forced prostitution were handled ok. My thought is that there would be bigger after effects, but it wasn't totally ignored, so I'm good with that. I'm a sucker for unintentional aphrodisiac stories, so that part really worked for me. I thought Killian and Neith's relationship was sweet. I enjoyed the secondary characters, too. After reading the interaction between the captain and the pilot (main characters from the first book) I have to go back and read that one.  A caution - Killian has an accent.  You know, the kind where you don't say any of the "g"s in "ing" words.  That bugged me a bit.  I know it really drives some people bonkers.  But after a while his endearment for Neith (li'l bit) stopped being annoying and ended up being really sweet. This was a  fun read I'd recommend to people who enjoy sci/fi space romance.

Willow Springs by Toni Blake

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-None
Series-Destiny #5
Reviewed by Kay

I had put off reading this book because my TBR list was so out of control. I try to read current books to review but honestly, I love this series so here goes.

Amy owns the book store in Destiny and she is kind of renown for her matchmaking abilities in town. She's done a pretty good job of it too. For everyone but her, She is also a cat lover (she won me over for this reason alone) also and adopts out strays from her store. She has a good circle of friends but Logan is her best friend. They grew up two houses from each other and formed a bond early. She sees herself as unlovable due to being plain but I pictured her as the girl next door type.

Logan Whitaker is a fire fighter in Destiny. He recently was at a fire that left him with some emotional scarring. He took a leave of absence from the local fire department to deal with the tragedy. He withdrew from family and friends, even Amy. He has some life altering decisions he comes to on this leave.

I adore this series and stumbled on to it by accident and I've never been so happy I did. It is a gem, truly. Sweet, precious and endearing. I really enjoyed the story here with the exception of Logan. I found him to be not only selfish and stupid but in my opinion almost a cheater. A douche bag who practices douchebaggery. No redemption for him with me. Do I buy the 34 year old virgin? Not really but I played along. Other than those things, this was another good edition to a great series.

Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Paranormal, gargoyle
Series: Entwined Realms #1

Reviewed by Anne

256 pages

 

Twenty-six years ago The Great Collision happened, uniting our human world with the magical realm.  Now zombies, vampires, orcs, trolls, and gargoyles aren't just creatures of myth.  They're real and part of the world we know.

 

Larissa lives within a protected city and has no contact and very little knowledge of these creatures until the day she's attacked by zombies and saved by a gargoyle, Terak.  But Terak isn't the only one watching her, and the zombies aren't the only ones attacking. 

 

What a great book!  Larissa wasn't a warrior, but she was smart and practical.  She accepted and asked for protection.  She trusted her gut feelings and that was all so refreshing to read.  Terak was really interesting -- I enjoyed this new take on gargoyles.  

 

Even more than I enjoyed Larissa and Terak, the secondary characters really shine in this story!  Fallon and Laire are two hilarious women - warrior and mage and they are part of a team of fighters that is mostly women!  The women are respected by the males they work with and they are more then just beings to have sex with or sequel bait. They are fierce and it was so awesome to read characters like this!   

 

The "why" of Larissa being targeted was a big mystery that I didn't figure out until it was revealed, but it totally made sense.  That's some nice writing!

 

I did have some little complaints.  There were times when Larissa and Terak seemed to know things about each other that they hadn't had time to learn.  There was a time or two when someone acted out of character.  Overall, though, the good far outweighed the bad.  Monsch writes great characters and an interesting world!  I really look forward to reading more!

Breaking by Claire Kent

Grade: B
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, same couple series
Series: Escorted #1.5

Reviewed by Anne

61 pages

 

This 61 page story picks up a with Ander and Lori a few months from the end of Escorted. (See my review of Escorted here.) Ander has been working on his doctorate and they've been apart off and on.  He unexpectedly comes home from a trip a week early because he needs to be with Lori.  (This story, in contrast to Escorted, is told entirely from Ander's POV.)  He may have been needing to see Lori, but he can't bring himself to share his problems with her.  Instead he just keeps seducing her.

 

Amazingly, I think this book had too much sex in it for me!  However, that was a plot point of the story, so it's not exactly gratuitous.  It's exactly what Ander was up to - he's distracting Lori with sex.  He uses it as a shield.  It's an interesting and kind of believable idea. Of course, that's not going to last forever, and that conversation was where the story really shone for me.

 

I'd recommend this story to anyone who enjoyed Escorted, but I think this story would be more enjoyable after reading Escorted.

So, what do you think of this trend of authors writing novella length sequels/epilogues for established couples.  Do you like it?

The Proposition by Katie Ashley

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-The Proposition #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
316 pages

This is actually the second story in the series, the first part was a novella. Aiden Fitzgerald wanted Emma Harrison so bad. He wanted her so bad that he agreed to be her baby daddy just to get her into bed. Emma wanted a baby so bad she agreed. A contract was drawn up and the baby making began. What neither of them expected was to fall in love. Both try to fight it but you know what happened.

I love this series. I love the characters. Even Aiden the man-whore. Even Aiden the frustrator (okay, that might not be a word). Even Aiden the douche. I love Emma. I love Nate, Casey, Connor, Patrick and all the rest of the characters. I loved finding out more about Aiden's past.

I highly recommend this series. It fun, hot, sweet and easy to read. Oddly enough, my favorite character in this series is dead. Travis. I wish he would have gotten his HEA but not with Emma. My only dislike, this was a cliffhanger.

The Party by Katie Ashley

Grade-A
Hotness Level-None
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-The Proposition # 0.5
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
44 pages

This is a prequel or prologue to The Proposition. It tells the story of how they met at a party and the loss that Emma has suffered. Emma, the strong business woman, meets Aiden Fitzgerald, the resident man-whore. He tries to pick her up and she turns him down.

Emma wants a baby in the worst way. She lost the man she loved and feels he was her shot at forever. She lost but she still wants to be a mother and talks her gay best friend into donating his swimmers for the cause.

I loved this novella and immediately put everything on hold and bought the first two books. I suggest this novella for anyone. I even love the cover! It doesn't really match the description in the story but it makes me giggle.

Menage Monday - Ours To Love by Shayla Black

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High Kink
Series-Wicked Lovers #7
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
391 pages

Xander Santiago is the ultimate playboy, always looking for his next conquest, and always finding it.
He's good looking, rich and great in bed, what more could a girl want?

Javier Santiago is a successful business man with an alcohol problem and a guilt trip. He's also good looking, rich and in need of an intervention.

London McLane is an innocent twenty-five year old woman who is trying to finally start living her life. She's pretty, full-figured and physically scarred from an accident ten years ago.

These three people come together and its hot like fire. Shayla Black does hot so very well. My problem was I never connected to the characters. I have always liked this series from Jack to Logan. I liked Xander in the last book but I never loved him.  When someone's number is around five thousand? EWWWW! Javier was ridiculous about his late wife and him wanting Xander to have dominated her. London was the only saving grace. Her outlook on life just for the pleasure of being able to live was touching. I totally bought the story of her being a virgin. That worked well for me.

I think my biggest problem is the BDSM stuff. It's not my favorite theme in romance at all. Not to mention the market is currently flooded with it. It's exhausting. Truly. If you read this series, you're gonna want to read this one too. It wasn't bad I just never wanted to invest in the male characters. This book will not change my opinion of Shayla Black's writing and I'm still a HUGE fan of hers.

The Taming of Ryder Cavanaugh by Stephanie Laurens

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Cynster Sisters Duo #2/Cynster #20
Genre-Historical
Reviewed by Kate
448 pages

Mary Cynster is the youngest in her generation. The last chance for other families to join their names with the Cynster name (which holds much clout). However, Mary is known to be a take-charge, bossy kind of gal. In fact, she has most of the eligible men of the ton rather intimidated. Ryder Cavanaugh is not intimidated though. He's intrigued. He likes the challenge that Mary presents for him but most of all he likes that sense of family that she has, a sense that he didn't have growing up. Things can't be that easy, of course. Mary has set her sights on someone else (Ryder's half-brother) and is resolutely ignoring the stirrings she feels for Ryder. Ryder knows Mary would be able to walk all over his half-brother. She needs someone more her equal, someone like him. Challenge accepted.

My first thought when I picked this book up was "Holy Crap! The family tree in the beginning is making my eyes cross." Then I realized that I had managed to pick up the 20th book in this series. And finally I realized that somehow in my 6+ years of reading romance, I had managed to NOT stumble across one of the other 19 books. Amazing. And then I started reading.

Mary and Ryder's relationship made me smile from the first page. Mary's continued denial of her feelings for Ryder made the first part of the story drag a bit, but once she finally admitted her feelings to herself (about a 1/4 of the way in), the story takes off and never slows down. The relationship between Mary and Ryder was humorous, even if not out right laugh causing. There was such a sense of fate surrounding the two that you just couldn't help but root for them. And for all you suspense fans, there's a bit of that here too. If I had one complaint, it would be the epilogue. It seemed to be more of an epilogue for the series, and since I haven't read the earlier books, it was a bit confusing trying to keep everyone straight. I'm sure readers of the earlier books would appreciate it though.

Reminding me of Julia Quinn, Stephanie Laurens has made a new fan. I will not hesitate to turn to her for my next historical romance fix. And although the thought of reading the prior 19 books is a bit daunting, it's a task I will be undertaking.

Because once I start a series, I can't stop, I'm not a huge fan of super-large series. I prefer a trilogy of books. How about you? What's the perfect number of books for a series to contain?

'Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-Non Kink
Series-Hellions of Halstead Hall #6
Genre-Historical
Reviewed  by Kay

Lord Devonmont, Pierce Waverly is summoned home to his estranged mother because of a message he received from her companion. He thinks she is deathly ill and that is the only reason he comes to check on the mother that basically disowned him. He was raised by his cousins and their family. When he gets there, he finds her in good health and is furious. Her companion, Camilla Stewart will now face his wrath.

Camilla Stewart is a widow with a small son, Jasper. She enjoys her job and spending time with Lady Devonmont. She hates to see her ladyship so lonely for her son. She knows they're estranged and assumes its all Pierce's fault. She's also dreading the confrontation she knows is coming for sending a false missive.

This book just never clicked for me. It wasn't bad, just not great. The hero was an ass! Truly! Almost everything he said was gruff and hateful. I know he had abandonment issues but come on, he was in his thirties. He came off as spoiled. I did like the heroine and supporting characters. The heat level was sub-par and coupled with my dislike of the hero, the book never really got off the ground for me.

Tropical Desires by Vivian Arend, Lexxie Couper and Jess Dee

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-Bandicoot Cove #1-4
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate

The manager of Bandicoot Cove, an Australian resort, has invited some of her close friends and family to be guests at the resort's soft opening. And apparently, there's something in the air or water at Bandicoot Cove. Something that induces a tendency towards threesomes.

Paradise Found by Vivian Arend
Paige has been working in Australia for a while now, but will be leaving the country soon. When she does, her casual affair with Trent and Mason will come to a screeching halt. They knew from the start that there would be an end to the triad. But even though all three of them are secretly hoping for something permanent, they know their stay at Bandicott Cove will be their last time together.

Tropical Sin by Lexxie Couper
McKenzie and Aiden have been close friends since childhood. Aiden has also harbored a secret crush on McKenzie for just as long. Taking the advice of famous rocker Nick(who they meet for the first time at Bandicoot Cove), Aiden finally tells McKenzie how he feels. McKenzie realizes she's loved Aiden all along. Then Nick knocks on the door and asks if he can join in.

Island Idyll by Jess Dee
Sienna is using her trip to Bandicott Cove to recover from a broken heart. Her ex-fiancé, Ben loved her but loved his work more, so she broke it off. While at the resort she meets Josh, her high school crush. After spending a glorious day with Josh, Ben shows up at the resort determined to win Sienna back.

First off, let me say that this book of three stories was a hot, hot read. But I think you need to understand that I am at heart a reader who looks for that HEA. Even in my ménage books, meaning I like all 3 to have a HEA-together. For that reason, Paradise Found was my favorite of the three stories. Tropical Sin and Island Idyll did not end with all three participants together.

I also had issues with Tropical Sin and Island Idyll that I just didn't feel comfortable with, although I understand not every reader has the same issues I do. I didn't like that in Tropical Sin, a threesome was created with someone they knew for only a few hours, and the decision was made without any conversation between the couple. In Island Idyll, I didn't care for the sense of competition that occurred between the two men and I didn't like that one of them felt completely uncomfortable with the situation but went with it anyway. Again, those are just my issues, and they might not bother you. Despite my issues, together these three authors have managed to create a resort that I look forward to visiting again.

So now you know my hang-ups with ménage books. Do you have any make-or-break issues in your reading?

One Perfect Night by Bella Andre

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Ember
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay

Love at first sight. That is what this novella is all about. Noah and Colbie have a chance meeting at a ski resort. Noah rescues her from a fall and teaches her how to snow ski better. Then Colbie, who has had her heart broken before, gets frightened over what she's feeling toward a man she's just met. She ends up running away from him. Both characters hire a private detective to find the other when they get back to the city. Oddly, enough they hired the same one, who is a family friend.

This was just okay for me. I mean the premise is one I'm a sucker for. Love at first sight. I liked the characters but never felt the connection between the two. And the love scenes were almost off page and I hate that. I normally like Bella Andre a lot but this one again, was just okay.

Redneck Romeo by Lorelei James

Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Rough Riders #15
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
388 pages

Dalton McKay is the last single male in his generation. He also just moved back to his hometown after a three year absence. He had to leave his family to find out who he was, aside from a drinkin', fightin', ranchin', whorin' Mckay. Now that he knows who he is, he has to get the girl he's always wanted.

Aurora "Rory" Wetzler has grown up in Sundance. She and Dalton McKay have been friends since childhood, until they weren't. When they weren't friends, they were kind of more. Being kind of more and it imploding has left her emotionally scarred. Now, she's a more mature, confident woman. She is not gonna fall for the McKay charm again.

They are a lot of different plots going on this book. I won't give any of them away but they are majors plots. I started this book with a lot of doubt. I mean, I wasn't a huge Dalton fan, he seemed judgemental and kind of a beta male in the previous books. Also, this took place three years in the future from the last full length novel in the series. I don't know why but that left me a little off kilter before I started reading. I'm so very glad I kept going. I ended up enjoying this book immensely. I also ended up liking Dalton and understanding him better.

Kudos to Lorelei James for keeping a very long series fresh and exciting. I hate that it seems to be winding down. According to her website there should be one more book, but who will it be about?
The only possible McKay of marrying age is Sierra at twenty-one. Hopefully, she will continue writing about the Wests. There are seven of them I think.

Making It Last by Ruthie Knox

Grade: A+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Camelot #4

Reviewed by Anne

104 pages

 

I have always dreamed of reading a story like this! One that looks into a marriage and shows the work and the romance of it. This story brought tears to my eyes and I LOVED it. I hate crying while reading, yet I loved this book. It was so incredibly good and incredibly painful, yet sweet and romantic. This is the fourth story in the Camelot series, and it's a continuation of Tony and Amber, whose "how they met" story was told in the first Camelot book, How to Misbehave.  I really enjoyed that one, too, but I don't think you'd have to read it to appreciate this one.  Making It Last takes place 13 or so years after How to Misbehave. Tony and Amber have 3 rambunctious boys, a big mortgage, and a general busy-ness that leaves them with very little time alone.  Tony works long, long hours to make ends meet.  Amber has just seen her youngest child off to school and is feeling a little lost.  There are so many things pulling them apart, and they aren't even sure what's wrong or how to fix it. That doesn't sound like much, but it's gripping.  I was never bored, and even though I knew it had to be an HEA, I found myself wondering how in the world they'd work things out.  Yet when they did - it was believable. The reality of the story makes it shine.  And then there's humor that relieves some of the tension and makes me grin through watery eyes.  Amber and Tony are great flirts when they get the chance to finally be alone together! Ruthie Knox is a rising star. I haven't read all her books yet, but now I'm determined to! I so appreciate that she wrote a story like this one. It hit so close to home for me. It's so real, and I'm so grateful I got to read it. It's going on my best of the year list. So, how about you?  Do you like reading a romance within an established marriage story?  Do you have any good ones to recommend?

Menage Monday - The Merry Widow of Tanner's Ford by Reece Butler

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild/Moderate Kink
Genre-Retro Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate

The year is 1988 and it's well known that ménage marriages are the norm in the town of Climax, Montana (the old Tanner's Ford for all of you of the Bride Train series). Marci lost her tyrant of a husband in a house fire that left her with the clothes on her back, a scar on her face, and a fear that the law is after her for murdering her husband. She heads to Climax to live with the only family she has left, her sister Nikki, the town's doctor. Marci is enjoying her new freedom, although she is leery of strangers seeing her scarred face. She's also looking forward to exploring her sexual side since her marriage included only dreaded scheduled interludes.

Simon inherited the family ranch and works it along with his twin brother Lance. Lance is down in Texas doing some extra work, so Simon is alone on the ranch when he breaks his leg. When his leg ends up in a cast, Dr. Nikki arranges for Marci to head out to the ranch to take care of stubborn Simon, but doesn't tell Simon that Marci is her sister. Marci is excited to take care of Simon, and she's hoping that Simon will "take care" of her too.

Simon and Lance had a fiance a while back who turned out to be a gold digger, so they've decided to leave their wife up to fate. Once Simon has Marci on the ranch, he realizes she may just be the one. Now he just has to wait for Lance to come home and hope that Marci is on board with a triad relationship as well.

I admit to falling for Simon a bit myself. Between the twins, he's the quieter and more studious of the two and there were a few times I found myself just wanting to sigh contentedly. Lance is a force to be reckoned with, as Marci finds out when she finally meets him. He has a forceful and dominant personality that Marci struggles with a bit because of the domineering side of her dead husband. Marci is a rare heroine who actually manages to think with both her head and her heart. So despite the fact that Lance is so dominant, she is able to recognize the differences between Lance and her husband. I  actually enjoyed her character a lot.

Initially I was a little surprised by the 1988 setting of the book. It just isn't a common period for a romance to take place. I didn't know what genre to classify the book as. Not really contemporary, but I hesitated to call it historical(because I like most of you, was alive in 1988-and I don't consider myself ancient yet). So I'm going with retro contemporary (thanks to Kay for that suggestion). I loved running across little things that reminded me of the time frame. Corded phones, valley-girl talk and Highway to Heaven. The references made me smile. At first, I couldn't figure out what was romantic about 1988, but Reece Butler has shown me in this first book of what promises to be a good series. I anxiously await the next installment.

Tie Me by Olivia Cunning

Grade-A+
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Low
Series-One Night With Sole Regret #5
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
159 pages

Kellen Jamison is man trapped in the past. His life looks pretty sweet. He's gorgeous, wealthy, a rock star, has a great best friend and good band mates. But he is partially broken inside. His guilt over promises he made to a dead woman eat him alive. He tortures himself by revisiting the beach house she loved so much. He wears a cuff on one of his wrists as a remembrance of her. He loves her and doesn't know how to stop.

Dawn O'Reilly is a classical, composing pianist with a Grammy for her achievements. She is staying in a rented beach house for part of the summer trying to finish a piece of music that has her exasperated. Her muse is gone and she can't find another. She has to be perfect, her music has to be perfect. After a disappointing evening trying to compose, she goes out onto her deck in the storm and sees a man. In that moment everything changes.

This is probably Olivia Cunning's best work to date in my opinion. I have been waiting for Kellen's story and this one was fantastic. The emotion in this story was at times almost overwhelming. It took Dawn's tenacity and determination to make Kellen see that he was alive even if Sara wasn't. Kellen had to make peace with the promises he made to Sara (who seemed a bit childish and a whole lot selfish in the description of her) and his acknowledgement that it is possible and okay to always love someone's memory even while you go on living your life. This book moved me to tears, both happy and sad tears. I highly recommend it.

Marooned with the Maverick by Christine Rimmer

 Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Reviewed by Kate
219 pages

When the flood waters rise in the small town of Rust Creek Falls, kindergarten teacher Willa is trapped in her car. Collin, a childhood neighbor and troublemaker, rescues her. The pair takes shelter in a barn for the night. Willa quickly comes to realize that everything she thought she knew about Collin was wrong. Collin has always believed that he was no better than his reputation, but Willa insists he's so much more. He's someone she wants.

I enjoyed Christine Rimmer's pacing in this book. While mostly about Willa and Collin battling his opinions of himself, the backdrop if the flood clean-up keeps the story moving at a quick clip. This was the first book I've read by Christine Rimmer, but it definitely won't be my last.

Undressed by Avery Aster

Grade-D-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-The Manhattanites #1
Reviewed by Kay

Massimo Tittoni is a notorious playboy and also a Prince. He is a bit of a hedonist too. Described by people as gorgeous, rich and well endowed, he is a papparazi favorite. And he is never without a woman around it seems.

Lex Easton is a clothing designer and the daughter of a deceased famous rock star. Her business is on the verge of ruin and her mother on the verge of another trip to rehab. She sets off to meet Massimo about a failed business deal. When they do meet, the sparks fly.

Man, I so looked for ward to this book! It was reviewed by others as the hottest book ever and I thought, "Hot damn"! Well, it was erotic all right. I thought it was too over the top from the settings to the characters to the graphic descriptions. Now wait people, I love hot romance. I love it like nothing else. For me this was full of whorish characters, and overly detailed scenes dealing with bodily fluids. It just wasn't for me on any level. Yay for the cover though!

Mercy Bound by Kele Moon

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level- Mild Kink
Genre-Sci-Fi/Futuristic
44 pages
Reviewed by Kate

In a futuristic world a doctor accidentally sends Dray into a mating heat and Mercy is the only female around. It's a good thing that Mercy has been in love with Dray for years, because it's literally a life and death situation.

I really enjoyed this quick, steamy read. Dray has been avoiding his feelings for Mercy for years, trying to be honorable. Mercy is determined to save Dray from his mating heat, not really understanding what she's getting herself into. I loved the strong characters that Kele Moon has created. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Touch Me by Olivia Cunning

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High Kink
Series-One Night With Sole Regret #4
Reviewed by Kay

Have you ever wanted to prove something to yourself and maybe everyone else while you're at it? Well, Caitlyn Hanson did. She wanted to prove to herself that she was sexy and that a man or men would want her. With that in mind she, through the help of her friend, gets admission into a sex club.
She wants sex with a random stranger for nothing more than sex sake. She's never been very experienced and she married the first man she ever slept with. Turns out he was a cheater and she is now single.

For Owen Mitchell, a bass guitarist for the band Sole Regret, a night at a sex club was pretty normal. He loves sex and will try almost anything. So, when he sees Caitlyn, who's a few years older than him, he thinks his night just got even better. These two talk and decide on what they want from the night. I won't say exactly what but I was impressed.

I am a fan of Olivia Cunning and loved the first two books of her Sinners series but lost interest with Trey's book. I had no interest in finishing that series either. Luckily, I had already started this one. I enjoyed Gabe's and Adam's books. I wasn't crazy about Shade's book or the novella Share Me but this one kind of redeemed this series and Olivia Cunning as an author for me. I hope people will give this novella series a chance and I can't wait for her new series that features Dare Mills!

The Masters of Falcon's Fantasies by Cassidy Browning

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High Kink
Series-BDSM Menage Fantasies #2
BDSM/Contemporary
274 pages
Reviewed by Kate

Clifftop Fantasies is a B&B that caters to the BDSM world. It is run by Allie, Karl and Brad who are in a polyamorous relationship. Daphne, a famous rock star known for her wildness, is staying at the B&B with her and and manager Finn while finishing her latest project. Finn has harbored feelings for Daphne for a long time now, but decides he must keep the relationship strictly professional. Daphne has wanted Finn, but when her advances go unreturned she acts out in order to get Finn's attention.

Finn will do anything to curb Daphne's self-destructive ways. So when he sees Decker (another B&B guest) has a calming influence on Daphne, he asks for advice. Decker lost his wife and slave a year ago in a car accident and has ignored his dominant side since then. He has come to the B&B to slowly get back into the lifestyle. When he sees Daphne, he knows she's a submissive and just needs a strong Dom to bring her under control. But he can also see the feelings Finn and Daphne have for each other simmering under the surface. Choosing to ignore his attraction to Daphne, he starts teaching Finn new ways to deal with her.

But Daphne is attracted to Decker as well and after watching Allie with Karl and Brad, she's pretty sure she knows what she wants. But will Decker and Finn be willing to try a poly relationship or will she drive both men away with her request?

Despite not having read the first book in the series, I didn't have any problems understanding this one. I did find myself with lots of questions about Allie, Karl and Brad's relationship though. I have added the first book to my TBR list, because I just have to know more about them.

Cassidy Browning is an author now on my radar. She has probably written some of the most realistic BDSM and polyamorous fiction that I've run across. The BDSM in this book isn't used strictly for fun or sexual satisfaction. It's also used as a means to rein in Daphne's wild side and to help her grow as a person. I struggled with that a bit. Sometimes the problems that Finn, Daphne and Decker were dealing with were just too real for my escapism reading habits.

How about you? Do you read for realism or escapism?

M/M Monday - Never a Hero by Marie Sexton

Grade: A-
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, m/m
Series: Tucker Springs #5

Reviewed by Anne

174 pages

What a wonderful book!  I'm really enjoying this whole series.  This book is no exception.  In fact, it's one of my favorites.

Owen was born with just one full arm.  His mom has always been embarrassed by him and critical of him.  He's on his own now, and has even overcome (for the most part) the stutter that further shamed him in his mother's eyes.  (No kidding, this is a real Mommy Dearest!)

When Owen's neighbor moves out, Nick moves in downstairs.  Owen is surprised by how comfortable Nick is with him.  It turns out that Nick's sister, June was born with one arm, too.  Together June and Nick help Owen come out of his shell and out from under the damage his mother has done.  Along the way, Owen and Nick start to fall for each other.  There really shouldn't be any problem, but Nick keeps holding back, and Owen can't understand why.

This was such a sweet story.  I actually have several notes and highlights up until a twist in the story about half way through the book.  After that I just was reading as fast as I could to figure out how things would work out!

I loved Owen and Nick, but I liked June even more!  She was a bit of a whirlwind.  I have a couple friends like her - they light up the room when they come in and sweep you along with their plans.  She was a great addition to the story.

As I mentioned, there's a pretty big twist in the story, and mentioning it would be a big spoiler. So I'll just say, it was believable to me, and the resolution was believable to me, too.

I highly recommend this series.  Every book is a keeper!  Even though there are different authors involved, each story has been wonderful.  I want more!

Macrieve by Kresley Cole

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series- Immortals After Dark #13
Genre-Paranormal
Reviewed by Kay
358 pages

Uilleam Macrieve, Will, is a Lykae. He has a twin brother, Munro. He's extremely powerful, handsome, wealthy and on a course of self-destruction. Ever since his parents' deaths and his part in it he has been guilt ridden. Couple that with his capture and torture at the hands of the Order, he is a train wreck. Fighting, drinking and rough sex are his normal. He has given up on any happiness. His only hope, finding his mate.

Chloe Todd is a human soccer player headed for the Olympics. She has had to fight for everything she has ever wanted, despite having a loving father. She has noticed changes in herself for a while now. Subtle changes but changes still. After a rather disturbing discussion with her father, her world implodes. She's faced with things she's only read about. Horrible things. She's rescued by a huge, scary, sexy Scotsman.

This installment of Cole's outstanding IAD series is a great book. Funny, sexy and a little mystery thrown in. You find out who Chloe's add really is, what she really is and if she can save the doomed Macrieve. My two complaints with the book: Will's treatment of Chloe before he accepts her and not enough of the Valkyries. Not having enough of the Valkyries brought the rating of the book down for me. Otherwise, a great addition to one of my very favorite series.

Rule by Jay Crownover

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

Shaw is a pre-med college student who has parents who want to control her life. Even as they kind of overlook her existence. She basically has a surrogate family in the Archer's. She met Remy Archer in high school and the two formed a strong bond. They were the perfect couple who wasn't.

Rule Archer is a great example of an anti-boyfriend, admittedly. He has piercings, tattoos, self destructive behavior and a horrible attitude. He is very estranged from his family, way past awkward.
His twin brother was Remy and has an older brother named Rome, who is in the armed forces.

These two characters, Shaw and Remy, have been raised through the teenage years together. Rule has always only seen Shaw as Remy's. Shaw has always seen Rule as hers. Through all of the trials, Shaw only sees Rule as worthy of redemption.

This book caught my eye last year and has sat on my Kindle for months and months. I finally told my self that it was time and opened it up. I have to say there is a lot of emotion in this book relating to the relationships in the story. Heavy emotions too. The characters have to deal with death and the awful ways it changes you. Those things I liked. The things I didn't like? Rule's mother was a monster and his father a total doormat for the monster. I also don't think a man that has a fight with the girl he's dating has a right to kiss another girl.  The other thing I did not like and my biggest complaint was the heat level. In my opinion, men that have piercings and tattoos should have sex scenes that are blistering not just warm. Don't tell me how hot he is and then have a lukewarm sex scene. It doesn't add up for me or work for me. Ultimately, it killed the book and the series for me.

Slow Burn by Anne Marsh

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Smoke Jumpers #2
Reviewed by Kay

Faye Duncan is looking for a second chance. She desperately needs a do over on her life. Her career is doing pretty well but her divorce is final and it still stings. Not about the hurt but about the fact that it didn't hurt. She cashed in her 401K and buys herself a Corvette. Camera in hand she heads to the town of Strong to take pictures of firemen for the magazine she works for. My only question here is if they are taking applications at the magazine.

Evan Donovan is a smoke jumper like his brothers and friends. He works in Strong and gets a phone call from an old military buddy. His friend, Mike says his ex-wife is headed to Strong and wants Evan to check up on her. Evan thinks its weird but says okay. He finds Faye in the local bar, drunk off her butt and takes her to his cabin since there isn't a hotel in town. From there the story goes on.

This was an okay read for me.  Not great but not bad. I liked the characters primary and secondary. I adored the secondary romance between Ben and Nonna. I thought the mystery unfolded a little too fast for my taste.  This is an okay series and I may read more of it.

Taken by Kelli Maine

Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Give&Take #1
Reviewed by Kay

Rachael DeSalvo has a chance at getting her dream job. She memorized everything she needed to know to land the job. She has the interview by webcam with the CEO and gets the job! You flash forward a little and she is out on the town celebrating with her friends. She sees a guy who looks familiar and he approaches her. He buys her a drink and then things go from fuzzy to black. She wakes up in a room she doesn't know surrounded by things she doesn't recognize. She does however recognize the man from the bar. She puts two and two together and realizes she was ruffied. Her captor is none other than the CEO of the company she interviewed with.

Merrick Rocha has been obsessed with Rachael since their interview and watched her from afar since she had to turn down the job. He is obviously very wealthy and used to getting what he wants. Her turning down the job she so desperately wanted intrigued him so much that he kidnapped her. He wants to possess her. Oddly enough, he also wants her help to re-do an old hotel they discussed at her interview.

Okay, first, the creep factor with the kidnapping almost did the book in for me. I have already read Captive in Dark and refused to read Truth, both of these books have similar themes in them. I tried to wrap my brain around it all the way through the book. I couldn't grasp the love of this old hotel being the reason he kidnapped her. That being said, watching his attempts at redemption and winning her trust were entertaining. It was said in the book that she always thought he was attractive and therefore attracted to him. She battled with herself and her feelings regarding him through a lot of the book.

I won't call this a sweet romance but they were happy by the end of the book. There was a little suspense, a lot of creepy, great love scenes once they got started and an HEA. The journey to get there was a little rough. I haven't decided if I'll read more of the series yet

In Flight by R.K. Lilley

Grade-A-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-High
Series-Up In The Air #1
Reviewed by Kay

Out of five stars, I would say this is a 4.5 star book. It missed a five star or A+ because of my discomfort with some of the sex scenes. James Cavendish is a billionaire who has a taste for kink. Hardcore BDSM to be exact. He doesn't date or do relationships. At least, he didn't until he met Bianca Karlsson. Bianca works as a flight attendant and waits on him in first class. She captures his attention and he propositions her. Bianca is a former victim of violence from her youth but strangely enough, she is drawn to James as a submissive.

This novel is about their relationship evolving in ways they both never saw coming. I liked but disliked both characters for different reasons. I liked James' possessiveness and tenderness but disliked the fact he likes to hurt women during sex. I liked Bianca's friendship with Stephan but not her free acceptance of James' dominance. This story had good flow and I enjoyed the author's voice.
I am excited to read the next book in the series.

Anne's Home!

I went on vacation. Maybe you didn't know. Above you can see the dash of our minivan.  We spent a lot of time in the van, so, despite taking a husband and four kids with me, I managed to do a LOT of reading. (Yay!)  Some of it even happened poolside instead of in the van! (Double Yay!)  Now I'm home and writing up reviews, but I know a lot of the reviews won't show up here for weeks, so I couldn't resist a little preview.  So here's what I read on vacation:

 

The Good:

Just What He Wanted by HelenKay Dimon - This was my first HelenKay book (other than some short story anthologies I read years ago.)  I liked it.  My only complaint is that now I've got several books in this series I want to read!

 

Mercy Bound by Kele Moon - This was pretty short and I liked it, but I wanted more.  Not more sex, because there was plenty of that, but more of the world and the people. Interesting look at humanoid aliens!

 

Closer by Charlotte Stein - I'll go almost anywhere with Charlotte Stein.  This time it was rubbing up against strangers on a train.  Another pretty short one that was just right for me.  Now I need more Charlotte Stein!  (I'm working my way through her backlist.)

 

Breaking by Claire Kent - this is a novella sequel to Escorted, featuring the same characters.  It was written to stand alone, but I really think the whole thing had more meaning because I read the first one.  A novella about a man who uses sex to distract his partner from a discussion he doesn't want to have - that makes for a LOT of sex.  At least Ander is very good at it. :)

 

Lamplighter's Love by Delphine Dryden - I'm working my way through Delphine Dryden's backlist, too.  I REALLY enjoyed this one right up until the ending.  Ugh.  The steampunk world was really cool.  The strong, intelligent woman was awesome.  The ending made me want to pull my hair out. That's a lot of feeling to have for a novella.

 

The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand How have I not read this series?  I'll tell you how.  I didn't think it was hot enough.  I read something about this book (4th in the series, I think) that mentioned that it was hotter than the others and I was sold.  And, once again, my biggest problem?  Now I want to read the first books in the series.  I haven't been transported by a book like this in a long time.  It made me want to go to France and eat chocolate.  I settled for the chocolate, but it was still a very good read.

The Meh:

Unscripted by Jayne Denker  This wasn't bad, but it was much more chick-lit than I like.  First person POV from the heroine only, and has lots of humiliation for her to endure.  Just not my cup of tea.  

The INCREDIBLE!!:

Her Favorite Rival by Sarah Mayberry - I'm a Sarah Mayberry fan.  This book is exactly what I expect from her.  Very well written realistic contemporary romance.  She is so good at what she does and this book was AWESOME!  Co-workers have the hots for each other, but neither thinks office romance is a very good idea.  This is two intelligent, hard working people falling in love, and I loved it!

 

Curio by Cara McKenna - I'd heard about this book.  The male prostitute book.  Like I'll follow Charlotte Stein almost anywhere - I feel the same way about Cara McKenna.  Still, I hesitated with this one, until I read Escorted by Claire Kent a few months ago.  That male prostitute story really worked for me.  I think I liked this one even better.  They've got a lot in common, though.  Both stories are told from the heroine's POV only, and both have novella sequels.  Curio has several sequels.  I'm definitely checking them out!

 

Never a Hero by Marie Sexton - This is Tucker Springs book #5.  I want to move to Tucker Springs and be friends with these people.  I think this story was my favorite in the series, which I've read totally out of order.  I still need to go back and read book 1!

 

Making it Last by Ruthie Knox - This was by far my best read of the entire vacation.  I never cry when I read and this book had me tearing up.  It's a novella sequel (I guess those are a thing now.) to How To Misbehave.  It catches up with Amber and Tony several years and three kids later.  They've barely got any time together.  The construction market is tight, and that's got Tony working way too much and traveling way too far to get jobs.  Amber just sent her youngest off to school and she's feeling a little lost.  A destination wedding in Jamaica gets them away from it all, but herding their kids along makes it not much of a vacation.  This story was so good and so real.  I need everyone to read it so I can talk to them about how much they loved it!

I'm still working on Exotica by Eden Bradley and I just started The Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch.  Both are Netgalley copies.  Exotica is already out, and The Stone Guardian comes out on July 15.  I really want to love The Stone Guardian.  It's a GARGOYLE ROMANCE.  You guys!  How cool is that?  And it's the first in a series, so I'm crossing my fingers.  I just got through the first chapter/prelude.  The thing is I've got tons of laundry and other chores to do before I have a chance to read.  Unless I take my kids to the pool...  then I can read poolside and pretend I'm still on vacation!

So, how is your summer reading going?  Have you read anything really good or really bad this summer?