Showing posts with label 3 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3 Stars. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Review: Let's Get Naked

Let's Get Naked (Naughty Nooners)Let's Get Naked by Marianne LaCroix

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I can describe this entire book in 6 words: contains every cliche known to man.

Hot, older woman lusts after hot, younger neighbor. Woman has online fling with mystery man....they agree to meet. Mystery man is the hot neighbor. They proceed to have hot monkey sex. Really, that's the book in a nutshell.

The sex scenes were hot, but nothing special. Mostly, the book was just really predictable.

But hey.....it was free from Amazon. And, it was an ok way to spend 30 minutes of my time. I didn't hate it.....but I didn't love it either.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Review: Tequila Truth (#2)

Tequila TruthTequila Truth by Mari Carr

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kylie, Colt, and Heath have been best friends and roommates since college. It's their tradition to play "Tequila Truth" during every birthday celebration. What is tequila truth? They each take a shot and honestly answer a question that is asked of the group. Usually the questions are highly sexual. So....at their most recent birthday celebration, the question was about what their ultimate sexual fantasy was. Kylie's answer....to be with two men, with bondage and spanking thrown in for extra fun. Fast forward to a shot time later. Neither Colt or Heath can forget about Kylie's answer, even though they are all "just friends". It's not until Heath walks in on Kylie and her boyfriend and a BDSM session that turned into an actual beating that things change. Heath and Colt think that THEY should be the ones to fulfill Kylie's ultimate fantasy, rather than her getting careless with guys that don't have her safety and well-being in mind. So, they purpose a weekend of sexual fantasy fulfillment for Kylie. When the weekend's over, they go back to the way things were - friends and roommates. But after the sex play begins, all three realize that they all might have been more than "just friends" all along.

So much of this book worked for me.....but so much of it didn’t. I didn’t like Colt’s constant use of the word “darlin’”. Yea, I know he’s a Southern gentleman and all of that. I get it....I’m Southern, and I know people like that. And it gets on my nerves in real life as much as it did in this book. And while I bought them all as friends, I didn’t buy them as much as a sexual trio. No doubt, the sex was super hot....but I never saw that transition from hot sex to love between the three of them. I think it was probably there all along, so there wasn’t a place for a transition from just friends having hot sex to true love....but I wanted to see it. I needed it in order for me to be able to buy them as a lifetime committed trio.

And there were just a few lines that made me groan. Granted, they were said in jest....but they took me completely out of the moment. They happened in the same scene, almost in the same paragraph. “Darlin’, are you ready to take a little ride on the roommate roller coaster?” and “Buckle up and keep your cocks inside my body at all times, boys.” Oh good God, no. I repeat....the characters were joking when they said these lines....but really? Really.

I’ve read many books that involve a menage fling winding up as a full lifetime commitment - and it’s worked. I just didn’t buy it in this book. Realistically, I don’t really get people having these relationships in real life, but when it comes to fiction, I can suspend my disbelief. I mean....it is fiction, after all. But I just wasn’t able to do it in this book. Don’t get me wrong, though....there is some entertainment to be found in this book. The sex is smoking hot, no doubt. I just didn’t grow to care about these characters like I have in some of Mari Carr’s other books.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Review: Acquired Taste

Acquired TasteAcquired Taste by Shayla Kersten

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I read this, I didn't realize it was a sequel. Maybe that's the reason I felt like I was missing something. The story just seemed to start in a weird place....and now I know why.

The story revolves around Jeff and Ollie. They've been together for a few months, but Jeff can't wrap his head around the relationship. He loves Ollie, but he can't admit it. Maybe this is his first gay relationship? I'm not sure. Maybe it's explained in the first book? Jeff is about to walk away from Ollie for good - but he wants one more sexual encounter. During this encounter, Jeff lets Ollie go all BDSM on him....and he realizes he really likes it. And he realizes he can't walk away from Ollie as easily as he thought he might be able to. Their feelings for each other are finally vocalized and what was supposed to be breakup sex ends up being just the opposite.

I have only recently gotten into reading M/M erotica, and when it's well done, it's hot. This story didn't really do anything for me. The sex had some hot moments, but nothing that left me panting. Like I said earlier, I think the problem was that I didn't read the first book. And now after having read the sequel - and having it leave me sort of meh, I don't have the desire to read book 1. I know it would explain the backstory and give me some insight into the characters and why Jeff has such an issue with being in a sexual relationship with Ollie, but I just don't care enough to bother.

To anyone reading this - if you've read the first book Icing On The Cake, please let me know your thoughts on it....and if it's worth my time.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Review: Stockholm Seduction

Stockholm SeductionStockholm Seduction by Lily Harlem

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In case you didn't guess by the title - it's a kidnapping tale. Only, it's not a pretend kidnapping. Penny is on vacation in Australia and she's been eyeing this cute guy on the beach for a while. She's exiting a bathroom when bag is thrown over her head and she's overpowered and taken away. She wakes up tied to a mattress and she's blindfolded.

Her kidnapper just so happens to be the cute guy she's been eyeing at the beach. Turns out, a friend of his is in trouble with officials in another country and Penny's dad is high up in the government....and can possibly help out with the situation. And Kidnapper Guy (I don't think his name was ever given) hatched a plot to force the hand of Penny's dad to get the friend out of trouble.

So Penny is all tied up and being held hostage and stuff - and the whole time she's got the hots for Kidnapper Guy. She tries to seduce him, and he really wants to give in, but he doesn't want to add rape to the charges that he'll likely already face. And Penny informs him that it isn't rape if she's begging him to do her.

Eventually Kidnapper Guy gives in and he and Penny have hot monkey sex. And then the cops show up and Kidnapper Guy flees the scene and the story ends.

Ok. So, the sex is hot....I will give it that. And the makings of a good story are there, but giving the short length of the piece, there just wasn't enough time to fully develop anything. This should have been a long novella, at least. I think if there had been more time to flesh out the story, it wouldn't have come across as sort of creepy. I've read books with kidnap fantasies in them before, but this was the first one that portrayed an actual kidnapping. These people didn't know each other and they weren't playing out a sex fantasy. Even though Penny was attracted to Kidnapper Guy before he kidnapped her and the sex was consensual (in fact, Penny sort of begged him....), it still came off a little creepy to me. Especially when he just disappeared at the end.

If there had been more build up between the two characters - a sort of getting to know you period before they got busy with the sexytimes - I don't think the creepy factor be an issue. And for sure there should have been an epilogue. What happened after the cops broke in and just found Penny there.....all breathless from the hot kidnapper sex she just had?

Overall - the idea of the story worked for me, but the execution of it did not. Three stars is sort of my meh rating. Meaning, I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. I would like to see the author take this story and turn it into a fully fleshed out novel. I think that has a lot of wonderful possibilities. But until then, my opinion on Stockholm Seduction is just meh.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Review: Scoring


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meh. I don't have much to say about this short story. Hunky high school football coach has the hots for the high school choir director. And they have hot monkey sex. That's all fine and good.....and I'm even willing to accept the speed of the "relationship" due to the short length of this piece. BUT - where it fell apart for me is when the story turned into "let's see how many sports related sexual innuendos and double entendres we can fit in here". If there's one sure way to make my girl-wood go limp - it's to start talking about sports. Even if you're really not talking about sports. If you say touchdown but you mean you just had a powerful orgasm.....I probably stopped listening after I was distracted by the word touchdown.

3 stars - but only because I LOVE Mari Carr's writing (and I can't stand to give her anything lower than a 3). And it did sorta start out as a hot little story.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Review: Charming Lucy


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Oy vey. This book.

It started out super, smoking hot. Lucy and Kasper, Kas for short. They're having hot monkey sex involving this little turquoise stone he brought back from a trip to Eqypt. Ok. I'll give it that.....kind of hot. Kas leaves later on (he never spends the night) and suddenly Lucy can't find the stone. Hmmmm? Kas didn't take it. So where is it? I guessed it was in her hoo-ha - cause, you know, they were having hot monkey sex with it and all. But apparently when a big ass piece of turquoise is stuffed up your vag, you can't feel it. But whatever.

So - Lucy goes around all day feeling super crazy horny. She goes to meet with the accountant for her business (she is co owner of a club with Kas, the accountant - Tony, and her brother, Luke). Anyway - she's so hot and bothered that she begs Tony to fuck her - even though she thinks he's strictly dicky with the menfolk. Not true, apparently he is bi, but hasn't ever been so attracted to a woman as he is to Lucy. *groan*

So, after Lucy and Tony have hot monkey accountant desk sex, she feels bad - cause, oh, she's dating Kas. Tony is all.....nah, Kas won't care - in fact, he's probably wondering why we haven't done it yet. See....Tony and Kas are a couple too.

Sooooo......you see where this is going. Tony wants Kas, Lucy wants Kas, Kas wants Lucy and Tony and Lucy thinks she could really go for some Tony from time to time.

And then we're back to the piece of turquoise. Remember that? Yea - so apparently it's this magical rock that is supposed to make the person who carries it all uninhibited. Or something. And the BEST part of this whole thing.....when Lucy finds out that Tony and Kas have been a couple behind her back - she was actually MADDER by the fact that Kas bought her this magic rock to help trick her into being part three of their threesome. (This is the point when I wanted to cunt-punch Lucy....just for being a fucking dumbass.)

I'm giving this story a 4 for writing - despite my disappointment with the storyline, I still like Lissa Matthews' style. I'm giving the story a 1 on topic/plot/character development and the fact that there's a stupid fucking magic piece of turquoise involved. I'm giving the book a 3 for hot sex. That averages up to 2.67 - so I'm rounding UP to 3 stars.

Review: Educating Rose


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Oh where to start....

First - it's a super short story, so I get that there isn't a whole lot of time for character development. BUT.....there needed to be some in order for me to even care about these characters. (Honestly, I really didn't care for either of them.)

I'm always torn when I read books with a BDSM theme. I'm torn between finding it kind of hot - and incredibly offensive. The hot part is the spanking and the tying up. The offensive part is the whole "you're mine; I own you; I'll share you with others if I feel like it; now put on this collar and let me lead you around like a dog." Um, no. Not hot....not sexy. AT ALL. (I know there are some that are into that. I'm not judging. I'm just saying - for me - it's a no go.)

Rose is a virgin librarian who has basically stalked Professor Jack since she was a college student. She wants him.....bad.....but he is out of the lifestyle. But he finds he can't resist Rose, so he comes back to the lifestyle. For her. And over a weekend, they become a Dom/sub pair. Sound vague? Yes, it was. The whole relationship needed to be explored more. The whole reason of WHY Rose was so obsessed with Jack and why Jack turned away from the lifestyle. Ok, yes....so it was VERY BRIEFLY explained during the course of the story - but not enough to where it made sense.....not enough to make me care about these people.

I still love Lissa Matthews' writing, even if I wasn't all that impressed with this particular book.

Solid 4 stars for the writing - 2.5 stars for content. Average rating of 3 stars.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Review: Pink Buttercream Frosting

Pink Buttercream FrostingPink Buttercream Frosting by Lissa Matthews

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was one of those quirky stories that I didn’t expect to work for me at all. I wasn’t a fan of the title - it was, for lack of a better way to put it, too sugary. I expected it to be a sappy love-fest with touches of erotica. Or something like that. It had it's moments of hotness, no doubt, but our hero leaves much to be desired. And Bailey puts up with his antics for far too long. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

So, it starts out with Aidn the lawyer spotting Bailey the baker crossing in front of the cafe where he’s having lunch with a friend. Aidn, who apparently hasn’t gotten laid in a while, decides to follow her. He recognizes her from somewhere, but he can’t quite figure out where. He spots her in a beauty and bath store, looking at some scented lotions. He stands outside the store, waiting for her to come out. When she finally does come out, he remembers where he’s seen her before - The Abyss (a BDSM fetish club). See, Aidn is a Dom.

At the club, they had exchanged some smalltalk, but never formal introductions. When Bailey comes out and sees Aidn, she immediately recognizes him from the club. She’s always had a little crush on him, so she welcomes the interaction in front of the bath store....however awkward. They share introductions and agree to have some coffee. Afterwards, as Aidn’s walking Bailey to her car - he asks her to have sex with him. And (not surprisingly) she agrees, although she does explain that she doesn't usually do the sex-on-the-first-date thing.

And of course, they go to her place and have crazy hot monkey sex and then Asshat Aidn leaves while she’s sleeping. And by sleeping, I mean she’s having an orgasm in her sleep and she moans his name and he’s awake to witness it all, freaks out a little, and leaves. *cough*douchebag*cough* Yep. Aidn is a fuck and run. Bailey is disappointed to find him gone when she wakes up, but I imagine she’s thinking....”well, that’s what I get for fucking him two seconds after we officially meet.”

So two weeks goes by and then out of the blue, Aidn shows up at Bailey’s bakery. He locks them in her store, basically tongue-fucks her face, tells her how much he wants her.....and then he walks out on her - AGAIN.

What an asshole. This is the point where Bailey should have given up....but no. She goes to see him at his office and he sends her away - saying that they are better off this way - i.e. not together.

Sometime later, Aidn happens to be at the fetish club and sees Bailey being flogged by a fellow Dom....and he loses his shit! I mean, he freaks the fuck out, grabs Bailey, and drags her out of the club.....all the while he’s making a big scene and telling her how she is his and no one else’s. At this point, I’m banging my head on the wall because I just can’t believe that Bailey is going to let this guy be such a total fucking douche to her.

Anyway - they go back to his place, have some hot monkey sex and (get this) he freaks out AGAIN and was all “I need a shower RIGHT NOW!”. Well, nothing warms a girl’s heart like a guy feeling so dirty after he fucks her that he needs a shower two seconds after pulling out. Bastard.
Aidn’s dickishness and tendency to run away when emotions get high is only evened out by Bailey and her forward, ballsy way about her. She may be a sub, but she’s not a doormat. She follows Aidn into the shower and she basically demands (begs?) to be his sub. They both want each other, that much is obvious, so why fight it? And finally....FINALLY....some of Aidn’s walls begin to come down.

After the shower, Aidn explains why he is a scared little Dom.....and why he runs. He caught his last sub with another man. Although this was something they often did....it was something they did together. Aidn’s sub wasn’t with other men unless he was there - or unless he knew about it. But in this one case....he didn’t know she would be with another man. And to add insult to injury.....she removed her collar. And as Aidn said....”She knew, or rather I thought she knew that the collar was the symbol of that bond. Taking it off broke us, destroyed the trust and the respect we had built together.” At this, Aidn packed up and left - and never thought he would have another sub again. More than that....he never thought he could trust another woman not to break his heart again. After opening up to Bailey, he kisses her goodnight and leaves the room....not intending to sleep with her that night.

Early in the AM, Aidn goes to his kitchen to find Bailey in there.....making (of all things) pink buttercream frosting. (TITLE!) And of course Aidn tastes it by licking it off of her boobs. But despite the sappiness of this scene and the overly obvious need to work the title of the book into the story - this is the scene when Bailey lays it all out on the line. She has a huge set of balls, Bailey does. And like I said earlier, she may be a sub, but she’s not going to just sit back and take it. She demands to know where she stands with Aidn. He answers her by tying her down to the kitchen table, picking up the bowl of frosting, and saying, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to make more later. I’m not going to be able to get enough of it, and I’m not going to be able to get enough of you.”

Despite my issues with Aidn’s extreme dickishness and my desire to smack him on multiple occasions, I actually liked him. It’s one of those cases of a tortured man being scared to give his heart away again for fear it will get broken. Again. With that knowledge, I can almost forgive him for his being an asshat to Bailey for 95% of the story.  Almost.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Review: Dangerous Boys and Their Toy

Dangerous Boys and Their ToyDangerous Boys and Their Toy by Shayla Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book. Well.....

First of all - the sex is REALLY HOT. That alone would get 5 stars. But everything else. Meh. There's basically no plot, no character development, and no believability - at all. And this is exactly why I read it. I have been reading series after series of PNR books - and frankly, all of the vampire worlds were starting to fuse together. I needed a reset button. This book was my reset. I wanted mindless, escapist fun. And really, that's all the book is. Hot, sexy, escapist fun. If I were rating this book on actual literary value - it would get maybe a half of a star. And only because, you know, the author used proper grammar and stuff.

Now - if you haven't guessed from the title or the book cover - the relationship in this book is one of menage. Two guys, one girl. And sometimes it's m/f/m.....sometimes m/f......and there's even some m/m/f in there as well. And maybe a fraction of m/m. If this isn't your thing - I suggest skipping this book. If you're open minded - well, read away. The book is less than 200 pages.....so it's a super quick read.

3 stars based on a average of 5 for the hot sex and .5 for everything else.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Review: Surrender to Me (#4)

Surrender to Me (Wicked Lovers, #4)Surrender to Me by Shayla Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

OK. Well. I didn't HATE this book. There were elements of it that I really liked. But.....

The story centers on Hunter and Kata. They meet in Vegas during her birthday party. Kata's friend, Ben, invited Hunter in order to fill a fantasy for Kata. The fantasy being a menage. Well, after one too many beers, Ben passes out and the menage never happens. But Hunter and Kata hook up, and after a wild and drunken night....they end up married.

For the most part, the protagonist was a complete asshole. There is a part in the book when he (Hunter) tells his wife, Kata.....Don't confuse a Dom with an asshole. And while that may be true - in this case Hunter the Dom was, indeed, an asshole. No doubt that Hunter loved Kata - but for about 75% of the book....that love came across as possession and not in the most healthy definitions of that word, either. Maybe I just don't "get" the whole Dom/sub thing - but from the beginning, Hunter never took the time to understand Kata's physical and emotions needs or her fears about being a sub. Yes, eventually, he got it and he stopped being a total douche....but it took way too long.

Again, I didn't hate this book.....but damn, it made me want to punch kittens sometimes.