Review: Brazen

Brazen by Cara McKenna

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Super short and super hot!! It's been a while since I've read a book written in first person. It seems a little awkward at first, but you get used to it after a few pages.

Caroline is a photographer just out of a shitty marriage. She has her assistant, Will, arrange for her to have a harem of men at her house. There are strict rules (no shirts, no talking, no touching unless asked, etc.). If they break the rules, they're fired. Then Caroline meets Sean. An English violinist who breaks all her rules. She fires him (of course), but he returns anyway.

And y'all - when I say this book is short - I mean, it will take about 20 to 30 minutes to read. And when I say it's hot - I mean it is scorching.

Easy 5 stars. But damn, I wanted more! (I'm soooo greedy.)

Review: Getaway (#3)

Getaway by Cara McKenna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a sequel to Backwoods and Shivaree.

The book starts with Natalie back home in upstate NY. When leaving work one day, she sees Shane waiting for her. She was shocked, as she never expected to see him again.....much less in snowy NY. (Shane wasn't fond of the snow.)

Come to find out, Shane has made his escape from Gabriel. They've been lovers for a year, but Shane still can't reconcile that he is in a relationship with a man. And he can no longer stand the mysterious hold that Gabriel seems to have over him. He basically comes to Natalie seeking a rebound.

Come to find out, Shane just left Gabriel - with no clue about where he was headed. When they finally did talk, Shane officially broke up with him and also told him where he was. He didn't think Gabriel cared about him as more than a casual fuck.....until Gabriel also showed up in NY.

Of course, Shane and Gabriel have some hot "reunited and it feels so good" sex. And both confess their feelings for each other. Eventually.

Ok - so where does this leave Natalie. Well, before Gabriel arrived, she was having the hot monkey rebound sex with Shane. And honestly, I loved Natalie and Shane together. They had true passion and I think there was love there.....although maybe not the conventional vanilla variety. Shane was definitely in love with Gabriel too, but there was no doubt that he wanted something with Natalie. He just wasn't sure what it was.

After Gabriel arrives, Natalie knows she's no longer needed for the hot monkey rebound sex. Until Shane invites her to help him with the one last thing he has yet to give Gabriel. (Entrance into Shane's backdoor, if ya know what I'm sayin'.) Meh, it seems a little weird - but it really isn't. It's actually really sexy and sweet - with Shane finally giving himself over to his true desires.

My only real issue with this book, besides it not being long enough (I ALWAYS want more!) is that I would have liked to have seen the three of them all end up together. There were hints that it was headed in that direction....but it didn't happen. While Shane did make the offer, Natalie declined, deciding that she didn't want to share. (Boo, Natalie! Two hot men want you? Say yes!)

Overall - I really loved this series. It was my first foray into m/m romance, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I can only hope that book 4 (and there are rumors of a book 4) will resolve my issue with the book. ;)

Solid 4 stars.

Review: Shivaree (#2)

Shivaree by Cara McKenna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the 2nd book in the Shivaree series. The same main characters from Backwoods, with the addition of Natalie Foster - a woman from upstate New York who is on her way back home from Miami - and she's on the rebound from her asshole ex-boyfriend. Her truck breaks down in the middle of the night - not too far from Shane's bar - and this is where she ends up for the night.

She meets Shane and Gabriel - not knowing that they are lovers. She is infatuated with Gabriel and it isn't long before she is dancing with him - and making Shane very jealous. BUT - Shane and Gabriel have a deal. Gabriel can sleep with women, provided Shane knows about it - and can join in if he chooses to. And of course - eventually - he does. Although, Natalie does sleep with Gabriel solo first. THEN they go for the threesome.

The chemistry between all three characters works.....quite well, actually. And there was an element to their threesome that I have yet to encounter in other books involving more than 2 people in the bedroom.....so that was, um, interesting. Shane was his normal dickish self, which is surprisingly hot. I don't like dominate/asshole men.....but it worked for Shane. And Gabriel is still somewhat of a mystery.....to the people he encounters as well as the reader.

Again - my only complaint was that this could have easily been a full length novel. With good stories, though, I always want more....no matter how long they are. And I definitely wanted more of this story.

Review: Backwoods (#1)

Backwoods by Cara McKenna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was the first book I've ever read that was a male/male romance. Shane - the heterosexual, gruff bar owner in Nowheresville, Louisiana and Gabriel - the "too beautiful to be believed" mandolin player. Gabriel walks into Shane's bar one night - and neither of their lives would ever be the same again.

Shane has never been attracted to men......until he meets Gabriel. There's something magical about Gabriel that Shane just can't understand - and what starts out as Gabriel just bumming a night on Shane's couch soon turns into nights of passion and the best sex Shane has ever had.

OK - I really loved this story. The chemistry was very real between Shane and Gabriel. I love the fact that Shane is a macho alpha-male heterosexual who can't quite understand his attraction to this man. He fights the attraction, takes his anger out on Gabriel (which he loves) and they have some crazy hot mansex.

This was my first m/m book....but it certainly won't be my last. Hot sex is hot sex, y'all. Whether it's m/m, m/f, m/f/m.....whatever. H.O.T.

My ONLY complaint is that this book was so short. I would have rather it have been a full length novel with more time for some character building (more for Gabriel than Shane).

Review: Dirty Thirty

Dirty Thirty by Cara McKenna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This super quick read by Cara McKenna did not disappoint. It takes place in one day of Evan and Margie's life.

Evan and Margie - a super hip and somewhat punk married couple living in Portland. Evan is due to turn 30 tomorrow and his birthday wish is to have someone join him and his wife in the bedroom. The someone being another man. Margie, being the super-hip wife, thinks it's hot and readily agrees. She seeks out Paul, a hot bouncer at one of their favorite bars. Paul is all too happy to give Evan his birthday wish.

The book is super short and very hot - and just gives you a tiny glimpse into the lives of Evan and Margie. Great story. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, simply because I would have liked the story to be longer.

Review: Willing Victim

Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've said it in my other reviews of Cara McKenna/Meg Maguire books.....I just love her style of writing. It's just so effortless and flawless. The dialogue is so real and lacks any cliche that I've come to expect (in some form or fashion) in my romance novels. I guess I just need to realize that and stop being so surprised by it. :)

The story centers on Laurel and Flynn. Laurel meets Flynn when he breaks up a fight in a park between a random couple. Laurel follows Flynn to thank him for stepping in and offers to buy him lunch. He lets her and throughout lunch, despite Laurel's hints and advances that she might be interested in him, he keeps telling her that he's not her type, etc. She persists and finally he breaks down and says that he'll agree to go on a date with her if she'll meet him at a certain location on Friday night. He tells her if she can handle that, then he'll go on a date with her. Turns out the location is a bar that is also home to an underground fight club. Flynn is one of the star fighters. Laurel is immediately drawn into Flynn's rough world - and as she will soon learn - that world also includes rough sex.

I really thought I was going to have a problem with the type of sex in this book. There were lots of warnings about the content and the rape fantasy scenes, etc. But really, it never got to a point where I found any of it offensive. Maybe it was because underneath all the scruff and gruff - Flynn was actually a super nice guy. He wasn't a misogynistic douche that wants to smack women around in bed. It was all completely consensual and that is made very clear in the book - and even the scenes where Laurel "struggles to get away", it doesn't come across as scary or rapey (I know that's not a word), but it really doesn't. It comes across as two people who know what turns their crank in bed.....and two people that aren't afraid to ask for what they want. That right there....is hot.

As with the other books I've read by this author, the characters have so much depth and you really do fall in love with them and get emotionally invested as they move toward their HEA.

My only complaint? This book wasn't long enough! I wanted more.....

Solid 5 stars. No question.

Review: Ruin Me

Ruin Me by Cara McKenna

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story starts out with Jay and Robin getting (almost) engaged. Robin has been with Jay for 4 years and is deeply in love with him - but when he proposes, Robin can't make herself say yes......because of Patrick. Patrick is a man that saved her life many years before she met Jay. He even served 7 months in prison for beating up the guy that attacked her. She visited him often while he was in prison.....but when he got out, then barely saw each other or spoke. But ever since that night he saved her, Robin can't stop herself from wanting Patrick. (And she's never even so much as kissed him.)

Jay, the impossibly understanding boyfriend, knows about Patrick and the fact that Robin wants him (sexually). So he gives her permission to go to him - with one condition......they can do anything EXCEPT intercourse. Even though Robin is initially shocked by the idea, she is also hopeful that she will finally get Patrick out of her head......

And it just gets insanely hot and sexy from there until the end......goooood Lord.

I think Cara McKenna (otherwise known as Meg Maguire) might be a new favorite author. I love her writing - it's so effortless. I don't really know how to explain it. It just flows and I can't make myself stop reading. The dialogue is witty and sexy without being cliche in a way that some romance novels tend to be.

My only complain about this book is that it wasn't long enough! And I can't wait to read more of her work!