Review: Better Than 8 Fantasy

Better Than 8 Fantasy by Erin Jamison

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Man, oh man. If there was ever a concept for a book series that I was totally down for - it's Better Than 8. What is Better Than 8 you ask? Well, as you'll find out in this book, it's a dating website for women who like their men....um....gifted? *snicker* At first, I thought this story was going to be about guys with huge dicks and the women who want them. And, yea....I guess it kind of is. But what I didn't count on was the great story and the characters that have laid the foundation for this series.

This story focuses on Amara, the only single one in her group of girlfriends. One night at a party, one of her friends jokingly suggest that she sign up for this new dating website called Better Than 8. And she does....mostly as a joke. But when she is contacted by Seva, she starts to think that maybe there's something to this site after all. The two strike up a steamy online flirtation that continues for months, but then suddenly ends shortly after Amara send Seva her phone number. He never calls and the online flirtation comes to a screeching halt. Figuring that he's found someone else or she's been played for a fool, Amara goes about her life.

When Amara gets called away to Puerto Rico on business, who do you think she meets in a business meeting? That's right....Seva. And he's even more beautiful in person than the photos he sent her. I can't even imagine how hard it was for Amara to sit through a long ass meeting with a raging case of lady-wood. Later on that night, Amara and Seva end up at his beach house where they finally have more than instant message sex.

It isn't until the next morning that Amara discovers that Seva has a roommate. A hot male roommate name Naldo. And you can probably guess when I'm going with this, right? And in case you're wondering....yes....it was totally hot. I mean, what's hotter than one buff Latin man making your every sexual fantasy come true? The answer is TWO buff Latin men making your every sexual fantasy come true.

The sex in the book is super hot. But you know what I didn't realize? I didn't realize until I was going back over parts of the book for this review that there isn't really a ton of sex in the book. Remember, Amara doesn't actually meet Seva until much later. And after they meet, yea, there's a lot of sex. But before, it was just hot sexy emails and photos. Obviously it had to be very hot and sexy if I didn't notice that it wasn't actual vag-n-dick sexytimes. So, bonus points to the author for that!

As I said before, I love the concept of this series and the characters that are introduced. Amara's pack of girlfriends are going to be fun to watch....assuming they make it into the rest of the books. (I hope so!) And even if they don't, I'm quite excited to read more about the women (or men) who are turning to the Better Than 8 website to find love! (Good Lord, if only such a site existed. If only.....)

Review: Take Your Pick

Take Your Pick by Jasmine Haynes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ok. This just might be one of the dirtiest books I have ever read. Not that "dirty" is a bad thing. I'm just saying - this book isn't for the faint of heart. There is M/F, M/F/M, M/M/F, and M/M. Yep - it coves it all. There's also oral, anal, and plain ole va-jay-jay sex. BUT! Thankfully.....there are also a lot of condoms. I love it when a dirty book uses condoms. It just makes it feel less dirty somehow. Like - "Hey, they may like their hot monkey sex upside down, up the butt, and back again - but at least they're safety conscious!"

The story revolves around Rena - a beautiful, powerful business executive. She's involved with Grant - a handsome, powerful business executive. Together, they have awesome, kinky, powerful business executive sex. And - they also happen to have an open relationship. That is, until one night when Grant decides that he wants to be exclusive. Although Rena is totally into Grant, she feels that she can't get everything she needs from him alone. She feels he withholds his passionate side from her. Although she is sexually satisfied with him.....it's missing something....wild, unrestrained passion. That something - well - Rena gets it from Karl. Karl is her hot contractor. And he is 100% pure passion. He'll grab her as she walks in her house and fuck her up against a wall, or on a countertop, or the floor.....whenever and wherever the mood strikes. He also loves to fuck her after she leaves Grant's bed. The smell of another man on her turns him on. (Yea, he's a dirty boy....!)

During Rena and Karl's hot monkey sex session.....Rena happens to mention that Grant wants to be exclusive. Meaning, she would have to give Karl up and neither one of them wants that to happen. Rena can't decide who she wants more (or rather - whose fucking she can do without). Karl suggests that she fuck both him and Grant - together - and decide then.

Grant agrees - somewhat reluctantly - and this is where the crazy stuff gets really crazy and really dirty.

I'm not about to go into detail about the crazy sexcapades that go down in this book. Instead, I'll just use a few key words: raunchy, menage, balls, licking, 69, and so on and so forth.

If you're looking for a sweet book where the characters make love to each other, this ain't that book. Oh sure, the characters care about each other and everything is consensual - but make no mistake about it - this book is about fucking. There's enough plot to move the characters from one orgasm to the next, but did I happen to mention that this book is all about the fucking? It's not about some pansy-ass plot points. It's about fucking. Hot monkey sex. Menage. Fucking.

Did I mention fucking?

Review: Two Plus One

Two Plus One by Brynn Paulin

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I have a few words for this book: Ewwww. Creepy. Stalker. Should I go on?

It involves Briony the teacher and two of her students. OK, so she's a 33 year old college professor and the two students, Nic and Leo, are 27. But still. Gross. They come to her one day and ask to drop her class. She wonders why they would do it, since the semester is almost over and they are both A students. Come to find out, they want to fuck her. Both of them. They only took her class to learn more about her - they didn't need it to graduate. And they've been watching her FOR TWO YEARS. Good Lord. In what universe is that NOT stalking.

Initially, she turns them down, but they drop her class and then right away, she's all "you're not my students anymore.....let's fuck!". Ewwww.

So they have a weekend threesome fuckfest - and as she's leaving for work on Monday morning, they apparently have a front yard makeout session. And the Dean sees them. And photographs the three of them. Um, OK. So why was he in her neighborhood with a camera? And if he just used his cell phone to take the picture, he would have been pretty damn close to even get a good pic. Again. Ewwww. Creepy. Stalker. Geezus, what is it about Briony that makes men stalk her? So yea, the Dean calls her into his office and tells her to break it off with the two guys or she's fired. Oh, and she also has to have sex with him. Ewwwww. Creepy.

She ends up quitting and the threesome ends up happily ever after.

So, judging by my one star rating, nothing in this story worked. I just couldn't get past the creepiness factor. And it wasn't the threesome factor that bothered me. Actually, that's the one part of the story that I didn't have a problem with. What I didn't like was that these two guys stalked her (however innocent their intentions were) for two years and then were just like "let's fuck". And when I got to the part where the Dean wanted to blackmail her for sex - I literally said out loud "GROSS". I mean. No. Nothing worked. Nothing turned me on. I had no girlwood whatsoever for this story.

My suggestion - skip it!

Review: By The Book

By the Book by Scarlett Parrish

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Three words: Daniel Fucking Cross

But....more about him later.

And before I get into the review of THIS book, let me mention the previous book I read by Scarlett Parrish - Long Time Coming (LOVED IT). The only thing I wasn’t happy with was the lack of an epilogue. Well - you get the epilogue in this book!! Ok, so it’s not a real epilogue, it’s just a few sentences. BUT, at least I know where Piper and Leo are headed! Swoon.....

But, back to By The Book....

It starts out with (seemingly) mild mannered librarian Reece at work and in walks author Daniel Cross (yea, THAT one). He's there to do some work on his latest book, but there seems to be a spark between him and Reece. A spark of what, Reece isn't exactly sure. You know, since he is hetero and has a girlfriend and all. So then we have "mild mannered" Reece celebrating his birthday with his girlfriend, Georgia. Her gift to him? A threeway with her BFF, Sarah. Oh yea. So obviously Mr. Reece McVanillasex isn't so vanilla after all. This is when you know things are probably gonna get freaky-deaky with Daniel Fucking Cross at some point. (At least, in my filthy mind, I was hoping they would.) Ah, Daniel Cross - he wears guyliner, writes books, and is pretty sure he is God’s gift to anyone with a pulse.

So, of course, eventually, Reece and Daniel strike up a friendship and they dance around the unspoken attraction, and eventually Reece confesses that his bedroom activities are, shall we say, open minded. And also mentions that he and his girlfriend wouldn't be opposed to bringing in Daniel for some happy fun sexy times. (YES!) And it’s a threeway that is totally hot. The sexual tension that sparks between Reece and Daniel is delicious, even with Georgia in the room and Reece pretending there isn’t any sexual tension there. Wowza.

After their threeway, Georgia decides she wants another go at Daniel. And, of course, Reece agrees. So one night, he heads to Daniel’s apartment to discuss this with him. This meeting ends in a hot kiss between the two men. Reece’s first kiss from a man, actually. And I love this quote from Daniel: “Well, for your fist time, that wasn’t bad, and let’s face it, if the first man you kiss is Daniel Cross, you struck gold there.” Gah. I love a cocky man. (Tee hee - cocky) And what follows shortly after this is, perhaps, one of my favorite scenes in the book. And one of the hottest. Reece, alone in the shower, while thinking about Daniel. Either I’ve never read a masturbation scene in another book or this one was so real and so hot that it wiped the others from my mind. But yea. Reece, jacking off to thoughts of Daniel Fucking Cross was H.O.T.

Things start to get messy with Reece tells Georgia that Daniel kissed him while they were at Daniel’s apartment. Georgia gets pissed and Reece feels a little blindsided. I mean, he’s seen her fuck other dudes. He’s seen her with other chicks. She’s seen him with other chicks......but him kissing a dude that they’ve both been naked with is suddenly off limits? I mean, I understand her reasoning - she wasn’t there - but still. Double standard, much? Geo and Reece essentially breakup and Reece ends up at Daniel’s. And finally (FINALLY) Reece and Daniel get it on. Daniel finally gets what he’s been wanting all along - buttsecks from Reece. And while it takes a little longer for Reece to agree to getting buttsecks from Daniel (he thought he was hetero, remember) - they finally do go there. And it is just as hot as you can imagine it to be. How could it NOT be? It’s Daniel Fucking Cross.

The thing that I was most torn with in this book was Georgia. One part of me wanted to feel sorry for her because she is the jilted lover. Technically, her boyfriend cheated on her and eventually left her for another man. (Even though he tried to avoid that by offering that they all live happily ever after as a trio, but Georgia wasn’t down for that.) Then on the other hand, Georgia and Reece (as a couple) often brought a third party into the bedroom. It’s foolish to think that (eventually) someone is going to have feelings that venture out of the “it’s just hot monkey sex” zone. And, unfortunately for Geo, it happened with Daniel and Reece. For the longest time, I really hoped that Georgia would agree to being part of a threesome. I guess it was me feeling sorry for her, and not wanting to see her heart broken. But in reality, I could only see Reece ending up with one person - Daniel Fucking Cross. And I can’t even hate on Reece like I want to. I want to think he’s an absolutely bastard for what he did to Georgia. I want to hate him. But I can’t. He fought his attraction to Daniel. Didn’t want to want him. But in the end, the heart wants what it wants and it doesn’t always agree with our head. So how can you be mad at someone for what they couldn’t help? If Georgia can understand that, then so can I.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the best thing about Scarlett Parrish’s writing....her ability to write internal dialogue and spoken dialogue and have them flow together so effortlessly. I love that the most about her books, well, that and the smoking hot sex scenes! I can’t wait for more from her!

Plus - Daniel Fucking Cross. (Just had to throw that in one more time.)

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: Charming Lucy

Charming Lucy by Lissa Matthews

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: Simply Forbidden (#6)

Simply Forbidden by Kate Pearce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this series so much, I'm not sure why I ever doubt that I'm going to enjoy one of the books in it. (Especially after I could get through - and COMPLETELY LOVE, I might add - the book about the hated Lorn Minshom.) But this one, featuring Helene's youngest daughter Lisette....I'll admit, I didn't think I would be too keen on. Like I said, why do I have to doubt? LOL

The book starts out with Lisette wondering about the quite Lord Gabriel Swanfield. He's at her father's house to discuss horses, and seems perfectly content to keep to himself. Lisette, ever the curious one, strikes up a conversation with the handsome Lord and is somewhat taken aback by his lack of interest in her. (Or so she thinks!)

Eventually, the two strike up a sort of friendship when Gabriel offers to teach (or reteach) Lisette how to ride a horse. They meet up a few mornings for lessons, and one day after their lessons are over, Gabriel grabs her and kisses her passionately and eventually that leads to an orgasm, although they don't have sex. While the scene was totally hot - I couldn't help but think....."Ewww! They both probably smell like sweaty horses!" But anyway.....

Through their sort of "love to hate you" relationship, Gabriel tells Lisette that he will not bed her because he doesn't want to get married. Being the daughter of Madame Helene of the Pleasure House - sex before marriage isn't exactly a problem for Lisette. Besides, she isn't a virgin anyway. But Gabriel won't budge. He refuses to have sex with her because he absolutely doesn't want to have children out of wedlock.

Lisette knows there is more to Gabriel than meets the eye. Something about his unwillingness to have sex just doesn't sit well with her. After she learns from her twin, Chrisian, that Gabriel often frequents the Pleasure House - Lisette decides to investigate. She goes to the Pleasure House (disguised, of course) to see for herself what kinds of things that Gabriel enjoys. She finds him in the role of a servant and he allows various people to touch him and pleasure him, although she does find out later that he doesn’t have actual sex with anyone at the House.

To get back at Gabriel, she decides to request him for a private session in which she has him masturbate to climax in front of her. (He doesn’t know who she is.) And during another similar session, Lisette actually gives him a blow job and right as he’s climaxing, she reveals who she is as she’s running out the door. (Always the lady, that one.)

Oddly enough (or not) this little event seems to sort of bring them closer together. She feels bad for playing the prank, he feels more comfortable with her because obviously she is just as freaky-deaky as he is when it comes to bedroom fun.

As their psudo-relationship continues down it’s sorrid little path, we learn why Gabriel is so opposed to having bastard children. We also learn that Gabriel has, on occasion, batted for the other team. (Starting when he was a prisoner during the war.....and it most often occurred with his friend/cellmate, Paul.)

Sidenote: We learn during casual conversation that my hated/loved Lord Minshom did indeed have more children - TWIN GIRLS!

Lisette and Gabriel continue along their “no sex that can get Lis pregnant” relationship until one night in the pleasure house. They have a hot night of buttsecks and end up falling asleep together. Lisette wakes up to the sound of some very noisy fireworks and gets out of bed and finds Gabriel huddled in a corner - obviously having some flashback to war. As she’s trying to comfort him, he grabs her and they have sex - you know, like vagina sex. At first Lisette isn’t sure if he even knows that he’s having sex with her, but he calls her name and then has sex with her again. After which he tells her that he will speak to her father and ask for her hand in marriage. (Whoa, there, buddy!)

Lisette is very taken with Gabriel, but she isn’t sure that she wants to get married.....even if their one night of sex might have resulted in a pregnancy. But Gabriel is very insistent. So much so that he ends up sort of kidnapping her and tries to take her to Scotland to elope. Initially, she fights him, but the reality of it is.....she’s fallen for Lord Gabriel and when she has the chance to leave his side, she doesn’t take it.

Lisette and Gabriel do end up coming back to London without getting married, but only because she has agreed to marry him and wants to do so in front of her family. This is done very quickly - like the next day.....I think.....and come to find out, her family was sort of in on the whole elopement thing. This infuriates Lisette because she thinks her family either wants to get rid of her or they don’t trust her enough to make her own decisions. Oddly enough, she isn’t all that upset with Gabriel.

The newlyweds try to settle into married life, but they’re finding it difficult given their “supposed” place in society.....their mutual affinity for kinky bedroom sexy times.....his family troubles.....their iffy reputations, etc. But if you’ve read any of the books in this series, you know the hero and heroine are gonna work it out....even when it seems impossible.

Dear Lord, how much do I love this series. Like I said earlier, even when I think the characters aren’t going to interest me....I’m proven wrong. (And I love to be proven wrong about a book!) I love that these are essentially period pieces but the characters are SO sexual and downright dirty! As I’ve said in another review, those Regency Brits were a randy bunch! And I love it. And by saying that, I’m not implying that this book has just enough story to be able to move sex scene to sex scene. That’s not true for any book in this series. There is a very rich world built in this series, and yes, it does all revolve take place in and around the Pleasure House, but it’s not just just sex that drives this series - it’s the characters and their stories. And if part of their story just happens to involve jade dildos and buttsecks, well, that’s ok too.

And PS - I know the next book is Christian's story.  I'm predicting he ends up with Paul. There SO needs to be a M/M HEA in this series!

Review: Simply Insatiable (#5)

Simply Insatiable by Kate Pearce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lord. I have tried and tried to write this review....but I found it incredibly difficult considering the roller coaster ride I experienced while reading Simply Insatiable.

First off - I hated Lord Minshom before I even started this book. He was featured in book 4 (and maybe others, I can't remember) and he was a completely despicable, piece of shit, sadistic fuck. I can't remember hating a character so much. So when I found out that book 5 was HIS story.....needless to say, I was less than thrilled. I thought how in the world am I even going to get through this book?

For the first part of the book.....my opinion of him didn't change. We find out that he has a wife named Jane, but he hasn't seen her in 7 years. She lives in their country house and has absolutely no contact with her. He spends his time in London at the pleasure house - on the third (and most extreme) floor of the house, I might add. He gets off on abusing men there. (And let me just say this.....the "abuse" is consensual. He isn't raping anyone. He's being rough, forceful, and violent with them.....he beats them, humiliates them, etc....but they are all asking him to do it. Not that I feel the need to defend Lord Minshom, I just want it made clear that while he IS a sadistic douchebag, he ISN'T a rapist. So there.)

For whatever reason, Jane still loves and wants her husband. AND, she wants a baby. And she wants Lord Minshom to father the child. Jane seems WAY too sweet for a dick like Minshom. Like, you almost have to think that she's an idiot for even wanting him. So, obviously there is something about Minshom that is lovable, if someone so seemingly sweet as Jane is able to have feelings for him even after not being in contact with him for almost a decade.

So, Jane is now in London and is refusing to leave even though Minshom has made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want her in his home or in London even. And he refuses to get her pregnant......again. Come to find out, they had a son who died in infancy. This revelation leads us to learn more about why Minshom left Jane and moved to London in the first place.

It's hard to describe the many plot twists and turns without giving away the whole novel, but I will say this.....I did a complete turnaround in my feelings toward Lord Minshom. While I still consider him a douchebag of epic proportions, I learned why he became that way. Childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of his father left deep emotional scars that he was incapable of dealing with. This led to his belief that he was a despicable and perverted person that no one was capable of loving. No matter how much Jane professed her love, he refused to believe it until it was almost too late.

In romance novels, I love nothing more than a tortured hero. The trouble is, when I started this book, I considered Minshom so tortured that he couldn't find redemption. Didn't deserve it, even. I found him to be that vile. But after finding out who he really was and the history he had, my heart broke for him over and over. I started to read between the lines and even as he spoke the most hateful words to those who loved him, I saw him as a character so broken and abused that he had no choice but to lash out. Why would he or how could he EVER trust anyone. Of course Lorn Minshom became a hateful bastard. He had to be in order to survive.

So, yea.....I started out hating this book. Hating it before I had even read a page of it. I don't remember exactly when the transition occurred, but after that - I couldn't read quick enough. I had to make sure that this man got his HEA. Because if he didn't, my heart was going to be broken all over again.

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: Dangerous Boys and Their Toy

Dangerous 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.

Review: Decadent (#2)

Decadent by Shayla Black

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Soooo. Another hot book from Shayla Black. This one was all about ménage. Personally, this kind of thing would skeeve me out in the bedroom.....but reading about it doesn't bother me. Too much.

Yes - there were plot holes the size of the Grand Canyon in this book. But really - a solid plot isn't really the reason we read these sorts of books, now is it? The sex is really hot - and the plot is just enough to drive the book from one hot sex scene to the next. And somewhere along the way you do begin to care about the characters. Deke, especially. He was obviously a tortured soul who had a past experience with a woman that he couldn't quite come to terms with.

I would probably give this story 4.5 stars, rather than 5, but Goodreads doesn't do point-fives. :)

Review: Wicked Ties (#1)

Wicked Ties by Shayla Black

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

HO-LEE-CRAP. This book was smoking hot. Dare I say - the hottest book I have ever read. But I will say this - the story is driven totally on the sexual aspect. Yes - there is a story there.....but it does take a back seat to the crazy, smoking hot sex scenes.

And a warning - this isn't your plain old vanilla sex. This is BDSM, threesomes, anal sex.....that kind of thing. So, if that isn't your cup of tea - I suggest you don't read this book. That being said - while those sorts of thing aren't part of my personal sexual menu - this book does handle it in a way that I could understand (and enjoy).

My feminist nature has always sort of looked at male domination / female submission as something very caveman.....that it was a weakness to give yourself over to someone. But this quote from the book stood out to me the most - and really made me rethink my ideals on the subject:

"You want to submit because you're strong, because when you're f*cking, you don't want responsibility. You want a man who can understand you and give you what you need - all without a word."

To me, that says you have to have incredible strength to put all your trust in someone. It's not the ultimate weakness to submit.....but the ultimate strength. Wow. The whole theme of the book is basically about coming to terms about your deepest desires and how to trust someone completely - someone who knows how to give you each of your desires without judgement.

Honestly, I thought the subject matter would be a turn off.....but I didn't find that to be the case. I found that on top of the insanely hot sex described in the book.....it also made me think.