MinnChica: I first discovered Croix through her alter-ego Kaylea Cross. When I heard she was going to start writing erotic romance through the Callie Croix name, I knew I would have to track down her smutty stories and read them all. I love her military heroes, and her strong heroines. Add in a dash of suspense and lots of smut, and her books are some of my favorite novella erotic reads.
E: I discovered Croix through a certain MinnChica after she arm twisted me into reading Cross for a joint review. Then we ended up doing a joint review of a Croix book, Let Me In, which I enjoyed but I had a few issues with the heroine. So when I saw this title on Netgalley and read the blurb I had to give it a try and I am glad that I did. Over a short period of time she provided suspense, smutty goodness, a strong woman asking for what she wants and a strong man finding the courage to give it to her.
MinnChica: I think I enjoyed this story more than some of Croix’s other erotic novellas, because it seemed to read like a longer book. With her previous Carina Press stories, they each read very quickly, but this story seemed to read like a longer book. I really enjoyed both Becca and Reid, they were both the kind of characters I’ve come to expect from Croix. Reid was a strong and dominate hero who lived up to the military stereotype. And Becca was great as well, strong in her own right and I loved that she made Reid work to gain her trust again.
E: This did feel like a complete story which I certainly enjoyed. I could see Reid’s viewpoint and how he wanted to keep Becca separate from the bad parts of his life deployed. He also trying to deal with a rather traumatic event, his survivor guilt, and the desire to make sure it didn’t happen again. Reid’s job was that of a protector and his protectiveness was not limited to just his job but also people back home. On the flipside Becca was not willing to sit back and wait for Reid to decide he could make time for her. In her mind they had not established any commitment so his lack of communication, especially after she had taken the risk of sending him a rather descriptive email of one of her fantasy’s, meant that she was out of sight and therefore out of mind. Just like MinnChica, I absolutely loved that she made Reid work to get her back. Reid had to learn that just because he had committed in his mind, he had to make sure that Becca was aware of that decision and that he maintained their connection.
MinnChica: I loved getting to see the flip side of both Reid and Becca’s view of their relationship. While, like E, I could see where Reid was coming from with wanting to keep his deployment separate from Becca, I wanted to smack him just a little for not letting her in. While I’m not delusional to think the love of a good woman could cure him, but there is something to be said for having someone to lean on, to trust and to rely on when times get tough. I wanted him to have a little more faith in her and them, instead of pushing her and their relationship to the backseat. I also liked getting to see Becca struggle with not knowing anything about whether or not Reid was safe. Croix did a wonderful job of showing just how frustrating this can be not knowing ANYTHING about the well being of a loved one stationed overseas. While both Reid and Becca were no where close to perfect, their relationship and characters were real and true. I loved that!
E: I completely understood the frustration about not knowing if Reid was alive or not but I also know there is an ingrained need to try to keep the ones you care about protected from harm. It is a delicate balancing act between saying too much and not saying enough. Reid was on the not saying enough side and he needed to learn that complete silence does not work. Once he realized that issue I really liked the intense focus he placed on Becca and trying to get her to understand where he thought they were going. I also liked the snapshots of interaction he had with his Teammates because I could completely see that in action. I think one of Croix’s strengths is showing her characters through their interaction with others because I get a more rounded sense of them flaws and all.
MinnChica: One of the other things I really enjoyed about this story was the mini suspense plot. Usually with novella’s, the sub-plot tends to fall short. However, I thought that Croix did an amazing job balancing the suspense and the romance and the smut. I really enjoyed how it didn’t fall to the wayside, or feel as if that part of the story was an afterthought.
All in all I really enjoyed this novella. I loved Reid and Becca both, thought they were really relatable characters who were devoted to making their relationship work. Add in the super sexy smutty times and I was sold on all aspects of this story. Croix has also done an incredible job writing a novella that feels like a big story in all aspects, I can’t tell you how much that increases my reading experience.
I give Covert Seduction a B+
E: I really enjoyed how Croix was able to give me the complete story feel in a novella. Between the connections the characters had, their struggle towards a HEA, and just the fundamental differences between men and women, military and civilians and I knew this was a romance to enjoy. Throw in the intense smutty times and I didn’t come up for air until I was finished reading. I think with this installment Croix has made my must read pile.
It was super short, and the romance was rushed. Other than that, I always enjoy Adrian's writing.It was super short, and the romance was rushed. Other than that, I always enjoy Adrian's writing....more
I’ve been a long time fan of Carly Phillips, and with her newest series set in small town New York, she has catapulted herself into one of my all-time favorite contemporary romance authors.
Mike never wanted to stay in Serendipity forever, but when his adoptive father gets sick, Mike returns home temporarily to take over the position of Police Chief. The last thing he expected was to fall back into insane lust with one of his cops, Cara. The sexual tension from their one-night stand is off-the charts, and although Mike is hesitant to rekindle their relationship, he also can’t deny how strong the pull is between them. When Cara comes to him with details of a cold case that points negatively towards his biological father, the two are thrown together on the clock, and off.
Cara doesn’t bother trying to deny her attraction and growing feelings for Mike, but the fact that he doesn’t want to settle in Serendipity is a constant reminder of how things could never work between them. But as they continue to work together, they grow closer as both friends and lovers, and before long Cara finds herself head over heels. As more and more details on their case come to light, Cara holds out hope that Mike will find something in Serendipity, besides her, that will make him stick around this time and give them a real shot at love.
I’ve long been a fan of the Serendipity series, and I was so excited when Phillips announced the next trilogy would feature some of the men in blue. I really liked Mike. Despite his insecurities about his family and where he fit within them, he was a pretty amazing hero. He had his own issues and problems and worries, and yet he was also a genuinely good guy. He cared for his mother, his adoptive father, and his half brother and sister. He wanted nothing more than to fit in somewhere, despite his inability to stay in one place long enough. I liked that he had real issues that made perfect sense within the story.
I also really enjoyed Cara. She was one of those heroines that wore her heart on her sleeve, and had a place in her heart for everyone she meets. She was so sweet and loving and giving and I absolutely adored that about her. I was so glad that she was willing to fight for Mike, that she was patient in giving him space to figure out his place, and yet she also was able to have his back and support him while he made his decisions. I loved the relationship she had with Mike’s younger brother, also her partner on the force. They already had a brother/sister kind of bond, and the fact that he went to bat against Mike FOR Cara was so sweet to see.
I thought the romance was wonderful as well. The sexual tension between them was so steamy, and the fact that they were both hesitant and quick to act on it made it all the more enjoyable. I loved seeing how well they worked together, and how well they complimented each other on the job and off. Poor Mike was a little slow on the up-take when it came to figuring out exactly what Cara meant to him, but when he got it, he did it right.
The mini sub-plot with Mike and Cara and the cold case was also done really well. It helped move the story along quicker, and was a huge factor in helping Mike really find his place, not only in Serendipity, but within his family as well. I enjoyed watching it all unfold, and was even a little surprised by some of the twists and turns.
All in all Phillips has come up with another great story for the small town of Serendipity. I adored Mike and Cara, and Mike’s quirky family. This book had everything I’ve come to love and expect from Phillips: a smoking hot hero, a heroine I can relate to, a wonderful romance, and a few steamy moments to heat up the pages! I’m so excited for the next book in the series, set to feature Mike’s younger sister Erin and town bad-boy Cole! I give A Perfect Fit a B+...more
I fell in love with Harper not only for her Jane Jameson paranormal series, but also for her hilarious contemporary romance And One Last Thing… When I saw she had another contemporary short releasing, I was more than anxious to get reading!
Sadie has been working at the Tourism Commission since she graduated college, and now that she is a shoe in for the director’s position, she is finally making her dreams come true. But just as she is about to polish off her acceptance speech, big city hot-shot Josh shows up as her competition. Pitted against each other in a big design, Sadie and Josh will have to compete head-to-head for her dream job.
Josh is looking to start over, and the director job will give him the needed experience to pave his own way. He doesn’t understand why Sadie is so set on showcasing the quirky way of life in Kentucky, and knows his classy designs will be a hit with the upperclass. What Josh didn’t expect was to actually start to enjoy spending time with his co-workers, especially the lovely Sadie.
I have to admit, while I absolutely loved and adored everything about Harper’s first contemporary romance, this story didn’t really do much for me. Harper’s brand of humor is by far some of the best in the romance world today, and I really did enjoy reading all the quirky and obscure ideas and stories that Sadie came up with. However, it just didn’t work within the confines of this romantic story.
I wanted a little something more in the romance between Josh and Sadie. Most of the book was spent with the two of them arguing and fighting and acting petty towards one another because they didn’t like the competition the other brought to the position. They never bothered to actually get to know one another, instead began dividing the office staff and competing over every little thing they could possibly think of, down to the morning donuts and coffee. It got to the point where I was a little annoyed by their childish behavior.
On top of the romance being somewhat lackluster, I also wasn’t super impressed by either Sadie or Josh. While I could see why Sadie was so enamored with showing off the “different” parts of her state, I also agreed with Josh whenever he challenged her for being too narrow-minded. I think she let her upbringing cloud her judgement a bit, and had she been my employee, representing my state’s tourism, I don’t know that I would think Sadie would have what it takes to cut it. Likewise, I like that Harper tied Josh’s history into the And One Last Thing… world, however he was equally frustrating with his nose stuck so high in the air, and his inability to see the other perspective.
All in all I was a little disappointed with this Harper novella. I had my expectations set on this living up to the hype of her first contemporary romance, which just didn’t happen. I would have liked more from both the characters and the romance both. I give My Bluegrass Baby a C...more
From the moment I put down Liberating Lacey, I was a Calhoun fan for life. She writes such amazing characters and the smut factor in each and every book of hers I’ve read has been off the charts. Given the blurb of this book, I just knew that Thea and Ronan would have some amazing sexy times ahead of them.
Thea is grieving over the death of her husband, and her move to New York City allowed her to get lost in the crowd where no one knows her name. She can blare her rock music in her ears, work long hours, and have carefree sex with Ronan without anyone hovering over her. She doesn’t want anything lasting with Ronan, and although she knows he is starting to want more from her, she doesn’t know if she can give it to him.
Ronan loves having sex with Thea, but their physical, no-strings attached romance is starting to feel empty to him. He wants more, and despite Thea’s claim otherwise, he can see that deep down she is ready to move on. His only problem will be finding a way to convince her that she can still love her husband, and love another as well. With sex as their deepest connection, Ronan will use every trick in the book to show her that sex with him is more than just sex, it’s a second chance at love.
I was a little disappointed that this book didn’t have nearly as many BDSM undertones as most Calhoun’s books. Don’t get me wrong, there is lots of sex, and most of it is pretty kinky. But I think that Calhoun has such an incredible voice for dominate heroes and submissive heroines, and I would have liked to see that play out more in this story. I was a little worried that this would end up being a menage book that wouldn’t sit well with me, but the way that aspect of the story played out, I never even once felt like it was a true menage book! I absolutely enjoyed all the smutty times Ronan and Thea had, and given the frequency of them…well that was just the icing on the cake.
As part of the Red Hot Holiday Anthology from Carina Press, this was a novella length story, and yet it felt as if it was a full length story for me. There was so much development on Thea’s part from start to finish, and so much seemed to progress with her relationship with Ronan that I never FELT like I was reading a novella. It was short and yet felt as if I got a full-length book. I love when stories can do that!
I felt so awful for Thea, and yet I loved the way Ronan was able to pull her out of her head, out of herself and into the land of the living. Thea really was almost zombie-like in the way that she just went through life, never really living. I was desperate for her to feel something (almost as much as Ronan was), and once she finally came to, it was like she was opening her eyes for the first time. I loved the way Ronan used their kinky sex as the way to show her just how important HE was, and not the sex in general.
All in all this wasn’t my favorite Calhoun book, but another stellar novella! I thought that the sexy times with Ronan and Thea were just as hot and engaging as her more BDSM based stories, and the different kinks were fun to read about. I loved both Ronan and Thea as characters as well, and hated saying goodbye once the novella ended. Calhoun fans are definitely in for a treat with this story! I give Breath on Embers a B...more
Being the lover of all things BDSM, when Loren debuted her Loving on the Edge series, I was super excited about a new series to get attached to.
Grant is the owner of the super secretive and exclusive Ranch, a BDSM resort in the middle of Texas. He is Dom extraordinaire and the one man that no woman has been able to nail down. When he hears a car crash one night, he rushes out to help and finds Charli injured and in need of help. When he finds out that Charli is the younger sister of an old military buddy, he forces himself to stop looking at her as a sexy woman to take care of, and instead a younger sister who needs protection.
Charli doesn’t want Grant to look at her like a younger sister, and when she stumbles onto what really goes on at The Ranch, she is determined to win Grant over in every way that counts. Charli hides her plans under the cover of needing to be more feminine for her job, and she lets Grant teach her how to become soft and womanly and submissive. But the help that Charli needs is more than she expected, and when her life is threatened once again, Grant is forced to deal with feelings he never expected, and the one woman who can make him whole again.
I will admit that I really enjoy Loren’s style of writing BDSM. Although there is the occasional scene that takes place in public, there are also just as many scenes that take place behind closed doors, in the privacy of the couples relationship. While I’ve read plenty of “club” books, it’s always nice to see a couple who also prefers to play without an audience, who prefers to keep their relationship intimate and between the two of them. Despite Grant’s owning of The Ranch, he also likes to keep things private between himself and his submissive, and the vast majority of his scenes with Charli are kept behind closed doors.
I loved their romance. I knew Charli would be in for a hard time, especially as Grant reveals more and more of his dating/romantic history. And despite some of Charli’s TSTL moves, I rooted for her time and time again. I wanted Grant to have another chance at love, and although Charli seemed to be the opposite of what he normally liked, they were perfect together in the bedroom and out! They danced around each other for awhile in the beginning, and the sexual tension between them ramped up to epic proportions. When they finally got down and dirty, it was sexy beyond belief!
For me, the weakest aspect of this story was the suspense plot. I never really understood why someone would want to try and kill Charli for the story she was working on, as it didn’t seem to me like the consequences of the story coming out would be all that horrific for the people involved. So the lengths that her villain went to “get” her just didn’t seem to really gel for me. Although it forced them together, and the threat was very real, it didn’t seem like a super realistic plot point to me, and didn’t work as well as I thought or hoped it would.
All in all I did enjoy this book. I’ve been looking forward to finding out more about the secretive Grant, and his history was more than a little heartbreaking. At the same time, I really did love Charli for being able to bring Grant out of his funk, back into the land of the living. Their romance was full of tension, and was rounded out by some seriously smokin hot sexy scenes. Loren continues to write a wonderful smutty series, and I for one can’t wait for more. I give Fall Into You a B...more
Mia is hoping that she and Nick can get away for Christmas and go back to her favorite town Lucky Harbor for her aunt Chloe’s wedding. But when Mia surprises Nick with tickets home, he freaks out and Mia is left with a broken heart and no boyfriend in sight. Nick is scared to be placed in the middle of Mia’s family, especially over Christmas. But after one night without her, he knows that he can’t just walk away. But in order to win her back, he will have to work damn hard to get Mia to trust him again, and show her that he wants nothing more than to choose her, over everything else.
I think the original trilogy with the sisters Maddie, Tara and Chloe are still my favorites of the Lucky Harbor books. Getting a chance to see Chloe and Sawyer finally tie the knot, and get a glimpse of Mia all grown up and ready for her own romance was the perfect little holiday treat. However, I want to stress the emphasis on little. This novella is only about 50-60 pages long and reads very quickly.
I have to admit that I was a little worried Mia wouldn’t be able to let Nick back in, especially with her one major insecurity: no one has ever chosen her. She feels so let down that Nick didn’t immediately chose to go with her that she is crushed in ways I could never imagine. However, Nick surprised me by pulling every string and every trick he could think of to win her back.
I adored Nick, he struggled with his own insecurities and what he thought was his dream in life. Yet when push came to shove he was able to evaluate what was really important to him and what he really wanted and was willing to fight (literally) for it. I might have fallen in love with him myself!
All in all this was a super sweet novella. Very short, but a great little Christmas treat for Lucky Harbor fans. Mia was still sweet as can be and a great character to read about and Nick stole my heart by the end of it all. I give Under the Mistletoe a B+...more
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