Tag: contemporary (Page 120 of 122)

Cake by Lauren Dane

September 13, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I’d heard good things about this novella, which is part of the Cosmo Red Hot Reads line from Harlequin, launched this month so I requested a review copy via NetGalley. Cake releases on September 15 but is available for pre-order now.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) She won’t be satisfied with just one bite…

Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.

But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she’s determined to show him that just one taste won’t be enough…

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I must admit that this book had a lot more story than I was expecting. This probably says something about me more than anything, but I was kind of expecting to jump straight to the sex and for there to be not much characterisation. Something about it being a “Red-Hot Read” perhaps? I’m happy to say I was wrong. There is a story and the pair don’t just jump into bed. There’s sexual tension and flirting but the reader is given a chance to get to know the characters a bit before there is any horizontal tango-ing. There are some books which jump straight to the sex and that can work fine for me – and, it is to be noted that I requested this book even with those expectations. The story is short – about 87 pages so there isn’t a lot of time for huge backstory and character development but I thought the author used the page count cleverly to introduce two characters to me and make me believe their happy ending.

Risk & Reward by Alisha Rai

September 10, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I enjoyed the first one in this series and bought the second as soon as it was released. Warning *mild spoilers for Play With Me*

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) The greater the risk…

Older. Wiser. Hotter. Months after reuniting with the man who loved her – and left her – a decade ago, Tatiana Belikov is determined not to let their wicked games blind her to the danger of repeating history. If that means biting her tongue, so be it. After all, she does get to bite him.

Wyatt Caine never thought Tatiana would be back in his cards, but he’s not ready to question his luck. Between the sheets he knows exactly how to make her naughty fantasies come true: rough and tumble, with an extra serving of dirty. Communicating outside of the bedroom? Not always so easy.

The city’s bright lights can’t compare to their passion, burning hot enough to singe them both. But when the harsh glare of reality exposes long-inflicted wounds, Wyatt and Tatiana have to decide if they want to play it safe…or risk it all.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): At the end of Play With Me, we left Tatiana and Wyatt reunited and trying a long distance relationship. Risk & Reward picks up some six months later. They have been seeing each other regularly and are having lots of fun together but each is a bit careful around the other, preferring to avoid potential problems out of fear they will return to their old patterns of arguing, leading to a breakup neither wants.

Uncommon Pleasure by Anne Calhoun

September 8, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I enjoyed Liberating Lacey and Breath on Embers (from last year’s Red Hot Holiday anthology) and I’d heard good things about this book. I bought up an ecopy with a Kobo coupon recently. The next book in the series has just been released. It is called Uncommon Passion. I’ve heard great things about that one too, but I’m waiting for another coupon.

I’ve also put a digital book from her backlist on my wishlist – On the Edge is a novella which features Ty (hero of the first story in this anthology) and John Langley and Lucy Malone.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) From a “fresh and imaginative” (“The Romance Studio”) voice in erotic romance come the tales of two women, each daring to challenge the boundaries of the toughest of men…But in these edgy, heated encounters, the greatest thing each woman will risk is her heart.

“Over the Edge,” – after a tragic incident during Ty Hendricks’ last tour of duty, he cut off all connection with anyone he cares about–until a night with Lauren Kincaid draws him reluctantly back into the world. Lauren sees a wounded man in danger of losing everything to his inner demons, but the sensual, no-holds-barred fight for Ty’s soul could cost Lauren her heart.

“All on the Line,” – Abby Simmons fell hard for Lieutenant Sean Winthrop, but he sacrificed their relationship when he deployed to Afghanistan. Now he’s home, full of regrets and intent on winning back the woman he never forgot. Abby gives Sean her body but holds her heart aloof, until one night of pleasure forces her to choose either her U.S. Marine…or life without him, forever.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Over the Edge is the first novella in the anthology. Ty Hendricks is a roughneck working on an oil rig. He was a Marine and served in Afghanistan. His skill set is mainly around people management. He can identify where people work and fit best, when something is wrong and how to manage it, etc etc. However, he has basically shut down as a result of PTSD following his last deployment. He wants no emotions to creep in – both in his sexual liaisons and his friendships with former-Marine buddies John Langley (owner of Langley Security) and Sean Winthrop. Lauren Kincaid is a petroleum geologist who flies out to the oil rig where Ty is working. Over the course of a few days on the rig, Lauren sees enough of Ty to become intrigued and desirous. After they get back to the mainland, she propositions him and he, even knowing that there was no way it would just be an anonymous, meaningless hookup (no matter how hard he tries), accedes. Lauren sees, she thinks, the man underneath the armour of disinterest and is curious to know him. To her credit, Lauren doesn’t think she can heal Ty, but she does see that he is in need of it and it takes a lot of effort on his behalf to successfully push her away. When not working on the oil rig, Ty helps our his friend John in his security business. They had been supposed to open the business together but after events in his last deployment, Ty wanted to be separate from everyone and changed his mind. Sean, also on furlough is also helping out and they end up doing some industrial surveillance in the same business park where Lauren is based. The book was sexy and hot and I liked how sexually free Lauren was and how the story (both of them actually) was not at all slut-shamey. Both stories feature a menage even though the HEA is with just two people. In this one, Ty suggests a threesome to Lauren (with Sean) as a way of shocking her into leaving only to be surprised when Lauren not only says yes, but really gets into it.

I’m Over at Dear Author (again!)…

September 5, 2013 / Kaetrin

This time I’m reviewing Vivian Arend’s new release, High Passion. I loved the romance but was less sold on the suspense plot. See why here.

Stay With Me by Elyssa Patrick

August 31, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the author via NetGalley. It had a rock star heroine and it’s in the New Adult genre which I like. I say I don’t get books because of their covers but I’ve come to realise that’s not entirely true. I won’t make a final decision based on a cover, but there are plenty of times when I click to find out more because of an eye-catching cover design and this is one of those examples. The cover is gorgeous.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) With one look, I’m his . . .

With one touch, he’s mine . . .

With one kiss, it changes everything between us . . .

I’ve been famous since I can remember. Singing, acting, dancing—I’ve done it all. The tabloids cover my every move, but I don’t want that anymore. I want to be normal, whatever that is.

When I leave Hollywood for college in Vermont, I’m on my own for the first time in my life. This is my chance to figure out who I am and what I want in life.

But it’s a lot harder than I expected. I can’t escape my image. Classes are difficult, and I’m struggling. And then there’s Caleb Fox.

Sexy, intriguing Caleb Fox.

Caleb is the one man who doesn’t want to use me. He breaks down my walls. He challenges me. He wants me. And I just don’t know if I can give him the same—or if he’ll stick around when he finds out my shameful secret that the tabloids haven’t managed to uncover.

Dating him is risky enough, but loving him could break me.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I found this story a bit of a mixed bag. There were parts where I was immersed and enraptured but other parts which felt a little flat to me. As much as I thought Caleb was wonderful, he was so perfect that the romance lacked tension. Caleb is gorgeous, smart, faithful, honest, funny and awesome in bed. He has good friends, a great family, a career plan, talent – really, what’s not to love about him? Hailey on the other hand, is a bit of a mess. She has been managed by her mother who is the ultimate awful “stage-mom” – manipulated into roles she didn’t really want, relationships she didn’t really want and increasingly, into a career she didn’t really want, Hailey has made a break. She has quit acting, singing and dancing and is going to college. She doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do yet, other than be “normal” (or, as normal as it is possible to be given how rich and famous she is). She plans to spend her first year of college finding herself and I think the book succeeds very well here. It skirts the line so that Hailey stays on the right side of “poor little rich girl”. She isn’t unaware of her privilege and doesn’t whinge. She does read older than her 18 years, but I think this is explained by her history – she’s worked professionally since she was a small child (even as a baby she was the face of Gerber). When she struggles in school, she takes it on the chin and doesn’t whine about it. She goes and gets some tutoring, works hard and does better. Yay!

A Basic Renovation by Sandra Antonelli

August 29, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I bought this book a little while back, having heard lots of good things about it.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) When it comes down to it, rats in the oven trumps Lesley’s desire to never set eyes on another Brennan family member. So Lesley, a pro at property redevelopment, scrambles to Dominic Brennan’s hardware store for supplies. Dominic knows poison — rat and otherwise — and he sees it in Lesley. The woman ruined his brother’s life. Now that she’s back in town, Dominic’s afraid she’ll drag up the past, the secrets, and the pain. They clash immediately, but mix in a teenage boy, a puppy, some white paint, and some loud music, and what starts as cold fury transforms into a nuclear attraction. This basic renovation becomes a major life refurbishment for them both.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Forty-something heroines and heroes appeal to me now in a way they didn’t when I was in my twenties. From my current perspective, it does not seem at all ridiculous or icky to read a romance with older protagonists. I am happy enough to read about younger people too, but there is definitely room in my reading for people my age and older. Lesley and Dominic are both in their 40s, both experiencing some of the visible signs of aging Olay warns you about on the television at every possible opportunity. (I expect, nevertheless, they look better than I do – that’s okay, I tend to imagine romance heroes and heroines are good looking no matter what the text tells me – perhaps this is a flaw, I don’t know). Because both are older, they fit well into their own skins – they know themselves, their wants and desires, their tics and foibles fairly well and neither of them are likely to change all that much. But they have both changed very much from the people they were when they (briefly) knew each other sixteen years earlier, when Lesley was (briefly) married to Dominic’s douchebag brother Terry. The book presents them as having come into their own – particularly Lesley, rather than just being “not young anymore” and certainly, Dominic finds the current Lesley much more fascinating and attractive than he ever did before.