Showing posts with label Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin. Show all posts

Friday, July 18, 2014

Sexy Saturdays (Quickie-Style): Desired by Stacey Kennedy / Sex on the Beach by Delphine Dryden



  
Sexy Saturdays with Andrea and Autumn is a weekly feature created to spread the word about spicy reads. 
 
Participating blogs:
  
 
 
Series: Club Sin #3
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Loveswept (Random House)
Publication Date: 7/22/14
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 stars
 
 
 Readers of Fifty Shades of Grey are sure to love Desired, Stacey Kennedy’s latest seductive, electrifying novel of Club Sin, where fantasy becomes reality.

Kyler Morgan, Master at the legendary Club Sin in Las Vegas, knows how to give women what they want—too well. He hasn’t had a real challenge in a long time. Then Ella Snow enters his life. Beautiful, inhibited, and innocent in the ways of submission and domination, Ella is the new blood he’s been lusting after. Soon, the thrill of training her to embrace his world brings forth desires Kyler cannot control.

After ending an abusive relationship, Ella makes a promise to herself to start living life to the fullest. It’s one of the reasons she seeks out Club Sin. Here, Kyler’s every touch is a lesson in liberation, stirring passions that have no bounds. But as she falls under Kyler’s command, Ella discovers that some secrets are so dark they must come to light. Submission alone may not be enough to save her, leaving her Master with only one question: How can he help Ella heal while unlocking the deep pleasures she craves?

Desired is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences. 
 
My Review
 
Desired was so, so good, maybe even my favorite of the Club Sin series. I've liked Kyler Morgan since meeting him in Claimed and have been anxious to see him find the submissive of his dreams. It doesn't take long in Desired, because he and Ella Snow connect across a crowded wedding reception (one of the other couples gets married, yay!) Kyler, being the fantastic Dom he is, not only connects with Ella, but also recognizes the submissive in her. After a passionate night, he wants to begin a relationship. Ella is wary, and evasive, about her reasons to keep the relationship casual. Kyler begins the sweet, sensitive and romantic undertaking at getting Ella to open up to him, share her secrets. Ella wants more with Kyler, if she can leave the past behind. She's also open to joining Kyler in his lifestyle, as his submissive.
 
Kyler and Ella were great romantic leads. I truly liked them both as characters, enjoyed watching them begin this slow, sexy dance towards a life-changing love. Ella's past relationship plays into their present, and I admired both how the author dealt without this throughout the story. It gave good motivation for Ella's reluctance and helped eventually bring them together as a stronger couple. I also liked how Kyler approached Ella about joining Club Sin, and Ella's reaction and her curiosity and thoughtfulness moving forward. And damn, everything about the sexual relationship between these two-in and out of the club-was so, so sexy!
 
We also get a lot of Dmitri and Presley (Claimed) and a nice bit of Aidan and Cora (Bared). It's always appreciated when past couples are brought forward with the series.
 
I like to describe the Club Sin series as BDSM-lite, not because I don't take it seriously in that aspect, but because it is so easily-accessible to those who are wary of BDSM or erotic romance. Yes, the lifestyle does play a strong part in the plot, but they're essentially character-driven stories about people who are connected by the community. We don't have men who are out to convince or their lady into joining, though they do encourage her to explore. In the first two books, the heroines are there of their own volition, with or without the hero. The play is more focused on the pleasure or pleasure-pain aspects of BDSM, not the parts (blood play, humiliation, etc) that can seem scary to many of us. If you're looking to explore erotic romance with a BDSM slant, I would definitely encourage you to give the Club Sin series a try.
 
 
 
Favorite Quotes 
 
 
 Though Kyler liked the thought of bringing Ella to Club Sin, he didn't know how to broach the subject with her. So, I like to fuck in public, engage in kinky sex play, and demand submission--whatcha think?
 

 
  A gazillion questions hung on the tip of her tongue. She also wasn't about to ask any of them with two people around her she didn't know. Don't look two inexperienced, Ella. She finally looked from Kyler to Porter to Kenzie, who all watched her. What does one say in this incredibly awkward moment? So, you come here to fuck?
 
 
  "You're not alone anymore, Ella."
  Sobbing tears rushed along her face, tears she didn't try to control. So long she had felt alone. So long she had fought against the world that seemed to be fighting against her. Now it seemed like life had finally given her a second chance. And this man was the reason behind it. A man who gave her everything without ever asking for something in return. A man who had simply been there for her, every step of the way. "I'm no longer alone?"
  Warmness softened his eyes, making her glow from the inside out, as he slowly shook his head. "This life. This family. Club Sin. It's all yours." Brushing the tears off her cheeks, he added with a tender voice, "Do you understand that, Ella? My life, it belongs to you now."




The Club Sin Series



Claimed (Club Sin, #1)   Bared (Club Sin, #2)   Desired (Club Sin, #3)   Freed (Club Sin, #4)

 (covers lead to GoodReads pages)
 
 

 
 
 

Sex on the Beach (Tropical Trysts, #2)
Series: Tropical Tysts #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Cosmo Red Hot Reads From Harlequin
Publication Date: 7/221514
Format: eARC
Pages: 87
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5

 
GoodReads  |  Amazon  |  BN
 
 
 
Hawaiian Vacation To-Do List:

1. Bikini up! You're in Oahu, and it's time for fruit drinks with umbrellas in them!
2. Being obsessively organized doesn't work during a Hawaiian vacation. Relax. Seriously.
3. Scan the resort for hot dudes. Huh. That hot jogger who ran by looks a lot like your ex, Jeremy—only fitter, harder and sexier.
4. Moonlit walks mean bumping into Hot Jogger Guy. Who is your ex.
5. Don't panic. Instead, think with your libido! Also debate the merits of ex sex.
6. Ignore the consequences. Go for it.
7. Revel in the afterglow. Go for rounds two and three.
8. Ooh, kayaking!
9. Round four. Oops!
10. Definitely do not think about why you broke up in the first place. Or that you're having wicked-hot nookie with the man you were here to forget…


My Review


I wanted to pick up Sex on the Beach because I like the Red Hot Reads line and I like Dryden's novellas. I'm glad I went with my gut on this, because this one was another win for me in both categories.

As indicated in the book description, Sex on the Beach is a vacation story and a second chance romance. Jeremy and Amanda broke up ten months prior when he moved for his job and she refused to follow. Both have been moving forward with their lives, but miserable without the other. When Amanda heads to Hawaii with a couple of friends, Jeremy takes the opportunity to follow her and win her back.

And that's where Sex on the Beach gets fun. We have this couple who are most definitely still in love, but have issues to work through if they can make another go of it. I like that Dryden doesn't smooth the issues over with sex, but makes it a real part of the discussion and gives it a realistic "non-resolved" resolution. I had to giggle over Amanda and Jeremy's inability to shut down the attraction between them, and that neither deny it. This leaves us with a story that had the deep discussions interspersed with clothes-ripping passion. My favorite kind!

I can't give any real detractions to Sex on the Beach, except possibly feeling a little lost in the beginning. That's my fault though, since I didn't pick up Mai Tai For Two (about Amanda's vacation mates) first.

Sex on the Beach was a fast and sexy little read that left me satisfied and smiling. Perfect if you're looking for a quick and dirty, yet sweet beach romance.


Favorite Quotes
 
 
  "I didn't tell you I was coming because I knew you wouldn't agree to it. I've spent the last year accomplishing even more than I thought I could, but it's all kind of meaningless because all I do is think about how I want to share it with you. I still love you, I still want to be with you. We are both really smart, and I know we can figure this out if we try. Please just give me these few days to try. And that is what I came here to say."
 
 
  "I'm not sure what it will accomplish, having that talk again. Seems like it's going to end up in the same exact place it did all the other times."
  Jeremy pursed his lips, clearly contemplating the wisdom of his response before going for it. "In hot, angry doggy style on your living room floor?"
  "That was one time.: She felt the blush creeping over her face. Her first instinct had been to grab him and head for the floor to demonstrate, so it felt like she'd been caught in illicit lusting. "And maybe that one other time."

 

The Tropical Trysts Series

Mai Tai For Two (Tropical Trysts, #1)  Sex on the Beach (Tropical Trysts, #2)
(covers lead to GoodReads pages)
 
 

About Stacey Kennedy

Stacey KennedyUSA Today Bestselling Author, Stacey Kennedy is an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who gave her a happily-ever-after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read Mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Supernatural, True Blood, Lost Girl, and Sons of Anarchy.
Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  GoodReads

 

About Delphine Dryden


Delphine DrydenAfter earning two graduate degrees, practicing law awhile, and then working for the public school system for over ten years, I finally got a clue. I tossed all that aside and started doing what I should have been doing all along, writing novels! In hindsight I could see the decision was a no-brainer.

I’m fortunate to have two wonderful, absurdly precocious children and two delightful if occasionally disobedient mutts. My family and I are all Texas natives, and reside in unapologetic suburban bliss near Houston.
 

 



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Sunday, July 13, 2014

Reviews: Cracks in the Armor (Clipped Wings #2.5) by Helena Hunting / Burned (Miller Sisters #2) by Sarah Morgan

Cracks in the Armor (Clipped Wings, #2.5)
Series: Clipped Wings #2.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Clipped Wings #2.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Pocket Stars
Publication Date: 6/23/14
Format: ARC
Pages: 72
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 stars


GoodReads  |   Amazon  |  B&N  |  iTunes


Chris, a sexy tattoo artist, tries to win the heart of Sarah, a grad student with little interest in him, in this second e-short and follow-up to Helena Hunting’s gripping love story, Clipped Wings—“twisted, dark, incredibly erotic…a love story like no other” (USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton).

Part owner of the Chicago tattoo shop Inked Armor, Chris Zelter is a talented artist who decorates skin with gorgeous designs. He might look the part of the typical jacked-up, inked-up bad-boy, but underneath is a fiercely loyal, complicated man. Kicked out at sixteen, Chris has had to fend for himself for the last twelve years, making his Inked Armor crew as much family as they are business partners. For him, it’s enough—until he meets Sarah Adamson.

A grad student waitressing at the local strip club, Sarah is used to propositions and crude comments. The job is a means to an end—finish her MBA, pay off the tuition loans, and get a good job. Then she won’t have to rely on anyone to take care of her. So when brawny, tatted up Chris begins hanging out at the club, she rebuffs his advances. At first. But Chris isn’t like her usual clientele: despite his hard exterior, he’s almost…sweet.

Sometimes, the people with the roughest edges have the biggest hearts.
 
 
My Review 
I think it's well-established that I am a huge fan of the Clipped Wings series. I love Hayden. I love Tenley. I love the writing and all the characters. I love it all. I have been so anxious to get more of Chris and Sarah, so obviously I was pumped to start Cracks in the Armor.
It was great! I liked the brief glimpses of life since the end of Inked Armor, where Tenley and Hayden are now and how they're coping. I was both impressed and slightly sad to see that those two still struggle daily to grab a better life. It smacks of realism, which I love.
But on to Chris and Sarah! Cracks in the Armor gives us a picture of where Chris and Sarah are now. Sarah has gone back to waitressing at The Dollhouse, and Chris isn't happy. He wants more, but can't assume Sarah does. He pines for her. In Sarah's point-of-view, we see she isn't happy at The Dollhouse either, but doesn't see another choice. And....she wants more from Chris too. The ending leaves us in limbo, almost feels like a mid-scene break.
A couple of my friends read Cracks in the Armor on release day and immediately told me "I really loved it, but I need more!" I assumed they meant that they loved it and more would always be appreciated, but they most certainly mean I NEED MORE. I honestly thought Cracks in the Armor would be a cap to the Clipped Wings series, but having read it, I feel ninety-five (ish) percent certain that there will be more for Chris and Sarah. Please, please publishing decision-making people and Helena Hunting, give us more Chris and Sarah!
 
Favorite Quote 
  "You said she wasn't going to be home for a while. It's not like she doesn't know you watch it, right?"
  "That's not the issue." Heavy bass blared through the surround sound as a music video flashed on the screen.
  "Then what's the problem?"
  "How would it look if she walked in to find the three of us hanging out watching chicks get banged" Don't you think that comes off as a little disrespectful?"
  "He's got a point. I mean, if I'm going to watch porn, it's either going to be by myself or with Lisa," Jamie added.
  "Thank you," Hayden said, as if Jamie being on his side made it okay they'd both had their balls cut off.
 
  The Clipped Wings Series
 Cupcakes and Ink (Clipped Wings, #0.5)  Clipped Wings (Clipped Wings, #1) Inked Armor (Clipped Wings, #2)    Cracks in the Armor (Clipped Wings, #2.5)

(covers lead to GoodReads page)


My Reviews



About Helena Hunting
 
Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s putting her degree in English Lit to good use by writing contemporary erotic romance. She is the author of Clipped Wings, her debut novel, and Inked Armor.
 




Burned (Miller Sisters, #2) Series: Miller Sisters #2
Genre: Contemp Romance
Publisher: Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin
Publication Date: 6/17/14
Format: eARC
Pages: 83
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5 stars


GoodReads  |  Amazon  |  B&N
 
 

Trainer and martial artist Rosie Miller's zen is seriously compromised when Hunter Black—her former coach and lover—becomes her new boss. And with all the sexual energy still crackling between them, her poor little zen doesn't stand a chance. So this time, Rosie is determined to play by her rules….


 
 
 
 
 
My Review
 
My first Sarah Morgan read was Ripped, the first novella in the Miller Sisters series. Ripped contained a winsome heroine, a swoony hero and so many laughs. Needless to say, I was anxious to start Burned.
 
Burned follows Rosie Miller, a trainer and martial artist. I love that Rosie was so kick-ass. The story opens with Rosie being dumped by her boyfriend for being too strong. Can you believe that? The idiot literally wants someone more fragile to help his poor wittle ego. So what's even better than getting dumped in a restaurant? The fact your first love is at the next table and hears every word. Yeah. But luckily for Rosie, Hunter Black is back and he wants her back. Rosie is still angry at hurt at the way Hunter left her, but he's not having the dismissal and sets out to win back her heart. What follows is a sweet, sexy story about two people who were not right for each other in the past, but are perfect for one another now.
 
I enjoyed Burned. Like Ripped, my favorite aspect was the humor. Any story that makes me smile as much as it makes me swoon earns a solid thumbs-up.
 
 
Favorite Quotes

  A roomful of people enjoying an evening. People who were in relationships.
  And then there was me.
  Rosie the rejected.
  I could hold water in my hands longer than I could hold a man. Not that I wanted a long relationship but hanging on to him until the end of dinner would have been confidence building.
 
 
  "I'm proud of my scissor kick. I work hard on my scissor kick."
  "For the record, the last girl I dated liked baking and book club."
  Baking and book club?
  I stared at him, wondering whether to kill him now or wait until after dessert.
  It was chocolate brownie, my favorite, so I decided to wait. I wasn't hungry, but no woman ate chocolate because she was hungry.
 
 
 
 
The Miller Sisters Series

Ripped (Miller Sisters, #1)  Burned (Miller Sisters, #2)

 


About Sarah Morgan

Sarah MorganUSA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. She has been nominated three years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and has won the award twice, in 2012 and 2013. She also won the RT Reviewers' Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their 'Top Pick' slot.

As well as writing for Harlequin Presents, her first full length novel, Sleigh Bells in the Snow will be published by HQN in October 2013 and Ripped, her first title for the Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin programme will be out in November 2013.

Sarah lives near London, and when she isn't reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying


 
 
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Sunday, April 13, 2014

REVIEW: HER BEST LAID PLANS by CARA MCKENNA

Her Best Laid PlansGenre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Cosmo Read Hot Reads from Harlequin
Publication Date: 4/15/14
Format: eARC
Pages: 85
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 stars

Experience Ireland—the dramatic beauty, the warm hospitality...and the smoking-hot local guys!

Imagine nursing a pint in a cozy, authentic country pub, far from Cork City’s busy pulse. Getting here took you a plane, bus, taxi, and...erm, bicycle. But just as you’re resigning yourself to drinking beside gray-haired farmers, you see him—a man with the looks and charm to soothe any heartbroken girl.

He’s your bartender. Your really, really gorgeous bartender.

For American Jamie Webb—recently dumped and housesitting for two weeks—Connor Kelleher is like a six-course feast after a 23-year starvation diet. But it’s gotta be casual. She’s just begun re-routing her life after an extended, man-related detour. Still, a sexy romp (or twenty!) with Sexy McBartender?

But what about when Jamie's best-laid plans for no future plans with any man begin to change?


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20410569-her-best-laid-plans?from_search=true


Cara McKenna. I've been fairly shouty with praise for this author since I read Unbound last year.(How the hell that book hasn't won every award is beyond me) She creates strong, smart and sensitive heroines and the most interesting array of men. McKenna has made me fall ass-over-teakettle in love with an alcoholic, reclusive Scot with a wicked sexy rope fetish, an agoraphobic Parisian gigolo, a construction worker/boxer with a penchant for rough role-playing, an orderly in a psychiatric facility with a sexual intensity strong enough to melt, and most recently, a prison inmate with a dark gaze and a knack for filthy, romantic letters. So. How does a seemingly "normal" (whatever that means) Irish bartender fit in here? Connor Kelleher fits in quite nicely. It doesn't matter how simple or complex the character is, McKenna constructs men and women who are accessible and engaging.You know them completely. Brilliant.

My initial thoughts on Her Best Laid Plans: Vacation Fling. Ireland. Bartender. Forearms. Sexing. Guinness. By the way, if I came across a review that described a book with these words, my one-click trigger finger would be all over that.

I went into Her Best Laid Plans with a sense of excitement and anxiety. Excitement because... MCKENNA. IRELAND. GUINNESS. SEXING. Anxiety because: VACATION FLING. I mean, I just knew I was going to believe in this couple, despite the fact it's a whirlwind romance that's not meant to go beyond a short space in time. Jamie is from Boston, Connor's home is Ireland. They both are determined to get their lives in order, in their respective homes. So yeah, I believed in Jamie and Connor, that they should be together. And yet, I also believed that the both should go after their dreams, even if those dreams leave them on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Jamie's given up far too much for a man before, she needs to follow her own dreams. I didn't want her to compromise again, but I did want her to stay with Connor. So why can't Connor follow Jamie, right? Well, he can, but he also has a life in Ireland and plans of his own. Ugh. My heart ached for them. What will become of my the star-crossed couple? I'll never tell, but I will say that I believe things worked out exactly as they should.

Wow. I just packed a whole shed-load of feels into this review of a novella less than one hundred pages, more than many reviews I write for full-length novels. Another testament to the power of McKenna. Length doesn't matter, neither does the premise, the level of twistiness, or kink. Every time I open a Cara McKenna book, it's like opening a treasure box.



Favorite Quotes

  Jamie watched as the new guy poured someone’s pint a few feet to her left. Holy shit. Were forearms an accepted fetish object? Because his were perfect.


  "I love your voice," she murmured.
  "You want to hear me?” Even that question was doing the job, like liquor snaking through her.    
  "Yeah."
  "Sweet or dirty?” he asked.
  "Whatever you’re thinking.”
   He obeyed without hesitation. “I’m thinking I can’t remember ever wanting someone so badly. Being this hard. Wanting so badly to taste a woman. Taste you. Make you come. Make you ready—make you wet, and...what’s the word?” He bit her softly. “Lush,” he concluded.


  He was so many lovers in one—worshipping, needy, selfish, rough, tender, sensual, playful. A dozen flavors of male in a single body. Anything she could wish for...
  "Take me," she muttered.
  [...]She could almost detect some message in this sex, as though his body were telling her, Before you fly home, I’m going to be every last thing a man can be for a woman. And she’d remember each of those men with a fondness that broke her heart.




Purchase Links
 


 
About the author
Cara McKennaCara McKenna writes smart erotica—sexy stories with depth. A little dark, a little funny, always emotional. She also writes red-hot romance under the name Meg Maguire. Her wonderful publishers are Ellora's Cave, Harlequin Blaze, Loose-Id, Penguin / Intermix, and Samhain. She loves writing sexy, character-driven stories about strong-willed men and women who keep each other on their toes, and bring one another to their knees.

Cara was a 2010 Golden Heart finalist, a 2012 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award nominee, and a 2012 Golden Leaf finalist.

Cara is represented by Laura Bradford, of the Bradford Literary Agency.

Before becoming a purveyor of red-hot romance and smart erotica, Cara was a record store bitch, a lousy barista, a decent designer, and an overly enthusiastic penguin handler.

Cara now writes full-time and lives north of Boston with her bearded husband. When she's not trapped in her own head she can usually be found in the kitchen, the coffee shop, or jogging around the nearest duck-filled pond. She is a very proud member of the Romance Writers of America® and her local New England Chapter.





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