Review: Deep Down by Elle Aycart

Series: The OGs #1
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Loose Id
Publication Date: 2/11/14
Format: ebook
Pages: 293
Source: Purchase
Rating: 2 stars

Mike Haddican is a proud small-town gym owner, a renowned karate instructor, and all-around good guy. He’s never needed much to be happy: his family, his friends, his girl. Especially his girl. But when Kyra left him seven years ago to chase her dreams, she all but destroyed him.

Contemporary dancer Kyra Brims made it big, but it cost her dearly. With her life and career in shambles, she doesn’t need a do-over, she needs a friggin’ miracle. Injured, broke, and out of options after going through hell, she’s come back to Alden, the town she swore she’d never return to and home of Mike Haddican, the man who ripped her soul to pieces, to lick her wounds and recover.

Forgetting and letting go proved impossible when they were worlds apart; now that they’re stuck together they don’t stand a chance, especially with Mike’s grandma and her partners in crime plotting, meddling and refusing to give up on them.

As the passion that never died burns out of control, so do old hurts and unresolved issues. Both have reasons to be angry and feel betrayed, but now that they’re older, are they wise enough to make things work?

I wasn't a fan of Deep Down, a fact that both surprises and makes me sad. I'm a big fan of Aycart's Bowen series, and have really talked it up to other readers. I almost didn't write this review for that reason, and also after being so annoyed, I was ready to move on. But I did take the time to read the entire story, so here I am throwing in my two cents. For what it's worth.

Deep Down didn't work for me because I did not like Mike at all. I don't remember a lot about him from the Bowen books, probably because I was blinded by the dirty deliciousness of James and Cole Bowen. And that's what confuses me. The Bowen brothers were dirty talkers who backed that mouth up with a lot of action. They were bossy and gruff and it work for me. So what happened here? Mike is also bossy and gruff, but guys, I found him to be a huge jerk. Actually, I could have overlooked the alphahole personality, if it hadn't been for the sex.

Here's the thing: Kyra and Mike broke up over seven years prior. Kyra got married and Mike got to underground fighting-of course- and laying pipe all over town because the best way to get over someone is to get under (or behind) someone else. It's okay though, he never let any of these women give him a BJ because that's the only meaning of true intimacy. Oh, and he never went down south on any of the sluts, I mean ladies, he went out with because they weren't Kyra. Of course, Kyra never truly wanted anyone but Mike, and besides her husband he's the only guy she's ever been with. Good thing too, or she would've been a whore, right? But her ass though, that is all Mike's. Even better are Mike's very exacting standards for sex. One, he will never, ever use a condom on Kyra. Even when she asks him to stop and put one on. Silly Kyra, you can't ask a man who's been sexing up other ladies for seven years to wear a condom. What are you, a prude? And two, there is no cleaning up after sex. Nope, you do not get the obligatory after-sex wash cloth because King Kong here wants to drift away to dreamland with his semi still planted in you and his hand cover your "sex" so he can feel your combined fluids drip out onto your thighs and the sheets. Nothing says romance like waking up to crusty junk.

Okay, so I'm going on a semi-rant here and it's exhausting. Bottom line, I didn't find the wicked goodness with heart that I've come to expect from Aycart. I got a dirty second chance romance that I just couldn't get behind.

Because I don't want to leave this on a completely negative note, I will point out a couple things I liked. Despite being epically irritated, I did get turned on by the sexy, especially when Mike kept his mouth shut. And the grandmas. Between their scheming and autocorrect fails, they did make me laugh.

Purchase Links

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble 

 

 

About the author
After a colorful array of jobs all over Europe ranging from translator to chocolatier to travel agent to sushi chef to flight dispatcher, Elle Aycart is certain of one thing and one thing only: aside from writing romances, she has abso-frigging-lutely no clue what she wants to do when she grows up. Not that it stops her from trying all sorts of crazy stuff. While she is probably now thinking of a new profession, her head never stops churning new plots for her romances. She lives currently in Barcelona, Spain, with her husband and two daughters, although who knows, in no time she could be living at the Arctic Circle in Finland, breeding reindeer.

Elle loves to hear from readers!

Blog  |  Twitter  |  GoodReads

SEXY SUMMER SATURDAYS: INKED EVER AFTER (BOWEN #2.5) by ELLE AYCART

Sexy Saturdays is a weekly post we started to challenge ourselves to read more steamy books and have a lot of fun. Feel free to join in. (let us know so we can add a link to your post).

The Autumn Review
Sim-Sational Books
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews
Insightful Minds Reviews
Globug and Hootie Need a Book


**The books featured on SEXY SUMMER SATURDAYS are for adults. If you are under 18 years of age, or do not like smexy books, please stop here. **



Series: Bowen #2.5
Genre: Adult Erotic Romance
Publisher: Loose Id
Publication Date: 3/26/13
Format: ebook
Pages: 175
Source: Purchased
Rating:  4.5 stars

Tattooed bad boy James Bowen is about to marry the love of his life. Everything would be perfect if it wasn't for the tiny detail that his bride-to-be is freaking out big time. And trying to hide it from him.

Tate Cooper is losing it. She loves James with all her heart and wants to be married to him; it's the getting married that's killing her. Still grieving the loss of her father and brother,and totally overwhelmed by the wedding arrangements, she's in full emotional meltdown. But James deserves a happy bride, not a high-maintenance, sorrow-filled, guilt-stricken one, and, by God, she's going to give him that, even if she has to paste on a smile and fake it till she makes it.

James doesn't know whether to be amused or pissed. He understands she's running scared, but there is no way in hell he's going to allow this to continue; he's going to push her to confront her fears until she happily embraces their ever after.

 

Oh, James Bowen... How I have missed you and your sexy, dirty, sweet, sexy, bossy mouth. Did I say sexy? James Bowen and his brother Cole are two sexy BAMFs. The amount of sexy aggression that just rolls off those two is enough to make any woman melt.  What really makes James Bowen sexy, though, is the way he loves Tate. He makes his princess feel safe, desired, treasured. There is nothing James won't do or say to make Tate happy. It honestly doesn't get any sexier than that.

Inked Ever After is about the time leading up to James and Tate's wedding, and she's not handling the stress well. Wedding planning is hell under the best of circumstances, but Tate is also still dealing with the death of her father and brother. Gosh, the author did an amazing job of conveying Tate's grief. Her pain was heartbreaking and had my eyes welling up with tears more than once. And though this aspect of the story is so sad, it also gives Tate - and the reader - the opportunity to see how amazing James is.

Author Elle Aycart is a BOSS when comes to erotic romance, and is truly one of the very best out there. Super Alpha James is an aggressive, bossy, and barely leashed beast (just go with me, this is a good thing). Pirate Princess Tate (trust me, this makes sense if you read the books) has come a long way since the beginning of More Than Meets the Ink. This woman is out of control hot for James, and I loved when she gave him a run for his money. So yeah, Inked Ever After is so freaking hot that I got more than a little lightheaded and at times I could barely see straight.

Aaaand.... Inked Ever After seems to have a nice lead-in to the next books in the series, about Max, Mike, and Jack. If you're looking for erotic romance with sexy, badass and completely lovable Alpha men and the sexy, badass women who can handle them, the Bowen series is a sure thing.


Favorite Quotes:

  "You're naughty, princess," he whispered to her.
  "I learned from the very best," she replied with a smirk.   ~28%


  He closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were softer. "You won't lose me. There is nothing in this world that matters more to me than you. Absolutely nothing. You come first. Always. I love you. I don't think you realize how much. Or how much I need you in my life. How whole and totally at peace I feel when you're in my arms and I'm deep inside you. You're the one, princess. The reason I wake up with a smile on my lips. The reason it stays on my face all fucking day. When I hurry home from work, I'm hurrying back to you. To you, Tate. Do you understand what I'm saying? I've made my choice. Don't you ever say I deserve better."  ~35%


  He tightened his embrace and kissed her temple. "I know I can't give Jonah or your dad back. They're irreplaceable, but I can give you my brothers. And my dad. They love you, Tate. And you have me too. I'll love you and cherish you for as long as you'll have me.  ~92%

The Bowen Series

 

(click on covers for GoodReads page)

My Review of More Than Meets the Ink

My Review of Heavy Issues

Purchase More Than Meets the Ink at:  

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

Purchase Heavy Issues at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

Purchase Inked Ever After at:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

{SULTRY SPRING SATURDAYS} HEAVY ISSUES (BOWEN #2) by ELLE AYCART

"Spring is here, and pollen is in the air. While you're sneezing your way towards Summer, pop those Claritin and lose yourself in a Sultry Spring Read."

Sexy Saturdays is a weekly post we started to challenge ourselves to read more steamy books and have a lot of fun. Feel free to join in. (let us know so we can add a link to your post).

The Autumn Review
Sim-Sational Books
Hackaroo's Review
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews
Insightful Minds Reviews
My Secret Romance
Globug and Hootie Need a Book


**The books featured on SULTRY SPRING SATURDAYS are for adults. If you are under 18 years of age, or do not like smexy books, please stop here. **

Series: Bowen #2

Category/Genre: Adult Erotic Romance

Publisher: Loose Id

Publication Date: 5/29/12

Format: Kindle

Pages: 251

Source: Bought

Steering clear of relationships has never been difficult for demolitions expert Cole Bowen, but now, with his brother's engagement sending the female population into full-blown hysterics and the town of Alden's month-long festivities helping along, he finds himself in hell. When he discovers Alden's new resident and the object of all his wet dreams, Christine Sheridan, has sworn off relationships and is going to hire a gigolo to get professionally laid, he decides to kill two birds with one stone.

Christy is so not drinking again. Thanks to José Cuervo she has her friends signing her up for stud conventions and Cole frigging Bowen offering sex in exchange of fake dates, which is so out of the question it isn't even funny. She knows the domineering man will push her boundaries, and after battling all her life with self-esteem issues, she isn't ready for that. Too bad he won't take no for an answer.

Cole is determined to strip away all of her defenses but refuses to lower his ever-present walls, so when Christy realizes she wants more, she's left with only two options; walk away or crack his shield and risk her heart in the process.

I recently read and reviewed book one in the Bowen series, More Than Meets the Ink. As I read, I was consistently told that I would love book two even more, to which I replied, "Seriously?" And so now i have my answer, Seriously. Heavy Issues was ZOMG HOT, so my brain got a little short-circuited. And like my review for MTMtI, I'm going to make a list of the reasons why I loved Heavy Issues.

 

• Christy. She is a regular chick, and i could relate to her a lot. She was my age, has had an unhealthy relationship with food, which we've both overcome (thank god), she has self-esteem issues with her body. But, she is also fun, loving, and passionate. And I loved that she didn't try to continually push Cole away. Christy is a woman who embraces her life, wants to live fully. I love that she pushed herself to take a chance, on herself and on Cole. And I loved that she always maintained her self-respect. She wanted Cole, wanted to completely be with him. But she could live without him if she had to.

• Speaking of Cole....This man is one BAMF. Seriously, Elle Aycart writes the hottest men. I loved Cole's brother James in MTMtI, and couldn't believe my friends when they told me that I would love Cole even more. I was wrong. Cole is the man all the chicks in town (some of them include really vindictive, aggressive b!tches) , but Cole wants a real, natural woman. Cole hit all my triggers: gorgeous, dark blond hair, very alpha with a dirty mouth. Cole has issues, a doesn't let others in, which makes him a tough nut to crack. Good thing Christy is strong enough to take him on. Her self-esteem, food issues, and quirks are all enough to test Cole, a lot. But Cole accepts Christy for everything she is. Even better, Cole embraces it. All the sexual parts of Cole made me love him. But I have spent sixteen years with the sweetest, most loving man I know, and when Cole took the time to make Christy realize that she is beautiful and special, just the way my guy always has, that is when Cole won my heart.

• Heavy Issues is funny! The funny is one of the reasons I really enjoyed MTMTI (senior citizens can be real c*ckblockers), so I was happy to see that it continues in Heavy Issues. It was hilarious that Cole continuously pissed off and freaked out by the women who chase him. And I loved him for it. 

• Holy crap, this book was SEXY. Once again, i was told that this book was even hotter than MTMtI. Once again, I doubted. Oh boy, was I ever wrong to doubt. Aycart can write some of the hottest scenes I've ever read. That Cole surely knew how to Work. It. Out. In fact, I just looked over all the naughty bits that I highlighted while reading Heavy Issues, and I gotta say, I'm currently having major hot flashes and I can hear my heart beating in my ears. This is one of the hottest books I've ever read.

With the first two books in the Bowen Series, I've become a huge fan of Elle Aycart's. She is now an auto-buy author and I can't wait to see what she delivers next. 

Favorite Quote:
All my favorites were preeeetty explicit. So I found some tamer, yet still great, quotes.

  "Pretty sure of your...abilities, aren't you?"
  "Yes." No need to beat around the bush. In bed he knew what he was doing. He was good at fucking, always had been. The rest? Gibberish to him. "You can give me a test run if you want."  ~13%


  She opened her mouth, ready to tell him all the things that were wrong with her body, but he interrupted her. "Listen to me, babe. You're lush and curvy, true, but there's nothing wrong with that in my book. Your stretch marks are barely visible. Your belly is beautiful. Soft and silky as a woman's should be. Your thighs too. I love how they feel around my waist. Your breasts are full and plump, perfect for me to lick and nibble, as firm as they ought to be."  ~32%
 

  "My body is covered in marks, Cole."
  Big deal. "Mine too, sweetheart."
  She snorted. "Yours are war scars."
  "Yours too, Christy. I waged a war with other while you waged a war with yourself. It's the same. It's just life; there's nothing to be ashamed of. We both survived. This body tells it's own story, and it's an amazing story. You are amazing."  ~83%
 

The Bowen Series

(click on covers for GoodReads page)

Purchase More Than Meets the Ink at:  

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

Purchase Heavy Issues at:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

{SULTRY SPRING SATURDAY} MORE THAN MEETS THE INK (BOWEN #1) by ELLE AYCART

 

"Spring is here, and pollen is in the air. While you're sneezing your way towards Summer, pop those Claritin and lose yourself in a Sultry Spring Read."

Sexy Saturdays is a weekly post we started to challenge ourselves to read more steamy books and have a lot of fun. Feel free to join in. (let us know so we can add a link to your post).

The Autumn Review
Sim-Sational Books
Hackaroo's Review
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews
Insightful Minds Reviews
My Secret Romance
Globug and Hootie Need a Book


**The books featured on SULTRY SPRING SATURDAYS are for adults. If you are under 18 years of age, or do not like smexy books, please stop here. **

Series: Bowen #1

Category/Genre: Adult Erotic Romance

Publisher: Loose Id

Publication Date: 6/28/11

Format: Kindle

Pages: 211

Source: Bought

 

Wickedly sexy James Bowen is a bad boy of the highest order -- tattoos and attitude included -- which unfortunately ranks way up on Tate's not-a-chance-in-hell list, right there along with skydiving naked over Teheran and juggling Ebola vials just for kicks. But what the heck, she's on holiday, the guy is absolutely irresistible, and she needs to unplug from her life. With her dad and brother gone, Tate is left to deal with the family restaurant, which is fast going down the drain. Her employees are acting out, her boyfriend has bailed out, and her very own private stalker is emailing her to death with lovely threats of doom, fire, and dismemberment. So yeah, maybe a little holiday fling is in order. Strictly sex though, and no follow-up whatsoever once.

She hadn't counted on her take-charge holiday fling having an opinion of his own and stubbornly sticking around, before and after the sex, making himself at home in her life. There is definitely more to James than meets her prejudiced eye, and even if she's not ready to look deeper, James isn't prepared to permit her not to.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content and graphic language.

 

More Than Meets the Ink is a book that came highly recommended by my fellow naughty book lovers, Autumn and Erin. And I have to say, give me that title and that cover and it's a done deal.

 

I think the book's hotness melted my brain a little bit, because despite adoring it, I can't put together a proper review. So maybe I'll just make a list of reasons why I loved More Than Meets the Ink.

 

• James Bowen is stoopid hot. The man is freaking gorgeous, yet manly and rugged. He has tattoos, which, y'all know fire me up, but they're also to commemorate meaningful moments in his life. He is open with his emotions and affections. He is determined, committed, and thoughtful. So yeah, hot and a good guy is always a winning combination. And he's a dirty talker.

 

• More Than Meets the Ink is funny! It all begins with an opening scene that had me cackling, and continued with serial c*ckblocking  by the residents of the retirement community James and Tate's parents live at.

 

• The romance was super sweet, mostly because of James. I'm not typically one to dump on the chick in the story, but Tate could be...tiring sometimes. I know she has reasons to be wary, but if someone proves to you that he wants to commit and does everything in his power to make you happy, don't blow it, dummy. But despite some of Tate's best efforts, when she lets her guard down, their romance was out-of-this world sweet and hot.

 

• Speaking of Tate....PIRATE PRINCESS!! I loved her more relaxed, playful side.

 

• The sex was hotter than hell. Like, for real, I was huddled over my kindle, giggling like a perv. James and Tate were all over each other, all the time. I lost track of how many times they got it on, but I can say that I enjoyed each and every time. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet, but James has a filthy, sexy mouth.  

Favorite Quotes:

  When he regained his senses, his throat felt raw, his mind foggy, and he wasn't sure if his legs would work again--ever. What the fuck had happened? Had she killed him? Whatever it'd been, it was so out of his sexual experience he wasn't sure whether he'd come or had a massive stroke.  ~35%


  He grabbed her by the shoulders, looking ready to strangle her. "You haven't gotten the dynamics of our relationship down yet, have you? Let me explain it to you: we're involved, very involved. You're mine, and your problems are also mine. No one messes with what belongs to  me. Don't fight me on that, because you'll lose, baby. And be aware next time you hide something like that from me, I'll turn you over my knee and spank your ass red. Do we understand each other?" ~66%

 

 

 

The Bowen Series

(click on covers for GoodReads page)

 

 

 

 

Purchase More Than Meets the Ink at:  

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble