THE PLEASURES OF SPRING

TITLE: THE PLEASURES OF SPRING

AUTHOR: EVIE HUNTER

Pages: 320

Date: 27/04/2014

Grade: 4

Details: No. 4 Pleasures

             Received from Penguin Ireland

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

An invitation to the hot and steamy world of bestselling Irish erotica author Evie Hunter...

He picked up her hand where it grasped the water glass, felt her pulse and looked into her eyes. 'You don't want a man with manners. You want someone who will let you walk on the wild side, who knows what you're really like ...'

Roz Spring is an actress and a chameleon, the kind of woman who always lands on her feet. But even Roz can't talk her way out of witnessing a murder, and she must go into hiding before the murderer comes for her.

Andy McTavish has turned his back on a life of privilege to prove himself in the world of international security. Tall, dark and dangerous, Andy is the ultimate seducer who has never met a woman who can tame him.

Roz needs his protection and, to get his family off his back, Andy needs a fake fiancée. The solution is obvious: pretend to be a couple. Getting up close and personal won't be hard, as the chemistry between them is electrifying.

As two practiced charmers drive each other beyond the limits of sensual endurance, they find their usual defences are no good. When the barriers come crashing down, a raw passion emerges that neither wants to admit.

They know that when the murderer shows his hand, they will face a fight for life and freedom. And if they survive, what will happen when the need to pretend is over?

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My thoughts:

Once again the two authors who are Evie Hunter have provided their readers with a fun, intense, intriguing and hot story. This is the fourth book in ‘The Pleasures’ series and didn’t disappoint.

Both Roz and Andy were wonderful characters, although Roz managed to captivate me most. None of Evie Hunter’s female characters have been shrinking violets or walk-overs but Roz is in a category of her own when it comes to independence and living life according to her own rules. Her slow progression from complete self- sufficiency and deep distrust of others to acceptance of her past and her own desire to share her life with others, was wonderful and almost overshadowed Andy’s journey from playboy adventure seeker to loving lord of the manor.

Did I mention that these two characters were hot together? Well, they were. Roz is a former professional dominatrix, convinced that she hasn’t a submissive bone in her body. Yet every time Andy takes control she finds herself not only, reluctantly and after a huge internal fight, submitting but also thriving on it. Andy has the time of his life giving this independent woman what she didn’t even know she wanted and needed. As for the reader, they are the lucky beneficiaries of Roz and Andy’s hot exploration of each other.

If I had an ‘issue’ with this book it would be that it took so long to get Roz and Andy together. Apart from a short interlude early on in the story they spend a lot of time apart while Roz is trying to hide and Andy is either trying to find her or spending time with his parents. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with those parts of the story but more that the story was so much more fascinating when the two of them were together. And I don’t just mean in the biblical sense, hot as those encounters were. The way Andy and Roz spark off each other and the constant struggle between them for the upper hand was entertaining overall and panty-melting when they got to the sexy stuff.

This book has it all, adventure, danger, hot sex, angsty romance and quite a few laugh out loud moments. Not to mention two fascinating main characters as well as interesting secondary characters. I can think of quite a few less enjoyable ways to spend a spring day.

While this is the fourth book in this series it can, without any problem, be read as a stand-alone title. Having said that, all the characters from the previous three books make an appearance here and already knowing their stories would probably add to your reading enjoyment. Taking into account that the three previous books are wonderful reads in their own right I can only recommend that you read those books as well.

If you’re interested links to my reviews of the previous titles can be found through the links below:

The Pleasures of Winter

The Pleasures of Summer

The Pleasures of Autumn

Don’t forget to take a look at the fascinating guest post the author wrote for me. Everything you might want to know about ‘Research for writing BDSM’ explained in a fun narrative.

And finally the authors have been kind enough to provide their readers with a free Kindle novella accompanying this book. If you want a taste of their writing or need more Roz and Andy, make your way over to Amazon and help yourself to ‘A Touch of Spring’.

Amazon UK

Amazon US.

UNCOVERING SATISFACTION

TITLE: UNCOVERING SATISFACTION

AUTHOR: DIANE LEYNE

Word Count: 44.823

Date: 24/03/2014

Grade: 3.5

Details: no. 3 Satisfaction, Texas

            Received from Siren through

            Love Romances and More

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Nicola "Nick" Marlow is an agent on leave after a devastating ending to her last undercover assignment when a friend asks her to come to Satisfaction to get to the bottom of a series of incidents that may just close the Whips and Spurs forever.

Micah Durrance owns the public saloon and private BDSM club and is getting desperate. His best friend, Sheriff Dace Lowe, is stumped too, and when a friend recommends Nick as a top-notch investigator they both jump at his offer.

Micah and Dace are surprised when Nick turns out to be Nicola, and shocked when she decides to go undercover as their sub. For real. Feelings escalate quickly as do the incidents as Nicola becomes a target. And what will happen when it’s all over? Is it all just a job to Nicola, or will her heart get broken when it’s time to leave?”

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My thoughts:

This book is the third title in the ‘Satisfaction, Texas’ series. I haven’t read the two previous titles but never felt as if I was missing vital information while reading this book. Having said that, there were clear references to previous books, story-lines and characters and it is possible that I would have gotten more out of this book if I had read it in order.

Nicola – Nick - Marlow is a top notch agent on extended leave after her last undercover operation ended in disaster leaving her feeling guilty and the victim of devastating nightmares. Going slowly crazy at home and with no chance of being redeployed in the near future, Nick jumps at the opportunity when her former partner offers her the chance to investigate a chain of incidents apparently aimed at the Whips and Spurs Saloon and BDSM club in Satisfaction, Texas.

Micah has thrown everything he is and owns into his public Saloon and private BDSM club. The acts of vandalism and string of incidents assaulting his business may close him down if they aren’t solved and stopped soon. His best friend Dace is the local Sherriff, but limited in what he can do. An official investigation into the incidents would reveal the true nature of the private club; something both men are determined to prevent.

When they’re offered Nick’s assistance they jump on the chance. They are surprised when Nick turns out to not only be a woman but also one they’re both attracted to. When Nick offers to become their submissive for the duration of the investigation they’re both shocked and delighted.

Nick takes to submission like a fish to water and what is more, all three of them soon develop feelings for each other they weren’t expecting. When Nicola sets herself up as an obvious target, danger becomes very real. And what will happen when the case is closed and Nick has to leave again?

Let me start with the things I really enjoyed in this book. I loved the idea of Satisfaction, Texas; a place where ménages are frequent and fully accepted. And I had great fun reading about Nicola’s journey into submission and the intricacies involved in a relationship between one sub and two Doms.

It was very nice to see Diane Leyne acknowledging other genre authors (Cherise Sinclair, Lexi Blake and Tymber Dalton) early on in this story. Naming those authors gave me a good idea of what Nicola’s level of (in)experience with BDSM was and made it easier to follow her thought processes.

And, finally, I really liked the idea behind the story. I loved that the person I thought was behind the attacks turned out to be innocent, although I wasn’t completely surprised by all the revelations when they came.

There were one or two things I was less happy about though. While I liked the idea behind the story I wasn’t completely happy with how it was executed. The writing felt choppy at times; the jumps from one scene to the next were occasionally too big and sudden. I would be fully engaged in the story only to be dragged out of it by a sudden change of scenery or perspective.

The erotic scenes between Nicola and her two men had the potential to be hot and fascinating but I couldn’t feel it. I read the descriptions but had a hard time engaging in what I was reading. In fact, I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters; they just never came completely alive for me.

To summarize I would say that this is a fun and borderline hot story. It was definitely a quick and easy read and a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It just didn’t quite live up to my hopes and expectations.

BALL & CHAIN

TITLE: BALL & CHAIN

AUTHOR: ABIGAIL ROUX

Pages: 306

Date: 17/03/2014

Grade:  5+

Details: no. 8 Cut & Run

Own / Kindle

The blurb:

“Home from their unexpected deployment, the former members of Marine Force Recon team Sidewinder rejoin their loved ones and try to pick up the pieces of the lives they were forced to leave behind. Ty Grady comes home to Zane Garrett, only to find that everything around him has changed—even the men he went to war with. He barely has time to adjust before his brother, Deuce, asks Ty to be his best man. But that isn’t all Deuce asks Ty to do, and Ty must call for backup to deal with the business issues of Deuce’s future father-in-law.

Nick O’Flaherty and Kelly Abbott join Ty and Zane at the wedding on an island in Scotland, thinking they’re there to assuage Deuce’s paranoia. But when bodies start dropping and boats start sinking, the four men get more involved with the festivities than they’d ever planned to.

With the clock ticking and the killer just as stuck on the isolated island as they are, Ty and Zane must navigate a veritable minefield of family, friends, and foes to stop the whole island from being destroyed.”

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My thoughts:

The official release date for this book is today which makes me disinclined to talk about the story. It would be too easy to spoil the story for those who haven’t gotten around to reading the book yet and since I would never forgive a reviewer for doing that to me, I won’t take the risk of doing so now. I’ll limit myself to listing a few things I loved about this book and will hopefully manage to do so without revealing things that I shouldn’t. Of course, the only way to make sure you don’t encounter any spoilers is to do what I did, and stay away from reviews all together until you’ve read the book.

Let me start by saying that I loved this book. For me this book had everything I love about the ‘Cut & Run’ series. There was the mystery and all the high thrills action needed to solve it, not to mention some twists and turns that took my breath away. The fact that it was set in a Scottish mansion with secret passage-ways and located on a remote and private island only added to the sense of danger. I have always loved the interactions between the characters in these books and the addition of Kelly and Nick to Ty and Zane’s double act meant a lot more quick fire dialogue.

The start of the book had me reading with a huge grin on my face, a grin that was semi permanent and only interrupted by moments of laughter. In fact, the grin was stuck on my face for a long time. But on those occasions when the grin did fall of my face it was because there was real pain in the story.

I’m not entirely sure what I expected when I started this book. I was ready for residue of Ty and Zane’s last fight, especially since it was followed almost immediately by their separation. Conflict between Nick and Kelly wouldn’t have surprised me either since their intimate relationship was so very new and almost nipped in the bud by their separation. What I was completely unprepared for were the issues between Ty and Nick I was confronted with; deep seated issue without any easy answers. Reading about those was as painful as it was fascinating and kept me glued to the page.

I loved Ty’s struggles when he finds out about Nick and Kelly and his difficulty in determining what exactly is causing him to feel so off about it.

“Stop. The deal is I don’t freak out, and you don’t share sex stories.” – Ty to Kelly.

And I have to admit that I’m falling deeper in love with Kelly and Nick as I read more about them. Kelly’s support for Nick when he’s facing one of the toughest decisions he’ll ever have to make was beautiful.

““The decision you make, you make it for you. Not him.” Kelly whispered in his ear. “You make it for you. And I’ll be here.” – Kelly to Nick

But the Kelly’s words towards the end of this book took my breath away.

“What words do I use for this feeling if ‘I love you’ has already been used.”

Followed by:

““I love you, Nick,” Kelly whispered. “No matter what those words meant before, we know what they mean now. They’re ours now. Just ours.””

Well, those two quotes all but melted me.

Now that I’ve finished the book I should say that I wouldn’t have minded a bit more sexual action on these pages. It wasn’t something I was missing or actively waiting for while reading the book though. The story with all its twists and turns, action and clever dialogue had me in such a tight hold that I didn’t even realise how little sex there’d been until the story had ended.

It sort of breaks my heart that we appear to be nearing the end of Ty and Zane’s story. Of course there still is the ‘mole issue’ to resolve but, as things stand now, it looks like that might be the end of their adventures. Having said that, the ‘Sidewinder’ stories have only started and this book set us up for what promises to be one hell of a storyline in that series. And since Ty is very much a member of the Sidewinder team, the future might not be quite as bleak as I fear. One thing is sure though; no matter where Abigail Roux decides to take her characters next, I will be following them closely, making very sure not to miss a single word in the process.

LOVER ENSLAVED - 24 Hours in Mumbai

TITLE: LOVER ENSLAVED

          24 Hours in Mumbai

AUTHOR: EVA LEFOY

Pages: 44

Date: 24/02/2014

Grade: 3.5

Details: A 1 Night Stand Story

            Received from Decadent Publishing

            Through Love Romances and More

Own/ Kindle

The blurb:

“Stranded for twenty-four hours in Mumbai, India, contract negotiator, Thomas Barkley searches for a man who can make him forget his pain. When a trip through the red light district leaves him cold, he turns to Madame Eve’s service and finds a shot at redemption—but first, he has to survive it.

Indian male prostitute, Arjun Mukesh, begged Madame Eve to set him up for one night of real pleasure. He knows better than to expect anything but a brief hiatus from his miserable life. When Thomas showers Arjun with tender and very real affection, his heart begins to ache for more than a taste of the life he cannot have. Unfortunately, his boss Ranjeet won’t to let him go without a fight.

Amidst a spray of bullets, Thomas must convince Arjun to take a chance on a new life in America before it’s too late for both of them.”

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My thoughts:

“His moans sounded like sobs from a long-forgotten, sad story.”

This was my third 1 Night Stand novella in a month and I have to admit I’m quickly turning into a fan of this series. I love the premise of these stories; two people desperately looking for that elusive love connection turn to Madame Eve to set them up with a perfect partner for one night. If all goes to plan that one night will be the basis for a happily ever after, but not without some obstacles to overcome first. I mean, what’s not to like?

In this book American contract negotiator Thomas Barkley finds himself stranded in Mumbai having just been made redundant. Thomas has lost the man he loved under tragic circumstances 18 months earlier and hasn’t been able to be intimate with anyone else since. He’s almost forgotten the request he sent to Madame Eve months ago when he’s notified that his one night stand will take place in his hotel that night.

Arjun Mukesh has been a rent boy all his life. Since it is the caste he was born into he never expected to be anything else and can’t imagine a life that wouldn’t involve giving himself to men for money or the violence his pimp, Ranjeet inflicts upon him. All he’s asked Madame Eve for is one night of real pleasure since love is a dream he can’t afford to indulge himself in.

When Thomas reaches the room where Arjun is waiting for him he walks into a violent scene. He manages to scare Ranjeet off, but is heartbroken to discover that this is what Arjun’s life is and always will be. The night the two men share is a revelation for both. While Thomas discovers that he can develop feelings for somebody other than the lover he lost, Arjun experience real pleasure and intimacy for the very first time. Arjun has never been with a man who is as anxious to make sure Arjun gets his pleasure as he is for his own.

More violence follows the two men while they explore each other’s bodies as well as life-stories. When Arjun disappears the following morning Thomas knows that he has to find the man he’s begun to fall for as well as a way of bringing him back to America with him.

This was a charming little story even if there seemed to be a bit too much happening for such a short tale. Personally I would have liked to see a bit more of the two men discovering each other and a little bit less of the violence. Having said that, everything we were shown about the two men was well written and clearly painted. I especially appreciated Arjun’s story and his inability to believe that somebody might want to give him pleasure for no other reason than to make him happy, and his reluctance to believe that it might be something he could hang on to.

Some of the writing in this story – like the sentence I quoted at the top of this review – was so beautiful it took my breath away. I also liked that the book came with an epilogue, giving us a small glimpse of the future and the happy ending Madame Eve had once again managed to create for two of her clients.

Now that I’ve found these ‘1 Night Stand’ stories I find myself rather addicted to them, so it’s just as well there seem to be a lot of them and new ones are being published quite regularly. Sometimes a hot quick read is exactly what this reader needs; at moments like that I could do a lot worse than turn to this series.