What happens when you meet the one person who can make you smile and laugh after years of depression, but you can’t afford to fall in love with each other? In Bella Jewel’s latest story, two people see an unlikely friendship turn into love. Avery is trying to hold her family together after her mother disappeared, but she’s unhappy with the way her life is going. She meets gorgeous Nate, who’s own home life is dismal. It is heartbreaking seeing Avery become the “other woman” because of the magnetic pull between her and Nate. She fights her feelings, trying to maintain their friendship, but Nate’s sad home life makes being with Avery the highlight of his day and leads to their illicit trysts. There is heartbreak on both sides during the second half of the story, but I felt it was wrapped up a little too neatly towards the end with their affair. Nate’s racing, Avery’s mother’s disappearance, and a wake up call for Liam, Avery’s brother, who had been in a downward spiral for years, were explained away easily. But, I enjoyed all of the characters and I hope Bella makes this into a series to include Nate and Avery’s brothers.
Archives: Reviews
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Men of Smithfield: Sam and Aaron by L.B. Gregg
If you haven’t sunk your teeth in the Men of Smithfield series yet, this is a good place to start. Excellent, intelligent writing, with a sharp underlying wit, and amazingly hot sex scenes. I think this is my favorite so far (with Finn and Max a close second), and I absolutely adore every single couple in this series, so that’s saying something. I can’t recommend this author, and every single book she brings out, enough. Five stars and then some. ~Solange [May 2014]
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Covet by Felicity Heaton
If you’re looking for a scorching, forbidden love AND vampire story, then look no further than Covet.
Javier has wanted the human, Lilah, for years, but she has always been forbidden to him. Eventually, he succumbs to his urges and the scenes are explosive. He didn’t realize Lilah was just as enthralled with him until they are caught alone, and it’s almost like a mating urge takes over. The story and character development was perfect, and even though the story was mostly about Javier giving in to his urges, we meet his fellow vampire friends and see where the series will continue. It is definitely worth reading over and over. [May 2014] -
Devil’s Game by Joanna Wylde
There’s something about these Reaper’s MC books that make me want to keep reading and never finish. Just like with the other two in the series, the intensity of the relationship is palpable, but unlike the other two, Devil’s Game is much more down-to-earth and funny. Em is hilariously awkward without being goofy, and I never found myself feeling sorry for her and her mishaps. Many people won’t understand how Em and Hunter could ever fall for the other, but Joanna Wylde has a way of making it entirely believable. Though you can read Devil’s Game without reading the Reaper’s Property and Reaper’s Legacy, the first 1/4 of the book is an overlap of Legacy but told in 2 different POVs. I highly recommend reading the first two in the series before picking up Devil’s Game. They are worth every minute spent reading.
I love Biker Smut and this is a great one!! So freaking HOT! It’s sort of a modern-day-biker Romeo and Juliet: the Princess of the Reapers falls in love with a Devils Jack. Liam is such a sexy badass biker. And his dirty mouth…there are no words. I love Em and the way she went from the shy virgin stuck under her Daddy’s thumb to a badass Old Lady. This story is action-packed! Never a dull moment. ~Adrian
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Therapist by Jaden Wilkes
FIRST THINGS FIRST — let me just tell you right out of the gate that this is NOT a romance. This is not the story of a cold and rigid, reluctantly lovable billionaire alpha-hero who finds his heart and his redemption in a beautiful big-hearted doe-eyed heroine.
No. This is a mind-fuck of a story about a salacious and manipulative sociopath therapist, that is chock-full of deviant sexual encounters (M/f, M/M/f, M/M), questionable (dub-con) content, obliterated boundaries, and a boatload of mental issues.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I’m not sure what that says about me as a person…
If you like unconventional stories that push buttons and boundaries, this is a great choice. If you don’t like to read in a gray area, this probably isn’t your read.
Upon turning the last page, I found myself saying, “What… the hell just happened here?…”
Push my boundaries, baby. Good times. ~ Kyleigh Jane [May 2014]
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Whisper to Me by Christina Lee
What a fantastic New Adult story!!! It’s sweet, endearing, emotional (but not overly so) and very, VERY sexy. Rachel is a great heroine. She’s feisty, strong and real. She knows that she can’t go on living her life the way she has been for the last few years. She finds strength and confidence in Kai and I love watching their relationship evolve from friends, to friends-with-benefits, to love.
Kai is so swoon-worthy! He’s also trying to grow up and be the man his parents can be proud of. He’s broody, sexy and has a fabulously dirty mouth. Love it!
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Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch
Move over shifters, there’s a new type of male in town. This story is part “end of the world,” paranormal, and a forbidden love between a magical creature and a human. After an apocalypse-type of event, magical creatures, wizards, and humans are now thrust into the same Earth realm, and some of the new inhabitants are not happy about being there.
Our gargoyle hero is tasked with looking after Larissa, a human, because the Oracle has seen that she is important in the coming war. We also meet a group of people called The Guild, who are like a magical police force, and they want to protect Larissa as well. While Terak the gargoyle leader, grows to care for his “little human,” he must also balance the needs of his people. They have a tough road of avoiding the bad guys, overprotective family, and even a traitor.
As this was my first foray into the world of the gargoyle, I found it was entertaining, informative, and suspenseful. I consider it a success with how much I enjoyed the storyline and cannot wait for the next books. [May 2014]
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Some Like It Hot: An Erotic Romance Anthology by Olivia Cunning, Nicole Edwards, Cherrie Lynn, Kristen Proby, Lainey Reese
After reading two of the novellas included in this anthology, I can say those alone are worth the stars! The other three novellas are a bonus and probably just as good.
Olivia Cunning never fails to disappoint, and the legend continues with One Starry Night. Michelle has sparks with both of these men and what to do? Easy — do them both!
Kristen Proby shines with Playing with Fire. This reaches new heights in FILTH from the Queen of Swoon and I LOVE IT! Both of these stories can still show an emotional connection AND bring all the good stuff. Click it quickly, before it disappears, because it’s only available for a limited time! ~ Nelle [May 2014]
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The Wild Side by RK Lilley
I’ve read a lot of sexy books in my illustrious career as a Smut Book Peddler, and many of them get me *ahem* going, but very few have revved my lady engines quite as much as The Wild Side. It’s not particularly raunchy nor is it overly detailed. Whatever RK Lilley did in her writing to make this one of the hottest books I’ve ever read… she needs to keep doing. Though my downthere would protest because she’s asked for a stick to wave her white flag. The Wild Side is the first of three novellas to be released over the next 2 months, and I’m not usually one to recommend a serial series until they’re all published, I HIGHLY recommend starting this serial ASAP. ~ Angie
This is a whole new RK Lilley.
Does she still zing? Is she still packin heat? Can she do it? Can she write outside of the Up In The Air/Tristan and Danika scene? Can she still grab you by the lady-balls, look you in the eyes and make you call her Ms. Lilley?
You bet your sweet ass she can!Two things happened when I read The Wild Side:
1. This book was so hot, that my here-kitty-kitty actually hurt while reading it.
Lelo Ina 2 *ahem* You’re welcome.2. I messaged RK saying, “GIVE ME THE OTHER TWO BOOKS RIGHT MEOW!”
(note: I do not have other two books. *sad face* It was worth a shot.)Sexy, mysterious, addictive, and Hot HOt HOT! I can not wait to read more! Perfect summer read. Smack it, flip it, rub it down. ~ Kyleigh Jane [May 2014]
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Taint by SL Jennings
To have the pleasure *ahem* of being taught by a delicious hunk of man candy how to be sexy at a hands on *ahem* retreat is pretty much the fantasy of every housewife everywhere. If only Justice Drake lived in real life and I had the cash to enroll in his course, I’d be the next Dita von Teese. I JUST KNOW IT. But in this story, Justice gets sidetracked from his task at hand *ahem* and becomes enamored by Ally, an under-sexed housewife. Lucky, lucky Ally. SL Jennings brings out the sexy in Taint, especially as I read it with her muse, Michael Thurston, the cover model. Picturing all of those abs at my fingertips *ahem* made for a very healthy and enjoyable beach read. ~ Angie [4 stars]
Taint has such a fabulously smutty premise, it’s hard not to get sucked into it. Blisteringly hot Mike Thurston is the perfect muse for the Adonis sex-instructor, Justice Drake. The friendship and relationship that grows between Justice Drake and Ally caught me by surprise. Justice get points for not going to full-on seducer mode to woo the (unhappily) married Ally. ~ Nelle [4 stars]
Part romance, part sexual counsel, part “what is going on here?!”
Sex, scandal, and the social elite.
I liked to imagine Michael Thurston saying all the really dirty parts to me. *giggle* ~ Kyleigh Jane [4 stars]
This book is sexy as hell, even before there is any actual sex. Justice is commanding, gorgeous, confident and very broken and alone. It’s no wonder women swoon at his voice and shiver at his touch. This book is thick with sexual tension and I loved every word of it. ~ Adrian [4-1/2 stars]
When reading the book blurb, you think it’s going to be nothing but hot sex every 20 pages, but you actually get a great male POV storyline, with character depth, touching moments, humorous moments, and the “house-crashing-down-around-us” moments. Yes, there is hot sex, but not overly done or in massive quantities, which I think fits the storyline. You see and hear the internal struggles of Justice, his wants and needs, and the dawning realization of being in love. This book surprised me on the story and twists, plus how much I enjoyed it. Granted, I’ve loved everything SL Jennings has written. It helped me get over a book slump and I would definitely recommend it. ~ Marissa [4-1/2 stars]
Oh SL Jennings… You give good cover!!! Michael Thurston is hotness personified, so he is the perfect muse for Justice Drake.
Sexual life coach, Drake, has a new class full of uppity wives who have some issues in the husband-pleasing department. To his surprise, he has become enamored with a spunky redhead named Ally.
Humorous, sexually fantastical, romantic, and just plain fabulous! Read in one sitting; would absolutely recommend! ~ Theresa [4-1/2 Stars] [May 2014]
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UnRaveled by K Bromberg
This is K. Bromberg unleashed. A raging inferno of filthy erotic hotness. Bondage, blindfolds, and boundry pushing erotic mystery. ~ Kyleigh Jane
It’s like K. Bromberg lives in my head. Every wife who thinks she’s stuck in a sexual rut will relate with this story. ~ Adrian
Mind Blown!! This is the epitome of Erotica. Grabs you on the frist word and rides you hard until the end. Twists, turns, sex and intrigue. Every boundry is pushed in exsquisite detail. Scorching Hotness!!! ~ Theresa [May 2014]
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Freed by Lynetta Halat
Freed picks up where Used left us hanging. I love John Ransom. I love his strength, charm and confidence. I love that he’s not jealous and he gives Denver the tools and the time she needs to heal. At first I wasn’t sure about their D/s relationship. In the first book it just seemed to come out of left field. It’s not D/s just for the sake of it. He’s not trying it out or playing around. He establishes trust and that helps Denver to learn about why she fells so badly about herself. This aspect of their story is beautiful. Freed is sexy, funny, sad and the drama and angst are at a minimum. Fabulous!!
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A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
*Swoon* Alpha male (aka King of the Lykae) finally meets his mate, and proceeds to scare her, woo her, fight with her, fall in love with her and finally help rescue her. And to top it off, Lachlain has a Scottish accent you just can’t help hearing in your head as you read his conversations. Emma is sweet, naive, and the total opposite of what Lachlain had expected for his one, true mate. He eventually succumbs to her sweet charms and the mating urge to take care of her no matter the cost. The sex was hot as Lachlain tries to reign in his beast, because he realizes how fragile Emma is but once she becomes comfortable with him, she teases him right back. I love how the author gives you glimpses into both of their thoughts, then will move to a scene with her family.
This whole series tends to revolve around the Lykae, Vampires, and the Valkyrie, and I enjoy learning about each one as the author creates new scenes to highlight their differences. The world building and overall story arc is engaging, suspenseful, and grabs your hand to drag you on to the next scene. Kresley Cole is a wonderful story creator, she is definitely up there with JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood in overall world and character building for me.
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Edge of the Enforcer by Cherise Sinclair
Cherise Sinclair, to me, is the master (mistress?) of great BDSM romance. She has a knack for capturing the right dynamic, the right feel, the right innuendo that, explicit or not, will get the blood pumping and the heart racing and your mind focused on that DOM! Cause Cherise is good like that and so are her Doms.
Edge of the Enforcer is no different. The story is rich with an interesting plot–suspense and intrigue, an unfolding love story, and so much hotness that I do not recommend reading this in public for fear of embarrassing oneself. Like, for instance, trying to shove your hand down your pants while eating your lunch in the park. Then again, if you have better control than me, then go for it.
Super five stars for this one. A MUST read for all my BDSM and Alpha Male Hero lovers. If you haven’t read Cherise Sinclair before, please dig yourself out from under that rock and get with the program. Seriously. [May 2014]
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Tamed by Rebecca Zantetti
If you’ve been waiting through 6 books to finally see Caleb and Lily get together, then the wait is over. Caleb has been in love with Lily for centuries, but she was mated to someone else. Now, they have a second chance at love, and Caleb won’t let her go this time. He tries to protect her and she fights him every step of the way, which leads to some lovely make up sex. And of course, there is intrigue, suspense, and our Alpha hero coming to the rescue. Plus, this continues the world building and plot that we’ll see end in the final book, which releases this December.
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Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren
I can already tell that Sweet Filthy Boy will be one of those books I recommend people buy and read, then you all come back and tell me how glad you did and how worth it the purchase was. Yes, it is a bit of a higher-priced book, but like a gourmet cup of coffee or dessert after dinner, you need to treat yourself to something really good sometimes. Sweet Filthy Boy is really good, really sexy, and really worth your pennies. It’s not all of one thing; not all tragic story, not all sex, not all funny, not all romance, not all angst, and not all coming-of-age struggles. It’s all of those things rolled into one lengthy story with a seriously hot man. Ansel and Mia make for a classically adorable couple that I want to know more about when the book ended. Sweet Filthy Boy is a definite must-read book, especially for those of us who believe true-to-life characters can have their fairy tales come true. [May 2014]
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Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher
This is not your mama’s romance book. In fact, it’s not a romance book at all, unless you call “falling in love with pain and fear of the unknown” a romance.
Tarryn Fisher delivers a book that twists the literary knife deeper than you think it could go. She creates a visual space that is confusing, demonstrative, and set in an anti-love story. Twist after turn wind the characters through the wringer, and I don’t know if I’m meant to like them, but I feel for them. I felt so many fears, because Tarryn Fisher is a top-notch writer who means to make us feel. Mud Vein certainly made me feel and is highly recommended. [May 2014]
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Alpha by Jasinda Wilder
It’s no secret that Jasinda Wilder is one of my favorite authors, and it’s not just because she’s become a good friend, but because she’s an amazing writer who can pen a sex scene that seems to last for days. Alpha takes over every thought I’ve had about other books she’s written. It’s not the emotional heart-achy love story we’re used to from Jasinda; Alpha is erotica in its truest form.
It delves into the mind of a dominating control freak, explaining the necessity of his actions and need for submission. On a personal note (and when are my recommendations not personal?), if I didn’t already know someone who was a dominating person and know her tendencies, I would think Alpha was over-the-top and that people weren’t really like him (and her) in real life. But knowing her and now having read Alpha, I know this personality type is absolutely true to life. [NOTE: I even showed her some of the passages from the book as I read, and it honestly had her freaked out that Jasinda was able to put her thoughts on paper.] The situation the characters are in are over-the top (summoning for her; billionaire; etc.), but his personality and controlling nature is spot-on. Then again, it wouldn’t be a fantasy novel if the situation wasn’t over-the-top.
Alpha is a Certified Favorite and absolutely worth every cent you pay because the return is hours of reading (and battery-operated) gratification.
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Legal Briefs by NM Silber
The hotness of this book is worth the price of admission. Or, the price of the purchase. And your time. Definitely worth your time. In this Lawyers in Love series by N.M. Silber, Legal Briefs is the hottest one of the three that have been released so far. It’s really borderline Nuclear on my Heat Ratings scale had Adam just slapped Lily’s ass with a crop or flogger a few times. But these two enemies-cum-lovers are not kinksters but rather snarky sex fiends with a taste for the sexing of the other. And the bathtub scene? Yes, the bathtub scene. Call me when you get there. It’s very enjoyable. [April 2014]
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Veiled Innocence by Ella Frank
Forbidden loves are one of my favorite emotion-wrenching stories to read, and Veiled Innocence speaks right to my naughty side. “They shouldn’t! But they must! Love is bad! Love is good! Who is the crazy person?” These questions rolled around in my head while reading this book I couldn’t put down, and like any good story featuring a questionably stable lead character, it was gripping. It didn’t hurt that the forbidden sex was insanely hot; in fact—surprise, surprise—it made Veiled Innocence a one-handed must-read! [April 2014]
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Frenched by Melanie Harlow
I admit, I was a little skeptical at all the fan-girling going on around me over this book. So feel free to come back and tell me I TOLD YOU SO, because Frenched is so damn good. Like, really freaking good. I got heart-fluttery and nethers-fluttery when I read the sex scenes, and that doesn’t happen often. Really. Of course I fell in love with Lucas, but I also fell completely in love with Mia and her quirkiness. Did I mention the sex is super hot? Lovers, the sex is so over-the-top hot, I need to re-read some of the scenes just to remind myself of how sex in books is supposed to be. Frenched is an official Smut Book Club Certified Favorite! [April 2014]
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Play: Stage Dive 2 by Kylie Scott
I believe one of the hardest things to do as a romance writer is to make the writing both funny and sexy. Kylie Scott is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors at combining funny with sexy, and I can’t wait to read more from her. In Play, Mal is incredibly silly and affable while Anne is both easy-going and a sexually aware. These two together make for a couple that is fun to read. The Stage Dive band members are all revisited from when we met them in Lick, but Play can be read as a standalone. (Still, I highly recommend Play as a 5-star read.) Play is a definite must-read book! [March 2014]
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LoveLines by S Walden
I am beyond thrilled to have read this book. Not only is LoveLines over-the-top sexy and smutty, it’s funny, eye-opening, and emotional. Just like other S. Walden books I’ve loved (Going Under, Good, Better), this one deals with a heroine who has more issues than the typical romance lead. Bailey is endearing to the point of wanting to be just like her, issues and all. And Reece? Oh, damn…I love Reece. That dude is officially one of my favorite lead men in any book. For serious. The things he gets Bailey to do (see: dirty table sex) are so not what I expected — pleasantly, I might add — from characters in a book with this cover. LoveLines is a HUGE must-read! [March 2014]
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Tied With Me by Kristen Proby
Having read through each of the books in the With Me In Seattle series, I’ve come to expect certain things: sexy heroes, sexy heroines, sexy times, and some silly scenes. Tied With Me is no exception to what Kristen Proby has developed. I loved catching up with all of the other Montgomery and Williams characters and getting to know both Nic and Matt, the intro-to-BDSM storyline is great for anyone who doesn’t already know about the lifestyle. As Matt introduces Nic to his bedroom proclivities, we, the reader, are introduced to it as well. Tied With Me is a quick and easy beach read that came through on its expectation of warming my down-there. [March 2014]
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Falling Under by Jasinda Wilder
Following up my tied-for-favorite book of 2013 and it’s companion are huge shoes to step in to. To be honest, I was a bit afraid that Falling Under wouldn’t measure up to the awesomeness held in Falling Into You and Falling Into Us. Though slow to start, Falling Under picked up heat and speed like lightning, and from then on, it was all love and sex and redemption and heart flutters. Even if you haven’t read the first two books (and if you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out and I question your life choices), you can pick up Falling Under and love all over it without major spoilers. Get this book and fall in love with Oz! [March 2014]
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Spin by CD Reiss
As much as I loved Songs of Submission by CD Reiss, Spin—and the upcoming books in the Songs of Corruption series—are quite different. There is still the hard, hot, and heavy sex, the quick-moving storyline, and the underlying suspense I couldn’t wait to figure out. Theresa is self-assured, yet also vulnerable; Antonio is taken by surprise at his own vulnerability, yet self-indulgent. Spin is a fabulous start to a three-book series that can be read completely standalone from the Songs of Submission series. I suggest either reading it before the others in the series are released or waiting for the other two. Read Spin for the eroticism and fantasy of throwing it all away for the baddest of the bad boys. [March 2014]
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Rare and Precious Things by Raine Miller
Ethan can make me weak in the knees, pants, and heart with a simple—or not so simple—dominating sentence. As one of the best dirty-talking alpha males in all of smut reading, he’s not to be missed. The saga of Brynne and Ethan continues with Rare and Precious Things as the two begin their life together after being in a whirlwind romance of just months. If you’ve read the first three in the series, of course you’ll need to read this one to complete their story. Luckily for us, we get a LOT of dirty talking from Ethan which is the real reason I love these books. [February 2014]
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Moore Than Forever by Julie Richman
I loved the first book in this series and had all the emotions possible to have in the second. Needless to say, Moore Than Forever is one of my most-anticipated books of the year. We get to spend more time with the swoon-worthy Schooner Moore and Mia Silver, the sharp-tongued independent woman he let go too many years before. Though I felt the book was both fast and slow at different points and could have probably read better as an epilogue novella, living in their world for a few hours is more than enough to give this book the rating it deserves. If you’ve read the other two books—and you should if you haven’t—you have to finish out the story, and I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be disappointed in catching up with Schooner. [February 2014]
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The Last Girl by Kitty Thomas
There’s nothing snuggly and comforting about this book. But that’s kind of the point in reading it. The removed-from-goodness feelings the author means to convey come through in the near-clinical ways she describes what is happening. At first, I felt like I was missing something, but after thinking more about the author’s purpose, it clicked with me that this was not meant to be a romance story. This is a story of taking and giving and giving in. And then what happens after you give in. The Last Girl is a great dark erotica read that is set in a paranormal setting, but even if you’re not usually a paranormal reader, this is very forgiving in its alternate storyline. Definitely recommend! [February 2014]
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Take a Chance by Abbi Glines
Abbi Glines’ Rosemary Beach books are just like a twisted soap opera. From cross-over stories to cross-over love lines that are meant for daytime television, these characters are full of drama and heated sex. Though they are best read in order from start to finish, each of the mini series can be read apart from the overall series. This time, it’s Grant and Harlow—the slut and the innocent virgin—who take over the series. While I love catching up with the these angsty characters and their constant self-questioning, the sex scenes are increasingly hotter than previous books from Abbi Glines. You’ll hear no complaints from me with that lovely addition to the series! [February 2014]
