Continuing on with my catch-up-on-reviews spam for Sinful Surrender: it's time for Sensuous! Don't let the cover fool you. It's a cringy design, but the content is more thriller and the polyamorous love is prominent but doesn't take the spotlight.
archive: 2019
A Disappointing Sequel That Feels Like it Was Written by Someone Else | Review: Feast of Sparks by Sierra Simone
5:30 AM
Not a lot to say here except, ah, yikes. This truly didn't work and doesn't hold up when compared to A Lesson in Thorns.
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren | Rating: ★★☆☆☆After reading Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren last summer, I have to admit, I was curious about the rest of their publications. Imagine my surprise upon realizing that I had read Beautiful Bastard, the first of their highly popular series, in its original form: Twilight fanfiction sensation The Office. It's no secret that my mid-to-late teenage years were spent tucked between the pages of books like Gossip Girl, Harry Potter and Twilight, and that I read basically every fanfiction set in one of those worlds I could get my hands on. My motto, back in the day? The smuttier, the better.
Teenage hormones are fun! Not. But, in all seriousness, I am stunned. Beautiful Bastard marks the third or fourth Twilight-based FF that I obsessed over in high school to be published. Which is thrilling in its own right, even if the finished product isn't adult!me's cup of tea. While I have only the fondest of memories of this book's original form, and it was thrilling to see the author's success in mainstream publishing, Beautiful Bastard just didn't work for me as its own book.
What made it work as a smutty fanfiction, was that we didn't need a full-blown plotline to enjoy its massively steamy love scenes. We knew the characters to a degree already. It was pure smut and pure smut leads to no substance. Beautiful Bastard desperately needed something to add to it, however, because in this form we are unfamiliar with its characters and they end up feeling like they are just... there.
The Chateau by Tiffany Reisz | ★★★★☆ (4.5)As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
Does anyone else have that compulsive need to get their hands on literally everything that Tiffany Reisz has ever, and will ever, publish? Because, hello, I totally do. With good reason--everything she touches catches fire by mere paragraphs, let's be honest. The Chateau proves this and reminds us that she is pretty much on another level when compared to her peers.
First things first: if you haven't read The Original Sinners yet, you probably should. It's such a great series. Fiery, well written, everything that another similar series could never be, blah-blah-blah. Normally, I'd ask why you have not read it, yet, but we're all friends here and I'm just going to gently nudge you in her direction. That being said, even if you haven't read the series yet, you could start with The Chateau, as it is a standalone. And a damn good introduction to all that the series, and Reisz, is.
As far as erotica goes, my experience has been pretty abysmal until Tiffany Reisz showed me that the genre has an entirely different level to it than I realized. Her work is truly brilliant. Not only is it as wonderfully written and developed as usual, there's more than just a sexy edge to it and it gives us some insight further into the series as longtime readers know it.
Dirty Pretty Things by Michael Faudet | Rating: ★★★★★"It is here, beneath the maddening silence I hear your name.
An echo of you."
The first thing you should know is this: I'm a massive fan of Michael Faudet. He is, hands-down, my favourite male poet in the ever-thriving community of modern poets. There's just something about his prose that captivates you instantly and takes you on a journey. It's a quality that is not easy to achieve in so little words--but Faudet manages to do so at every turn.
Dirty Pretty Things, his first collection, was exactly as you'd expect: dizzying and sensual; blunt and honest, compelling in a whimsical manner that cannot be described. Relying heavily on sexuality and matters of the heart, Faudet puts experience at the forefront. His voice comes across strong and heated.
He writes, you listen. And that is the best quality a poet can have.
There's something utterly arousing (for lake of a better word) about the manner in which Faudet bares his soul and analyzes past experiences. For many authors, dabbling in an erotic sort of prose can be mediocre at best. Like they are tipping themselves into a sort of drab exploration of sexuality. Faudet does not come across as such--he is forceful, to the point, in his words and that's what makes it work from pen to paper. Dirty Pretty Things sounds exactly as it should--human.
Double Trouble by Sierra Cartwright | Rating: ★☆☆☆☆As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
I wanted to like this one. Really, I did. The concept of a love story/ménage relationship in erotic fiction has always been a fun and indulgent dive into the genre. (Which for me, admittedly, started in the days of Twilight Fanfiction. Don't tell.) Not to mention, Sierra Cartwright is rightfully admired for her steamy reads. Alas, Double Trouble just wasn't for me. At the end of the day, it was simply not my cup of tea. Sigh.
In all honesty, I'm surprised I was able to even finish Double Trouble to begin with. In spite of it being well written, with an abundance of smutty goodness, and quite short in terms of length, I found myself--on more than one occasion--struggling to focus on the story at hand for many reasons.
Before you ask--no, it wasn't the BDSM aspects of the story. It wasn't the fact that the relationship at hand was of the previously mentioned ménage variety. Double Trouble had the makings of a pretty decent threesome lovestory but just didn't measure up to what I'd hoped.
The House Mate (Roommates, #2) by Kendall Ryan | Rating: ★★★★☆Kendall Ryan does it again! What do you get when you stir in sexual tension between two amazingly complex characters, a live-in situation, one cute kid and a whole lot of potential angst? A fantastic love story to wrap yourself up in. You know the drill with Kendall Ryan; this queen of romance knows how to keep readers feeling electric and compelled in her character's relationships and this book is no different.
In The House Mate, we meet a new kind of "bad boy" leading man--Max Alexander is a newfound father with a whole new lifestyle change and the soon-to-be object of his affection, Addison Lane. As per usual, the chemistry between the two leads sizzles right off the pages and as lines between them blur, the further a girl falls into their connection.
What I liked most about The House Mate was that it was so very different from the previous two installments in the Roommates series. Whereas the previous two novels followed an entirely different, and ultimately similar trope, Kendall Ryan steps out of the routine with the relationship between a single dad and his nanny. Ah, yes, this isn't exactly a fresh and new connection but Ryan, as usual, makes it her own and continues to revitalize a tired genre.
"Ever since the words had left her lips, I could see it whenever she looked at me, whenever she touched me. At first, I wanted to pull back, but then I realized that what I felt for her was more than lust too. The more time I spent with her, the more I felt like she was becoming a part of me. Like she was half of something inside me that was only complete when she was near."
The love story of fan favourites Emma Bell and Gavin Kingsley continues (and, sniffles, concludes) in Dirty Little Promise. After the startling conclusion we reached at the end of Dirty Little Secret, and the massive cliff-hanger that followed, fans were quick to wonder where the relationship was headed between Emma and Gavin. Were they doomed before they even truly began? What comes next? Will they ever be the same--or will they be better?
Kendall Ryan does not leave us hanging for too long, as the second installment of the Forbidden Desires series picks up right where we left off. As always, it has the makings of one of the most captivating romances. Because of Kendall Ryan's delicious prose and steamy leads, readers are sure to be treated to a fun and smart story to unravel. It's just as easy to get lost in these books as it is to get lost in your lover's eyes.
One of the most popular tropes to explore in adult/new-adult romances is the archetype of the *Bad Boy*. In this suspenseful trilogy, Alexis Abbott promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats and to walk away with #ALLTHEFFEELS. Now's your chance to pick up the first book in the trilogy, Bound for Life--the buzz surrounding it is pretty solid and definitely the next must-read for any romantic with a flare for dangerous leads. And, there's a treat for longtime and new readers as well, in the form of a giveaway!
The time has finally come! We have an official cover for Paige Fieldsted's Power Struggle--a delectable new erotic romance that is launching on November 30th! If you're here for tension filled tales and steamy romance, this book is definitely worth a second glance--and lucky for you, I have all the dirty deets under the cut.
As for the cover art you are about to see: I'm in love with the colouring and the way the photo shoot was cropped to accommodate the novel itself!
In celebration of the reveal and its impending publication date, there's an awesome giveaway for you to enter as well! So, what are you waiting for? Let's get a look!
As a note, a review copy of this novel was provided on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. Thank you!
"You're going to make me scream in the library."
I'll let your imaginations go wild with that one simple line from Dirty Little Secret, the beginning of Kendall Ryan's all-new series Forbidden Desires. In all honesty, I'm clawing my way towards the sequel already because holy crap I need it now. NOW. If you were wondering, yes, Ryan's latest is full of so much desire the following might happen:
-Reader could spontaneously combust.
-Pages are likely to catch fire.
-Cold showers are the new cuddle-fest.
-Proceed to anticipate the next release with your favourite comfort food.
-Pine over the follow-up.
I mean. Phew. PHEW! Can I use the fire emoji for a sufficient review or is that not how this works? I'm kidding. Mostly. I really do see only fire when I think of this bloody book and that's, well, as swoon worthy as it is infuriating. I love it. Kendall Ryan, you outdid yourself with this book. I can't stress that enough. You just reignited my interest in the genre and I'm pretty much in love with Emma and Cooper. And Emma and Gavin.
"You're soft, Charlotte. You're part real, part dream. You're half here and half... someplace else."
Oh, boy. I have a lot to say about this novel that will be very conflicting in terms of my review. First of all... the biggest thing you need to know about Bad Neighbor is that, despite its flaws, it's hot. We are talking the lovely Molly O'Keefe may as well set the entire novel on fire once we've finished it. Phew. Phew. Phew. Is that steam I see rising from my Kindle? I swear, it's caught fire from the damned novel.
At its very core, Bad Neighbor is a stereotypical bad-boy fueled love interest. In fact, it's chop full of cliches and a series of vague details about the characters. Despite the fact that it is told in dual narration, I feel like I know so little of the characters. A lot of the times, the backstories felt like an afterthought. We're told, and we are maybe even shown on occasion, but I didn't feel some sort of intimate connection to the characters or their families.
Bad Neighbor has the perfect formula for a sexually tense read. When I got past the otherwise lacking plot lines, I found myself enjoying it deeply. It's just so sexy and steamy that I couldn't put it down. I can't say many novels accomplish that in the overcrowded genre but this is one that will keep you pulled in when it comes to the chemistry between Jesse and Charlotte.
Escorted by Claire Kent | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)"With all the erotica in popular culture now, many women have unrealistic expectations about what sex should be like. So when their actual experiences don't match with the fictional fantasies, they think something's wrong with them. But the reality is it doesn't happen magically, and a lot of men don't know to please a woman's body--even if they genuinely want to."
There was just something about the entire premise behind Claire Kent's Escorted that intrigued me from the get-go. I have been slowly expanding my taste by exploring the romance genre and there was something undeniably hot and heavy about the plot-line in this one. While Escorted wasn't something I necessarily expected to like, I did enjoy the experience of reading it and seeing how the story developed between Lori and Ander.
At first glance Escorted promises to be a sexy romp in its pages--a love story with a twist. We can all appreciate these little ticks that come with a story like it and I really cannot stress how fun Kent's novel was once it got in its groove. Story-line wise, it's sex heavy. Obviously. Do I even need to say this? Beyond the hot and heavy smut, the story is genuinely good at offering us a dip in the warm and fuzzies.
As you can see, I've taken to heart my goal of reading more romance and erotica. It's taken a while but I've finally begun to put a dent in my to-read pile and The Masseuse was at the top of my list. WLW novels are so hard to come across and I was intrigued by the premise of this steamy release. But the problems I had with this short story were much of the same problems I had with Sylvia Day's Afterburn and Aftershock.
They were much too short to grow attached to, well, anything. Kristine Robinson did a lot with such a short timeline and I have to hand that to her. Besides this, the sex scenes were full of so much chemistry I am pretty sure I needed a cold shower by the end of the blossoming love (or lust) story between our two leading ladies, Sandra and Dominique. The Masseuse could have been pure fire if some of the scenes didn't feel recycled and tired--but that doesn't make it any less hot than it was.
I can't stress how off the charts the chemistry was. I think my face is still red.
There were a lot of negatives about The Masseuse beyond the shortness and overall similarities in all the sex scenes. I wanted to know more about Sandra and Dominique as individuals and for the plot to develop itself a bit more. Emotional charge could have been on high and sometimes this is more important that the sexually charged moments. I felt like a lot was left unresolved and there were more than a few moments that felt lackluster and descriptive.
Aftershock by Sylvia Day | Rating: ★★☆☆☆“I’ve always seen white picket fences in your eyes when you look at me. I was positive I wasn’t that guy. I was wrong. One of these days, when you’re ready, I’ll give that dream to you. And you’re going to give me a gorgeous little girl or two with your dark curly hair and smiles that slay me.”
Sylvia Day is one of my favourite authors, period, and owns me with the fact that she is the one of the only romance authors that I can stand. I loved the Crossfire series and naturally, I'd made it my mission to read as much as I can get my hands on from her. No one writes a steamy romance like her and I was more than ready to swoon and trip over myself for the sexual chemistry that would surely cut the air.
Afterburn was sadly underwhelming--it was decent enough, but still not the greatest. Day can do so much better than the underdeveloped story of Jax and Gia. Sure, it's a steamy short story but it lacks the quality of warmth and soul that Day is known for. Importantly, her novels are usually more than just lust-over-me sorts of gems. There are characters who have so much depth and life breathed into them, you can't help but to fall head over heels for them. Afterburn was not one of those and sadly Aftershock is worse. I couldn't believe this was written by Sylvia because it lacked so, so much of what I've come to love about her words and it just left me feeling a bit disgruntled and confused.
Afterburn by Sylvia Day | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)Making changes was my responsibility. Having a great guy was just a bonus.
Everyone knows that Sylvia Day is the queen and one of the only romance authors I can stand. Afterburn has been on my radar for a long fucking time, I just hadn't gotten around to it until now--and now that I have, I'm kind of glad I waited so long. Afterburn has all the makings of a stellar Sylvia Day story--it's "I want to rip my clothes off" levels of sexy; the chemistry so off the charts... I'm pretty sure the chart itself was set on fire. Gia and Jax are basically fire in the form of a couple (or in this case a pairing) and longtime readers are going to appreciate the good old fashioned heat that follows.
Day really knows how to grip her readers with her chemistry and there's just this overall thrilling tone to everything she writes. It can't be replicated. I did love Afterburn for what it was and found myself lusting for Jax right along for Gia. Which is a short story--one of two--and that does show. So much of Afterburn felt rushed and like an unfinished thought. I wanted to know so much more about Gia and Jax as characters. I wanted to know about their pasts--together and apart. I wanted to know about the timeline that takes place after chapter one and before chapter two.
