Forward Pass by Desiree Holt

Forward Pass (Game On #1)
By: Desiree Holt
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
Published: July 7, 2015
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Toni
Date: July 7, 2015

 

Shay Beckham grew up idolizing her brother’s best friend, star quarterback Joe Reilly. There was no one in their Texas town who had the moves to match Joe on or off the field. Years later, he’s still a player who has what it takes to drive any hot-blooded woman wild. But Shay isn’t a kid with a bad case of hero-worship anymore. She’s grown-up and independent, with her feet on the ground and a serious head on her shoulders. If she could just say the same for Joe.

It’s been fifteen years, but Joe Reilly hasn’t forgotten the skinny little kid who used to follow him around like a shadow. What he can’t get over is that the skinny shadow has grown into one hell of an incredible woman. One any man in his right mind would kill to get his hands on. And one who seems to be completely immune to him. He knows he and Shay could have something special together. If he could only convince her he’s about more than just the game.

Fate has a way of smiling down on a couple. No matter how long it takes, Fate will have their due.

It took fifteen years for Shay to realize that she has been sabotaging her own love life. As a young girl, she fell hard for her brother’s best friend. She didn’t know better, but she followed Joe around idolizing him. From that time on, all her boyfriends never stood a chance. With a new start ahead of her, she is ready to start over. As soon as she gets her brother’s next fling out of her shower!

Well getting away and coming home couldn’t have ended up better. A couple of years ago, Joe set his eyes on the grown up Shay and he didn’t know what hit him. Now that he will be in town on business, he is going to take every chance he can get to show her the new him. But first things first after a long day of traveling…a hot shower.

One strong, single minded man and one stubborn but extremely pragmatic woman could make for a very ordinary story. Shay wants to be strong, but she has such a hard time when it comes to Joe. So she will take what she can get and enjoy it. Too bad Joe wants forever, when all Shay can think of is right now.

I loved their play. The chase was fun and their interactions were spunky. You saw trouble in the horizon heading their way. When it finally hit home it was a doozy, but not capitalized on completely in my opinion. It was forgiven a bit too easily and the conclusion was a bit fast, but all in all it was a very fun story. All the experiences that happen before the ending more than make up for it.

Ms. Holt writes such fun characters and even though I knew who played the role of Fate, it was still fun to watch it all unfold. 

*rubbing hands together for the next installment*

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Yuletide Enchantment by Cindy Spencer Pape

Yuletide Enchantment: 1 (Holiday Hearts)
By: Cindy Spencer Pape
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Published: December 9, 2009
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Erotic Romance, Fantasy, Holiday, Inspirational, Mystery
Content: M/F, Oral Sex, Toys
Length: Short Story
Heat Level: Scorching
Reviewer: Suki
Date: June 20, 2015

 

The company Christmas party goes awry in an erotic way when quiet accountant Shelby Carter is magically whisked into a miniature Victorian village with the boss's gorgeous son, Noel Holiday.

Noel has always honored the policy against fraternization, but when he's trapped for several days with sweet, sexy Shelby, he decides it's time to start breaking the rules. While exploring the enchanted surroundings, they delve into their deepest fantasies, even acting out scenes from a collection of erotic Victorian postcards. After all, what's Christmas without a little magic and a whole lot of sexy fun?

Though Shelby's crazy about Noel, she's sure he'll forget all about her once their interlude is over. But Noel has fallen head over snow boots in love with Shelby. Now he just has to convince her that holiday wishes can come true, and his devotion will last beyond their Yuletide Enchantment.

Yes I am reading a Christmas book in June.  Perhaps I am hoping for some of that snow we got this winter to cool things off a bit. This book is not going to cool anything off. In fact I think it rose the temperature a degree or two. 

Noel Holiday (HERO) works for the family greeting card company as a designer and is asked to check out the new Christmas display to see what is missing from it. When he gets there what he finds is Shelby Carter from accounting who is intent on the village. When they touch hands and the village at the same time they find themselves transported to the Victorian village or at least the house.  Complete with Victorian clothing and condoms. 

Once they discover there is no real way to escape they decide to make the best of it and let their attraction for each other takeover. But will it last when they are returned to reality?

I really enjoyed this book. And when you read any Ellora’s Cave book you know you are going to get sex scenes that are hot and detailed. I personally would have liked more about when they got back to reality, it seemed rushed. A couple more pages might have done the trick. But the book was very well written and edited and I fell in love with the Characters.

If you are looking for something to heat things up, this will do it.

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Texas Hold ’em by Desiree Holt

Texas Hold ’em
By: Desiree Holt
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Published: May 18th, 2015
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Content: M/F, BDSM, Bondage, Rope Play, D/s, Oral Sex, Toys
Length: Short Story
Heat Level: Scorching
Reviewer: Gabrielle
Date: May 25, 2015

 

Sage Drummond left her life in Dallas when her situation with her Dom, a life she fully embraced, turned into a nightmare. Sure she’d never find the kind of relationship she wanted, she look for nothing more than a scene now and then at Club Fantasy. That was until she met Garrett Long, the very sexy, very Dominant former rodeo cowboy. In the private room at Club Fantasy he led her into a world of submission she never thought she’d find, capturing both her body and her heart. And losing his at the same time.

What happens when you take one former rodeo cowboy and one submissive and put them together for one intimate scene at the darkly sensuous Club Fantasy? Fireworks that neither expected or planned for. But life has a funny way of dealing its own hand in the game of Cut the Cards. And for Sage Drummond and Garrett Long, this might just prove to be the best hand of allB

Running away was Sage’s only option when she made one of the biggest mistakes of her life. She soon found herself in a bad relationship and when she finally realizes it she knows she must start out fresh. Sage takes a chance and builds a new life in a new town. Starting over is hard but Sage works hard and succeeds; now she must take another chance and start back in the world that she longs for. She has come to Club Fantasy for awhile now and with the help of Reulas she may be ready to try again. Sage longs for the connection between a good Dom and a sub. She longs for someone that to share her life with and even maybe someone to share her life with again.

Sage and Garrett’s story makes for a wonderful read. Their attraction is there right from the start and sparks soon turn to fireworks. Garrett understands Sage and is more than willing to show her that he can be trusted when it comes to her safety and what she longs for. Sage is a strong woman. She has been through hell and came out stronger and wiser. The two make a great couple and I enjoyed seeing the two meet and find their way through things. Garrett is patient and understanding, wanting only to gain Sage’s trust not pushing her to only obey him as they play. The two are good together and they seem to be made for one another. Sage’s past and pain may have brought her to Club Fantasy but it also brought her to the man she has been looking for all this time.

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Wolf's Return by Rebecca Royce

Wolf's Return (Black Hills Wolves #1)
By: Rebecca Royce
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Published: January 9, 2015
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Content: M/F, Spanking, Oral Sex
Length: Short Story
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Toni
Date: March 2, 2015

 

A hidden wolf pack. Lies. Intrigue. And reluctant heroes. Get to know the Black Hills…

Drew Tao left the Black Hills in disgrace, banished by his father. He has spent the last ten years a lone wolf, living on his own. Called back home, he finally gets the chance to set things right. If such a thing is possible….

Betty Holden has hated her mate every day for the last ten years for abandoning her and their pack. She's been running things in Los Lobos, and she has no intention of letting Drew Tao slip back into her life like nothing has changed-even if she has never been able to resist him .

Can there be forgiveness? And can he protect her when another enemy arrives?

Ten years is a long time to keep your mate waiting. With no word from her mate, Betty has lived a miserable life in a dying town. No goodbyes, nothing.

Drew has been miserable since he was forced to leave his pack and his mate. Living with humans has strengthened him and now with news from home, it’s time to return.

Wolf’s Return is almost too short. I enjoyed it and I understand that the world will continue to be built; it would have been nice to have the stage a bit more secure. Ms. Royce still did a great job to bring the errors of the past into the light and show how even mates can’t deny their pull to each other. She definitely has my attention and I can’t wait to read more additions to the series.

This is a short story; well it could almost be considered a short novella, it’s right on the edge The Black Hills Wolves series will be written by several authors, each gifting us with snippets of life in the town of Los Lobos. I’m looking forward to diving into these stories of blooming romance and the rebuilding of this small shifter town. I think this will is a brilliant concept and I have always enjoyed short stories written under an umbrella theme. It allows authors to have a set base to start with and since the readers already know the main backstory, the authors have the freedom to focus on the main characters, without significant world building. This concept heightens my enjoyment of short stories immensely.

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Storms in a Shot Glass by Zee Monodee

Storms in a Shot Glass (Destiny’s Child #2)
By: Zee Monodee
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company
Published: October 21, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Marchelle
Date: March 21, 2015

 

A little bump is about to make a lot of ripples...

The quiet, orderly life of personal assistant Jane Smithers takes a ninety-degree turn the day she finds out she accidentally got pregnant from a one-night stand. This is one complication she doesn't need, especially when one knows her world is peopled by lunatic Russian models, an immature boss posing as a CEO, and a mother who would make shark-infested waters look like a midsummer country pond.

The world of corporate lawyer and billionaire tycoon Michael Rinaldi is ruled by cold, hard logic, and straight-on facts. Until the day he meets Jane, and suddenly he has no idea why this insignificant-looking woman has the knack of plunging him head-first into the churning waters of tempestuous emotion and hot-headed impulse.

The last thing either needs is to get tangled in a tabloid frenzy.

Throw in a baby neither thought they wanted and add a dash of very gossipy scandal, and suddenly Jane and Michael realize that the world as they've known it so far will never be the same again.

But will they be able to live with this reality?

Jane Smithers is pregnant. She had a drunken, one night stand on New Years Eve with her engaged neighbor that she barely remembers. Being that her life is always neat and orderly, finding out she is pregnant completely knocks her off balance. She has enough people in her life pulling her in all directions, including her needy and seemingly incompetent boss and her pushy, demanding mother who seems to be more concerned with keeping up appearances than her daughter’s happiness. A baby is the last thing she needs at this point in her life. And being a single parent will bring a whole different set of problems.

When Jane meets Michael Rinaldi, she doesn’t want to like him. He’s a bossy, alpha male who only adds to her headaches by announcing he is the father of the baby to her family and friends. He’s also the estranged son of her current boss and his claiming of the baby causes problems for Jane personally and professionally. When a nosy reporter employs some underhanded methods to dig up dirt on the couple and publishes it in a gossip magazine, both their lives get turned upside down. Jane wants to protect Michael from the gossip and protect his reputation. Michael doesn’t care about any of that, only wanting to be there for Jane and her baby but making her realize that is the real challenge.

This is a true romance in every sense of the word. Jane and Michael both have poor role models when it comes to love and romance. Her mother has numerous marriages behind her and is portrayed as shallow and vain. She cares only about herself and can make any situation about her. Michael’s resentment towards his father stems from the man’s abandonment of his wife and young son. Despite all that, they find each other and have strong feelings that cannot be denied. Their desire to protect each other and their unwillingness to admit their love for each other almost rip them apart but their love is obvious in everything they do.

This is a very well written and entertaining story. It's unlike any book I’ve read before. I thought the story was original and I loved that the characters had depth and were believable. For Jane, her emotions were chaotic, without making her appear out of control. When dealing with her mother she would be sad one minute and angry the next. With Michael, he would be arguing with his father and then become caring and attentive in the next instant when Jane needed him.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I look forward to reading more from her. This is a very enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it.

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