Review: Love's Learning Curves by Diana DeRicci

Love’s Learning Curves by Diana DeRicci

Publisher: Purple Sword Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Dario Acardi has enough stress in his life. His family is hounding him to marry, his father wants him to take over as head of the pride, and his cousin needs to borrow the car. All he wants is a little peace.

Narrowly escaping another engagement his uncle deems as an "appropriate" showing for the coming heir of the Taja pride, he chaperones his cousin and date to the State Fair. The obvious problem is they don't want a chaperone and leave him in the dust to find his own entertainment. Except he finds himself standing behind a curvy brunette, and suddenly both he and his cougar are pacing like wild animals.

Sheridan Donovan is nursing a bruised heart and her brother and friends are driving her crazy with their coddling. What stung wasn't the break up. It was her ex's immediate engagement to a skinny friend.
But now that a certain cougar has decided she's the woman he needs, Dario has to convince her that what she believes isn't true at all. That size isn't what rules the heart. And perfection really is in the eye of the beholder.



Yadkny’s Review

Dario is an Alpha male in every sense of the word. He is the financial director at his father’s company and is the heir to the Taja cougar pride. Power, wealth, and status makes Dario an extremely valuable catch for a mate, but his families continued interference in his personal life has left him wanting to throw it all away, so he can be left in peace. He decides to shirk his duty for a day as heir to the pride and goes to the state fair under the guise of chaperone to his cousin and girlfriend. He never expected to get on the ride of his life with the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

Sheridan has deep emotional wounds left by a couple of former boyfriends. Her brother and friends have branded her as fragile, so they treat her like she might break. All she wants is to forget the past and move on by graduating and start her career, but the past has reared it’s ugly head in the form of a wedding invitation. Sheridan’s ex-boyfriend is getting married to her friend and all because of an introduction in which she made. Two years of her life was given to that man and although Sheridan was the one to initiate the break up, he easily accepted. Sheridan’s physical appearance is to blame and it’s not the first time her figure has gotten in the way of happiness, but a ride on the Ferris wheel just might change that.

I absolutely loved this book! Diana DeRicci created a world that will swallow you up until the last page. There was predictability in its finest form with an extremely likable couple, but I never once found the storyline boring. I was completely captivated. I’m putting Dario and Sheridan into my list of all time favorite fictional couples. Sheridan’s emotional struggle to accept what Dario tells her was heartfelt and every woman will be able to sympathize. Body issues are common in real life and the way in which it is addressed in this story was amazingly well done. I walked away after reading this book feeling just a little bit better about my own self image and now the search is on to find my own Dario. He treats Sheridan like gold from the moment they met and the unpredictable shift of tenderness and greed that he possesses when he’s with her only adds to his appeal. The tender moments were sweet and romantic without being cheesy and the greedy moments were out of this world sexy. The ending is tied together so nicely I can only say that I want more. A must read and a must re-read and this being my first Diana DeRicci story, I am proud to say this won’t be my last.

5 Tea Cups and a Recommended Read!

      

Review: Devilish Delights by Tara Nina

Devilish Delights by Tara Nina

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

An older woman with a secret sexual addiction meets a younger man with the desire to play. Can he be taught? Shelley takes a chance on a one-night stand, but gets more than she bargains for in her young stud.

Jack is enticed by a woman whose vibrating silver balls land at his feet. Finally, a woman with a desire to experience more than vanilla-flavored sex. Shelley fits the criteria of perfect dating material.

Now, if he can just convince her that their age difference doesn’t matter. Great sex rules, and he intends to teach Shelley the true meaning of orgasmic fun and sexual playtime. But when a complication arises in connection to a trial they’re both a part of, Shelley is abducted. Jack must choose—justice for a bootlegger or the perfect woman’s survival.



Angelique’s Review

I thought that I had endured some interesting moments of sexual embarrassment, but what the heroine of “Devilish Delights” ends up going through definitely takes the cake. This contemporary romance had me alternating between laughing and fanning myself until the end.

Shelley is an older woman, lonely with an adventurous streak. She knows what she wants, but doesn’t have anyone to give it to her. Jack is new to town and becomes infatuated with her. Their sexual deviancy will leave you squirming in your seat.

So if you are looking for a short read that is full of both humor and hot sex, look no further than “Devilish Delights.” And I want to know where to sign up to become an official “sex toy advisor!”

3 ½ Tea Cups!

   

Review: Getting Naughty by Kristin Daniels

Getting Naughty by Kristin Daniels

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Tara North is tired of her husband’s workaholic tendencies, tired of not being a priority. And very tired of the lack of action in their bedroom. So she sits in the company parking lot, impatiently waiting for his coworkers to vacate the building. Why? To seduce her husband, of course.
Tara’s going to get their sex life back on the fast track to Blissville. As she strips for him, Tara issues a challenge—how many times can Jared make her come before the cleaning crew reaches his office?
There’s only one way to find out. It’s time for Jared to really get to work.



Lena’s Review

Tara North has not seen her husband for days. Sure he comes home, sleeps and eats, but that’s all she has seen of him. The last couple of years it has been fun and exciting being married to Jared. Yet she feels the excitement is gone, somewhere hidden still in their lives. Jared is definitely a workaholic and determined to get his business done which is just one of the things Tara loves the most about him. Though he’s a workaholic she is a woman who has needs. She has needs and desires that a man like Jared can only fulfill in every way and possibly in any place. On a dare, Tara is about to do something she has never done in their marriage so far. A dare that can either fail or be a success, and she prays that it will be a success. This is something that will show exactly how much she cares for Jared.

Jared loves his job but lately he is feeling lonely and frustrated. He is working on a big merger and knows that the end is near. He is still fairly newly married to Tara and feels guilty. Tara is a beautiful woman with more than enough sexiness from him to handle in his life. Seeing her tonight just proves to him how passionate of a woman she is…and wild. He never expected to see her like this, a woman determined to get whatever she wants no matter the place or time. Jared always knew Tara had a side of spontaneity but loves how wild she is getting right now. Can he fulfill her every desire in a night like this knowing how risky the situation is right now?

Oh my God! Kristin Daniels has done it again in a hot, passionate, and wild night of a story. I couldn’t decide who I loved the most, Tara or Jared. Heck, both of them were hot, and man the risk of getting caught was there all the way. I loved that Tara was determined to make her man see she is horny in a way that only he can satisfy. Now Jared, wow, for a man who is a workaholic he sure knows how to let loose. So much passion in this book and man the risks make it hotter than ever. Though it is short, it sure packed a big punch in making it exciting all the way to the end. Get it and a bucket of ice, for Kristin sure has a very dirty, naughty, and oh-so-fun imagination.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Hot to Trot by Desiree Holt

Hot to Trot by Desiree Holt

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Erotic Romance

Heat Rating: 4

Blurb

Book four of the Cougar Challenge series.

Buying a ranch on eBay was the wildest thing Autumn Kelley had ever done. Past forty, she’d pretty much written excitement out of her life. But then she discovers the ranch comes with a foreman who makes her pulse pound and could give her an orgasm just by looking at her. As if that isn’t enough, he has a friend equally as mouthwatering—and the two of them take Autumn on an erotic trip that outdoes any fantasy she could ever have imagined.

If sex with one hot boy toy is fantastic, sex with two at the same time is a whole new level of amazing. But what happens when Autumn inevitably has to come down from the orgasmic high?



Christy’s Review

Autumn Kelley has got guts. Buying Sweetgrass Ranch on eBay without having seen it up close and personal was a little bit of a stretch for me. They payoff though is worth it when she meets Mitchell Brand. He's the most mouthwatering specimen of manhood she's ever seen, and also the ranches former foreman.

The chemistry between Autumn & Mitchell starts to sizzle from the beginning. Just when you think the sex scenes are smoking hot, along comes Randy, a friend and fellow rodeo competitor of Mitchell's. Autumn, Mitchell and Randy participate in a hot and steamy ménage.

What I really enjoyed most about this book is aspect of Autumn being a Cougar along with the ménage scenes. I would definitely recommend Hot To Trot to anyone who is interested in hot and sizzling romance.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: I'll Be Your Superman by Selena Kitt

I'll Be Your Superman by Selena Kitt

Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Genre: Menage Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Evan, a paraplegic, knows that his wife wants more than he can give her, and he’s determined to find a way to fulfill her secret wish...
Warnings: This title contains graphic language, sex, and a mmf threesome.



Angelique’s Review

“I’ll be Your Superman” left me with several conflicting emotions. Ms. Kitt artfully creates another novella with characters that not only leap off the page, but could be sitting right next to you reading along. It is a short and powerful story.

3 ½ Tea Cups!

   

Review: Writer's Block by Jennifer Mueller

Writer’s Block by Jennifer Mueller

Publisher: Phaze Books
Genre: Erotic Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Ever ask an author if the characters take over, if they talk back and do their own thing? We always give polite answers about how they might turn out more forceful or sexy than we expected or some other trait.
The real truth might just surprise you. Take one long shipwrecked woman throw in a newly shipwrecked man with only one place to stay on the island.

Stir vigorously and you'll get ... Writer's Block!



Ren’s Review

Brede literally washes up on the shores of the island where the lovely Virginie has been a castaway for two months. These two characters mesh almost from the beginning until their first intimate encounter. This is where “The Block” happens and not in the way you might think.

When I first started reading this, I was a bit confused because I thought that this was an unfinished manuscript when in fact, it is a short story about a work in progress. The author (who remains unnamed) has cleverly inserted fix-it notes throughout the story, with reminders of the research that she needs to do, and even questioning herself as to whether or not her hero’s name sounds too feminine.

The author begins to suffer “The Block” and is then pulled into battle with her characters that have decided to take charge and go into different directions. The author tries to rein in her willful characters with no success. She is clearly not in the right frame of mind needed to move her novel along. Her hero, Brede, decides to take matters into his own hands by tapping into the real reason for the author’s “Writer’s Block” and ultimately helps her to release her creativity.

Honestly, I thought I was the only one that sat in fog when it comes to writing steamy scenes between characters, lol. “Writer’s Block” definitely makes you wonder what happens next.

3 ½ Tea Cups!

   

Review: Biohazard by Honoria Ravena

Biohazard by Honoria Ravena

Publisher: Breathless Press
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

The last thing Jayden, a shapeshifter, expects is to be saved by a human woman...one whom needs saving of her own.

Angelique’s Review

“Biohazard” is a quick read. I actually thought that it was too short.

While Jayden and Maura are interesting characters, we don’t really get a chance to know them or connect to them as readers. It was like watching part of a movie on fast forward. I felt very little emotional connection to the story.

What I do like is the plot and the mythology of the world the characters inhabit. There is potential here and I am interested enough to see what happens next.

2 ½ Tea Cups!

Review: Frayed Bonds by Diana Thorn

Frayed Bonds by Diana Thorn

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Erotic Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Peter Mainwaring, Viscount Herridon, fell in love with Amy in the Assembly Room at Bath. When he waylaid her in a moonlit garden and introduced her to erotic bondage and submission, he thought he’d found his bride. But Amy, frightened of her response, fled and married Peter’s best friend John instead.

Amy loves John, but his gentle caresses leave her cold. When John confesses his unhappiness, Peter offers to help. He comes to Amy as a masked stranger and teaches her to embrace her desires. But when it’s time to return to her husband, Amy realizes the masked man is Peter, and that she cannot give her heart—or her body—to John alone.



Angelique’s Review

“Frayed Bonds” is a short historical romance that includes some light bondage. Set in a society that vilified sensuality, Ms. Thorn crafts a novella that will leave you melting and asking for more.

Like most women, Amy is afraid of who she truly is. She has allowed society to dictate how she should feel and respond to sexual stimulation, which has left her timid and unfulfilled in the arms of her husband. It isn’t until Peter shows her what she truly wants that she is able to acknowledge her darker side and ask for what she needs.

Unlike most other ménages that I have read, the sexual trio is not equal. At the end, John holds the power in the relationship between the three, which I didn’t think was fair. The ending also left me wondering where they would go from there.

It was an overall satisfying read and I would read more from Ms. Thorn.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Minding Mistress by Cooper McKenzie

Minding Mistress by Cooper McKenzie

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: BDSM Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Jenna Carter opened Club Esoteria, never dreaming it would become the hottest sex club in the state. When her slave/mate Antony receives orders for an extended overseas tour of duty with the Coast Guard, he decides to bring a new member into their little family.

Gentry Michaels had never had good luck with women because he wanted the same thing they did: a stronger, more dominant partner to tell him what to do. When Antony invites him to test drive life as a submissive, Gentry finds he can’t say no.

During an intense weekend of BDSM fun and games, Gentry and Jenna decide that Antony had the right idea in bringing the three of them together. But when the weekend is over and real life intrudes, will Gentry be able to give up his vanilla life for one of Minding Mistress?



Angelique’s Review

“Minding Mistress” was not what I was expecting. Instead of a novella that was focused mainly on BDSM and sex, I found a story that was rich with emotion and characterization.

The characters were amazingly crafted by Ms. McKenzie. They are realistic and flawed, trying to fill the holes in their lives. The relationship between Anthony, Gentry, and Jenna flows like magic, engaging the reader and pulling us along until the happily ever after.

Though I was impressed with the characters, the author’s knowledge of the BDSM scene and use of it as the background to the story was what caught my attention. We learn right along with Gentry about the expectations and responsibilities of the sub in the loving environment created by Ms. McKenzie. I learned quite a bit and it made the sex scenes even hotter.

Overall, I was very pleased with “Minding Mistress” and hope to read more work from this author in the future.

4 1/2 Tea Cups!