A Reason to Stay by June Stevens

You’ve just got to love a male lead who is a fireman. It means he’s strong enough to throw the female lead over his shoulder, and quickly run upstairs for some sweet, sweet lovin’.

What’s it About? 

Ellie loves her hometown, job, and best friend Jake. But Jake is a ladies man that will never settle down. Ellie can’t stand to see him with other women anymore, so she is packing up and leaving Oak Hollow and everything she loves to start over. A night of unexpected passion makes her start to think maybe things can work out between them, until she happens upon a secret Jake has been keeping for more than a year. Will their friendship be forever torn apart? Or will Ellie find A Reason to Stay?

First Impressions

Ah, this is one of my absolute most favorite themes in all of romance novel land: friends who become more. Ellie and Jake have secretly been pining for each other for years, although neither is aware of the other’s feelings. It’s Ellie’s last night in her hometown before leaving for Chicago to move on from what she believes are her unrequited feelings for Jake. Both realize this is their last chance to lay it all out on the table, and my goodness do they decide to take full advantage of this opportunity. They hold absolutely nothing back, and spend a passion-filled evening together doing all sorts of naughty things.

The Morning After

Something I really liked about this novel was that after Ellie and Jake did the deed, they don’t have that awkward “what did we just do” moment. Nope! They just go at it again…and again. They understand that this sexual chemistry isn’t something they want to give up.

There is an introduction of drama at the very end of this novel which I personally thought was a bit ridiculous. Ellie finds a ring in Jake’s desk drawer, and assumes that he was intending to give it to someone else. Girl please! Did all of that delicious sex knock off a few of your brain cells or something?

Narration

I was lucky enough to receive this book in audio format, which was a great way to pass the time during a recent drive from Atlanta to Tuscaloosa. Overall I’d say the narration wasn’t too bad, but it could use some improvement, specifically with the male voice. It just went too deep, which made it sound rather phony. The female voice was much better, but at times their sexual banter back and forth sounded like cheesy phone sex.

*This audiobook was provided by the narrator for an honest review*

Series: Oak Hollow, book 1. I’d probably read the next one.

Should you read it? It was short and predictable, but it’s also sweet and sexy.

Smut Level: Let’s just say Ellie thinks of a rather creative way to wake Jake up the next morning.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here for $0.99 Kindle version. Click Here for $5.95 Audible version by Meghan Kelly. Self-published. 116 Pages or 1 hour and 26 minutes.

Let’s Take This Out of the Bedroom, Part 2

A few months ago, I wrote a post about some of the more unusual locations where romance characters have gotten down and dirty. You all seemed to enjoy it so much, that I’ve decided to write a follow-up post featuring some other locales I’ve encountered in romance novels which take place outside of the bedroom. To recap, the last post locations included elevators, motor vehicles, dressing rooms, and airplane bathrooms. Let’s see where else our couples have experienced a burst of passion, shall we?

1. Bathtub/Shower: Does anybody else feel like both of these pose a serious safety hazard? Let’s start with the shower. My goodness gracious, I hope you have a handicap rail to hold onto in that thing. I practically fall over whenever I try to wash my feet! I can’t imagine the balancing act that would be involved with having another person in there. To be fair, whenever this location is present in a romance novel there appears to be a conveniently placed bench within the shower which seems to reduce the chance of injury by 50%. Still though, I hope you have some adhesive rubber duckies on the bottom of your shower to prevent slippage. As for the bathtub, I can barely fit in one by myself! I’m really tall and my feet stick out. It initially seems like a much more practical locale than the shower, seeing as the lovers are already in a horizontal position, but water would get everywhere! The last thing I would want to worry about after making love is mopping up the floor.

2. The Beach: Considering the title of this blog you’d probably think I was all for this exotic location. Well…let’s look at the logistics. When was the last time you were at a beach where absolutely nobody else was around, and you were offered enough privacy where you could possibly get down and sandy with your partner if you wanted to? I’ve been on plenty of beach vacations, and I can’t say I’ve ever been to a completely solitary beach.

And then let’s look at the most obvious deterrent to this option: SAND! It get’s everywhere! Even if you had a beach towel, or five, laid out, I feel like you’d be picking sand out of every crevice imaginable for a week. For those characters who get intimate within the waves near the shoreline: consider yourself warned that scuba divers could be anywhere. As could sharks. That would actually probably make for the most interesting Shark Week survival story ever.

3. The Kitchen: Whether it be the table, counter, or floor, this is a very common location for two lead characters to get jiggy with it. Why do you think that is exactly? I suppose food can be intoxicating, and there’s probably nothing more satisfying than that perfect kitchen-counter-to-wrapping-your-legs-around-a-man’s-waist height ratio. Mmm, better than strawberries and whipped cream any day. However! I hope these couples take future guests into consideration, and do a thorough scrubbing of any and all kitchen surfaces after doing the deed. Or even before doing it. Because…come on, let’s be sanitary. I guess I can approve of the counter, but I’d probably question the sturdiness of the table, and the floor just seems like it’d be quite chilly and hard (pun absolutely intended). Maybe if you threw a tablecloth down there you’d be more comfortable?

4. Staircase: If it’s up against the wall of a staircase…maybe. I can’t quite picture how the feet placement would go though. Wouldn’t there be an obvious lean to one side? Also seems like a home injury lawsuit waiting to happen. Maybe homeowners who are interested in giving this one a try should have their partner sign a disclaimer before attempting. Against the wall seems like it’d be a tad awkward, but don’t even get me started on those who carry out this act horizontally. How is this comfortable for anyone involved? Can you imagine the bruises for the person on the bottom? Just think about that solid immovable stair digging into your spine. Ugh! And the person on top will probably need a knee cap replacement in the immediate future. Whenever I read a book with a sex scene on a staircase, I always assume they’ll somehow lose their grip on the stair, and thumpingly slide down all the way to the bottom. Then what are they supposed to do? Carry on like nothing happened? Or call an ambulance for obvious head trauma?

As always, I love to hear what you all have to say! If I left off a location you felt was obvious, don’t worry! I’ll probably include it in a future “out of the bedroom” installment 🙂

Meant to Be by Laramie Briscoe

The narrator of this audio book reminded me of a mix between Dr. Phil and that informative talking DNA strand from the original Jurassic Park film. While he was relating the amorous exploits of our lead characters, I kept expecting him to switch gears and talk about dinosaurs.

What’s it About? 

Single mother. Laid off factory worker. Drug runner for the Heaven Hill Motorcycle Club. When Denise Cunningham is served with foreclosure papers on her birthday it’s the last straw in a long line of bad luck. Sitting and crying about things has never been how she solved her problems, but this time she decides to do just that. A phone call interrupts her pity party and changes the course of her life forever.

Loyal brother. Grease monkey mechanic. Vice President of the Heaven Hill Motorcycle Club. William Walker Jr., known as Liam to his club, needs a new recruit that is just naïve enough and desperate enough to do what he asks without question. When Denise Cunningham lands in his lap, he decides to hire her – not because he wants to, because he has to. Neither are comfortable in their new roles, but he needs help and she can’t stand to lose anything else. As bullets fly and a local Bowling Green, KY reporter works to bring the club down, Liam and Denise find themselves getting closer to one another. When the stakes get high and outside forces try to keep them away from each other, they have to decide if they really are meant to be.

First Impressions

Obviously, the narration wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Of all the romance novels I’ve ever listened to in audio format, this is the only one I’ve come across with a male narrator. Not too shabby. As for the storyline itself, I must say I’ve never been a huge fan of books featuring motorcycle clubs, as the male leads are almost too alpha for my taste. However, for a biker book, this one was pretty tame as far as the whole “me Tarzan, you Jane” mentality.

Although, something I never understand in these biker gangs is when the guy refers to his woman as his old lady. I know it’s supposed to be respectful, but what 20-year-old woman wants to be referred to as old? And then there’s the whole aspect of having her wear his cut, which declares her as his property. Hell, if I were in that situation I’d be like, “Alright, now what are you gonna wear that proclaims you to be my property?” Sorry, consider that rant to be over.

Motorcycle Club My Ass

I feel like in most romance novels revolving around a motorcycle club, the members of the club are just minding their own business when they are somehow drawn into a kerfuffle with another club/gang. They just want to be free and ride like the wind. This book was a little different. Instead of it focusing on our biker bad boy rescuing his woman from a rival gang, it tells a tale of Liam drawing Denise further into his  world. And it doesn’t necessarily consist of law-abiding citizens.

These particular bikers are criminals! No other word for it. At the start of the book, they are dealing drugs, and by the end of it they are considering selling guns to a Mexican cartel. They took advantage of Denise’s desperate financial situation to get her to abet them in smuggling drugs, and I personally had difficulty liking them because of that. Sure, they’re all about protecting their own, and Liam treats Denise like she’s his old lady (charming!), but that doesn’t eliminate the fact that the police are after them for a reason.

*This audio book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Heaven Hill, book 1. There are a lot of books in this series.

Should you read it? There were definitely some conflicting emotions revolving around this book. On the one hand, you are really rooting for Denise and Liam to get together, but on the other you don’t really want Denise to be drawn further into this criminal world. Although this book doesn’t necessarily end on a cliffhanger, there are a lot of important questions left unanswered.

Smut Level: There aren’t too many sex scenes, and you have to wait a bit before you get to the good stuff. But the build-up of sexual tension is delicious, and the scenes themselves are pretty steamy.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here for free Kindle version. Click Here for $17.95 Audible version.  Self-published. 255 Pages or 6 hours and 27 minutes.

Who Am I?

No, I’m not Spiderman. Or Batman. Or any other superhero who seems to utter that question nowadays. It’s been one year since I started this blog, and I realized that I’ve never properly introduced myself. So, I thought, why not get to know the crazy chica who’s been droning on and on to all of you about romance and the like?

The Basics

Authors often e-mail me to review their books, and one of the things I love most about their initial e-mails is how they choose to address me. Ms. Romance for the Beach is often used. She who shall not be named. The mystery writer. I’m not really sure why I chose to keep my name a secret, but here we go. The big reveal. Drumroll please. My name is Lauren. Hiya! Now that that’s out-of-the-way, let’s move on to some of the fun stuff.

Today is my birthday, which means I am officially 26 years old! Woot woot. I’m single and I live in a big city. I won’t go into too much detail about exact location, because let’s face it, you have to make it a little hard for all the stalkers out there to track you down, but let’s just say I once saw the President during my lunch break. I may be single, but I personally find nothing wrong with that, and am in no way looking to settle down in the near future. Scandalous, I know. But I’ve got a job that let’s me travel on a regular basis, and a great group of friends, so I’m not exactly pining away for a knight in shining leather.

And so it Began

Believe it or not, this isn’t my first blog. I used to have a site dedicated to reviewing movies, but it definitely didn’t get as much visibility as this one. Also, I found that when it came to movies people were much more vicious/rude with their opinions if they differed from mine. Maybe book people are just a lot nicer!

Obviously, I love romance novels. Although I’ve always loved reading, my love affair with the romance genre is fairly new, and started approximately 4 years ago when I was living in China. I had just finished the Hunger Games trilogy, and even though I absolutely loved the books I couldn’t help but feel a tad disappointed that there was only a bit of kissing between the main characters. I wanted a little more heat!

So I started an online search of books which featured the best sex scenes ever, and lo and behold Goodreads kept suggesting romance novels. But I don’t read romance novels! I kept looking for other genres which might have some steamy scenes, but eventually I had to admit to myself that if I wanted a book with some tumbling between the sheets, I’d have to pick up a romance. The Bronze Horseman was the book I chose, and after being completely blown away by the quality of the writing, not to mention the more than adequate ways to keep warm during a Russian winter (hint hint, wink wink), my love for all things romance began in earnest.

My Favorite Things

Getting back on track to talking about myself, I have a knack for languages including French and Chinese. I love Thai food, and long walks on the beach. Come on, you know I had to put that in there 🙂 My favorite movie is Gone with Wind, and my favorite book is Crocodile on the Sandbank. When I’m not reading or working on this blog, you’ll probably find me at a happy hour with friends, watching a movie, or playing the piano. That’s right, I still manage to have a social life in spite of the amount of time it takes to manage this blog all by myself. I used to hate beach vacations, because I found them to be rather boring, but now I’ve found they are one of the best ways to indulge in my romance novel obsession. That being said, one of my favorite vacations ever was a 2 week trip all over France, so any book set in that locale is a must read. Is it just me, or is this starting to sound like a personal ad?

Likes and Dislikes

Well, if it does sound like a dating site profile, then I might as well go all out. I may have alluded to it earlier, but let me officially say that I love to travel. I think this was brought on by the fact that I was born and raised in Ohio, and there isn’t much to do there. So I went to school in both Canada and China, found a job that lets me travel extensively for 3 months out of the year all over the USA, and my next travel goal is to do a cross-country road trip. I read a romance novel once where the female lead wanted to dip her toes in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to mark the beginning and end of her trip. What can I say? The idea stuck with me. When it comes to reading, I love a fairy tale happy ending.

As for dislikes, Mondays are my enemy, because they mark the beginning of the work week when I can no longer sit and read all day. I’m not a huge fan of reading about BDSM relationships, or novels which are too suspenseful because they make me fidgety.

I never majored in writing or literature in college, but that doesn’t mean I can’t write a book review every now and again! So that’s me in a nutshell. Nothing too exciting, but hopefully now you know a bit more than you did before.

Broken by Annie Jocoby

Nick is a manwhore. Scotty’s only previous sexual experience includes being raped by her foster-father. Well…this should be an interesting combo.

What’s it About? 

Nick O’Hara is, for lack of a better word, a man-wh***. Look in the Urban Dictionary under that word, and his name will no doubt be mentioned. The only qualifications that he looks for in a bed-mate is that the person is hot and breathing. Mainly hot. He has no desire for an emotional connection with another person, and that’s the way he lives his life. He has his fabulous wealth and his reputation as a premiere architect, and that’s enough for him. Until Scotty James.

Scotty is a graduate student at Columbia University in New York City. She’s broken from traumatic experiences from her years in foster care and homelessness. She has a vulnerability that is intoxicating to Nick, because, deep down, he knows that he is as broken as she. When Nick pursues Scotty, it seems that she is the only woman who doesn’t want to be with him. At first she’s a challenge, but Nick soon finds himself falling in love for the first time in his life. With a woman who wants nothing to do with him. Can Scotty overcome her trust issues and fear to let Nick in? Or will she prove to be too broken to trust?

First Impressions

Honestly, I felt like I was missing a big part of Nick’s story throughout the majority of this novel. We learn so much more about Scotty’s troubled past, and there is barely any mention to the fact that Nick has two daughters and an ex-wife. References are made to past events revolving around his best friend Ryan, and Iris, the love of his life, but they were never explained in full detail. Turns out Ryan and Iris are the focus of another trilogy, Illusions, by the same author. I feel like it is sort of assumed that the reader has already read the beginning of this other series, so the link between the characters isn’t focused on too much. However, as someone who hasn’t read this other series, I was left feeling a bit lost and confused.

Bitch Please

Scotty comes to intern for Nick’s architectural firm, and a rivalry quickly ensues between her and one of Nick’s former lovers, Portia. This woman is a bitch with a capital B, and is out to get rid of Scotty. Portia insists that if she were a man her behavior would be commended. Um, sorry, but no. Then you’d just be a dick instead of a bitch. Anyway, something I really didn’t care for was that Nick always had to come to Scotty’s rescue when it came to Portia, as well as other moments when someone bothered Scotty. I wish that she would’ve stood up for herself at least once instead of having Nick constantly defend her. I understand that her past has a heavy influence on her shying away from confrontation, but you have to develop a back bone at some point in life.

Another aspect of the story which kind of bothered me was towards the end when Nick is so frustrated with Scotty that he becomes convinced she’s been teasing him all along. Her refusal to date him also has him questioning if she was ever actually raped. As a form of retaliation, he goes out on a date with another woman and immediately screws her brains out. Uh, I understand the whole saying that the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, but my God! Maybe give it a week or two before you employ that line of thinking. Nick claims to love Scotty, but he sure has an odd way of showing it.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Broken, book 1. As in true Annie Jocoby style, the book ends on a huge cliffhanger, so consider yourself warned.

Should you read it? I would probably recommend that you read Illusions first, just so you have a better sense of who Nick keeps referencing throughout the novel. It’s an interesting tale, but honestly I found it hard to like Nick at times.

Smut Level: Nick puts the mutt in smutty, but because of Scotty’s sexual past the two hold off on acting on their desires until the very end.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. The Kindle version is free! Tobann Publications. 258 Pages.

What do you Have Against Romance?

I READ ROMANCE NOVELS! There, I said it. To an infinite internet audience that I will most likely never meet. But to admit this to people I know? Honestly, it is terrifying. Can you believe that whenever someone asks me what book I’m reading, 9 times out of 10 I will lie because I don’t want them to know I’m reading romance? And to say I have dedicated a blog to the genre? It’s embarrassing. Now isn’t that silly? To be afraid of judgement for something that I love doing. But alas, you can’t ignore the stigma which seems to surround this entire genre.

Disassociate

“I’ll read anything but romance.”

“Romance novels are porn for bored housewives.”

“The writing is terrible.”

If I had a nickel for every time a blogger sent me a comment like this, well I’d have a shit ton of nickels. Most people out there try to disassociate themselves from this genre completely. But what’s wrong with a little romance? The most common criticism I hear from people is that the writing is terrible. I have read some amazing novels in this genre, with some of the best writing I’ve ever come across in my 25 years. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons, Both Sides of Love by Kimberly Wenzler, The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski, the list goes on and on.

Another common thing I see is that people are basing this “terrible writing” off of one romance novel they read. One book. That would be like me going into the mystery section of the bookstore, picking a book at random, and basing every book in that genre on this one book. Doesn’t seem very fair, does it? I talked about this with someone at BookExpo America, and she put it so much more eloquently than I could: you shouldn’t judge a book by its genre. Believe me, just because it’s a romance doesn’t mean the writing is awful.

Visitors to my blog will often tell me that they don’t read romance, but they want me to recommend a romance novel for them. I’m happy to, but it’s not that easy people. Romance is such a varied genre, and incorporates so many other genres that it really depends on what you personally like to read. Do you prefer historical? Contemporary? Fantasy, sci-fi, war, paranormal, young adult, mystery, suspense? You might actually have to do a little research to find a plot which interests you before you pick a book at random.

Sex on the Brain

Yes, most romance novels feature sex. But guess what? Sex is actually a big part of life. You and I wouldn’t be here if our parents hadn’t gotten down and jiggy with it. But I get it, some of you don’t like reading about the more intimate and descriptive details of sex. Here’s a little secret: not all romance novels have detailed sex scenes. Just look at Pride and Prejudice. One of the greatest romance novels of all time, and not a lick of sex in the whole thing. Or any licking between Elizabeth and Darcy for that matter. There are also romance novels from this century which don’t feature any sex scenes. Again, it might take a little research, but you can definitely find them.

And now I have another little confession to make: I am an immature adult. For example, I think South Park is hilarious, and I watch The Simpsons about 5 days a week. I tell inappropriate jokes, and some of them even revolve around sex. Anything to make people laugh. I live off of people’s giggles. I probably have the maturity level of a 12-year-old, but I have been this way ever since I was 12!

However, can you believe that ever since I started this blog I have to monitor the number of sexual innuendos I might say in a given week? I can maybe get away with 1 or 2, but any more than that, and my family and friends will chastise me, “Oh Lauren, ever since you started that blog you’ve got sex on the brain.” Uh…no, I don’t. I’m not a sex addict. It’s not like I look at a banana and see a penis instead. I’m just an immature smart mouth. Again though, I’ve been that way for over a decade, before I even started reading romance novels, and this blog is not the sudden light bulb explanation for my immaturity. It’s not like people who read crime novels are constantly thinking about killing people, or the best ways to hide a body. Right?

Unrealistic Expectations

“You know that you won’t meet a guy like in one of your books, right? That’s not how it happens.” Wait a minute! You mean I won’t fall in love with my neighbor who will also happen to be a sex god billionaire? Well shit! I might as well dedicate the rest of my life to celibacy and just give up on meeting my prince charming right now! My neighbor is a 65-year-old Vietnamese woman named Alma. I wasn’t really holding out hope there.

Yes, I am 25 and single, and someone cautioned me with that statement above. This is another one of those things which really irks me, mainly because it’s questioning my intelligence. Do you also have heart-to-hearts with Twilight fans to warn them that vampires don’t exist? Do you boycott mystery novels because they imply that bad guys will always be brought to justice?  You wanna know what expectations I get when I read a romance novel? It makes me think that two people can care about each other enough where love is actually possible. That sex can be enjoyable. That a man can think you’re beautiful even if you aren’t stick-model thin. So, are you telling me that those things aren’t actually possible? That I should settle for a guy who is just into sex rather than getting to know me as a person? Because if that’s the expectation you’re trying to give me, I think I’ll stick with being single for just a little bit longer.

Conclusion

So what exactly am I trying to say here? That you are required to love romance novels as much as I, otherwise you’re dead to me? No. Here is what I’m trying to say. Don’t write off romance, and don’t laugh at those of us who like it. And if you do like reading romance novels, try not to feel ashamed that you do. You’re not alone. I also get if it’s not the genre for you. Hell, I don’t read thrillers because they make me nervous. But if you’re judging it just off of one romance book you read years ago, then maybe it’s time to give it another try. Not every romance novel is like 50 Shades of Grey, and Fabio doesn’t grace every cover. August is National Romance Awareness Month, so I’m here to let you know that there are some great romance books out there, and there are some great people out there who read them. Not that I’m one of them or anything. Don’t forget, I’m an immature smart mouth. But I’m proud of that fact 🙂

Rescuing the Bridesmaid by Stella Hunter

This book starts off with a tow truck driver discovering a passed out female in the back of a car he’s meant to haul off. The woman proceeds to wake up and shove dollar bills down his pants because she thinks he’s a stripper. Not a bad start to a romance novel!

What’s it About? 

Can anything go right when a relationship begins with a case of mistaken identity? When Nate Whitmore picks up an abandoned car to be towed, he doesn’t expect to find a woman passed out in the back seat. Joanne Johnson tried to forget about her cheating ex-fiancé at her best friend’s bachelorette party and ends up mistaking the sexy tow truck driver for a male stripper. For Nate, giving the embarrassed woman a ride home seems easy enough, until one mishap after another throws them in each other’s paths time and again. As if maid-of-honor duties and jealous ex-lovers aren’t enough to deal with, Joanne must decide if Nate can be more than just a rebound.

First Impressions

This was a sexy and funny read, not to mention short. You can finish it in a couple of hours, no problem. There is a heavy focus on Joanne’s break-up with her ex-fiancé, Stan, and how to classify whatever this new thing is with Nate. Is he just a rebound? A prospective one-night stand? Or could it be something more? All I know is Nate proves time and time again throughout this book that chivalry is not dead, which means he’s definitely worth a roll or two in the sheets.

An Interesting Line

Nate definitely likes Joanne, and is drawn to her quirky character, but he also doesn’t want to take advantage of her recent break-up. The author did an amazing job at creating a situation where there was a fine line between us rooting for Joanne to rip off Nate’s overalls, but also cautioning her to stop and think if this thing with Nate is actually going somewhere. All I know is that I wouldn’t stand a snowball’s chance in Bermuda of resisting his sexy trademark grin.

Lemme at Him!

Joanne’s ex-fiancé was a complete and total dick monkey. Not only did he cheat on her multiple times throughout their relationship, but he also blamed her for his unacceptable behavior. Why I oughta! In spite of his sordid past, Stan is trying his damnedest to win Joanne back. When we are first introduced to Joanne, she is obviously struggling emotionally to get over Stan, and Nate isn’t afraid to stand up for her if she needs it. However, as Nate shows Joanne how she should be treated by a man, she has no problem confronting Stan all her own. Yeah! She gets up in his face, yells, screams, punches and slaps him repeatedly, and I couldn’t be more proud of this chica.

I did like certain parts of the ending of this book, such as our lovely couple not rushing into things too quickly, but there was a suspenseful aspect which I thought was kind of weird. At one point, Nate is attacked by Stan, but he doesn’t report it to the police. When he arrives at the hospital where Joanne works, she quickly realizes what happened, and wants to run off and confront Stan right away. Nate cautions her against doing so, as he doesn’t want her to go looking for a fight. Dude! This asshole just attacked you with a tire iron! Forget about looking for a fight, tell her she shouldn’t go because she could wind up dead! Overall though, a fun read.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Stand-alone

Should you read it? Why not? It’s funny, Nate is a sexy working class gentleman, and it won’t take you too long to finish.

Smut Level: There are a lot of smoldering looks, and even a little begging involved, before we get to the good stuff.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $0.99 Kindle Price. Self-Published. 88 pages.

The Billionaire Claims the Reporter by Elanna Reese

First of all, this short novella might just have one of the best names ever for a lead male character. Demetri Awerbuch. Awerbuch! I can’t help but say it with a heavily pronounced and over-the-top German accent.

What’s it About? 

Gabbie is tasked with writing an expose about the high and mighty visiting BDSM clubs. She sets her target on one Demetri Awerbuch, a man who buys and sells multi-billion dollar businesses without a blink of the eye. But what happens when Demetri decides he wants Gabbie for his own? The young reporter is pushed and pounded by the demanding businessman. He teachers her about obedience, control, and punishing consequences. Gabbie drips from the pleasure Demetri decides to give her. He brings her to the edge again and again. Playing her body like it’s just another one of his toys.

First Impressions

First and foremost, there were a lot of glaring grammar issues throughout this novella. There were missing words, the use of hear instead of here, references to his and her were mixed up, and a plethora of other blunders which honestly made for a very distracting read. As for the storyline, the premise was interesting at first. Gabbie is researching the BDSM lifestyle, bumps into Demetri at a party, they exchange numbers, meet up for an interview, and I was intrigued to see what would happen next. But that’s when things got a little weird.

Say What Now? 

Infiltrating the darkest depths of a BDSM club can be challenging, but Gabbie has the best possible billionaire resource to answer all of her questions. There’s just one problem, he’ll only agree to the interview if he can play with her. That…sounds a lot like extortion. Well, if not extortion, then whatever the hell it is certainly isn’t professional activity for a reporter to engage in.

Something else which frustrated me about this novella, aside from the grammar issues, was that there seemed to be a scene missing from the time she gives Demetri her number at the party to when they meet for the interview. Everything seems to be going fine, but then he expresses how upset he is with her, disappointed even, and that she has to be punished. Turns out she was supposed to wear particular clothing to this interview, which she did, but she wasn’t supposed to wear panties, which she did. We were never told though that this extra conversation had happened, as it was heavily implied they hadn’t had any further communication from the time they met at the party until the interview. Definitely not the case!

Not Comfortable With This

Most of you know that I’m not a huge fan of BDSM in general. I never understood the whole pain versus pleasure argument, and I sure as shit will never refer to a man as “Master”. That’s just not gonna happen. But I’ll give a new BDSM book a try every now and again. However, this novella incorporated an element that I really didn’t care for: fear. And it wasn’t a fear of her feelings for this man. No, it was an apparent fear of the man himself. At one point in the story when Gabbie is being tied down to his bed, she thinks about how he might hurt her, and nobody even knows where she is. I’m sorry, but if you’re starting to worry that others don’t know where you are as a man is restraining you, that’s when you need to get the hell out of there.

There’s a lot of dirty/filthy talk in this one extended bedroom scene, and Demetri seems exceedingly rough with Gabbie, to the point where she feels used when all is said and done. That’s…not okay. Not that I’m a BDSM expert or anything, far from it, but a recurring theme in most BDSM novels is that the power is actually all in the hands of the submissive by being able to stop the scene at anytime with their safe word. There are no safe words in this book, and it seemed like Demetri’s goal was to take away as much of Gabbie’s power as possible, and simply use her body for his own pleasure. Not my cup of tea.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: The Billionaire Claims series, book 1.

Should you read it? It only takes about 20 minutes to read, but this was a whole other level of BDSM that I’m personally not very comfortable with. Proceed with caution.

Smut Level: Excessive.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. LBD Books, 34 Pages.

Have a Little Faith by Michele Solano

This book made me want to visit Wyoming. That’s saying something! Up until now I’ve always thought of Wyoming as one of those square-shaped states somewhere in the middle of the US. Also, can we all just sit and appreciate the cover art for a moment. Ah. Okay, thanks, moving on.

What’s it About? 

Alexandra Orsini loved her life in Seattle. Owner of her own financial advisory firm, enjoying all of the spoils the city has to offer, the last place she expected to be was on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. But when her mentor calls in a favor to ask her to help out his oldest friends save their ranch called Michaels Mob, she simply can’t say no. Alex was ready to help a failing business, was ready for the challenge of the mid-western countryside, but she was not ready for Clayton Michaels. An angry cowboy, and father of two, seems hellbent on saving his ranch on his own. He got his family into this mess, and he’s too proud to let anyone help him, let alone some big city accountant who knows nothing of life on a ranch. Urban passion meets country pride in this story of family, devotion, and love. Can the cowboy get out of his own way to let the city girl help him? Will the fire that ignites between these two burn bright enough to save the Michaels Mob, or will it burn it to the ground?

First Impressions

Alright, Clay is almost too talented. He used to be a well-known bull rider, he can sing, play the guitar, sculpt with metal, and is an amazing lover. He’s also a loving father, and a cowboy. However, he isn’t perfect! He might just be one of the moodiest male characters I’ve ever come across. He has a crazy temper, pouts like a 6-year-old, doesn’t share his feelings, and either wants to fight or have sex when he gets all riled up. That’s a recipe for some intense sex scenes right there, that’s what that is.

How About…

The absolute best part of this book was Clay’s kids, Colt and Cam. They are so freakin’ adorable I think my biological clock actually thought about ticking. Cam especially was a delight with his constant negotiating to get his way by employing the phrase, “Okay, but how about…”, you sing one more song, she stays just a bit longer, etc.

Clay’s kids may have been adorable, but his relationship with Alex was pretty frustrating. They really butted heads at first, and he’s so stubborn in not wanting to accept any of her help after he made such a stupid mistake to get the family’s ranch in trouble. Not only did his moods fluctuate, but so did Alex’s strength. At first she shied away from Clay’s temper, but then she decided to stand up to him; she’d have a panic attack over a corrupt businessman foiling her attempts to save the ranch in one scene, but then call the Feds on him in the next. Towards the end of the novel she even broke down and begged on her knees for Clay not to leave her. Come on woman! Channel your inner Amazonian, and be someone we can all look up to.

A Fizzling Intensity

The arrival of city-girl Alex on a Wyoming ranch was pretty interesting, and the end of the novel was quite dramatic to the point where I got fidgety wondering what was going to happen. The middle though was a bit boring at times. Probably had something to do with Alex and Clay having the exact same repetitive and rambling arguments over and over again. Let’s move on people! The end does get pretty intense as outside forces meddle with Alex and Clay’s attempts to save the ranch. Everything sort of builds up to a point where you wonder whether good or evil will prevail, and then things just kind of fizzle out into nothing. I was expecting some kind of big final climax or confrontation, but it never really comes.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Michaels’ Mob series, book 1. If book 2 follows Clay’s best friend Jace I will definitely give it a try. I have a feeling that man is a walking sex fiend.

Should you read it? It was definitely an interesting story, as you wonder how they’ll be able to save the ranch, and if Alex will give up her city life for Clay and his boys. It was frustrating at times though when Clay kept trying to push Alex away.

Smut Level: Their 1st sex scene was by far the best. They are in the middle of a heated argument, screaming at each other, when their passion ignites. After that they have some mild love scenes which aren’t described in too much detail.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Self-Published. 358 Pages.

The Book vs. the Movie: Which is Better?

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post concerning one of the greatest debates of our age: e-reader vs. physical book. People have some very firm opinions on which they believe is better, which made me think of another great debate which has been around for decades. Which is better, the book or the movie?

I feel like the general consensus you always hear is that the book is usually better than the movie. Oddly enough, although I am a book lover through and through, I’ve found that I tend to like the movies better than the books. In fact, I oftentimes like to see the movie first, so that when I finally get around to reading the book I can have a clearer picture in my mind of what is actually happening. Below are a few examples of when I found the movie to be vastly superior to the written word.

1. The Shawshank Redemption

What a movie! This is one of those films that when I’m flipping through the channels and it’s on, I can never turn away. Sure, I’ve seen it about 50 times, but each time is as captivating an experience as the time before. Maybe it’s the soothing tone of Morgan Freeman’s voice that I simply can’t turn away from. Anyway, I remember how excited I was when I finally downloaded the book to my Kindle, thinking I’d be able to enjoy the wonderfulness from the movie in written form. What a freakin’ disappointment! I think it’s Stephen King’s writing style that I just can’t stand. It’s so simplistic. With short sentences. And little description. As though a third grader wrote it. In this instance, my vote goes to the movie being better than the book.

2. The Princess Bride

A classic for anyone from my generation. Whenever I meet someone who is my age, and they haven’t seen this movie my mouth drops open in general horror and confusion. I also tend to question the parenting skills of said person’s parental units. I watched this movie all throughout my childhood, and when I finally discovered it was a book I purchased it right away, only to be bored at the endless description of irrelvant activities, and the lack of dry humour present in the film. Once again, the movie wins in my opinion.

3. Forrest Gump

I used to hate this movie when I was younger, but I’ve discovered a newfound apprecition for it as an adult. Tom Hanks is a chameleon of wonderfulness. I never knew it was based on a book, and it was another one I jumped at the chance to read. The result? Hands down one of the worst books I’ve ever read in my life. I don’t even know how they managed to adapt the drivel that was that piece of crap into an award winning film, but they did. I mean, did you know that in the book, Forrest saves Mao Zedong from drowning in a river, goes into space with a monkey, then crash lands in the middle of Africa, having to escape from cannibals? What in the actual f*ck? Life certainly is a box of chocolates, because you never know when you’re gonna come across a book that makes absolutely no sense. Even if you aren’t a fan of the movie, I have a feeling you’ll think of it as a golden piece of art after reading the book.

4. The Notebook

Before I saw this movie, all I heard from everyone was how amazing the book was, and that the movie didn’t come close to it’s awesomeness. I’m sorry, but in the film you get to see Ryan Gosling strip naked, and have sex with Rachel McAdams up against a wall. In the book all you get is a sex scene between two 80 year-olds with wrinkly skin. No question, movie wins. Moving on.

So those are the movies which come to my mind first when advocating in this epic debate that movies can in fact be better than the books on which they are based. That being said, there are exceptions to every rule.

1. Gone with the Wind

The movie is amazing. The book is amazing. In my mind, it’s a tie.

2. The Hunger Games

When I tried to think back on all the books I’ve read which have been adapted into a film, this was the only one I could think of where I liked the book better than the movie. However! That doesn’t mean I hated the movie. Far from it! I love me some Josh Hutcherson any day of the week. I just think it was difficult to adapt all of Katniss’s inner thoughts on screen. Let’s face it, the first book itself doesn’t have a whole ton of dialogue, which can be hard to make into an interesting movie, yet still stay true to the book.

3. Outlander

Ah, now we have a variation on this debate! Before, it was always about the book versus the movie. Now we have the TV series to consider. I feel like one of the more common reasons that people prefer the books over the movies is because there is so much more detail contained in the written version than in a 2 hour film. Adapting the book into a TV show with multiple episodes in one season is a clever way to workaround that previous restriction. When it comes to this series in particular, I personally enjoy the TV series just as much as the book. Looks like another tie!

Well there you go! From personal experience it looks like I tend to side with the movie over the book version. I’m sure you all have some examples of when you preferred the one over the other, and I’d love to hear them! Feel free to share in the comment section. Let the debate begin!!