Search Results : label/EmmaRae » Romancing the Book

Review: Fool for Love anthology

 anthology, EmmaRae, review, romance, Rose that Rules All  No Responses »
Mar 232012
 

Fool for Love: Fooling Around\Nobody's Fool\Fools Rush In
Fool for Love by Various Authors
Release Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: Harlequin Special Release
Page Count: 277
Source: Purchased for pleasure

This April 1, anything is possible…

Dare to desire…

When Lena Walsh is handed a challenge to find the hottest guy she knows and take him out for an unusual date, she sets her sights on the office Adonis, Andre Dumont. But when silly turns to steamy, she doesn’t know whether to laugh–or cry out his name….

FOOLING AROUND by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Dare to deceive…

Eric McDaniels hatches up a prank he’s sure will thaw boss Kate Randall’s icy-cool exterior–inventing a secret admirer. That is, until Kate’s frosty facade melts just enough to reveal way more heat than Eric can handle….

NOBODY’S FOOL by Stephanie Bond

Dare to discover…

Thanks to a radio gag, Mark Lavin and Claire O’Connor find themselves “engaged”–even though they don’t know each other! But when Mark and Claire try to prove otherwise, they find that the chemistry between them is far from funny….

FOOLS RUSH IN by Judith Arnold


Review:  I laughed through the whole first story! Lena has to do a dare, and she and Andre have been circling each other for months, both interested but neither brave enough to approach. When Lena launches her fabulous date, they’re both dazzled and up for anything. I think Andre is my favorite male character in ages, I know you’ll get a kick out of him. They both want to impress each other so badly, and try to do it honestly, and it’s just hilarious to watch the night unfold. I won’t give anything away. Just read it. I’ve never read any other Vicki Lewis Thompson book, but this book moved her to the top of my list. The first story is why the anthology earned 5 stars for me, too.

I love everything Stephanie Bond writes. Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t really get into her story, after such a great start with Fooling Around. I didn’t like the prank Eric was planning, and I think it just made me not want to read it. After a quick break, though, I picked it up again. It’s still funny, witty, and hot as Stephanie Bond usually is. The second half of the story I enjoyed a lot more.

Mark and Claire’s story was pretty terrific, too, by another author I’ve never read. This one had a lot more potential than was written, but it still rounds out the anthology nicely. I just wish she’d done more with it. Mark was pretty serious for Boston Bachelor, and if he’d let loose a little the book could have had a lot more laughs. But I absolutely adored the ending, which made the story for me.

Favorite Quote: “Unless Kate wore something incredibly sexy, like a burlap sack.” ~Stephanie Bond

Purchase Links






Review: The Mercenary Way by Tory Richards

 EmmaRae, erotica, Lovely Rose, review  1 Response »
Mar 162012
 

2012
The Mercenary Way by Tory Richards
Release Date: February 1, 2012
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Page Count: 50000 words/281 KB
Source: provided by publisher for review

Kidnapped and imprisoned, Sarah Reynolds needs all the help she can get–but soldier-of-fortune Clint Becker is just a different kind of danger.

When a ruthless gem smuggler mistakes Sarah for her best friend Susan, she’s kidnapped and stashed on an island. Her only hope of rescue is Susan’s cousin Clint–a man whose my-way-or-else attitude is as infuriating as his muscular body is distracting.

Clint, ex-Navy SEAL turned mercenary, desperately needs a vacation. Rescuing a kidnapped woman from an island paradise isn’t what he had in mind. And when he encounters Sarah’s sassy mouth and tempting ways, he soon realizes he’s the one in trouble.

Clint and Sarah elude her captors, but there’s no escaping the attraction sizzling between them. With danger pursuing them, they have to learn to work together. But can an opinionated florist and a rugged mercenary ever find common ground?


Cover notes / Warnings: graphic sex

Review:  This was an excellent romp through the jungle! Sarah enters the scene fighting mad. Clint is the cold mercenary sent to fetch her. I loved how they both stayed that way. Formula would have Clint turning all mother hen and protective, admiring her strength and resolve in this dangerous situation. Nope. Both stay true to their characters and fight the whole way through. Clint may be amused by her sass, but he’s also truly pissed she’s going to get him killed. It’s refreshing!

The chemistry for most of the book was excellent. I thought it was a little much and too intense for so early in the book while they’re getting shot at, but that’s just the beginning. That and a few minor inconsistent scenes and typos, along with bad research (see below) knocked off a star. Other than that, I had no complaints. The action of the book keeps it moving and I love the sparks between them. The conversation is lively and entertaining.

And I must say… I absolutely adored the ending! I hope you will, too. But one thing I must say before I go…

Health Bonus just for you, and why this book was almost rated two stars: Go ahead and drink a shot of snake venom. You’ll be fine, though it’s not recommended. But consider: Millions of bacteria live in your mouth and on your skin. All five liters of your blood pump through your ENTIRE body every minute. You cannot possibly lance a bite and suck out the venom, which has already spread through your entire system by the time you think to do so. You will, however, slice open your protective skin, allowing bacteria from said skin and your mouth and your knife to make the wound a hundred times worse. Don’t touch it. Go to a hospital.

Forgive Clint, who obviously should have known this, and enjoy the story.

Purchase Links






Review: Back to Life by Emma Hillman

 EmmaRae, erotica, review, Rose that Rules All  1 Response »
Mar 122012
 

Back to Life
Back to Life by Emma Hillman
Release Date: November 2, 2011
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Page Count: 21000 words/178 KB
Source: provided by publisher for review

Sara knows she should regret having sex with Jared, her former brother-in-law. But their erotic encounter is the best thing that’s happened to her all year. Thanks to his heady kisses and clever fingers, he’s made her feel alive again, and she can’t help but yearn for more.Jared has been waiting for this moment for months. Finally Sara sees him as more than a former in-law. He’s a man in love and not afraid to show it, determined to give her everything she needs, in and out of the bedroom.Their blossoming relationship isn’t to everybody’s liking. With insecurities rising and tempers igniting, Sara and Jared will have to decide what’s more important, making everyone else happy…or making each other happy.


Warnings: graphic sex, anal play
Review: This novella was incredible. I tend to only skim blurbs to avoid spoiling the book, and here I was surprised to find an emotionally charged novella with a widow falling into a relationship with her dead husband’s brother. The story picks up the morning after their encounter, and they both dive right back into each other. I expected it to be purely physical since they both agree they want a no-strings affair…then at the end they’d profess their undying love and live happily ever after. But right away, powerful emotions help set this book on fire. This was so much more than an erotic quickie.

It was amazing is how the author put so much feeling into it. Everything was woven together so effortlessly, Emma Hillman is at the top of my list right now. Most novellas don’t go into character development and building a relationship, but she skips nothing here. Nothing was overdramatic, and friends and family’s reactions to them moving on together was simply and exquisitely done and will bring tears to your eyes. Short books like this tend to focus on one or two “issues” over and over again, but Emma touches on many things, sorts them out beautifully and doesn’t leave you feeling like you want to smack the characters and tell them to get over it.

This book has everything: family, chemistry, romance, sex, and lots of love. Buy with confidence, you will love it!

Purchase Links






Review: Xavier’s Loving Arms by KT Grant

 EmmaRae, erotica, review, Rose that Rules All  No Responses »
Mar 092012
 


Xavier’s Loving Arms by KT Grant
Release Date: December 29, 2011
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company
Page Count: 71000 words / 343 KB
Source: provided by publisher for review

Xavier Marks has the looks, great job, and more than enough money to throw around. The only thing missing is a woman by his side. He hasn’t had much luck in love since he caught his fiancée’ cheating on him, and isn’t too happy about his current bachelor status. But that may all change when a cute barista from a coffee shop catches his eye. Perhaps she can help him lick his wounds?

Life hasn’t always been too kind to Rebecca Price. She hides a shameful secret that still threatens to destroy her. With a grandmother suffering from dementia, and the threat of foreclosure on her childhood home, she may have no choice but to turn to a possessive ex-boyfriend who won’t settle for anything less than marriage. She’s ready to give up all hope when a suave, yet seemingly kind-hearted man enters her life and comes to her rescue.

Rebecca is wary of placing her trust in Xavier, who wants to be more than a shoulder for her to lean on. But as the two grow close, Rebecca’s guilt over her past continues to haunt her. Xavier wants to show Rebecca that the one place she can feel whole and at peace is in his loving arms.


Cover notes / Warnings: graphic sex
Review:  Wow. Just…wow. I read this cover to cover in just a few hours. Well…maybe more than a few–I just don’t want to dwell on all the stuff I didn’t get done tonight because I couldn’t put it down.

I’ve read several books dealing with weight issues, and they always seemed a bit off and inconsistent with reality. KT Grant dug to the heart of the struggles people face when they have body image or eating problems, which I do know about, if not this specific problem. You will laugh, cry, and feel hope and devastation along with the characters as they stumble their way to the happy ending.

The book is related to others, because we meet Mollie and Suzy from previous KT Grant books. This is my first book from her, though, and I think this book stands on its own even though I dislike reading books out of order. Xavier is a big part of Suzy’s book, so I do wish I’d read that one first. It’s next on my list of books to read.

Characters are often at opposite ends of the wealth spectrum, but Becky was just so much more realistic than most I’ve read. Her ex-boyfriend starts out as the perfect gentleman, and I liked him a lot more than Xavier at first sight. I even hope he finds love and gets his own book somewhere down the line. Xavier is a down to earth rich guy who works hard, and you can’t help but love a guy so close with his family.

This book is deep and rich with feeling. I recommend it to everyone who appreciates a little angst (not dramatics) before getting to the happy ending. Oh… and I saw one bookstore had it rated three flames. Umm… no. Five flames, people. If you don’t like erotica, leave it alone. If you like sex made hotter by chemistry and feeling, enjoy!

 
Purchase Links






Review: Something Different by Maureen O. Betita

 EmmaRae, Lovely Rose, review, romance  2 Responses »
Mar 022012
 

Something Different
Something Different by Maureen O. Betita
Series: 1 Night Stand series
Release Date: September 5, 2011
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Page Count: 11000 words
Source: provided by publisher for review

“…We women, we know the truth of love and the human heart. He will mourn me, dearest Evangeline. But as this illness steals my time with him, I want to leave him with hope. This dating service you run…when you feel he is ready, find him a woman, Eve. Find him someone different so that he doesn’t look for me in her eyes.

Show him my letter, so that he knows I want this for him with all my heart. Our children will follow your lead. He will resist, but you must be firm. Use all you know to bring love back into his life.

My days are numbered, the drugs ease my pain. Help my Aaron to heal from his.

Yours in spirit, Maria Consuelo Castillo”

He read the letter and slid into the chair at the family meeting. With a shudder, he met his son’s eyes and sighed. They all watched him, waiting. She wanted this? His beloved wife, gone three years? It was a useless gesture, but he wouldn’t deny the attempt. One date, to satisfy Maria. But that was all. He swore it.


Review:  All of a sudden, I’m getting all these little 50 pagers which are awesome! This one’s a bit too expensive for me, though.

I started seeing these “One Night Stand” books around, but didn’t really have a lot of interest. The series name made it sound like an impersonal erotic quickie. It was anything but! This is the first one I’ve read, and though it did imply the books are related, at least this one stood on its own. I wouldn’t rate it any more graphic than a typical Harlequin Romance. The story doesn’t waste time with preamble. Read the blurb, because it’s not repeated in the story.

I loved BOTH of these characters. I got the book because I loved Hannah’s List (Debbie Macomber) and wanted to see if someone else could write a similar story. I was nervous when I found the girl’s name was Hannah… but the story quickly swept me away from any defense of Debbie’s story. You can feel the sadness with the characters, but it won’t make you cry like Hannah’s List. It fills you with hope for the future after a rough patch of life.

Unsure heroes are wonderful to read. Aaron is still mourning his dead wife, yet he sees things in Hannah that stir him against his will and throw him for a loop. Hannah is confident in herself and her life, yet lonely. I loved the glimpses of a supporting cast which is never seen, and you can feel how much Aaron’s family loves him. I can’t go into why I loved the book much more than that. It’s short, and anything I say would spoil it.

Purchase Links






Review: Going All In by Sky Robinson

 contemporary, EmmaRae, erotica, review, romance, Rose in Bloom  No Responses »
Feb 262012
 


Going All In by Sky Robinson
Release Date: December, 28 2011
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Page Count: 30
Source: provided by publisher for review

When Colin Fredrickson runs into the girl he loved and lost ten years ago, he knows he has to have her back. She says she won’t have sex until after marriage. So Colin does the only thing that will get Liberty in his bed and back in his life for good–he goes all in.

Liberty James is in Vegas for a bachelorette party when she runs into her high school flame in the casino bar. She had never stopped loving Colin, and now he proposes marriage to show her just how serious he is. Her body burns for Colin and she says yes to a quickie Vegas marriage. Things turn especially hot when it’s time to consummate the marriage–can they even wait until they get back to the honeymoon suite?


Cover notes / Warnings: graphic sex
Review:  This was a great quickie. It’s short (and a little pricey for 7000 words) but I enjoyed it. Forced apart by distance, Colin and Liberty loved each other in high school and ten years later the chemistry and feelings are still there at first sight. Liberty didn’t make a lot of sense… she didn’t want to casual sex without marriage because she wanted to be sensible. So marrying a guy, though she’s not a virgin anymore, an hour after seeing him again for the first time in ten years is a contradiction.

But Colin is adorable and I did enjoy the rest of the story. It’s funny seeing Liberty all “frizzled” by a guy she’s just run into again. You get the sense she’s usually very grounded, and Colin frizzles her brain. The conversation is light and funny, and though you don’t get to see what happens when they try to make a marriage work living in two cities, you know the characters love each other enough to compromise and make it work. The author packs a lot of heat into 30 pages, and the chemistry pops.

Purchase Links






Review: Maya’s Vacation by Rebecca Farrell

 EmmaRae, romance, Rose that Rules All  1 Response »
Feb 262012
 

Maya's Vacation by Becca Gomez Farrell
Maya’s Vacation by Rebecca Farrell
Release Date: March 28, 2011
Publisher: Astraea Press
Page Count: 50
Source: Provided by publisher for review

Twenty-year-old Maya knew as she watched Dean walk away from her front door distraught at her silence and her father’s threats, that she would never love anyone with the intensity that she loved him. He was her painter, her artist, her soulmate and being apart from him hurt too much. She tucked those feelings away, determined to enjoy the safe and secure life her parents approved of: business school and a marriage to Chuck, a successful real estate agent.

Thirty years later, Chuck has cheated on and divorced her. But when he comes back, begging for reconciliation, Maya takes a vacation to think it over. Her love of art, food, and wine combine at this retreat in the woods, and she prepares for a week of making new friends, tasting exquisite wines, and learning to paint again. What she hasn’t prepared for is the familiar voice she hears the first morning at camp…a voice that makes her skin tingle and brings back memories of who she was before Chuck. Has Maya buried her passion too deep to find love with Dean again?


Review:  Definitely worth the buck or so for this little novella. Go ahead and judge the book by the cover. The two characters are both painters, and so is Rebecca Farrell. I’m not putting a “favorite quote” because I want you to discover the beautiful imagery in this book for yourself. I’m not usually big on descriptions or scenery, and this story doesn’t overdo it, but what is there is superbly written. Calibre tagged this novella as “Christian” when I added it. It’s not, but it’s perfectly clean with just the right amount of chemistry.

The story is mostly from Maya’s point of view, and has an excellent supporting cast. You just know Chuck is a slimy user trying to wiggle his way back into Maya’s life, and he wouldn’t be good for her at all. Dean hasn’t been pining for thirty years, and brings his own hurts to the woods. I wish we’d had some more from Dean’s point of view. I like that nothing is perfect and smooth and clear-cut. There’s regret and sadness, but it’s not the focus of the story and that’s fresh. It’s nice to know romance is still alive at fifty, and there’s always room for second chances.

Purchase Links






Review: At Their Command by Scarlett Sanderson

 EmmaRae, erotica, review, Rosebud  No Responses »
Feb 242012
 

At Their Command by Scarlett Sanderson
Release Date: December 14, 2011
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Page Count: 42
Source: provided by publisher for review

All Hope wants for Christmas is Ethan St. Claire. She’s had a thing for him since high school, when he was the bad boy and she was the class geek. Now she’s older, wiser…and dying of sexual frustration. Fantasies of having Ethan and his best friend Dominic at the same time drive her wild with unsated lust.

Ethan has always loved Hope, and he’s finished waiting for her to realize they’re meant for each other. He’s taking command and giving Hope exactly what she needs. If she’s nice, he’ll give her a sexy spanking. If she’s naughty, he and Dominic will double her pleasure as an extra-lusty Christmas treat.


Warnings: graphic sex, menage
Review: I’m starting to think there needs to be two categories of 5 flame erotica. Some people might like this style of book, but it’s not for me. I decided to check out some reviews for this and found only ratings without comments, so I can’t tell why they liked it. I was really looking forward to this quickie. Two alpha-male mechanics and a school teacher… great premise. Just not well done.

The language is graphic and raunchy, which isn’t always bad; but it’s also repetitive, crass, and boring. The story was inconsistent with actions, buildup/flow, and characters. The characters are supposed to be old friends, but I didn’t see it or feel anything deeper between them. There is a threesome encounter, but Dominic was just a handy male outline with a quick, unimaginative role. I’m not against erotica without the chemistry and emotions, but this was just unimpressive in romance or the attempt at hot sex.

 
Purchase Links






Review: All Other Things by Charlotte Stein

 EmmaRae, erotica, Lovely Rose, review  No Responses »
Feb 102012
 

All Other Things
All Other Things by Charlotte Stein
Release Date: September 21, 2011
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Page Count: 91
Source: provided by publisher for review

Bea’s husband Tommy is the sweetest, most gorgeous guy she’s ever met. There’s just one problem–he doesn’t seem to want to have sex with her. Or at least, he shows no interest in the kind of sex she’s craving. Kinky, torrid, passion-filled sex, of the sort a too-handsome and too-fascinating colleague at her workplace is offering.Kieran is everything that Tommy’s not–dark to his light, triple caramel swirl to Tommy’s vanilla. But Bea will not be tempted. Or at least, she thinks she won’t. Until she discovers Tommy and Kieran have been IMing each other for some time–and they haven’t been talking about innocent things.They’ve been talking about her, and more importantly, they’ve been talking about what they’d like to do to her. Together. And once Tommy’s buttons have been pushed and Kieran’s been let off his leash, anything seems possible…


Review:  Once again I think it’s 20 pages too short, but I loved this novella. Almost five stars, but not quite. This story will set fire to your ereader in all the right ways. The characters are a little off sometimes…which is why I want the 20 more pages. I wanted to see more of Tommy and Bea’s motivations, and Kieran was a little off balance. But who cares! This book did get into the heads of the characters and I loved it. Tommy is adorable. Kieran is sex on legs. Bea is caught in the middle. Pay attention to the graphic sex warning, because this one is down and dirty. Tommy, Kieran and Bea make the perfect trio, and I was so disappointed when it ended.

Favorite Quote:  When he was being silent and not replying, just shrugging his shoulder to all her questions: “Again with the shrug. She could have killed his left shoulder.” I thought it was funny.  :)

Purchase Links






Review: Oh Holly Night by Stacy Dawn

 Christmas, EmmaRae, Lovely Rose, review  No Responses »
Jan 272012
 


Oh Holly Night by Stacy Dawn
Series: Christmas in Noelle
Release Date: December 8, 2011
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Page Count: 129
Source: provided by publisher for review

Helping out in hope of reaping a veterinarian partnership, Dr. Holly Night winds up in her own version of a Christmas nightmare–Santa Claus, reindeer games, babies born in a stable. Raised in a family that didn’t “do” Christmas–or family–she is unprepared for a town filled with an overwhelming holiday spirit. Add in a handsome mechanic who finds amusement in her obvious misery, and not only is her patience tested, but unexpectedly, her belief as well.

Amusement isn’t the only thing Rev Johnston feels for the pretty doctor or her situation; he’s been the outsider before and knows how hard it can be. Having been abandoned one too many times before, he isn’t about to let himself fall for someone who can’t wait to get out of town.

Can the magic of Christmas, with a little help from Santa Claus, heal these two hearts before it’s too late?


Review:  Starting to have trouble with stars… I was going to go with three stars, but at $3 and 130 pages, I do recommend this if you want some Christmas myth and happiness. This novella was adorable. I loved the characters. I think I am too much like Holly, so I just didn’t like the town that much…too Christmassy. I didn’t care for Santa and I didn’t jump up to read previous stories in the series. Aside from Santa, the supporting characters jumped off the page and made me laugh. The dialogue is terrific and moves quickly. Though it was this fantastic Christmas town, everything was realistic and tangible. Sparks fly between Holly and Rev from the beginning, but it’s not an erotic novel and safe for all ages.

Purchase Links






 Older Entries