Hate Me, Take Me is most certainly a Contemporary Romance, but I hesitate to call it a Romantic Comedy. Both stories have their amusing moments, more so in the second book than the first, but there were too many serious issues for me to consider either story a comedy. Jenna and Michael's story, especially, deal with some pretty dark topics. The scenes with the dogs were cute and the pair did find themselves in some interesting situations, but not so much on the funny. I felt more sorry for Jenna than amused by her. Tristan and Aria's tale is much lighter and the interactions between Tristan and Cade were absolutely adorable. There are a few chuckles in this second part of the book, especially where young Cade is involved.
That being said, both stories are very well-written and the pacing and writing style kept me interested and turning pages. I did find Tristan and Aria's tale the more enjoyable of the two, but both stories were engaging and well worth reading. While I may not share the author's idea of what is and isn't comedy, she is talented and I would most certainly read her work again.

I want to give this book more than four stars. It deserves more than four stars. For the writing. However, since I'm reviewing the book as a whole, I feel like I have to give it four stars.

Let me get the bad stuff out of the way. Plainly put, the stories are done a disservice when read in the order in which they're presented. When Take Me is read after Hate Me, several things occur.

1. The book (as a whole) ends abruptly, when - if read the other way round - it would have more of a "finished" feel.
2. The main characters in the second story are mentioned frequently in the first one, and it alludes to their HEA. I would've liked to have read that first instead of having it "spoiled".
3. Tristan's financial situation isn't fully explained... how does he become "Florida's Bill Gates" when he's still struggling at the end of Take Me?
4. There are NO mentions of the first story's couple in Take Me, which becomes disconcerting after all the mentions in Hate Me.
5. Unrelated to the story sequence, there were a few loose threads left hanging, and I would've liked to see them tied up. Tabby's story (her trauma), Aria's Divorce, Tristan's money situation, Michael/Tabby/Jenna wrap-up, to name a few

So, with that in mind, I couldn't justify 4.5 or 5-stars. That being said, the writing was impeccable, and I never lost interest in the book - characters, story, pacing, themes, etc. Thus the four stars.

Okay, so let's move on to the good stuff. :-)

Hate Me is about a guy who haplessly finds himself attracted to his sister's "mean girl" frenemy. Okay, not so much the "fren" part. Michael has always firmly believed in the whole "Blood is thicker than water" thing, so Jenna should be totally off-limits. But there are two sides to every story, and hers is pretty compelling.

Jenna's life spiralled for a while after a tragedy plunged her into self-hatred and shame. She became someone else, someone that walled off her old crowd, so she became one of the mean girls. It just kinda happened. But when she was away from them, her life was very different. Jenna had a side that wasn't mean at all. And that's the side that Michael fell for.
--------------------
In Take Me, Aria is returning home with her son, Cade. She'd never really gotten the life she wanted, and maybe this could be a fresh start. Although moving back in with her mother wasn't a dream come true, it was better than any other alternatives. She didn't count on Tristan though...

Who, in a weird twist of fate, was also back home. Taking care of his ailing father in exchange for a cut of the family business. Tristan gets a rude awakening when he finds out Aria is back, and with a kid in tow. When she got married, he severed all ties and declared a moratorium on all Aria-based news, so he had no clue what had happened to her in the years since they'd last seen each other.

Their attraction is stronger than ever, which leads to a deal that neither one of them wants to call off. Tristan finds himself deeper in Aria's orbit than he wants to be, and LIKING it.

-------------
I'm giving this duology four "Wednesday/Oscar" stars. :-)

 

 

 

QUICK AND DIRTY SERIES BOX SET

by Clare James

 

It’s quick. It’s Dirty. It’s insanely hot and hilarious.

 

Meant to be shaken, not stirred, this erotic tale features the combustible mixture of a kinky entrepreneur and a very curious city girl.

 

The Quick and Dirty Series is great for fans of The Cocktail Series by Alice Clayton and The Tangled Book Series by Emma Chase.

Praise for the Quick and Dirty Series:

 

"5 stars -Wow! This book was just amazing. The heat between Stevie and Gabe is fantastic, and the scenes between them are scorching." -Eat Sleep Read

 

"Ms. James uses Venus (the club) to engage all of the senses and I couldn't help but think that Stevie is one lucky bitch. Kudos, Ms. James, you've set a new daydream standard." - Love Between the Sheets

 

"5 Stars. I love Clare James! She certainly knows how to write something that has the pages steaming and your panties melting! Actually...Gabe had my panties melting...more than once!"-Romance Addiction

 

"If you're into some hot erotic moments then you MUST read this. It kept me hot and bothered all the way thru it." -Books 2 Fashion

 

"5 Star Review- OMG, I devoured this book. Steamy and erotic doesn't fully describe the action that takes place under the sheets." -Rusty's Reading

 

"Wow Clare James knows how to bring the heat. Grab it today."-Stephanie's Book Report

 

Follow the release day blast on March 21st! Three grand prize winners will receive a receive a digital copy of a Clare James backlist title of their choosing (Open Internationally).

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

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About Quick and Dirty: Series Box Set:

 

Title: Quick and Dirty: Series Box Set

Author: Clare James

Genre: Erotic Romance, Romantic Comedy

Release Date: March 21, 2016

Publisher: Independent

Format: Digital eBook

 

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Are you ready to get dirty?

 

Then prepare yourself for one hot and hilarious romp through Chicago’s underground world of pleasure.

 

Gabe Shannon was a broken man healed by…er, let’s just say unconventional methods. Stevie Sinclair is a woman simply trying to get her sexy back. When they find each other, all sorts of hot hilarity ensues.

 

Join the two as they take a tour of Chicago’s underground world of pleasure and find out why thousands of readers have fallen in love with these magnetic characters and their very unusual romance.

 

Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

 

 

Read a quick Excerpt from Quick and Dirty Box Set:

 

This is different, we usually don’t scene. Not really. Even at the club, it was always just us – Stevie and Gabe. Stevie liked her kink with a wink and a smile. She didn’t take anything too seriously.

 

A slight warning bell goes off in my head because she’s resorted to doing a scene rather than talking to me. It’s not a piercing red-light alarm, just a caution that I should tread lightly. In my experience, role play was often used to get past deep-seeded issues. Or ways to ease anxiety and get what you needed sexually without having to come out and ask for it.

 

I can’t help that every one of these scenarios has me a little unnerved.

 

I also can’t help the need I have to give her whatever she desires. So regardless of the reason for this, I happily join in.

 

 

 

 

 

Books in the Quick and Dirty Series:

 

 

 

DIRTY LITTLE LIES:

 

 

Twenty-nine-year-old Stevie Sinclair has just lost everything: her boyfriend, her apartment, even her ugly bird named Free. (Yeah, she knows it’s a stupid name, so don’t start.) But most importantly, Stevie’s lost herself.

 

As she shuffles through her days in worn-out Hello Kitty PJs—eating ice cream, sipping wine, and contemplating her next move—a magazine article catches her attention. Blaring black letters read: “How to Get Your Sexy Back in Six Easy Steps.”

 

Stevie studies the article in the trashy magazine like the good student she is and immediately knows what she has to do. With the magazine article in hand, and a bottle of red in her bag, Stevie embarks on a journey to reclaim her life and win back her ex.

 

Until she meets Gabe Shannon. Gorgeous, single, and on a quest of his own, Gabe introduces Stevie to a lifestyle that is sure to help get her sexy back and then some. If she doesn’t chicken out … (Oh, you know where this is going.)

 

Available at: Amazon

 

 

DIRTY LITTLE TRICKS:

In this second book in the Quick and Dirty Series, beloved characters Stevie Sinclair and Gabe Shannon navigate through the ups and downs of their grown-up—albeit kinky—relationship.

 

And while Stevie’s thoroughly enjoyed every mind-blowing sexperience with Gabe, she worries she’s not enough to keep him satisfied for the long term.

 

So it’s back to the drawing board for Stevie …

 

First stop?

 

Club Venus for the annual Halloween masquerade party.

 

What follows is one insanely hot and filthy night of mayhem where nobody is who they appear to be … ah, you get the idea.

 

Dirty Little Tricks is the seductive continuation of Stevie and Gabe’s story and the very beginning for one lucky couple at Club Venus.

 

Available at: Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

DIRTY:

 

Gabe Shannon has just been schooled … in the art of kink, that is.

 

After a heartbreaking loss, this broken man spins out of control until a whirlwind friendship with a stripper named Tash takes over his life.

 

With Tash at his side, the two embark on a crazy tour of Chicago’s underground world of pleasure. Yes, he’s gone into a deep, dark, and dirty (make that D.I.R.T.Y.) world that he never really knew existed. And surprisingly, he discovers he likes it. Quite a lot.

 

But the reserved entrepreneur soon realizes that hanging from the chandeliers every night is not all it’s cracked up to be. Well, it is … but it’d sure be a lot more fun if it meant something.

 

This erotic tale can be read as an introduction to the Bestselling Quick and Dirty Series, or to learn more about the gorgeous Gabe Shannon anytime during the series. DIRTY is not a mandatory read, but you may enjoy the series more after you roam around in Gabe’s head a bit.

 

DIRTY tells the story of how Gabe started exploring his dirty side, came to own Club Venus, and met the crazy beautiful Stevie Sinclair.

 

Available at: Amazon

 

 

 

About Clare James:

Clare James writes contemporary romance and new adult novels with spunky heroines and sexier-than-sin heroes. Her books have made several best-selling lists including the tender love stories in the Impossible Love series; the steamy romantic comedy Dirty Little Lies; and the touching family drama Wednesday. Her new title, Caught, is the first in a series about the women of Elite PR and their very naughty clients. It will be published with Entangled Publishing’s Brazen line in June 2015.

 

A former dancer, Clare still loves to get her groove on – mostly to work off her beloved cupcakes and red wine. She lives in Minneapolis with her two leading men – her husband and young son – and is always on social media chatting with readers.

 

Connect with Clare: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

 

 

 

 

Stevie Sinclair has lost everything, so she decides it’s time for a do-over. She decides to take the steps in a magazine article to reshape her life and get her ex-boyfriend back. During her journey she meets Gabe. He introduces her to a sexual side she didn’t know she had.

This book was pretty decent. There really wasn’t much in the way of surprises. Some scenes were pretty hot. I would read more from this author and recommend.

**I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review

Beebs' Review

 

Stevie and her boyfriend Max have been having problems and to top it all off she's just discovered he's cheating on her. While he's away on business she moves into a hotel with her bird Free until she decides what to do with herself now.

Fuelled up on ice cream and wine she reads a Cosmo six-step article and decides she needs to get her sexy back. In the hotel bar she meets Gabe and he offers to help her with her project.

Gabe is gorgeous, he's sweet, sexy and funny and pulls out all the stops to make Stevie happy. I loved Gabe, he brings Stevie to a sex club and she discovers what she's been missing in the bedroom. The relationship was a bit one-sided in my opinion, Gabe gave all while Stevie was always holding back.

I thought Stevie was shallow and immature, twice in this book she was let down by the men in her life and while I could understand her not wanting to talk to them, she didn't even listen to voice mails or read messages. There is a big misunderstanding near the end that could have easily been resolved if she had just listened to her messages.

Hot sex, some humour and a happy for now ending. Will I read the next.....probably.

*Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review