A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review at Seductive Musings.

After three stellar installments, NAUGHTY BITS has reached its climax, the moment when Madison and Logan finally reach the happy ending that we’ve been anticipating for them all along, and boy howdy, do they ever. As they continued their careful dance toward each other and a complete Dominant/submissive relationship, it was clear they both wanted what was ahead, but that rushing it would only end in ruin. Logan has had what seems like infinite patience with Madison as she has traveled so far already, knowing that she must choose him instead of accepting his claim without question the way she’s always done before. It’s with that in mind that Logan is ready to give her the one fantasy she’s always dreamed of, the one she dared not speak aloud until he gained her trust to understand her desire and make it happen. It’s the ultimate mind-blowing experience for Madison, and although her brain knows it’s just roleplay, her body reacts exactly as she’d anticipated, leaving her to deal with the realization that what she feels for Logan is true love. But does he feel the same, or has she waited too long to commit?

As much as I loved the first three parts of NAUGHTY BITS, THE HIGHEST BID is definitely my favorite, and not just because it contains the long awaited HEA. Madison has had years to expand and refine her greatest fantasy of being sold at auction to an attractive Dominant military man and being shared by him with his closest friends. And that’s what Logan has provided for her, including a preliminary setup to get her in the right state of mind, and the best possible aftercare. I marveled at his attention to the smallest possible details, yet never lost sight of his ultimate goal to make Madison his in full by the end of the evening. There was also quite a bit of symbolism involved in Madison’s experience, with numeric references to the mistakes she’d made in her past, and how they’d helped her see that what she had now was what she truly needed. For it’s not just the D/s relationship that Madison fully embraces by the end of THE HIGHEST BID, but also the knowledge that the only person she could ever accept as her Master is Logan, the man she loves and who loves her in turn. Their happy ending is a perfect cherry on the delicious cake that is NAUGHTY BITS and the only thing I didn’t like was that their story had to end. 


Ratings:

Overall: 5
Sensuality level: 4

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review at Seductive Musings.

OVER EXPOSED is the third book in Stephanie Julian’s excellent Salon Games series, with a hero and heroine who were both supporting characters in the previous book, NO RESERVATIONS. Greg Hicks is the best friend of Tyler Golden, co-owner of Haven, and the man chosen to join him and his beloved Kate in that hotel’s infamous Salon for their own private sexual games. Sabrina Rodriquez is both friend and employee of Tyler and Kate, using her brains and will to succeed, vowing never to blindly trust any man in the same way her mother always had . When our hero and heroine first met each other in NO RESERVATIONS, the sexual chemistry was instant and obvious to all. But it wasn’t until Greg retreated to Haven for some quiet time to finish his latest screenplay that Tyler and Kate were able to put Sabrina back in his path, with the not-so-subtle expectation that something more would come of it. Yet even as Greg and Sabrina succumb to their shared desire, neither one is certain that what they have found can survive once the storm that’s trapped them together has ended.

What I love about Stephanie Julian’s books is how she can keep me on the edge of my seat without resorting to easy ploys like evil ex-girlfriends or a madman on the loose. Greg and Sabrina already have enough obstacles to overcome after they finally act upon their sexual attraction that any additional fabrications for the sake of drama would be annoying. As the two of them move closer toward their HEA, there are multiple conflicts, both large and small, that they need to confront, not the least of which is Greg’s inevitable departure back to Hollywood and his all-consuming career there. But with each instance, they learn to trust each other more, so that by the time Sabrina and Greg enjoy their own Salon encounter, their romantic journey has reached its natural completion. Their realistic give and take as they become more adept at each other’s wants and desires are the best part of OVER EXPOSED and why it’s yet another solid entry in the Salon Games series.


Ratings:

Overall: 4
Sensuality level: 4

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review at Seductive Musings.

STRADDLING THE LINE is the eighth book in Jaci Burton’s popular Play By Play sports romance series, featuring a hero and heroine who briefly appeared as supporting characters in MELTING THE ICE, the story which takes place immediately before this one. Our hero, Trevor Shay, is a college buddy of other characters in the previous books. His heroine, Haven Briscoe, is the daughter of their beloved mentor who has recently died from liver cancer, leaving family and friends bereft. 

When Trevor discovers that Haven is going to abandon her new job as a national sports broadcaster after the death of her father, he vows to do whatever it takes to stop her from making such a huge mistake. Haven is surprised to find herself chosen by Trevor as the first person allowed into his daily life to document how he succeeds at playing both professional baseball and football, not realizing his hidden agenda to keep her from throwing away her career before it’s begun. But when Haven’s college crush on Trevor flares into a shared passion, it’s only a matter of time before she gets too close to what he’s kept from nearly everyone in his life. As much as Trevor may need Haven, he needs to protect his secret more, even if it means pushing her away completely. And now it’s Haven who needs to save Trevor from himself and a future without love.

For me, STRADDLING THE LINE clearly established its own identity in the Play By Play series without straying from its established sports romance formula, We got to see how professional baseball differs from professional football beyond what’s already obvious, and how their competing interests were a constant issue for Trevor, even as he continued to excel in both fields. Keeping both teams happy would be an herculean effort for anyone, yet the added strain of Trevor’s big secret didn’t appear to be as much of a problem as I would have expected under the circumstances. For yes, I did figure out what he was hiding fairly quickly, but that’s only because I’ve read a few other romances recently with the same plot twist, including one featuring another baseball player hero. Once I’d guessed Trevor’s secret, all the signs were there like big red flags, and although I tried not to hold it against the book for making it so obvious by the time of Trevor’s big reveal, I did find it all too convenient that Haven was uniquely qualified to help him not only face his problem but also work to help others in a similar situation. But with such an otherwise appealing hero and heroine, and all the familiar characters from the previous books making an appearance to help this latest couple along toward their own HEA, how could I not enjoy how it turned out in the end? It was also great to meet the new family of sports heroes who will be featured in future Play By Play books. This is a series that continues to prove itself worthy with every new installment, and STRADDLING THE LINE is no exception.

Ratings:

Overall: 4
Sensuality level: 3

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review at Seductive Musings.

I’d read STRANDED WITH A BILLIONAIRE when it was first released back in April 2013, but was eager to revisit it for this new re-release, and happy to see that my original reaction to it had not changed. This first book in the Billionaire Boys Club series not only sets up its premise well for the books yet to come, but also provides us with a hero and heroine who are more than a match for each other despite significant differences that would keep a less determined couple apart. 

After the death of his uncaring father and an ugly split with a gold-digging fiancée, billionaire Logan Hawkings was bitter about nearly everything except the deep ties he shared with his five best friends and fellow billionaires. At their most recent gathering, his friend Hunter shared news of an opportunity to invest in an island resort in the Bahamas, so Logan decided to visit the property himself to see if it was worth acquiring. He didn’t expect to be trapped in an elevator with a waitress from Kansas City just as a massive hurricane about to hit the island. And he certainly didn’t expect that woman to turn his outlook on life and love around completely once the storm that brought them together had passed.

Bronte Dawson was on the worst vacation ever, thanks to her so-called friend who dragged her to this crappy resort, only to abandon her when the storm was about to hit. Now all Bronte had standing between her and impending death was a bossy sort of fellow she assumed could only be the resort manager. Once the initial danger had passed, Bronte couldn’t help but notice how attractive this Logan guy could be when he wasn’t being rude. So why not take advantage of the situation to enjoy some hot sex with a good looking guy while they’re stuck here together? But when Logan’s friend Jonathan arrived to rescue them, inadvertently revealing Logan’s true identity, it was Bronte who wanted no part of a billionaire’s life, forcing Logan to earn her trust in him and his love for good.

STRANDED WITH A BILLIONAIRE is still one of my favorite books in the Billionaire Boys Club series, and the main reason is how light-hearted it manages to be even at the darkest moments in Logan and Bronte’s unlikely romance. When the tables are so quickly turned on Logan after Bronte discovers his lie of omission, it’s played for laughs as well as drama, and while Logan continues to do precisely the wrong things to get Bronte back in his life, it’s genuinely fun to see him get the attitude adjustment which he so richly deserves. After all, Bronte may just be a waitress at a Missouri sock hop diner, but she has a degree in Philosophy and a strong sense of self-worth that can’t and won’t be bought off by whatever obscene amounts of cash Logan is willing to throw around. Even when they face their darkest moment thanks to Logan’s misguided decision to test Bronte’s self-professed love, what follows isn’t entirely bleak, and the end result is a fully chastened and self-aware Logan who is truly worthy of Bronte and the happy ending they have earned together. In STRANDED WITH A BILLIONAIRE we also get to see more of the other 5 billionaires, including an intriguing setup for the next potential romance in the series. It’s a great start to the Billionaire Boys Club and one I wholeheartedly recommend.

Ratings:

Overall: 4
Sensuality level: 3

A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher for an honest review at Seductive Musings.

This review may contain spoilers for DISARM, the first book in this series. You should not try to read ARREST as a standalone, as it assumes you are already familiar with events of the previous book that are not always fully explained in this one.

I enjoyed reading June Gray’s DISARM romance novelettes after they were released as a full length book back in 2013, so when that book was acquired by a major publisher, I was happy that there would be two more books in the series. ARREST picks up where DISARM left off, with Henry and Elsie newly married and embarking on the rest of their Happily Ever After together. But just because they got past all their previous obstacles doesn’t mean that there aren’t new ones now that they are finally married. The primary source of their problems now is Henry’s new career as a law enforcement officer. It was bad enough when he was still in the US military and being sent into a war zone for months on end. Now Elsie has to worry about him every day and night, forever dreading a future where he doesn’t come home safely at the end of his scheduled shift. Their shared adjustment to this new reality, combined with his reaction to Elsie’s independent career as a web designer and the usual dips and bumps that happen in a marriage, constantly threaten their happiness even as they both know that they could never survive away from each other. The story of ARREST is how each crisis in Henry and Elsie’s marriage ultimately makes them stronger together, and better able to deal with whatever life throws at them next. But the journey isn’t easy and when Henry begins to rely on his old destructive coping mechanisms, it will take both of them working as hard as they can to get to the true happy ending they’d thought they already had on their wedding day.

As much as I enjoyed the previous book, the way Henry was always retreating from Elsie when he was upset did get to be tiring after a while, so I was worried that I might not be as sympathetic to him when all the new bad things started happening to them both in ARREST. However, I was quite happy to be proven wrong in my concern, as it appeared that Henry has indeed grown emotionally since then. The love he and Elsie have for each other is never questioned, and it never wavers. But as they and we already learned before, love isn’t enough to keep them together if they can’t communicate and compromise, and in ARREST, Henry and Elsie must both relearn those painful lessons if they’re going to stay married and happy together. 

ARREST also has the advantage of hanging together better as an complete story from the start, as opposed to the previous title. We are shown once again how their past continues to affect their present, but also how they are aware of how easily they could fall back into a vicious cycle of hurting each other, however inadvertently. Being able to see Henry and Elsie take real steps toward a fully reciprocal relationship made reading through all their pain and sadness worth it for the true happy ending awaiting them both. ARREST is an excellent example of how the “marriage in trouble” trope can be realistic without being too depressing. But I’m relieved that the next story in the series will be about someone else, so I can be content in the knowledge that Elsie and Henry have finally earned their HEA and won’t have to suffer any longer.


Ratings:

Overall: 4
Sensuality level: 3.5