Category / Anthology

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Undercover Lovers

Format: E-bookundercoverlovers
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Undercover Lovers Anthology
Publisher: Self Published
Date of Publication: May 17, 2010
Started On: May 19, 2010
Finished On: May 20, 2010

Reviewing an anthology for the 1st time ever has certainly being a new and enlightening experience for me as a reader as well as a reviewer. On the plus side it meant that I have discovered two new authors who I would keep an eye on from now on whilst on the challenging side I was wondering how I would best provide a review for all the stories that make up this anthology.

After much deliberation I decided to review each of the 4 novellas that makes up this anthology separately, rating them individually so that my review would provide a much clearer view of how much I enjoyed each of the stories.

The anthology comprises of the novellas Consumed by Dee Carney, Conned by Chloe Cole, Conquered by Cari Quinn and Convicted by Dee Tenorio. I find it kinda cute that all the titles start with the letter “C”. I have reviewed the stories in the order that they appear in the anthology. And before I delve into my review I would like to give a huge shout out of thanks to the wonderful Cari Quinn for giving me the opportunity to read and review this exciting anthology that has been very well worth my time as a reader.

Book 1: Consumed by Dee Carney

Hero: August Jaegar
Heroine: Saffron Burton
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

August Jaegar is the best chef in Denver and a very hot and extremely sexy one at that. Working fourteen hours a day to make his restaurant the best there is, August is a chef who guards his privacy with a vengeance and hates reporters who poach on his territory. And did I mention that he is HOT??

Our heroine certainly has a unique name; Saffron Burton who is a food critique working at the Denver Daily. Curvaceous and beautiful, Saffron manages to draw the attention of the elusive August right from the first moment he lays his eyes on her on the chance meeting that happens when when Saffron finally manages to move to the top of the restaurant’s reservations list after a wait of 4 whole months. From the first moment they lay eyes on each other, both Saffron and August are smitten with each other to the point that everything else around them fades away into insignificance.

Consumed is a very readable story. Though this is my first Dee Carney, I loved her style of writing which flows easily and her way of bringing the heat between August and Saffron alive right from the very beginning. Even though this quite a short novella, I would say Dee Carney has done a great job in bringing the characters as well as the restaurant to life, certainly landing her in my authors to look for.

Though I would have loved learning more about Saffron and August, there were a lot of things that I loved about Consumed that is worthy of being mentioned. Surprise, surprise! I loved August’s character. Brilliant and hot, the man can do wicked things in a kitchen, and yes I am talking about actual cooking here *winks*. And I definitely can get on board with August’s brand of seduction which definitely had my insides clamoring for his attention throughout!

I would recommend Consumed for anyone who loves a hot novella featuring a sexy as sin hero who can do brilliant things with his hands. And I am not talking about cooking here *wink*.

Memorable Scenes:

The scene in the alley. Definite heart thumping variety material there!

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Book 2: Conned by Chloe Cole

Hero: Professor Tucker Lamb
Heroine: Doctor Eleanor Malloy
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

Tucker Lamb is a professor teaching Science at Westside for the past 6 months. His childhood had neither being normal nor an easy one. Tucker is a guy who keeps to himself not wanting to blow his cover under the Witness Protection Program.

Cue in Human Sexuality Profesor Dr. Eleanor Malloy whose very subject at Westside and the way she reels in her students into the subject matter makes her a favorite amongst her students. She has been at Westside for 2 years and for the first time in her life is thinking of staying in one place for a long time.

Eleanor and Tucker meets for the first time when Tucker moves to Westside. Though sparks do not fly between the two from the first meet, Tucker is more than aware of the fact that given half the chance, he would end up blowing his cover to hell if it means getting the luscious Dr. Eleanor underneath him or in any of the many positions that his reckless heart wants her in.

Chloe Cole who also writes under the name of Christine Bell is a new author for me. However that didn’t stop me from identifying with the fact that she can pack a well written and steamy romance that even in a short story as this one I enjoyed to the max. What drew me into the story most was the evident attraction that sizzled the circuits off my e-reader and steamed up the room a couple of degrees. And I absolutely loved it!

I loved how Chloe brought about both Tucker and Eleanor’s characters. Tucker is a guy who has turned a new leaf, but that doesn’t hide the fact  that he can totally turn on the bad-boy persona when the need calls for it. Eleanor is a heartwarming character as well whom I would have loved to learn more about. She is funny and sexy as hell, exactly the right match for someone like Tucker who needs to learn that being bad doesn’t necessarily mean getting into trouble. And if you get me started on the heat factor of this novella, I would never ever stop. Let me just say that the need for a cold shower and a new pair of panties is a foregone possibility afterwards. *wink*

I would definitely recommend Conned by Chloe Cole to those who love their erotica to be of the panty-melting kind. This one’s so hot that you would a tall glass of cold water is a definite requirement whilst reading.

Memorable Scenes:

The aphrodisiac tasting scenes. Sizzling HOT!! And I loved, loved, loved the build up that happened in the restaurant. *gulp* I need not say anymore!

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Book 3: Conquered by Cari Quinn

Hero: Shane Madison
Heroine: Emma Donegan
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

29 year old Shane Madison is a Private Investigator trying to make his own firm a successful one. Equipped with a body that rivals that of a Greek God, Shane is determined that he would not walk away from another career and would do whatever it takes to make things work this time around.

Going almost 30 and single yet again, Emma Donegan has a yearning to experience explosive passion for once in her life. Having just broken up with her long-term boyfriend, Emma is determined that she would become the sexy siren that beckons men to their doom, and gets more than she bargains for when she meets the hotter than sin Shane.

Shane is working undercover at Strippendales when he sees Emma and loses himself in her vivid green eyes that tells him so much of her wanton fantasies that heats up his blood making him become reckless enough to give her what she is asking for.

Cari Quinn’s fantastic story telling is always a plus point with her stories regardless of their length. As always her quirky humor when it comes to her characters had me laughing out aloud at several points, Emma being the type of heroine that I could most definitely relate to. And of course, the heat between Emma and the sexy Shane had me definitely racing through the pages fanning myself in the process to try and cool things down.

I loved both Shane and Emma, the attraction that they have for one another which just explodes onto the pages and left me wanting more. The underlying humorous tone in the novel was a definite plus which makes this novella by Cari as always a memorable one.

Having sampled what Cari can do with a full length novel after reading Insatiable, my only gripe is in wishing that this too could have been a full length contemporary novel. That would have definitely made my day!

I would most definitely recommend this to fans of Cari Quinn. Those who love her style would definitely love this one too. And for those who do not know her, its high time ladies! You definitely need to read this if you are into contemporary erotica that has a tinge of comedy in it to make things more enticing.

Memorable Scenes:

Loved each single erotic scene in the novella. All of them definite palpitation inducing kind.

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Book 4: Convicted by Dee Tenorio

Hero: Cade Evigan
Heroine: Katrina Killian
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

Former Marine Cade Evigan, now Sheriff of rural California town Marketta is my favorite type of hero. Cade is a soldier who has fought in a war that had started making little or no sense to him, who had returned to his hometown hoping to gain at least a semblance of peace in his life as an ex-Marine.

Katrina Killian is a DEA agent whose job the past 2 years has been to go deep undercover inside a vicious biker gang known as Wheels of Pain. When Katrina meets Cade and all her senses go on high alert clamoring for his attention in more ways than one, Katrina knows that there is no escaping from the most dangerous emotion of all that she has faced to-date; conquering her love for a man who makes her go soft in all the right places.

Katrina and Cade meets up when Cade returns home from serving in Afghanistan and joins the Sheriff Department, disillusioned to the point of being cold and aloof until Katrina manages to kick aside the shield of indifference behind which Cade hides, thawing away at the ice surrounding his heart and emotions until Cade has no choice but to surrender.

I love Dee Tenorio’s writing style which my reviews of a couple of her books are bound to show. It is the way she has with her characters and the build up even within this story that reeled me in that made this my favorite in this anthology.

I loved pretty much everything about this short, hot and action-packed novella. Cade of course who is going to be playing a major role in my dream-induced fantasies from this point forward was my favorite aspect of this story. And Katrina comes off as a heroine who is gutsy and loyal to the max whose love for Cade and all that he stands for is evident in her actions. I loved the role reversal in this novella such that the heroine is the figure who is involved in the danger bit, trying her damnedest to protect the hero. And oh boy, did I love and absolutley revel in the passion that unfolded between Cade and Katrina? These two lights up the pages like a well-lit Christmas tree and gave me shivers of all the good kind right till the very last page. And as anyone who has heard of my love for an epilogue would know by now, I loved the cute little epilogue that served as the conclusion of this very well done novella.

I would recommend this one to all fans of Dee Tenorio. This is one novella that fans should NOT miss! And of course this one’s for those who love a short, hot novella featuring an ex-military hero and a spunky heroine who gives as good as she gets! All good reasons for you to get a copy and indulge!

Memorable Scenes:

Scenes of INTENSE passion between Katrina and Cade. I want a Cade of my own – RIGHT NOW!

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Purchase Links: Amazon | Smashwords

by mvbookreviewer

Review: 3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys by Lucy Monroe

Format: E-book51s0ydqnCrL
Read with: Mobipocket Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Mercenary/Goddard Project, Book 2
Publisher: Brava
Hero: Rand Alexander / Carter Sloane / Colton Denning
Heroine: Phoebe Garrison / Daisy Jackson / Fayre Cranston
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication:  March 1, 2005
Started On: July 29, 2010
Finished On: July 29, 2010

3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys is a collection of 3 short stories featuring Rand, Carter and Colton, all 3 of them sons of Hoyt Salone. Hoyt had married Carter’s mother Cassandra whilst Rand’s mother was already pregnant with him. Cassandra had discovered this fact after she got pregnant with Carter and had cut off marital relations with her husband. Hoyt had resumed his relationship with Rand’s mother, never having really loved either woman enough to leave one for the other. Hoyt had loved the prestigious upper class lifestyle that he could afford being Cassandra’s husband and as her husband he had remained till he died. Although Rand and Carter knew of each others existence (it was hard not to considering they lived in a pretty small town), they both come to know of Colton’s existence only during Rand’s story. I will review the 3 stories separately and give the book a final grade in this review.

A Deal is a Deal

Rand is a man who has closed off his heart upon the death of his wife and son. A man who witnessed what undying love did to his mother, the death of those two whom he held dear to his heart was the final lesson that taught him that love made you vulnerable in ways unimaginable.

Rand befriends Phoebe when Carter ends their engagement and goes off traveling, leaving a heartbroken Phoebe to pick up the pieces of her life. Before long, Phoebe finds herself totally in love with a man who has closed off his heart a long time back, and Phoebe knows that what she felt for Carter was nothing compared to the love that burnt fiercely deep within her heart for Rand.

Phoebe knows that she is not the type of woman who would hold the interest of the tall, sexy and enigmatic Rand. Opportunity comes calling when Rand wants an island bequeathed to her by her uncle, and Rand agrees to give her a week in his bed in return for the island.

Although Rand aches something fierce to take Phoebe in his arms he knows that his world would alter on its axes from that moment onwards. Rand doesn’t think that Phoebe would hold him onto his word and before he knows it he has tasted what Phoebe so beguilingly offers and Rand knows that there would be no turning back.

This story is highly explosive and I loved every passion filled moment of reading Rand’s story.

Carter’s Story

Carter’s story starts off when he proposes marriage to Daisy Jackson and promises to give her half a million dollars in return. Carter’s father had written up an airtight will that stipulated that he marry within five years after the death of his father or Sloane Electronics would go on the auction block and the proceeds would be put in a memorial fund at the hospital in his father’s name. Carter has other plans, such as sharing his wealth equally amongst his siblings and he has no intention of letting his father win just because a stupid will says so.

Daisy and his unwilling attraction towards her 4 years earlier had been one of the reasons that Carter had broken off his engagement with Phoebe thinking that he wasn’t much better off than his father if he couldn’t remain faithful to the woman he planned on getting married to. But 4 years of unfulfilled needs and celibacy has convinced Carter that he is nothing like his father and if he had to get married, it would be to Daisy who rocked his world on numerous levels.

Daisy cannot believe it when the president of the company she works for asks her to marry him. Though she knows that Carter’s proposal is far from the romantic one she had envisioned all her life, Daisy takes the chance to be with the man she loves and take whatever Carter is willing to give.

Carter’s story ends pretty quickly with him falling in love with Daisy soon after they get married. Even then, Ms. Monroe keeps the sizzling tension going which made this short story a memorable read as well.

Colton’s Story

Colton’s story is the third and final story in the anthology and features the all too serious Colton in a situation he never thought he would find himself in. Waking up with a beautiful sensual woman by his side and the father of all hangovers in Vegas, Colton has no recollection of what took place the night before. Not wanting to face the music, he leaves the sleeping woman and sneaks out leaving her a note to explain that he had taken off.

Six weeks later, a woman who looks remarkably like the woman who has been haunting his dreams and every waking thought walks into the Mexican bar and announces that she is looking for her husband, the husband who turns out to be Colton himself.

Fayre can’t believe that she succumbed to the lies that Colton had spouted off so easily the night they met and made her agree to marry him and then taken off after a night of mind blowing sex. Pregnant and pissed off to no end, Fayre comes looking for the no good man she married but finds herself hurting and humiliated when Colton seems to have no recollection whatsoever of the night that changed Fayre’s life so remarkably.

Though Colton has no memory of what happened that night, the fiery woman who stands in front of him so defiantly touches every corner of his heart and once he finds out that she is carrying his child, there is no way Colton would let her go.

If I were to pick a favorite from the 3 stories, I would have to go with Rand’s story because the story appeals to me on many levels. I bet I would have loved the book if the story had been drawn out and made longer.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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