Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Harlequin Presents Hero: Jack Marchant Heroine: Ashley Jones Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: June 01, 2011 Started On: November 11, 2023 Finished On: November 12, 2023
First published in 2011 by Harlequin Presents, Sharon Kendrick’s The Forbidden Wife draws readers into a hauntingly beautiful romance set on a remote northern moor, evocative of classic Brontëan stories with a modern twist. Ms, Kendrick outlines that she drew inspiration for this novel from the same, and I loved the romance that blossomed between two equally scarred protagonists for the most part.
The story follows 18-year old Ashley Jones, who has spent her life in care and foster homes, struggling alone in the world. Her loneliness and the need for a sense of belonging is palpable and it reaches out to you as you delve deeper into her psyche and character. When Ashley arrives at the isolated Blackwood Manor for her new live-in job as an author’s assistant, she is undoubtedly wary and overwhelmed. Her mysterious employer, Jack Marchant, is not only handsome and wealthy but also carries a deeply tortured soul, guarded by an air of dark sophistication that makes Ashley feel like she is from another world.
From the beginning, Ashley’s vulnerability is what makes the reader as well as Jack drawn to her. She is not only haunted by her past but also by the need to be loved, from the trauma of a childhood having gone without. As she begins to fall for Jack, her heart reaches out to the imposing and emotionally scarred man that is Jack, and you can sense the impending disaster that looms in the future. Her compassion shines, even as she views herself as a “drab nobody” in comparison to Jack’s formidable presence, which constantly makes her question why Jack is drawn to her in the first place. Her innocence and sense of isolation and loneliness makes her need for a fresh start at Blackwood Manor all the more desperate—a role that is not without its drawbacks, as the bleak, desolate landscape mirrors the stark loneliness she feels inside.
Jack, for his part, is a compelling character, though he does often hold all the power in their relationship. He is a brooding, wealthy figure with echoes of Edward Rochester, which Kendrick cleverly modernizes and brings to life. |There is an undeniable sense of Jack’s hidden torment that drives his aloofness, a secret Ashley can’t quite reach, which makes the reader quite desperate to know what makes Jack tick and what secrets he hides. This mystery adds tension to the story, making it a compelling page-turner. Yet, for all the chemistry they share, Jack’s reluctance to truly open up leaves Ashley in the dark, a dynamic that often feels one-sided, which made me want more from Jack as a character.
One of the story’s strong points is Kendrick’s ability to convey Ashley’s complex emotions, particularly her internal struggle with self-worth and desire. However, as outlined earlier, their relationship feels imbalanced, with Jack holding all the cards and rarely giving Ashley the confidence boost or love she truly deserves. Ashley’s transformation is subtle, but the fact that Jack does not ’t actively contribute to her growth made me bring down the rating of this story to what it was. This lack of reciprocity might leave some readers feeling that Ashley’s needs are not quite met, considering her difficult past and longing for connection.
Ms. Kendrick’s inspiration from Brontë’s Jane Eyre adds richness to the story, drawing insight from a classic tale of forbidden love while modernizing elements to fit contemporary romance. It’s a delicate balance of passion and secrets, with a moody setting that only heightens the intensity of Jack and Ashley’s interactions. However, the story ultimately lacks an essential spark, with a lingering sense that something crucial—something elemental—is missing. While it does deliver a good read for the most part, I definitely wanted more from Jack than he was able to deliver – but therein perhaps lies the true draw of this story when all is said and done.
Recommended for fans of Sharon Kendrick and those who love a good spin on a Brontë’ classic!
Final Verdict: Darkly atmospheric with a Brontëan influence, The Forbidden Wife is a deeply moody romance that lingers on the edge of mystery and passion.
Favorite Quotes
‘We’d… we’d better get back,’ she stammered, and yet her legs felt as if they were rooted to the spot and she’d never be able to move again. ‘Why?’ She raised her eyes up to his. ‘Because—’ ‘Because of this?’ Without warning, he pulled her into his arms, expelling a shuddering breath as he felt that first collision with her soft body. ‘This damned thing between us which won’t seem to go away?’
He pulled her even nearer, so that the physique she had secretly admired from afar was now moulded firmly against her. And despite the clothing he wore she was acutely aware of his rampant masculinity—of the growing need at the very cradle of his body. It should have been daunting, and on one level it was—and yet on another it felt as if her entire life had been spent waiting for this moment.
‘Did you have a good time in London?’ she questioned politely. He made an impatient little sound beneath his breath as all his pent-up desire for her began to spiral up, astonished to find that his hunger for her hadn’t abated—despite his determination that it should. Despite the fact that she had pushed him away and that deep down he kept telling himself that it had been the best possible outcome for everyone. But knowing that did nothing to quieten the insistent thudding of his heart—or the sudden jerk of lust at his groin.
She was so used to seeing the autocratic set of his proud features that sometimes it was difficult to imagine that he’d led others into battle. He had seen what most people would never see in a lifetime, nor wish to. But she caught a glimpse of that man now. War was elemental but so was sex—and she saw a flash of raw emotion tighten his features. It was difficult to say what that emotion was: a curious hybrid of anger, desire and something else—something which kept Ashley frozen to the spot until, without any kind of warning, he pulled her up from the chair and into his arms. His breath was warm against her face and she could feel his powerful hands imprisoning her waist. ‘Why are you such a meek little mouse, Ashley?’ he bit out, his eyes blazing black fire over her skin. ‘Who cares what is “appropriate”? For once in your life—don’t you long to reach out and take what you really want instead of standing on the sidelines and letting it pass you by?’
With one hand, he unclipped her bra and then slid her briefs down over her trembling thighs. ‘You know that your skin,’ he said unevenly as his lips brushed over the hollow at the base of her throat, ‘is like purest silk.’ ‘Is it?’ ‘Mmm. If I could make a shirt from it, I’d never take it off.’
‘Jack,’ she cried out as he pulled her down towards a dark, sweet vortex before tossing her out again, helpless on the tide. At first he was gentle with her, his movements slow and seeking as she relaxed into him. And then his movements became harder and faster, his kiss more hungry and intense. She felt like a piece of elastic which was being stretched and stretched—until at last it snapped and she cried out his name. And only when her back began its helpless arch did he begin to shudder within her, his arms tightening as he cradled her, his quickened breath fanning her bare shoulder until gradually he stilled. I love him, she thought fiercely as she clung to him, feeling the moist-satin of his sweat-sheened back.
‘Damn you, Ashley Jones,’ he said softly as he pulled her back into his arms. ‘Damn you for your soft understanding and your perception. Don’t you know that by offering me freedom, you have guaranteed my willing capture?’ ‘That wasn’t my intention.’ ‘You think I don’t realise that? That you are totally without guile?’ He gave a short laugh. ‘I could put it down to your youth and inexperience—but it goes much deeper than that.’ He stared deep into her eyes and lowered his voice to a murmur. ‘You just have these instincts which make you remarkable and which make me hunger for you. I want you, Ashley, and I want you now.’
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Erotic Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Julian Lockley Heroine: Rosie Flynn Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: July 14, 2023 Started On: July 20, 2023 Finished On: July 29, 2023
The Man Upstairs by Jade West is a provocative exploration of forbidden desires that might not settle well with some readers. My first experience of a Jade West novel was certainly memorable, featuring 18-year-old Rosie Flynn and 48-year-old Julian Lockley, whose love affair is as illicit as they come.
Rosie resides in Crenham Drive, a housing block marked by faded green carpet hallways and the stale smell of decaying lives struggling to survive amidst constant and abject cycles of poverty. Rosie’s life is no walk in the park, and her dismal existence takes a dramatic turn when she comes face to face with Julian, a disgraced former English professor with a scandalous past, who moves into apartment number six of the same building.
Estranged from his family and haunted by his past, Julian is a man on the brink of self-destruction. He struggles with his thoughts and self-loathing, unable to bridge the chasm that he has caused between him and his family. Despite the dark urges that plagues his mind and his troubled history, Julian’s protective instincts kick in when it comes to Rosie, snowballing into something that leaves him perhaps hopeful, for the first time since the scandal that made him a pariah in his former life.
Rosie, in contrast, is a young woman on the cusp of her adulthood and her sexual awakening, whose interest in Julian is one most would see as problematic. However, in Julian, she finds for the first time, security of the kind she has never had, a man who through simple acts of kindness and taking care of her, invades her heart. Rosie is also captivated by all that is Professor Julian, with his penchant for rougher than average sex, the need for which rises ferociously in him as Julian and Rosie spends more time together.
While Rosie’s curiosity about Julian leads to a series of intense and explicit encounters, Julian remains locked in battle with his inner demons and attempts to protect her innocence, which is a losing battle at best. When Julian finally gives in to what is inevitable, the exploration of their mutual desires turns out to be complex, dirty, and powerful in a way that reshapes both of them emotionally.
The Man Upstairs is a novel that delves into several heavy themes, including abuse and poverty cycles, sexual awakening, and the quest for betterment in life, along with redemption. Rosie’s struggles with her mother’s inability to move on from abusive relationships and the trauma of it remains all too real and constant, until Julian steps into her life. Ms. West also explores how challenging it is for those stuck in such vicious cycles to move forward in life and walk away.
While Rosie was a sweet heroine in many ways, she is also one who has a very strong mind of her own, perhaps forged through years of living through constant cycles of abuse which made her wiser and perhaps grow up faster than her peers. Rosie is also lonely in a way that perhaps we can all relate – sometimes you can be surrounded by people and yet feel a yearning for something indescribable. Rosie’s need for love and affection might not be what initially draws her into the warmth of Julian’s existence, but it is definitely why she chooses to stay with him, even amidst all the judgement that society sees fit to throw their way.
Julian was an incredible hero in my opinion – what made him stand out being the fact that he truly accepted his past actions for what they were and understood the sort of man he was deep inside. While Ms. West does not try to portray Julian in a light that exempts him from blame, my perspective of his marriage was quite different. Julian’s undying devotion to Rosie and the way he takes care of her needs (and I do not mean sexual needs in this context), under whose gentle ministrations Julian was also able to heal was thought provoking. I believe that Julian was a man who was lost amidst a marriage that did not serve to fulfill his needs, and knowing that his wife had drifted apart from him and sought comfort elsewhere made Julian embrace his depraved needs in the worst ways possible. It is true that some are late bloomers and meet their true soulmates late in life, and in Julian’s case, I felt that the statement holds quite true.
If there is anything I would say about this novel, it is that the story is unflinchingly explicit, with graphic sexual scenes that illustrate the intense physical and emotional connection between Rosie and Julian. This exploration of sexual dynamics is both a rite of passage for Rosie and a moral predicament for Julian, making their relationship deeply controversial, yet undeniably compelling.
Fans of provocative and boundary-pushing romance will find The Man Upstairs to be a riveting read. However, due to its explicit content and controversial themes, it may not be suitable for all readers. Ms. West’s writing certainly makes for compelling reading, and I for one enjoyed exploring the forbidden world of Rosie and Julian.
Final Verdict: The Man Upstairs is a bold and thought-provoking novel where Ms. West crafts a story that is both deeply unsettling and intensely passionate, pushing the boundaries of conventional romance to explore the darker sides of love and lust.
Favorite Quotes
Julian: My body took over, nothing but pure white heat behind my eyes as I pulled my thumb free and set my mouth on hers. My kiss wasn’t tender. My tongue wasn’t gentle. I gripped her face in my hands and possessed her mouth with the desperate kind of lust that drove me wild. She whimpered at the shock, dithering just a little before her senses flew free with mine. Instincts met instincts, raw and unfiltered.
Julian: I loved the way she giggled, just a little. “You’re pretty cool, you know, Julian? Hot, and smart, and brilliant. You’re a lot more than a creepy man upstairs.” It knocked me aback, hugely. I’d been approached and appreciated by many young girls in my life, but they had seen me against a different backdrop. Proud, successful, preened and polished. Not as a freaky loser in a suit from Crenham Drive.
I threw myself into Julian’s arms with such force that I knocked him backwards. I was as desperate as it’s possible to be as I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist, needing him more than life itself. I took hold of his shoulders, squeezing tight before I kissed him. My lips met his like magic. His body worked on instinct to support mine, and we were lost. Consumed. Done for. I kissed my saviour, and my saviour held me tight and kissed me right back.
“Rosie–” he began, still trying to clutch at his resolve, but I shook my head. I wasn’t listening. I wanted him to claim me. I was done with my innocence. My hands roved over his chest, and that was enough. He succumbed, hands reaching for me in return and ripping the shirt from my shoulders. He lifted me up, sitting me right next to the mugs on the counter, and I spread my legs, already panting as he peppered his beautiful mouth up my thigh. He was rougher with my pussy this time. His tongue was fierce and wet, and fuck, I was done for… lost. I gripped the counter, clumsy, and the mugs went tumbling, smashing and spilling coffee all over the floor. But Julian didn’t care, or so much as flinch, just kept working his mouth against me. He was as done for as I was.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novella Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press Hero: Sebastian Brand Heroine: Emma Milsom Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: September 01, 1992 Started On: May 28, 2023 Finished On: June 07, 2023
She could tell him that she was obsessed with him. That she wanted him. That for whatever perverse reason, she was crazily, improbably in love with him. But she couldn’t tell him that he didn’t frighten her. She couldn’t lie. He scared her half to death.
The Monster in the Closet by Anne Stuart is a riveting and intense tale that expertly blends themes of horror, romance, and psychological intrigue. Being the avid fan of Ms. Stuart’s dark and complex characters that I am, I found this book to be a great way to keep away the blues that hits every now and then because I am left with very little from Ms. Stuart’s impressive backlist of published books to indulge in.
The story centers around Sebastian Brand, a British horror actor who is as enigmatic as he is troubled. Sebastian owns a house that developers are after him to sell for them redevelop the property, but he stands firm, haunted by the memories that the house holds. His reluctance to let go of the past sets the stage for the unfolding story that brings into his sphere the unsuspecting Emma Milson, whose life turns upside down from the moment they meet.
Emma takes on the role of general manager for the volatile and brilliant Teddy Winters who is directing the movie that would redefine his career, starring none other than Sebastian. Against her better judgment, Emma accepts the job, knowing Teddy’s reputation for pushing people beyond their limits. It is also partly the safe and boring status of her life that pushes her to give in to Teddy’s demands, landing her in a situation more than she bargained for.
Emma’s task is to keep Sebastian out of the public eye, a job that proves more difficult than she anticipated. Sebastian’s initial coldness towards Emma gradually gives way to a reluctant fascination. The chemistry between them is intriguing, and their interactions charged with an intensity that keeps growing with every encounter, until the inevitable happens. Sebastian’s charismatic yet tortured soul contrasts sharply with that of Emma’s vulnerability, creating a dynamic that I reveled in.
Ms. Stuart’s portrayal of Sebastian’s traumatic history is both heartbreaking and compelling, making him a character you can’t help but root for despite his flaws. Emma being the bleeding heart that she is, finds herself unable to walk away from Sebastian, even when he is being his coldest, trying to do his best to push her away, especially when danger increasingly seems to stalk Emma, eerily similar to incidents from Sebastian’s past.
What I particularly appreciated about The Monster in the Closet is Ms. Stuart’s creation of Sebastian, who is deeply flawed and yet incredibly compelling as is usual for her heroes. Sebastian’s struggle with his dark past and his fear of vulnerability make him a complex and intriguing, while Emma’s journey from a life of safety to one of risk and emotional exposure is equally so. The passion between the two is all consuming, one that scares Sebastian and compels Emma to fight for Sebastian in every single way.
Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart and stories that deliver a unique mix of romance, horror, and elements of mystery.
Final Verdict: The Monster in the Closet is a masterfully crafted novella that combines elements of horror, romance, and psychological drama, weaving intricate and emotionally charged narratives.
Favorite Quotes
She’d never been kissed like that. With that much longing and restraint and carefully leashed passion. He kissed her as an artist might paint a picture, delicately, powerfully, thoroughly, so that all she could do was stand there and tremble in helpless response. She brought her hands up to touch him, and despite the fact that his hands were cradling her face so gently, the iron-hard tension in his tightly muscled arms was shocking. The moment her fingers touched him, touched the smooth, hard flesh of his biceps, he broke away, stepping back into the shadows, leaving her suddenly alone.
“The fact of the matter is, Emma,” he whispered, his mouth brushing hers so lightly that she might have imagined it, “I feel the same way. Angry.” He pushed his body closer, up against hers, his hips pressing against hers. “Turned on,” he said, and there was absolutely no doubt of that. “And quite, quite terrified of you.” With that, he released the iron bars and pulled her into his arms, imprisoning her against his hard, tense body. He kissed her then, and she was lost.
“Stop fighting it,” he breathed in her ear, his own voice ragged, and she knew he understood her body better than she did. “Stay with me, damn it.” She released the iron bars, turning her hands beneath his above her head. He clasped them, driving his hips against her as his mouth crushed hers, and the fear was gone, burnt away in a flashpoint of cataclysmic proportions as her entire body seemed to arch, shatter, and dissolve.
He covered her, sliding into her, filling her with a deep thrust that brought a cry to her lips. But her arms wrapped around his back, her long, beautiful legs wrapped around his hips, and she buried her face against his shoulder, against his hair, and her voice was muffled, fierce, as she told him what she needed. He put his hand between their bodies, touching her, and she exploded immediately, her body convulsing around him. He’d gone into some dark, wild place, beyond sense, beyond reason, and all that existed was her body, her soul, her heart racing against his, her breath panting in his ear, as he thrust into her again and again as she clung to him, sobbing.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novella Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Ice, #6.5 Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press Hero: Luc Dubois Heroine: Emma O’Bannion Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: March 17, 2023 Started On: May 27, 2023 Finished On: May 28, 2023
Dangerous Lover by Anne Stuart, the latest release in the bestselling Ice series, takes readers on a captivating journey through the shadowy world of covert agents and forbidden romance that is synonymous with the series. As an avid fan of Ms. Stuart’s work, especially her knack for creating irresistibly dark and complex heroes, I was in a sense of anticipation as I dove into this novella, and I was not disappointed.
The story begins with 29-year-old Emma O’Bannion dreading the upcoming Valentine’s Day. It is a holiday she finds particularly depressing, amplifying her restlessness and longing for an adventure that might distract her from her inner musings. Emma’s life is seemingly well-planned, with her ambitious goal of making partner at Kelton and Kelton by the time she turns 35. Yet, there’s a spark of impulsiveness within her that ignites when she encounters Luc Dubois, the enigmatic new tenant in her building.
From the moment Emma decides to send Luc an anonymous lover’s card for Valentine’s Day, believing it to be a harmless gesture, the story takes the turn that I was waiting for. Luc, a retired agent of the Committee, a global covert agency with its own hidden agendas, has been living a life of relative quiet in his retirement until a warning makes him up his guard once again. When Emma’s seemingly innocent card coincides with this warning, Luc deliberately puts himself in Emma’s space and world, something which he had been resisting up till that point.
Luc is a man marked by his past, particularly by betrayal five years ago, also on Valentine’s Day. This haunting memory makes Emma’s “anonymous” gift too much of a coincidence for him to walk away from and consider as harmless. When Luc confronts Emma suspicious of her in every sense, what ensues is a tense, captivating dance between them, culminating in the kind of passion and want that Luc has no place for in his life.
Ms. Stuart excels at crafting heroes who are dark, broody, and dangerously irresistible, and Luc Dubois is no exception. His initial coldness and calculated demeanor hides a deep well of passion and vulnerability, which Emma gradually uncovers. Their chemistry is electric and Luc’s protective instincts towards Emma, despite his better judgment, adds a layer of complexity to their relationship that kept me hooked.
While Dangerous Lover is a novella and shorter than a full-length novel, I found myself wishing for more time with Luc and Emma, as it always happens when you are enamored by a story and want it to continue forever. I wanted to delve deeper into their backgrounds and the intricacies of their relationship and encounter the angst that Ms. Stuart so famously delivers in most of her novels.
Ms. Stuart’s ability to write darker romance with a flair that is uniquely hers is why she remains my go-to author for my dark romance fix. I aim to do a re-read of some of my favorite books of hers sometime soon, having done so a year or so back in recent times. Not every romance reader may appreciate the dark themes and morally ambiguous characters that Ms. Stuart excels at creating, but for those who do, her books are a treasure trove of unforgettable stories, some of which remain permanently on my favorites shelf.
Recommended for fans of the Ice series and those who love their heroes a bit darker than most. While part of a series, Dangerous Lover can totally be read as a standalone.
Final Verdict: Dangerous Lover is a thrilling addition to the Ice series, delivering on the suspense, romance, and dark allure that Anne Stuart fans have come to expect and love from her novels in the series!
Favorite Quotes
The last button went, and her silk blouse hung open, exposing her indecent little wisp of a bra. “And what made you choose my apartment building? What made you decide to move in beneath me, and watch me every time you could catch a glimpse of me?” “I didn’t even know you were there,” she said wearily. “I told you, I didn’t think anyone lived upstairs until a couple of months ago. And it’s not your apartment building, buster, it belongs to the owners and it’s run by Mr. Habib and I have just as much right as you have…” “It is my building. I own it.” She could feel the tip of the knife against her bare skin, a strange, painless caress. A shiver of pure fear ran across her skin. She looked up at him, into his opaque, unreadable eyes, and she held her breath.„ And then he slid the knife between the bra and her skin, cutting it open.
He slid one hand through her hair and kissed her on the mouth again, taking his time, no need for hurry, no need for force. He was willing to wait, to see how long it would take her to respond. Her mouth opened beneath his slow, deliberate kisses, reaching for breath, reaching for words, reaching for his mouth, letting him, asking him, her lips clinging for a shy second and then falling back, then kissing him again, and this time when he used his tongue it truly was like sex, entering her, pushing inside the dark wetness of her mouth, and she let him, taking him, a hot damp clinging of mouth to mouth.
“Don’t think about it,” he whispered against her mouth. “Don’t think about anything. Just feel.” She wanted to cry. She lost herself in the taste of him, the sweet texture of his mouth and his tongue, the silken heat of his skin beneath her trembling hands. He hadn’t touched her breasts, yet they felt exquisitely sensitive, almost burning. He was rocking her against him, a slow, lascivious rhythm, her wispy silk panties against the buttoned fly on his jeans, and the sensation was a powerful one, making her breath catch in her throat. His eyes were half closed, watching her, and she was shy, edgy, her fingers digging into his smooth shoulders, as her stomach knotted and a jolt of something streaked through her body in anticipation.
She didn’t know why she was so wet, and she didn’t care. He was holding her too tightly for her to pull away, her face was pressed close against his shoulder, and she could feel the thunder of his heart, could feel the tension thrumming through his muscles, and she wanted to lick his skin, she wanted his mouth, she wanted everything, she no longer cared what he wanted to do with her. Nothing mattered but the wet, delicious waves of sensation he was coaxing from her, an almost lazy cycle of response that began to build, sharply, until without warning it exploded, and she screamed against his chest and her body arched off the bed in a spasm of hot, prickling response.
“Open your eyes, Emma,” he whispered in a harsh voice, and there was no ignoring him. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she stared up at him in dazed confusion. He cupped her buttocks, pulling her up closer against him, but she simply wrapped her legs around him, tight, drawing him in deeper still. His faint smile was answer enough. “You like it?” “I like it,” she whispered. “You want more?” “Yes, please.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Western Historical POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Rocky Mountain, #2 Publisher: Avon Hero: Sloan McCord Heroine: Heather Ashford Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: February 01, 1998 Started On: March 03, 2023 Finished On: March 11, 2023
He’d never been so hungry for a woman before, so hot. He’d never felt this kind of need, mindless, relentless, endless.
The Heart Breaker by Nicole Jordan is a story that takes you to places. Though this is the second book in the Rocky Mountain series, this can totally be read as a standalone.
Sloan McCord is a widowed hero, a single father navigating the complexities of life in the aftermath of a devastating range war. His marriage to a full-blooded Cheyenne woman resulted in his most cherished daughter, Jenna, who was only two months old when her mother was brutally murdered.
Now, more than a year later, Sloan is driven by ambitions to be elected to the Colorado Senate, and to achieve this, he believes he needs a wife who will not only care for his daughter and home but also elevate his social status and help change the hostile perceptions surrounding his support for the “wrong” side during the range war.
Enter Heather Ashford, a woman of rich roots who has fallen on desperate times. Urged by his sister-in-law, Sloan considers Heather as a potential wife. While Sloan wants only a wife of convenience who would allow him to keep his emotions in check, the first meeting between Sloan and Heather puts that notion to shame, as Sloan recognizes in Heather, the woman who has been haunting his dreams.
Despite his desire to keep her at arm’s length, Sloan is undeniably drawn to Heather in a way that leaves him vulnerable and conflicted. The sexual tension that simmers between the two is so well done, that I swear, even re-reading bits of the story for my review more than a year on still moved me to bits! Heather, who is inquisitive and intelligent, is determined to prove her worth, putting her heart and soul into being an equal partner in their marriage.
Ms. Jordan definitely excels in crafting vivid characters, with Sloan’s sensuality and stubborn pride shining through the depths of this story. His struggle with memories of his late wife and his initial decision to start the marriage with separate bedrooms add to the emotional sucker punches that the story delivers in spades, and also brings his internal conflicts when it comes to his burgeoning feelings for Heather to the forefront.
Heather’s unwavering determination in the face of her husband’s often cold, dismissive, and at times cruel behavior makes your heart ache for Heather. It is the reserves of strength that Heather finds and holds onto while trying to make the best of a situation that leaves her emotions in tatters, while her husband sets her body and soul on fire with every searing glance and touch that truly clutches at your heartstrings.
Like many readers, I also found that the story faltered slightly in its climax. The grand gesture and groveling that are meant to bring resolution to Sloan and Heather’s relationship fell a bit flat for me, which was a tad disappointing, given how emotionally invested in both of them I was. Despite this, the overall journey of their evolving relationship is compelling and well-written, not to mention out of this world scorching hot. Sloan is the type of hero I shelve as sex-on-a-stick, because he is all that and more with just his existence in the story.
Recommended for those who love a good western romance and those who adore reluctant widowed heroes who fall that much harder, because of the fact.
Final Verdict: The Heart Breaker by Nicole Jordan offers a rich tapestry of emotion, sensuality, and the slow burn of a developing romance amidst the backdrop of post-war societal challenges. Sloan and Heather’s journey towards happily ever after definitely leaves a lasting impression.
Favorite Quotes
His gaze swept her form slowly, with a vague suggestion of scorn, as though he recognized her as the helpless, inept widgeon he’d rescued from the path of a runaway carriage. Heather flushed, hoping the wide brim of her bonnet hid her mortification. “You are my hero, sir,” the young lady murmured in breathless praise, demanding his attention. Suddenly an ironic half-smile curled the corner of his mouth. It was the kind of smile that made sensible women do foolish things, Heather realized, one that softened his hard features with breathtaking effect and invited others to share his amusement.
He moved closer, letting his body touch hers. The shock was stunning. She felt blistered by his sudden invading heat, by the hard, masculine contours that branded her. Her heart beat in a wild pulse of alarm and need as he bent his head to her. Through a daze she heard him whisper against her lips. “You really think you’re woman enough to handle me, duchess?”
His lips were warm and hard, like the man … threatening, dominating … yet somehow gentle. In response, something deep within her body quivered in purely sensual reaction. His kiss deepened into a bold invasion, his tongue parting her lips and thrusting inside. The intimate intrusion shocked her for an instant. She hadn’t known a man’s kiss could be so blatant, so devastating. Hadn’t known she could respond this way … that she could feel so weak and not… so wanton.
“Don’t fight it,” he said in her ear as she arched against him. “Let it happen.” Heather whimpered, colors and blinding light blurring before her eyes. It was like being swept up in a storm, unable to do anything but go along for the ride. The first tiny convulsions swelled to shafts of fire. She strained against him, burning, pulsating, spinning away into a netherworld of shooting flames.
When the woman beneath him splintered into ecstasy, he groaned with a savage need held barely in check. At the rhythmic clenching of her loins, desire shot through his groin, white-hot and explosive. Unable to restrain his agonized arousal any longer, he surged into her, deep into the tight, wet welcoming of her body. With a final groan, he thrust into her fiercely one last time, before shuddering and collapsing against her, his body pulsing inside hers.
Every muscle in his body tensed in rejection, the sinews cording his neck so rigid they stood out visibly. A stillness came into the room as their gazes locked, a sense of breathless waiting. Heather watched him, her urge for self-protection vanishing. This was a man in need. To his dismay, Sloan couldn’t break the connection with her golden eyes, so warm with concern. He wanted to move away from her, away from the dangerous seduction of her compassion. He was too vulnerable just now. He felt so raw, so tired from the war he was waging. He couldn’t bear to have her this near. “You’d best go,” he whispered, his voice raw and cracked. She didn’t stir. Nor did he. He couldn’t manage it. In his chest he felt that strange swelling, twisting sensation again. He didn’t like it. It hurt to feel. It was easier, safer, to keep himself isolated, remote, his rampaging emotions under tight control. Yet he had no defense against her. He couldn’t save himself.
“Is it always like this?” she whispered long moments later. When he didn’t answer, she drew back a little to look down at him. His eyes grew hooded. He didn’t want to meet her searching gaze. Just then, they heard the sound of a child’s gurgling laugh through the partially open door. Janna was awake. Grateful for the interruption, Sloan eased himself from beneath her and left the bed. Giving her a glimpse of taut, bare buttocks, he bent to pull on his denims. “Hell, it’s just sex, duchess,” he lied. “Happens all the time. Nothing to get worked up about.”
She watched him questioningly as Sloan moved to the damask wing chair beyond the dressing table. Sitting down, he tugged off the rest of his clothing and settled back, naked and relaxed, his upthrusting manhood blatantly masculine between his parted, sinewed thighs. “Remember how I taught you to ride me?” “Yes.” The word was a hoarse whisper. “Why don’t you come here, and we’ll see how much you’ve learned?”
Then what had begun tenderly suddenly turned wild. He gripped her buttocks, no longer in control. She gasped in welcome as he plunged home… arching against him as his huge shaft drove deep and hard… She cried out, sobbing as his wonderful length impaled her helpless body over and over again. They came together in passion and need. He took her with fierce, insistent thrusts, possessiveness surging through him. She was his; his need was almost violent, his desire uncontrollable.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Sean Heroine: Megan Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: January 02, 2006 Started On: February 10, 2023 Finished On: February 11, 2023
“How did you reach the point of,” she searched for a polite way to phrase the question, “considering prostitution as a source of income?” “Some of the kids I knew were whoring, but I wouldn’t at first. I was sure I could find a job. But the days went on and I had no money. This kid, Donnie, convinced me sucking c#ck was a pretty simple way to make fifty bucks. So one night I did it.” Megan swallowed. “How did you feel about it?” “I didn’t feel anything. He was right. It wasn’t such a big deal and I had enough money to eat for a few days.” His voice was perfectly steady and emotionless.
Finding Home, written by Lauren Baker and Bonnie Dee, published in January of 2006, is a story that is beautifully crafted. It is a story about finding love in places that you least expect, of how society often seems to fixate on the wrong issues instead of righting the grave injustices inherent, and how love of the truest kind will always persevere.
Written in the third person, told solely from the heroine’s perspective, Finding Home brings to readers the story of 23 year old Megan who works as a copy editor at a weekly LA paper, with dreams of becoming a reporter. To speed things up on making that transition, Megan decides that a freelance expose was in order, and sets out to tackle the issue of male prostitution.
When Megan meets 17 year old Sean (known as Mouth on the streets), she is fascinated by how self possessed he appears and how nothing seems to faze him. Quickly befriending him, Megan finds out that the story that she started out to write in an attempt to advance her career is not for the faint of heart, and that she cannot detach herself from the lived realities of the young adults who are forced into prostitution for one reason or the other.
As Megan finds herself in over her head when it comes to Sean, and a sequence of events culminates in Sean requiring time to heal from injuries inflicted, Megan offers him room and board at her place, at least until he is better able to take care of himself. Megan’s offer comes without any expectations on her end, and it is heartbreaking to come to the understanding that for a young adult like Sean, his life which has been an endless series of being taken advantage of by other people, trust is the hardest commodity to come by.
As proximity gives room for the awareness that has always existed between the two of them to grow in leaps and bounds, Megan finds herself in the unenviable position of having to deny her heart when it comes to Sean, as the feelings that she harbors for him increases by the day. Things come to a head and when Megan finally gives in, it is not without self-recrimination, doubts, and being self-conscious about society’s perception on the relationship which buds to life between them.
Sean’s story is not a unique one, but nevertheless a heartbreaking one. A deadbeat mother who was more concerned about where her next fix would come from, Sean had abandoned ship as soon as he was able to, with the knowledge that he could take better care of himself than his mom ever could. Being homeless and bunking with other kids who were of the same fate, Sean had found himself bartering away his body for cash to make ends meet.
The lifeline that comes in the form of Megan is one that Sean doesn’t realize that he needed. Megan, with her soft heart and bleeding emotions for the boy she gets to know and the man she comes to love, rescues him from a life of continued destitution and poverty, and gives him that needed chance to be independent, find himself, and find his way back to her. His home.
That was in essence what was so moving about the story. This was why it was such an emotionally gripping tale that turned out to be a riveting read in many ways. Even though Megan is older of the two in terms of age, it is Sean who seems to be emotionally more mature, perhaps as a consequence of having shielded himself for so long from the realities of childhood trauma.
The chemistry between Megan and Sean from the onset, sexual and otherwise, was an intriguing aspect of the story. Megan’s warmth towards Sean is evident from the start, and even when their relationship crosses all those lines it rightfully should not, somehow it makes sense because Megan and Sean fits in a way that is indescribable.
Megan truly does try to resist giving in, and I believe if the positions were reversed, even I, as the reader would not have felt the need to explain how much she tried to resist. It is the norm to read about and hear about older men succumbing to much younger women, or getting into a relationship with a woman in a vulnerable position. But because it is the woman who holds the long end of the stick in this dynamic, I guess we needed “more assurance” than we usually would under the circumstances. Which is telling in itself about the inherent bias that we harbor.
Society perhaps, will always reserve judgement about cases such as Sean and Megan, and it is with good reason, I admit. But there are also those rare happenstances when two people just fit, and age becomes just a number. Fact that it was Sean who took the needed time to start on a path that would allow him to start healing, to face the demons of his past, showed the kind of maturity that I would expect from an older character. His declaration of love for Megan was all the more meaningful because he comes to that conclusion on his own terms, and that, was just beautiful.
The fact that the story was written solely from Megan’s perspective was another reason why this story made such a huge impression on me. I am a sucker for stories where it is hard to read what the hero is feeling except through the heroine’s often biased perception. And that, is a treat to my senses!
Definitely recommend this gem of a romance to readers who can set aside their preconceived notions and give Sean and Megan the chance they truly deserve!
Final Verdict: Finding Home is the kind of novel that invades your heart with stealthy determination, until absorb all of it, one must. Therein lies the true beauty of this story!
Favorite Quotes
She wondered what, or who, he was thinking of to make him so hard, and hoped it was her. Megan felt caught in a trap, unable to move, her senses on overload, and while every brain cell screamed at her to get out, step back into the corridor and ignore what she’d just seen, her animal instincts wanted her to move closer. Her body betrayed her. She felt hot and wet and melting to the core of her being, her sex aching for his touch.
He started slow, holding back and building the pressure with light, controlled strokes, driving Megan into a frenzy until she grabbed his ass with both hands, pulling him deeper inside her. Her gesture seemed to shatter his self-control and he started really fucking her, hard and fast. His mouth slipped down from hers to her neck, biting her, until she reached her peak again, and much to her surprise, because Megan wasn’t usually a screamer, she swore and cried out, overwhelmed by the strength of the climax which ripped through her.
Megan turned her mouth into her shoulder to stifle her moans. She gripped the edges of the sink as she was carried on a wave of pleasure that seemed to crest ever higher, triggering spasm after spasm in her. This was so hot, so wild, and so not her. She wanted to scream or sob. Sean leaned forward and his hand snaked over her hip and onto her clit, rubbing and circling. He continued to slam into her hard and rough. Their harsh breaths and the slap of flesh on flesh were the only sounds in the room. Megan whimpered as her whole body contracted and released in an amazingly powerful orgasm.
A faint trail of hair led toward his chest. She examined the hard planes of his chest, his peaked nipples, the sharp lines of his collarbones and his broad, muscled shoulders. The curve of his neck led to his face. Sean looked down at her, lips slightly parted, his wet hair messy on his forehead, his blue eyes caught between arousal and amusement. As their eyes locked, he ran his tongue across his lips. Megan sighed. “Jesus, Sean,” she breathed. “You’re beautiful.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Fantasy Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Orc Sworn, #1 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Grimarr Heroine: Jule Norr Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: October 28, 2019 Started On: August 07, 2022 Finished On: August 19, 2022
“Cursed woman,” he hissed, mouth smeared with red, eyes glittering, hair hanging down over his face. Hands flat to the earth on either side of her head, his broad bare chest heaving, streaked with rivulets of sweat, every muscle stark and corded and beautiful in the firelight. “My woman.”
Anyone who knows of my reading tastes can attest to the fact that I am a huge fan of dark romance, the darker, the better. Having come across the Orc Sworn series by Finley Fenn on Instagram was a godsend in this regard, and my first foray into this fantasy monster romance series was wonderful in every sense.
The Lady and the Orc is the first book in the series, with eight book published to-date. Told in the third person from the perspective of the heroine, the angst factor was greater because of the fact. The debut book in the series brings to readers the story of Grimarr leader of five clans of orcs that lives under his command, from The Ash-Kai clan who have long served as the orcs’ leaders and captains, and Lady Jule Norr, married to a man a decade older than her for the past five years.
Jule is a woman who is an “outcast” in the human world, having been determined to be barren, unable to bear children for her husband. Jule’s husband is a man who has given her little in the way of happiness, and totally disregards her welfare, well-being, and safety as is his responsibility. This ends up being a pivotal reason why Jule is ripe for the picking and is captured by none other than the Orcs who are rumored to be huge, hideous, dangerous, deadly, and constantly raiding human territory for goods and women.
Jule has heard of the terrible fate that women are subjected to, once they are taken by the Orcs. Jule does not forget the callous disregard with which her husband had treated her fears right before he had departed leaving her alone, without a means to defend herself, with the parting shot that even Orcs would want whole women, and that she was not even good enough material to be taken hostage by the Orcs.
When Jule realizes that she has been taken by none other than Grimarr, the leader of the Orcs, she is intrigued as much as she is frightened by the prospect that awaits her, and determined that she would not give in to the fear that is her first reaction to the hideous creature that stands before her. Grimarr is the Orc who has led his brothers for the better part of 30 years, and became the captain to steer the ship just recently. He is determined that he would do right by his brothers, even if it means destroying his own self in the process.
Surprisingly for Jule, it is only Grimarr who sees her husband for who he is – a man who is equal parts weak and a fool, who exerts his strength and uses it to demean the weak. Jule however is distrustful, and rightfully so when it comes to the Orc, but also drawn to Grimarr despite everything she has heard about the Orcs and the dangers they pose to humans, especially womenfolk. At the same time, as a captive, Jule is also forced to look more closely at the events that have unfolded between the Orcs and humans, and reassess her opinion on who the perpetrators and the victims are in the decades old conflict between the two.
Jule also understands that there is a reason behind her being taken as a captive by the leader of the Orcs; after all she is the wife of the leader of the human clan with whom the Orcs war with and it gives Grimarr a strategic advantage unlike any other. Against her own judgement, Jule also finds herself strangely drawn to Grimarr in a way that makes her wary, and yet is helpless to walk away from. The hold that Grimarr and his scent has on her, and the way Grimarr keeps talking about her as if she is his fated mate lures her in, until she is hooked well and good.
Ultimately, her need for him outweighs everything else, and it is not long before she pledges her allegiance to him and claims him as her mate leading to a series of events that is anything but kind to her burgeoning feelings for him. Even as Grimarr takes steps to amend his behavior and do right by Jule, he also has far more devious plans that outweigh his connection to her or his need for her, which proves to be the ultimate test that both Jule and Grimarr face in this heady tale as it moves forward.
I loved this highly unusual and sensual tale that Ms. Fenn has gifted to readers and the world building that offers a lot of tantalizing possibilities for future stories down the line. It is stories like these that makes me marvel at the infinite boundaries of the human imagination, about to conjure up stories like this one. The aspect I loved the most (as you must have guessed), is the world of hurt in store for both Jule and Grimarr before all is said and done, giving readers like myself the perfect combination of angst and romance which I adore.
For Jule, trust is a hard commodity to come by, given how she has fared in her marriage up till she had been taken by Grimarr to be used as he likes. For Grimarr, even if he acts as if Jule is replaceable in the strategic “war” that he has begun, his actions speak otherwise, or rather reading between the lines leaves you with that impression, which ramped up my enjoyment factor with this novel. Grimarr was the perfect balance of ruthlessness, gentleness, hedonistic, and dangerous – the kind of hero that I love best. He delivered on all aspects spectacularly and I could not have asked for a better hero.
Definitely recommend this for readers who love their romance on the spicier and darker side. Nothing to lose by taking the plunge with a story well written, and a happily ever after that is guaranteed!
Final Verdict: The Lady and the Orc was unexpected in the most captivating way; I was all for the darkness of the characters and the transformation both underwent in the journey to their happily ever after!
Favorite Quotes
“Where are we?” she asked toward Grimarr, without thinking — but then she went stock-still all over, because she was looking at him, and he was looking at her. And here, standing in the bright, unforgiving daylight, the infamous captain of the orcs was truly, thoroughly hideous. His skin was a deathly shade of grey, latticed over with scars, one almost bisecting his long, crooked nose. His eyes were sunken and black, framed by stringy black hair that was tied back in a matted mockery of a braid, and his neck was thick and corded, angling down to sloped, bulbous shoulders.
Jule’s mouth barked out a hoarse, high-pitched laugh. “What, the gods decree that orcs have to kidnap women, and make them bear their sons? You can’t honestly believe that?” “No,” he said, and one of those big hands slowly lifted toward her again, this time settling warm and heavy against her hip. “This — kidnap — you speak of, this was from the war. From men who deny us women. Who deny us our sons, and our freedom.” Oh, so now it was all the men’s fault, but Jule’s retort was silenced by the feel of Grimarr’s other hand, coming to spread flat and warm against her belly. “But it is the gods’ decree that orcs mate with women,” he murmured. “If it were not so, there would be no sons. No pleasure in the mating.”
The blinding light of the sun was almost painful, after all that time spent underground, and Jule blinked at its brightness through her fingers. Halfway up the curve of the sky, it was mid-morning, and had Grimarr kept his whole band waiting here all this time, just for her? “Do you hunger,” came Grimarr’s curt voice beside her, drawing Jule’s unwilling gaze — and then she squeezed her eyes shut, breathing hard. Gods, he was hideous. Absolutely repulsive, in the light, like a grey rotting corpse whose face had been carved into by maggots, and had she truly kissed that mouth? Had she welcomed the touch of those hands? Had she sworn to make him her mate? What the hell?
Jule’s eyelids fluttered, her mouth suddenly sucking on that invading finger, and Grimarr gave another one of those low, rolling laughs. “This pleases you,” he murmured, as he tugged the finger free, and went back down, pooling more of that thick sweetness onto it, and then bringing it back to Jule’s mouth. “How do I taste, woman.” Jule should have lied, but her swirling tongue would have betrayed it, and her gaze was trapped in those watching, half-lidded eyes. “Sweet,” she managed, around his finger. “Like honey.”
“You really think I’m judging you harshly? Do you not recall, down while I was making supper for you and your hundred friends, how you publicly threatened to burn my clothes and force me while they laughed?” Grimarr’s eyes blinked again, and Jule leapt to her feet, not caring if she was still naked and filthy, just needing to get away, as far from him as possible. “You are the one who brings shame to me, orc,” she gasped. “And to all your fellow orcs as well. You have shown me that in comparison to you, my husband Lord Norr, who I believed to be one of the cruelest men I have ever known, was in fact a patient and generous soul. And if ever presented with the choice” — she gulped in a breath, glared at those eyes — “I will immediately reject you, and run back to Norr Manor, and thank the gods for my blessed good fortune!”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance POV: First Person – Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Lazzaro Rosetti Heroine: Mia Bianchi Sensuality: 4 Date of Publication: September 28, 2022 Started On: September 20, 2022 Finished On: September 23, 2022
“Come on, Mia. Show me how bad girls get off in the middle of the night.”
Having never read a Lilith Vincent novel did not stop me from requesting for an ARC of this steamy, taboo-as-it-gets romance when I encountered the author’s posts on the release of Brutal Intentions on Instagram. Being a lover of dark, edgy romances that pushes the conventional boundaries of male-female relationships, I felt right at home with this one. Even though in real life I would probably never be able to imagine something like this happening, much less supporting it, between the pages, 29 year old Lazzaro Rosetti (Laz) was just what this depraved heart of mine needed.
18 year old Mia Bianchi is used to being the invisible member of her dysfunctional family, bearing the brunt of and carrying the stain of her mother’s past mistakes. All of that changes the moment she lays eyes on Laz as he stands at the altar saying his I do’s to none other than Mia’s mother.
Laz is the youngest of his family, trying to get his hands on what is rightfully his to forge his own path in life. However, Laz finds himself forced into a marriage that is of not his choice, and as a result it is Miathat bears the the brunt of his anger over his lack of freedom to choose. At his heart, Laz is just as lost as Mia is in some ways, but even Laz through his depraved heart can see that Mia has got it much worse than he ever did.
The story is relentless from the very beginning, with Ms. Vincent never letting there be any respite from the heat and twisted nature of what unfolds between Mia and Laz. While Mia does try her best to steer clear from Laz, it is as if Laz has made it his life’s mission to torment her and make Mia face the inevitable truth when it comes to what is between them; the lust that roars to life that is unparalleled. There is no escape from being consumed by the fire that rages for either of them, and Laz to his credit, does not even try.
Navigating the treacherous nature of Mia’s family takes some doing, but it is Laz’s well placed intentions that makes for the climax of this newfound and fragile love that was careening towards the edge of the cliff from the onset. However, there is something to be said for the determination that defines both Laz and Mia even in the face of all the obstacles that stands in their way, which is one reason why their story was so satisfying when all was said and done.
I do not think I can begin to express all that this novel presented; there is just enough emotional development and backstory to the characters to make all of this real and relatable to the point where you root for the main protagonists against all odds. However, if you are the type to shy away from cheating in romance novels, this is definitely not the book for you – because there is plenty of cheating, assholery, and the kind of sex that makes you reach for your non-existent glass of cold water at your bedside table.
I will definitely be looking for more of Ms. Vincent’s books in the future. Her writing is flawless, even when writing a character that is rough around the edges like Laz, who does not care for the polished veneer that most people believe makes us civilized. With an increasing number of books published that tries to serve the appetites of the majority that likes their romances bland and safe to fit the current times, it is rare to meet authors like Ms. Vincent and I will doggedly be in pursuit of her new releases!
Recommended for those who love their romances on the frisky side, with an extra serving of taboo to really spice things up.
Final Verdict: Brutal Intentions at its heart is the kind of story that digs itself deep into those empty crevices of your soul that you never acknowledged existed.
Favorite Quotes
[Mia] Heat and pleasure rise up and crash over me. My body flexes in Lazzaro’s strong arms as I hurtle beyond all conscious thought and straight into pure pleasure. That was better than anything I’ve felt in my entire life. I suck in a deep breath and open my eyes. Lazzaro is awake and staring at me, his expression absolutely feral.
[Mia] “Do as you’re told, Mia. I’m not letting you up until you come again.” Lazzaro thrusts hard against my ass through his sweats and his hot breath is on the back of my neck. The hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on has me pinned in place, and my body craves to give him what he wants. His brutal assault on my senses forces a third orgasm from me. I press my face into the pillow and moan, wishing it didn’t feel so good to be so thoroughly humiliated. My stepfather raggedly breathes into my ear, “Good fucking girl.”
[Mia] “What a performance Giulia made over a broken leg. I don’t think she’d carry on the same way about you, do you?” “Thanks for pointing that out,” I seethe. “So do something about it.” “Like what? I’m not going to pour red wine on Mom’s favorite dress because she loves Isabel more.” He shrugs, but there’s a dark glimmer in his eyes. “There are better ways to take revenge.” “I’m not going to suck your dick because my family hates me.” A wicked smile hooks Laz’s mouth. My eyes are drawn to his scar as he saunters toward me. “You are going to suck my dick, but because you crave the feel of me bottoming out in your throat.”
[Mia] Wanting my stepdad is one thing. Falling in love with him? Insane. I pull myself out of his grip and back away. “I can’t be your anything. I really like you, I care about you, I’m always thinking about you, but this isn’t right.” The expression in his eyes flickers between anger and pain. “If you wanted to say the words that would make me back off, those aren’t it.” He moves toward me like a hunter stalking prey. “You like me? You care about me? That’s oxygen to me.”
[Mia] “You bad fucking girl.” Laz pulls me closer, takes my face in his hands, and kisses me hard, his tongue parting my lips. My heart is beating wildly as Laz perches me on the vanity and moves between my thighs, pulling them around his hips. He overwhelms me. Invades me. Conquers me. It’s the most intense kiss of my life.
[Laz] “Am I hurting you?” I ask through gritted teeth. Mia sits up on her elbows and stares at herself. Stares at me driving into her with careful thrusts, edging my way deeper. Her pretty pussy is getting my shaft so wet. She looks up at me with flushed cheeks and dilated eyes. “I think you were made for me, Laz.” I relax a little and thrust deeper, and she moans in pleasure. I’m lost in those big eyes, my cock buried inside of her. I think she’s fucking right.
[Laz] I picture Mia wearing a wedding dress with a pregnant belly, and my dick gets so hard. I need to fuck her again. And so, I do. I pull back and slam into her again, short, hard thrusts. “Laz,” Mia hisses. “What are you doing?” “Hold still, baby, I’m not done with you.” I drag her down the bed, pull one of her legs over my shoulder and the other around my waist. Mia’s breathless with desire and panic. “You shouldn’t—we can’t—” All her protests are like a red flag to a bull. I can and I will.
[Mia] The drag and pull of his cock inside me is making me go insane. My clit is alive with sensation. There’s sweat on Laz’s chest and his eyes are dilated and dark. Suddenly, he clamps a hand around my throat and squeezes. I’m being pressed down into the seat, completely at his mercy. Trapped between his body and the leather. Suddenly, everything rushes up, and I fly apart into a thousand shining pieces. Laz is on the verge of coming when I return to earth. I reach around his cock, grab the skin of his ball sack, and twist. He groans but doesn’t stop pounding me, and I feel him come as his rhythm stutters, his body flushes red, and his head tips back. When he opens his eyes to catch his breath, he grins lazily at me. “You little hellcat.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Cullen Ayers Heroine: Everly West Sensuality: 4 Date of Publication: October 14, 2021 Started On: November 07, 2021 Finished On: November 12, 2021
Previously published in the Tangled Sheets anthology as Spitfire, Burn for Me is the revised title with added content, released in October of last year. This is a dark romance and is not intended for readers who do not like heroes who push the boundaries beyond the popularly accepted limits in the genre.
32 year old Everly West is looking for a fresh start by seeking a teaching position at the Florence University. What had begun as part of Everly’s internship eight years back, requiring her to write an investigative piece on a local had ended up with a major human trafficking operation being uncovered, with George Ayers being convicted of the crime and sentenced to jail. The case had left its mark on Everly in a way that at times she herself cannot reconcile with.
Everly had spent the next eight years of her career trying to attain the same high to no avail. However, the staid teaching position that she takes up ends up being more than she bargained for, when on her first day of class, in walks 18 year old Cullen Ayers, the 10 year old boy now a grown man, whose life had irrevocably changed with his father being convicted.
Cullen’s hatred towards Everly is a palpable thing when they meet, with Cullen placing the blame on Everly’s shoulders for the shit show that his life had become since. Everly brings out the worst in him, the anger that he harbors is one that seethes, needing an outlet, a living being of sorts that resides in him refusing to be denied.
They say that there is a thin line between hatred and love, and perhaps that applies to the situation all too well. Because beneath all that anger, the attraction that simmers to life between Everly and Cullen is one that is like a live wire; touch it and you risk being burned.
What starts out for Cullen as a way to taunt Everly results in a passion that burns bright and hot between the two, and before Cullen knows it, Everly is in his blood, under his skin, and slowly making her way into his heart. For Everly, the fact that Cullen is her student and fourteen years younger are things that should matter, but she is tired of feeling like a dead woman walking, and with Cullen, she feels alive for the first time in years.
Burn for Me is not an easy read by any means. Cullen is a tough nut to crack, his hostility towards Everly reaching points of high where it almost feels like there is violence in the air that could do Everly physical harm. But Everly is no doormat heroine, and she gives as good as she gets, while seeing through to the belligerence that is part and parcel of who Cullen is.
But any fragile emotional bonds that is forged to life between the two is constantly under threat from the secrets that remain to be uncovered, with Everly ever so determined to get to the bottom of the story behind George Ayers, even if it means raising the ire of Cullen to new heights.
True to Sara Cate’s style, the story delivers a ton of angst, reverse age-gap protagonists, and heat of the kind that scorches your e-reader. I reveled in all of it and more, and applaud Ms. Cate for writing Cullen as he is; unapologetic, circumstances of life having molded him into a man hardened by life’s cruelties, but yearning for the touch of the one woman who drives him to the edge of violence over the possessiveness that takes hold of him.
Everly is a quieter force in the story, but just as potent. Cullen brings an edge to her life which she thrives in, the commanding way in which he treats her in the bedroom something that she has craved for, without even realizing the fact. All of this and more balances out their relationship, each giving the other what they need, which in the end made for a spellbinding read!
Recommended for those who love dark and edgy romances; Cullen is a force to be reckoned with in every single way!
Final Verdict: Cullen and Everly burns through the pages, scorching your fingertips, heart, and soul, leaving at times destruction in their wake, but always followed by love of the kind that is all consuming!
Favorite Quotes
It occurs to me at that moment how much more I want to do with this new burst of energy—sick, twisted things I’ve never really thought about wanting before, and that thought has my cock getting surprisingly hard in my shorts. “You belong to me now, Miss West. And if you even think about calling the police on me or telling Coach or the administration, you might as well slit your own throat because I won’t let you sleep a wink without wishing for death. Do we have an understanding?” I snap, my tone laced with hatred as I grit out each word.
Our eyes meet for a moment, and there is no more smug indignation in her eyes, just fear. Something passes between us. It’s subtle, and maybe I’m seeing something that’s not there, but it looks like fire in her eyes, like maybe I love this and she doesn’t hate it as much as she should. With her tear-soaked eyes still on mine, I force her mouth shut. “Swallow.” She whimpers again and does what she’s told. “Good girl.” Then I wipe her tears with my thumb before shoving her away from me.
His mouth lands harshly on my lips. I’m too stunned to move. My hands are pressed against his chest, but not with enough force to actually push him off of me. In the recesses of my mind, I know if I really want him off, I can get away, but I don’t. I just let him kiss me. His tongue slides between my lips, diving into my mouth like he owns me, and I guess at this point, he does. The metal on his tongue surprises me for a moment as it slides against mine. He lets out a low growl when the hand around my waist squeezes me closer, practically fusing my body with his.
“No, you are not my fucking mother, Everly. Don’t you ever compare yourself to my mother again. You will never be like her. She wasn’t a bitch like you.” I let out a gasp and instantly try to pull away, but he grabs me hard by the back of the neck, squeezing so tightly that pain shoots all the way down my spine. “You’re hurting me,” I say with a whimper. Still, he doesn’t let up. Instead, he grabs my hand off the steering wheel and slams it against his crotch, and I lose the ability to breathe when I feel the rock-hard bulge in his shorts. “Hurting you gets me hard, Everly. You see how fucked up I am?”
“What’s wrong, Everly? You’ve never heard of hate-sex? A revenge fuck. Angsty, depraved, and dirty as sin.” My mouth goes dry, and I can’t respond. “Is that what you want? Because that’s sure as fuck what I want, and that’s why that asshole will not touch you, understand?” When his hands grip a handful of my hair, I shudder. Arousal warms my belly as he yanks my head backward. There was some reason why I shouldn’t do this.
The back of my skirt is lifted up to my ass as Cullen pushes his hips against mine, dry humping me from behind, and making me see stars with the way my arousal slams into me like a truck. God, I want him to unzip his pants and just fuck me right here. I don’t even care that I could be caught, lose my job, and be in the headlines all over again, but for much worse reasons. I don’t care. The feel of his perfect cock entering me with force would be worth it. My body is on fire, flames licking at my belly as he grinds his impressive length against my ass. “Fuck me,” I whisper, shamelessly. So fucking shamelessly. I should be the very definition of ashamed right now, but I’m not. I just don’t care.
“Cullen, please,” I beg, but he doesn’t give me what I crave. Instead, he teases me. Slipping his fingers through the folds, he slides a finger in roughly, making me cry out. Then, he pulls it out and spreads the moisture all over, pulling his hand out and touching his wet fingers to my lips. “Taste yourself,” he whispers, and I do. It’s erotic and filthy and sends my heart racing, a strange new feeling sprouting in my stomach, like being turned on by something that also makes me feel wrong and dirty. It’s so much better.
“Show me now.” With a hesitant expression on her face, she peels open her robe, giving me a view of her bra and panties before lowering the phone and spreading her knees. Peeling her thong aside, she aims the camera right at her beautiful pink pussy. My breath comes out heavy and loud. “Touch it.” “Cullen, no.” She’s putting up such a weak fight, it makes me laugh. “Do it, Everly. I need to see you touch it.” With the slightest huff, she obeys. Her fingers run through her lips, and I groan. I notice how her mouth opens, her breath hitching, and her eyes darkening in lust.
“Everly,” I whisper her name, the sound of it like satin on my lips. Her heavily-hooded gaze stares back at me as she watches me stroke myself. “I’m going to come soon,” she says in a high-pitched cry, and I bite my lip, loving the way her hand picks up speed and her chest stops moving. “Come for me, baby,” I manage to groan out just as my balls tighten, the head of my cock swelling as my own orgasm rushes to the surface in a hurried chase.
He throws his bag into my trunk and drops into the seat next to me, but he doesn’t hesitate a moment before grabbing my face and pulling me to him for a bruising, violent kiss. Time stops, and I let out a yelp just as he fuses his lips to mine. And he tastes good. Kissing Cullen is like visiting a private place all on your own, where there are no rules or witnesses. I don’t necessarily kiss him back, but when his tongue presses its way into my mouth, I let it. He nips at my lips as he consumes me, and I try to stop time. I don’t want to open my eyes and face his disdain for me anymore. I just want to exist in this kiss.
Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes hooded with lust, like it’s the only thought on her mind—need, want, lust. When we reach the master bathroom, she turns to flip on the shower before spinning back toward me to pull up my shirt. It’s the first time she’s really taken control, letting herself express how much she wants me, and I like it. Everly wants me, and even though it’s not like she’s the first woman to want me, the attention warms a part of me that’s always felt cold and dead before.
While I’m staring at the mirror, she glides her hands along my abs and up to my pecs, skimming her fingers softly over my nipples, toying with the barbell through each one. And even though my skin is still covered in a thin sheen of sweat, she leans forward and kisses my chest. A groan builds softly from the base of my chest, growing louder as her mouth finds my nipple and her teeth bite the piercing there. Fuck, I’m not going to make it.
Spinning her around so her back is against me, I hold her tightly across the chest with one arm as I plunge my fingers in again. Writhing against me, she cries out as I stroke her relentlessly. I want her as close to coming as I can get her. Clutching onto my arm, she hangs from my hold as I zero in on her clit, rubbing it so hard I know she’s teetering somewhere between pain and pleasure. “Cullen,” she gasps in a plea. She’s begging me for more. My dick is pressed against her back, and I squeeze her closer. God, I want to fuck her so badly, but I can’t. I have to keep my head.
I put up a fight, crawling away, but he grabs me by the ankle, jerking me toward him. Letting out a scream laced with laughter, I push away from him, but he’s so much stronger than I am. Plus, I don’t really hate the idea of being at Cullen’s mercy, not anymore. This thing between us has morphed from actual torment to superficial torment, like we’re playing the parts, fulfilling roles. He is my punisher, and I am welcoming my discipline.
He climbs onto the bed, covering my body with his. He wrestles my wrists from my chest and pins them above my head. Looking into his eyes with a dare on my face, I say, “Don’t start something you can’t finish.” He hears the challenge in my voice and smiles wickedly. “I don’t think you deserve to finish,” he growls, abruptly kissing my neck. His lips and teeth are both soft and rough, kissing and nibbling, making me squirm with the too-good and too-painful contradiction, which is really just Cullen in a nutshell, isn’t it? I want all of him and none of him at the same time.
He strokes my hair again. He’s not forcing me, and I know I don’t have to, but I want to. So I lift my head and slowly pull down the elastic waistband of his pants and reach for his cock. I am not hurried or frantic as I slowly wrap my hand around him, watching his face for signs of pleasure when I squeeze. His eyes threaten to close as I stroke him once, then twice. With my gaze on his, I shift closer, so I can run my tongue along his shaft. He moans and presses his fingers subtly against my head. He wants more, and I want to give it to him. I don’t even care that I’m not going to get off. I’ll do it just to watch the way he comes and to hear the sounds he makes as I unravel him piece by piece.
I don’t expect him to do what he does next, so I’m reaching for him when he drops to his knees and buries his face between my legs. The warmth of his wet mouth is intense, so intense, I let out a strangled cry as his tongue punches hard into me. It’s almost too much, but it’s him, and he’s touching me, and I let myself melt into that thought. “Cullen,” I gasp, arching my back and burying my hands in his hair. He moans, pressing his mouth harder against me, his tongue going deeper. Hooking his arms under my thighs, he practically fuses his lips to my body.
“Cullen, please!” He’s on top of me in a heartbeat, devouring my mouth the way he was just devouring my sex, making me taste myself. Making me like it. I feel his thick erection heavy on my belly as he kisses me. My eyes are squeezed shut, tears still streaming when I wrap my legs around him, inviting him in. “You still want to fight me?” he mutters darkly against my mouth. “You still want to pretend you’re not mine?” When I try to shift my hips to meet his cock, he takes a hold of my face under my chin to keep me still. “Fucking open your eyes, Everly.”
Tell me you hate me now,” he grits out as he pulls back and slams in again. His hands clutch me hard, one behind my neck and the other around my waist. “I hate you,” I whisper, as another batch of tears flow out of my eyes. I’m not sad or scared or hurt, but the intensity of the moment forces them out, and I can’t stop them now.
“Relax, Everly.” “I’m not used to relaxing around you.” With my opposite hand, I grab a handful of her hair and pull her upright so my mouth is next to her ear. “Do you think I really want to hurt you?” “Yes.” “You’re wrong. I want you to be my dirty little slut. I want to fuck your brains out and make you come so hard you see stars. Can I do that?” She lets out a sweet little breath and nods. “Yes.”
“Come on, Cullen. You’re angry. Give me your anger. I can take it.” His mouth slams against mine so hard, I’m sure it’ll bruise. It takes me by surprise, as he owns my mouth in a possessive, harsh kiss. Thrusting his tongue into my mouth, I remind my body to give up the fight, and he dominates me. I have to trust that he won’t take it too far. I have absolutely nothing to base that on, but I will do this for him. When he bites my bottom lip, a shock of pain makes me panic, and I let out a whimper.
And he was right. It’s nothing like before. We’re not connecting on a deeper level or savoring the feel of each other. He’s fucking me hard without emotion. No, there is emotion. It’s resentment and rage and dread. He’s fucking me in frustration, and like he said, this is for him, not me. Still, my body responds, purring under the almost violent, overwhelming motion of his thrusts. “Harder,” I gasp before I catch myself. He picks up speed, filling the room with the sounds of our bodies slamming together. I don’t even cry out when sparks ignite every nerve in my body, throwing me into a silent fit of pleasure. I keep quiet, keeping my orgasm to myself.
Her back arches and she cries out. It’s a delicious sensation, but I need more. I need everything with her. Kissing her collarbone, I lick up the water clinging to her skin from her neck to her earlobe. Every moment our bodies are fused makes me feel whole, like she is the piece I was missing. “I want you to come inside me.” She tilts her hips, grinding herself on me. Her arms wrap around my neck, our lips pressed together as our bodies move in one fluid motion. “Fuck, Everly…” I moan.
She pulls away from the kiss for a moment and stares up at me. “Give it to me, Cullen. Give me your pleasure.” She winds her fingers in mine, clasping our hands firmly together as I thrust harder. When I feel myself shuddering and fighting it, she squeezes my hand even tighter. With our mouths pressed together, I cry out, “I’m coming.” The climax spreads through my body, lasting forever as it clamps down and breaks me, shattering every fragment of who I am until there is nothing left. Until I am nothing but hers.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Paperwhite Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance Series: Black Mountain Academy Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Trenton Knox Heroine: Aspen Falcone Sensuality: 3.5 Date of Publication: January 28, 2021 Started On: March 30, 2021 Finished On: April 01, 2021
“He tastes like cinnamon and uninvited desire…wrapped in pure evil.”
Hate Me by Ashely Jade is a novel that would be hard to take in for a lot of readers because it deals with a bullish hero who comes off as the worst of the lot at the initial stages of the story, until Ms. Jade slowly reveals his backstory and allows us to peek into his most formative years and the toll of constant physical and emotional abuse from a very tender age. Growing up with a vicious psychopath has its consequences, and that is what Ms. Jade shows us through this mesmerizing story.
The main protagonists, Trenton Knox (Trent) and Aspen Falcone meet at a very young age. The first meet does not go exactly as one would envision it would, with Aspen walking away crying with a bloodied nose and Trent hating the very essence of the girl who for the very first time sees right through to him and the misery that his life was.
Through the years, there are countless encounters between the two, until fate leaves Aspen fatherless and her mother remarries none other than Trent’s father, bringing everything full circle. That is when the story actually begins, with “Stray” as Trent loves to call Aspen finally landing on his home turf.
For Aspen, whatever notions she had before of Trent starts to change slowly as for the first time, she starts to see what Trent’s life must have been like through the years. However, Trent does not make it easy to understand him as he pushes her away at every turn, even though the sizzling connection between them roars to life with a ferocity that refuses to be denied as the story progresses.
Aspen’s life is no walk in the park either once her father passes on, with a mother who only cares to keep up appearances. With little or no emotional support in her life, Aspen takes on paths that are only attractive to someone who has nowhere else to turn to. It feels at first as if Aspen switches from one path to destruction to another when the attraction between Aspen and Trent reaches its climax, but there are undercurrents at play in the story that needs to reach their conclusion before anything long lasting can come to fruition between the two.
I enjoyed Hate Me for the most part; it was captivating through the bigger chunk of the story and had me anxious to find out what would happen next. Additionally, the way Ms. Ashley spun Trent’s arc was gripping, with the layers to his character exposed as the story delved deeper into the combined lives of both Aspen and Trent. Some of the scenes of abuse or the aftermath of it were difficult to read, but nevertheless it was needed to show the depravity of monsters that live in society, taking up revered positions in the community.
The only thing that I could not wrap my head around was the ultimate conclusion of the arc of Aspen’s mother’s character – without giving way to spoilers, all I have to say is that I did not find what happened to her sitting well with me at the end. The only reason why this book did not get a higher rating was because I could not understand that particular ending.
Ms. Ashley gives us a realistic happily ever after once all is said and done, with both Aspen and Trent doing some needed healing and growing up before coming together once again.
Recommended for those who enjoy stories that brings together difficult to understand heroes and the heroines whose spunk and courage definitely makes them stand out!
Final Verdict: Trent and Aspen are two halves of one jagged soul; each beautifully broken in a way that only those who are survivors can be.
Favorite Quotes
“What is your prob—” I don’t get to finish that sentence because his hand slides to the back of my neck and his mouth crashes against mine. What the hell? Everything freezes…except my heart, which feels like it’s exploding. It’s my first kiss.. The fact Knox is the one doing it is just…weird. I should probably stop him. I hate his guts and he doesn’t deserve to kiss me. But I can’t…because he’s kissing me like he just swallowed poison and I’m the antidote. At first there’s no tongue. Just greedy lips. But then he growls, low and deep, and everything changes. I rest my hands on his shoulders, my knees going weak as the fingers on my neck tighten and he coaxes my mouth open to feed me his tongue. He tastes like cinnamon and uninvited desire…wrapped in pure evil.
“Do you want my jacket?” Leo offers. I shake my head, my nipples puckering as I fight to keep my breathing in check. “No. Thank you.” The woman turns to him again. “What is it you do for a living?” I’m thankful for her nosiness, because Knox curls his fingers and an orgasm tears through me so fast my head spins as I clutch the chair for dear life. That’s when I feel a sharp pull on my panties. I’m in no position to protest, so I don’t as he wrenches my thong off before tucking the silky material into his pocket.
I spread her pussy with my fingers, stretching it as far as it will go before I lower my mouth and thrust my tongue deep inside her, extending it as far as I can. Liquid heat fills my mouth as she squirms below me. “You know why Leo didn’t know I made you come last night?” I flick my tongue ring against her swollen clit and she moans around my cock. “Because he’s never done it before.” I suckle the sensitive bud as she gags on my dick and the sounds of me eating her fill the jeep. “He doesn’t have a clue how you look when you come.”
His lids lower, and his hand grazes my bare knee. “Why are you down here, Stray?” Ever so slowly, his calloused palm moves up my inner thigh. “What is it you really want?” An electrifying tremble breaks free and I suck in a sharp breath when he cups me between my legs. I hate how his touch feels like both damnation and deliverance. Right and wrong. Bad meets evil. His free hand trails down his sculpted stomach until it disappears under his sweatpants. My heart speeds up, pumping hard against my ribs when he pushes them down his hips and his weighty cock bobs out, slapping against his abdomen. “Is this what you want?”
Rising on my knees, I slowly lower myself onto him. He’s so big, so thick, it aches as I stretch around him. My eyes flutter closed when I sink down and he fills me to the hilt, my skin tingling and my nipples puckering as I relish the sensation. Slowly, I start to ride him. I suck in a breath when his grip on my hip tightens, and he bites his lower lip and groans. He looks so sexy…so hungry. Like he wants this even more than I do.
I gasp when the sharp tip of the knife pierces the top of my breast. “Knox—” In one fluid movement, he wraps an arm around my lower back and shifts us into a sitting position. Groaning, he inclines his head and licks the blood from the small cut he made. “Every part of you tastes good.” Squeezing my tits in his big hands, he sucks a nipple into his hot, wet mouth. “So fucking good.” I tilt my head, arching my back and closing my eyes…getting lost in the feel of his warm lips on my skin and his cock pumping deep inside me. I hold on to him for dear life as his thrusts pick up speed. Oh, God.
“Stop.” But he doesn’t. Instead, he grabs the back of my neck, turning my face up to meet his before he kisses me like I’m the air he needs to breathe in order to survive. He explores every inch of my mouth, leaving no stone unturned. I feel the armor I’ve built around me begin to crumble like cheap plywood with every hungry stroke of his tongue.
I hiss when he spreads my ass cheeks and holds them open—exposing all of me—before I feel the head of his cock nudge my entrance. “Tell me you don’t want this.” “I don’t want to want this,” I whisper, the last of my willpower shattering like glass. Because everything was so much easier when I hated him. His gruff voice cuts through the air. “That makes two of us.” With that, he pushes forward until he’s buried deep inside me. “Fuck.” His thrusts are fast and brutal—punishing—yet rewarding at the same time. I scratch at the seat, tearing the upholstery as he gives it to me exactly the way I need it.
His nose skims the length of me and he inhales deeply, his long fingers tightening around my hips. “I don’t give a fuck.” He proves his point by licking and kissing my pussy the same ravenous way he does my mouth. The vulgar sounds of him eating me fill the kitchen, causing my skin to tingle and my head to spin as he continues drawing incredible sensations from my body. I place my hand on his head, keeping him right where I need him as he stabs his tongue between my legs. He makes tiny circles, causing the metal from the barbell to graze my inner muscles. I whimper as pleasure coils my insides, and he shoves two fingers inside me before attacking my clit with his mouth. “Oh, fuck.”
I trail my palm down his chest. “Because you wanted it to be my mouth around your dick?” His lids grow heavy as his eyes track my every movement. “What are you doing?” Moving my hand lower, I undo his belt buckle, release his fly, and slip my hand inside, grazing his length through his boxers. “Giving you what you want.” He raises an eyebrow in challenge. “What makes you sure I want this?” Tugging on the waistband of his boxers, I reach inside. He’s warm and hard for me. “It feels like you do.”
He playfully tugs my t-shirt. Or rather, his t-shirt. “Take this off.” I fold my arms around his neck, not quite ready to put an end to his kiss. “Why?” “Because I want to watch you shower.” Reaching down, he grabs a handful of my ass and squeezes. “I want you to pretend you’re all alone while I watch you play with yourself.” His fiery mouth slides down my neck. “But you’re not allowed to come.” He sucks the sensitive skin above my throat. “Not until my cock is inside you.”
“Knox.” She utters my name like a warning and a plea. Standing up, I work my cock inside her pussy while I finger her tight little asshole. “How does it feel?” “Full.” Her teeth saw along her lip as she closes her eyes. “I can feel you everywhere.” Good. Pumping my finger, I thrust deeper. The walls of her pretty cunt squeeze around me, milking my dick as I give it to her harder. But it’s not enough.
He drops me on the bed and kneels in front of me, his rough hands immediately going to the zipper on my jeans. I raise my hips as he tugs them off. My shirt, bra, and panties follow shortly after. I reach for the hem of his shirt and bring it over his head. I need to feel his skin on mine. I need to feel him inside me…owning me, claiming me, fucking me. Making everything make sense again.
His thrusts deepen as he kisses my cheeks, my chin, my lips. Our skin sticks with sweat as we rock into each other and he presses his forehead against mine. Oh, God. This is so different…so intimate. He holds my gaze as we exchange the same breath. “Aspen.” There’s so much stark emotion contained when he says my name—hate, love, want, desire, obsession—all of it tangled into one. Just like us.
A Maldivian's Passion for Romance 