Category / Ellora’s Cave

by mvbookreviewer

I-Review: Iron Seduction by J.K. Coi

Format: E-bookironseduction.JPG
Read with: Kindle for I-Pad
Length: Novella
Genre: Chinese Steampunk
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Jian Denzen
Heroine: Lady Jane
Sensuality: 4
Published On: June 3rd, 2011
Started On: 18th June 2011
Finished On: 18th June 2011

Visitor: What made you pick up Iron Seduction?

MBR: Ever since I read Morning After and flat-out loved the short & hot story, J. K. Coi has been an author of interest to me. But somehow this one slipped through the cracks until I found this on a list of recommendations on a blog post of author Maya Banks which had me running on an immediate shopping spree to acquire my first romance of the steampunk category.

Visitor: Tell us a little bit about the hero Jian Denzen.

MBR: *Huge sigh* Jian Denzen, otherwise known as Dance is the strong, silent and uber-sexy type of hero that just takes your breath away. Well-versed in the art of Lin Kuei, China’s more circumspect version of Japanese ninja, Jian is a hero I can sit and read about all day long because he is so very well worth it.

Visitor: Now tell us a little bit about the heroine Lady Jane.

MBR: Lady Jane is  a heroine who belongs in the kick-ass-heroine category. She commands a contingent of British soldiers who stay in China and is someone who guards her heart fiercely fearing that she might be betrayed yet again.

Visitor: How does Jian and Lady Jane meet for the first time?

MBR: Lady Jane and Jian’s paths cross during the battle for freedom waged against Empress Cixi. Lady Jane saves Jian’s life for which she earns Jian’s undying loyalty and exasperation as well.

Visitor: What was it that drew you into the story with Iron Seduction?

MBR: I delved into Iron Seduction expecting Ms. Coi’s way with the words to reel me in and it did just that. For a Quickie, Iron Seduction has got everything going for it, a well balanced story line, a hotter than sin hero and explosive scenes of passion that just took my breath away. And I loved every single delicious minute of it.

Visitor: What was it that you liked about Iron Seduction?

MBR: I loved everything about Iron Seduction from its sleek man-titty cover to the red-hot attraction between Lady Jane and Jian. For me, Jian and his unwavering loyalty and strength made this novella, and the way he thoroughly commands Lady Jane’s senses (which she tries utmost to keep sensible and do the “right” thing) made this an awesome read for me.

Visitor: What if anything would you want to change in Iron Seduction?

MBR: As a Quickie, the story is well done and delivers on all counts. But for someone who always loves longer stories, I would love to see what Ms. Coi can do with a full length novel. With Iron Seduction, I would have loved to learn more about both Lady Jane and Jian and their interactions together which happens prior to the start of this novella.

Visitor: Any memorable scenes/quotes from Iron Seduction that you would like to share?

MBR: I loved the scenes where Jian’s intensity comes into play.

Visitor: Who would you recommend Iron Seduction to?

MBR: Those who love stories by J. K. Coi. And for those who love their erotica with something a little bit different.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookmidnightman
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Midnight, Book 1
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: John Hunnington
Heroine: Suzanne Barron
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 12, 2004
Started On: June 11, 2011
Finished On: June 12, 2011

Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice is book one in her Midnight series. I have previously read and loved the third and final book in the series entitled Midnight Angel. This is my third attempt at reading Midnight Man, my previous two attempts halted somewhere in the midst of the first chapter due to one reason or the other.

Midnight Man tells the story of John Hunnington who is forced into early retirement from his career as a tough Navy SEAL. Known as the Midnight Man to his fellow comrades, John is a man well versed in the art of killing and now owns his own top notch security company known as Alpha Security International. It is his expanding business that makes him seek out Suzanne Baronn who is leasing out part of her building as office space, perfect for what he wants and in the process finds himself blindsided with the need to possess the classy and elegant beauty who stands in front of him.

Suzanne with her interior decorating business is the exact opposite of John. And the way John commands all of her senses right from the very first meet itself has Suzanne ready to flee from the intensity of her response to a man that she barely knows from Adam. However, from the moment John possesses her up against the wall during their very first date means that there is no turning back for Suzanne who has envisioned a very different process by which she would fall in love with the man she would share the rest of her life with. And when danger of the life threatening variety comes calling out of nowhere, it is to John that Suzanne turns towards who pulls no punches in ensuring that the woman who rocks his world in more ways than one would remain safe as long as he is capable of breathing.

The Midnight series tells stories of uber alpha males and the dainty yet strong heroines who are actually damsels in distress the said alphas race to rescue. With mind numbing passion of the explosive variety which is very well done, Midnight Man delivers on all counts and I loved reading every little bit of how two very different people find their soul mates in each other in the most unusual of circumstances.

I fell in love with John when I read the following part of the book where his burgoening feelings towards Suzanne is vocalized for the very first time in the story.

And I definitely loved the ending of the story though there was no epilogue in this one which somehow doesn’t end up feeling lacking.

Recommended for fans of Lisa Marie Rice/Elizabeth Jennings.

Favorite Quotes

The tree was pretty, she thought with satisfaction. It reached almost to the ceiling and the branches, thick and glossy, contrasted cheerily with the ribbons and apples and strands of fluffy white popcorn. The tree glowed with color. There were no store-bought ornaments on the tree, but that only made it charming, like something out of a Normal Rockwell painting.
“Pity we don’t have an angel,” she sighed. Her mother had a wonderful hand-made papier-mache white-and-gold angel picked up in Naples, which would have looked perfect on top of the tree.
John squeezed her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. His deep voice was quiet as he said, “You wouldn’t fit on top.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookwomanontherun
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Sam Cooper
Heroine: Julia Devaux
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: October 1, 2005
Started On: June 10, 2011
Finished On: June 11, 2011

Julia Devaux finds herself in the mother of all fixes when she witnesses a mob hit and becomes a valuable witness who could put away the dangerous Joey Capruzzo behind bars for a good long time. However that also means that one seriously rich and pissed off Capruzo is after her pretty little head served on a platter which would mean another failed attempt by the US government  to indict him.

A book worm and film buff at the core, though Julia has lived a life of moving from one place to the other with her parents always on the move, she is not at all prepared to change into a Sally Anderson, a second grade school teacher in the middle of nowhere in Simpson, Idaho. With her life turned completely upside down, Julia is one step away from just simply sitting down and wailing at the winds when things take an interesting turn and she starts having an unholy fascination for anything to do with the tall, strong and silent Sam Cooper who turns up on her doorstep most unexpectedly.

Ex-Navy SEAL, Sam is a man who finds himself in serious trouble when the delectable new teacher in Idaho leaves him with a raging hard-on for the first time in almost two years. Sam’s past and the famous Cooper curse makes him a wary man on all counts. On top of all that, Sam is not a man who has much inclination to talk which has him sweating buckets when it comes to wooing and seducing the one woman whom he wants more than his next breath.

With a whopping figure of two million on her head, Julia is far from safe even in a no name town such as Simpson when it brings out a killer most cunning who will do anything to find out and kill Julia, all for the luxury the money for the kill would bring.

Whe Sam finds out that Julia, the woman who has turned his life and that of his town around is a woman on the run, there is no stopping him from pulling out all the stops in protecting the one woman who means the world to him. Towards the end, the cunning killer almost wins in putting Julia six feet under until Sam arrives to the rescue with just seconds to spare.

I loved Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice as this turned out to be refreshingly different from the rest of her novels I have read to date. I say different because of the take on humor this story has which had me laughing out loud in several places when Julia’s quirky sense of self-depreciating humor along with the small town life comes into play.

From the aspect of the hero and the trademark LMR sensuality, this book is another winner with Sam being the uber-alpha and the protective kind whose want and need for Julia goes beyond anything describable. Julia is an endearing heroine whom I loved from the start of the novel though she sounds a bit confused of what she wants and needs at the beginning of the story. The villain when brought to light turned out to be the biggest shocker rendering this as one of the most enjoyable romantic suspense by the author. For me the best part of the epilogue of the story which takes place 4 years later turned out to be how different a man Sam is towards the end. And I would love to point it out that the overly descriptive narrations that annoyed me in Hotter than Wildfire which I reviewed earlier were non-existent in this one, making it earn a whopping 5 stars from the sunny side of life!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave 

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Coyote Wild by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 2
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Brogan Wilder
Heroine: Eloise Crawford
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 18, 2010
Started On: May 28, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Coyote Wild is the 2nd book in the Coyote Hunger series, the book that at first caught my eye when I was browsing through Rhian Cahill’s back list. Coyote Hunger series is based on a community of coyote shape shifters and Coyote Wild tells the story of Brogan Wilder, the sovereign leader of the pack who finds his mate in his sister’s best friend Eloise Crawford who comes from Australia to attend his sister Rowan’s wedding.

The last thing that Eloise expects to find in her best friend Rowan’s brother is the gut wrenching need that swirls deep within her even from the first moment she lays eyes on him. Eloise who has never felt that way about anyone in the past is taken aback by a desire that rages out of control within her, a need to possess and be possessed by a man who would be a virtual stranger to her if not for Rowan’s stories about him when they were living together. However that doesn’t stop  her from turning to putty in his arms without knowing exactly what she is getting herself into.

Brogan never thought that he would find his mate in his sister’s best friend and that it would turn out to be a human. But the coyote inside of him refuses to stand down once it has Eloise in its sight that lets Brogan know that there would be no turning back from how Eloise makes him feel. Though Brogan knows that he needs to woo Eloise and introduce her gently into their way of life, it doesn’t make the reciprocated look of mind numbing desire in Eloise’s eyes any less easier to ignore. Before Brogan knows what he is doing, all thoughts of gentle introductions fly out of the window and he has Eloise staked and claimed as his mate within no time.

However, learning to embrace her life as a coyote shifter is the least of Eloise’s worries when Brogan’s enemy makes it his quest to destroy Brogan in anyway he can, a man who has long since moved onto the path of insanity rendering him a danger to Brogan and those whom he loves.

Coyote Wild is a great addition to the Coyote Hunger series. I loved learning about Brogan, the responsibilities that he shoulders as the sovereign ruler of the pack and of course learning of his uncontrollable hunger when it comes to anything to do with his mate for life. Eloise turned out to be my most favorite in this story, her courage and utter determination landing her in my list of favorite heroines. And as always, Rhian outdoes herself in delivering the nerve tingling kind of sensuality at the right pace which just makes her books that much better to indulge in. There are so many interesting characters in the Coyote Hunger series that one can’t help but want a story for each and every single one of them. And I hear that Ms. Rhian is working on Doc and Steve’s story which I bet is going to set my Kindle afire when I get my hands on it.

Coyote Hunger series is highly recommended for those who love a good paranormal/fantasy series featuring shape shifters. I loved the shape shifting scenes included in each of the books, wanting to run my hands all over the coyote’s furry coats each single time. For those who love Rhian Cahill’s erotic contemporary stories, you definitely ought to get a taste of what she can do in the paranormal world.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Diesel E-Books

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Coyote Run by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 1.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Quinn McClellan
Heroine: Rowan Wilder
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: September 2, 2010
Started On: May 27, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Coyote Run was released in between the releases of book 1 Coyote Home and book 2 Coyote Wild. Anyone who has read Coyote Home would know that there is a lot of back story to Rowan and Quinn’s happily-ever-after and this is where Ms. Rhian delivers on their shared past.

Running from a mad man who rules their pack, Quinn and Rowan both know that there is no other option except for Rowan to flee and find sanctuary somewhere else, until Quinn and Brogan manages to settle things down and make Whispering Mountains a safe haven for all of them.

It is in the midst of the run for Rowan’s life to safety that Rowan and Quinn mate for the first time, marking each other for life as their own, rendering this quickie to be a smoking hot novella!

If Coyote Home had been a longer novel, this would have passed off as a GREAT prologue and Coyote Home would definitely have been much better with its addition. I know that when it comes to publishing that there is always the word count to consider, but the impact Coyote Home would have made with Coyote Run included would have been much more in my opinion.

That being said, I’m glad that Ms. Rhian decided to go ahead and publish the story of Quinn and Rowan’s past in this way so that fans of Coyote Home would definitely get a treat out of this one.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Coyote Home by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 1
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Quinn McClellan
Heroine: Rowan Wilder
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: May 12, 2010
Started On: May 23, 2011
Finished On: May 27, 2011

Coyote Home is book 1 in the Coyote Hunger series by Rhian Cahill. This is my first taste of what Rhian can do with a paranormal/fantasy world and I have got to say that I’m impressed because Coyote Home had the ability to completely hook me onto its world and the story that unfolded right from the very beginning. I hear book 2 calling my name in earnest and I can’t wait to delve into Brogan’s story right after putting up my review.

This review too will follow the I-Review format.

You: What made you pick up Coyote Home?

MBR: After reading Singapore Fling by Rhian Cahill and later falling in love with Logan from Doing Logan, I decided to go through her back list to find out books by Rhian Cahill that I have missed. I have to confess that Coyote Wild, the 2nd book in the series is what caught my eye at first because I so love a story where the hero is a shifter and the heroine a human. And when Rhian approached me about doing a review for a couple of her books, I grabbed the chance knowing that Rhian would never steer me wrong.

You: Tell us a little bit about the hero Quinn McClellan?

MBR: Quinn is a coyote shifter and is best friends with Brogan, Rowan’s brother. What you come to know about Quinn just makes you utterly fall for him in all the ways possible. Uber protective with the blood of an alpha male pumping through him, Quinn just took my breath away and along with it my heart as well right from the first moment he made his entrance into the story.

You: Now, tell us a little  bit about the heroine, Rowan Wilder?

MBR: Rowan Wilder the heroine is a coyote shifter as well. Having grown up in Whispering Creek, the Wilder’s home, Rowan is forced to leave everything she loves behind and move to Australia where she has been in hiding for the past 6 years. Now Rowan is back, ready to face the music and to claim Quinn, her mate for life whom she left behind in her attempt to protect him as well as herself.

You: How does Quinn and Rowan meet for the first time?

MBR: Quinn and Rowan grows up together, so there is no mention of how it is they meet up at the very beginning. Even at a very young age, Quinn and Rowan has had an emotional connection to one another without even knowing that within each other lies their mate for life.

You: What was it that drew you into this story?

MBR: The red-hot sizzling passion between Quinn and Rowan that is evident right from the first chapter itself is what drew me in at the beginning. As the story unfolded and 17% into the story, I fell head over heels in love with Quinn for his protective nature when it comes to Rowan. Though he would like nothing better than to claim his mate who has come home to him after 6 long years, Quinn holds back his coyote, letting love and tender care work its magic over Rowan whose problems begin at learning to master her coyote after such a long period of time. And the world that Rhian creates with the introduction of each of the side characters into the story, I was baited hook, line and sinker and never wanted the magic that unfolded to end.

You: What was it that you liked about Coyote Home?

MBR: Quinn MacClellan tops the list of things that I loved about Coyote Home. He makes it into my list of favorite alpha heroes and caused me to hyperventilate a time or two with his take-charge attitude in the bedroom that just melted me in all the right places. Rowan Wilder comes in second, being a heroine that has confidence as well as her own fears to battle but nevertheless loves Quinn and would go to any lengths to protect him and their love for one another. And one of the things that I really loved about Coyote Home is the fact that Ms. Cahill doesn’t let the romance dwindle away in the story at any stage of the story, but rather the blistering passion between Rowan and Quinn remains center stage throughout, making me love Coyote Home all that more!

You: What if anything would you change in Coyote Home?

MBR: I was a bit surprised by the abruptness of the ending. A lot of issues that came up were left unresolved which I am hoping is for the continuity of the series and most of them would be answered by the end of the 2nd book, Coyote Wild which is now practically chanting my name over from the TBR pile!

You: Who would you recommend Coyote Home to?

MBR: Fans of Rhian Cahill of course. You would definitely know what I am talking about when I say that Rhian ALWAYS does a fantastic job with the scenes of passion of the erotic variety. There is not one place in your body that would remain unaffected when Rhian unleashes her brand of sizzling hotness into the story and this one was no exception to that rule.
And for fans of paranormal/fantasy romances. This one’s for you!

You: Any memorable scenes/quotes from Coyote Home?

MBR: Each and every single passionate moment in the story right from the searing first kiss that Quinn places on Rowan to the much tender scenes that unfolds later, I loved all of them to bits.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Diesel E-books

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Fine Specimen by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Lieutenant Alejandro Cruz
Heroine: Caitlin Summers
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: March 25, 2009
Started On: March 30, 2011
Finished On: April 1, 2011

Apart from the cover of this book which I just loathe, I loved every single thing about this very hot and well done novel by Lisa Marie Rice. Previously released and entitled as “Taming Nick”, A Fine Specimen tells the story of how Alex, the lieutenant at Baylorville PD falls like a ton of bricks for the sweet, sexy and beautiful Caitlin Summers.

38 year old Alejandro Cruz (Alex) lives and breathes police procedure. Alex had grown up in one of the poorest ares of Baylorville with an alcoholic for a  mother and a drug addict for a father. Alex had been on his way to becoming one of the most notorious punks in the area when his mentor and chief of the police department Ray Avery had seen something inside of Alex that had taken Alex years to see. The qualities that had made him a top notch badass had been trained and honed into making a perfectly lethal law enforcement officer, who had steadily climbed the ranks until Alex is to be the one to replace Ray upon his retirement the coming month. But Alex’s dedication had come at a price by turning him into a man who exists for his job alone, a man who has nothing else to look forward to in his life.

28 year old Caitlin Summers is a mix of adorable klutziness with an IQ that would amaze a lot of people. Caitlin had grown up with two parents who had loved and adored one another. Her father had died when Caitlin was quite young and it had been Caitlin’s utter determination and drive that had kept and seen her through school and university to become a double masters holder in behavioral psychology and sociology. Her latest research which relates to “Dominance Displays in Law Enforcement” brings her to Alex’s territory for a week, to observe the dynamics of police personnel and their behavior.

Caitlin is shell shocked to say the least when she meets the very formidable lieutenant to whom Ray has sent her to. From the first moment, her awareness of Alex runs deep which is returned in full force by the man who hasn’t cracked a smile in years. Alex is at first alarmed and a trifle bit impatient when the dainty and beautiful Caitlin shows up in the midst of one of the most important missions that Baylorville PD has embarked upon to-date. With great reluctance, Alex agrees to Caitlin’s request and what follows is a journey of sensual discovery by two people who are irresistibly drawn towards one another as moths towards a flame.

Alex’s fascination for anything to do with Caitlin slowly chips away at the formidable walls he has built up around his emotions and heart for 38 long years. A man who is practical to the core, Alex is the complete opposite of Caitlin who brings a kaleidoscope of colors into Alex’s world of black and white. Bit by bit, the amazing woman that Caitlin is slowly turns him around, making Alex yearn for things he leaves unsaid for far too long – until fate nearly wrenches from him the very best thing that has happened to him in his life.

A Fine Specimen is a tad different from the novels that I have read by Lisa Marie Rice to-date, a fact which I reveled in as I read along. I loved the fact that this story wasn’t focused on a sinfully sexy alpha hero who is hell bent on protecting the dainty and beautiful heroine from bad guys at all costs. Rather this story focuses on the relationship that develops between Alex and Caitlin, taking the reader on a journey that shows how Caitlin’s sunny and klutzy nature perfectly complements the tough as nails nature of Alex.

The love scenes are of the erotic variety but done tastefully, which is always a big plus point when it comes to novels by Ms. Rice. Her ability to paint with words – yes I would call it that, leaves me breathless at times, making me feel as if I am a vital living being in the story that unfolds. Alex is a sinful addition to my alpha male hottie list, a man who knows how to  take care of his woman in all the right ways. A Fine Specimen is certainly a delightful surprise if you can find it in yourself to go beyond the guy on the cover, who looks too full of himself if I may say so, which serves as a complete turn off when it comes to books. But beyond that is a story that is a delight to indulge in, a hero who surpassed all my expectations and managed to raise the yowzastic factor of the novel quite a bit with his inherently focused nature. Though I felt that the ending seemed a bit rushed, I would still give this 4 stars because I just absolutely love what Lisa Marie Rice can do with her rough and tough heroes and her beautiful and dainty heroines.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Simple Need by Lissa Matthews

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Ellora’s Cave Exotika Series
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Vinter
Heroine: Elise
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: November 1, 2009
Started On: January 27, 2011
Finished On: January 27, 2011

I’ve been in a sort of reading funk lately and haven’t been in the mood to read anything. Simple Need by Lissa Matthews has always been a novella that has caught my eye mainly because of its delicious cover and also because of its high reader ratings on Goodreads. So I thought to myself when this title cropped up again, why not give this a chance and see whether it can pull me out of this deep hole I seem to have dug myself into? Though the story didn’t manage to do just that, it still entertained me with a hero that is to die for; a bad boy hero any girl would love.

Since this is a pretty short story, everything is pretty much fast-paced. Vinter is the owner of the bar where Elise decides to drown her sorrows after being dumped by her current boyfriend who had done the deed via SMS, letting her know in the process that he had been a married man all along. Average looking at most with a body that is a bit fuller than what’s the rage, Elise is on her way to becoming drunk when Vinter steps in making all  her hormones go on full red-alert to the delicious man-candy he presents.

Vinter notices the buttoned-up Elise the moment she steps into his bar. Though his intention had only been to just converse with her and find out what was troubling her, the moment she flashes those emerald green eyes filled with longing at him, Vinter is a goner. The undeniable attraction that flares up between Elise and Vinter makes Vinter propose to Elise to let him make her forget every damn thing in her life apart from how Vinter is able to make her feel.

Thus starts out an all out sexual affair which leaves all of Elise’s senses reeling. Having always put aside her true nature and molding herself into what is the norm of the society has made her lose herself somewhere along the way. And it is under Vinter’s commanding fingers that she lets go and embrace her true sensual nature; a journey that leaves the reader tingling in all the right place. *wink*

The ending in this one is also a bit abrupt as it is the case with most of the novellas. Though I didn’t much care for the scene towards the end where Elise’s ex-boyfriend calls her up wanting to mend fences I suppose, I still liked this hot, hot and hot novella and would recommend it to those who love a good erotic contemporary novella with a hero who will just make your heart go aflutter and make all your good-girl genes cry out to claim him as your own.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Ellora’s Cave

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Reveal Me by Cari Quinn

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Unveiled, Book 1
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Carter Nicholas
Heroine: Alana MacGregor
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: January 19, 2011
Started On: January 21, 2011
Finished On: January 21, 2011

I first discovered Cari Quinn when I read and reviewed her book Personal Research on September last year. With the release of that novel, Cari Quinn certainly made it to my auto-buy list because her books are seriously way over the hot, hot zone packaged with a ton of emotion that I as a romance reader absolutely revel in. This short erotic quickie released from Ellora’s Cave includes everything that makes an erotica worth your time.

Alana MacGregor has a bit of a wild side to her nature which hides the sensitive and vulnerable woman inside of her. Someone who is always a bit restless and has issues with commitment and settling down in one place, its a miracle in itself that Alana has lasted as the photographer for The Edge, Roanoke Virginia’s leading newspaper for 11 months now though Alana knows photographing dildos is not what she should be doing with her obvious talent for photography.

Alana is a regular visitor of Kink-Aly, Maryland’s hottest sex club and it is there she runs smack-dab into the now hunky and gorgeous Carter Nicholas from high school who Alana had used to make her then boyfriend jealous regardless of the fact that Alana was aware that nerdy Carter had feelings for her. Caught at a vulnerable moment Alana does what she always does best – brazenly offer herself up to Carter who manages to rouse in her feelings which Alana has thought impossible till now. Their journey towards happily ever after is a hot and wild one any erotica fan would absolutely love!

I liked:

  1. The cover!! I will buy this one for the cover alone. I can stare at that back for hours to come, imagining running my hands up and down those muscles, kissing those little curves. So before I get carried away once again, definitely heart the cover on this one! ^_^
  2. Carter Nicholas. I have identified with the fact that Cari Quinn writes the sexiest “nerdy” heroes possible and Carter certainly lived up to all my expectations and then some. He is sexy, dynamite in bed and out of it *winks* and the best quality about him is the fact that he sees Alana for who she is, wants her for who she is and obviously cares for her and cherishes her in a major way. Total hottie!
  3. Alana MacGregor. At first I couldn’t help but be a little taken aback by her less-than-kind nature. But as I read along I understood what was driving her to be what she was before and she fully redeemed herself towards the end which makes her strong in my opinion. And she is a definite match for the much laid back Carter. Alana is the right mix to add a little spice and wickedness to Carter’s life.
  4. Definitely made me notice Alana’s best friend Kelly. Provoke Me is the title where Kelly finds her happily ever after and am eagerly awaiting an announcement for its release date. I know I am going to love her story as much as I did Alana and Carter’s.

I disliked: None.

Recommended for:

1- Fans of erotic romances who love their stories hotter than wildfire.
2- Fans of Cari Quinn. You should definitely read this one!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Doing Logan by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-bookdoinglogan
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Ellora’s Cave Quickies
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Logan Foster
Heroine: Meredith Wainright
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: November 4, 2010
Started On: November 4, 2010
Finished On: November 4, 2010

Ever since I read Singapore Fling by Rhian Cahill I have been a fan of her searingly hot short contemporaries. Since I follow Ms. Cahill on Twitter I found to my delight a couple of months back that she was just about finished with another novella, this time on my favorite theme where best of friends turn into lovers. And from the moment I read one of the sneak peeks she posted that had me practically drooling I was a goner for Logan. Believe me, today has been one of the most trying days of my life as a reader. As I told Ms. Cahill, never before have I *stalked* a book more than I did for this one. But I had loads of fun doing that so it was all very much worth it in the end. So onto a very quick review I go!

Logan Foster has always been a man of action, that is unless he comes into contact with his lifelong best friend and the woman who has owned his heart for the past 20 years or so, Meredith Wainright. Meredith’s mere presence is enough to spin Logan’s world out of control and Logan has always regretted the fact that he had been the one to introduce Meredith to her dick of an ex-husband Dirk Wainright who had spent whatever time they had been married together betraying her in all the ways possible. And when Dirk and his new wife Barbie (that was just sheer brilliance with the name there) insinuate that Meredith is still not over Dirk, Logan knows its time to let his feelings out in the open where Meredith is concerned and pursue her just like he does everything else he has ever wanted in his life.

Meredith has never been oblivious to the sheer magnetism that Logan exudes in spades. And from the moment Meredith’s life had gone haywire, her body had upped the stakes and started taking notice of Logan in ways she had never dreamed possible. Though what Meredith decides is to have a sexual fling with Logan to experience all those things she had never felt before, she doesn’t bargain on having the full force of Logan’s charm, sexual magnetism and most of all his love directed at her. And of course Meredith is no match to what Logan offers her in all those delicious ways which is the greatest thing about this short story.

There is no word other than explosive and or sheer dynamite to describe what happens when Logan and Meredith come together. They are so in tune with each others needs that it just takes only one look, a heated touch or a searing glance from the other to spin things out of control which I as  the reader just reveled in. I love it when an Erotica novel gives what it promises in spades, sensuality that is hot enough to make all your senses come alive and kudos to Ms. Cahill for delivering us readers with just that!

This book comes very highly recommended for fans of Erotica romances and those who always love a romance between best friends which results in the most heady and senses awakening love stories of all!

Be severely warned of the following before proceeding with the story though *wink wink*:

  1. The need to drink lots of water as things certainly heat up to unbearable (but oh-so bearable) levels.
  2. The continuous need to fan yourself with whatever you have at hand. Yes, I solemnly swear by this!
  3. And yes, the need for a cold shower as soon as you are done! Yes, Doing Logan kinda wreaks havoc on your senses – ALL in a good way!!

I don’t think my heart would return to its normal rhythm anytime soon! Damn you Logan!! Sigh!!

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