Category / Marriage of convenience

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Leonetti’s Housekeeper Bride by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Gaetano Leonetti
Heroine: Poppy Arnold
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: January 14, 2016
Started On: May 26, 2024
Finished On: May 28, 2024

Leonetti’s Housekeeper Bride is a story that takes readers straight into the heart of Lynne Graham’s signature world—where the gap between the haves and have-nots collide in spectacular fashion. Gaetano Leonetti never intended to marry, much less someone like Poppy Arnold, his housekeeper with a sharp tongue, unconventional looks, and a past that ties them together.

When his formidable grandfather decrees that only a suitable marriage will secure Gaetano’s coveted CEO role, Gaetano thinks that he has found the perfect way to rebel—by choosing Poppy, who in every way seems wrong for the role of his bride. What he does not expect is just how right she will turn out to be for him.

Gaetano is the archetypal Lynne Graham hero: arrogant, successful, and commitment-phobic, his ambition often clouding his ability to see what lies in front of him. Poppy, on the other hand, is no pushover. Though she has spent her life in the shadows of wealth, tending to others while being overlooked, she has fire in her spirit. She is honest to a fault, wears her spunk like armor, and manages to disarm both Gaetano and his intimidating grandfather with her sincerity. What begins as a union of convenience transforms into something much more, as the simmering attraction between them explodes into passion neither can deny.

The tension between Gaetano and Poppy stems from more than just their different social standings. Gaetano sets her up, believing she will fail in her role as his wife, only to be surprised yet again by her courage and heart. For Poppy, it is a struggle to reconcile her own insecurities with the intensity of Gaetano’s attention. The result is a battle of wills that is as amusing as it is passionate, full of sharp exchanges, unexpected tenderness, and a chemistry that lights up the pages.

I loved Poppy’s outspokenness and Gaetano’s acerbic responses; they both made me laugh out loud more than once throughout the antics littered across the pages. Their first kiss was especially explosive, and where that leads only grew in intensity. On the flip side, I did wish for a touch more angst and heat in the storytelling. The honesty that defines their relationship is refreshing, but it does smooth out some of the drama I typically crave in a Lynne Graham novel.

Still, this book worked beautifully in its own way. The accidental pregnancy twist, the marriage of convenience set-up, and the eventual unraveling of Gaetano’s carefully controlled world delivered all the hallmarks of why I turn to Graham’s novels. Even when lighter on angst, the emotional punch and romance were deeply satisfying.

Recommended for: Readers who love a marriage-of-convenience romance with sharp dialogue, a feisty heroine who refuses to back down, and a hero who does not know what hit him until it’s too late.

Final Verdict: A witty, passionate read where sparks fly as Gaetano’s arrogance meets its match in Poppy’s honesty—proving that sometimes the wrong bride is the only right choice.

Favorite Quotes

‘I’m only just resisting the urge to use some very rude words,’ Poppy warned him, standing her ground with defiant green eyes. ‘This is all your fault. You’ve dragged me here straight from the airport knowing I’m not remotely prepared for this meeting.’
And for Gaetano, whose aggressive need to dominate had emerged in the nursery when he had systematically bullied his first nanny into letting him do pretty much whatever he wanted, that resistance was like a red rag to a bull.

‘I’m pregnant.’ She framed the words curtly, refusing to sound apologetic or nervous, putting it out there exactly like the fact of life it was.
‘How could you possibly be pregnant?’ Gaetano shot at her with an incredulous frown. ‘If it had only just happened, it would be too soon to know and the one and only other time…it isn’t possible…’
‘It is possible. I fell ill that same day and I missed taking my pill. Mr Abramo also believes the drugs I was given could have interfered with my birth control,’ she told him flatly.
‘You got pregnant on our wedding night?’ Gaetano queried in astonishment. ‘From one time? What are you? The fertility queen?’

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | eBooks | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Homestead by Claire Kent

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Romance
POV: First Person, Single
Series: Kindled, #7
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jimmy Carlson
Heroine: Chloe
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: May 17, 2024
Started On: May 16, 2024
Finished On: May 18, 2024

Drawing closer to the conclusion of the Kindled series by Claire Kent is bittersweet. With the publication of Haven, the debut book in the series, Ms. Kent opened to readers a world of chaos following a catastrophic event that effectively ended life as we know it today. It is a series that has made me think beyond the romance, witticism, and eroticism that Ms. Kent pens so effectively. What would happen to us when (and not if), the world meets such a fate? I believe that what Ms. Kent has outlined through each of her books in the series brings to light varied different circumstances under which the most vulnerable would fare in a world where survival of the fittest becomes the center theme.

With the seventh installment in the series, Homestead takes us back into the raw, stripped-down world as mentioned above. This story is about Chloe, a young woman left with nothing after the loss of her family, who finds safety through an arrangement with Jimmy Carlson, a widower whose quiet strength and steady presence offers her not only shelter but also a chance at a new life. Their partnership begins as one of survival and convenience but slowly transforms into something deeper, more tender, and unexpectedly intimate.

Jimmy is not your typical romance hero. He is gruff, practical, and a man of few words, but beneath that stoic exterior lies loyalty and decency that make him a quietly compelling character. Widowed and experienced, he knows the cost of loss and the value of stability.

Chloe, in contrast, is young and untested, her adult years shaped by the collapse of modern civilization. She starts out with no skills, resources, and no real sense of her place in the harsh new world. What makes her journey resonate is that she does not suddenly morph into a fearless survivor; instead, she builds on her own strengths and learns to carve out her space in a way that feels authentic.

Their arrangement comes with inherent conflict. Chloe feels the imbalance in power between them; Jimmy as protector and provider, she with little to give but herself, and yet Jimmy continually proves that he is not a man who takes advantage. Instead, as feelings emerge between them, the dynamic shifts into something more equal, rooted in choice and growing trust. Watching them move from uneasy strangers to genuine partners added weight to the romance, even amidst the bleakness of their world.

What I appreciated most about Homestead is how realistic the characters felt. Jimmy may not be the forceful alpha typical of post-apocalyptic romance, but his quiet authority was just as magnetic. Chloe’s vulnerability and her gradual steps toward finding her own kind of strength gave her a dimension I found refreshing.

The story delivered exactly what I expect from Kent: a balance of danger, survival, and scorching intimacy. And yes, there were a few unexpected surprises with Jimmy that made me smile. The narrative also underscores how, in a world where most pleasures have been stripped away, physical intimacy becomes one of the few remaining ways to feel alive—and that theme struck with me long after the last page was turned.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy slow-burn survival romances, realistic heroines finding their place, and protective but quietly commanding heroes.

Final Verdict: A grounded, tender, and intimate addition to the Kindled series—Homestead blends grit, realism, and heat—showing how love can grow even in the harshest worlds.

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Dimitrakos Proposition by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Acheron Dimitrakos
Heroine: Tabitha Glover
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: December 17, 2013
Started On: December 02, 2023
Finished On: December 04, 2023

Originally published on December 17, 2013, The Dimitrakos Proposition by Lynne Graham is a marriage of convenience themed romance, featuring Acheron Dimitrakos (Ash), a man who is skeptical of relationships and a commitment-phobe to boot, who meets his match in Tabitha (Tabby) Glover, an independent woman with a difficult past. When Tabby becomes co-guardian to Amber, a six-month old orphaned child, the last thing that Tabby expects is an outrageous marriage proposal from Ash which sets the tone of the story.

Ash is the epitome of a Lynne Graham alpha hero—Greek, devastatingly handsome, and emotionally scarred. As the founder of DT Industries, Ash is a self-made billionaire who clawed his way to success despite a traumatic childhood spent in foster care. Cynical and emotionally detached, Ash believes love and family are myths—until a legal quirk in his father’s will forces him to marry or lose half of his company.

Tabby too spent her formative years in foster care, which makes her extra protective of Amber when she faces the same fate. When Ash proposes marriage to fulfill the conditions of his father’s will, it leaves Tabby in an untenable position given her desperation to retain custody of Amber. Thus marks the conflict between the two, which creates both sexual and emotional tension, giving readers some of the classic Ms. Graham feels to the story.

What neither expects is for their mutual antagonism to grow into sexual heat, and for that to stoke the fires of an emotional connection that neither can seem to deny. As is signature Graham, Tabby is a virgin with little to zero experience with the likes of men such as Ash, who is a serial womanizer, reaping the benefit of fast and loose women to satiate his hunger for physical intimacy.

Amber’s role as the heart of the story is beautifully portrayed. Her presence forces Ash to confront the pain of his childhood and re-imagine what family could mean. The custody battle adds a layer of emotional urgency, making the stakes feel real.

While I liked the overall premise of the story, I found myself questioning where Tabby was coming from. I must admit that what takes place between Ash and Tabby often had me bursting into laughter, but at the same time, I found myself piqued by how stubborn Tabby was under certain circumstances. While some readers may enjoy her spirited nature, I find that quality to be a bit tiresome when it does not add any value to the story.

The Dimitrakos Proposition, while it had all the right elements, I am sad to say, did not invoke the right emotions in me. Nevertheless, I would recommend it for those who love the fiery at heart stories from Lynne Graham.

Final Verdict: A marriage of convenience turning into a lifetime of love and commitment; delivers on the drama that we all look for in Ms. Graham’s novels!

Favorite Quotes

Acheron stared her up and down, his beautiful face curiously intent. Heat blossomed in her cheeks as he studied her with smouldering dark eyes, his tension palpable. Desire flickered low in her pelvis like kindling yearning for a spark, and she felt that craving shoot through every fibre of her body, from the dryness of her mouth to the swelling sensitivity of her nipples and the honeyed heat between her thighs. It made her feel light-headed and oddly intoxicated, and she blinked rapidly, severely disconcerted by the feelings.
‘That will do,’ he pronounced thickly.

Acheron closed a hand around her wrist and tugged her into the corridor, shutting the door behind him. ‘I like what I see,’ he informed her softly.
Tabby stared up at him with fulminating force, noting the dark shadow of stubble outlining his stubborn jaw line and how that overnight growth enhanced his sheer masculinity. ‘But I’m not offering myself.’
‘No?’ Acheron dipped his handsome head and nibbled at the corner of her inviting mouth, invading with his tongue as soon as she parted her succulent lips. Without further ado, he hauled her up against him, hands weaving across her slender back and then sliding up to glance over the taut peaks of her breasts in a caress that made her shiver.

He was very, very sexy, she acknowledged dimly, as if it was an excuse, and as he hoisted her higher to get a better grip on her slight body he let go of her hands and, instead of using them to get free of his hold, she balanced one on a broad shoulder and delved the fingers of the other into the springy, luxuriant depths of his black hair. With a guttural sound low in his throat he brought her down on something soft and yielding and then sealed her fast to the hard, driving length of his powerful frame.

‘You’re so tight,’ he rasped, shifting with an athletic lift of his lean hips to surge into her again, deeper, further, harder in a technique that met every physical craving she hadn’t known she had. ‘I’m incredibly turned on.’
The flood of sensation returned as he withdrew and plunged back into her again, ensuring that she felt every inch of his penetration. The intensity of sensation shocked her and the powerful contracting bands in her pelvis turned her into a fizzing firework of wild excitement. He moved faster and she clung, riding out the electrifying storm of passion with a heart that seemed to be thumping in her eardrums. The explosion of raw pleasure that followed stunned her as the inner convulsions of her body clenched her every muscle tight as a fist. He vented a shuddering groan of completion while the waves of delight went on and on and on, coursing through her thoroughly fulfilled body.

‘Hot, tight, ready,’ Acheron growled hungrily in her ear as she arched back into his lean, hard body, instinctively seeking the fulfilment that only he could give while he angled away from her to don a condom. ‘I’ve been fantasising about this for days.’
‘Days?’ she parroted in surprise as he lifted her undamaged leg to spread her open for him.
‘Every night since that first night, every day I saw you in that teeny tiny bikini, glyka mou,’ Acheron confided, tilting her forward, long fingers tightening their hold on her slender thigh as he entered her with a groan of intense masculine satisfaction.
A muffled scream of pleasure was torn from Tabby’s throat as her body was forced to adjust to his size, her inner channel stretching to the brink of insane pleasure.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | HQ | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, Dual
Series: Same Time Next Year, #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Sumner Wade Mayfield
Heroine: Britta Lark Mayfield
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: December 01, 2023
Started On: November 13, 2023
Finished On: November 14, 2023

Britta Lark Mayfield is an ambitious 26-year-old waitress at Sluggers—a favorite hangout for the local hockey team, the Bridgeport Bandits. Sumner Wade Mayfield is a 27-year-old defenseman who is on the edge of NHL success, but faces deportation unless he finds a way to stay in the U.S. Britta, who has got a no-dating rule when it comes to hockey players, is still irresistibly drawn to Sumner, even though her commitment fears keep her from acting on it.

While Sumner has always crushed on Britta big time, Britta has never given into it, no matter how ever much she might be tempted. However, when push comes to shove and Sumner’s teammates urge Britta to be the person who saves Sumner’s career as a hockey player, she finds herself moved enough to take the plunge. Thus begins a “marriage of convenience” in a very modern set-up, while Britta fights the losing battle of staying away from her delectable husband.

While there were elements to the story that worked, Same Time Next Year turned out to be too sweet and saccharine for my tastes. While Sumner’s patience with Britta was endearing, his devotion felt a bit too much at times—if there could be anything as such. This is a slow burn in comparison to some of Ms. Bailey’s novels I have enjoyed—she is the queen of dirty talk for a valid reason; but I found myself not feeling all that moved through the scenes of passion in this little number.

Recommended for readers who love a hero willing to wait as long as it takes and enjoys a romance that is overly sweet.

Final Verdict: Same Time Next Year is a romance that is easy to enjoy if you are in the mood for an overly sweet, slow-burn love story.

Favorite Quotes

“You’re gorgeous,” she blurts, sitting up slightly, curling a fist in my waistband and tugging me down on top of her, which takes very little encouragement. “You’re so, so gorgeous, Sumner,” she murmurs, those words ending on a moan when I settle my weight fully on top of her, and we start to kiss, my hips rolling forward between her thighs, her fingers tracing the slopes of my shoulders, the hockey-sore muscles of my back.

“Sumner, you’re going to do these things with me . . .” She wets her lips, her words releasing in a harsh exhale. “Because if you do them to someone else, I will have to murder them with my bare hands.”
At first, I’m not sure I heard her correctly. But . . . did I?
I did.
My wife is possessive.
Part of me wants to laugh out loud because the very idea that I could even consider another woman is so far outside the realm of possibility, she has no idea. What women? Where? I’m blind to every last one of them. There’s only Britta.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: One Fine Day Theresa Weir

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Molly, #2
Publisher: Fanfare
Hero: Austin Bennet
Heroine: Molly Bennet
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: January 01, 1994
Started On: August 11, 2023
Finished On: September 07, 2023

A guy should never marry a woman who was in love with someone else. Even if that someone was dead. Especially if that someone was dead.

One Fine Day by Theresa Weir, the second book in the Molly duology is loosely interconnected with Forever, the first book in the series. First published in 1994, One Fine Day brings to readers the much coveted story of Molly Bennet, whose marriage to Austin Bennet is on the rocks, and has been that way for a long time. Making the decision to leave Austin is one of the hardest decisions Molly has ever taken, and once she does so, she believes that she would never look back.

Almost a year passes by and it is the news that Austin has had a stroke and is in need of family that makes Molly return, especially with her daughter unable to juggle her own family with that of the responsibilities of taking care of her father. While Austin hates the very thought of being at Molly’s mercy, he has no choice but to, given the circumstances, but is determined to drive her away even if he has to be his worst self to do so.

Thus begins the struggle between Austin and Molly where each of them, with own versions of tainted memories of their marriage, try to adjust to the new norm defined by the roles thrust upon them; Molly as the caregiver and Austin, the dependent.

Austin is a proud man, brought up by a father who had no love to give, but drummed into him the critical importance of always saving face. For a man such as Austin, competing with a dead man for the affections of his wife had been a losing game from the onset. Molly’s ability to hide her emotions had made Austin’s worst side manifest, trying to shake out some form of reaction from Molly, when it had in fact done just the opposite. Molly’s departure from his life had shaken him up to face the bitter truth, and given him the time to grapple with his loneliness, reflect on his own failings, especially when it came to his attempts to dominate Molly emotionally.

Molly too struggles with her memories of the beginnings of her relationship with Austin, the man who had married her and given her security and support, despite her being in love with someone else. It is only as Molly’s patience gets tested to the very limits of her endurance, with Austin trying to drive her away, that she comes to see things through a different lens; that how difficult their union had been for a man like Austin from whom she had withheld her affections.

As always, the prose by Ms. Weir is evocative, painting scenes with vivid detail and emotional depth. Her narrative style captures the essence of longing and emotional conflict, weaving together intimate moments of physical passion with introspective reflections on love and self-discovery. The stormy imagery is powerful and perfectly in line with the characters’ inner turmoil, echoing the turbulent nature of their relationship.

I was astounded by how Ms. Weir shaped Austin and Molly’s story and completely reshaped my perspective of their marriage, when I had come out of reading Forever totally rooting or Molly, believing that Austin to be a douche-bag of the highest order. Little did I see, how Austin had suffered deeply given his love for Molly, and how his heart had frosted over time, eventually coming to the conclusion that he could not compete with Molly’s first and only love. From thereon, my sympathies shifted greatly towards Austin, while at the same time, knowing that it did not justify certain actions on the part of Austin.

Molly and Austin both coming from emotionally scarring childhoods in their own ways made profound sense in the end; that they both needed to heal in their own ways to really give their marriage a fighting chance. Ms. Weir with her flair delivering angst ridden reads, deftly draws readers into a world where love is not simply a romantic ideal but a battlefield of emotions, where characters wrestle with their pasts and strive for a future where healing and forgiveness might be possible.

The only issue I had with the story was how there was no resolution for the relationship that forges to life between the secondary characters, which left me with a feeling of emptiness. But therein also lies a message which I guess I was not really ready to receive, given my need for happily ever afters in my novels.

Recommended for those who love second-chance romances with characters who makes your emotions bleed and your heart yearn.

Final Verdict: One Fine Day is a compelling exploration of love’s complexities, filled with emotional depth and rich prose, leaving readers pondering upon the intricacies of the webs of desire, devotion, and heartache that defines our most intimate relationships.

Favorite Quotes

The years teach much which the days never know – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Him.
She wanted him.
Deeper. Harder. She needed … wanted– Something. Maybe the ground, maybe–
He pushed again, and her thoughts flew away.
She swung backward; he swung forward. She gasped and made a small sound of strangled pleasure. Something in her wound tighter, tighter, taking her to the edge … so close, so close–
He bent his legs and the swing dropped into a backward arc. Back and forth. Then he slowed it until they were almost to a stop, enough for him to touch her. While Molly clung to the ropes, he ran his hands over her perspiring body. He groaned her name and she felt him stir deep within her.

She wanted to let go, wanted to touch him, but she knew if she did she would fall. She wanted, needed–
His mouth was on her breast, his teeth scraped her nipple. She arched against him. “Austin, I want–”
“What?” He breathed against her hot, tingling skin while his hands supported her rib cage. “What do … you want?”
It was happening. Whatever it was. A coiling, a tightening, a longing, a need–
“You.”
She didn’t know what she was saying. It was talk. Just talk. “I want you.”

“Molly. God, Molly.”
They were both breathing hard, their chests rising and falling.
“I … didn’t … forget,” he said raggedly, the roar in his head competing with the roar of the storm.
“Me either.”
He said her name again and slid his fingers through the dripping hair at the nape of her neck, water trickling down his arm, her hair coiling around his wrist. “Want to kiss you.” He did want to kiss her. God how he wanted to kiss her. As he cupped her head in his palm, his mouth found hers.

She cried out. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. He froze.
Had to stop. Couldn’t hurt her. Couldn’t hurt Molly …
Her legs tightened around him. She lifted herself to him. “Don’t stop,” she said against his throat. Water from her hair trickled down his chest. “Don’t stop.”
The storm–it was in her too.
For the first time in his life, Austin let go. Completely. Mindlessly.
They came together like the raging storm. Fast. Wild and furious. A ragged, bursting tempest. Pounding, pounding, pounding, burning up every bit of energy in him.

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Greek’s Chosen Wife by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Nikolos Angelis
Heroine: Prudence Demakis
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: March 01, 2006
Started On: July 13, 2023
Finished On: July 14, 2023

‘I didn’t know I could feel like this…’
His scorching gaze welded to hers. ‘Not everyone can. Your passion matches mine.’

The Greek’s Chosen Wife by Lynne Graham, first published in 2006, is an emotionally charged novel that leaves the reader hooked from the onset. If you are like myself and love the high intense variety of romances filled with angst, then you would find the story of Prudence Demakis and Nikolos Angelis a captivating and enthralling read.

Prudence is just nineteen years old when her emotionally distant and cold grandfather forces her into a marriage of convenience with Nikolos, who is just a twenty-two year old university student himself. Known for his arrogance and womanizing ways even then, along with the weight of his family’s expectations which he chafes at, Nikolos initially views Prudence as an inconvenient burden—unattractive and beneath his standards. While Prudence is in love with Nikolos, any dreams of the rose-tinted variety are dashed with a disastrous wedding night, followed by eight years of separate lives.

Prudence finds her solace in running an animal sanctuary, and as time heals her wounds over Nikolos and his rejection, Prudence decides it is time for her to move forward in her life and have a baby. When Nikolos is faced with the ego bruising knowledge that his wife is seeking a divorce from him to pursue her own dreams of achieving motherhood, Nikolos rejects this notion just as vehemently as he initially rejected the very idea of marriage to Prudence. Thus begins the fraught journey that these two take towards their happily ever after, with misunderstandings and past hurts forcing them to jarring stops along the way.

Ms. Graham does a marvelous job of navigating the intricacies between Prudence and Nikolos, in revealing their vulnerabilities and exposing the raw intensity of their burgeoning attraction. Their journey from adversaries to reluctant allies, and finally to passionate lovers, is a testament to Ms. Graham’s skill in crafting deeply nuanced characters and compelling relationships.

I loved how Prudence evolved from a woman defined by the perception of others who were unkind to her to becoming a formidable force in her own right. Her ability to stand up for herself and her self-possession were admirable, especially in the face of the forceful character that is Nikolos.

Nikolos himself has some growing up to do as the story progresses, which includes putting his own ego aside to understand the true rarity in finding someone who accepts you as you are, no questions asked. As always, Ms. Graham manages to paint the vividness of love and how it has the ability to transform even the hardest of hearts and smash through the most powerful of egos. I loved Nikolos because he was willing to fight for Prudence and what their marriage, even if it meant going against Prudence herself.

Recommended for fans of romances featuring themes of unrequited love and marriages of convenience. Ms. Graham does these tropes great justice!

Final Verdict: The Greek’s Chosen Wife delivers a compelling read brimming with sizzling sensuality and poignancy of love’s complexities, making this book a must-read for fans of emotional and character-driven romance!

Favorite Quotes

Nik reached for her with sure, steady hands and she let him ease her closer. Her heart was pounding behind her ribcage. Her brain was telling her to back away, laugh it off and extricate herself with style. There was just one problem: she didn’t want to. A little voice had swum up from her subconscious to tell her that it was all right and perfectly acceptable to be curious about how it would feel if he held her close.
‘I may be no good at the romantic angle…but I excel in other fields,’ Nik purred.

‘This is not how it was meant to be between us,’ Nik intoned, almost crushing the life from her fingers.
Moisture shone in her eyes and slid down her cheeks. Nik groaned out loud. ‘Don’t…’
She gulped. ‘I’m sorry…go!’
‘No…’ Nik lowered his handsome dark head to kiss the tear from her smooth cheek. She had the scent of a peach: warm and ripe and ready to eat. For a fraction of a second he hesitated and then, recognising his moment, he went for it with all the ruthless, single-minded purpose which his business competitors feared.
Astonishment shrilled through Prudence when Nik captured her lips with a hungry urgency that rocked her down to her toes.

A heavy pulse of need had started to pound in her pelvis. She leant back into the support of his arm, her fingers spearing into the ebony depths of his hair. He flipped loose the hooks holding the satin cups in place, letting her firm, full breasts spill free.
‘You are magnificent,’ Nik told her raggedly, surveying the pouting silken swells with reverent appreciation and capturing the hands that she instinctively raised to cover herself from him. ‘No, don’t you dare try to hide yourself.’

‘Will I be the first?’ Nik husked, coiling back from her to strip off his trousers.
With difficulty she focused on him and she was shaken by her desire to tell him that no, he would not be, even if it would be the most awful lie.
As the silence lengthened, tension screamed through Nik’s big, powerful frame: had she been with someone else?
Her gaze locked to his lean darkly handsome face and her heartbeat raced. She discovered she could not lie to him on that score. ‘Yes…’

The silence lay thick. She met brilliant dark golden eyes and was suddenly impossibly aware of every inch of her all too female body and of every tiny breath that she drew. She straightened her back in an effort to ease the tingling sensitivity of her breasts.
Bracing long brown fingers on the wall to one side of her head, Nik angled his proud dark head down to press a light, teasing kiss to the corner of her mouth. With a low-pitched gasp, she turned her head to blindly seek more direct contact. His breath fanning her cheek, he toyed with the soft fullness of her lower lip, rimming the upper with an erotic dart of his tongue.

‘I like this sudden need to rip my clothes off,’ Nik confided, hot eyes melded to her.
Although her face was burning, Prudence had not lost her resolve. Rising onto her knees, she helped him out of his jacket and embarked on his shirt buttons with fingers that felt mortifyingly clumsy. ‘
But maybe it’s a little less practised than what you’re used to—’
Disconcerted by that comment, Nik closed his hand over hers. ‘Don’t undervalue what I have with you. This is different for me.’
Wanting to believe that but afraid to, Prudence hesitated momentarily. ‘Is it?’
‘Of course it is…’ Nik covered her lips with an unexpected tenderness.

A dark flush scoring his hard cheekbones, stunning eyes glittering, Nik undid the halter-neck of her dress and slowly drew the opulent fabric down to release her full curves from the shaped bodice.
‘You’re gorgeous,’ he said thickly.
Entranced by her creamy breasts and the distended rosy buds awaiting his attention, he pressed her back against the pillows. Smoothly extracting her from the gown round her hips, he tossed it aside.
He bent over her with a husky sound of satisfaction to let his lips toy with a pouting pink nipple. Heat burst low in her pelvis and tensed her hips and an ache that was almost painful began to stir.

‘Nik,’ she whispered below the passionate onslaught of his hungry mouth, fingers spreading against the warm, muscular wall of his hard torso. ‘When I look at you—’
‘Don’t just look… touch,’ Nik urged, hungry golden eyes striking hers as he carried her hand down over his flat stomach to the aggressive jut of his bold erection.
Involuntarily she froze. ‘I don’t know how—’
‘But I know…’ a provocative smile slashed his handsome mouth ‘…and I intend to enjoy teaching you.’

Her entire being, her every breath, seemed to ride on his slightest touch. Her heartbeat raced and she writhed and moaned, all control vanquished by the fierce need that made her ache. She wanted him, and she wanted and she wanted until the wanting was a frantic and ferocious craving that hurt.
Only then did he plunge into her with a single thrust of possession that jolted her with intense erotic sensation. That very intensity overwhelmed her. His hands closed to her thighs to raise her so that he could sink deeper into her tight passage. Hot, drugging pleasure engulfed her and it went on and on and on. Wild sobs of excitement escaped her. Her unbearably tense body craved release from the passionate torment of his driving rhythm. The tension built and built and then finally spilt over.

He tumbled her back on the bed. Scorching golden eyes raked her with sensual ferocity. ‘I can’t wait…’
‘Take your shirt off…’
He hauled it off with such violence that buttons went flying.
Prudence feasted her eyes on him, wondered if she could wait until he got the rest of his clothes off and decided that she couldn’t. She opened her arms, arched her spine and shifted her hips in silent invitation.
His burning gaze flared with white-hot desire. ‘You tease…’ he ground out helplessly, coming down to her with flattering impatience, all fire, hunger and aggressive masculine energy.

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Dane Visconti
Heroine: Claire Fletcher
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: August 01, 1987
Started On: June 18, 2023
Finished On: June 23, 2023

Initially published in 1987, Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a novel that thrusts readers into the tumultuous world of Claire Fletcher and Dane Visconti, where passion collides with pride, and misunderstandings ignite an inferno of emotions.

The story opens with the funeral of Adam Fletcher, a man whose death sets in motion a chain of events that unravel the tightly wound lives of those left behind. Claire Fletcher, his adopted granddaughter, is forced to choose between what her heart desires; i.e., follow the love of her life Max or marry one of her cousins for her inheritance.

Claire had never received any affection from the man who had taken her in at a tender age, making it a point to be cruel to her and keep her at an emotional distance. Claire had been forced to sacrifice her own happiness when Adam had taken ill, and his death, while it should have freed her to pursue her own happiness, brings forward more responsibilities.

The novelty of the story lies in how it is Claire that proposes a marriage of convenience to Dane Visconti, the estranged grandson of Adam, whose reputation precedes himself. Dane’s return to the family home ignites sparks of disdain among the Fletcher clan, yet Claire sees in him a solution to her predicament.

While Dane is at first contemptuous regarding Claire’s proposal and sees it as an extension of her crush on him from long back, Dane finally agrees to what she proposes on certain conditions. From the onset, Dane and Claire’s coming together is fraught with misunderstandings and of course, passion. Their ensuing marriage, shrouded in secrecy, when exposed to the prying eyes of the media, adds another layer of distrust to the battleground that is the union between Dane and Claire.

While Claire believes herself to be in love with Max, her internal conflict stems from the effect Dane has on her, his magnetic presence and his sexuality that plays havoc with her emotions. Dane, whose character is more explosive in nature in comparison to Claire, is often driven to the edge by Claire and her seemingly unaffected nature, when she is anything but.

While Claire’s emotional scars are all too vividly portrayed, Dane is a harder nut to crack. However, Claire does have help in understanding Dane’s complex and multi-faceted character, a boy who had been just as emotionally deprived as Claire had been as a young girl growing up in the household of a man who had always made it well known who she was to him.

While I enjoyed the building blocks of the story which had all the hallmarks of a Lynne Graham novel, I felt that the novel faltered in its execution. The prolonged separations between Claire and Dane, fueled by pride and miscommunication, diluted the impact of their passionate encounters. While the underlying chemistry between the characters is palpable, it was not enough to give the novel that oomph factor which I expect from most of Ms. Graham’s work, especially her earlier ones.

Recommended for fans of Ms. Graham’s earlier works. Even though this did not work for me, it just might for you.

Final Verdict: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a compelling tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption which offers romance of the raw and intense variety.

Favorite Quotes

In that storm there was only Dane and a flashfire desire that burned in her very bones until she was crying, gasping she knew not what and he gazed down at her in masterly and triumph when she was quite blind to such calculation, her abandonment drawing an answering shudder from the hard, virile length of his body. For the merest instant he hesitated and she collided with the febrile glitter in his beautiful eyes before he possessed her and even the pain did not prevent that instantaneous explosion of pleasure that shattered her into a thousand pieces.

He carried the caress down over the flat tightness of her belly and her clenched hands unfurled and curled again as his tormentingly expert fingers located the silken triangle of her desire. She thought later that she cried out his name in protest, because this was no gentle, gradual seduction that respected her inexperience. He racked her with hunger and her hands wove over his sweat-dampened skin in tortured circles while he slowly sank deep into her, possessing her degree by degree until her nails dug into his shoulders, her head falling back in ecstasy. Ironically it was wilder and more earth shattering than it had ever been before.
Dane ran a possessive finger across the fullness of her lower lip afterwards, while she still trembled against him. ‘This is what I can give you, and don’t tell me it’s not enough, when I see you like this.’

‘I ought to go back to bed.’ Her eyes lingered on him, then swerved away. ‘I thought you were with Mei Ling.’
‘Would it have bothered you if I had been?’ he countered cynically.
‘Yes!’ Angered, she stood her ground. ‘I don’t have to be jealous to find promiscuity offensive,’ she flared.
He caught her to him with powerful hands. ‘Is that a dog-in-the-manger attitude, or something more?’ Hard amusement brimmed in his bright chilling gaze.
‘It’s a very awkward situation.’
‘Awkward?’ Her control appeared to antagonise him. Then he laughed softly and took her tender mouth fiercely, and she went under as if she was drowning, trading him kiss for kiss, guided only by raw hunger. His hand thrust up her jersey and closed over the pointed swell of her breast and she gasped, her knees threatening to buckle under her as her body surged wantonly against the lean, masculine lure of his.

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The High Sheriff of Huntingdon by Anne Stuart

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novella
Genre: Historical Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Impeccably Demure Press
Hero: Alistair Darcourt
Heroine: Lady Elspeth of Gaveland
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: December 15, 2011
Started On: June 07, 2023
Finished On: June 18, 2023

His smile was unnerving. He knelt down on the bed, leaning over her, and he seemed huge and dark and smothering as he blocked out the moonlight. “Indeed, I do just as I please,” he said. “You’re my destiny, Elspeth of Gaveland. Or my curse. It remains to be seen.”

Anne Stuart’s The High Sheriff of Huntingdon is a historical romance novella that draws the reader into a world of power, intrigue, and passion. The novel opens with the forced marriage of Alistair Darcourt, the High Sheriff of Huntingdon, to the young 22 year old Lady Elspeth of Gaveland.

Married by proxy and having spent the last eight years in a convent, Elspeth is thrust into a new life filled with uncertainty and danger, even unknowingly. Alistair, a man of formidable reputation and rumored to be the spawn of a witch and the devil, welcomes his new bride by placing her in the reputedly haunted tower. This initial act sets the tone for their tumultuous relationship, one that is marked by power struggles, distrust, and undeniable attraction.

Elspeth is a remarkable heroine—willful, intelligent, unyielding, with a core of vulnerability that she does not show to most. Her father’s dismissive attitude towards her only fuels her determination to survive and thrive in the new environment into which she is thrust. Elspeth’s strength lies in her ability stand up to Alistair’s harsh demeanor and call him on his bullshit when and as needed. She is not the shrinking violet that her husband had expected her to be, and this is where the true thrill of the story lies as they navigate the newness of their marriage.

Alistair is a complex and compelling hero. Known for his ruthlessness he is initially dismissive of Elspeth, seeing her merely as a means to an end—a piece of land and a future heir. However, his preconceived notions are challenged as Elspeth proves to be a match for his formidable will. Alistair is a man torn between his desire for power and his burgeoning feelings for his wife, a struggle that adds nuances to the story that I loved.

One of the best aspects of the story lies in the intense chemistry between Alistair and Elspeth that serves to be both their undoing. Their relationship evolves from one of mutual distrust to a passionate and consuming love, which especially Alistair does not care much for. I rooted for both Alistair and Elspeth; Alistair because his brooding nature demands nothing less, and Elspeth because she is what Alistair needs in his life, in every sense.

Recommended for fans of historical romance, offering a perfect blend of passion, intrigue, and richly drawn characters that draws you in from the get go.

Final Verdict: The High Sheriff of Huntingdon is a well crafted tale of love, power dynamics, and redemption, pairing Elspeth’s bold and daring nature with that of Alistair’s brooding intensity.

Favorite Quotes

He lifted his head, looking down into her bewildered face with cool satisfaction. “Your heart is pounding, bride. Is it because you’re frightened? Or is there some other reason why your pulse is racing?”
She tried to shake her head, to deny the evidence of her body, but his mouth caught hers, silencing her argument. He kissed her, deep and full and hard, allowing no escape. Indeed, she wasn’t sure she wanted to escape. Her arms came up of their own accord, around his waist, and she held on, suddenly afraid she might faint.

He said what he never thought he’d say. “I don’t want to hurt you.” The words were torn from him in an agonized gasp as he tried to control the powerful urges of his body. His muscles were clenched in iron will, his forehead was beaded with sweat, and he didn’t know how much longer he could stand the torment.
“It’s all right,” she said in a whisper. “I’m your wife. Your destiny. Take me.” And she arched up against him, seeking him.
He lost control. For the first time in his life, a woman overpowered him. He thrust against her, breaking through the frail barrier of her maidenhead, sinking deep into the glorious tightness of her. She cried out then, a small, soft sound, and he kissed her, his mouth covering her face, drinking her tears, tasting her soft mouth.

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Heart Breaker by Nicole Jordan

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.

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Sold for the Greek’s Heir by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Brides for the Taking, #3
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Jax Antonakos
Heroine: Lucy Dixon
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: May 23, 2017
Started On: February 27, 2023
Finished On: March 01, 2023

Sold for the Greek’s Heir by Lynne Graham is the third installment in the Brides for the Taking series, published under Harlequin in 2017. Ms. Graham brings to readers the story of Greek billionaire Antonakos and single mother Lucy Dixon, with the tale unfolding from the perspectives of both protagonists.

Jax is the proverbial man-whore and bachelor and likes his life that way, even as his father wishes and pushes him in the hopes that Jax would marry the woman of his choosing. Jax makes no commitments and has no intention of giving into his father’s demands. He is marriage and children averse, the bitter divorce that resulted in the split of his parents having left its mark on him. Living with his mother was not a walk in the park either, with a father who pretty much ignored his existence up till he did not have a choice but to.

Lucy arrives in Greece to finally unite with her long lost father. The fact that he accepted that Lucy was mother to a fifteen month old baby girl seals the deal for her, up until she comes face to face with the father of the baby, i.e., Jax, who pulled the disappearing act on her.

Lucy was a naive nineteen year old virgin when Jax swept her off her feet. Devastation hit when Jax abandoned her, and made it all but impossible for her to reach him with the news that she was pregnant with his child. Lucy is therefore determined that she would not give Jax the time of the day, that is until machinations by her father which she has no knowledge of, forces the hand of Jax into offering her marriage.

When Jax comes face to face with the one woman who had shaken his very existence, the shock of discovering that he is father to a toddler pushes him into taking action to ensure the best for his daughter. It certainly does not help matters when Jax is driven by the nightmarish revelations that forced him to cut ties with Lucy in the first place, and that proves to be the ultimate conflict around which the story revolves.

While I did enjoy some of the aspects of the story, I felt that the prose of the novel was all wrong for Lynne Graham, or at least the Graham novels that I always enjoy and revel in. Lucy was definitely a welcomed change from some of the doormat variety of heroines you come across in category romances especially. But at the same time, Jax failed to invoke all those heady emotions in me which I look forward to when it is especially a Lynne Graham novel. All the attributes that should make him so were there, and he should have been appealing in every sense, but somehow the elements did not come together in the way that I expected perhaps.

I guess this has a more modern streak going through the story, which perhaps is not a bad thing in itself. However, I believe I jive better with older Graham novels.

Recommended for fans of Lynne Graham and those who love category romances featuring the forced marriage trope!

Final Verdict: Sold for the Greek’s Heir is a hit and miss sort of novel; there were aspects that worked and those that did not.

Favorite Quotes

Just one kiss, she bargained with herself, just one, but the man who had once seduced her with kisses had no intention of breaking his perfect track record. He always knew what she wanted and he gave it to her, all the seething passion he had taught her to crave. He kissed her and she went up in flames. Her body flared into shocking awareness and suddenly burned back to almost painful life with every plunging thrust of his tongue.

‘I can’t get enough of you,’ Jax growled between the urgent biting kisses that bruised her lips and the devastating plunge of his tongue that made her slight body jackknife in reaction beneath his.
‘We’ve got all night,’ she whispered through rosy swollen lips, eyes glazed with passion.
‘I’ve got a hunger that one night won’t come anywhere near satisfying,’ Jax told her rawly, fisting a hand in her tumbling curls as he snaked a string of kisses down over her collarbone and found a plump, pointed nipple to torment with attention.

‘Thee mou, I want you so much,’ Jax ground out as he slid over her, his hands strong on her hips to angle her back.
He entered her slowly, urging her tender flesh to open for him and stretch, and the sensation made her dizzy with yearning and wildly impatient for more. He eased back and then pushed in hard and deep and her body convulsed and tightened round him, intense sensation ravishing her. A string of tiny sounds was wrenched from her parted lips as he ground into her and picked up the pace, raw excitement flooding her as she tilted up to meet him, hot, damp and abandoned as the wild roller coaster of sensation raged on and on.

That fast she wanted him intolerably and with every probing plunge of his tongue she wanted him more. Evocative little noises were wrenched from low in her throat as skilled fingers teased and played to prepare her for his entrance. And then he tilted her back and thrust into her with vigour while she clung to his shoulders, her ankles wrapped round him. He grunted with raw male satisfaction, his hand supporting her hips as he pounded her yielding body with delicious force. Excitement writhed through Lucy in an unstoppable surge and she reached her peak with an involuntary cry, convulsive waves of exquisite pleasure rippling through her lower body as an orgasmic flush spread over her sun-dappled skin.

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