Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Coble Coffee, #1 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Rick Grant Heroine: Vivian Carmichael Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: March 15, 2022 Started On: January 19, 2024 Finished On: January 20, 2024
In The Older Man Plan, the debut novel of the Coble Coffee series by Noelle Adams, 25 year old Vivian Carmichael is determined to turn around her streak of bad dates. In order to do so, she comes up with a plan that seems foolproof: date older men. In her perspective, they are more stable, confident, and settled—everything she thinks she needs to turn her disastrous dating life around.
But the truth is, Vivian’s so-called “plan” is less about a new dating pool and more about getting over one man in particular—Rick Grant, the grumpy, unkempt, quietly sexy science fiction writer who practically lives at her favorite coffee shop. 38 of age and emotionally unavailable, he has shown that he is clearly not interested. Or so she thinks.
Rick knows Vivian’s been into him. It is hard not to notice the vibrant, too-pretty, too-smart, and too-young woman who keeps talking to him, smiling at him, making him feel far more alive than he would like to admit. He keeps telling himself that it is a bad idea, that he has been around the block, and that he does not want marriage, and that Vivian deserves more. But watching her try to date other men in his age group? That turns out to be something else entirely—perhaps the one thing that breaks his tenuous self-control.
While this novella had all the hallmarks of Ms. Adams’ work—low-key angst, internal conflict, and a slow tipping-over from resistance into desire, it somehow failed to give me the feels that I was looking for when I picked this up. I liked the characters well enough. Vivian is the what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda girl, someone who knows what she wants and is not afraid to admit to the fact. Rick is the direct opposite in many ways—reserved, emotionally guarded, and trying very hard not to let himself fall for the woman who seems to be tailor-made to challenge his every instinct.
It is Rick’s deep resistance to vulnerability that serves to be the main conflict in the novella. While he is not pining for Vivian at the start; he does actively avoid her because of how much in fact, he does notice her. For her part, Vivian is convinced Rick is not interested and does what many women would—tries to reason herself out of her crush, only to find that logic is no match for genuine chemistry.
Perhaps it was the constraint of the novella format, but I found myself wishing there had been more time to explore Rick’s internal struggle, or to build up the quiet moments of tension that often elevate a romance of this kind. The pacing was brisk, but at the cost of richer development. I loved the concept, I liked the characters well enough, but I wanted just a little more than what I got. Still, there is an enjoyable, mature undercurrent to this romance. Rick’s attraction to Vivian and his resistance—and the way he finally succumbs made for memorable moments.
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy May-December romance and reluctant heroes.
Final Verdict: The Older Man Plan had the workings for an age-gap romance that would have delivered. Charming as some of it was, the story left me wanting more.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Pemberley House, #2 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Ward Knightley Heroine: Em Woodson Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: April 30, 2019 Started On: January 18, 2024 Finished On: January 19, 2024
A modern twist on Emma by Jane Austen, If I Loved You Less brings together two people who have always been in each other’s orbit but never imagined the quiet, familiar thread between them could ignite into something far more intense.
26 year old Em Woodson, is a vibrant, compassionate, and fiercely loyal daughter to her dependent father, and quite used to managing everyone’s lives—except her own. In contrast, 39 year old Ward Knightley, her longtime neighbor and her father’s close friend, has always been the calm in the storm—blunt, steady, and somewhat aloof and a rather critical presence in her life at times. But everything shifts when the low thrum of awareness between them begins to rise into something neither can ignore.
Neither Em no Ward start off pining for each other—this is no case of unrequited love on either side. Rather, it is a slow build-up of awareness between the two that seemingly springs out of nowhere, forcing them to confront their burgeoning feelings for one another. Em, who has sworn off marriage because it is not for the likes of her, but still hangs a wedding dress in her room, and Ward who has never thought beyond his failed marriage to moving onto greener pastures—neither is ready for the avalanche of feelings that catches them unawares.
While Ward is older, controlled, and more mature when it comes to Em, who at certain times comes off as rather bratty in my opinion—beneath that restraint is a man who has been waiting, even if he did not know it. He does not fall in love with Em because she has been in his life since childhood, but rather because of the woman she became: generous and thoughtful—even though at times, her meddling nature does more harm than good. Even if Em feels as if he does nothing but criticize her for her life choices, in truth, Ward has admired her long before desire entered the equation.
Em, for her part, is one of those heroines who gets under your skin without even trying. She’s loving but not naïve, self-aware but not jaded. Though she tells herself that she is not spoiled, there is a part of her that is, and seeks to get away with what she wants—the way she wants it. She may have never broken free of her family’s grasp, but she has carved out a life full of purpose for herself as much as she can under the circumstances. Her relationship with Ward feels like a natural extension of who she is—it grows organically from admiration, banter, comfort… and then something hotter and far more dangerous.
The real tension when it comes to how Em and Ward’s relationship evolves lies in the emotional shift—the moment they start to see each other differently for the first time. Neither of them pursues the other outright; instead, the tension builds through shared moments, moments in which they are caught unawares, which blooms slowly and then there is no forcing back the tidal wave that hits. It’s restrained, but thrilling—and somehow more electrifying for that matter.
I enjoyed the second installment in the Pemberly House series on so many levels. I loved both Em and Ward individually and together — how they both just fit right in with each other as if they had been waiting to call each other their home. I loved that both Em and Ward got the emotional space and attention they deserved. Their connection wasn’t a lightning bolt—it was the kind of slow ignition that feels inevitable and completely right.
Ward was definitely the highlight of the story. He was a man who had put his romantic life to sleep and suddenly found it stirred awake by a woman who had always been there. I loved that Ms. Adams did not try to fix Em’s family situation to make her more “available.” Instead, Ward fit himself into her world, accepting and embracing what mattered to her, and offering his love without conditions.
And the heat? Subtle, steady, and so well-done. That quiet, simmering sexual tension was better than many full-blown steamy scenes—it pulsed under every conversation, every look. And when it finally boiled over? Perfection.
Recommended for: Readers who love slow-burns that truly burn, age-gap romance done with emotional depth and maturity, and heroes who fall in love with the woman as she is, not as he wants her to be.
Final Verdict: Simmering tension, emotional richness, and a quietly magnetic hero who didn’t know what he was missing until she lit the spark. Ward makes this one unforgettable.
Favorite Quotes
He dropped his hand. “Why do you try to lie to me? I’ve known you since you were in diapers.” She scowled since she hated being reminded of that fact. “Your being thirteen years more ancient than me doesn’t mean you can read my mind. There are things about me that you’ll never know.” He stared at her, and there was something full and deep and slightly conflicted in the gaze. Something that left her breathless. “What don’t I know?” he asked in a low, rough voice.
Instead of turning the knob, he stood like a statue for several seconds. “Ward?” Em prompted, confused by his behavior. “I don’t always find fault with you,” he said, not turning around. “I think you’re amazing. The most amazing person I’ve ever known. And nothing is ever going to make me feel differently.” Em’s mouth dropped open, and she stared at his stiff back. She couldn’t make her voice work, and she had no idea what to say anyway. After another moment, Ward opened the door, stepped into the hall, and closed it behind him—leaving Em alone with a flurry of emotions that weren’t anything like she used to feel for Ward. At all.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Pemberley House, #1 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Vince Darcy Heroine: Liz Berkley Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: March 26, 2019 Started On: January 13, 2024 Finished On: January 18, 2024
In Want of a Wife pairs two rival antique buyers in a slow-burn romance where business, family legacy, and unexpected emotional baggage complicate what should havebeen a straightforward competition.
25 year old Liz Berkley is determined to save her family’s struggling antique business. Meanwhile, 29 year old Vince Darcy, recently returned home after the death of his father, is equally determined to honor his own family’s legacy by stepping up for their antique shop. Their shared passion for the trade ignites sparks of both rivalry and attraction—and when a steamy fling starts to feel like something more, neither is quite prepared for what follows.
Liz is the type of character who is sharp, observant, and quietly anxious, always carrying the weight of responsibility for her family’s store. I think we can all relate to how that can be. She thrives in the world of estate sales and flea market deals, driven by both passion and necessity.
Vince, on the other hand, is the more stoic of the two. With a finance background and an analytical mind, he left a promising corporate job to help his mother and take care of the store in the wake of his father’s death. Beneath the surface, he grapples with grief—which also harbors a deeper pain, a shadow that lingers over much of his emotional journey.
While Liz and Vince begin with mutual attraction and business tension (as do most protagonists), their attempt to keep things physical and casual quickly falls apart as real feelings surface. Vince’s reticence—rooted in past trauma and a naturally reserved personality—clashes with Liz’s expectations and emotional needs, creating a rift that requires honesty and courage. Their professional rivalry and tangled family connections (including a complicated link through Liz’s sister) makes things messier.
I really enjoyed the setting—antique sales and estate auctions added a fresh flavor to the usual small-town romance backdrop. Liz was easy to root for, and Vince’s brooding, wounded energy made him a compelling, if not always easy, hero. Their chemistry was believable, especially once they dropped the pretense of it being “just sex.”
That said, I didn’t enjoy this as much as I had hoped to. The dual POV, while offering insights into both characters, seemed to drain some of the emotional punch. I found myself less invested than I usually am with heroes as crafted by Ms. Adams. Vince’s introspection was necessary for his arc, but it made the pacing feel uneven at times. Also, I remember picking this up before and abandoning it partway, which tells me it did not hook me as strongly as her best work does.
That said, Ward and Em’s story teased in the background seems like one I would really enjoy!
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy rivals-to-lovers, quiet heroes with emotional depth, family business dynamics, and stories where casual flings turn into something deeply meaningful.
Final Verdict: From antiques to affection, this is a warm, slow-burn romance between two guarded hearts who weren’t looking for love; but then again, isn’t that the best kind?
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Single Series: Green Valley #2 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Carlton Hill Heroine: Josephine Katarina Pendleton Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: March 14, 2023 Started On: January 11, 2024 Finished On: January 12, 2024
Noelle Adams (aka Zannie Adams, aka Claire Kent) delivers a sweet and emotionally engaging vacation romance with An Accidental Fling, the second installment in her Green Valley series. The story follows Josephine Katarina Pendleton—Jo to those who know her—on her first real vacation since college, a much-needed break from her demanding job at a local family law firm. Jo’s plans for a relaxing solo trip at a resort just outside Asheville takes a sharp turn when she finds herself rooming with none other than Carlton Hill—her best friend’s older brother and the man she’s known, and maybe wanted, for most of her life.
Carlton Hill—tall, broad-shouldered, with a moody scowl and those chocolate-brown eyes—is the gruff, emotionally bruised hero who once used to be the sweet boy next door. His past, particularly his broken engagement to the too-perfect Morgan, has left him guarded and a little hardened. But beneath that grumpy exterior still lies a man capable of deep love—if only he’d allow himself to hope again.
Jo, on the other hand, is practical and emotionally independent. She has built a fulfilling career, made peace with her aversion to romantic entanglements, and never imagined herself falling into something as messy and unpredictable as love. And yet, Carlton’s presence forces her to confront just how much she has been holding herself back from living fully and loving freely.
What starts as a temporary arrangement, with a defined end date and no emotional strings attached, is the perfect solution for two people like Jo and Carlton—she’s allergic to commitment, and he is emotionally gun-shy. But as the days go by, the rules they have set begin to crumble under the weight of real connection, intense chemistry, and growing feelings they never intended to explore.
Their fling is supposed to be simple, easy, and temporary. But the more time they spend together, the more difficult it becomes to keep feelings out of the equation. The slow crumble of the walls between them, the way they begin to want more even when they promised not to, provides the emotional depth that makes this story so compelling.
I loved this book. Ms. Adams has a way of writing heroes that just works for me, and this particular mix—grumpy, tender beneath the surface, emotionally scarred but ultimately brave in love just pushed all the right buttons. Carlton was all of that and more. His progression—from closed-off to vulnerable—was so satisfying to witness. And Jo, with her wit, resolve, and relatable fear of getting hurt, felt very grounded and real.
Their chemistry was palpable, and the casual-to-serious progression felt natural and I loved every minute of their journey—both messy and real as it gets, to their happily ever after. I especially enjoyed the setting—a cozy, low-key resort nestled in the mountains, which added a quiet intimacy to their evolving relationship.
If I had one complaint, it would be that I wish we had seen a bit more of Carlton’s perspective. Being fully in Jo’s head meant some of his emotional growth happened just out of sight—but even so, the emotional payoff was in the end, worth it.
Recommended for: Fans of grumpy/sunshine dynamics, best friend’s brother tropes, emotionally scarred heroes, low-angst contemporary romance, and Ms. Adams’ uniquely charming romances.
Final Verdict: A quietly intense, emotionally layered vacation fling that turns into so much more. Carlton is peak grumpy hero purrfection.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Dual Series: Kindled,#4 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Zed Heroine: Esther Hamilton Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: December 29, 2022 Started On: January 07, 2024 Finished On: January 10, 2024
First published in December of 2022, Hero, the fourth installment of the Kindled series by Claire Kent was a delightful read for me in many ways. Ms. Kent has a remarkable ability to bring together characters that have nothing going for them initially, who would probably not have gotten together if life had not thrown a major apocalyptic disaster upon them, and making it all work splendidly.
Esther Hamilton is 18 years old when the catastrophic event of the asteroid impact occurs, altering life as people knew it on Earth. Esther was a freshman in college at the time, whose ambitious aspiration was to become an astronaut. When the apocalypse forces her into survival mode to take refuge with family in a remote cabin, that is when she meets 24 year old Zed, her step-uncle at the time.
Years later, things have changed to the point where Zed is now single father to Rina, his five year old daughter. Esther, who originally viewed Zed as someone with no ambition and aimless in life, finds herself part of a family unit that comprises of the three of them, working hard to survive the hard realities of life.
Esther suffers from deep rooted anxiety that gnaws at her, at how little control she has over the elements and their shared life. In the midst of it, learning to recognize and appreciate the changes that transforms Zed into someone she could not care for initially into someone she is fiercely attracted to, is jarring enough as it is. While initially this connection is reluctant and driven by circumstance, over time, it grows into one that is more complex and multi-layered.
I truly loved Zed and admired his growth as a character. He was an unserious man (as most men tend to be at a certain age), but as the story evolved and along came responsibilities in the form of his daughter and of course Esther, he reveals the layers to his character, transforming into a dependable and caring figure. In my opinion, Zed was love!
At the same time, Esther was a character that truly resonated with me; her independence, resilience, and determination to survive despite the hardships and all odds made me fall for her and root for her. Esther is a complex heroine (as Ms. Kent’s heroines in this series tend to be), and her inner conflicts and shock at the realization that she fancies none other than Zed and the possibility that he fancies her back is one more problem for her to agonize over.
It is even initially the way Zed’s care for Esther’s well-being goes beyond obligation, offering her comfort during moments of intense anxiety that comes with the high uncertainties in her life that makes this story give you the fuzzy feels. Their first impulsive sexual encounter breaks another barrier between them, which helps Esther to see Zed in a whole new light as Zed becomes more attuned to her needs and emotions. It is also Zed that calls Esther out for hiding her emotions, giving the reader insight into how well he actually knows Esther inside and out.
Recommended for readers who love survivalist themed romances. This series is a must-read!
Final Verdict: Disaster has a way of bringing out the hero in you; Zed’s transformation into a man who Esther could wholeheartedly desire, love, and depend on makes for great reading.
Favorite Quotes
Literally nothing else has a chance to exist in my mind. It’s entirely filled with vivid, intense images of me and Zed fucking. My body reacts to it. My heart rate picks up again but for a different reason now. All the energy from my earlier panic has transformed into something entirely different. It’s too much. I can’t control it. It’s like a foreign entity has taken possession of my body. And it’s that power—not me, it can’t be me—that’s reaching up to grab the sides of Zed’s head and pulling him down into a hard kiss.
I can’t believe we’re doing this. Having sex in the middle of the night. With each other. “What are we doing?” I toss my head back and forth on the mattress, trying to make myself think clear thoughts. “This isn’t right.” “Stop worrying about everything,” he mutters through a clenched jaw. It looks like he’s exerting great effort, and it’s the hottest thing. “Stop thinking for one fucking minute.” A wave of sensation slams into me then, and I follow his advice and push all my worries and mental stewing aside. Right now I need this.
Maybe it’s the helpless sound I make, but Zed is suddenly on fire. He makes a growling sound and palms my ass with one hand, lifting me up against the door in a quick, carnal move. I wrap my legs around him, partly because I need it for stability and partly because I want to feel the thick form of him between my thighs. His tongue is deep in my mouth, and he starts making a humping motion against me. It’s ridiculously hot. I squirm and gasp and try to squeeze him between my legs. “Damn,” he rasps at last. “You’re driving me out of my mind.”
“Esther.” I make a sobbing sound and lean forward so I can bite the curve of his shoulder, using it to smother the helpless sounds I’m making. He’s taking me hard and fast now, and my vision is blurring over. I squeeze him with my legs and dig my nails into his back and bite down hard on his shoulder as the pressure finally releases in intense waves of sensation. I come hard and messy all over him, around him, and he fucks me through it until he’s finally falling out of rhythm. “Sweet Jesus.” He swallows over the words as he pulls his cock out of me in a quick move and lets me down so my feet hit the floor. His face twists as he comes in several spurts against my chest and belly.
He reaches out to take me by the waist and pull me so I’m standing between his legs. He’s gazing up at me, his blue eyes hot. Strangely hungry. “Too lazy to even get up off your ass to do it right,” I say dryly. He chokes on a laugh. “Oh, I’m gonna do you right. You can count on it.” Before I can come up with an appropriate rejoinder, he’s swung me down onto the bed. I’m on my back, my upper body and butt on the mattress, but my legs hanging clumsily over the side. He moves over me. Kisses me deep and hard.
I feel completely out of control, and it’s a new, heady feeling for me. I clutch handfuls of the bedding beneath me, and bite my bottom lip over the helpless moans I’m making. “That’s right,” Zed mutters, his eyes raking up and down my body from my face to the place where his cock is moving in and out of me. “You’re doing so good. You’re taking it so good. Just let go. You can let go.”
He goes at it harder this time, holding on to fistfuls of my ass flesh so he can get good leverage to push. It’s aching but in a way I like. I need. I hear the shameless sounds I’m making and can’t believe they’re coming from me. I sound like an animal. So does he. We grunt and push and slap our flesh together until I’m coming again with a scream I barely manage to hide in the pillow.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: First Person, Single Series: Standalone Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Josh Bennett Heroine: Leslie Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: July 20, 2014 Started On: January 05, 2024 Finished On: January 07, 2024
I went on a Claire Kent reading binge phase towards late 2023 which sort of fizzled out early 2024. It was wonderful while it lasted, and I believe I will still pick up some of her older science fiction novels at some point when I once again hit a reading slump or get in the mood for a pick-me-up romance which I know Ms. Kent will definitely deliver.
No Regrets is an apt title for the story that unfolds between 38 year old paralegal Leslie who grapples with her grief over losing Polly, her dog of eight years, and Josh Bennett, 34 year old veterinarian, who is new to Leslie’s town. Leslie made a vow to herself on her last birthday that she would live with no regrets, and nothing has changed in the past eleven months until tragedy comes calling.
Leslie and Josh’s first encounter takes place under emotionally charged circumstances, when Leslie is struggling to get her aging and very ill dog out of her car into the clinic. Josh who has recently joined as a partner to the clinic assists her, ends up making an impression on Leslie through his kindness and sensitivity in dealing with everything.
When Josh seeks her out to spend some time with Leslie knowing that she is going through an emotionally taxing time, one thing leads to another and before they know it, their mutual attraction ends in a no-strings-attached, one-night stand. From the start, Josh makes it clear that he is not looking for any long-term commitment, and Leslie, though she is not looking for meaningless hookups, says yes believing that it would be just a one time thing.
After the initial hookup which neither believed would amount to much, Leslie and Josh reconnect by chance at a bar and gradually establish a pseudo-relationship that is purely no strings attached. While Josh continues to stress that is not looking for a happily ever after, Leslie though hesitant at first, considers the proposition as part of resolution to live without regrets.
While Josh and Leslie continue on this path and enjoy each other’s company, the emotional intimacy between them develops and strengthens, where Josh starts showing glimpses of vulnerability and Leslie starting to want more than just casual intimacy. It takes a lot for Josh to finally reconcile with his past and work for something long lasting with Leslie, upon his realization that short-term and casual does not fit the path that he and Leslie have walked on.
I liked both Leslie and Josh. Leslie for her strength and vulnerability, her determination to live without regrets (which did not amount to much at first – something we can all relate to), her humor and self-awareness, and her ability to see through Josh. When it comes to Josh, it is his empathy and kindness, his complexity, his quiet strength, and towards the end, his transformation from an emotionally closed off man to someone who is more open to pursuing love and where it takes him that made him endearing.
In signature Kent style, Leslie and Josh share undeniable chemistry rendering their moments from lighthearted banter to intense intimacy, both electric and captivating. The push and pull dynamic between the two due to the differences in terms of their expectations creates the needed angst for the story and I loved all of it.
Recommended for fans of contemporary romance who love a reluctant hero and his journey towards emotional fulfillment.
Final Verdict: No Regrets by Claire Kent is a beautifully crafted romance that explores grief, healing, and the transformative power of love, with characters whose emotional depth and sizzling chemistry captivate from start to finish.
Favorite Quotes
He gently slid the neckline of my top to the side to expose my shoulder. He smiled. “I see more freckles.” Then he leaned down and gently nipped me, right on the hollow of my throat. I gasped at the shocking jolt of pleasure. I’d never experienced anything like it—so completely out of the blue. Then he was kissing me, and there was no way I could resist kissing him back. The bar was dim and not very crowded, but the other customers hardly crossed my mind as the kiss deepened. It had been a long time since I’d been kissed, and he was somehow stronger and more passionate and more skillful and just more than the other men I’d been with. It felt like he was everywhere. Filling all of me.
He bit down on the sensitive flesh of my throat, and I felt the sharpest jolt of pleasure I’d ever experienced in my life. I cried out wordlessly in response, my pelvis jutting out in sudden need for stimulation. My arousal had intensified so quickly—and with so little conscious thought—that I was losing my sense of balance and coordination. I wasn’t sure I could stay on my feet, had Josh not trapped me between the sink counter and his body. My eyes blurred over until the small, dingy bathroom faded into nonexistence. All I was aware of was Josh, in all his intensity, physicality, and hot, hot power.
His cock drove its way into my pussy, his upper body pressing against my chest as he sunk all the way inside. I bit down on his shoulder—my teeth against his t-shirt—as I felt his solid substance stretch and fill me. He didn’t give me a chance to get used to the tight penetration. With a guttural sound and a jerk of his neck, he started to thrust. Fast, short, and sloppy.
Two hours later, I was in his small, barely furnished apartment. We’d gotten takeout to eat from a place halfway down the block. After we’d eaten, I’d taken a shower first, and now he was taking a shower. He was very easy to hang out with. No demands. No deep feelings. No awkwardness. Just interesting conversation and sex.
“Fuck,” Josh said, lifting his face to capture my mouth again. His voice was thick and hoarse, the sexiest thing I’d ever heard—but somehow aching like I did. His hips jerked against my pelvis, and his body grew tighter and tighter as the frantic motion of our bodies intensified. My head fell back as pleasure welled up inside me, Tears streamed down my face when my spine arched involuntarily. “Oh, God.” Josh kissed me one more time with clumsy, unfocused passion. Tremors had started to run through his body as he tried to rein in his release. Then I came, clutching him, riding out the waves of pleasure as his control broke and he fell into climax too.
He leaned in closer so his mouth was next to my ear. His murmur had gotten thicker, sexier. “You turn me on just standing there. I want to fuck you again. I want to make you come harder than you’ve ever come before. But that’s all it would be. If you want hot sex with no-strings, then I’m your man. But if you want something serious, then you should just walk away.”
“You’re sure? About the no-strings thing?” “Yeah. I’m sure. As long as you were serious about making me come harder than I’ve ever come before.” I couldn’t believe I’d actually said that out loud. Someone else must have said that. He smiled. Hotly. Smugly. “I was serious.” “You were talking pretty dirty in there,” I said, feeling less uncertain as an uncharacteristic wildness seemed to possess me. “Do you always talk that way?” He lifted a hand to stroke this thumb over my cheekbone, the way he’d done a few weeks ago when he was talking about my freckles. Then he leaned down, like he would kiss me. But he said in my ear instead, “I can talk as dirty as you want.”
He made a guttural sound in his throat as he finally got up from his chair. He moved over me, his hands sliding over my body, drawing my arms out from where they were crossed. Then he adjusted me until he was seated on the couch and I was straddling his lap. He stared up at me for a moment—desire and need and heat shuddering in the air between us—and then he kissed me hard, deep.
“Very good. You feel so good. Your pussy is hot and tight and so wet.” He sucked in a shuddering breath as my channel squeezed around him instinctively. “Yes,” he hissed. “Just like that. You like it when I fuck you like this, don’t you?” The coarse language from him sent jolts of desire to my center. He was hitting my g-spot on each thrust, and the shudders of pleasure made me want to scream. I whimpered and bit down on my lower lip, my whole body slammed with carnal heat.
“Oh Josh!” The words were choked on a harsh inhale. The smolder in his eyes turned into a blaze—like nothing I’d seen from him before. He made another guttural sound and shifted his grip on my wrists to one hand, stretching my arms straight above my head. “Don’t move them from right here,” he said. I kept my arms in place as he unfastened his pants and rolled on a condom. When he’d done so, he lined his cock up and thrust into me with one hard stroke.
His weight was resting on me now more fully, pushing me into the mattress, but I loved the feel of his hot, sweaty heaviness. His thrusts became shorter and faster, and I rocked my pelvis up against his motion—my clit getting good friction from his pubic bone. “God, it’s so good,” I gasped, as I felt another orgasm building up at my center. “Fuck, yeah.” Josh was panting hotly against the skin of my neck, holding enough of his weight on his elbows to keep me from smothering beneath him. “So good.”
He made a choked sound and slid himself very slowly—torturously slow—inside me. I was gasping and flushed all over as I tried to soften my body against his, wrap myself around him. “Oh, fuck, Leslie.” His head had lowered slightly, and he was breathing erratically. “Sometimes I think…” “You think what?” I grabbed his shirt with both hands and hung on. “Oh, fuck. It’s just too good.” I didn’t know if that was what he’d originally intended to say, but it sounded pretty good to me, and I wasn’t in a fit condition to sort out anything else.
“Leslie.” My name was no more than an inhale as he moved against me in a jerky push of his hips. Then he was kissing me, and it was deep and hungry and needy. And it was exactly what I wanted. Exactly what I felt too. The kiss went on a long time, until he’d turned me over onto my back, and we were rocking in a sensual rhythm together.
“Josh,” I kept saying, arching up every time his touch triggered a ripple of pleasure. “Fuck, Leslie,” he mumbled against my skin. “You feel so good. I need you so much. Like this. Just like this.” And I arched up at that too—because his words triggered more pleasure than his touch.
“It’s like watching the sun come out from behind the clouds,” he murmured. “What is?” “You. When you let yourself out, when all the passion inside you bursts out from your quiet composure. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It’s like when your hair suddenly flames out in red when the light hits it. That’s you. All of you. Flaming out. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Standalone Publisher: Loveswept Hero: Matt Stokes Heroine: Elizabeth Marks Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: November 24, 2015 Started On: December 23, 2023 Finished On: January 02, 2024
Taking It Off by Claire Kent brings to readers the story of 26 year old Elizabeth Marks, art therapist working at an exclusive preschool in Boston, and Matt Stokes, owner of a male strip club called Bare Assets, a man with a tough past. Elizabeth comes from a wealthy and influential family, a father who is involved in politics, and as a result, Elizabeth struggles with meeting the expectations of her parents and balancing the desire for a structured, picture-perfect life. Matt who inherits the strip club from his father, is a man who went through a difficult upbringing, which includes dealing with mother’s addiction.
Elizabeth and Matt crosses paths when she reluctantly attends her college roommate’s bachelorette party held at Bare Assets. Given Elizabeth’s nature, she is uncomfortable with the club’s atmosphere and the performers, but notices Matt who stands apart from the others, in his role of overseeing the events as it happens at the bar. When Matt, after a brief conversation with Elizabeth challenges her to return to the club twice a week for a month to see if her feelings for the club changes, this serves to be the foundation of the relationship that burgeons to life between them.
While Elizabeth and Matt could not be more different from each other in terms of upbringing and status in life, Elizabeth is nevertheless drawn to the raw masculinity that is Matt. While Matt has long since given up performing at the club, he nevertheless puts up a show when it comes to Elizabeth.Both believe that their “just-for-sex” affair would be amount to nothing, and when it starts to transform into something more and tangible, each reacts differently to the change.
With the increasing emotional intensity of their encounters, both are forced to face the fact that even though they are as different as two people can be, there is no denying that they somehow fit and mesh well with each other. Elizabeth who starts out as a perfectionist, bound by familial and societal expectations, who grows into someone willing to explore her desires and challenge her boundaries made me admire her in spades. Her struggle to balance personal aspirations with external pressures makes her relatable and her vulnerability and moments of self-doubt adds depth to her character.
I also loved the fact that she is able to hold her own in difficult situations, especially when standing up to Matt during conflicts, and her inner determination to prioritize what is meaningful for her. Matt, despite his tough exterior and rough background, reveals the side of him that is caring, especially when it comes to dealing with his mother’s addiction, adding a layer to his otherwise strong, and at times cold and aloof nature that acts as an emotional front. Matt’s playful, confident nature which challenges Elizabeth makes him compelling and sexy, all in one.
While Matt is the one with the tough exterior, that in fact makes him more vulnerable and susceptible to the package that Elizabeth presents, totally different from the women he typically engages with. Her kindness, intelligence, and vulnerability lures him in, and it is not long before he starts to see her as more than temporary fling. Matt therefore, has his work cut out for him when it comes to convincing Elizabeth to let go of her vision of a picture perfect life and give them a chance over her preconceived notions of what she wants in a partner.
The chemistry between Matt and Elizabeth is fiery and I loved how they are able to push each other out of their comfort zones in bed and out of it. The combination of Matt’s rawness and Elizabeth’s refinement creates a dynamic that is intriguing and emotionally charged, giving the story the angst factor it deserved.
This story, while not as polished as the Ms. Kent’s more recent works, is still engaging. The narrative however, does miss out on fully exploring how Elizabeth’s parents perceive the relationship and what ultimately becomes of Matt’s situation with his mother, which could have added further depth to the story.
Highly recommended for fans of contemporary romances that bring together refined, classy heroines and rugged, rough-around-the-edges heroes who unexpectedly become the best thing that ever happened to them.
Final Verdict: Taking It Off by Claire Kent delivers a steamy and emotionally charged romance that bridges the divide between two vastly different worlds.
Favorite Quotes
“Ride me until you come,” he said, guiding the motion of her hips as her bouncing became even more vigorous, so he wouldn’t accidentally slip out of her. It didn’t take long until her pants turned to breathy grunts and then to cries of pleasure as her pussy started to clench hard around his cock. The orgasm lasted a long time, and she hadn’t fully come down when he started to fuck her from below, pumping up with a hungry rhythm that felt exactly right to her.
Pleasure filled his head and chest as he worked her up to climax, pressing against her clit when her soft grunts became ragged and helpless. She came hard around his fingers, and he watched as the pleasure washed over her face. It was better than any high he’d ever experienced, the way she looked like she was feeling something entirely new to her, like he was making her feel a way no one else ever had.
She was very wet—wetter than she could ever remember being so quickly, wetter than she’d even been the week before with Matt. She wondered what it said about her that she was at her horniest when she had sex with a stripper, but as soon as his finger was inside her, those questions ceased to matter. Involuntarily Elizabeth arched her back, her mouth falling open soundlessly as he fucked her with his fingers. He wasn’t showing any particularly skill. The movement of his fingers was rushed and almost clumsy, but his touch was entirely effective.
“You’re about to come, aren’t you?” he rasped, his eyes raking over her hot face and jiggling breasts. “Yeah. Oh yeah.” “It’s going to be good, isn’t it?” “Yeah!” The one word was too loud so she turned her head and raised a hand to stuff her fist into her mouth. “Fuck, baby, don’t try to fight it.”
“What you’re wearing tonight definitely isn’t. Did you wear those boots for me?” Matt asked, pressing her back against him more fully so she could feel the line of his long, firm, very warm body. “No. I wore them for me.” “Too bad.” He tilted his head so he could murmur very softly in her ear. “Later tonight I’m going to have you on the desk with your legs in the air, boots and all. You know that, right?” Her pussy clenched hard, and she lost her breath. “You like the sound of that, don’t you? You like the idea of being so naughty.” She swallowed, shifting restlessly in response to the ache between her legs. She could hardly speak, she was so deeply aroused so quickly, just by his words. “Tell me the truth,” he instructed, his big hand on her hip. “You like how that sounds, don’t you?” “Yeah,” she admitted. “I like it.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? You’d like for me to turn you over this bar and fuck you hard and rough so everyone could see how sexy you really are.” “Don’t be…be ridiculous.” Her hand was trembling so much she had to put down her glass. The throbbing between her legs just got more and more intense. “I could make you come right here, right now.” She closed her eyes and moved a hand to grip the arm he had wrapped around her. She felt the need to hold on. “Do you want me to?” he asked, still murmuring in her ear.
He wanted to howl. But instead he focused on giving Elizabeth what she needed—fucking her hard and fast. She stuffed her fist in her mouth to muffle her shout as she came, sobbing over her hand as her pussy clamped down unbearably hard around his cock. Matt grunted and jerked his head to the side, fighting desperately for control.
He wanted her to come. He hoped he could last long enough. With a rough exclamation, he drove into her faster, gripping the soft flesh of her ass so hard it would probably bruise later on. “Yes,” she gasped. “Yes.” She was so wet he could hear sounds of suction as his cock pushed inside her. He was fucking her really hard and kind of rough now, but she definitely wanted it. Her fingernails dug into his skin, as if she was trying to get him even deeper, even closer. “Fuck, Elizabeth,” he gritted out, his building climax coalescing into an impending explosion. He gave her all he had and finally felt her pussy tighten around him again, her body convulsing as she sobbed out her release.
Elizabeth moaned, low and guttural, as he started to apply pressure against the damp spot on her panties. Still reclining on top of him, she reached up and behind her with one arm, settling her hand at the back of his neck. As her body became more and more responsive, she fisted her hand in his hair. “And what’s the truth?” “That this is what you want.” His voice was huskier than usual because of the pulsing pressure from his cock. “That as much as you try to fight it, you’re always going to come back to me.”
He let out his breath in a harsh whoosh and bucked his pelvis so that his cock made a hard thrust inside her. “Let me see you come,” he rasped, feeling his own climax finally overwhelming him. He thrust upward again, pulling her down to meet the force of it. “Come for me.” Elizabeth cried out, her body starting to spasm and her face twisting with what looked like agonizing pain. The sudden brutal clench of her inner muscles around his cock was all that Matt could take. He felt the pleasure draw up in his balls and force its way out in pulsing waves that leveled him for the moment. He made a rough sound as he came hard and violently, the sensations ripping through his whole body.
She wasn’t even aware of their location, making out against her car in the middle of the parking lot of a strip club. Nothing mattered but how she was feeling—how they both were feeling—right now. “Matt, please,” she panted, finally tearing her mouth away when she thought she might actually pass out. “I want you now. I need you now.” He made a low groan in the back of his throat, and he pushed up her skirt and lifted one of her thighs so her leg was wrapped around his. He ground himself against her pussy through their clothes, and she let out a frantic whimper from the intense pleasure of it.
He made another guttural sound, like he was on the verge of losing it just as much as she was. He gathered her up to get her into a better position, bracing her against the car, and then he eased his hips forward, moving aside her panties and guiding his cock inside her with one hand. She let out a breathy cry as the hard substance of him entered her. She wrapped her legs around him as tightly as she could, trapped and helpless in her position. She wasn’t entirely comfortable, but she couldn’t have cared less about that. Nothing had ever felt so deep, so intense, so real, so thrilling in her life.
“You’re not the girl everyone thinks you are.” His voice was rough and low and staccato with his rhythm. “You’re not the girl you always thought you were. This is you. Stop holding back.” She heard his words with a blaze of feeling, and then a blaze of pleasure followed in close pursuit as her orgasm finally uncoiled. She made a helpless sobbing sound as her pussy contracted around Matt’s cock, and he let out a stifled bellow as the pleasure broke on his face as well. He made a few jerks against her as he climaxed, primal in his animalistic motion.
“Elizabeth,” he murmured, his breath blowing against her hot skin. “Elizabeth.” “Take me to bed, Matt.” He groaned and his hips gave a little jerk. She realized for the first time that he’d gotten hard improbably soon, a tight bulge in the front of his trousers as it pressed up against her weight. This evidence of how much he wanted her, needed her, made something inside her want to howl in satisfied possession. She wanted this man, with all of his hot tension and fierce sexuality and deep need. She wanted him. And he was hers.
“So sweet,” he rasped in choppy, guttural succession. “So good. Elizabeth. Baby.” She made a sobbing sound as she arched beneath him—the words pushing her to the edge of climax. “Matt,” she cried out as the tension tightened with unbearable pleasure. “Oh God, Matt!” Her body shuddered and shook as the waves of her orgasm ripped through her. Her channel clamped down around him, trapping him inside her as she pulsed. He choked on an agonized groan as his body clenched and froze in palpable tension. “You can have hope in this, Matt,” she gasped, trembling and on the verge of tears. He let go. Of everything. And the shattering pleasure and release on his face were impossible not to understand.
Matt made a hoarse sound and jerked his hips. He fell out of rhythm, but at this point it didn’t matter. Elizabeth was already falling into her climax. Matt came just before she did, burying his face in her hair and choking on the sound of her name. As his cock was pulsing inside her, Elizabeth came as well, not trying to stifle the loud sound of her release.
“Elizabeth,” Matt ground out through clenched teeth. The one word almost sounded like a plea. He was clearly on the edge himself, holding himself off of her, his handsome face twisted with passion, effort, and strain. She came on his next thrust, her body freezing as the pleasure slammed into her with his cock. Then she shook and whimpered beneath him while her pussy spasmed hard around him. “Elizabeth!” Matt repeated, this time choking on a roar as he froze for an endless moment. Then the tension in his body exploded, and he jerked erratically above her and gasped her name again.
She panted out helpless sounds, her face twisting with how much she was feeling. Her pelvis pumped upward wildly, causing his cock—which he had been holding still—to slide inside her with a tight, delicious motion. Matt’s mouth fell open slightly, and his eyelids dropped down. He gazed at Elizabeth with half-closed, blurring eyes. “Yeah,” he murmured thickly. “Yeah, baby, come. Come.” She let out a little sob as her body tightened unbearably. Then her muscles clamped down ruthlessly around his cock, causing Matt to grunt as he felt her climax all around the hard length of his flesh.
Elizabeth cried out, her voice growing progressively louder as she jerked and shook above him. “Oh God, Matt!” Matt felt all the collected pleasure and pressure in his body clench down just before the release. He bucked upward one more time. Heard Elizabeth cry out as she came. Felt her begin to convulse above him. He roared out—completely uncontrolled for the moment—in relief, in victory, in love. Felt his climax explode and burst out, the spasms of it washing over his body and pulsing through his cock.
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Dual Series: Playing for Love, #4 Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Patrick Fitzgerald Heroine: Cheryl Karalis-Walker Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥 Published On: December 05, 2023 Started On: December 16, 2023 Finished On: December 23, 2023
Back into It by Eve Dangerfield, first published in December 2023, is the fourth installment in her Playing for Love series. I dived straight into book four and found myself right at home, never feeling as if I should have read the series in order. I am a sucker for a friends-to-lovers romance, my most favorite theme in the world of romance. However, it is rare to come across a good friends-to-lovers romance nowadays, and Ms. Dangerfield being one of my go-to authors in contemporary romance, I did not hesitate to grab myself a copy.
Told from dual perspectives of the main protagonists, Back into It brings to readers the story of 32 year old Cheryl Karalis-Walker, a social media consultant whose work is cut out for her when it comes to her personal life. While she is intelligent, witty, and smart, she does not see herself as someone worthy of a long-term love or relationship, which makes her shy away from any such prospects, especially with her closest male friend Patrick.
23 year old Patrick Fitzgerald is a professional Australian Football League player, who is passionate, headstrong, and deeply in love with Cheryl. Despite their friendship and being in love with her, he maintains close ties with Cheryl, and struggles with her resistance to view him as an ideal partner for life.
While Patrick is comfortable with his feelings, it is Cheryl who has a hard time reconciling with the age difference between them, having always stuck to older men when it comes to her relationships. Being labeled as a cougar is not something Cheryl looks forward to, and society’s judgmental nature when it comes to an older woman dating a younger man, especially in light of Patrick’s rising fame as a professional athlete makes her more hesitant to take that step.
Cheryl also battles with a complicated past, including a challenging childhood and fraught relationships. An absentee father and an ailing mother had forced Cheryl to grow up way before she had to, and being the primary caregiver to her mother adds onto her emotional baggage. As a result, Cheryl has emotional walls that are practically impenetrable, and even as she and Patrick grows closer over time, she dares not give in.
Patrick is an adorable hero in many ways. His unwavering devotion to Cheryl is the kind you witness, not through empty words, but because of his actions. He stands up for her, prioritizes her well-being over his own needs, and never ever questions his belief that they belong together, which helps Cheryl to overcome her fears.
Patrick is also one of the most patient heroes I have come across. Cheryl certainly resists hard, whenever she feels as if she is going to be overcome with feelings for Patrick. Fleeing for cover is in her nature, a protective mechanism, and it is Patrick who understands this instinct in her and allows her to be, rather than pressure her into accepting him.
At the same time, Patrick also challenges Cheryl’s misgivings about the age difference and societal judgments and refuses to let her use that as a primary excuse to keep him at bay, when he knows in his heart that theirs would be a love ever so grand.
While Cheryl at first was a character that I did not respect much, I found myself falling in love with her as I saw deep into her psyche and understood where she was coming from. To see her growth from someone who shied away from commitments and slept around, to someone who saw in Patrick what it would mean to be loved by someone who truly sees you – that in essence was why I fell in love with her.
Cheryl is also someone who is strong and determined, with an inner core of vulnerability; I could totally see why Patrick fell in love with over their shared hobbies such as hiking, watching horror movies, and getting brunch together. I also loved how honest she is with herself, about how she enjoys being desired by men and how she goes out of her way to ensure that she looks good when she wants to. She does not shy away from the concept that she likes it, and that I felt was refreshing for a change.
Patrick is a hero easy to love. His devotion, playful and yet grounded nature, maturity beyond his years, protective nature without it being toxic, his patience and persistence – all scored big with me. While there is incredible chemistry between the two, I did feel a bit cheated out on the sexy times that Ms. Dangerfield does so well in most of her books. This was a story heavier on emotional and personal growth than it was on the sensuality aspect and I guess it did work for the story line.
Recommended for those who love an emotionally well-balanced story, featuring a skittish heroine and a hero whose patience alone makes you fall head over heels for him.
Final Verdict: Back into It by Eve Dangerfield delivers a heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance with emotionally rich characters for fans of deeply layered love stories.
Favorite Quotes
With eyes like flint, Patrick pinned her hands. He rocked to one side to expose her bare thighs and then his hand was up her skirt. Cheryl made a noise like she had a puncture. “We’ll do this slow,” he said, eyes still on hers. “But you’re gonna come for me. It’s been too long.”
He licked her gently. She tasted clean and soft and salty-sweet. He kept going, moving experimentally, trying to find what would make her feel good. When he pressed his tongue to her clit she made a noise like she’d started crying again. He pulled back. “You okay?” “Yes. No. It’s too much. Too good. It feels like…” “What?” When she spoke, it was so quiet it was barely sound. “… like you love me.”
Format: E-Book Read with: Kindle Oasis Length: Novel Genre: Contemporary Romance POV: Third Person, Single Series: Nameless Publisher: Self-Published Hero: Seth Thomas Heroine: Erin Marshall Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Published On: February 08, 2014 Started On: December 04, 2023 Finished On: December 15, 2023
The Nameless book series by Claire Kent is told in three separate installments (though I read it all together from the boxed set), and I was hooked right from the very start. Published in February of 2014, this series makes me so glad to have rediscovered the name under which Zannie Adams is writing (the pen name under which she does not write any longer, the reason why I lost her for a couple of years), because this is as good contemporary romance gets in my opinion!
Seth Thomas, once a troubled and sullen youth who was raised by a distant grandfather, is now a successful and ruthless lawyer, viewed by many as an unrepentant womanizer. Known as the “bulldozer”, he is a man who effortlessly commands attention with his confidence and charisma, but deep inside hides the emotional scars from his upbringing.
Erin Marshall is a judicial assistant in her hometown, who transforms from a shy bookworm to a strong, independent woman following a failed marriage. The scars left over makes her value her independence something fierce, and as a result, has a cynical view of romance in general.
Erin and Seth first crosses paths when Seth is forced to move to Erin’s hometown to live with his distant relative Mac. Erin being the bookworm she is, spends countless hours at the library, where she comes across Seth, a solitary figure browsing books on various topics. A distant memory of a shared encounter is all that remains as both move into adulthood and it is Mac’s funeral years later, that brings these two back together.
The indomitable Seth is caught in a moment of emotional weakness, and it is that opening which allows both Erin and Seth to come together in intense passion that neither can deny. Weeks later, it is a shocking discovery that leads Erin to seek out Seth – that she is now carrying his child.
Erin and Seth takes on a pragmatic approach to the pregnancy, where Erin cautions that all she wants from him is to be as involved as he wants to be – and that marriage and a lifetime of togetherness is not what she seeks. However, given the strong sexual chemistry between the two, their physical relationship serves to be one of the key reasons why the two come together, leading to moments of emotional vulnerability.
Given Erin’s past and her wariness when it comes to losing control, the conflict that arises from Seth’s tendency to go into alpha mode is jarring for both of them. While Seth grapples with his desire to be more involved without fully committing emotionally, Erin finds herself becoming warier when Seth starts becoming more dependable.
With both Seth and Erin carrying their individual emotional trauma, the healing that they both undergo comes from within and through their shared experiences. The unexpected pregnancy serves as the catalyst for their relationship to move beyond a memorable one-night stand. As both of them spend more time together, each finds in the other, sides to their character which they never would have witnessed otherwise, allowing them to see beyond their initial impressions of each other. While Erin is a tougher nut to crack than Seth at some points, it is Seth’s gentle and protective side that proves to be the healing that Erin needs, to finally let go of the shackles that has bound her since she walked away from her marriage.
To say that I loved this story would be an understatement. I loved both Erin and Seth in equal doses. Erin’s journey from the shy, bookish girl to an assertive, independent woman made me like her in spades. Her past trauma while it makes her cautious to a fault, is one that women can relate to, especially given her determination to protect her independence. We have all seen how emotionally scarring relationships can make a woman lose her sense of worth. Being able to rise above all of that is no easy feat and that made me root for her big time. Erin is also witty and unflinchingly honest, making her a heroine who is both grounded and self-aware, my favorite kind if you ask me.
Seth *breathes deeply* is a hero who is intriguing, commanding, and compelling in a way that makes the female reader sit up and take notice. As romance readers, we all love the emotionally distant hero who guards his heart possessively. It is not just Seth’s childhood that makes him wary, but his adult relationships as well which had soured him of any notions of happily ever afters. Seth is sexy to a fault, delivering one of the best sex scenes I have had the fortune to read in a while.
Together, Seth and Erin a dynamite – in bed and out of it. They have a way of challenging each other’s world views, with Erin challenging Seth to confront his emotional walls and Seth encouraging Erin to trust and rely on someone without losing her sense of independence. Their witty banter adds onto the spice levels of this romance, and Ms. Kent delivers a hefty dose of the panty melting variety of sex scenes, which I definitely could not get enough of. I believe that Erin and Seth resonated so deeply with me because they are both imperfect, realistic, and deeply human. The challenges that both of them go through, as individuals and together – made this a romance worth sinking into.
I especially loved getting to see Seth and Erin through different stages of their lives from when Erin develops a teeny tiny crush on the teenager Seth, to an adulthood reunion, a pregnancy discovery, and transitioning into parenthood. Towards the last installment, getting to see Erin and Seth close to their fifties, navigating life together and still so into each other was beautiful in a way that is indescribable. The entire story being told in the third person from Erin’s perspective makes it just better! In my opinion Seth, is the ultimate book boyfriend.
If you are looking for a transformative experience in a contemporary romance, look no further – Seth and Erin’s journey resonates in every way that matters. Definitely recommended!
Final Verdict: Combining fiery chemistry, poignant emotional depth, and exquisite storytelling, Nameless by Claire Kent is a must-read for fans of sensual contemporary romance!
Favorite Quotes
Leaning her face forward, she pressed her lips into his. He was warm and solid beneath her, and he made a little grunt in his throat. He tasted and smelled like Scotch, and also something fainter, more masculine. When she relaxed her mouth on his, he murmured against her lips, “What was that?” “That,” she pronounced, pleased she was thinking so clearly, “was a kiss.”
Seth, looking slick and professional, stood up to greet her. He gave her a cool smile, shook her hand with a courteous, “Good afternoon,” and then gestured her into a leather chair next to the desk. This was the Seth she’d expected today—not the warmly clever, rumpled man she’d fucked several weeks ago. Erin sat down. Took a few deep breaths to dispel the nausea. Summoned up her courage and hoped she wouldn’t start babbling. “So,” he said slowly, giving her a sharp look and leaning back in his chair, “I can’t figure out what you’re after. A job?” He looked so confident, so smug, that Erin’s sense of irony kicked in. The edge of amusement did a lot to calm her nerves, so her voice was clear and crisp as she replied, “Actually, no. I’m very happy with my job and have no desire to work in a law firm. Although I certainly appreciate your unyielding belief in your own importance.”
His gaze crawled up from her thighs to her hips to her belly to her breasts. When he finally reached her face, she saw that his expression was oddly hungry. The wild primitive glint she’d caught earlier in the hall had returned, and it both exhilarated her and made her a little anxious. “Are you sure it can be this simple?” she asked. “This whole thing is complicated enough without making it any worse.” His hands slid up to comb her hair back from her face. “It’s just sex. We’ve had it before. You aren’t secretly in love with me, are you?” “God, no. You?” “Not even close.”
Erin couldn’t seem to stop. She barely even recognized that she was clawing at his shoulders and making the most ridiculous sounds of effort and pleasure she’d ever heard herself make. Barely noticed that she was sweating now and that the flesh of her ass and her breasts were jiggling wildly with their motion. Just needed to feel more of him. Just needed to release this excruciating tension again. “Fuck, Erin,” Seth rasped, his eyes open now and staring down at her body. “Fuck, Erin, you’re incredible. But you’re killing me.” His jaw clenched tightly, and he released an agonized groan as he pumped. “Slow down or I’ll lose it.” “Can’t,” she choked. “Can’t. Need more, Seth. More.”
Feeling both her confidence and her enthusiasm return immediately, Erin adjusted herself more comfortably beside him and pulled him into another kiss. He sat on the side of the bed now, and she had her legs drawn up under her body. But they managed to share a very effective kiss, and Erin didn’t pull away from him, even when he released her lips. She ran one hand down his firm chest to his flat belly and then to the bulge of his erection once more. As she cupped it lightly, she trailed kisses across his jaw line. To his high cheekbone. And finally to his ear. She fluttered her tongue. Seth bucked his pelvis up involuntarily into her hand.
He pulled off his loosened bow tie and started to work on his shirt. Erin watched and tried to be patient, but her entire body now felt on the verge of eruption. Her breasts tingled torturously, so she cupped them with her hands and tried to chaff her tight nipples through the thin fabric of her chemise. The stimulation caused her to arch her back a little, and, when she focused once more on Seth, she saw that he’d stopped midway through taking off his shirt and was staring at her dazedly. The look in his eyes sent another jolt of sensation down to the throbbing ache between her legs. So, as he watched, she slid her hand from her breast, past the curve of her belly, then dipped it under the fluttering skirt of her chemise until she could slip it in between her legs. She wasn’t wearing panties, so nothing was in her way. Seth’s entire body looked painfully tense as he watched her stroking herself. Finally, he rasped, “Getting a head start?”
Erin looked at him over her shoulder. “I don’t mind,” she said. “I’ve never been a fan of excessive control.” “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He shifted slightly and his hand settled on her belly. “But the lack of control would be counterproductive in this particular instance. We’re supposed to be taking care of your needs, aren’t we?” “Yes,” Erin allowed, feeling strangely shy for some unaccountable reason. “But maybe we can tackle your needs at the same time.” His hand slid up over her breasts and then to her face, and he pushed some of the damp hair off her cheeks. “Very kind of you, but my needs aren’t something you want to fully tackle.”
Seeing and hearing him so uncontrolled was almost as thrilling as her own pleasure. Erin reached behind her thighs until her hand found and closed around his balls. “Fuck,” he grunted, as she squeezed once very lightly. He was pushing more than thrusting now, and Erin knew he was right on the edge. So she squeezed again, harder this time. He froze. Then his whole body throbbed, from his cock to his hands on her flesh. He choked on an incoherent sound as he fell into release.
Her body was tensing up in preparation for climax, but she turned her head as far back as she could. “Seth. Seth…” She tried to put into words what she wanted. Couldn’t. Couldn’t possibly. She was feeling too much. Too deep, too tight, too full, too stretched. Too much. “Erin.” Seth pulled up his shoulders until his weight rested on his bent elbow. From this position, he leaned over to where she was trying to look over her shoulder at him. He was able to capture her lips in a kiss. It wasn’t a skillful or a controlled kiss. Erin was far beyond concentrating, and she couldn’t do more than press her lips against his and gasp into his mouth. His lips clung to hers hungrily, though, when her pleasure finally peaked. And he was still kissing her when she shook through her orgasm.
For a moment, she caught a glimpse of something in his eyes: something deep and molten and unspeakable. Then she couldn’t see anything at all. Because he was kissing her, and her eyes had fallen closed. Her breasts pressed into the hard line of his chest, and her hands wound around his neck before she could begin to stop them. Her tongue darted out to meet his, and her mouth became urgent and hungry.
Yeah,” she gasped, realizing he was on the verge of coming but was trying to fight against it. “Yeah, Seth. You come too.” At her words, he stared up at her face—just a few inches from his—and their eyes met. His eyes were wild, feral, almost pained in their need. But he held her gaze as he let out a muted roar and jerked his pelvis up into her a few more times. He came, and she saw the transformation on his face, in his eyes. The tension breaking and a flood of raw pleasure overwhelming him. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced, and the pleasure Erin felt from watching him almost rivaled the lingering feel of her own orgasm.
When Erin looked up blurrily, trying to focus through the rising haze of her deepening pleasure, she saw more in his expression than she’d ever seen before. There seemed to be everything there—a rich, overwhelming flood of feeling—all of it visible, tangible in his gaze. All of the feelings he always suppressed, that he hid behind his cool control. More than he’d ever admitted to. More than she’d ever dreamed possible. All of it—there—in his eyes. Erin closed her own eyes against it, the depth and magnitude of the emotion terrifying her. She wondered how she’d ever thought this man was cold and unfeeling. Wondered if anyone else had ever seen what she’d just seen in Seth—all the raw, naked power of it.
With a thick, helpless groan, he opened his eyes and started moving again. The thick silence of his breathing built into rough, animalistic grunts in time with his rhythm. Erin felt like the whole world was shaking with their motion. She felt helpless, out of control. Until the rough friction of his drives inside her and the jostling of her breasts, ass, and clit coalesced into a new kind of orgasm: one deeper, more intense, not far removed from pain. Matching the rich, swelling ache in her heart.
“Love,” Erin cried out, feeling hot and wild and erotic and free and at the same time strangely secure. Her hips pumped desperately, trying to intensify the friction, and she huffed out a series of sounds to their rhythm, sounding like, “Uh huh.” “Erin,” Seth rasped, the one word a hoarse guttural. His head tossed with a jerk as he tried to hold himself back. Obviously lost the effort as he finally released a hoarse, desperate moan. He pushed into her a few final times, his thrusts hard, choppy, and forceful. “Love…you,” he grunted, before he came with a long shuddering breath.
When his chest was bare, she caressed the hard, smooth lines of his shoulders and ribs. Then reached down to the button of his jeans. With a little fumbling and adjusting from both of them, his hard cock was free and accessible. She rolled her thumb over the tip, making him grunt and buck up into her hand. “Erin.” She gazed down at his tense face and sprawled body. Felt a surge of love, power, and possessiveness overwhelm her.
All of the gathered urgency at her center pushed her to ride him for real, to claim the aching orgasm that was waiting for her. But she kept her motion slow, minimal, increasing their need and extending their pleasure. “Erin,” Seth choked, one of his arms reaching out to fumble for purchase on the cushion beside him, as he visibly struggled to suppress his drive to thrust, to claim her, to fuck her. His face twisted, and his pelvis almost squirmed beneath her rocking. “Fuck, Erin.” “Yeah,” Erin breathed, searching out his lips in a hungry, clumsy kiss. Her tongue dipped into his mouth, stroking into it in a rhythmic, instinctive pattern. Seth grunted, as he buried the fingers of one hand in her hair.
With a desperate sound, she found Seth’s mouth again. Needed to feel him. Love him. Be as close as she could possibly make him. She was kissing him hungrily, frantically, when her orgasm finally broke. She didn’t pull away from his mouth as her body started to convulse. She heard Seth make a helpless, choking sound into her mouth as Erin whimpered with the waves of pleasure. But she kept her arms around him. Kept kissing him. And was still kissing him when she felt him come too. His hips pushed up into her clenching muscles, and his arms tightened around her so suddenly she grunted in surprise. Then she felt the tension in his body release itself. Heard him moan—long, low, and guttural. Felt the pulsing of his cock against the tight clasp of her body. Felt him come in short spasms inside her.
Arching his neck in effort, Seth stared down at her twisting body and contorted face. “Erin,” he said thickly, squeezing the flesh of her hips in his hands as he rocked into her. “Erin, baby, can you come?” “Think so.” She shamelessly shook her body to get the kind of friction she needed. “Just stay…right there.” He did. He didn’t thrust. Just held his cock in position and kept pushing in tight rhythm against her g-spot. He was coiled so tensely he was shuddering with the pressure, but he managed to hold them in position as the rich pleasure gathered between her legs.
“Erin,” Seth muttered, his eyes almost agonized as he held onto his control. “Beautiful. Beautiful. Missed you so much.” She released a few loud sobs—the flooding of her heart mingling with the intense physical sensations—then she cried out a frantic, “Seth! Seth!” She felt the pleasure finally erupt inside her, sending out waves and spasms of overwhelming sensation.
“Seth. Oh God, again.” Her body seemed to have lost its connection with her mind, and—despite the blurred chaos of her thoughts—her body still knew what it wanted. “Yes,” Seth bit out, clearly on the edge of his control. “Yes. One more, baby. Come for me once more.” She was going to. It was happening even now. Erin sobbed with pleasure and effort and need, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to handle the overwhelming sensations. Her breasts were swinging wildly with their primitive motion, and she’d tossed her head so much that her damp hair was covering her face. As the final orgasm build up inside her, she kept choking out sounds that were louder and louder. Tried to stifle the noise. Couldn’t. Felt the world start to shudder all around her. Then she fell over the edge, her body jerking in clumsy desperation as she tried to hold herself upright on trembling limbs.
Just as she was on the edge, not quite coming but too far to draw it back, Seth raised his head from between her legs. Before she could react, he’d moved over her, burying his hard cock inside her and rearing up above her on straightened arms. The sight of his strong body, intense, hungry expression, and familiar face all combined with the sudden sensation of being filled and stretched by his cock. The orgasm that had already formed erupted with shattering intensity.
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.
A Maldivian's Passion for Romance 