Getaway by Cara McKenna

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Exotica f/m/m
To Purchase

Blurb: A sequel to Backwoods and Shivaree.

Six months ago Natalie drove away from Louisiana and a three-day, two-man rebound to be reckoned with. Now back in snowy Rochester, she wasn’t expecting to see either of those Southern gentlemen again. She certainly wasn’t expecting to find one standing in her work parking lot one afternoon without a word of warning.

Cold turkey is what Shane’s after. He’s been with his lover Gabriel for a year now—a year of hot sex and obsessive attraction that’s left him with a death grip on the tattered remains of his heterosexuality and too many sleepless nights. Desperate for a clean break, Shane hopes hiding out at Natalie’s for a week or two will do the trick. She sure as hell owes him one fine rebound.

But Shane quickly discovers that banishing Gabriel from his heart and his head is easier said than done. His cold-turkey recovery is headed straight for an epic relapse, and Shane’s going to have to make a choice—the traditional life he thinks he wants, or the man he can’t seem to live without.

Review: I’m not sure which sentiment is stronger. The fact that the book was fantastic and I loved the read or that I loved the read but it left me feeling sort of sad because the series seems to come to a close and I don’t wan it to end.

The flavor of this story was different than I expected. While it was sexy, and erotic, had sex that made me breathless and squirm on my chair, it also left my stomach churning. The pain and confusion in Shane is palpable. I ached with him and loved Natalie for being a true friend to him.

Gabriel is absent for much of the story, but when he reemerges on the page, my heart raced and I wasn’t sure, as a reader, what I wanted to happen. Well, it’s a good thing Cara is brilliant. Because as the last third of the book unfolds, each word kept me riveted to the page. I loved Gabriel’s confession and when Shane gives in to his heart, mine melted too. Natalie knows when to step out of the scene and I loved that. This book definitely ends on a note unlike the other two. Yeah, you’ll be emotionally bruised but it felt so good to travel the journey with them.

Dirty Thirty by Cara McKenna

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
m/m/f contemporary
To Purchase

Blurb: Despite his scrappy punk packaging, Evan’s got a submissive streak in him that’s just screaming to be indulged. So on the eve of his thirtieth birthday, Evan’s wife Margie arranges for them to ring out his twenties by realizing his darkest fantasy—inviting another man into their bedroom.

Margie’s found the perfect candidate for Evan’s birthday treat. Paul works as a bouncer at their favorite bar, and lucky for Evan and Margie, he’s every bit the sexual Dominant his intimidating body suggests. Evan isn’t a hundred percent sure he’s ready to go to all the places his kinks seem determined to take him, but one thing’s for sure—by the time he wakes on his thirtieth birthday, his fantasy will have become reality.

Review: Cara McKenna had penned a deliciously naughty story. The characters had layers had personality and a sense of humor. Evan and Margie are a fantastic couple. They’re edgy, adventurous, and in love. They know they are on the cusp of having to “grow up” and to celebrate Evan’s birthday, he’s going to be a dirty thirty. I smiled throughout the story. I was a turned on mess and Paul was simply scrumptious. I think they should keep him as Evan’s birthday present. Lol He’s everything they wanted and more. The sex in this story was fantastic. Both between Evan and Margie and Evan and Paul. Just remembering as I write this review has me tingling again. If you want a story with interesting characters, fun witty dialog, and curl your toes sex, then this is a must read.

Backwoods by Cara McKenna

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
m/m erotic contemporary
To Purchase
Blurb: A standalone prequel to Shivaree.

Shane thinks he’s simply auditioning a new musician for his bar, but when Gabriel saunters into the Shivaree it becomes clear the man has more to offer than just his talent. Gabriel’s got sexual charisma potent enough to make a straight man such as Shane lose his senses, lose sleep, lose himself to dark desires and not want to find his way back to reality.

What follows is not a love story. This is a story about an unforeseen attraction that brings a strong, sane man to his knees, and about lovers tangled up in each other too deep to know who’s in control and who’s helpless.

Review: Oh this is a story that will leave you breathless from the passionate exchanges, heart aching because neither Gabriel nor Shane is being completely honest—except when they are if that makes any sense. There were moments when the connection between them was open and raw and the truth for their feelings was easy for them to see, but as soon as the moment passed, the walls went up. There is betrayal, lust, that all consuming desperation to hold onto something impossible to grasp. As your reading, you’ll feel the passion just as Shane and Gabriel do, but also jealousy and anger. This story ripped me up to read, but also turned me on. I hated the ending, only because I would have loved the story to be tied up with a nice pretty bow—but that would have ruined the story. Not all stories, like relationships, end perfectly. So yes, I hated aspects of this book as I’m sure it tore up the author to write it. But because it was so emotionally gripping these are characters that will stay with me for some time. This was a story I could not put down.

Brazen by Cara McKenna

Story: 7.5

Presentation: 8

Total: 15.5

Publisher: Ellora's cave

Erotica

To Purchase

Blurb: The rules are simple. Be quiet, look sexy, follow orders.

Caroline’s plans for maintaining a harem of eager young men are going as smooth as could be, until a troublesome newcomer arrives and throws her tidy kingdom into disorder. He seems perfect at first. Breathtaking eyes, gorgeous face, a body custom-made to keep a greedy woman up nights.

But Sean’s got something else too—the will and the power to get under Caroline’s skin in a way she can’t stand. And can’t stay away from. He’s too disobedient to work out as a disposable toy in her harem, but it’d be a shame to waste a willing body as fine as his… Perhaps all the man needs is a little discipline.

Review: I absolutely loved this story. The premise, the hero, and Caroline was a wickedly deviant heroine in the most wonderful way. Erotically described encounters, witty dialog and narrative that doesn’t bog down the action. So you’re probably wondering why I didn’t give this story a higher score. Sadly, I hated the way it was written. While I read the characters, I couldn’t connect to them. They never became real. Which was sad really, because everything is there and the author is enormously talented. I don’t mind stories written in first person, but because it was written in present tense, I never did slip deep into the story. I wanted to…I ached to. So yes, I can tell you that Ms. McKenna is a fresh and naughty voice to erotic fiction. She’s one to watch. I will definitely pick up her next story. But fans of traditional first and third person, past tense storytelling might find it hard to adjust to this “real-time” writing.