She Likes Him Bad by Scarlett Scott

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 8
Total: 16.5
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: Emma Lee Bridges is back in her tiny hometown for the first time in years. Not even twenty-four hours after hitting the landing strip, she’s already forced to face the boy she loved and left behind.

But Jackson isn’t exactly the boy she remembers. Now the sexy owner of a successful mechanic shop, he takes one look at Emma and wants her back—permanently.

The sex between them is downright flammable, the chemistry they share as wild as ever. And this time around, Emma has to decide if she wants to run or stay for good.

Review: I enjoyed this one. Hot and sexy with the past love throw back that I tend to enjoy upon occasions. It wasn't over the top but gave me enough emotion that I felt it and wanted to hang with the characters long enough to see what happened :) Nice job.

There was enough depth to the story that I didn't feel like I was just reading sex....and the sex was good :) A nice balance between the two.

Undeniable by Doreen Orsini

Story 8.5

Presentation 9

Total: 17.5

Publisher: Ellora's Cave

Erotic Paranormal

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Blurb: The vampires of Mina’s Cove have passed sentence. The vampire hunter’s daughter will pay for his crimes by becoming the very creature he hunts. Chosen to pass a drop of his blood then deny her, Sebastian is warned that Diana may be the one luring vampires into her father’s trap.

After one night, Sebastian realizes he would follow Diana into the light of dawn for just one more kiss…one more touch…one more taste. How can he refuse to sate her hunger when he’s grown addicted to her sweet blood and body? How can he destroy the woman he doubts even knows about her father’s crimes, the woman born to be his forever?

Diana believes she’s finally found her soul mate. But Sebastian only comes to her after the sun sets. A dark phantom she cannot resist. A lover whose scorching kisses sate a hunger that nearly drives her mad. She’d offer her body and soul to him, she’d tell him anything…except her father’s secrets.

Publisher’s Note: This story was previously published elsewhere under the title Hunting Diana.

Review: This erotic slide into the secret world of the Mina Cove vampires will pull at every emotion possible. The story isn’t easy. Diana is taken into a world without her knowledge, yet the story is a full circle of her destiny and the journey is a gripping tale. She’s where she belongs. Sebastian has lots of flaws. His history nearly makes him unlikeable…if he weren’t so damn hot! I love vampires, dark brooding blood suckers. He exudes passion and the attraction between him and Diana will curl your toes with its intensity. The story is full of wonderful scenes. You’ll be swept into the story in ways only the most talented authors can do. There are times when it’s an emotional and gripping love story and in other scenes, the tension builds to the point of a suspenseful horror. Betrayal and family dysfunction at it’s finest. This is one of the most detailed world building books I’ve read in a long time. A brilliant job of delivering a vampire tale that kept me scrolling the digital pages long into the night.

Black Jack by Mari Carr

Story 8.5

Presentation 9

Total: 17.5

Publisher: Ellora's Cave
BDSM

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Blurb: When pirate Black Jack captures a ship at sea, he considers the territorial governor’s haughty daughter part of the spoils of war. Tying the fiery beauty to his bed, Jack claims Emma as his…over and over again.

Jack has a secret. One he’s kept hidden from his best friend Emma…

When she calls in a favor, asking Jack to perform in a pirate fetish fantasy at the nightclub she manages, Emma inadvertently opens Pandora’s box—for both of them. As portraying a dominant pirate forces more of Jack’s secret desires to light, Emma finds herself enmeshed in sensual explorations of BDSM, wax play, bondage and sex in public that leave her questioning her vanilla existence.

When a second heated interlude on the stage finds her submitting to Jack, Emma suspects she’ll never find her way back to her simple missionary lifestyle. But with Jack in control…she’s not sure she wants to.

Review: Ahoy matie, arrrgh! What a fun tale this turned out to be. The story reads as if there are really two stories happening. One is fantasy and the other is how that fantasy plays into Jack and Emma’s plunge into discovering just how deep their desires run. The BDSM elements are mild and will appeal to those who love a heady Dom but also for those who’ve shied away from BDSM thinking they might not like a controlling man. Ms. Carr weaved fantasy with reality in a unique and entertaining way. The sex was yummy. The story is sexy, flirty and fun. The only person I felt bad for was Travis. We’re only given a glimpse into his character…just enough to want more, to see him get his happily ever after.

Begging for It by Delilah Devlin

Story: 10

Presentation: 9
Total: 19
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
BDSM
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Blurb: A book in the 1-800-DOM-help series

She needs punishment…before she deserves pleasure.

Tragedy scarred TJ Lipton. Now the only way she can find pleasure is when it’s delivered with a heavy-handed dose of S&M. But finding a lover who can give her what she needs proves an elusive quest—until she finds the sex club Unfettered and a Dom named Cross McNally.

Cross understands all too well what drives TJ. He takes command of her body to give her everything she needs—restraint, the stinging kiss of a flogger, the thrill of a three-way—a sexual adventure that pulls her beyond her painful past and has her begging for more of his tender brand of domination.

Review: This was the most gripping, emotionally charged sexy foray into BDSM (heavy on the S&M) I’ve ever read. If you are a reader who thinks there could never be pain with pleasure, then this story will change your mind. TJ’s descent into the dark world of Unfettered, the pain and submission, can only be defined as freeing. You’ll ache, you’ll fear for her, and worry about how far Cross can push/punish her. And then in the end, you’ll be so gripped by the brilliance of Ms. Devlin’s storytelling abilities, that the final pages will twist your guts in knots. I breathed with both Cross and TJ. I ached with them. And when it was over, I couldn’t stop thinking about them.

Handy Men by Delilah Devlin

Story: 7

Presentation: 9

Total: 16
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Ménage contemporary BDSM
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Blurb: Two very handy men mend a divorcée’s broken heart…

Rather than cry over spilt milk, a newly divorced woman throws caution to the wind and decides to seduce her neighbor’s handsome handyman.

Jeff isn’t stupid—Pamela tossed those screws into her sink to get his attention! The fact she’s beautiful and vulnerable convinces him she needs “special” attention. When he has her hot and horny, he surprises her with his partner Casey and a threesome.

What starts for Pamela as a wild, no-holds-barred fling quickly gets stickier as the guys push for something longer lasting.

Review: Two hot men and a desperate woman. I just wished she hadn’t been that desperate. I liked the story once all three characters are in play, but getting there was a bit too much of a stretch for me. Pamela’s behavior is risky, okay, I like risky in erotic romance. But Jeff changes the dynamics without her initial consent, and her easy acceptance spoiled the yum factor for me. But we’re talking Delilah Devlin who doesn’t know how to write a bad story. Once I worked past the beginning, I really grew to like Jeff and Casey. Had Pamela been watching Jeff a few days rather than an afternoon, I think I could have been onboard for the afternoon fun from the first words. That said, the story builds fast with lots of heat and two on one fun with Pamela and her men and hot man on man between Casey and Jeff. The end is sweet revenge for Pamela. The desperate woman is only desperate for more of her handy Men.

Work It by Marilyn Campbell

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: Prequel to the Crystal Island Series

Cory knows she has an amazing boss. Jeff is considerate, generous and a true pleasure to work for. Unfortunately, he’s also the sexiest man she’s ever known, and being so close to him every day without being able to touch has turned into pure torture.

Jeff believes Cory is the ideal assistant, always willing to accommodate. For some time he’s been fantasizing about personal things he wishes Cory would do for him. Letting her know that, however, has been out of the question…until she turns in her resignation and admits it’s because she wants something more from him. The instant they realize they want the same thing, they don’t waste another second before acting out their office fantasies.

Review: Just in case you didn’t already know…I am a huge friends to lovers fan. A die hard maybe. And this story really fit the bill.

Two people who work together well and have for several years. Both wanting but never taking that chance. Ahhh. It was good.  Hot sex coupled with a quick to the point story that was well written…what’s not to like?

Breakaway by Kelly Jamieson

Story: 7

Presentation: 6

Total: 13
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary erotic romance
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Blurb: Jason and Remi want the same thing—no-strings-attached, screw-their-brains-out, burn-the-sheets-up fun. Pro hockey player Jason just broke up with his girlfriend because she got too serious. Schoolteacher Remi just saw the last of the younger siblings she raised leave the nest. Jace isn’t ready for responsibility. Remi’s had enough responsibility. They’re perfect playmates.

But fun and sexy games get complicated when emotions get involved. Then responsibility and commitment crash the party when Jason’s past comes back to haunt him. Like it or not, Jason and Remi both have to figure out what they really want.

Review: I have to score this book in two parts. And the presentation score (scoring the publisher is lower for reasons I’ll explain. The cover is hot so that’s not it.) I love Ms. Jamieson’s writing style and can read anything she writes. And for the most part, I loved the romance in Breakaway, with all the hesitations and situations between Jason and Remi. I suspect Jason’s issues and fears are the same for many men in that situation (don’t want to give any spoilers) and while he struggles initially, he man’s up to his responsibilities by the end of the story and for that I was satisfied as a reader. Remi didn’t come together as well for me. I think she made amazing sacrifices for her family. But I lost some of my love for her with the situations with her brother and sister. I think the way Ms. Jamieson wrote the scene was very believable. I hated the way Remi handled her siblings when they were being unreasonable irresponsible brats and I didn’t cheer for her as a character the way I would want to. If by the end of the story, she had come around and stood up to them, I would have cheered. I don’t think she does. I still found the book to be an enjoyable read and a book I didn’t want to put down.

Now for my issues with BREAKAWAY and why the score on the publisher is lower, because I did like the story. But if you’re going to name drop actual teams, they should be accurate. As a hockey lover, I had to scratch my head. I don’t know if it’s oversight or intentional, but the Wolves are an AHL team. The Blackhawks are the NHL team in Chicago. The Stars play in Dallas, not Phoenix. If you’re in Phoenix, you’ll want to cheer for the Coyotes. Maybe for those who don’t follow hockey won’t care. But it was like reading road bumps along the way for me and I stumbled over them every time.

Bucking Hard by Darah Lace

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: All her life, tomboy Bradi Kincaid has wanted two things—a career as a veterinarian in her hometown of Grayson, Texas…and Mason Montgomery. Problem is, he’s her best friend and, according to him, she’s “one of the guys”. Convinced he’ll never see her otherwise, Bradi comes up with a sure-fire plan to get over Mason—flirt a little, dance a lot and get laid.

What Mason imagines doing to Bradi is just all kinds of wrong. But the woman on the dance floor isn’t the girl he grew up with. She’s hot and sexy and turning him on. Him and every other man in the bar. She’s also had too much to drink and is unaware of the trouble she’s inviting. He does what any friend would—he steps in, then sets out to teach her a lesson. But before the sun rises, Mason discovers Bradi has a thing or two to teach him.

Review: hot hot hot!!! Ms Lace has done another bang up job with this story. Sassy, Sexy and the fact that it is friends to lovers is an extra added bonus for this reviewer. Filled with emotion, angst and fears, the reality of this story nearly jumped off the pages with intensity. Well done Darah!

Bull Handler by Morgan Sierra

Story: 4
Presentation: 8
Total: 12
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Ménage Erotic romance
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Blurb: Courtney and Nils have brought a bull into their bed for a one-night trial. One night to see if this man can take charge and bring all their darkest fantasies to life. Nils wants to submit—to both his wife and another man. Courtney wants him to submit to her, but she also wants something a little more intense and a little less mainstream. A long night of kinky, no-holds-barred sex with their powerful bull will give them what they’ve been dreaming of.

Review: The blurb makes this sound a perfectly naughty little story. And it had the makings of just that. The premise is fantastic, but the story failed to deliver for me and here is why.

The opening is too abrupt. This is a super short story but a few more words should have been used to introduce us to the characters. The opening is confusing. The roles aren’t defined and what I did get I didn’t like. While they might have wanted to spice up their marriage, I couldn’t get past Courtney and her emphasis on the fact Nils can’t satisfy her. I thought the bull they brought to their bed was actually a jackass and when I do eventually learn that he’s just playing a role that Courtney and Nils need from him, it’s too late. I spent three quarters of the story disliking him. The blurb led me to believe that I’d get some yummy manlove in this story. That isn’t what I took from the book. A bit of a blowjob, that I’m not convinced Nils even wanted to give, doesn’t equate to Nils wanting to submit to another man. I got that he was really doing this for Courtney and he does get into the ménage. But what also contradicts his character is that he has a moment after the main event where he is angry and a bit jealous that the bull could please Courtney and she “never looks like that” for him. She gives him some feel good words and then okay let’s go for another round of sex. The cover is nice, but a little more attention should have been given to the editing on this one. It was not up to the usual standard of Ellora’s Cave.

Semipro by Kit Tunstall

Story: 5
Presentation: 8
Total: 14
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: A chance encounter and a misunderstanding have Jake thinking Sandra is a professional escort. She should be angry. She should set the record straight. She should definitely not be accompanying him to his hotel room for an erotic night of fun.

Review: When I read the blurb I was pulled in. I usually enjoy stories that start with misunderstandings. While I thought that the idea for this one was cute, the story fell flat for me with all the telling. I felt like I was being “told” everything rather than experiencing it with the characters. The emotions, the actions…everything. I saw it but did not connect at all.

Relentless Love by A.J. Llewellyn

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
m/m contemporary
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Blurb: Sequel to Relentless Passion.

Alex has already lost one lover to his brother Zeca. Now his fickle shenanigans have driven Hugh, his other lover, away as well. Alex desperately wants what his brother has, an intensely passionate relationship, so Zeca shares their father Toppy’s advice—you have to love before you can be relentless. Good advice, if Alex weren’t so afraid to follow it.

When Toppy’s own love life gets a little, um…strange, he escapes to St. Tropez. He takes Alex with him, who finds himself face-to-face with Hugh. Too bad Hugh is already lip-to-lip with someone else. But Alex has come too far to turn back now.

The game is on, and while Toppy gets up to his own sexual shenanigans under the St. Tropez sun, Alex will do anything to get back into Hugh’s life…his bed…his body. He’ll first have to learn to face his fears. Only then can he find relentless love.

Review: This story took my breath away with vivid descriptions, emotional, gut wrenching situations for the characters. Pain, betrayal, lost love so poignant I ached with Alex…then I ached with Hugh. I hated Bruce and I laughed with Toppy. The story is a wild journey of discovering what is important in life. This is Alex’s story and you know him most intimately as you read, but the cast of characters are so richly described you’ll become invested with them all. I didn’t want to the book to come to an end because I wanted Bruce to be punished for his behaviour, but maybe because of what he lost, (don’t want to tell you exactly who or what that was because I don’t want to give any spoilers in my review) but I’d like to believe he’s pining away. The book is filled with twists and a few left me dizzy with disbelief. Oh it is so nice to be swept into a story that not only entertains but is filled with hot sex between hot men. Relentless Love was a pleasure to read.

Relentless Passion by A.J. Llewellyn

Story: 7
Presentation: 7
Total: 14
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
m/m contemporary erotic romance
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Blurb: Twins Alex and Zeca love to switch identities. It’s harmless fun until Alex wants to date a hot tourist visiting their home of Capri, and asks Zeca to take his place on a date with Alex’s current beau, Antonio. After a day in Antonio’s arms—followed by a long, lusty weekend in his bed during a trip to Naples—Zeca discovers switching places with Alex isn’t so harmless after all. Especially when he realizes he’s falling hard for his brother’s boyfriend.

While struggling with his feelings for Antonio, consoling his semi-celebrity father (who’s having woman troubles) and trying not to upset Alex (who might be in love with Antonio…or his tourist tryst…or maybe the neighbor lady), Zeca wonders how any of them will make it through all the relationship woes with hearts intact.

As Antonio says, “Love has a way of fixing things itself.”

Review: There were parts I loved, and parts I didn’t. Maybe because it was hard for me shift gears when it came to both Zeca and Alex. I didn’t like Alex. He’s selfish, spoiled and manipulating. I wanted to like Zeca, but he has qualities that I didn’t find attractive…at least at first. When he wasn’t willingly being used by Alex, he was deceitful and like his brother, I found him selfish. But with true hero heart, he redeemed himself and by the end of the story I loved him as much as Antonio does.

AJ’s attention to detail is unmatched. The story comes alive with the sense of sight, sound, smell and touch. I was definitely transported into the pages of the book. That on its own makes this story worth reading. I loved how the title plays into the story. I believed Zeca and Antonio will have relentless passion in their happily ever after.

*The slightly lower presentation score comes from the cover. Ellora’s Cave’s covers are always beautiful and sexy, but this one is misleading. I never really felt like there were three men in play within this story. It is the love story (and the yummy erotic sex) between Zeca and Antonio.

Reveal Me by Cari Quinn

Story: 5
Presentation: 8
Total: 13
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: Alana MacGregor craves excitement, but when her sometimes lover dumps her at a popular sex club, she wonders if she’s outgrown her live-fast-and-recover-later lifestyle. The last thing she expects is to run into the nerdy guy she rebuffed in high school—or for him to rock her world in ways no other man ever has.

Hot on the trail of a story, Carter Nicholas can’t believe his luck at encountering the one woman he’s never forgotten. He’s come a long way from being a wall-hugging geek. Now he gets all A’s between the sheets. But can he convince Alana he’s her sure ticket to an unforgettable night—and maybe much more?

Review: Just didn’t jive for me. At all.

Yes, the sex was pretty hot and if that was all I had expected then fine but…..I had some issues. I didn’t like Alana. She came off as almost willing to take the first man she came across and it just rubbed me wrong. I spent more time feeling sorry for Carter than I did caring if they ended up together.

Stormy Wedding by Kelli Scott

Story: 7.5
Presentation: 8.5
Total: 16
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: Rachel McAllister tried to dissuade Rory Callahan’s interest, she’d been hurt by love too many times before, but Rory had been as relentless as a dog after a bone. She gave in, but made one thing perfectly clear from the start—no sex until she said, “I do.” If Rachel knew one thing about men, it was that you gave them what they wanted—sex—and they’d be out the door before the sun came up. Rory has passed all her tests and jumped through her hoops to prove his love. They’re ready to say, “I do”, and Rachel’s ready to erase any of Rory’s lingering regrets about waiting to have sex.

Rory fell head over heels for Rachel at first sight. Getting her to date him was another matter altogether. He’d followed all her rules and has barely complained about her strict moral code. Now he’s going to marry her for better or worse. He’s about to find out his goody-two-shoes bride-to-be is a fiery vixen who’s too hot to handle.

Review: I have been enjoying the BRANDED line from EC. Sexy stories where the characters are married couples. Hey, married couples get kinky too :)

I was really looking forward to this one after reading the blurb, and while I enjoyed the plot, the quirks and the funny situations, I wondered a bit about the heroine. She seemed to flip back and forth from dirty girl to prim and reserved. I understood her reservations and her fears about having sex before they were married but I guess I just expected her to be a bit kinkier after the wedding than what she was.

Even with my previous paragraph I don’t want you to think that I didn’t enjoy the story because I did. It was a quirky, funny, sexy fast read that was worth the time :) You should take a look for yourself.

Getaway by Cara McKenna

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

Naughty Godmother by Chloe Cole

Story: 7.5
Presentation: 8
Total: 15.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Fantasy Erotic
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Blurb: It’s only her first day on the new job, and already fairy Holly Tucket is in over her head as she attempts to use her powers to turn super nerd Alex Nelson into a ladykiller. Little does she know Alex isn’t who he pretends to be, and when it comes to making women melt, he doesn’t need any help.

Security expert Alex Nichlaus has been undercover for four months and is putting the finishing touches on a smuggling case that has kept him secluded and celibate. When a sexy redhead shows up on his balcony claiming to be a fairy sent to teach him how to please a woman, he just can’t bring himself to send her away.

Review: This was a pretty cute story. Had the super strong emotions not come so fast after these two meet I would have found it much more believable… HOWEVER it was still a really cute read.

The whole Naughty Godmother thing? ROCKED!! I loved the entire spin on the fairy world and how Holly used to be a Tooth Fairy. Very cool and imaginative. The sex was hot and the story flowed very well.

All in all a good fast read that left me with a smile :)

Faithful to a Fault by KJ Reed

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Peter Goodwin is on vacation. With no family of his own, he heads out on post-deployment leave to a buddy’s hometown. He expected snow, some relaxation and maybe a willing woman. But he never expected to find a woman like Sarah—someone who makes him think about more than a quick affair.

Sarah has been done with men for years. Ditched in a tiny town by her now-ex, she made the most of her life by standing on her own two feet. Men complicate things. But when one sexy “complication” strolls into town on leave, Sarah figures there’s no harm in a quiet, simple vacation fling. After all, the rules are spelled out from the start. He leaves, she stays.

The passion that sparks between them is a welcome surprise. But Sarah’s more than just a fling—she’s the key to Pete’s best friend’s past. Now Pete has a decision to make, but either choice will hurt someone he cares for.

Review: HOT HOT HOT!!!! This story was wicked awesome. A total winner and a great sequal.

The characters kicked ass, the plot was smokin’ and the flow was wonderful. With palatable emotions throughout, my breath literally caught more than once. Now, for those of you who don’t dig stories that contain a lot of “coincidence” this and the first story may not be for you. For me? I loved them both. I would love to see a third story with Tony and could totally see these as a print collection….but that’s just me :)

A Kiss for Luck by Kale Moon

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: Dr. Clara Evans’ life has taken a turn for the worse. With a failed marriage behind her, Clara has only a bottle of wine and a romance novel for company on New Year’s Eve while waiting for the dreadful year to end.

Her lonely celebration is disrupted when her best friend Jackson Philips shows up and she couldn’t be more delighted. Tall, muscular and handsome, what’s not to love about the bighearted firefighter?

It’s not until she steals a desperately needed kiss for luck at midnight that secret desires and hidden heartaches rise to the surface, igniting an inferno of passion that burns hot enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned firefighter.

Review: Nice, quick and to the point. I am a friends to lovers fan through and through. While this one really held no surprises, it was still a good read.

The sex was pretty hot, but the emotions between these two was really good. Totally worth a look :)

Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion by Georgie Lee

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Sweet
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Blurb: When Cindy’s high school crush unexpectedly arrives to play guitar at the retirement home where she works, his presence conjures up a pack of bad memories more embarrassing than her old perm. Propping up her courage, she’s determined to prove she isn’t the same awkward girl he once overlooked.

James can’t ignore the confident, stunning woman Cindy has become but can he overcome a past tragedy and let another woman into his heart?

Brought together by his music and a few feisty seniors, Cindy and James must decide whether or not to put aside old fears and worries to take a chance on love.

Review: This was a cute, sweet story. Totally not what I expected from EC but in a good way. Emotional, quick, and well written, this short tale was just enough without being too much. I am really excited to read more in this line.

I think that most of us have some bad memories of High School. What I liked about this story was how these two moved forward from the past into the now. Really cute story.

More Than Neighborly by Stephanie Adkins

Story: 6.5
Presentation: 8
Total: 14.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Contemporary Erotic
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Blurb: How does a woman get past the shock of her fiancé leaving her at the altar—for a man? For Kristen Carter, it involves throwing herself into her job as a journalist and convincing herself that her life is much better without a man in it. That is, until sexy and seductive construction worker Austin McKenzie moves in next door. From the first time she spies him through his bedroom window making love to another woman, she is instantly drawn to him and her voyeuristic tendencies make her crave him in every way.

But Austin’s been around the block—several times. Now he wants the stability that a steady relationship can bring, and once he meets his next-door neighbor he feels he’s finally met the woman for him. The problem lies in turning Kristen into a believer—even after an unexpected visitor turns their world upside down.

Review: Cute but it could have been better. The characters seemed to be in a much more serious relationship than the time line and conversations allowed. Austin’s desperation kinda killed him for me at one point. I realize that since Kristen had her heart broken she didn’t think she needed a relationship with a man. The blurb says that Austin has been around the block a few times…he ain’t the only one. Kristen hasn’t just been throwing herself into her work.

Overall the story seemed to be rushed on the emotional level. I really liked the plot and premise, I just wish that it had been expanded on a bit more so I wouldn’t have felt that the emotions were so rushed.