Delighted Reader

Dash of Peril by Lori Foster 
Series: Love Undercover, book #4 
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense 
Published by Harlequin 
Format: Paperback 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

 

 

The Delight

Dash is the ultimate hero. Strong, alpha, caring and patient. He doesn’t take advantage of the situation, can draw out the sexual tension until you orgasm just from looking at him. Margo has caught the right man for herself. She’s one lucky woman.

Dash of Peril by Lori Foster is the fourth installment in the Love Undercover series that just keeps getting better and better with each new book. The characters aren’t new and in fact we have known them since the first book. Dash the younger brother of Logan (book #1). Logan’s boss is Margaret as well as Reese’s boss (book #2). Logan is also married to Pepper, who is the little sister of Rowdy (book #3). Confused yet? Well, all you really need to know is Dash is the hero who has been lusting for Margaret, or Margo, since book #1. While you have been led to believe there might be something there, in reality these two have been fighting it.

Margaret is an uptight police lieutenant who walks the line of justice. Always in control, straight-forward and non-personal. But she also revels in her feminine side when not working. Losing control and feeling like a woman isn’t something she feels anyone should know or they might lose respect. Undercover to catch sexual predators, she is now on a hit list…along with Dash since he rescued her from the first attempt.

Dash is a pretty simple guy in comparison. He is a dominant male, well off, but still works when needed in his construction and design company. Not weak and very much not willing to give up on Margo (his name for her).  When asked for one word to describe Margo, he calls her fuckable. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. He says it with great passion and depth.

This story kept me sitting on the edge of my seat! He teases Margo, prolongs the pleasure … tortures the reader! He isn’t a wham-bam thank you mam kind of guy. He prolongs the teasing, touching, sucking, licking, fingering…you name it. Weaving a web of sensual tension that leaves you ready to jump his bone if he doesn’t give it to Margo soon! I agreed with her a lot and wanted to hurry him up at times when I didn’t think I could take it any more.

The suspense adds to the sexual tension. The ins an outs of finding the bad guys before they hurt another woman. Throw in the secondary character Cannon, oh sweet Cannon. Now there is one story I can’t wait to hear, but his will be the start of a new series. The stand-by favorites are still there: Rowdy (mine, mine), Avery, Logan, Pepper, Reese and Alice. Each character adds to the story and I love Getting Rowdy. I wasn’t sure I could love anyone after Rowdy, but Dash stole my heart again.

I will say it again ::wink:: Dash can eat crackers in my bed any day of the week…oh wait, I am married to a Dash! But I am not cop, sorry, but I can be brassy too.

Wrapped in a sensual come hether cover, Dash of Peril delivers on all levels of the senses.

Have you read any of the Love Undercover Series?
Which is your favorite?
Love a little action with your action?

Red Hot Dragon by Lolita Lopez 
Series: Dragon Heat, book #2 
Genres: Dragon, Paranormal Romance 
Published by Forever 
Published on October 1, 2013 
Pages: 128 
Format: eBook 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

The Delight

While a dragon is hot, the sex was hotter. Being locked in a basement with a dragon would be any girl’s dream.

Red Hot Dragon by Lolita Lopez is a short, hot romance that at one point kind of left me confused if it was about dragon shifters or snake shifters.

Avani is the last of her race of dragons and coming upon her mating period. Researching the perfect match to procreate with, Avani finds her match is with a male her family has a blood feud. Griffin is her best hope of saving her race of dragons and just so happens to be going into his mating period on the same day.

The two set aside their feud, but don’t come to terms on how to raise a child if it is conceived. The two take together like fire on fire. And within a short time they know they are soul mates. But when Griffin’s cousin doesn’t return his calls or texts, they go to investigate and we learn more about Avani.

So Avani is more snake that dragon. She can’t fly, nor does she breath fire. Venom is her big power and while that was interesting, I am not a serpent lover and really was off put by it. Avani suppresses her animal side a lot and must come to terms that it is a part of her for her to get along with Griffin.

Griffin was more of a straight forward character. He protects the dragon race, wants to be in his child’s life and knows he loves Avani long before she does. There is fighting, lovemaking and a hint of the next story.

Do you consider a serpent or snake to be a dragon species? Why?

Hope Ignites by Jaci Burton 
Series: Hope, book #2 
Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Published on March 25, 2014 
Pages: 304 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

The Delight

Jaci Burton writes a heartwarming story of love, compromise, healing and just plain steamy romance between the sheets!

Hope Ignites by Jaci Burton continues the story of Hope, Oklahoma a small town full of wonderful people looking for love or not. Logan McCormack lives a simple life isolated on his ranch. When he lets a movie crew come in to use part of his land, he has no interest in it. But his housekeeper and cook gets excited, he goes out to investigate, making the acquaintance of actress Desiree Jenkins. With brutal honesty, she goes after Logan, knowing it can only be a fling that will end when production is over.

Both question the future of their relationship but from different ways. Des moved around all of her life and never quite fit in with her family. Being an actress wasn’t something they expected from her and her success hasn’t made them soften so much towards her. Never home much, she has a cold place she rents, but she saves up her money to some day settle down and put down roots. After a hard break up with a fellow actor, she is questioning if she can continue to run the schedule of acting or if taking a break will break her career.

Logan is a little more straight forward. He’s a rancher. Works hard from sun up to sun down. And carries deep scars from a mother who really didn’t want kids, nor the ranch life she signed up for. So he never takes on relationships, but finds himself drawn deeply to Des, who is younger than him. He tries to keep his distance, but little by little she worms her way into his life and heart, making him confront the demons of his past.

I loved Des! She was down to earth, knew what she wanted and was honest when she asked for it. Getting to know the towns people, helping to fix a 4th of July picnic of foot, and working the ranch some, she was just a hard heroine with a heart of gold. Oh and she was sexy as all get out, not afraid to tell Logan just what she wanted.

Logan….oh this cowboy was the silent type. Working hard, often not in the best of conditions. He cares about his family of two brothers and his soon to be sister-in-law, but he never opens up past the people in his life. He’s honest about how he feels, but he never really tells the story of how he got to this point. And this cowboy knows what he is doing in bed, out of it, in the kitchen, on an actresses trailer. You name it he provides it.

This is a simple love story of two people who know who they are, what they want and where they are going only to have it all thrown up in the air and left for them to sort out. Compromise is necessary, but not easy to take. There are outside forces drawing them both to each other and apart. The dazzling, sizzling love making topped the cake of this great romance novel.

Do you love the silent, tortured but hard working cowboy? 
Why are we drawn to men who aren’t attainable…or are they?
Do you like heroines who are honest about their desires?

Denies Me by Megan Hart 
Series: Every Part of You, Serial #4 
Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Published by St. Martin's Griffin 
Published on March 18, 2014 
Pages: 32 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

The Delight

A budding relationship starts only to be torn apart, leaving two people in shambles. There is true emotion from happy to heartbreaking. Will the mistakes made compromise them beyond redemption? This is one of my favorite parts of this serial!

At the end of Taunt Me, Elliott is starting to get more possessive of Simone. He didn’t want to date or make her is girlfriend, but when he finds out she might have played with her friend, he decides he has to start dating her. Simone on the other hand hasn’t gone on dates. She knows what she wants and she doesn’t play games to find it. While dating the sex takes a back burner and Simone starts to lose her heart to Elliott. Things seem to be finally going somewhere.

In this story we learn more about Elliott and Molly. Molly is Elliott’s step mother in a way. Elliott’s father was married to Molly but had affairs on her producing Elliott. But Molly took him in and took care of him. Molly is now dying in a nursing home but Elliott still visits her often even if she can’t remember him. Well, this was on episode of going back in time and revealing the family secrets.

Then BOM! Something happens that causes Elliott to pull away from Simone once again. What kind of man hurts a woman and enjoys it? Elliott brutally denies her sending her running to Aidan for pain to forget the love she has developed for Elliott.

This is at points brutal in the understanding of how Simone needs pain to alliviate a broken heart and at other points gentle as Elliott starts to date Simone. It is such a contrasting part of the story arc and I found myself falling in love with this part of the story for it’s honesty in emotion.

Taunts Me by Megan Hart 
Series: Every Part of You, Serial #3 
Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Published by St. Martin's Griffin 
Published on March 4, 2014 
Pages: 45 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

The Delight

Ms. Hart draws out the characters of these two and leaves them to deal with the aftermath of their actions. To accept pain, to give pain, but to cherish? Sometimes it just isn’t going to happen that way…or will it?

Wow another explosive installment in the Every Part of You serials by Megan Hart! Now Elliott has broken it off with Simone. He still likes her, but doesn’t like what he is doing to her even if it fulfills the sadist in himself. How can you hurt a woman you like? It just isn’t done.

So when they meet at a party, Simone acts as if he doesn’t exist and this confuses Elliott on why he cares. He confronts her and realizes he isn’t ready to let her go. So he takes her to his home and sets up some elaborate rules that basically make the fuck buddies. He calls the rules guidelines, but these guidelines keep him in check and calm him into thinking he is doing the right thing. He’s lived too long alone and set in his ways.

So he won’t date, only wants to fuck. Likes his house in an orderly fashion. Won’t share a toothbrush (ok I get this one).  Won’t buy flowers, doesn’t want long term and really isn’t too sure what he really wants or what to do with the feelings he has for Simone.

Now Simone also doesn’t want a boyfriend, although she is more open to it than he is. She wants the pain with her pleasure but not the submission to his Dominance. He will hurt her, he tells her, but not in a physical way. He admits he will hurt her emotionally and wants to give her the out now. She assures him she is a big girl.

On the side, her ex-boyfriend, but still friend, Aidan, is in a new relationship and wants Simone to meet her. Now Aidan is more into Dominance and submission along with the S/M. This is mostly why Aidan and Simone never worked. She just couldn’t submit the way he needed her two. Simone gets insight into their relationship and before the evening is over, she is involved in a scene where we aren’t quite sure how far it went.

On a high from the scene she goes to Elliott at 2 in the morning, wanting the pain and pleasure. While he is confused he quickly gets on board, using more force than he ever has. But it all comes to a head ::snickers:: when he finds out she got all aroused at her friend Aiden’s and he wants answers that his “guidelines” don’t all him to have.

So what will happen next? Will Elliott finally make something more out of fuck buddies? Or will he break it off with her again? I guess we have to wait for the next installment.

Are fuck buddies worth the effort? Do they ever lead anywhere or do they just end? 
How can your keep your emotions out of a relationship built strictly on sex and pain?

Resists Me by Megan Hart 
Series: Every Part of You, Serial #2 
Genres: Contemporary Romance, S&M 
Published by St. Martin's Griffin 
Published on February 18, 2014 
Pages: 57 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Resists Me picks up with Simone wanting more of Elliott. She dresses sexy and takes him to a goth night club to dance, seduce and hopefully get into her bed. She is a woman who knows what she wants, isn’t scared of her dark desires and goes after Elliott for what she wants. When Elliott won’t dance with her, she goes it alone until a man approaches her and Elliott can’t stop himself from claiming her on the dance floor.

We start to really understand some of the personalities traits of these two. Simone is a bold woman who knows what she wants after years of trying, playing and experimenting. Her ex and fuck buddy, Aidan, is in a new relationship. While she is someone hurt and jealous, she knows she can’t be what he needs, wants and desires. But what she wants in a man is illusive to her, but she senses Elliott might harbor the same desires.

Elliott is a stuck up prick. I will be honest. At this point we don’t know all the story as to why he is that way except of a hint of an abusive father, neglectful mother and someone named Molly who became his mother. He doesn’t understand his feelings for Simone, the draw she has on him. He wants to spank her, pinch her, bite her, but then feels the guilt that men shouldn’t harm women.

They flirt with limit settings, but neither really cross the line to have that discussion. But as soon as their sexual encounter is over, Elliott leaves without a word. Simone lets him go but confronts him the next day in his office with food and coffee. She won’t let things go unsaid and lays it all on the table for him. She likes pain with her sex and he likes what he does to her, but he is ashamed of what he has done and he breaks off any relationship with her.

You get to see a little bit of each of them and learn their stories as this relationship starts to unfold. I really adored Simone. She knows herself, what she wants and where she is going. She isn’t afraid of her desires, whereas Elliott ran from them and generally just made me want to kick his ass the entire story.

Let’s be clear this isn’t a BDSM or D/s relationship. This is strictly pain to bring pleasure by pinching, biting, squeezing and short spanks to the ass.

Do you think a life with abusive parents forms a 42 year old
man who can’t accept the desire to consensually hurt another person?

Tempts Me by Megan Hart 
Series: Every Part of You, Serial #1 
Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Published by St. Martin's Griffin 
Published on February 4, 2014 
Pages: 45 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Simone Kahan’s is a little bit of a voyeur, watching Elliott Anderson from her office window. Each new bimbo comes and goes, all blonde, and never more than twice. Watching him have sex is the highlight of her long evenings until one evening Elliott spanks his tryst and they have words. The spanking calls to the darker side of Simone’s lust. When they meet up in the elevator, Simone entices Elliott to take her to a party, where she both intrigues him and repels him.

Elliott never gives into his darker side. He only goes out with women once or twice and they are all pretty much blonde bimbos. Simone is different with her dark pixie haircut and glittering blue eyes. When the evening ends with a harsh kiss, Elliott runs from what he has vowed he can’t have.

This was a short introduction in the Every Part of You serialized series of five books. It is a brief brushing of the senses that make you want to continue to the next book without delay to see where this goes. There are not big revelations in this one, but just enough hints to make you desire more, to look deeper, to find the dark spaces that reside in these two hearts.

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of serials. If I wasn’t reviewing them I probably would not have bought this book at $1.99. If the prices come down or they bundle the five books into a reasonable price, I might be more inclined to purchase it myself.

I am marking the first part of this serial as contemporary, but each installment has a little different focus and I will elaborate when we get there.

 What are your thoughts on serial romances? Short stories hard to get into?

Underground Erotica Anthology by C.P. Foster, Cleo Peitsche,Erin Lark, Jack L. Pyke, Kareena Colcroft, Kate Lowell, Lauren Gallagher, Maryn Blackburn 
Genres: Erotic Romance 
Published on November 30, 2013 
Pages: 163 
Format: eBook 
Amazon | B&N | ARe | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Underground Erotica is an Anthology of various short story erotica. It includes M/M, M/F and M/M/F romance and just erotic stories. While there are 8 stories, I only read three of them. Oh, and there are several in 1st POV and 3rd POV.

Late Train by Kareena Colcroft

Ok, this was kind of creepy by the end but I don’t want to give away anything! Each night for the past week Gina has been alone on a train car with one gentleman named Markus. At first she is scared, but as they talk each night after she gets off work, she starts to feel attraction to him. They decide to become in essence fuck buddies, but only on the train. He wears a condom which he disposes of under the seat *yuck*. The same position, the same train, and always after she works each night. After a while you start to get a creepy feeling about this guy and with good reason. The sex was just ok, because well…they always do in with her in his lap facing away from him. At first it is hot, but after a while I wanted some variety. The ending leaves you gasping and I can’t tell you why  So read this if you want a little creepy to your erotic.

Rating: 

Moonshine for Three by Lauren Gallagher

Moonshine for Three is set in 1938 Prohibition where moonshine is the drink of choice and gambling is all underground. Paul, a cop, is on a boat headed to a gambling boat just outside of his jurisdiction. Not sure what he is up to, he goes looking for a Ginger Rogers look-a-like named Alice. Upon finding her, Robert appears and we find out that is really who Paul is after…but still not why. Well Paul and Robert were lovers once upon a time and now Robert owns a string of gambling boats and the cops can’t get him. Oh, and Robert married Alice. The three of them get hot and heavy with a m/m/f scene that was too hot for my Kindle to handle…I think it melted. The story unfolds and you learn more, but again with it being so short…I can’t reveal the ending 

Rating: 

Dark Roast by Cleo Peitsche

Oh coffee be still my heart. Well, it wasn’t so much about coffee but the manger of the place and the owner finally getting on the same page. Julia runs the coffee shop and knows the boss is coming for an inspection. With employees out sick and days off, she is busting her ass to get it cleaned in time only to have the boss show up with dinner.  While he serves her take out, he is angry, abrupt, smiling and basically all kinds of emotions at once. Julia is attracted to Sullivan, Julia doesn’t know how to handle herself. Once she served him not knowing who he was and flirted, but as soon as he knew him, the flirting ended and the tongue tied lady began. Sent to grind coffee beans in the basement, Sullivan scares her (not on purpose), spilling the beans and earning her a spanking. This is a short story of BDSM, hidden rooms, secret desires and a future that just might be happy for this two. Incredibly hot…I mean give me orgasms while reading hot, you can’t do wrong with this story.

Rating: 

Melting Ice by Jaci Burton 
Series: Play by Play, book #8 
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance 
Published by Penguin Group 
Published on February 4, 2014 
Pages: 255 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

I have loved Jaci Burton from the first book in this series, but Melting Ice just fell flat for me. Hoping against hope that we would get back to what I loved about this series, the sports, the men, the women and the hot sex that makes them combust everywhere. While there was hot sex, the relationship side left me angry for some accountability.

Carolina Preston has branched out to start her own fashion line. Daughter of the current vice president, little sister to NASCAR driver, Grey Preston. During a college act of confidence, Carolina seduced Drew Hogan into one night of passion. He never calls, never writes or otherwise acknowledges they had one night together. No years later, Carolina isn’t the young, innocent girl she once was. It’s time to launch her new clothing line and Grey calls in Drew to help model.

Drew Preston never for got Carolina, but she was Grey’s little sister and he wasn’t going to jeopardize his friendship. He also needed to keep his head in the game of hockey. Now very successful, he is ready to have some fun with Lina again as adults. He agrees to model her cloths and even model a special line of mens under briefs.

The two embark on a friends with benefits relationship that slowly grows into more than either want to admit. But will Drew betray Lina’s trust? Let her down? And act like a man with no heart? You bet. And she will just take it and forgive him.

So that is the point that turned me off. Carolina was absolutely way to forgiving and understanding of everything. Drew only thinks of himself over and over and his own pleasure in everything.  He is conceited, caring when he wants to be, great at hockey but gets too involved in his own head and easily hurts Carolina without explanation.

While I love the Play by Play series, it has gone downward on my list of must buy. It lacks the umpf I used to get from it in the first books. It had real people, who play real sports but meet ordinary people in life. I don’t want to read about the rich and famous I want real people who deal with real life. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one.

Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez 
Series: Dragon Heat, book #1 
Genres: Dragon, Paranormal Romance 
Published by Forever 
Published on August 6, 2013 
Pages: 128 
Format: eBook 
Amazon | B&N | ARe | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez is a new series with more books coming out this summer. But until then, we have the first two books in the series to look forward to if you are a dragon shifting fan. Each installment is novella length, but they get you heart racing in a very short amount of time.

Stig Wyvern is a very old dragon who has vowed to never get involved with a human woman. Joined to the Green Back Brotherhood, he protects the dragon race, while restraining himself in his basement during this mating period. All prepared to go below, a knock comes on the door and his dead best friend’s sister is right there. Cora Cardenas has no where else to turn when she is caught moving illegal items to settle her brothers debts. Then her bakery burns down as warning to her to keep her mouth shut. Stig told her she could count on him, so she does.

The story takes place over about 3 nights. The first night they separate with Stig explaining he has a migraine, but instead restrains himself. They share erotic dreams that push them to realize their long distance love really might be a fated match. The reality of it all hits Cora after the second night and she runs. This where it turns from just a sexy book into some action, which was way to brief.

For a short story, it packs a punch of erotic thrills and keeps you on your toes with a battle in the end. You meet up with some more dragons, which is my hope to see them in their own books. Now I just can’t wait to start on the second book, Red Hot Dragon.

What draws you to dragon shifters? The heat? The scales? The alpha male? Do Tell!

Rock It by Jennifer Chance 
Series: Rule Breakers 
Genres: New Adult Romance 
Published by Love Swept 
Published on March 4, 2014 
Pages: 240 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Rock It by Jennifer Chance didn’t do much for me. The cover was hot, the premise of a rock star intriguing, but the plot failed to grab me from the start.

Lacy has grown up adoring rocker Dante. Scrapbooks adorned her room making her one of his biggest fans. Now grown up, her scrapbook are packed up and she is starting at the bottom learning to manage celebrities. When tasked with getting the details of Dante’s day, she thinks that is all she will be doing. But Dante notices her and will only work with her on his upcoming promo tour.

Out on tour together Dante finds out she is the ultimate fan girl…well I almost want to say stalker, but hey, she wasn’t trying to get this job this time. Keeping it professional is what she intends to do. But it comes out in a big way how much of a fan girl she is and the press comes a runnin’. At this point I pretty much started giving up on this couple as immature and really needing to grow up.

Dante really isn’t a bad boy rocker. More like Disney Channel goody goody guy. There’s really not a thing wrong with him and that is what really is wrong with him. He is just too nice, sweet and forgiving.

The two along with Lacy’s friend create elaborate schemes to promote, hide and otherwise confuse everyone. The passion wasn’t there and I didn’t feel any attraction between the two.

What I wanted was a good raunchy story of a rocker and the prim lady who had adored him all her live. It just never came to be and left me scratching my head and wondering if New Adult romance just isn’t what it is cracked up to be.

Do you like your rockers squeaky clean? Or do you want to see the bad boy side?
Should they have flaws? Do you like New Adult romances?

Oh, I am so bad on getting my updates out this year! Seems like I update everything but my challenges, so I am doing a two month update in one post. I am chugging along on my challenges...no where near Sophia Rose though.

Almost half way done with my Erotic Romance Reading Challenge. I committed to 18 books for this challenge and I have 8 done with 7 reviewed.

I haven't even started on the Vampire Challenge. Not for a lack of trying, I just haven't found any to interest me yet.

The Shifter Challenge is getting some focus at the moment. I have 3 of my 10 down, with 3 more being read at the moment.

And finally my 200 books for 2014 Reading Challenge...well I am 37 books in. About 19% done or 3 books ahead. So I am trying to keep it ahead and not behind like I did over and over last year.

So right off, I think I have a good start to my reading challenges for 2014!

Anna from Herding Cats & Burning Soup is hosting an Erotic Romance Reading Challenge for 2014. I signed up for level two, but here are the levels:

• Level 1--12 erotic romances
• Level 2--18 erotic romances
• Level 3--24 erotic romances
• Level 4--30+ eroticromances

Here is where I will track the 18 erotic romances I read in 2014!

Shari's Update:

1. Theirs to Cherish by Shayla Black - Read - Review coming closer to release date
2. Shari’s ARC Review: Bound by Lorelei James
3. Afternoon Delight: Tied & Twisted by Emily Ryan-Davis
4. ARC Review: Bared by Stacey Kennedy
5. Afternoon Delight: Beg For It by Stacey Kennedy
6. Afternoon Delight ARC Review: Misbehaving by Tiffany Reisz
7. ARC Review: Need You Tonight by Roni Loren
8. Review: Vanilla Twist by C.J. Ellisson (Giveaway)

• The Vampire Challenge runs from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014
• The challenge is to read 10 books that have a VAMPIRE as a main, or supporting character
• Books can be in any format and should be at least 100 pages. Short stories do not count. You can also post about rereads.
• Post about this challenge on your blog stating that you are participating or create a shelf via Goodreads, Booklikes etc. That post or shelf is the link that you will include in the link-up below. The link should be the post link not just your direct blog link. Please be courteous and include a link back to this post.
• Post your reviews on the Review Post: Click here to log your reviews!

Shari's Update:

Coming soon!

• The Shifter Challenge runs from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014
• The challenge is to read 10 books that have a SHIFTER as a main, or supporting character
• Books can be in any format and should be at least 100 pages. Short stories do not count. You can also post about rereads.
• Post about this challenge on your blog stating that you are participating or create a shelf via Goodreads, Booklikes etc. That post or shelf is the link that you will include in the link-up below. The link should be the post link not just your direct blog link. Please be courteous and include a link back to this post.
• Post your reviews on the Review Post: Click here to log your reviews!

Shari's Update:

1. Audio Review: Feral Sins by Suzanne Wright
2. Review: Burn For Me by Cynthia Eden
   
3. Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler - review coming soon!
4. Primal Law by J.D. Tyler - reading
5. Red Hot Dragon by Lolita Lopez - reading
6. Dead Sexy Dragon by Lolita Lopez - reading

Need You Tonight by Roni Loren 
Series: Loving on the Edge, book #5 
Genres: BDSM, Contemporary Romance 
Published by Berkley 
Published on March 4, 2014 
Pages: 400 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Need You Tonight by Roni Loren starts with a bang when trophy wife Tessa McAllen finds her husband banging her best friend on the kitchen counter. Growing up in foster care, she thought she found the right man in husband, forgoing college. The one thing she does well is does champion her own charity to help foster kids move on after foster care ends. Using her husband’s credit card, she finds a good lawyer and gets a divorce. Now back in her last known home town, she is going back to college and trying to move on with her life.

Kade Vandergriff finds Tessa at a singles event at one of his restaurants and just knows he has to get to know her. More than food sizzled that night, but when the restaurant catches on fire, Kade realizes just who Tessa is and was to him. He harbored a huge teenage crush on Tessa, but things ended badly. He’s changed his name and moved on from the kid who was tormented by Tessa’s boyfriend. He’s got his own problems to deal with and doesn’t need to go back to the Hell of his teenage years.

Being the good guy though, Kade hires Tessa to work on a charity event which puts them closer together. Slowly he reveals to her his darkest desires while also taking his time telling Tessa who he really is. The BDSM gets dark at parts, but through it all, Kade never betrays the trust Tessa gives him.

The ex-husband comes back and dark memories of what really happened the night Kade and Tessa last saw each other is revealed. This is an absolutely dark memory that I could have done with the details on. Just hinting at it was enough for my reading tastes. But this is also the turning point for Kade to leave the bad situation of his life and make more of himself rather than stay with his dead beat stepfather and mother.

The first half of the book I really enjoyed. The cooking scene was awesome and I looked forward to more of that, but alas that was the only cooking/lovemaking scene. As memories were revealed, I found myself drawing back from the violence of their youth. It disturbed me mostly. Moving back to the future, Kade has just as many problems with is ex-wife as Tessa has with her ex-husband. The two storms of ex’s connect to push these two closer together. Their past binding them deeper. I am just not to sure the past can be forgiven as much as it was.

There is a lot of violence in this story, both past and present. Kidnapping, rape, punching, threatening, unwanted photographs, etc. It wasn’t an easy story to like. I wanted a lot for Kade. I wanted to knock Tessa for her insecurities. I just wanted these two to get together as kids and grow old together, but that didn’t happen.

In the end, I loved the characters, but had hard times with the story. It was just too sad and depressing. It does end on a high note, but the pain is there still. I can only hope that life eases for these two because they have lived through enough for a couple of life times. The love scenes were dealt with respectfully and  consensually with just enough sizzle and zinge to make your girly parts tingle.

How do you feel about bullies? This story deals with a really awful bully forcing his will on someone in a bad very bad way. How do you feel about an abused person becoming a Dom? Do this allow them to take over where they have felt helpless in the past?

Will Des get Logan to do her...waiting to see.

Trying to stick with it since I am upset with the hero.