August 30, 2010
Thirty-eight-year-old divorcee Holly Burrows has had enough of battery-operated love. Prompted by an ad left at her law office, she investigates Hunk Du Jour, a website designed to foster ‘adult connections’. After weeks of sexy emails and phone calls with surf hunk Kent, she's ready to test their chemistry in person. But first she has to get through lunch with her colleague Alex, a man with a brain as agile as his body. When their consultation ends with a bang, she barely remembers the man she'd lined up for dessert. Now she thinks she's juggling two hot young guys. How can she choose between her two gorgeous cubs – and why do they remind her of each other?




Title: Full Disclosure
Author: Cari Quinn
Series: Hunk Du Jour, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Scarlet Rose Line
Year of release: 2009, November 6
Format: eBook, 126 pages
Source: Bought via publisher’s website
First line: She’d finally done it. Rather than calling out for a lunchtime delivery of Moo Goo Gai Pan, she’d placed an order for sex.
Memorable Scenes:
- The great reveal scene > the where and how of Alex revealing his identity was excellently done

Holly Burrows is in her late thirties and a senior associate at a law firm. She’s independent, she knows what she wants and goes for it, and she’s ambitious and dedicated. After a disastrous marriage, she’s done with relationships but like any healthy woman she does have a sexual itch to scratch so she signs up on a singles dating site where she ultimately finds much more than she was looking for.

Alex Stryker is in his mid twenties and Holly's new colleague (junior) at the law firm. He’s also the owner of the Hunk Du Jour website, the dating site Holly signs up for to find a new adventure. Intrigued by Holly he is the one to guide her to his site and he uses his alter ego, Kent to initiate contact with her, knowing he won’t be able to keep his identity a secret for long

In this short novella there is no room for secondary characters so the only fly-by one is Holly’s whiny ex husband who makes a brief appearance on the phone.

FULL DISCLOSURE is a great erotic romance. It’s fast-paced, to the point, very well written and it checked all the boxes of things I like in erotic romance. Alex is hot, Holly is great and the sex scenes are sizzling. It was a very fast read because of the pace and easy, fluent writing. Once I read the first chapter I couldn't tear myself away from the book and read it in a few quick hours. Of course I was wondering when and how Alex would tell Holly about his alter ego and I loved the way this was done and the emotional make-up scene and sex afterwards. This was a novella I have very little complaints about it. The characters were well-rounded, the story, though short, wasn’t rushed, there was heat, conflict, emotion, humor and love. In short, it full-filled all the wishes I have as a romance reader and kept me engaged to the very last page.

Fancy a scorching hot Cougar read? FULL DISCLOSURE delivers it and then some. It’s playful and intense, hot and touching and I absolutely adored it!

Favorite Quotes:
She studied him through hazed eyes. “Uh huh. You’re good at the seduction routine.”
“For someone my age?” Watching her eyes, he circled his fingertips under her knees. “FYI, this isn’t seduction. Seduction would be flowers, music, chilled champagne. This is the prelude to a good f#ck.”

She moaned his name as the velvet hammer of her climax punched through her, swift and devastating.




As the web-mistress for one of the Northeast’s hottest dating sites, Hunk Du Jour, Jenny Talbot is no stranger to reading the applications of potential clients. But when the latest application that crosses her inbox belongs to Ty Randall, the guy she broke up with a mere twenty-seven days ago, she does a double take. Reading what Ty wants in bed not only gets Jenny hot, it also makes her rethink ending their relationship. All she longed for was a little more spice in the bedroom—okay, a lot more—but he let her go without an argument. Faced with the possibility that Ty may really be moving on, getting her ex back becomes more appealing than ever. But will revealing exactly what she needs allow Jenny to finally experience ultimate pleasure or will she drive away the man she loves for good?




Title: Ex Appeal
Author: Cari Quinn
Series: Hunk Du Jour, book 2
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Scarlet Rose Line
Year of release: 2010, June 25
Format: eBook, 108 pages
Source: Received from author for review
First line: “Jenny, baby, you don’t know how I’ve missed
you.”
Memorable Scenes:
- Opening scene > Definitely attention grabbing and set the tone for the entire book
- Ty’s bed-talk > Do I really need to reiterate my love for dirty talking heroes?

Jenny Talbot is Alex Stryker's (hero FULL DISCLOSURE) friend and former lover and the web-mistress of his Hunk Du Jour site. She’s impulsive, very talkative and outspoken. When she tries to spice up the relationship with her boyfriend Ty and their sex life with tips from a magazine, he decides it’s enough and calls it quits. When she spots his application on Hunk Du Jour, she decides enough is enough and she sets out to win him back with a daring plan.

Ty Randall is an aspiring comic designer. He’s a sweet and down-to-earth guy who has a dirty mind and mouth when he’s in the mood for it. After he sees his relationship end up in a rut and Jenny’s attempts to spice it up only make things worse, he decides to find someone else, even though his heart still belongs to Jenny.

This was another short novella with little room for secondary characters as the focus is on Jenny and Ty and their struggle to get their relationship back on track. I did love the brief appearance of Holly and Alex from FULL DISCLOSURE, who understandably were the only secondary characters share the limelight Ty and Jenny’s story.

After reading FULL DISCLOSURE, which was my first taste of Cari Quinn's fabulously hot writing, I just couldn't resist the appeal (pun intended!) of EX APPEAL, so within 24 hours I read both books and EX APPEAL ranks right up there in the higher regions of hotness.

My high expectations after FULL DISCLOSURE were completely met within the first few pages and it only got better with every page I read. Cari Quinn's writing is hot, lush and witty. The pace she sets is fast and furious and makes you reach the end before you know it and then you're left yearning for more of the good stuff to which you've become hooked.

I love reunited lovers/second chance romances and EX APPEAL is a prime specimen of it. Ty and Jenny have been so caught up in their own worlds and lives that they neglected to truly communicate and therefore each other. At first I had to warm up to Ty but once he got in the game he surprised me and totally won me over. Normally I don't like misunderstandings caused by non-communication or the wrong assumptions but in EX APPEAL it really worked and Cari Quinn pulled it off.

EX APPEAL very different from FULL DISCLOSURE in trope, characters and sex, yet they complement each other perfectly in the series. I really must applaud Ms Quinn for making the two stories fit together so perfectly and I am anxiously awaiting the next in this series. I was hoping it would be Holly's baby sister Hayley and am very pleased that Cari Quinn confirmed that it will be so…YAY!

Favorite Quotes:
She hadn’t had sex in so long she was sure she could feel her hymen regenerating.

Ty lowered his mouth to hers again, but he didn’t kiss her. This time, he just let his words ripple over her flesh. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve heard you beg?”
“I begged, you just stopped listening.”
He absorbed the blow, then lifted his head to meet her gaze. Though it cost him, he nodded. “I’m listening now. Tell me what you like. What you need.” He palmed her breast and circled his thumb over the dusky tip. “I’ll give it to you.”

Her pupils widened. “You’ve never used that word with me before.”
“Is that what you want? Do you want me to talk dirty to you? Because, believe me, I’ll blister your cute little earlobes.” His teeth claimed the body part in question and tugged.

The intensity of their mating was something she’d never experienced before. He stared at her with hunger, with love, with possession, while his body ruled hers,
slamming her against the brink as she shuddered with the need for release. But each time she approached climax, he stopped and slid out of her, seemingly intent on killing her with the best sex of her life. “Please. Ty.” She gasped his name like a prayer and smoothed his damp mahogany hair away from his face. “Please.






6 comments:

Leontine said...

Wow, okay...after reading your enthusiastic reviews this is definitely an author I should put on my wishlist!! And I love the third quote...a man who can scorch the ears with naughty talk is fine by me *grin*

Twimom227 said...

My dearest Pearl, I was ready to add Full Disclosure to my wish list when you hit me with "Fancy a scorching hot Cougar read?" *jaw drops* The woman is only 38!! Much too young for a cougar... Wait until she's at least over 40, please?! LOL!!

Dr J said...

Loved your review, Pearl. Haven't read this author yet but that's going to change soon. Love your blog -- don't comment, or at least haven't before today, but I visit often.

Cari Quinn said...

Pearl, these are two of the nicest, most thoughtful reviews I've received. Thank you! I'm going to be mentioning them on my blog and website and all over the web, LOL. I'm thrilled you enjoyed both stories.

And thank you also to the other commenters for the nice replies! :)

Sophia (FV) said...

Oh nice reviews Pearl. I read Ex Appeal and really liked it. I have Full Disclosure on my Kindle!

Double Your Dating said...

I love Cari and this book rocks! Great review. Can't wait for more from Ms. Quinn! Thanks so much for the wonderful review! Really happy you enjoyed. Ty and Jenny were fun to write. I love Cari and this book rocks! Great review. Can't wait for more from Ms. Quinn! Thanks so much for your thoughtful review! I’m so glad you liked Ex Appeal. Hopefully you’ll enjoy the next (and final) Hunk Du Jour story too.

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Pearl
Netherlands
39, married to my real life romance hero, addicted to TV shows, reading romance novels and Twitter. I'm a chronic (e)book hoarder and my absolute favorite genres within romance fiction are contemporary romance and romantic suspense, but I don't shy away from historical, paranormal or erotic romance either. Even the occasional (urban) fantasy romance, futuristic and sci fi romance may make it to my Mount TBR. This is my corner of the world wide web where I let you know what books I'm hoarding, reading and reviewing.
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On My TBR Shelf

  • Unforgivable - Laura Griffin
  • Snapped - Laura Griffin
  • Darkness at Dawn - Elizabeth Jennings
  • Sizzle and Burn - Alexis Grant
  • No Mercy - Lori Armstrong
  • Animal Magnetism - Jill Shalvis
  • Crazy for Love - Victoria Dahl
  • Kink - Saskia Walker/Sasha White
  • So Sensitive - Anne Rainey
  • Dark Taste of Rapture - Gena Showalter
  • The Darkest Secret - Gena Showalter
  • Vampire in Atlantis - Alyssa Day
  • Vampire Dragon - Annette Blair
  • Captive Spirit - Anna Windsor
  • Chosen by Blood - Virna DePaul
  • Rebel - Zoe Archer
  • Stranger - Zoe Archer
  • A Taste of Desire - Beverley Kendall
  • Mistress by Midnight - Maggie Robinson
  • To Desire a Devil - Elizabeth Hoyt
  • To Tame a Dangerous Lord - Nicole Jordan

Digital TBR Next

  • Driven - Jayne Rylon (reread)
  • Shifting Gears - Jayne Rylon
  • Beg Me - Shiloh Walker
  • Tempt Me - Shiloh Walker
  • Jazz Baby - Lorelie Brown
  • Playboy Prankster - Pamela Britton
  • Just Like That - Erin Nicholas
  • Sweet Inspiration - Penny Watson
  • Breathe - Donna Alward
  • My Gigolo - Molly Burkhart
  • Scent of Persuason - Nikki Duncan

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