Kane has to convince his best friend Nadine of two things. First, it’s time for her to stop mourning her deceased fiancé. Second – and most importantly – Kane has fallen in love with her.

Nadine knows if she can move past Justin’s death, the tentative feelings she’s denying Kane will blossom. Only she can’t seem to move on. Desperate, she turns to a psychic for help so she can say the final goodbyes she’d been denied years before.

For one night, Kane, Nadine and Justin will face the grief threatening to break down a friendship and turn to a love that will make them whole again.

Title: LETTING GO
Author: Dee Carney
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Year of release: 2009, February 12
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-copy from author on a dare because I said on Twitter I don’t like romances with ghosts in them.

First line:
He ignored the silence at their table.

Memorable Scenes:
- first chapter > starts off with a nice voyeurism scene
- the love scene > heartbreaking, beautiful and hot at the same time


QuickScore-Verdict:
Dee Carney sent me this book after I was saying on twitter that I don't like romance novels with characters that are ghosts and that even mentions of ghosts in a back cover blurb will stop me from buying or reading a book.

I really liked the opening chapter. It set the stage and immediately gave me a great first look into the main characters and their personalities. I still don't like ghosts in my romance but I have to give it to Dee Carney that she wrote a wonderful story and her approach to the whole ghost plotline seemed quite original. I say seemed because obviously I haven't read enough romances with ghosts in them to be able to make a comparison.

LETTING GO is an emotional coworkers & friends-to-lovers romance that didn’t blow me away but it still worked for me despite the ghost. This says a lot about Dee Carney and her writing skills.

Favorite Quotes:
Nadine forked through fluffy grains of arroz con pollo. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or not?”
“I’ll catch you up even though the blood is leaving my head to race toother parts of my anatomy unknown to you.”
“Kane!” She could let that last bit slide, but having to hear about a growing erection teased her neglected libido. At the same time, it flummoxed her. The anatomy they discussed belonged to Kane, of all people. His grin widened. “I’m just sayin’, if what I say doesn’t make any sense,you know why.”

Patrick didn’t think it would be a big deal to kiss his best friend Brandon. Hell, they’d done crazier things to avoid a bar fight. He was totally unprepared to be wildly turned on, the kiss opening up new avenues of pleasure he’d never dreamt of—Patrick, after all, was straight, even if Brandon wasn’t.

Destiny’s never been afraid to ask for what she wants. When she sees Patrick and Brandon together, she knows exactly what she wants—the three of them in bed together, preferably with her in the middle of a hot, naked-man sandwich with her two best friends.

When Brandon finds himself hunted by an unknown enemy, the three friends find themselves fighting for their lives—and their hearts.

Title: DESTINY CALLS
Author: Samantha Wayland
Series: standalone (as far as I know)
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, July 6
Format: eBook
Source: Received the ebook for review from author

First line:
He should have just stayed home.

Memorable Scenes:
- Destiny's little experiment with Brandon > my heart broke for Brandon at his realization that he was alone, had no one who was "his"
- the scene at Patrick's house after Brandon's attack > I teared up
- Captain Sullivan's reaction to Patrick's confession about loving both Destiny and Brandon > gotta love that man!

Destiny Matthews is a marketing executive with commitment issues. She’s take-charge, outspoken and tough but she has a soft core and her heart is in the right place.

This ménage has two heroes. First we have Brandon, who is bi-sexual. He’s also restraint, and stubborn but can be volatile when pushed to far.

Second we have Patrick who is straight, or at least he’s always thought he was straight until one kiss turns his world upside down. He’s kind, explosive, and outgoing. He’s also quick-mouthed and only shows his sweet side in private

Brandon and Patrick are both police officers and longtime best friends. Patrick seemed to be the binding factor in this ménage. Both Brandon and Destiny have (secret) crushes on him. Brandon tries to contain his attraction to Patrick and hides his unrequited love in favor of their lifelong friendship. Destiny and Patrick have been lovers off and on but it has always stayed on a sexual level.

While Patrick is the binding factor that brings them together, Destiny is the glue that keeps them together. She's the calming element when the guys' explosive tempers rear their heads. I clicked most with Destiny and Patrick.

This is an emotionally complex and intense story. Three lives with their different individual connections to each other are intricately woven together through some major attraction, explosive chemistry and deeply rooted love. Samantha Wayland has made a very good first impression on me. However there were some things that didn’t completely work for me.

I had a bit of trouble getting into the story but that lasted about a few chapters and had to do with the fact that the story opened with and at first focused on the m/m part of the m/m/f ménage. As known I'm not a m/m romance reader but do enjoy m/m/f romances when the woman is the focal point of the ménage. DESTINY CALLS started with just Brandon and Patrick though and that threw me back for a bit. However once Destiny entered the scene I was completely engaged...And more importantly, the story needed the opening it had as the whole dynamic between the friends and the development of the ménage hinged on it.

I believed in the Destiny/Patrick and Brandon/Patrick sexual and emotional connections, but in the beginning I had trouble believing in the Destiny/Brandon connection since there was no obvious foundation in something past fond friendship, contrary to the foundations that were present between respectively Brandon and Destiny with Patrick.

However sex scene wise I believed it all and gobbled it all up once I accepted that Samantha Wayland was going to tell this story as she saw fit and it wouldn't be conforming to my notions of how a m/m/f ménage should be. And the way she saw fit, was the way to go because that was the only way to let the story run its course towards the HEA that I ultimately what want to see in the end. And whatever I might have found not to my liking in this book, it was never the hot, rife with raw emotions, love scenes.

Next to the intricate and emotionally complex romance there's suspense as well (well duh, Brandon and Patrick are police officers). I started believing it was going to involve the arrest a mob kingpin. But there's also a violent attack on Brandon and this turned out to be the major element in the plot. Though there is a lot happening in this book, the pace was slow and not slow in a bad way, but just not fast-paced compared to everything happening.

Even though I'm still not a fan of too much m/m action and focus in m/m/f ménages and for me there wasn't enough focus on the female in the triad somehow this book still worked for me because of the raw emotions and emotional struggles that the characters went through to accept each other and all the consequences that went with that.

After finishing this book it stayed with me for quite some time as I couldn’t exactly form my final thoughts on it. Even though it had that m/m focus I am not fond of, it still made a big emotional impression on me. She definitely pushed some buttons with me and made me think about what I like and don’t like in ménages and I will definitely be looking for more books by Samantha Wayland.

Favorite Quotes:
God, Brandon tasted good. Familiar and different. The strength of Brandon’s arms, his sheer size, his flavor and texture. It was like Patrick’s first kiss all over again. A world of discovery in one lip-locked moment. Heat poured through him, thrumming with rough need.

She sat watching him [Patrick], her heart filled with compassion, her body humming with desire. His face was a mask of confusion and shock.

Patrick’s tongue stole over his, his lips yielding, responding, working at Brandon’s mouth. Each touch, each parry of Patrick’s tongue sent electric shocks zinging through Brandon’s body. He acquiesced, giving the kiss over while sinking deeper into it. It was so sweet. So good. Patrick ran a thumb over Brandon’s jaw and he let his eyes close, simply losing himself in kissing Patrick.
[...] Three days of jerking off hadn’t even come close to easing the ache. But this. His blood sang on its way south, his head spun from its rapid retreat. Every nerve ending was on full alert, gathering in sensations, swamping him with data.

He stared at her, achingly aware of his need for her, his desire that couldn’t be spent with one orgasm. Especially since he’d come in his pants like a freaking teenager. Jesus. (Brandon)

Brandon wanted to reach out, to shout his denial at the loss of contact, but stopped himself. He couldn’t pressure Patrick, no matter how the need beat at him. He had to let Patrick set the pace, even if Brandon wanted to fall to his knees and beg.
Come to that, if he were to fall to his knees in front of Patrick, there were a few things he’d like to do while he was down there.

She backed toward the door, her hand up. “No. I have to go. Don’t look at me like that! I can’t miss this meeting.” Dropping her hand, she clutched the handle of her briefcase. “I swear to god, Patrick, stop looking at me like that. It’s not fair.”
Brandon covered his mouth with one hand, doing a fairly poor job of hiding his laughter. They both knew what they’d done to her. Jerks. Mouth-watering, hunky, sex-god jerks.

He knew he should say something to make Brandon believe it would all be worth it, but he didn’t have the words. He had never been more acutely aware that being the one with the big mouth wasn’t the same as being the one who knew the right thing to say.

Accept no substitute…for love.

THE LADY DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH
Jessica Martin is determined to earn a permanent teaching position at Summit High School. That means hard work, dedication, and even volunteering extra time to direct the school’s Shakespeare play. Which leaves no room for romance—especially with a co-worker. She didn’t factor in the school’s sexy security officer and the delicious fantasies he inspires.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD
Former cop Tom Cameron likes his job. Or he did, until the new substitute busted his orderly life right open. Now, he can’t seem to avoid her—deserted hallways, empty theaters, classrooms after dark—but he’s got too many skeletons in his closet to risk his heart again. Asking her out to distract her from the play’s, well, drama is a friendly gesture. Nothing more.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH
Their chemistry could melt down the science lab, and before long they’re burning up the sheets off-campus. And uncovering raw emotions—a stark reminder that love isn’t in their curricula. When a troubled student goes over the edge, though, the need to stop a tragedy brings them right back where they started—face to face with fate.

Warning: This book contains sexy encounters in classrooms, inappropriate use of school facilities, backstage shenanigans, and illicit activities on a ferryboat.

Title: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME
Author: Kate Davies
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, February 22
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Samhain eBookstore

First line:
Jessica was late.

Memorable Scenes:
- the scene at the pizza place > Very funny and cute, Jessica's friend Ana is a hoot!
- the school dance scene > the beginning of this scene reminded me of the movie GREASE complete with it's own Cha Cha DiGregorio (the annoying Gabrielle) LOL and the end was a great HEA + conclusion to the plot


QuickScore-Verdict:
This is a contemporary romance with a capital R! I loved the romance between Jessica and Tom. The built-up was very well done, going from small sparks of attraction, to smoldering sexual tension and sizzling chemistry to a sweet and lovely HEA.

The plot was good though a bit predictable but I really liked the high school setting and co-workers to lovers trope of this cute novella. Lately I've been reading books heavy on either the eroticism or the emotional intensity and to me the sweetness and normal guy/girl-next-door vibe of TAKE A CHANCE ON ME felt like a breath of fresh air!

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME is a perfectly balanced, well-paced and sweet contemporary that I really enjoyed a lot and loved it for bringing me back to my high school days...

Favorite Quotes:
He hadn’t consciously decided to live a solitary lifestyle, but that’s what had happened. It wasn’t a bad life, he supposed. He had a nice apartment in a quiet part of town. He could eat cold canned spaghetti over the sink and not worry about getting hell for it. He never had to share the remote control. He could sprawl across the bed without someone complaining how he was on her side.
Of course, there was also the silence. The half-empty closets. The embarrassing moments when he turned to comment on an article in the morning paper and no one was there. The times he woke in a cold sweat in the middle of the night and reached blindly across the king-size bed, only to find empty space.

It had only been for the briefest of moments, but he had a feeling that the inadvertent glimpse of creamy smooth skin and lace-trimmed bra would be on a playback loop in his mind for the rest of the evening. Perfect.

All she’d done was place her hand on his. A brief physical contact. Nothing more. So why was his hand still—tingly, for want of a better word? And he didn’t even want to think about the tingles still echoing in other more personal parts of his body.

“ Some discontent? She would have ripped my toenails out if given the chance.”
“So don’t wear open-toed shoes.”

Not that he was willing to concede that he was in love. It was too soon, too new, too overwhelming to consider that possibility. But the fact remained that Jessica had pulled him out of his self-imposed shell, and he was no longer interested in crawling back inside.

Ensnaring the ultimate bad boy has its risks…and its rewards.

It’s not easy being Hades. Constantly guarding his world against other meddling and ambitious deities is stressful work. So when a naked goddess falls directly into his lap, along with the news that he has to shelter her for the indefinite future, he is less than thrilled. Particularly since he can’t help but lust after the beautiful female.

The Underworld isn’t the first place Persephone would pick for a vacation—who in their right mind would choose a dark palace over sunshine and flowers? Yet from Hades’s first touch, the dark, sexy ruler fascinates her and has her thinking a fling might be just the thing to while away her confinement.

But trust each other? Not a chance. Until the day comes that Persephone must leave…and they realize that trusting each other is the only way they’ll ever meet again.

Warning: Contains an arrogant god, a stubborn goddess, horny deity nookie and enough supernatural friction to set the Underworld on fire.

Title: HOT AS HADES
Author: Alisha Rai
Series: standalone (for now)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, October 11
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from author for review

First line:
Hades, also known as the extremely badass Lord of the Underworld, was accustomed to souls dropping into his kingdom.

Memorable Scenes:
- Persephone's talk with Cerberus (the tawny and middle heads) > I laughed out loud
- Persephone’s return after her time back on Earth > moving and hot!

Persephone is the Goddess of vegetation. She has little to no control over her powers and is sent to the Underworld through a scheming deity. She’s spunky, defiant and tenacious. Though she knows Hades is sexually attracted to her but not happy with her presence, she gets in his face all the time. I liked that about her.

Hades is the ruler of the Underworld. He’s ornery, sarcastic, gruff and contrary. In any other hero these traits would be annoying as hell (he he he) but Hades pulls them off because you just know that deep down he has a heart and cares. He’s also talented in the dirty talk so he was a hero who fits my favorite list perfectly.

I loved Persephone's feistiness and Hades’ dry sarcasm. The sex scenes were not only explicit and scorching but also well balanced with the romance and plot. The romance was build up more gradually than the sexual attraction but I liked this build-up a lot.

An honorable mention has to go to Cerberus, Hades’ companion hellhound and then especially Bob…I seriously still crack up when I think of the dialogues with Bob. He stole the show and I hope that if Alisha Rai writes more in this world and we catch another glimpse of Hades and Persephone, Cerberus will make another appearance too. If I had a favorites list for secondary characters he would definitely be on it.

As always I love Alisha Rai’s fluent and fast-paced writing as the humorous undertone is invariably incorporated in it. Though my preference goes out to her contemporary work I also enjoyed this second paranormal romance of hers I’ve read. It's short and sweet and I loved how she interpreted the myth of Hades and Persephone. She took some creative liberty and I really liked how she adapted the myth!

HOT AS HADES is everything the title promises: a quick and hot read that is a must-read for readers who love the mythology and romance combination.

Favorite Quotes:
Her little stubborn chin lifted in an annoyingly regal manner, as if she was the one in the throne and not naked and subdued in his arms. “Release me, or suffer.”
“Suffer what?”
“Suffer…my wrath.”
“Aren’t you cute.”

Pretty and stupid, she tsked. They always went hand in hand, it seemed. Though Hades didn’t seem quite as idiotic as Narcissus. That moron regularly had to be rescued from lakes when he tried to make out with his own reflection.

He was going to die of blue balls before Zeus got this female out of here. He should have materialized some nuns’ habits for her.

“You talk to my lady in that tone again, I’ll rip into your cloud and shove your lightning bolt up your ass. Do you understand?”
Persephone bit her lip to keep from laughing, particularly when Zeus cleared his throat and muttered a very indistinct, “Fine.”

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.

Title: A KISS FOR LUCK
Author: Kele Moon
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, January 5
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Jasmine Jade eBookstore

First line:
“Firefighters are the hottest.”

Memorable Scenes:
-hallway table scene > can I say hot?! Red-hot!
- epilogue > loved this perfect ending!



QuickScore-Verdict:
A KISS FOR LUCK is a friends-to-lovers novella that gave me a great first taste of Kele Moon's writing and it definitely makes me crave more. Granted, there were a few eyebrow-raising moments (to do with Clara's marriage) but they were all obliterated by the excellent writing and the scorching sex scene(s) that were wrought with emotions.

And with a vocal hero named Jackson, Kele Moon had this one in the bag from the moment I started reading the first page and I was sad to come to the end as I could've kept on reading about Jackson and Clara forever!

Favorite Quotes:
She was breathless, stunned and overwhelmed with the rush of longing invading her senses, making her blind to everything but the need for more of him. If he could do this to her with one kiss she would never have to fake anything. With Jackson she would want it to last forever.

For the first time in years she felt vibrant and alive. Everywhere he touched she burned. Shivers and gooseflesh followed his caresses. Her senses where overwhelmed with him and she would have done anything to keep him there with her.

She shattered instantly, bucking against his mouth and fisting his hair tightly as her whole body shuddered in climax. She screamed from the ferocity of so much passion uncoiling at once. Pleasure ricocheted through her, filling her with tingling warmth when it finally passed. Dazed and sated, her eyes blinked open to see Jackson staring up at her in awe and surprise

He tilted his head back, closing his eyes as the hot water ran over his face and his libido raged, careless of the complexities of his now drastically altered friendship with Clara. Remembering her standing in his bedroom, wanting her again with a hunger that was all consuming, he wished he had the balls to jerk off and ease some of the tension that wasn’t subsiding despite their activities earlier.

It was Clara. She made him burn in a way that was wild and rare and he wanted to capture this feeling and keep it forever.

“Tell me. Say it. Beg for it and I’ll give it to you.”

Claire Jones never dreamed the fantasies she’d been having about the young guy next door would ever become reality but after a push from her best friend and one encounter involving dirty laundry she’s getting more reality than one woman should be allowed. But with reality comes emotion and Claire finds herself falling deeper and deeper under Ryan’s spell.

Ryan Doherty wants in Claire’s pants but he soon discovers hot sex isn’t all he’s after. She makes him happy in a way nothing and no one else ever has and if he has to use their amazing chemistry to stay in her life he will. Because having more of Claire isn’t an option. It’s the only choice.

Can Ryan and Claire bridge the age gap to find the love of a life time or will what others think destroy the best thing either of them has ever found?

Title: ALL OF YOU
Author: Rhian Cahill
Series: Only You, book 1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Year of release: 2011, September 26
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Noble Romance eBookstore

First line:
Claire Jones stared at her best friend of almost forty years and wondered when Jane had lost her mind.

Memorable Scenes:
- Ryan's self-pleasuring in the bathroom after running into Claire at the parking lot > urgent and hot!
- Claire and Ryan's first night > I needed something to cool me down...
- the scene in Ryan's courtyard after their first dinner together > I swear, like Cari Quin, RC is trying to kill me from spontaneous combustion with scenes like these

Claire Jones is a confident 41 year-old professional business woman who is has this little bit of insecurity luring within her that gives her an air of vulnerability. She’s also an over-thinker who analyzes stuff to death sometimes.

Ryan Doherty is a 29 year-old self-assured builder who owns a construction company with his brother. Ryan is giving, open, and dynamic. He is also very talkative in the bedroom and sexy as heck. Another candidate for my 2011 favorite heroes-list

The romance between Ryan and Claire starts out as an explosive but purely physical attraction and lust and this was noticeable in the first part of the book through the abundance of sex scenes. Ryan and Claire couldn’t keep their hands of each other so that made for a lot of steamy scenes. However gradually the instant lust turned into a more emotional bond and as a reader I followed the gradual transformation of lust to love.

The make-out and sex scenes Rhian Cahill writes are indescribably excellent. They're raw, explicit and in this book they have this urgency to them that gave them that little extra zing I encounter only in a few of my favorite erotic romance authors' writing. And Ryan's dirty talk was the icing on the cake and the cherry on top all rolled into one! But beware, if you don't like body parts bluntly called by their names, this book might not be for you as Rhian Cahill does not embellish, rephrase or use euphemisms. She doesn't mince matters and I love her for it.

ALL FOR YOU is very character and romance-driven. There is no side-plot or other stuff going on other than the development of the relationship between Claire and Ryan. This was also apparent in the few secondary characters the story had. There was Jane, Claire’s best friend and Brett, Ryan’s brother. I really loved the bond and banter between Claire and her best friend Jane and between Ryan and his older brother Brett. Because through those interactions you get to know them much better and it offered a nice neutralizing balance to the scorching urgent heat crackling between Claire and Ryan, adding depth to their characterization.

Oh and a nasty receptionist at the company where Claire works. Can’t remember her name and don’t want to bother looking it up because as I said, she was nasty…but also crucial to the conflict between Ryan and Claire so she deserves a mention, even if it’s a nameless one.

I loved how Rhian Cahill handled Claire's doubts and insecurities about the age difference and having a relationship with Ryan. She made didn't take the easy way out for them and created a believable conflict that was solved in an equally believable way. Other than the first few moments it wasn’t something that Claire kept on about during the story even if it formed the root for the conflict.

It's been a while since I read a Rhian Cahill book and reading ALL OF YOU made me realize how much I missed her awesome writing. She has the uncanny ability to pull me completely into her books with writing that's utterly captivating and explicitly hot with a capital H.

If you like carnal, red-hot erotic romance within the cougar trope with likable a likeable and easy to relate to heroine and a hero who will make you melt into a puddle of heat with his dirty talk, look no further because ALL OF YOU has all that and then some!

Favorite Quotes:
The air left her lungs and her words caught in her throat. The glistening flesh of a god-like, bare male chest numbed her mind and turned her body into a quivering vessel of need.

No. She'd kept contact with Ryan to a minimum. Usually because she found it hard to string a sentence together with the way he had her body exploding to life whenever he got close. Oh, who was she kidding? Just thinking about him sent her nerve endings into a frenzied bunch of sex-craving knots.

The woman had him tied in knots. She hardly gave him the time of day, but all she had to do was breathe in his direction and his dick was raring to go, his body pounding with a need that consumed his every thought. It had taken weeks for him to build up the nerve to say hello to her. But after he'd spoken those first words, Ryan started to go out of his way to run into her.

A yearning, raw and fevered, roared through Claire like a flash fire, consuming her—overwhelming her. The moans and whimpers she made were foreign to her ears, and she could only describe them as animalistic.

He was covered in sweat, and his limbs shook like a new baby foul's. Cramps stabbed his thighs, but he wasn't ready to stand yet. Any sudden movement could set off the bomb currently ticking between his legs.

"Better than good. Better than any fantasy I've ever dreamed up. The man knows what he's doing, and isn't afraid to do it." (Claire to Jane about Ryan)

"No worries, Ryan. I know how crabby you get when you aren't getting any."
Brett grinned and ducked as Ryan threw a punch at him. "Still not quick enough to get me, little brother."
[…] "Nah, just didn't want to put the old man in the hospital." Ryan grinned, the old, well-used banter between them settling his agitated nerves.
[…]"You young whippersnapper, you."
Ryan pulled free of Brett's grip and gave him a shove before stooping to pick up his headgear. "Knock it off. You're just jealous I can still pull women while they're all passing you by in favor of us younger more strapping blokes." Ryan puffed his chest out and flexed his arms.

Claire shuddered at his words. The quake vibrated through her until she thought she might collapse in a puddle of want at his feet.
"Oh, Claire I do believe we've found something that really gets you off." He leaned over her, his clothed chest resting along her back. "Want me to tell you what I'm gonna do to you?" He nipped her ear.
"Ryan." His name spilled from her lips on a plea.
He licked the shell of her ear, his breath hot on her skin. "I'm going to play with you, Claire. I'm going to use my fingers, my tongue, teeth, and I'm going to drive you wild until you scream for me."

As she rode the waves of pleasure, Claire couldn't stop the tears leaking from her eyes. It was far too late to end this easily. With one explosive climax, Ryan had shattered her soul and stolen what was left of her heart.

Just what is a good girl supposed to do, faced with the wicked temptation of not one bad boy, but two?

No matter how hard good girl, Gemma Trent, tries to run from the mistakes of her past, she can't seem to escape the memories of two hard-bodied, hot-blooded rowers, and the shameful things she let them do to her one crazy night five years ago in the college boathouse. Perhaps only by facing up to those mistakes can she prove that she’s no longer that sort of girl, and finally set herself free.

As determined as Gemma seems to be to smother the truth of her passions, Nathan Hunter and Ben Pearce—having already had her slip through their callused fingertips once—are equally committed to fanning the embers and rekindling the fire they suspect still smoulders deep inside. Now that they have her within reach again, all they have to do is convince Gemma to put her own self-imposed prejudices aside, and remind her just how good it feels to share.

Title: DOUBLE STROKES
Author: Kat Black ( I have added this link to the Author’s Blog, since there is also a YA-writing Kat Black and I assume this is not she)
Series: standalone
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Year of release: 2011, September 12
Format: eBook, 29 pages
Source: Received an digital copy from the author for review

First line:
In one of the bustling spectators' enclosures set up along the Thames riverbank for the annual Henley Royal Regatta, Nathan Hunter milled with a group of old university rowing club peers, reunited for finals day of the world-famous competition.

Memorable Scenes:
- as the story is extremely short I'd like to qualify it as memorable in its entirety > an ultra-quick and very hot read


QuickScore-Verdict:
From the first sentence I loved Kat Black's writing style that just flows, making this story easy to read and fast-paced. I loved the characters: Ben is playful, smooth and soothing, while Nathan is intense, impulsive and demanding. That leaves Gemma in the middle (literally) who embraces the sexual needs she has underneath her proper and good-girl shell.

DOUBLE STROKES is very short (29 pages), fast and intense. I hope there will be more on these three characters as this short has really whetted my appetite. The ménage scene is hot and well-written and I cant wait to see what Kat Black can do with a bigger page-count and a meatier storyline!

Favorite Quotes:
Always more careful to conceal his emotions than his friend, Nate gave every impression of being engrossed in the reminiscences of the rowdy group. But beneath the smiles and banter, his real focus lay with Ben's every tic and twitch.
That's how he knew the precise moment the blond man's body tensed up, attention snagging on something over Nate's left shoulder. In response, Nate felt his own muscles snap taut, breath stilling with anticipation.

"If we race in and pounce on her like a pair of slavering beasts, all it's likely to do is make her fling up her defenses and start worrying about her reputation all over again–" Ben paused to study Nate's face before raising a wry brow. "And that's assuming one look at you doesn't send her running for cover first. You're projecting the wrong side of caveman right now, mate."

The only reason she'd agreed to come here was so she could finally face up to and bury the mistakes of the past. To prove to herself she'd moved on, grown out of those shameful, confused impulses–matured into someone normal.
Except it was blatantly obvious she'd done no such thing, not when a single look from the dynamic duo was all it took to turn her nipples hard and make her knickers damp.

Nate's voice was a satin-covered dagger, cutting right through her defenses and stabbing into the secret heart of her need. He was right, she had wanted more.

Reduced to nothing more than a quivering bundle, Gemma clung to Ben, letting the movement of his thrusts become her own. Clasping a big palm around her nape, he held her ear to his mouth, pouring a sensual stream of words into it, making her insides quiver.

Reformed bad girl Nikki Carson has spent the past year trying to forget her boss's Halloween party and the unbelievable sex she had with her boss's hot twin, Patrick Nolan. Patrick hasn't mentioned that night since, much to Nikki's endless disappointment.

Years of following in the wake of his womanizing brother cause Patrick to wonder if Nikki even knows which twin she slept with. He can't believe she could possibly prefer him over her slick, polished boss. That doesn't mean he's been able to stop fantasizing about taking her again. Against the wall. On the floor. Everywhere.

It's Halloween again, and trick or treat takes on a whole new meaning when Nikki and Patrick go for round two. Especially since Nikki's come prepared with a Domme kitty costume meant to drive Patrick wild. And this kitty's ready to show her claws if she doesn't get what she wants...

Title: BAD KITTY
Author: Cari Quinn
Series: standalone (for now)
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Year of release: 2011, October 7
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
Nikki Carson sucked in a deep breath and swallowed more witches’ brew.

Memorable Scenes:
- the first chapter > yowza!
- the scene in Nikki's bedroom after second Halloween party > yowza doesn't even come close!

Nicole 'Nikki' Carson is an assistant at a real estate agency. The former party-girl has decided she has to be more responsible and start looking at life more seriously. She’s candid, patient and tries to be cool-headed. But she’s also scatterbrained and passionate.

Patrick Nolan is a construction worker. He’s the twin brother of Nikki’s boss. Patrick is down-to-earth and laid-back but once in the bedroom he can transform into a decisive, sexy man who knows exactly how to drive a woman crazy with pleasure.

The first chapter definitely set the sizzling hot tone for a romance that made the pages combust with heat. But it was more than that, the way it was set up was once again sublime. And Cari never fails to add emotion to her sexy. Though the length of the novella doesn’t leave much room for in-depth back-stories and characterization, she managed to turn this novella into more than a string of sex scenes tied together with a conflict that needs resolving.

Like another erotic romance I read recently this story is character and romance-driven so there are very few secondary characters and there are no subplots thrown in. I appreciated this a lot because the story of Nikki and Patrick is more than enough to fill the pages. The secondary characters that were in the story were very intriguing though. I loved Patrick as the hero for Nikki but I was definitely intrigued by East(on), Patrick’s twin. He caught my attention the minute he appeared in the book and I hope we get to enjoy his story too! I also adored Julie, Nikki’s best friend and a costume store owner. She’s vivacious and direct and the hints at the end of the story make me want to read more about her and a certain someone (Oh how I love to be cryptic in order to avoid spoilers…)

I seriously can't say anything about Cari Quinn's writing that wouldn't be repetitive if you've read my other reviews of her books so bear with me if you have...She writes steamy scenes like nobody’s business and manages to incorporate emotions in them that lifts them to an even higher level. This is a good thing, but it’s also lethal because I’m sure there will come a day that I will give up the ghost reading one of her stories. The heat is beyond scorching.
Her characterization is just as awesome and she has a knack for pairing up people who at first glance may not be compatible but fit so well together. BAD KITTY was no exception.

BAD KITTY is a sizzling hot character-driven novella delivered through clean-cut and masterful writing. The sex is lustful, carnal and emotional all rolled into one. In short: A satisfying, quick and scorching read and I expected nothing less from Cari Quinn!

Favorite Quotes:
Patrick was the living embodiment of naughty. He sweat for a living—he worked on houses while his slick, polished brother sold them—and his swagger served as a convincing argument that he knew how to make a woman sweat when the lights were off, too.

He stroked her ass, caressed her breasts, kissed her neck. Even in this graceless, frenetic situation, he still acted tenderly now and then, as if he couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to savor her or devour her whole.

Jules rolled her eyes. “You could try planning ahead for a change, Nik. Flying by the seat of your skirt gets old when you’re pressing thirty and—”
“I’m twenty-eight. And you may not live to thirty if you insinuate otherwise.”

He should’ve made sure she knew it was him at the time. That would’ve been the honorable thing to do. But her little heart-shaped ass twitching in satin hot pants as part of her genie costume had undone any honor he’d had left in him.

He didn’t want everyone to know East wasn’t chaperoning his own shindig, but at least Nikki might hear which brother she was about to bed. Or couch. Or wall.

“Tell me. Tell me what you would do.” His voice roughened and the fingers on her arm tensed, digging in.
“First I would’ve started here.” She tapped her mouth, making him think of all sorts of naughty and delicious things. “Then I would’ve moved down to here,” she trailed her fingertips over her breasts lightly, barely making contact, “before landing here,” her palm coasted over her mound, “and then ending up here.” She smacked her ass softly, making his blood roar in his veins and his erection strain for relief.

“You like caramel apples?” she managed.
“Never tried them. But caramel nipples suit me just fine.”

Pleasure gathered in the pit of her belly and her skin burned from within, but she still wanted to laugh. Wanted to enjoy every minute she had with him.

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.

Title: SHE LIKES HIM BAD
Author: Scarlett Scott
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, August 5
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Jasmine Jade eBookstore

First line:
Paradise, Georgia. Emma couldn’t believe she was back after twelve years.

Memorable Scenes:
- the scene in Jackson's kitchen > wait a minute! Did my iPhone just spontaneously burst into flames?


QuickScore-Verdict:
My first encounter with Scarlett Scott's work wasn't a pretty one but that has definitely been set straight with this book. The promise I saw in her writing has definitely been fulfilled. For a novella to completely work for me it needs certain tropes: friends-to-lovers, troubled marriage, reunited love etc. This one had reunited love and therefore worked in the limits of the small page-count

The banter between hero and heroine again shone through. And Scarlett Scott knows how to crank up the heat in the sex scenes! One thing I missed was some sort of epilogue. It's not that it was needed to complete the HEA but I'm an epilogue-addict and love to see the ‘how are they doing further down the road’-scenes.

SHE LIKES HIM BAD is a short and very enjoyable novella that was written with likeable characters that were fleshed out pretty well for such a short story. Moreover the mix between humor, characterization and heat was well balanced and that's just the way I like 'em.

Favorite Quotes:
Do not, she urged her inner vixen, look at the way those blue jeans fit his lean legs. Do not notice how he’s filled out in all the right places. Or how freakin’ handsome he is as a man rather than the boy you once kissed. And above all do not look at his mouth or you’ll think about…
Too late. Her gaze dropped to those sensual lips that were quirked into a crooked grin. She remembered that grin. She remembered those kisses.

The sexual tension was back. She was incredibly aware of him. She could smell his cologne and it made her want to press her nose to his neck and inhale deeply. Maybe lick his skin.

She had only a matter of seconds to try to talk some sense into her wicked, sex-with-Jackson craving brain.

Damn. What was the protocol for morning kitchen sex? (Jackson)

When he stood, he wanted to say something intelligent. Something to make her melt. “What are you doing here?”
Shit. He raked a hand through his hair. Not exactly setting the world on fire with your charm, are you, Jackson?

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Enjoying Emma Lee Bridges standing half-naked on my doorstep, apologizing to me? Hell yes, I am. I thought the day would never come.”
“I’m not half-naked,” she protested.
He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. “I’m pretty damn sure I can see your nipples right through that shirt. Lord knows I’ve been thinking about sucking them ever since I opened the door.”

“The man I am today is far more ready to be your man than the boy I was twelve years ago, Emma. Time is a beautiful thing. It makes you stronger, makes you learn.”

This ARC-review kicks off my Bandicoot Cove Experience. Between today and September 21st there will be Previews, ARC-reviews and Guestposts from the authors Vivian Arend, Lexxie Couper and Jess Dee.

Coming up next:

• Preview for PARADISE FOUND by Vivian Arend, which releases August 23rd, together with this freebie – Tomorrow, Friday August 19th
• My ARC-Review of PARADISE FOUND – Monday August 22nd
• Vivian Arend’s Guestpost on PARADISE FOUND and the series – Thursday August 25th

It’s time for an indulgence, or two…or three.

There’s something magical about Bandicoot Cove. It’s where Kylie Sullivan’s dream of managing a luxury, five-star resort is about to come true. And it’s where people tend to fall in love. Kylie should know. She’s fallen hard—for three very different men.

There’s Brad, who knows just how to relieve her stress and send her body on a crash course through pleasure. Hemi, her untamed Maori, who awakens her primitive side. And Finn, the sexy bartender whose specialty is Screaming Orgasms.

The three men fulfill all her sexual fantasies, but Kylie knows reality will eventually set in and she’ll have to choose. But how? For now she decides not to decide—at least until she makes sure the resort’s soft opening comes off without a hitch.

As far as Brad, Hemi and Finn are concerned, Kylie’s life is too much work and not enough play. The only choice they plan to give her is to say yes to their wildly passionate proposal…

Warning: Three sexy men pleasing one uninhibited woman—how much more warning do you need? This short story is long on heat, with a drool-worthy setting and sexual interludes in the office, at the beach and the bar. You want a day job like this.

Title: EXOTIC INDULGENCE
Author: Co-written by Vivian Arend, Lexxie Couper and Jess Dee
Series: Bandicoot Cove, book 1 (freebie)
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, August 23
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from the authors for review

First line:
You Are Personally and Cordially Invited to Attend The Soft Opening of Australia’s Newest FIVE-STAR Luxury Resort BANDICOOT COVE on Bilby Island.
Bring a plus one if you desire. All expenses and needs will be catered for as we test our customer services in preparation for the Grand Opening.

Kylie stared at the embossed card once more.

Memorable Scenes:
- final chapter > loved how the guys persuaded Kylie



QuickScore-Verdict:
Holy cow, that was some opening chapter. The minute I read it I knew I was in for some hot, sexy times with this series. I didn't get in depth characterization or an emotionally touching story and that wasn't what I was expecting either. I expected a ménage, hot and dirty and that is what I got, poured into some crisp, humorous writing and some sizzling hot sex scenes.

This very short story is the perfect appetizer for what's to come in this series. I know it was co-written by the three authors whose books form the series but I really couldn't discover who wrote what. The writing blended together perfectly and delivered what the blurb promised: a quickie introduction into this fabulous series!

If you love ménages-a-quatre and you're looking for a quick but satisfying read, don't let this freebie pass you by. Get it and make it your lunch-break quickie!

Favorite Quotes:
(Brad) “I’d love to talk about dessert. Sweet, dark chocolate, smeared all over you so I can lick it off, is my first choice.” The husky tone of his voice shot into her ears and melted her spine a little.

How did this happen? How had she been caught under the spell of three different men? Brad was incredibly persistent. Hemi almost caveman-like in his sexual domination of her body, and Finn…God, she couldn’t even find the words to describe his power over her.

(Finn) The instant their lips met, she melted. Any semblance of resistance to his charms evaporated as his tongue sought and found entrance to her mouth. She opened for him, let his tongue take possession of her mouth and his body take possession of her mind.

He never loses control and she always tests the rules.

Chief Deputy Mike Gabel is the man in charge in Apple Trail. No one gives him more trouble than a certain blonde. While her stunts are frustrating to deal with, it’s the constant way she keeps him trapped in knots.

Tiffany McBride has a reputation for being a troublemaker. She’s been betting and causing trouble since her parents died when she was a teenager. What looks like a young woman sowing her oats, is actually desperate measures to gamble for extra money to put food on the table.

When these two acknowledge their attraction, sparks fly…that is if Mike’s public position can survive Tiffany’s frowned upon reputation.

Title: MAKING HER NIGHTS
Author: Keri Ford
Series: Uninhibited in Apple Trail Arkansas, book 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Year of release: 2011, June 15
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Smashwords

First line:
Mike turned the wheel of his boat and rounded the final bend before Dutch Row Sandbar.

Memorable Scenes:
- Mike's self-loving scene with Tiffany in the next room > wow Mike!
- that scene in Mike's backyard patio > Wow Mike and Tiffany...you give new meaning to the word scorching!
- the scene at the tree > Keri went and made me cry at the end of the book!


Mike Gable is Chief Deputy Sheriff in Apple Trail and the epitome of self-control. He’s the good, decent guy with the impeccable reputation.

Tiffany McBride is the wild child with a bad girl reputation. She’s defiant, proud, genuinely sweet and caring,

The romance in this book is of the opposites attract variety and I loved it.
The chemistry between Mike and Tiffany is instant, mutual and scorching. I enjoyed the circling around each other and waiting for the other one to make the first real move. And once that first move is made, it's on! The sensuality is hot and Mike is the perfect example of silent waters running deep. When he unleashed his sexy, naughty side I swooned and kept thinking: 'Go for it, Tiff! Go for it!'

Keri Ford is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance authors with her fluent and crisp writing and her humorous voice. With MAKING HER NIGHTS she's also added an emotional note to her style and that worked very well for me. It is definitely the hottest of the bunch yet and IMO the best in the series to-date when it comes to the balance between emotions, characterization, romance and heat.

MAKING HER NIGHTS is another excellent installment in the Apple Trail series, a series with which Keri Ford has managed to positively surprise me with every new installment. The humorous tone, the emotions that hit home, the sexiness, it all reeled me in and made it hard for me to be patient until the next book in this lovely series.

Favorite Quotes:
Her voice was breathless and the gasping sound ripped through him. Not that he needed her out of breath for her voice to wrap all the way down his spine.

No, he wouldn’t die from relaxing. That was for damn sure. The honey scent of her skin filled him anew. There would be no relaxing so long as she was here. There was a very good chance he’d die from all his blood leaving his body to throb in his c#ck.

She pinched his side. “You’re making it harder to walk away by being a dork.”
“Good, because I don’t want you walking anywhere.” He cupped her cheek and turned her face up to him. “After all these years, I’ve just given myself permission to have you and you keep trying to take that away.”

“I want to be sore in the morning.” And God, she would be. It had been months and months since the last time she was with anyone. But he didn’t know that. And she wanted him so out of control, so far beyond his limits that he would never hold back here. Not in this.
(...)
She couldn’t keep up with his movement. Her legs were giving out and desire was building until she was nothing but a ball of aching need ready to burst."

Chipping away at her resistance, one touch at a time…

Fallon Frost’s late foster mother had done so much to heal the wounds of her damaged childhood. So when a lecherous developer plans to bulldoze her old home to make room for a strip mall, the practical, ordered life Fallon has built for herself is threatened.

Then he makes a twisted proposal. He’ll leave the land alone if she poses nude for a sculpture that’ll end up in his collection. Seeing no other choice, she heads for Nova Scotia—only to find something totally unexpected. A sexy, hot-blooded, infuriating sculptor.

Guarded, sexually detached Fallon is a challenge Max Emery can’t wait to tackle. Yet with each tap of his chisel, he uncovers a woman who rekindles a dream he thought lost. Home, family…love. And the closer he gets to her core, the harder it becomes to accept that he’s carving her naked body for another man’s eyes.

As progress on the sculpture almost grinds to a halt, their fragile fantasy world collapses under the weight of reality. Threatening Fallon’s one chance to save her foster mother’s land…and any chance she and Max have to find love.

Title: THE RELUCTANT NUDE
Author: Meg Maguire
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, April 5
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Samhain eBook-store

First line:
You’ve got to be frigging kidding me.

Memorable Scenes:
- When Fallon first spends the night at Max's studio > "May I spoon you?" *sigh*swoon*


Fallon Frost is an ecologist. She’s down to earth and clear-headed but she’s also cautious and a little contrary.

Max Emery is a sculptor and the epitome of the creative artist type. He’s unapologetic, sharp-minded and direct but he’s also attentive and has this charismatic aura that draws you in immediately.

Once again I'm amazed at Meg Maguire's characterization. With little captivating and subtle tidbits she creates her characters back-stories and personalities throughout the story and puts them center-stage of it all yet never losing focus on the rest of the story. With small clues she points you to stuff that makes you want to know the rest, the how and why of those tidbits of information. And in the end you realize she's delivered on them and you 'get it'.

Little by little you get to know her main characters and get inside their heads, see their hopes, dreams, fears and desires. Their dialogues and banter, they all slowly and gradually but surely bring you towards that point you know is coming and will be explosive!

At first I was waiting for that first sexual move, that first explicitly hot love scene and was wondering why it was taking so long. But reading on I realized it wouldn't have fit the romance or characters and I came to the conclusion that I really liked how the sensual/physical aspect was built up step by step. It's one of the things that made this book intense and memorable.

Meg Maguire's writing is addictive and mesmerizing. Once you start you can't stop reading. Towards the end I did have the feeling the intensity fizzled down a little and both the conflict and it's resolution felt a bit sudden. This made the first 3/4 of the story better but overall I absolutely loved it. The set-up of this story was brilliantly done. Intriguing and revealing the full story in little bits at a time, I loved putting the pieces together and getting the full story clear.

If you love richly layered, emotional and excellently written contemporary romance, all I can say is: buy THE RELUCTANT NUDE, sequester yourself, sit back and enjoy the awesomeness that is Meg Maguire's writing.

Favorite Quotes:
(Max) “Why bones? My trade is in surfaces,” he explained, fingers working. “My fascination is with the hidden. The internal.”

(Fallon) She met his eyes, unimpressed. “So you think. But there are good people and lousy people everywhere. You can’t write an entire place off because of the few assholes you encounter.”

“Damn. So have you…you know?” Rachel wiggled her eyebrows lewdly.
Fallon worked hard to suppress a smile. “What?”
“You know. Voulez-vous…couchez’d avec him?”

He shut his eyes and made a noise of the dirtiest decadence.

She breathed him in, his smell and his need and his mounting insanity. Intoxicating. She felt wicked, still safe in her underwear while this strong, willful man lay naked and bound and at her mercy.

Max shrugged. “I am willing to be normal, if it will have me. But anyway. I won’t put any pressure on you. I hope I’ll see you again. Maybe soon. But I waited thirty-three years for you the first time. I can wait another thirty-three.”

Ivy may be the odd woman out in the field of construction, but that doesn’t mean she can’t do a man’s job. And in heels, no less. When a subcontractor runs behind on the project she’s heading, Ivy’s prepared to give him a proper dressing down. But when she sees the man in question, undressing him becomes far more interesting a prospect.

Jake Shaw is proud of the business he’s built and isn’t about to be bossed around by a sassy vixen who clips into his life in cherry red pumps. Their clash is instant, their attraction undeniable, their use of his big desk…delicious.

Before Ivy can catch her breath she’s breaking all the rules with Jake. The more time she spends with him, the harder she finds it to convince herself he’s all wrong for her.

Title: WICKED DIRTY
Author: Scarlett Scott
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Jasmine Jade/Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2010, October 7
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Jasmine Jade eBook-store

First line:
On Monday morning, a merciless headache began to thump in Ivy Denton’s right temple, partially because she hadn’t yet had her first cup of coffee and partially from impending stress.

Memorable Scene:
- the start of the book (first few pages), which was very promising and hot



QuickScore-Verdict:
The pace of this book was lightning quick and I realize it's an EC Quickie but things went really fast from not knowing each other to hot and heavy in the trailer on the construction site. It felt rushed...even if there was the desk smexing I love so much in my erotic romance reads. I missed Jake's POV...it all just felt too rushed, I never really got to know the characters and I was left with an unsatisfied feeling of the story not being finished.

However, I really liked the flow and ease of Scarlett Scott's writing and the innuendo-filled banter between Jake and Ivy. This means I will definitely give Scarlett Scott another go and as a matter of fact I’m already eyeing her latest contemporary Ellora’s Cave release (She Likes Him Bad, released August 5th).

Favorite Quote:
If she wanted to be considered a professional, a part of this mostly man’s world, she had to stop gawking. And since there was no way she could keep herself from ogling that mouthwatering slab of potent masculinity sauntering by, she busied herself with the pretense of scrolling through her BlackBerry before depositing it safely in her purse.

After a series of murders is discovered along the trail of the Shifter Underground, wolf soldier Jensen Tate is assigned to find and protect a missing stray. But Lia Crawford doesn’t seem to want his protection. When she eludes his watch and returns with mysterious injuries, Tate knows she’s hiding something. To discover her secrets, Tate will have to win her trust…and get closer to the woman he thinks may be his mate.

Lia has reasons to keep her distance. The killer is haunting her steps, determined to claim her. He will come after them both if he sees how drawn she is to Tate, though it becomes increasingly difficult to deny her attraction to him. Protecting Tate is vital—but will her deception cost her his love?

Title: DECEIVING THE PROTECTOR
Author: Dee Tenorio
Series: Resurrection, book 2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Year of release: 2011, August 15
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC for review from author

First line:
The sound of her own breath—ragged, desperate gasps—echoed in the girl’s ears.

Memorable Scenes:
-the scene in the orchard where Tate and Lia meet for the first time > loved how Lia does not take crap from Tate
- the "mine" scene after Tate and Lia flee from an attacked safehouse in a car > this was a different Tate than I'd seen before, all masks are gone, and I loved it
- the shower scene > as hot as the one in TEMPTING THE ENEMY!



Aurelia 'Lia' Crawford is a Wolf shifter with a load of guilt on her shoulders. She has also been lied to, abused and manipulated by the shifters’ enemy. Lia is smart, cerebral, bold and used to taking care of herself. She’s a survivor and fighter, tough, stubborn, courageous and strong. And what I loved about this book is that Dee Tenorio showed me this all about Lia, in her actions, her interactions and her POV. This author has the mastered the show-don’t-tell craft.

Jensen Tate is Wolf shifter and lawyer. Tate is a hunter and tracker and has a protective streak a mile long (and wide). In a Twitter convo with the author she described Tate as Mr. Complicated and that was a quite accurate (well duh, she wrote him) way to describe him. He's not a hero you can just put into a box and complications follow him around as he'll never take the easy way. He is also persistent and unapologetic about who and how he is. He's a layered character and I enjoyed peeling away those different layers to get to the real Tate.

I most adored the verbal sparring between Tate and Lia but as they are both shifters the tension between them is different from Pale and Jade's in TEMPTING THE ENEMY. I would have liked more romance but the suspense was so good I didn't mind so much. Besides, all lovey-dovey wouldn't have fitted Tate and Lia's characters.

As the story concentrates purely on Lia, Tate and the intriguing and well set up suspense there are very little secondary characters. Some new one are introduced, one of them being Betha, a stray mountain lion shifter and Tate’s ward and I loved her. Loved her! Some secondary characters I met in the first book did not make an appearance, to my slight disappointment but I have been promised they will be getting prime time in their own books.

As I said before the suspense was more prominent than the romance in this book (at least it was for me). And let me tell you: The suspense, OMG the suspense! I thought the plot in TEMPTING THE ENEMY was scary as hell but the one in this was easily just as scary and mind blowing, if not more. The descriptions of the killer put images in my head I'd rather not have there, especially while reading before bed. And yet once stuff started to be revealed I couldn't be anything but fascinated and glued to the pages to find out what was going to happen and why. Very soon in the story you know who the killer is. The suspense turns out to be in finding out why and if Lia is able to keep Tate and herself alive and what the connection between her and the killer is.

With the first book in this series I got a first taste of Dee Tenorio’s paranormal voice and it tasted like more. DECEIVING THE PROTECTOR fulfilled my expectations in that aspect fully. The interactions/dialogues are awesome! They form the base for the humor that seeps through the nail-biting suspense and the intriguing world building. Speaking of world building, shifters aren’t a fresh trope in paranormal romance, it’s been done numerous times. Yet with this Resurrection series I dare to honestly say that Dee Tenorio does bring a fresh and unique world to the table. With these two first books we have only scratched the surface and I’m utterly convinced there’s so much more awesomeness to come.

As with the first book in this series the prologue was breathtaking, I was literally holding my breath, and suspenseful. Dee Tenorio knows how to write openings that reel you in and keep you hooked. One minor thing that took me out of the flow of the stories was the flashbacks. At first they threw me but once I figured out they were flashbacks the story flowed smoothly again for me.

I've mentioned the slower and more intense pace of her writing before in reviews and while reading this book I was once again struck by a realization. Even though I utterly enjoy the book it's hard for me to read them in one sitting because they are intense and I need time to absorb everything that goes on to the fullest. This is a good thing!

DECEIVING THE PROTECTOR is another awesome installment in a series that's speeding to the top of my favorite paranormal romance reads. Though lighter on the romance and more focused on suspense, it was another excellent combination of suspense and raw emotions that held me in its grip from start to finish! I can't wait for Resurrection, book 3!

Favorite Quotes:
Shit, this wasn’t going well at all. He raised his hands, letting her see that his claws were sheathed. “You don’t have to worry, okay? My name is Jensen Tate. I’m from the Underground and I’ve been looking for you. I’m here to help.”
“I don’t need help.” She might smell like spring, and all that golden skin and hair might look like summer, but the cold hiss of her voice was pure winter. Deep winter.

(Lia to Tate) “You deaf or you just like people yelling at you?”

Oh yeah, this one was a ray of f#cking light. “You could stand to work on your manners there, Sunshine.”
“That’s not my name.” She kept walking.
He glared at the back of her pack. “How about sweetheart then?”
“How about you kiss my ass?”

It had been so long since she’d viewed males as anything other than something to avoid. In some cases, to hate. Or pity. But this one…this one she had a feeling she could look at for hours on end. At least until he spoke.
“How long have you been on the road, then?”
Lia swallowed a sigh. If she sighed, it would only encourage him, and this was not a man who needed encouragement. So far, he’d asked about her family, her history, her health, her future plans, the age and durability of her shoes, and whether she had a particular affection for the letter X. She hadn’t said a word in response, but that hadn’t stopped him from filling in the answers for her, each one of them more ridiculous than the last. If it kept up much longer, she was going to find a rock large enough and stuff his pretty mouth with it.

“Don’t you ever shut up?”
“Of course not. I’m a lawyer, I’m trained to talk for days.”

A strange thing had happened while he’d coaxed her into letting him past her guard. She’d gotten past his. Under his skin. With every shy smile, she’d made him feel a hundred feet tall, and every time he’d managed to draw the woman behind the controlled surface out, she’d only burrowed deeper. She’d sacrificed herself for him, facing her greatest nightmare for him.

His mouth was on hers, swallowing her words and scrambling what few of her synapses were still connecting. His tongue found hers, taking advantage of her open mouth, stroking over it even as he pulled her flush against him. Hot. Skin like heated marble slid against hers, the water sluicing between them, over them. She melted. From the inside out, she simply softened into a puddle for him to hold.

His teeth snapped in response. “You don’t protect me. I protect you.”
“Says who?”
“Nature. I’m stronger. I’m faster.”
The utter bullshit of that response made her lip curl over a surprisingly descended fang. “If you say you’re smarter, I’m throwing the lamp at you.”

(Lia and Betha) “Ooookay. Well, the way it was explained to me, when a boy bee-shifter meets a girl bee-shifter—”
“If you say anything about stingers, I swear, I’ll kill you with your own gun.”
Betha’s eyes widened, then, slowly, a sly smile replaced her surprise. “Oh, you’re going to do nicely.”