Naked by Megan Hart

Title:  Naked 
Author:  Megan Hart
Released: August 1, 2010
Book Series: None, but should read Tempted or Everything Changes first
Publisher:  Spice, Harlequin
Genre:  Erotic Romance
How I Got It:  received ARC ebook from Net Galley

Book Summary
I didn’t think he wanted me. And I wasn’t about to get involved with him, not after what I’d heard. Alex Kennedy was tall, dark and unbearably hot, but I’ve been burned before. Maybe it was stupid of me to offer but he needed a place to crash and I needed to pay the rent, but now he’s my tenant…with benefits. And now that we’ve crossed that line, I can’t seem to find my way back.
But I can’t give my heart to a man who’s so…unconventional. His last sexual relationship was with a married couple. It’s enough that my ex-fiancé preferred men, I won’t take that chance again no matter how much my body thrives on Alex’s touch. I can’t risk it, but I can’t resist it, either.
Alex can be very convincing when he wants something.
And he wants me.

This review may contain some spoilers.  But, if you are like me, you enjoy being spoiled every now and then.


My Thoughts
What to say about this book? I can say that I loved it.  At first I didn't know what was going on or what direction the author was trying to take because the main character was pretty much all over the place.

Olivia is a photographer and on a journey of self discovery. She can't seem to figure out her place in life.  She's so unsure about her religion, friendship, and romance.

Awhile back, Olivia was engaged to Patrick.  Days before they were to be married, she discovered that her long time boyfriend had been cheating on her...with men.  Needless to say, they didn't get married, but remained best friends.  That is until she noticed his handsome house guest, Alex. 

Immediately, Patrick declared him off limits.  Despite the warning, Olivia continued to notice Alex until Patrick  explained that he was a manwhore that he'd already slept with.  He also stated that Alex wasn't into women and that he was bad news anyway.

Even thought she was attracted to Alex, she was content to just be friends.  She even offered to rent him an apartment when he decided to stay in town.  And hot as he was, she couldn't not ask him to pose for pictures for her photography portfolio.

Well, Alex, being super comfortable with his body got real explicit with his posing and ended up seducing Olivia.  Okay, that I saw coming but Patrick being beyond pissed off and acting like a jealous boyfriend, I did not.  I knew he'd be mad because friends shouldn't date another friend's jump off, but his anger stemmed from something past and supposedly long forgotten.

I honestly liked Olivia.  But certain things she did made me want to just slap her.  She was just too damn trusting and naive about the wrong things. More importantly, she sided with someone she just met, rather than her BFF, even thought he was a prick.  In the long run, if she had listened more with her brain and not her heart, she would have made all the right choices without all the heartbreak.

With Alex, I wasn't completely sure if he was gay or straight.  He certainly acted like he was straight, but at certain points in the book, I wondered.  And wondered again.  And yes, at times he was an asshole, but a lovable asshole.  I was glad that he was open about his sexuality , but I'm still not sure what the deal was with him and his BFF.  That little tidbit is why I gave you the "need to read this first" info.

I liked Patrick at first, but he did a total 360.  He turned out to be a miserable bastard and I kept wondering why Olivia had stayed friend with him at all.
 
Anyhoo, the relationship between Olivia and Alex worked because they were both lost and apparently needed each other to find their way.  I was totally happy that he didn't turn out to be the scumbag that everyone made him out to be. 

My Rating
I give Naked five stars.  This book was definately a good read and deserves it's place on my bookshelf as a favorite.  Wasn't sure in the end what was going to happen, but was ready for the story to go either way.


Read an excerpt from Naked

And of course I wanted to know more about Alex.  And trust me, you will too, so  just read the first book  so you'll know exactly what you're getting into.

So, I scoured the web to see what I could come up with.  Tempted is the story of Alex's famous menage a trois (no real details in Naked, just a you should have been there feeling) with his best friend and his best friend's wife. It's told by Anne, the wife, but I'll be reading Everything Changes, which is told by Alex.  Both books are  suppose to be the same story.  Personally, I prefer to hear the male version because it's not so dramatized and more on the slutty side.

The Vampire and the Virgin by Kerrelyn Sparks

Day Eight of Eight Days of Love At Stake

 

Title: The Vampire and the Virgin
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Released: March 9, 2010
Series: Love at Stake, Book 8
How I Got It:  Purchased book

Book Summary
FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her-except Robby MacKay? Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive-but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with the wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life-along with giving her a first time she'll never forget...  

My thoughts
  Kudos to Ms. Sparks for writing this story. I loved it. If I didn't have to do that annoying thing called sleep, I would have finished it in one day. This book had a little action, romance, and humor.

I was hooked after the first few pages. I have never read about a Scottish vamp before. I've always thought their accents were cute, but I get a big kick out of men wearing dresses(oh they call them kilts-yeah whatever)! Not sure why, but I still think they are sexy even if they do wear skirts and I can see their hairy legs!

I loved the romance between Olivia and Robby. It wasn't a whirlwind romance, nor was it a slow one. It was just the right pace. I thought it was sweet that they had a long distance relationship and became friends first.

I really get sick of the caveman vamps that take what they think is theirs. Why do they always think these women are their property? Bone heads! The stalker situation reminded me of the movie, Silence of the Lamb. I couldn't tell who was who and what was going on. To me, everybody was a suspect. Ms Sparks kept me confused until the very end. There were so many suspects to look at. But when the stalker was revealed, it made sense. I just didn't see it coming.  

My Rating
5 Stars I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Damn, I wish I could go on vacation and bring back a nice piece of ass as a souvenir!

Read an excerpt of The Vampire and the Virgin

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Delicious by Shayla Black

Title: Delicious
Author:  Shayla Black
Released:  March 2, 2010
Series:  Wicked Lovers, Book 3

Book Summary:
He can't control his desire.

Luc Traverson’s entire future is planned out—but there is one very sexy obstacle in his path: Alyssa Devereaux . She’s a former exotic dancer turned strip club owner and restaurateur. Recently, Alyssa and Luc shared one night of wild abandon that left Luc terrified by his loss of self-control—and Alyssa desperate for more.
 And that's exactly the way she wants it.

Fulfilling a promise, Luc is the guest chef for Alyssa’s restaurant debut. The sight of her makes Luc wild, so how can he survive a week without letting loose and ravaging her—especially when she’s begging for it? Luc’s desire for her explodes when he realizes he isn’t the only man desperate to have her. But one of the others is deadly. And that’s not the end of Alyssa’s secrets…which are as dark and mysterious and enticing as her fantasies.

 My Thoughts
Whoever said you can't make a hoe into a housewife has obviously never met Alyssa.  She had finally retired her stripper pole and in the process of being happy.  Despite all the tragedies in her life she managed to educate herself and own two successful businesses. No spoilers here, but I will say that this chick had an abundance of shit thrown on her.  And to top it all off, she fell in love with a jack ass who  thought she  was nothing more than  a pretty fu*k buddy.

Luc is the object of Alyssa's affection, or should I say obsession.  While he pretends that they are just friends with benefits, sadly his cock knows better.    No one entices him like Alyssa.

I felt a little sorry for Luc in Decadent when he didn't get his own girl.  I tried to look the other way when he stabbed his cousin, Deke,  in the back countless times and tried to end up with the girl whether she loved him or not.  I tried so hard to see him as as a nice guy that deserved a HEA (happy ever after).  But, turned out that when I labeled him "jackass", I was correct.

Luc knew that Alyssa was feeling him a little too much. She made no secret about and went out of her way to show him that she was a mindless bimbo.  Despite her efforts,  all he could  see was  her inner stripper and how easy took off her clothes for him.

I thought the saying was correct that a man wanted a lady in the street and a freak in the bedroom.  Alyssa was all that, but it was the more part that Luc was afraid of.  Personally, I thought that he was highly intimidated by her accomplishments and that's  for most controlling men

If you have to remind yourself that you want a Boring Betty, then most likely it's a lie.  Who in the hell did he think he was fooling?  As if his ideal woman would feed his six hour (yes, six hour) sexscapes.  Luc would turn out any conservative woman had sex with. She might start out wearing  her sensible shoes, but after a night with Mr Insatiable, she'd never wear panties or take off the F*ck Me Shoes!

I loved it when they finally got together.  On one hand, I was rooting for them.  But towards the end, I really wanted her to wash her hands of his pansy ass.  Her bodyguard, Tyler, would have made a much better man for her.  But as they say, what's romance without the drama?

My Rating:
5 Stars
Seriously, did you even have to ask?  Everything that Shayla writes is five star to me.  I was warned that this book would have me fanning myself, and boy did it ever!  Shayla Black is on fire!  Everything that she writes is off the chain!  The story lines are filled with drama, and the romance will make you fall in love, and the sex scenes are hotter than hot.  As far as I'm concerned, she is the queen of erotica!

Pleasure Of A Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

Title:  Pleasure Of A Dark Prince
Author:  Kresley Cole
Released:  February, 2010
Series:  Immortals After Dark, Book 9

Book Summary

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her—and those she loves.

AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED. . . .

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia’s greatest weakness—her wanton desire for him. . . .

My thoughts

Another great love story from Kresley Cole.  I love all of her Immortals After Dark books so this one was no different.

Garreth and Lucia were a great love match from beginning to end.  They made such a great kick ass team.  I enjoyed all the parts where Lucia tried to avoid any of his advances in fear that she would give up her vow of celibacy and her archery skills.  I can image how hard-no pun intended- he made it for her to keep telling him no. 

Garreth started out as an over bearing and over protective mate, but soon learned that to keep his woman, he'd have to be patient and let her come to him.  If only all males would learn that little tidbit!  Garrett learned that and still had fun winning over his lady love.  Instead of being put off by her fiesty ways, he enjoyed the chase that Lucia proved.   I guess that's what I loved about the story.  If it's meant to be, then against all odds, love will prevail.

And I can't forget those crazy Valkyrie!  They are, hands down, the best part of the series.  You never know what they will say or do, but it's always funny as hell!

My rating
5 stars

I would definitely recommend this book.  Kresley Cole has a winning series that keeps getting better with each new story she adds to the series.

Read an excerpt of Pleasure Of A Dark Prince

Everlasting Kiss by Amanda Ashley

Three and 1/2 stars

Book Summary

Desire Never Dies

Daisy O'Donnell doesn't get the attraction some women feel for vampires. She likes her men with a heartbeat. And she's just met one who's full of life: Erik Delacourt, the unreasonably sexy man she keeps meeting at a popular L.A. nightclub called the Crypt. She barely knows him, but there's no resisting the connection she feels

There's one important detail Erik hasn't gotten around to telling her yet. He's a powerful vampire out to hunt the Blood Thief who is draining young vampires all over the city—and who has just raised the stakes by destroying one of Erik's friends. To Erik, Daisy is a bright spot of innocence in a world of darkness and menace. He'll do anything—even lie to her—to keep her safe and pure.

If only he knew that Daisy has something of her own to hide


I was really psyched to read this book because it had been in my TBR file for a minute and it was getting great reviews. I liked the story but was not really in love with it. I thought it would be one of those super good books that you just can't put down, but I found it very easy to put it down and wait for the ending

Despite my attitude, the book was pretty good. For me, it was just missing that fire that I love when I'm reading a romance novel. For a vampire, Erik was a little too laid back for me. He was one of those easily forgettable vamps.

At first, Daisy appeared to be the typical needy female that felt her world was not complete without her dark knight. Unlike the others, she did have a little spunk about herself. I didn't buy the bit about her being the Blood Thief because it just didn't fit. I could see her selling or marketing it, but not getting the goods herself. I saw the whole getting caught scene coming a mile away. It was kinda funny when Erik decided to keep her when she broke into his house to steal his blood. I loved the scene where she trashed his house and he made her clean it up!

To me, their romance was a little boring. It had no real spark or smoking flames. It wasn't the typical hot and heavy relationship between a vampire and his lady love that I'm used to. It was more of a rated PG version.

The only highlights that keep me reading the book were her brother Alex and Erik's best friend, Rhys. Alex was an over protective brother but he reminded me of Jason from True Blood. Not sure why, but that's who came to mind each time I read about Alex.

Rhys was the entertainment. If he does have his own story, I will be reading it. Even though he wasn't in the book much, I found myself wanting to know more about him.

This was my first book by Amanda Ashley, so I'll be checking her out more. This story didn't have me raving, but I'm sure she's got tons more that will. We'll see....



Deuces

Moon Craving by Lucy Monroe

Five Stars
Book Summary

If it were up to him, Talorc-laird of the Sinclair clan and leader of his werewolf pack-would never marry. But when the king orders Talorc to wed an Englishwoman, the lone wolf is hocked to find a challenge in his mate, the strong-willed Abigail. And after a passionate wedding night, the two fiercely independent souls sense an unbreakable bond...

Deaf since childhood, Abigail hopes to keep her affliction from Talorc as long as possible. And for his part, Talorc has no intention of telling her that he is a werewolf. But when Abigail learns that the husband she's begun to love has deceived her, it will take all of his warrior's strength-and his wolf's skill-to win her back. Now Talorc and Abigail will face the biggest challenge yet: the vulnerability of being in love...

I picked this book up on a whim while browsing for the latest at my local Wal-Mart. I didn't think it was going to be that great a book, but I put it in my TBR pile because I couldn't find anything else interesting. Once I got into the book, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

This is the second book in the Children of the Moon series. Lucy Monroe does a perfect job of making you fall in love with her characters. This book is definitely a page turner and hard to put down.

I haven't read Moon Awakening, the first book in the series, but I read the teaser that's included in the back of this book. I see now that I'm going to have to start reading throwbacks just so that I can keep up with the going ons of the newest books. I guess I was so naive to the fact that there were so many great books by authors that I have never heard of and that they have already written a gazillion that I'll probably never get to.

Anyhoo, as I read my teaser and other snippets, I was prepared to hate Talorc. Abagail's sister Emily, who was first sent to marry him, pretty much describes him as an arrogant asshole. He never showed her any kindness or feelings, but with Abagail, he was totally opposite.

In the beginning, Talorc, never intended to like his wife, but welcomed the fact that he would be able to have regular sex with a beautiful girl. And what sane man would say no to that? What he didn't count on was actually having feeling for her, even becoming dangerously possessive of her.

Unlike all the other heroines, Abagail wasn't an in your face type of girl. She didn't play hard to get or get on your nerves like most I read about. She realized that this is what life has dealt me and I'm going to make the most of it.

I loved the way their romance bloomed. It wasn't forced, it just happened. There were certain parts of the book that made me root for them, parts that made me say "hell to the nah", and others that had me misty eyed.

The only thing I disliked about the book was her evil ass mother. I could not understand why her mom was such a bitch. I wanted Talorc to beat the breaks off her with her royal stuck up ass. I just hope the younger sister doesn't turn out like mommy.

Ok, no more ranting. Back to happy thoughts. As I was saying, yep, I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this book had the best ending ever. Neglected girls get man of her dreams, some wild, hot, sex and lives happily ever after. Makes me want to read more historical romance novels and stock up on my kleenex!



Deuces

Can't wait to get your hands on this book, click here

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Four Stars

Book Summary

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows-her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield-and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness-and a demon shape shifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries an is now duty bound to protect this endangered, alluring human even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together.


Love me some Jeaniene Frost, so naturally I loved this book. Move over Bones, Spade is now the man-or vampire!

This is the first book in The Night Huntress World Series. The story surrounds Denise, Cat's best friend, who has vowed to never come in contact with anything or anyone (including Cat) related to the vampire world. She is still grieving over the violent death of her husband. She is also suffering from post traumatic syndrome so she's trying to keep a safe distance from anything that could trigger her memories of that awful night.

Her serenity is broken when another relative is killed right in front of her eyes. The demon behind it promises her a lifetime of pain and misery if she doesn't deliver another relative that she didn't even know she had.

Distraught and scared out of her mind, she seeks help from the one thing that she fears the most, a vampire. Not wanting to worry or endanger Cat or Bones, she secretly "hires" Spade, Bones's friend, in hopes of flushing out her long lost relative.

At first Spade is reluctant to help her. It's been over a hundred years since he has felt this strongly about someone, especially a human. He doesn't like to socialize with humans unless he is feeding from them or having sex with them. Since she is Cat's best friend, he knows both activities with her are off limits. Despite the warning, Spade has been attracted to Denise since he met her and there's no time like the present to see if the attraction is mutual. He can help her discreetly without Bones finding out, and get as close as he possibly can so he can seduce his way into her heart.

JF has delivered another great romance. I was put off a bit in the beginning because Denise was so flighty. How did she really think she was going to feel when she was in a room with other vampires? Panic? Hell yeah! I couldn't believe she was being such a wuss at first. If your life depended on it, there should be nothing and no one that would be able to stay in your way.

At first, I thought the chemistry between Denise and Spade was a little slow, but boy did it heat up. After their trip to Las Vegas, boy did their chemistry begin to sizzle. I love them as a couple. I had my doubts about Spade but he turned out to be a really good guy. After I found out the reason for his no human policy, I felt his pain. I'm not going to spoil it for you if you haven't read it, but I love to see two lonely souls find each other.

Succubi Like It Hot by Jill Myles

Three and 1/2 stars

Book Summary

With a flirtatious new figure, her dream job as an archaeologist, and two gorgeous boyfriends to scratch her seductive Itch—an angel and a vampire—Jackie Brighton is totally getting the hang of life as a succubus.

Then her need for sex spirals out of control, and she accidentally knocks the pizza guy unconscious with her touch. Great, she’s cursed. Unfortunately, neither of her jealous lovers is exactly talking to her right now.

So after Jackie strikes a deal with a crafty demon, she and her best friend Remy take a cross-country road trip to deliver a cryptic message to the nation’s oldest succubus (who doesn’t look a day over eighteen.) Their journey gets weirder with every mile—demonic possession, a charming stalker, a deadly hotel room warning—but when they get to New Orleans, Jackie discovers a dangerous catch to her supernatural bargain. Someone wants her dead (again), but has she been sleeping with the enemy?

Or do the forces of evil think they’re some kind of match for a vixen in a miniskirt?

I didn't love this book as much as I loved the first book, Gentlemen Prefer Succubii. I think the story was a bit flat but still an okay read. The reason I didn't love it was because it had more Noah and less Zane.

Noah is an okay guy but he tends to be a bit on the too laid back-no let me not sugar coat this, BORING side. Okay, he's a hot ex angel that loves to have sex but that's about as far as his appeal goes with me. He's still pushing to be Jackie's #1 sex toy and while I can feel his pain, I just really don't think she'd pick him in the long run. I don't feel the chemistry between Noah and Jackie. Sure there's a lot of lust and he's a great guy. He's also her safest bet if she wants to stay alive. No matter what the circumstances are, I think he'll always come in 2nd. And 2nd always sucks. And Noah is mad as hell because he finally realizes that he may never be The One.

Zane is so much more interesting. He's worth every punishment for being bad. Each time he pops up in the story, there is always action and drama. On top of that, the chemistry between Jackie and Zane is off the chain, succubus or not. Sometimes he may have a shitty attitude and a "why the hell am I still with you" effect on Jackie. She loves him, she hates him, but she will always be drawn to him no matter what. Forget sensual seduction, vampire seduction has got to be the shit! No matter how much Noah begs and pleads to be first in line, Zane will always be #1 in Jackie's heart.

And Remy, I love her slutty ways, but in this book, they could have done without all the Joachim demon possession crap. The porno road trip was fun, but when Joachim took over, the story went down hill from there. Again, the only bright spot was Zane's appearance. Oh, and I can't forget about Luc(the incubus). I knew from the jump that it was something shady about him. He turned out to be a real psycho, but that made the story fun and readable again. But, I didn't like where it ended up. That storyline could have been a little bit better. If he had hooked up with Remy, that would have been a lot better.

Anyhoo, like I said, it was still a good read, but I still feel like I should have borrowed it so I could give it back. Maybe if I read it a second time, it would be better. Hmmm, I'll think about it. Still, it wasn't one of those super good books that you start and can't put down. It took me about four days to read it. Some parts were so uninteresting that I (being the book whore that I am)started another book before I finished it. So, as I'm writing this review, I'm already four chapters deep in some new drama.


Deuces

PS...JM, more Zane, please!! Cover art-oh yeah!

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles

Five Star Book

Book Summary
After a one-night stand with a fallen angel and a bite from a vampire, forgettable Jackie Brighton has been changed into a succubus. Now, she’s turned into a babe, needs sex to survive, and can puts people to sleep with a touch of her fingertips. Sounds great, right? Except for the fact that she’s caught between both the Heavenly and Infernal Host in an ancient turf-war, and now both sides want a piece of her…

How’s a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy is so hard to resist?

Where do I start? Let me just say this-this book was AWESOME! First of all, I love a book that can get me hooked just by reading the first page.

How does one wake up in a dumpster after have the most amazing, mind blowing, drunken sex of their life and not remember who it was with? Jackie Brighton has got to be the poster child for funky drunks who randomly give away the goodies! Or, maybe she's just a shameless slut who. LOL! And how embarrassing is it to be told about what you did, and how well you did it, by a perfect stranger? Who cares if that stranger is hotter than hot and makes you want to strip every time you see him? If that doesn't catch your eye, this book is not for you.


Jackie is an plain Jane who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After getting passed over for a position that she has worked her butt off to get, she decides to drink her troubles away and just completely forget about her boring life. The next day, she wakes up in a dumpster. Yeah, a dumpster. Of all places to wake up in, a dumpster. Her memory is fogging, but she does remember an awesome session of hot sex with a blue eyed lover and a mysterious rendezvous with a hot guy in a long leather jacket. The only problem is that she can't remember when or why she got tossed in the garbage or where either guy fits into last night's events.

Noah is the blue eyed boy toy from last night that fills her in on all the slutty things they did last night. He even looks as though he's ready for an instant replay. His tune changes when Jackie questions him about the other guy in the leather jacket. The handsome stranger that she thinks bit her and sucked her blood.

Think that's hard to swallow? Oh, and by the way, Noah's a fallen angel that has to have wild and hot sex every month with any random woman. At the time,Jackie just happened to be a very willing random woman. But after the sex was over, Noah says that he woke up to find Jackie gone.

Zane, the second piece to Jackie's drunken puzzle, is indeed a blood thirsty, but oh so sexy vampire who just happens to pop up everywhere Jackie is. He also can't seem to keep his hands to himself. It's just something about him that draws her to him, but she can't put her finger on it. Jackie's not sure if he's her other mystery lover or not. Oh, and by the way, Jackie is a succubus who must have sex every two days, and right about now, Zane, dangerous or not, is looking pretty damn hot.

I don't want to give too much away about this book because it's so worth a read. I highly recommend this book. Jill Myles did a wonderful job with this story. It gives a whole new twist to the vampire/fallen angel tale.