Read and Review #30 - Desperately Seeking Suzanna (Elizabeth Michels)

Title: Desperately Seeking Suzanna (Tricks of the Ton #2)

Author: Elizabeth Michels

Publication date: 4 March 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Get a copy! Amazon | Google Play Store | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Her Cinderella Moment

Sue Green just wanted one night to be the pretty one. But a few glasses of champagne and one wild disguise later,

she’s in some serious trouble. Who knew the devastatingly handsome face of Lord Holden Ellis would get in the way of her foot? And how exactly did all that high-kick dancing start in the first place? At least she blamed it all on her new persona—Suzanna. So Society’s most eligible bachelor will never find out the truth.

All Holden wants is the truth. Who was that vixen who seduced him so thoroughly, then disappeared? The only one who seems to have any answers about Suzanna is Miss Sue Green. She’s promised to help him find his mystery woman, but in truth she’s not being all that helpful. And in truth, the more time Holden spends with Sue—witty, pretty, and disarmingly honest—the more he realizes he may have found exactly what he’s been looking for all along...

My rating:
5 / 5

My review:

Sue Green secretly crashed a party with her cousins and sister, got drunk and kicked Lord Holden Ellis in the nose, breaking it. Since it was a masquerade ball, she was masked and declared herself to be Suzanna, her very brazen alter ego. They indulged in one night of passion, only to be cut short by the reveal at the end of the party. Caught by her mother, all her make-up were removed and the accessories on her dress were ripped off and Sue was forced to leave early. She decided to hang out a little more and when she encountered Holden again sans make-up, he didn't recognize her.

Heartbroken, she fled and vowed to never speak or see Holden ever again. Yeah right. Holden however, thought that Suzanna had simply left him. And soon began his desperate search for the woman who had enticed and fascinated him. 

This story reminded me so much of An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (I am obsessed with Julia Quinn) with different story lines. Benedict wasn't as obsessed as Holden and Sue wasn't as outspoken as Sophie. The only similarities were the masquerade ball, the evil mother and someone was always left heartbroken. 

The events in this book coincide with the first book and even then I already knew what was going on before I found out the title of this book. It's a less dramatic book aside from Holden's crazy mother. Even his crazy mother didn't make enough appearance to make her threats seem dangerous. The build-up to Sue's confrontation with Holden's mother was rather tame but understandably reasonable.

It's a good read for those not looking for swooning ladies and terribly arrogant heroes. A perfect read for those who love a stud and plain jane romance. I enjoyed it immensely and I am looking forward to more of this author's work.

Read and Review #25 - Wallbanger (Alice Clayton)

Title: Wallbanger (Cocktail #1)

Author: Alice Clayton

Publication date: 27 November 2012

Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Get a copy! Amazon | Google Play Store | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: 

The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she's gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor's nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy's athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly... 

n a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight...

My rating:
5 / 5

My review:

Oh dear, this book. It took me almost a year to pick it up again. I had a dislike towards silly nicknames and was immediately turned off whenever I encountered any in the books I read. Pink Nightie Girl was one of them. Yes, I put it down the moment I found myself squirming from the absurdity of the name.  

And just recently I began to read it again. And I wondered, why in the hell would I hate a nickname such as Pink Nightie Girl? The fabulous that is this story is enough to outshine a small thing like a nickname. Well doesn't matter, I had read it and I absolutely love it! Not to mention most of my friends on Goodreads give an average rating of 4.5 for it.

Why is this book so good that almost everyone give it an almost perfect rating? I'll tell you why. There is no tragic backstory. No one is running away from anyone. Well, unless you count Cory, the guy who chased away O.  And therefore making Caroline wanting to run away from him. By the way, O is Caroline's orgasm.

ANYWHO, it's a likable story because the characters were not hung up on past relationship or experience emotional trauma from any form of abuse. Their feud was simple; "Stop banging on my fucking wall when you're having sex." So if you're looking for a book with no angst or drama, this is the perfect book for you.

Caroline was witty, sweet and funny whereas Simon exudes sex; flirty, charming and charismatic. They became from neighbors to enemies to friends to best friends and eventually lovers. I mean, that is how you become close to that hot neighbor, right?

And the sexual tension in that one chapter! The only chapter where we get to see Simon's point of view but somehow I got cockblocked by Ryan and Mimi instead. Don't get me wrong, I adore the other couples but please, it was the post breaking point of Simon and Caroline's relationship! 

It's funny, witty and I stayed up till dawn trying to finish this book. These characters are likable, the plot is hilarious and who doesn't love a reformed wallbanger? Despite the name, the book cover and the first chapter of this book, it's not as erotically charged as other romance books out there. Not even in the last few chapters. It's a fun book and definitely worth reading. 

Read and Review #23 - Eleanor and Park (Rainbow Rowell)

Title: Eleanor and Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publication date: 26 February 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Get a copy! Amazon | Google Play Store | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

My rating:
5 / 5

My review:

The simplicity in which Eleanor and Park were written in is one of the things that drew me to the book in the first place. The whole thing about this book is simple. The words, the plot, the emotions. Eleanor. Park. 

This book makes me feel young which is weird because I just barely got out of my teen years and I wasn't even born yet in 1986. Walkman. Mix tapes. Talking on the phone. ACTUAL talking on the phone. Absence of cell phone and smart phones. Reading comics on the bus.

I instantly love Eleanor and Park because they are not your every day female and male lead of Young Adult books. Sure, they're both cute. But they're not attracted to each other because of their looks. If I have to call their attraction something, it would be like a slow, building one rather than an instant attraction. They're both so intrigued with one another that they were eventually drawn to each other. 

It's also not depressing in a sense that there are barely any tragic past involved. Eleanor may live an unfortunate life but at least she doesn't wallow in it and let it take over her mind most of the time. She is being a typical girl her age; thinking about that boy that she's interested in. Not distancing herself from everyone and try to appear deep by using irrelevant anecdotes to depict how she's coping with her life.

The thing about first love is that you're always thinking of that person, wondering what they're doing and if they're thinking of you. Going through every single thing that you said to him/her that day. These things are easily portrayed between Park and Eleanor, albeit a little fast. Once they're in, they're in it seriously.

It's a simple, fast read. Thrice the average number of chapters for a book. Minimal depth but there are still character development present. I don't know how, normally I would find books written like this mundane for my taste. But I was so intrigued, interested in Eleanor and Park's relationship. 

If anyone were to ask me to describe this book, it would be fluff. Nothing much going on, little drama, tons of Eleanor and Park. I was not happy about the ending but I think it is a good one. They're both happy, aren't they? If it has a sequel (which is highly unlikely), I would pick it up as soon as I can get my hands on it. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes fluff in their story. (psst, fluff as in cute stuff not marshallows or that thing about pornstars)

Read and Review #22 - Kiss The Sky (Krista & Becca Ritchie)

Title: Kiss the Sky

Author: Krista & Becca Ritchie

Publication date: 22 January 2014

Publisher: K.B. Ritchie (Independent Book Publishers Association)

Get a copy! Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Virgin. Sex addict. Daredevil. Alcoholic. Smartass … Jackass. Her five friends are about to be filmed. Reality TV, be prepared.

Rose Calloway thought she had everything under control. At twenty-three, she’s a Princeton graduate, an Academic Bowl champion, a fashion designer and the daughter of a Fortune 500 mogul. But with a sex addict as a sister and roommate, nothing comes easy.

After accepting help from a producer, Rose agrees to have her life filmed for a reality television show. The Hollywood exec is her last chance to revive her struggling fashion line, and boundaries begin to blur as she’s forced to make nice with a man who always has his way.

Twenty-four-year-old Connor Cobalt is a guy who bulldozes weak men. He’s confident, smart-as-hell and lives with his equally ambitious girlfriend, Rose Calloway. Connor has to find a way to protect Rose without ruining the show. Or else the producer will get what Connor has always wanted—Rose’s virginity.

This New Adult Standalone Romance can be described as Friends meets The Real World. Expect fist fights, drugs, sex of varying degrees, crude humor and competitive alpha males. Definitely for mature readers audiences only.

My rating:
5 / 5

My review:
A very concupiscent read!

Kiss the Sky is a spin off from the Addicted series written by the Ritchie twins. It is a standalone but please, PLEASE read the Addicted series. You'll get to know more about Rose and Connor and the history of their relationship. Not only that, you'll also fall in love with Lily, Lo, Ryke and Daisy as well. It's a rarity to fall in love with all the major couples at the same time but Krista and Becca manage to do that without taking the limelight out of the couple in focus. Each character development is parallel with the storyline, maintaining the focus of the story while getting to know them more in the process. 

When Rose was introduced in Addicted to You, I didn't really have a high opinion of her. She came across as frigid, strict and always try to inject herself in Lily's life. That was before I knew how important her presence is in her sister's life. Rose is the mother Lily desperately needed and from there I began to build my respect towards her.

I was very wary of Connor at first because of his tendency to hang out with people who benefits him. His confidence is his most prominent feature and I was reassured by his calm demeanour whenever Loren or Lily started to crack. To me, Connor has all the qualities of a leader and without a doubt I saw him as the leader of the group soon after. His famous bromance with Loren was a result of constant rebuttals from Loren's sharp tongue in his drinking days. And yes, I do ship them together. 

This book is so much different than the Addicted series. We get to see Rose and Connor as individuals who were affected by the scandal surrounding Lily and Loren. As a sister. As a friend. They are the adults that kept their little group of six together. And Rose wanted to show the world that they were in fact normal people with problems, not spoiled rich kids who lounge around spending their parents' money. And so Princesses of Philly was born.

Now, I watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I sometimes love it, sometimes I don't. Reality television opens a new channel for ordinary people like myself to see into the lives of celebrities. How many of it can you really trust? Do they really act that way in real life? Are any of it staged? Almost everything is real. It only takes good editing (good for production, not necessarily for the cast) to turn something trivial into a big deal, a good thing into bad. Krista and Becca definitely captured that in this book. 

About 61% of the book I was like this:

The other 36% like this:

And the rest:

I take back everything I ever said about Rose when it comes to her being so frigid. I can relate to her, about wanting to lose her virginity to a guy who would stick around. But I didn't expect for her to be a submissive in bed. She's a very fierce and strong woman and I thought that it would translate into her sex life.

"She didn't wish to rule a man in bed. She wanted to be ruled. But she didn't know how to ask without feeling weak. So she thought being alone, unfulfilled sexually was the better option. I'm here to tell her it should have never been a fucking solution in the first place."

 And trust me when I say Connor and Rose are amazing together as lovers. 

Connor is a perfect fit for Rose. The yin to her yang. The Clyde to her Bonnie. They are not very different from each other but the more I get to know them, I feel that they complement each other more rather than these two people who are together because they are alike. Not to mention the way they were so in sync with one another most of the time.

"That's the thing about being fucking smart—I  understand her better than she understands herself."

In a word, I guess towards the ending, it was really unpredictable. I was flummoxed by the change in the wedding plans but after two minutes I started screaming internally because I did not see it coming. And I liked it. LOVED IT.

Kiss the Sky is a story of a sister's sacrifice for her family. A son's desire for a family he never had. A woman's struggle with intimacy. And a man's search for the most important things in life.

Congratulations on your achievement at haunting me for months to come. Now I will cry in a corner because Connor just basically made me rethink of my choices in men.

Read and Review #21 - Reviving Izabel (J.A. Redmerski)

Title: Reviving Izabel (In the Company of Killers #2)

Author: J.A. Redmerski

Publication date: 6 December 2013

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Get a copy! Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Determined to live a dark life in the company of the assassin who freed her from bondage, Sarai sets out on her own to settle a score with an evil sadist. Unskilled and untrained in the art of killing, the events that unfold leave her hanging precariously on the edge of death when nothing goes as planned.

Sarai’s reckless choices send her on a path she knows she can never turn back from and so she presents Victor with an ultimatum: help her become more like him and give her a fighting chance, or she’ll do it alone no matter the consequences. Knowing that Sarai cannot become what she wants to be overnight, Victor begins to train her and inevitably their complicated relationship heats up.

As Arthur Hamburg’s right-hand man, Willem Stephens, closes in on his crusade to destroy Sarai, she is left with the crushing realization that she may have bitten off more than she can chew. But Sarai, taking on the new and improved role of Izabel Seyfried, still has a set of deadly skills of her own that will prove to be all she needs to secure her place beside Victor.

But there is one test that Izabel must face that has the potential to destroy everything she is working so hard to achieve. One final test that will not only make her question her decision to want this dangerous life, but will make her question everything she has come to trust about Victor Faust.

My rating:
5 / 5

My review:

The story left off at Victor leaving Sarai under the care of Dina Gregory, the woman who truly cared about her. Sarai continued life in Arizona, with a false story of why she left and an excuse behind the gunshot wound she got from Nicolas. But during the eight months since he left, not a day goes by without her thinking about Victor. About their time together. About her first kill.

And Sarai was not done. With a failed attempt at murdering Hamburg, she was then rescued by Victor. The man who she had been dreaming of. Victor had been monitoring her for all those months and after the events of her failed murder attempt, they were forced to go into hiding. And damn if he didn't take the rescuing part into a whole new level. Even in that very short kiss, I can feel the pent up sexual frustration between them.

The thing that I love about this book is the alternating point of view between Sarai and Victor. And a little flashback from Fredrik but I'll get back to him later. We get to see inside the head of Victor Faust and what he really felt for Sarai. He's fiercely protective of her and I am happy to report that he's not as lustful as most male leads where he thinks of fucking her every single time he sees her. No, Victor cares more about Sarai's safety than sex. It also has to do with the fact that he's an assassin and is always wary of his surrounding.

Now, in this book we get to learn more about Fredrik. His past, his job, his relationship with Victor. Before, he's known as Victor's colleague but in this book, he's Victor's subordinate. As for his job? Let's just say I had to grit my teeth when I read about his style of execution. It's so vivid in my head and I can still imagine it long after I'm done with the book. 

Strange and sadistic as it is, I kinda like Fredrik more after reading this book. And I sure am NOT DONE with him. He has a story and I want to know it!

This book has a lot of pain, like the previous. Everything was written in details such that I can imagine it so clearly in my head. It's as gruesome as it was cruel. I expected that when I started reading this book but I was still not prepared for the amount of violence in certain scenes. Like Sarai's training. Fredrik's execution style. Sarai's test. It will put you at the edge of your seat, or the edge of your bed if you're reading it while lying down. A very good sequel to the first book. Highly recommended for those who love this series.

Read and Review #18 - The Do-Over (M.K. Schiller)

Title: The Do-Over

Author: M.K. Schiller
Publication date: 7 October 2013
Publisher: Loose Id
Get a copy! Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Arrogant womanizer Kyle Manchester hates blind dates; however, when best friend, Brad calls in a favor, insisting Kyle take out his girlfriend’s sister, Kyle reluctantly agrees. Attorney Lanie Carmichael’s appearance is no surprise. She is dowdy, awkward, and dressed in so many layers she resembles a wedding cake, but not in an edible way. Her brazen attitude though, astonishes him, especially when she explains she has no interest in gorgeous Kyle. Lanie Carmichael is in love with Brad, and wants Kyle’s assistance in winning his best friend’s heart.

Kyle gradually accepts, justifying that the mystery of Lanie has sparked his natural, thirsty curiosity. As an ambitious journalist, he also can’t resist the Pulitzer worthy scoop she offers him. However, as Lanie sheds more layers, both emotionally and physically, Kyle begins to examine his life choices, and his true feelings for this enigmatic girl. With Kyle’s support, Lanie begins to unravel the secrets of her past, and the deep pain that has quietly defined her life. As they each learn more about themselves and each other, both question how a relationship built on fraudulent lies between two broken people could ever survive.

My rating:

5 / 5

My review:

My first erotica of the year! And it's fantabulous!

I was expecting tons of kinky sex with mediocre emotional attachment but this book has more emotional attachment than sex scenes. I immediately fell for Kyle despite his arrogance and shallow thinking of women. I mean, he's the typical arrogant, womanizing hero. But Lanie, now she's one of those rare heroines. She didn't fall for Kyle immediately. She didn't even try to act all pretentious around him. Their first encounter spoke nothing but intelligence and I am glad to have read that so early on in the book. No 'He's so fucking hot' and 'His biceps are amazing and his eyes are a beautiful shade of the fucking ocean'. I am so done with those shit. Best of all? No beating around the bush. No sugarcoating anything. 

At first, I didn't understand the way Lanie kept hiding herself under thick layer of clothings and became such a pushover around others except for Kyle. She was a fierce woman who knows what she wants and wouldn't hesitate to ask for it. And she wanted Brad. Brad, her colleague, a nice, charming guy and also, her sister Cassie's boyfriend. And to get Brad, she needed Kyle's help.

Now, having read tons of books like this I already expected what's going to happen and I thought, 'Well here goes the same ol' story again'. And I wasn't wrong. However, I was expecting it to be accompanied by hot sex and all that kinky-ness. 

But each sex scenes were so tender and full of emotion, mainly in Kyle's part. I mean, the man told her that they would be friends with benefits but it seems that he had been too involved earlier than her. Lanie kept her distance although I have an idea when she actually fell for him. Took him a while to coax her out of her shell that was built from self-preservation.

They have similar reasons for acting the way they did and as their secrets were unravelled, I began to understand them more. I like Lanie who was fierce without being annoying or bossy and Kyle, whose faux arrogance hid a sweet, sensitive guy.

You know who I definitely despise though? Cassie and her mother. They were so pretentious and the way they treated Lanie as if she's a disappointment made me want to punch some sense into them. I get the reason why but they were so enmeshed with their past and really, they don't deserve Lanie's love for them. When Lanie had enough of them and decided to cut them loose, I felt like it wasn't satisfying enough. I just wished someone punched Cassie at least. (I do realize that my name is also Casey))

Great read. I can't believe I finished it in one sitting. I always thought that erotica had this bunch of sex scenes in various positions, involving toys and maybe a little BDSM but this is definitely just purely emotional sex. If there are erotica written this way, I wouldn't mind venturing into this genre more.

Read and Review #17 - Just One Night (Lauren Layne)

Title: Just One Night (Sex, Love and Stiletto #3)

Author: Lauren Layne

Publication date: 11 March 2014

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept

Synopsis:

In Lauren Layne’s sizzling Sex, Love & Stiletto series, New York’s hottest “sexpert” has been living a lie—and it’s up to one man to keep her honest…all night long.

Riley McKenna knows sex—good sex, bad sex, kinky sex…Her articles in Stiletto magazine are consistently the publication’s most scandalous—and the most read. But Riley has a secret…all that sexy talk? Not an ounce of it comes from personal experience. Her own bedroom escapades are more limited than even her best friends know. When her editor requests that all columnists write something more personal for Stiletto’s anniversary issue, Riley turns to the one man she’s always been able to count on and calls in the favor of a lifetime.

Sam Compton would do anything for Riley McKenna. Anything except be her experimental sex toy. He refuses her request. At least until she tells him that it’ll either be him or she’ll go to someone else. And that, Sam can’t accept. Reluctantly he agrees to her terms—one night of completely meaningless sex in the name of research. Riley thinks she’s prepared for what awaits her in Sam’s bed. After ten years of writing about sex, actually doing it shouldn’t be that different, right? So wrong. What starts as “one time only” becomes “just one more time.” And then one more. And before they know it, Riley and Sam learn first-hand that when it comes to love, there’s no such thing as just one night.

My rating:

5 out of 5 people want it to be more than just one night

My review:

*ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I love love love Lauren Layne's work! So far she has 4 published books and I have read and reviewed each and every one of them. Not to mention, some of her influences are my absolute favorite authors.

Just One Night is the third book of the Sex, Love & Stiletto series which as of November 2013, became my new favorite contemporary romance series. This series revolves around the lives of three best friends; Julie, Grace and Riley, the princesses of a famous female magazine called Stiletto. Princesses because they write the most read columns in the magazine that focuses on dating, relationship and sex. Or in Mitchell (Julie's fiance's) words "Kiss, Cuddle and Fuck". Technically, he didn't say that first but PICK UP THE FIRST BOOK AND READ IT TO FIND OUT.

Anyways, Riley writes about sex—anything and everything about sex. Her best friends are envious of how brazenly she acts or talks but get this, their little sex kitten of a best friend, is almost a virgin. YES. ALMOST. A. VIRGIN. 

With the 50th anniversary of the magazine coming up, their fabulous editor in chief, Camille decided to do something to celebrate their success over the years. Each writer would write an article that is related to their column and how much of it reflects their lives. In Riley's case, she would write an article basically revealing her sex life to her readers. And based on what she had wrote over the years, she had a colorful sex life. NOT.

So since everything she had written over the years had not been from personal experience, Riley decided that she wanted to experience proper sex to be able to write her article. And who better to experience sex with if not with Sam Compton?

Sam Compton has known Riley McKenna for a decade, and had been admiring her since the day he laid eyes on her in her kitchen. But his attraction towards Riley had to be cut short when he promised her older brother, Liam that he would not make a move on her. That promise lasted a full decade, until Riley approached him with a proposition—to have sex with her.

This is a guy who had been denying his feelings towards his best friend's sister for 10 years. And for her to come to him and propose something that crosses the line between friends is like a test that he didn't want to fail. But Sam was done. Done denying his feelings towards her. Done pretending that he's not attracted to her. And definitely done turning away from her. 

I love best friends turn lovers kind of story. Even more if they don't get along. Riley and Sam definitely don't get along at some point but they are more friends than enemies. And I like it. Their interaction, filled with years of building frustration gets to me and I can't help but get upset with Sam because he refused to act on his feelings. And kudos to Riley for pushing him again and again to pursue his feelings. 

"I thought I was doing the right thing by letting her go, but what I really was doing was pushing her away before she could push me away. But I pushed too hard, and she's gone. It's what I wanted. But that's a lie."

I like Sam for the fact that he's not like the other boyfriends (Mitchell and Jake) where he doesn't live in upper east Manhattan, clocks 80 hours a week and instead opens up his own business and doesn't live a posh life. He also has a distinct more reserved personality than the other guys and that's what attracted me to Sam in the first place.

A note to Miss Layne (if she ever reads this review), during Grace and Jake's engagement dinner it was stated that Julie is Mitchell's wife but in the epilogue, at Grace's wedding, Julie stated her own wedding is about four months away. So unless they're already married but hadn't have a reception (which I highly doubt), I'm guessing it's a small error.

Other than that, I absolutely love this book. And I KNOW there's a fourth one for Emma and Alex because seriously if they don't get their story I would go crazy. 

Read and Review #15 - At Any Price (Brenna Aubrey)

Title: At Any Price (Gaming the System #1)
Author: Brenna Aubrey
Publication date: 9 December 2013
Publisher: Silver Griffon Associates
Get a copy! Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Achievement Unlocked: Geek Virgin 

When Mia Strong, proud geek-girl and popular gaming blogger, auctions off her virginity online, she knows she'll make waves. But what she will not be making is a love connection. Her rules are set in stone: One night. No further contact. It's a desperate step, but it's the only way she can go to medical school and pay her mother's mounting hospital bills. 

Difficulty Level: Millionaire CEO 

Adam Drake, the enigmatic auction winner, is a software prodigy who made his first million at seventeen. Now, in his mid-twenties, he's sexy, driven and--as CEO of his own gaming company--he's used to making the rules. Before Mia knows what's happening, he's found the loophole in the rules of her auction. Every stipulation she's made to protect her heart gets tossed by the wayside. She can't tell if he's playing her...or if he's playing for keeps.

My rating:

5 out of 5 starts gaming after reading this book

My review:

PERFECTION.

I was a little hesitant about reading this book when I first saw it. I mean, auctioning your virginity to a bunch of strangers, especially online is really bizarre and risky. There are perverts out there who would do anything to get a good fuck online and that's the scariest thing about the Internet. But okay, I have to read this to see how it goes. 

And I was blown away! 

I mean, there's Mia, gamer and blogger who spends her days playing games, studying, working as an orderly and blog about her games. She's pretty normal actually (because I do that and I don't know how I stay awake most of the time without coffee). She's auctioning her virginity for a good reason and she actually took it rather seriously, going over the rules and making sure her best friend, Heath (a law student I think) deal with the bidders before approving them. 

And in comes Adam Drake, who at the first meeting looked very arrogant, cold and had a hard exterior. Not to mention extremely good looking. In other words...

He also laid down his own rules, outwitting Mia at every turn. He managed to soften up around her, protecting her even. But because of his past, he would shrink away whenever they get too close and that leads to tons of sexual frustration in this story. 

Did I even mention the amount of sexual frustration that goes on in this story!? 

There are shit tons of them and I found myself yelling 'GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY!' every time they tease each other with kisses and touches. The connection between Mia and Adam is so strong but yet I felt like it's not enough. Even to the end I still feel like there's this huge barrier between them even after all their issues are laid out and no secrets are left (at least I hope so).

I am obsessed with this book. I cannot wait for the next one. Some might read this book and think, aww shit that's a whole lot of teasing and sex! But I like the way it's written. Not too much that it becomes tacky. Also, I was frustrated half of the time because I only get to read Mia's POV and I am dying to know Adam's. Maybe in the next book?

Read and Review #13 - Married for Christmas (Noelle Adams)

Title: Married for Christmas
Author: Noelle Adams
Publication date: 1 December 2013
Publisher: Noelle Adams
Get a copy! Amazon | Barnes & Noble


Synopsis:

After years of dreaming, Jessica is finally getting married, but the marriage isn't exactly what she thought.

Daniel is her best friend, and she's known him all her life, but he's never gotten over losing his wife two years ago. His dream is to become the pastor of the church in their hometown, but the small-town congregation keeps balking over calling an unmarried minister. Since Daniel needs a wife and Jessica wants a husband and family, she proposes an arrangement that benefits both of them.

They can get married. They can build a life together. They can celebrate Christmas as a couple. It's fine that he doesn't love her. And it's fine that she's not exactly suited to be a small-town pastor's wife. And it's fine that she's more attracted to her sexy, brooding husband every day.

Jessica can be practical about this marriage. She knows what she's getting into, after all... 

This book includes fully-developed sex scenes between a husband and wife.

My rating:

5 out of 5 women wants to marry their best friend

My review:

This book made me cry. So hard. It was emotionally painful, I don't know how but I couldn't stop crying until the end. There was just this emotional roller coaster half of the time I just want to bash Daniel in the head. 

Jessica Cameron suggested marriage to her best friend, Daniel when it was discovered that he needed a wife to be accepted as pastor at the church in their hometown. It was a marriage a convenience; Daniel being accepted into the position easily while Jessica gets the married life that she had always wanted. So what if it was a loveless marriage? At least they would have each other.  

The thing about this story is that Jessica and Daniel had known each other since they were little. She never fell in love and he had already lost his first love. His wife Lila, had been friends with Jessica and they all grew up together, although not as close friends.

"I've had a real marriage, and I know I won't be blessed that way again. But you've never been married. You need to wait for the right man—someone you can really love, someone who loves you more than anything."

From the beginning, I can already sense it was going to be one of those relationships. Daniel wouldn't be able to love Jessica fully and Jessica would eventually want more than just a convenient marriage. But Daniel, the extent of his attitude towards Jessica! It made my heart ache but I understand why he's feeling that way.

"You know that what God does is make us whole when we're nothing but broken. But you're not acting like you believe it. And if you don't believe it, then what are we doing here?"

I didn't know how intense this story would affect me. But it did. The whole premise revolves around Jessica and Daniel's life as a married couple and while he is a gamma hero, it was nice to read about this sort of marriage of convenience between a pastor and a computer geek. And it totally change my thinking that pastors don't usually indulge in sexual activities.

It's a good tear-jerker for Christmas (because I love tear-jerkers). There was a little holiday spirit weaved into the story line towards the end. If you like romance between married couples then this is the book for you!