Review: Talk Dirty To Me by Tory Richards

Title: Talk Dirty To Me

           Ellora’s Cave QUICKIES Series

Author: Tory Richards

Release Date: May 24, 2010

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Category: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Type: Kindle

Click Here To Buy NOW!

Ms. Richards Website

Book Blurb:

Lilly has been in love with her brother’s best friend Blake for years. She lost her virginity to the oil driller on her eighteenth birthday, only to wake the next morning to find him gone. After he pulled that stunt twice more, she swore never to see or talk to him again. But now he’s back for her brother’s wedding, and he’s as irresistible as she remembers.

Blake thinks Lilly’s even sexier than ever. Unable to resist one another, they don’t make it out of the airport parking lot before taking up where they left off. As the two rediscover their passion for each other, nothing and nowhere is off-limits!

Book Excerpt:

Lilly collapsed against him. God, it was just like old times. And she’d made it so easy for him. Damn it! She wasn’t going to let him break her heart again! But she wasn’t going to dwell over what she couldn’t change either, and besides, she’d thoroughly enjoyed their quickie.

As they straightened their clothes and prepared to leave, he asked, “So, what’s the plan?”

“I take you home with me. You can use Ross’ room until he comes home tomorrow. I hope you like pizza and wine because that’s what I intend to have for dinner.” Hopefully there was an extra bottle of wine stashed in the fridge.

“All I want for now is a shower, a bed, and some more of you.”

Now was a good time to lay down the law. She had let her desire get the best of her once but that had been temporary insanity. She took a deep breath. “Speaking of bed, you’ll be in it alone, Blake. There’ll be no more kissing or touching or anything else between us while you’re here.”

He chuckled. “You weren’t complaining a minute ago.”

She was still flushed from their mutual satisfaction. “I mean it, Blake. You can’t continue to come back into my life every few months or a year, turn it upside down and then just leave again. I didn’t want to pick you up, I didn’t want to see you again, and I have a boyfriend.” She was amazed at how easily the lies slipped from her lips. Almost as easily as her mouth had devoured his cock a moment ago.

“Relax, baby, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.”

Lilly had her doubts. She’d never been able to resist him. Blake had the moves and he’d never been afraid to put them on her before. Even a glance could turn her knees to jelly. And she was weak where he was concerned. He knew that, she was sure.

She focused on the road the rest of the way home, and tried not to imagine a naked, sexy Blake in her shower.

Dialogue Highlight:

Bringing him home with her wasn’t a good idea. But it was too late to drive away

now that Blake had recognized her and was making his way to the car. Before Lilly

knew it he was at the passenger side.

She rolled down the window when he bent to look in. “Hi.” Her voice came out

sounding thin and weak. She again clenched her legs together, trying to stop the tingle

there.

He raised a brow. “This is a nice surprise. I was expecting Ross.”

She couldn’t see his eyes, but Lilly had the feeling that he was looking her over.

“Well, you’re stuck with me,” she said with false sweetness. She was acutely aware of

the extra pounds she’d put on since seeing him last. But that didn’t stop her nipples

from hardening right there before his eyes. He’d always had that effect on her. And it

didn’t help that she was vividly remembering how thoroughly Blake had tongue-

fucked her pussy the last night she saw him. “Ross got stuck in Georgia and called me

at the last minute.” She wasn’t going to apologize for being late.

He opened the back door and tossed his bag on the seat. When he was settled in

front, Lilly pulled away from the curb and merged back into traffic. She was all but

squirming in her seat and couldn’t look at him.

“What, no kiss hello? It’s been a long time, Lilly.”

She ignored his comment about the kiss. She knew if they started, they’d never

make it out of the airport.

“You are even sexier than I remembered. Is the wet tee shirt for my benefit?”

She cringed inwardly. “Thanks for noticing.” Somehow he was sexier too, but she

wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of hearing her say it. “Are you still working in the

North Sea?” As if she didn’t know. She’d secretly followed his career through her

brother.

“Yep.”

She glanced at him in time to see him run his fingers through his short hair. “Aren’t

you getting a little old for playing in the dirt?” she asked. He was the same age as Ross.

It was clear by his magnificent build that his job as an oil driller, in addition to being

dangerous, kept him in tip-top shape.

His chuckle was as sexy as Lilly remembered, and ran across her tingling senses

like a lover’s caress, keeping her nipples hard and her pussy wet. “You look like you’ve

been playing in dirt yourself. Plus you’re as feisty as ever. Someone should have tamed

you a long time ago.”

There was an underlying threat in his tone that turned Lilly warm inside, because

she knew what Blake’s preference was for dealing out his form of punishment.

Sometimes Lilly had been naughty on purpose, just to feel his hard cock… If he kept

this up they wouldn’t make it home. Why did everything he said turn into a sexual

memory? It was a good thing she was sitting down, her panties were dripping. “You

tried that once.” She knew she was baiting him but it was all part of the game.

“Yeah. That was the best night of my life. You were wild.”

Ohmygod…he didn’t go there. Lilly began to squirm as she remembered of his hand

on her naked bottom and what a spanking had led to. The memory made her blood hot,

and she turned breathless, and a little frightened. “Those days are over.” She hoped he

got the message, as weak as it sounded. Her heart was pounding like a drum in her

chest.

Blake threw his head back and laughed loudly. “We’ll have to wait and see what’s

over, Lilly.”

Review:

TALK DIRTY TO ME was a fun read. I love the age-old story of girl meets brother’s best friend and secretly adores him from afar until one magical night … that is kind of where it ended for Blake and Lily. Generally the girl falls hard and goes all swoon-woozy over said guy, but this time Blake was the one in trouble. So he did what every guy does that can’t confront their true feelings … he disappeared … and broke Lily’s heart.  Jack ass! Why can’t guys ever just deal? ARGH! Take a chance for a change! But I will say in Blake’s defense that he had a couple of valid concerns. First, their first time was Lily’s first time. And Lily had just turned 18 so she was pretty young. Blake didn’t want to scare her and didn’t want to tie her down so soon. Then there was the chance that getting away from her would calm his desire for her. *snort* Well, it was a theory.

Long story short, Blake does the disappearing act a few more times over the years and Lily has had enough. Now her brother is getting married and Blake is coming back for the wedding. She plans to avoid him as much as possible, but then her brother drops a bombshell. She has to pick up Blake and keep him with her for a couple of days until the wedding because he is stuck out of town at work. Avoidance plan out the window. Check.

Lily ends up psyching herself out and picking Blake up. She chants mantras like “He’s just a man” and silly things like that to calm her desire that flares the moment his name is mentioned. Care to guess what happens as soon as she sees him? And let’s not forget that Blake secretly adores Lily too. Well, they don’t even make it out of the parking lot of the airport. These two steam up the pages in no time flat.  Despite her inability to tell Blake no, Lily struggles with how to let him go, knowing the realistically he will disappear once again in a few days.

But things are different this time. Something seems … not quite the same. So Lily tests Blake at the rehearsal dinner. Part of her is getting back at him for screwing her brains out a few short hours prior to flirting with the buxom slut next to him at the dinner and the other part stems from a devious side that wonders if Blake really even cares. Game on! Lily’s grab-ass dance partner wastes no time in annoying Blake enough for him to bolt away from the table and snatch her away. And Blake has a devious side of his own in executing Lily’s punishment for baiting him. *waggles brows*

But the conundrum is yet unresolved. Will Blake disappear into the night after the wedding as he always has, or will Lily be able to force him into admitting his true feelings before he vanishes? And if te worst happens, will she be able to survive him leaving her once again?

TALK DIRTY TO ME was a hawt read! I mean, as much as I could never talk dirty myself, hearing such graphic sexual phrases whispered into your ear is beyond stimulating. Blake and Lily have a great connection and quickly draw the reader in to their world of love and loss. They are a believable couple and within pages I wanted them to be together forever. I also enjoyed that Blake and Lily have a history so they don’t have to waste any time becoming acquainted with their preferences. They just get down and dirty in a hurry. For a quick, entertaining read, this book is exactly what you need to pass a couple of hours.

(EBook copy provided by author for review.)

Review: HER HANDS-ON MAN by Tory Richards

Title: Her Hands On Man

           Ellora’s Cave QUICKIES Series

Author: Tory Richards

Release Date: April 19, 2011

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Category: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Type: Kindle

Click Here To Buy NOW!

Ms. Richards Website

Book Blurb:

Ivy and Jake were lovers until Jake’s scheming brother interfered. Three months after they part ways, a theft against Jake’s logging company brings them back together. Ivy’s brother is the culprit and she’s desperate to keep him out of jail. She’s prepared to offer Jake a payment plan—but he has other ideas on how she can pay the debt.Jake’s been missing Ivy, and he figures a weekend of sex, anywhere, anytime and any way, will cure his hunger. Ivy gives in to his demands and before the weekend is over, more than one truth is uncovered, giving them hope for the future.

Book Excerpt:

Ivy felt sick inside. That Jake hated her was apparent, no matter that his gaze moved over her with interest, lingering briefly on her breasts. It was obvious that he still found her attractive, but what was between them was in the past. Although facing him now was bringing it back at an alarming speed. She felt heat envelop her body and knew it probably colored her cheeks. She could barely meet Jake’s quiet gaze.

Can I trust him not to take out his anger with me on my brother? As quick as the thought came to her, Ivy knew the answer. If he took it out on anyone, it would be her. “He’s my only family. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

For the first time Ivy saw emotion flicker in his eyes. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear it was humor.

“Really?” This time when Jake’s gaze moved over Ivy, her nipples hardened into peaks of awareness. She resisted the urge to run her arm over her breasts to ease the tingle.

Damn him! He’d always had the power to make her body betray her in the most obvious way, letting him know she wanted him, no matter where they were. When they’d been together it had usually led to hot and heavy sex. Now it was the worst betrayal. She watched one brow lift arrogantly.

“Is that why you’re dressed the way you are? Were you prepared to pitch that same remark to my father?”

It didn’t take Ivy long to realize what Jake meant. There was nothing wrong with her silk blouse, short skirt and stilettos. This was how she usually dressed for a day of work at McCaffey’s Jewelry Store. But the way his gaze was running over her, he made her feel as if she were dressed like a hooker or something.

She reacted before she could think, raising her hand to respond to his obvious insult. Too late, she saw his sensuous mouth turn up in a smile.

He stopped her hand in midair. “Easy, sweetheart. There’s already one person in your family heading for jail.” His comment took the fire right out of Ivy. She relaxed her arm, although Jake didn’t release his hold. “That’s better. I think we should finish this inside.”

It was obvious he meant his father’s office. Ivy cast a glance at the receptionist, who quickly averted her gaze and pretended to be looking at something on her desktop. Ivy wanted to get the hell out of there. Being alone with Jake wasn’t a good idea. So why am I letting him drag me inside? She’d always been weak where he was concerned. She wasn’t fooled into thinking anything had changed in three months. The man was too damn sexy. And the worn jeans, boots and work shirt only emphasized his rugged appeal.

It was too late to dig in her heels. Before she knew it they were in the office and Jake was closing the door. Her heart skipped a beat when he reached behind him and locked it, never taking his gaze off her. Something in his eyes and the sudden tautness of his body brought back the memory of the last time they’d been together. Big mistake.

The memory of that night opened the floodgates of emotion. Ivy stepped back nervously, gasping when she came up against the desk. She felt her heart beating out of control. A quiver of intense awareness in her belly released damp heat between her legs. The last time Jake had looked at her like he was now, they’d been naked and fucking as if there was no tomorrow. He stepped forward and her eyes widened.

“Why are you so nervous, Ivy?”

She cleared her throat. “I’m not afraid of you, Jake.” He couldn’t hurt her anymore. Could he?

A humorless chuckle passed through his lips. “Have I ever hurt you?”

Not physically. But a few months ago he’d broken her heart. A pain so raw she never wanted to go through it again. Ivy was determined not to rehash the past and decided to get right to the point. She took a calming breath. “I’m here on Wally’s behalf.”

“So talk.”

“He’s young, Jake. We’ve all made mistakes when we were his age. He deserves a second chance. He came to me the moment he realized he’d made a big mistake and asked me to help him make it right.”

“Why isn’t he here pleading his case? He’s a man now. When are you going to start letting him run his own life and grow up?”

“You don’t understand.”

“I understand, remember? The last time he got into trouble I heard it all. Has it changed?”

“He’s sorry he borrowed that money!”

Jake snorted. “Borrowed?” Ivy watched him move around the desk and sit. “I don’t want to hear any more. I’m not interested. All I want to hear now is how you’re going to make it right.” He paused before raising his brow and adding, “Twenty-thousand-dollars right.”

Twenty thousand dollars! Oh god, it was worse than she thought. Wally had led her to believe it was significantly less. She took a deep breath, wishing she had the answer. She’d come here with the intention of offering a six-month payment plan but it would take years to pay back that kind of money.

“There must be something I can do.”

She didn’t like the way Jake leaned back and studied her. When he linked his hands behind his head, she couldn’t take her gaze off his muscular biceps and the width of his chest. Then he brought his booted feet up and crossed them on top of the desk. Ivy’s gaze followed the length of his legs and powerful thighs up to the front of his dusty jeans. There was no disguising the growing bulge behind his zipper.

Fire erupted through her. She’d never stopped loving him or wanting him. And she wanted him now. She’d been addicted to him since the moment they’d met four years ago. I wonder what he’d do if I walked around the desk and unzipped his pants. In the old days she would have had the nerve. “Well?”

His deep voice dragged Ivy back to the present and Wally. Her wayward brother was counting on her one last time. Because she’d made it clear this was it. The next time he screwed up he was on his own. Jake was right. He was a man now.

“Maybe we can work out some kind of a…ah, payment plan?” She chewed on the inside of her lip, realizing how weak and pitiful she sounded.

“I have a better idea, Ivy. Seeing you again has only reminded me of what I’ve been missing. With interest, a payment plan will take years. How about one weekend?”

One weekend? “I don’t understand. You know I can’t come up with that kind of money in one weekend.”

Laughing, Jake slammed his feet to the floor and leaned forward. “Come on, honey, you’re not stupid. But just in case you can’t read between the lines, let me clarify. I want one weekend.”

Her brows furrowed. “One weekend of what?”

There was a long pause. “Of you.”

He can’t be serious! “What?”

“One weekend of you, as many times as I want, wherever I want, in any position I want. One weekend of fucking you will erase the debt Wally owes our company.”

Dialogue Highlight:

Jake was a good cook. The omelet was perfect, soft the way she liked her eggs.

While she was taking her first sip of coffee, a humorous thought struck her.

“This could be dangerous.” Her smiling eyes went to Jake as she sipped at her

coffee carefully.

He grinned in turn, his interested gaze dropping to her breasts. “It’s not the first

time you’ve enjoyed a meal in your birthday suit.” When Ivy set her cup down he took

the nearest breast in his palm. “But it would be a crime to mar this flawless skin with

hot coffee.” He caressed her as he spoke.

Ivy tried to remain in control, but whenever Jake put his hands on her she melted

into a pool of want and desire. “Thank you for dinner, Jake.” She took a shaky breath.

“Did it satisfy you?” He flicked his thumb across her erect nipple, sending a quiver

of awareness down her spine.

She looked into his lazy gaze. Is he still talking about dinner? “Yes.” Why are we having

this ridiculous conversation? In spite of that Ivy found herself asking, “Did it satisfy you?”

Jake’s smile became toothy, wolfish. He swiveled Ivy’s stool and somehow pulled

her closer until they were facing each other. Then both hands were on her breasts,

caressing them with growing urgency, a sign that his arousal was rapidly escalating.

Her breath caught.

“Nothing satisfies me completely but you, Ivy. Touching you, kissing you, being

inside your body.”

Ivy was trembling, her emotions running on high. He might have plans of keeping

her in bed all weekend, but she had another agenda. “Can we talk?”

“Hell, no.” He pulled her from her stool onto his, placing her legs over his thighs on

either side of him. “I’m still hungry.”

She moaned deeply, half in protest and half in pleasure. But it was important that

he listen to her. Her hands came up to Jake’s shoulders with the intention of pushing

him away, only she found herself giving in to the persuasion of his mouth. Jake was a

masterful lover. And he knew all the moves to drive Ivy wild. Denying him had never

been an option. They could talk later.

Review:

I really enjoyed this story. HER HANDS-ON MAN is the classic tale of love gone wrong based on a pigheaded fool who refuses to listen to reason because he is unwilling to confront his true feelings and would rather say screw it all to hell instead. Nice, long, sentence, yes? LOL Unfortunately, the fool Jake, ends up hurting Ivy tremendously. And Ivy has had so much hurt from Jake that she is not sure she can handle another rejection. This unexpected meeting has thrown her for a loop and brought her desire for this stubborn man raging back to the surface. He was the center of her world and vice versa. She knows the truth, but the trick will be in getting Jake to actually hear the truth of what really happened. If not, then she will walk away with a bruised and battered heart.

Ivy’s brother has been working for Jake and his father for a while now. He ended up “borrowing” some rather expensive equipment and then turning it around for a profit to himself. Because of the large amount the equipment is valued at and the fact that, come to find out, this is not the first incident with her brother, she has come to plead her case to Jake’s father and hope for some sort of payment plan. She knows that realistically she will never be able to pay this huge amount off, but hopes for the best. Now all she has to do is avoid an encounter with her former love and get the heck out of dodge.

Yeah, well, obviously that wasn’t going to happen. Jake has this all planned out. And a weekend of Ivy and her delectable body is just what he needs. Bartering Ivy’s time for her brother’s debt seems the reasonable thing to do; especially when the sparks reignite with rapidity and the two can’t even make it out of the office before completing their negotiations without keeping their hands off of each other.

But Ivy has a plan that she intends to carry out too … if she can manage to make it through this weekend without getting her heart shredded to pieces again. Somehow she is going to make Jake listen to her. She has to make him hear the truth of the compromising situation he found her in. And if he pushes her away again, so be it – but at least she gave it her all. And Ivy knows that Jake still loves her just as much as she loves him. The trick is getting him to drop his defenses and admit it.

I enjoyed my time spent with the characters and only wish I had read a full-length novel instead. I found myself curious about Jake and Ivy’s back story. How did they meet? When did their relationship begin? What type of lives did they lead before getting together?

My only issue with the story is that the explanation given for Jake’s brother’s behavior was too short. Yes, it made sense. And worked for the purpose of this novella, but I couldn’t help but feel that there could have been so much more to it than that. There had to have been other incidents that put the brothers at odds. Had to have been scenes played out between Jake’s brother and his father and the separation that occurred so many years ago. Basically, while I really enjoyed the story, I crave more knowledge about the characters.

So I think you can see that overall, this was a terrific story. The intimacy was scorching up the pages. The familiarity between the characters was an added benefit because they didn’t have to waste time getting to know one another’s likes and dislikes. Another fantastic component was how Ivy knew what Jake was communicating without only a look. He is a man of little words and their connection allows her to understand him.  Their love was obvious. And I found myself rooting for Jake to listen. Of course I also wanted to clobber him for believing Ivy would do such a thing in the first place; especially given his brother’s track record. I connected with Jake and Ivy and was drawn in to this novella very easily. I highly recommend giving this story a read. It is a quick, entertaining read with some fantastic sex scenes and characters you like immediately.

(EBook copy provided by author for review.)

Review: Breathless Surrender by Tory Richards

Title: Breathless Surrender

           Ellora’s Cave QUICKIES Series

Author: Tory Richards

Release Date: October 14, 2010

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Category: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Type: Kindle

Click Here To Buy NOW!

Ms. Richards Website

Book Blurb:

Months of running into her sexy new neighbor have taken a toll on Alexis’ libido. There’s interest in his smoky gaze every time they meet, but he seems reluctant to ask her out. They never share more than a slight nod and a polite hello. She’s about to take matters into her own hands when she finds herself thrown into a situation that could end her life.With nothing but erotic fantasies of Alexis to warm his bed at night, Reid knows he has to stay away from her until his undercover assignment is over. But when a cold-blooded initiation to prove he’s trustworthy forces him to involve her, nothing can keep him from claiming her.

Reader Advisory: This book contains a brief scene involving forced seduction.

Book Excerpt:

Special Agent Reid Masters, temporarily going by the name Mike Dunstin, came to a halt in front of Alexis, standing for a moment and just staring at her. She gave no sign that she knew anyone was there. But instinct told him that she did. Reid gave her credit. She had to be terrified, yet she remained quiet. No screaming out or pleading for release, no twisting at the rope binding her wrists in an effort to break the restraint. The only signs of her turmoil were the tear tracks lining her cheeks.

Resisting the urge to look at the two-way mirror again, his gaze dropped down her body slowly, feeding the need uncurling and growing in his belly. He’d never had to perform with an audience before. Could he do it? He reached forward, needing to see more of Alexis. He answered his own question when he pushed her hair back to expose her luscious breasts, swelling over the top of her push-up bra. The shape of her full, sensuous body was hot enough to bring him to full arousal.

She let out a whimper when he touched her face, her body stiffening. It didn’t stop Reid from removing the tape over her mouth, exposing pouty lips that were meant to bring a man to his knees. She parted them immediately and sucked in air. Then her tongue came out to wet them. His gaze roamed slowly over her features, drinking in her flushed beauty. Fuck! The bastards had hurt her. A bruise discolored her cheek. He was careful not to let his expression give him away.

Tony, the brown-nose rat, had to be the reason Alexis was here. They’d gone barhopping a couple nights before. Tony had a big mouth. Reid should have remembered that. While making idle conversation with the man to gain his confidence, the topic had turned to women and Reid had casually mentioned there was a hot babe living next to him that he’d like to get his hands on.

Alexis opened her mouth and Reid knew she was going to speak. He moved his mouth to her ear and made a sound for her to be quiet. “Alexis.” He’d made it his mission to learn who all his neighbors were when he moved into the building, but he’d have wanted to learn the beauty’s name regardless. “Don’t say anything.”

She caught her breath in obvious surprise. Reid sensed it was because she recognized his voice, not because he’d spoken her name. “Mike?” The voice that passed through her trembling lips was soft and frightened. “Why are you doing this?”

“That’s not important right now.” Reid said against her ear. “Do you want to live?” Ever aware they had an audience, he ran his hand along her collarbone and around the back of her neck, burying his fingers into the fall of her hair. Damn! Just like I imagined, thick and silky. He rained kisses along her soft cheek to her mouth. But he only toyed with her lips, teasing them with the barest touch of his. Letting their breaths mingle.

“Yes,” she whispered against his mouth. “I—”

“No talking.” His hand was still buried in the luxurious mane of her hair. He pulled her head back, exposing her throat to his hungry mouth. The light scent of her flesh was intoxicating and he had to fight the urge to devour her.

“Please…” she pleaded softly, trembling wildly. “Let me go. I won’t say anything.”

She didn’t listen very well, but then he couldn’t blame her. And Reid didn’t have time to explain what was going on. He had his orders, and his gut told him to get on with it and get her out of there as soon as possible. He had to wonder whether once he removed the blindfold, she would fight him tooth and nail. Or would survival instincts kick in, allowing her to succumb unwillingly to a situation out of her control? And mine.

“Mike”

He felt her slight resistance when his mouth covered hers but he steeled himself to ignore it. Her lips were soft and the taste of mint caught Reid off guard. His moved his hands over her, from her hair down to her waist, taking hold of her hips and bringing her close to him. He kissed his way to her bellybutton, wrapped his arms around her knees and lifted her to give her arms some relief.

Dialogue Highlight:

The room was bright. Something pulled her gaze toward a huge window. Judging

by the scene outside, she must be somewhere in the mountains. Her next thought was

she had to get out of there. She turned, coming up against a rock-solid body.

”Going somewhere?”

Alexis glanced up into Mike’s eyes, which were dancing with amusement. Anger,

confusion and fear over her situation got the best of her. She started to back away from

him. “Yes, home.”

He advanced on her. “I’m sorry but I can’t let you do that.”

“Why not? Aren’t you done with me? I don’t know what’s going on around here

but—” Alexis bumped into the corner of a table and she skirted around it, not taking

her eyes off Mike. “Why are you doing this?”

He advanced on her slowly. “Believe it or not, I’m keeping you alive.”

“Ha! By kidnapping me? By removing my clothes and…and—” Alexis couldn’t find

the words to describe their hot and heavy sex scene. She couldn’t cry rape when she’d

welcomed and enjoyed every second of it. She averted her eyes when his gaze dropped

down her body, bringing a wet response to her nether regions. “Just who are you?” she

demanded.

“Special Agent Reid Masters, at your service, ma’am. I’m with the FBI.”

Alexis hesitated. Reid?

“Mike Dunstin is my undercover name. I’m sorry you’ve been caught in the middle

of this.”

She wanted to believe him but she didn’t. Not after his obvious involvement in her

abduction. An idea for a chance to escape took shape and she wasn’t going to let it pass.

In spite of her intense attraction to him, self-preservation was stronger. “Prove it.”

When he turned, Alexis didn’t waste any time making her move. She’d already

noticed a door at the end of a short hallway, the glass window in the top half revealing

it led outside and to freedom. Realizing she needed to be quick, she sprinted to the door

and pulled it open. She didn’t let the pouring rain stop her from running outside. And

she was drenched within seconds. Her mistake was in halting to decide which way to

go. There were no other houses around and the road, if you could call it that, was

nothing but mud. They were surrounded by trees.

“Oh no you don’t.” She felt a hand in her hair and she was jerked back against

Mike…Reid…whoever…and inside before she could let out a scream. He slammed the

door and locked it, easily holding her.

Review:

I am in a quandary as to how to write this review. I have yet to encounter a story that had subject matter that would not allow me to enjoy the book … until now. I do not want to bash this story or this author because it all boils down to personal taste. Unfortunately for me, the circumstances surrounding the initial interactions within the story were impossible for me to get past. However, I did finish the book as it was a novella and took little time to read. I wanted to give it a fair chance and see how it ended. So I suppose the best thing for me to do is to explain the story as best I can and then explain why I disliked it.

Reid has been working undercover for some time, posing as Mike who is Alexis’s neighbor. The two have been attracted to each other since the beginning, but Reid has a strict hands-off policy while on the job. Which is not to say that he doesn’t have plans for Alexis after his assignment is over. But Reid is in with a nasty gang and makes a potentially fatal error when he lets slip his desire for his sexy neighbor. Consequently, Alexis is kidnapped.

Here is where my problem enters. Alexis is stripped down to her bra and panties and tied up, left for Reid (Mike) to ravage … with an audience. The rest of the gang is behind the two-way glass, but he knows they are there because this is exactly the type of thing the evil crime lord enjoys. In short, Reid is to “rape” Alexis with an audience and then kill her.

Now I will say that Ms. Richards writes this “forced seduction” as tastefully as possible considering the circumstances. But for me it was impossible to move beyond what was essentially rape … but not rape. Does that make sense?

The story goes on with Alexis stowed away to Reid’s secret home in an effort to save her life. They talk, she stays, he leaves to finish his assignment with the crime lord and his gang, and then he returns to lay it all on the line so-to-speak. In the middle of it all, they engage in a lot of hot sex.

I appreciated that Alexis was in a bit of a dilemma because she wants Reid, but knows she shouldn’t, and is a bit lost as to where to go next based on how their relationship began. That said, she forgives Reid for his part in her forced seduction almost immediately. That seemed a bit off. But so did her being kidnapped and succumbing to her desire for this man. I guess the problem for me is that even when indulging in the fantasy of these novels, I also pay attention to reality and realistically, Alexis would most likely not have reacted in any of the ways that she did. Reid as a character was likeable but also somewhat contradictory. He has always been in lust with Alexis, goes the extra mile to save her, but then is annoyed when she balks at his initial explanations and command to stay put. Um … HELLO! Woman being told what to do after being kidnapped and then whisked away by hot neighbor who is not who he said he was? Do I need to explain further?

However, if forced seduction does not bother you, and like I said, it all boils down to personal preference, then you will probably find this novella enjoyable. In all fairness, please do not judge the author by this review alone. I debated not writing this review because I do not want to dissuade anyone from experiencing a new author or this story if it is of interest. But I have always prided myself on writing honest reviews so I went ahead and wrote it. I will let you all in on a little secret though. I have since read two other novellas from this author and rated them higher. If anything, this review would be a lesson to myself ~ and hopefully to everyone who listens ~ do not judge an author by one story alone. If I had, I would have missed out on the next two stories I reviewed and liked very much.

Thanks for listening to me everyone ~ if you would like, let’s make this review a discussion. How would you handle a review like this one? Would you give the author another chance? Would you have even finished the book? Tell me what you think!

(EBook copy provided by author for review.)

Interview with author Suzanne Rock

Ellora’s Cave Feature Month

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Reader’s Edyn

Interview with author Suzanne Rock

What’s up peeps? I am on a roll and we are continuing the Ellora’s Cave Feature Month again today! Yay!My normal reminder:  The author may have been previously published with EC or is currently published with EC. Either way you will be learning an awful lot about the Ellora’s Cave authors this month. I hope you will continue to join us for this exciting adventure! You are sure to find it very entertaining! So let’s get on with it!
My next EC author is  Suzanne Rock. Here is her bio from the EC website.

**BIO**

After over a decade in the scientific world, Suzanne needed a creative outlet. She tried scrapbooking, cooking, crocheting, painting and piano, none of which held her interest for very long. Then one of her friends suggested writing. Thrilled with the idea of creating her own worlds, she opened up her laptop and never looked back.

When Suzanne’s not writing, she can be found playing with her two daughters, testing her husband’s latest kitchen creations, or curled up with her favorite romance novel in her central Massachusetts home.

Please help me welcome:

**SUZANNE  ROCK**

**INTERVIEW**

How has your life changed since becoming published?

I spend a lot more time in front of the computer and drink a lot of coffee, lol.

LOL. I do that daily! Lord help me if I was a writer too! What is your typical day like?

I’m a stay at home mom. During the school year, I drop my oldest kid off at school and then do activities or run errands with the youngest kid. We come home for lunch and I spend a few hours writing. Then it’s off to pick up the oldest kid and take both children to all of their activities. Then my husband gets home. We have dinner and spend time as a family. After they go to bed I write for about three hours.

The glamorous life of an author, yes? Tell us a little about your current release UNHOLY CRAVINGS.

UNHOLY CRAVINGS is Book #2 in the Immortal Hungers Series. (Book #1 is UNHOLY PURSUITS). In this series, the portal between earth and hell are guarded by an ancient, mystical race, called the Iatros. These fairy-like creatures protect humans from the creatures of the underworld by preventing their passage to Earth. For years they have worked in secret, until a demon lord finds a way to neutralize their powers and strengthen his own. He uses this new-found magic to form a relic called the demon stone and uses it to gain access to Earth.

The Iatros are unable to fight the strengthening demons on their own, and in desperation recruit the paranormal investigation unit of the FBI to help. This unit, lead by the sexy and egotistical Darien Lange, belittle the Iatros‘ powers and believe that they can defeat the demons on their own.

In the first story, UNHOLY PURSUITS, Darien charms one of the guardians of the portal, a young Iatros named Arianne, and gains access into hell. There things don’t go as planned and the team is captured. After months of captivity some of them escape, but the demon taint is on their soul, and as a result they have an increasing need for sex and violence. Only becoming an Iatros spirit mate can stop their slow transformation into creatures of the underworld, but doing so would admit that they need help, and then they would become bound to one of the mystical creatures forever. How the team manages to escape hell, remove the taint, and combat the demons is the basis for this series.

You can read more about this series here: http://suzannerock.com/?page_id=858

Sounds like an interesting world! Any upcoming projects you would like to tell us about?

Right now I’m working on Books #4-6 of my contemporary erotic series, Ecstasy Spa. For more information on this series, go here: http://suzannerock.com/?page_id=1208

In the fall I hope to write book #3 in the Immortal Hungers series. This will involve the third Iatros woman who was guarding the portal in book #1 when the FBI team went into hell.

Good to know! How do you keep in contact with your readers?

Website (where you can sign up for my newsletter in the right side bar):

Romance on a Budget Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

What is your favorite thing about this book?

The world building. It’s rather involved, like a good paranormal romance should be, and I love it!

I bet. You have to love such a thing to create a world like you have described. What’s next for the Immortal Hungers Series?

The next book will involve the third Iatros female who was guarding the portal in book #1.

The next three books in the series will involve a mercenary (Samir), another FBI agent (Sparrow) and the redemption of a prominent demon (I’m not sure which one yet. J )

Always glad to hear about planned books in a series. Any special quirks or habits when writing?

I’m a coffee addict. The stronger the better. I usually make a pot of French press in the morning and work on it throughout the day.

No judgment here! *wink* How do you celebrate when you finish a novel?

I send it to an editor and then spend some quality family time. Normally when I’m writing, my family becomes rather neglected. :/

Hey ~ as long as you make up for the neglect, right? LOL Was there something in particular that gave you the idea for this book (series)?

I’ve always been a huge fan of the tortured hero. One of my favorite stories of all time is Beauty and the Beast. In it, the heroine helps the hero overcome his stumbling block and become a better person. This series is deeply rooted in that story.

Iatros are a cross between elves in Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, and clerics and Dungeons and Dragons.

Tortured heroes rock! Any advice you’d like to share for aspiring writers?

This is a marathon, not a race. Take time to learn about the craft of writing and the industry. Know your options (authors have many now). Think about what you want to achieve with your writing before you begin this journey. Write goals and a business plan. Then stick to it. Don’t let others’ negativity derail you. Likewise, don’t let others’ successes get you down. We all have the same goal, but we reach that goal at different rates.

Finally, take courses from authors who have been in the business a while to learn as much as you can. I have two writing courses that I offer online, one about craft and another about the industry. They can be found here: http://suzannerock.com/?page_id=64

Great advice! What is one thing you know now that you wish you had known when you first started writing?

Can I name two? Absolutely!

1) The urge to be published is overwhelming at times. Be willing to walk away from a contract if you feel it’s a bad deal. Sometimes it’s better to not be published than to be stuck in a contract that hurts your career.

2) The urge to produce more, faster is overwhelming at times. When you feel overwhelmed take a step back and look at the big picture. Good books take time to write. Rushing only leads to mistakes which can frustrate readers. It also leads to writer burnout.

And again with the great advice! Alcoholic or Non-alcoholic?

Alcoholic – definitely!

What is your favorite drink?

Coffee of course!

Of course! What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving.

Favorite place you have ever visited?

Paris, France.

Boxers or briefs?

Commando. Less to take off. J

Word. M&M’s or Skittles?

M&M’s

E-reader or Paperback?

E-reader!!!

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert

I want to thank Ms. Rock for appearing today and for taking the time to answer my questions. Ms. Rock has several books out with a few different publishing companies. If you visit her blog at the link included in the interview, you can check them all out. But for today, I would like to share a few of her Ellora’s Cave titles with you.

**UNHOLY  PURSUITS**

Book 1 in the Immortal Hunger Series

**BLURB**

Darien let his guard down once, and Arianne stole the demon stone from under his nose. Now he has to get it back, no matter what the cost. It doesn’t matter that the feisty redhead calms the voices in his head, or that her body tempts him beyond reason. Only the stone will ensure his survival. He decides to appeal to her feminine side and use gentle seduction to get it back. As he begins, something inside him changes, and the voices in his head compel him to use pain to heighten desire.

As Darien’s touch turns dark, Arianne’s lust escalates, and a connection forms between them. Yet despite her need, she can’t let the sexy FBI agent have what he wants. If placed in the wrong hands, the stone would release an unholy force intent on destroying everything she loves—including him.

**UNHOLY CRAVINGS**

Book 2 in the Immortal Hunger Series

**BLURB**

When Soren and Donar escape their hellish prison, their memories are erased and an evil taint threatens to consume all the goodness inside them. They both find solace in the same woman, a healer who has lost faith in her powers, and the respect of her people. As the men spend time with her, their personalities change, and each takes on certain characteristics of the monsters inside of them. They try to resist but when the healer’s life is threatened, their darkness entwines with their human side, transforming them both into sexually charged beings who crave much more than a healer’s soothing touch.

Tara knows that she should be wary of the darkness inside Donar and Soren, but she is fascinated. She craves their erotic interludes, only feeling complete when surrounded by both men and monsters. She wants to help them both control their inner darkness but can only offer peace to one, dooming the other for a life of torment. Which should she choose to save? With each erotic encounter, it becomes more and more difficult for Tara to decide…

**EXCERPT**

(adult content)

(Note: Deahmans in this world are demons)

“I have to call a cab,” Tara called over her shoulder at the men. A cab could take them far away from the city and give her time to think.

“No.”

That voice… It rumbled like thunder. The command caused her skin to heat and desire to spark in her lower abdomen.

Tara turned around. “What do you mean?” The alley was still the hazy gray of early morning and both men’s faces were cast in shadow of the awning.

“We need to be fed first,” Donar said from the shadows.

“Feed? What are you talking about?”

“What we had in the hotel room was only a taste,” Soren said.

“We crave and need to be fulfilled,” Donar added. Their voices sounded like sandpaper had rubbed over their vocal chords. She knew the signs. The deahmans were in control once more. It was probably from all of the fighting. Deahmans loved violence almost as much as they loved lust. They needed a healthy dose of both to remain alive. While sex often made them relaxed and amiable, violence made them more alert, stronger.

Tara took a hesitant step forward. “Are you two okay?”

Silence. Where did they go? Tara took another step forward, then another. Soon she was in the middle of the alley. It was early dawn, and the light from the streetlamp didn’t reach here. She could see most of the alley quite well, but there were many places for people to hide. They could be behind the dumpster, next to the crates or under the large awning on the side of the abandoned restaurant. There were so many shadows.

Why were the men hiding? She wished that she could see them and determine for herself that they were all right.

Then the air shifted and Tara felt a chill against her skin. The men came out of nowhere and surrounded her. She could smell their scents, feel the heat from their bodies. They stared at her with those crimson eyes, their faces etched with creases. It was almost as if they were concentrating hard on something.

“What are you doing?”

They circled her like predators stalking prey. “Our deahmans have not been appeased in a long time and they crave something sweet,” Donar said.

“Something delectable,” Soren said.

“We want to finish what we started, Tara.” Donar’s gaze flicked down to her mouth.

“Yes,” Soren inched closer, forcing her to step farther back in to the alley.

“What the—” Tara backed into the wall of the abandoned restaurant. A quick glance confirmed that anyone passing by on the street wouldn’t be able to see her. The awning above her hung too low and the stack of crates blocked her body from view.

“What are you doing?”

“Preparing to feed,” Soren said.

“Are you crazy? This restaurant is abandoned. There’s no food here.”

“We don’t need food.” Soren dragged his gaze over her body and moistened his lips.

“But you said—”

“Food will not satisfy our hunger,” Donar said.

“Only you,” Soren added.

Tara pressed her back against the wall of the restaurant. She was scared, but also a little aroused. The men’s faces weren’t angry, nor did they seem intent on causing her harm.

“We can’t stay here,” she said.

“We killed three deahmans,” Soren said.

“But who knows how many more are after us?”

Donar leaned forward until his lips hovered above her own. “Don’t worry Tara. We won’t let another deahman touch you.”

Soren eased in closer from the other side. “We want to have you all to ourselves.”

Heat slid around her body as Tara looked from one man to the other. These two weren’t Donar and Soren, these were their deahmans. As deahmans, they were unpredictable. Tara thrived on spontaneity and adventure, and what these two offered her was tempting. She had her mission, however. She had to bring these two safely to Darien so that they could extract information.

Safe. It would be tough to keep them safe if their deahmans were in control. Maybe it was best to allow them some time to regain control of their darkness before they moved on. Besides, everyone was busy at the hotel. Surely a minute or two wouldn’t matter…

“Who are you?” she asked. If she could learn more about the twins’ deahmans, then perhaps she could figure out a way for them to gain permanent control over them.

Donar leaned back and smiled, drawing her attention to his blood-red lips. “We are your greatest pleasure.”

“And your worst nightmare.” Soren’s eyes brightened as he bent over her neck.

Buy Link

Clicking on the above link will direct you to Ms. Rock’s website

So what do you think? If you liked those blurbs, or you want to know more about Ms. Rock, please visit her website. And if you are interested in the books, support these awesome authors and buy their books. You can find out more about the mentioned Ellora’s Cave titles by clicking here: Suzanne Rock

I hope you all enjoyed getting to know a bit about Ms. Rock and her EC titles. Please feel free to leave a comment or question for Ms. Rock in the comment section below. We love hearing what you think and finding out what you want to know!

Until next time …

HAPPY READING!!!