Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel!
Welcome also to Steamy Saturdays. I’ve decided that Saturday is going to be the day that I post a review of one of the steamier books I have read! This week’s selection I read for the Romance Reviews and found it to be delightful!
In the Cards by Cynthia Selwyn
ISBN: 978-1-926930-41-1
Publisher: Breathless Press
Release: 2011
Source: I received a copy of this book from TRR to read and review
Alexandrea Taylor writes historical fiction, not erotica. She can’t even think the word…um…p-e-n-i-s. But she wishes she could. When her editor wants her to write a story about a cowboy and a bordello using a pack of sex-aid cards, she fantasizes about buying her dream home. Except she’s sure she’s too boring in bed to imagine erotic scenarios. She can’t even keep her fiance satisfied—she caught him in their bed with another woman. If it wasn’t for her friend Zach, she doubts she’d feel attractive at all.
Zach O’Connor would do anything for his friend, Alex. She’s the only woman he’s ever met who doesn’t treat him like a piece of meat. And now that they’re sharing a hotel room at a conference, it’s his opportunity to show her what she means to him. When she asks for his help with a sexy role-playing assignment, he knows this is his chance to show Alex she’s not only the woman of his fantasies, but the woman of his heart as well.
With some silk scarves, massage oil and imagination, it’s all in the cards.
What happens when you take a romance author, a cowboy and a little box of foreplay cards? Do you get more than research? This little book blew me out of the water – one of the best romances I’ve read all year!
In the Cards is a short little story about Alexandra Tayor, a romance writer and her best friend, Zach O’Conner. They have been friends since they were 12 and 13 years old respectively and have always loved one another. Alex is short and a bit chubby and perfect in Zach’s eyes, but she’s taken. She been living with Tim (who Zach fondly calls “The Asshole”) for 4 years. Zach has been bidding his time, waiting for Tim to screw up!
Although Zach has always been Alex’s best friend and she sees him for what is inside him, not the dazzlingly gorgeous exterior that has women everywhere drooling as he walks past. Although she has always been in love with Zach, she can’t imagine him ever finding her attractive.
The opening scene in this book grabs the reader’s attention right away. Zach in full cowboy gear complete with spurs and a saddle, walks into a romance writers convention to meet Alex. There is a description of everything coming to a complete halt at the sight of Zach; bags dropping to the ground and women drooling. Zach is completely oblivious to the devastation he has created to swing Alex up into his arms with the comment “Alex! Yo, sweet stuff, how’s it hanging?”
I loved this book! The author does an outstanding job of creating characters that the reader cheers for, and laughs with. Reading the author’s bio at the end of the book a comment caught my attention. “Her goal with each book is to bring a smile to her reader’s faces and love to their hearts, buy writing a sexy story with a touch of magic.”
She certainly has done that with this book! Although it is only 95 pages, it feels like a full length novel. The story moves fast, the sex is inventive and pretty graphic, yet the book has the feel of a romance novel, not simply an erotica. Zach in his jeans, boots and hat give a cowboy feeling to this contemporary romance. Definitely pick up this book and give this author a try! I’m looking forward to anything else this author writes!
Amazon Purchase Link for In the Cards
