Sugarbeat's Books

The Home of the Romance Novel

romantica

Sweet as Sin by Inez Kelley

By

ISBN:  9781426891168

Publisher: Carina Press

Release: Jan 31, 2011

Source: I received an advanced copy of the book to read and review from NetGalley

John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people-and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy-a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands-he’s driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.

Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won’t lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she’s as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?

Sweet as Sin combines a tortured hero, a stubborn heroine, some hot sex and a romance that will bring you to tears!  Sweet as Sin absolutely blew me out of the water!  I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

John Murphy is the buff young man who moves next door to Livvy.  He’s a famous writer of young adult fantasy novels.  Olivia owns a bakery and is determined not to fall for “Mr. Good For Now” anymore.  She’s at the point in her life where she is ready to settle down, get married and have kids.  John is definitely not interested in long term.  That being said, she is drawn to him and he can’t seem to leave her alone.

John is the ultimate in tortured heroes.  We find out that he was abused severely as a child and is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.  The stories he writes started as bedtime stories for his sister, Gina.  Eventually, he decided to put pen to paper and his wonderful characters came to life and entertained thousands of children.  He leads somewhat of a double life, however.  He doesn’t want his friends from his former life working in construction to know he writes YA books so he also writes erotica under his owns name.

This book is complex.  The main characters of John, Livvy, Gina and Pete, Andrea, and Tow are well formed.  The history of the relationships are well outlined and the interactions between them are detailed.  There is a whole host of secondary characters that actually play pivotal roles in the story, they aren’t just background filler to the main story.  The characters of Jondi, Thorn and Vory are the main characters in John’s series of books.  Since his latest book is being written as the story progresses and we are privy to that story as well.

I picked up this book from NetGalley, thinking it would be like Coming Clean, the previous book that I read by Inez Kelley. Coming Clean was an erotica that I read last year and completely enjoyed.  Apparently, I didn’t read the blurb very thoroughly, because although there is sex in this book, it is mainly a powerful romance with strong “good over evil” overtones.  I haven’t been as affected by a book this much in a long time.  I have trouble reviewing books that I feel strongly about.  I’m not certain that my review can do this book justice so I’d suggest that you pick up a copy and read it for yourself!  See if you are as impressed by this author as I am!

Naughty & Nice by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, Megan Hart & Lauren Dane

By

ISBN:  9781426890826
Publisher: Carina Press
Source: NetGalley
Release date : Dec 6, 2010


Holiday Sparks By Shannon Stacey
House-sitting for her parents seemed like a good idea, until the microwave blew up and the lights went out.
Now Chloe Burke thinks upgrading the electrical system of her childhood home while they are away would make the perfect Christmas gift. Fortunately, there’s an electrician in town who can get the job done by the holidays.
Scott Quinn has wanted to get his hands on the Burkes’ wiring for almost as long as he’s wanted to get his hands on their daughter. Chloe didn’t notice Scott back in high school, but she’s noticing him now, and soon they’re indulging in a little festive fun: no strings, no expectations. After all, Chloe plans to get out of this goldfish bowl of a town and back to her real life in Boston by New Year’s.
But Chloe and Scott discover they enjoy each other’s company just as much out of bed. Could their holiday fling turn out to be the real thing?

All She Wants For Christmas By Jaci Burton
Country singer Riley Jensen would never have returned to her small Missouri hometown if her publicist hadn’t come up with the scheme to tape a Christmas special there. So she never would have known that the man who broke her heart at eighteen-causing her to flee to Nashville-was now a widower with a seven-year-old daughter. Riley has ten years of angst-filled hit songs and Grammy awards to prove she doesn’t need Ethan Kent. But suddenly, she can’t help thinking of all she gave up by running away…
Ethan Kent knew Riley had the talent and the drive to make it as a singer. He also knew she wasn’t going anywhere if she stayed in their nowhere town for him. Then one night and one huge mistake sent her running on the road to fame. Which doesn’t mean he ever stopped loving her…
But with so much separating them, can Riley and Ethan find their way back together one magical country Christmas?

Unwrapped By Megan Hart
Newlyweds Leah and Brandon Long are finally taking a honeymoon. But just a few days into their Christmas-in-Vail vacation, Leah takes a tumble on the slopes, severely spraining her ankle. Being stuck indoors isn’t so bad though: the luxurious chalet boasts a hot tub and cozy fireplace. Besides, sitting with her feet up while Brandon serves her in every way a man can serve a woman is exactly how both of them like to spend their time.
Leah would be in heaven, if only Brandon didn’t insist on playing with the dynamic of their relationship. With kinky sex and deep conversation the only things on the agenda, Leah can’t avoid the discussion of how things might change. Will she be ready to take their marriage to the next level in the New Year?

Rori is thrilled when Jude whisks her away to a luxury resort in the mountains. Spending Christmas away, just the two of them, is the perfect time to show him she’s ready to give herself to him completely…
Naughty and Nice is a collection of four short stories put together by Carina Press just in time for Christmas with a release date of Dec 6th.  It is a great collection of two nice tales and two more spicy tales.

Believe By Lauren Dane
Their First Christmas, Bound Together…
All Jude wants for Christmas is Rori, all to himself. It’s their first holiday season as a couple, and staying home, seeing friends and family, means they’ll be surrounded by the memory of Rori’s late husband. It’s time for Jude and Rori to create their own traditions. Time for them to fully explore their most intimate desires to dominate and submit.

The first story, Holiday Sparks, is about Chloe who is home for the first time in years, house-sitting for her parents who are on a cruise.  She becomes aware how run-down her childhood home has become when she blows up the microwave trying to heat up a cup of coffee.  When she calls an electrician for help, Scott Quinn answers the phone.  Scott had a crush on Chloe during high school.  When Chloe decides to hire Scott to re-wire her parent’s house as a Christmas present, they have the opportunity to spend some time in close quarters!

What results is a sweet love story!  I loved how the author brought together two people who, despite a high school history, had much more in common as adults.  I like how they stayed true to their personalities and how those personalities meshed.  The secondary characters – so typical of a small town – interfered in a comical way with their developing relationship.  Just a feel good, Christmas themed gentle love story to warm your heart this Christmas!

The second story, All She Wants for Christmas, is the story of Riley Jensen, a country music star, who comes back to her hometown, to shoot some footage for a biography being done of her.  She ran away many years ago when she caught her best friend in bed with her boyfriend.  Although it was tough after she ran away, she has managed to make a success of herself; she isn’t prepared to run into her old boyfriend, especially since he is now a widower with a little girl.  Ethan Kent made a mistake, which resulted in Riley leaving town and reaching her potential, but he has held her in his heart ever since.

This book is another winner from Jaci Burton!  Ms. Burton essentially uses the innocence of a child to rekindle the relationship between Riley and Ethan.  I thought it was a wonderful way to use a little kid’s uncensored honesty.  I could just imagine my daughter when she was little, reacting just like Zoey does in the story.  What the adults don’t have the nerve to say, Zoey does!

The third story is Unwrapped by Megan Hart and is on the spicy side.  It is the story of Leah and Brandon who are newlyweds, taking the opportunity of time off at Christmas to have a little honeymoon in Vail.  Leah and Brandon have a healthy sex life with similar tastes in the games that they enjoy playing, but Brandon is the athlete of the two.  When Leah injures herself trying to keep up with Brandon on the ski hill she has the opportunity to be pampered by her loving husband.

As this is one of the “Naughty” stories,  the sex is graphic.  The underlying story of a young couple coping with unexpected injury and what is really important at Christmas was wonderfully written and a nice addition to this book!

Believe by Lauren Dane is the last story in this set of 4.  Sadly, it took me several pages to figure out that this is continuation of the story that is started in Second Chances.  In Second Chances, Rori is a girl that is just out of a relationship and moving home to be closer to her sister and family.  Although she dates Jude, he immaturely screws up their relationship and she kicks him to the curb.  She meets and marries Zach and they live happily ever after until an explosion kills him and injures her.  When she comes home after leaving hospital, she’s cared for by Jude.  They live together in her apartment platonically.  This short story tells the story of Rori and Jude reconnecting and getting away for the holidays so that they can be together without interruptions.

With my given bias of absolutely loving Second Chances, I was amazed yet again by the continuation of Rori and Jude’s story!  I discovered in Second Chances that Ms. Dane can write a sensitive love story that drove me to tears with it’s beauty. The sex is graphic, yet absolutely fits in with the story and not gratuitous.   This trend is continued in Believe.  Rori is recovering and going on with her life after the death of her husband and forming a new relationship with Jude that in no way detracts from what she had.  This short story forms a wonderful conclusion to our involvement in  Rori, Zach and Jude’s lives.  Thank you for such a realistic, comforting, yet highly erotic story!

Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone

By

ISBN: 978-0-373-60543-9
Publisher: Spice Books

In Victorian England vice of every kind can be purchased, and Matthew, the Earl of Wallingford, makes certain he avails himself of every possible pleasure. Bored and jaded, he is as well known for his coldness as for his licentious affairs with beautiful women.

While these numerous daliances fulfill Matthew’s every physical need, they secretly leave him numb and emotionally void. Until one night when he finds himself beaten, eyes bandaged and in the care of a nurse with the voice of an angel–and a gentle touch that soothes the darkness in him and makes him yearn for more.

Yet Jane Rankin is a lowly nurse, considered shy and plain by most. There is no place for her amongst the lords and ladies of aristocracy–despite Matthew’s growing craving for the fire that burns behind her earnest facade. And then there is Matthew’s secret. A secret so humiliating and scandalous it could destroy everyone he loves. A sin, he fears, not even the love of a good woman can take away…

Here’s another book that I chose to read because of the partially naked, well-buffed man on the front cover. Amazing how shallow I can be! This lovely picture, however, led me to one of the most heart wrenching books I have read in some time.

Matthew, the Earl of Wallingford, engages in every vice that he can. He is truly a dissolute character! He is being persecuted by his father, a Duke, to marry and start producing heirs. Matthew isn’t interested in getting married, but is interested in opening an art gallery. Since his father is restricting his money, he decides to hold an auction for one of his more erotic paintings to raise the funds. After the auction, he is beaten and robbed and left for dead in a rough part of London. He wakes in hospital tended to by his nurse, Jane.

Jane Rankin works as a companion to an older woman and is working off the cost of her employer’s medical bills by working at night as a nurse in London College Hospital. She is on duty the night that Matthew is brought in and manages to sooth him so that he can be treated. His eyes are bandaged so he can’t see her but he uses his other senses and seems mesmerized by her voice and her touch. Once he is sent back to his father to finish his recovery, he continues to obsess over Jane’s identity; desperate to find her.

I’ll leave the rest of the story for you to enjoy.  I will say, I continue to be surprised how much I enjoyed this book! I tend to be drawn to glittery Ton romances, filled with balls and alpha males! This book absolutely doesn’t fit in this description! I have read other books with “tortured” heros but they weren’t as tortured as Matthew! We find out through the story that Matthew was sexually abused as a young lad. Jane is also a somewhat troubled heroine. Her mother was a mistress to a peer and they were thrown out into the streets when Jane was young and her mother turned to prostitution to survive. Lady Blackwood rescued Jane from the streets and offered her work as a companion. She has served as a mother figure throughout the years and has helped Jane come to terms with many of the issues of her childhood.

I was impressed by how outstanding Charlotte Featherstone’s writing is! She skillfully weaves Matthew’s memories from being abused into thoughts that come out while he is with Jane. She doesn’t really write about the abuse, but Matthew’s thoughts lead us through the stories. Throughout alot of this book, the story isn’t pleasant. Matthew isn’t a likable character! After he did something appalling, I would put down the book and walk away. I was always drawn back to see what would happen next.

Sinful is by no means a “formula” historical romance. It is written bluntly, and by no means is a typical “happy ending” kind of a story. I was continually drawn in by Jane and Matthew’s interactions and developing love for one another. I appreciated (after the fact) that the author didn’t turn this story into a more conventional happily ever after. It is a skillfully written erotic, historical romance and I will seek out more by this author!

RT BookReviews seems to agree with me as they list Sinful as a top pick with 4.5 stars, saying: “Pairing a tortured hero and a strong-minded heroine creates a dynamic conflict and off-the-charts sexual tension. Throw in lots of witty dialogue and a nontraditional happy ending, and you’ve got a keeper.”