Christmas at North Bend by Wendi Zwaduk

January 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*Christmas at North Bend by Wendi Zwaduk
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Are second chances possible? They can be in North Bend.

Alex West left North Bend behind and became the famous author RR Taylor. He’s happy with his jet-setting lifestyle, until a book signing brings him to North Bend. Surrounded by the beauty of the small town and the closeness of the community, he starts to rethink his reasons for leaving. Seeing his high-school flame, Molly Adams, brings all the old feelings back into focus. He wants to make her Christmas bright and win her heart, too.

Can he convince her to believe in the magic of Christmas and their second chance, or is the blossoming romance destined to melt with the holiday snow?

Spending Christmas in the small town of North Bend and falling in love sounds magical. I enjoyed reading this heartwarming, slow burn Christmas story. It takes place in the small town of North Bend and it gives Alex and Molly a second chance at love. I found it easy to connect to Alex and Molly and I also enjoyed all the secondary characters included in this story. Alex and Molly are vulnerable and afraid of being hurt but with Christmas in the air, and with their friends and families help, they just might decide to take a chance on love.

After becoming a successful author Alex returns to his hometown of North Bend for a visit during Christmas. Alex hopes he can reconnect with his former high school girlfriend Molly and make amends for his past mistakes. When he visits North Bend Alex realizes that although he has achieved his dreams of becoming a successful writer, he isn’t fulfilled. Alex knows he has been selfish and didn’t treat Molly fairly. I admired Alex for being able to admit he made some mistakes and would like a second chance.

Molly has a big heart and is full of kindness. She is so busy helping everyone she has little time for herself. She is afraid to trust Alex because he broke her heart once and she doesn’t want it to happen again. I liked Molly, she is a good person and deserves to be happy.

Alex and Molly are perfect for each other and I could feel the chemistry they shared with each of their encounters. North Bend is full of Christmas spirit and the perfect place to spend Christmas. Reading this engaging story filled me with optimism and left me with a good feeling.

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Semper Fitz by Aurora Russell

January 6, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Semper Fitz by Aurora Russell
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

He’s always strong, always faithful…but will he be always hers?

Pregnant, alone and temporarily staying at her family’s cabin in northern Minnesota, Clara Olafson is determined to overcome the hurt of her recent past and build a good life for herself and her child. The last thing she expects to find on her morning walk through the state forest nearby is an unconscious and injured former Marine.

Colin ‘Fitz’ Fitzhugh might have initially joined the Corps to prove that he was more than just a wealthy playboy, but he grew to love the brotherhood and purpose he found there—until his last mission in Afghanistan cost the life of one of his men and left him badly scarred in body and mind. Hoping to shed some of his pain and guilt alone in the wilderness, instead he finds a feisty, pregnant angel.

Sparks fly as sassy Clara nurses the gruff and mysterious Fitz back to health, but the happiness and peace they both begin to find in the little cabin is shattered when Clara faces a health emergency. When Fitz reluctantly chooses to return to the wealth and privilege of his family in order to save her and the baby, he plunges them all into a glittering society that Clara doesn’t know if she likes. But Fitz might just prove to her that, whether he’s being a billionaire philanthropist or a sudden stand-in dad, he’s always hers.

Pregnancy can make you do weird stuff!

At least, that’s how it is for Clara. The weirdest being when she finds a hulking man unconscious in the forest and takes him home with her. Fitz has gone to the forest to find himself but, instead, finds something so much more.

This is the first book in a new series set (I think) in Minnesota. It moves along at a fair pace with some steamy scenes. You do have to suspend reality though, which is something I find a tad difficult with contemporary stories. For one thing, she recovers from a caesarian section very quickly and, just as quickly, moves onto having sex multiple times in one night. Maybe some do move on that quickly, but no one I know has. And let’s not forget all the ‘accidents’ she had that no one, not even her marine, questioned. A doctor, her brother, not questioning the exact same BP reading for a week? The exact same?!

Barring these small points though, this was a sweet read with some angst and steamy moments. If you like Contemporary Romance, then give this one a go!

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Wolf in the Woods by N.J. Walters

January 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wolf in the Woods by N.J. Walters
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

Not wanting to be forced to mate to an eligible male in her pack who won’t take no for an answer, Addie Fuller is on the run.

Billy Gallagher might be human, but he understands werewolf culture all too well after being raised in the Salvation Pack.

When their paths cross, he helps her, even knowing it will likely mean his death. He’s no match for a full-blooded male wolf. A short, brutal fight leaves him near death and Addie fighting to save his life.

He recovers, but he’s not the same man he was. The one thing he does know for sure—he and Addie are meant to be together. All he has to do is convince her of that and deal with the threat looming over them.

Forced mating? No, thank you!

Addie goes out for a run with her packmates when she realizes things aren’t quite as they seem. What should have been a ‘fun run’ turns into a fight with a human who wants to protect her.

This is the first book in the Salvation Pack: The Next Generation, a spin-off from Salvation Pack. I haven’t read any of those but didn’t find it necessary to get the enjoyment from this one. Billy, although human to begin with, is the stronger of the two main characters, owing to his upbringing as part of a healthy Pack. Although a wolf, Addie is the one with the internal monologue as she worries about everything. The rest of the characters were written in the way you would expect from their designation as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. I would like to know more about Ryan, the alpha of Addie’s Pack, as he didn’t seem a bad sort, just not interested in any dealings with Salvation.

This was a smooth, well-paced story that didn’t hold any surprises but was a thoroughly enjoyable read that kept my interest from beginning to end. There is some steam, but it is all part of the story and doesn’t take the front seat in every situation.

A great paranormal read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

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Nowhere To Run by Andrew Grey

January 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Nowhere To Run by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Roy Unger is greenhorn running from his past. He’s gotten a ranch job and works hard to prove himself every day. Since leaving home in a hurry, he’s come to realize that this job is the only thing standing between him and starvation. He isn’t going to mess it up, no matter how much Brad might drive him to distraction.

Brad has been around the block more than once. He’s a cowboy through and through, complete with a failed rodeo career and a love life that could only be described as hopeless. He’s worked hard and kept his head down. Roy makes him want more, but Brad has come to realize that what he wants isn’t what he gets.

Brad knows what desperation feels like and how important it is to fit in. When he decides to help Roy get over his fear of horses, the two men spend more time together, leading Roy to share confidences about his troubled past. Listening builds trust, which shifts into so much more. But before they can have any sort of future, they need to deal with Roy’s past, which could ruin everything.

I found this to be a wonderful slow-paced cowboy romance. While the world and ranch have been set up in the two previous books in this series this actual story and the two heroes totally stand alone and so I strongly feel this story can be picked up and read by itself. I really enjoyed how both Brad and Roy’s characters were multi-faceted. This helped me feel like they were more realistic. I thought the author did an awesome job making both Brad and Roy feel fresh, relatable but also new to me and I loved this.

I’m not keen to delve too deeply into Roy’s past and his troubles, as I found they were different enough it was quite a pleasant surprise when I worked them out while reading the book and I’d hate to spoil that for other readers. Mostly I feel I want to commend the author for making what could have been very tried-and-true, almost trope-like problems turn very slightly and actually end up being something quite different and fresh. I also really appreciated the patience and understanding Brad had for these problems. Instead of just pushing Roy or guilting him into “fixing” everything, Brad slowly coaxed Roy into explaining everything in greater detail and then Brad supported Roy and helped him help himself. I found that really lovely and a good way for the men to become friends and slowly grow something deeper between them.

Readers looking for something intensely erotic or really fast-paced probably won’t find this romance suits their needs, but I personally felt the slower pace really matched both the character’s needs and the situation they were in. A hot and torrid affair wouldn’t have had either man end up happy and so I loved watching them really build something special between them. I’m also curious as to whether one of the other strong secondary characters (Jessup) might end up being the main character in one of the upcoming stories as he certainly seemed to be interesting and complicated enough that I feel perhaps the author was gently foreshadowing something with that brief snippet of storyline.

With a lovely pace, multi-layered and complicated characters and a lovely slow burn to the romance this was a great story and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m eagerly waiting in hope for future installments.

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Bound by Fear by Jayce Carter

January 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Bound by Fear by Jayce Carter
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

One night of submission to prove she doesn’t crave it, and three sexy Dominants eager to call her bluff.

Sunny has come a long way in the years since escaping the abusive Dom who made her life hell. Still, when Sunny can’t shake a frighteningly strong need inside her, she decides one night at a local BDSM club, Sanctuary, will prove she doesn’t want that in her life anymore.

Instead, she meets three masked men there who give her pleasure she couldn’t have imagined and twist everything she thought she knew about BDSM. Rather than the proof she thought she’d get, that the lifestyle wasn’t for her, Sunny is further drawn to what had nearly destroyed her before.

When fears that her ex-Dom could be after her again occur, Sunny and the men are forced to confront the dangers of her past and the scars it left behind. Can Sunny risk everything for the men she’s fallen for, or will she let her fears rob them all of a future?

What do you do when your big idea of realizing you don’t like something backfires, and you realise it’s exactly what you need?

Sunny has come a long way in five years, but not enough to completely be free of her past. So, she decides to confront it head-on. Only she finds three people who treat her in a way she’s never experienced. Although she is unnerved, she finds she likes it.

I thought this was really well-written, with plenty of steamy scenes. Each of the male characters is well-defined and stands alone. They don’t all mingle together in your mind until you can’t remember which one is which. As for Sunny, she is a beguiling mix of strong and confident, and quiet and unsure. I loved how she came out of her shell and the guys were there for her whenever she would accept their attentions and/or help.

Spike though! Ah, man. He was gorgeous! (And yes, he deserves a paragraph of his own!)

The story moved at a steady pace, giving it time to develop without being rushed. I can’t say the confrontation was a surprise, but it needed to happen the way it did, and I was absolutely satisfied with the consequences.

Another winner by this author that is definitely recommended by me.

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First Bloom by Sean Michael

January 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


First Bloom by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Joey works as a janitor at Dick and Rock’s gym. He’s been there since his parents kicked him out for being gay. He’s happy at his job and loyal to the men who were there for him when he needed them most.

Erik is a master’s student and competitive swimmer who started going to the gym after a hand-gliding accident. He’s trying to recover and get his mojo back.

Joey’s been mooning over the handsome Erik for months now, but hasn’t had the guts to walk up to him. With Dick’s encouragement, he finally approaches his crush. When it turns out that Erik has been watching him too, Joey can hardly believe it.

Join Joey and Erik as they discover what they can be together.

Joey works hard at his job in the gym, grateful for the chance the owners have given him after he found himself on the street when his parents kicked him out. He’s had his eye on Erik – a handsome member clearly recovering from injury – but it’s not until Joey is urged by one of the owners to talk to Erik that he screws up the courage. The two men instantly connect and find they both dearly enjoy their first bloom of romance together.

I really enjoyed this fun and sweet romance story. While there’s plenty of steamy sex in it, there is also that sweetness of a first serious romance, the innocence and fun and happiness that is just a joy to experience and read about. I really enjoyed that both Erik and Joey were both on the same page together and they clearly grew deeply attached and in love with each other at a similar pace and with equal depth. It was joyous to my mind to read and so sweet and happy I feel you can’t help but enjoy each moment.

With some lovely secondary characters in both Erik’s adopted family and Joey’s family-of-choice (who also happen to be old friends for many long-term readers) this quick read was a delight and I strongly believe should appeal to a wide range of people who just want a happy and lovely story to help lift their spirits. I really enjoyed this story.

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Daddy’s Little Sweetheart by Lila Fox

January 3, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Daddy’s Little Sweetheart by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Kyla has been on her own pretty much her whole life. When a handsome and intriguing man takes an interest in her, she gets her hopes up. But she’s mistaken when he looks right through her, acting as though he detests the sight of her. Since no one seems to care if she’s around, she decides it’s time to find her own life. Why not? Nothing’s holding her back.

Duncan’s first glance at the beautiful petite woman is enough to get his heart racing and his desire to soar—until he overhears her with her friends. He’s done with women who are out for money, and he doesn’t need another gold digger, no matter how sweet she is.

When he realizes his error, it’s too late. She’s already left and isn’t planning on coming back. Is it too late for them to find happiness together, or will he forever regret his mistake?

Kyla is immediately attracted to Duncan when they are introduced by mutual friends. For years now she’s wanted a daddy – someone she could love but who would also take care of her. Duncan had also been attracted to Kyla from the moment he set eyes on her, but overhearing her talking to the other girls Duncan jumped to the conclusion Kyla was only interested in a wealthy daddy had him backing out without even speaking to her. By the time Duncan realizes his mistake it’s too late and Kyla had already been hurt and moved on. Can they reconnect and make things work?

This is a sweet and short read. I was annoyed by the fact Duncan only eavesdropped on a few sentences and somehow managed not to overhear more of the conversation. Kyla explained her comments that so outraged Duncan in her following sentence, which made it rather implausible to me that Duncan couldn’t have heard that she continues speaking and didn’t bother to listen. Since this miscommunication was the crux of the conflict aspect to the story, I realize it was a plot device the author needed to set up the story – but it was probably my least favourite aspect to the story as a whole and had I not been committed to performing a review, I might possibly have stopped reading right there and then.

I was really pleased that quite a bit of the story is Duncan earning Kyla’s trust and patching up the hurt he caused her in the beginning. I would have found it completely unrealistic had they jumped immediately into bed or been intimate as soon as Duncan found her. Watching them interact together and learn about each other and share their thoughts helped me feel more comfortable with their blossoming relationship and made the entire romance seem a lot more realistic and believable.

While Kyla and Duncan are into the kink of Daddies and littles, I thought that this story wasn’t as heavily into it as some of the others I’ve read in this series. I found the lighter touch enjoyable as it left room for other relationship issues – like the miscommunication and trust issues – to be shown more rather than just the fleshing out of another Daddy/little dynamic. Readers who want a story heavily invested into this plotline might not find this story one of their favourites, but there are another steamy and interesting elements I feel most erotic readers should find this a good read.

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His Mistress by Arabella Sheen

December 17, 2021 By Leave a Comment


His Mistress by Arabella Sheen
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Review by: Fern

Anna is horny, and when her best friend suggests they paint the town red, Anna goes along with the idea. Her seven-year-old son is away at a sleepover, and it could be her only chance to get laid.

Anna isn’t after a serious relationship or a romantic involvement with a guy. All she wants is a one-night stand and plenty of sex, and Dan Holland, a handsome stranger she meets at a bar, might be the solution to her problem.

Can Dan fulfill Anna’s physical needs or will he invade her emotional safe space and become entangled in her life?

Anna has one precious night in which to indulge in her very grown up fanasties and enjoy a quick fling. One night, no strings and definitely no morning breakfasts. Dan didn’t usually bring women home with him, he knew himself well enough to know he wasn’t the long-term commitment type. But something about Anna struck him and they each decided to take a chance on the other. Will their policy of strictly one night hold or could more flourish between them?

I found this to be a refreshingly modern and interesting short story. I really enjoyed how both Anna and Dan appeared to be fairly regular, relatable characters. Anna a single mother and Dan committed to his job. Yet each of them yearns for something a little more and when they seem to find it with each other I enjoyed watching them each carefully and gently stretching the other’s boundaries. While a small suspension of disbelief is needed in relation to the plot – what are the chances that Dan is the new headmaster at Anna’s son’s school? – everything else in the story felt realistic to me and clicked into place really well.

Readers who enjoy a slower bloom to their romance but still plenty of spice in the bedroom should find this short story really suits their tastes. I enjoyed how Dan and Anna connected so well right off the bat and had a lot of chemistry, but also how they each were prepared to be open to a little bit more when their world collided once again. With a slightly different – but certainly Happy For Now – style of ending I found this to be a quick and sexy story.

Fun and sexy this is an enjoyable short story that I really liked. I’ll definitely be open to reading more by this author.

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The Conjure Supper by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

December 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Conjure Supper by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A dozen years ago, three teenage cousins held a conjure supper on Halloween to summon the men they would someday marry. The supper didn’t quite go as planned and the results were not what they expected. Although they seldom spoke about it again, Annie Hatfield, now a professional photographer, is haunted by the supper. The man who joined her at the table haunts her in sexy dreams. When he shows up in the flesh, she’s not sure if he’s man or ghost or demon. Will falling in love be dangerous or delightful … and can it last?

Annie, Catie and Macy were cousins and on their sixteenth Halloween they decided together to hold a Conjure supper – an old story their Granny had told them about a ritual to help them learn who the man they would marry was. Will they listen to Granny’s caution of danger or will their youthful desires push them further than they expected to go?

I found this to be a really unique and slightly spooky romantic story. With a faint hint of paranormal and a healthy dose of teenage curiosity I thought this was a really fun read. I thought this tale was short enough to be read in one sitting and readers looking for an intense or deeply plotted story won’t find that here and might be a little disappointed. There wasn’t a lot of time for the author to draw out the romance aspect to the story, particularly since Annie had to wait quite a number of years until she met the fated man she first saw in that Conjure supper, but I feel that added to the mystical quality and slight spookiness to the tale.

Readers who like a slightly mystical, slightly paranormal and different flavour to their romance should find this an enjoyable, quick read with interesting characters and a good plot.

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Bite Me for Christmas by Megan Slayer

December 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Bite Me for Christmas by Megan Slayer
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Holiday, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Dicentra

Rachael isn’t good at magic, and she’s not versed in life, but this witch wants to lay her hands on the sexy vampire who’s come to her in her dreams. She wants just one thing for Christmas wish — her vampire.

Gavin wants the witch in his dreams, but he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of her. Part of him wants to devour her magic and save himself, but what if being saved doesn’t involve dying?

Anything is possible with a little Christmas magic.

Sometimes Santa works his Christmas magic and delivers more than what you ask for…

Rachel isn’t the best or the brightest witch, but she does her best. Her days are dull, but her nightly dreams are filled with the gorgeous vampire Gavin. When she decides to change things for herself, she puts her Christmas wish out into the universe and requests that Santa bring her vampire lover to her. Gavin, as a vampire, longs to be free of the constraints of his nature. He does have feelings for Rachel, but he doesn’t feel like he has anything to offer her. After Rachel’s Christmas wish ends up bringing the lovers together, will everything work out for them in the end?

There isn’t a lot of worldbuilding in this story, but I don’t think it was necessary. The story is set in a very recognizable version of our world. Additionally, the characters and their emotions were quite impactful – I was rooting for Rachel from the very first line of the story. I loved how Ms. Slayer balanced the erotic scenes with the emotional scenes. Gavin was super charming, and there were many moments where he caused me to swoon. Cue the heart eyes!

The ending of the book is by far one of my favorite parts of the story. Ms. Slayer tied everything up in a bow nicely! Overall, Bite Me for Christmas was a delightful paranormal/urban fantasy holiday short story. If a reader is in search of a quick, entertaining, and spicy read complete with happily ever after this book delivers.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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