Kinky Neighbors by Jasmine Haynes

Alternate post title: When good books go wrong.

Warning: this post may or may not contain spoilers, but I find myself unable (and unwilling) to care. THAT'S HOW STRONG MY EMOTIONS ARE AFTER FINISHING.

Warning #2: I may or may not abuse the Caps Lock key and/or exclamation points in this post.

I was not going to post about this book. Hell, I wasn't even going to READ this book. But it was getting all sorts of positive reviews and I had thoroughly enjoyed Past Midnight by the same author and, well, I was hoping it would be something else than EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS: a book about two couples, friends, who decide to all (as in ALL FOUR OF THEM) become sexually involved, spend a month living out their fantasies, then deal with the clusterfuck that ensues.

Two couples, two very hot wives, two husbands who don’t mind a little swapping... The Mitchells and the Harts have been next door neighbors and friends for the past year. They have loads in common; double incomes, professional careers, no kids...and a kinky streak. Now they’re about to become very good friends...with kinky benefits. The sex between them all is hot, naughty, and unbearably exciting. It isn’t merely swapping partners and moving to another room; it’s true foursome sex, same room, same bed, all four involved. For Drew and Cat Mitchell and Logan and Alexis Hart, it’s about barreling through boundaries none of them have ever crossed before, doing kinky things they’ve only fantasized about. But when they begin to exchange not just sex but emotional connection, the problems start; a little jealousy, feeling left out, wanting more from the wrong partner. Can two couples really share everything without losing it all?

Kinky Neighbors left me reeling. And very, very angsty. I stayed up and finished it in one night. It was compelling like a train wreck. I could not look away, even though I was borderline horrified the entire time. There was the part of me (the happily-ever-after love-conquers-all part) that really hoped that these couples-- these couples that had been married for so many years, that professed to love each other so much-- would realize what they had in each other, stay together, fall more in love than ever.

There was the other part of me that was happy it ended exactly the way it did. Because there was still a falling into love and a happily-ever-after and the right people did end up together. But getting to that point? Effing heartbreaking. The manipulation, the secrecy, the doubts and betrayal... oh, it was painful to read. It left me quite sad and actually kind of angry. So many times throughout the book I found myself wanting to Just. Stop. Reading. (I'm glad I saw it through.) (I think.)

While the book was about all four characters, the focus was on Drew and Alexis. They were great. They were such good, decent people; both loving and wanting to make their partners happy. Watching each of their several-years-long marriages fall apart was devastating. I was rooting for them the entire way even as I wanted to scream "Stop! Don't! THIS CAN'T END WELL!" and I only wish the ending had been longer. I needed more time to revel in and comfort myself with Alexis and Drew's love for each other. I DIDN'T GET ENOUGH TIME! It was all angst and sex and heartache TIMES ONE THOUSAND then BAM! Happy ending. The end.

(I should be grateful I got that at least.)

This is one of those books that I'm dying to talk about with someone. (Which is probably why I decided to post about it after all.) So, if I haven't spoiled it (I probably have) and you want to read it (you might not) then let me know when you're done so we can have a total gabfest about it later.

Half Hearts by Sherri Desbois

Losing her family at a young age, and then broken promises from the man she’d loved all her life, Charlie McCarty rarely allows anyone to get close to her. Resolved to live her life without love and determined to become a top-notch Vet, she begins her residency in Redfield. Fate, however, has a way of stepping in to change even the most obstinate set plans and forces Charlie to face her past, push the boundaries of her control and her heart to the brink of destruction. It started out as a celebration, a chance for Charlie to let her hair down and just let go of her firm control for just one evening, but meeting a sexy as hell cowboy—and his familiar best friend—ambush everything. With relentless determination, both cowboys set out to show her that she is everything they want to complete their lives. Charlie begins to dream, once again, for the future she thought lost to her years ago. When a terrifying figure from the past steps into their fragile romance, is their love enough to overcome the horror about to be unleashed or will it leave them with hearts broken in half?

Zuyen and I started this blog because, duh, we love books. We were on the same page from the very beginning: we wanted to write about the books we love, not the ones we don't. We didn't want to start a blog so we could review anything and everything we read including good, bad, and ugly... but to bring to light the books we adored so that others could adore them right along with us.

The absolute last thing I want to do is say anything negative. Not about a book or an author. It makes me feel icky and I start to cringe and twitch and generally feel bad about myself. I mean, who am I to criticize anyone? Especially an author. But let's be honest. Books are totally subject to interpretation. What one might love, another might hate. Everyone has different perceptions.

With that being said, I might sometimes say things that maybe aren't very nice but I don't want that to take away from the fact that I'm (likely) telling you about a book I LOVED. (I think I have a guilt complex. Blame it on my divorce.)

That brings us to Half Hearts by Sherri Desbois. Which I so enjoyed. I read the synopsis and thought "meh" but then I scrolled through a couple reviews and the words "emotional" and "turmoil" and "angst-ridden" and "heartbreak" kept popping out at me and I am nothing if not a sucker for good, emotional books. This one had me twitching all over the place. And it was lovely.

So, what was the problem? (I mean obviously there was one, otherwise what was my reason for rambling on and on above?) The editing was atrocious. ("Y-O-U apostrophe R-E is YOU ARE; Y-O-U-R is YOUR." Name that TV show.) And, well, I was left with a couple of unanswered questions. (Cringe.) And the heroine used what I considered total non-issues as a reason to waffle back and worth. (Twitch.) (I really do hate to criticize.)

But this was Ms. Desbois' first novel. And a lovely first novel at that. It has wonderful characters, smokin' hot chemistry, and lots of emotional angst (my favorite). And you know what else? I loved the romance between Kegan and Trevor. (Two dudes. Gasp!) I'm not a fan of homo-erotica (which is why I'm struggling with my current book) and if you aren't either, don't despair! There wasn't any man-on-man action (except for a moment or two), but there was deep affection and an unfolding love between the two men that was really sweet. (It didn't even weird me out that much when their denim-covered cocks bumped against each other and they liked it.)

Oh, did I mention that this love story includes three? Yep, three people. Falling in love together. Doing the nasty together. Living happily ever after together. Three. (More the merrier and all that.)

Do you think polyamorous relationships can actually work? It makes me curious. Not to try it, mind you... just to know if people are ever successful.

Read the book. You'll like it. (I hope.)

Rock Me by Cherrie Lynn

Oh. My. God. Given the chance, I'd gladly throw myself at Ms. Lynn's feet and pledge my undying loyalty and devotion. She has managed to take my favorite attributes and turn them into one to-die-for character. Oh, Brian... how I wish you were real. And, you know, looking for an almost-divorced almost-30-year-old.

Brian is the perfect bad boy. All tattooed and pierced up. (Have you ever heard of an "apadravya" piercing? If not, go Google it immediately. I dare you.) He's a total don't-give-a-damn alpha male. Strong, confident, sexy. I was first "introduced" to him in Unleashed, his brother Evan's book. (Which was also good however seriously lacking in body art.) As soon as I realized Brian's story was available, I bought it. And I loved it. The end.

Candace has been in love with Brian for two years. She is the quintessential good girl. She's been sheltered by overprotective and overbearing parents her entire life. Parents who would absolutely disapprove (and loudly) of a relationship between her and Brian. Because Brian is a hot, mostly former hell raiser who grew up the underachiever in a family full of overachievers. And not many people can see past his past to the successful man he's become. Of course, Candace can. She knows he's a man worthy of love. And, also, she really wants to get in his pants but CAN YOU BLAME HER?

Rock Me was so good. It was sweet and fun and did I mention Brian is just so freaking hot I can't stand it? There were so many moments and scenes in the book that I had to reread. One in particular I had to reread more than once. (The concert. Buy this book for the concert scene alone. You'll thank me.)

I felt certain for most of the book that I'd rate it five stars. Which surprised even me 'cause I don't dole out five stars all willy-nilly to just any ole book. I mean, out of the last 183 books I've read, I've only given 14 of them the highest rating. (Yes, I counted.) So, why did Rock Me only end up with four stars? What went wrong, you might ask.

Candace is young; 23 to be exact. And despite my initial what the hell does a 23-year-old know about love reaction, I tried to look beyond that. (Hey, some of my favorite heroines have been 19, 20, 21-years-old. No big deal.) But. Candace appeared to come across as a typical wishy-washy 23-year-old. Yes, she was sweet, smart, lovely... but she was afraid to stand up to her parents and let that cause her to run from her relationship with Brian. Over and over and over again. Or so it seemed. (Maybe she only really ran from him, like, twice. But the back and forth stuff? Gets old quickly.)

However, I will say this: Ms. Lynn manages to inject some humor over Candace's behavior at the end of the book, during the happily-ever-after. I really, really appreciated that. It was refreshing. And I love that all of us (me, the author, the characters) could have a laugh about it.

God. Did I mention I really loved this book? Maybe I should go back and change it from 4 to 5 stars...

Trespass by Meg Maguire

I've tried to tell people that I have a problem reading too much and I get the same response every time. "Seems like a good problem to have." No. No, it isn't. I mean, sure, I love to read and I suppose if I'm going to do too much of anything then reading ain't so bad a vice, however now there's this here blog and you'd think I'd have plenty of material to write about except that I can't seem to quit reading long enough to do so. Vicious cycle, that.

Anyway, in case you're wondering, there is a point to this story. You see, I finished Meg Maguire's Trespass a couple days ago and I loved it. I told myself to write about it while it was still fresh in my memory, but did I listen? Of course not. I've read two other books since then and the details are starting to fade. I hate that.

Many would envy veterinarian Russ Gray’s life in rural Montana’s wide-open spaces. Russ calls it lonely. In a country with more cattle than eligible females, he doesn’t envision his seven years as a widower ending anytime soon. Until a mysterious woman lands at his door in the dead of night, riddled with buckshot. Sarah Novak hates lying to such a kind, handsome man, but if an upstanding citizen like Russ finds out why she’s been three weeks on the run, he’d surely turn her in. Yet she can’t refuse his offer to let her stay until she heals, no questions asked. From the start they fall into an easy companionship, then teasing flirtation flares into an unexpected intimate connection. But no matter how right it feels in his arms, guilt tugs at Sarah’s heart. Russ doesn’t deserve what she must do next. When Russ wakes up with an empty bed—and an empty wallet—his first instinct isn’t to call the cops…it’s to catch her and find out why his urge to protect her overshadows all reason. Because he’s had a taste of real passion, and he’s not letting it slip away without a fight.

For me, there has never been so fine a line between loving and hating a book until now. It could have very easily gone in the latter direction had I not tumbled head first into love with Russ and Sarah and all their sweetness and imperfection. The circumstances leading them to each other were, I hate to say, utterly ridiculous. But I could have spent hundreds of more pages reading about them, their lives, their new love and unfolding relationship. There were moments both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. It was lovely.

Take Me by Bella Andre

I've read a few Bella Andre books prior to this one. They're fun, easy reads; something you can curl up with and get lost in for a few entertaining hours. It was exactly what I was looking for when I picked up Take Me. (And by "picked up" I mean downloaded to my phone.)

Lily Ellis has curves -- soft, beautiful curves. The kind of voluptuous body she fears Travis Carson, the man she's always loved from afar, would never crave. But Lily is about to be proven wrong. Her adventure begins when the demure San Francisco interior decorator agrees to model a plus-size dress for her fashion designer sister. Watching this sensual beauty move down the runway, Travis can't believe it's the same Lily he's always known -- and always rejected. In a whirlwind of electric attraction, Lily is soon moaning Travis's name in his bed, not just in her wild fantasies. But Lily is all too aware that she's nothing like his past lovers. Determined to beat Travis at his own game by guarding her true feelings, Lily partners with him on a business deal that takes them all the way to Italy. In the seductive warmth of the Tuscan sun, Lily plays a game of desire with the hot-blooded Travis. Will she be burned by an all-consuming ecstasy or will Travis open his heart to the sexy, exciting, and lasting love she has to offer?

Books like this one are what keep me up until all hours of the morning. While I anticipated a fun, easy read, I got so much more than that. There was so much emotion and a depth to the characters I wasn't expecting. My hands and feet were twitching all over the place.

(I should explain that, shouldn't I? But how when I don't even understand it myself? When I get really sucked into the emotion of a book, I get these not-quite-painful twinges in my hands and feet. I know. It's weird. Whatev.)

We've touched on plus-sized heroines briefly in the past and while I was a little apprehensive when I realized Lily was just that, Ms. Andre pulled it off. It was lovely to watch Lily come out of her shell, stop dressing down, and finally take pride in her appearance. I know from first hand experience how easy it is to cover up when you're feeling less than attractive. But there are pretty, flattering clothes for all body types and it's amazing how wearing something pretty can make you feel pretty. And when you realize how much you like to feel pretty, you'll want to keep feeling pretty. And, oh, it's the start of all these wonderful habits! (Obviously, this is a topic more near and dear to my heart than I realized.)

And then there was Travis. That asshole. Well, only at first. Some of the best heartwrenching and emotional moments came while Travis was coming to terms with the loss of his parents, how it had made him lash out at Lily and keep everyone at arms length. (Men. They can be such dummies.) I admit, Travis caused me more than one wistful sigh while reading.

(Oh, and by the way, yes it is weird to read an erotic romance with a character that shares the same name as your kid brother. Shudder.)

While I did feel that the book was a teeny, tiny bit rushed at times, I was glad to not be left with any loose threads. It was a good book; fun, entertaining, totally sweet, and hot. And isn't it the best when you read a book that, while maybe not totally perfect, is exactly what you wanted at the time? I just love that.

Reno's Chance, a Tempting SEALs novella by Lora Leigh

I firmly believe no one writes an alpha male better than Lora Leigh. And Reno Chavez? No exception.

I made the mistake of getting the Tempting SEALs series and the Elite Ops series mixed up. Technically (and I am a technical kind of girl), the Tempting SEALs came first. And while you could absolutely read each series separately and still be totally satisfied, if you're like me and plan on reading them all anyway, you may as well start appropriately with Reno's Chance, which is book one in the Tempting SEALs series.

I started with book one of the Elite Ops, then moved on to book two of Tempting SEALs, and somewhere along the way realized I was ass backwards. Now, I'm halfway through both series and hardly confused at all!

I would in no way, shape or form call myself a writer. Have I dabbled in it? Sure. (I have tons of saved incomplete rough drafts.) Have a dreamed of one day being the next Judith McNaught? Of course. And during said attempts at writing, most of what came out was inspired by my own life and fantasies. When I was 18, I wrote stories about first and everlasting love. Ten years later, when I separated from my husband, I wrote about lovers torn apart to be reunited later with a love that was stronger than ever. Who knows what crazy shenanigans I'll be writing about in the future.

So many of Leigh's leading characters meet when they're very young, usually teenagers. There's a strong awareness of each other, but, of course, nothing romantic happens until much later. I wonder if Ms. Leigh is also writing from personal experience. The idea just makes my little heart go pitter pat.

In Reno's Chance, Reno and Raven are two such characters. They practically grew up together. Raven's brother, Clint, is in the Navy with Reno. And Reno's sister, Morganna, is Raven's best friend. (Clint and Morganna do some very naughty things together in book two.) Reno has wanted Raven for years and, as the wonderfully confident and dominant alpha male that he is, has known he would one day have her.

Unfortunately, Raven is dealing with some issues from her past, especially after having spent her childhood watching her mom and dad (also a Navy SEAL) fight every time he has to leave on another mission. It's after one especially bitter goodbye, that her father is killed in battle and doesn't return home. Despite her feelings for Reno, Raven has grown up swearing to not follow in her mother's footsteps. (I think I've done the same thing myself a time or two.)

Luckily, Reno wears her down, Raven finds her strength, and after one heart-wrenching declaration, which includes a pitiful whimpering puppy, all is right with the world. The only thing that could have possibly made this book any better is if it had been full length.

The Dom's Dungeon by Cherise Sinclair

I absolutely love Cherise Sinclair's books. And that's saying something because, to be quite honest, I don't think the whole BDSM thing is for me.

(Oh, and FYI... BDSM is bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism. Capicé?)

I assumed, when I started with Master of the Mountain, that there was a pretty good chance I wouldn't like it. I was wrong. I totally enjoyed it. And, while even now I'm still a bit iffy on all the spankings and floggings and Yes, Sir's, I've read and loved several of her novels. (The Masters of the Shadowlands series? So very, very good.)

Maybe it's my inner control freak that finds the idea of someone taking away said control somehow intriguing. Or it could just be that I find the whole BDSM lifestyle so very fascinating. I find myself thinking does this stuff really happen? and do these people really exist? constantly. And maybe that wouldn't be enough to keep me buying her books, however Ms. Sinclair's characters are all so... well... wonderful. These men are alpha males at their finest. Strong, confident, sexy. Of course, they're also perfectly adoring. (Again: do these people really exist?)

Ex-foster care child, ex-teenaged-whore, MacKensie has turned her life around. Well, mostly. She reserves her affection for the animals she cares for as a veterinarian -- animals never judge her or look down on her like the people in her hometown in Iowa.

Ready to start a new life in Seattle where no one knows her past, she sets up a vacation exchange so she can job-hunt. The house in Seattle is lovely but one room is locked. Her years in foster care have left her with a neurosis about locked doors -- and the ability to open them. When she gets the door open, she's appalled…and intrigued. Chains and manacles, whips and paddles, odd benches with straps.

While waiting for his plane out of Seattle, Alex Fontaine intervenes in a mugging and gets knifed in the process. By the time he’s been stitched up, his plane has left, taking his luggage with it. Hoping the woman he’d swapped houses with won’t be too upset, he returns home. He finds her in his dungeon, trying on a spanking bench for size, her little round ass up in the air.

Now what’s a Dom to do?

Oh, yeah. He spanks her but good. And he spanks her butt good. So this might not be the type of book for you if you find that sort of behavior at all disagreeable. I do not. At least, not in books. If someone tries to spank me in real life, they might lose a hand. Then again, the right kinda guy might be able to pull it off. (This post is getting away from me.)

I really enjoyed the book. (Spankings and all.) Mac might just be one of my new favorite heroines. She was sweet and smart... and I like that she No, Sir'd Alex a time or two. (Does that mean I wouldn't make a good submissive? Something to ponder.)

So, how do you feel about spankings?

Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning

So, earlier this year, I got sucked into the genre of erotic romance. Blame it on my friend Michelle. She said, "oh, you just have to read something by Lora Leigh" and I was all, "meh" but then decided to give it a try when I found myself intrigued by Tempting the Beast. Peeps, I've never felt my face burn so hot ever before in my life. It pretty much spiraled down hill from there. (Of course, I mean that in the best possible way.)

Now let me just say this: erotica and erotic romance? TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT THINGS. Erotica is basically like watching Cinemax. Lots of bump and grind with a really dumb plot line trying (and failing) to tie it all together.

Erotic romance has everything I love about romance novels... the emotional tumble into love, the heartbreaking conflict... plus the aforementioned bump and grind. HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG?

Since January, I've been making up for lost time. I've read all sorts of new authors in this very fun new (to me) genre and I'm having a ridiculously good time.

Backstage Pass, book one in the Sinners on Tour series by Olivia Cunning, has been one of my absolute favorites. It was so fun and sexy and the guys are all so wonderful who could resist wanting to be a groupie? (Obviously, I'm not the only one who feels this way as there's a whole site dedicated to the Sinners including their pictures and bios, tour dates, a place to chat, etc.) (Great if you're not ready to leave the hot fantasy world that Ms. Cunning has created.)

I loved the band and their relationship with each other; I loved how Myrna fit in with them (the smart, classy babe who can hold her own). Brian, while totally sweet, wasn't quite the alpha I prefer, but still. Loved. (Although I will say he should have stood up to Sed at some point.)

Even though I only read this book two months ago, I found myself reading it again last week. It's an easy read, fun, entertaining, sexy... but maybe not for the faint of heart as it does include, gasp!, a menage with borderline male on male action (which I must confess I'm not entirely a fan of, but I'll save that debate for another time).

Backstage Pass: highly recommend. (I also totally recommend Rock Hard, book two in the series. Also very, very good.)

And, in case you couldn't tell, I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of this series to be released.