Heat Stroke: Paws to Heal

Heat Stroke: Paws to Heal by Lena Austin
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Short
Other: M/F/M
Review by Dandelion

Two were-dogs welcome the return of their former lover back into their arms after being enemy packs for so long. Duke, Katriena, and Eduardo must pause to heal the breach and bring the were-canines and lupines together.

“Paws to Heal” is a quick read, a sexual reunion of three friends who belong to different were-packs but are now mating for the good of their two distinct packs. It’s an interesting tale, featuring a hot ménage that has the added dimension of involving not three new lovers, but three friends from college who are middle-aged but still long for each other and know each other’s favorite sexual tricks and positions.

I liked the interplay between Katriena, the strong-willed, confident “Alpha Bitch,” her husband Eduardo the stocky were-dog, and Duke, the rangy, sexy were-wolf who separated from his friends long ago. It’s a nice “reunion” among middle-aged characters who have loved and missed each other for years. The sex, too, is hot and well-written.

What I found a little awkward was the complex plot that Ms. Austin tried to introduce in the span of such a short story. Apparently, Katriena and Eduardo have guarded a secret about Duke’s identity for years – and this reunion is a celebration of this secret. However, this explanation is too rushed for a story of this length. It’s not clear that their two packs were enemies, either. I don’t think the author needed to include this plot twist at all; and with a rushed explanation of it, I was simply left wanting more.

Overall, though, “Paws to Heal” is a quick, entertaining read. It should please those readers looking for a good ménage story that can be read in a single afternoon!

One Night With You

One Night With You by Jane E. Jones
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 Cherries
Review by Hibiscus

A storm hits, and a terrified Alice pulls off the highway to wait it out. She's relieved when a cop drives up and offers to keep her company. It doesn't hurt that he's probably the sexiest man she's ever met.

Not the type to flirt, let alone ask a guy out, Alice lusts after him quietly and wishes she had enough confidence and courage to act on her desires. But the storm passes and she drives away, sure she'll never see him again.

Ronin, however, is not about to let Alice slip away. Sensing the inner vixen who's dying to get out, Ronin coaxes her into his bed for one incredible night of the hottest sex she's ever known.

Now that Alice has had a taste, one night with Ronin has left her craving more. Can she allow herself to enter a relationship based on unbelievable sex, or should she return to her safe but boring life and pretend it never happened?

Who could know that an irrational fear of storms would lead to the shy caterpillar emerging as a sexy butterfly? Definitely Officer Ronin Stryker. He is the perfectly polite and helpful officer on the chance meeting with Alicia Abbot. The air crackles with sexual tension in the police car as they wait for the storm to pass. A bracelet is the excuse for a second meeting.

Alicia is a reserved business woman who does not believe she is beautiful or sexy. She is the owner of a bookstore. I could easily relate to hanging out in the bookstore with a group of women, chatting about family and books. I loved the chanting by her crew of women in the store. It reminded me of a Nike ad.

We have the obligatory beautiful relative, who's sole purpose is to do nothing but point out how plain Alicia is and make plays for Ronin.

Ronin is experienced. Alicia is full of doubt and her belief in her self is hard for her to build. I liked Alicia's journey to the discovery of her beautiful and sexy inner person. The book has a few twists and is written in a way that keeps you hoping that Ronin and Alicia will meet again and again.

Sexual Deceptions

Sexual Deceptions by Rayne Forrest and Brenda Williamson
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press Torrid
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Anthology
Other: M/F
Rating: 3.5 Cherries
Review by Amaranth

Slave of Saharic

Renn Saharic needs a new Interactive Partner. At an auction selling replicas of women, he picks out the one he wants, but is outbid. However, luck is on his side when the new owner thinks the replica is broken, and sells Renn the love doll. Taking her home, Renn grows attached to his new possession and plays with her as if he were a boy in a toyshop, wishing she were real.

Cadie is a slave from the planet Ceres. She pretends to be a replica to escape imprisonment and ends up on Earth in the hands of a new master that has no idea she’s real. While devising a plan for her freedom, she discovers Renn isn’t as bad as other men she’s known. His gentle passion makes it hard for her to leave. But love can’t be real if she stays to be the Slave of Saharic.

Mischief at Midnight

Madelyn Murphy isn’t your typical spoiled rich girl. She only has one household drone, after all. Why? Because she’s so liberal, she does her own cooking.

Tripe D Drones’ owner, Dallas Dyson, has made a fortune in the service drone industry. He’ll even lend a helping hand himself if someone is in a pinch.

When Madelyn’s service drone breaks just before a dinner party, she calls Triple D Drones for help. When the new “Dallas” prototype shows up to lend a hand, Madelyn finds she needs help with more than serving dinner. Isn’t service what a Triple D drone does best?

In "Slave of Saharic", Renn Saharic is in the market for a new interactive partner, and chooses one, but is outbid. He gets lucky when the new owner thinks that the interactive partner is defective and sells her to him. Cadie is an escaped slave from the planet Ceres. She finds herself on the auction block after she pretends to be an interactive partner. When Renn buys her and takes her home, she must figure out how to escape before she is found.

Renn is thrilled with his purchase, takes her home and quickly tries her out. He is amazed by how real she seems and quickly becomes attached.

Cadie had a hard life as a slave on Ceres. She escapes to earth by posing as an interactive partner and, at the auction Renn caught her eye. When he gets her home, she can’t help but like him and enjoys the gentle treatment and care she receives from him. Unfortunately, she knows she can’t stay and regrets the fact that she must escape again, before she is found and taken back to Ceres.

I enjoyed meeting these characters and could easily sympathize with Cadie. Renn is a very nice guy and treats Cadie better than she has ever been treated. I found Cadie's reactions cute at times when she discovered something on Earth that she had never before seen. The story itself was unique, interesting and almost believable in a futuristic way. The heat between Renn and Cadie was definitely there and really spiced up the story but at times I felt it went almost too smoothly. The relationship progressed very quickly and was, I felt, a little too much for the time that they spent together. Overall, though, this story was a quick and entertaining read for me.

In "Mischief at Midnight", Madelyn has a huge dinner party scheduled for just hours away when her drone breaks down. She is desperate for help and calls Triple D Drones for a replacement. She is relieved when the hunk that answers the phone is an available drone that can come to her home and help with the party.

Dallas Dyson has spent hours, years and a lot of money building his company. When his drone series, Hazel I, is found to be defective, he is desperate to get all of them fixed before his reputation is ruined. When he receives a call from Madelyn, he cannot say no to her beautiful and desperate face.

Rayne Forrest has written a quick and entertaining futuristic story. I enjoyed her writing style and the story was fun. Again in this story, I felt that the relationship reached an advanced stage too quickly. The scenes between Madelyn and Dallas were more than spicy and an enjoyment to read. There was not much action, unless you count the kind in the bedroom. Overall, I found that I enjoyed this author’s work and will be looking for more from her.

Gothic Cowboy (The McGillis Family Chronicles Book 2)

Gothic Cowboy (The McGillis Family Chronicles Book 2) by Laura Billingsley
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press Torrid
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full
Other: M/F
Rating: 3.5 Cherries
Review by Anthurium

Aiden McGillis, the youngest of the hard-working McGillis Brothers, has grown up in their shadow. Shy around women and happy to stay home with a good book, he secretly wonders if he’ll ever find a love as deep and wonderful as his older brothers have found…

Monica DuVase—Mona to her friends—is rebellious and uses her Goth attitude as a shield to hide her naivety and protect her heart. She meets Aiden on a dare. Is that first kiss enough to turn this Goth Girl to Cowgirl? And will a romance survive a brush with the seamy side of life?

Gothic Cowboy by Laura Billingsley is the second book in the McGillis Family Chronicles. It primarily tells the story of the youngest McGillis brother, Aiden and his first girlfriend, Mona. Both of these characters are engaging and easy to like.

Aiden is the youngest brother in a large family of “alpha male” brothers who own and run a Horse Ranch. He is hot, honorable, honest and understanding. Mona is a fellow student at the local community college, her persona is the artist/Goth girl, the two hit it off instantly and the sex scenes are steamy.

This story has a complex, multi-character plot, and while the central characters are well developed, many of the secondary characters only make brief cameos, or are a little underdeveloped or explained. I was not sure if I was lost because I had not read the first book in the series, and just didn’t have the proper back story, or if some of the plot points were really that hard to follow.

With that being said, I still found the story compelling, the characters engaging, and I really want to go back and read the first installment of this series. I cared about the Aiden and Mona and what happened to them, and I want to know more about all of them. Gothic Cowboy is defiantly worth reading, I look forward to learning more about the McGillis Family in the future.

Cowboy Games

Cowboy Games by Wendi Darlin
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full
Other: M/F
Rating: 4 Cherries
Review by Hibiscus

Gavin Carter

Gavin owns Fantasy Ranch, a resort where guests get a week of cowboy love with the hottest cowboys in Wyoming.

Rebecca Ryder

Rebecca's husband had promised to deliver her fantasy du jour: A cowboy. He died before he could keep that promise. She thinks if she plays the Fantasy Ranch game, just for a second she might have her husband back. And maybe that will be long enough to say goodbye.

THE RULES:

1) No sex.

2) No contact or attempted contact after the week is up.

Clause number two is accompanied by a clear warning: Any attempt at contact will be considered 'criminal stalking' and treated as such. A sure sign the cowboys are very good at making women think they have fallen in love.

Rebecca doesn't expect to break the rules. Or to fall deeply in love.

This book is better than Fantasy Island and the Love Boat combined. Fantasy Ranch is more on the lines of a place where broken women can feel whole again. Imagine big hunky cowboys who make you feel like you are the most beautiful woman in the world. Everything is make believe until Rebecca meets Gavin.

I loved how the forbidden romance between them developed. I could feel the pain, the mistrust and finally the belief in each other. I desperately wanted everything to work out between Rebecca and Gavin. They are both very likable characters and deserved to be happy.

There are a lot of secondary characters in this book. Some you cheer for, like Clayton and Marge, and others -- well, you just hope they get their comeuppance, like Chet and Scott. We have antagonists in this story and a few amusing situations arise when they face off against the “good guys”. The plot moves along at a good clip and I couldn't stop turning pages.

Fact is, I stayed up all night reading this book. I did not want to put it down because I was so completely wrapped up in the story. Yes, the sexual situations were hot but the entire story sizzled. I highly recommend it to any fans of erotic romance.

Winning Virgin Blood

Winning Virgin Blood by Destiny Blaine
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Length: Short
Other: M/F
Rating: 3 Cherries
Review by Hibiscus

Las Vegas lures in those with a taste for temptation. If the allure of easy money is craved, there’s no better place to be than Sin City.

Orlando Spenser discovers in the desert all that glitters is not gold when he loses a substantial amount of his family’s fortune. He returns home with a broken spirit, only to discover his kinsmen have decided to send him back to the very place where he almost lost everything. He will return with one goal—to find a suitable mate.

When Orlando returns to the desert and locates his ideal life partner, he must convince her to return to his family estate in Scotland. The task won’t be a simple one for the vampire who knows better than anyone that Las Vegas wasn’t built on winners and even when Lady Luck falls in his lap, he quickly discovers she is anything but agreeable.

I liked the premise of this story. Vampires finding their perfect mates (who they see before they try to find them) and the struggle to convince the mortal to give themselves to the Vampire. All of this takes place in--where else?--Sin City: Las Vegas, Nevada.

I loved Orlando. He is everything we expect from a handsome immortal. He also has a dark side that he manages to keep in check and we see glimpses of it throughout the story. His life mate, Natasha, is a different story. She is a spoiled brat who is beautiful and knows it. She gets her kicks from playing with men, and in this story, Orlando in particular. There are times in the story when I really did not like Natasha and at others, she redeems herself and I change my mind.

There is a journal in the book that is very descriptive in telling the stories of other life mate couples . It plays a small part in moving the plot along. Orlando's brother Almonzo plays a large part in the book and we meet Natasha's sister at the end. Do I hear sequel?

All in all, this is a hot book that I would recommend reading on a lonely evening.

Deception

Deception by Jenny Penn
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short
Other: M/F, M/F/M, Ménage, BDSM
Rating: 3 Cherries
Review by Hibiscus

Banning & Dunn’s newest development has ground to a halt thanks to the determined opposition of one woman. In an attempt to save money and time, the developers decide to take matters into their own hands.

When Tessa opens the door to Ty and Chase, she is expecting to help her friend with her marital problems, not get swept off her feet by two of the sexiest men she ever met. One night of passion evolves into a sizzling weeklong affair.

When reality crushes Tessa’s fantasies, will she be able to get over being deceived?

From a Three Stooges like conversation at the start, a case of mistaken identity evolves into the sizzling seduction of Tessa and a delightful romp of sex and more sex. Ty and Chase are hands on developers who are very developed and like their hands on Tessa. I have to say that the sex scenes are very detailed and non-stop throughout the entire book. If you like sex where any and every thing goes, you should like this story.

There is a loose story about a building development under way, preservation of old buildings and a mysterious benefactor for Tessa. I liked how this benefactor played into the story. The other sub-characters do not really do anything to help the story along. There are a few very funny scenes where I laughed out loud. Especially when Tessa discovered who Ty and Chase really were.

On the downside, there were a lot of little editing errors. Especially at the beginning of the book. I'm a stickler for these kinds of things and I find myself losing where I am in the story when I hit them. If you can get past the small editing errors, you can feel yourself living the experiences of Ty, Chase and Tessa in this enjoyable sexual story.

Improper Nights

Improper Nights by Leslie Dicken
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical
Length: Short
Other: M/F
Rating: 5 Cherries
Review by Snowdrop

When Lenora Blakely learns she must marry a man more than twice her age to pay off her father's debts, she doesn't expect his nephew to make her weak at the knees with a brief stroke of his tongue to her palm. Soon, Lord Blackford's flirtations provide her with a means to experience the pleasure of a lover's touch before she marries. But what begins as a tempting challenge quickly leads to a series of improper nights filled with overwhelming passion. As the time for her wedding draws near, will Lenora be able to follow through on her promised duty?

Reading about how Lenora dislikes having to marry such an older man, but is willing to fulfill her duties is truly heart-wrenching. Though she admires him, and does not find him repulsive, she wishes to marry someone near her own age and to start a real family, someone she chooses, someone she loves and desires with all her heart. Who could blame her for wanting to fill herself with wonderful memories of a week of pleasure with someone who stirs her blood like no one has?

The first few tension-packed scenes with Lenora and Black make you root for them. As they begin by teasing each other, by petting and touching, trying to deny their passions and feelings because they are inappropriate, all you want to do is tell them to just go for it. Finally, unable to deny themselves, they begin their real affair and indulge in their every whim and fantasy.

The passion that occurs between Lenora and Blackford is well-written, hot and is guaranteed to quicken your pulse. As I followed along with Lenora and Black’s nightly trysts, I couldn't help but feel pain for their desperation. The author has done a wonderful job of allowing the reader to understand and sympathize with the characters needs: from filling each other with lust to falling deeply in love.

I highly recommend this story to anyone with a romantic heart and a love of the erotic.

Jule Reigh and the Jim Stone Affair

Jule Reigh and the Jim Stone Affair by Lani Aames
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short
Other: M/F, BDSM
Rating: 4 Cherries
Review by Buttercup

Juliet Reigh, on her first solo assignment as an Interpol agent, is hot on the trail of the international jewel thief known as Jim Stone, and Jule is determined to get her man. Stone is suspected of stealing the necklace containing the Pink Ecstasy, a heart-cut pink diamond weighing in at 69.69 carats. Legend says the Pink Ecstasy’s owner and partner will experience the most sexual and sensual delights ever imagined.

Following and gathering intel on Stone are relatively easy and might be boring if Jule didn’t have sexual fantasies about the handsome thief to pass the time. When Jule is caught red-handed, Stone ties her up and tortures her to make her talk… except the so-called torture fulfills all of Jule’s sexual fantasies.

Can an Interpol agent and an international jewel thief get past their differences and have the happily-ever-after every couple craves? Find out in the thrilling sexcapade of Jule Reigh and the Jim Stone Affair!

Interpol agent, Jule Reigh, goes after the notorious jewel thief, Jim Stone, who is suspected of stealing the priceless Pink Ecstasy, a heart-shaped pink diamond necklace with a erotic reputation for giving the owner and partner their ultimate sexual fantasies. Jule wants this man for two reasons, career advancement and legend research. Does the necklace really live up to its reputation? And wouldn’t it be fun to bed this very sexy thief after observing him and fantasizing about him for so long?

Our story begins in a restaurant with Jule observing and, just to keep things interesting, she indulges in a bit of fantasy about the sexy subject, Jim Stone, when the tables turn and Jule becomes the unwitting captive and subject of her quarry’s attention. Things heat up between the two in the cover of a grove of potted palms and progress to Stone’s hotel room. Desire and need overrules Jule’s fear at being fingered as an Interpol agent in the crafty hands of the international thief. He tortures her beyond her wildest sexual desires only to leave her hanging on the edge time after time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Even with some rambling backstory and a couple of minor editing bungles, this story kept me glued and turning pages. Ms. Aames really has a handle on imagery and sensory stimulation that enables the reader to drop right into the thick of things, in this case the sexual tension. And I must say, I was in for quite a surprise as the story took a completely unexpected twist at the end.

I highly recommend this story for a wonderfully erotic and satisfying journey into sexual fantasy. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Dragon's Delight

Dragon's Delight by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Paranormal, Futuristic
Length: Short
Other: M/M
Rating: 5 Cherries
Review by Dandelion

A veteran of the war in search of a hero’s welcome, Collin finds himself S.O.L. The man he could have fallen in love with didn’t come home with him, and Collin’s left without a direction. What does a soldier do when the fight’s over?

Why, he finds a new challenge. Or, in this case, a challenge finds him. One of the mysterious dragons that appeared during the war to circle the skies snatches Collin from his home and carries him to the dragon lands. The dragon, Zacharei, claims he’s “returning” Collin to his dragon lord. But how can this be, when Collin’s never visited in the first place?

Collin begins to understand when Zacharei leaves him with “his” dragon, Avalier, a beast who’s the exact duplicate of Nyas — and who thinks Collin is his “Kay-lin,” a doppelganger who disappeared during Avalier’s own last battle. Mistaken identity has never been this sexy — and a mix-up has never been so perfect a solution for the lonely hearts of two soldiers.

This story is filled with strong writing, great characters, longing, reunion, and exquisite male-male pleasure. The opening pages, in which Collin says goodbye to a love from his past, are touching and heart-rending. In a world dominated by war and waste, there’s nothing left for him…until a dragon plucks him away and flies him to another, lush world by mistake. Delivered to the doorstep of Avalier, Collin discovers that he’s been mistaken for this dragon’s human playmate. But before he can mind too much, he finds himself falling fast for this lonely dragon with the passionate hands and breath-taking good looks.

Both male characters are fully developed in this short work, with complex feelings and valid emotions. Their attraction for one another is completely believable and quite touching, and the sex scenes are hot and well-written. No flaws here - just a great, tightly written story of one man and one man-dragon finding peace and happiness together in a world set far in the future. Great job, Ms. Okati!