It’s been years since June Bell shared a stolen moment with her girlhood crush, Kase McCasker. It’s been just as long since Kase’s father nixed the sale of the McCasker farm to expand the grounds of the Bell’s grand hotel. Now that Kase is back home for good, June might be the only person who can persuade him to reconsider the abandoned plan. But how can she face him again after he left her without a word?

Four years ago, unexpected news shook the foundation of Kase McCasker’s world. Escaping Falls Edge for college was the perfect excuse to chase his demons and bury his pain. Now, with a degree in hand and a void he can’t fill, he’s back in the little mountain town he thought he’d never call home again. Searching for purpose, he’s determined to put down roots and take over the struggling farm that’s been in his family for generations. 

Time and distance haven’t taken the edge off his preoccupation with June, the spitfire daughter of his father’s rival. He hasn’t forgotten their time together and all the things they did and didn’t do. One look at her has him reconsidering the future and making a dangerous deal to win her over.  Is a chance at her heart worth risking everything else?

Title: Misadventures of a Virgin
Author: Meredith Wild
Series: Misadventures
Pages: 224
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: Young People

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This book is part of the Misadventures series a set of fun, sexy and modern romances that offer a light yet satisfying read. Like all the other books in the series so far it stands completely alone and has a HEA. It is written in first person, present tense - which I felt jarred a bit at times - and is written purely from our heroine’s point of view except for a couple of instances towards the end of the book when it’s from our hero’s.

The book got off to an alright start. I like any kind of second chance at love, even if it’s two kids who liked each other when they were younger and now, as adults, they have a real opportunity to get together. And that, right there, is what my main problem with this book was. This pair, to my eyes, were still kids.

Almost from the start, when Kase and June saw each other for the first time in 4 years, they got hot and heavy with each other. We had no anticipation and no build-up. Then, it says that the pair didn’t even know each other back in high school - they had one encounter when they kissed and fondled and that was it. Hardly the basis for the obsession/love they seemed to feel for each other.

As I mentioned, the pair were young - 20 and 24. This isn’t in itself a problem except for the fact that it was clear in the pair’s actions that they were immature - especially June and to a lesser extent Kase. It was also clear that the author wanted us to know and remember that the pair were younger. June remarks about Kase, “Today…he looks like a normal college kid, in khaki cargo shorts, a plain white T-shirt, and sandals.” Maybe this would have turned me on when I was younger but now it just feels a bit wrong to be expected to lust after a college boy when I’m in my 30s.

I also had problems with the plot line and the ‘secrets’ that were presumably there to drive the story and keep the couple apart. It was slightly ridiculous but worse was the way that June especially reacted to the situations. She cried. And cried. And cried. I myself am an emotional sort and cry at the most ridiculous things but even I wanted to shake her and tell her to grow up.

In general the writing was alright - although as I mentioned above I didn’t much care for the writing being in the present tense. There was a little bit of flowery language and cliches going on which was a little surprising. We had ‘tornadoes of lust’, ‘gnawing hunger’, ‘velvet kisses’ etc. And with this being about a virgin (but not for long!) we had a few too many instances of “not being ready” etc for my liking. Luckily there were no mentions of flowers or maidenheads!

There was also sex here. I felt nothing.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me; I wasn’t a fan of much. Having said that (and all of the above!), perhaps I just wasn’t the right demographic for this book. I suspect it’s aimed more at the young adult / new adult market and sadly that’s just not me anymore. Only 2 stars from me but don’t dismiss this if you like the sound of it - I hope that others love it more than I did.

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* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *


 Click to see other books by Meredith Wild

Hotel clerk Abby Medford has always enjoyed the quiet solitude of the night shift. The long, boring hours allow her time to study her law books. But when bad-boy-rocker Lucas Ford checks into the penthouse suite one night and demands Abby personally deliver his room service request, her formerly quiet nights are quickly filled with Lucas’s erotic games.

But as Abby soon learns, if she thinks she can indulge her innermost desires with Lucas without giving him her heart, she’s dead wrong.

Title: Misadventures on the Night Shift
Author: Lauren Rowe
Series: Misadventures
Pages: 280
Genre(s): Erotic
Hot Buttons: /

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This is the 6th book in the Misadventures series - a set of fun, sexy and modern romances that offer a light yet satisfying read. Like all the other books in the series so far, this book is a stand-alone and doesn’t contain a cliffhanger. It’s written in the first person but, unlike the others, this book only contains Abby’s point of view. But that works well in this story as we’re left just as in the dark about Lucas’ feelings and motivations as Abby is.

I loved Abby as a character. She was fun, feisty and the banter between her and Lucas was fresh and, at times, laugh out loud hilarious. The author made you like and care for Abby from the first and she managed to get me to love Lucas despite his arrogant behaviour and entitled attitude. I didn’t really understand Abby’s ‘issues’ as we went through the book but, as we find out near the end, there’s a reason for this which makes perfect sense as it tallies with what I was beginning to suspect.

One thing that irritated me was the scene where Abby tries, maliciously, to get Lucas to break one of his cardinal rules. He catches on but instead of getting mad at her, teases her for trying to manipulate him. Then she gets grumpy for his mocking of her and tries to make him the bad guy. Eh, no, love - that’s not the way it works.

The first full sex scenes in the book is a threesome - MFM - and boy, it ain’t half scorching! Only Lucas gets to really ‘do the deed’ which I was happy about in a strange kind of way while also enjoying the show. The premise to this sex was a bit silly - ‘let’s play act a time in my life when I wrote my previous hit single’ - but what do I know about the lives of rock stars and their strange fancies and creative processes!? It’s not about the premise, though, it’s about the sex and it burnt me right up!

Other than the threesome, everything was else was fairly vanilla between Abby and Lucas - but still sexy as hell. There is talk of anal and dp but that’s mentioned by Abby in a flashback of sorts - ‘we did all this last night’ - with no detail which was completely fine by me.

I would have given this book 5 stars except I have to admit that the run-up to the ending left me a little bit disappointed. The time lapsed in a couple of large chunks - 1 month later, 3 months later, 1 year later etc. This really killed the momentum of the story which had whizzed along up until that point. Then there was the addition of the movie star. Why? What was the point? I just don’t like this in any story. While we have the happy ever after and the book left me with a smile on my face, I had a twinge of annoyance added in with it which was a shame.

The writing of this story was fresh, kept me interested and hooked me from the first page. As I mentioned, it was also hugely funny in parts. I will be looking out for other books by Ms. Rowe and would recommend this book to anyone following the Misadventures series or looking for a fresh, light and enjoyable romance. 4 stars.

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Buy this book now:

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Misadventures Series:

Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.

 

Click to see other books by Lauren Rowe

Charlotte Daley is the daughter of the newly elected POTUS. An only child, she’s both spoiled rotten and entirely neglected by her powerful family. She’s been forced to eat with the right forks, smile at all the right times, and be the picture of perfection for months. Now that her father is in office and too busy to know she exists, she’s determined to exercise her new freedom before she heads back to college in New York.

Zane Parker has one job—to protect the President’s daughter, all day, every day. But she’s been on a partying spree since the inauguration, heading down a dangerous path that threatens to ruin her reputation and cause a major scandal for her father. Zane will lose his job if he can’t get her under control. Except he wants to sleep with her as badly as he wants to set her straight. She needs discipline. And he might be just the one to give it to her.

When unexpected circumstances tie Charlotte to D.C. for the foreseeable future, Zane makes her an offer that’s anything but honorable. He’ll give the first daughter all the thrills she’s seeking in exchange for one thing… Her obedience. Fascinated by Zane’s dark promises, Charlotte agrees. Submission has never felt so good. But as Zane brings her deeper into his forbidden desires, enemies surface and danger lurks…

Title: Misadventures of the First Daughter
Author: Meredith Wild and Mia Michelle
Series: Misadventures
Pages: 280
Genre(s): Erotic
Hot Buttons: Spanking, deep throating

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This is the 3rd book in the Misadventures series. These books all stand alone and are complete novels with heas. They are characterised by being fresh, fun and sexy with stories that keep the pages turning.

We’re suspending reality a little bit with this one (although I’ll admit not as much as we did in Misadventures with a Super Hero!). I’m honestly not sure that anyone could have risen through the ranks to become a secret service agent assigned to the president’s detail at the tender age of 25 but, hey - maybe they can and this cynicism is yet more evidence that I’m getting old!

The other bit that made me laugh with the sheer convenience was when Charlotte and Zane have a ‘moment’ in the pool room of the White House. But not to worry, this is one of the few rooms where there are absolutely no cameras or security.

If you’ve come to this book and are excited by the BDSM element then you might be in for a little bit of a let down. There’s the club, there’s some spanking, some ‘yes, sir’ ‘no, sir’ and that’s probably it. Oh, apart from the deep throating which even made me gag. Maybe others disagree but that is not sexy to me. Boke!

All that aside, I really did enjoy this book. No, I really did! It was fresh, feisty and oh so sexy. Zane and Charlotte’s chemistry was always simmering away in the background (and foreground!), wholly believable and the sex scenes were deliciously hot!

I’m not normally into books with college aged heroines so I was surprised when I really liked Charlotte. She was bratty at times and occasionally spoiled along with it - and lord, she liked to make the same mistakes multiple times to make sure she really learned her lesson. But, with all that, she was honest, real and owned her mistakes and bad behaviour. I was rooting for her almost from the first.

Now Zane - whew - he hit all the right buttons for me. The strong silent types are just my thing, especially one who’s tempted beyond measure for someone or something that should be forbidden to him. The fact that it was Charlotte just ramped up all that sexual tension and simmering attraction. A great guy, a great character and a great foil for Charlotte’s personality.

The story was fast-paced and I was really drawn into all the twists, turns and excitement of this world so alien to most. The ending was a bit of a twist and slightly unusual - but it worked. And it was happy which is all I really care about!

A sexy book with great characters and a page-turning plot - this is a book that I would happily recommend. 4 stars.

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Buy this book now:

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Misadventures Series:

Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.

 

Click to see other books by Meredith Wild

Click to see other books by Mia Michelle

 

An Overnight Billionaire… 
When Carson Frost inherits a confectionary that rakes in billions but is too cash-strapped to last another sixty days, he agrees to take a loan from his late father’s rival. There are two catches: Carson has to sign over a permanent stake in the company and marry the man’s daughter.

Concocts a Fake Bride…
Two weeks before the wedding, he gets cold feet and claims he’s in love with someone else. The investor says he’ll still hand over the cash if Carson takes a stroll down the aisle—with the woman who owns his heart. Since he isn’t even dating anyone, Carson panics. Where is he going to find a bride willing to jilt him at the altar on such short notice?

And Whips Up a Little Love.
Ella Hope is an actress happy for any paying gig, but jilting a hottie in public isn’t what she had in mind. Still, she needs rent, and he’s in a bind. How hard can it be? While playing at matrimony, suddenly their intimacy isn’t so fake. Ella can’t help but fantasize that Carson is her groom and they will live happily ever after. But once his company is safe, will he want her anymore?

Title: Misadventures of a Backup Bride
Author: Shayla Black
Series: Misadventures
Pages: 280
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: /

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Oh, I really, really wanted to love this book. It’s just my cup of tea - a cute premise forcing our couple together - who realise just at the right moment that this fake relationship has turned into the real thing. It’s a tried and tested story trope but it’s one that I can happily read again and again.
The story started off well. I’m not familiar with Shayla Black’s previous work but in this book I found her writing to be refreshing, fun and its flow made for an easy and light read. Both Carson and Ella were interesting characters - I liked both of them, believed in their chemistry and enjoyed reading about their lives.

But…I just couldn’t believe in the pair’s love. I can suspend reality with the best of them - witches, superheroes and even some ridiculous coincidences - I’m game for it! In this case Ella met Carson once for 10 minutes, met him again, went for a quick dinner, fell into bed with him, spent a weekend in bed with him and she’s suddenly declaring her love for him and trying to figure out how to rearrange her whole life to be with him. And Carson is exactly the same. I mean pardon me what now? Calm down, folks!

Because of this ridiculously premature declaration, it really put the story on a different path for me. I felt it turned quite juvenile at that point and took the shine off the sex scenes. Yes, there was sex. Yes, it was sexy - but it lost the newness and excitement of a new, somewhat forbidden relationship, as soon as they both said ‘I love you’.  If Carson and Ella had just pretended to be engaged and then realised at the end that they had fallen in love with each other, it might have been more obvious, but it would have made for, in my opinion, a more believable and well-rounded story.

Everything came together in the end - quite conveniently in some cases - but I did feel that if the characters were already in love by page 10 (slight exaggeration), any happily ever after would be just a little bit dubious.

It’s such a shame because I had such high hopes for this story. Hopefully this was just a weird quirk of mine and others will love the story. If you’re reading through the Misadventures series, this is still worth a shot as the writing was good and the storyline was cute and fun. Only 3 stars from me but I still want folk to try it and hopefully love it as much as I wanted to.

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Buy this book now:

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Misadventures Series:

Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.

 

Click to see other books by Shayla Black

Working the night shift at a five-star hotel in downtown Los Angeles, I get my fair share of weirdos. But none of them prepared me for the night I met Bolt. He saved my life.

Now, he’s my super hero—the hunk I’m yearning to thank in more creative ways than a damn kiss on the cheek. Too bad he’s actually Reece Richards, my full-on nerd of a real-life boss.

He’s got some commitment issues thanks to his evil ex and global empire—and from having to save the city from a maniac out to destroy everything he loves.

But there’s something that just may interfere with all those plans. My heart.

Title: Misadventures with a Super Hero
Author: Angel Payne
Series: Misadventures
Pages: 280
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: Supernatural

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This is the seventh instalment in the Misadventures series of books - standalone stories that are sexy, spicy and a lot of fun. And in my opinion, this is by far the best of all the misadventures so far.

Emma and Reece are just perfect for each other. Sure, she’s the small town girl and he’s the worldly, wounded billionaire - but there’s more to both of them and at times, you see their roles reversed which was fun to see. The banter between the pair hit all my happy buttons - especially the nicknames. Sigh. Despite the fantasy element, I felt the characters were real and believable especially their mannerisms and reactions. Yes, Reece was an alpha male but he was insecure, too. And and times, as Emma pointed out to him, he was a bit of a dork! I just loved this pair together. All round loved them.

The sex is sexy and hot but is always part of the storyline of the pair getting to know each other and working each other - and their own stuff - out. And thank God that this story doesn’t have any anal sex - I’m bored of books that feel they have to tack that on to be edgy and cool.

The writing style is, at times, a little frenetic and so lively it can be hard to keep up with. I can completely understand that this style may not be everyone’s cup of tea but personally, and for this story, I think it worked well. One thing you can say with certainty about Ms Payne’s writing style is that her voice is unique and her passion for her stories is clear in her words. The story is written in the first person, alternating between Emma and Reece’s viewpoints.

By the end of the book you’re left wanting to read more - not because the story is unfinished - but because you want to find out about this world of Emma, Reece - oh, and Bolt, too! This is like the satisfying end to season 1 - now I want season 2.

You’ve got a superhero element to this story but in truth, it’s quite a simple story about a guy and a girl who like each other and try to figure everything out while going through a lot of problems and emotions. And maybe I’m a bit mean but it was fun to watch Reece’s descent into love - oh how the mighty fall!

If you’re enjoying the Misadventures series then this will be a welcome addition. Or if you’re looking for a fun, light, sassy and sexy read with a super hero element - I would recommend this story to you. 5 stars and I’ll be watching out for other books by Ms Payne.

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Buy this book now:

* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

Misadventures Series:

Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.

 

Click to see other books by Angel Payne