GUEST REVIEW: Schooled by Deena Bright

"The horrifying shock of witnessing her husband banging his skank-whore secretary spurred this ever-wholesome and rule-following teacher to seek some new lessons of her own. A young teacher learns about sexuality, pleasure, and satisfaction from rather unlikely and forbidden teachers, her former students, now recent college graduates. Not only does she get “schooled” by the beautifully-built all-American football player who struggled to pass her class, but she also learns a few tricks from the innocent, well-read, and thoroughly sexy bookworm. Both men teach her that not all curricula worth learning comes from a book.
Go through the journey Janelle Garrity-Flowers faces after discovering her husband’s infidelity. Growing up, she followed the rules, but now, she wants to defy the norms and play by her own rules. Janelle explores her own sexuality, searching for pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. However, despite this callow teacher’s “lesson plan” of forgoing the rules and not letting emotion get involved, the teacher must decide between the athlete, the scholar, and the career she loves. But what or who does she love and want more?"


D invited me to write a guest review for Novel Seduction, and I couldn’t have said “YES!” fast enough! Her and I share a love of the flirty and VERY dirty books and I’ve been aching to bring people over to our dark side (he he he). Schooled is the latest book I have read, and I will say that it was a great blend of flirty and wildly sexy. Right up our alley!

It started out with a bang (literally and figuratively!). After she walked in on her tool bag husband, Marcus, screwing his secretary, Janelle walked out (actually WALKED out, without slicing off any important anatomy! She’s a better woman than me.), deciding how to move on with her life. Enter Briggs and Leo

Let’s talk about the characters:
Janelle- Janelle is the horny heroine of our story. She teaches high school English and is just finishing up school for the summer. After she walks out on Marcus, she goes to a bar to drown her sorrows (as would I) and runs into an old student, Briggs.

Briggs- Ah Briggs. Briggs is a tall, dark, and handsome 23 year old ex-student of Janelle’s. He knows exactly what to say to turn Janelle (and any woman with a pulse who likes penises) on. My favorite part of this book was the surprise of Briggs in the bedroom. I don’t want to give too much away, but let me just say that it is about time that the sexy, smooth talking guy has a flaw.

Leo- Leo is the ex-nerd, turned hot landscaper/ CPA. He is definitely the more shy and reserved of the two guys and has a pretty big secret that I totally didn’t see coming. Leo surprised me a lot throughout the book and really made it impossible for me to pick a favorite.

The thing I loved most was that this book could have quickly gone corny, but I totally bought into it. The sex (and almost sex) scenes were super hot and made you struggle right along with Janelle in choosing between these two sexy dudes.

Now, this book is not without it’s criticisms. For one, the writing wasn’t perfect. It was a great first start for Deena Bright, but there were some grammatical and punctuation issues that annoyed me. Speaking of annoying, there were a few parts when I was sick of listening to Janelle wage the same internal battle over and over again. However, in a love triangle book, this is the cross we all have to bare and there were enough orgasms to distract me!

I’m also very on the fence about all the pop culture references. If you read the author’s letter to the readers at the end (hilarious btw!), she explains how she was warned not to use pop culture references because it will date the book. I loved the mentions of Fifty, Twilight, Wicked, etc, and it made it a really relevant book….today. In five years, it will absolutely make the book seem old and most people who read it will have no idea what Deena is talking about. But when I finished (in two days. During Christmas. With a 3 year old who had to have EVERY. SINGLE. TOY. opened right this second ), it made it feel like I was listening to a friend tell a story.

This book is far from deep and won’t blow your mind, but it is a super fun and sexy read. I’m waiting not so patiently for the sequel!

smooches, CC

REVIEW: Overwhelm Me by A.C. Marchman

"Allie Marshall has dealt with a traumatic past that she desperately wants to keep buried. She moved to Atlanta to escape her old life and pursue her dream of becoming a Physician Assistant. With the help of her roommate, Livey, she has finally gotten her life back on track and will be graduating Emory University with honors. Then, she meets Donovan Callahan, a sexy and wealthy doctor who Allie cannot resist. Their relationship starts off intense and full of passion. Donovan wants to give Allie the world. But she learns he was involved with Claire Dubois, a reality star convicted of murdering her husband. Will she stick by his side when all of the baggage comes to the surface or will she be overwhelmed and turn her back on him?"

Overwhelm Me is a first novel for author A.C. Marchman, it was a good read overall.  The instant love connection happened a bit too easily for me. So that was a tad unrealistic.  However, the sex scenes were hot and steamy and very well done! (one of my top criteria for a romance novel ;))  I felt a good connection with the characters as well.  Donovan is like a dream guy, I'm still waiting for him to have some flaws (other than the ones revealed).  I was surprised with Allie's secret. I honestly thought it was going to be worse than what it was.  I just wish there was more build up overall, with their relationship and with their pasts.  I'm looking forward to reading the second book!

xo, D

Fabulous debut novel! I will say that I had a ton of thoughts going through my head at the end of this novel. First and foremost, I couldn't believe that everything that took place in the book happened in under 2 weeks. There was a lot that happened in a very short amount of time. Another thought that was WOW. Very well written sex scenes! They were hot, steamy, and just the write length (sometimes I find that sex scenes are either super rushed or really drag on, NOT the case here at all!) And on that last page, I was truly thrown and can't wait for the next one!

I really enjoyed the twists the novel took throughout the book. There were absolutely a lot of surprises throughout that really caught me off guard in a great way. Allie's secret is not at all what I was expecting! There were parts of Donovan's secret that I definitely found shocking as well. Like D mentioned, Donovan seems like the perfect guy and I'm wondering if he has flaws. Allie is sweet and naive, but overall likable!

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next one to come out! Write on, AC Marchman! You did a great job on your debut novel!

{em}

REVIEW: Jules the Bounty Hunter by Krista Ashe

"High-speed car chases, hiding out in overgrown bushes, nabbing the bad guy—all in a days work for Julianne aka Jules St. James. Sure growing up with a bounty hunter for a father was a little unorthodox, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, how many sixteen-year-old girls can take a man down with her bare hands, fire an assault rifle, or become a chameleon by using fake identities to nab bail jumpers? On her father’s Texas ranch, she’s just one of the guys with her older, twin brothers, Remington and Colt.
So when Jules’s father insists she spend the summer with her absentee mother—a former Savannah debutant and current member of high society, she is more than a little pissed off. Jules has had little use for her mother since she blew out of town six years ago to trade garden parties and black tie affairs for being a bounty hunter’s wife. A summer in Savannah with Mommie Dearest means having refinement and culture shoved down her throat while styling the latest haute couture fashion.
But Jules’s father has another reason behind sending her to Savannah. The society family of Emmett Marshall, a white-collar bail jumper resides there. The mission is for Jules to get close to Marshall’s teenage son, Jackson, thus trying to unravel any clues about his father’s whereabouts. Locating Marshall could mean a hefty payoff —enough for Jules’s freshman year of college.
Since she's better at taking down a guy than hooking up with one, Jules feels like she's in over her head. Enter Wyatt Deluca. Working for Jules’s bounty hunting cousin, Wyatt's suave services are enlisted to help her reel Jackson in. The tattooed, motorcycle riding bad boy is a 180 from sweet, cultured Jackson, but the more that Jules hangs around with Wyatt, the more confused she is about her true feelings and her ability to do her job."


I got the awesome privilege of getting a copy of this earlier in the week and I'm so glad that I did! It's YA and definitely different than what I normally gravitate towards. It was new and it was refreshing. We all have those "coming of age" moments and this was Jules' book about her moment.

From the beginning there was mystery and a hint of romance. You quickly fall in love with Jules & her family. Her older brothers, Colt & Remy (twins) are absolutely hilarious and definitely protective. Her Dad is a big ol' teddy bear. Big Mama (and who doesn't love a grandmother called Big Mama??) & Grandaddy were sweet and caring. It's a family you fall in love with and find yourself wanting to be around. I loved their conversations and how they interacted with each other.

Initially I wanted to hate her mom. I really did. I mean, who just walks out on her family the way she did? Who forces her daughter in to this Debutante lifestyle? I couldn't relate to her at all. At first when there would be glimpses in to her mom that made you soften towards her a bit, she'd then go and do something absolutely ridiculous and you'd be pissed at her again. By the end, I was beginning to come around and enjoy her. I understood her more and that really helped.

I loved that the mystery was the forefront of the story. Watching Jules embark on the twists and turns of solving they mystery was definitely interesting! The Marshall case wasn't easy, but Jules did what she needed to do. Along the way, it was interesting to see her grow up a bit and start to really weigh her options and examine how she did this business. It was nice to see her really start to evaluate things. Her sassiness and sense of humor was a lot of fun and kept things interesting, for sure.

Wyatt and Jules' story was sweet, funny, and charming. Their banter was hysterical! Wyatt made me laugh when he would tell Jules what to wear and why. I loved their bickering! And watching them fall in love was so sweet.

So, if you're looking for something sweet, flirty, and a bit different than what we are typically reading - check this one out! It is definitely worth the read!

Em 

REVIEW: Devoured by Emily Snow

"Sienna Jensen had no plans to return home when she graduated college last spring--after all, her dreams lie in California. But when she discovers her grandmother's Nashville home has been foreclosed, and the new owner has started the eviction process, Sienna has no other choice but go back to Music City. And she comes face to face with the flawed, gorgeous man she never thought she'd see again. The man who now holds the deed to her grandma's estate.
When millionaire rock star Lucas Wolfe finds the outspoken redhead glaring at him from across a courtroom, he's both infuriated and intrigued. He still can't get the night Sienna almost spent with him out of his mind, and the chemistry between them is as undeniable as it was two years ago. He craves Sienna more than ever. And just like everything Lucas hungers for, he's determined to have her.
Now, Lucas will do whatever it takes to lure Sienna into his bed, even if that means making a deal with her: ten days with him, playing by his rules, and he'll hand over the deed to her grandmother's home. Though she agrees to the arrangement, Sienna is conflicted. Because of her duty to her family. Because of promises she's made to herself and a past that still haunts her. And as Lucas's game of seduction continues, and Sienna is introduced to his dark, erotic world and even darker background, she realizes that at any moment, she could be devoured."

This book was excellent! The first time I read it was the day it was released. I sat down and read through it in 1 day/night, I believe. It sucked me in from the first page and I could.not. put it down. The 2nd time I read it was just recently. I happened to be reading it while I was channeling my inner Lucas and getting my new tattoo. The artist (who happens to be a friend of mine, thank goodness) was asking what the book was about, so I gave him a brief synopsis. His response, "well? Is she begging for it by the end? Seriously, if she does, I need to know this guy's tricks!" That was definitely an interesting conversation, to say the least.
Sienna intrigued me from the beginning. There was something about her that really captured my attention. She reminded me of myself in a lot of aspects. There were certain situations where her confidence was obvious and then other situations where her insecurities got the best of her. As far as her family is concerned, Sienna struggles. She has quite a hard time standing up to her family, but I loved how Lucas pushed that issue with her. I love that he encouraged her to be strong. I really liked how her character grew and developed. I enjoyed seeing her take on a more confident nature.

Lucas. Hot. That is how I describe him. He is a confident, tattooed Rock Star. At times I was scared he was just going to be mean more than he was dominant, but that feeling didn't last. He quickly showed that despite his relatively rough and aggressive exterior, underneath it is a guy that is passionate and caring. His method of getting what he wants is definitely unconventional, but it works.

I really adored the supporting characters. Sienna's brother Seth... well, I wanted to punch him in the jaw a few times, but he grew on me. The grandmother was so sweet and I loved her. I'm pretty sure I want her to be my grandmother. Kylie is Lucas' assistant and she holds nothing back. LOVED her. She's definitely someone who I'd want on my side of a fight! Tori is Sienna's best friend and roommate. That girl seems like she would be awesome to party with, but still ridiculously loyal!

One scene that I just can't get enough of is the piano scene. When you get to it, you'll know. It was HOT. I found  myself saying, "oh holy shit," and, "yes, please," more than once. Then it ended. It just ended and I might have yelled at my poor Kindle. And I was so pissed at Lucas for Sienna, but still so much in love.
At the end of the book, I was left wanting more. Well, I take that back. I NEED more. It's a definite NEED. I need to know why Lucas is the way he is. I need to know what is driving him. I need to know more about Sienna! I'm not sure what I want to know about her, but I need more! I need to see where their story goes.
Towards the end of the month, All Over You (the Devoured novella) will be released and it is going to be FREE!! She also has an unrelated book, Tidal, being released THIS WEEKEND!

{em}

REVIEW: When We Collide by A.L. Jackson

"William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights.
Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He'd been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she's surrendered herself to an existence she doesn't know how to escape.
In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. 
Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.
But he never imagined what that fight might cost him."


Wow. I think one quote from this book that can truly capture the essence of this book was from William, "It was everything that I wanted her to know, that it shouldn't hurt to be touched, that it was ok to be adored."
I really liked this book! If you are looking for light and flirty, this isn't it. If you are looking for a book that you will get emotional about, this is it. It's a story about first loves, impulsive choices, forgiveness, and redemption. These characters do not have it easy, for sure. There are very real obstacles they have to overcome that could very well prove to be too much.

There were times when I was so frustrated with Maggie and the choices she made. It is so easy to get angry at her when you were reading William's POV because he was offering her a perfect way out. Then you would read the situation from Maggie's POV and the anger slipped because whether you agreed or disagreed with what she was doing, you understood WHY. I felt that hearing Maggie's POV was enlightening as to how other abuse victims think. It was real. It was heartbreaking. And it was so filled with emotion that you couldn't help wanting to save her.

William. Oh William. Sometimes he made me SO ANGRY because I just wanted him to rush in there and save the day. Other times, you could feel his pain about how he had to handle things. When he's returned to town and is following them around was kind of odd to me initially, but hearing WHY he did it really changed my opinion. He was such a good guy. You could feel how much he loved Maggie and Jonathan. His family was amazing. They didn't let him get away with non-sense, but they loved unconditionally.

There were parts at the end that I was REALLY glad I was reading while at work and had to keep my emotions in check. I would've been a blubbering mess. The whole book was amazing, but the end was PHENOMENAL. The story comes full circle in a beautiful way.

Abuse is no joke and A.L. Jackson did an amazing job portraying how it impacts the abused and everyone around them. She also did a good job touching on the mental instability of the abuser without ever justifying their actions. Thank you for bringing awareness to such a serious topic.

For other books by A.L. Jackson - check out Pulled and Take This Regret. You will not be disappointed!

Em

REVIEW: Come Away with Me by Kristen Proby

"Being confronted on the beach by a sexy stranger wasn't part of Natalie Conner's plans for a peaceful morning taking photos. And why on earth would he think she's taking pictures of him, anyway? Who is he? One thing’s for sure, he’s hot, and incredibly romantic, feeding Natalie’s wounded soul.
Luke Williams just wants the world to give him a break, so seeing yet another camera aimed at his face has him ready to pounce on the beauty behind the lens. When he finds out she has no idea who he is, he's intrigued and more than a little tempted by her. Natalie has a body made for sex, a sassy mouth and Luke can’t get enough of her, but he’s not ready to tell her who he really his.
Natalie is a no nonsense girl who doesn’t do well with lies and secrets. What will happen to this new relationship when she discovers what Luke’s hiding?"


So we decided to do this review a little different than the others. Only because it was so easy to chat about and you can get how much we both just LOVED this book. Seriously loved it. This discussion definitely let's you know which one of us is the flirty one and which one of us is the dirty one. ;) ;) So here ya go... (disclaimer: I had to go back and rearrange the conversation. We were a little unfocused and it was ALL OVER THE PLACE!)

D: Um holy moly Luke. ( fanning myself). Only 9% in

Em: hahaha. Which Part?

D: When they are on the couch after dinner discussing the text from Grant

Em: and he wants to know if he has competition b/c he wants to fuck her

D: Yes. Oh God

D: Hahaha. "So, no sex" " not tonight". Wahhhhh. I'd die. Lol

Em: I was considering a cold shower for myself when he said no sex that night. But it made me start falling in love with him. He's a good guy!

D: Low on the angst/heartache scale?

Em: Very low. Like 97% sweet, romantic, and hot.

D: Yay! Also I didn't read the preview so I don't know anything about it

Em: Favorite part?

D: “I’m almost afraid of my orgasm. He's going down on her and when she comes she says she calls his name or something like it. 'I may be speaking in tongues'.”

Em: I literally LOL’d at that part.

D: Me too

Em: My favorite part. Hm. I don't know if I can nail it down to one specific thing. I think if I HAD to, it'd be the plane ride.

D: Any of the million times he just pulled her onto his lap and fucked her.

Em: Of course! Who wouldn’t love that?

D: RAISING HAND! That's my fave

{and then we break for the night b/c you have to sleep sometime}

D: 70%. I have to get showered and actually do shit today. Lol. I'll finish tonight :)

D: I want to marry him.

Em: He is so dreamy.

D: it was very sweet, i often thought...this is Ryan Christensen in the later years ;)

Em: oh, yea! I was trying to place who I was relating him to! That was it! I loved that he romanced her. It wasn't just "oh hey, we just met. let's shag." but I also loved that it wasn't long and drawn out

D: Ok so w Luke I love how bossy he is yet so sweet

Em: he's bossy without being controlling

D: Also reminds me if Christian Grey with how he loves watching her eat.  Makes her feel good about herself. That's what I love

Em: and I love that he is so in love with her and just overall makes himself involved with her life w/o being clingy and annoying

D: don't hate me, but while I thought her sex scenes were hot, at times, i felt like they fizzled out a bit. BUT they were a plenty, so that made up for it. like some there were a lot of details, then it ended

D: i love how she asked him for dirty sex. i know you loved her tattoos

Em: oh I loved her tattoos

Em: And I loved how she was so confident, but needed him, too. I loved that they each had their own past, but it was realistic

D: i didn't love {SPOILER}.... but we can't put a spoiler in the review, right

Em: yea, can't put a spoiler in the review. I didn't mind {SPOILER}, but his reaction wasn't realistic
[now insert a lot of random chatter that is so not related to CAWM for a bit. Seriously, discussing a book while you’re drinking is a little tough…]

D: that reminds me , my fave sex scene in the book was when they were in the bathroom and he made her face the mirror and is behind her

Em: I personally liked when he woke her up by going down on her

And to wrap it up…
D: the ending was good and i always love an epilogue from the man

Em: Oh I loved that! I like how the characters for the subsequent books were introduced enough for you to be excited to really learn about them. While I was satisfied with the closure of Luke and nat, I'm excited to see how their life develops

D: Now the cat will be out of the bag as to who's dirty. Lol

Em: That's why we work. We're a great balance of flirty and dirty

D: I know I'm the dirty. Haha

Em: <---flirty

So there you have it. Overall, we both loved it. Very excited about the sequel - Fight With Me. Low on the angst and heartache scale. If you are looking for something sweet and sexy, this is it. The characters are great. I loved the supporting characters as much as I loved Luke and Natalie and cannot wait to get some more!
Isaac and Stacy's novella is due out in December, so you won't want to miss that! Jules and Nate's book is due out in early January. We are SO excited to read those!

REVIEW: Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde

"Jack and Lexi never had a typical relationship. After 2 years without speaking, she receives a phone call that changes everything. He unexpectedly asks her to convince the new girl, Bekah, that he's ready to commit. Jack is calling now after everything they had been through because there is another woman. She can't believe it. Follow Lexi in this heart wrenching drama as she relives her past relationship, or lack thereof, with Jack, and not just in her own mind, but to his fiance-to-be. Throw in Bekah's hot brother who always seems to be in the right place at the right time, a past with more secrets to unravel than you can even imagine, and you get a recipe for disaster. Find out what happens to Lexi as she travels to Atlanta to get the closure she so desperately desires from Jack, and how the bumps of life seem to keep getting in the way."


Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde. Holy smokes. What a whirlwind this book was. If we're being honest, I have to put this on the table. I bought this book the day it was available on Kindle. I started the first few pages and it wasn't grabbing me. So, I did what I always do. I read the last page. I was PISSED when I read that and decided it wasn't worth my time. Then I saw all kinds of blogs posting about how amazing it was. I find out the sequel is coming out on Dec 1, so I decided that on our upcoming Thanksgiving road trip, I'd read it. Then I loan it to D before I've even read it and she insisted that I had to read it RIGHT.NOW. I am SO glad that I did. My only excuse is that I must've been in the mood for more light and flirty and less intense at that point in time.

I can hardly begin to even tell you how I felt at the end of it all. Throughout the entire book, my emotions were taken on a trip. There were times that I wanted to clock Lexi in the face and tell her to wake the hell up because Jack  was a jerk. Then other times I wanted to tell her to hold out because Jack was so amazing. I laughed at parts because I so remember how things were in college. I went from so happy and in love to wanting to take my Kindle outside and bash it on the cement. The way it was written, you could totally put yourself in Lexi's place. You felt exactly what she was feeling. And I loved every minute of it.

And beyond Jack & Lexi, the supporting characters are awesome. I loved seeing Chyna as her best friend. She was supportive when she needed to be, but she didn't hold back either. I'd love to be her bff, for real. Bekah. I can't say too much about her because it'll give too much away. It's safe to say that she and I would NOT be friends. Ramsey. Ohhhh Ramsey. I don't know what his secrets are, but that's ok. I think I'm in love with him. I was hesitant with him at first, but he grew on me. I really liked him by the end.

My favorite quote from the book without giving away the end? "I don't want to miss you again. I want to see you more. I want us to hang out. God, I want us to finish our movie."
{em}


I stole, um, borrowed this novel from Em.  Yep, she had it sitting there on her Kindle being neglected.  I swooped in and took it!  And holy hell am I glad that I did!  I could not put it down, my house was trashed, my eyes were burning, my Kindle was attached to the charger because it died, but I could not.stop.reading.
Let's start with Lexi.  She wasn't my favorite girl at first, I mean she is always the other woman.  However, she is very realistic and I understand why she did the things she did.  Not gonna lie, don't think I could resist Jack either.  I did grow to love and connect with her!  (awesome job by K.A. Linde, I might add)
I am so torn about Jack. I both love Jack and hate him. I can relate to how Lexi feels, because I feel the same way about him.  While smoking hot, I think he has an evil part to him and the way he behaved toward the end, not sure if he is going to get back into my good graces.  (Damn you!)

I loved how their story unfolded and i felt the same emotions in the matching present vs. past chapters. I love the supporting characters, even the ones that I want to hate.  I think they were just so well done by the author.

I need more! I'm so glad I only have to wait a couple of weeks for the sequel. I was given so much in this novel, but I want so much more. I have so many unanswered questions and feelings. I really am not sure how I *want* this to all end. ACK! Fabulous read!

xo, D