A Wild Night's Bride by Victoria Vane

A WILD NIGHT'S BRIDE BY VICTORIA VANE

Word Count: 33,529

Heat Level: Smoky

Genre: Erotic Historical Romance

Publisher: Breathless Press

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With the devil in charge, there will surely be hell to pay...

What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake?

She's a lonely lady down on her luck.

Phoebe Scott, alias Kitty Willis, is a struggling Covent Garden actress with a bruised heart and a closely guarded secret.

He's steadfast and eminently respectable.

Sir Edward Chambers, Ned to his intimates, is guilt-ridden over his beloved wife's death and has avowed to live out a rustic and mundane life...of celibacy.

With the devil in charge, there will surely be hell to pay.

Devil-in-disguise Viscount Ludovic DeVere is determined to return his best friend, Ned, to the land of the living. His meddling machinations result in a night of mind-blowing passion after which "Dull Dog Ned" awakes to find himself in the King of England's bed!

A Wild Night's Bride, a sexy, rollicking Georgian romp!

***

This story starts off with a bang, as the hero and heroine wake up in the king's bed. It certainly piqued my interest! How on earth did they end up there? Why does he not recognize her? What is going on?

I love a good historical and the details in this story are spot on. The author weaves in real historical figures with effortless ease and her descriptions of the time period draw the reader in. Phoebe is a strong heroine who is not afraid to go after what she needs, in this case a protector, when the theater she works at shuts. I liked Phoebe immediately. She struggles with the need to be practical and her own moral convictions. Even though the idea is distasteful to her, she needs to survive, so she makes the most of the situation she finds herself in.

It throws her in the path of the notorious DeVere, and his friend Ned. Ned is a widower, in town to arrange the coming out of his daughter, and he isn't best pleased to be dragged along to a bawdy house. When he encounters Phoebe their mutual attraction is instant, but Ned is sworn to celibacy, following the death of his wife.

DeVere does his best to throw Ned and Phoebe together and when DeVere is challenged to a wager, to 'rut in the king's bed' he accepts.

I shan't tell you what happens next, so as not to spoil the story, but it was both funny and heart wrenching and hot! I wasn't sure what to make of Ned to start with, but as the story unfolds I warmed to him, and once he made up his mind to pursue Phoebe, well, does he make up his mind.

*grins*

All in all this was very enjoyable read and the ending has me all sorts of intrigued!

A-

Of Course I Try by Seleste deLaney

OF COURSE I TRY BY SELESTE DELANEY

Word Count: 5,000

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Heat Level: Smoky

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

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Love is a wonderful thing. Unless you don't get a choice in the matters of your own heart.

Jocelyn has loved Max since the day she met him. Even when he scares her enough to leave, she can't resist going back. No matter how many times she tries to break free from him, she ends up in his arms and bed again. Not this time. Jocelyn needs to be free and Max isn't going to stop her from walking away - no matter how hard he tries.

***

This is a very short read and the first time I have read this author. Well, it won't be the last! Despite not being a huge fan of first person point of view stories, this drew me in from the first page. Ms. DeLaney has a beautifully descriptive writing style that draws the reader in and will not let you go. I really felt Jocelyn's confusion and her struggle to free herself of Max's drugging influence. Max was all that is yummy in a hero, and I did wonder why Jocelyn felt the need to leave, but it all becomes clear. I gasped at the end and was thoroughly disappointed when it was finished.

If I have one complaint, it's that it simply wasn't long enough!

A solid A from me :-)

A

Sinful Urges by Sonia Hightower

SINFUL URGES BY SONIA HIGHTOWER

Word Count: 11,537

Heat Rating: Steamy

Genre: Tragedy - Erotic

Publisher: Breathless Press

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Follow the confessions of Juan and Maria as they fall prey to lust at first sight. Can they stop themselves before it's too late, or will they become victims of their own sinful urges?

A new neighbor sends Juan running to confession to rid himself of the lustful thoughts he experiences. Each confession becomes more erotic, more sinful than the last. Can Juan stop himself, or will he give in to the desire that threatens his very faith?

The man across the street causes Maria to question her own morals. When she seeks out a priest for confession, she weaves a tale of exotic kisses and stolen moments. How can Maria find sanctuary in her prayers when her body demands she finds solace in her neighbor's arms?

***

The blub of this was enough to make me know I had to read the story. And the story more than lived up to the blurb.

I found myself totally gripped by every word, wondering what was going to happen next, wanting to rush through it to see what did happen, but not wanting to miss anything.

I actually read it three times, that's how engrossing it is. And the ending? Let's just say I never expected that.

It's rare I get so engrossed in a story that I don't look for errors, but with this? I have no idea if there was repetition, hesitation or deviation. I was hooked.

To be honest, is enjoyment the right word to describe what I got from Sinful Urges?

I don't think it is, reading this you will get so much more, and even find yourself questioning the very tenets of some important fundamentals of some people's lives.

A great short read. I read it in one sitting…walked around assimilating what I read, and read it again.

Definitely if you like something that's a little bit different and don't mind being shocked in an unexpected way, this is for you.

A-

Deaf Isn't Dumb by Tara Chevrestt

Death Isn't Dumb by Tara Chevrestt

Heat Rating: Innocent
Word Count: 30,391
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Publisher: Breathless Press

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You're stupid. You're retarded. You shouldn't have this job. These words lit a fire of determination in one deaf woman who set out to prove to the aviation world…and the world in general that deaf isn't dumb.

Deaf Isn't Dumb is a motivational story of a young woman, Tara, who faces the challenges of growing up "hearing impaired" in a hearing world. Follow her as she recounts everything from childhood bullies to work related restrictions, and funny misunderstandings from mispronounced words to fear of Federal Air Marshals. In this tale, straight from the heart, learn that simply because one is deaf—contrary to popular misconception—it doesn't mean they are dumb.

***

After reading the blurb for 'Deaf Isn't Dumb' I was quite interested in taking a look at Tara's story. Having grown up with a relative who was deaf, experiencing auditory and speech issues when I was younger and ear problems still as an adult, I related to some of the stories Tara had faced in her life, especially when it came to the childhood incidents: the operation and her reactions, the teasing by other children, the lack of peer respect and friendships. There were times I was moved and wanted to reach through the pages to give her a hug and others where I wanted to reach through and ask the people she had to deal with–like the gray-haired man in the men's store where she tried to work and Rat Bastard at another job–how they could treat anyone the way they did. She infused just enough humor into her recounting to make the serious subject of being deaf in a hearing world approachable and, aside from a few minor stylistic/editing choices, a very easy read.

'Deaf Isn't Dumb' was an enjoyable, inspirational memoir that teaches one to be more aware of who they're dealing with, that obstacles can be overcome and nothing/no one should get in the way of reaching one's dreams. Thank you, Tara, for taking a stand in your life and sharing your story with the world.

A-