Title: Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1)

Author: Katee Robert

Genre: Hades and Persephone retelling, erotic

Release Date: 1 June 2021

Author's links:

My rating: 3 Stars

I picked this book for two reasons - it's Hades and Persephone retelling and a close friend highly recommended the author's Disney Villains series which I haven't read yet. While I enjoyed some elements of the story, in the end it was not what I expected and I was not wow-ed by it.

It's a modern day retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth told in first person present tense dual POV which didn't quite work for me. It made the MCs sound juvenile, spoilt and immature.

I found the first quarter really slow, too descriptive, while at the same time giving us very little insight into Persephone and her world. The world building was very superficial (we get more details .about Hades' world later on but Olympus remained sketchy and insubstantial to me till the end).

I did like the romantic and sexual relationship between Hades and Persephone. The way it progressed, the way their kink was presented - it all worked for me (from my outsider's perspective). I very much enjoyed the sense of play and joy involved in the kink representation and also appreciate being nervous and hesitant about trying new things. Here the consent played a central role, it was not just empty words, there is an actual moment of one MC changing their mind about something sexual they wanted and this was totally OK and respected by the other MC. It was these little moments of insecurity and uncertainty in Hades and Persephone that I liked the best. It made them feel real and relatable to me.

The last quarter of the story was very much action packed, lots of lies and deceptions happening, seeing more of the other characters, making them more than cardboards on the page. I liked the final resolution thought it felt a bit rushed. A pet peeve of mine is badly drawn villains and this was the case here which I found rather disappointing.

I am curious about the next book in the series about Eros and Psyche and still might read it despite really not liking the writing here.

CW: violence, attempted assault, murder, arson, 

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Title: Wait for It (Everything I Left Unsaid #4)

Author: M. O'Keefe

Date of publication: 28 Feb 2017

Genre/themes: Erotic Romance

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

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My rating: 4 Stars

Blrub

Tiffany: After fighting for a new life, I don’t want to play the victim anymore. However, with three kids to raise, I’m getting desperate enough to make a deal with the devil. My estranged brother-in-law, Blake, says he just wants to help, but he’s been trouble since I met him. I don’t know if I can believe this kinder, gentler Blake, and there’s a friction between us that has turned into the sweetest chemistry. He could be my salvation . . . or my downfall.

Blake: I haven’t always had Tiffany’s best interests at heart but I’m ready to make up for my sins. Besides, I can’t help admiring her: The girl’s a genuine survivor, tough and lean, with eyes of steel. But the more I get to know Tiffany, the more I want her. Every inch of her. Which means I’m about to make a bad situation a hell of a lot worse. 

Review

This is the fourth book in a series of exceptionally good erotic romances by Molly O'Keefe which I have enjoyed a lot.

From the bits we got from he previous books I was prepare to hate Blake and love Tiffany and it did start that way but the lines between love and hate got blurry pretty fats.

This is a very character driven story focused on character growth and change, exploring one's potential to be a better person, to live a happier life and feel more fulfilled.At the start we have two broken people, both hurt a lot by the same person, Paul, her ex and his brother. Their coping mechanisms have not the the healthiest ones. Blake was emotionally shut down, pouring his emotions into fights on the ring. Tiffany had shut down her body (along with her heart), not letting herself think of her needs, focusing on surviving abuse and taking care of her children.

Their second meeting (after the disastrous first on in The Truth Abut Him) started a long process of getting to know each other, overcoming misgivings and doubts and outright hate initially. It got mixed up desire pretty fast. And there was a dark edge to it, both of them not really denying it but rather making it as impersonal as possible. The whole paying situation did make me uncomfortable a time or two and I think the author wanted the readers to feel that way. M' O'Keefe did an amazing job at conveying the mixture of pleasure and shame it caused them both and how it forced them re-examine their preconceptions about desire, sex, love and ultimately themselves.

This is an intense erotic story, with the same high level of heat as the previous in the series. And with the same emotional depth. This is a story of facing your daemons, of standing up for yourself, of daring to hope. I loved how strong Tiffany was, and even more, how he recognized and admired her strength. All this with him being so strong physically, resilient, taking brutal beating on the ring, just to make himself feel something other that the emotional scars of his past/present.

I liked how the sorry mixed family relations in the whole romance plotline, a feature of the series which I appreciate a lot. The complexity of having a difficult family, how it shapes you and hurts and saves you at the same time. And how there is no magic cure for everything. how love is not always enough. how some people change and become their better self, while others just can't do it. and that's real, that's how life is (in my experience at least) and prefer seeing this in a contemporary romance over a manufactured, cheesy HEA where everyone ends up being the good person in the story.

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Blurb

He's sexy... He's dangerous... He's right next door. 

I gave up everything to save my sister from a monster, and now I’m lying low in this rundown apartment so I can stay out of danger. Hiding from everyone.

Except for the guy in apartment 1A.

He’s rude. Silent. Muscled, mysterious, and hot as hell. I don’t know if he likes me or hates me, but the more time I spend with him, the less it matters.

I want him.

And for the first time in my life I'm going to go after what I want.

She doesn’t belong in my world.

From the second 1B moves in, I know she’s keeping secrets. She doesn’t belong here, much less with a street fighter like me.

But that doesn’t stop me from craving her. Her softness and sweetness. She’s a drug, and suddenly I’m addicted.

I know someone is going to try and hurt her and I can’t let that happen. But unless I push her away and get her out of my world, that someone could be me…

bad Neighbor is a new standalone book, though a second one focused on secondary characters will be coming out soon. If I have to pick one word to describe this story it would be HOT! It's also a bit dark, a lot of intense and a tad predictable.

What we have is a bad boy underground fighter falling for the good geeky and shy girl next door. By the end though what we get is not what we saw initially. Instead Jesse and Charlotte turn out to be two complicated people - loyal to their families, ready to sacrifice their own chance at happiness to help out their siblings.

I like how in every book Molly O'Keefe manages to create very intriguing characters, believable characters that draw you in their world and you can't help but fall in love with them

Charlotte journey of taking control of her life was fascinating. She was timid, geeky, lack confidence and her self-esteem was low but with Jess she acted bold, went for what she wanted despite being afraid of rejection and ridicule, was brave to try new things and i love that about her th emost. She was a really interesting character and enjoyed her a lot.

Jesse was a more the standard romance bad boy hero - rough and tough underground fighter but with a heart of gold, doing it for his family (his brother). He started as seemingly being rude to Charlotte but in fact he was there, helping her settle in, protecting her from the very beginning. He treated her just right, gave her space and time when she needed it but also pushed her just enough for her to act, to go forward,

This is an erotic romance and love scenes stand out with their intensity. That threesome that became a sort of a foursome was something special, super hot but also revealing all too well the characters' deep emotions and (hidden, at least for Charlotte) desires.

Bad Neighbor is a strong erotic read, with great characters falling in lust which quickly turns into true intimacy and love.

Purchase links: Amazon

Blurb

The only thing that matters to me is rescuing my sister from the drug-cooking cult that once enslaved us both. I’ve run cons my whole life, and I’ll use my body to get whatever I need. Max Daniels is the last connection I have to that world, the one person reckless enough to get involved. Besides, now that his brothers have turned on him, he needs me too.

The deal was supposed to be simple: a place to hide in exchange for rescuing my sister. Now he’s my prisoner. Totally at my mercy. But I’m the one captivated. Enthralled. Doing everything he asks of me until I’m not sure who’s in control.

We both crave the heat. The more it hurts, the better. But what if Max wants a different life now, to leave the game . . . to love me? I thought I knew better than to get burned. Now I’m in too deep to pull away. And the crazy thing is . . . I don’t want to.

I'm a big fan of Ms O'Keefe's writing and this series are really breaking my heart. Max and Joan's story is even more powerful, intense, darker than the Annie and Dylan's. 

I had the impression that Joan was actually older because of the self-confidence and assured way in which she acted with in the first book. What we see here is that she is in fact much younger, her confidence and bravado is mostly on the outside, a mask she wears to protect herself.. In fact the Joan we get to know in this story  is very much lost and in doubt about everything in her life.

Max, well, he is the rough and tough and ruthless biker club president we expect him to be. At the same time he is put in the rather unusual situation of being on the run from his club brothers and at the same time being held hostage by Joan. All this brings out a whole new side of his character to light which was fascinating to see.

There is lots of sexual tension in this story as usual in Ms O'Keefe's romances. A lot of their misery and frustration and anger at the world and the hard life they had to deal with, was expressed through the sex they had. The angry, punishing sex they had did push my comfort level but at the same time I liked how it led to Max an Joan opening to each other and becoming truly intimate. 

They are so much similar, both hardcore, angry and impulsive, yet desperate to make things right, loyal to their families but also plagued by their pasts and mistakes they have made. All this makes it rather difficult for them to express love and affection, either romantically or for their families in general. Giving up on all their coping mechanisms and survival mechanisms is a slow and painful process. It was not easy for either of them to dare to hope, to dream of a future they could look forward to.

Overall, I would describe this romance as a powerfully erotic story with a touch of danger but well within the limits of consent and doing (sexual) things everyone enjoyed (even the one-time with a third party involved). I liked how the characters presented their sexuality without judgement. Joan's bisexuality wasn't an issue for anyone and it was also not made into a shocking element in the story.

I'm sure fans of Ms O'Keefe will enjoy this romance and if you haven't read her books before and you like exquisitely written, intense erotic romance, I strongly urge you to give this series a try. While Burn Down the Night can be read as a standalone, it's even better if you read the previous two books (which go together) - Everything I Left Unsaid (review) and The Truth About Him (review).

Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Erotic romance
Release Date: 21 June 2016

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars
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When it comes to the wolves of Wall Street, Ryan Hamilton is the leader of the pack. But his bravado is all bluff. The bank he works for is up to it’s assets in fraud and shady deals. And thanks to pressure from the NYPD and FBI, Ryan is working as both a trader and a whistleblower. His only respite from the tension is when he parades his latest arm candy at a fancy lingerie shop.

Simone Demarchelier owns Irresistible, crafting custom high-end lingerie. So she’s more than happy that Ryan is spending a fortune on his women. But she senses that behind the hotshot facade there is something more. Something tortured and sad. And when he flies her out to the Hamptons in the shadow of a summer thunderstorm in order to fix one of her designs, she instead finds herself stuck in the opulent home with a distraught Ryan.

Is Simone the one person who can mend Ryan’s heart and soul?

Review

I love Ms Calhoun's writing and the latest books in this series, The Muse (my review), is one of my favourite erotic romances of last year. I somehow ended up reading this series out of order but the separate novels are very loosely connected and they work well as standalone.

Evening Storm is book 4 and very briefly introduces the characters I already met in book 5 and it brings back characters from the previous book which I haven't read yet but this did not prevent me in any way from enjoying Ryan and Simone's romance.

The story is set in the world of luxury - the high-end lingerie designer Simone and the Wall Street shark Ryan come together in an unexpectedly intimate and tender way. It's an angsty story but at the same time a very sexy and intimate one.

The secrets they keep from each other really made things between them difficult. The attraction was there and it was most powerful, yet there was lack of trust and abundance of doubt and misgivings at the beginning. they really did meet at the worst possible time (for him, at least). But it was also the right time, in a way, because he desperately needed Simone's honesty and her down-to-earth, confident and independent attitude. His feelings for her kept him grounded and helped him when his own honesty and desire for justice wavered in the face of the difficulties he was faced with.

Their romance was nothing conventional - he kept bringing other women to her store to buy lingerie for them. he also kept telling her stories about his time with them but they were all meant for her, rather than being a realistic account of his sexual exploits. I found it a bit weird at the beginning but it turned out to be their way of forging connection and intimacy between them. And it was unique and beautiful.

The writing was, as usual, impeccable, very sensual and engaging. Ms Calhoun is a master at exploring the inner world of her characters, their desires and fears and their sexual attractions. A recommended read and series as a whole!

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
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Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo 

Synopsis

Excerpt

Author Bio and Links

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We played our roles, told each other lies.

But now Dylan is no longer just a mysterious deep voice on the other end of the line. We’re face-to-face and our relationship is very, very real.

We still have secrets—but so much is crystal clear:

The thrilling danger.

The raw, naked desire.

The need to keep feeling the way he makes me feel. Forever.

Dylan is putting up walls, trying to keep me safe, but he can’t shut me out. He has seen my darkness and rescued me. Now it’s my turn, if only he will let me.

Review

This is the second and final book in the series about Dylan and Annie and it brings about a hard-won and very well deserved HEA for them. This time the focus is mostly on Dylan - his struggles, his demons from the past and hopes for the future.

The terrible cliffhanger from the ending of book 1 is solved right away and all the characters are faced with the consequences of their actions. The story here continuous with the same intensity - deeply emotional and erotic, both dark and the occasional rays of sunshine filtering through.

We see Annie and Dylan trying to find a way to be together despite the heavy issues of their pasts (and present). Neither of them knows to let the other one in, how to love and be loved, how to go for the things they want. Dylan's had his spirit broken, just like Annie's had her body broken. It takes a lot of effort and never backing down on both sides to finally be happy together.

We see much more of Dylan, gradually unravelling the mystery of this broken man, plagued by bad childhood and difficult family relationships. Despite his seeming coldness and detachment from everyone and everything, he still cares about his family and friends. He has difficulty showing his emotions, being open and vulnerable. But Annie is there for him all the time. She battle with her own demons - guilt, doubts, insecurity but ultimately she is strong and resilient. She fights with everything she has for the man she loves and for the happiness and future that she has been denied for so long.

Their explosive chemistry just gets stronger and ever more complex. Their romance was raw and gritty, there was a lot of fighting - with each other, with themselves, with the rest of the world. There was no sugarcoating of the truth. We see the ugliness is Dylan's life in its brutal honesty but it also opens up a road towards acceptance, reconciliation, moving on to become a better person.

The supporting cast get their storylines further developed and I my heart went all out for Dylan's brother and I'm already anxiously looking forward to his story.

It's a dark and somewhat disturbing story of suffering and loss and the glimpses of light that shine in the characters' lives are even more precious because of that. The heavy erotic element in the story works well to show the characters' development and how they manage to build a healthy romantic relationship despite everything.

A recommended read!

Title: Everythign I Left Unsaid (Everything I Left Unsaid #1)
Author: M. O'Keefe
Date of publication: 13 Oct 2015
Genre/themes: Erotic Romance, Abuse

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
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My rating: 4 Stars

And I found a hot, secret world where I felt alive for the first time.

His name was Dylan, and, strangely, he made me feel safe. Desired. Compelled. Every dark thing he asked me to do, I did. Without question. I longed to meet him, but we were both keeping secrets. And mine were dangerous. If I took the first step, if I got closer to Dylan—emotionally, physically—then I wouldn’t be hiding anymore. I would be exposed, with nothing left to surrender but the truth. And my truth could hurt us both.

Review 

I loved the Boys of Bishop series which I read last year and was ecstatic when I got the chance to read an ARC of this. This story is a somewhat dark erotic romance and fair warning from the start, it's part of a duology and ends on a cliffhanger. 

It's a powerfully written story told from dual POV. This is the story of Annie's journey towards herself - a sort of sexual (and emotional) awakening . At times it read like Dylan was healing her through sex and I'm not a big fan of this trope. What makes this story stand out for me though, was Annie's will, her strength, bravery. Dylan was certainly influential to her growth and change but ultimately it was her who took the challenge, who pushed herself to discover her boundaries. I loved how she went (a little scared and a lot of determined) after the things she wanted. The author didn't hide her fear and hesitancy, there was also her desire to try new things, to actually learn what she likes/dislikes, to discover and go after some dreams of her. For someone with her background of physical and psychological abuse, it was a miracle how much purity, innonce, light and hope she carried in herself and shared with others.

Dylan remained quite an enigma throughout the story. We see just glimpses of him and his past and present and what we get is a tortured man, strong and self-sufficient, yet one that has never truly managed to let go of the past.

I wanted to see more development of the romantic relationship, besides the sexual chemistry and all the challenging, provocation and experiments in this regard. We get just the first stages of the deeper connection forming between them and have to wait for the next book to see if/how things between may grow into something positive, good for both of them, something like a well-deserved HEA.

The plot was interesting, even intriguing at times, the twists and turns felt natural and fitting the characters. The cliffhanger was bit of a letdown for me because I'm not generally a fan of those and I feel the story could have continued perfectly well in the next book without it. 

I liked the the way the author explored the intricate relationships between the characters, they all felt real in their complexity and multi-layeredness. The focus was on Annie's journey, and it was not easy one and far from complete by the end of the book. We also meet some well-built and very intriguing supporting characters (who I'm happy to share are getting their own stories soon).

This is an intense, dark and very erotic story, yet there is certain light and hope in it. And a brutal cliffhanger, so I'd suggest if you plan on reading this book (as you should), you need to get it together with the second book, The Truth About Him (I've already read it and you can check my review on Thursday, Oct 8).

My reviews of the Boys of Bishop series:
Never Been Kissed (book 2) - 4 stars
Between the Sheets (book 3) - 4 stars
Indecent Proposal (book 4) - 4.5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Title: Claimed (Outlaws #1)

After a devastating war decimated most of the world, Hudson Lane has only known the oppressive life under her own father’s tyranny. She finally escapes, branding herself an outlaw and hunted by the Enforcers. Her best chance at survival is Connor Mackenzie, an aggressively sensual fugitive who opens her eyes to the wicked possibilities of a world without rules.

As the leader of a band of outlaw fighters, Connor can’t resist the beautiful stranger who asks for his protection. Despite his reservations, he agrees to introduce her to a whole new way of life. But when Connor discovers Hudson’s connection to the enemies of liberty, he wonders how far he can trust the woman who has abandoned all inhibitions to challenge every forbidden desire.

*** *** ***

Why am I waiting for this? - I've only read the Off Campus series by Ms Kennedy which is contemporary NA college sports romances but I liked her writing and would like to try more of it. This is book 1 in new dystopian erotic romance series and I haven't read anything like that before and find the blurb rather intriguing. Plus that cover, who can resist a cover like that? :)

Title: Hard Time

Author: Cara McKenna

Date of publication: 15 April 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica 

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / iTunes / Kobo

My rating: 4 Stars

In this all-new novel from the author of Unbound, a woman with a rocky past finds romance in the last place she’d ever expect...

Annie Goodhouse doesn’t need to be warned about bad boys; good sense and an abusive ex have given her plenty of reasons to play it safe. But when she steps into her new role as outreach librarian for Cousins Correctional Facility, no amount of good sense can keep her mind—or eyes—off inmate Eric Collier.

Eric doesn’t claim to be innocent of the crime that landed him in prison. In fact, he’d do it again if that’s what it took to keep his family safe. Loyalty and force are what he knows. But meeting Annie makes him want to know more.

When Eric begins courting Annie through letters, they embark on a reckless, secret romance—a forbidden fantasy that neither imagines could ever be real…until early parole for Eric changes everything, and forces them both to face a past they can’t forget, and a desire they can’t deny.

Review

This is my third book by Cara McKenna and to describe it I'm borrowing the definition given to her books by another reviewer - smart erotica, adding romance, since this one was all about romance plus great sexual chemistry.

It's easy to turn the main premise of this story of a love affair between a librarian and prisoner into a cliched version of a shy, sexually repressed woman and a bold, domineering, aggressive prisoner. I'm glad to say that it's nothing like this.

It's a complex story of love, lust and what it means to be with someone, to accept them for who they are and to share freely all your dreams and desires.

Ms McKenna creates a beautiful love story, a passionate romance, a realistic novel exploring issues such as abuse, violence and possibility of change.

I'm not a big fan of stories told via letters, but the love/lust letters between Annie and Eric were something else - so passionate, so open and honest, they reveal how two strangers can get to know more about each other than anyone else knows about them all through the exchange of words on paper without any physical contact.

The unique positions of Annie and Eric make their romance a curious mix of impossible love and unrequited passion allowing them both to be completely uninhibited and to indulge in their deepest secrets and fantasies.

Around the middle of the story reality came crashing in and things changed dramatically. Annie and Eric were given a chance too act on their attraction but at the same time they were faced with a whole new set of issues. After one abusive relationship year ago, Annie had great difficulties accepting the violence in Eric. He was always gentle and caring with her, responsive to her wishes, yet his repentance about the violent act that led him to jail and his determination to resort to violence again if necessary put a strain on their relationship.

This is where my issues with the plot come out. I feel like they went in circles in their disputes, Annie was appalled at the violence Eric was capable of, he was adamant in not sharing the reasons behind his behaviour. They went on and on without anyone of them changing their position.

I didn't particularly like the plotline with Eric's family. The issue with his sister was far too easily resolved. I also felt the ending was lacking. I would have also loved to see her family's reaction to him. It would have been nice to see Annie and Eric actually trying to work things out as a couple - they have so many obstacles to overcome.

The love scenes were hot, hot, hot. They completely unraveled me with their honesty, openness. He was adoringly shy, always trying to please her, deriving his pleasure from hers, in a way he was the perfect lover. Annie was adventurous, excited to explore, to try new things, rediscovering passion and pleasure.

Ms McKenna has created amazing characters - he was a delightful combination of shy and considerate, a perfect gentleman, yet ready to do violence for the person he loves/cares about - he had a strong sense of loyalty, justice. His writing disability, his care for his plants came in sharp contrast with his readiness to resort to violence for his loved ones. 

Annie was quite interesting, as well - she was strong enough to get away from an abusive relationship, strong enough to cope with the prisoners, she trusted Eric despite her fear of violence, she was willing to face his family, her family, to stand by him. 

Overall this book explores some complex issues in the lives of realistic characters involved in a true romance with great sexual chemistry. Despite some issues I had with the plot, it's another winner for Ms McKenna which I can recommend.My reviews of some of other books by Cara McKenna:

Unbound
Her Best Laid Plans

Title: Her Best Laid Plans

Author: Cara McKenna

Date of publication: 15 April 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, Novella

Author's links:

Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo

My rating: 5 Stars

Experience Ireland—the dramatic beauty, the warm hospitality...and the smoking-hot local guys!

Imagine nursing a pint in a cozy, authentic country pub, far from Cork City’s busy pulse. Getting here took you a plane, bus, taxi, and...erm, bicycle. But just as you’re resigning yourself to drinking beside gray-haired farmers, you see him—a man with the looks and charm to soothe any heartbroken girl.

He’s your bartender. Your really, really gorgeous bartender.

For American Jamie Webb—recently dumped and housesitting for two weeks—Connor Kelleher is like a six-course feast after a 23-year starvation diet. But it’s gotta be casual. She’s just begun re-routing her life after an extended, man-related detour. Still, a sexy romp (or twenty!) with Sexy McBartender? 

But what about when Jamie's best-laid plans for no future plans with any man begin to change?

It's my second book by Ms McKenna after Unbound (my review) which I greatly enjoyed, and I really, really liked this one as well. It's the perfect erotic romance novella. 

I'm getting to like Ms McKenna's writing style a lot - her stories flow smoothly, the characters are well developed and real. This was the case with this book, as well. Two ordinary people dealing with normal issues come together and something extraordinary happens between them. They are very likable and easy to relate to.

The story is told from Jamie's POV - an American visiting Ireland in an attempt to lift her spirits up after a being dumped by her boyfriend. Enter Connor - super sexy and sweet local Irish guy willing to show her good time. Things happened almost instantly between them but for once the instalove didn't bother me. It worked well because both of them were aware how unusual it was to feel so at ease with each other in such a short time (10 days).

There is no melodrama or grand declarations of eternal love. Just a strong chemistry, growing into something more. The love scenes were sensual and real with Jamie and Connor being completely open and honest with each other. 

Being a romance, it has a happy ending but I won't say more in order not to spoil the story for you. I'll just admit that I didn't see the twist in the end coming, probably because we are given only Jamie's perspective and it was unexpected for her as well, or it could be just that I was not paying enough attention. Either way, I'm very happy how things turned out in the end for Jamie and Connor. 

She set out to find herself, and discovered the darker side of desire.

Merry’s lost a lot recently—first her mother, then close to a hundred pounds. Feeling adrift, she strikes out in search of perspective. A three-week hike through the Scottish Highlands was supposed to challenge her new body and refocus her priorities, but when disaster strikes, she’s forced to seek refuge in the remote home of a brooding, handsome stranger…

Rob exiled himself to the Highlands years ago, desperate to escape his own self-destruction. Haunted by regrets, he avoids human contact at all costs…but when Merry turns up injured, he can’t very well run her off. And as he nurses her back to health, Rob can’t resist his guest’s sweet demeanor—or her flirtatious advances. The igniting passion between them rouses a secret appetite Rob has long struggled to keep hidden. But Merry craves nothing more than to help Rob surrender to his desires, and the journey draws the lovers into an entirely different kind of wilderness.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules: 

• Grab your current read 

• Open to a random page 

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 

• Be careful not the include spoilers! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers. 

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this week comes from Unbound by Cara McKenna. I just finished an ARC of this book and even though it is not my usual type of book, I really liked it. It is an erotic romance set in the Scottish Highlands dealing with some serious psychological issues related to sexual preferences, addiction, body image and perception. The writing was lyrical and emotional, but some elements of the story did push my boundaries. I am still thinking this book through and I will be writing my review shortly.

Here is the teaser itself: 

"He'd make tea.

He'd make conversation. And though he'd likely make an arse of himself, he'd bloody well make a fucking effort."

Unbound by Cara McKenna