Erotica, Christmas, Anthology
TBR Reviewer: Shyla

Review

Once again I had the privilege of reviewing another Sextet by the fantastic authors:  Elizabeth Raines, Cheryl Brooks, Mellanie Szereto, Bethany Michaels, and Niki Hayes. As always the ladies bring the heat, and provide variety, presenting a story for ever yromance reader. 

Home for Christmas by  Elizabeth Raines
Janynie , Steve and Matt have been best friends since they were children. When both men admit to being head over heels for her, she’s forced to choose one or the other; but not before one incredible night of passion, decadence, and self-discovery. Who will Jaynie chose? Can the three musketeers survive this new test? This really opens your eyes to the
possibilities that are out there right under your nose!

 Elizabeth Raines approached this threesome from a completely different angle! I loved the background, build up and realistic feel of this ménage. I found the hopping from the past to the present to be a bit disconcerting. But overall I found it to be a good read. 

Angel on Broadway by Cheryl Brooks
Ariel is a widow still reeling from the loss of her husband five years previous. Living a half life she’s shocked when she forms an instant connection with a drummer during a set in a bar. When the drummer whose name is Nico tracks her down after she flees, Ariel discovers she knows him and his cousin Alexei from her past. They were both a part of the music scene at the same time as her husband Todd. She can’t pin-point what makes them special but they make her feel alive in a way she hasn’t’ experienced since Todd passed. Does she dare take the next step and listen to her instincts?

This story mixed two of my favorite things, music and romance! With its setting steeped in the music scene in Nashville, Angel on Broadway is a contemporary tale with a twist.  Ms. Brooks added just a dash of the otherworldly aspect in, along with amusing banter, and amazing sex.  I was a fan of the concept. This, however, thew threw me off: The main character Ariel went from suffering from severe depression due to the tragic loss of her husband to coveting two men too fast. 

Ariel still wasn’t ready to let go of her husband after five years, so it’s a hard pill for me to swallow when she finds herself ready to move on in one night. For me that abrupt change of gears kept me from being able to immerse myself in the story and enjoy the journey the characters took, but admittedly that could just be me. There are plenty of other reasons for a reader to enjoy with this one.

Thrice Upon Yuletide by Bethany Michaels 
Stephen, Anna, and Phillip have an arrangement that is scandalous to most people in their time. Friends since they were young the three can’t imagine life without one another. So, the two men who were once both brothers in arms in the military agree to share the brunette beauty. Though an inheritance leads to marriage between Anna and Stephen it changes nothing in this polyamourous relationship.

When whispers began to circulate about their odd relationship, Phillip takes it upon himself to protect the two people he loves most in the world. If Stephan and Anna become social pariahs it would be a death blow to their social standing, and wealth. Phillip believes he’s doing the right thing by cutting ties with his lovers, and getting engaged to someone else; but can he really marry a woman he doesn’t love?

Ménage meets historical in this saucy short.There’s something extra naughty about their open foreplay in the time of the buttoned up Victorian Era.  It made the story feel that more erotic to me. Of course some say the forbidden fruit is always the sweetest. ;)  Ms. Michaels is a master of character development. I really felt the camaraderie between the male heroes and their love for the heroine was a bright beacon that shone through the ups and downs that the three went through.  Thrice Upon Yuletide is a hidden jewel I highly recommend. Especially to those who love a good historical. 

A Little Elfin Magic by Mellanie Szereto 
 Close since they were children Noelle, Chris, and Nick have always had each other’s back. But we learn very quickly part of the reason Noelle is so easily coerced is her well hidden desire for the two men.  They ask her to step in and be Ms. Claus at a gift give away. Chris and Nick assure her the event it strictly PG rated, and she agrees to play the role with one condition. They need to be elves. That means, tights, curly shoes, pointy hats, the works. Things take an erotic turn when she promises to take care of their penis’s after their imprisonment in tights. This lands her in a situation that excites and terrifies. Will living out her fantasies ruin their life long friendship?

Once again Ms. Szereto has delivered another fabulous story full of humor, heat and kink. I laughed aloud at the ridiculous situations Nick and Chris manage to land their best friend Noelle in. No really! The boys still owe her for the time she ended up doing a show girl style dance for a bachelor party at a retirement home. Where does Ms. Szereto come up with this stuff! This story is a must read and perfect for the holiday season. If I knew Santa was delivering these kind of elves I might have gotten in line at the mall. ;) Even if kink isn’t your thing, this is a nice intro into the world of more than vanilla. 

Two Kisses Under the Mistletoe by Niki Hayes 
Julie left town after her senior year with a broken heart, and never looked back. With the exception of her beloved grandmother’s funeral she hasn’t set foot back in Irish Hills until now. Ten years later the tenant Julie has been renting too has moved out after getting married and she’s brought back to deal with her past. It was no secret Julie’s ex John hurt her badly. When you base a character on someone and decapitate them, it makes one hell of a statement. Julie writes under a pseudonym but everyone knows there’s no such thing as privacy in a small town. Being back in town brings back good memories, and a run in with her best friend Keith leads to an explosive rendezvous under the mistletoe. Julie realizes she has more reasons to stay then she thought. An equally satisfying encounter with her ex John opens her eyes further, and possibly her heart.

 This is the perfect read for the season. Full of love, loss, and forgiveness, Two Kisses Under The Mistletoe gets you in the mood for the holidays and delivers enough passion to get you past what I refer to as the Christmas Crazy.  The sex was yummy, and the message behind it warmed my heart.  Ms. Hayes wrote a fantastic short. 

Excerpt and purchase here

Contest

Ms. Raines is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. Comment below to enter. Contest ends January 1st.
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+Giveaway
Erotica, Anthology - Novel
TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf

Blurb

Handcuffs and neckties and belts, oh my! Many may fantasize about being bound while their lover has his or her wicked way with them, but when faced with the opportunity, would you trust your partner enough to relinquish all control? Or would you prefer to be the one in charge? Or are you among the ranks of the undecided? 

Join the ladies of the Sextet for a look at both sides of the coin, and discover what it means to be the recipient of intensely provocative sensual delights, or to be the lady who knows how to tie a man down and take him to heights of ecstasy beyond his imagination. Then try, if you will, to decide which you would prefer. Just remember, there is no right or wrong here; there is only trust. When it comes to passion and love, you should never underestimate the power of restraint.

Review

Six erotic passion filled stories about letting go and trusting your partner enough to catch you. Each stories has the characters letting go and finding a pentacle they never imagined reaching. 

Trust by Elizabeth Raines

Angie isn’t sure if she has the ability to let go and trust but she knows that if she keeps letting the stress of the job get to her then it might ruin the best thing to ever happen to her,
Noah. This was so well written that it never once felt like a short and I loved the characters. Noah is such a partner and never once in his frustration does he really get angry and Angie is a Type A personality but she is an easy character to relate to. Oh and when the story steams up, it really steams up. Highly recommended.

A Delicate Procedure by Cheryl Brooks

Aiden has a hard time letting go and there is only one woman he trust enough to teach him: his neighbor and the woman that used to baby-sit him, Trish. Is this only a one time
deal or can it possibly build into more? I’m not usually a big fan of age gap but the author did such an amazing job with the character connection that you believe that they Have to be together to be complete. Neither one can seem to loosen up and really enjoy themselves
unless it’s with each other and this is shown with amazing detail. Not to mention it was packed full of fun and excitement. 

Believe It or Knot by Bethany Michaels

Hannah has been crushing on her boss, Marcus for awhile now and has finally built up the nerve to make her move. Once entangled Marcus can’t help but wonder what he’s gotten himself into. This was just incredibly hot. There was so much detail, background information, and amazing characters that you immediately fall into the story and once again it never felt like a short but instead like an actual book. I loved Hannah from the get go with all her spunk and intelligence and I came to love Marcus just as much, once I realized why he’d been holding back. Though I admit to having a few moments of wanting to smack Marcus upside his head. All together, I have to highly recommend this story, it’s fun, exciting, and hot all the way through.

Lines of Communication by Annie Morgan

Rebecca knows how to hold a grudge and doesn’t know if she has the ability to forgive and let go. For lifelong happiness she’s willing to give it a try. The author has tension down to a fine art. The hairs on my arm are still standing up. Even though I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen, I still found myself on the edge of my seat and excited about getting to the next page. When it all came to a point, the pages practically burst into flames it was that hot. You can’t help but like Rebecca, she’s a woman making it in a business that few do. She has to be strong and hold her own. I fell equally in love with Cam who is determined to get Rebecca any way he has to. Really, all's fair in love and war.

String Theory by Mellanie Szereto

Andromeda isn’t the type of woman to take charge but if that’s what it takes to gain the attention of her co-worker Gunnar then she’s determined to turn into that type of woman. Will Gunnar like her take charge ways or will she be more than he can handle? If I was forced to pick then I’d have to say this was my favorite and honestly in this group of stories, that’s saying a lot. This just fit the bill, there is just something about a woman finding her inner vixen and having her wicked way with the man. Gunnar’s inner dialogue had me jumping from laughter to panting. This story was just a blast on so many levels.

Tangled Metal and Emotions by Niki Hayes

When two dominants come head to heads it’s a toss of the coin as to who will come out on top. This story was fast paced, fun, and well written. The plot was full of friction between Lindsey and Craig, not only was it a blast to watch but incredibly hot as well. I have to admit though that there were times I really wanted to beat down Craig for being a little too domineering. Lindsey with her take charge ways, brings him down to size very nicely. This story is highly recommended!

Read excerpt and purchase here

Contest

Ms Raines is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner! Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 13th.
18 Comments