Review: Sun Kissed - Amanda Abbott

Mallory Baldwin is a model who specializes in not taking herself too seriously. She’s sarcastic, crass, and loves a good joke. She’s been on the brink of making it since she was thirteen, and after learning that yet one more major brand has passed her up for another, good news arrives in the form of a gift. Her pal, Antonio Rafferty, a hotshot investor, has decided to send her to his elite private dating island for free. Fun in the sun, along with plenty of sexy distractions, are exactly what she needs to take her mind off her slumping career.

Patrick Conrad has been playing hockey since he could walk. After signing with Detroit, an injury lands him on the bench after the best season of his career. So when his college buddy, Antonio, enlists him to help out as a deep sea fishing guide in a new brand new business venture for a few weeks, Patrick accepts. A little break in his routine will do him good.

Sparks fly when Mallory jumps into Patrick's life unexpectedly. Things heat up quickly, but they both desperately try to keep their identity from the other.

That is, until the paparazzi arrive.

The beach never looked so good . . .

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
Mallory needs a break, she loves her career as a model but is disappointed that after 10 years of hard work she still hasn't reached the level of supermodel and with her birthday fast approaching she's feeling a little down about it all. When her friend offers her a week long all expenses paid trip to his remote island resort she jumps at the chance, especially since it's a dating resort designed to cater to every whim of the rich and famous singles it hopes to attract. Mallory is more than ready for a week of no strings fun and nothing is going to stop her from enjoying every minute of it.

It's funny because I wasn't Mallory's biggest fan when she was a side character in What Emma Craves but I really loved her here. She's such a down to earth girl and even though she's a beautiful and world famous model she doesn't act anything like you'd expect her to. Mallory doesn't take herself too seriously, she likes to have fun and in attitude she's more like the girl next door than someone you'd expect to find on a catwalk. I love how nice she is and how she seems to have time for anyone, she's just as happy chatting with the bartenders as she is talking to the elite clientele.

Patrick is hockey player who was in the middle of the best year of his career before he was injured, now he's at a loose end while he heals up enough to get back on the ice. His friend was in desperate need of staff to help out at his island resort's first week and Patrick was happy to help. He's supposed to be there to captain the island's pleasure fishing boat but when he realises how short staffed they are he's happy to help out behind the bar too.

When they first meet Mallory assumes that Patrick is just a normal bartender, she doesn't follow sport and has absolutely no idea that he's famous in his own right. That doesn't bother her in the slightest though and she quickly starts to fall for his charms. Patrick has been let down by women in the past and is sick of worrying that everyone he meets is only interested in him because of his money so it makes a refreshing change to be with someone who knows nothing about it. To be honest he's never heard of Mallory before either, even though his fellow bartender has let slip that she's a model, so they're in the same boat really. These two fit really well together, they have fantastic chemistry but they also have fun together. We get to see them spending time together just hanging out and having a laugh which is something that always makes romances feel so much more realistic and believable.

I would have loved for this story to be longer, it was satisfying as it was but I loved them both so much and would have happily spent more time with them. Their romance does move forward very quickly, they're only on the island together for a week after all, but I still found it completely believable and I was rooting for them to make it. There was a moment when I worried we were going to get some unnecessary drama but thankfully both Mallory and Patrick are adults and they immediately discussed a situation that wasn't at all what it looked and it didn't cause a single problem. I can't even tell you how happy that made me!

Sun Kissed is the first book in the Sexy Singles series, a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series, so I have to admit I was expecting it to be a little spicier than it was, we still get plenty of smut but it seemed a little toned down here. That's not a bad thing though and I think I'm going to end up loving this series just as much, we've already met Charlotte and Antonio who are going to be the main couple in the next book and I'm definitely looking forward to their story.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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Review: What Emma Craves - Amanda Abbott

It took a lot for Pete Slater to convince his wife, Emma, to move to the suburbs. But once she arrived, she found it had a deliciously steamy underbelly. Her neighborhood is filled with hook-ups, affairs, and scandal. It's better than any reality TV show.

But Emma finds she isn’t satisfied any more. After seeing Piper and Michael become adventurous again as a couple, it's made Emma realize that's what she wants in her own life. She craves to be noticed again. She decides what the two of them really need is a vacation. The STD girls throw her a travel shower, gifting her some sexy starters, and she and Pete are off to the Bahamas.

Their destination is a super exclusive resort situated on a tiny island where anything and everything can happen. When they meet a young couple at the airport, who end up in the suite next to theirs, things go from fun to incredibly steamy fast. Emma drives Pete crazy flirting, and it pays off. For the first time in their marriage her husband is jealous of another man. What Pete does to win her back turns out to be exactly what Emma craves.

*This book is off the charts hot. It contains: explicit sex, group sex, and voyeurism.

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
I've been a huge fan of this series ever since I picked up the first book so I was really excited to start What Emma Craves. We've already had the chance to learn quite a lot about this couple's extracurricular activities in the previous stories but I was looking forward to getting to know them both a bit better. Emma and Pete have always been more than happy to invite other couples to join them in the bedroom, it's something that they both enjoy and it's never caused an issue in their relationship before. Recently things have been changing for Emma though, she loves her husband like mad but she feels like they're losing the connection that has always made them such a strong couple. She misses the way things used to be and knows that something needs to change. Hoping a break will help them reconnect they have booked a holiday to an exclusive resort on an island where anything goes but will it really give them the chance to rebuild their relationship?

Although this story is undoubtedly hot I have to admit I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the previous instalments. I have always liked Emma but there were times I found myself really frustrated with Pete and the way he was so completely oblivious to her feelings. It felt like she was pushing herself to do things that she wasn't necessarily comfortable with because it was what he wanted and even when he noticed her reticence it didn't seem to bother him. I'm not saying he forces her into anything but you could tell her heart wasn't in it and that took some of the enjoyment out of it for me. I was actually really pleased when Antonio started paying her so much attention and showing her what it was like to actually have someone put her first for a change. This was when the story really started to take off for me and I enjoyed seeing Pete realise that Emma had other options, his jealousy showed that he really did care for her and it shook some sense into him.

There was one side character who got on my nerves from the beginning, Mallory just seemed so self centred and whiny and I couldn't for the life of me understand why Emma ended up becoming friends with her. I especially didn't like the games she was trying to play and it wasn't until right near the end of the book that I believed she was actually trying to help Emma and Pete rather than break them up. I think she was one of the main reasons I didn't like this book as much as I could have.

One thing I definitely enjoyed was the beautiful island setting, it was very easy to picture the decadent resort and it's definitely somewhere I wouldn't mind visiting. I also loved the growing bond between Emma and the other women from the series. There were some great moments between them and I loved the holiday shower they threw along with the gifts they gave Emma. There is a lot of humour in the interactions between them and I'm definitely looking forward to reading Gillian's book because I think it's going to be brilliant.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: What Piper Needs - Amanda Abbott

Piper and Michael Collins have it all. They’re in love, both have successful jobs, live in a nice neighborhood, and have a great sex life—that is, up until recently. Over the past six months everything has started to drag. Even though they’ve led an “extracurricular” lifestyle for a long time, things have gotten boring.

Piper decides to liven up her marriage in a big way, which she does with a little encouragement from her pal Caroline at their weekly STD happy hours. She jumps in and sparks between she and Michael fly. First with hot selfies, office sex, and later with some much needed risk-taking.

From there, Piper and Michael make a Top Ten Sex List and start ticking off their wildest fantasies. Piper becomes fearless--the things that made her panic in the past no longer holding her back--but when they both arrive at Michael's number ten, is Piper really ready?

*This book is super steamy hot, filled with out-of-the-box moments. The book contains: explicit sex, hardcore toys, and group sex.

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
After loving the first book in Amanda Abbott's Pushing the Boundaries series I couldn't wait to get hold of What Piper Needs. This series is hot as hell and considering Piper is much more aware of her own sexuality than Caroline was I just knew this book was going to raise the heat levels and I definitely wasn't disappointed.

I loved the friendship between Piper and Caroline in the first book and it was great to see that they are continuing to support each other in this one. The pair meet up every week to chat about life, love and of course sex and I can't tell you how much I enjoy this side to the story, especially now they've started adding some other faces to the mix including the heroine of the next book Emma. I'm all for stories that show positive female relationships, there is no competition between these women and no petty jealousy just genuine friendship and welcome support. These girls can talk to each other about anything and reading about them is like sitting down with your own girlfriends for an evening of wine, gossip and giggling.

Of course the most important relationship in the story is between Piper and her husband Michael and I thought they were a fantastic couple. They have been together for ten years and are obviously still head over heels in love. After such a long time together they have noticed that even with their extracurricular lifestyle things have started to get a little stale in the bedroom, they enjoy being with each other but they've lost that magical spark from the early days of their relationship. I loved that they are both willing to talk about their needs and desires, there are no secrets between them and they are very open about what is and isn't working for them. To spice things up they decide to write a list of their top ten fantasies and we get to share the fun as they work their way through them!

If you thought What Caroline Wants was hot you've not seen anything yet and What Piper Needs is absolutely off the charts! This series is going from strength to strength and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on a copy of What Emma Craves. One last thing, if you're enjoying this series make sure you check out Amanda Abbott's website where she has posted a couple of free bonus scenes for your enjoyment!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: What Caroline Wants - Amanda Abbott

Caroline and Jason Stratton have always been hot for each other. Married right out of college, they’ve had a great sex life. But when they discover that their best friends and neighbors, Piper and Michael Collins, have experimented with a few extracurricular adventures during their ten year marriage, Caroline and Jace’s sexual world is rocked.

The Strattons quickly find that inviting others into their bedroom might be something they want to explore. But getting Caroline to reconcile her Southern guilt is another matter altogether. So they decide to take it deliciously slow, exploring every avenue.

Their adventures lead them to Emma and Pete, and after a fun, sexy dinner date out, and an incredibly hot car ride home, they’re in. But once they decide to scale that mountain, all bets are off. In the end, Caroline must make a decision—and it’s one she’ll have to live with forever.

*This book is ridiculously sexy, filled with high-octane moments between the couple as they figure out what makes them tick. The book contains: explicit sex, voyeurism, and light couple swap. **There is no cheating, everything is consensual between all participants.

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
Caroline and Jason have a pretty perfect marriage, they're very much in love, incredibly happy together and they have a great sex life. So why would a conversation with their best friends and neighbours change that? When Piper and Michael confess that they enjoy experimenting with other couples in the bedroom it gives Caroline and Jason all sorts of ideas. Jason knows that sex and love are two different things and is more than willing to take their sex life to the next level but Caroline is much more nervous, what if adding extra participants in the bedroom ruins the relationship they have as a couple? Caroline feels guilty even thinking about it and isn't sure if she's brave enough to try. Can Caroline put her fears to one side and let go enough to enjoy the experience or will it ruin their marriage forever?

When this book came highly recommended by Annie I knew I was going to love it, she promised me a scorching hot read and she wasn't wrong about that, What Caroline Wants is an incredibly erotic story pretty much from the first page. I've read a lot of stories with multiple partners but this is the first book I've read about a couple who are in a serious long term relationship and considering experimenting with others for the first time. I have to admit I wasn't too sure if I would like that aspect of the story, I don't think it's the kind of thing I'd be comfortable to experiment with myself and I worried that I'd have trouble connecting to the characters. I guess that's the great thing about fiction though, we can enjoy the fantasy without having to take any of the risk and I ended up loving the journey that Caroline and Jason took.

They are such a great couple and you can tell from the beginning that they are crazy in love and have a very solid relationship. They talk things through every step of the way and although Jason is the one who is initially more keen to experiment I never felt like he was pressuring Caroline into anything. In fact, he knows how much the idea appeals to her even when she is too scared to admit it and for Jason the fantasy is more about seeing how turned on it makes her. At first I found it very easy to relate to Caroline but I have to admit that her Southern Belle guilt trip started to irritate me after a while, it did seem to be a little over the top at times and it made it hard for me to believe that their experiments proceeded quite so quickly. I think her guilt at anything sexual could have been toned down just a little and there would still have been plenty for them to deal with as a couple, it isn't an easy decision for anyone to take that step but I ended up feeling that Caroline would have taken years to get to the stage they reached within a few months which was a shame.

Having said that my complaints really were fairly minor and What Caroline Wants is a scorching hot read that I had trouble putting down. It introduces us to the two couples who feature in the rest of the trilogy, each pair have their own hang ups and kink and I'm looking forward to reading more about all of them. Amanda Abbott has definitely caught my attention with this series and I have no doubt that each book is only going to get hotter. If you like your stories full of intense emotions, highly erotic and with more than a little kink then you definitely need to give this a try.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle: