Review: Fancy Free - Shelley Munro + International Giveaway

Warning: Condoms were tested and a few harmed during the writing of this story.

It’s not every day a girl inherits a condom company, and to say accountant Alice Beasley is astonished and out of her depth is putting it mildly. For an almost virgin, she needs a quick education in all things condom because her inheritance is in danger. Someone is intent on sabotage and trying to destroy her new company.

Alice is suddenly getting down and dirty with charismatic James, the factory manager, all in the name of business, testing new condom designs. The sex is hot. Mind-blowing. It’s a dark thrill and an erotic journey. Yeah, it’s a hard job, but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s gotta do.

Alice wants James. She craves his talented touch and sultry kisses, she desires passion and physical pleasure on a permanent basis but first she must convince bad-boy James to give up his fancy-free ways.

Fancy Free Series:
Fancy Free
Christmas is Coming
Feeling the Buzz
Biding His Thyme

Visit Shelley Munro's website for more information

Review:
The last thing Alice is expecting when she goes to the reading of her godmother's will is that she is about to inherit a condom factory. The fact that she has to agree to run the factory for 6 months in order to keep her inheritance makes her more than a little nervous but she has always wanted to feel financially secure and this is the perfect opportunity. With someone causing all kinds of incidents at the factory it soon becomes clear that Alice's future isn't quite as secure as she thought it would be though and she becomes even more determined to make sure the business is a success. Alice finds herself working closely with the factory manager James and it isn't long before the sparks between them start to fly, so, when they need to keep the testing for a new range of condoms very closely monitored, it seems only natural for them to carry out the tests personally. Alice knows that James is planning on leaving the town when his six month contract is up but surely she can enjoy a few months of hot sex without ending up heartbroken when he is gone?

Fancy Free is a very light hearted and amusing erotic romance, the characters are quirky, the sex is plentiful and it was a very quick and easy read that kept me entertained. I did have a few issues with the story but overall I'd have to say I liked it. Alice is very innocent and quite naive at the beginning of the story, she is dating someone who treats her like dirt and seems to constantly put her down all the time but thankfully she has a backbone and she quickly kicks him to the kerb when she realises how much he has always taken her for granted. She has very little experience with men and sex so she is quite shocked by the products the factory makes and by the way her new colleagues discuss everything so openly. It was quite amusing watching the others tease her and it doesn't take her too long to let her inner bad girl out to play.

The chemistry between her and James was great, in a lot of ways they are opposites but he seems to really respect her and they make a good couple. The sex was undoubtedly hot but I have to admit there were a few instances where the words used turned my stomach rather than turned me on - I don't think it is possible to use the word squelch in a sex scene without making me cringe and it was used twice on the same page at one point which was more than a little off putting. Luckily that wasn't the norm though and most of the interactions between Alice and James had me fanning myself. I would have liked to have got to know James a little better, I never really felt that we got to know what really made him tick and I especially would have liked to have seen more of a confrontation with his mother and sister after the way they treated both him and Alice so badly.

I found the plot about who was trying to sabotage the factory interesting and I hadn't guessed the outcome until just before the big reveal. I did end up feeling very confused when the story jumped forward in time by 3 months though. It would have made sense if something had changed during that time gap but it hadn't - in fact the creepy stalkers who were harassing Alice with weird gifts and by following her around the town dressed in strange costumes had taken a break from contacting her for the 3 months and only started causing again when when the story was picked up. I couldn't understand why the stalkers suddenly stopped for 3 months or why Alice hadn't thought to mention it to anyone in all that time in spite of the fact that is what she had been so scared by their actions. I found things made a lot more sense when I pretended that the 3 month gap had just never happened so that's exactly what I did. Overall Fancy Free was a fun story with a cute romance and a little suspense around the factory sabotage. It was my first book by Shelley Munro and I enjoyed it enough to check out more of her books in the future.

Source: Received from Book Monster Promotions in exchange for an honest review

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Giveaway Details:

As part of the blog tour Shelley Munro is giving away a $20 Amazon voucher. You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter widget below. The winner will be contacted directly by Shelley to arrange sending the prize.

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Review: Visions of Heat - Nalini Singh

Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous - aching need . . . exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her vision, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.

Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take either man or jaguar form, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced - and keep her from Vaughn . . .

Psy-Changeling Series:
(Season One in the Psy-Changeling World)
Beat of Temptation (Novella included in Wild Invitation and the An Enchanted Season anthology)
Whisper of Sin (Novella included in the Burning Up anthology or as a separate ebook)
Slave to Sensation
Visions of Heat
Echo of Silence (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Caressed by Ice
Stroke of Enticement (Novella included in Wild Invitation and The Magical Christmas Cat anthology)
Mine to Possess
Hostage to Pleasure
Dorian (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Branded by Fire
Blaze of Memory
Bonds of Justice
Play of Passion
Declaration of Courtship (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Kiss of Snow
Texture of Intimacy (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Tangle of Need
Partners in Persuasion (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Heart of Obsidian
Flirtation of Fate (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Secrets at Midnight (Novella included in the Night Shift Anthology)
Shield of Winter
Shards of Hope
Allegiance of Honour

Psy-Changeling Trinity Series:
(Season two in the Psy-Changeling World)
Silver Silence
Ocean Light
Wolf Rain

Visit Nalini Singh's website for more information

Review:
Faith is a rare F-Psy, someone with the ability to see the future, her visions have used to predict the stock market since she was only 3 years old which has made the NightStar Clan very wealthy. Recently her visions have taken a darker turn and she seems to have become psychically linked with a murderer seeing nothing but death and destruction. She knows that she is on the verge of madness and that if the Psy Council find out she will end up institutionalised because her skills are too valuable for her mind to be wiped. Faith has no choice but to trust in the visions she sees of Vaughn, a sexy jaguar who is a member of the DarkRiver pack, who she is sure can help her track down the murderer and prevent more deaths. Vaughn's instincts tell him that Faith belongs to him but every touch brings her closer to an emotional overload that could send her over the edge. Vaughn trusts his instincts though and is determined to find a way to break through Faith's emotional barriers and convince her to take a chance on a future with him.

Visions of Heat is the second instalment to the Psy-Changeling series allows us to find out even more about the different Psy abilities and the world that Nalini Singh has created. As much as I love the Guild Hunter series I've always been fascinated by different psychic powers and I'm really enjoying learning more about the Psy. The way they have trained themselves to block out any emotions makes them come across as an incredibly cold race, they don't seem to care about anyone or anything and use logic to make their decisions. Faith has been even more sheltered than most Psy, her abilities are incredibly powerful but they make her more vulnerable to emotional overload than most other Psy. She has spent most of her life alone and has rarely had any form of physical contact with anyone apart from for medical reasons. Her horror over the visions she is seeing has caused her to seek help from Vaughn and the DarkRiver pack, she knows that Sascha is no longer part of the Psy-Net and believes that she is the only person who can help her retain her sanity.

Vaughn is the only jaguar amongst the leopards of the DarkRiver pack but they are his family and he will do anything to protect them. He is initially wary of Faith and worries that she could bring trouble do their door but there is something about her that calls to his jaguar side and he is unable to resist her. His animal instincts crave the comfort of touching her but he has to be careful not to overload her senses. I love the way Vaughn is constantly pushing Faith's boundaries, he keeps taking her to the edge but he knows better than she does what she is capable of and although he pushes her further than she thinks she can go he never takes things too far. Vaughn is a sexy alpha who is more in touch with his animal side than his human one and he certainly ticked all my favourite hero boxes. I think it is the fact that he is so different to Faith that makes them work so well as a couple, they both seem to know exactly what the other one needs and they find a way to provide it for them. Vaughn really helps Faith come to terms with her visions and he proves to her that she can cope with more than she ever would have guessed. I really enjoyed watching her grow into a confident woman as she learns more about her ability and how to control it.

It was great to catch up with Lucas and Sascha several months on from when they met in Slave to Sensation and see how they are getting on as a couple and I loved spending more time with the DarkRiver pack and getting to know some of the other characters a little better. The more I learn about the Psy-Changeling world the more intrigued I am and I have a feeling that this is going to quickly turn into one of my favourite paranormal romance series. There is something about Nalini Singh's writing style that pulls you into the story and makes you feel so connected to her characters and I can't wait to see where the series goes next.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Auction - Lyn Austin + International Giveaway

Katherine Blake wants a baby. At thirty-three, she has a home and an antique business that she loves, but she is running out of time. Kat hasn’t had a man in her life that she would even consider fathering her child…except her ex-husband.

Michael Blake is for sale. In support of special-needs children, he offers himself up for one week as a prize at a New Year’s Eve local celebrity bachelor auction. The result? His ex-wife buys him to finish the restoration of the hundred-year-old home they bought shortly after their marriage. Or so he thinks. Katherine does expect the remodelling to be finished, but the rest of her plan is more devious. She doesn’t need him to rekindle the one-of-a-kind love that led to their fairy-tale wedding and he doesn't have to atone for the mistakes that led to their divorce, but he does have to...well, deliver.

Visit Lyn Austin's website for more information

Review:
Kat has a successful business and a home that she loves but what she always wanted more than anything is a family and she feels like her chances are slipping away from her. There is only one man that she can imagine as the father of her baby and that is her ex-husband Michael. Their relationship ended due to lack of communication and because they let other priorities get in the way but even though she could never trust him with her heart again she knows he would be a wonderful father. When Michael offers a week of his time as a prize at a charity auction Kat is determined she will be the one who gets to take him home. Her excuse is that she wants him to finish the renovations on her home but she also has other plans for him, ones that could get her everything she ever wanted if she's careful.

The Auction is a sweet contemporary romance that is all about second chances and learning from past mistakes to discover what is really important. I'll admit that I had my reservations about Kat in the beginning, I was really unhappy at her plans to trick Michael into getting her pregnant - especially when she had no intention of ever telling him about the baby. I think that kind of thing is unforgivable and I found myself getting more and more annoyed at her the longer she stayed determined to follow through on her plans. Thankfully it didn't take her too long to come to her senses and realise that she could never do that to Michael. She realised that he deserved better and as her feelings for him started to flood back she decided that trying to rebuild their relationship was more important to her. Once she got over her initial selfish attitude I found myself liking Kat a lot more and it didn't take long before I was rooting for her and Michael to work things out.

Michael was a fantastic hero, he had lost sight of their relationship when he was trying to open his ski lodge but everything he did was to build a successful future for them. He was heart broken when Kat kicked him out not realising how neglected she felt and that she thought he didn't love her any more. If only they would have been more open with each other they could have avoided a lot of heartache but they have learnt from their mistakes and are both even more determined to make things work from now onwards. Michael was so sweet and romantic that he made my heart melt, any woman would be lucky to end up with a guy like him. He is caring, protective and passionate and the chemistry between him and Kat was fabulous.

Kat's grandfather adds a nice extra element to the story with his crazy antics and womanising ways. Fans of contemporary romance are sure to enjoy The Auction and I'll be interested to see what author Lyn Austin comes up with next.

Source: Received from Book Monster Promotions in exchange for an honest review

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Giveaway Details:

As part of the blog tour Borough's Publishing Group is offering Lyn Austin's Lunchbox Romance, Carol of the Heart along with a 5-story Lunchbox Romance subscription. You can enter the giveaway using the rafflecopter widget below. The winner will be contacted directly by the publisher to arrange the prizes.

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Review: Archangel's Storm - Nalini Singh

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha's consort lying murdered and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha's trust comes at a price - Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries old nightmare . . . and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

The Guild Hunter Series:
Angels' Dance (ebook novella that is also included in Angels' Flight)
Angels' Judgment (novella included in Angels' Flight and the Must Love Hellhounds anthology)
Angels' Pawn (ebook novella that is also included in Angels' Flight)
Angel's Blood
Archangel's Kiss
Archangel's Consort
Angel's Wolf (novella included in Angels' Flight and the Angel's of Darkness anthology)
Archangel's Blade
Archangel's Storm
Archangel's Legion
Archangel's Shadows
Archangel's Enigma
Archangel's Heart
Archangel's Viper
Archangel's Prophecy
Archangel's War

Visit Nalini Singh's website for more information

Review:
When the archangel Neha's consort Eris is murdered her rage threatens to destroy the balance of power amongst the cadre of ten and if left unchecked thousands of innocent lives could be lost. Neha already has a grudge against Raphael which makes him and his territory a likely target for her rage. The one person that Raphael can send to try and gain Neha's trust and help her investigate the murder is his spymaster Jason. Jason is an expert at uncovering secrets and his unique abilities make him perfect for the job but the only way Neha will allow him into her territory is if he forms a blood bond with her niece Mahiya. The last thing Mahiya wants is to be tied to an enemy spy, especially when she has secrets of her own that are so dangerous her life would be forfeit if they are uncovered but she has no choice but to go along with Neha's wishes and she has her own reasons for wanting to uncover who is behind Eris's death. As Jason and Mahiya work together to uncover the truth they uncover a shocking betrayal that threatens to turn Mahiya's world upside down. Can she trust Jason to keep the promises he made to protect her or will he end up breaking her heart?

I'm a huge fan of the Guild Hunter series, I love Raphael and Elena but I've been dying to learn more about Raphael's Seven, the trusted angels and vampires who have had his back for centuries, ever since the first book so I'm really excited that they each seem to be getting their own book. Jason has intrigued me from the moment we met him, I knew he had to have some kind of darkness in his past and I was desperate to get to know his secrets. Although I was expecting him to have a tortured past I had no idea just how badly he had suffered, in fact reading about the things he had been through actually brought tears to my eyes which is a testament of just how invested I was in his story. My heart broke for the things he had seen as a child but I admire him for the strength of character he showed to survive with his sanity in tact.

I was a bit unsure how a romance could work between Jason and a member of another archangel's court, especially someone who is actually related to Neha, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I found myself liking Mahiya. For a lot of reasons that I'm not going to go into in this review (you'll have to read the book to find out what they are!), Mahiya has never been a favourite of Neha's. The only reason she was allowed to survive was as a punishment to her parents and Neha has taken great pains to keep Mahiya in her place at the bottom of the court hierarchy when by birth right she should be an important member of the family. Mahiya has been through so much that it would have been easy for her to become a bitter and hateful person but she is determined not to let Neha beat her. She knows that the only way she can win is to remain true to herself and she has shown incredible strength to manage that. She makes a worthy heroine for Jason and it doesn't take long for him to see that. They really are so well matched, Mahiya understands Jason on a level that nobody else ever has and she accepts what he can and can't offer her without hesitation. I don't think anyone will be disappointed by the sexy scenes between the two of them, Jason is one hot dominant angel who knows exactly what he wants and how to get it!

Alongside the mystery of who murdered Eris, which I have to admit I guessed in advance but not until fairly near the big reveal, Archangel's Storm also allows us to catch up with favourite characters we already know and love. I always eat up any scene between Raphael and Elena but some of the highlights in this book were the ones between Dmitri and Honor. I love how sweet Dmitri is with Honor, he is like a completely different vampire when he is with her but that doesn't make him any less scary as far as anyone else is concerned. Illium always steals any scene he appears in, I just adore Bluebell and I really hope he has his own book soon because I'd love to see him find a worthy heroine. My only disappointment with this series is that I'm now up to date which means I'll have to wait a whole year in between each new instalment - I foresee a lot of re-reading in my future to get my Guild Hunter fix. At least I still have the Psy-Changeling series to catch up on so that will keep me going for the next few weeks anyway. Nalini Singh is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, I haven't read anything of hers that I didn't love and I can't recommend her highly enough to paranormal romance fans.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Playing the Part - Robin Covington

The harder they play . . . the harder they fall.

After publicly self-destructing over a heartbreak a year ago, best selling romance writer Piper James is now making nice with her publisher by agreeing to teach Hollywood's favourite action star how to act like he's in love. Only playboy Mick Blackwell has no clue what love looks like.

When a seductive heat ignites between Piper and Mick, she jumps at the chance for a bit of fun between the sheets, but with two stipulations: she's kept out of the public eye and things end when she returns to New York. Only Mick keeps changing the rules on her. Tempted by America's favourite bad boy, Piper is wondering how far she's willing to bend...

Visit Robin Covington's website for more information

Review:
Romance author Piper has been on shaky ground with her publisher ever since she had a very public meltdown after finding out her famous boyfriend was cheating on her. She has sworn off men and is struggling to find her muse to finish her latest book even though her deadline is looming. Her only hope of getting back into her publisher's good graces is to act as a consultant on the set of the movie adaptation of one of her previous stories. Mick is famous for his action movies but he wants to try his hand at something more serious and he needs to prove his acting abilities as the romantic lead in his latest role. As a well known play boy with a love them and leave them attitude he has never been in love and it shows on screen. Piper has been tasked with teaching Mick to act like he's in love but the last thing she needs is to get close to another bad boy actor. She was burnt before and no matter how attracted she is to Mick she isn't prepared to put her heart on the line again. Surely a little harmless flirting won't hurt though?

I'm a massive fan of Robin Covington's Boys are Back in Town series (A Night of Southern Comfort & His Southern Temptation) and I love Entangled's spicy Brazen imprint so I jumped at the chance of reading Playing the Part when I was offered a review copy. I have to say I think that Mick might be Robin's hottest hero yet and anyone who has read any of her previous books will know that is quite an achievement! I love the way this author always manages to blend humour into her stories along with realistic, likeable characters who are easy to relate to, and sexy, believable romances. Her books have me laughing one minute and fanning myself the next and they always leave me with a satisfied smile on my face.

Piper is the kind of girl most of us can relate to, she has had her fair share of heartbreak and it was made even worse by the fact it was all so public. She was rightly angry and distraught after catching her fiancé cheating but the press turned on her and made her seem crazy rather than the innocent victim that she really was. Mick is the kind of guy who draws her like a moth to the flame but she knows she can't trust him with her heart. The last thing she wants is to draw the attention of the media again - she's had more than her fill of cameras and journalists and it is something she never wants to go back to. All she wants to do is try and salvage her career and live her life in the shadows. Mick has the same kind of playboy image her ex fiancé did and he has the arrogant attitude to match his good looks. He makes it no secret that he wants Piper and she finds him almost impossible to resist. She is determined to protect herself though so she puts very specific rules in place when she agrees to have a fling hoping to get him out of her system. All she is interested in is hot sex - no commitment, no sleeping over, no being seen together in public and under no circumstances can the press get wind of what is going on. Her demands seem ideal to Mick, the last thing he has in mind is tying himself down to one woman no matter how sexy she is. The trouble is that the more time he spends with Piper the more convinced he becomes that there could be something special between them. Can he convince Piper to give him a chance to win her heart?

I'll admit that I wasn't sure if I was going to like Mick when we first met him, he has such a cocky attitude and I thought he was going to be too arrogant for my tastes. Thankfully it doesn't take long to discover a sweeter side and you start to see that his attitude is more for show than anything else, he has created the persona that he thinks people expect from him but when he is alone with Piper you get to see the real Mick. The chemistry between them was hot as hell but they also take time to get to know each other outside of the bedroom and uncover each other's secret fears and desires. I believe that this is the first book in a new series and I have high hopes that Mick's room mate - who happens to be an incredibly sexy rock star - might be up next (well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway!). Robin Covington is definitely on my list of must read authors and I will be recommending all of her books to any contemporary romance fans. If you like your romances spicy then Playing the Part should definitely be on your wish list.

Source: Received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Ferryman - Claire McFall

"I exist because you need me."

When Dylan emerges from the wreckage of a train crash onto a bleak Scottish hillside, she meets a strange boy who seems to be waiting for her.

But Tristan is no ordinary teenage boy, and the journey across the desolate, wraith-infested wasteland is no ordinary journey.

Life, death, love - which will Dylan choose?

Visit Claire McFall's website for more information.

Review:
Dylan was travelling across Scotland to meet her father for the first time when the train she was on was involved in an accident. Regaining consciousness alone and in the dark tunnel she is terrified and can't work out why there are no rescue workers on hand to help her. When she finally stumbles out of the tunnel she finds herself completely alone on a Scottish hillside. That is until she spots Tristan, a teenage boy who seems to be waiting for her. But who is Tristan and where are all the other passengers? Why is Tristan so determined to get her to follow him and what kind of creatures could be making the terrifying noises she keeps hearing in the distance?

I wanted to read Ferryman from the moment I first heard about it, I was incredibly intrigued by the concept for the story and curious to see how it would play out. It's hard to say too much about the story because it would be easy to give things away but I found the world that Claire McFall has created was really interesting and I was kept hooked because I wanted to see how things would play out for Dylan and Tristan. The writing style is beautiful and descriptive but it took me a while to get used to the way the perspective would change from one paragraph to the next. It felt like I spent quite a lot of time backtracking as I tried to make sense of things and that did throw me out of the story more than once.

Although I found the world interesting I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of either of the main characters. I never really felt that we got to know Tristan well enough to understand Dylan's fascination with him, in the beginning he pretty much ignores her or is rude to her and although he opens up later on I just never felt that connected to the relationship between them. I think my main problem was that I found Dylan very hard to relate to. Her reactions just didn't feel realistic to me, she accepts what has happened to her far too easily and without really batting an eyelid but then gets completely hysterical when she is separated from a boy she has only known for a few days. Perhaps if I'd been more invested in the relationship with Tristan I might have found that easier to believe her reaction but it just had me rolling my eyes in frustration.

There were a lot of good things about the story though, the concept was great and the world was well thought out and described beautifully. I would have loved to have learnt about more about some of the other people who had crossed Tristan's path because I'm sure he would have some very interesting stories to tell. Nearly all of the reviews I have seen for Ferryman have been incredibly positive so even though there were some things that didn't work for me personally I am definitely in the minority in that regard so I would hate to put anyone off giving it a try. If you're looking for a paranormal romance that doesn't involve your standard vampires or shape shifters but instead brings something unique to the genre then it might be worth checking this out.

Source: Received from Templar in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Sexcapades - Christine d'Abo

Petra Clark's blog Sexcapades inspires women to embrace sexuality. What readers don't know is that her advice isn't based on personal experience. Despite erotic fantasies about the hot guy at her local coffee shop, social anxiety keeps Petra from connecting with real men in the real world. She's more comfortable as PC, sparring online with her nemesis, the cocky D. Williams.

Counsellor by day, blogger by night, Darcy Williams gets a thrill countering PC's female-friendly advice with a macho slant. And when both blogs are nominated for an award, he's intrigued by the chance to finally meet the woman who's been driving him wild with her Sexcapades.

When Petra runs into her coffee-shop crush at the awards party, sparks fly—and so do their clothes. Only after multiple orgasms does she realize who Darcy really is: the competition. Now they're facing accusations of fraud, with stalking and blackmail thrown in. But perhaps most frightening of all are the feelings growing between them...

Friends and Benefits Series:
Sexcapades
Club Wonderland (October 2013)

Visit Christine d'Abo's website for more information

Review:
Petra started her blog Sexcapades after breaking up with her boyfriend, she wanted to help empower women to take control of their sexuality and give them the kind of advice that she wishes someone had given her years ago. Petra spends a lot of time writing about sex but since she doesn't have a lot of experience most of her knowledge comes from research and her own personal fantasies. Her blog has grown in popularity since she started sparring online with the owner of the Mantastic blog, she is able to say things online that she would never have the guts to say in person and her internet persona is a long way from the shy and socially inept woman she is in real life. Now her blog has been nominated for an award and Petra has to venture out into the real world to attend the award ceremony. At a pre-award event Petra is delighted to bump into her crush from the local coffee shop and before too long their flirtation leads to a night of explosive passion. What Petra doesn't realise is that Darcy is also the owner of Mantastic which makes him her online nemesis who just happens to be nominated for the same award as her. Now she's facing the very awkward possibility of falling for the competition but with the award ceremony holding a spotlight on both of them and other competitors accusing them of cheating that is just the beginning of their troubles.

I love Christine d'Abo's Long Shots series so when I saw her latest novel Sexcapades come up for review on Netgalley I jumped at the chance of reading it. If the author's name wasn't enough to sell me on it then the fact that both of the main characters are bloggers definitely would have! Having read some of this author's other books I was expecting it to be a hot read and I wasn't disappointed because it was scorching. What I wasn't expecting was the humour, this book had me laughing out loud all the way through, the witty banter between the main characters, the way Petra was so awkward (her first attempt at talking dirty was hilarious!) and the whole light hearted feel to the book was just what I wanted. This is a book I know I'll be reading again at some point and I hope we're going to see more stories in a similar vein from the author in the future.

Petra's confidence was really knocked by her ex, he was constantly putting her down and telling her she was abnormal for wanting to experiment in the bedroom. She is a fun, friendly woman with people she knows but she finds it very hard to interact with anyone new or in large social groups. On her blog she can be as outgoing and saucy as she likes but it is one thing to say outrageous things when you have time to plan in advance and another thing entirely when you're talking to someone face to face. I love the way her confidence starts to grow as she gets to know Darcy, he is more than happy to encourage her inner vixen and he helps her see how much fun she can have with a willing partner. Darcy himself is part modern man and part Neanderthal. Some of the things he comes out with on his blog are outrageous but when it comes down to it he is a really nice guy and I love the way he gets Petra to open up to him.

Sexcapades is a great fun read with fabulous relatable characters and super hot sex scenes full of experimentation (you may even pick up on a few ideas to try at home!). If you've not read anything by Christine d'Abo before then this would be a great place to start - although I definitely recommend her Long Shots series too - and if you're already a fan you won't want to miss out on this book.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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