Reviews
Naughty Flings: Twelve Naughty Little Romps, by Lainey-Jo Charles, Marianne Stephens, Nicole Austin
lizabethstucker's review
3.0
Naughty Flings
Twelve new tales from the group of authors known collectively as the Naughty Literati. Not a bad story in the bunch, even if some hit my hot spots better than others. Quality writing, great characterization, inventive storylines and scenario. Overall rating as a collection is 3.8 out of 5.
Stay the Night by Alexa Silver. Melody and Tod knew each other only as salesperson and customer, but it didn’t take too long before they decided to try a date. When an outsider tries to sabotage their budding relationship, will Mel and Tod manage to struggle through? Absolutely ADORED this one! The buildup of the attraction and relationship was well done, as was the sex. The bitch who spewed the garbage caused a great "boy loses girl" moment. Her lies wouldn't have worked except for Melody's insecurities. Not over the top. Just in keeping with her history. I loved Tod's own insecurity and shyness mixed with his sexiness and good looks. Good use of Melody's family in this as well. Liked her mom a bunch. 5 out of 5.
Blood Mates: How to Blackmail a Vampire by Belle Scarlett. Vampires are no longer allowed to hide. If caught, the consequences are dire. Human Serena Bliss has discovered that Caden Chase and many of his employees are unregistered vampires. Her silence comes at a cost. Caden has a million bad vampire puns. How could I not fall for him? Serena is determined to help her cousin no matter who she might have to deal with. I did find the jump between Chapters 3 and 4 to be very abrupt. We went from a quiet dinner where Serena is learning more about vampire culture to a fight outside the mansion with Garoul. And we have Serena’s eye scan working when it is theoretically her first time at the house. Did a scene and/or chapter not make it through to publishing? It was jarring enough to bring the rating down just a tad. UPDATE: There actually was a missing chapter which Amazon buyers will have updated for them. This changed the rating to 5 out of 5.
The Loch Ness Monster, Romeo, and Julio by Berengaria Brown. Fraser Campbell just wanted to deepen his relationship with Cameron MacDonald from friendly coworkers to lovers by taking a trip to the city of love, Paris. Cam would rather go to Loch Ness to see if he can find Nessie. He didn’t know how to tell Fraser that Campbells and MacDonalds can never be real partners. A sweet m/m tale of love and the influence family history can have on relationships. 3.5 out of 5.
The Shadowlord’s Arrival by Charlotte Boyett-Compo. Jordan Brell just wanted peace. After the slaughter of her whole family by Reapers, the last thing she wanted was to become the concubine of a Deathlord who is part Reaper himself. Rhyman Cade quickly realizes he has his work cut out for him to convince Jordan to trust him. This story definitely falls more into the hot zone as well as a wonderful love story. Strong characters, interesting premise, and a hero who really lucked out with his love interest. Yowza! 4 out of 5.
Teach Me to Dance by Francesca Hawley. Lady Alexandra Forbes find the subject of dancing works on more than just one level. Valentine Fauklner, the Duke of Kendrick, is more than willing to teach Lexa all the best moves. I love Regencies, so when I realized that this historical was set in that time period, I was thrilled. Hawley has given the reader a sensual, erotic, adorable tale with a heroine who is well endowed and who has a poor self image thanks to her family’s constant comments. Add a hero with a heart and the patience of Job? Yep, I’m on it. 4.5 out of 5.
Phantom Affair by Katherine Kingston. An unusual tale of love between a living woman and a handsome ghost. When Robert mentions that there might be a way to bring him back to life, Kelly Scranton is more than willing to do whatever it takes. But she may learn more about Robert than she was prepared to know. A very unusual idea in regards to how to bring Robert back to life. I found Kelly’s initial reaction to be acceptable, but I was surprised that, having “lived” his life with him that she wouldn’t be more understanding of how the times were then. Still a good story. 3.5 out of 5.
Sticky & Sweet by Lainey-Jo Charles. Nick Collins had always had a crush on Amanda Lowell when they were in high school together, but since she was older than him, there was no real contact other than at her father’s ice cream truck during the summer. Now Amanda is back in town, running an ice cream truck again and the sparks are flying! What can I say, Charles has given me one of my soft spots, a blue class hero. Nick is a auto mechanic. This is hot, erotic, and we have ice cream sex! 3.5 out of 5.
Buying Adam by Marianne Stephens. Adam Samson’s mother has entered him into a charity auction without telling him. She claims it is to help offset the bad press Adam’s brother has engendered due to his affair with the mayor’s daughter while married. Her assistant Jessica McCall is convinced to buy Adam to save him from the clutches of his vindictive ex-fiancee. The attraction that has been smoldering for ages flares into hot flames when they are together in a leisure setting. An auction date can be a great trope and Stephens has done a great job with it. I do with there had been glimpses into their interactions other than sex. Plus I would’ve loved to have seen the confrontation with Angela. 3.5 out of 5.
My Kind of Lover by Nicole Austin. Haidee Portman is visiting sister Lorelei and her two mates when she meets Jase Wesgate, a shifter with a whiff of feline and something else. Having had a bad experience with another shifter male who betrayed her, the last thing Haidee wants is to get involved with anyone looking for a mate. A hybrid shifter who is also an auto mechanic as a hero; a badass shifter who used to ride in motocross and still goes for it on two wheels as a heroine? Oh, yeah. A perfect match and very, very, very hot! 4 out of 5.
Hot as Hades by Regina Kammer. Roman mythology reworked brings humor and realism to the story of Persephone and Hades. That was always a favorite tale as Hades seemed like a great guy given a tough job. Plus he had a dog with three heads! 3.5 out of 5.
Spring Training by Suz deMello. Baseball pitcher Chase McCall is trying to make it into the big league, but it may be down to the new female trainer, Terri. Terri is determined to become a professional coach, not needing the additional stress of a relationship with one of the team. Yet there is something special and different between them that makes it worthwhile. A very intense d/s relationship with Terri as the Dom and Chase as the submissive, a very willing submissive. Very extreme sexual encounters. I’m not overly a huge fan of d/s relationship stories, although I have read quite a few. It depends on the ability of the writer to display not only the sexual connections, but the emotional ones. I need to know that the dom is careful and loving toward the submissive. That makes it an easier, if arousing, read. deMello knows how to do this quite well, even in a short story. 3.5 out of 5.
Blue Plate Special by Terry Rissen. Will, like many paras, is in hiding. He is focused on keeping his mother safe and school and his band. He didn’t expect to meet his destiny in a low rent diner. A lovely tale, but seems like it is incomplete. More like a chapter from a larger story, one worth reading. Will has a dark side to him that may disturb certain readers. 3.5 out of 5.
Twelve new tales from the group of authors known collectively as the Naughty Literati. Not a bad story in the bunch, even if some hit my hot spots better than others. Quality writing, great characterization, inventive storylines and scenario. Overall rating as a collection is 3.8 out of 5.
Stay the Night by Alexa Silver. Melody and Tod knew each other only as salesperson and customer, but it didn’t take too long before they decided to try a date. When an outsider tries to sabotage their budding relationship, will Mel and Tod manage to struggle through? Absolutely ADORED this one! The buildup of the attraction and relationship was well done, as was the sex. The bitch who spewed the garbage caused a great "boy loses girl" moment. Her lies wouldn't have worked except for Melody's insecurities. Not over the top. Just in keeping with her history. I loved Tod's own insecurity and shyness mixed with his sexiness and good looks. Good use of Melody's family in this as well. Liked her mom a bunch. 5 out of 5.
Blood Mates: How to Blackmail a Vampire by Belle Scarlett. Vampires are no longer allowed to hide. If caught, the consequences are dire. Human Serena Bliss has discovered that Caden Chase and many of his employees are unregistered vampires. Her silence comes at a cost. Caden has a million bad vampire puns. How could I not fall for him? Serena is determined to help her cousin no matter who she might have to deal with. I did find the jump between Chapters 3 and 4 to be very abrupt. We went from a quiet dinner where Serena is learning more about vampire culture to a fight outside the mansion with Garoul. And we have Serena’s eye scan working when it is theoretically her first time at the house. Did a scene and/or chapter not make it through to publishing? It was jarring enough to bring the rating down just a tad. UPDATE: There actually was a missing chapter which Amazon buyers will have updated for them. This changed the rating to 5 out of 5.
The Loch Ness Monster, Romeo, and Julio by Berengaria Brown. Fraser Campbell just wanted to deepen his relationship with Cameron MacDonald from friendly coworkers to lovers by taking a trip to the city of love, Paris. Cam would rather go to Loch Ness to see if he can find Nessie. He didn’t know how to tell Fraser that Campbells and MacDonalds can never be real partners. A sweet m/m tale of love and the influence family history can have on relationships. 3.5 out of 5.
The Shadowlord’s Arrival by Charlotte Boyett-Compo. Jordan Brell just wanted peace. After the slaughter of her whole family by Reapers, the last thing she wanted was to become the concubine of a Deathlord who is part Reaper himself. Rhyman Cade quickly realizes he has his work cut out for him to convince Jordan to trust him. This story definitely falls more into the hot zone as well as a wonderful love story. Strong characters, interesting premise, and a hero who really lucked out with his love interest. Yowza! 4 out of 5.
Teach Me to Dance by Francesca Hawley. Lady Alexandra Forbes find the subject of dancing works on more than just one level. Valentine Fauklner, the Duke of Kendrick, is more than willing to teach Lexa all the best moves. I love Regencies, so when I realized that this historical was set in that time period, I was thrilled. Hawley has given the reader a sensual, erotic, adorable tale with a heroine who is well endowed and who has a poor self image thanks to her family’s constant comments. Add a hero with a heart and the patience of Job? Yep, I’m on it. 4.5 out of 5.
Phantom Affair by Katherine Kingston. An unusual tale of love between a living woman and a handsome ghost. When Robert mentions that there might be a way to bring him back to life, Kelly Scranton is more than willing to do whatever it takes. But she may learn more about Robert than she was prepared to know. A very unusual idea in regards to how to bring Robert back to life. I found Kelly’s initial reaction to be acceptable, but I was surprised that, having “lived” his life with him that she wouldn’t be more understanding of how the times were then. Still a good story. 3.5 out of 5.
Sticky & Sweet by Lainey-Jo Charles. Nick Collins had always had a crush on Amanda Lowell when they were in high school together, but since she was older than him, there was no real contact other than at her father’s ice cream truck during the summer. Now Amanda is back in town, running an ice cream truck again and the sparks are flying! What can I say, Charles has given me one of my soft spots, a blue class hero. Nick is a auto mechanic. This is hot, erotic, and we have ice cream sex! 3.5 out of 5.
Buying Adam by Marianne Stephens. Adam Samson’s mother has entered him into a charity auction without telling him. She claims it is to help offset the bad press Adam’s brother has engendered due to his affair with the mayor’s daughter while married. Her assistant Jessica McCall is convinced to buy Adam to save him from the clutches of his vindictive ex-fiancee. The attraction that has been smoldering for ages flares into hot flames when they are together in a leisure setting. An auction date can be a great trope and Stephens has done a great job with it. I do with there had been glimpses into their interactions other than sex. Plus I would’ve loved to have seen the confrontation with Angela. 3.5 out of 5.
My Kind of Lover by Nicole Austin. Haidee Portman is visiting sister Lorelei and her two mates when she meets Jase Wesgate, a shifter with a whiff of feline and something else. Having had a bad experience with another shifter male who betrayed her, the last thing Haidee wants is to get involved with anyone looking for a mate. A hybrid shifter who is also an auto mechanic as a hero; a badass shifter who used to ride in motocross and still goes for it on two wheels as a heroine? Oh, yeah. A perfect match and very, very, very hot! 4 out of 5.
Hot as Hades by Regina Kammer. Roman mythology reworked brings humor and realism to the story of Persephone and Hades. That was always a favorite tale as Hades seemed like a great guy given a tough job. Plus he had a dog with three heads! 3.5 out of 5.
Spring Training by Suz deMello. Baseball pitcher Chase McCall is trying to make it into the big league, but it may be down to the new female trainer, Terri. Terri is determined to become a professional coach, not needing the additional stress of a relationship with one of the team. Yet there is something special and different between them that makes it worthwhile. A very intense d/s relationship with Terri as the Dom and Chase as the submissive, a very willing submissive. Very extreme sexual encounters. I’m not overly a huge fan of d/s relationship stories, although I have read quite a few. It depends on the ability of the writer to display not only the sexual connections, but the emotional ones. I need to know that the dom is careful and loving toward the submissive. That makes it an easier, if arousing, read. deMello knows how to do this quite well, even in a short story. 3.5 out of 5.
Blue Plate Special by Terry Rissen. Will, like many paras, is in hiding. He is focused on keeping his mother safe and school and his band. He didn’t expect to meet his destiny in a low rent diner. A lovely tale, but seems like it is incomplete. More like a chapter from a larger story, one worth reading. Will has a dark side to him that may disturb certain readers. 3.5 out of 5.
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