Review: For You & No One Else by Roni Loren

 

For You & No One Else (Say Anything) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: July 5th 2022 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Eliza, a successful therapist, doesn’t want to play games dating. She’s thirty-two and ready to settle down. Marriage, kids, the whole nine yards. Dating apps have had less than stellar results and when one date goes wrong the situation is made ten times worse when a video of it goes viral and the effects impact her career. This is where Beck, her work neighbor, comes in. He’s smoking hot, and usually closed off, but a chance meeting at the office brought them together, bonding over a lonely Christmas. Since then, they’ve struck up a friendship, the mutual attraction growing more every time they’re together. However, Beck has made it clear he isn’t up for marriage or commitment, so clearly, they’re not right for each other. Or are they?

Beck has sworn off of social media, factors from his past soured him from sharing anything public. When he finds out about Eliza’s situation he offers to help and suggests she ban social media from her life, live life without the performance, meet people naturally and see what happens. Beck evens offers to help in her social media free journey. Seeing Eliza with anyone else drives him nuts, but after how he’s grown up, he doesn’t want any part of the traditional married/kids situation.

The start Eliza and Beck’s relationship had me cracking up! Really, all through the book there were lots of laughs. Trent the cat was priceless! They had all kinds of chemistry and got along so well, but of course Beck’s hang-ups put the breaks on things. Of course, I knew that wouldn’t last for long, but I didn’t want Eliza to settle either, but I knew once Beck got things figured out the rest would sort itself out.

This was the last in the Say Everything series and it was a satisfying conclusion, getting to see all the couples in the future, together and happy brought a smile to my face! Such a wonderful epilogue!

4 Stars

Book Description:

She has the perfect life…and it’s a perfect lie.

Behind the careful façade, she’s struggling:

To feel like she fits in. To find her true voice.

Now, finally, she’s ready to start living her own story.

Eliza Catalano has the perfect life. So what if it actually looks nothing like the story she tells online? As a therapist, it’s part of her job to look like she has all the answers, right? But when Eliza ends up as a viral “Worst Date Ever” meme, everything in her Instagram-filtered world begins to crumble.

Enter the most obnoxiously attractive man she's ever met, and a bet she can't resist: if she swears off social media for six months, Beck Carter’ll teach her the wonders of surviving the "real world." No technology, no dating apps, no pretty filters, no BS.

It seems like the perfect deal—she can lay low until her sudden infamy passes, meet some interesting new people, and maybe even curate this experience into a how I quit the online dating racket book along the way. But something about Beck’s raw honesty speaks to Eliza in ways she never expected. She knows he’s supposed to be completely hands-off…but as complex feelings grow and walls come tumbling down, rough-around-the-edges Beck may be exactly what Eliza needs to finally, truly face herself—and decide who she really wants to be.

Audio Review: What If You & Me by Roni Loren

 

What If You & Me (Say Everything #2) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: July 13th 2021 by Dreamscape Media

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 9 hrs 17 min

Narrator: Desireé Ketchum

Source: Libro.fm

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads | Libro.fm 

My Thoughts:

Andi Lockley has channeled her traumatic past into something useful with her true crime podcast when she’s not writing horror stories. She’s not looking for romance, but her gorgeous and grumpy neighbor presents an interesting opportunity.

Hill, a now retired fire fighter, is plagued by PTSD and depression after losing part of his leg on the job. He’s not sure what his next move is professionally, but he certainly had no plans for a romance since his fiancée dumped him after the accident. That is until a certain spunky redhead moved next door.

Hill is dealing with negative self-esteem after his injury and can’t imagine what a woman would see in him, but all Andi sees is gorgeous, brave man. She knows what it’s like to have fear hold you back so they agree to help each other out by spending time together as friends. Andi will guide him through the best movie genre (according to Andi): horror, and Hill will teach her how to cook some basics without burning the house down.  Of course, spending time together only magnifies their mutual attraction and I was all in!

I just loved how Andi used her past trauma for good by detailing true crime and talking about what women could learn and tips on how to defend yourself. Andi’s positivity and zest for life rubbed off on Hill helping out from the dark cloud he was under. Hill was a sweetheart, too, one-hundred percent supportive of Andi, and who doesn’t love a man who can cook? He was definitely a keeper even if he didn’t feel worthy at times.  These two had wicked chemistry, so very hot when they finally gave in to their desires!

I hope this isn’t the end to the series as I’d love a romance between Eliza and Ramsey!

I listened to the audio version, and Desireé Ketchum helped bring the characters to life!  She did a wonderful job with both the male and female parts, enhancing an already excellent story! I listened at my normal 1.5x.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

The world can be a scary place. At least, that's what Andi Lockley's anxiety wants her to believe. It doesn't help that she narrowly escaped a dangerous man years ago, or that every relationship since has been colored with that lingering fear. But things are better now―she's channeling everything into her career as a horror novelist and true crime podcaster, and her next book may be the breakthrough she needs.

If only her grumpy new neighbor would stop stomping around at all hours of the night.

Former firefighter Hill Dawson can't sleep. After losing part of his leg in a rescue gone wrong, he's now stuck in limbo. He needs to figure out what he's supposed to do with his life, and he can't let himself get distracted by the pretty redhead next door. But when someone breaks into Andi's place, Hill can't stop himself from rushing in to play the hero. Soon, a tentative bond forms between the unlikely pair. But what starts out as a neighborly exchange quickly turns into the chance for so much more...if Andi can learn to put aside her fear and trust in herself―and love―again.

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: The One You Fight For by Roni Loren

The One You Fight For (The Ones Who Got Away #3) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: January 1st 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 384

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Indiebound | Books-A-Million | GooglePlay

About the book:

How hard would you fight for the one you love?
Taryn Landry was there that awful night fourteen years ago when Long Acre changed from the name of a town to the title of a national tragedy. Everyone knows she lost her younger sister. No one knows it was her fault. Since then, psychology professor Taryn has dedicated her life's work to preventing something like that from ever happening again. Falling in love was never part of the plan...
Shaw Miller has spent more than a decade dealing with the fallout of his brother's horrific actions. After losing everything—his chance at Olympic gold, his family, almost his sanity—he's changed his name, his look, and he's finally starting a new life. As long as he keeps a low profile and his identity secret, everything will be okay, right?
When the world and everyone you know defines you by one catastrophic tragedy...
How do you find your happy ending?

My Thoughts:

Taryn lost her sister in the Long Acre School shooting and has devoted her life to searching for warnings and triggers that could help prevent them in the future.  She’s driven by grief, but also by guilt.  Never did she think she’d end up dating the brother of one of the shooters, let alone fall for him.

Shaw has been in survival mode since his brother decided murdering his schoolmates was an option.  Ostracized, judged and hunted by the press, Shaw changed his name and moved away, but is back in Austin against his better judgement. All he wants to do is stay under the radar, but a chance meeting with Taryn makes that very difficult.

They’re immediately attracted physically with chemistry off the charts, but emotionally they click as well.  They’ve both been tragically altered by the Long Acre shooting, and who can better relate to that? But the fact that Shaw is the brother of the shooter instead of a victim makes a future together impossible, right?  

Roni Loren’s The Ones That Got Away series has focused on the survivors of a school shooting moving on, healing and finding love.  The One You Fight For was a little different in that it tells the story of Shaw, the older brother of one of the shooters, and Taryn, the sister of one of the victims killed by Shaw’s brother.  This is the second book where I’ve read about a relation to a school shooter and since then I’ve really felt bad for not only the victims and their families, but also the families of the shooters. 

My heart seriously went out to Shaw for all that he lost, and the nightmare that just kept on, and because he felt like he deserved all of it for being related to the shooter. Of course, I felt bad for Taryn, too, with a secret fueling her guilt, and having to deal with her mother!  Her mother had every right to her grief, but she put her family through the ringer when she should’ve gone out and got professional help!  Taryn and her father were enabling her behavior and that got a bit old.

The One You Fight For was a consuming and emotionally charged romance! I longed for a happy ending for Taryn and Shaw who went through so much and deserved an epic HEA!  

4 Suns

Excerpt:

Review: The One You Can't Forget by Roni Loren

The One You Can't Forget (The Ones Who Got Away #2) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: June 5th 2018 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 416

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Most days Rebecca Lindt feels like an imposter...
The world admires her as a survivor. But that impression would crumble if people knew her secret. She didn't deserve to be the one who got away. But nothing can change the past, so she's thrown herself into her work. She can't dwell if she never slows down.

Wes Garrett is trying to get back on his feet after losing his dream restaurant, his money, and half his damn mind in a vicious divorce. But when he intervenes in a mugging and saves Rebecca―the attorney who helped his ex ruin him―his simple life gets complicated.

Their attraction is inconvenient and neither wants more than a fling. But when Rebecca's secret is put at risk, both discover they could lose everything, including what they never realized they needed: each other

She laughed and kissed him. This morning she'd melted down. But somehow this man had her laughing and turned on only a few hours later. Everything inside her felt buoyed.

She felt...light.

She'd forgotten what that felt like.

My Thoughts:

Rebecca Lindt is a successful divorce attorney and a survivor of the Long Acre school shooting which has left her with a lot of baggage.  Right after the shooting Rebecca was determined to live her life to the fullest in honor of the ones that didn’t make it, but things haven’t turned out exactly as planned.  Her life takes a turn when she’s rescued and cared for by Wes Garrett after a mugging-gone-wrong.

Wes Garrett’s dreams were derailed when his lying ex-wife swindled him out of his restaurant by misrepresenting him in court, and with the help of Rebecca skewering him in the divorce settlement. Even though Wes is a hero and comes to the rescue, once they figure out each other’s identities things aren’t all rainbows and sunshine…

Both Wes and Rebecca have emotional struggles, Wes has feelings of inadequacy after almost pissing his life away over a bad divorce.  Rebecca grapples with being one of the “lucky” ones who survived, and harbors guilt over a secret from the shooting feeling like she doesn’t quite deserve to be happy. Their problems felt real and relatable.  After the initial bumps Wes and Rebecca form a friendship and help each other see the big picture, recognize their worth to the world and each other.  They grow closer attraction building and simmering along the way until they just about burn up the sheets as lovers!  I love the slow hot sexual tension Roni Loren built between these two!

After not being blow away by The One Who Got Away I was pleasantly surprised by The One You Can’t Forget.  Roni Loren’s talented writing brought Wes and Rebecca to life, made me care about them, and I desperately wanted a happy ending for these two together!  Loved their romantic journey!

5 Suns

Review: The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren

The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away #1) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: January 2nd 2018 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

About the book:

A fresh new contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestseller Roni Loren that will rock your world.

Twelve years ago, tragedy struck the senior class of Long Acre High School. Only a small number of students survived, a group the media dubbed as The Ones Who Got Away.

Now, web designer Liv Arias, along with the rest of the survivors, have returned to the small Texas town to tell their stories for a documentary. Which means Liv seeing former star-athlete and old flame Finn Dorsey. A lot happened between them that night and Liv is ready to end their decade-long riff and move on. But when her attempt at closure turns into a steamy kiss, moving on proves much more difficult than either of them thought...

Liv's words cut off as Finn got closer. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she'd known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package. The smooth face was now dusted with scruff, and the look in his deep green eyes held no trace of boyish innocence. A thousand things were in those eyes. A thousand things welled up in Liv.

My Thoughts:

Liv and Finn had a secret romance back in high school that was obliterated when a school shooting tears their lives apart. There’s more to their story than what was made public, a reality that hurt both Liv and Finn.  Twelve years later they are reunited with the other survivors, and the old raging chemistry they felt before is stirred up again, but can they get past the damage the shooting and their actions caused?

The setup here sounded amazing to me, and I’m a huge fan of Roni Loren’s work (her erotica), but somehow Liv and Finn’s romance and story didn’t really touch me.  I did enjoy the story overall, but I didn’t feel the yearning and connection that was supposedly there between them.  Also, I felt the issue keeping them apart in the long term, (Finn’s job situation) wasn’t as big of a deal as Finn was making of it.  I think when you fall in love with “the one” you find a way to make it work.  What about all the wives who live without their husbands while they’re off serving a tour in the military? They find a way, and I thought Finn could somehow adjust his duties, so they weren’t apart, so I was a bit frustrated when it took so long for him to clue in on the possibilities.

I haven’t read anything from Roni Loren I haven’t loved, so I think this might’ve been a fluke that I didn’t love it, or possibly my reading mood at the time.  I’m still a huge fan of her writing and I look forward to the next in this series, Rebecca’s story in The Ones You Can’t Forget. I felt bad for her!

3 Suns

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Review & Giveaway: Loving You Easy by Roni Loren

Loving You Easy (Loving On the Edge #9) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: September 6th 2016 by Berkley

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Three lovers really click in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Call on Me—
 
Cora has an amazing sex life. She’s beautiful, daring, and the most popular submissive in Hayven. Too bad none of it’s real...
 
IT specialist Cora Benning has figured out the key to her formerly disastrous love life—make it virtual. In the online world of Hayven, she’s free of her geek girl image and can indulge her most private fantasies with a sexy, mysterious master without anyone in her life discovering her secrets. Until her information is hacked and she finds herself working to fix the breach under two very powerful men—one who seems all too familiar...

Best friends and business partners Ren Muroya and Hayes Fox were once revered dominants. Then Hayes was wrongfully sent to prison and everything changed. Ren wants to get back to who they were. Hayes can’t risk it. But when they discover the new IT specialist is their online fascination, and that she’s never felt a dominant’s touch, the temptation to turn virtual into reality becomes all too great…

My Thoughts:

Cora Benning is hasn’t had much luck in the romance department. Lackluster relationships that never really turn her crank, until she starts playing an online game, Hayven, with Dmitry, a dominant player. Soon, Cora is not only playing with him online, but also sharing their day through text messages, becoming close, and she finds herself falling for her virtual boyfriend.  But Cora’s world is jolted when someone from the virtual game of Hayven tracks her down to take her online playing into the real world.  Just how this man was able to find out her identity is frightening, but being a computer security specialist/hacker for hire, Cora is up to the challenge of finding out how her personal information was breached.  And this is what brings her into the world of the Hayes and Ren, the owners of Hayven; two intense and seductive men who turn Cora’s world upside down.

While I’ve said this before, threesomes always give me pause, because I have a hard time accepting it as relationship that could survive and thrive in the real world.  I always think one of the three would end up feeling like a third wheel so I usually take a pass when a story involves a threesome. However, I couldn’t pass on a Roni Loren romance so I gave Loving You Easy a shot.  While it wasn’t my favorite story from Ms. Loren, because of my personal prejudices about ménages, Loving You Easy was still a captivating story!   But I think I would’ve enjoyed the story more if it was just Cora and Hayes.  The close bond they shared first online and then in person was more believable, and adding Ren into the mix, while thrilling, diluted the intensity and rightness of Hayes and Cora. 

Roni Loren is the queen of erotica, IMO. She can light my fires like no other writer, and yet her stories are not just sex, sex, sex, which is why I think they’re so freaking hot! She gives you the heart of her characters, makes you feel what they feel, builds the sexual tension, and then finishes it off with the most deliciously wicked scenes!  Loving You Easy was no exception.

3.5 Suns

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The wonderful people of Berkley generously provided a Paperback Copy of Loving You Easy to one reader.  The giveaway is open to US or CA residents only.  Just fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.

Review: Wanderlust by Roni Loren

Wanderlust by Roni Loren

Publication Date: July 19th 2016 by Intermix

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Loving on the Edge series and Off the Clock, a story of sex, love, rock & roll, and a reporter who’s about to learn a new meaning for staying on top of her assignment...
 
Restaurant critic Aubrey Bordelon is never at a loss for words to describe her meals in the fancy restaurants of New Orleans. But after her magazine’s high-profile music reporter falls ill, she finds herself out of her element and in a sea of screaming fans awaiting Wanderlust’s lead singer, Lex Logan. The sound of his voice gives her goosebumps, and the stage presence of the hard-bodied rock star takes her breath away. So when he pulls her onstage for a sexy stunt, she knows she’s in real trouble.

Lex doesn’t want to pretend that the sparks on stage between him and Aubrey never happened, but it certainly makes the fact that she’s writing a story on his band all the more dangerous. The last thing he needs is some nosy reporter revealing their problems to the world. But the sexy Southern belle doesn’t give up easily, and soon he’s wondering if the best way to chase her off the story is to coax her into his bed…

Includes a preview of the next Loving on the Edge novel, Loving You Easy!

My Thoughts:

Aubrey is called in for an unexpected assignment, as a journalist for NOLA Vibe, she usually covers restaurants and food, but when a co-worker gets hurt she has to step into his assignment and follow the rock band Wanderlust. Aubrey wants nothing to do with this assignment, but her boss has made it clear to move ahead she must be willing to step in and handle any story.  Entitled, conceited, bad boy rockers are not her idea of fun, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Aubrey doesn’t count on the sparks flying between her and Lex Logan, the band’s lead singer, but after a body shot stage stunt she can’t stop thinking about the instant intense attraction.  Too bad she needs to keep him at arm’s length, keep things professional, and there’s no way she wants to be another notch in this manwhore’s belt.  Can she fight their irresistible pull? 

Lex Logan pulls a hot, sexy, woman onto his stage and can’t get her off his mind.  Aubrey is nothing like the parade of groupies willing to do anything for a piece of Lex, but when he finds out Aubrey is the reporter sent for a story on his band he looks for any way to distract her from the trouble brewing between his bandmates.  Lex doesn’t plan on falling for Aubrey while trying to get her kicked off the story by luring her into an inappropriate relationship, but life rarely goes as planned.

Wanderlust sounds like just another rocker romance, which I’m usually weary of, because I have to wonder if a relationship can last the constant offers from women through the years.  However, with Roni Loren writing this I had to read it.  She brings heart, oodles of heat, and originality to every story.  Lex and Aubrey have many facets, both sexy and vulnerable in their own way, making them come to life off the page. Both deal with their own personal dramas, and each end up lending support and a listening ear just at the right times.

I love Roni Loren’s writing! She brilliantly sets the stage for a scorching romance, building steam, layering on sexual tension and attraction, just the way I like it!

4 Suns

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Review: Off the Clock by Roni Loren

Off the Clock (Pleasure Principle #1) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: January 5th 2016 by Berkley

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | The Book Depository

About the book:

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LOVING ON THE EDGE NOVELS, THE FIRST IN A SENSUAL NEW SERIES

Overtime has never felt so good…

Marin Rush loves studying sex. Doing it? That’s another story. In the research lab, Marin’s lack of practical knowledge didn’t matter, but now that she’s landed a job at The Grove, a high-end, experimental sex therapy institute, she can’t ignore the fact that the person most in need of sexual healing may be her.

Dr. Donovan West, her new hotshot colleague, couldn’t agree more. Donovan knows that Marin’s clients are going to eat her alive unless she gets some hands-on experience. And if she fails at the job, he can say goodbye to a promotion, so he assigns her a list of R-rated tasks to prepare her for the wild clientele of The Grove’s X-wing.

But some of those tasks are built for two, and when he finds Marin searching for a candidate to help her check off her list, Donovan decides there’s only one man for the job—him. As long as they keep their erotic, off-the-clock activities strictly confidential and without strings, no one will get fired—or worse, get attached…

Exclusive to this edition only—a bonus short story

My Thoughts:

Marin and Donovan first meet when they both are working late at college, each in their own research study.  One thing leads to another and they share an explosive night. The lead-up alone was fiery! Marin never expects to see Donovan again after a tragedy forced her to drop out of school and put the broken pieces of her family back together.  Years later, their paths collide again when Marin takes a job as a sex therapist at The Grove, an elite sex therapy institute that caters to the rich and famous, and Donovan is to be her trainer.  Getting back to school and supporting her brother had been the focus of her life, so while Marin’s really good at studying and researching all things sexual, she has almost zero personal experience.  This becomes glaringly obvious as she begins working, but Donovan oh-so-generously offers to help rectify that problem.  Let the fun begin!

In Off the Clock things between Marin and Donovan get heated very quickly, but they have an abrupt and sad end.  Even after the years apart, sparks fly when they meet again. Both Marin and Donovan have past baggage, and Donovan’s seemed to struggle more with his past than Marin did, but I enjoyed delving deep into what made these two tick.  Whatever issues they had, there was no denying the powerful attraction each stirred in the other. Marin and Donovan definitely “imprinted” on each other all those years earlier. Their dates were intense and out of control, in the best possible way.  Even when they weren’t tearing their clothes off they genuinely got along, and I adored the playful side they brought out in each other.  I laughed several times at their exchanges:

Marin: Need me to bring anything?

Donovan: Spiked heels, head-to-toe vinyl, and a vat of Crisco.

She blinked, and her phone buzzed again.

Donovan: For me, of course. I look great in vinyl and my shoe size is 13.

Roni Loren has come to be my favorite erotic romance writer.  For a romance to be truly hot, the writer must seduce your mind first, and I find Ms. Loren never disappoints.  She always builds a solid and sizzling foundation between her complex characters, and her novels have been some of the steamiest, kinkiest stories I’ve ever read!  I can’t wait for the next in the Pleasure Principle series!  I just read on her blog that it will feature Lane, one of The Grove’s sexual surrogates.  That should be very interesting!

As with many of Roni Loren’s books, there’s a bonus novella/short story at the end, One Night Only.  Getting a romance for Bianca, one of the patients at The Grove, was an immense treat!  

4 Suns

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Review: Break Me Down by Roni Loren

Break Me Down (Loving on the Edge #8.5) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: October 27th 2015 by InterMix

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

The New York Times bestselling author of Call on Me invites you to discover the thrill of control as one couple wrestles for power in and out of the bedroom…

Samantha Dunbar needs to forget Gibson Andrews. When he trained her to be a domme, she experienced just how hot things could get with the sexy executive. She was ready to hand him everything—including her heart. But Gibson backed away, declaring them incompatible. He’s a dominant, and Sam’s no submissive.

But after an attack shakes Sam to her core, Gibson tracks her down at her family’s rundown farmhouse and makes her an offer. He’ll stay the week and be hers in every way—a helping hand for the renovation and a willing lover in her bed. He swore he’d never give up control to anyone again, but he hasn’t been able to touch another woman since Sam. Maybe a week alone with her will cure him of his relentless craving.

But one taste only makes them want more, and Sam and Gibson are drawn in deeper than ever. The man who won’t give in has just met the girl who won’t give up…

My Thoughts:

Roni Loren is the master of smart erotica, IMO.  I’ll read anything she writes, especially when I want some heavy duty spice in my life!

I’ve mentioned this before, but I have a hard time with BDSM stories that feature the female as the dominant and so I was a little hesitant to read Samantha and Gibson’s story because Samantha is very much a dominant.  Gibson has helped with training Sam at the Ranch, playing at being a submissive to her dominant while she learns the ropes, but Gibson has only ever felt comfortable as a dominant, and even though Sam stirs up all kinds of desires, he doesn’t think he could ever come out as a straight up submissive for anyone, which has lead to an impasse between these two.  Neither wants to compromise, so they’re willing to let each other go in spite of the massive amounts of chemistry and attraction between them.

Circumstances conspire against their better judgment and resolve when Sam is attacked and Gibson makes it his mission to see that Sam is okay, even if that means forcing his company on her while she restores her secluded, out of the way, childhood home. 

Like I said, I’m not a huge fan of the female dominant/male submissive scenario, but Roni Loren pushes all kinds of my hot buttons, so I had to pick this story up anyhow.  While I still wasn’t 100% on board, I have to admit that Sam and Gibson seemed made for each other. They delved into the emotions and thinking underneath their cravings, making their story so much more than a romance with lots of HOT sex.  There was plenty of that, let me tell you, and I’m always amazed at the new and creative ways Roni Loren comes up with to light my fires!  It’s a good idea to have a warm body nearby to take the edge off the desires conjured up by her writing!!

Roni Loren continues to impress with her beautiful, fiery writing! Some may shy away from novellas, but that would be a mistake with Ms. Loren.  With every novella she brings a satisfying, deeply emotional story, sure to melt your panties right off of you!

4 Suns

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Review & Giveaway: Call on Me by Roni Loren

Call on Me (Loving on the Edge #8) by Roni Loren

Publication Date: July 7th 2015 by Berkley

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

The new Loving on the Edge novel by the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing Between Us and Need You Tonight…

Oakley Easton wants two things: to be a good mom to her daughter and to ditch her less than ideal night job. Hooking up with bad boy drummer Pike Ryland? Not on the agenda. She needs a promotion. Not sex, tattoos and rock ’n’ roll.

Pike isn’t about to let Ms. Prim and Proper shut him down so easily, especially when he stumbles upon Oakley’s sexy night job. She’s only playing a role on those late night calls with strangers, but when he gets her on the line, all bets are off. He won’t stop until that sultry voice is calling his name for real.

But as they move from anonymous fantasies in the dark to the flesh-on-hot-flesh reality of the bedroom, the risk of falling in love becomes all too high. And the safe, quiet world that Oakley’s worked so hard to create is about to be exposed to the one person who could ruin it all.

My Thoughts:

Pike Ryland is a rock groupie’s dream: gorgeous, on the cusp of fame, and a hot as heck hookup.  But groupies and casual sex aren’t holding the appeal for Pike like they used to.  But Pike can’t imagine being in a relationship least of all finding the right one.  That is until he meets the prim, proper and not very impressed, Oakley.  She’s a single mom devoted to raising her eleven year old daughter, and when Pike tries to turn on the charm with her, Oakley turns on the scowl. 

From outward appearances Oakely Easton is a straight-laced model of a single mother. Her whole world revolves around raising her daughter, which is why Oakley has taken on a less than conventional nighttime job as a phone sex operator when her day job wasn’t paying the bills.  Pike Ryland is a bad boy rocker, with charm and confidence to spare, but she can’t let herself get involved with someone who isn’t looking for something serious.  She has a daughter and a sensitive heart to consider.

Working together puts them in close contact and Pike starts to suspect that Oakley might be hiding a naughty secret, and when his suspicions turn out to be true, Pike can’t resist calling. What begins as hot “harmless” late-night calls inevitably turns physical, because Oakley and Pike can’t keep their hands off of each other!

Pike and Oakley don’t seem to make sense as a couple at first, and I appreciated that they were mature and honest with their wants, and feelings. At first Oakley resists anything sexual with Pike because she knows deep down, she can’t do casual:

“But I know myself. The minute I take this a step further, my emotions are going to get involved. I’m not--” She looked around at the others backstage. “I’m not like these women. I don’t judge them for taking what they want and having a good time. I just can’t relate.—I’m not built for what you’d want from me.”

Even though Pike thought he was only suited for meaningless hookups, getting to know Oakley makes him yearn for more.  He admires her strength, raising a daughter on her own at such a young age.  Her spunk and spirit with him just make her all the more enticing. The have off the charts chemistry! Pike’s never felt the urge to share his sad family tales, or his innermost thoughts with another woman, and he’s never felt the darker sexual urges to dominate a partner like his friends from The Ranch do. Being with Oakley changes all of that.

While the BDSM lifestyle is utterly hot to me in a story, I sometimes feel it’s pure fantasy, but Pike’s kink felt a little more accessible to a “normal” (lol, yeah, right!) girl like me. Pike turned Oakley into a bit of an addict, tapping into her unknown darker desires, and oh my, did their encounters light me up!

Roni Loren again created a story that just about incinerated my panties right off of me! Call on Me was fiery hot! To me, writing a story with believable emotions, characters with depth, and layering it was a gradual build of sexual tension is key to making erotica more than just mechanical sex, and Ms. Loren completely nails that!  I highly recommend her Loving on the Edge series!

As if Call on Me wasn’t enough, there is a bonus novella at the end, House Call. In the past, a story about a female dominant has never held much attraction for me, so I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much. Theo and Maggie were two vulnerable hearts just perfect for each other.  Ms. Loren cleverly avoids insta-love in spite of the short amount of pages to work with, making this novella sweet, satisfying and of course, HOT!!

5 Suns

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Novella Review: Nice Girls Don't Ride by Roni Loren

Nice Girls Don't Ride by Roni Loren

Publication Date: April 21st 2015 by Penguin Intermix

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

In this erotically charged novella by the New York Times bestselling author of Call on Me, Nothing Between Us, and Not Until You two strangers take an asphalt-burning ride into the wildest night of their lives...

Natalie Bourne thinks she has the perfect night planned for her twenty-first birthday. But when her car breaks down and her boyfriend bails on her, she's left stranded in an auto shop dealing with a way too cocky, way too hot mechanic, who seems to be intent on pushing every button she has.

Monroe Hawkins knows he shouldn't be messing with a girl from the uppity private college. Especially when he can tell she sees him as the help. But he's having trouble resisting the redhead with the smart mouth and the killer legs. So when Natalie's night goes from bad to worse, there's no way he's letting her spend her birthday alone. He makes her a deal--he'll take her home but not until the sun comes up.

Ten hours, one motorcycle, and the city of Austin at their fingertips...things are about to take a major detour. And soon, there may be no U-turn in sight.

Includes a preview of Roni Loren's Call on Me

My Thoughts:

Natalie is geared up for a special birthday night with her boyfriend, Caleb, and you just know things are going to go wrong when she’s broken down on the side of the road and Caleb doesn’t have the time to come and help her; the reason why got my blood running hot with anger! Monroe works for his brother’s tow truck company and stops to help her.  Natalie took one look at Monroe and thought: “Sons of Anarchy” hot, but trouble, and Monroe quickly thought: spoiled sorority princess.  Both were wrong with their assessments, but it didn’t stop the immediate attraction simmering between them:

That Miss Priss vibe she’s got going on kind of does it for me. It makes me want to get her dirty. Really, really dirty.

Monroe is there to help, her knight-in-shining-armor while her boyfriend is strangely MIA; the reason why frees Natalie to pursue more interesting things with Monroe.  When Monroe finds out Natalie’s boyfriend ditched her on her birthday, he’s ticked for her and offers to take her out for the night, and for once in a long time Natalie wants to ditch her careful reserve and have fun.

Monroe and Natalie spend a fun night out getting to know each other all the while their attraction builds to combustible levels!  Roni Loren expertly built up steam between them in a short amount of time.

Nice Girls Don’t Ride had me hooked from page one.  It was a cleverly crafted a romance in a short amount of pages where “I love you” and a HEA was plausible without insta-love, something that’s not easily accomplished with a novella.  A total recommend!

 4.5 Suns

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Review & Giveaway: Not Until You by Roni Loren

Not Until You by Roni Loren

Publication Date: November 4th 2014 by Berkley Trade

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Cela knows how to be good. She’s had a lifetime of practice. But on the night of her college graduation, she decides she’s earned one wild night before she has to move back home to her overprotective family. So when the hot neighbor she’s been quietly fantasizing about for a year suggests a game of Never Have I Ever, she’s ready. But what starts out as a simple game takes an unexpected turn. Because Ian Foster doesn’t play games he can’t win.

Foster knows his desires aren’t for the faint of heart, especially not for someone as sweet and innocent as his pretty neighbor. But when Cela shows up at his door with an invitation that surprises him, he can’t resist indulging. Cela has no idea what she’s in for. The secret dark side of this man’s need will both intrigue and terrify her. But Cela has a secret of her own—and a new game to see just how far they’re both willing to go, and how much they’re willing to risk by crossing every boundary of desire.

My Thoughts:

If you want a book that will light some fires (not to mention your panties!), Roni Loren is your girl! Not Until You is my second read from her and she writes some seriously smoking HOT stories! But this story wasn’t just sex, sex, sex. There’s a compelling story with relatable characters at its heart. 

Cela should feel ecstatic and proud she’s just graduated summa cum laude and is now a full-fledged veterinarian, but she can’t help feeling like she’s missed out on the full college experience.  Getting good grades, and living up to her father’s strict standards have been her focus, but Cela is doesn’t want to move back home feeling regret. 

Cela has drooled over her neighbors, Foster and Pike, for as long as they’ve shared the same apartment complex, but Foster is the one to star in her late night fantasies.  Little does she know that she’s been the star of his fantasies, too. When her sexy neighbors invite her out to celebrate her graduation, a night of “Never Have I Ever” turns into something so much more!

Like I said in the outset, Not Until You is panty melting HOT!! Cela provides a list of things she hasn’t done, and Foster and Pike are happy to help tick off the boxes.  This leads to a three-way I won’t soon forget!  Oh my stars!  For those of you who have issues with multiples in a relationship (like I do), no worries because from the outset it’s clear that this is a romance between Foster and Cela, and Pike was just part of a fantasy in the beginning. 

Cela tries to keep her heart in check after their heart-stopping encounter, but she can’t help feel an intense emotional connection to Foster, because what they shared felt like more than just a fantasy fulfillment.  A few things hold her back though. Cela has doubts that she could be enough for Foster, especially when he shares his particular proclivities.  He’s a dominant and well-versed in BDSM and she’s had little experience sexually, but the thought of being his submissive definitely turns her on!  Cela’s upbringing with an overprotective and strict family makes her wonder if she should feel shame over finding pleasure through such “naughty” things. Then there’s the fact that she’s supposed to move home shortly and join her father’s veterinary practice.

Foster has his own issues and doubt. Cela affects him like no other woman has, and it scares him. Foster has been abandoned before for his lifestyle and he’s worried if he opens his heart up to Cela any more than he already has she’ll shatter it when the novelty of his kink wears off and reality comes crashing in. Foster has led a very lonely life and abandonment issues haunt his existence.  It was easy to see why he had such an inherent need for control when I discovered his past.  It broke my heart and scared me a little because it’s something that could and does happen in real life. 

Cela and Foster had some bumps in their relationship but it was clear that they were made for each other. Cela is a natural submissive which draws Foster's need to dominate like a magnet.  But more than that, they provided support and healing to each other and stirred up passions unmatched by anyone else.  

Roni Loren has mesmerized me with her sensual, scorching romances!  Not Until You was blisteringly hot, but packed a satisfying emotional punch, as well! 

4 Suns

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The wonderful people at Berkley have generously provided a Paperback copy of Not Until You to giveaway to one Waves of Fiction follower.  The giveaway is open to US and CA Residents only. Simply fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win.