Saturday, November 23, 2019

Review: The Boss Who Stole Christmas by Jana Aston

The Boss Who Stole Christmas by Jana Aston
Series: Reindeer Falls, Book 1
Publisher: Rutherford Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ASIN: B07ZV9C9Q9
Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it here: Amazon | Audible

Dear Santa,

Please bring me a new boss for Christmas. Mine is the worst. The worst, hidden in a six foot tall package of male perfection. It’d be easier if he looked like an old Scrooge, wouldn’t it?

Nick Saint-Croix doesn’t look like an old scrooge. He’s hot as-

Um, never mind. Just bring me a new boss. Please.

Sincerely,
Holly Winter

Holly Winter loves Christmas, her hometown of Reindeer Falls, and her dream job at Flying Reindeer Toy Company. What she doesn’t love is her new boss, Nick Saint-Croix, the Grinch of Reindeer Falls. She has no idea why Nick took over the toy company after his uncle retired; the man has “big city” written all over him. But perhaps there is more to Nick than Holly sees…

The Boss Who Stole Christmas is capital “A” Adorable. It’s bright, cheerful, sexy, and just plain fun to read. I adored Jana Aston’s world of Reindeer Falls and cannot wait to see more of it.

Poor Nick. He’s pretty much the perfect hero and Holly’s assumptions about him have to hurt. Nick is far more caring, considerate, and kind than Holly gives him credit for and it’s clear from the start he and Holly are a perfect match in every way. On the one hand, if Holly hadn’t been convinced Nick was a Grinch then there would be no story. On the other, her image of him didn’t have much of a basis so I wanted to shake her a few times and it kept this story from being a solid five star read. In any other story Holly’s dogged determination to cast Nick in a bad light might have soured me and made me want to yell at Nick that he deserved more. But aside from her bias against Nick, Holly was a charming and fun heroine. She’s bright and full of passion and great ideas for the Flying Reindeer Toy Company. Her bright-eyed love of Christmas made me smile and Ms. Aston makes this story so bright and charming that I was willing to go along and wait for Holly to see the real Nick. I loved watching her come to see the man beneath the suit – and what a deliciously sexy man he was.

The Boss Who Stole Christmas is supremely sweet with a kick of spice. It’s never cloying but genuinely warm-hearted in its holiday cheer. I can’t wait to read more about Reindeer Falls and I really liked Holly’s sister Ginger, so I’m eager to dive into her story, If You Give a Jerk a Gingerbread.


FTC Disclosure: This book was purchased by me. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Review: Three For All by Elia Winters

Three For All by Elia Winters
Series: Comes in Threes, Book 3
Publisher: Cecaelia Press
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Polyamorous Romance
ISBN: 9781951589004
Release Date: November 12, 2019
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Elia Winters Reading Order

Geoff Robinson has no reason to feel insecure in his marriage to Patrick Walsh, even with Patrick’s polyamorous past and Geoff’s own inexperience. When Geoff starts fantasizing about bringing a woman into their bed, he has to admit that he’s trying to appease his own curiosity, and not Patrick’s. Threesomes are exciting, and surely one night of fun won’t cause any problems.

With the ink still fresh on her PhD, Lori Clark is finally ready to move to a bigger city and pursue her dream job. Her time in small-town Mapleton has an expiration date, so there seems to be little harm in a fling, even a fling with her sexy coworker and his husband. One night is never enough, though, and their chemistry together hints at the possibility of more than just an affair. The excitement of a new relationship makes Geoff and Patrick wonder if they’re just infatuated or destined for non-monogamy, but Lori’s future plans are pulling her away from both of them. Can a marriage survive when two people in love… both fall in love with someone else?

You’re not going to need to turn the heater on this winter because Three For All is hot as hell. Elia Winters’s third Comes in Threes story is a deliciously dirty polyam romance with a core of emotional honesty that makes it stand out.

Geoff and Patrick have been married almost seven years and their love and marriage is as solid as can be. They don’t talk much about Patrick’s polyamorous past anymore and Geoff has no doubt that Patrick is completely faithful. That doesn’t stop him from wondering if perhaps Patrick might want more…and if maybe he does as well. The chief reason for Geoff’s unquiet? His co-worker, Lori, who is not only intelligent and gorgeous, but shares a lot of common interests with both Geoff and Patrick. One of the things I love most about Three For All is Patrick and Geoff’s marriage. They have their bumps, uncertainties, and vulnerabilities, but they always talk to one another and there’s never any judgment. They are so solid they know they can be open and vulnerable to one another and it makes their love story that much stronger and more interesting.

With the ink still drying on her PhD, Lori has her eye on the prize. She’s going to leave Mapleton and move to New York City to pursue her dream of working as a relationship therapist, hopefully with an organization that supports people of color, LGBTQ people, and nontraditional relationships. She did her dissertation on polyamory and is intrigued when she realizes Goeff and Patrick are interested in inviting her to bed. What none of them count on is how quickly they start to fall for each other and fall into a triad relationship. Lori fears being the third wheel, but it’s clear she’s made for Patrick and Geoff. She’s also a fantastic heroine who is funny, interesting, and refreshingly self-aware.

Whether they get together in twos or threes, Patrick, Geoff, and Lori are insanely hot. Sweetly submissive Patrick just about melted my heart, Geoff – who can be uncertain in some areas of his changing feelings – is confidently dominant, and Lori isn’t afraid to go for what she wants in the bedroom. Put them all together and you’re in for one hell of a ride. And while I cannot overstate how sexy Three For All is, it’s the characters themselves who make this story shine. They talk about polyamory, they learn, the guys become friends with Lori even as they fall for her and she for them. There’s no false drama, only honest emotion and very human fears and needs. There’s so much to love about this book and the way it discusses polyamorous relationships that I’ve barely touched on what readers will find.

Elia Winters writes polyam romance better than anyone else I’ve ever read and Three For All shows why. It’s erotic, sex-positive, funny, heartwarming, engaging, and just plain fun to read. Patrick, Lori, and Geoff are all unique, well-drawn characters who fit each other perfectly and I loved watching them become a family. So if you’re looking for a kinky good time that also has emotional depth, Three For All is the perfect book for you.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Elia Winters Book Order

Click on series title to jump to a particular reading order:


Comes in Threes
Slices of Pi
Stand Alones


Comes in Threes

1. Three-Way Split
Hannah Stewart, Mitchell Fredericks, and Ben Harrington
My Review

2. Just Past Two
Abby Burke and Sam Burke
My Review

3. Three For All
Lori Clark, Geoff Robinson, and Patrick Walsh
My Review

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Slices of Pi

1. Even Odds
Isabel Suarez and Caleb Portland

2. Tied Score
Iris Parker and Owen Hobbs
My Review

3. Single Player
Matthew Abrams and Silas Benson
My Review


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Stand Alones

Combustion
Astrid Bailey and Eli Rutledge
My Review

Hairpin Curves
Megan Harris and Scarlett Andrews
My Review

Playing Knotty
Emma Green and Ian Cooper
My Review

Purely Professional
Bridget Hartwell and Max Harlow

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Please note: This page was written by me, so as always, please visit the author’s website for up-to-date, author-verified information as well as for information books that have not yet been included to this list.

https://eliawinters.com/

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Review: The Widow's Auction by Sabrina Jeffries

The Widow’s Auction by Sabrina Jeffries
Publisher: InterMix
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN: 9780451488268
Ebook Source: Publisher
Print Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo
Sabrina Jeffries Reading Order

Though Isobel Lamberton, the widowed Lady Kingsley, is confounded by her dealings with the obstinate Justin Antony, Lord Warbrooke, his commanding presence sparks something deep within her. But such romantic thoughts are for naught. For Justin’s political aspirations always come first. And Isobel’s own secret past could damage both of them permanently.

So when Isobel’s friend talks her into participating in a scandalous auction of masked widows at a gentleman’s club, she reluctantly agrees…and soon begins to relish being an object of desire. But none desire her more than Justin, who recognizes the outspoken Isobel in disguise and sets out to teach her a lesson worth far more than money…

Isobel Lamberton, Lady Kingsley, and Justin Antony, Lord Warbrooke, are at loggerheads with one another. Both sit on the board of a boys’ school and each has their own proposal they are determined to see win the board vote. The two of them are driving one another mad. Isobel is frustrated with Justin’s high-handedness and he is equally frustrated with her stubbornness. What neither will admit – but all can see – is their deep attraction to one another. When Isobel is talked into participating in a scandalous widow’s auction and Justin finds himself at the same auction, determined to gain the support of one of their more degenerate board members, things come to a head and the passion takes hold. But what will morning bring?

I can’t count the number of times I’ve read The Widow’s Auction since it was first published in the Fantasy anthology. Justin and Isobel never fail to make me smile and I always fall into Sabrina Jeffries’s writing.

Isobel and Justin are clearly made for one another, but misconceptions and hidden fears are keeping them both from taking a risk making their feelings known. It takes a masked widow’s auction to give them that extra push, Isobel’s belief that Justin doesn’t recognize her making her more open than she would normally be. Isobel’s upbringing isn’t at all what Justin thinks it is; the way it marked her and how her marriage to the saintly Lord Kingsley shaped her persona are something he could never guess. I loved watching him come to understand her and for her to see past her biases and come to know the man beneath the perfect politician. One night of passion doesn’t solve everything, but it is exactly the push both Justin and Isobel need. They’re a perfect match in bed and out and I loved watching Isobel embrace her desires. The Widow’s Auction is a deliciously steamy read with two passionate protagonists and a happily ever after that’s guaranteed to satisfy.


FTC Disclosure:I received the eBook edition of this story for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.